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City Council

Regular Meeting

Martinsville, VA · July 28, 2015

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Minutes

July 28, 2015 The regular meeting of the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia was held on July 28, 2015 in Council Chambers, Municipal Building at 7:30pm, Closed Session beginning at 7:00pm with Mayor Danny Turner presiding. Council members present: Mayor Danny Turner, Council Member Gene Teague, Council Member Sharon Hodge and Council Member Mark Stroud. Absent: Vice Mayor Jennifer Bowles. Staff members present included: City Manager Leon Towarnicki, City Attorney Eric Monday, Karen Roberts, Dennis Bowles, Andy Lash, Durwin Joyce, Officer Coretha Gravely, Police Chief Sean Dunn, Captain Rob Fincher, and Assistant City Manager Wayne Knox. Mayor Turner called the meeting to order and advised Council will go into Closed Session. In accordance with Section 2.1-344 (A) of the Code of Virginia (1950, and as amended) and upon motion by Council Member Teague, seconded by Council Member Hodge with the following recorded 4-0 roll-call vote: Council Member Hodge, aye; Council Member Stroud, aye; Council Member Teague, aye; Mayor Turner. Council convened in Closed Session for the purpose of discussing the following matters: A) Appointments to Boards and Commissions as authorized by Subsection 1, and B) Consultation with legal counsel and briefings by staff members, attorneys or consultants pertaining to actual or probable litigation, or other specific legal matters requiring the provision of legal advice by such counsel, as authorized by Subsection 7. At the conclusion of the Closed Session, each returning member of Council certified that (1) only public business matters exempt from opening meeting requirements were discussed in said Closed Session and (2) only those business matters identified in the motion convening the Closed Session were heard, discussed, or considered during the Session. On a motion by Council Member Hodge and seconded by Council Member Teague with the following 4-0 roll-call recorded vote: Stroud, aye; Turner, aye; Teague, aye; Hodge, aye; Council returned to Open Session. A motion was made by Council Member Teague to appoint James Crigger, Sr. to the Planning Commission for an unexpired term ending June 30, 2016, motion was seconded by Council Member Stroud, all voted in favor. Invocation and Pledge to the American Flag- Council Member Gene Teague. July 28, 2015 Present a Proclamation honoring the Martinsville High School Girls Tennis Team – Proclamation read by Council Member Stroud. Mayor Turner presented each player and coach with a Martinsville City lapel pin. July 28, 2015 Present a Proclamation honoring the Martinsville High School Boys Soccer Team – Proclamation read by Council Member Hodge. Mayor Turner presented each player and coach with a Martinsville City lapel pin. Council Member Hodge spoke in regards to the fluoride issue; she stated that since Vice Mayor Bowles was not in attendance that there would not be a motion regarding fluoridation at this meeting. Presentation of Proclamation regarding August 4, 2015 National Night Out – Proclamation read by Council Member Gene Teague. Police Chief Sean Dunn informed Council that August 4, 2015 would be a “going away party” for crime and drugs in our community. Fighting crime is not only a police responsibility, it’s a community responsibility. National Night Out would not work without the help of the citizens, churches and community leaders along with Officer Coretha Gravely. Officer Gravely gave information on the four Night Out locations and introduced the neighborhood captains. Council Member Hodge thanked them for their hard work and said every year this is a great event and an opportunity for the citizens to come out. She commended Chief Dunn on the previous “Coffee with a Cop” event. Chief Dunn announced also that they would hold a “Hoops with Cops” event on August 5, 2015 which would involve both adults and children at Wilson Park from 1:00pm-4:00pm. July 28, 2015 Update from Jennifer Doss, Director of Tourism for the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation – Ms. Doss stated that the summer had been great for tourism. In June, the City welcomed tourists from ten different states, Australia, England and Brazil; in July, the City welcomed tourists from thirteen different states, Canada, France and Australia. There is a new tourism ambassador program to educate new and potential residents about things to see and do in the community. Cody Mills and Carolyn Beale have become certified Tourism Ambassadors and ten others are working towards this certification. She focused on several ads airing on local stations to help increase tourism in our area. The 15th Annual Quilt Shop Rally was held July 9-12, 2015 with more than 400 quilters attending from eight states including visitors from New Jersey and Florida. The Drive Tourism Workshop has hosted two workshops; Martinsville has become a Certified Drive Tourism Community and one of only 22 communities in state which makes the City eligible to apply for $10,000 in state product development funding. She also commented on the Group Tour Program held July 22-23, 2015; this program took a year in the making and hosted eighth graders from Higher Achievement Richmond. This program reaches middle school children and encourages higher education. Ms. Doss thanked all of the community partners for their participation to make this event successful. She also highlighted record high local hotel occupancy rates in Martinsville-Henry County, relating this increase to more local sports tournaments, conferences, special events, etc. Ms. Doss explained that the chart shows the percentage of rooms filled each month. Mayor Turner asked how many rooms there were in Martinsville. Ms. Doss answered 700 rooms roughly. July 28, 2015 Council Member Hodge asked how they track effectiveness and determine how much tourism is generated by each area. Ms. Doss explained that was based on feedback by individual businesses. She announced that the Smith River Fest would be held Saturday, August 8th and would include a mud run, duck race, etc. and invited Council and the community to attend. Quarterly staff update on Utilities, Electric, Water and Sewer – Andy Lash presented information detailing water and wastewater updates explaining that revenue and expenses were close to projected. Council Member Hodge asked about the transfer to MiNET; City Manager Towarnicki explained that this report reflects the end of FY15 and MiNET would stand alone in FY16. Mr. Lash talked about water and wastewater production and about current projects including the rebuild of two filters by employees which saved the City approximately $25,000 each. He commented that the water line on Spruce Street has become unreliable so they are preparing construction bid documents to replace that line. City Manager Towarnicki explained that the City originally budgeted line replacement on Indian Trail but due to frequent breaks on Spruce Street, the $100,000 allocated originally for Indian Trail will now be allocated to the Spruce Street project instead. Mr. Lash said they had a record of seven breaks in the past thirteen months in this area which is unacceptable and needs immediate attention. Mr. Lash commented on the City Reservoir and said it continues to grow as a family-oriented recreational facility. Council Member Stroud commented that the Reservoir looks brand new and thanked everyone who contributed to cleaning that up. Mr. Lash said they are ready to bid on the collapsed section of the Smith River Interceptor and continue to evaluate the sludge handling process. Also, due to employee retirements, four new operators have been hired to the sewage plant. Council Member Stroud asked if they were still considering a sludge press. Mr. Lash explained that this was not one of the better markets to benefit from a sludge press. July 28, 2015 Durwin Joyce presented information detailing Electric department updates. Council Member Hodge asked where the City is on the landfill gas generator in comparison to last year. Mr. Joyce explained that the City is up less than 10% from last year, they did supplement with natural gas this year and the guys in the garage have a better understanding of the generator and how it needs to be run. City Manager Towarnicki said gas production from the landfill does decrease over time; it’s monitored closely to ensure that the generator is not running when the rates are down. The gas production from the landfill fluctuates but it’s monitored and compared with the price of market power to ensure July 28, 2015 the timing of the generator operation is cost effective. Council Member Teague stated that if 2.8% of power needs came from the generator, how much of that was supplemented. Mr. Joyce explained that he did not have that answer but would look into that. Council Member Teague asked if the City could stop the gas from leaking from the landfill. Mr. Joyce said it could be flared off instead of using the generator but typically they allow it to build up so it can be used with the generator. Council Member Stroud commended Lane Shively and his coworkers in the shop for monitoring the landfill and making the generator even more efficient. Mr. Joyce continued to explain the financial benefits of the hydro plant and the landfill generator. He explained the revenue and expenditures for the Electric Department. Council Member Hodge asked how close percentage wise were they to what was projected. Mr. Joyce said that the estimated net revenue is about the same. Mr. Joyce shared information on projects including NCI, Forest Park and the Uptown lighting. Council Member Hodge asked when the meter project projected for 2016 would be completed. City Manager Towarnicki explained that he had just received the final report this past week and he planned to have a work session with Council about this project. Cost savings would fund the project and they would review the final documentation in that work session to determine the best path. He mentioned there was another piece of the project relating to sludge; the firm that the City is working with identified some options for another self-funding project. July 28, 2015 Discuss schedule and locations for FY16 City Council Neighborhood Meetings- City Manager Towarnicki presented options for future neighborhood meetings and asked if there were any other suggestions. Council Member Hodge said she would like anyone who would like to host a meeting to have the opportunity to do that and mentioned that the Housing Office could be an option for the Westside meeting. Mayor Turner suggested First Baptist Church of East Martinsville and asked for the February meeting to be moved to early March to accommodate potential weather. Council Member Teague suggested Chatham Heights for the Northside/Chatham Heights area. Council Member Hodge expressed concern about November 23 meeting being too close to Thanksgiving week and suggested that it be moved to the end of October. Business from the Floor Jean Royal, community watch co-captain for Spring, Emmett, Woodrow and Wilson Street areas voiced concerns. First, speeding has caused a dangerous situation for walkers and children specifically on Wilson and Spring Streets and asked for increased police presence. Secondly, at 203 Emmett Street there is a cement box in the yard that needs a lid or asked if it could be filled with gravel or soil; she asked if they could do this as a community or if the City would fix this. Her last concern was a zoning issue and related to the entrance of the industrial area at the end of Woodrow Street where it intersects with July 28, 2015 Emmett. She asked that the entrance to this industrial area be moved to Broad Street to prevent speeders in a residential area in case another industry moved into this location. City Attorney Monday explained that they had not been able to determine who owns the alleyway where the entrance is located and that would determine if Council could make a change to that or not. Patrick Wright, 1201 Spruce Street – questioned correspondence courses in relation to the Santa Clause course he took. Mayor Turner suggested that he contact the Blue Ridge Regional Library for more information. Chad Martin – apologized to any Council Members he may have been disrespectful towards at the previous meeting. He received a call from a citizen who is local and already trained to be a facilitator for meetings like the one he had requested. In 1967, Kerner Commission came out which was a 20-year study on riots that found the first level of intensity is police practices, second level is unemployment and underemployment, third level is inadequate housing and inadequate education, poor recreation facilities and programs. Mayor Turner explained that they would schedule three meetings with predominately black groups and that he, Vice-Mayor Bowles and Sheriff Draper would be attending those. By doing a smaller meeting he hopes that people will be more comfortable talking one-on-one in a relaxed atmosphere. Council Member Teague commented that the policing practices are being addressed, the City has been working on the unemployment issue along with recreation facilities and park improvement plans with focus on West End Park. Council Member Stroud commented that the jobs were there but that there is no one applying for them or those applying may not qualified. Council Member Hodge commented regarding school hiring, stating that having a conversation may or may not change anything but the school board should hold the administration accountable. Council Member Stroud said although the City is putting forth the effort and money to hire diverse, so is every other community which still makes it a difficult task. Wayne Knox provided details on the Henry Hotel Grand Opening. He recognized Susan McCulloch for her hard work. He hopes that Council and the community will come to the grand opening and see the major changes that have taken place. He said they are looking at housing residents as well as filling commercial space inside the Henry Hotel. Comments by members of City Council – Council Member Stroud said he is encouraged that things are going in a positive direction and that the City has come a long way in the past seven years. Mayor Turner said he’s spoken recently to two citizens that were interested in building a small business. He encouraged anyone interested to take the plunge and to contact a Council Member for direction or advice. July 28, 2015 There being no further business, Council Member Teague made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:04pm, Council Member Hodge seconded the motion, and all present Council Members voted 4-0 in favor. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Karen Roberts Danny Turner Clerk of Council Mayor

