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Stephens City Council adopts code amendments, reappoints commissions and renews lease
Summary
At its Dec. 4 meeting the Stephens City Town Council unanimously adopted amendments to support the Office of the Fire Marshal and to formalize changes tied to a Town Manager form of government, reappointed members to planning and parks commissions, renewed a one‑year lease for the old school cafeteria, and authorized negotiations on a sewer-easement agreement.
The Stephens City Town Council on Dec. 4 unanimously adopted a set of town-code amendments intended to strengthen the Office of the Fire Marshal and to implement provisions tied to the Town Manager form of government, the council recorded.
The measures included an amendment to Chapter 6, Article 3 of the Stephens City Town Code "to support functions of the Office of the Fire Marshall," which the town clerk read by title prior to first and second readings. Councilman Jason Nauman moved the first-reading motion; Councilwoman Regina Swygert-Smith moved the second-reading motion. The ordinance passed on recorded votes of Aye — Ronald Bowers, Linden Fravel Jr., Jason Nauman, Regina Swygert-Smith and Kelly Thatcher; Councilman Joseph Hollis was absent.
Council members also approved multiple reappointments: Ronald Bowers, Jason Nauman, Lewis Boyer, George Vaught and Kelly Thatcher were reappointed to four‑year terms on the Parks and Recreation Commission, and Linden Fravel Jr., Steven Happek, Martha Dilg and Paul Culp were reappointed to four‑year terms on the Planning Commission. Councilwoman Regina Swygert-Smith made the motions and each reappointment measure carried by unanimous recorded votes (Hollis absent).
Separately, the council renewed a one‑year lease for the old school cafeteria building with Eighty Four Athletes. Town Manager Mike Majher told the council the tenant’s periodic inspections had been completed and passed; Councilwoman Swygert-Smith moved to renew the lease and the motion carried.
On water and sewer matters, Councilman Jason Nauman reported a long-running arrangement with property owner Nick Smart under which Mr. Smart would convey a sewer line and an easement behind his property in exchange for a waiver of the sewer connection fee. The council authorized the Town Attorney and Town Manager to negotiate and execute that agreement.
Town Manager Majher delivered routine administrative updates: he said Veterans Day events went well, thanked volunteers for Hometown Christmas planning, reminded residents that water bills are due with cutoffs scheduled for Dec. 11 and that taxes are due Dec. 5, and noted the town is working with a company called Spectra Shield on manhole rehabilitation using new technology. Majher also said Stephens City qualifies as a rural town for certain U.S. Department of Agriculture funding programs, which "could offer competitive loans or significant grant funding for some projects," and that staff is updating capital-improvement estimates for water and sewer work. Leaf pickup will be extended one additional week.
The meeting included routine committee reports (several committees reported no meetings) and an update that donations for the Newtown Heritage Festival are continuing to come in. Councilwoman Kelly Thatcher requested moving a Personnel Committee meeting to Dec. 18; Councilman Nauman announced a community tree-lighting at Stephens Landing on Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. with Camp of Faith Church caroling and a Santa appearance from the fire department.
The council adjourned at 7:21 p.m. and will receive year-end totals from the Stephens City Volunteer Fire Department at the next meeting.
"Recommended changes and or additions to Chapter six, Article three of the Stephens City Town Code to support functions of the Office of the Fire Marshall," the clerk read when the ordinance was introduced, and that ordinance subsequently passed on second reading.
