Common Council

AREGULAR MEETING OF THECOMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT5:30PMONAUGUST 05,2025, INCOUNCIL CHAMBERS AND VIAWEB-X. PRESENT: Mayor Ryan Neal, 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, and Cody Reedy. The following City employees were present: IT Technician John Hopkins, BPD Chief Bailey, Captain of BFD EdWills, Director ofBoard ofPublic Works BPW) Mike Bolen, Beckley Events Coordinator Jill Moorefield, Parks & Rec. Director Leslie Baker, and Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan. The Mayor ledinthePledge of Allegiance followed byprayer byPastor Walter Leach, Sr.with St. Paul Baptist Temple. 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 5:30p.m. The Mayor said that all members ofCouncil arepresent and there isaquorum. Council dispensed with the reading oftheminutes from theJuly 22, 2025, Council Meeting, copies ofwhich hadbeen distributed toeach member. Council unanimously approved the minutes aswritten onamotion by Councilman Williams seconded by Councilwoman Hunter. PUBLIC COMMENTS: The Mayor announced thatifcalling byphone, dial 3toraiseyour hand. Ifconnected by computer, click the “hand icon” onyour participant’spanel. There wasn’tanyone who signed uptospeak online. Mary West thanked Council forthework they aredoing andthanked theBoard ofPublic Works fortheir work incleaning uptree stumps inthealley onLarew Avenue. Shesaidthat more unity among the people intheCity isneeded. Adam Justice with theBPD encouraged everyone toattend afundraiser, “Boots vs. Badges” onAugust 23rd at3pm at Epling Stadium. Itwillbeabaseball game between theBFD andtheBPD. Free admission forchildren. Admission is $5.00foradults andallproceeds goto charity. Christina Baisden handed Council andCity administration with a letter ofintent tofileacomplaint in Circuit Court regarding theOpen Meetings Act. Shesaid theCityisin violation ofCode 6-9-A. Ms. Baisden exceeded herallotted three minutes to speak after several requests tostop she wasescorted fromthe meeting pursuant totheMayor’sorder. Tom Mosley spoke toencourage unity inthecommunity. Chris Crookshanks thanked Council for moving forward with the Vape/Smoke Shop Ordinance. TheMayor asked Anthony Martin, IT Technician ifanyone signed uponline to speak. Anthony saidno. Next were Brief Comments From the Mayor, Council Members, andtheCity Manager. Councilwoman Bullock said theNAACP event isonAugust 8,2025, at6:00p.m.atHeart ofGod Ministries. Shethanked theCity Manager andCity Attorney for theResolution Honorarily Naming Rice Street Pastor Walter Leach Street inBeckley after Pastor Leach. Councilman Buchanan thanked Jill Moorefield forthegreat carshow this past weekend andthanked Board of Public Works forhelping with theevent. Herequested aworkshop specifically on theHistoric Black Knight. Councilman Williams thanked Code Enforcement for theirhelp regarding work that has recently taken place onthestreet helives on. Councilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess thanked allthedepartments thatwork for theCity. Councilwoman Coots thanked theCityManager andChief forgetting outandwalking thestreets interacting with thefoot traffic. Sheencouraged the community tosupport oneanother. TheMayor agreed, hesaid thefocus needs tobeonourcommunity andthe people. Councilwoman Hunter said thatthe Mountaineer Food Bank distribution fortheveterans isatEpling Stadium at10:00a.m.onFriday, August 8th. Shesaid shewould liketohave a community garden ineach ward andis offering award challenge champion from each ward. Councilman Reedy had no comments. Interim City Manager Phillip Jarrell thanked the staff. He said paving will betaking place atBarber Park and work ontheEarwood parking lotwill start soon andtheNeville St.parking lot isnext. Heisworking with Mr.File, City Attorney, onavacant property ordinance andtheLRA isstillbeing worked on. He said there isavailable housing forthe homeless. OLD BUSINESS: There wasnoold business. NEW BUSINESS: Next, Mr.File summarized andread bytitle an Ordinance title Sec. 1.5-38The City of Beckley Vape/Smoke Shop Location and Operating Requirements Ordinance. Mr.File said thatvape/smoke shops can notbelocated incertain zones norwithin 1,500feet ofcertain properties. Vape/Smoke Shops may belocated inthe B-2zone andrequire aconditional use permit. Tonight isthe first reading ofthis ordinance, ifpassed, thesecond reading andpublic hearing willbeonTuesday, August 12th attheSpecial Council Meeting at5:30p.m. TheMayor asked if Council members hadanyquestions. There were none. Council unanimously approved theordinance onamotion by Councilman Reedy seconded by Councilwoman Hunter. Next, Mr.Filesummarized