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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/3/2014 - RegularMINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF VINTON TOWN COUNCIL HELD AT 6:00 P.K ON TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE VINTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 311 SOUTH POLLARD STREET, VINTON, VIRGINIA MEMBERS PRESENT: Bradley E. Grose, Mayor William W. Nance, Vice Mayor 1. Douglas Adams, Jr. Robert R. Altice STAFF PRESENT: Christopher S. Lawrence, Town Manager Elizabeth Dillon, Town Attorney Susan N. Johnson, Town Clerk Ryan Spitzer, Assistant to the Town Manager Barry Thompson, Finance Director/Treasurer Mary Beth Layman, Special Programs Director Gary Woodson, Public Works Director Joey Hiner, Assistant Public Works Director The Mayor called the work session to order at 6:00 p.m. to hear a review of the current Vinton Farmers' Market Policy. The Town Manager began by commenting that this item is being brought back for a review of the current policy. This was prompted by a request of Mr. Barton, a former vendor, who has an interest in coming back to the Market and would like to leave his products overnight. Mary Beth Layman next reviewed the staff report that was a part of the agenda package. She commented that the current guidelines do not permit vendor products to be left at the market overnight and a request has been made to reconsider this policy. Currently none of the local and regional markets permit vendor products to be left at temporary stalls overnight. If a vendor is allowed to leave their products it can create a liability for the Town because they could be stolen or tampered with by a human or animal. Any new guidelines should be fair and equitable for all vendors. Another item for consideration are the four Mingle at thi; Market events, one each month from June through September along with the Dogwood Festival, Fall Festival and benefit events during which time vendor products would need to be moved. The Town Manager next commented that with our current policy, staff would not recommend allowing overnight accommodations and we would need to revise the policy to address some of these concerns. He met with Mr. Barton, Ryan Spitzer and Ms. Layman last week and Mr. Barton understood there were issues in the past and why they became issues. He is committed to resolving those issues and working with Ms. Layman. Since we are trying to make the Market better, this may be a new and different kind of approach that is worth a try. The Policy was formally adopted by Council in 2002 and some adjustments were made between 2003 and 2005 based on some discussions with Council, However, we cannot find in the record that the current Policy was formally adopted by Council. Vice Mayor Nance asked when would the work begin on the Market and what is the anticipated completion date. Mr. Spitzer responded that the work will be between the Fall Festival and the Dogwood Festival. The Town Manager commented that a question was asked *i*-hat6 a-Yae)?�-�viv4a7 4 tby. He responded that the vendors we currently have are committed to a certain time frame and they need to close up by 3.30 p.m. In Blacksburg, they switched their Market hours to a Wednesday evening and a Saturday morning to try and capture some evening traffic. However, they had to bring in some other venues during that time such as music to m,2.ke it x The Mayor commented that if we receive other requests along those same lines, we want to treat all the vendors equally. He then asked if a special event is going on and those vendors must be cleared out does it mean they have to remove their products from the premises completely or store it in the back of the area. The Town Manager commented that will be another item to address in any new policy. Mr. Altice commented that we need to talk with the vendors and see what they want and what we can offer. Ms. Layman further commented that Mr. Barton has indicated interest in reserving eight to ten tables. The current guideline permits up to six for any one vendor. Eight tables would be two sections since there are four tables in each section. Mr. Adams asked about the restrooms being available on the days the Market is opened and Ms. Layman responded that one of the vendors last year had a key and opened the restrooms when he was there. However, the y could be overlooked, but as a general rule they are open The vendors have keys to the restrooms and to the covers for the electrical outlets. Mr. Adams also commented that on the afternoons after work there is a lot of traffic on Walnut Avenue and individuals have commented that they would stop on their way home if the Market was open. 0 Ms. Layman responded that the Market is opened based on the vendors we have and the hours they have indicated they can be there. It would be nice to have an evening Market, but we would have to have the vendor base to support it. Ms. Layman further commented that Friday evening would be a good night to promote because other markets in the area are not open on Friday evenings. The Town Manager further commented that if we want the Market to be open one evening during the week, we will have to solicit vendors and see if there is any interest. The Mayor asked if there would be any problem if a vendor wanted to stay later and the response was as long as there is not an event going on. Mr. Nance asked if we 2AVAP11!4 i# #rid4l Town resources, Ms. Layman commented that it would depend on the expectation of how much Council, the Town Manager and Assistant to the Town Manager wanted her to be at the Market. lip because it might keep other vendors away as opposed to Q,howing customers that we are open for business. The Mayor commented that he too would like to see thit Market used more. We have a great facility and the Town has made an investment in the Market and he would like for us to at least try to work something out this year. A) the end of the trial period, we may find that we have t* make some adjustments. He did express concern about the idea of adding any more responsibility to