×

Parkersburg City Council approves investment policy resolution

Citizens discuss non-discrimination ordinance during public comment

Parkersburg City Council President J.R. Carpenter speaks about his objection to the proposed investment policy as Councilman Mike Reynolds listens. (Photo by Jeffrey Saulton)

PARKERSBURG — After hearing objections from one council member to the proposed resolution to adopt an Investment Plan Policy and Guidelines for city funds, council passed the resolution with two dissenting votes.

During Tuesday’s meeting of the Parkersburg City Council, J.R. Carpenter, council president, said he was concerned about one point in the resolution.

“My concern with this is this an investment plan policy and it is something we need,” he said. “My concern is, what I’ve read in this plan, we are giving investment authority to one person and that is not acceptable to me.”

Carpenter said he would be more comfortable with a committee or group making investment decisions.

“This is our tax money and no one person should ever have the authority over all the money we have invested anywhere,” Carpenter said. “We need to make sure to protect it. If we’ve learned nothing from history, no reflection on our finance director and his judgment, one person with too much power over time, we don’t know who will replace him in 10 years. We need to have a check and balance here and no one person should ever control our investments for our city.”

Susan Sharp speaks to council in support of the non-discrimination ordinance at Tuesday’s meeting. (Photo by Jeffrey Saulton)

Carpenter said he would like to see the resolution go back to the finance committee for more discussion.

Carpenter’s resolution was defeated after a 4-4 tie. Councilman Zach Stanley was absent from the meeting due to a family emergency. Council members voting to send the resolution back were Carpenter, Mike Reynolds, Jeff Fox and Robert Mercer. Voting against the motion were Dave McCrady, Sharon Kuhl, Eric Barber and John Reed.

In a vote to accept the original resolution Carpenter and Fox cast the only dissenting votes.

Council also had an extended public forum with all but one person speaking in regard to the proposed non-discrimination ordinance. At this time the ordinance is still before the Committee of the Whole of City Council.

A number of people spoke for and against the proposal. One speaker Susan Sharp, of Parkersburg, said a majority of the council was in support of the ordinance, which adds genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation and gender identity to groups protected from discrimination.

Judy Ball speaks to council Tuesday against the non-discrimination ordinance. (Photo by Jeffrey Saulton)

“Then the Family Policy Council of West Virginia, an out-of town entity which is affiliated with a national group listed as a hate group, became involved,” Sharp said. “They and their followers conducted a well-orchestrated campaign of misinformation designed to instill fear in the local minority of fundamentalist religious groups against the LGBTQ community.”

Sharp said after the group contacted the council and Mayor Tom Joyce, the mayor made a statement that clarification was needed in regard to public accommodation. Sharp said a huge disservice was perpetuated on the community by those who “have a religious agenda to prevent the LGBTQ community from realizing the same equality as their friends, family, neighbors and co-workers.”

“Those with an anti-equality agenda falsely promoted the ordinance as a ‘bathroom bill;’ there is no federal or West Virginia law regarding who can enter which restroom,” Sharp said.

Judy Ball, of Parkersburg, spoke against the ordinance. She said while she now lives outside of the city limits, she was born and raised in Parkersburg and when asked where she lives she answers Parkersburg, not the Parkersburg area.

“I love Parkersburg,” she said. “I love the people of Parkersburg. I have invested many hours praying over the city and its schools.”

Ball said she may be against the proposed ordinance but she said she is not a prejudiced or bigoted person.

“The sexual orientation, gender identity supporters are trying to make a bigot because I accept the premise that at birth we are born with a sexual identity that is unchangeable; a creation divinely ordered by the God of heaven and he created us a male and female according to the scriptures,” Ball said.

Ball said as a 60 plus years resident of the area she has not seen the acts supporters say they are trying to stop.

“I have not personally seen an unkind act of discrimination against my friends or neighbors,” she said. “My friends are kind and respectful to all members of the community.

“Do we re-write laws for a small percentage of people who feel underserved? I don’t think so; should we love them, absolutely and do they deserve respect — yes they do,” Ball said.

Ball said while there is no reason to mistreat anyone, she does not believe it is necessary to open all public accommodations under various scenarios to prove the city has decent citizens and neighbors. She said adding veterans and the disabled could make it look like Christians are bigots.

In other matters:

∫ Council approved a resolution to reappoint Paul Hoblitzell to the Parkersburg Utility Board for the term expiring May 17, 2021.

∫ Council approved a resolution to reappoint Charles Harris to the Mid-Ohio Valley Transit Authority Board for a term expiring Sept. 23, 2019.

∫ A resolution adopting the Community Development Block Grant and HOME fund budget for the 2017- 2018 fiscal year was approved.

∫ Council authorized Mayor Joyce to plan, budget and apply for a matching grant not to exceed $6,000, 50 percent from the supplies budget for the sanitation division and 50 percent from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Litter Control Program to purchase additional recycling bins.

∫ Three ordinances had their final readings at the meeting. An ordinance to amend and re-enact the Personnel Policy and Procedure Manual by adding “temporary promotion” to section VIII, part C was approved in a unanimous vote. An ordinance to make all city park ponds catch and release passed in a unanimous vote as was an ordinance to abandon an unamed street off Clyde Street near 11th Avenue for the construction of six houses.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today