Action Docket for Special Meeting (05/05/2008)

Office of the City Clerk
May 6, 2008

Special Meeting
Monday, May 5, 2008 - - 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 the members of City Council were present.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION

2. Consideration of the Proposed Annual Operating Budget for FY 2009 (including Schools) and the Proposed Capital Improvements Program for FY 2009-2014 (including the Schools CIP.)

City Council moved adoption of the annual general fund operating budget for FY 2009 of $541,978,347, with the following amendments to the City Manager’s Proposed Budget. The details of each amendment are described in the May 2, 2008, memo from the City Manager accompanying docket item #2 “FY 2009 Budget Adoption – Draft of Tentative Actions for Monday Night:"

Net technical expenditure adjustments of $94,924
City Manager Budget Reallocations resulting in a net decrease of $24,867
A total increase in City and School compensation of $3,116,628
Other expenditure increases (net of decreases) of $4,000,657
Revenue Re-estimates reflecting a net decrease of $4,428,263 and
Changes in tax and fee rates and new revenues producing an increase of $11,615,606.
The total increase in expenditures compared to the City Manager’s Proposed Budget is $7,187,342, including a decrease in cash capital funding of the FY 2009 – 2014 Capital Improvement Program of $847,338 and an increase in Contingent Reserves of $616,218.

The FY 2009 operating budget requires an appropriation from Fund Balance of $4,600,000, as proposed in the City Manager’s Budget, and an increase in the real property tax rate of one and one half cents, from $0.83 to $0.845.

Authorized the City Manager to make technical adjustments to each Departmental Budget and the Non-Departmental Budget to reflect the allocation of the compensation adjustments related to retiree life insurance and city-wide compensation. The details of these adjustments will be presented for approval by City Council in the context of the FY 2009 Appropriations Ordinance in June.

City Council also moved adoption of the proposed FY 2009 to FY 2014 Capital Improvement Program of $456,101,177 in total and $396,865,457 in local funding, with $98,261,468 in total and $67,554,933 in local funding in FY 2009, $81,044,711 in total and $71,321,274 in local funding in FY 2010, $93,652,990 in total and $88,951,553 in local funding in FY 2011, $64,266,755 in total and $59,565,318 in local funding in FY 2012, $63,543,275 in total and $58,841,838 in local funding in FY 2013, $55,331,979 in total and $50,630,542 in local funding in FY 2014. The detailed changes for the FY 2009 CIP are described in docket item # 2. The detailed changes for FY 2010 through FY 2014 are described in budget memo # 127.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

3. Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Establish the General Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Rates for Calendar Year 2008 and to Conform the City Code to the Amendments to the Personal Property Tax Relief Act of 1998 Which Were Made by the General Assembly in 2006. (#28.1, 3/11/08, #5.1, 3/15/08, #22, 4/22/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council moved final passage of an ordinance to set the City’s 2008 real property tax rate at $0.845 (84 ½ cents) on each $100 of assessed value, an increase of $0.015 (one and ½ cents) from the 2007 rate. Personal property tax rates remain unchanged from 2007. The sum of $0.01 (one cent) on each $100 of assessed value of the $0.845 (84 ½ cents) real property tax rate, continues to be dedicated for affordable housing purposes, beginning July 1, 2008. In addition, the sum of 1.0% (one percent) of real property tax revenue will be dedicated to the Open Space Trust Fund. (ORD. 4530)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

4. Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Establish the Additional Real Estate Tax Rate for Commercial and Industrial Property for Calendar Year 2008. (#28.2, 3/11/08, #5.2, 3/15/08, #23, 4/22/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council moved to pass by indefinitely the additional increase to the Real Estate Tax Rate for Commercial and Industrial Property for Calendar Year 2008. Commercial and Industrial Property in the City will be taxed at the same rate of $0.845 (84 ½ cents) per $100 of assessed value as all residential property.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

5. Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Increase the City’s Transient Lodging Tax from 5.5 to 7.5 Percent. (#20, 4/8/08, #24, 4/22/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council passed the ordinance to increase the City's transient lodging tax from 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent, as well as continue the $1 per night levy. (ORD. NO. 4531)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

6. Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Increase the City’s Meals Tax From 3 to 4 Percent. (#21, 4/8/08, #25, 4/22/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council passed the ordinance to increase the City's restaurant meals tax from 3 to 4 percent. (ORD. NO. 4532)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

7. Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Increase the Threshold For Paying the Revenue-based Retail Gross Receipts Tax From $100,000 to $1,000,000. (#22, 4/8/08, #26, 4/22/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council moved to pass by indefinitely the ordinance to change the threshold for revenue-based retail gross receipts tax.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

8. Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Restrict Eligibility For Affordable Homeownership Preservation Program Grants. (#23, 4/8/08, #27, 4/22/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council passed the substitute ordinance to extend the Affordable Homeownership Preservation Grant Program to December 31, 2008, with a limit on participation to those who received grants in 2007, and whose maximum household income is $72,000 or less. (ORD. NO. 4533)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

9. Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Increase Ambulance Service Fees. (#24, 4/8/08, #28, 4/22/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council passed the ordinance to increase Ambulance Service Fees as follows: a $100 increase in Basic Life Support to $400; a $100 increase in Advance Life Support Level 1, to $500, and a $125 increase in Advanced Life Support Level 2, to $675. (ORD. NO. 4534)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

10. Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Increase Parking Meter Fees. (#25, 4/8/08, #29, 4/22/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council passed the ordinance to increase Parking Meter Fees in parking meter zones 1 and 2. The Parking Meter Zone 1 rate will increase 25 cents per hour to a rate of $1.00 per hour, and the Parking Meter Zone 2 rate will increase 50 cents per hour to $1.00 per hour. (ORD. NO. 4535)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

11. Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Increase Sewer Connection Fees. (#26, 4/8/08, #30, 4/22/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council passed the ordinance to increase sanitary sewer connection fees by 3.6 percent, from $7,092 to $7,432. By approving this ordinance, it also authorized the increase of the sewer connection fee by the rate of inflation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U for the Washington Baltimore metropolitan area for the Fiscal Years 2010 and FY 2011. (ORD. NO. 4536)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

12. Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Increase the Business Professional and Occupational License Tax Rate Applicable to Pay Day and Car Title Lenders. (#3, 4/14/08, #31, 4/22/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council deferred action on the ordinance to May 13, 2008.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

13. Consideration of a Resolution to Increase the Annual Fee for the City's Collection and Disposal of Solid Waste, Yard Debris and Recyclable Materials. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council approved the resolution to increase the residential refuse fee from $264 per household to $301. $17 of this increase enables the City to continue the City’s policy of 100 percent cost recovery of the full cost of residential refuse collection and disposal. $20 of the fee increase reflects the inclusion of the recovery of leaf collection costs in the cost of residential refuse collection and disposal. (RES. NO. 2274)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

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The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 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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