HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/10/2006 - City Council - Minutes - RegularUNAPPROVED MINUTES
COUNCIL MEETING
April 10, 2006
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 April 10, 2006,
at 7:30 p.m., there being present all the members of
said Council, to wit: Carl E. Tarpley, Jr., Howard C.
Packett, John C. Givens, Jane W. Johnson, and John
Christopher Clemens; with Carl E. Tarpley, Jr., Mayor,
presiding; together with Forest G. Jones, City
Manager; James E. Taliaferro, II, Assistant City
Manager and Clerk of Council; Frank P. Turk, Director
of Finance; Melinda J. Payne, Director of Planning and
Development; Charles E. Van Allman, City Engineer;
Michael Stater, Public Information Officer, and
Stephen M. Yost, City Attorney; and the following
business was transacted:
The minutes of the regular meeting of March 27,
2006, and the continued meeting of March 30, 2006,
were approved as written.
It was noted that Allen Hart, a Boy Scout; and
Daniel Hagee, a seventh grader at Andrew Lewis Middle
School, were present at this meeting of Council. It
was also noted that Teri Atkins, Assistant Director of
Parks and Recreation; Melinda Malone, Supervisor for
the Meter Reading Department; and Patty Poage, Payroll
Supervisor, were present at this meeting of Council as
part of the City’s Leadership Development Program.
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Mayor Tarpley requested that Council receive a
presentation from Robert W. “Bob” Goodlatte, Congress-
man of the United States, House of Representatives,
Sixth District; and
WHEREAS, Robert W. “Bob” Goodlatte, Congressman
of the United States, House of Representatives, Sixth
District, appeared before Council and stated that he
wanted to report on a few things of interest to the
City of Salem; he stated that a Transportation Bill
was passed through Congress late last year securing
$1.4 million dollars for repairs to the Colorado
Street Bridge; he further stated Congress is watching
developments related to two major regional projects –-
Interstate 73 and Interstate 81; both projects are
proceeding and both face some significant challenges;
he stated funding for I-73 is the main challenge, some
monies have been made available, and the engineering
studies are moving forward; he stated the I-73 project
may move forward more rapidly from North Carolina
toward Roanoke, rather than some of the major work
occurring here initially; that, he said, is due to the
fact land is readily available and the effort to move
forward is easier in North Carolina than trying to
figure out exactly where the route will run in
Virginia; he stated that VDOT had chosen a route that
included areas in Southeast Roanoke, which was then
changed and moved back to the current Route 220
corridor, which is a problem in itself because there
is too much development on Route 220 to make it a
limited access interstate highway; and
ITEM 1
PRESENTATION
FROM ROBERT
W. “BOB”
GOODLATTE,
CONGRESSMAN
OF THE U.S.,
HOUSE OF
REPRESENTA-
TIVES, SIXTH
DISTRICT
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WHEREAS, Congressman Goodlatte stated that
Interstate 81 is a much more immediate and direct
impact on the City of Salem; he stated the proposals
to separate trucks from cars and to have a truck toll
on the entire length of the Interstate are getting
very close scrutiny because the estimates are that the
size of those tolls would be so great that it may have
a detrimental impact on the economy of this region if
we had an interstate highway where tolls were $70,
$80, or more for a one-way trip the 325 miles through
the length of Virginia; he stated VDOT is holding
public hearings about this, including one at the
Wyndham Hotel in Roanoke on Tuesday, April 11, 2006,
from 5 to 8 p.m., and he encouraged everyone
interested in what is going on with I-81 to attend; he
stated a substantial amount of federal dollars were
secured, but those dollars are contingent upon the
state deciding to do it in such a way that truck and
cars are separated; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Goodlatte stated that they
are working very closely with the City of Roanoke on
the flood control project, which impacts the City of
Salem in a couple of important ways; even though the
project does not extend into Salem, it will be helpful
to Salem if the capacity of the river is increased
downstream from Salem helping to pull water out of
this area as well as in any major flooding event; and
this project includes a greenway the entire ten-mile
length of the river through the City of Roanoke
joining up with the City of Salem; he stated they have
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been working with Salem to make sure they find some
assistance for Salem to extend the greenway further
west through the City of Salem, which would be an
asset for the entire region; Congressman Goodlatte
stated he is working very closely with other members
of Congress between Norfolk and Columbus, OH, on a
project known as the Heartland Corridor Project, which
is an inter-modal rail effort to encourage more truck
traffic to rail transportation between the port at
Hampton Roads and Ohio; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Tarpley questioned the status of
the sale of National Forest Land; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Goodlatte stated he did not
believe that would happen and there would not be a
sale of the federal land in the Jefferson National
Forest; he stated that in certain circumstances it
would be appropriate to sell federal land, but it is
handled on a case by case basis; and
WHEREAS, Councilman Clemens questioned if the
Heartland Corridor Project includes funding to raise
the tunnels so that train cars can be stacked on; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Goodlatte stated that the
Transportation Bill that passed also included $130
million for the Heartland Corridor Project and some of
that will be used for things like developing inter-
modal facilities like the one in the Roanoke Valley,
but most of the money will be used to modernize the
rail line because of the fact that there are extensive
tunnels, particularly in West Virginia, and bridges
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that also don’t allow for the kind of efficiency that
is necessary to make inter-modal work; and
WHEREAS, Vice Mayor Packett questioned how the
lack of Federal funds would affect the Transportation
Bill; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Goodlatte stated that he was
not aware of any significant risk that would affect
the bill; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Tarpley and Council thanked
Congressman Goodlatte for speaking to them at this
meeting;
THEREUPON, said presentation was received.
