City of Richwood
6 White Avenue Richwood, WV 26261
Phone: (304) 846-2596 – Fax: (304) 846-2580
richwood.gov
September 15th, 2016
Common Council Minutes
Call to Prayer: Sherry Chapman
Pledge of Allegiance: All
Mayoral Reporting:
Toby Taylor here to record this and future meetings so we’re back on the air. Been a great week, Rite Aid Pharmacy open. Railroad Ave got half paved, but we’re dealing with culvert issues. Will widen pipes 3 times the size they were. WV Paving gave us a great deal on that. They graciously agreed to pause and come back to give us time to work on sewer issues. This isn’t FEMA money, this is “us” (the City). Worked with Rite Aid Pharmacy to have “open” sign that has wood like look to it. Had meeting with District Representative for Dollar General, they can’t do a “super store” but will have more food and are moving a wall. There are issues with the roof behind the store will be resolved with the health department. Community Disaster Loan of $512,000 is in Philadelphia awaiting signatures, should be less than two weeks. Things are going well with FEMA, they are giving us the benefit of doubt. May get new water intake. Waste Water Systems are down to less than 250 thousand gallons coming into the clarifier. The Cherry River is cleanest today as it has been in any of our lifetimes. Still pushing with Hazard Mitigation to get lines out of the river. Encouraged by FEMA’s attitudes. Apparently we don’t qualify for even one FEMA trailer. Its humming along
Enormous waves of volunteers will be coming over the next few months, literally 100’s of people touching on approximately 300 homes impacted. Trying to get people tucked in for winter. Shepherdstown gave us $5,500 cash donation and a truck, so I bought $1200.00 dollars worth of insulation. Dollar General says they will be back in a month. The armory pantry is bare.
Brown: “What happened to the delivery that was supposed to come?”
Baber: “I think there was mass confusion”
Questions:
Brown: “Have there been forms accepted and have we received money back?”
(Explanation what happened with FEMA’s PW specialists)
Baber: “These have to be qualified, quantified, and spelled out.”
Brown: “I’m not sure half a million dollars is going to cover everything we do.”
Baber: “This is just a pass though we will be fine the, guard will help address these houses. We’re going to keep throwing them numbers. We haven’t actually spent that much, I don’t think we’re amassing debt. The CD Load is based on projected loss.”
Brown: “I’m afraid there is more going out than coming in what we’ll be reimbursed for. It isn’t all reimbursable. That isn’t all eligible.”
Taylor: “The Governor asked today from Congress for an additional 300 Million to cover expenses like these. Congressman Jenkins has assured we won’t be let out.”
Public Comment
Brenda Blake: “Where is our police protection? How many hours a week are you here?”
Cogar: Right after the flood 80 hours a week, 20 hours a week for Summersville Police.One cruiser was damaged, so most are using the Jeep Wrangler. One officer was in a car crash and I’ve had medical issues for two weeks. Another officer has had to prepare for surgery for his child. Ninety percent of the time I’ve not had a deputy here there is a state police officer. Has anyone called 911 and not been responded to?
Brenda Blake: “No, but you are not here 80 hours a week.”
Cogar: I’ve had residence here up to the 15th.”
Baber: “The city hasn’t had much time to function as a normal city. I will address this as much as possible.”
Schoolcraft: “Why isn’t insurance paying people yet? You need to call NFIP in Florida.”
Public: “Many places are inundated with claims.”
Baber: “However, I’m glad to call personally and try to help.”
Taylor: “It never hurts to ensure there are no clerical issues.”
Prior Minutes – Brown motions to approve.
Vote Carries
Vannoy: “ Finance committee transferred 30 thousand from rainy day to general fund.
Brown: “This has to be addressed. We need financial reports. We can’t be responsible for what we don’t know about.”
Vannoy: “Motion to waive reading and approve second reading of International Building Code by reference.
Motion carries.
Motion to approve Chapman Technical.
McKenzie: Still don’t know details of funding.
Cassie Hughgart: In order to try and utilize FEMA funding, the city asked for Region IV to touch on additionally potentially reimbursable by FEMA expenses, they will come with more task orders. Don’t know on full scale what cost may be professional fee services may be included my understanding that the city doesn’t want to include additional unnecessary expenses.
