Special Meeting
Wednesday, April 28, 1993 - - 7:30 pm
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Present: Mayor Patricia S. Ticer, Vice Mayor William C. Cleveland, Members of Council Kerry J. Donley, Redella S. Pepper, Lonnie C. Rich, and David G. Speck.
Absent: Councilman T. Michael Jackson.
Also Present: Mrs. Lawson, City Manager; Mr. Sunderland, City Attorney; Ms. Evans, Assistant City Manager; Ms. Steele, Deputy City Manager; Mr. Platky, Director of Management and Budget, and Members of his staff; Mr. Gitajn, Director of Financial and Information Services; Mr. Cyphers, Director of Human Services; Ms. Davis, Director of Housing; Mr. McMahon, Deputy Director of General Services; Dr. Masem, Superintendent of Schools; Chair Godfrey and Members of the School Board; and Lieutenant Corle, Police Department.
Recorded by: Beverly I. Jett, CMC, City Clerk and Clerk of Council.
City Council did not hold a work session at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Workroom.
At 6:30 p.m., City Council held a work session with the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee to discuss the report submitted by the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee with respect to its review of the City Manager's proposed FY 1994 Budget.
Chair Draper made a presentation and Members of the Committee participated. The Mayor and Members of City Council, the City Manager, Mr. Platky, Director of Management and Budget, and Mr. Gitajn, Director of Financial and Information Services, participated in the discussion.
(Material pertaining to this work session is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council and is made a part of the record by reference.)
The work session was concluded at 7:55 p.m.
OPENING
At 8:00 p.m., the Meeting was called to order by Mayor Ticer, and the City Clerk called the Roll; all Members of City Council were present except Councilman Jackson.
(A Notice of this Special Meeting had been previously served upon each Member of Council, pursuant to a provision of the City Charter, a copy of the Notice certified by each Member of Council being on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council.)
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2. Public Hearing on the Proposed School Budget for Fiscal Year 1993-94.
(A copy of the approved Alexandria City Public Schools Budget for FY 1993-1994, is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 1 of Item No. 2; 4/28/93, and is incorporated herewith as part of this record by reference.
Mayor Ticer read a statement from Councilman Jackson extending his regrets for not being able to attend tonight's public hearing due to an employment commitment; a copy of which is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 2 of Item No. 2; 4/28/93, and is incorporated herewith as part of this record by reference.)
(The following persons participated in the public hearing on this item:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, Ms. Godfrey, Chair, School Board, gave remarks concerning the approved Budget adopted by the Alexandria School Board;
Steven Corley, 203 Yoakum Parkway, #926, spoke in support of an increase or reallocation of funds to maintain the level of talented and gifted teaching in elementary schools at the current level; a copy of Mr. Corley's statement is on file in the Office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 3 of this item;
(Members of City Council asked questions of Mr. Corley.)
Meredith Corley, 203 Yoakum Parkway, #926, student in the elementary school TAG program, spoke in support of TAG classes; a copy of Miss Corley's statement is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 4 of this item;
Claudia Ruiz Fitzgerald, 4646 Seminary Road, representing the social workers; a copy of Ms. Fitzgerald's statement is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 5 of this item;
Diana Bradley, 2732 Franklin Court, representing the MacArthur Elementary School PTA, spoke in support of instructional assistants in primary classrooms;
Michele Reday Cook, 2724 King Street, president, MacArthur Elementary School PTA; a copy of Ms. Cook's statement is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 6 of this item;
Victor Glasberg, 121 S. Columbus Street, parent, spoke for reduction in class size;
John Carten, 2314 Valley Drive, representing T.C. Williams Alumni Association, spoke against the elimination of the athletic director at T.C. Williams High School;
(Members of Council asked questions of Mr. Carten.)
Odalis Smith, 2000 N. Beauregard Street, representing the psychologists of Alexandria City Public Schools' Psychological Services staff; a copy of Ms. Smith's statement is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 7 of this item;
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Melissa Luby, 312 1/2 N. Henry Street, president, Jefferson-Houston Elementary School PTA; a copy of Ms. Luby's statement is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 8 of this item;
(General Discussion. Members of City Council, the City Manager, and Ms. Luby participated in the discussion.)
Pam Walkup, 1562 Mt. Eagle Place, representing the Jefferson-Houston Elementary School PTA, spoke in support of the FY 1994 School Board Budget as presented to the City Council and in support of her colleagues from Psychological Services; she also commented on the MGT report with respect to DASH buses being utilized and stated that there needs to be some careful study of this proposal before it is put into place; the idea of site-based management may have some possibilities for fiscal savings in the long run but the up-front costs need to be considered; urged support for COLA and health benefits for employees;
Barbara Harslen, 113 W. Bellefonte Avenue, president of Mt. Vernon PTA, spoke in support of smaller class size with additional teachers and psychologist/social workers; suggested that Council think of a contingency fund;
Andre Assalian, 4646 Seminary Road, principal, Francis Hammond Junior High School, representing the Alexandria School Administrators; a copy of Mr. Assalian's statement is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 9 of this item;
Pat Moran, 3330 King Street, representing the T.C. Williams PTSA Board, spoke in support of the psychological and social workers; and
Therese Crahan, 10 W. Maple Street, co-president, George Washington Junior High School PTA, spoke in support of support of funds for assistant principal and guidance counselor.)
The public hearing was concluded. The budget will be adopted on Wednesday, May 5, 1993, at 7:30 p.m. A work session will be held at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Workroom prior to the Council meeting.
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THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO BE CONSIDERED, upon motion by Councilwoman Pepper, seconded by Councilman Donley and carried unanimously by all those present, at 9:05 p.m., the Special Meeting of April 28, 1993, was adjourned. The voting was as follows:
Pepper "aye" Cleveland "aye"
Donley "aye" Jackson absent
Ticer "aye" Rich "aye"
Speck "aye"
APPROVED BY:
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PATRICIA S. TICER MAYOR
ATTEST:
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Beverly I. Jett, CMC City Clerk
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This docket is subject to change.
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