Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHE COMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OF BECKLEY CONVENED AT 6:32PMONMARCH 08, 2022, BYWEB-XDUE TOCOVID-19. THOSE PRESENT: Mayor Robert R.Rappold, Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump, City Attorney BillFile, Secretary Susan Miller, ITDirector, BillKelly, Assistant ITDirector, Amy Evans, Council Members: Cody Reedy, Tom Sopher, Robert Dunlap, Bob Canter, Kevin Price, Sherrie Hunter, andJanine Bullock. The following Department Heads were present: Director ofBoard ofPublic Works, Jerry Stump, Captain Parsons ofBeckley FD,Chief Christian ofBeckley PD, Captain Morgan, Chief Code Officer, andJina Belcher, Director ofthe NRGRDA. The Mayor reminded thepublic that they will beable tomake comments when invited todoso byeither pressing * 3ontheir phone andtheir callwillbetaken intheorder itisreceived, orif viewing bycomputer ortablet, raising your hand byrightclicking your name andchoosing Raise Hand". The Mayor called the meeting toorder at6:32p.m.Council members, Department Heads and thepublic joined themeeting byWEB-Xeither fromtheir computer, orbyphone, using the weblink orphone number provided thedayofthemeeting ontheCity’swebpage at Beckley.orgorthe City’sFacebook page. Council dispensed with thereading andapproval ofminutes from theregular Council meeting dated February 22, 2022, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten onamotion byCouncilwoman Bullock andseconded byCouncilman Dunlap. Next Mr.Filesummarized anOrdinance Authorizing City ofBeckley ToAccept Property From Pinecrest Development Corporation. Mr.Filestated that Council realizes that inadopting thisordinance thattheCity willassume thedebt against thisland intheamount of $325,645.72which istheamount that Pinecrest Development Corporation (PDC) owes onthisproperty. The City will assume the $1,500.00per month rent payment toForward Southern West Virginia which isonbehalf oftheNRGRDA solong as NRGRDA occupies office space there. PDC willbeassigning totheCity allitsleases andanyrights it hasregarding thePinecrest Plaza South. The income that isgenerated from Pinecrest Plaza South more than covers thedebtobligation andmore thancovers therental obligation theCity willhave toForward Southern West Virginia. TheCity agrees todevelop this property aswas started byPDC and toimprove the infrastructure totheproperty. Mr.File read theordinance bytitle AnOrdinance Authorizing The City OfBeckley To Accept From Pinecrest Development Corporation ACertain Tract OrParcel OfLand Consisting Of142.27Acres. The ordinance was unanimously approved byCouncil onamotion made by Councilman Price and seconded byCouncilman Sopher. The ordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next Mr.Filesummarized anOrdinance Re-Enacting And Amending City OfBeckley Code Chapter 4. Hestated that theordinance updates theCity's building code andbrings itincompliance with theState of West Virginia's code. Mr.Filesaid that thisisdone periodically when theWV Legislature updates the State Building Code toinclude the amendments and revisions made bytheWV State Fire Commission. Mr.Fileread theordinance bytitle Ordinance Re-Enacting And Amending City OfBeckley Code Chapter 4, Article I,Sections 4-9,4-9.1,4-10, 4-11, and 4-12. The ordinance was unanimously approved byCouncil on amotion made byCouncilman Price andseconded byCouncilman Sopher. The ordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next was thesecond reading bytitle only andpublic hearing ofanordinance titled An Ordinance Authorizing City OfBeckley ToPurchase ATract OfReal Estate OnCarter Street InThe Hedrick-Walker- Carter Addition Described AsLotNo. 418And APortion OfAn Eighteen (18) FootAlley Located Off Of Carter Street. Mr.File explained that theBeckley Sanitary Board isworking onastormwater project inthis vicinity. The cost ofthisproperty is $12,500.00which istobepaid bytheBeckley Sanitary Board. Mr.File opened thepublic hearing. There were nopublic comments. Mr.Fileclosed thepublic hearing. The ordinance was unanimously approved onthefirst reading byCouncilman Sopher andseconded by Councilman Price. This ordinance isincorporated into these minutes. Next was thesecond reading bytitle only byMr. Fileandpublic hearing ofanordinance Authorizing City of Beckley ToPurchase ATract OfRealEstate InThe Vicinity OfCarter Street And City Avenue InThe Hedrick-Walker-Carter Addition AsShown OnTax Map 32, AsParcels 28, 29, 30, 31, 139, and140, City of Beckley District. The cost ofthisproperty is $8,000.00which theBeckley Sanitary Board willpay. Mr.File opened thepublic hearing. There were nopublic comments. Mr.Fileclosed thepublic hearing. The ordinance wasunanimously approved byCouncil onamotion made byCouncilman Dunlap andseconded by Councilman Canter. This ordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. The Mayor sought Mr.File's opinion astowhether theorder ofthe items ontheagenda could bealtered. Mr. Filesaid there was noproblem indoing so. The Mayor then asked Recorder/Treasurer, Billie Trump ifthe City received anybids forthe roof repair fortheWJLS building. Mr.Trump said theCity received onebidwhich was from FryeRoofing, Inc. intheamount of $96,987.00. The bidwillbegiven to Director ofBoard ofPublic Works, Jerry Stump, andCouncil Members atLarge, Sherrie Hunter and Cody Reedy, toreview with Mr.Trump. This bidisincorporated into these minutes. Next the Mayor consulted with Mr.File toaskthe correct procedure tobring theOrdinance Authorizing The City OfBeckley ToAccept AsAGiftFrom Harper Rentals, Inc. Real Property Identified AsLot25, Main Street (Commonly Known AsThe WJLS