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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2003_09_22Council Work Session September 22, 2003 Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, 7:30 p.m. Mayor Umstattd presiding. Councilmembers Present: Frank Buttery, Mervin Jackson, Melinda Kramer, Marry Martinez, David Schmidt, Robert Zoldos and Mayor Umstattd. Councilmembers Absent: None Staff Members Present: Town Manager Bob Noe, Town Attorney William Donnelly, Assistant to the Town Manager Nicole Ard, Director of Finance Paul York, Director of Planning, Zoning and Development Susan Swift, Director of Human Resources Dona Wolf, Tnterim Airport Director Cindi Martin, Director of Parks and Recreation Kaj Dentler, Tourism Coordinator Marantha Edwards, Traffic Engineer Calvin Grow, Budget Analyst Bob Berkey, Police Captain .]eft VanGilder, Management Tntern Alexandra Shabelski, Public Facilities Tnspector Andy Oster, Assistant to the Clerk of Council Debi Parry and Clerk of Council Judy Ahalt. AGENDA [TENS Purchase Card Briefing, Mayor Umstattd stated the first item on the agenda would be the Town Manager's report on the purchase card situation. Further, she stated when he arrives the Commonwealth's Attorney Bob Anderson will brief the Council on how the Council and staff can cooperate with his investigation. Additionally, Mayor Umstattd stated Mr. Mike Banzhaf of Peterson Company has asked to make a presentation tonight and will speak after Bolen Park update. Town Manager Bob Noe discussed the purchase card investigation of Tnformation Technology Director Michel Agujia. He reported Council briefings and numerous meetings with the Commonwealth's Attorney. Mr. Noe added Town Attorney Bill Donnelly has played a very key part in the investigation. He stated the foundation of Town government is based on openness and honesty. Mr. Noe stated he has considered asking our auditors, PBG&H of Harrisonburg, to audit our purchase card records, but did not proceed at the request of the Commonwealth's Attorney. Further, at the direction of the Commonwealth's Attorney, he took personal possession of the credit card records on September 15 and today turned those records over to the Sheriff's Department investigators. Mr. Noe added the town is essentially complying with the recommendations made by Robinson, Farmer & Cox in 1999. He stated town procedures are comparable to other jurisdictions and the town is in the process of determining industry standards for appropriate review and administrative oversight. He added he has personally reviewed and consulted with staff on whether to reduce the number of credit cards stating it is too soon to recommend reducing the number of cards. The purpose of the purchase card with individual employee names is to have more control. Further, it would be difficult to relinquish all purchase cards. ]:t would be a less efficient operation and a hindrance to business as some vendors Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Page will only accept cash or credit card. That is a more appropriate way to purchase materials such as auto parts and pipe. Mr. Noe stated the town is distinguished with high caliber employees who are angry, embarrassed and disappointed by the actions of one. He stated the staff is trying to continue as normal as possible in this difficult time. He commended staff on their preparation for Hurricane Isabel. He added he is confident we will overcome this adversity and maintain the level of service our citizens are accustomed to. Councilmember Schmidt thanked Mr. Noe on his handling of the issue adding that more scrutiny is needed of credit card purchases after the fact. Councilmember Zoldos thanked Mr. Noe for his report stating the town needs to revise its procedures and reduce the number of employee purchase cards. He stated it will be more difficult for the town to purchase things, but all purchases should be made through a purchase order and a check from the purchasing officer when an invoice is presented. Additionally, Councilmember Zoldos stated the town should advise the public of everything we know at the present time. Councilmember Buttery stated it is a time to take a look at all procedures to see how things can be tightened up and a full investigation into this use. Further, he stated he concurs with Mr. Noe's remarks concerning staff's efforts in preparation for the hurricane. Additionally, he stated most people in public service take the trust placed in them very seriously. Councilmember Kramer concurred with Councilmember Buttery. Mayor Umstattd thanked Mr. Noe for getting information out quickly after he was first informed of the problem, stating the media and the Commonwealth's Attorney were all notified very quickly. Further, she thanked Mr. Noe for facilitating communication with the Commonwealth's Attorney and the residents and for his level of cooperation with the investigation. Additionally, Mayor Umstattd stated with the exception of one bad apple the town has superb and honest employees. She stated she appreciates the staff's ability to work very well to get through the hurricane despite the level of sadness felt. Further, she stated unless Mr. Noe decides differently she feels it would be a mistake to decrease the efficiency of the government by discontinuing purchase card use, although she recommended that there be much tighter control and oversight over their use. Agenda for Council Meeting of 3uly 22f 2002 a. Adopting a street resurfacing plan for FY 2004 Calvin Grow stated there is currently $500,000 available for resurfacing in the FY 2004 budget. He stated staff has run all the streets through a 19-point inspection and created a priority list of streets to be resurfaced this year. There were no Council comments. Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Page 3 2. Safe-T-Ride update - Loudoun Transit Mark McGregor stated with Council's approval, Loudoun Transit would like to extend the Safe-T-Ride to a full day service starting shortly after October l. He stated the hours would be approximately 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Further, he outlined Loudoun Transit's efforts to reduce the number of residents who cross the by-pass on foot including bi-lingual brochures and increased advertising. Mr. McGregor stated Loudoun Transit would also like to post signs showing a graphic representation of the bus route for Safe-T-Ride and other buses inside the Town of Leesburg. He stated the signs would be mounted on the existing bus stop sign poles; however, Loudoun Transit requires Council's approval to post them. Further, he stated Loudoun Transit would like to do a mailing to all Leesburg residents in English and Spanish in order to notify residents of the services offered by Loudoun Transit. Councilmember Schmidt thanked Mr. McGregor for the briefing and verified if amended the Safe-T-Ride operation would begin at 9:00 a.m. Mr. McGregor stated the Safe-T-Ride has increased ridership in the afternoons as opposed to the mornings. He stated due to funding they have a compressed number of hours to work with and in order to begin the route at 8:30 a.m. they would have to end service at 6:30 p.m. Further, he stated Loudoun Transit plans to work with the Standing Residential Traffic Committee to determine the hours of service that are most appropriate. Councilmember Schmidt questioned whether the regular in-town bus service starts early enough stating some County employees start work at 8:30 a.m.? Mr. McGregor stated the bus service now begins early enough, but doesn't end late enough. He stated the bus service ends at 6:00 p.m. so county employees working until 5:30 p.m. are not able to utilize this service. Further, Mr. McGregor stated that Loudoun Transit would like to run the buses from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; however, that would require additional funding from Council. Vice Mayor Jackson thanked Mr, McGregor for reporting to Calvin Grow and Mike Bomgardner every month. Councilmember Kramer asked if the people who drive the buses work the whole shift, or is it more than one driver so that possibly the break of time could be put in a slower period of the day to get increased hours in the morning and evening? Mr. McGregor stated the shifts are split because it runs from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and the shift is split between the morning and the afternoon. Further, he stated if there is a break in service during the middle of the day the passenger is never sure if the bus is going to be there when they go out. Vice Mayor .lackson asked where in the process does the town stand regarding shelters for the bus stops? Calvin Grow stated the town has a plan to locate shelters in front of the Shenandoah Building, the County Building at Harrison Street and at the cul-de-sac of Fort Evans Road. Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Page 4 Mayor Umstattd asked Mr. Grow to prepare a resolution for Council regarding the graphic signs and the extended hours for the Safe-T-Ride program for the next Council meeting. 3. Loudoun County Parks and Recreation - Phil Bolen Park Cindy Welsh stated there have been no changes since Council last saw the plans. She introduced Bruce McGranhan, Division Manager for Park Projects. Mr. IVlcGranhan stated the entire site consists of 460 acres of which 405 acres constitute the Phil Bolen Park. He outlined the extension of Crosstrails Boulevard on the site stating it divides the park portion of the site from the fire and rescue portion. Mr. McGranhan stated this project was funded by a 2001 bond referendum and was designated as a park to include six soccer, two football, five baseball, and five softball fields. Further, phase two of the project is for a recreation center. Mr. McGranhan stated the overall concept of the plan was designed to avoid any existing wetlands, cultural resources and the tree lines. The athletic fields constitute 115 acres of the site, the balance of which is taken up by open space and a very large component of forest that will include passive uses such as trails. Councilmember Schmidt stated he has some concerns about Crosstrails Boulevard asking if it would be a two-lane road? Ms. Welsh stated the plan shows the proposed alignment as a two-lane road, which would allow them to get as much as they can out of property. She outlined the location of the temporary entrance, and stated this segment of Crosstrails Boulevard will be