Railroad crossings
There were several items on the action agenda that evening. The first-Railroad crossing improvements at Route 54 and Ashcake Road-was presented by Mike Davis, director of Public Works.
In recent years, the asphalt at these tracks has settled and heaved. "They're both very rough crossings now compared to what they were when we first installed them," Davis explained.
The task is described as "milling the existing asphalt to a uniform depth below the rubberized surface and then installing fresh asphalt at the proper grade."
Each crossing would require one day's work, for a total of two days. Activities would be coordinated with CSX. The work dates have not yet been selected, but efforts will be made to notify the public in advance.
Council voted 5-0 for the Town's annual contractor, Tally & Armstrong, to complete this work at a cost not to exceed $18,500.

Hanover Avenue sidewalks
The second action agenda item was not intended to be a public hearing, but the Council allowed citizens to make comments.
The item before the Council was a request for authorization to construct a sidewalk on the north side of Hanover Avenue from S. James Street to the baseball field across from the War Memorial.
Davis explained, "The goal of this particular project, the reason Council set it as a priority was because Hanover Avenue is a busy street, has about 4,000 vehicles a day, has a couple of different destinations for potential pedestrian traffic-that being the elementary school and the ball field."
The potential sidewalk is planned to lie in front of four different properties. Three affected property owners addressed the Council with concerns.
Spagna asked Davis, "I know we had the discussions with Council last fall, but when did the residents first get public notice?"
Davis responded that the residents were notified early June of this year.
Hanover Avenue resident Joanne Allen expressed her disappointment at not having been notified sooner. "As far as I know, we received no formal notification from the Town, no opportunity to comment on this, until I received a letter dated June 4th of this year," she said.
Allen added, "We really did not see the need, because I don't see that there are many other streets that have two sidewalks where the speed limit is, in fact, 25 miles per hour."
Following the citizen comments, Spagna commented, "I would not feel comfortable voting on this tonight. I don't think citizens had a chance to have their conversations with Public Works people, get the answers to their questions. I would move we defer voting on this to our next meeting, to allow Mr. Davis and his staff to take the time to work with the residents and get the questions answered."
The motion to defer passed 5-0.

Asphalt paving
Next, the Council voted 5-0 to authorize a list of proposed paving work for Fiscal Year 2008-2009.
The list includes: Route 1 from Route 54 to Caroline Street; Vaughan Road & Archie Cannon Drive; N. Center Street and part of A and B Street; the aforementioned railroad crossings improvements; and Success Street.
The Town's adopted budget already provides funding for the work. The approved cost is not to exceed $475,000.

Truck wash facility
The next request, also approved 5-0 by Council, was to authorize the construction of a truck and vehicle washing facility at the Town Shop.
Davis explained, "Back in the '90s, we started saving money for a variety of things, and we developed this fund called the Capital Project Fund, and every year we put a little money aside to take care of our facilities, our public facilities, maintenance facilities out of the Town Shop. ...
"This has been on our list for a while, and it's a place for us to wash down our equipment."
Additionally, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, which issues and enforces the Town's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS4) permit, declared last year that the current method of washing equipment was not environmentally acceptable. The proposed new facility would rectify this situation.
The low bidder for the project was Brooks & Company at $122,700. The Town had budgeted $125,447.27 for the project in the Capital Projects Funds.

Floodplain matters
Zack Robbins, acting director of Planning & Community Development, presented the next item.
"FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] has notified the Town that the flood insurance rate maps for the Town have been finalized. Public Works staff has been working with FEMA and officials from the state on these maps over the past year," he began.
"From the date that they were finalized, which was June 2nd, we have six months until these flood rate maps become official," which would be Dec. 2.
Robbins continued, "That time in the interim, the Town has-under mandate from FEMA and the state-to notify affected property owners about the changes in the flood rate map, as well as a mandate for the Town to adopt a Floodplain Management Ordinance to minimum standards that are given to us by FEMA.
"Failure by the Town to adopt such an ordinance would result in suspension of the Town's participation in the flood insurance program. ...
"Property owners can purchase flood insurance at the old rate based on the old map," Robbins said, mentioning that this map is available at Town Hall.
"We would encourage people to find out and purchase flood insurance now while we're getting the old rate. So, the Town will shortly be mailing notices to all the affected property owners."
The notice will also alert the property owners to a workshop staff plans on holding, which is intended to help address questions about flood insurance and any potential Town Code changes that may affect development rights.
Robbins estimated that roughly 10 percent of properties in the Town would be affected.
Town Council voted 5-0 to refer to the Town Planning Commission an ordinance to control development within floodplains.
The next Town Council meeting will be held 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 15, at Town Hall.