Today's budget information

In this morning's briefing session, the city council received more information to consider as we move forward in the preparation of the 2006-07 city budget. Here are some of the items we reviewed.

First we received a summary of the citizen input into the process so far. Thirty-three residents responded through the February 21 public hearing, email, the city's Contact Center, and written comments. Fifteen requested no new tax increase with various recommendations for cuts - incentives, transfer station, golf tournament funding, and across the board cuts. Sixteen requested that services not be reduced in areas of GTA, libraries, police or certain other city programs.

Next came an explanation of the potential 4.25 cent tax increase we are facing just to cover existing services and programs. City Manager Mitchell Johnson stressed that staff is looking for all possible ways to lessen this amount. The breakdown includes two (2) cents for operation of the solid waste transfer station approved several years ago, one (1) cent for debt service on the 2000 bonds, and 1.25 cents to cover increased operations costs (fuel for city vehicles, heating costs for city buildings) and continued increases in employees' health insurance premiums.

Please take note that voters were told in 2000 at the time they approved the proposed bonds that the total impact on the tax rate would total three (3) cents when "the bills come due." I'm pleased to report that the tax rate increase has been limited to a total of 1.75 cents due to good fiscal management by our finance department. While no one likes the idea of a tax rate increase, the increase attributable to the repayment of the 2000 bonds is almost half of what voters were told to expect.

Mitch then shared a series of charts showing the ratio of city employees to the city's population that I will attempt to share here. "FTE" in these charts stands for "Full Time Equivalent" positions.

Chart A shows that the number of 2004-05 FTEs per 1000 residents (12.31) is actually below the level in 1997-98 (12.77). The city's workforce grew 12% with the greatest increases coming in police, parks and recreation, fire, and water resources while the city's population grew 16%. If the workforce had increased at the same rate as the population, the city would currently have an additional 109 positions.

Chart B depicts positions funded by the city's General Fund that are supported by your tax dollars. (The first chart includes Water Resources and other city Enterprise Funds that are paid for mainly by fees such as your water and sewer usage charges, etc.; those employees are not included in this second chart.) The General Fund supports the city's core services such as police, fire, and parks & recreation. The growth rate in this chart is essentially the same as the population growth with a slight decline from 8.95 positions to 8.89 despite the movement of Solid Waste employees from an enterprise fund into the General Fund when the council eliminated the solid waste fees and placed those costs onto the tax rate.

You can see city council's focus on hiring additional police officers in Chart C that gives us approximately 3.1 officers for every 1000 citizens.

Although the city continued to hire additional firefighters throughout this period, the ratio of positions to population actually fell from 1.85 to 1.78 as shown in Chart D. Much of the fire protection provided to recently annexed areas is currently being contracted with county volunteer fire departments which is quite costly to the city. That is the impetus for the manager's recommendation to construct additional city fire stations that you are likely see on a bond referendum in the fall.

Removing the additional positions in the police and fire departments, you can see in Chart E that the FTEs actually fall from 4.16 to 4.01. That occurred despite the city opening or taking on responsibility for 17+ additional facilities such as the new Central Library and the Hemphill and Edwards branch libraries, Police District Stations #1 and #3, the Kitchen Operations Center, Carolyn Allen Park, three fire stations, and the Sportsplex facility, among others.

So what does all this mean? Despite significant expansion of the city's population and the city services we must provide to those citizens, we have kept the city's workforce fairly "lean and mean." As a result, our ability to meet our obligations to our citizens is frequently being stretched thinner and thinner. A prime example of this is in Solid Waste - garbage collection. Our sanitation workers sometimes have difficulty in completing their routes in certain areas of the city during the normal work day, and there is no time left to go back and pick up the occasional missed can. Another example is the decreased police response times highlighted recently by WFMY News2.

With this information in hand, it's going to be difficult to implement those citizen suggestions about reducing city staff to reduce city costs unless citizens are willing to experience a cut in the services they use and depend on. We councilmembers have said for the last six months that we want to conduct a department-by-department review to identify and eliminate obsolete programs, and the city manager has supported that process. I suggested today that we quit TALKING about doing this and actually DO it. However, even if we began tomorrow, it's highly unlikely we could get it done in time to have much of an impact on this year's budget.

