City Council

February 11, 2014 The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Fairmont was held at 7:00 p.m. on the 11th day of February, 2014, at the Public Safety Building located at 500 Quincy Street in Fairmont, West Virginia. Mayor Straight called the meeting to order. Councilmembers present were: Second District Travis L. Blosser Third District Deborah D. (Debbie) Seifrit Fourth District William H. (Bill) Burdick Fifth District Charles E. (Chuck) Warner Sixth District Daniel K. (Dan) Weber Seventh District Robert Garcia Eighth District Robin W. Smith Ninth District Ronald J. (Ron) Straight, Sr. Absent: First District Robert D. (Bob) Gribben Also present were: City Manager Jay Rogers City Clerk Janet L. Keller City Attorney Kevin V. Sansalone IN RE: EXCUSE COUNCILMEMBER GRIBBEN Councilmember Weber moved to excuse Councilmember Gribben from tonight’s meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Warner. The Mayor declared Councilmember Gribben excused from this meeting by voice vote of Council. IN RE: OPENING CEREMONIES Rev. Jessica Collins of Miles Chapel Church gave the invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag led by Councilmember Weber. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1 Mayor Straight noted that each member of Council had received a copy of the minutes from the regular meeting held on January 28, 2014. He asked if there were any corrections, deletions, or amendments. Councilmember Smith moved to approve the minutes as submitted. Councilmember Warner seconded the motion. The Mayor declared the minutes approved as submitted by voice vote of Council. PUBLIC HEARINGS No public hearings were scheduled for this meeting. ANNOUNCEMENTS IN RE: WORKERS COMMENDED Councilmember Seifrit commended all of the workers that work out in the cold weather. She noted that she has so much more respect for those people working out in the cold. She mentioned that after the January 28th meeting, she saw the Water Department employees repairing a leak on Morgantown Avenue and she has great appreciation for them, the firefighters, the police officers, and everybody that has to work outside when it is so cold. Councilmember Warner also extended a thank you to all the workers out in the cold. IN RE: CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS Councilmember Seifrit encouraged everyone to purchase carbon monoxide detectors if they don’t already have them in their house. She explained that the Rescue Squad picked up a man who just didn’t feel right and they put him in the ambulance and put him on a machine that checks your heart and it will also check for carbon monoxide and if they had not gone to pick up this man, his whole family would have died. She went on to say that the Squad called the police and they went back to the house and found others inside the house. She noted that they are all in a Pittsburgh hospital but would have died if they didn’t go to pick up this man. 2 IN RE: CONDOLENCES TO THE OLIVERIO FAMILY Councilmember Burdick extended condolences to the Oliverio family on the recent passing of Mike Oliverio, Sr. Councilmember Garcia also sent out condolences to the Oliverio family. Councilmember Warner also expressed condolences to the Oliverio family. Mayor Straight also expressed his thoughts and prayers to the Mike Oliverio family on the recent passing of Mike Oliverio, Sr. CITIZENS PETITIONS There were no citizen’s petitions for this meeting. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT IN RE: FY2015 GENERAL FUND BUDGET The City Manager presented each Councilmember with a copy of the FY2015 General Fund Budget and Budget Message. He noted that this includes the Coal Severance, Parking Fund, and the Capital Improvement Plan. Some of the highlights of the budget include the following:  The budget presented is a balanced budget which has been accomplished without any new fees or taxes to the citizens or residents or businesses.  The budget document will give resources to our departments to allow them to function and operate efficiently and mainly so they can continue to deliver services to the residents and businesses of Fairmont.  The proposed document includes appropriations that are sufficient to meet our annual debt service.  The operating budget is an estimated $14,065,105 and is an increase of $213,520 over the current revised FY14 budget.  The budget anticipates increased revenues from the collection of Excise Tax on Utilities, Ad Valorum Tax, and Fines and Forfeitures.  Revenues from B&O Taxes, Business Licenses, Building Permits, and charges for services are projected to remain steady or a slight increase in the coming fiscal year. 3  Since the implementation of our new pay plan structure for our employees in FY 2012 and FY 2013, no provisions are included in the General Fund Operating Budget for position reclassifications or base pay increases for the employees in FY 2015.  Personnel costs have increased this year in the amount of $196,812. 