2005-10-17 - Laserfiche WebLink

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438 should be elected so that it will be directly responsible to the citizens. He said this is long overdue. Mr. Mark Haskins, 1140 Meriwether Street, and Kate O'Brien, 1104 Little High Street, expressed concern about the purchase of 1111 Little High Street for Region Ten clients and for being left out of the process. They read from a letter signed by residents expressing concern about the proposal. Mr. John Pfaltz, 1503 Rugby Road, said that CityLink is not connecting to citizens at all. He said the City is renting the system for more than $1 million a year which is being paid for through a utility bill surcharge which is costing citizens $400 a year. He asked how the loan from the utility fund will be repaid. He said the City should scrap this system and buy a more appropriate system. Mr. Raymond Mason, 937 Charlton Avenue, expressed concern about the relationship between the police and the black community. He said neither ChiefLongo nor Wendy Lewis has called him back. He said he was threatened by the police not to come back on the mall. He said Council is not representing him. He said affordable housing is not being built in the City. He asked for ideas about what the black community can do to get respect. Ms. Beth Kariel, 102 Tripper Court, supported an elected School Board. She said her children are receiving an extraordinary education in City Schools. She said she helped circulate the petition for the referendum. She said an elected School Board will give people a sense of empowerment. Mr. Kevin Blair, 1013 St. Charles Avenue, supported an elected School Board. He said he worked on getting signatures for the referendum. He said an elected School Board will open doors to the process. He said the School Board needs to be more accountable to citizens. He said an elected School Board will be diverse. Mr. Harold Foley, Jr. representing the Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR) introduced members of the new PHAR Board. He said the Board will be bringing issues to Council. Mr. Jeffrey Rossman, 1862 Edgewood Lane, said that the issue of diversity on an elected School Board was recently broached in an Daily Progress article. He said that while he shares the concern about diversity, he believes an elected School Board will be diverse. He said African-American candidates for Council have had strong numbers, and the Virginia School Board Association has said that there was no deterioration in African-American representation when localities went to elected School Boards. He noted that the NAACP unanimously endorsed an elected School Board. He said he hopes Councilors will take these factors into consideration when speaking in the future. Ms. Tatyanna Ratten, 2209 Jefferson Park Avenue, said she hopes Council will approve the resolution supporting the Fair Wage Act in the 2006 General Assembly. Mr. Carl Ferguson, 917 Anderson Street, asked why all City services are diminishing. He said grass is growing in the street, his trash is not picked up until 5:00 p.m. and the mailman comes after dark. He said costs are going up. CONSENT AGENDA Dr. Brown announced that the tax code ordinances were removed from the consent agenda at the request of the City Manager. On motion by Mr. Caravati, seconded by Mr. Lynch, the following consent agenda items were approved by the following vote: Ayes: Dr. Brown, Mr. Caravati, Ms. Hamilton, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Schilling (except that Mr. Schilling abstained from voting on the school maintenance appropriation). Noes: None. Abstaining: Mr. Schilling on the school maintenance appropriation.