2008-03-18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE HELD ON Tuesday, March 18, 2008 AT 5:00 p.m. IN THE Basement Conference Room. THE PROPOSED AGENDA IS AS FOLLOWS: Budget Work Session BY ORDER OF THE MAYOR BY Jeanne Cox BASEMENT CONFERENCE ROOM – March 18, 2008 Council met in special session on this date with the following members present: Dr. Brown, Mr. Huja, Mr. Norris, Mr. Taliaferro. Absent: Ms. Edwards. Ms. Leslie Beauregard, Director, Budget and Performance Management, said that the State is looking for $50 million in savings and is asking localities how they want it done. She said funding for HB 599 has been retained, but less will be received. She said drug court funding was not eliminated as was originally proposed. She said localities will receive no profits from ABC sales. She said schools seem to be in pretty good shape with regard to State funding. She said reductions will have to be done to the City’s budget in the summer or fall. Outside Agencies Ms. Beauregard said the Agency Budget Review Team (ABRT), composed of City and Albemarle County staff and citizen representatives, focuses on human service agencies. Mr. Huja said that Ms. Edwards has questions about the review process, and said she thinks the City’s process seems complicated and she thought the process used by Madison House was easier. He said she also has questions about the cost of the process and the impact on programs. Dr. Brown said these are bigger picture questions that he thinks should be addressed outside of the budget work session. He noted that the current process has systematic and objective measures. He also noted that years ago Council reviewed each agency which was extremely time consuming. Ms. Beauregard said the second process is done by City and Albemarle County staff and reviews arts, cultural, education and contractual agreements (i.e., Region Ten Community Services Board and the Jail). Ms. Beauregard said that new or increased funding is proposed for a Computers 4 Kids program, Municipal Band, Piedmont Council of the Arts, and Festival of the Photograph. Responding to a question from Mr. Norris, Ms. Beauregard said the funding for City supported events is a pool of money for off budget requests. Mr. Huja asked why full funding was not recommended for Children, Youth and Family Services’ REAL Dad’s program, and Mr. Ryan Davidson, Budget and Utilities Analyst, said that it was rated poor by ABRT. Mr. Norris said he would like to fully fund the REAL Dad’s program as he thinks it is a worthy program. Mr. Huja and Mr. Taliaferro agreed to the additional $2,600 for the REAL Dad’s Program. Mr. Norris said MACAA’s Partners in Education program understands that there are concerns about this program and they want to improve it.