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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-07-251 1 Town Council Meeting Minutes January 7, 2025 1. Councilman Clark called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. and asked for a roll call. Jeremy L. Clark- Aye G. Tyler Clontz- Aye Mayor Collins- Absent Sunshine N. Cope- Aye Steven W. Erickson- Aye Brooks R. Dawson- Absent Joel B. Burchett- Aye 2. Modification to Closed Session- No modifications were made. 3. Councilman Clark asked for a motion to enter into Closed Session to discuss the following items: a. VA Code 2.2-3711 (A) 1 (1 item)- Personnel Matters i. Appointment to Boards b. VA Code 2.2-3711 (A) 3 (2 items)- Acquisition/Disposition of Real Property i. Hogans Dam ii. 177 Acres The motion was made by Councilman Clontz and seconded by Councilman Burchett. Jeremy L. Clark- Aye G. Tyler Clontz- Aye Mayor Collins- Absent Sunshine N. Cope- Aye Steven W. Erickson- Aye Brooks R. Dawson- Absent Joel B. Burchett- Aye The following council members and staff entered into Closed Session: Councilman Clark, Councilwoman Cope, Councilman Clontz, Councilman Erickson, Councilman Burchett, Town Manager, Todd Day, Town Attorney, Scot Farthing, and Clerk of Council, Ms. Hale. Vice -Mayor Dawson joined Closed Session at 6:12 p.m. Councilman Clontz exited Closed Session before the discussion of the 177 acres. 7:02 p.m. Open Session 4. Certification of Closed Session- Vice -Mayor Dawson asked for a motion that only the following items were discussed in Closed Session: a. VA Code 2.2-3711 (A) 1 (1 item)- Personnel Matters i. Appointments to Boards b. VA Code 2.2-3711 (A) 3 (2 items)- Acquisition/Disposition of Real Property i. Hogans Dam Page 1 of 7/ January 7, 2025 ii. 177 Acres The motion was made by Councilman Clark and seconded by Councilwoman Cope. Jeremy L. Clark- Aye G. Tyler Clontz- Abstained Mayor Collins- Absent Sunshine N. Cope- Aye Steven W. Erickson- Aye Brooks R. Dawson- Aye Joel B. Burchett- Aye 5. Councilman Clontz lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. 6. Councilman Clark gave the invocation. 7. Vice -Mayor Dawson welcomed all in attendance and viewing online. Modification to Open Session- Ms. Hale asked that Resolution 2025-01 be added to the agenda before the Public Comment Period and to change the date for the future council meeting from January 21 to February 4, 2025. The motion was made by Councilman Clontz and seconded by Councilman Clark. Jeremy L. Clark- Aye G. Tyler Clontz- Aye Mayor Collins- Absent Sunshine N. Cope- Aye Steven W. Erickson- Aye Brooks R. Dawson- Aye Joel B. Burchett- Aye 9. Presentations a. Pulaski Area Transit- Monica Musick Ms. Musick reported the Transit Development Plan (TDP) report and microtransit study has been completed and it was determined to continue with routes the way they are currently being done, rather than going to the microtransit system. She stated the consultants were concerned that ridership may drop and revisit the option in 10 years but there were modifications that were recommended to increase ridership which will be presented at a later time. Councilman Clark asked if their routes were posted on the transit's website. Ms. Musick stated there is a map on the website. Councilman Erickson asked if there was a way to create a QR Code to put at each bus stop that riders could scan with their phone and see the routes. Ms. Musick stated there should be a way to market that and they also need to increase their marketing on their Facebook page. Page 2 of 7/ January 7, 2025 Councilman Burchett commented stating elderly riders and less fortunate don't use Facebook or have computers. Ms. Musick stated the transit does participate in activities and events throughout the area to market the transit and communicate with the community. Councilman Burchett stated the transit's tracking system is impressive and thanked her for her work. Vice -Mayor Dawson asked Ms. Musick to give a brief summary of where the transit's funding comes from to inform the new council members and also an update on the board's decision to allow the Town to purchase used vehicles at the same price they were selling them for. Ms. Musick stated funding is through a grant with the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and their grant cycle is annually, opening in December and closing in February. She stated after the grant cycle, herself and Jennifer Byer come up with the total budget, 50% of that is covered by federal, 29% currently is covered by the state and the remaining balance is the local match from the Town and Pulaski County. Ms. Musick reported a negative change in the state funding coming in FY 2027 and FY 2028, although an exact number wasn't determined, it would be a significant change and they are looking at ways to fund programs. Ms. Musick reported that it was determined by the board that the Town could purchase vehicles for sale before allowing other entities the opportunity to purchase. Ms. Musick reported a ridership increase of 2,384 passengers from FY 2023 to FY 2024 and for the month of