The city clerk of Morgantown has certified that a petition submitted by citizens for a referendum on the city’s recent camping ban ordinance is insufficient.
Earlier this month, Morgantown citizens submitted more than 2,000 signatures in a formal petition to repeal a public camping ban approved by city council in September.
Wednesday night, the city clerk certified that the petition did not include the required number of valid signatures. According to the city bylaws, a petition must be signed by 10 percent of the city’s qualified voters, equal to roughly 1,300 signatures.
But in an email to West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Brad Riffee, Morgantown’s director of public relations and communications said just 956 signatures were considered valid.
The ordinance expands an existing camping ban to all public property and carries up to 30 days of incarceration as the penalty for repeated violations. Violators can also face fines ranging from $200 to $500. It is estimated there are more than 150 people experiencing homelessness in Morgantown.
Organizers told WVPB that they thought the ban was “cruel” and similar policies in other municipalities have been ineffective to address homelessness. But Wheeling and Parkersburg have approved similar ordinances over the past year. Clarksburg advanced its own public camping ban last week.
Petitioners now have two days to notify the clerk of their intent to amend the petition and then another ten days to collect more signatures.