Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONMAY 23, 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: Assistant Director of ITAmy Evans, Anthony Martin (IT),Captain Coughlin with BFD, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works (BPW) Pam Frey, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan, Chief ofBPD Dean Bailey andDirector of Parks & Recreation Leslie Baker. 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. Council dispensed with thereading of minutes from theCity Council meeting dated May 9,2023, copies ofwhich had been distributed toeachmember. Council unanimously approved theminutes as written onamotion byCouncilman Price andseconded byCouncilman Dunlap. Council dispensed with thereading of minutes from Council’sWorkshop dated May 15, 2023, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved theminutes as written onamotion byCouncilman Sopher andseconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. Council dispensed withthe reading ofminutes fromtheCouncil’s Workshop dated May 22,2023, copies of which hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten onamotion by Councilman Sopher andseconded by Councilwoman Bullock. Next was theaward ofbidforthe price of asphalt, concrete, stone/abrasives/sand, and reinforcement rods. Thebidwasin the amount of $101.25/tonforBase IIor P&LI, $ 107.00/tonforWearing I, 144.00/tonforCurb Mix, and 144.00/tonforTennis Mix. Southern WV Paving, Inc. was theonly bidder. The bidwas unanimously approved ona motion byCouncilman atLarge Reedy andseconded byCouncilman Sopher. The bidwas previously incorporated into theMay 9,2023, minutes. Next was theaward ofbid forthepaving andmilling ofN.Oakwood Avenue and Sheridan Avenue. Thebidwasfrom AAA Paving & Sealing, Inc. inthe amount of $150,000. The bidwas unanimously approved ona motion byCouncilman atLarge Reedy andseconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. The bidwas previously incorporated into theMay 9,2023, minutes. Next, theMayor opened theonly bid received forthepurchase ofsixty (60) police duty handguns. Thebid wasfrom Vance Outdoors, Inc. intheamount of 46,320.00. Thebid willbegiven to Recorder-Treasurer Trump, Police Chief Bailey, Councilwoman atLarge Hunter andCouncilman atLarge Reedy for possible award ataCouncil meeting in thenear future. Thebid ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, theMayor opened theonly bid received forthe replacement/repair ofthe roof onTheHistoric Black Knight. The bidwas fromFrye Roofing intheamount of $153,600.00. Thebidwill begiven to Recorder-Treasurer Trump, Director of Parks & Recreation Leslie Baker, Councilwoman atLarge Hunter and Councilman atLarge Reedy forpossible award ataCouncil meeting inthenear future. Thebidishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next City Attorney BillFile read bytitle AResolution ToEstablish Boundaries andCovenants ForLand andWater Conservation Fund OnProperty Owned bytheCity ofBeckley Raleigh County, West Virginia. Mr.Fileexplained that thisresolution places arestriction thatis required bytheSecretary oftheInterior. TheSecretary oftheInterior hasmade it possible fortheCity toreceive agrant to make improvements tothe City of Beckley Freedom Park. Indoing so, the City isrequired tohave certain language inadeed ofrecord. The language is placed onadeed which theCity is deeding toitself thatisincluded inthis language inorder torestrict future useof theproperty. This park cannot be converted toother thanpublic outdoor recreation usewithout the written approval oftheSecretary oftheInterior. This allows the City toreceive thegrant funds andproceed with theproject. Council unanimously approved the resolution onamotion made by Councilman Price andseconded by Councilwoman Bullock. The resolution ishereby adopted bythe City and is incorporated intothese minutes. Next, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan said theCityreceived a notification ofapplication forWVABCA license forachange ofownership at1914 Harper Road toElBandido. Councilman Sopher asked ifElBandido isrelocating oradding anadditional restaurant. Mr. Morgan said thiswillbeanadditional restaurant. Thenotification for application ishereby incorporated into these minutes. OLD BUSINESS: The Mayor said Council recently hadworkshops including issues regarding food trucks, panhandling, andStiffler Drive. Ms. Baker gave abrief update onthestatus oftheswimming pools. Shesaid theCity now hasten certified lifeguards andisstilllooking for concession stand workers andan attendant toaccept tickets upon entry. Shesaid theCitynow hasaPool Manager. Shesaid the pool willprobably open June 8.th Theentire pool hastobe painted. Shesaid scheduling isstilla challenge with lifeguards because they want alotoftime offwork. Shethanked theYMCA and “AtWork” employment agency fortheir helpinlocating and certifying lifeguards. Shesaid theCity’s lifeguards will receive training ona weekly basis similar toanin-service type oftraining. TheMayor expressed his appreciation for theYMCA and “At Work” fortheir help. Hesaid therumor thatthepoolatBlack Knight has structural damage isnottrue. Ms. Baker said thereason thepool atBlack Knight willnotopen thisseason isnotrelated to thepool, itisrelated tostaffing issues. Shesaid awork force ofapproximately tenemployees would beneeded towork atthatpool. Councilwoman Bullock attended thegraduation