Mayor Tarpley reported that Council at its March
13, 2006, meeting continued consideration for adoption
of Resolution 1070 appointing viewers to consider
permanently vacating Stewart Alley between South Broad
Street and White Oak Street; and
WHEREAS, the Clerk of Council reported that such
notice had been advertised in the March 16 and 30,
2006, issues of the Salem Times-Register, a newspaper
published and having general circulation in the City
of Salem; and
WHEREAS, James Jordan, attorney for Morris A.
Elam Limited Partnership, appeared before Council to
answer any questions related to this request; and
WHEREAS, no other person(s) appeared related to
this request;
ON MOTION MADE BY VICE MAYOR PACKETT, SECONDED BY
COUNCILMAN CLEMENS, AND DULY CARRIED, Resolution 1070
ITEM 2
RESOLUTION
1070 APPROVED
APPOINTING
VIEWERS TO
CONSIDER
VACATING
STEWART ALLEY
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was duly passed and adopted:
(HERE SET OUT RESOLUTION 1070)
-– the roll call vote: all aye.
Mayor Tarpley reported that Council at its March
27, 2006, meeting continued consideration of the sale
of City-owned property located at 213 South Broad
Street (Tax Map #121-3-1), and
WHEREAS, Mayor Tarpley stated this item was
continued from the March 27, 2006, meeting; a public
hearing was held at the meeting, and two proposals
were received; and
WHEREAS, Morris Elam, 450 South Broad Street,
Salem, appeared before the Council and stated that he
did not realize someone else was interested in
purchasing the property, he would like to withdraw his
request to purchase the property; and
WHEREAS, Ken Cook appeared before the Council on
behalf of the Salem Rescue Squad and stated that there
is a gravel lot next to the lot the City is going to
sell, and sometimes their operations go on that gravel
lot which noise may be an issue; he stated that the
Rescue Squad members feel that it would be in the best
interest for the church to purchase the property; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Tarpley stated that since there is
now only one offer to consider, Council has to decide
whether to sell the property;
ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN CLEMENS, SECONDED BY
VICE MAYOR PACKETT, AND DULY CARRIED, the sale of City
property located at 213 South Broad Street (Tax Map
ITEM 3
APPROVED SALE
OF CITY
PROPERTY
LOCATED AT 213
SOUTH BROAD
STREET (TAX
MAP #121-3-1)
TO FIRST
BAPTIST CHURCH
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#121-3-1) to First Baptist Church was hereby approved
-– the roll call vote: all aye.
Mayor Tarpley reported that this date, place, and
time had been set for a public hearing to consider
amending the 2005-2006 budget; and
WHEREAS, Frank Turk, Director of Finance,
requested that this item be continued;
ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN GIVENS, SECONDED BY
COUNCILMAN CLEMENS, AND DULY CARRIED, a public hearing
to consider amending the 2005-2006 budget was
continued to the April 24, 2006, Council meeting – the
roll call vote: all aye.
ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN GIVENS, SECONDED BY
COUNCILWOMAN JOHNSON, 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 7:54 p.m. for the purpose of discussing the
following specific matter:
1. Discussion of a real estate matter
pertaining to property the City may desire
to sell, which is authorized by Section 2.2-
3711 A. 3. of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as
amended to date; and
-- the roll call vote: all aye.
Upon reconvening at 8:02 p.m.;
ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN GIVENS, SECONDED BY
VICE MAYOR PACKETT, 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
ITEM 4
2005-2006 MID-
YEAR BUDGET
AMENDMENTS
CONTINUED
ITEM 6
CLOSED
SESSION FOR
REAL ESTATE
MATTER
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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.
Mayor Tarpley requested that Council consider
appointments to fill vacancies on various boards and
commissions;
ON MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN GIVENS, SECONDED BY
COUNCILWOMAN JOHNSON, AND DULY CARRIED, Kathleen Hill
Manson was hereby reappointed to the Fair Housing
Board for a three-year term, said term will expire on
May 10, 2009 –- the roll call vote: all aye.
There being no further business to come before
the Council, the same on motion adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
ITEM 5
KATHLEEN HILL
MANSON
REAPPOINTED
TO THE FAIR
HOUSING BOARD