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City Council Public Meeting January 23, 2024

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City Council Public Meeting January 23, 2024

[Councilmember Misjuns absent]

Prior to consideration of Consent Agenda,  Councilmember Helgeson asked for Item III.4. be moved to General Business.  Agreed by consensus.

Prior to consideration of General Business, Councilmember Faraldi requested that an Item be added to the Agenda.  The item is a motion to allocate $15,000 from the City’s Reserve for Contingency Fund to support Heritage High School Drama participation in a regional competition.  Passed 5/1 (Helgeson objecting to irregular process).

 

III. Consent Agenda

  1. Approval of minutes 2022 meetings * approved 
  2. Approval of minutes Dec 12 meeting * approved
  3. Approval of minutes Jan 9 meeting * approved
  4. Services, and Amend FY24 budget to reflect adjustments in the General, Fleet City Capital Projects Funds [moved to General Business]

 

  1. Public Hearing
  2. Requirements for Surety Bonds for decommissioning of energy storage facilities.

Councilmember Helgeson asked questions about why this ordinance is required and the possibility that costs might deflate rather than inflate.

  • Passed 6/0

 

  1. Public Comments

Robert Flood spoke about the need for LPD to address the “hate mail” which was distributed in certain neighborhoods in December. He stated that many street lights needed to be brighter, or repaired, particularly in Ward II. He also said he would like more cameras (CCTV) in more arrears, not just minority neighborhoods.

 

  1. General Business
  2. Amending FY24 Budget to appropriate $225,692 for the COPS program.  This is a second reading for this Item.  Combined with Item 8 – appropriating $400,000 for implementing a mental-health co-responder program to the COPS program – this will free up police officers from duties associated with emergency detention and temporary detention orders.

[Note: the total for this two year pilot project is $625,692]

  • Passed 6/0
  1. See above
  • Passed 6/0

 

  1. Increase lanes (or 3.7 miles) to VDOT maintenance.  This is an annual routine request as roads are built.
  • Approved 6/0

 

III.4. Moved from Consent Agenda (see above) 

Amend FY24 budget to reflect adjustments in the General, Fleet Services, and City Capital Projects Funds.  Second Reading.

Resolution to amend FY24 Budget in the amount of $8,300,000 from Unassigned General Fund Balance as follows:

$1,000,000 to General Fund

$2,400,000 to Fleet Services

$ 4,900,000 to Capital Projects

These funds will be used to complete a variety of projects approved in prior Work Session and Public Meetings including a budget work session, in which Council determined priority projects to consider for funding.

Helgeson stated he wants to give the “record setting surplus” to the citizens (again) and again objected to the process, making derogatory statements about the amphitheater project, objecting to the White Rock school conversion (should be considered under the CIP for initial costs) and saying it should be used for “some kind of neighborhood center.” [It should be noted that Helgeson has for many years objected to the City creating community centers, particularly in the minority areas of the City.]  He wants the city to sell the property, and make it “something that can actually be an asset in the community, utilized to benefit the community.” and “get it back on the tax rolls.”

He then moved to have each item to be funded separated for individual votes but it failed to get a second.

Wilder stated that these items had already been prioritized during a work session and noted that unfortunately, some items had failed to garner enough support to be included in this spending package.  Wilder then complimented Liberty U on having vision to think about the future. He equated vision with the growth in the city and indirectly criticized Helgeson by saying that White ROck and Florida Avenue  and some other areas always get an “Oh, No” from some council members who just don’t want change.

Faraldi criticized Helgeson for trying to conflate tax policies last year with this offer to spend surplus as unfair, as mid-year tax change would not be legal.  He repeated that using this money for one-time expenditures is legal, and appropriate to use for capital projects.

As Vice Mayor, he supports the White Rock project but laments that some projects were not supported (Timberlake). He criticized Helgeson on his statement that Council had appropriated $8m as opposed to the actuarial $3M for the amphitheater from these funds as misleading.

Helgeson countered that some things have been said that are untrue. He said his vision is “not let’s have government control everything.”  He gave Jones Memorial Library as an example of vision in how the old school is now nice apartments (referring to Garland Rodes?) and Seven Hills School conversions as private initiative and vision.  (He does not seem to understand that the Council’s vision of what drives private initiative.) He said vision results in capitalism, but “government spending leads to decadence.” (!!!) He then returned to the White Rock project and said, “Sell it to Liberty.” (!!!)

Dolan said Council needs to invest in neighborhoods rather than gentrification projects.

Taylor said there are p[lans for the property, for the neighborhood and children. He pointed out that White Rock is the only neighborhood without a neighborhood center. 

Reed said the package is balanced, providing relief through tax waivers as well as needed capital projects.  She said that as an at-large representative, all Councilmembers should get to know the entire city (Helgeson?)  She said there is excitement in White Rock community and there is “value in doing what is right for our people.”

  • The motion passed 5/1 Helgeson objecting.

 

 

 

Item added to Agenda

  1. Resolution to  allocate $15,000 from the City’s Reserve for Contingency Fund to support Heritage High School Drama participation in a regional competition. 

Helgeson objected to the addition of this item to the agenda, citing “the process” and the appeal to peoples’ “heartstrings.” 

Faraldi noted that the request had been a surprise in the Finance committee, but supported it nevertheless. He stated that if this had been a football team going to a regional competition, they would have found a way, but not so for the Arts. He suggested that $15k should come from LCS contingency funds, and was surprised that LCS could not muster the funds, but “this is the right thing to do.”

Wilder seconded this opinion in support of an educational opportunity, noting that LCS leadership might be scared to ask for more funds, given the hostility toward LCS in Council.(!!!)

Taylor simply asked the City manager, “Will it hurt our citizens to give the school the money? (“No.”) and “Do we have the funds? (“Yes.”)

When asked by Faraldi if Helgeson would approve an additional allocation to LCS for this purpose, he responded he would not.

Mayor Reed said Council had already given LCS additional money $6k for a Reading Specialist, and Council should support this trip and provide enough money for LCS to hire enough Reading Specialist according to its needs. (!!!)

  • Approved, 5/1 (Helgeson dissenting)