Agenda

AGENDA--CITY COUNCIL -- CITY OF MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA Council Chambers – Municipal Building 7:00 pm Closed Session 7:30 pm regular session Tuesday, July 28, 2015 7:00—Closed Session A. Appointments to boards and commissions as authorized by Subsection 1. B. Consultation with legal counsel and briefings by staff members, attorneys or consultants pertaining to actual or probable litigation, or other specific legal matters requiring the provision of legal advice by such counsel, as authorized by Subsection 7. 7:30—Regular Session Invocation & Pledge to the American Flag- Council Member Gene Teague 1. Present a Proclamation honoring the Martinsville High School Girls Tennis Team for their accomplishments this past season (5 mins) 2. Present a Proclamation honoring the Martinsville High School Boys Soccer Team for their accomplishments this past season (5 mins) 3. Presentation of Proclamation regarding August 4, 2015 National Night Out (5 mins) 4. Hear an update from Jennifer Doss, Director of Tourism for the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation (15 mins) 5. Hear quarterly staff update on Utilities, Electric, Water & Sewer (20 mins) 6. Discussion of schedule and locations FY16 City Council Neighborhood Meetings (5mins) 7. Business from the Floor This section of the Council meeting provides citizens the opportunity to discuss matters, which are not listed on the printed agenda. In that the Council meetings are broadcast on Martinsville Government Television, the City Council is responsible for the content of the programming. Thus, any person wishing to bring a matter to Council’s attention under this Section of the agenda should: (1) come to the podium and state name and address; (2) state the matter that they wish to discuss and what action they would like for Council to take; (3) limit remarks to five minutes; (4) refrain from making any personal references or accusations of a factually false and/or malicious nature. Persons who violate these guidelines will be ruled out of order by the presiding officer and will be asked to leave the podium. Persons who refuse to comply with the direction of the presiding officer may be removed from the chambers. 13. Comments by members of City Council. (5 minutes) 14. Comments by City Manager. (5 minutes) City Council Agenda Summary Meeting Date: July 28, 2015 Item No: 1. Department: Mayor and Council Issue: Present a Proclamation honoring the Martinsville High School Girls Tennis Team for their accomplishments this past season. Summary: For the second year in a row the Martinsville High School Lady Bulldogs Tennis Team won the Group 2A West/River Run Conference 38 championship. The team went on to compete in the VHSL Group 2A West Championships at Virginia Tech but came up short against in the quarterfinals against Central Wise, who went on to play in the state finals. Team members are Violet Mazurek, Vicki Easley, Kate Dietrich, Allison French, Alexah Eure, Brie Thurman, Lilly Herndon, Jenise Draper, Steffany Ortiz, Stephany Paredes and Nicole Pettie. Coaches are Debbie Easley and Rebecca Crabtree Attachments: Proclamation honoring the MHS Girls Tennis Team Recommendations: No action needed by Council Proclamation HONORING THE MARTINSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TENNIS TEAM WHEREAS, Martinsville High School is a member of the Virginia High School League, competing in the Piedmont District with other local and regional teams in a variety of high school sports; and WHEREAS, the Martinsville High School Girls/Lady Bulldogs Tennis Team completed an outstanding year, winning for the second year in a row the VHSL Group 2A West/River Run Conference 38 Championship; and WHEREAS, the Lady Bulldogs Tennis Team advanced to compete in the Group 2A West championships held at Virginia Tech, losing to eventual Group 2A finalist Central Wise; and WHEREAS, team members are Violet Mazurek, Vicki Easley, Kate Dietrich, Allison French, Alexah Eure, Brie Thurman, Lilly Herndon, Jenise Draper, Steffany Ortiz, Stephany Paredes, and