City Council

Public Hearing 4/15/14 CITY OF FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA HON. MARY KATHERINE GREENLAW, MAYOR HON. BRADFORD C. ELLIS, VICE MAYOR , WARD ONE CITY COUNCIL HON. KERRY P. DEVINE, AT-LARGE HON. MATTHEW J. KELLY, AT-LARGE MINUTES Council Chambers, 715 Princess Anne Street HON. GEORGE C. SOLLEY, WARD TWO HON. FREDERIC N. HOWE , III, WARD THREE HON. BEATRICE R. PAOLUCCI, WARD FOUR Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401 April 15, 2014 The Council of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia, held a budget public hearing on Tuesday, April 15, 2014, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. Present. Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw. Vice-Mayor Bradford C. Ellis. Councilors Kerry P. Devine, Frederic N. Howe, III, Matthew J. Kelly, Beatrice R. Paolucci and George C. Solley. Also Present. City Manager Beverly R. Cameron, Assistant City Manager Mark Whitley, City Attorney Kathleen Dooley, Budget Manager Amanda Lickey, and Deputy Clerk of Council Brenda T. Martin. Officer Recognized. Mayor Greenlaw recognized the presence of and thanked Officer John Fesq for being at the meeting. Declaration. Councilor Devine declared she is an employee of the City Schools but can make budget decisions objectively and in the best interest of the public. Comments from the Public. The following speakers signed up to speak prior to the start of the meeting. 18595 Public Hearing 4/15/14 Lynndela Mer, Senior Visitors Program and Mental Health America representative thanked the Council for supporting the services of the Senior Visitors Program that they provide for free to the citizens of the City. Stories were offered on the lives that are improved. Dr. Chis Lillis, Empowerhouse member of the Board of Directors, told a story of a citizen who was abused by her husband and how she was assisted by Empowerhouse. He asked for increase support due to the rising demand and he cited the sixteen citizens that were turned away last year and the cuts from the surrounding localities. One in four women are victims of domestic violence. Rachel McKain, Rappahannock Area Agency on Aging, thanked the Council for their support of senior citizens and asked for their continued support. Lily Dunning, Bluemont Concert Series Executive Director, thanked the Council for their continued support over the past eighteen years for concerts and performances in the city. Ann Kloeckner, Rappahannock Legal Services Executive Director, asked for level funding despite increasing citizen requests for representation in a wide variety of civil legal matters. They turn away two out of every three applicants due to their limited staff of two and a half attorney. Troy Payne, Fredericksburg Rescue Squad President and Chief, thanked the Council for their continued support. The request for a full-time volunteer coordinator was not included in their original budget but it is critical to increase new volunteers and maintain the current volunteers. 18596 Public Hearing 4/15/14 Michelle Hedrich, Big Brothers Big Sisters Executive Director, thanked Council for their past support and asked for $10,000 for FY15. She summarized the mission of the programs provided for children ages 6-13. Nationally, the organization has been named the number one high impact non-profit serving at risk youth. Steve Flanagan, Big Brothers Big Sisters, asked the Council to image the City twenty years into the future with no outside agencies requesting funding. Teaching children from the start how to be good citizens and supporting their educational needs, would greatly reduce the need for the other outside agencies that have come before Council at this budget public hearing. (D14-156) Jeff Small, Circuit Court Clerk, was elected the clerk two years ago and stated he has increased the efficiency of the court and it is now one of the top three to five circuit courts in the state. He stated they processed 3,400 cases last year which was 100 more than Spotsylvania County, which has over five times the number of residents and a lot more staff. He asked for two new circuit court deputy positions due to the opening of the new courthouse and the second courtroom being used. He had originally only asked for one position, but has since learned that the court plans to use that second courtroom regularly. This would require a deputy clerk to be present in that court and it would require additional paperwork processing. Paul Higgs, Sheriff, asked the Council to fund five and a half positions in the FY15 budget for securing the new courthouse and features that go along with the technical aspects of a new courthouse. There will still be two courthouses so their staff will still be split. The Marshall’s Study recommended more staff than he requested. The 18597 Public Hearing 4/15/14 second courtroom will require additional staffing as it will continue to expand the court cases. Debe Fults, disAbility Resource Center Director, thanked the Council for their support of the only cross-disability cross-life span organization in the area. She gave an update of the center’s past year and the various activities that provided support to the citizens of the City. (D14-157) Giannina Ienco, Tri-County City Soil and Water Conservation District Director, asked the City to restore funding to the district at the requested amount of $2,000 to assist the City with the storm water management program permitting requirements of the state. This includes turf nutrient management plan for public lands, low impact development to reduce storm water runoff, and conservation planning in areas of the City. Staff can provide a high level of support of technical assistance to the City staff. Notice of Fiscal Year 2015 Recommended Operating and Capital Budget Public Hearing (D14-158). The Clerk read the notice of the public hearing as it appeared in the local newspaper, the purpose being to solicit citizen input. Budget Manager Lickey summarized the Recommended Operating and Capital Budget. Operating budget highlights included: a 3.66% increase for a total of $84,392,780, no adjustments to the real property tax rate, no new programs or full-time positions, $26,355,000 a $350,000 increase for funding to the schools, state-mandated changes in City’s pension plan, no additional compensations to employees, a balloon payment for the Riverfront Park debt service agreement with the Economic Development Authority, increase in water rates of 9.5% and increase in sewer rates of 7.8%. 18598 Public Hearing 4/15/14 The capital budget recommendations include: Fall Hill Avenue Widening, Technology Replacements and Improvements, Police Camera System, Fire Truck Replacement, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Replacements, Comprehensive Plan Update, Stormwater Management Plan, Cleaning and Renovation of the Rappahannock Canal, Paving Project, College Heights Water System Improvements, Normandy Village, William Street and Charles Street Wastewater System Improvements, Riverfront Park Overhead to Underground Utility Conversion, and Motts Run Treatment Plant Improvements. On April 22, public hearings will be held on the proposed real estate tax rate, proposed increase in water, sewer, solid waste and emergency medical transport fees. Adjournment. There being no more speakers to come before the Council at this time, Mayor Greenlaw declared the public hearings officially adjourned at 8:21 p.m. Mary Katherine Greenlaw Mary Katherine Greenlaw, Mayor Brenda T. Martin Brenda T. Martin, Deputy Clerk of Council 18599 Public Hearing 4/15/14 [This page intentionally left blank.] 18600