Nobody ever said this job was easy!

Council briefing update

Today's city council briefing session was full of good information. We ran out of time before we fully covered all the topics and tentatively decided to continue the discussions after we complete the business items at next Tuesday's regular meeting. City Manager Mitchell Johnson said the agenda for March 7 looked uncharacteristically short so we decided to take advantage of that time rather than schedule ANOTHER meeting.

Human Resources Director Connie Hammond provided a detailed analysis of the employee disability retirement issues about which the council had previously expressed concerns. Councilmembers had a much better understanding of the total situation once she explained the various levels and qualifications for retirement -- regular, disability for job (unable to perform this particular job anymore, but can do another), total disability (unable to perform ANY job) --plus additional available compensation options -- Worker's Compensation, state disability payments, and lifetime coverage by the city of all medical costs associated with an on-the-job injury. In the scenarios that were provided, city workers injured on the job would earn almost the same as their normal salary through these various benefits. Our program is consistent with what is offered by the state and other cities, and we did not direct that any changes be made to this program at this time.

We made a few last tweaks to the Urban and Corridor Investment Guidelines and requested that it be placed on the March 7 agenda for final consideration and adoption. This document provides a long-overdue, rational way to evaluate potential city investment in economic development projects located within the downtown, and designated redevelopment areas and reinvestment corridors.

The third topic of discussion was the 2006-07 budget. I'll write a separate post on that one to better cover the details.

City Connections

The latest edition of City Connections is available.

DGI requests

I received a letter last week from the Board of Directors of Downtown Greensboro Inc. that included three formal resolutions they consider to be vital to the continued revitalization of downtown. The three topics/requests are the following:

1. Asking the city to take over, improve, and maintain the "no man's land" alley that runs between Elm and Greene streets from Washington Street (adjacent to the Biltmore Hotel) south to the city parking lot. Photos included in the packet show an unattractive area full of garbage, dumpsters, and litter.

2. Asking for at least five additional police officers to be assigned to the downtown police squad to enhance downtown safety and security.

3. Asking that the city commission a formal task force composed of city staff, DGI and downtown citizens with the potential assistance of outside professionals to review downtown development policies and bring back one comprehensive report. This group would consolidate three different committees currently working on specific aspects of downtown development.

All three are reasonable requests that would certainly improve the downtown area and should certainly be discussed. But oh, why do I see big dollar signs flashing before my eyes?

Busy week ahead

There is only one official city council meeting this week (the briefing session on Tuesday), but I have meetings and invitations of one sort or another every day this week.

I start the week off with a fun event -- the Tournament Town Tip-off Luncheon at the Coliseum at noon, Monday, February 27. It's always fun to visit with the ACC university athletic officials, the hardworking ACC staff, and area sportscasters for the official beginning of "March Madness."

Later Monday afternoon, I have my regular monthly chat with city manager Mitchell Johnson to share information and concerns on a one-on-one basis.

The regular monthly city council briefing session begins at 8:30AM on Tuesday, February 28. Topics on the agenda include an update on employee disability retirement issues, a review of the final draft of the Urban and Corridor Investment Guidelines, and a review of budget information developed as of this date. Councilmembers received a memo from Mayor Keith Holliday asking us to also discuss future personnel and funding for the Mosaic Project.

I will be meeting with the Pomona Community Watch group later that evening at Folk Center to listen to their plans and concerns.

Wednesday, March 1 will begin with an 8AM meeting with BellSouth management for city council members and county commissioners to discuss the future of the telecom industry, its regulation, and the impact on local governments. The it's off to another meeting with the city manager.

Later that day is the regular monthly meeting of the War Memorial Commission (coliseum). After business is concluded in the coliseum meeting, we will be touring the facility to review the preparations for the ACC and NCAA tournaments.

On Thursday, March 2 I have an early morning meeting of the Fun Fourth Festival board of advisors on which I represent the city. Yes, preparations for the Fourth of July celebrations are already underway!

I will be participating in the official ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening of PART's newest park-and-ride lot in Thomasville on Friday, March 3. Taking into account the trip to the site, the ceremony itself, lunch afterwards and the ride back, it's probably going to take up a good portion of my day. The weather forecast for the day sounds good so maybe it will be a nice day to be outside dedicating a parking lot!

