Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-05-00Minutes of the Town Council meeting held September 5, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers in the Municipal Building. There were present: Charles W. Stewart, Jr., Mayor Council Members: Lane R. Penn, Kenneth M. Fleenor, James M. Neblett, E. G. Black, Jr., Bettye H. Steger, Daniel Talbert, Jr., Pauline G. Mitchell, Jeffrey S. Worrell Staff: Gary C. Elander, Town Manager David N. Quesenberry, Ast. to the Town Manager Randolph D. Eley, Jr., Town Attorney E. T. Montgomery, Acting Police Chief John J. Hawley, Town Engineer Robert L. Dye, Director of Economic Development Patricia Pendergrast, Clerk Also Present: Dr. Anthony Anneski Richard Hurst David Bowden Charles Wade Carol Wade Myra Redding Tina Ratliff, Press Paul Dellinger, Press Lee Carter, Press Mayor Stewart called the meeting to order at 7: 00 p.m. Councilman Penn led the Pledge of Allegiance and Councilman Fleenor gave the Invocation. The agenda was modified by the addition under Old Business of a Human Resources Committee report and a Closed Session on 3 contractual matters under 2.1-344, A-7. First item on the agenda was a review of Plan Sheets, for Phase I, of the New River Trail Extension. John Hawley, Town Engineer summarized the preliminary plans for the extension of the New River Trail from the current terminus to First Street. He advised that the preliminary plan calls for a 8 foot paved bike/walking path, where possible, from the 1st Street parking lot, staying on the north side of 1st street, down to Duncan Avenue, crossing to the north side of Peak Creek, down to Sproules Run, and on to Walnut and coming out between Wendy’s and the old AEP substation on Main Street. The path will continue down Main Street from Wendy’s to Pulaski Mall. The sidewalk in this area will be taken up and replaced with the paved bike/walking path. It is hoped to install a bike rack at the first Street parking lot and a park bench seating area with trees and landscaping near the Hardees. The path will be approximately 1.5 miles from downtown to Hardees, which will provide a nice turnaround area for local residents to walk from the downtown area and return. From Hardees, the path continues down Main Street, through the intersection at Bob White Boulevard to the current terminus at Xaloy. The plan calls for an 8 foot paved bike/walking path, narrowing down at certain areas due to the terrain. No horseback riding will be permitted. The plans are on display in the Engineering Department for anyone to review and comment. The path is to be paid for by a TEA-21 grant in the amount of $200,000 and the matching Town share is the work that the state has already completed at the end of the Trail. The only cost to the Town is the engineering work that has been done by the Town. Next item on agenda was the Public Comment period. First, Dr. Anthony Anneski addressed Council and advised that a portion of Morehead Lane, one quarter mile off Route 11, in the curved area, needs to be repaired. He stated that the north side of the road has washed away due to past heavy rains, a portion of the road has broken off, that it is prone to flooding and that residents habitually exceed the 35 mph speed limit. He stated that he has spoken with town personnel and was referred to the County and when he spoke to the county, he was referred to the Town. He requested that the road be repaired, and that the speed limit be lowered and more police presence be felt. He presented a petition, (included in official minutes), requesting assistance in all of these matters. Mr. Elander was asked to handle these issues. Mr. Charles Wade then spoke against people riding on the sidewalks in the downtown area and the residential areas as well. Next item on agenda was Consent agenda. Councilman Neblett made a motion to adopt the Consent agenda consisting of Resolution 2000-26, honoring Fire Chief Hensel J. Hall, Jr., Resolution 2000-27, honoring Police Chief Herbert G. Cooley and the consideration of minutes of the August 15, 2000 meeting, seconded by Councilman Fleenor and carried on the following recorded vote: Lane R. Penn - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye Daniel Talbert, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Under Town Attorney’s report, Mr. Eley gave a projects update including that: he attended a public meeting regarding the New River Trail and the handling of necessary easements; the rural development grant for sewer is progressing; he has done research into the Peak Creek project and the heirs will need to be contacted to name a substitute trustee; he has done more research into the bicycle ordinance and determined that the proposed ordinance needs to be rewritten again; he has handled several personnel contract revisions; appraisal is being processed on the proposed condemnation proceedings at Macgill St and Newbern; he has worked on the dilapidated structures program and has developed standard procedures for proceeding on these cases and has developed a standard notice form in compliance with Boca and Nuisance Ordinance. Mr. Elander, the Town Manager, advised that he has been working on personnel matters and has draft ads ready for the fire chief and police chief vacancies. He recommended that Council list the requirements they think are necessary in the new chiefs, and compose a list of questions for the interview stage. He suggested forming an advisory committee made of citizens and surrounding area police enforcement professionals. He advised that he has filed the Derelict Structures grant application for 4 structures; worked on a flood control grant application for the phase I project of acquiring some limited number of residential structures; and worked on several administrative issues. He advised that Rural Development will not have any loan money until after October 1st of this year for Draper. Council needs to decide whether to advertise Case Knife water project now and Draper Mountain water project after October or wait and advertise both of the projects after October. The consensus of Council was to go ahead and advertise Case Knife project now. He then introduced E. T. Montgomery as the Interim Police Chief. Human Resources Chairwoman Steger, advised that there are several committee vacancies that need to