Council Minutes Regular Meeting October 10, 2023-6 6:30 p.m. - 502 Front St. E, Coeburn, VA Attendees: Uponi roll call, the following members ofCouncil were present: JeffKiser, Deventae Mooney, Joe Still and Sharon Still. Carles Collins and Town Manager - Jimmy Williams, were absent. Cathy Sharpe - Clerk/Treasurer, and William Sturgill - Town Attorney, were also present. Call to Order: Mayor Deventae Mooney called the meeting to order. Mr. Joe Still gave the invocation. The group remained standing for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mr. Deventae Mooney. Public Expression: There was no public expression. Public expression was closed. Response from Public Expression: There was no response from prior Public Expression. Approval of the. Agenda: Deventae Mooney made a motion to add under Old Business (A)Ringley Park Committee. Sharon Deventae Mooney made a motion to approve the agenda as amended. Sharon Still seconded the Still seconded the motion, which resulted in all Ayes. motion, which resulted in all Ayes. Reports: Fire Department Mr. Logan Jackson, Assistant Chief, began by giving the report for the month of August because he was unable to attend the September meeting. There were 33 calls, 217-man hours, 183 personnel responding, and 342 training hours. Mr. Jackson reported that all new radios have been installed in the trucks, the portables are still being programmed and will be ready to put in the trucks when completed. Town of Coeburn Regular Meeting October 10, 2023 - Page 1of6 In the month of September, there was a total of 25 calls, 137.5-man hours, 130 personnel responding and 340 training hours. Mr. Jackson said the: fire department was on hand for the Guest River Rally over Labor Day Weekend. Regional Fire School was September 10th and 11th from Assistant Chief Jackson said that there was a fire hydrant at the top of Crab Orchard that was obstructed, and he had to move two mailboxes and use a claw hammer to access the hydrant. Mr. Jackson asked if a new hydrant could be put there and be raised level with the road so it would be accessible. He said the mailboxes are still lying where he left them. Ms. Still asked ifthere wasa State Code for how close things can be installed by fire hydrants. Mr. Jackson said he thought there needed to be a 15 ft area around a hydrant. He stated the importance of installing a new Mr. Jackson said there has been an increase in calls and they are running more EMS calls. He advised the department is trying to go into being a non-transport EMS First Responder EMS department. He said they are working on getting trucks ready for that change and that this change will open the department up for increased grant funding. He said the response time when there is an emergency is critical and many times the fire department response is faster than the ambulance response. Mayor Mooney asked if a Resolution is needed to be presented to the Board of Supervisors. Mr. Jackson said a Resolution or letter is needed and would help the department look more prepared. Mr. Willaim Sturgill said a Resolution would be the best to present. Mr. Sturgill said he will work with Mr. Jackson to draw up the Resolution. Mr. Jackson said the EMS Council ofVirginia has already approved the application and the members ofthe department will need to do an Emergency Management Response class and have background checks, be fingerprinted, vehicles will need to be weighed and certified and then everything will be ready to be approved. Mr. JeffKiser would like Mr. Jackson to get some numbers together, breaking down how many of the calls that the department responds to are ini the town and how many are ini the county to present Mr. Mooney said he fclt like someone needed to go out and see where the mailboxcs can be resct. Mr. Jackson said maybe they can be put on the other side of the mailboxes that are still standing. Ms. Still said someone from the post office will need to come out and see where the boxes can be Mr. Brian Markham, Water Plant Supervisor, asked Mr. Jackson to call the water plant to notify them ifthe fire department would be pulling water on the south end oftown from 5am to 5pm. He said this will allow someone at the plant to shut down the pumps on that end oftown to keep them from being torn up. Mr. Markham provided contact information to Mr. Jackson. 