HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/2/2026 - Regular
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MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE VINTON TOWN COUNCIL HELD AT 6:00
P.M. ON TUESDAY JUNE 2, 2026, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE VINTON
MUNICIPAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 311 SOUTH POLLARD STREET, VINTON, VIRGINIA
MEMBERS PRESENT: Bradley E. Grose, Mayor
Laurie J. Mullins, Vice Mayor
Keith N. Liles
Michael W. Stovall
MEMBERS ABSENT: Sabrina M. McCarty
STAFF PRESENT: Richard Peters, Town Manager
Cody Sexton, Deputy Town Manager
Megan Lawless, Town Clerk
Jeremy Carroll, Town Attorney
Tiffany Stewart, Interim Director of Finance
Kimberley Ramsey, Interim Town Treasurer
Fabricio Drumond, Chief of Police
Tim Lawless, Deputy Chief of Police
Jill Acker, Director of Public Works Administration
Mandy Adkins, Director of Cultural Placemaking and Events
Mayor Grose called the meeting to order at 6:00
p.m. The Town Clerk called the roll with Council
Member Liles, Council Member Stovall, Vice Mayor
Mullins, and Mayor Grose present.
Roll call
After a Moment of Silence, Mr. Jeff Ramsey with
Vinton Moose Lodge led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Under Upcoming Community Events/
Announcements, and Council Activities, Vice
Mayor Mullins announced the following events:
June 13 – Mingle in the Market with That 80’s Show
at the Vinton Farmers’ Market; June 19 – Town
Offices will be closed in observance of Juneteenth.
Vice Mayor Mullins announced the following
Council activities: May 22 – Council Member
Stovall and Council Member McCarty attended the
Public Works Appreciation Luncheon; May 27 –
Mayor Grose attended the Ribbon Cutting
ceremony at Floyd Ward Dance Studio, Vice Mayor
Mullins and Council Member McCarty attended the
Public Works Committee meeting; May 28 – Mayor
Grose attended the Roanoke Valley Alleghany
Regional Commission Board meeting, and Council
Member Stovall attended the TPO meeting and
VML Board meeting; May 29 – Mayor Grose
attended the Ribbon Cutting ceremony at
Presbyterian Community Center.
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Requests to postpone, add to or change the
order of agenda items, a request was made to
change the order under Awards, Introductions,
Presentations, and Proclamations. The
introduction of the new director of finance and
introduction of the new police officer were swapped
in order.
Council Member Stovall made a motion to
approve the Consent Agenda as presented; the
motion was seconded by Council Member Liles
and carried by the following vote, with all members
voting: Vote 4-0-1; Yeas (4) - Liles, Stovall, Mullins,
Grose; Nays (0) – None; Absent (1) – McCarty.
Approved minutes of the Regular Meeting of May
19, 2026.
Under Awards, Introductions, Presentations,
Mrs. Acker announced that the Public Works
Department sold the old street signs at the
Dogwood Festival for $10.00 each with proceeds
to be donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of
Southwest Virginia. A check in the amount of
$3,057 was accepted by Ms. Rebekah Meadows,
CEO.
Under Awards, Introductions, Presentations
Chief Drumond introduced Mr. Jason Sawicki as a
new police officer with Vinton Police Department.
Officer Sawicki joins the Town from Carilion Police
Department.
Under Awards, Introductions, Presentations
Mr. Sexton introduced Mrs. Stewart as the new
Director of Finance effective June 8, 2026.
Under Appointments to Boards, Commissions
and Committees, Mr. Sexton asked Council to
consider a Resolution adopting Mrs. Ramsey as
the new Town Treasurer effective June 8, 2026.
Council Member Stovall made a motion to
appoint Ms. Ramsey as the Town Treasurer; the
motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Mullins and
carried by the following vote, with all members
voting: Vote 4-0-1; Yeas (4) - Liles, Stovall, Mullins,
Grose; Nays (0) – None; Absent (1) – McCarty.
Under Appointments to Boards, Commissions
and Committees, Mrs. Lawless asked Council to
consider a motion to approve nominations for the
2026 VML Policy Committees.
CED:
Council Member Liles
Approved Resolution No. 2678 appointing the
Town Treasurer.
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Jill Loope
Finance:
Mayor Grose
Cody Sexton
General Laws:
Vice Mayor Mullins
Megan Lawless
HD&E:
Council Member McCarty
Donna Collins
Infrastructure:
Council Member Stovall
Richard Peters
Council Member Liles made a motion to
approve the nominees as presented for the 2026
VML Policy Committees; the motion was seconded
by Vice Mayor Mullins and carried by the following
vote, with all members voting: Vote 4-0-1; Yeas (4)
- Liles, Stovall, Mullins, Grose; Nays (0) – None;
Absent (1) – McCarty.
Under Citizens’ Comments and Petitions, no
comments were offered.
Under Briefings, no briefings were offered.
Under Items Requiring Action, Mr. Peters asked
Council to consider an Ordinance approving the
Town of Vinton’s budget for the fiscal year
beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.
This year’s budget represents a balanced
budget with a cautiously optimistic outlook.
The proposed FY27 Budget for the General
Fund totals $15,404,943, which represents an
increase of 13.63% or $1,847,762 over the
previous fiscal year. The proposed FY27
Budget for all funds totals $17,203,943, which
represents an increase of 22.35%. This overall
increase for all funds is primarily due to the
large transfer of funds from the General Fund
to the Capital Fund for one-time projects.
Vice Mayor Mullins made a motion to adopt an
Ordinance approving the Town of Vinton’s budget
for fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026 and ending
on June 30, 2027; the motion was seconded by
Approved nominations for the 2026 VML Policy
Committees.
Adopted Ordinance No.1075 adopting the FY27
budget.
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Council Member Liles and carried by the following
vote, with all members voting: Vote 4-0-1; Yeas (4)
- Liles, Stovall, Mullins, Grose; Nays (0) – None;
Absent (1) – McCarty.
Under Items Requiring Action, Mrs. Collins
asked Council to consider a Resolution authorizing
the renewal of the Town of Vinton’s employees’
group health insurance coverage with the Local
Choice Program.
The Key Advantage 500 Plan and the Key
Advantage 1000 will continue to be offered. The
Key Advantage 1000 Plan is free for employees.
The Town did receive an increase of 7% for
FY2026-2027. This increase will not be passed
onto the employee.
Council Member Stovall complimented the Town’s
ability to absorb the cost increase.
Council Member Stovall made a motion to adopt
a Resolution authorizing the renewal of the Town
of Vinton’s employees’ group health insurance
coverage with The Local Choice Program for the
contract year of July 1, 2026, June 30, 2027; the
motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Mullins and
carried by the following vote, with all members
voting: Vote 4-0-1; Yeas (4) - Liles, Stovall, Mullins,
Grose; Nays (0) – None; Absent (1) – McCarty.
Under Items Requiring Action, Mrs. Adkins
asked Council to consider a Resolution authorizing
the Town Manager to update the Collaboration
Agreement with the Vinton Area Chamber of
Commerce.
In the current agreement, the Vinton Area
Chamber of Commerce is allowed to rent the
Vinton War Memorial at 50% of the rental rate for
events such as the Annual Senior Expo and Annual
meeting. Since the Vinton War Memorial has been
closed for renovations, the Chamber has found a
new venue to host these two events.
The updated collaboration agreement will remove
these two events as events that are hosted in a
Town facility.
The next update is regarding the Christmas
Parade. The Town and Chamber will jointly market
and host the Christmas Parade with the Town
serving as the lead event organizer maintaining all
Adopted Resolution No.2675 authorizing the
renewal of the Town of Vinton’s employees’
group health insurance coverage with The Local
Choice Program for the contract year of July 1,
2026, June 30, 2027.
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decision authority of the event and parade
registrations. Also, all volunteers will be required to
attend mandatory training two days in advance of
the parade.
Council Member Stovall made a motion to
adopt a Resolution authorizing the Town Manager
to update the Collaboration Agreement with the
Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce; the motion
was seconded by Council Member Liles and
carried by the following vote, with all members
voting: Vote 4-0-1; Yeas (4) - Liles, Stovall, Mullins,
Grose; Nays (0) – None; Absent (1) – McCarty.
Under Items Requiring Action, Mrs. Adkins
requested Council to consider the adoption of a
Resolution authorizing the Town Manager to
update the Collaboration Agreement with the
Vinton Historical Society to operate the Vinton
History Museum.
The original agreement had that the Town would
provide a part-time employee for up to 600 hours
per year. The hours are increasing to 750 to
accommodate the holiday pay that is offered to
regular part-time employees and required training
throughout the year.
Council Member Liles made a motion to adopt
a Resolution authorizing the Town Manager to
update the Collaboration Agreement with the
Vinton Historical Society to operate the Vinton
History Museum; the motion was seconded by Vice
Mayor Mullins and carried by the following vote,
with all members voting: Vote 4-0-1; Yeas (4) -
Liles, Stovall, Mullins, Grose; Nays (0) – None;
Absent (1) – McCarty.