be addressed. She requested that Council submit names to her to fill the following vacancies: Industrial Development Authority – 2 vacancies Housing Board of Adjustment and Appeals – 1 vacancy Planning commission – 1 vacancy Board of Zoning Appeals - 1 vacancy Pepper’s Ferry Raw Water Treatment Authority – 2 vacancies First item under new business, was Resolution 2000-25 regarding Council meeting times. Councilman Neblett made a motion to adopt Resolution 2000-25, regarding the meeting times of Council, seconded by Councilman Black. Councilman Worrell opined that the second meeting of the month has already been designated as a work session for committees. However, this meeting has evolved into a regular Council meeting. He thought that Council should utilize the second meeting as it had been intended, rather than eliminate the second meeting and then hold committee meetings as called. Special committee meetings could still be called if they were needed for special projects, but the main committee meetings would be held during the regularly scheduled Council Work Session. Following discussion, Councilman Penn made a motion to table Resolution 2000-25, and utilize the second meeting of the month as a work session with no public action taken, as it was originally intended, seconded by Councilman Talbert and carried on the following recorded vote: Lane R. Penn - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye Daniel Talbert, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Next item on agenda was Resolution 2000-24, Supporting Transportation/Passenger Rail Service. Mr. Elander advised that the General Assembly, in its last session, appropriated funds for specific highway projects in the New River Valley. The state administration is attempting to sequester those monies and order further studies. Delegate Benny Keister asked for support from all of the jurisdictions in the New River Valley in requesting that the will of the General Assembly be followed and the monies be used for the purposes intended. Secondly, Congressional appropriations made at the last meeting of the General Assembly for the proposed passenger train from Bristol to Washington, are contingent upon the state’s willingness to provide some operating subsidies for the project. If state administration sequesters those monies, the passenger train will not become reality. This Resolution was drafted at the specific request of Mayor Stewart and Delegate Benny Keister to lend support to those projects. Councilwoman Steger made a motion to adopt Resolution 2000-24, expressing the support of Town Council for specific transportation projects funded by the year 2000 General Assembly inclusive of certain highways and passenger train service affecting the New River Valley, seconded by Councilman Talbert and carried on the following recorded vote: Lane R. Penn - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye Daniel Talbert, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye The next item on agenda was consideration of Ordinance 2000-13, use of sidewalks. Mayor Stewart advised that in light of some comments made by the Town Attorney in his report, he thought the discussion of this ordinance needed to be referred back to the Town Attorney. Councilman Neblett made a motion that Ordinance 2000-13, regarding use of sidewalks, be referred back to the Town Attorney for further study, seconded by Councilman Talbert and carried on the following recorded vote: Lane R. Penn - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye Daniel Talbert, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Councilwoman Steger requested that Council consider having a public hearing regarding this issue when it comes up for discussion again. Mr. Eley advised that this is not required by law, but could certainly be done by the will of Council. Next, Mr. Elander advised that New River Valley Agency on Aging sent a letter requesting a reconsideration of the amount of monies allocated by Council to them. They originally asked for $2,400, an increase of $112 over last year. The Town actually appropriated $2288.00. After discussion, Councilwoman Mitchell made a motion to approve the request by the New River Valley Agency on Aging for $112 additional funding, seconded by Councilwoman Steger. In discussion, Councilman Worrell spoke against this request, not because of the amount of the request, but citing setting a precedent. Following discussion, motion passed on the following recorded vote: Lane R. Penn - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye Daniel Talbert, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett - No Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye Jeffrey S. Worrell - No Next, Town Manager Elander advised that the Town received a letter from the Architecture Review Board to the Department of Historic Resources supporting the nomination of Calfee Athletic Field to the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia landmarks Register. Mr. Elander also advised that the Architecture Review Board approved requests by the County for Certificates of Appropriateness for razing the old Pulaski County Jail, excluding the Sheriff’s offices at the front of the older structure and allowed modifications to the entrance of the County Administration Building and installation of handicapped access to the Courthouse at 45 3rd Street, N.W. At 8:10 p.m., there being no further business, Councilman Penn made a motion to enter into Closed Session on 3 contractual matters under 2.1-344 (A-7), seconded by Councilman Neblett and carried on the following recorded vote: Lane R. Penn - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye Daniel Talbert, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye At 8:33 p.m., Council returned from Closed Session and adopted Certification Resolution on motion by Councilman Fleenor, seconded by Councilman Talbert and carried on the following recorded vote: Lane R. Penn - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Kenneth M. Fleenor - Aye Daniel Talbert, Jr. - Aye James M. Neblett - Aye Pauline G. Mitchell - Aye E. G. Black, Jr. - Aye Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye At 8:34 p.m., meeting adjourned on motion by Councilman Neblett, seconded by Councilwoman Mitchell and so carried on voice vote.