Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONJUNE 13, 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, Sherrie Hunter, Cody Reedy, Tom Sopher, andKevin Price. The following Department Heads were present: Director of ITBill Kelly, Assistant Director ofITAmy Evans, Anthony Martin (IT),Chief Wills ofBFD, Director of Board ofPublic Works (BPW) Pam Frey, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan, Chief ofBPD Dean Bailey, andDirector ofParks & Recreation Leslie Baker. 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 23, 2023, copies ofwhich had been distributed toeachmember. Council unanimously approved theminutes as written onamotion byCouncilman Sopher andseconded byCouncilman Price. Council dispensed with thereading ofminutes from Council’sWorkshop dated June 5,2023, copies ofwhich had been distributed toeachmember. Council unanimously approved theminutes as written onamotion byCouncilwoman Hunter andseconded byCouncilman Dunlap. Next Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump shared theFY2022-2023 Budget Revision with Council. Mr.Trump said theCity underestimates itsrevenues (as anattempt toensure the budget works). The overage intherevenues isdistributed among themany departments tomake sure allthedebts arecleared, and he hopes tohave excessive funds attheend ofeach fiscal year. Mr.Trump asked if anyone hadanyquestions. Councilman Sopher said itisnice toseeanincrease in theCity’srevenue. Mr.Trump agreed. With nofurther questions theBudge Revision was unanimously approved ona motion made byCouncilman Price and seconded byCouncilman Sopher. The Budget Revision willbesubmitted tothe WV State Auditor andisincorporated into these minutes. Next, Council unanimously approved Tina Pannell serving athree-yearterm on theHuman Rights Commission (HRC) on amotion byCouncilwoman Hunter and seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. Ms. Pannell’sterm ontheHRC expires June 30, 2026. Next, Council unanimously approved the reappointment ofVirginia Jefferson serving afive-year term ontheBeckley Housing Authority (BHA) onamotion by Councilwoman Bullock andseconded by Councilman Sopher. Ms. Jefferson’sterm onthe BHA expires June 30, 2028. Council unanimously approved the reappointment ofCouncilman Price serving athree-year termontheBoard of Directors oftheEmergency Operating Center (EOC) onamotion by Councilwoman Bullock andseconded by Councilman Sopher. Councilman Price’s term ontheEOC expires June 30, 2026. OLD BUSINESS: Councilman Price asked ifpackets containing information regarding the City Manager form of government arecompleted. Mr.File said information from theMunicipal League is being requested. TheMayor saidthe packets arenotcomplete. Next, Councilwoman Hunter thanked those whoattended theLandfill & Recycling Center tour conducted onJune 9.th Councilman Sopher asked when a Workshop cantake place regarding Stiffler Drive. The Mayor said the residents ofStiffler Drive were provided a copy ofthecost analysis report from Thrasher. Some ofthe information outlined inthat report included Stormwater issues andshould be addressed first. This area isintheCity’s MS4 watershed. TheMayor spoke to Jeremiah Johnson (General Manager of theBeckley Sanitary Board) regarding thisissue who said hewillmove theitem uponthe listofprojects. Councilman Sopher saidthe residents ofStiffler are glad tohear thatthey areonthelist. NEW BUSINESS: Councilwoman Bullock said Senate Bill772waspassed andprovides State funding tocover the cost oftearing down depilated structures. Sheasked ifthePiney Oaks, Unity Hall onTerrill Street would becovered under thisSenate Bill. TheMayor saidhe thinks Reverend Martin was given the property bytheRaleigh County Board of Education with theunderstanding thatMr. Martin would create acommunity center there. The Mayor said hewastoldthat Reverend Martin moved outoftown and appointed someone tomaintain the building and itdidnothappen. The Mayor said the City attempts todemolish approximately twenty structures peryear most structures being residential) through CBDG grant money. Chief Code Enforcement Officer Morgan said theCity applied fortheDEP grant, but the City was notawarded thegrant thisfiscal year. Recorder-Treasurer Trump saidhe thinks Senate Bill772isintended for residential structures andwould notapply toPiney Oaks. Councilwoman Bullock saidwhen the auditor was here, she was told theapplication process needs totake place andthatthislocation would probably qualify. Mr.Trump said he closely read thebillandisnot disputing what theauditor said. Councilwoman Bullock thanked theBPD, Code Enforcement Office, andBoard ofPublic Works forallthey do. Councilwoman Hunter willinvite students intheSchool Government Club atWoodrow Wilson High School, thesenior class president, thestudent body president, andBella Staples, astarperformer onthe Woodrow Wilson track team (shot putanddiscus), toaCouncil meeting before school starts. Councilman Dunlap welcomed Tina Pannell totheHuman Rights Commission andreminded everyone about the upcoming Juneteenth events. Hesaidif more information regarding dates and times oftheevents isneeded, visit his Facebook page. PUBLIC COMMENTS: TheMayor announced ifcalling inbyphone dial *3 toraise your hand. Ifconnected by computer: Click the “hand icon” onyour Participants panel. Mary West voiced her concerns regarding drivers speeding on Larew Avenue andasked theCity to assist inbeautifying Larew Avenue. A petition from Mary West, aletter from Greg Blackburn andfour pages of signatures supporting thepetition to reduce thespeed limit onLarew Avenue from 25mphto15mphareincorporated into these minutes. Councilwoman Bullock asked Ms. West ifhergoal isto getthespeed limit decreased to15mph. Ms. West said yes. Mr.Greg Blackburn spoke saying that he isnotaresident ofBeckley. However, he andhiswife provide lawncare services to residents onLarew Avenue andhe suggested police cameras beplaced on thisstreet toobserve drivers speeding on Larew Avenue. Frank Williams signed uptospeak. However, when hewas given theopportunity forpublic comments, hesaid thathewillpass and discuss hisconcerns with City Attorney Mr.Fileafter themeeting. Next, Council unanimously voted togo into Executive Session Code pursuant to WV Code 6-9A-4(B)2Aonamotion by Councilman Reedy andseconded by Councilwoman Hunter. Mr.Filesaid that nodecisions willbemade, andnovotes willbetaken during theExecutive Session. Council entered Executive Session at6:58p.m. At7:26p.m. Council unanimously voted tocome out ofExecutive Session onamotion by Councilman Price andseconded by Councilwoman Bullock. At7:27p.m. Council unanimously voted toresume regular session onamotion by Councilwoman Hunter andseconded by Councilman Price. TheMayor stated no votes weretaken andnodecisions were made inExecutive Session. With there being nofurther comments, Council unanimously approved adjourning the meeting onamotion byCouncilwoman Hunter andseconded byCouncilman Sopher. TheMayor adjourned the meeting at7:29p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer