Hello all, I'm back…kind of. Been absolutely buried under work and life in general. It's a pretty happy time right now, the garden is in, the business is moving along and the budget is about concluded. Frankly, I haven't found much compelling to write about lately but I've got a sneaking suspicion that this is about to change.
Coffee on Friday anyone? 7:30, Simply Sweet.
May 22, 2012 at 7:07 am
Andy,
What is the hold up on the Cockrell Road project and the overpass?? The Cockrell Road sign said to expect construction from 4-16 to 4-30. We are now at 5-22 and its still closed. I don't remember seeing any sort of time posted on the overpass but it appears that this too is taking a long time.
May 22, 2012 at 11:48 am
Remind me, what time is coffee? Curtis has a story to tell about trying to get to the Bristow crew station at 2:30 this morning.
May 22, 2012 at 11:50 am
7:30, Simply Sweet.
May 23, 2012 at 7:23 am
Is the Council going to do anything of use the balance of the year or will "the budget" consume all of your precious time?
May 23, 2012 at 7:35 am
Mo….there was a VDOT update on the overpass at the Council meeting Monday.
If I recall the details correctly, the plan is to finish up now with some curb/gutter work and open the overpass to northbound (into the City) traffic this summer some time. Then work down below can progress so they can finish up what needs to be down at ground level to transition the rest per plan for this Fall.
They didn't mention Cockrell.
May 23, 2012 at 8:27 am
"Is the Council going to do anything of use the balance of the year or will "the budget" consume all of your precious time? "
Downfinger, if you follow the Council, they did the second reading of the FY2013 ordinances Monday night, so that part of "the budget" is done – now comes their responsibility to manage the execution of it which if you follow the Council, is a major task through the year….and waiting in the wings is November where the budget development cycle starts all over again.
Of course, waiting in the wings is the swearing and seating in of the Mayor and 3 Councilmen on July 1st with Mayor making the various Committee assignments to Council Committees, Regional Committees, and State Committees. And then there is the load of work to take up
The business of this City never stops on top of their own personal jobs and life. So, yeah, there are useful things they will be doing with their "precious time"…..got something in particular you want them to add to their official duties????
May 23, 2012 at 8:31 am
The April 2012 draft of the Comprehensive Plan is up for public comment….comments back to Greg Bokan in Planning by July 3rd. Your opportunity to get your two cents in on how this City should look and direction to head in the future.
Link to the draft plan is: http://www.manassascity.org/index.aspx?nid=643
May 23, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Hi All,
This has nothing to do with what is being discussed but….does anyone know what is going on with the property at the corner of PW Street and Wellington Rd (across from J. Dean).? I noticed that the eye sore of a house is gone.
May 23, 2012 at 12:07 pm
@Downfinger: I can assure you things will happen this summer. Stay tuned.
May 23, 2012 at 12:23 pm
@kids: the owner tore it down. The City was going to tear it down about 6 months ago and he came to finance committee meeting and asked for 6 months. We gave it to him and, true to his word, he tore it down before the City had to do it.
May 23, 2012 at 4:31 pm
I am very concerned about the red light running that I witness at several intersections in the City. I have recently heard about the success of camers in other jurisdictions and in addition to catching these law breakers, they have brought in considerable revenue and also have slowed down the accident rate in the jurisdiction. Red light running to be is as lethal as driving while intoxicated. The only reason there are not more accidents is that people now hesitate when the light turns green before proceeding because of this. I know I do. I have seen the City police sitting on motorcycles at the corner of Quarry and Prescott looking for people with expired tags and inspection stickers and that is good, but we need more presence at intersections where lights are being run. One that is particularly bad is the intersection of Rolling Road and Sudley Road.
May 25, 2012 at 11:59 am
Enjoyed the conversation. Here's the link to Walk with Walgreens http://walk.walgreens.com/.
Also, there's a "Coffee with the Curator" coming up on June 11 at 9:30 am at the Manassas Museum in the multipurpose room. Meet Mary Helen Dellinger and see a few "never before seen objects" from the collection. Space is limited, reservations required by June 8 to Jean Griffith at 703-257-8452.
May 27, 2012 at 8:42 pm
So the School Board has rejected the Budget….
http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2012/may/26/manassas-school-board-rejects-budget-ar-1944855/
This is either the worst case of bad legal advice from the School Attorney, or the best example of pure political grandstanding. They claim categorizing the budget cannot be done, will screw up hiring teachers and making adjustments as the years unfold impossible to do without Council approval?
This is nothing but their ignoring the Virginia Code 22.1-89 Mangement of Funds which states those appropriated to the school board can be by major classification as listed in 22.1-115 (instruction; administration, attendance & health; pupil transportation; operation & maintenance; food services & other noninstructional operations; facilities; debt & fund transfers; technology' and contingency reserves).
Code 22.1-94 covers how the appropriation by the City is done, but our local agreement does not trump the State Code contrary to what Albrecht is claiming. Nothing in 22.1-89 prohibits the school board from managing the classifications and providing those reports to Council. I cannot even imagine, as the Mayor said, the Council getting into wanting to control the way the money is shifted between classifications.
Demeria is just a litte off in his "doing a fine job" – really? Let's start with over 300 pages of a cabash of a budget that when you tear down through it, the consolidated numbers don't add up to the breakouts. Poor budget operation. Plus, the City Planners went and offered assistance….so why are the Board wasting time trying to do CIP when they add things, remove things, forget things….Baldwin has been in and out so many times, it will be amazing if it ever stays long enough to plan for.
Plus, if such a fine job, why the need for Education Forward?
No, this is the ultimate of political grandstanding – and I plan to take all this and put it to a letter to the Board with copy to Council. Keep at them Mayor and COuncil – hold their feet to the fire for categorized budget!!
May 30, 2012 at 2:57 pm
http:www.roanoke.com/politics/wb/309056
Manassas is one of many Virginia localities looking at the pros and cons
of moving municipal elections from May to November.
Your thoughts?
May 30, 2012 at 2:58 pm
http://www.roanoke.com/politics/wb/309056