Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHE COMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT 6:30PMONNOVEMBER 14, 2023, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIA WEB-X. PRESENT: Mayor Robert R.Rappold, Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump, andSecretary Susan Miller. Council Members: Janine Bullock, Kevin Price, Robert Dunlap, Bob Canter, Sherrie Hunter, Tom Sopher, andCody Reedy. The following City employees were present: Director ofITBillKelly, Assistant Director Amy Evans (IT),Chief EdWills ofBFD, Board ofPublic Works Director PamFrey, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan, Chief ofBPD Dean Bailey, andDirector ofParks & Recreation Leslie Baker. ABSENT: City Attorney Bill File. The Mayor called themeeting toorder at6:32p.m.The public hadthe option tojointhe meeting either inperson orbyWEB-Xfrom theircomputer, orbyphone, using theweblink or phone number provided thedayofthemeeting ontheCity’swebpage atBeckley.orgorthe City’sFacebook page. Council dispensed withthereading ofminutes from theWorkshop dated October 16,2023, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved the minutes aswritten onamotion byCouncilman Canter andseconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. Council dispensed withthereading ofminutes from theregular Council meeting dated October 24, 2023, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten onamotion byCouncilwoman Hunter and seconded byCouncilman Price. Council dispensed with thereading ofminutes from theWorkshop dated November 7,2023, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved the minutes aswritten onamotion byCouncilman Sopher andseconded byCouncilman Price. Next, theMayor opened onesealed bidfrom Lewis Nissan fortwo extended cabfour-wheel drive trucks. One truck willbeutilized byParks andRecreation andtheother bytheBoard of Public Works. The bidwas intheamount of $36,728.93foroneNissan Frontier extended cab truck foratotalof $73,457.86fortwoNissan Frontier trucks. The bidwillbereviewed for possible award atafuture Council meeting byCouncilwoman atLarge Hunter, Councilman at Large Reedy, Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works Pam Frey, andDirector ofParks andRecreation Leslie Baker. Thebid ishereby incorporated intothese minutes. Next, theMayor opened onesealed bidfrom Lewis Nissan fortwo SUVs fortheBeckley Fire Department. The bidwas intheamount of $31,974.42foroneNissan Rogue SUV foratotal of $63,948.84fortwo Nissan Rogue SUVs. Mr. Trump said oneofthe SUVs willbepaid for byfirelevy funds. The bidwillbereviewed forpossible award atafuture Council meeting by Councilwoman atLarge Hunter, Councilman atLarge Reedy, Mr.Trump, and Chief Wills of theBeckley Fire Department. The Mayor announced thatafter forty-two years attheBeckley FireDepartment Chief Wills willberetiring onDecember 11, 2023. The Mayor thanked him forhisyears ofdedication totheCity andtheBeckley Fire Department. Thebidishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump read thefollowing resolution bytitle: “Resolution Authorizing City OfBeckley ToEnter Into AContract With Motorola Solutions, Inc. Motorola) Regarding Remote Flex Server Migration”. Mr.Trump explained that the resolution authorizes theCitytoenter intoafive-year contract with Motorola . Director ofIT BillKelly said thisisacombined county wide data system shared bythecounty. Mr.Kelly said theCity hasbeen utilizing thisservice forthelastfiveyears andthisisamaintenance contract which includes anupgrade inthethird year. The resolution was unanimously approved byCouncil onamotion byCouncilman Price and seconded byCouncilman Sopher. The resolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next ontheAgenda was consideration for acontribution totheBeckley Area Foundation to help build arestricted fund toprovide perpetual care fortheAmerican Legion Cemetery inour community. The Mayor thanked Councilwoman atLarge Hunter and Ron Hedrick withthe American Legion Cemetery fortheceremony held Saturday honoring veterans. The Mayor shared names ofveterans inhisfamily andveterans inCity Attorney