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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-17-181 1 1 Minutes of the Pulaski Town Council Work Session held at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, 2018 in the Council Chambers of the Town Municipal Building at 42 First Street, N.W. In attendance were: Mayor: Robert N. Glenn, presiding Councilmen Present: David L. Clark; Gregory C. East; Joseph K. Goodman; H.M. Kidd; Lane R. Penn; James A. Radcliffe Administration: Shawn M. Utt, Town Manager Nichole L. Hair, Deputy Town Manager Legal Counsel Spencer A. Rygas, Town Attorney Press: Melinda Williams, Southwest Times Mike Williams, Pulaski County Patriot Staff: Capt. Andy Anderson, P.P.D. Dave Hart, Director Parks & Facilities Chief Robbie Kiser, P.F.D. Bill Pedigo, Town Engineer David Quesenberry, Clerk of Council Rebecca Reece, Finance Director Others Present April Bennett Brooks Dawson Stephanie Rygas 1. Call to Order. Mayor Glenn called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Megan Dean 2. Roll Call. Following the call to order, the roll was taken with all members present and a quorum for conducting business established. 3. Modification of the Agenda. Mayor Glenn called for a motion to amend the agenda for April 17, 2018 to remove item 7b. under "Presentations" from the agenda and add a closed session under Va. Code 2.2-3711 (A) 5, discussion concerning a prospective business or industry or the expansion of an existing business or industry where no previous announcement has been made of the business' or industry's interest in locating or expanding its facilities in the community regarding "Project Care". Mr. Goodman moved to modify the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Mr. Clark and approved unanimously on the following roll call vote: Page 1 of 7/April 17, 2018 Mr. Radcliffe -Aye Mr. Goodman -Aye Mr. East -Aye Mr. Kidd -Aye Mr. Clark -Aye Mr. Penn -Aye 4. Recognition of Guests and Visitors Mayor Glenn welcomed guests and visitors to the meeting and thanked them for being present. 5. Consent Agenda a. Approval of Minutes, March 20, 2018 Mayor Glenn called for a motion regarding the minutes from the work session of March 20, 2018. Mr. Utt noted for Council that there were two versions of the minutes sent out (Options 1 & 2) as well as some corrections made which he reviewed. He asked that the motion concerning the minutes have a reference as to which option Council preferred. Mr. Goodman moved that Council adopt the March 20, 2018 minutes using Option 2 as amended. The motion was seconded by Mr. Clark and approved unanimously by voice vote. 6. Public Hearings No public hearings were scheduled for the meeting. 7. Presentations a. Strategic Branding Launch Plan presentation -Megan Dean, (RU Intern) Mr. Utt introduced Ms. Megan Dean, an RU intern who had been working on launching the strategic branding for the Town. Ms. Dean said that the importance of branding was to create a new identity for the community. She noted that the branding sought to show the progressive movement of the community while using a color scheme that would make persons think of the Town. The logo she said, had been developed by Arnett, Muldrow & Associates. As part of the agreement with them, the Town agreed to give the firm credit when the branding was used and to create an annual report regarding the sale of branded merchandise and the amount spent yearly on advertising. Mr. Goodman commented that the brand was the Town's but it did not own it and had to follow guidelines when it was used. Mr. Utt responded that when the brand is used, Arnett- Muldrow would be credited, which he felt gave the firm publicity. Ms. Dean then reviewed the four stages of the branding launch plan: Stage One dealt with the internal public and would work to transition the new branding to all letterhead, vehicles, clothing, etc. within the Town organization. Strict guidelines and an in depth timeline would be needed to establish when the Town's branding would be completed internally. Stage Two focused on the external public which involved the demographics of the Town. She recommended that an official press release should be done to inform the public of the new brand and that postings on social media should be done for the public to learn about the changes involving the new branding. Stage Three she said would be the longest part of the process because of the budget costs. This stage would start transitioning the branding changes to the community by launching the new Page 2 of 7/April 17, 2018 website, purchasing new equipment and vehicles and new signage all of which would highlight the new branding to the wider community. The new website could be used to increase community interest, track public use, and provide services (e.g. voter registration) to citizens while featuring the new branding. Stage Four she continued, involved evaluating the results by tracking community involvement through the website and social media. In addition, surveys or mass emails could be used to gauge the public's reaction to the new branding. In concluding her presentation, Ms. Dean told Council that it was most important to keep the effort on a timeline and to realize that marketing was an ongoing process, which would require the Town to keep looking for changes to improve the brand even after it was launched. Following the presentation, Mr. East complemented Ms. Dean on her presentation and asked how long the effort would take. Mr. Utt replied that the largest item would be the vehicles. Clothing, letter head, envelopes and utility bills already featured the new branding. He felt the Town was certainly into Stage One. In addition, Mr. Hurt in Engineering had developed business cards which could use various color schemes. Overall, Mr. Utt said the Town appeared to be moving into Stage Two, but that Stage Three would see much more