January 13, 2009

 

Mayor Douglas R. Pond called the regular meeting of the Lawrenceville Town Council to order at 7:30 p.m. on January 13, 2009.

 

ROLL CALL

Roll was called with the following present:  Mayor Douglas R. Pond; Council members: H. B. Brockwell, Jr., Harry S. Holman, Vanessa Y. Jones, Scott E. Martin, Robert F. Pecht, III and Esther B. Sanderson; Town Attorney, W. C. Outten, Jr.; Town Manager, C. J. Dean; Acting Police Chief, B. N. Newcomb; Administrative Assistant, Wanda Johnson; Everette Gibson; Dr. Robert Satcher and Delegation from Saint Paul’s College; Town Clerk, Alice B. Talbert; citizens; and the press.

 

Absent: Council member, Joyce D. Bland

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

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

 

DR. SATCHER

Mayor Pond stated he had invited Dr. Satcher of Saint Paul’s College to give an update on things going on at the College.  Dr. Satcher thanked the Mayor and Council for having him.  He stated that he felt the College was a part of the community and wanted everyone to feel it was “their” college.  He gave a brief history of the College and reported on several projects the College wanted to complete. A bridge from the campus to the student union was being worked on to make the student center more accessible to the students. The old student union building and the old President’s house are to be rehabbed.  Mayor

Pond thanked everyone for coming and stated that he would be getting with Dr. Satcher to set up bi-monthly meetings with Dr. Satcher and the College Community Liaison Committee. 

 

MAYOR REPORT

Mayor Pond reported that the ground breaking at the ballpark had taken place on December 30.  The new car wash on Cattail Road had opened in December and was staying busy.  Mayor Pond stated that Marines from Fort Picket had began training and were flying over Lawrenceville and had landed at Saint Paul’s on Saturday afternoon.

 

HLRA MEETING

Mr. Dean stated that minutes from the HLRA meeting in December were in the packets.  The next meeting will be February 5th at 5:30.  On February 12th the Town and HLRA will be hosting an event to look at all the results of the study done on revitalizing downtown.  This will be a time for citizens to ask questions and get answers.  The meeting will be held at the public library from 6 to 8 pm.  The public is invited.

 

WASTEWATER PLANT GENERATOR

Mr. Dean stated that he would like permission to secure RFP for financing the generator for the wastewater plant.  A motion was made by Mr. Brockwell to authorize the Town Manager to put out RFP for purchase of the wastewater treatment plant generator.  This was seconded by Mrs. Sanderson and carried by all ayes.

 

VHDA

Mr. Dean reported that a $10,000 grant from VHDA had been received.  This grant is to be used to look at two buildings in town for possible mixed use.  Our current ordinance does not allow for residential housing in commercial space.  The Town would be joining with SCORE and Robert Adams of HDA to study the potential for such projects within the downtown.  Mr. Outten stated that he had reviewed the contract and felt this was a good idea to use the grant for the study before jumping into changing our ordinance.  A motion was made by Mr. Pecht to authorize the Town Manager to sign the contract agreement with SCORE and Robert J. Adams.  This motion received a second from Mr. Brockwell and was carried by all ayes.

 

EMERGENCY SERVICES REQUEST

Mr. Dean stated that a copy of a request from Emergency Services to use a gasoline-powered motorboat in the water at the watershed was in the packets, however an agreement has been made with them to use the town’s trolling motor.

 

TOBACCO HERITAGE TRAIL

The Tobacco Heritage Trail bid opening was held on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 3 p.m. with the low bid based on base bid price.  All bids were under the estimated cost of $1.3 million with the apparent low bid being from E. F. Brown Construction, Inc.  Mr. Dean stated that bid tabulation and bid from E. F. Brown Construction, Inc. has been sent to VDOT for final approval.

 

BUDGET REQUEST

Mr. Dean asked that all committee chairs get all budget requests in to the office, as work will begin on the budget for FY09/10.

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Mr. Pecht stated that the financial statement was in the packets and the town is running ahead of last year by $120,000. 

 

FIRE REPORT

Mr. Holman stated that the fire report was handed out and the department had responded to 32 calls.

 

NEW POLICE CHIEF APPOINTED

Mrs. Sanderson stated that the Personnel and Police Committees had met and interviewed Everette Gibson for Chief of Police and it was the recommendation of the committees that Mr. Gibson become the new police chief.  Mrs. Sanderson then made a motion to appoint Mr. Gibson as the Police Chief.  This was seconded by Mr. Brockwell and voting aye: Brockwell, Holman, Jones, Martin, Pecht and Sanderson.  Mayor Pond thanked Acting Chief Newcomb, and congratulated and welcomed Chief Gibson aboard.

 

Chief Gibson thanked Council for the appointment and faith in him to do the job.  He stated that he would get with Sheriff Roberts but felt a two-week notice would be fine.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Mr. Brockwell asked that the property spreadsheet be updated for Council.

 

Mrs. Sanderson reported that the Town Development Committee is working on advertising for the town and will have something at the next meeting for Council review.

 

Mr. Brockwell stated that he attended the IDA meeting and the hotel study has been completed and focused on the Lawrenceville area.  Mr. Dean was asked to request the Executive Summary for Council.  He also stated that the Economic Study was on the IDA website.

 

PAYMENT OF BILLS

A motion was made by Mr. Martin and seconded by Mr. Brockwell to approve the bills as presented in the amount of $75,566.27 and charge to the proper funds.  This carried by all ayes.

 

ADJOURNMENT

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

 

 

Douglas R. Pond, Mayor

 

 

Alice B. Talbert, Clerk