MICHELE REJONIS & JOINT STATEMENT of (OFT, VICK MAYOR THALMAN, and CITY MANAGER HERRON Atte March 16® meeting of Wheeling City Council the three presidents of West Virgins ‘Nontemn Community College, Wheeling University, and West Liberty University, respectively ‘Br Daniel Mosser, Ms. Ginny Favede, and Dr. W. Frankia Evans), signed up to speak onthe ‘opic of the non-binding memorandum of understanding between the City of Wheeling and Bluefield State College (*BSC") fora potential lease of a portion of the former Ohio Valley Medical Center (“OVMC") campus the "MOU"). Each was afforded the customary three-minute ‘ime period during the meeting for public comment. With the exception of approx mately one minute of time used by Dr. Evans himself, both he and Ms. Favede yielded the enrty of their ‘mete Dr. Mosser, who spoke for approximately eight minutes. During his presentation to City Council, Dr. Mosser made multiple allegations of misepresentations made by and ethical andor criminal violations committed by each of Mayor ‘Glem Elliot, Vice Mayor Chad Thalman, and City Manager Robert Heron (cllestivey, the “City Officials”) in the course of negotiations surrounding the MOU. Specially, these allegations included the following: ‘+ That the City Officials (i) have secretly arranged for the City t fund the rehabilitation costs for space to be ested by BSC at a cost of $1.5 million and ‘charge BSC zero percent interest onthe lease and buildout and i) have concealed this arangement fom other members of City Couneil and the public; ‘+ That the City Officials’ undiselosed agreement with BSC will cost the City’s taxpayers approximately 82 milion annually; ‘+ That the City Oficias have “created a “Friends and Family” plan just for their lenged and politically connected friend, Robin Capehar [president of ‘+ That Vice Mayor Thalman had concesled his prior fail relationshipwith Robin Capehart, who was previously married to the former's aunts ‘+ That through the aforementioned actions City Officials “deliberately gamed and misled” residents ofthe City of Wheeling and “dragged City Counel members into their scheme”: and Page tof 3 ‘hyo when, West Vi 800 capi Set | When. WY 26003 504231682 [wm netag gorMICHELE REJONIS & ‘+ Thatthe City Officials “think they will convince ity Couneil members te buy into their GOB [Good Old Boy] scheme.” Pir tothe meeting, each of thes thre local institutions had voiced their oppositon tothe MOU both publicly and privately to many, if not all, members of City Council, And with the appearance ofthe tree presidents ofthese institutions at said meeting, members of City Couneil fully expected to Fear that opposition reinforced through their publie comments. But what «everyone on City Coun failed to anticipate is that these tree highly respected individuals in ou ‘community would collectively utilize the publi-cornment portion ofan official mecting to make unfounded and highly inflammatory allegations of ethical and criminal misconduct by the City Officials’ Defamatory llegations ofthis nature have the potemtial to do Tasting harm to the reputation of those fey ae leveled agsinst, nd they therefore demand supporting evidese. And Yet no supporting evidence whatsoever was provided by Dr. Mosser in his oral or writen Statement, Which was submited to the local media, While none of the specifi allegations in question vere made by Dr. Evans or Ms. Faved, these allegations were in part made during the time slots that each had yielded to Dr. Mosse, Neither took the opportunity at the meting to disassociate themselves with any of these allegations, and both posed for a photograph with Dr Mosser infront the Council dais immediately aftervard. An since the meeting, neither has reached out to any af the Cty Officials to disassociate themselves with anything that wes said by Dr. Mosser. Meanwhile, since this meeting, Dr. Mosser has repeated these and similar gations in mukiple interviews with local and statewide media. In one interview, Dr, Mosser sid “The devil's in the detas, and the devil's not talking” in reference to the City Officials and th involvement with tke MOU, Letus be very clear: The allegations made against the City Officials referenced her ‘are unequivocally untrue. And the making of there allegations in a public forum without any Supporting evidence represent the height of iesponsibiliy, The MOU is a nox-binding agreement customary inthe commercial teal estate context tha el forth expectations ad allows both the City and BSC to explore the feasibility ofa lease upon the OVMC eampus. The MOU does nt stipulate aay of the terms suggested by the allegations shove. It does, however, stipulate the following ‘That BSC shall be responsible forall routine maintenance associated with the leased space; ‘That BSC shall pay a proportional or allocated share ofthe utilities associated with the leased space; and Page? of 3 ‘ty of ween West W500 Chapin See | When. WY 20003,MICHELE REJONIS & ‘+ That BSC shall pay a proportional share of ll capital costs expended by the City that may be required ro maintain the quality and integrity ofthe OVMC camps, In short, neither the MOU nor any disussions between the City Officials (oF anyone afliated withthe City) and BSC contemplate the secret financial arrangements suggested by Dr. Mosse atove. Ifr. Mosser, Ms. Faved, or Dr. Evans have any evidence to suppor thet alleged financial arangemens or the accompanying allegations of misconduct by the City Officials, now would bean appropriate time to produce it Otherwise, we are left to conclade that those making as well asthose implicitly endorsing these allegation have done so ether with knowledge of theit falsity or with reckless disregard thereto. And we would respectfully request that each issue a publ acon imei Dhse.—— antec Chol) ha tonan/ Shad W. Thalegan, Vice Mayor Bed Tewon, {. Manager Page 30 907464 | we thestna gs