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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/21/2017 - Regular MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF VINTON TOWN COUNCIL HELD AT 7.'00 P.M. ON T FS } Y, NOVEMBER 21, 2017, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE VINTON MUNICIPAL. BUILDING LOCATED AT 311 SOUTH POLLARD STREET; VINTON, VI G Ill IA MEMBERS PRESENT: Bradley E. Grose, Mayor Matthew S. Hare, Vice Mayor Keith N. Liles Sabrina McCarty Janet Scheid STAFF PRESENT: Berry W. Thompson;Town Manager Susan N. Johnson, Executive Assistant/Town{clerk Theresa Fontana, Town Attorney Pete Peters, Assistant Town Manager Anne Cantrell, Treasurer/Finance Director Tom Faster, Police Chief Anita McMillan, Planning &Zoning Director Joey Hiner, Public Works Director William Herndon, Assistant Public Works Director The Mayor called the regular meeting to carder at 7:00 p.m. The Town Clerk called the roll with Council Member Liles, Council Member McCarty, (council Member Scheid, Vice Mayer Hare and Mayor Grose present. Roll call After a Moment at Spence; Council Member Scheid led the Pledge of Allegiance to the U. , Flag:. Under upcoming community events, Council Member McCarty announced the following events: November 25-9-00 am to 1 Noon-Blood Drive sponsored by the Reindeer Club of William Byrd High School-Vinton Branch Library. There are Vinton throw blankets for sale for $45 which can be purchased from the Vinton Historical Society or the Town Manager's Office, This is an early-bird special through December 20th. The next big event is the Christmas Parade on November 30th at7:gg pm. Vie Mayor Hare made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented; the motion was seconded by Council Member Scheid and carried by the following Grote, with all members voting: Vote - Yeas ( — Liles, McCarty, Scheid, Hare, Grose; Approved minutes of the Regular Nays g)--None, Council meeting of October 17, 2017 The next item on the agendai was a report on the efforts of the Police Department. Chief Foster' reported that in comparison of October 2016 with October 2017, there has been a 3% increase In calls for service, traffic summons are up 4 from 148 to 208; drug arrests are up 53°I from 15 to 23 and overall criminal arrests are up 8% from 55 to 66:. Also, the DUI arrests are up 85% over the total for the year in 2016. Chief Foster read his Memo recognizing Officer Danny Cox as Officer of the Month for September. Officer Cox was present at the meeting and congratulated by Council. The next item on the agenda was a report can the Vinton Volunteer First Aid Crew for October 2917 In the absence of Chief Guffey, Assistant Chief Chris Sayre gave the report. The Volunteer True hours was 480 of 480 possible hours for 1 C 0%; a unit was in service 100% of the volunteer time; 239 total calls with 122 being handled by the volunteers; medic true was marked tip % and a BLS Unit for 5%. They responded to 106 out of 122 calls during volunteer hours at 87% and handled 104 of those calls. The Tractile Response time was 9.11 with 1,870 hours for the month. There were 135 total transports with 81 by career staff and 54 by the volunteers: They currently have 49 members: Vice Mayor Dare asked why the numbers on the BLS calls have been chopping. Assistant Chief Sayre responded that ALS is the level of the true, which is higher than BLS. They want an ALS-truck in service more because it can handle all of the calf dispatched and they have been able to got more medics to run during the weeks for those shifts. The next item on the agenda was the report on the Minton Volunteer Fire Department for October 2017. Chief Oakes reported that for the month they staffed the truck for 172 man hours and had one ladder call for an accidental activated commercial fire alarm.. He expressed appreciation Council for meeting with the volunteers last week to discuss recruitment for the department. Jennifer Sexton with Roanoke County has a banner ready for there to place on the building and he wants to get measurements to place banners at the three entrances to the Town, With regard to the fire calls, he will get with Chief Linkous to see if he can run the call reports for him to have the first of the year; The Town Manager commented that he contacted RVTV and will be moving forward with some 30 second PSAs with both the Volunteer Fire Department and the First Aid Crew as well as working on a longer program for both departments: He also met with Chief Simon with Roanoke County and he is willing to visit the Jefferson College of Health Sciences with him. The Town Manager made comments can behalf of Denny Fuller with the Vinton Old School Cruise-in expressing appreciation to the Mayor and Chief Foster for their support and assistance with the Cruise-ins and presented them each with a t-shirt. Under citizens' comments and petitions, Melinda Reams of North Blair Street, Vinton, expressed concerns about tractor trailers and other large vehicles being routed by their CPS onto Ruddell Road and causing accidents at the intersection. There is no signage to warn tacks. Chief Foster commented that he had met with the Officer who worked the accident that occurred there yesterday with a commercial vehicle:: He plans to meet with Joey Hiner, Public Works [director, to discuss some signage using the verbiage that VIT is using that states "blot recommended for CPS Pouting" and