There was no doubt how Moundsville Councilman Randy Chamberlain felt about the possibility an OVRTA bus levy could show up on the city’s ballot come November. None whatsoever.

The councilor actively campaigned against it, appearing on local radio talk shows and posting his position daily on his Facebook Timeline and, at times, spreading misinformation along the way. Curiously, Mr. Chamberlain has cleared his Timeline of that opposition, but nothing can erase the four “No” votes cast this past Tuesday by him and fellow council members David Wood, Judy Hunt, and Eugene Saunders.

But why?

As we revealed here on LEDE News last week, it cost ZERO DOLLARS to place the levy on the November ballot to seek the residents’ collective opinion. It was literally FREE to allow “The Boss” – the taxpaying public – to make the final decision as they have in the past. What were Chamberlain and Wood and Hunt and Saunders afraid of?

In hopes each of the council members will explain their opposition, they have been sent the same email message to the address provided on the City of Moundsville’s website. The text of the message follows:

Moundsville Councilor:

Please reply with a short explanation as to why you decided to vote against placing the OVRTA Bus Levy on the Moundsville ballot this November 5th. Please be advised your explanation will be published on LEDE News on June 30th, and if you fail to reply, that will be reported.

Thank you for your time,

Steve Novotney, Publisher, LEDE News

The question has been asked to the four council members because the voters should know why their opportunity to support or oppose the busy levy was squashed by these representatives, and here are three reasons why they should WANT to know:

  1. The economy has tightened over the past three years and access to public transportation has become more important than it’s been in decades for healthcare, employment, and interaction.
  2. When private-sector developers research a city or county to invest in, they ask about safety, education, workforce, and public transportation.
  3. Because, according to OVRTA, hundreds of people DID ride the bus during the month of May.

Whether or not the council members reply to the emails, it’s a done deal. The levy WILL NOT appear on Moundsville’s general election ballot even though voter turnout in Marshall County is expected to be high for the presidential, Biden-Trump rematch.  

But why?

Storch: The Challenge of Voter Turnout in West Virginia: A Call to Action
Santorine: Management, Mediocrity, and Morons

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

1 COMMENT

  1. These moundsville council members who voted no, have a decisive history of question able decisions that SHOULD ABSOLUTELY be left to the voters. It’s a sham, people need the public transportation for one thing;
    But let’s not address that just yet, let’s see why they didn’t put it on the ballet.
    Steve, you make things happen where the common folk can’t, ride these cowards of the People’s say til they reconsider.
    The bloated government in this town, due to the recent gas $ surge has them thinking they, and they alone, not the residents of moundsville, should decisions like this.
    A true shame to the people ndeed.

Comments are closed.