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>>> I THINK WE CAN GET STARTED. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE VICE
MAYOR IS, BUT I'M SURE HE WILL JOIN US SHORTLY.
WILL BE A LITTLE LATE, PROBABLY GET HERE, SHE SAID AROUND 5:30,
BUT THIS IS THE TIME WE SET ASIDE FOR THE COUNCIL TO DISCUSS
THE BUDGET. JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I HAVE PUT IN
FRONT OF EACH OF YOU A LETTER WHICH I SENT TO THE COUNCIL.
I WAS HOPING ALL EIGHT OF US WOULD BE HERE, BUT IN LIGHT OF
THE FACT THAT THERE ARE ONLY SIX OF US, I'VE WRITTEN A LETTER AND
IT'S IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY CONCERNING SIMPLE RULES OF
CONDUCT AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO
DISCUSS IT RIGHT NOW. IN FACT, WE WILL NOT.
IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA. IF ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL WOULD
LIKE TO SET ANY TIME ASIDE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING FOR ANY
CLARIFICATIONS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, THEN I'LL BE GLAD TO
DO THAT. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS START
THE BUDGET DISCUSSION. FIRST, LET ME ASK THE MANAGER AS
I TYPICALLY DO, SINCE THE TIME YOU PRESENTED THE BUDGET TO THE
COUNCIL, ANY REVENUE PROJECTIONS, ALTERATIONS IN THE
BUDGET YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT? >> NONE.
>> EVERYTHING WE'VE HAD ALREADY IS WHAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN.
THERE WERE NO CHANGES TO EITHERá-- YOU KNOW, MONEY YOU
EXPECT TO COME TO US OR TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM?
>> NO, NO. >> OKAY.
AS OF THE BUDGET HEARING, WE'VE HAD 36á-- I WENT THROUGH A LIST
JUSTá-- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL KEPT NOTES OR NOT, BUT THERE
WERE 11 SPEAKERS WHO SPOKE ON EDUCATION.
EVERY ONE OF THE 30 SPEAKERS, BY THE WAY, WANTED US TO SPEND MORE
MONEY ON SOMETHING. NO ONE SAID SPEND LESS.
OF THE 30 SPEAKERS, I THINK THERE WERE 11 FOR EDUCATION AND
THEN THERE WERE SOME FOR THE LIBRARY AND SOME FOR THE HUMANE
ANIMAL SHELTER, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, RETIREES.
I'VE GOT THE LIST. HOMELESS, INDEPENDENCE CENTER
WHICH IS NOT OUR FACILITY, WE DON'T SUPPORT IT.
STORM WATER, ONE PERSON. AND GENERAL COMMENTS IF ANYBODY
WANTS TO PAY ANY ATTENTION, TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT WE
ALWAYS SEEM TO MODIFY THE BUDGET IN SOME REGARD FROM WHAT WE'VE
HEARD FROM THE BUDGET HEARINGS. WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO, WHAT I
WOULD SUGGEST, AGAIN, THAT WE DO TODAY, IS WE GO AROUND THE ROOM,
EVERYBODY GETSá-- MAKES EITHERá-- HAVE A QUESTION, MAKE
A COMMENT, MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT THE BUDGET, AND THEN WE'LL
JUST TAKE THEM ONE AT A TIME. WE'LL GO RIGHT AROUND THE ROOM
AND THEN AS MANY TIMES AS WE HAVE TO FOR THE TIME ALLOTTED,
WE'LL JUST KEEP GOING AROUND THE ROOM UNTIL WE HAVE IT ALL IN THE
TABLE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO AMEND THE
BUDGET. >> ONE ISSUE AT A TIME?
>> I THINK SO, ONE OR TWO SMALL ONES, BUT I WOULD EXPECT THE
DISCUSSION TO BE SORT OF FLEE-FLOWING AND I WOULDá--
FREE-FLOWING AND ONCE THEY'RE ALL OUT THERE, WE CAN COME BACK
AND SEE HOW MUCH CONSENT THERE IS FOR A CHANGE IN THE BUDGET.
MR. RIDDICK, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING?
>> YES. MY MAJOR CONCERN IS THE, THE
PERCENTAGE OF RAISE FORá-- RAISES FOR EMPLOYEES.
THE MANAGER HAS PROPOSED 2% ANDá-- BUT IN LIGHT OF THE FACT
THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE NOT HAD A RAISE IN FOUR YEARS AND ALSO THE
POSSIBILITY OF HEALTH INSURANCE BEING RAISED, EMPLOYEES AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE RUNG, MAYBE AT $40,000 A YEAR, WILL ONLY
REALIZE ABOUT 25%á-- EXCUSE ME, $25 A PAY PERIOD, BUT THAT'S NOT
INCLUDING THE IMPACT OF HEALTH INSURANCE WOULD HAVE ON IT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, TWO. NUMBER ONE, WARDS CORNER ONLY
ASKED FOR ONE MEETING AND THE MANAGER GAVE THEM TWO.
SO IS IT POSSIBLE TO BRING AáMILLION DOLLARS BACK FROM THAT
TO GET CLOSE TO $3áMILLION FOR ANOTHER PERCENTAGE RAISE, AND
SECONDLY, SLOVER LIBRARY, I THINK WE'VE PUT IN WHAT, 12 AND
SOME CHANGE? MY QUESTION THERE, ARE WE AS
OBLIGATED TO SOME TYPE OF FUNDING TIMETABLE BECAUSE OF THE
GIFTS THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THEá-- THAT WE COULDá-- THAT WE
HAVE TO PUT THAT MUCH IN THERE OR CAN WE GET A COUPLEáMILLION
DOLLARS FROM THAT? >> ALL RIGHT.
I THINK WE'VE SIGNED A CONTRACT. >> OKAY.
PART OF THAT IS DONATED MONEY. >> THAT'S TRUE.
A COUPLE THINGS. AND THIS QUESTION CAME UP
EARLIER, THE COUNCIL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, MR. RIDDICK, WE HAVE
BASICALLY FOR EVERYáMILLION THAT WE HAVE IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
PLANS IN THE FIRST YEAR, IF WE MOVE MONEYá-- IF WE ELIMINATE
THE PROJECT, SAVE ABOUT $20,000 FOR EVERYáMILLION IN THE FIRST
FULL YEAR OF A PAYMENT, WE SAVE ABOUT 100,000 FOR EVERYáMILLION,
SO WE WOULDN'T GET A BIG *** FROM MOVING CAPITAL PROJECTS AND
GETTING OPERATING COSTS, OPERATING SAVINGS.
AND AS FAR AS THE SLOVER IS CONCERNED, YES, WE HAVE AN
AGREEMENT WITH THE SLOVER. >> SO MY QUESTION IS, I REALLY
STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES A 3% RAISE,
WHICH WOULD COST US ANOTHER $3.5áMILLION, SO I'M HOPING THAT
AROUND THIS TABLE, WE CAN FIND $3.5áMILLION IF WE HAVE ENOUGH
CONSENSUS. I BELIEVE OUR EMPLOYEES DESERVE
THAT AFTER NOT HAVING A RAISE FOR FOUR YEARS.
>> IS THAT 1% COST, 3.5áMILLION? >> THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT.
FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEES, 1% IS ABOUT 1.8áMILLION AND THE
SCHOOLS, I THINK THEIR 2% WAS CLOSE TO 4, 4.3.
>> WE JUST NEED 1.8áMILLION TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER PERCENTAGE?
>> 1.8 WOULD BE 1% FOR JUST THE CITY EMPLOYEES.
>> OKAY. >> AND THE SCHOOLS EMPLOYEES,
THEIR PERCENTAGE IS MORE THAN OURS.
>> I WAS MORE CONCENTRATING ON THEM.
WHILE THE SCHOOL IS IMPORTANT, MY CONCENTRATION WAS ON THE CITY
EMPLOYEES AND SO I'M LOOKING FOR $1.8áMILLION TO GIVE THEM 3%.
>> CAN I ASK A GENERAL QUESTION REGARDING THAT?
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOMEá-- I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S
MISINFORMATION FROM WHO OR WHAT. I'VE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF EMAILS
AND IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE THE CITY EMPLOYEES ARE NOT CLEAR ON THE
RETIREMENT IMPLICATIONS, HEALTH COST INCREASING, WHAT THEY'RE
GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING, WHAT THEY'RE NOT.
I KNOW I SENT ONE E-MAIL TO RON. HE RESPONDED BACK TO THE
INDIVIDUAL DIRECTLY, BUT CAN WE JUST, YOU KNOW, STATE FOR THE
RECORD WHAT THEIR, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR 2%, IF WE'RE ABLE TO
GIVE 2% INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY GOING TO BE PAYING MORE IN
HEALTHCARE, IS ITá-- I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S JUST SOME
MISCOMMUNICATION AMONGST THE CITY EMPLOYEES, SO, YOU KNOW,
I'D JUST KIND OF LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
>> I'LL TRY TO GIVE IT THE BIRD SHOT.
IN TERMS OF THE 2%, THE 2% SALARY INCREASE, UNLIKE IN THE
PAST, IT'S BEEN HIT OR MISS IN TERMS OF WHO THAT APPLIES TO.
THIS TIME, WE HAD IT APPLY TO EVERYBODY.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, WHETHER YOU'RE A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, A
PART-TIME EMPLOYEE, A CASUAL PART-TIME EMPLOYEE, ANY TYPE OF
CLASSIFICATION YOU'RE IN, YOU GET THE 2%.
>> AND THE RETIREES? >> THE RETIREES ALSO 2%.
FOR THE RETIREES, THE WAY THIS WORKS, THAT 2% IS WORTH, FOR
EVERY 1%, IT'S ABOUT $700,000 IN COST, SO THAT'S ABOUT
1.4áMILLION, BUT THE WAY THIS WORKS, IT DOESN'T HIT US IN THE
2013 BUDGET BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN AN ACTUARIAL STUDY THAT HAS TO
BE DONE, SO THAT WOULDN'T HIT US IN THE 2013 BUDGET, BUT IT WOULD
BE A COST THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO THE RETIREMENT
SYSTEM IN THE FUTURE. IN TERMS OF HEALTHCARE, YOU
KNOW, WHAT WE ATTEMPTEDá-- WHAT WE DID IS THE SAME THING WE DID
LAST YEAR. BASICALLY WE HAVE TWO PLANS AND
IT'S NOT LIKE AN HMO AND THEN LET'S SAY ANOTHER PLAN.
WE HAVE TWO PLANS THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR.
WE CALL IT THE PLUS AND ONE IS THE VALUE PLAN.
IN THE PAST, MANY PEOPLE WERE IN THE PLUS PLAN.
THERE'S A SAVINGS FOR THE CITY IF PEOPLE WOULD GET IN THE VALUE
PLAN, SO ESSENTIALLY, THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR PLANS.
ONE, YOU PAY A HIGHER PREMIUM BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST LIKE
INSURANCE. YOU'RE GETTING Aá-- YOU KNOW,
THE ADDITIONAL COVERAGE, BUT I SHOULDN'T SAY COVERAGE BECAUSE
IT'S THE SAME DOCTORS, THE SAMEá-- I'M SAYING WE HAVE TWO
PLANS THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR. THERE'S A SAVINGS BEING IN THE
VALUE PLAN TO BOTH THE EMPLOYEE AND THE CITY.
SO WHAT WE DID IN THE 2012 BUDGET, WE BASICALLY SAID FOR
ALL EMPLOYEES THAT ARE IN THAT VALUE PLAN, WE WILL ABSORB ALL
OF THE INCREASE, 100%, FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR WE'RE IN.
WE SAID FOR ALL EMPLOYEES IN THE PLUS PLAN, WE WILL ABSORB 50% OF
THE INCREASE, SO IT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON NOW, BUT WHAT
YOU VOTED ON LAST MAY. WE DID THAT WITHOUT A SALARY
INCREASE. WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING IN
2013, PROPOSING THE SAME THING IN 2013 AND THAT IS FOR ANYBODY
IN THE VALUE PLAN, WE PICK UP 100% OF THE PREMIUM INCREASE.
FOR ANYBODY IN CHOOSES TO BE IN THE PLUS PLAN, IT'S A 50-50
SPLIT MUCH LIKE LAST YEAR. >> OKAY.
>> AND IF YOU MIGRATE INTO THE VALUE PLAN, I THINK THE WAY THIS
WORKS IS EVEN FOR A SINGLE EMPLOYEE, YOU WOULD PICK UP AN
ADDITIONAL, I THINK, $27 A MONTH JUST MOVING, OUTSIDE OF THE 2%,
MOVING FROM THE PLUS PLAN TO THE VALUE PLAN.
AND THERE'S OVERALL SAVINGS FOR THE CITY HAVING PEOPLE IN THAT
VALUE PLAN. >> WOULD THIS 2% ACROSSá-- WITH
THIS 2% ACROSS-THE-BOARD RAISE, MY CONCERN IS LIKE COUNCIL
RIDDICK'S, IT'S NOT THAT MUCH TO SOMEBODY WHO MAKES 100,000á--
WHEN YOU GUYS WERE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET AND GIVING THIS
INCREASE, DID YOU CONSIDER LOOKING AT STEP INCREASES FOR
EMPLOYEES OR NOT GIVING RAISES TO THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY
MAKING, YOU KNOW, A GOOD ENOUGH SALARY AND TRYING TO SHIFT SOME
OF THAT, MAYBE GIVING THEM A 3 OR 4% RAISE AT THE BOTTOM,
CALLING IT A 2% AVERAGE RAISE ACROSS, BUT GIVING MORE RAISES
TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AT THE BOTTOM AND LESS AT THE TOP AND,
YOU KNOW, THE MODEL THAT WAS USED, LIKE THE STIMULUS MONEY
THAT CAME FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY DECIDED TO GIVE THAT
AS A BONUS, THEY DECIDED NOT TO GIVE EVERYBODY THE SAME AMOUNT,
BUT THEY DID IT BASED OFF THE LOWER AMOUNT YOU MADE, YOU GOT A
BIGGER BONUS THAN THOSE MAKING ENOUGH MONEY, YOU KNOW, AT THE
TOP. >> COUNCILMAN, WE DIDá-- FIRST
OF ALL, WE LISTENED TO THE EMPLOYEES AND WE ASKED WHAT WAS
MORE IMPORTANT TO THEM, A GENERAL WAGE INCREASE, A STEP
INCREASE, AND STEP IS BASICALLY 2.5%.
WE HAVE 20 STEPS IN THE SYSTEM, AND IF YOU HAVE A STEP INCREASE,
YOU GET THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT A 2.5% SALARY INCREASE.
AND THEN WE SAID A BONUS. AS YOU KNOW, LIKE LAST YEAR, THE
BONUS IS ONE-TIME AND NOT REOCCURRING.
FOR THE MOST PART, EMPLOYEES WANTED THE GENERAL WAGE INCREASE
BECAUSE EVEN IF WE DID A STEP INCREASE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO
ARE AT STEP 20 WOULD GET NOTHING BECAUSE YOU STEP OUT.
SO WHAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD IMPACT
EVERYBODY WOULD BE TO HAVE A GENERAL WAGE INCREASE WHICH
BASICALLY, I GUESS IT'S GETTING TOO MUCH INTO DETAILS, EVERYBODY
BENEFITS, SO AGAIN, WE DIDN'T DO JUST THE PERMANENT EMPLOYEES.
WHEN WE DID BONUS LAST YEAR, IT DIDN'T IMPACT SOME EMPLOYEES.
WE THOUGHT 2%, WE HAVEN'T DONE SOMETHING IN THIS MANNER IN A
NUMBER OF YEARS AND THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF DOING IT, BUT WE
THOUGHT A 2% ACROSS-THE-BOARD WOULD BE THE BEST WAY.
>> HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT GOING BACK AND RE-EVALUATING A STEP
SYSTEM? BECAUSE WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW
WITH A LOT OF PLACES THAT HAVE STEPS, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
BEEN STUCK ON STEPS NOW FOR FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
YOU'RE GIVING THESE 2% INCREASES AND THAT'S GREAT, BUT THE WHOLE
SYSTEM OF SENIORITY, I GUESS, THE LONGER YOU'RE IN IS KIND OF
GOING AWAY BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING THEIR STEP INCREASES.
YOU KNOW, I'M STILL AT STEP 6, I'VE BEEN AT STEP 6 FOR FIVE
YEARS NOW IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE PROMISED
THAT WHEN THEY CONDENSED THE STEPS DOWN TO 20, THEY WENT FROM
30 WHERE YOU AUTOMATICALLY GOT A STEP INCREASE EVERY YEAR BASED
OFF HOW MANY YEARS OF SERVICE THAT YOU HAVE, THAT THEY WENT
DOWN TO 20, THAT YOU WOULD GET TO THE TOP FASTER, BUT NOBODY
HAS MOVED TO THE TOP. >> NO, I AGREE.
>> NOT EVEN AT A SNAIL'S PACE. >> YES.
I'LL SAY PUBLIC SAFETY IS PROBABLY MORE IMPACTED THAN
ANYBODY ELSE IN TERMS OF WHAT THE EFFECT WE'VE GOTTEN SINCE
GOING TO THE STEPS AND THE SENIORITY THAT COMES WITH IT.
SO YES, WE DID LOOK AT THAT AS THE STEPS GOING INTO FUTURE,
INCLUDING WE HAVE SOME CLASSES OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE SO FAR OUT
OF WHAT WE WOULD CALL THE AVERAGE SALARY, IN THE PAST IT'S
BEEN, I THINK, YOU DO A MARKET STUDY AND YOU GET SOMEWHERE
AROUND 6% OUT OF JUST THE AVERAGE SALARY, THAT THAT'S
SOMETHING YOU SHOULD ADDRESS. SO BECAUSE WE'VE GONE SO LONG
WITHOUT ANY SALARY INCREASES, LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE
POSITIONS THAT ARE WELL OUT OF THE MARKET, LOOKING AT THIS
WHOLE STEP SYSTEM IN GENERAL, BECAUSE YOU GET TO A SITUATION
WHERE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WILL TOP OUT AFTER SO MANY YEARS AND IT'S
SOMETHING WE ARE GOING TO LOOK INTO.
[ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ] >> STEPS CAME INTO VOGUE MANY
YEARS AGO WHEN INTEREST BEINGá-- INFLATION RATES WERE RUNNING SO
DOGGONE HIGH, THAT YOU KNOW, THE STEP WAS BASICALLY THE SENIORITY
ISSUE ON TOP OF THAT WE WERE PUTTING COST OF LIVING AND
PRETTY SOON PEOPLE WERE GETTING NOT ONLY 2 OR 3% OR 4 OR 5% COST
OF LIVING, THEY WERE GETTING ANOTHER 2.5% IN AND AT SOME
POINT, WE'RE RAISING THE ENVELOPE FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR
SO I THINK A LOT OF CITIES ARE RETHINKING.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO DEBATE THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT I JUSTá-- ALL
RIGHT. >> TWO QUICK THINGS.
I'M LOOKING AT THIS BUSINESS NORFOLK, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND,
LAST YEAR AT THE BOTANICAL GARDEN, 227 AND THEN ALSO 231
AND 232, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT LAST YEAR, LET'S SAY
BOTANICAL GARDEN GOT AáMILLION-124-910, RIGHT?
230, 227, IS THAT RIGHT? >> BOTANICAL GARDENS LAST
YEARá-- >> AáMILLION-124?
>> YES. >> THAT'S WHAT I DON'T PROPOSE
THIS YEAR. PART OF THAT WAS THE PUBLIC
AMENITIES GRANT OR SOMETHING? >> WHAT WE DID, COUNCILMAN WINN,
IS THIS. IF YOU MAY RECALL, THERE WAS
AáMILLION DOLLAR FUND, THERE WAS AáMILLION DOLLARS FROM THE BED
TAX THE ONE-DOLLAR BED TAX AND THERE WAS $500,000 FROM WHAT
USED TO BE TOPS. AS WE WENT AROUND THE TABLE,
COUNCIL PUT IN ANOTHER HALFáMILLION DOLLARS FOR THESE
ENTITIES. WHAT WE TRIED TO DO THIS YEARá--
>> WE HAD THE 500 FOR THE TOPS AND WE MADE IT AáMILLION, IS
THAT RIGHT? >> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> WE DIDN'T DO AáMILLION AND MAKE IT ANOTHERá--
>> THAT'S RIGHT. WE TOOK THE $500,000 THAT
COUNCIL ADDED AND THE BOTANICAL GARDEN GOING FORWARD, THAT
FRACTION IS JUST A PART OF THAT 2013 BUDGET.
>> WHICH SHOWS WHEN YOU GO BACK TO THE OTHER PAGE, IT SAYS IT'S
$52,000 INCREASE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THE SAME AS THEY GOT
LAST YEAR, THE BOTANICAL GARDENS AND THE VISIT NORFOLK.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> NOW, IS THAT AMENITY FUND OR
THATáMILLION DOLLARS GOING TO BE PUT UP AGAIN THIS YEAR?
HAS THAT GONE AWAY IF. >> THAT HAS GONE AWAY.
WHAT'S REMAINING FROM THE PUBLIC AMENITIES FUND THAT'S GOING TO
THESE GROUPS IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF AáMILLION DOLLARS.
>> HAS THAT BEEN ALLOCATED? >> NO.
>> SO BASICALLY, THEY'RE BOTH, LIKE VISIT NORFOLK IS FLAT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> YOU KNOW, Iá-- THOSE ARE TWO
THAT I'D LIKEá-- VISIT NORFOLK, THEY HAVE, LIKE SOMEBODY SAID,
NO WAY OF RAISING MONEY OR GENERATING REVENUE.
I THINK THEIR RETURN TO THE CITY IS PRETTY STRONG AND WE OUGHT TO
LOOK AT SOMETHING THERE. I THINK THE BOTANICAL GARDENS
ALSO, WE OUGHT TOá-- THEY KIND OF SIT BACK THERE AND DO A GREAT
JOB. ILLUSTRATE LIKE TO SEE THE TWO
OFá-- I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TWO OF THOSE GETá--
>> FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
>> WHAT? >> IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING,
FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES? >> WELL, A COUPLE OF PERCENT TO
THEIR BUDGET SO THEY CAN HELP THEIR EMPLOYEES OR WHATEVER.
THAT'S MY FIRST PASS. >> OKAY.
WE'RE DOING ONE THING APIECE. YOU WANT TO HEARá--
>> THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE DOING IT?
>> WE HAVE THE LONGEST WAY TO COME, RIGHT?
UPSTAIRS. >> MY FIRST ONE WOULD BE SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT TALK ABOUTá-- >> YOU GET ONE THING.
>> THAT ARE NOT IN NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THERE WAS A
PARTICULAR PROJECT IN TANNER'S CREEK THAT WE HAD BEEN WORKING
ON FOR, I KNOW AT LEAST SIX YEARS OR SO.
WE HAD IMPLEMENTED A TEMPORARY FIX AND THIS WAS THE PATH THAT
ALIGNS THE TANNERS CREEK TOWNHOUSES AND I KNOW JOHN WILL
RECALL HOW LONG AGO THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ON THE TABLE.
WHAT THE FOLK THERE HAVE MOSTLY SEEN IS WHAT WE'RE ULTIMATELY
TRYING TO DO IS PUT A NEWá-- SO A GARBAGE TRUCK COULD ACTUALLY
RIDE THROUGH AND PICK UP THE TRASH AS OPPOSED TO PEOPLE
HAVING TO DRAG THEIR TRASH CANS ALL THE WAY TO THE END.
SHRP THAT GOT LOSTá-- SOMEWHERE THAT GOT LOST AND I KNOW JOHN
HAS THE NUMBERS ON THAT, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'M
GOING TO MAKE THE FIRST PASS AT. >> MEWS?
>> YEAH, NOT A STREET. >> TO BACK A TRASH TRUCK UP?
>> YEAH, SO THE TRASH TRUCK CAN RIDE RIGHT ON THROUGH, PICK THE
CANS UP, AND LETS OUT ON ANOTHER STREET.
>> IS THERE A STREET THERE NOW? >> NO.
>> JUST THE BACKá-- >> IT'Sá-- WE PUT AN ASPHALT
PATH BACK THERE. >> IS THERE PROPERTY BACK THERE?
>> YES, BECAUSE IT ABUTS THE SCHOOL PROPERTY.
IT ABUTS ROSEMONT SCHOOL. >> AND WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE TO
DO IS TAKE THEIR TRASH ALL THE WAY AROUND AND OUT AND I MEAN
IT'S REAL INCONVENIENT. >> OKAY.
>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY ON THE EMPLOYEEá-- WE'RE BACK TO
EMPLOYEE RAISES, THAT IF WE INCREASE 3%, THEN I THINK WE
NEED TO LOOK AT INCREASING EVERYBODY 3%.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEENá-- BECAUSE
NOBODY HAS HAD A RAISE. IT'S NOT LIKE SOME PEOPLE HAVE
HAD A RAISE AND SOME PEOPLE HAVEN'T.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A RAISE, WE NEED TO GIVE EVERYBODY
A RAISE, INCLUDING THE RETIREES. AND I'LL BE BACK.
>> NOW WE'RE IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ALREADY.
>> YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE DIDN'T GIVE SOME AND NOT GIVE OTHERS.
THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T GET ANYTHING LAST TIME WHEN WE DID
THE BONUSES WERE THE PART-TIME PEOPLE AND RETIREES, THEY GOT
NOTHING LAST TIME, SO WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE, WE NEED TO
INCREASE EVERYBODY. >> ALL RIGHT.
>> I JUST THINK IN ORDER FOR US TO CONTINUE BEING A WELL-MANAGED
AND EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT, THAT THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE SHOULD
INCREASE STAFF AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT THERE
WAS NO INCREASE IN STAFF IN THAT OFFICE.
I THINK WITH THE WORKLOAD THAT JOHN HAS TAKEN ON AND EVEN THE
INCREASE FROM THE FRAUD HOTLINE AND WHAT THAT'S BROUGHT IN AS
WELL AS CSB COMING OVER TO THE CITY, THAT IT WOULD BE PRUDENT
FOR US TO ADD A POSITION IN THERE TO ALLOW HIM TO HAVE AN
AUDITOR, AND I THINK WITH ALL THE STAFFING INCREASES WE'VE
SEEN IN SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, THAT SHIFTING ONE
OF THOSE POSITIONS OVER, IT SHOULD JUST OFFSET WITH IT.
IT MIGHT COST ZERO. >> ACTUALLY, I THINK THAT WILL
BEá-- THE OTHER POSITIONS ARE PROBABLY ARGUED FOR INTERNALLY.
IF WE NEED TO ADDITIONAL, WE CAN ADDITIONAL.
>> THAT JUST COSTS $50,000. [ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ]
>> THE LIBRARY, MARCUS? I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO
KEEP ITá-- TO GO BACK TO THE REGULAR SCHEDULE THAT WE KEEP
THEM OPEN ON WEDNESDAYS, IS THAT WHEN WE CLOSE THEM?
WHAT DAYS ARE YOU CLOSING? >> WE CLOSE THEM MONDAY.
>> MONDAYS? WHAT WOULD IT COST TO KEEP THE
LIBRARIES OPEN? I'D LIKE TOá-- WE HEARD ABOUT
THAT AT THE BUDGET HEARING. >> TO REOPEN THE BRANCHES ON
MONDAY, IT'S ABOUT $540,000. >> JUST FOR ONE DAY?
>> YES. >> HOW MUCH WAS THAT?
>> 540. >> OH, I'M SORRY, 52á-- WELL,
THAT'S JUST ONE THOUGHT. ONE OTHER THING ABOUT THE
LIBRARY, I DIDN'T FIND ANYWHERE IN THE BUDGETá-- MAYBE THERE
ISá-- SOME MONEY, CAPITAL MONEY FOR REPAIRING LIBRARIES.
I MEAN, WE HEARD FROM THEá-- A COUPLE MEMBERS OF THE LIBRARY
BOARD AND ONE SAID THEY NEEDED BOOKS AND ONE SAID THEY NEEDED
REPAIRS TO THE LIBRARY, ONE SAID WE NEED, YOU KNOW, TO STAY OPEN
ANOTHER DAY. ON MONDAYS.
I LOOKED THROUGH YOUR BUDGET AND I FOUND MONEY SET ASIDE TO
REPAIR RECREATION CENTERS, 300 GRAND, WHICH ISá-- IT'S BEEN 300
GRAND FOREVER, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYWHERE MONEY SPECIFICALLY SET
ASIDE FOR LIBRARIES. >> IT'S IN THERE.
IN THEá-- THERE ARE A SERIES OF PROJECTS FOR LIBRARIES MUCH LIKE
WE DO THE REC CENTERS AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD THAT IN
THE BUDGET FOR A FEW YEARS. WE DO HAVE A QUARTER OF
AáMILLION DOLLARS MORE IN JUST OUR GENERAL BUILDING REPAIRS, SO
WE ADDED THAT. I THINK YOU WILL RECALL THAT'S
ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES THAT WE STARTED TO CUT IN THE, LIKE,
2008, 2007. SO THAT QUARTERáMILLION, I CAN
TELL YOU THERE ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH CALLS ON IT, BUT THERE
ISN'T ANYTHING THAT'S PULLED OUT SPECIFICALLY FOR LIBRARIES.
>> LIBRARY BUILDINGSá-- HOW MANY BRANCHES DO WE HAVE?
>> I BELIEVE WE HAVE 11. TEN NEIGHBORHOOD BRANCHES.
>> TEN NEIGHBORHOOD BRANCHES, OKAY.
>> THERE'S 11á-- >> WHEN YOUR GUYS START FIGHTING
AMONGá-- YOU KNOW, WHO'S GOING TO GET MONEY FOR WHICH PROJECT,
SEEMS TO ME LIKE LIBRARIES, REPAIR WORK LIKE PAINTING,
BROKEN WINDOWS, LIGHTS, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SQUABBLE WITH
OTHER PEOPLE FOR MONEY AND TO THE EXTENT WE CAN ADD CAPITAL
MONEY, I KNOW YOU ADDED 300 FOR REC CENTERS AND MAYBE YOU DON'T
NEEDá-- WE HAVE A LOT MORE REC CENTERS THAN TEN, BUTá-- AND
THAT NUMBER 300 FOR REC CENTERS HAS BEEN FLAT FOREVER.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GET IT THERE, SO I'D LIKE YOU TO
CONSIDER, COUNCIL TO CONSIDER PUTTING MONEY INTO CIP PROJECT
TO REPAIR LIBRARIES AND I'M TALKING ABOUT MINOR MAINTENANCE.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ADDING WINGS ORá-- I'M TALKING ABOUT
ROOF REPAIRS AND THAT SORT OF STUFF.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE $250,000 ISá-- I THINK THE RECREATION
CENTER NUMBER IS AT 300, I DON'T KNOW YOU GET TO ALL OF THEM WITH
300. THAT'S LIKE A COAT OF PAINT IN
EACH ROOM OR SOMETHING. >> WE DON'T, YOU'RE RIGHT.
>> YOU DON'T. AND I TRIED TO GET SOMEBODY
YEARS AGO TO PUT MORE MONEY IN AND THEY DID IT ONE YEAR AND
THEN IT WENT BACK TO 300 AND THEN WE WENT INTO RECESSION AND
DIDN'T GET TO CHANCE TO GET IT BACK.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT NUMBER WORKS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO
LOOK AT. I THINK THE LIBRARY, MAYBE A
QUARTERáMILLION, MAYBE ADD ANOTHERá-- AND THAT'S NOTá--
THIS IS BONDED MONEY, RIGHT? THIS ISN'T CAPITAL, SO IT'S
GOING TO COST US A FEW GRAND THIS YEAR.
IF YOU PUT $250,000 IN LIBRARY MAINTENANCE AND ADDED ANOTHER
$100,000 FOR RECREATION CENTER MAINTENANCE, YOU KNOW, THATá-- I
DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN GET TO $300,000, IT'S PRETTY THIN WHEN
YOU START, YOU KNOW, FIXING OLD FLOORS AND, YOU KNOW, THE
SOUTHSIDE, THEá-- I MEAN, I'M JUSTá-- ALL RIGHT.
SO THAT'S MY SUGGESTION IS LIBRARIES.
>> OKAY. PAUL, YOU HAVE ANOTHER ONE?
>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE, IN PUBLIC WORKS, HOW THE CAPITAL
FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED. THIS YEAR, THERE MIGHT BE SOME
CLOSEOUT FUNDS, OUT BEFR IN HUNTERSVILLE, THREE MILE A, B,
AND C AVENUE, THEY ARE IN DIRE NEED OF SIDEWALKS, CURBS AND
GUTTERS, AND SO LIKE I SAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'Sá-- HOW IT'S
SUPPOSED TO BE ALLOCATED AND IF THEY'RE CLOSEOUT FUNDS, BUT
HUNTERSVILLE HAS BEEN NEGLECTED WHEN IT COMES TO THE PUBLIC
WORKS DOLLAR AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.
GET WITH JOHN KEIFER AND FIND OUT WHERE WE ARE.
WE DID BACK IN THE '90s WHERE HE WAS TO DO A BLOCK A YEAR,
CURBSIDE, WALKS, GUTTERS, BUT THAT HAS FALLEN OFF, I GUESS,
OVER THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS.
AND NOT IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET CYCLE, BUT ONE THING I'D
LIKE TO SEE US EXPLORE, THERE'S ONE THING THATá-- I'VE SAID THIS
SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD MONEY AND WE PAID NO ATTENTION
TO IT, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS FALLING DOWN AROUND US.
UNDERGROUND, I WOULD LIKEá-- AND LIKE I SAY, NOT THIS BUDGET
CYCLE AND MAYBE NOT PUTTING ALL THE MONEY IN AT ONE TIME, BUT
I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF US CONSIDER
UNDERGROUNDING SOME OF OUR UTILITIES.
SOME OF THOSE POLES OUT THERE IS OLDER THAN I AM.
AS FAR AS UNDERGROUND GOES, I'D LIKE TO SEE US A STUDY TO
UNDERGROUND O'KEEFE STREET AND MAKE THAT A SMALL BOULEVARD.
LIKE I SAY, NOT THIS YEAR, BUT SOMETHING WE CAN STUDY TO FUND
MAYBE NEXT YEAR AND THE FOLLOWING AND THEN MAYBE THE
THIRD YEAR WE'LL HAVE THE MONEY FOR US BECAUSE I KNOW
UNDERGROUNDING IS EXPENSIVE. >> WELL, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE
LOOKED AT AN ORDINANCE AT ALEXANDRIA ACTUALLY ADOPTED AND
THEY SAID EVERY NEW POLE THAT'S PUTS, EVERY TIME THEY DID A NEW
BLOCK, EVERYTHING HAD TO GO UNDERGROUND, SO OVER TIME, A
COUPLE DECADES OR SO, EVERYTHING STARTED TO GO UNDERGROUND.
AND IF WE GET A PROCESS IN PLACE, THE PROBLEM WAS, I THINK
DOMINION POWER PUSHED BACK PRETTY STRONG, BUT I MEAN, I
THINK IT'S WORTHá-- I THINK CERTAINLY ANYTHING THAT STANDS
BINE YOU AND Aá-- BETWEEN YOU AND A LOOK AT THE SKY, WE OUGHT
TO TRY TO TAKE AWAY AND THAT'S WHAT THESE DO.
>> DOES IT BECOME MORE COST EFFICIENT FOR THEM ANYWAY WITH
DAMAGE TO LINES AND THINGS LIKE THAT?
>> YEAH, BUT THE UP FRONT EXPENSE ISá--
>> THEY DON'T WANT TO DO? >> BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO
CERTAINLYá-- I'D BE ALL FOR LOOKING AT THAT, TRYING TO PHASE
THEM IN. BARCLAY?
>> OKAY. MY SECOND THING IS MORE OF A
QUESTION. I LOOK AT OUR RISK MANAGEMENT
FUND, WHICH WE'VE GOT AáMILLION-8 AND I THINK WE
SHOULD HAVE 11,600,000. WHAT DO OTHER CITIESá-- THAT
SEEMS LIKE IT COULD GO AWAY REALLY FAST, AND I MEAN, IF
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING MORE MONEY, THAT MUST BE
SOMETHING WE HAVE TO PULL MONEY, I GUESS, OUT OF ECONOMIC
DOWNTURN OR RESERVES ORá-- THAT COULD AFFECT OUR BONDING RATE,
AND SO I THINK WE'VE GOT TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN BUILDING A
BETTER RISK MANAGEMENT BECAUSE I DON'Tá-- UNDER TWOáMILLION OUT
OF OVER 11áMILLION DOESN'T MAKE ME REAL WARM AND FUZZY ABOUTá--
AND I KNOW IT'Sá-- I JUST DON'T KNOW.
IF WE HAD A BIG HIT, WHERE DO YOU GO FOR THE MONEY?
>> COUNCILMAN WINN, WHEN THE RATING AGENCIES LOOK AT OUR
RESERVATION, WE START AT A 5% RESERVEá--
>> WE HAVE OVERFUNDED. >> AND THEY STACK ON TOP OF THAT
OURá-- WHAT WE CALL THE RAINY DAY FUND AND THAT'S ECONOMIC
DOWNTURN LEVELING FUND WHICH IS TWOáMILLIONá--
>> DO MOST CITIES HAVE ONE OF THOSE?
>> WELL, MOST CITIES DO IT DIFFERENTLY.
THE RATING AGENCIES WOULD LOVE FOR US TO HAVE 5%, CLOSER TO
TEN. >> AND THAT COVERS EVERYTHING?
>> YES, SIR. >> MOST CITIES HAVE ONE RESERVE
FUND ANDá-- >> THEY WOULD HAVE A HEALTHIER
RESERVE FUND THAN WHAT WE HAVE AT 5%, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THAT
ECONOMIC DOWNTURN FUND IS GOOD BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT TYPICALLY
GOING INTO FUND BALANCE AND WHEN YOU HAVE A RAINY DAY, WHEN YOU
HAVE AN EVENT THAT YOU CAN GO INTO THAT FUND AND AS YOU
POINTED OUT, WE SHOULD BE AT 10áMILLION.
>> WE'RE AT TWO. >> RIGHT.
>> SO TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS AT YEAR-END, A LOCALITY MAY HAVE
FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT SAY SOME PERCENTAGE OF A SURPLUS WOULD GO
INTO THAT RISK MANAGEMENT RESERVE OR SOME PERCENTAGE OF A
SURPLUS GOES INTO THE, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORD, THE RAINY DAY
FUND, AND THAT'S HOW YOU CAN BIMD IT UP OVER TIME.
>> RIGHT. WE'RE NOT BUILDING VERY FAST.
IN FACT, THAT CONCERNSá-- I MEAN, AS A BUSINESSMAN, THAT
WOULD CONCERN ME IF WE'RE SELF-INSURING AND WHATEVER.
WE'VE GOT THAT LITTLE COVERAGE FOR THE AMOUNT OF EXPOSURE WE'VE
GOT OUT HERE AND I MEAN, I WANT ALL THAT RAISES AND GIVING MORE
PEOPLE MONEY AND WHATEVER, BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO AGGRESSIVELY
PURSUE THAT FUND. YOU SAY MOST CITIES WOULD JUST
HAVE ONE WHICH WOULD BE CLOSER TO 10%, WHICH WOULD HAVE ALL
THAT WRAPPED INTO IT OR DO THEY HAVE THREE FUNDS?
>> IT'S A VARIETY. I WOULD SAY THAT TYPICALLY,
TYPICALLY IF YOU WANTED TO START OFF WITH, LET'S SAY A TRIPLE-A
RATED LOCALITY, BUT YOU WOULD START OFF WITHá-- I THINK THE
ENTRY POINT IS BEING NORTH OF 7%, BUT CLEARLY 10%.
AND YOU CAN DO IT MANY WAYS. YOU COULD HAVE THAT FUND BALANCE
BIGGER, OR YOU COULD HAVE SOME ONE-OFFS.
I WILL SAY THAT'S NOT ALL WE HAVE FOR RISK MANAGEMENT.
YOU KNOW, AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT'S JUST A CALCULATION OF
WHAT WE HAVE FORá-- WHAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE FOR RISK
MANAGEMENT. THAT'S OVER AND ABOVE IT, SO
IT'S NOT THAT WE HAVE $1.9áMILLION, BUT YOUR POINT IS
WELL TAKEN THAT WE HAVE THE PRACTICE IN TERMS OF THESE
RESERVES, 5% WE'RE GREAT, BUT THE OTHER TWO, WE'RE NOT EVEN
CLOSE. >> WE HAVE $4áMILLION IN
ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, YOU WOULD GO THERE FIRST, I ASSUME, IF WE
HAVE A LIABILITY ISSUE. >> YES.
>> WE HAVE Aá-- WHAT WE THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE, 21.6áMILLION,
WE'VE GOT UNDER 4, BASICALLY, BETWEEN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN AND
THE RISK MANAGEMENT. >> THAT'S TRUE.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT COUNCIL HAS NEVER ADOPTED A FORMAL
POLICY WITH THIS. >> BUT STAFF IS SAYING THAT'S
USUALLY COMFORTABLE. I JUST THINK WE'REá-- I THINK
WE'RE INADEQUATE HERE. I THINK IT'Sá--
>> I WOULD POINT TO PAGE 223, THAT WE DO HAVE CLAIMS INSURANCE
FOR GENERAL LIABILITY WHICH IS 2.5áMILLION, SO AGAIN, THAT'S
WHAT WE BUDGET ANNUALLY. THIS RESERVE IS JUST THAT, IT'S
A RESERVE IN CASE SOMETHINGá-- >> OVER THE 2.5?
>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> THAT'S CLOSER TO WHAT WE
SHOULD HAVE. >> RIGHT.
>> IT'S AN EASY THING NOT TO PUT MONEY INTO, BUT I'M NOT SO SURE
IT'S A SMART THING NOT TO PUT MONEY INTO.
WE HAVE A DOWNTURN LIKE WE SAW THAT AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON
BRAMBLETON A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THAT WAS NORTH OF FIVEáMILLION,
WASN'T IT? >> 7á1/2.
>> $7.5áMILLION, SOá-- >> THAT BEGS THE QUESTION ABOUT
WHY WE HAVEN'T BOUGHT AN UMBRELLA POLICY AND WE KEEP
COMING BACK TO THIS YEAR AFTER YEAR WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT
THOSE RISKS. WHAT IS THE PREMIUM TO BUY AN
UMBRELLA AFTER $5áMILLION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
I MEAN, IT JUST SEEMSá-- WE TALK ABOUT IT EVERY TIME WE HAVE A
DISCUSSION LIKE THIS AND WE NEVER HEAR BACK.
>> I JUSTá-- >> BUT SOME OF THE MONEY WE
CARRIED OVER OF THE NINE AND PUT IT INTO THE UNDESIGNATED, I KNOW
YOU'VE USED ABOUT SIX OF THAT. DID YOU CHANGE THE BUDGET TO
BALANCE THAT AND THE OTHER TWO OR THREE, HAVE YOU PARKED IT
SOME PLACE OR HAVE YOU PUT IT INTO A FUND?
>> RIGHT NOW IT'S STILL IN THE UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE.
THAT IS SOMETHING YOU COULD DO, TAKE THAT $3áMILLION AND PUT IT
INTO EACH ONE OF THOSE FUNDS. >> WELL, WE IMPROVED THE
UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR ALREADY.
I KNOWá-- AND IF YOU SAYá-- IF YOU PUT IT IN THE UNDESIGNATED
FUND BALANCE AND NEVER GO TO GET IT, THE RATING AGENCY WILL
SQUAWK. >> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> IF YOU PUT IT INTO THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN FUND ORá--
THEN THEY DON'T SQUAWK. YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T YOU KEEP ONE
IN THE UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE AND PUT ONE IN THE DOWNTURN AND
PUT ONE IN THE LIABILITY FUND ANDá-- I MEANá--
>> WELL, IF WE HAVE A BIG LIABILITY ISSUE, IT'S GOING TO
BE AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST PLACE
YOU GO TO CALL IT. I JUST THINK WE NEED MORE TOTAL
IN THERE. >> WE'VE DONE BETTER THIS YEAR
THAN WE'VE DONE PAST YEARS. WE'VE ACTUALLY PUSH IT UP BY
FIVEáMILLION, THREE PLUS TWO. >> WHAT DOES AN UMBRELLA POLICY
COST AND WHAT ARE THE PLUSES AND MINUSES OF HOW WE DO IT VERSUS
HAVINGá-- I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW. >> I DON'T EITHER.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN SOLVE THAT TODAY.
>> YEAH, AND I DON'T MEAN THAT WE WILL, BUT MAYBE WE CAN LOOK
ATá-- >> WE TALK ABOUT IT EVERY YEAR
AND FOR SOME REASON, WE NEVER GET IT.
>> MAYBE SOMEBODY FROM COME FROM STAFF AND BRING A PRESENTATION
AND LET US SEE WHAT THE BENEFITS ARE OF DOING IT THE WAY WE DO IT
AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF GETTING AN UMBRELLA POLICY AND
WHAT THE COSTS WOULD BE AND THE IMPLICATIONS.
UNTIL WE LOOK AT IT AND KNOW WHAT IT ALL, YOU KNOW, BOILS
DOWN TO, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE REALLY DOING THE RIGHT THING OR
NOT. OR THE BEST THING.
>> IT'S ACTUALLYá-- WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF PREPARING THAT
INFORMATION, THE MANAGER AND COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION.
IT IS A VERY LABORIOUS EFFORT BECAUSE THERE ARE LOTS OF
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY'S ACTUAL EXPERIENCES THAT WE'VE
COMPILED, BUT WE DO EXPECT IN, I WANT TO SAY THE NEXT 45 DAYS, TO
HAVE THAT INFORMATION BACK THAT WE CAN QUANTIFY WHERE THE
TRIGGER MARKS ARE AND WHAT THE COSTS OF EACH LEVEL OF RISK
WOULD BE. >> OKAY.
>> MY SECOND PART WOULD BE THE CHOICE COMMUNITIES.
LOOKING AT SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE
CONCENTRATING ON AS RELATES TO THAT AND I KNOW THAT NORVIEW AS
AREA, AND SO I WAS LOOKING ATá-- WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN THE FIVE
POINTS AREA FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND LOOKING ATá-- WE'VE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE TOP ISSUES HERE, ACQUISITION AND
DEMOLITION, FOR QUITE SOME TIME, SO LOOKING AT PROPERTIES THERE
AND UTILIZING SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS IN THIS BUDGET TO BE
ABLE TO IDENTIFY CRITICAL PROPERTIES ORá-- AND PUT A DENT
IN THE EFFORTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE IN THAT COMMUNITY
FOR QUITE SOME TIME. >> THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY MORE
MONEY, RIGHT? >> NO MORE MONEY.
>> THAT'S MONEY THAT WE'VE ALREADYá--
[ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ] >> NO NEW MONEY.
>> OKAY. >> ANGELIA?
>> SO THE CURBS AND GUTTERS, I KNOW WE HAVE ABOUT $500,000 OR
SO, GIVE OR TAKE. IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN INCREASE
THAT? I THINK THAT GOT US 12 PROJECTS
LAST YEAR. SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE HAVE
SEVERAL COMMUNITIES THAT DON'Tá-- THAT HAVE REQUESTED
CURBS AND GUTTERS AND I THINK WE GOT LIKE 200 REQUESTS.
ALICE SENT ME AN E-MAIL, I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE HUNDRED
REQUESTS AND WE'RE ACTUALLY ONLY ABLE TO FILL LIKE 12 OF THEM,
WHICH EQUALS TO ABOUT $41,000 A PROJECT.
SO IF POSSIBLE, COULD WE ADD ANOTHER 500 TO CURBS AND
GUTTERS? AND THEN MAYBE IN SOME OF THE
COMMUNITIES WHEREá-- BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES
SLOPE AND THERE MIGHT BE A REASON WHY THERE'S NO CURBS,
SIDEWALKS AND ALL THAT. MAYBE WE CAN EXPLAIN THAT BETTER
FROM THE LOGISTICAL STANDPOINT OF WATER RUNOFF AND FLOODING AND
WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, BUT GOING INTO SOME OF THOSE
COMMUNITIES THAT IT MAY NOT MAKE SENSE TO ADDá-- TO TAKE AWAY
THAT SLOPING AND ADD A CURB AND GUTTER, YOU KNOW.
THAT'S SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DOWN THE LINE, BUT I WOULD LIKE
TO ADD MORE MONEY TO CURBS AND GUTTERS.
SIDEWALKS. >> AND NOW WE CANá--
[ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ] >> OKAY, TOMMY.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DOLLAR FIGURE IS ON THIS, BUT WE DID
HAVE FIVE SPEAKERS THAT SPOKE ABOUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND
MOVING NORFOLK TO BECOME A NO-KILL CITY AND THEY HAD A
GREAT ARGUMENT THAT THIS BASICALLY PAYS FOR ITSELF OVER
TIME. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOUá-- HOW
WE CAN ADDRESS THIS. WHETHERá-- IT COULD BE JUST
$50,000 TO HIRE SOMEBODY WHO STARTS THAT INITIATIVE OR MAYBE
THEY NEED MONEY FOR A CAMPAIGN TO START, LIKE A TNR OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT IF WE ARE ABLE TO CHANGE THAT, BUT I THINK
THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, ESPECIALLY WITH
THE TASKS THAT WERE GIVEN TO US, ALTHOUGH IT COULD BE CONSIDERED
BY US FROM SOME SOURCES, THEY HAD A GOOD ARGUMENT WITH SOME OF
THE STATS THEY GAVE US, THAT IT WILL REDUCE THE EXPENSE ON THE
CITY IF WE WERE TO BE MORE PROGRESSIVE WITH BECOMING A
NO-KILL SHELTER AND I'M PROBABLY BRINGING THAT UP ON BEHALF OF
OUR SUPER HERO, ANDY. [ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ]
>> YOU MOVED IT OUT OF PLANNING AND WHERE IS IT?
>> GENERAL SERVICES. >> CAN I MAKE Aá-- THAT'S
YOURá-- >> YEAH.
>> IF I COULD JUST COMMENT ON THAT.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, SEEMS TO BE SOME CONSENSUS AROUND THE TABLE THAT
WE NEED TO CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, I THINK, MAYBE WE OUGHT TO FIRST OF ALL
LOOK AT OUR POLICY. MAYBE THAT'S WHAT TOMMY WAS
SAYING, AND DECIDE THAT WE WANT TO CHANGE IT BEFORE WE FUNDá--
PUT MONEY INTO IT TO CHANGE IT. THAT'S ALL Iá-- AND I'VE ASKED
THE MANAGER ABOUT IT, AND I KNOW THISá-- HE SAYS THERE'S NO OTHER
LOCALITY IN VIRGINIA THAT HAS A NO-KILL POLICY.
OKAY? NOW, I CAN HEAR DR. WHIBLEY,
WELL, SO WHAT, WE SHOULD BE FIRST.
>> NO OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT. >> NO OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE FIRST, THERE'S A REASON THAT NOBODY
ELSE AND THERE'S 140-SOME JURISDICTIONS AND THERE'S A
REASON NOBODY ELSE DOES. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO BE THE
ONLY ONES THAT DO IT, WE OUGHT TO, AT A MINIMUM, THINK IT
THROUGH PRETTY CLOSELY, SO IF YOU WANT TO PARK SOME MONEY TO
DO THIS, ASSUMING THERE'S A CONSENSUS ON THE COUNCIL AFTER
WE DISCUSS IT, TO DO IT, THAT I THINK THAT'S THE WAY WE OUGHT TO
GO ABOUT DOING IT. I KNOW THERE WAS SIX FOLKS DOWN
THERE. I MEAN, JUST THE NOTION OF
NO-KILL, EVERYBODY RESPONDS WARMLY TO THAT, LET'S NOT DO
THAT, BUT THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS.
I MEAN, NOT EVEN THE STATE THINKS THAT'S A GOOD POLICY.
I JUST LIKE TO KNOW. I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE HAD
PRESENTATIONS AT YOUR COMMITTEE LEVEL.
I HAVE NOT SEEN A PRESENTATION. WE'VE ONLY JUST DONE IT ONE WAY
AND IF WEá-- ALL I WOULD LIKE AS PRESENTATION AND IF WE ALLá--
AND MY THINKING IS, THE MANAGER THINKS WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL
ABOUT THIS. YOU KNOW, SO LET'S JUST SORT
OFá-- IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, LET'S MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHAT
WE'RE DOING. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.
>> AND MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN SMIGIEL, I DID TALK WITH STAFF
AND THERE SEEMED TO BE FOUR POINTS BROUGHT UP AT THE HEARING
AND THREE OF THE FOUR WE'RE DOING AND STRIVING TO DO A
BETTER JOB WITH. AND IF I MESS THIS UP, FRANK OR
ANNE, LET ME KNOW. BASICALLY POINT ONE WAS A
STRONGER, ROBUST FOSTER CARE PROGRAM.
WE'RE WORKING ON IT AND WE BELIEVE THAT'S RIGHT, WE SHOULD
IMPROVE THAT. A COMPREHENSIVE ADOPTION POLICY,
WORKING ON THAT. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD DO THAT AND
IMPROVE IT. ACTUALLY WORK WITH REST CUE
SHELTERS, WE SHOULD IMPROVE ON THAT ALSO.
WE AGREE ALL THREE. A FOURTH ONE THAT WASN'T
MENTIONED WHICH IS JUST ENHANCED RECLAMATION, SO IN OTHER WORDS,
IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THERE MAY BE A DOG THAT WE HAVE
IN OUR SHELTER THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFICATION THAT SAYS,
YOU KNOW, POLLY, BUT STILL, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.
SO IF WE WERE ABLE TO, WHETHER IT'S THE VETERINARIANS, THE
PERMITS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, HAVE A BETTER TRACKING SYSTEM,
THERE'S A BETTER WAY FOR US IN TERMS OFá-- TO GET TO THE
RECLAMATION, WHICH WE THINK WILL REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE.
OF THE TNR, THE ONE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SUGGEST IS
THAT THERE ARE PROS AND CONS, AND IF WE DID HAVE SOME TIME TO
LOOK AT THAT PIECE AND PROVIDE COUNCIL WITH AN UPDATE, I THINK
THAT WE COULD GET TO A VERY GOOD POINT IN TERMS OF THIS PROCESS.
SO THREE OF THE FOUR, YOU KNOW, WE AGREE 100%, STRIVING TO
IMPROVE. WE THREW A FIFTH ONE IN THERE
WHICH IS RECLAMATION, WHICH WE REALLY THINK, WHEN WE TALK TO
VIRGINIA BEACH, THAT MADE A BIG CHANGE THERE.
THE TRAP, NEED TO RELEASE IS ONE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TIME
TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO EVERYBODY.
>> YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NO-KILL WITHOUT A PROBLEM?
>> WHAT I'M SAYING IS THERE ARE ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS PRESENTED
THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING ANYWAY. >> BUT IT'S NOT Aá-- IT'S A
CHANGE OF PHILOSOPHY MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
>> AND PART OF THIS TOO, WHAT THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED WAS
SWITCHING TO THE ANIMAL BOARD THAT'S GOING TO TALK AND ADDRESS
THIS, BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE WAIT UNTIL NEXT
BUDGET CYCLE, IF WE GIVE THIS GROUP A YEAR TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
THEY WANT TO DO, BUT IF THERE'S SOME PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE
IMPLEMENTED WHILE THEY'RE PROGRESSING WITH SOME OF THE
MORE CONTROVERSIAL PRACTICES, BUT THERE COULD BE SOME MONEY
THERE FOR THEM TO DO A PROJECT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S AN
ADOPTION, AND THEY ALSOá-- A LOT OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
RESOURCES THAT ARE PRIVATE, THAT ARE OUTSIDE, THAT THEY COULD
ALSO BRING IN AND HELP WITH AS WELL, SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO
SHIFT IN THAT DIRECTION, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEENá-- IT'S
FUNNY BECAUSE IT'S MORE POLITICAL THAN WHAT I EVEN KNEW
WITH DIFFERENT ARGUMENTS AND DIFFERENT SIDES.
BUT ON THE SURFACE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, EVEN FROM OUR
NEIGHBOR CITIES, I THINK WEá-- AS YOU SAID, WE COULD DO BETTER
WITH IT. SOá--
>> IT'S REALLY A CHANGE IN JUST THE WAY WE OPERATE WITHOUT A
REAL BUDGETARY IMPACT, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 2,000
OR 30 OR 40,000, WE CAN ALWAYS GET THAT OUT OF CONTINGENCY, BUT
LET'S AT LEAST FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PRESENTATION IS AND THEY CAN WE
CANá-- >> WE CAN GET YOU A
PRESENTATION. >> I KNOW, I KNOW.
>> I HAVE 55 LETTERS RIGHT HERE. >> AND I HAVE SOME RIGHT HERE.
>> I'M SURE, I'M SURE. >> ANNUAL A BUNCH MORE ONá-- AND
A BUNCH MORE ON MY DESK. >> WELL, LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN
SHOULDN'T BE THE WHOLE THING. WE USED TO HAVE A RULE IF WE
COULD HAVE 23 OR 24 PEOPLE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, THAT
DECIDED THE ISSUE. OKAY?
PAUL, YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? >> NO.
I WANT TO HOLD UP BECAUSE I THINK THAT, IN MY OPINION, THAT
SALARY INCREASES IS IMPORTANT AND SOMEONE HAS ADDED THE
RETIREES AND I DON'T LIKE TO SEE US PILE ON BECAUSE THESE ARE TWO
ISSUES I FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, NO.
>> BARCLAYS? >> I JUST HAVE A COUPLE
QUESTIONS. ON PAGE 65, WE HAVE OTHER
MISCELLANEOUS INCOME WHICH USED TO BE 500,000 AND NOW IT'S
ALMOST AáMILLION-FOUR. WHAT IS THAT?
>> THOSE ARE TWO KNOWN ITEMS THAT WE KNOW THAT ARE COMING IN.
ONEá-- >> ONE-TIME REVENUE?
>> ONE-TIME, YES. >> WHAT ARE THEY?
>> ONE IS RELATED TO A PROGRAM THATá-- WITH NAUTICUS, AN EVENT
THEY'RE HAVING OVER THE SUMMER. AND THE OTHER ONE IS JUST A
REIMBURSEMENT THAT WE KNOW IS COMING BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND,
BOTH ONE-TIME. >> REAL QUICK ON PAGE 71 AND THE
EXPENDITURES FOR THE OFFICE OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT HAS GONE FROM
AáMILLIONá-- GONE UP ABOUT $500,000 AND COMMUNICATIONS AND
PUBLIC INFORMATION GONE UP $700,000.
IS THAT JUST A RESHUFFLING? >> THAT'S A RESHUFFLING AND ONE
THING THAT NO ONE HAS BROUGHT UP, BUT MANY POSITIONS, I THINK,
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS IN THE GENERAL FUND, IT'S ABOUT 85
NEW POSITIONS AND THEY'RE NOT REALLY NEW.
OVER THE YEARS, A NUMBER OF THESE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN WHAT
WE CALL SPECIAL PROJECTS, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR TWO YEARS,
BUT WE HAVE SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT HAVE GONE ON FOR, YOU KNOW,
A DECADE, SO WE JUST RECLASSIFIED THEM TO WHAT THEY
SHOULD BE. SOME OF THE POSITIONS IN BUDGET
WERE POSITIONS THAT WERE NON-GENERAL FUND AND WE
RECLASSIFIED THOSE WHAT THEY SHOULD BE, SO THIS IS MAKING
THINGS RIGHT. >> THIS WOULD BE MORE CONSISTENT
NEXT YEAR? >> RIGHT.
THAT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. >> WELL, I NOTICED THAT YOU'RE
MOVING THEá-- WHAT IS IT? THE REAL ESTATE PROGRAM OUT OF
THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE'S OFFICE.
>> WHAT WE HAVE IS, THIS YEAR WE CAPPED SENIOR AND STABLE TAX
RELIEF AT 6áMILLION. IN THE PAST, IT HAD BEEN AS HIGH
AS 7.5áMILLION. THE REEN WE CAPPED ITá-- REASON
WE CAPPED IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS JUST THE EASIEST WAY TO DO IT.
WE THINK THERE'S A MORE THOUGHTFUL WAY TO DO IT.
NOE,D LET'S LOOK AT THEá-- IN OTHER WORDS, LET'S LOOK AT THE
DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RELIEF, BUT IN ORDER, BECAUSE THE PROCESS
HAS ALREADY STARTED, IT WAS JUST A LOT EASIER TO PUT THE CAP AT
6áMILLION. WE PUT $100,000 IN WHAT WE CALL,
I GUESS, NON-GENERAL FUND, JUST IN CASE THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO
SLIPS THROUGH THE CRACKS. THE CONCEPT IS, WE DON'T WANT
SOMEBODY WHO IS GETTING 100% RELIEF IN 2012 NOT TO GET THAT
RELIEF IN 2013 WITH UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, SO WAS WE'RE
TRYING TO DOá-- WHAT WE TRYING TO DO IS BE MORE THOUGHTFUL IN
THE NEXT CYCLE AND WE BELIEVE IF WE MOVE THAT TO HUMAN SERVICES,
MUCH LIKE THEY DO IN NEWPORT NEWS, THAT WE COULD MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAVE THE REAL ESTATE, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE THE LEAST IN TERMS OF THE DOLLARS.
>> WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THE POSITIONS THAT OPERATE SOLELY
FROM THATá-- >> WE DIDN'T TOUCH THOSE
POSITIONS. THERE WERE BITS AND PIECESá--
LET ME SAY IT THIS WAY. THERE WERE MULTIPLE THINGS THAT
THOSE POSITIONS DID, SO THEREFORE, WE DIDN'T ELIMINATE
ANY POSITIONS. >> SO WE MOVED THE FUNCTION, IS
THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? >> WE'RE MOVING THE FUNCTIONS.
>> SHOULDN'T YOU MOVE THE EMPLOYEES TOO?
>> WELL, WE TRIED TO DO NO HARM, STARTING OFF.
WE DIDN'T BELIEVEá-- WE DIDN'T KNOW IF 100% OF THEIR TIME WAS
RELATED TO THIS FUNCTION, SO THEREFORE, I THINK IT'S THREE
EMPLOYEES THAT WE DIDN'Tá-- [ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ]
>> THAT WOULD HELP. >> IF THE COMMISSION, YOU KNOW,
COMES AND ASKS THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXTRA MONEY, THEN THERE'S
GOT TO BE A DOUBLE DIP. IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE TAKING THE
ENTIRE RESPONSIBILITY OFF HIM BUT KEEPING THE FUNDS.
I GUESS I'M TRYING TO SAY THE RIGHT THING.
TAKE THE MONEY AWAY FROM IT, FROM THE POSITIONS.
>> EVERY TIME THIS COMES UP, I FEEL COMPELLED TO SAY, ALTHOUGH
WE CAP IT, THERE'S NEVER BEEN SOMEBODY WHO DIDN'T RECEIVE A
BENEFIT. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT, OKAY. >> WAYNE SOUNDS LIKE
(INAUDIBLE). >> OKAY, ANGELIA.
>> WE HAVE AN ITEM THAT WAS ADD-ON ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT.
WHEREá-- AND I MAY HAVE MISSED IT.
WHERE IN OUR BUDGET ARE THOSEá-- HOW ARE THOSE KINDS OF POP-UP
ITEMS ADDRESSED? LIKE WE'VE GOT THE ADD-ON
TONIGHT FORá-- >> THE REAL ESTATE REFUND.
>> RIGHT. BUT I MEAN, THAT MONEY WAS PAID
IN AND WE PROBABLY SPENT IT, SO NOW WE HAVE TO GIVE IT BACK, AND
IF WE HAVE MORE OF THOSE FOR ANY KIND OF LARGE REFUND, WHERE DOES
THAT MONEY COME FROM? >> FOR THE MOST PART, IF WE LOOK
AT REAL ESTATE AS ONE POT, SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WE
MAY NOT COLLECT ALL THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO
COLLECT. IN OTHER WORDS, WE NEVER ASSUME
THAT WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT 100%.
AND BUILT INTO THAT ONE POT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE
REFUND AS WELL AS EVEN NEW PEOPLE COMING IN TO THE AREA, SO
I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER YOU WANT TO HEART ATTACK BUT WE
TREAT ITá-- TO HEAR, BUT WE TREAT IT AS ONE POT OF MONEYá--
>> BUT THIS IS NOT A REAL ESTATE REFUND.
IF I READ IT CORRECTLYá-- >> IT WAS RITE-AID ORá--
>> OKAY I UNDERSTOOD IT TO BE SOMETHING ELSE.
>> MR.áWINN IS CORRECT, THAT'S NOT A REAL ESTATE TAX REFUND.
>> RIGHT, IT'S Aá-- >> IT WAS THE ASSESSMENT FRRT
COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE, THAT THE TWO COMPANIES HAD SOME
MERGER AND THEY PAID THIS AMOUNT TWICE, BUT THAT DOESN'T ANSWER
YOUR QUESTION. >> OKAY.
>> THAT'S THE REASON THE CITY REFUNDED IT ISá--
>> BUT WE WERE NOTá-- SO WILL WE HAVEá-- IF WE'VE HADá-- THERE'S
BEEN REFUNDS, WHERE DOESá-- >> SURE.
WE HAVE A SECTION, PERHAPS, PAGE 61, YOU WILL SEE PERSONAL
PROPERTY TAX REFUND, YOU SEE THAT NEGATIVE NUMBER, THAT'S THE
ASSUMPTION OF MONEY THAT'S GOING OUT.
WE HAVE REAL ESTATE TAX REFUNDS, SO THERE ARE ASSUMPTIONS RELATED
TO REFUNDS BUILT INTO THE BUDGET.
>> OKAY. >> THIS GOESá-- THEY BOTH GO
ALONG WITH EACH OTHER. THE FIRST PART OF IT IS ABOUT
OUR UNCOLLECTED DEBT AND WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT ITEM.
I WANT TO SAY WHEN I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THIS THE FIRST TIME, I
SAW WE WERE SITTING AT ABOUT 10áMILLION THAT WAS UNCOLLECTED.
AM I WRONG WITH THAT NUMBER? >> YOU MEAN DELING GENT?
>> YEAH, JUST DELINQUENT TAXES. I KNOW WE MADE A BIG IMPROVEMENT
ON IT, BUT WHERE ARE WE SITTING WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE
STILL HAVEN'T COLLECTED? >> NO, THEY SET A GOAL,
BASICALLY, WHAT IS POTENTIALLY OUT THERE, REAL ESTATE, PERSONAL
PROPERTY. FOR EXAMPLE, PERSONAL PROPERTY
GOAL THIS YEAR, IN TERMS OF THE DELINQUENCIES, 10áMILLION, AND
SO WE'RE ABOUTá-- WE'VE EXCEEDED THAT GOAL IN TERMS OFá-- WE'RE
ABOVE 10áMILLION, 11áMILLION AS RELATES TO PERSONAL PROPERTY
DELINQUENCIES. AS RELATED TO REAL ESTATE, THEY
UPPED THE GOAL THIS YEAR TO ABOUT 8,800,000, BUT THE REALITY
IS WE'VE BROUGHT THAT NUMBER DOWN SO MUCH THAT IT'S NOT EVEN
OUT THERE. THE GOAL THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED
TO MEET THIS YEAR, THERE'S NOT EVEN ENOUGH DELINQUENCIES FOR US
TO CAPTURE. THAT MEANS THERE'S MORE MONEY
CAPTURED ON THE FRONT END THAN THE BACK END.
>> DO YOU BUDGET THAT MONEY? YOU AUTOMATICALLY BUDGET THAT OR
DOES IT JUST GO INTOá-- >> WE BUDGET FOR DELINQUENCIES
ALSO. >> YOU DO?
OKAY. I WAS LOOKINGá-- I'M SEARCHING
FOR MONEY FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. I KEEP ON LOOKING AND THE SECOND
PART OF THAT IS, WITH FEES THAT WE CAN COLLECT, AND I DON'T KNOW
IF STATE LAW ALLOWS, BUT AS A LOCALITY, CAN WE PUT A FEE ON AN
APARTMENT, A DEVELOPER WHO'S GOING TO BUILD AN A BRAND-NEW
APARTMENT COMPLEX, CONSIDERING HOW MUCH MONEY APARTMENT
DEVELOPERS USUALLY END UP MAKING OFF THEIR PROJECT AND THE BURDEN
THAT AN APARTMENT CAN BRING TO A CITY BECAUSE YOU'RE BRINGING IN
THAT MANY PEOPLE, DOES THE STATE ALLOW US TO CHARGE A SEPARATE
FEE FOR THOSE TYPE OF PROJECTS OR NOT?
IS THAT Aá-- >> I KNOW YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE
TAX. >> YES, THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING
IS THAT YOU CAN CHARGE A REASONABLE FEE FOR ANYTHING
PROVIDED, AND SO FOR THAT DEVELOPER, FOR US TO DO A SITE
PLAN, WE CAN CHARGE HIM A FEE FOR THAT.
FOR THE BUILDING PERMIT, WE CAN CHARGE HIM A FEE FOR THAT.
WE'VE GOT GROUND WATER TYPE THINGS AND SO IF THERE'S
SOMETHING WE ARE PROVIDING TO HIM, WE CAN CHARGE A FEE FOR
THAT. AND WE COULD LOOK OVER
EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING FOR HIM TO SEE IF WE'RE FULLY
COLLECTING ALL THE FEES AND WE'RE COMING IN WHOLE ON THEM,
BUT IF WE GO BEYOND A FEE, THEN IT'S A TAX, SO THAT IF IT'S NOT
RELATED TO A SERVICE PROVIDED, IT'S A TAX AND OUR POWER TO TAX
IS LIMITED. SO THAT WE HAVE TO BE UNIFORM IN
OUR REAL ESTATE TAX SO THAT WE COULDN'T BUMP IT AND SAY THAT
YOU'RE CAUSING MORE CHILDREN TO BE IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND
HAVE A PUBLICá-- SO, YEAH, I'M TRYING TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION
IN GENERALITIES. ANY SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE, WE
CAN CHARGE A FEE FOR, AND IF IT'S ABOVE THE COST OF THE
SERVICE AND A REASONABLE RETURN ON THAT SERVICE, THEN IT BECOMES
A TAX AND WE HAVE TO ANALYZE WHETHER WE HAVE THAT POWER FOR
TAXATION. >> ARE THERE LOCALITIES IN
VIRGINIA THAT WHEN THEY'RE BUILDING NEW HOUSING
COMMUNITIES, THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE, THERE'S A CERTAIN
FEE OR CHARGE THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOLS?
IT'S NOT LEVIED BY A SCHOOL BOARD OR ANYTHING, BUT THAT
THERE'Sá-- >> A LOT OF THEM ARE REQUIRED TO
GIVE THE SCHOOL SITEá-- >> I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW,
I KNOW THE HOMESTEAD LAW YEARS AGO WAS POPULAR AND I DON'T KNOW
IF WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA NEXT YEAR AND
LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN TRY TO, YOU KNOW, TAX THOSE THAT CAN
AFFORD, YOU KNOW, MORE AND ASKING FOR BRIAN TO GO UP THERE
AND LOBBY OR ASK ONE OF OUR LEGISLATORS TO GO BACK AND LOOK
AT IT, WHAT WERE THEY PROPOSING, 80% FOR SOMETHING AT ONE TIME
AND I KNOW IT'S HARD TO GET IT THROUGH, BUT I THINK THAT
IT'Sá-- WE COULD AT LEAST TRY AGAIN.
>> SURE, BUT I MEAN N THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, I MEAN, I KNOW
YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD AND LOOKING TO TRANSFER MORE MONEY
INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET, BUT WE CAN'T TELL THEM HOW TO SPEND
IT. I LOOKED AT THEIR CREDIT CARDS,
FOR INSTANCE, AND IT WENT FROM $100 A TEACHER FOR 50 BUCKS AND
I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A NEAT WAY IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW FOR A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES, HOW MANY TEACHERS, I
DON'T KNOWá-- WITHOUT RATTLING TOO MANY CARRIAGES BUT WE MIGHT
ASá-- CAGES, BUT WE MIGHT AS WELL STOP TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
HOW WE SHOULD SPEND THE MONEY BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES, BUT IF
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER GOOD FAITH FEES LIKE A
QUARTERáMILLION DOLLARS OR SOMETHING?
>> I THINK THERE'S TWO AREAS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THAT HOW THEY
USE THE MONEY RIGHT NOW TO HELP, ONE IS WITH LITERACY TEACHERS
AND THE CUTS IN THE LITERACY TEACHERS AND WITH ON-TIME
GRADUATION, BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE TECHNOLOGY.
I KNOW ANTHONY HAS TALKED ABOUT THE COMPUTERS.
WE HAVE COMPUTERS NOW IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT ARE FIVE,
SIX, SEVEN YEARS OLD, THEY CAN'T EVEN FREIGHT AT THE LEVEL AND
THAT'S SOMETHING THATá-- OPERATE AT THE LEVEL AND THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT COULD NOT BE AN EXPENSE EVERY YEAR ON OUR
BUDGET, BUT IF THERE'S A ONE-TIME DROP IN THE, YOU KNOW,
BUCKET FOR THEM TO BUYá-- PURCHASE NEW TECHNOLOGY, YOU
KNOW, WE WANT TO KEEP OUR SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, IN THEá--
>> CAN YOU DO THAT? >> I MEAN, THERE ARE SEVEN POTS
THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SEGREGATE MONEY INTO TO GO TO THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM. AS YOU SAID, THEY HAVE THE
DISCRETION. I DON'T KNOW IF ONE OF THE POTS
IS TECHNOLOGY. >> I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO DEEP
IN THIS. >> RIGHT.
I WOULD SAY SUMMARILYá-- >> WE MIGHT INCREASE YOUR BUDGET
BY $250,000, DON'T EXPECT IT TO HAPPEN NEXT YEAR, BUT THAT'Sá--
I MEAN, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE THE MONEY HERE, BUT IF YOU PUT 250
IN THERE, THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM ONE-TIME MONEY TO DO WHAT THEY
WANT, WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS BEST AND WE HAVE THE NOTION MAYBE IT
WOULD BE TECHNOLOGY. NOW, TO GET THERE, YOU HAVE
FUNDED 1.3 OUT OF $1.8áMILLION VRS QUESTIONS, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> WE FUNDED THE WHOLE 180. >> AND YOU HAVE ACTUALLY FIVE
YEARS TO DO THAT. >> FIVE YEARS.
>> IF YOU WERE TO TAKE THAT MONEY AND REDUCE THAT, WE'LL SAY
TO $300,000, REDUCED IT TO AáMILLION-FIVE, YOU COULD COME
BACK NEXT YEAR AND WE COULD PUT THE 300 BACK IN.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> AND YOU'D STILL BE IN KEEPING
WITH WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES. THAT WOULDN'T ADD AN ADDITIONAL
BURDEN TO YOUR BUDGET THIS YEAR, RIGHT?
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS JUST MOVING MONEY FOR THE RETIREMENT
SYSTEM FOR THE TEACHERS THAT WE'VE EIGHT YEARS, WHICH YOU
FUNDED ALL OF THIS YEAR, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT WE JUST TOOK 300
AND WE'LL COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND BACK-FILL IT AND PUT THE 300
IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S FUNDING, RIGHT?
>> IF I UNDERSTAND YOU, MAYOR, THIS WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT,
INSTEAD OF DOING THE 5%, WE DO FOUR OF THE FIVE AND DO THAT
LAST PERCENT IN THE 2014 BUDGET, TAKE THAT SAVINGS AND USE IT FOR
SOMETHING ELSE. >> RIGHT, RIGHT.
THAT GETS THEM THE MONEY AND DOESN'T RUFFLE ANY FEATHERS AND
CAUSE THEM TO CHANGE ANY OTHER MONEY.
>> PROBABLY NOW IS NOT TIME TO DISCUSS IT, BUT DOWN THE ROAD,
WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOME KIND OF REVENUE STREAM AND MAYBE IT'S A
RETREAT TOPIC AND I SUGGESTED TO MARCUS THAT ANY OF THE PROPERTY
THAT HAS BEEN TURNED OVER TO THE CITY THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM USED
TO OWN, THAT IF WE SELL THAT PROPERTY, THAT THAT MONEY
AUTOMATICALLY CAN GO BACK INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, YOU KNOW.
>> TALKING ABOUT A NEW SCHOOL OR OPERATINGá--
>> BOTH, WHICHEVER ONE IT COULD GO INTO, BUT JUST TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHERE WE CAN FINDá-- I MEAN, IT'S OUR NUMBER ONE
PRIORITY. I THINK OTHER THAN NEIGHBORHOODS
BEING PRIME, BUT LIFE-LONG LEARNING IS REALLY OUR NUMBER
ONE PRIORITY, SO TRYING TO MOVE THAT IN THE DIRECTION BECAUSE WE
KNOW THE STATE IS CUTTING US AND EVERYBODY IS DEALING WITH THIS,
YOU KNOW. DOWN THE ROAD, WE HAVE TO LOOK
AT HOWá-- >> WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION
ABOUT ALL THIS. YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE 300 OVER
THERE AND WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY OVERFUND THE SCHOOL
BOARD'S REQUEST FOR THE FIRST TIME BY 300, OKAY?
I THINK THAT SENDS A VERY POSITIVE MESSAGE.
>> OKAY. YOUá--
[ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ] >> I JUST GOT A COUPLE
QUESTIONS. THE CITY ASSOCIATION, ADD
ANOTHER 3,000á-- YOU HAVE LIKE 17 GRAND, ANOTHER 3 THERE.
ST.áMARY'S, GOD KNOWS THEY DO GOD'S WORK OUT THERE.
WE SHPT THEM FOR 15á-- SUPPORT THEM FOR 15,000 AND THEY HAVEN'T
SAID A WORD. I KNOW YOU HAVE CAPITAL MONEY
THIS YEAR, BUT WOULD YOU PUT 5,000 THERE?
I MEAN, THAT'S JUSTá-- IT'S ALMOST TOO LITTLE BUTá-- NOW,
LOOKS LIKE YOU FULLY FUNDED THE BUS SERVICE.
WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE YOU SOME MONEY.
DO WE REALLY NEED TO DO IT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK?
I SEE THOSE THINGS ON SUNDAY MORNING AND THERE'S NOBODY.
>> BUT WE HAVEN'T, HAVE WE? >> EVEN IF YOU JUST JULY 1st,
STOND IT ON SUNDAYá-- STOPPED IT ON SUNDAY.
WE'VE BEEN GOING ON FOREVER, BUT YOU HAVE COMPLETELY FUNDED THE
DARN THING. >> LET ME BRING YOU UP TO DATE,
PAUL. WE HAD A MEETING, A GROUP OFá--
YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO STOP IT FOUR NO, SIR
AGO, THREE MONTHS AGO. I GUESS WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC
HEARING TO STOP IT. WE NEED TO STOP IT AND THEY WERE
GOING TO PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT HOW IT
COEFFICIENTLY BE RUN AND I DON'T THINKá--
>> RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE JUST RUNNING AROUND IN CIRCLES.
>> I KNOW. I KEEP SEEINGá--
>> ESPECIALLY ON THE WEEKENDS. >> WE NEED TO HAVE A PUBLIC
HEARING TO STOP IT AND THEY'RE GOING TO COME OUT WITH THEIR
RECOMMENDATION. WE NEED TO HAVE FUNDING IN
THERE, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE FKTIVE OR NOT AT ALL.
WE HAD A SIX-MONTH TESS AND IT WAS NOT EFFECTá-- TEST AND IT
WAS NOT EFFECTIVE, SO WE SAID STOP IT.
>> I'M GLAD STANLEY IS HERE, STANLEY WOULD HAVE STOPPED IT ON
THE WEEKENDS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT SOMEHOW, NOBODY WOULD WANT
TO COME TO GRIPS WITH IT. >> HRT HAVE ONE SLATED FOR JUNE.
>> WHY DID IT TAKE THEM SO LONG? >> FOR WHATEVER REASON, HAVEN'T
WE FULLY FUNDED IT? >> FOR 2013?
>> YEAH. [ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ]
>> CAN'T WE MOVE IT UP TOá-- >> IT'S 234, ON PAGE 234.
[ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ] >> I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT IT
THREE MONTHS AGO, DIDN'T WE? >> NET SERVICE, WE HAVE $730,000
IN IT THIS YEAR. WE ACTUALLY ADDED 500 GRAND TO
IT. >> WELL, THAT'S ONE PROBLEM
THATá-- THE 2012 NUMBER IS WRONG.
THAT'S THE BIG PROBLEM. IT COST A LOT MORE, COSTS MORE
THAN 2012, SO MATH DOESN'T WORK TO JUST TAKE THAT AND
EXTRAPOLATE IT. >> I'M TRYING TO FIND YOU SOME
MORE MONEY. >> I WOULD TOTALLY ELIMINATE IT.
>> I DIDN'T SAY TOTALLY. >> WE'RE WORKING ONá--
>> THEY UNDERSTAND THAT IF IT'S NOT SUCCESSFUL, WE'RE NOT GOING
TO HAVE IT. WE MET WITH THIS GROUP AND
THEY'RE REALLY WORKING *** COMING UP WITH SOMETHING THAT
MIGHT WORK. >> WHO IS THE GROUP?
AND WHATá-- HOW DO THEY REP THE POPULATION?
>> WELL, THERE'S A DOWNTOWN NORFOLK COUNCIL AND THE GHENT
BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND THE GHENT NEIGHBORHOOD LEAGUE AND
THE DOWNTOWN NORFOLK CITY, SO THE PEOPLE THAT IT SERVES, NOT
ONLY RESIDENTS BUTá-- >> CUT IT, LIKE YOU SAID.
>> WE CAN'T ITá-- >> IN THE BUDGET, IT WAS
SUPPOSED TO HAVE ALSO INCLUDED CHURCH STREET A COUPLE YEARS
AGO, AND SOMEHOW MYSTERIOUSLY, THAT MONEY DISAPPEARED AND SO
DID THAT COMING FROM CHURCH STREET DISAPPEARED.
WE CAN'T KEEP SERVING THESE HIGH BROWERS AND LET OTHER PEOPLE WHO
NEED TO ENJOY THESE SAME THINGS AND SO I'M WITH YOU, BARCLAY,
CUT IT. >> I DIDN'T SAY CUT IT.
I SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE STOPPED IT UNTIL WE CAME UP WITH
A PLAN, AND THEN PUT THAT PLAN IN ACTION AND IF IT WASN'T
SUCCESSFUL, THEN WE WOULD RE-EVALUATE IT, BUT IT'S STILL
RUNNING, SO HRTá-- >> I OPENED UP A SORE.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT. >> SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE TO
SEE BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT NOT WITH SO FEW PEOPLEá--
>> MARCUS, ONE OF 35 GRAND IN HERE FOR HAMPTON ROADS SPORTS
COMMISSION. MAYBE IT NEEDS TO STAY THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'REá-- WE USED TO HAVE A GUY WORKING IN
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WHO PROMOTED SPORTS IN THE CITY AND
RECREATION AND WE ACTUALLY GOT A RETURN ON THAT.
I MEAN, I DON'T GUESS WE OUGHT TO TAKE IT OUT RIGHT NOW, BUT I
THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE SOMEONE REPORT BACK WHAT WE'RE GETTING
OUT OF THE HAMPTON ROADS SPORTS COMMISSION THIS YEAR.
I'VE TALK IN THE PAST ABOUT TRYING TO INCREASE THE RETURN
FROM THE WATER SYSTEM. THE ROI, WHICH WE'RE ENTITLED TO
DO, WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN FOREVER.
I MEAN FOREVER. WE HAVEN'T PROBABLY CHANGED IT
IN TEN YEARS. MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT
THIS YEAR, BUT I DON'Tá-- I DO THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO
TALK ABOUT. WILL YOU TELL ME, WE TALKED
SOMETIME IN HERE ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT TRANSPORTATION IS AND
I KEEP THINKING YOU NEED SOMEBODY ON YOUR STAFF WHOSE
LIFE IT IS, I MEAN WHOSE WHOLE JOB IT IS TO WORRY ABOUT THE
THINGS LIKE THE MIDTOWN TUNNEL AND THE CONSTRUCTION COMING UP,
GO TO THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND GO TO THE STATE AND TALK ABOUT
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US, YOU KNOW, THE INNER CITY RAIL
FUNCTION WITH THE LIGHT RAIL, THE NEW EXPANSION OF THE HRBT
OR, YOU KNOW, THE THIRD CROSSING OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, WE JUSTá-- WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO
HIRE A CONSULTANT, BUT EVEN A CONSULTANT, IT'S NOT LIKE
THEYá-- I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO CAN ANSWER
QUESTIONS LIKE ON THE DIME. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE
DONE ABOUT IT, BUT TRANSPORTATION IS SO IMPORTANT.
>> CAN ANDREWS DO SOME OF THAT WORK?
>> JOHN KEIFER? >> I MEAN, JOHN DOESN'T HAVE
ANYBODY DOWN THEREá-- [ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ]
>> NO, NO, THEY GOT ALL THAT AND MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SAYING IT FOREVER.
>> WE'VE HAD A SERIES OF INTERVIEWS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING
TO GET SOMEBODY ON BOARD AND WE'RE STILL ACTIVELY RECRUITING.
>> NOW, SETTING ASIDE JUST FOR THE MOMENT PAUL'S REQUEST TO ADD
ANOTHER $1.8áMILLION, I ASKED MARCUS COMING IN TO THE MEETING
HOW MUCH MONEY HE THOUSANDS, WITHOUT CHANGING THEá-- THOUGHT,
WITHOUT CHANGING THE REST THE BUDGET, WHAT HE COULD FIND IN
OPERATING COSTS IN HERE, AND HE HAD ABOUT AáMILLION DOLLARS THAT
HE THOUGHT THAT OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE TO START SEARCHING
FOR WAYS, IF WE ADDED MORE THAN A NUN, MAYBE WE HAVE
TOá--áMILLION, MAYBE WE HAVE TO CUT SOMETHING.
MAYBE SOMEWHERE IN THIS BUGS, HE'D HAVE TOá-- BUDGET, HE'D
HAVE TO CHANGE SOMETHING. MAYBE THERE'S AáMILLION DOLLARS
HE COULD FIND, KNOWING WE'VE ALWAYS ADDED SOMETHING.
IN YEARS PAST, WE'VE ADDED FOUR OR FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
AND IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET, THERE WAS MAYBE ANOTHERáMILLION
DOLLARS, KNOWING THE COUNCIL WANTED TO ADD.
LET ME START WITH THE CAPITAL SIDE.
LOOKS TO ME LIKE, WE TOOK CARE OF THE SCHOOL PIECE.
ANGELIA WANTS TO ADD A HALFáMILLION.
LET'S TAKE ALL OF IT. IF YOU ADDED 250, THAT'S JUST A
ROUND NUMBER, YOU WOULD JUST REACHá--
>> WHAT WAS SHE ADDING IT FOR? >> CURBS AND GUTTER, SIDEWALKS.
>> WOULD YOU SETTLE FOR 50? >> I'D SAYá-- FOR 250?
>> I'D SAY HALF, THAT'S MORE THAN WE HAD.
>> AND PAUL, YOU KNOWED HUNTERSVILLE AND YOU ADD 100
THERE, AND IF YOU NEED MORE THAN THAT, WE CAN REACH INTO WHAT
ANGELIA JUST ADDED. THE LIBRARY PRODUCED ITS OWN
BUDGET. I SAID 250, BUT IF YOU ADDED 200
THERE, AND 100 FOR THE REC CENTERS, THAT GETS YOU $650,000.
ANTHONY WANTED TO ADD THE MEWS THING AND I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA
WHAT IT WOULD CAST COST TO FIX THAT.
JOHN, DO YOU KNOW? WHAT WOULD IT COST TO FIX
SOMETHING LIKE THAT? JOHN ALWAYS HAS THE ROUND
NUMBERS. >> 50 TO 100,000.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, JOHN?
>> YOU NEVER DID ANYTHING FOR $50,000.
YOU ALWAYS TELL ME $200,000. EVERY TIME I ASK FOR A STOP
SIGN, IT'S $200,000. >> JOHN, YOU THINK THAT'Sá--
[ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ] [ LAUGHTER ]
>> OKAY. WELLá-- WE'LL SAY 100, SO THAT
TAKES US TO 750. DOES THAT COVER EVERYBODY'S
REQUESTS FOR CAPITAL NEEDS? I MEAN, ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING IN
HERE THAT I DIDN'T MENTION THAT YOU GUYS HAD MENTIONED?
AND NOW WE GO TO THE OPERATING NEEDS AND UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE
ISá-- OPERATING NEEDS WEREá-- WE'LL COME BACK AND VISIT THIS
THING ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES' RAISES.
THERE'S THE AUDITOR POSITION AND WE'LL SAY THAT'S $50,000.
TOMMY MENTIONED THAT. BARCLAY MENTIONED RAISES FORá--
LET'S BE CLEAR, OKAY? YOU WANT 2% IN RAISES?
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW. I WANT TO GIVE THEM THE MONEY
AND LET THEM DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH IT.
>> $50,000? [ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ]
>> 50 EACH. >> SO THE HONORSá--
>> THEY'RE GOING TO GET Aá-- >> LET'S SAY ROUND NUMBERS, 75?
>> I'D SAY 75 MIGHT BE CLOSE. >> ALL RIGHT.
SO WE'LL SAY THAT'S 75, AUDITOR. AND BY THE TIME YOU ADDED
$50,000 TO BOTANICAL GARDENS, VISIT NORFOLK, ANDá--
[ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ] >> IS THERE ANYá-- I MEAN, THAT
REALLY DOESN'Tá-- YOUR OKAY WITH THAT CONSORTIUM?
ANYBODY ELSEá-- ARE THEY OKAY? ARE THEY DOINGá-- I MEAN, VISIT
KNOCK, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THEY SETá--
[ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ] >> HOW ABOUT FOR RIVER FEST?
WE SPENDá-- >> THAT'S ALREADY IN THERE.
THIS IS NOTá-- >> OH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE THAT A MAINSTREAMá--
>> SO THAT'S ANOTHERá-- >> BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE
BANNERS. >> SO THAT'S $150,000.
YOU FOLLOW ME, MARCUS? BOTANICAL GARDENS, VISIT
NORFOLK, AND FEST. >> THE NORFOLK CATHOLIC MASS IS
THERE, YOU LIKE IT. >> I DIDN'Tá-- CITY AUDITOR.
YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED THE LIBRARIES STAYING OPEN ON
MONDAYS. WE'RE TOLD THAT'S 540,000.
DOES EVERYBODY AROUND THISá-- IS THERE ENOUGH SUPPORT FOR
540,000. >> IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY.
>> CAN YOU SWITCH IT TO EVERY OTHER MONDAY?
CAN YOU DO ITá-- >> THINK ABOUT THEá--
>> LIKE IN THE SUMMERTIME WHERE WE KNOW IT WILL BE UTILIZED
MORE. >> I THINK THE LIBRARIES ARE
IMPORTANT BECAUSEá-- >> WE OPENING COMMUNITY CENTERS,
I THINK YOUá-- >> BEFORE WE GO TOTALLY, YOU
HAVE TWO MORE COUNCIL PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT HERE.
>> THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE. >> 500, WHATEVER.
>> TEN LIBRARIESá-- >> BUS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
HEATING AND COOLING THEM. >> I UNDERSTAND.
>> AND THEá-- >> YOU GOTá-- YOU TALK ABOUT
$10,000, TALKING ABOUT 50,000, 10,000 A WEEK.
10,000 FOR TWO DAYS, THAT'Sá-- >> IT'S STAFFING.
>> STAFFING, SO THAT'S THEá-- OKAY, THAT'Sá--
[ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ] >> CAN YOU PHASE IT IN LIKE
YOU'RE PHASING THE REC CENTERS? >> THE LIBRARY, DIVIDE IT BY
10,000á-- >> ARE YOU PHASING IN THE REC
CENTERS? >> YEAH, HE HAS A COUPLE REC
CENTERS THAT GO BACK TO OPENING UP ON WEDNESDAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, IS IT TWO OR THREE?
>> TWO. >> TWO, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
CAN DO SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH THE LIBRARIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE
QUITEá-- [ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ]
>> LIKE SOME OF THE BIGGER LIBRARIES, HAVE THEM OPEN.
>> ACTUALLY, THE SMALLER LIBRARIES ARE THE ONES THAT
SHOULD BE OPENED AS OPPOSED TO THE LARGER ONES, BUT THEY'RE
MORE CLOSE TO THE NEIGHBORS. >> HOW ABOUT THE CONCERT HALL,
THERE ISá-- >> JANICE LIBRARY?
>> THEY HAVE A COUPLE AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE I GOT AN
EMAIL ABOUT THAT NEEDS HELP. [ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ]
>> OVER BY BOOKER T.? >> YEAH, THAT'S THE ONEá--
>> YOU TALKED ABOUT PRINCESS ANNE.
>> YEAH, WEá-- >> YOU KNOW, SO NOW WE HAVE
CAPITAL NEEDS FOR THE LIBRARIES, AS WELL AS OPERATING BUDGET, I
THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD DAY'S WORK TO STAFF THE LIBRARIES ON
MONDAYS. AND THAT'Sá-- THAT BY THE WAY IS
A CITYWIDE. I MEAN, JUST PRETLOW WILSON,
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK? >> THAT'S THE ONLY ONE RIGHT
NOW. >> SO YOU HAVE TEN OF THE
SMALLER LIBRARIES AND YOU'RE SAYING 10,000 A DAYá--
>> YEAH, THAT'S THE INFORMATION WE HAVE.
I TALKED WITH HIMá-- >> I KNOW, BUT TWO OR THREE
PEOPLE IN THERE. >> IT'S REALLY HAVING TO TRIM
STAFF. >> YOU HAVE TO HIRE MORE STAFF?
>> RIGHT. THAT'S THEá--
>> BUT WHAT IS $540,000 DOING? IS THAT JUST OPENING THE DOORS
WITHOUT STAFF? >> NO, THAT'Sá--
>> THAT'S THE PEOPLE THATá-- >> YOU PUT THREE PEOPLE IN
THERE. >> DO THEY HAVE PART-TIME
EMPLOYEES THAT COULD SHIFT TO FULL-TIME IF THEY WERE TO DO
THAT OR ADD THOSE HOURS? IF THEY WOULD JUST ADD TO THEIR
HOURS, THEY MIGHT BE PART-TIME NOW, BUT IF WE HAD TEN HOURS
ADDED ON TO THEIRá-- [ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ]
>> OPEN UPá-- THEY'RE SMALL EXCEPT FOR PRETLOW, SO IT WOULD
COST A THOUSAND DOLLARS A DAY TO OPEN THE LIBRARIES.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US. >> HOW ABOUT WE GO WITH THE BIG
NUMBER, LET MARCUS TALK TO NORRIS AND IF THE BIG NUMBER
COMES BACK AS A SMALLER NUMBER, WE CAN SPEND IT SOMEPLACE ELSE.
WE CAN DO THAT. I MEAN, REALLY.
>> WHEN THE POOLTION ARE -- POOLS ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC,
DO WE STILL HAVE STAFF IN THE POOL?
THEY'RE STILL WORKING, ACCORDING TO SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES I
TALKED TOá-- >> THEY'RE STILL THERE.
>> THEY'RE IN THERE, BUT IT'S NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO WHERE
ARE WE SAVING BY THAT? IS IT REALLY THE AIR
CONDITIONING AND STUFF LIKE THAT?
ORá-- BECAUSE WE CLOSED THE POOLS ONE DAY A WEEK I GUESS,
ANDá-- >> RIGHT, ONE DAY A WEEK, BUT
IT'S NOT THE SAME NUMBER OF STAFF.
WHEN YOU CLOSE A POOL, YOU HAVE PATRONS COMING IN, GUARDS ON
DUTY, BUT WHEN WE'RE CLOSED, THERE'S ONLY TWO GUARDS, THERE'S
ROUTINEá-- (INAUDIBLE). >> HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE WE SPENT?
>> WE HAVE SPENT 773,000. >> THAT'S NOT CAPITAL?
>> NO, THAT'S OPERATING. PLUS WE SPENTá--
>> NOTHING IN OUR RESERVES, RIGHT?
>> YES, WE HAVE. >> NOTHING ELSE.
WE HAVEN'T ADDED. WHY DON'T WE TAKE IT TO
AáMILLION FORá-- [ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ]
>> OKAY, OKAY. >> WE'VE GOT 750 IN CAPITAL.
WE HAVE 773 IN OPERATING. >> WHY DON'T WE TRY TO PUT A
COUPLE HUNDRED INTO OUR RESERVES.
NOT THE 5%á-- >> WELL, WE'RE NOT FINISHED.
>> WE'RE FOOLING OURSELVES, GUYS.
WE CAN SPEND ALL THIS MONEY AND JUST HAVE ONE DOWNTURN A YEAR.
>> THERE'S MORE OF OUR OPEN LAND IN THE CITY.
>> WE HAVE EVERYTHING ON THE WEBSITE NOW.
>> WELL, AN ISSUE TO BE DETERMINE IS WHAT PAUL'S BROUGHT
UP. IS THERE ANY OTHER ISSUE THAT
I'VE RECAPPED? ANYBODY GOT?
OKAY. DID WE GET IT, BARCLAY, WHAT YOU
MENTIONED? >> CAN I JUST ASK A COUPLE QUICK
QUESTIONS? I DON'T WANT MORE MONEY, I JUST
WANT AN EXPLANATION. THIS PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING
WHERE WE PUT ALMOST 3á1/2áMILLION A YEAR, IS THAT
SPENT IN-HOUSE ORá-- >> IT'S IN-HOUSE.
IT'S SOMETHING I THINK OCCURRED BACK T 2004 WHERE YOU CAN CHARGE
A PORTION OF SALARIES RELATED TO THE PUBLIC WORKS STAFF THAT'S
WORKING ON CAPITAL PROJECTS TO THE PROJECT.
>> THAT'S KIND OF PAYROLL. >> THAT ISá--
>> ANOTHER WAY OFá-- THAT'S WHAT WE DO STUFF IN-HOUSE FOR LIKE,
WHATEVER, WE CAN CHARGE IT BACK, SO THAT REALLY IS ANOTHER WAY OF
REDUCING OURá-- >> OPERATING COSTS.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO THE OTHER THING, I GUESS WE
DO THAT, WE DO IT THAT WAYá-- >> IF YOU LOOK IN THE CIP, WE
STOPPED DOING IT STARTING IN 2014.
IT DOES SAVE THE OPERATING BUDGET, BUT YOU'RE PAYING DEBT
ON THATá-- [ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ]
>> SO YOU CAN DO IT EITHER WAY. IT GAVE RELIEF TO THE OPERATING
BUDGET MAYBE A DECADE AGO. >> ONE OTHER QUESTION, ON PAGE
349, THE DEBT SERVICE FOR THE CONFERENCE CENTER, THAT'S KIND
OF JUMPED AROUND. IS THAT FOR STUFF WE BROUGHT
OVER TO THE LOT? WHAT IS IT?
>> WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
>> WELL, SOMETIME CAN WEá-- >> BONDS WERE ISSUED AND WE'RE
PAYING AND WE SHOULD BE COLLECTING, BUT IT'S A VERY
COMPLEX SITUATION, SOMETHING THAT VIRGINIA WILLIAMS DID AND I
GUESS SHE HAD GOOD ADVICE AT THE TIME.
EVEN I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
>> WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME, BECAUSE I'D
LIKE TO UNDERSTAND. IT'S BEEN A ROLLER COASTER RIDE,
I MEAN. >> THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED A
LITTLE BIT, BUT THE RELOCATION OF THE BUS TRANSFER STATION, I
KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET IT OFF CEDAR GROVE, BUT
$4áMILLION JUST SEEMS LIKE A HUGE AMOUNT AND Iá-- I MEAN,
WE'RE GOING TO THIS OUT FOR RFP, I GUESS, AND IF THEY KNOW WE
HAVE $4áMILLION IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS, ARE WEá-- I MEAN, DO
YOU SEE WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS?
IT SEEMED LIKE A PRETTY HEFTY EXPENSE FOR, OR ARE THERE SOME
PARTS OF THIS THAT CAN BE PHASED IN OVER TWO YEARS AS OPPOSED TO
DOING IT ALL NOW? I MEAN, I WANT IT TO BE DONE
RIGHT AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT WILL SERVE AN
IMPORTANT PART OF OUR POPULATION, YOU KNOW, AND GET
PEOPLE AND CARS OFF THE ROAD, BUT $4áMILLION SEEMS LIKE A LOT
FOR SOMETHING THAT WASN'T IN LAST YEAR'S BUCKET, WE
WEREN'Tá-- BUCKET, WE WEREN'T EVEN TALKING ABOUT IN THIS LAST
YEAR'S BUDGET AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS POPS UP AND NOI IT'S
MOSTLY MORE DEBT. IS THERE A BETTER WAY THAT WE
CAN DO THIS OR ISá-- I MEAN, WE'RE BUILDING THE INTERMODAL
FOR ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT, RIGHT?
I MEANá-- >> THAT'S $3áMILLION.
>> THE TRAIN STATION? >> THAT WILL BE USED, ONES IN
THE MORNING AND ONCE IN THE EVENING.
>> RIGHT. >> THIS BUS STATION IS BEING
USEDá-- >> I DON'T KNOW.
LOOK, Iá-- [ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ]
>> WE'RE TROOG TO TRY TOá-- GOING TO TRY TO APPLY FOR
$2áMILLION IN GRANT FUND. WE'RE ALREADY SCHEDULED A
MEETING TO SEE THE FTA ADMINISTRATOR IN WASHINGTON SO
SEE IF WE CAN GET TWOáMILLION BUCKS.
>> WOULD THAT REDUCE THIS BY TWOáMILLION?
>> YES. >> I THOUGHT WE WERE AT
6áMILLION AND THE 2áMILLION REDUCES TO 4áMILLION.
>> THE 2 REDUCES TO 4, SO WE'LL LET YOU KNOWá--
>> WILL THAT GIVE MORE MONEY FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT IDEAS
THEN? >> IF, IF.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT GRANT, SO YOU HAVE TOá--
>> RIGHT. >>á-- I THINK YOU KEEP ITá-- YOU
KNOW, THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY ALL VOTE ON WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BID
IT, BUT I THINK GHAES NUMBER ANDá-- THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER AND
PEOPLE AT CEDAR GROVE, THOSE PEOPLE HAVE SUFFERED LONG
ENOUGH, I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE OUT WHEREVER WE'RE GOING TO
BUILD THIS THING. I MEAN, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET
DOESN'Tá-- BY THE WAY, IT'S ONLY BEEN WHAT, MARCUS, $20,000
BUDGET FOR DEBT SERVICE BY THE TIME WEá--
>> ON FOURáMILLION. >> SO WE'LL KNOW BEFORE WE SPEND
A NICKEL AND WE'LL COME BACK AND AMEND THE BUDGET IF WE HAVE TO,
DROP IT DOWN. >> AND HRT, OTHER THAN APPLYING
FOR THE GRANT, THEY HAVE TO NO RESPONSIBILITY.
>> WE PAY FOR OUR OWN TRANSPORTATION.
>> BUT IF WE DON'T GET THE GRANT, THEN WE CAN POTENTIALLY
SCALE IT BACK, RIGHT? IT'S A MATCHING GRANT.
>> WE HAVE FOURáMILLION. IF WE GET THE GRANTá--
>> BUT WE HAVE TO MATCH IT. IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE GET A
$2áMILLION GRANT, THERE IS ANY CERTAIN AMOUNT WE HAVE TO MATCH
UP? >> THEY EXPECT US TO MATCH THE
2. >> THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, SO IT
COULD BE A $2áMILLION CITY EXPENDITURE, OR IF WE DON'T GET
THE GRANT, THEN WE MIGHT NEED TO CALL IT BACK MORE.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS TOO MUCH.
>> IF WE HAVE $4áMILLION ALLOTTED FOR IT, WE KEEP THE
$4áMILLION ALLOTTED FOR IT AS DEBT.
>> MY FEELING ISá-- >> THE TRANSFER STATION IS GOING
TO BE USED FOR MORE THAN JUST THE RESIDENTS OF NORFOLK.
ONCE WE BUILD THAT LIBRARY, ONCE YOU GET THAT RAIL ROLLING,
EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE USING THE TRANSFER STATION SO THERE'S
NO NEED TO, YOU KNOW, PUT UP AN OUTHOUSE.
[ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ] WHY AREN'T THEY CONTRIBUTING IT?
I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A REGIONALá--
>> I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE STAYING IN
THE HOTELS AND, YOU KNOWá-- >> MY CONCERN WAS ABOUT WHERE
THEY GOT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FROM BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN SOME
OTHER PROJECTS IN THE PAST WHERE NUMBERS HAVE BEENá--
>> YOU START PULLING THE TRANSFERá-- YOU WANT TO GO IN
THE BUDGET AND START PULLING STUFF OUT, THEN WE GOT TO PUT
ALL OF IT ON THE TABLE. I MEAN, EVERYBODY HAS THINGS
THAT ARE IMPORTANTá-- >> I JUST ASKED ABOUT COST.
IS IT REALLY $4áMILLION THING AND WHERE DID THAT DOLLAR FIGURE
COME. JUST THE DESIGN, WE PUT 550 IN
FOR DESIGN SO YOU ESTIMATED THAT AMOUNT, WHERE DID THAT ESTIMATE
COME FROM AND WE'VE BEEN WRONG BEFORE ON ESTIMATES.
IT'S COMING FROM SOME CITY DEPARTMENT, I JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THAT'S THE RIGHT AMOUNT.
ARE WE OVERESTIMATING WHAT THIS IS GOING TO COST?
>> I'M MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE 4áMILLION THAN THE
PREVIOUS NUMBER. IT HAD A LOT OF CONTINGENCY IN
IT, I THINK AT SOME POINT ALMOST 40% CONTINGENCY MAINLY BECAUSE
OF WHAT WAS NOT KNOWN AND IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T TALKED
ABOUT, EVEN A POSSIBILITY OF SOME UTILITIES, THAT ALMOST A
HALFáMILLION OF THAT MAY NOT BE BORNE BY THE GENERAL FUND, SO
QUICKLY YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT'S AáMILLION-FIVE FROM THE
GENERAL FUND EVEN THOUGH YOU SEE $4áMILLION.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT, OKAY. >> WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS.
>> IF YOU'RE GOING TO ACTIVELY PURSUE DISPOSING OF SELLING
SURPLUS PROPERTIES, SCHOOLS AND LAND AND I KNOW WE HAVE IT ALL
ON THE WEBSITE NOW AND WE HAVE THE TRANSPARENT LITTLE CARS, THE
CITY SITESá-- >> I DIDN'T KNOW PAUL WAS GOING
TO ASK FOR THE 3% RAISE, BUT I DID ASK THE MANAGER TO COMPARE
WHAT WE WERE DOING WITH WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING AND
THAT'S WHERE THESE SHEETS AREá-- THE SEVEN CITIES IN HAMPTON
ROADS, ONLY SUFFOLK IS ALSO GIVING 2%.
I THINK OUR PAY PLAN ISá-- IT SHOULD BE RELATIVELY COMPETITIVE
WITH THE REST OF THE REGION. AND THAT'Sá-- YOU KNOWá--
>> YOU KNEW I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR THAT 3%.
>> I DON'T, I DIDN'T. I REALLY DIDN'T.
>> AND SO ALTHOUGH SUFFOLK IS DOING, YOU KNOW, VIRGINIA BEACH
NOT DOING ANYTHING AND HAMPTON IS DOING 1%, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE
SPECIAL AND YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT OUR EMPLOYEES GO TO THE MAT
ON SERVING THE CITY AND THEY HAVEN'T SAID A WORD IN FOUR
YEARS, SO IF WE CAN REACH, I HOPE WE CAN REACH TO TRY TO DO
THAT. AND GOD BLESS THOSE OTHER
CITIES, BUT WE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
THEY ARE JEWELS. I MEAN, THEY GO TO THE MAT EVERY
DAY, THEY HAVEN'T COMPLAINED. THEY HAVE JUST SUCKED IT UP.
>> I AGREE WITH THAT. I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM MORE, BUT
Iá-- >> RIGHT.
>> BUT I THINK THE MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION IS 2 AND I THINK
WHAT WE'VEá-- OUR ABILITY TO PAY ISá--
>> WE CAN TAKE AáMILLION BACK FROM WARD'S CORNER.
THEY ONLY ASKED FOR ONE AND YOU GAVE THEM TWO.
I MEAN, I SUPPORT WARD'S CORNER. >> NO, ACTUALLY, WE ASKED FOR
FOUR. >> I SUPPORT WARD'S CORNER, BUT
I THINK WE NEED TO TRY TO FIND ANOTHERáMILLION-EIGHT FOR OUR
EMPLOYEES TO DO THAT. WE HAVE TO SHOW THEM SOMETHING.
>> AND I THINK WE DO WITHá-- IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT FOR THE
EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE TO DO IT FOR THE RETIREES.
>> I LOVE THEM TOO. WE CAN COME BACK AND GET THEM
NEXT YEAR, BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
A LOT OF OUR RETIREES GET SOCIAL SECURITY AND OTHER BENEFITS AND
THEY HAVE TWO OR THREE CHECKS COMING IN TO THE HOUSE AND I
LOVE THE RETIREES, I SUPPORT THEM, AND ALWAYS HAVE, BUT RIGHT
NOW WE CAN ONLY DO, LET'S DO THE ONE.
>> OKAY. WELL, WE NEEDá-- I'D LIKE TO
(INAUDIBLE). >> I THINK WE HAVE TO BEá-- I
KNOW THE PRIVATE SECTOR, I KNOW THEY'RE GREAT EMPLOYEES, BUT I
THINK 2 AS THE MANAGER HAS RECOMMENDED IS GOOD.
[ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ] >> WHERE ARE WE LEFT WITH MONEY?
>> I GUESS $250,000 IN OPERATING FUND AND WE'VE (INAUDIBLE).
>> 1.8 TOTAL WOULD BE 2.5 FOR EVERYBODY, THAT WOULD WORK.
>> WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO THAT.
I MEAN, THERE ISN'Tá-- [ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ]
>> WAS IT HAMPTON THAT ONE TIME THEY TOOK THEIR SURPLUS AND GAVE
ALL THEIR EMPLOYEES LIKE A GIFT CARD ORá-- TO Aá-- I DON'T KNOW
HOW THAT WAS RECEIVED. >> IT DIDN'T MAKE IT.
>> DIDN'T MAKE IT? >> WE GAVE BONUS LAST YEAR.
>> WE DID. JUST TO THE EMPLOYEES.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD ALL THE CONVERSATION.
IT WOULD BE ANOTHERá-- I DON'T WANT TO CHARACTERIZE IT.
PAUL WANTS TO MOVE FROM 2 TO 3% RAISES AND THAT WOULDá-- THE
MANAGER SAID THAT'S $1.8áMILLION TO DO THAT.
ANDá-- >> THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE SCHOOL
EMPLOYEES. >> THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE SCHOOL.
I THINK THAT'S A BUDGET PROBLEM. >> WE GOT SCHOOLS TOO.
IF WE DO ANYTHING, WE GOT TO DO THEM ALL THE TIME.
>> WELL WEE, DON'T ACTUALLYá-- WE DON'T MAKE THE DECISIONS.
WE'RE SUPPORTING IT WITH 2%, BUT IT'S NOT OUR CALL.
IT'S THE SCHOOLá-- IF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WANTED TO DO IT, THEY
COULD CHANGE IT AROUND. IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GIVING THEM
2, BUT WE'RE ALLOWING THEMá-- SO WHAT ELSE ARE WE SPENDING HERE?
WHAT ELSE HAVE WE ALLOCATED? YOU KNOW, I WISHED VERY STRONGLY
THAT I FEEL WE SHOULD GIVE MORE MONEY TO THE RETIREES AND I KNOW
YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT. [ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ]
>> WHAT ABOUT THE RAISES? I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU (INAUDIBLE).
>> I'M COMFORTABLE WITH IT. >> 2%?
COMFORTABLE WITH SEEING THAT 98%á--
>> ANYBODY? >> YOU'RE NOT FIGHTING ME,
YOU'RE FIGHTING THE EMPLOYEES. DON'T THINK YOU'RE HURTING ME,
YOU'RE HURTING THE EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW.
>> IT'S NOT YOU. IT'S TOTALLY NOT ABOUT YOU.
>> I AIN'T EVEN TALKING TO YOU. >> WAIT A MINUTE.
LET'Sá-- >> YOU'RE HURTING THE EMPLOYEES,
YOU'RE NOT HURTING ME. >> I TELL YOU WHAT.
I HOLD THE GAVEL HERE, OKAY? LET'S TRY TO DIRECT -- DIRECT
YOUR COMMENTS TO ME IF YOU WANT TOá--
>> YOU'RE HURTING THE EMPLOYEES, PAUL.
YOU'RE NOT HURTING ME AND NOT THAT YOU INTENTIONALLY WANT TO
HURT ME, BUT I'M JUST SAYING YOU'RE HURTING YOUR EMPLOYEES.
THEY HAVE BEEN SITTING AROUND FOR FOUR YEARS WITH NOTHING AND
IF WE CAN FIND MONEY TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, THEN CERTAINLY
$1.8áMILLION, WE CAN CLOSE OUT SOMETHING TO FIND SOME MONEY.
IF MARCUS CAN COME BACK AND FIND US SOME MONEY THAT WON'T IMPACT
THIS BUDGET, WHERE ARE YOU? >> WELL, I THINK HE'S
RECOMMENDED 2%. I THINK HE'S DONE A PRETTY
GOODá-- >> DONE GREAT JOB, BUT HE
DOESN'Tá-- BUT YOU GOT TO LOOK AT WHAT GAS IS COSTING, MAN,
AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT GAS.
GROCERIES, YOU KNOW, FOOD, EVERYTHING IS HIGH, AND OUR
EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN SITTING STILL, NOT COMPLAINING, COMING
TO WORK, DOING A GREAT JOB FOR US FOR FOUR YEARS FOR NOTHING.
I THINK WE CAN TRY TO FIND THEM ANOTHER 1%.
THAT'S JUST ME, THAT'S JUST ME. >> I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES THAT
IF WE HAD THE WHEREWITHAL, WE WOULD CERTAINLY REWARD OUR
EMPLOYEES. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE GIVEN THEM
NOTHING. WE HAVE MANY ABLE TO ABSORB MANY
OF THEIR HEALTH COSTS THROUGH THE FOUR YEARS THAT THEY
OTHERWISE MIGHT HAVE HAD TO ABSORB, BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I TOTALLY AGREE ON THE 2%, THAT YOU WILL NEVER CONVINCE ME THAT
IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEES, I FEEL IT'S A MUCH
STRONGER CASE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR KIDS AND OUR STUDENTS AND
OUR POTENTIAL FOR OUR FUTURE, AND I THINK THERE ISN'T ANYTHING
MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE WOULD DO THAN TO FUND EDUCATION AND OUR
YOUTH, SO I WOULD ARGUE IF WE'RE GOING TO TASK MARCUS WITH TRYING
TO FIND SOME EXTRA MONEY, AND I APOLOGIZE THAT I HAD TO BE
ABSENT FOR YOUR EARLIER DISCUSSION, THAT'S CLEARLY WHERE
I THINK WE NEED TO BE PUTTING OUR RESOURCES.
>> YOU KNOW, WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION AND THAT'S WHY I WAS
HOPING YOU WOULD HAVE THAT INFORMATION, BUT I'M NOT REALLY
COMFORTABLE JUST SITTINGá-- I WAS HOPING WE WOULD HAVE HAD
INFORMATION THAT WE COULDá-- >> I DO HAVE INFORMATION IN THAT
THEY AREá-- OUR SUPERINTENDENT, OUR ACTING SUPERINTENDENTá-- I'M
SORRY, WE HAVEá-- HIS RECOMMENDATION WAS IF WE WERE
GOING TO GIVE EXTRA FUNDING, THAT IF IT WOULD BE ONE-TIME
FUNDING, IT WOULD BE FOR TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT MANY OF
OUR UNDERSERVED PROGRAMS. OTHERWISE, IT WOULD BE FORá--
>> AND THAT'S WHY WE PUT THEá-- >> YEAH, AS FAR AS THAT GOES,
I'M RIGHT WITH YOU BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T FULLY FUNDED,
WE CLOSED THE GAP, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER PUT EVERYTHING ON THE
TABLE FOR US TO SEE WHAT IS TRULY NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE
SURE THOSE CRITICAL PROGRAMS, LIKE THE MIDDLE COLLEGE PROGRAM
OR SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS YOU COULD IDENTIFY THAT REALLY
NEED OUR SUPPORT, AND SO GIVING THEM THE MONEY DOESN'T GUARANTEE
THAT THOSE PROGRAMS WOULD BE SUSPENDED, SO ATá-- SUPPORTED,
SO AT SOME POINT, I WOULD LIKEá-- AND MAYBE IT WOULD BE
NEXT YEAR, BUT I HOPE THEY'RE MORE FORTHCOMING IN TERMS OF
PUTTING IT ALL ON THE TABLE AND LETTING US LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE
SHORT, WHERE WE'RE HURTING, YOU KNOW, FROM A PUPIL STANDPOINT.
