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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-18-97March 18, 1997 Minutes of the regular meeting of the Pulaski Town Council held March 18, 1997, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers in the Municipal Building. There were present: Mayor John A. Johnston, presiding Council Members: James M. Neblett, Lane R. Penn, Bettye H. Steger, Charles W. Stewart, W. Edgar Hale, Joseph L. Weddle, Pauline G. Mitchell Also Present: Frank Terwilliger, Town Attorney Thomas M. Combiths, Town Manager Ruth A. Harrell, Clerk Visitors: J. R. Schrader and Paul Dellinger, News Media Billy J. Martin Glenwood Perdue Sara A. Stephens Christine Smith Herb Cooley Wade Bartlett Carolyn H. Quesenberry Nelson M. Quesenberry Lee Ann Pruitt Mandy McCoy Farrah Crane Barry Matherly Joyce Bell David Quesenberry The meeting was called to order by Mayor Johnston. Councilman Penn led the Pledge of Allegiance and Councilwoman Steger gave the Invocation. The roll call was taken. ~. ,~ Mr. Combiths reported that an intense recruitment to replace Rob Lyons was conducted with over ~ T~ 75 applications being received. We are very fortunate that we were able to identify a candidate in ~ our community. Mr. Combiths introduced Mr. David Nelson Quesenberry along with his parents Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Quesenberry. Mr. Combiths gave a brief biography regarding Mr. Quesenberry. Mr. Quesenberry will begin his duties as Assistant to the Town Manager on March 20, 1997. Mayor Johnston stated we were very proud to have David with us, and are pleased that he is a resident of this community. Councilman Penn made a motion that the minutes of the regular meeting held March 4, 1997, be approved as submitted, seconded by Councilman Neblett and carried. Mayor Johnston welcomed students from the Government class at Pulaski County High School. From the public, Joyce Bell stated she was no longer an employee of the Town of Pulaski as she Il~DI');T has recently been terminated. Ms. Bell stated that she would prove eventually that this is due to J.Bell sex discrimination in employment of the Town of Pulaski. She further stated she had sent in a rebuttal to this termination to the Mayor, Town Manager and to the Director of Public Works. She has not yet received an answer on this rebuttal. She stated she had also asked for procedures of what she needs to do to protect her interest in this matter. She has requested the employee evaluation criteria form and she had not received this. She requested that she have all these forms as soon as possible and that she be informed of what she can do to protect her interest in this pending charge of sex discrimination. She is now ready to go public. Mayor Johnston advised we would try to get her an answer within a reasonable time. Mr. Glenwood Perdue, 528 Hickory Ave., addressed Council regarding his water bill. He advised WATER Mr. Bartlett was to call him after he read the meter. He does not have a water leak. Mr. Perdue questioned why Mr. Bartlett did not call him back, with Mr. Bartlett advising that he did call him back. This matter will be looked into further. 9680 9681 March 18, 1997 As there were no further comments from the public, Mayor Johnston called for Council Committee Reports. UTILITIES CONIlVIITTEE: Chairman Neblett advised that the Utilities Committee had not met, however, he attending a Peppers Ferry Regional Wastewater Treatment Authority meeting on March 6, with the budget being adopted. Also, this was the 10th anniversary of Peppers Ferry. PUBLIC OPERATIONS COMMITTEE: Vice Mayor Steger presented safety vests to Council Members to pick up trash during clean up week. Chairman Penn reported that Public Operations Committee had met March 18, at 6:00 p.m. and discussed the Town boundary line adjustment as petitioned by Mr. Raymond L. Loftier as well as ANIVI~ATTON Mr. and Mrs. Kemmie Kemp. The Committee recommended that the Town Attorney prepare a ~~ draft proposed agreement and move forward with this item. Mr. Terwilliger advised the primary steps would be to advertise for a public hearing on the proposed agreement with both the County and the Town before any agreement can be adopted. We also need clarification from the County as to whether or not they intended to agree to the Kemp property. Recommendation that the Town Attomey prepare a draft proposed agreement then carried. Chairman Penn advised the Committee discussed the Town access to Gatewood Reservoir/Dam ~,D and National Forest Service Special Road permit. The Committee recommended that the Town Attorney negotiate an agreement and get back to Council or the Committee on this item. Also, the Committee recommended that the Town not accept responsibility for the easement to the dam except where appropriate. Chairman Penn stated the Committee reviewed a request to widen Valley Road and the associated SI1ZEEr costs. The Committee recommended that the request be denied at this time. This request will be VAT J FY ~• revisited at a later date. Chairman Penn stated that a request had been received from Mimi Ann's Restaurant for an M~7I ANN encroachment on the Town right-of--way and the redesignation of an existing handicap parking RF~TAiJRANT space on Main Street. The Committee recommended that we allow this for a period of six months ~p• ~• and those months were from April to September. Motion carried. Chairman Penn stated that the committee discussed the Dora Highway disposal site status and SANITATION firture maintenance plan. The committee agreed to have it open from Monday to Friday, 10:00 IRA ~• a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. wrti12:00 p.m. on a temporary basis. Chairman Penn advised that the committee discussed designation by the Town of April being "Spruce Up the Town Month". A resolution will be prepared on this and brought back to the April 1st meeting. Chairman Penn stated that the committee recommended supporting the Commerce Park concept. ~ Mr. Combiths advised the State of Virginia had a program to look at areas in the State that might D~ be suitable for a Commerce Park, industrial park, master plan development, and Pulaski County is working with a local engineering firm and the Planning District Commission has requested Council's support. Before Council was Resolution No. 97-11 Endorsing the New River Valley Regional RESOl~JTION Competitiveness Program. Councilman Stewart so moved that Resolution No. 97-11 be adopted, 97-11 seconded by Councilman Neblett and carried on the following recorded vote: James M. Neblett -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Bettye H. Steger -Aye Charles W. Stewart -Aye W. Edgar Hale -Aye Joseph L. Weddle -Aye Pauline G. Mitchell -Aye 2 March 18, 1997 c~B2 Chairman Penn reported that the Public Works Director has informed Council that he had found money to pay for the landscaping project at the municipal building. ORDINANCE CONIl~IITTEE• Chairvvoman Steger reported that the Ordinance Committee referred to the Planning Commission a ZONING request to create a medical district and allow backlite signs by right, or amend the RO zone to LANGUAGE allow larger and more than one sign for each business as a conditional use and to allow backlite signs by right. The Planning Commission has requested that they have additional time for review. CRIlVIE CONTROL REPORT: Vice Mayor Steger stated the Community Crime Council did not meet last week. FINANCE CONIlVIlTTEE: Chairman Stewart advised the Finance Committee met March 7, 1997, and began discussing the budget for the next fiscal year. The committee discussed the BPOL tax, a part of the budget. BBL There were some misconc~tions on wh~her this was being applied fairly, in particular hospital services as opposed to the professional services such as doctors. This matter was resolved to the satisfaction of everyone. The committee discussed whether th8 Town was comparable to the adjacrxrt communities on this. The Director of Finance will give the Finance Committee a report on how we compare with other similar political subdivisions in our area. Chairman Stewart stated the committee discussed the process of adopting the budget to meet the MUNICIPAL priorities that were agreed upon in the last retreat, and suggested some financing methods for the ~~T~' administration to study in order to meet priorities. Chairman Stewart stated the committee agreed that administration could issue proposals to municipal consultants regarding finance methods that would be used to complete the 10 year program that the Council has agreed upon. The committee discussed fire ladders that had failed safety inspection. The ladders will be replaced by foregoing some capital improvement purchases and use this money instead to upgrade the fire ladders. TAX '1'I~SIhe matter of the County Commission of Revenue mailing our tax tickets for us was discussed and the committee determinexl that it was both financially and managerially ineffective for us to attempt to do this. HUMAN RESOURCES COIVIlVIITTEE: Chairman Hale had no report. PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT: Councilman Stewart reported the Planning Commission met March 10 and reviewed a request by PLACING the Town of Pulaski for a conditional use to construct a water booster pump station on Pierce ~' Avenue. The Planning Commission recommended approval of Planning Commission Case No. 97- 69CU. The Town Council will conduct a public hearing on Case No. 97-69CU on April 1, 1997. Councilman Stewart reported that the Planning Commission discussed the possibility of forming a medical district for primarily the purpose of dealing with things associated with the hospital. And also some adjustments in the sign ordinance. The Planning Commission watrts to review this matter further as they do not have an adequate amount of information on how this particular zoning has worked in other cities. Councilman Stewart reported that the Planning Commission has reviewed Town Council referral that lot sizes be reviewed to accommodate planned housing developments or planned unit developments. The Planning Commission recommended that we add lot sizes into some of the things that need to be considered for planned unit developments. (Amend Article 4, Section 3.9.5 of the Town's Zoning Ordinance). Mr. Terwilliger advised a public hearing would need to beheld. Councilwoman Mitchell advised she had attended a meeting on the Agency on Aging with Mrs. Palmer giving an excellent program, and gave examples of services they provided. 3 9683 March 18, 1997 Councilman Neblett advised he had attending a meeting of Downtown, Inc. Two representatives from the State were present at this planning session. MAYOR' S REPORT: Mayor Johnston requested that Government students introduce themselves and advised this Council was the level of government that is closest to the people of all the governments they would study about, including the General Assembly and the Congress. LEE Clfi'1~170D Mayor Johnston advised that a letter had been received from Lee Chitwood cited his disappointment in not being able to serve on Council, and giving his reasons for not being able to serve. Mayor Johnston reported that Mr. Graham was operated on this morning and Mrs. Graham advises that everything went well with him and they were pleased with the surgery. TOWN ATTORNEY'S REPORT: Mr. Terwilliger had no report. TOWN MANAGER' S REPORT: Mr. Combiths requested an executive session under 2.1-344 A3 three matters regarding acquisition of property and one matter (Al) personnel matter regarding specifically named individual. Councilwoman Mitchell requested that the financial reports be available to Council Members on the Friday before the second Council Meeting of the morrth. At 7:35 p.m. Councilman Hale made a motion that Council go into executive session for three matters regarding acquisition of real estate for public purposes (A3), and (Al) personnel matter involving a specifically named individual. Motion seconded by Councilman Penn and carried on the following recorded vote: James M. Neblett -Aye W. Edgar Hale -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Joseph L. Weddle -Aye Bettye H. Steger -Aye Pauline G. Mitchell -Aye Charles W. Stewart -Aye Mr. Terwilliger exited executive session to inform news media that Council would be discussing, under (A7), consultation with legal counsel regarding possible litigation against the Police Department. Attest: At 8:35 p.m. Council returned to regular session and adopted Certification Resolution on motion made by Councilman Penn, seconded by Councilman Neblett and carried on the following recorded vote: James M. Neblett -Aye W. Edgar Hale -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Joseph L. Weddle -Aye Bettye H. Steger -Aye Pauline G. Mitchell -Aye Charles W. Stewart -Aye Council adjourned at 8:37 p.m . on motion made by Councilman Neblett, seconded by Councilman Penn and carried. APPROVID: Mayor 7Q.c~. Ct - .J`~ ocrv~.c..c.~. Clerk of Council 4