1 Appomattox Town Council
Workshop Meeting July 26, 2016
The Appomattox Town Council held a Workshop Council meeting on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at the Appomattox Municipal Building, 210 Linden Street, Appomattox, Virginia with Mayor Harvey presiding.
Members present: Timothy W. Garrett, C. Lewis McDearmon, Jr., Mary Lou Spiggle, M. Erin Finch, Steven T. Conner, and Claudia G. Puckette.
Others: Don and Nancy Wilk, Chris Sams, Appomattox County Sheriff’s Office, Bonnie Cunningham, Frank Wright, Town Attorney; Jeff Elder, Facilities Director; Ashlie Walter, News and Advance; Daniel Puckette, Times Virginian; Philipp Gabathuler, Town Manager and Roxanne W. Casto, Town Clerk.
Mayor Harvey called the Council Workshop meeting to order.
Appearance – Bonnie Cunningham, 203 Sunrise Street, Appomattox, Virginia – My problem is water. I don’t know how many years ago, nobody that has been there knows when but part of the street was done. When I bought my house 16 years ago, I was told they were going to finish the street – they were coming through there to join the other street, that didn’t materialize. I was also told that there would not be any trailers or doublewides, 3 months later a double wide moved in a piece of property that wasn’t big enough to put anything on. Ronnie Spiggle passed variances for that trailer to be put there. It’s also in the paperwork that they are suppose to have permanent foundation – it’s not – it’s underpinning. They built another house a year or two after that. Where they come down with the street – when they started the street – there is a pipe that comes out of this side of the street and then dumps on this side. It was woods there when I bought my house – they built a house, girl who had the house built said the crawlspace was always full of water. I never paid any attention to the pipe, honestly, until they cut the trees down and the water started flowing, which didn’t happen until they put the water line in. Then I found out that they don’t have but about 10 feet of yard. The rest belongs to the Town. Anyway, the water is coming from the pipe, down through his yard and under the house, down to my house. When it rains it comes down the street – and now there is more water. I got a new neighbor last year and I think he moved in in January of 2015. Last spring and summer he spent cutting a bunch of woods down, uprooted all the stumps and came over and tried to put them on my land. He’s been mad at me ever since. When it snowed last year, I was in Virginia Beach with my son and his family for Christmas. I had a friend going through the house every fews days to get the mail and make sure nothing was leaking. She called and said “Bonnie your house in sitting in a river”. I came home and it snowed again – water was coming from everywhere. I’ve had a concrete driveway put in and the man was suppose to have run drains from the downspout and under the driveway. I gave him ample time to fix it. Now when it rains or snows I have water in the crawlspace. The door to the crawlspace is always open. One son lives in Virginia Beach, another son lives at Spring Mill with a broken neck and one lives in South Boston. I am waiting for someone to come. The road needs to be finished. I’ve talked to contractors, several of them. They said yall can take that road where you cut it off at, cut the pipe to the telephone pole and the rest is yall, put a drain across the driveway and that will take and keep the water from running down that side. I’ll give you the variance or whatever you need to run the pipe as long as it’s not putting water on me. Contractor told me that what my neighbor
2 Appomattox Town Council
Workshop Meeting July 26, 2016
has done to me will cost over $10,000 to fix. I don’t have any money. I didn’t do it. I don’t feel responsible for it. I don’t appreciate it because someone does something to me – I’m responsible. I have a tree in my back yard and I’ve been trying to find out who owns the land behind me. I finally found out on my own the other day and I went to see the man. I brought him to my house and took him out there to show him the dead tree. He said to give him a week, so he has until Thursday and if he doesn’t, I’ll go see him again. I’m trying to do these things on the up and up. I’m not mad or mean to anyone. I know yall make me so mad but I don’t try to be mean and hateful. I just wish people would look at it like if it were your house would you want it like this. I don’t feel like I should have to fix what everyone has done to me. When I moved there – I have pictures of my grandkids playing in the yard. Now they can’t do that. You saw how muddy it is down there. I’ve done everything I know to do. Nobody has done anything to help me. I even mentioned selling it. I have been told to sue the Town, sue my neighbor, sue the County, sue VDOT, sue the man behind me if he doesn’t get the tree out. If I was to do that what would I gain out of it? How long would it take to go through all those suits. My house would be ruined before they do anything about it. I don’t have money for lawyers. I don’t have money to fix this problem. When I bought the house there was no problem. I have put in hardwood floors, concrete driveway, shed, I’ve gotten my house fixed pretty much the way I wanted it. I planned to work until I am 70. I became disabled at 61 – so I can’t.
