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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-06-04Minutes of the Town Council meeting held January 6, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building. There were present: Charles W. Stewart, Jr., Mayor Council Members: Jeffrey S. Worrell, Kenneth M. Fleenor, E. G. Black, Jr., Pauline G. Mitchell, Bettye H. Steger, John T. Bolen, James M. Neblett, Jr. Staff: John J. Hawley, Town Manager Sherry D. Boyd, Finance Director Nikki Shank, Asst. Finance Director Gary Roche, Police Chief John White, Economic Development Director Bill Pedigo, Town Engineer Patricia Cruise, Clerk of Council Tom Compton, Building Inspector Cecil H. “Chip” Hutchinson, Fire Marshal Others: Katy Kirk Atasha Bandy Jennifer Lyons Jennifer Dishon Mandy Newberry Andrew Owens III Nicole Thornton Jeffrey Stout Diane Hutchinson Joel Burchett Jennifer White Harley Gill Jayton Gill Jack Via Paul Pickett Jason Dunovant, Press Mayor Stewart called the meeting order at 7:00 p.m. Councilman Fleenor led the Pledge of Allegiance and Councilman Neblett gave the Invocation. Following roll call, Mayor Stewart welcomed the guests and visitors. Councilman Neblett moved to adopt the Certification Resolution for the Closed Session held prior to the Council meeting under Va. Code 2.2-3711 (A-1) interviews, appointments, personnel, seconded by Councilwoman Steger and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Safety Committee Chairman Fleenor presented Resolution 2004-01, Resolution of Commendation to Cecil H. “Chip” Hutchinson. Councilman Black moved to adopt Resolution 2004-01, seconded by Councilwoman Steger and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Next, Planning Committee Chairwoman Kirk addressed Council regarding the Comprehensive Plan update. She advised that that the Commission had completed a first draft of the Comprehensive Plan update, which she distributed to Council to review. She then invited Council to attend the February Planning Commission Work Session to be held on February 9, 2004 at 5:30 p.m. The next item on the agenda was the Consent Agenda. Councilman Worrell moved to adopt the Consent Agenda consisting of the Council minutes of December 2, 2003, seconded by Councilman Neblett and carried on voice vote. Finance Committee Chairman Worrell then gave his committee report. He advised that the Committee discussed a request from Literacy Volunteers for additional funding. The Committee decided to consider this request during the 04-05 budget work session. Additionally, Chairman Worrell advised that the Committee reviewed some information regarding the Town instituting a program whereby citizens could pay their water bill or taxes by credit card. The fee for this service would be paid by the citizen to Official Payments Corp. He advised that the Committee recommended that Council authorize staff to proceed with the execution of the contract with Official Payments Corp. The motion from Finance Committee passed on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Chairman Worrell continued that the Committee discussed needed electrical repairs at the Fire Department and the recommended that Council direct staff to proceed with the electrical repairs on the fire station, with the money to be taken from the general obligation bond. The motion passed on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Chairman Worrell added that the Committee also met prior to the Council meeting and reviewed an independent auditor’s report on fiscal year ending June 30, 2003. He asked the auditor to review the audit for Council. Paul Pickett of Larrowe and Company addressed Council and gave a brief review of the audit. He advised that based on the auditing procedures that were performed, the financial statements that are included in the report comply with generally accepted accounting standards. He reviewed the assets and liabilities and pronounced the Town fiscally fit. Councilman Black moved to adopt the auditor’s report, seconded by Councilman Worrell and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Next, Mayor Stewart gave the Planning Commission report advising that the Commission met for a work session and reviewed the goals for the Comprehensive Plan. He reminded Council of the invitation to join the next work session to discuss the Comprehensive Plan on February 9, 2004 at 5:30 p.m. Human Resource Committee Chairwoman Steger advised that the Committee met prior to the Council meeting. She advised that some vacancies have occurred on some committees and need to be filled. Currently, the vacancies are on the BZA, the Cemetery Board and the Planning Commission. She asked that citizens interested in serving on Committees notify staff. Safety Committee Chairman Fleenor advised that Committee met and discussed a pay raise for the Police Department Corporal grade level employees up. Staff had been asked to gather some figures and return to the Committee. Staff recommendation was not to approve the request at this time, but to refer the request to the Finance Committee. Following review of the information, the Committee voted to recommend that Council approve the raise for the Corporal grade level employees up in the Police Department. Chairman Fleenor then reviewed a chart showing the proposed changes that had been distributed to Council. Councilman Worrell commented that he did not feel that the proper procedure was followed by referring the motion to Council rather than the Finance Committee. Additionally, he did not feel that he had enough information to vote on the matter. He then made a substitute motion to refer the request to the Finance Committee for review and