Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONJULY 23, 2024, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIAWEB-X. PRESENT: Mayor Ryan Neal, Interim CityManager Billie Trump, Interim Recorder-Treasurer Jessica Chandler, City Attorney BillFile, andthe Mayor’sand CM’sAssistant Susan Miller. Council Members: Natalie Coots, Nancy Shoemaker-Dingess, Frank Williams, KipBuchanan, Janine Bullock, andCouncil persons atLarge Sherrie Hunter andCody Reedy. The following City employees were present: Director ofIT BillKelley, Anthony Martin IT,Chief Coughlin ofBFD, Board ofPublic Works (BPW) Director Pam Frey, Chief Bailey ofBPD, Director ofParks & Recreation Leslie Baker, andChief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan. The Mayor called themeeting toorder at 6:30p.m.The public hadtheoption to jointhemeeting inperson orlisten by WEB-Xfrom their computer, orlisten by phone, using theweblink orphone number provided thedayofthemeeting ontheCity’swebpage atBeckley.orgor theCity’sFacebook page. Council dispensed with thereading ofthe minutes from theCouncil meeting dated July09, 2024, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved theminutes as written onamotion byCouncilman Williams seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. Next, Dr.Deanee Johnson presented to Council astheExecutive Director ofJust ForKids which islocated intheCity and serves Raleigh andFayette counties. Shesaid oneofitsmajor funding sources VOCA) isbeing cut. Sheisasking the City tocontribute tohelp cover thecost of anadditional therapist. Councilwoman- at-Large thanked Dr.Johnson forallthis organization does andencouraged people toalso donate totheUnited Way. Just ForKids falls under the scope ofthe United Way andproceeds totheUnited Way certainly helps Just ForKids. Councilman Buchanan asked Dr.Johnson ifJust ForKidsleases orowns the building where Trudy’sHouse is. She saidthat JustForKids owns it. Councilwoman Bullock asked Interim City Manager Billie Trump ifopioid funds canbeusedtopaysalaries. Hesaid hewould have tocheck with thestate regarding itsguidelines. The Mayor asked Dr.Johnson how soon JustFor Kids would need thecontribution. Dr. Johnson saidthefiscal year starts again October 1,2024. Councilman-at-Large Reedy asked herifshe willbeasking other municipalities forcontributions. Shesaid yes. The Mayor asked Council if anymember hadanyfurther questions of Dr.Johnson. There were nofurther questions. The Mayor saidaWorkshop is needed forthe Citytodetermine how the opioid funds willbeused before any funds aredisbursed. Councilman-at- Large Reedy agreed. Next, Council unanimously approved a motion made byCouncilwoman-at-Large Hunter andseconded byCouncilwoman Bullock toreappoint Manual Cartell to thePlanning Commission. ForCouncil’sedification, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan read thenotification forapplication ofa WVABCA license for1002 Neville Street. Theapplication isforParagon Fabulous Eatery. Theapplication is hereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr.Filereadbytitle, AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY OFBECKLEY TOGRANT TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION AND PERMANENT O &MEASEMENT THROUGH THE CITY’SRAILS TO TRAILS PROPERTY INVICINITY OF RURAL ACRES DRIVE. Mr.File said thatitauthorizes theCity togrant a permanent easement across the rails to trails property inthevicinity ofRural Acres Drive. Acommercial developer wants todevelop apiece ofland thatdoes notcurrently have sewer connection. The sewer connection willbethrough the North Beckley Public Service District, not through the Beckley Sanitary Board. The City owns therails totrails buttechnically thispiece ofproperty isnot within the Citylimits. Themaintenance ofthe sewer will betheresponsibility ofthe developer. Mr.Filesaid that amap is available tonight atthismeeting for review ifanyone wants tolook atwhere theplacement ofthesewer linewillbe. Hesaid thatthedeveloper requested this easement. Thesecond reading andpublic hearing ofthisordinance willbeheld during theAugust 13, 2024, Council meeting. The Mayor asked Council ifanyone had anyquestions. There were noquestions. Council unanimously approved the ordinance onamotion made by Councilman-at-Large Reedy seconded by Councilman Williams. The ordinance is hereby incorporated into these minutes. Next ontheAgenda was theBudget Revision fortheFY2024-25Municipal Budget. Interim City Manager Billie Trump said thattheUnassigned Fund Balance wasrevised by $2,649,051. The Business andOccupation Taxwas revised to $11,538,191. TheSales taxwas revised to $6,621,793. Hegave adetailed explanation fortherevisions. Mr.Trump asked ifanyCouncil members hadany questions regarding thebudget. Councilwoman Coots thanked Mr.Trump andInterim Recorder-Treasurer Jessica Chandler forproviding herwith information regarding thebudget. Council unanimously approved the budget revision onamotion made by Councilwoman Coots, seconded by Councilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess. A copy oftheBudget Revision fortheFY 2024-25Municipal Budget ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next ontheAgenda wasthe Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) FY 2024-2028 Five Year Consolidated Plan. Mr.Fileread theresolution initsentirety. The Mayor asked Council ifanyone had anyquestions. Councilwoman Bullock asked Mr.Filewhere thelowmoderate places are. Mr.Filesaid that hecannot speak regarding that. Councilwoman Bullock said that shewould asktheCity’s Grant Administrator Angela King. Billie Trump said thattheareas change according tothecensus. Councilman Williams said hespoke toAngela today andshesaid that amap isavailable. Councilwoman Bullock said thatthisisa good example astowhy completing the USCensus isimportant. Theresolution was passed unanimously byCouncil ona motion made byCouncilman Buchanan seconded byCouncilman Williams. The resolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next ontheAgenda wastheCDBG FY 2024 Annual Action Plan (included in previous item). Mr.Fileread the resolution initsentirety. TheMayor asked Council ifanyone hadany questions. There were noquestions. Council unanimously approved the resolution onamotion made by Councilwoman Coots seconded by Councilwoman-at-Large Hunter. The resolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next ontheAgenda wastheFY2024 Analysis ofImpediments toFairHousing Choice (AI). Mr.Fileread theresolution initsentirety. TheMayor asked Council ifanyone hadanyquestions. There were noquestions. Council unanimously approved theresolution onamotion made byCouncilwoman-at-Large Hunter seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. OLD BUSINESS: The Mayor thanked Council forthework thatthey have done since thelast Council meeting inworking with various departments tobroaden their understanding. Hethanked Council for working with thepublic regarding the public comments thatwere made atthe lastmeeting. Hethanked thepublic for their comments. TheMayor saidthat HUD hasitsowninspectors andthe meeting that was originally onAugust 4th atBeckley Housing has been changed to August 12th at4:00p.m.atthesame location. Hesaid theCity hasbeen working tohelp find asolution forMary West’sproblem regarding speeding drivers onLarew Avenue, butshe isn’t here tonight sohewilldiscuss itwhen she attends. Councilman-at-Large Reedy suggested thatthePinecrest Committee consist ofthetwoCouncil persons at large, the cityattorney, themayor andthe citymanager. Mr.Filesaid hethinks this isagood idea andhemay have more information regarding this atthenext meeting. Councilman-at-Large Reedy asked ifCouncil could enter into Executive Session after thepublic comments towards theend ofthis meeting todiscuss theFruits ofLabor lease. Mr. Filesaid yes. Mr. Filesaid nodecisions willbemade during Executive Session andnovotes willbetaken. Councilman Williams said aWorkshop isneeded. NEW BUSINESS: Councilwoman-at- Large Hunter thanked everyone for praying forhergrandson during his medical treatments andfortheir prayers forher husband’sback surgery. She expressed hergratefulness forthe Exhibition Coal Mine andwhat agreat experience she andothers hadduring the 4th ofJuly festivities there. The Mountaineer Food Bank willdistribute food Friday from 11:00 –12:30atEpling Stadium andthesecond Friday each month isthe Veterans Table. Councilwoman Bullock thanked Beckley Events Director JillMoorefield and Chamber ofCommerce President Michelle Rotellini fortheir work on making the BillWither’sFestival a success. Councilwoman Coots thanked people inthe various departments forthe time shegottospend learning more about various departments. Shesaid Board of Public Works Director Pam Frye agreed tohelp Carpenter’sCorner byplacing garbage cans outfront forthem. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Executive Director ofNRGRDA JinaBelcher gave a packet toCouncil ofthefour high priority projects which arealltime sensitive. She asked Council toconsider whatthebest way tomove forward onthese projects are. Shesaidthatthere are other projects butthese arethemost timesensitive. Jina reminded theCity thatifthefive member committee forPinecrest changes, theagreement will need toberevisited. Shesaid thebids from theengineering firms were opened during theJune 25th City Council meeting andthese needtobe decided upon soon. Shethinks thatthere isagenuine interest from theRaleigh County Commission toconsider a collaboration onthePinecrest project. Shesaidthatthere isaseatavailable on the NRGRDA Board ofDirectors. NRGRDA bylaws indicate thattheMayor selects who serves inthatseatforthe City. ShesaidthattheNRGRDA would liketoreturn theshooting range property back tothe City. Shesaid ifaWorkshop with NRGRDA isneeded please lether know. Amanda Hammons works in substance abuse disorder asacounselor andspoke about theneed foradaycenter intheCity. Shesaid afour thousand square foot building needs tobe constructed forthedaycenter that isnot cityowned. Sheisrequesting amember ofCouncil tobeontheBoard ofDirectors forthisnewly formed organization anda letter ofsupport from theCity tohelp make thishappen. Rose Hicks saidit would begreat toseetheCity remove parking meters. Shesaidthat prayer needs totake place before eachCity Council meeting. Shesaidleftturn signals stillneeding tobeinstalled aton traffic lights atCity National Bank uptown andalso onthe traffic lights near CVS andCentral Avenue. Shesaidsome ofthestreet signs need tobeinstalled as some ofthestreets donothave asign and shecouldn’tfindaspeed limit sign near Third Street. ShesaidthattheCityneeds toform aSafe Streets Committee. She said afour way stop needs tobeinstalled atHull Street andBerry Street. Christiania Baisden thanked theCity for installing microphones for eachCouncil member. Sheapologized toCouncilman Williams foranymisunderstanding that shemay havecaused. Kelly Gunnoe with theRaleigh County Family Support Center forallofherhelp during the difficult time forresidents ofHargrove Apartments. Danielle Stewart spoke about aspecial municipal election to return theCity back toastrong mayor form ofgovernment. Shegave Council members copies oftheState Code for reference. Shirmira Harbin invited everyone toattend aBack ToSchool Summer Fest atUnited Apostolic Faith Church at1010 S.Kanawha Street on Saturday, August 3,2024. Council unanimously approved entering intoExecutive Session at7:32on a motion byCouncilman-at-Large Reedy, seconded byCouncilwoman-at-Large Hunter. Council unanimously approved entering back into theregular Council meeting at8:10p.m. onamotion by Councilman-at-Large Reedy seconded by Councilwoman-at-Large Hunter. Council unanimously approved adjourning the meeting at8:11p.m.onamotion made by Councilman Williams seconded by Councilwoman-at-Large Hutner. The Mayor adjourned themeeting at8:11p.m. Mayor Interim City Manager