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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-21-11Minutes of the Town Council Work Session Meeting held June 21, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. at the Train Station. There were present: Jeffrey S. Worrell, Mayor Council present: Morgan P. Welker, H.M. Kidd, David L. Clark, Robert A. Bopp, Joseph K. Goodman Staff present: John J. Hawley, Town Manager David Warburton, Town Attorney Bill Webb, Fire Chief Gary Roche, Police Chief John White, Economic Development Director Sherry Boyd, Finance Director David Quesenberry, Assistant to the Town Manager Brenda Shelton, Acting Clerk of Council Others present: Shawn Utt, Pulaski County Staff Melinda Williams, Press Mike Williams, Press Mayor Worrell called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Councilman Goodman moved to appoint Brenda Shelton as the acting Clerk of Council, seconded by Councilman Welker and carried by unanimous voice vote. Following roll call, Councilman Clark moved to adopt the minutes of the May 17, 2011 and May 27`h, 2011 meetings, seconded by Councilman Kidd and carried by unanimous voice vote. The Employee of the Month presentation for June was postponed to the next meeting. The next item on the agenda was the fina12010-2011 Demolition Bid. Mr. Hawley advised that 4 of the 6 owners on the list of demolitions may comply and take structures down themselves. He added that Tom Compton and Todd Garwood were advised to find 4 new properties to replace those. He further added that the Town will work with contractors on the bids for the properties that will be substituted. He hoped those would be under contract by June 30, 2011, allowing the funds to come out of the current budget for nuisance abatement. Mr. Hawley stated that one home owner appealed the decision to the Housing Board of Adjustments and Appeals which will be heard on June 30, 2011. Councilman Welker asked how long the property owners were given to demolish the structure themselves. Mr. Hawley replied that the property owners had 30 days to respond to the initial letter and if a request was made the owner was usually given a maximum of 90 days for demolition and 6 months for repairs. Following discussion, Mr. Hawley agreed to reduce the maximum days to 45 days for demolition, depending on the situation. The next item on the agenda was Litter Grant. Mr. Hawley advised that the standard grant application for a cooperative agreement with the County to continue to allow the Town's funds to be used by the Clean Community Committee had been included in the packet. He added that it had been the Town's method for several years to allow the Clean Community Committee to use the funds. June 21, 2011/Page 1 of 5 Following discussion, Councilman Welker moved to authorize the Town Manager to execute the grant application. The motion was seconded by Councilman Goodman and carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye Morgan P. Welker -Aye H.M. Kidd -Aye Mayor Worrell moved on to Finance and the Fund Balance Policy (GASB 54). Ms. Boyd stated that the Governmental Accounting Standards Board 54 (GASB 54) established a new hierarchy of fund balance classifications and requirements for reporting in the financial statements. She added that Governments were required to implement GASB 54 for fiscal year ending June 30, 2011. Ms. Boyd explained the five possible fund balance classifications in the hierarchy. She added that the Fund Balance Policy needed to be adopted in the June 21, 2011 work session. Councilman Clark moved to adopt the new Fund Balance Policy, was seconded by Councilman Kidd and carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye Morgan P. Welker -Aye H.M. Kidd -Aye The next item on the agenda was Retraction of Resolution 2011-07 and adoption of revised resolution. Mr. Warburton explained that VRS informed the Town that they wanted the Town to use the wording in the Resolution that they sent to us, not the wording that we used in Resolution 2011-07 and would not accept our resignation unless we changed the Resolution. He advised that he recommended rescinding Resolution 2011-07 and reissuing a Resolution using their wording. Councilman Welker and Councilman Goodman expressed concern that rescinding Resolution 2011-07 may be irrevocable if the General Assembly changed the rules. Following discussion, Mr. Warburton advised that the irrevocability of the resolution extends through any day after July 1, 2012 and he was comfortable that if the rules changed next year the Town would be able to participate. Mr. Hawley advised that even if the Town did not have the option to go back to VRS next year that financially this was probably the best decision over the next 3 or 4 years. Mr. Warburton then confirmed that the 2010 date in the 3`d paragraph from the bottom was the correct year. Following discussion, Councilman Welker moved to adopt Resolution 2011-11 rescinding Resolution 2011-07, with the correction to the spelling of rescinding in the title. The motion was seconded by Councilman Goodman and carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye H.M. Kidd -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye Morgan P. Welker -Aye Councilman Clark moved to adopt Resolution 2011-12, Irrevocable Election Not To Participate In The Line Of Duty Act Fund, was seconded by Councilman Kidd and carried on the following recorded vote: June 21, 2011 /Page 2 of 5 David L. Clark -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye Morgan P. Welker -Aye H.M. Kidd -Aye The next item on the agenda was Resolution 2011-09, CIP (Capital Improvement Plan). Mayor Worrell summarized the work done by Council and staff to prepare the CIP. He noted that they had a copy of the proposed CIP in front of them as well as a list. of changes suggested by Councilman Welker. Mr. Hawley stated that the corrections were made to the 5-year CIP for completed/removed projects. He added that the 2011-2012 projects that were not included in the proposed borrowing had been included and Council could discuss and adopt prior to the budget. Mr. White interjected that capital needs for the Museum needed to be added to the long term CIP. Mayor Worrell added that discussion had been ongoing for many years that the CIP plan needed to be a true working document rather than just a wish list. He felt that our CIP was a little bit of both. However, he noted that at the end of the day, it comes down to what you can afford to do. Council Goodman advised that the CIP needed to be a working plan, not just a wish list. Chief Roche commented that part of the problem was that the capital improvements had been delayed for so long the cost of needed items had been driven up. He added that because the cost is so high, it now goes into the category of being unaffordable. Councilman Welker stated that through an email to the Mayor, Councilmen and staff, he had made several suggestions for changes as an alternate plan to the one proposed among other things. This plan included removing a new fire station and new police station since the costs would be too high. Mayor Worrell stated that Councilman Welker made some good points in the email and agreed with Mr. Goodman that the plan needed to be a working document, but at the same time did not agree that the fire station line item should be removed because the fire station may not last another 4 or 5 years. Following discussion, Councilman Welker moved to adopt the Capital Improvement Plan along with all of the suggestions in his email except removing the fire department and the police department line items. Mr. Warburton advised that the action required a Resolution and encouraged the Mayor to rule the motion out of order. Councilman Welker retracted his motion. Mayor Worrell ruled the motion out of order. Mr. Goodman requested an explanation for the Parks and Facilities portion of the CIP, page 4, the Trails Dora Trails Phase (4) and Trails East Main Urban. Mr. Hawley explained that East Main Street Urban was a route that was used before the right of way for the existing trail location was acquired. The route ran along East Main Street from the terminus at Xaloy on the right of way of East Main Street and came over to the Shopping Center heading north and continued on the south side of the Route 99 down to Walnut Avenue and tying back oes back uv along the creek and under the Dora trestle and comes back up and ties back in part ends at Cool Springs and g P on 15` Street. He added that those easements were in place. June 21, 2011/Page 3 of 5 Following discussion, Councilman Bopp commented that while the CIP needed to be discussed further for future needs, he did not feel the time for that discussion was now. He felt that a vote should be taken on the current CIP and more work done for next year's CIP. Councilman Kidd commented that you're not going to be able to please everybody. He felt this document was about as close to a compromise as could be achieved at this time. Councilman Welker moved to adopt Resolution 2011-09 as written, substituting the changes made by himself to the proposed Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), except to keep the fire station and the police station line items. The motion was seconded by Councilman Goodman and failed on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark -Nay Joseph K. Goodman -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Nay Morgan P. Welker -Aye H.M. Kidd -Nay Councilman Clark commented that he realized that there were many things that needed to be done in the Town and that the 5 year CIP needed to be nailed down further. However, he did not think the eleventh hour was the time to make changes. Councilman Clark moved to adopt Resolution 2011-09 as written and was seconded by Councilman Kidd. Following discussion, the motion carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Nay Robert A. Bopp -Aye Morgan P. Welker -Nay H.M. Kidd -Aye The next item on the agenda was Resolution 2011-10, Establishing the 2011-12 Budget. Mr. Hawley stated that there may be minimal grant changes prior to 6-30-11, but they do not impact the normal operating budget. Councilman Welker stated that the staff did a very good job putting the budget together; however, he believed that because blight elimination was not funded as a priority in the current budget that the Town would suffer. He added that much progress was made in the past year because blight was funded at a high level. Councilman Goodman agreed with Councilman Welker's comments. He added that next year, blight needed to be properly addressed in the budget to find alternative methods of funding to bring blight elimination back up to where it was. He opined that taxes may have to be raised. Councilman Clark moved to adopt Resolution 2011-10, Adopting A Budget Establishing Appropriations For The Town Of Pulaski, Virginia For The Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2011 And Ending June 30, 2012. The motion was seconded by Councilman Kidd and carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye Morgan P. Welker -Nay H.M. Kidd -Aye The next item on the agenda was Ordinance 2011-07, Citizens Franchise Agreement. Mayor Worrell commented that this completed action of Council. Mr. Warburton reviewed the points of the agreement for Council. June 21, 2011lPage 4 of 5 Councilman Goodman commented that previous discussions had been held regarding asking Citizens to run some dark fiber along with the work noted in the agreement. He inquired whether that would be covered in this agreement? Mr. Warburton responded that this document did not encourage or discourage any particular use of the franchise granted. The document allowed them to do work, but did not require them to do so. Councilman Goodman advised that he was interested in whether this agreement prohibited the Town from asking Citizens to run dark fiber along with their fiber. Mr. Warburton responded no. Mr. Hawley commented that his understanding was that if the Town wanted to go back and negotiate something separately from what Citizens had in their paperwork, the Town could do so. Following discussion, Councilman Welker moved to adopt Ordinance 2011-07, Authorizing A Franchise Agreement With Citizens Telephone Co-Operative, Inc. The motion was seconded by Councilman Clark and carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye H.M. Kidd -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye Morgan P. Welker -Aye Following discussion, it was determined that interviews with potential Council members would be held Thursday, June 23 and Tuesday, June 28. Additionally, it was determined that the July and August Work Sessions would be held in the 4`n week of the month. There being no further business, Councilman Kidd moved that the meeting be adjourned, was seconded by Councilman Goodman and carried on unanimous voice vote. Approved: ey S. Worrell, Mayor June 21, 2011/Page 5 of 5 1 1 J