Welcome to The James Exchange: Monday Matters 7.12, 2021. I am Nancy Gill, the host of The James Exchange.
The Scottsville Town Council meets this evening at 7:00 in Council Chambers, 401 Valley Street for their monthly work session. At times the public is invited to participate, but generally, this is a time dedicated for council discussion with staff.
1: Budget focus on cash management and investments
2: Itinerant business licenses
3: VDOT sidewalk project scope and contract
4: American Rescue Plan project reports
Excerpts from Town Administrator Lawless’ report include the following:
Budget focus on cash management and investments
The town ended Fiscal Year 2021 with a $56,000 surplus. The first portion of the American Rescue Plan of $258,000 has been received.
Itinerant business licenses
The Town has licensed several firms at the rate of $50 for a week, but we have never issued a $500 annual peddler’s license. This tax law is old and appears designed to deter traveling business while protecting brick-and-mortar. This is a legal and legitimate goal, but it may not be the intent of the current Town Council.
Action: Amend the ordinance or maintain the existing fee structure.
VDOT sidewalk grant contract
In 2020, VDOT awarded the Town a $320,000 grant with an $80,000 match requirement. The Town delayed the start of the work during the pandemic and considered the overall value of the project. The Town has also adopted a small area plan and approved rezoning likely to increase the population. During the public hearings, existing residents were concerned about traffic impacts and pedestrian safety.
Action: Accept or reject the VDOT grant. If accepting the $320,000 grant, the first step in design work would be to advertise and contract a private engineer instead of using VDOT internal administration. Control can be a priority.
American Rescue Plan project priorities
The passage of this federal law provides strong support for economic recovery in Scottsville. The direct aid to the Town is over $500,000, to be used through 2024.
Town Council’s adopted budget includes five project categories to support the local recovery.
The proposed projects are:
1: DMV Select: provide a new basic service to bring traffic downtown
2: Streetscape and Landscaping: beautify visible space for visitors
3:Parks Enhancements: green infrastructure & public health
4: Community Partnerships: tourism and small business growth
5: Essential Staff & Safety: flood control, digital, & human resources
DMV Select progress report
This project has several parts to be completed before the launch on August 16th and the grand opening ceremony on the 24th. DMV Contract and Budget. Approved by Council, underway.
1: Hire staff. Ms. LaToya Hamlett will serve as DMV Supervisor, starting June 28.
2: Recruiting for the two DMV Clerk hires is underway.
3: Renovate office space. Two bids were received, and Tocci Mid-Atlantic had the best bid. Work is underway.
4: Purchasing furniture, hardware, and computers are underway.
5: IT changes. Good opportunity to improve Town email, file sharing, and scheduling services. Town staff can upgrade existing Microsoft services. The adopted budget is adequate.
6: Signs. DMV delivered some signs. New building signs were approved by ARB in July.
James River Waterfront Improvements
A cleaner, more attractive riverfront is a Town Council priority for both environmental and economic reasons. This project has $10,000 of American Rescue Plan funds in the budget, and the James River Association and Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources are supportive partners.
Community Business Launch
Another ARPA opportunity for action now is to recruit new small businesses into vacant storefronts. Council stated support for the grant matching program from the state government, the Community Business Launch. This would match $10,000 of ARPA funds with $40,000 of new state-level money. Scottsville’s Chamber of Commerce is interested in supporting it further.
Town Code Update
The Town Code is obsolete in paper format, lacking transparency to public, and cumbersome for staff. The Municipal Code Corporation, which did the Town’s paper updates ten years ago, is now branded as MuniCode and focuses on web-based legal services. The Town is under contract for $15,000 of services for legal research, code updates, and digital hosting of an improved code of ordinances. The Government Services Committee is also comparing codes to look for new ideas helpful to the town.
I had planned on recapping the June 21st Town Council/Planning Commission meeting for this podcast. However, a four-hour meeting is difficult to unpack for a 10-12 minute presentation. I will be working on a series dedicated to zoning in Scottsville in the coming weeks.
Enjoy the week.
The James Exchange: Monday Matters 7.12.21