Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONJANUARY 24, 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, Sherrie Hunter, Cody Reedy, Bob Canter, Tom Sopher, andKevin Price. Thefollowing Department Heads werepresent: Assistant ITDirector Amy Evans, Anthony Martin (IT),Captain Parsons with BFD, Chief Code Officer, Donald Morgan, Chief of BPD Dean Bailey, andDirector ofBoard ofPublic Works, Pam Frey. ABSENT: Councilman Dunlap 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 January 10, 2023, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed to each member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten ona motion byCouncilman Price and seconded byCouncilman Sopher. OLD BUSINESS: The Mayor stated he attended theCoal Heritage Trail Event at Industrial Drive commemorating the Beckley Mt.Hope Airport. TheMayor complimented Councilman Sopher who coordinated theevent andsaidthe three signs look great. The Mayor also commented onthequality ofthe new lettering/signage ontheIT/Municipal Court making thebuilding easily identifiable. NEW BUSINESS: Nonew business. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Tom Moseley 422Hull Street) asked forCouncil’shelp regarding aproblem withdrivers speeding inhisneighborhood. Hesaid drivers are using itasashort cut toget from Kanawha Street into EastPark. Hesaida speed limit sign was putback onthepost. However, thisisnotenough. Kids playin thisneighborhood andsafety isabig concern. Hesaid thespeeding drivers come through with nowarning thatkids areplaying, retrieving footballs from the street, etc. Hesuggested thattheCity install speed bumps (which can betaken upduring winter), move thesigns towarn drivers, andinstall flashing signs warning drivers toslow down). The Mayor asked Chief Bailey ofBPD and Director ofBoard ofPublic Works, Pam Frey, tomeet with Mr.Mosley tosee what options areavailable. Mary West 205Larew Avenue) said there isa problem with drivers speeding inher neighborhood andsome drivers donot stop atthefour-way intersection. She said safety isaconcern. Shesaidshe almost gothitbyacarasshewas pulling outofherdriveway. Shesaidspeeding drivers aremaking ithard forpeople utilizing onstreet parking togetinand outoftheir vehicles safely. Sheasked if theCity could help with theproblem. Shealsoasked iftheCitycould explore options toseeifgrant money isavailable toimprove theaesthetics ofthis neighborhood. Shesaid the firstthing travelers seewhen exiting I- 64isLarew Avenue. The Mayor asked Recorder- Treasurer, Billie Trump, ifhethought this would qualify under CDBG. Mr.Trump said thattheCity would seeiftherequest qualifies. Ms. West inquired about the possibility ofgetting Habitat for Humanity onlocation tohelp. Ms. West also requested thatthe residents be notified before anystructure containing asbestos isremoved. Shesubmitted a petition including thirty names of residents inand around theLarew Avenue area asking theCity forhelp intearing down dilapidated houses, cleaning trees anddebris from alleys andinreducing the number ofspeeding drivers. The three- page petition ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Councilwoman Bullock thanked Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan forhishelp working on that area oftheCity. Councilman Sopher stated thatthe area Ms. West mentioned is becoming agateway entrance intothe City. The Mayor stated thatScott Miller, Director ofJust ForKids isaddressing Council onapreliminary basis for its financial support. The Mayor voiced his support forJustFor Kids andthanked Mr. Miller andJust ForKids forthe work they do. Mr.Miller thanked theCityforits support lastyear. Heasked the City to consider adding Just ForKids toits annual budget. Mr.Miller requested four percent ofJust ForKid’soperating cost ortwenty-fivethousand dollars). Mr. Miller previously submitted thefinancials forJustForKidstoMr.Trump. Mr. Trump saidtheCity maybeable to consider thisaspart ofitsbudget. Ifso, Council would need tovote onit. The Mayor asked ifapproved, would quarterly disbursements beacceptable orone payment fortheentire amount. Mr. Miller said either way isfine. Jodie Patrick (100Stiffler Drive) asked ifthe City hasanupdate fortheresidents of Stiffler Drive andasked iftheCity received thereport back from Thrasher. TheMayor asked City Attorney Mr.File ifhereceived anupdate from Thrasher. Mr.Filesaid hehasnot received anything from Thrasher atthistime. Ms. Patrick asked ifthe City hasadate, itanticipates receiving thereport. TheMayor saidno. Thrasher isassessing what itwould take tobring thestreet uptoacceptable standards for theCity toaccept itintothe City’sstreet system. TheMayor saidthat ameeting may needtotakeplace to discuss how theproject(s)may be financed, andtheamount ofparticipation that may berequired from residents of Stiffler Drive. The Mayor announced, “ tothose wishing tomake apublic comment andcalling in byphone topress star3which “raises your hand”, recognizing you tospeak and ifyouareconnected bycomputer to click thehand icon onyour participant'spanel which recognizes youtospeak forno more than three minutes.” The Mayor stated thatpublic comments areallotted three minutes. There were nopublic comments by phone. With there being nofurther comments, theMayor adjourned themeeting at6:48 p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer