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Office of the City Clerk
September 15, 2005

There was a Citizenship
Day Event in Market Square,
Including Swearing In of 30
New U.S. Citizens, on September
13, 2005, at 6:00 p.m.

City Council Held a Work
Session at the End of the Regular
Meeting to hear a Briefing on the
City's Emergency Preparedness.



Regular Meeting
Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - - 7:00 p.m.

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OPENING

Town Crier William North-Rudin opened the meeting.

1. Calling the Roll.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Euille, and the City Clerk called the roll; all the members of City 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. Recognition of Town Crier William North-Rudin. (This item was heard as item No. 1.)

Council recognized Town Crier William North-Rudin.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

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

(a) The Public Hearing Meeting Minutes of June 21, 2005;

(b) The Special Public Hearing Meeting Minutes of June 27, 2005; and

(c) The Regular Meeting Minutes of June 28, 2005.

City Council approved the public hearing minutes of June 21, 2005, the special public hearing minutes of June 27, 2005, and the regular meeting minutes of June 28, 2005.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

None.


PROCLAMATIONS

5. Presentation of a Proclamation Recognizing Heather Buchanan as City Employee of the Month for June.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

6. Presentation of a Proclamation Recognizing Leroy Baker as City Employee of the Month for July.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

7. Presentation of a Proclamation for the March for Awareness, Resources and Commitment in Richmond.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

8. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring September as Save a Life Month.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

9. Recognition of the 25th Anniversary of the Alexandria Volunteer Bureau.

City Council recognized the Alexandria Volunteer Bureau.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (10-16)

(Resignations and Uncontested Appointments)

10. Receipt of the Following Resignations From Members of Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Alexandria Commission on Aging
Kathryn Edwards

(b) Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS
Cynthia Bees
Jerome Vincent Guss, Jr.

(c) Alexandria Community Services Board
Victoria Almquist

(d) Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission
Michael Carrasco

(e) Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association
Board of Governors
Leonard Gregory Brown

(f) Alexandria Potomac Yard Design Advisory Committee
Patrick Butler

(g) Alexandria Sister Cities Committee
Kenneth Hill
Sanjay Murty
Carlos Probus
Jeffrey Swedberg

11. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
1 Representative of the City’s Faith Community

(b) Alexandria-Caen Exchange Committee
2 Citizen Members

(c) Alexandria-Gyumri Sister City Committee
1 Citizen Member

(d) Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS
1 Member From and Representing the Alexandria Human
Rights Commission
1 Citizen-at-Large

(e) Alexandria Commission on Persons With Disabilities
1 Representative From the Business Community At-Large

(f) Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission
1 Local Consumer Action Organization Member

(g) Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association Board of Governors
1 Hotel Owner/Manager Representative
1 Retail Business Owner/Manager Representative
1 National or International Trade or Professional Association
Executive
The Hotel Association President
1 Member-at-Large

(h) Health Systems Agency of Northern Virginia
1 Health Care Provider

(i) Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
1 Member-at-Large From Planning District II

(j) Alexandria Potomac Yard Design Advisory Committee
1 Qualified Professional Skilled in Architecture

(k) Alexandria Waterfront Committee
1 Representative From the Alexandria Archaeological
Commission
1 Representative From the Alexandria Environmental Policy
Commission

(Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager)

12. Vacation #2002-0041(b) - 1514-1602 King Street and 1602 Dechantel Street. Receipt of Viewers' Report For a Request For Vacation of the Public Right-of-Way at 1514-1602 King Street and 1602 Dechantel Street, Zoned Mixed Use. Applicant DSF Long King Street I, LLC. (#11, 4/16/05.)

13. Consideration of a Grant Application to the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation for Funding to Acquire a Public Access Easement Along the Mt. Vernon Waterfront Trail on the Hunting Towers Site.

14. Consideration of Submission of a Grant Applicant to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for the City's Domestic Violence Intervention Project.

15. Receipt of the Annual Committee Attendance Report for Fiscal Year 2005.

(Ordinances for Introduction)

16. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance to Grant a Full Exemption From the Residential Refuse Fee to Elderly or Disabled Taxpayers Who Have Obtained a Deferral or Exemption of Real Estate Taxes.

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR

City Council approved the Consent Calendar as follows, with the removal of items 12, 13 and 15 and considered them under separate motion. The City Manager's recommendations were as follows:

10. City Council accepted the following resignations with regret: (a) Kathryn Edwards from the Alexandria Commission on Aging; (b) Cynthia Bees and Jerome Vincent Guss, Jr., from the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS; (c) Victoria Almquist from the Alexandria Community Services Board; (d) Michael Carrasco from the Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission; (e) Leonard Gregory Brown from the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association Board of Governors; (f) Patrick Butler from the Alexandria Potomac Yard Design Advisory Committee; and (g) Kenneth Hill, Sanjay Murty, Carlos Probus and Jeffrey Swedberg from the Alexandria Sister Cities Committee.

