Tom Moseley – Council Ward 3

In no more than 100 words, tell us about yourself.

I am retired/disabled from the U.S. Postal Service. I carried mail in Beckley from 2003-2014. Before that I worked retail management for companies such as Lowe’s, Sears and Big Lots. I grew up in Beckley until I was 10 years old and moved to Wyoming County. Reared by a single disabled parent, my mother and I didn’t have much. I learned to appreciate what we did have and to work hard for anything I wanted in life. My wife and I have three adult children and a 2-year-old granddaughter. We are proud to call Beckley our home.

In no more than 200 words: In 2018, the city council approved the purchase of Black Knight Country Club and turned it over to city parks and recreation to manage as a city park and an events venue. In 2021, the city council approved the purchase of a downtown building and brought in Fruits of Labor to run its restaurant and addiction recovery program. What are your thoughts about both of these purchases?

I don’t believe city government should be involved in the real estate business. These purchases were not a proper use of taxpayer dollars, when our city and our residents need so much. As for the Black Knight building, we own it now, and at this point I believe we need to do something with the property to help the community, and make it more inviting for ALL of Beckley as it has always had a reputation of serving the economically privileged.

As for the Fruits of Labor building, this has been a disaster from the beginning. We never should have purchased this building, and again, all of the details should have been worked out before it was even voted on. Yes, we need drug rehabilitation services and back to work programs for those residents who suffer from this terrible drug epidemic which has swept our city and our country. My problem is, true drug rehabilitation involves counselors, medical professionals, and educational services which are usually run as a nonprofit organization. Fruits of Labor is a profitable business. I welcome any business into the downtown area, but they either need to lease the building for an amount equatable to other buildings of the same size, or we need to place the building up for sale, and give them first option to purchase it.

In no more than 150 words: Recently, the city council voted to change its form of government from strong mayor to city manager. What are your thoughts about this change?

I believe this was a case of the proverbial “putting the cart before the horse.” Specifics – such as the salary and experience required for this position, the responsibilities for this job, and added responsibilities, if any, to council members, as well as the hiring process – should have all been decided to start with. Then, the decision should have gone to the public for a vote. At this point, I compare this decision to building a house without the blueprints. We can’t say if this is the best direction for our city or not, because we didn’t have the details or the choice to vote on this from the beginning.

In no more than 150 words: The Sharon Dempsey Memorial Pool at New River Park has been described by the parks and recreation director as being on “life support.” This comes at a time when it has become increasingly difficult for the city to find a pool manager and enough lifeguards to keep both city pools open, and at a time when fewer people are using the pools. What should the city do?

I believe the new aquatic center (upgrade) is a great idea, if we start the construction in the off season. This would attract more families to come to an upgraded facility, but not at the cost of closing the pool for this summer. For many families, expensive vacations are not possible. This is the only form of summer entertainment many families and their children have in this area. It is imperative that we repair this pool until a new one can be built. We can get lifeguards and a pool manager, if the city would offer to pay for the educational requirements needed such as CPR and first aid. We have already lost so much over the years. Our city cannot afford to lose any more attractions for our youth.

In no more than 100 words: If there is one new initiative you would like to see for the city of Beckley, what would it be?

I would like to see our tax dollars put into projects that benefit our citizens and fix our basic infrastructure. We must make Beckley a place where young people want to stay after graduating from high school and college. A place where families want to raise our children. We must have a city government that practices transparency and communication with citizens. If we restore the ambiance of our city, and add attractions which offer family entertainment, we will rebuild our city to make it one of the best places to live in America.