immediately built once the county and town establish the final alignment. Councilmember Schmidt asked if there has been any consideration to adding a school site to this property? Ms. Welsh stated there are not. Councilmember Martinez asked what the next step is? Ms. Welsh stated the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has adopted the master plan and a special exception has been filed for the park use. She stated the master plan is moving through the process and indicated the town is a referral agency. Councilmember Martinez asked the length of the special exception process? Ms. Welsh stated a typical special exception process takes a minimum of ninety days. Further, she stated once the special exception is approved, the county would begin soliciting bids for construction. Councilmember Martinez verified the park would take a year and a half to two years to build. He verified the county would install wells and drainfields since the town cannot extend water and sewer. Further, he asked what the town could do to speed up the process? Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Paqe .~ Ms. Welsh stated it would be helpful if the referrals could be expedited and to work any issues out upfront so it doesn't delay the special exception process. Councilmember Zoldos verified the town has a copy of the approved master plan and further asked whether the dedicated right-of-way for Crosstrails Boulevard meets VDOT design standards? Ms. Welsh stated once the site plan is approved there will be a dedicated right-of-way for the road. Councilmember Zoldos further verified the county has funds for the development of phase one of the master plan and asked the cost. Mr. McGranhan stated construction is approximately $4 million for the ball fields. Councilmember Martinez verified the funds are available now and if the county and town were to expedite the special exception process is it possible for the park to open within the next year to a year and a half. 4. Briefing by Commonwealth's Attorney Bob Anderson Bob Anderson stated there has been an ongoing investigation involving one of the entities involved in this case, which is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's office because of the interstate nature of the activity; however, the credit card case will be investigated through Loudoun County. He stated there has been a Sheriff's Office investigator assigned who has taken possession of the records. Mr. Anderson stated there has been some confusion regarding his position on the release of information. He stated at this point none of the information involving town credit card data should be released to the media or anyone else through Freedom of Information Act requests because it could be potentially damaging to the case. Mr. Anderson stated there has been a court case which ruled that a FOIA request can not be used to circumvent the rules of discovery in criminal cases, meaning there are certain Supreme Court rules that indicate what information can and can not be shared, Further, he stated the Sheriff's Office investigator and his office have been guaranteed that the town will cooperate in every way. However, if there is a problem with cooperation, he will convene a special grand jury and issue subpoena to force people to testify under oath. In conclusion, Mr. Anderson stated the investigation is in its initial stages and case sensitive information will have to be scrutinized carefully before it is released to the media or anyone else. Mayor Umstattd stated Council wants to cooperate fully and asked for guidance as to what Council and staff may and may not share with public. Mr. Anderson stated he is meeting with the investigator tomorrow to discuss this issue. He stated he will have additional information regarding disclosure of information after tomorrow and will be able to brief Council on any additional information that has been discovered. Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Page 6 5. Park and Ride - Loudoun County Transportation - 3ohn Clark ~lohn Clark, Director of Transportation for Loudoun County addressed Council regarding the need for a park and ride lot. He stated the ridership of the buses has increased by 40% in the last year and the county plans to have their own fleet of buses in service by next July. Further, he stated the bus service currently operates from Purcellville, Hamilton, Leesburg and Dulles North with all buses going to Rosslyn, the Pentagon and Washington, DC and another service going to the West Falls Church Metro from Cascades and Countryside. Mr. Clark stated for the past two years there has been a search for a new location in the Leesburg area, preferably at the proposed connection of Battlefield Parkway and the Greenway. He stated the park and ride lot was recently relocated to K-mart where they have a nine month lease with a 60-day kick out clause and no assurance the lease will be extended. Mr. Clark stated the Westpark site is ideal and the owners have agreed to lease the site for a maximum of l0 years. ~[n conclusion, Mr. Clark stated if the Westpark site is not approved it will put in jeopardy their ability to provide service in the Leesburg area. Further, he stated Mr..lohn Clohan, Managing Partner