Nicole Pettie; and WHEREAS, coaches Debbie Easley, Rebecca Crabtree, and the Lady Bulldog players are to be congratulated for their hard work, dedication, and outstanding achievement; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, on this 28th day of July 2015, that the Martinsville City Council hereby recognizes and commends the Martinsville High School Lady Bulldogs Tennis Team for their extraordinary achievement in winning the Conference 38 Championship, for advancing to Group 2A State play, and for being a source of pride for our entire community. _____________________ Danny Turner, Mayor City Council Agenda Summary Meeting Date: July 28, 2015 Item No: 2. Department: Mayor and Council Issue: Present a Proclamation honoring the Martinsville High School Boys Soccer Team for their accomplishments this past season. Summary: This past season, the Martinsville High School Boys Soccer Team won the Group 2A West/River Run Conference 38 championship. The team advanced to compete in the 2015 VHSL State Championship round at Radford University on June 12th and 13th, winning their semi-final match against Riverheads, but came up short in the finals against last year’s and repeating 2A State Champion, George Mason. Team members are Bryce Worley, Joshua Penn, Jordan Philpott, Jacob Salas, Darden Bela, Zach Dickerson, Lorenz Hill, Chris Bennett, Kyle Hathaway, Avery Mills, Jose Carrillo, Noe Garcia, Matt Handy, Brandon Minter, Griffen Boaz, John Thomas Myers, Jay Dandridge, Sam Dickerson, Corey Jones, Alex Martinez, Max Pinkston, Brian Finley, and Carlos Hernandez. Head Coach is Pete Scouras, Assistant Coaches – Lynn Murphy, Matt Rowe, and Mike Welch; Volunteer Coaches – Grant Boaz, Bryson Collins, Zach Corcoran, and Tommy Vessella; Manager – Jadakuis Mitchell; and Team Trainer – Zach Tybus. Attachments: Proclamation honoring the MHS Boys Soccer Team Recommendations: No action needed by Council Proclamation HONORING THE MARTINSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER TEAM WHEREAS, Martinsville High School is a member of the Virginia High School League, competing in the Piedmont District with other local and regional teams in a variety of high school sports; and WHEREAS, the Martinsville High School Boys Soccer Team completed an outstanding year, winning the VHSL Group 2A West/River Run Conference 38 Championship; and WHEREAS, the MHS Boys Soccer Team advanced to compete in the Group 2A State Championship round held at Radford University on June 12th and 13th, losing in the finals to repeating 2A State Champion, George Mason; and WHEREAS, team members are Bryce Worley, Joshua Penn, Jordan Philpott, Jacob Salas, Darden Bela, Zach Dickerson, Lorenz Hill, Chris Bennett, Kyle Hathaway, Avery Mills, Jose Carrillo, Noe Garcia, Matt Handy, Brandon Minter, Griffen Boaz, John Thomas Myers, Jay Dandridge, Sam Dickerson, Corey Jones, Alex Martinez, Max Pinkston, Brian Finley, and Carlos Hernandez; and WHEREAS, Head Coach Pete Scouras; Assistant Coaches Lynn Murphy, Matt Rowe, and Mike Welsh; Volunteer Coaches Grant Boaz, Bryson Collins, Zach Corcoran, and Tommy Vessella; Manager Jadakuis Mitchell; and Team Trainer Zach Tybus; and all the team players are to be congratulated for their hard work, dedication, and outstanding achievement; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, on this 28th day of July 2015, that the Martinsville City Council hereby recognizes and commends the Martinsville High School Boys Soccer Team for their extraordinary achievement in winning the Conference 38 Championship, for advancing to the Group 2A finals, and for being a source of pride for our entire community. _____________________ Danny Turner, Mayor City Council Agenda Summary Meeting Date: July 28, 2014 Item No: 3. Department: City Council Issue: Presentation of proclamation regarding August 4, 2015 National Night Out. Summary: Officer Coretha Gravely and captains of several City Neighborhood Watch Groups will be present to accept the proclamation. Attachments: Proclamation Recommendations: Presentation only PROCLAMATION NATIONAL NIGHT OUT August 4, 2015 WHEREAS, the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) is sponsoring a unique, nationwide crime, drug and violence prevention program on August 4, 2015 entitled “National Night Out”; and WHEREAS, the Annual National Night Out provides a unique opportunity for the City of Martinsville to join forces with thousands of other communities across the country in promoting cooperative, police-community crime prevention efforts; and WHEREAS, Martinsville City Council plays a vital role in assisting the Martinsville Police Department and Sheriff’s Office through joint crime, drug and violence prevention efforts in the City of Martinsville and is