HomeMy Public PortalAbout1970_09_23 229
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL, SEPTEMBER 23 , 1970 .
A regular meeting of the Leesburg Town Council was held in the
Council Chambers , 10 West Loudoun Street , Leesburg, Virginia , on Sep-
tember 23 , 1970 at 7 :30 P.M. The meeting was called to order by the
Mayor, with Councilman Howard offering the prayer . Those present were :
Mayor Kenneth B . Rollins , Councilmen G. Dewey Hill , Frederick R. Howard,
Walter F . Murray, Robert A. Orr , John W. Pumphrey and John A . Wallace , Jr. ;
also Town Manager James W. Ritter, Jr. and Town Attorney George M. Martin.
The Minutes of the regular meeting of September 9, 1970 were approved
as written .
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Town Manager 'Ritter reported the following :
(1) During the meeting of the Virginia Municipal League , which ad-
journed last night , he talked with Mr. Bolton of the Highway Department .
He asked him, if we set up a one-way street system, how long it would take
to start the urban project on the east end of Town , in order to connect
with the dual lane highway . He answered that it would be possible to
start within two years if we want to set up the one-way street system,
however, this would have to be done before they would consider the urban
project . This is merely for information of the Council .
CD (2) The Petition and resolution presented by the Virginia Knolls
•-` Community Association at the last Council meeting was considered by the
CD Utility Committee and turned over to the Planning Commission for its study .
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(3) A letter from Yount , Hyde & Company says their Audit Report
should be in our hands by mid-October .
(4) In connection with our application to HUD for Federal funds
for our Potomac River Project , it is being held up by COG for review by
their Water Supply Sub-Committee . In a letter received from Johnson and
Williams on Monday, they quote COG as saying they anticipate no particu-
lar problem.
(5) Regarding the appropriation to Johnson and Williams for test
borings , they say that further test borings will be required before the
final engineering design .
(6) Concerning the borrowing of funds to pay off bills in antici-
pation of the 1. 5 million dollar bond sale , he believes this amount should
be $125 ,000 . He cited figures needed to complete the Sewer Project , along
with other utility programs to be paid for from the 1969 Bond Issue Funds ,
as well as cash on hand in said Fund at the present time and the last
Federal Grant we will receive , these figures supporting his belief that
we should borrow as much as $125 ,000. The Federal Grant may not be forth-
coming for several months in view of the fact that the job must be com-
pleted and the auditors have to come here and audit all of our records ,
so it may take as much as three months to get this money .
(7) The 48" ash tree to be removed on West Market Street is in
very bad condition and is dangerous . We had another price from Guardian
Tree Service of $550 .00 . The cheaper price of $150 means that the Town
will have to do more of the work .
(8) The appropriation for placing stone and plant mix on 2nd Street
will come from Unappropriated Surplus - Streets .
(9) On the Edwards Ferry Road Project , the curb and gutter is about
98 per cent complete . The base for the road is just about complete, ex-
' cept for the two ends of the project . Compaction tests are being made,
and it is possible that this road could be finished within another week
or ten days . He wrote to Mrs . Carr and reminded her that the job was
supposed to be completed by September according to her letter, however ,
he explained that the job had been held up by VEPCO and C & P and also
the shortage of workmen on the job . This job should certainly be com-
pleted by the 1st of October .
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MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 23 , 1970 MEETING.
Mr. Moody reported that the new Sewage Treatment Plant has been do-
ing very well , considering the fact that we have only two operators ,
other than Mr. Deal , who is helping us until the 1st of October . We are
not running any BOD tests until we receive the chemicals ordered for this
purpose , however, what comes out of the chlorine tank looks very good -
there is very little difference in sewage and clear water . They are very
well satisfied with the progress . There are still a few "bugs" to be
ironed out and he explained some of the phases of operation which are
causing some of these problems . A representative from the Dorr-Oliver
Company is to come in and do some work and it may be necessary to put
in some water seals , which would cost another $500 or $600 . Mr. Ritter
has written five more letters trying to get operators for the Plant .
He gave credit to both Gene Keyes and Dick Richards , who are working
24 hour shifts at a time in order to keep the Plant running.
Other than the Plant , he has been busy on other projects , one of
them being to get the bids ready to go out on the Valley View Ave . Sewer
and Water lines . He has also been checking on other jobs in Town. He at-
tended the first meeting of the Regional Sanitary Advisory Board the other
day and reports that everyone seems to be having the same problem with
getting Sewer Plant Operators .
Councilman Hill reported that he and Councilman Howard took a tour
of Highway Department projects in the County today and they were very
much impressed . He said the County is certainly a busy one and he be-
lieves the Highway Department deserves a lot ofcreditin trying to solve
the problems in the various parts of the County . This tour proved that
the Town is not the only one having problems . Councilman Howard echoed
these thoughts , and added that the eastern end of the County is keeping
the Highway Department hopping .
Councilman Wallace asked that Transamerican Airports furnish us with
a tax return and a progress report on the T-hangars for the next Committee
meeting, as well as a progress report on the cablevision.
Councilman Pumphrey asked if the Town could move pretty fast on
the removal of the diseased tree on West Market Street - it is a very
dangerous situation.