of the Westpark site is here if there are any questions regarding the site. Councilmember Schmidt asked if Mr. Clark has contacted the HOAs in southwest Leesburg? Mr. Clark stated he has not been able to contact the representative from Woodlea Manor or any others but will continue to try and would like to be as open and community friendly as possible Councilmember Schmidt stated the representative from Woodlea Manor was not aware of a call from Mr. Clark and encouraged him to follow up. Councilmember Zoldos verified the Dulles North lot has 750 spaces and is currently at 60% occupancy. He asked if that site could be used as a temporary option for Leesburg commuters until another site found? Mr. Clark stated some of the commuters would be willing to do that; however, he is concerned that once people are in their cars and have paid the toll, they will probably slay in their cars for the rest of their commute. Vice Mayor Jackson asked how many Leesburg citizens use the service? Mr. Clark stated by looking at town stickers on the vehicles they were able to determine 55-60 percent of the people who get on the bus in Leesburg are residents of the town. Councilmember Buttery asked how many parking spaces would be provided at the Westpark site? Mr. Clark stated there would be approximately 300-350 parking spaces on the footprint of old hotel site. He guaranteed the lot would not be larger than existing footprint of the hotel. Further, he stated they are looking at opening a new lot in Ashburn, which should relieve some of the pressure. Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Paqe 7 Councilmember Kramer expressed concern with morning traffic. Mr. Clark stated there would be 15 buses in and out of the site, with approximately 20 people per bus there would only be 20 cars every 20 minutes. Further, he stated the buses run in the morning from 5:00 to 8:20 a.m. so most of the impact would be felt in the afternoon. Mr. Noe stated Betsy Fields has written a staff report and is here to provide a short presentation if Council wishes. Mayor Umstattd summarized the Economic Development Commission's position stating this use is not the best and highest for the property. Further, she stated it is her understanding that there are no plans to develop the property within the next 10 years and therefore she believes the owner has right to an alternative use. Councilmember Zoldos asked if the county has identified a future location along the Greenway? Mr. Clark stated they are considering a location on Battlefield Parkway and have had preliminary discussions with property owners. Councilmember Zoldos stated in addition to the Economic Development Commission, the Environmental Advisory Commission is also opposed to this use. He stated he has read the report from the Economic Development Director and supports their position. Further, he stated he is looking for a guarantee that the county has a permanent site purchased before he can agree to the temporary use of the Westpark site. Mr. Clark stated the county has not purchased a property yet because the completion of a connection between Battlefield Parkway and the Greenway is at least a decade from completion. Councilmember Zoldos stated he has received calls from residents in the southwest quadrant who don't want this use. He stated his concerns with the environmental issues and stated he supports having a lot in Leesburg, just not at this site. IVlr. Clark introduced Mr. John Clohan. Mr. Clohan stated the hotel has been closed for 10 years and eventually he would like to make use of the property; however, he has no plans to do so for at least the next 10 years. Betsy Fields stated it is the Economic Development Commission's feeling that this is not in town's best interest to use this site as park and ride lot. Mr. Clark stated if a suitable location for the bus service is not found, he will have to suspend service in Leesburg. Further, he stated there are some Leesburg residents who are patrons of the commuter service in the audience tonight. Bill McGovern., 105 Rivana Terrace, expressed his support of the relocation of the park and ride lot to the Westpark site. Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Page 8 John Heanue, 410 Appletree Drive, expressed his support of the relocation of the park and ride lot to the Westpark site. Steve Loftus, 1103 Rollins Place, expressed his support of the relocation of the park and ride lot to the Westpark site. Joe Moles, 108 Belmont Drive, expressed his support of the relocation of the park and ride lot to the Westpark Site, After further discussion it was the desire of Council to have Mr. Clark ask the patrons of the busses as well as residents of the southwest quadrant to contact Council regarding their feelings on the issue. 