Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONAPRIL 25, 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, Sherrie Hunter, andKevin Price. The following Department Heads were present: Director of ITWilliam Kelly, Assistant Director ofITAmy Evans, Chief Ed Wills with BFD, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works (BPW) Pam Frey, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan, Chief ofBPD Dean Bailey, and Director ofParks & Recreation Leslie Baker. The Mayor called themeeting toorder at 6:35p.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 Workshop dated April 4,2023, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed to each member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten ona motion byCouncilwoman Hunter and seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. Council dispensed with thereading and approval ofminutes fromtheregular City Council meeting dated April 11, 2023, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed to each member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten ona motion byCouncilman Sopher and seconded byCouncilman Price. Council dispensed with thereading andapproval ofminutes from thespecial meeting of City Council dated April 18, 2023, to approve thelevy rates forFY2023-2024, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed to each member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten ona motion byCouncilman Price and seconded byCouncilman Sopher. Next, Council unanimously approved the renewal ofDonna Ellison’sthree-year term ontheHuman Rights Committee on amotion byCouncilman Dunlap and seconded byCouncilwoman Hunter. Next, Council unanimously approved the renewal ofDanielle Stewart’sthree-year term ontheHuman Rights Committee on amotion byCouncilman Dunlap and seconded byCouncilwoman Hunter. Next, Council unanimously approved the nomination ofShelia Hamlet tojointhe Human Rights Committee serving athree- year termonamotion byCouncilwoman Bullock andseconded byCouncilwoman Hunter. OLD BUSINESS: TheMayor spoke highly ofthenew Stratton Elementary School heandseveral Council members toured today. Councilwoman Bullock said thatmemorabilia isneeded from Stratton alumni tobedisplayed atthe school. TheMayor announced that, on theCity’sbehalf, hewillbesigning the MOU) Memorandum ofUnderstanding with The WV Landtrust which includes thesixhundred plusacres ofthePiney Creek Preserve. Healso stated on Thursday, April 27, Corey Lilly, Director ofOutdoor Economic Development, will hold thesecond Project Oversight Committee meeting with (DBD) Destination ByDesign. Councilman Dunlap thanked Heart ofGod Ministries andBishop Simms foralways being available forthecommunity. Councilman Sopher asked forclarification regarding thestaffing issues for theswimming pools. TheMayor said, “thetheme is,we arenot giving up.” The (BPW) Board of Public Works isworking toassess and maintain New River Pool. TheMayor said itislikely that thepool atBlack Knight willnotopen thisyear, butthere is hope that theCity willopen New River Pool. TheMayor said people have offered help tocontact certified lifeguards andhelpthose interested inbecoming a lifeguard gain certification(s)todoso. Leslie Baker, Director ofParks and Recreation, said they are stillworking hard totrytoopen theNew River Pool including working withalocalstaffing agency. Ms. Baker said theYMCA has helped certify more than twenty-two lifeguards. Shesaid theyareseeking a qualified Pool Manager. Ms. Baker said inforty-seven years theNew River Pool hasclosed foronly twoseasons. She said thepoolisfifty years oldanda structural engineer willbecontacted regarding thestructural integrity ofthe pool atsome point. The City will be meeting with DBD tosee what thetrends areforswimming pools inthe21st century. Shesaid theCity isnot considering doing away with anaquatics facility butwants toknow what is trending and iftheneed City needs an Olympic size swimming pool. Shesaid theCity needs tomeet withexperts regarding thismatter. Councilman Reedy asked iftheCity hasanyone intheParks Rec. department thatcantemporarily fillinasapool manager. Ms. Baker said no, herdepartment