Beckley council approves city manager government, will take effect July 1

Jan. 9—The Beckley Common Council voted Tuesday to convert the city of Beckley into a city manager government.

The city manager ordinance was approved by a 4-3 vote, with council members Tom Sopher, Robert Canter, Robert Dunlap, and Kevin Price voting in favor and council members Sherrie Hunter, Cody Reedy, and Janine Bullock opposing the ordinance.

The move comes just two days into the filing period for the 2024 election, where all members of Beckley Council and Beckley's mayor are up for election.

Reedy, one of the two at-large council members, said it was for this reason that he opposed the city manager ordinance.

"At this point, people can file to run for this position," Reedy said. "... We're doing this way too late in the ballgame. We're throwing this on the next council, in my opinion."

The filing period for Beckley's 2024 municipal election began Monday. Candidates can choose to file for one of seven seats on council, based on where they reside, as well as the position of Beckley mayor. Those offices are nonpartisan and will be decided during the May 14 election.

Reedy went on to point out that, according to the city manager ordinance, it is the task of the current council to select a city manager who will be in place when the next council takes office on July 1.

Dunlap and Sopher, the only council members to speak during the meeting as to why they supported the measure, said a city manager government would be best for Beckley moving forward.

Under a city manager government, the city council serves as the governing body, the city manager, appointed by council, directs the administration of the city's operations, and the mayor serves mainly as a figurehead.

Following its approval by council, the city manager government will take effect July 1, when the new term for city council and Beckley mayor begins.

According to the ordinance, council is expected to appoint a city manager by June 14. Should the council be unable to select a city manager by June 14, the ordinance states that the mayor will designate a "qualified city administrative officer" to serve as acting city manager until the council approves a permanent candidate.

The debate over converting the city of Beckley to a city manager government has grown contentious in recent months with strong feelings on either side.

After months of council workshops on the topic of city manager government where only city officials and invited guests, who all spoke favorably of the measure, were allowed to speak, many city officials thought the city manager ordinance would easily sail through the approval process.

Beckley Mayor Rob Rappold even expressed shock when the ordinance did not have the unanimous support of the council upon its first reading in November.

Following the first reading, many in the public also began voicing their opposition.

Chief among those voices was Danielle Stewart, who chairs the city's Human Rights Commission. Stewart said the decision to change the city's form of government should not be made by the seven members of council but by the entirety of Beckley.

"Put it on the ballot; let the people decide what type of government they would like," Stewart said at Tuesday's council meeting.

While it did seem likely for a time that this measure would make it to the ballot, even gaining the backing of Rappold, an outspoken supporter of the city manager government, it was ultimately put to rest with the council's narrow vote in favor of the ordinance Tuesday night.

Giving an impassioned speech in favor of the ordinance Tuesday night, Dunlap said the move makes Beckley look "progressive" and "smart."

"I'm uptown's council person, and I spend the vast majority of my time speaking with individuals who own businesses, who are involved in businesses. Businesses want to feel supported, and a big part of that is making sure that businesses understand that whenever they're doing business with the city, that in four years everything's not gonna be different," Dunlap said.

"Right now, folks, we've replaced everybody up here and the mayor's position, all at the same time."

Last year, Dunlap announced his intention to run for Beckley mayor in the 2024 election.

Rappold has yet to make a formal announcement on whether he will seek reelection.

When The Register-Herald checked with the city of Beckley Monday evening, no candidates had filed to run for Beckley council or Beckley mayor.

Email: jmoore@register-herald.com