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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/8/2019 - City Council - Minutes - RegularUNAPPROVED MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION July 8, 2019 A work session of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, was held in the Council Chambers Conference Room, 114 North Broad Street, Salem, Virginia, on July 8, 2019, at 6:30 p.m., there being present all the following members of said Council, to wit: Byron Randolph Foley, William D. Jones, Jane W. Johnson, James A. Martin, and John E. Saunders; with Byron Randolph Foley, Mayor, presiding; together with James E. Taliaferro, II, Interim City Manager and Clerk of Council; Rosemarie B. Jordan, Director of Finance; Todd Sutphin, Assistant Director of Street and General Maintenance Department; Dr. Alan Seibert, Salem City Schools Superintendent; Dr. Forest Jones, Salem City Schools, Crystal L. Williams, Assistant to the City Manager; Judy Hough, Deputy City Clerk; and Pete Eshelman, Roanoke Regional Partnership; and the following business was transacted: Mayor Foley reported that this date, place, and time had been set in order for the Council to hold a work session; and WHEREAS, Pete Eshelman with the Roanoke Regional Partnership gave Council a “State of the Outdoor” presentation; and WHEREAS, Todd Sutphin, Dr. Alan Seibert and Dr. Forest Jones gave Council an update regarding the Salem High School project; and WHEREAS, there were no other topics for discussion; and There being no further business to come before the Council, the work session was adjourned at 7:28 p.m. ____________________________________ Mayor _____________________________________ Clerk of Council Ci ty Counci l Meeti ng M INUTES Monday, July 8, 2019, 7:30 P M Council Chambers, City Hall, 114 North Broad Street, Salem, Virginia 24153 1.C all to Order A regular meeting of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, was called to order at 7:32 p.m., there being present the following members to wit: Byron Randolph Foley, Mayor, J ane W. J ohnson, Vice-Mayor, Council members: William D. J ones, J ames A. Martin, and J ohn E. Saunders; with Byron Randolph Foley, Mayor, presiding; together with J ames E. Taliaferro, II, Interim C ity Manager and Clerk of C ouncil; Rosemarie B. J ordan, Director of Finance; C harles E. VanAllman, J r., C ommunity Development Director; J udy Hough, Deputy C ity Clerk; and Stephen M. Yost, City Attorney. Mayor Foley recognized new Salem Police Officers Brandon Diggs and Adam Daponte and noted they are joining Salem from Botetourt C ounty. Also with them was Senior Police Officer Matthew Hernandez. He thanked them for their service to the Salem community. 2.Pledge of Allegiance 3.C onsent Agenda A.Minutes Consider acceptance of the minutes from the J une 24, 2019, work session and regular meeting. Accepted as presented B.F inancial Report Consider the acceptance of the Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for the eleven months ending May 2019. Received 4.New Business A.Gift from E state of Robert Gordon P age Consider the adoption of Resolution 1363 approving an agreement concerning a bequest from the estate of Robert Gordon Page to the C ity of Salem Animal Shelter. Mr. Yost noted that he was approached several months ago by one of the C o- Executors of the Estate of Robert Gordon Page. Mr. Page was a resident of the C ity, who passed away on December 19, 2018. Mr. Page, who apparently was an animal lover, in his will bequeathed 45% of net estate to the "Salem Humane Society/SPC A in honor of Dr. Bridget Quatmann and Kimberlee L. Smith." T he problem is that there no such entity known as the "Salem Humane Society/SPC A" so this presented a dilemma to the Co-Executors. T he C o-Executors approached the Salem Commissioner of Accounts, who is the court appointed official who oversees estate administrations, and also the Salem Circuit Court to discuss this problem and to seek their aid and direction. T hey came up with a plan that they thought was appropriate whereby the 45% would be divided equally between the Roanoke Valley SPC A and the City of Salem Animal Shelter. T his proposal was presented to the Roanoke Valley SPC A, and the SPC A said this sounded more than reasonable. T he question is now presented to City C ouncil in order for them to decide whether the C ity should enter into this agreement whereby the City would agree to the disposition of the 45% of the net Estate. T he exact amount is not known at this time, but C harlie Phillips, one of the C o-Executors, seems to think it will run into the thousand of dollars. William J ones motioned to adopt Resolution 1363 approving an agreement concerning a bequest from the estate of Robert Gordon Page to the City of Salem Animal Shelter. J ohn Saunders seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, J ohnson, J ones, Martin, Saunders B.Appropriation of Net P osition Consider request to appropriate Electric fund net position. Audit - Finance Committee Mr. J ones noted the Audit Finance Committee met this morning to discuss this request. T he Ridgewood Farm development was built in the 1970s and early 1980s and the electrical equipment installed then is