Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHE COMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OF BECKLEY CONVENED AT 6:30PMONJULY 26, 2022, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS. THOSE PRESENT: Mayor Rappold, Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump, City Attorney BillFile, and Secretary, Susan Miller. Council Members: Janine Bullock, Bob Canter, Cody Reedy, Tom Sopher, Robert Dunlap, Sherrie Hunter, andKevin Price. The following Department Heads were present: ITDirector Bill Kelly, Chief Bailey with BPD, Chief Wills with BFD, Director ofBPW Jerry Stump, and Parks & Recreation Director Leslie Baker. Cucumber & Company was present. The Mayor reminded thepublic that they willbeable tomake comments when invited todoso byeither pressing *3ontheirphone and theircall willbetaken intheorder itisreceived, orif viewing bycomputer ortablet, raising your hand byrightclicking your name andchoosing Raise Hand". Thepublic isinvited tojoininCouncil chambers orvia WEB-Xfrom their computer orbyphone, using the weblink orphone number provided theday ofthemeeting on theCity’swebpage atBeckley.org, theCity’sFacebook page. The Mayor ledthePledge ofAllegiance. Council dispensed with thereading andapproval of minutes from theregular Council meeting dated June 12, 2022. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten onamotion byCouncilman Price andseconded by Councilman Dunlap. Copies hadbeen distributed toeach member prior tothemeeting. Next, was theaward ofbidreceived from Triple APaving andSealing formilling andpaving ofDyer Ave. thththth from 12 St.toGadd Ave.), 12 St.,Scott Ave. (from Prince St.to12 St.)and 11 Street. Thebidwasin theamount of $168,500.00andwas incorporated into the July 12, 2022, minutes. The bidwasunanimously approved byCouncil onamotion byCouncilwoman Hunter seconded byCouncilman Reedy. Next, was thesecond reading andpublic hearing ofanOrdinance Re-enacting And Amending City Of Beckley Code Chapter 4,Article 1,Sections 4-9,4-9.1,4-10And 4-10.5 (Building Code). Mr.Fileread the Ordinance bytitle and summarized itscontents. Mr. Fileopened thepublic hearing. There were nopublic comments. Mr.File closed thepublic hearing. The Amendments become effective August 1,2022. The ordinance wasunanimously approved byCouncil onamotion byCouncilwoman Hunter andseconded by Councilwoman Bullock. The Ordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, was thesecond reading andpublic hearing ofanOrdinance Amending City ofBeckley Code Chapter 7, Article II,Section 7-200 (Fire Prevention Code). Mr.File read theOrdinance bytitle andsummarized its contents. Mr.File opened thepublic hearing. There were nopublic comments. Mr. Fileclosed thepublic hearing. The Amendments become effective August 1,2022. TheOrdinance was unanimously approved on amotion byCouncilman Price andseconded byCouncilman Sopher. The Ordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Trump presented AResolution OfTheCommon Council OfThe CityOfBeckley Approving The FY2022 CDBG Annual Action Plan for $298,708.00. Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump summarized the Resolution stating thatapublic hearing was held inthepast andthere were nopublic comments. The expenditures ofthefunds follow along with some paving initiatives thatthe City has planned. There has been adecrease inthese funds ofapproximately $30K. Mr.Trump stated that other municipalities arehaving similar reductions throughout the state. Council unanimously approved theresolution onamotion made by Councilman Price and seconded byCouncilman Dunlap. The resolution ishereby incorporated intothese minutes. Next, Mr.Trump presented AResolution OfThe Common Council OfTheCity OfBeckley Amending The FY2018 CDBG Programs intheamount of $103,517.37tohelp with improvements totheScott Avenue Park. The Mayor saidthat theprogress ontheparkiscoming along verynice. TheResolution was unanimously approved onamotion byCouncilman Price andseconded byCouncilman Sopher. The resolution ishereby incorporated intothese minutes. Next, Mr.Trump presented AResolution oftheSubstantial Amendment totheFY2020 CDBG CARES Act Annual Action Plan of $159,626.02. Mr.Trump said that thisismoney provided bythefederal government toaidwith rent andutility support andtohelp food pantry programs. Throughout thesummary areseveral different agencies that specialize insupporting people. The City isreducing lineitems such asSt.Stephens which was reduced by $30K which was notspent. The food pantry was reduced byapproximately $18K and theSalvation Army decreased itsamount byapproximately $18K. These funds were essentially funds that were notspent bytheprogram deadline. Those funds have been recommitted tothe “Meals onWheels” program with theRaleigh County Commission onAging increasing their budget to $160K. Therentand utilities lineitem hasbeendecreased. Mr.Trump