City Council Meeting   8/16/2021

You know, you don't think someone's paying a prank phone call.

You think someone's dead.

Someone you love is hurt.

So she went through a lot with me through that.

All I remember is knowing that what I wanted to do was be an actor and that if I had that, I could just keep going.

And no matter what anybody said, I had a dream and I had something that mattered to me.

So that's really what got me through it all.

And, you know, I found that, you know, now I'm doing what I do love.

And despite all of those instances where people made me feel less than, I now have a better understanding of humanity in a way.

If you're feeling alone, confused, or in crisis, please call The Trevor Project at 1-866-4UTREVOR or log on to thetrevorproject.org.

I'll be seeing you In all the old familiar places That this heart of mine embraces All day through In that small cafe The park across the way The children's carousel

The chestnut trees, the wishing well And I'll be seeing you In all the old familiar places That this heart of mine embraces All day through I'll find you in the morning sun And when the night is new

Good evening, everybody.

This is Joe Rice with the City Communications Office and this is the City Council meeting for August 16th.

Council is still in closed session and once they conclude, they will begin the regular meeting shortly.

Thank you for your patience.

Once again, I'd like to welcome our registered attendees and those viewing tonight's live stream of our council meeting.

Closed session is running a little longer than usual, but we will begin the council meeting once that has concluded.

All right, we're all here.

Ms.

Yes.

Vice Mayor McGill.

Yes.

Councillor Hill.

Yes.

Okay, thank you, all five counselors.

I will call the regular meeting to order.

My apologies for our delay.

We'll have a brief moment of silence.

And actually wanted to talk a little bit before about August 12th.

and even the summer of hate as 2017 has been coined and just asked for your energy just to be directed towards the continual healing of our community that was brought about

for the majority of our citizens on August 12, 2017.

And I received some, you know, few messages and calls, saw what, you know, people were writing on

you know Facebook, some of the Twitter posts and it's still pretty clear of how you know how much trauma that some are caused and us reflecting over the fact that we haven't we haven't really had

Thank you all.

Ms.

Mayor Walker?

Present.

Vice Mayor McGill?

Here.

Councillor Hill?

I'm here.

Councillor Payne?

Here.

I move to approve the agenda.

Second.

Mayor Walker?

Yes.

Vice Mayor McGill?

Yes.

Councilor Hill?

Yes.

That carries.

Councilors, are there any announcements?

No announcement?

Okay.

Well, we have Dr. Bonds with us.

Dr. Bonds and Ms.

Howard with us today.

All right.

Thank you so much.

If I could have my slides up, please.

Thank you.

So I'm delighted to be here tonight to give you an update.

Well, I'm delighted to be here.

I wish the update was a slightly different one.

And I'm really excited that I have with me tonight, Ms.

Talithia Howard, who will be talking about some of our outreach efforts.

If I could have the next slide, please.

So here is where we are today.

This is for the city of Charlottesville.

There were nine new cases today, which is more than we would like.

But I think the really worrisome thing is looking at that yellow line there on the bottom.

And you can see that for much of May and June and really the beginning of July, it was very flat with

either no or one or two cases.

And beginning about mid-July, we began to see an upswing that's really become quite present over the last week or so.

And as you can see, the seven-day average is about eight new cases a day, putting us in the high range if you look at community transmission.

If I could have the next slide, please.

So what's causing this?

Well, the Delta variant that we've all heard about.

So on the VDH website is a list of infections by region.

And at the bottom of that, you can see this bar graph that shows the trend in variance over time.

And you can see that while when this started, the primary variant that we were seeing was the Alpha variant.

and that really switched in July.

And now what we see is predominantly the Delta variant.

In fact, if you look in the last few weeks, it is almost exclusively the variant seen when we do genomic sequencing of samples of individuals.

I will put a couple of caveats on this.

We are not able to do genotyping

on every individual who's sick.

Sometimes we don't have enough sample to do the genotyping, and sometimes the test is done by a commercial lab or a lab that doesn't have genotyping capability.

But I think that we have a large enough sample size to say that this is fairly representative of what we're seeing in our population, and that is Delta.

So if I can have the next slide, please.

So Delta is worrisome for a couple of different ways.

The first is its rapid spread.

So this is a picture of Provincetown, Massachusetts, one of the Cape areas that had lots of celebrations over the 4th of July, and then quickly had a quite large super spreader event.

Massachusetts is a highly vaccinated state, which makes this especially worrisome

So in the state of Massachusetts, when the CDC's MMWR was put together, there were 469 cases.

Of those 469 cases, 74% of them were vaccinated, fully vaccinated.

Of those that were fully vaccinated, 79% had symptoms consistent with a COVID infection.

The good news is that the vaccines are doing their job with regard to preventing hospitalization and death.

So there were only four individuals that needed to be hospitalized and there were no deaths that happened in this outbreak amongst individuals who were vaccinated.

So we know that Delta has changed the game a little bit.

It really does spread rapidly.

And one of the reasons is that bar graph that you see on the right hand side.

And what that shows is the amount of virus that an individual spreads.

CT value is a measurement that we look at the amount of virus in a sample.

And what you can see is that the unvaccinated on the left-hand side is virtually identical to the fully vaccinated.

That middle bar in the circle really indicates the

mean value or median value there and the bars around it give some confidence intervals.

And that's different from the previous variants that we saw.

Previously, we didn't see very many people who were vaccinated get sick.

We often found them in

incidentally, that is they didn't have any symptoms.

They were getting tested for some other reason.

They needed travel or they needed clearance that they had a negative COVID test and they turned up positive and they didn't really shed much virus.

So they weren't very infectious.

But now we're seeing that people are symptomatic, even if they're vaccinated and they are capable of shedding lots of virus.

But again, the good news is the vaccines are working, keeping people out of the hospital and preventing deaths.

So if I could have the next slide.

So I said that the Delta variant is highly infectious.

And this cartoon demonstrates.

So the original COVID virus, if we had what we would call an index patient, they would usually infect one or two other individuals.

In the Delta variant, what we're seeing is that the index patient can infect somewhere between five and seven individuals.

And so this has been compared to what the infectiousness of chickenpox.

And for those of you that are pre-vaccine era, remember, you know,

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So what can you do?

Well, the first thing and the most important thing is if you're not vaccinated, please get vaccinated.

Vaccines are way out of this pandemic and back to a more normal existence.

They are very safe and they are very effective.

And importantly, the more individuals that are vaccinated, the less chance there is for variants to develop.

Variants develop when the virus replicates and when it moves from individual to individual.

It's an opportunity for its instruction set to go wrong a little bit and create these new variants.

So we really need people to get vaccinated.

That is the most important thing they can do.

The other thing that people can do is wear a mask when they're out and about.

So who should do that?

Well, students, teachers, staff, and visitors to K through 12 schools.

And as I'll show you in a minute, that's actually mandated now.

Anyone who's unvaccinated or ineligible for a vaccine, so children under the age of 12.

Any vulnerable vaccinated adults or children, so older adults, those with compromised immune systems, or if you have a chronic medical condition.

and then adults who live with either of those groups, the unvaccinated or the vulnerable vaccinated because they could become infected and then take it home or when they visit to one of those individuals.

And then the final bullet is anyone who feels more comfortable regardless of vaccination status.

And I would strongly encourage really anybody to wear a mask when they're out.

I have dusted my masks off and now wear one in the workplace and where I go out and do grocery shopping or do other errands out in the community.

It's really, apart from getting vaccinated, the easiest, best way to protect yourselves and to protect others.

So can I have the next slide, please?

So I said there was a public health order that masks are now mandated.

The health commissioner has issued public health order last week.

So it requires all students, teachers, staff, and visitors in public or private K through 12 schools to wear a mask while indoors.

And that is regardless of vaccination status.

And that's really because we're gonna have kids who can't be vaccinated often or who had a lower uptake of vaccine

in enclosed spaces that really are high risk for becoming super spreader events.

And as I said, masks are really the best way to prevent that from happening.

This public health order does support Senate Bill 1303, which was passed by the General Assembly and went into effect as of July 1.

It does not apply to the outdoor school setting.

So outdoors, it's still hot, can be uncomfortable wearing a mask and outdoors is always safest for anybody.

The virus doesn't live as long in an outdoor setting and any sort of breeze really disperses it quite quickly.

So if I could have the next slide, please.

So I said vaccines are the way out.

So how are we doing here in Charlottesville?

Well, as of today, 61-ish percent of the total population has had at least one dose, which represents partial immunity, and 55% are fully vaccinated.

If you just look at adults, really the population primarily who are eligible, that increases to 68% have had one dose.

and adults have had fully vaccinated 62%.

Brand new, hot off the press as of last week, both the FDA and the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have recommended and BDH has adopted that immunocompromised individuals get a third mRNA shot.

This is not a booster.

This is actually just a third shot in continuation of their series.

Examples of people who qualify for this would be recipients of organ or stem cell transplants, people who have advanced or untreated HIV, if an individual is undergoing treatment for cancer, or if they're taking an immune suppressive medication.

Really the best person to talk to if you think you might be in one of these categories is your physician that cares for you.

They will have the best understanding of your medical history.

If you want to get or you feel like you fall into this category, you do not need to bring any medical proof.

Self-attestation is sufficient.

And we are taking appointments now for that.

Ideally, that third shot is 28 days after the second shot.

Obviously, there's a large number of individuals who are gonna fit this category who are well past that 28 days, but they should still go and get that third shot.

It should be the same vaccine as your first two, but that's not mandatory.

If you got Pfizer and we don't have Pfizer or there's no Pfizer where you go to, getting the Moderna is perfectly acceptable.

I have had lots of questions about what happens if you got J&J as your first vaccine, and right now there is no additional shot recommended at this time.

The CDC is looking at this very closely, as is the FDA, and should that recommendation change, they will put that advice out, and we will be happy to provide that.

But at this point in time, we cannot because there is no guidance that we can operate under.

So if I could have the next slide, please.

So here you see the vaccination by age group and the number of cases in the health district by age category.

The cases, as I said, is for the whole health district, but I think it's fairly representative of what's happening in Charlottesville as well.

And you can see here that the rates are pretty high in all age categories, except that 20 to 29 year old age group.

which regretfully is also where most of the cases are.

And we see this not just in Charlottesville, but many of the localities.

There's something about that decade where people are just hesitant and resistant to get vaccines.

So if you follow that, I really encourage you to go and get vaccinated.

We are seeing individuals in that

Sheehan, The Delta is not age-specific, as it were.

So you are at risk, and I would really encourage that.

I think the good news is that the younger age group that's just starting after school, it's eligible is 12 to 19.

Unfortunately, I can't get it in that age group.

But in the 10 to 19,

They have a pretty good vaccination rate of 65%.

Next slide, please.

So here you see the vaccinations by race and ethnicity for Charlottesville.

And you can see that we still have a lower vaccination rate in the Black population than we do in our other race and ethnicity groups here.

52% compared to the next lowest, which is the Asian and Pacific Islander at 63.

The map to the right is the census tracts, and I've put the percentages in for all census tracts.

The white one in the middle with the very lowest UVA, and that is because it's

primarily dorms at that point in time, and students are more likely to use their home address.

UVA is requiring all students to be vaccinated, so that's good news and should help in our cases here.

And if you go to the next slide, I've picked out some of the census tracts in case you can't pick out the shapes.

I always have trouble with the shapes of census.

So this gives you the rates for three census tracts that are in the 60s.

So that's the Ridge Street in the upper left, the Phi Phil area in the upper right, and then in the lower area that is Rose Hill area.

And as I said, they're all in that low to mid 60s.

If I can have the next slide, please.

So here are two census tracts where we clearly have much lower rates of vaccination.

And I think the student population may be playing a little bit of a role in this, but not entirely.

So you see the Tenton Page area has a rate of 46 up in that upper right area.

And then the Jefferson Park census tract has a rate of 43.

And again, in both of those areas, there are student housing that overlaps with community housing.

And as I've said, students are much more likely to use their permanent home address when they do their vaccination.

So that would show up as credit wherever they're coming from, wherever they live, rather than their student housing.

I could have the next slide.

I'm now going to turn it over to Ms.

Talithia Howard.

She is our community health care worker and does much of the outreach, all of the outreach in the Charlottesville area.

And I've asked her to just address where and kind of the outreach she's been doing.

Okay.

Hello, everybody.

So for my job, I go out in the community and I'm able to not go on door to houses and able to go to different businesses and I'm able to talk to people to see

with the hesitancy is about with them getting the vaccine.

I always tell them up front, I'm not there to force you to get the vaccine, but I'm able and I'm there to give you the information that you need for if you are interested in getting the vaccine.

So I have been in different areas, different neighborhoods.

I have put on clinics at Park Edge, Westgate,

Loza Fishes, Friendship Court, Hessian Hill, an event at Her Sports.

I've been at Thompson Park several times with the BCBA tournament basketball games they have at Barracks West, University Heights, Grady Avenue, Lazy Daisy, Ceramics and Belmont, University Heights, Northwood, Get Ready to Go to Hearthwood.

We did West Haven Day and we are doing Trey Avenue at a cut above the rest.

We've been to construction sites.

been to Barber's Den Barbershop, Crenshaw Court, and University Commons.

So I usually give everybody the homebound flyer.

And the homebound flyer, it's pretty much me being able to talk to someone who would not like to go to the health department or don't want to go to JC Penney's or J. Crew because they don't feel comfortable.

So with me, I'm trying to meet people where they're at.

So if you are comfortable with me coming into your house,

to get the vaccine and that's what I'm going to do to make sure you're comfortable with getting the vaccine.

So I pass out a homebound flyer and on it at the bottom is a phone number and that would be my phone number that I'm able to

connect people with Homebound and set them up for the date.

The top part, I'm sorry, is a flyer that I usually use when I go out in the neighborhoods and I usually give that to businesses and ask them if I could put it in their window or if I could just set it on their desk and they're able to give it to their customers.

And then the other flyer is a door hanger and I use the door hanger when I knock on doors and pretty much in a white spot, I will fill in

the date and time that we will be in the location for everybody to come and get vaccinated.

And so with that being said, we have a mobile unit and pretty much the mobile unit just goes around in different communities and neighborhoods.

Thank you so much, Talithia.

The outreach workers, Talithia and Willie Mae Gray,

have really done just a tremendous job in getting out and being the face of the health department and helping people feel comfortable getting that vaccine.

So I'm really grateful for all the work that they have done for the community.

If I could have the next slide, please.

I'm not going to spend a lot of time, except to remind and let people know, actually, that if you haven't got vaccinated, you can get vaccinated at the health department.

We're there every Friday.

You can make an appointment, if you'd like, by calling our hotline, or you can walk in.

They're there from 9 to 3.

We are still vaccinating in the Fashion Square Mall in the Old J Crew.

We do have evening hours there, if that works out better.

And I believe they're starting Saturday pretty quickly.

The best place to find the most current hours is on our website.

And as Ms.

Howard said, with Move to Health, they're at a cut above the rest every week.

And I'm sorry, I don't remember which day that is.

Thursdays.

Thursdays.

Thank you.

Other opportunities are down here below, the homebound, Ms.

Howard talked about, you see a picture of Moby there, Moby's on the mall on Mondays, and you can drop by and get your vaccine.

Lots of other places, again, check our website to find out Moby's most

Sheehan, Ph.D.

: Up to date locations.

