ROUND HILL TOWN COUNCIL

MINUTES

REGULAR MEETING – APRIL 3, 2003

 

Council Present:         Frank Etro, Mayor

                                    Mary Anne Graham, Vice Mayor

                                    Mark Albright

                                    Hazen Dean

                                    John Heyner

                                    Meg Nash

 

 

Absentees:                 Phil Bzdyk

 

Public Attendees:       Bill Fox, Loudoun Habitat for Humanity

                                    Pete Kanis, President Loudoun Habitat for Humanity

                                    Scott Nash, Town of Round Hill Planning Commission

                                    Steve Monaghan, Planning Commission Chairperson

Jen Owesney, Town of Round Hill Planning Commission

                                    Mark Davis, Candidate for Loudoun County Sheriff

                                    Marvin Davis, Round Hill Volunteer Fire Department

                                    K.F. Sterrett

                                    Margaret Sterrett

                                    Ken Flemming

 

Staff Attendees:         Kelly Yost

                                    Cheryl Jacobson

 

Meeting Began:         8:00 P.M.

 

Public Comments:      Pete Kanis, President of Loudoun Habitat for Humanity – Asked the Mayor and Town Council for an update since the last Town Council meeting of March 20, 2003.  Also, is there anything that Habitat for Humanity can do to help facilitate getting the process completed?  The County met with Habitat one on one and they are very supportive on the issue.

                                      Frank Etro has informed Mr. Kanis that the Town attorney had talked with the County attorneys and has outlined the procedures for each side (Town and County) that we’ll need to go through in this process.  The Town has requested a surveyor to give an estimate on the cost to survey the properties for the Boundary Line Adjustment (BLA).  There are some discrepancies in the Town’s existing boundary from the original 1900’s survey.  The Commission On Local Government in Richmond is being contacted to find out what latitude the Town would have in order to proceed.  Hopefully the whole Town will not have to be surveyed for the BLA.  The Town has not heard back from Richmond on what is needed to be done. 

 

The Town attorney has been tasked to give us a sample of a resolution that the Town can review and modify in order to adopt the resolution.  The Town attorney will work with the County attorneys to see that they have a resolution that they can bring to the Board to adopt.

                                       The Planning Commission will need to adopt in the Town Zone the County zoning districts that the Town does not have which are the JLMA-1 and the AR-1.  There will be a process that will include a public hearing process.

                                    Pete Kanis asked Frank Etro when would Habitat be able to receive a “Will Serve” letter for the water and sewer hook-up?

                                    Once the County and the Town each have a resolution in place, that would mean that commitment from both parties agree and even though the process has not been completed at that time the County may allow a “Conditional Will Serve” letter by the Town.

                                    Habitat can contact the County to insure the resolution process moves along.

                                    Frank Etro stated, he would meet with Board of Supervisors Eleanore Towe or Jim Burton and Pete Kanis from Habitat for Humanity regarding this process.

                                         

                                    Mark Davis – Candidate for Loudoun Sheriff Introduced himself to Mayor Etro, Town Council and to the public informing them that he was running for Loudoun Sheriff.  He asked if they had any issues or concerns he could address. He had resigned from his position with the Sheriff’s Department of 22 years to run for Sheriff.  His family is Loudoun County based.  His parents live just north of town. He had indicated that you can e-mail him with questions or concerns and he will return your e-mail in a timely manner. 

                                    Mayor Frank Etro mentioned that there is continuous speeding throughout the Town.

                                    Marvin Davis – Round Hill Volunteer Fire Department – Marvin Davis is on the Board of Directors for the Round Hill Volunteer Fire Department.  The Board of Directors are looking to see if the current facility will be too small with the equipment that will be required for the Fire Department in the next 5 years.   He is requesting a Town Council member or a Planning Commission member that the Board of Directors could work with to look at options and possible land & zoning issues.

                                    Frank Etro invited Marvin Davis to attend the Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday evening April 8th, 2003 to present his request to them and that the Council will look to the Planning Commission to work with the Fire Department.

 

                                                           

Approval of Agenda:                         

Motion by Mary Anne Graham to approve the agenda for April 3, 2003, with a deletion of Phil Bzdyk’s report due to absence.  Second by Meg Nash.

                                           

VOTE:

Aye:         Mary Anne Graham, Mark Albright, Hazen Dean, John Heyner & Meg Nash.

                                    Nay:         None.

                                    Abstain:   None.

                                    Absent:    Phil Bzdyk.

                     

 

Approval of Minutes: 

                                    Motion by Mary Anne Graham to approve the Minutes of March 20, 2003.   Second by John Heyner.

                                               

Mary Anne Graham asked Frank Etro to cc: the Town Council on revisions he makes to the Town Council minutes.

Frank Etro will cc: the Town Council with any revisions made to the Town Council minutes.                     

                                               

           VOTE:

                                    Aye:         Mary Anne Graham, Mark Albright, Hazen Dean, John Heyner

     & Meg Nash.

                                    Nay:         None.

                                    Abstain:   None.

                                    Absent:    Phil Bzdyk.

 

Action Items: No Action Taken.

 

 

Planning Commission:    Jen Owesney – Presentation of the Gateway signs into Round Hill.

The Planning Commission were tasked by the Town Council to produce

drawings & prices for the Town’s gateway signs.  The Town Council

asked that it be brought to Council prior to the FY ’04 budget process.

Planning Commission members drove to nearby towns to gather

ideas for the project.  The Planning Commission decided that the

Town of ”Lincoln”stone sign was a starting place for an idea for the

gateway at the east and west entrances.

The “Lincoln” Town sign made of stone is what the Planning Commission

liked as an idea to have a large stone sign at the east and a smaller scale

of the stone sign at the west entrance of Town. 

At the beginning of the project the Town Council asked that there be a gateway                 

sign with a message board. Planning Commission wanted to keep the message          

board separate but their ideas are to have it near the east gateway sign.

Berryville has a nice classic hometown sign that the Planning Commission

would like to see placed at the north and south gateway located on Route

719.

A wooden or plastic composite sign would be placed in the center of the

stone signs that will have “Welcome to Round Hill”, Established 1900.  Also

in the sign there is a ribbon that will say “Gateway to the Blue ridge”.  An

oval picture will be in the center that will have a picture of Snickers Gap.

Prices are for the large stone gateway sign range from $7,000 to $12,500.

Sign prices are:

      4’  x  6’ approx.  $150

      2’  x  3’              $170

                             12” x 24” $ 35 to $  50

      

     

      North & South Gateway Signs:  

        3’  x   4’           $300

                                          Post for signs:     4” x 4” x  8’      $ 25

                                      

Frank Etro indicated that during the budget process the Council would be looking at these line items to see what can be done.

 

Budget:                       Presentation of the Budget Draft for FY 2004.

Mayor Frank Etro and Town Council asked Kelly Yost and Karen Kirk about the numbers that have been inputted onto the budget draft are as accurate besides the numbers that still need to be added.  Are there any particulars that need to be pointed out? 

Kelly Yost replied that there are no figures for the 50 to 100 new homes that would be coming online from Richmond American Homes Development.  There could be approx. $60,000, that could be added into the budget.

Karen Kirk explained that she had taken numbers from the 2/28/03 utility billing that was estimated, due to snow covered meters and multiplied it by 6 for the water and sewer.   The 2/28/03 bill was an average of each customer’s history of usage. She had also calculated all the bills for the year and averaged them, and the dollar amount was a bit higher. Hazen Dean will be able to provide numbers from the Dean Committee into the budget process.  See additional comments under Town Council Reports.

Karen Kirk did comment on the real estate, she had over estimated on the elderly tax relief for last year and had deducted over 1 million dollars of assessments.
Mary Anne Graham suggests that the sewer rate cap be discussed during the budget process.

Frank acknowledged, the sewer rate cap would be discussed during the budget process.

First budget workshop is Thursday, April 10, 2003 at 7:30pm.

 

Mayor’s Report:             Mayor Frank Etro

                                               

·                     Tax & Service DistrictsMemo from Maureen Gilmore, Town Attorney provided information on Tax Districts and Service Districts.  Tax districts would be for utilities that would be a different way of paying for user fees for sewer.  The memo does state that the Tax District cannot be used for utility customers outside the Town’s corporate limits.

Frank Etro asked the Town Council to review and if this is something they would like to proceed with then they can discuss this at the budget workshop next Thursday, April 10, 2003.  If there are any questions Council may have, e-mail them to him and he would have Maureen Gilmore answer them.

 

·                     Don Darling PropertyFrank had talked with Don Darling since the last Council meeting regarding doing a Charrette on his property to come up with a design of what would be good for both the Town and Don Darling. Don Darling is interested in working with the Town to preserve the view shed from the Town gateway to his house.  He is concerned about not losing any value of his property.  Frank Etro has contacted Vladimir Gavrilovic and he would be interested in doing this project.  The cost would be $700.00 for this project, which would entail a minimum of 2 meetings, and his design time.  If this would be something that the Council would like to proceed with on this project, Frank Etro would request Vladimir Gavrilovic to meet with the Planning Commission, Don Darling and his son to come up with ideas.  The next meeting would be to show Don Darling some ideas that he could visualize. 

Frank indicated Don Darling is on a timeline that he would like to build a house on one of the parcels and be in by December of this year 2003.

