1. Calling the Roll. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Euille, and the Deputy City Clerk called the roll; all 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 Meetings of City Council: (a) The Regular Meeting Minutes of March 10, 2009; (b) The Special Public Hearing Meeting Minutes of March 11, 2009; and (c) The Public Hearing Meeting Minutes of March 14, 2009. City Council approved the regular meeting minutes of March 10, 2009, the special public hearing meeting minutes of March 11, 2009 and the public hearing meeting minutes of March 14, 2009. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL 3.1 Recognition of Miss Alexandria, Erika Elaine Thomas. Mayor Euille and City Council recognized Miss Alexandria, Erika Elaine Thomas. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ PROCLAMATIONS None. REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER CONSENT CALENDAR (4-9) (Resignations and Uncontested Appointments) 4. Receipt of the Following Resignations From Members of Boards, Commissions and Committees: (a) Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Kerry-Ann T. Powell (b) Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS Elizabeth Clarey (c) Alexandria Economic Opportunities Commission Michael D. Casey (d) Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Council Brian Hricik (e) Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission Daniel Cassidy 5. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees: (a) Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee 3 Citizen Members (b) Alexandria Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee 1 Member Designated by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce (c) Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS 1 Member From and Representing the Alexandria Commission for Women (d) Alexandria Board of Review of Real Estate Assessments 1 Citizen Member (e) Alexandria Youth Policy Commission 1 Member of City Boards, Commissions or Other Organizations Having An Interest in Youth Issues 1 Parent Member From School Board District C (Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager) 6. Submission of Grant Application for Fiscal Year 2010 to the Virginia Department of Social Services for the Office on Women's Domestic Violence Program. 7. Consideration of Monthly Financial Report for the Period Ending February 28, 2009. 8. Submission of a Grant Application From the Office of the Sheriff to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for Funding to Continue Local Probation and Pretrial Services. 9. Acceptance of $75,000 in Ongoing State (Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Substance Abuse) Funding for the Expansion of Mental Health Peer Support Specialist Services. END OF CONSENT CALENDAR City Council approved the Consent Calendar. The City Manager's recommendations were as follows: 4. City Council accepted the following resignations with regret: (a) Kerry-Ann T. Powell, Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee; (b) Elizabeth Clarey, Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS; (c) Michael D. Casey, Alexandria Economic Opportunities Commission; (d) Brian Hricik, Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Council; and (e) Daniel Cassidy, Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission. 5. City Council made the following appointments: (a) appointed James Broman, Khalil Gueye and Adil Rasti as the three citizen members to the Alexandria-Caen Sister City 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) appointed Patty Donmoyer as the member from and representing the Alexandria Commission for Women to the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS; (d) reappointed Joseph Grouby as the citizen member to the Alexandria Board of Review of Real Estate Assessments; and (e) appointed Laverne Thomas as the member of City Boards, Commissions or other organizations having an interest in youth issues and appointed Janice McLaury as the parent member from School Board District C to the Alexandria Youth Policy Commission. 6. City Council: (1) authorized the submission of a grant application to the Virginia Department of Social Services (due April 6, 2009) for funding, in the amount of $174,7600 for Fiscal Year 2010; (2) authorized the City Manager to execute all the necessary documents for the grant 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. 7. City Council received the Monthly Financial Report for the period ending February 28, 2009. 8. 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 (FY2010), in the amount of $459,209 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; (3) because of severe City budget constraints affirm that no additional City funds would be available to continue this program in future years should grant funding not be available; and (4) execute all documents that may be required. 9. City Council: (1) accepted the State funds in the amount of $75,000; (2) authorized the use of $38,435 of State funds to convert two 0.5 FTEs from local funding to State funding; (3) authorized the use of $27,283 of State funds to convert a current 0.5 FTE Peer Support Specialist (Grade 5 Program Aide I) to a 1.0 FTE benefited Peer Support Specialist (Grade 5 Program Aide I); and (4) authorized the use of $9,282 for the purchase of contract Peer Support Specialist services. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS 10. Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee 1 Licensed and Practicing Attorney City Council reappointed John Corrado as the licensed and practicing attorney to the Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 11. Alexandria Community Policy and Management Team 1 Designee of the Director of the Alexandria Juvenile Court Services Unit City Council waived the residency requirement and appointed Ronald Lemley as the designee of the Director of the Alexandria Juvenile Court Services Unit to the Alexandria Community Policy and Management Team. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION Public Hearing: 12. Public Hearing, Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Authorize the Issuance and Sale of General Obligation Bonds to Finance the Construction of Various Public Improvements. (#16, 3/10/09) City Council: (1) closed the public hearing; (2) approved the ordinance on second reading and final passage authorizing and empowering the issuance, sale, and delivery of up to $106.7 million in general obligation bonds to finance various capital projects; and (3) authorized the City Manager to notify the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) of the City's intent to "opt-out" of WMATA's upcoming $468 million bond financing. (ORD. NO. 4584) Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 13. Presentation by Jim Copple of the Alexandria Gang Prevention Task Force's School Drop-out Prevention Subcommittee. Mr. Copple presented the findings and offered recommendations from the Alexandria Gang Prevention Task Force's School Drop-out Prevention Subcommittee. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 14. Consideration of Recommendations of the Traffic and Parking Board in Regard to Motorcoach Parking and the Conversion of the Unit Block of King Street into a One-way Street. (#10, 3/14/09, #20, 2/24/09) City Council approved the Traffic and Parking Board's recommendation to request to change the unit block of King Street to one-way westbound and to install motorcoach loading and unloading spaces on Washington Street and to defer the request to install short-term motorcoach parking on Jamieson Avenue until April with the provision that staff would return to the Traffic and Parking Board with at least two alternate locations and a no-park alternative. Council also issued a proviso that the recommendation goes back to the Motorcoach Task Force in April for further review. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 15. Presentation of the Efficiency Study of the Personnel Services Department (now the Human Resources Department.) City Council received the report and chart prepared by the consultant and the Director of Human Resources. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 16. Consideration of Evaluation Criteria for Capital Grants to Nonprofit Organizations. City Council referred the City Manager's evaluation criteria for Capital Grants to Non-Profit Organizations to the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee (BFAAC) for review and a recommendation. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 17. Consideration of Authorization of Recommended Capital Project Allocations and Planned Expenditures. City Council authorized the capital project allocations and planned expenditures for the capital projects detailed in the Capital Improvement Expenditure Summary. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES None *** The following two items were heard together.*** ORAL REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL (a) Councilmember Lovain reported that the Transportation and Planning Board (TPB) of the Council of Governments (COG) reached a compromise on the widening of I-66, allowing the first spot improvement to proceed because full funding had been secured. Councilmember Lovain stated that the other two spot improvements on I-66 cannot move forward until the multimodal study is completed. (b) Councilmember Lovain reported that the TPB recently completed a survey of over 10,000 households in the Washington Metropolitan Region about household travel. Councilmember Lovain pointed out that the transit share has grown from 15% to 17.6% in the region, with the highest growth in the outer suburbs. Councilmember Lovain noted that Alexandria has had one of the largest commuter transit share growth from 22.5% to 26.9% and Alexandria has doubled the number of commuters who walk or bike to work from 4.5 % to 9%. (c) Councilmember Lovain reported that the COG Chesapeake Bay Program Planning/Water Resource Committee has discussed reducing the use of plastic bags, focusing on an ordinance that District of Columbia Councilman Tommy Wells introduced, which posed a five cent fee on all plastic and paper bags dispensed by retailers and restaurants. Councilmember Lovain stated that the ordinance would give the retailers one cent back for the tax and two cents if they offer a rebate for reusable bags. Councilmember Lovain noted that both the Virginia and Maryland legislatures were working on a plastic bag ban and plastic bottles and bags are one of the two leading types of litter in the Anacostia River, with the litter ending up on the Alexandria waterfront. (d) Vice Mayor Pepper noted the passing of Jim Cisco, the former president of the Watergate at Landmark and a very active citizen of Alexandria. Vice Mayor Pepper reported that funeral services will be held Friday at Alfred Street Baptist Church at 11:00 a.m. (e) Councilman Krupicka reported that onSaturday, March 28 at 8:30 p.m., Earth Hour will be held around the world to raise awareness about climate change, environmental awareness and global warming. Councilman Krupicka stated that the goal is to designate one hour when cities will turn off their lights to raise awareness. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ ORAL REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER Director of Transportation Baier gave an update on the availability of a drop off space for shuttles at the Van Dorn Metro Station. Mr. Baier reported that the interim plan will allow the longer buses to stop in the right turn lane on Eisenhower Avenue servicing the Van Dorn Bus bay to load and unload onto the sidewalk and will allow the smaller buses turn right into the short term kiss and ride lot for loading and unloading. Mr. Baier stated that for the long term plan the Metro Kiss and Ride will be utilized in a different way to provide for stacking on site. Mr. Baier noted that the lot will be restriped with the possible removal of the metered spaces and the possible reconfiguration of Metro Road to allow for sidewalk widening and the storage of the large buses in the Metro lot. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS 18. Consideration of a Resolution Regarding the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) I-95/395 HOV/Bus/HOTLanes Project. City Council adopted the resolution regarding the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) I-95/395 HOV/Bus/HOT Lanes Project. (RES. NO. 2325) Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 19. Consideration of a Resolution Authorizing Submission of an Application for Neighborhood Stabilization Program Funding for Targeted Acquisition of Foreclosed Properties. City Council approved the resolution authorizing the submission of an application during the first round of funding (due before April 3, 2009) to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for $939,955 in Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funding to acquire, rehabilitate and rehabilitate and re-sell at least four foreclosed properties in the Hume Springs Community of Alexandria. (RES. NO. 2326) Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 20. Consideration of a Resolution Establishing an Alexandria Complete Count Committee for the 2010 Census City Council: (1) approved the resolution establishing an Alexandria Complete Count Committee; (2) authorized the Mayor to select a person to serve as Chair of the Committee; and (3) authorized the City Manager to solicit and appoint members to the group. (RES. NO. 2327) Council Action:_________________________________________________________ OTHER 21. Consideration of City Council Schedule. City Council received the revised calendar which included the Alexandria Jaycees' Community Appreciation Night at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 18 in the Sister Cities Conference Room. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ EXECUTIVE SESSION 22. Consideration of Convening an Executive Session Closed to the Public to Discuss with Legal Counsel the Status of Cable Franchise Negotiations, the Status of Certain Land Use Litigation and the Potential Resolution of Certain Workers' Compensation Claims. At 9:23 p.m., City Council convened in Executive Session, pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(7) of the Code of Virginia, for the purpose of discussing with Legal Counsel the status of cable franchise negotiations, the status of certain land use litigation and the potential resolution of certain workers' compensation claims. At 10:00 p.m., City Council reconvened the meeting. City Council adopted the resolution pertaining to the Executive Session. (RES. NO. 2328) Council Action:_________________________________________________________