MCC Highlights - October 18, 2022

For the City Council meeting on October 18, 2022.

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IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to upcoming renovations at Morgantown City Hall, all Morgantown City Council meetings will be held in Monongalia County Commission Chambers located on the second floor of the Monongalia County Building at 243 High Street.

Meeting Highlights:

IMPROVING COORDINATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MUB AND THE CITY

This ordinance, which was tabled at the previous meeting, proposes five amendments which include:

Adding a council member to the board to ensure coordination and the free flow of information.
- The board will have 1 Morgantown City Council member and 4 residential customer members.
The second amendment to the article would add the Morgantown City Manager as a nonvoting member to ensure project coordination and plans at the operational level.
The third amendment to the Article would give specific authority to the Board to acquire real estate and, consistent with current practice, the real estate will be acquired for “The City of Morgantown, acting by and through the Morgantown Utility Board".
The fourth amendment to the Article would add a State law requirement for the city to approve rate increases.
- City Council now has the obligation to and does approve rates for Morgantown’s utility system and ensure they are equitable. The ordinance recites the state law requirements for rate setting.
The fifth amendment to the Article would add a State law requirement for the city to approve construction projects.
- Recent changes to state law removed Public Service Commission jurisdiction to issue a certificate of convenience and necessity for any utility project outside the ordinary course of business for certain municipally owned water and sewer utilities, but the state law added that these projects must be noticed in customer bills and in the newspaper, then approved by resolution or ordinance of City Council. The amendment recites that state law authority.
- It also adds three definitions of projects outside the ordinary course of business:
  - (1) projects that cost more than $1 million
  - (2) projects that use public parks
  - (3) other projects designated by Council as outside the ordinary course of business (if Council does so before construction).

AWARDING OF A BID TO RENOVATE CITY HALL

Council will consider a recommendation from the Director of Engineering and Public Works to award the City Hall renovation project to Commercial Builders, Inc. for the price of $2,952,900. The recommendation is based on several different factors, including Commercial Builders' timely and cost-effective completion of the Sidewalk Vault renovation project. The City Hall renovation project involves the repair and replacement of historic windows, reconstruction of a masonry parapet wall, selective demolition of interior systems, partitions, and finishes, installation of new HVAC systems, modification of existing plumbing and electrical systems, and the installation of new partitions and finishes.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A RESOLUTION OPPOSING AMENDMENT 2

This resolution would establish council's position opposing Amendment 2, a proposed change to the state constitution that would place control over personal property tax rates with the legislature instead of local school boards, county commissions, and towns. The resolution notes potential problems with finding services if control is given to the legislature, as no specific replacement funding has been provided.