1 Appomattox Town Council Regular Council Meeting June 8, 2020
The Appomattox Town Council held a Regular Council meeting on Monday, June 8, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. at the Appomattox Municipal Building, 210 Linden Street, Appomattox, Virginia with Mayor Harvey, presiding.
Town Council members present were Jonathan D. Garrett, James Boyce, Sr., Mary Lou Spiggle, Timothy W. Garrett, Steven T. Conner, and Claudia G. Puckette.
Staff present were Town Manager, Gary Shanaberger; Town Treasurer, Kim Ray; and Clerk of Council, Roxanne Casto.
Others present were Carlton Duck, Mindy Conner, Richard Conner, Don Jones, John Hinkle, Michelle Payne, and Susan Adams.
Mayor Harvey called the meeting to order.
Public Hearing
Mayor Harvey opened the public hearing and stated the purpose:
The purpose of this public hearing will be to receive public comments concerning the following:
Proposed FY 2021 Budget for the Town of Appomattox - In accordance with §15.2-2506 Code of Virginia, the following is a brief synopsis of the budget proposed by the Town of Appomattox for FY 2021:
GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES INTERNAL SERVICE FUND EXPENDITURES WATER FUND EXPENDITURES SEWER FUND EXPENDITURES TOTAL EXPENDITURES
GENERAL FUND REVENUE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND REVENUE WATER FUND REVENUE SEWER FUND REVENUE TOTAL REVENUE
3,325,783.00 138,700.00 623,277.00 1,032,689.00 5,120,449.00
3,325,783.00 138,700.00 623,277.00 1,032,689.00 5,120,449.00
Documentation is available during regular business hours in the Appomattox Town Office, 210 Linden Street, Appomattox, Virginia. A copy is also available on the Town of Appomattox website, www.townofappomattox.com, under the tab “Department”, “Finance” page.
The meeting will be open to the public, but with only limited seating available in order to promote social distancing as established by Executive Order #55 issued by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia (March 30, 2020) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
2 Appomattox Town Council Regular Council Meeting June 8, 2020
Citizens will have the opportunity to participate in the meeting in the following ways:
• Dial-in number (US): 1 + (339) 207-6609. Please mute your call. Those calling in will
be able to speak during the scheduled period.
• Join the online meeting: https://join.freeconferencecall.com/appomattoxtown and using
Online meeting ID: appomattoxtown. Please mute your online call.
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/townofappomattox/ and using the option to watch
the live video of the meeting in progress.
The public and all interested parties are invited to attend this public hearing to make their views known on the proposed FY 2021 Budget for the Town of Appomattox. Any person needing special accommodations should contact the Town Office no later than the close of business on the day of the hearing at 434-352-8268.
Staff Reports – Mr. Shanaberger commented that this is a straightforward budget.
Public Comments – None
Mayor Harvey closed the public hearing.
Rev. Carlton Duck, Pastor of the Gethsemane Baptist Church gave the invocation, and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.
Mayor’s Comments: The event held on Sunday for the Black Lives Matters was conducted very well and very peaceably. The young ladies that put that on did a very good job organizing it. We should say kudos to Sheriff Simpson and his department for being present and making sure everything was quiet and protected.
Scheduled Public Appearances:
The Appomattox Town Council presented the following certificate of appreciation and recognition of service to Mrs. Sabrina Smith:
TOWN OF APPOMATTOX CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION
This evidence of commendation and appreciation is hereby bestowed upon Mrs. Sabrina Smith for her dedication to public service since February of 1984 as an Assistant and August of 1992, specifically as General Registrar/Director of Elections, in the County of Appomattox.
Her services have been held in high regard, and it is our wish on behalf of all the residents of this community, that she will enjoy a long and healthy retirement.
3 Appomattox Town Council Regular Council Meeting June 8, 2020
Witness my hand and seal of the Town of Appomattox this June 8, 2020.
Paul D. Harvey, Mayor
Mrs. Smith expressed her appreciation of the recognition and having served the Town Council in running their town elections.
