October 8, 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, 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
Absent: Joseph David, Council Member
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Upon motion by Cynthia Johnson, seconded by Conner Francis, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the agenda for the October 8, 2024, regular meeting of the Brookneal Town Council.
MINUTES
Upon motion by Mark Wilkes, seconded by Cynthia Johnson, and unanimously carried, Council approved the minutes for the September 10, 2024, Town Council meeting and the joint committee meeting of the finance and planning committee and physical development committees on September 23, 2024.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Mayor Jennings asked that the treasurer’s report for October 2024 be filed for audit.
PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF INVOICES
Be it resolved that motion was made by Conner Francis, seconded by Barbara Laprade, and unanimously carried, authorizing the payment of the invoices for the period of September 11, 2024, through October 8, 2024, in the amount of $24,090.65.
PRESENTATION BY CENTRAL VIRGINIA PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION ON THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA SAFETY ACTION PLAN
Kelly Hitchcock, of the CVPD, appeared before the Council to discuss the partnership with all localities to develop a Central Virginia Safety Action Plan. She said they received a grant from the USDOT Safe Streets and Roads for all program, a program funded through the bipartisan infrastructure bill that allocated 5 billion dollars over 5 years to eliminate serious and fatal accidents. She said they received a grant for $280,000 which was matched by $70,000 which gives them a $350,000 project to look at and develop analysis, look at data, talk to the public, and then develop strategies to reduce those serious and fatal accidents. She said it is an 8–10-month project. She said they have consultants Kimley-Horn to guide this project. She said they are looking at the more serious 1,680 (8% of all crashes) accidents in the region with deaths and serious injuries. She said they are going to be looking at the data on where these serious accidents are as well as listening to the public via a survey that will go live next Tuesday, October 15, 2024. VDOT has adopted USDOT’s safe system approach, and she said the state of Virginia has been seen as one of the better states in developing and utilizing the safety action plan. They are using the integration of the methodologies as they develop their safe system approach and then develop in the highway safety improvement plan how they respond to that data.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Michelle Sanderson, representative of Buffalo Creek Land Company, appeared before Council to update the council on the progress of renovations at 214 Old Main Street. She said they anticipate starting the project on Monday, October 14, 2024. She said it would be a 4 bedroom, 2 ½ bath home which would be listed for sale after completion.
Mr. Jeff Carpenter, of the Brookneal Community Alliance, said that Brookneal Fest was a successful event and $1,750 was raised toward childhood cancer research. He said that on October 10, 2024, the Brookneal Community Alliance is hosting a meet the candidates question and answer session for the local mayor and council election.
POLICE REPORT
Chief Kolich presented the police report for September 2024. He said of the 143 calls for service, 119 were answered by the Brookneal Police Department and 24 by the Campbell County Sheriff's Office. He said there was a pursuit that started in Brookneal, went into Halifax and ended in Keysville. He said there was a wanted subject involved in a shooting in Halifax the night before; he was housed in a residence in Brookneal, the tactical team from Campbell County was called out, and he eventually surrendered. He said there was a break-in at the Brookneal Community Church; they are still investigating this incident. He also said there was a movie scene shot in the town for a film last week.
PUBLIC WORKS/INTERIM TOWN MANAGER REPORT
Public Works Director Mike Crews said the following in his report:
- All town vehicles have decals on them.
- He has contacted Elliott Electric of South Boston concerning the broken streetlight on the end of Main Street near the railroad tracks.
- OSHA inspection was today at the WTP and both sewer lagoons
- He said he is under contract for the repairs at the Mattox Street pump station and the Booker Road pump station.
- He said the maintenance department completed the lead service line inventory.
- The owner of the old farm store property, Fleetwood Howell, has contracted with Ashwell Tree Service to clean up the property, and he will put the property up for auction in the spring of the year. Duran has cut his grass at Duran’s Body Shop, and the town has contacted the owner of 112 Third Street about that property.
- Fall cleanup is ongoing.
Mr. Crews said he has sent several requests to VDOT about the spot that needs repairing at the intersection at Virginia Avenue and Lusardi Drive near Burgers, Shakes & Cream. Mayor Jennings asked about the old motel property; he said they need to clean up the trash they left there. Ms. Johnson asked about the trash being left by the new owners at the back of the old B&B Save Station. Mr. Crews said he would contact the owners of those properties.
RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT REGARDING THE CAMPBELL COUNTY LANDFILL
There was discussion about this resolution including questions about how this would be regulated if additional recyclables would be brought into town at Elite Recycling such as items that were “bad” recyclables and how they would be disposed of. Consensus was that details would be worked out later, if this happened. Ms. Johnson also asked if it was moved to another locality where would that be. Mr. Francis said that Bedford, Lynchburg City, Campbell County, and Nelson County are all in the region 2000 landfill. Ms. Johnson noted that it would be extra trucking expenses if for instance the landfill was moved to Nelson County. Mr. Francis said that this resolution is a call to action for the county to do what needs to be done to get a good deal that benefits Campbell County citizens.
Upon motion by Scott Fisher, seconded by Barbara Laprade, and unanimously approved, the Council voted to adopt this resolution of support regarding the Campbell County Landfill.
A roll call vote was taken as follows:
Mr. Francis Vice Mayor Wilkes
Mr. Fisher Ms. Laprade
Ms. Johnson Mayor Jennings
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
Councilperson Laprade said that at the last council meeting the hotel committee was converted to an economic development committee. She said the first meeting of that committee, the Brookneal Economic Development Committee, will be Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at 6 p.m. in the town council chambers.
GENERIC CLOSED SESSION ADDED TO COUNCIL AGENDA EACH MONTH
Councilperson Johnson said that her committee discussed adding a generic closed session to every meeting agenda. She said they have conferred with the town attorney, and it is possible if this is something the Council wants to do. She said if the Council does decide to go into closed session, the proper code would have to be referenced before going into closed session.
Upon motion by Cynthia Johnson, seconded by Scott Fisher and unanimously carried, the Council voted to add a generic closed session to the council agenda each month.
A roll call vote was taken as follows:
Mr. Francis Aye
Ms. Johnson Aye
Mr. Fisher Aye
Vice Mayor Wilkes Aye
Mayor Jennings Aye
Ms. Laprade Aye
PUBLIC COMMENT #2
Ms. Tracy Meisenbach, of 527 Cook Avenue, asked about having the extremely large, torn, tattered, and molded American flag at 511 Cook Avenue removed. She said she thought TJ Seven LLC owned that and asked if a letter could be sent to them; Mayor Jennings said he would take care of that.
Mr. Gene Moorefield, of Lynchburg Avenue, asked about the building behind Burgers, Shakes and Cream that qualifies as an eyesore. Councilperson Francis said that the Council has declared it a public nuisance, required the owner to put the fence up around it, and he has a certain timeline to get rid of it. He also asked if Elite Recycling operates beneath an EPA permitting process. Mr. Francis said he would ask Mr. Monroe about that. Mr. Moorefield also asked about the economic development committee, and if only council members were allowed to be on that. She told him that they are limited to 2 council members because of the rule of illegal meetings, and it currently has 5 members including 2 council members, her and Mr. Francis.
ITEMS FROM TOWN COUNCIL
Councilperson Francis thanked the public works department for all their hard work in the last month with Brookneal Fest, hanging the veteran banners, and hanging the pictures on the council room walls. He said the Brookneal Community Alliance is doing a business directory for all businesses, churches, all community organizations and any individuals that want to be a part of it. He said there is a discounted price until 10/10/24 and then it will go to full price. He said it is a way to highlight businesses in the area, and so far, they have about 30 businesses to be advertised in it. He said they plan to put the directories around town and in surrounding areas.
Councilperson Laprade said that the council is still working on getting information and pricing for video equipment for the Council room so that the meetings can be recorded better; this equipment will make it so everyone can hear and see the meetings more clearly. She also told the council that she did a little research on Mr. Dickerson’s request at the September meeting about his father’s monument not being clean and having debris on the monument. She said she talked to a monument company she works with, and they told her that this is not something done by the locality or the cemetery. They told her it is something done by the individual families that want to have their monuments clean; families contract with them
ADJOURNMENT
Upon motion by Cynthia Johnson, seconded by Conner Francis, and unanimously carried, Mayor Jennings announced that the October 8, 2024, Council meeting was adjourned.
Bobbie A. Waller: Clerk/Treasurer
Kenneth Jennings: Mayor
