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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-01-08Minutes of the Town Council meeting held July 1, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building. There were present: Mayor Jeffrey S. Worrell Council: David L. Clark, Larry G. Clevinger, II, Joel B Burchett, Jr., Robert A. Bopp, Morgan P. Welker Staff: John J. Hawley, Town Manager R. D. Warburton, Town Attorney Patricia Cruise, Clerk of Council Dave Quesenberry, Asst. to the Town Manager Sherry D. Boyd, Finance Director Gary W. Roche, Police Chief Others: Alexander Welker H. M. Kidd Mickey Seagle Charles R. Bopp Earl Hagee P. Sean Oneal Daniel Talbert, Jr. Pam Whitesell Amy Lewis Carol Wade Charles Wade Patsy King Marcie Worrell April Bopp Tamara Farmer Glenn Baublitz Rebecca English Evelyn English Terri Fitzwater Palmore Sandy Payne Jane Amburn Randy Winn Teresa Talbert Tim Worrell Betty Quesenberry Shirley Worrell Allen Palmore Janie Hurd Akers Clark Payne Lane Penn Kevin Litten, Press Melinda Williams, Press Mayor Worrell called the meeting order at 7:00 p.m. Councilman Clevinger led the Pledge of Allegiance and Councilman Clark gave the Invocation. Mayor Worrell introduced the new members of Council, Robert A. Bopp and Morgan P. Welker. Mayor Worrell asked for nominations for the position of Vice-Mayor. Councilman Clevinger moved to appoint Councilman Dave Clark as Vice-Mayor, seconded by Councilman Bopp and carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark - Abstain Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II - Aye Robert A. Bopp - Aye Morgan P. Welker - Aye Following roll call, Councilman Clark moved to modify the agenda to delete item 9a, Employee of the Month for July, 2008. The motion was seconded by Councilman Clevinger and carried on voice vote. Mayor Worrell moved on to Presentations. Councilman Clark moved to adopt Resolution 2008-17, Honoring Councilman Dan Talbert; Resolution 2008-18, Honoring Councilman Lane Penn; and Resolution 2008-19, Honoring Mayor Charles Wade. The motion was seconded by Councilman Welker and carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II - Aye Robert A. Bopp - Aye Morgan P. Welker - Aye Mayor Worrell asked former Mayor Wade and former Councilman Talbert to come to the front and he read their Resolutions aloud. He thanked them for their years of service to the Town and told them that they were leaving the Town better than they found it. Former Councilman Penn was not present at this time. The next item on the agenda was Public Hearings with a rezoning request from Evelyn English. Mr. Hawley advised that the request was for a rezoning of property located across from the bowling alley at the northeast intersection of Pleasant Hill Drive and Route 11. The Planning Commission held their hearing and he asked Mr. Quesenberry to summarize that meeting. Mr. Quesenberry advised that the request was to rezone two pieces of property at the southwest intersection of Pleasant Hill Drive and Lee Highway to B-1 Local Business District to allow the owner to take advantage of the residential and business uses allowed in this district. The Planning Commission reviewed the request and recommended approval of the request. Mayor Worrell opened the Hearing at 7:10 p.m. There being no comments, the Hearing was closed. Councilman Welker moved to direct staff to prepare the proper paperwork approving the request, seconded by Councilman Clark and carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II - Aye Robert A. Bopp - Aye Morgan P. Welker - Aye Mayor Worrell moved on to the Public Comment period. Clark Payne addressed Council on behalf of the Housing Authority regarding the vacancy on the Authority. He asked that Council consider not filling the vacancy for 45 days until the Authority could suggest some names. Mayor Worrell did not feel that Council should have input from the Authority regarding the members because Council appointed the members. He asked for Council’s input. Councilman Welker did not feel that it was an unreasonable request, but did not know the remainder of Council’s thoughts. Mr. Warburton, Town Attorney, encouraged Council to resist input from the Housing Authority. He felt that Council should not be receiving nominees from the very board that they were appointing to. There being no further comments on the topic, Mayor Worrell moved on to the next Public Comment. Jane Amburn addressed Council and presented a petition asking Council to appoint the next highest vote getter to the Council vacancy. Next, former Mayor, Charles Wade, addressed Council and commended each of the Councilmen for stepping forward and serving the community. He suggested that Council look at the following three areas when they had time: 1. Spend some time trying to marry tourism, trail and theatre to improve the economy of our area. 2. Work on developing the Route 99 corridor for commercial development. 