That's it for the week -- I'll be ready for a restful weekend, that's for sure!

Another Boy Scout event

My friend Glenn Wagstaff sent me this press release -- sounds like lots of fun on Saturday!

RACING on HOLDEN ROAD

Cub Scout Pack 104

Christ United Methodist Church, 410 North Holden Road, Greensboro, NC 27410

contact- 336-852-9176

Glenn Wagstaff - Cubmaster (The Leader of the Pack)

Tommy Neese - 800-632-1010

http://www.bsapack104.org/

GREENSBORO - Cub Scout Pack 104 will be holding their annual PINEWOOD DERBY CAR RACE at Christ United Methodist Church on Saturday, February 25, 2006 from 9:00AM to 2:00PM. This year the race will have approximately 60 entries from the scouts of Pack 104. The scouts have built the cars themselves (along with some help from their parents), and will be racing for the pack championship trophy, along with several category trophies.

This year's race will also feature a full-size NASCAR simulator that has been provided by Neese's Sausage Company. The simulator (painted as the"Neese's Sausage Car") will be in the church parking lot during the event, along with actual full-size race cars. Scouts will be able to take turns driving the simulator all day long, when they are not racing their derby cars.

This event culminates a month of model-building and testing by the scouts. The activity is designed to teach the boys about model-building, engineering, racing and good sportsmanship. The event is open to all boys of Cub Scout age (1st - 5th) Grade to attend and see what Cub Scouting is all about. Parents are encouraged to come and speak with the Pack leaders to determine if they would like to participate in the Scouting program. This is an opportunity to join Cub Scouts ... on the spot!

THIS is a very exciting and colorful event and makes a great MEDIA STORY!! Local media is encouraged to drop-by and take photos, or mention on-air prior to the event!

Pack 104 is one of the largest Cub Scout Packs in the Greensboro, North Carolina area. It is a chartered organization of Christ United Methodist Church and is a member of the Battlefield District which is part of the Old North State Council, Boy Scouts of America.

With an average membership of 100 scouts, Pack 104 receives tremendous support from Christ United Methodist Church who provides a large auditorium area (the gymnasium) for monthly pack meetings, kitchen facilities for dinner events, classrooms for individual den meetings,and rooms for leader/pack committee meetings.

Also, one of the largest factors that contributes to the pack's success is the willingness of the Cub Scout parents to step up and volunteer as registered leaders. With over 25 registered leaders Pack 104's scout-to-leader ratio is just under 4 scouts for every leader. In addition, those parents who are not leaders also volunteer wherever and whenever possible depending on the needs of the leadership group and the pack.

With an emphasis on good leadership, Pack 104 encourages and supports the official scout training of all of its leaders and places the protection and enrichment of its youth as its highest priority.

Farewell to a generation

I did not attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Windhill Court project originally shown on my schedule today. Instead, my husband and I attended the funeral for my last aunt on my mother's side of the family who passed away on Monday evening after a long struggle with Alzheimer's (the cruel disease that also claimed my mother and another aunt). Her passing left my cousins and me with the sobering thought that WE are now the "old-timers" in our family along with the lingering fear that this disease might have been genetically transmitted down to us. Not a pleasant prospect!

The minister did a wonderful job in shaping the service into a celebration of her being. Aunt Cletis lived a long, productive life and was known throughout Pleasant Garden for her giving spirit and willingness to lend a helping hand. He even generated a few chuckles from mourners about her willingness to take one up on a dare and her sledding in the snow way past the age one would normally participate in that activity. Aunt Cletis was born in 1917 when Woodrow Wilson was President, and the minister listed many of the changes and technological advances that occurred during her lifetime. He correctly noted that the world she left behind is significantly different from the one she first entered, but that she thrived in both worlds.

We'll miss her!

Economic incentive request

One of the public hearing items on Tuesday's city council agenda is the request from RF Microdevices (RFMD) for $590,000 in tax incentives for their proposed expansion of their manufacturing capacity. I'm truly proud and impressed by this thriving, home-grown business with total assets in 2005 of $859,746,000 (see page 2 of 83). It's a tough call with the potential of adding 300 new jobs with an average salary of $52,290 (including benefits), but I cannot justify rebating their new taxes for the next three years in order to SUPPOSEDLY convince them to make that expansion in Greensboro.

