MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — There was no consensus on how to move forward with a set of proposed changes to the Morgantown City Charter that would amend city elections, but a narrow majority is going forward with term limits changes.
“I’m not sure that’s realistically going to happen,” Deputy Mayor Mark Brazaitis said Tuesday on WAJR’s Morgantown AM. “Voters will then have to decide for themselves, obviously. I’m glad that’s, ultimately, going to the voters to take a look at and make a choice on.”
Brazaitis was joined by Barry Wendell and Ron Dulaney, all members of council serving in their first term, in voting against the decision to only increase term limits following the 2019 election. That change did not include what many members of council wanted — staggered elections for council members and moving the date of the election to coincide with the county or state’s elections.
“There’s no doubt that more voters would come to the polls in May or November,” Brazaitis said. “I think that’s a convincing argument on that for that particular proposal, no doubt.”
Brazaitis said he’s still uncertain that a change is even necessary to the city’s elections.
“I haven’t yet heard a truly convincing or overwhelming argument, nor an outpouring of public support for one of the other options, to move forward with the change that was voted on at our last meeting,” Deputy Mayor Mark Brazaitis said. “Nor, frankly, really any of the other changes at this point.”
Though, Brazaitis did concede that longer term limits would mean greater stability for City Council.
“You don’t want to set off on a project and then have a new council come in in 18 months that then squashes that project that needs four years to complete,” he said.
A date has not yet been set for the public hearing on this proposed charter change, which would need two additional readings before passage is possible.