City Council will meet Tuesday, Feb. 21, in a business session at 7 p.m., followed by a work session. Both sessions are open to the public.
The business session will be held in the Council Chambers on the fourth floor of the Municipal Building, which is located at 427 Patton St.
The work session will be held on the same floor, but across the hall in the Council Conference Room. In work sessions, Council reviews non-routine matters that will be voted upon in future business meetings.
During the business session, City Council will vote on whether to provide a customer credit for water leaks that are the result of a break in the underground line from the customer’s premise to the water meter.
Danville Utilities receives reports of more than 100 water leaks annually due to underground leaks on the customer's side of the water meter. These leaks are not found until the customer bill is received indicating a large increase in their monthly water consumption. Some of the leaks are significant and costly
To provide for a credit, City Council must revise municipal code. As proposed, the revised municipal code would provide a credit for one month in the amount that is determined to be the excessive flow of water through a meter due to a leak in, or a rupture of, a water pipe.
The customer would only be eligible for one credit in a 12-month period and would be required to repair the damaged piping and have the work inspected by the City's Inspection Division. This revision in the municipal code would not be applicable for leaking faucets, toilets, or any other customer owned water devices. Adjustments must be requested within 60 days of the billing period that the leak occurred.
City Council also is scheduled to vote on three other matters:
- A resolution to submit when complete a site classification study for the Berry Hill Industrial Park. The study will access the readiness of potential industrial or commercial sites for marketing. The Regional Industrial Facility Authority (RIFA), City of Danville and Pittsylvania County jointly own the park. RIFA has received a matching grant to pay for the study, which must be submitted to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.
- A resolution to submit a list of priority economic development projects to be included in a regional plan as required by the federal Economic Development Administration.
- A resolution granting an easement for ingress and egress upon City-owned properties near the Danville Regional Airport. A public hearing will precede the vote.
In addition to these votes, City Council will hold a first reading on three matters:
A budget amendment to provide for receipt of $1.6 million from the issue of special no-interest bonds for eligible school projects.
A budget amendment to provide for receipt of a grant in the amount of $125,000 to pay the salary and benefits of a new crime analyst position and to pay patrol overtime, travel and training and equipment and supplies as needed in efforts to reduce violent crime. The grant will require no matching funds. The award is the second year of an anticipated three-year grant program.
A budget amendment to provide for receipt of a grant in the amount of $18,000 to review and update the Police Department’s policy manual and to create a separate procedural manual.
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 cannot vote on the budget amendment Tuesday. The earliest vote that can take place will be the March 7 City Council meeting.
For the work session, the agenda includes the following items:
- Discussion of a grant in the amount of $413,269 to renovate the house at 407 Holbrook St. for use as the Williams Community Resource Center. The project is designed to protect and enhance the integrity of the historically significant structure as well as create a location open to the public where the past, present and future of African American Civil Rights can be displayed, discussed and advanced.
- An update from consultants on the progress in refinancing Industrial Development bonds through a master lease program.
- Discussion of a resolution to designate the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce as the marketing organization for Danville.
- Discussion of a request to vacate an unused right of way to allow for consolidation of property near Spring Avenue.
- Discussion of a request to vacate an unused right of way on Joplin Street to allow for consolidation with adjoining parcels.
- Review of monthly financial statements.
River City TV, the city’s government access channel, will air the business session. Watch it live on cable (Comcast channel 10 and Gamewood channel 122) or streaming on the River City TV Facebook page.
River City TV does not air work sessions, but they are open to the public.
