6-25-91 Minutes

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

6-25-91 Minutes

A regular meeting of the Council of the City of Bedford, Virginia, was held in the Council Hall of the Municipal Building at 7:30 p.m., June 25, 1991.

Members present: Mayor G. Michael Shelton; Councilman Larry D. Brookshier; Councilwoman Joanne A. Grahame; Councilman Payton M. Otey; Vice Mayor John M. Owen, III; Councilman Ronnie C. Rice; and Councilman James A. Vest.

Members absent: None.

Staff present: City Manager Jack A. Gross and Clerk of the Council Teresa W. Hatcher.

Mayor Shelton opened the meeting and led all present in saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Mayor Shelton declared that the minutes of a regular Council meeting held on June 11, 1991, were approved as mailed.

On motion by Councilwoman Grahame, seconded by Councilman Vest, voted upon and carried unanimously, the following item was added to the agenda:

Report of Finance Committee - Capital Improvements

Members of Council made various remarks during the Council comments portion of the agenda.

The Clerk of Council read aloud the following public hearing notice:

NOTICE

Waste Management Plan for the City of Bedford

Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the City Council, June 25, 1991, at 7:30 p.m., in the Council Hall of the City Municipal Building, in relation to the Waste Management Plan for the City of Bedford, at which time any citizen of the city shall have the right to attend and state his or her views. Copies of the Waste Management Plan will be available for inspection during normal office hours in the office of the City Manager and the office of the Clerk of the Council.

The City Manager stated that Council had received copies of the preliminary Solid Waste Management Plan. Mr. Gross stated that the Plan was developed in-house by the staff without hiring a consultant. The City Manager said the Citizens for Responsible Waste Management reviewed the proposed plan. He explained that because of the lack of specific guidelines for the preparation of this document, the City may be required to revised it at some point in the future after the Department of Waste Management has reviewed it.

Mayor Shelton opened the public hearing at 7:42 p.m.

Ms. Marian Morrison, member of the Citizens for Responsible Waste Management, stated that the Committee supports this plan and thinks that the City will have to hire someone to supervise the implementation of the State mandates.

As there were no further comments, the Mayor closed the public hearing at 7:45 p.m.

The consent agenda consisted of the following item: appointment of Brian D. Buchanan to a four-year term on the Regional Library Board, said term to expire June 30, 1995.

Councilman Brookshier moved that the consent agenda be adopted. The motion was seconded by Councilman Vest, voted upon and carried unanimously.

Vice Mayor Owen, Chairman of the Finance Committee, stated that the Committee met concerning mandated expenditures and other major expenditures that will be upcoming. The City Manager reviewed a chart of upcoming mandated (legislated) expenditures.

Discussion ensued regarding funding for the mandated expenditures and community needs. Council also discussed a possible $250,000 grant the Regional Library may be able to receive and the funding of a new library.

The Mayor suggested that members of Council review mandated capital outlay items and how these items will be funded in order to give the Regional Library Board guidance regarding submission of the grant application.

The Clerk of Council read aloud the following proposed resolution:

RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN

OF THE CITY OF BEDFORD

WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Waste Management developed regulations (VR 072 20-10) in 1988 addressing the siting, construction, operation, monitoring and closing of landfills and other solid waste management facilities; and

WHEREAS, these regulations also outline a policy which directs localities to develop integrated waste management systems; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Waste Management Board, to aid in the implementation of this policy, on May 15, 1990, promulgated regulations for the development of solid waste management plans (VR 672-50-01); and

WHEREAS, these regulations mandate that every local government, such as the City of Bedford, develop solid waste management plans outlining comprehensive programs which meet the regulations' new standards over the next twenty (20) years; and

WHEREAS, the City of Bedford recognizes the new ethic of solid waste management regarding the protection of the public health, public safety, the environment and natural resources across the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the City of Bedford is committed to providing its citizens with solid waste management alternatives with regard to this new ethic;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Bedford in accordance with VR 672-50-01, Part IV, Subsection 4.1-4, hereby approves the City's Solid Waste Management Plan for submission to the Virginia Department of Waste Management no later than July 1, 1991.

Councilman Vest moved that Council approve the resolution for submission of the City of Bedford's Solid Waste Management Plan to the Virginia Department of Waste Management. 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 Otey aye

Vice Mayor Owen aye

Councilman Rice aye

Councilman Vest aye

Mayor Shelton aye

Councilman Vest stated that the Solid Waste Management Committee recommends that the City Manager and his staff start reviewing possible ways to implement a tipping fee schedule at the City landfill to help recover some of the costs of the landfill operations upgrade.

Council concurred that the City Manager prepare a tipping fee schedule for the landfill.

The City Manager stated that the Executive Director of Bedford Main Street, Inc., has requested that Council grant permission to close East Main Street from the intersection with Bridge Street to Court Street on July 3, 1991, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., for a "Salute to the Troops - Past and Present." The program will include patriotic speeches, music, a color guard, and a short dramatic presentation by the Little Town Players.

Councilman Rice moved that Council grant permission to close East Main Street from Bridge Street to Court Street on July 3, 1991, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., contingent upon Bedford Main Street, Inc.'s furnishing written permission of adjoining property owners to the City Manager's office. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rice, voted upon and carried unanimously.

The City Manager reported that the Virginia State Library and Archives has informed the City that the Bedford Public Library has been awarded $26,093 under the federal Library Services and Construction Act program for fiscal year 1991-92. He stated that before any expenditure of these funds can be made, the State Library must receive written notice from the City acknowledging receipt of notice of the grant award and authorizing expenditure of the grant funds.

Councilwoman Grahame moved that Council authorize the City Manager to sign the form for Authorization of Expenditure of Federal Library Services & Construction Act Funds for 1991-92. The motion was seconded by Councilman Otey, voted upon and carried unanimously.

The City Manager stated that Council had received copies of a proposed resolution and a memorandum from Jimmy English, Director of Community and Economic Development, requesting Council's consideration for the submission of a Community Development Block Grant planning grant proposal for housing rehabilitation in the King Street neighborhood and adjacent areas.

The Clerk of Council read aloud the following proposed resolution:

PLANNING GRANT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the City of Bedford as part of its comprehensive plan has a stated goal to promote safe, sanitary and affordable housing for city residents of all incomes; and,

WHEREAS, one of the primary objectives of this plan is to identify and rehabilitate sub-standard housing throughout the City, but with attention to neighborhoods with a high concentration of sub-standard housing; and,

WHEREAS, one of the community development strategies is to support renovation of sub-standard housing in targeted neighborhoods;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Bedford hereby authorizes the City Manager to submit on behalf of the City of Bedford an application to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development a planning grant application for the "King Street Neighborhood" and adjacent areas, and further to submit, provide and execute all necessary information for the planning grant application.

Councilman Brookshier moved that the resolution be adopted as read. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rice, voted upon and carried unanimously by the following roll call vote:

Councilwoman Grahame aye

Councilman Otey aye

Vice Mayor Owen aye

Councilman Rice aye

Councilman Vest aye

Councilman Brookshier aye

Mayor Shelton aye

The City Manager stated that in order to balance the account from which the City has paid Mays & Valentine for their legal services, it will be necessary to appropriate $99,281 from the unappropriated surplus to the designated account. He stated that this is an accounting procedure which is necessary to close out the budget and these expenses have been figured into the 1991-92 budget.

Councilwoman Grahame moved that Council transfer $99,281 from the unappropriated surplus to Account No. 0101201204030021. The motion was seconded by Councilman Brookshier, voted upon and carried unanimously by the following roll call vote:

Councilman Otey aye

Vice Mayor Owen aye

Councilman Rice aye

Councilman Vest aye

Councilman Brookshier aye

Councilwoman Grahame aye

Mayor Shelton aye

On motion by Councilwoman Grahame, seconded by Councilman Vest, voted upon and carried unanimously by the following roll call vote, Council adjourned into executive session to interview an applicant for appointment to the City School Board, pursuant to Section 2.1-344(a)(1), of the Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended:

Vice Mayor Owen aye

Councilman Rice aye

Councilman Vest aye

Councilman Brookshier aye

Councilwoman Grahame aye

Councilman Otey aye

Mayor Shelton aye

Council adjourned into executive session at 8:34 p.m. Non-council member attending was: Ms. Annie Lynton.

Council reconvened into open session at 9:30 p.m.

The Clerk of Council read aloud the following proposed resolution:

BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Bedford hereby certifies that, to the best of each member's knowledge, (1) only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the executive meeting to which this certification resolution applies, and (2) only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the executive meeting were heard, discussed or considered by the Council.

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

Councilman Rice aye

Councilman Vest aye

Councilman Brookshier aye

Councilwoman Grahame aye

Councilman Otey aye

Vice Mayor Owen aye

Mayor Shelton aye

Councilwoman Grahame moved that Council reappoint Annie Lynton and Janice Martinez to the City School Board for terms that would expire June 30, 1994. The motion was seconded by Councilman Otey, voted upon and carried unanimously.

Councilman Brookshier moved that Council reappoint William Ludwig as the City representative on the County School Board for a term expiring June 30, 1992. The motion was seconded by Councilman Vest, voted upon and carried unanimously.

Mayor Shelton adjourned the meeting at 9:32 p.m.