City Council

409 S. Main Street City of Harrisonburg Harrisonburg, VA 22801 Meeting Minutes - Final City Council Mayor Deanna R. Reed Vice-Mayor Richard A. Baugh Council Member Ted Byrd Council Member George Hirschmann Council Member Christopher B. Jones Tuesday, February 27, 2018 7:00 PM Council Chambers 1. Roll Call Present: 5- Mayor Deanna R. Reed, Vice-Mayor Richard Baugh, Council Member Ted Byrd, Council Member Christopher B. Jones and Council Member George Hirschmann Also Present: 4- City Manager Eric Campbell, Deputy City Manager Ande Banks, City Attorney Chris Brown and City Clerk Ande Banks. 2. Invocation Council Member Jones offered the invocation 3. Pledge of Allegiance Mayor Reed led the Pledge of Allegiance 4. Special Recognition 4.a. Proclamation recognizing March 2018 as Youth Art Month Mayor Deanna Reed presented to Ms. Holly Kincaid a proclamation recognizing March 2018 as Youth Art Month. 4.b. Proclamation recognizing March 2018 as Governmental Purchasing Month Mayor Deanna Reed presented to Nicole Robertson, procurement specialist with the Harrisonburg City Finance Department, a proclamation recognizing March 2018 as Governmental Purchasing Month. 4.c. Consider adopting a Resolution honoring Brent W. Berry for service to the community Mayor Deanna Reed presented a resolution honoring Brent Berry for service to the community. She also presented a key to the city and a plaque recognizing the 10th anniversary of the Brent Berry Food Drive and thanked Mr. Berry for his commitment City of Harrisonburg Page 1 Printed on 3/14/2018 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final February 27, 2018 to helping neighbors in need. Mr. Berry thanked city council and first responders and staff for supporting the Brent Berry Food Drive for the past ten years. James “Bucky” Berry stated on March 1, 2018 he will be issuing 29 plaques to all of those that have helped with the food drives and noted if you help the community it comes back twenty-fold. He stated they are looking into cooking the food that is collected and distributing to the community. He stated on March 4, 2018 there will be a ribbon cutting at Red Front for the beginning of the 10th anniversary food drive A motion was made by Vice Mayor Baugh, seconded by Council Member Hirschmann to approve the resolution as presented. The motion carried with a unanimous voice vote. 5. Consent Agenda (any item placed on the consent agenda shall be removed and taken up as a separate matter, if so requested by any member of Council, otherwise all items will be voted on with one (1) motion) A motion was made by Vice Mayor Baugh seconded by Council Member Byrd to approve the consent agenda as presented. The motion carried with a recorded roll call vote taken as follows: 5.a. Minutes from February 13, 2018 City Council meeting Approved on consent agenda 5.b. Consider a supplemental appropriation for the Fire Department in the amount of $540,000 This Supplemental Appropriation was approved on second reading 6. Public Hearings 7. Regular Items 7.a. Report to Council from Blue Ridge Community College Dr. John Downey, President of Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC), stated they are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year and shared a presentation of photographs from past to present, from the inception of the idea of a community college from Cletus and Charlotte Houff and the work they did to see their idea come to fruition, to all the changes that occurred over the past 50 years. He thanked council for their support and for their appointment of recent board members Mayor Reed congratulated Dr. Downey for 50 years and encourages them to keep up the great work. City of Harrisonburg Page 2 Printed on 3/14/2018 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final February 27, 2018 Dr. Downey provided handouts to council of the 2016-17 Annual Report, statistics of enrollment and a copy of the 50th Anniversary booklet. This Report was received and filed. 7.b. Presentation from Environmental Performance Standards Advisory Committee Tom Hartman, assistant director of Public Works, stated the Environmental Performance Standards Advisory Committee (EPSAC) was created over a year ago, with members appointed by council and noted the committee meets quarterly. Deidre Smeltzer, chair of EPSAC, stated this committee was established with a purpose to provide guidance and recommendations to city council in the establishment of environmental performance standards for public development and redevelopment projects and to encourage the private sector to meet these standards as well. She stated the committee consists of 11 members who are subdivided into smaller working groups to focus on particular matters related to EPSAC; a sustainable action plan group, building energy standards group and a water working group. She stated a member from each of those groups will provide an overview of work each group has done and their purpose. Mikeala Schmitt-Harsh, representing the sustainable action plan working group, stated the purpose of this working group is to develop an integrated sustainable action