6. Loudoun Street Addition update Nicole Ard introduced Mr. Tim Lovett of Bowie Gridley Architects. She stated Mr. Lovett has met with staff and made this presentation to the Economic Development Commission earlier this month and will go before the Board of Architectural Review next month. Mr. Lovett presented a visual diagram of the proposed expansion and outlined the organization of the building with retail on the first floor. He stated he has spoken with Loudoun Museum representatives who generally agree with the layout of the connection to their building, but would like to see a few minor changes. He stated the main entrance to the building would be a large lobby, which will visually connect visitors to the current building. He outlined the location for the Leesburg resource center and office of tourism stating that will be kept as a storefront on Loudoun Street. Further, he outlined their proposal for the location of the various departments within the building as well as conference room space and training facilities. He stated the next step is to work out plans in more detail and to present a proposal to the Board of Architectural Review in October. Councilmember Schmidt asked if they are meeting the square footage for usable office space that was laid out initially. Mr. Lovett stated the building was planned for approximately 25,000 square feet and the departments really fit well within the footprints. Councilmember Martinez stated he is very encouraged by the direction this project is going and asked how the retail would be distinguished? IVlr. Lovett stated they are taking photographs of various storefronts in town to draw from the historic fabric of the area. Councilmember Martinez asked if the entrance to the parking garage would be framed? Mr. Lovett stated the whole first level fa~;ade is in need of a full design study. Councilmember Zoldos stated he is pleased; however, he would like to see the streetscape broken down and made to look similar to the area of King Street across from the Courthouse, Further, he stated the second story of the building Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Page 9 where the main spire is located should be broken down. Councilmember Zoldos asked the preliminary cost of the building? Ms. Ard stated the construction budget is $4.9 million including the design. Mr. Lovett stated currently the cost is somewhere over $:~60 dollars a square foot. Vice Mayor .lackson stated he likes the rendering, and expressed concern with the excess space in the current building once the divisions relocate to the expansion. Mr. Lovett stated they have a program that will help the town lay out the utilization for the existing building. Further, there has been talk of converting left over space into community meeting rooms and training facilities for the Loudoun Museum. Councilmember Buttery asked what are some of the safety factors that are being looked at to minimize the danger for cars exiting the garage? Mr. Lovett stated there are precautions such as mirrors and motion detectors that will alert the driver coming out of the garage that a pedestrian is near. Further, a traffic consultant is studying this issue. Councilmember Buttery asked how the pedestrian flow between the log cabin and the retail center would work, stating when the police department was on the third floor of this building no one could find them. Mr. Lovett stated signage and directional information will help. Further, he stated organizing the main circulation path to the reception area will be very helpful in directing visitors to the other departments located on the second and third floor. Councilmember Kramer stated the fa(;ade needs to be broken down and emphasized that the pictures do not show the log cabin. Mayor Umstattd questioned whether the fa~;ade could be broken up on the large section with different colors or textures. Further, she stated she is glad that the architects are researching different storefronts in the downtown. Councilmember Zoldos verified the handicapped facilities would be accessible on the weekends. 7. I~like Banzhaf Briefing Mr. Banzhaf thanked Council for its efforts to keep Barber and Ross in the town and stated even though they have chosen to go to Winchester, he urged Council to continue expediting the Town Plan amendments which were begun regarding the Peterson property. Mr. Bill Smith stated they have signed papers with two other purchasers and are in discussions with two more regarding locating to this property. He stated these purchasers have inquired about the time needed to get approval for a site plan and urged Council not to slow down the Town Plan amendments. Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Page 10 Councilmember Zoldos stated dialog needs to continue as does the discussions with VDOT. Further, he stated Council should direct the Town Manager to continue to work out the issues to bring these businesses into town. Vice Mayor Jackson concurred. Mayor Umstattd stated Susan Swift has been aggressively pressing for deadlines on all of the processes and stated Council supports her approach. Further, she stated the planning staff is excited about one of the prospective purchasers for that site. Mayor Umstattd stated the planning staff indicated the need to press forward with the interchange design change. She stated until Battlefield Parkway is built between Route 7 and Kincaid Forest, Russell Branch Parkway might not do any good should Council insist that it be built out at its planned level because it would merely be used as a service road. Councilmember Zoldos stated perhaps the east/west road could somehow connect to the entrance to the Town Shop and Water Pollution Control