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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-05-16Minutes of the Town Council meeting held Tuesday, July 5, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building. There were present: Mayor: Robert N. Glenn Council: James A. Radcliffe, Gregory C. East, David L. Clark, Joseph K. Goodman, H. M. Kidd, Lane R. Penn Staff: _ Sha*n M. Utt, Town Manager Nichole Hair,,; Deputy, Town Manager Patricia:'Cruise, Clerk:of Council David 'Quesenberry, Assistant to the Town Manager Spencer Rygas, Town Attorney John White, Economic Development Director Dave Hart, Parks and Recreation Director Robbie Kiser, Fire Chief Kim Caudill, Administrative Manager Rebecca Reece, Acting Finance Director Mike Hudson, Lieutenant of Investigations Others: Clark Payne Heather Steele Charles Wade Carol Wade Betty Quesenberry Meredith McGrady Mary Beth Glenn Jeff Worrell Marcie Worrell Amy Lewis R. D. Warburton Brooke Wood, Press Mike Williams, Press Mayor Glenn called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Councilman Kidd led the Pledge of Allegiance and Councilman East gave the Invocation. Following roll call, Mayor Glenn introduced the new Council Members: Councilmen Radcliffe, East and Goodman and himself as Mayor. The next item on the agenda was the election of the Vice -Mayor. He added that the Town Attorney needed to make a brief comment before that election. Mr. Rygas advised that the Charter specified that a Vice -Mayor would be elected at the first meeting of Council of each even numbered year to serve for a term of two years. He added that since Council was in the middle of the year, the Vice -Mayor should be elected to serve a term through the first meeting of January 2018. He continued that from there on Council could elect a new Vice -Mayor every two years. Councilman Radcliffe nominated Councilman East to serve as Vice -Mayor with a term from July 5, 2016 through January 1, 2018. Councilman Penn seconded the motion and carried on the following recorded vote: James A. Radcliffe -Aye Joseph K. Goodman - Aye Gregory C. East - Abstain H. M. Kidd - Aye David L. Clark - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Mayor Glenn welcomed the public to the meeting. The next order of business was Presentations. Page 1 of 5/July 5, 2016 Mayor Glenn asked Heather L. Steele to come forward to receive a Resolution in her honor. He read Resolution 2016-17, A Resolution of Appreciation and Thanks to Heather L. Steele For Her Service on Town Council aloud. He presented the Resolution to Ms. Steele and thanked her for her years of service. Councilman East moved to adopt Resolution 2017-17. Councilman Clark seconded the motion and carried on the following recorded vote: James A. Radcliffe - Aye Joseph K. Goodman - Aye Gregory C. East - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye David L. Clark - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Mayor Glenn asked David Warburton to come forward to receive his Resolution. He read Resolution 2016-18, Honoring the Service of Roy David Warburton as Town Attorney aloud. He presented the Resolution to Mr. Warburton and thanked him for his years of service. Councilman Clark moved to adopt Resolution 2016-18. Councilman Penn seconded the motion and carried on the following recorded vote: James A. Radcliffe - Aye Joseph K. Goodman - Aye Gregory C. East - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye David L. Clark - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Mayor Glenn asked Jeff Worrell to come forward to receive his Resolution. He read Resolution 2016-19, Honoring Jeffrey S. Worrell For His Service As A Member Of Town Council And As Mayor aloud. He presented the Resolution to Mr. Worrell and thanked him for his years of service. Councilman Clark moved to adopt Resolution 2016-19. Councilman East seconded the motion and carried on the following recorded vote: James A. Radcliffe -Aye Joseph K. Goodman - Aye Gregory C. East - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye David L. Clark - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Mr. Worrell addressed Council and staff advising that he would not trade a minute of the last eighteen years of his service. He added that it had been an honor and a privilege. The next item on the agenda was Public Hearings. Mr. Utt advised that Planning Commission Case No. 2016-04ZA, Rezoning Request had been withdrawn by the applicant. Mayor Worrell moved on to the Public Comment Period. John White advised that Pulaski County had inserted a survey into the Town water bills regarding internet needs. He underscored the importance of the public completing the survey as it might affect future internet connectivity. There being no further comments from the public, Mayor Glenn moved on to the Consent Agenda. Councilman Clark moved to adopt the Consent Agenda consisting of the minutes of the June 7, 2016 Council meeting as written. Councilman Kidd seconded the motion and carried on the following recorded vote: Page 2 of 5/July 5, 2016 James A. Radcliffe - Aye Joseph K. Goodman - Abstain Gregory C. East - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye David L. Clark - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye The next item on the agenda was Project Updates. Mr. Utt provided an overview of the Project Review Chart including that the Route 99 Improvement project was formally bid in June and the responses were due in July, with construction due to begin in early fall. He advised that the Kersey Bottom/Case Knife Road CDBG Housing Grant had been signed, the initial walk through of the first round of applicants had been completed, and staff was distributing the bids for the first group of houses. He added that staff would be removing dead trees in Oakwood Cemetery and planting something more appropriate for the area. He advised that delinquent tax collections would be discussed by Council in the near future. The number of sightings of vultures in the downtown area were increasing and staff was watching closely. He noted that a RFQ had gone out for grant services for the Building Entrepreneurial Economies grant and three proposals had been received. He added that staff would be reviewing the proposals in the next several weeks. He noted that staff had received approval from DHCD to include in the same RFQ, assistance with $30,000 downtown planning grant funds. He advised that Shah Development had purchased the former Virginia Church Furniture property in the far -western section of First Street, NW. The Brownfields Assessment grant would be used to clear the property and then the property would be used for parking related to the Jackson Park Inn. He noted that the Chamber of Commerce had signed a lease for 83 West Main Street to be used for "Pulaski On Main". He advised that one well at the picnic/store side of Gatewood Park was showing contamination which required boil water notices to be posted. He noted the issue was resolved and staff had increased the testing efforts. He advised that the bluegrass jam sessions were moving back to the Senior Center on July 7, now that most renovations had been accomplished with existing funding levels. He added that two Planning Commissioners, Terry Hale, Sr. and Clark Payne attended the opening session of the Planning Commissioners training at the Hotel Roanoke and after a ten week home study course, would return to Roanoke to complete their coursework and receive their planning commissioner certification. And lastly, he advised the Town had signed a contract with the New River Regional Commission and their staff had begun reviewing the Zoning Ordinance with the first focus being on business and industrial zones. Councilman East inquired into the progress of street lights for Jackson Park. Mr. Utt advised that the order had been placed and AEP had the.posts ready. Once the lights were received they would be installed. Mayor Glenn moved on to Old Business. The first item was a UDAG loan request by Flowers by Dreama Dawn. Mr. Utt advised that Council had previously approved a request from an existing UDAG loan recipient to refinance her current loan to get additional funding that would allow her to expand her business. He added staff thought the request was to refinance the existing loan to an $8,000 loan. In reality, the actual need was an addition to her current balance for a total of $12,670. He noted that she would pay off her current loan with the proceeds from the new loan. He requested Council's consideration and approval of revising the June 7th UDAG loan approval from $8,000 total to $12,670. Councilman East moved to revise the $8,000 loan from June 7 for Flowers By Dreama Dawn to $12,670. Councilman Penn seconded the motion and carried on the following recorded vote: James A. Radcliffe - Aye Joseph K. Goodman - Aye Gregory C. East - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye David L. Clark - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Page 3 of 5/July 5, 2016 Mayor Glenn moved on to New Business. The first item was VDH grant for Brookmont HAA5 evaluation. Mr. Utt advised of the receipt of an award letter from the Virginia Department of Health's Planning Grant in the amount of $50,000 for the Brookmont project. He added the project was intended to help evaluate alternative meaures/improvements to the Town's water system that would improve the water quality in the Brookmont water system. He noted the Brookmont system was owned and operated by the Public Service Authority but the water was supplied by the Town. He asked for Council's formal acceptance of the grant and authorization for the Town Manager to execute the necessary documents. Councilman Clark moved to approve the planning grant in the amount of $50,000 and authorize the Town Manager to execute the necessary documents. Councilman Radcliffe seconded the motion and carried on the following recorded vote: James A. Radcliffe -Aye Joseph K. Goodman - Aye Gregory C. East - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye David L. Clark - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye The next item for consideration was FOIA policy updates. Mr. Utt advised that recent General Assembly changes required local governments to post a FOIA right and responsibilities document on their public government website. He added that the bill also requires all localities that are subject to FOIA to designate and identify contact information for at least one FOIA officer whose responsibility is to serve as a point of contact for members of the public in requesting public records and to coordinate the public body's compliance with the provisions of FOIA. He summarized other requirements and advised that a draft document had been included in the packet with the recommendation of the Town Clerk as the Town's FOIA officer. He suggested a few changes to the document including the addition on page two that the FOIA Officer will direct the request to the appropriate Town Departments, the Town Council, and other public officials within one business day of receipt of the request; deleting the last bullet on page five; and changing the fees charged at the bottom of page six to five cents per page for black and white copies and fifteen cents per color copy. Councilman Goodman moved to adopt the Rights of Requestors and the Responsibilities of the Town of Pulaski under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act with the following changes: on page two, third bullet from the bottom, add within one business day; on page five, strike the last bullet; on page six change the fees for copies to five cents for a black and white copy and fifteen cents per page for color copies. Councilman Clark seconded the motion and carried on the following recorded vote: James A. Radcliffe -Aye Joseph K. Goodman - Aye Gregory C. East - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye David L. Clark - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Mr. Glenn moved on to Resolution 2016-20, Appointing Representatives to Regional Committees and Town Boards. Mr. Utt explained that some of the Committees and Boards for the Town of Pulaski ran co -terminus with the positions. He continued that this Resolution appointed: Robert N. Glenn to the Pulaski Telecommunications Committee, co -terminus with his tenure as the Mayor with a term beginning July 1, 2016; Robert N. Glenn to the Virginia Municipal League, co -terminus with his tenure as Mayor effective July 1, 2016; Joseph K. Goodman, to Virginia's First Regional Industrial Authority for a term of four years beginning July 1 2016 and ending June 30, 2020 and Pam Austin to the Architecture Review Board for a term of four years beginning on July 1, and ending on June 30, 2020. He asked for Council's adoption of the Resolution. Page 4 of 5/July 5, 2016 Councilman Kidd moved to adopt Resolution 2016-20, Appointing Representatives to Regional Committees and Town Boards. Councilman East seconded the motion and carried on the following vote: James A. Radcliffe - Aye Joseph K. Goodman - Abstain Gregory C. East - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye David L. Clark - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Mayor Glenn moved on to Resolution 2016-21, Designating the Week of July 24th as Southwest Times Week. Mayor Glenn read the Resolution aloud and presented the Resolution to Brooke Wood, reporter with the Southwest Times. Councilman Clark moved to adopt Resolution 2016-21. Councilman Kidd seconded the motion and carried on the following recorded vote: James A. Radcliffe - Aye Joseph K. Goodman - Aye Gregory C. East - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye David L. Clark - Aye Lane R. Penn - Aye Next, Mayor Glenn advised that he had some comments he wished to make. He advised that he would be recognizing different people and groups from time to time during Council meetings and thanking them for their contributions. He continued that this time he would be thanking Town Council. He addressed each Council member individually and thanked them for their contributions. At 8:00 p.m., there being no further business, Councilman Penn moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilman Kidd seconded the motion and carried on voice vote: Approved: Page 5 of 5/July 5, 2016 1