City Council voted Tuesday night to approve a moral obligation agreement for renovation of the Cyber Park facility that will be used by Overfinch North America for vehicle engineering, design and enhancement. The renovation is estimated to cost up to $500,000.
The Industrial Development Authority has agreed to renovate the facility for Overfinch. American National Bank & Trust has agreed to loan the money to the IDA for the renovation. By approving the moral obligation agreement, City Council acknowledges that it has a duty to repay the loan in the event the IDA fails to repay it.
Overfinch has a lease-purchase agreement for the Cyber Park facility located at 500 Stinson Drive. The lease rate will cover the loan payments to American National Bank & Trust for both the original purchase of the property and this renovation.
An existing sub-lease to NextGen will be maintained and Overfinch will derive the benefit of the NextGen lease payments. The total amount of the mortgage on this property will be $1.35 million. The monthly lease rate to be paid by Overfinch is $10,071.
In addition to the moral obligation agreement, City Council voted Tuesday night to:
• amend the City’s budget to provide for receipt of U.S. Department of Agriculture funds to offset food service operation cots at W.W. Moore Jr. Detention Home. It is projected the City will receive $45,333. The amount of funds received may be more or less depending on changes in the daily population.
• amend the City’s budget to provide for receipt of a highway safety grant for $10,825. The grant will be used to pay for overtime personnel for enforcement at driving under the influence and license checkpoints and to purchase field breath testing units.
• amend the City’s budget to provide for receipt of a highway safety grant for $10,939. The grant will provide overtime pay for police officers for the enforcement of speeding ordinances and for a radar & Lidar equipment purchase.
• amend the City’s budget to provide for receipt of a highway safety grant for $5,760. The grant will provide overtime pay for police officers for the enforcement of safety belt and child safety seat violations.
• amend the City’s budget to provide for receipt of a $21,605 grant from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. The grant will be used to purchase equipment and software for the fingerprinting and photographing of juveniles convicted or adjudicated delinquent of certain offenses. The system that is currently in use by the Danville Sheriff’s Office to fingerprint/photograph juveniles post adjudication is outdated, limited in its functionality and not capable of capturing photographs.
• amend the City’s budget to provide for receipt of a $25,000 grant from the Danville Regional Foundation. The grant will be used to plan well-connected and meaningful open spaces in the River District. Open spaces can be public plazas, alleyways, vacant lots or natural areas.
• appoint Jonathan T. Hackworth as a member of the River District Design Commission.
• reappoint Courtney Nicholas as a member of the River District Design Commission,
• reappoint Bryce Simmons as a member of the West Piedmont Planning District Commission.
• reappoint Geary H. Davis and Tia Yancey as members of the Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
• table a resolution to deny a special use permit to operate an outdoor car wash in the parking lot of Denim Stax at 234 North Union St.
• rezone 212 Murphy Circle to allow the Stokesland site of Moseley Memorial United Methodist Church to use the building for community services operated by nonprofit organizations.
• adopt an ordinance to grant a tax exemption for the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region.
In addition to these votes, City Council held first readings on three matters:
• amending the City’s budget to provide for receipt of nearly $1.2 million from the Virginia Department of Transportation to install a storm water drainage system along Patton Street, continue street and sidewalk improvements along Craghead Street, and perform street improvements along Lockett Drive and Beech Avenue.
• amending the City’s budget to provide for receipt of $450,000 from the Virginia Department of Transportation to resurface South Boston Road.
• amending the City’s budget to provide for receipt of $45,000 from the Virginia Department of Transportation to install flashing left turn yellow arrows in several high accident intersections. These flashing arrows have been used across the country for several years and have been shown to reduce left turn incidents.
A first reading is an introductory step required by City code before certain matters can be voted upon by City Council. This step serves to provide public notice of pending action. Council could vote on these matters Tuesday. The earliest votes that can take place will be the Oct. 18 City Council meeting.
Council's meeting included a business session followed by a work session. In work sessions, Council reviews non-routine matters that will be voted upon in future business meetings. In Tuesday’s work session, City Council reviewed a proposal to extend the period for recovering electric power supply costs, increase the power cost adjustment cap, and use $4 million in reserves to reduce the power cost adjustment liability.
In addition to the business and work sessions, a special session was held at 5:30 p.m. for consultation with legal counsel. This session was closed to the public as allowed by state law.
River City TV airs live all Council business sessions. The first rebroadcast will be at 8 p.m. Thursday. Watch it on cable (Comcast channel 10 and Gamewood channel 122). The taped broadcast is available now on the City’s YouTube channel -- DanvilleVAGov.
River City TV does not air work sessions, but they are open to the public.