Mr.File’sfamily. Council members shared the names ofveterans intheir family aswell. Monday theMayor greeted veterans attheGolden Corral where theowner Eddie Torrico provided fifteen hundred free meals toveterans. The Mayor said percapita, West Virginia has more men andwomen in theUnited Sates Military than anyother state intheunion. The Mayor said theRaleigh County Commission authorized adonation ofthree thousand dollars toward building a perpetual care fund fortheAmerican Legion Cemetery. TheMayor said theamount theCity contributes along with what theCounty contributes willhelp build arestricted fund atthe Beckley Area Foundation. Once thefund reaches ten thousand dollars itbecomes apermanent fund andtheincome earned isused toprovide perpetual care fortheAmerican Legion Cemetery. The Mayor said heandCity Attorney Mr.Filediscussed theamount of $3,000.00 that islisted ontheAgenda andCity Council canincrease that amount ifitdesires. Councilman Price asked iftheamount needed tomake itapermanent fund atBAF isten thousand dollars. TheMayor said yes. The County hascontributed three thousand towards theten-thousand-dollar amount needed. Councilman Price made amotion fortheCityto contribute seven thousand dollars toward thisfund. Councilman Dunlap seconded themotion. Councilwoman atLarge Hunter recused herself from the vote. The Mayor asked Recorder- Treasurer Mr. Trump iftheCity can afford thisamount. Mr. Trump said yes. Councilman Price made amotion toamend theamount listed ontheAgenda from $3Kto $7K. The motion was seconded byCouncilman Dunlap. The amendment was unanimously approved by Council. Councilman Price then made amotion fortheCity tocontribute $7K totheperpetual carefund tomaintain theAmerican Legion Cemetery. The motion was seconded by Councilman Dunlap andunanimously approved byCouncil. OLD BUSINESS: Councilwoman Hunter asked ifthe City could contact theWV Department ofHighways toconduct atraffic study tosee ifaschool zone ortraffic signal could be installed infront ofWoodrow Wilson High School. Mr.Trump saidthathewould contact the WV DOH. The Mayor said hethinks atraffic signal would help thisarea. Councilman Sopher saidthatthere needs tobeaschool zone onPinewood Drive beside theplayground there. Chief Bailey said hewould look into this. The Mayor said aWorkshop isscheduled for Monday, November 27th at5p.m.Thetentative Agenda items areCity Manager Form of Government, discussion regarding theOpioid Fund andthelease withFruits ofLabor. Dr. Copenhaver, President ofNew River Community Technical College willbeaguest speaker. Councilwoman Bullock congratulated Chief Wills onhisretirement. Shealsocongratulated Jason Lockhart forhisroleinThe West Virginia Story play attheRaleigh Playhouse Theatre. Councilwoman Bullock asked ifarepresentative could beattheWorkshop toexplain regulations regarding theOpioid Fund. The Mayor saiditmay beintheamount of approximately $4M. Mr.Trump said anyexpenditures from thisaccount requires Council’s approval. Mr.Trump said aspecific account justforthismoney was opened awaiting the deposit. Mr.Trump said thathehasread some guidelines which arebroad atthispoint and willlikely become more specific. NEW BUSINESS: Councilwoman Hunter saidthe Wonderland ofTrees liveauction with United Way isthisFriday, November 17th at6:00p.m. Councilwoman Bullock thanked Pam Frey andthe staffattheBoard ofPublic Works foralltheydo. PUBLIC COMMENTS: The Mayor announced ifcalling inbyphone dial *3toraise your hand. Ifconnected bycomputer: Click the “hand icon” onyour participant’spanel. Mary West complained about drivers speeding onLarew Avenue andtrees thatneed cutdown and removed. Michael Enrique Smith spoke regarding water coming upfrom theground where he lives onWoodlawn Avenue andthesidewalk system intheCity. Ron Hedrick thanked Council andtheCity foritssupport forthe perpetual care fund tomaintain the American Legion Cemetery. With there being nofurther comments, Council unanimously approved adjourning themeeting onamotion byCouncilwoman Bullock andseconded byCouncilman Dunlap. TheMayor adjourned themeeting at7:07p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer