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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/25/2021 - City Council - Minutes - RegularCity Council Meeting MINUTES Monday, October 25, 2021, 6:30 PM Work Session 5:30 P.M. Community Room, Salem Civic Center, 1001 Roanoke Boulevard, Salem, Virginia 24153 Regular Session 6:30 P.M. Community Room, Salem Civic Center, 1001 Roanoke Salem, Virginia 24153 WORK SESSION 1. Call to Order A joint work session of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, along with the City of Salem School Board was held in the Community Room at the Salem Civic Center, 1001 Roanoke Boulevard, Salem, Virginia, on October 25, 2021, at 5:30 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; James E. Taliaferro, II, City Manager; H. Robert Light, Assistant City Manager and Clerk of Council; Tammy Todd, Assistant Director of Finance; Mike Stevens, Director of Communications; Mike Tyler, Director of Streets and General Maintenance; Crystal Williams, Assistant to the City Manager; and Laura Lea Harris, Deputy Clerk of Council. Also present were: Dr. Curtis Hicks, Superintendent; Dr. Forest Jones, Director of Administrative Services; Mandy Hall, Director of Business Services; and Kathy Jordan, Clerk of the Board and Executive Secretary. School Board Members present were: David Preston, Teresa Sizemore-Hernandez, Artice M. Ledbetter, Nancy Bradley, and Andy Raines; along with Chris Phillips and Michael Mauceri of RRMM Architects; 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; Mayor Turk called the Council meeting to order; and WHEREAS, David Preston, Chair of the Salem School Board, called the School Board meeting to order; and 2. New Business A. Discussion Items 1) Joint Session with Salem City School Board - Salem City Schools Capital Improvement Plan and Fieldhouse Project WHEREAS, Mandy Hall distributed handouts to Council and Staff and gave an overview of the Capital Improvement Projects requests. Questions were asked by Council and responded to. Ms. Hall also discussed the six-year CIP plan for Fiscal Years 23-28 which fall into the following categories: recurring, stand-alone, future projects that may become part of a school-wide renovation, school-wide renovations to be determined, and partial school renovations; and WHEREAS, Chris Phillips and Michael Mauceri, with RRMM Architects, presented a PowerPoint presentation that was a continuation from the July 12, 2021 Joint meeting on the Salem High School Fieldhouse study. The details involving the elimination of new classrooms and weight room expansion were discussed, questions were asked by Council and discussion was held; and 3. Adjournment WHEREAS, there being no further business, Mr. Preston and Mayor Turk adjourned the meeting at 6:27 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 6:32 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; Tammy Todd, Assistant Director of Finance; Chuck Van Allman, Director of Community Development; Mike Stevens, Director of Communications; and Jim Guynn, City Attorney. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Bid Openings, Awards, Recognitions 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) Cynthia Munley, 425 Roanoke Boulevard 2) Matthew Fleenor, 1511 W. Carrollton Avenue 3) Nora Smith, 1135 Lynchburg Turnpike 4) Annette Thompson, 739 Maryland Avenue Mayor Turk explained how the timer would work for the citizen comment period. 1) Cynthia Munley, 425 Roanoke Boulevard, appeared before Council. She stated that she is the organizer of Preserve Salem. She shared research she had gathered on the Mountain Valley Pipeline and concerns with this that these groups are working to protect the Roanoke River and Greenway against. She requested that Salem submit comments concerning the MVP's new 401 permit request to the Virginia Water Control Board before the deadline of October 27, 2021. She specifically addressed threats to the Roanoke River that have been pointed out by the Environmental Protection Agency in its letter to the Army Corps of Engineers listing the harms that MVP poses for the environment and downstream communities like Salem. She stressed the proximity of the MVP to Salem and the potential damage to the water supply. She requested that Salem sign a proposed letter that she had provided listing EPA's reasons to recommend non-approval to take a stand and register concerns as a municipal entity to prevent potential harms from MVP that could impact on the long-term viability of Salem’s major Salem water source. 2) Matthew Fleenor, 1511 W. Carrollton Avenue, addressed Council. He also expressed concerns about MVP. He shared the importance of clean water to this area. He commented on the quality of the water from the Roanoke River and that he would like to keep it that way. He remarked that clean water is essential to Salem’s local businesses, hospitals, and families. He expressed the opinion that Salem had made a very big investment in their state-of-the-art water treatment plant and that it needed to be protected from MVP and its potential effects on the economy and health of Salem's citizens. He addressed concerns of sediment and stormwater that could become issues caused by the Mountain Valley Pipeline as well as financial costs related to the pipeline. He also requested that Council submit letter to the Virginia State Water Control Board concerning the EPA's letter to the Army Corps of Engineers recommending non-approval of the MVP's new request for a higher level of water crossing permit for crossing Virginia's waterways under the US Clean Water Act. 3) Nora Smith, 1135 Lynchburg Turnpike, was not present at the meeting. 4) Annette Thompson, 739 Maryland Avenue, was the last citizen to speak before Council. She expressed concerns about the financial soundness of the Mountain Valley Pipeline project as well as potential harm to downstream communities. Mrs. Thompson spoke of danger to the wetlands that supply local aquifers. She also requested that City Council submit the proposal letter or a version of it as comment to the Virginia State Water Board before the deadline of October 27 in an effort to keep MVP from receiving the permit they are seeking under the Clean Water Act. Mayor Turk thanked the citizens for all of the work they did to compile and share information with Council and for taking their time to come speak with Council. B. Minutes Consider acceptance of the minutes for the October 11, 2021, Joint Work Session with EDA and Regular Meeting Minutes. The minutes for the October 11, 2021 Joint Work Session with EDA and Regular Meeting minutes were approved as written. C. Financial Report Consider acceptance of the Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for the three months ending September 2021. The financial reports were received. Mr. Foley emphasized that sales tax, meals tax, and lodging taxes were up significantly over the first three months of this fiscal year, even over last year and previous years. 