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HomeMy Public PortalAbout1966_09_28 265 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL, SEPTEMBER 28, 1966. A regular meeting of the Leesburg Town Council was held in the Loudoun County Cirduit Court House, Leesburg, Virginia, on September 28, 1966, the meeting being called to order by the Mayor, and with a prayer by Councilman Cole. Those present were : Mayor Kenneth B. Rollins, Councilmen C. A. English Cole, C. Maloy Fishback, Maurice R. Lowenbach, Jr. , Walter F. Murray, Robert A. Orr and John W. Pumphrey; also Town Manager James W. Ritter, Jr. and Town Attorney George M. Martin. The Minutes of the regular meeting of September 14, 1966 were approved with general consent. Town Manager Ritter reported that it looks as though the check from the Federal Aviation Agency in the amount of approximately $18,000.00 should be here within the next week. Around $5,000 has been disclaimed by the FAA and we will have about 30 days in which to make claim for these extras, some of which might be paid. This amount coming from the FAA will help pay Lyons Construc- tion Co. the amount owed for the first payment on the Taxiway Extension. The $29,000 to come from the State the first week in October , added to the $18,000 from the FAA,will give us about $47,000 and this should help on the second pay- ment to Lyons. - ' Op Mr. Ritter reported that rain has delayed the work on curb, gutter and 10 sidewalk construction and the surfacing of Ayr, Liberty and Wirt Streets by O the contractor, but it is expected that work on Liberty Street will start very OZ shortly. The short piece of storm drain in front of Edwards Drug Store should be installed bynext week, then work will proceed with sidewalk on Edwards Ferry Road, then on to the sidewalk and curb and gutter on North Street. He reported that he had received only one price on the Loudoun Street and Mar- ket Street sidewalcprojects, although three other contractors have been written asking for bids. Mr. Ritter also called attention to and explained several items on the Agenda. He reported that he had spent part of the afternoon with Mr. Wiggins and Mr. Jeffress of the Highway Department going over the Route 15 project, and it looks as though they might get started on this work. It has to be staked out first to see what poles will 'have to be moved, then the State will cut down the trees involved, in order to be lined up to start on the road work in the Spring. Councilman Orr raised the question of who is responsible for the road to the Catoctin Elementary School and also the road from Belmont Drive to Dry Mill Road. Mr. Ritter replied that both of these are the responsibility of the County, however, the road from Belmont to Dry Mill is not supposed to be in use. Upon motion of Councilman Fishback, seconded by Councilman Pumphrey, the following resolution was placed on the floor for discussion: BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Leesburg, that the Mayor be authorized and instructed to appoint a committee consisting of three (3) members, one of which shall be a representative of the Post Office Department, for the purpose of investigating the possi- bility of locating the new Leesburg Post Office within the four blocks of Downtown Leesburg, such investigation to include the possibility of the land presently owned by the Town of Leesburg and other sites which will be in keeping with the future needs of the postal service, - and' IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that said committee report its findings to the Council in two (2) months from this date. After discussion and comments by members of Council, in which the group of in- terested citizens assembled listened intently, Councilman Cole offered an amend- ment to the resolution to include a member of the Planning Commission and a member of the business community on this committee. Mayor Rollins ruled that this amendment was presented too late and a roll call vote showed all members of Council in favor of the resolution as first presented. Mayor Rollins then appointed Mr. Hunter Leach, who is Chairman of the Planning Commission, as Chairman of this committee , along with Councilman Fishback and Mr. Joseph Finocchiaro .of the Post Office Department. 266 MINUTES OF SPETEMBER 28, 1966 MEETING. Upon motion of Councilman Orr, seconded by Councilman Lowenbach, the fol- lowing resolution was unanimously adopted: WHEREAS_, bids were received on August 24, 1966 for the painting of the lh m.g. Standpipe, and WHEREAS, Dominion Tank and Iron Co. submitted a low bid of $6,842.00, and WHEREAS, the Town Council , at its meeting on September 14, took such action to delay the awarding of the contract and the painting of the tank because of a discoloration condition of the water, and WHEREAS, since that time Dominion Tank and Iron Co. is willing to perform this work in the Spring of 1967 at their contract bid price of $6,842.00, provided they are awarded the contract at •this time, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that a contract be entered into be- tween the Town of Leesburg and Dominion Tank and Iron Company for the painting of the 11/4 m.g. tank in the Spring of 1967 at a price of $6,842.00. Upon motion of Councilman Pumphrey, seconded by Councilman Fishback, the following resolution was unanimously adopted: WHEREAS, the property owner has agreed to build a brick sidewalk, at his expense, on the west side of Church Street, beginning at a point approximately 65 feet north of Market Street, and continuing to the County Parking Lot, and WHEREAS, curb and gutter should be built between Market Street and the Parking Lot, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Council 'of the Town of Leesburg appropriates $250.00 to cover the construction of this work, to be done.by Town forces. Upon motion of Councilman Orr, seconded by Councilman Fishback, the fol- lowing resolution was unanimously adopted: WHEREAS, the Town of Leesburg borrowed $475,000 from Riggs National Bank of Washington for a period of one year on September 13, 1965 at an interest rate of 2.6%, and WHEREAS, the Town was notified by letter on September 14, 1966, that there is due an amount of $12,350.00, representing interest for one year, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg that Riggs National Bank be authorized to sell $14,000.00 in U. S. Treasury Bills, being part of the $175,000 now invested in U. S. Treasury Bills, and the difference between the $14,000.00 and the amount of interest due be remitted to the Town of Leesburg and be deposited in the Public .Improvement Fund. Upon motion of Councilman Murray, seconded by Councilman Orr, and after a great deal of discussion and many comments, the following resolution was unanimously adopted by roll call vote : BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg, that ap- propriations be made in the amount of $262.50 and $382.50 to pay Earthwork, Inc. for engineering services. After reading and explanation of the following Ordinance by Mayor Rollins for the benefit of the citizens present, Councilman Murray moved the adoption of said Ordinance, seconded by Councilman Cole: BE IT ORDAINED by the Town Council of Leesburg, that Sec. 21-41 of the Town Code' be amended to delete the licensing of Real Estate Brokers from this section, by changing the term "Broker" to read "Any type other than pawnbroker, loan broker and real estate broker," and . 26 .E MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 28, 1966 MEETING. BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that a new Sec. 21-39.2 be added, entitled: Real Estate Broker. Every person conducting, operating or engaging in the business of Real Estate Broker in the municipality 'shall pay an annual license tax on the following basis: An annual license tax of $25.00 for an annual gross sales of less than $10,000. ' An annual license tax of $50.00 for an annual gross sales in ex- cess of $10,000, but less than $25,000. An annual license tax of $75.00 for an annual gross sales in ex- cesss of $25,000, but less than $35,000. An annual license tax of $100.00 for an annual gross sales in ex- cess of $35,000. Gross sales, for the purpose of this section, is defined as the amount of money, or the value of property received by a broker for :00 his services, either as a direct commission or compensation re- ceived from another broker , for the sale or transfer of real es- 0 tate, or for the collection of rent on property for which he is =-, the authorized agent. Excluded from gross business is that portion U of a real' estate transaction which a broker remits to another broker, brokers, or salesmen, as their portion of a transaction- in which 'one or more brokers or salesmen are involved. Upon motion of Councilman Murray, seconded by Councilman Orr, Council voted unanimously to amend the Ordinance to read "Every person, corporation or part- ':nership". The Ordinance was discussed by Council and several real estate brokers were asked to read it and see if they would understand on what basis they would be paying a license fee. Councilman Cole said he would like to see the Ordinance amended to include a readjustment for back taxes, in other words, II making it retroactive. Upon motion of Councilman Murray, seconded by Council- man Fishback, Council voted unanimously that this be tabled and presented to the Town Attorney to make sure it is in the proper context and wording and, if need be, that he consult with the attorney for the real estate agents, this Ordinance to be brought up again at the next meeting. Councilman Cole expressed his thanks to Mr. Brett Phillips of the Times- Mirror for the article in last week's newspaper. He also said that he would like to bring to the attention of the newspaper that Johnson and Williams were authorized to start negotiations with the State of Maryland for the use of the Potomac River as a potential water supply. Upon motion of Councilman Orr, duly seconded, Council adjourned at 8:35 P.M. C ayor /� �-�-- Clerk of thk Counci° 1 . .