Town Council Actions June 8, 2010

1)      Held joint public hearing with the Planning Commission and approved a special use permit for Albertje Stewart for a soap, lotion, and bath products home occupation at 413 Second Street.   

2)      Adopted FY 2010/2011 budget in the amount of $1,901,182.

3)      Received an update on the rescue squad situation in Shenandoah from Wesley Shifflett.  Heard the County has been waiting since May 7, 2010 for the Shenandoah Volunteer Rescue Squad to turn over financial documents to allow the County’s auditing firm to audit the books of the Shenandoah Volunteer Rescue Squad for 2008 and 2009, which is a requirement in the franchise agreement the volunteer members signed previously.  Following repeated reminders by the County, they still have not received the financial documents from the Shenandoah Volunteer Rescue Squad to conduct this required audit.  The Luray and Stanley Volunteer Rescue Squad have both turned in their financial documents and the County’s auditing firm is in the process of auditing those books.  Heard the current programs are in place since the County Board of Supervisors adopted existing state laws into their ordinance.  Therefore, it is now the County’s responsibility to oversee the programs, the career personnel, and the County created franchise agreements (which are identical for each volunteer agency, except the operating schedules differ from agency to agency – as requested by the individual agencies) to comply with the law they adopted.  Since the Shenandoah Volunteer Rescue Squad is currently in violation of the franchise agreement they signed with the County, the Page County Board of Supervisors voted to terminate the agreement if a conclusion cannot be reached within 90 days.  Heard the County hopes the issues can be resolved soon and the Shenandoah Volunteer Rescue Squad can resume operations.  Heard there is the possibility a group of community citizens may organize a new volunteer rescue squad to serve the Shenandoah area if the current volunteer squad administration will not comply with the franchise agreement they signed.  Heard some current members of the Shenandoah Volunteer Rescue Squad are now volunteering by running calls using County equipment.  Also, heard volunteers can fully man the temporary station set up by the County and use County owned equipment.  They just need to contact the County to get paperwork approved and get on the schedule.  Anyone with questions or who would like a copy of the franchise agreements or other FOIA releasable documents should contact Wesley Shifflett at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or telephone 540-743-4142.      

4)      Received an update on the technology seminar to assist local businesses and agreed it would be appropriate to hold a similar event at least twice a year.  Council thanked volunteers Gary Patterson, Bruce Arnold, Kirk Comer, Amos Thomas, Kris Galvin, Jackie Staples, and Joyce Fluharty for all their work on this event.  Council also thanked the Small Business Development Center who assisted with providing documentation for the event.      

5)      Received a letter of resignation from Police Officer Nathan Fadeley, effective June 26, 2010.  Mr. Fadeley accepted a position with the Town of Stanley where he will work straight daylight hours.  The vacant position was advertised with an application deadline of June 16, 2010 at 5 p.m.

6)      Received an invitation to the Stanley Homecoming Parade and Reception on July 3, 2010.  The reception begins at 4 p.m. at the Stanley Fire Hall and the Parade begins at 6 p.m.

7)      Received the May 2010 Police Report for review.

8)      Authorized the purchase of a ditch excavation machine in the amount of $27,000.  This machine will be used for water leaks and at the sewer plant to clean the grit chambers. It will be stored under the carport at the maintenance shed.  (Also, approved moving $13,000 from the Utility Capital Improvement Account and transferring it to the Utility Fund to partially pay for the ditch excavation machine with the balance of the money from the Capital Outlay Water and Sewer Equipment and Reserved for Contingency Line items in the Utility Budget.)

9)      Work Orders:  water leak on Fifth Street-near the Beebe residence; put dirt on 11^th Street on ball field side across from Good house; cut trees back across from Stevens Cottage on Second Street; weed eat tall grass on Kenesaw Avenue. 

10)  Town will ensure James Shifflett complies with the regulations for installing the sewer pumps and pipes from the homes to the sewer main on Tenth Street.

11)  Approved bid from Ran Mar for walking trail at the river park in the amount of $13,897.50. 

12)  Heard the Genie Company orders have picked up and they are able to run more shifts, which is a huge improvement over last year.

13)   Requested the police department make extra patrols in the area of the ball fields during their tournament on June 30 through July 4^th.  Also, asked they put the speed trailer in this area during this time period as well, due to the increased amount of pedestrian traffic between the two fields.

14)  Agreed to request the motorcycle show be relocated to the Shenandoah Machine Shop lot for next year’s Memorial Day Festival to allow participants to be able to walk to the car show and tractor show.   

15)  Parks and Recreation News:   Big Gem Park – More plantings were completed at the park along the bank.  River Park – Volunteers picked up 410 lbs of trash along the river bank during the Save the Bay Clean Up Day on June 5, 2010; walking trail work will begin immediately to ensure the money budgeted in FY 2009/2010 is not lost.  First Street – flowers and grasses were planted along the bank at the old mill, which will help disguise some of the old silo ruins.