8am until 5pm. hydrant because that is the only hydrant available to serve that area. to the county and include in the Resolution. set. Police Department Mr. Ryan Gardner, Police Captain, gave the police department report for the month of August 2023. There were 860 total events. Mr. Gardner gave a summary oft these events. He informed Council that vehicle 600 has been taken off the road and moved to the public works department and vehicle 601 will be decommissioned by the end of the week. He said there is a new vehicle Town of Coeburn Regular Meeting October 10, 2023 Page 2of6 that will be ready by the end ofthe week. Mr. Gardner reported the new vehicles are now striped and are waiting for bumpers and cages. Mr. Joe Still said that the cars look great. Mr. Mooney reminded Captain Gardner that Ringley Park is now open and needs to be heavily patrolled. He said he would like the park to be patrolled every shift and have the officers do a walk through because there are a lot of people going to the park; a walk through would be a good thing. Water Plant Mr. Brian Markham, Water Plant Supervisor, said that the loss rate was 56% this month. He said public works repaired a leak and he hopes to see that loss rate improve. Town Manager Mr. Jimmy Williams, Town Manager, was: not present for the meeting. Mr. Jeff Kiser said he has asked for copies of the invoices for the park equipment and has not received them. Mr. Kiser Mr. Kiser also asked Council if any employee has been given a pay increase outside of thc budgeted increases. Ms. Sharon Still said she had spoken with Mr. Williams about this as there has been talk of some employees receiving an increase in pay. Mr. Kiser asked her to follow up on this and she said she would, and that Mr. Williams is aware ofa and dealing with the issue. Mr. Mooney said the park equipment information was in a previous council packet and email. Mr. asked that Mr. Williams be reminded to email these to him. Kiser said he would like to see the actual invoices. Public Works Mr. JeffLivingston, Public Works Superintendent, reported that the bridge was refloored at the mini park, fodder was put at the light poles and a hydrant was installed at the middle school. He said paving was done on Salem and at the park, leaks were repaired on Hanover and Litchfield and sewer lines were jetted on Cedar. He reported 90 work orders were completed. Mr. Kiser asked ift there are invoices for the paving that was done at the park. Mr. Kiser asked for copies ofthe invoices for the paving of both parks. Mr. Kiser said he was told the paving would be $700.00 and feels that price can't be correct as he had his driveway priced and it was in the neighborhood of $3600.00 and is a tenth of the size of the park project. Mr. Kiser asked if Mr. Livingston put gravel down before paving the park. Mr. Livingston said al base of gravel was laid. Mr. Mooney asked if that gravel was sourced from the town's s gravel pile and Mr. Livingston said itv was. Mr. Kiser asked if that gravel was gravel from street sweeping or was it purchased. Mr. Livingston said it was gravel that was previously purchased. Mr. Kiser asked for the copy of the Mr. Joe Still asked Mr. Livingston if the road repair on Elm Avenue could be paved by public works before winter. Mr. Livingston said they will be able to; he will go look at it. invoice from when that gravel was purchased. Town of Coeburn Regular Meeting - October 10, 2023 Page 3of6 Lane Group There was no representative oft the Lane Group present. Treasurer Report Ms. Cathy Sharpe, Clerk/reasurer,reported a posted cashl balance of 238.04.16as0r106202. She reported outstanding checks ini the amount of$146,083.05, accounts payable due in the amount of $67,952.96 and interim accounts payable in the amount of $470,009.18. The interim accounts payable included grant checks for the fire department and police department. After deducting the accounts payable due and outstanding checks, the reconciled cash balance was $24,568.15. Ms. Sharpe presented meeting minutes from the September 11, 2023, regular meeting and Ms. Sharpe reported two additional deposits since reports had been presented for the meeting. Friday's deposit was $7,049.56 and today's deposit was $6,797.89 making the total cash Mayor Mooney mentioned that the amount spent on the park is included in the information Mr. Mooney asked if the purchases from Consolidated Pipe were being paid from the regular fund or with ARPAfunds. Ms. Sharpe said they are being paid with the town's regular account. Mr. Kiser expressed concern that thc town' s financial situation is trending in the wrong direction. He has voiced this concern multiple times in the past and reiterated that the town must cut down on spending and overtime. Mr. Kiser said if changcs aren't made the town will end up in the Vice Mayor Still said that everyone with credit cards needs to make sure that the purchases are necessary. She said no tools need to be purchased unless they are needcd. Ms. Still said there is areason for purchase orders, and they need tol be used to help control spending. She said overtime needs to be managed better, She said ifovertime is needed, make that up by taking time off during Mr. Mooney said purchase ordcrs are supposed to be approved before the item is purchased. Ifa purchase is not needed, deny the order. He said department heads have the authority to decide what is needed in their department. Mr. Kiser reminded Council that they have the authority to deny all overtime and would hate for Council to take that action, but something needs to be done to stop paying out all this overtime. Mr. Kiser said that scheduling needs to be done to eliminate overtime to save positions, because eliminating jobs will occur if there is no money to pay overtime. Mr. Mooney used public works as a scheduling example, saying that if there are six people on ajob requiring fewer people, the crew can be split up to perform other tasks. September 25, 2023, workshop meeting. availability $38,415.60. provided. Mr. Kiser said he would still like to see the invoices. negative. the week. Everyone across the board needs to do these things. Town of Coeburn Regular Meeting - October 10, 2023 Page 4of6 Mr. Joe Still asked about purchases on August 11, 2023, and August 23,2023 from Boggs Municipal. Mr. Livingston said that was from work at the Powerstown Pump Station. Mr. Still asked ift there was something that could be done to lessen the work that Boggs does at the pump stations. He wonders ifitis just poor design causing the problems or some sort ofinfiltration that Sharon Still made a motion to approve the accounts payable due as presented. Joe Still seconded Sharon Still made ai motion to accept the interim accounts payable as presented. Joe Still seconded Sharon Still made a motion to approve the September 11, 2023, regular meeting minutes as Sharon Still: made ai motion to approvc the September 25, 2023, meeting minutes as presented. Joc Ms. Sharpeir informed Council that she had forgotten that $1,185.00 would be transferred to the fire department account from the town's account and that amount was not included in her report. ist the issue. Mr. Still is concerned about the cost ofthese multiple visits. the motion, which resulted in all Ayes. the motion, which resulted in all Ayes. presented. Deventae Mooney seconded the motion, which resulted in all Ayes. Still scconded the motion, which resulted in all Ayes. Mr. Mooney abstained. Attorney Report Mr. William Sturgill, Town Attorney, had nothing to report to Council. Mr. Kiser had some questions for Mr. Sturgill that need to be addressed in closed session. Old Business: A. Ringley Park Committee - Mr. Mooney made a motion to dissolve the park committee because some members have resigned, and the park is completed. Mr. Kiser said he would like to see the committee stay in place until after the dedication. Ms. Still said she would like to see the committee stay in place until the dedication as well. Mr. Kiser said there are people the committee will need toi invite to the event. The motion failed to get a second. Closed Session: Mayor Mooney made a motion to enter into closed session in accordance with Virginia Code $2.2- 3711 (A1) to discuss performance of Town of Coeburn personnel and $2.2-3711 (A8) to discuss with legal counsel pertaining to specific legal matters. Sharon Still seconded the motion, which Immediately following closed session, Mr. William Sturgill, Town Attorney, read "Certification of Closed Meeting", which is attached to these minutes and made a part hcreof. A roll call vote certifying that only business matters that were identified in the motion convening were discussed resulted in all Ayes. or considered. The roll call vote resulted as follows.: Town of Coeburn Regular Meeting October 10, 2023 Page 5 of6 JeffKiser- Aye Deventae Mooney - Aye Joe Still - Aye Sharon Still- Aye There was no action resulting from Closed Session. Council Comments and Concerns: Mr. JeffKiser- Mr. Kiser said the town isi in dire straits financially. He reminded department heads to use purchase orders and tighten their belts. He said the town is heading back to where it was before, and he doesn't want to go back there. Mr. Joe Still - Mr. Still had no comments or concerns. to tighten their belts and she appreciates everyone. Ms. Sharon Still - Ms. Still thanked all the workers in the town. She restated that everyone needs Mr. Deventae Mooney - Mr. Mooney said he echoes Mr. Kiser's comments about spending. He said it is up to the department heads to control spending. He expressed his appreciation to the town's employees and their dedication to the town. Adjournment: Mr. Deventae Mooney made a motion to adjourn this meeting. Ms. Sharon Still seconded the motion, which resulted in all Ayes. Respectfully Submitted, Cakhaype Attest: Cathy Sharpe, Clerk Ditte Deventae Mooney, llny Town of Coeburn Regular Meeting October 10, 2023 Page 6of6