MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown City Councilwoman Nancy Ganz is adamant it’s time for her colleagues to move on following accusations of gerrymandering.
In the months leading up to the April 2015 city election, Ganz and Mayor Jenny Selin were in the spotlight after claims they voted on a ward rezoning measure with only their own political gain in mind. An original measure that would’ve combined portions of their wards would also have had Ganz and Selin running against each other in the upcoming election.
The accusations led to a request that Monongalia County Prosecutor Marcia Ashdown look into possible state ethics violations in the matter.
Tuesday, councilwoman Ganz, who’d obtained a copy of the prosecutor’s 2-page response the request, shared it in its entirety before council.
“We need to move forward as a team. That’s why I’m trying to put this to bed right now so that we can move forward as a team working together for the betterment of our hometown,” Ganz said in an interview on Morgantown AM.
According to Ganz, Ashdown’s letter to Morgantown resident George Papandreas, indicated her office would not be further involved in the political matter.
It further alluded that there is precedent set in West Virginia that gerrymandering is not unconstitutional and there’s been no statute making it unacceptable in the state.
Ganz, pleased with the response, said the accusations are a distraction.
“And, if our own groups continue this process, then it wastes our time, our energy. And, it doesn’t afford us the opportunity to move forward like the city needs to move forward,” commented Ganz.
Papandreas, who’d initially requested Monongalia County Commissioners to take his concerns to the prosecutor’s office, ran for election in April. Ron Bane was re-elected in that ward.