HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/14/2014 - City Council - Minutes - RegularUNAPPROVED MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
APRIL 14, 2014
A joint work session of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, and the Salem School
Board was held at the Salem Museum’s Conference Room, 801 East Main Street, Salem,
Virginia, on April 14, 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, William D. Jones, and Lisa D.
Garst; with Byron Randolph Foley, Mayor, presiding and with all the members of said School
Board, to wit: David Preston, Michael Chiglinsky, Nancy Bradley, Artice Ledbetter, and Andy
Raines, with David Preston, Chair, presiding; together with Kevin S. Boggess, City Manager;
James E. Taliaferro, II, Assistant City Manager and Clerk of Council; Rosie Jordan, Director of
Finance; Mike Stevens, Communications Director; Krystal Farmer, Deputy Clerk of Council; Dr.
H. Alan Seibert, Superintendent of Schools; Michael Bryant, Assistant Superintendent of
Schools; Kathy Jordan, Clerk to the Board; Russell Holliday, Director of Human Resources; Diane
Washenberger, Director of Elementary Education, Curtis Hicks, Director of Secondary
Education; and Mandy Hall, Supervisor of Business; 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, David Preston, Chair of the Salem School Board, called the meeting to order;
and
WHEREAS, Mr. Bryant and Mrs. Hall gave an update on the First Grade Wing Renovation
project at East Salem Elementary School; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Jordan gave an update on the current debt service schedule: tentative
timeline for Salem High School Renovation; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Washenberger gave an implementation update on the Strategic
Compensation Grant for Teachers; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Jordan and Mrs. Hall gave a status update regarding the FY 2015 budget
process; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Hicks spoke regarding the Salem City Schools Comprehensive Planning
Process; and
WHEREAS, it was noted that the next joint work session with Council and the School
Board will tentatively take place October 2014; 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 7:00 p.m.
____________________________________
Mayor
_____________________________________
Clerk of Council
UNAPPROVED MINUTES
COUNCIL MEETING
April 14, 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 April 14, 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; Mike Stevens, Communications
Director; and Stephen M. Yost, City Attorney; and the following business was
transacted:
The March 24, 2014, work session and regular meeting minutes were
approved as written.
The report by the Director of Finance of the City’s financial status for a
seven-month period ending February 28, 2014, was received and ordered filed.
Mayor Foley reported that this date and time had been set to hold a
public hearing and consider the request of Green Gearheads, lessee, and Strauss
Properties LLC & the Branch Family LLC, property owners, for the issuance of a
Special Exception Permit to allow scrap and salvage services on the property
located at 1435 Lakeside Circle (Tax Map #51-3-4); the request was continued
from the February 24, 2014, Council meeting; and
WHEREAS, the City Manager stated that Council is in receipt of a letter
received from the petitioners requesting Council to continue the item for six
months, which would be the October 13, 2014, Council meeting; the lessee has
asked for a continuance so that he can explore other opportunities, options,
alternatives, or locations where he may do the part of the business that would
require a Special Exception Permit; the lessee will and can continue the recycling
center use by-right, but will not be able to operate an automobile salvage and
scrap portion of the business; the City Manager further noted that the
petitioners may withdraw the request at some point;
ON MOTION MADE BY VICE MAYOR GIVENS, SECONDED BY
COUNCILMAN JONES, AND DULY CARRIED, the request of Green Gearheads,
lessee, and Strauss Properties LLC & the Branch Family LLC, property owners, for
the issuance of a Special Exception Permit to allow scrap and salvage services on
the property located at 1435 Lakeside Circle (Tax Map #51-3-4) was hereby
ITEM 1
CONTINUED UNTIL
OCTOBER 13, 2014 –
REQUEST OF GREEN
GEARHEADS TO
ALLOW SCRAP AND
SALVAGE SERVICES
ON PROPERTY
LOCATED AT 1435
LAKESIDE CIRCLE
(T/M 51-3-4)
2
continued until the October 13, 2014, Council meeting – 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 reported that this date and time had been set to hold a
public hearing and authorize the purchase of, consider the sale of, and authorize
the City Manager to execute a lease/purchase contract for the property
designated as 912 Central Avenue (Tax Map #182-2-5) in the City of Salem;
notice of such hearing was published in the March 31, 2014, issue of The
Roanoke Times, a newspaper having general circulation in the City of Salem; and
WHEREAS, the City Manager stated that Council approved an Use Not
Provided for Permit to allow the Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy to use the
property as dormitory-type space for the Academy; the next step is for Council
to hold a public hearing and authorize the City Manager to execute the
appropriate contract given the terms that were previously discussed in the
lease/purchase agreement with the Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy; a ten -
year period at $14,500 per year; and
WHEREAS, Councilwoman Garst noted that some business owners had
expressed concerns to her about the City taking hold of the property, how the
property would be used, and safeguards regarding the City’s costs involved for
the long-term; and
WHEREAS, the City Manager stated that the purchase price of the
property is $127,000; the City will purchase the property at that price, and then
lease the property back to the Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy for an annual
charge of $14,500 per year; therefore, at the end of the ten-year period, the City
would have received $145,000 from the Academy in lease payments; at the end
of the 10-year term, ownership will be transferred to the Academy for $1.00; all
of the maintenance and upkeep of the property will be the responsibility of the
