Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONJANUARY 23, 2024, 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, Tom Sopher, Sherrie Hunter, Bob Canter, andCody Reedy. The following City employees were present: Director ofIT BillKelly, Assistant Director ofITAmy Evans, Anthony Martin (IT),Chief Coughlin ofBFD, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works (BPW) Pam Frey, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan, Chief ofBPD Dean Bailey, Director ofBeckley Events JillMoorefield, 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. The Mayor asked ifanypublic comments aremade to please observe thetime reserved atthe endofthemeeting forpublic comments. Heasked thateveryone refrain from outbursts and cursing and conduct themselves appropriately. Council dispensed withthe reading ofthe minutes from theCity Council meeting dated January 09, 2024, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved the minutes aswritten onamotion by Councilman Price andseconded by Councilman Dunlap. . Next was the receipt andopening of sealed bids forthedemolition of1114 Harper Road (theformer Pagoda Motel.) The firstbidwasfrom Carr Excavating Services, LLC foratotal of $233,432.27. Thesecond bid wasfrom Spring Creek Consultants and Contractors, Inc. fora total of $184,052.00. Thethird bidwas from Reclaim Company, LLC foratotal of $248,405.00. The fourth bidwasfrom Echo, Inc. foratotal of $94,750.00. The fifth andfinal bidwas from Empire Salvage andRecycling, Inc. foratotal of 68,863.00. The bids willbereviewed by Recorder-Treasurer Billie Trump, Councilwoman atLarge Hunter, Councilman atLarge Reedy, Director of Board ofPublic Works Pam Frey, and Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan forpossible award atafuture Council meeting. Next, theMayor said theCityhas supported the Raleigh County Convention Center forseveral years bycontributing 50K annually. Due torising costs, the Convention Center hasexperienced an increase incosts toprovide dinners, host ballgames, etc. forthecommunity. He recommended that theCity increase itscontribution from $50K annually to 75K annually. Mr.Trump said the building isaging andthecostof maintaining ithasincreased. Mr.Trump said hethinks theRaleigh County Commission hasincreased its contribution also. Mr.Trump saidthat the Raliegh County Board ofEducation isanother contributor, butheisn’tsure if itincreased itscontribution. Mr.Trump said hesupports theCityincreasing its contribution totheRaleigh County Convention Center. Council unanimously approved theincrease to $75K annually onamotion made byCouncilman Sopher andseconded byCouncilman Price. Next ontheAgenda wastheapproval of theextension/renewal oftheNew River Transit Authority (NRTA) lease. Mr. File explained thatthisisarenewal ofthe current lease andallows NRTA to continue using thebottom floor ofthe Beckley Intermodal Gateway (BIG). The annual rent remains thesame asitwas lastyear attheamount of $49,062.00. Monthly installments equal to 4,088.50). Inlieuofreceiving actual cash payments, themonthly installments represent theCity’sin-kind contribution toward theoperations oftheNRTA and hasbeen used asthelocal match ofthe FTA Section 5307 grant. Thestart date onthe leaseisJanuary 1,2024, and terminates onDecember 31, 2025. This is atwo-year lease. Council unanimously approved therenewal oftheleaseona motion made byCouncilman Dunlap and seconded byCouncilman Price. Acopy ofthelease agreement ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next onthe Agenda wastheapproval of thelease extension/renewal of101 Main Street toGray Media (dbaWVVA TV, Inc.). Mr.Filesaid thisisatwelve-month lease renewal beginning February 1, 2024, through January 31, 2025. The Lessee (Gray Media) willpaymonthly lease payments tothe City of $2,510.00. TheLessee shall also payfor three parking spaces at $40./each permonth totaling $120./month. Council unanimously approved therenewal ofthe lease toGray Media d/b/a WVVA TV, Inc. onamotion made byCouncilman Price andseconded byCouncilwoman at Large Hunter. Acopy ofthelease agreement ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Fileexplained anordinance authorizing theMayor tosignadeed conveying property located at3082 Robert C.Byrd Drive to3082 R.C.B., LLC. The property was sold atapublic auction onDecember 14, 2023, tothe highest bidder fortheamount of 27,500.00. This public auction had previously been advertised twice inthe newspaper. There were twobidders. The initial bidwas tenthousand dollars. Mr. File read theordinance