Ms. Layman, but felt that staff could work that out, ITTIs. Layman commented that the current season is May through October and it has been extended into the first week of November if vendors had products available, She asked if we would be keeping the season the same or looking at a different season. ffir. Altice asked IT-1s. Layman if she has talked with the vendors to see what they wanted to do and she indicated she had talked with them. The Town Manager commented that we have annual meetings with our vendors, but we have not had a meeting on this specific topic. Ms. Layman also stated that at the end of the season she has one-on-one conversations with them at the Market. Mr. Adams commented that we are into the season now and he does not want to see it go until August to get it settled. If we are going to get someone at the Market, we need to proceed. Mr. Nance then added even if it is on a temporary basis to see how it will work. I 9 The Town Manager commented that we can put together a policy fairly quickly. There are some liability issues that we want to make sure about especially for an overnight vendor versus a regular Saturday vendor. Ms. Layman commented that she has some concerns about the security issue with people or animals having access to the products and the products being tampered with. She would strongly recommend that there be some consideration of some type of security. The Town Manager commented that there should be some type of coverage for the products and Ms, Layman stated that it needs to be attractive since we are in the process of making improvements to the Market Ms. Layman further stated that she goes to training for Farmers' Market regulations and guidelines and she does has been tampered with. The Town Manager further commented that the policy in 2002 was very traditional in stating that the Market was a local market type of driven product. It did not allow vendors to get peaches from Georgia and resell them at the Market, However, there is recognition at most all of the Markets, for instance, that peaches may not be in season in June in our area, but there may be a market for them during that time. There is some flexibility there, but all try to have some level of consumer confidence in marketing that the products sold are either Virginia based or within 100 rtiiles. Ms. Layman commented that the Salem Market permits 25% to be non -local. They still encourage within 100 miles and a lot of customers are requesting local grown products. Another way it is often handled is by signage on the vendors' spaces that indicate if the products are home grown or from another area. The Mayor closed by commenting that staff would prepare and bring back to Council a new set of guidelines. The Town Manager said those new guidelines would specifically address overnight accommodations, lease rates and liability and security issues. We will discuss the make sure we are getting comments from everyone. We realize that we could easily spend two months getting input, but Mr. Barton is ready to proceed tomorrow, This can be on a trial basis and we will probably have to make 2.djustments anyway based on the improvements we will be making to the Market and the stage in the upcoming months. The Town Manager then commented that we r*hould be able get the policy updated and back to Counc-Or *y our July 1" meeting. 9 Ms. Layman asked about the number of spaces that a vendor would be able to lease and would like to have the top four or five points that should be worked on. Mr. Nance said we need to encourage more vendors to be open for business more days of the week or longer hours. If the vendors think that keeping their products at the Market overnight would make them more successful, we need to figure out the best way to guarantee the products are as safe as possible while also realizing that the vendor needs to take most of the responsibility since they are the one leaving the products. We need to encourage them to have diverse products, but also not so much that one person runs all the other vendors away by taking up all of the space. That would depend on how much interest you have from other vendors. The Mayor commented that the policy needs to state what is expected of the vendors on the days that we have scheduled special events at the Market. Mr. Altice said we need to move on the matter as soon as we can if someone is interested now. Mr. Adams agreed if we can work something out now rather than waiting for another month of the selling season. The Town Manager further commented that Council's next meeting is in two weeks and something will be brought back then for Council to consider. Mr. Nance commented in closing that he feels Council is giving Mary Beth Layman and the Town Manager discretion to make temporary agreements with vendors until such time that Council can adopt a new policy. If staff is satisfied, they know Council's preferences and can bring the policy back in final form at a future meeting. The Mayor called the regular meeting to order at 7:00 Roll Call p.m. The Town Clerk called the roll with Council Member Adams, Council Member Altice, Vice Mayor Nance, and Mayor Grose present. Council Member Hare was absent. After a Moment of Silence, Mr. Altice led the Pledge of Allegiance toFlag. Under upcoming community events/announcements, Liz Lively from the Chamber expressed thanks to Council and to the Town for their support and involvement with the Wine Festival which was well -attended. The first Mingle in the Market for this year will be on June 14th'. She then gave Council each a t-shirt and other items that the Chamber are using to promote the "in Vinton" branding, R, Mary Beth Layman announced that the Vinton pool opens tomorrow, June 4th, for the season. She solicited help from Council and staff for July 16 th to help serve the meal. There are several more events at the Farmers' Market in June such as the Craft Show and another Shake, Bake and Sprout, Rockingham Mutual contacted her yesterday and they have furnished Market bags which she presented to Council. On May 19'h, Carilion donated $2,000 towards