It was a full docket and the meeting lasted well after 11 p.m. Tuesday, but City Council managed to get through it despite their grief over the sudden death of assistant city manager Lori Godwin, following a sudden illness.
A presentation by members of the city’s state legislative delegation on the just concluded General Assembly Session, preceded the proposed Fiscal Year 2003 budget by City Manager Phil Sunderland.
“To say that I am disappointed by the way the Session ended is an understatement,” said Delegate Brian Moran (D-46). “We had finally gotten a bill on the sales tax referendum through conference committee when the Speaker adjourned. It is our job to vote on things, up or down, and then answer for those votes back home in our districts. The Speaker wasn’t even willing to allow us to do our jobs.”
Senator Richard Saslaw (D-35) agreed. “The Speaker couldn’t let it come to a vote because too many delegates had already told him that they would have to vote for it because of the financial impact to their own districts,” Saslaw said. “Just the night before, he had agreed to allow it to come to the floor and then he changed his mind. At least the governor knows what kind of people he is dealing with.”
Saslaw urged Council to communicate with the governor about the possibility that Governor Warner might amend a bill on a transportation referendum for Hampton to include Northern Virginia. “We cannot allow that to happen,” he said.
Council voted to have the mayor speak with Governor Warner about not attaching Northern Virginia to the Hampton referendum.
As far as city-sponsored legislation, the session went a bit better. “I am very proud that the Katelynn bills passed,” said Senator Patricia S. “Patsy” Ticer (D-36). “This will only enhance our ability to protect children. Also, despite some changes, the charter changes were approved. It was just very disappointing that we were unable to vote on the sales tax referendum.”
Delegate Marian Van Landingham (D-45) was able to restore funding to some city programs. “We got all of the money back for the Arlandria Health Clinic and most of the money back for the Healthy Families programs,” she said. “The theory seemed to be that if programs were not in all parts of the state, they shouldn’t be funded with state money. Because of this ridiculous attitude, we lost all eight of our programs that aid prisoners in reintegrating into society once they are released from prison. Also, as you know, transportation and education are concerns,” she said.
Legislative Director Bernard Caton summarized. “We are going to lose some education and transportation funds as well as some 591 law enforcement funds,” he said. “We are still analyzing the impact.”
There will be a veto session on April 17.
CHETWORTH PARK
The status of Chetworth Park as a dog exercise area was once again on the agenda. When staff presented the Dog Park Master Plan nearly a year and a half ago, they recommended that the park be redesigned as a leash only park because of its size and its proximity to a fenced tot lot that shares the space.
“There is plenty of blame to go around here,” Donley said. “Certainly Council has its share of responsibility. The staff recommended that we change the designation some time ago and the reasons that they gave for that recommendation are all coming to pass. By not making a decision then and trying to be conciliatory, we may have created a bigger problem. It is time, however, to make a decision and move on. It is terrible to see neighbors against neighbors over a park.”
Speck agreed. “This is one of the worst conflicts among neighbors that I can remember seeing,” he said. “We need to make a decision here tonight and then, either people can stay mad or they can move on and help to create a park that everyone can use.”
Speck made a motion to return the park to a leash only park as of May 30. He originally proposed May 1, but accepted a change suggested by Councilman Bill Euille.
“I just want to give the neighbors time to get used to the new designation,” Euille said.
One of the sites that has been considered is a piece of city-owned property at the corner of Slater’s Lane and Powhaten St. That would have been a temporary site because the city is considering a sale. “The adjacent site has been purchased and is being developed,” Sunderland said. “We might be able to sell it and allow the developer to add eight or nine more units.”
The cost of a temporary dog park is estimated to be between $40,000 and $60,000. This would pay for signs, fencing, and material to cover the area, stone dust, trash receptacles and bags. Sunderland could not say just what “temporary” means.
“I really cannot support spending taxpayer dollars for a temporary dog park,” said Councilwoman Claire Eberwein. “The city has a scarcity of land and financial resources and I just don’t believe that this is an appropriate use of either.”
The mayor left open the possibility of looking at a portion of the Slater’s Lane site. “We would certainly have to involve many civic associations and the entire neighborhood before such a decision could be made,” he said. “However, I’m not so sure that there aren’t still some possibilities here because a portion of this site is not buildable.”
“I am not sure that we can reach temporary solutions to these issues but we can certainly work toward the goal of planning for the entire three-acre park,” said Sandra Whitmore, the director of the department of Parks Recreation and Cultural Activities. “We have always planned to have a large dog exercise area here.”
Chetworth Park will be redesignated as a leash only park as of May 30. Vice Mayor Bill Cleveland voted against the change. “I cannot support this,” he said. “We promised that we would come up with an alternative site and we haven’t.”