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Office of the City Clerk
October 27, 1999

There was a Work Session with the
Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee
at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Workroom.


Regular Meeting
Tuesday, October 26, 1999 - - 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:_______________________________________________________________

Dr. Elbert Ransom, Jr., Special Assistant to the City Manager for Human Relations.
2. Invocation. By:_________________________________________________________

3. Reading and Acting Upon the Minutes of the Following Meeting of City Council:

(a) the Special Meeting of October 13, 1999 [in lieu of the Regular Meeting of October 12, 1999.]

City Council approved the Minutes of the Special Meeting of October 13, 1999, as submitted.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

4. Report of the City Clerk.

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

5. Presentation of Proclamation Commending The Twirl Factory for Capturing the Gold and Silver Medals at the 1999 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympic Games in Cleveland, Ohio.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________








REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (6-8)

6. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Ad Hoc City of Alexandria 250th Anniversary Commission
1 Member Designated by the Alexandria Commission for Women

(b) Alexandria Commission on Persons With Disabilities
1 Member Who Has a Disability

(c) Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission
2 Citizen Members

(d) Alexandria Task Force on AIDS
1 Representative from the Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission

(e) Alexandria Youth Policy Commission
1 Parent from School Board District B

7. VACATION #99-0002--1420 WEST ABINGDON DRIVE--MASON HALL APARTMENTS
8. Receipt of the City's Monthly Financial Report for Period Ending September 30, 1999.

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR

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

6. City Council (a) appointed Susan Lowell Butler as a Member Designated by the Alexandria Commission for Women to the Ad Hoc City of Alexandria 250th Anniversary Commission; (b) appointed Robert Holland, Jr. as a Member who has a disability to the Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities; (c) reappointed Martha Harris and appointed Robert Rapanut as Citizen Members to the Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission; (d) appointed Catherine Savino as a Representative from the Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission to the Alexandria Task Force on AIDS; and (e) reappointed Barbara Allen-Hagen as a Parent from School Board District B to the Alexandria Youth Policy Commission.

7. City Council received the Viewers' report and authorized the City Attorney to prepare the necessary ordinance.




REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)

CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)

8. City Council (1) received the Monthly Financial Report for the period ending September 30, 1999; (2) authorized the capital project allocations and planned expenditures for the capital projects as detailed in the Capital Improvement Program Planned Expenditure Summary; and (3) delegated to the City Manager, or her designee, authority to award contracts to the lowest responsible bidders for the following construction project: (a) Municipal Waterfront Improvement Program at the Old Town Yacht Basin, Point Lumley, Waterfront Park and the Torpedo Factory.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)

9. Receipt of Proposed City Legislative Package for the 2000 General Assembly Session.

Mayor Donley spoke to the legislative package.

Councilman Speck spoke to the regulation of group homes. He requested a joint memorandum from the City Manager and the City Attorney to give Council a framework regarding the point that we have some control to the extent that we can allow a formal process to take place in a public setting of certain types of special needs housing.

Mayor Donley agreed with Councilman Speck's suggestion regarding a joint memorandum from the City Attorney and the City Manager is warranted on this issue. He stated that this is an opportunity to review our local ordinances.

Vice Mayor Euille spoke to the deductibility of the trash fee. He indicated that he will work with the Budget Office and try to put something together if at all feasible to bring back to the Council as soon as possible.

Mayor Donley spoke to the request for additional State funding for transit. He requested that staff work with the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission as well to make sure that our position is consistent with their legislative package and that of other jurisdictions.

City Council: (1) received the proposals for the City's 2000 legislative package; (2) scheduled the proposed legislative package for public hearing on Saturday, November 13; and (3) scheduled adoption of the legislative package for December 14, following Council's work session with the General Assembly delegation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________









REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)

10. Consideration of Amendment to the Debt Related Financial Policies to Allow Priority Consideration for an Increase in the Designation of Fund Balance for Capital Project Funding.

City Council adopted the following amendment to the Debt Related Financial Policies: A priority to consider when additional General Fund resources become available at the end of a fiscal year would be a designation within the General Fund fund balance for pay as you go capital.

It was noted that the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee voted on October 19, 1999, to strongly endorse this amendment, which is consistent with the Committee's recommendation on capital project funding included in the Committee's Report on the FY 2000 Budget.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

REPORTS OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

None

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Councilwoman Pepper spoke to the City's Annual Report.

(b) Councilwoman Pepper announced that Bienvenidos is offering free Spanish lessons for beginners. Please call 931-9740.

(c) Councilwoman Pepper announced that on October 30, from 9:30 a.m. to Noon, the fall meeting of the 1000 Friends of Alexandria will be held at Minnie Howard School.

(d) Councilwoman Pepper spoke to the appearance of the water which looks like a film or slime along the shore, as well as to the debris at the end of Queen Street.

Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities Director Whitmore and Transportation and Environmental Services Acting Director Ruller responded to her concerns.

City Manager Lawson indicated that the issue of staffing needs to be addressed in the upcoming budget.

(e) Council Member Walker spoke about bicycle safety.

(f) Council Member Walker addressed the deterioration of housing on the north side of East Reed Avenue and Route One. She queried whether the City could look into using the funds from the sale of City-owned property to be used for a study of this neighborhood and how it could be improved. The neighbors should be involved in the planning process as to what could happen to improve the neighborhood.

City Manager Lawson participated in the discussion.


ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL (continued)

Mayor Donley noted that there could be a presentation on this matter at a Council-on-the-Road meeting in this neighborhood some time in February 2000.

Vice Mayor Euille indicated that he and Council Member Rich had a meeting with representatives from Freddie Mac about a year ago. He stated that staff was going to prepare a report to Council on the meeting.

(g) Vice Mayor Euille noted the urgent need for blood donations and encouraged citizens to donate blood.

(h) Mayor Donley announced that the Commission on Information Technology forum will be held on Thursday, October 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the Minnie Howard Ninth Grade Center Auditorium, 3801 West Braddock Road. The forum, a "Community Conversation and Status Report on the Year 2000 Computer Problem," is designed to educate Alexandria residents about the readiness of their local government and the utilities that serve them.

(i) Mayor Donley spoke to a conversation he had with Rabbi Jack Moline regarding Rabbi Moline's inability to address Council on a Saturday and that it would take special permission to permit him to speak at a Tuesday meeting. Mayor Donley suggested a possible solution might be to designate up to 15 minutes at a Tuesday meeting.

Members of Council participated in the discussion on this item.

Councilman Speck will work with the City Clerk on the language contained in the speaker's form to enable someone who is unable to attend a Saturday public hearing to make a presentation during the public discussion period that that person may request an opportunity to speak at the legislative meeting and allow the Mayor to grant it.

Council Members agreed to the above suggestion by Councilman Speck.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

11. Consideration of a Resolution Establishing an Ad Hoc Washington Street Task Force. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council (1) adopted the resolution and established a Washington Street Task Force, as amended, and (2) approved the transfer of $10,000 from the contingent reserves account (103556-2707) to the Department of Planning and Zoning to fund temporary staff assistance to the Task Force.
RES. NO. 1937
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________







OTHER

12. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council (1) noted that Council's retreat will be held at the Winkler Botanical Preserve, in the Catherine Lodge, located at 5400 Roanoke Avenue. Council's Friday, November 5 retreat dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. At 7:30 p.m. Governing Magazine Executive Editor Alan Ehrenhalt will be the evening's speaker. On Saturday, November 6, the retreat will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Catherine Lodge; (2) added to the Council Calendar, Council's participation in a 45-minute panel discussion at the Eisenhower Partnership's Annual meeting on Tuesday, November 16, regarding the Council's Visions for the Future of the Eisenhower Corridor. The meeting is scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the American Trucking Association, located at 2200 Mill Road; (3) added to the Council Calendar the Virginia Municipal League Day and Dinner with the City's Delegation to the General Assembly at the Richmond Marriot on Thursday, February 10; and (4) tentatively scheduled a work session on Tuesday, December 21, 1999, prior to the Special Meeting, with the Alexandria Electoral Board to enable the Electoral Board to brief City Council on the process to seek relief from the Preclearance Provisions of the Voting Rights Act for the City from the Justice Department. Staff will check on the availability of the Electoral Board for December 21.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS

13. Alexandria Youth Policy Commission
1 Representative of a Community Non-Profit Agency Having an Interest in Youth Issues

1 Member of a Profession Which Requires Special Training or
Knowledge in Issues Affecting Youth

City Council waived the residency requirement and reappointed Deborah Brown-Anderson as a Representative of a community non-profit agency having an interest in youth issues, and reappointed Pamela Walkup as a Member of a profession which requires special training or knowledge in issues affecting youth to the Alexandria Youth Policy Commission.
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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Public Notice

The Alexandria City Council has been invited by the City of Alexandria's Commission on Information Technology to a public forum at the Minnie Howard Ninth Grade Center Auditorium, 3801 West Braddock Road, Alexandria, Virginia, on Thursday, October 28, at 7:30 p.m. The forum, a "Community Conversation and Status Report on the Year 2000 Computer Problem," is designed to educate Alexandria residents about the readiness of their local government and the utilities that serve them.

It is anticipated that more than two Members of Council will attend this forum.

For more information regarding the City's current Y2K progress or to find additional information regarding Y2K, visit the City's web site at ci.alexandria.va.us.
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Public Notice

The Alexandria City Council has been invited by the Board of Directors of the Eisenhower Partnership to its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, November 16, 1999, at the American Trucking Association, 2200 Mill Road, Alexandria, Virginia, from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. The Mayor and City Council have been asked to participate in a 45-minute panel discussion regarding the Council's Visions for the Future of the Eisenhower Corridor. The panel discussion will begin at 6:00 p.m.

It is anticipated that more than two Members of Council will attend.

For additional information, please call Sharon B. Hodges, Executive Director, Eisenhower Partnership, at (703)684-5124.
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