BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Beckley City Council saw a unanimous vote from council members for the allocation of $120,000 to the Raleigh County Board of Education to assist with costs associated with the new Stratton Elementary School.
It was revealed that Mayor Rob Rappold had received a letter from Raleigh County Schools Superintendent David Price, sent approximately one month prior to the meeting itself, requesting the funds, citing a “shortfall” in available funding.
City Council member Robert Dunlap has sung the praises of the ongoing project in recent weeks, and on Tuesday noted, “when we say this is a state-of-the-art school, that’s not an [exaggeration.] This school was built with the kids in mind.”
Dunlap, along with other members of City Council, had the opportunity to tour the new Stratton Elementary School location recently.
While it was briefly debated whether the transfer of funds was permissible under the perimeters of city funding, Beckley CFO and city attorney William File stated that the allocation of the $120,000 in question would not violate any funding regulations.
The request passed unanimously once a vote on the matter was taken.