Minutes 03/21/2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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March 21. 2005 The plan includes a number of cross-marketing strategies, including a $50,000 promotion called "Springtime in Portsmouth" to highlight the many events and activities taking place here in the spring, building on the success of the Holidays in the City campaign last winter. The team plans to continue these cross-marketing efforts to link and integrate all of the "products" that Portsmouth has to offer. The FY06 budget includes pre-approved support for the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, as well as operating funding for the Portsmouth Museums and $300,000 ($250,000 in the CIP and $50,000 in the operating budget) of additional support for continuing development of the Children's Museum of Virginia, matching $300,000 appropriated for the Children's Museum by the Virginia General Assembly. The budget also includes support for Portside, a high priority of the City Council, the Path of History, and events and festivals such as the Umoja Festival, Cock Island Race, Seawall Festival, Gosport and Seawall art shows, Holidays in the City, Winter Wonderland, Olde Towne Holiday Music Festival, TodiMusicFest and the Virginia Arts Festival. This commitment to arts and cultural activities demonstrates the City's continuing support of such activities as a vital component of the quality of life of our community. SUMMARY The FY06 budget has been prepared within the larger context of City Council's ongoing, systematic review of basic priorities and the administration's commitment to modernize the organization. Recently, City Council has written and published its Vision Statement and a new Comprehensive Plan has been proposed for final adoption. Meanwhile, the administration has been sorting and reviewing City operations with the goal to establish stronger managed environments. Thus, while these budget proposals offer several major adjustments toward new beginnings, the overall efforts should be considered as "works in progress." This budget provides a detailed operating and capital "spending plan" that is directly connected to the City's strategic planning and serves as a one-year framework for achieving City Council's long-range goals. 05 - 118 - Motion by Mr. Moody, and seconded by Mr. Smith, to go into Closed Meeting pursuant to provisions of Section 2.2-3711 (A) of the Code of Virginia, to discuss or consider the following: consult with legal counsel and staff members pertaining to actual or probable litigation and specific legal matters, as per subsection 7. The subject matter of the meeting will be the present contract with Harbor Center Joint Venture and the legal obligations and financial claims of the parties to that contract. The purpose of the meeting is to permit confidential discussion of negotiating strategy concerning these matters. The motion was adopted by unanimous vote. Motion by Mr. Whitehurst, and seconded by Mr. Moody, pursuant to Section 2.2-3712(0) of the Code of Virginia, certifying that to the best of the Council Members' knowledge during the immediately preceding Closed Meeting of the City Council: 1. Only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and 2. Only such public business matters as were identified in the motion by which the Closed Meeting was convened, were heard, discussed or considered in the meeting by the City Council. The motion was adopted by unanimous vote. 2. Announcement of Public Forums on American Ref-Fuel - Vice Mayor Moody