plan intended to offer a roadmap for the city for a more sustainable future. She stated sustainability has several working definitions, but the one most used is the ability to meet current resource needs without compromising future generation ’s ability to meet their needs. She stated the plan aims to identify short -term and long-term goals that promote a cleaner environment, economic prosperity, social equity and collective responsibility. She reviewed the groups key initiatives, channels through which information was obtained and next steps. Mr. Johann Zimmerman, representing the building energy standards working group, noted the purpose for this group was to develop a proposal for city owned and operated buildings to build high performance buildings, create energy efficient buildings, save local taxpayer money, save environmental resources, fuel sustainable growth in city infrastructure and set an example for the private sector. He reviewed the research done, effective measures used by other cities, universities and businesses, and noted most entities have established an energy efficient policy and have established on-site energy generation such as solar. He stated many locations are offering incentives for higher performing privately owned development such as tax incentives, reduced real estate taxes and promotional advertising. Bradley Striebig, representing the water quality team, stated the purpose of this team is to develop a multi-use plan to protect and preserve the environmental services provided by the Dry River Drainage and to preserve, enhance and protect drinking City of Harrisonburg Page 3 Printed on 3/14/2018 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final February 27, 2018 water and natural resources in a cost-effective manner. He noted the Dry River reservoir provides about half of the source of water to the city and is recognized as one of the most productive areas in the region. He stated this area is a headwater region that is tied into the National Forrest and reviewed the potential threats of the waterway and provided recommended projects to stave off those threats. Vice Mayor Baugh stated as a member of EPSAC the reason the group is presenting is the group felt it was important to present an overall update and get affirmation from council that they are doing what they are supposed to be and are on the right path. Council Member Byrd thanked the committee for their commitment, they were given a blank slate to begin with and appreciates the time and effort put into the work they have done to make sure the city is preserved for future generations. Mayor Reed thanked the committee for their great work. This Presentation was received and filed. 8. Special Event Application Requests 8.a. Consider the special event application request for the EMU Spring Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 6, 2018. Erin Johnson, events manager with Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR), presented a special events application for the Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) Spring Commencement Ceremony to be held on Sunday, May 6, 2018. She stated this event will be held on the EMU campus, but they are requesting street closure of Park Road from Mt. Clinton Pike to Parkwood Drive between 12:45 pm and 3:00 pm A motion was made by Council Member Byrd, seconded by Council Member Hirschmann to approve the special event application as presented. The motion carried with a unanimous voice vote. 8.b. Consider approval of a special event application request for the Strawberry Festival on Saturday, May 19, 2018. Erin Johnson, events manager with Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR), presented a special events application for the annual Strawberry Festival to be held on Saturday, May 19, 2018. She noted the organizers are requesting the use of the city hall parking lot, gravel lot and park from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, and the closure of Warren Street. A motion was made by Council Member Byrd, seconded by Council Member Hirschmann to approve the special event application as presented. The motion carried with a unanimous voice vote. 8.c. Consider the special event application request for the Youth TryAthlon on Saturday, City of Harrisonburg Page 4 Printed on 3/14/2018 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final February 27, 2018 August 11, 2018. Erin Johnson, events manager with Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR), presented a special events application for the Youth TryAthalon to be held on Saturday, August 11, 2018, organized by Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation. She noted this event takes place in Westover Park, some of the courses go into the Sunset Heights neighborhood, and closure of South Dogwood from Route 33 to Ohio Avenue as well as South Willow from Route 33 to Grace Street is requested. A motion was made by Council Member Byrd, seconded by Council Member Hirschmann to approve the special event application as presented. The motion carried with a unanimous voice vote. 8.d. Consider the event application