Common Council
Regular MeetingBeckley, WV · May 27, 2025
Minutes
AREGULAR MEETING OFTHE COMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT
6:30PMONMAY 27, 2025, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIA WEB-X.
PRESENT: Mayor Ryan Neal, Interim City Manager Phillip Jarrell, Interim Recorder-Treasurer Jessica
Chandler, Susan Miller, Mayor & City Manager’sAssistant, City Attorney BillFile. Council Members:
Natalie Coots, KipBuchanan, Nancy Shoemaker-Dingess, Frank Williams, Janine Bullock, Sherrie Hunter,
andCody Reedy. The following City employees were present: ITTechnician Anthony Martin, IT
Technician John Hopkins, BFD Chief EdThompson, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works (BPW) Mike Bolen,
Beckley Events Coordinator JillMoorefield, Chief Dean Bailey ofBPD, Parks & Rec. Director Leslie Baker,
andChief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan.
The Mayor ledinthePledge ofAllegiance followed byprayer byFather Leonard Smith with
St.Francis DeSales Catholic Church. The public hadtheoption tojointhemeeting inperson,
listen byWEB-Xfrom their computer, orlisten byphone, using theweblink orphone number
provided thedayofthemeeting ontheCity’swebpage atBeckley.orgortheCity’sFacebook
page.
The Mayor called themeeting toorder at6:30p.m. The Mayor said thatallmembers of
Council were present andthere was aquorum. Council dispensed with thereading ofthe
minutes from theMay 13, 2025, Council Meeting, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed to
each member. Council unanimously approved the minutes aswritten onamotion by
Councilwoman Hunter seconded byCouncilman Williams.
Next ontheAgenda were Brief Comments From theMayor, Council Members, andthe
Interim City Manager. Councilwoman Bullock congratulated herGodson forhisrecent
graduation andsaid shewas glad toseetheLand Reuse Agency (LRA) Ordinance onthe
Agenda fortonight’smeeting. Councilman Buchanan said hehasreached outtoseveral
department heads andthanked them fortheirhelp thisweek.
Councilman Williams didnothave anycomments. Councilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess
thanked theBoard ofPublic Works andtheBeckley Police Department fortheir help recently.
Councilwoman Coots thanked Board ofPublic Works andsaid theplay, “Murder inLime
Life” sherecently attended intheCity was excellent. The Mayor requested aworkshop
regarding theuseofopioid funds. Councilwoman Hunter thanked Ron Hedrick ofthe
Veterans Museum, ourfirstresponders, andtheAmerican Legion Post32. Shealso thanked
theBeckley Area Foundation (BAF) fortheperpetual fund they recently created.
Councilwoman Hunter gave Council acopy ofaNuisance Ordinance from September 2017.
Shesaid thismight beable tohelp theCity regarding abatement.
Councilman Reedy said thatheappreciates Mr.Jarrell, theBeckley Police Department, and
thehelp from theBoard ofPublic Works regarding parking intheCity. Mr.Jarrell saidthat he
learned alotatthe recent workshop heandacouple ofemployees from Code Enforcement
attended lastweek thatwas held atPipestem. Hesaidheinvited JohnButterworth withthe
City ofCharleston toattend anupcoming workshop, asaguest speaker regarding land banks,
etc.
OLD BUSINESS: Council voted toleave onthetable theCancellation ofthe Lease
Agreement Regarding The East Park Community Center, 100Washington Street, Beckley,
WV Dated Augst 5,2011, Between City OfBeckley And Southern West Virginia Multi-
Cultural Museum And Community Center, Inc. onamotion byCouncilman Reedy seconded
byCouncilwoman Coots. Councilman Williams opposed themotion toleave thelease
cancellation onthetable.
Council asked tohave anew lease within thirty days toreview before terminating thislease.
Next was thesecond reading ofOrdinance Changing Starting Time OfRegular Council
Meetings OfBeckley Common Council From 6:30p.m.To5:30p.m.OnSecond And Fourth
Tuesdays OfEach Month. Mr.Filesaid the first reading ofthisordinance was onApril 22,
2025, andthesecond reading andpublic hearing was heldonMay 13.th Council tabled this
matter onMay 13.th Amotion was made byCouncilman Reedy seconded byCouncilman
Williams tobring this item from thetable. However, Council did notvote infavor ofbringing
thisordinance offthetable.
