BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Many local leaders and political figures could be found at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center on Tuesday, where the City of Beckley hosted an Comprehensive Plan Open House event.
The event which ran from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Tuesday, April 16th, 2024, encouraged participation from members of the public, with a specific emphasis placed on key concerns of residents throughout the area.
Such issues acknowledged included the effectiveness and safety of local road networks, maintenance of reliable utilities infrastructure such as water, sewer, storm water and electric, access to quality Parks and Recreation opportunities, and more.
Snacks and beverages were made available to those in attendance as they expressed their respective views and concerns, in part, by way of a voting system implemented specifically for the event. This system allowed city residents to express their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the means by which the city government has handled various issues up to this point.
A more open-ended opportunity for expression with regard to the status of the City of Beckley was also made available to those in attendance through boards featuring the sentence fragment, “I would describe Beckley as ____,” allowing participants to add their own adjectives to best convey their respective perspectives.
The event was notable in that it provided Beckley citizens with the opportunity to make their thoughts known with regard to the direction of the city – a welcome accommodation following city council sessions in recent weeks which have seen a number of constituents express frustration at a purported lack of transparency on the city’s behalf.
Beckley City Council candidate for Ward 3, Tom Moseley regarded the event as a positive effort from the city to attempt to engage constituents in a productive dialogue, noting a lack of transparency in the past which has complicated proceedings.
“I think that this is a great opportunity for the public. We have an issue with transparency in the city it seems, and the residents can come out and let their voices be heard. We need more of that, so it’s really good to see this.”
When discussing specific issues presented for consideration during the event, Moseley noted that citizen safety in uptown Beckley area and dilapidated structures throughout the city should be of particular concern, telling LOOTPRESS,
“A lot of folks like to get out and walk on a sunny day and enjoy uptown, and we’ve got to really work toward making our citizens feel safe in that area. There was [the issue presented of] rundown areas in Beckley and about putting money into those to revitalize them. Our city is a reflection of us, so all of our areas have to be worked on equally, we have to get better.”
More information on the City of Beckley’s Comprehensive Plan can be found here. Information on Tom Moseley’s campaign for Beckley City Council Ward 3 can be found here.