City Council Meeting   4/6/2009

Kavitha Kumar,

Thank you.

Thank you.

We're going to start with the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Ms. Kochis, can you call the roll please?

Ms. Edwards, you have an announcement?

And again, how do you think they did?

Don't wonder if they're not embarrassed that he comes up here and tells everybody.

So daily progress, look out for Emma Payne.

I'm pretty sure he's the only mayor ever to have completed the Charlottesville Ten-Miler.

Good job.

Now you might have something you want to add.

comprehensive approach and to look at models that other cities have provided in terms of workforce development and moving people out of poverty but really creating an action plan that we can put in place that will affect the whole city.

and whereas preserving the heritage of the city establishes the city's unique sense of place, fosters civic pride, contributes to an understanding of the past, serves as a guide for the future, promotes economic growth and tourism, offers affordable housing options and enhances quality of life.

and calls upon the people of the city of Charlottesville to join their fellow citizens in the Piedmont area in celebrating and participating in this special week of activities.

Thank you.

And here to receive the proclamation and to share a couple of words and I believe show a brief public service announcement about this shop shawl sale campaign is Mr. Chris Angle from our Office of Economic Development.

And if our technical folks are ready, I think we're going to show the advertisement.

And thank you for your work, Mr. Baker.

Thanks, Charlottesville.

Thanks, Charlottesville.

Thanks, Charlottesville!

Did you know that every time you secure the local distance, 1% of the taxable sale pays for police safety, fire protection, education, community infrastructure, and more.

Visit shop Charlottesville.org.

The first person to sign up to speak is Carolyn Berry.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Ms. Berry.

Thank you, Mr. Manilow.

Barbara Lundgren

Thank you.

Downing Smith.

Thank you very much.

Joe Kerlin.

The property transfer cannot be done so I think therefore we will request that you go ahead and close that street closing.

Railroad claims part of that street.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you Ms. Mooney.

Colette Hall.

Thank you.

John Gaines.

Thank you.

Federico Venegas.

Jefferson built the road on these principles, and now we desecrate his great work.

Stratton Salinas.

And I hope they vote for Mr. Norris as well.

Sharni West.

but more for shoppers who can, you know, then carry their goods.

Thank you.

Steven Knott.

Thank you.

Well, I'll start to address Mr. Bock's comments.

So it's certainly

And then finally I wanted to ask either our city attorney or city manager to address the issue raised by Mr. Bandelunde of the discretion that the city has in terms of choosing local contractors preferentially because they're local over other contractors when it comes to city projects.

I wasn't sure.

Other comments?

has explained people get notices after the fact.

So we tried to go out a lot of different ways.

I certainly hope that somehow or other we can pull the community together and try to take a look at this and address the problem.

At every council meeting, we'll almost always hear about the Meadow Creek Parkway, but at a council meeting, it's rarely that we're here coming from the public about our school system and our children.

And Mr. Huja, I think I overlooked you.

To deal with the issue, we want to do, there is a concern to hold council, I think, I think it will be discussed in writing to come join us at the meeting.

I think this is a good opportunity to really start exploring that and talking about that more and providing more plans of action for that.

Thank you.

Since we had like two or three people talk about the parkway, I wanted to bring it up a couple more times.

Okay, we are now moving on to appointments to City Boys and Commissions, Dr. Bynum.

And I will note that the last deployments will of course be pending all the paperwork and legal process to actually be able to have that committee be expanded.

Or a motion to approve?

Please remove the consent agenda.

that it would be a good idea for city council to have a more public discussion about the disposition of the waiting pool and we're here tonight to make a presentation is our interim director of Parks and Recreation, Mr. Brian Daley.

It was a legislation designed to

Staff is prepared to develop the scope of work and a request for a quotation and we're prepared to seek quotes to do the repairs should that be the decision of council this evening.

Any questions for Mr. Albemarle from the public hearing?

In the new facility, Odyssey, what will the fee be down there?

The county rates are double those rates.

Do you know of any dream related injury that has occurred in the waiting pool or any other

No, we have not experienced that to my knowledge, at least in my tenure here, we have not experienced a main drain entrapment issue.

And then this one?

That was the recommendation, yes sir.

Was there ever any consideration as the Meadow Creek Parkway and the interchange was being developed to keeping that parking lot open or has it always been your impression or the city's impression that that parking lot that currently serves the golf course and the waiting pool would not be able to stay open given the improvements that are about to be made in that intersection?

Those things were undetermined, so we kind of felt like, well, we don't know whether that parking lot would stay open or not.

It seems like it's already a hazardous situation there now.

It is outside the limits of construction.

And how much closer to the wading pool, I know you said the interchange is likely to run either through or immediately next to where the bathhouse is now, how much closer to the actual wading pool on this scenario is the road?

It is difficult to measure as that drawing, the versions I have, is not a scaled drawing, but I would estimate it is between 5 and 10 feet closer.

I guess we're more than that, because there's an additional lane which is 12 feet in the shoreline, so it is pretty close to the shoreline.

Closer to the bathhouse and closer to the pool.

But you said earlier that it's likely to, I mean, it's hard to tell from that design, but that it's likely to take out the bathhouse or at least come right up next to where the bathhouse is now.

Well, in my experience in construction, building something like this would be very difficult to do that and not have some sort of impact if physical or otherwise on the bathhouse.

Let me, this is somewhat unrelated maybe, but in looking at the water usage, in 06 it was 478,000, 07 it drops to 309 approximately and about 275,000, in 08, and I guess the question I have is how did you all reduce the water that much usage?

The plug that goes in the main drain valve got a new one.

It was better.

The simple answer is probably we have more rain.

Okay, I was wondering if you could decrease.

Is that accurate?

that I believe is separate from the other two that have been mentioned.

The first person to sign up to speak is Downing Smith.

Thank you very much.

Peter Klayman.

So I would leave those thoughts with you and hope that you can think preservation, think better design, and think about keeping a facility that does serve a great function in the community and does serve a certain population of people who will not be using the interchange as a regular part of their daily lives.

Thank you.

Thank you for listening.

Mitch Collins.

Thank you.

and Pat McPhee.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you.

Ms. O'Brien.

Thank you.

Dr. Brown.

I think we should both A, take them up on the offer, and B, do what we can to make sure that the pool stays there.

Other comments?

I'd like to see it preserved and I'm a subject of value for a long time.

It's a totally different experience, so that made sense to me.

Providing a place for toddlers to play and grow is the beginning of getting them ready for school.

These are all things that we are sacrificing and I don't know that we've really been honest with ourselves about what we're losing in order to gain this road.

Thank you.

as a record of the state land must be refurbishing before it opens.

Second.

Any further discussion?

However, we do have scheduled a public hearing on the budget, and we have a number of people that have signed up to speak for the public hearing, and the first one is Collette Hall.

Thank you.

Thank you for your time.

So I hope you will consider that in your budget consideration.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Ms. Meade.

Thank you very much.

Steven Bart.

Thanks.

Nancy O'Brien.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. O'Brien.

or for other volunteer programs which I think would certainly help to improve student achievement in your schools.

Thank you.

I thank you very much for your time and attention.

Pat Napoleon.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Taliaferro.

the special attention that the city and county are trying to allocate to SPCA for our pound services.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Richard Will.

Thank you.

Any initial responses to comments raised just now?

I would like to know.

I think we had a discussion of it and it was left at the discussion level because there were some other items that were still in the budget Other comments or responses?

The second thing is I would like to have the city manager respond to the issue of are we planning as we've done in the past a five year capital plan or have we changed the way we're doing business on that.

So that's the changes in the budget, is actually looking at a regular operating budget for several years, but the capital program and the capital funding, there's not a change with what we've been doing.

Just to clarify this, that's where it used to be, that's where it used to come, like 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,000 pages, 30,

But that's where I am right now.

Other comments?

Not exactly.

I can answer that, but I'll let you finish because I have my own opinion on that.

I just wondered if this would be a good time to have the city attorney talk about what the legal relationship is with the city and the SPCA and how we are required by law to run a dog pound.

And that has a funding formula in it that determines the amount of the contribution each year from the city and from the county to the SPCA.

And it should be acknowledged, you know, this is a chunk more money for us, it's a lot more money for us, you know, based on where the SPCA wants to see us go in several years, but because the county has more population and more animals that go to the pen, it's a ton of money for the county, so I think it is a big decision for them, but hopefully we can find a way to continue to work together on that.

I would just like to suggest that the staff sit down and see if we can renegotiate, as Dr. Brown suggested, an agreement with the city and county.

I don't know whether that can be accomplished or not, but I still think that's the key to solenization.

Mr. O'Connor, do you have any comments?

I'm looking out to say one thing on the additional position.

We have to do the one before the next first because it's one piece of the budget that you will consider next.

You know it takes another reading.

Mr. Appel.

Questions?

This would be the time to initiate discussion about the performance analyst position as well if we want to see that included in the budget or other items that you'd like to address.

and putting the budget together this year we were faced with a situation where we couldn't even recognize employees within the organization if any type of salary increase and for that reason I just can't support adding an additional position so that's kind of where I am on that.

I already spoke about that and David also spoke on it.

What will we do instead to address efficiency management and accountability?

How will we continue to do that?

But if you don't go forward and approve it, I think the level of what we're going to be able to do is going to be diminished, and you just have to accept that as you go forward with the budget, if that's where you are.

I draw from the mayor's comments on this issue, and then I have a couple more.

So I'm more inclined to support it given that sort of new aspect of the position.

what we're doing looking into outside agencies and again, would that be better done as a contract position than a full-time staff position?

And better stewards not only with money, but better stewards with our time, too.

Any other issues with the budget before we make a motion?

I just wanted to make that clear as well.

I just wanted to correct the record on that.

Mr. Mayor, I'm prepared to move the budget but maybe if we could have some clarification since we have a spot in limbo, should I just move it as it is with the idea we'll amend it next time if necessary?

I think that's the best way to proceed and then if you get information prior to your second reading of the appropriation you can certainly entertain amendments to change any of those proposed expenditures.

