Beckley Story Archives - Page 12 of 12 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

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.

US Army Moving Recruiting Center from W.Va. to Va.

The U.S. Army is moving its recruiting center in Beckley to Virginia.

The U.S. Army Recruiting Command’s relocation to Richmond, Virginia, is scheduled to be completed by the end of June.
Capt. Randall Agnew, the company commander in Richmond, tells The Register-Herald that there currently are four full-time workers at the Beckley facility.

The Beckley center once employed around 30 workers.

The Army announced the relocation in February.

Demolitions Could Affect Beckley Historic District

State historians say a proposed demolition project could threaten uptown Beckley’s historic district.

Dan Bickey has proposed demolishing three buildings that he owns and developing the space for metered parking.

Only one property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing resource to the Beckley Courthouse Historic District. But State Historic Preservation Officer Susan M. Pearce tells The Register-Herald that demolishing the buildings would significantly alter the district’s viewshed.

West Virginia Division of Culture and History deputy commissioner Caryn Gresham says the demolitions could lead to the district’s removal from the national register.

Bickey says he hopes the district doesn’t lose its historic designation. He says the city needs more parking and it’s not cost effective to restore the buildings.

W.Va. Courtesy Patrol Contract Extension Sought

The operator of West Virginia’s Courtesy Patrol is seeking a two-month extension of its state contract.

The Courtesy Patrol is one of nine nonprofit entities overseen by the nonprofit Citizens Conservation Corps of West Virginia.

The Register-Herald reports that the Beckley-based nonprofit’s contract through the Division of Highways expired in July 2013 and has received three-month extensions since then.

Due to an oversight, the Legislature didn’t appropriate money for the roadside service for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Local lawmakers say they expect the funding to be addressed in a special session before then.

Courtesy Patrol director Jennifer Douglas says the Citizens Conservation Corps of West Virginia has operated the service since it was revived in November 1998.