MORGANTOWN – A hearing has been scheduled in a lawsuit against Morgantown Mayor Marti Shamberger, two city council members and the deputy mayor.
The hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 18 at the Monongalia County Justice Center at 9 a.m. in Courtroom 4, where a three-judge court will convene to hear about George Papandreas’ lawsuit seeking the removal of Shamberger, Bill Kawecki, and city council members Jenny Selin and Nancy Ganz.
Judges John Lewis Marks Jr., Richard A. Facemire and David H. Wilmoth were designated and appointed to comprise the three-judge court after Monongalia Chief Circuit Judge Phillip D. Gaujot requested that other judges be convened to hear the case.
Papandreas filed the lawsuit in October, claiming the city council members, mayor and deputy mayor were guilty of misconduct, malfeasance in office, incompetence and neglect of duty.
He claims Kawecki solicited employees of the city to give him money and took this action by sending out an e-mail that Kawecki claimed he mistakenly sent to the wrong contact list.
Ganz, Selin and Shamberger were officeholders at the time the e-mail was center and the trio also received the e-mail and were explicitly mentioned in the e-mail as being endorsed by the Morgantown Together PAC, according to the suit.
Papandreas claims they have failed to forfeit their office and are in violation of the City of Morgantown Charter.
Shamberger, Selin and Ganz "received benefit, permitted, participated and/or acquiesced to Kawecki’s efforts," according to the suit.
Papandreas claims Ganz used her position within the council to court special favor and personal treatment with the police department to watch her home while out of town and Selin also used her position on the council to inappropriately prohibit the development and discussion of legal options surrounding certain ordinances within the city.
The suit also states that the councilors used their positions and influence on council to prevent the redistricting of the city’s 4th and 7th wards, which would have placed Ganz and Selin in the same ward.
Papandreas is seeking Shamberger, Kawecki, Selin and Ganz be "removed from office immediately," and contains a petition with 57 signatures. He is being represented by Mark A. Kepple of Bailey & Wyant.
Monongalia Circuit Court case number: 15-C-650