MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Last month, Morgantown City Council voted to approve a proposed route of a 30-inch raw water pipeline from the George B. Flegal Dam and Reservoir to MUB’s water treatment facility through a portion of White Park.
Both sides then agreed to begin talks on a licensing agreement that would set the terms for reclamation of the construction area.
Monday at 6 p.m. the MUB board will meet in executive session to get an update on the licensing agreement.
After debating eight different routes with many variations city council agreed the best route would avoid a widely used section of White Park where there are trees that over two feet in diameter. The route also moves construction activity further from the drip line of the tree, increasing the chances of survival through the construction process.
Some of the trees are considered “witness trees.” Witness trees are broadly defined as those possessing historic significance, remarkable age or exceptional size.
Deputy Mayor Rachel Fetty says it’s very important to be very thorough while negotiating the licensing agreement.
Fetty said,”My fear is that the licensing agreement won’t address all of their concerns, and if the licensing agreement doesn’t address all of their concerns the construction we’re about to see will be very painful for a lot of people to watch.”
Fetty also agrees that the project should be completed.
The project was halted in May of this year following criticism from a group of citizens about tree removal and environmental damage to the park.
Following a public information campaign in 2015 about the project, MUB launched another series of meetings this summer after the shutdown.
According to MUB General Manager Tim Ball, the contractor will be available to return to the work site around Thanksgiving providing the licensing agreement is in place.
Neither side has commented on the negotiations, but MUB released the following statement last week:
We respectfully decline to answer specifics regarding the issues still being negotiated. Those issues, or their resolution, will become clear and publicly disclosed soon.
Clearly, we have not achieved an agreement as soon as had been anticipated. That does threaten to even further delay our contractor’s return, and the schedule for resumption/completion of construction is becoming highly uncertain.
Morgantown City Manager Paul Brake says negotiations are amicable and progressing.