REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 6, 2007:
The regular meeting of the Common Council of the City of Morgantown was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday, February 6, 2007, at 7:30 P.M.
PRESENT: Mayor Ron Justice, City Manager Dan Boroff, City Clerk’s Secretary Donna Roberts, City Attorney Steve Fanok, Assistant City Manager Jeff Mikorski, and Council Members Ron Bane, Jim Manilla, Frank Scafella, Teresa Miller, Bill Byrne, Don Spencer. (City Clerk Linda Little Absent.)
The meeting was called to order by the Mayor.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Minutes from the regular meeting on January 16, 2007, were approved as printed.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Mayor Justice will deliver a Random Acts of Kindness Week proclamation; announced the next Weight Watchers at Work; and read a Literacy Awareness Month proclamation. Vicky Conners outlined the Literacy Celebration. Councilor Bane read a request for the Prospect and Price Street intersection to be a 3-way stop and had Dr. Shamberger’s 1954 article on Home Rule.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
No Business.
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS:
Councilor Manilla noted that Dave Watson resigned from the MRTC and interested residents should contact him.
PUBLIC PORTION:
Jim Kotcon, Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition, urged support for and presented a petition with 250 signatures for the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and had a data handout to illustrate City greenhouse gas emissions using electric bills.
Sister Mary Rehmann’s statement, also in support, was handed out.
There being no more appearances or objections, Mayor Justice declared this public portion closed.
SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Mayor Justice announced the MPO Charleston trip to meet with the Highway Department on the seriousness of funding. Councilor Miller advised of the future Planning Commission discussion on the zoning ordinance.
NEW BUSINESS:
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING LEASE OF OFFICE SPACE AT THE AIRPORT TO THE FAA: The below entitled Ordinance was presented for first reading:
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A LEASE AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF MORGANTOWN (LESSOR) AND THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (LESSEE) AS THE SAME PERTAINS TO THE LEASE OF OFFICE SPACE BY THE CITY OF MORGANTOWN TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION WITHIN THE NORTH TERMINAL BUILDING AT THE MORGANTOWN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.
After the City Manager’s explanation, motion by Byrne, second by Scafella, to pass the above entitled Ordinance to second reading. Motion carried 7-0.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ZONING ARTICLE 1361 FOR “BUILD-TO LINES” IN THE SUNNYSIDE OVERLAY DISTRICTS AND TO PLAN FOR THE WIDENING OF BEECHURST AVENUE AS RECOMMEND BY THE 2030 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN: The below entitled Ordinance was presented for first reading:
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE 1361 OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING CODE OF THE CITY OF MORGANTOWN AS THE SAME APPLIES TO CLARIFYING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE “BUILD-TO LINE” IN THE SUNNYSIDE OVERLAY DISTRICTS AND TO PLAN FOR THE WIDENING OF BEECHURST AVENUE WITHIN THE EXISTING BEECHURST CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT AS RECOMMENDED BY THE GREATER MORGANTOWN METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION’S 2030 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
After the City Manager’s explanation, motion by Scafella, second by Byrne, to pass the above entitled Ordinance to second reading. Motion carried 7-0.
Mayor Justice clarified that this would allow for five lanes, bike lanes, and sidewalks in that 90' corridor. You can build to the property line today, but this will be setting that back 15' on each side for any new construction.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP FOR REALTY ANNEXED FEBRUARY 6, 2007: The below entitled Ordinance was presented for first reading:
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF MORGANTOWN FOR CERTAIN REALTY ANNEXED INTO THE CITY BY RESOLUTION ON FEBRUARY 6, 2007, AND CLASSIFYING SAME AS B-5 SHOPPING CENTER DISTRICT AS SHOWN ON THE EXHIBIT “A” HERETO ATTACHED AND DECLARED TO BE A PART OF THIS ORDINANCE AS IF THE SAME WAS FULLY SET FORTH THEREIN.
After the City Manager’s explanation and discussion, motion by Byrne, second by Manilla, to pass the above entitled Ordinance to second reading. Motion carried 7-0.
CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MORGANTOWN AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER, PURSUANT TO WEST VIRGINIA CODE CHAPTER 8, ARTICLE 6, SECTION 5 TO INCREASE ITS CORPORATE LIMIT BY MAKING A MINOR BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT TO INCLUDE A PARCEL OF APPROXIMATELY 55.743 ACRES OF REALTY OWNED BY WAL-MART STORES EAST, LP AND PORTIONS OF U.S. ROUTE 119, WV ROUTE 857 AND MONONGALIA COUNTY SECONDARY ROUTE 76: The above entitled Resolution was presented for Council’s approval:
After discussion, motion by Scafella, second by Byrne, to approve the above entitled Resolution. Motion carried 7-0.
CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE U.S. MAYORS CLIMATE PROTECTION AGREEMENT: The above entitled Resolution was presented for Council’s approval:
After discussion, motion by Spencer, second by Bane, to approve the above entitled Resolution. Motion carried 7-0.
CITY MANAGERS REPORT:
INFORMATION:
Item No. 1:
I am pleased to report that the U.S. Department of Transportation has selected Colgan Air, Inc. to provide subsidized essential air service at the Morgantown Airport for two years beginning in the near future. The service will include 19 weekly round trips to Pittsburgh with 34 passenger Saab 340 aircraft. Attached you will find additional information about the award.
Item No. 2:
As a companion piece to the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection initiative and with Council’s concurrence, the City staff will develop an Energy Performance Study of all Municipal facilities. The study will include energy audits; prescriptions for energy savings; forecasts of savings; and an implementation plan. To assist the staff, a proposal will be developed for Council’s consideration to employ a professional firm specializing in this type of work.
NEW BUSINESS:
Item No. 1:
The second attachment is a memo from the BOPARC Director requesting that $35,255 be added to the $150,000 pledged by the City to match funds raised for the Wiles Hill School. As you will read, BOPARC has successfully raised $185,255, and the project is ready to go to contract if the City can make the additional allocation. Given the success of the fund raising; the timeliness of the construction contract; and the merits of the project, I recommend that the request be approved.
After discussion, motion by Byrne, second by Spencer, to approve the BOPARC request. Motion carried 7-0.
Item No. 2:
The third attachment is a letter from Main Street requesting $2,500 to purchase additional holiday decorations for the next block of the High Street Project. A thirty percent discount will be gained by purchasing the decorations now. Based upon this savings and further supporting the High Street Project, I recommend that the request be approved.
Motion by Miller, second by Byrne, to grant the Main Street request for $2,500 to purchase holiday decorations. Motion carried 7-0.
Item No. 3:
Recently an idea has been suggested that a Downtown Bus Transfer Station may have some benefit. To date some preliminary research has been done concerning the feasibility of this concept. Before it advances any further though, it might serve well to seek the input of Downtown concerns and adjacent neighborhoods. Toward that end, I recommend that the City, the Transit Authority, the Parking Authority, and Main Street Morgantown organize a Downtown meeting; invite all concerned parties; and together explore this concept. Such a meeting perhaps could be held toward the end of February at the Hotel Morgan at 5:15 p.m. in a format similar to the Downtown Vision Meeting recently conducted.
CITY CLERK'S REPORT:
Secretary Roberts noted the death of William Wetzel, Councilor from 1964 to 1967.
CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORT:
No Report.
REPORT FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS (Reverse Order):
Councilor Spencer: Councilor Spencer asked about airport fares and the budget process; requested adding the Bike Board plan to the budget; inquired about widening Jones Avenue at First and Stewart Streets; and commented on ROTC using White Park.
City Manager Boroff replied the targeted fare is $85 one-way and that Jones Avenue is private sector development. Mayor Justice explained the budget process and that the ROTC activity was not BOPARC endorsed.
Councilor Byrne: No Report.
Councilor Miller: Councilor Miller requested more budget funding for the arts and noted a salt truck goes in front of an ambulance in emergency situations.
Councilor Scafella: Councilor Scafella thanked Council for their generosity to the Senior Center and asked the City Manager to gather ROTC facts in regard to White Park.
Councilor Manilla: Councilor Manilla commented that the Wal-Mart annexation may result in more firemen and police officers being needed.
Councilor Bane: Councilor Bane requested an update on the new fire station and if WVU was still matching $100,000 annually for the Sunnyside Up project.
City Manager Boroff summarized the new fire station status with possible construction this summer, and WVU is matching for a 5-year period.
Mayor Justice: Mayor Justice announced the MTC play Pirates of Penzance and discussed the Arts Mon press conference.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting adjourned by unanimous consent at 8:20 p.m.
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City Clerk Mayor
*A FULL TRANSCRIPT OF ALL COUNCIL MEETINGS IS AVAILABLE ON CD AT THE MORGANTOWN CITY LIBRARY.