Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONJANUARY 10, 2023, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIAWEB-X. THOSE PRESENT: Mayor Robert R.Rappold, Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump, City Attorney Bill File, andSecretary Susan Miller. Council Members: Janine Bullock, Robert Dunlap, Sherrie Hunter, Cody Reedy, Bob Canter, Tom Sopher, andKevin Price. The following Department Heads were present: Director of ITBillKelly, Assistant ITDirector Amy Evans, Corey Lilly Director ofOutdoor Economic Development, Chief EdWills with BFD, Captain Frankie Shelton ofBPD, Chief Code Officer, Donald Morgan, Director ofParks Recreation Leslie Baker, and Director ofBoard of Public Works, Pam Frey. The Mayor called themeeting toorder at 6:30p.m.Council members, Department Heads and thepublic joined themeeting either inperson orbyWEB-Xfrom their computer, orbyphone, using theweblink orphone number provided theday ofthe meeting ontheCity’swebpage at Beckley.orgorthe City’sFacebook page. The Mayor ledthePledge ofAllegiance. Council dispensed with thereading and approval ofminutes from theCity Council meeting dated December 13, 2022, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved theminutes as written onamotion byCouncilman Sopher andseconded byCouncilman Price. Next ontheAgenda wasthe Supplemental resolution forthePension Funding Bonds. Recorder-Treasurer Billie-Trump saidthatinterest rates are stilllessthan favorable, andthiswill likely bedelayed until interest rates improve. TheMayor stated thathe received notification from Rob Steptoe thatheismonitoring thesituation closely. Councilman Sopher asked ifthisitem may beremoved from theAgenda. Mr. Filesaid thatduetoinactivity theitem canberemoved andputback onthe Agenda later. Next, Councilwoman atLarge Sherrie Hunter reported onthebidpreviously submitted byDestination ByDesign. She explained that depending upon the amount andlevel ofservices requested from Destination ByDesign, the bid amount could range from tentotwenty thousand dollars tothree hundred thirty- seven thousand, onehundred dollars. Council recommends the bidbeaccepted with theunderstanding thatCouncil will review andapprove each successive step intheprocess. Outdoor Economic Development Director, Corey Lilly explained thatthisisastrategic plan to address theneeds ofbecoming agateway citytothenewest national park. The Mayor said thatEric Woolridge, Owner ofDestination ByDesign (originally from Welch, WV) presented attheWorkshop regarding thismaster plan. Corey said thatthisfirm specializes indowntown revitalization, outdoor economic development, outdoor recreation development, andplace branding. Corey saidthese are allthings theCity needs, andthisfirm focuses oncommunities above four thousand andbelow fifty thousand inpopulation. This firm has worked inwestern NCandontheeast coast. TheMayor asked CityAttorney, Mr.File ifhesees any issue with the way Council hasrequested toproceed with thismaster plan. Mr.Filesaid hedoes not. Councilwoman Hunter made a motion toaccept thebidwhich was seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. The bidwas unanimously approved by Council. The bidbyDestination By Design wasincorporated intothe December 13, 2022, minutes. Next, Council considered the award ofbid forthe refurbishment oftennis courts at New River Parkandconverting some of thetennis courts topickleball courts. Councilman atLarge, Cody Reedy said three bids were submitted. One bid was disqualified because itwas improperly submitted. (Itwas notasealed bid.) The bidfrom Exterior Services metallthe requirements andwasthelowest qualified bid. The bidwas sixty-four thousand, three hundred seven dollars. Councilman atLarge Reedy made amotion toaccept thebidseconded byCouncilwoman Hunter andthemotion was unanimously approved byCouncil. This bidwas incorporated intotheDecember 13, 2022, minutes. OLD BUSINESS: TheMayor saidthat Leslie Baker, Parks & Recreation Director, hascrafted anadforthe newspaper regarding hiring aswimming pool manager. TheMayor asked herto follow uponthiswithin thenextfew weeks. Councilwoman Hunter handed outa Smart Recycling” sheet