September 10, 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, the Council approved the agenda for the September 10, 2024, regular meeting of the Brookneal Town Council.
MINUTES
Upon motion by Joseph David, seconded by Scott Fisher, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the minutes for the August 13, 2024, hearing and town council meeting.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Mayor Jennings asked that the treasurer’s report for September 2024 be filed for audit.
PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF INVOICES
Be it resolved that motion was made by Conner Francis, seconded by Cynthia Johnson, and unanimously carried, authorizing the payment of the invoices for the period of August 14, 2024, through September 10, 2024, in the amount of $79,174.86.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Mr. Jeff Carpenter, of the Department Store Antiques and VP of the Brookneal Community Alliance, addressed the Council about a couple of things. He said the event, Brookneal Fest, is coming up on September 28, 2024. He also wanted to ask about the gravel parking lot at the end of Main Street beside the community building. He said he was told that the lot is no longer a public parking area and that it would be a permit only parking area and that a sign may be erected saying “parking at your own risk”. Public Works Director/Interim Town Manager Mike Crews said that it would continue to be as it has always been, parking at your own risk and it has been discussed to put up signs to say that. Mr. Crews did clarify that the lot is town property.
Ms. Cheryl Fredericks, owner of Everything Under the Sun on Main Street, said she was here about her custom jeep windshield being broken. She said the windshield was fixed, but she billed the town for $125 for her gas and time to have the windshield fixed. She said Apple Auto Glass did offer to pick her jeep up, but she didn’t want them driving her vehicle. She said she sit outside at Apple Auto Glass for 4 hours waiting because they don’t have a waiting room. She said Mr. Crews would not pay her the $125, and she thought for her time and inconvenience she should be paid. Mr. Crews said that it was an accident that happened when one of the town workers was weed eating. He said he and Chief Kolich met with her the week after the event happened, and asked her what she wanted done; she said she wanted the windshield replaced. He said she suggested Apple Auto Glass, and he contacted them; they offered to come down and pick the jeep up and return it but she said she didn’t want them driving her jeep. He said the windshield was replaced around the end of August. He said he has seen incidents like this happen before like this, but he has never known anyone to be paid for their inconvenience. Mayor Jennings said that the Council will confer after this meeting and decide what they will do.
Mr. Rufus Dickerson, who lives owns a house in the town limits, addressed the Council concerning grass being blown in the highway by the town workers mowing grass and weed eating. He said when riding his motorcycle, he had to go to the center line to go around the grass in the road. He said if he hits that grass, drops his bike and lives to tell about it, he will own what is left of Brookneal. He went on to say that if Brookneal does not have anyone responsible or coordinated enough to mow the grass, he would train somebody since he has plenty of years of experience. He went on to discuss the Wickliffe Cemetery where he has relatives buried. He said flowers were taken off of his brother’s and dad’s graves; he said his mother died in October 2023, and flowers were removed again from her grave. He said that grass is blown up on the tombstones to the point you can’t read them. He said every time he goes down there, he has to move things back to where they are supposed to be. He again said that if the town doesn’t have someone that knows how to mow the grass, he would be glad to train them. He noted it was against the law to throw grass in the road which he has talked to his attorney about. Mayor Jennings said that the Council will confer on this and see if they can make things better.
Ms. Donnalynn Davis, of 246 The Main, thanked the Mayor and council for all their efforts to help the town. She wanted to thank the town for the advertising kiosk that was donated to the theater. She said they are in the process of obtaining some signage. She wanted to offer the front panel of the kiosk for a town map of all the businesses.
POLICE REPORT
Chief Kolich presented the police report for August 2024. He said of the 113 calls for service 105 were answered by the Brookneal police department and 8 by the Campbell County Sheriff's Office. He told the Council about attending the law enforcement appreciation event at Brookneal Community Church on Sunday, September 8, 2024; he said they are really trying to do a lot for the Brookneal community.
PUBLIC WORKS/INTERIM TOWN MANAGER REPORT
- VDOT approved the land use permit for Brookneal Fest on September 28
- Renewal application has been sent for approval for shooting the black vultures that are in town
- He is starting on the annual fire fund grant application for the Brookneal Volunteer Fire Department
- The pavilion is completed with 2 new streetlights added to the ballpark and 2 new directional lights facing the pavilion
- He said the maintenance department will start this week on doing the lead service line inventory
- As a result of the Town’s contract with Southern Corrosion, they donated $250 to Victory Junction a camp for children with serious illnesses and chronic medical conditions.
- Fall clean up dates are set for September 30 through October 11, 2024.
Mr. Crews turned over part of his report time to a presentation/recognition that Vice Mayor Wilkes and Councilwoman Laprade made to former Town Manager Russell Thurston. Mr. Thurston was honored with house resolution no. 324 on March 6, 2024 by the Commonwealth of Virginia General Assembly sponsored by house patron Eric Zehr. Ms. Laprade read the resolution in its entirety honoring Mr. Thurston’s accomplishments while serving more than 12 years as Brookneal’s town manager.
REQUEST FOR TRANSFERS OF APPROPRIATION
Upon motion by Cynthia Johnson, seconded by Conner Francis, and unanimously carried, the Council approved the following transfers of appropriation.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
Councilperson Johnson said the town manager search committee is still interviewing candidates.
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION FOR COUNCILPERSON JOSEPH DAVID
Councilperson Wilkes made a motion to award Councilperson Joseph David a resolution at the November Council meeting for his many years of service to the town council. Mr. David is not running for re-election, and his term will end December 31, 2024. The motion was seconded by Conner Francis, and unanimously approved.
ITEMS FROM TOWN COUNCIL
Councilperson Laprade said that she is working on an economic development committee which will extend the hotel committee to a broader scope. She wants to include citizens and businesspeople on the committee. Ms. Laprade made a motion that the hotel committee be converted to an economic development committee to include the pursuit of businesses that would be suitable for a small town. Ms. Laprade suggested the committee be comprised of council members, citizens, and business owners. Mayor Jennings asked that suggestions for members be brought back to Ms. Laprade at the next Council meeting. The motion received a second from Councilperson Francis and was unanimously approved.
Councilperson Francis said that the railroad ties that were in town have been removed. He said the community alliance wants to start a Brookneal business directory.
Councilperson Johnson asked for an update on getting the street light replaced at the end of Main Street near the railroad tracks. She also asked about getting the town logo on the final town vehicle. Mr. Crews said both are being addressed.
Councilperson Laprade asked about getting better equipment for the council room for the livestream of the meetings. Mr. Francis said that the council discussed upgrades to the council chambers last year to include a better video system with a wall mount for a camera to enable the meetings to be seen and heard better. Mr. Wilkes said he has a PA system with a microphone, and he could bring that for the Council’s use. Ms. Laprade asked the Council to consider having someone man the camera during the meetings.
Councilperson Johnson made a motion to go into closed session to discuss the issues that have been brought before the Council tonight. The motion received a 2nd from Conner Francis. Ms. Waller told the Council that they could not go into closed session because it has not been advertised, and they do not have a code for a closed session. Mayor Jennings asked Ms. Johnson to get with the secretary/treasurer to schedule a meeting. Ms. Waller suggested to Council that the issues they want to discuss do not constitute a closed session, but she suggested a joint open meeting of the 2 committees to discuss those issues.
PUBLIC COMMENT #2
Mr. Jeffrey Carpenter, in regard to water line inspections, asked about help for homeowners who need to replace their water lines due to federal regulations being instituted. Mr. Crews told him that that issue would be addressed down the road because the main concern right now for VDH is getting the service line inventory of customer water lines done. Mr. Carpenter also asked Ms. Laprade about in addition to focusing on getting new businesses in town to also focus on existing businesses and maybe help get traffic to the town. Mr. Carpenter said that on September 28 the library is going to do a ribbon cutting for the mural.
Ms. Friederichs asked to make a quick comment about her issue. She said if the shoe was on the other foot with her situation, and she had ruined something of the town’s then she would have to pay for someone’s time and inconvenience. She said that as far as the incident being an accident, that was a fine line there.
ADJOURNMENT
Upon motion by Mark Wilkes, seconded by Scott Fisher, and unanimously carried, Mayor Jennings announced that the September 10, 2024, Council meeting was adjourned.
Bobbie A. Waller: Clerk/Treasurer
Kenneth Jennings: Mayor
