BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Natalie Coots, newly elected Beckley Ward I Councilwoman, shared her aspirations for the city and addressed the concerns of her constituents in a recent interview with LOOTPRESS.
Coots, along with other Beckley elected officials, were officially sworn in on Monday morning.
Coots expressed a desire to restore Beckley to its former glory and outlined her plans for tackling pressing issues such as vagrancy, homelessness, and the city’s governance.
When asked why she believes voters chose her over longtime incumbent Tom Sopher, Coots acknowledged the dissatisfaction among residents regarding the city’s progress.
“I think that people just didn’t like the answers that they got,” she noted.
Coots also mentioned the controversy surrounding removing the city manager vote from the ballot, which prevented citizens from making that decision.
“I think people were angry about the vote of the city manager, not so much changing the form of government, but the fact that it was taken off the ballot.”
Coots also highlighted the need to clean up the streets and address homelessness in Beckley.
“We need to clean up and take back our streets.”
Coots says she has been studying other municipalities with similar challenges and highlighted two key strategies for success: increased street outreach and the establishment of day centers.
“One of them is street outreach. We have some street outreach, but I think not enough. And the other, the two cities that are succeeding have day centers,” she explained.
Coots says that these centers would provide a safe place for the homeless to store their belongings, receive meals, clean up, and get assistance with job applications and document replacements.
Coots also stressed the importance of using available funds effectively. “I think that we leave a lot of money on the table that we could use to problem solve because there are federal and state grants available.”
The switch from a strong mayor to a city manager form of government has been undoubtedly one of the most debated topics in the city.
Most of the debate has not come from whether the switch is good or bad, but rather if the switch should have been put on the ballot for voters to decide.
Coots expressed frustration over the lack of public input on the city manager switch but did not initially have a strong opinion on the matter.
However, she says she believes that a council with multiple voices is better than a single person making decisions.
“I think we would be better served to have seven individuals voting than one person banging a gavel and saying this is what we’re going to do and this is how it is,” she stated.
Regarding the selection of a new city manager, Coots hopes for someone who understands the unique culture and needs of Southern West Virginia.
“We know that Southern West Virginia, the culture and the people here are quite different and the opportunities are quite different than those in the northern part of the state. So I think that we need someone who understands the culture, the demographic, and the people in this area.”
Coots also highlighted the importance of considering a broader range of applicants. “I think the council, since we are ultimately the ones that are going to make that decision, we need to see more than a few applications.”
Coots also addressed the pending issue of finalizing a lease for Fruits of Labor, a topic left unresolved by the previous council.
She says it is important to follow the city charter and proper procedures, which she believes have been neglected.
“The first thing that I think we have to do is that we have to get back to following the city charter.”
“We have to have regulations and rules for everyone. And I have nothing personal against recovery and rehabilitation of addicts. We know that that’s a necessary thing, but I just don’t think the money and the lease have been handled correctly as to what benefits our taxpayers and our city,” she said.
As a lifelong resident of Beckley, Coots says that she loves her community and wants to work to make it a better place for all.
“I love where we live. I think West Virginia is one of the best-kept secrets in the country. I think we live in a beautiful place. We need to take what we have and make it better and use it to the benefit of everyone from the children on up.” she shared.
“I want Beckley to have things that develop that feeling of community instead of everything being exclusive and disjointed. We need to be together.”