forthelastclass offifth graders who graduated from Beckley Stratton Elementary today. Beginning next school year, thestudents willattend the newBeckley Stratton Elementary. NEW BUSINESS: Regarding streets in theCity thathave legitimate speeding issues, Councilman Dunlap said there isa precedent foramember ofthestreet to petition andgainsupport from residents ontheir street. Iftheresidents had unanimous support onthestreet, itwould bepossible fortheBPD toconsider decreasing thespeed limit onthat particular street. Heasked iftheBPD could consider decreasing thespeed limit from 25mph to15mph. Hesaidthishas happened onsome other streets inthe Bowling District. Chief Bailey told Councilman Dunlap thatthey could discuss this. TheMayor saidhedoes not think itisagood idea. Hesaid itisalong straight street with two stop signs. The speed limit could bedecreased to15mph andpeople arestillgoing todrive 20 –25 mph. Councilwoman Bullock asked Chief Bailey ifhehadanupdate on arrests regarding therecent shootings. He said theBPD iswaiting forinformation andarrests will beforthcoming. Councilman Reedy asked foraworkshop forCouncil todiscuss with Chief Bailey a new starting salary andretention tools for theBPD. The Mayor said heagrees that a workshop isneeded. HeandRecorder- Treasurer Billie Trump metwith Chief Bailey andDeputy Chief Allard this morning regarding this issue. The Mayor said itwillrequire Council’svote. Councilman Reedy said hewould liketo seetheinvestment theCity makes by sending CityPolice Officers tothepolice academy beretained, rather than seeing theofficers leave assoon asthey canfora higher paying position with the Raleigh County Sheriff’sOffice orasaState Police Officer. TheMayor said thisisa matter ofconcern. Hesaidduring their meeting thismorning Chief Bailey shared anumber ofanticipated departures from theBPD. TheMayor said thisissue needs tobeaddressed quickly. TheMayor said thatCouncilwoman Hunter’sgrandson, Cameron Manns isagreat pitcher for Shady Spring High School. They are playing inaregional tournament atPike View High School thisevening which is why Councilwoman Hunter isn’there. PUBLIC COMMENTS: The Mayor announced ifcalling inbyphone dial *3 toraise your hand. Ifconnected by computer: Click thehand icon” onyour Participants panel. Mr.Fredrick Brown addressed Council. Hesaid hepurchased ahouse at1315 “F” Street. Hesaidhe does nothave asewer line tohis residence. Hesaidthathecontacted the Beckley Sanitary Board (BSB) andtalked toJohn Peplowski. Hereceived abill from Jeremiah Johnson, BSB General Manager, showing thecost of $4,164.80 togain sewer access. The Mayor suggested thatMr.Brown attend the BSB’sregular monthly meeting which is thesecond Wednesday ofeach month. The Mayor saidtheSanitary Board members are present during themeetings andheislikely togetaresolution during aBSB meeting. TheMayor invited him tojointheBSB’snext meeting onJune 14th at9:00a.m.onHeber Street. Councilman Dunlap paraphrased saying there was asewer upgrade on “F” Street, anditended about sixty yards before it reached Mr.Brown’shouse. Hesaidthe BSB didn’tfinish the upgrade thinking thathome may bedemolished rather than upgraded. Mr.Brown saidthat iscorrect. Mr.Brown saidwhen theproject was taking place, hemade the BSBaware of that. Hesaid nothing wasdone yetalot ofmoney wasallocated totheBSB. He said parts oftheproject were not completed andin2016 theBSBhadto return tothe areatoreconnect residents to thesewer system. TheMayor said Jeremiah Johnson and engineers will beat thatmeeting andencouraged himto attend. Mr.Bobby Hall saidheisasking theCity tosupport anevent onJuly 29th from 11a.m. to4:00p.m.attheMaxwell HillCommunity Center. The event isto assist people with addiction issues. Danielle Stewart gave Mr.Hall the contact information of organizations/people thatcanassist him. TheMayor encouraged Mr.Halltosend hisoffice aletter explaining hisrequest. TinaPannell, President ofJuneteenth, said theJuneteenth Festival will beJune 16.th Shesaid kids cansign upontheapp andbowl atLeisure Lanes nocost. June 17th from 9a.m. - 10:00a.m. T-shirts willbesold attheHunter Cemetery. The walk willbefrom 10am. –11:00am. After thewalk they willgototheNew River Park andcontinue festivities there. Danielle Stewart addressed Council. She said once aninety-daytreatment period foraddiction iscompleted, bustickets are being given toindividuals who have completed theprogram. Shesaidthisis oneofmany stories adding tothe panhandling problem inthe City. She is working with others toformulate a comprehensive solution tohelp those in need, transport individuals needing transportation, andidentify andremove  opportunists inthecommunity. Thisplan willrequire support from multiple organizations including theCity. She anticipates having adraft plan bytheend oftheweek. Sheisrequesting City Council schedule aworkshop todiscuss thisatitsearliest convenience. The Mayor saidaworkshop willbescheduled andhewould appreciate Danielle attending with more details. Raleigh County Community Action pledged a certain dollar amount tohelp, and theCity will beasked topledge money tohelp. There were nopublic comments online. With there being nofurther comments, Council unanimously approved amotion toadjourn which wasmade by Councilman Dunlap andseconded by Councilwoman Bullock. The Mayor adjourned themeeting at7:08p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer