OPENING 1. Calling the Roll. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Euille, and the Deputy City Clerk called the roll; all the members of the Council were present, with the exception of Vice Mayor Macdonald, who had an excused absence. 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 Meetings of City Council: (a) The Regular Meeting Minutes of March 13, 2007; and (b) The Public Hearing Meeting Minutes of March 17, 2007. City Council approved the regular meeting minutes of March 13, 2007 and the public hearing meeting minutes of March 17, 2007. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL None. PROCLAMATIONS 4. Presentation of a Proclamation Recognizing the USS Pom Pon and the WWII Shipmates. City Council endorsed the proclamation. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 5. Presentation of a Proclamation Recognizing the City's Selection as One of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by America's Promise. City Council endorsed the proclamation. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 6. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring April 6, 2007, as National Tartan Day in Alexandria. City Council endorsed the proclamation. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 7. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring March 31, 2007 as Homeownership Fair Day in Alexandria. City Council endorsed the proclamation. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 8. Recognition of the Graduates of the City of Alexandria Citizens Academy. City Council recognized the graduates of the Citizens Academy. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER CONSENT CALENDAR (9-19) (Resignations and Uncontested Appointments) 9. Receipt of the Following Resignations From Members of Boards, Commissions and Committees: (a) Alexandria Waterfront Committee Jo Anne Mitchell 10. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees: (a) Alexandria-Caen Exchange Committee 1 Citizen Member (b) Alexandria Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee 1 Member Designated by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce (c) Alexandria Commission for the Arts 1 Member Who Represents the Public-at-Large As An Arts Consumer and Participant 1 Member Who Represents Arts Education or Business Expertise Relative to Arts and Cultural Development, Including Such Perspectives As Marketing, Finance/Funding, Tourism Promotion and Organizational Development (d) Alexandria Commission on Persons With Disabilities 1 Citizen Member (e) Historic Alexandria Resources Commission 1 Representative From the Lee-Fendall House (f) Alexandria Sister Cities Committee 1 Citizen Member (g) Alexandria Transportation Safety Commission 4 Members From the Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board (Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager) 11. Submission of a Grant Application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the Summer Food Service Program for Children. 12. Consideration of the FY 2006 Annual Report from the Alexandria Waterfront Committee. 13. Submission of a Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for the Office on Women's Sexual Assault Response and Awareness (SARA) Program. 14. Submission of a Grant Application to the Department of Criminal Justice Services to Continue Community Corrections (Local Probation) and Pretrial Services Under the Comprehensive Community Corrections Act and Pretrial Services Act for FY 2008. 15. Consideration of a Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management for the Alexandria Citizens Corps Council Program. 16. Submission of a Grant Application to the Virginia Commission for the Arts for Funds for a Local Government Challenge Grant for the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities. 17. Submission of a Grant Application to America's Promise 100 Best Communities for Youth to Implement Prevention Initiatives for Youth. 18. Consideration of a Request to Expand the Membership of the Alexandria Commission on the Arts. 19. Consideration of the Monthly Financial Report for the Period Ending February 28, 2007. END OF CONSENT CALENDAR City Council approved the Consent Calendar, with the removal of docket items #13 and #14, which were considered under separate motions. The City Manager's recommendations were as follows: 9. City Council accepted the following resignation with regret: (a) Jo Anne Mitchell, Alexandria Waterfront Committee. 10. City Council made the following appointments: (a) appointed Juliana Magloire as the citizen member to the Alexandria-Caen Exchange Committee; (b) reappointed Dennis Auld as the member designated by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce to the Alexandria Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee; (c) reappointed Maria Howell as the member who represents the public-at-large as an arts consumer and participant and reappointed Sylvia Sabrio as the member who represents arts education or business expertise relative to arts and cultural development, including such perspectives as marketing, finance/funding, tourism promotion and organization development to the Alexandria Commission for the Arts; (d) appointed Tanishia Williams-Minor as the citizen member to the Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities; (e) reappointed David Heiden as the representative from the Lee-Fendall House to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission; (f) appointed Paula Whitacre as the citizen member to the Alexandria Sister Cities Committee; and (g) reappointed John Cole, Thomas "Jay" Johnson, Lawrence Ruggiero and Converse West as the four members from the Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board to the Alexandria Transportation Safety Committee. 11. City Council authorized the City Manager to: (1) submit the grant application to the United States Department of Agriculture for continued funding and an estimated reimbursement amount of $112,000 for program expenses; and (2) execute all necessary documents that may be required. The grant application is due to the United States Department of Agriculture on May 11, 2007. Staff will submit the grant proposal to the agency, contingent upon City Council's approval at its April 24, 2007 session. 12. City Council received the Annual Report from the Alexandria Waterfront Committee and thanked the Committee for its efforts on behalf of the City. 13. City Council: (1) approved the submission of the grant application to the Department of Justice Services (DCJS) for funding in the amount of $410,538 that would result in the continued funding of positions within the Office on Women's Sexual Assault Response & Awareness (SARA) Program and add a position; (2) approved the continuation of funding for one Social Worker, and potential funding for one Volunteer Developer and one Outreach and Prevention Specialist for the Office on Women's SARA Program. The grant-funded positions would terminate upon the expiration of the grant. The individuals who fill these positions were notified of this condition of employment at the time they were hired. They 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 expire; (3) approved the request to DCJS to fund one additional full time Social Worker for the SARA Program. If funded, this position would terminate upon the expiration of the grant and the individual who fills this position would be notified of this condition of employment at the time she/he was hired, signing an agreement of understanding with regard to this condition. There are no funds available in the City budget to continue