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Office of the City Clerk
April 29, 2009



Regular Meeting
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 - - 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, with the exception of Councilmember Lovain, who was absent.
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 Special Public Hearing Meeting Minutes of April 13, 2009; and

(b) The Regular Meeting Minutes of April 14, 2009; and

(c) The Public Hearing Meeting Minutes of April 18, 2009.

City Council approved the special public hearing meeting minutes of April 13, 2009, the regular meeting minutes of April 14, 2009 and the public hearing meeting minutes of April 18, 2009.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

4. Viewing of iM2 Movie Mentors Video and Clips from the Film Festival and Recognition of Mentors and Alexandria Youth Participants.

City Council recognized the mentors and youth participants.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

PROCLAMATIONS

None.

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (5-14)

(Resignations and Uncontested Appointments)

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

6. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Alexandria Archaeological Commission (b) Alexandria Citizen Corps Council (Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager)

7. Consideration of a Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to Implement a Crisis Intervention Team Within the Alexandria Police Department.

8. Receipt of the Alexandria Commission for the Arts Annual Report for FY 2008.

9. Consideration of a Renewal Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles for a Police Department Aggressive Driving/DUI Interdiction Program in FY 2010.

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

11. Receipt of the Monthly Financial Report for the Period Ending March 31, 2009.

12. Consideration of Application for a $15,000 One-Time Special Funds Grant From the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for Three Initiatives in the Alexandria Court Service Unit.

13. Consideration of a Federal Stimulus (ARRA) Grant Application for Funding from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program for Public Safety Projects in the Court Service Unit, the Police Department and the Office of Sheriff.

14. Consideration of Application for United States Department of Health and Human Services Grant Funds for an Additional Sober Living Unit in the Alexandria Detention Center.

14.1 Consideration of Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Fire Programs, Conference and Education Assistance Program, for Fire Department-Sponsored Equity and Diversity Conference.

14.2 Consideration of a Grant Application to the Department of Health and Human Services to Strengthen Treatment Services for Safe Haven Residents.

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR

City Council approved the consent calendar, with the removal of items #8, 9 and 10, which were considered under separate motions. The City Manager's recommendations were as follows:

5. City Council accepted the following resignation with regret: (a) Terence J. Everitt, Alexandria Community Services Board.

6. City Council made the following appointments to boards and commissions:(a) reappointed Lillie Finklea as the one member-at-large to the Alexandria Archaeological Commission; and (b) appointed Diane Worrell as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Citizen Corps Council.

7. City Council: 1. authorized MH/MR/SA to submit a grant application for $39,400 to the DCJS for the creation of a CIT program within the Alexandria Police Department; and 2. authorized the City Manager to execute all the necessary documents that may be required.

8. City Council received the annual report from the Alexandria Commission for the Arts and thanked the Commission for its efforts on behalf of the City. (separate motion)

9. City Council: 1. approved the grant application to the Virginia DMV in the amount of $54,750, which will provide funds to the Police Department to operate a DUI/aggressive driving interdiction program in the City; 2. authorized the City Manager to execute all necessary documents that may be required; and 3. because of severe City budget constraints, affirm that no additional City funds would be available to fund this program in FY 2010 or future years. (separate motion)

10. City Council authorized the capital project allocations and planned expenditures for the capital projects as detailed in the Capital Improvement Expenditure Summary. (separate motion)

11. City Council received the monthly financial report for the period ending March 31, 2009.

12. City Council authorized staff to: 1. submit a grant application to the Department of Criminal Justice Services in the amount of $15,000 to fund (1) an upgraded video system to respond to police arrest calls after hours, (2) expand the Space of Her Own program in the West End area and (3) contract to train probation officers and mental health staff in the research-based parent education program for parents of court-involved youth. These grant funds come from the FY 2009 Virginia DCJS competitive grants allocation and are not connected to stimulus funds. The grant application is due May 14, 2009. No local match is required for these funds; and 2. execute all necessary documents that may be required.

13. City Council authorized staff to: 1. submit a grant application (due May 18, 2009) to the United States Department of Justice for $323,939 in federal stimulus funding under the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program for the list of public safety projects; and 2. executed all necessary documents that may be required.

14. This item was deferred.

14.1. City Council authorized staff to: 1. submit a grant application (due May 1, 2009) to the Virginia Department of Fire Programs for $5,000 in funding under the Conference and Education assistance Program for support to the Fire Department in sponsoring the annual Equity and Diversity Conference; and 2. execute all necessary documents that may be required.

14.2. City Council: 1. authorized the Alexandria Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse to submit a grant application for $400,000 to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to strengthen behavioral health care services at Safe Haven (the grant application has already been submitted contingent on Council approval, since notification of the opportunity came too late for prior Council approval); 2. authorized the funding of a transferred position to the Safe Haven project (1.0 FTE Residential Counselor) and the creation of a new half-time (0.5FTE) Management Analyst I, both of which will be fully supported by SAMHSA grant revenue; 3. the Safe Haven is scheduled to open in FY 2010. Because of severe City budget constraints affirm that no City funds would be available to fund this program in FY 2010 or future years; and 4. authorized the City Manager to execute all the necessary documents that may be required.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS

15. Alexandria Human Rights Commission
City Council reappointed John Ates and Nancy Turner as the two citizen members to the Alexandria Human Rights Commission.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

NEW BUSINESS ITEM NO. 1:

City Council closed the executive session related to the selection of the city attorney and adopted the resolution previously circulated to the City Council. (RES. NO. 2331)

City Council hired James L. Banks as the new City Attorney for the City of Alexandria, according to the terms and conditions agreed to in executive session.

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION

16. Report on Possible Short Term Parking for Motorcoaches.

City Council moved the recommendation from the Traffic and Parking Board (3540 Wheeler Avenue.)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

None

ORAL REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

and

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

Health Department Director Kapowitz, along with Assistant Superintendent of Schools John Porter and Fire Chief Thiel, made a presentation on the swine flu and the City's pandemic flu plan and they responded to questions of City Council.

Mayor Euille noted that he will be travelling to Saudi Arabia through the U.S. Conference of Mayors to be a guest of the Saudi government and will gone May 7-14, and he noted that no City funds will be spent on the trip. Mayor Euille said he will miss the May 12 City Council meeting.

Councilman Gaines said he will be out of town with family the week of May 26, so he will miss that Council meeting.

Councilman Wilson said he serves as one of the vice chairs of the Human Services and Public Safety Policy Committee of the Council of Governments and they have finalized the homeless enumeration report that COG does every year. He said the City is one of only two jurisdictions in the region that saw a decrease in homeless over the five year period . The bad news is that the City's decrease was single homeless, but they have seen increases in family homelessness, as well as employed homeless. There will be another enumeration in January 2010.

Councilman Wilson requested that staff look into an additional fee for those making payments at City Hall for tax payments that otherwise could be made in other automated payment methods and to come back with a staff recommendation in the coming months.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER

Acting Director of Transportation and Environmental Services Baker made a status report on the Monroe Avenue Bridge opening, noting the negotiations between Potomac Yard Development, Dominion Power, the Water Company and Shirley Contracting.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

17. Final Passage of an Ordinance to Amend the Zoning Ordinance to Extend Validity Periods of Approved Site Plans and Development Special Use Permits. (#10, 4/14/09, #14, 4/18/09) [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council adopted an ordinance to amend the Zoning Ordinance to extend validity periods of approved site plans and development special use permits. (ORD. NO. 4588)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

OTHER

18. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council adopted the following schedule: 1. begin the Tuesday, May 26 work session on the Matrix Study of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities at 5:00 p.m. instead of 5:30 p.m. and add Fort Ward Museum and Park issues as a work session topic; 2. scheduled a joint work session with the Planning Commission on the King Street Retail Study on Monday, June 22 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Work Room; and 3. received the revised calendar, which includes: the 11th annual Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 15 from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Market Square; the annual Flora Krause Casey Public Health awards reception on Monday, May 18 at 6:00 p.m. in the Vola Lawson Lobby; two additional public forums on the City's Waterfront Plan on Thursday, April 30, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at The Lyceum, 201 South Washington Street and on Saturday, June 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (location TBD); the ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the official opening of the Four Mile Run Trail and the Washington and Old Dominion Trails on Saturday, May 30 at 10:00 a.m. at 27th Road South and South Four Mile Run Drive in Arlington; and the annual employee service awards ceremony on Thursday, June 4 at 3:00 p.m. at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson Street (exact room to be determined.)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

EXECUTIVE SESSION

19. Consideration of Convening an Executive Session Closed to the Public to Discuss Pending Litigation with Legal Counsel.

At 8:52 p.m., City Council convened in Executive Session, pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(7) for the purpose of consulting with legal counsel regarding pending litigation.
At 9:24 p.m., City Council reconvened the meeting.

City Council adopted the resolution pertaining to the Executive Session. (RES. NO. 2332)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

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The meeting adjourned at 9:25 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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