Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OFTHE COMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT 6:30PMONJUNE 24, 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, Nancy Shoemaker-Dingess, Frank Williams, Janine Bullock, KipBuchanan, 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 byAssistant Pastor Dusty Brian with Bible Baptist 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. The Mayor said thatthere was aquorum. Council dispensed with the reading oftheminutes from theJune 5,2025, Workshop, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved theminutes aswritten onamotion byCouncilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess seconded byCouncilwoman Hunter. Council dispensed with thereading oftheminutes from theJune 10, 2025, Regular Council Meeting, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved the minutes aswritten onamotion byCouncilwoman Coots seconded by Councilman Williams. Next ontheAgenda were Brief Comments From theMayor, Council Members, andthe Interim City Manager. Councilwoman Bullock invited Ms. Thompson who isarecent Woodrow Wilson graduate tointroduce herself atthemeeting. Shewillattend college soon to beadentist andwants toreturn toBeckley topractice. Councilwoman Bullock inquired about theopioid settlement money, theLand Reuse Agency, andanordinance regarding vape shops. Shehopes these items are addressed soon. Mr.File said these items arebeing worked on. Interim City Manager Mr.Jarrell said these items canbeincluded inaworkday/workshop as each item isready. Each item requires specific details. Sheand Councilwoman Coots attended their 45th high school reunion heldatBlack Knight; shesaid itwas great. Shethanked Councilwoman Hunter forallshedoes fortheCity. She thanked KelliGunnoe forallthat shedoes. Shethanked Mary West forspeaking tothe leaders inCharleston regarding therate hikes from Appalachian Power. Councilman Buchanan said heisglad toseetheCity working toadopt aVape/Smoke Shop Ordinance soon, aswell asthe City working touse theopioid funds soon. Hesaid theCity hadalotof business thispast weekend with events atBlack Knight andthepool atNew River waswell attended. Councilman Williams thanked the Board ofPublic Works for their work andthe BPD fortheirassistance with anincident inhisneighborhood recently. Councilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess didnothave anycomments. Councilwoman Coots said thatsheandCouncilman Williams recently rode together touring each other’sWards tolearn more about theCity’schallenges. Shewould liketoseetheCityhave a “town hall” type of collaboration withtheresidents oftheCity regarding how theopioid funds should beused. Shesaid Charleston, WV didthis. The Mayor thanked allthe departments involved inhelping host andprepare forthearrival oftheAntique Automobile Club ofAmerica. Heasked City Events Director JillMoorefield ifshewould liketoshare more about the BillWithers Festival. Shesaid theconcert isattheBillWithers Plaza onSaturday from 1:00p.m.-8:00p.m.and on Sunday thedocumentary “ Still Bill” willbeatThe Raleigh Playhouse & Theatre at4:00p.m. andadmission is $5.00. Councilwoman Hunter thanked everyone involved inthestreetscape clean-upproject onHarper Road. Shethinks Larew Avenue needs more speed humps. She said thisistheone-year anniversary ofthe City adopting astrong Council form ofgovernment with aceremonial Mayor. She also said itis troubling toherthat Council didnot have avote inthedecision toclose theWelcome Center. Shesaid Beckley needs aWelcome Center. She congratulated Tiffany and Noah Kapp onthe recent opening oftheir new business in downtown town called “Tiffany’sonMain”. Councilman Reedy said hiscomments willbe made during theParking Commission Meeting. Interim City Manager Phillip Jarrell thanked allofthedepartments thathelped with theevents thispast weekend andhethanked Donnie Holcomb for holding the event inBeckley. He said Black Knight hadabusy weekend andthepool atNew River hasbeen very busy. OLD BUSINESS: There was nooldbusiness. NEW BUSINESS: There was nonew business. Next wasthe receipt ofbids fortheremoval andinstallation ofroofs onfire stations 1 &3. Fire Station 1 (FS1) islocated on3rd Avenue andFire Station 2 (FS2) islocated onPikeview Drive. The Mayor said these bids will bereviewed forpossible award atafuture Council meeting. The first bidwas from Vertex Roofing forFS1 for $84,645.00andFS2 for 30,355.00. Vertex Roofing’sbidformetal roofing forFS1 was $248,046.00andformetal roofing forFS2 was $88,954.00. Dan HillConstruction’ sbidforFS1 was $136,738.00and 65,950.00forFS2. Dan HillConstruction’ sbidformetal roofing forFS1 was $494,886.00 and $186,578.00forFS2. Frye Roofing’sbidforFS1 was $79,076.00and $39,409.00for FS2. FryRoofing didnotsubmit abidformetal roofing. The bid(s)areincorporated into these minutes. 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 requested more speed humps on Larew Avenue. Shesaidthepublic needs toshare their opinions when given theopportunity regarding power companies consistently requesting ratehikes. Christina Baisden spoke about Black Knight, recent hires oftheCity andsaid theCity needs ahomeless shelter. Shealso complained about Council’slack ofresponse toherquestions. Danielle Stewart voiced her opinion about the City’sgeneral fund andthebudget, targeting thefigures included forthe City Attorney’sOffice. Council unanimously approved entering into Executive Session onamotion byCouncilman Reedy seconded byCouncilman Buchanan. Council entered Executive Session forlease negotiations andapersonnel issue at7:03p.m. Council unanimously approved entering backinto theRegular Council Meeting onamotion byCouncilman Buchanan seconded byCouncilwoman Coots at7:43p.m. With there being nofurther business todiscuss, Council unanimously approved adjourning themeeting ona motion byCouncilman Williams seconded byCouncilwoman Hunter. The Mayor adjourned themeeting at7:44p.m. The Parking Commission Meeting was held following theCouncil meeting. Mayor City Manager