I've come to this conclusion based on the following points:

* RFMD has a strong presence in Greensboro, and this is "home" for the company. They already have a heavy investment in facilities here that are staffed with well-trained workers. In my opinion, there's no reason for them to seriously consider going elsewhere.

* The city (and the county) have already granted incentives to RFMD on three previous occasions. In my thinking, there ought to be a limit on how many times the same company can "go to the well." They are apparently well-established here and should not need or seek continued public handouts.

* Under current economic conditions, the city's budget is likely to continue to be tight. It's hard to justify rebating these taxes and forego over a half million dollars in tax revenues for an individual company when we are facing potential property tax rate increases.

* While it may not be considered an incentive per se, there is a feasibility study being done on a multi-million-dollar road project in Greensboro's TIP (Transportation Improvement Program) -- the connection of Pegg and Thatcher Roads by constructing a bridge over I-40( project ID # FS-0207A). This potential construction project is in the TIP at the request of RFMD in order to improve highway access to their Greensboro facilities and relieve traffic congestion in that area. I prefer spending on public improvements such as this bridge and roadway that can also be utilized by the general public instead of granting tax rebates to an individual company.

For these reasons, my vote will be "no." I know that one or two other councilmembers who originally supported the incentives in our closed session vote are having some second thoughts, so it will be interesting to see what the final tally turns out to be.

Who do you call?

People sometimes don't understand which level of government does what or has jurisdiction over a particular program or issue. That's totally understandable given that the average Greensboro citizen has the school board (a district representative and two at-large representatives), the city council (a district representative, three at-large representatives, and the mayor), the county commission (a district representative and two at-large representatives), a NC Representative, a NC Senator, the governor, a US Representative, two US Senators, and the president with which to deal. (And don't forget all the professional managers and staff who work to implement the policies and laws passed by these various governmental bodies!) Who do you call when you have a question or need help???

I recently received a letter from Congressman Brad Miller forwarding an inquiry from one of my Greensboro constituents about the city's RUCO (Rental Unit Certificate of Occupancy) program. Representative Miller noted that he does not have jurisdiction over this particular program and asked me to respond to this citizen (which I have done).

I could handle that one -- just don't ask ME to deal with Iraq or the federal deficit, please! {smile}

More on the gasoline tax debate

NCGo shared the following editorial from the Wilmington Star-News that explains the gasoline tax dilemma quite well.

(Article published Feb 20, 2006)

Good intentions unpave roads

The high price of oil is pricing North Carolina out of good roads.

The price means roads cost more to build, repair and improve. It also means that road-building tax collections are falling because Tar Heels are buying cheaper vehicles and burning less gasoline.

In the first half of the fiscal year, gasoline consumption - and gasoline tax collections - dropped 2.5 percent. Road-tax collections on vehicle sales dropped 6 percent. And the cost of highway projects jumped 20 percent.

The N.C. Department of Transportation can't do all the work it was hoping to do through 2007. It's delaying other projects.

About the only thing that's kept the state from tumbling into a giant pothole is that the gasoline tax - which is tied to the price in hopes of keeping up with inflation - went up 2.8 cents a gallon in January.

Sniffing votes, some politicians say we should repeal that increase. They complain that North Carolina's gasoline tax is relatively high.

What they don't mention is that North Carolina not only has the second-longest road network in the country, but that, unlike many other states, North Carolina - not local governments - pays for most road work.

That arrangement once bought us some of the best roads in the country. They did more than make it easier for residents to get around. They encouraged economic development.

Today's increasingly bad roads - crumbling, crowded and dangerous - discourage it.

Talk of cutting the gasoline tax might be smart politics. It's idiotic economics.

Fairly easy week

There aren't many official duties on my schedule this week, and from the looks of the snowy weather forecast, that may be a good thing.

Weather permitting, I have an 8AM briefing at the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce on Monday, February 20. They have a number of topic to review including leadership and the future of Greensboro, new venues (Civil Rights Museum, ACC Hall of Champions, and Center City), improved business opportunities (Greensboro Center for Innovative Development and eastern Guilford County business park), and supporting/saving key events (the Furniture Market and the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro).

