Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONAUGUST 22, 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 Dunlap, Sherrie Hunter, Cody Reedy, Tom Sopher, andKevin Price. Thefollowing Department Heads were present: Director ofITBill Kelly, Assistant Director ofITAmy Evans, Anthony Martin (IT),Captain EdThompson ofBFD, Director of Board ofPublic Works (BPW) Pam Frey, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan, Director of Beckley Events Jilly Moorefield, Chief ofBPD Dean Bailey, andDirector ofParks & Rec. Leslie Baker. Council member Robert Canter attended andparticipated viaWEB-X. 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. TheMayor acknowledged the passing away oftwogreat citizens ofBeckley, Mary Francis Roop andHenry Dickerson. The Mayor commented onarecent editorial intheRegister Herald thathefelt was very slanted against him. He publicly apologized toMary West for walking out before herpublic comments attheprevious Council meeting. He explained the reason for doing sowas because hedidnotwant toaddress atthat meeting herchoice touse abullhorn for three days toshout during operating hours infront ofhisoffice andWVU Tech President Stuart’soffice. Shewas shouting atpassing cars and pedestrians hersupport for payincreases forCity workers. Herbehavior wasvery disruptive toCity workers andemployees atWVU Tech. Healso apologized tothe public. City Attorney Mr.Fileadvised thepublic, aswell asCity employees and Council members, toavoid discussing personalities and avoid name calling when addressing CityCouncil andthe Mayor atCouncil meetings. City Council meetings aretodiscuss City business only. Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump gave each Council member acopy oftheCity ofBeckley’sAnnual Report of Policemen’sPension andRelief Funds which will besubmitted totheMunicipal Pensions Oversight Board. Thereport is hereby incorporated intothese minutes. Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump gave each Council member acopy oftheCity ofBeckley’sAnnual Report ofFireman’s Pension andRelief Funds which willbe submitted totheMunicipal Pensions Oversight Board. Thereport ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Council dispensed with thereading of minutes from theCity Council meeting dated August 8,2023, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved the minutes aswritten onamotion by Councilman Price andseconded by Councilman Sopher. Next, Council unanimously approved the appointment ofNoah Kapp tothe Police Civil Service Commission onamotion by Councilwoman Hunter seconded by Councilman Sopher. Councilman Dunlap abstained because Noah Kapp is employed byCouncilman Dunlap. Mr. Kapp’sterm onthePolice Civil Service Commission isafour-year term expiring June 30, 2027. Council unanimously approved theappointment ofTroy Miller tothePlanning Commission onamotion byCouncilman Canter seconded by Councilman Sopher. Mr.Miller’sterm onthePlanning Commission isathree- yearterm expiring August 31, 2026. Next, asealed bidwas received from American Airworks foronebreathing air compressor system fortheCity of Beckley Fire Department intheamount of 45,965.00. Thebid willbegiven to Councilman atLarge Reedy, Councilwoman atLarge Hunter, Chief Wills oftheBFD, andRecorder-Treasurer Billie Trump for review andforpossible award atafuture Council meeting. The bidishereby incorporated intothese minutes. Next, Mr.Filepresented andsummarized anordinance granting aneasement to North Beckley P.S.D.through theLewis McManus Trail. Mr.Filesaidthesecond reading andpublic hearing ofthis ordinance willtake place atthe September 12th Council meeting. Mr.File read theordinance bytitle, “An Ordinance Granting Easement ToNorth Beckley P.S.D.Through Lewis McManus Trail”. Council unanimously approved theordinance onamotion byCouncilman Price andseconded byCouncilman Reedy. Acopy oftheordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Filesummarized and read by title, “Ordinance Amending City of Beckley Code Chapter 15, Article I,By Inserting Section 15-37Mobile Food Vendors And ByAdding Mobile Food Vendors AsPermitted Use InThe B-1 Neighborhood-Highway Business District, B-2General Business District, B- 3Courthouse Square And M Manufacturing District”. He opened the public hearing. During thepublic hearing Councilwoman Bullock said thepermit is 50.00. Captain Morgan saidthe paperwork canbepicked upfrom the Code Enforcement Office and payments canbemade atCity Hall attheB&O Office. There were nocomments from thepublic. Mr.Fileclosed thepublic hearing. Council unanimously approved theordinance onamotion byCouncilman Sopher andseconded byCouncilman Reedy. Theordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Filesummarized thefollowing Ordinance andintroduced itbytitle, Ordinance Amending City OfBeckley Code Chapter 15, Article I,ByInserting Sections 15-14 (a)and 15-15 (a)Adding Long-Term Care Facilities ToThe Permitted Uses InB-1Neighborhood- Highway Business District And InB-2 General Business District.” Mr.Filesaid thatthere areother districts intheCity already permitting long-term care facilities, butthese twoparticular districts didnotinclude itintheir permitted uses. Mr.Fileopened thepublic hearing. There were nocomments orquestions. Mr.File closed the public hearing. Council unanimously approved theordinance ona motion byCouncilman Dunlap and seconded byCouncilman Price. The ordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. OLD BUSINESS: TheMayor saidthat Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works