Lawsuits Involving City Main Part of Council Agenda
By Jeff Toquinto on October 13, 2025
Bridgeport City Council will hear a pair of reports from attorneys regarding a pair of lawsuits the city is involved with relating to the Charles Pointe Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District at the development.
The items make up most of the official business at tonight’s meeting. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Bridgeport Municipal Complex.
The issue involving the lawsuits goes back to August meetings and this evening the city’s governing body will hear about the cases from a legal representative hired by Bridgeport. The city currently has a contract with a trio of firms – Babst Calland, Frost Todd Brown, and the Law/Council%209-8-25%20Matheny.jpg)
Office of Philip A. Reale, PLLC – overseeing the case.
Office of Philip A. Reale, PLLC – overseeing the case.
One case was brought against Bridgeport by Genesis Partner, LTD (the developers of Charles Pointe), while Bridgeport also brought a case against the West Virginia Economic Development Authority and former Secretary Michael Graney. Tim Miller with Babst Calland will address Council during the Reports segment of the agenda.
The case with Graney involves a bill passed in 2023 by the West Virginia Legislature (House Bill 3340). The bill amended the state’s TIF Act to allow the extension of existing 30-year TIF districts by up to 15 years, to a maximum of 45 years.
The Harrison County Commission approved the extension. What that would mean is that future increases in property values – or increments – would continue to go for infrastructure at the development as opposed to going to the City of Bridgeport. TIF Districts are for the purpose of assisting development in the area in which they are located.
Bridgeport Mayor Robert Matheny explained the matter in an August 22 article on Connect-Bridgeport. His comments, in their entirety, are below.
“They both stem around the Charles Pointe TIF District,” Matheney said. “There are two issues. One issue is the City of Bridgeport sued (Graney) over some legislation that was changed in 2023 that the state legislature put into effect that allows TIF Districts to be extended an additional 15 years past the 30-year original contract.
“The basis of the suit was that the leadership at the time felt that it was against our constitutional rights, being the City of Bridgeport, that /Tim%20Curry%20Head%20Shot.jpg)
somebody could change something like that mid-stream.
somebody could change something like that mid-stream.
“I support the spirit of opposing that because the city should have a seat at the table and have a say it in because it affects us in a lot of ways. The way we are attacking it through the legal system, I don’t think at the end of the day this is going to be resolved. I feel very strongly it will end up state supreme court, where it goes from there, I don’t know.
“I feel like we should pull out of the lawsuit, terminate any contracts we have with the legal (firms), take a step back, coordinate with the municipal league and we should fight it legislatively.
“The second part of this, there was a suit filed against the City of Bridgeport by Genesis Partners in federal court. They are not seeking any damages, they are just asking for declaratory judgement on the law if it’s constitutional or not. Pretty much, oddly enough, asking the same thing we are but we are the defendant in it.
“There’s very little movement on this case and I feel like our city attorneys are adequate to defend us.”
After Miller’s Report, Council can act in whatever manner they choose – to drop the cases, to have the city attorneys take over, or continue as is – under the unfinished business portion. The items there involve both lawsuits.
The only other business item involves approving a contract with the Olson Group, Ltd., of Alexandria, Va., to update Bridgeport’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). The cost of the work is $14,500, according to Bridgeport Director of Emergency Management Tim Curry.
Also tonight, Council will present a pair of proclamations. The first is for Trinity Community Building, which is celebrating 100 years. The second is for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Pastor Matthew Paugh of the Bridgeport United Methodist Church will give the invocation. The meeting is open to the public.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows Mayor Robert Matheny, while Emergency Management Director Tim Curry is shown below.
