[00:00:01]
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY, MAY THE 23RD, 2022.
[1. MOMENT OF SILENCE]
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE JOIN US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.[2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
WILL PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY VICE MAYOR.[3. ROLL CALL]
CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR HOLLOWAY, VICE MAYOR.COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE, COUNCILMAN JACKSON, COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN, COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS HERE.
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF MINUTES.MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THE MINUTES.
SO THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS OF TOWN COUNCIL HAS PRESENTED REGULAR MEETING OF APRIL 25TH SPECIAL MEETING OF MAY 9TH AND WORK SESSION OF MAY 9TH, 2022 SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? VICE MAYOR.
UH, NEXT, UH, ADDITIONS, DELETIONS OF ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA.
DO WE HAVE ANY BEING NONE? WE'LL MOVE DOWN TO
[6. RECOGNITIONS/AWARDS/REPORTS]
RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS AND REPORTS.WE HAVE OUR TALENT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS.
UM, I KNOW, UH, COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE AND MS. THOMPSON.
UH, THEY'VE WORKED ON THIS FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS AND UH, THIS YEAR WE HAVE THREE RECIPIENTS AND THAT IS JOCELYN MOYER, ANTHONY CARTER AND ANNE HOELSCHER.
AND IF YOU GUYS WOULD COME ON UP AND GOT A LITTLE SONG FOR YOU, MR. MAYOR, COULD I JUST, UH, FLOOR FOR A SECOND? I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL THE APPLICANTS WHO APPLIED.
UM, IT'S A TOUGH DECISION EVERY YEAR AND UM, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE ME AND, UH, COUNCILMAN THOMPSON HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE THINGS WE DO WHEN COUNCIL AND, UM, I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYONE THAT CONGRATULATIONS.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS WILL KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK AT WHATEVER Y'ALL DO IN LIFE.
I AGREE WITH HIM AND IT'S ALMOST BETTER THAN CHRISTMAS WHEN WE GET TO DO THIS, HONESTLY, IT'S REALLY IT'S.
WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN WITH IT AND IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH.
WE HAVE GOOD COMPETITION IN THERE AND I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY THE APPLICATIONS.
[8. PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS]
PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE HAVE NON[00:05:02]
PUBLIC COMMENTS.DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? YES.
UM, DONNA SETTLE AND ALEX BIG ONES I THINK ARE COMING UP TOGETHER.
PLEASE COME UP AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE.
MY ADDRESS IS 3 8 2 MORGANS RIDGE ROAD IN FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA.
UM, MY ADDRESS IS 1, 2, 5 WE ROAD IN FRONT, ROYAL, VIRGINIA.
SO, UM, WE WANTED TO COME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD.
WE WERE ASKED, UH, WE WERE PART OF THE FRONT ROYAL CARDINALS, UH, BOARD AND OF DIRECTORS.
AND SO, UM, JUST LAST WEEK WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE TOWN, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, CAUSE WE HAD PLANNED ON SELLING BEER AT THE, UH, CARDINALS GAMES WHEN WE'RE AT HOME.
UH, PART OF THE CONDITIONS THAT THEY ASKED WAS THAT WE COME TO THE FRONT ROYAL TOWN BOARD AND THE DRESS, OUR INTENT WITH YOU LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE WERE PLANNING ON SELLING BEER AT THE GAMES.
UM, THEY HAVE ALREADY APPROVED THAT.
UH, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY WERE YOU AWARE OF THE SITUATION, BUT AS WELL AS UPHOLD OUR COMMITMENT TO INFORM THE BOARD, THAT'S PRETTY.
BUT SO WE JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW, OH, THANK YOU.
I THINK WE'VE PROBABLY HEARD OF IT.
UM, AND THAT'S IN CONTROL OF THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY SAY SO AT ALL OVER IT, SO, UM, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING AND LETTING US KNOW.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK TONIGHT? ALRIGHTY.
[7A. Report of Town Manager]
REPORTS.STEVEN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? YES, I DO.
UH, MAYOR VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, UH, FIRST ONE TO SHARE THAT, UH, THE TOWN HALL WILL BE CLOSED ON MEMORIAL DAY ON, ON THE 30TH.
I WISH EVERYONE HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY ALSO WANT TO, UM, GIVE RECOGNITION TO THE CHAMBER AND TO THE TOWN AND OTHERS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE WINE AND CRAFT FESTIVAL, UH, AS A RESULT, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS A GOOD EVENT.
UH, HEARD THAT ONLINE SELLS WAS THE HIGHEST IT'S EVER BEEN.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A POSITIVE NEWS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT NEXT YEAR.
ALSO WANT TO KIND OF SHARE, UH, GOOD, GOOD NEWS ABOUT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM AND OUR INVESTMENT PROGRAM.
A LOT OF YOU MAY NOTICE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY GOING ON IN THE TOWN.
THERE'S A LOT OF ROADS THAT ARE BEING TORN UP FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREPARING ITSELF FOR, UH, ASPHALT OVERLAY SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE PUTTING A NEW WATER LINES AND WE'RE MAKING CRITICAL REPAIRS AND, UH, I APPRECIATE IT, WHAT I CALL, PARDON OUR DUST.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHARE WITHIN A YEAR, A COUNCIL HAS INVESTED OVER $25 MILLION WORTH OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.
AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME JUST TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL CURB AND GUTTER INSTALLATION PROJECTS WILL BE STARTING IN JUNE.
THAT'S $415,000 CROSSWALKS AND THERMOPLASTIC PROJECT.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE PUTTING DOWN WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT IT'S MORE THERMO, THAT'S $50,000.
THE LINE PAINTING PROJECTS WILL BE STARTING UP.
THAT'S ANOTHER 35,000 PAVING PROJECTS.
WE'LL START UP IN JUNE ROLL AVENUE.
THERE WILL BE MILLING, THERE'LL BE ONE LANE CLOSURES.
SO WE'LL NO LONGER HAVE TO HIT THOSE LITTLE BUMPS.
THAT, THAT WAY OPEN UP TO REPAIR THE WATER LINES.
THAT'S $650,000, UH, ONGOING WATER UPGRADE PROJECTS, A TOTAL OF $1.2 MILLION, UH, $650,000 OF THAT WAS JUST FOR ROYAL AVENUE, SANITARY, SEWER REPAIRS, $2 MILLION THAT COUNCIL'S INVESTED THAT WILL BE DONE THIS YEAR.
ALSO WANT TO KNOW THE HAPPY CREEK SANITARY SEWER REPLACEMENT.
THAT WAS A $500,000 PROJECT THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED.
UH, WE'RE ALSO REPAIRING SOME VAULT REPLACEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN AT 61,000, OUR INFLOW, INFLOW AND INFILTRATION IMPROVEMENTS KNOWN AS I AND I WHERE THE STORMWATER RUNOFF IS GOING INTO OUR SEWER SYSTEM.
THE COUNCIL APPROVED A $7.5 MILLION ONGOING PROJECT FOR THAT THE RE REDUNDANT WATERLINE PROJECT, WHICH IS GOING TO START THIS SUMMER.
WE'RE PUTTING IT OUT FOR BIDS.
UM, THAT WAY OUT IN THE, UH, COMMERCIAL AREA, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REDUNDANT WATER LINE TO MAKE SURE THERE'S RELIABLE AND SECURE WATER.
THAT PROJECT IS AT $12 MILLION AND THEN STORM DRAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECTS, 54,000.
AND THEN ALSO WE'RE INSTALLING NEW WATER METERS, CALL THE AUTOMATED METER, READING THEIR AMR. WE CAN DO DRIVE BY AND YOU COULD PICK IT UP A RADIO THAT'S $66,000 AND
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ALL OF THIS IS OCCURRING WITHIN A YEAR.AND SO I SHARE WITH CITIZENS WHILE YOU SEE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES, THERE IS THERE'S $25 MILLION WITH ACTIVITIES GOING ON AND IT WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT.
LET YOU KNOW THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE AND IT'S INCONVENIENCE AT TIMES.
AND IT MAY PERCEIVE THAT THE ROADS DON'T LOOK GOOD, BUT THERE'S A METHOD TO THE MADNESS.
AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE PATIENTS, UM, BUT ALSO APPRECIATE STAFF, UH, AND THE CONTRACTORS WHO ARE, WHO ARE OUT THERE DOING THE WORK.
SO WHEN IT'S ALL DONE, UM, THE TOWN WILL LOOK DIFFERENT AND IT'S JUST, UH, IT'S JUST THE START.
SO THANK YOU, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
[7B. Report of Councilmembers]
COUNCIL MEMBERS.IS ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING? YES, THAT WAS JUST GOING TO, UM, JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS.
ONE, THE WINE AND CRAFT FESTIVAL WAS A SUCCESS.
IT WAS, UH, THERE WAS A COMP PLAN MEETING AT THE TOWN HALL FROM 10 TO 12 AND THEN ANOTHER ONE FROM TWO TO FOUR, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE.
BUT SO I WALKED AROUND BETWEEN THOSE AND IT LOOKED LIKE EVERYBODY WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME.
IT WAS VERY BUSY AND IT WAS ALSO VERY HOT, VERY HOT.
UM, SO, UH, I APPLAUD ANYBODY WHO COULD HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THE DAY, ESPECIALLY ALL THE VENDORS AND STUFF, BUT IT DID LOOK LIKE EVERYBODY WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME.
UM, AND JUST ONE OTHER THING, THE, UH, PLANNING DEPARTMENT, I'M JUST WANTING TO COMPLIMENT THEM ON FRIDAY.
UH, FRIDAY THERE WAS A MEETING, UM, WHERE IT WAS AN OPEN HOUSE WHERE CITIZENS COULD COME IN AND THEN AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, TWO MORE ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
I KNEW FRIDAY, THERE WAS QUITE A BIG CROWD AND SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, BOTH OF THOSE SHIFTS, PEOPLE WERE WALKING IN AND OUT AND GIVING.
UM, THERE WERE MAPS LAID OUT ALL OVER THE, UM, LOBBY AND TOWN HALL WHERE PEOPLE COULD LITERALLY WRITE ON A STICKY NOTE AND GIVE INPUT.
SO JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE, THEY, UM, ALL OF THIS IS STILL ON THE WEBSITE AND ANYBODY CAN GIVE THEIR INPUT, UM, AND SHARE WITH US.
SO JUST WANT TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW IT'S ONGOING AND WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THAT'S IT.
UM, I WANTED TO CHRISTIE'S UM, I JUST WANTED EVERYBODY TO SAVE THE DATE FOR JUNE 25TH.
WE ARE GOING TO DO A BLOCK PARTY FOR GEORGE BANKS BOULEVARD.
IT'S GOING TO BE A RAID ON GEORGE BANKS BOULEVARD.
AND PART OF, I THINK IT'S 16TH STREET.
UM, WE HAVEN'T MAPPED EVERY SINGLE THING OUTRIGHT YET, BUT THAT'S THE GENERAL AREA.
I JUST LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO PUBLIC WORKS.
I HAD REACHED OUT TO THE TOWN MANAGER, STEVEN AND STEVEN IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED ROBBIE ABOUT A SINKHOLE THAT SOME PEOPLE HAD SEEN CIRCULATING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT WAS A BIT OF A SAFETY HAZARD AND DESPITE IT BEING THE END OF THE DAY, IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF IN A TIMELY MANNER AND IT'S, UM, BEING TREATED ONGOING.
SO SHOUT OUT TO PUBLIC WORKS FOR THAT.
ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT BEFORE THE MAYOR,
[7C. Report of the Mayor]
UM, THE ONLY THING I REALLY HAVE TO SAY IS A WELCOME A ZACH JACKSON, A NEW MEMBER OF TOWN COUNCIL.UM, HE WAS VOTED IN AT THE LAST MEETING AND, UM, HE'S GOING TO FILL OUT THE REST OF, UH, SCOTT LLOYD'S TERM, I BELIEVE.
UM, OR IS THAT UNTIL NEXT TIME ALL JUST TO TELL THE NEXT NOVEMBER AND HE DOES PLAN ON RUNNING.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK TO ZACH.
AND HE'S NOT HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF A PREPLAN FAMILY VACATION.
I DON'T THINK HE WAS EXPECTING TO BE A SETTING ON COUNCIL SO SOON.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYBODY.
[10. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, STAGGER EMOTION.UH, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO PULL OFF THE RESOLUTION, UM, I BELIEVE IT IS LETTER I CORRECT MARYLAND.
IS THAT THE ONE? UM, WE, WE DISCUSSED SOME OF THIS AT THE WORK SESSION, BUT WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE RESOLUTION THEN WE WERE TOLD IT WAS COMING.
AND SO I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO JUST PULL THAT OFF.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION THERE.
IF NEED BE MAYBE AN EXPLANATION FROM A MS. LYNN, YOU WANT AN EXPLANATION? WE HAVE THAT MOTION TO PULL IT OFF.
WE NEED A SECOND TO VOTE A SECOND.
[00:15:02]
ALRIGHT.CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? VICE MAYOR COCKREL YES.
