Minutes 03/25/2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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March 25, 2003 We have recommended CIP funding for renovations to our courtrooms to carry us through 2025, and we also need to begin to explore the long-term relocation of our jail. I am going to recommend to the City Council that we appoint a committee to work with staff on the relocation of the jail. I will come back to you with more detail in the future. Nei,qhborhood Quality Our fifth focus area is neighborhood quality, which emerged as a high priority at City Council's November Retreat. The proposed operating budget addresses many aspects of neighborhood quality. We are recommending a change in the City's recycling program. Five recycling drop-off centers will be located at strategic sites across the city. This represents a significant expansion of our current three drop-off sites. The estimated annual cost for the five drop-off centers is $100,000, which will allow us to significantly reduce the transfers from our General Fund to subsidize the Waste Management Fund. If we were to continue our current curbside pickup recycling program, using 18 gallon containers, the cost in the coming fiscal year would have been $432,000. A switch to curbside pickups using the larger roll-out containers would have cost $512,818 and would have increased to almost $1 million a year within two years. Since only 20 percent of our households have been using curbside recycling in any given pickup, the bulk of the cost in providing this service has been assumed by the majority of our citizens who have not chosen to use this service. We believe the right choice is the new program of five drop-off centers, with increased communication efforts to encourage citizens to recycle at these drop-off centers. We are continuing to use the budget as a tool for improving our neighborhoods through improved zoning and environmental inspections. As you know, we added inspectors in the current fiscal year and have included a new zoning officer for next year. Also in the coming budget year, we are recommending an additional attorney in the City Attorney's Office to work with our Department of Code Compliance and Department of Planning and Zoning on stricter code enforcement as well as a clearer understanding of what our citizens expect. The new attorney would also be used on a regular basis to work with our court system on enhanced enforcement. We are also establishing an Environmental Management Program as required by State law, and the new attorney will be the support person for that team. We are also recommending a new position for an attorney in the City Treasurer's Office to work with the Treasurer on tax liens and other enhanced revenue collections, and a new position for an auditor in the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue. The three new positions will provide opportunity through receipt of revenue collections to cover the cost of the salary allocations and bring additional revenue into the General Fund. The proposed budget includes $650,000 toward the purchase of new equipment for the Waste Management Division of the Department of General Services. This funding will continue our program of replacing trucks and other equipment so we can ensure that we continue to provide the highest level of service to our citizens. Quality of Life As we make choices for our community, we are presenting a proposed budget today that also focuses on our quality of life. We are recommending establishment of a special revenue fund for the operation of Willett Hall, using money that in past years has been part of our contract with Ports Events. Willett Hall is a City facility supported through the operating budget, and will be managed by City staff. Over the next several months, we will study the function and operation of Willett Hall and make recommendations to the City Council on the future direction of this facility. We are including funding that will continue and enhance recreational and festival activities in our community, providing leisure activities for our citizens and attractions for visitors to our city. Funding is provided for Ports Events, for the Seawall Festival and its other events, as well as for the Virginia Arts Festival, TodiMusicFest and Umoja Festival, and support for the Ntelos Pavilion at Harbor Center, golf courses, recreational leagues, City Park and other activities.