Common Council

AWORKSHOP OFTHE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT4:00PM ONJUNE 05, 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 Mike Bolen, Captain Ben Tolliver with theBFD, Beckley Events Coordinator JillMoorefield, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan, andtheGeneral Manager oftheBeckley Sanitary Board Jeremiah Johnson. The Mayor called themeeting toorder at 4:00p.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 was aLand Reuse Agency (LRA). Guest speakers were John Butterworth withtheCity ofCharleston andJina Belcher with theNRGRDA. Mr. Butterworth gave apresentation onthe City ofCharleston’sLand Reuse Agency. The presentation outlined things suchas howCharleston decided todevelop an LRA, their mission, andgoals. He explained vacant, abandoned, blighted, condemned, andtax-delinquent properties thatareastrain onneighborhoods areof interest totheCharleston Land Reuse Agency (CLRA). Some oftheir goals include promoting theproductive use of property andidentifying available properties suitable forpublic space, conversation, housing, andcommercial use. Hesaid creating anLRA isalotof work andtakes time. Itisaseparate entity from theCity ofCharleston. He said anLRA canhave by-laws. TheLRA hasBoard Officers including achair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, andanyother officer determined byitsboard. He discussed various ways offunding that canbeexplored, butsources may vary by location. Councilwoman Bullock asked forMr.Butterworth’sinput regarding the downtown Beckley area. Hesaid it’slike anyother location; ithasitschallenges. Sheasked how many employees the CLRA has. Hesaid two. Hissalary ispaid bythe general fund for theCity ofCharleston andKhrista’s salary isnot directly paid bythe City of Charleston. HesaidtheCLRA isnota lineitem ontheCityofCharleston’s budget. Hesaid most oftheir start-up money came from alegal settlement. He said ARPA funds were also used andthe City Council ofCharleston contributed 35K. Delegate Roop with theRaleigh County Commission asked iftheCLRA could purchase property from thesteps at thecourthouse. Hesaid yes, justthesame asanyother entity butcould not get involved with anyproperty through eminent domain. TheInterim City Manager Mr. Jarrell asked ifthisisa lengthy process. Mr.Butterworth said it canbe; itcantake onetothree years to seetheresults. Councilwoman Hunter asked ifatimeline isgiven toadeveloper. Hesaid yesand, ifagrant isinvolved a deadline isgiven butoftentimes, itcanbe flexible. TheMayor asked ifLRA’saretax exempted. Mr.Butterworth saidyesbut they paytaxes when theproperty is transferred. TheMayor asked iftheLRA ortheCity gets any interest earned. The LRA gets theinterest. Mr.Butterworth saidanLRAgets preference onstructures thatare $50K andunder andstay outofthe wayofthe private market. Hesaid theowner has onehundred twenty days toredeem their property once legal notice hasbeen given. Next, Jina Belcher, theExecutive Director ofthe NRGRDA said thatFayette County hasacounty-wide LRA. NRGRDA would liketoseethriving communities, a thriving workforce, more entrepreneurs, economical andindustrial development andshethinks that LRA’sarehelpful. Shesaid Fayette County putitsLRA in place in2023 and others have used itasa model justasCharleston’sLRA isused as amodel. Shesaid theby-laws andboard creation canbeincluded inthe ordinances. Fayette County hasaQR Code forpublic usetoprovide input on structures thatneed attention. Shesaida percentage ofthemoney from sales goes back totheLRA. Shesaid theLRA needs tobestrategic about what properties/structures itchooses sothat it isalignment forfuture use. Shesaid 260K wascontributed bytheCounty to start theLRA which was theonly initial investment. However, ittakes thefull- time work ofemployees, andtheir salaries need tobedecided upon andthemoney available fortheir salaries prior tostarting theLRA. Jinasaid theLRA needs to have anoutside legal Counsel. Fayette County’sLRA strives tohave structures/properties back into reuse within twelve months. They engage local developers. Shesaid Fayette County’s LRA hasanattorney andaCPA under contract. JinasaidthattheNRGRDA is willing tohelp theCity ofBeckley with anLRA iftheCityisinterested. Delegate Roop said Raleigh County Commission is hoping tohavethenecessary paperwork submitted before theupcoming deadline. Jina said thatitispossible fortheCity andthe County tohave an intergovernmental LRA. Jina saidother places have done this anditwould bea decision thattheCity Council would make. Next ontheagenda wasthebudget revisions forthegeneral fund for2024- 2025 andthebudget revisions forthecoal severance fund for2024-2025. Mr. Jarrell asked Council tolook overthe information andifthey have questions to please calltosetupanappointment with himprior totheJune 10th Council Meeting asthese budget revisions have to besubmitted totheState Auditor’sOffice byJune 13.th With there being nofurther business to discuss theMayor adjourned themeeting at5:26p.m. Mayor Interim City Manager