MINUTES REGULAR: MEETING FEBRUARY9,2029  Ther regular meeting oft the Council fort the City of Covington was held electronically located on at 333 Tuesday, February 9,2021, at 6:30 p.m. from the Council Chambers ofCity Halll Ther meeting was called to order by Mayor Thomas H. Sibold, Jr. Thei invocation was given by Recreation Coordinator Thomas Smals. Because members were. participating via Zoom, Mayor Roll Call of Council showed all members present electronically as follows: Mayor Sibold, Vice C. Mayor) David S. Crosier, Councilman William E. (Lance) Carson, Jr., Councilman: Raymond As the meeting was conducted electronically via Zoom, Mayor Thomas Siboldi read as statement declaring that due tot the COVID-19 Coronavirus health emergency andp pursuant to Chapter 1283 oft the 2020 Acts of Assembly, Council would convene electronically: fort this meeting to transact the business statutorily required or necessary to continue the operations oft the City. Because two proposed ordinances were: submitted by the City) Manager aftert the Work Session on) February 2, Vicel Mayor Crosier made ai motiont to add] R-21-11,aF Resolution. Authorizing Tax Relief for) Rivermont School, and R-21-12, al Resolution Designating a Revitalization. Area, tot the agenda, seconded by Mr. Tucker, andi members unanimously agreed by consent Council to add bothp proposed resolutions. Upon ai motion! by! Mr." Tucker, seconded by Mr. Carson,  W. Locust Street, Covington, Virginia. Sibold dispensed oft the Pledge of Allegiance. Hunter, and Councilman S. Allan" Tucker. City! Manager: Krystal Onaitis  City Attorney: Mark Popovich  APPROVAL OF AGENDA  voted by consent to approve the agenda as presented.  CITIZEN COMMENTS  No citizen comments were submitted to the City Clerk for reading. CORRECTION. AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES  Upona ar motion by Mr. Carson, seconded by Mr." Tucker, Council votedt to approve the following minutes as presented: Called! Meeting on. January 5,2021; Work Session on. January 5,2021; Regular Meeting on. January 12,2021; Joint Called Meeting witht thel Planning Commission on January 19,2021; and Calledl Meeting for Charter Change on. January 26, 2021.  APPOINTMENTS  Vicel Mayor Crosier made ai motion to reappoint Wayne Lamb tot the Planning Commission, Mr. Carson made a second, and) Mr. Lamb was elected bya a consent vote. Onar motion by Mayor Sibold, seconded by Mr. Tucker, Vicel Mayor David Crosier was unanimously elected as representative to the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce. Lisal K. Persinger was unanimously: appointed tos serve ast the citizen-at-large representative on the Social Services Board on a motion by Mr. Tucker, seconded by Vice Mayor Crosier. Mayor Sibold ascertained from Mr.) Popovich that no vote was needed: for Vicel Mayor Crosier to replace him ast the Council representative ont the Social Services board as members agreed to this during No citizen expressed interest tot the City Clerk or Council members in! being appointed to the Redevelopment and. Housing Authority tor replace Mr. Carson. Mayor Sibold directed the Clerk top prepare as small advertisement: for the Virginian Review in attemptingt tof fill that position. John Stiltner ofI Landmark Development: spoke about his company's proposal to turn the  thel Feb. 2 Work Session.  SPECIALI PRESENTATIONS    Page 2: February 9,2 2021  Rivermont School into a diversified housing unit for seniors, singles, couples, andi new family rental units.) His company's visioni includes 49 units: nine 1-bedroom units and 28: 2-bedroom unitsi in the olds school; and new construction ofat two-story building with twelve 2- and 3- bedroom units for families. Additional amenities include aj playground, picnic area, exercise room, computer room with free Wi-Fi, and a large community room: for social functions. Stiltner said Landmark, a 37-year-old: small family company of 150 employees, focuses ons supporting small towns andi rural areas by revitalizing old buildings, particularly schools, with historic preservation int nine states, primarily Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The long-term plan ist to apply fora a' Virginia Housing) Develop Authority Grant, state and federal housing tax éredits, historic credits, private equity, andj permanent bank financing: for the $10 million plus project. Housing applications are due byt the end ofl March, and the Virginia Housing Board's: final rankings will be arnounced. inl May. Stiltner anticipates securing funding and transferring ownership by mid-2022, with ai ribbon cutting by the third quarter of2023. Ift the March deàdline isI not met, the project timeline will move: forward: significantly. He emphasized thel benéfits include additional needed housing; relieving the City of maintenance ofI Rivermont; removal oft the blighted area; combined direct and indirect contributions estimated at $9 million  tot the area; andt two: full-time jobs added. REPORT OF THE CITYN MANAGER  1.R Recycling: Ms. Onaitis reported the recycling survey closed on Saturday, Feb. 6after a three- week run. She will provide al breakdown of percentages at the next meeting. 2.. Joint Services: A meeting between representatives of Covington, Alleghany, and] Rockbridge counties concerning issues withi inmatel housing will occur on Feb. 22. 3.COVID: Overall, numbers for the Alleghany Health) District are mostly trending downward, showing the number of cases have declined for the past 24 days, with positivity tests at 10.1 percent, decreasing for the last 35 days. Other decreases were showing in outbreaks, healthcare workers' cases, emergency department visits, and] ICUI hospitalizations. Vaccination rates are good, with 30,768 doses administered, showing approximately 17j percent oft the population already vaccinated and 4.167 percent oft the population fully protected. However, the number of Mr.) Hunter asked about cases at the local jail, and! Ms. Onaitis said there was an uptick aboutt two weeks ago; buti medical staff was present daily and inmates are tested upon their arrival. Mr. Hunter also asked ifthe! black community was being overlookedi in vaccinations. Ms. Onaitis explained people had to register on the Virginial Department ofHealth website and then! be contacted by a VDH email top participate in clinics. Vicel Mayor Crosier offered thati many elderly and poor people did not have access to computers andi internet andi it was difficult to call and schedule appointments, but there are no easy solutions as the public library is currently closed to Ona ar motion by Vicel Mayor Crosier and as second by Mr. Hunter, members agreed with an aye vote to extend the Community Services] Board's Performance Contract Extension Agreement Concerning the Uncodified Ordinance UO-21-02, Mayor Sibold explained this was in response tod difficulties in çollecting water and tax payments ina at timely manner while City Hall was closed for the pandemic for nearly three months, leading to some citizens accruing late charges despite their belieft they hadj paidi ina ai timely manner. City Attorney Popovich statedt this was occurring elsewhere and encouraged Council to move: forward quickly to form the! Finance Committee set forthi int the ordinance andi request that the Treasurer provide a quarterly report of receipts, expenditures, and statement of account. Mr. Popovich said the Finance Committee should be comprisèd ofa atl least one, preferably two, Council members and must bel heldi inj public meetings in àj public forum such as Council chambers in order to allow transparency and àccess to citizens. Citizens could not comment but could view monthly meetings. On a motion from Vicel Mayor Crosier and: seconded by! Mr. Carson, members voted 5-0t to adopt the ordinance witht this tally: Mayor Sibold-For; Vice Mayor Crosier: For; Mr. Carson-For; Mr. Hunter-For;  hospital beds occupied hasi increased.  the public.  UNFINISHED/OLD BUSINESS until June 30, 2021. Ordinances and! Resolutions:  Mr. Tucker-For,    Page 3:Febriuary9,2021 :  Resolutionl R-21-07 regarding additional funding from VDOT Street and Highway Maintenance Fundi int the amount of $87,197.53 was passed unanimously on aj motion by Vice! Mayor Çrosiér, seconded! byl Mi. Tucket. Mayor Sibold, Vice) Mayor Crosier, Mr. Carson, Mr. Hunter, and! Mr. Members also voted unanimously to approve Resolution) R-21-081 regarding ai refund from the Utility Fund, State) Reimbursement, of Water and Wastewater Project Costs for the Durant Road BluffP Projecti int the amount of $67,533.53 showed this vote: Mayor Sibold-For; Vicel Mayor For Resolution) R-21-09: regarding açceptance of grant funds and commitment of City funds for thel Maple Avenue Streetscape, Phasel II,i int the amount of $295,354.00, amotiony was made! by Vice Mayor Crosier, seconded by! Mr. Hunter, to approve. Motion carried 51 to 0: Mayor Sibold, For; Vice! Mayor Crosier, For; Mr. Carson, For; Mr. Hunter, For; Mr. Tucker, For. Régarding) Resolutionl R-21-11 Authorizing' Tax Relief for Rivermont School, Ms. Onaitis stated that the resolution" wàsn't needed, at thist time ands she would bringi itb back when necessary, so Council agreed by consensus tot table that) resolution on a motion by Vicel Mayor Crosier, Vicel Mayor Crosier made a motion to adopt Resolution R-21-12 designating al Revitalization Area for Rivermont School, and) Mr. Tuckers seconded, The resolutionj passed unanimously with thet following vote: Mayor Sibold-For; Vice Mayor Crosier: For; Mr. Carson-For; Mr. Hunter-  Tucker all voted-Eor.  Crosier: For; Mr. Carson-For; Mr.) Hunter-For; Mr." Tucker-For.  seconded] by) Mr." Tucker.  For; Mr. Tucker-For. NEW! BUSINESS There was nor new business. CLOSED SESSION  Upon a motion by Vicel Mayor Crosier, seconded by Mr. Tucker, members agreed by consensus tol hold a closeds session pursuant to the Virginia Freedom ofI Information Act Sec. 2.2-3711 A(3) oft the Code of Virginia for ad discussion regarding the acquisition ofreal property for aj public purpose where discussion inj public would adversely affect the bargaining position oft the City and pursuant tot thel Freedom of] Information Act Section 2.2.3711(A)(8) ofthe Code ofVirginia for Consultation with legal counsel relatedt tos specific legal matters related toj potential city After returning from Closed Session, Vicel Mayor Crosier made a motion tos move: for certification pursuant to Section 2.2-37112 oft the Code' of Virginia, thatt the City Council, to the best ofe eachi member'sk knowledge, heard, discussed or considered only public business matters lawfully exempted from opent meeting requirements by thel Freedom ofI Information. Acti int the closed meeting ofthis date, and only such publicl business matters as were identifiedi int the motion conveningt the closed meeting were heard, discussed or considered byt the City Council of the City ofCovington. Mr. Tucker made thes second, andi members agreed with an aye vote. Withi noi further business to come before Council, the meeting was adjourned on a) motion from  liability.  CERTIFICATION OF CLOSED SESSION  Vicel Mayor Crosier and seconded by Mr. Tucker.  AHD THOMAS H. SIBOLD,JR., MAYOR PRESIDENT OF1 THE CITYCOUNCILAND, AS SUCH, EX-OFFICIO OFFICER OFTHE CITY OF COVINGTON, VIRGINIA  ATTEST:  CITY CLERK  CLat