nearing the end of its useful life. T he original cable was buried and the plan is to replace old cable and transformers and install conduit to help protect the cable and make it easier to replace in the future. Directional boring will be used to place the conduit. T he total cost of the project is $411,562. Funding of $250,000 was available in the Electric Fund budget for FY2019. T he remaining funding needed is included in the FY2020 budget. T he C ommittee reviewed the request and recommended re-appropriating $250,000 from Electric Fund net position for the project. William J ones motioned to re-appropriate $250,000 from the Electric Fund net position for the needed work at the Ridgewood Farms development. J ames Martin seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, J ohnson, J ones, Martin, Saunders C .Appropriation of F unds - VD OT Rev enue Sharing Grant Consider request to accept and appropriate the VD O T Revenue Sharing Grant for Downtown from Union Street to Broad Street. Audit - Finance C ommittee Mr. J ones noted the Audit Finance Committee also discussed this request. T he City of Salem has been awarded $500,000 for a Revenue Sharing Project on West Main Street that extends from Union Street to South Broad Street. T his grant will replace and widen sidewalks, improve crosswalks, and install streetscaping and new lighting. T he grant will improve safety for pedestrians and motorists by shortening and improving pedestrian crossings and visibility. T he Virginia Department of Transportation (VD O T ) will administer this grant. T his grant requires a local match of $500,000. Local match of $250,000 was included in the FY2020 General Fund operating budget as a transfer to C apital Projects. T he additional local match needed of $250,000 will be included in the FY2021 General Fund operating budget as a transfer to C apital Projects. T he C ommittee reviewed the request and recommends accepting the VD O T grant and appropriating the additional local match needed from the FY2021 General Fund operating budget which will allow us to continue the work on the Downtown Revitalization Project. Mr. VanAllman discussed the grants and revenue sharing sources which they have been using to help fund the downtown improvement project. William J ones motioned to accept a $500,000 revenue-sharing grant from VD O T and to appropriate the local match for the Main Street streetscaping from Broad to Union Streets. J ames Martin seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, J ohnson, J ones, Martin, Saunders D.Appropriation of F unds - Sheriff's Office Adv ertising Sales Consider request to appropriate proceeds from the sale of advertising for the Sheriff's office. Audit - Finance C ommittee Mr. J ones noted the Audit Finance Committee also discussed this request. T he Sheriff's office sold calendar ads to valid businesses in Salem to raise funds for the first time in FY2019. Revenue of $1,000 was earned but not spent in the previous year. Staff requests that these funds be re-appropriated and expended in FY2020. C ommittee reviewed the request and recommends appropriating the $1,000 to supplement the department budget. William J ones motioned to appropriate the $1,000 in advertising sales to supplement the Sheriff's department budget and that in the future proceeds from the sale of advertising less than $5,000 be administratively appropriated when received. J ane J ohnson seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, J ohnson, J ones, Martin, Saunders E.Appropriation of F unds - P roceeds from General Obligation Bonds Consider request to appropriate additional proceeds received from 2019 General Obligation Bonds. Audit - Finance Committee (A MEN D ED) Mr. J ones noted that Audit Finance Committee also discussed this request. After issuance, actual bonds costs for the issuance of the 2019 General Obligation Bonds was $6,979 less than estimated bond costs. T his difference was allocated to the Street Department equipment purchased. Since this amount was not included in the original bond appropriation, it needs to be appropriated in the C apital Projects Fund. T he appropriation will need to be dated J une 30, 2019, to be included in the same fiscal year as the original bond appropriation. T he Committee reviewed the request and recommends appropriating $6,979 in additional bond proceeds to the Street Department equipment account. William J ones motioned to appropriate $6,979 in additional bond proceeds to the C aptial Projects Fund for the Street Department equipment account. J ohn Saunders seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, J ohnson, J ones, Martin, Saunders F.Boards and Commissions Consider appointments to various Boards and Commissions. J ane J ohnson motioned to reappoint J . Chris Conner and Margaret Humphrey to the Personnel Board for two-year terms ending August 12, 2021; and to reappoint Vicki G. Daulton and N. J ackson Beamer to the Planning Commission and N PD ES C itizens' C ommittee for four-year terms ending J uly 26, 2023, and August 28, 2023, respectively. J ames Martin seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, J ohnson, J ones, Martin, Saunders 5.Adjournment T he meeting was adjourned at 7:49 p.m.