Council - Regular Meeting

Father, it's once again, God, that we come before you, Lord, to give your name the praise and the glory, thanking you, God, for all that you've done. Thank you, Lord, that you brought us back again. back together one more time. Lord, we pray, oh God, that you would be in this meeting, Lord. Let everything, oh God, be done in decent and in order according to your will, nothing more and nothing less, God. And we thank you. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Amen.

Would everyone please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to our country. again welcome everyone we will begin with the roll call i see that all council members are present and accounted for so we will dispense with the actual roll call and we'll proceed with the approval of the minutes and the agenda do i hear a motion for the approval of the minutes of july 20th

So moved. Second.

Are there any additions, questions, deletions to the minutes? None being heard. All in favor of the minutes? So approved. We need an approval of the agenda. So moved. Second.

Are there any changes or additions?

Not from staff. Motion second. Then we'll see if there's any changes. Motion second of approval of the agenda. Are there any changes that need to be made? None by council? The agenda, as stated, will now come to vote. Everyone in favor of the agenda? And it is unanimous. We do have a public hearing tonight on the ordinance and creation of the Office of Deputy Town Manager. and um that will be presented by mr finnick mr finnick uh are you prepared to uh conduct the public hearing for the creation of the office of deputy town manager hi ann so in going through the

town code and the state code and this was brought up by one of the citizens in regards to our nomenclature of assistant town manager and the state code reference what we have been using as an assistant town manager the state code now references that as a deputy town manager And that is under Virginia Code 15.2-1502. And that same statute also goes on to detail the town manager having an assistant which is different than a deputy town manager so that the town manager can have an assistant town council does not have to appoint that assistant he he appoints his own assistant and we have this uh code changed that effective on the first meeting of January of each year that council would appoint in addition to the other spots appointed deputy town manager and we thought or I felt like having it done every January would be better than doing it once every two years. I know council in the past have wanted to make certain that new council members were able to vote on this, but if we do it every year, it will work out that way. So the deputy town manager takes an act of role as the town manager in the absence of the town manager. And as Mayor, as you stated in the past, that once we get past that stage, if something were to happen to both the town manager and the deputy town manager, then the mayor steps in until we get those two spots appointed. But this is to revise the nomenclature instead of calling it an assistant town manager, calling it deputy town manager.

and so as this is a public hearing um i am assuming that you suggest that we postpone this uh or the creation of this uh first council needs to create the position uh within our matrix no i i would suggest that you go forward we already have what

is now called deputy town manager as assistant town manager we've had that position for quite some time so we don't need to postpone it i believe at the last meeting it was brought up by the committee and they recommended that it be set for a public hearing to get public input and to consider adopting these revisions.

So the job description of assistant town manager is in our, I guess it's called matrix, or in our town code or HR manual. It should be.

We're just changing the name.

And you're just changing the name. So that still presents the problem of which assistant town manager takes over and still doesn't define absence.

I don't know that we need to define absence, but in the event that we had some town, I'll make up something, in the event that we had some document that needed to be signed by the town manager, and the town manager was absent, let's say, at a conference in California,

and the deputy town manager is here the deputy town manager can sign that document okay so um the public uh hearing is on the creation of the office of deputy town manager but what you're suggesting is to change the definition of assistant town manager and we would assistantly have two deputy town managers.

Well, no, I believe that one of the assistants is wanting to remain as an assistant appointed by the town manager. And that code section does reference that 15.2-1502 does give the authority to the town manager to appoint an assistant. And I believe that's what our most recent assistant town manager is wanting to be an assistant to the town manager. Is that still correct?

That's correct. So one would be appointed by staff, the town manager. One would be the deputy would be a position of public official appointed by council.

So we would just have one deputy unless council's wanting to have two, and then we would have to say which one was deputy town manager one, which one was deputy town manager two.

Yeah, back to the beginning question of the authority as different yeah yeah who was in the chain of command and at what point in time uh and um as as far as absence uh goes uh i'm not comfortable with absence because absence could mean anything from uh being out of the building to being incapacitated. So what are you suggesting that we do at this point other than change the definition of assistant town manager? And then we need to create another definition for the assistant town manager. I'm not following it.

The deputy town manager versus the assistant town manager. The deputy town manager is appointed by council. We have called that prior to... Three meetings back, we've had an assistant town manager, and that individual is Tony Muncie. And then we later added a second town assistant town manager. But that second town manager, what they are becoming, what they want, and if I'm incorrect, What they want is they want the town manager to appoint them as their assistant so that there would be no need for town council to take any action on that. The town manager can do that on his or her own. So we've had an assistant town manager. The nomenclature has changed by virtue of the state code and we're just getting it up to date with the state code.

Okay, as this is a public hearing and the public is invited to comment on these proceedings, is council agreeing that we open this up to the public now?

Yeah, sure.

Okay. So if there's anyone here in attendance that would like to speak to this, please approach the podium. Be recognized. And Dr. Walsh.

Charles Walsh. I'd like to thank Sister Hayes for a wonderful prayer. Almost every organization I've been to, if you have a guy that's the head, he appoints his own assistants. He doesn't have to get permission from somebody else. I mean, you all appoint the police chief, the town manager, this and that and the other. But they get to, you all don't mess with police chief's subs, do you? It seems like it's kind of premature even to have a public hearing because it's kind of all unclear what's going on. I think the town manager ought to appoint his own people, period. Thank you.

Thank you, Dr. Watson. Is there anyone else in attendance that would like to speak to this? Okay.

Jim Talley, Robin Hood Drive. I am unclear. Setting aside how the assistant and the deputy town manager ascend to their positions, what is the difference in authority between an assistant town manager and a deputy town manager?

Deputy is number two in charge.

What's the difference in the authorities?

It's by code.

What is the difference in authority?

He assumes town manager's position in absence.

So you're saying they have the same authority, it's just a question of who gets there first? In the absence of the town manager?

We give him the authority by code. Virginia has adopted on January 1st our ordinances, and the state bestows the powers of the deputy on that. He would never take over the town manager unless there was an absence. And like Mark said, a document or some important negotiation had to take place. You have to have a chain of command, as you well know. I understand. That's the only difference. That isn't my question.

Yes, I believe I understand your question. It might be better answered by the chair of the personnel committee if you have any input or any guidance on this.

The only guidance I have and wonder why isn't Andrew doing... the appointment of these people.

Well, the public hearing is to create the Office of Deputy Town Manager.

I think we should let Mark answer any of those questions.

Andrew cannot appoint the Deputy Town Manager. Yes, it's a council. Council has to appoint them.

Well, why are we, I'm really confused. Can I speak?

Yes, yes, please. I'm asking you.

I'm wondering, What brought up the deputy? How did we get here? Well, the county has two assistants. Other towns have two assistant town managers.

They're appointed by the supervisor. They're not appointed by council. It changes now. If you want a deputy, correct, Mark? If you want a deputy, it has to be appointed by council. And we're changing our...

because of the pleasure right now we're changing our nomenclature so that we do want a deputy well it sounds to me like the code is just has can i speak to this would that be okay please so my request was to build a hierarchy that had two assistant town managers we voted on that the question was in the event of my inability to to serve in my position What happens? So Mark went back to the code and said, okay, so there's language about a deputy town manager which would be the natural successor in my absence. I have the ability to appoint someone else that would serve in the same capacity but would not be the natural successor as appointed by council in my absence. So I think what's being asked tonight, or at least my understanding of the point of this public hearing, is to adopt the position of deputy town manager in our nomenclature and then for council to appoint who they want to be the deputy. well don't we need to talk to you about no i i think it's uh i think based on on tenure i think it it makes sense that at least if you all asked my opinion that tony would be the natural successor to the deputy's position well then that that's good that's i'm glad that question has been answered but we still haven't answered uh mr talley's question about authority january 1st we all voted to accept the state code

and to match our ordinances up so anytime you you vote to accept something your local ordinances need to match up with the state in the event that that's the state the state sets a hierarchy it clearly defines deputy clearly clearly defines assistance And that's all we're doing.

Okay, so we need to change our town code also that states that at the end of the manager's job description that states that the assistant town manager will assume the full rights and authority of the town manager in his absence.

We actually have that. That part has been done. It just hasn't been presented. If you looked at the draft, you see items one through eight. I believe the town manager may have one through nine on what we have revised, but one through eight would be eight of those nine items that are under the town manager. So we actually have that ready at some point for council to consider that one.

Okay. So under the human resources guide to assistant town manager job description, where is that in our code or the code, the assistant town manager's job description?

He is basically a helper to Andrew.

In this ordinance, that's what it says. He slash she, this being the deputy, shall, unless it is otherwise provided by general law, charter, or by ordinance or resolution of the town council for the town of Marion, one, see that all ordinances, resolutions, directives, and orders of the town council for the town of Marion and all laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia required to be enforced through the town council of officers subject to the control of the town council are faithfully executed. Two, make reports to the town council from time to time as required or deemed advisable under the affairs of the town of Marion under his slash her control and supervision. Number three, receive reports from and give directions to all heads of offices, departments, and boards of the Town of Marion under his slash her control and supervision. Four, submit to the Town Council for the Town of Marion a proposed annual budget in accordance with the general law and with 5. Execute the budget as finally adopted by the Town Council for the Town of Merion. 6. Keep the Town Council for the Town of Merion fully advised on the Town of Merion's financial condition and its future needs. appoint all officers and employees of the town of marion except as he slash she may authorize the head of an office department and board responsible to him slash her to appoint subordinates in such office department and board eight perform such do other duties as may be prescribed by the town council for the town of marion all while we have a town manager able to act, the town manager is doing those things. In the event that the town manager is not able to act, whether that's out on a trip to California that keeps them away, then the deputy town manager would step into that role. The assistant does not step into that role. The assistant might then, in the absence of the town manager, become the assistant to the deputy town manager.

Okay, and that would be up to the deputy town manager, correct? So that's the way that authority would be changing from the town manager to the deputy, then to the assistant town manager.

that technically it would not go to the assistant town manager because council would have to appoint. And then if they're appointing, the new nomenclature says that they would be a deputy town manager. So at that point, if we're going to have two, we would have to have a deputy town manager one and a deputy town manager two. And if that's the case, then we would have a different individual as an assistant to the town manager.

Okay. Mr. Kelly. Yes, sir. Did that help to answer your question?

No, it did not.

Okay.

That would be fine. Would you do it from the podium, please, sir? I'm sorry to ask you to, but the microphone is there.

If I put my question a little bit more simply. That would be nice. Andrew's in his office, fully functional, doing all the responsibilities Mr. Finney just said. What are the roles and responsibilities of the assistant and the deputy town manager, and are they the same or do they differ? I'm not talking about when the town manager is not available. Normal day-to-day operations, Andrew's in his office.

Well, I believe that's delegated by the county.

And that's fine if that's the answer. One operational and one administrative?

Yes, one is over administrative staff, one is over operational staff. The reason for the designation here is to answer the question of who would be the natural successor if I was unable to work in my capacity.

Okay. Now, does assistant and deputy map to operational? Hang on. You're nodding yes, but I don't know. Does it map to operational administrative, or can it be the other way around, depending on the people that are involved?

It would be based on the skills of the people involved. I would hope so. OK.

Thank you. States does the legwork for us. Right. They've done the job description. All we're trying to do is just correlate with the state.

I understand. We'll discuss in a moment. It's still the public's part of the program. So please. Is there anyone else in the public that would like to speak to this?

Roger Bowman, 844 Edwin Drive, here in Marion. My question is, why is Tony or Tom back here, what's the deal? We've never had this before, and I know, don't tell me that the state doesn't. What is the point? I mean, we have people that's very qualified to do a job without making up another position. For some reason, it seems like, you know, we want somebody, and we're going to create a position. I don't know who's in line for it. I don't care. If the town has operated this long in the capacity that it's done, and it's had problems, It's had some serious weather stuff. The town has always been able to take care of it. What is going on now that all of a sudden we gotta rush this through? Because one second I heard about it, and now we're trying to push it right through here. And there's not that many people here, so I'm wondering how many people even know this is going on that would come up here and comment. Because this has been one quick thing.

Just wondering.

If I can. You're welcome to speak to that.

So we have had an assistant town manager for many, many years. The one that was acting in that capacity when I started as town attorney was Cecil Hicks. So that's been 37 years. Thereabouts. So this is nothing being rushed through. We're just changing the nomenclature that if he were still here, his title would change from assistant town manager to deputy town manager. he would function in the same capacity. It just so happened that in his case, he was town engineer slash assistant town manager. The duties have continued and been the same from probably before Cecil Hicks, but the town manager assigns those duties, council assigns in the town manager's absence, who takes control. Okay.

I believe I followed that. Anyone else in attendance in the public that would like to speak to this? And as I see no one, I will turn it over to Council now for discussion. Yes.

I just have one simple question. Why wasn't the Personnel Committee involved somehow in this, along with the Ordinance Committee? Because these are personnel. I know they're appointed, but I just want to.

I believe it went to the Ordinance Committee. It did. It did go to the Ordinance Committee.

I know. I know that. But should the Personnel Committee have been involved? Just asking that question. Not really. Okay.

Well, as chair of the Personnel Committee, is it your feeling that your committee would want to be involved?

Well, I mean, I'm just saying, we're talking about employees. staff members, you know, I was just wondering why. But I mean, not that I want to get involved in it, because it seems very complicated. But and then on the other hand, it seems very simple. Andrew should be making these decisions, in my opinion.

Okay, so what Councilman Jennings, if I may, as chair of the personnel committee, what is our function here? We don't really need to create the office because it already exists. We're simply going to rename the office. of assistant town manager to deputy town manager. And then the assistant to the town manager will simply be an assistant to the town manager which doesn't have to be designated. because it is simply a choice of the town manager.

Is that correct? I'm sure it is. Yeah, I'm just concerned. I mean, my question was, well, it looks like our community should have been involved with it somehow. You're at least to hear the conversation and the discussion. Yeah, I would. And it's not your fault. I'm not saying that. I'm just wondering. I'm just telling you what I think.

Do you do you wish to make a motion?

well if i were going to make a motion i would say we would accept the deputy position and we would leave it up to andrew to decide which one it is which i think he has done that no we have to we have to well i think i still think it should be andrew's decision

It has to be a council.

We're making this a whole lot more complicated.

We are making it very complicated.

No, it's not complicated whatsoever. The code outlines everything that we have to do, Susan. If we adopt the code, we have to go along with that. If we don't want to go along with the code come January 1st, but no, we won't adopt it because When you vote yes, you vote for everything that the code says for it. So I don't understand the complication.

Well, what I'm saying is I would like to know, and I think I know Andrew's decision, and so we do what Andrew knows these employees a whole lot more than we do, and he knows which one will be better for assistant, which one will be better for deputy. Is that not right, Andrew?

