Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OF THECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT6:30PMONMARCH 11, 2025, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIAWEB-X. PRESENT: Mayor Ryan Neal, Interim City Manager Phillip Jarrell, Interim Recorder-Treasurer Jessica Chandler, City Attorney BillFile, andthe Mayor’sand CM’sAssistant Susan Miller. Council Members: Natalie Coots, KipBuchanan, Nancy Shoemaker- Dingess, Frank Williams, Janine Bullock, Sherrie Hunter, andCody Reedy. The following City employees were present: ITTech Anthony Martin, ITDirector Bil Kelly, Director ofP&RLeslie Baker, BFD Captain Ernie Parsons, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works (BPW) Pam Frey, Beckley Events Coordinator JillMoorefield, Chief Dean Bailey ofBPD, andChief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan. The Mayor ledinthePledge of Allegiance followed byaprayer byPastor John Jordan with Calvary Assembly of God. The public had theoption tojoin themeeting inperson, listen byWEB-X from their computer, orlisten byphone, using theweblink orphone number provided theday ofthemeeting onthe City’swebpage atBeckley.orgorthe City’sFacebook page. The Mayor called the meeting toorder at 6:30p.m. The Mayor said that all members ofCouncil were present and there was aquorum. Council dispensed with thereading oftheminutes from the February 25, 2025, Council Meeting, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed to each member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten ona motion byCouncilwoman Hunter seconded byCouncilwoman Coots. Council dispensed with thereading ofthe minutes from theMarch 4,2025, Workshop copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved theminutes as written onamotion byCouncilwoman Hunter seconded byCouncilman Williams. City Council considered andunanimously adopted aResolution authorizing theCity toaccept theterms andconditions ofthe Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grant intheamount of $270,000forthe purchase ofsix (6)patrol vehicles, the motion being made byCouncilman Reedy seconded byCouncilwoman Hunter. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. City Council considered andunanimously adopted aResolution authorizing theCity toaccept theterms andconditions ofthe Edward Byrne Memorial Assistance Grant intheamount of $21,779.00forthe purchase ofaGrayKey device, themotion being made byCouncilman Reedy, seconded byCouncilwoman Buchanan. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. City Council considered andunanimously adopted aResolution authorizing theCity toaccept theterms andconditions ofthe Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grant intheamount of $36,000.00forthe purchase of (30) thirty bullet proof vests, themotion being made byCouncilman Reedy seconded byCouncilman Williams. The resolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. City Council considered andunanimously adopted aResolution authorizing theCity toaccept theterms andconditions ofthe FY24 COPS Technology And Equipment Program (Office ofCommunity Oriented Policing Services) intheamount of 57,000.00forthepurchase often (10) portable radios, themotion being made by Councilman Buchanan seconded by Councilman Reedy. The resolution is hereby incorporated into these minutes. Next ontheAgenda wastherenewal of contract with Soaring Hope Animal Rescue Partners (SHARP) which began inMarch of2023. Interim Recorder Treasurer Jessica Chandler saidthis 501C-3group helps pick upandfind homes forstray animals intheCity. SHARP isrequesting anincrease of 500.00inthemonthly amount theCity contributes, aswell asthecostof constructing a3-4runkennel ranging between $8,500 - $10K. Thecost ofthe 3-4runkennel would besplit between the City andtheCounty. Councilwoman Coots made amotion seconded by Councilman Buchanan toapprove the renewal ofthiscontract. TheMayor asked ifanymember ofCouncil hadany questions. Councilwoman Shoemaker- Dingess said thatshe would liketosee thistabled until more information is gathered from what thisgroup does and what thecontribution theCity makes to theRaleigh County Humane Society entails. Councilwoman Shoemaker- Dingess said thatshehas concerns that need tobeaddressed anditwilltake more time. Sheasked Jessica Chandler how much the City contributes totheRaleigh County Humane Society each year andif thecontribution tothe Humane Society is separate from thecontract with SHARP. Jessica said theyareseparate andtheCity contributes $69KtotheHumane Society annually. Councilwoman Shoemaker- Dinges said thatshethinks thepublic should beable towalk totheback ofthe animal shelter toview theanimals inneed ofadoption, butthepublic isnolonger able todoso, they have toview pictures oftheanimals needing adoption. Councilwoman Hunter said shethinks people should beallowed toview thepets inneed ofbeing adopted also. Councilwoman Bullock thanked Tonya Williams forherhelp inrescuing