HomeMy Public PortalAbout2014_tcwsmin0310 Council Work Session March 10, 2014
Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, 7:30 p.m. Mayor Kristen C. Umstattd
presiding.
Council Members Present: Kelly Burk, David Butler, Thomas Dunn, Katie Sheldon
Hammler, Marty Martinez, Kevin Wright and Mayor Umstattd.
Council Members Absent: Council Member Burk arrived at 7:33 p.m.
Staff Present: Town Manager John Wells, Town Attorney Jeanette Irby, Deputy
Town Manager Kaj Dentler, Director of Public Works Tom Mason, Director of
Finance Norm Butts, Director of Parks and Recreation Rich Williams, Director of
Capital Projects Renee LaFollette, Director of Utilities Amy Wyks, Airport Manager
Scott Coffman, Deputy Director of Public Works Charles Mumaw, Deputy Director
of Capital Projects Tom Brandon, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation Kate
Trask, Management Analyst Lisa Hayley, Management Analyst Michael Bruckner,
and Executive Associate I Tara Belote
AGENDA ITEMS
1. Work Session Items for Discussion
a. Mural Project - COPA Introduction of Russ Bennett
Tom O'Neil, Chair of the Commission on Public Art, introduced Russ
Bennett, the artist whose mural project was chosen for the town parking
garage.
Key Points:
• Made up of small tiles painted by citizens
• Community involvement becomes part of the process
Council Comments/Questions:
• Meeting was held with members of COPA, Mr. Bennett, and staff to
begin working on the project
• Please describe a little about your background and other mural projects
in other communities.
Speaker answer: Owner of a design/build company as well as manage
several arts festivals around the country and manage their artistic
design. Served on the Chamber of Commerce and the Planning
Commission.
• What is the timeline and how will the theme be decided?
COPA liaison answer: Timeline is work in progress. Project plan
elements and milestones are being worked on. Hope is to have it ready
by the time of the Arts Festival. Design will be brought before Council
for approval. Try to time design approval around the same time that
the Parks and Recreation Commission forward design options for the
park. May need to form a task force to keep all parties informed.
• Look into fundraising opportunities with those who had supported the
park on Loudoun Street.
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Council Work Session March 10, 2014
• Would like to see some representation of the role of women in the
history of Leesburg
• What is the mural made of?
Speaker answer: pieces of wood that are painted and sealed. The
pieces slide into a frame.
• What is the lifespan?
Speaker answer: With no maintenance—probably 5-10 years.
• What is the oldest mural that you have done?
Speaker answer: Would not be concerned up to ten years. New
products to seal the tiles are becoming available
• What are the estimated maintenance costs?
Speaker answer: Maintenance should be a simple coating every four to
five years. Base material could be metal, but the painting would not be
any better preserved by using metal or synthetics instead of wood
• Community will love getting involved in this project
b. Discussion of Painting Town Water Tanks/Towers
Council Member Dunn stated his idea is not to paint the entire
tank/tower, but a portion of it at the widest point.
Council Comments/Questions:
• Possibly have the Arts Commission look into this
• Contact jurisdictions that have painted the towers and find out how
much it cost
• Tank on Sycolin Road is on County property—county has denied
painting it in the past
• Possibility of projecting an image on the tanks that can be changed as
desired
c. Budget Work Session
John Wells stated they will be reviewing the long range plan and the
CIP part of the budget.
Key Points:
• 18.3 cents is the equalized rate and is what is proposed
• 19.2 cents is the advertised rate
• Long range plan includes tax rate increases in FY 15, 16, and 17
• Council direction was to attempt to minimize or eliminate the proposed
tax rate increases—which has been done for FY 15 and 16 and almost
completed for FY 17
• Tax revenue from uncompleted, but approved projects, will more than
likely help remove the necessity for a tax increase in FY 17.
• Debt service reserve fund will not be necessary after FY 2021.