possibly "No Through Trucks" as well. We will also have to contact the City of Roanoke because the Town limits and the City line meet at that intersection. Vice Mayor Hare commented that t PS.gov is a website where you can report these dangerous routes. The next item on the agenda was a briefing on the planning process for the amendments to the Zoning & Subdivision Ordinances. Anita McMillan first commented that the Planning Commission has been given this presentation and then she gave her Power Point presentation.. A copy of the presentation is on file in the Town Clerk's Office and will be made a part of the permanent record.) Council Member Scheid 'commented that Airbn 's needs to be on the list of topics and Ms. McMillan responded that they are on the list. Council Member Scheid also commented that sidewalks will be important as well as getting builders to do connections to the greenways and bikeways: A stakeholder that we may want to include on the committees is the Roanoke Valley home Builders Association. GIs. McMillan further commented that the U A Consultant would like to have a kick-off meeting in early December and she hopes to have that meeting before Christmas break. The Mayor commented that as Ms. McMillan had indicated in her presentation the issue of regulations of auxiliary buildings would also be an important topic. Melinda Reams from the audience asked about regulations concerning telecommunication towers. Ms. McMillan responded that those towers are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission and the Town has to go by those regulations. The next item n the agenda to consider adoption of a Resolution appropriating $11 ,340.12 grant received from the department of Motor Vehicles, $79,560.00 in federal fonds and the Town' required $ 9,780.00 in-kind match, for the participation in the DUI Task Force Grant, Chief Foster commented that this is a multi jurisdictional Task Farce that the Town became a part of in March of 2017. It has been very successful and pays 100% of the officer's salary, benefits, uniform equipment, vehicle and vehicle equipment for up to five years. Anne Cantrell commented that the thirst whereas in the Resolution should react "2017-2018" instead of "2018- 01 g,,T, Adopted Resolution No. 2224, as revised, appropriating $119,34 .12 Council Member Liles made a notion to adopt the grant received from the Department of Resolution as revised; the motion was seconded by Motor Vehicles; $79,560.00 in federal Council Member McCarty and carried by the funds and the Town's required following roll call vote, with all members voting: Vote $39,780 00 in-kind match, for the 5-0; Yeas (5) — Liles, McCarty, Scheid; Hare, Grose; participation in the DUI Task Force Nays (0)--None. grant The next item on the agenda was to consider adoption of a Resolution appropriating $24„750.00 grant received from the Department of Motor Vehicles, $2 ,750.00 in Federal fonds and the Town's required in-kind match of $8,250.00 for Overtime Selective Enforcement, training, and equipment. Chief Foster commented that in 2016 the Department received approximately $8,000 and he was very pleased to have received the larger amount this year; These funds will pay the officers for their off duty time to engage in pear DUI enforcement hours. In response to a question about the in-kind match; Chief Foster commented that this will come out of the Department's budget for fuel and maintenance and repair: Adopted Resolution No. 2225 appropriating $24,75U0 grant Council Member Scheid made a motion to adapt the received from the Department of Resolution as presented; the motion was seconded Motor Vehicles, $24,750.00 in Federal by Vice Mayer Hare and carried by the following roll funds and the Town's required in-kind call vote, with all members voting: dote 5-0; Yeas match of $8,250.00 for Overtime (a)—Liles, McCarty, Scheid, Hare, Grose; Nays (0)— Selective Enforcement, training; and None. equipment 4 The next item on the agenda was to consider a motion to postpone action on the Town's proposed elimination of certain Valley Metro bus steps within the Town's limits. At the November 7 ' meeting, Council conducted a Public Tearing on this matter and that agenda provided for action to be taken at the November 21't meeting. Attu receiving the public comments, staff contacted Vallee Metro regarding some alternative routes. Some additional information was received and discussed with the Finance Committee at their meeting tonight prior to the Council meeting. However, the Committee did not have sufficient time to thoroughly review this information. The GRTC Board approved the FIXED rate increase from $1.59 to $1.75 yesterday, but they diet not approve limiting the STAR unlimited pass. 11e are also still examining the impact of their action on the Town. Staff is requesting Council to consider a motion to postpone any action tonight to give more time to look at alternatives: Council Member Scheid made a motion to postpone action on the Town's proposed elimination of certain Malley Metro bus stops within the Town's limits indefinitely; the motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Approved postponing action on the Hare and carried by the fallowing roll call vote, with Town's proposed elimination of all members voting; Vote - Yeas (5) Liles, certain Valley Metre bus steps within McCarty, Scheid, blare, Grose; flays (0)—None. the Town's