2007-10-15 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

2 Dr. Brown announced that Neighborhood Development Services has been awarded the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association Innovation Award for its neighborhood plan process. PUBLIC Ms. Jennifer Tidwell, “Miss Representation,” 907 Raymond Road, appealed to Council to address the issue of the Lewis and Clark statue and its depiction of Sacajawea. She said she has collected 570 signatures on a petition requesting that the statue be moved to a history museum or park. She also asked that context be added to all public monuments. Mr. Chris Williams, 767 Denali Drive, #205, denounced the historical inaccuracies of the Lewis and Clark statues. Mr. Peggy Brown Paviar, 100 Northwood Circle, representing the Thomas Jefferson Health District, announced a new community campaign, “Local Motion” that promotes physical activity. Ms. Colette Hall, 101 Robertson Lane, urged Council to spend cautiously. She said that while she realizes that most items on the consent agenda reflect things that are in the budget or mandates services, she expressed concern that with the slowing housing market big costs are looming ahead. She said Council must start saying no to money requests. Ms. Belinda M. Carter, 807 Page Street, expressed concern about the high interest rates of payday loans. She said it took her two years to get out of debt. She asked that Council consider working on banning the practice or make the interest rates come down. Ms. Thomasina Wilson, 161 Whitewood Road, #5, said it took her two years to get out of debt from payday loans due to the extremely high interest rates. She said she thinks they should be totally abolished. Ms. Brenda Lambert, 301 Monte Vista Avenue, said that payday loans do not just affect low wage workers, but seniors as well. She asked Council to petition the General Assembly to remove the special exemption that allows their high interest rates. She asked Council to use zoning to stop the proliferation of the loans in our community. She asked people in the audience to stand in support of her comments and many people stood. Mr. Brandon Collins, 320 ½ Meade Avenue, said he has always been concerned about how Sacajawea is represented in the Lewis and Clark statue. He said it is important to represent history accurately. Mr. John Pfaltz, 1503 Rugby Road, said that Council recently discussed the idea of a storm water fee. He said as a Soil and Water Conservation candidates, he wanted to go on record of supporting the fee with the following provisions: that the funds be put into a separate fund and used for that purpose only and that the City government calculate its share of fees. He asked what new projects are proposed to be funded. He said he only supports the fee if Council is serious about preserving streams. th Mr. John Gaines, 214 9 Street, N.W., said that residents who signed a petition th about the intersection at 8 and West Main Street have expressed concern that Council has not acted on the petition. He pushed for closure on the visibility issue at that intersection. He said that Council had said that the businesses had not had an opportunity to comment, but he noted that signed were posted. Mr. Gaines also supported more th police presence in the 10 and Page Street area, and suggested that CDGB or Weed and Seed money be used to address the problems. He asked what has happened to community police assigned to that area. Ms. Beth Elliott, 1640 Rio Hill Drive, #102, said she fell into the payday lending trap when she did not receive her Worker’s Comp check on time. She said more