1980-04-14 - Laserfiche WebLink

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25O Special Session Public hearing re.: City & school board budgets COUNCIL CHAMBER - MONDAY, A3RIL 14, 1980 Council met in special session on this date with the following members present: Mr. Albro, Mr. Brunton, Mr. Buck, Mr. Gatewood, Mrs. O'Brien. Absent: None. 'Council held a public hearing to hear comments about the proposed City and school budgets, Christopher Devan, Director of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, requested that Council fund the library for Sp~000 more than was recommended by City staff. Mr. Devan cited2 the occupancy of the new main library as well as new constraints imposed by the State as reasons for the need for extra funds'. He pointed out that a massive increase in State funding enabled the library staff to ask only a 7% increase this year from localities. He mentioned that Louisa County, Albemarle County and Lovingston have all funded the full requests; ohly Greene County has not made a decision, due to their financial difficulties. Sally Morgan, Director of the M.A.C.A.A. Children's Program, requested an $8,000 match to fund Headstart and summer food programs. Steve Scott of c.H.I.P, thanked Council for the consideration given to C.H.I.P.'s budget and said the preliminary changes are quite satisfactory. Peter Munger of the Charlottesville Council for Quality Education supported the school board's proposed budget and urged Council to fund it fully. He cited the progress, made this past year in competency tests and stated that dramatic cuts of this nature will make a quality program difficult t maintain. Tom Brown of the VPI&SU Extension Service spoke in favor c full funding for that office. He asserted that Charlottes- ville citizens have a right to the service as it is mostly supported by Federal tax dollars. He spoke of the 4-H programs in the schools, lawn & garden help given (1,000 requests in the past year), soil & fertilization tests and home vegetable g~rdening classes as a few of the services presently provided. Hm said that the office would like to investigate the possibility of coordinating or combining efforts with the Albemarle County office but that this could not be done before the beginning of t~e next fiscal year. Mr. Brown, when asked what service levels w~e~alternatives to full funding, replied that a minimum of $14'717~ wOuld be required to maintain the office and one agent; only the nutrition program would remain in this case. Alice Dyer of the ~xtension Service requested that Council grant full funding to the office. She said they provided s~rvices that were unique and diverse and benefited the¢ommunity aS! a whole.