MINUTES OF THE BROOKNEAL TOWN COUNCIL

7:00 PM – The regular meeting of the Brookneal Town Council

 

The municipal government of the Town of Brookneal met with the following members present:

 

Phyllis Campbell, Mayor

James Nowlin, Vice Mayor

Richard Adams (arrived at 7:45 p.m. and Council was discussing agenda item on USDA water grant), Stacey Hailey, Tracy Meisenbach, and Robert Jean, Council Members

Bobbie A. Waller, Clerk/Treasurer

Mike Crews, Public Works Director, and Interim Town Manager

Ricky Cousins, Police Chief

Absent:  Kenneth Jennings, Council Member

 

 

INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET

7:06 p.m. – Mayor Campbell called the Public Hearing for the General Fund Budget to order.  In Councilperson Jennings’ absence due to another commitment, his wife Christine Jennings of Virginia Avenue read a letter from Mr. Jennings voicing his opposition to the budget.  His letter stated that if he were in attendance at this meeting that he would not vote for the budget to pass.  He said that he still had unsettled issues with the budget.  He said that he knew that his letter in no way constituted a vote by proxy, but he wanted to be on record as being opposed to the budget as it stands.  Mayor Campbell clarified that tonight’s meeting only consists of the public hearing; there will be no vote tonight.  The vote by Council on the budget will take place at the June 10, 2008, meeting.  Mayor Campbell then declared the Public Hearing for the General Fund Budget closed at 7:10 p.m.

PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE WATER FUND BUDGET

7:11 p.m. – Mayor Campbell called the Public Hearing for the Water Fund Budget to order.  No one appeared before council to speak in favor or in opposition.  Mayor Campbell declared the Public Hearing for the Water Fund Budget closed at 7:12 p.m.

 

 

PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE SEWER FUND BUDGET

7:12 p.m. – Mayor Campbell called the Public Hearing for the Sewer Fund Budget to order.  No one appeared before council to speak in favor or in opposition.  Mayor Campbell declared the Public Hearing for the Sewer Fund Budget closed at 7:13 p.m.

 

 

PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT (PPTRA) FOR 2008

7:13 p.m. – Mayor Campbell called the Public Hearing for the Personal Property Tax Relief Act (PPTRA) to order.  No one appeared before council to speak in favor or in opposition.  Mayor Campbell declared the Public Hearing for the Personal Property Tax Relief Act (PPTRA) closed at 7:14 p.m.

 

 

PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE K-9 GRANT FROM USDA

7:14 p.m. – Mayor Campbell called the Public Hearing for the K-9 grant from USDA to order.  No one appeared before council to speak in favor or in opposition.  Mayor Campbell declared the Public Hearing for the K-9 grant from USDA closed at 7:15 p.m.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

 

Upon motion by Stacey Hailey, seconded by Robert Jean and unanimously carried, Council approved the agenda for the May 13, 2008, regular meeting of the Brookneal Town Council with the following additions: 1) Resolution for the railroad crossing 2) Motion and discussion pertaining to the continuation of the USDA water grant

 

 

MINUTES

 

Upon motion by James Nowlin, seconded by Stacey Hailey, and unanimously carried, Council approved the January 25 and February 22, 2008, budget meetings and the April 8, 2008, Town Council minutes.

 

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

 

Mayor Campbell asked that the May 2008 treasurer’s report be filed for audit.

 

 

PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF INVOICES

 

Be it resolved that motion was made by James Nowlin, seconded by Tracy Meisenbach and unanimously carried, authorizing the payment of the invoices for the period of April 9, 2008 to May 13, 2008, in the amount of $22,380.97.

 

 

PUBLIC COMMENT

 

Mr. Mike Hummel, of 898 Mt. Calvary Road, Brookneal, appeared before Council concerning the recent death of a teen in the area and his family’s desire to help other teens in the area by opening up a teen center called Hopeful Boundaries.  They hope to offer activities including crafts and sports to show teens that people care.  They want to offer this to kids in grades 7-12, with hours in the summer from 9 am to 9 pm and during school from 2 pm to 9 pm.  He said that Lighthouse Baptist Church was supporting them as well as some businesses in Lynchburg.  His hopes were that the Town and local businesses could support them by donations.  He said the only thing stopping them at this point is a building.  His hope was that the Town could help them acquire the old American Plastics building.  Councilperson Meisenbach offered her assistance in the project by way of her horse farm.  She said she has taken her horses to schools in a version of “hoofbeats” and done demos with the kids.  Mayor Campbell told Mr. Hummel, that unfortunately the Town does not own the American Plastics building, but that he could contact Linda Morris or Tom Morris about the possibility of acquiring that building.  She said that the Council would keep their “eyes and ears” open for a building that the teen center might could utilize.

POLICE REPORT

 

Chief Cousins said that since the April Council meeting, the police department has had four arrests for marijuana possession, two adults for assault and battery, two juveniles for assault and battery, two alcohol possession citations, one warrant served for the Campbell County sheriff’s department and 21 traffic citations.  The Police Department also received notice that they received the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant from the Department of Criminal Justice Services for $2,331 with the Town’s match to be $259.00.  The police department also received notice that they received a $1,000 grant from Walmart for the K-9 unit.   Chief Cousins passed out a proposed June schedule that he would like to have approved that involves the police department working a 32 hour week the first week and a 48 hour week the second week for a two week total of 80 hours.

PUBLIC WORKS REPORT

Public Works Director Mike Crews informed Council that he had obtained the forms for the employee evaluations.  He is also going to be issuing all current polices that are in effect to each employee.  He is going to have each employee sign a letter saying that they have received the personnel manual that was adopted in 2006.  He hoped to complete the evaluations by the next council meeting.  He said that the fluoride project at the water plant is 80% complete.  We are paying the invoices up front, but we are being reimbursed by the Department of Health.  He informed Council that a meeting was held this afternoon with EPA and USDA regarding the water grant.  The design will be done by the end of 2008, approved by the Health Department by March 2009, and the Town will take bids at that point.

 

REQUEST TO WAIVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FEE FOR ANDREW CONNERS

Mr. Andrew Conners of Booker Road lost his home to a fire in January 2008.  The family has requested that the conditional use permit fee be waived by the Town because of the financial hardship with Mr. Conners.  Upon motion by James Nowlin, seconded by Stacey Hailey, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the request to waive the conditional use permit fee for Mr. Conners, but noted that he will have to pay for the advertisement of the public hearing for the permit in the Union Star.

 

 

REQUEST TO ADOPT ALL FORMS FOR THE K-9 GRANT THROUGH USDA

Upon motion by Tracy Meisenbach, seconded by James Nowlin, and unanimously carried, the Council voted to adopt all the forms for the K-9 grant through USDA.

 

A verbal vote was taken as follows:

 

Mr. Jean Aye                  Mr. Nowlin Aye

Mr. Hailey Aye                  Ms. Meisenbach Aye

 

Mayor Campbell Aye

 

 

REQUEST FROM STAUNTON RIVER COMMUNITY CHURCH

The Staunton River Community Church has requested to use the community building for a bible school on June 23-26, 2008 from 6:30-9:00 p.m.  Upon motion by Stacey Hailey, seconded by James Nowlin, and unanimously carried, the Council voted to allow the Staunton River Community Church to use the building at the fee of $50 per night.

 

 

REQUEST FOR TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATION

Upon motion from Stacey Hailey, seconded by Robert Jean, and unanimously carried, Council approved the transfer of appropriation as outlined below by the Clerk/Treasurer:

 

 

REQUEST FOR TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATION

To:       Brookneal Town Council

Date:    May 13, 2008

The following Appropriation Transfer is requested:

General Fund

Category--Expense ADD New Total

Legal & Professional—01-1204-3002                                         $ 555.00                    $ 22,731.00

Category—Expense DELETE New Total

Insurance—Property—01-1229-5310                                          $ 555.00                    $ 18,345.00

To cover invoice of May 1, 2008 for Overbey, Hawkins & Wright.

General Fund

Category—Expense ADD New Total

Office Supplies—01-1227-5401                                      $ 450.00                     $  6,450.00

Category—Expense DELETE New Total

Information Technology—01-1227-5403                                    $ 450.00                     $  2,996.00

To cover the office supplies line item through FY08 (purchase of new postage meter mandated by the post office made this line go over)

General Fund

Category—Expense ADD New Total

Treasurer—Salary—01-1202-1001                                              $1,397.13                    $26,856.13

Category—Expense DELETE New Total

Insurance—Property—01-1229-5310                                          $1,235.04                    $17,109.96

Category—Expense DELETE New Total

Information Technology—01-1227-5403                                    $   162.09                    $  2,833.91

To cover the treasurer’s salary line item through FY08 (this line was over because of an unemployment compensation payment made to a former employee in July 2007 in the amount of $1,668.00 that wasn’t budgeted for)

Respectfully requested by:

_________________________________

Treasurer

_________________________________

Date    

 

 

USDA WATER GRANT

After discussion in the meeting this afternoon with EPA and USDA, the water project is going to be approximately $500,000 short because of price increases since the initial estimates in 2005 when the project was awarded to the Town.  Since the grants from EPA and USDA only cover $3,000,000 with the Town’s part estimated at $866,000, any amount leftover will be the Town’s liability.  The possibility of another grant with EPA to cover the approximate $500,000 shortfall was discussed but not promised.  Council needs to vote tonight if they still want to proceed with the grant with the possibility of this additional liability.  It would be in the form of an interim loan for the Town.

 

Upon motion by James Nowlin, seconded by Tracy Meisenbach, and unanimously carried (with Councilperson Adams abstaining due to the fact he had just arrived and was not up to date on the issue), Council voted to proceed with the USDA water grant with the possibility that there could be an additional $500,000 liability for the Town.

RAILROAD CROSSING

The continued issue of the rough conditions of the railroad crossings in the Town prompted Councilperson Jean to show Delegate Kathy Byron the crossings at the Day in the Town event on May 3, 2008.  Delegate Byron asked that the Council pass a resolution regarding what we want to have done to the crossings and what we have tried to have done in the past.  She wanted the council to send this resolution to her regarding the crossings, and she would try to help us on this issue.

 

Upon motion by Robert Jean, seconded by Richard Adams, and unanimously approved, the Council voted to petition Delegate Byron to assist us with the railroad crossing.

 

ITEMS FROM TOWN COUNCIL

Mayor Campbell expressed her thanks to everyone who made the Day in the Town on May 3, 2008, a success.

 

Councilperson Hailey also wished to thank everyone who helped and participated in Day in the Town.  Councilperson Jean agreed with Councilperson Hailey’s remarks regarding Day in the Town.  He also wanted to inform everyone that Josh Pritt had received his full certification at the water plant by obtaining a Class 3 Water Operator’s license.  Councilperson Adams reiterated Councilperson Jean and Councilperson Hailey’s remarks on Day in the Town.  Vice Mayor Nowlin thanked everyone for helping him with Day in the Town.

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

Upon motion from Tracy Meisenbach and seconded by Stacey Hailey, Mayor Campbell announced that the May 13, 2008, Council meeting was adjourned.

 

 

 

 

___________________________                  ____________________________

Bobbie A. Waller Phyllis L. Campbell

Clerk/Treasurer                                               Mayor