The regularly scheduled meeting of the Norton City Council was held Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., in the Municipal Council Chambers with Mayor Joseph Fawbush presiding. Present: Chris Jones, Stacy Salyers, Robert Fultz, Jr., Mark Caruso and Joseph Fawbush Also Present: Jeffery A. Shupe, City Manager and Clerk, Stephen McElroy, Assistant City Manager and City Engineer, Treavor Calhoun, City Director of Finance, and Matthew R. Dotson, City Attorney The invocation was given by Pastor Cody McElroy and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Norton Police Assistant Chief Greg Mays. Upon a motion by Councilman Jones, seconded by Councilman Caruso, and passed by unanimous vote, council moved to adopt the minutes oft the March 18, 2025, council meeting as presented. There was no response during the Mayor's Call for Visitors. The first item on the agenda was a request from the Norton Police Department to submit a Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Byrne/Justice Assistance Grant for law enforcement equipment for the police department. Norton Police Department First Sergeant Justin Mullins briefly discussed the 75/25 match grant, noting that the breaching tools would benefit the police department and that the other big item was the preassembled garage for the city's firing range. After discussing some of the items in the grant, the city manager asked if council had any questions. He said the grant totaling $74,991.90 included a city match of$18,747.75, SO the city would receive $56,244.15 in funding from this grant program. Following a brief discussion, the city manager said the deadline for the grant application was April gth, > 2025, and because oft the city match for the grant application council was being asked for authorization to apply for the DCJS grant. He said ifthe grant was awarded city administration would come back to council with a budget amendment for the total amount including the city match. Upon a motion by Councilman Salyers, seconded by Councilman Jones, and passed by the following unanimous roll call vote: YES - Jones, Salyers, Fultz, Caruso and Fawbush, NO None, ABSENT - None, ABSTAIN - None, council moved to authorize city administration and the Norton Police Department to apply for a Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Byrne/Justice Assistance Grant for law enforcement equipment totaling $74,991.90, of which $56,244.15 is the grant and $18,747.75 is the city match. Mayor Fawbush and Vice Mayor Caruso thanked First Sergeant Mullins for the grant presentation. A Resolution Proclaiming the Week of April 13-19, 2025, as National Public Safety (911) Telecommunicators Week in the City of Norton was presented in council packets for adoption. The city manager said he was honored to place this on the agenda again to recognize the city's elecommunicators and that three city dispatchers were present at tonight's council meeting. He said during emergency situations the dispatchers serve as the lifeline to the city's fire department, rescue squad and emergency medical services. On behalf of council, Mr. Shupe expressed his appreciation to the telecommunicators and noted that the resolution was a small token of our appreciation. Attending the meeting and introducing themselves were Norton Police Department Supervisor Suzanne Stacy, Lead Dispatcher Erin McCracken, and Part-Time Dispatcher Stevie Couch. The city manager said City of Norton E-911 Center dispatchers answered 3,390 emergency 911 calls and processed a total of 10,856 incidents in 2024, which show the fine work the dispatchers do. On behalf of the Norton Police Department, Assistant Police Chief Greg Mays thanked the dispatchers for the work they do providing emergency telecommunication assistance for the City of Norton and its fire, rescue and emergency medical services. The city manager said the poliçe department had a few things planned for city dispatchers to honor them during this week. Vice Mayor Caruso thanked the dispatchers for the work they do. Upon a motion by Councilman Caruso, seconded by Councilman Fultz, and passed by unanimous vote, council moved to adopt a Resolution Proclaiming the Week of April 13-19, 2025, as National Public Safety (911) Telecommunicators Week in the City of Norton. (Insert) On behalf of council, Mayor Fawbush expressed his appreciation to the city's dispatchers for their professionalism and efficiency in handling emergency 911 calls for the City of Norton. A Resolution Proclaiming April 2025 Autism Awareness Month and April 2, 2025, World Autism Awareness Day in the City ofNorton was included in packets for council consideration. The city manager said this was a resolution the city had adopted for a number of years after being approached by a group of parents who asked the city to recognize April as National Autism Awareness Month and April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day. He said the resolution was done annually to show council support of autism awareness efforts in the City ofl Norton. Upon a motion by Councilman Caruso, seconded by Councilman Salyers, and passed by unanimous vote, council moved to adopt a Resolution Proclaiming April 2025 Autism Awareness Month and April 2, 2025, World Autism Awareness Day in the City of Norton. (Insert) In packets for counçil consideration was a check dated March 21, 2025, to Powell Valley National Bank in the amount of$130,413.92 for two separate Enterprise Fund bond payments. Upon a motion by Councilman Caruso, seconded by Councilman Jones, and passed by the following unanimous roll call vote: YES Jones, Salyers, Fultz, Caruso and Fawbush, NO - None, ABSENT - None, ABSTAIN - None, council moved to confirm a check to Powell Valley National Bank, as stated above. Upon a motion by Councilman Caruso, seconded by Councilman Salyers, and passed by unanimous vote, council moved to go into closed meeting to discuss Personnel as per Section 2.2-3711 (A) (1) of the Code of Virginia, as amended; and for a Discussion Concerning a Prospective Business or Industry or the Expansion of an Existing Business or Industry Where No Previous Announcement Has Been Made of the Business's or Industry's Interest in Locating or Expanding its Facilities in the Community as per Section 2.2-3711 (A) (5) ofthe Code of Virginia as amended. Mayor Fawbush declared council in closed meeting. Following