1 Appomattox Town Council Regular Council Meeting August 11, 2014
The Appomattox Town Council held a Regular Council meeting on Monday, August 11, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. at the Appomattox Municipal Building, 210 Linden Street, Appomattox, Virginia with Mayor Harvey presiding.
Members present: Timothy W. Garrett, Jr., C. Lewis McDearmon, Jr., Mary Lou Spiggle, N.H. “Jimmy” Mayberry, Steven T. Conner and Claudia G. Puckette.
Others: Katrina Koerting, News and Advance; Stephanie James, Times Virginian; Carlton Duck and Brian Moore, Alive Media TV; Stacey Wilkes, Town Treasurer; C. William Gillespie, Jr., Town Manager; and Roxanne W. Casto, Clerk of Council.
Mayor Harvey called the meeting to order and welcomed the visitors.
Carlton Duck led the prayer and Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor’s Comments:
Mayor’s State of the Town Address: As part of the Town Council and staff’s desire to communicate more effectively with our
citizens, we have elected to take time to present a brief “State of the Town” address to inform you of some of the completed projects as well as ongoing and planned ones.
One of the great things to report is that over the last three years the budget has been
reduced 23% without loss of any services or raising personal property or real estate taxes. We have accomplished this thru reducing legal and engineering fees, having some projects completed in house and staff and employee reductions. We have also established necessary reserves in all of the Town funds – general, water and sewer and are working to completely fund all of them. After many, many years of operating as a deficit, the sewer fund has also been stabilized.
In the administrative area the council and staff worked for over a year to complete the rezoning of the Town as well as reorganizing the landscaping and sign ordinances. Out of this rezoning council elected to institute a R-2 zoning to allow for small lot sizes and residences and there is already a developer constructing a subdivision to meet these requirements.
Under the guidance of our interim Town Manager, Council began having annual planning retreats. We established mission and vision statements along with core values in the initial retreat and started discussions of priorities and initiatives – essentially goals to achieve and dreams to consider. Council formed six Priority and Initiative committees with each council person serving as a chair; finance, media and citizen communication, intergovernmental cooperation and concerns, infrastructure, water park development, and town beautification and development.
The ROSE program is one of the projects that blossomed from the Priority and Initiative
ideas. This is the Roadway Opportunities for Sustainable Enhancements – businesses and
2 Appomattox Town Council Regular Council Meeting August 11, 2014
individuals sponsor a beautification garden in the selected VDOT right of way sites with signage to recognize their sponsorship.
Also from planning retreats Council has recently initiated and formed a Planning Commission and an Economic Development Authority. The Planning Commission is currently working, with assistance from the Region 2000 Local Government Council, to develop a comprehensive plan for the Town. The EDA has just put together business incentives and performance agreements to help in attracting new business. As a quick sidebar that has occurred before these actions, the Town has recently welcomed for new businesses – Tractor Supply, Dollar Tree, Murphy Oil and soon Hardee’s.
The Council is also joining with a consultant to design a master plan for improvements in
the Town including a new Kiddie Park pavilion and new playground equipment, possible metal fencing for Abbitt Park, restoring the Depot to its original state and possibly redesigning the Visitor Center space. We have already been awarded a Community Development Block Grant for areas in the Town with significant needs and concerns, with special focus on Meadowlark subdivision. The Town also participated in a Route 24 corridor study. This is to hopefully see this area to the National Park and Museum of the Confederacy greatly enhanced with road improvements, garden sites and walking trails.
In the public works area you have already seen the new public works building as well as
the building to house the equipment and Abbitt Park has the new pavilion and stage cover installed. Also for well over two decades the Town has been under a consent order from DEQ because of high Zinc content at the SBR treatment plant. Over the last two years the plant operators and the utility department have gotten this level below the required zinc level and the consent order has been removed.
The public works department in conjunction with the Town staff have done a capital
improvements plan to include eventual closure of the Trickling Filter Plant with installation of a pump station to the SBR plant, lining of sewer lines and replacement of sewer and water lines that are needed. This will also help control and eliminate excess storm water into the sewer system.
All of these things are being accomplished while staff and the public works department
continue to provide the best services to you every day. All of the planning, formation and development of these committees, master plans, and capital improvement plans are for the long term benefit of the Town. It is to insure that when a new council or new staff or public works group is eventually in place that there is continuity in services and growth with proper maintenance of what is in place and the plans for the Town’s future.
