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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-03-68r`7~~~~ Minutes of the regular meeting of the Pulaski Town Council, held December 3, 1969, at 4:00 P. M., in the Municipal office. There were present: Mayor C. Robert Edens, presiding. Councilmen: Glen K. Aust, J. H. White, Andrew L. Graham, T. J. McCarthy, William A. House, Raymond F. Ratcliff, Mason A. Vaughan Absent: Councilman S. G. Frye. Also present: Town Manager: J. E. Marshall Clerk: Gladys R. Dalton Town Attorney: Garnett S. Moore Visitors: Jane Graham, Southwest Times reporter The invocation was given by Councilman Ratcliff. Minutes of the regular meeting of November 19th were approved as recorded. Mayor Edens stated this was the time and place for holding a public hearing on Trailer applications, as had been advertised in the local newspaper, and the first application consider- ed was that of John R. Crouse for permission to place a house trailer on Highland Terrace. There was no one present either for or against this application. Town Manager Marshall reported a complete investigation had been made of the lot location, the GROUSE TRAILER APPLICATION topography of the lot and other factors. He stated the lot was CONTINUED too small to take care of the trailer unless it was placed the narrow way on the lot, there being only 60 ft. between the two existing houses, and this would make the back end of the trailer between ten to fifteen feet off the ground in the rear, which would necessitate a solid foundation; that Town water is avail- able but a permit for a septic tank would be necessary, and recommended that the application not be approved. Councilman Aust moved that Mr. Crouse be contacted and the existing factors be explained to him, and a further investigation made of the application. The motion was seconded by Councilman Graham, and carried . ~~y/ l Council mins. contd. 12/3/66 Council then held a public hearing on the application of Charles W. Scott for permission to place a house trailer on Maple Street. There was no one present to speak either for or against the application and Town Manager Marshall reported that in order that the trailer may be served, the water main must be extended approximately sixty (60) feet and that Mr. Scott should be required to pay in advance the estimated cost of $105.00 for making the extension, plus $100.00 for the water service connection. Mr. Marshall recommended that because of the size of the lot the narrow end should face the street and it be located on an approved solid foundation and all zoning requirements be CHAS .SCOTT met. Councilman White moved that the application be approved subject TRAILER to the conditions and stipulations as set forth by Mr. Marshall. The APPLICATION motion was seconded by Councilman House, and carried. APPROVED Town Manager Marshall advised that a petition had been received for widening Columbia Drive, and that the Town Engineering R EQ . TO WIDEN Department had been requ~~ted to make an estimate as to what can be done COLUMBIA DRIVE and should be done and he hoped to have this information to present to Council at its next meeting. Acting upon the direction of Council, Town Attorney Moore presented to Council an ordinance amending Sections 4,1, 4.4, 5.1 and added a new Section 4.8 of Chapter 3 of the License Code as adopted June 4, 1968. The ordinance was read to Council and discussed. On motion of Councilman Vaughan, seconded by Councilman Ratcliff, and carried on the following vote, the following ordinance was adopted: Raymond Ratcliff - aye William House - aye Glen K. Aust - aye Andrew Graham - aye T. J. McCarthy - aye Mason Vaughan - aye S. G. Frye - absent J. H. White - aye AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTIONS 4.1, 4.4, SECTION 5.1, and TO ADD A NEW PARAGRAPH SECTION 4.8 of CHAPTER 3 OF THE LICENSE CODE OF THE TOWN OF PULASKI, VIRGINIA, AS ADOPTED ON THE 4TH DAY ~ JUNE, 1968, AND TO OTHERWISE RE-ENACT SAID ORDINANCE AS ADOPTED ORDINANCE ON THE AFORESAID DATE ADOPTED AMENDING AUTO BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE TOWN ~ PULASKI, LICENSE VIRGINIA, meeting in regular session on this 3rd day of December, CODE 1968, that: "~` Council mins. contd. 12/3/68 OR DINANC E AUTO LICENSE 4.2 - Transfer of License. In the event the owner of a vehicle holds a license issued by the Town for a vehicle, and the vehicle has been sold or is otherwise disposed of so as to be no longer subject to the license, the license may be transferred to another vehicle owned by the same person by making application to the Treasurer. He shall pay any additional fee re- quired if the vehicle to which it is to be transferred is subject to an additional tax. In the event the transfer is made at a time when licenses are subject to proration, then the amount of tax applicable for credit from the license to be transf erred shall first have been computed on a prorated basis. 