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VIENNA -- The Vienna City Council met on Thursday for its last meeting of the year with major discussion for the proposed ordinance to amend the city article that deals with the increase or decrease of Business and Occupation exemption amounts, as well as the proposed bid acceptance of an auction agency for the sale of city property.
In the public forum, Kim Williams, owner of Jewelry Buyers of Vienna and soon to be a councilmember, addressed council again with her concerns for the proposed amendment exemption amount cap of $50 for the B&O tax, which was in its second reading on Thursday and subject to passage.
"We have no idea what is going to happen with COVID and a lot of small businesses are suffering," Williams said. "I worry a lot about businesses that don't generate a lot of income … a $50 exemption is pretty much meaningless."
Williams proposed that council consider crossing out the $50 exemption portion and allow it to be addressed by council in the future.
During the meeting, councilmember Roger Conley further affirmed this proposal.
"I would like to propose an amendment to remove the cap," Conley said. "Thankfully our revenue has been pretty steady and I think we can afford to spend a little more money on our small businesses."
Conley then made a motion for a resolution to remove the designated dollar amount from the exemption amount proposed to allow council in the future to have the discretion to set the amount based on financial status of the city and with consideration to small businesses.
In the reworking of the wording of the amendment, City Attorney Russell Skogstad explained that the exemption amount would remain at no less than $25 and a future amount to be set by council through resolution with no set cap.
The ordinance, once amended to reflect these changes, was then passed on its second reading 6-0. Councilmember Bruce Rogers was absent from the meeting.
Another point of debate during the council meeting on Thursday surrounded the new proposal to authorize the sale of city property through online auction company Government Surplus Auctions, known as govdeals.com.
According to Mayor Randy Rapp, Government Surplus Auctions proposed the lowest bid out of four other companies by requiring zero percent of the amount sold on the item with a 12.5 percent bidders fee that would allow the city to keep the entirety of the proceeds.
Other potential auction companies included Madison Williams Auctioneering and Appraisal of Parkersburg with an $800 fee for a conventional auction, Rocky Peck Sales and Marketing of Parkersburg with a rough $250 fee for a conventional auction with distribution duties still instilled to the city for sales and Fouss Auction and Appraisal LLC of Vienna with a 25 percent collection on the money acquired from the sales with the company additionally doing all the listing and posting work.
"The city right now has a large amount of equipment," Rapp said. "We did have a meeting with a person from Gov Deals … in today's times it seems to be the best avenue because you just cannot get a large crowd to come and be in close proximity for the auction."
According to Rapp, the city Budget and Finance Committee recommended the hiring of Government Surplus Auctions and it is used for the auctioning of city property in other cities across West Virginia, including Parkersburg.
Rob Fouss, the auctioneer and owner of Fouss Auction and Appraisal LLC, came to voice his concerns in public forum before the council vote.
"Don't send this money to Alabama (where Government Surplus Auctions is based) when we are struggling to keep local businesses afloat," Fouss said. "I think the way things are in the world we should find ways to support local businesses."
Fouss also suggested that council look into making sure Government Surplus Auctions has the proper licensing and legal qualifications to operate in West Virginia, as he stated that there is a state code that requires a license to be obtained through the West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture for these types of auction sales.
"The issue we have with this procedure is that our ordinance requires us to accept the low bid and Mr. Fouss has bid 25 percent," Rapp said during discussion.
Skogstad explained that Government Surplus Auctions has been licensed to operate in West Virginia since 2012, but more research would be needed to determine whether or not they have the proper auctioneering license for Vienna.
"If they are not appropriately licensed or accredited it doesn't matter if the city authorizes to do business with them, we cannot do business with them," Skogstad said.
Councilmembers Roger Bibbee and Conley voiced their concerns for the immediate acceptance of Government Surplus Auctions and suggested that council consider tabling the motion and creating a re-bidding process, as Rapp explained that Fouss had approached him later and offered to reduce to zero percent as well.
The motion to hire Government Surplus Auctions failed unanimously and will be reconsidered by the finance department and addressed at a future council meeting.
Other orders of business included:
* The passage of the Vienna Grand Central Redevelopment Project with tax incrementation on second reading, with the motion carrying 5-0 and councilmember Jim Leach abstaining.
* The unanimous passage of the approval of the City of Vienna's Community Development Block Grant evaluation report for Oct. 1, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2020, where the city expended $89,427 in grants for the creation of the ADA adult-accessible park playground at Jackson Park and 12 out of 17 homeowner rehabilitation projects completed, with a lull due to coronavirus.
"I believe that if coronavirus hadn't hit we would have been able to reach that goal," city grant writer Toni Tiano said.
* Vienna citizen Brannon Turner was appointed to the Vienna Board of Parks and Recreation to serve a three-year term after a recreation association recommendation to replace longtime board member Chuck Noffsinger, who has stepped down.
"He (Chuck) has dedicated many hours … he is an outstanding citizen," councilmember Mike Elam said.
* The unanimous passage of an ordinance on first reading to require a public utility bond posted for damages acquired during projects.
"Most of the major utilities in Vienna post bond but some of the subcontractors who come in to do follow-up work do not," Rapp said, adding some yards have been damaged. "This is going to allow us to receive and require a bond so when they come and work in the city for the job they do they perform it to 100 percent," he said.
The bond will be a flat rate of $10,000.
* "Today is my last meeting as a Vienna city councilman and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everybody," said Conley, who was elected Nov. 3 to represent District 10 in the House of Delegates. "I am still going to be able to serve you folks and all those in district 10 as a legislator, and even though I am not here as a councilman my door in Charleston will always be open."
Conley also shared an email he received affirming that the riverside portion of Johns Manville received certification and sampling and strict assessment was still in place for the other portion of the property.
"Some of this parcel site actually meets residential standards," Conley said and expressed the encouragement he felt from this communication for the future of the property.
Rapp bid his farewell to councilmembers Conley and Rogers, as well as City Recorder Cathy Smith.
"I believe what you said that you won't forget us … I wish you the best," Rapp said in regards to councilmember Conley.
"Bruce Rogers is a worker and that's all I can say … the people of Vienna benefited for 35 years from him," Rapp said in regards to councilmember Rogers.
"To dedicate 20 years of your life to the citizens of Vienna and being as involved as she has been for 20 years, I also wish you the best," Rapp said in regards to Smith.
The next Vienna City Council Meeting with the newly elected members is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2021.
Jenna Pierson can be reached at jpierson@newsandsentinel.com