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HomeMy WebLinkAbout8/11/2014 - City Council - Minutes - RegularUNAPPROVED MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION August 11, 2014 A work session of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, was held in the City Manager’s Conference Room, 114 North Broad Street, Salem, Virginia, on August 11, 2014, at 6:30 p.m., there being present all the members of said Council, to wit: Byron Randolph Foley; John C. Givens; Jane W. Johnson (arrived late), William D. Jones, and Lisa D. Garst; with Byron Randolph Foley, Mayor, presiding; together with Kevin S. Boggess, City Manager; James E. Taliaferro, II, Assistant City Manager and Clerk of Council; Rosie Jordan, Director of Finance; and Krystal Farmer, Deputy Clerk of Council; 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, Roanoke City Councilman Sherman Lea gave a presentation regarding the Domestic Violence Task Force; and WHEREAS, a discussion was held regarding Salem scholarships; and WHEREAS, a discussion was held regarding voter precincts; and WHEREAS, Councilwoman Garst discussed OneVirginia2021; and WHEREAS, there were no other topics for discussion. There being no further business to come before the Council, the work session was adjourned at 7:27 p.m. ____________________________________ Mayor _____________________________________ Clerk of Council UNAPPROVED MINUTES COUNCIL MEETING August 11, 2014 A regular meeting of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, was held in Council Chambers, City Hall, 114 North Broad Street, on August 11, 2014, at 7:30 p.m., there being present all the members of said Council, to wit: Byron Randolph Foley, John C. Givens, Jane W. Johnson, William D. Jones, and Lisa D. Garst; with Byron Randolph Foley, Mayor, presiding; together with Kevin S. Boggess, City Manager; James E. Taliaferro, Assistant City Manager and Clerk of Council; Rosie Jordan, Director of Finance; Charles E. Van Allman, Jr., City Engineer; Mike Stevens, Communications Director; and Stephen M. Yost, City Attorney; and the following business was transacted: Mayor Foley recognized Matthew Andrew from Troop 773 as being present at the meeting. The July 28, 2014, regular meeting and work session minutes were approved as written. Mayor Foley requested that Council consider an ordinance on first reading amending Part II, Chapter 1, of the Code of the City of Salem, Virginia, by enacting Section 1-15 pertaining to Assessment for Electronic Summons System; and WHEREAS, the City Attorney stated that this is a recently enacted provision in the Virginia State Code that became effective July 1, 2014; Section 17.1-279.1 allows a locality to access and collect the sum of $5 in court costs for each criminal and traffic case in Circuit Court and General District Court as long as it is earmarked and appropriated to the police department for the sole purpose of the implementation and maintenance of an electronic summons system; he further stated that this was referred by Chief Dudley and he prepared the ordinance at that time; and WHEREAS, the City Manager stated that the system is in place in the police vehicles; grants have been received to purchase a couple of the printers that print the ticket in the car; the ordinance needs to be adopted in order to charge the additional $5 to help maintain the equipment over time; this money was included in the police department’s budget; it was part of the list compiled from the directors and is considered new revenue in the amount of around $30,000 based on the previous year’s history; Carolyn Robbins, General District Court Clerk, asked that the effective date be October 1, 2014, so that the ITEM 1 ORDINANCE PASSED ON FIRST READING ENACTING SECTION 1-15 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF SALEM, VIRGINIA PERTAINING TO ASSESSMENT FOR ELECTRONIC SUMMONS SYSTEM 2 computer system could be up and ready to accept the information; the electronic summons system should be more efficient; and WHEREAS, Councilman Jones inquired if the October 1 effective date was for tickets written on or after October 1, or if the court date is on or after October 1; and WHEREAS, the City Attorney stated that it would be for cases heard on or after October 1, 2014; ON MOTION MADE BY VICE MAYOR GIVENS, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN JOHNSON, AND DULY CARRIED, an ordinance amending Part II, Chapter 1, of the Code of the City of Salem, Virginia, by enacting Section 1-15 pertaining to Assessment for Electronic Summons System was hereby passed on first reading – the roll call vote: Lisa D. Garst – aye, William D. Jones – aye, Jane W. Johnson – aye, John C. Givens – aye, and Byron Randolph Foley – aye. Mayor Foley requested that consider an ordinance on second reading rezoning the property of Ridgewood Improvements, LLC, and MPW Group, LLC, property owners, for rezoning three parcels located at 1923 & 1951 Electric Road and 1650 Braeburn Drive (Tax Map #’s 284-1-2.2, 284-1-2.3, & 284-1-2) from HBD Highway Business District with conditions to HBD Highway Business District with amended conditions; ordinance was passed on first reading at the July 28, 2014, meeting; and WHEREAS, Councilwoman Garst noted that she received a letter from a resident concerned about traffic conditions; she further noted that according to the minutes from the previous meeting, Council was assured by two engineers present at the meeting, as well as the petitioner that everything that needed to be done will be done to accommodate the traffic and that it will be