Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONSEPTEMBER 26, 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, Kevin Price, Robert Dunlap, Bob Canter, Tom Sopher, Sherrie Hunter, andCody Reedy. Thefollowing City employees were present: Director ofITBillKelly, Anthony Martin (IT),Chief EdWills ofBFD, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works (BPW) Pam Frey, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan, andChief ofBPD Dean Bailey. 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 September 12,2023, copies of which hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten onamotion by Councilman Sopher andseconded by Councilman Price. Next was theaward ofbidforthemilling andpaving ofasection ofWoodlawn Avene from 2nd Street toClark Street. Council unanimously approved thebid from AAA Paving andSealing inthe amount of $86,250.00onamotion by Councilman atLarge Reedy andseconded byCouncilwoman atLarge Hunter. The bidishereby incorporated intothese minutes. TheMayor saidthat when milling andpaving work first started on Woodlawn Avenue, heasked thatthe section close byhishouse berepaired last. This isthelastsection tobe repaired. Next, Mr.Filepresented, summarized, andread bytitle anOrdinance Annexing ToThe City OfBeckley 613.24Acres, More OrLess, Located InThePiney Creek Preserve Adjacent ToTheCity Of Beckley InTown District, Raleigh County, West Virginia. Mr.Filesaid any Council members interested inhiking this part ofthePreserve with theCity’s Outdoor Economic Director Corey Lilly areinvited tocontact Corey. Mr.File said thesecond reading ofthisordinance andthepublic hearing willbeOctober 10, 2023. Council unanimously approved the ordinance onamotion byCouncilman Sopher andseconded byCouncilwoman Hunter. Acopy oftheordinance is hereby incorporated intothese minutes. Next, Mr.Filesummarized aResolution OfThe Common Council OfThe City Of Beckley ToPermit TheOpen Burning Of Vegetation. The resolution was unanimously passed byCouncil ona motion byCouncilman Price and seconded byCouncilman Sopher. The resolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next was apresentation byHeather Lilly with New River Transit Authority NRTA). TheMayor said many years agoCityCouncil approved anannual membership feeof $35,000.00. The Mayor said this may goback asfaras forty years. TheMayor said public transportation services areimportant. The Mayor said over theyears there wasa significant amount ofmoney received by New River Transit bytoll credits. However, thetollcredit money hasbeen reissued toaprogram called Roads To Progress which hasleft New River Transit inneed oflocal funding. Heather said New River Transit isafederal entity thatreceives direct funding from the Federal Transit Administration. This is NRTA’sprimary federal funding source. Sheexplained thatforevery federal dollar received ithastohavealocal dollar to pulldown thefederal money. During COVID-19tollcredits stopped funding NRTA. Shesaid NRTA wastold bythe State thataslong asthe current administration isinplace, public transportation would notreceive toll credits because itisgoing tohighway projects. Heather said NRTA hasnot requested anincrease inthemembership feeinnearly forty years. Shesaidthe current feeis $38,500.00andNRTA is looking todouble thefee. Itishoping to reach $77,000.00. Shesaid anyadditional funding would begreatly appreciated. Shesaid operating costs have risen dueto theexpansion ofroutes, livebus tracking technology, extending the hours of operation, thecostoffuel, buses, and offering aprogram (partnered with the DHHR) called theState Opioid Response S.O.R.). This service provides free transportation toanyone inrecovery. This service isbilled toDHHR. Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump saidthe City isalready committed tothe 38,500.00. Hesaid theadditional 38,500.00iswithin the City’sability and tokeepinmind thatforevery local dollar comes afederal dollar. TheMayor saidit isagreat service andthenew route alignment isnoticeable throughout the City. The Mayor said thisservice helps Beckley andRaleigh County attract people looking forwell-rounded services. Councilman Sopher asked Heather if NRTA willbeasking forhelp with funding from anyother areas inwhich it serves. Shesaid yes. NRTA serves Fayette County, Raleigh County, Oak Hill, Mt.Hope, Fayetteville, andSophia. Heather said sheisrequesting tomeet with each governing body intheareas that NRTA serves. The Mayor said NRTA is open tosuggestions forspecific routes. TheMayor said NRTA hasmade the use ofitsbuses available totheCityfor special events, etc. Heather said NRTA also offers aDemand Response Service which allows people tocallandschedule regular trips (such asbeing transported to andfrom thegrocery store). Mr. File suggested that thisitem (request for additional funding intheamount of 38,500.) bemoved tothenext Council meeting andlisted asanagenda item to include anyspecific dollar amounts. OLD BUSINESS: Councilman Dunlap addressed theissue ofspeeding drivers on Larew Avenue sharing research regarding thecostof2” speed humps andtwo caution signs. Hesaid thismight bea good middle ground. TheDowntown