I would just remind council that you all voted. You had interviews and voted on what is now called Deputy Town Manager. We were calling it Assistant Town Manager. That's right. You all had interviews and voted.

We did.

Okay, so if we held interviews for that, then it was an advertised position and we actually, are we under any obligation to advertise the position once we create it? No.

We're just changing the nomenclature.

Andrew, is that right?

That's correct. This is your all's appointment.

Well, we're voting first to change the nomenclature, I believe. And then once we create that position, change the nomenclature, I don't think we can do that all in one motion. Or can we, Cindy?

Two separate motions.

Two separate motions. So right now, we're talking about the motion to change the nomenclature of assistant town manager to town manager.

Deputy town manager.

I'm sorry, deputy town manager. Getting in the weeds. so you need a motion for that yeah i'll make that motion okay second okay motion and second and of course we've been discussing for quite some time so um is there any more comments from council are we ready to vote all in favor we will change the nomenclature now the floor is open for another motion if there is any to be made cindy you need the reappointment correct the appointment for tony's deputy yeah we can do that yes we can do that tonight yeah i'd like to make a motion we need to vote on this one first i thought we just did yeah we did yes um okay all in favor of the motion of changing the nomenclature of assistant town manager to deputy town manager all in favor and it's adopting it as a town ordinance and adopting as a town ordinance do we need to is that okay I believe that's what our intention was okay we've got that piece of business out of the way floor is still open for motion so now I'd like to make a motion that we appoint Tony Muncie as the deputy as just established okay is there any discussion on that no discussion we ready to vote all in favor okay uh that concludes the public hearing on ordinance creation of uh and the creation office of deputy town manager okay um we will move on now to public presentations brandy branson you're first on the agenda

Hi, I am Brandy Branson. I currently reside in Chilhowee. I grew up here in Maryham, Virginia. Thank you, Mr. Long, for inviting me to come speak. So for the past year, I've been working on getting a 501 for recovery housing. I want to tell you all how this came about. My name is Brandi Branson. I'm the founder of Beyond the Stigma Recovery Housing, an emerging nonprofit organization here in Marion, Virginia. As someone who grew up in this community, I have a deep personal connection to individuals, families, and challenges we face here in Southwest Virginia. Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to serve in many roles that allowed me to see the impact of substance use disorder from multiple perspectives. I began my career here, Smith County Sheriff's Office, working for Sheriff David Bradley. Continued serving at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail. I taught at the Southwest Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy. And I currently work as a recovery court coordinator, where I walk alongside individuals as they work toward accountability, stability, and a life beyond addiction. Through my work as a recovery coordinator, I witnessed firsthand that recovery is possible when individuals are provided with the right combination of accountability, support, treatment, and resources. I saw people who were given an opportunity to change their lives, rebuild their lives. and become productive members of our communities however i have also saw many challenges faced when they complete treatment or court requirements and return to the environments that lack the stability and support for necessary long-term success recovery is not just a nine-to-five journey It does not come with weekends, holidays, or an opportunity to check out at the end of the day. Recovery is a lifelong commitment that requires continuous effort, resilience, and support. Success depends on access to stable housing, consistent structure, accountability, and a strong recovery force community. Too often, individuals complete 30-, 60-, or 90-day treatment programs, which is the length of care that is commonly covered by our insurance, Medicaid, which, as we know, a lot of our folks rely on Medicaid. in recovery you know the uh sometimes we can get it extended for up to six months but after that um we're going back to the same process of these folks being either put back out on the street to the things they knew before and the only place they know where to go is back to the same place where they got their drugs from So although they have taken the first steps, they remain in one of the most vulnerable stages of recovery and are often expected to maintain sobriety without the structure and stability they need. The issue is not just having something that I have witnessed through my career. This has also affected my own family. One of the most difficult times in my life was having to tell my daughter, which is here with me tonight. Only the age of 13 years old that her biological mother had passed. Although I spent many years working in the field and witnessing the impact of substance use disorder professionally, experiencing it within my own family allowed me to understand the pain on an entirely different level. I was no longer seeing the effects through reports, court cases, or professional interactions. I was living the aftermath every single day. I witnessed her experience a loss that no child should ever have to endure. I watched her try to process the reality that her biological mother was gone and navigate those emotions that were far too heavy for a 13 year old to carry. There were questions that did not have any answers, moments of confusion, sadness and heartbreak that addiction had left behind. My daughter's experience combined with my years of professional service and personal experiences within the field remind me of the profound impact addiction has had on families right here in our community. Together, these experiences have shaped the foundation of what I call beyond the stigma and strengthened my commitment to creating a place where individuals are given an opportunity to recover, families are given hope, and our community can move toward healing. It reinforced my belief that behind every statistic is a person. Behind every person is a family, and behind every family is a story that matters. By providing long-term recovery housing, we are not only supporting individuals in recovery, but we're also strengthening our community. Thank you all for your time, your leadership, and for standing behind me as I bring lasting recovery to our community.

