Common Council

ASCHEDULED WORKSHOP OFTHE COMMON COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFBECKLEY CONVENED AT4:00PMONAUGUST 06,2025, 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 Anthony Martin, BFD Captain EdWills, Chief Bailey ofPD, Deputy Director ofBoard ofPublic Works (BPW) Mike Bolen, Beckley Events Coordinator JillMoorefield, Parks & Rec. Director Leslie Baker, and Chief Code Enforcement Officer Donald Morgan. The Mayor said that thepublic had the option tojointhemeeting inperson, listen byWEB-Xfrom their computer, orlisten byphone, using theweblink orphone number provided thedayofthemeeting ontheCity’swebpage atBeckley.orgor theCity’sFacebook page. TheMayor said that thisisaWorkshop. Public comments arenotmade atWorkshops andnovotes willbetaken. The Mayor called the meeting toorder at 4:00p.m. The Mayor said that all members ofCouncil were present. The Mayor said today’sagenda consists of twotopics with thefirst being opioid funds. City Manager Jarrell said that members ofCouncil andtheMayor were provided copies inthe pastoftheMOU regarding theopioid funds. TheMOU explains how thefunds canandcannotbe used. Mr.Jarrell said apanel needs tobe formed Council said thatthey would appreciate itifMr.Jarrell would present tothem listofpotential panel members to beapproved byCouncil ataregular Council meeting. Mr.Jarrell said thathe would beglad to. Hesaidthat Charleston, WV partnered with United Way ofCharleston andUnited Way is administering Charleston’sopioid settlement fund. Heasked Council ifthey want him toreach outtoTrena Dacal from the local United Way inRaleigh County toseeifshewould beinterested. Council said that they want apanel formed and want toapprove eachmember onthepanel. Mr.Jarrell said thatCity Council will approve payments based on recommendations bythepanel. Councilwoman Coots said theamount being paid needs tobeevaluated onacase bycase basis. Councilwoman Bullock said that some ofthe kids andfamilies in school were affected andshewould like tohave arepresentative from theRaleigh County Board ofEducation onthepanel. Mr.Jarrell said there isanapplication that isready tobeputontheCity’swebsite forthose requesting money. Heread what iscurrently onthe application. Councilwoman Coots asked thatheadd the duration ofthe project onthe application before posting itonline. Mr. Jarrell agreed. Councilman Williams asked ifCity Council could oversee the disbursement ofopioid settlement funds if they choose toandnotget apanel involved. Mr.Jarrell said yes, ifthatis what Council decides. Councilwoman Hunter said thatiftheoverdose related calls thattheBeckley FDandBeckley PD have responded toovertheyears could be reimbursed tothose departments from the opioid fund, itneeds tohappen. Shesaid, time, gas, mileage, etc. should be reimbursed ifpossible. The Mayor asked iftheapplicants requesting help could be outside City limits. Mr. Jarrell said yes. The Mayor saidhelikes theidea of forming apanel toadvise andhelp Council, asthiswillbeanongoing program. Councilman Williams asked if Council hasadeadline tousethefunds. Jessica Chandler Interim Recorder Treasurer said sheinitially thought that there was adeadline butthatisnot correct. Sheclarified bysaying thatthere isnodeadline tousethefunds. The Mayor said thatoneofthemembers that recently shared with Council fromthe Peer Recovery Program thatworks with theBPD should beonthepanel also. Mr. Jarrell said thatCouncil needs tobe thinking about ifthey aregoing torequire applicants requesting funds tomatch the amount thattheCity contributes tothat organization. Hesaidsalaries orcapital improvements cannotbepaid from the opioid settlement money. Councilman Williams asked ifaCouncil member(s) canbeonthepanel. Mr. Jarrel said Council determines who isonthepanel andifthere isapanel. Next, Mr.Jarrell spoke regarding the former Welcome Center. Hesaid thathe spoke toMitch Lehman regarding the planned trail system inandaround our City andthey arenotcompleted yet. Mr. Jarrell said thathewould rather wait until thetrails arecompleted before rebranding theformer welcome center asatrail head center. HesaidthatMitch looked atthe building where theformer welcome center was andestimated approximately 100K torenovate it.Hesaidwecan utilize itasasatellite office forthePDto operate outof,lease it,rebrand it,orsell it. TheFMRS would liketosetatable up along theRails toTrails andpass out Narcan. Mr.Jarrell saidtheofficers onbicycles could visit thesatellite office regularly. Mr.Jarrell said that approximately 3-4 people visited thelocation daily when it wasawelcome center. Councilwoman Coots said regardless ofwhat goes there, better signage isneeded prior to approaching theentrance. Mr.Jarrell said thatthe entrance andthe exitisn’tideal. Councilwoman Hunter said thatCouncil didnotvote toclose thewelcome center, itwas closed byInterim City Manager Ann Worley andCouncil didnothave a saysointhematter. Shesaidthat Beckley needs tohave aplace where people canrent/usebicycles andbegiven information about ourCity. Thebicycles arestillstored inthebuilding. Councilwoman Coots said thatshewas told thattheNaff Family’swishes were fora501C-3tooperate inthebuilding. Councilman Williams asked why itwas closed. TheMayor said duetobeing under utilized andhethinks something needs tobethere thatwillbefully operational twelve months outoftheyear. Councilwoman Shoemaker-Dingess said thatsheisinfavor ofBeckley having a welcome center. Shedoes notthink that itshould belocated where itwas. She thinks itneeds tobeinthedowntown area with better restrooms andartdisplays, etc. Shesaid thattheRails toTrails needs to besafer andcleaner toencourage people touseit. Councilman Reedy said thebuilding isin abadlocation butperhaps anexisting bike shop might want toexpand andput anadditional location there. He mentioned that maybe theCity could reach outtoabike shop inthe Fayetteville area. They might be interested. Councilman Williams said thatVisit Southern WV onHarper Road needs more signage closer toandonthe interstate. Jessica Chandler said thatthere isanearmark forawelcome center. Councilwoman Hunter asked Jessica to explain the $497K that waspreviously used forParks/Recreation andtheCVB which came outofthehotel/motel occupancy tax. Jessica said thisyear itis 1MsoParks/Recreceived $500K and CVB received $500K. Councilman Buchanan said thisSaturday isthesecond Saturday andtheCity needs tosupport the Downtown Pulse’snew event called “2nd Saturdays.” Hewanted toleteveryone know that the Oak (inpatient recovery program) through theFMRS isshutting down soon. With there being nofurther business to discuss, theMayor adjourned themeeting at5:01p.m. Mayor City Manager