Office of the City Clerk
December 8, 1998
There was a Work Session on the
Proposed Woodrow Wilson Bridge Crossing
Design in the Council Chambers at 6:00 p.m.
There was an Executive Session at the Close
of the Meeting. Please see Docket Item No. 27.
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, December 8, 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.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
The Invocation was pronounced by Councilman Speck.
2. Invocation. By:_________________________________________________________
New Business Item No. 1: Council Member Rich spoke to the recent passing of his Pastor, Nancy Foil, who died of cancer. A memorial service will be held at Baptist Temple Church at 11:00 p.m. December 9.
New Business Item No. 2: Mayor Donley announced that Council will not be making a decision tonight on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Council will be receiving a briefing from legal counsel.
3. Reading and Acting Upon the Minutes of the Following Meeting of City Council:
(a) The Public Hearing Meeting of Saturday, November 14, 1998.
City Council approved the Minutes of the Public Hearing Meeting of Saturday, November 14, 1998, 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 Proclaiming December 31, 1998, as First Night Alexandria Day.
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
OPENING (continued)
6. Presentation of Proclamation Proclaiming December as Human Rights Month in the City of Alexandria.
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
7. Presentation of Proclamation Proclaiming the City's Support for the Earned Income Tax Credit Campaign.
City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER
CONSENT CALENDAR (8 - 10) (14 - 15)
WITHOUT OBJECTION, Council withdrew Docket Item No. 10 from the Consent Calendar.
8. Receipt of Resignations from Boards, Commissions and Committees:
(a) Alexandria Youth Policy Commission
Lauren R. LaSasso
9. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:
(a) Alexandria-Caen Exchange Committee
1 Representative From the Business Community
(b) Alexandria Commission on Aging
1 Citizen Member
(c) Alexandria Commission on Persons With Disabilities
4 Citizen Members
(Three of Whom Must Have Disabilities)
(d) Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission
1 Member From the Field of Engineering
(e) Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
1 Representative From the Historic Alexandria Docents
1 Representative From the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association
1 Member From Planning District II
(f) Alexandria Task Force on AIDS
1 Representative From Hospice of Northern Virginia
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)
10. Consideration of Receipt of Two-Year Grant Funds in the Amount of $127,841 from the Arlington Health Foundation for Expansion of the Psychological Services/Preschool Prevention Program.
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR
City Council approved the Consent Calendar as presented with the exception of docket item no. 10 which was considered under separate motion. The City Manager's recommendations are as follows:
8. City Council (a) received the resignation of Lauren R. LaSasso from the Youth Policy Commission with regret; requested the Executive Secretary to send the appropriate letter of appreciation; and to advertise the vacancy in the usual manner.
9. City Council (a) reappointed Mary Radnofsky as a Representative From the Business Community to the Alexandria-Caen Exchange Committee; (b) reappointed Charles Cox as a Citizen Member to the Alexandria Commission on Aging; (c) reappointed Chester Avery (Identified a Disability), Eunice Fiorito (Identified a Disability), Barbara Gilley (Identified a Disability), and Tom Sachs as Citizen Members (three of whom must have disabilities) to the Alexandria Commission on Persons With Disabilities; (d) reappointed Samuel Cole as a Member From the Field of Engineering to the Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission; (e) appointed Carole Smith as a Representative From the Historic Alexandria Docents, reappointed Elaine Johnston as a Representative From the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association and David Peters as a Member From Planning District II to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission; and (f) appointed Kathryn Unruh as a Representative From Hospice of Northern Virginia to the Alexandria Task Force on AIDS.
10. Councilman Speck noted that although we may notify the person who is hired and specifically involved, he asked how the City notifies the various constituent groups who are served by the program in the event that the grant does not continue? He expressed concern about the City getting into a position to where we are being aggressively lobbied to continue a program, and essentially being put into a difficult position of having to pick something up that was initiated by a grant and now will become a burden to the City. The broad issue that has been talked about is the concern that programs never seem to end regardless of how they started.
City Manager responded to his concerns and requested the Office of Management and Budget to compile some statistics over the last five or seven years.
City Council (1) accepted the Arlington Health Foundation funds totaling $127,841 for the two-year period January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2000, to fund an additional clinical psychologist to provide psychological services to preschools in the City; and (2) approved the request to increase by one the number of full-time equivalent positions for the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse. This position would terminate upon expiration of the grant, and the individual who fills this position will be notified of this condition of employment and sign an agreement of understanding with regard to this condition. (Separate Motion)
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)
14. City Council introduced and passed the Ordinance on its First Reading; set it for Public Hearing, Second Reading and Final Passage on Saturday, December 12, 1998.
15. City Council introduced and passed the Ordinance on its First Reading; set it for Public Hearing, Second Reading and Final Passage on Saturday, December 12, 1998.
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
Without objection, City Council considered Docket Item Nos. 11 and 12 together.
11. Receipt of the 1998 Annual Report and Plant Survey from Jones Communications, Inc.
Councilman Speck directed questions to Ms. Schuler of Jones Communications about the program guide to assure that the interested public may view a program or a rebroadcast of a program. He asked questions regarding subscriber survey questions and results. Ms. Schuler, Director of Citizen Assistance Boyd, and Consumer Affairs Administrator Barbash participated in the discussion. They will work on improving the distribution of programming information, as well as exploring a link from the City's web site to Jones Communications' web site and discussing it at a meeting of the City's Commission on Information Technology with Councilman Speck being invited to that meeting.
City Council received the Jones Communications 1998 Annual Report and Plant Survey.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
12. Receipt of the 1998 Jones Communications, Inc. Annual Subscriber Survey Report.
City Council received the 1998 Annual Subscriber Survey Report from Jones Communications, Inc.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)
13. Consideration of Establishment of a Parking Adjudication Office.
Members of City Council, Director of Financial and Information Technology Services Gitajn, and Commonwealth's Attorney Sengel participated in the discussion of this item.
City Council received this report and approved the transfer of $99,616 from Contingent Reserves (Account 103556) to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office (Account 102707) to fund start-up costs and five months of operations of a new parking adjudication program beginning in February 1999.
Council Action:______________________________________________________________
REPORTS OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
None
ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
(a) Councilwoman Pepper spoke to meeting with representatives from the Living Wage Coalition of Northern Virginia. She indicated that they have requested that the City Council pass a living wage ordinance which would require the contractors that the City do business with to pay their employees an hourly wage that's above the minimum wage. Councilwoman Pepper asked if it is possible for us to get some kind of feel or idea of what our contractors are paying their employees? Is there any way of knowing if they are already doing better than offering more than the minimum wage? Are they offering a living wage so that this issue could be put to rest?
Financial and Information Technology Services Director Gitajn stated that staff could come back with an estimate of what it would take to know. It is not a piece of information they know.
Councilwoman Pepper asked, if this is going to be more of a survey than the City wants, could Council at least have a sample from one of our major firms to which we are subcontracting?
Financial and Information Technology Services Director Gitajn stated that staff will report back to Council on this.
(b) Council Member Rich spoke to the compact disc, "Sean's Treasure", which he gave to each Member of Council as a holiday present. Sean Doherty is one of the organizers of the Irish Breakfast Band which is a terrific band and has just cut its first CD. It is a really wonderful CD to listen to.
(c) Council Member Walker reported on the recent National League of Cities' Annual Convention in Kansas City. She indicated that one of the major concerns from local elected officials is growth and development. Council Member Walker spoke to her philosophy on land use decisions.
(d) Vice Mayor Euille also reported on the activities and many leadership seminars offered at this year's NLC Convention. He and Council Member Walker were able to share some of Alexandria's experiences.
(e) Vice Mayor Euille spoke to the four water main breaks in the City today.
Transportation and Environmental Services Director O'Kane responded to his questions. He will request a report from the Virginia American Water as to what caused the breaks.
ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL (continued)
(f) Councilman Speck spoke to Transportation and Environmental Services Director O'Kane's memorandum dated December 7, 1998, regarding speeding and traffic control. He requested that this issue be docketed for a broader discussion to talk about issues that are affecting the community on a broader scale as it relates to speed, control of speed, and the ability to conduct more effective traffic calming measures, and in areas where we really need to be taking a look of what's happening as it relates to residential streets with four-lane roads and other issues like that. He requested that Council use Mr. O'Kane's memorandum as a kickoff for a broader Council discussion about this matter generally.
Councilman Cleveland suggested that on Seminary Road, between Beauregard and George Mason where the speed limit is 35 mph, it needs to be reduced to 25 mph.
Mayor Donley suggested that Council give some thought between now and the first legislative meeting in January about how the discussion should be structured.
(g) Mayor Donley gave a report on the recent meeting of the Commission on the Future of Virginia Cities which was hosted by the City and held at the George Washington Masonic Temple on December 2.
(h) Mayor Donley spoke to hosting a community forum on education and its importance. One of the goals would be to reach out to the broader community, the broader constituencies that make up Alexandria. He stated that he has talked with School Board Chair Kenealy to come up with a format. It has been tentatively agreed to have a facilitator who would lead the discussion. He indicated that one of our citizens in Alexandria, Sherry Schiller Cameron, does this for a living and has volunteered to help with this project as a community volunteer. Her husband is the Executive Director of the National Education Association, so she comes with a certain amount of expertise not only in terms of facilitation, but also in educational programs as well.
Sherry has developed an initial agenda. Mayor Donley has asked that the staff, in conjunction with the school staff, work on coming up with a date that would be acceptable both to the School Board, the Council and our facilitator. We should probably shoot for something in late January or early February before we get to the budget cycle. Staff should search for a suitable location.
Mayor Donley stated that each Council Member, in conjunction with their respective School Board liaison, would develop a list of seven people to invite and those names will be submitted to him and Chairman Kenealy. They will scan them for duplication and inclusion and then issue the invitations. If there is a lot of duplication, they may come back to ask for additional persons.
Mayor Donley indicated that this should be approximately a three-hour session with an abbreviated presentation similar to what Dr. Berg gave Council regarding the Standards of Learning.
Council should provide names to the Mayor and the Chair by Christmas so that invitations could go out by the first ten days in January depending upon the date.
ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL (continued)
City Manager Lawson will talk with Superintendent Berg and report back to Council with specifics.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
CONSENT CALENDAR (14 - 15)
14. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of AN ORDINANCE to amend the text of the Zoning Ordinance, and the zoning map as it pertains to the Cameron Station Coordinated Development District, to allow a public school, with a special use permit, within the Cameron Station CDD. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
15. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of AN ORDINANCE to amend the City's 1992 Master Plan by adopting changes to (i) the Old Town North Small Area Plan Chapter, (ii) the Landmark/Van Dorn Small Area Plan Chapter, and (iii) various parts or the plan that have been recommended by the planning commission as part of its periodic, five-year plan review. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
City Council introduced and passed the above ordinances on their First Reading; set them for Public Hearing, Second Reading and Final Passage on Saturday, December 12, 1998.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS (continued)
16. Consideration of a Resolution providing for the Sale of Consolidated Public Improvement General Obligation Bonds, Series 1999, and providing for the Terms of Such Bonds. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
Vice Mayor Euille asked if some of these City of Alexandria General Obligation Bonds are on the market available for purchase, would he have a conflict should he decide to buy some of these bonds?
City Attorney Sunderland stated that under the conflict statute Vice Mayor Euille unmistakably, unequivocally would not have a problem. You don't have a problem tonight and you wouldn't have one down the road.
City Council adopted the Resolution which sets the terms for the issuance of up to $60 million in general obligation bonds and which delegates to the City Manager and the Director of Finance the authority to establish the details of the bond sale and to accept a bid for the purchase of the bonds. RES. 1901
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS (continued)
17. Consideration of a Resolution and Authorization to Amend the Lease of the Northern Virginia Health Center Commission Property to Facilitate Reissuance of Bonds. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
City Council (1) approved the First Amendment to Lease Agreement with the Northern Virginia Health Center Commission; (2) authorized the City Manager to execute all necessary documents pertaining to the lease amendment; and (3) adopted the resolution incorporating the above actions. RES. 1902
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
OTHER
18. Consideration of City Council Schedule.
City Council adopted the updated Council Calendar as of December 8 which includes the following events or changes added since the December 1 calendar was sent to Council: (1) the Alexandria Police Athletic League Achievement Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, December 9, at 7:00 p.m. in the Multi-purpose Room at Police Headquarters; (2) the Annual Hanukkah Celebration on Monday, December 14, in the Visitors' Lobby at INOVA Alexandria Hospital, 4320 Seminary Road; (3) the Call to Community meeting at George Washington Middle School has been changed from Thursday, January 14, to Monday, January 11, at 6:30 p.m.; (4) the George Washington Birthday Parade on Monday, February 15, at 1:00 p.m.; (5) work session on federal legislative issues with Congressman James Moran at 6:00 p.m., on Tuesday, February 23; (6) the Saint Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 6, at 12:30 p.m.; and (7) the Home Ownership Fair on April 10, at 9:30 a.m. at T.C. Williams High School.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS
19. Ad Hoc Alexandria Year 2000 Census Complete Count
Committee
1 Member Nominated by Jones Communications
of Alexandria
City Council waived the residency requirement and appointed Jennifer Barnwell as a Member Nominated by Jones Communications of Alexandria to the Ad Hoc Alexandria Year 2000 Census Complete Count Committee.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
20. Alexandria-Caen Exchange Committee
3 Citizen Members
1 Representative From the Public Schools
in the City of Alexandria
City Council reappointed Mark Delligatti and Warren Master and appointed Mary Jo Johnson as Citizen Members and waived the residency requirement and appointed Gregory Jones as a Representative From the Public Schools in the City of Alexandria to the Alexandria-Caen Exchange Committee.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS (continued)
21. Alexandria Beautification Commission
3 Citizen Members
City Council reappointed Marie Johnston, Jennifer Hollings and Marjorie Olson as Citizen Members to the Alexandria Beautification Commission.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
22. Alexandria Community Services Board
The Sheriff's Designee
City Council waived the residency requirement and appointed Mondre' Kornegay as the Sheriff's Designee to the Alexandria Community Services Board.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
23. Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission
1 Citizen-at-Large
City Council appointed Patti Rivera as a Citizen-at-Large to the Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
24. Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
1 Representative From the Alexandria Historical Society
City Council waived the residency requirement and appointed James Munson as a Representative From the Alexandria Historical Society to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
25. Alexandria Potomac West Alliance Board of Directors
1 Member-at-Large Who Lives and/or Works in the
Potomac West Alliance Service Area
City Council appointed Joseph Cerquone as a Member-at-Large Who Lives and/or Works in the Potomac West Alliance Service Area to the Alexandria Potomac West Alliance Board of Directors.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
26. Alexandria Urban Design Advisory Committee
1 Representative of the Old Town North
Business Community
City Council waived the residency requirement and appointed Bruce Machanic as a Representative of the Old Town North Business Community to the Alexandria Urban Design Advisory Committee.
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
EXECUTIVE SESSION
27. Consideration of Convening of an Executive Session to Consult with Legal Counsel Pertaining to Actual and Pending Litigation that Involves the City of Alexandria, Pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.1-344(A)(7).
At 9:35 p.m., City Council convened an executive session at this time for the purpose of consulting with legal counsel and receiving a briefing by staff members, consultants or attorneys pertaining to actual litigation, pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.1-344(A)(7), specifically City of Alexandria v. Slater et al., a case pending in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.
At 11:25 p.m., City Council reconvened the meeting and adopted the resolution pertaining to the executive session. RES. NO. 1903
Council Action:_______________________________________________________________
The Meeting was convened at 11:30 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
The Alexandria Call to Community will hold a forum on Tuesday, December 1, 1998 at 7:00 p.m. at Francis C. Hammond Middle School, 4646 Seminary Road, Alexandria, Virginia.
It is anticipated that more than two Council Members will be in attendance.
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Public Notice
The Commission on the Condition and Future of Virginia's Cities is holding a Meeting on Wednesday, December 2, 1998, at 1:00 p.m. at the George Washington National Masonic Memorial, 101 Callahan Drive, Alexandria, Virginia.
It is anticipated that more than two Members of Council will be attending this meeting.