September 11, 2012
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
Robert Jean, Richard Adams, Barbara Laprade, and Mark Wilkes, Council Members
Russell B. Thurston, Town Manager
Bobbie Waller, Clerk/Treasurer
Mike Crews, Public Works Director
Ricky Baldwin, Police Chief
Absent: Tracy Meisenbach, Council Member
INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Upon motion by Robert Jean, seconded by Richard Adams, and unanimously carried, Council approved the agenda for the September 11, 2012, regular meeting of the Brookneal Town Council.
MINUTES
Upon motion by Robert Jean, seconded by Mark Wilkes, and unanimously carried, Council approved the August 14, 2012, Town Council meeting minutes.
TREASURER'S REPORT
Mayor Campbell asked that the September 2012 treasurer's report be filed for audit.
PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF INVOICES
Be it resolved that motion was made by James Nowlin, seconded by Robert Jean, and unanimously carried, authorizing the payment of the invoices for the period of August 14, 2012, to September 11, 2012, in the amount of $18,682.13.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Michael Monroe spoke before Council concerning his organization opening up a pool room and arcade in the front part (old offices) of the old Dan River building on Booker Road. He said if everything goes as planned, they will open in about 2 weeks.
POLICE REPORT
Chief Richard Baldwin presented the police report to the Council for August 2012. Of the 102 calls for service, the Brookneal Police Department answered 74 and Campbell County answered 28. He said Officer Mason is having a lot of problems with his police car. The police department has applied for 2 grants for police vehicles, one with DCJS and one with USDA, but nothing has been heard from either grant.
PUBLIC WORKS REPORT
Public Works Director Mike Crews told Council his department would be finished flushing the fire hydrants by Thursday of this week. He said 22 of the way finding signs have been installed; there are 6 more to be installed. Mr. Crews said that VDOT will be working on the railroad crossings in town in the next few weeks. He passed out a schedule that VDOT had emailed to him. In response to Councilperson Jean's question about the old fire hydrants, Mr. Crews said that they will be working on painting the old fire hydrants sometime in the near future. Mr. Jean asked about the playground slide also, and Mr. Crews said that they would hopefully get that up in the next week.
TOWN MANAGER REPORT
Town Manager Russell Thurston thanked the Monroes for their investment in Brookneal. He said he hoped their project to provide the pool room and arcade for the young people in town was successful. He said he sent a letter to the owner of the Hale Street property asking for approval to sell any materials left to cover the expenses of the demolition. He said the owner signed the letter and sent it back to him. Mr. Thurston said that he had a complaint from Ms. Gladys Beauchamp on M. T. Holt Street concerning a drainage problem on her property. He said he told her he would keep an eye on the problem, but there was no money in the budget to fix this problem.
He said he had distributed the comprehensive plan to the planning commission, and he plans to have a public hearing in November for the comp plan. He said the zoning ordinance is going to the attorney for his review, and the public hearing on that will be held in November also.
He said USDA has asked for a drawing on the handicap ramp at the community building, but he does not have anyone who can provide a professional drawing for them. He asked for Council's help in finding someone to do that.
Mr. Thurston also said that the ISO protection class for the town has been lowered from a 7 to a 6. He said that this will help anyone who has homeowner's insurance in the Town of Brookneal, and will lower their rates. He said this was lowered due to the water plant upgrades, new water lines, new fire hydrants, the diesel back up generator at the water plant, and the total overhaul of the water tanks.
Mr. Thurston said they he is planning a "PAL" (Partner Appreciation Lunch) for October 4, 2012 at noon to thank all the people who help Brookneal. He said all council members and town employees are invited.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
There were no committee recommendations.
ITEMS FROM TOWN COUNCIL
Councilperson Laprade said that the date has been set for the entrepreneurial extravaganza, and it is going to be Saturday, October 13, 2012. She said she will work on some flyers, and put something in the newspaper. She also said that she and Councilperson Adams are working on a project to bring some type of lodging to Brookneal.
DR. JOHN CAMPBELL
Town Manager Russell Thurston expressed his condolences on behalf of the Council to Mayor Campbell in the passing of her husband, Dr. John W. Campbell. He said the Campbell County Board of Supervisors will be presenting a resolution to Mayor Campbell on behalf of Dr. Campbell in the future. He told Mayor Campbell that the Town appreciated her and thanked her for shepherding the Town of Brookneal. He told her that the Council appreciated Dr. Campbell and how much he meant to the Town.
Upon motion by Robert Jean, seconded by Mark Wilkes, and unanimously carried, the Council voted to recognize Dr. John W. Campbell for his long service to Brookneal and the surrounding community and to recognize his wife, Mayor Phyllis Campbell, for her public work as Mayor.
ADJOURNMENT
Upon motion from Mark Wilkes, seconded by Robert Jean, and unanimously carried, Mayor Campbell announced that the September 11, 2012, meeting was adjourned.
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Bobbie A. Waller Phyllis L. Campbell
Clerk/Treasurer Mayor
