Minutes 01/12/2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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January 12. 2010 . Letters of endorsement have already come from the School Board Chairman, the School Superintendent, Mayor Holley, Councilman Whitehurst, the Principal of Churchland Elementary, the school PT A president, Police Chief Hargis, the City Engineer, the Portsmouth Schools Foundation, and the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS), among others. . City Council support of the grants request is a requirement for this competitively- awarded program. Financial Impact: . The Virginia SRTS Program funds locally-administered reimbursement programs. It is federally-funded, providing 100% of total funding with no local match required. Recommended Action: . Adoption of the resolution. Vision Principle: Thriving Neighborhoods and a Sense of Community. Motion by Mr. Moody, and seconded by Ms. Randall, to adopt the following resolution, and was adopted by the following vote: "RESOLUTION EXPRESSING CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR UP TO $500,000 IN SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS GRANT FUNDING FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) assists interested localities and schools in the development of plans, activities, and infrastructure improvements to make bicycling and walking to school a safe and appealing transportation option for students in kindergarten through eighth grade; and WHEREAS, under the goals, objectives and strategies of the City's Master Transportation Plan of creating Complete Streets and making multi modal forms of transportation available to all Portsmouth residents, including school-aged children, the City has applied to VDOT for SRTS grant funding in an available amount of up to $500,000; and WHEREAS, the Portsmouth Public Schools has identified Churchland Elementary School as the school where pedestrian and bicyclist improvements are most desirable and feasible at this time; and WHEREAS, if approved by VDOT, the funding would help to install sidewalks, crosswalk markings, pedestrian signage, traffic calming measures and mixed use pedestrian trails, all within % mile of the school; and WHEREAS, City Council support of the grant request is a requirement for this competitively-awarded program. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia that it hereby expresses its wholehearted support for the purposes of the Grant and for the City's application for an award under the SRTS Program. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager or his designee are hereby authorized to make such further expressions of support of the application and submit such paperwork and other assurances to the Virginia Department of Transportation as may be in the best interest of the City." Ayes: Heretick, Moody, Psi mas, Randall, Smith, Whitehurst, Holley Nays: None