Brandon, thank you very much for your presentation. I hope that you're very successful in your endeavor for your 503 . Thank you. Next we have Parker Henson. Parker, if you will please.

parker has been in our office as an intern go ahead if you want to hear past that and delighted to have this young man as a marion native headed back to his senior year virginia tech tried to get him to go to each sentencing state but he he couldn't make it in there so i guess you have to go back to be a hokey but part of his internship here when he came to me i always like to make sure the interns have something they can take back and put in practice and they can add to their portfolio and show that they've made an impact not only in the community but also an impact for their career as they head into the future and Parker has done that he spent the summer with us doing some surveys and those basis those surveys will go with our Marion 2035 plan and our new board on Marion downtown and we'll start incorporating some of those in there. And it's just a better service to our community in our downtown. And I certainly, first of all, I want to thank Parker for serving in the office and certainly wish him well in his continued career. He has a bright career ahead of him, and I'm delighted to have just a piece of it in our office. Parker, the floor is yours. Thank you.

Good afternoon.

As Ken mentioned, my name is Parker Henson. I'm a senior at Virginia Tech studying community and economic development. And over the course of the summer, I worked on a downtown business assessment. The purpose of this project was to create an opportunity for businesses downtown to provide feedback and to gather input from community members to understand the strengths, challenges, and opportunities that face our local businesses. Additionally, the project gathered qualitative data to pair with numerical information to assist in ventures moving forward. The information gathered from this assessment is intended to assist in future projects and improvement efforts downtown. To gather feedback, online surveys were used, in-person interviews were conducted with business owners, and short surveys were conducted with downtown residents and visitors. The purpose of this report is to summarize the information collected during the assessment, identify common issues that emerged from responses, and present recommendations based on the findings. The results are intended to provide a snapshot of current business and community perspectives, while serving as a resource to support future planning and decision-making related to downtown Marion. In total, there were 20 responses gathered, with seven being online surveys from business owners, eight in-person interviews were conducted with business owners, and then five written surveys were filled out by residents and visitors downtown. Online surveys were sent to 16 different establishments located on Main Street and were used to gather background information on businesses as well as gather a framework of information to base in-person interview questions from. With roughly half of those sent online surveys responding, the number of interviews conducted in person matched that figure in order to ensure thorough questioning and that detailed responses were received. While the purpose of the project was to get an insight into overall opinions on the feelings toward downtown, the nature of the questions was to find areas to improve on. This led to more comments on areas that are lacking downtown. Although the majority of the feedback was about what should be changed, there was plenty of positive feedback on what is done well already. To start, there were several common themes in terms of strengths downtown. The charm of Marion and the little things that make it special make a difference to local entrepreneurs. Lots of business owners mentioned that a strength of doing business in Marion is the people. The residents of Marion make a difference in helping motivate business owners to start or continue doing business. When asked, what do you enjoy most about doing business in Marion, and what do you feel are downtown's biggest strengths, a business owner replied with, the people in this town. It's an inviting community. This feeling towards the community shows that business owners feel a need to serve their community. Another frequently mentioned strength of downtown was the exposure that comes with being located on Main Street. Several business owners noted that Main Street is a center for community activity providing consistent exposure to small businesses with residents, visitors, and tourists frequently traveling through the area. Businesses also emphasize that the walkable nature of downtown and the concentration of shops and restaurants encourage visitors to notice other businesses that were otherwise unknown to them. Business owners view their main street location as a valuable asset that helps strengthen awareness and contributes to the unique character and appeal of downtown. Overall, feedback from both business owners and community members highlighted that downtown Marion possesses several strong assets that provide a solid foundation for the growth of a small business. The welcoming small town atmosphere, as well as the people that make up the community, were consistently mentioned as qualities that set Marion apart. While businesses also recognize areas for improvement, these strengths demonstrate that Main Street has plenty of characteristics needed to support small businesses. Building upon these existing assets using the feedback provided by local entrepreneurs can support the continued growth and long-term success of businesses and residents. As a result of the nature of the project, majority of the feedback was on areas that needed to be improved upon. Lots of these problems were mentioned more than once, and businesses also often provided ideas on ways that they can be improved. To start with the limiting factors for businesses, a large concern for most businesses was marketing. Business owners frequently mentioned that while being on Main Street provides valuable visibility for their business, many customers mentioned to store owners that they are unaware of businesses that are located on Main Street. Several responses to the surveys indicated that individual businesses rely on their own marketing efforts, which can be challenging due to limited time, staff, and financial resources. Many owners believe that coordinated joint marketing would be helpful to promote downtown as a whole. Shared social media campaigns, community events, and collaborative advertising are strategies that have worked and would work to increase public awareness. Overall, the findings suggest that strengthening collective marketing efforts could improve business visibility and increase customer traffic. Along with marketing, a large concern for business owners was the appearance of Main Street. Downtown is full of historic buildings, and while it's important to preserve the historic aspect, lots of community members share the feeling that the aesthetics of downtown could be improved. In the online surveys used to gather feedback from store owners, 85% of respondents chose downtown beautification as an option when asked what type of support would be most valuable to their business. There were also certain concerns that came up frequently that do not have direct solutions. Parking, of course, was one of the most common answers to what limits customer traffic downtown. But with limited space, downtown parking is not an easy problem to fix. While many business owners expressed confidence in their business models and their products or services, they noted that attracting new customers and maintaining consistent business throughout the year remains a challenge. Seasonal fluctuations and slower periods were frequently mentioned, with respondents suggesting that additional or more frequent downtown events and coordinated marketing campaigns could help generate more year-round activity. Business owners also emphasized the importance of stronger collaboration with downtown businesses, believing that joint promotions would increase awareness of what Main Street has to offer. When discussing support from the town, business owners often mention the value of regular communication with town offices, noting that opportunities to share feedback are appreciated and felt that open collaboration and communication is essential to support a strong downtown business community. Also mentioned was that this project was a positive step in establishing a more collaborative relationship and encourages communication to continue in the future. I feel that a communication initiative such as weekly newsletters that store owners can sign up for as well as periodical roundtable events where business owners are invited to come together and participate in relevant conversations would be appreciated and helpful to store owners. The findings of this assessment provide a valuable foundation for strengthening downtown Marion and supporting the continued success of the community. While feedback identified several challenges, it also highlighted plenty of opportunities for growth. Through the findings of this assessment, the feedback collected provides a clearer understanding of the strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Moving forward, the findings can be used to guide planning efforts and prioritize initiatives. Continued engagement with business owners and collaborative projects will ensure that future decisions are informed by those directly invested in downtown and its success. By using this assessment as a foundation for ongoing action, Marion can continue building downtown that supports business growth, enhances visitor experience, and improves the overall quality of life for the community. Several themes emerged consistently throughout the assessment, including the importance of increasing customer traffic, strengthening marketing efforts, and improving collaboration between businesses in the town. These findings present opportunities to evaluate existing programs and consider new approaches that address the priorities identified by participants. This assessment also demonstrates the value of direct engagement with local businesses. In addition to providing feedback on existing conditions, business owners offered practical recommendations on how to improve downtown conditions. This project provided an opportunity to gather relevant information from business owners and residents regarding the current economic environmental opportunities for future improvement. Marion's appeal and the challenges that influence business growth, customer activity, and downtown vitality are all relevant considerations for the future. By identifying recurring concerns and priorities, this project provides information that can assist the town in evaluating potential initiatives and allocating resources to areas that are most important to the business community. Although this assessment prevents a snapshot of current conditions, it establishes a foundation for ongoing engagement between town offices and downtown stakeholders. Continued communication, periodic reassessment, and the collaboration among businesses in the community will help ensure future decisions reflect the evolving needs of downtown Marion. Thank you.

