Laserfiche WebLink
new housing strategy, (b) renewed focus on economic development, and particularly <br />redevelopment, and (c) refinement of cost controls in order to retain the City's strong financial <br />• position and its highest possible (AAA) Municipal Bond Rating; and <br />WHEREAS, favorable federal, state, and local economies have contributed to the City's <br />success in improving its financial position, as was exhibited by the City's successive budget <br />surpluses over the last 4 years; and <br />WHEREAS, consideration of Reversion during these 5 years has had its beneficial <br />effects, the disadvantages have been twofold: (1) the significant intangible, but very real, <br />adverse influence the process has imposed on City -County relations, and (2) actual costs to the <br />community (almost $300,000 for the City alone); and <br />WHEREAS, this Council concludes that at this time under the current circumstances <br />Reversion to town status is not the right solution to the challenges facing our City and this <br />community; and <br />WHEREAS, in light of our judgment that we must do everything that we can to foster a <br />sense of community, trust, and enhanced dialogue between the City and County, we think that <br />both Charlottesville and Albemarle will be better served if the current litigation were ended now; <br />and <br />WHEREAS, putting the Reversion litigation behind us will promote the type of joint <br />• effort between our two local governments that our community expects - indeed, must have - if <br />the mutual and regional challenges we face are going to be solved; and <br />WHEREAS, the list of current and potential joint efforts that we will seek and that <br />should benefit from any improved City -County relations is lengthy and includes, but is not <br />limited to, the following: <br />• A long term cooperative Fire services Agreement, <br />• Formation of a joint working group or commission on school excellence <br />through combined efforts, <br />• An improved cooperative, joint planning process, particularly for the urban area, <br />in order to preserve the environment and open space while enhancing job and <br />housing opportunities for our citizens, <br />• An integrated, effective regional transportation plan, <br />• Revisiting the funding formula for joint city -county services, and <br />• An area wide plan to meet the future public water supply needs of our community; <br />• and <br />2- <br />