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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-02-10 Minutes of the Town Council Meeting held November 2, 2010 at /:UU p.m. in the c.ouncu Lnarnoers or•irie Municipal Building at 42 First Street, NW. There were present: Mayor Jeffrey S. Worrell Council: Morgan P. Welker, H. M. Kidd, David L. Clark, Joel B. Burchett, Jr., Robert A. Bopp, Joseph K. Goodman Staff: John J. Hawley,.Town Manager Patricia Cruise, Clerk of Council David Quesenberry, Assistant to the Town Manager R. D. Warburton,Town Attorney Gary Roche, Police Chief John White, Economic Development Director Elizabeth Chitwood, Secretary Dave Hart, Parks and Facilities Others: Dru Henderson Patricia Hawkins Kim Wright Clark Payne Andy Coleman Brandon:Kroe Thomas Harris Heather Harris Phillip Shrewsbury Shirley Shrewsbury Bob McKinney John McElroy Shawn Utt Brenda Branson Cassie Mills Ava Stillwell Mike Williams, Press Melinda Williams,.Press • Mayor Worrell called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Councilman Kidd led the Pledge of Allegiance and Councilman Clark gave the invocation. Following roll call, Mayor Worrell welcomed the public to the meeting. He advised that the first Presentation was a Proclamation Designating November 2010 as National Family Caregivers Month. He read the Proclamation aloud and presented it to Mrs. Cassie Mills, Director of Programs for the New River Valley Agency on Aging and Mrs. Ava Stillwell, RSVP Director. ;d The next item on the agenda was a presentation from EcoSmart Recycling, Inc. John White, Director of Economic Development for the Town introduced Brandon Kruse and Andy Coleman to speak about the new business they were forming. Mr: Coleman advised that he and Mr. Kruse felt there was a need for curb side recycling in this area. They planned to work from the Pulaski Furniture building. He advised that they had three fundamental items in mind: to provide an economic impact by providing jobs;the environmental impact of less trash in the land fill and they planned to donate ten percent of their profits back to the community through churches, the school system and other organizations. Councilman Clark inquired how the program would work. Mr. Coleman advised-that the citizens would be provided with a tote to place their recyclables in. On a certain day of the week, the company would pick up the recyclables to be sorted and processed. They planned to start the operations on January 3rd,2011. Mayor Worrell moved on to Public Comments period. The first speaker was Dru Henderson,who complained that the Heritage Garden landscaping provided by the Hoe and Hope Club was not being kept up. She advised that it was an unkempt mess. She reminded Council that before the Hoe and Hope Club donated the plantings, a proposal was accepted that stated that if the,, garden club would plan, plant and maintain a certain area for one year, then the Town of Pulaski would care and maintain this particular part of the Park thereafter. She asked the Town to fulfill its commitment. November 2,.2010/Page 1 of 5 ;t . Mayor Worrell thanked Mrs. Henderson.and advisedthat he felt confident that this was something that would be taken care of. The next speaker was Phillip Shrewsbury of Valley Road. He thanked Council for finding the water leak that restored water pressure in his area. However, he askedfor a reimbursement ofmonies spent for water during that difficult period of time when he had no pressure. Mayor Worrell advised that staff and Council would review the bills of everyone affected in that area and make a decision. Next,.Mr.Thomas Harris, from Free Talk Ministries,.addressed Council advising that he and his wife were missionaries who were stationedin.Pulaski. They wished to help as many people as they could. They.had been in the area approximately a year, and were concerned about how the homeless would cope in the winter. He wished to coordinate local businesses and churches to help fund and facilitate and run some type of agency to help the homeless. Mayor Worrell commented that the Town could help coordinate with the groups in Town to ensure that duplication of services did not occur. Mr. Hawley suggested that they speak with Jim Wallis, Director of Social Services for Pulaski County. The next speaker was Brenda-Branson,who addressed Council with some of the same concerns that Mr. Harris spoke about. She advised that she was in the business of reaching out to people in need. She commented that some of them were afraid to approach Social Services with their problems because they were afraid that their children would be taken away from them. She wished to form a task force and was willing to head it, with help from citizens inthe area. Mayor Worrell asked Ms. Branson to leave her contact information with the Town and commented that if.a Task Force is formed, that the Council would like to'have a representative on it. Mayor Worrell moved on to Consent Agenda,which included the minutes of the October 5, 2010 Council meeting. Councilman Goodman requested that the Clerk add to the minutes that his absence from the meeting was due to his attendance at the VML Conference on Town business. Councilman Clark movedtoadopt the minutes of the October 5,2010 Council minutes with the addition that Councilman Goodman was absent from the meeting due to his attendance at the VML Conference on Town business. Councilman Kidd seconded the motion and carried on voice vote. The next item on the agenda was the.brownsfield grant. Mr. White advised that the Town had been selected by, EPA to receive a$200,000'brownsfield assessment. grant. The funds were to be used to assess and to assist in the redevelopment planning for some of the abandoned industrial and commercial properties that have been identified as brownsfield's. He summarized some of the progress to date. He added that the Town had been selected to make a presentation in Philadelphia in April 2011. Mayor Worrell moved on to boundary adjustment. Mr. Hawley advised that the Town sent a letter to the Public Service Authority asking that they consider allowing the Town to seek grant assistance from the Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc.for preliminary engineering report for the planning of service to the unserved areas along Route 11 and Route 99. Once this approval had been granted, the Townwould submit-a letter asking for planning money. He added that he met with the County Administrator last week and discussed information the Board of Supervisors would like to see in relation to the boundary adjustment. He emphasized that the forthcoming meeting with the Board of.Supervisors wasnot to be construed that the County was in anyway supporting the boundary November 2, 2010/Page 2 of 5 gdjustment. He planned for more informationto be proviaea Tor aiscussion aT Tne INuv i I WWI I 0 ‘....out Session. Councilman Goodman inquired if any positive feedback had been received in regard to Route 11 being included in the boundaryadjustment? Mayor Worrell advised that he'dmet with one developer,who was interested in the plan. Additionally, he was trying to set an appointment with another developer on the Route 11 corridor to ascertain his interest. Councilman Goodman asked-that a copy of the last boundary adjustment agreement be provided to all members of Council prior to the next meeting for them to review. Councilman Burchett pointed out that it would hot take very many additional employees to negate the gain from the expansion. He asked that the projected number of employee changes that would be required in the boundary adjustment be provided to Councilaswell. Mr. Hawley advised that the intent was not to grow staff. He added that he would try to have the numbers available by the next Work Session. The next item on the agenda was Dora Highway Revitalization. Mr. Hawley advised that five bids were received for the demolition/clean up of eight properties in the project area. The total cost for those bids was$31,500 and the total amount of CDBG funds that are eligible was $22,750. The remaining funds would come from-the Town.funds budgeted for the Dora project. • Mayor Worrell moved on to dilapidated building update. {, Mr. Hawley advised that three bids were received to take down the Allen property onWestMain Street. The low bid-was from Sayers Construction Company. He added that staff had verified that all licenses and insurance were current with the state. Additionally, staff had emphasized to Sayers Construction the fact that the structure designated to be taken-down was attached tothe building next to it and that it was the • contractor's responsibility to take the building down without damaging the adjoining building. Staff had also mailed letters to Mr. Allen informing-him of the cost and to contact the Town to make payment. Councilman Welker confirmedthat the Town Attorney was comfortable with the lack of Town liability issues involved in this effort. Mr. Warburton then provided an overview of the status of the other dilapidated buildings needing demolition in response to Councilman Welker's question. Councilman Goodmaninquired whether, since the bid had come in lower than expected, a letter could be hand delivered to Mr. Allen showing the updated amount? Mr. Warburton advised that a process server could:be hired to deliver the letter if Council wished it done. He advised that it couldbe a costly process. fi Following discussion, the consensus of Council was to mail the final bill by certified letter and try to reach Mr.` Allen by phone as well. - The next item on the agenda was Old Business. Mayor Worrell advised that the first topic was Ordinance 2010-09, Amending Town Code To Allow Ceremonial Discharge Of Firearms. Mr. Warburton advised that the following language was added in the third from the bottom line of the mains, paragraph: "provided that advanced-written permission is granted by the Town Manager or his designee". November 2, 2010/Page 3 of 5 L.uuncnman LiarK moved to adopt the amended version of Ordinance 2010-09, Amending Town Code To Allow Ceremonial Discharge OF Firearms. The motion was seconded by Councilman Welker and carried on the following recorded vote: Morgan P. Welker -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye H. M. Kidd -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye The next item on the agenda was Ordinance 2010-10,Authorizing "Temporary Family Medical Health Structures" As An Accessory Use IN Residential Areas. The Town Attorney advised that since the wording for the Ordinance had been taken straight from the state code, it was necessary to amend the document to refer to the Town of Pulaski rather than municipality as written in state code. Councilman Welker movedto adopt Ordinance 2010-10, Authorizing "Temporary Family Medical Health Structures"As An.Accessory Use In Residential Areas. Councilman Goodman seconded the motion and it carried on the following recorded vote: Morgan P. Welker -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye H. M. Kidd. -Aye Robert A. Bopp - Aye David L. Clark -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye The next item on the agenda was Ordinance 2010-11, Approving a Site Plan For 535 and 605 Commerce Street. Councilman Clark moved to adopt Ordinance 2010-11, Approving A Site Plan For 535 and 605 Commerce Street. The motion was seconded by Councilman Bopp and carried on the following recorded vote: Morgan P. Welker -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye H. M. Kidd -Aye Robert A. Bopp - Aye David L. Clark - Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye Mayor Worrell moved on to Peak Creek ownership. Mr. Hawley advised that some of the walls of the Creek were.deteriorating. He advised that Council might wish to discuss pursuing ownership of the walled section or having the owner of the land repair the wall. He reviewed the portion of Creek land currently owned by the Town and the portion where ownership was not clear. He advised that in the past, Council had discussed using the Creek for recreation activities. Mayor Worrell confirmed that clear title had been established for the property from Washington to Randolph, and showed private ownership and that it was unclear who the owner(s) werefor the area from the low water bridge up to Washington. He asked who was responsible for the rock walls? Mr. Hawley responded that "We don't know". Following extensive discussion, Councilman Welker moved to direct staff to continue determining ownership of the rock walls if possible and provide the information to Council. The motion was seconded by Councilman Clark and carried on the following recorded vote: Morgan P. Welker -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye H. M. Kidd -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye David_L. Clark -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye Mayor Worrell moved on=to New Business and discussion of Crooked Road 2011 Visitors Guide Advertisement. Mr. Hawley advised that a letter from The Crooked Road organization regarding an advertising opportunity in the 2011 Visitor Guide had been included in the packet. There were several options available on ad size. He November 2, 2010/Page 4 of 5 14 uLM ii iul was possioie mat the Pulaski Theatre would be-interested in splitting-the cost of the ad_. He inquired whether Council wished to advertise in the Guide and if so, which size.ad they wanted. Following discussion, the consensus of Council was for staff to look at a one third page ad and determine which budget line item the ad would be taken from and return to Council. At 8:38 p.m.,there being no further business, the meeting adjourned on motion by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Kidd-and carried on voice vote. Approved: _.- r>/. Worrell, Mayor :d - j } 1 f y$ ye 1 • " 1# November.2, 2010/Page 5 of 5