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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/22/2021 - City Council - Minutes - Regular City Council Meeting MINUTES Monday, November 22, 2021, 6:30 PM Work Session 6:00 P.M. Parlor A, Salem Civic Center, 1001 Roanoke Boulevard, Salem, Virginia 24153 Regular Session 6:30 P.M., Community Room, Salem Civic Center, 1001 Roanoke Boulevard, Salem, Virginia 24153 WORK SESSION 1. Call to Order A. Roll Call A work session of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, was held in Parlor A at the Salem Civic Center, 1001 Roanoke Boulevard, Salem, Virginia, on November 22, 2021, at 6:00 p.m., there being present the following members of said Council to wit: Renée Ferris Turk, Mayor; James W. Wallace, III, Vice-Mayor; Council members; 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; Jim Guynn, City Attorney; Will Simpson, City Engineer; Crystal Williams, Assistant to the City Manager; and Laura Lea Harris, Deputy Clerk of Council; and the following business was transacted; Mayor Turk reported that this date, place, and time had been set in order for the Council to hold a work session; and 2. New Business A. Discussion Items 1) Continuation of Discussion on options for painting Kime Lane Water Tank 2) Introduction of new Regional Greenway Coordinator to Council - Dee King WHEREAS, Mr. Taliaferro reported that staff took comments from last Council Work Session and used those to form more design options for Council to consider in painting the Kime Lane Water Tank. He shared the new designs as well as the ones that had been considered at the November 8, 2021 Work Session. Discussion was held on the choices as presented. Council requested that staff incorporate their feedback into revised designs and then present these choices to Council; and WHEREAS, Dee King, of the Planning Commission, introduced the new Regional Greenway Coordinator to Council. Frank Maguire is beginning his third decade as a trail professional here in the Mid Atlantic. Before coming to the Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission, he most recently served as the Program Director for Trails and Outdoor Recreation at the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. Prior to that, he served as the Regional Director for the International Mountain Bicycling Association and founded a trail consulting firm that focused on hand crew training and trail design. He was appointed to several Pennsylvania state committees, including the Pedestrian Advisory Committee for PennDOT; and WHEREAS, Mr. Guynn discussed the recent statute passed by the General Assembly requiring an ordinance be passed by any city or town that currently holds an election for city or town council members at a May election to transition to the November general election date. Currently the City of Salem does not have an ordinance, and he recommended enacting an emergency ordinance at the next Council meeting to ensure compliance with this requirement; and 3. Adjournment WHEREAS, there being no further business, Mayor Turk adjourned the meeting at 6:25 P.M. 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; 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; Will Simpson, City Engineer; Mike Stevens, Director of Communications; and Jim Guynn, City Attorney. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Bid Openings, Awards, Recognitions Mayor Turk recognized Cody Sexton and a group of students from his State and Local Government class at Roanoke College. She also recognized that Saturday, November 27 th is Small Business Saturday and encouraged citizens to support local businesses. 4. Consent Agenda A. Citizen Comments Comments from the public, limited to five minutes, on matters not already having a public hearing component that same meeting. The following have signed up to speak at this meeting: 1) Michael Bentley, 312 N. Broad Street - Addressing the climate crisis 2) Sue Annette Thompson, 739 Maryland Ave. - Preserving Salem 3) Cynthia Munley, 425 Roanoke Boulevard - Economic Development in Salem 4) Stella Reinhard, 213 N. Broad Street - Continuing to build on Salem's Positives Necessitates Rejecting MVP's Negatives 5) Nora Smith, 1135 Lynchburg Turnpike - Need action to protect upstream harms on Salem's critical water security 1)Sue Annette Thompson, 739 Maryland Avenue, appeared before Council. She thanked Council for Council’s move to allow citizens to speak at the beginning of every meeting. She asked that Council help to prevent Mountain Valley Pipeline’s economic, health, environmental, and landscape harms from affecting Salem. She requested that Salem endorse the EPA letter to the ACE opposing an MVP permit and stressed the importance of protecting Salem’s Greenway and Blueway. 2) Nora Smith, 1135 Lynchburg Turnpike, addressed Council. She complimented the complicated regional cooperative achievement resulting in the Roanoke Greenway system. Ms. Smith also expressed concern about the MVP and requested that Salem City Council speak out against the MVP to protect their clean water and the Greenway. 3) Stella Reinhard, 213 North Broad Street, began by noting positive improvements that she expressed appreciation to City Council and those responsible in leadership positions for. She specifically mentioned lights that had been put up around the City, landscaping in the downtown area, the Greenway, Blueways, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. She appealed to City Council to take action against MVP in an effort to protect Salem’s investments. 4) Cynthia Munley, 425 Roanoke Blvd., expressed appreciation to City Council for giving citizens the opportunity to speak at every Council meeting. She distributed copies of an article that was in the Roanoke Times, “Butler: Comeback City: Danville’s Revival is powered by clean energy,” that she wanted to share with Council. She spoke of many positive economic strategies and services that the City of Salem utilizes and emphasized the importance of strategies that protect the resources that Salem has. She requested that Council withdraw the resolution that was passed at the October 25, 2021 meeting. 5) Michael Bentley, 312 North Broad Street, was the last citizen to address Council. He expressed concern for the future of our children due to climate issues. He outlined specific climate related crises that have occurred in recent history. He stressed the importance of reducing greenhouse emissions and moving to renewable sources of energy and stated that “Cities are an important part of the solution in fighting climate change.” He offered suggestions for City Council to be involved in helping to fight climate change. Mayor Turk thanked the citizens for coming to speak before Council. She also explained for the students from Roanoke College that Council has been discussing topics that will be voted on this evening at work sessions beforehand. B. Minutes Consider acceptance of the minutes for the November 2, 2021 Special Meeting and the November 8, 2021 Work Session and Regular Meeting minutes. The minutes were accepted as written. C. Financial Report Consider the acceptance of the Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for the four months ending October 2021. The financial reports were received. 5. Old Business A. Amendment to the City Code - Chapter 22 Consider on second reading an ordinance to amend multiple sections of Article II, Chapter 22, of The Code of the City of Salem, Virginia, to exempt businesses with less than $50,000 in gross receipts from the annual business license tax and set the annual licensure fee at $50 applicable for businesses with gross receipts less than $50,000 annually in accordance with US Census based population business taxation provisions in Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia. (Approved on first reading at November 8, 2021 meeting.) Mayor Turk noted that Council had held a number of discussions and staff evaluated monetary loss for the City. William Jones motioned to adopt the ordinance on second reading to amend multiple sections of Article II, Chapter 22, of The Code of the City of Salem, Virginia, to exempt businesses with less than $50,000 in gross receipts from the annual business license tax and set the annual licensure fee at $50 applicable for businesses with gross receipts less than $50,000 annually in accordance with US Census based population business taxation provisions in Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia. Randy Foley seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace 6. New Business A. Kime Lane Water Tank/US Cellular Lease Amendment Consider ordinance authorizing the City Manager to finalize and execute a Lease Amendment and Memorandum of Amendment to Lease Agreement with USOC of Virginia RSA #3 (US Cellular) for cellular equipment on the Kime Lane water tank. Mr. Jones requested more information. Mr. Light elaborated that for the Kime Lane Water Tank, the City of Salem has four major carriers that it leases, one of which is US Cellular. The City has a long-standing lease with US Cellular. The last extension expires in the fall of 2023. US Cellular has reached out to the City and would like to extend and have five more renewal periods of five years. Staff has reviewed the existing lease with Mr. Guynn to make sure that the existing lease and its amendments serve the best interest of the City and confirmed that the City has sole discretion of authorizing or declining future renewal periods. Staff has also reviewed the specific installation with the City’s cellular consultant as far as market rate and he has advised that the City is receiving a premium for this particular installation with the equipment that is there. Mayor Turk commented that in speaking with a specialist and in reviewing what the City has in the lease, Council feels comfortable in moving forward. John Saunders motioned to approve ordinance authorizing the City Manager to finalize and execute a Lease Amendment and Memorandum of Amendment to Lease Agreement with USOC of Virginia RSA #3 (US Cellular) for cellular equipment on the Kime Lane water tank. Randy Foley seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace B. 2022 Legislative Package Consider adoption of Resolution 1415 adopting a Legislative Program for the 2022 session of the Virginia General Assembly and petitioning the General Assembly to favorably consider the issues and topics addressed herein. Mr. Taliaferro clarified that included in Council’s packet for their consideration was a resolution with the legislative agenda that Council discussed in work session at the last meeting. Staff hoped that the resolution represented everything that Council had discussed. In addition, the School’s legislative agenda had been included for Council’s consideration to include support for that in the resolution. There were no questions. Randy Foley motioned to adopt Resolution 1415 adopting a Legislative Program for the 2022 session of the Virginia General Assembly and petitioning the General Assembly to favorably consider the issues and topics addressed herein. William Jones seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace C. Abstract of Votes Receive the Abstract of Votes cast at the General Election held on November 2, 2021. Mayor Turk explained that the Abstract of Votes is presented to Council by the Registrar and that it gives an accounting for all the votes that are cast, the numbers and if there were any irregularities, of which there are none. No vote is required for this, and Council accepted the Abstract of Votes. D. Boards and Commissions Consider appointments to various boards and commissions. Randy Foley motioned to recommend Jeff Zoller for appointment by Circuit Court to fill an unexpired term as an alternate member for the remainder of a five-year term ending March 1, 2023. William Jones seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace 7. Closed Session A. Closed Session Hold a closed session in accordance with Sections 2.2-3711 A (3) and (6) of the 1950 Code of Virginia as amended for discussion or consideration of the acquisition of real property for a public purpose, or of the disposition of publicly held real property, where discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body; and for 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 government unit would be adversely affected. Randy Foley motioned that Council move to closed session at 7:10 p.m. in accordance with Sections 2.2-3711 A (3) and (6) of the 1950 Code of Virginia as amended for discussion or consideration of the acquisition of real property for a public purpose, or of the disposition of publicly held real property, where discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body; and for 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 government unit would be adversely affected. William Jones seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace James Wallace motioned to reconvene at 7:36 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. William Jones seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace 8. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:36 p.m.