By Josephine E. Moore, The Register-Herald
BECKLEY, W.Va. — Beckley Mayor Rob Rappold announced Wednesday he was ending the city’s involvement in the Inclusive Recovery City initiative following widespread opposition from the Beckley Common Council and residents.
In an email to The Register-Herald, Rappold said he believed the initiative would be a “significant step in the addiction battle,” but given comments made at Tuesday’s Beckley Common Council meeting opposing the move, he has decided to abandon the plan.
Rappold was scheduled to solidify the city’s commitment to becoming an Inclusive Recovery City on March 19 with the signing of a charter.
The event was expected to bring in representatives from across the state, country and nation including the man behind the movement, David Best, the director of the Centre for Addiction Recovery Research at Leeds Trinity University in the United Kingdom.
Rappold said the signing has been canceled.
Jay Phillips, the executive director of Seed Sower, a residential recovery service provider, introduced the initiative to council at a meeting on Feb. 27. He said the purpose of an Inclusive Recovery City was to further recovery efforts by bringing recovery organizations together and to engage with the community to destigmatize substance use disorder through education.
Read more: https://www.register-herald.com/news/local_news/beckley-mayor-cancels-inclusive-recovery-city-charter-signing/article_be6b8844-e187-11ee-8b41-3b0fb246a863.html
