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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/17/2018 - Regular MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF VINTON TOWN COUNCIL HELD AT 7:00 P.M. ON TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE VINTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 311 SOUTH POLLARD STREET, VINTON, VIRGINIA MEMBERS PRESENT: Bradley E. Grose, Mayor Matthew S. Hare, Vice Mayor Sabrina McCarty MEMBERS ABSENT: Keith N. Liles Janet Scheid STAFF PRESENT: Barry W. Thompson, Town Manager Susan N. Johnson, Executive Assistant[Town Clerk Theresa Fontana, Town Attorney Pete Peters, Assistant Town Manager/Director of Economic Development Anne Cantrell, Treasurer/Finance Director Tom Foster, Police Chief Joey Hiner, Public Works Director William Herndon, Assistant Public Works Director Chad Helms, Captain, Fire/EMS The Mayor called the regular meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The Town Clerk called the roll with, Council Member McCarty, Vice Mayor Hare and Mayor Grose present. Council Member Liles and Council Member Scheid were absent. Roll call After a Moment of Silence, Chief Wayne Guffey led the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. Flag. Under upcoming community events, Council Member McCarty announced the following: April 21 at 9:00 am-Litter Pick Up-Council and Staff- Lakeside Shopping Center; April 25-28-Vinton Dogwood Festival; May 12-Vinton History Museum Yard Sale; April 23 at 11:30 am-Bike Share Ribbon Cutting-Vinton Farmer's Market and Star City Playhouse continues with Private Lives through April 22nd. Also announced was April 28 from 10 am to 2 pm-Drug Take Back-Vinton Kroger and April 18 at 11:30 am-Arbor Day-Charles R. Hill Senior Center. Chief Foster made brief comments and then read a quote from J. Sterling Morton, ""Arbor Day which has already transplanted itself to every State in the American Union and even has been adopted in foreign lands is not like other holidays. Each of those reposes on the past while Arbor Day proposes for the future," Chief Foster next read a Memo recognizing Officer Jeremy Shrewsbury as Officer of the Month for March. Chief Foster next commented on statistics from the department as compared to March of 2017: traffic steps increased from 485 to 596 for 22calls for service increased from 1,342 to 1,385 for 3%; traffic summons issuances increased from 182 to 279 for 53%, drug-related arrests increased from 22 to 52 for 136%; overall criminal arrests increased from 70 to 123 for 76% and DUI arrests increased from 19 to 25 for 2%. The next item can the agenda was a report on the Vinton Volunteer First Aid Crew for March 2018, Chief Guffey reviewed his report which was a part of the agenda package and is on file in the Town Clerk's Office as a part of the permanent record. After discussion on the fractile response time compared to reaction time, Vice Mayor dare asked Chief Gaffey to include the ruction time in the fractile response time chart for next month. The next item can the agenda was a report can the Vinton Volunteer Fire Department for March 2618. Chief Oakes reviewed his report which was a part of the agenda package and is can file in the Town Clerk's Office as a part of the permanent record. correction was made to the printed report to include March 22"d as an additional day,which would make a total of 12 days for 164 man hours. That was the night they dice the video shoot with RVTV with six members for three hours. He also corrected the Top 3 Man Hours to add three hours to each. With regard to new members, Chief Cakes commented that one applicant has passed the background check and has a physical scheduled for this month.. Another new applicant will get their fingerprinting done tomorrow night. Both are Firefighter I and II Certified. One is from Bedford and the other one is from South Carolina, He will be sending a letter to the South Carolina Fire Board to get his certification approved in Virginia. The next item can the agenda was an overview of the Town Manager's Recommended Budget for 201 -2 19. The Town Manager first read portions from the Budget Memo that was included with the proposed budget document. After his comments, Anne Cantrell reviewed the PowerPoint presentation. A copy of the presentation is on file in 2 the Town Clerk's Office and will be made a part of the permanent record.) After the PowerPoint presentation, the Town Manager made closing comments. Mice Mayor Flare commented on the cooperative effort by the Finance Committee and Town staff t balance the budget, The general Fund will essentially be up 1.5% year over year if we take out the grants