Action Docket for Regular Meeting (02/22/2000)

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Office of the City Clerk
February 23, 2000

The Annual Meeting of the Stockholders
of the Alexandria Transit Company was
held at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Workroom.

Regular Meeting
Tuesday, February 22, 2000 - - 7:30 p.m.

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OPENING

1. Calling the Roll.

The Meeting was called to Order by Mayor Donley, and the City Clerk called the Roll; all Members of City Council were present.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

The Invocation was pronounced by Councilman Cleveland.
2. Invocation. By:_________________________________________________________

3. Appointment of the New City Manager.

City Council appointed Philip G. Sunderland as the Alexandria City Manager, effective March 1, 2000, on the terms and conditions set out in the Mayor's February 15, 2000 letter to Mr. Sunderland.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

4. Reading and Acting Upon the Minutes of the Following Meetings of City Council:

(a) The Special Meeting of February 1, 2000 [in lieu of the Regular Meeting of January 25, 2000]; and

(b) The Regular Meeting of February 8, 2000.

City Council approved the Minutes of (a) the Special Meeting of February 1, 2000; and (b) the Regular Meeting of February 8, 2000, as submitted.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

5. Report of the City Clerk.

City Council received the report of the City Clerk.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

OPENING (continued)

6. Presentation of Proclamation Proclaiming April 1, 2000, as Census 2000 Complete Count Day in the City of Alexandria.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

7. Presentation of Proclamation Proclaiming May 14, 2000, to Recognize the Million Mom March.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

8. Presentation of Proclamation Declaring March 4, 2000, as St. Patrick's Day Parade Day in the City of Alexandria.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (9-14)

9. Receipt of Resignations from Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Alexandria-Gyumri Sister City Committee
Tatyana S. Schriempf

(b) Alexandria Commission for the Arts
Jennifer Archer

(c) Alexandria Commission on Aging
Susana Perry

(d) Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
Eugene Thompson

(e) Alexandria Task Force on AIDS
Nathan Monell

10. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Alexandria Landlord-Tenant Relations Board
1 Resident Member Who Is Not A Landlord or A Tenant

1 Landlord or Representative of A Landlord

(b) Alexandria Social Services Advisory Board
1 Citizen Member

11. Receipt of the Monthly Financial Report for the Period Ending January 31, 2000.

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)

CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)

12. Consideration of Submission of Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Social Services for the Office on Women's Domestic Violence Program.

13. Consideration of Submission by the Alexandria Community Services Board of a Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse to Provide Services for Children with, and At Risk for, Serious Emotional Disturbance.

14. Consideration of Proposed Amendments to the City's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Programs.

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR

City Council approved the Consent Calendar as presented. The City Manager's recommendations are as follows:

9. City Council received the following resignations with regret: (a) Tatyana S. Schriempf from the Alexandria-Gyumri Sister City Committee; (b) Jennifer Archer from the Alexandria Commission for the Arts; (c) Susana Perry from the Alexandria Commission on Aging; (d) Eugene Thompson from the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission; and (e) Nathan Monell from the Alexandria Task Force on AIDS; requested the Executive Secretary for Boards and Commissions to send the appropriate letters of appreciation and to advertise the vacancies in the usual manner.

10. City Council (a) reappointed Fletcher Johnston as a Resident Member who is not a Landlord or a Tenant and Joann Poladian as a Landlord or Representative of a Landlord to the Alexandria Landlord-Tenant Relations Board; and (b) appointed Sheeba Ahmed as a Citizen Member to the Alexandria Social Services Advisory Board.

11. City Council (1) received the Monthly Financial Report for the period ending January 31, 2000; and (2) authorized the capital project allocations and planned expenditures for the capital projects as detailed in the Capital Improvement Expenditure Summary.

12. City Council authorized the City Manager to: (1) submit the grant application to the Virginia Department of Social Services for funding in the amount of $154,896; (2) approve the continuation of the existing grant-funded, full-time positions of a Social Work I position and an Outreach/Prevention Specialist position and the establishment of a grant-funded, full-time Volunteer Coordinator position should the grant be awarded. These grant-funded positions would terminate upon the expiration of the grant and the individuals who are to fill these positions would be notified of this condition of employment at the time they are hired and would sign an agreement of understanding with regard to this condition. It should be noted that there are no monies available in the City budget to continue these activities once the grant funds are expended; and (3) execute all documents that may be required.

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)

CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)

13. City Council: (1) authorized the Alexandria Community Services Board to submit a grant application to the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (DMHMRSAS) for funding of up to $85,000 per year for up to four years to provide services for children with serious emotional disturbance and their families who are not eligible for Comprehensive Services Act funded services; and (2) authorized the City Manager to execute all necessary documents that may be required.

