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HomeMy WebLinkAbout8/13/2007 - City Council - Minutes - RegularUNAPPROVED MINUTES COUNCIL MEETING August 13, 2007 A regular meeting of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, was held in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 114 North Broad Street, on August 13, 2007, at 7:30 p.m., there being present all the members of said Council, to wit: Howard C. Packett, John C. Givens, Jane W. Johnson, John Christopher Clemens, and Byron R. Foley; with Howard C. Packett, Mayor, presiding; together with Forest G. Jones, City Manager; James E. Taliaferro, Assistant City Manager and Clerk of Council; Melinda J. Payne, Director of Planning and Development; Charles E. Van Allman, Jr., City Engineer; and Stephen M. Yost, City Attorney; and the following business was transacted: The minutes of the regular meeting of July 23, 2007, were approved as written. It was noted that John Wade, Sanitation Department, was present at this meeting of Council as part of the City’s Leadership Development Program. Mayor Packett requested that Council consider adopting Resolution 1097 authorizing a request to the Virginia General Assembly for reimbursement of the cost of jail personnel hired prior to the opening of the Western Virginia Regional Jail; and WHEREAS, the Assistant City Manager stated that the Western Virginia Regional Jail is scheduled to open March 9, 2009; he stated that prior to that date, the State will not reimburse the Authority for salary ITEM 1 RESOLUTION 1097 ADOPTED AUTHORIZING A REQUEST TO THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR REIMBURSE- MENT OF THE COST OF JAIL PERSONNEL HIRED PRIOR TO THE OPENING OF THE WESTERN VIRGINIA REGIONAL JAIL 2 expenses; he further stated that once the jail is opened, the State will reimburse based on a formula, not 100 percent, but it is a substantial portion; he stated the resolution supports an action by the Authority to try to get reimbursed for part of the funds necessary for salaries prior to the opening of the jail; he further stated that the Authority is not asking for the complete salary package, only for the funding the State would normally pay from July 1, 2008, through March 9, 2009; he further stated that the amount the Authority is asking for is approximately $3.2 million, and the actual salary expenses are well over $5 million; he further stated that the other jurisdictions, the counties of Roanoke, Montgomery, and Franklin, are passing similar resolutions; and WHEREAS, it was noted that the Authority believes that it has the support from at least some legislators to consider the request; and WHEREAS, Mayor Packett questioned what would happen if legislators did not approve the request; and WHEREAS, the Assistant City Manager stated that the Authority would be responsible for 100 percent of the salaries; ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN CLEMENS, SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR GIVENS, AND DULY CARRIED, Resolution 1097 was hereby adopted authorizing a request to the Virginia General Assembly for reimbursement of the cost of jail personnel hired prior to the opening of the Western Virginia Regional Jail: 3 (HERE SET OUT RESOLUTION 1097) -- the roll call vote: all - aye. Mayor Packett requested that Council consider approval of the Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare’s proposed fiscal year 2008 Performance Contract with the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services; and WHEREAS, the Director of Finance stated that this contract has to be approved each year by each locality that participated under Blue Ridge’s “umbrella” and that each locality is required to approve the performance contract; he stated the performance contract is an outline of the various programs and services offered and the regulated budget that goes with it; ON MOTION MADE BY VICE MAYOR GIVENS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN FOLEY, AND DULY CARRIED, the Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare’s proposed fiscal year 2008 Performance Contract with the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services was hereby approved -- the roll call vote: all – aye. Mayor Packett requested that Council receive a report and consider awarding contract for the City of Salem Health Insurance Program; and WHEREAS, Vice Mayor Givens, Chairman of Council’s Audit-Finance Committee, reported that the City’s ITEM 3 PROPOSAL FROM ANTHEM BLUE CROSS/ BLUE SHIELD FOR THE CITY’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM ACCEPTED BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2007 ITEM 2 BLUE RIDGE BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE’S PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2008 PERFORMANCE CONTRACT WITH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH, MENTAL RETARDATION, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES APPROVED 4 current health insurance program is set to expire on September 30, 2007; working in conjunction with Corporate Benefit Consultants, Inc., the City issued its Request for Proposals on April 2, 2007; on May 4, 2007, the City received proposals from the following health care providers: Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Cigna, Southern Health, Aetna, and United Health Care; after review by appropriate City and School officials, the Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield proposal was recommended; the Committee reviewed the proposals and it is recommended that the proposal submitted by Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield for the year beginning October 1, 2007, be accepted with the option to renew up to five additional one-year periods subject to acceptable renewal rates; ON MOTION MADE BY VICE MAYOR GIVENS, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN JOHNSON, AND DULY CARRIED, the proposal submitted by Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield for the City’s Health Insurance Program beginning October 1, 2007, was hereby approved with the option to renew up to five additional one-year periods subject to acceptable renewal rates -- the roll call vote: all – aye. Mayor Packett requested that Council consider awarding contract for the replacement of the sewer pump station on Forest Drive; and WHEREAS, Vice Mayor Givens, Chairman of Council’s Audit-Finance Committee, reported that after issuance of the Invitation to Bid on May 27, 2007, four bids ITEM 4 CONTINUED UNTIL AUGUST 27, 2007, MEETING 5 were received on June 28, 2007; after further review, there are questions that need to be answered and the Director of Finance has requested that this item be continued until the August 27, 2007, meeting of Council; ON MOTION MADE BY VICE MAYOR GIVENS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN CLEMENS, AND DULY CARRIED, the item was hereby continued until the August 27, 2007, City Council meeting -- the roll call vote: all - aye. Mayor Packett requested that Council consider appointments to fill vacancies on various boards and commissions; ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN CLEMENS, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN JOHNSON, AND DULY CARRIED, J. Chris Conner and Margaret Humphrey were hereby reappointed to the Personnel Board for a two-year term, said terms will expire August 12, 2009; and N. Michael Tyler was hereby reappointed to the Salem Transportation Commission for a four-year term, said term will expire September 8, 2011 -- the roll call vote: all – aye. ON MOTION MADE BY VICE MAYOR GIVENS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN CLEMENS, AND DULY CARRIED, in accordance with Section 2.2-3711 A. of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended to date, Council convened to Closed Session at 7:42 p.m. for the purpose of discussing the following specific matter: 1. Discussion of property the City may wish to sell, which is authorized by Section 2.2- 3711 A. 3. of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as ITEM 8 CLOSED SESSION FOR PROPERTY THE CITY MAY WISH TO SELL ITEM 5 J. CHRIS CONNER AND MARGARET HUMPHREY REAPPOINTED TO THE PERSONNEL BOARD; N. MICHAEL TYLER REAPPOINTED TO THE SALEM TRANSPORTA- TION COMMISSION 6 amended to date; and -- the roll call vote: all - aye. Upon reconvening at 8:14 p.m.; ON MOTION MADE BY VICE MAYOR GIVENS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN FOLEY, AND DULY CARRIED, in accordance with Section 2.2-3712 D. of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended to date, Council hereby 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 -- the roll call vote: all - aye. There being no further business to come before the Council, the same on motion adjourned at 8:15 p.m.