MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Starting in January, the city of Morgantown will begin collecting a $3 weekly user fee from anyone coming to work in the city for the specific purposes of improving the city’s streets and providing improved police protection.
After a lengthy public comment portion, the user fee ordinance was passed upon second reading with a 4-3 vote during the Tuesday, Oct. 20, regular meeting of the Morgantown City Council. Councilors Ron Bane, Wes Nugent and Jay Redmond voted in the minority.
Prior to the main vote on the user fee, a motion by Redmond to table the issue in order to dissiminate more information to the public was voted down by the same 4-3 count. Once again, Bane, Nugent and Redmond voted in the minority.
Redmond said his request to delay wasn’t to change the ordinance, but to allay fears and build trust.
“It goes back to trust and perception. Right now, I don’t think we have the trust and the perception is it has been rushed,” Redmond said, alluding to points made by many of the commentors.
Nugent agreed, explaining that he did not refute the need to increase funds for police or street repairs…