City Council

November 28, 2023 Council Meeting A meeting of the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia was held on November 28, 2023 in Council Chambers, Municipal Building, at 7:00 PM with Mayor LC Jones presiding. Other Council Members present included Kathy Lawson, Aaron Rawls, Lawrence Mitchell, and Tammy Pearson. Staff present included City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides, Paul Jacobson, Attorney for Sands Anderson participating by phone, Clerk of Council Karen Roberts, Public Information Officer Kendall Davis, Community Development Director Keith Holland, Building Inspector Kris Bridges, Fire Chief Dan Howell, and Police Chief Rob Fincher. Mayor Jones called the meeting to order and advised Council would go into Closed Session beginning at 6:30 PM. In accordance with the Code of Virginia, Title 2.2 Chapter 37, Freedom of Information Act and upon a motion by Council Member Lawson and seconded by Council Member Pearson with the following 5-0 recorded vote: Vice Mayor Rawls, aye; Council Member Pearson, aye; Council Member Mitchell, aye; Mayor Jones, aye; and Council Member Lawson, aye. Council convened in Closed Session to discuss the following matters: (A) Appointments to boards and commissions, as authorized by Subsection 1, (B) Discussion or consideration of the acquisition of real property for a public purpose or of the disposition of publicly held real property, where discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body, as authorized by Subsection 3, and (C) Discussion concerning a prospective business or industry or the expansion of an existing business or industry where no previous announcement has been made of the business or industry’s interest in locating or expanding its facilities in the community, as authorized by Subsection 5. At the conclusion of Closed Session, each returning member of Council certified that (1) only public business matters exempt from open 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 meeting. A motion was made by Council Member Lawson and seconded by Council Member Pearson with the following recorded 5-0 vote: Mayor Jones, aye; Vice Mayor Rawls, aye; Council Member Lawson, aye; Council Member Mitchell, aye; and Council Member Pearson, aye. Action out of closed session: Council Member Lawson made a motion to appoint all recommended members of the CCJB Board; Council Member Pearson seconded the motion with all Council Members voting in favor. Lawson made a motion to appoint Billie White to the Children’s Services Act at the Private Provider; Vice Mayor Rawls seconded the motion with all Council Members voting in favor. Rawls made a motion to reappoint Julian Mei to the Arts and Cultural Committee (Artisan); Pearson seconded the motion with all Council Members voting in favor. No other action was taken out of Closed Session. Consider appointing the City Manager as Executive Director of the Redevelopment and Housing Authority – City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides gave a brief description on the need for this formal appointment, stating that the City Manager has always served this November 28, 2023 Council Meeting position, but it was not formally appointed. Council Member Lawson made the motion to recess as City Council and convene as the Martinsville Redevelopment and Housing Authority; Council Member Pearson seconded the motion with all Council Members voting in favor. Housing Authority Member Lawson made the motion to approve the resolution; Housing Authority Member Pearson seconded the motion with all Housing Authority Members voting in favor. Lawson read the resolution. Housing Authority Member Lawson made a motion to recess as the Redevelopment and Housing Authority and reconvene as City Council; Housing Authority Vice Chair Rawls seconded the motion with all Housing Authority Members voting in favor. Present a proclamation to the Veterans Honor Guard of Martinsville and Henry County – Members of the Honor Guard were present to accept the proclamation. One of the members introduced those in attendance and gave a summary of the Guard. Mayor Jones read the proclamation which was presented to those in attendance. November 28, 2023 Council Meeting Presentation by the Martinsville City Schools robotics team (the TreeHuggers) – Several students and teachers were in attendance. Members of the TreeHuggers gave an entertaining presentation about the program and their innovative solution to bring more art to the community using recyclable water bottles. The TreeHuggers offered a proposal for Council’s approval. Council Member Lawson made the motion to approve the implementation of the robotics team’s art design; Council Member Pearson seconded the motion with all Council Members voting in favor. Hear an update from the Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority and discussions about potential land development – Tavaris McCoy is working with the DRHA and presented a PowerPoint presentation updating Council Members on the Housing Authority and their plans for continued development of the Five Points project along with a second location on Rives Road. McCoy requests site control of those two locations to further plan for development. Vice Mayor Rawls pointed out that the Rives Road site was a larger sight originally planned for industry and not residential. Over the 42 acres, there would be between 200-300 housing units. Council Member Lawson said it would be an exciting project to watch develop. Residents want a new home that does not require repairs to move into. Rawls made a motion to ask staff to work on a land development agreement with DRHA for the December meeting for Church and Rives Road sites; Pearson seconded the motion with all Council Members November 28, 2023 Council Meeting voting in favor. November 28, 2023 Council Meeting Consider an Ordinance to adopt the City’s participation in the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program – Community Development Director Keith Holland explained that this is a follow up from the public hearing held in October. The ordinance has been revised from the copy last month and is ready for Council’s approval on first reading. Council Member Lawson made the motion to adopt the ordinance; Vice Mayor Rawls seconded the motion with all Council Members voting in favor. November 28, 2023 Council Meeting November 28, 2023 Council Meeting November 28, 2023 Council Meeting November 28, 2023 Council Meeting Parks Improvement Planning Update - Graham Smith, representative of Site Collaborative provided a PowerPoint updating Council on the progress made on the Park Improvement Plan thus far. Council Member Pearson asked if Martinsville needs every park or could some be turned into “green space”. Lawson said in neighborhood meetings that residents in some locations would prefer green space instead of a park. Smith said that they had not evaluated that option yet. Smith said that Martinsville has a good number of