December, ridership increased almost 450 passengers from December 2023 to December 2024. She stated grants for DRPT are open and are due on February 1, 2025 for FY 2026 and PAT is requesting, for their operating budget, $838,012 capital assistance, they are looking to replace two body on chassis vehicles that have met their useful life, and also requesting $15,000 to be used for spare parts. Ms. Musick stated the total local match would be $101,138 from both the Town and the County. Manager Day stated he would communicate with Town Council an ratify an internet vote. Ms. Musick scheduled the next meeting date for May 6"'. b. Filter Plant Update- Stephen Steele, CHA Page 3 of 7/ January 7, 2025 Mr. Steele reported the consent order issued by Virginia Department of Health stating the Town has not been able to meet the requirements set forth by VDH and in 2021 the consent order required upgrades to both the water distribution and water filtration plant. Mr. Steele gave a brief history of the consent order issued by VDH in 2018 for DBP violations in the Brookmont area, in 2019 all the water tanks were inspected and it was determined to remove multiple smaller tanks and build one large tank. Also, in 2019 at the water treatment plant, filter four failed catastrophically, during the years 2019-2021 filters 1,2,3, and 4 were replaced and added air scour, and polymer upgrades. Mr. Steele reported on the critical needs of the filter plant, some being replacing the raw water pumps, replacing existing generator, and constructing new sedimentation basins. He stated the water filtration project is totaled at $16,289,000 and we have to figure out how to get as much grant money towards that project as possible. There were five water system funding options he presented, first was the Virginia Department of Health Drink Water State Revolving Loan Fund, that application is due in May, an award of funding is offered in August, the terms are typically 1 % below the domestic bond rate, they'll do a term as long as 30 years, the loan portion is around 2.5% interest, and the probability of the Town getting the grant is very high. The second funding option presented was the Congressionally Directed Spending grant, that application deadline is in April, and the funding varies, the third option was the USDA Rural Development, it requires compliance with extensive program requirements, if rates are not at one and a half percent of your median household income, which is fifty thousand four hundred dollars, you cannot receive grant money. The forth option Mr. Steele presented was the VRA Pooled Financing, they sell bonds twice a year with a 4% interest and there's no grant money available. The last funding option presented was the Southeast Regional Community Assistance Project, they help communities with seed money ranging from $50,000-$100,000 every year with different studies. Mr. Steele stated he highly recommends the VDH funding option and supplement with the Congressionally Directed Spending option. Vice -Mayor Dawson asked if there was a local match associated with the funds or is it purely a loan. Manager Day stated VDH is primarily low interest loans and if we take the 30% principal forgiveness and the 2.5% interest rate, the Town's annual increase per resident would be about $8 over three consecutive years. He stated the Congressionally Directed Spending was the same pool of money the Fire Department received a half a million dollars for, but those funds won't be voted on until March 2025. He stated we would need to do our due diligence to see what USDA offers and the Town currently has some debts with Rural Development. Manager Day reported he lost a grant opportunity in the past with Rural Development because he did not do the rate structure study and RD was not going to subsidize their losses. Page 4 of 7/ January 7, 2025 Mr. Steele ran over the application process and application requirements, how much money is requested, who the engineer is, project description, and why we're doing what needs to be done at the filter plant, and the point system of how the applications are chosen for funding. Councilwoman Cope asked if having one of two of the only super pulsators in the state would help with funding. Mr. Steele stated it would help and Ms. Crabtree, the Town's VDH Field Officer, is amazed that David Peyton has been able to keep it running as long as he has. He stated the filter plant is switching to a traditional treatment process with sedimentation basins that every operator in the state of Virginia knows how to operate so we could share operators. Currently, if something happened to our filter plant and we needed an operator to come from another part of the state, they wouldn't know how to run a super pulsator. Mr. Steele gave a brief history on the 120-year-old water lines that were installed in 1908. He reported there is a program coming up that will help replace lead jointed pipe, which the town currently has, and the lead service line mapping is currently taking place. 