3. Look into options for alternate transportation in our area. The next speaker was Terri Fitzwater Palmore addressing Council on behalf of Habitat for Humanity of the New River Valley. She expressed disappointment at the lack of participation by Council in a recent ribbon cutting for Habitat for Humanity. She expressed hope for better future participation by the Council. There being no further comments from the Public, Mayor Worrell moved on to a Resolution Honoring Lane R. Penn for his service on Town Council. He read Resolution 2008-18 aloud and presented Mr. Penn with the framed Resolution. The next item for discussion was the Consent Agenda. Councilman Clevinger moved to adopt the Consent Agenda consisting of the Council minutes of the June 3rd, 2008 meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilman Bopp and carried on voice vote with one abstention by Councilman Welker. Mayor Worrell moved on to Old Business. The first item was to accept VHDA SPARC reservation. Mr. Hawley advised that the Town had been awarded one million dollars from VHDA to use for loans to go to first time home buyers in the Town of Pulaski. $250,000 of the monies will be available at a reduced interest rate of 1% below the applicable rate and the remaining $750,000 will be available at a reduced interest rate of ½% below the applicable interest rate. He asked Council to authorize the Town Manager to execute the agreement with VHDA. Councilman Burchett moved to authorize the Town Manager to execute the agreement, seconded by Councilman Clark. Mr. Warburton interjected that page 2, item number 6, contained a typographical error. The date stated 2008 rather than 2009. He suggested that the motion on the table be withdrawn and a new motion made authorizing the Town Manager to execute the corrected document. Councilman Burchett withdrew his motion. Mr. Hawley drew to Council’s attention that the new contract stated that the Town of Pulaski would pay the housing inspection fee required in the closing process for any house that is approved for a SPARC loan. Councilman Burchett then moved for the Town Manager to be directed to execute the corrected contract with VHDA, seconded by Councilman Clark and carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II - Aye Robert A. Bopp - Aye Morgan P. Welker - Aye Mayor Worrell moved on to New Business. Mr. Hawley advised that Council had received a copy of the draft tourism plan. He proposed that the subject be discussed in more detail if necessary at the July 15, 2008 Council meeting. Councilman Burchett commented that he was disappointed that Peak Creek was not listed as any type of tourism draw. He pointed out that it was stocked with trout. Additionally, he asked how regional the plan was. Mr. Hawley advised that the area included Pulaski County, the Towns of Dublin and Pulaski and the Chamber of Commerce. It was basically a County plan that all of the governments planned to adopt as one. He noted that there was no money included in the budget for tourism except for Gatewood and special events. Mayor Worrell asked staff to invite Randy Rose, the tourism specialist from the state to attend the July 15 meeting. Additionally, staff planned to invite Robert Hiss from the County. Councilman Welker commented that on the amenities page, a few businesses were listed. He felt that in order to be fair, all of the businesses should be listed or none. Mr. Hawley advised that he thought the businesses were to be listed in an appendix. He would have that information by the Work Session when Council would discuss the draft tourism plan. The next item on the agenda was Exit 94. Mr. Hawley advised that Councilman Bopp had requested that the Town contact VDOT and express our concern that the exit improvements had been cut from the Six Year Plan. Mayor Worrell agreed that the Town should send a letter expressing the Town’s desire to have the work done. Mr. Hawley suggested sending a letter to our Resident Engineer in Christiansburg and the District Administrator and letting them forward it. Mayor Worrell stated that he and the Town Manager would send a letter. Councilman Bopp suggested coordinating with the County as well. Mayor Worrell moved on to GPA appointment. He advised that the Town was trying to assist the Greater Pulaski Alliance with its reorganization. He stated that a Town representative was needed for the Alliance. He asked Councilman Clevinger if he would serve on the Alliance as he was a former downtown businessman. Councilman Clevinger agreed to serve. Councilman Burchett moved to appoint Councilman Clevinger as Town representative on the Greater Pulaski Alliance, seconded by Councilman Clark and carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II - Abstain Robert A. Bopp - Aye Morgan P. Welker - Aye The next item on the agenda was Pulaski Rehabilitation and Housing Authority (PR&HA). Mr. Hawley advised that since Mr. Bopp was elected to Council he can no longer serve on the PR&HA. Lane Penn had agreed to serve on the Authority. Councilman Clark moved to authorize staff to prepare a Resolution appointing Lane Penn to replace Robert Bopp for the remainder of his term, which ends on August 21, 2011, on the Pulaski Rehabilitation and Housing Authority. The motion was seconded by Councilman Burchett and carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II - Aye Robert A. Bopp - Aye Morgan P. Welker - Aye Mayor Worrell reminded Council that the Town trolley would be in the Fourth of July parade in Dublin and he encouraged Council to attend and ride in the trolley. There being no further business, Councilman Clark moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Clevinger and carried on voice vote.