the SNAP Program which can be used for matching money and for staffing. The Mayor asked Ms. Layman to comment on th!4 donation of funds made to the Senior Center. Ms, Layman commented that the Roanoke County Jail provided seven inmates who painted the interior of the building over a weekend. The Town purchased the paint and Roanoke County was able to cover the costs for the Officer through a grant. The Big House Dancers that meet at the building twice a month donated $605 towards decorative painting f for the building. Tonya Weaver -Kirk did some faux painting, some color technics on the walls, stenciled designs on the curtains and up -cycled planter containers. We have some other recommendations from her that we ?re going to do through the summer. The Mayor announced that the next Council meeting, June 7 Ih , will be moved to the War Memorial. The business section of the meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. and then we will have a reception at 6:30 p.m. and presentations at 7:00 p.m. to honor Mr. Altice. 'Tice Mayor Nance made a motion that the consent Approved minutes of the regular agenda be approved as presented; the motion was Council meetings of May 6, 2014 seconded by Mr. Altice and carried by the following vote, and May 20, 2014 with all members voting: Vote 4-0-1; Yeas (4) — Adams, Altice, Nance, Grose; Nays (0) — None; Absent (1) - Hare. Under citizens' comments and petitions, Mr. Booth mentioned that today is Vice Mayor Nance's birthday and wished him a Happy Birthday. The next item on the agenda was to consider adoption of an Ordinance to revise Water and Wastewater Fees and Charges Schedule by an increase of 8.9 percent for FY2014-2015 and an increase of 8.9 percent for FY2015- 2016, pursuant to authority granted by Virginia Code §§ 152-2111, 15.2-2119 and 15.2-2122, according to the Vinton Town Code, Chapter 24, Utilities, Section 94-22 Fees and charges for water service and Section 94-74, Fees and charges for wastewater service. The Town Manager commented that through the Public Hearing and through Council input, the cover sheet included with the agenda package sets forth the items in 1*1 the budget that have been changed. He commented on the $9,000 increase for seasonal help for mowing. This item was inadvertently left out of the proposed budget. The budget is a balanced budget with the use of fund balance and the 8.9 percent increase of the water and wastewater rates. The next item for consideration was a Resolution setting the employer contribution rate for the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) for the Town effective July 1, 2014Barry Thompson commented that the Virginia Retirement System has asked us to certify our contribution rates for the 2015 and 2016 fiscal years. The rate reflects changes made to the funding policy by the Board of the VRS and the Group Life Insurance rates included in the Governor's budget. For retirement, the employer contribution rate will be 12.40%. Last year we chose an alternative rate which underfunded our contribution rate at 8.34% and this year, staff has recommended that we fully fund it. This rate does not include the five percent member contribution that is paid by the employees. The Group Life Insurance total contribution rate will be 1.32%, which is composed of a 0.79% employee share and a 0 0.53% employer share and is the same rate we have been paying for several years, Mr. Altice, made a motion to adopt the Resolution as presented; the motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Nance and carried by the following roll call vote, with all members voting: Vote 4-0-1; Yeas (4) — Adams, Altice, Nance, Grose; Nays (0) — None; Absent The Town Manager commented regarding the State budget and the fact that VML has asked all their member jurisdictions to respond to a couple of questions very similar to those that Mr. Hare asked staff to bring to the Finance Committee. We have a Finance Committee tentatively scheduled for June 23 rd . The specific question that VML has asked is what if the State budget is not approved, how long can our jurisdiction survive without receiving any dollars from the State, Vice Mayor Nance commented he is concerned that the budget that Council just passed is based upon assumptions of the State fulfilling its responsibilities and that any shortfalls are going to be passed along to the localities. This Council needs to be ready to pivot at a moment's notice when we hear from the State about how they are going to make up the shortfalls. He also again encouraged citizens to also reach out to Council through whatever medium is available to indicate what is important to them. The next item was to consider adoption of Resolution transferring funds within the General Fund in the amount of $15,178 to pay Roanoke County IT for a new VoIP phone system for the Municipal Building and Fire/EMS Building. 1** 1 1 MITO aft'll MT - tQ11=11M of the audit was that the Town received reimbursement from Verizon in an amount slightly over $20,000. About a year ago, the Town started looking for other telephone options to replace the current system in the Municipal Building and the Fire/EMS building, The current system has failed several times in the past six months and the parts for the system are no longer available. We contacted Roanoke County IT and two other providers for proposals to replace our system, Based on these proposals, we have chosen Roanoke County IT due to the excellent working relationship and service they provide for our current telephone system along with our other IT needs. Also, the costs for their system was less expensive than the other providers and we are already paying an access fee for their services and the new Adopted Resolution No. 20641 setting the employer contribution rate for the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) for the Town effective July 1, 2014 9 system would be an additional $240.00 per month for an estimated total of $550 per month for maintenance and technical support, Mr. Spitzer continued by referring Council to a pay -back schedule that was provided with the