City Council Meeting   8/20/2007

Helping kids find the hero within.

Log on, play around, learn something.

In the meantime, of course, joining me as always is Suzanne Kogut, Executive Director of the SPCA.

So we can tell you more about Fergus in a little bit.

Of course, it's the newsletter that comes out every month or every quarter.

So our next newsletter should come out probably somewhere around the end of August.

Well great, well we look forward to it and of course we're in the midst of summer and summertime you might be looking for more volunteers because some of your regular volunteers are either at school or now not at school or on vacation, right?

And we're just very busy during the summer so if anyone is interested in volunteering come by the SPCA, we have a quick orientation class and we can move you on your way and get you involved in something you really

Enjoy with whether it's a cat, dog, a guinea pig, or a bunny.

Thank you Fergus, I appreciate that.

Fergus is excited too.

Fergus is very excited about the store.

It's just, you know, I think it's the new era for the SPCA rummage store.

I mean, you typically expect some items in the rummage sale, but you get some unusual donations, which I guess is good.

Just go ahead.

It's a permanent location now, right?

It is a permanent location.

I think he's got some good news to tell us.

They said two days, it only took him two days and he has his little routine, he goes for walks with his new owner, an hour walk every day and then they just sort of hang out during the day and they said he's just wonderful.

We've got another wonderful adoptable pet here and this is Fergus.

And this is not a dog that wants to fight, this is a dog that wants to give kisses and hang out and be in a family.

And there's really a special type of family that you would want for a pit bull, right?

So that's what we're really looking for in pitfall adopters is that you're going to maintain your dog under control at all times, put some time into training them and making sure they're just sort of ambassadors for their breed.

And coming up we're going to be talking about dog fighting and dog fighting of course has been in the news lately and we've brought down a special guest from Washington.

We brought down the Humane Society's top dog in combatting dog fighting, and that's John Goodwin, so it'll be a really interesting discussion.

It's an important discussion you don't want to miss.

So stop by and get the smartest card of all at your library, your library card, and discover the opportunities that await you.

How much time have you spent teaching him what not to hit?

The order was overwhelming and the dogs were found in their own feces in their own urine.

Most of those rescued so dangerous they often must be euthanized.

They take little innocent animals and use them as bait.

I had a couple of dogs where, you know, he lost and I was spending some big pound money.

And once he lost, I took him outside and blew his brains out.

A loser either is left to die of its wounds, its gunfire, its shock, its amount of sense, and the message is this is what happens to a loser.

I thought Suzanne Kogut could introduce him.

Today we have John Goodwin and John's the manager of animal fighting issues at the Humane Society of the United States and I'm sure with that position you've been quite busy lately, John.

And I'm hoping that now that there's some attention on this, we can really tackle this as a community, as a whole, an American community.

What can you tell us more specifics on what's going on here in the trial?

Just all sorts of brutal horrific things.

Is this abnormal for other dog fighting rings that are prevalent in Virginia and other places in the country or is this generally the rule?

I found that shocking that they put that much extra energy into making these killing methods just that much more cruel and sadistic.

It's hard to understand why it happens.

That's the profile of the dogfighter.

It varies from state to state.

Otherwise, you're just not going to deter this activity.

What do we need to do to change it?

Prosecute dogfighters and get these people off the streets.

So there's different types of dog fighting and we need to be really trying to attack it from all areas.

So this is an animal protection issue, this is a community issue, this is something that everyone has a stake in.

I don't think people are aware of just how widespread dog fighting is and I think a lot of people are probably surprised to learn just how cruel and brutal it is.

This poor girl admits pain in this breed, but that's what this dogfighting world is about.

I don't know if you had a comment about that, but it's just, it's unbelievable.

I mean, what other types of conditioning, you know, sort of things do you see with these dogs?

In that whole time period they're going through these conditioning and training methods to get the dog ready to kill the other dog.

Is this a problem in the Charlottesville area?

I know we have the Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force as a resource for animal control officers throughout the state of Virginia and the Humane Society has been a wonderful resource, right?

folks, the Virginia Animal Fire and Task Force, if this is an organization that could be of use to them.

We appreciate the work that you do at the Humane Society.

Well, I hope it does shed some light on this, and thank you for having me.

Whiskers and Tails will be right back.

Charlottesville Gas, good and safe.

You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent.

There are thousands of teens in foster care who would love to put up with you.

Go to autismspeaks.org.

And we hope that we've created an environment where you know a little bit more about what goes on with dogfighting and hopefully giving some tools to the public to make sure that we can combat dogfighting and keep it out of our neighborhoods.

Hopefully now people are more aware and we can stop this because it should be stopped.

And of course one other thing that should happen is Fergus needs to get a home and he's been with us for this half hour and he certainly has been well behaved and I hope that we can find him a great home.

If you're looking for some love and some kisses, Fergus is the dog for you.

Now at the end of every segment we have our success story and I know you've brought a very special one today.

You just need to give them the love and attention that they really need.

We hope to see you back here next month.

Get green!

That also means cleaner air.

Get free!

From his pen came a complex monumental house and many of the objects in it all finely attuned to the needs and the taste of the architect's most discriminating client.

I don't know what to say.

You see, I am an enthusiast on the subject of the arts, but it is an enthusiasm of which I am not ashamed, as its object is to improve the taste of my countrymen, to increase their reputation, to reconcile to them the respect of the world, and to procure them its praise.

John F. Kennedy

I hope that spirit will carry through in our organization and help lend itself toward the creation and maintenance of additional parks and street areas in the city and the surrounding area.

and more opportunities for children in the area.

Citizens Group is coming together to help save Charlottesville's parks.

A non-profit organization can accept public donations.

Among their goals, making playgrounds handicapped accessible and removing graffiti from park benches.

We are in the process in helping to achieve those goals and to serve as founding members of the board of directors of that organization or otherwise to become actively involved in the organization to help it really get its feet off the ground and accomplishing the purposes that we envision.

I don't think that we should

So, thank you.

I'd just like at the end of the meeting to spend two or three minutes discussing a letter that we received from the Rutherford Institute regarding surveillance cameras.

And Heather, why don't you come tell us all about it?

So I'm going to pass it to Asha.

Miss O'Connell, I would like to present to you a summer internship t-shirt.

Nice shirt.

So, Miss Petra.

So out of this I've taken a lot and I've applied it in my lives and I talk to a lot of people about it and I'm really encouraging most of my friends to kind of like volunteer or just, you know, try and give it a shot because it's really fun and I just want to thank you Heather for this opportunity and I love you guys and thank you so much.

On behalf of the other 29, 30 kids, we thank you very much for these valuable opportunities and we appreciate your time tonight.

Thank you.

And so I'd like to present this proclamation to someone.

And thank you all for recognizing how valuable women are.

I don't recall, have you had public meetings on Jefferson School?

If I can't, I will sit down.

Well, why don't you speak quickly?

And now, finally, in my latter years, hopefully I am going to see a new era in my lifetime.

Thank you.

Thanks for your time.

Next is John Games.

At least that is the perception that's held by so many people that I've spoken to.

Jerry Daley.

Whatever games are being played, but I would say you have funds for the interchange you have a design every month of delay increases the cost and So regarding the interchange to use a popular expression I'd say get her done Thank you Anyone else you'd like to come offer comments?

Thank you very much for hearing from you.

Mr. Mason?

I mean, that's ridiculous.

Anyone else like to...

I just want to publicly thank them and thank Heather Kellams and her staff for making that possible.

Other comments?

It is a little difficult at times the way people park and you really can't see very well and I would hope that maybe we could take a second to look at this.

So, thank you.

But anyway.

And I think whatever the model is, it's not needed to be done at this time, but it will come back to us.

Those are the largest users of water at this time of year.

Are there any items to be removed from the consent agenda or is there any amendments to the minutes?

Is there a motion?

But I think we have a couple of things coming up on a regular agenda, both the Community Development Block Grant priorities and the Council Vision Statement where some of the recommendations from the Human Services Report are relevant and we might want to discuss it.

Mr. Connell, did you want to introduce that for us?

Mr. Burks.

and this major project.

Talk about the documents that we have received from the partnership and answer any questions that you might have.

And those have all been filed with the state corporation commission.

Comments?

And is there somebody from staff that could address that?

One of the formation documents for Jefferson School Restoration Inc. is that new shareholders that would in your situation be admitted to the corporation would have to be approved by a majority of the directors.

It's just automatically their shares go back to the corporation.

The corporation may issue additional shares for the same size.

What discussions have you had that as you retire or as you go on to different phases of your life, how do you replace yourselves in a way that is true to the mission of what we've started with here?

they keep going because they have good people and they recognize the need for some new members of the board and what are the talents we need to find and who would be good and I have a lot of confidences to move forward and I think that to get bogged down into the nitty-gritty of how this is going to happen this is what we were warned we'd have trouble with and so I guess what I would ask if there's other counselors who would like to spend some time talking about

I think they've heard loud and clear that we expect that as the membership turns over they'll continue to recruit and select good leaders to move this project forward and I hope the conference will do so.

I'm a little concerned that what doesn't seem to be, certainly not in writing, I can see that in the good faith in the individuals here, but again, having done this a few times, when people say, trust me, we'll get this right, I have a little bit of concern about that.

You have to turn it over to some people who can put their full attention on it, or it's never going to go anywhere.

I'd like to make a motion.

as Mr. Brown has mentioned in his previous remarks.

Second.

Mr. Brown.

So this is offered tonight on first reading and a public hearings report.

Seeing no takers, I'll close the public hearing and open it to council discussion for a motion.

Mr. Mayor, I move the ordinance.

and Lissy Creasy.

I think we went quicker on the agenda than you thought.

Lissy, you're up.

and I'm available for questions.

In addition to the changes that have been suggested by the community, the number of which you're recommending, in the drafts which are up on the website right now, are the ones that we got on July 10th?

Yes, that day we actually took all of them and made sure they were the exact draft that everyone was looking at.

Because it seems at some point the thing ought to be final, and even at each chapter some of it says draft, some of it says

We hope to have that done pretty soon after, but the text that you all have received is the text that you're approving and will be what the text is there.

Is that what I'm getting?

And we're hoping to, planning to continue to work with them to see if we can come to even ground on their concerns.

What's the relationship between the individual neighborhood plans and this document?

So they're related, but they're two separate entities.

Any other questions?

And just as an overarching question, did anybody sit down and compare the comprehensive plan, which is a roadmap for city action in the next

Councilor Norris, I was involved in FOCAL's activities

Many of the things that are in the strategic plan grew out of the comp planning process and there are no conflicts that do support each other.

So I will open the public hearing and I notice that Bill Emery signed up.

Anyone else like to come comment?

And I think that's a good dialogue to have with the community and with the staff and council, I believe, and I hope that some joint effort could be started.

Close the public hearing and open it to discussion.

I think that those are great questions.

We're reviewed, they are linked, and there is that implementation section in the conference of plan to make sure it's not just a document that gets adopted and nothing moves forward out of it.

How long do you think it will take, presuming that we move on this, adopt it with the recommended changes, to actually get a final version of the document that has all the formatting consistent, has all the graphs,

So the bulk of it will be done by then.

It doesn't commit us to creating a new position, per se, although some of us would like to see that, but all we're asking is improving coordination of environmental monitoring and protection efforts, including the inventorying of natural assets, and I wonder if you would comment on that language.

And just a note on those kinds of things, we have someone who's editing for this kind of thing.

and I understand the staff felt like it wasn't necessary because we're already doing things to improve the corridor there and maybe you could elaborate on that.

That was a response from, we had some assistance from Parks and the Environmental Office on that question, so let me see if I can get to the crux of that.

But I think that part of what it sounds like, what I think the Center for Environmental Law Center and Dave is getting at is for us to participate in the overall planning would involve more than just our property.

I don't think that's an issue with the council of elections.

We have to mitigate its impact on the neighborhood and make sure it's sited appropriately, but

That paragraph goes on to talk about the dilemma of having land, but they felt like that was almost an inflammatory kind of statement.

Is that because it's got woolen mills at the front of it?

It's in the woolen mill, it's talking about the woolen mill.

Okay, well that helps, because I thought you were making a general blanket statement, and now that I see it, I withdraw my...

Right, you just felt like it would be appropriate to cut it out, but the discussion needs to be handled.

I think that's an important part of this process and I think they deserve some credit.

Isn't it pony time?

So, in theory, July or August of 2012, we would take a look again at this plan.

I would like to move the adoption of the 2007 comprehensive plan.

I'll second that.

And we'll just be incorporating the recommended changes from staff and Mr. Norris.

Thank you.

Thank you, everybody.

I just wanted to say that publicly to thank them.

Next on the agenda is another public hearing on a resolution for the Community Development Block Grant and housing opportunities may equal the priorities for fiscal year 08-09, Ms. Kilroy.

We have several members of the task force here for questions, if you have any for them.

I don't think anyone signed up, but if someone would like to come speak about these priorities, we'd love to hear it.

However, I will be bringing it back next year, but I just wanted to clarify.

Can I go through this list in order or we can make some general comments?

I think if we can put those two, which are, they weren't the only recommendations, but those I think spoke to in a lot of suspense and maybe focus our workforce development specifically

Is it possible to vote to approve the consolidated plan

and then to say that we will come back with some priorities, or do you want us to do the whole thing tonight?

I like these concepts of neighborhood stabilization and maybe some discussion on whether that changes

with neighborhood, with then home ownership and home owner rehabilitation and rental rehabilitation those three things essentially become sort of parenthetical subsets of neighborhood stabilization like neighborhood stabilization we can either eliminate those three or we can say for example those three

I would be comfortable with that, but that's kind of why I wanted a little bit more time, so that we could just refine a little bit more what we mean by seeing these things.

Well, in the meantime, if there's anything that council feels that could be supplemental for what I gave you in my staff report, please let me know if you're going to take more time and have it provided additional material.

Why don't we work through the rest of the recommendations to see which ones we can go in and decide.

So, whether or not to have a priority neighborhood.

I mean, how many years have we, has it been two years for the Housing Authority?

I'm fine, I think they can use the additional cord, you know, I don't have a problem with that.

If no one has any disagreement there, look at whether the funds will be used to fund the

I believe the split is 85% to infrastructure and 15% to social programs, is that correct?

But, yes.

So, only 15% of the funds anyway go to social programs, so $25,000 is a really big chunk.

It's about a third right now.

Yeah, it's a lot.

We could stretch that in a lot of different directions.

Is there any reason why the social funds under CDBG can't be merged with the Weed and Seed fund which also covers youth programs, a lot of the same initiatives?

I'm not sure if that's ever been considered.

I think the grant sources has different reporting requirements and different requirements for how the money can be spent and how you, so you know, though we're able to collaborate some, there's many regulations we've received with those funds and so we have to keep them separate.

It's not your fault, but it's a source of continuing frustration that we spend so much time and money on administering these funds rather than using them to improve our community.

What if we say neighborhood stabilization, including but not limited to, and then list the home ownership, homeowner rehabilitation.

OK.

Why do you want to, where do you want to put your idea about the youth?

I thought babies.

Can you say something in there about the importance of code violations?

Is that a priority that we want to put these funds into?

And I think we're doing a good job, but I think it's an issue in a lot of neighborhoods.

Okay, got it.

I agree, and I think we accomplished that through emphasis on rehab, modernization, property maintenance.

Trees, for example, owls, and berries.

I just like to keep it on the front burner because as I ride around different sections of cities and find the time to see things and you kind of wonder and I know everybody seems to be everywhere I'm not being critical but I think y'all really do a great job Mr. Tom, I need that So where are we on funding

between this item and the next one coming up you would use up your council reserve for next year but you could do it this is talking about not this fiscal year though right

So we have time to work in the budget if we decide tonight to pull it out of CDBG and home.

Somebody's been paying close attention to everything that's said so far, please.

Is there a third priority?

Code enforcement is code compliance.

And the weed and seed administrator's salary will now become a percentage.

It's 9.50 so we're going to come back at 9.55.

Music playing in background

Tell us about this request.

And Francis Fife, whom you may know, and I will be happy to answer any questions.

So questions for the ASAP?

I'm not really clear on what you said.

Most of the work will be done by