ELKINS COMMON COUNCIL PROPOSED MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING MAY 19, 2005
Elkins City Council met in regular session in the council chamber of city hall at7:02 p.m. Thursday, May 19, 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 P. J. Graziani, Jr.; City Treasurer L. L. Crosston; City Attorneys J. E. Busch and R. T. Busch; Police Captain J. E. Batdorf and Fire Chief T. W. Meader.
AGENDA ADJUSTMENTS
1. Security for police department offices upon the closing of the radio dispatch center.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Jimmy D. Hammond, resident of48 Cherry Street and former mayor, spoke extensively about the Randolph Emergency Communication Agency (RECA), an advisory board created by the Randolph County Commission to render advice and direction as to implementation of Enhanced-911 (E-911) service in the county. He said he was one of the founding members of RECA; therefore, he knew that one of the earliest recommendations made by the Agency was that current county and city radio dispatchers all be accorded equal treatment. He said existing county and city dispatchers were to be given first preference for new E-911 dispatch jobs, and the commission members at the time agreed. “As new commissioners came on board, they decided to disregard the majority of the recommendations those committed [RECA members] had made and one by one alienated the [RECA] members and made most of the decisions on their own. One of the decisions was to treat the city dispatchers like second-class citizens. I was shocked at what the commission had to say when the paper [The Inter-Mountain] came out last week,” Hammond said. Hammond urged council to withdraw a $25,000 annual city appropriation approved for operation of the county’s E-911 center if the commissioners do not change their minds and accord fair and equal treatment to both county and city radio dispatch personnel. “I was not too pleased with giving it to them in the first place because we [Elkins residents] pay the same county tax as everyone else and the county does not have to provide police protection to those of us that live in the city,” Hammond said.
Wood Rosenberger commended the mayor for her suggestion to create a municipal walking/biking tour. He said he would like to volunteer to help.
David Rao,909? S. Henry Avenue, said the Open Meetings Act did not allow signup for public comment. He also said that a set of previous council meeting minutes incorrectly identified a Randolph Count Circuit Court case as 01-C-46 instead of 04-C-46.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Cm Beckwith, seconded by Cm Bibey, MOVED THAT COUNCIL ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OFMAY 5, 2005AS PRESENTED. The motion carried.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There was none.
NEW BUSINESS
Cw Wilmoth, seconded by Cm Hensil, MOVED THAT COUNCIL ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION 045, EXPRESSING THE SUPPORT OF ELKINS COMMON COUNCIL FOR THE FAIR, EQUAL AND IMPARTIAL TREATMENT OF ALL PERSONNEL TO BE HIRED AS RANDOLPH COUNTY ENHANCED-911 EMERGENCY DISPATCH EMPLOYEES. The motion carried.
Cw Wilmoth asked the city clerk to read the proposal, prior to the discussion and vote. Reproduced below is the language of the resolution:
IN THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OFELKINS,WV
A RESOLUTION OF COMMON COUNCIL
(No. R-045)
May 19, 2005
Supporting the fair, equitable and consistent treatment of newly hired Enhanced-911 radio dispatch personnel, regardless of their former employment status.
WHEREAS,the County Commission of Randolph County seeks to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of all individuals within the county by ensuring that all requests for emergency assistance be channeled through one central answering point to the appropriate emergency service response agency, regardless of whether the caller is located in an incorporated or unincorporated area of the county; and
WHEREAS,Elkins Common Council has determined that creation of a countywide enhanced emergency telephone system would provide the simplest and most cost-effective method for any city resident to request emergency fire, police, ambulance, and rescue services by dialing 911 from any telephone; and
WHEREAS, Elkins Police and Fire Department personnel will be dispatched by newly hired Enhanced-911 dispatch personnel, thus eliminating the need for the City’s police and fire department radio dispatch centers; and
WHEREAS,Elkins Common Council firmly believes that any current police, fire or ambulance dispatch personnel that are displaced by the creation of a centralized county emergency dispatch center should have first employment preference for the new Enhanced-911 radio dispatch center positions, irrespective of whether they were formerly county or city personnel; and
WHEREAS,Elkins Common Council has by previous resolution demonstrated its desire and intention to willingly cooperate with and monetarily support the Randolph County Commission’s creation of a centralized county emergency dispatch center; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED AND ORDAINED that Elkins Common Council, as a matter of public record and policy, believes that the Randolph County Commission has a moral, ethical and legal obligation to treat all newly hired Enhanced-911 personnel without discrimination.
Substantial discussion preceded the vote. Cm Beckwith said the Personnel Committee had discussed withholding payment of the city’s $25,000 appropriation to the E-911 center, as an expression of support for the mayor’s effort to obtain fair and equal treatment of city dispatchers. He said council should stand up for the principles of fairness and equity. Cm Elbon urged patience, saying that the appropriated funds would not be disbursed without final approval of council members. Cm Broughton said he didn’t support the $25,000 appropriation because city residents were paying for E-911 service twice. Additionally, Cm Broughton said that, based on what he had been reading in the newspaper,Randolph County would be receiving a substantial increase in wireless E-911 fees from the state. Cm Ditty said the subject matter should be put on the agenda of a future meeting, and Cm Beckwith Cm Broughton instructed the city clerk to do so. Cm Hensil said the city should make a statement of its support for dispatchers.
Cm Elbon, seconded by Cm Hensil, MOVED COUNCIL ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION 046, AUTHORIZING REVISION NO. 1 OF THE LEVY ESTIMATE – BUDGET DOCUMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDINGJUNE 30, 2005. A roll call being requested, the clerk read the roll:
Beckwith Yes Hensil - Yes
Bibey Yes Malcolm- Yes
Broughton Yes Metheny - Yes
Ditty Yes Wilmoth - Yes
Elbon Yes Woolwine - Yes
The motion carried.
[Insert budget revision financial information here.]
COMMITTEE REPORTS
BUILDING
The Committee received 16 building permit applications since the last meeting of council, 2696 to 2711. Permit application 2712 was void. Acting on recommendation of the building inspector, the Committee approved all applications. Permit application 2686 has not yet been acted upon.
Cm Malcolm, seconded by Cm Beckwith, MOVED THAT COUNCIL GRANT THE 16 PERMIT APPLICATIONS APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE. The motion carried.
MUNICIPAL PROPERTY
Assuming the closure of the city’s dispatch center, the Committee will be assessing security needs in the police department office area.
PARKS
Cm Beckwith said theElkinsParksand Recreation Commission was developing a master plan for the expansion ofRiverbendParkinto Lower Glendale Bottom.
PERSONNEL
Cw Wilmoth said a Street Department grievance is being responded to by the city clerk. The Committee has no immediate part to play in the grievance process.
STREETS
Cm Hensil thanked Cm Beckwith for his efforts in calling to the attention of the WV Department of Highways (DOH) the fact that the stoplight atHarrison AvenueandLough Streetneeded adjustment. DOH Engineer Mark Morgan told Cm Beckwith that the computer was not transmitting the correct information to regulate the timing of the stoplight, due to the malfunctioning of a pressure plate.
Cm Hensil said competitive bids would be sought for an independent contractor to mow overgrown vegetation on private property within the city limit. Cm Elbon was told that the cost of the service would eventually be collected from the property owner. Cm Ditty said the DOH should be asked to mow state rights-of-way. Cm Hensil said the formerElkinsHigh Schoolproperty onS. Davis Avenueand the former railroad yard property should also be maintained, but Cm Broughton said the high school property should be condemned.
WATER
Cm Ditty said an ordinance was being prepared to implement monthly utility billing. Additionally, the contract with Chapman Engineering had been executed.
OTHER BUSINESS
A meeting of the Fourth Ward Neighborhood Watch group would be held in the next week or so, Cm Ditty said.
Cm Ditty said he would like to see minutes of the various committee meetings included in the informational packets provided to council members before meetings.
The schedule of regular and recurring monthly council committee meetings is almost complete.
Cm Broughton said he believed there should be an ordinance to prohibit asphalt sidewalks in residential neighborhoods.
Police Captain Batdorf thanked council members for supporting equal treatment of radio dispatch personnel to be hired for E-911 dispatch positions.
Mayor Guye said the citywide cleanup would commence May 27 at9 a.m.
The ad hoc committee on annexation met May 18 and determined to secure professional assistance to guide the initiative.
The public hearing for the initial improvement of Sylvester Drivewill be at7 p.m.Thursday, May 26.
The meeting adjourned at 8:34 p.m.
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