Mayor Keith W. Clarke called the regular meeting of the Lawrenceville Town Council to order on February 12, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. with the following present:

 

Mayor Keith W. Clarke; Council members: Joyce D. Bland, H. B. Brockwell, Jr., Harry S. Holman, Vanessa Y. Jones, Scott E. Martin, Robert F. Pecht, III and Esther B. Sanderson; Town Attorney, W. C. Outten, Jr.; Town Manager, C. J. Dean; Administrative Assistant, Wanda Johnson; Assistant Chief of Police, B. N. Newcomb; Town Clerk, Alice B. Talbert; Citizens and the Press.

 

Absent: Chief of Police, Douglas R. Pond

 

Roll was called.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

A motion was made by Mr. Pecht and seconded by Mr. Brockwell to approve the minutes of the previous meeting, suspend the reading and file.  This motion carried by all ayes.

 

WELCOME NEW COUNCIL MEMBER

Mayor Clarke recognized and welcomed our new Council member, Scott E. Martin to the Town Council.

 

No citizens asked to speak to Council.

 

TOWN MANAGER REPORT

Mr. Dean stated that members had a copy of the Virginia Downtown Development Association’s schedule of events.  Mr. Dean asked members to look over the schedule and hoped members would be able to attend some of the events.

 

A copy of a letter and the Certificate to Operate the Green Acres Pump Station was in the packets.  Mr. Dean stated that the Town still had not received a letter from the County asking the Town to take over the system.  The new system is up and running and the old pump station had been taken out of service.

 

Mr. Dean had prepared a water/wastewater flow chart and gave an overview of it.  Mr. Dean stated that the drop in water being treated was due to the new sewer lines at Saint Paul’s.  The new system has reduced significantly the amount of rainwater that has to be treated.

 

DOWNTOWN ENHANCEMENT PLAN PROPOSAL

A copy of the draft proposal for the Lawrenceville Downtown Enhancement Plan was in the packets.  The cost for the study came to $15,629.  Mr. Dean stated that there is $10,000 in the grant to pay on this study and he asked that the remaining $5,629 be taken from the Revitalization budget.  After a discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Holman and seconded by Mr. Brockwell to use the funds in the amount of $5,629 from the Revitalization budget to fund the study.  This motion carried by all ayes.

 

MAIN ST BRICK ACCENT PROJECT

Mr. Dean reported that the Main Street Brick Accent Project had been designed by B & B Consultants and approved by VDOT.  Bids had been sent out and two had been returned with the low bid coming from Castle Heights Construction in the amount of $17,400.  Lawrenceville Brick will donate the brick and the Rotary Club is working on donations to help with the cost.  Mr. Dean requested that the balance in the Revitalization Budget be used to fund this project.  Mrs. Sanderson asked if Mr. Dean would check on the possibility of selling bricks in honor or in memory of someone as a way to help pay for this project.  Mrs. Sanderson made a motion to proceed with the project, accept the bid from Castle Heights and use the Revitalization budget fund balance to help with the cost of the crosswalk.  This was seconded by Mr. Brockwell and carried by all ayes.

 

RAILS-TO-TRAILS UPDATE

Mr. Dean reported that the Roanoke Rails-to-Trails Annual Report was in the packets for informational purpose.  He stated that construction should start this summer and would extend from the water treatment plant out approximately one mile.

 

 

COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC

A copy of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Summary of Goals was in the packets along with a copy of the project priorities.  Mr. Dean stated that last year our priorities were: #1 Lawrenceville Downtown Project; #2 Rose Creek Main Sewer Collection Line; #3 Lawrenceville Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion and #4 Meherrin River intake.  After a discussion it was decided to leave the Town priorities the same as last year.

 

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

Mr. Dean stated that the Christmas bows have started to look orange rather than red and he had gotten a proposal on the cost to replace them.  Mr. Dean also had a proposal for a larger wreath for the side of the Municipal Building.  As this is an off- season, the proposal reflected a considerable discount if purchased by February 28^th.  After a discussion, a motion was made by Mrs. Sanderson to purchase the new bows and the larger wreath as proposed.  This was seconded by Mr. Martin and carried by all ayes.

 

SPRING CLEAN UP WEEK

Mr. Dean reported that Spring Clean up Week would be April 14 – 18, 2008.  This would be in preparation for the Spring Fest to be held on April 19^th along with the Brick Yard 5 Miler.

 

LETTER OF SUPPORT

Mr. Dean reported that SCORE had asked to have the letter written last year in support of their grant for low to moderate housing be updated.  The grant would provide 10 homes that the Town would waive the water/sewer connection fee for.  Mr. Dean will update the letter and no Council action was needed.

