Blue Ridge City Council Adopts Parking Changes

Despite all the tabling, Blue Ridge City Council was able to accomplish a modicum of business at their meeting on September 8.

The council was able to approve of some rule changes including a water and sewer surcharge ordinance to reflect current practices. The ordinance will strike a surcharge based on square footage of buildings, and base the surcharge instead on meter size. The council also adopted a two-hour time limit for parking on Church Street and decided to add handicapped spots to North Main Street.

The council was also able to apply $2,435 to offset the PILOT taxes owed to the Blue Ridge Housing Authority. Thanks to a rural development community facility grant, the city was able to purchase a skid steer. The grant is $25,000, with the city contributing $8,000, and does not need a grant writer.

Mayor Donna Whitener said the skid steer “would be used for lots of things. It would be used at the water plant, the sewer plant, it would be used on roads and streets.”

Also purchased were services with municipal network management company IT in a Box. Services include help with open records requests, website design, data management, vendor management, and email for mayor, city clerk, and council. The rest of the city employees will have email through the current host.

IT in a Box can be dropped at any time and will cost $505.38 each month, compared to the $313.99 per month the city is currently paying.

According to the city clerk Kelsey Ledford, “I could have a page where I posted all of the minutes and agendas and all of the documents that you guys [city council] get in your packets. If somebody from the public wanted to see what documents you have, they could access it from their computer and not submit an open records request.”

Many items were tabled at this meeting until next meeting. The sign ordinance was tabled until the council could see what signs are currently in compliance with the ordinance and what changes might be needed. The purchase of a snow plow was also tabled until further information could be obtained from city mechanic, Tony Byrd. City attorney David Syfan needed to change some items in a contract with Carter and Sloope for downtown redevelopment. He also needs to review the probation contract, so both the Carter and Sloope and the probation contracts were tabled. A proposal for a day honoring Walter McGill who walked across the country was also tabled until next meeting so council members could research it further. There was also no decision made in executive session for the sale of land.

The council heard from Cesar Martinez of the Blue Ridge Business Association. He asked for the city to shut down the street for Halloween and to fix 2 light poles that didn’t work last year during the Christmas season.

Mayor Whitener added, “All of our Christmas lights, the clear lights we have…a lot of those will have to be replaced.” Martinez also gave a brief overview of new members.

Lastly the council heard from Patrick Crain who accused the mayor of a conflict of interest in voting for loft dwellings in October of 2012. He also accused the mayor of not residing in the city and asked for an investigation of this matter.

Will such an investigation be tabled until the next election? Only time will tell.