HomeMy Public PortalAbout1970_11_25 249
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL, NOVEMBER 25 , 1970 .
A regular meeting of the Leesburg Town Council was held in the
Council Chambers , 10 West Loudoun Street, Leesburg , Virginia , on Novem-
ber 25, 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 meeting of November 11, 1970 were approved as
written .
Town Manager Ritter reported the following :
(1) A resolution on the Agenda giving the Town the right to put up
the Christmas lights is the same as the one adopted each year. We expect
to start putting up these lights the first part of next week.
(2) The $4,000 appropriation asked for a Shop Addition is in line
with the Master Plan for additions and is necessary to house the equip-
ment and provide sufficient space to properly maintain the equipment .
He had proposed $2 ,500 for this item in the Budget and $2 ,000 was set up
for it . At that time , they had not gone into detail on the design of
-) the building , however, it had to be designed so that there will not be
any settlement, since this is to be built on a "filled" area . Therefore,
a lot of the cost is in the foundation. This will be a cinder block build-
ing and will be high enough to house the grader, and there will be a hoist
to lift heavy objects . There will be a concrete floor with a drain and
water in the building. The gas heater from the old Ford Garage will be
used . Also, there will to two overhead front doors , one of which was
taken from the old Ford Garage . This cost is for material only, and the
work will be 'done by Town Forces .
(3) Concerning the contract for construction of the Semones-Durfey
storm drain, about a year ago, we sent out advertisements for bids, with
the low bid being $9, 100 , and the high being over $10,000 . It was de-
cided not to do anything at that time . There is $25 ,000 in the Budget
for storm sewer work and this is a project that we are obligated to do -
we have the easements and have been promising these people to do this
work for a long time . We now find that Maryland Excavators can do this
job right away and Mr. Nicholson of that firm has tentatively agreed to
do this work at a price of $9, 100 , which is equal ,tothe low bid of over
a year ago. During the past year, the cost of materials and labor has
risen and we would probably not be able to get this job done this cheap.
We can legally do this - it is not necessary that it be put out to bid.
Mr. Moody reported that they have been working with English Construc-
tion Company and Johnson and Williams on some of the items at the Plant
that have not been completed. Johnson and Williams have been trying to
get some action from Dorr Oliver . There are only a few items that really
need correction and they are not hurting the Plant operation, but they
are little things that keep gnawing at us . We have finally received the
motor for the No . 1 primary clarifier, but no gear box to go with it . We
still do not have the proper size hinges for the doors on the chlorine
room, in spite of the fact that he has talked with the Superintendent on
the By-Pass job here and called the Vice-President of the Company several
times . The only way to keep the water from freezing in the glass tubes
on the water line is to keep the heaters directly on them. We have put
them on notice again and, if any damage occurs , they will be held re-
sponsible . He said he and Mr. Ritter and Johnson and Williams have done all
they can and it looks as though it might be necessary to bring suit against
English Construction Co . The Plant itself is going pretty good. They have
hired a new man from Manassas , who will be able to do all the lab work, and
the men are now on 8-hour shifts . They are using some of the laborers to
work on holidays , with operators on call . It looks as though water seals
will be necessary on the gorator sludge pumps , which will cost about $400
to $500 more . They are not getting satisfactory results with the design
of the flow meters - they are operating on 1 to 5% of the chart. They are
getting all the tests required by the Health Department set up.
250
MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 25 , 1970 MEETING.
Mr. Moody also reported that the Valley View Ave . Sewer Line is
going along very well and they have hit no rock , which will keep the
cost down considerably. On the Wright Apartment Project, most of the
water line is in, as well as the sewer line . Mr . Nicholson is having
a little trouble with the booster station in Country Club Subdivision
though.
Councilman Wallace suggested that the Street Committee consider ,;
limiting free parking for the Christmas season when they bag the meters
this year. Each year it is the people whowork in Town that take advan-
tage of the free parking and park in these spaces all day and the mer-
chants object to this . It would seem _that perhaps we could limit this
to 2-hour parking. - Mayor Rollins asked that the Street Committee take
up this matter before the next Council meeting .
Councilman Wallace also asked how much longer Davis and Lee Avenues
will be closed. Mr . Ritter and Mr. Moody both said it is partially open
to traffic now .
Councilman Howard asked about the lab tests at the Sewer Plant since
we have a new man, however , Mr . Moody and Mr . Ritter pointed out that he '
has not yet had time to conduct these tests , he just started work Monday.
Councilman Pumphrey asked, in the event the contrra�ct for the Semones-
Durfey storm sewer is awarded to Maryland Excavators ,t\they will put up
the proper Bond. Mr. Ritter said they would. Mr. Pumphrey also asked i,.
how long Mr . Ritter thought this job would take . Mr. Ritter said he did
not believe it would take over 30 days .
Councilman Orr asked the status of the Hospital Road. Town Attorney '
George Martin said he had a conference with the three owners of the land
needed Friday a week ago , however , it was rather unsatisfactory . Mr.
Brown, one of the owners, thinks he has a tremendously valuable piece
of property and would like to see it zoned c anmercial . He said he be-
lieves we will have to go to condemnation to get this land, however, he
thinks we can go on the land under the 'State Code regulations . Mr.
Ritter said that , at the last Council meeting, we had a letter from
COG stating that the Hospital was asking for Federal money . Since that
time , they have withdrawn their request for Hill-Burton money. , Mayor
Rollins presented correspondence for the files regarding their withdrawal
for these funds . It is anticipated that groundbreaking will be sometime
in the spring and construction will probably take approximately one year.
Council discussed whether or not there should be a median strip . Mr.
Moody said he has some more survey work to do on the Road and then he
will design it , however, if there is to be a median strip, there would
have to be more right-of-way . It was thought that this road should cer=
tainly match the one from Cornwall Street up to the Hospital . Mayor
Rollins , therefore, asked that Mr . Valentine, Administrator of the Hos-
pital, be asked to attend the next Street Committee meeting and bring with
him any plans they might have for their part of the Road.
On motion of Councilman Orr, seconded .by Councilman Howard, the fol-
lowing resolution was unanimously adopted:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg,
that the Town Manager be authorized to make application to
the Virginia Electric and Power Company for the privilege of
attaching to a number of their poles along King Street and
Market Street certain wires and other fixtures necessary to
provide decorative lighting for the Christmas season, " and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town will assume all re-
sponsibility for each installation and agrees to save Vir-
ginia Electric and Power Company harmless from any loss ,
cost, injury , or damage to persons or property resulting
out of or arising from the installation, operation, use,
non-use , or removal of such installations , and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Leesburg agrees
to assume responsibility for the payment to Virginia Elec-
tric and Power Company for all electric energy used through
said installations , with the understanding that billing will
be made under the existing municipal contract .
251
•
MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 25 , 1970 MEETING.
Mr. Ritter pointed out that the Christmas decorations have been used
for about the last seven years and perhaps more. There is nothing in
the Budget for thisand perhaps it should be considered in the next
Budget . Councilman Hill asked that the Town 's insurance carrier be
notified of this additional liability .
On motion of Councilman Pumphrey, seconded by Councilman Wallace,
the following resolution was unanimously adopted :
BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg , .
that an appropriation be made in the amount of $2 .50 to pay
A & E Blueprinters for printing on Sewer Projects , such ap-
propriation to come out of 1969 Bond Issue .
