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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2012_tcwsmin0227Council Work Session February 27, 2012 Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street,7:35 p.m. Mayor Kristen C. Umstattd presiding. Council Members Present: David S. Butler, Thomas Dunn, Katie Sheldon Hammler, Marty Martinez, C. Terry Titus, Kevin Wright, and Mayor Umstattd. Council Members Absent: Council Member Dunn arrived at 7:45 p.m. Staff Present: Town Manager John Wells, Town Attorney Jeanette Irby, Deputy Town Manager Kaj Dentler, Senior Management Analyst Bob Berkey, Senior Management Analyst Annie Carlson, Senior Planner Irish Grandfield, Director of Planning and Zoning Susan Berry Hill, Director of Human Resources Nancy Fixx, Employee Benefits Administrator Maritza Irizarry, Library Director Alexandra Gressitt, Economic Development Manager Marantha Edwards, Director of Public Works Tom Mason, Director of Parks and Recreation Richard Williams, Transportation Engineer Calvin Grow, Acting Director of Utilities Aref Etemadi, Director of Plan Review Bill Ackman, Director of Finance Norm Butts, Acting Deputy Director of Capital Projects Tom Brandon, Chief of Police Joseph Price, Research and Communications Manager Betsy Fields, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation Kate Trask and Clerk of Council Lee Ann Green AGENDA ITEMS 1. Work Session Items for Discussion a. Health Insurance Presentation Mr. Greg Snow from Wells Fargo Associates gave a presentation on the proposed employee healthcare contract. Summary of Key Points: • Potential action tomorrow evening. • Anthem was chosen due to its financial competitiveness, network access, ability to meet high standards of delivering administrative services and no network disruption for employees • Anthem Dental rates are guaranteed through June 30, 2014 • Estimated savings approximately $175,000 versus original renewal cost. • Opt -out feature for employees who have proof of alternative coverage • 78/22 split (employer/ employee) is lower than the norm of 75/25. • Contract was reviewed by the Benefits Task Force which has representation from all departments. • Wellness program including health screenings will be a key component • Rates per employee will go up about 4% for the town • Rates that each employee pays out of pocket will go up about 4% l�P��ge Council Work Session February 27, 2012 b. Town Plan Briefing Irish Grandfield gave a presentation on the proposed changes to the Town Plan, as identified by the Planning Commission. Summary of key points: • Public hearing is scheduled for March 13. • Current Town Plan was adopted in September 2005 • State law requires jurisdictions to review and update every five years. • Planning Commission began review 1 '/2 years ago. • Town Plan provides guidance in land use development. • Input was received from all the Town Boards, Commissions and Departments. Council discussed: • Community commercial /industrial development • Lack of consistency across the town • Square footage designations • Elimination of industrial uses within the bypass • Timeline, including Town Council public hearing Council consensus was to delay the public hearing until after at least one, if not more, Council work sessions can be held to more fully discuss the proposed changes. Legislative Update Betsy Fields distributed updated status spreadsheets to those Council Members who wanted hard copies. Summary of bills of importance to Leesburg: • Town Charter amendment has passed both houses • Proffered conditions bill has passed the senate and is on the floor of the house • Stormwater service districts bill has passed the senate and reported out of house committees • HB 1286 and 910 (cash proffers bill) will be heard at committee tomorrow afternoon • Eminent domain bill has been approved and the constitutional amendment will go forward for voter approval • HB166 (rezoning by mistake) bill has passed the house • HB10 (BPOL) is before the Senate finance committee • HB 1193 which would make newspaper ads for RFPs optional, is in committee 2 l Page Council Work Session February 27, 2012 After action will be scheduled after the session closes. d. Bus Shelter Update John Wells gave a brief update on the bus shelters for the Virginia Regional Transit routes. Council comments: • Town to meet local match so construction can move forward • Identify sponsors for bus shelters (construction /maintenance) It was Council consensus to have staff draft a resolution for action at tomorrow night's Council meeting to pledge up to $8,000 to meet local match needs if sponsorship cannot be found. Further staff will be assigned to assist VRTA in moving the bus shelter project forward. FY 2013 Budget /CIP Work Session Mr. Wells summarized the important issues with respect to the FY 2013 budget including the long range financial picture. Summary of key points: • Part of the financial plan adopted last year was restructuring of debt so that some of the