>> AND THEY DO TENDá-- SOME OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE
SUGAR COATED THE LOSS OF STAFF AND SAID WE'RE NOT LOSING
ANYBODY, BUT THEY HAVE LOST 500 EMPLOYEES IN THE LAST THREE
YEARS. POOT 128 THIS YEARá-- ANOTHER
128 THIS YEAR AND YET NOBODY IS REALLY LOSING THEIR JOB BECAUSE
THEY'REá-- YOU KNOW, THOSE POSITIONS ARE GOING THROUGH
ATTRITION, BUT THOSE ARE ACTUAL POSITIONS BEING CUT, AND WHAT I
SAID, TERRI, WAS THAT THE LITERACY TEACHERS AT THE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THEY'RE CUTTING BASED OFF THE STANDARDS
OF QUALITY AND SO THEY'RE CUTTING POSITIONS NOW THAT, YOU
KNOW, ARE NEEDED IN OUR DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, FOR SUPPORT
AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM. THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE REALLY
STARTING TO HIT THE BONE WITH THESE CUTS.
I WORRY ABOUT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SKIDS AND THE READINGá--
KIDS AND THE READING LEVEL AND HOW THAT IMPACTS OUR ON-TIME
GRADUATION WHEN THEY'RE CUTTING THE POSITIONS, BUT YOU CAN'T CUT
ANYWHERE ELSE. >> THEY SENT US A BUDGET, HAD A
3.1% INCREASE. OUR BUDGET OURSELVES HAD A HALF
PERCENT. WE WERE ABLE TO SEND, I THINK,
IS IT 9á-- A LITTLE OVER $9áMILLION MORE THE BUDGET
INCREASED THAN IT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE.
WE FULLY FUNDED THEIR REQUEST. WE ACTUALLY COME BACK AND PUT
ANOTHER $300,000 IN TECHNOLOGY. WE HAVE NEVER CUT THE DOLLAR
AMOUNT THAT THE CITY OF NORFOLK HAS SENT TO THE SCHOOLS AND ALL
THESE YEARS, YOU KNOW, WE LOST 7% OF OUR OWN WORKERS, SO WE'VE
FOR THE FAST FOUR OR FIVEá-- PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS IN A
ROW, WE SPENT LESS MONEY THAN WE DID THE YEAR BEFORE.
IT'S NOT LIKE OUR HEART'S NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND WE ALSO KNOW
WE COULDN'T GO BACK AND TAX OUR CITIZENS.
IT'Sá-- THE STATE IS THE ONE WHO HAS CUT THESE FOLKS, AND BY THE
WAY, I THINK WE LOST 6 OR 700 STUDENTS OVER THAT PERIOD OF
TIME TOO, SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF BALANCING OUT, AND TERRI,
I'M KEEN ON EDUCATION TOO, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO COME UP WITH A
BUDGET THAT WEá-- THE CITIZENS CAN AFFORD, AND I THINK WE'VEá--
THAT'S MY PIECE. I NEVER WIN THE HEARTSá--
>> THEY HAVE NO WIGGLE ROOM EITHER.
THEY HAVE ASKED FOR THE 3áMILLION THAT THEY HAD IN
RESERVES, I GUESS, AND IT'S BEING ALLOCATED BACK, SO IT
WASN'T ADDITIONAL MONEY, I GUESS.
IT WASá-- YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE STATE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO
PRESSURE OUR LEGISLATORS MORE TOO.
I MEAN, THIS IS WHY THAT IMPACT IS REALLY HITTING US HARD.
>> LET'S GET BACK TO THE 1.8áMILLION.
DO YOU WANT TO DO 2.5, 3? I MEAN, WE'VE GOT THREE OF USá--
ONE THINKS 3, THREE OF US THINK 2.
WE GOT TO GET A BUDGET DONE, SO WE CAN VOTE ON IT.
AND IF YOU DO THE 2, THEN IT BEGS THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT DO
YOU DO WITH THE REST OF THE SYSTEM?
>> I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ME, TEACHERS, WE COULDN'T GIVE IT TO
TEACHERS AND CITY EMPLOYEES AND I THINK WE CREATE A DIVISION
THERE. I MEAN, I'M NOT FOR THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT, ANGELIA? >> I CAN BUY THAT.
>> DID WE INCLUDE THE TEACHERS AND NOTá--
>> WE CAN'T DO IT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT.
>> RYE, I CAN BUY THATá-- RIGHT, I CAN BUY THAT.
>> I'M THE SAME, BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS GIVING THE
ACROSS-THE-BOARD RAISE. I DON'T THINK THAT SOMEBODY
MAKING OVER $100,000 A YEAR SHOULD GET A 3% RAISE AND
SOMEBODY MAKING $20,000 A YEAR GET A 3% RAISE.
WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE LITTLE PEOPLE FIRST.
>> IS THERE IN FACT ANY INCREASE OR CHANGE IN THE HEALTHCARE
BALANCE WITH THIS PROPOSEDá-- YOU KNOW HOW IN THE PAST WE'VE
GIVEN A RACE, BUT THEN THEY HAVE ALSO BY THE WAYá--
>> I THINK THE SAME THING AS LAST YEAR.
>> SO CHANGE THAT WAY, THEIR COVERAGE IS EXALT SAME AND
THEY'RE CONTRIBUTION IS THE SAME?
>> DEPENDING ON THE PLAN THAT YOU CHOOSE, YES.
>> I WOULD JUST SAY THEN, YOU KNOW, GO WITH THE 2 THIS YEAR,
BUT NEXT YEAR WE NEED TO PASS THEá--
>> SO MARCUS, YOU SAID THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY INCREASE IN
THE HEALTH INSURANCE AND IT'S BASED ON THE PLAN THAT THEY
SELECT? >> IT'S THE SAME THING THAT WE
DID THIS YEAR, BUT AS FAR AS THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHOá-- IN THE
VALUE, THERE'S NO INCREASE. WE ABSORBED THAT.
>> WHAT'S VALUE? >> IT'S A PLAN THAT HAS A LOWER
PREMIUM TO BEGIN WITH, AND THEN WE HAVE A PLUS WHICH HAS A
HIGHER PREMIUM. FOR THE MOST PART, THE PLANS ARE
THE SAME. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE PLUS,
WE JUST SAY THAT IT'S ALMOST AS IF YOU'RE GETTING ADDITIONAL
SERVICES, BUT IT'S A RICHER PLAN.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE DUCT NIBL. >> THE DEDICT I BELIEVE WILL
CHANGEá-- DEDUCTIBLE WILL CHANGE, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE
I'M SAYING IT THE RIGHT WAY. FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S IN THE PLUS
PLAN THIS YEAR, OR THE PLUS PLAN IN 2011, WHAT WE DID FOR 2012 IS
THAT WE SPLIT THE INCREASE 50-50.
WE'RE DOING THAT SAME THING IN 2013, PROPOSING, SO THOSE FOLKS
IN THE PLUS PLAN, THAT PREMIUM INCREASE IS SPLIT 50-50.
SAME THING WITH THE 2012, THE PEOPLE IN THE VALUE PLAN, WE
ABSORBED 100% OF THE INCREASE AND WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING
IN '13. WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE WHO
WOULD GO INTO THE VALUE PLAN, TO GO INTO THE VALUE PLAN AND IF
YOU DOá-- >> IS THAT SAVINGS?
IS THAT A LOWERá-- >> LOWER COST TO THE CITY.
>> BUT WHAT ABOUT SERVICES? I MEAN, IF YOU GO INTO THE
EMERGENCY ROOM ORá-- FOR IT TO BE VALUE, I MEAN, IS IT, YOU
KNOW, 87 OCTANE VERSUS 93? >> SURE.
>> WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCEá-- >> VALUE PLAN HAS LOWER
PREMIUMS, BUT THE CITY AND EMPLOYEES, IT DOES HAVE A
SLIGHTLY HIGHER DEDUCTIBLE. >> AND WHEN YOU SLIGHTLY HIGHER
DEDUCTIBLE, SOMETIMES YOU CAN GO TO A PHYSICIAN OR YOUR
DEDUCTIBLE IS $30. >> YOUR COPAY.
>> THAT'S THE COPAY. >> OKAY.
BUT WHAT'S THE DEDUCTIBLE? >> THE DEDUCTIBLE, USUALLY
THAT'S IN THE POLICY FOR HOSPITAL SERVICES, THINGS THAT
ARE OUTSIDE YOUR NORMAL VISIT WITH YOUR PRIMARY CARE
PHYSICIAN. >> AND SO WHAT IS THE IMPACT,
ROUGHLY VALUE PER PERSON? [ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ]
>> ON THE PREMIUM? >> NOT ON THE PREMIUM, BUT ON
THE DEDUCTIBLE. >> ON THE DEDUCTIBLE.
>> ROUGHLY ON THE DEDUCTIBLE. YOU GOING IN FOR $6,000
PROCEDURE. >> ABOUT $100.
>> OKAY. >> OKAY.
I THINK WE'VE REVOLVED EVERYTHING.
>> BUT LET ME ASK A QUESTION AGAIN.
IF MARCUS CAN FIND $1.8áMILLION SOMEWHERE AND IT'S NOT GOING TO
IMPACT THE BUDGET, IS THE TENOR STILL THE SAME NOT TO GIVE THE
EMPLOYEES RAISES? >> I THINK IT'S HARD TOá-- I
MEAN IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE BUDGET.
>> I MEAN IF THERE'S CLOSEOUT MONEY SOMEWHERE.
>> IF HE WERE TO COME IN HERE NEXT WEEK AND SAY, GUYS, I FOUND
ANOTHER COUPLEáMILLION DOLLARS, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH IT?
I DON'T THINK HE WILL, BUTá-- >> BUT FOR THE SCHOOLSá--
>> WE DON'T HAVEá-- THEN HE GETSá-- THIS GETS MORE
COMPLICATED, BUTTERY, HERá-- BUT TERRI, HER ONLY BUDGET REQUEST
IS TO ADD MORE MONEY TO THE SCHOOLS, SO MARCUS, YOU CAN TAKE
IT OUT OF THE VRS, WHAT'S IN THEá--
>> DO WE HAVE FIVE YEARS TO PHASE THAT IN?
WHAT'S THE OVERALL COST TO PHASE THAT IN?
WE WERE GOING TO FUND IT ALL UP FRONT.
>> I GOT $500,000. >> YOU THINK THAT'S THE SMARTEST
WAY TO APPROACH THAT OR, CAN WE ADD MOREá-- CAN WE GET EVEN MORE
THAN A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND OUT OF THAT?
I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT LATER.
I'M JUST ASKINGá-- I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS OVER
TIME, WHAT WE'REá-- >> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
BACK-FILL EVERYTHING, SO ACTUALLY WE'RE SPENDING NEXT
YEAR'S MONEY TO COME BACK, I WOULDN'T GO TOO FAR.
>> OKAY. >> LET FLEE ASK ONE QUESTION.
A COUPLE OF PEOPLERS WHO WERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL
AND SOME OF THEá-- COUPLE OF THE SPEAKERS WHO WERE SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF THE TEACHERS AND SUPPLIES, A LOT OF TEACHERS WERE
SAYING THEY HAVE TO SPEND THEIR OWN MONEY.
>> THAT'S WHY I SAID, THEY USED TO GET A CREDIT CARD, EACH ONE
OF THEM FOR $100. >> 200.
>> 100, NOW THIS YEAR IT'S 50. I'D LIKE TO GO BACK AND MAKE IT
$100 AGAIN, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT, SO THEY
CAN PURCHASE THE SUPPLIES. >> CAN WE GO OUT AND GIVE THEM
Aá-- >> A CREDIT CARD?
>> JUST LIKE WE GO TO FOOTBALL FIELDS, JUST GIVE IT TO THEM.
>>ON I DON'T KNOW. WE'RE GIVING THEM AN EXTRA
HALFáMILLION DOLLARS, SO LET THEM DECIDE AND THAT'S A BIG
DEAL, GUYS. WE HAVE NEVER OVERFUNDED THE
SCHOOL BOARD REQUEST. >> AND THIS BUDGET REALLY NEEDED
Aá-- [ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ]
>> WE'RE DOING IT ONE TIME. >> RIGHT.
>> OKAY, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT NEXT
YEAR, ABOUT HOW WEá-- I KNOW THERE'S SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT A
STRUCTURAL CHANGE SO WE CAN HAVE A DEDICATED SOURCE.
[ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ] >> THIS IS NOT ABOUT MONEY.
WELL, SORT OF ABOUT MONEY. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, MARCUS,
THAT I'M VERY TAKEN BY READING THIS.
I'M SURE YOU ARE VERY COGNIZANT, THAT MORE THAN JUST BUDGET, THAT
REALLY WHAT YOU WERE PLANNING TO DO WITH THE CITY AND THE
DEPARTMENTS, IT'S REALLY VERY THOUGHTFUL AND A LOT OF HARD
WORK, BUT ONE LITTLE REQUEST I WOULD HAVE WAS, I APPRECIATED
YOU PUTTING IN THEIR FOUR HOURS FOR AN EMPLOYEE PER YEAR TO WORK
IN THE SCHOOLS, I'D LIKE TO THINK WE CAN DO MORE THAN THAT.
PEOPLE WERE INCLINED OR AT LEAST TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE,
I MEAN WAS ANYBODY ELSE TAKEN WITH THAT ORá--
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA.
WE'VE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE. >> FOUR HOURS, TO ME, YOU KNOW,
I WANT TO A MENTOR TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHILD, AND
HOPEFUL THAT WOULD BE ONE THING AND I'M NOT SURE FOUR HOURS A
YEAR'S GOING TO ACHIEVE THAT. >> THEY'RE TAKING LEAVE, YOU'RE
GIVING THEM FOUR HOURS OF LEAVE OR OFá-- SO IT REALLY DOESN'T
END UP COSTING US ANYTHING. IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT IT.
[ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ] >> THEY'RE NOT DOING THE WORK,
ARE THEY DOING NOTHING? >> BUT I MEAN, THINK ABOUT OUR
SCHOOLS DRIVE OUR ECONOMY, SO I MEAN, SOá-- I MEAN, THE
AMOUNTá-- >> I GUESS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO
SAY, I THINK IT WAS A REALLY GOOD FIRST STEP, BUT I THINK WE
COULD GROW THIS IN SO MANY WAYS AND IF YOU ALL ARE NOT INCLINED
THAT WE INCREASE THE HOURS, WE SHOULD AT LEAST INCREASE THE
MESSAGE THAT WE HAVE PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY THAT
ARE GOING TO DO JUST THAT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A
GREAT EXAMPLE THAT WE'RE SETTING AS A CITY, BUT I HOPE THAT IT
WOULDN'T JUST STOP THERE. AND WE WOULD USE THAT AS A
CHANCE TO GROW SOME OF THAT VOLUNTEERISM.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE GOALS OF NPS, IS COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIPS AND IF WE SET A LEAD IN THAT, I THINK THAT
SPEAKS VOLUMES. >> WELL, THERE'S A WAY TO DO IT,
TOO, THAT OUTSIDE OF EMPLOYEE HOURS, THAT COULD BE AN
INCENTIVE FOR EMPLOYEES TO VOLUNTEER OUTSIDE OF THEIRá-- I
MEAN, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN LATE. AND THERE'S PROGRAMSá--
>> BUT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
>> BUT THERE'S TUTORING ON WEEKENDS TOO, YOU KNOW, ON
SATURDAY, THAT WE COULD PUT MONEY IN THE BUDGET AS AN
INCENTIVE FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO VOLUNTEER BEYOND THEIR
HOURS. >> WE CAN THINK ABOUT THIS.
OKAY. WE HAVEá-- EVERYBODY HAS ALL THE
ISSUES, WE'VE ALL RESOLVED THEM. IF THE MANAGER, YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS? YOU GOT IT?
OKAY. WHY DON'T WE JUST END THE
DISCUSSION AND WE'LL BREAK FOR DINNER, AND THEN WE'LL COME
BACK. IT'S NEARLY 6:00, SO IF WE EAT
AND THEN IF THERE ARE ANY COUNCIL ISSUESá-- WHAT ELSE IS
ON THE AGENDA? >> REVOCATION OF THEá--
>> OH, OKAY. LET'S BREAK.