and where we think we will end this year: With regard to the CIP in the General Fund, Vice Mayor.dare expressed his concerns that we continue to fund CIP with debt, which keeps shrinking the amount we can do every year because we just keep adding to the debt. With regard to the bulk truck in the CIF', Council has defined refuse collection as a care service and the Budget Committee felt that we need to continue to support that core service and moved it up on the list. If funds become available we should consider doing less CIF' in debt or doing more CIP with a combination of cash and debt; The Mayor commented that the CIP concerns hire as well and that it will remain a challenge in future years. He also expressed concerned about the lack of any increase in salaries for the employees. Perhaps if we have more revenue than ,chat we are projecting at mid-year that we could consider something for the staff at that time. Vice Mayor Hare commented that at the May gth Finance Committee meeting, they could came up with scenarios for Council to consider. Other jurisdictions have done one-time spot bonuses as revenues came in. The next item on the agenda was a briefing on a Contract to accept a $30,000 grant from the DHCD for an Urban lousing Rehabilitation Planning grant. Pete Peters first commented that Council was briefed at prior meetings on this grant. Staff began the initial planning in late November with the assistance of Hill Studio to complete a physical assessment of housing conditions, daft a budget and develop a scope o work. The initial phase also included working with a 16 member stakeholder committee through three downtown management meetings held in December, January and March. HCD is requiring that the Town enter into a Planning Grant Agreement which outlines the scope and timeline for the work to be conducted. Upon execution of this agreement, staff' will begin a 10 month process to continue to develop this study and 3 anticipate submitting a full CDBG Block grant application in March of 2019 to request funds necessary for construction and implementation of the program. A copy of the Agreement was a part of the agenda package. Vice Mayor Aare commented that the Agreement indicates that a work study being completed by June 30, 2019. If we have done work and expenses, but cannot get everything in by June 3e, does that mean e pay for it and there is no reimbursement. Fete Fetes responded that we can request additional extensions of the grant application similar to what we did with our recent downtown revitalization CDB grant. As long as progress is being made and benchmarks are being met along the way. Mr. Peters further commented that DCD staff has assured us that they want ins to he a success in this program and they will work with us to design a scope that fits our resources and will also work on a timeline. They would be perfectly fine if we did not apply for the construction grant next March or if it took us two years to do this program.. The Town Manager commented that we were not successful with the Assistance to Firefighters grant Program for the pumper engine. Over 10,000 applications for more than $2.1 billion in federal assistance were received and our application did not meet the minimal requirements. We will apply main in the Fall of 2018 and there is a webinar that we can attend to find out why we did not meet the minimum requirements, Captain Helms commented from the audience that they also look at congressional districts and the City of Salem and Roanoke County getting an AFG grant for air packs and the County getting a safer chant as well slid not favor well for us. Under report from Committees, Vice Mayor Hare reported from the Finance Committee that their last two meetings were comprised of a review of the proposed budget. The Town Clerk reported from the Highway Safety Committee. The Committee met on April 10th and Doug Adams was elected as Chairman. The Committee discussed the following topics: t1 update on the traffic light sequence at Vinyard/ Tardy Road intersection to be given by the Public Works Committee in their report; t2 approved letter to citizen who inquired about the blinking strobe light that is no longer at the intersection of Mountain View 4 Road/Washington Avenue citing VD T standards for strobe lights and that this intersection does not meet those conditions; 3 approved letter to citizen who requested a stop sign on North Blair at the intersection of Rudd ll/Blair/Berkley indicating Committee would not recommend adding a step sign to this intersection; ) reviewed request to look at parking on South Maple for safety and liability concerns and referred to Public Works