PROPOSED MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 15, 2005
Elkins City Council met in regular session in the council chamber of city hall at 7:04 p.m. Thursday, September 15, 2005. Present were: Mayor Judith Ann Guye; Councilpersons: R. N. Beckwith, J. S. Bibey, T. P. Ditty, H. R. Elbon, T. Z. Hensil, C. L. Metheny, K. L. Wilmoth and R. A. Woolwine; City Clerk P. J. Graziani, Jr., City Treasurer L. L. Crosston, City Attorney J. E. Busch and Police Captain J. E. Batdorf. Councilmen V. T. Broughton and R. J. Malcolm, City Attorney R. T. Busch and Fire Chief T. W. Meader were absent.
AGENDA ADJUSTMENTS
1. Request of the Mountain State Forest Festival Association for street closings and other city accommodations.
2. Request of Davis and Elkins College’s Department of Biology and Environmental Science for a tour of the water treatment plant.
RECOGNITION
Mayor Guye, Parks and Recreation Supervisor Phil Gainer and Councilman Beckwith recognized and commended Elkins resident Jim Farley for volunteer work in Elkins city parks. Mr. Farley, on his own time and with his own equipment, pruned trees in the various city parks, at no cost to the city.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Bill Phares, 105 Ferndale Avenue, said he attended a December 2000 meeting at which the acquisition of real estate was discussed in executive session, but he did not believe the buying and selling of real estate should be discussed in executive session. He said he believed there were too many executive sessions. However, when executive sessions were held then only the mayor and council members should participate. The city clerk, treasurer, lawyer and police chief had no more right to attend than any other citizen.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Cm Bibey, seconded by Cm Woolwine, MOVED THAT COUNCIL ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AS PRESENTED. The motion carried.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Proposed ordinance 022, amending the Sewer Rate Tariff, was not considered. Uncertainty arising from the potential for a change in financing assumptions had not yet been resolved.
Cm Woolwine, seconded by Cm Metheny, MOVED PROPOSED ORDINANCE 037, APPROVING PARTICIPATION IN THE WEST VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE’S ‘WVML MUNICIPAL REVENUE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM’, BE BROUGHT FORTH, READ BY TITLE ONLY AND PASSED ON FIRST READING. The motion carried.
Cm Hensil, seconded by Cm Bibey, MOVED COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT TITLED WEST VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE REVENUE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT. The motion carried.
Cm Elbon, seconded by Cm Metheny, MOVED COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN AGENCY INSTRUMENT AUTHORIZING THE WEST VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE TO ACT IN THE CITY’S NAME FOR PURPOSES RELATED TO THE LEAGUE’S REVENUE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. The motion carried.
Cw Wilmoth, seconded by Cm Ditty, MOVED COUNCIL DESIGNATE CITY TREASURER LINDA L. CROSSTON AS DESIGNATED MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL FOR PURPOSES RELATED TO THE WEST VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE’S MUNICIPAL REVENUE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. The motion carried.
Cm Beckwith, seconded by Cm Metheny, MOVED COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AMONG CITY OF ELKINS, THE WEST VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, INC. AND PARTICIPATING MUNICIPALITIES. The motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS
Cm Hensil, seconded by Cm Elbon, MOVED COUNCIL GRANT THE REQUEST OF THE MOUNTAIN STATE FOREST FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION FOR BARRICADES, SECURITY AND TEMPORARY STREET CLOSURES NECESSARY TO FACILITATE ACTIVITIES OF THE 69TH ANNUAL MOUNTAIN STATE FOREST FESTIVAL. The motion carried.
Cm Ditty, seconded by Cm Hensil, MOVED COUNCIL GRANT THE REQUEST OF DAVIS AND ELKINS COLLEGE’S DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES TO TOUR THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. The motion carried. [Cm Ditty said the request was submitted for Council’s consideration in light of security considerations that have arisen since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Cm Elbon suggested that decisions concerning access to the water treatment plant should be made by either the Water Committee or the treatment plant supervisor.]
Cm Elbon, seconded by Cm Hensil, MOVED THAT COUNCIL GRANT PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT STATUS TO MELISSA STALNAKER IN THE POSITION OF PAYROLL CLERK/EMPLOYEE BENEFITS COORDINATOR. The motion carried.
Cm Bibey discussed the need to obtain the services of prisoner transportation officers. Offenders sentenced to periods of incarceration by Elkins Municipal Court will now be confined at the new regional jail. Elkins police officers are responsible for conveying prisoners from Elkins to the regional jail, but they may not be able to do so without leaving the city unprotected. The police department is now severely understaffed, having lost two officers to employment with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department and a third officer to active military duty for a period of one year. Male offenders, in most cases, could be conveyed to the regional jail by one city officer. Since two officers are on duty at any one time, the remaining officer would be available for response within the city. Female offenders present a special problem, since departmental policy requires that two male officers jointly convey a female. Public Safety Committee determined that the most economical solution could be to obtain the services of a female transportation officer only. In that way, only one city officer would have to accompany the offender and transportation officer. The Committee estimated the cost of the female transportation officer to be $25 per trip. Once officers have been hired, trained and certified for full active duty the services of a transportation officer may no longer be necessary.
Cm Bibey, seconded by Cm Hensil, MOVED THAT COUNCIL GRANT THE REQUEST OF PATRICK VARCHETTO TO ALLOW THE BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD BUS TO TEMPORARILY PARK ON RAILROAD AVENUE. The motion carried.
Cw Wilmoth, seconded by Cm Metheny, MOVED COUNCIL ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION 052, APPOINTING A CITY TREASURER FOR A TWO-YEAR TERM COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2005. The motion carried.
Cm Elbon, seconded by Cm Beckwith, MOVED COUNCIL DIRECT THAT THE REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER 6, 2005 BE CANCELLED, IN OBSERVANCE OF MOUNTAIN STATE FOREST FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES. The motion carried.
Cm Metheny, seconded by Cm Woolwine, MOVED COUNCIL DIRECT THAT CITY HALL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, IN OBSERVANCE OF MOUNTAIN STATE FOREST FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES. The motion carried. [Employees who work in city hall must appear for work, unless they elect to use accrued annual leave to take the day off with pay.]
Cm Beckwith, seconded by Cm Bibey, MOVED COUNCIL APPROVE EMPLOYEE TRAVEL REFLECTED ON THE AGENDA. The motion carried.
Cm Ditty proposed a design contest approach to the creation of a new official city seal/city logo. His initial thoughts were that there should be a deadline for submission, that a prize for the design selected may be unnecessary, and that all submissions would become the property of City of Elkins.
Mayor Guye referred to the Rules and Ordinance committee a proposal to designate a uniform color for city vehicles. There seemed to be an informal consensus that a standard color could be chosen, but concern was expressed that police and sanitation vehicles be considered separately.
Cm Metheny, seconded by Cm Woolwine, MOVED COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN EASEMENT AND RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR ALLEGHENY POWER TO INSTALL A GAS SUPPLY MAINLINE FROM CITY PROPERTY TO THE SITE OF THE FORMER RAILROAD PROPERTY. The motion carried.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
BUILDING
The Committee received 8 building permit applications since the last meeting of council, 2822 to 2831. Applications 2825 and 2826 were voided. Acting upon recommendation of the building inspector, the Committee approved all applications.
Cm Beckwith, seconded by Cm Woolwine, MOVED THAT COUNCIL GRANT THE 8 PERMIT APPLICATIONS APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE. The motion carried.
FINANCE
Cm Elbon discussed a financial performance report that indicated the cash flow of the various funds of the city.
PARKS
Cm Beckwith said the Parks and Recreation Commission has caused to be published a request for proposal for engineering services to construct a pedestrian footbridge to connect Glendale Bottom to Riverbend Park. He said the ad represented the 23rd step in the grant process. The administrative portion of the project should be completed within a 24-month timeframe.
Two merry-go-rounds have been removed from service in city parks, due to safety considerations.
The Commission intends to actively pursue a solution for loitering, vandalism, foul language, and consumption of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs on park property. Cm Metheny said the police department used to patrol the parks and, perhaps, they could do so again. Cm Beckwith said one problem with enforcing loitering regulations was that it could be difficult to distinguish between persons who might be relaxing as opposed to loitering.
Cm Ditty commented on the positive effect the police department was having on slowing the speed of motor vehicles on Buffalo Street, next to the city park.
PUBLIC SAFETY
The written test for entry-level positions in the Elkins Police Department is to be administered on Saturday, September 17, 2005.
Voice mail service has been implemented at the fire station. With the advent of Enhanced-911 service in Randolph County, there is no longer a need for a manned presence at the fire station of a 24/7 basis.
STREETS
The widening of Railroad Avenue, between the depot building and Second Street, should commence shortly after the Forest Festival.
PERSONNEL
Cw Wilmoth reported that revision of the personnel handbook continues.
The good performance of city treasurer Linda Crosston was acknowledged.
WATER
Cm Ditty said 32 employees attended confined space training.
OTHER BUSINESS
Legislation was recommended to regulate the responsibilities of cat owners and the conduct and duration of garage sales.
The mayor reported that local Region VII officials were coordinating relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Cm Beckwith voiced personal concerns relative to the separation of the Randolph County Convention and Visitors Bureau (RCVB) from the Chamber of Commerce (COC). He cited a sign posted at the depot building that erroneously inferred that City of Elkins had some involvement, and that is not factually accurate. He questioned why tourists would be referred to the Chamber of Commerce for information of local interest when there was a functioning RCVB in the city. The councilman noted that the COC charged the RCVB $5,500 per month ($1,000 for rent expense and $4,500 for personnel costs). He said a rumor had come to him of an effort to organize a second RCVB to compete with the existing organization. If true, he said, it would be a travesty.
The meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