We feel they will be reimbursable.
Taylor: Motion to approve Chapman Technical Expanded scope of Work.
Motion Carries
Baber: Motion to buy Mayor a plane ticket for Kelley Foundation. I will be looking for money. There will be 400-500 people there to network with. Virginia Benjamin could be a person to come here. Aspen, CO is very parallel to Richwood. I believe in asking people to help. It would encourage media attention across the board. I’m not sure I’m going to go.”
Taylor: Motion to approve.
Motion Carries
Baber: Motion to Approve Payment for Flood efforts. “I’m not happy with ethic committee for throwing money away. I was indicted ten times last time on vendetta issues. Miles Cauldwell was the cause and later became mayor. The ethics committee said to ask a lawyer. We didn’t get a lawyer, haven’t heard anything for three weeks, to me it’s like 1984, what is the ethics committee? I could bring a charge on Jeremiah for getting water from the armory! I’m not going down without a fight. In lieu of pay, the council will give me 4 weeks paid vacation.
Brown: I want to table this motion until we can get an opinion.
Motion Dies
Building Permits
[Recues myself for discussion of building permit.]
Motion Carries
Motion to send all permits to Jim Vannoy and Jeremiah Novak prior to submitting with Council.
Motion Carries
Spencer: “I turned in work orders to get yards cleaned up and it was done.”
Vannoy: “As Chairman I request a Police Committee meeting and request the Mayors presence.”
**Police Committee to convene after council to arrange a meeting**
Taylor: “I just want to make a comment that it’s ridiculous that we have to approve a deck, but people take a crap in their yard.”
McKenzie: “Lately Carolyn’s bar has seats and they are blocking the sidewalks and smoking to close to the door.”
Novak: “I’ll talk to Carolyn to see if we can get her to address this.”
McKenzie: “I heard someone was hired to replace Bobby Dooley.”
Baber: “Jack Massey is my liaison to the ICS on water, sewer, etc. at some point he may well be hired to replace him.”
McKenzie: “Have you heard anything on Oakford?
Drennen: Addressed this issue personally on what we found out today for the September 19,2016 meeting, people may have to file amended claims, etc.
Baber: “In my last administration we were fixing sidewalks for citizens.”
McKenzie: “Our neighbor has a hole so big, it’s going to cause additional damage trying to determine if sidewalks are a mitigation expense.”
Spencer: “What about this sewer fix we discussed in Water Board?”
Baber: “It’s not on the agenda, but we have time to discuss this. We have an opportunity to get two water lines repaired for around $30,000. When we had to fix the Fenwick Line it was thirty-eight thousand for one line. It’s a lot of money and Ann was adamantly opposed to this.”
Spencer: “This isn’t FEMA money though.”
McKenzie: “You want us to spend money we don’t have.”
Taylor: “But you may not have this opportunity again.”
Vannoy: “Are they going to fix it so it won’t was out again?”
Novak: “This is a backup line though.”
Baber: “The last time we did this, we had no permit to be in the water we just did it. SMR threw in five thousand.”
McKenzie: “Do we know for sure we’re getting this CDL? And we don’t know how long it will be till we get paid back on these expenses. I’m concerned if we earmark this money without knowing what we will be reimbursed for.”
Brown: “And we have 8 days left on the permit.”
Baber: “The problem is it is a process. They don’t like us to be in the river… My guess is it would be hard in the winter even if we got a permit.”
Novak: “Say we draw down, that is 45 thousand of 200 thousand gone right off the top. BUT we need water.”
Brown: “The 500,000 was intended to cover us for the loss of revenue, but we can capture the taxes on the contractors working. I’m not sure we have the debt, we may recoup more than we’re losing on the B&O taxes captured off of the contracting work.”
Baber: “It’s going to get tough to make an argument to get work done if we have money sitting in the bank.”
Motion Carries
Brown: “I asked at the last council for the road to be fixed and it was.”
Spencer: “Can we return to a regular council schedule?”
Brown: “Cindy McGraw has helped people on a personal level getting people campers.
Baber: “We haven’t touched on the schools. Try to be patient with the school board and superintendent. Town Hall Meeting September 27, 2016 at 7:00 pm upstairs.”
Spencer: Motion to adjourn
Motion carries.