MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 13, 2020 Covington,' Virginia.  Ther regular meeting oft the Çouncil for the City of Covington was held on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall located at 333 W.Locust Street, Ther meeting was called to order by Mayor Thomas H. Sibold, Jr. Thei invocation was given by Roll Call ofCouncil showed all members present asf follows: Mayor Sibold, Vicel Mayor David S.C Crosier, Councilman Edmond. J. (Eddie Joe) Entsminger, Councilman Raymond C. Hunter  Pastor) Dan Gillette, followed byt the Pledge of Allegiance.  and Councilman S. Allan" Tucker. City Manager: Krystal Onaitis City Attomey: Mark Popovich APPROVAL OF. AGENDA agenda as presented. CITIZEN COMMENTS  Upon a motion by Vice Mayor Crosier, seconded' by Mr. Tucker, Council voted to approve the  Denise Craft of4 4091 N. Alleghany Avenue spoke conceming an abandoned property next doort to her residence at 4111 N. Alleghany Avenue. Shes stated thatt thel house has been abandoned: for four years, the grass goes uncut for long periods of time, garbagel has attracted rodents, and groundhogs live undert the house. She asked Council tol help her get the building codes enforced more effectively and quickly because this property isi impacting selling her house. Mayor Sibold deferred to City Manager Krystal Onaitis, whos statedt thate ap public service campaign is beingl launched to Keep Covington Beautiful. Development Services Director) Eric Tyree was recently placed in charge oftrackingl locations where the Cityl has enforced codest to haver mowing completed, with thel Police Department no longer overseeingt this.  CORRECTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES  Upons an motion by' Vice Mayor Crosier, seconded byl Mr. Tucker, Council votedt to approve the following minutes as presented: Called Meeting of September 1, 2020; Work Session of September 1, 2020; Regular Meeting of September 8, 2020; and the Joint Called Meeting of Covington City Council and Covington School Board on September 10, 2020.  APPOINIMENTS  Two appointments were madei tot thel Planning Commission. Council agreed by aye vote to reappoint Robert Patrick Scruggs tos serve, withl his appointment to end on October 31, 2024. As second appointment was necessary to fill the unexpired term ofthel late Carolyn O'Connor, whichy will end on October 31, 2021. Both! Kaitlynn Çook and Steven Wilson! had expressed their desire tos serve. Mr. Entsminger disclosed that Ms. Cooki isl hisf fiancée but he felt he could vote fairly and objectively. Upon roll call vote, Steven Wilson was chosen by a3-2 vote as follows: Mayor Sibold: Mr. Wilson; Vicel Mayor Crosier: Mr. Wilson; Mr. Entsminger: Ms. Cook; Mr.  Hunter: Ms. Cook; and Mr." Tucker: Mr. Wilson. SPECALPRESENTATIONS  Chris Smith, Covington Police Chief and Director ofl Public Safety, honored Greg! Burton for his retirement after volunteering 31 years in the Covington Rescue Squad. Burton expressed appreciation to Council and volunteer members, as well asl his desiret to continue recruiting new Director of Finance David Bryant presented the first quarter financial review, highlighting how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted revenues ande expenditures. Revenues are below last  members despite his retirement.    Page 2: October 13,2020  year's numbers ins almost all categories. However, Bryants showed that because the 2021 fiscal year budget expenditures had been reduced $490,592, the fund balance had been preserved during the first quarter, with only 16.4p percent oft the allocated budget used. Bryant also cautioned that one emergency evento could be crippling. Hiss staffv will continue tor monitor revenues ande expenditures and develop projections, andi inl his quarterly presentations to Council, he will note ifa adjusting expenditures isi necessary. Mayor Sibold praised Mr. Onaitis for foreseeing the economic impact and developing the budget accordingly. Bryant  andl Ms.  REPORT OF THE CITYI MANAGER  1. Update regarding economic development: The Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Corporation held al kick-offi meeting today with consultants from Hunton, Andrews, Kurth and alsot the' Timmons Group with ai focus on retiering two citys sites for marketing and on-site readiness. Thel Brownfield Grant from the Environmental Protection. Agency through thel EDC 2. Update regarding thel Main Street) Historic) Revitalization Planning Grant: Head Down Strategies will oversee thej project, andt the city will collaborate with the Alleghany Foundation 3. Update for Joint Opportunity Fund Grant shared by the city and. Alleghany County: Members are stilla awaiting the final report, which] hasn't been finalized because consultants developingi it 4. Jackson Street Grant Update: Thel budget has been amended ands submitted, with highest priority given to needs for drainage and infrastructure asi reported by citizens. The grant 5. Update on Appalachian Regional Commission Grant for Drone Zone: Grant was resubmitted forr review on October 2. Eric Tyree has now been given oversight oft the facility and 6.1 Discovery Center Update: City continues toj process remittances: for the nonprofit organization. 