andreadby title, “AnOrdinance Authorizing City Of Beckley ToConvey ToThe WV DHHR A2.204AcreTract OfReal Estate, Being APortion OfParcel 14,TaxMap 50 State Board OfControls, Deed Book 9, Page 275) Located OnEisenhower Drive InBeckley District, Raleigh County, WV.” City Attorney File said thatthe deed isattached totheOrdinance as Exhibit “A”. Tonight isthefirst reading ofthisordinance. Ifpassed, thesecond reading andpublic hearing willbeon Tuesday, August 12th attheSpecial Council Meeting at5:30p.m. The Mayor asked ifCouncil members had anyquestions. Councilwoman Coots asked ifDHHR needs tobecorrected on the deed. City Attorney Filesaid the deed reads how theentity islisted onthe previous deedthatcontacts the reversionary clause. There were noother questions. Council passed the ordinance unanimously onamotion byCouncilman Buchanan seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. Next, Mr.Filesummarized andread by title, “AnOrdinance Authorizing City Of Beckley ToLease Property At100 Washington Street, Beckley, Raleigh County, WV ToSouthern WV Multi- Cultural Museum andCommunity Center, Inc.” City Attorney Filesaid thatthe lease isattached tothe Ordinance as Exhibit “A”. Tonight isthefirst reading ofthisordinance andifpassed thesecond reading andpublic hearing willbeon Tuesday, August 19th attheRegular Council Meeting at5:30p.m. The Mayor asked ifCouncil members hadany questions. Councilman Buchanan asked ifthe501C-3Corporation (Lessee) will payitsinsurance. Mr.Filesaid yes. Councilwoman Bullock asked ifthegroup that currently utilizes thebasement needs tohave insurance. Mr. Filesaid that would beuptothe Multi-Cultural Center todecide. Mr.Filesaid thelandlord shall beresponsible forthemonthly costof utilities. With there being nofurther discussion orquestions, Council unanimously approved the ordinance onamotion byCouncilwoman Coots seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. Next, City Manager Jarrell summarized theresolution titled, “Resolution To Approve Annual Action Plan”. Hesaid thatthisistheCity’sFY2025 Annual Action Plan foritsCDBG funding through HUD which isapproximately 289,846andwillbeused for administrative fees andpaving. The Mayor asked ifthere were anyquestions. There being none, Council unanimously approved theresolution onamotion by Councilwoman Hunter seconded by Councilman Reedy. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, CityAttorney Fileread the Resolution Honorarily naming Rice Street Pastor Walter Leach Street. Councilwoman Bullock thank Mr.File andMr.Jarrell for theirwork onthis resolution. Shealso thanked Pastor Leach, Sr. forhisdedication tothe community andthanked thechurch members who came tonight. Councilman Williams thanked Mr. Leach forcleaning upRice Street. City Manager Jarrell said thathehasknown Mr.Leach foralong time andMr. Leach isagreat man who well deserves thishonor. With there being nofurther comments, Council unanimously approved the resolution ona motion byCouncilwoman Hunter seconded byCouncilwoman Bullock. Theresolution ishereby incorporated into these minutes. Next wasthereceipt oftwo bids forthe paving ofMercer Street, Nixon Drive, andDorcus Avenue. Thefirst bidwas from Triple APaving forMercer Street in theamount of $198,875.00, forNixon Drive intheamount of $10,450.00,and Dorcus Avenue intheamount of 91,750. Thenext bidwasfrom Southern WVPaving for Mercer Street in theamount of $180,385., Nixon Drive in theamount of $11,175.00, and Dorcus Avenue intheamount of $65,640.00. These bids arehereby incorporated into these minutes andwillbeconsidered by theCouncilpersons atLarge, theCity Manager, andtheDirector oftheBoard of Public Works for possible award ata future Council meeting. Next, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Morgan read two applications. One form was from Kumo Japan at108Galleria Plaza foraname change. Theother was anapplication forWV ABCA License at 101N.Eisenhower Drive forBFS Foods, Inc. No action isrequired byCouncil. Theapplications arehereby incorporated into these minutes. Next, theMayor asked foramotion to enter intoExecutive Session todiscuss lease ofproperty. Councilman Reedy made themotion seconded by Councilwoman Bullock unanimously approved byCouncil which entered into Executive Session at6:18p.m. At6:40 theMayor asked foramotion toenter back into theRegular Council Meeting. Council unanimously approved ona motion byCouncilwoman Coots seconded byCouncilwoman Shoemaker- Dingess. With there being nofurther business to discuss, Council unanimously approved adjourning themeeting onamotion by Councilman Reedy andseconded by Councilwoman Bullock. The Mayor adjourned themeeting at6:41p.m. Mayor City Manager