UPDATE: (Tuesday, May 12, 2020, at 7:30 pm) BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – A potential pay raise for city council members dies.
Mayor Rob Rappold said in Tuesday nights council meeting that he didn’t think it had support to pass, which will kill the pay raise proposal.
Rappold asked council members if anyone had a motion to approve the pay raise ordinance, none of members voted to approve it.
BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – Tomorrow night, elected officials in Beckley will have the opportunity to vote on pay raises. Beckley Mayor Rob Rappold has voiced his opinion on being against the vote.
Seven city council members will have the chance to vote against or to support the pay raise. Some Council members have been outspoken about being opposed to a raise, while others want to support the vote.
“I’m very opposed to it. I served on the council for two years, and when I began in 1988, I didn’t even know that it was a paid position,” said Mayor Rappold.
Beckley Mayor Rob Rappold says he’s opposed to members of Beckley Common Council getting pay raises, especially during this time.
“We’re in the upper 30 percent percentile. We’re above 70 percent so already we’re above average and in this day and time when our revenue dropped dramatically,” said Rappold.
Beckley Mayor Rappold is not the only person who is against the pay raise. Councilman at large Tim Berry said he would not vote in favor of an increase.
“I’m opposed to it, and I would vote no, whether we were in the COVID situation or not. I feel that council members are well compensated for our work, and you know you don’t serve as a councilman, in my opinion, for the pay,” said Berry.
The votes will take place tomorrow in the city’s agenda meeting.
