There is a budget meeting tonight on the second floor of City Hall. 5:30. I know that Community Development is on the agenda tonight. Also, the Richmond Times Dispatch has an article here that does an excellent job of explaining some of the fun and games that the GA plays with local budgets. No good dead goes unpunished.
On another note, I am the liason to the Historic Resources Board and attended their meeting last night. This was their first meeting since the layoffs, during which they lost 3 staff. Given all that, it went pretty well. I’m hopeful that we will be able to chart a course to success for the Museum over the next couple of years. It won’t be easy but I’m determined. If you or yours are interested in getting involved there, give me a call or drop me an email. andy@harrover.com
March 5, 2010 at 9:13 am
Hey Andy, I just wanted to thank the City for posting the Comprehensive Plan and those PowerPoints on the City Web site. I live in Weems and its funny to be called a “Character Area” by your consultants. I know plenty of characters in my neighborhood, I’m one of them. Seriously, a member of our Neighborhood Watch just gave us a great synopsis of what used to be called the “Northwest Manassas Community Association” and the people who were members and the things they did to make our neighborhood better in the 1960s and 1970s. I hope he shares that history with Greg Bokan. I, too, believe the strength of the future of the City lies in its neighborhoods and the good people who live here.
March 5, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Andy, did not attend the meeting back on Monday as most of what y’all covered was straight forward in the proposed Budget. Well, except for Shared Services Agreement – which you know I harp on in the budget season.
My concern here is the proposed County Budget reduction of Library Services to the tune of $855K. Granted, there are two recommendations the BOCS have to decide on, but my point is on the SSA. Signed back in April 1975 it states with regrards to Library Services: “SUPERVISORS AGREE TO PROVIDE LIBRARY SERVICES
TO THE CITIZENS OF THE ClTY ON THE SAME BASIS AS IT PROVIDES
SUCH SERVICES TO CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY AND COUNCIL AGREES
TO PAY FOR SUCH SERVICES ON A PER CAPITA LOCAL COSTS BASIS,”
Now, logic (even when I question PWC in terms of it) says if those services are reduced, the per capita factor would remain, but the base dollar calculated against should be reduced too. I know Pat Weiler and her folks up Finance are on top of it (especially since I gave them a copy of the SSA last year since the City did not have it), but it is a point to watch.
Volunteering in the Musuem – for that matter across the City – is a sticky point with me. We often do not make use of volunteers well since sometimes personality views keep those who are responsible to recruit them from listening or using their assistance. The Musuem is one such instance, and I hope in these troubled years, they decided a valuable hand is more important than how an employee thinks.
Comp Plan – oh boy. Lots of good reading. Be warned, my good friend the Vice Mayor, if you think my 12 pages on the FRD was tough, wait till you see what I write next. I already read on chapter and got ticked what I submitted in three pages of bullets did not make it into the new chapter on Neighborhoods. 🙂
March 9, 2010 at 11:26 am
Editorial in today’s Roanoke Times on
the subject of the GA’s abuse of local
governments used the words
“perfidy” and “treachery” in their
description of Richmond’s marauding
fiscal raids on Virginia’s cities
and counties.