Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-16-07Minutes of the Council Work Session held October 16, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. in the Train Station meeting room. There were present: Charles L. Wade, Mayor Council: Jeffrey S. Worrell, Dan Talbert, Jr., Lane R. Penn, Joel B. Burchett, Jr., David L. Clark, Larry G. Clevinger, II Staff: John J. Hawley, Town Manager David Quesenberry, Asst. to the Town Manager Patricia Cruise, Clerk of Council John White, Economic Development Director Gary Roche, Police Chief Sherry Boyd, Finance Director Bill Webb, Fire Chief Dave Hart, Parks and Facilities Director Barbara Tate, Community Relations Director Randolph D. Eley, Jr., Town Attorney Others: Clark Payne Jane Amburn Janie Hurd Akers Carol Jones Betty Quesenberry Pamela Austin Pam Chitwood Robert Strenz Mike Perry Morgan Welker Shawn Utt Melinda Williams, Press Mayor Wade called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Councilman Burchett moved to amend the agenda by changing item 14a from Virginia Code 2.2- 3711 (A-7) to (A-5). The motion was seconded by Councilman Penn and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye Mayor Wade read aloud a letter from Randolph D. Eley, Jr., in which he resigned from his role as the Town's Attorney due to illness. The next item on the agenda was the Consent Agenda. Councilman Clevinger moved to adopt the Minutes of September 18, 2007, seconded by Councilman Burchett and tamed on voice vote. The next item was Resolution 2007-17. Councilman Clark moved to adopt Resolution 2007-17, In Support of Commerce Park as a Site for Norfolk Southern. The motion was seconded by Councilman Penn and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye Mayor Wade moved on to Human Resources. The first item was Youth Council discussion. Pam Chitwood addressed Council sharing a handout from the City of Rocky Mount's Area Youth Council. Following extensive discussion, she suggested that Council and staff do more research before taking on the project. Mayor Wade advised that he would compose a "white paper" for Ms. Chitwood's review and Council could take action from there. Mike Perry commented that often in the school system, there is a tendency for the same children to participate in activities. He suggested encouraging all children to participate. The next item on the agenda was sick leave incentive request. Mr. Hawley advised that the Employee Committee had suggested that the employee incentive for not using sick time be increased. Councilman Penn commented that he did not like the program because employees would come to work sick and give it to other employees. Following extensive discussion, staff was directed to bring back more information regarding who was considered an exempt employee and who was non-exempt; additionally, to list all of the fringes for the employees. The next item on the agenda was a proposal to revise employee evaluation forms. Mr. Hawley advised that the employee evaluation forms had not been updated in a long time. Ms. Boyd had a contact that would review the current evaluation forms and provide recommendations for changes. The cost to the Town would be $4,480. He asked Council's authorization to go forward. Following discussion, Councilman Talbert moved to direct the Town Manager to check the references of the contact and if they were good, then proceed with drawing up the contract for execution. The motion was seconded by Councilman Penn and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye Mayor Wade moved on to GPA Update. Mr. Hawley advised that since GPA was in a transition period, he wanted to remind Council that in order to be a member of the Virginia Main Street program, there must be a merchant organization. He asked whether Council wished to continue this program If so, he asked that they reaffirm this desire. He added that staff could then meet with the existing members of the organization and help them reorganize. Following extensive discussion, Councilman Talbert moved to support the merchant organization, seconded by Councilman Burchett and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye 2 The next item on the agenda was an appointment to the Architectural Review Board (ARB). Mr. Hawley advised that the ARB rules require a member of the Planning Commission to be on the Board. Kevin Meyer has agreed to serve in that position. Additionally, Christopher Utt has agreed to serve on the ARB. Councilman Worrell moved to adopt Resolution 2007-18, Resolution Regarding Appointments to the Architectural Review Board. The motion was seconded by Councilman Penn and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye Mayor Wade moved on to Finance. The first item was cut off policy for returned checks for utility bills. Ms. Boyd advised that the Town was experiencing increasing numbers of return checks for insufficient funds. Some of these were for payment of utility bills and reconnection fees and in some instances utility deposits for services disconnected for non-payment. She advocated disconnecting the water service on the date of receipt of notice from the bank of a NSF check. Following discussion, staff was directed to prepare an Ordinance modifying the current disconnection policy to include disconnecting the water service on the date of receipt of notice from the bank of a NSF check. The motion was seconded by Councilman Talbert and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye The next item on the agenda was additional funding for New River Trail Extension. Mr. Hawley advised that the low bid in completing the New River Trail Extension was approximately $125,893.00 over the grant funds. Additionally, some other work, including bike racks and lighting needed to be done. He asked Council to approve $133,000 out of the Unappropriated Fund to cover the completion of the pro}ect. It was decided to fmd another source for the amount over the contract. Following discussion, Councilman Talbert moved to direct staff to schedule a public hearing and prepare a budget amendment for $125,893.00 for the N.R. Trail Extension to be taken from the Unappropriated Fund. The motion was seconded by Councilman Penn and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye Next, was New River Valley Rotary request for environmental friendly tote bags. Mr. Hawley advised that the Rotary Club was sponsoring the distribution of environmentally friendly tote bags free to approximately 310 elementary students in Pulaski County schools. 3 They were asking for a donation of $100 from the Towns of Pulaski and Dublin and Pulaski County and American Electric Power. He added that he contacted the County regarding using the Clean Community Council grant money. The County agreed. Following discussion, Councilman Clark moved to direct staff to work with the County to donate $100 for the Town out of the Clean Community Council grant money to the New River Valley Rotary to be used for environmentally friendly tote bags. The motion was seconded by Councilman Clevinger and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye Mayor Wade moved on to Public Operations. The first item was sidewalk update. Mr. Hawley advised that the Engineering department had completed a preliminary repair list and was compiling a five year plan. They hoped to have the five year plan ready for discussion at the November 2007 Work Session. Councilman Burchett inquired whether staff had looked into using a different medium for the sidewalks in certain areas of the Town? He encouraged trying to make Pulaski more bicycle friendly. Mr. Hawley advised that Engineering could do a cost comparison. Regarding the Gatewood Parkway sign, Mr. Hawley advised that the County approved the Gatewood Parkway sign for the main road leading in off Mount Olivet. The road to the campground was named Gatewood Campground and signs would be erected. Moving on to Route 991I-81 sign report, Mr. Hawley reviewed some of the changes in road signs around Town that would be made. Next, Mr. Hawley advised that the Caretaker for Parks and Facilities resides in a single wide on Town property in MacGill Park. The employee has asked to be allowed to replace his single wide with a double wide on the same property. Following discussion, staff was directed to allow him to upgrade to the doublewide and to discuss options to allow the transfer of the land to him if he wishes. Additionally, staff was directed to prepare a contract limiting the use of the land to the time that the Caretaker works for the Town. Mayor Wade moved on to an update on discussions with downtown merchants on restaurant signs. Mr. Hawley advised that the negative comments regarding the signs seemed related to their location and the visual aspects of the sign. Staff was to provide alternate locations and look into changing the type of poles the signs were hung on. The next item on the agenda was Century 21 Community Day. Mr. Hawley advised of the receipt of an invitation from Century 21 Valley Real Estate to a community day for local volunteer organizations, the Towns of Dublin and Pulaski, and local communities. The intent is to make the community aware of services and organizations for the Pulaski County area. 4 Following discussion, the consensus of Council was not to participate in the event. Regarding the cross training memo, Mr. Hawley advised that staff was working to inform all employees about the existing nuisance Ordinances in Town. Additionally, he advised that Chip Hutchinson had met with some of the quad groups to inform them as well. Mayor Wade suggested listing the pertinent nuisance ordinances and having employees sign that they've read and understand them. Councilman Talbert suggested designing a card with the most pertinent nuisance regulations on them for employees to carry with them for reference. The next item on the agenda was Legislative. Mr. Hawley advised that Camelot School contacted staff with a request to consider a zoning amendment to permit horses to be kept at the school property as part of the school's therapy program for autistic students. The current Zoning Ordinance will not allow this use. Staff recommendation was to refer the request to the Planning Commission to review to possibly amend the Ordinance. Councilman Worrell moved to refer to the Planning Commission the request for a zoning amendment to permit horses to be kept at the school property as part of the school's therapy program. The motion was seconded by Councilman Talbert and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye Mayor Wade moved on to draft Ordinance for trespassing. Mr. Hawley advised that the draft Ordinance included in the packet allowed a property owner to designate the police to enforce trespass violations in the owners absence. He added that if Council had no changes, the Ordinance would be advertised for a Public Hearing. In response to a question from Councilman Worrell, Chief Roche advised that the property owner would complete the form and the police department would have a copy. At that point, the police department could act as property agent for the owner, regardless of whether the property was posted or not. The next item on the agenda was Comcast Franchise Ordinance. Mr. Hawley advised that legal counsel identified several items that were different between the contract offered by Comcast and the Virginia Municipal League model Ordinance. He wished to meet with the Comcast representative and the Virginia Municipal League representative and modify the agreements to everyone's satisfaction. Mayor Wade moved on to consideration of a Resolution To the General Assembly to Cap Interest Rates on Payday Lenders and Auto Title Loans. Mr. Hawley advised that the Town received a letter from the City Manager in Staunton Virginia asking Council to consider a Resolution asking the Virginia General Assembly to cap interest rates at 36% APR on consumer loans such as payday lenders and auto title loans. Following discussion, the consensus of Council was for staff to prepare a Resolution for the next Council meeting. Next, Mr. Hawley advised that as part of the NanoTechnology Research Park grants, Virginia Tech would be undertaking a cluster study. Council needed to authorize the Town Manager to execute the contract with Virginia Tech. Councilman Clark moved to direct the Town manager to execute the contract with Virginia Tech, seconded by Councilman Talbert and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye Mayor Wade moved on to Round Table Discussion. Councilman Burchett advised that new tax assessments were due. He suggested asking a representative with the County to attend a Council meeting and explain the reassessment process to Council. Councilman Clevinger suggested changing the water bills to reflect exactly what is used, to the gallon. He felt that it would encourage citizens to conserve water. Mr. Hawley advised that they could review that suggestion at the same time they studied the fixed charge rates. From the public, Mr. Payne inquired into the progress of the code enforcement letters that had been mailed. Specifically, how many properties had been registered and how many actually inspected. Mr. Hawley advised that one registration had been received and the inspection scheduled. Another response had been received noting that they did not have any current apartments. Next, Councilman Burchett moved to enter into Closed Session under Virginia Code 2.2-3711: (A-7), Consultation with legal counsel regarding a specific legal matter; (A-1), Discussion, consideration or interviews of prospective candidates for employment; assignment, appointment, promotion, performance, demotion, salaries, disciplining, or resignation of specific public officers, appointees, or employees of any public body. The motion was seconded by Councilman Talbert and carved on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey 5. Worrell -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye Council returned from Closed Session and adopted the Certification Resolution on motion by Councilman Talbert, seconded by Councilman Burchett and carried on the following recorded vote: Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye Dan Talbert, Jr. -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II -Aye 6 At 7:30 p.m., Councilman Clark moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Talbert and carried on voice vote.