11. City Council made the following appointments: (a) appointed Marilyn Patterson as the representative of the City's Faith Community to the Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee; (b) appointed Julie Huebsch and Jacqueline Schenkel as the two citizen members to the Alexandria-Caen Exchange Committee; (c) appointed Gerard Yoest as the citizen member to the Alexandria-Gyumri Sister City Committee; (d) appointed Karen Gautney as the member from and representing the Alexandria Human Rights Commission and reappointed Lillian Thompson as the one citizen-at-large representative to the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS; (e) waived the residency requirement and appointed Robyn Fitzgerald as the one representative from the business community at-large on the Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities; (f) appointed Edward Susan as the one local consumer action organization member to the Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission; (g) waived the residency requirement and reappointed Mary Anne Russell as the one hotel owner/manager representative, waived the residency requirement and appointed Robert Lorenson as the one retail business owner/manager representative, reappointed Gayle Reuter as the one national or international trade or professional association executive, waived the residency requirement and appointed Robert Canady as the hotel association president, and waived the residency requirement and appointed Charlotte Hall as the one member-at-large to the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association (ACVA) Board of Governors; (h) appointed Michael Spatz, M.D. as the one health care provider to the Health Systems Agency of Northern Virginia; (i) appointed Jennifer Hall as the one member-at-large from planning district II to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission; (j) appointed Stephen Koenig as the one qualified professional skilled in architecture to the Alexandria Potomac Yard Design Advisory Committee; and (k) reappointed Ernest (Pete) Petersen as the one representative from the Alexandria Archaeological Commission and appointed Joshua Dickinson as the one representative from the Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission to the Alexandria Waterfront Committee.

12. City Council received the report of the vacation of right-of-way at 1514-1602 King Street and 1602 Dechantel Street and directed the City Attorney to prepare the necessary ordinance. (separate motion under Oral Reports from the City Manager)

13. City Council authorized the City Manager to: (a) submit the grant application to the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VLCF) for funding in the amount of $500,000 to assist in the acquisition of a public access easement along the Mt. Vernon Trail waterfront; and (b) execute all necessary documents that may be required. (separate motion)

14. City Council: (a) approved the submission of the grant application to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for funding in the amount of $73,431 for continued funding of the City's Domestic Violence Intervention Project; (b) approved the continuation of one full-time grant-funded Victim-Witness Specialist II position, and one part-time grant-funded Law Clerk position. The Office on Women and the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office will directly supervise these positions. These grant-funded positions would terminate upon the expiration of the grant. The individuals who are in these positions have been notified of this condition of employment and have signed an agreement of understanding with regard to this condition. It should be noted that there are no funds available in the City budget to continue these activities once the grant funds are expired; and (c) authorized the City Manager to execute all documents that may be required.

15. City Council (a) received the report; (b) vacated the ten positions listed on page one of the report; and (c) authorized the Executive Secretary for Boards and Commissions to advertise the vacancies. (separate motion)

16. City Council passed the ordinance on first reading and scheduled it for public hearing, second reading and final passage on September 20, 2005.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS

17. Alexandria Community Criminal Justice Board
1 Citizen Member

City Council appointed Raighne Delaney as the citizen member to the Alexandria Community Criminal Justice Board.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

18. Alexandria Industrial Development Authority
2 Citizen Members

City Council appointed Agnes Artemel and reappointed Donald Simpson, Jr., as the two citizen members to the Alexandria Industrial Development Authority.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

19. Alexandria Social Services Advisory Board
1 Citizen Member

City Council appointed Sabrina Wear as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Social Services Advisory Board.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

20. Alexandria Waterfront Committee
1 Citizen-at-Large Representative Who Resides West of Washington
Street

City Council appointed John (Jack) Sullivan as the citizen-at-large representative who resides west of Washington Street to the Alexandria Waterfront Committee.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________


REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION

21. Verbal Report on City's Efforts to Respond to Hurricane Katrina.

City staff made a verbal report on the City's efforts to respond to Hurricane Katrina.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

22. Receipt of Update on the Proposed King Street Business Improvement District.

City Council received the report.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

23. Consideration of Continuing the Deferral of City Action of the Acquisition of Property From the Old Dominion Boat Club.

City Council continued to defer action on the acquisition of the Old Dominion Boat Club (ODBC) building property, including the ODBC parking lot, as the discussions and review of alternatives continue between the City and the ODBC.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

24. Consideration of the Fiscal Year 2007 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) and Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) Projects.

