Common Council

ASPECIAL MEETING OFTHE COMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT5:00 PMONFEBRUARY 18, 2025, IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIA WEB-X. PRESENT: Mayor Ryan Neal, Interim Recorder- Treasurer Jessica Chandler, City Attorney BillFile, and theMayor’sandCM’sAssistant Susan Miller. Council Members: KipBuchanan, Natalie Coots, Nancy Shoemaker-Dingess, Frank Williams, Janine Bullock, andCody Reedy. The following City employees were present: ITTech Anthony Martin, Director ofITBill Kelly, P&RDirector Leslie Baker, Director ofBoard of Public Works Pam Frey, Acting Captain Ernie Parsons ofthe BFD, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works Pam Frey , Beckley Events Coordinator JillMoorefield, Director ofHuman Resources Shirley Trotter, Chief Dean Bailey ofBPD, andChief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan. ABSENT: Councilwoman Hunter. The public hadtheoption tojointhe meeting inperson, listen byWEB-Xfrom their computer, orlisten byphone, using theweblink orphone number provided thedayofthemeeting onthe City’s webpage atBeckley.orgortheCity’s Facebook page. TheMayor called the meeting toorder at5:00p.m.TheMayor referred toMr.Fileregarding thefirst item onthe agenda which wasthe Pinehaven homeless shelter financing. Mr.Fileacknowledged Crystal Alanso andMike Horn (from theshelter) were in theaudience ifanyone hadany questions. Mr.Filesaid thattheRaleigh County Commission has stepped upand authorized what hebelieves theamount of 41K tohelp keep thehomeless shelter working atleast through June of2025. Mr.Filesaidthathethinks theCityisina position tocommit upto $61K tohelp the shelter. Mr.Filesaid thatthe Pinehaven Homeless Shelter isnotrequesting alump sum and may noteven need theentire 61K. Crystal said itwillbefor maintenance andutilities, andthey don’t expect alump sum payment. Theshelter isasking formonthly assistance through theendofJune 2025. Itwould bepaidon anasneeded basis. Councilwoman Coots said thatshethinks thatCouncil agrees, andthey canhelp theshelter thisone time. Shesaid thehomeless shelter cannot bealine item ontheCity’sbudget every year buttheCity would liketohelp thisonetime with acapof $61K. Councilwoman Coots said thatCouncil willhelpwith utilities andmaintenance. Interim Recorder-Treasurer Jessica Chandler confirmed thatthisistohelp with utilities andmaintenance butifthere were amajor issue thatwould arise between now andtheendofJune she suggested putting acapontheamount of 61K. Jessica saidthat Council had previously discussed moving some ofthe HUD funding around toassist the shelter. IfCouncil chooses, itcould dothat. It would require asubstantial amendment to ourHUD agreements. Itwould require a public meeting andacouple ofvotes from Council toapprove. She said inthe meantime; theCity could support the shelter through thegeneral fund for this short time untiltheHUD funding of $45K goes through theproper steps. Councilman Reedy asked Jessica ifshe thinks thatthisisthebest way togoabout helping thehomeless shelter. Shesaidit would probably bethe best option right now. Itwould cover utilities and maintenance. She said thebuilding belongs totheCitysothemaintenance is theCity’sresponsibility andtheBoard of Public Works may beable tohelp with maintenance. Councilman Reedy asked if HUD funds are foremergency housing. Jessica said yes. Councilman Williams asked ifthiswould leave enough money inthe HUD Fund topave Ewart Avenue. Shesaid thatitallows enough money in theHUD Fund topave Ewart Avenue. Shesaid thepaving quote forEwart Avenue isearmarked and theCity would have enough inHUD Funds because the bidforpaving Ewart Avenue wasless than anticipated. The City will have enough forboth projects, supporting the emergency housing atthehomeless shelter andforthepaving ofEwart Avenue. Councilwoman Bullock asked Ms. Alanso what thetotal isthatthe homeless shelter isrequesting. Ms. Alanso said the shelter requested $41K fromthe County and $61K fromthe City. Mr.Filesaid thatifCouncil chooses to,it may bevoted ontonight. TheMayor said Councilwoman Hunter isn’there and Councilman Buchanan isrunning late but willbehere soon. Hesaid there wasa quorum. Councilman Reedy said he agrees with helping thehomeless shelter outasaone-time contribution and thinks there should beacaponthe $61Kand doesn’tthink thisshould become aline item ontheCity’sbudget. Councilman Reedy said thathehopes thehomeless shelter cangetitsfunding back before June andremain open. Councilman Reedy said thathethinks using HUD funding is abetter option iftheCity willhave enough leftforpaving Ewart Avenue. TheMayor asked ifthere wasanyother discussion. There being nofurther discussion, Council unanimously approved amotion made by Councilwoman Bullock seconded by Councilwoman Coots tocontribute atotal upto $61Kwith acapof $61Ktothe Pinehaven Homeless Shelter with $45K ofthe $61K coming from theHUD Funds andthe restfrom theGeneral Fund. TheMayor said thenext item onthe Agenda istheconsideration of a Resolution Approving an Intergovernmental Agreement between theRaleigh County Commission, theCity ofBeckley, andtheRaleigh County Solid Waste Authority todispose ofwaste from abandoned buildings inthe Raleigh County Landfill. Mr.File saidthatthisis aresolution thethree agencies agree todo every yeartohelpwith thecost ofthe disposal ofthedemolition ofhouses. The Mayor asked ifthere wasanydiscussion. There wasnodiscussion. Council unanimously agreed toapprove the resolution aspresented onamotion by Councilman Williams seconded by Councilman Reedy. Theresolution is hereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, Council, unanimously agreed to enter intoExecutive Session onamotion byCouncilman Reedy seconded by Councilwoman Bullock. Council, the Mayor, Mr.File, Human Resources Director Shirley Trotter, and Interim Recorder-Treasurer Jessica Treasurer joined Council andentered into Executive Session at5:12p.m.regarding aCity Manager Personnel matter. Council unanimously agreed toexittheExecutive Session andenter back intotheSpecial Meeting onamotion byCouncilman Williams seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock at6:02p.m. With nofurther business todiscuss, Council unanimously agreed toadjourn the meeting onamotion byCouncilman Reedy seconded by Councilwoman Coots. TheMayor adjourned themeeting at6:03p.m. Mayor City Attorney