Academy; the lease payment being made to the City does not come with any
requirement that the City maintains the property or keep it updated; the City will
keep some insurance on the property as the owner, which is why the City is
charging more than just the cost to purchase the property; City Council also
directed that the City recoup some interest-type revenue because essentially the
City is taking a cash asset and transferring it into real estate for ten years; and
WHEREAS, Councilwoman Garst questioned the City’s liability if someone
were injured on the property; and
ITEM 2
PURCHASE, SALE,
AND LEASE/
PURCHASE
CONTRACT
APPROVED FOR THE
PROPERTY
DESIGNATED AS 912
CENTRAL AVENUE
(T/M #182-2-5)
3
WHEREAS, the City Attorney stated that the City will have some exposure
to liability, which is the reason for insurance; he noted that there are
indemnification provisions and insurance requirements on the Academy also;
there will not be any dangerous activity that will occur on the property, it is
basically residential—primarily students spending the night; and
WHEREAS, Councilwoman Garst questioned if the primary reason for the
lease/purchase of the property is to retain attendance in the Academy; and
WHEREAS, Carl Vickers, Director of the Cardinal Criminal Justice
Academy, appeared before the Council and stated that the lease/purchase of the
property is to provide housing for students who have a long travel to the
academy; and
WHEREAS, a discussion was held regarding insurance to be placed on the
property by the City and the Academy; and
WHEREAS, Councilwoman Garst questioned the timeframe for
completion of the process; and
WHEREAS, the City Attorney stated that the City could possibly close on
the property, etc. by the end of April; and
WHEREAS, no other person(s) appeared related to the request;
ON A MOTION MADE BY COUNCILWOMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY
VICE MAYOR GIVENS, AND DULY CARRIED, (1) the purchase of 912 Central
Avenue as provided in a purchase agreement of February 20, 2014, condition to
and subject to the execution of a lease/purchase agreement between the City
and Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy; (2) the conveyance of 912 Central
Avenue; (3) the lease/purchase agreement between the City and Cardinal
Criminal Justice Academy subject to approval by administration and the closing
of the purchase of 912 Central Avenue; the City Manager is authorized to
execute said documents – 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 request to accept and
appropriate the Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant ; and
ITEM 3
VIRGINIA TOURISM
CORPORATION
GRANT ACCEPTED
AND
APPROPRIATED
4
WHEREAS, Vice Mayor Givens, Chair of Council’s Audit-Finance
Committee, reported that the City has been awarded $50,000 in funding from
the Virginia Tourism Corporation Marketing Leverage Grant Fund Program; the
City will use the grant funds to support the “Summer Love in Salem” campaign
which is designed to increase attendance at the Blue Ridge Music Festival,
Shrimpfest, The Roanoke Valley Horse Show, the Salem Fair, and the Salem Red
Sox baseball games; the City has partnered with the Roanoke Valley Convention
and Visitors Bureau, Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce, Salem Red
Sox, Outback Concerts of Tennessee, and the Roanoke Valley Horsemen’s
Association to provide $110,000 in matching funds for the project; the
Committee recommends acceptance and appropriation of the Virginia Tourism
Corporation Marketing Leverage Grant; the Committee further recommends that
any grant funds not expended in fiscal year 2014 be administratively
appropriated in the subsequent fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, it was noted that a local match was not required as part of this
grant; therefore, no local funds will be expended;
ON A MOTION MADE BY VICE MAYOR GIVENS, SECONDED BY
COUNCILMAN JONES, AND DULY CARRIED, the request to accept and
appropriate the Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant was hereby approved – the
roll call vote: Lisa D. Garst – aye, William D. Jones – aye; Jane W. Johnson – aye,
John C. Givens – aye, and Byron Randolph Foley – absent.
Mayor Foley requested that Council consider an ordinance on second
reading regarding the request of Lance B. and Debra M. Duncan, property
owners, and Tarpley-Graham, LLC, contract purchaser, for rezoning two parcels
located in the 2800 block of Franklin Street (Tax Map numbers 271 -1-1 & 190-1-
1) from PUD Planned Unit District with conditions to PUD Planned Unit District
with amended conditions; ordinance was passed on first reading at the March
24, 2014, meeting;
ON A MOTION MADE BY VICE MAYOR GIVENS, SECONDED BY
COUNCILWOMAN JOHNSON, AND DULY CARRIED, an ordinance regarding the
request of Lance B. and Debra M. Duncan, property owners, and Tarpley -
Graham, LLC, contract purchaser, for rezoning two parcels located in the 2800
block of Franklin Street (Tax Map numbers 271-1-1 & 190-1-1) from PUD Planned
Unit District with conditions to PUD Planned Unit District with amended
conditions was hereby adopted – 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 4
ORDINANCE
ADOPTED
REZONING TWO
PARCELS LOCATED
IN THE 2800 BLOCK
OF FRANKLIN
STREET (T/M 271-1-1
& 190-1-1) FROM
PUD WITH
CONDITIONS TO
PUD WITH
AMENDED
CONDITIONS
5
Mayor Foley requested that Council consider appointments to fill
vacancies on various boards and commissions;
ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILWOMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY VICE
MAYOR GIVENS, AND DULY CARRIED, Forest G. Jones was hereby reappointed to
the Virginia Western Community College Local Advisory Board for a four -year
term, said term will expire June 30, 2018 -- 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.
ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILWOMAN GARST, SECONDED BY VICE
MAYOR GIVENS, AND DULY CARRIED, Aimee Hall, Mandy Dallas, Joseph Palotas,
and Ashley Switzer were hereby appointed to the Fine Arts Commission for
three-year terms, said terms will expire June 30, 2017 – 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.
There being no further business to come before the Council, the same on
motion adjourned at 7:51 p.m.
ITEM 5
FOREST G. JONES
REAPPOINTED TO
VWCC LOCAL
ADVISORY BOARD