14. City Council: (1) approved funding allocations for housing and community development initiatives totaling $891,000, as follows: (1) allocated $63,500, including $58,600 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) monies and $4,900 in non-federal program income for a Capital Maintenance Inventory and Maintenance Plan for residential facilities which provide services to vulnerable households; (b) allocated $80,000 in CDBG monies to make improvements to City parks in areas in which at least 36.5% of the resident households are low- or moderate- income; (c) allocated $30,000 in CDBG monies to install access ramps, sidewalks, and concrete pads for bus stop loading platforms in order to make bus stops more accessible for persons with disabilities; (d) allocated $10,000 in monies from the Housing Trust Fund as a contribution to the capital campaign of the Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless for acquisition and rehabilitation of its Community Resources Center, which houses the Adopt-a-Family and other human services programs. This recommendation was approved by the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee on February 3, 2000; (e) allocated $7,500 in CDBG monies to enable the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse to pre-wire six group homes for portable electrical generators capable of restoring electrical service in the event of a power outage; and (f) allocated $700,000 in CDBG and HOME monies to enable Sheltered Homes of Alexandria to acquire six additional condominium units for use in the supervised apartment program for persons with mental illness, mental retardation, and/or substance abuse; (2) authorized the following budget transfers to fund the activities in Recommendation #1:

FROM:	TO:
CDBG Sources:	CDBG:
Business Assistance Loan Program $135,880	Capital Maintenance Plan $ 58,600
Low/Moderate Income Housing Assistance $56,512	Parks improvements 80,000
Home Rehabilitation Loan Program--	Access improvements 30,000
Administration 50,000	Pre-wire for generators 7,500
Loan Funds 98,756	SHA condominium units 270,618
Transitional Assistance Program (DHS) 35,994	Total: $446,718
Program Administration 19,804
Fair Housing Testing Program 19,100	HOME:
Applications for federal programs 13,700	SHA condominium units $429,382
Homeownership Assistance Administration 10,959	Total: $429,382
Youth Mapping Program 6,013
Total, CDBG Sources $446,718	Non-federal Program Income:
	Capital Maintenance Plan $ 4,900
HOME Sources:	Total: $ 4,900
HOME Preservation Program $195,638
Previously unprogrammed HOME funds 233,744	Housing Trust Fund:
Total, HOME Sources $429,382	AACH capital expenditure $10,000
	Total: $10,000
Non-federal Program Income $ 4,900
Housing Trust Fund $ 10,000
Total: $891,000	Total: $891,000

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)

CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)

14. (continued) 3. Authorized the City Manager to submit program amendments to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to amend the current year CDBG and HOME programs to include activities in Recommendation #1, above.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)

15. Consideration of Update Report on Items Before the 2000 General Assembly.

Legislative Director Caton gave Council an update.

Members of City Council participated in the discussion on the need to work in collaboration with other jurisdictions and the Virginia Municipal League to get results.

Mayor Donley urged the Council Members to be involved in the Virginia Municipal League.

City Council received the report.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

16. Actions to Improve the Utilization of the City-owned Marina: Consideration to Reduce Personal Property Tax on Recreational Boats in the City; to Increase Marina Slip Rental Fees; to Convert Five Pleasure Boat Slips at the City Marina to be Leased on a Monthly or Yearly Basis; and to Amend the Marina Slip Rental License Agreement to Allow for a Lease Renewal Option.

City Council: (1) reduced the personal property tax rate on recreational boats docked, stored or garaged in the City. In 1999, the City collected personal property tax on 130 recreational boats. This will be accomplished during the FY 2001 budget process, to be effective for calendar year 2000. The proposed tax rate would change from $4.75 to $0.01 per $100 of assessed value of the boat (this reduction would not impact commercial boats docked, stored or garaged in the City); (2) revised marina slip rental fees to be more in line with market rates (see attachment 1 of the memorandum); (3) provided for five additional pleasure boat slips at the City marina, currently designated for transient boaters, to be leased on a monthly or yearly basis; and (4) amended the Marina Slip Rental License Agreement to give the City the ability, at its discretion, to renew the agreement at its expiration.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

17. Consideration of Appointment of Acting Chief Animal Control Officer.

City Council adopted the resolution. RES. NO. 1950
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

REPORTS OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

None

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Councilman Speck indicated that Vice Mayor Euille, Council Member Walker and he, in different ways, have been talking with and have been dealing with people in Potomac West and The Avenue on issues of concern. He stated that over the next few weeks they will be having some meetings regarding the area. He noted that there is a lot of energy and a lot of ideas out there, and they want to find some ways to challenge it and not be working in different directions.

Councilman Cleveland noted that he had recently spoke to the Warwick Village Citizens Association and that subject had come up, and he is glad to see that other Members are addressing it. He spoke of the enterprise zone.

(b) Vice Mayor Euille extended his personal congratulations to the Members of the Alexandria School Board for a bold move and an educational/philosophical statement that they made and took at last week's board meeting by agreeing to appropriate in excess of a half million dollars for what they refer to as a new program initiative entitled, "Differential Resource Funding."

(c) Vice Mayor Euille spoke to the digital divide that exists not only nationally, but also locally in Alexandria. He noted that our Economic Opportunities Commission is going to undertake a study on this same issue. He encouraged the City Manager to have City staff play a very active role in working with the Commission members and others in providing whatever support that's necessary so that their study and research will go very smoothly.

Vice Mayor Euille questioned why the City was not a recipient of one of the library grants provided by Bill Gates.

Management and Budget Director Godwin indicated that staff will report back to Council.

(d) Vice Mayor Euille spoke to tax breaks for technology zones. He would like as part of the budget process consideration and/or study be given in this regard so that we can be apprised in terms of what the advantages and disadvantages are for considering this in the City of Alexandria.

(e) Vice Mayor Euille announced that the membership for a task force on the Burke Library will be comprised of the following: two City Council Members to be appointed by the Mayor; two School Board Members to be appointed by the Chairman of the School Board; two Library Board Members to be appointed by the Library Board Chairman; one citizen to be appointed from the Seminary Hills Civic Association; and two citizens-at-large to be appointed by the Mayor for a total of nine. The staff that will be involved in working on the task force will be Library Director Patrick O'Brien, who will also serve as the convenor, Management and Budget Director Lori Godwin, and a designee of the School Superintendent's Office. The purpose of this task force would be to meet, discuss and consider possible alternative concepts for modifying library services to the Burke area neighborhood at space designated in the existing Burke Library building.

Mayor Donley stated that this is a good idea and the two Council Members who will serve will be Vice Mayor Euille and Councilwoman Pepper.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL (continued)

Mayor Donley requested Patrick O'Brien to contact some citizens and to get back to the Mayor so that he can make the appointments.

(f) Mayor Donley noted that at the Alexandria Transit Company's stockholders meeting tonight, it was decided to initiate improved public transportation to serve the new Charles E. Beatley Library primarily from the affected neighborhood at the Burke Library. A DASH Shuttle will be initiated from the Burke Library to the Beatley Library on a pilot program beginning on March 15. The Shuttle will operate during non-peak rush hour time (approximately between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) every half hour Monday through Saturday. The service will be free. DASH and the City will be working to promote and publicize the availability of this shuttle.

(h) Councilwoman Pepper thanked Kate Pullen for all the hard work she has done while director of the Animal Shelter.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

None

OTHER

18. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council approved the City Council calendar and added to the calendar the Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust Ceremony at noon on Wednesday, May 3 on Market Square.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS

None

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

19. Consideration of Resolution Regarding Surplus City Vehicle. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council approved the request with a sale price of $6,225, and adopted the resolution. RES. NO. 1951
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 p.m.

This docket is subject to change.

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Full-text copies of ordinances, resolutions, and agenda items are available in the Office of the City Clerk and Clerk of the Council. Meeting materials are also available on-line at https://alexandriava.gov/council.

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Individuals with disabilities who require assistance or special arrangements to participate in the City Council meeting may call the City Clerk and Clerk of Council's Office at 838-4500 (TTY/TDD 838-5056). We request that you provide a 48-hour notice so that the proper arrangements may be made.

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THE CABLECAST SCHEDULE OF GOVERNMENT MEETINGS ON CHANNEL 11 FOLLOWS:

As of 2/14/00

CABLECAST SCHEDULE OF GOVERNMENT MEETINGS
ON
CHANNEL 11

FEBRUARY 2000

February 16, Board of Architectural Review - Old & Historic District, 7:30 p.m. - Live

February 17, School Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. - Live

February 19, City Council Public Hearing, 9:30 a.m. - Replay of the February 12 Meeting

February 22, City Council Meeting, 7:30 p.m. - Live

February 23, Board of Architectural Review - Parker-Gray District, 7:30 p.m. - Live

February 24, City Council Meeting, 6:00 p.m. - Replay of the February 22 Meeting