Office of the City Clerk
January 27, 1999
There Was a Work Session with
the Alexandria Commission on Aging,
the Alexandria Commission on Persons
with Disabilities, the Alexandria Commission
for Women, and the Human Rights Commission,
at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Workroom.
There Was an Executive Session at the Close
of this Meeting. Please see Docket Item No. 28.
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, January 26, 1999 - - 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.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
Reverend Dr. Stuart D. Broberg, Senior Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church.
2. Invocation. By:_________________________________________________________
3. Reading and Acting Upon the Minutes of the Following Meetings of City Council:
(a) The Regular Meeting of January 12, 1999.
City Council approved the minutes of The Regular Meeting of January 12, 1999, as submitted.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
4. Report of the City Clerk.
City Council received the report of the City Clerk.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
5. Presentation of Proclamation Honoring Arthur Gitajn for His Service to the City of Alexandria. (City Manager Lawson)
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
OPENING (continued)
6. Presentation of Proclamation Proclaiming the Week of February 1-6, 1999, as Consumer Protection Week in the City of Alexandria.
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
7. Presentation of Proclamation Proclaiming the Month of February as Black History Month in the City of Alexandria.
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
8. Presentation of Proclamation Recognizing the 10th Anniversary of the Alexandria Community Shelter.
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
9. Presentation of Proclamation Proclaiming December 14, 1999, as George Washington Day. (Councilwoman Pepper)
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
10. Presentation of Proclamation Recognizing the Alexandria YMCA Partners Campaign. (Vice Mayor Euille; Councilwoman Pepper)
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER
CONSENT CALENDAR (11-17) (22-23)
11. Receipt of Resignations from Boards, Commissions and Committees:
(a) Alexandria Commission on Aging
Arthur G. Jones
(b) Alexandria Community Policy and Management Team
Vera R. Jackson
(c) Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Council
Anne V. Casey
(d) Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission
Laurence C. Breaker
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)
12. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:
(a) Alexandria Commission on Employment
1 Representative From a Community-Based Organization
(b) Alexandria Landlord-Tenant Relations Board
1 Resident Who Is Neither a Landlord or a Tenant
(c) Alexandria Potomac West Alliance Board of Directors
1 Representative of the Potomac West Business Community
(d) Alexandria Sanitation Authority
1 Citizen Member
13. Consideration of a Request to Vacate a Position on the Alexandria Industrial Development Authority.
14. Consideration of a Request to Vacate a Position on the Alexandria Archaeological Commission.
15. Receipt of the City's Monthly Financial Report for Period Ending December 31, 1998.
16. Receipt of the Fiscal Year 1998 Annual Report of the Fair Housing Testing Program Advisory Committee.
17. Receipt of the FY 1998 Annual Report of the Economic Opportunities Commission.
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR
City Council approved the Consent Calendar as presented. The City Manager's recommendations are as follows:
11. City Council received the following resignations with regret: (a) Arthur G. Jones from the Alexandria Commission on Aging; (b) Vera R. Jackson from the Alexandria Community Policy and Management Team; (c) Anne V. Casey from the Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Council; and (d) Laurence C. Breaker from the Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission; and requested the Executive Secretary for Boards and Commissions to send the appropriate letters of appreciation and to advertise the vacancies in the usual manner.
12. City Council (a) reappointed Susan Dawson as a Representative From a Community-Based Organization to the Alexandria Commission on Employment; (b) reappointed Ludwig Gaines as a Resident Who Is Neither a Landlord Nor a Tenant to the Alexandria Landlord-Tenant Relations Board; (c) appointed Paul Fiscella as a Representative of the Potomac West Business Community to the Alexandria Potomac West Alliance Board of Directors; and (d) reappointed Elise Fulstone as a Citizen Member to the Alexandria Sanitation Authority.
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)
13. City Council declared as vacant one of the citizen positions on the Industrial Development Authority Board of Directors and authorized the Executive Secretary for Boards and Commissions to advertise the vacancy.
14. City Council declared as vacant the designated position for a representative from the Alexandria Association on the Archaeological Commission and authorized the Executive Secretary for Boards and Commissions to advertise the vacancy.
15. City Council received the Monthly Financial Report for the period ending December 31, 1998.
16. City Council received the report.
17. City Council received the Annual Report which covers the activities of the Economic Opportunities Commission from July 1, 1997 to June 30, 1998, and thanked the Commission for its work on behalf of low-income residents of the City.
22. City Council received the Youth Policy Commission's Annual Report, scheduled it for public hearing on February 20, 1999, and thanked the Commission Members for their diligent work.
23. City Council introduced and passed the ordinance on its First Reading; set it for Public Hearing, Second Reading and Final Passage on Saturday, February 20, 1999.
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
18. Discussion by City Council of Receipt of Report from the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association (ACVA) Regarding a New Visitor's Center. (Councilman Speck)
Councilman Speck spoke to this item and wanted to get the sense of Council as to whether or not they wished to pursue a new Visitor's Center.
Members of Council participated in a discussion on this item.
Mayor Donley agreed that the City needs to do a better job in terms of a Visitor's Center and has no opposition to studying the proposal; however, the Mayor stated he does have some concerns about the financing, whether it involves the City, or whether it involves VRE.
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
18. (continued) Councilman Speck indicated that what they have been trying to look at is to obviously identify where a first-class facility can be, but also to recognize that in this day and age you cannot create in a regional community as large as Alexandria is and with as much competition for tourism, you can't create some sort of pristine facility and hope that people come. One of the reasons that the Commonwealth's Atlantic property by the Alexandria Union Station is attractive is because of the ease with which you can connect to several other transportation modalities. You have the VRE route and the idea of some synergy between Fredricksburg and all of the battlefields and coming up this way. You have Amtrak. You are close to Beltway access. You have the possibility of an area that could easily accommodate buses. You have the ability to look at the possibility of some transportation connection going right down King Street and in other directions of the City. So, all of these pieces suggest that this is a site that is worthy of the City's attention. The point of bringing this up tonight was one to determine if there was some degree of interest on the part of Council, and also to send forth to staff to begin to start looking at this in more detail.
Councilman Speck stated that there will be a continued Ramsay House presence in Old Town as part of our efforts in tourism.
Without Objection, Council asked staff to study the concept and report back to Council, with the request that they work with the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association staff as well as any other interested party, i.e. VRE.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
19. Consideration of Update Report on Items Before the 1999 General Assembly.
Legislative Director Caton briefed Council on the activity of the 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 1999 General Assembly Session as noted in Attachment I to the City Manager's memorandum; (2) supported appropriations to a new State Transit Capital Incentive Fund only if they do not come from transit's (e.g., Metro's) existing share of the State Transportation Trust Fund; (3) supported the issuance of additional transportation bonds to support Northern Virginia transportation projects, including improvements to the King Street Metro Station and the purchase of new Metro rail cars; (4) opposed any legislation that would have the effect of lessening City sales tax revenues; (5) opposed any solid waste legislation that would (i) have a negative monetary effect on the City's waste-to-energy plant, or (ii) result in significant increases in trucks transporting solid waste through the Northern Virginia region; (6) supported increased funding to the State Healthy Families program; and (7) supported full funding of HB 599 for law enforcement and opposed any changes to the formula for funding as requested by the Commission on the Condition and Future of Virginia's Cities.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (considered)
20. Consideration of the Update to the City's Affirmative Action Plan.
City Council approved the City's updated Affirmative Action Plan and thanked the Members of the Human Rights Commission, the Commission for Women, the Commission on Persons with Disabilities, and the Commission on Aging for the assistance they have provided in updating the Plan.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
21. Consideration of the Fiscal Year 1998 City of Alexandria Applicant Tracking Report and Work Force Utilization Analysis.
City Council received both reports and thanked the Members of the Human Rights Commission, the Commission for Women, the Commission on Persons with Disabilities, and the Commission on Aging for the assistance and input they have provided on both these reports. After reviewing these reports in addition to the City's updated Affirmative Action Plan, the Commissions have provided their comments, which are included as Attachments 3-6 to the report.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
REPORTS OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
None
ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
(a) Council Member Rich spoke to a recent article in the Washington Post, about the aftermath of the brutal, depraved killing of James Byrd, Jr. of Jasper, Texas.
(b) Councilman Speck spoke to Council's not providing the staff with guidance with respect to keeping City Hall open on Saturdays when there is a three-day holiday weekend.
It was City Council's intent that City Hall not be open on a Saturday of a three-day weekend. Staff was requested to provide notice of such closing, and to keep looking at this as part of how we are evaluating and make a determination as to whether we think it needs to be modified in some way for just that purpose.
(c) Vice Mayor Euille spoke to the Children's Medical Security Insurance Plan.
Human Services Director O'Regan briefed Council on what the City is doing with respect to this Plan.
(d) Mayor Donley noted that the City's Bond rating was reaffirmed. He indicated that we went to the Bond Market for a $40 issue and achieved one of the lowest rates in America at 4.34%.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
CONSENT CALENDAR (22-23)
22. Receipt of the Fiscal Year 1998 Annual Report of the Youth Policy Commission, and Setting it for Public Hearing.
23. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of AN ORDINANCE to remove the December 31, 1998 sunset date for the Youth Policy Commission which is contained in Ordinance Nos. 3952 and 3962.
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR
City Council scheduled the report for public hearing on Saturday, February 22, 1999, and introduced and passed the ordinance on its First Reading, set it for Public Hearing, Second Reading and Final Passage on Saturday, February 22, 1999.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
OTHER
24. Consideration of City Council Schedule.
City Council (1) scheduled the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of the Alexandria Transit Company at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9, in the Council Workroom immediately following the Council Work Session on Board of Architectural Review issues; (2) scheduled a work session on Saturday, February 20, during the lunch break, at Council's regular public hearing meeting to discuss the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Deck and Jones Point Park Concept Plans; (3) scheduled Wednesday, March 3, at 7:00 p.m. as a tentative date and time for the proposed work session on the plans for Potomac Yard which will be held at the Holiday Inn North; (4) added to the Council Calendar the Project Discovery Student Recognition Reception before Council's Tuesday, May 25 legislative meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Cameron Street Lobby; and (5) scheduled a site visit of Cameron Station on Tuesday, February 16, at 4:00 p.m.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS
25. Alexandria Board of Zoning Appeals
3 Citizen Members
City Council reappointed Harold Curry, Stephen Koenig and Mary Lyman as Citizen Members to the Alexandria Board of Zoning Appeals.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
26. Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission
1 Citizen Member
City Council reappointed Cynthia Chambers as a Citizen Member to the Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS (continued)
27. Alexandria Planning Commission
3 Citizen Members
City Council reappointed John Komoroske, Richard Leibach and Eric Wagner as Citizen Members to the Alexandria Planning Commission.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
EXECUTIVE SESSION
28. Consideration of Convening of an Executive Session to Consult with Legal Counsel, Pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.1-344(A)(7), Pertaining to Actual Litigation Involving the City and to Consider and Discuss the Acquisition or Use of Real Property for Public Purpose, Pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.1-344(A)(3).
At 10:00 p.m., City Council convened an executive session at this time for the purpose of: discussing the acquisition and use of real property for public purpose, and the disposition of publicly held property, pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.1-344(A)(3); consulting with legal counsel and receiving a briefing by staff members pertaining to probable litigation involving the city, pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.1-344(A)(7); and consulting with legal counsel pertaining to the following litigation involving the city, pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.1-344(A)(7): City of Alexandria v. Slater, et al, a case pending in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, which involves the city's challenge to the Woodrow Wilson replacement project.
At 12:37 a.m., City Council reconvened the meeting and adopted the resolution pertaining to the Executive Session. RES. NO. 1906
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
The Meeting of Tuesday, January 26, 1999, was adjourned on Wednesday, January 27, 1999, at 12:40 a.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
The Alexandria City Council and School Board Educational Forum will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 1999, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at The Lyceum, located at 201 South Washington Street, Alexandria, Virginia.
Please contact the City Clerk's Office at 838-4500 for any available material on this issue.
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