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Office of the City Clerk
November 24, 2004

Council Held Its Annual
Work Session with the City's
General Assembly Delegation
at 6:00 p.m. in the Council
Work Room.


Regular Meeting
Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - - 7:00 p.m.

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OPENING

1. Calling the Roll.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Euille and the City Clerk called the roll; all members of Council were present.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

2. Moment of Silence and Pledge of Allegiance.

City Council observed a moment of silence and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

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

(a) The Regular Meeting Minutes of November 9, 2004.

City Council approved the minutes of the regular meeting of November 9, 2004.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

None.

New Business Item No. 1: Mayor Euille reported that Council has concluded its process for the recruitment, hiring and selection of the new City Manager, and he announced that Council has selected Mr. James Hartmann, the current County Administrator for Spartanburg County, South Carolina, for the position of City Manager. Council is concluding negotiations with him and are hoping that will be successfully completed in the next couple of days. He noted that there will be a special meeting next Tuesday, November 30, 2004, at 6:30 p.m. to hold an executive session to ratify the contract and will come out in public session to take a formal vote and to welcome and present Mr. Hartmann and his wife to the City. There will be a press release issued this evening. He thanked the Council members who travelled to several locations to do background checks on the three finalist and congratulated Council for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the process.

PROCLAMATIONS

4. Presentation of a Proclamation Recognizing the 20th Anniversary of DOT Paratransit Service.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

5. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring December 1, 2004, as World AIDS Day.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

6. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring November 25, 2004, as Potomac West Turkey Trot Day.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

7. Presentation of a Proclamation Proclaiming the Opening of the 2004 City-wide Holiday Program.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

8. Presentation of the Video Recognizing the Tenth Anniversary of the Eisenhower Partnership.

City Council viewed the video, Ten Years of Change in the Eisenhower Valley.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

New Business Item No. 2: Mayor Euille noted that there was to be a proclamation presented to the Campagna Center for the Scottish Walk on Saturday, December 4, but no one was available to accept the proclamation.

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (9-15)

(Resignations and Uncontested Appointments)

9. Receipt of the Following Resignations from Members of Boards, Commissions and Committees.

(a) Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Council
Stacey N. Street

(b) Northern Virginia Regional Commission
Natalie Mosher

10. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Alexandria Commission for the Arts
1 Member Who Has Expertise In the Arts, Either As A
Practitioner Of Various Art Disciplines or As A Professional
Administrator

(b) Alexandria Commission on Aging
1 Citizen Member Who Is 60 Years Of Age or Older

(c) Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS
1 Member From and Representing the Alexandria Chapter of
the American Red Cross

(d) Alexandria Commission on Information Technology
1 Member Representing the Alexandria City Library

(e) Alexandria Commission on Persons With Disabilities
1 Citizen Member Who Has A Disability

(f) Alexandria George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee
1 Member Nominated By the First Virginia Regiment of the
Continental Line

(g) Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
1 Representative From the Alexandria Association
1 Representative From the Old Presbyterian Meeting House

(h) Alexandria Sister Cities Committee
5 Citizen Members

(i) Alexandria Woodrow Wilson Bridge Neighborhood Task Force
1 Representative From A Civic Association Impacted by the
Woodrow Wilson Bridge Construction

(Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager)

11. Receipt of the Annual Report From the Public Records Advisory Commission.

12. Consideration of Authorization of Recommended Capital Project Allocations and Planned Expenditures.

13. Request to Vacate a City Position on the Waterfront Committee and Readvertise the Position.

14. Consideration of Funding for a Weekday Lunch Time Shuttle Between the East Eisenhower Area and Old Town.

15. Consideration of the Monthly Financial Report for the Period Ending October 31, 2004.

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR

City Council approved the Consent Calendar, with the removal of item #14 and considered it under separate motion. The City Manager's recommendations were as follows:

9. City Council accepted the following resignations with regret: (a) Stacey N. Street, Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Council; and (b) Natalie Mosher, Northern Virginia Regional Commission.