Thank you for your time.

Any questions?

Thank you very much. I appreciate you. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Parker. okay that concludes the public presentations we'll move on public comment time the first person I have signed up for public comment is bill Stamper bill if you'll come to the podium please thank you

Phil Stammer, West Ohio District. I just moved and I can't, for some ungodly reason, I cannot remember that saved my life. First, I'd just like to say that I've called Andrew a thousand times and I know I've bugged him, but he's been on top of everything that I've ever called. He's never not answered the call. He's never, you know, he's never said, hey, you know, we'll take care of that next week, next month. I mean, you pick the right guy for the job. So he knows what he's doing. Uh, second, I know a few of you or maybe all of you now knows that I stuck my name in for the planning committee, you know, for a chair and whatnot. I'm not trying to use this time for a job application, but I just want to say, you know, if I if I do get that seat, everybody knows that I'm very loyal to this town. I love the people. It's not about what what an appointed person wants. It's about what the town wants. It's what they want, and my heart goes out for the people of Smith County. And, you know, like I said, if I do get appointed to this, I'm not going to be worried about my concerns or the board's concerns or the committee's concerns. It's all about the town. It's what the people want. You know, when you're elected and you're put in that kind of spot... A lot of people lets it go to their heads real quick because they're in a, you know, an authority. And, you know, they like to, you know, they like to put their stuff in there also. But, you know, we got to remember that if we are put into those kind of positions, it's not about us. It never has been. It's about the people. so i'm you know i'm actually cons you know i'm going to ask that y'all consider me and i know there's a few other people you know that's actually gave their application sort of say or whatever they're called and i know that they're going to be really qualified for it and i know you know three or four of them personally that has done it and i know that you know if if i'm chosen great if the other you know three or four people that i know are you know nominated for it i know that they're going to do a great job too i just ask that you know that we're picked fair instead of you know what one or two of the board members want that you know that we're considered you know and that we're just not overlooked and swept under the rug I mean, I think it's very apparent that the town people won't change. And when you've got the same seats full with the same people, you don't get change. So I'm asking for you all to consider me for that planning committee seat. I mean, I'll do the best job I can. if uh you know for some reason if the people don't think i'm doing a good job they won't have to vote me out i'll just leave i'll say listen you know i i trust y'all's judgment because that's that's what the people are there for that's it thank you thank you thank you uh next we have gregor shaw

I would just want to ask if the council would consider putting bathrooms in at steel park restrooms of some type we had an event there a couple weeks ago everything was perfect but for some of the elderly people you know they needed a restroom that someone had to go home so the lines are marked off with the water so if they could if you could possibly consider putting restaurants up there and also possibly a sign where it's closed in in the picnic area people come up there with the dogs and just let them do whatever and they don't clean up after them so if they can get a sign or something just saying it's not a dog park i know they're going to take it right over to carnegie but people don't want to smell that while they're eating but that was it that's it just all right ask for the consideration thank you thank you very much

Next we have Robbie Colley. Robbie, if you...

