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<br /> 92 <br /> Dr. Brown asked about the Small Business Development Center, and Mr. Aubrey <br />Watts, Chief Finance Officer, said that the Center used to have problems, but changes <br />have been made and they are producing better results. He said funding them will open up <br />state and federal funding for start-up businesses. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Mr. Schilling, Mr. O’Connell said that a special <br />group that is part of ICMA does peer measurement. He said they collect performance <br />data for city services and compare data. <br /> <br /> Mr. Schilling asked for more information on other cities in Virginia and what they <br />look like in comparison to Charlottesville. He asked for an overview. <br /> <br /> Dr. Brown asked for more information on the Small Business Development <br />Center, such as counties servied, number of people served, and a better sense of the scale <br />of what we would be getting. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said Council stopped funding for the Center because of poor <br />performance. He said he will not support funding unless he gets more information. <br /> <br /> Mr. O’Connell said that a savings of $94,000 was found in the Department of <br />Social Services that could be used to fund other agencies. He reviewed the <br />administrative adjustments recommended as a result of errors or new information. <br /> <br /> Mr. Robert Cox, Director of Social Services, reviewed the proposed savings in his <br />department, including $12,500 in non-local revenue that will be received, elimination of a <br />one time position that has been vacant, deferral of a car replacement, and $35,000 for <br />computer software that is no longer needed. <br /> <br /> Mr. Schilling said it would be helpful to better understand the administrative <br />adjustments recommended. <br /> <br /> Ms. Beauregard said that JABA’s volunteer program was left off the list, there <br />was an error in CYFS’s application, there was an increase in Virginia Municipal League <br />and Virginia First Cities dues which only became known after the budget was put <br />together, and there was a reduction in the amount for CCCA due to the reduction in the <br />tax rate. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said he will support the adjustments. He said he understands that the <br />average base increase for agencies is the same as for the City. He said if including these <br />adjustments brings the average increase up to 8% that would be a concern. <br /> <br /> Ms. Beauregard said she will provide a revised spreadsheet. <br /> <br /> Dr. Brown said he is not sure the increase is tied to the City increase. <br /> <br /> Mr. Schilling agreed with Mr. Lynch. He said he will not support the funding for <br />Piedmont Housing Alliance. He said he would like to look at the percentage for CYFS <br />and JABA in the converted spreadsheet. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said he wants to discuss CYFS. <br /> <br /> Dr. Brown, , Ms. Hamilton and Mr. Lynch supported the proposed administrative <br />changes, with Mr. Lynch saying he supports them pending a new spread sheet. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said he supports it pending the arts discussion. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said we are trying to cut the tax rate and he advocated reducing the <br />amount cut by that for CCCA. <br /> <br /> Council discussed agencies and programs not recommended for funding. <br /> <br /> <br />