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COUNCIL CHAMBER – January 4, 2010 Council met in regular session on this date with the following members present: Dr. Brown, Ms. Edwards, Mr. Huja, Mr. Norris, Ms. Szakos. ELECTION OF MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR Mr. O’Connell opened the floor for nominations for Mayor. Mr. Norris said he has been encouraging Ms. Edwards to consider being Mayor, and he nominated her. Dr. Brown seconded the nomination. Ms. Edwards said she has given it a lot of consideration, but she respectfully declined. She said she believes there should be continuity in leadership and that the Mayor should be publicly elected. She said Mr. Norris has provided good leadership. She withdrew her name from consideration and nominated Mr. Norris as Mayor. Ms. Szakos seconded the nomination and Mr. Norris was elected Mayor by the following vote. Ayes: Dr. Brown, Ms. Edwards, Mr. Huja, Mr. Norris, Ms. Szakos. Mr. O’Connell opened the floor for nominations for Vice Mayor. On motion by Ms. Szakos, seconded by Dr. Brown, Ms. Edwards was elected Vice Mayor by the following vote. Ayes: Dr. Brown, Ms. Edwards, Mr. Huja, Mr. Norris, Ms. Szakos. ANNOUNCEMENTS th Mr. Norris said that the next Council meeting with be on January 19 due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. He said applications for the Neighborhood Leadership Institute are being received. Ms. Edwards said that the 2010 census count is important and safe. She said the next meeting of the Dialogue on Race Steering Committee will be on January 5. PUBLIC Mr. John Cruickshank, 70- Spring Lake Drive, Earlysville, representing the Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club, asked Council to make Charlottesville a more bike and pedestrian friendly city. He said the City was recently sited as dangerous for pedestrians. He said approval of the interchange design is a contradiction to creating a bike and pedestrian friendly city. Mr. David Steinberg, Albemarle County resident, said we need to be our own leaders in reducing pollution at the local level. He said the Meadow Creek Parkway will increase traffic. Ms. Ann Knox, 1531 Westwood Road, thanked Council for its support of the YMCA which she said will be an asset to the community because of its proximity to Charlottesville High School, because of its central location, and because it will be an alternative to fancy gyms. Dr. Eric Gunterson, 1702 Yorktown Drive, said his decision to move to the City was impacted by our park system. He said there is broad support for McIntire Park. He said he does not support having the YMCA in the park, noting that it is not free. th Mr. Randy Saltzman, 320 11 Street, N.W. representing the Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation (ACCT) and Mr. Vince Carosto, Nalle Street, said that the City committed to reducing single occupancy vehicles in the Comprehensive Plan. They said important decisions need to be made regarding the interchange, and asked that the many pedestrian underpasses in the United States be explored.