10. City Council made the following appointments: (a) waived the residency requirement and reappointed Betsy Anderson as the member who has expertise in the arts, either as a practitioner of various art disciplines or as a professional administrator to the Alexandria Commission for the Arts; (b) reappointed Donald Fowler as the citizen member who is 60 years of age or older to the Alexandria Commission on Aging; (c) appointed Christine Hutchinson as the member from and representing the Alexandria Chapter of the American Red Cross to the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS; (d) reappointed Patrick O'Brien as the member representing the Alexandria City Library to the Alexandria Commission on Information Technology; (e) appointed Tamara Hughes as the citizen member who has a disability to the Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities; (f) waived the residency requirement and appointed Carl Gnaw as the member nominated by the First Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line to the Alexandria George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee; (g) appointed Susan Cluff as the representative from the Alexandria Association and reappointed Althea Burns as the representative from the Old Presbyterian Meeting House to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission; (h) reappointed Susan Brooks, Peggie Dill, Frederica Dunn, David Levite and appointed Carlos Probus as the citizen members to the Alexandria Sister Cities Committee; and (i) appointed Shane Downey as the representative from a civic association impacted by the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Construction to the Alexandria Woodrow Wilson Bridge Neighborhood Task Force.

11. City Council received the report of the Public Records Advisory Commission and thanked the Commission for their efforts on behalf of the City.

12. City Council authorized the capital project allocations and planned expenditures for the capital projects as detailed in the Capital Improvement Expenditure Summary.

13. City Council vacated the position on the Waterfront Committee for an at-large citizen representative and requested the Executive Secretary for Boards and Commissions to re-advertise the vacancy.

14. City Council: (a) authorized a limited term lunch time shuttle between the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office area and Upper King Street; and (b) approved funding from the General Fund Contingent Reserves in the amount of $46,000 to operate a weekday lunch time shuttle from January 3, 2005 to June 30, 2005. (separate motion)

15. City Council received the Monthly Financial Report for the period ending October 31, 2004.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS

16. Alexandria Carr/Norfolk Southern (Carlyle) Design Review Board
1 Citizen Member

City Council appointed Edward McKinney as the citizen member to the Alexandria Carr/Norfolk Southern (Carlyle) Design Review Board.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

17. Alexandria Commission for the Arts
1 Member Who Represents the Public-at-Large As An Arts
Consumer and Participant

City Council reappointed Lien Tran as the member who represents the public-at-large as an arts consumer and participant on the Alexandria Commission for the Arts.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

18. Alexandria Commission on Information Technology
2 Citizens-at-Large

City Council reappointed Brian Hunt and R. Heather Planey as the two citizens-at-large to the Alexandria Commission on Information Technology.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

19. Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission
1 Citizen Member

City Council appointed Michael Carrasco as the citizen member to the Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

20. Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission
1 Member With Expertise In Federal/State Environmental
Statutes, Regulations and Procedures

City Council deferred this appointment in order to re-advertise the position.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

21. Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority Board of Commissioners
2 Citizen Members

City Council reappointed A. Melvin Miller and Ruby Tucker as the two citizen members to the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION

22. Consideration of Adoption of the City's 2005 Legislative Package. (#12, 11/13/04 and #15, 10/26/04.)

City Council adopted items 1.A through 1.I, 2.A through 2.M, 2.0, and 3.A through 3.D as positions in the City's Legislative Package for the 2005 General Assembly Session, and City staff will monitor item 2.N.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

23. Consideration of Regulatory Framework For the Taxicab Industry.

City Council received the report and asked staff to begin work on Code modifications related to service enhancement features of current proposal as follows: (a) consumer enhancements as described in the docket materials; (b) provisions related to new companies entering the market; (c) other requirements; (d) bi-annual reviews of fares and fees; (e) service and performance information requirements; and (f) City administration enhancements; and for Councilman Gaines and Krupicka to work with interested interest groups to provide a final proposal to Council related to the issues of certificates and mobility. Such work shall be completed by the January 24, 2005, City Council meeting or shall be postponed indefinitely until four members of Council propose an alternative.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

24. Consideration of Allocating Funds for the Alexandria Commission for Women's Needs Assessment of the Economic Status of Women in Alexandria.

This was removed from the docket.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

25. Allocation of Funds for Consultant Services For the City Effort to Address Air Quality Concerns Related to the Mirant Potomac River Plant.

City Council approved an allocation of $95,000 from FY 2005 Contingent Reserves to provide funding for consultant services to assist staff with technical and project management issues related to Mirant Potomac River Generating Plant.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

26. Consideration of a Proposed Policy Requiring That Development and Applicants Provide Funding For Independent Reviews of Traffic Studies for Proposed Developments With Significant Transportation Impacts.

City Council: (a) approved in concept a policy that requires an independent review of Traffic Impact Studies submitted for development projects having significant traffic impacts and that require the cost of such reviews to be paid by the project applicant according to a fee schedule described below; and (b) requested the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance that formally adopts the policy, and docket it for Council consideration after staff have shared the policy with the development community.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

27. Consideration of a Policy Requiring Fiscal Impact Analyses for Proposed Developments With Significant Fiscal Impacts.

City Council deferred this item.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

28. Submission of Application For Funding to the Virginia Housing Development Authority for the Round 4 Sponsoring Partnerships and Revitalizing Communities Program and Round 2 of the Home Stride Program.

City Council approved the submission of an application to VHDA for the following: (a) $7,800,000 in SPARC Round 4 program funding to provide first-trust, low-interest, mortgage financing for participants in the City's Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP) and Moderate Income Homeownership Program (MIHP); and (b) $1,000,000 in Home Stride program funding for second-trust, deferred interest, deferred payment financing for HAP and MIHP loan recipients, as well as City and Alexandria City Public School employees who meet Home Stride requirements but do not necessarily use or qualify for HAP and MIHP.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

29. Consideration of Establishment of an Alexandria Gang Prevention Community Task Force.

City Council received the report, provided its input on the composition of a six to ten member Alexandria Community Task Force on Gangs and requested staff to docket a resolution establishing the task force at its Tuesday, December 14 legislative meeting.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

None

ORAL REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

None.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Councilman Krupicka said Council received a CD-Rom with the full docket and items on it, and it will be provided by the Clerk for the next few months prior to the Council meeting. He said he and Mayor Euille had a meeting with the Clerk last week to talk about enhancements and how it could make it convenient and an asset to Council and they will ask for Council's advice and suggestions as it moves through this over the next few months. It is moving Council toward being more electronic, and each Councilmember can decide what works for them. It can be positive for efficiency and effectiveness and give them access to even more information and tools.

(b) Councilman Krupicka commended Mayor Euille for the way he handled and managed the City Manager recruitment process. The fact that they have a strong, unanimous sense from Council and the process has gone as well as it has with no leaks and has been a very positive process. He said Mayor Euille deserves their recognition and thanks for pulling it together as efficiently and effectively as he has.

(c) Vice Mayor Pepper said the City is sponsoring a food and toy drive at the Alexandria Adult Day Services Center, 1108 Jefferson Street, which begins December 13 and runs through December 17, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The food goes to ALIVE and the toys go to the Office for Women's Domestic Violence Program.

(d) Vice Mayor Pepper said that earlier, there was an appropriations bill that has passed the House and she mentioned a few things Congressman Moran was able to get for the City: The Agape Ministry received $75,000 for their HIV/AIDS Ministry, the Child and Family Center will receive $250,000, the George Washington Parkway will receive $300,000 for maintenance and other items, Lee Fendall House will receive $75,000, the Apothecary Shop will receive $50,000, the Urban League Headquarters will receive $75,000, the Police Department will receive $400,000 for homeland security, and WMATA will receive $7 million to buy clean running buses.

(e) Councilwoman Woodson said she would represent the City at the National League of Cities Conference next week, and there will be a youth delegation. Karen Parker Thompson from the Schools will be their chaperone, and thanks go to Mayor Euille for supporting the youth.

(f) Councilwoman Woodson sent kudos to the new Alexandria Community Trust, as they had their grand kick-off last week. She thanked the Steuerle family for their contribution in memory of their wife/mother who was killed in the 9/11 crash. The fund is starting off at over $3 million and they will use that money to help local charities.

(g) Councilman Smedberg said the Service Clubs luncheon was held last week, which was a gathering of several community service groups.

(h) Councilman Smedberg said the Animal Welfare League had a successful dinner a little over a week ago to help support their events and activities throughout the year.

(i) Councilman Smedberg said congratulations to the Mt. Vernon PTA for their successful fundraiser. Over $20,000 was raised for the Mt. Vernon PTA.

(j) Councilman Macdonald said he received an award on behalf of the City in Charlottesville from the Federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Preserve America Award, and he hoped that it could be presented to the historic groups and Office of Historic Alexandria at the next meeting.

(k) Councilman Macdonald said it had a real tough review process of prospective candidates to be the next City Manager, they did a good job, worked very hard, had a lot of very good candidates and in the end were all unanimous. Council should be proud of its effort, and he thanked Mayor Euille for his leadership.

(l) Councilman Macdonald said they received a memo recently regarding the Gunston Hall Apartments, asking if they could apply for National Historic Register Status, and to get full listing, it has to have the approval of the landowner, but to apply they do not. He suggests that they apply, as down the road, if there is an opportunity to save this property in a way that is different than had been conceived initially, this listing will provide some significant tax breaks to another developer. He asked that it be docketed for the next legislative meeting.

(m) Councilman Gaines said the Citizen Survey did not get the recognition it deserved, it says an awful lot in that 97 percent of residents who were surveyed said their quality of life was very good or good, and it is a real testament to the City Manager and a real testament to the City staff. He said he was proud of the City employees.

(n) Councilman Gaines said he drafted a memo on enhancing regulation of assisted care facilities, to see how the City might be able to enhance regulation in the City, in response to the Sunrise Assisted Care neglect case in the City. He commended the Commonwealth's Attorney Office for prosecuting that case.

(o) Councilman Gaines spoke about community voice mail, requesting in September that staff look into creating community voice mail for people in transition, who are between jobs and cannot afford phone service, and the staff found a way to do the program in house by linking with JobLink and the Department of Human Services. It will have the capacity for up to 400 voice mail boxes and is pleased that it will go forward. He requested that at some point it be docketed for presentation to Council so Council can get a full sense of what is involved.

(p) Councilman Gaines thanked John Noelle, the City Arborist, for the beautiful Christmas Tree. He said John travelled all over Northern Virginia and helped them find a beautiful tree.

(q) Councilman Gaines thanked everyone who sent well wishes on the birth of his child.

(r) Mayor Euille reminded everyone of the official Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony to kick-off the holiday season on Friday, November 26 at 7:00 p.m., in Market Square.

(s) Mayor Euille said City Manager Sunderland is on leave for the Thanksgiving holiday. He said Mr. Sunderland would serve as City Manager until the new manager takes over in January.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER

None.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

None.

OTHER

30. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council adopted the schedule of Council's regular City Council meetings for November 2004 through June 2005, with the following additions and changes: a ceremony honoring the City's Department of Transportation and Environmental Services Paratransit Program on Tuesday, November 23, at 5:00 p.m., in the Vola Lawson Lobby; the groundbreaking for the T.C. Williams High School Project on Saturday, December 4 at 3:30 p.m.; the Alexandria Student Connection (Forum) on Thursday, December 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the gymnasium at Charles Houston Recreation Center, 905 Wythe Street; the Martin Luther King, Jr. Employee Program on Friday, January 14, at 12:00 noon at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson Street; the Martin Luther King, Jr., Community Program on Saturday, January 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church, 1401 Duke Street; the Salute to Women Awards Banquet on Friday, March 18 at 6:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, 625 First Street; the annual City Employee Service Awards on Monday, April 18 at 5:30 p.m. in the Lee Center Exhibit Hall; the special City Council meeting on Tuesday, November 30, 2004, at 6:30 p.m. along with a public reception to greet the new City Manager following the special meeting in the Vola Lawson Lobby.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

31. Consideration of an Amendment to Council's Rules of Procedure to Permit the Mayor to Provide Additional Time For Public Hearing Speakers Representing a Bona Fide Civic Association or Organization.

City Council adopted the resolution to amend Resolution No. 2085, which establishes rules of procedure for Council meetings. (Res. No. 2125)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

32. Consideration of Convening An Executive Session Closed to the Public To Discuss Acquisition of Property for Public Open Space Purposes, and other matters, pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(7) of the Code of Virginia.

City Council adopted a resolution to come out of the executive session meeting held November 20, 2004 for the purpose of discussing the appointment of the new city manager. (Res. No. 2126)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

The meeting was adjourned at 10:06 p.m.


Note: The action docket is a summary of Council's meeting deliberations prepared largely for staff follow-up. Formal minutes of the meeting, when approved by Council become the official record of the meeting and of Council decisions made at the meeting.



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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