MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - This evening, Morgantown City Manager Kim Haws and Finance Director Kevin Tennant presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget and Five-Year Capital Improvement Program to City Council. The proposed General Fund and Capital budget totals $39.5 million, up 1% from the proposed Fiscal Year 2021-2022 budget.
The proposed budget follows council’s strategic goals in the areas of attractive amenities, cooperative relationships, excellent city services, arts and culture, transportation and infrastructure, fiscal stability, vibrant downtown, strong neighborhoods, welcoming and inclusive community and emergency planning. Improvements to the budget include creating some full-time positions that were never posted due to uncertainty in revenue. Those positions are:
- Human Resources Assistant in the Human Resources Department
- Sign Specialist in the Engineering and Public Works Department
- Special Projects Coordinator in the City Manager’s Office
- Museum Manager in the Arts & Cultural Development Department
- Arts & Culture Facilities Technician in the Arts & Cultural Development Department
- 2 Airport Laborers at the Morgantown Municipal Airport
The proposed budget also includes positions which will be funded through federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds. Those positions include a Marketing Coordinator, Lead City Ambassador, five part-time City Ambassadors, and a Street Outreach Coordinator. These positions add approximately $269,000 to the General Fund FY23 budget but will be reimbursed by the ARP fund.
Other highlights of the proposed budget include $650,000 to the General Fund contingency to help the city in the event of an emergency. Also included is $1.8 million for right-of-way improvements such as street paving and ADA improvements for sidewalks. Funding for the right of way improvements is generated from the Municipal Service Fee.
Included in this budget is $584,600 to 12 different non-profit agencies. Public service agencies including the Board of Parks and Recreation, Morgantown Public Library, Monongalia Morgantown Metropolitan Planning Organization and Mountain Line Transit Authority, receive funding in the amount of $3,029,000. Providing financial assistance to these vital community organizations helps to improve the community’s health, well-being, quality of life and safety through our sustained and collaborative relationships.
The proposed Capital Improvement Plan for Fiscal Years 2022-2027 totals $41.7 million and includes 61 projects. The CIP project highlights include funding to remove abandoned and dilapidated structures and the local match for the runway extension project at the Morgantown Municipal Airport. The total CIP funding for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 is $6.9 million and includes 47 projects.
The budget review and adoption schedule is:
- Tuesday, February 22, 7 p.m. – Budget Presentation
- Tuesday, March 1, 7 p.m. – Budget First Reading and Vote
- Tuesday, March 8, 7 p.m. - City Council Budget Workshop
- Tuesday, March 22, 7 p.m. - Budget Public Hearing, Second Reading, & Adoption
All presentations and public hearings are held in the Council Chambers at Morgantown City Hall (389 Spruce Street). The public is welcome to attend these meetings which will be broadcast on the Morgantown 15 (Xfinity Channel 15) and streamed live on the City’s website (www.morgantownwv.gov/streaming). Copies of the proposed budget document and the presentation are available at www.morgantownwv.gov/finance.