parks for the number of residents, but the overall acreage is right at the minimum. Smith confirmed Mitchell’s question that some residents did express security concerns. Mayor Jones asked if Site Collaborative had considered working with locations with fitness programs. Lawson questioned if there were concerns expressed about children with sensory issues. Smith said they hope to wrap up planning by March 2024. Local Government Climate Action Plan – Community Development Director Keith Holland summarized conversations with George Mason University related to the resiliency and climate action programs, a student lead project and provided a PowerPoint detailing the Climate Action Plan and potential funding available. There is no cost to the City. Council Member November 28, 2023 Council Meeting Lawson made the motion to authorize the City Manager or her designee to enter into the Memorandum of Agreement with George Mason University; Vice Mayor Rawls seconded the motion with all Council Members voting in favor. November 28, 2023 Council Meeting November 28, 2023 Council Meeting Conduct a public hearing to take comments from the public on a resolution approving the revenue-sharing agreements between the Henry County Board of Supervisors, the Industrial Development Authority of Henry County, and the City of Martinsville – Mayor Jones explained that this discussion was started during the summer to provide the City additional income. Jones opened the public hearing. No one approached the podium, so Mayor Jones closed the public hearing. Council Member Lawson made a motion to approve the revised revenue sharing agreement; Council Member Pearson seconded the motion with the following roll call vote: Pearson, aye; Jones, aye; Rawls, aye; Lawson, aye; and Mitchell, aye. Rawls read the revised Revenue sharing agreement. Update of Aaron Mills Donation Agreement – City Manager Aretha requested this item be tabled to allow additional work. Business from the Floor – John Farnham, 721 Susan Lane expressed concern about kudzu and asked if anything was being done, stating that it is a detriment to the community. He doesn’t understand the ordinance about not being able to dispose of it. He offered his assistance to work with someone from the City to get the ordinance revised. City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides read an email from Ural Harris, 217 Stuart Street, “I would like an explanation on the BB&T building. Why did the city give the proposed people redoing the building 6 more months? Rawls originally wanted to tear it down. Unless I am wrong, they got $1 million to do asbestos removal but after all this time nothing has been done to it. Now it will cost the taxpayers another 70,000 plus utilities. Is the original agreement still in effect or can they now do anything with the building, like put anything they wish in it. I also question how and why the past City Manager and City Attorney on how the bid was put out, the original requirements to get the building and the terms on how these people got it on short notice. Three on council promised transparency so now it’s time it was shown. Thank you. Ural Harris” Comments by members of City Council – Council Member Mitchell said it was refreshing to see the students and the presentation tonight. Council Member Pearson looks forward to seeing what the students create on the front lawn of City Hall. Pearson thanked everyone who attended the parade, and she was pleased with the increase in participants. Thank you to the City employees for their work to help the parade run smoothly. Pearson encouraged residents November 28, 2023 Council Meeting to buy and dine locally, especially during the holidays. She shared that there are so many activities during December including the Pops concert and tree lighting. Pearson is excited for the housing development which will allow the community to grow. She encouraged any residents with questions to reach out to Council Members. Council Member Lawson thanked the parade organizers and said it was well attended; she enjoyed seeing the citizens and the smiles on the children’s faces. There is a lot going on on Friday including the tree lighting at city hall at 5:30pm, Uptown stores will have extended hours and the farmers market will be open. There will be holiday music at the courthouse and Holiday Pops will be at the high school on Sunday at 3:00pm. Pearson asked Fire Chief Dan Howell about the smoke detector program which is free to residents. Howell provided contact information for residents who need smoke detectors installed. Lawson shared that 1,000s of smoke detectors have been installed by the Fire Department over the years and shared that it's very important to have working smoke detectors. Vice Mayor Rawls congratulated the new supervisors voted to the Henry County Board of Supervisors. Rawls thanked Public Information Officer Kendall Davis for his work on the park studies. Rawls welcomed Community Director Keith Holland and asked him to please stick around, Rawls understands what chaos Holland stepped into by accepting the position. Rawls is excited about the housing opportunity; to see ideas come to an actual plan is rewarding. Rawls thanked Kim Walker with DRHA and stated that everything she said she was going to do, she’s done. She’s shown up time after time to help with the housing concern. Rawls thanked Olivia Garrett for schooling council on how to work with legislators and how to get things moving through the state. Rawls also thanked Eric Phillips, who is a pro-Martinsville, pro-Henry County representative and works hard to make the community better. The warming center is open, and the volunteers are working hard but they need additional help. Peason said the warming center has a list of needed items on their Facebook page along with needing meals each day. Mayor Jones thanked everyone for attending the meeting especially Bishop Martin, the honor guard and the TreeHuggers. Jones shared an opportunity for the community to come together to discuss gun violence, domestic violence, and how to keep residents and the community safe on Sunday December 3 at 4:00 pm. Comments by City Manager – City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides asked that Council Members please keep her, and other Council Members informed on events they plan to attend. It’s an exciting and busy December with several retirements including Officer Coretha Gravely who’s retirement reception will be held on December 4 at 6:00 pm at Martinsville High School; they’ve gotten a big response from residents excited to celebrate with her. All retirees will be invited to a Council meeting after the first of the year to be recognized for their service. There being no further business, Council Member Lawson made a motion to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:45 pm. November 28, 2023 Council Meeting ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Karen Roberts, Clerk of Council LC Jones, Mayor