 

T21 GRANT FUNDS

Mr. Dean stated that there is still a little less than $60,000 in the T21 Grant funds.  He had been in contact with the State and they suggest rolling the funds over into the Rails-to-Trails project.  Mr. Dean requested permission to apply for the roll over of funds.  After a discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Pecht to authorize Mr. Dean to apply to roll over the T21 Funds to the Rails-to-Trails Grant.  This was seconded by Mr. Holman and voting aye: Bland, Brockwell, Holman, Jones, Martin, Pecht and Sanderson.

 

Mr. Dean again asked for any Budget Request and stated that work was starting on the budget for next year and he hoped to have something to present to Council at next meeting.

 

FIRE REPORT

Mrs. Bland reported that the fire department had responded to 42 calls in January, of these 8 were in the corporate limits of Lawrenceville.  The following break down was given: disregard – 14, EMS 11; MVC 6; LZ set up 3; structure fire 2; haz-mat 2; brush fire 2; chimney fire 1; elevator entrapment 1.

 

NEW EMPLOYEE

Mrs. Sanderson stated that the personnel report was in the packets and that one new employee had been hired.  Mr. Dean stated that Samuel Simmons had been hired and was working on the garbage truck.

 

The Police Report was in the packets.

 

Mr. Brockwell stated that he had met with the President of the Fire Department and at this time he did not recommend any vehicles being declared surplus.  Mr. Brockwell also stated that VML has offered a surplus program that the Town can use and he and Mr. Dean had looked into this and felt it would be a good tool for future use.

 

CEMETERY GRASS CUTTING

Mrs. Bland stated that it was the time for the Town to be reimbursed for mowing at the Cemeteries.  Mrs. Bland made a motion to reimburse the town $2,217.82 with $1,081.41 coming from Oakwood Cemetery funds and $1,136.41 coming from Oakwood Park Cemetery funds.  This was seconded by Mr. Pecht and voting aye: Bland, Brockwell, Holman, Jones, Martin, Pecht and Sanderson.

 

TOWN DEVELOPMENT REPORT

Mr. Brockwell stated that he, Mr. Holman and Mrs. Sanderson had met and wants to meet with the School Board concerning the Peebles building.  Mr. Brockwell also met with Mrs. Woolridge, County Administrator, concerning the old primary school building.  Mr. Brockwell, Mr. Holman and Mrs. Sanderson had met with Saint Paul’s and hope to meet with SVCC and the school systems to see if there is some type of programs to enhance the community.  Mr. Holman stated that he felt the meeting was very fruitful and was encouraged.  Mrs. Sanderson agreed and felt making the schools a bigger part of the town was a good step in the right direction.  Mr. Brockwell stated that he also had received calls concerning stores having apartments upstairs.  He had informed the callers that only owners of businesses where the owner operates the business could live in the upstairs.

 

Mr. Brockwell commended Mr. Dean on his reports he presented.

 

Mr. Brockwell stated that he had attended the IDA meeting tonight and felt Council should invite the IDA Director to come to Council and present their reports on the water/sewer master plan and the Hotel Study and the Vision 2007.  Mr. Brockwell felt the town would be a major player in the projects the IDA is planning and that the Vision 2007 will bring all the communities together.

 

The Airport Report was in the packets.

 

A thank you letter to Council from Mrs. Wilbur Hardy was read.

 

Mrs. Talbert asked members to look over the Council names and address form they had before them and make any corrections.  If members had email addresses not listed to please include them and give forms back

 

PAYMENT OF BILLS

A motion was made by Mrs. Sanderson to pay the bills as presented in the amount of $92,803.62 and charge to the proper funds.  This was seconded by Mr. Brockwell and voting aye: Bland, Brockwell, Holman, Jones, Martin, Pecht and Sanderson.

 

Mayor Clarke gave out committee assignments as we now have a full council. 

 

CLOSED SESSION -  LEGAL

A motion was made by Mr. Pecht to move the Lawrenceville Town Council into a closed meeting pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended for the purpose of discussing a legal matter.  This was seconded by Mrs. Sanderson and carried by the following roll call vote: Bland, Brockwell, Holman, Jones, Martin, Pecht and Sanderson voting aye.

 

After a discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Pecht and seconded by Mrs. Sanderson to adjourn the closed meeting and the Lawrenceville Town Council convene again in open session.  Voting aye: Bland, Brockwell, Holman, Jones, Martin, Pecht and Sanderson.

 

OPEN SESSION

Mr. Pecht made the following Certification motion: “Be it resolved to the best of my knowledge (i) only public business matters exempted from open meeting requirement, under Section 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, and (ii) only such public business matters as were identified in the motion by which the closed meeting was convened were heard, discussed or considered in the meeting.”  This motion was seconded by Mrs. Sanderson and carried by the following roll call vote: voting aye, Bland, Brockwell, Holman, Jones, Martin, Pecht and Sanderson.

 

ADJOURNMENT

As there was no further business to come before Council, a motion was made by Mrs. Sanderson and seconded by Mr. Pecht to adjourn.  This motion carried.

 

 

 

___________________________MAYOR

 

 

___________________________CLERK