And then, as Ms.

Howard said, we're happy to partner with any community agency, organization, business, and bring either a pop-up event or MOBI to do vaccination.

If I could have the next slide, please.

So with the uptick in cases, we are seeing an increased demand for testing.

So we have wrapped up our testing again.

It had dropped off

pretty much to zero, but we're seeing a big demand, so we're offering more.

So we are in each locality at least once a week, and you can see the days there, all of those are from 5 to 7 p.m.

It's drive up, so it says walk-in, but it's drive up.

Pre-registration is encouraged, but you can just show up and we'll be happy to test you.

There is free testing in the Charlottesville, Albemarle area every day of the week except Saturday and Sunday.

Monday and Tuesday UVA does free testing on Monday at the Church of Incarnation from 6 to 7.30 on Tuesday at Mount Zion First African Baptist Church from 5.30 to 7.00 Wednesday and Thursday we have worked with a freestanding testing unit called Next Molecular and they will be

at the Fashion Square Mall in front of the old JCPenney from 5 to 7 p.m.

doing testing.

And then Fridays, the health department staff will be in that same location, again from 5 to 7, offering testing.

So lots of places to get testing done if you are having symptoms or you've been exposed to someone who was positive.

And we highly recommend that you do get tested if you find out that you were exposed, even if you're vaccinated, because of the risk of spread.

If I could have the next slide, please.

So I wanted to spend just a few seconds talking about long COVID because I know that this has been a question that's come up before on council meetings.

This really lovely meta-analysis or summary paper came out in Nature today and I've put the link there and you can go and download it.

They looked at lots and lots of papers and tried to combine all the data to summarize it in a cohesive fashion.

And what they found is that 80% of individuals

who had had a confirmed COVID infection continued to have at least one symptom two weeks following their acute infection.

When they looked at the type of symptoms people complained about, the most common was fatigue, followed by a headache, attention disorder, that is they had trouble paying attention to things, hair loss, and then shortness of breath, which is dyspnea, I'm sorry, should have translated that.

There's a lovely graph and you can see all of the other things that were reported on the percentages by the various studies.

But if you've had COVID, you're most likely to have some remaining symptom.

The CDC is not tracking long COVID.

It's not a reportable condition at this point in time.

But there are a couple of clinics that are happening here in the

in Virginia.

VCU has a long COVID clinic and UVA also has one.

If I could have the next slide, please.

So again, our hotline has just a wealth of information, 972-6261.

We do have Spanish speakers there who can answer questions, and we have access to language lines, so really are able to serve all the members of our community.

They can schedule your vaccine appointment.

They can also schedule your testing appointment.

If our vaccine times don't work for you, you can go to vaccine.gov and search.

There are lots of pharmacies.

and places in our community to get a vaccine.

And you can pick your choice of whichever type you would like.

Thank you very much for that presentation.

No, but thank you, Dr. Bonds, very much.

I have no questions either.

And I don't really have... I asked you the question that I had before about schools, and I'm very concerned there, as I know a lot of people are.

One thing that I...

I don't know why there isn't, you know, right now they're saying just wear masks, but the guidance on masks is that they're not all equal.

And so I'm just wondering why we are sending kids to school, why they aren't mandating that

I don't know, is it like KN95s or whatever, but if we're talking about kids being in rooms for extended periods of time, if they're coming home, I think the last thing that I read on it said that, you know, the cloth mask or something like that may be helpful for like a 30 minute, 25 to 30 minute time period.

versus you have ours with the N95, and I hope the kids equivalent to that.

Yeah, so that's a great question.

They're not all masks are equal, although you're always better wearing any mask than no mask.

And, you know, certainly the N95s are what individuals working in a hospital setting exposed to people who have COVID would wear.

And

that for them to really work at their best efficiency requires a fitting.

So at the health department, for example, all of the nurses get fitted every year to make sure that the N95 that they're wearing doesn't leak.

So that's one barrier.

They're still pretty efficient and you can buy KN95s, which is sort of the commercial equivalent

I think one of the barriers would be apart from the cost associated for families to purchase them is they can be to wear them all day long.

You certainly can.

People in the hospital wear them all day long and lots of people on the street wear them.

But I think they're probably a little more uncomfortable for some and for kids.

I don't know if they make them small enough either.

I actually don't know that I've seen like one that a five-year-old or a seven-year-old.

Yeah.

Why the state didn't mandate the type of mask?

I think they just didn't want to put a barrier up.

But I think we should have to provide it.

if we're mandating school, then I feel like.

So that's just.

And one of the things that really got me thinking about this, there was a post on Twitter where families who could afford it had some guidance on masks that were probably about $29.99 apiece, which they were recommending that other people also buy for their kids.

But in those same census tracts that you were highlighting that people are not vaccinated in, they are not going to be able to afford $29.99 masks, you know, to send their kids to school.

So and so they're going to do the best that they can.

And it's going to be and to do it every day, all day and to have one to change.

And so I just if and I did text

the other day when I was thinking about this, the school board chair to just ask what were they planning on doing?

I just hope that it's something that it seems like it would help us be able to stay there longer because I'm not too optimistic about the fact that we're going to be there a long time anyway.

But in terms of kids contracting, keeping staff safe, teachers and other staff members safe.

And I think we forget sometimes that those kids are going to go back home

and it just seems like we could keep that.

I think you bring up a really great point.

You know, having, we would be happy to help distribute if

There's a funding source for those, although obviously having the schools distribute them is probably the easiest way to provide those masks.

The only other question that I had, I was meeting with

Jackie Martin and Dr. Janita Richardson last week trying to figure out how to move people through that.

If there's something better, we can be doing vaccine hesitancy.

And if not, at least the physical distancing masking, I think the guidance that we received earlier in the summer that we could take mask off was just it just

the amount of time to take for people to change behaviors.

We just undid everything we have been building.

And so there's just a lot of questions around, I mean, I think it's, you know, those two parts and we're just not doing, we're in this community are doing the same thing that people around the country are doing and I'm sure the world where we are treating the vaccine hesitant as the vaccine hostile and

and pushing those people further away from even considering it or changing behaviors.

And I just, what are you all, is there a strategy for that?

Sure.

So I'm going to be honest.

I'm very honest when I talk to people.

I tell them my story.

And my story is that I didn't get vaccinated.

as soon as everybody did because I was hesitant.

So it took me a while.

And the reason why I was hesitant because I wanted to have conversation with more people and with the medical profession before I was confident in getting the vaccine.

So when I come into someone who is hesitant, I tell them my story is that I was hesitant as well.

And if they need any information, I share to them the information and the knowledge that I got in order for me to go ahead and get my vaccine.

So that is what I do when I come into people who are hesitant.

I also try to get their phone number and I give them my phone number as well, just to keep in contact with them, just to let them know like, hey, just checking on you.

You know, I'm not here to pressure you or to make you get the shot.

But if I can help you out with any information and knowledge about staying safe until you are ready to get the shot, then I'm all yours.

Yeah, and I sort of knew that, of course, I've been getting feedback, but you could even tell by your response when you were describing just what you're doing in the field, tone and everything.

It's just a different response than people are getting from some other people, and then they're reading in the headlines.

So thank you for...

You know, being able to meet people where they are.

But yeah, so I'm really concerned just about like this broader just tone in the community and the nation.

And just I feel like if we can figure that out, then we'll get more people to doing either the behavior changes or being willing to get the vaccine than we are at this moment.

You know, you bring up the problem with lots and lots of things that are happening in the world.

We're really divided in society right now and, you know, I'm going to

quote somebody else who came up with this, but we all do better when we all do better.

And I think if we just remember that as a group, and particularly with something like COVID, we're going to thrive when we all work together to get to that point where everyone is vaccinated.

But everyone needs a different amount of information.

Everyone needs different questions answered.

And really the way to help people who are vaccine hesitant is to help them feel reassured and to answer their questions, not to be antagonistic towards them.

So, again, I encourage everyone to get vaccinated.

And my last question is around the guidance if you do test positive.

You know, there's been some discussion about the fact that maybe people shouldn't just go home and quarantine, they should see a medical professional.

Has that changed?

with Delta, or is it still the same?

Because if people, the way this virus, and I've known in the past month and a half or so, quite a few people who are in those numbers that you are talking about, and it was very public, but even Sunday,

would have been the last game was canceled for BCBA because of some positive test.

And so we know that it's in the community that it's spreading and spreading around people who've been, you know, in large groups.

And so, um,

I've known people who are doing that two weeks and it doesn't seem like they should.

They're getting really sick.

One person passed out and didn't have insurance and was concerned about bills instead of going to the hospital and things like that.

So I'm just wondering what is the guidance there?

So it's very individualized, I think.

Although I will say, even if you're a young, healthy individual, if you become infected,

You should seek medical care if you start to feel short of breath, if your symptoms start to get worse because it can go badly very quickly.

And so I think individuals just have to be really have a low threshold for seeking.

Obviously, if you're in a high-risk group, if you're someone who has medical issues or immune compromised or unvaccinated,

You probably want to seek medical attention much earlier than if you're vaccinated, but if you're vaccinated and you're not feeling well, it is worth going to see, at the very least, your primary care provider.

We don't have any pulse oximeters.

You can buy them.

They're not terribly expensive.

They're pretty reliant, although I will say on people who have very dark skin, they can be cleaned incorrectly.

And so you have to be a little careful about that.

But you can buy them at drugstores or order them online.

That's certainly one way.

It's not the only thing that I would monitor, and I wouldn't rely on it 100%.

Yeah.

That just seemed to be one.

I know that they are sending some people home with kids and that they are measuring a few things and calling in.

Yeah, so this became an option at the state level for us to do, and we opted not to.

We can change our mind on this, but here's the deal.

Right now, we don't require any proof of residency or anything.

You can come up and give us any name you want and get vaccinated, which makes it much easier for people who have privacy concerns or are

Worried for lots of reasons about that.

If we start giving out incentives like that, we have to collect a lot of information to provide back to the state and the IRS.

We're watching how other communities do with that and see if it's a help or a hindrance.

My experience in the past with things like surveys and research is that it's often more of a hindrance because you can't just give cash.

You can't just give

50 or $100 cash.

Okay.

Well, thank you.

Any counselors, any other?

No?

Well, I really appreciate you and if it's staff will, I'm sure, be in touch or we can, but if you can start coming

Sure, I'd be happy to do that if you just send me which of the two because I have a feeling I have to, Louise is also at the same time and so I have to alternate you two on weeks.

So I'm happy to do that.

I do want to thank Talithia Howard for taking time out of her evening to come and join us.

As I said, I'm a huge fan of our community health workers.

Thank you, Ms.

Howard, and thank you for all the work that you're doing in the community.

Thank you.

All right, thank you all both and have a good evening.

Next up, we have recognitions.

Okay.

Thank you, Mayor.

The General Finance Officers Association was established and established a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting way back in 1945.

This award was created to encourage and assist both state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements

of the generally accepted accounting principles when preparing financial reports.

The goal of this program is not to assess the financial health of the governments, but rather to ensure that users of these financial statements have the information they need to fully understand the local government's financial operations.

We're very happy and kudos to our finance and budget office that the city of Charlottesville is the recipient of the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence for the FY20 financial report.

This is the 41st consecutive year that the city of Charlottesville has received this award and just wanted to bring this to your attention to the public's attention and say thank you to the finance and budget staff as well as all of our departments who work towards the annual financial report.

Thank you.

Just congratulations and thank you for all the work that goes into it.

I know it's this last couple years, it's felt like it's been a never ending task to keep up with our financials.

And so it's an extra heavy lift.

Are there any other recognitions?

Okay.

Next up, we have the consent agenda.

Ms.

Consent Agenda 1, Minutes, June 8, 2021, Election Results Certification, June 21, Work Session, Closed Meeting and Regular Meeting, July 19, Work Session,

to resolution amending the FY 2020-2021 Community Development Block Grant and Home Investment Partnerships Program, Minor Action Plan Adjustment, Plan Budget, sorry, first of two readings,

A is a resolution, amendment to community development block grant account, $85,843.66.

B, resolution, amendment to the home investment partnership program, $21,384.80.

And there's also another resolution to approve the FY 2020-2021 minor annual action plan amendment that goes with those.

Number three, resolution, approving a refund to a nonprofit entity for business license taxes paid 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 for a total of $63,009.25.

One reading.

Number four, ordinance, amending and reenacting the Code of the City of Charlottesville 1990

as amended in order to remove masculine and or feminine language and to substitute gender neutral pronouns.

All right, thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Walker.

And at this time, if you'd like to address city council and matters regarding the consent agenda, please click your raise hand icon.

If you're joining us by phone, press star nine.

Okay, thank you.

Mr. Neer, you're all with counsel.

You have three minutes.

Can you hear me now?

Yes.

Okay.

Just wanted to check back with you guys one last time.

I think that the 1206 rezoning and SUP is on the agenda for later tonight.

Oh, okay.

I'm sorry.

Yeah, we are.

Oh, okay.

I am so sorry.

I will wait until the right time.

All right.

All right.

So no other speakers.

I would second that with one question, and that is, I had noted a couple of things that needed to get changed, and I interpreted the emails from Ms.

Robertson over the course of the day to indicate that she had no problems with those changes.

One change was to

to go from chairman to, instead of chairman to chairperson, simply chairman to chair, which is actually what the planning commission has done for some time anyway.

I think it's a little bit easier.

And then there was one thing, the substitution was suggested for in place of man to use individual

But man only appears in the code twice, both times in the phrase man made.

And I suggested going from man made to human caused because individual made didn't really flow very well.

And then there were a couple of sort of minor changes.

One was that the original draft had highlighted the word women as something that ought to get changed.

but it was in the name of the program of women, infants and children.

And you can't change the name of the program you're referring to until the program's name is actually changed.

So we couldn't change that.

And so that would stay as is.

And I think there was one other instance where a question was, there was the word there was flagged, but there was no suggestion of a change.

of what there should be changed to.

And it was my understanding because this was the first reading that the just notes were going to be made for the second reading, which is in our next council meeting.

Okay.

I did not discern that that was the plan.

That's fine.

unless any of you disagrees with the changes we will substitute a revised ordinance with those changes for the second reading and we will not include the 80 pages of highlighted ordinance provisions will simply give you a what I'm calling a protocol list and then the ordinance will authorize you will authorize the Municipal Code Corporation

to make the changes noted in the protocol list throughout the current city code as well as in any future ordinances that may get enacted if we miss any words or that sort of thing during the enactment process.

And so I have two questions.

and I've had these questions before.

I'll just start with number three.

So Mr. Divers, you'll be familiar.

Just wondering, is there a reason why we don't know the nonprofit name for the nonprofit entities and then

Was this our fault?

And I know it doesn't matter, but is there, did we look at it the last time of whether we could change if it wasn't our fault, whether we still had to pay the interest back?

Yeah, to answer the first question, section 58.1-3 of the state code has some pretty severe restrictions about the

sort of divulging taxpayer information.

And honestly, the last time we had one of these, and then I put the name on there, I probably shouldn't have.

And so that it's kind of, you know, when you're starting talking about gross receipts and paid taxes, that gets very close to divulging information that shouldn't be divulged.

And if I give you the name of the taxpayer, then I'm going to

go the whole way.

There's an AG opinion that came out, I think when Ken Cuccinelli was AG, that stipulated that this process is kind of the way it should be done.

I fill the city attorney in on all the details and once she concurs, then I let you guys know that there's a refund due.

So that that's why I can't I can't give the name because it's it's taxpayer information and and I'm just I just am not supposed to divulge that.

The second piece.

Your question was, do we owe interest if it's not our fault?

This was not our fault.

This taxpayer had been paying this license tax for years, since before I was elected.

The question of their exemption, I mean, it was a tough call.

We consulted with the tax commissioner in Richmond.

We consulted with the attorney general's office.

And in both cases, we were instructed that, yeah, we need to do the refund, that it is a valid exemption.

There's a statutory, you know, we don't have to go back to the beginning of time on these.

Typically, on an exemption like this or correction, you correct the current year and the prior three years.

And on one of these, you'll notice that we're going back to 2017.

That's because they asked for the correction last year.

And so that was last year, current three, went back to 2017.

with respect to the question of, you know, if it's not our fault, why do we have to pay interest?

The state code in 58.1-3700 is very explicit when the General Assembly adopted the latest iteration of the business license ordinance or the uniform ordinance.

They wanted very much that if somebody paid taxes that they didn't owe for whatever reason, business license taxes for whatever reason, that they would get interest.

It's dumb, you know, but that was their thinking.

You know, there's a lot of folks that don't like this B poll, and so they wanted to be, they wanted to make sure that localities were very, very careful about who they assessed.

And so, you know, this is the result of that.

Ms.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

And my other question was just on the $21,000 that's being returned for home.

Is that project in the city limits or is it not in the city limits?

So the $21,000 that's going to be returned.

It's going to be going back to all the members that's part of the consortium.

So that'll be going towards Fluvanna, Green, Louisa, and Albemarle, and Nelson.

So the shovel ready is just if that one of those localities have one, not that all one has already been correct.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

And at this time, we don't have anyone with the organizational capacity to take on

All right.

Counselors, any other questions?

All right.

Thank you, Ms.

Atat.

All right.

So, Ms.

Mayor Walker?

Yes.

Vice Mayor McGill?

Yes.

Councilor Hill?

Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Community Matters.

We have four speakers who are registered, pre-registered.

Thank you, Mayor Walker.

Yeah, our four pre-registered speakers are in this order.

Marta Keene, Deontay Johnson, Mary Bauer and Mary Pettis.

And I will look for Ms.

Marta Keene.

and Miss Keene, you're on with counsel.

Good evening.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate the opportunity to give you some highlights about our satisfaction survey that we conducted.

I'm just going to hit the high points because there was a lot of good news in there.

As you can see from our information and assistance, which is our senior helpline,

We had 98% satisfaction and people felt that they got satisfactory answers.

Jumping ahead to the insurance counseling, which is a really helpful program and you know it helps people pick the right Part D drug program and it saved people millions of dollars total.

And 3.96 out of a four point scale said they received the assistance they needed

Our volunteer program, that page, I think it really says a lot that 93% of the volunteers find their work meaningful and 100% of clients said the volunteers made a positive impact.

And you can see up above it says 24,000 hours of volunteer service, which is quite a value to the community in terms of helping us expand capacity without increasing cost.

Our adult care centers.

I always love pointing out the joy that can be had from being a member there.

I think one of the most important

Outcomes is mood that 80% of the caregivers reported that the members mood was improved as a result of the days that they attended the center.

And I think that's probably one of the most impactful things we can do for a caregiver as well as a member.

Our community center, Mary Williams Center,

100% loved the food, 100% loved coming to the center, 95% enjoyed the health and wellness, and 100% enjoyed the activities and the connections.

So I'm really pleased that that continues to make a difference.

Home Delivered Meals, 95% of the Charlottesville residents were satisfied with the home delivered meals.

You'll see in the box on the right that we've had a huge increase and that's because during COVID we were allowed to use a different measure.

It didn't have to just be if somebody was

actually homebound, we could see them if they were just not choosing to go out.

And I would just say the last page, I just like reminding people we've got the program at home with Java that continues now and it's growing and growing.

So we have a monthly calendar with activities every day, most of them on a conference call, a couple of them on Zoom or Facebook Live.

and it's helping people who aren't coming to the center to feel connected.

And hopefully you'll take a minute to look at the rest of the report on your own time, but those are some good highlights.

Next up, we have Deontay Johnson.

You're on with the city council.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Deontay Johnson, and I'm a fourth year student at the University of Virginia, currently residing in Charlottesville.

I'm here on behalf of the University of Virginia Student Council Legislative Affairs Agency to request that the City Council approve an early voting satellite near grounds.

Recently, Virginia appropriated $3 million to the expansion of early voting.

Additionally, there are funds available to the city to expand early voting in Charlottesville as a whole.

Last year, the only early voting site was located at the registrar's office across the mall and several miles from grounds.

Because first-year students are prohibited from having cars on grounds and many others lack transportation or time to make a trip downtown, this posed a significant barrier to voting for students during the early voting period.

The city's vision is to be a leader in justice, a united community, and a citizen-focused government where decisions are informed by active citizen involvement.

And by establishing an early vote location near UVA will advance its vision and further the city's commitment to these values.

Lowering the barriers to voting by placing an early voting site near the grounds will help the city achieve its vision to become a leader in justice by making it easier for historically underrepresented groups, including young people,

and Minority Students to Vote.

It will foster a united community by encouraging students to be civically engaged in the community they live in.

Finally, with 24,000 undergraduate and professional students, UVA students represent a significant number of the city of Charlottesville electorate.

UVA also employs close to 18,000 faculty and staff and the health system close to 13,000 additional employees.

Therefore, adding an early vote location close to groundsway represent a more sensitive focused government where decisions are informed by active citizen involvement by better serving the needs of a significant segment of Charlottesville population.

We come to you to make this request because as leaders of UVA student government, we are passionate about serving our community and our constituents.

We know that as city council members, you share that commitment too.

For first year students, this election represents their first opportunity to vote.

And for many more of our students, this election is their first opportunity to participate in selecting the delegate, attorney general, lieutenant government,

Lieutenant Governor, sorry, or Governor.

In Virginia, there are no off-year elections and adding an early vote location close to grounds would be a powerful indicator of the city's commitment to fostering civic engagement and a lifelong capita of voting.

Therefore, we respectfully request that the council use the money allocated by the state legislature to expand early voting by adding a satellite office near grounds.

Thank you.

I feel like this topic came up in a prior election and there are some timelines and constraints because we're looking at whether we're going to have voting locations and we're also looking at where we're going to house people in temporary situations.

And I just think there's some times, but this is all within the registrar's purview.

Funding.

I also would like to bring up, I don't know if our registrar could do this or not, since most of the first and second year dorms are actually in Albemarle County.

If there was an early voting location, would Albemarle's Registrar have to set that up for that precinct?

You're right, all on grounds is in the county.

And our next speaker is Mary Bauer.

Mary, you're on with city council.

Thank you so much.

I am here in my capacity as chair of the Human Rights Commission.

The Human Rights Commission published a statement in recognition of the fourth anniversary of August 12th, and it's quite short.

I'm going to read it, and then I have a brief follow-up ask.

Four years ago, white supremacists marched through our city, bringing with them vitriol and violence.

Today, the Charlottesville Human Rights Commission remembers the victims injured and killed on August 11th and 12th, 2017.

We also recall and honor the many acts of bravery by Charlottesville activists who refused to cede our streets to the violent white supremacists that weekend.

We recognize and honor the many black and brown residents who have worked for racial justice before, during, and after the summer of 2017.

The Human Rights Commission believes that the best way to honor the victims and activists of that weekend is to push Charlottesville to become the equitable, racially just city that we envision.

On this day, we reaffirm our commitment to enacting policies and practices that move our community closer to that vision.

We call upon the city to view all its decisions, including the enactment of zoning laws and the creation of a budget through the lens of equity and racial justice.

So that is the conclusion of the statement.

And our follow-up ask is that on that same day, we sent a letter to you all city council and Mr. Boyles

with regard to the appropriation of money for providing lawyers to tenants and eviction proceedings, wanted to recognize the good work, the first step that has been made in moving that along, but we would have three requests related to that.

One is to actually fully fund the program so that all tenants and eviction proceedings can be provided attorneys.

So the funding that is proposed is insufficient to do so.

Second, we ask the city to make a long-term commitment to this and not simply enact this for a year or a couple years.

And finally, we ask the city to explore the possibility of codifying this right in an ordinance and exploring what would be required to make that possible.

And that concludes my request.

And our last pre-registered speaker is Miss Mary Pettis.

And Mary, you are on with city council.

My name is Mary Pettis and I'm a bus driver and I've driven the bus for 35 years in the city of Charlottesville.

and I'm here to ask that y'all allow us to have a union because I feel that it'll help us get more things that we need.

I personally had to move from Charlottesville to Waynesboro because I couldn't afford to live in Charlottesville.

I have three jobs because I don't make enough money just driving the bus.

and I'm a single parent and I'm not the only driver who has had to do these things.

So I feel like a union would speak for us and give us a voice to come together and to do better and to be able to be successful.

I love driving.

I love my passengers.

I just need more from it financially and

Thank you.

And I was going to wait to comment on something Mary said, but since it's just what Ms.

Pettis just said, and Ms.

Pettis has lived here, raised her kids here.

Her daughters that I know are a year or two to three years older than me, but

when she says she can't afford to live in the community.

It's so many families who are native families to Charlottesville cannot afford to live in this community.

and I'll just say it again that it shouldn't take collective bargaining that we should figure out as a city how to take care of people, fully support it, but it shouldn't come down to who can organize and who can't.

And one of the points that I was going to make with Ms.

Bauer's comments is at some point we have to also ask ourselves is the best way to prevent

And I hope that that is something that we can look into.

I talked about this a couple of months ago, but, um, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know,

Yes, people want to have access if they are facing evictions, but they also don't want to have to ever face evictions.

And what can we do?

And we're doing it a lot through human services, I understand.

But there are people who have never even thought about calling human services for like pathway funds because they don't think those type of funds are for them or will help them.

And so I just think it's something that we have to consider as a community are our desired effects when we're asking for the resources the way we are.

Are we meeting those?

No matter what nonprofit it is, I just think it's something that we should look at more closely.

Is it the 900 or so

to $950,000 we give for a voucher support, are we better to expand that, expand who qualifies, that will help prevent evictions if we can help supplement rents they can't afford.

So just something to think about.

And we will now open up public comment to the rest of our 26 registered attendees.

And we do have 12 additional slots open for public comment.

If you would like to address city council and matters not on the formal agenda, please click your raise hand icon.

Or if you're joining us by phone, press star nine.

First up, we have Marcia Geyer.

Marcia, you're on with council.

Thank you.

I'm Marcia Geyer.

I'm a Charlottesville resident.

I want to speak about something that Mayor Walker was talking about earlier in the matter of the city providing masks for school children so that the infection rate among them and going out to families doesn't

completely get out of hand when they go back to school.

What I want to ask, this seems like, well, if I were part of the city government, this is what I think should happen.

City managers should work with the Board of Education, with the school board.

to find out how many students, which grades, what size masks, in what quantities would that be, and also what kind of masks are the best for kids to wear all day.

Then create a fund.

Create a way that people

people or charities in this community can donate and publicize the heck out of it.

And as money comes in, start using it for the first for the kids who are not eligible to get their COVID shots yet, the lowest, lower grades.

And that may change over time right now.

12 years old, maybe in a few weeks, it'll be eight or 10 years old.

So anyway, but start with the youngest kids and do it.

Charlotte, there's money in this community.

Mayor Walker gets very upset about the fact that it's not equally distributed, but the unequal parts of it can give to charities.

if they want to.

So that's my idea.

I don't see why you can't.

Next speaker is Tanisha Hudson.

Tanisha, you're on with City Council.

We can.

Okay, so I just want to touch on a few things.

First and foremost, I did just want to correct the mayor.

The individuals that's affiliated with the BCBA were, they did contract COVID while on vacation.

So it's not that it's shared amongst the community or that they had it prior to

the game.

I just want to make that clear because people travel and get COVID as well.

But I wanted to touch on a few things tonight.

One being that we're past August the 12th.

I know that we're dealing with different strains of COVID happening out in the world.

It was told to me that you all would consider an open up council again.

People are getting vaccinated, you need to highly consider that.

Everybody else is doing it in the region.

Another thing that I wanted to touch on was Mary Pettis' comment about bus drivers making more money.

I've been doing some research on economic development.

Let me be specific, Black economic development.

And when I look at the research in just Charlottesville alone, the lack of economic development in Black communities has really been the underdevelopment of Black people.

And that's something I think that the city needs to definitely be accountable for.

So when she's saying that bus drivers need to make more money, it's absolutely true.

If you look at the current situation with UVA paying $5,000 bonuses to RNs, the lower

CNA nursing staff, PCAs, PCTs, the underlining texts under registered nurses did not get that bonus.

They also signed a pledge to do better prior to the start of COVID.

And this is not about UVA, this is about the city.

But one of the main things with the lack of Black economic development throughout the world, not just Charlottesville, is the work

conditions, the quality of work conditions, which has to do with the level of pay.

You're working your lower members to death, to death.

You pay them nothing.

And the cost of living is ridiculous in the city.

I agree with the mayor.

You should stop funding nonprofits.

If you took some of that money and put it into your employees, this might just be a better city.

If you took some of that money and put it into fixing the elevator up at Midway Manor,

This might just be a city that cares about its elder community members.

You know, I just think we have the wrong people making decisions that I don't care how many degrees you have, common sense goes a long way.

Common sense.

Common sense.

Just like the lady before me that spoke, it's a lot of money in the city.

You all have a lot of money in the operating budget.

You choose to divvy it up where you want to divvy it up.

So let's open those meetings back up and let's

redevelop black economic development and get it popping for black people and people of color in this city.

Thank you.

And I just want to clear up.

So BCBA, I did not specifically talk about anybody's status.

What I said is that the last game was canceled because of community, that community members were testing positive.

There are a lot of community members who tested positive, so I was not singling out anyone

person or a few people.

So I just want to make that clear.

That is just a place where a lot of community members are at.

And it is important for us to, Mr. Bowles, know the meetings that we had about BCBA, that I was not very supportive of them even having a season this year because I didn't want people to

you know, potentially be exposed.

So that was what I was bringing up there.

I also don't support us completely stop funding nonprofits.

I'm just asking that we look at how we're funding.

The elevator at Midway Manor staff, every time that I've received a message, staff has responded to that message and has reached out to the company.

I think that

And on the city side, I have been told that we've done all that we can.

I think that sometimes people are treating us as if it were like a CRHA building or something like that.

This is not a city owned building.

And it's not a building that we have much influence over.

So we couldn't just go in and start repairing that elevator, even if

there was some way we could.

It's a private building.

And then in terms of the open meetings, I don't think that anyone should be meeting in public.

And we'll, I'm sure, talk about that more as things go up, but as the meetings go on.

Next up, we have Charles Neer.

Charles, you're on with city council.

Well, listen, I'm finally glad I'm able to get on at the right time.

I'm sorry about that previous mistake.

I'm calling about the...

the rezoning of 1206, you know, Carlton Avenue.

I want to briefly review the history on this.

Three years ago, the City Council and the Planning Commission voted to deny the rezoning of the property because of too much density, you know, for the property.

That was for a six-unit apartment building on a quarter-acre lot.

Well, now we have a proposal from the same people increasing the amount of density to eight units.

And there's only eight parking spaces for that.

Now, one of those is a handicapped or disabled parking spot.

And so if people have one car, then that means that somebody's gonna be driving around every night looking for a parking place.

and guess what?

There's going to be more than one car.

There's going to be a bunch of cars driving around.

So you say, what is the effect of that?

Well, this was brought up in the planning commission meeting and Schimp himself said that basically it's not economically viable or feasible for us to do less than that.

And no one challenged him on that.

And so I

He has proposed a development that doesn't have sufficient parking to support it.

It's not self-sustaining.

So what does that mean for the whole development and where we go from here?

It basically means that he's trying to dictate the terms and it's basically all

to their advantage.

What about the people in the community who have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars?

I've got three neighbors around me that have gone to the planners.

They've gotten their city plan.

They haven't asked to change anything.

They got it all approved and they've built out.

And so they have half a million to a million dollar properties that they've got now together.

that basically are going to be denigrated by people driving up and parking in front of their house.

They won't be able to even enjoy the properties that they've got.

So I'm asking you to

just basically reject the SUP that's coming up for a vote and let them live with five units, which is more than enough.

That does not make it one of the highest density properties in the whole city of Charlottesville.

And that would be a blessing and a help make it workable probably for everybody.

Next, we have Greg Wright.

Greg, you're on with City Council.

We might have an issue with the audio guy.

Yeah, his way.

So we'll come back to Greg, and we'll move on to Katrina Turner.

Katrina, you're on with City Council.

Katrina Turner, Charlottesville, can you hear me?

Yes.

I actually wanted to talk about what Mr. Bellamy Brown spoke about last week at their CRB meeting about the survey that's going on at the police department and

how the police are not satisfied with what's going on in the police department.

You know, they said they're being treated unfair.

They don't trust the leadership in the police department.

They don't have faith.

I mean, just a whole lot of things against the leadership in the police department.

And this is actually coming from police officers, that chairman of the CRB claim.

Now, if the police are now complaining about leadership and not trusting leadership in the way they have been treated,

What's going to happen?

Are you all going to believe the police and everything that they're saying about leadership when we, the citizens, have been complaining about the leadership for how long?

You know, I myself want to know

What leadership is it?

Is it the chief of police?

Is it what I've been saying that the chief of police has been lying since you got here?

What's the problem now in the leadership of the police department where now 70 officers have signed this survey?

And from what Chairman Brown says, even though he said it personally, you know, but he did it

on the CRB turn, you know, that he's pounding for the police now.

They're just talking about threats.

Well, if the survey comes out, what leadership is going to do to them.

I would love to know what is going on with what Bellamy Brown has brought up about the police complaints

about leadership.

Because as I said, we the community members have been complaining about leadership for a long time.

So now that police officers are complaining, is there gonna be something done about leadership?

And if it does get done, is it only gonna get done because now police officers are talking?

What about us?

What about our complaint now?

If the police are coming forward saying leadership hasn't did their job, it isn't doing their job.

I made a comment during our session about how easily manipulated the community.

And this is the example.

We will attempt to reconnect with Mr. Wright.

If you're listening, Mr. Wright, we will log you in now.

And at this time, if anybody else would like to speak with counsel on matters by the public, please click your raise hand icon.

Good evening, and thank you for having me.

Sorry about the technical difficulties.

I just wanted to speak tonight in support of what Ms.

Pettis had to say earlier this evening.

for all city employees.

Just wanted to support that and remind everybody that collective bargaining, as the mayor pointed out, it should not have to come to this.

Unfortunately, this is the reality that we live in as community members and city employees that we just want to seat at the table as the professionals that we are, regardless of our occupation, and see this enshrined

So to say, regardless of the players that are filling any one of our seats, ensure that there's always a chance for all city employees to be recognized in that manner.

And again, to Ms.

Pettis' point, wages and benefits is a huge part of this, but it's really just to have that opportunity to have open and honest dialogue with city management, with all the department heads,

to ensure that we can move forward as a city and we can move forward in an actual manner that benefits all of us.

In the fire department, we see our most underserved communities, whether it is the elevator issues at Crescent Hall, like Ms.

Hudson was speaking about, whether it is these low-income communities, we see our most at-risk members and we're here to support them.

And then during that time, we need the same support from our city.

Just briefly wanted to ask for all of Council's support in collective bargaining moving forward.

And if anybody else would like to speak with Council at this time, please click your raise hand icon.

Okay, thank you.

All right, I'll call this meeting back to order.

Next up, we have a public hearing ordinance closing, vacating, and discontinuing certain utility easements within the public right-of-way for the following public streets located in Almar County, Virginia.

One reading.

Okay.

questions about that.

So Barrick Ordinance A, Barrick Street, Marin Court within the Dunlore Park Subdivision, Archer Avenue and Stella Lane within the Brook Hill Subdivision and C Glenlia Road within the Highland Park Subdivision.

Mayor and counselors, in 2017, the city acquired a natural gas easement

from Dunlora Investments, LLC.

The easement is located in the Dunlora Park subdivision in Almar County, and this is generally off of Ryo Road near the other Dunlora subdivision.

In 2019, the city acquired a natural gas line easement from Brookhill Apartments, LLC.

This easement is located in the Brookhill subdivision in Almar County.

It's near Polo Grounds Road and Highway 29.

In 2019, the city acquired a natural gas line easement from Highland Park Investments, LLC.

The easement is located in the Highland Park subdivision in Nowhere County, and this is generally off of Stony Point Road in Pantox.

Each of the three ordinances, excuse me, the attached three ordinances proposed to vacate

the existing natural gas easement in order for VDOT to formally accept these roads into the highway maintenance system.

And each of the three ordinances requires the city's gas lines to remain in their present location.

And if any of the streets cease to be part of the state's highway system, the gas line easement in that street will revert back to the city.

The natural gas lines and facilities continue to be owned and maintained by the city.

even after the easement is quit claim to the state.

And Virginia code requires city council disposition of its interest in the gas works to be approved by an ordinance upon a vote of three-fourths of all its members elected to city council.

Because these ordinance are enacted for a special purpose, city council may waive any requirement for the second reading.

A public hearing is also required per Virginia code.

and staff recommends approval of the three attached ordinances to the memo.

Ms.

Because it's written into the ordinance that's in front of you, you can just, it can all be one vote.

If anybody would like to speak on this public hearing to council, please click your raise hand icon.

All right, thank you.

We'll close the public hearing.

Counselors, are there any questions?

Are there any objections to voting once to approve all three ordinances?

Are we allowed to do that?

Makes sense to me.

Second.

Thomas?

Mayor Walker?

Yes.

Vice Mayor McGill?

Yes.

Councilor Hill?

Okay.

Okay, that carries 5-0.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, next up we have the ordinance for the approving the rezoning application at 1206 Carlton Avenue per recommendation of the Planning Commission.

Second reading.

and we discussed the resolution for approving a special use permit at 1206 Fulton Avenue per recommendation of Planning Commission.

Mayor Matt Alckley, City Planner, Neighborhood Development Services.

Just as a recap, this is a kind of a continuation of your discussion from your August 2nd meeting.

The applicant at 1206 Carlton Avenue is requesting a rezoning from R2 multifamily residential to R3 medium density residential with no proffers.

They are also requesting a special use permit to increase the density from the by right if rezoned to R3 21 dwelling units per acre to 31 dwelling units per acre.

and to adjust the side setback from eight feet to 13 feet.

These requests are being made to as a proposal of a specific development to build an eight unit apartment building on the subject property.

That would be a mix of one and two bedrooms.

And at your last meeting, I'll discuss the rezoning, carry that over.

You can continue your discussion on the rezoning and then you can start your discussion and vote on the special use

and I'm here to answer questions and the applicant is also here.

