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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 . II 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 . CD CD (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 . 1 230 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 . 23t MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 23 , 1970 MEETING. On motion of Councilman Wallace , seconded by Councilman Pumphrey, the following resolution was unanimously adopted : • 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 . . 281 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 E - � Clerk of the Council • 1 1