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, Kenneth Jennings, Tracy Meisenbach, and Robert Jean, Council Members
Mike Crews, Public Works Director
Bobbie Waller, Clerk/Treasurer
Absent: Phillip Sheppard, Council Member
INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Upon motion by Robert Jean, seconded by Kenneth Jennings, and unanimously carried, Council approved the agenda for the March 9, 2010, regular meeting of the Brookneal Town Council.
MINUTES
Upon motion by Richard Adams, seconded by Kenneth Jennings, and unanimously carried, Council approved the February 9, 2010, Committee, and Town Council meeting minutes.
TREASURER’S REPORT
After some discussion about current certificate of deposit rates being low, Mayor Campbell asked that the March 2010 treasurer’s report be filed for audit. Councilmember Meisenbach also asked why the money market account was still up at $400,000. Clerk/Treasurer Bobbie Waller told her that she did need to move some of that money to a certificate of deposit, and she would try to work on that and get that done within the next 30 days.
PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF INVOICES
Be it resolved that motion was made by James Nowlin, seconded by Kenneth Jennings, and unanimously carried, authorizing the payment of the invoices for the period of February 10, 2010, to March 9, 2010, in the amount of $12,363.15.
GARY CHRISTIE—REGION 2000 LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL
Mr. Gary Christie of the Regional 2000 Local Government Council appeared before Council to discuss some items the Region 2000 office is working on. He said that back at the November local government council meeting, members of the council were starting to think about budgets and how tough it was going to be in the coming year. They asked the managers to come up with some ideas on areas where the council could propose multi-jurisdictional projects together. The landfill project was just completed whereas the regional landfill was formed. The managers came up with a list at the January meeting of ideas where projects could be combined. The three areas they want to focus on first are shared library services and management, management services or internal services, and non-emergency medical transportation. He wanted to make the Town aware of these things, and that they were going to be available for the Town in the near future. He also informed the Council of the annual Local Government Council dinner on April 15, 2010, and that it will be in Altavista this year.
SET DATES FOR SPRING CLEAN UP—MARCH 22, 2010 THRU APRIL 2, 2010
The dates for spring clean up in the town are March 22, 2010 thru April 2, 2010. Any citizen having special items such as brush or appliances will need to call the town office for an appointment to have those items picked up.
JASON CLARK—WW ASSOCIATES
Mr. Jason Clark from WW Associates updated the Council on some of the projects that are in process in the Town. The contractor on the water line improvements is currently working on Juniper Cliff near the water treatment plant. The contractor working on the water treatment plant is currently working on shop drawings for equipment and working on getting measurements for the existing structures so that he can get his equipment on order.
AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR WASTEWATER PROJECT TO LITTLETON AND ASSOCIATES
Mr. Clark from WW Associates informed the Council that when the bids were received for the wastewater project, there was only one bid for the project from Littleton and Associates. He said that DEQ is currently working to negotiate with the Town on potential consent orders. The items that are being proposed to be fixed as part of this improvements project will bring the Town into compliance with DEQ. He said WW Associates recommended that the Town proceed with entering into a contract with Littleton and Associates to start the wastewater improvements. Mr. Clark explained that the existing diffusers and air piping will be disconnected, but not removed; with this change, the contractor deducted $76,000. Sludge removal was also removed from the plans, and this allowed the contractor to reach a bid of $899,000 which puts the project within the grant award that the Town received from the Tobacco Commission.
Upon motion by Kenneth Jennings, seconded by James Nowlin, and unanimously carried, the Council awarded the re-bid on the wastewater sewer lagoons project to Littleton and Associates.
APPROVAL OF CHANGE ORDER ON EPA GRANT FOR REPAIR OF WATER TANK
Mr. Clark from WW Associates explained that there is a leak in the Hunter Road water tank. In the contract on the water treatment plant, Mr. Littleton is already doing some improvements on the water tank, but this will be in addition to those improvements. There is between 10,000 and 20,000 gallons being lost per day. Mr. Littleton is working with Pittsburg Tank & Tower Co., Inc. who would be fixing the leak and adjusting some of the diagonal braces. He said Pittsburg Tank will furnish a 12 year warranty and comply with all the contract requirements to make sure that leak is repaired. The change order is an additional $27,500. Mr. Littleton says that the tank will be out of service for approximately 3 days.
Upon motion by Robert Jean, seconded by Richard Adams, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the change order to repair the leak in the water tower for a total of $27,500 to be completed by Pittsburg Tank & Tower Co.
