City Council

761 At this point, Council Member Garland entered the meeting (8:49p.m.) HEARING OF CITIZENS UPON PUBLIC MATIERS: City Council sets this time as a priority for citizens to be heard. All matters will be referred to the Acting City Manager for response, recommendation or report to Council, as he may deem appropriate. ALUMINUM HOMOGENIZERS: Kevin Davies, 572 White Oak Road, Boones Mill, Virginia, appeared before the Council and distributed handouts with regard to aluminum homogenizers. (See copy of handouts on file in the City Clerk's Office.) At 8:56 p.m., the Mayor declared the meeting in recess to be reconvened on Friday, September 22, 2017, at 8:30 a.m., in the Community Room, Raleigh Court Library, 2112 Grandin Road, S. W., for the purpose of the Annual Council Strategic Planning Work Session. The Council meeting reconvened on Friday, September 22, 2017, at 8:30a.m., in - the Community Room, Raleigh Court Library, 2112 Grandin Road, S. W., for the purpose of approving the 2016 - 2017 HUD Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Annual Council Strategic Planning Work Session, with Mayor Sherman P. Lea, Sr., presiding. PRESENT: Council Members David B. Trinkle, William D. Bestpitch, Michelle L. Dykstra, Raphael E. Ferris, John A. Garland, Anita J. Price and Mayor Sherman P. Lea, Sr.-7. ABSENT: None-0. The Mayor declared the existence of a quorum. OFFICERS PRESENT: RobertS. Cowell, Jr., City Manager; Daniel J. Callaghan, City Attorney; Amelia C. Merchant, Acting Director of Finance; Troy Andrew Harmon, Municipal Auditor; and Cecelia F. McCoy, Deputy City Clerk. OTHERS PRESENT: R. Brian Townsend, Assistant City Manager for Community Development; Sherman M. Stovall, Assistant City Manager for Operations; R. B. Lawhorn, Budget Administrator; and Aisha Johnson, Assistant to the City Manager. 762 Mayor Lea called for a Moment of Silence in memory of William "Bill" Carder, a former City Council Member, and victims of the recent hurricane disaster in Puerto Rico and the deadly earthquake in Mexico City. Mayor Lea welcomed everyone to the City Council Strategic Workshop and stated the purpose for the session was to approve the 2016 - 2017 HUD Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report for the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and to hold the Annual Council Strategic Planning Work Session. 2016 - 2017 HUD CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION: The City Manager submitted a written communication recommending approval of the 2016 - 2017 HUD Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (For full text, see communication on file in the City Clerk's Office.) Council Member Ferris offered the following resolution: (#40967-092217) A RESOLUTION approving the 2016-17 HUD Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) regarding the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program; and authorizing the City Manager to submit the CAPER to HUD. (For full text of resolution, see Resolution Book No. 79, page 345.) Council Member Ferris moved the adoption of Resolution No. 40967-092217. The motion was seconded by Council Member Dykstra and adopted by the following vote: AYES: Council Members Trinkle, Dykstra, Bestpitch, Ferris, Garland, Price and Mayor Lea-7. NAYS: None-0. WORK SESSION PURPOSE: The City Manager opened up the session by stating the purpose of the Work Session was to revalidate priorities and pointed out it was the beginning to identify objectives. He highlighted the City's seven priorities and noted that no key priority area had substantially deviated and all areas capture Council's focus, recognizing that neighborhoods are the physical location for many of said priorities.  763 Amelia Merchant, Acting Director of Finance/Management Budget Director, reviewed the following items for discussion: • City of Roanoke Priorities • FY17 Year End • Revenue Performance by Fiscal Year • Property Tax Revenues • Real Estate Tax • Sales Tax • Meals Tax • Lodging Tax • Historical Rate Adjustments • Revenue Performance to Budget • Expenditure Performance to Budget • FY2017Revenuelssues • FY2017 Expenditure Issues • Fund Balance • FY2018 Reductions • FY18 Year to Date Revenue Performance • FY18 Follow-Up • Neighborhood Infrastructure • Arts Endowment • Solid Waste Commercial Recycling • Solid Waste Commercial Recycling • Alley Maintenance • FY2019 Budget Development • Historical Reductions to Balance the Budget • Full-Time Equivalent Positions • Expenditure Reductions Carried Forward to FY2018 • Major Expenditure Allocations for FY18 • FY2019 Expenditure Challenges • Compensation • Medical • Pension Obligation Funding Level • Historical Pension Rates • Children's Services Act • Infrastructure • Livability • Safety • Percent for Art • Percent for Art Allocations • Capital Improvement Program 