City of Point Pleasant, WV

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Leonard F. Riffle who led Council in the Pledge of Allegiance.

OUTSIDE DELEGATION

Sam Juniper / Planning Commission – Advised council that the planning commission had denied the request to G&M Fuel Company to rezone 101 South Park Drive from R-2 to B-2 by a 3-2 vote.

Molly Park / Point Pleasant in Bloom – Spoke to council on forming a tree commission that a community can take to create and sustain an urban forestry program.  She advised that the commissions are either advisory or administrative and may have various responsibilities.  Mayor Riffle asked council person Leota Sang if she would work with the committee and the city to begin the process.

Jerrie Howard / Point Pleasant in Bloom – Told council that the committee would like to landscape the southern ends of each of the (8) islands on Mt. Vernon Ave. Also would like to plant some small trees on the islands at a later time. Shared with council members that various areas in the city need to be cleaned up. She suggested that we should publish our ordinances and enforce them.   

MONTHLY BUSINESS

Gary Cotton made the motion to approve the minutes of the regular council meeting on Monday, April 7, 2008, and a second was given by Robert Doeffinger and the motion passed. A motion by Bill Park to approve the minutes of the special council meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, was approved with Barbara Brown adding the second. A motion by Bill Park and seconded by Gary Cotton to approve the financial statements of the General, Coal Severance, Water and Sewer Funds for the month of April 2008, was approved by council. Robert Doeffinger made a motion to approve the outstanding obligations for the month of April 2008, and Marshall Bonecutter gave the second and the motion was approved (9-0-1) Leota Sang abstained.

CITY ATTORNEY

City Attorney Stein gave the first reading of the PROPOSED ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF POINT PLEASANT, WEST VIRGINIA TO VACATE AND ABANDON A PORTION OF AN ALLEY SITUATED BETWEEN JACKSON AVENUE AND JEFFERSON AVENUE, BEGINNING AT SAID ALLEY’S INTERSECTION WITH 24^TH STREET AND EXTENDING NORTH 200 FEET, MORE OR LESS, TO THE NORTHERLY BOUNDARY OF LOT NUMBER 4. The City of Point Pleasant does hereby vacate and abandon a portion of the alley situated between Jackson Avenue and Jefferson Avenue.  Said portion to be vacated and abandoned shall begin at the intersection of said alley with Twenty-Fourth (24^th) Street and extend in a northerly direction a distance of approximately two hundred (200) feet, to the northerly boundary of Lot Number 4.  Provided, however, the provision shall be made by the property owner of said Lot Number 4 to provide public access from the remaining portion of said alley to Jefferson Avenue. During discussion of the issue councilman Gary Cotton left the room (one of the owners of property).  Robert Doeffinger made a motion to accept the first reading with the right to amend and Leota Sang gave the second and the motion passed (9-0-1) Gary Cotton abstained.

ACCOUNTANT

Shannon Johnson went over the PEIA increase with council that will take effect on July 1, 2008.  Discussion was held on the amount the city could pay (90%) and the amount each employee could pay (10%).  Mayor Riffle asked the Finance Committee to meet and discuss the increase and give council a recommendation at the June meeting.

CITY CLERK

City Clerk Brian Billings called for the second reading to revise and amend Part Thirteen – Chapter Three, Article 1331 (Special Residential Use) Section 1331.04 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Point Pleasant, West Virginia.  The amended ordinance will read if passed, as follows:

1331.04 FENCES AND PLANTING SCREENS

        Fences, (see through – no slats), plant material and similar screening devices up to four (4) feet in height are permitted in front yards from the street property line back to the closer projection of the house or garage.  Privacy fences, screening devices up to six (6) feet in height are permitted in the remaining yards.  Any portion on a street is considered a front yard.

A motion by Leota Sang to accept the second and final reading was seconded by Bill Park and the motion passed (8-2). Councilmen Marshall Bonecutter and Sam Juniper opposed.  Billings then read a letter on the city participating with the Mason County Commission in the Hazard Mitigation Plan at a cost of $500.00.  The plan has to be updated every five years, and if the city were to update the plan alone, it would cost as much as $3,500.00.  The city has to have a plan in place in order to receive any federal monies or grants.  Elaine Hunt made the motion to approve the $500.00 to update the plan and Marshall Bonecutter added the second and the motion unanimously passed.       

MAYOR

Mayor Riffle asked council to approve the city’s $1,000.00  contribution to the Mason County Health Department.  Robert Doeffinger made the motion and Elaine Hunt added the second and the motion passed (9-1) with Sam Juniper opposing.  The mayor then asked council to approve the appointment of himself Joe Supple and Gary Cotton to serve on a committee and work with representatives of the U.S. General Services Administration.  The committee will work with the Mason County Commission and the Mason County Development Authority to see what can be done regarding the navy yard property.  Barbara Brown made the motion to accept the recommendation and Robert Doeffinger added the second and the motion passed (8-0-2) with Supple and Cotton abstaining from the vote.  Mayor Riffle asked council to approve the reappointment of Steve Carpenter to the Point Pleasant Housing Authority.  Gary Cotton made the motion for approval and Bill Park secured the second and the motion passed.  The mayor then told council members that the source of the leak at the swimming pool that has cost the city thousands of dollars in lost water was found, adding that a 20 foot pipe had burst into numerous pieces and could be compared to a 2 inch hole in the bottom of the pool.  Riffle then asked if there was any action to be taken on the rezoning request that the Planning Commission had turn down at 101 South Park Drive.  Council took no action on the request made by G&M Fuel Company.

COUNCIL CONCERNS

Gary Cotton – Thanked Marshall Bonecutter for the good job that he had done at the floodwall building in replacing the roof and saving the city money.  Cotton asked City Clerk Billings about the B&O collections and who has not paid.  M. Leota Sang - Made a motion with the right to amend to revise the video lottery ordinance to increase the distance allowed between video lottery establishments and other structures within the city.  Linda Smith added the second and the first reading was approved (6-4) with Gary Cotton, Bill Park, Sam Juniper and Joe Supple opposing.  The revised ordinance will increase from 150 feet to 300 feet the distance between new video lottery establishments and similar existing establishments.  The revised ordinance also will increase from 300 feet to 2,000 feet the distance between a video lottery establishment and any existing religious institution, school, child care center, a boundary of any residential area or perimeter of a public park. 

AN ORDINANCE TO REVISE AND AMEND PART THIRTEEN – CHAPTER THREE, ARTICLE 1347 (LIMITED VIDEO LOTTERY AND KENO ESTABLISHMENTS), SECTION 1347.03 (LOCATION OF LIMITED VIDEO LOTTERY AND KENO ESTABLISHMENTS) OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF POINT PLEASANT, WEST VIRGINIA.

1347.03 LOCATION OF LIMITED VIDEO LOTTERY AND KENO ESTABLISHMENTS

c) It shall be unlawful to operate a limited video and/or Keno
    establishment within 300 feet of an existing establishment
    that all ready provides limited video lottery and/or Keno
  within 2000 feet of an existing religious institution, school
     or child care center, a boundary of any residential area, or
     the perimeter of a public park.