Scheduled Public Appearances – None
Consent Agenda – On a motion by Mr. Mayberry, seconded by Ms. Spiggle, Council voted to adopt the consent agenda with the addition of NB #3 – Consideration to approve the use of Brown, Edwards and
3 Appomattox Town Council Regular Council Meeting August 11, 2014
Company, LLP for $23,650 for the FY 2014 Annual Audit and NB #4 – Consideration to appoint a Board of Directors for the ROSE project for the purposes of incorporation. All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
Unfinished Business – Mr. Gillespie read Frank Wright, Town Attorney’s email regarding the liability associated with the burned house on Sunnydale Avenue.
New Business – On a motion by Mr. Mayberry, seconded by Mr. McDearmon, Council voted to approve the purchase of three (3) sewer flow meters for $25,250.00 and adopt the following resolution:
- Consideration to adopt a resolution amending the FY2014 - 2015 Operating Budget of the Sewer Fund to appropriate funds for the purchase of flow meters in the amount of $25,250.
WHEREAS, Section15.2-2507, Code of Virginia, allows that a governing body may amend the budget from time to time
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Appomattox Town Council does hereby amend the FY 2014-2015 Operating Budget of the Sewer Fund to appropriate the funds for the purchase of flow meters in the amount of $25,250
Sewer Fund Expenditures Net Increase in Budget
Sewer Fund Revenues
Use of Reserves Net Increase in Budget
$ 25,250 $ 25,250
$ 25,250 $ 25,250
SECTION XIII: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the Town Council of Appomattox, Virginia that the Fiscal Year 2015 budget amendments are hereby adopted, and the monies necessary to fund it are hereby appropriated and shall be certified by the Clerk of Council and maintained as an archive document with the official minutes of the Town Council of Appomattox, Virginia. Amended this 11th day of August 2014. Attest:
Roxanne Casto, Town Clerk
VOTE: Garrett – aye, McDearmon – aye, Spiggle – aye, Mayberry – aye, Conner – aye, Puckette – aye. Motion carried 6-0.
4 Appomattox Town Council Regular Council Meeting August 11, 2014
On a motion by Mr. McDearmon, seconded by Mr. Garrett, Council voted to award the contract to WEL, Inc. to remove the burned house on Sunnydale Avenue for $11,900 and adopted a resolution amending the FY 2015 Operating Budget for the General Fund:
- Consideration to adopt a resolution amending the FY 2015 Operating Budget for the
General Fund for FY 2014-2015 for the demolition of the burned home on Sunnydale Avenue in the amount of $12,000
WHEREAS, Section15.2-2507, Code of Virginia, allows that a governing body may amend the budget from time to time
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Appomattox Town Council does hereby amend the FY 2015 Operating Budget for the General Fund for FY 2014-2015 for the demolition of the burned home on Sunnydale Avenue in the amount of $12,000
General Fund Expenditures Property Maintenance & Construction Net Increase in Budget
General Fund Revenues Use of Undesignated Reserve Net Increase in Budget
$ 12,000 $ 12,000
$ 12,000 $ 12,000
SECTION XIII: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the Town Council of Appomattox, Virginia that the Fiscal Year 2015 budget amendments are hereby adopted, and the monies necessary to fund it are hereby appropriated and shall be certified by the Clerk of Council and maintained as an archive document with the official minutes of the Town Council of Appomattox, Virginia. Amended this 11th day of August 2014. Attest:
Roxanne Casto, Town Clerk
VOTE: Garrett – aye, McDearmon – aye, Spiggle – aye, Mayberry – aye, Conner – aye, Puckette – aye. Motion carried 6-0.
On a motion by Ms. Puckette, seconded by Mr. Mayberry, Council voted to appoint the following people to the ROSE project Board of Directors: Paul Harvey, Bill Gillespie, Jeff Elder and Mary Lou Spiggle for the purposes of incorporating as a 501 (c) 3 status organization. All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
Town Manager Update – Mr. Gillespie provided Council with a draft document explaining the changes to the meeting structure.
5 Appomattox Town Council Regular Council Meeting August 11, 2014
Council will discuss this matter before the retreat and make changes in November.
Citizen Comment period – None
Council Concerns – Mr. Conner – In light of recent issues with the fence for Abbitt Park he stated that he believes there should be a Community Parks advisory committee to give input before doing things within the park.
Ms. Spiggle agreed that citizen input is better and thinks this is a good idea.
Ms. Puckette thanked Mayor Harvey for his words of the Town’s accomplishments.
On a motion by Mr. Garrett, seconded by Ms. Puckette, Council voted to adjourn at 8:05 p.m. All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
Roxanne W. Casto, MMC Clerk
Paul D. Harvey Mayor