activity. Mr. East felt that prioritizing, having hardline dates and a "punch list" would allow the work to get done. Mayor Glenn asked about the status of the new webpage. Ms. Hair said that the "wireframes" were finished with work progressing on the colors and fonts. Mayor Glenn then asked who would oversee the webpage. Ms. Hair responded that each department would be responsible for their individual page. Mr. Goodman said it was important to keep the site current. A discussion then followed about business cards and whether or not to have custom or standardized cards. Mayor Glenn asked for a display of cards to allow Council to decide. Mr. Utt was to secure examples for Council's review. Mr. East, noting that the greatest expense was in Stage Three, asked about the cost of rebranding of the Town's vehicles. Mr. Utt said that while the new Police car colors could fit with the branding, the real challenge would be the Public Works vehicles. With 25-30 vehicles in that department, he estimated that the cost would be between $250-$300 per vehicle. Mr. Goodman proposed leaving the older decals on older vehicles. Mr. East disagreed feeling that use of the older decals would undercut the message of the branding. Mr. Utt offered to get a "punch list" of costs for the decals for P.W. vehicles. Mr. East asked if it was reasonable to have the dollar amounts ready before the budget. Mr. Utt felt that could be done. In another vein, Mr. Utt informed Council that the branding of street signs could be paid out of street funds and not the General Fund. 8. Public Operations a. Animal Waste Ordinance Mr. Utt reported that the Presbyterian Church had been contacted and that they approved the Town putting an animal waste station up at their parking lot. There was one station available at Public Works in storage that could be put up next week, probably on the sidewalk side. Mr. East Page 3 of 7/April 17, 2018 said the ordinance could be pared down and displayed on a sign above the station regarding fines for violation. Mr. Utt cautioned Council that like littering, a violator could not be issued a ticket unless an officer saw the offense take place or a citizen decided to pursue the matter. Mayor Glenn suggested that an article could be provided to the news media about the Town trying to clean up the community. b. Dog Park Conceptual Options Mr. Utt reviewed the research he had done on dog parks in other communities, focusing on common elements such as: posting of rules, property size, water, shade and fencing. Properties he noted were divided into areas for small dogs and larger dogs. Both water and shade were necessary for the animals comfort. Fencing for the park ranged between 4 feet and 5 feet in height. Parks were accessed by an entry corral which did not allow animals to escape while persons were entering the facility. Council then entered a brief discussion concerning the surface of the park discussing the use of grass, small gravel or other materials (e.g. rubber mulch). Mr. Radcliffe suggested that local veterinarians be consulted on the facility design. Mr. Utt suggested investing in the other amenities and waiting to see how the grass fared over time. In response to Mr. Radcliffe's question as to where the park would be located, Mr. Utt listed several possible locations which were: an unused section of 6th Street Park (0.25 ac.); a parcel in the Kersey Bottom area (0.64 ac.); a parcel at Heritage Park (0.39 ac.); the former APCO substation lot (1.68 ac.); and several parcels at MacGill Park (0.92 ac., 0.97 ac., 0.61 ac.). He noted that the APCO lot had been remediated environmentally and that MacGill Park had been eliminated as a site for the Public Safety Building. Other sites suggested by Council included the Pulaski Middle School track area and the former site of Aust Glass on 1St Street, N.E. Council then discussed using a portion of the Honeywell site and the APCO site for a dog park because of their distance from residential areas. Mr. East suggested a two pronged approach where a park would be started in a small location in tandem with a long term effort to secure the APCO site. Mr. Goodman suggested using the 6th Street Park site as a trial location since many residents of the area walked their dogs there. Mr. Utt noted that he did not have a timetable for the park's development, but he could begin identifying costs (e.g. fencing). Mr. Goodman asked that some cost estimates be developed for Council's review. Mr. East asked how to start the process concerning the APCO and Honeywell sites. Mr. Goodman suggested asking Congressman Griffith's office to contact both Honeywell and APCO on the Town's behalf. Mr. East asked that some information on the properties be provided for Council. c. Train Station Audio/Visual Concerns Mr. Utt reported that during the highly successful Brownfields Conference, the projector in the Passenger Station failed. He had priced out options for replacement, since funds were available in the IT budget, but since the amount would be unbudgeted he wished to present the issue to Council. He noted that a "quick fix" would cost $1,600; a new projector with cables $4,300; Page 4 of 7/April 17, 2018 a 72 inch widescreen T.V. $4,400; an 80 inch widescreen T.V. $6,200; and a 90 inch widescreen T.V. $8,800. Council then discussed the pros and cons of using projectors or televisions. They felt that providing the user with written operating instructions for the equipment or having staff available to assist users was necessary. Mayor Glenn requested that Mr. Utt do more research on the matter. 9. Finance There were no items considered under this topic. 