• Fiscal policy can be increased to 20% at that time to take care of any
long-term cash needs
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Council Work Session March 10, 2014
• Long term plan is working—Council's
direction has removed the
necessity for tax rate increases to make debt service payments
• CIP Changes from last year:
o Potomac Crossing Park was accelerated at mid-year—should go
to construction this summer
o Battlefield Parkway/Rt. 15 to the Greenway delayed a year—
right of way authorization fromVDOT took much longer than
estimated
o Edwards Ferry Road Right Turn Lane—goes to construction
late spring/early summer
o Lowenbach, Ph. V, delayed due to storm drainage design
o South King Street Widening, Ph. II—delay due to VDOT right
of way authorization
o Sycolin Road Widening, Ph. IV—moved up because funding is
available with VDOT showing it in their six-year CIP. Can
move to construction during the active six-year portion of the
CIP
o Chesapeake Bay TMDL project accelerated to FY 2015 since
the town was awarded a grant from the Stormwater Assistance
Fund
o Tuscarora Creek Flood Mitigation— delayed because of issues
with the residents.
o Lower Sycolin Sanitary Sewer, Ph. II— schedule extended to
combine phase II and phase III into one schedule—will go from
the pump station across Sycolin Road to the Petersen property
o Lowenbach budget increased—primarily because of drainage
challenges, pipe size and construction costs due to phasing and
increased material costs
o Rt. 15/Edwards Ferry Road Right Turn Lane—includes NVTA
funding
o Rt. 15/Edwards Ferry Road Interchange—money in FY2015 for
the interchange justification report
o Sycolin Road Widening, Ph. III—budget increased primarily
because of bid results. Box culvert needed was larger than
originally planned
o Sycolin Road Widening, Ph. IV—budget increased to show the
VDOT funding that was added.
o Lower Sycolin—increased because both phases were combined
into the same project
• New CIP projects added:
o Skate park renovation
o Evergreen Mill Road widening—added to CIP so that NVTA
funding can be requested—VDOT shows this project in their six-
year transportation plan
o East Market Street at Battlefield Parkway Interchange—moved
forward into the six-year plan to begin to request NVTA funding
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Council Work Session March 10, 2014
o Brown's Meadow/Woodberry Drainage—Planning
Commission recommended this project be moved forward into
FY 2015
o Water Plant— Carbon feed system
• Completed projects total approximately $21 million of work
• 31 projects remaining in the CIP
Council Comments/Questions:
• Tax rate doesn't increase, but population has increased. Where do we
get to the point where staff is unable to meet the demand?
Staff answer: Just because the tax rate does not increase, it does not
mean there is no new revenue. Also, approved projects that have not
been completed can be expected to bring in new revenue
• What would the town have to do to get a AAA bond rating?
Staff answer: Based on the new formulas, the town may be able to
move up without having to do anything based on the long-term
strategic plan. Increasing the unassigned fund balance will also
increase the changes of being upgraded.
• Is it better to pay off debt early or increase the unassigned fund balance?
Staff answer: It is a balance—the financial advisors will look at
everything and give Council guidance on policy
• Affordability for homeowners is a top priority
• Important to keep an eye on hospitalization cost as this could change
• Need to analyze city status from a tax rate perspective
• Concern about the Capital Asset Replacement Fund in the out-years
• Areas where the town is providing services that the county should be
providing
• Want to look at what the county gives the town carefully as some areas
the town gets a great deal of assistance— such as transportation
improvements
• Explain why a six year plan rather than a shorter time period?
Staff answer: Six year plan ties into VDOT's transportation plan
• Is this the soonest we can do the Brown's Meadow project?
Staff answer: The town has preliminary design—comfortable that the
project can be completed within one fiscal year for design and
construction
• Do the improvements include moving the park?
Staff answer: No, the amount is for renovation work on the existing
site.
• Skate park facility is out of date and in bad shape—concerned about
liability.
Staff answer: No technical reason it cannot move forward; however,
Council would have to determine where it would go in the CIP and in
the town
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Council Work Session March 10, 2014
• Have Parks and Recreation Commission come back with a
recommendation on whether to sell the site or renovate the existing
skate park.
• Tree Canopy Project— about how many trees can be bought with the
money that comes in annually?
Staff answer: Approximately 300 trees at$250-300 each. Since the
Battlefield Parkway project was completed, the town is looking at
optional places to increase and enhance the tree canopy
• What can the town do differently with respect to increased costs for
storm drainage projects?
Staff answer: staff is mindful to make sure not to oversize the project
for the amount of area to be drained; however, new stormwater
mandates will require additional water quality improvements that were
not figured into original budgets
• Why is the miscellaneous waterline replacements in the CIP and not in
operations/maintenance?