OK, so I'll move the adoption of the budget.

Mr. Tolbert.

Yeah, please.

Mr. Merrick, you come in.

Mr. Merrick, you come in.

I'm David Brown, and I'm going to turn it over to Michael.

Council, we're going to go without it since we have a technical glitch.

Do you not have it?

I don't need music or anything.

Rick thinks he has it now.

Do you know what you're doing?

Sit down on the bottom left down there.

Is it already on there?

That's the front of it, absolutely.

So I just wonder if it's already... That's the, uh...

You want to stop?

I don't know why we thought we needed to get him early on.

Yeah.

So there's not a whole lot to say about it.

He's getting hit in the break, he looks tired up there.

He's getting hit in there.

Can I borrow you for a drink from the city?

That's a problem.

60 seconds.

What's the total budget?

Total budget's 9.1, 9.2 million that includes PE right away, right away is 500 PE is 7.3, it's got at least 7.6 in the construction.

In the interest of time, don't try it, just try it out.

Good.

I like that no-shell is good.

Thank you.

I'm going to go ahead and wrap the mirror over here.

Mr. Weisberg is here.

But we want to, A, let you know we're starting the project very shortly, and B, to see if you've got any particular issues that Joe and his team need to be concerned about as we move forward that we're going to make sure we're addressing.

I would like to see where it falls, where it is in downtown, at least five hours early.

Okay, any comments or questions?

I don't think that you should look at council for advice on the design, at least not this councilor.

We've got fairly strict guidelines as to what the bridge has to do in terms of load carrying and so forth, but we would like your input on the way it looks.

give people good views of the pavilion.

We intend to apply those lessons here and we also recognize that seeking counsel of folks like the DAR is going to be an important part of a successful project and we'll do so.

I'd also like to see a Viking as part of the bridge

I agree fully with all the comments that have just been made.

which would tend to also soften the project and create more of a gateway feel for the downtown and the downtown mall area which we'll explore with the various stakeholders as we felt for project purpose.

Absolutely.

As much as has already been identified as a major stakeholder, it's not to be disturbed at any time during the project.

And Julian, I need to stay away from it.

Been there more than once.

Thank you very much.

What's the schedule, just quickly?

Part of the contractual negotiations are going on right now.

Thank you.

They've developed the handouts, they've developed the website, those sorts of things and we'd be glad to answer any questions and especially let these two answer any or add anything to what I said.

I think it's an excellent idea and we should pursue it and it will help out in our system of concepts and I think we should try it.

I think it is a very good direction for us to pursue.

Thank you all.

I look forward to seeing some good results.

I wasn't aware of any.

We're not sure yet.

I think we're maybe the first.

So it'll be live in the summer.

So our plan is to be right with them as soon as they go live, we go live.

So if someone else is planning, they'll probably know because those projects haven't been allowed possibly with their pilots there.

We met with a developer who was looking at a very large project in the city and I made them aware of this and they were incredibly excited.

Thank you.

Mr. Everett?

As you know, this would be an RFP that's issued by Rivanna, so we're seeking comments from the civil council, we'll try to incorporate those, and then we're looking for comments from the other boards as well, and it's out to them, I guess, now, to see, and then we'll bring it back to the Rivanna board as soon as we have all the different comments.

Be glad to take your questions.

I have a series of questions, but I'll let others go first, if you'd like.

Kind of talks like, well, maybe if I'm reading this I really wouldn't want to be interested in pursuing some of the alternatives, I guess is what kind of leads me to believe.

It's simply providing historical context, but for a consultant looking to what kind of effort to put in a job, what kind of expertise, what kind of management savvy in addition to what type of technical answers, most of the consultants that we've spoke to about using historical information suggest that it's very helpful.

That's just my personal opinion.

What are all the details of being able to do that and what's it going to cost?

But I just wonder about all the preamble, I guess.

We've got to see better medicines in the park.

Okay.

That's my preference.

I'm trying to understand, is there something not factual in here or is it just

I would say it's not, I don't think anything in here is necessarily inaccurate, but I think one might read between the lines of this background piece here and infer that this is a community that isn't particularly interested in dredging for water supply and I think that's still a question that's up in the air.

Anyway, so if you could point me to some language that's a problem, I'd like to just give a better sense of why we're going to edit this out.

And frankly, this isn't even my major concern with the documentary.

Okay, towards the end.

Okay.

will it make sense to separate these out and have one firm that specializes in the survey work come in and do the survey work for us and then open up a very simple line of inquiry as to is there a site that's going to work.

And we're not the experts who are best at doing that.

If you broke it down into five or six RFPs, wouldn't that leave you?

I think you magnify the problem.

Would that satisfy maybe your concern?

What if we're not going to have access to them?

What do we work with the RFP for the people who are going to bid on this?

local property owner who can demonstrate how their disposal site is going to work to accomplish these goals.

It was fairly listed to the site that they were doing total, and they would have just, I think, asked for approval.

Or if you go to that full extent and there's a regulatory requirement or something that you should go through the next step in the process.

I think this is very well written in terms of the criteria we want to see, but...