adog. Shealso thanked Councilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess forinviting hertoa meeting regarding thisandappreciates her passion for helping cats and dogs. Councilman Reedy said perhaps Council canvisit the Humane Society and a Workshop may beneeded. The Mayor said thecontract doesn’texpire until the endofMarch. Council unanimously approved amotion byCouncilwoman Hunter seconded byCouncilman Williams totable theprevious motion to approve thecontract with SHARP. Next ontheAgenda was Brief Comments from Council Members, theMayor, and theInterim City Manager. Councilwoman Bullock asked ifthere is anupdate ontheplayground equipment at Barber Avenue andanupdate ongetting a traffic light installed attheBypass near theSoccer Complex. TheMayor said the City isstillworking onthetraffic light butitisn’tlikely tohappen. Hesaid at best there maybeaflashing lightinstalled there. Councilman Buchanan thanked Mr.Jarrell for working onthebudget and asked foralistoftheCity’sassets including vehicles and insurance. Councilman Williams said hehas concerns about abandoned buildings in theCityandtheCity needs todecide ifit will attempt tolease orsellthebuildings. Councilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess said theCity needs alandbank. Councilwoman Coots said potholes need repaired inthe City. Pam Frey Director ofBoard ofPublic Works said thatcold patching hasbegun. TheMayor saidhe would liketoseealistofproperty the City owns andthanked Mr.Jarrell forhis hard work thisweek onthebudget. Councilwoman Hunter said that perhaps Larew Avenue could have speed humps installed similar tothose infront of Academy Sports. Councilman Reedy said hehasbeen experiencing problems with hisemail. Director ofITBillKelly said thatITwilllook intoit. Councilman Reedy encouraged other Council members tocheck their Spam andJunk email folders. Interim City Manager Jarrell said thathehas been busy meeting with Department Heads while working on theCity’sbudget. OLD BUSINESS: Councilman Williams said abandoned houses need attention in theCity. Hesaidthere isonehouse inhis Ward (III)thathasneeded attention for fourteen years. Hesaid theCity’s neighborhoods need togrow. Councilwoman Bullock said abandoned lotsalso need attention. Mr.Filesaid that heiscurrently working with Mr.Morgan onanordinance regarding aLand Reuse Agency. Ms. Bullock alsosaid thatS. Kanawha andS.Fayette Streets need beautification. Councilman Williams said allthesidewalks intheCity need attention. NEW BUSINESS: Thefollowing bids were opened forDLAP Demo Group 6 consisting ofthedemolition of13 buildings. The first was from Aster Oilfield Services, Inc. for $100,200. Next wasEmpire Salvage for $80,000. Next was Reclaim Company for $159,410. The lastbidforGroup 6wasfrom Tom’sTear Down & Take Away for $108,400. Next, the following bids were opened for DLAP Demo Group 7consisting ofthe demolition of 2buildings. First wasa bidfrom Aster Oilfield Services, Inc. for 37,650. Next wasfrom Empire Salvage for $53,151. ThelastbidforGroup 7was from Tom’sTear Down & Takeaway for 47,480. Allbids willbeforwarded to thetwo Council people atlarge, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan, andInterim Recorder Treasurer Jessica Chandler forpossible award ata future meeting. Next, Mr.Brian Brown gave a presentation updating Council on “The Market” which isadevelopment on Central Avenue heishoping towork with theCity onsoon. He, Interim City Manager Jarrell, andChief Code Enforcement Officer Morgan will schedule ameeting todiscuss thedetails andgather more information astoexactly what Mr.Brown isrequesting fromthe City. PUBLIC COMMENTS: The Mayor announced thatifcalling byphone: dial 3toraiseyour hand. Ifconnected by computer: click the “hand icon” onyour participants panel. Anthony Martin, IT Technician saidthere wasn’tanyone who signed uptospeak online. Mary West spoke about alleyways on Larew needing cleaned, trees needing trimmed orcutdown, anddrivers speeding. Sheasked ifLarew Avenue could become aoneway street. Tom Moseley said there isalitter problem in Ward III. Councilman Williams said that heisaware oftheissue. Councilwoman Hunter asked Mr.Moseley toseeherafter themeeting todiscuss alitter index inthe area(s)hementioned. PamUpton asked Council tobemindful thatSHARP is separate from theRaleigh County Humane Society, andthatSHARP needs thecontract with theCity. Council unanimously agreed toenter into Executive Session onamotion by Councilman Williams seconded by Councilwoman Coots at7:39p.m.  Council unanimously agreed toenter back into theRegular Council Meeting at 8:24 p.m. onamotion byCouncilman Williams seconded byCouncilwoman Coots at8:24p.m. With there being nofurther business to discuss Council unanimously approved adjourning themeeting onamotion made byCouncilman Williams seconded by Councilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess. The Mayor adjourned the meeting at8:24 p.m. Mayor Interim City Manager