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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-20-11Minutes of the Town Council meeting held September 20, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. at the Train Station. Present were: Mayor Jeffrey S. Worrell Council: Morgan P. Welker; H. M. Kidd, David L. Clark; Robert A. Bopp; Joseph K. Goodman, Gregory C. East Staff : John J. Hawley, Town Manager R. D. Warburton, Town Attorney Patricia Cruise, Clerk of Council David N. Quesenberry, Asst. to the Town Manager John B. White, Economic Development Director Gary Roche, Police Chief Bill Webb, Fire Chief Bill Pedigo, Town Engineer Tyler Breeding, Engineering Technician Others: Clark Payne Shawn Utt Elijah Sharp Mike McMillion Melinda Williams, Press Mike Williams, Press Mayor Worrell called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Following roll call, Bill Pedigo introduced Tyler Breeding, the new Engineering Technician for the Town. Mayor Worrell and Council welcomed Mr. Breeding. Councilman Clark moved to adopt the minutes of the 8-23-2011 Council Work Session. The motion was seconded by Councilman Kidd and carried on voice vote. Mayor Worrell moved on to Presentations and introduced Robin R. Kirby, Equipment Operator for the Town as the September 2011 Employee of the Month. He read a Press Release aloud and presented Mr. Kirby with the award. He advised that in addition to receiving this award, Mr. Kirby would receive an extra paid day off from work and be eligible for the Employee of the Year award at the end of the year. The next item on the agenda was Public Operations. Mr. Hawley introduced Elijah Sharp, of the New River Valley Planning District Commission office to provide information on the New River Valley's Bikeway, Walkway, and Blueway Plan. Mr. Sharp reviewed work that had been done on the New River Valley's Bikeway, Walkway, and Blueway Plan. in the past and updated the progress. He requested ideas from Council for changes to the plan. He requested that the Town endorse the project when it was complete. Councilman Welker commented that the Town portion of the map needed to include a portion of a Route 99 trail already constructed. Additionally, Councilman Welker suggested that draft plans for proposed trails should be added to the Plan. Mr. Sharp advised that he just needed the information to incorporate them into the Plan. Following discussion, Mayor Worrell commented that Council would include a Resolution endorsing the project at the October meeting. The next item on the agenda was Route 99 Sanitary Sewer Preliminary Engineering Report. September 20, 2011 /Page 1 of 4 Mr. Hawley advised that a proposed contract with Anderson and Associates to develop a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) for sanitary sewer service along the Route 99 (East Main Street) corridor had been included in the packet. He noted that $10,000 was funded by Southeast RCAP (Rural Community Assistance Project grant) obtained by the Town. He added it would be necessary for the Town or the Town/Pulaski County PSA to fund the additional $2,000 that was needed by the contract. He advised that he had requested that the County PSA fund $1,000 of the $2,000 needed. Following discussion, Councilman Clark moved to authorize staff to execute a contract with Anderson and Associates to develop a Preliminary Engineering Report for sanitary sewer service along the Route 99 (East Main Street) corridor. Councilman Goodman seconded the motion. Councilman Welker inquired whether this area was already served with water? Mr. Hawley responded that part of the area was served by PSA and he described the covered area. The motion then carried on the following recorded vote: Morgan P. Welker -Aye H. M. Kidd -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye Gregory C. East -Aye Mayor Worrell moved on to Visions/Goals. Mayor Worrell commented that in the past, Council had held retreats and reviewed and updated Town goals and the Vision Statement. He added that a member of Council had suggested that it was time for an update. Following discussion, the consensus was: 1. To schedule another retreat to be held in the winter. 2. To review the current Action Plan in advance of that meeting. 3. Not hire a facilitator, but review and update the existing plan. The next item on the agenda was Legislative. Mr. Hawley advised that Councilman Goodman and Mr. Quesenberry were attending the 2011 Virginia Municipal League Annual Conference and needed to be appointed the voting delegate and alternate. Councilman Clark moved to appoint Councilman Goodman voting delegate and David Quesenberry alternate for the VML Annual Conference. Councilman Kidd seconded the motion and carried on the following recorded vote: Morgan P. Welker -Aye H. M. Kidd -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Abstain Gregory C. East -Aye Mayor Worrell moved on to Planning Commission report regarding zoning for chickens. Mr. Quesenberry advised that the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on a zoning amendment that would allow chickens in residential areas of the Town. He added that the issue was tabled to allow staff to gather more data regarding public