doesn’thave enough full-time employees. TheMayor saidthe City requires thatthepool manager bea certified lifeguard. Councilman Reedy asked ifCouncil members could bekept current regarding whether thepool is going toopen ornot. Heasked that Council benotified prior tothemedia so they willbeprepared torespond toany inquiries from thepublic. Councilman Dunlap asked foranupdate regarding Babe Ruth andtheskate park. Ms. Baker said sheis hopeful bytheendofMay the City will have anew piece ofplayground equipment atFreedom Park. The Mayor said thatthepark atScott Avenue isnear completion. Ms. Baker said theCity has theequipment forBarber andGlenn Avenue playgrounds, but work needs to bedone before installation. Ms. Baker said there may begood news regarding an earmark for anew community center. Shesaid ifthisparticular earmark is granted, theonly park outofthirteen in theCity thathasnotbeenrefurbished will bethepark atRidge Avenue. NEW BUSINESS: Councilman Reedy announced thatMay 6th will bethefirst annual “Battle ofBadges” fundraiser for Greater Beckley Christian School. The City ofBeckley PD, WV State Troopers, theRaleigh County Sheriff's Department, andstaff from Sothern Regional Jailwill participate inacharity basketball event. Admission isbydonation only and proceeds gotoGreater Beckley Christian School. The event begins at9:00a.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Mary West thanked Captain Morgan andCode Enforcement forthe work they have been doing onLarew Avenue. Shecontinued tovoice her concern regarding speeding drivers onLarew Avenue. Noah Kapp with “AtWork” (astaffing agency) said thatinfour days his company recruited seven potential lifeguards. AtWork hassecured funding from local community members tocover thecost ofcertification. Hesaidlifeguard training classes begin April 28th and openings areavailable forindividuals that areinterested. HesaidifAtWork is authorized toassist theCity, hebelieves they canrecruit thenecessary personnel required tokeep thepools open all summer. The Mayor asked Mr. Trump, Recorder Treasurer andMs. Baker, Director ofParks & Rec. towork with Mr.Kapp toobtain aproposal forthis work. Ms. Baker said thatsheandJenna have theproposal from Mr.Kapp and have been working onitalong with Human Resources. Mr.Kapp saidthey also discussed apool manager, andthe candidate willbetaking herlifeguard certification testFriday. Next, Alishia Dowdin, whose nephew justpassed away from arecent shooting, spoke asking for help from theCity toensure kidssafety in East Parkandother parts oftheCity. She said kidsarenolonger playing outside duetofearinEastPark. Shesaid the youth need tofeelsafe tobeoutdoors playing andriding bicycles. The Mayor offered hiscondolences toMs. Dowdin andassured her thattheCity’sinternal investigation, aswell astheFBI and the State Police, areworking ontherecent shootings. TheMayor said there will be more patrols inEast Park andresidents willseeState Police vehicles, aswell as unmarked cars containing law enforcement. Chief Bailey said eight to nine officers areworking around the clock onthissituation andaretrying to stop theviolence. Chief Bailey said he worked allweekend, andtheBeckley PD isdoing allitcantohelp. Councilman Reedy said Chief Bailey’sbrother, Dave Bailey, isaCommunity Resources Officer who istrying togetcommunity events (such asthe onerecently atLewis Ritchie Apartments) coordinated. Councilman Reedy thinks thiswillhelp bring thecommunity andthepolice officers together. TheMayor said the City ofBeckley PD hasaprecinct at Lewis Ritchie Apartments where they hosted acommunity event which was well attended, andhethinks thisisagood place tostart. TheMayor complimented Councilwoman Bullock’snewspaper article totrytogettheyouth interested in church andchurch activities. Ms. Dowdin suggested thatcounselors reach outtothechildren atWoodrow Wilson High School tosponsor apprenticeship training forvarious careers byallowing the children tospend time onthejob orin theoffice with people invarious careers. The Mayor said companies such asLittle General andChick-fil-Ahave been helpful indoing this. Ms. Dowdin said lawoffices, police