MORGANTOWN — Morgantown’s Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners (BOPARC) was once again a focus of heated discussion during Tuesday (July 24) night’s meeting of the Morgantown City Council.
The topic of debate centered around whether the city could realistically research, draft and present a dedicated BOPARC funding levy in time for placement on the county’s November ballot.
City Manager Paul Brake recommended a more deliberate approach, suggesting city administration continue to work with BOPARC to come up with a funding strategy in time for the upcoming budget process, which will begin in about six months.
Brake said trying to pull everything together to get a levy ready for November “lacks sound solid justification and due diligence in the attempt in gaining voter approval.”
A majority of council agreed with Brake’s assessment, voting 5-1 to follow his recommendation.
Deputy Mayor Mark Brazaitis disagreed.
Brazaitis asked city administration to run the numbers and offer a presentation on what a November levy would look like at next week’s committee of the whole meeting. That request failed on a 3-3 vote.
Brazaitis, Rachel Fetty and Ryan Wallace voted in favor. Councilors Jenny Selin, Ron Dulaney and Bill Kawecki voted against.
Councilor Barry Wendell was absent.
Brazaitis argued that BOPARC paid for the type of assessment and planning process the city manager is currently suggesting four years ago, but nothing was ever done with the information.
“We have the plan. It’s called the Morgantown Community Recreation Center and Iceplex Feasibility and Business Plan,” Brazaitis said. “We went through this process four years ago … We’ve done it. We’ve done it. We have the study and there are numbers.”
The majority of council disagreed.
“It just seems as though we’re not at a point where we have the numbers that are specific and possible to put out a levy,” Selin said. “We also have not built up the organization over a number of months in order to put something on the ballot … It’s just not possible to do this in a decent, respectful way that respects voters, respects this council and respects BOPARC and the role it is supposed to be playing in this.”
If the city were to present a levy in a municipal election, it would only impact city residents. If a levy is not on the November ballot, the next opportunity to present the question county-wide would be 2020.
Brake said a dedicated levy is just one of the available funding options being explored.
Estimates put BOPARC’s infrastructure needs between $30 million and $40 million, depending on whether a second ice rink is included.
Also on Tuesday, the council voted unanimously on first reading in favor of an ordinance establishing a land reuse/ preservation agency.
Story by Ben Conley