Beckley Looks to Boost Population with Annexation

Beckley officials are looking to boost the city’s population by annexing several residential areas.

Beckley director of information technology Bill Kelly is chairman of the city’s annexation committee. He tells The Register-Herald that annexing these areas bordering the city could increase Beckley’s population from about 17,000 to nearly 35,000.
 
Kelly says this would more accurately reflect the number of people who come to Beckley for services such as shopping and health care. He says an increase in population also could make the city more appealing to new businesses.
 
The city is sending letters to a large group of property owners to educate them about annexation, including the benefits and cost.