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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-19-04Minutes of the Council Work Session held at 5:00 p.m. October 19, 2004 at the Train Station. There were present: Charles L. Wade, Mayor Council: Jeffrey S. Worrell, Daniel Talbert, Jr., Bettye H. Steger, Lane R. Penn, John T. Bolen, Joel B. Burchett, Jr. Staff: John J. Hawley, Town Manager David N. Quesenberry, Asst. to the Town Manager Patricia Cruise, Clerk of Council Bill Pedigo, Engineering Department Dave Hart, Parks and Facilities John White, Economic Development Director Bill Webb, Fire Chief Gary Roche, Police Chief Sherry Boyd, Finance Director Others: Dave Tickner, Pulaski County Community Development Director Carol Wade, Chairperson, Heritage Garden Committee Sally Bush, Greater Pulaski Alliance JoBeth Wampler, Southwest Times Mayor Wade called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Councilman Worrell moved to adopt the minutes of the September 21, 2004 Council Work Session, seconded by Councilman Penn and carried on voice vote. Mayor Wade moved on to the site plan review – Volvo Logistics. Mr. Hawley advised that Volvo Logistics is interested in moving into the former Renfro building on Bob White Boulevard. Dave Quesenberry added that the Planning Commission reviewed the plan and recommended approval as submitted. He added that any motion to approve the site plan by Council should include the four findings of fact listed in the last paragraph in Section 1 of the report. David Tickner, Pulaski County Community Development Director, advised that Volvo Logistics will be moving from the County into the Town, using approximately 40,000 square feet of the building and answered several questions from Council. Following discussion, Mayor Wade commented that he assumed that the County would resume payment of the loan to the Town? Mr. Tickner advised that the issue had not be discussed, but he assumed that would be the case. Councilman Worrell moved that Council made a finding of fact that the site plan: 1) is compatible with surrounding uses; 2) is consistent with the intent of the Zoning Regulations and the Comprehensive Plan; 3) is in the public interest, and; 4) will comply with other provisions of law and ordinances and therefore, directed the staff and the Town Attorney to prepare the necessary paperwork, seconded by Councilman Talbert. The motion passed on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye The next item for discussion was the Jamestown 2007/Heritage Garden presentation. Mayor Wade asked Sally Bush to deliver the presentation. Sally Bush advised that Jamestown 2007 is a statewide program to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the settling of Jamestown. She advised that the County and the Town are working together to plan this event. She advised that one of the proposed activities for this celebration is a heritage garden. She showed Council a drawing of a proposed Heritage Garden that meets the requirements for a Jamestown Legacy project, to be placed on the Trail side of Dora Highway. She pointed out different features of the plan that would utilize native Virginia plants, some trees grown from seeds gathered at Mount Vernon and some gazebos, pergolas and family gathering spots. She introduced Carol Wade, Chairperson of the Jamestown 2007 Heritage Garden Steering Committee. Together, Mrs. Wade and Mrs. Bush advised of several possible fund raising techniques such as selling commemorative bricks that could be purchased to honor someone and allowing citizens to purchase specific types of trees, bushes etc. and they reviewed the plan in general. The project has to be completed by 2007. They expressed hope that Town employees could do the berm and other dirt work. Mayor Wade advised that this was a Town appointed Committee and requires the Town’s funding. He added that if the Town is unable to fund the program, that this is the time to scale the project back. He suggested that the hardscape projects such as the gazebo and pergolas could possibly be done by the Town employees. Alternatively, the Town could ask for the aid of the high school vo-tech classes to complete those projects. The consensus of Council was for staff to go forward with the plans and also to try to determine what part of the project Town staff could complete. The next item on the agenda was the Maple Shade Business Plaza. Mr. Hawley summarized the options available at this time for the Maple Shade Plaza. One option would allow the Raymond F. Ratcliffe Museum and the Fine Arts Center to move into a portion of the Maple Shade. The two museums would be responsible for staffing, fundraising and maintenance of the funding for the cultural center. The second option