10. Discussion a. 177 Acres Manager Day announced the he has been working with a developer on a potential project. He reminded council and listeners of the purchase the Town made in December 2023, using ARPA funds, of a 170-acre parcel for 1.2 million dollars. He reported in February 2021 there was a study done in conjunction with Virginia Tech and the NRV, with a number of other entities that spoke about the need for housing affordability and availability. He stated on December 17, 2025 the Town of Pulaski was given an unsolicited bid by a local developer, SHAH Development, for a housing development on the 170 acres. He reported it will be approximately 174 acres development, it'll have 187 detached single-family dwellings, 102 townhome units, 18 acres of commercial development, and 72 acres of terrain based open space, parks recreation and the development will take place within 6 phases. Manager Day stated he felt like this project is going to be the difference in Pulaski being successful in the future when it comes to economic development and it's going to bring Pulaski an opportunity for a larger, more family sustaining businesses in the community. He also mentioned with the estimated tax revenue and building fees and the amount of time the project will take to be completed, a 6-10 year build out, the project will pay for itself. Manager Day reported he has no intentions to enter into any contractual agreements or contracts with SHAH Development, that they will be developed, the objective is to develop those contractual documents and to negotiate for the best interest of both the Town and SHAH Development. He mentioned that Page 5 of 7/ January 7, 2025 SHAH Development offered a trade for a structure that is owned by SHAH Development that the Town currently uses to house a fire truck. Vice -Mayor Dawson commented saying while he has been on Town Council, he has heard we need improved housing, new housing, and we need to support our businesses, and we need new business and all of those things are addressed with us trying to grow our population by improving our housing and the housing stock will naturally help support our businesses and create opportunity for new business at the same time. Councilman Burchett stated he heard from his constituents, the citizens, that we need more income for the town, more housing, and more affordable level housing. He stated this looks like a great opportunity for the town and he gives his full support. Th motion was made by Councilman Clark and seconded by Councilman Burchett to support the Town Manager, Mr. Day's continuation of discussions with SHAH Development and to solidify procurement and contractual terms for the proper design of a new modern affordable housing development to be located on the 170 plus acre property along Route 11, Memorial Drive, and Pepper's Ferry, which is owned by the Town of Pulaski. Jeremy L. Clark- Aye G. Tyler Clontz- Abstained Mayor Collins- Absent Sunshine N. Cope- Aye Steven W. Erickson- Aye Brooks R. Dawson- Aye Joel B. Burchett- Aye Councilman Clontz abstained due to the possibility of a conflict of interest. 11. Public Comment Period- No speakers were present. 12. Resolution 2025-01 Reappointing Roger Bell to the Economic Development Authority for the Town of Pulaski, Virginia The motion was made by Councilman Clontz and seconded by Councilwoman Cope to adopt Resolution 2025-01 as written. Jeremy L. Clark- Aye Sunshine N. Cope- Aye Brooks R. Dawson- Aye 13. Consent Agenda G. Tyler Clontz- Aye Steven W. Erickson- Aye Joel B. Burchett- Aye Mayor Collins- Absent a. Consideration of December 17, 2024 Town Council Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 7/ January 7, 2025 The motion was made by Councilman Clontz and seconded by Councilman Clark to table the consideration of the minutes from the consent agenda as there were not enough voting members present to vote on the adoption of minutes. The minutes will be moved the to February 4, 2025 meeting. Jeremy L. Clark- Aye Sunshine N. Cope- Aye Brooks R. Dawson- Aye G. Tyler Clontz- Aye Steven W. Erickson- Aye Joel B. Burchett- Aye 14. Council Comments & Board Updates Mayor Collins- Absent Councilwoman Cope stated she was glad to join Town Council. Vice -Mayor complemented the Public Works Department in their work with clearing the snow off the roads. 15. Manager's Report Manager Day thanked Council for their unanimous support to move the 170-acre property project forward and also thanked Public Works for the work they've done with fixing seven major water leaks in town. Manager Day stated the distribution system is just as important as the raw water lines, which has gone beyond its life expectancy. He stated Public Works has $75,000 to work with water line funds, and when it comes to water rate structures, we will be doing a wealth of due diligence in the water system. 16. Reminder of Future Council Meeting a. February 4, 2025 Closed Session 6:00 p.m., Open Session 7:00 p.m. 17. With no further business, the Vice -Mayor adjourned the meeting at 8:32 p.m. ATTEST Olivia C. Hale Clerk of Council TOWN of PULASKI,V�R'G` W. Shannon Collins Mayor Page 7 of 7/ January 7, 2025