Common Council

AWORKSHOP OFTHE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT5:00PM ONAPRIL 29, 2025, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIA WEB-X. PRESENT: Mayor Ryan Neal, Interim CityManager 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, Director ofP&R Leslie Baker, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works Pam Frey, Captain EdWills with the BFD, Supervisor of Board ofPublic Works (BPW) Mike Bolen, andBeckley Events Coordinator JillMoorefield. The Mayor called themeeting toorder at 5:00p.m. The public hadtheoption to jointhemeeting inperson, listen by WEB-Xfrom their computer, orlisten by phone, using theweblink orphone number provided thedayofthemeeting ontheCity’swebpage atBeckley.orgor theCity’sFacebook page. You mayview theworkshop bylogging ontoBeckley.orgorgoing totheCity's Facebook page. TheMayor reminded everyone that thisisaWorkshop. No votes willbetaken, andnodecisions will bemade. Itisopen tothepublic, but there willbenopublic comments. First ontheagenda wasProperty Management. Mr.Brian Brown wasthe guest speaker. Hisbusiness partners Justin andAshley Boyce attended. Nick Akers with Centec attended. Kyle Hopkins attended telephonically. Interim City Manager Jarrell provided several documents toCouncil members prior totheWorkshop. TheQuitclaim Deed for theRails ToTrails wasthe first document. Thedeed ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Mr. Jarrell read thehighlighted portion at thebottom ofpageonewhich deals with constructing, installing, maintaining, or operating utilities onthe premises. Next wasthe email from CSX stating thatthe City canrequest consent from CSX for theinstallation ofutilities bysubmitting a utility permit online. Theemail from CSX ishereby incorporated intothese minutes. Mr.Jarrell said that once hereceives the utility linedrawings from Mr.Brown, he would beglad tosubmit arequest fora utility permit toCSX. The Mayor asked Mr.Brown ifthiswould bethe nextstep. Mr.Brown saidtheOutdoor Economic Development Plan (OEDP) thattheCity hired Destination ByDesign toprepare includes theCity covering some ofthe costs oftheexterior landscape inthisarea andasked theCity ifthey stillplan on following theOEDP. Parks and Recreation Director Leslie Baker said that theprojects intheOEDP arecostly, and theCity does notown alotoftheproperty included intheOEDP. The OEDP wasaccepted buthasnotbeen implemented. She said thattheOEDP requires alotofmoney. Mr.Akers said thathehadinitial discussions with various utility companies, andthey were positive conversations. Mr.Brown said thattheCity owns theproperty leading right uptothebuildings inthearea thathe wants todevelop. Exterior things such as sidewalks andcurbing, andutilities such aswater andsewer arecostly, aswellas obtaining easements foringress tohis property. IftheCity isnot planning onfocusing on thisarea asoutlined intheOEDP then Mr.Brown willneed toreassess what is involved including thecost. Mr.Akers said thathehadconversations with the Beckley Sanitary Board regarding stormwater andadditional conversations arenecessary. Councilwoman Coots asked Mr.Brown ifheandhispartners have thenecessary funding forthis. Mr. Brown said thatheneeds more clarity from theCity onwhat they arewilling to do. Mr.Brown saidtheroof onthe Lawson Building collapsed andthe building needs tobecondemned. Mr.File said thatheandCode Enforcement Officer Morgan will have adiscussion regarding thisbuilding andMr.Filewill getback toMr.Brown. Mr.Hopkins, who isanarchitect working with Mr. Brown, joined the meeting byphone and said that asmaller version oftheoutdoor lighting, sidewalks, etc. ispossible, which would help with reducing thecost. Next was thesheet thatMr.Jarrell said lists seven properties andthe costs forthe City tomaintain. Most ofthese buildings arevacant. This sheet ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Black Knight was included onthislist and there arethree separate spreadsheets breaking down how much money Black Knight islosing. Councilwoman Bullock asked what thetotal losses areincluding thepurchase price forBlack Knight. Mr. Jarrell said itisapproximately $5.3M since itwaspurchased. Hesaid theother spreadsheets include abreakdown ofthe cost ofoffering golfandforthe restaurant. These three spreadsheets are hereby incorporated into these minutes. Mr.Jarrell said thelease agreement for theMulti-Cultural Center isthenext document. Thelease agreement ishereby incorporated intothese minutes. Mr. Jarrell said thathecan make a recommendation forproperty thattheCity owns, andCouncil members can vote on itataCouncil meeting. Councilwoman Hunter asked what would happen tothe bicycles inside theMulticultural Center. Leslie Baker, Parks andRecreation Director said that shethinks Active Southern WV would usethem. Mr. Jarrell said thattheCouncil may want todecide ifthelessee shall beresponsible forthepayment ofallutilities atthe Multi-Cultural Center asrequired bythe lease, oriftheCouncil wants toconsider changing thelease sothatthe lessor pays theutilities. Mr.Jarrell said Council members may want tothink about this andconsider itasanagenda item fora Council meeting. Councilman Williams said thatitdoes notmatter tohimwhat theCity decides todowith theMulti- Cultural Center building. He asked Mr. Fileifhereceived aphone callregarding aninvestigation that was filed onhimand ifhisname was cleared. Mr.Filesaid he received aphone callfromaninvestigator advising theinvestigation was closed and noevidence ofwrong doing was found. Councilman Williams asked Mr.Fileif hisname was cleared. Mr.File said yes. Next wastheordinance establishing the City ofBeckley asaHome RuleCity. The ordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next wastheMOU from theState ofWV regarding theterms anddefinitions forthe useoftheopioid funds theState gavethe City. TheMOU ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Councilwoman Bullock asked howmuch opioid money theCity ofBeckley received. Interim Recorder-Treasurer Jessica Chandler said $3.4Mandit continues tocome indisbursements. However, theState may consider taking some ofitbackifitisn’tbeing used. Mr. Jarrell said thatthismoney isearning 5% interest, andtheinterest earned isalso to beused asauthorized intheMOU from theState. Councilwoman Hunter asked ifopioid money could beused topurchase police cruisers. Mr.Jarrell said that itcan beused forthings such asatrailer and vehicles fortheD.A.R.E.Program. Councilwoman Hunter asked ifitcould beused tohelp the Beckley Fire Department because they respond to overdose calls. Jessica said yes, ifthere is anaccurate way totrack this. Next, was alisttitled, “Potential Opioid Fund Uses – Compiled byCity Departments”. Thelist ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next was asix-page letter from Raleigh County Schools (RCS) requesting help from theCity (along with help fromthe County andRCS contributing) outlining suggested uses fortheopioid money. The letter ishereby incorporated intothese minutes. Mr. Jarrell saidthat hewould liketoseetheCity usetheopioid money tohelp theCity first.  Last wasalistoforganizations requesting donations/contributions from theCity. The listishereby incorporated into these minutes. Jessica said thatRaleigh County Teen Court will beremoved from thelist. Mr. Jarrell said theprogram isbeing discontinued. Jessica saidthatthe Beckley Raleigh County Health Department requested $56,400but the City’sprevious contribution was $47K. Just ForKids requested $50K butthe previous donation from theCity was 25K. TheRaleigh County Humane Society requested $120K buttheprevious donation was $63K. Mr.Jarrell said that theCity isnot required to donate/contribute toallthe organizations thatare onthislist. Hesaid thatthe second column onthespreadsheet specifies thisinformation. Councilwoman Hunter said Huntington, WV isusing some ofitsopioid money to help thehomeless shelter. Jessica saidthe 60K+ thatthe City offered the homeless shelter inBeckley hasnotbeen requested from thehomeless shelter anditisclosing onMay 30, 2025. This willbeanother building toaddtothelistofthe City’s vacant buildings once thehomeless shelter closes. Mr.Jarrell asked Council members to take theinformation home thisevening andthink about it. Heinvited Council members tocontact himwith any questions they may have. The Mayor asked ifthere were anyother questions. With there being nofurther business to discuss theMayor adjourned themeeting at6:00p.m. Mayor City Manager