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<br />
<br /> Mr. Blair Hawkins, 702 Belmont Avenue, a write-in candidate for Council, said
<br />he does not care about cars in back yards, about tall weeds, or about cars parked too long
<br />downtown, but he is concerned about gunshots in the neighborhood. Mr. Hawkins
<br />recommended that Council repeal stupid ordinances.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Eugene Williams 620 Ridge Street, referring to the proposed weed ordinance,
<br />said that target neighborhoods should get special attention by the City and said that
<br />African-American neighborhoods have -been ignored by the City. Mr. Williams said that
<br />the City should offer an incentive plan to clean up parcels.
<br />
<br />PUBLIC HEARING: CITY COUNCIL'S PROPOSED FY 2000-2001 BUDGET
<br />APPROPRIATION: ANNUAL APPROPRIATION
<br />
<br /> Mr. Toscano reviewed preliminary changes made to the budget by Council:
<br />increase interest income to $750,000, with additional to go to the capital fimd; $3,000 for
<br />Bayly Art Museum Festival and an additional $3,000 for the Festival ofthe Book; $9,415
<br />for SOCA, to be sunsetted after one year; $11,696 for JABA Nursing Clinics; $31,194 for
<br />Piedmont Housing Alliance Homebuyer's Club; $6,579 for Criminal Justice Planner;
<br />$6,188 for expanded hours at Northside Library; $50,000 additional for day care; increase
<br />housing initiatives fund to $200,000; $250,000 for Region Ten over five years; $t 10,000
<br />for Legal Aid over two years; $100,000 for Clark Playground to be added to existing
<br />funds of $55,000; $250,000 for Scholarship/Workforce Development Program; $150,000
<br />over five years for the Entrepreneurial Village. Policy issues Council agreed to include:
<br />transfer of future budget surpMses above 12% in the general fund to the capital fund;
<br />putting proceeds from the sale of real property to be used for housing in the housing
<br />initiatives fund; putting the proceeds from the sale of real property to be used for parking
<br />in the Strategic Investment Fund; developing future budgets with the option of collecting
<br />50°/3 of the cost of trash collection through the trash stickers; and carrying over unspent
<br />day care fund.
<br />
<br />The public hearing was opened.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Roger Clark, 2126 Lakeside Drive, Albemarle County, said that public
<br />libraries reach populations left behind and said there is currently no bookmobile that
<br />operates in the City to reach neglected areas of the City.
<br />
<br /> Ms. Rttth Ferree, 1408 Westwood Road, representing the Clark Elementary
<br />School PTO, said she is happy to learn that an additional $100,000 has been allocated for
<br />the Clark playground, but said she is confused about the process of playground
<br />development.
<br />
<br /> Ms. Francesca Zavacky, 2132 Tarleton Drive, a teacher at Clark School, thanked
<br />Council for reinstating some funds for the Clark playground. Ms. Zavacky said the
<br />surface of ,the playground is unsafe and the needs of Clark students should be addressed
<br />first and recreation needs second.
<br />
<br /> Ms. Daugherty explained that the increased fundiv4g for Clark does not encon~ass
<br />the entire plan, and she hopes the neighborhood will be involved in planning through the
<br />Comprehensive Plan process.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Press Linden, 336 Parkway, said he served on the committee that made
<br />recommendations regarding the Scholarship Program, and said that three questions
<br />should be asked about the program: 1) Does this type program work; 2) How much
<br />difference can such a program make; and 3) is this an appropriate use of City funds? Mr.
<br />Lip, den said otl-~r similar programs have been shown to work, he feels ~ can make an
<br />enormous difference, and he feels it is an appropriate use of tax dollars as a preventive
<br />tool to serve all low income kids, not race limited, to help break the cycle of despair and
<br />poverty.
<br />
<br /> Ms, Carla Sykes, 311-B 2na Street, N,W., one offne City's representatives on the
<br />Jefferson Area Board for Aging, thanked Council for allocating funds for the nursing
<br />clinic at Crescent Hall and the Mary Williams Center.
<br />
<br />
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