health, fencing and impact on neighborhood. Mayor Worrell moved on to a Planning Commission report on the modification procedure. September 20, 2011/Page 2 of 4 Mr. Hawley advised that the Commission was trying to find a process for the zoning ordinance that would allow some modification to the zoning requirements such as physical requirements when strict application would be unfair. Mr. Quesenberry advised that the Planning Commission had resumed a public hearing regarding the use of the modification procedure as an alternate to variances. The Commission recommended to Council that the modification process not be adopted, but that a special exception/special permit be used by the Board of Zoning Appeals as is done in Arlington County. Additionally, the Board recommended that the Planning Commission be allowed to flesh out the rules. Mr. Warburton interjected that if Council adopted this recommendation, the law required that the language must include specific standards. Additionally, he suggested that Council vest the authority with the Board of Zoning Appeals. Following discussion, staff was directed to bring back a draft document with language to include all zones in the Town and to vest the responsibility with the Board of Zoning Appeals. Mayor Worrell moved on to the next topic on the agenda. He advised that the Volunteer Fire Department wished to hold 50/50 drawing fund raiser to be held in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week. The Town Code requires permission of the Town Council. Fire Chief Webb added that there would be two drawings on October 13. One during the beef stew luncheon and another after the Fire Parade. Councilman Welker moved to authorize the Pulaski Volunteer Fire Department to hold a 50/50 fund raiser on or about October 13. The motion was seconded by Councilman Goodman. Mr. Warburton noted that it was the Pulaski Fire Department that needed the authorization. Councilman Welker withdrew his motion. Councilman Welker moved to authorize the Pulaski Fire Department to hold a 50/50 fund raiser on or about October 13, 2011. Councilman Clark seconded the motion and it carried on the following recorded vote: Morgan P. Welker -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye H. M. Kidd -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Gregory C. East -Aye The next item on the agenda was New River Valley Agency On Aging. Mayor Worrell advised of the need for the appointment of a representative and alternate to the New River Valley Agency on Aging Board. He noted that the current representative, Ms. Lydia Hickam and the current alternate, Ms. Jill Sandidge were willing to serve again. Councilman Kidd moved to appoint Lydia Hickam representative and Jill Sandidge alternate to the New River Valley Agency on Aging Board. Councilman Clark seconded the motion and carried on the following recorded vote: Morgan P. Welker -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye H. M. Kidd -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Gregory C. East -Aye Mayor Worrell moved on to Resolution 2011-18. September 20, 2011 /Page 3 of 4 Mr. Worrell advised that Resolution 2011-18, Appointing Craig Quinn As An Alternate to the Peppers Ferry Regional Water Treatment Authority concluded action of Council. Councilman Clark moved to adopt Resolution 2011-18, seconded by Councilman Kidd and carried on the following recorded vote: Morgan P. Welker -Aye Robert A. Bopp -Aye H. M. Kidd -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye David L. Clark -Aye Gregory C. East -Aye The next item on the agenda was Human Resources. Mayor Worrell advised that a Council member had requested a review of the annual review process for the Town Manager. Included in the packet were some sample review processes from other areas and a copy of the current manager review process for discussion. Councilman Goodman advised that he felt the Town Manager's position required an annual review process of it's own. He preferred the process used by the Town of Southington and also the one from the International City Managers Association (ICMA). Additionally, he felt the policy from Chapel Hill North Carolina provided a good example to follow. Councilman Welker preferred the process from the International City Managers Association (ICMA). Mr. Hawley suggested that the Mayor appoint a two person Council committee to draw up the document. Councilman Clark preferred developing our own document from the ICMA document. Mr. Warburton recommended: 1. That the evaluations not echo the Department Head evaluation. 2. That Council meet to do the Town Manager evaluation in Closed Session and decide whether the Town Manager should be present during that session or not. 3. That the evaluation should be time driven, for example, once a year. Following discussion, Mayor Worrell appointed Councilman Clark and Councilman Goodman to develop an evaluation form for the Town Manager to bring back to Council for review. He encouraged Council to provide any comments to the Committee. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m. on motion by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Goodman and carried on voice vote. Approved: 1 September 20, 2011/Page 4 of 4 1 i~