town council meeting minutes

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Town Council of Centreville
April 9, 2020
6:00 p.m.
M I N U T E S
The April 9, 2020 Town Council meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by President Jeffrey C. Morgan at the
Liberty Building located at 107 N. Liberty Street, 2nd floor meeting room. The following members and staff were
present: Jeffrey C. Morgan, President; Timothy E. McCluskey, Vice President; Joshua E. Shonts, Member; Steve
Walls, Town Manager; Chief Kenneth N. Rhodes, Centreville Police Department; Karen Luffman, Finance Officer;
Clifford Matthews, Director of Public Works; Krystel Ebaugh, Human Resources Manager; Sharon VanEmburgh,
Town Attorney; and Carolyn Brinkley, Town Clerk.
 Following the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence, Mr. McCluskey made a motion to approve the
March 19, 2020 meeting minutes, as presented. Mr. Shonts seconded the motion, which passed
unanimously.
Citizens Comments
 Due to the circumstances of COVID-19, the public is not permitted to enter the building therefore, the Town
Council has asked citizens to submit comments via email to Carolyn Brinkley, Town Clerk, by 5:00 p.m.
prior to the meeting. The Town Council stated that responses to these comments will be made via email.
 No comments were received prior to the April 9th meeting.
Old Business
a. Fireworks
 Ms. Brinkley reported there were no updates regarding the fireworks event at this time
b. North Brook Discolored Water
 Mr. Matthews stated that the Town is still waiting on final comments from McCrone Engineering and
this has been delayed due to COVID-19 and the engineer dealing with personal matters. He indicated
that the Town is working with MDE to review the matter and the Town is not in violation. Mr.
Matthews stated he is hoping to have a report from McCrone within the next two weeks.
 Mr. Morgan asked if any complaints have been received from North Brook. Mr. Matthews stated there
was one received in March and two received in February. He stated one of the two received in February
was actually due to an issue at Centreville Elementary School in which the school was doing internal
work and nothing to do with the Town. Mr. Matthews stated the one received in March was from an
individual in North Brook who asked to remain anonymous and would not give any information related
to the location.
New Business
a. Water / Sewer Payment Plan Due to COVID-19
 Mr. McCluskey reviewed recommendations for an alternate payment plan for residents during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
 By consensus, the Town Council was in agreement to put some type of payment plan in place to help
residents who were in need.
 Mr. Morgan requested the current payment agreement be modified to allow for deferred payments and an
extended payment period to be reviewed at the April 16th Town Council meeting.
b. Digital Signatures
 Ms. Luffman presented the following memo:
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 By consensus, the Town Council agreed to implement digital signatures through AccuFund, at no
additional cost.
 Mr. Morgan stated that any items not budgeted must come before the Town Council for live signatures.
c. North Pump Station Pump Replacement
 Mr. Walls stated that an email was sent by Mr. Matthews regarding a major problem with an older model
pump at the North wastewater pump station. He stated due to the emergency to replace this pump that
could not wait until the next Council meeting for approval, Mr. Walls requested, by email, the Town
Council’s approval of this purchase in the amount of $21,493. He also stated it would take three to four
weeks for the delivery of this pump.
 Mr. Shonts and Mr. McCluskey submitted their support via email of this purchase.
d. Filter Media Purchase Request
 Mr. Matthews presented the following memo:
 Mr. McCluskey made a motion to approve Hungerford and Terry, Inc. in the amount of $30,925.87 for the
North Brook water treatment plant filters. Mr. Shonts seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Reports of Department Heads
a. Town Manager
 Mr. Walls reported that he has been working on the budget and COVID-19.
b. Chief of Police
 Chief Rhodes provided the March 2020 statistical report for the Council and staff.
c. Town Attorney
 Ms. VanEmburgh stated that the public hearing for the Charter amendments related to five (5) council
members would be held at the April 16th Town Council meeting. She stated that comments for these
public hearings will be kept open for two weeks to allow citizens to comment again after the public
hearing. Those comments would be due by the May 7th Town Council meeting.
d. Town Clerk
 Ms. Brinkley stated that Carol D’Agostino, Main Street Manager and Paige Tilghman, Economic
Development Manager, have been diligently working with our businesses through promotions, press
releases, conference calls, and individual calls to not only help promote our businesses but to also help
identify and work through the assistance being provided to our businesses through the State and Federal
government.
e. Finance Officer
 Ms. Luffman stated that she has been working on budget.
f. Human Resources Manager
 Ms. Ebaugh stated that she has been working on policies related to COVID-19.
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Council Roundtable
 Mr. Shonts thanked Mr. Matthews for dealing with the issue at the North Pump Station head-on and taking
quick action. He also thanked all first responders, Chief Rhodes and his officers, as well as, all the nurses,
doctors, etc.
 Mr. McCluskey thanked all the staff for their work during this pandemic.
 Mr. Morgan thanked all the staff for what they are doing and thanked all the businesses that are able to be
open for their services.
Town Council Budget Work Session
 The Town Council budget work session began at 6:45 p.m.
 Mr. Morgan stated that the Town Council needs to look at a barebones budget to run the Town this coming
year and suggested going with last year’s budget.
 Mr. Shonts stated that the uncertainty of the economy is overwhelming.
 Mr. McCluskey stated that in the past he has not been in favor of a barebones budget and voted against last
year’s budget. He stated due to everything happening in our society now, he is in favor of going with last
year’s budget but would like to see the requests from Department Heads earmarked so that they could be
reviewed at a later time.
 Mr. Morgan requested an extra column be placed in the budget that will identify this year’s requests in order
to consider them at a later time.
 Mr. Walls stated that there are some items in the budget that will require an increase such as trash/recycle,
yard waste, landscaping, other contractors, etc. that the Town is contractually obligated to pay.
 Each Department Head reviewed their respective budgets and identified items that could be considered at a
later time and items that would be required to stay in the budget.
 When reviewing B10-Police Department, Mr. Morgan requested that an extra line be included in the budget
for encumbering overtime for the Police Department and Public Works. Mr. Morgan requested that a freeze
be placed on hiring a parking enforcement officer at this time.
 When reviewing C11-Streets, the money for sidewalks was removed and placed in the column to be
reviewed at later time.
 When reviewing H60-Cemetery, the Town Council agreed that the Cemetery Advisory Committee line item
would match 90% of the interest earned in the Perpetual Care Fund.
 Ms. Ebaugh presented the following memo:
 Mr. McCluskey made a motion to approve the use of the $24,450 surplus to offset a portion of the employer
premium increase to reduce the premium increase to $7,800 instead of $31,250. Mr. Shonts seconded the
motion, which passed unanimously.
 Mr. McCluskey thanked An Optical Galleria for funding the recording of the Town Council meetings.
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Motion to Adjourn
There being no further business, Mr. McCluskey made a motion to adjourn the April 9, 2020 Town Council meeting
and budget work session. Mr. Shonts seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at
8:23 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn M. Brinkley
Town Clerk
Council Action Items:
1. Approved the March 19, 2020 meeting minutes, as presented.
2. By consensus, the Town Council agreed to implement digital signatures through AccuFund, at no additional
cost.
3. Acknowledged the support of the emergency purchase of a pump for the North wastewater pump station that
was approved via email in the amount of $21,493.
4. Approved Hungerford and Terry, Inc. in the amount of $30,925.87 for the North Brook water treatment plant
filters.
5. Approved the use of the $24,450 surplus to offset a portion of the employer premium increase to reduce the
premium increase to $7,800 instead of $31,250.
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