May 8, 2018
MINUTES OF THE BROOKNEAL TOWN COUNCIL
7:00 PM – The regular meeting of the Brookneal Town Council
The municipal government of the Town of Brookneal met with the following members present:
James Nowlin, Vice Mayor
Robert Jean, Mark Wilkes, Richard Adams, and Joseph B. David, Jr., Council Members
Clif Mason, Police Officer
Russell Thurston, Town Manager
Mike Crews, Public Works Director
Bobbie Waller, Clerk/Treasurer
Absent: Phyllis Campbell, Mayor and Barbara Laprade, Council Member
PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET
Vice Mayor Nowlin opened the public hearing for the general fund budget at 7:02 p.m. No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the general fund budget; therefore, Vice Mayor Nowlin closed the public hearing at 7:03 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE WATER FUND BUDGET
Vice Mayor Nowlin opened the public hearing for the water fund budget at 7:03 p.m. No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the water fund budget; therefore, Vice Mayor Nowlin closed the public hearing at 7:04 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE SEWER FUND BUDGET
Vice Mayor Nowlin opened the public hearing for the sewer fund budget at 7:04 p.m. No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the sewer fund budget; therefore, Vice Mayor Nowlin closed the public hearing at 7:05 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT FOR THE STAUNTON RIVER LAGOON
Vice Mayor Nowlin opened the public hearing at 7:05 p.m. for the re-issuing of the environmental permit for the Staunton River Lagoon. Public Works Director Mike Crews said that the permit is renewed every 5 years for each lagoon, and a public hearing is required to renew the permits. He noted that he received information that the EPA is requiring some testing for PCBs in the next budget year. He said they told him $10,000 would need to be put in the budget for PCB testing. No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the environmental permit for Staunton River Lagoon; therefore, Vice Mayor Nowlin closed the public hearing at 7:09 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT FOR THE FALLING RIVER LAGOON
Vice Mayor Nowlin opened the public hearing at 7:09 for the re-issuing of the environmental permit for the Falling River Lagoon. No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the environmental permit for the Falling River Lagoon; therefore, Vice Mayor Nowlin closed the public hearing at 7:10 p.m.
INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Upon motion by Robert Jean, seconded by Richard Adams, and unanimously carried, Council approved the agenda for the May 8, 2018, regular meeting of the Brookneal Town Council.
MINUTES
Upon motion by Mark Wilkes, seconded by Joseph David and unanimously carried, Council approved the minutes for the April 10, 2018 Town Council meeting.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Vice Mayor Nowlin asked that the May 2018 treasurer’s report be filed for audit.
PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF INVOICES
Be it resolved that motion was made by Mark Wilkes, seconded by Robert Jean and unanimously carried, authorizing the payment of the invoices for the period of April 11, 2018 to May 8, 2018, in the amount of $14,391.17.
COMMUNITY BUILDING REQUEST
Mark Wilkes, speaking on behalf of the Campbell County Recreation Department, told the Council that the Recreation Department would like to use the community building for a dance class July 5 through August 23, 2018 since the Brookneal Elementary School cannot be used during the summer months due to cleaning. He said that this would be tap dancing, break dancing, ballet dancing, etc.; he noted it would be on Thursdays from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. They currently have 23 kids signed up for this class for this area. Council members were concerned about tap dancing being done on the newly refinished community building auditorium floors. Upon motion by Richard Adams, seconded by Joseph David, and unanimously carried, the Council voted to allow the Campbell County Recreation Department to use the community building for a dance class July 5 through August 23, 2018 with the stipulation that no metal taps should be on shoes during the classes so as not to damage the hardwood floors in the auditorium.
POLICE REPORT
Police Officer Clif Mason presented the police report for April 2018. He said of the 53 calls for service, 50 were answered by the Brookneal Police Department. Councilperson Jean asked about the state police raiding a home in Brookneal; Officer Mason said that it was Campbell County not state police that raided the home. Vice Mayor Nowlin said that the house was on his street and arrests were made. Officer Mason said that an epidemic of meth and heroine has taken over in the area. He said addicts are stealing and breaking into get anything they can get to make easy money.
PUBLIC WORKS REPORT
Mike Crews, Public Works Director, said that he has done some shifting around of employees, and he is going to hire for a part time person in the public works department. He said this position would not offer any benefits. He said the water plant is going back to their original rotation of so many days on and so many days off. He reminded the Council that Day in the Town will be May 19.
TOWN MANAGER REPORT
Town Manager Russell Thurston recognized the 21st Century Ruritan Club for planting flowers, cleaning up, and mulching at the Community building. Mr. Thurston showed the Council the new banners that were purchased to display on the flagpoles in Town. He said they would hopefully be up by Day in the Town. He said that he and Police Chief Baldwin have worked on a number of seasonal complaints concerning grass, buildings, and dogs. He said that the TTHMs (total trihalomethanes) problem is greatly improving, and the operators at the water plant have greatly improved the number of TTHMs coming out of the water plant. He said that he has been contacted by an architectural engineering and design firm, and they were checking zoning on a property beside CVS. He said they told him they have a party that is interested in that property, and it is something related to the health care industry; he said the zoning was right for what they wanted to do. He said that they were sending 2 architectural design engineers to Brookneal look at the building and see what needs to be done to fit the building for their brand. Mr. Thurston also said that from information he has received, the River Ridge Apartments have been sold. He said he was contacted by the buyer, and they plan to put an investment into those apartments to refurbish and renovate those apartments.
REQUEST FOR TRANSFERS OF APPROPRIATION
Upon motion by Joseph David, seconded by Mark Wilkes, and unanimously carried, the Council voted to approve the following transfers of appropriation.
REQUEST FOR TRANSFERS OF APPROPRIATION
ITEMS FROM TOWN COUNCIL
There were no items from Town Council.
ADJOURNMENT
Upon motion by Robert Jean, seconded by Richard Adams, and unanimously carried, Vice Mayor Nowlin announced that May 8, 2018 Council meeting was adjourned.
