Town Council

ATHENS TOWN COUNCIL Regular Session – August 4, 2015 Athens Town Hall The Athens Town Council met in regular session at 7:01 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2015 in the Athens Town Hall. Members present were Roger Lokay, Jed Nolan, Lynne White, and Mayor Timothy Pike. C. Abe Lilly, Lisa Jennings, and Recorder John David Smith were absent. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of the July 21, 2015 Regular Meeting minutes was postponed until the Recorder makes the minutes available. CITIZENS INPUT Debra Roberts from the Mercer County Department of Health and Human Resources presented information to the Council about community service placements for TANF recipients. TANF recipients are currently performing community service such as cleaning, painting, clerical work, and a variety of other skills in neighboring communities and Ms. Roberts asked the Council to consider future placements in Athens. Ms. Roberts provided orientation materials to Mayor Pike. EMPLOYEE REPORTS QUARTERLY DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS There were no reports from the Police Department or the Water Department. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Mayoral Commissioned Committees (Information – No Action Required) A report on the Mayoral Committees established at the July 21, 2015 Regular Meeting was distributed. The Committees are as follows:  FINANCE: UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE MAYOR, AND IN CONCERT WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS, PROPOSE TO COUNCIL YEARLY BUDGETS, INCLUDING ANTICIPATED REVENUE AND SPENDING. REVIEW BUDGET EXPENDITURES, RECONCILIATIONS, REPORTS, AUDITS, AND PROVIDES COORDINATION WITH COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OFFICE STAFF. THE COMMITTEE REPORTS THE PRODUCT OF COMMITTEE DELIBERATIONS TO COUNCIL FOR INFORMATION AND APPROVAL WHEN NECESSARY. MEMBERS: LISA JENNINGS, TIM PIKE, LYNNE WHITE  MAINTENANCE (TOWN CREW), WATER, TREATMENT PLANT COORDINATION COMMITTEE: WORKS WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS REGARDING REQUESTS, DEPARTMENTAL CHANGES, BEST PRACTICES, COMPLAINTS AND ACCOLADES. MEMBERS: CHARLES ABRAHAM LILLY, JED NOLAN, TIM PIKE  PUBLIC SAFETY COORDINATION COMMITTEE: WORKS WITH DEPARTMENT HEAD REGARDING REQUESTS, DEPARTMENTAL CHANGES, BEST PRACTICES, COMPLAINTS AND ACCOLADES. MEMBERS: CHARLES ABRAHAM LILLY, JED NOLAN, JOHN DAVID SMITH  PERSONNEL COMMITTEE: UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE MAYOR, AND IN CONCERT WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS, THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE UPDATES AND AMENDS AS NECESSARY, TOWN PERSONNEL POLICIES AND THE APPLICATION OF SUCH POLICIES. FURTHER, THE COMMITTEE PROVIDES UPDATES/TRAINING AS NEEDED FOR ISSUES SUCH AS SEXUAL HARASSMENT, APPROPRIATE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, ETC. AND REVIEWS COMPENSATION Athens Town Council Minutes 08-04-2015  SCHEDULES AND REQUESTS FOR INCREASES/CHANGES IN COMPENSATION. THE COMMITTEE SERVES AS THE EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE REPORTS TO COUNCIL AS NEEDED OR REQUESTED. MEMBERS: ROGER LOKAY, TIM PIKE, JOHN DAVID SMITH  SOCIAL MEDIA COMMITTEE: DEVELOPMENT/MAINTENANCE OF THE TOWN WEBSITE, FACEBOOK PAGE, AND TEXT MESSAGING SERVICE. MEMBERS: ROGER LOKAY, TIM PIKE, LYNNE WHITE Standing Committees and Commissions (Information – No Action Required) Mayor Pike asked the Council to review the current membership of the standing committees and suggest nominations for new members at the next regular meeting. Water Plant Remediation and Thrasher Contract – Report of Meeting (Information – No Action Required) Ted Ham, Thrasher Engineering, and Cori Edwards, Region 1 Planning and Development Council, reported to the Council that Thrasher was awarded the contract for the engineering portion of the Region 1 Source Water Protection Plan and has completed the portion of the report pertaining to the Athens Water Plant. This will need to be approved by the Water Department manager in ten days:  Thrasher reviewed the sources, intakes, backup intakes, power generation, etc. in order to make short and long term recommendations for source water protection improvements.  Short term recommendations include adding generator power, increasing treated water storage, and early warning detection monitoring; long term recommendations include interconnection with American Water.  Recommendations are not mandates. Cori Edwards from Region 1 will be attending seminars and looking at eligibility for some FEMA funding for generators and/or interconnections.  The full plan is due June 2016 and will be required to be updated every three years.  The Town will need to create a Water Protection Team. Mayor Pike requested a PDF of the report which will be distributed to the Council. NEW BUSINESS Suddenlink Resolution Mayor Pike recommended approval of a Resolution of the Town of Athens Approving the Change of Control of the Cable Television Franchise. On motion by Lokay, second by Nolan, and by 4-0 vote, the Council approved the Resolution. Town Planning (Information – No Action Required) Cori Edwards, Region 1 Planning and Development Council, reported to the Council that all WV governing bodies are supposed to have a state-mandated Comprehensive Plan in place and that without one, zoning ordinances are not enforceable. Athens does not currently have a Comprehensive Plan. The Town could simply adopt the Mercer County Plan when it is complete, but Mercer County is not specifically addressing municipalities in the county plan. An Economic Development Strategy (e.g. 10 year vision, water projects, any building projects like town hall, fire station, etc.) is not required but is recommended; must be community driven. The Comprehensive Plan requires a Planning Commission. WVU has two years of grant funding to assist governing bodies with plan creation (which takes about a year). Ms. Edwards will speak to WVU on behalf of the Town to request such assistance. Athens Town Council Minutes 08-04-2015 Town Social (Information – No Action Required) Mayor Pike reminded the Council that the Athens-Concord Town Social will take place on Sunday, August 16 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Fraternities helping the town (Information – No Action Required) Jordan Adkins, Philanthropy Chair of Concord University’s chapter of the Chi Omega Psi national service fraternity, appeared before the Council to report that members of the fraternity will be available again during the 2015-2016 academic year to perform community service such as repainting the skate park, painting curbs, snow removal, etc. Food truck in town Mayor Pike reported that Mike Whitley is requesting permission to have a mobile food truck in the town. The Council postponed action until the Recorder can review any Town Ordinances that may apply (including on-street parking). Approval of Current Bills On motion by Lokay, second by Nolan, and by 4-0 vote, the Council approved the current bills, which are available for review in the Town Hall. MAYORAL AND COMMITTEE REPORTS Mayor Pike reported that he had attended the Region 1 Planning and Development Council quarterly meeting and that he has asked department heads to attend some Region 1 provided professional development. Mayor Pike also reported that the new website provider includes townofathens.com email addresses for Town Council and staff members and that he will now be using mayor@townofathens.com. ADJOURNMENT Nothing further appearing, White made a motion to adjourn, Lokay seconded, and the meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m. __________________________________ __________________________________ Tim Pike, Mayor Lynne White, acting Recorder Athens Town Council Minutes 08-04-2015