10. Legislative a. Request for Public Hearing, Street Vacation Request. Mr. Utt reported that the Town had received a request to vacate the remaining portion of Clark Street, adding that a portion of the street had been vacated previously for a Habitat House. He requested that Council schedule a public hearing at the first meeting in May, so advertising could proceed. Mr. East moved to direct staff to schedule a public hearing regarding 105 Howard Street for vacation of a Town right of way to be held at the May legislative session. The motion was seconded by Mr. Penn and approved on the following roll call vote: Mr. Radcliffe -Aye Mr. Goodman -Aye Mr. East -Aye Mr. Kidd -Aye Mr. Clark -Aye Mr. Penn -Aye 11. Public Utilities There were no items considered under this topic. 12. Safety a. Security Analysis Discussion After reporting on the status of obtaining camera bids, Mr. Utt referred Council to the memo from Chief Roche concerning the proposed security cameras and the security checklist for public buildings compiled by Captain Anderson. Since security access had become an issue, he noted the Town would have to balance the issue of access with the security of its employees. The proposed cameras were originally intended to enhance security for the Police Department officers as they left the premises. Captain Anderson added that the cameras were also intended to protect Finance employees, whom he considered to be unprotected. Cameras inside and outside the Municipal Building would assist investigations in the event of an incident. The cameras could be monitored at various locations within the municipal building as well as the dispatch center. Mr. Goodman thought the measures were excessive in that the security measures denied or restricted citizen's access to the Municipal Building. He expressed concern that requiring citizens to use the elevator violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and that security cameras violated citizen's rights who had not consented to be photographed. His greatest objection was to the combination locks on the stairwell. Likewise, Mr. Radcliffe expressed irritation that citizens were Page 5 of 7/April 17, 2018 subjected to the inconvenience of certain security measures. Mr. Goodman suggested that a front desk along with the cameras might work to make the area more presentable. Mr. East commented that the reality was that we live in a time where precautions must be taken. He felt there should be a balance in presenting an inviting atmosphere for citizens while protecting the employees. Mr. Utt suggested that signs could be posted for persons with special needs similar to notices for hearings that reasonable accommodations would be provided for those citizens requiring it. Mayor Glenn felt that Council was not ready to make a decision concerning the locked stairwells. He suggested that efforts to get the final pricing for cameras should be done, then a decision should be made concerning the stairwell. 13. Human Resources There were no items considered under this topic. 14. Round Table Discussion Mayor Glenn asked for comments from Council members. Mr. Radcliffe thanked Mr. Pedigo for his assistance with an issue and expressed his appreciation to the staff in Finance for their work in collecting delinquent real estate taxes. Mr. East and Mr. Clark had no comment. Mr. Goodman complemented Finance for their hard work and noted that he had been getting many positive comments from the public about Town staff. Mr. Kidd asked Mr. Pedigo how far the paving would extend on Route 99. Mr. Pedigo replied that it would extend between the railroad bridge and Union Street. Mr. Kidd also complemented Finance on their tax collections. Mr. Penn asked about the construction at the intersection of Route 99 and Bob White Boulevard. Mr. Pedigo said that handicapped ramps were being installed as part of the pedestrian signals. Mayor Glenn noted that May 1 st was Election Day and that the recommendation was for Council to meet on Wednesday, May 2"d. Mr. Goodman moved that the May Legislative Meeting be moved to Wednesday. The motion was seconded by Mr. Clark and approved unanimously by voice vote. 15. Closed Session Mayor Glenn called for a motion under Va. Code 2.2-3711 (A) 5 to enter closed session for one item concerning a prospective business or industry or the expansion of an existing business or industry where no previous announcement has been made of the business' or industry's interest in locating or expanding its facilities in the community regarding "Project Care"; and for one item under Va. Code 2.2-3711 (A) 7 , consultation with legal counsel and briefings by staff members or consultants pertaining to actual or probable litigation, where such consultation or briefing in open Page 6 of 7/April 17, 2018 meeting would adversely affect the negotiating or litigating posture of the public body regarding a concessions/operations agreement. Mr. Goodman moved to enter Closed Session. The motion was seconded by Mr. Radcliffe and approved on the following roll call vote: Mr. Radcliffe -Aye Mr. Goodman -Aye Mr. East -Aye Mr. Kidd -Aye Mr. Clark -Aye Mr. Penn -Aye Council entered Closed Session at 6:35 p.m. Council returned from Closed Session at 7:42 p.m. Mayor Glenn requested a motion that Council only discussed those two items for which it went into Closed Session regarding one matter under Va. Code 2.2-3711 (A) 5 concerning a prospective business, "Project Care" and one matter under Va. Code 2.2-3711 (A) 7 consultation with legal counsel concerning a concessions/operations agreement. Mr. Goodman moved to certify the Closed Session. His motion was seconded by Mr. Clark and approved on the following roll call vote: Mr. Radcliffe -Aye Mr. Goodman -Aye Mr. East -Aye Mr. Kidd -Aye Mr. Clark -Aye Mr. Penn -Aye 16. Reminder of Future Council Meetings and Adjournment Following a review of upcoming meetings and there being no further business, a motion to adjourn was made by Mr. Goodman, seconded by Mr. Clark and approved by a unanimoul�te of Council at 7:44 p.m. ATTEST: David N. Quesenber Clerk of Council 1 Approved: Page 7 of 7/April 17, 2018 Robert N. Glbnn Mayor