NEW BUSINESS: Mr.Filesaid tonight isthefirst reading ofAnOrdinance Changing The
Meeting Dates OfCommon Council Meetings ToThe 1strd
and3 Tuesday OfEach Month
Beginning At5:30p.m.Ifpassed tonight onfirst reading, thesecond reading andpublic
hearing will beduring theJune10, 2025, Council meeting. Mr.Filepointed outthatifthis
ordinance isadopted, itwillbecome effective August 1,2025. Council unanimously approved
theordinance onamotion byCouncilwoman Coots seconded byCouncilman Williams.
The ordinance ishereby incorporated into these minutes.
Next listed ontheAgenda was the1st Reading OfOrdinance Creating Land Reuse Agency
LRA). Interim City Manager Jarrell said that hewould liketohave aworkshop regarding a
LRA.
Hewillinvite JohnButterworth asaguest speaker. Mr.Butterworth iswith the City of
Charleston. Mr.Jarrell requested thattheLRA Ordinance bediscussed aftertheworkshop
rather than tonight, before theworkshop. Mr.Filesaid noaction isrequired ontheordinance
tonight.
Next ontheAgenda was theapproval ofthe2025-2026 Contributions List. Council
unanimously approved thelistonamotion byCouncilman Reedy seconded byCouncilwoman
Coots. Thelist ishereby incorporated intothese minutes.
Next was theaward ofbids for sixBPD vehicles (Byrne Discretionary Community Project
Grants Program – Dept. OfJustice).
The quote byStephen’sAuto foraFord F-150was $46,608.00andforaFord Explorer was
44,176.00. Thenext bidwas fromMid-State Ford. They quoted $46,966.52foraFord F-
150and $43,625.40foraFord Explorer. Council unanimously approved theaward ofbidfor
twoFord F-150trucks toStephens Auto onamotion made byCouncilwoman Hunter
seconded byCouncilman Reedy. Council unanimously approved theaward ofbidforfour
Ford Explorers toMid-State Fordonamotion byCouncilwoman Hunter seconded by
Councilman Buchanan. The two bids were incorporated into theMay 13, 2025, Council
Meeting minutes.
Council unanimously approved thefollowing appointments and reappointments tothe
commissions listed below. The City Manager was appointed totheNew River Transit Board
ofDirectors foraterm ofoneyearonamotion byCouncilwoman Hunter seconded by
Councilman Williams.
The CityManager was appointed tothePlanning Commission onamotion byCouncilman
Buchanan seconded byCouncilwoman Coots. Next, Ryan Snuffer was reappointed tothe City
ofBeckley Planning Commission onamotion byCouncilwoman Hunter seconded by
Councilwoman Bullock. Dr.Zafar was reappointed totheBeckley Board ofZoning Appeals
onamotion byCouncilman Williams seconded byCouncilwoman Coots. Robert Filewas
reappointed totheBeckley Board ofZoning Appeals onamotion byCouncilman Buchanan
seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock.
Councilman Kip Buchanan was reappointed tothe Beckley Housing Commission onamotion
byCouncilwoman Bullock seconded byCouncilwoman Coots. Councilman Buchanan
abstained from voting. EdTigert was reappointed totheFireman’sCivil Service Commission
onamotion byCouncilwoman Hunter seconded byCouncilman Buchanan. Dr.Kurt Reiber
was reappointed totheBeckley Building Commission onamotion byCouncilman Buchanan
seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. India Hosch wasreappointed totheRaleigh County
Health Department Commission onamotion byCouncilman Buchanan seconded by
Councilwoman Coots. Councilwoman Nancy Shoemaker-Dingess requested thatCouncil be
given theopportunity tooffer names ofpeople forCityCommissions before theterms expire.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: The Mayor announced thatifcalling byphone, dial *3toraise your
hand. Ifconnected bycomputer click the “hand icon” onyour participant’spanel. There
wasn’tanyone whosigned uptospeak online. Mary West said shewants the speed humps
removed andasphalt putdown. Tom Mosley said thathewants toseetheMulti-Cultural
Center serve the people and theCity. Debbie Williams invited everyone toaRaleigh County
Baby Shower onMay 30, 2025, from 9a.m. –2p.m.atRaleigh County Head Start.