NOW BACK TO THE GUEST SYNERGEN ITEMS, MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED, UH, WITH OUT LETTER I SECOND, SECOND, AND DISCUSSION.
[10I. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of the 2025-2028 Fixed Volume Energy Supply Schedule with American Municipal Power (AMP)]
AND WE WANT TO DISCUSS THIS.NOW YOU PUSH THIS INTO THE ASSUMPTION.
I THINK, NO, I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY DISCUSS IT HERE TONIGHT.
I JUST THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF MS. LYNN JUST EXPLAIN THE RESOLUTION AND ANYTHING THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WAS SHARED WITH US AT THE WORK SESSION.
CAUSE THERE WAS A LOT THROWN AT US AT THE WORK SESSION.
SO REALLY THE MEAT AND POTATOES OF IT IS ALL THE SAME.
UM, THERE WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF LEGAL WORDING THAT NEEDED TO BE WORKED OUT.
UM, SO IN CERTAIN PLACES THEY WERE CALLING IT AN ORDINANCE.
SO WE WORKED THAT OUT AND THEN WE ALSO MADE IT SO THAT IT WAS THE TOWN MANAGER AND OR THE TOWN MANAGER'S DESIGNATE.
UM, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S THE SAME FIVE MEGAWATT POWER BLOCK UP TO $50 PER MEGAWATT THAT YOU'RE AUTHORIZING, UM, STEVEN OR DESIGNEE TO SIGN OFF ON AS SOON AS AMP DECIDES OR LETS US KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNE MOMENT TO MAKE A MOVE ON THAT.
UM, I WOULD, UM, AND I BROUGHT THIS UP BACK AT THE WORK SESSION AND I KNOW AMP ENERGY IS A GREAT PARTNER OF THE TOWNS.
AND UM, I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK INTO, UM, SOURCE FINDING OTHER SOURCES, UM, TO SEE WHERE IT SAYS, WHO CAN GET A CHEAPER RATE.
ANYONE ELSE? I JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT I ECHOED, UM, COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE'S, UM, WORDS AT THE WORK SESSION AND I STILL DO TODAY AS WELL.
UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO, YOU KNOW, BID THAT OUT DESPITE THE GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP JUST FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF EVERYBODY.
IF WE, SO DO Y'ALL WANT TO TAKE, UM, JUST KEEP THIS POLLED, UM, DISCUSS IT AT THE NEXT MR. MAYOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO BRING IT BACK TO WORK SESSION AT A LATER TIME.
UM, IF YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE FINE, BUT UM, I REALLY DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO, UM, HAVE A GOOD LOOK AT THE OTHER VENDORS.
DO WE NEED TO HAVE A SECOND ON THAT OR JUST SINCE IT'S ALREADY BEEN PULLED? I DON'T THINK WE WE'VE ALREADY PULLED IT BEFORE IT'S ALREADY BEEN PULLED SO WE CAN BRING IT BACK AT A WORK SESSION.
THAT LETTER DATE IS EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? OKAY.
MOVING ON THE NEXT BUSINESS ITEMS WE HAVE NONE NEXT WE HAVE
[12. CLOSED MEETING]
A CLOSED MEETING.DID I HEAR A MOTION, MR. MAYOR? I MOVED THE TOWN COUNCIL CONVENE AND GO INTO CLOSE MEANING FOR THE DISCUSSION OF CONSIDERATION ASSIGNMENT, APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, PERFORMANCE, DEMOTION, SALARIES, DISCIPLINING, OR RESIGNATION OF SPECIFIC PUBLIC OFFICER'S APPOINTEES OR EMPLOYEES OF ANY PUBLIC BODIES SPECIFIC TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY POSITION IN TOWN MANAGER EVALUATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 EIGHT.ONE OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AND TWO FOR CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL AND BRIEFINGS BY STAFF MEMBERS OR CONSULTANTS PERTAINING TO ACTUAL LITIGATION, SPECIFICALLY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE TOWN OF FRONT-WHEEL THE COUNTY OF WARREN, VIRGINIA, AKA THE FRONT ROW WARREN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY VERSUS THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AND JENNIFER BERRY BROWN VERSUS TOWN FRONT ROYAL WHERE SUCH CONSULTATION OR BRIEFING AN OPEN MEETING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE NEGOTIATING OR LITIGATING POSTURE OF THE PUBLIC BODY PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH THREE SEVEN LA 11, A.SEVEN OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.
ANY DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL PLEASE.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR REGULAR MEETING FOR TONIGHT.