Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHE COMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT 6:30PMONFEBRUARY 13, 2024, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIA WEB-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, Anthony Martin (IT),Chief Coughlin ofBFD, Board ofPublic Works (BPW) Supervisor, Mike Bolen, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan, Chief ofBPD Dean Bailey, Director ofParks & Recreation Leslie Baker. ABSENT: Director ofBoard ofPublic Works Pam Frey. The Mayor called themeeting toorder at6:30p.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 withthe reading oftheminutes from theCity Council meeting dated January 23, 2024, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten onamotion byCouncilwoman Bullock andseconded byCouncilman Price. . Next was theawarding ofthebidfor thedemolition of1114 Harper Road (the former Pagoda Motel.) Councilwoman atLarge Hunter said fivebids were received ranging from $248,405. to $68,863. The lowest bidwas from Empire Salvage & Recycling, which hasperformed other similar demolitions inthe City with satisfactory results. Council unanimously approved theaward ofbidtoEmpire Salvage & Recycling intheamount of $68,863.00. onamotion by Councilwoman atLarge Hunter andseconded byCouncilman Price. Thebidishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Filepresented aresolution bytitle, “AResolution Approving AnIntergovernmental Agreement Between The City ofBeckley, And The Raleigh County Solid Waste Authority”. Mr.Filesaid thisisanannual agreement allowing theCity towork with theRaleigh County Solid Waste Authority through theCounty Commission. Itauthorizes theCity todispose of waste from thedemolition ofabandoned buildings. Mr.File said the City isnot immediately billed forthewaste. Instead, iftheCity collects money from theowner oftheproperty being demolished, theCity then paysthe Solid Waste Authority. TheMayor asked ifthere were any questions regarding theresolution. Councilwoman atLarge Hunter recused herself from the vote. Council unanimously approved the resolution onamotion made byCouncilman Sopher andseconded byCouncilman Price. The resolution ishereby incorporated intothese minutes. Next, Mr.Filepresented aresolution bytitle, “Resolution OfThe Common Council OfThe City OfBeckley ToPermit The Open Burning OfVegetation.” Mr. Filestated thatthis isabi- annual resolution which takes place inthespring andinthe fallandsets thetimes residents may burnleaves, etc. Mr.Fileread paragraphs onethrough four ofthe resolution. TheMayor asked ifthere were anyquestions regarding theresolution. There were noquestions. The resolution was unanimously approved byCouncil onamotion byCouncilman Price and seconded byCouncilman Sopher. The resolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Filepresented aresolution thatauthorizes theMayor toenter into a Community Facilities Grant Agreement with theUnited States Department ofAgriculture Rural Development inwhich theCity will receive $139K tobeused forthepurchase ofasnowplow, excavator, andbulldozer. The Mayor explained that theheavy equipment willbeutilized by theBoard ofPublic Works. The Mayor asked ifthere were anyquestions. There were no questions. The resolution was unanimously approved byCouncil onamotion by Councilwoman atLarge Hunter andseconded byCouncilman atLarge Reedy. The resolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Filepresented aresolution authorizing the Mayor toenter intothe attached First Amendment totheProfessional Services Contract (July22, 2022) with Urban Design Ventures, LLC, inwhich they assist theCity intheadministration ofthe Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Mr.Filesaid thisresolution allows theCityto commit upto $25K towards thepool redevelopment study foranew aquatics center. The Mayor said Director ofParks andRecreation Leslie Baker sent Council members anemail today outlining some ofthe goals ofthis study. He said thetwo swimming pools inthe City areover fifty years oldand have lasted longer than expected. The Mayor asked ifthere are anyquestions regarding theresolution. There were noquestions. Council unanimously approved theresolution onamotion byCouncilman Price andseconded byCouncilman Sopher. The resolution ishereby incorporated intothese minutes. Next, Mr.Filepresented aresolution authorizing theMayor toenter into aGrant Agreement with theDivision ofAdministrative Services, Justice, andCommunity Services Section from theU.S.Department ofJustice forthepurchase ofsurveillance cameras tobeused bythe Beckley Police Department intheamount of $24,055.00. The Mayor asked ifanyone hadany questions. Councilwoman Bullock asked where thecameras willbeinstalled andifitispublic information. Chief Bailey said these cameras willbeutilized bythepolice officers. There were noother questions. Council unanimously approved theresolution onamotion made by Councilman Price andseconded byCouncilman Reedy. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Filepresented aresolution authorizing theMayor toenter into acontract with WGI, Inc. intheamount of $98,765.00forWGI, Inc. toprovide professional consulting services to theCity inpreparation oftheCity’s2024 Comprehensive Plan Update. The Mayor said that theCity’sGrant Administrator Angela King ishere andasked her ifshewould comment on thisresolution. Angela said three bidswere received which were opened during arecent Council meeting. WGI, Inc. isacompany based inNorth Carolina andwastheleast expensive ofthethree bids. Shesaid theCity andWGI, Inc. willwork together toformulate a plan for theCity for thenext ten years. Shesaid thepublic iswelcome tobeinvolved and attend allthepublic meetings that willbeheld, andsurveys willbegiven. Shesaidthe public meetings willbeadvertised. The Mayor thanked Angela KingandChief Code Inspector Donald Morgan fortheir work ingetting tothisstage. TheMayor asked ifthere were any questions. There were noquestions. Council unanimously passed theresolution onamotion made byCouncilman Sopher andseconded byCouncilman Price. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. OLD BUSINESS: The Mayor said that heemailed Council today regarding theproperty atthe Pinecrest Industrial Park. The City hasbeen contacted bytheVeterans Administration ( VA) which iscurrently working onconstructing anursing facility fortheVA). The original piece ofproperty where thegroundbreaking was held isfairly flat andlocated directly above the Beckley Little League fields. However, theengineer fortheVAdetermined that even though thisisagreat site, itisnotlarge enough toaccommodate aone-story facility which iswhat the VAprefers. The Mayor said thatthere isanother piece ofproperty (above theDr.Pepper plant) which iswhere theVAprefers tobuild. Recorder-Treasurer, Billie Trump said changing thesitelocation fortheVAmay require some extra things fromtheState. TheState willhelp theCity with anaccess road opening upaccess tothePinecrest Industrial Park. The proximity ofthe new location would notrequire the relocation ofthesewer force main, a multimillion-dollar project, fortheproperty tobedeveloped. TheState would putaparking lotover theforce main, soitisn’tcompromised. This nursing facility would create approximately two hundred jobs. This may beasixteen-million-dollar project forwhich the City would receive B&Otaxes. Mr.Trump said hethinks itisagreat idea, asdidtheMayor who complimented Mr.Sam Rich with Thrasher Engineering forhisdevelopment andhard work onthisproject. The Mayor said two hundred jobs willberegular full-time jobs atthe facility anditwillprovide anadditional seventy-fivetoonehundred part-time jobs. Councilman Dunlap asked when theWorkshop regarding theCity Manager’sjob description willbe. The Mayor said thatthiswillbediscussed during theExecutive Session portion of thismeeting. Councilman Dunlap said hemetMich Lehman who isthereplacement for Corey Lilly (hired astheCity’snew Outdoor Economic Director). Councilman Dunlap saidhe thinks itwas agreat idea hiring Mitch and thinks heisterrific. NEW BUSINESS: Councilwoman Bullock shared thattheWright Hunter Cemetery is nominated forconsideration tobeplaced onthenational register ofhistoric places. The meeting tomake thedetermination willbeonWednesday February 21, 2024, inCharleston, WV at1:00p.m. Sheinvited others tocome. Itwillbeatthe State Historic Preservation Office. The Mayor told Councilwoman Bullock thattheCity isoffering toreimburse herfor travel expenses. Councilwoman Bullock thanked everyone who hashelped herwiththis project. Shesaid alink tojoinvirtually isavailable. Shesaid Dr.Stuart, President ofWVU Tech, willbeatHeart ofGodMinistries thisSunday at3:00asthekeynote speaker. Shesaid that thisisBlack History Month andshewanted torecognize twoformer Council members, Madrith Chambers, andLorraine Seay. The Mayor congratulated Councilwoman Bullock for thenice adshehadinthenewspaper today. Councilwoman atLarge Hunter congratulated Councilman atLarge Reedy forhisbasketball team winning thechampionship. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Mary West spoke inopposition totheStreetscape Project thatthe WV DOH and WVU Tech recently hosted ameeting about. Sherequested thatasurveillance camera beinstalled onLarew Avenue tohelp with speeding drivers. Shethanked Angela King forherwork onthe 2024 Comprehensive Plan. Rose Hick (aresident ofBradley, WV) spoke inopposition totheStreetscape Project. Shemade several recommendations on changes toCity streets. Danielle Stewart saidtheCity needs tohireaDirector ofthe Human Rights Commission (HRC). Shesaid theHRC hasreceived somany complaints lately including complaints regarding thesituation attheRaleigh County Circuit Clerk’sOffice) anditismore than thevolunteers canhandle. Shesaid she understands that theWV DOH and WVU Tech areresponsible fortheStreetscape Project. Shesaid sheasked theWVDOH fora traffic study which shehasyettoreceive. Sheopposes theStreetscape Project. Sheisinfavor ofmoving theutilities. Kris Kincaid said sheispassionate about making sure the City has a warming center. Shesuggested thattheCity reconsider demolishing theformer Pagoda Motel andconsider making itandother structures housing forthehomeless. Shesuggested thattheCity adopt aHousing First Program. Shethinks theCity should adopt thesame regulations astheCounty allowing fortinyhomes. The Mayor asked ifthere were anycomments online. The Mayor announced ifcalling inby phone dial *3toraise your hand. Ifconnected bycomputer: Click the “hand icon” onyour participant’spanel. Michael Smith called. Hesaid that theCode Enforcement office should help tenants who areliving inpoor conditions with mold androaches. At7:04p.m.Council unanimously approved exiting theregular session oftheCouncil meeting andgoing into Executive Session regarding pending litigation onamotion made by Councilman Dunlap andseconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. The Mayor said Council will gointoExecutive Session regarding pending litigation. Novotes willbetaken, and no decisions willbemade. Council unanimously approved exiting Executive Session at7:12 p.m. onamotion made byCouncilman Sopher and seconded byCouncilman Price. Council unanimously approved entering back into regular session at7:13p.m.onamotion made byCouncilman Price andseconded byCouncilman Dunlap. There were nofurther comments. Council unanimously approved adjournment onamotion made byCouncilman at Large Reedy andseconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. TheMayor adjourned themeeting at 7:14p.m. Mayor Recorder-Treasurer