JULY 10, 2007

The regular meeting of the Lawrenceville Town Council was called to order at 7:30 pm on July 10, 2007 by Mayor Keith W. Clarke with the following present:

Mayor Keith W. Clarke; Council members: Joyce D. Bland, H. B. Brockwell, Jr., Wilbur Hardy, Harry S. Holman, J. Grady Martin, Robert F. Pecht, III and Esther B. Sanderson; Town Attorney, W. C. Outten, Jr.; Town Manager, C. J. Dean; Chief of Police, Douglas R. Pond; Administrative Assistant, Wanda Johnson; Julian Moore and James Wesson of the Lawrenceville Volunteer Fire Dept; Alice B. Talbert, Clerk; citizens and the press.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

A motion was made by Mr. Hardy and seconded by Mr. Brockwell to approve the minutes of the previous meeting, suspend their reading and file. This motion carried by all ayes.

FIRE DEPARTMENT RESOLUTION

Mr. Outten stated that members had before them a copy of a resolution to make the Town the primary custodian of all financial matters for the fire department. Mr. Outten stated that he and the auditor had reviewed the Resolution and approved its adoption. Mr. Dean reported that a letter had been received from our auditors stating that the fire department has to be included in the town audit since they are a part of the town and uses the town’s Federal Tax number. Mr. Dean, Mrs. Talbert, Julian Moore and James Wesson had met with Denise Williams of Creedle, Jones and Alga and discussed this matter. There had also been meetings with the fire department. After a discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Pecht to adopt the Resolution as presented. This was seconded by Mr. Brockwell and carried by all ayes. Mr. Pecht stated that the fire department has been doing an excellent job and this only an audit procedure necessary for the Town to continue having a clean audit.

SAINT PAULS SEWER REPLACEMENT

Mr. Dean reported that the Saint Paul’s sewer replacement project was complete and the final papers signed and would let Council know when all paperwork was complete.

GREEN ACRES PROJECT AREA

Mr. Dean stated that the County was planning to move the pump station located at the Middle School to the Green Acres Project area. As part of the Green Acres project, the County bid a portable pump. The bid came in for $35,000. Mr. Dean asked Council to consider purchasing the pump using the insurance proceeds from the garbage truck accident and $3,500 from sewer capital. Mr. Pecht asked that the entire amount come from sewer capital. After a discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Brockwell and seconded by Mr. Hardy to purchase the portable pump use the proceeds from the insurance claim and to charge all to sewer capital. This carried with the following voting aye: Bland, Brockwell, Hardy, Holman, Martin, Pecht and Sanderson.

WIRELESS BROADBAND

Mr. Dean stated that notification had been received stating that five projects had been awarded to provide wireless broadband to rural markets. Stuart, Altavista, Appomattox, Brookneal and Lawrenceville will be funded. Telepage, Inc. in Emporia has been awarded the contract to provide a wireless broadband in Lawrenceville to serve over 700 business and residential households. Mr. Dean had not heard from Telepage as of the meeting.

RESOLUTION TO ADD STREET TO VDOT SYSTEM

A copy of a Resolution was given to members requesting Virginia Dept of Transportation to add Goodrich Lane and Davenport Street to the Secondary System of State Highways. A motion was made by Mr. Brockwell and seconded by Mr. Holman to adopt the Resolution as presented. Voting aye: Bland, Brockwell, Hardy, Holman, Martin, Pecht and Sanderson.

BUDGET AMENDMENT TO ADD LINE ITEM

As this was the final financial statement for the fiscal year, Mr. Pecht gave a summary of the revenues and expenses.

Mr. Pecht stated that it was necessary to amend the budget for FY07/08 to add a line item under police expenses. After a discussion, Mr. Pecht made a motion to amend the FY07/08 Budget to add Selective Enforcement under Police Expense. This was seconded by Mr. Hardy and carried by all ayes.

FIRE REPORT

A list of accounts and procedures that will be used by the Town and Fire Department to comply with the current government accounting standards were included in the packets.

Mrs. Bland gave the following fire report: A total of 42 calls were made in the month of June with 32 out of town and 10 in town. A breakdown of the calls as follows: 12 disregard; 12 EMS; 5 MVA; 3 brush fires; 3 smoke scare; 2 structure fires; 1 car fire; 1 cooking fire; 1 shorting electrical equipment; 1 service call and 1 welfare check.

POLICE REPORT

Mr. Hardy reported that Officer Layton had returned to duty after a two-month rehab from a knee injury while taking a subject into custody.

Mr. Hardy also reported that two Lawrenceville officers have completed training and are now carrying the Taser, an electronic device designed to control individuals and reduce injury to officers and citizens. The three other officers are to train and receive their Taser in July.

SURPLUS EQUIPMENT

Mr. Brockwell stated that sealed bids were opened on the surplus equipment. Mr. Brockwell made a motion to accept the high bids with the exception for item #16 which received two bids for the same amount. Mr. Martin seconded this motion and it carried by all ayes.

FIRE GENERATOR REPORT

Mr. Brockwell stated that Mr. Dean had been in contact with a supplier of generators and was to meet with a representative to look at the possibilities of one that would serve the fire department.

Mr. Brockwell asked that safety reports be included in the packets.

TOWN DEVELOPMENT REPORT

Mrs. Sanderson reported that she and Mr. Brockwell had met with a former citizen and discussed ways to bring in development, tourism and young people. He was interested in helping with Roanoke Rails to Trails, the Artisan Center and Historic District. He was also interested in helping update the town web site to be more attractive to young people and the possibility of getting a group of young people together to attend meetings and get ideas on what attracts them to a locality. Mr. Brockwell asked members to check out our web site and call the town office with ideas or things they feel we need on the web. Mr. Dean did a power point showing the town web site and the different links available.

WEB SITE FOR CEMETERY

Mrs. Talbert gave Council the web site set up through the work the Garden Club has been doing on the towns cemeteries. The site www.virginians.com/oakwood is a great site not only for the town but for anyone interested in genealogy. Mrs. Talbert was asked to get a list of the Garden Club members.

RELAY FOR LIFE REPORT

Mrs. Talbert gave an update on the Brunswick Relay for Life and thanked Mayor Clarke, Mr. Outten and Mr. Pecht for their continued sponsorship of Relay; Mrs. Sanderson for singing at Relay. Chief Pond was thanked for providing security at all the team meetings, and Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Dean were thanked for all their assistance in helping Mrs. Talbert with Relay. Mrs. Talbert reported that this year, Relay for Life of Brunswick had raised over $125,000 and money was still coming in. She thanked everyone for making it such a success.

A motion was made by Mr. Hardy and seconded by Mrs. Sanderson to pay the bills presented in the amount of $67,690.68. Voting aye: Bland, Brockwell, Hardy, Holman, Martin, Pecht and Sanderson.

SEWER ORDINANCE ADOPTION

Mr. Outten stated that the proposed Sewer Ordinance presented last month had been corrected to replace the word administrator to Town Manager. Mr. Outten stated that a Public Hearing had taken place and was ready for Council action. A motion was made by Mr. Pecht and seconded by Mr. Hardy to adopt the Sewer Ordinance as presented with the changes. Voting aye: Bland, Brockwell, Hardy, Holman, Martin, Pecht and Sanderson.

TOWN PROJECTS

Mr. Brockwell stated that a list of town projects was in the packets and thanked Mr. Dean for the work put into providing this information. He asked that a copy of the list be given to the press to let the public see the many projects the town is involved in.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before Council, a motion was made by Mr. Pecht and seconded by Mrs. Sanderson to adjourn. This carried by all ayes.

__________________________MAYOR

__________________________ATTEST