WVU Tech president responds to prospect of new local government in City of Beckley

BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — The president of West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley said he was looking forward to working with an incoming mayor and four newly elected Beckley Common Council members in the City of Beckley, who are expected to be in office soon.

The new elected officials, along with interim city manager Billie Trump, will be sworn in on July 1, 2024.

Dr. T. Ramon Stuart, a native of Welch, offered the comments on Monday, June 24, 2024, one day before the current Beckley Common Council met for the last time.

Dr. Stuart said the city and the college are a “ communiversity ,” and that he was dedicated to the partnership during the next chapter in the city.

“We went to focus on making sure that the mayor and the new city council make sure they know who we are, make sure they know what we do, make sure that they know we can, shall, and will be willing to do it with them, too,” Dr. Stuart said.

The college president said WVU Tech officials plan to offer welcome packets to the new mayor and new members of Council.

Dr. Stuart’s comments followed those of incoming mayor Ryan Neal, who said he embraced the idea of including WVU Tech as part of the city’s identity.

Outgoing Mayor Rob Rappold, who opted not to run in the past election, had proposed the idea of Beckley as a “cool college town” when he was first elected as mayor in 2016.

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