Mark Downs - Morgantown City Council, 6th Ward

08/10/2026

After a year of work with city staff across nearly every department, I am pleased to see revisions to our Building Permit Ordinance (Article 1705) coming before Council tomorrow night for consideration. The amendment includes:

- Completeness Review: Applications will get a full, upfront list of issues instead of piece meal feedback, so applicants know what is needed early in the process
- Concurrent Review: City departments and partner agencies are required to coordinate reviews and conduct them at the same time whenever practicable, reducing unnecessary delays
- Review Comment Standards: Once an application is deemed complete, any additional review comment must identify the specific code provision or legal requirement behind it
- Transparency and Documentation: Application checklists, review timelines, and the fee schedule will be publicly available online, and certain decisions will require written documentation
- Applicant Communication: Applicants will receive clear, consistent notifications and status updates throughout the permit review
- Administrative Review: A new option allows supervisory review of a permit determination before an applicant is required to pursue a formal appeal
- Reliance on Licensed Professionals: The Building Official may rely on plans and documents prepared by licensed architects, engineers, and other qualified professionals, while retaining the City's authority to verify compliance independently
- Permit Administration: Permit conditions are clarified, and suspension and revocation provisions are refined for better consistency

Thanks to everyone who has worked on this so far. Cumbersome, unpredictable permitting breeds apathy, and apathy breeds blight. A homeowner adding a deck, a small business renovating a storefront, and new construction all benefit from a process that is faster and more predictable. Business, growth, and the jobs and revenue they generate are the lifeblood of city services. Predictability is what keeps people investing in their property and our city. That is what this ordinance delivers.

07/21/2026

Thanks to Bill Kawecki, Weez Michael, Scott Frederick, Michael Jones and a bunch of folks at DOH including Joe Purnell and Scott Myers!

This sign was made years ago. The date on it is 2020. It was approved and commissioned by the historic landmarks commission, but subsequently lost (presumably during COVID) in a warehouse.

Over the course of the last week these fine folks have all played part in the sign’s recovery. It is now awaiting a location confirmation and installation in our city’s oldest and most historic graveyard. Thanks to you all!

06/08/2026

When did caring about others start making you a radical?

The former Bartlett House location at West Run is headed toward foreclosure. WV Coalition to End Homelessness stepped up and was operating the facility as a temporary warming shelter this winter and supportive housing full time. That is ending with the foreclosure.

Plans aren’t immediately known and WVCEH is going to do their best to look out for everyone who is relying on their services there, but this just sucks. We were already short on beds and supportive housing in the area. This is likely going to things even harder.

The bottom line is, we need a year-round shelter, we need more supportive housing, and we need someone responsible for making sure people don’t get lost in transitions.

These are neighbors. We should act like it.

Send a message to learn more

05/17/2026

This week had a lot of focus on neighborhoods, public safety, infrastructure, community service, and economic development.

Our Greenmont Neighborhood Association subcommittee continued work on a possible neighborhood business overlay. Good zoning should help make neighborhoods more complete, more interesting, and more useful for the people who live there. It could support small, neighborhood serving businesses that add character, meet local needs, and make Greenmont an even cooler place to live.

We are also working with the Civilian Police Review and Advisory Board on ways to support its continued work. As part of that effort, City Manager Miller and I worked with the Morgantown Police Department on a report the Board has been working to get built. The goal is to connect the Board’s priorities with what can be reliably produced from the current records system.

The Cobun Creek bridge ribbon cutting was also this week. Projects like this improve daily life, support outdoor recreation, and connect people to places that make Morgantown special.

There was good news for the Morgantown Municipal Airport. Senator Capito recommended $25 million in Community Project Funding for the runway extension, and Senator Justice recommended $15 million. These are not final awards yet, but they are major steps forward for a project that can support long term growth and strengthen an important public asset.

Development Services reform remains an important focus. The goal is to make permitting and review clearer, more predictable, and more accountable while still protecting safety.

Finally, yesterday I volunteered at a Sleep in Heavenly Peace memorial bed build in honor of a dear friend, Chris Boland. Chris was selfless and loved giving back to his community. This project was one of his passions, and I was honored to take part with friends from Morgantown Forward.

About 100 people showed up, and together we built 55 beds in about five hours. It was incredible.

Community development happens in many ways. Sometimes it is policy, planning, infrastructure, and economic development. And sometimes it is volunteers building beds for kids in honor of someone who gave so much.

05/15/2026

Happy birthday, PODA!

05/08/2026

Have you heard? The rumors are true!!

Ive been working with a few other members of Council to bring back Morgantown's 4th of July Parade to High Street in !!

Parades, to me, are one of those community building, small town traditions- just like the holiday lights we successfully brought back to High Street this past season. I'm so happy that this has all come together! Special thanks to Council, past parade organizers who have loaned their expertise, MPD, MFD, Public Works, UPD, and City Administration.

With that, we're hoping to make this parade the best one yet! We hope you'll consider participating- by joining the procession, volunteering, or simply attending! If you're interested, register here: https://forms.gle/yGMnzvyoqeQGvDRo6 (also available in Insta bio)

We've got several groups already committed to constructing floats and other shenanigans (👀 at you ) that will make this an exciting event. I'm also finalizing details on a bicycle procession to kick off the festivities- stay tuned for more details on that soon!

Immediately following the parade, head down to for the celebration. Park opens at 5p and entertainment begins at 7p.

This 4th of July, downtown Morgantown is certainly the place to be!

04/29/2026

This was a lot of fun! First time co-hosting with my dear friend Louis Giuliani which made it extra special.

04/25/2026

There’s been a lot of discussion about the City’s finances and the service fee, but this isn’t a one issue conversation.

Doing nothing on funding and costs is not a neutral option. It means services decline over time. We need to act to ensure we can maintain the services our residents and stakeholders rely on.

You can see that most clearly in the condition of our roads and infrastructure.

We have to look at all of it.

That includes reviewing costs across the organization, including staffing, contracts, and long-standing allocations, to make sure we are spending wisely.

It also means taking a hard look at where we have flexibility. That includes sales tax allocations and other automatic funding decisions that were set years ago. Those should be revisited to reflect today’s priorities and give council the ability to respond to changing needs.

We also need to fix how we operate. Streamlining permitting and development processes can reduce costs, improve compliance, and make it easier to invest and build in Morgantown. That strengthens our revenue base without going back to the same people over and over.

There is no single fix here. It takes cost control, better systems, and growth.

That’s the work in front of us.

If you have thoughts, I’d encourage you to come out this Tuesday at 6:00 pm at City Hall and be part of the conversation.

04/08/2026

Last night, City Council approved a project at the Easton Roller Mill. We don’t yet know the full cost of repairs or improvements to make the mill occupiable but are spending tax dollars nevertheless.

The property is not even in city limits.

At the same time, we are holding positions open, not providing COLA, cutting services and partner funding, facing rising health insurance costs, and deferring basic road maintenance.

This is not about whether the mill has historic value. It is about priorities and responsibility.

We should not be taking on open ended financial obligations outside the city while we are struggling to maintain core services inside it.

This is exactly how you create long term financial strain. We have seen this before. We are dealing with the fallout of decisions like this now. I would think we would know better.

If you share these concerns, contact City Council and ask them to prioritize core city services instead of subsidizing projects outside city limits.

https://wajr.com/2026/04/07/morgantown-city-council-approves-bid-by-veritas-contracting-for-easton-roller-mill-improvements/