PROPOSED MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 2, 2006
Elkins City Council met in regular session in the council chamber of city hall at 7:05 p.m. Thursday, November 2, 2006. 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, Police Lieutenant H. R. White, III and Fire Chief T. W. Meader. City Attorney R. T. Busch and Police Captain J. E. Batdorf were absent.
AGENDA ADJUSTMENTS
1. Employee travel – deputy clerk and payroll clerk to Morgantown for a risk management training seminar.
2. Bell Street waterline relocation project.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Mrs. Khan, wife of Dr. Farukh Khan, identified herself as a resident of 220 Bruce Street and co-owner of business property with her husband. She complained that response by the police department to a complaint of vandalism at their Harrison Avenue business property was inadequate. She said that she and her husband had contributed much to the community over the years of their residence, but they were now feeling unsafe and discriminated against by elements of the community. She alleged that their property was being singled out by vandals.
David Rao, 909_ S. Henry Avenue, suggested that recordings should be made of council meetings.
The mayor offered the membership an opportunity to discuss her previous pronouncement relative to interaction with speakers at public comment. There was no discussion.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Cm Woolwine, seconded by Cm Elbon, MOVED THAT COUNCIL ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS OF OCTOBER 3 AND 19, 2006 AS PRESENTED. The motion carried.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
The mayor said that having obtained final approval of the ad hoc committee she had executed the Microwave Tower Lease Agreement with Digital Soup LLC.
Cm Hensil, seconded by Cm Metheny, MOVED PROPOSED ORDINANCE 058, VACATING AND ABANDONING A PARTIAL ALLEY RIGHT-OF-WAY ON 6TH STREET, BE BROUGHT FORTH, READ BY TITLE ONLY AND PASSED ON SECOND AND FINAL READING. The motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS
Cm Elbon, seconded by Cm Hensil, MOVED COUNCIL MEET IN SPECIAL SESSION AT 7 P.M. ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2006 TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT ON AND GIVE FINAL CONSIDERATION TO THE ORDINANCE PROPOSED TO ADJUST PHASE II SEWER RATES. The motion carried.
Cm Elbon, seconded by Cm Broughton, MOVED PROPOSED ORDINANCE 059, PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE OF SEWER REVENUE BONDS, SERIES 2006A OF THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE REVOLVING FUND PROGRAM, BE BROUGHT FORTH, READ BY TITLE ONLY AND PASSED ON FIRST READING. The motion carried.
The mayor referred to the finance committee the question of which entity, Elkins Common Council or Elkins Sanitary Board, should approve wastewater treatment plant upgrade project construction draws against the sewer revenue bond issue, Series 2006 A.
Cm Metheny, seconded by Cm Ditty, MOVED THAT COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN ELECTRIC SERVICE AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE FOR A POWER LINE EXTENSION TO THE LANDFILL LEACHATE POND. The motion carried.
Cm Beckwith, seconded by Cm Elbon, MOVED THAT COUNCIL GRANT THE REQUEST OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR ASSISTANCE IN PRESENTING THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARADE. The motion carried. [Mayor Guye indicated that a police escort would be provided.]
Cm Beckwith, seconded by Cm Elbon, MOVED THAT COUNCIL GRANT THE REQUEST OF PATRICK VARCHETTO TO TEMPORARILY BLOCK OFF PARKING SPACES ON RAILROAD AVENUE FOR A BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD HEALTH SCREENING. The motion carried.
The mayor referred to the finance committee an administrative request to obtain a credit card in the City’s name. A VISA card through Huntington Bank was requested.
Cm Woolwine, seconded by Cm Metheny, MOVED THAT COUNCIL CALL THE MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION OF MARCH 6, 2007. The motion carried. [Reproduced below is the copy of an advertisement posted on the bulletin board in the lobby of city hall and transmitted to The Inter-Mountain for subsequent publication:
“CALL OF THE MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION
OF MARCH 6, 2007
Elkins Common Council has called for a municipal general election.
On Tuesday, March 6, 2007 a mayor will be elected for a 2-year term, and one council member from each of the five wards of the city will be elected for 4-year terms.
Any citizen eligible to hold office and desiring to appear on the ballot must file a Certificate of Announcement of Candidacy accompanied by the appropriate filing fee. The filing period will commence at 8 a.m. Monday, November 20 and continue until midnight of Friday, December 8, 2006. The filing of the certificate of announcement is made with the Elkins City Clerk during normal weekday business hours. A filing may be made by mail; however, the U. S. Postal Service postmark on the envelope must be no later than midnight of the last day of the filing period, and the proper filing fee must accompany the certificate of announcement. The fee for mayoral candidates is $50; the fee for council candidates is $25.
Questions regarding election procedures may be directed to the Elkins City Clerk, 636-1414.”]
Cw Wilmoth, seconded by Cm Metheny, MOVED COUNCIL APPROVE EMPLOYEE TRAVEL REFLECTED ON THE AGENDA. The motion carried.
Cm Ditty, seconded by Cm Hensil, MOVED COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A CONTACT WITH TRIPLE H CONSTRUCTION FOR THE RELOCATION OF A WATER MAINLINE ON BELL STREET The motion carried. [Three bid responses were received: Triple H Construction - $43,560; Smith Backhoe $ Dozer Service - $73,850; and Hull’s Construction, Inc. - $87,700.]
COMMITTEE REPORTS
BUILDING
The Committee received 14 building permit applications since the last meeting of council, 3125 thru 3138. Acting upon recommendation of the building inspector, the Committee approved all applications; however, conditions were placed upon two of the applications: Applications 3127 and 3128 would be held by the building inspector until he received and approved construction drawings.
Cm Malcolm, seconded by Cm Beckwith, MOVED THAT COUNCIL GRANT THE 14 PERMIT APPLICATIONS APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE. The motion carried.
PARKS
Cm Beckwith reported on progress made by the group seeking to establish a skateboard facility in the area, Youth Empowered Solution (Y.E.S.). The group formed a board of directors, applied for not-for-profit corporate status, appointed Councilmen Beckwith and Broughton as advisors, discussed potential locations, and established a scheduled of meeting dates to further proposals that could be made to the Elkins Parks and Recreation Commission.
PERSONNEL
Cw Wilmoth said four applicants were interviewed for operations manager; however, no decisions were made.
Applicants to replace a municipal judge will be scheduled.
STREETS
Cm Hensil reported that the sidewalk project on Harrison Avenue was moving forward.
WATER
Cm Ditty acknowledged receipt of a report by Chapman Engineering recommending changes to be made to the water transmission and distribution mainline infrastructure. The final report evaluating the water treatment plant should be available by midNovember.
Remote-read water meters installed in Elkins were recently the subject of a magazine article published by the manufacturer.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was none.
The meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.