Beckley Business Association agreed to giftthe City aspeed hump andtwo signs totaling $1,019.70iftheBoard ofPublic Works would dotheinstallation. Councilman Dunlap said thespeed humps canbeeasily installed anddeinstalled if theCity wants todeinstall them before snowplows remove snow during winter. Councilman Dunlap said hewould liketo make amotion toaccept thecharitable giftfrom theDowntown Beckley Business Association ofthespeed hump. The Mayor asked Mr.Fileifthiscould be voted onduring thismeeting. Itisnotan item ontheagenda, anditinvolves contributions and thedisbursement of City funds. TheMayor said heprefers a consultation with theChief ofPolice and Director ofBoard ofPublic Works. Mr. Filesaid thiswas notanagenda item and would need tobeonthenext agenda in order forCouncil toact onit. Councilwoman Bullock asked Mr.Trump foranupdate regarding playground equipment attheBarber Avenue playground. Mr.Trump saidsome ofthe final ARPA funds will allow theCityto move forward onthisproject and the playground inCouncilman Price’sward very soon. Councilwoman Bullock thanked Angela King fortheconsulting group hired helping place Hunter’s Cemetery ontheNational Registry of Historic Places. Councilwoman Hunter asked foranupdate onStiffler Drive. The Mayor said the City along with the residents ofStiffler Drive reached an agreement. Depending upon the availability ofasphalt, theCity agreed to patch some areas oftheexisting street. Thiswill beaone-time project anddoes not make thestreet part oftheCity street system. TheMayor said theStormwater Department oftheBeckley Sanitary Board hasthisitem ontheir listtowork onalso. Councilman Sopher invited people toview therecently installed historical markers ontheside ofHistoric Black Knight offofSouth Kanawha Street. These markers share thehistory of Black Knight andColonel Chilson. The Mayor asked PamFrey, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works, tohave thepassage that runs parallel tothefence atBlack Knight filled with asphalt when itisavailable. NEW BUSINESS: TheMayor said Thursday, September 28th at5:00Council willhave aWorkshop regarding City Manager form ofGovernment (CMFG). Councilman Dunlap asked ifthe Workshop isnecessary. Hesaid if Council took aninformal poll, they areall infavor oftheCMFG. TheMayor said thisWorkshop isanopportunity for questions tobeasked about theCMFG. TheMayor saidthathedoes notwantto leave anystones unturned orleave the possibility thatherailroaded City Council into something without thorough discussion andample opportunity for questions tobeaddressed. TheMayor said theCity along with the Raleigh County Commission willobserve trick-or-treat onHalloween, October 31st from 5-7p.m. Councilman Sopher asked ifJillMoorefield, Director ofBeckley Events, willhost atrunk ortreat. Mr. Trump said nobecause churches and other organizations offer numerous trunk- or-treats andthe Cityhasn’theldtrunk- or-treat since COVID-19. 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. Mary raised her casted right arm saying shebroke itwhile shewas dodging acaronLarew Avenue. Shesaid if $ 900.00iswhat isstopping the City from installing aspeed hump, she would payforit. Theresa Dennison asked fortheCity’ssupport inhelping herand Debbie Miller trap, vaccinate, spay, and neuter cats. They transport catsto Charleston foradoption. Shesuggested thattheCity hire Debbie Miller totrap cats. Debbie Miller istheFounder of Laela’sHope CatRescue. She said shehasexhausted herpersonal funds inhelping 275cats for rescue or adoption and hashelped 242 catsget spayed orneutered. Shedoes nothave a 501C3. Ms. Miller asked forany discretionary funding theCity might offer tohelp with thisproblem. TheMayor suggested that shesend aletter tohis office requesting aspecific amount. He explained thatasMayor, heisallowed to offer amaximum of $250.00tohelp with theproblem. Shethanked himandsaid anyfunds areappreciated. Councilman Dunlap said the $250.00theMayor pledged would cover thecost ofthe501 C3filing fee. He said hislawfirm or Danielle Stewart would beglad tohelp herwiththeapplication process. Tom Moseley thanked Councilman Dunlap for looking intothepossibility ofspeed humps forHull Street. Hethanked Chief Bailey forthepatrol onHull Street. Mr.Moseley saidhehaslooked into speed bumps andfound some costing less than $100.00each. Hesaidthey canbe putdown with a3/8” boltandremoved when necessary. Mr. Mosley asked for thespeed limitonHullStreet tobe reduced to15mph. Hesaidhehashad several speeding drivers endupinhis yard over thepast few years. TheMayor said withtheamount oftraffic onHull Street hecanunderstand reducing the speed limit there. Mr.File saidthat before thespeed limit canbereduced on anyCity street itrequires anordinance because itamends the City maps. Mr. Filesaid theCity hashistorically relied upon thePolice Chief’sandtheBeckley Police Department’ srecommendations regarding speed limits. With there being nofurther comments, Council unanimously approved adjourning themeeting onamotion by Councilman Price andseconded by Councilwoman Hunter. The Mayor adjourned themeeting at7:25p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer