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<br />December 8, 2008 <br /> <br />A Community Meeting with City Council for the Druid Hills/Uptown areas <br />was held on December 8, 2008, at Blue Ridge Regional Library, 310 E. Church <br />St., Martinsville, Virginia, at 7:30 P. M., with Mayor Kathy Lawson presiding and <br />Council members present including: Gene Teague, Kimble Reynolds, Jr., Mark <br />Stroud, Sr., and Danny Turner. Staff present included: Clarence Monday, City <br />Manager; Leon Towarnicki, Assistant City Manager; Brenda Prillaman, Scott <br />Coleman, Mike Rogers, and Wayne Knox. <br />Mayor Lawson welcomed those in attendance and called on Brenda <br />Prillaman to reVIew the quarterly citizen concerns report for the Druid <br />Hills/Uptown areas of the city. Mayor Lawson then asked for any citizen <br />comments. <br />Comments from citizens: Mrs. Virginia King pointed out: (1) the need to <br />have a property cleaned up on West Church that has sofas & trash outside the <br />property. Wayne pointed out he is aware of this property and there are legal <br />issues. Wayne will follow up to make sure this issue is addressed. (2) She also <br />pointed out a problem with long tractor trailer trucks coming up Franklin St. and <br />struggling to make the turn onto Main Street. Leon will follow up with issue with <br />more No Truck signage and have them placed in more locations to stop trucks <br />before they start up Franklin Street. (3) She pointed out the need to regulate <br />temporary signs in the Uptown area especially near the Sparky's convenience <br />store to make the Uptown area look more appealing. (4) She also briefed Council <br />on the historic Courthouse future plans for renovation and grant funding. She <br />noted the grounds around the courthouse area will be beneficial to the appeal of <br />the Uptown area. She requested that she would like to see historic district <br />sIgnage. Dr. Mervyn King pointed out: (1) area around the courthouse square <br />needs to be addressed as far as speeding vehicles and the increased pedestrian <br />traffic in that area due to the college Uptown. (2) Dr. King also asked that <br />Council consider some way to allow Uptown property owners to upgrade the <br />facades of buildings they own without having an increase in their taxes until they <br />get a tenant. He indicated buildings he would like to upgrade the facades but <br />since they are vacant, does not want his taxes raised until a tenant goes in. City <br />