Thank you.

Counselors, are there any questions on the approving the rezoning application or comments, information you need from the applicant?

No?

No.

All right.

I'll second the motion.

Are we doing it separately from the SUP motion?

OK.

All right.

Any further discussion?

Mayor Walker?

No.

Vice Mayor McGill?

Yes.

Okay.

That's a four to one for approving the rezoning application at 1206 Carlton Avenue.

Next up, we have the approving a special use permit or any

Questions from Council?

Okay.

I'll move the approval of the SUP.

All right.

Ms.

Mayor Walker?

No.

Vice Mayor McGill?

Yes.

Councillor Hill?

No.

All right.

That carries three to two.

All right.

Thank you.

Thank you again, Mayor.

In April of 2020, the Virginia General Assembly amended the statute to expressly grant authority to local governing bodies to make their own local decisions as to whether or not to implement collective bargaining.

The amended statute, though passed in April, took effect May 1st of 2021.

So far, the city of Alexandria as well as Loudoun County are some of the first Virginia localities in which collective bargaining is being implemented.

Both governing bodies studied the topic over a course of several months, put together financial proposals, and used outside consultants in developing an implementation plan.

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors then with the FY22 budget authorized eight new full-time staff positions and $300,000 in recurring contractual costs just to support and administer the collective bargaining program.

On March 6, 2021,

Charlottesville Fire Department notified City Council that a majority of its members within within the department desired that the City Council should that should adopt such an ordinance to provide rules for the city employees to engage in collective bargaining with the city.

A copy of that correspondence is in your packet tonight.

City Council and the City Manager's Office have a number of decisions to make as to what procedures might best fit the city administration, the city's workforce, how many bargaining units may be authorized, and what departments should and could be included.

It's the city city manager.

It's my recommendation that at this time, I do not believe that we have sufficient information to make an informed decision about a particular collective bargaining ordinance.

And therefore, it's my recommendation to council that at this point, you should decline to adopt the proposed ordinance that's been submitted to you.

On the other hand, I do ask and recommend that council direct city staff and the city manager's office

to move forward with pursuing draft ordinances as well as budget documents that can be considered by council for the FY23 budget year that would then include collective bargaining with the identified departments and collective bargaining units.

Both of those recommendations are before you tonight in your packet as a motion one first to decline the passage of the ordinance that was presented and then second to adopt a resolution requesting the city manager to develop a collective bargaining ordinance for the city.

As this is an issue not studied or addressed within the current FY22 city budget

I would research administration and support cost estimates for consideration for your FY23 budget development process.

All right, thank you.

My only question would just be the part where it says what procedures might fit best for city administration and the city's workforce.

And I just think if we are employee centered, if we just put some kind of wording like that and let that lead us, that is

And Mayor I think that is a very good point of how

Having the employee input and making it employee centered is so important in the development.

You don't want to take an ordinance from another community where their employees may have different priorities.

We want this to fit the employees of the city of Charlottesville.

Some communities, it's more about paying benefits.

Other communities, it's about grievances.

Other communities, the priority are working conditions.

Thank you.

I just, again, want to make sure we're doing this right.

I also wanted to just add one other comment directed primarily to Greg Wright and his letter from March 6th, giving us a very detailed, extensive suggestion about a way to do this.

And I just wanted to make sure that folks understand that Loudoun and Alexandria

actually got started on doing this almost right after the statute was passed last year.

And we did not.

We had a lot of other things going on in city management last year.

And so when the letter came in on March 6th, well, for one thing, for example, we didn't

At that point, we didn't have a permanent city attorney who obviously would have to take the lead for us in a lot of this.

So there are a lot of things that have been happening over the last year, and we've made a lot of progress in resolving some of those issues.

But I don't want Mr. Wright and the firefighters to think that their letter from four months ago or five months ago went ignored.

It's simply in terms of the workflow of things in City Hall.

particularly with COVID.

It's just been a very busy time for the central staff in the city government.

And I hope that we will be able to move with reasonable dispatch from here on out to take a look at what these other jurisdictions have done and are doing and to see maybe there's some good ideas we can take from them.

But as others have noted,

to make sure that our answer is focused on our people and our people's needs and our people's desires more than anything else.

And that requires some significant input, not merely from the firefighters who are, of course, fairly well organized in this respect, but from other city staff as well.

So I want people to know we'll be listening.

So I guess just in terms of

question in terms of processes.

The first recommendation is vote not to adopt the draft ordinance that was presented to us on behalf of the fire department because we don't consider that sort of a fully fleshed out final ordinance as others as mentioned other localities that had worked on this spent some time just to ensure that it was as powerful as possible.

So if we go that direction sort of what

Our goal is to have you a timeline in September.

I think your second meeting in September.

But that would be the timeline.

Other localities spent six to eight months putting together

their plan before it would come back for final passage.

Part of that, too, because in case of Alexandria and Loudon, they coincided that with the new budget year.

So because there will be some financial implications regarding this, and that way you'll be approving the ordinance at the same time you know what you'd be approving for the budget.

And we will very likely have to have some consultation consultants to help with this.

No, and that makes sense.

I guess my only comments would be...

One, I agree with the direction to try to just take the time to ensure we get it right and it's as powerful as possible.

But definitely, you know, my only concern is just if it gets delayed, particularly past this budget cycle, if it could languish indefinitely, which I just hope doesn't happen.

And then, you know,

You know, I'm not saying, you know, it necessarily makes sense to just drop in an ordinance from Loudon or Alexandria and apply it here.

But I know there's a lot of statewide unions which are looking at those sort of the gold standard and I hope can be at least perhaps a basis for what we do here locally.

Because I know, you know, there's differences in terms of the size of their workforce and the resources they need and many other things.

But

at least in terms of the goal of having it be as powerful in terms of empowering employees as much as possible.

Sure and we will definitely be using their model.

It's very very helpful for us

not having to reinvent that wheel.

And in terms of the number three, just allowing any contractual services to be procured, will we receive an update just on what that

Yeah, may not be then, but before we enter it, we'll have to get the money somewhere, so we'll have to come to you for that.

And the only other thing I'll just, and I think that's where probably Counselor Snook and Payne were going, but

For, I think we've been hearing about, you know, the need to have some organizations long before this March, maybe two budget cycles now.

And so for employees who are, you know, who have been fighting and, you know, don't feel like we always hear them, any of us, administration counsel, that if we can, you

you know the policy and then it's back to the we're not going to be and this is so two things I'm trying this coming out at the same time but the HR director is going to be so important here and so while counselor Snook named some vacancies that have been filled we don't have that person in place and that person is going to be critical to this so I just want to acknowledge that and then just to make sure that we're acknowledging

that we're not going to be able to do everything at once but it should come with timelines and staff should be you know hopefully have a chance to weigh in on their thoughts about those timelines when we are saying there will be delay in implementing certain things and this has come up when we have talked about raises and compression issues in the past so just knowing that those conversations don't go away just because we draft

in ordinance and just wanna, and I think if we're just honest with people about that and inclusive that it'll just be a better process.

Any other comments?

All right.

So I move not to approve the collective bargaining ordinance presented to city council on March 6, 2021.

Mayor Walker?

Yes.

Vice Mayor McGill?

Be clear, I'm voting yes to not approve.

Yes.

Councillor Hill?

Councillor Snook?

I've tried to cut.

Okay.

All right.

That carries five.

Second.

Second.

Any further discussion?

Ms.

Mayor Walker?

Yes.

Vice Mayor McGill?

Yes.

Councilor Hill?

Okay, thank you all.

That carries 5-0.

Thanks for that update.

Any other business or questions for the city manager?

All right.

Thank you, Mayor Walker.

And at this time, if you'd like to address city council on matters of the public, please click your raised hand icon.