On motion of Councilman Howard, seconded by Councilman Pumphrey, the
following resolution was offered for discussion :
WHEREAS, motions were passed on November 27 , 1963 , June 29,
1964 and June 29, 1966 , authorizing the Utility Fund to pay
to the General Fund for the above fiscal years an amount equal
to 10c per thousand gallons of water metered at the end of
each quarter, and
WHEREAS, the present balance in the Utility Fund is approach-
ing a deficit , and
WHEREAS, this money is needed more in the Utility Fund than
in the General Fund,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town
of Leesburg , that the above motions be rescinded, and the Town
Treasurer be instructed to not make any further transfers , as
shown above , after quarter ending June 30 , 1970 .
There ensued a great deal of discussion on this resolution, with members
of Council expressing their various opinions regarding same . Councilman
moved to change the last paragraph of said resolution after the
word Murray'transfers" to read "through December 31, 1970 ." This motion was
seconded by Councilman Howard and, after further discussion, was defeated
by a roll call vote of 5 to 2 , with Councilmen Howard and Murray voting
for. it . The resolution, as originally presented above , was then adopted
by a roll call vote of 4 to 3 , with Councilmen Hill, Murray and Wallace
voting against it .
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MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 23 , 1970 MEETING.
On motion of Councilman Wallace , seconded by Councilman Pumphrey,
the following resolution was unanimously adopted :
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BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg ,
that the following appropriations be made :
$ 4 .65 - A & E Blueprinters . Printing during July
(1969 Bond Issue) .
3 ,515 . 87 - Johnson and Williams - Soil Test Borings at
proposed Filtration Plant - Potomac River Proj -
ect (1969 Bond Issue) .
Councilman Wallace suggested that Mr. Ritter secure clarification on what
Johnson and Williams means by "further test borings will be required . "
On motion of Councilman Pumphrey, seconded by Councilman Howard, the
following resolution was offered, with there being no objection to the
amount to be borrowed being $125 ,000:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg,
that the Town Manager be authorized to contact the three (3)
O local banks and Riggs National Bank in Washington to investi-
- gate. the borrowing of $125 ,000 in anticipation of the 1. 5 mil-
, lion dollar bond sale .
Mr. Ritter explained that thereare still some outstanding projects to
be paid for from the 1969 Bond Issue , in the amount of about $65 ,000,
but he hopes we can get the Federal Grant before we need all of this
money . He believed we should borrow this money for a minimum of six
months . Mayor Rollins suggested as much as five (5) years . It was de-
cided that Mr. Ritter should investigate the difference in interest rates .
The resolution was then unanimously adopted.
On motion of Councilman Pumphrey, seconded by Councilman Howard, the
111 following resolution was unanimously adopted :
BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg ,
that an appropriation of $ 150 .00 be made for the removal of
a tree on W. Market Street in front of General Vandevanter 's
residence .
On motion of Councilman Hill, seconded by Councilman Wallace, the
following resolution was unanimously adopted :
BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg ,
that a contract be awarded to Tri-County Asphalt for the plac-
ing of stone and plant mix on 2nd Street, and that an appro-
priation be made in the amount of $1,800 for this work .
On motion of Councilman Orr, seconded by Councilman Pumphrey , the
following resolution was offered :
WHEREAS , the Town of Leesburg , together with Loudoun Memorial
Hospital and the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors , are de-
sirous of constructing a road between Market Street and Corn-
wall Street in order to serve the proposed expansion of the
Hospital , and
WHEREAS , the Town of Leesburg has had appraised the . 5922 acres
of land needed for this construction, with the appraisal figure
of $8 ,880 .00 , and
Hospital
WHEREAS , the Loudoun Memoria', Loudoun County Board of Super-
visors and the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg have each
agreed to pay one-third of the cost of the purchase of this
right-of-way,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town
of Leesburg , that a bona fide offer be made to the owners of
this property in the amount of $8 ,880 .00 .
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MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 23, 1970 MEETING.
On motion of Councilman Hill , seconded by Councilman Pumphrey, this
resolution was unanimously amended to add at the end the following :
This offer shall be accepted or rejected within thirty (30)
days from date of receipt .
The resolution , as amended, was then unanimously adopted ,
On motion of Councilman Howard, seconded by Councilman Orr, the fol-
lowing resolution was unanimously adopted:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg,
that the following appropriations be made :
$36 ,590 .83 - Limbach Company - Final Payment on Project
S-II (1969 Bond Issue) .
4, 210 . 88 - Limbach Company - Final Payment on Project
S-IV (1969 Bond Issue) .
Mr. Ritter said we can make application for payment of the last
portion of our Federal Grant as soon as we have made our last payment ,
however, we will withhold about $3 ,500 for the two claims by Mr . Green-
field and Mr . Steffey , which claims he explained to Council. The Town
was not a party to any agreement between Mr. Kincaid and the contractor
and Mr. Ritter takes the position that the Town would not be liable ;
however , the attorney representing Mr. Greenfield feels differently
about this . Town Attorney Martin said he would not be sure that the
Town might not be a party to this claim. Mr. Ritter said he would check
with the Federal Water Quality Administration to see if we can make ap-
plication for payment of this Grant , even though we will be withholding
the above amount to take care of these claims .
On motion of Councilman Murray, seconded by Councilman Wallace , the
meeting was adjourned at 8 :40 P.M.
.e9
Mayor
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Clerk of the Council
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