City Council

The New River City 10 Robertson St. September 25, 2017 Radford, Virginia Regular Meeting Number 4 of Radford City Council, F.Y. 2017-2018 CLOSED SESSION: 5:30 P.M. Mr. Marshall made a motion, seconded by Mr. Gropman to convene a closed meeting for the purpose of 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. (To review a proposal for an economic development project.) Virginia Code Section 2.2-3711 (A) (5) VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 Mr. Marshall made a motion to adjourn the closed meeting, Mr. Turk seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 Mr. Marshall made a motion to convene the regular meeting, at 7:00 p.m., Mr. Turk seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 CERTIFICATION OF THE CLOSED MEETING: Mr. Marshall made a motion that Council did not discuss anything in the closed meeting other than the one item for which it was convened, Mr. Turk seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 The regular meeting of the Radford City Council was convened at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, 10 Robertson Street, Radford, VA. The Mayor of the City, Dr. Bruce Brown was present and presiding. Other members of City Council present were Mr. Robert Gropman, Dr. Richard Harshberger, Mr. Daniel Keith Marshall, and Mr. Michael Turk. Others present were as follows: Mr. David Ridpath, City Manager Ms. Jenni Wilder, City Clerk Ms. Gail Cook Devilbiss, City Attorney Mr. Don Goodman, Chief of Police Following the Pledge of Allegiance, led by local Veterans, the invocation was led by Mr. McCandlish. MINUTES APPROVALS: On a motion by Mr. Marshall and seconded by Mr. Turk that the minutes for the September 11, 2017 Regular Meeting are approved as presented. VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 PROCLAMATIONS: SUBJECT: Arts and Humanities Month SUMMARY: The month of October is Nationally recognized as “Arts and Humanities Month”. The Proclamation locally recognizes the significant contributions of art, music, stage and dance to our community, its citizens and our youth. ACTION: Dr. Harshberger moved to approve the Arts and Humanities Proclamation as presented, Mr. Gropman seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 SUBJECT: Fire Prevention Week SUMMARY: The week of October 8, 2017 through October 14, 2017 is Nationally recognized as “Fire Prevention Week”. The proclamation locally endorses “Fire Prevention Week in Radford”. The Proclamation encourages recognition of this important week by promoting fire safety at home, at work, in our schools and in our forests. ACTION: Mr. Marshall moved to approve the Fire Prevention Month Proclamation as presented, Mr. Turk seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 CITIZEN COMMENTS: None NEW BUSINESS: SUBJECT: Harvest Festival Closing of Norwood Square Lot SUMMARY: Oasis Church requested that the Norwood Square parking lot, located at the intersection of Virginia Street and East Main Street, be closed to accommodate a “carnival” associated with the annual “Trick or Treat Trail”, sponsored by the Radford Chamber of Commerce. The event will be held on, October 31, 2017. The lot will be closed from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. to accommodate children’s activities, including games, inflatables, music and face painting. Access to the businesses through the lot will not be impacted by the special event. Public Works will take care of the set-up and procedures related to closing the lot and the Police Department will assist in traffic control. ACTION: Dr. Harshberger moved to close the Norwood Square Lot for the Harvest Festival, Mr. Marshall, seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 SUBJECT: Radford Transit Contract Resolution SUMMARY: The City of Radford provides public transportation service through partnerships and funding from the Federal Transportation Administration, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and Radford University. The service is operated through an agreement with the New River Valley Community Services that was procured in 2011 at the launch of Radford Transit. New River Valley Community Service has been the service operator for Radford Transit service for six years. The FTA has required procurement of the service due to our federal funding and new procedures. The City received several inquiries, but only one proposal from the solicitation from New River Community Services. The Service Review Committee have evaluated the proposal and recommended that the New River Valley Community Services be awarded the contract for a five-year term with a two-year extension possible. Fees for service for the first year (2017/2018) will remain level, 2019 will increase 4% to match rising experience in operational and personnel cost. The remaining years of the contract will increase 2.47%. Mr. Marshall questioned the increase over five years of 11.81% and how much of that is covered within the federal grant. When was the increase negotiated before or after the proposal was sent out. Mr. Gropman asked about advertising, and Melissa Skelton stated that we have a $20,000 advertising minimum. Mayor Brown suggested having a citizen advisory committee for the Radford Transit. Mayor Brown would also like a consistent August update from Radford Transit going forward. Melissa Skelton, Transit Coordinator answered questions by various council members and clarified some of the questions. She also stated the Radford Transit Director would be at the next meeting to give an overview of the past year. ACTION: Mr. Gropman moved to approve the Radford Transit Contract Resolution as presented, Dr. Harshberger seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, NAYES: Mayor Brown CITY MANAGERS COMMENTS: Mr. Ridpath stated the filings are in to VDOT for the Tyler Avenue Project and that project is coming together. Mr. Ridpath also stated the Radford Highlanders Festival is October 21, 2017 in Bisset Park and that Radford’s Hurricane relief efforts will be going to God’s Pit Crew within the next week. CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS: Mr. Marshall asked staff to consider moving the Radford Farmer’s Market to the Glencoe Museum Field and explore the possibilities of what we would need to do to make that happen. Mr. Marshall also invited everyone to the Bobcat versus Giles Co. Football game on Friday and the hotdog supper beforehand benefiting High School Senior Eric Burdette, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Dr. Harshberger read and reviewed an article in Valley Business Front about the Mary Draper Ingles Play. Mayor Brown stated that there was $1,085 raised in hurricane relief funds through the Restaurants for Houston week. There was a nice Letter to the Editor in the Roanoke Times about the relief effort. Mr. Marshall made a motion, seconded by Mr. Turk to convene a closed meeting for the purpose of Discussion, consideration, or interviews of prospective candidates for employment; assignment, appointment, promotion, performance, demotion, salaries, disciplining, or resignation of specific public officers, appointees, or employees of any public body; and evaluation of performance of departments, “to review contracts associated with the City Manager,” under Virginia Code Section 2.2-3711 (A) (1). VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 Mr. Marshall made a motion to adjourn the closed meeting, _________ seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 Mr. Marshall made a motion to re-convene the regular meeting, Mr. Turk seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 CERTIFICATION OF THE CLOSED MEETING: made a motion that Council did not discuss anything in the closed meeting other than the one item for which it was convened, Mr. Turk seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 Mr. Marshall made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:42 p.m., seconded by Mr. Turk VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 VOTE: AYES: Mr. Gropman, Dr. Harshberger, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Turk, Mayor Brown NAYES: None-0 ATTEST: Jennifer G. Wilder, Clerk of Council