HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-17-03Minutes of the Special Town Council meeting held June 17, 2003 at 4:00 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
Randolph D. Eley, Jr., Town Attorney
Sherry Boyd, Finance Director
John J. White, Economic Director
David Quesenberry, Asst. to the Town Manager
Gary Roche, Police Chief
Patricia Cruise, Clerk of Council
Others: Joe Levine
Jamie Rowlett
Clarence W. Hobbs
Robert Duncan
Bill Pedigo
Tommy Wall
Jerry Hughes
Donald Lawson
B. J. Bowman-Wood, Press
Don Simmons, Jr., Press
Mayor Stewart called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
Following roll call, Councilman Fleenor led the Pledge of Allegiance and Councilman Neblett gave the Invocation.
Mayor Stewart advised of needed changes to the Agenda:
To add three Ordinances related to the budget to the agenda under item 9.
To add a Closed Session under Virginia Code 2.2-3711 (A-5, prospective business).
To move the Public Hearing on the Enhancement Grant to 7:00 p.m.
Mayor Stewart introduced Mr. Charles Maus, Executive Director of Peppers Ferry Wastewater Treatment Authority.
Mr. Maus advised that he was retiring from his position and expressed his appreciation for the assistance of Council and staff during his tenure with the Authority. He introduced his
replacement, Clark Walcroft and also Joe Levine, the new Director of the New River Resource Authority.
Mayor Stewart thanked Mr. Maus for his years of service and welcomed Mr. Walcroft and Mr. Levine.
The next item on the agenda was the Public Hearing for the 2003-2004 Budget.
Mr. Hawley summarized the budget for Council, noting that the proposed revenues are lower than they have been in the past, due to the economy. He advised that on the expenditures side,
health care costs have increased, the E911 call system must be replaced, and sufficient funds were included to provide a 2% increase in personnel costs, along with other projects. He
noted that no reserve funds had been used to balance the budget. However, he explained that several tax increases were proposed to balance the budget. The proposals included increasing
the charge for mobile phone bills to 10% of the first $25 of a mobile phone bill; increasing the Meals Tax from four cents to five cents; and raising the E-911 tax from $1 to $2.
Councilwoman Mitchell inquired whether the Agency on Aging funding had been reduced.
Mr. Hawley answered yes.
Councilman Neblett advised that he had previously presented a motion to give all the employees a 2% bonus, rather than a raise. He advised that he thought that that was the best way
to reward the employees. However, he stated that it had come to his attention that the employees would prefer to have a raise rather than a bonus and that he wished to make that motion.
Mayor Stewart advised that the motion could not be made until the Public Hearing was over.
Mayor Stewart opened the Public Hearing at 4:20 p.m.
Donald Lawson, an employee of the Town, addressed Council regarding the proposed 2% bonus for the employees. He thanked Councilman Neblett for his change of position regarding the raises
and requested that Council adopt Councilman Neblett’s proposed motion. He advised that the majority of the employees felt that a raise would help them more in the long run than a bonus.
There being no further comments, Mayor Stewart closed the Public Hearing.
Councilman Neblett moved to give the employees a 2% pay increase rather than a bonus, 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
Councilman Fleenor moved to adopt Ordinance 2003-08, emergency 911 tax increase and amendment of §78-212 of the Pulaski Town Code, 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 Black moved to adopt Ordinance 2003-09, cellular phone tax increase and amendment to Pulaski Town Code §78-184 (a) and (b), 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
Councilman Worrell moved to adopt Ordinance 2003-10, Meals Tax Increase and amendment of article VI, Section 78-242 of the Pulaski Town Code, 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 Fleenor moved to adopt the 2003-2004 budget, 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
Councilwoman Steger moved to enter into Closed Session under Virginia Code 2.2-3711 (A-5) Prospective Business, 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
Council returned from the Closed Session and adopted the Certification Resolution on motion by Councilman Bolen, 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
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned on motion by Councilman Neblett, seconded by Councilman Fleenor and carried.