MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — During public comment at the March 19 Morgantown City Council meeting, several residents urged the council to increase attention to homelessness, addiction and mental-health services and criticized officials’ moves to pursue a state-level camping ban.

Orlando Cruz, who identified himself as a South Park resident, said the city “definitely have a homeless problem” and described gaps in services, including mental-health care and substance-use treatment. “I feel like the mental illness aspect of it, the drug addiction aspect of it, and the homelessness aspect of it is really not being addressed the way I feel like it should be,” Cruz said. He criticized processes that leave people on long waiting lists for programs and described the experience of people forced to give up tents and belongings under camping restrictions.

Cruz also said he is organizing a community program called The Shift and invited councilors and community members to participate when it begins in the coming weeks.

Lindsey Jacobs, who identified herself as a resident, addressed two topics. First she urged councilors to delay hiring a new city manager until a newly seated council is in place, saying it was “common sense” for the incoming council to select the person who will work with them. Second, Jacobs sharply criticized council members she said worked with state legislators and county officials to pursue a state camping ban that would override a local ballot process. “That’s very authoritarian, that’s very anti‑democratic,” Jacobs said, urging councilors to reconsider the approach.

Council did not take action on either topic during the March 19 meeting; public comment was received per the council’s adopted rules and will be entered into the record.