14% of that increase is attributed to our Police and Fire Pension increases.  A slight increase has been provided for in OPEB that we are required to pay and longevity increases for our employees.  As required by WV Code, contributions to the Marion County Armory Board, the Marion County Health Department, the Marion County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Region VI Planning and Development Council have been provided for in the amount of $52,503. The City received an additional $107,350 in requests from Outside Agencies in the proposed FY15 budget. The budget document recommends funding 75% of those requests at a level of $71,850. Mr. Rogers stated that he has increased the contributions to the Arts and Humanities Commission for FY15 to account for a new program that they want to undertake with the Coal Heritage Foundation Day.  The Parking Fund continues to make strides to become a self- supporting enterprise fund. There is a reduction in the FY15 budget of $88,320 in contributions from other funds. As the parking garage continues to be discussed and the Parking Fund itself, they are making more strides each year to be less dependent on the General Fund.  The year-to-date actual for the current fiscal year remain steady from fees collected at the parking garage as well as from the leasing of the spaces at Veterans Plaza and the former Armory Lot. The Parking Authority has recently approved the hiring of a part-time enforcement officer and made provisions to contract with the Marion County Police Reserves for assistance in the Adams Street parking garage in preparation for the opening of the WV State Office Complex and increased programs at Veterans Square by Pierpont Community and Technical College.  The total budget for the Parking Fund in FY15 is $79,502 is dedicated to the debt service of the Adams Street parking garage and Veterans Plaza. This year will be the final debt service on Veterans Plaza in the amount of $6,230, one payment and the City will own Veterans Plaza free and clear.  The Coal Severance Fund for FY15 is proposed to have a budget of $73,020. This fund has always been dedicated to snow removal and 4  this practice will continue in FY15.  The Capital Improvement Plan allocates $1,150,000 in FY15 for several capital projects. The proposed revenue is a decrease of $124,900 from FY14. Projects such as the WV State Office Complex, the new East Fairmont Middle School, the Advance Technical and Training Center Project are projected to complete in FY14 or in the first quarter of FY15. This will be the 4th year in a row that we have been able to provide more funds for capital improvements than the debt service.  Debt is budgeted at $571,000 and $571,000 has been allocated to the capital for Building Inspection, Public Works, Police, Fire, Data Processing, and Parks. The largest allocation in the Capital Improvement Plan continues to be the Public Works Department. A total of $200,000 has been budgeted toward street paving to be combined with the anticipated revenues from the Street Maintenance Charge to give the City an anticipated budget of $1,564,500 for spring and fall paving projects in FY15.  FY15 budget allocates an additional $40,000 for the removal of vacant and blighted properties and the continuation of our new City plan.  FY15 budget also recommends $25,000 to be allocated for new flags, signage and landscaping for our gateways. The City Manager reported that a budget work session will be held next Thursday, February 20th, at 6:00 p.m., in the Fire Training Room. CONSIDERATION OF COUNCIL BUSINESS IN RE: INTRODUCTION, FIRST READING, SET PUBLIC HEARING, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING PART FIVE GENERAL OFFENSES CODE, ARTICLE 517 INDECENCY AND OBSCENITY, SECTION 517.07 OBSCENE OR HARASSING TELEPHONE CALLS OF THE FAIRMONT CITY CODE TO PROVIDE FOR AND INCLUDE A PROHIBITION AGAINST OBSCENE, ANONYMOUS, HARASSING AND THREATENING COMMUNICATIONS BY COMPUTER AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES; DEFINITIONS; PENALTY Mayor Straight entertained a motion and a second for the introduction of this ordinance and to set the public hearing for February 25, 2014 regarding an ordinance amending Article 517 of the City Code and to provide for and include a prohibition against obscene, anonymous, harassing and threatening communications by computer and electronic communication devices. 5 Motion: Councilmember Seifrit moved for the introduction of the proposed ordinance and the reading of a synopsis in lieu of the entire ordinance. Councilmember Blosser seconded the motion. The Clerk read the proposed ordinance by synopsis for the first time. The Mayor declared the public hearing set for February 25, 2014 by voice vote of Council. ADJOURNMENT The Mayor entertained a motion for adjournment. Motion: Councilmember Smith moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Garcia. The Mayor declared the meeting adjourned by voice vote of Council at 7:20 p.m. 6