October 14, 2014

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:

Phyllis Campbell, Mayor

James Nowlin, Vice Mayor

Richard Adams, Robert Jean, Mark Wilkes, Barbara Laprade, and Joseph B. David, Jr., Council Members 

Russell Thurston, Town Manager

Bobbie Waller, Clerk/Treasurer

Mike Crews, Public Works Director

Richard Baldwin, Chief of Police

INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Upon motion by Robert Jean, seconded by Joseph B. David, Jr., and unanimously carried, Council approved the agenda for the October 14,  2014, regular meeting of the Brookneal Town Council with the following addition:  1)  Motion for public hearing on an ordinance concerning methamphetamine lab cleanup and an ordinance on liter control

MINUTES

Upon motion by Joseph B. David, Jr., seconded by Barbara Laprade, and unanimously carried, Council approved the September 9, 2014, Town Council meeting minutes. 

TREASURER’S REPORT

Mayor Campbell then asked that the October 2014 treasurer’s report be filed for audit. 

PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF INVOICES

Be it resolved that motion was made by James Nowlin, seconded by Mark Wilkes,  and unanimously carried, authorizing the payment of the invoices for the period of September 10, 2014 to October 14, 2014, in the amount of $23,601.73.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Jessica Crews, former employee of the CVAAA (Central Virginia Area Agency on Aging), appeared before Council concerning the seniors program.  She said that she understood that CVAAA did not pay to rent the building, and that participants are not happy with the program and not being able to pray or sing their hymns due to government restrictions.  She said that she has opened a non-profit organization that is for faith based memory care (she said that it is being approved currently as a non-profit).  She said that she submitted a proposal for it to be therapeutic activities for dementia patients.  She said that she wanted to know how much it would cost to rent that building possibly for her program.  Mayor Campbell said that to her knowledge, prior to Jessica, they had been doing those activities, but Jessica said that those activities had been cut out for a long time now.  Mayor Campbell said that even though the Town does not have a signed contract with CVAAA, the Town is committed to them.  Mayor Campbell referred this issue to the physical development committee.  Town Manager Russell Thurston noted that there were some discussions about the heating because the Town was 80% over its heating budget for that facility for last budget year (which he noted is thousands of dollars).  He said that the money is just not there, and the temperature of that facility may not be what the participants want.  Mayor Campbell said that the physical development committee will meet with CVAAA and get back with Jessica at a future date. 

Howard Wells, of Booker Road, addressed the Council about communications problems he has with Mike Crews.  He said he wants to be able to do things on his property, and there are communication problems about those things. 

POLICE REPORT

Chief Richard Baldwin presented the police report for September 2014.  He said of the 67 calls for service in September, 56 were answered by the Brookneal Police Department.     

PUBLIC WORKS REPORT

Public Works Director Mike Crews said that fall clean-up will be the weeks of October 20 and October 27.  He said that the issue from last Council meeting with the fire hydrants has been addressed. 

MOTION FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE CONCERNING METHAMPHETAMINE LAB CLEANUP AND AN ORDINANCE ON LITER CONTROL

Upon motion by Richard Adams, seconded by Joseph B. David, Jr., and unanimously carried, the Council voted to advertise for a public hearing prior to the November 2014 Town Council meeting for the purpose of enacting the proposed ordinances to address the cleanup of methamphetamine labs as well as littering in the Town limits.  A verbal vote was taken as follows:

Ms. Laprade    Aye

Mr. Jean          Aye

Mr. Adams       Aye

Vice Mayor Nowlin      Aye

Mr. David                     Aye

Mr. Wilkes                    Aye

Mayor Campbell           Aye

TOWN MANAGER REPORT

Town Manager Russell Thurston told the Council that the Partner Appreciation Lunch held on October 1, 2014 was a success.  Mr. Thurston said that he had a good response to the school surveys that went out in September.  Mr. J. D. Puckett noted that there is a very important meeting to be held about the schools on October 21, 2014 at 1 p.m. in the agriculture meeting room in Rustburg.  He encouraged everyone to attend.

Mr. Thurston noted that the ramp at the community building is scheduled to be constructed on Friday, October 24, 2014.  Mr. Thurston said that the letters to the fire department about the fire hydrants did go out as requested, and he said that Mr. Crews has to get pricing on replacing some hydrants that we don’t have spares for.    

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

There were no committee recommendations. 

ITEMS FROM TOWN COUNCIL

Councilperson Richard Adams noted two events that were coming up, Brookneal’s Got Talent on October 18, 2014 sponsored by the Brookneal Lions Club and Woman’s Club, and the political forum on October 20, 2014, sponsored by the Brookneal Woman’s Club.   

ADJOURNMENT

Upon motion from Mark Wilkes, seconded by James Nowlin, and unanimously carried, Mayor Campbell announced that the October 14, 2014, meeting was adjourned. 

___________________________                  ____________________________

Bobbie A. Waller                                             Phyllis L. Campbell

Clerk/Treasurer                                               Mayor