request for Cyclovia on Saturday, April 21, 2018 from 11am-3pm Erin Johnson, events manager with Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR), presented a special events application for the Cyclovia to be held on Saturday, April 21, 2018 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. She noted the organizers are requesting closure of Park Road, from Mt. Clinton Pike to Dogwood Drive, and although this falls on the same day of the Autism 5k the times do not overlap. A motion was made by Council Member Byrd, seconded by Council Member Hirschmann to approve the special event application as presented. The motion carried with a unanimous voice vote. 9. Supplementals 9.a. Consider a supplemental appropriation for the Harrisonburg City School division in the amount of $450,921.05 Tracey Shaver, representing Harrisonburg City Public Schools, requested the consideration of the supplemental appropriation in the amount of $ 450,921.05. He noted this request is due to additional grant revenue and reimbursements that have been received since the last budget approval. A motion was made by Council Member Byrd, seconded by Vice Mayor Baugh to approve the supplemental appropriation as presented. The motion carried with a recorded roll call vote taken as follows: Yes: 5- Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Baugh, Council Member Byrd, Council Member Jones and Council Member Hirschmann No: 0 10. Other Matters 10.a. Comments from the public, limited to five minutes, on matters not on the regular agenda. (Name and address are required) City of Harrisonburg Page 5 Printed on 3/14/2018 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final February 27, 2018 Kristen Loflin, 282 Fairway Drive, stated two weeks ago she stood before council as a parent and a mental health counselor to put first things first, and since that time our country has the collective experience of another school shooting. She noted that within those two weeks, she has received many emails regarding the school system threat, which are frightening, and asks council to please consider school counselors, mental health counselors and teachers when reviewing the upcoming school budget. Obie Hill, 1733 Evergreen Drive, thanked council for their time in serving the city and the time and effort they allocate should not ever go unnoticed. He stated he co -vice chaired the high school space study committee and thanked council for voting in favor of a new high school. He stated fortunately for him, his daughters will not be impacted by the overcrowding but to those parents that are frustrated to the two year delay in the building of the high school they may be validated by the following facts: the delay in funding of the new school will cost tax payors an additional $ 7M, which does not include land and operating expenses; council should purchase the undisclosed land for the new high school now; five more years of overcrowding with six additional trailers being purchased with a total cost of approximately $300,000; added costs to teachers for the additional fifth block, etc. Mr. Hill stated one of the privileges of being on the committee was to tour the high school and after the tour he realized we needed to do something. He asked council if they took the time to tour the school before they made a decision. 10.b. City Council and Staff Council Member Jones stated with the budget coming up in May there are a few items he wanted to address. He stated the first workshop he was involved in since he was elected (during a time of an increase of violence throughout the nation) he asked about hiring more officers. He stated eventually, there were more slots added but he doesn’t think it was a significant amount. He stated it is good to be ensured and protected when things aren't happening and is asking again for more officers to be added as he is concerned about the amount of fatigue that is placed on officers and the coverage area each officer has. He stated at looking at luxuries and revenues, if council is looking at building a school later because there aren't funds there to make us feel good about the fiscal cliff, what are we doing financially to save the money. Council Member Byrd stated for those who had the opportunity to see Cinderella, he hopes they enjoyed it as much as he did. Mayor Reed stated it was great. Mayor Reed stated Harrisonburg Blue Streaks are playing in the regional finals in Albemarle this evening; Business license are due to be renewed on March 1, 2018; There will be two stormwater utility fee credit workshops coming up on March 12, 2018 and March 13, 2018; There is still plenty of room for parents to sign your kids up for the Pot of Gold Kid’s Fun Run on March 17, 2018; The annual Easter egg hunt will City of Harrisonburg Page 6 Printed on 3/14/2018 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final February 27, 2018 be held on March 31, 2018. 12. Adjournment At 8:05 p.m., there being no further business and on motion adopted, the meeting was adjourned. ________________________ ________________________ CITY CLERK MAYOR City of Harrisonburg Page 7 Printed on 3/14/2018