1-16-90 Minutes

City of Bedford, Virginia - At the Peaks of Perfection!

1-16-90 Minutes

An adjourned meeting of the Council of the City of Bedford, Virginia, from the January 9, 1990 meeting, was held at the Bedford County Court House with the Bedford County Board of Supervisors at 7:30 p.m., January 16, 1990.

City Council members present: Mayor G. Michael Shelton; Councilman Larry D. Brookshier; Councilwoman Joanne A. Grahame; Councilman E. Thomas Messier; Vice Mayor John M. Owen, III; Councilman Ronnie C. Rice; and Councilman James A. Vest.

Members absent: None.

Board Members present: Chairman A. A. Saarnijoki, James Teass, T. D. Thornton, Tony Ware, Jack Mitchell, and Calvin Updike.

City staff present: City Manager Jack A. Gross; City Attorney W. W. Berry, IV; and Clerk of the Council Teresa W. Hatcher.

Mayor Shelton and Chairman Saarnijoki opened the meeting.

The Chairman and Mayor expressed interest in holding quarterly joint meetings between the two governing bodies.

Discussion ensued regarding adding an item to the agenda concerning consolidation.

Mayor Shelton indicated that Council was not prepared for a discussion of consolidation at this meeting; and he asked that the item not be included on the agenda.

A time limit for discussion of agenda items was established at twenty minutes per item.

On motion by Vice Mayor Owen, seconded by Councilman Messier, voted upon and carried unanimously, Council approved the agenda as mailed.

Discussion ensued regarding the joint Industrial Development Certification.

On motion by Councilman Rice, seconded by Councilwoman Grahame, voted upon and carried unanimously, Council waived the reading of the following proposed resolution:

RESOLUTION OF PARTICIPATION

WHEREAS, the governing bodies of Bedford County and the City of Bedford are interested in the economic well-being of their citizenry and their communities at large; and,

WHEREAS, the governing bodies are prepared to support appropriate efforts within their communities to become totally prepared to promote economic development; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Economic Development is offering a program which is specifically designed to help Virginia communities to become prepared for industrial and related economic development; and

WHEREAS, this program is entitled the Virginia Community Certification Program; and

WHEREAS, the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce has agreed to provide a Certification Coordinator; and

WHEREAS, the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce has received a grant in the amount of $10,150 for Certifica-tion.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City of Bedford and Bedford County that our communities, Bedford County and the City of Bedford, wish to participate in the Virginia Community Certification Program, and that the leadership of these communities fully realizes this program requires dedicated effort; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that by making entry into this program, we are pledging our honest efforts to become designated as "Certified" communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the program requires the existence or formation of a Local Economic Development Organization, and these governing bodies designate the Bedford Area Economic Development Committee as representing these communities for the purpose of participating in this program.

This resolution is in full effect upon its adoption this 16th day of January, 1990.

The Board of Supervisors, upon motion by Board Member Ware, voted unanimously to accept the resolution as written.

Councilwoman Grahame moved that the resolution be accepted as presented. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rice, voted upon and carried unanimously by the following roll call vote:

Councilman Brookshier aye

Councilwoman Grahame aye

Councilman Messier aye

Vice Mayor Owen aye

Councilman Rice aye

Councilman Vest aye

Mayor Shelton aye

Mayor Shelton stated that Councilman Messier would serve as Council's representative on the Bedford Area Economic Development Committee. Chairman Saarnijoki stated that Board Member Thornton would be the County's representative on the Committee.

A discussion ensued regarding the formation of a joint Complete Count Census Committee to insure accurate census through education and promotion.

Councilman Messier moved that Council appropriate $1,000 from the unappropriated contingency to Account No. 0808108107056041. The motion was seconded by Councilman Brookshier, voted upon and carried unanimously by the following roll call vote:

Councilwoman Grahame aye

Councilman Messier aye

Vice Mayor Owen aye

Councilman Rice aye

Councilman Vest aye

Councilman Brookshier aye

Mayor Shelton aye

Board Member Teass moved that the Board of Supervisors transfer from the contingency fund $1,000 for the purposes of the Census Committee. The motion was voted upon and carried unanimously.

Board Member Teass moved that the Board expend $5,075 from the Economic Development Category of 8105-Line Item 3002, Special Studies, for the payment to the Chamber of Commerce for administrative service related to certification. The motion was then vote upon by the Board and carried unanimously.

Mayor Shelton stated that City Council would like to see the Board's and Council's Solid Waste Committees meet to discuss the landfill, leachate treatment, the issues of the current County landfill (when it closes), leading toward a joint landfill operation.

Chairman Saarnijoki gave a brief update on the status of the County's search for a new landfill. Mr. Saarnijoki agreed that the two solid waste committees meet and discuss what might be worked out.

Discussion ensued regarding recycling efforts. The County is going to open a minimum of three recycling sites. There was discussion of investigating the possibility having a recycling factory that uses items from landfills. The solid waste committees are to discuss the recycling factory.

Chairman Saarnijoki reported that the Board authorized the Bedford County Public Service Authority to make a study of the water requirements in the vicinity of Bedford City.

Mayor Shelton stated that Council discussed on January 6 the matter of water and sewer connections outside of the City and the need for a study to be done as to the growth that is occurring (the City has received approximately 500 requests for connections in the County). He stated that a concern of the City is the capacity of its water and sewer system to be able to handle this kind of growth; and it is a concern of the City to provide for continual connections outside of the City, when the utilities need to be concentrated on City connections. The Mayor stated that City Council is also interested in conducting a study that would look at the growth issues and in the future how the City could handle connections outside of the City, and at the same time be able to recover costs to apply towards capitalization of the system.

A discussion ensued regarding the study. Hill Studios, who prepared the proposal for the study, is to make a presentation to the Board to review the proposal with them. The Board members are then to make comments to the County's Water and Sewer Committee, who will then meet with the City's Water and Sewer Committee.

Board member Thornton then read a statement in which he suggested that the two governing bodies agree in principal to study consolidation.

A brief discussion ensued regarding various items.

The Mayor and Chairman are to schedule the next two joint meetings.

Mayor Shelton adjourned the meeting at 8:48 p.m.