On the agenda: Danvilleva City Council Work Session — Data Center (Feb 6)

February 6, 2018

A Regular Work Session of the Danville City Council convened on February 6, 2018 at 7:51
p.m. in the Fourth Floor Conference Room of the Municipal Building. Council Members
present were: James B. Buckner, Mayor John B. Gilstrap, Vice Mayor Alonzo L. Jones, Dr.
Gary P. Miller, J. Lee Vogler, Jr., Sherman M. Saunders, Fred O. Shanks, III and Madison
J.R. Whittle (8). L. G. “Larry” Campbell Jr., was absent. (1)
Staff Members present were: City Manager Ken Larking, City Attorney W. Clarke Whitfield
Jr., and City Clerk Susan M. DeMasi. Deputy City Manager Earl B. Reynolds was absent.
Mayor Gilstrap presided.
MINUTES
Upon Motion by Council Member Shanks and second by Council Member Buckner, Minutes
of the Regular Work Session held on January 2, 2018 were approved as presented. Draft
copies were distributed to Council Members prior to the Meeting.
WORK SESSION ITEMS
CONSIDERATION OF REVISING DANVILLE CITY CODE SECTION 38-80 CONCERNING
CONNECTION FEES FOR GAS LINE SERVICE
Director of Utilities Jason Grey explained staff is proposing changing the service extension
length from one hundred feet to three hundred feet for major gas appliances and adding fifty
feet for each additional minor appliance. This is part of the City’s marketing campaign to
encourage people to switch to natural gas. In response to Dr. Miller, Mr. Grey explained they
have not done a feasibility study to see the response, but the City has 14,000 gas customers
and about 1,000 in Pittsylvania County; there is a good percentage in the City of Danville that
does not have natural gas that are less than 100 feet away from a gas main. The City wants
to reach out to those individuals and try to encourage them to switch to natural gas; it is a
hotter, cleaner burning fuel and more cost effective and efficient than electric.
Mr. Shanks confirmed that gas is much cheaper than electric, and it is great that Danville
Utilities is offering this. Danville Gas needs to increase its customer base, this is an
opportunity to do so and save customers money in running a long line to put in a gas stove or
heater. Mr. Grey explained it is more expensive up front but it is made up with the long term
savings after citizens purchase the appliance, with the savings on fuel.
COUNCIL AGREED TO PUT THIS ON AN UPCOMING BUSINESS AGENDA
CONSIDERATION OF APPROVING THE SUBMISSION OF THE CITY’S CEDS PROJECTS
LIST
Assistant Director of Economic Development, Corrie Teague Bobe, explained this is an annual
list the City submits through the West Piedmont Planning District to the EDA, listing priority
projects within the City of Danville as well as within the shared parks between the City and
the County. A copy of the list is included in the Agenda packet.
COUNCIL AGREED TO PUT THIS ON AN UPCOMING BUSINESS AGENDA.

February 6, 2018

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATES
A.

Discussion of Data Center Tax Rate

Council Member Saunders requested this item be Tabled, Mr. Shanks seconded the Motion,
and Council unanimously agreed to table this item.
COMMUNICATIONS
City Manager Ken Larking explained the Parks & Recreation Department received a grant
from the Danville Regional Foundation to help the City explore park facilities on riverfronts in
communities that are well known for what they are doing in their downtowns with their parks,
and what the impact is to their downtowns. Staff is putting together a team of people to explore
two communities and their parks, and talk to the leaders in those communities about the
impact of the parks. There is room for, staff believes, three City Council Members to go along.
Mr. Larking noted it is an approximately weeklong trip, March 25th through March 29th. After
further discussion, Mayor Gilstrap asked if four council members could go and Mr. Larking
noted he would look into that. Mr. Saunders, Mr. Buckner, Mr. Whittle and Dr. Miller would be
the designated members; Mayor Gilstrap noted if only three Council Members could go, they
would draw names.
Mr. Saunders noted at some point he would like to hear about the school situation. Council
can only make decisions on the properties they own and the City doesn’t own all the schools.
He would like a discussion on the vacant schools and the schools that might become vacant.
Mayor Gilstrap requested Council Members copy the City Attorney on their emails; Council
Members sometimes need to be reminded of what they can and cannot do through electronic
mail.
CLOSED MEETING
At 8:05 p.m., Vice Mayor Jones moved that this meeting of the City Council of Danville,
Virginia be recessed and that Council immediately reconvene in a Closed Meeting for the
following purposes: discussion or consideration of the acquisition and/or disposition of real
property for a public purpose where discussion in an open meeting would adversely impact
the bargaining position of the City as permitted by Subsection (A)(3) of Section 2.2-3711 of
the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, and more specifically to consider both the acquisition
of a specific parcel of real property as well as the disposition of a specific parcel real property;
and to consider an Economic Development discussion and update concerning prospective
business or industry where no previous announcement has been made and/or the expansion
of an existing business or industry where no previous announcement has been made as
permitted by Subsection (A)(5) of Section 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended,
and more specifically to consider the location of a prospective new business or industry to the
area; and Consultation with legal counsel and briefings by staff members or consultants
pertaining to actual or probable litigation and/or consultation with legal counsel employed by
the City regarding specific legal matters requiring legal advice as permitted by Subsection (A)
(7) of Section 2.2-3711 of the Coe of Virginia, 1950 as amended.
The Motion was seconded by Council Member Buckner and carried by the following vote:
VOTE:

8-0-1

February 6, 2018

AYE:
NAY:
ABSENT:

Buckner, Gilstrap, Jones, Miller,
Saunders, Shanks, Vogler and Whittle (8)
None
Campbell (1)

Upon unanimous vote at 9:15 p.m., Council reconvened in open session and Vice Mayor
Jones moved adoption of the following Resolution:
CERTIFICATE OF CLOSED MEETING
WHEREAS, the Council convened in Closed Meeting on this date pursuant to an affirmative
recorded vote and in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act; and
WHEREAS, Section 2.1-344.1 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, requires a
Certification by the Council that such Closed Meeting was conducted in conformity with
Virginia Law;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council hereby certifies that, to the best of
each Member’s knowledge, (i) only public business matters lawfully exempted from open
meeting requirements of Virginia Law under Section 2.2-3711 were heard, discussed or
considered, and (ii) only such public business matters as were identified in the Motion by
which the Closed Meeting was convened were heard, discussed or considered by the
Committee.
The Motion was seconded by Council Member Buckner and carried by the following vote:
VOTE:
AYE:
NAY:
ABSENT:

8-0-1
Buckner, Gilstrap, Jones, Miller,
Saunders, Shanks, Vogler and Whittle (8)
None
Campbell (1)

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 9:17 P.M.
APPROVED:

______________________________
MAYOR
ATTEST:

______________________
CITY CLERK