Under Public Hearing, there were no public
hearings.
Under Reports from Committee, Mrs. Acker
provided a briefing on the items that were
discussed at the Public Works Committee meeting
on May 27, 2026.
Farmers’ Market Compactor project has been put
on hold until after the start of the new budget year.
The Public Works fuel tanks have been removed
but soil samples indicated a fuel leak. DEQ has
requested soil boring and monitoring of the well.
Adopted Resolution No. 2676 authorizing the
Town Manager to update the Collaboration
Agreement with the Vinton Area Chamber of
Commerce.
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Results from the samples are expected in the next
few weeks.
The turf for the disc golf course will arrive sometime
in June. All but one basket has been hung. This
project will be completed in the next few weeks.
3rd Street road repair has been delayed due to
other projects moving forward in the FY27 budget.
Paving is complete along E. Virginia Avenue and
Hardy Road. Striping will begin on June 7.
The FY2026-2027 paving budget is still in
discussion; however, the Town is looking at the
Dillon Woods neighborhood and Washington
Avenue.
Notice of Award has been issued for the Pollard
Street and Cedar Avenue storm drain repair. The
project will begin soon.
The Town has four detention ponds that have been
out of compliance; however, the Public Works
Department has been working to restore
compliance. A remote-controlled mower was
purchased to help with cleanup. Thus far, two
ponds are back in compliance.
The Gus Nicks / Gish Mill Waterline Improvement
Project is underway.
The Public Works Department is working to move
the Truck Route signs from 3rd Street and 4th Street
to 2nd Street only.
Rumble strips have been installed at the new
crosswalks at Lee Street, Walnut Avenue and W.
Jackson Avenue. Other locations are being
evaluated for rumble strips.
The Town has a list of road repairs to include S.
Maple Street, Vinyard Road near Bojangles and
Auto Zone, Ruddell Road near Lynn Haven Circle,
1st Street and Cleveland Avenue.
A driveway apron is currently being installed at
1125 Mountain View Road to help with run off from
the driveway.
A homeless camp was discovered near the railroad
tracks on the backside of the old Vinton Landfill up
above 3rd Street. The Town is working with a
contractor to have a road cut for access to the
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camp. A clean-up company will be hired to remove
the tents and other materials.
The PFG signal has a bad loop in the left turn lane
on W. Virginia Avenue. The lights have been
bagged while the Town waits on quotes for a new
system.
Last, The Town is waiting on Roanoke County to
finalize and abandon the lease at Gearhart Park.
Once the lease is abandoned, the Town will take
over maintenance of the property.
There were no questions.
Council shared comments on the thoroughness of
the briefing, the remote-controlled mower, the truck
route signs, and the rumble strips.
Mr. Peters acknowledged Mrs. Acker for her efforts
in managing these projects.
No additional comments were offered.
Under Town Attorney, no comments were
offered.
Under Town Manager’s Projects Updates, Mr.
Peters shared that all activities have been covered
and that he had no additional information to share.
Under Council and Mayor Comments, All
members of Council congratulated Mrs. Stewart
and Mrs. Ramsey’s for their promotions.
Council Member Liles commented on the positive
feedback he has received on the disc golf course.
Mr. Peters shared that the course has been shared
on a disc golf app that allows players to see what
courses are available and it allows score keeping.
Vice Mayor Mullins reminded everyone about the
Land and Liberty play that is scheduled for June
12-14.
Council Member Stovall shared that he is looking
forward to going to Mingle in the Market and
summertime.
Mayor Grose complimented the current
procedures of the staff. He believes the committee
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system is efficient and works well. He then shared
appreciation to all the staff for the work they do.
Mayor Grose asked if there was anything else to
come before Council.
Mr. Gary Correll, resident of the Town of Vinton,
spoke about the home he has lived in since 1976.
A ditch was built from his property up to the road
by his neighbor. Due to a stream that used to run
through there, Mr. Correll piped 120 feet on his
property; however every time it rains, he is afraid
his house is going to flood. Mr. Correll is asking the
Town to assist with the cleanout and stormwater
control.
There were no additional comments or questions.
Vice Mayor Mullins made a motion to adjourn
the meeting; the motion was seconded by Council
Member Liles and carried by the following vote 4-
0-1; Yeas (4) – Liles, Stovall, Mullins, Grose; Nays
(0) – None; Absent (1) – McCarty.
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Megan K. Lawless, Town Clerk
Meeting Adjourned at 7:03 p.m.
APPROVED:
_______________________________
Bradley E. Grose, Mayor