The regular city council meeting begins at 5:30PM on Tuesday, February 21. The first public hearing item is an opportunity for citizens to give input to the 2006-07 budget; I encourage you to attend and share your thoughts for things that should be included or removed as we move forward with budget preparation. Other items on the agenda include a couple of rezoning requests in my city council district, both of which have opposition from nearby residents, and a public hearing on the request from RF Microdevices for additional incentives.

After spending Wednesday morning, February 22 at the dentist, I'll be chairing the Greensboro Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting at 1:45PM (hope the novocaine wears off by then!). That agenda includes amending the 2006-12 transportation plan, approving our annual self-certification, adopting the work plan for the year and requesting NCDOT to appoint a "Safe Routes to School" coordinator (there is federal funding available for this program but no one can access it until the state appoints someone to head the program).

On Thursday, February 23 I plan to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Windhill Court housing development. This new project is being constructed by Affordable Housing Management Inc.

That's it for the week, barring any unforeseen developments.

Coliseum update

I'm still trying to catch up on my reports on meetings from the first week of February when I was too busy to write about them. Here's a summary of the February 2 meeting of the War Memorial Commission (coliseum) meeting.

Of course, the main topic of discussion was the three upcoming basketball tournaments in March -- the ACC Women's Tournament on March 2-5, the ACC Men's' Tournament March 9-12, and the NCAA Men's First & Second Round Regionals on March 16 & 18. The marketing logo of "Tournament Town" is certainly accurate and well-deserved.

Coliseum staff and inmates from local correctional facilities have been cleaning and painting the facility in preparation for these events. Work is proceeding on the replacement of the new Jumbotron, and it should be installed and programmed just in time for the tournaments. Centerplate chefs from the Super Bowl and the Tennessee Titans will be here to handle all the catering operations, and we hope to hit the "magic number" in concessions and catering sales that will push our earnings into the 60% bracket for the rest of the fiscal year, an unbudgeted windfall. Scott Johnson reported that adjustments are being made to the traffic management plan to help traffic flow as efficiently as possible.

Ticket sales for the women's tournament are $50,000 ahead of last year's; tickets to the 2007 NCAA Women's Regionals at the Coliseum will be on sale during the ACC Women's Tournament. The non-VIP food function planned between sessions of the NCAA regionals has already sold out with 1600 reservations. Fans -- even those without tickets to the actual games -- will be able to attend FanFest in the Pavillion, and the Wednesday practice sessions for both the ACC and NCAA events will be open to the public at no charge.

Activity has really picked up at the Coliseum this year.

* There were 70+ events in November.

* The last weekend in January featured a gun show, wedding show, cheerleading competition, and gospel music (what a combination!).

* The Monster Trucks event sold out its Saturday night performance.

* There will be numerous other events occurring at the same time of the NCAA regionals, including Tap Dogs. (Oh my, we have tickets to the Friday night performance -- let's hope that traffic management plan works well!).

* The Revolution indoor football league kicks off on March 25.

* The Cirque de Soliel will be presenting "Delirium" (which is a must-see) on May 6-7.

* TD Jakes Ministries will be here the first weekend in June.

* Bids have been submitted to host the 2011-15 ACC tournaments.

* The Marketing Department is working on 45 different promotions and performances at the moment.

I dare anyone to say "there's nothing to do in this town!"

All this activity has had a positive impact on the operating budget. As of December 31, 2005 the financial report shows $426,424.51 BETTER than the projected budget. Let's hope that positive trend continues! Siemens Corporation was selected to perform the energy audit. If their projections are verified, there will be $2 million of energy-related improvements made at the Coliseum AT NO COST TO THE CITY -- costs will be paid and guaranteed by Siemans.

There is still no word on the status of hockey in the Coliseum for next year. Matt Brown reported that coliseum management has done all it can do to facilitate it, and the decision is now in the hands of the potential ownership group and the ECHL. Keep your fingers crossed!

The final business of the day was the passage of a resolution asking the City Council to restrict smoking to the exterior areas of the Coliseum effective March 1, 2006. The City Council unanimously adopted this resolution at our February 7 meeting. After the basketball tournaments are over, a wrought iron fence will be constructed outside of the lower entrance on the northeast corner of the arena building, forming a smoking area similar to the one now in use outside the auditorium. (What a difference 13 years can make! Back in 1993 when the City Council last addressed smoking at the Coliseum, there was a major uproar in the community. We were lobbied heavily by Lorrilard and various smokers' groups, and the final ordinance passed by one vote. This time around, I received only 2-3 negative comments amid a dozen+ positive ones, and the new ordinance passed unanimously.)

