PROPOSED MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING OF DECEMBER 1, 2005
Elkins City Council met in regular session in the council chamber of city hall at 7:03 p.m. Thursday, December 1, 2005. Present were: Mayor Judith Ann Guye; Councilpersons: R. N. Beckwith, J. S. Bibey, V. T. Broughton, T. P. Ditty, H. R. Elbon, T. Z. Hensil, R. J. Malcolm, C. L. Metheny, K. L. Wilmoth and R. A. Woolwine; City Clerk Philip J. Graziani, Jr., City Treasurer L. L. Crosston and Police Captain J. E. Batdorf. City Attorneys J. E. Busch and R. T. Busch and Fire Chief T. W. Meader were absent.
AGENDA ADJUSTMENTS
There were none.
RECOGNITION
The Elkins High School Girl’s Soccer Team won the 2005 West Virginia Women’s State Championship, a first in the school’s history. The team’s record was 23-0-3, and they were the first undefeated state soccer team since Parkersburg’s boy’s team won in 1996. Upon being individually recognized and congratulated, each player received a certificate of excellence. Among comments made were the following facts and statistics: 17 games were played against teams ranked in the final poll; the team had only 46 goals scored against them during the regular season, the least amount on any team; 17 of the competing teams defeated were unable to score a goal against Elkins; the team scored 84 goals and had 64 assists; no goals were scored against them in either the 2 regional games or the 2 state tournament games; 11 different girls scored goals; 6 girls made the North Coast Athletic Conference, one of whom was player of the year; 4 girls made All-State, one of whom was midfielder of the year; 2 girls made West Virginia Sportswriters All-State Team. Besides its athletic accomplishments the team also excelled academically: the average grade point average was 3.97; 12 girls were members of student council; and 2 were president and vice president of the National Honor Society. Team members were Rachel Barnes, Nellie Davis, Becky Davis, Samantha Lammie, Cora Fry, Briana Marshall, Kelly Roidt, Mija Kahn, Sydney Metheny, Kirsten Marshall, Alicia Kaposy, Lydia Mazzolini, Abbey Martin, Jennifer Cain, Heather Saffel, Erica Tidwell, Heather Haynes and Lauren Elmer. The staff members were Nancy Saffel, head coach; Nils Heninke, assistant coach; Liz Miller, assistant coach; Janelle Kalar, manager; Pete Grey, trainer; Dave Saffel, scorebook/statistics; and Leslie Louk, video.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Bobby Lloyd, 21 Orchard Street, said he did not believe the governing body was doing a good job of representing its citizens. He said 3rd Street was dirty; fallen leaves remain on the ground, not having been picked up by city personnel; and there was too much police presence on the 5-lane but too little patrolling of the residential neighborhoods. Citing traffic flow on Pleasant Avenue and Orchard Street, he said speeding vehicles were rampant. The speeding vehicles included state police cruisers, school buses and gas trucks, as well as passenger vehicles. He wondered why trucks were allowed to traverse his residential neighborhood instead of using the official truck route. The city does not plan, he said. Operation of the street sweeper should be coordinated with the pickup of leaves, suggesting a needless redundancy of service. He asserted that he was branded a radical when he ran for city council. He mentioned the efforts of downtown merchants to promote and develop business in the core downtown area, saying Councilman Broughton was the only council member active in the downtown. He predicted that Beverly would overtake Elkins as a tourist destination. Buckhannon, he said, was a dirty city as late as 5 years ago, but it got cleaned up. He said an annexation initiative would not succeed because people wouldn’t want to be a part of the city, since council couldn’t take care of its own. Lastly, he said Councilman Elbon was a radical because of the content of an Inter-Mountain in which the councilman was quoted.
Vickie Aucremanne, Earle Street resident, spoke of an initiative by the Randolph County Humane Society called Home for the Holidays – Adopt a Pet. She also invited the membership to attend the Society’s holiday open house.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Cm Beckwith, seconded by Cm Broughton, MOVED THAT COUNCIL ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF NOVEMBER 17 AS PRESENTED. The motion carried.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
No action was taken on Proposed Ordinance 022, amending the sewer rate tariff, pending a public hearing.
NEW BUSINESS
Cm Metheny, seconded by Cm Bibey, MOVED THAT COUNCIL ADOPT THE SCHEDULE OF SUGGESTED USEFUL LIVES, TO GIVE DIRECTION ON CAPITALIZING ITEMS IN THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS THAT EXCEED FIVE THOUSAND ($5,000.00) DOLLARS IN COST. The motion carried.
INSERT SCHEDULE OF SUGGESTED USEFUL LIVES HERE
Cm Woolwine, seconded by Cm Elbon, MOVED THAT PROPOSED ORDINANCE 038, REZONING A ONE-BLOCK AREA ON 11TH STREET, BE BROUGHT FORTH, READ BY TITLE ONLY AND PASSED ON FIRST READING. The motion carried.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
BUILDING
Cm Malcolm said that since no building permit applications had been applied for there was no action to be taken.
The Councilman commented favorably on the Christmas lights and decorations being put up by city work crews.
WATER
Supervisor Barkley completed a draft job description for the operator-in-training position to be created at the water treatment plant. Cm Ditty said the demographics of the treatment plant personnel, as to age and tenure with the city, were such that 3 of the 4 current personnel could retire within the next 5 years. He felt the best course of action was for the city to fill the operator-in-training position and ‘grow’ a replacement Class III operator.
The Councilman said he had originally planned to travel to Roanoke, VA on December 7 to inspect the operation of a memory core filtration plant; however, the trip would have to be rescheduled.
PARKS
Cm Beckwith said the Parks and Recreation Commission had continued a process to identify an engineering firm to undertake the design and construction of a railroad bridge. Sixteen engineering firms expressed interest in the project, but the Commission has narrowed the field to 3 firms.
FINANCE
Cm Elbon reported that a meeting had been held with representatives of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau to discuss the Bureau’s spending plan for the current fiscal year.
A joint recommendation of the finance and public safety committees acknowledged the insufficiency of Fire Fee revenues to fully operate the fire department and suggested a study be undertaken to identify sources of additional revenue. Instead of raising the fee rate, Cm Elbon suggested that the fee be applied to square footage currently exempt from assessment.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Cm Bibey said the three eligibles for entry-level positions in the police department had successfully completed the polygraph test. Assuming successful completion of the remainder of the testing and evaluation process, the new officers could be enrolled in the May 2006 class at the State Police Training Academy.
OTHER BUSINESS
The mayor said Patrolman Ben Snyder had arrived home from active military service, and he should be returning to work within the month.
Mayor Guye received an e-mail from a wood industry executive in Lynchburg, VA, complementing her on the city’s appearance and cleanliness.
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
