MINUTES REGULAR: MEETING April9,2024  Council for the City ofCovington helda a regular meeting on' Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. int the Council Mayor Thomas H. Sibold, Jr. called the meeting to order with thei following members present: Mayor Sibold; Vicel Mayor David S. Crosier; Councilman William (Lance) Carson, Jr.; Councilman Fred F. Forbes; Councilman Raymond C. Hunter. Also present were City Manager. Allen) Dressler and City Attorney Mark Thei invocation was given by! Pastor Doug Hollenbeck, followed by thel Pledge of Allegiance.  Chambers of City) Halll located at3 333 W.Locust Street, Covington, Virginia.  Popovich.  Approval of Agenda votes. PUBLICHEARING  Mr. Sibold motioned to approve the agenda, seconded by Mr. Carson.. All members werei inf favor with" "aye"  Public Hearing was heldi ini regards toy pursuant to' Sections 15.2-1427 (D), 15.2-2006, and 15.2-1800 oft the Codec ofVirginia (1950, as amended) on' Tuesday, April9, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. to consider ani intentt to vacatet the right-of-way and disposition ofp public property with regards toa al boundary adjustment survey between' Wright Way Motors located at 820 South Lexington. Avenue, Covington, VA, and) Dewey's Automotive, LLCI located Mayor Sibold asked that Allen Dressler, City Manager, explain thej public hearing. Mr. Dressler spoke about the properties between Wright Wayl Motors located at 820 South) Lexington. Avenue, Covington, Virginia, and Dewey's Automotive, LLC1 located at 609 West Chestnut Street, Covington, Virginia. This property between thel businesses is an: abandoned: railroadt track and foraf few years both owners. have been using the property. It would be fair for thej property taxest tol bej paid by both owners. Mr. Wright has spoken about the possibility of expanding! his business. Therel have been concerns byo citizens oft the safety for CMS (Covington Middle School) students with wreckers, etc... in and out ofthe property. There may be a requirement: for ai fence Mayor Sibold askedi ift there are any comments: from citizens that are 'for" or agains!' this change toj please Mayor Sibold opened the public hearing and asked for anyone that would liket tos speak for this change. There Mayor Sibold askedi ifthere was anyone that would liket to speak against the public hearing. Dewey) Perkins, Jr., one oft the owners ofI Dewey's Automotive, LLC, spoke that closing this road would cause them to not be ablet to bringi int tractor trailers becauset they would not be ablet to maket thet turn. That the City should not bel bias andi it would cause 6-8 lotst to become landlocked and! he would not be ablet to gett tol utilities or expand his business. He mentioned: that the owner of Wright Way Motors sent: aj message1 that! he would) like tos sell his property tol him. Mayor Sibold asked ifhe would purchase thej property would! he want the streett to remain open andl Mr. Perkins statedt that yes! he woulds still want thet road toi remain open. Mr. Perkins stated thatt there wouldi need tol be ai right-of-wayl because therei isa a steep! bank and: at truck cannot drive oni it.) Hei is thinking ofbuildinga a garage that has doors on both ends and it can! bet used fori in and out work. Lance) Perkins, also and owner ofI Dewey's Automotive, LLC, spoke that his brother Dewey hadi mentioned everything and! he: agrees that this change would! be detrimental tot thel business. They are very careful when drivingi in and out oft the business, turns slow and cautiously, especially with the school nearby. He would also  at 609 West Chestnut Street, Covington, VA.  around the vehicles that have been ins a collision. keepi itt tot three minutes per person, were no citizens thats spoke for this change.    liket thei roadt to bel kepta asi is.  Page 1 of4    MINUTES REGULAR. MEETING April9,2024  James Downey, employee at) Dewey's Automotive, LLC, stated that the roads shoulds stay likei iti is.) He  mentioned they do paint and repair ons schoolt buses at) Dewey's. Mayor Sibold closed the public hearing. bet tabled until next month. Citizen Comments There were no citizen comments.  Thel Mayor stated that he would liket to address this next month. The ordinance ist not prepared. Thisi item will  CONSENT. AGENDA/CORRECTION AND APPROVALI OF MINUTES Mr. Crosier: motioned to: approvet the following minutes, seconded by Mr. Hunter:  1) Work Session-March: 5,2 2024 2) Regular Meeting-March 12,2024 3) Reconvened. Joint Meeting-March 19,2024 Allt members were: inf favor with" "aye" votes. REPORT OF CITYI MANAGER Tour/Project completed. soon. Shadowing Student  Mr. Dressler met with) DEQ and Engineers att the WWTP-Wastevater Treatment Plant, $81 million dollar EQ Basinj projectt tot tour the plant. There are ai few small itemst thati need tol be wrapped up otherwise itis There will bea a $61 million dollar grant project for wastewater lines throughout aj portion oft the City beginning  Elijah Halterman, shadowing student, has been working with Mr. Dressler. Hei isi interested in Civil Engineering. Theyl havel been in budget meetings, staffi meetings, had the opportunityt tos siti inar meeting witha a Civill Engineer, met staffa andt their rolesa at City) Hall, rode throughout the City with Anthony Lowry, Public Works Director, tos seet the City's water/wastewater) plants, landfill and public works offices. Elijahl had good  statements and questions throughout his shadowing visits.  Meetings  Mr. Dressler and David) Bryant, Jr., Director of Finance, haver meet with departments on! budget. Therel has been open discussion ont the requests fori next) year. Central Accounting willl be working on getting thel budget  together for Manager review before goingt to Council.  Paving  Therel have been notices sent out for milling and paving int thel Fairlawn/Scotiand: areas.  Sidewalks bids on' Wednesday.  There were 3 sidewalk bids received, two were local and onei fromoutside the area. There will bea a review of  Page 2of4    MINUTES REGULAR: MEETING April9,2024 Hydrant Flushing  Thel hydrant flushing has begun andy willl be done ati night, forl lessi inconvenience: for citizens.  ProiReyeling/Utliy bills for plants & Tour  The underpass across: from the CMS has hadi lights fixed: and work completed ont the walkway. Ther recycling area att thel Nettleton property provides ar much needed servicet to area citizens. Thel Public Works staffr maintaini itf four times ac day, Monday-Friday and work on weekends to clean up. He askedt that old furniture, dead animals, etc.. to please not bel left for staffto pick up." There are spring and fall cleanups in the Mr.) Dressler spoke aboutt the budget for the plants: the water filtration fort the plant on! Dry) Run have approximate monthly bills of: $200,000 electricity, $160,000 for chemicals, with repairs andi maintenance the budgeti is over $1,920,000; the wastewater plant has approximately $67,000 aj month electricity bill, $90,000 for chemicals, with repairs and maintenance thel budget is over $1,100,000; the landfill and refuse departments totall budgets are over $41 million. The utility bills sent to citizens are only $88 perr month. Vicel Mayor Crosier mentioned that Council toured thej plants ai fews years ago.) Mr. Dressler willl have ar new tour set up aftert therel has been some drying out from heavyr rains. Therei isa al lot grass tos mow att the plants and some grass/fencing work would be good for state agencies coming tot the plants for inspections, etc...  City.  Burn) Building  Vicel Mayor Crosier spoke about there being aj mention of County and City firet training grounds. The City currently has al burn building near the walking traili inl Dry) Run. Mr.] Dressler confirmed there isab burn building study being done. Therei is a search for grants.' Thea area att the burn buildingi isi in al beautiful area and there needs tol bea a: shelter: for the: fire department volunteers. Kevin) Pettitt, Fire Chief Andrew Baker, and Anthony Lowry have all been ab big plus for all their work/yolunteering. int the area. Fire) Departments.  Mowing  Mr, Carson asked aboutt the City's mowing being done by! Public Works staff. Mr. Dressler confirmed: that yes Cathy) Kimberlin, Commissioner ofl Revenue, spoke about the Allocation Percentage for Personal Property Tax) Relief Program or "PPTRA" and it being: ai requirement. This breaki is available again. She arrived: at4 43% if: the vehiclei is below $20,000 in value, aj personal use vehicle/not for business, nota al boat or not a motor home. Ifay vehiclei ist taxed andi meets ther requirements, it will automatically be qualified. Mayor Sibold Mr. Hunter asked aboutt the sidewalk work. Mr. Dressler stated that there willl be work done by VDOT/Bngineers on Alleghany Avenue tol Pine Street." They have not notified the City when work willl begin. Work isa also needed on sidewalks in othera areas int the City such as the Beauty Salon on) Monroe. Mayor Sibold: mentioned" work needed onl McDonald: for wheelchair. accessibility andI Loving) Funerall Home on  they havet takeni ito on and! have done a goodj job.  thanked! Ms. Kimberlin for the explanation.  Riverside. NEWI BUSINESS  Vicel Mayor Crosier asked about the debris at thei former pub on. Jackson Street in thei turn. Mr. Dressler stated itisb being addressed and cleaning up betyeen the buildings has been completed withi more cleanup tob be done.  Page3of4    MINUTES REGULAR: MEETING April9,2024  ORDINANCES. ANDI RESOLUTIONS  Mr. Crosier motioned to approve thei following ordinances, seconded by Mr. Hunter.  1) To consider Resolution. R-24-11 Setting the Allocation Percentage for) Personal! Property Tax. Relief  Program or" "PPTRA"  2) Toc consider Resolution, R-24-121 Donations to Twinkle. Lights Show) Fund  3) To consider Resolution. R-24-13 Paving Plan  Ther roll call votes were as follows: Mr. Carson, for; Mr. Forbes, for; Mr. Hunter, for; Vice Mayor Crosier, for;  Mayor Sibold, for. NEWI BUSINESS There was no new business.  Vicel Mayor Crosier motioned to adjourn, seconded by) Mr. Carson. All members were in favor with 'aye' votes.  ZLB5 THOMASI H. SIBOLD,JR., MAYOR  ATTEST:  Tebeces Bluhol RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTEDBY RBBECCA. BRATTONNUCKOLS ACTING CITY CLERK  Page 4of4