entailed upgrading the Plaza and selling it. Mayor Wade commented that Council needed to decide what the Town’s obligation to the museum is. He opined that the Town should provide space, but not operating costs. Following extensive discussion, Councilwoman Steger moved to notify the Fine Arts Center and the Raymond F. Ratcliffe Museum that the Town will allow them to move in to the Maple Shade Plaza and will provide the building space, the utilities and insurance under the umbrella of the Town. Further, that the museums and the Fine Arts Center of the New River Valley be given an eight month deadline to draw up plans, begin a fund raising campaign and agree on staffing and maintenance of the museums once they open. The motion was seconded by Councilman Talbert. Councilman Bolen made a substitute motion that Council wait eight months and then discuss whether to offer the space to the museums. The motion failed for lack of a second. The original motion then carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. - Aye John T. Bolen - No Bettye H. Steger - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Mr. Hawley advised that November 1, 2004 is the deadline to submit the application for the Enhancement money for the Museum. He added that the Fine Arts Center has submitted this application in the past. He inquired whether Council would approve the submission of the application. Mayor Wade suggested that the Town Manager and the Mayor meet with the two museums and inform them of Council’s decision regarding the use of the Maple Shade. If they are agreeable to the terms of Council, then the Fine Arts Center can be given the approval to submit the application for the Enhancement money for the Museum. The meeting was scheduled for Thursday, October 21 at 2:00 p.m. Mayor Wade moved on to Gatewood Park update. Mr. Hart advised that staff has been formulating a plan for Gatewood Park which included converting 4 to 6 sites for larger rv’s, converting 8 sites on the water front to full hook ups, and upgrading to 50 amp electric service at each spot, installing new water and sewer lines, and upgrading the existing bathhouse. Councilman Burchett inquired whether a decision had been made regarding allowing hunters to camp at Gatewood Park and hunt in the surrounding area. Mr. Hawley advised that the work that will be going on at Gatewood precludes allowing additional camping this year. He opined that the topic could be discussed next year after the upgrading to the Park was complete. Regarding MacGill Park, Mr. Hart advised that the installation of the fence that divides the tennis court from the skate park is almost complete. He added that he is preparing specs for equipment for the skateboard park. Mayor Wade moved on to traffic calming. Mr. Hawley advised that there were mixed reviews of placing the speed humps on Mashburn Avenue. He added that staff was reviewing three more requests for speed humps in the Town. Staff was directed to request a speed trailer from the Sheriff’s department to monitor the speeds on MacGill Street and Twin Oaks and discuss the outcome at the next Council Work Session. Mayor Wade moved on to the Flood Hazard Mitigation Committee update. Mr. Hawley advised that staff and the Flood Mitigation Committee has been working on a flood mitigation plan for about two years. The Chairman of the Flood Mitigation Committee will present the plan to Council at the December 7, 2004 Council meeting. Mayor Wade moved on to minimum salaries. Mr. Hawley advised that the starting salaries for the entry level positions in the Town need to be increased. The number of applicants for entry level jobs has decreased drastically resulting in difficulty hiring good workers. Following discussion, staff was directed to work on the low end of the scale. Next Councilwoman Steger moved to adjourn the work session, seconded by Councilman Talbert and carried. At 6:45 p.m., Councilwoman Steger moved to enter into Closed Session under Va. Code 2.2-3711 (A-5), Discussion concerning the expansion of an existing industry where no previous announcement has been made of the industry’s interest in expanding its facilities in the community, seconded by Councilman Penn and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye At 7:17 p.m., Council returned from Closed Session on motion by Councilwoman Steger, seconded by Councilman Talbert and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye At 7:18 p.m., Councilwoman Steger moved to adopt the Certification Resolution for the Closed Session, seconded by Councilman Talbert and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. - Aye John T. Bolen - Aye Bettye H. Steger - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye The meeting then adjourned.