to take a look at the street and also check.the VID T standards with regard to putting up signage for"No Parking"a certain distance from the crest of the hill; ( ) reviewed Issue with sight distance at the corner of South Maple and Virginia Avenue and referred to the Town Manager and Joey Hiner who followed up on the matter and the Committee referred to Code Enforcement and update on improvements to the Walnut Avenue/ th Street intersection to be given by the Public Works Committee their report, Further discussion was had regarding the sight distance at the corner of South Maple and Virginia Avenue and the need to be proactive before someone has an accident. The Town Manager commented that they would contact the current business owner. Council Member McCarty reported from the Public storks Committee. Hurt & Proffitt has conducted a study of the intersection of Tardy Road and Vinyard Road and identified improvements; including physical realignment, of almost $250,000. The least expensive and most immediately effective would be changing the signal timing to alternate green for the north and south Vinyard Rd legs. A contractor will be placing new pavement markings at Walnut Avenue and 8th Street that meet current standards and Public Works will be installing signs that are expected to be clearer to these travelling through the intersection. There will be no change to the traffic pattern. Council Member McCarty next commented that the owners of property at 329 Highland Road would like to subdivide their lot and the paved entrance road to Gearhart Park crosses onto their lot. They have requested that the Town vacate a right-of-way (a paper street) that is next to their property. The issue was presented to the Town Attorney who has indicated that vacation of this particular right-of-way would "land-lock" an existing recorded lot which is not permissible under Virginia Code; With regard to fire hydrant replacement, Public Works continues to replace hydrants that are lower performance and out of date. Some hydrants have been measured with lesser flow characteristics and in some cases a new replacement hydrant can increase flaw, but in other cases infrastructure improvements are necessary to increase flaw. There are some hydrants that have connections for specific fittings (called snap hydrants) that are obsolete and affect the ability to optimize flow. Replacing these provides a proper connection for firefighting equipment and measuring devices, often giving unproved flaw. Vice Mayor Flare asked how many hydrants have been replaced this year. Joey Hiner responded four and there are three or fear more to be replaced within the next few months. Vice Mayor Flare next asked how many snap ones are left and Mr. Flirter responded approximately 18- ouncl Member McCarty next commented that staff will be reviewing ordinances of either localities, while looking at current Town refuse collection operations to in effort to revise and enhance the Town's Solid Waste ordinance. The next meeting is scheduled for May 1 'h The Town Clerk reported that a letter had been sent to the citizen that carve to the last Council meeting updating him on the Vinyard/Hardy road intersection. Vice Mayor Flare asked if the traffic flow on Virginia Avenue would slaw down with this change. Joey Ebner commented on the rating of intersections based on level of service and indicated that this intersection in the morning peak and noon peak is a level of low C with one leg being a D. In the afternoon peak, it is a D and an F. By making this change, it may affect the time; but will not necessarily lower the level of service, Discussion was also had on getting the message out to the public once the change is made. The Mayor commented on road work being done by Public Works and all the sprucing up being done for Spring and the upcoming Dogwood Festival. Robin Reed of WDBJ7 will be the Grand Marshal this year. Vice Mayor Flare also commented can the Dogwood Festival. Chief Guffey reported on the Volunteer First Aid Crew's reaction time for January that 0-1 minute was 8% and 1-2 minutes was 22% for 98%; for February it was 81% and 18% for 98% and March was 83% and 13% for 98%. He also commented that the Crew will be providing the usual lunch on Dogwood Festival Day at 11:30 am at the Station. 6 Vice Mayor Hare made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by Council Member McCarty and carried by the following vote; with all members venting: Vote -{- Yeas ( —, McCarty, Hare, Grose, days (0)— None; Absent - Liles, Scheid. The meeting was adjourned at : 5 parr. Meeting adjourned APPROVED: Bradley E. Grose, Mayor ,7L,ff Susan N. Johnson, 4MC, own Clerk 7