supporting “National Night Out 2015” locally; and WHEREAS, it is essential that all citizens of Martinsville be aware of the importance of crime prevention programs and impact that their participation in Neighborhood Watch groups and their community can have on reducing crime, drugs and violence in Martinsville; and WHEREAS, police-community partnerships, neighborhood safety, awareness and cooperation are important themes of the “National Night Out” and Neighborhood Watch programs; now, therefore I, Danny Turner, Mayor of the City of Martinsville, Virginia, do hereby call upon all citizens of Martinsville to join City Council and the National Association of Town Watch in supporting the “Annual National Night Out” and do hereby proclaim Tuesday, August 4, 2015 as NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME in the City of Martinsville. Danny Turner Mayor 32nd Annual National Night Out Tuesday August 4, 2015 6:00 P.M.—8:00 P.M. 4 LOCATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM: First Baptist Church of East Martinsville 1043 East Church St McCabe Memorial Baptist Church 107 Clearview Dr Agape Bible Christian Fellowship 240 East Market Street Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church 824 Starling Ave National Night Out provides a unique opportunity for the citizens of Martinsville to join forces with many other communities across the country in promoting cooperative, police/ community crime prevention efforts and assisting the Martinsville Police Department in crime, drug, and violence prevention. All citizens of Martinsville should be aware of the importance of crime prevention programs and the impact that their participation in Neighborhood Watch can have in their community reducing crimes. PLEASE BRING A COVERED DISH OF YOUR CHOICE COME OUT AND HAVE FUN!! NATIONAL NIGHT OUT America’s Night Out Against Crime If crime has a grip on your neighborhood, it’s hard to take the first step. People are afraid that if they act, criminals will take revenge. You can counter this fear, and protect each other, by working closely with police and getting involved with your community Neighborhood Watch Group. ‘Give neighborhood crime and drugs a going away party” more than 10,000 communities will join forces on August 4, 2015 to promote police community partnership; crime, drugs, and violence prevention; safety, and neighborhood unity. This is a very worthwhile event for the community and it is great to see our officers and folks in the community getting together to interact when it is not a tragedy or them being a victim of a crime. It is very important for us to build good relations with the citizens throughout our community because without the total cooperation from our citizens we can’t make our community a safe place to work and play. City Council Agenda Summary Meeting Date: July 28, 2015 Item No: 4. Department: City Manager Issue: Hear an update from Jennifer Doss, Director of Tourism for the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation. Summary: Jennifer Doss, MHC EDC Director of Tourism will present an update on activities related to the Tourism office and Visitor’s Center. Attachments: None Recommendations: Presented for information purposes. City Council Agenda Summary Meeting Date: July 28, 2015 Item No: 5. Department: Utilities Issue: Hear quarterly staff update on Utilities, Electric, Water & Sewer. Summary: City Staff will provide an update on Electric, Water and Sewer operations for the term January – June 2015. Attachments: None Recommendations: Information only, no action necessary City Council Agenda Summary Meeting Date: July 28, 2015 Item No: 6. Department: City Manager Issue: Discussion of schedule and location FY16 City Council Neighborhood Meetings Summary: Neighborhood Council Meetings have been held for several years giving citizens the opportunity to voice concerns to Council about issues in their neighborhoods. During the past year, Neighborhood meetings were held on the fourth Monday at 7:30pm following a neighborhood tour just prior to the meeting. Following is last year’s neighborhood meeting schedule with options for other locations for FY16 Neighborhood Meetings: SEPTEMBER 28, 2015-Druid Hills/Uptown TOUR 5:30 LAST YEAR at NCI OPTION: Forest Hill Presbyterian NOVEMBER 23, 2015-Southside LAST YEAR at Fuller Memorial Church TOUR 5:00 OPTION: Fuller Memorial Church (due to early darkness) FEBRUARY 22, 2016-Northside/Chatham Hts. TOUR 5:30 LAST YEAR at McCabe Church OPTION: Clearview Wesleyan Church APRIL 25, 2016-Westside TOUR 5:30 LAST YEAR at Albert Harris School OPTION: Albert Harris School Attachments: None Recommendations: Direct staff to coordinate meetings and locations.

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