City of Westover Appeals Denial of Annexation, Again - WBOY.com: Clarksburg, Morgantown: News, Sports, Weather

City of Westover Appeals Denial of Annexation, Again

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By Andrew Clay, Monongalia and Preston County Reporter - bio | email
WESTOVER -

Westover's determination to annex the Morgantown Mall is resilient.

For the second time Thursday, the city appealed the county commission's annexation denial.

Westover and Monongalia County have been back and forth on the topic since 2010. Westover has  filed a writ of error with the circuit court for the second time. It did so the first time after annexation was denied in 2010. 

During the year's first commission meeting on January 2, Mayor Dave Johnson was ‘triple-dog-dared' to appeal the decision by Commissioner Eldon Callen, and he did.

Mayor Johnson said Westover's infrastructure and people support the mall but doesn't receive the tax benefits he feels it should.

"They rely on Westover for everything they have, with the exception of police and public safety issues, they ride the bus but they don't pay the 50-cents to ride the bus like the people in Westover,' said Johnson.

The County Commission did not respond in time for the story, but Johnson said the commission has in the past stood on the grounds that annexation is not in the best interest of the county.