offices, engineering firms, real-estate offices, andvarious other career paths need tobelaidoutfor theyouth toparticipate intogive them options andhelpeducate them about various careers. Ms. Dowdin saidthis needs tostart withlocal leaders working with kids ofmiddle school age. The Mayor said heandtheCEO oftheYMCA mettoday anddiscussed getting agroup ofvolunteers together whom youth look uptowhich could help guide them onthe right path. Ms. Dowdin said sheishere to help. Next, Christina Baisden said sheis asking theCity tocreate anAquatics Recreation Director position who would implement programs such asswimming lessons andwater aerobics. Shesaid incentive programs are needed tohelp at riskyouth. TheMayor said theYMCA hasayear-round program offering swimming lessons. Next, Braxton Berry voiced hisconcerns regarding drugs and gunviolence intheCity. Ash Baisden voiced herconcerns regarding gun violence andhersafety when sheleaves herhouse. Sheasked theCity tokeep the pools open. Next, Pamela Boyden was asked ifshewanted tospeak because her name was onthesign-upsheet; she declined. Tina Pannell thanked the Mayor for “showing up”. Shethanked himforbeing there forher. She encouraged unity. She asked for leaders inthecommunity toadopt Juneteenth while sheworks togeta501C-3status. She isasking forfinancial support toget started. Sheasked forvolunteers tohelp also. Shethanked Beckley PDfor sending delegates toevents. TheMayor thanked herfor allthe work she does for thecommunity. Next, Shelly Creasy spoke regarding astreetlight thatisoutat Beaver Avenue andWestmoreland. The Mayor said power poles intheCitythat have alightout getreported tothepower company andtheCitymarks thepolewith apink, surveyor’sribbon toletthepower company know which pole needs alight. TheMayor asked Pam Frey tofollow up onthisstreetlight. Ms. Creasy saidher nineteen-year-oldsonisterrified because oftheshootings intheCity thathave occurred within thelastweek. She voiced concerns regarding the lack of safety ontherailtrail. Shesaidthere is nopolice presence bycar, onfoot, orona bicycle onthetrail andthetrail needs cameras. TheMayor assured Ms. Creasy that theCity isworking tosolve the crimes asfastasitcan. The Mayor said Beckley Housing Authority hasreceived a grant forcameras. Mr.Kelly, Director of ITsaid thatagrant hasbeen submitted to cover thelength oftherailtrail (3.2 miles) with cameras. Councilwoman Bullock asked Chief Bailey iftheRaleigh County Sheriff’soffice ishandling the murder Ms. Creasy referred to. Chief Bailey said yes. Next, Pamela Hammens offered employment opportunities through Workforce WV. She’shoping to help with employment fortheyouth and forthesituation with thepools. The program wasformerly known as Empowered Employment andisnow Transitional Jobs. Ifanindividual is unemployed forthirteen weeks, they may qualify foremployment with this program. Shesaidthey areprovided insurance through thefederal government through Workforce after being employed forsixmonths andworking thirty-two hours weekly. Shesaid thisprogram could havehelped with thelifeguard shortage. Shesaid Transitional Jobs works with anyorganization, any facility, andanybusiness inWV. Shesaid the employees have liability insurance through Workforce WV. For more information contact the program’s Business Services Manager, Amanda Dawson at304-253-3611. Councilman Sopher asked whatistheageatwhich an individual canbegin working there. Ms. Hammens said fifteen years oldwith a parent orguardian’ssignature. Councilwoman Bullock asked ifthis program hashadcontact with thefederal prison. Ms. Hammens said theFederal Bonding Program could help. Sheshared acopyofthevarious programs offered through Transitional Jobs with Council members. TheMayor said ithasbeen inferred that thepossible pool closing isadecision City Council made. Hesaid City Council andMs. Baker have worked hard and are continuing towork totrytosolve the staffing issues sothepools canopen this year. Council unanimously approved a motion toadjourn which wasmade by Councilwoman Bullock andseconded by Councilman Sopher. TheMayor adjourned themeeting at7:40p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer