PROPOSED MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY 5, 2006
Elkins City Council met in regular session in the council chamber of city hall at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, January 5, 2006. Present were: Mayor Judith Ann Guye; Councilpersons: R. N. Beckwith, J. S. Bibey, T. P. Ditty, H. R. Elbon, T. Z. Hensil, R. J. Malcolm, C. L. Metheny, K. L. Wilmoth and R. A. Woolwine; Deputy City Clerk A. L. Broschart, City Treasurer L. L. Crosston, Police Captain J. E. Batdorf, Fire Chief T. W. Meader, and City Attorney R. T. Busch. Councilman V. T. Broughton, City Clerk P. J. Graziani, Jr., and City Attorney J. E. Busch were absent.
AGENDA ADJUSTMENTS
1. The appointment of W. Grant Nestor to the Board of Housing Authority.
2. Request by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to terminate a land lease.
3. Employee travel for fire department personnel.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There was none.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Cm Metheny, seconded by Cm Elbon, MOVED THAT COUNCIL ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER 15, 2005 AS CORRECTED. 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 Hensil, seconded by Cm Metheny, MOVED COUNCIL ACCEPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION 053, AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT TO OBTAIN A MAXIMUM OF $82,720 OF TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM GRANT FUNDING TO PARTIALLY REPLACE A SIDEWALK AND RETAINING WALL ON HARRISON AVENUE, BETWEEN REED STREET AND HILLSIDE DRIVE. The motion carried.
Cw Wilmoth, seconded by Cm Bibey, MOVED THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THE EMPLOYEE TRAVEL REFLECTED ON THE AGENDA. The motion carried.
Cm Woolwine, seconded by Cm Ditty, MOVED THAT PROPOSED ORDINANCE 039, ANNEXING BY MINOR BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT THE REAL PROPERTY KNOWN AS GRACELAND HILLS SUBDIVISION, BE BROUGHT FORTH, READ BY TITLE ONLY AND PASSED ON FIRST READING. The motion carried.
Cm Woolwine, seconded by Cw Wilmoth, MOVED THAT PROPOSED ORDINANCE 040, ORDANING A 3-WAY STOP AT THE INTERSECTION OF SYLVESTER DRIVE AND ROBIN HOOD LANE, BE BROUGHT FORTH, READ BY TITLE ONLY AND PASSED ON FIRST READING. The motion carried.
Cm Elbon, seconded by Cm Malcolm, MOVED COUNCIL ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION 054, AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR $300,000 OF INTERIM FINANCING FROM DAVIS TRUST COMPANY ON BEHALF OF THE ELKINS SANITARY BOARD. The motion carried.
Cm Beckwith, seconded by Cm Elbon, MOVED COUNCIL APPOINT W. GRANT NESTOR TO THE BOARD OF THE ELKINS HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR A 5 YEAR TERM TO COMMENCE FEBRUARY 1, 2006. The motion carried.
Cm Metheny, seconded by Cm Elbon, MOVED COUNCIL TERMINATE THE CITY’S LEASE WITH THE WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCES FOR A 6 ACRE TRACT OF LAND IN CRYSTAL SPRINGS. The motion carried.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
BUILDING
The Committee received 4 building permit applications since the last meeting of council, 2865 to 2868. Acting upon recommendation of the building inspector, the Committee approved all applications.
Cm Malcolm, seconded by Cm Metheny, MOVED THAT COUNCIL GRANT THE 4 PERMIT APPLICATIONS APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE. The motion carried.
PERSONNEL
Cm Ditty proposed an organizational structure chart for city operations. Cw Wilmoth recommended that discussions take place with each department supervisor.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Cm Bibey said Tom Meader would temporarily fill the vacant position within the fire department created by the death of Mike Hart.
The exam for entry-level positions within the police and fire departments will soon be administered. A vacancy currently exists within the fire department, and there remains only one candidate name on the list of eligibles for the police department. Captain Batdorf reserved 3 positions at the State Police Academy for training to begin in May 2006.
The Committee is seeking ways to increase revenue within the fire department. One option being considered is the hiring of a temporary worker to perform fire fee evaluations of real property within the city.
A statistics report prepared by the police department indicated a decrease in crime within the city.
WATER
Cm Ditty said he and others would soon travel to Roanoke, VA to observe operation of a micro filtration water treatment plant.
OTHER BUSINESS
Cm Ditty said the ad hoc committee dealing with annexation issues met January 4, 2006. The committee identified an area and discussed methods to annex it.
The mayor stated that the Randolph County Development Authority’s operation is significant to the continued growth of the city.
In light of the Sago mine disaster, the mayor reminded council that the city had entered into an agreement whereby Randolph County Emergency Services would be the central command center if a disaster would occur in the city.
The meeting adjourned at 7:51 p.m.
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.