Building) offthetable. Mr.Filestated thatthe Mayor canproceed with theordinance once amotion toremove theordinance from thetable isadopted. Amotion was made by Councilwoman Hunter, seconded byCouncilman Bob, andunanimously approved byCouncil totake this ordinance offthetable. Mr.File read bytitleonly AnOrdinance Authorizing The City OfBeckley To Accept AsAGift From Harper Rentals, Inc. Real Property Identified AsLot25, Main Street (Commonly Known AsThe WJLS Building). This isthesecond reading oftheordinance. Mr.Fileopened thepublic hearing. Director ofNRGRDA Jina Belcher stated that sheisinfavor oftheCity acquiring thisspace. Ms. Belcher stated that expansion space forThe Hive isneeded andthiswould beanideal location. Shestated thatalocal maker's marketplace, aswell asabusiness incubation space would beideal inthisfacility. Ms. Belcher asked that before theCity invests anymoney fortheroof repairs onthebuilding that thecapital stacking oftheproject bediscussed first because theNRGRDA may have access tosome potential grants and theCity's funds would best beutilized asmatched forthisredevelopment, including theroof repair. Ms. Belcher asked ifanyone hadanyquestions regarding thepotential useofthespace. There were noquestions forMs. Belcher. There were noother public comments. Mr.Fileclosed thepublic hearing. The ordinance was unanimously approved byCouncil onamotion made byCouncilman Price andseconded by Councilwoman Hunter. Councilman Sopher thanked Controller Jessica Chandler forherdue diligence in asking Mr.Bickey questions regarding thisproperty andshowing that ithadapositive cash flow. Councilman Sopher said that ifMs. Belcher hasanyopportunities touseanygrants regarding theHistorical Landmark Commission thatwould bewonderful. Hestated that hethinks thisisagood investment and hopes that theCity candraw some business tothat corner ofBeckley, andhelikes that itisclose tothe campus ofWVU Tech. This ordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Prior tothe meeting Recorder/Treasurer, Billie Trump shared with Council members acomprehensive copy oftheCity's purposed budget forfiscal the2022-23year. Hestated thatthebudget must besubmitted inthe month ofMarch totheWV State Auditor's Office forapproval. Mr.Trump stated thatthebudget canbe amended. The State experienced some problems getting some ofthetaxinformation forwarded tothe County. Therefore, theCity needs tomake anamendment totheadvalorem byincreasing itto 2,827,585.00, which isanincrease of $17,485.00. Mr.Trump explained that alloftherevenue must be accounted for. Mr. Trump said thatonthe expense side hemoved theadditional $17,485.00tocontingency which makes thecontingency line-item total $417,485.00. Mr.Trump asked ifanyone hadany questions regarding thebudget. No onehadanyquestions. The Mayor stated thattheCounty Accessor'soffice delivered thenumbers yesterday. Hethanked Controller Jessica Chandler andMr.Trump fortheir hard work onthebudget. Council unanimously approved thebudget onamotion made byCouncilman Canter and seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. The budget forfiscal year 2022-23isincorporated into these minutes. OLD BUSINESS: The Mayor said thatthere willbeaWorkshop Monday, March 14, 2022, at5:05p.m.in Council Chambers forCouncil members. However, thepublic can jointhemeeting byWEB-Xorbyphone. The Workshop isregarding sanitary sewer and storm water rates. Councilman Reedy asked foranupdate as towhen thehouses thatcaught onfireonEStreet willget torn down. The Mayor said thatthere arecertain procedures thatneed totake place andthere arelegal guidelines. Mr.Filesaid that theCity needs togive notice totheinsurance carriers ofthese properties before anyremoval ofthehouses begin. Chief Code Officer, Captain Donnie Morgan, said thatthe codeoffice started thenotification process, rantherequired legal ad, andthecourt hearing isMarch 30, 2022. Councilman Dunlap updated Council onthe progress regarding recruiting lifeguards. Hesaid that tenoftheseventeen student applicants forlifeguards are good applicants. Councilman Dunlap suggested that theCity find aqualified person that cantrain andcertify applicants tobecome lifeguards rather than waiting onathird party. Mr.Dunlap stated thatheandDirector ofParks & Recreation, Leslie Baker, areworking onforming acommittee tohelp with therecruitment process forLifeguards andthey welcome help from members ofthe community. Councilman Sopher reminded everyone that thegates attheYMCA Soccer Complex arelocked atdusk. He asked iftheCity could communicate with theYMCA regarding this, orif theBoard ofPublic Works could putupmore prominent signage andmentioned thepossibility oftheFire Department having akeytothegate. The Mayor saidthat theCitywillconsult with theYMCA onthismatter andthat signs stating thehours are there. The Mayor said thatpeople can park ontheoutside ofthegate toavoid being locked inside the gate. Councilwoman Bullock thanked Captain Donnie Morgan andtheBoard ofPublic Works fortheir help with theabandoned homes that had vagrants living inthem. NEW BUSINESS: Councilwoman Hunter thanked the Beckley PDand theother lawenforcement agencies fortheir hard work inhelping decrease thenumber offirearms onthestreets intheCity. Councilwoman Bullock reminded theMayor oftheSalvation Army's groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow. The Mayor announced thattheribbon cutting ceremony isat12noon at2871 Robert C.Byrd Drive andthepublic is welcome. PUBLIC COMMENTS: There were nopublic comments. Onamotion made byCouncilman Price andseconded byCouncilman Dunlap themeeting was adjourned at 7:13p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer