Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONSEPTEMBER 10, 2024, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIAWEB-X. PRESENT: Mayor Ryan Neal, Interim CityManager Ann Worley, 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, Assistant Director ofITAmy Evans, Anthony Martin IT,Chief Coughlin ofBFD, Director of Board ofPublic Works (BPW) 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 August 27, 2024, copies ofwhich had been distributed toeachmember. Council unanimously approved theminutes as written onamotion byCouncilman Williams seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. . Next was apresentation forinformation purposes byKellie Gunnoe withthe Family Support Center (FSC). She wanted tobring awareness tothe community and toCouncil thatthe FSC focuses onhelping the youth inour area bybeing involved invarious areas and by providing drug useprevention for the youth. Next, Mr.Filereadanordinance bytitle, Ordinance Authorizing City OfBeckley ToGrant AndConvey ToBeckley Sanitary Board AnEasement And Right OfWay Over, Across And Through Certain RealEstate OfCity OfBeckley Between S.Eisenhower Dr.And Clarence W.Meadows Memorial Blvd. He explained thatthisisthefirst reading of theordinance andifpassed atthis meeting, thesecond reading andpublic hearing willbeattheSeptember 24, 2024, meeting. Hesummarized theordinance explaining thatthe Beckley Sanitary Board (BSB) is requesting theCity ofBeckley (COB) to grant andconvey bySpecial Warranty an easement andright-of-way over, across andthrough certain realestate ofGrantor located between S.Eisenhower Dr.and Clarence W.Meadows Memorial Blvd. forthe purpose ofinstalling, maintaining andoperating astorm and/orsanitary sewer, including stormwater management pond. The Mayor asked ifanyone hadany questions. There were noquestions. Council unanimously passed the ordinance onamotion byCouncilman Buchanan seconded byCouncilwoman Coots. Theordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Mr. Fileexplained the nextitem on theAgenda isthefirst reading ofan ordinance titled below andifpassed at thismeeting, thesecond reading and public hearing willbeattheSeptember 24, 2024, meeting. Mr.Fileexplained that thisordinance willallow the City of Beckley toconvey thisproperty commonly referred toasthePinecrest Industrial Park tothe Raleigh County Commission which hasagreed tofund the infrastructure onthisproperty making it ready fordevelopment with pad ready sites. Mr.File saidthatthere are covenants andrestrictions thatcontrol what canbedone onthisproperty andare onrecord intheRaleigh County Clerk’s Office. Theapproximate acreage ofthe property is131.47acres ofrealestate. Mr.Fileread theordinance bytitle,First Reading OfOrdinance Authorizing City ofBeckly ToConvey 131.417 Acres Of Real Estate, More OrLess, Located In The Pinecrest Industrial Park InBeckley, Raleigh County, West Virgina, ToThe County Commission ForThe Purpose Of Economic Development OfThis Real Estate. Councilwoman-at-Large Hunter said that shewould liketomake amotion toamend the ordinance. Mr.Fileasked Ms. Hunter ifsheis requesting toamend theordinance as presented. Shesaid yes. Mr.Filesaid thatthere must first beamotion anda second toadopt theordinance then she canmake amotion toamend the ordinance ifshe sochooses. Councilman Reedy moved toadopt theordinance on first reading andCouncilman Buchanan seconded the motion. TheMayor asked if Council hadanyquestions orcomments. Councilwoman-at-Large Hunter made a motion toamend thedeed andgivethe Raleigh County Board ofEducation the cross-country course foryouth development, community engagement, andcommunity comradery anddeed the remaining property totheRaleigh County Commission foreconomic development. Mr.Fileasked Councilwoman-at-Large Hunter how many acres sheisreferring to. Shesaid thirty acres orless. The Mayor asked forasecond to Councilwoman-at-Large Hunter’smotion toamend theordinance. Councilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess seconded themotion. The Mayor asked ifthere was any discussion. Mr.Filesaid thatMs. Hunter made the motion toamend theordinance and Councilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess seconded the motion. Following a lengthy discussion byCouncil, theMayor called foravoteofallinfavor ofthe amending theordinance motioned by Councilwoman-at-Large Hunter. There were noCouncil members infavor of amending theordinance. Council unanimously voted tooppose the amendment totheordinance. The Mayor then called for avote ontheoriginal motion byMr.Reedy toadopt the ordinance onfirst reading. Themotion unanimously passed. The ordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next ontheAgenda wastheResolution regarding aParking Committee. Mr. File saidthat Council andthecommunity have expressed interest inreinstituting the Parking Committee. The Parking Commission willconsist ofseven members ofCouncil, theMayor andthe Recorder-Treasurer. This committee will meet immediately following thesecond Council meeting ofeach month. Mr.File read the resolution bytitle, Resolution Activating The City Council Committee OnParking Facilities. The Mayor asked ifany member ofCouncil hadany questions. There were noquestions. Council unanimously approved the resolution onamotion byCouncilman-at- Large Reedy seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next ontheAgenda wastheResolution OfThe Common Council OfThe City Of Beckley ToPermit TheOpen Burning Of Vegetation. Mr.File saidthattheopen burning ofvegetation canoccur within thecorporate limits oftheCity and is permitted between thehours of5:00p.m. and7:00a.m.from October 1,2024, until December 31, 2024. Mr.Fileread the portion oftheresolution thatsets forth the terms forburning intheCity. Chief of theBeckley Fire Department, Joe Coughlin requested that anyresident of Beckley calltheBFD inadvance tolet them know when andwhere aresident has planned open burning ofvegetation. The BFD logs theinformation incase a concerned neighbor would call. Ifthe smoke would cause health concerns for individuals theBFD would visit the resident having thefireand askthem to extinguish it. Council unanimously approved the Resolution OfTheCommon Council OfThe City OfBeckley To Permit TheOpen Burning OfVegetation onamotion byCouncilman Williams seconded byCouncilwoman Coots. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next ontheAgenda wastheappointment ofCouncil members tothe Audit Committee. Interim Recorder-Treasurer Jessica Chandler said theCity forms an Audit Procurement Committee annually inorder fortheCity’sAuditor tobe chosen. This isforthe2023-2024 audit year. Theaudit isduebyMarch 15, 2025. ARequest ForProposal (RFP) is sent toallCPA firms inWV thatare approved bytheState Auditor’sOffice. Once thebids arereceived, theAudit Committee willmeet toselect thefirmto conduct theaudit. TheAudit Committee hascode requirements thatrequire noless than three butnomore thanfivemembers onthe committee. Thecode defines several ofthemembers andtwo Council members may serve onthecommittee. Thefirst member needs tobefrom the entity’sgoverning body andthisyear the City isrecommending thattheCity Manager beamember, thesecond member issomeone with working knowledge oftheaccounting system and theCity isrecommending theRecorder- Treasurer beamember. Thecode requires that amember beacitizen thatis knowledgeable inthefield ofaccounting andauditing. Inthepast, theCity hasasked Beverly Rinehart-Cook tobeamember. Shewas formerly theController fortheCity. The City recommends that Beverly remain on thiscommittee. Shehasagreed toserve onthiscommittee ifapproved. Councilpersons Nancy Shoemaker- Dingess andFrank Williams volunteered tobeonthiscommittee. Council unanimously approved Councilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess, Councilman Williams, Beverly Rinhart-Cook, the Recorder-Treasurer andtheCity Manager toserve onthiscommittee onamotion by Councilman Buchanan seconded by Councilwoman Bullock. Next, Council unanimously approved the appointment ofthe (Interim) City Manager, ordesignee, toserve onthe Board ofDirectors fortheNew River Transit Authority onamotion by Councilman-at-Large Reedy seconded by Councilman Williams. Next, theMayor read aResolution whereby theDMV approved granting the City $364,900.00fortheWV Governor’s Highway Safety Program tobeused for theSouthern Regional Highway Safety Program. Interim Recorder-Treasurer Jessica Chandler said that thisisagrant serving theregion andthemoney willbe used tohelp fundthings fortheBeckley Police Department such asDUI check points, target redprograms, andspeed checks. Council unanimously approved theresolution onamotion byCouncilman Buchanan seconded byCouncilwoman Coots. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, theMayor read aResolution whereby theDMV approved granting the City $655,020.00fortheWV Governor’s Highway Safety Program tobeused for theLawEnforcement Liaison Project. Interim Recorder-Treasurer Jessica Chandler said that thisgrant serves the state andthemoney willbeused tohelp fund things fortheBeckley Police Department such ascovering thecost of training officers, purchase equipment needed foreach region, radar detectors, ande-citation products. Council unanimously approved theresolution ona motion byCouncilman Williams seconded byCouncilwoman Shoemaker- Dingess. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, theMayor read aResolution whereby theDMV approved granting the City $348,500.00fortheWV Governor’s Highway Safety Program tobeused for theWV Lifesavers andData Tracking & Agency Support Projects. Interim Recorder-Treasurer Jessica Chandler said that thisgrant serves thestate andthe money willbeused tofund things forthe Beckley Police Department such as tracking theofficers, results forDUI arrests, seatbelt tickets, redlights tickets andother data tracking thattheBPD does. Shesaidthishelps theCity know whether thegrants areworking ornot. Council unanimously approved theresolution ona motion byCouncilman-at-Large Reedy seconded byCouncilwoman Coots. The resolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. OLD BUSINESS: Councilwoman Bullock thanked the Mayor forrecently attending anevent atPinelodge. Councilwoman Bullock asked Chief Bailey togive aquick update about Larew Avenue. Hesaid aspeed boxwas installed onLarew Avenue. Councilman Williams asked iftheyellow extension cord isstillhanging from thesecond floor outofthewindow tocharge avehicle on Main St. Chief saidthat thePDtalked to theindividual about itand theindividual must have moved itback because hehad discontinued using the extension cord. The individual said thatheisworking on rectifying thesituation asquickly as possible. TheMayor asked Chief ofPD tofollow uponthissituation. NEW BUSINESS: Councilwoman Bullock said that Tuesday, September 17th from 11a.m. –1:00p.m.there willbean informational meeting attheE.Beckley Post Office. Sheasked Pam Frey, Director ofBoard OfPublic Works about paving therestofGStreet andpaving F Street. Pam said assoon asthebudget allows, they willwork onit. The weather willalso have tobeconsidered. TheMayor asked Interim City Manager Ann Worley ifshewanted togive an update. Shereminded Council members ofthe911Ceremony at9:30tomorrow at Word Park andinvited thepublic. She asked Council tovisitLt.Bragg atthe BPD togettheir picture taken forthe City’swebsite andsubmit their biography toherassoon aspossible. Sheasked the Department Heads ifthey hadany updates. Beckley Events Director, Jill Moorefield shared thatKid’sClassic was thispast weekend anditwasnice tosee allofthechildren inattendance. Parks andRec. Director Leslie Baker said the Ten Year Comprehensive PlanMeeting wasattheRaleigh County Convention Center. Ann said itwas well attended and well received. Chief Bailey said theBPD started theD.A.R.E.Program thisweek. Councilman-at-Large Reedy thanked the BPD fortheir work inhelping clean up theolddust bowl across from Park Middle School. Hesaid theGreater Beckley Christian School leased that property andhasdone alotofrenovations andupdates. Hesaid alotofkidsareon thatfield throughout theyear. Hesaid the BPD has helped remove people offofthat property thatwere living inthe dugouts. Hesaid anencampment was there and drug paraphernalia andweapons were there. Hesaid construction workers have been working inthatarea andhave been finding stuff there every morning. He said theBPD have really helped clean up thisarea ofthecommunity. Herequested aWorkshop onchanging thedowntown environment including updating or composing new ordinances. Hesaid Council needs toreconsider ifthe Greyhound Bus Station isactually needed. Hesaid, inhisopinion, itneeds tobeeliminated. Councilwoman Coots saidthere aretworuns toandfrom Beckley toDetroit each week. Councilman Buchanan saidthathe recently traveled totheCarolinas and heard advertisements inviting others to come see West Virginia’sfallcolors and theNew River Gorge. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Mary West thanked Chief ofPDforthespeed box installed onLarew Ave. Sherequested cameras beinstalled there. Sherequested thatCouncil have prayer before meetings andsaid thealleyways need cleaned out onLarew Ave. James Freeman purchased abuilding at 337 Neville Street andwanted to introduce himself. Christina Baisden thanked Councilwoman-at-Large Hunter forkeeping thechildren ofthecommunity inmind regarding theneed forgreen space. Sheasked Council andtheMayor tosendletters ofsupport forthetrack fieldtotheCounty Commission. Tom Mosley spoke about theordinance regarding panhandling. Heurged Council nottorush through theprocess in formulating the ordinance. Heasked that aSafety Commission beadded toan upcoming Agenda. Councilwoman Coots said thatthe ordinance hasbeen drafted butitisarough draft andCouncil understands theimportance ofitandthey also want toseethe City cleaned up. He requested acitizen award forboth Greg Stovall andScott Worley who recently passed away. Maya Panto andZiMeng Rein spoke insupport ofkeeping the cross country course forWoodrow Wilson High School atthePinecrest Industrial Park. Theresa Dennison prayed andrequested thateach meeting begin with prayer. TheMayor asked Mr.File if theCity Council meetings canbegin with prayer. Mr.File saidthathedoes not make thisdecision. Itisapublic place anddifferent religious beliefs must bepermitted ifprayer is permitted. Ms. Dennison thanked Ms. Hunter forspeaking infavor ofkeeping thetrack field. Tony Martin spoke regarding improving thequality oflife for thecitizens. He said itwill result in economic development. HesaidARPA funds canbeused invarious ways for economic development. Hethanked Ms. Hunter forhersupport onthegreen space fortheyouth ofthecommunity. Amanda Hammons spoke insupport oftheCity having aDay Center andinvited Council members tocontact herwith questions they have regarding it. Councilwoman Coots said thatfurther discussion regarding Council’sconcerns about aDay Center facility may need totake place at anappropriate time. Robert Dunlap said thattheDay Center atPinehaven Homeless Shelter does notdoanything to address thetenpeople milling around uptown. Hesaid these people being seen onthe streets uptown arenotgoing to walk toJohnstown Rdwhere the homeless shelter is. HesaidtheDay Center canmove itslocation toPrince Street. Amanda Hammons said theymeet at5:00every Tuesday atCarpenter’s Corner andinvited Council toattend. Next onthe Agenda isthe anticipated Executive Session todiscuss City Manager Candidates. Mr.Filesaid no votes willbetaken andnodecisions will bemade during Executive Session. Council unanimously approved entering inExecutive Session at8:05p.m. ona motion byCouncilman-at-Large Reedy seconded byCouncilman Williams. Council unanimously approved entering back into theRegular Council meeting at 8:35p.m.onamotion byCouncilwoman Coots seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. Council unanimously approved adjourning themeeting at8:36p.m. ona motion byCouncilman Buchanan seconded byCouncilman Williams The Mayor adjourned themeeting at8:36 p.m. Mayor Interim City Manager