Facility to allow a safe way for vehicles to cross Route 7. Mr. Smith stated there is a fair amount of flexibility in that. 8. Values, Vision and Mission project Marantha Edwards stated per the direction of the Town Manager and the Leadership Team a committee was established in July of this year to update the town staff's current Values, Vision and Mission. She stated the committee met several times in the month of August to create a draft, which was then circulated to the town staff to gather input and create the final draft. Ms. Edwards stated implementation of this would include the use of the Values, Vision and Mission in new employee orientation and in employee evaluations. Further, plaques displaying these will be placed in all town government facilities. Debi Parry stated staff created this vision to be a complement to the Council's recently approved vision. Further, she stated this seems to be a good way to reassure the public of staff's dedication to them in light of the recent purchase card misuse. Andy Oster stated it was an honor to serve on this committee with these professionals. Further, he stated he is proud to tell his children that he helped create the Values, Vision and Mission for the town staff. Jeff VanGilder stated the timing of this issue is perfect because the men and women who serve the Town of Leesburg are committed to providing excellent service and adhering to the established values. 9. Loudoun County Master Plan for Bolen Park & Government Center Susan Swift stated staff provided comments and recommendations to the county prior to its adoption. She stated the main unresolved issue is transportation. Further, she stated staff feels the alignment of Crosstrails Boulevard needs more study and was informed by the county that they would have a more detailed transportation study for the special exception. Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Page 11 Vice Mayor Jackson asked if the town could ask the Board of Supervisors to include the town's recommended transportation changes as part of their approval? Ms. Swift stated as a referral agency, the town could ask that the Board of Supervisors require some of the town's transportation suggestions as conditions of the approval. Further, she stated the biggest issue is with the number of lanes of Crosstrails Boulevard to be built and the timing. She stated staff has also asked for interim improvements at some of the intersections. Ms. Swift stated the last issue deals with utilities. She suggested changing the text of the adopted plan to add a water tower site and fire and rescue issues. Mayor Umstattd verified the responsibility still lies with the county to get the fire and rescue training site into the town. IVls. Swift stated the county is applying for a special exception for the burn facility and in the county because that is where they believe they will get their permits because of the timing of it. Mayor Umstattd asked if there is anything the town can do at this time to accelerate the town's ability to provide water and sewer to the rescue facility through a boundary line adjustment? Mr. Noe stated there has been agreement on the biggest issues and the County Attorney is currently drafting an agreement. Councilmember Zoldos stated he would not want to delay construction. He stated the agreement should state that this utilities extension is a temporary solution. A final boundary line adjustment approval means the county would have to provide a permanent connection to the water and sewer lines at their cost. Further, Councilmember Zoldos stated the 14 issues identified by staff are critical and the Council needs to stand united to ensure each is addressed before any agreement is signed. 10. VDOT Six-year improvement plan Calvin Grow outlined the projects the town is submitting for consideration, Vice Mayor Jackson stated when Mr. Grow and Mayor Umstattd go to Richmond they always bring back transportation funds for the town. Mayor Umstattd stated Mr. Grow is well liked and respected by all on the Commonwealth Transportation Board and VDOT. Councilmember Schmidt stated he thought the South King Street widening was mostly funded and asked if it was only funded for design? Mr. Grow stated there are still a couple of years of VDOT urban allocations that are needed to fully fund the project, but it is currently in design and should be under construction by 2005 and finished by 2006. Councilmember Zoldos stated he agrees there should be a third lane added to the by-pass, but some of the traffic issues are outside of the corporate boundaries. Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Page 12 Councilmember Buttery asked if any thought was given to the section of Battlefield Parkway from Fort Evans Road to Edwards Ferry Road? IVlr. Grow stated that section is currently in our CIP listed as VDOT funding and needs to be funded, but we would need to change the priority of other projects such as the widening of the by-pass in order to bring it forward now. Councilmember Buttery stated he is glad to see the request for Route 9 widening to help alleviate the back up on West Market Street. Mayor Umstattd asked if staff has addressed the issue of the timing of the traffic lights at Country Club and Greenway Farms to allow people in Linden Hill to get out easily. Mr. Grow stated a consultant looked at the issue six months ago and as a result staff adjusted the timing, added stop bar and a sign stating "Do Not Block Intersection". Further, he stated he has not heard from residents about whether or not that has helped. 