study, seconded by Councilwoman Steger and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - No John T. Bolen - No E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - No Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Chairman Fleenor continued that the Committee also directed staff to research consolidation of the Police Department and the Fire Department into the County. Next, Mayor Stewart gave his report and summarized projects that he felt needed to be completed in the Town including: Establish an information technology entity to bring the advantages of the new technology economy to the Town. He added that it had been suggested that this be done in association with the County and the County School Board. He advised that he had been notified that the Transportation Committee has approved train whistle ordinances, which would forbid the blowing of train whistles within the Town and requested a motion to study this. Councilman Worrell moved for Council to study a provision for a train whistle ordinance, which would forbid the blowing of train whistles within the Town, seconded by Councilman Fleenor and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Mayor Stewart continued that the closing of Renfro is generating some severe budgetary problems and opined that the Town needs to begin considering the elimination of duplicate functions between the County and the Town. He suggested looking at info tech, tax collection, accounting systems, water, sewer, and account processing. Next, the Town Manager gave the Town Attorney’s report in his absence. Mr. Hawley advised that the Town Attorney has been working on revisions to the human resource contract with Fox, Lawson and Associates; work on the brief for the BZA hearing before the State Supreme Court had been submitted; and work on several legal cases. The Town Manager then gave his report advising of substantial completion on Thornspring sanitary sewer; work with DEQ on the Trail permits for Phase III of the Trail; and continuing work on the contract with Official Payments so that citizens can pay their water and tax bills with a credit card. He clarified that the convenience fee for paying with a credit card would be paid by the citizen to Official Payments, not to the Town as previously written in the newspaper. Mr. Hawley added that legislative letters and issues are being sent to the Town’s delegates and state senators. There being no further reports, Mayor Stewart moved on to Old Business. He advised that the first item was Ordinance 2004-01, Transferring data processing to the Town Manager’s office. The Mayor added that the Town does not have a Data Processing Department. Mr. Hawley advised that apparently during past budget work, a line item and title was added for a Data Processing division. The department was never created by the Town Council. The intent of Ordinance 2004-01 is to transfer the data processing position to the Town Manager’s office for supervision since the position works for all the department’s in Town and not just Finance. Following discussion, it was decided to delete the word department in Ordinance 2004-01 for clarity. Councilman Worrell moved to adopt Ordinance 2004-01, deleting the word department, seconded by Councilman Black and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Mayor Stewart moved on to Ordinance 2004-02. Councilman Bolen moved to adopt Ordinance 2004-02, amending the zoning ordinance allowing horses and ponies in R1 as a special exception, seconded by Councilman Black and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Mayor Stewart moved on to Resolution 2004-02, regarding the Verizon lease. Mr. Hawley advised that money had been appropriated to upgrade some of the 911 equipment in the police department. At that time, the Town was leasing from an outside service. A decision was made to move to the local Verizon company to help assure a shorter down time in the event of problems. A sole source declaration was made in July of 2003. Staff recommendation is to approve the lease with Verizon. Councilman Black moved to adopt Resolution 2004-02, Verizon lease, seconded by Councilwoman Steger and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Mayor Stewart moved on to New Business. The first item was Ordinance 2004-03, accepting the retirement resignation of Mike Hall. Councilman Fleenor moved to adopt Ordinance 2004-03, accepting the retirement resignation of Mike Hall, seconded by Councilman Black and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Councilman Worrell interjected that he would like to add another item to the agenda and asked that it be dealt with at this time. With Council’s permission, Councilman Worrell commented that last week the Town was able to announce the creation of over 300 jobs in the Town with Global Contacts. He advised that the top executives of Global Contacts had stated several times that if it had not been for the efforts of the Town’s Economic Development Director, John White, that the company would not have come to Pulaski. Councilman Worrell advised that it was the recommendation of the Finance Committee that Mr. White be awarded a bonus in the amount of $1,000, along with a Resolution honoring him for his work in bringing these jobs to Pulaski. Councilman Bolen seconded the motion and so carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett, Jr. - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye Mayor Stewart reminded the Council members that a Council Planning/Work session was scheduled for January 26, 2004 at 4:30 p.m. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m. on motion by Councilman Neblett, seconded by Councilman Fleenor and carried.