PROPOSED MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING OF JULY 5, 2007



Elkins City Council met in regular session in the council chamber of city hall at 7:08 p.m. Thursday, July 5, 2007. Present were Mayor Judith A. Guye; Councilpersons: R. N. Beckwith, J. S. Bibey, H. K. Burford, T. Z. Hensil, R. J. Malcolm, C. L. Metheny, I. D. Talbott, K. L. Wilmoth and R. A. Woolwine; City Clerk P. J. Graziani, Jr., City Treasurer L. L. Crosston, City Attorney R. T. Busch, Police Lieutenant H. R. White, III and Fire Chief T. W. Meader. Councilman V. T. Broughton and Captain J. E. Batdorf were absent.


AGENDA ADJUSTMENTS

There were none.


PUBLIC COMMENT

Thomas P. Ditty, 141 Buffalo Street, commended the concept of a tiered water utility rate structure that would allow for an element of financial relief for low-volume fixed income water customers. Saying the existing water treatment plant wouldn’t be able to meet stricter U.S. Environmental Protection Act water purification requirements, he urged construction of a new plant. The condition of the old plant, he said, won’t get any better, nor will the cost of a new plant become any cheaper.


CONSENT CALENDAR

Cm Metheny, seconded by Cm Woolwine, MOVED THAT COUNCIL ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETINGS OF JUNE 7 AND JUNE 21, 2007 AS PRESENTED.


UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Proposed Ordinance 063, adjusting the water rate tariff, was not ready for consideration.


NEW BUSINESS

Cm Talbott, seconded by Cm Woolwine, MOVED THAT COUNCIL ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION 088, AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR WEST VIRGINIA CERTIFIED ARTS COMMUNITY STATUS. The motion carried.

Cm Beckwith, seconded by Cw Wilmoth, MOVED THAT COUNCIL ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION 089, ORDAINING ELIGIBILITY OF THE FULL-TIME CONVENTION AND VISITOR’S BUREAU DIRECTOR FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE CITY’S HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN AT NO COST TO THE CITY. The motion carried.

Cw Wilmoth, seconded by Cm Woolwine, MOVED COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE EMPLOYMENT OF LARRY RIGGLEMAN TO FILL THE POSITION OF OPERATIONS MANAGER AT AN ANNUAL SALARY OF FORTY-EIGHT THOUSAND ($48,000.00) DOLLARS. The motion carried. In response to Cm Bibey’s questioning, it determined that Mr. Riggleman would be subject to a 90-day period of probationary employment.







COMMITTEE REPORTS

BUILDING

Building permit application 3333 was previously disapproved, because the square footage of the garage proposed would have exceeded the legal limit of 800 square feet. However, applicant Alex Picirrillo appealed and was granted a variance allowing the construction.

Cm Malcolm, seconded by Cm Hensil, MOVED THAT COUNCIL GRANT A BUILDING PERMIT FOR APPLICATION 3333, SINCE THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS GRANTED A VARIANCE. The motion carried.

Permit Application 3296 remained unconsidered. Construction drawings had not yet been received by the building inspector. The Committee received 13 other building permit applications since the last meeting of council, 3352 thru 3364. Acting upon recommendation of the building inspector, the Committee approved all other applications; however, Applications 3358 and 3360 will not be issued until released by the building inspector.

Cm Malcolm, seconded by Cm Hensil, MOVED THAT COUNCIL GRANT BUILDING PERMITS FOR THE 13 APPLICATIONS APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE. The motion carried.

PERMIT	APPLICANT	LOCATION	DESCRIPTION	VALUE
3333	Picirillo, Alex	100 Scott Ford Rd	Gargae	$20,000
3352	Greenfield Cabinetry	888 Industrial Park	Pole building, compressor room & steel skin	$6,500
3353	Metheny, Carman	105 Hanley St	Demolition	$1,000
3354	Daniels, John	103 1/2 First St	Install air conditioning	$1,800
3355	W. Keith Fincham	100 West View Dr	Soffit,facia,siding	$4,000
3356	Pratt, Michelle	512 Central St	Metal roof	$2,500
3357	Smith, Don	710 1/2 Gorman Av	Re-roof	$ 4,750
3358	Smith, Don	800 Seventh St	Signage	$10,000
3359	Kniley, George	110 Orchard St	New roof,tear off back porch,	$12,000
3360	Corder, Linda Barry	224 Davis Av	Repair wall, air conditioning, windows & canopy	$20,000
3361	Crowley, Jim	116 Wilton Av	Install heat & a/c	$6,500
3362	Andriko, Louis	106 Westview Dr	Re-roof	$6,400
3363	Breitinger, Bob	225 Sylvester Dr	Remodel master bath	$5,300
3364	Harris, Donald	111 Valley Court	Addition	$40,000

FINANCE

Cm Woolwine said the pay and compensation methodology currently in place, which was implemented in 2000, should be refreshed and updated, so that council would have a frame of reference against which to measure future compensation-related issues.


MUNICIPAL PROPERTY

It was suggested that the vacant lot behind city hall be made more aesthetically pleasing by the addition of treescapes or green spaces and then the remainder paved. The desired effect would be similar in appearance to the area separating city hall from Darden House. Cw Burford wondered if the lot would then be officially designated as a parking lot with trees. If so, she said she would oppose parking empty touring buses on the lot. The mayor said empty buses could be parked on 12th Street, the former boarding site for excursion train passengers.