11. Proposed revisions - regulations for use of parks Kaj Dentler outlined the changes including the age limit of children using public restrooms designated for the opposite sex at the parks, the ability to raise the speed limit to 25 mph, the exclusion of trailors, boats, jet skis from parking at the parks and including the use of roller skates and roller blades on the trails. Mr. Dentler stated another amendment is needed as a result of the Virginia General Assembly legislation enabling those with concealed weapon permits to carry handguns into recreation centers and public parks. Councilmember Zoldos verified people could now carry concealed weapons into the parks buildings. Mr. Dentler stated other proposed amendments would address areas designated for picnics, park operating hours being changed to dawn to dusk and the increase of the violation fee from $100 to $200. Councilmember Buttery reminded Council that if someone were to be fined at one of the parks and were found to be in violation of the state code; the police officer would have the choice of which fine to enforce. Further, a violation of the concealed weapon law is a Class One Misdemeanor and carries a penalty of twelve months in jail and a $2,500 fine. 12. Wayfinding Sign System update Betsy Fields stated there have been delays caused by VDOT regarding the placement of signs outside the Route 7 and 15 By-pass. She stated Frazier and Associates will have to rework their system. Further, she stated staff now has the specifications for phase one, which includes the trailblazing signs, proximity signs and parking signs in the garage. Ms. Fields stated staff is dividing the bids into three sections; sign plates, poles and contract installation. She stated these would go out to bid in the next couple of weeks. Further, she outlined the next steps including completing the Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Paqe 13 design for the next series of signs which are historic district gateway signs, W&OD trail crossing signs, the tourist information kiosk at the corner of Loudoun and Market Streets and special event signage to replace the white signs. She stated she anticipates Frazier and Associates will update Council again soon and staff will be asking for additional funds in FY 05. Councilmember Schmidt asked if staff is coordinating with the Board of Architectural Review before the designs go before Council? Ms. Fields stated there was a courtesy review before the Board of Architectural Review before the last designs went to Council and she will do the same for the next design presentation. Councilmember Zoldos asked why the public works employees are not installing the signs? Ms. Fields stated she would have to defer the question to Tom Mason. Councilmember Zoldos asked for Ms. Fields to report back to Council on the issue of installation. Councilmember Kramer stated the design element should be changed for the event signs because it is hard to read more than the first two as you drive by. Further, she stated the Main Street Group is doing the entryway gateways and it would be futile for them to go any further before they know how to tie in with what the town is doing. Further, she stated they could possibly assist with community support. 13. Annexation Committee report Councilmember Zoldos stated a resolution was drafted which authorizes the Annexation Committee to reopen discussions at the county level on issues of mutual interest and encouraged Council approval. Mayor Umstattd stated she and Mr. Noe briefed Mr. York on this and asked if members of the committee would object to having the talks reopen after the November elections. Tt is unlikely county negotiators would have the time to meet prior to November 4TM, Councilmember Schmidt stated that is the practical reality, but he feels the issues are tied together and Council cannot start making agreements in isolation. Councilmember Martinez stated he does not have a problem with waiting, but will go along with the majority of Council. Councilmember Buttery stated he has no problem voting on it because there is a difference between voting on this resolution and actually getting a meeting scheduled. Councilmember Zoldos reiterated Councilmember Buttery's comments. 14, Preview items for October 13, 2003 work session a. FY 2004 bond financing - public hearing There was no discussion of this item. Town Council Work Session 9/22/03 Paqe 14 SE 2003-02~ Leesburg Auto Finance Annex There was no discussion of this item. New Business Mayor Umstattd stated the Loudoun Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has announced their 94th anniversary and asked if Council would entertain a proclamation tomorrow night to commend them for their years of effort. was the consensus of Council to go forward with the proclamation. On a motion by Councilmember Zoldos, seconded by Councilmember Buttery the meeting adjourned at 11:14 p.m.