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Home My WebLink About12-16-69~~~ Minutes of the regular meeting of the Pulaski Town Council, held December 16, 1969, at 4;00 P. M., in the Municipal building. There were present: Mayor C. Robert Edens, presiding. Councilmen: J. H. White, Wm. A. House, S. G. Frye, E. D. Macgill,=Jr., A. L. Graham, Raymond F. Ratcliff Absent; Mason A. Vaughan and Glen K. Aust Also present: Town Manager: J. E. Marshall Clerk: Gladys R. Dalton Town .Attorney: Garnett S. Moore Visitors: Jane Graham, Southwest Times reporter John Dellinger, Roanoke Times reporter Mrs. Eva Kreidell The invocation was given by Councilman House. The minutes of the regular meeting of December 2, 1969 were approved as recorded. Council considered the application of Mrs. Eva Kreidell to operate a teen-age social center in the area formerly occupied by the Army Reserve at the Monticello Club building. Town Manager Marshall EVA KREIDELL APPLICATION gave a report on the internal defects which must be corrected TO OPERATE TEEN CENTER and which had been reported on by the Town Building Inspector and MONTICELLO CLUB DENIED Fire Chief, as well as a report from the Police Department regarding the inadequate parking situation. Council felt this was an activity much needed, but in view of the report of Town Manager Marshall as well as his recommendation that the application not be approved, advised Mrs. Kreidell to investigate other places that were pointed out to her to see if one of these might be available to her. The applic ation was not approved for the space at the Monticello building. The following report was given by Councilman Frye, and on motion of Councilman House, seconded by Councilman White, and carried, said report was unanimously adopted, as follows: ANNUAL REPORT TO COUNCIL BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE Our auditors have examined the records of the Town of REPORT OF Pula~d, Virginia for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1969 FINANCE and have certified the accuracy of these records excepting COMMITTEE the Utility Accounts and Tax Receivable. CHAIRMAN I must again report to this Council that inadequate controls exist in the Utility Accounts and the Tax Receiva- ble Accounts. In a recent meeting with our auditors, corrective mea- sures were outlined that will correct these deficiencies. The funds paid by the taxpayers must be safeguarded. 1 1 1 Our General Fund Surplus increased this past year by $15,087.40 and during the past year we spent on long term ~,~~,. December 16, 1969 Capital Improvements, including Contributions, the amount of $199,312.07 from the General Fund Revenue. The audit discloses that the Revenue received from Garbage Collection and Disposal was $58,418.78, while the expenses were $74,731.90. Expenditures exceeded Revenue by more than 28% and from June 30, 1969 through October 31, 1969. The Revenues of this Account were $19,884.92 while expenditures were $25,826.34 or a percentage of 30% deficit. It is very obvious that Real Estate Taxes are subsidising the Refuse and Garbage Disposal. It is basic logic that you cannot operate expensive equipment, staff this equipment with personnel who must sustain themselves in todays inflationary market, cover the residue with soil dug from a mountain-side using a fifty- thousand dollar scraper for .16~ per pick up. The Equipment and Stores Fund which leases its equipment and sells its supplies to all accounts is faring no better. During our past Fiscal Year their Expenditures exceeded yheir Revenue by $43,022.62. From June 30, 1969 through FINANCE October, 1969 the Revenue for this Account was $20,888.95 CHAIRMAN'S while the Expenditures were $60,274.72. This is abnormal REPORT ON because of the purchase of a large new. grader for the Garbage AUDIT Disposal Dump, but it does indicate in the overall picture that increased charges must be levied against other funds and accounts to offset inflation and to keep the account near balance. 'The Water Fund Unappropriated Surplus increased by $1,533.56. This is a small increase; however, we must remember that we did spend $49,864.90 for Capital Improve- ments during the past year. This included line extensions, The Highland Terrace Water Line, The Newbern Heights Water Line, Improvements to water meters, Painting water tanks, one additional filter unit, equipment, etc. At this point the General Fund and the Water Fund are solvent and secure. The Sewer .Fund is another story. It is insolvent and over the years has progressively increased its deficit. On June 30, 1968, the Sewer Fund owed $95,518.88 and on June 30, 1969 the Sewer Fund owed $136,978.91 or an increase in borrowing by this Fund for the amount of $41,460.03. This Council partially corrected this problem by increasing the Sewer Rate on July 1, 1969. However, on September 30,, 1969 the Sewer Fund had recovered only a few hundred dollars of its deficit. The Cemetery Fund received Revenue that exceeded expendi- tures by .