MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Administrators with the City of Morgantown have decided to take some precautionary steps ahead of the full implementation of the voter-passed public property camping ban scheduled for June 4.
Morgantown Assistant City Manager Emily Muzzarelli updated the Morgantown City Council during their regular meeting Tuesday on conversations that have taken place with members of the Morgantown Police Department regarding various aspects of article 1157 of the city code. The policies discussed ranged from interactions with those in violation of the ordinance, alternative treatment options, and the increase in the number of employees that will be added to the Morgantown Police Department in the coming months to assist MPD Social Worker Kelly Rice.
“We have worked diligently; we have an administrative policy within our police department that talks about, basically, how to go through things,” said Muzzarelli. “(Starting from) once you are called out to a site or run into an area where there is camping on public property.”
If anyone is reportedly in violation of the ordinance, Morgantown police officers have been tasked to first present options for alternative shelters, treatment centers, or some form of open shelter ahead of issuing an ordinance. In the event that a resident calls in to report a violation of the ban, Rice or one of the other two case workers that will be hired to assist with handling calls will respond with an officer with the issuing of a citation that comes with increasing penalties if they pile up over a period of time.
“For the normal steps, we would engage with folks in just offering assistance, finding out what is going on in their personal situation, and then seeing how we may be able to help,” said Muzzarelli. “We have worked with our West Virginia Peers group, and we then continue to plan on working with them going forward.”
In the event that someone is cited for an ordinance for a second or third time, with fines of $200 and $500 for a third violation within 12 months and/or 30 days in jail for each citation issued after that, an alternative sentencing program will be offered by the city. According to Muzzarelli, a partnership has been made with Valley Health Care Systems where the city will use their Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program. An office is located on Scott Avenue, a short drive away from the social service hub Hazel’s House of Hope.
“We have also contracted Valley Mental Health to help with our alternative sentencing,” said Muzzarelli. “That would kick into place if somebody did get cited under that ordinance in working to see if they wanted to seek treatment.”
Morgantown City Councilors Bill Kawecki and Louise ‘Weez’ Michael each praised the efforts of city staff in the closing minutes of council’s meeting Tuesday. This included the establishment of an alternative sentencing program, as well as the planned hiring of additional case workers to assist Morgantown police officers. With the over 100 homeless people accounted for in the Monongalia County point in time count established in 2024, the majority located within Morgantown, the councilors appreciated the due diligence taken ahead of the city public property camping ban going into effect.
“Same as Bill, I thought that the city addressing our camping ban coming up was really thought out, so thank you (for your efforts),” said Michael, one of the biggest proponents of the municipal camping ban when it was passed.