BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – City of Beckley Mayor, Rob Rappold, who has served two terms as mayor, will reportedly not be seeking re-election for the role.
According to several media outlets confirmed by the Office of the Mayor to have recently spoken with Rappold, the public servant will be bringing his mayoral career to its conclusion as the May election approaches.
Rappold has remained undecided in recent months with regard to another mayoral run, and as city government in the Beckley undergoes a number of structural changes, it appears that the public servant will not be seeking a third term.
Such changes in government structure include the much-discussed transition to a Strong Council/City Manager form of government which would diminish the authority of the individual serving as mayor. The shift would relegate the mayor to what has been described as a figurehead for the city, an issue which was a key element of a recent lawsuit filed against the city.
Initially considered for inclusion on the May election ballot, the shift to City Manager was expedited earlier this month in a Beckley City Council session during which an ordinance passed approving the change by a 4-3 vote. Attorney and City Councilman Robert Dunlap – one of the four representatives to cast their vote in favor of the ordinance – announced his own candidacy for Mayor of Beckley in October.
“Our current mayor has had decades of experience in city governance to his credit. But the methods of leadership and the way things always have been may not have necessarily reflected the levels of transparency and innovation that are inherent with a candidate like myself,” the candidate told LOOTPRESS at the time of his announcement.
“Don’t get me wrong. I have an immense respect for any public servant who can serve for so long. However, it is time for a changing of the guard.”
Notably, Rappold himself was among the four “yes” votes from members of City Council with regard to the City Manager ordinance, along with Council members Dunlap, Sopher, and Price, while Council members Reedy, Hunter, and Bullock voted in opposition.
Mayor Rappold served for 22 years as a Councilman-at-Large for the City of Beckley for over two decades between 1989 and 2011, and also served one year as Recorder-Treasurer for the City of Beckley.
Along with over 50 years of experience in the field of business, Rappold also brought to the role of mayor a distinct emphasis on crime fighting and law enforcement support, having graduated from the Citizens Police Academy himself in 2015. The new Beckley Police Department headquarters facility on Ned Payne drive was introduced during Rappold’s first term as mayor, officially opening its doors in 2019.
Mayor Rappold could not be reached for comment on the decision, as the Office of the Mayor advised on Thursday that he is currently taking time away for a vacation.