limits indefinitely The next item on the agenda was to consider adoption of a Resolution in support of the federal Historic Tax Credit program. The Town Manager made brief comments on the purpose of the Resolution. Council Member Liles made a motion to adopt the Resolution as presented; the motion has seconded by Council Member McCarty;. Council Member Scheid commented on the importance of the program not only to the Town because the buildings that have used these tax credits have not only been returned to productive reuse and taxable status, but they are encouraging the development and redevelopment of other properties in Town,. Are article in the newspaper today indicated you get $1.25 back for every $1.09 you spend with this program. The Mayor commented on the language in the Resolution that states there is a 99% success rate on projects that use the program. Vice Mayor Hare commented that he is encouraged that all of our local Representatives as well as the Senators are opposed to removing it. a The motion was carried by the following roll call vote, Approved Resolution No. 2225 in with all members voting: Vote 5-0; Yeas (5) Liles, support of the federal Historic Tax McCarty, Scheid, Hare, Grose; flays t j hone. Credit program The Town Manager expressed to Council and all of the Town's employees a Happy Thanksgiving. Under reports from Council Committees, Chief Foster reported from the Public Safety Committee. The Committee met on November 6th and the primary topic was a presentation from Sill Hunter with Roanoke County regarding a proposal for replacing the Motorola XTS/XTO radio system. Motorola will no longer be supporting the software that operates the current system which is approximately 20 years old and will be phased out at the end of 2019. joint agreement was reached with Motorola to purchase approximately 2,000 radios for the Roanoke Malley for both portable and mobile radio systems for public safety in the Town, Roanoke County and the Cities of Roanoke and Salem. The Town's share is 28 portable radios and 25 mobile radios with are estimated cost of $1 :3,000. This amount also includes $10,000 for software and warranty casts which is basest on our percentage of the overall number of radios purchased. Without this cooperative arrangement, we would be looking at a one-time cost of $250,000. The radio system to be purchased will be operational according to Motorola and our experts with Roanoke County communications for a period of about 20 years. The old radios will still function for many years to come even though they may not be supported on the true valley.-wide network. The localities have suggested that we continue to utilize these radios for purposes such as public works. Other topics discussed were an adjustment that has been made to traffic flow during special events in the Downtown area so as not to black Jackson Street and prevent truck Fire/EMS responses. Chief Cuffey reported that he is looking for a grant to purchase an ATV for utilization on the Greenway system as it expands to be able to respond to EMS calls. deputy Chief I_inkous reported that the fire truck grant is ready once the submission period is open. The Mayor commented can the success of the State of the Town. He expressed appreciation to the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation for the award they presented for the Roland E. Cook Loft Apartments and the recent meeting with the Volunteer Fire Department. The Mayor wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Comments from Council: Council Member Liles commented on the success of the last Mingle. Council Member Scher asked when the signs would be removed from the galley Metro bus stops and the Town Manager responded they would be taken care o . All members of Council wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Chief Foster gave a quote from Franklin Delano Roosevelt, "In the final months of this year, now almost spent, we find our Republic and the Nations joining u waging a battle on many fronts for the preservation of liberty. In giving thanks for the greatest harvest in the history of our Nation we who plant and reap can well resolve that in the year to come we will do all that is in our power to pass that milestone; for by our labors in the fiefs we can share some part of the sacrifice with our brothers and sans who wear the uniform of the United States. Under appointments to Boards/Commissions/ Committees; Anita McMillan commented that this Committee will work on the zoning and subdivision amendments pertaining to the UCLA areas as well as the design guidelines. Council Member McCarty nominated Council Member files and Council Member Scheid to the Urban Development Areas (UCLA) Planning Grant Steering Committee. The nomination was seconded by Vice Mayor Hare and carried by the Appointed Council Member Liles and following vote; with all members voting:. Vote - ; Council Member Scheid to the Urban Yeas )— Liles, McCarty, Scheid, blare, Grose; Nays Development Areas UDA) Planning (0)—Norte, grant Steering Committee, Vice Mayor Hare made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by Council Member Scheid carried by the following vote, with all members voting: Vote 5-0 Yeas o) Liles, McCarty; Scheid, Hare, Grose; Nays 0) — None. The meeting was adjourned at 8:36 p.m. Meeting adjourned APPROVED: Bradley F. Grose,Mayor EST; ` %f yu Susan N. Johnson C C,Town Clerk 7