Yes, Robbie Colley, 723 Grace Street. Thank you for your service to the community. I very much appreciate it. and i just have a few comments with regards to the new and improved developments on the iron street mall first by the level of interest in this new eatery it's obvious that it's filling a void long missed by many marion residents and it appears to be gaining new followers every week i enjoyed a meal there this past saturday and i noticed considerable foot traffic through iron street and met two separate couples from out of town and they were eating there before they headed to Song of the Mountains, which, by the way, I had the privilege of witnessing one of the finest guitar players I've ever seen. And I like guitar players. Local talent, if you consider Grayson County local. Seriously, all asides aside, I'm of the opinion that this new eatery, Sip and Savor, is a welcome improvement and has drawn my wife and I back to downtown Marion much more frequently and is keeping our tax dollars here where we can shop locally and support business. And at a time when resources are stretched, one would expect that additional tax revenue would be most welcome by our town, and I hope that's the case. And second, if there's concerns about safety along the Iron Street Mall and maybe other locations, I have a suggestion. Recently, the town of Marion Police Department has initiated installation of new flock cameras, which are becoming quite popular with law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Currently located near the main access points to the town, you'll see these automated license plate reading systems on Route 11 near the entrance to Smith County Community Hospital. on Route 11 near J&K Transmission, on Route 16 near the entrance to the state hospital, and across from the intersection with Radio Hill Road. So as popularity for the farmers market location grows along Iron Street, and with the development of the new apartment buildings just down the street and the parking of the Methodist Church, increasing foot and vehicle traffic along Iron Street Mall, I would recommend that a flock device be positioned at the intersection of South Iron Street and East Town Street. It's my understanding that these devices are funded through the HEAT program, an acronym for Help Eliminate Auto Theft. So what better way to ensure security of our citizens' automobiles, motorcycles, and bicycles parked at the above-mentioned locations with an added layer of security for downtown? Take it a step further. Paraflock installation, and this is important, with ACC TV. and an emergency call station. And I can't imagine any of the vendors or apartment dwellers or churchgoers along those paths objecting to an enhanced security effort. Take it a step further, and I've often thought about this, a live webcam, or live webcams, plural, up and down the town of Meriden. You see these in Boone, Benner Elk, lots of small towns, Asheville, And Mr. Henson here was just talking about marketing. I would encourage a lot of webcam access for the town of Merion. And then one final thing with regard to the flock cameras. I was admiring some of the Merion Police Department's postings on Facebook of the traffic reports, particularly along Chatham Hill. And very interesting about the speed limit being observed there. And I'm wondering if flock data will be provided and published just like it is. I don't know if that will be accessible or not. But I'd be curious to know if that's going to be the case. So that's all I have to say. Again, thank you for your service. I really appreciate it. Appreciate the time. Thank you. Thank you for your comments.

okay and that is the last person that we had signed up for public comment time as is my habit if anyone did not sign up for public comment and would like to speak now is your opportunity carl say i didn't speak during the public hearing but i've got a question

Could anybody provide the public with other towns, any one town in Virginia that has developed this program so that we could possibly talk to them to see us working out for them? That's all I have to say.

Which program are you referring to?

Which program are you referring to? I'm sorry.

Who y'all just voted on for the deputy.

Oh, okay. Okay.

I'd like to know if there's another one, another town compatible to our size that has that. I'd love to talk to them and see how it works out for them. Thank you. Okay. Thank you.

Anyone else that cares to speak? Yes, sir. You will be recognized.

Hello, I'm Gregory Graham from 343 Brushy Mountain Road. I sort of just wanted to, I guess, inform government community here that it's about five months ago I was fired from Mount Rogers Employment Support Services or terminated from there for union organizing, which is In a legal act, I have no intention of filing a lawsuit against them just because I don't believe in that. But I feel like I need to represent for the employees there in a lot of ways that pretty much my six-month window to file a lawsuit will be pretty much over soon and I've been abused by Mount Rogers in the past, but I was framed in 2020 for a crime I completely didn't commit. There was extreme evidence that could prove my innocence. I couldn't get exonerated, I think, because Virginia State Police didn't want scandal labeled on them. And that's pretty much something like a Nala Pross guy for me chopping up a church, which I didn't do at all. It drove me so crazy, I jumped through a window on Main Street in 2024. but that pretty much I want to prove there that if I'm her, you know, want to attack something and my woman loves me and I need to prove sort of that, you know, I'm strong, that if I'm going to attack something, it's going to be, you know, folks that could defend themselves, not church. But I just want to let you all know that pretty much I tried to form a textile union at the employment support services and was terminated for doing so. And that's illegal. All right.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Before we move on, anyone else? And so that concludes public comment time. We'll turn to council reports and we will start from this ending and go that way. Councilwoman Hayes, that makes you first.