City Council: (a) approved the priority listing of transportation projects discussed as those CMAQ and RSTP projects for which the City of Alexandria will request grant funding for FY 2007; and (b) authorized the City Manager to apply for these grants, and give him permission to enter into agreements with the State to accept any of these grants which are provided by the Commonwealth.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

25. Receipt of the Open Space Steering Committee Pocket Park Nominations and Setting the Report for Public Hearing on September 20, 2005.

City Council: (a) received the Open Space Steering Committee's 2005 pocket park ranked list; and (b) schedule and conduct a public hearing at Council's September 20 public hearing meeting on the Committee's pocket park rankings, including the list of all nominated sites.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

None

ORAL REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Vice Mayor Pepper said the BRAC Committee met last Monday where it discussed that the BRAC Commission had voted on what they were going to do with the Department of Defense recommended closures and realignments. Their report was sent to the President, where he has 10 days to make a decision, and it is the understanding that he will accept whatever report came out of the BRAC Commission, and then it goes to Congress. She noted that the City has three major properties and 7,000 employees that could be affected, and the Commission did recommend that they would be moving elsewhere. The City has to face what it means for vacancies.

Mayor Euille noted that the Committee has been working and has been on the Hill prior to the BRAC Commission taking its vote and submitting to the President. He and staff have lobbied the Congressional Delegation and the BRAC Commission, and have sent letters to the Commissioners, and the next step is to lobby the White House, and they are making every effort to be able to do that.

Vice Mayor Pepper noted that the next meeting is October 3.

(b) Councilman Smedberg said the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, principally Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax, came together to help rectify a health crisis that could have impacted several hundred people in the region by the possible closure of the Whitman-Walker Northern Virginia office. That will now be kept open for a period of 18 months, and the working committee has already had their first meeting to look at alternatives to come up with a regional solution long-term for taking care of people with HIV/AIDS.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Councilwoman Woodson thanked the Hoffman family when the Carpenter's Shelter announced that the Hoffman family was donating $1 million for the prevention of homelessness. It is to be used for education and is an enormous step on the part of the community to acknowledge that affordable housing is an issue and that the community can do something about it.

(b) Councilwoman Woodson reminded everyone of the Walk to Fight Breast Cancer on October 22, and if anyone has questions, they can contact the Office on Women.

(c) Councilman Gaines acknowledged the Be Ready Alexandria campaign for emergency preparedness. There was a launch of that last week co-hosted by PBS and the City of Alexandria and it was a tremendous turnout. The City has prepared packets which have been delivered to about 10,000 homes throughout the City and contain emergency information, contact information and information about making a plan for its own home. The City also partnered with the National Capital Region and their emergency preparedness campaign and provided t-shirts and other literature.

(d) Councilman Gaines commended Alexandria residents Victoria and Jerry Hubert, who coordinated a Katrina Hurricane Relief dinner, in which they raised several thousand dollars.

(e) Councilman Gaines said he thought the Arts Festival was phenomenal.

(f) Councilman Gaines commended the City Attorney's Office about the Gateway sanctions and said he was glad they pursued those sanctions against the developer in the Gateway development case, and the developer was required to pay court costs and fees.

(g) Councilman Gaines said he took a working trip this summer, which was a leadership mission to Israel, sponsored by the Greater Washington Jewish Community Relations Council, and it was a trip of a lifetime and he noted all the events he attended and participated in.

(h) Councilman Macdonald thanked the Arts Commission who put on the Arts Festival last week, the Police who did a lot of the work at intersections and City staff that put on an art exhibit for staff members and Council. He thanked them for their hard work.

(i) Councilman Macdonald thanked City staff for its work to date on trying to find a solution to keeping Gunston Hall, both somewhat affordable and standing in its current form.

(j) Councilman Macdonald said the Mayor received a letter from John Liss asking about the taxicab ordinance and the implementation of some of the issues, and he hoped they would be able to implement it sooner than 2007.

Deputy Director of Transportation and Environmental Services Culpepper said the response has gone out.

(k) Councilman Macdonald said there is a lot of construction along South Washington Street near Gunston Hall where they are doing a lot of work and he had concerns from neighbors on the tight parking in the area and he asked if some of the staff of the businesses are using the shuttle and using the off-site parking area to reduce pressure on the local parking spots.

(l) Vice Mayor Pepper said that in May she sent a memo to the City Manager and other members of Council asking if they could have a memorandum from T&ES concerning the possible withdrawing of the $16 million that's been set aside by VDOT for the construction of the connecting road. She said she has not heard anything about that and it doesn't appear that any time soon they will be building the connecting road and it looked like the funds may be released.

Mr. Culpepper said it is in process.

(m) Vice Mayor Pepper said there apparently has been a decision by the Census Bureau that the City's population is not what they thought it was, that they are claiming the City's 2004 population was 128,000 whereas the City has been saying it was more like 137,000. The City Manager has sent a letter to the Census Bureau giving good reasons why that is a true underestimation of who they are and how many people there are, and one of the points made was that they had built 4,200 housing units since 2000 when the official census was made and only 450 houses have been demolished.

(n) Vice Mayor Pepper said the Hoffman Center has been renamed the Hubert N. Hoffman, Jr. Center for Homeless Families.

(o) Councilman Smedberg thanked the community groups and residents who worked with the City staff and Mirant monitoring group to get the City to the point where it is now. The Mirant Plant temporarily suspended its operations a few weeks ago and a lot of congratulations goes around the table. He particularly thanked Elizabeth Chimento and Poal Hertel for all their great work over the past four years, and he thanked the City Manager's Office and the City Attorney's Office for its work in assisting the group.

Mayor Euille noted that there have been on-going meetings with his office, the staff and with Congressman Moran's Office and they have actually invited representatives from Pepco and the District government to participate in those meetings and discussions, and Pepco has chosen not to come to the table. They had a conference call last week with Congressman Moran and D.C. Mayor Williams and there will be a follow-up conversation and meeting when Mayor Williams returns back to the country from travel.

Councilman Smedberg acknowledged all the residents who have submitted their own letters to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, where the decision currently is.

(p) Councilman Krupicka said Councilman Smedberg and Vice Mayor Pepper should also be complimented for their work on the Mirant and the task force.

(q) Councilman Krupicka said Jeff McAllister had passed away very suddenly a week or so ago, and he had just been sworn in as chair of the Commission on Disabilities, and his passing is sad and their hearts go out to the family, the Commission on Disabilities and the community, as he was a fantastic advocate, an extraordinary person and he will be deeply missed.

(r) Mayor Euille said the City Gospel Choir had an opportunity to represent the City as its ambassadors to their Sister City in Caen, France, and that trip commenced June 30 and returned July 12. There were a lot of accolades for their five performances in the Paris region and the Normandy area. They were scheduled for the last three days to go from Paris to London, but two days prior to their departure they were shaken by the first bombings that took place in the transit system in London. There was a lot of apprehension on the part of their choir members and others about making the trip to London, but calm nerves prevailed and they went to London and had a wonderful few days. He sent kudos to the choir and to Rose Boyd and others for such a wonderful job. There will be an exchange visit of the Mayor of Caen, France coming at the end of the month, along with members of her delegation and the City will be hosting them here. The Caen University Choir will be in the City in July, 2006, to spend at least a week in the area, and the City will host them.

(s) Mayor Euille said that some time within the next month or two, he will be collaborating with his colleagues to launch a Healthy Alexandria initiative. One of the issues that evolved from the recent City-wide health assessment was a need to address obesity in youth and the physical fitness of the citizens in general. He said he has had the opportunity to be a celebrity make-over at the YMCA this summer, and he started May 3 and worked out with a personal trainer, set a goal to lose 10 pounds and as of a week ago was down to 21 pounds. The initiative will be launched to get the message out, and when the citizens are healthy, the City is healthy.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER

Council heard docket item #12 at this time.

City Manager Hartmann announced that Mike Herway has been appointed the new Director of Information Technology.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

26. Consideration of a Resolution to Amend the City of Alexandria Firefighters and Police Officers Pension Plan to Provide That the Current Fire Chief is Not Part of the Plan. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council adopted a resolution which amends the City of Alexandria Firefighters and Police Officers Pension Plan and has the effect of formally changing the Pension Plan to the Plans that the current Fire Chief participates in. (RES. NO. 2159)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

OTHER

27. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council adopted the schedule of Council's regular City Council meetings for September 2005 through June 2006, with the following additions and changes: changed the date of the Tuesday, November 8 Council legislative meeting to Wednesday, November 9 as a result of Election Day; and made the following additions to the calendar: Dinner with the mayor of our Sister City Caen, France on Thursday, September 29, at 7:00 p.m. at the Morrison House, 116 South Alfred Street; community workshop on Livable Communities and Smart Growth featuring Urban Land Institute Senior Resident Fellow Ed McMahon on Thursday, October 20, at 7:00 p.m.; grand opening and ribbon cutting for Duncan Library on Saturday, October 22 from 11 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 2501 Commonwealth Avenue; the Apothecary Museum re-opening celebration on Friday, October 28, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 105-107 South Fairfax Street; Community Workshop on Walkable/Livable Communities featuring Daniel Burden, Executive Director of Florida's Walkable Communities, Inc., on Monday, November 14, at 7:00 p.m.; and the Salute to Women Awards Banquet on Monday, March 27, 2006, at 6:00 p.m.; and noted that the official retreat is Saturday, October 29. Council Action:_________________________________________________________


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WORK SESSION (In the Council Chambers)

Council heard a briefing by Emergency Management Coordinator Mark Penn on the City's Emergency Preparedness.

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The meeting adjourned at 10:53 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 alexandriava.gov/council
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