Minutes 04/28/2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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April 28, 2020 Mark Geduldig-Yatrofsky PO Box 50141, Portsmouth, VA 23703-0141, 757 967-7298 3) I am sending this letter in reference to agenda item 20-107(a) Public Hearing to Consider the Annual Operating Budget for FY21. This statement is on behalf of the 190 employees of the Portsmouth Fire Department that are members of the Portsmouth Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Association, of the International Association of Firefighters Local 539. As you are aware the proposed FY21 budget does not address the current staffing levels of the Portsmouth Fire Department. Since 2007 we have lost 18 sworn firefighter positions. This reduction in staff has led to increased overtime, mandatory holdover, units being placed out of service, and a reduction of our capabilities to consistently provide paramedics on our ambulances. On behalf of the Portsmouth Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Association we are requesting the addition of 5 full time paramedic positions and a return to our sworn compliment that we had in the 2007-55 ordinance of 233. Thank you for your time and consideration of this matter. Respectfully, Kurt Detrick President, IAFF Local 539 Kurt R. Detrick President, Local 539 Levin H. Turner Executive- Vice President, Local 539 Eric Combs Treasurer, Local 539 Thomas Sessoms Secretary, Local 539 Executive Board Julia Whalen, Brett Weaver, Chris Lalonge, Anthony Malatesta 4) The elected are going to vote for: a, b, and c, all at one time. The Annual Operating Budget FY2021 was not presented in an education format to see how all the money is organized and spent. The Elected are still going to raise all the proposed rate and Levies in spite of the crisis the people are in. Donna Sayegh 3104 Garland Drive 20-107 (c): Rates and Levies 1) As I write this commentary, you should already have received two others on related matters: the video presentation and my eMail on the FY 2021 operating budget. This particular item, proposed rates and levies, merits special attention, whether or not you act on my recommendation to defer budget hearings to a later date. In the wake of the economic devastation wrought by the novel corona virus pandemic, I believe that considering new evening and weekend parking fees in downtown garages is ill advised. Had the pandemic not occurred, the idea might have been worth considering. The government-ordered shutdown of businesses, however, especially hospitality-related ones, will likely leave Portsmouth, after resumption of "normal" commerce and trade, with fewer healthy enterprises than existed prior to the present crisis. Imposition of new parking fees as downtown businesses struggle to restart will undoubtedly act as a drag on their efforts, providing a disincentive for patrons, many whom may also have been financially battered due to the pandemic, to shop and dine downtown. The time to implement this change is not the present one. Mark Geduldig-Yatrofsky, PO Box 50141, Portsmouth, VA 23703-0141, 757-967- 7298