5-15-90 Minutes

An adjourned meeting of the Council of the City of Bedford, Virginia, from the May 8, 1990, regular meeting, was held in the Council Hall of the Municipal Building at 7:30 p.m., May 15, 1990. The meeting was a joint meeting with the Bedford County Board of Supervisors.

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.

Council members absent: None.

Board members present: A. A. Saarnijoki, Chairman; Supervisors James Teass, Tony Ware, T. D. Thornton, Jack Mitchell, and Wesley Gordon.

Board members absent: Supervisor Calvin Updike.

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

Discussion ensued regarding the possibility of the City and County having a joint landfill operation. Chairman Saarnijoki and Councilman Vest reported on the joint meeting of the City and County Solid Waste Committees held on May 9.

Mayor Shelton stated that the City will be gathering information regarding how many tons per day of material is being deposited in the City landfill. He stated that funds are included in next year's budget for installing scales at the landfill.

Mr. Ronald Lovelace, representing the Air Subcommittee of the Transportation Committee of the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce, requested that the City and County share in the cost for a preliminary study which would possibly result in locating a small airport in Bedford. Mr. Lovelace indicated that a detailed study and the airport construction would be paid through 90% partici- pation by the federal government, 5% participation by the state government, with the remaining 5% being split between the City and the County. Mr. G. E. Murray, Jr., spoke in favor of constructing an airport in Bedford.

Mayor Shelton indicated that the report from the Chamber of Commerce was accepted, and would be taken into consideration at a regular Council meeting.

Ms. Kay Waff, Coordinator of the Industrial Certification Program, presented an update on the status of the certification program. She reported that Bedford City and County have already met many of the thirty-one requirements in the program.

Mayor Shelton declared a five minute recess from 8:15 p.m. until 8:20 p.m.

Chairman Saarnijoki spoke in regard to a letter dated May 8, 1990, from himself to the Mayor concerning water and sewer. Mr. Saarnijoki stated that the Board in considering the growth and development of Bedford City and County has decided that if growth is to occur, the County is going to need some services and that growth should be more than just residential. Mr. Saarnijoki stated that if the City would make water and sewer extensions into the County, the Board might look at some kind of revenue sharing. He stated that the Board would like to see the City abandon the moratorium on water and sewer extensions in the County, and would like Council to agree to declaring a moratorium on annexation, particularly in those areas where the City and County were sharing revenues.

Mayor Shelton stated that he, the City Manager, and the City Attorney had prepared questions in response to the May 8th letter. Mayor Shelton then reviewed those questions with the Board, some of which follow:

1. Would the county be willing to pay for a cost-of-service study and agree to support its conclusions?

2. Would the county be willing to fund a study of the city's existing capacity and the expected growth rate in the proposed county areas to be served?

3. How does the Board envision additional capital expenditures, which would place an unbearable burden on the rate structure, to be met?

4. What specific revenues are being suggested for inclusion in the revenue sharing agreement, and what dollar amounts would be projected to be generated from such an agreement?

5. Would the county be willing to pay for engineering studies that would be necessary because of upgrading existing lines?

Discussion ensued.

Mayor Shelton asked Chairman Saarnijoki if the Board would be willing to settle on the Carriage Hill issue now, to get it out of Court, and let the Commission on Local Government settle the issue.

Chairman Saarnijoki stated he did not feel that the Board wants to settle that issue right now.

Mayor Shelton stated that he would send these questions to the Board, and set up a committee to meet with a committee of the Board to discuss the water and sewer issue.

The next joint meeting of the Council and the Board is scheduled for August 21, 1990.

Mayor Shelton adjourned the meting at 9:05 p.m.