Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONFEBRUARY 14, 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, Tom Sopher, andKevin Price. Thefollowing Department Heads were present: Director ofITWilliam Kelly, Anthony Martin (IT),Captain Parsons with BFD, Chief Code Officer, Donald Morgan, Chief ofBPD Dean Bailey, andDirector ofBoard ofPublic Works, Pam Frey. ABSENT: Councilman Canter. The Mayor called themeeting toorder at 6:33p.m.The public hadtheoption to jointhemeeting either inperson orby WEB-Xfrom their computer, orby phone, using theweblink orphone number provided thedayofthemeeting ontheCity’swebpage atBeckley.orgor theCity’sFacebook page. The Mayor ledthePledge ofAllegiance. Council dispensed with thereading and approval ofminutes from theCity Council meeting dated January 24, 2023, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed to each member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten ona motion byCouncilman Price and seconded byCouncilman Dunlap. Danielle Stewart, Crystal Alonso, and Mike Horn from Raleigh County Community Action Association RCCAA) attended todiscuss thestatus oftheHomeless Shelter. Danielle explained that theHomeless Shelter has needed help for some time now. Forthe lastthirty –forty years thehomeless shelter hasbeen onamonth-to-month, year-to-year lease with theWV Department ofHealth & Human Resources (DHHR). TheDHHR isa State agency. DHHR isoffering to convey thehomeless shelter andthe property involved totheCity. Inturn, the City canlease thatfacility andproperty to RCCAA tomanage andmaintain the homeless shelter. This would allow RCCAA toreceive grants. Asowner of thefacility, theCity would qualify for CDBG funds which could beused tohelp theRCCAA manage andmaintain the homeless shelter. Danielle stated that DHHR hasawarded over onemillion dollars infunds totheRCCAA that have beenand arecontinuing tobeused for maintenance ofthehomeless shelter. The Mayor said thistransaction would bea triple netlease. TheCity would own the property. Theproperty would continue being managed and maintained by RCCAA, asitisnow. Theonly maintenance andupkeep theCity would beinvolved inwould include some paving andsnow removal. Crystal Alonso said RCCAA recently received approximately one million dollars for the homeless shelter. Recent projects include replacement oftheboiler system, anew roof, interior remodeling, andelectrical upgrades. Soon, work willbegin on renovating thebasement toexpand capacity. Ifnew windows are needed, they willbepurchased andinstalled, as well asanew security system. Councilman Sopher asked whowill maintain thebuilding. Crystal said RCCAA willcontinue maintaining the building. Shesaid along-term lease agreement would help secure more funding. The Mayor said along-term lease willmake itmore probable tosecure funding. Councilman Dunlap asked if being under new ownership willstill put RCCAA under theperimeters of the Office ofHealth Facility Licensure and Certification (OHFLAC). Crystal said thatshe isn’tsure. Councilman Dunlap said thatifthey arenotunder DHHR guidelines they may nothave toadhere to OHFLAC’sregulations. Shesaid she would have togetback with himonthis issue. Danielle said that thisinvolves a large plot ofland thatwould offer the opportunity toexpand andpotentially offer housing toyouth. Danielle said this oranyother construction would require theCity’sapproval. Councilman Sopher asked iftheState ofWV isgoing todeed thehomeless shelter totheCity. The Mayor said, “yes.” Councilman Sopher asked thequestion thatonce thedeed transfer takes place, willtheCity lease the homeless shelter toRCCAA. TheMayor said, “yes.” Councilman Price asked if thistransfer interferes with anyrevenue stream(s)being received byRCCAA. Crystal said no, ifanything, itcan enhance opportunity formore funding. Councilwoman Bullock asked where RCCAA’sfunding comes from. Crystal said itcomes from DHHR, Emergency Solutions Grant, andaCommunity Service Block Grant. Crystal said RCCAA receives approximately 700,000annually tooperate theshelter. Crystal said they could askformore if they havealong-term lease. Mr. File stated thatthisordinance conveys more than justthebuilding. A2.2-acre portion ofParcel 14, TaxMap 50isinvolved. He said thesecond reading andpublic hearing ofthisordinance willbeMarch 14, 2023, attheCity Council meeting. He read theordinance bytitle, AnOrdinance Concerning Property ToBeConveyed By The West Virginia Department OfHealth And Human Resources, AnAgency Of TheState OfWest Virginia, ToTheCity OfBeckley. Theordinance was unanimously approved onamotion by Councilman Dunlap andseconded by Councilman Sopher. The ordinance is hereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Filediscussed aresolution regarding the Veterans Affairs Office in thePinecrest South office building. He said thisresolution involves part ofthe property thatwasconveyed totheCity by thePinecrest Development Corporation in April 2022. With the property came a certain number ofleases. One isalease with theUnited States lease number Veterans Affairs) VA245-17-6-0162. The transfer ofthislease needs completed sotheCity cantake over theportion of thelease thatiscurrently being managed byPinecrest. This resolution authorizes theMayor andtheRecorder-Treasurer to sign anydocuments necessary tofacilitate thetransfer ofthislease. TheMayor said thatthisVA office islocated onthe ground floor ofPinecrest South office building. They have beeninbusiness for approximately fiveyears. Theresolution was unanimously approved onamotion byCouncilman Price andseconded by Councilwoman Bullock. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. ForCouncil’sedification, Captain Morgan, Chief Code Enforcement Officer, read anotice ofapplication for WV ABCA license byHumble Hospitality LLC, dbaMorgan’sFood and Spirits located at1924 Harper Road. He said thereason fortheapplication isdue tonew ownership. Councilwoman at Large Hunter asked Captain Morgan ifhe would talktomanagement atthislocation togetbetter placement oftheirsign and discontinue using rachet straps tosecure it. Captain Morgan said thatthe City’s Code Enforcement Office would send them anotice. Acopy oftheapplication ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Fileread paragraphs one through fouroftheResolution OfThe Common Council OfThe City Of Beckley ToPermit TheOpen Burning Of Vegetation. Theresolution was unanimously approved byCouncil ona motion made byCouncilman Price and seconded byCouncilman Reedy. The resolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. OLD BUSINESS: TheMayor complimented Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump andController Jessica Chandler fortheexceptional work they do managing theCity’sfinances. Approximately sixyears ago, theCity wasamong thefirsttosignupforthe open government program operated by theState Auditor’soffice. This allows open access toview theCity’sfinances. State Auditor J.B.McCuskey will bein Council Chambers Thursday, February 16th at11:00. TheMayor invited Council toattend. Mr.McCuskey willdiscuss a new “Budget Book” tool. Next, Councilwoman Hunter asked iftheCity could work oncomposing acompliance check listforbuilding contractors to comply tobefore abuilding permit would beissued. Councilman Reedy said that he, hisdad, andCaptain Morgan (Chief Code Enforcement Officer) areworking onthechecklist. Councilwoman Hunter said thattheflyer shediscussed ina previous meeting which hasacalendar on theback willbegoing outtoallcurbside program recipients. Shethanked Pam Frey, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works, forherhelp andBill Kelly Director ofIT forhishelp. Councilwoman Bullock congratulated Mr.Brown fortheopening ofhiscompany, Property Elite Real Estate, andsaid shelooks forward tohis upcoming developments. NEW BUSINESS: Councilwoman Bullock invited Council members tothe Raleigh Playhouse Theatre February 24th at7p.m.andFebruary 26th at4p.m.to thepresentation ofAfro-lachia “Hidden Figures & Unsung Heroes” bytheHGTA Theatre Group. Crystal Tucker isthe Director. Councilman Dunlap said Sakura Mankai Cafe willhold aribbon cutting ceremony at11:45a.m.February 21, 2023. The location forthecafe isin theformer Coffee OnMain location. Councilman Sopher said theSalvation Army filed anapplication tocreate aBoys andGirls Club inthe new facility. Councilman Sopher said he, Corey Lilly Director ofOutdoor Economic Development andGary Moorefield (who works withCorey ontraildevelopment) metwith Riland Music (who works for theWV DOH) and discussed ways the State may beable tohelp theCity with outdoor economic development. The new bridge atCranberry Creek (infront of R.T.Rogers) isthelongest bridge ofits kind intheworld. Councilman Sopher said thiswillhelp withthetour ofbridges currently being created. Councilman Sopher said hisfamily is involved inthePiney Creek Watershed Association. Beckley Sanitary Board, in partnership with thePiney Creek Watershed, andWVU Tech received the 2023 National Environmental Achievement Award through the National Association ofClean Water Agencies (NACWA). TheMayor said thisisaspecial award having apositive impact onmany. TheBeckley Sanitary Board andpartners willbehonored atthe NACWA Winter Conference laterthis month inCalifornia. Councilwoman Hunter thanked Danielle Stewart forthe work shedidastheformer Executive Director ofPiney Creek Watershed. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Trena Dacal, Executive Director ofUnited Way, addressed Council requesting anannual contribution intheamount offour thousand, fivehundred dollars. Trena summarized thehelpUnited Way provides residents ofSouthern WV. The Mayor saidadditional financial information from theUnited Way is required. Shesaid shesubmitted the information totheCity. Councilwoman Bullock thanked Trena Dacal and Councilwoman Hunter forallthey dofor United Way. Councilman Sopher asked if theUnited Wayhelps with funding forthe Salvation Army. Trena said yes, the United Waysupports theutility assistance program fortheSalvation Army and hopes tohelp support theBoys andGirls Club. There were nopublic comments inperson orbyphone. With there being nofurther comments, theMayor adjourned the meeting at7:08p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer