Who is really the Consumer

At tonight's Fredericksburg City Council meeting, there was a discussion about taxi surcharges. Last year they revisited overall rates with taxi drivers and owners where the industry said they liked rates where they were. Consider, the discussion was actually about whether to go to meters. So of course they are going to choose to keep the existing fares and formats. Plus using a 'fuel surcharge' further obscures the true taxi costs for riders.

So as is common lately, in the rush to complete the meeting, a council member was cutoff and a statement was made about how the 'consumer is happy the way it is'. Whoa, wait a minute, since when is a taxi owner or the driver the consumer? I always thought that would have been the rider/user/payer. But I guess in this new form of government, consumer is up for redefinition.

City Taxes Going UP-UP-UP

For those of you that vote in Fredericksburg VA, here's who you can thank for higher real estate taxes.

Councilwoman Greenlaw made the final motion to raise the rate to $0.705 of every $100. That's almost 26% percent. It was seconded by Vice-Mayor Devine.

Councilman Kelly put forward an alternative $.68 of every $100. It was seconded by Councilman Ellis. The caveat is that the meals tax would have to go up a penny. Solley changed his mind from the first vote and supports the meals tax. This lessens the commercial real estate tax, and someone moves that to the restaurant business. However, in my case it also frees up significant money to actually go out and eat.

Just for reference - 1 penny on real estate = $340k
Meals tax increase 1% = 800k, offset somewhat by having to delay implementation August (100k). Yet another issue with council waiting until the last minute to approve budget.

Mr Kelly mentioned cuts to consider to make up the 100k - continuation of hiring freeze, limiting city manager salary (not filled at the moment).

But in the end, Solley, Greenlaw think this is a bare bones budget. So I ask it in public, why does the city maintain TWO parking decal authorities? Why do we continue to fund a money loosing VDOT express? What was the priority for outside agencies when you blanketly levy a 15% cut? Greenlaw justified this somewhat by saying that by 'making the list' they are priority - OK, I'll accept that. What do we save by going to 1 day trash? What did the extra $300k get in the schools?

Devine gave a speech about all the calls she gets about people wanting extra things in the city. That's fine, good managers have to know how to say NO. Yet in the end the city only took a 5.2% hit. FIVE-POINT-TWO PERCENT, with no clear vision about where we're headed. Devine 'we're wringing our hands'.

Kelly responded with 'we cannot be a burden on those people that depend on us' and 'we're beginning to hurt people we serve'. Mr. Kelly finally got my point, some savings might be only a few dollars, but all that funding adds up!!!

In the end, it was tabled, but I BEG you to think about who is running your city and how they are voting. It does matter. Renters residential or commercial, consider that every dollar your landlord has to pay in taxes is going to come out of your pocket in higher rents.

ps, they also are considering a 14% increase in the car tax, on top of water, sewer and utility taxes approved last month.

Brad Ellis's Comments Against the Courts Complex

The City of Fredericksburg is embarking on a potential upgrade to our courts. Brad Ellis made the statement in his run for the Ward 1 seat, that he was creating a website instead of a blog so that he could interact with the public. I hate to break it to him, but with out an RSS feed, and no comments section, he's severely limiting his 'interaction'.

So to help him out, I'm going to quote his website right here on this blog. He can come here and comment along with the rest of the public. His comments are definitely against starting this project now (which I agree with to some degree). He also brings up an interesting analysis of the cost per sq foot. He fails to mention that if they do start, he supports the $7M parking garage. I have not had the chance to ask him if this garage would be revenue supported, or if it's yet another addition to our tax payer supported bond package.

From FBurgImpact.com (Brad Ellis, Ward 1 Council Member), spelling errors included:

Court House Complex - A copy of the Court Facility Feasibility Study is available here. Simply put, the City cannot afford to undergo this project during the next fiscal year. We are entering the next budget cycle with a $4M shortfall. The funding required to build this complex depends upon the chosen alternative and ranges, in cost, from $45M to $65M. This translates to a tax rate increase of $0.080 to $0.115, which, in my opinion, cannot be justified during these difficult economic times.

• Indeed, the City is facing a potential Judicial directive to build a new court house facility, HOWEVER, we are not being told to build this facility next year. It is also important to note that this project will consume all the marginal revenue growth in the General Fund starting in Fiscal Year 2011. For these reasons, I cannot support moving forward with constructing the court house complex at this time.
  
• What I am willing to support is an in-depth review of a the costs and benefits of constructing a joint-use facility located near the Regional jail complex. I understand the potential economic impact of having our courts downtown and feel it is possible to still use our historic court house (with modifications to improve security and technology) for all civil case trials. A Regional Courts Facility would therefore be used for all trials involving criminal cases; located where the criminals are actually incarcerated. This approach would have the added benefit of freeing-up City police from needing to transport criminals back and forth to their holding cells.
  
• I realize there has been a lot of preliminary work performed by the City and to change course at this point seems counterintuitive. However, the fact is, the City cannot afford this courts complex at this point in time and it is unfair to put other projects on hold and / or raise taxes to fund this project. A more attractive course of action would be to use the next year to serisouly consider the costs and benefits of a joint-use facility while still maintaining our historic courthouse for civial trials. As responsible stewards of our City's resources we owe the residents a true analysis of this approach.
  
• Further notes on the cost of this project: The Operations & Maintenance costs for this complex are estimated to be $200,000 per year. The cost, per square foot of this complex will range from $619 (for a$47M facility) to $769 (for a $60M facility). This price tag is UNACCEPTABLE in my book. I work in the IT field and the cost per square foot to build a data center completely equipped with inside/outside cabling plant, robust security features, and very substantial heating and air conditioning capabilities, and raised floor space costs, on average, $600 per square foot. Furthermore, Quantico Corporate Center was recently constructed in Stafford to be compliant with Homeland Security requirements (much more stringent than those for our proposed court house complex) for around $150 per square foot. We should not move forward with this project under the terms laid out in the Feasibility Study at any time...we are going to get ripped-off if we pay these prices.


• Sustainability of the Proposed New Courts Complex: I find it very interesting that if we were to embark upon this project and finance it over 30 years that we will have outgrown it 20 years into our occupancy based off of the City's projected growth rate. Our current court house has been operational since 1852; shouldn't we at least embark upon a project that will prove useful for at least the next 100 years?


• I encourage everyone to ponder the details I've put forth and speak-out publicly and in writing to ALL of your elected officials. THIS IS NOT A GOOD DEAL FOR THE CITY.

Transportation Thru 2035 On Display TONIGHT

Fredericksburg - October 23, 2008
5 - 8 p.m.FAMPO - Robert C. Gibbons Conference Room
406 Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg

Tonigth FAMPO (Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) is laying out their long term plan for the public to comment on. So if you're at all interested in what the area's around your locality are going to look like, which projects are getting priority, and why, you might want to try to drop by the meeting tonight.

If you can't make the meeting (or didn't make it to one of the previous sessions), you can still comments:
Can’t make a meeting? Share your input in three other ways – just make sure we receive it by November 28, 2008. Comment form available online.Mail: FAMPO, 406 Princess Anne St., Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Online: www.fampo.gwregion.org/2035LongRangeTransportationPlan.html
Dial 711: Voice Relay System for Hearing Assistance

Fall is Here: City Leaf Collection begins Nov 3rd

Fall is here:
Notice was given in the newspaper this morning that the City of Fredericksburg will begin it's fall leaf collection on November 3rd. I guess that means it's time to start thinking about what to do with the pile of leaves that has begun collecting on my back patio. Not to mention the gutters around the house.

I don't see the notice on the city website yet, but for those interested, according to the 2007 flier, you just need to rake them to the edge of the street (termed the "utility strip"), but not into the street. No need to bag them, they will come by and suck them up in the truck. The notice from last year even indicated that if you bag leaves, you need to call the public works department to have them pick up your bags.

City Absentee Voting (New Location)

The next two Saturdays, the voter registration office is open in the city of Fredericksburg to take absentee votes. Technically, this is known as the "central absentee voter election precinct". Normally this is located in City Hall, but for this year, a temporary move has been approved, which should put it on the first floor of Executive Plaza, Suite 100, 601 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, VA (map).

[Update 10/21 2:42pm] I received this email from the registrar "Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention. The correction will be made today. Due to the magnitude of the November 4 Election, I decided not to move the Central Absentee Precinct until January and I neglected to put the information on the website."

This move was estimated to have cost the city $5200, but didwill put the office in an ADA compliant building. It also provides more space for the General Registrar's office.

Note that at 7am 10/21 the city website still listed the location for the registrar's office and absentee voting as 715 Princess Anne (City Hall). An email has been sent to the registrar requesting clarification.

Taxes: Everyone has and Opinion

Matt Kelly, one of the city council members, started a post over at his blog Question Everything. Eric Martin and I posted comments to the article, and Matt challenged us with the following questions (noted by 'q'). See my answers here, crossposted from Matt's comment section.

1q. How will small business complete the revitalization of Sophia Street? What improvements do you expect them to make? How will they cover the cost of those improvements? Who decides on what improvements to make?
1a) Improvements should be done with a bond, where the BID pays the debt service through the increased tax revenue. Immediately after improving the area, you would expect property values to increase. You would also expect improvements to drive additional business in the area. All prime areas for BIDs, or a Sophia overlay. Most cites pay for parking garages this way, with parking revenue and increased business tax revenue used to cover dept service.

2q. How does reducing funding to schools improve student performance?
2a) Funding for schools needs to be based on enrollment and services offered. What do you remember from school? I remember the teachers, which I consider the core service a school offers. In tight times, a diet light in construction and extras allows more emphasis on scholarly work. The school budget has not been my specialty, so I will openly admit to needing to brush up on this one.

3q. If you invest a dollar and get two dollars back is that a good thing? Do you want tourists to pay for our new court facility or City residents?
3a)I take it your 1 dollar investment for 2 in return is in reference to incentives for Kalahari. I agree with you that this is a good investment. It's NEW tax revenue, which will probably all go to building the new courthouse. Now lets talk courts - what do we really get for 60M? It is a Taj Mahal building? What do we need? Courts. Simple. Even if the building offers retail, doesn't that compete directly with other downtown business owners for rent? Where do you draw the line. I'd suggest we ask what we can get for 40M, how much better is 60M? But lets go even further, what are the yearly maintenance costs going to be for the courts and who's going to pay that? I've suggested before that we need a very efficient building, so that our long term base costs are reduced. Council has not published any options for the courts, so stop using it as a scare tactic. Right now it could be 40M, it could be 80M for all we know. Maybe initially we need to consider using the existing parking garage to reduce our upfront costs. (Did I say I was perfectly OK with incentivizing other businesses to create NEW revenue.)

4q. If I contract out a job to a firm that has to pay competitive wages to their employees, provide benefits, and make a profit--how much money do we save? Like business should we charge for the actual cost for services?
4a)I didn't suggest uping service charges, I suggest combining services to reduce our biggest cost that we have control over - manpower. I think the hiring freeze was a good start. Now as attrition continues, we need to think hard about how to become more productive. Like business, we absolutely should be looking at our productivity numbers. By my survey of a few budget items, looking at overhead rates compared to money expended on services, we're less productive this year than last.

5q. If the people continue to contribute to erosion of the riverbank, cut down trees, and leave large amounts of trash how long will it be before people will stop coming?
5a) So bring on the conservation ordinances. Let talk more than just the river resource, lets talk light pollution, lets talk runoff from pavement (which is required by the current ordinance for all parking). The saving of 2000+ acres was a great thing. It is great that the public owns this area. Whatever design is created for the riverfront, should consider flooding and erosion resistant landscaping.

6q. What specific projects or programs has the City paid for that you object to?
6a) Hasn't happened yet, but I object to spending 50k to remove 1200 Prince Edward. Like I stated earlier, up until now, I've pretty much supported the plans of council. It's just time to cut back, tighten the belts, combine departments where needed. Remove the stovepipes, and stop duplicating services.

7q. True or False. The City reduced its operating budget last year?
7a)True - the city reduced spending this year, and yet still had to borrow from the reserve.

8q. True or False. Congested roads, and infrastructure in disrepair are good for economic development?
8a)Name me a truly congested road inside the city? Coming from northern va, and the Hampton roads area, and you can't compare. Rt3 between Rt1 and Carl D Silver parkway is probably the best example. So what plans are there? Show me a plan that can get more throughput with what exists - lets talk to VDOT about retiming the lights, which they already have an employee to do. Lets talk about Fall Hill, which will be paid for with transportation money - what speed did you drive the last time you went up Fall Hill? If you're honest, you will probably find it was close to the speed limit. We need sidewalks in the new design, we want bike lanes/paths, what we don't need are more stoplights breaking up that throughput. There are designs out there that would allow intersections at each residential neighborhood, and since they don't require the utility work for a dozen stoplights, it should be cheaper. Do more with less, that's all I ask. I would say not having buried utilities does more for economic development in the city. Now I know you're interested in regional solutions to transport congestion, and there we should work with the state to direct transport funds to good efficient designs.BTW - this is not a true or false problem. To present it as such is deceiving the public. It's an analysis of alternatives. Apply a little six sigma to 1st uncover the true problems, create a measurement if needed, then design and implement the correct solution. Measure again to see if you solved the problem. Council is trying to make it too black and white. Apply a little engineering effort to understand the issues first.

9q. Would it be more efficient for you to drive out to Massaponax and come back to City Hall to get your car registered? Do you understand that the Commissioner of the Revenue and Treasurer are State Constitutional Officers?
9a) No other locality that I've ever lived in has had 2 windows for commissioner of revenue and treasurers office. They are two positions in the back office, it doesn't mean there can't be one front person that collects taxes and issues decals. Heck, Greene county barely had one glass window to go to. And yes, I like the DMV express - and I believe that function is paid for by revenue from their cut of transactions. Talking with the attendant though, there are overhead costs for this such as nightly mailing in the days forms. Is this self supporting? Many people don't even know it's there, I tell everyone I know.

10q. Can you give a specific example of how you would reduce expenditures without reducing services?
10a)
a)Combine the windows for comm of revenue and treasurers office.
b)Ditch the city decal from the revenue/treasures office altogether, move that function to the police department with the other city resident decals.
c)look for more partnerships such as the master gardeners and parks
d)ditch the 100% cotton paper used in city offices for official correspondence (it's minor, I know, but it means more to me to get a 100% recycled paper at 25% the cost)
e)move the city to leasing computer equipment, equalizing expenses over 3 years rather than having spikes in spending, making it easier to plan
f)question HVAC replacement $1.3M, can any of this be moved out 1yr, 2yrs? With the new window film on the executive center, shouldn't the AC needs be reduced (BTW-good move in my opinion)?
g)question 1.1M for VCR trail. I know a majority of this is grant money, but what isn't? City crews, planning department overhead? What's the true cost. I want the VCR trail, but in a critical budget year, will it hurt to delay? What if I put it in the same black/white statement - VCR trail or Historic Sidewalks around the new hotel downtown to draw return tourists?
h)with all the sewer work, how about an ordinance to allow more construction up, and limit coverage to assist in runoff? The storm sewers can barely (can not) handle the runoff we have now. Lock these hand in hand.
i)Look at the trash and recycling fees, are they covering costs? How about investing in larger trash cans and going to one pickup a week?
-These are just a few I've spoken about before, plus a quick look at the CIP. I'm sure there are more. If you cut external agencies, please please please provide them a method to earn that money back easily, open up Finally Fridays to an every Friday event manned by volunteers, with the end of year profit going back to those organizations.

Aq) Local government is not subject to such forces as competition and inflation/cost of living?
Aa)Inflation affects gov't, and in previous years also impacted the tax revenue. This year is bad, because inflation is driving up prices while tax revenue is down. Many of the constituents in this city are personally affected in a similar way, so to say that justifies raising taxes is cruel and unusual punishment.

Bq) Government employees are on average paid more than their counterparts in the private sector?
Ba)Most recent polls say that gov't workers and professional counterparts are close to equal. This is mostly due to the bust of the internet bubble years ago. With the recent private layoffs, the gov't security has been an equalizer. Also, we have to stop thinking that we're competing with Prince William or Fairfax. The equalizing force of gas prices is making it more appealing to work close to home, not to mention the extra time to spend with friends and family. You guys are doing a great job trying to draw more opportunities here local. You heard me say it the other night, we are the center of a nice metro area, lets use that to our advantage. Some things have worked, some we lost, don't stop trying.

Cq) Unlike private sector employees, Government employees are all lazy and look for ways to waste money?
Ca)haha - good one. Council needs to make the rules so that they can be efficient, structure has a lot to do with efficiency.

Dq) If government operated like the private sector all waste and inefficiency would come to an end?
Da)I think that's why you're seeing public-private partnerships for things like amphitheaters, parking garages, and even whole redevelopment areas. You get the best in gov't financing, contracting, and private implementation, attention to details and budget/cost/benefit. You have to admit that private industry can accomplish things that government cannot, because they have an incentive.

Eq) We do not have tax relief programs to help people on fixed incomes?
Ea)This couldn't have been directed at my post. Raising real estate taxes usually hurts the people on fixed incomes first.

Thanks Matt! For providing a platform for all of us, and for listening to our stances.Wow that was a long answer.

Might create more questions.

FROM the followup post to correct some minor issues:
Oh - it was to answer #4 and #5, and I forgot to give true/false's on the last few. TRUE We offer tax relief for fixed income over a certain age right? How about low income? How about tax relief for hardship cases? You know, lower taxes helps these, but then when do you have to cut something like the homeless shelter, which really hurts.

I'll repeat something I said the other night - it's a yardstick. The answer lays somewhere between the start and the end, but I doubt if it's really at either end, and I really hope it's closer to the smallest raise possible. I also favor consumption taxes, which are voluntary based on wants of those paying for the product/service.
I just want to be sure we're lean. Not convinced we're there yet.
Oh - and I think the garage should offer a 10-pack of prepaid $4 tickets. The city would collect money upfront for services not yet rendered. Also, seems that $4 is low for a daily rate (maybe we need daily, 10-pack and monthly rates), and why isn't this a prime special event parking (at $5 or more). Think of an every friday's event!!!If the garage covered it's own debt service, that would free up some funds from the 2% gas tax to cover street work, burying utilities, concrete/pavement rehab, etc.

Metts For City Council Ward 1

New link added to the blog to link directly to the "Who is Bryan Metts" page for those living in Fredericskburg that would like to know more about my run for nomination to the Ward 1 council seat.

Please note, since this is an appointment to fill out the remaining portion of a term, residents need to contact their council members before the Sept 8th meeting about which candidate you wish to fill the position. There will then be a public speaking session to speak about the three proposed candidates. Here is the official timeline:

September 8, 2008
6:00 p.m. Special meeting to pare down candidates to 3 for interview process

September 9, 2008
Regular session meeting. Public may comment on applicants during public comment time only. (Citizens must sign up with Clerk of Council before COB September 9, 2008)

September 11, 2008
6:00 p.m. Council will conduct panel style interview in Council Chambers

September 16, 2008
6:00 p.m. Special Meeting of City Council for selection of candidate replacement

September 23, 2008
5:00 p.m. work session if needed for tie vote at the September 16, 2008 meeting

Who Is Bryan Metts?

As I read the FLS this morning on who is running to fill the vacated Fredericksburg City Council seat, I realized that I need to let people know who I am. These are in no particular order.

#1 - I'm open. As many of the regular readers here will know, I like to put my position out there, and then engage the public. It's always an analysis of alternatives, it's the engineer in me. Be assured that if I take a side, you the voting public have every right to know why.

#2 - I'm a blogger (this was how the FLS referenced me), but I'm also a full time DoD contractor working as a software engineer and project manager. I work across several programs, overseeing several major software projects, either working individually, or as part of a larger management team. I currently am employed by a small business, and commute to either Crystal City or Dahlgren. Prior to this I spent ten years at a top ten Fortune 100 company with 300k+ employees. (For those interested, I have a BS in Computer Engineering from Old Dominion University and an MBA from Averett University.)

#3 - Gail and I are expecting our first child in October. If this isn't incentive to get involved in the future of the city, I don't know what is. We love the city, Gail graduated from UMW, and we want the best for our family here. You will often find us out enjoying the many great restaurants and stores around town, both downtown and in Central Park.

#4 - I want to improve on the quality of life in Fredericksburg. Here are my initial ideas, however, I plan on getting out to each of the neighborhoods and may add or modify this list. It's just a set of ideas, I want the people of Ward 1 to contribute, so please don't slaughter me if you disagree with one of them, let me know why and lets see what comes out.
a) Improve transportation, better flow around and through Central Park, Celebrate VA, and the Fall Hill corridor. I want to improve throughput on our existing roads, and petition the state and neighboring counties to improve flow through the city.
b) Better biking and walking into and around the city. Bike lanes on renovated roadways, better sidewalks and walkways.
c) Reduce the city's 6% jobless rate. Incentivize diversity in the business market, to expand the city's base from retail and tourism to include commercial and tech. Promote development of the city industrial park. Evaluate the areas slated for business vs. residential and make sure they continue to make sense. Is there interest in the community for a mixed use zoning?
d) Maintain residents' property rights. Enhance buffer zones, evaluate dark sky and anti-glare ordinances, investigate transport solutions to resolve conflicts between residential and heavy retail/commercial. Keep taxes in check.
e) Optimize government, save where we can in overhead so that we can spend on services.

#5 - I'm someone who you're as likely to see wearing shorts and a t-shirt, as a business suit. We live in Altoona subdivision off of Rt3, two stoplights from I-95. Hobbies range from doing yard work on the weekends to going scuba diving with family and friends (and writing this blog).

Again, these are in no particular order. So now I want to hear from you(click here or the Contact Author link at the right of this page), and so does City Council. Without having an election, they have put a slot on the calendar at the Sept 9th meeting to hear from residents on the candidates. I hope you support me, Bryan Metts.

InTheBurg Blogger for City Council

As widely reported last week, Marv Dixon the Fredericksburg Ward 1 City Council member is leaving council effective Sept 1 to attend to some family needs. I've often exchanged email with council member Dixon on topics covered on InTheBurg. I greatly respect the work he has done while serving on council, and have enjoyed our conversations on city topics.


As many of you know, I've closely followed Fredericksburg City Council topics to report out on what's going on in town. After discussing the commitment with my wonderful wife over the weekend, I've decided to toss my hat into the ring for representing Ward 1.

Bryan Metts For Ward 1! Spread the news!


The nomination process is going to include submitting a resume, written responses to a list of questions, and then an interview. All of these are to be open to the public. I would also point any constituents to this blog, and the contact me box if they have any questions on where I stand on topics.


A neighbor was asking about the wards over the weekend. Here is the map. It's also available on the city website here. The next election for ward members will be 2010. According to this story in the FLS, there were 3,286 registered voters in Ward 1 in the 2006 election.

Green Gov't Challenge

Fredericksburg, VA is laying down a challenge along with other VA governments. The Virginia Municipal League is putting together the Green Government Challenge, which gives localities points for having good green practices, and more points for putting plans in place for more green activities. Read the whole challenge here.

The report at the working session indicated that the city should fall somewhere between 120 and 145 out of a possible 200 (the PowerPoint had 230, but re-reading the info in the work session packet it adds to only 200).

The City made a major push for Green buildings in 1996, the city saved over $391k. They are now expanding on an environment management system for an additional 12 buildings. Of course the next major new construction will be the courts building, and how many technologies and processes will be utilized.

Much of the discussion on upcoming plans revolved around several draft regulations and ordinances. My highlight was hearing that the city is considering dark skies initiatives and have actually successfully used dark skies compliant lighting on Cowan Blvd.

City Services had a busy year

In the last fiscal year (ending June 30th), the city teams, employees, council and agencies have been very busy. Here is the list of items that apply to city council goals. This is just a slice of the overall picture of all the items the City does for residents and visitors (along with some of my comments).

1. Historic District Character and Vitality
a. Riverfront Park Development (Legacy Initiative) - 2 of 3 properties acquired
b. Downtown Streetscape and Service Improvements - sidewalks/signage
c. Downtown Parking Policies
d. Historic Preservation Plan
e. Executive Plaza Renovation and Use
f. Court Improvements Plan (Legacy Initiative)
g. Post Office Site Reuse

2. Character of the City and Neighborhoods
a. Comprehensive Plan Update Adoption and Zoning Ordinance Update
Significant Progress or Adoption
b. Zoning and Building Maintenance Enforcement Improvements
c. Neighborhood Streetscape Assessment and Repairs

3. Economic Vitality
a. Economic Development Program and JumpStart Implementation
b. Regional Tourism Partnerships
c. Celebrate Virginia South Development - Wegmans (2009) & Kalahari (2010)

4. Rappahannock River and the Environment
a. Riparian Lands Protection and Management Program - hired manager
b. Wastewater Treatment Plant Renovation or Consolidation
c. Stormwater Management and Erosion & Sediment Control Programs

5. Parks, Recreation & Open Space
a. Dixon Park Community Center
b. Pathways Plan - received VDOT grant for heritage trail, engineering on VCR trail
c. Park & Open Space Location and Master Planning

6. Public Safety
a. EMS Fee for Service
b. Fire Station 3 Evaluation Decision

7. Transportation
a. Fall Hill Avenue Improvements
b. Future of FRED Transit - new center up and running

8. Governance
a. Information Technology Management - look for new website coming soon
b. Emphasis of Continuous Improvement of Services
c. Refuse and Recycling Services Improvement

City Council update

Tonights a busy night at city council, check back for updates later.

3 recognitions, one of which was for a 26yr veteran of the fire Dept.
EMT training for James Monroe students.

Budget has been tabled for 2 more weeks.

Hurricane prep presentation
Kit:
Flashlights and batteries
Batt radio or crank radio
3 days of Food, water, medications
First aid kit
Make a plan in case family is split up


Items of interest:
City is pursuing a ROAM system for text message alerts. Nothing is free though, but they are looking at a grant.

City investigating meter taxi rates, vs the current zone system.

Housing advisory commission needs people to apply. The only applicant is already on 2 other commissions.

The first fine arts commission is now set with 8 members.

The budget is tabled, but rate increases have been approved for water and sewer. Not much, but like everything else the increased costs are being passed onto the users.

233/235 Charles St. Special use permit was only for flood plain, but the ordinance may allow for agreement with comprehensive plan.

The city is accepting 10 acres to be included in the city park system. At some future point it will be available as open space for all residents.

The school board found they didn't spend all of their 07 budget (572k), so they will now get that back this year.

Panhandling ordinance clarification, its ok to be on a sidewalk with a sign, the police shouldn't ticket. Just can't stand in the road. And due to legal issues with discriminating for/against EMS, they won't be able to stand in the road either. The city is going to try to find alternative solutions for the rescue squad to raise money.

Over 100 people attended the city business appreciation meeting.

The city is looking at efficiencies, tonight the city manager reports that by consolidating mobile phones across the city they expect to save 35-40k per year. Good for them, hopefully we will see more coming.

Looks like without budget items, they will get out of here by 9:05pm

Note on City PP Taxes

My public service announcement for the week.
Readers from the city should have received their personal property tax bills in the mail this week. Be sure to log into the online system (http://www.fredericksburgva.gov click in the lower right Payments Online). Before paying your bill, you might want to first click on the left side of the page; "Inquiry Options" Then "PP Inquiry", and review your account. I found I had a credit of $30 from an overpayment last year. This credit was not applied when I clicked payment options. The payment screen only contained this year's combination of vehicles. After getting a few busy signals I was able to get through to the treasurer’s office and verify that the lower amount was correct. I believe I could have just entered this amount manually in the online system and everything would have been just fine. So be sure to run your full account to validate your bill.

City Council Mtg

Marv Dixon may have said it best tonight. Are there any items in the Kalahari package that are deal breakers for him. This sums up what a lot of us feel, there are bits and pieces of the package that we don't like, but would you turn down the benefits because of it?

He went on to state "it took less time for the Continental Congress to form the nation" in relation to having talked about this for 8 months. Every day that we don't get Kalahari, delays 10k in revenue.

Of course Girvan voted 'No' twice. There was a squabble at the beginning of the meeting. She wants to talk about the 800 jobs in the incentive package. Early on, in some memos, and in verbal, Kalahari talked about 900 or 1000 jobs. Like they could ever put that in a minimum bar incentive.

Here's the deal, ANY INTELLIGENT BUSINESS is going to hedge their numbers when an incentive package is 100% dependent on meeting the goals. If I were a betting person, I would bet the 'investment in 10yrs' is a huge hedge. Especially since it isn't indexed to inflation.

Thankfully everyone else on council had thought this through.

Mayoral Debates

At the meet & greet with Mayor Tomzak tonight, it was confirmed that there will be a debate at UMW on Monday 4/21. Followed with another debate with HFFI on Thursday 4/24.

May 6th Election

I have been closely following this year's race for Mayor and City Council. Several people have asked why I didn't toss my hat into the circle - obviously I have an oppinion or two about how things could be done better. Well, timing just didn't work out for me to attempt such a run this time. Instead I'm going to toss my support for a few of the candidates that I think will do the best.

I'm sure that some readers will find that one or more of these candidates are not their choice. However, I'm supporting them, and I've given them my word that I will do what I can with that support. So here are my reasons why these three are going to be my vote on May 6th.

Mayor:

Tom Tomzak - Because I like the idea of having a medical professional and experienced businessman as Mayor. I generally support the initiatives he has backed, as well as his vision for a future Fredericksburg. He has been open to suggestions, and openly engages the public to make sure that all sides are considered (note that I'm not saying he always makes everyone happy, but anyone in this position is going to have this problem).

At Large Council:

Kerry Devine - I've watched Vice-Mayor Devine tactfully ask questions in council meetings and work sessions to draw out useful details for making decisions. She is always very well prepared, as well as direct and to the point. I also feel that as a teacher, she brings a level of understanding the budget discussions that not only reminds the city of what they are paying for, but also means that the schools have a respect for the limited resources the city work with. Coming from a family of teachers, this emphasis rings home.

B-J Huff - Here is my wild-card candidate. B-J doesn't have the historical voting record to go on yet, but there will be six other people there to reign him in if he goes way off course. I believe that he will bring both new and refreshing ideas to council. He may swing big at times, but maybe a few will be hits that everyone can get behind. I believe his youth will be a benefit, something to mix it up at council. With his accounting background, his decisions should be anchored in reason and logic.

So there you have it, a doctor, a teacher and an accountant. Their backgrounds alone make for a pretty good group. There are many more reasons than I've listed here. The FLS editorial board interviewed the Mayorial candidates this week, and I'm sure you're going to hear more over the next few weeks about what each one did or is planning on doing.

As I get time, maybe I'll try to write an article on each one, letting you know what I like about each of these indivuals. I expect some people won't agree with me, and I look forward to their participation in this discussion. The other candidates both have their strengths, I just like these three better than the alternatives.

Home size/lot coverage zoning

Ok folks, this is the third and final post (Parts 1 and 2) related to the upcoming zoning ordinance change that results in downzoning most residential single family homes in the city of Fredericksburg. In ten days, on March 25, there is supposed to be a public hearing on the matter. I highly recommend anyone owning a residential property to come out and here how you are going to be affected. You will no longer be able to build the same size addition as before, if you found yourself in a situation to rebuilt, you are going to be more restricted after this ordinance than before.

