2003-01-21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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8 Ms. Virginia Amiss, Watson Avenue, said she has heard people say they want to move away from Charlottesville because of the taxes. She said she and her husband have put a lot of sweat and blood into their house. She said a spe ed table is needed on Watson Avenue to reduce speed limits. Ms. Amiss said that all of the new housing discussed by the Mayor during his presentation will cost over $200,000 and there is no open space for low income housing. She expressed concern that th e Piedmont Housing Alliance house on Page Street was bought by someone from Culpeper. She said workers at the University of Virginia Hospital come from far away because it is too expensive to live in Charlottesville. OTHER BUSINESS Mr. Cox asked Counci lors to reconsider other retreat dates. Mr. Cox read a letter from Delegate Mitchell Van Yahres asking for input from Council on the proposed House bill to mandate a change to November elections for Council elections. Mr. Schilling said he would like t o see the bill. Ms. Richards said she would like more information on Richmond elections that were held in November, and the attention given to the local race. She expressed concern that local elections will get buried. Ms. Richards said she will not en tertain shortening terms. She also said she dislikes the mandatory position. She said if she agreed to changing the elections, she would not do so before the 2005 elections and would only support odd year elections. Mr. Cox said he shares Ms. Richards' concern about shortening of terms. Mr. Craig Brown, City Attorney, said that the bill, if approved, would mandate that elections be moved to November, but localities could decide whether they would be in even or odd years. Mr. Brown said that if electio ns were held in November of even years, Councilors' terms would be lengthened by six months. Mr. Caravati noted that not making the change until 2005 would result in himself and Mr. Schilling having their terms reduced, but not the other three Councilors Mr. Lynch said he sees pros and cons to moving the elections to November, but thinks we should stick with odd years if the decision is made to move them to November. Mr. Lynch said he is not concerned about losing six months of his term. It was agree d that Councilors would contact Mr. Van Yahres individually about the issue. On motion by Ms. Richards, seconded by Mr. Caravati, Council voted (Ayes: Mr. Caravati, Mr. Cox, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Richards, Mr. Schilling. Noes: None.) to meet in closed sessio n for discussion and consideration of the performance evaluation of the City Manager, and of assignment of the City Manager to an additional position, as authorized by Virginia Code Section 2.2 - 3711(A)(1). On motion by Mr. Caravati, seconded by Mr. Lync h, Council certified (Ayes: Mr. Caravati, Mr. Cox, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Richards, Mr. Schilling. Noes: None.) that, to the best of each Council Member's knowledge, only public business matters lawfully exempted from the open meeting requirements of the Virgi nia Freedom of Information Act and identified in the motion convening the closed session were heard, discussed or considered in the closed session. The meeting was adjourned. _____________________________ ______________________________ President Clerk