debt repayment obligations are pushed out to later years when the economy may have recovered • Establishment of a debt service reserve fund may help eliminate some of the need for tax rate increases in future years • Any time expenditures drop, budget to budget, excess revenue will feed into the debt service reserve fund • Initial money to be transferred to the debt service reserve fund will come partially from the release of funds held in the Airport Fund • The maximum amount for debt service should be 15% of general fund revenues • Capital asset and vehicle replacement funds will allow the town to replace assets as necessary • Performance based pay increase of 3% recommended • 1% revenue growth is anticipated Council Comments: • Pleased with long range planning effort • Concerned about impacts of decisions made in Richmond and Washington • Concerned about the passage of the eminent domain bill in the Virginia House of Delegates • Council must keep budget in mind when adding new CIP projects 3 age Council Work Session February 27, 2012 • Be sure that developers pay their fair share • Consideration of tax rate increases equaling the inflation rate Capital Improvements Program Key Points: • CIP projects are those that cost more than $60,000 and have a useful life of at least five years • This is the second year of the two year budget, so changes were only made if they were significant — meaning a schedule adjustment of more than six months or budget impact greater than $100,000 Greater than six month schedule changes: • Downtown Improvements Project • Water Pollution Control Facility digester cover replacement • Airport perimeter fence (west side) • Airport runway — safety area grading project Budget changes: o Battlefield Parkway — Rt. 15 to the Dulles Greenway replacing town bond funding with VDOT funding • Edwards Ferry Road right turn lane at the bypass • Linden Hill access road • Turn lane at Sycolin Road and Tavistock Drive • Virts Corner — utility relocation costs • Tuscarora Creek • Miscellaneous water /sanitary • Lower Sycolin Sewage conveyance system New projects added to the CIP • Rt. 15 widening, phase II moved forward from priority future list into FY 13 CIP because enough funding is available from VDOT related to phase I and Virt's Corner projects to start design and move into construction • Airport south apron helipad and airport north end access road — Council authorized as mid -year additions to the budget • Future projects list was added to the CIP in 2004 as a mechanism to keep track of projects • Priority future projects list was added at the recommendation of the Planning Commission last year for projects with a more defined scope, potential funding source, and a realistic schedule but there is no funding available in the current CIP • Vehicles and studies were taken out of the CIP in 2006 • CIP projects have realistic scopes of work, identified funding sources and realistic schedules • CIP now has 35 projects Council Comments 41Page Council Work Session February 27, 2012 • Staff to report on eminent domain act impacts f. Board of Supervisors /Town Council Joint Meeting Follow -up Council Comments/ Questions: • Participation in a Raspberry Falls water task force — the Board has not yet established a task force • Council needs to decide whether there is support for annexation • Add an Annexation workshop to a future work session agenda 2. Additions to Future Council Meetings Vice Mayor Wright: Possible modifications to the Arts and Cultural District ordinance. Mayor Umstattd: Letter to the county /school board requesting assistance for first tier cable television cooperation. Town Manager will draft letter. 3. Closed Session On a motion by Mayor Umstattd, seconded by Vice Mayor Wright, the following was proposed.• Pursuant to Section 2.2- 3711(A)(3) of the Code of Virginia, I move that the Leesburg Town Council convene in a closed meeting for the purpose or receiving information and discussion regarding: a. Leesburg Airport Associates, LC The motion was approved by the following vote: Aye: Butler, Dunn, Hammler, Titus, Wright and Mayor Umstattd Nay: None Vote: 6-0-1 (Martinez absent) The Council convened in closed session at 10:15 p.m. The Council reconvened in open session at 10:30 p.m. On a motion by Mayor Umstattd, seconded by Council Member Martinez, the following was proposed- In accordance with Section 2.2 -3712 of the Code of Virginia, I move that Council certify that to the best of each member's knowledge, only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and such public business matters as were identified in the motion by which the closed meeting was convened were heard, discussed or considered in the meeting by Council. The motion was approved by the following vote: Aye: Butler, Dunn, Hammler, Martinez, Titus, Wright and Mayor Umstattd 5 1 P a g c Council Work Session February 27, 2012 Nay: None Vote: 7 -0 4. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m. Clerk of un 2012 tcwsmin0227 61Pa,c