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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/12/2023 - City Council - Minutes - RegularCity Council Meeting MINUTES Monday, June 12, 2023, 6:30 PM Work Session, 5:45 P.M. Council Chambers Conference Room, City Hall, 114 North Broad Street, Salem, Virginia 24153 Regular Session 6:30 P.M. Council Chambers, City Hall, 114 North Broad Street, Salem, Virginia 24153 WORK SESSION 1. Call to Order A work session of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, was held in the Council Chambers Conference Room, City Hall, 114 N. Broad Street, Salem, Virginia, on June 12, 2023, at 5:45 p.m., there being present the following members of said Council to wit: Renée Ferris Turk, Mayor (absent); James W. Wallace, III, Vice-Mayor; Council members: Byron Randolph Foley, William D. Jones, and H. Hunter Holliday; with James W. Wallace, III, Vice-Mayor, presiding together with James E. Taliaferro, II, City Manager; Rob Light, Assistant City Manager and Clerk of Council; Rosemarie B. Jordan, Director of Finance; Tammy Todd, Assistant Director of Finance; Tommy Miller, Director of Economic Development; and Laura Lea Harris, Deputy Clerk of Council; and the following business was transacted; Vice-Mayor Wallace reported that this date, place, and time had been set in order for the Council to hold a work session; and 2. New Business A. Discussion Items 1) Economic Development Update - Tommy Miller, Director of Economic Development 2) Other Council Discussion Items Tommy Miller, Director of Economic Development, presented an update on Economic Development for the City of Salem. He provided a copy of an outline for Council's use. Mr. Miller summarized the status of progress that has been made on the City's Strategic Plan. He also shared details on ongoing projects and visits that had been made with existing businesses in Salem. Mr. Miller shared an overview of real estate within Salem, Workforce initiatives, and other accomplishments over the past couple of months. Council held discussion and asked questions that were responded to by staff. Council requested to hold off on discussion of Water Meters until a later meeting due to the time remaining. Several board or commission positions for Council members were discussed for consideration at a future Council meeting. 3. Adjournment There being no further business, Vice-Mayor Wallace adjourned the meeting at 6:24 p.m. REGULAR SESSION 1. Call to Order A regular meeting of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia was called to order at 6:30 p.m., there being present the following members to wit: Renée Ferris Turk, Mayor (absent); James W. Wallace, III, Vice-Mayor; Councilmembers: Byron Randolph Foley, William D. Jones, and H. Hunter Holliday; with James W. Wallace, III, Vice-Mayor, presiding together with James E. Taliaferro, II, City Manager; Rob Light, Assistant City Manager and Clerk of Council; Rosemarie B. Jordan, Director of Finance; Chuck Van Allman, Director of Community Development; Mike Stevens, Director of Communications; and Jim Guynn, City Attorney. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Bid Openings, Awards, Recognitions Vice-Mayor Wallace recognized the firefighters in attendance this evening. 4. Consent Agenda A. Citizen Comments Comments from the public, limited to five minutes, on matters not already having a public hearing component at the same meeting. John Breen, 142 Bogey Lane, was the only citizen to address Council this evening. He reflected on the March 22, 2023, Special Meeting/Retreat and expressed disappointment at specific details of the Retreat as well as with the goals and objectives. Mr. Breen offered the following five suggestions for Council's consideration: 1) Promptly refine the retreat's report so that it has specific time certain priorities, goals with time targets, and specific actionable supporting objectives; 2) Solicit proposals prior to the next retreat; 3) Make any retreat reading publicly accessible. Hold it within the City limits, during non-work days or hours and use Zoom or a similar service; 4) Prior to any priorities, goals, and objectives retreat, conduct surveys or town hall meetings to solicit public input; and 5) Record any retreat. B. Minutes Consider acceptance of the May 18, 2023, Budget Work Session minutes and the May 22, 2023, Regular Meeting minutes. The minutes were accepted as written. 5. Old Business A. Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance Consider ordinance on second reading for the request of Salem Montessori School, Inc., property owner, for rezoning the property at 112 Corporate Boulevard (Tax Map # 148-1-2.2) from RSF Residential Single-Family District and BCD, Business Commerce District with conditions to RSF Residential Single-Family District. (Approved on first reading at the May 22, 2023, meeting.) William Jones motioned to consider ordinance on second reading for the request of Salem Montessori School, Inc., property owner, for rezoning the property at 112 Corporate Boulevard from RSF Residential Single-Family District and BCD, Business Commerce District with conditions to RSF Residential Single-Family District. Randy Foley seconded the motion with the clarification that the Tax Map Number was 148-1-2.2. Ayes: Foley, Holliday, Jones, Wallace Absent: Turk B. Amendment to City Code - Chapter 82 Consider adoption of ordinance on second reading amending Section 82-43, Article II, Chapter 