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Office of the City Clerk
October 29, 2008

City Council Held a Work Session at 5:30 p.m.
in the School Board Administration Building,
2000 N. Beauregard Street to discuss the
Landmark/Van Dorn Plan.


Regular Meeting
Tuesday, October 28, 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 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 October 14, 2008.

City Council approved the regular meeting minutes of October 14, 2008.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

Mayor Euille recognized Scouts from troop 680 from St. Louis Catholic Church who were in the audience studying civics.

PROCLAMATIONS

4. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring October as Lights on After School.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

5. Presentation of a Proclamation Recognizing the Youth Voices for Unity - Bringing Students Together.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

6. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring November as Family Involvement Month.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________


REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (7-13)

(Resignations and Uncontested Appointments)

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

8. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees: (a) Alexandria Early Childhood Commission
1 Member From the Alexandria Social Services Advisory
Board (SSAB)

(b) Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Council
1 Representative of the Alexandria Chapter of the American
Red Cross

(Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager)

9. Consideration of an Application From the Court Service Unit For Grant Funds to Provide Parenting Skills Education For Minority and Immigrant Families Involved in the Juvenile Justice System.

10. Consideration of the Monthly Financial Report For the Period Ending September 30, 2008.

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

(Ordinances for Introduction)

12. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance to Amend the City Purchasing Code to Implement General Assembly Changes to the Virginia Public Procurement Act.

13. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance Making Supplemental Appropriations For FY 2009.

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR

City Council approved the consent calendar, with the exception of docket item #13, which was considered under separate motion. The City Manager's recommendations were as follows:

7. City Council accepted the following resignations with regret: (a) Jeff Whisenant, Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee; and (b) Walter Worrall, Alexandria Citizen Corps Council.

8. City Council made the following appointments: (a) appointed Alicia Hughes as the one Member From the Alexandria Social Services Advisory Board (SSAB) to the Alexandria Early Childhood Commission; and (b) reappointed Pamela Alesky as the one Representative of the Alexandria Chapter of the American Red Cross to the Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Council.

9. City Council: 1. Authorized the submission of a grant application to the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice (due November 1, 2008) not to exceed $20,000; and 2. authorized the City Manager to execute the necessary documents for the grant which would be effective on January 1, 2009.

10. City Council received the Monthly Financial Report for the period ending September 30, 2008.

11. City Council authorized the capital projects allocations and planned expenditures for the capital projects as determined in the capital improvement expenditure summary.

12. This item was deferred.

13. City Council passed the proposed ordinance on first reading and scheduled it for public hearing, second reading and final passage on November 15, 2008. (separate motion)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS

14. Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
1 Member-at-Large

City Council reappointed Bernard Schulz as the one member at large to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

15. Alexandria Waterfront Committee
1 Representative From the Old Town Business and Professional
Association

City Council waived the residency requirement and appointed Linda Hafer as the one representative from the Old Town Business and Professional Association to the Alexandria Waterfront Committee.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

16. Alexandria Youth Policy Commission
1 Individual Who Has An Interest in Issues Affecting Youth in the City
1 Representative of A Non-Profit Agency Having An Interest in Youth
Issues

City Council appointed Chad Dickerson as the one representative of a non-profit agency having an interest in youth issues and waived the residency requirement and appointed Michele Brandon as the one individual who has an interest in issues affecting youth in the City to the Alexandria Youth Policy Commission.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION

17. Receipt of Proposed City Legislative Package For the 2009 General Assembly Session.

City Council: 1. received the proposals for the City's 2009 Legislative Package, with an amendment that it include in the legislative package the items outlined in a memo dated October 28, 2008 from Councilmen Krupicka, Smedberg and Wilson, relating to asking the General Assembly to grant Council additional authority as it relates to campaign disclosure requirements for campaign fundraising by members of Council, as well as the way developers or businesses bringing applications before the City, the obligation is on them to disclose the investors in their projects and how those investors may or may not relate to the Council and contributions to the Council; and a proposal to authorize City Council to set limits on the terms of members it appoints to City boards, committees, authorities, councils, task forces, work groups and commissions; 2. scheduled the legislative package proposals for public hearing on Saturday, November 15, 2008; and 3. scheduled adoption of the Legislative Package for Tuesday, November 25, 2008, following Council's work session with the General Assembly Delegation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