bytitle, Ordinance Authorizing The Sale Of 3082 Robert C.Byrd Drive, Beckley, WV, AsShown OnBeckley TaxDistrict Map 11, Parcel 189, ToTheHighest Bidder.” Thefirst reading ofthis ordinance wasonJanuary 9,2024. Mr. Fileopened thepublic hearing. Danielle Stewart saiditishardtotellwhoowns R.C.B.,LLC. Brian Brown asked ifthis isaCity owned building. Mr. Filesaid yes. Mr.Brown asked ifthebuilding went upforsaleduetoithaving back taxes. Mr.Filesaid no,itwas sold ata public auction because theCity had no usefortheproperty. Mr.Brown asked if thebuilding isindisrepair. Mr.Filesaid hehasnoopinion onthe condition ofthe building, andhecan’tspeak onbehalf of thepurchaser. Councilman atLarge Reedy asked ifthisistheproperty beside theDonut Connection. Mr.Filesaidyes. Councilman atLarge Reedy said thathe thought theBeckley Sanitary Board BSB) bought thisproperty. Mr.Filesaid theBSB does notown theproperty. The City purchased itfortheBSB and itasked thattheCitysellit. There were noother comments. Mr.Fileclosed thepublic hearing. The ordinance was unanimously approved byCouncil onamotion made byCouncilman Dunlap andseconded by Councilman Sopher. The ordinance is hereby incorporated into these minutes. OLD BUSINESS: Councilwoman at Large Hunter thanked Rose Hicks for speaking during public comments atthe lastmeeting. Shealso thanked Board of Public Works forresponding toMs. Hick’sconcern inatimely manner. She asked thatthefamily andfriends ofthe lateJimmy Stone beremembered during their time ofloss. HewasaLitter Control Officer andaretired Raleigh County Sheriff. NEW BUSINESS: Councilwoman Bullock shared thatthe Wright Hunter Cemetery isnominated forconsideration tobeplaced onthenational register of historic places. The meeting tomake the determination willbeonFebruary 21, 2024, inCharleston, WV. TheMayor told Councilwoman Bullock thattheCity willcover herexpenses ifshechooses to attend. Councilwoman Bullock said that this cemetery isoneoftheoldest black cemeteries inBeckley. Councilman Sopher commended Councilwoman Bullock forherwork onthisproject. Councilman Dunlap said thatLeadership Beckley’sgraduation isFebruary 14, 2024, attheHistoric Black Knight. Councilwoman Bullock thanked Dr. Dumas forallthatshedoesforthe Beckley Rotary Club. Shealso congratulated Mr.Brown onhis upcoming realestate development. Councilman Sopher invited thepublic to attend ameeting inCouncil chambers from 4 -7p.m. onFebruary 1.st This meeting isregarding aStreetscape Project andwillinclude theDepartment of Highways, E.L.Robinson (acurrent Board member ofWV Tech), andJimmy Wriston, theSecretary ofTransportation who graduated from WV Tech). This project involves putting theoverhead transmission lines underground, and South Kanawha Street becoming aone- way street from Beaver Avenue inthe direction towards theCity Hall area. Included inthisplan isMinnesota Avenue becoming aone-way street intheother direction connecting with Beaver Avenue. TheMayor invited thepublic toattend. Hewillbeunable toattend duetoa vacation tripoutofstate. Councilman Dunlap said itwould benice forpeople in wheelchairs tohave safe sidewalks. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Mr.Mosley spoke inopposition totheCity Manager Form ofGovernment (CMFG). Mary West said sheisrunning forCouncil for Ward 5andwants tohelp theCity. Mr. Brown spoke inopposition totheCMFG andsaid theCity lacks transparency. Mr. Brown said hewould likethe City to consider converting theformer Pagoda Motel totransitional housing. Michelle Smith said sheisobserving the meeting andmay have apublic comment later. Christina Baisden spoke inopposition to theCMFG. Pam Upton spoke in opposition totheCMFG. Danielle Stewart said the upcoming meeting on February 1st regarding theStreetscape Project which likely willgofrom McCreery Street toBeaver Avenue and if theplan istoextend Minnesota Avenue alltheway toMcCreery Street) this would involve properties needing tobe purchased andcurrent property owners need tobeadvised ofthemeeting. Danielle also questioned theFruits of Labor lease terms. Danielle commented onlifeguards fortheCity’sswimming pools, andsaid lifeguard training is offered atthe YMCA. TheMayor asked ifthere were any comments online. TheMayor announced ifcalling inbyphone dial *3toraise your hand. Ifconnected bycomputer: Click the “hand icon” onyour participant’s panel. There werenocomments. A motion toadjourn wasmade by Councilman Price andseconded by Councilwoman atLarge Hunter. The Mayor adjourned themeeting at7:15p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer