August 9, 2011
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
Richard Adams, Robert Jean, Tracy Meisenbach, Barbara Laprade, and Mark Wilkes, Council Members
Russell B. Thurston, Town Manager
Bobbie Waller, Clerk/Treasurer
Mike Crews, Public Works Director
Ricky Baldwin, Chief of Police
Absent: James Nowlin, Vice Mayor
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 August 9, 2011, regular meeting of the Brookneal Town Council.
MINUTES
Upon motion by Richard Adams, seconded by Robert Jean, and unanimously carried, Council approved the July 12, 2011, Town Council meeting minutes.
TREASURER'S REPORT
Mayor Campbell asked that the August 2011 treasurer's report be filed for audit.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Mr. Ron Wagner, of Henderson Funeral Home, appeared before Council concerning the Wickliffe Cemetery. He said that there was an instance that occurred in the last week in which a citizen wanted to purchase a grave plot to put two sets of "ashes" in. Mr. Wagner said that Public Works Director Mike Crews said that this could not be done since the town's ordinance says that only one remains can be placed in one grave. Mr. Wagner said that remains to him are a "dead body," and that ashes are not remains. Mr. Wagner said that there is already a family in the cemetery that has multiple ashes in one grave. He said they have a 5 grave plot which they have owned for years, and they have divided it up into 15 plots for ashes. He said there are already 4 people buried in the plot. He said that he did not think it was right to say that only one little box of ashes could be put in one burial plot. Councilperson Meisenbach asked Mr. Wagner to check with other cemeteries to see what their policy is. Mayor Campbell said that once Physical Development Committee Chairperson James Nowlin was available, his committee would take a look at this issue.
PRESENTATION FROM REGION 2000 ON THE WATER SUPPLY PLAN
Bob White from the Region 2000 Local Government Council said that all localities within Region 2000 are participating in the water supply plan. He said that he and Carrie Blankenship of Draper Aden Associates have been working together on the development of the Region 2000 water supply plan. The water supply plan is a required document put forth by the General Assembly, with the Department of Environmental Quality overseeing the regulation to make sure it is done. In March 2009, the draft plan was submitted to DEQ. He said that each locality is required to have a water supply plan and to maintain it over time. He said that the final version of the regional plan is required to be presented to DEQ by November 2, 2011. He asked that the Council approve the plan as part of a public hearing, with the public hearing being held in September or October.
Carrie Blankenship said that this process started back in 2002 with the drought period, and a committee was formed to figure out what the state could do. In 2005, the water supply planning regulations became effective. In 2006, the Region 2000 group got together and began preparing their plan. She said information was collected on water sources and water use in the region. The information was compiled and used to determine what the existing water demand was and to project it out for 40-60 years. She said the group decided to project out to 2050. The projections helped to determine who needed water and when and who would be fine through the 2060 planning period. For those localities that were identified to have a water deficit between now and 2060, an alternative analysis was done looking at potential water sources. She said the group went a step further and wanted to make sure the plan was something that could be used and implemented. She said the plan is not intended to be a regulation, something that you have to do because the state says you have to do it. The alternatives that are in the plan are not set in stone. If you decide at some point you want to add something or take away something, you can do that. This plan is going to be updated every 5 to 10 years. She said that in adopting this plan, you are adopting information that pertains to Brookneal only.
She said the Town's current water source is Phelps Creek Reservoir. She said that the region as a whole is projected to have a deficit by 2060, with about half of them needing an additional water supply. The Town of Brookneal will have sufficient water supply through this period. She said that to go along with the drought response and contingency plan is a drought ordinance. She said since Brookneal does not have a drought ordinance in place, one will need to be adopted by November 2, 2011. She said the water supply plan needs to be adopted by having a public hearing and passing a resolution. She said when the water supply plan is adopted you are also adopting the drought response and contingency plan as well.
PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF INVOICES
Be it resolved that motion was made by Barbara Laprade, seconded by Mark Wilkes, and unanimously carried, authorizing the payment of the invoices for the period of July 13, 2011, to August 9, 2011, in the amount of $14,011.36.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Michael Monroe, of Elite Recycling in Brookneal, asked about sign ordinances or restrictions on signs in the Town of Brookneal. He said they want to put an LED sign on their building with 7" lettering. Public Works Director Michael Crews told Mr. Monroe to come see him concerning the sign.
POLICE REPORT
Police Chief Ricky Baldwin presented the police report for July to the Council members.
Chief Baldwin reported that one of the new street lights was hit and damaged by a vehicle, but the driver was caught and charged with hit and run. He said a citizen saw the incident occur and wrote down the license plate number and reported it. Chief Baldwin also said that he had been working on obtaining prices for a new police vehicle that the Town has applied for through USDA.
PUBLIC WORKS REPORT
Public Works Director Mike Crews said that the railings on the north end of Main Street have been completed. He said that the new street lights were turned on August 5, 2011, but he said that the old lights are taking away from the new lights, so he said that maybe the bulbs need to be taken out of the old lights to see how much light the new ones are going to provide. He wanted one of the committees to work on this. Mr. Crews also said that the barlett pear trees across from the town office and near the dollar store will need to be pruned this fall. He said that some trees on Rush Street will also need to be addressed when Phase 2 is started. He said that Municipal Tank is working on the Main Street tank and hopes to be finished with it by next week.
