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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/24/2022 - City Council - Minutes - RegularCity Council Meeting MINUTES Monday, October 24, 2022, 6:30 PM Work Session is cancelled for October 24, 2022 Regular Session 6:30 P.M. Council Chambers, City Hall, 114 North Broad Street, Salem, Virginia 24153 WORK SESSION WORK SESSION IS CANCELLED 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; James W. Wallace, III, Vice-Mayor (Absent); Councilmembers: Byron Randolph Foley, William D. Jones, and John Saunders; with Renée Ferris Turk, 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; Mike Stevens, Director of Communications; Tommy Miller, Director of Economic Development; and Mike Lockaby, on behalf of City Attorney, Jim Guynn. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Bid Openings, Awards, Recognitions There were none 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. The following have signed up to speak at this meeting: 1) John Breen - 142 Bogey Lane -Grass & More 2) Paul Henrickson - 415 Stonewall Circle - Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley 3) Stella Reinhard - 213 N. Broad Street - Murals and Squares, Ideas Small and Large to Enhance Salem's Quality of Life and Attraction to Residents and Visitors John Breen, 142 Bogey Lane, was the first citizen to address Council. He expressed a desire to see more enforcement of code on issues of blight and incongruent property. He offered ten suggestions to aid in this endeavor. Mr. Breen requested that Council discuss this topic at the next Work Session meeting. Paul Henrickson, 415 Stonewall Circle, addressed Council next. Rev. Henrickson provided a copy of his report for Council on Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley and shared data on the Organization's history, the criteria that must be met in order for a family to be considered for a Habitat home, and the target population that Habitat for Humanity seeks to assist. He invited City Council to find a way to participate in the Habitat program. Council thanked Rev. Henrickson for the work they are doing. Mayor Turk requested clarification of the requirements that must be met in order to qualify for this program. Stella Reinhard, 213 N. Broad Street, was the last citizen to address Council. Mrs. Reinhard provided sketches for Council to visualize her ideas. She shared a couple of ideas for enhancing the beauty of Salem. She offered suggestions for adding murals and described some specific ideas of what could be done and how she envisioned making this happen. The second idea that Mrs. Reinhard shared was that of taking steps to create squares to add more public spaces in existing areas throughout the City. B. Minutes Consider acceptance of the October 6, 2022, Special Meeting minutes, the October 10, 2022, Regular Meeting minutes and the October 11, 2022, Special Meeting minutes. The minutes were accepted as written. C. Financial Reports Consider acceptance of the Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for the three months ending September 2022. The financial reports were received. 5. Old Business There was no old business. 6. New Business A. Community Flood Preparedness Fund Grant Consider adoption of Resolution 1440 in support of the Community Flood Prevention Fund (CFPF) Grant Application. Mr. Light explained that Community Development had been looking for opportunities to help fund improvements in the area of addressing flood prevention. This first step is a grant with the Department of Conservation and Recreation with the State which would provide a resiliency plan. This Resolution is the first required step from DCR in order to be in line for additional funds in the future to address targeted flood-prone areas with mitigation efforts. This grant does require a twenty-five percent match. Community Development has this budgeted in their current year operating budget. Mr. Foley added for the benefit of the public the specific amounts that were being discussed. The City match is $19,741, or 25%, and the amount of the grant from the state is almost $60,000. William Jones motioned to adopt Resolution 1440 in support of the Community Flood Prevention Fund (CFPF) Grant application. John Saunders seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk Absent: Wallace B. Administrative Calendar for 2023 Consider adoption of the administrative calendar for 2023. Mayor Turk noted that they were provided with a copy of the Administrative Calendar to review and that it followed what has been done previously for the most part. William Jones motioned to adopt the administrative calendar for 2023. Randy Foley seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk Absent: Wallace C. Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity Consider setting the date for a public hearing in accordance with Section 98-94 of THE CODE OF THE CITY OF SALEM, VIRGINIA, for the issuance of Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the remainder of the twelve (12) month period ending March 31, 2023 for Spartan VIP Limousine, LLC. (Suggest November 14, 2022). Mr. Light noted that each year Council goes through a process in which a public hearing is held, followed by Council deeming the appropriate number of Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity to be granted for each year. This year we have received an additional request from a limousine service for which they have submitted the appropriate paperwork through the Salem Police Department. If amenable, Council would need to set a date for the public hearing. Staff has recommended setting November 14, 2022, for the public hearing. Renee Turk motioned to set the date of November 14, 2022, for a public hearing in accordance with Section 98-94 of THE CODE OF THE CITY OF SALEM, VIRGINIA, for the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the remainder of the twelve (12) month period ending March 31,2023 for Spartan VIP Limousine, LLC. John Saunders seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk Absent: Wallace D. Boards and Commissions Consider appointments to various boards and commissions. Randy Foley motioned to recommend David Prosser for reappointment by Circuit Court for a three-year term ending November 30, 2025, to the Board of Equalization of Real Estate Assessments and recommend reappointing Garry Lautenschlager for a two-year term ending November 23, 2024, to the Personnel Board. William Jones seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk Absent: Wallace 7. Closed Session A. Closed Session Hold a closed session in accordance with Sections 2.2-3711 A (6) and (8) of the 1950 Code of Virginia as amended for: 6. Discussion or consideration of the investment of public funds where competition or bargaining is involved, where, if made public initially, the financial interest of the governmental unit would be adversely affected. 8. Consultation with legal counsel employed or retained by a public body regarding specific legal matters requiring the provision of legal advice by such counsel. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to permit the closure of a meeting merely because an attorney representing the public body is in attendance or is consulted on a matter. Randy Foley motioned that in accordance with Section 2.2-3711 A(6) and A(8) of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, Council hereby convenes to closed session at 6:56 p.m. for the purpose of discussing the following specific matters: 6. Discussion or consideration of the investment of public funds where competition or bargaining is involved, where, if made public initially, the financial interest of the governmental unit would be adversely affected. 8. Consultation with legal counsel employed or retained by a public body regarding specific legal matters requiring the provision of legal advice by such counsel. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to permit the closure of a meeting merely because an attorney representing the public body is in attendance or is consulted on a matter. Bill Jones seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk Absent: Wallace Randy Foley motioned to reconvene at 7:31 p.m. in accordance with Section 2.2- 3712 D. of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended to date, Council certifies that in closed session only items lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and only such items identified in the motion by which the closed session was convened were heard, discussed, or considered by the Council. John Saunders seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk Absent: Wallace Upon reconvening from Closed Session, Randy Foley motioned to authorize the City Manager to execute and deliver a Performance Agreement with the Economic Development Authority and Valleydale Catalyst, LLC to provide incentives for its expenditure of at least fifty million dollars to build a three-hundred-unit apartment complex at the old Valleydale property as set out in the Performance Agreement presented tonight subject to City Attorney final approval as to form. John Saunders seconded the motion. Mike Lockaby clarified that this agreement is the product of several months of negotiation by staff. The concept being presented is that the old Valleydale Plant would be torn down and replaced with three apartment buildings consisting of three hundred plus units, at least a fifty-million- dollar capital expenditure by the developer. The site has a number of difficulties, and it is a very unusual project within and for the City. This site is a brownfield with potential environmental issues, it is a tear -down, and there are floodplain issues. The agreement is structured so that the Economic Development Authority is providing a five-million-dollar site development incentive with certain criteria that the developer must meet before the funds start being dispersed. This is subject to a grant agreement which provides for clawing it back if the criteria aren't being met. There is also an ongoing tax rebate incentive in order to make this project work for the first ten years that could be up to five million dollars as well. The City will be making the funds available, much of which will be in arrears such that the developer must perform in order to receive the incentive for performance. Council thanked Mr. Lockaby for all of his work on this project. Mr. Taliaferro added that the Economic Development Authority had reviewed this proposal and approved the basic framework in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding at their latest meeting. Mayor Turk noted that Council has looked at a number of options over the years for the development of this property and this one seems to suit the needs of the area and hopefully provides great opportunities for people in this area. Mr. Foley added that this will be a transformative project for Salem and the Roanoke Valley. Mayor Turk and Council expressed appreciation to everyone that has worked on this project. A vote was then taken by Council on the motion as presented. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk Absent: Wallace 8. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:36 p.m.