MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – In the race for the Fifth Ward Morgantown city council seat, Marly Ynigues is challenging incumbent deputy mayor Danielle Trumble in the April 25 municipal election.
Ynigues came in third in the 2021 municipal election for the Fifth Ward seat with 312 votes. Then candidate Tony Setly finished second with 367 votes, and Trumble won the three-way race with 755 votes.
“Housing, roads, and human rights,” Ynigues said. “The centerpiece of my platform is to create a Department of Housing through the City of Morgantown that’s advocating for affordable housing policies and making sure we have the resources for transitional shelter infrastructure.”
She also has a plan to ease some zoning and code regulations to allow people to create affordable housing on their property. Things like tiny houses or spaces converted into apartments could provide more affordable opportunities.
“If you want to rent out a room for an Airbnb, that’s often an easier ask than someone who wants to create a safe and affordable living space for someone,” Ynigues said. “I think that means some misplaced priorities on the city’s part.”
Ynigues said handling internal change when it comes to personnel matters similar to the way external change is currently managed could solve problems before they become lawsuits. Additionally, Ynigues said the improved communication could also improve employee morale and performance.
“We have town halls, and we bring in folks in the community to comment on their priorities, what are your ideas, and what is your feedback on these ideas we’re putting forward as a city?” Ynigues said. “We should treat our employees the same way.”
Ynigues is a supporter of housing-first policies. The program prioritizes food and permanent housing before managing a substance abuse problem, employment or life skills.
“The data shows that it helps if you are able to get an apartment; it’s much easier to get a job and to get the paperwork you need to keep it and make sure it’s a stable living situation,” Ynigues said.
On the recent proposal to adopt a county-wide ordinance regarding panhandling, Ynigues said those efforts have been stopped by courts across the country, and she would expect the same would happen here if enacted. Instead, she said this is an opportunity to meet with those groups to determine what the problems are so improvements can be made.
“As recently as last month, the state of Alabama tried to do something similar, and the courts struck it down,” Ynigues said. “I don’t think it makes any sense for the city to invite a lawsuit by not looking at the root causes of the problem.”
Early voting for the Morgantown municipal election runs from April 12 through April 22 in the Historic Train Depot at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park. The polls are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On election day, April 25, the polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
For information about polling places click here.