 

Motion by Mary Anne Graham for the Town to approve $700.00 to hire Vladimir Gavrilovic to meet with the Planning Commission and draw up a schematic subdivision plan for the Don Darling property.  Second by John Heyner.

 

John Heyner noted since this is urgent, there is a forecast overage in the General Fund Revenues for this fiscal year, we pull the revenue from there is needed.

Meg Nash asked Frank Etro if he felt confident that Don Darling was convinced that 14 quarter or third acre lots are as valuable as 14 half-acre lots?

Frank Etro indicated that he wasn’t sure; it may be an issue presenting this plan to a buyer indicating to them that the Town is willing to support this plan if they build from this plan.

Frank Etro and Council discussed what Don Darling would like to have done with the property. The Town would like to have the lots in front of the house preserved and only build on the back portion of his property. 

 

VOTE:

 

Aye:                      Mary Anne Graham, Mark Albright, Hazen Dean, and John Heyner & Meg Nash.

Nay:                      None.

Abstained:            None.

Absent:                Phil Bzdyk.

 

Richmond American Homes –Town Council has received a letter that was sent to Richmond American Homes.   Frank Etro has not heard from them since the letter was mailed to them.       

 

Town Council Reports:

                        Mary Anne Graham

·         Cedar Street Easement – Mary Anne Graham had met with the homeowner and their attorney on Tuesday, April 1, 2003.  They are willing to work with the Town to grant the easement.  Chris Fewster, the Town’s Engineer from Anderson & Associates will draw up a descriptive easement. This drawing will be presented to the attorney to show exactly where the utility easement would be. The plats that were shown at the meeting did not show the property lines with the proposed utility line so it could not be specified how much property would be needed on the owner’s property.

The decision has not been made by the homeowner to accept a water and sewer connection for another R-2 lot created from the subdivision of the existing property or the money that the Town has offered.

There was a concern if this line does get installed then the property owners on the north side of Bridge Street will need to move their water lines.

This will need to be researched and reported back to the Council.

Mary Anne Graham asked Kelly Yost if Chris Fewster of Anderson & Associates provided an Engineer’s Report even though he was unable to attend the meeting.

Kelly Yost was going to present this during his report but made copies and distributed them to the Mayor and Council at this time.

·         Solid Waste ManagementMary Anne Graham will be attending a Public Hearing on Solid Waste Management.  A 5-minute report on what will need to be done to approve the plan.

 

Mark Albright           

·         Elevated Storage Tank – Met Thursday 27th, 2003 with Chris Fewster of Anderson & Associates, Town Engineer, Ralph Bice of Oak Hill, Don Caskie of Bay Design and Kelly Yost. After a year of deciding to accept the elevated storage tank, Chris Fewster and Don Caskie decided that it would be ok to accept the elevated storage tank if the warranty included a structural warranty, along with the certificate of insurance. Frank Etro questioned if Oak Hill had agreed to what the engineers stated. Oak Hill agreed to the manufacturer’s warranty.

The manufacturer of the elevated storage tank will need to provide certificate of insurance from their engineer with their engineering stamp. It is not the Town or Oak Hill’s engineer’s responsibility to provide a certificate of insurance on the elevated tank.  The two engineers Don Caskie of Bay Design and Chris Fewster of Anderson & Associates) would be discussing pricing & what is normal maintenance and define what is above normal maintenance. Pittsburgh’s engineers would come up with their letter and seal by the next Town Council meeting for recommendation to approve.

Mark Albright attended a conference on March 31st, 2003 and talked with Brian Pohlar from Tank Industry Consultants (TIC) and discussed the elevated tank.  During their discussion, TIC compared the elevated tank the Town is trying to accept to a pre-constructed tank in PA that failed inspection after 5-7 years because of the same situation with the welds being too close together that changes the metal composition.

While at the conference Mark Albright was looking for a company that does tank maintenance.  While discussing the tank with the tank maintenance company, the person had heard about the tank and stated that he wouldn’t touch it.

Mark Albright asked that TIC should come to the Council and give information, answer questions and concerns the Council may have.

Frank Etro indicated that TIC’s report is incomplete because they have not been provided with information requested from the manufacturer’s engineer of the elevated tank.  He also clarified to the Council that the Town needs to wait and see if the engineers agree that the Town should accept the elevated tank or not.  If Anderson & Associates informs the Town that in their opinion, the elevated tank is not structurally sound then the Town will go from there. 

Frank Etro and the majority of the Council indicated not to bring in TIC until the Town has received the completed report from TIC and then question and concerns can be directed to them.

 

Hazen Dean

·         Dean Committee - Hazen Dean reported that the Dean Committee would be able to provide numbers for the FY’04 budget.  He was able to obtain Bob Boyd’s worksheet from Anderson & Associates.  Karen Kirk had given the committee actual numbers from 2 prior budget years and with the information from this budget process, the committee can evaluate what will they will need to focus on; expenses, revenues, projects and plan them out.  The worksheet is a 9-year study.

