By Mindy Ragan Wood
Staff Writer
Last week’s city council meeting ended with several agenda items stalled, tabled or dead.
On the agenda was an item Mayabb requested which included a discussion and possible action on the Shenandoah Valley development which caused a conflict between city staff including the engineer and civil engineers who reside in Piedmont. The dispute was regarding plans for flooding and a road that would go into the subdivision over a flood pond.
“There is literature missing,” Mayabb said of the zoning paperwork. “Some of that literature does not meet our ordinances. My recommendation is to send it back to the planning commission and the planning commission cross their I’s and dot their t’s before coming to us.”
He asked why the city commission was having to answer emails and questions about something that fell upon the planning commission.
Councilman Bobby Williamson replied, “because it’s our job.”
Mayabb claimed that the drainage plan submitted by developer Phil Boever’s engineer did not match the city’s ordinances. City Manager Jason Orr said it is in compliance with city codes.
“After all the emails from engineers telling us that it does not match our ordinance, you’re going to sit there and tell me that it is correct,” Mayabb said.
Orr restated that it was in compliance.
“Why are they telling us it’s not correct?” Mayabb pried further.
Councilman Kevan Blasdell said “they” are pushing their “own agenda.”
Orr attempted to set the record straight.
“Al has said he doesn’t like spending money on engineers,” he said. “I will tell you because of this, I will call this a frivolous endeavor by certain individuals. Taxpayers have spent $7,000 cost to them over all these calculations and it hasn’t changed a thing. The developer has spent approximately $12,000 out of his pocket to have his engineers reevaluate things and it hasn’t changed anything.”
Orr pointed out that Garver Engineering, “one of the best” firms in the state, approved the plans.
“I’ve had another city engineer review it and they said Garver has done everything any city engineer ever does,” he said.
Orr referred to the civil engineers who raised concerns as “baseless” and that city staff was going to get the matter go.
Mayabb also took exception to the city’s adoption of subdivision streets.
“I feel that to do justice to the citizens who already live here that we as a city should not accept any more streets on our maintenance plan until we catch up,” Mayabb said. “Any subdivision that wants to put a street in, I don’t think we should accept responsibility for that. We can’t maintain what we have, why do we keep adding to it?”
He suggested that the planning commission consider developing a “front line” of saying, “no more streets on our maintenance plan” at least in the short term.
Councilman Al Gliechman said in years past the city has accepted streets in housing additions for time.
“We’re getting stuck with a lot of maintenance inside these additions,” Gliechman said.
Councilwoman Melissa Ashford and Williamson requested more information to discuss it further.
“Here’s the thing,” Mayabb said. “Those roads are supposed to be good for 20 years if they’re put into the specs they’re supposed to be put into, they’re good for 20 years. If it’s a subdivision of 50 homes, and they built 10 homes a year which is the average you’re looking at five years of construction trucks, concrete trucks, dumpster trucks for five years before the traffic slows down and becomes just the residential traffic. At the five-year mark, we’re having to go in and fix that damage that heavy equipment has done,” Mayabb said.
Councilman John Brown pointed out that maintenance problems were not on new streets and builders have to construct roads according to city codes.
“Do you know a builder that would build a substandard road just to sell a house?” Gliechman asked Brown.
“And we’re still having to maintain roads,” Mayabb said. “Are we filling potholes in any of the newer developments?”
Public works employee Bud Stuber said they are in some subdivisions.
Mayabb tabled the discussion and promised to provide council members more information.
CITY EMPLOYEES
The council convened into executive session to discuss the terms of Orr’s contract and a dispute in the police department which is being handled by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).
On Tuesday Orr confirmed that the council did not vote on either item including if he would receive a pay raise. The council could not reach an agreement with Orr about his compensation.
“There was some issues there,” Orr said. “My contract will be on the next agenda for approval and it will probably be an open discussion.”
Police Chief Scott Singer said he could not comment on the details of the issue with the FOP and he was not part of the executive session. Singer referred to the matter as “a personnel issue” and there is no pending litigation in court or arbitration.
Orr said the attorney for the FOP requested arbitration but it was delayed for “further investigation.”
ITEMS THAT SUCCEEDED
Not all items failed to find a successful conclusion. The council voted unanimously to appoint Blasdell as vice mayor. After Mayor Kurt Mayabb determined that there would not be a conflict of interest for Williamson’s wife, Shelly, to serve on the park board the council voted to install her with Charo Guillory and retain Rebecca Anderson as fellow members.
The board voted approve its contract with Garver Engineering with exception to Gleichman who said he did not believe they were getting their “money’s worth.”
The fiscal year 2019 budget was approved with an amendment. The council decided to transfer $440,000 from the capital improvement fund to the Piedmont Municipal Authority fund to pay for the sewer line interceptor. The city has been under a consent order to fix the foul odor issue that had arisen when a lagoon’s water level dropped too low. The bid for $1.2 million was awarded to Cimarron Construction, the lowest bidder.