$23.76. Generally, all departments operated within th.e budgetory requirements of this Council and they and the Town's Manager are to be complimented therefor. Concluding the report.f or the Fiscal-Year 1968-1969, it is the recommendation of your Finance Committee Chairman that these various "Paper Accounts" be adjusted to bring them into balance by increasing their charges to the other accounts serviced by them. This. will more realisticaily reflect the costs that we incur. The overall picture reflects that the Town is solvent, that the Town is making Capital Expenditures and is paying for them from Revenue received, that it is reserving funds for emergencies and future expansions, and that it is comprehensive of .the needs of the Citizens. ~~~~~? December 16, 1969 This year over miles of streets were black-topged in the Business Areas and it is planned to black-top the equivalent in the Residential Areas next year. We have no applications f or-Curb, Guttering or Sidewalk. Extensive Water and Sewer improvements are under considera- tion by the Committees. FINANCE You may expect considerable activities by the Cemetery REPORT Committee during the next year. A $oard of Trustees has CONT"D been appointed and development of the First Garden along .with grading must begin soon. The Finance Committee has been concerned. seriously with the inadequacies of the investment of the Retirement Funds. Meetings have been held jointly with the Retirement Fund Committee and while the Finance Committee is not involved in the distribution or administration of the plan it does have a responsibility as to the investment of our taxpayer's money. Their investment program is now under close scrutiny and recommendations will be made to this Council bef ore long. While many municipalities were compelled to increase their Tax Rate in order to balance their Budgets for 1969-1970, we were able to avoid doing this. The Personal Property Tax on Household Furnishings is an unjust and unfair Tax and should be eliminated. The Committee will study alternatives to this tax and submit recommendations to Council prior to formulating and adopting tie Budget for 1970-1971. Very Respectfully submitted, /s/ S. G. FRYE, Chairman The Finance Committee Councilman Graham advised that the Water Committer is still XALOY INC considering the request of Xaloy, Incorporated for an additional meter, WATER SIT. REPORT and no report could be made at that time. CONTD - Town Attorney Moore advised he had. no report to make to Council. Town Manager Marshall advised that .the Police Department reported that over a period of two and one-half months, the Sergeant on duty for the 3L00 P. M. to 11:00 P. M. shift had not received over one or POLICE REPORT two complaints from the Villa Dari Bar and Dari-Delite; that patrol cars ON NOIS E AT VILLA had been in use in these areas and everything had .been noticeably quiet. DARI BAR Also, for the 11:00 P. M. to 7:00 A. M. shift Sergeant had reported no calls from the Villa Dairy Bar, and only one call from Dari-Delite and this was all clear when the officers arrived, and appeared to be only a minor matter. It was also reported that the owner of Dari-Delite had been thanked for getting warrants and prosecuting violations at that location, and as had been suggested at Villa Dari Bar, a chain had been installed across one entrance to the parking lot which apparently had helped the situation. ~3 December 16, 1969 Council discussed at length the traffic situation at the csorner of Main and Washington Avenue. A report was given by Town Manager Marshall relative to recommendations and costs for traffic lights 1 STREET ,,which had been received from Traffic Engineers Supply Corporation. On COMM. PTO STUDY motion of Councilman Graham, seconded by Councilman Ratcliff, and carried, TRAFFIC LIGHTS it was, RESOLVED, that the Street Committee look into this matter further AT COR. MAIN & and report to Council. WASH.AVE. On motion of Councilman Frye, seconded by Councilman Macgill, EXECUTIVE. and carried., Council went into executive session at 5:20 P. M. to discuss SESSION a personnel matter. At 6:05 P. M. Mayor Edens declared Council to be in regular session. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:10 P. M. APPROVED: 1 ~ ~~d ~~~ ~~~~z/f/ Mayor ATTEST: ,~_ ,~'`~ ~ j~ Clerk ~ the Council 1