Minutes 03/21/2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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March 21. 2006 . Conducted our biennial Citizen Satisfaction Survey of City services with many of our City departments receiving 90 percent or higher satisfaction ratings . Our Neighborhood Academy which helps to modify and reflect the value of civic engagement and broaden citizens understanding of government . City Council has hosted a multitude of public hearings thereby allowing citizens to express their views on many issues . Hundreds of our citizens serve as volunteers on boards and commissions. We are continuing to work on building broader citizen engagement in a more systematized and sustained effort to include our citizens in every aspect of governance. This budget includes a number of items to continue and improve efforts in neighborhood and community transformation, including a more aggressive and sustained code compliance and enforcement program thereby improving the quality of life and livability in our neighborhoods. Through discussions with City Council and with our citizens, we have made significant gains in the area of codes compliance, including adding four new inspectors, providing "in the field" technology for our entire codes compliance staff, and stepping up inspections including targeting specific neighborhoods for code violations. Our Clean Community Program has dedicated weeks throughout the spring for all neighborhoods to host a clean-up campaign in order to ensure that all neighborhoods focus on beautification and keeping each community clean. The use of emerging technologies in Public Safety has allowed us to recently open a new public safety communications center. We are also developing "WI-FI" capability in our central business district. This budget expands the Summer Galaxy Program, an educational, fun-filled, stimulating recreational program for youth ages 6-12 along with special programs for teens and the disabled. Its activities include sports, group games, competitions, arts and crafts, music, dance, road trips, swim time, character development and complimentary USDA breakfast and lunch programs. We will offer Summer Galaxy at all recreation centers and selected school locations and expand the Kid's Cafe. Capital Improvement Program (CIP) After several public work sessions, last fall the City Council prioritized its capital project for the next five years. The CIP component of this budget proposal continues to fund City Council's priorities, including funding for the new Tidewater Community College Portsmouth campus, Church land Library, neighborhood improvements related to the new APM Terminals port development, the Midtown corridor, downtown developments including the North Pier and Desk Inc. sites and the Crawford roundabout, McLean Street and Cavalier Boulevard infrastructure related to the New Port housing development, Seawall reinforcements, and the closure of the ditches in the Cavalier Manor neighborhood. The Cavalier Manor stormwater project is more than a "ditch closure" project; it is a comprehensive project that also includes the construction of new water and sewer lines within Cavalier Boulevard and rebuilding of the street.