82 of the Code of the City of Salem pertaining to Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled. (Approved on first reading at May 22, 2023 meeting). Vice-Mayor Wallace noted as a reminder for those present that this ordinance would raise the income limit from $50,000 to $65,000 and the asset limit from $100,000 to $185,000 for eligibility to participate in the City's Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled Program. Randy Foley motioned to adopt ordinance on second reading amending Section 82- 43, Article II, Chapter 82 of the Code of the City of Salem pertaining to Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled. H Hunter Holliday seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Holliday, Jones, Wallace Absent: Turk 6. New Business A. Job Classes and Pay Ranges 2023-2024 Consider adoption of Resolution 1455 amending the schematic list of job classes and pay ranges previously set forth on May 23, 2022 to be part of the 2023-2024 fiscal year budget. Audit - Finance Committee Mr. Foley asked for information on how discussion that was held in Audit-Finance Committee meeting for this month in regard to this item would affect the pay scales being proposed. Mr. Jones responded that the discussion from Audit-Finance Committee was about different classifications and how the money would be distributed since they are dealing with both a compression and a pay issue. He noted that nothing had been finalized and that only suggestions had been made. Mr. Foley requested to know what positions the Audit-Finance Committee was suggesting to not fund. Mr. Jones responded that there was no recommendation not to fund any positions. Mr. Foley asked which positions were recommended to be reduced. Mr. Jones responded that there were twenty four Director, Assistant Director, and Constitutional Officer positions being looked at. He noted that money would be provided, just possibly not the amount that had been proposed. Mr. Foley asked to clarify what was being proposed. Mr. Jones responded that it was being proposed that the amount originally proposed for twenty-four Director, Assistant Director, and Constitutional Officer positions be looked at further for final decision on amounts. It was noted that a further Work Session would need to be set up in order to study this further. William Jones motioned to approve Resolution 1455 that adopts the schematic list of job classes and pay scale for fiscal year 2023-2024. H Hunter Holliday seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Holliday, Jones, Wallace Absent: Turk B. Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Hold a public hearing on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2023-2024. This item was continued from the May 22, 2023 meeting by Council. Vice-Mayor Wallace opened the public hearing. No one came forward to speak. Vice-Mayor Wallace closed the public hearing. C. Budget Adoption Ordinance Consider an ordinance on first reading adopting the budget for fiscal year 2023- 2024. A summary of the proposed budget was advertised in the Salem Times Register on April 27, 2023 and May 4, 2023. This item was continued from the May 22, 2023 meeting by Council. Audit - Finance Committee Mr. Foley asked to clarify that Council was proposing a budget that would need to be amended. Mr. Jones responded that this was a possibility. Mr. Foley questioned what the necessity for taking this action tonight was if it was going to require a Special Session and require possible amendment for the second reading. Mr. Jones responded that this was due to a time limit. Mr. Wallace said that he thought this evening Council was passing a generic bucket of funding for tier one of the proposed employee compensation. Mr. Foley asked if Audit-Finance Committee would pick and choose who gets what. Mr. Jones responded that Audit -Finance was the committee bringing a recommendation back and that there would be five Council members making a decision. Mr. Foley stated that he wanted the public to know what was being proposed. He asked to clarify again that they were passing a budget that was going to require amending. Mr. Guynn responded that until the State acted, this was what was being done anyway. William Jones motioned to approve the first reading of the ordinance for adoption of the fiscal year 2023-2024 budget for the City of Salem. H Hunter Holliday seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Holliday, Jones, Wallace Absent: Turk D. Budget Appropriation Ordinance Consider an ordinance on first reading appropriating funds for the fiscal year 2023-2024 budget. This item was continued from the May 22, 2023 meeting by Council. Audit - Finance Committee Mr. Foley asked to clarify that if the budget is amended, Council will need to appropriate again with the new dollar figures. Mr. Taliaferro explained that potentially this may be necessary if the overall budget changes. If funds are shifted around within the budget that Council is debating tonight, they potentially would not have to reappropriate. William Jones motioned to approve first reading of the ordinance to appropriate funds for the fiscal year 2023-2024 budget. H Hunter Holliday seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Holliday, Jones, Wallace Absent: Turk E. Appropriation of Funds Consider request to accept and appropriate ARPA Law Enforcement Grant. Audit - Finance Committee William Jones motioned to accept the ARPA Law Enforcement Grant in the