BPW) Pam Frey, andtheCity’s Controller Jessica Chandler have worked onrecognizing BPW employees with additional compensation. The Mayor said duetotheamount ofunused road saltthe City hasinstorage, itallows theCity to save asignificant amount ofmoney inthe future bynothaving topurchase additional salt. TheMayor saidthathe wants tooperate infullcompliance with theWV Sunshine Law. Heasked City Attorney Mr.Filehow many members of Council hecanmeet with atatime alone inhisoffice regarding compensation for theBPW. Mr.Filesaid theMayor should notmeet with more than oneCouncil member atanytime. HesaidtheCity needs tobevigilant that itdoesnot violate theOpen Meetings Act. TheMayor thanked Mr.Fileand invited Councilman Reedy tocontact himtodiscuss thisissue since Councilman Reedy inquired about thisduring thelastCouncil meeting. The Mayor also invited other Council members tocontact himattheir convenience also. AWorkshop open to thepublic maybescheduled. TheMayor said that theCity isamember oftheNew River Gorge Ascend Program andthinks theCity’searly efforts tobearemote worker City have now paid off. Councilman Dunlap asked Mr.File when Council mayanticipate anordinance to effectuate thechange toCity Manager Form ofGovernment. Mr.Filesaid he anticipates thefirstreading taking place at theOctober 10th Council meeting andthe second reading andpublic hearing atthe October 24th meeting. Councilman Reedy asked ifthere isanew City map outlining theborders ofeach ward. Recorder- Treasurer Billie Trump said they have been working onredrawing theborders forthewards, butthemap isnotyet finalized because they were waiting on more census data andtrying tobalance thepopulation inevery ward asmuch as possible. Mr.Filesaid thenew map will need tobecompleted bytheend ofthis year andprior toanyone signing uptorun forthenext term. Councilman Reedy inquired about the progress onStiffler Drive. TheMayor said theCity presented anestimate ofrepairs totheresidents of Stiffler Drive provided byThrasher. Mr. Filesaid Stormwater istheprimary issue. TheMayor said theCity needs todiscuss theStormwater issue with theBeckley Sanitary Board andgetanupdate. Councilman Dunlap thanked Mr.Bill Kelly, Director ofITforgetting back to Council astowhy theycould notattend thelast Department Head meeting and he appreciates Mr.Kelly letting Council know thatthey may beable toattend the next one. NEW BUSINESS: Councilwoman Bullock commented onhow nice the ribbon cutting ceremony for thenew Stratton Elementary School was. Shesaid they arehaving open house tomorrow from 4:30p.m. –6:30p.m. Councilwoman Bullock asked ifraises could begiven toemployees that have been employed bytheCity forten, twenty, orthirty plus years andhave not hadaraise. Councilwoman Bullock asked Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan foranupdate onPiney Oaks. Shesaidvagrants arestillgoing in thebuilding there. Mr. Morgan said he hasthe owner’saddress andwillgetan update. Shethanked Chief Bailey forall hedoes. Councilwoman Hunter asked Mr.Morgan foranupdate onthePagoda Motel. Hesaid thepeople who recently purchased ithave plans todemolish the whole parcel including thepavement. The buyers hope toclose onthepurchase inDecember and begin demolition in January. Mr.Morgan said theCity is working with theexisting owners to expedite thetransaction. Councilwoman Bullock thanked Dr.Dumas (inthe audience) forbeing thespeaker today at theRotary Club meeting. Councilwoman Bullock recognized Deloris Kidd who was inattendance attheCouncil meeting. Ms. Kidd isanalumnus ofStratton Elementary School. Councilwoman Bullock thanked herforallshehas contributed tomaking theproject of getting anew school there asuccess. PUBLIC COMMENTS: The Mayor announced ifcalling inbyphone dial *3 toraise yourhand. Ifconnected by computer: Click the “hand icon” onyour participant’spanel. Mary West voiced herconcerns regarding drivers speeding onLarew Avenue. She stated herconcern regarding thefour-way stop atEarhart Street andLarew Avenue. She saidifthe Citywill notputinafour-way stop could itconsider putting inspeed bumps. She also asked forhelp getting trees cutdown. Councilman Dunlap said people need to notify thepower company when streetlights areoutintheir areaandused Raleigh Hill asanexample. Next, Shakiyla Singleton asked forclarification onwhere shecanandcannot setupher mobile food truck. Mr.Filesaid heis glad todiscuss anyquestions she has regarding mobile food trucks after the meeting. Chief Code Officer Donnie Morgan said shecanpick upthe necessary paperwork attheCode Enforcement Office andpayfees atthe B&OOffice atCity Hall. Jennifer Hensley inquired about herconcerns regarding theamount ofmoney reported inthe news about overtime attheBFD while City employees need raises. Mr. Trump said hisdoor isalways open to discuss this. Dustin Potter isanemployee attheBPW and said the BPW employees need araise. TheMayor saidhedoesn’t think itwillbetoomuch longer andthe BPW willseebrighter days ahead. James Watkins, anemployee atBoard ofPublic Works (BPW), said theBPW employees want thesame $8,000.00annual raise that theBPD received. Hecommented onthe ageofsome vehicles currently inuseat theBPW. Danielle Stewart spoke about theCity’sbudget andasked City Council andtheadministration tobegood stewards ofitsmoney. With there being nofurther comments, Council unanimously approved adjourning the meeting onamotion byCouncilman Dunlap andseconded byCouncilman Price. TheMayor adjourned themeeting at7:20p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer