Morgantown, Monongalia County need assembly over street upkeep points

MORGANTOWN — Eyesore. Embarrassing. 

These are simply two of the phrases utilized by native officers to explain the state of the state-maintained roads in Monongalia County. 

It was among the many main matters of dialogue when Morgantown management sat down for an off-the-cuff dialogue with members of the Monongalia County Fee earlier this week. 

Waist-high weeds line main thoroughfares, develop unchecked at interstate exits and sprout up by means of medians. Indicators and sight traces are obscured by overgrowth.  

“I’m unsure what all of us have performed to deserve this. That’s the phrase I wish to use,” Monongalia County Fee President Tom Bloom stated. “There may be clearly one thing unsuitable.”  

Assistant Metropolis Supervisor Emily Muzzarelli stated town has requested the DOH for a face-to-face assembly and offered greater than 30 photos of areas it wish to see addressed. 

“You go searching, I don’t know if our-state maintained roadways are matching up with the remainder of the state,” she stated. 

Star Metropolis Recorder Steve Blinco raised the difficulty months in the past in his capability as a member of the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Group Coverage Board. 

“That is yearly,” Blinco stated again in June. “What can we do?” 

Along with Morgantown, Bloom stated he has additionally submitted requests mentioning uncut grass, excessive weeds and different routine upkeep points on behalf of the county and Star Metropolis.  

He went on to say the county can be in assist of sitting down with the DOH, however not simply District 4 officers. 

“I believe our District 4 does what it could possibly, nevertheless it wants assist. That’s why if we’ve that assembly, I need individuals from the state right here. That’s the important thing,” Bloom stated. “I wish to assist District 4 saying, ‘Look, they need assistance. Whether or not it’s individuals, workers, funding.’ I believe we’re at a degree now that it’s been occurring means too lengthy.” 

In April, District 4 officers advised The Dominion Publish the six-county district was 75 individuals brief and confronted a 16-person deficit simply in Monongalia County. 

Muzzarelli stated town approached the state in July about taking on upkeep of 11 smaller DOH roads or connectors throughout the metropolis however has by no means gotten a response. 

Town has additionally floated the thought of a pilot program by means of which it may tackle upkeep initiatives and be reimbursed by the state. Metropolis management famous related relationships exist between states and municipalities all throughout the nation. 

As issues at present stand, Muzzarelli stated town usually finally ends up throwing up its arms in frustration and simply fixing the issue, be it potholes, weeds or in any other case. 

“It’s irritating,” Bloom stated. “We shouldn’t all the time be doing this. These are minor issues, however they provide an impression of town and the county that we don’t care.” 

Commissioner Sean Sikora agreed. He raised the difficulty the next day in the course of the fee’s common assembly. 

He stated excessive weeds and uncared for upkeep are an eyesore that replicate poorly on the county and native municipalities and go away a destructive impression on guests.  

“You’re a guardian desirous to carry your child to this college, and also you come to the doorway to town and also you’re like, ‘Geez, they don’t even reduce their weeds or take away their cinders from previous winters,” he stated. “It takes lots of cinders to get to a pile after which have a forest rising out of it.” 

In keeping with Metropolis Supervisor Kim Haws it’s no coincidence that some elements of the state get higher protection than others. He stated these points additionally should be a precedence of the native delegation in Charleston. 

“We’ve all been across the state. You talked about Greenbrier. I hate to say it, however politics play a giant position with DOH and people areas that appear to get probably the most consideration across the state have probably the most lively state-level politicians,” he stated.