amount of $215,000 and appropriating $215,000 in federal grant revenue to the American Rescue Plan Act Funding – Law Enforcement Grant Program account and increase the expenditure budget for the ARPA grant, ARPA Law Enforcement Grant Program account. H Hunter Holliday seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Holliday, Jones, Wallace Absent: Turk F. Appropriation of Funds Consider request to appropriate grant funds awarded by Virginia Tourism Corporation. Audit - Finance Committee William Jones motioned to accept, appropriate revenues, and increase the budget for the grant expenditures account for three grants totaling $54,887 from the Virginia Tourism Corporation Marketing Incentive Program. The Salem Fair was awarded $20,000 to enhance marketing efforts, the Salem Half Marathon received $14,887 for marketing, and $20,000 was awarded to highlight Downtown, antiquing and Longwood Park events. A match is required for each grant and will be met through existing marketing. Proceeds from the grant will cover the cost of items not included in the FY23 operating budget. H Hunter Holliday seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Holliday, Jones, Wallace Absent: Turk G. Appropriation of Funds Consider request to appropriate additional State of Good Repair and Primary Formula funding for the Colorado Street Bridge Project. Audit - Finance Committee William Jones motioned to accept additional State of Good Repair and Primary Formula state funding totaling $5,328,826 and appropriating this amount to the Capital Projects State Revenue account and the Colorado Street Bridge Replacement account. State of Good Repair state funding of $6,450,000 was originally awarded and appropriated in May 2018. Due to significant inflation subsequent to the original appropriation date, additional State of Good Repair state funding of $5,313,918 and Primary Formula state funding of $14,908 was allocated to complete the project. This funding is to be used to replace the superstructure, repair undermining at abutments, and repair delaminated/spalled abutments on the bridge. A total of $11,778,826 has been awarded and does not require a local match. Randy Foley seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Holliday, Jones, Wallace Absent: Turk H. Appropriation of Funds Consider request to appropriate and transfer excess local funding in the Capital Projects Fund. Audit - Finance Committee William Jones motioned to appropriate $1,423,000 from the General Fund to the Capital Projects Fund for: - Fire Station #1 Renovations in the amount of $545,000 - Fire Station #3 Renovations in the amount of $378,000; and - Library Lawn Special Events Space in the amount of $500,000 This funding is available by utilizing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for general government services. The budget appropriation for these three projects was included in the public hearing dated December 12, 2022 and already exists in the General Fund. In addition, transfer freed up excess local funds of from the Moyer Sports Complex Renovation project for: - Civic Center West Field Lighting Upgrades in the amount of $250,000; and - Kiwanis Park Wall Pads in the amount of $110,000 These funds are no longer needed for the Moyer Sports Complex Renovation project due to bond interest proceeds received from the 2022 General Obligation Bonds. Randy Foley seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Holliday, Jones, Wallace Absent: Turk I. Carter Machinery Parking Lot Expansion Consider setting bond for physical improvements and erosion and sediment control and landscaping for Carter Machinery Parking Lot Expansion. Audit - Finance Committee Mr. Jones stated for the benefit of the public that this was basically a parking lot expansion. William Jones motioned to set a bond amount of $97,415 and time for completion of twelve (12) months for physical improvements, erosion and sediment control and landscaping for a Carter Machinery Parking Lot Expansion, located at 1312 Lynchburg Turnpike. H Hunter Holliday seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Holliday, Jones, Wallace Absent: Turk J. Fiscal Agent Agreements Consider approval of the fiscal agent agreements with Court-Community Corrections and Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy. Audit - Finance Committee William Jones motioned to approve 2023-2024 fiscal agent agreements for the Court-Community Corrections Program, Regional Alcohol Safety Action Program Board and Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy. The City of Salem has acted as fiscal agent for these entities for a number of years and has experienced no difficulty in acting in this capacity. Each of these agencies reimburses the City for out-of- pocket expenses, such as audit fees, materials and supplies, and all other contractual related items. They also reimburse a portion of salaries and fringe benefits for all departments involved in providing services to their agency. H Hunter Holliday seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Holliday, Jones, Wallace Absent: Turk 7. Adjournment Mr. Foley asked to go on record as saying that every employee in the City, regardless of position, should receive at least a seven percent increase in salary due to inflation. He thought it was being discussed that some not receive that amount because of their position and he thought that was inadequate and irresponsible. The meeting was adjourned at 6:53 p.m.