4,4 - Refund of Unused Motor License Tax. Every person or estate holding a motor license decal or tag who disposes of the vehicle for which it was issued and does not purchase another vehicle of the same class, shall be entitled to a refund of the unused portion of the license tax herefofore paid the Town by him, upon ~. surrender of the license decal or tag and the production bef ore the Treasurer of the Town of a certificate or other evidence from the Stare motor vehicle commission or other proper state officer, that the state license plates and registration certificate have been surrendered. If the license is surrendered bef ore the first day of March of the then current license tax year, such refund shall be one-half (1/2) of the license tax paid; should the surrender of the decal or license tag be made on or after the first day of March and on or before the first day of June of the current license tax year, there shall be a refund of one- f ourth (1/4) of the license tax paid. No refund shall be made after June first of the current tax year. The refund shall be made by the Treasurer of the Town when proper evidence as provided above is submitted to him. It is specifically provided that no license tag or decal shall be transf erred to another owner except in the case of tax' ~ r which the Council has approved, by proper action, under the Appropriation Ordinance, a transfer of Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. 4.8 - Payment of Personal Property Taxes on Vehicles. No license shall be issued under this ordinance unless or until the applicant for such license shall have produced proof or evidencie that all personal property taxes upon the vehicle to be licensed have been paid which have been properly assessed or are assessable against the applicant by the Town. Section 12, Chapter 2 of the General License Ordinance of Pulaski shall be applicable to ~ e issuance of license tags or decals for vehicles. SECTION 5. Pro-ration of Licenses. 5.1 Whenever an owner is not assesaable with a license tax on any vehicle until/or after December 1st in any current tax year, then he shall pay three-f ourths (3/4) of the tax required by this ordinance; or whenever an owner is not assessable with a license tax until on or after March Lst and prior to June lst in any year, then he shall pay one-half (1/2) of the tax required by this ordinance; or if he is assessable after June 1st he shall pay one-third (1/3) of the tax required by the ordinance for one year. I i J i 1 ~~~~~ ~- Council minx. contd. 12/3/69 All sections of Chapter 3 of the License Code of the Town of Pulaski, Virginia, as adopted on the 4th day of June, 1968, with the exception of sections hereinabove set out and amended, are hereby re-enacted as if set out herein in full. 1 A written report of the Finance Committee on the Audit of Accounts of the Town of Pulaski for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1968y prepared by its Chairman, S. G. Frye, was presented to Council. A lengthy discussion of the' report followed, and on motion of Councilman House, seconded by Councilman Vaughan, and carried., it was, resolved, that the report of the Finance Committee be incorporated in the minutes of this Council meeting. The Audit of the Accounts of the Town of Pulaski, Virginia for the past fiscal year ending June 30, 1968 was made by the firm of James Dix Miller, Certified Public Accountants and the Audit Report was submitted to the Town and the Finance Committee under date of October 14, 1968. The Finance Committee has examined in detail the Audit Report and we submit to the Council the following analysis: REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE RE: AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS JUNE 30, 1968 1 During the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1968: (1) The total Assets of our Town increased by $41,617.06 to a total of $4,432,651x07. (2) The total Liabilities of our Town decreased by $82,286.00 to a total of $1,506,164.35. (These Liabilities being primarily Utility Bonds). (3) The General Fund Surplus increased by $170,025.87 for a total unappropriated surplus of $330,871.51. (This increase in the General Fund Surplus includes $88,888.88 from the sale of the Bunts Building and t.he.sale of the Route ~~99 property less $20,000.00 paid by the Town for the Cool Springs Recreational. .Area). (4) The Unappropriated Surplus in our Water Fund in- creased by $36,217.20 to a total of $280,986.90. (5) The Deficit in the Sewer Fund increased by $36,673,10 to a total deficit of $95,518.88 and it is obvious that the Council must consider this rapid increase in deficit as an urgent matter requiring prompt attention. Each Operating and Service Account must be self-sustain- ing: Theref ore, the Finance Committee recommends that the Council assign this pr oblem to the Appropriate Committee for study, evaluation and recommendation. (6) Some Departments operated within their designated budgets with respect to their overall departmental budgets as well as budgeted individual accounts. Deserving special recognition are the Police Department and Fire Department. ~~~~f Council mins. contd. 12/3/68 However, other Departments, while operating within the overall departmental budget, (by "Robbing Peter to Pay Paul") exceeded the authorization of Council in certain accounts without requesting additional appropria- tions for the excess expenditures. The Finance Committee does not consider the excess ex- penditures unnecessary but it does not condone expenditures grossly exceeding appropriations without Council approval, regardless of the fact that the department remained within its overall budget. To transfer funds appropriated for Capital Improvements to Labor or other Accounts is a dangerous precident not condoned by this Committee. FINANCE COMMITTEE When any specific account indicates that it may become REPORT deficit, the department head, prior to making the ex- penditure, should request of the Council, through the Town CONTINUED Manager, an additional appropriation for that particular account. Furthermore, any agency of the Government of the Town of Pulaski is not authorized to make any payment exceeding the amount budgeted or appropriated for the specific account by the Council of the Town of Pulaski. The Finance Committee does not consider the deviations during the past year as serious because of their necessity through wage adjustments and change in accounting.proceedures except from the standpoint of precedent. Partially-:responsible was the "Datamac fiasco" wherein neither the Finance Committee nor the individual department heads received financial reports until many, many weeks had passed and consequently the inf ormation then obtained was ancient history and obsolete. In summary ,. the Finance Committee recommends to the Council of the Town of Pulaski that the policy of making an expenditure that grossly exceeds the amount appropriated in the budget should not be done until authorized through approval by, and a special appropriation made by the Council of the Town of Pulaski, Virginia. The deficits in Garbage collection and disposal as well as the deficit in the Sewer Fund require correction and the serious consideration of the Council at the earliest moment that the proper committee is prepared to report. All Town employees are to be congratulated for a successful year of operation. Their untiring and devoted attention to duty does not pass this Committee unnoticed. Town Manager Marshall gave.a report to Council on the pro- gress of the development of additional areas in the Oakwood TOWN MGRS. Cemetery, stating members of the Cemetery Committee had been furnished REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT a report relative to the operation and other aspects of Oakwood OF ADDL.AREAS IN OAKWOOD Cemetery. He stated perpetual care should be stressed and given CEMETERY consideration. Councilman McCarthy moved that Council go into executive session, which motion was seconded by Councilman Ratcliff, and carried, `~~~~ / Council mins. contd. 12/3/69 EXECUTIVE SESSION After the executive session Mayor Edens declared the meeting of Council to be in regular session. On motion of Councilman Aust, seconded by Councilman Vaughan, and carried, it was, RESOLVED, that Town Attorney Moore TOWN ATTY. be directed to roceed with condemnation AUTHORIZED TO p proceedings for the purchase PROCEED WITH of a small tract of land from the Macgill Village Corporation for a CONDEMANTION PROCEEDINGS playground in that section of the Town. FOR PURCHASE OF LAND FROM The Town Clerk was directed to place on the County Court MACGILL VILL. CORP. records a copy of the Town Building Code. The Clerk reported that BUILDING CODE a copy of the Building Code was placed on record in the Clerk'"s ON FILE IN Office October 7 19$8. CO.CLERK"S OFFICE There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:25 P. M. Approved: Mayor Attest: • ~, ~Z~iJ Clerk of the Council [i