On motion of Councilman Pumphrey , seconded by Councilman Wallace ,
the following resolution was presented :
BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg,
that the Town Manager be authorized to proceed with an addi-
• tion to the Town Equipment Maintenance Building, at an ap-
proximate cost of $4,000 .
t O This resolution was discussed, with Councilman Wallace stating that he
nndoes not really see the need for this building yet. The Town does not
own a street sweeper at this time and he believes the motor for the
Q grader could be repaired by a local firm. Also, he does not think the
Town crew should be spending time building this when they do not have
time to work on the Semones-Durfey Storm Sewer. Mayor Rollins stated that
he has always been against the Town forces building this storm sewer.
Councilman Howard asked if the Town has a mechanic capable of working on
all of this equipment , to which Mr. Ritter replied that we do have . He
also pointed out that work on the storm sewer would involve full time
work by the Town crews since the yards would be torn up until the work
is finished, where the Town Shop Building could be constructed in spare
time . He definitely feels that we need this building now - the existing
garage is too small . If we get the grader in there and it is broken down,
we can get nothing else in. It is now stored in an open shed and, in
winter weather, the men can ' t work on equipment unless they are in an en-
. closed building . Councilman Pumphrey added that he believes we need a
street sweeper and this could not be stored outside . On motion of Mayor
Rollins , seconded by Councilman Orr , Council voted 6 to I, with Council-
man Wallace voting against , to amend the resolution by eliminating "at
an approximate cost of $4 , 000" and adding the following : "and an appropria-
tion of $4 ,000 is hereby made for this purpose . " The resolution, as
amended, was then adopted by a roll call vote of 6 to 1, with Councilman
Wallace casting the dissenting vote, and reads as follows :
BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg ,
that the Town Manager be authorized to proceed with an addi-
tion to the Town Equipment Maintenance Building, and an ap-
priation of $4,000 is hereby made for this purpose .
On motion of Councilman Pumphrey , seconded by Councilman Hill , the
following resolution was unanimously adopted :
BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg ,
that a contract be awarded to Maryland Excavators for the con-
struction of the Semones-Durfey Storm Sewer, at a negotiated
price of $9, 100 .
Councilman Pumphrey asked if the proper Performance Bond and insurance
coverage would be provided for this . Mr. Ritter said it would, and he
did not believe this would take over 60 days, at the most , to complete
the work .
On motion of Councilman Pumphrey , seconded by Councilman Orr, the
following resolution was unanimously adopted:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg ,
that an appropriation be made in the amount of $758 .09 to
pay Lynchburg Foundry Co . for 12" Pipe and ells for 12" water
line at By-Pass , such appropriation to come out of 1969 Bond
Issue .
Mr. Ritter said that we will salvage some of the present line after this
new one is put into service .
.252
MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 25 , 1970 MEETING.
Mayor Rollins asked just what the status is insofar as the Town of
Purcellville being interested in purchasing our old pumps , etc . at the
old Sewer Plant . Mr. Ritter explained that a tentative offer of $500
for the motors and pumps was made by representatives of Purcellville, but
he does not feel that this is enough money. However, they are no good
to us now. We could possibly sell the motors to a firm in Winchester
who repairs same . He would like to see some Town get this equipment ,
but he does not believe Purcellville has any immediate use for them. It
is anticipated that none of this equipment can be used by us in the future.
He said he believed we can move the sludge with our portable diaphragm
3 inch pump.
Councilman Hill said he was at the Plant yesterday and there
seemed to be a substance going through the Plant that was causing it not
to operate normally . The Operator seemed to think it looked like oil.
He suggested that perhaps we should check to see if some service station
or some other business is discharging something of this type into the
system. Mr. Moody said they would investigate all service stations and
other possible sources to see where this sewage is coming from .
Town Attorney Martin said a real estate broker has asked him if the
old Sewer Plant property is on the market for sale . Council seemed to
be of the opinion that Lee Warner had it listed for sale, however, Mr.
Martin said he would like a firm commitment on this . It cas decided that
the Street Committee would take up this matter at its meeting.
There being no further business , the meeting was adjourned at 8 :35
P.M.
1:r—et
Mayor
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Clerk of he Council
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