Charleston City Council Regular Meeting – March 16, 2026
Charleston City Council Regular Meeting – March 16, 2026
The Charleston City Council met at 7:00 PM on Monday, March 16, 2026, in Council Chambers at City Hall, with Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin presiding. Twenty-six members were present; Councilmember Burka was absent. The meeting included public comments, a Red Cross proclamation, two public hearings, committee reports, a contested budget amendment, and multiple fiscal approvals. Council adjourned at 8:19 PM. The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 6, 2026, at 7:00 PM.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jackie Johnson spoke in favor of the Charleston Police Department, offered a prayer, and used the biblical story of Nehemiah to urge unity.
- Shamika Robinson described the New Triangle District's plan to rebuild a cultural center, including creating a skating rink at Beauregard and Lewis, four lots with three additional surrounding lots, and a $1.4 million fundraising goal. She announced a gala on March 28 from 8 PM to midnight with a 'Wiz' theme and invited Council support.
- Phillip Dunn expressed support for the Police Department and prayed a blessing over the city.
- Tara Raymo read Psalm 33.
- Kevin Witcher acknowledged strained relations between the West Side Black community and police, praised police and fire personnel as unified servants, and urged Council to let conscience—not the budget—guide decisions.
- Rich Goszka, staff representative for the West Virginia Police Benevolent Association, raised concerns about equity in the proposed police pay raise, stating veteran officers would receive $0.25 less than newer officers under the milestone system. He also described deplorable conditions at the police station, including sanitation, mold, mildew, and electrical code violations, and urged Council to tour the facility.
- John Doyle discussed immigration enforcement, cited recent federal district court rulings against detention practices, urged the city to uphold constitutional protections, and warned of legal liability for jurisdictions.
Claims: A claim by Jacque Thomas alleging vehicle damage was referred to the City Solicitor.
Proclamation
- Mayor Goodwin proclaimed March 2026 as American Red Cross Month. The proclamation noted that since 2014 the Sound the Alarm initiative has made more than 1,050 Charleston homes safer by installing nearly 2,500 smoke alarms, and that nearly 100 local blood drives last year collected more than 2,500 units of blood, helping support nearly 19,000 units distributed to Charleston hospitals. A Red Cross representative thanked the city for its partnership.
Public Hearings
- Resolution No. 26-030 (JM Properties, LLC alley lease for CO2 or other compressed gas tanks adjacent to Hale Street): no public comment; hearing closed.
- Resolution No. 26-031 (lease of the movie theater at 600 Washington Street, East to The Greater Charleston Theater Company and Entertainment Group, LLC): no public comment; hearing closed.
Discussion Items
- Bill No. 8068: relocated a 15-minute parking zone on Hunters Ridge Road from a point 140 feet north of Saddlehorn Road to a point 240 feet north of Saddlehorn Road, moving it about 100 feet away from a curve at the neighborhood's request. Councilmember Gianola abstained because his law firm represents the homeowners association. Passed 25-0-1.
- Resolution No. 26-030: authorized a lease with JM Properties, LLC for a small alley area (about 3 feet by 8 feet) adjacent to Hale Street for Ursula's Brewworks to store CO2 or other compressed gas tanks with protections from vehicular traffic. Adopted unanimously.
- Resolution No. 26-031: authorized a one-year lease of the former Park Place cinema space under the city-owned parking garage; the Greater Charleston Theater Company will pay utilities and $0.50 per ticket sold, with an optional two-year renewal. Councilmember Pepper thanked the operators and called it a fiscally responsible solution. Adopted unanimously.
- Resolution No. 26-032: authorized an agreement with WesBanco, Inc. for a standby letter of credit in the amount of $705,000 in favor of Encova, beginning March 31, 2026, to collateralize workers' compensation claims under the city's large deductible policy. Cost is 0.5% of the amount ($3,525) plus a $400 documentation fee, totaling $3,925. Adopted unanimously. (The transcript appears to mistakenly state $75,000; the agenda and minutes state $705,000.)
- Resolution No. 26-033: approved the FY2026-2027 municipal budget of approximately $113,629,000, about $100,000 more than the prior year. An amendment by Councilmember Snodgrass to give all police officers a $0.75 milestone increase (a $0.25 additional raise for legacy officers) by moving $32,031 from overtime to the police salary line was rejected 9-17 after a previous-question motion passed 20-6. The budget then passed 24-2.
- Resolution No. 26-034: authorized the purchase of 27 in-car camera systems from Motorola Solutions for $147,227.76. Twelve will go into new police cruisers and 15 will replace older systems; a West Virginia Department of Homeland Security grant covers $133,449.55, and CPD will pay $13,778.21 for an extended four-year warranty. Adopted unanimously.
- Resolution No. 26-035: authorized the purchase of a Ford F-150 Long Bed pickup for the Charleston Fire Department from Thornhill Ford Auto Group for $45,200, replacing a 2014 unit. Adopted unanimously.
- Resolution No. 26-036: authorized the purchase of twelve sets of turnout gear from Witmer Public Safety for $43,903, completing backup gear sets for the Fire Department. Adopted unanimously.
- Resolution No. 26-037: authorized the purchase of a Ford F-250 Regular Cab 4x4 pickup for the Public Grounds Department from Thornhill Ford Auto Group for $43,603, replacing the Carriage Trail truck. The purchase is funded by the Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ayre Fund administered by the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation. Adopted unanimously.
- Bill No. 8069: added a definition of 'paramedic intercept' and a $300 paramedic intercept fee to the ambulance services schedule, allowing the city to recoup costs when Charleston Fire Department paramedics provide advanced life support in non-City ambulances. Passed unanimously.
- Reports of Officers: The City of Charleston Payroll Variance Analysis for February 2026 and the Municipal Court Report for the month ending February 2026 were received.
Remarks by Members
- Council observed a moment of silence for Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shaw.
- Councilmember Faegre praised the Charleston Fire Department's response to a house fire on Highland Road.
- Councilmember Pharr reported that the Community Baby Shower exceeded expectations, with about 300 attendees and about 30 pregnant women served through opioid settlement funding.
- Councilmember Taylor praised the New Triangle District's presentation to the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority.
- A councilmember reminded colleagues of a special levy meeting on April 21, 2026, at 5:30 PM, as required by law.
Key Outcomes
- Bill No. 8068 passed (25 yeas, 0 nays, 1 abstention).
- Resolutions No. 26-030 through 26-037 and Bill No. 8069 were all approved.
- The Snodgrass police-pay amendment to the budget failed; Resolution No. 26-033 passed as proposed (24-2).
- The Jacque Thomas claim was referred to the City Solicitor.
- Council adjourned at 8:19 PM until April 6, 2026, at 7:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. My apologies in advance. When the weather gets like this, I lose my voice. I'm gonna do my very best this evening. Thank you, everyone, for being here. Councilwoman Kearns will lead us in prayer. Please keep in mind when I offer this blessing that our creator has a great sense of humor. And March always comes in like a lion, and hopefully it's gonna go out like a lamb. Wondrous powers of springtime, spirit of green grasses and warm breezes, goddess of creativity and birth renewed. The birds call your sacred name. Budsbirth burst forth with your promise of beauty. The sun reaches higher into the sky, shining the light of this new day through the windows of our world. Oh power of springtime, forgive us our spediness and our racing before your eternal grace that we do not see the miracle world we share. Open our eyes with your warmth and our hearts with your beauty. Slow our minds with awe and wonder. Also please remember those that are in harm's way, protecting our great nation and our many freedoms. Amen. Thank you so much. Council Member Salango, would you please lead us in the pledge? Thank you so much. When he's prepared, Clerk will please prepare the machine for voting. The clerk will close the machine. The clerk will please read the journal president. With approval of council, we actually have six council or we have six uh public speakers tonight. Do I hear or see any objections to allowing all six to participate this evening at two minutes each? We have six public speakers tonight uh at no more than two minutes. And our first person is Jackie Johnson. Jackie. Yes, please. Hello. Come on to the microphone right here. And council member Haas will help you out. Thank you so much. And I come just to honor everyone in this room. Um I go to the police uh station every other week uh to bring a devotion and to pray. And I love going there, and when we all work together in unity, we can turn this around. Um, I also bring the scriptures, and the Lord has really put Nehemiah on my heart because when the walls of Jerusalem were falling down, he went, but he went to the the king and he prayed and he he fasted and he got favor, and this king gave him all the supplies to take to rebuild the wall, a letter so he would go in safety, but he also provided an army as protection. And when they went, and then they get to the city and it's in ruins, and he assesses it, and then they start, and then the opposition comes in, and when the opposition comes in, he calls the nobles and the leaders and the officials and and the laborers, and everyone comes together in unity. And when they did that, they were working. The laborers were having to work with a weapon in one hand, and they would do their work in the other, but they they posted guards, so they were protected, and I love this story because that's what our frontline responders do for us. They protect us. Each and every person in this room has a job to do. We can't do it alone. We can't rebuild the ruins, we can't rebuild our city. We can't do it alone, but together, together we can do it. We can make West Virginia is the most beautiful state, and I have been to almost every state in our nation, and I've lived in quite a few of them. West Virginia is absolutely beautiful. And the heart of West Virginia is absolutely beautiful. Is that my time? So anyway, when they did it in unity, the walls got rebuilt in 52 days.
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