 

John Heyner

·         Main Street Round Hill CommitteeFirst meeting was on March 31st, 2003.  There were a lot of ideas that suggested from everyone that attended.  Will be focusing on specific items. 

The Ohio convention registration deadline has past and no one from Round Hill will be attending the convention.  The site visit to Staunton still has seats available on the bus.  The trip at this time is free. The next committee meeting will be Monday, April 7, 2003.

 

·        Meg Nash:  

Hometown Festival

1.       Progressing with Sponsorships.

                                                      2.   Next meeting date has not been scheduled at this time.

 

Town Administrator’s Report:          Kelly Yost

·         Engineer’s ReportOperators have experienced some difficulties with high solids in the SBR.  Contractor is working with staff to start up a digester as quickly as possible to help alleviate the problem.  This has resulted in an odor complaint by the neighbors.  Once a digester is operational, odor will no longer be an issue.

·         Water System Improvements – ECS has completed the geotechnical and environmental reviews for the proposed water treatment facility on Yatton Road property where the Town will install a water treatment facility.  Chris Fewster will be finalizing costs for loans that were approved a year or two ago.

 

John Heyner asked Kelly Yost who is responsible for the replacement the 14-inch line with the 18-inch line?

Kelly Yost responded that Oak Hill would be replacing the 14-inch line with 18-inch line.

 

Mary Anne Graham talked with Chris Fewster today, and he had given her an update on the plantings that will be done.  The Town and Chris Fewster will meet with the adjacent property owners in late April but will be contact with them on an exact date.

Frank asked that Kelly Yost be the contact person to set up the meeting.

 

 

·         90 degree Entrance to the WWTP – Is an easement from Robert & Lisa Kline’s property.  They have agreed to let the Town keep the 90-degree entrance until they want to do something with that corner of their property.

A letter on the agreement will be drawn up and signed by the Town and the Kline’s.

·         The Department of Planning will be doing an archival research of the Town and assess concentration of the contributing structure that of resources that might impose an historic district.

 

Miscellaneous:           Meg Nash requested Kelly Yost to contact the Loudoun Sheriff’s Department to see if we can obtain a copy of the speed survey.

The Town had recently received a copy from the Sheriff’s Department and Mayor Frank Etro had a copy during the meeting that he handed to her.

 

Bills for Payment:      Motion by Mary Anne Graham to approve the bills for April 3, 2003 for payment.  Second by Meg Nash.

 

VOTE:

Aye:         Mary Anne Graham, Mark Albright, Hazen Dean, John Heyner & Meg Nash.

Nay:         None.

Abstain:   None.

Absent:    Phil Bzdyk.

                                                           

Public Comment:        Ken Flemming  - Wanted the Council to be aware that there has been a bad smell coming from the WWTP onto his property.  It started on April 2nd.  Glad to hear there had been a rush on getting someone out to fix the problem.

                                    Ken Flemming enlightened the Mayor and Town Council on concerns with the dirt that was to have been moved to the Kline property for their riding area.  He was disturbed by a comment the contractor made during a discussion stating that it’s a good thing a lot of this dirt is going over to the Kline’s property for the riding arena, this means that I wouldn’t have to take down all these trees when leveling the dirt. Ken Flemming had recently seen a lot of trucks loaded with dirt from Purcellville Giant construction area unloading dirt into the Kline’s arena.  He did thank the Town for being good neighbors and helping him out when needed.

Margaret SterrettAddressed the Mayor and the Council reiterating the tree and dirt issue and the smell from the digester problem.  It would be ashame if the Town were to have the trees taken out to level the dirt.  She also expressed that both the Flemmings and them need to be informed onto what is going on with the projects, etc.  She did not need to update the Flemmings, that is the responsibility of the Town.

Margaret Sterrett will be setting up a meeting with Jim Burton regarding the Woodgrove Park indoor pool and asked if Mayor Frank Etro would be interested in being a part of the meeting.

Frank Etro responded that yes he would be interested in attending the meeting.

 

The plan for the removal/spreading of the dirt will not be involved in pushing it back to damage more trees.  Kelly Yost will make it known to the contractor, that it is not an option to damage any anymore trees. 

 

Adjournment:             10:00 P.M.

 

 

Respectfully Submitted

Cheryl Jacobson

 

Attachments are located in Town Office with Approved Minutes

                                                            Draft of the FY ’04 Budget

                                                            Memo from Maureen Gilmore on Tax & Service Districts

Engineers Monthly Status Report dated April 2, 2003

Bills for Payment for April 3, 2003