agenda package, This includes the fixed cost of the hardware installation. If i you remove that portion, which is $15,000 and pay that with the $20,000 we have, each month we will actually come out about $400 ahead in our telephone bill for both the Municipal Building and the Fire/EMS building. We are only able to upgrade these two facilities at this time because they are connected by Ethernet and are connected to the ring that goes back to Roanoke County. This system is hosted by Roanoke and in three other locations which will make the system still functional even in time of a natural disaster. This new phone system can also be taken to other locations in the County that have the same system and operate just like we were here in Town, Mr. Spitzer further commented that we will purchase our block of telephone numbers and they will remain the same. Vice Mayor Nance asked if this system has a phone tree or when someone calls will they get a real person. Mr. Spitzer responded that it will be the same as our phone system now and we can configure it any way that we want to. Mr. Nance next asked if that would include the Police Department as well and the response was yes. The Town Manager commented that he has talked with the Police Chief about the current phone set-up in his department. This new system will give us a lot of options that will help us address some of the concerns with our current system, Mr. Spitzer commented that when he first started talking with Roanoke County IT about the phone system, the costs was $28,000. Now the price is $15,000. In response to a question, the Town Manager commented that the funds to cover the phone system are a part of the Fund balance and we need to do a budget transfer. Adopted Resolution No. 2065 transferring funds within the Mr. Altice made a motion to adopt the Resolution as General Fund in the amount of presented; the motion was seconded by Mr. Adams, and $15,178 to pay Roanoke County carried by the following roll call vote, with all members IT for a new VolP phone system voting: Vote 4-0-1; Yeas (4) — Adams, Altice, Nance, for the Municipal Building and Grose; Nays (0) - None-, Absent (1) - Hare. Fire/EMS Building The Mayor commented that the regional VML dinners are coming up and wanted to know if everyone has checked their schedules. The available dates are June 11'h at Lexington, June 12 1h at Lynchburg and one in M Blacksburg. It was the consensus that they would attend the one on June 12 1h in Lynchburg and the Town Man, indicated he would coordinate. The Mayor commented again on the next Council meeting on June 17 1h and the recognition of Mr. Altice. He also reflected on the new and exciting projects that are starting in the Town and he feels that we will be able to handle any challenges that may come our way, He further commented that this Town Council has earned a reputation of getting along with each other. Not that we agree all of the time, but we have learned how to treat each other with respect and these days that seems to be noteworthy. We also have a great staff and Council respects them as well and appreciates them. He hopes that our citizens appreciate the staff and that they feel comfortable with approaching Council in meetings or other places and expressing their concerns, Comments from Council: Vice Mayor Nance commented that unfortunately a previous commitment will keep him from being at the next meeting on June 17th and since he will be unable to express his thanks to Mr. Altice for his years of service at that time, he would like to make his comments now. He began by expressing appreciation to Mr. Altice for his lifetime of service both to the community's public safety and on Town Council. That proud legacy is one he has passed on to others including his immediate family. Mr. Nance stated that it is easy to say that Mr. Altice has forgotten more about Vinton then he will ever know. However, the problem with that statement is that Mr. Altice never forgets anything. There have been many times that he or Mr, Hare has come up with an idea that they thought was unique and special and Mr. Altice would say we have already tried that and it did not work. not have the courage to say. He gets to the hea� of the matter and it has been an honor to learn from him and work beside him, Congratulations to Mr. Altice. Mr. Adams asked about the progress on the renovations to the Fire Department building. The Town Manager commented that the designers are evaluating the building very carefully. We have the right vision and the right plan for where everything needs to be. However, there has been some delay due to electrical, HVAC, plumbing, ADA and suppression hood codes that are being evaluated to make sure every item is correct. There are decisions that M1 need to be made regarding these issues to allow the renovations to meet the Code requirements, but also stay within the budget. Also, we have broken down the key components into smaller projects so we can get quotes rather than having to go through a lengthy sealed -bid process. Ifir. Adams next asked about meeting with the Lions Club ;,.gain regarding the park plan. The Town Manager responded that he still needs to coordinate a date. Mr. Adams further commented that these past two years have gone by so fast. It has been an honor to serve on this Council. He then commented that he will miss Mr. Altice sitting beside him, He has known him since he started with the First Aid Crew in 1972. The Mayor commented that he too appreciates all that Mr. Altice has done and he will reserve most of his comments for the next meetinq. He recalled serving with Mr. Altice on the Planning Commission and how valuable he was on that Commission. Mr. Adams made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the Meeting adjourned motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Nance and carried by the following vote, with all members voting: Vote Yeas (4) — Adams, Altice, Nance, Grose; Nays (0) — None, Absent (1) - Hare. The meeting was adjourned at 7:57 p.m. I FUAIWZr 110 Bradley E. Grose, Mayor A2,E STI�q X 3a Susan N. Johnson, Clerk is