Does anybody have any ideas? I don’t want to sell my house. I have it the way I wanted it. Now it’s flooding every time I turn around.
Mr. Gabathuler – Ms. Cunningham, if I may, the way the public appearances are set up – you have the floor to say what you wish but Council will not discuss the matter. What we can do is issue a letter by our Town Attorney in regards to our response.
Mr. Wright – I will investigate from what I have heard tonight.
Ms. Cunningham – you (Mr. Wright) are welcome to come to my house tonight or anytime.
Mrs. Cunningham thanked everyone for their time.
Town Council discussed the quotes received for the roof at the Town Shop Maintenance Building and a truck identified in the Capital Improvement Plan FY2017. Staff will present the bids for approval at the August 2016 Regular Council meeting.
Town Council discussed dates for a joint meeting with the Appomattox County Board of Supervisors. The dates discussed were August 24, 2016, August 29, 2016, and August 30, 2016. Council agreed on August 24, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. with a location to be determined.
Town Council discussed the First Responder’s Recognition Dinner. The County of Appomattox is also planning an event for September 19, 2016. Mr. Conner said he was not objecting to the Town holding an event but was also not objecting to the Town and Council holding it together instead of separately. Mr. Garrett said he wants to hold them separate. Ms. Spiggle also said she supported holding the events separate but it does not mean that the Council is unable to work
3 Appomattox Town Council
Workshop Meeting July 26, 2016
with the County. The Town needs to hold their own event and the funds for it have already been allocated.
Mrs. Puckette asked how many people from the Town, other departments, other counties would be attending. Mr. Garrett estimates 75 people and $3500.00 allocation of funds. Mr. Conner said we all need to work together and use the $3500.00 to pay for it.
Mrs. Puckette said these people were volunteering and they came when called. Mr. Garrett said he feels the Town needs to follow through and Ms. Spiggle agreed.
Mayor Harvey thanked everyone for the discussion and said the Town would move forward with what is planned.
Mr. Gabathuler proposed to Council a funding request of $60,000 on behalf of the ROSE committee for design, construction and 5 years of maintenance costs associated with 6 ROSE style gardens ($8,500 each = $51,000) plus design, construction and 5 years of maintenance costs associated with improvements to the Town’s three welcome signs ($3,000 each = $9,000). After much discussion regarding locations and placement, Mr. Gabathuler was instructed to provide a list of gateway locations and ROSE garden locations by the August meeting.
There was also a discussion of bringing the Tree Board members to the ROSE committee. More information will follow at the August meeting if the two bodies can be combined.
Standing Committee Updates: None
Council Concerns: Mr. Garrett encourages you to ride by the Kiddie Park and look at the progress.
Staff Member Updates: The Clerk reminded Council members of the Annual VML Conference which begins October 11, 2016 in Virginia Beach, VA.
Mr. Gabathuler asked for discussion of Council Work Sessions. He feels it is the responsibility of the Manager to communicate with Council Members.
Ms. Spiggle – would like to have a Regular Council meeting and a Workshop meeting (2 meetings per month).
Mr. Conner - would like to have a one meeting (Regular Meeting) and others if needed.
Mr. Gabathuler said he would take full responsibility for talking to each Council member before meetings.
4 Appomattox Town Council
Workshop Meeting July 26, 2016
On a motion by Mr. Garrett, seconded by Mr. McDearmon, Council voted to adjourn at 8:10 p.m. with no further business. All members present voting aye. Motion carried.
Roxanne W. Casto, MMC Clerk
Paul D. Harvey Mayor