asaneffort to help educate residents onwhattorecycle andhow torecycle. Sheasked theMayor ifshe could discuss the possibility ofthis being abillinsert with theGMofthe Beckley Sanitary Board, Jeremiah Johnson. They Mayor said yes. TheMayor said there isgood news regarding theHartley, Hunter, Hagar, Little League, andPinecrest program. Mr.Trump said the City hasbeen awarded anearmark formore than four million dollars. Hesaid there isstillalot ofpaperwork todo. Hesaidthere isa match that isinvolved andassoonasthe engineering andpaperwork iscomplete theprogress should begin. Councilman Sopher asked foranupdate onanewcommunity center atMaxwell Hill. Ms. Baker saidthattheCity didnot get theearmark thisyear. She andAngela aregoing totalktotwo engineering companies togetplans. She said anice community center withanew shelter and new playground equipment would beput there. Mr.Trump said thebestway tobe successful with earmarks istosubmit them before others dowhich would be within thenext month and ahalf. Atthe earliest, theCity would beinformed in October when theappropriations billis passed. Itmay belater than October before theCity learns iftheearmark has been approved. Ms. Baker said theCity hopes tohavethe new community center completed in2026 pending approval. The Mayor asked Mr.Kelly, Director of IT,foranupdate ontheCoal Heritage sign. Mr.Kelly responded that Public Works installed thethree-panel sign. Itis inagroup ofthree high quality signs that areattheentrance oftheIT/Municipal Court building. Mr.Kelly said letters (forsignage) willbe mounted ontheIT/Municipal Court building. Mr.Kelly said thattheletters have been ordered. TheMayor saidthat hethinks itwillhelp quickly identify the building andtheletters areofgood quality. Helikes theidea ofmounting the letters onthebuilding asopposed toa free-standing sign. TheMayor saidthat Mr.Kelly’sdepartment hasdone a wonderful jobonmunicipal court collections. Councilwoman Hunter stated that Citizen’sPolice Academy begins in March. Itisaten-week course. Sheand theMayor spoke highly ofthisprogram. NEW BUSINESS: Councilman Dunlap said thatGayle Manchin was atBlack Knight today. Sheisthefederal co-chair oftheAppalachian Regional Commission andthewife ofSenator JoeManchin. He said herposition isofgreat importance. Councilman Dunlap said President Biden appointed her. Hesaid Gayle Manchin made nobones about it, t“here ismoney behind herpower”. Shehasaccess to grant money forwell thought out plans. Hesaid shemade itplain tounderstand that sheinvites people tobring herideas andconcepts thatshecangetfunded. He said itwasagreat dayatRotary andit’s great toseepeople within ourrealm that canfund solutions. Councilwoman Bullock asked ifthere are anycontingency plans inreference tothe recent water situation. Councilman Price said that there willbemeetings tocreate an “After Action Plan” thathethinks will beshared with thepublic incase asimilar event would occur. TheMayor saidthat theRotary Club delivered four pallets of water. Councilwoman Bullock thanked theBFD forthehelp they gave during thattime. OLD BUSINESS: There were no comments. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Ann Parker voiced herconcerns regarding the junk yard at618F.Street, which isnext toher home. TheMayor asked Captain Morgan, Chief Code Officer ifhehasan update. Captain Morgan said thatthis matter iscurrently inmunicipal court and should beresolved soon. Councilman Dunlap explained thattheproperty owner atthelocation referenced hasbeen cited andwillneed toappear inmunicipal court. Heassured herthatthisshould get taken careofandtofeelfreetoreturn ifit doesn’t. The Mayor invited Ms. Parker to follow upwith himorCode Enforcement. TheMayor assured Ms. Parker that the City isatwork onthisissue. The Mayor stated thatimprovement hasbeen made to asimilar situation atalocation atFive Corners. Vast improvement has been noted since thissituation wassent to municipal court. Captain Morgan said Code Enforcement hassixsimilar situations they are working on. Next, Alicia Macia (daughter ofAnn Parker) said thatshewould liketoaddto what hermother saidabout thesituation at618F.Street. Shesaidthere