1974-01-07 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~LATTERS BY THE PUBLIC PUBLIC HEARING RE: COUNCILMEN'S SALARIES RESOLUTION RE: SALARIES - CHARTER CP~NNGE PRESENTATION RE: PURCHASE OF SCHOOL BUSES MR. GEORGE GILMER, JR. FROM THE PUBLIC TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT HE WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE AGENDA BE MADE AVAILABLE A WEEK PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND ANY REPORTS THAT DEAL WITH IMPORTANT MATTERS SUCH AS WATER & SE-~ER RATES BE MADE PUBLIC AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HE ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE SCHOOLS, SEWER & WATER, AND THE SANITARY LANDFILL AND SUGGESTED THAT MERGER BETWEEN COUNTY AND CITY COULD BE WORKED OUT. MR. C. E. ANDERSON FROM THE PUBLIC ADDRESSED -rHE COUNCIL ON A NUMBER OF TOPICS INCLUDING THE BOND ISSUE, CITY HALL BUREAUCRACY, OUTSIDE LEGAL CONSULTANTS, BETTER STREET SIGNS, AND THREE SURPLUS SCHOOLS. A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD ON THIS DATE ON THE PROPOSED CHARTER CHANGE RELATING TO COUNCILMEN'S SALARIES. SEVERAL CITIZENS SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THE CHARTER CHANGE AND ONLY TWO PEOPLE QUESTIONED THE JUSTIFICATION OF AN INCREASE. A RESOLUTION WAS OFFERED BY MR. VAN YAHRES, SECONDED BY MRS. RINEHART, WHICH WAS TO BE SENT TO THE AREA MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AS FOLLOWS: WHEREAS, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ANNOUNCED ITS INTENTION TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CHARTER TO INCREASE THE SALARIES OF THE MAYOR AND MEMBER OF COUNCIL; AND WHEREAS, ON JANUARY 7, 1974, THE CITY COUNCIL HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON SUCH CHARTER AMENDMENT,BE IT AND NOTICE OF SUCH HEARING WAS DULY PUBLISHED AS REQUIRED 8Y LAW, NOW,TFfEREFORE, RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA BE REQUESTED TO ADOPT AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 5, AS AMENDED, OF CHAPTER 384 OF THE ACTS OF ASSEMBLY OF 1946, WHICH PROVIDE A CHARTER FOR THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TO THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS ANNUALLY AND OF THE MAYOR TO FORTY-EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS ANNUALLY; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED. THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE SENT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY REPRESENTING CHARLOTTESVILLE, REQUESTING THEIR SPONSORSHIP OF A BILL TO ACCOMPLISH SUCH CHARTER AMENDMENT. MAYOR FIFE INFORMED THE PUBLIC THE CHAR'FER CHANGE WOULD 8E EFFECTIVE ON JULY 1, 1974 IF PASSED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THE FOLLOWING VOTE WAS RECORDED FOR THE CHARTER CHANGE AMENDMENT: AYES: ~R. FIFE~ ~R. GILLIAN, MRS. RINEHART AND N~. VAN YAHRES. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: MR. BARBOUR. REV. HENRY MITCHELL, CHAIRMAN OF ]'HE SCHOOL BOARD, GAVE A PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL ON A PROPOSAL TO IMPLEB'4ENT A PUPIL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TO BEGIN IN THE FALL OF 1974 WITH AN APPROPRIATION OF $235,000. HE STRESSED THE EXTREME URGENCY IN THE BOARD'S REQUEST DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WOULD TAKE 150-200 DAYS TO GET THE CHASSIS FOR THE BUSES. REV. MITCHELL STRESSED THE FOLLOWING R~SONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ]'HE SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM: EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR EACH CHILD, NC3 COST TO EACH CHILD; IMPROVED ATTENDANCE; IMPROVED SAFETY; IMPROVED STUDENT CONTROL AND BEHAVIOR; BETTER ABILITY TO DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS FROM PARENTS AND TEACHERS; THE SYSTEM WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN EXTENSION OF THE CLASSROOM (BY USING THEM FOR FIELD TRIPS, THEATER PROGRAMS, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, ATHELETICS AND BAND USAGEI STUDENT EXCHANGES, SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENT TRANSPORTATION); MORE CITIES IN THE STATE HAVE GONE TO A SCHOOL OWNED BUS SYSTEM; AND REPORTS 'THAT SCHOOL OWNED SYSTEMS ARE MUCH MORE ECONOMICAL AND MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN PRIVATE CARRIER. HE EMPHASIZED THE FACT ]'HAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM COULD TRANSPORT TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PRESENTLY RIDING THE BUSES FOR APPROXIMATELY $78,038 LESS THAN THEY ARE NEW SPENDING. THIS IN TURN WOULD REDUCE THE COST PER CHILD FROM AROUND $55 TO $25. COUNCIL MEMBERS QUESTIONED THE SCHOOL BOARD AND STAFF ON THE DANGERS OF THE YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES, SAFETY REGULATIONS REQUIRED BY THE STATE, ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS STUDIED BY THE BOARD, LONG-TERN CONTRACT WITH PRIVATE CARRIER TO PROVIDE THE SAME KIND OF SERVICES, DISADVANTAGES OF THE YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES, THE $50,000 REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE, AND DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS. (A SET OF FIGURES PRESENTED BY REV. MITCHELL IS ON FILE WITH THESE MINUTES.)