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 1, the day before "March Madness" begins. It will include a tour of the facilities to see all the preparations made for the big basketball event(s).

Coliseum parking complaint

I'm sharing a complaint from a coliseum patron who is unhappy with the parking fees charged for events there and the response from Andrew Brown, the coliseum's Public Relations Manager. Hopefully Andrew's explanation will help everyone understand the mystery of coliseum parking fee pricing.

I would like to know why the coliseum administrators feel the need to charge so much for parking. I have been to the coliseum twice within the past month and have paid a total of $13 to park. I paid $7 to park for the circus which meant I was there for about 3 hours. I can park at the airport for 24 hours for $6 dollars and be closer to the actual facility. The coliseum knows that they can charge whatever they want because there is nowhere else to park and people will have pay whatever amount is required. I don't feel like I attend all of the events I would like to because that's more money out of my pocket that I cannot afford to throw away simply to park. Please consider lowering your fees to accommodate people that cannot afford the extra costs of attending events. Parking should be free to start with because the costs of getting into events is so high. The events I attended recently did not receive any other money from me (such as snacks, drinks, souvenirs, etc.) because of the cost of parking. I think the price of parking needs to be greatly reconsidered!

Brannon (from Reidsville)

The Response:

Dear Brannon - the cost of Coliseum parking is determined by the nature and magnitude of the event(s). The Coliseum charges for parking as a direct revenue stream toward operational expenses. This revenue stream is directly related to who attends events. While Greensboro tax dollars support the Coliseum operation, so do parking fees and this is one way to ensure that actual attendees of events pay their share toward the Coliseum operation. For the vast majority of events we host, almost 100% of ticket monies and merchandise go to the show or the act and the Coliseum predominately lives off parking and concessions. If parking fees go down, tax support would go up and you may be paying for non-Greensboro residents to attend events and that is not something the City wants.Charging parking is a common practice in our industry and by many accounts we are low compared to the Carolina Hurricanes, Carolina Panthers and Charlotte Bobcats. Even ACC schools now charge $6 or more to park at ACC events. It is a delicate balance of what we charge for parking in relation to ticket prices and demand. However, it is a fee that is required to continue to provide quality events.

Andrew Brown, Public Relations Manager, Greensboro Coliseum Complex

Gold for Joey!

Greensboro native Joey Cheek won Olympic gold in the 500 meter speedskating event today in Torino. City councilmembers have already received an email from a citizen urging that Greensboro plan a big celebration for our latest sports hero.

My son Sean was one of Joey's teammates in inline/rollerblading speedskating competition before Joey switched to the ice. He is really pleased and excited for his friend.

Congratulations, Joey!

City Connections

Opportunities for citizen input to the 2006-07 city budget and redevelopment of the South Elm-Eugene brownfield site are discussed in the latest edition of City Connections.

The HEAT is on!

Thursday's meeting of the steering committee for GTA's new university service was an informative, upbeat one. Higher Education Access (or Area) Transit, to be known as the HEAT, is scheduled to begin serving Greensboro's college and university campuses beginning the first week of August 2006. A specific bus route will service the GTCC campus on East Wendover, A&T University, Bennett College, Elon Law School, Greensboro College, UNCG, and Guilford College. The existing service to the GTCC Jamestown campus will run more frequently, and a smaller van will offer 6-minute service to shuttle students living off-campus in the Spring Garden-Elam-Walker area to the UNCG campus. Dan Boyle, the consultant who is helping to design this new bus service, stated he was worried about one of two things: "either NO ONE will use the service or EVERYONE will use the service."