these activities once the grant funds expire; and (4) authorized the City Manager to execute all documents that may be required prior to the grant application due date of April 13, 2007. The SARA Program has received DCJS funding since 1999, and this application would request continuation of the existing funding and an additional amount for the adding one SARA staff position. (separate motion) 14. City Council authorized the City Manager to: (1) approve the grant application to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) for continuation funding for the current biennial grant cycle (FY2008), in the amount of $444,133, under the Comprehensive Community Corrections Act-Pretrial Services Act (CCCA-PSA); (2) approve the continuation of six full-time positions to deliver the services to be provided under these grant programs. These grant funded positions would terminate upon the expiration of the grant, and the individuals who fill these positions have been notified of this condition of employment; and (3) execute all documents that may be required. (separate motion) 15. City Council: (1) authorized the City Manager to apply for Citizens Corps Program Funding through the State Homeland Security Program grant funds in the amount of $60,231; and (2) authorized the City Manager to execute all the necessary documents that may be required. 16. City Council authorized the City Manager to: (1) submit a grant application, in the amount of $5,000, to the Virginia Commission for the Arts' Local Government Challenge grant program; and (2) execute all necessary documents that may be required. The Alexandria Commission for the Arts (ACA) prepared the application and fully endorses its submission. 17. City Council: (1) authorized the grant application in the amount of $96,770 for funding to implement prevention initiatives for youth using the America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth program model; (2) approved the establishment of one part-time, grant-funded position (up to 15 hours per week) for a senior high school student as a Youth Services Resource Assistant; and (3) authorized the City Manager to execute all necessary documents that may be required. 18. City Council approved the addition of a position on the Commission for the Arts for one student who resides in the City and attends a high school located in the City of Alexandria and request the City Attorney to prepare the ordinance for introduction and first reading at the April 10 meeting. 19. City Council received the Monthly Financial Report for the period ending February 28, 2007. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS 20. Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee 1 Homeowner In the City City Council reappointed Pat Phibbs-Rizzuto as the homeowner in the City to the Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 21. Alexandria Community Criminal Justice Board 1 Citizen Member City Council appointed Heidi Meinzer as the citizen member to the Alexandria Community Criminal Justice Board. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION 22. Consideration of a Support Letter to the Virginia Housing Development Authority for the Glebe Park Low Income Housing Tax Credit Application. City Council authorized the City Manager to execute a letter to the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) in support of the application for low income housing tax credits for the Old Dominion phase of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority's (ARHA) proposed redevelopment of Glebe Park. City Council added the provision that ARHA and the ARHA Redevelopment Work Group should look into opportunities to provide more market rate housing, particularly on West Glebe, and a community work group should be established to work with ARHA and the City in this process. Council also requested that the Work Group develop a neighborhood planning process. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES None ORAL REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL (a) Mayor Euille stated that he attended Governor Kaine's press conference in Richmond yesterday concerning amendments and changes to the Legislature's Transportation Budget Plan. Mayor Euille offered a resolution that supports the Governor's compromise on the Transportation Plan. NEW BUSINESS ITEM NO. 1: City Council passed a resolution that requests the General Assembly to support the compromised Transportation Package Plan as presented by the Governor when they reconvene on April 4, 2007. (RES NO. 2221) (b) Councilwoman Pepper reported that she and Councilman Smedberg attended a meeting in Richmond of the State Air Pollution Control Board to discuss the new operating consent order for Mirant. Councilwoman Pepper noted that the purpose of the new consent order was to govern the plant emissions until a comprehensive State permit for the plant can be issued. Councilwoman Pepper stated that Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) proposed three options and recommended option two, which the City opposed. Councilwoman Pepper noted that several residents, staff, outside counsel and the City's consultant attended the meeting and presented the case. Councilwoman Pepper reported that the Board decided VDEQ, the City and Mirant should try to negotiate a revised consent order that all parties could agree upon, with the City being a full partner in the negotiations. Councilwoman Pepper also noted that the parties are to report on the outcome of the negotiations at the next meeting on April 10, with the Board imposing an order if no agreement is met. Councilwoman Pepper pointed out several of the items the City opposed, including stack merging, the use of Trona at an unprecedented scale, the use of daily predictive modeling and use of production data from years when the plant was in violation of NOx limitations. Councilwoman Pepper requested that City Attorney Pessoa report on the dates for the next steps for this matter. In response, City Attorney Pessoa stated that City staff would be conducting a conference call in the morning and meeting with Mirant and VDEQ on Friday to discuss the negotiations. City Attorney Pessoa requested that an Executive Session on Mirant be scheduled following the Budget Public hearing on April 9. (c) Councilman Smedberg stated that the stack merger would allow Mirant to put more pollutants into the air and is an issue of concern for the neighbors. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL None. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ ORAL REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER None. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS None. OTHER 23. Consideration of City Council Schedule. City Council: (1) scheduled a work session with the Planning Commission on Carlyle Retail at 5:30 p.m. in the Council work room before its Tuesday, April 10 legislative meeting; (2) scheduled a City Community Transportation Forum at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 19 (location TBD); and (3) received the revised calendar which includes: a reception for a group of photography students from Minnie Howard Ninth Grade Center and their parents at 6:00 p.m. in the Council work room before Council's Tuesday, May 8 legislative meeting; and the Freedmen's Cemetery rededication ceremony on Saturday, May 12 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Council Action:_________________________________________________________
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Please call the City Clerk's Office at 703 838-4550 to confirm that these meetings will be held.