Councilman Williams said that theMulti-Cultural Center isutilized alotandheisaware of
thevarious uses forthefacility. Hetold Mr.Mosley thathewanted himtostop dragging his
name through the mudorhe’llseehimincourt.
With there being nofurther business todiscuss, Council unanimously approved adjourning the
meeting onamotion made byCouncilwoman Bullock seconded byCouncilman Williams.
The Mayor adjourned themeeting at7:05p.m.
The Parking Commission Meeting was cancelled.
Mayor Interim CityManager
Agenda
AGENDA
CITY OF BECKLEY
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
A REGULAR MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
AT CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
409 S. KANAWHA ST. – BECKLEY, WV 25801
MAY 27, 2025, AT 6:30 P.M.
The Council may discuss, consider, and take possible action pertaining to the following:
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOLLOWED BY INVOCATION BY FATHER LEONARD SMITH WITH ST.
FRANCIS DeSALES CATHOLIC CHURCH.
• CALL TO ORDER.
• READING & APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES- May 13, 2025, Council Meeting
• BRIEF COMMENTS FROM MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, & CITY MANAGER.
• OLD BUSINESS
• MOTION TO APPROVE CANCELLATION OF LEASE AGREEMENT REGARDING THE EAST PARK
COMMUNITY CENTER, 100 WASHINGTON STREET, BECKLEY, WV DATED AUGUST 5, 2011,
BETWEEN CITY OF BECKLEY AND SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA MULTI-CULTURAL MUSEUM AND
COMMUNITY CENTER, INC.
• SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE CHANGING THE STARTING TIME OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
TO 5:30 P.M. FROM 6:30 P.M.
• NEW BUSINESS
• 1st READING OF AN ORDINANCE CHANGING THE MEETING DATES OF COMMON COUNCIL
MEETINGS TO THE 1ST AND 3RD TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH BEGINNING AT 5:30 P.M.
• 1ST READING OF ORDINANCE CREATING LAND REUSE AGENCY (LRA).
• APPROVAL OF 2025-2026 CONTRIBUTIONS LIST.
• AWARD OF BIDS FOR 6 BPD VEHICLES (BYRNE DISCRETIONARY COMMUNITY PROJECT GRANTS
PROGRAM- DEPT. OF JUSTICE).
• APPOINTMENT OF THE CITY MANAGER TO THE NEW RIVER TRANSIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS (1YR
TERM) AND THE CITY OF BECKLEY PLANNING COMMISSION (3 YR TERM).
• REAPPOINTMENT OF RYAN SNUFFER TO THE CITY OF BECKLEY PLANNING COMMISSION.
• REAPPOINTMENT OF DR. ZAFAR TO THE BECKLEY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, (3 YR TERM).
• REAPPOINTMENT OF ROBERT FILE TO THE BECKLEY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS.
• REAPPOINTMENT OF KIP BUCHANAN TO THE BECKLEY HOUSING COMMISSION. (5 YR TERM).
• REAPPOINTMENT OF ED TIGERT TO THE FIREMAN’S CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION (4 YR TERM).
• REAPPOINTMENT OF KURT REIBER TO THE BECKLEY BUILDING COMMISSION. (3 YR TERM).
• REAPPOINTMENT OF INDIA HOSCH TO THE RAL. CO. HEALTH DEPT. COMMISSION. (5 YR TERM).
• PUBLIC COMMENTS- Speakers are required to sign up before the meeting.
Each speaker will be given three minutes. Organizations may be limited to one (1)
speaker. Due to the Open Meetings Act, the Council members and Mayor will not
respond to the speaker. Comments, concerns, and issues will be recorded and
reviewed.
• POTENTIAL EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING A PERSONNEL ISSUE AND NEGOTIATION
REGARDING A LEASE.
• ADJOURN.
The Parking Commission Meeting has been cancelled.
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