18. Receipt of Report on Proposed Changes in City Special Events Policies.

City Council: 1. received the report; 2. referred the recommended proposed special event policies to the Park and Recreation Commission and requested that they provide City Council with their comments by the end of November, with the following notations: add the words "timely and" after the word "more" in the following sentence: "Staff will proceed with administering and budgeting events in a more transparent manner..."; and on page three, section A, Special Events Committee - Agency Representatives, to add Historic Alexandria; Council will have a public hearing docket item incorporating the Commission's comments for Council consideration at the December 9 legislative meeting; and 3. requested staff to proceed with the administrative recommendations on improving transparency of budget and managing special events.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

None

ORAL REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Mayor Euille noted that the Presidential Election is next Tuesday, November 4 and he encouraged citizens to vote and noted that they could vote early.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Vice Mayor Pepper noted that on Saturday, as they were beginning the Retreat, they were informed that Bill Hurd, Sr. had died the day before. Mr. Hurd had been a long-time chair of the Alexandria Transit Company and had been a member of and chair of the Planning Commission for many years. She said Mr. Hurd had requested that there not be a funeral, but there will be a memorial service in the future.

(b) Councilman Gaines said that last week he presented a proclamation recognizing disability mentoring day at T.C. Williams High School, and he commended City staff, as it had over 30 staff members from various departments mentor a student during the day. He said it was an annual event and it was great to see staff step up to the plate.

(c) Councilman Gaines said he had the opportunity to participate in a panel in Williamsburg on transparency in government, which was sponsored by the American Council for Technology and it was their executive leadership conference, which had senior management and leadership from federal, state and local governments, as well as from the private sector. He said it highlighted best practices in the area of transparency, the ways transparency can impact an organizations bottom line, the way it can shed light with respect to what consumers have available to digest and better understand. Ultimately, he said, one of the outcomes was how transparency and technology is changing the way governments operate, and the way it operates and does business. He thanked Deputy City Manager Jinks in helping him prepare remarks on what Alexandria is doing. The City is doing a lot of the right things when it comes to transparency.

(d) Councilmember Lovain said five members of Council were at the Virginia Municipal League conference in Norfolk last week and they had some interesting sessions and presentations on the State budget from the Governor and others. He noted that Alexandria received an environmental go-green award at that time. Councilmember Lovain said he served on an immigration panel. He said he appreciated the work of Legislative Director Caton and Director of Human Rights Niebauer to help him prepare for that.

(e) Councilmember Lovain said the weather held off pretty well for the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk on Saturday.

(f) Councilman Gaines said Joan Funn passed away, and Joan was a long-time educator in the schools and a fixture in a number of community groups and organizations.

(g) Mayor Euille noted that Ms. Elsie Tucker Thomas died. He said Ms. Tucker Thomas was the sister of noted civil rights lawyer Samuel Tucker, who was instrumental in the 1939 Alexandria sit-in.

(h) Councilman Gaines also noted that Councilman Wilson ran and finished the Marine Corps Marathon this past Sunday.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER

None.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

19. Consideration of Proposed Resolution Requesting the Recently Appointed Regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to Maintain a Charitable Giving Program as Part of Any Future Restructuring of These Organizations. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council adopted the resolution requesting the Regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to maintain a charitable giving program as part of any future restructuring of the organization, with a notation in the seventh whereas to note that the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments Board already did endorse a resolution supporting continued charitable giving by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. (RES. NO. 2300)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

OTHER

20. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council: 1. deferred scheduling the public forum on green buildings; 2. scheduled the annual work session on the Wayfinding Program at 5:30 p.m. before the Tuesday, January 27 legislative meeting; 3. scheduled the annual work session with the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association and a separate discussion with the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership at 5:30 p.m. before Council's Tuesday, March 24 legislative meeting in the Council work room; and 4. received the revised calendar which includes the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 28 at Market Square.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

EXECUTIVE SESSION

21. Consideration of Convening An Executive Session Closed to the Public To Discuss a Personnel Matter related to the Selection of an Independent Reviewer of Staff Action Re: Ethanol Plant.


At 8:40 p.m., City Council convened in Executive Session, pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(1) of the Code of Virginia, for the purpose of discussing the appointment of the new city attorney, and pursuant to that Section and Section 2.2-3711(A)(29) for the purpose of discussing the selection of a consultant for the Norfolk Southern Ethanol Inquiry.

At 9:13 p.m., City Council reconvened the meeting.

City Council moved to authorize the City to negotiate a contract with Steven Jansen and David LaBahn to conduct the independent review regarding the Norfolk Southern Ethanol Transloading Facility, in accordance with the terms discussed in executive session.

City Council adopted the resolution pertaining to the Executive Session. (RES. NO. 2301)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________


The meeting adjourned at 9:15 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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