The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

November 14, 2012

Pay raise for Beckley employees approved

By Wendy Holdren Register-Herald Reporter

At the Beckley Common Council meeting Tuesday, a motion was approved to award $1,200 pay raises to full-time city employees and a one time pay supplement of $750.

The pay supplement will be awarded in December and the pay raises will become effective Jan. 1, 2013.

“A lot of employees will appreciate this,” Mayor Emmett Pugh said.

He said in the first quarter of 2013, he will look at entry-level pay and adjustments may be made. If a pay hike is given, he said upper level salaries would need to be adjusted as well.

A new 150-foot heavy duty aerial ladder truck will be purchased for the Beckley Fire Department. A motion was approved to award the bid to Finley Fire Equipment in the amount of $848,187.

The Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia will benefit from an $8,000 Community Participation Program grant awarded to the city of Beckley. A motion was passed to award these funds to the Youth Museum for renovation and upgrades of the restrooms, classrooms and exterior of the building.

Council also approved a motion to enter a development agreement with Paramount Development Corporation, the company currently constructing Panera Bread and a new Sheetz location.

Pugh said this agreement will allow a small tax break for Paramount Development if they improve the city through sewer, water, storm water, traffic patterns, etc.

He said the city would rebate the company up to $75,000.

“The city has determined that it is essential to the economic and social welfare of Beckley that the city promote the economic vitality of the community by assuring opportunities for development and sound and stable commercial growth.”

Paramount Development has built several other business locations in Beckley, such as Walgreens and Lowe’s, Pugh said.

Councilman Ron Booker asked that the discussion of CALEA accreditation for the Beckley Police Department be rescheduled until the next meeting. Booker said he wanted all council members to be present for the discussion. Councilman Chris Hall and Councilman Tim Berry were not in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.

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