Thank you. No report.

Very good indication today. Thank you for that. Vice Mayor Gates.

No report, Your Honor.

Thank you, sir. Councilman Spencer. No. Councilman Chambers.

No.

Councilman Apple. No report. Councilman May. No report, sir. Councilman Carter. No report. And in the mayor's report, I would like to report that I will also not kinder a report tonight in due of the circumstances of our timing. I hope that all questions have been answered and to the best of our ability. We will move along now with the attorney's report.

No report.

Okay, so no report and we'll move with staff reports.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council, I just wanted to report to council that I have spoken with Chairperson Cameron Wolfe and Rex Anders on the Planning Commission. Both of those are willing to serve another term if it's your wish. And I also spoke with Brian Reed. He has also agreed to serve another term on the Board of Zoning Appeals if you all wish to go that route.

You need all these in singular reappointments, correct? Yes, correct. I'll make a motion that we reappoint Chairman Kim Rule.

Second.

All in favor?

I'd also like to make a motion that we reappoint Commissioner Rex Anders.

Second.

Any discussion?

All in favor?

and for the bza i'd like to make a motion that we reappoint brian reed second any discussion all in favor okay that takes care of reappointment that's all i have okay thank you sir chief keesling thank you mayor council i'll be brief this evening just a little brief report on june june we had 232 calls We have been extremely busy in July. Looks like July is going to be around 280-ish. So we're getting busier by the month. And as of July the 23rd, we officially assume the Atkins area EMS coverage back. So we've been busy with, of course, like in July, we had the fireworks, festivals, and some other things going on. And I believe we had patients, just a quick brief thing here, that ranged from one to 91 years old. in the month of June. So I think the average age is around 61. So we are busy, and we are taking care of it. But thanks to the council for providing us what we need to get our job done. I'll answer any questions.

Did staff at this station increase with taking over the Atkins?

Not yet, no. But that's something I've been in discussion with the town manager.

You would think you're picking up You know, at least 20 more percent in that range, about 15 or 20, 500, 550 calls a year.

Is that a fair assumption?

So we're picking up about 15% with with no staff increase. So obviously you're in communication with the county about that, right?

Yes. Yes, we've been we've talked about that. So we're working on that.

Keep us posted if you need more help.

Yes, we're working on it. Thank you all.

Thank you very much.

We will move on with the town manager's report.

I just have one thing this evening. I wanted to congratulate Brian Blevins at our wastewater treatment plant on the earning of his Class II certification. So that's a big deal for him and for our department and for the town as a whole. And we're proud of him. We're proud of the folks out there. So that's all I've got this evening. OK. Any questions?

All of our projects going along pretty good, Tony.

Is there, do we have a sort of a, I know it was going to be, was it August or September for Food City? Do we know? I mean, have they given you any?

September. Yeah, so I understand at least the last I heard, their lease was supposed to end, their lease at their current location was supposed to end the end of August, so... they were hoping to be operational by that period or certainly the first of september i don't know what's in the you know their lease as far as an extension if they need it but as far as construction goes they seem to be moving along pretty pretty well up there so if i hear anything otherwise i'll certainly let you all know thanks andrew all right um we will be moving into closed session and uh councilwoman jennings would you take us into closed session

I make a motion we go into closed session to discuss two issues. Number one, personnel council appointment position selection procedure as allowed under state code 2.23711A1 and acquisition and disposition of real estate as allowed under state code 2.23711A3. Second.

All in favor of moving to closed session? We are now in closed session. We will return to open session after closed session. Thank you, everyone, for attending.

Make a motion that we come back into open session and declare that we only discuss the two appropriate issues as allowed under state code 2.237.12.

Second.

Motion and second. Roll call vote. Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes. Marientown Council is now back in open session. Is there any business that needs to come before the Marientown Council? I make a motion that the town transfers 213.66 acres of land to the Marion Economic Development Authority. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Then we'll take it to a vote. All in favor of transferring the land to economic development? Those opposed? And the motion carries. Are there any further motions that the Marientown Council or subjects of the Marientown Council want to discuss in open session?

Make a motion to appoint Sarah Reed to the Tree Commission. Effective. Immediately, wouldn't it be Todd? Yeah, effective immediately.

Second your motion.

For the vacancy created by the moving of Tom Howard to another location.

I second your motion. Any discussion? All in favor? And that would be unanimous. Was that unanimous? Opposed? Yes, it was unanimous.

I make a motion that we appoint Mr. Robbie Colley to the vacated term Mr. Hauer on the Board of Zoning Appeals on the unexpired term, Mr. Howard.

Second. Motion and second. Any discussion? All in favor? And it is unanimous.

I make a motion we appoint Mr. Charles Harrington to the Planning Commission on the expired term of

mark firestone second motion and second any discussion all in favor of appointment and uh that's looking at is there any further business to come before the town council motion third second motion second all in favor and maryland town council now stands strong