7. Update regarding VDOT Smart Scale projects--Maple. Avenuel Project Phase I: Thef first blocki isi now complete, and demolition has begun ont the second block. Maple Avenuel Phasel III: Thes survey portion ofthe grant! has now been completed. The Alleghany Avenue Project: Paving 8. Carpenter Drive and Ashland Avenue Update: Bids were opened today for repaving. Actual emergency repairs should be completed at the end oft this week, whichi is 1% weeks ahead of 9. Updates on Street Paving and Slurry Work: Bids are due on Thursday, Oct. 15. 10. Geophysical testing has been completed on) Durant Road in front of Wendy's due tot the old 11. Thep permit waiver from the Environmental Protection. Agency changing the average daily tonnage att the) Peters Mountain Landfill from 51 tons to 75 tons per day hasb been approved. Vice Mayor Crosier askedi ifthe. Jackson Street) Project wouldi include any work onl houses, and Ms. Onaitis explained thati itd only contained funds for drainage andi infrastructure, ast these were priorities for stakeholders. The Vicel Mayor also asked about drainage issues ont thel Maple Avenue Phase III Project att thei intersection of Maple and Riverside. Mayor Sibold clarified that thei issues go about 501 feet down) Riverside, which Ms. Onaitis said will require City funds. Mr. Tucker asked for further clarification on thel Mallow and Edgemont roadi issues. Ms. Onaitis explained that because both the Mallow Roada and Carpenter Drivei repairs will require road closures, these projects can't begin until Carpenter Drive isi reopened fully. Onl Mallow Road, the work on thel bluffv will require complete closure.) No houses arei involved, but residents willl be inconvenienced by the road closure for 1%t to2 2 weeks. Thel Edgemont project willi require the  will focus ons site development. and Old Town Covington. were impacted byt thej pandemic.  application willl be resubmitted by October 30.  construction. management.  has been completed witha VDOT grant of $427,000.  schedule.  landfill theres shifting andt the road sinking.    Page 3: October 13, 2020  roadt to be closed for approximately one week. Mayor Sibold emphasized that Grass Street must not be used as a detoura ast the roadi is very narrow there. Ms. Onaitis explained that thel Rayon Bridger may have tol be opened tot truck traffic during this project despite its weight restrictions. Mayor Sibolds statedt that only one truck can be allowed on the bridge at a time, ands she suggested that a installing a,temporary traffic light may bet the easiest and most consistent  solution.  ORDINANCES ANDI RESOLUTIONS  Upon a motion by Vicel Mayor Crosier, seconded byl Mr. Tucker, Council voted: 5t to Otoz approve Ordinance 0-20-10, amending andi reenacting certain sections of Chapter 8,1 Buildings, oft the Codec ofthe City of Covington, withy voting as follows: Mayor Sibold, For; Vicel Mayor Crosier, Upon al motion by Vicel Mayor Crosier, seconded by! Mr. Tucker, Council voted 5 to Ot to approve Ordinance 0-20-11, amending and reenacting certain sections of Chapter 46, Utilities, oft the Code ofthe City ofCovington: Mayor Sibold, For; Vice! Mayor Crosier, For; Mr. Entsminger, Upon ar motion by Vicel Mayor Crosier, seconded by Mr. Tucker, Council voteds 51 to Ot to approve Ordinance 0-20-12, amending andi reenacting certain sections of Chapter 18, Environment, of the Code oft the City ofCovington, with voting as follows: Mayor Sibold, For; Vicel Mayor Crosier, For; Mr. Entsminger, For; Mr. Hunter, For; Mr. Tucker, For. For Resolutionl R-20-34 regarding carryover funds from the Wastewater Budget for professional services as part oft the Department of Environmental Quality compliance for consent order, a motion was made by Vice Mayor Crosier, seconded by Mr. Tucker, to approve. Motion carried 5 to0: Mayor Sibold, For; Vice Mayor Crosier, For; Mr. Entsminger, For; Mr. Hunter, For; Mr.  For; Mr. Entsminger, For; Mr. Hunter, For; Mr. Tucker, For.  For; Mr. Hunter, For; Mr. Tucker, For.  Tucker, For. NEWI BUSINESS  Mayor Sibold reminded Council oft two Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cuttings this week: one on' Wednesday at the. Jackson! River Sport Complex for thel Paper Trail, boat access, and fishing pier; and one onl Friday, October 16, for the. Jeter-Watson Park. He thanked everybody fort their Vicel Mayor Crosier made ar motion, seconded1 by? Mr. Tucker, to convene in closed session pursuant to thel Freedom of! Information Act Section2 2.2.3711(A)(8) oft the Code ofVirginia for Consultation withl legal counsel relatedt tos specific legalr matters related toj potential city liability due tol lack of! proper amount ofc city staff, and for a discussion regarding the acquisition ofr real property for aj public purpose where discussion: inj public would adversely affect thel bargaining position oft the city pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(3) oft the Code of Virginia. Following thec closed session, Council reconvened and voted to certify that only the matters No further business to come before Council, the meefing was adjourned.  hard work on! both projects. CLOSED SESSION  stated were discussed.  TE 6 KEDE THOMAS H. SIBOLD,JR., MAYOR PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCILAND, AS SUCH, EX-OFFICIO OFFICER OF THE CITY OF COVINGTON, VIRGINIA  ATTEST: ebecrol REBEÇCA W.SCOTT CITY CLERK