Mr. Don Jones appeared before the Appomattox Town Council to explain the Community Gift Certificate Program originally created/sponsored by Mecklenburg County and the three (3) major Towns located in the County. The program is called Chambers in Action (CIA).
It is simply a program for small, privately owned, retail stores and businesses owners who are non-franchised and are not large retail stores. The CIA broke it down into categories, they did not have to be chamber members.
The program consisted of Mecklenburg County, the three (3) Town and the Chamber. The funding sponsors were the County and the 3 towns. The Chamber ran the program. All the businesses throughout Mecklenburg County were eligible if they met the criteria. The Chamber put together a credit card/voucher type program. There was $24,000 available from a combination of the County, the 3 towns and a few private donors. The program was opened with a credit card/voucher that was numbered. It was eligible to be used in any of the businesses that signed up to use the program. They were all listed on the tourism website. It was a very simple program. A person could pay $20.00 and it suddenly became $40.00 to the business. $24,000 worth of the vouchers were sold out within the first two and a half hours of being available.
It is a participant program. $20 turns into $40 to the business immediately.
Funding for the program came from the Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors, the 3 Town Councils, and a few private individuals. This amount was $24,000 and when the vouchers were all sold it turned into $48,000.
Other ways to build an economic stimulus plan: I sit on the Board of Trustees for the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation. We looked for ways to help museums from Lexington to Winchester. We sent out a donor letter and in less than 30 days raised $40,000. We took $40,000 and sent grant applications to all the museums in the valley and there were 28 responses. The grant request gave us a synopsis of what the museum was about, what they did, what they wanted the money for, how much money they needed, if they had an estimate (send that estimate). We funded all 28 grant requests. We could do the same thing here, just in a different manner.
Mr. Don Jones thanked the Council. Consent Agenda –
4 Appomattox Town Council Regular Council Meeting June 8, 2020
On a motion by Mr. J. Garrett, seconded by Mr. T. Garrett, Council voted to adopt the consent agenda for June 8, 2020 as presented. All members present voting aye. Motion carried 6-0.
Old Business – none
New Business – On a motion by Mr. T. Garrett, seconded by Mr. J. Garrett, Council voted to approve payment of $43,457.37 to the Town of Appomattox Economic Development Authority to provide an economic stimulus to businesses located within the Town of Appomattox conducting business as of October 1, 2019 and having paid for a 2020 Business License on or before June 1, 2020. All members present voting aye. Motion carried 6-0.
Council Standing Committee Reports – none
Citizen Comments – none
Town Manager’s Report – Mr. Shanaberger provided the following updates:
➢ A conference call is planned for tomorrow, June 9 regarding the USDA Sewer project
closing process.
➢ A conference call is planned for tomorrow afternoon, June 9, regarding the Hazardous
Mitigation Plan.
➢ The Town should be receiving a proposal from Hurt & Proffitt, Inc. to apply for and manage a grant application for the Church Street waterline replacement project. The Town is looking at 2 funding options, Rural Development and the Department of Housing and Community Development.
➢ The Appomattox County Chamber of Commerce would be agreeable to the terms we
discussed as far as the in-kind donation to the chamber and the 30-day month-to-month lease for office space at the train depot.
➢ There will be a Town of Appomattox Economic Development Authority meeting on June
9, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.
➢ The Downtown Revitalization meeting for June has been cancelled due to a lack of action
items.
Mayor Harvey inquired if Abbitt Park has been reopened or if a date to reopen has been discussed. Mr. Shanaberger stated that staff would be having a meeting tomorrow, June 9.
Mayor Harvey also inquired if any money remained from the USDA project after the bids were received would the Town be able to use those. Mr. Shanaberger said the funding from USDA is only for that project.
Council Comments – none
Adjournment:
5 Appomattox Town Council Regular Council Meeting June 8, 2020
On a motion by Mr. Boyce, seconded by Ms. Spiggle, Council voted to adjourn. All members present voting aye. Motion carried 6-0.
Roxanne W. Casto Clerk of Council
Paul D. Harvey, Mayor