Ok, so enough with the sky if falling talk. In my last post I promised to give one reason why this ordinance may be good. Previously I had pointed out that the harm in building a large modern home is generally being opposed as a visual abomination. I found it hard to imagine the city has spent so much time and effort trying to fix something because people don't like the way something looks. That these neighbors would have a hard time trying to prove harm from "large homes" nearby in their neighborhood.

Here it is: Included in this ordinance is a restriction on lot coverage. Depending on the width (not depth) of the lot, you may be able to cover either 40% (for lots under 40 feet) or 30% (for those over 40 feet wide). This might - and I say that with some reservation - be supported by an argument for reducing runoff during storms. The more you cover a lot, the less ability the ground has to assorb water runoff during a storm. As more water is forced onto the roadway an into the storm drains, the more susceptable the area is to flooding. Houses can help abate this by landscape design. In extreem cases cisterns can capture water from gutters that can then be distributed later for irrigation and watering after the storm has passed. I stated that I have some reservation to using this as an argument for the changes, because the ordinance does not have any limits on other structures or driveways, which all affect total land coverage. At the same time the ordinance reduces coverage, also reduces height. If you can't build out, then the only other way to go is up.

So in a year when budgets are tight, when we need to have people interested in the city, when every building is an opportunity to hire local labor and put investment back into the city, this ordinance change is the wrong plan. I believe that our current system of measuring height and setbacks is completely adequate for a city where space is limited. I believe that the changes being proposed don't fix "character" as originally requested by the council. I believe that if residents want to have control of the houses down the street, they should put it to a vote for the entire neighborhood to create an overlay district. I personally enjoy the fact that my neighborhood is not in an associtation, that I'm not having to go to the ARB for every change I make. I enjoy living in a vibrant city that still has new homes being built.

At a time when businesses are getting a lot of attention, don't the citizens deserve the opportunity to invest in their own property to the degree that we could when we purchased our property. The final thing that really gripes me about this change, is that it's being voted on by council, not by the citizens that affect them. There has been no ballot initiative that says the majority of residents and owners either agree or disagree.

Please take the time to read the announcement on the city website when it is released, and take a look at my three articles here. There are also links in the previous posts to items in the FLS. Before you make a decision one way or the other, take a time to look at the facts, and what this will do to the city, then come speak up at the public hearing.

Scorecard for the week

I was able to get away with my wonderful wife for a week to do some skiing and lets see if I got everything that happened this week:

1) working session held so that the public could hear about all of the known Kalahari benefits and costs across the city

2) city heard from the public about a house in the historic city that put on siding without getting ARB approval. (funny, I thought that was in the zoning ordinance, not building code, so I would have to agree with the comment at the public meeting. I love having a DVR.)

3) VA Partners Bank asked for approval to get a few waivers from the city zoning ordinances. Most critical was parking, which brought up an interesting statement that the business would NOT pay for garage parking for employees. (Isn't this a lot like giving incentives if the city doesn't require the bank to pay for offset parking?) Thankfully the mayor sent it back for more discussion. Also sounded like the Bank needs to hold it's own talk with nearby residents.

4) The ALE HOUSE incentives were approved, again the city is refunding future tax income, not giving them a freebie handout (except for some upfront reimbursement for improvements).

5) Seems like a few spears are being tossed setting up for election year politics.

6) Oh yes, another park is in works. If the city can complete the former cossey water treatment plant park along with the new riverfront park, it will create a nice collection of public areas. (Doesn't this mean they shouldn't be spending so much time on the oversized housing ordinance since we will have these great public backyards?)

7) Cobblestone Square is now going to be appartments? Is this even legal based on the original site plan approval (I don't know anything about this one, I have not done the research to see what the city approved back-in-the-day)

8) City continues to fund some much needed capital equipment. Did anyone else notice that the $300k for computer equipment was for outright purchases? Don't most businesses now do a 2.5 or 3 yr lease to help spread replacement costs out over the equipment lifespan? Is everyone in the government doing everything they can to save money instead of going with the business-as-usual.

WOW! And it was only the last week of Feb - I thought things were supposed to be quiet in the winter months. Just wait, we're almost into budget season.

Buying the Executive Building

There was a brief discussion during the council meeting about the refurbishment costs to the city for the Executive Building. Mr. Wilson stood up and stated he would gladly buy it back for what the city paid for the building. In the interest of diversifying the downtown ownership, I too would gladly buy the building off of the city at this incredible value. If nothing else, I think they should just turn it over to me, that would save them 1.3M in next years budget.