• MOTION TO PAINT TOWN LOGO ON THE WATER TANKS
Mr. Crews said that "Brookneal" is painted on the Hunter Road water tank. He said that since they will be finished with the Main Street tank next week, he wants to know if the Town wants to put the new logo "Brookneal Small Town America" on the downtown tank. He said the price to put the logo on this tank is $4,200. He said that since he was not sure if USDA would cover the cost of all of it, he wanted to know if Council wanted to cover the rest of the cost if needed from the reserves. Upon motion by Tracy Meisenbach, seconded by Richard Adams, and unanimously carried, the Council approved adding the Town name and logo to the tank at an estimated cost of $4,200 pending examination of the contingency fund. Mr. Crews said the same logo would be painted on both water tanks.
TOWN MANAGER REPORT
Town Manager Russell Thurston told the Council he had been working on obtaining a handicap ramp for the community building. He said in talking with Cindy Bomar at USDA, she said there were still some grant funds available for this project. He said approximately $5,550-$7,550 is available from a grant, and the town is responsible for $2,850 of the project. Since the community building is now designated on the register of historic places, there will be an additional historic review that has to be done. Mr. Thurston said that he has been in contact with the gentlemen that struck the new light pole in front of Brookneal Tire Sales, and he said a check would be forthcoming to cover the damages. Mr. Thurston said that the logo on the water tank is coming from our branding report that was done. He explained that he was working on the way finding sign project to place signs throughout the Town. These signs were covered by the downtown grant. He said that Phase 2 of the revitalization project will be ready to go out for bid sometime the end of August/first of September. Mr. Thurston said that he would like to have a general planning work session to put together Brookneal's own economic development strategy. He suggested either October 8 or November 5 from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. He said he had received the draft comprehensive plan, but there was not a lot about Brookneal in the draft. Mayor Campbell said if the Council was going to have this meeting, then it would be good for the Council to review the draft comprehensive plan and see what they want included in that plan.
RESOLUTION FOR USDA FOR POLICE VEHICLE GRANT
Upon motion by Robert Jean, seconded by Tracy Meisenbach, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the following resolution for a USDA grant for a new police vehicle for the police department. A roll call vote was taken as follows:
Mr. Jean Aye Mr. Adams Aye
Ms. Meisenbach Aye Mr. Wilkes Aye
Ms. Laprade Aye
Mayor Campbell Aye
RESOLUTION OF GOVERNING BODY OF
TOWN OF BROOKNEAL
The governing body of the Town of Brookneal, consisting of 7 members, in a duly called meeting held on the 9th day of August, 2011 at which a quorum was present RESOLVED as follows:
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that, in order to facilitate obtaining financial assistance from the United States of America, United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, the Town of Brookneal, in the development of a new police vehicle to serve the community, the governing body does hereby adopt and abide by the covenants contained in the agreements, documents, and forms required by the Government to be executed.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor Phyllis Campbell of the Town of Brookneal be authorized to execute on behalf of the Town of Brookneal the above-referenced agreements and to execute such other documents including, but not limited to, debt instruments and security instruments as may be required in obtaining the said financial assistance.
This Resolution, along with a copy of the above-referenced documents, is hereby entered into the permanent minutes of the meetings of this Board.
TOWN OF BROOKNEAL
BY__________________________
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the above resolution was duly adopted by the _____________
_________________________ of the _________________________ in a duly assembled
meeting on the ________ day of ________________, 20_____.
________________________________________
Secretary/Clerk
A second resolution for USDA was also presented during the meeting to Council members. Upon motion by Tracy Meisenbach, seconded by Barbara Laprade, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the motion for the "resolution of member or stockholders to obtain a grant in a sum not to exceed $25,000 from the USDA for a police vehicle."
A verbal vote was taken as follows:
Ms. Laprade Aye Mr. Jean Aye
Mr. Adams Aye Ms. Meisenbach Aye
Mr. Wilkes Aye
Mayor Campbell Aye
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
Councilperson Mark Wilkes asked Council for their approval to pursue purchasing a sliding board for the playground from CDBG funds. He said he would check on slides and prices at various places. Consensus was to pursue this project.
ITEMS FROM TOWN COUNCIL
Mayor Campbell thanked Mark Wilkes and his group for picking up trash on Saturday in the town. She thanked the town manager for his efforts in picking up trash in the town also. She also thanked the Patrick Henry Boys Home for painting the gazebo at the community building. She said that the floors in the auditorium of the community building are being done this week, so we should have that looking good.
Councilperson Laprade passed out the information for the rural sourcing program. She asked Council to review it.
Councilperson Jean expressed his disappointment that the town crew had to clean up after the railroad crew and their mess after they worked in the town. He also mentioned that the street sign in front of his antique shop is incorrect in saying that his shop is on Wickliffe Avenue. He said he had a delivery, and the deliverer could never find his shop. Mr. Jean also said that he wanted the Council to revisit the resolution at the September meeting passed in July concerning the attorney. He said he proposes withdrawing that and tabling it for further study.
Councilperson Adams asked Chief Baldwin about the problems with radio reception in the police department. Chief Baldwin said they checked a few items, but nothing has been resolved.
Councilperson Meisenbach said she had requested two meetings ago that the Council should have FOIA visit again since we have new Council members. She wanted to know the status of that request. She said it might be a good time to do that at the planning work session in October or November. She said she had received numerous complaints about the bump outs in front of the old Odd Fellows Building. She suggested some kind of metal grating between the bump out and the curb.
Councilperson Wilkes said that the sidewalk at Page Wilson's property on Main Street needs some attention. He said the Town was looking good, but that this area needed some attention.
ADJOURNMENT
Upon motion from Robert Jean, seconded by Mark Wilkes, and unanimously carried, Mayor Campbell announced that the August 9, 2011, Council meeting was adjourned.
___________________________ ____________________________
Bobbie A. Waller Phyllis L. Campbell
Clerk/Treasurer Mayor
