Two new council members took the dais last Tuesday. Councilman Ray Ferris felt his way through with little to say, while Councilman Bill Bestpitch trended heavily in the opposite direction.
In adopting council’s organizational meeting schedule for the upcoming year, Bestpitch interjected saying, “This [council chambers] is much better for conducting the business of the council than room 159.” Bestpitch noted that there was ample citizen seating in council chambers compared to the cramped EOC room. Work sessions are held in room 159, or EOC, located in the basement. “It was much less disruptive in this room if people want to come and go for the various briefings,” he said. He was not suggesting that they be televised.
Vice-Mayor Dave Trinkle asked for clarification of the kind of meetings Bestpitch had in mind, referring to joint meetings with boards and authorities. Bestpitch then read language that allows, by a council resolution, that meetings can be held at another location.
Trinkle held the opposite view, that if “a meeting requires more formality, more room, or more ” then it can be held in council chambers. Council member Anita Price wondered how the wording could capture “both worlds.”
City Manager Chris Morrill was asked to add his views and agreed that “the ideal would be to be able to televise our workshops.” Morrill agreed with Trinkle that council chambers are very formal and not conducive to “give and take” between council members.
Bestpitch said that “we can already conduct briefings in council chambers” and that he “would have difficulty” supporting an expenditure to outfit the EOC. (In 2009 then City Manager Darlene Burcham quoted the cost at $55,181 to outfit the EOC for television briefings.) Bestpitch’s amendment to hold a 9:00 a.m. briefing in council chambers was seconded by Ferris but fell short of a majority. Only Bestpitch voted for it.
Further Council Discussion:
The removal of two items on the consent agenda caused some confusion. One was to discuss in closed session the disposition of fire station #5, prior to deciding which of the three offers to accept. Bestpitch requested that the closed session be removed from the consent agenda.
Bestpitch made it very clear that all he was asking for was to remove the closed session from the consent agenda to be discussed separately. “We’ve already had more discussion on the consent agenda than is permitted under parliamentary procedure,” said Bestpitch. Rosen, Trinkle and Mayor Bowers voted against removing it from the consent agenda 3-4.
Bowers left for a court hearing and handed the reins to Vice-Mayor Trinkle. Bestpitch then asked for “a simple yes or no answer to … whether identification of the subject [of closed session] would adversely affect the bargaining position and negotiating strategy of the city.” Morrill responded, “In this case I don’t believe it would.”
He then asked the city attorney, Bill Hackworth, if it would be possible in the future to identify the subject of closed meetings; for example, identifying the tax number or street address of property to be acquired or disposed of.
Hackworth said it would be possible, but wondered who would make the call on whether it “adversely affected the city’s bargaining position. Hackworth thought that “it undoes the purpose for having a closed meeting.” Bestpitch said that the person who requests the closed meeting could make that call. “In today’s closed meeting, that would be the city manager,” remarked Bestpitch.
Hackworth feared council would “be besieged by the press and the public” should the subject of closed sessions be divulged. Rosen thought that “this council has been extraordinarily transparent.” He believed it a dangerous path to go down in identifying closed session subjects ad hoc. “It’s not saying we don’t support transparency,” said Rosen.
New council member Ray Ferris said he was relieved that many of the tough issues were resolved before July 1. “We still have some tough issues to consider,” said Ferris. He admitted that it is a challenge to make decisions that are “fair to everybody.” He is committed to involving the citizens in the process. Ferris said he seconded Bestpitch’s motion to open up for discussion moving briefings to council chambers, though he believed that logistics made it impractical. “By raising it, it will be something we will discuss every time we have something to talk about,” concluded Ferris.
In other business:
City manager Chris Morrill amended the trash collection for the physically challenged. The requirement to have a yearly doctor’s certificate was eliminated.
Bestpitch’s concern over parking garage maintenance deferral, as presented in the financial report, was clarified as being cosmetic in nature – painting and cleaning.
The director of finance, Ann Shawver, said there was significant improvement to the original revenue projection for fiscal year 2010. The prior projection that revenue would be down 3% compared to FY09 was dropped to only 1.7%. There have been three to eight months of consecutive improvement in tax collections. Areas of improvements were: sales tax, lodging tax, cigarette tax, admission tax, and food tax.
The city’s portion of school funding is now down to $1 million, but it is a significant improvement over the $2.5 million projected earlier. Shawver also noted improvement in Roanoke’s unemployment rate.
A public hearing will be held for award of Fire station #5 on August 2 at 2 p.m. to the Que House, Inc. – Gamma Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi, Inc. A public hearing on the same day will be held for an alternative location at 530 8th Street, SW for the second offerer for the fire station, Rebuilding Together Roanoke (RTR). Economic development personnel will work with the third offerer, Jamie Brads, owner of Blue Ridge Rescue Supply.
By Valerie Garner [email protected]
