Office of the City Clerk
January 28, 1998
The Work Session to discuss the
Alexandria-Arlington Waste-To-Energy Plant,
at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Workroom was
Canceled.
There was an Executive Session at
The Close of this Meeting. Please see
Docket Item No. 26.
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, January 27, 1998 - - 7:30 p.m.
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OPENING
1. Calling the Roll.
The Meeting was called to Order by Mayor Donley, and the City Clerk called the Roll; all Members of City Council were present, except Councilman Cleveland.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
The Invocation was pronounced by Rabbi Jonathan Biatch, Associate Rabbi, Beth El Hebrew Congregation.
2. Invocation: By:_________________________________________________________
3. Reading and Acting Upon the Minutes of the Following Meeting of City Council:
(a) The Regular Meeting of January 13, 1998.
City Council approved the Minutes for the Regular Meeting of January 13, 1998, as submitted.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
4. Report of the City Clerk.
City Council received the report.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
5. Presentation of Proclamation Declaring the Month of February as National African-American History Month in the City of Alexandria.
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
OPENING (continued)
6. Presentation of Proclamation Recognizing the Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry on Its 10th Anniversary. (The Mayor and Members of City Council)
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
7. Presentation of Proclamation Recognizing the Month of February as George Washington Birthday Celebration Month.
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
8. Presentation of Proclamation Honoring the Following Persons for Their Donation of Blue Spruce Trees During the Holiday Season in Alexandria:
(a) Kelly Livezey and Robert Sweeny for the Tree at King Street Gardens;
(b) Mr. and Mrs. Dale Uhrig and Marian E. Graham for the Trees at Market Square; and
(c) Linda Cyr and Craig Patranc for the Tree at the Foot of King Street. (Councilwoman Pepper)
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
9. Presentation of Proclamation Honoring the Talented and Civic-minded Members of the Beverly Hills Garden Club for the Beautiful Holiday Decorations which Adorned City Hall. (Councilwoman Pepper and City Manager Lawson)
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
CONSENT CALENDAR (10-16)
10. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:
(a) Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission
1 Member From Planning District II
11. Receipt of the 1996-1997 Annual Report from the Alexandria Waterfront Committee.
12. Receipt of the 1997 Annual Report from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
13. Consideration of Request to Vacate a Position on the Alexandria Commission on Aging.
14. Consideration of an Amendment to the City's Community Development Block Grant Program for Rehabilitation of the Alexandria Residential Care Home.
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)
15. Consideration of an Amendment to the City's Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program to Assist Sheltered Homes of Alexandria to Purchase Two Condominium Units for Use as Supervised Apartments.
16. Receipt of the Monthly Financial Report for Period Ending December 31, 1997.
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR
City Council approved the Consent Calendar as presented. The City Manager's recommendations are as follows:
10. City Council reappointed Kirk Fedder as a Member From Planning District II to the Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission.
11. City Council received the Annual Report from the Alexandria Waterfront Committee and thanked the Committee members for their efforts on behalf of the City.
12. City Council received the report and thanked the Board of Zoning Appeals for its efforts on behalf of the City.
13. City Council declared as vacant one of the citizen positions on the Commission on Aging and authorized the Executive Secretary for Boards and Commissions to advertise the vacancy.
14. City Council (1) allocated $35,000 in current year CDBG monies to replace the roof and the kitchen floor of the Alexandria Residential Care Home; (2) approved the transfer of $35,000 for the rehabilitation from the following CDBG activities: (Program Administration -- $12,216) and (Home Rehabilitation Loan Program -- $22,784); and authorized the City Manager to submit a program amendment to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to amend the current year Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to include funding for the rehabilitation of the Alexandria Residential Care Home.
15. City Council (1) allocated $96,000 in Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 96 and FFY 97 HOME monies and $24,000 in budgeted General Fund matching monies to Sheltered Homes of Alexandria to purchase two condominium units in Fayette Court Condominiums for use as supervised apartments; (2) approved the transfer of $120,000 in HOME and General Fund matching monies from the HOME Preservation Program to the Acquisition of Special Needs Housing Program to fund the acquisition; and (3) authorized the City Manager to submit a program amendment to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to amend the current year HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program to include funding for the Acquisition of Special Needs Housing for Sheltered Homes of Alexandria.
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)
16. City Council (1) received the Financial Report for the period ending December 31, 1997; (2) authorized the City Manager or her designee to issue a request for proposals and award a contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder to procure third party billing services, providing the opportunity for citizens to make tax payments and other forms of payment to the City by telephone, e-mail or other methods using credit and debit cards, and other payment options; and (3) approved the requested capital project expenditures detailed in the Capital Improvement Program Planned Expenditures Summary and authorized the City Manager or her designee to contract for public improvements.
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
17. Consideration of an Amendment to the City's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program to Fund the Winter Overflow Shelter Program in Alexandria. (#14 1/13/98)
City Council (1) allocated $10,000 in current year CDBG monies to support management of the Winter Overflow Shelter Program by Carpenter's Shelter from November 10, 1997 to March 31, 1998, as requested in Attachment I of the memo. This $10,000 in combination with $25,000 in General Fund monies from the Department of Human Services, is the total amount Carpenter's Shelter needs to operate the Winter Overflow Shelter Program; (2) approved the transfer of $10,000 in CDBG funds from the Eviction Storage Program (in the amount of $3,000) and the Transitional Apartment Program (in the amount of $7,000) budgeted in the Department of Human Services to fund the Winter Overflow Shelter Program; (3) authorized the City Manager to submit a program amendment (Attachment II to the memo) to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to amend the current year CDBG program to include $10,000 in funding for the Winter Overflow Shelter Program; and (4) requested that the Fair Share Task Force analyze and make recommendations regarding the number of beds that Alexandria makes available in the Winter Overflow Shelter Program.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
18. Consideration of Housing Trust Fund Loan to the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority for Payment of Outstanding Real Estate Taxes and Forgiveness of Outstanding Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT)
WITHOUT OBJECTION, City Council noted the deferral of this item to the February 10, 1998 Council Meeting.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
19. Consideration of Update Report on Items Before the 1998 General Assembly.
City Council approved the following as recommended by the City Council's legislative subcommittee (Mayor Donley and Council Member Walker): (1) adopted the positions on legislation that has been introduced in the 1998 General Assembly Session as noted in Attachment 1 of the memo, including the changes described in the memo for HB 428 (Reform of the State and Local System for Delivering Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services); (2) opposed legislation that would merge the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, the Potomac-Rappahannock Transportation Commission, and the Transportation Coordinating Council; (3) opposed proposals to earmark telecommunications right-of-way fees to pay debt service on State Transportation bonds; (4) supported additional State funding for the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Home; and (5) supported the Loudoun County legislative proposal (Attachment 6 to the memo) that would require the State to reimburse a locality for up to half of the capital costs of a school construction or renovation project, and deleted HB 387 from the recommendation at this time. Reference of HB 387 is on page 12 of the memo.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
REPORTS OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
None
ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
(a) Vice Mayor Euille stated that he had circulated a memo to the Members of City Council and the City Manager regarding a Transportation Management Plan at Potomac Yard. He asked staff when this would come to Council.
Transportation and Environmental Services Director O'Kane indicated that he is working on it and will shoot for the March 1 date.
(b) Vice Mayor Euille spoke to his memo dated January 9, 1998, regarding tourism to the City of Alexandria's economy, and requested that information be gathered and obtained from the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association. He questioned, upon receipt of this information that it be forward to BFAAC for its review and comments back to the Council, whether Council or staff would forward this to BFAAC.
City Manager Lawson stated that staff would refer it to BFAAC, and envision that it would come back to Council with the BFAAC recommendation as well as staff's recommendation in the context of the budget.
(c) Councilman Speck announced that at the Chamber of Commerce Gala on Saturday night, he was the lucky bidder for "Superintendent of Schools for the Day."
ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL (continued)
(d) Mayor Donley noted that over the holidays Fairfax County raised the issue of wanting to have the gas tax formula revisited and changed around. He indicated that the County was threatening to take it directly to the General Assembly through point-of-sale distribution which would have been very harmful to the City of Alexandria and Arlington County. Mayor Donley also spoke regarding Fairfax County's putting in some legislation that would have altered the membership of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission which would have created an automatic Fairfax majority. He indicated that there was also a companion piece of legislation that Fairfax County was asking relief from the General Assembly in terms of allocation of transportation funds that come to Northern Virginia from the state.
He indicated that NVTC negotiated a new formula that would not have been so onerous and would receive regional support. The Executive Committee of NVTC met and worked out a new formula that is not nearly as harmful to the City and Arlington County. He further explained the formula.
Legislative Director Caton participated in the discussion.
WHEREUPON, upon motion by Councilwoman Pepper, seconded by Council Member Walker and carried on a vote of 6-to-0, City Council moved to communicate and support the new compromise proposal with the caveat that the two bills be withdrawn. The letter will be sent to Rick Taube at NVTC who will serve as the conduit.
(e) Vice Mayor Euille brought up the current proposal that is ongoing in Congress with regard to the renaming of National Airport to the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. He indicated that he received a call as to whether or not the City of Alexandria has taken a position on whether we desire to have the name change or continue as the Washington National Airport.
WHEREUPON, upon motion by Vice Mayor Euille, seconded by Councilwoman Pepper and carried on a vote of 5-to-0, City Council moved to communicate to the Federal Delegation, namely, Senator Robb, Senator Warner, and Congressman Moran, that the Council has gone on record opposing Federal legislation that would rename National Airport.
Mayor Donley indicated that if we need to work on the language, he would be happy to work on some of the language and will copy the Members of Council with the letter.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
20. Consideration of Resolution Authorizing the Acquisition of Property at 423 South Reynolds Street for Possible Future Use by the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority as a Replacement Public Housing Site. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
WITHOUT OBJECTION, City Council noted the deferral of this item to the February 10, 1998 Council Meeting.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
OTHER
21. Consideration of City Council Schedule.
City Council (1) scheduled a work session with the Alexandria Sanitation Authority before Council's Tuesday, February 24 legislative meeting at 6 p.m. in the Council Workroom to discuss the Authority's Capital program and revenue outlook; and (2) scheduled the annual meeting of the Alexandria Transit Company Board of Directors before Council's Tuesday, February 24 legislative meeting at 7:15 p.m. in the Council Workroom following the 6 p.m. work session with the Alexandria Sanitation Authority; and 3) set aside March 3 and March 19 as potential work session dates with the School Board on its budget(s). Staff will report back to Council.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS
22. Alexandria Board of Architectural Review -
Old and Historic District
1 Architect
City Council appointed Lori Quill as an architect to the Alexandria Board of Architectural Review - Old and Historic District.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
23. Alexandria Beautification Commission
1 Citizen Member
City Council reappointed James Dolezal as a Citizen Member to the Alexandria Beautification Commission.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
24. Alexandria Board of Zoning Appeals
1 Citizen Member
City Council appointed Harold Curry as a Citizen Member to the Alexandria Board of Zoning Appeals.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
25. Alexandria Task Force on AIDS
1 Representative From the Alexandria Chapter
of the American Red Cross
City Council waived the residency requirement and appointed Ian Larsen as a Representative From the Alexandria Chapter of the American Red Cross to the Alexandria Task Force on AIDS.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
EXECUTIVE SESSION
26. Convening an Executive Session for the Purpose of: Consulting with Legal Counsel and Receiving a Briefing by Staff Members, Consultants or Attorneys, pertaining to Potential or Actual Litigation, Pursuant to Virginia Code section 2.1-344(A)(7)
At 8:52 p.m., City Council convened an executive session at this time for the purpose of: discussing the acquisition of real property for a public purpose, pursuant to Virginia Code section 2.1-344(A)(3); and consulting with legal counsel pertaining to probable litigation involving the City, pursuant to Virginia Code section 2.1-344(A)(7).
At 10:11 p.m., City Council reconvened the meeting and the following transpired:
City Council authorized the City Attorney to file suit, on behalf of the City of Alexandria, against the Federal Highway Administration and other appropriate agencies and officials, that challenges and seeks to overturn the decision reached by the FHWA on November 25, 1997, and recorded in its Record of Decision of that same date, approving a 12-lane project for the replacement of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and for the construction of various improvements to the bridge approaches and the nearby interchanges in Virginia and Maryland.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, Mayor Donley noted for the record, although Councilman Cleveland is not present tonight, he has in the past indicated his support for the litigation alternative.
City Council adopted the resolution pertaining to the executive session.
RES. NO. 1856
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
The Meeting was adjourned at 10:15 p.m.
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 https://alexandriava.gov/council.
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Individuals with disabilities who require assistance or special arrangements to participate in the City Council meeting may call the City Clerk and Clerk of Council's Office at 838-4500 (TTY/TDD 838-5056). We request that you provide a 48-hour notice so that the proper arrangements may be made.
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Public Notice
City Council will have a Breakfast Work Session at 8:30 a.m. with INOVA Alexandria Hospital Representatives on Thursday, January 29, 1998, in the City Council Workroom, Room 2410, City Hall, 301 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia.
The topic of discussion will be issues relating to the hospital.
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Public Notice
Members of City Council will be attending the annual General Assembly Legislative Day sponsored by the Virginia Municipal League and the Virginia Association of Counties on February 5, 1998, at the Richmond Marriott Hotel, 5th and Broad Streets, Richmond, Virginia.
The day includes a legislative update beginning at 2:00 p.m., followed by a reception starting at 5:30 p.m., with dinner with the legislative delegation at 6:30 p.m. at the Marriott.
It is anticipated that more than two members of Council will be attending.
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