said that each ofthese agencies were funded with the specific task ofproviding rent assistance orfood pantry assistance. The money must bespent according to theguidelines ofthegrant program sothe City istrying toensure that those funds arespent. Council unanimously approved thisresolution onamotion byCouncilman Sopher andseconded byCouncilwoman Hunter. Councilwoman Bullock asked Mr. Trump when thedeadline was. Heexplained thatthis was part of the2020 plan andthedeadline forthese funds tobecommitted istoday. However, thefunds canbe recommitted byOctober 2022. The resolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. OLD BUSINESS: The Mayor said thatRecorder-Treasurer Billie Trump and City Controller Jessica Chandler arelooking attheCity’sbudget toseeifsalary increases forCity employees areaffordable. The Mayor said that Beckley Area Foundation (BAF) hascontributed approximately $54K totheCity over the lastfiveyears. TheBAF isseeking funds toconstruct aparking lotacross thestreet from their new headquarters at1210 S.Kanawha Street. They have raised over $200K oftheprojected cost of $350K. The Mayor asked Council toconsider helping. The Mayor said heaccepted onbehalf oftheCity akeyto Coalwood presented tohimlastweek byHomer Hickam. TheMayor encouraged Council toattend the Summer Car & Bike Show Saturday, July30th at6:00andcast their vote for their favorite vehicle. Councilman Dunlap asked Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump iftheCity willrecover anyofthemoney from thecontract with thecompany providing lifeguards fortheCity pools duetothepools closing early inthe season. Mr.Trump said thatthecontract was paid offearly butattheendoftheswim season theCity will meet with representatives from USA Pools ofDelmarva and discuss contractual obligations. Councilman Dunlap suggested that theCity payquarterly rather thanpaying infullinadvance. Councilwoman Hunter thanked Parks andRecreation Director Leslie Baker forallherefforts towards providing thecommunity the opportunity tohave pools forswimming. Councilman Sopher said that hisdaughter hasenjoyed the swimming pools thissummer andwishes they could remain open theremainder ofthesummer. Councilwoman Bullock thanked theMayor fortheProclamation, andMs. Baker andthestaff atBlack Knight forthewonderful 100th birthday celebration forMs. IdaCrawford. Shesuggested thattheCity hold aSenior Classic Festival justasthe City holds theKids Classic Festival. Councilman Sopher said thatitisexciting to seeprogress ontheparking lotsbeginning totake place onEarwood Street andWoodlawn Ave. TheMayor said thatitwillbeanice green space and concrete areas forparking and theCity isstillwaiting onThrasher todeliver theplans forthisarea. The Mayor said thatFruits ofLabor’sBuilding Dedication Ceremony is Monday, August 1st at9:00a.m. andencouraged Council toattend. TheMayor thanked Jerry Stump, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works (BPW) fortheir helpwith parking forthisevent. Councilman Reedy asked who purchased alltheequipment such asdishwashers, ovens, etc. forthislocation. TheMayor said thatFOL made the purchases fortheir equipment andtheold equipment thatwas leftinthe building from Zen’swas auctioned bytheCity. NEW BUSINESS: Councilwoman Hunter thanked Captain Morgan andtheCode office fortheirwork. She thanked theBeckley PDfortheir work. Shethanked Coach Sarrett with Woodrow Wilson High School for bringing thecoaching staff andfootball team tohelp pass outfood boxes attheLinda K.Epling Stadium. The Mayor thanked Black Knight forhosting theRemote Worker Program Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and said that fivefamilies areinthisprogram. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Judy Patterson expressed herconcern about GStreet. Shesaid thatitisindisrepair. Shesaid thetemporary work thatwas done hasbeen washed away with alltherain. The Mayor said that there are several components togetting the street repaired andtheCity isaware andworking onit,but itis going totake time. The Mayor suggested theuseofalternate routes including FStreet andKoch Street. Deloris Kidd expressed herconcern regarding water running from thechurch across thestreet into heryard in thissame area. The Mayor asked Mr.Stump with theBoard ofPublic Works tolook atthisarea. She thanked theCity forquickly removing theweeds from Deegans Street. Councilman Dunlap said thathetoo hasexperienced problems from thework taking place forthenew school intheir area andheasked the residents toplease bepatient and things willgettaken careofassoon aspossible. Councilwoman Bullock said thatshediscussed these concerns with thecontractor, andthey assured herthatthey aredoing their very best. Amotion made byCouncilman Dunlap andseconded byCouncilman Price was unanimously approved byCouncil toadjourn themeeting at7:10p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer