Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONMARCH 28, 2023, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIAWEB-X. PRESENT: Mayor Robert R.Rappold, Recorder- Treasurer Billie Trump, City Attorney BillFile, and Secretary Susan Miller. Council Members: Janine Bullock, Robert Canter, Robert Dunlap, Cody Reedy, Tom Sopher, andKevin Price. Thefollowing Department Heads were present: Director ofITWilliam Kelly, Assistant Director ofITAmy Evans, Anthony Martin (IT),Captain Coughlin with BFD, Director of Board ofPublic Works (BPW) Pam Frey, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan, Chief ofBPD Dean Bailey. ABSENT: Councilwoman Hunter. The Mayor called themeeting toorder at 6:30p.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 March 14, 2023, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed to each member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten ona motion byCouncilman Price and seconded byCouncilman Sopher. Next, City Attorney Mr.File read a Resolution bytitle, Resolution Approving The2023 Project ListSubmission For The Region 1Planning & Development Council Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, March 2023. He explained theResolution andstated Council hashadanopportunity toreview alist ofprojects. The resolution was unanimously approved byCouncil ona motion made byCouncilman Sopher and seconded byCouncilman Dunlap. The resolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Fileexplained that amotion is necessary confirming therequirement for bids bewaived byCouncil regarding the emergency purchase ofsixvehicles for theBeckley Police Department. Ithasnot been possible tocomplete the bidprocess because thevehicles arebeing purchased byother buyers before thebid process can becompleted. Mr.Filestated that the City ofBeckley isnot theonly city having difficulty finding replacement vehicles. The vehicles currently being used bythePolice Department are inpoor condition andbecoming adanger tothe officers driving thevehicles andtherefore adanger tothepublic. Themotion was unanimously approved byCouncil after a motion was made byCouncilman Dunlap andseconded byCouncilman Reedy. Attached aresupporting emails submitted byRecorder-Treasurer Billie Trump. Next, Captain Coughlin with theBeckley Fire Department explained thatfiretrucks have approximately atwenty-year life cycle andtheoldest firetruck attheBFD isapproaching twenty years. Captain Coughlin explained that thebidding process, atbest, takes ayear andtheprice changes. Mr.Trump explained that anew truck hasbeen ordered andwillbepaid forbythefire levyandARPA funds. The City doesnothave topayforthefire truck. Mr.Trump explained thatthe City ispart ofabuying cooperative, Sourcewell. The City isincluded inthe bidSourcewell created. Mr.Trump said there isafive –seven percent discount over theordered price ofthetruck. The sales staffinformed Mr.Trump thatit could take twenty-four tothirty months to receive atruck. Thetruck that is approaching twenty years oldwillbe moved intoareserve status because maintenance isbecoming anissue. Councilman Sopher asked what theprice ofthetruck is. Mr.Trump saiditis approximately onemillion dollars. Councilman Price said inthepast, several were purchased through thefirelevy and theprice continued toincrease along with availability being achallenge. Councilman Dunlap said there isnoprice tagfor safety considering how close houses areintheCity. The motion to approve thepurchase wasmade by Councilman Price andseconded by Councilman Sopher and was unanimously approved byCouncil. Attached are supporting emails submitted byRecorder- Treasurer Billie Trump. OLD BUSINESS: The Mayor thanked Councilwoman Bullock forherefforts andtheefforts oftheCity’sgrant writers. TheCity received agrant insupport of placing Hunter Cemetery ontheNational Registry forHistoric Places. Councilwoman Bullock thanked Mr. Trump andAngela King fortheir help in writing andsubmitting thegrant. The Mayor reminded Council oftheChamber ofCommerce Dinner Thursday, March 30th at5:30p.m.honoring Donnie Holcomb. Mr. Holcomb istherecipient ofthe2023 Community Leadership Award. Thegrand opening ofthenew Raleigh County Sheriff’soffice isFriday, March 31st at11:00a.m. Aribbon cutting ceremony willbeheld forZ &ZBeauty located at223 Prince Street, Friday, March 31st at2:00p.m. Aribbon cutting ceremony forVinyl Tracks, LLC. is Friday, March 31st at3:00p.m.located at 345Prince Street. Five newBeckley Police Officers took theoath today ledby Chief Bailey. The City received the report fromThrasher regarding Stiffler Drive andaWorkshop fortheresidents onStiffler Drive willbescheduled soon. Councilman Dunlap asked Chief Bailey if theparking issue onWoodlawn Avenue was addressed. Chief Bailey said yes. TheMayor said thisisacomplicated matter andcanbediscussed further if necessary. NEW BUSINESS: Councilwoman Bullock thanked Delegate Eric Brooks District 45, forattending themeeting. Councilman Sopher said hewould like to seeKameron Lawson, who isemployed at Walmart and acontestant onAmerican Idol, receive support from theCity. Councilman Sopher thanked Board of Public Works (BPW) forallthework they doforspring clean-upintheCity. Councilman Sopher saidthere isone house onKanawha Street that hasan excessive number ofbags tobepicked up Hethinks there should bealimit. Director ofBoard ofPublic Works Pam Frey said they will pick upfrom that location between runs until they getallof thebags. Councilwoman Bullock asked Chief Bailey about the basketball game theCity played against theRaleigh County Sheriff’sDepartment. Chief said theCity’sPolice Department won the game. Itwas forcharity, helping supply school supplies tokids inneed at Maxwell HillElementary. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Mary West shared herconcerns regarding drivers speeding onLarew Avenue. She suggested getting children involved to help paint firehydrants. Shesaidtrees need cutdown andremoved from that area. Ms. West asked what happened to thespeed bumps thatused tobeinthat area. Shesaid thespeed bumps need to beputback. Shesaidthere isalotof trash ataneighbor’shouse thatneeds addressed. They Mayor said hespends a lotoftime observing Larew Avenue and does notseedrivers speeding when heis there. Hethinks theproperty isvery well kept apart fromitems being outatthis time forspring cleanup. Chief Bailey said several radar patrols have beenconducted there andhaven’tobserved drivers speeding inexcess ofthree tofourmiles over thespeed limit, ifany. Chief Bailey said Larew Avenue isaregular part ofthe patrol. Jody Lovelace Patrick inquired about anupdate onStiffler Drive. The Mayor suggested theCitybriefly update herandschedule aWorkshop with the residents ofStiffler Drive. Mr.File explained thattheCity received a preliminary report from Thrasher including apreliminary cost estimate. Mr.Filesaidthere areseveral alternatives according tothereport from Thrasher. Mr.Filesaid hewould begladtogiveher acopy ofthereport after themeeting. Mr. Filesaid during afuture Council Workshop, options suggested byThrasher willbediscussed. Councilman Dunlap said thisisimportant because the residents willknow what they willneed in  order tobring thestreet uptocompliance. Councilman Dunlap apologized thatit took solong toreceive the report. The Mayor asked Anthony inITifanyone is signed uponline tomake apublic comment. The Mayor announced if calling inbyphone: dial *3toraise your hand, ifconnected bycomputer: clickthe hand icon” onyour participants panel to speak. There were nocomments. Councilman Dunlap said thatifMr.Shane Pierce islistening, hewants himtoknow what agreat jobhedoes with thetheatre intheCity. With there being nofurther comments, Councilman Dunlap made a motion toadjourn which wasseconded by Councilman Sopher. TheMayor adjourned themeeting at6:55p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer