Beckley City Council Regular Meeting - September 15, 2026

The Beckley City Council met in regular session on the evening of September 15, 2026. The council approved the minutes of the September 1, 2026 meeting, heard four public comments, conducted a first reading on a property purchase ordinance and a second reading on a vape shop ordinance, and approved an audit committee and an asset disposal auction. Members also discussed rescheduling the November 3, 2026 (Election Day) council meeting and organizing a moderated town hall.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the September 1, 2026 regular council meeting as presented, by voice vote, with no questions or comments.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mary West (first of four scheduled speakers) announced an October 16, 2026 event in Charleston and urged the community to support Captain Liz, stating "that's what we all need to do is support each other."
• West commented on traffic enforcement, asserting that police officers are out pulling people over, and agreed with "Tom" that a no-warning-ticket approach for speeders would be a good idea.
• West also referenced a prior meeting, saying she left with the understanding that a structure "would be required to be revealed," but expressed doubt that it will happen.
• The remaining public speakers' remarks are substantially garbled in the transcript; fragments reference unverified email details, children roughly between eight and eleven years old and "the thrill of riding," and an unintelligible question about a councilwoman.

Council Member & City Manager Comments

• A council member asked whether council members' historical badges included arrest powers.
• A council member reported enjoying the parade and being dubbed one of the "Fantastic Four" by attorney Gavin Ward, riding in a red convertible Camaro with other women on council, and gave kudos to public works for keeping the streets clean.
• A council member expressed gratitude for a West Virginia Tech event attended that day, noting that a graduate of West Virginia Tech made a significant gift to help children in Southern West Virginia.
• A council member thanked Mayor Ryan Neal and Councilwoman Natalie Coots, who served as celebrity servers at a 9/11 remembrance, saying "we will never forget" and the city will always honor 9/11.
• In response to a resident's inquiry, a council member explained tree-liability rules: if a neighbor's tree falls on your property, your insurance company typically covers it, and a property owner may cut branches hanging over their own property but cannot force the neighbor to cut the tree.
• Election Day scheduling: Council noted that November 3, 2026 is Election Day and a council meeting is currently scheduled that night; members agreed to decide at the meeting immediately before whether to reschedule or cancel.
• Town hall proposal: The mayor proposed a moderated town hall, possibly run in conjunction with Active Southern West Virginia, to provide accurate information on policing, code enforcement, and housing, with HUD housing included. The mayor reported that the police chief is eager to share statistics on people the department has rescued and helped. A council member agreed 100% with the mayor, recalling a campaign promise to hold town halls in each ward, and offered support. Staff were asked to coordinate invitees and identify a date and venue (possibly the armory).

Discussion Items

• First reading — Property purchase (105 Hartley Avenue): Ordinance authorizing the City of Beckley to purchase real property at 105 Hartley Avenue, Beckley, Raleigh County, West Virginia, for the benefit of the Beckley Sanitary Board. The Sanitary Board passed a supporting resolution on September 9, 2026. The purchase supports a project to improve the sanitary system and water drainage. A second reading and public hearing are scheduled for the next meeting in two weeks.
• Second reading — Vape shop abandonment ordinance: Ordinance amending Beckley City Code Chapter 15, Section 38 (abandonment) to clarify language governing vape businesses. If a vape business owner ceases operations, a new owner must obtain proper zoning and city authorization before operating; existing shops are grandfathered only while ownership and the business name remain unchanged, and a name change constitutes abandonment. A public hearing was opened and closed with no comments from the audience.
• Audit committee: The recommended committee comprises City Manager Philip Gerrell, the recorder/treasurer, the recommending council member (as lead contact for the audit firm), and one additional council member to be selected. Council member Nancy Dinkins/Dingis (name uncertain in transcript) was selected for the committee.
• Ordinance and fee review: During discussion, a speaker noted that Beckley's building permit fee is 0.005 (half a percent), about a percentage or a percentage and a half off from every other city, and that the city's fee schedule has not been updated in several years. The review also pertains to the Land Reuse Agency (LRA), with properties to be listed in the city's computer system.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the September 1, 2026 meeting minutes (voice vote).
• Approved on first reading the ordinance authorizing purchase of 105 Hartley Avenue for the Beckley Sanitary Board (voice vote; second reading and public hearing in two weeks).
• Approved on second reading the ordinance amending the Beckley Vape Smoke Shop Ordinance / City Code Chapter 15, Section 38 (public hearing closed with no comments; voice vote).
• Approved the audit committee as recommended, with Nancy Dinkins/Dingis as the council member (voice vote).
• Approved proceeding with the asset disposal auction of surplus city assets on GovDeals, using the same process as the prior year.
• Deferred the decision on rescheduling the November 3, 2026 (Election Day) council meeting until the preceding meeting.
• Directed staff to plan a moderated town hall, including identifying invitees and securing a date and venue.

Note: No agenda or minutes were available for cross-reference. The raw transcript contains significant transcription errors and garbled passages (e.g., names such as "Philip Gerrell," "Nancy Dinkins/Dingis," and portions of the tree-liability and public comment exchanges); this summary notes uncertainty where the audio was unclear rather than asserting a definitive reading.