safe and accessible for public safety vehicles; ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILWOMAN GARST, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN JONES, AND DULY CARRIED, an ordinance rezoning the property of Ridgewood Improvements, LLC, and MPW Group, LLC, property owners, for rezoning three parcels located at 1923 & 1951 Electric Road and 1650 Braeburn Drive (Tax Map #’s 284-1-2.2, 284-1-2.3, & 284-1-2) from HBD Highway Business District with conditions to HBD Highway Business District with amended conditions was hereby passed on first reading – the roll call vote: Lisa D. Garst – aye, William D. Jones – aye, Jane W. Johnson – aye, John C. Givens – aye, and Byron Randolph Foley – aye. ITEM 2 ORDINANCE ADOPTED REZONING THREE PARCELS LOCATED AT 1923 & 1951 ELECTRIC ROAD AND 1650 BRAEBURN DRIVE (TAX MAP #’S 284-1- 2.2, 284-1-2.3, & 284- 1-2) FROM HBD HIGHWAY BUSINESS DISTRICT WITH CONDITIONS TO HBD HIGHWAY BUSINESS DISTRICT WITH AMENDED CONDITIONS 3 Mayor Foley requested that Council consider ordinance on second reading regarding the request of Danny Ray and Charlene G. Guard, property owners, for rezoning the property located at 925 Delaware Street (Tax Map #185-11-11) from HBD Highway Business District to RSF Residential Single Family District; ordinance was passed on first reading at the July 28, 2014, meeting; ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILWOMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN GARST, AND DULY CARRIED, an ordinance rezoning the property of Danny Ray and Charlene G. Guard, property owners, for rezoning the property located at 925 Delaware Street (Tax Map #185 -11-11) from HBD Highway Business District to RSF Residential Single Family District was hereby passed on first reading – the roll call vote: Lisa D. Garst – aye, William D. Jones – aye, Jane W. Johnson – aye, John C. Givens – aye, and Byron Randolph Foley – aye. Mayor Foley requested that Council consider an ordinance on second reading amending Chapter 106, Article II District Regulations, Sections 106- 218.2(B)(7) and 106-220.2(B)(7) of The Code of the City of Salem, Virginia, pertaining to aviation facilities; ordinance was passed on first reading at the July 28, 2014, meeting; ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN JONES, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN GARST, AND DULY CARRIED, an ordinance amending Chapter 106, Article II District Regulations, Sections 106-218.2(B)(7) and 106-220.2(B)(7) of The Code of the City of Salem, Virginia, pertaining to aviation facilities was hereby passed on first reading – the roll call vote: Lisa D. Garst – aye, William D. Jones – aye, Jane W. Johnson – aye, John C. Givens – aye, and Byron Randolph Foley – aye. Councilwoman Garst requested that a supplemental item be added to the agenda—a discussion on compensation regarding employee pay increase; she noted that when Council adopted the 2014-2015 budget, Council held funds to be used for employee compensation; the funds were placed in a contingency fund until Council was made aware of the State of Virginia’s budget issues; the state budget is still in “limbo” and she would like for Council to consider moving the funds and approve a pay increase for employees as recommended by the City Manager and the Director of Finance to be effective with the pay period beginning September 28, 2014; and ITEM 3 ORDINANCE ADOPTED REZONING 925 DELAWARE STREET FROM HBD TO RSF ITEM 4 ORDINANCE ADOPTED AMENDING CHAPTER 106, ARTICLE II DISTRICT REGULATIONS, SECTIONS 106- 218.2(B)(7) AND 106- 220.2(B)(7) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF SALEM, VIRGINIA, PERTAINING TO AVIATION FACILITIES ITEM S1 PAY INCREASE APPROVED FOR CITY EMPLOYEES EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 28, 2014 4 WHEREAS, Mayor Foley noted that he still has concerns about what the General Assembly will pass along to the localities, but feels that this is the right thing to do for the employees; he is confident that the City Manager and the Director of Finance and the School Board will find a way to make it work; ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILWOMAN GARST, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN JOHNSON, AND DULY CARRIED, funds to appropriate $461,000 from the General Fund contingency to the various personnel salaries line items from the purpose of providing employees with a 2.5 percent or one step merit pay raise to be effective with the pay period beginning September 28, 2014; and that an additional $461,000 be appropriated to the School Division for the purpose of employee compensation – the roll call vote: Lisa D. Garst – aye, William D. Jones – aye, Jane W. Johnson – aye, John C. Givens – aye, and Byron Randolph Foley – aye. The City Manager thanked Council on behalf of the employees and recognized Council’s hard work during the 2014-2015 budget process; a lot of difficult decisions were made in an effort to look out for the employees of the City of Salem; he again thanked Council for its hard work and consideration. The Vice Mayor thanked the employees for their hard work and efforts without having a pay increase for the last several years. Mayor Foley reiterated that the cause for the delay has been due to the uncertainty of the state budget. Councilman Jones noted that this budget has been a difficult process and he thanked Council for its due diligence in trying to do what is best for the citizens and the employees of the City of Salem. There being no further business to come before the Council, the same on motion adjourned at 7:44 p.m.