June 11, 2024
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:
Kenneth Jennings, Mayor
Mark Wilkes, Vice Mayor
Barbara Laprade, Joseph David, Cynthia Johnson, Scott Fisher and Conner Francis, Council Members
Mike Crews, Public Works Director and Interim Town Manager
Bobbie Waller, Clerk/Treasurer
Robert Kolich, Chief of Police
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Upon motion by Cynthia Johnson, seconded by Conner Francis, and unanimously carried, Council approved the agenda for the June 11, 2024, regular meeting of the Brookneal Town Council.
MINUTES
Upon motion by Joseph David, seconded by Scott Fisher, and unanimously carried, Council approved the minutes for the May 14, 2024, Town council meeting and the May 28, 2024, physical development committee meeting.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Mayor Jennings asked that the treasurer’s report for June 2024 be filed for audit.
PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF INVOICES
Be it resolved that motion was made by Barbara Laprade, seconded by Mark Wilkes, and unanimously carried, authorizing the payment of the invoices for the period of May 15, 2024, through June 11, 2024, in the amount of $15,200.44.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Ms. Peggy Brown, representing Sow Good Seeds nonprofit, appeared before Council to request use of the community building for a fund raiser. Her nonprofit awards scholarships to high school seniors from Halifax County High School, Gretna High School, and William Campbell High School. She said they also serve the Halifax County Cancer Association and domestic violence programs in Halifax County, Danville and Pittsylvania County.
COMMUNITY BUILDING USAGE BY MS. BROWN
Upon motion by Conner Francis, seconded by Joseph David, and unanimously approved, the Council voted to allow Ms. Brown use of the community building at no charge for her fundraising event in September.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Mr. Tom Keefer, owner of property on Virginia Avenue and Lusardi Drive, appeared before Council concerning the condemned building on his property. He said after the meeting last month he got to thinking about things, and he said after the comments, he feels like “you” are determined to make him tear it (the building) down. He said by nitpicking at lots of things; he said he will look at getting the building torn down. He said he has started looking at prices, but he will have to find someone he could work with and make payments with. He said it is not going to happen overnight, but he will get it done as fast as he can. Councilperson Laprade told Mr. Keefer that at the 6 p.m. meeting tonight, the Council heard from a man from Campbell County Economic Development, and the gentleman mentioned funds that were available for businesses for a variety of reasons. Mr. Keefer was given the man’s contact information.
Ms. Tracy Meisenbach, of Cook Avenue, appeared before the Council concerning an issue on Cook Avenue with 4 wheelers going up and down the street just about every weekend. She said they are minors with no helmets on while they are using the road; she said one of them almost got plowed by a car. She said they speed past her farm and go down Reke Owen and then come back down Cook Avenue. She said she believes they live in the area of Church Street. Ms. Meisenbach reminded everyone of July 4th coming up and the issue with the people on Reke Owen Street that shoot off fireworks every year. She said the same thing happens on Church Street at the same house every year. She said they shoot stuff off past midnight. She said it is against the law, and she said it is going to happen this year like it has the last 5 years.
POLICE REPORT
Chief Robert Kolich presented the police report for April 2024. He said of the 172 calls for service, Campbell County answered 16 of those calls and the Brookneal Police Department answered 156 of those calls.
PUBLIC WORKS REPORT
Public Works Director Mike Crews said the following in his report:
- Dixie Girls will be playing in the Allstar games in Charlotte County and the boys will be playing in Madison Heights starting June 21st into the following week
- He hasn’t received a plan of action on the Virginia Avenue property
- He hasn’t received or heard anything from the traffic impact study that was done on Main Street.
- Construction has begun on the new pavilion at the ballpark.
- Town purchased a used 2016 Chevy 2500 heavy-duty 4x4. He said he would be taking sealed bids for the 2004 Dodge pickup truck.
- Ford dump truck had to have a new transmission installed.
- He met with Southern Corrosion on the water tanks again and a color needs to be picked to paint the water tanks.
RESOLUTION CONCURRING WITH CAMPBELL COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONCERNING 501 EXPANSION FROM RUSTBURG TO BROOKNEAL
Upon motion by Conner Francis, seconded by Scott Fisher, and unanimously carried, the Council voted to adopt the following resolution.
A roll call vote was taken as follows:
Mr. Francis Aye
Mr. Fisher Aye
Ms. Johnson Aye
Mr. David Aye
Vice Mayor Wilkes Aye
Ms. Laprade Aye
Mayor Jennings Aye
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR A PROJECT APPLICATION SUBMITTED FOR SMART SCALE FUNDING FOR A PROJECT WITHIN CAMPBELL COUNTY
WHEREAS, the Smart Scale program directs the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) to develop and use a prioritization process to select transportation projects to be funded for both urban and rural communities throughout the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, through the Smart Scale process, projects submitted by eligible entities will be evaluated and scored based on predetermined evaluation measures; and
WHEREAS, in review of the scored project list, and considering other information submitted to the CTB on each project, the CTB will be better informed in their funding decisions regarding projects to be included in the Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP); and
WHEREAS, each project application must meet an identified need to be eligible for the Smart Scale process; and
WHEREAS, this resolution serves to meet the aforementioned requirements for the project on “Route 501 passing lane improvement – (South of Gladys)” and is submitted by the Campbell County Board of Supervisors which is an eligible entity.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Brookneal Town Council by the motion of Councilman Conner J. Francis do hereby support the project of the “Route 501 passing lane improvement- (South of Gladys)” for submission to the Smart Scale project evaluation process.
ADOPTED this 11th day of June, 2024.
The vote was: Aye:
Nay:
Absent:
Signed by my hand:
The Honorable Ken Jennings, Mayor, Town of Brookneal
Bobbie Waller, Clerk, Brookneal Town Council
APPROVAL/DISAPPROVAL OF THE 2024/2025 GENERAL FUND BUDGET AS PRESENTED AND ADVERTISED
Upon motion by Cynthia Johnson, seconded by Conner Francis, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the general fund budget as presented and properly advertised as required by law.
A roll call vote was taken as follows:
Mr. Francis Aye
Mr. David Aye
Mr. Fisher Aye
Ms. Johnson Aye
Ms. Laprade Aye
Vice Mayor Wilkes Aye
Mayor Jennings Aye
APPROVAL/DISAPPROVAL OF THE 2024/2025 GENERAL FUND BUDGET AS PRESENTED AND ADVERTISED
Upon motion by Cynthia Johnson, seconded by Conner Francis, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the water fund budget as presented and properly advertised as required by law.
A roll call vote was taken as follows:
Mr. Francis Aye
Mr. David Aye
Mr. Fisher Aye
Ms. Johnson Aye
Ms. Laprade Aye
Vice Mayor Wilkes Aye
Mayor Jennings Aye
APPROVAL/DISAPPROVAL OF THE 2024/2025 SEWER FUND BUDGET AS PRESENTED AND ADVERTISED
Upon motion by Cynthia Johnson, seconded by Conner Francis, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the sewer fund budget as presented and properly advertised as required by law.
A roll call vote was taken as follows:
Mr. Francis Aye
Mr. David Aye
Mr. Fisher Aye
Ms. Johnson Aye
Ms. Laprade Aye
Vice Mayor Wilkes Aye
Mayor Jennings Aye
APPROVAL/DISAPPROVAL OF THE WATER RATE INCREASE OF $2.00 PER YEAR FOR FY25, FY26, AND FY27
Upon motion by Cynthia Johnson, seconded by Mark Wilkes, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the water rate increase of $2.00 per year for FY25, FY26, FY27 as presented and properly advertised as required by law.
A roll call vote was taken as follows:
Mr. Francis Aye
Mr. David Aye
Mr. Fisher Aye
Ms. Johnson Aye
Ms. Laprade Aye
Vice Mayor Wilkes Aye
Mayor Jennings Aye
APPROVAL/DISAPPROVAL OF THE SEWER RATE INCREASE OF $2.00 PER YEAR FOR FY25, FY26, AND FY27
Upon motion by Cynthia Johnson, seconded by Mark Wilkes, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the sewer rate increase of $2.00 per year for FY25, FY26, FY27 as presented and properly advertised as required by law.
A roll call vote was taken as follows:
Mr. Francis Aye
Mr. David Aye
Mr. Fisher Aye
Ms. Johnson Aye
Ms. Laprade Aye
Vice Mayor Wilkes Aye
Mayor Jennings Aye
REQUEST FOR TRANSFERS OF APPROPRIATION
Upon motion by Mark Wilkes, seconded by Conner Francis and unanimously approved, the Council voted to approve the following transfers of appropriation.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
Councilperson Johnson told the Council that the town manager search committee had received 33 applications; they have narrowed it down to 5 individuals and they will start the interview process next week.
Physical Development Committee Chairperson Joseph David said that his committee met tonight and voted to start renovations on the men’s bathroom in the auditorium area of the community building so that the bathroom can be accessed from outside if there are events on the community building lawn.
Ms. Waller noted that 311 Virginia Avenue will be put out to bid for demolition of the property.
MOTION TO RENOVATE BATHROOM AT COMMUNITY BUILDING
Upon motion by Joseph David, seconded by Conner Francis, and unanimously carried, the Council voted to allocate $15,000 to renovate the men’s bathroom in the auditorium at the community building to make it accessible for outside events.
A roll call vote was taken as follows:
Mr. Francis Aye
Mr. David Aye
Ms. Johnson Aye
Ms. Laprade Aye
Mr. Fisher Aye
Vice Mayor Wilkes Aye
Mayor Jennings Aye
PUBLIC COMMENT #2
Ms. Tracy Meisenbach said that in regards to the Amish, she has noticed at the Mayer Auctions that occur on Saturdays in town that the Amish are tying their horses at the crepe myrtle trees near the train tracks and the horses are backing the buggies into the railroad right of way. She said if a train comes through, there is going to be a wreck. She said she has talked to Mr. Mayer about putting up a hitching rail behind his building in a space that would be big enough for the buggies; she asked the Town to recommend to him to do so.
ITEMS FROM TOWN COUNCIL
Councilperson Francis noted that the new quilt shop has been a big asset and is bringing in a lot of business to the town. He said that the community alliance is looking into an event in conjunction with the Levi Keller cancer event at the ballpark. He said that event is September 28 with activities at the ball field planned, and the community alliance is looking into a “day in the town” type event on Main Street with food trucks, bands and street vendors.
CLOSED SESSION UNDER VA CODE 2.2-3711 (A) (7) FOR THE PURPOSE OF STAFF BRIEFING CONCERNING PROBABLE LITIGATION
Upon motion by Conner Francis, seconded by Scott Fisher, and unanimously carried, the Council voted to go into closed session under VA Code 2.2-3711 (A) (7) for the purpose of staff briefing concerning probably litigation.
CERTIFICATION
Upon motion by Conner Francis, seconded by Scott Fisher, and unanimously carried, the Council came back into open session.
Mayor Jennings called for a vote certifying that only those items were discussed as allowed under VA Code Section 2.2-3711 (A)(7) for the purpose of staff briefing concerning probable litigation.
Voting was as follows:
Mr. Francis Aye
Mr. David Aye
Ms. Johnson Aye
Ms. Laprade Aye
Mr. Fisher Aye
Vice Mayor Wilkes Aye
Mayor Jennings Aye
ADJOURNMENT
Upon motion by Cynthia Johnson, seconded by Scott Fisher, and unanimously carried, Mayor Jennings announced that the June 11, 2024 Council meeting was adjourned.
Bobbie A. Waller: Clerk/Treasurer
Kenneth Jennings: Mayor