Staff answer: In the operating budget, it will be paid for with rates. It is
a capital improvement in the sense that lines are being replaced. As a
capital project, bonds and cash can be used for financing.
• Can we move the hangar project at the airport up as they will generate
income?
Staff answer: Would need to work with FAA and DOAV to see what
part of the site work they would help fund—there would not be any
participation from either of them for the buildings.
• Would like to know what are we paying in debt service for the
terminal? How can we make the terminal a revenue producing facility?
• It is a huge accomplishment to fully complete Battlefield Parkway with
the last leg from Rt. 15 to the Dulles Greenway in the fall of 2016.
• How are the Linden Hill residents doing with the removal of their
median break?
Staff answer: The new HOA president has been very complimentary
regarding the way the intersection functions.
• Why is there overtime included in the budget?
Staff answer: One inspector is an hourly employee and that overtime is
for that employee when he is either doing inspections or called in to
help with snow removal.
• What is the status of Izaak Walton Park?
Staff answer: The project is in the fifth year of the CIP. The town
continues to lease the park at this point, but the bridge belongs to the
town.
• Want to commend those who worked on getting grant money for the
TMDL project.
• Veteran's Park maybe an opportunity for partnership with the county.
• Question about a four-way stop at North King and North rather than
the proffered signal.
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Council Work Session March 10, 2014
Staff answer: This intersection was studied and a four-way stop at the
p.m. peak would back northbound traffic past Cornwall and as far as
Market Street. This would be a level of service F based on current
traffic counts.
• Agree that a decision needs to be made on the Skate Park as soon as
possible.
• Presumably the county will have a Chesapeake Bay TMDL project—
how will that be funded? Do not want to pay for the project in town
and a portion of the project for the county.
• Lower Sycolin Conveyance System, Ph. II—if the primary rate payer
will be the Petersen Property, we should know what is happening with
this project before spending more money.
Staff answer: Staff should be able to give Council an update before the
budget is approved.
• Is the county a consumer for this project?
Staff answer: The county is a consumer for an earlier phase and they
have paid.
• The town is not in the Parks and Rec CIP for the county. Would like to
request funding for Veteran's Park from the county.
• The county should help fund the turn lane at Edwards Ferry Road and
Rt. 15 and other transportation and airport projects as they have
regional impact/benefit
• Town needs to be clear with requests to the county for funding
• County is confused by the bus transportation grant assignment
• Glad that the trees planted by the town are compatible with the Journey
Through Hallowed Ground tree project
Staff answer: On phase II of the South King Street project, the species
has been adjusted so that all the trees will be compatible with their color
palette. Some trees were switched around on the Virts Corner project
for compatibility as well. Will coordinate with JTHG on the tree
plantings for the remainder of Battlefield Parkway.
• The developer for the Barber and Ross site has agreed to use JTHG
compatible plantings for the redevelopment
• Are TMDL added costs being broken out on projects?
Staff answer: Each project will have a certain amount of reduction per
project and the total will add up to the state mandated limit.
• Need to see why there are different numbers from NVTA and town
estimates for the two major interchange projects
2. Additions to Future Council Meetings
Council Member Hammier stated she would like to have certificates of
recognition for the Special Olympics Basketball team on making the state level
competition.
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Council Work Session March 10, 2014
Vice Mayor Butler stated he needs clarification on whether Morven Park will
be on the schedule for March 25. He questioned whether they would need to have a
work session on the noise ordinance prior to the public hearing. He asked for a
proclamation for Hunger Awareness Month in May. He stated he would like to have
a work session on the roles of the Friends of Leesburg Public Art on March 24 to clear
up confusion. He requested the two appointments be put on the Consent Agenda for
the March 11 meeting.
Council Member Dunn proposed a resolution to stop work on the Morven
Park BLA at the March 25th Council meeting. He also requested a resolution to ask
the county for funding for parks and recreation be added to the agenda on March 25t.
Tom Mason gave an update on what happened at the County transportation
summit with respect to bus service funding. The board agreed to give County staff
more time to work on the request. No new date was set for further discussions on the
bus service funding request and no action was taken.
John Wells stated he would contact the County Administrator and find out
what else is needed from the town so that staff can make a recommendation.
3. Adjournment
On a motion by Council Member Martinez, seconded by Vice Mayor Butler, the meeting
was adjourned at 10:13 p.m.
Clerk of ' o it
2014 tcwsmin0311
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