764 • Debt Issuance Plan FY2018-2022 • CIP Funding Issues • 5-Year Forecast • City of Roanoke Priorities • FY19 Budget Development Process (See copy of presentation on file in the City Clerk's Office.) Ms. Merchant pointed out that the end of the year report occurred on September 11, 2017, due to the recent resignations of the Director of Finance and Accounting Supervisor; and she expressed appreciation to the Municipal Auditor and Assistant Auditor for their assistance. As to whether the remaining analysis of required contributions of the Roanoke City Public Schools, Risk Management Fund, and Undesignated Fund Balance would be reported by mid-October, the Assistant to the City Manager for Operations responded that anticipated unaudited results would be reported by November and reviewed with each Member of Council individually. In connection with the Roanoke City Public Schools analysis, Ms. Merchant reported that the entire $80 million was moved to the Roanoke City Public Schools budget, with $1.6 million expected to be returned; consequently, $2.2 million was remitted back to the City due to underperformance of local taxes. With regard to the Lodging Tax Category, it was noted that the tax places businesses at a competitive disadvantage for larger conferences. Council Member Dykstra was concerned about the increase in manufacturing businesses coming to the area and how it may affect the City's economic development strategy. During the discussion regarding the lodging tax, it was noted that dialogue is needed concerning the expansion of conference space at The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center due to growing competition with surrounding areas. With reference to revenue and expenditure to budget, Mr. Cowell indicated that localities around the Country were dealing with the same issue; that almost all have responded by increasing fees and taxes; and he suggested as future budgets are prepared to recognize this reality and adjust accordingly,; remain active in national organizations, and work with local legislators in order for them to understand the City's needs.  765 With respect to the FY2018 Year to Date Revenue Performance, discussion ensued about short-term and long-term expenditures; even fundamental changes in service delivery, along with economic expansion, strategic use of parks and amenities to boost talent attraction and increase values/tax revenues, and strategic redevelopment in downtown in neighborhoods. As part of the conversation, information was requested about properties owned by Carilion and Virginia Tech, i.e., what is and is not taxable. On the subject of Art Endowment, Council Member Trinkle continued to express concern about the Art funding appropriation of $62,500.00 for FY 2018. As part of the FY2019 Expenditure Challenges, there was agreement by the Council on methodology for calculating Percent for Art funding based on the Arts Master Plan funding from prior year. Due to safety concerns stemming from issues and problems in neighborhoods, Mayor Lea suggested cameras be placed in local barber shops and hair salons. In light of recent weather and earthquake catastrophes, he also inquired if the Emergency Management Team was prepared for such catastrophic events in the City; wherein, Mr. Stovall responded in the affirmative. With regard to the Williamson Road Streetscapes/Street Improvements, Council Member Garland remarked that the Williamson Road corridor was in need of improvements and many areas along the corridor had remained the same a number of years for many decades. Items from Mayor and Members of Council, Council Member Trinkle expressed concern about the tennis courts in Wasena Park and requested that the weeds be mowed. He was also unaware that the artificial turf field project at River's Edge Sports Complex had been postponed; and asked for additional information on the work and funding. He further requested a report on the Parks and Recreation Youth Athletic behavior problems. Mayor Lea encouraged Council Members to visit youth activities to understand the issues. He remarked that the Roanoke City Public School Board would be forming a committee to discuss the status of renaming of Schools and the City's Public Facility Naming Policy and would share more information as received with members of Council. As a result of the dialogue surrounding items shared by the Council, the City Manager agreed to provide a summary of priorities for review and concurrence City Council. 766 In closing, Mayor Lea announced several upcoming community events and encouraged all Members of the Council to attend. There being no further business to come before the Council, the Mayor declared the Recessed Meeting adjourned at 1:56 p.m. APPROVED ATTEST: . . 'tn. tephanle M. Moon ~s~d··­ ~~ ~~-t-ft SHerman P. Lea, Sr. City Clerk Mayor