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HomeMy Public PortalAbout1993_06_12SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES OF THE LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL JUNE 12, 1993 A special meeting of the Leesburg Town Council was held on Saturday, June 12, 1993, at 8:00 a.m., in the first floor executive conference room, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia. Notice having been delivered to all members of the Council prior thereto. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss economic development activities. The meeting was called to order by the Mayor. ROLL CALL Councilmembers present George F. Atwell Georgia W. Bange Ronald W. Blake Joseph R. Trocino Kristen C. Umstattd William F. Webb Mayor James E. Clem STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT Town Manager Steven C. Brown Assistant Town Manager Peter Stephenson Public Information Officer Susan Farmer Mr. Brown stated that hopefully the proposed pay and classification plan answers the questions that were lingering as a result of the budget process. He reviewed each of the staffing plan proposals. Ms. Umstattd asked why so many desk clerks were necessary at Ida Lee Park. Mr. Brown stated because Ida Lee Park is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Saturday and 12 noon to 6 p.m., on Sundays. Ms. Umstattd stated that she sees these positions as a bit too many and as an area where money could be saved for more critical uses such as the airport or economic director. Ms. Umstattd also asked why 11 lifeguards are necessary. Mr. Brown explained that there are three lifeguard chairs and the lifeguards can only work one hour at a time before they have to be relieved. These are regulations that the town must operate under. Mayor Clem stated that the goal is to promote the town and bring it back to life. There are a lot of committees that are doing a good job but are doing their own thing. We have to stop pulling in different directions and being self-serving. We have to look at what is best for Leesburg. Mr. Terry Holtzheimer with Loudoun County stated that the county's marketing manager will be coming on board on the first of July. ~Fhere is an immediate need to fill some of the downtown space. We have never focused on actively marketing and recruiting retail users in the county and town. We are willing to make him available to the town for the first several months. To work with the town - go out there and hit the streets - start doing some recruiting and try to fill up the downtown space." Mr. Holtzheimer cautioned the Council not to saddle the economic director with working with several different committees and people because he will end up as a babysitter for those committees. Mayor Clem agreed with Mr. Holtzheimer stating that the economic director will not be hired to be a babysitter or a secretary. Ms. Umstattd stated that the economic development director has to be responsible to the Council not to any other public/private partnership. The Council should be his board of directors, otherwise there is too much opportunity for special interest groups to pull this person apart. Mr. Atwell stated regardless of what kind of direction this individual has there is a politic of operatingwithin this community and the board of directors could be the sounding board to provide the information to allow this individual to handle the politics of the community. He stated that whoever this individual is he will have to recognize some of the inherent resources that are within this community. Ms. Sue Webb stated with regard to placing special events with parks and recreation, it is more than a one person job. The Council should take a look at the budget and staffing required for this. Mr. Marc Weiss stated that EDAC recommends that the Council form a board of directors of a non-profit public organization funded by the town - who would hire the director and manage the program. This board would report to the town. He stated that the Council should be careful defining what the committee's role will be and what the Council's role will be. In these situations it is unclear as to what the role is of the committee, Council and town manager and how are they going to interact together successfully. Mr. Thornton stated that the plan needs to be able to withstand changes and elected positions as well. Mr. Brown stated that the whole idea behind the Council/manager form of government is to avoid political patronage. The town manager has to be responsive to the Council and provide some level of stability to the department directors. Mr. Atwell stated that the Council has to create an organization that gives the board and the director the latitude to do what the Council wants done. Mr. Webb expressed concern with a contract employee. He suggested creating a department head position. W/e need a town staff employee reporting directly to the town manager and/or the Council.~ He stated that he could not support a contract employee. He suggested advertising for the position. Ms. Umstattd stated that she could support an independent contractor who is responsible to the Council as the board of directors. "The worst possible thing that the Council could do is to have an independent contractor who is responsible to some other group." She stated that she could support a department head reporting to the town manager. Ms. Bange suggested placing tourism and special events together. MOTION Mr. Trocino proposed that the Council form an economic development authority that will hire a director who is a private contractor. The authority will consist of five members appointed by the Town Council, answerable by Charter to the Town Council and will be funded by the town in an amount to be set at a later meeting. The structure of the authority will be such that it will be open to private sector contribution both as to finances and to volunteerism and that this organization be started with a three-year term. The motion failed for lack of a second. Ms. Umstattd stated that this whole project has to be loyal to the town first and foremost. Rather than take Mr. Trocino's position, Ms. Umstattd suggested creating this position as an employee of the town directly under the town manager. MOTION Ms. Umstattd made a motion to amend the town's pay and classification plan to create a new position of Assistant Town Manager for Economic Development. The motion was seconded by Mr. Blake. Mr. Brown described a Deputy Town Manager as the number two position in an organization. An Assistant Town Manager is close to that. VOTE Aye: Councilmembers Atwell, Bange, Blake, Trocino, Umstattd, Webb and Mayor Clem. Nay: None The Council asked that EDAC propose a staffing plan for the Council's consideration. Ms. Bange pointed out that the town's EDAC commission member's terms will expire on June 30. She suggested the Council ask the members to remain until a report has been forwarded to the Council. The Council agreed to let staff advertise for the position of Assistant Town Manager for Economic Development. Mayor Clem stated that the Council should be involved in the interviewing and selection of this individual. MOTION Ms. Bange made the following motion: Pursuant to Section 2.1-344 of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, I move that the Leesburg Town Council convene in Executive Session. The authority for this Executive Session is found in Section 2.1-344 (a), Subsections (1) and (3), respectively, of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended. The purpose of this Executive Session is to discuss land acquisition for the county complex. ~/12/93 -2- The town manager and assistant town manager are requested to remain for the meeting. The motion was seconded by Mr. Trocino. VOTE Aye: Counciknembers Atwell, Bange, Blake, Trocino, Webb and Mayor Clem Nay: Councilmember Umstattd MOTION On motion of Ms. Bange, seconded by Mr. Webb, the following resolution was proposed and unanimously adopted. 93-115 - RESOLUTION - CERTIFYING EXECUTIVE SESSION OF JUNE 12, 1993 WHEREAS, the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg, Virginia, has this day convened in Executive Session in accordance with an affirmative recorded vote of the Leesburg Town Coundl and in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Leesburg Town Council does hereby certify that to the best of each member's knowledge, 1) only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements under the Freedom of Information Act were discussed in the Executive Session to which this certification applies; and 2) only such public business matters as were identified in the Motion by which the said Executive Session was convened were heard, discussed or considered by the Leesburg Town Council. VOTE Aye: Nay: On motion of, and duly seconded, the meeting was adjourned. Councilmembers Atwell, Bange, Blake, Trocino, Umstattd, Webb and Mayor Clem None E. Clem, Mayor Town of Leesburg ~/12/93 -3-