the closed meeting, Councilman Fultz left the council meeting and did not take his seat on council. Upon a motion by Councilman Caruso, seconded by Councilman Salyers, and passed by the following vote: YES - Jones, Salyers, Caruso and Fawbush, NO - None, ABSENT - Fultz, ABSTAIN - None, council moved to go back into open meeting. Mayor Fawbush declared council back in open meeting. Mr. Shupe polled each member of council as to the Certification of Closed Meeting with each answer yes. He then read A Resolution ofthe Certification of Closed Meeting. Upon a motion by Councilman Caruso, seconded by Councilman Jones, and passed by the following vote: YES Jones, Salyers, Caruso and Fawbush, NO - None, ABSENT - Fultz, ABSTAIN - None, council moved to adopt A Resolution oft the Certification of Closed Meeting. (Insert) In comments from the city manager: Copies of the February 2025 Financial Statements were distributed to council for review. The city manager said Tamara Greear of Rodefer Moss & Company, PLLC, would be at the April 15th council meeting to present the city's FY2024 Audit. Mr. Shupe advised council that city administration secured the vendor for the fireworks for this year's Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 5lh, and the contract was signed. He said he supplied council with a contract addendum to secure the vendor for next year's fireworks for Saturday, July 4th, ? 2026. He requested permission from council to execute the contract with the vendor to secure the date of July 4th, 2026, for next year's fireworks. The consensus of council was to secure the July 4th, 2026, date with the vendor for the city's 2026 Independence Day Celebration fireworks show. The city manager said an email from the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry regarding wildfire prevention and the use of local burn bans to reduce wildfire risk had been placed on council desks. He told council that he and Norton Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Todd Lagow were monitoring the situation and were hoping not to have to institute a fire ban even though current conditions were very, very dry. He said council would be consulted if a fire ban would become necessary. Upcoming events mentioned by the city manager included: Norton Elementary and Middle School Walk to School Day, Friday, April 4th, 2 Trash Treasures Workshop, Tuesday, April gth, 9 at the Norton Community Center; Youth Earth Day Art Contest continues through April 14th, Adopt-A-Truck Program as part ofthe citywide cleanup, April 11-20; Group Hike from Norton Reservoir to the High Knob Tower, 10 a.m., Saturday, April 12th, Norton Easter Egg Hunt and festivities, 3 p.m., Sunday, April 13, with a rain date of April 19th, Oil Painting Class, 10 a.m., April 215t at the Norton Community Center; Great American Cleanup, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 26th, and a Spring Wildflower Group Hike in Flag Rock Recreation Area, 10 a.m., Saturday, April 26. Mr. Shupe advised council that the ribbon cutting/grand opening for the High Knob Destination Center was scheduled for 10 a.m., Friday, April 25, at the destination center located at 1147 Laurel Avenue, SW, in Norton. The city manager said the 20th Year Kick off Reception for the Round the Mountain Artisan Center scheduled for Thursday, April 3rd, ? had been postponed until a later date and he would provide council with information about the new date when it became available. Mr. Shupe reminded council about the quarterly council work session scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April Sth, > 2025, in Municipal Council Chambers. In comments by the city attorney: Updating council on the status ofthe removal of the automobile located on property along Route 619 across from the High Knob Destination Center, City Attorney Matthew Dotson said he and the city manager looked at the City Code and found a way to take care of this issue in a quick, efficient manner in advance of the destination center opening. Discussion followed about how the removal ofthe vehicle would occur. The city attorney provided council with legal counsel relative to the city's shoplifting ordinances. Mr. Dotson informed council he had received a new batch of delinquent real estate tax cases from the city treasurer. He also briefed council on the status of the current delinquent real estate tax cases and said he had completed the bond paperwork which would allow the properties to be sold at public auction. The following comments were made by council members: Providing council with an update on conditions at the High Knob Recreation Area, Councilman Jones said members of the High Knob Music Festival Committee were going to go to the High Knob Recreation Area on Monday to evaluate conditions there and lineout and set up for the footers for the observation deck at the top of the hill. On behalf oft the High Knob Music Festival Committee, Councilman Jones requested for the High Knob Destination Center to be used as a drop-off point for buses on the day oft the festival rather than the high school. Councilman Jones shared some comments he had received from a lady who had participated in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Flag Rock Hillclimb in Norton. He said the lady complemented the Norton Police Department by saying that they were great to work with. Mr. Jones also reported that the lady said the SCCA Flag Rock Hillclimb was a fantastic event, that they loved coming here, and that they loved Norton. Vice Mayor Caruso pointed out that the sidewalks along the viaduct and Kentucky Avenue were covered with gravel from the snow and asked for the gravel to be removed in those areas. Mayor Fawbush mentioned that the SCCA Flag Rock Hillclimb would be coming up the last weekend in June. The mayor informed council he attended the retirement reception last week at the Inn at Wise for Coebum-Norton-Wise (CNW) Regional Wastewater Treatment Authority Executive Director Mark Hollyfield. He said Mr. Hollyfield has been a tremendous asset to the authority. Upon a motion by Councilman Caruso, seconded by Councilman Jones, and passed by the following vote: YES Jones, Salyers, Caruso and Fawbush, NO - None, ABSENT - Fultz, ABSTAIN - None, council moved to adjourn the council meeting. CITY OF NORTON, VIRGINIA, - K. - - 2 Joseph Fawbush, Mayor ATTEST: Jeffef 'A. Shupe, Clerk of Council