5. Old Business A. Ordinance for Bonuses Consider ordinance on second reading authorizing the City Manager to: 1) pay a bonus up to $2,000 for non-exempt, full-time employees authorized at the September 2, 2021 Council meeting to receive up to a net $2,000 increase between a wage increase and bonus for eligible employees at or near the top of their current pay scale; 2) pay a $3,000 bonus to all sworn, full-time Sheriff’s Department employees subsequent to the General Assembly’s mandate for Compensation Board such positions; and 3) provide salary increases to certain Electric Department non-exempt employees reclassified in the FY22 budget process but excluded in the September 2, 2021 action that are otherwise eligible to net a $2/hour increase between the FY22 reclassification increases and this action. John Saunders motioned to adopt ordinance on second reading authorizing the City Manager to: 1) pay a bonus up to $2,000 for non-exempt, full-time employees authorized at the September 2, 2021 Council meeting to receive up to a net $2,000 increase between a wage increase and bonus for eligible employees at or near the top of their current pay scale; 2) pay a $3,000 bonus to all sworn, full-time Sheriff’s Department employees subsequent to the General Assembly’s mandate for Compensation Board such positions; and 3) provide salary increases to certain Electric Department nonexempt employees reclassified in the FY22 budget process but excluded in the September 2, 2021 action that are otherwise eligible to net a $2/hour increase between the FY22 reclassification increases and this action. Randy Foley seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace 6. New Business A. Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance Hold public hearing and consider ordinance on first reading for rezoning the property of .Com Properties 8, LLC, property owner, located at 1796 Apperson Drive (a portion of Tax Map # 257-2-1.1) from HBD Highway Business District to LM Light Manufacturing District. (As advertised in the October 7 and 14, 2021 issues of the Salem Times-Register). Planning Commission recommends approval; see page 4 of Planning Commission minutes. STAFF REPORT Mr. Van Allman noted that this is the former Food Lion on Apperson. Mayor Turk opened the public hearing. No one came forward to speak. Mayor Turk closed the public hearing. Mr. Foley asked if the duration of the lease was known. Mr. Ben Crew, Balzer and Associates, acting agent of the owner, responded that this information is not known. Council requested that Staff try to find out the duration of the lease and get back to Council with this information. Randy Foley motioned to adopt ordinance on first reading for rezoning the property of .Com Properties 8, LLC, property owner, located at 1796 Apperson Drive (a portion of Tax Map # 257-2-1.1) from HBD Highway Business District to LM Light Manufacturing District. William Jones seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace B. Administrative Calendar for 2022 Consider adoption of the administrative calendar for 2022. Mr. Taliaferro clarified that annually Council adopts the calendar for the following calendar year. He stated that there are no major changes to the calendar being proposed and that it includes holidays for next year. William Jones motioned to adopt the administrative calendar for 2022. Randy Foley seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace C. Salem Band Boosters Consider request from the Salem Band Boosters for a donation ($691.60) equal to the amount of admissions tax paid in connection with the annual Blue Ridge Regional High School Band Competition held on September 18, 2021, at the Salem Stadium. Mr. Taliaferro explained that the City occasionally receives a request from a charity or a 501(c)(3) for a refund of admissions tax. He clarified that the City cannot do a refund; however, the City can make a donation in that amount to the charity and that this is to the Salem Band Boosters for an event earlier this year. John Saunders motioned to approve request from the Salem Band Boosters for a donation ($691.60) equal to the amount of admissions tax paid in connection with the annual Blue Ridge Regional High School Band Competition held on September 18, 2021, at the Salem Stadium. Randy Foley seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace D. Boards and Commissions Consider appointments to various boards and commissions. Mayor Turk stated that there were several positions that were available and asked if there were any nominations. There were no new nominations presented. Randy Foley motioned to reappoint Randy Foley to the Total Action for Progress Board for a two-year term ending November 13, 2023 and to recommend reappointing William D. Jones, James E. Taliaferro, II, and April M. Staton as Members and Byron R. Foley, Rosemarie Jordan, and B. Todd Clingenpeel as Alternates to the Western Virginia Regional Jail Authority for one-year terms ending December 31, 2022. John Saunders seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace 7. Adjournment Mr. Foley stated that he would be comfortable rewording what was sent in 2017 as it was addressed to a different entity and sending a similar resolution to the State Water Control Board in reference to the MVP request since the deadline was so soon. Mayor Turk commented that as the letter that had been proposed was so lengthy and detailed it would take longer than the two-day deadline period to research. Mr. Saunders commented that he concurred and felt that redoing Resolution 1324 would be a good solution. Mr. Foley read Resolution 1324 that was submitted in 2017 to the Commonwealth of Virginia. There was discussion among the Council members. Jim Guynn advised that they make a motion. Mr. Foley motioned to adopt the next resolution number rewording Resolution 1324 to be directed to the Virginia State Water Control Board. Mr. Saunders seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, Jones, Saunders, Turk, Wallace Mr. Taliaferro clarified that the resolution would be number 1413 and assured Council that staff would do their best to get the resolution to the State Water Control Board on time. The meeting was adjourned at 7:08 p.m.