BOIL WATER NOTICE
Mr. Clark explained that the clear well at the water plant is going to be taken down to clear out the sludge that has accumulated over the last 15 years. The Health Department has asked that this sludge be removed. There is also some construction work that needs to be done in there; some baffles need to be installed. It will be done during nighttime hours, and it will be done 12 hours at a time. The clear well is disinfected after it is done, but the health department also wants a bac-t sample done to ensure that there are no bacteria in the water. Since this test takes 2 days to produce, they want a “boil water” notice sent out to the water customers to boil any water for drinking during this time.
MOTION TO ADVERTISE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING—USDA GRANT FOR POLICE VEHICLE
Upon motion by Robert Jean, seconded Tracy Meisenbach, and unanimously carried, the Council voted to advertise for a public hearing for the USDA grant for a new police vehicle and in car cameras for the police department.
REQUEST FOR TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATION
After much discussion about the transfer in public works, a motion was made by Richard Adams, seconded by James Nowlin, and approved with a 4-1 vote, to approve the following request for transfer of appropriation. Ms. Meisenbach voted against the request with the stipulation that the Council was told by previous Town Manager Gillespie not to transfer money from salaries to overtime. According to Finance and Planning Committee Chairperson Richard Adams, the Council has the privilege to adjust the budget throughout the year as many times as it wants any way it wants.
REQUEST FOR TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATION
To: Brookneal Town Council
Date: March 9, 2010
The following Appropriation Transfers are requested:
General Fund
Category—Expense ADD New Total
Town Council/Other--01-1101-5801 $8,000.00 $13,755.00
Category—Expense DELETE New Total
Town Manager Salary—01-1201-1001 $8,000.00 $25,000.00
To move funds to cover cost of the comprehensive plan.
General Fund
Category—Expense ADD New Total
Office Supplies—01-1227-5401 $1,800.00 $ 6,900.00
Category—Expense DELETE New Total
Contingency Fund—01-8102-7010 $ 700.00 $ 0.00
Category—Expense DELETE New Total
Town Manager Salary—01-1201-1001 $1,100.00 $23,900.00
To cover office supply costs for the rest of the FY10.
General Fund
Category—Expense ADD New Total
Insurance—Property—01-1229-5310 $1,029.20 $15,448.20
Category—Expense DELETE New Total
Police Liability Insurance—01-3101-5308 $1,029.20 $ 6,170.80
To cover the cost of the last property insurance payment for FY10.
General Fund
Category—Expense ADD New Total
Housekeeping Supplies—01-4302-5405 $ 400.00 $ 1,200.00
Category—Expense DELETE New Total
Kersey Building Expense—01-4302-5409 $ 400.00 $ 1,400.00
To cover the cost of housekeeping supplies through FY10.
General Fund
Category—Expense ADD New Total
Public Works—Overtime $ 2,000.00 $ 4,500.00
Category—Expense DELETE New Total
Public Works—Salary $ 2,000.00 $40,588.00
To cover overtime for public works director for the remainder of FY10.
Respectfully requested by:
_________________________________
Treasurer
_________________________________
Date
ITEMS FROM TOWN COUNCIL
Councilperson Jean said that he attended the construction meeting between the water line improvements contractor, WW Associates and the Town, and he was pleased with the way WW handled the meeting. He also called attention to some street signs that were down due to the recent snows.
Vice Mayor Nowlin called the Council’s attention to the Day in the Town on May 1, 2010.
Councilperson Meisenbach said that she thought that the Council needs to start advertising for a chief of police, since the Town’s charter says that the Town “shall” appoint one and does not give the Town the option of not having one.
Councilperson Jennings said that he wanted to echo Ms. Meisenbach’s sentiment to the point of trying to work it in the budget. He said he felt like it could be worked into the budget. Councilperson Jean said that he was more in favor of working a town manager into the budget. He said that the police had reported to Council and they thought things were working out with them and the county deputies. He said he would like to see the Town work toward getting a chief of police as funding is available, but he thought help with the grants and these buildings on Main Street that are going to be fixed up and empty was more of a priority. He thought someone actively seeking businesses to come on Main Street would be a priority over a police chief. Mr. Jennings said that he did not want to see things dropped out of the budget. Mr. Adams said that the charter says the Town can have either a chief of police or a sergeant. Ms. Meisenbach said that our sergeant is not yet appointed by Council to be a security officer of the law.
Mayor Campbell asked the Council to keep the owners of the dollar store in their thoughts since their fire on February 28, 2010.
ADJOURNMENT
Upon motion from Robert Jean, seconded by James Nowlin, and unanimously carried, Mayor Campbell announced that the March 9, 2010, Council meeting was adjourned.
___________________________ ____________________________
Bobbie A. Waller Phyllis L. Campbell
Clerk/Treasurer Mayor
