WESTOVER, W.Va. — A court ruling favors the City of Westover in an ongoing battle over annexation of the Morgantown Mall.
“Not only do we still have the mall, now we can start collecting taxes, start patrolling. Our police will be there. It’s treated like any other part of Westover,” said Mayor Dave Johnson following the ruling.
As early at 2010, Westover leaders began asking Monongalia County commissioners to include the property within city limits.
“You know they didn’t build that mall out on Indian Creek Road for a reason. They build it out there and nobody would go. They built it right on top of a municipality. They just stepped over that imaginary line. They were depending on us to support businesses in the mall so the mall would be successful. It wasn’t right to begin with,” expressed Johnson.
It wasn’t until 2013 Monongalia County commission approved the boundary adjustment to include just more than 100 acres in Westover city limits.
Morgantown Mall owners disputed the decision eventually seeking an appeal in court. Johnson said it was a collective decision in Westover to continue to fight the appeals.
“People of Westover don’t have me to thank for it. They have city council to thank for it. They’re the ones that held strong. They stayed there and did the right thing.”
Westover could see $1 million a year in business and occupation taxes, property taxes and personal taxes from the annexation.
Mall owners are expected to file an appeal.