March 9, 2010
The regular meeting of the Lawrenceville Town Council was called to order on March 9, 2010 by Mayor Douglas R. Pond at 7:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Roll was called; Present: Mayor Douglas R. Pond; Council members: Joyce D. Bland, Dora D. Hardy, Harry S. Holman, Robert F. Pecht, III, and Esther B. Sanderson; Chief of Police, E. L. Gibson, Jr.; Administrative Assistant, Wanda Johnson; Town Clerk, Alice B. Talbert; a citizen and the press.
Absent: Town Attorney, W. C. Outten, Jr.; Town Manager, C. J. Dean; Council members: H. B. Brockwell, Jr. and Scott E. Martin.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Mr. Pecht to approve the minutes of the previous meetings, suspend the readings and file. This was seconded by Mr. Holman and carried by all ayes.
ADDITION TO AGENDA
Adoption of a Resolution for the Downtown Revitalization Project was added to the agenda.
No citizens asked to speak to Council.
MAYOR’S REPORT
Mayor Pond stated that he had a list of exciting things going on in Town:
1. Brunswick Senior High won their game tonight and would be playing for the State Championship on Saturday.
2. A new art gallery was opening on Main Street and Mayor Pond asked everyone to go by and welcome Mr. Harris.
3. Mayor Pond reported that last Friday night, there were no empty parking spaces on Main or Hicks street.
4. Dr. Comprone, a citizen in Lawrenceville, is hoping to start a kite school out at the airport this summer. These are kites that you can fly in.
5. Calls have started coming in concerning the bike trail.
6. A report in the packets concerning property the Town hopes to acquire for use with the Rails to Trails project.
7. A B B gun range is opening in Lawrenceville; Mayor Pond stated that anyone interested could contact 4H.
8. 10 school children were at the old firehouse on last Wednesday for the first history and art classes sponsored by the Museum.
9. There seems to be no opposition for the election in May.
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION RESOLUTION
Mayor Pond stated that a Resolution had been given out concerning the Downtown Revitalization Project and authorize Mr. Dean to sign and submit the application. After a discussion, a motion was made by Mrs. Sanderson and seconded by Mr. Holman to adopt the Resolution and authorize Mr. Dean to sign and apply for the Downtown Grant. This motion carried by all ayes.
NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION
Mayor Pond also stated that a letter from Southside Planning District was in the packet concerning the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Comprehensive Review and Update. The cost of this will be $34,000 with 25% local from each county. A Letter of Intent and a Resolution were included for adoption and authorization for Mr. Dean to sign. After a discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Pecht to authorize Mr. Dean to sign the Letter of Intent for the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan and to adopt the Resolution as prepared using the model in the packet. This was seconded by Mr. Holman and carried by all ayes.
FINANCE REPORT
Mr. Pecht reported that the Town was about $75,000 less in cash this year as compared to last year. A budget will be presented in April for Council to review. Mr. Pecht stated that the town is looking at a 13% rate increase in water/sewer rates. He stated that the increase might be before July.
Mr. Pecht asked that all budget requests be submitted. Finance meetings will be set up shortly. Mr. Pecht also stated that the Town was not in as bad a shape as some other localities.
FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT
Mr. Holman reported the Fire Department had answered 41 calls expending 146 ¾ man-hours. The increase in the number of calls is due to the Department going out on the rescue calls the Rescue Squad had been doing since the Squad only has 1 crew on call.
V-STOP GRANT APPROVAL
Concerning the V-STOP Grant, Chief Gibson stated that he had met with the police and personnel committees and with Mr. Pecht with the Finance Committee. This grant is for a two-year period. The grant is for crimes against women and because of the two colleges, DCJS came to the Town and asked them to apply for the funds. Chief Gibson stated that for the first 4 to 6 months the officer would be training the Colleges and letting the students know where to go and who to report abuse to. The plan is to transfer an officer on staff to the new position. Mr. Pecht stated that a $5 to $10,000 budget item would be added to the budget. Chief Gibson stated that Ms. Draper reported that in the last 20days she received 5 calls on abuse. A motion was made by Mr. Pecht to accept the grant and authorize the signing as required. This was seconded by Mr. Holman and carried by all ayes.
Chief Gibson showed Council the mobile terminals for the police vehicles received under the Mobile Data Grant. These terminals will replace the need to talk over the radio when getting a history of someone the police have stopped.
AIRPORT USE APPROVAL
Mr. Pecht stated that the Lions Club would be having the Seafood Festival the first Wednesday in May and he made a motion to approve the use of the airport with conditions pending a letter from the Lions Club and approval from the Airport Commission.
Mayor Pond stated that a letter was in the packets from our lobbyist. The cost to purchase the Brunswick Correctional has been reduced to $10M.
A letter from Saint Paul’s College thanking the Mayor and the town for plowing after the last snow was also in the packets.
PAYMENT OF BILLS
A motion was made by Mr. Pecht and seconded by Mrs. Sanderson to pay the bills as presented and post to the proper accounts. This carried by all ayes.
CLOSED SESSION
Mr. Pecht made the following motion, “I move the Lawrenceville Town Council enter into a closed meeting pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended for the purpose of discussing contractual matters.”
This was seconded by Mrs. Sanderson and carried by the following roll call vote: voting aye, Bland, Hardy, Holman, Pecht and Sanderson. Absent: Brockwell and Martin.
RETURN TO OPEN SESSION
After a discussion, Mr. Pecht made the following motion, “I move the closed meeting be adjourned and the Lawrenceville Town Council convene again in open session.” This was seconded by Mrs. Sanderson and carried by all ayes.
CERTIFICATION
The following Certification was made by Mr. Pecht, “Be it Resolved, to the best of my knowledge ( i ) only public business matters exempted from open meeting requirement, under Section 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, and ( ii )only such public business matters as were identified in the motion by which the closed meeting was convened were heard, discussed or considered in the meeting.” This was seconded by Ms. Hardy and carried by the following roll call vote: voting aye, Bland, Hardy, Holman Pecht and Sanderson. Absent: Brockwell and Martin.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Mr. Holman and seconded by Ms. Hardy to adjourn. This carried by all ayes.
_____________________________MAYOR
_____________________________CLERK