aredrug addicts and rodents there andsafety is also aconcern. Mr.Kelly said thatsince theissue isinmunicipal court, hecould getanupdate forherbased oncourt records. The Mayor saidthatisagood idea. Alicia Macias asked who the property owner isat618F.Street. The Mayor asked Councilman Sopher ifitis hisbrother. Councilman Sopher said, yes”. TheMayor said theproperty owner isJoel Sopher. Mr.Filesaidthe matter isincourt. TheCity asked the court toorder theowner toclean upthe property. Hesaidthecourt hasdiscretion andthinks thematter willberesolved soon. Johnathan Moore voiced hisconcerns regarding thecondition ofStiffler Drive. Heasked foranupdate onthe road condition anddrainage issues. He requested theresults ofThrasher’s investigation. The Mayor saidthat ithas taken Thrasher longer thananticipated to complete their Stormwater report. Mr. Trump stated that thereport isstillwith Thrasher. Hesaid that discussions have taken place with Stormwater employees, andtheyarestilllooking atthebest way todeal with theStormwater issues, if anything isdone. Mr. Trump said that he does nothave aformal report from Thrasher toupdate Mr.Moore with. Mr. Moore asked ifthe process withThrasher could beexpedited quicker because the road condition isworse. Mr.Moore asked who isresponsible for theroad. The Mayor said theproblem lieswith the developer. Mr. Moore said theoriginal developer sold theproperty sotaking the responsibility totheoriginal developer for repairs isn’tlikely tohappen. Mr.Moore asked for information andguidance asto where theresidents ofStiffler can goto getupdates. Hewants toknow what Thrasher reports thatmay ormay nottake place sothisissue cangetresolved. Mr. Moore saidEMS cannot gain access to theroad. TheMayor explained thatthe City wants tohelp butisalso somewhat constrained duetoownership oftheroad. The Mayor said that ifthecitizens would decide tojoinefforts andgettheroad up tocode standards theCity would beable toaccept theroad intoitsroad system and then could maintain it. Mr.Moore asked how hecanfindout whohas control of theroad. Mr.Filesaid thatthisroad is notowned bytheCity. Mr.Filesaid there isalegal question astowhether the City cangoonprivate property and repair/build aroad. Mr.Moore asked where hecanlook toseewho owns the road. Mr.Moore saidproperty lines do notcross theroad. Mr.Filesaid whoever developed theproperty initially istheone thatowned the property. Mr.Moore said hewillgotothecourthouse andresearch it. Mr.Filesaid that when Thrasher’s report isreceived theCity willshare a copy ofthe report withMr.Moore. Mr. Filesaid hewould beglad todiscuss with him options astowhat theCity may be able todotohelp. Councilman Reedy suggested thatthiswaspreviously mentioned during theStiffler Drive Workshop several months ago. Heasked ifthisissomething thatcould be incorporated intoCode Enforcement stating thatadeveloper cannot build or sellthefirst house (orproperty) oreven getthepermits todosountil theroad is uptocode. Councilman Reedy said that homeowners aren’tgoing toknow the situation andgetstuck inasituation similar tothis one. Developers need tobe held accountable andCouncilman Reedy thinks theCity should write thisinto code. Councilman Dunlap said that developers thatcome totheCity with a plan(s)thatisnotcompliant with code could have aLisPendens filed onthose properties tonotify anyone whodoes a titlesearch through amortgage entity informing them that they areonnotice andthatthey areconsidering purchasing a property thatwas notuptocode specifications. Mr.Dunlap saidit requires aten-dollar filing fee. Mr. Dunlap said thatthere arecreative solutions tothis issue. Mr.File said there aresome issues theCity canlook atand seek resolutions for. Hesaidthatithas notbeen arequirement foraproperty to besold, thatthe roadinfront ofitmeet certain specifications. Mr.File saidthis road was apparently notbuilt toany standards andhasnotsurvived harsh weather. Herecognizes that these property owners areinadifficult position andtheCityiswilling toseewhat itcan dotoassist. With there being nofurther comments the Mayor adjourned themeeting at7:13p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer