Balanced Development Coalition’s upcoming Development Forum

The Balanced Development Coalition (BDC) is hosting a
Development Forum in the Mountaineer Mall Community Room on
April 20th, 2006, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, for candidates of
the WV County Commission and the WV legislature.  The event
is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be
provided. (The Community Room is across from Radio Shack.
Enter the Mall between General Glass and Elder Beerman—the
Community Room will be on your right)

The BDC is an alliance of groups concerned about
development, including Farmers And Residents for saving
Monongalia County Farms (FARM), Citizens for Responsible
Development (CRD), the Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition
(MVCAC), and West Virginia for Democracy.  FARM advocates
the adoption of a USDA Farmland Protection Program for
Monongalia County.  CRD is a grassroots group dedicated to
the promotion of responsible development and land use
planning in Morgantown and Monongalia County.  MVCAC
focuses on improving and preserving the quality of the air
we breathe. WV for Democracy is a grassroots political
action committee supporting progressive candidates and
policies.

The BDC Development Forum will be moderated by WCLG News
Director Dave McClung.

The goal of the BDC Development Forum is to foster a
discussion of how best to manage growth and development in
Morgantown and Monongalia County. Specific development
issues that will be focused on include farmland
preservation, storm water runoff, air quality,
transportation, land-use planning, and tax increment
financing (TIF).

With the Morgantown region experiencing a period of
particularly rapid growth, decisions made now will have a
large impact on the future of the region.  Thus, issues
related to development are very important for this
election.

Participants in the Forum include candidates for the County
Commission and the state legislature.  The county
commissioners play a key role in managing growth and
setting policies that can ensure a high quality of life for
local residents.  The State delegates and senators have the
power to influence WV state code, which provides the legal
framework for county level actions.  For example, state
code provides for specific regulatory mechanisms for the
implementation of planning.  In addition, state agencies
construct infrastructure, such as roads, and regulate
activities that affect the environment, including air and
water quality.

All candidates for the County Commission and the State
legislature have been invited to the Forum.  So far the
following candidates have indicated they will attend:
County Commission candidate Betty Wiley, and WV Legislature
candidates Barbara Evans Fleishauer, Steven Fumich,
Charlene Marshall, and Alex Shook.

To provide a context for the Forum, all candidates for the
County Commission and state legislature were asked to
complete a questionnaire.  Responses were received from the
following County Commission candidates Asel Kennedy and
Betty Wiley, as well as State legislature candidates Robert
Beach, Barbara Evans Fleischauer, Cindy Frich, Steven
Fumich, and Jim Manilla.

The candidate’s responses to the questionnaire indicate
that development is a key issue in this election.  Most
candidates expressed strong support for managing growth,
but opinions regarding how to do so varied greatly.  If you
would like a copy  of the candidates' responses,  reply to
balanceddevelopment@yahoo.com.

The forum will be a great opportunity to learn about the
candidates’ vision for the Morgantown area, as well as a
chance to give feedback to the candidates about development
issues that are important to the public.

The primary election is on May 9, and early voting begins
April 19.  


Citizens for Responsible Development
Morgantown WV
599-2938