The program will be funded by a $6.5 million federal grant, a 20% operating match from the colleges and universities, some capital funding from NCDOT, and "in-kind" planning and support services from GDOT. Students from the city's higher education institutions (except for A&T) will be able to swipe their student ID cards and ride the HEAT or any GTA bus at no charge. Chancellor Renick has so far declined for A&T to financially participate - buses will stop near the A&T campus (as opposed to "on campus" at the other schools) but A&T students will have to pay the $1 fare. We are hoping that the leadership at A&T will recognize the benefit to its students and "get on board" with the rest of the city's colleges and universities in supporting this exciting effort (which is included as one of the Triad Early Action Compact's ozone reduction strategies).

Most of the discussion at the meeting focused on technical details of the security of the swipe card system so that confidential student information on the student ID cards would be protected and creating appropriate processes to prevent dropouts and other unauthorized persons from abusing the system. We also learned of the massive marketing effort that will target the 50,000+ students who could potentially ride the HEAT.

One tip to regular GTA riders - you will be able to ride the HEAT buses for the regular $1 GTA fare. For riders traveling to points near the campuses (or to Friendly Shopping Center where there will be also be a stop), this will be an express service that will get you to those points quicker due to fewer stops than the regular bus routes. A word to the wise...

Early Action Compact update

The stakeholders' committee for the Triad Early Action Compact met in the Kernersville municipal building last Monday, February 6 to be updated on the status of our efforts to address our air quality problem with ozone. We received a copy of the December 30, 2005 progress report submitted to the EPA. This report outlines the projects and programs that have been implemented by local governments and businesses in the Triad to reduce emissions and clean up the air.

Some points of interest in that report include the following:

* The City of Greensboro, using 1.5 million gallons per year of biodiesel, has been joined by Forsyth County in using B20 for its diesel vehicles.

* The North Carolina Zoo operates a biofuel processor capable of converting used vegetable oil from the zoo's food operations into a clean-burning, renewable B20 biodiesel. It provides 12,000 gallons per year of B20 to fuel a majority of the zoo's trams, buses, and other equipment.

* PART's plans to construct park-and-ride lots, increase the number of vanpools, expand the regional bus service and promote more carpooling are proceeding on schedule. Ridership increased 18% on the regional bus service in 2005.

* The RJ Reynolds Tobaccoville Plant has eliminated the use of its coal-fired burners during ozone season.

* Guilford County Schools received a $100,000 grant, and county mechanics were trained and installed 123 diesel oxidation catalysts on 2002-03 model school buses. All new purchases of buses are Limited Emissions Vehicles. In addition, all Triad schools systems have implemented a "no idling" policy.

We devoted some time to discussing "where do we go from here?" It's likely we will successfully achieve our goal of reducing the region's ozone pollution by December 2007 and avoid being designated "nonattainment." We could say "mission accomplished" and disband, but we all feel a need to monitor the ongoing implementation of the strategies as well as increase air quality education efforts.

In addition, Davidson and Guilford counties are still labeled "nonattainment" for the PM2.5 standards (fine particulate matter or soot) although Guilford's monitors have never exceeded the limit. There is no provision for early action compacts for this pollutant, and the agreement among the eleven counties and their municipalities addressed ozone only, not PM2.5. Many of the strategies that reduce ozone pollution also reduce fine particle pollution so we are making progress (although Davidson County's monitors are still registering above acceptable limits).

We will meet again in April and discuss at that time whether or not to seek official authorization from our member governments to continue our efforts and expand them to include PM2.5 pollution as well.

A lighter schedule

My schedule this week is much lighter than last week's (thank heaven!) so hopefully I won't be so busy and tired. I'd planned to do a lot of blogging and catching up this weekend, but I was so worn out, I haven't accomplished much except for house-cleaning and resting.

The only thing on my schedule for Monday, February 13 is the 2006 Community Leaders' Forum sponsored by the Greensboro Junior League at the Natural Science Center in the evening. This is always an informative event highlighting the League's many worthwhile projects.

On Wednesday, February 15 I will attend the bi-monthly meeting of the Piedmont Triad Rural Planning Organization (RPO) to review transportation issues in five of our nearby rural counties -- Caswell, Davidson, Montgomery, Randolph, and Rockingham.

Immediately following that meeting, I am the guest speaker for the UNCG Geography Club. I've been asked to talk about the Triad's air quality problems, the clean-up solutions, and their link to transportation.

I plan to attend the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) regional meeting at the Koury Center on Thursday, February 16. This annual event provides a good overview of the issues facing cities and towns in the coming year and what to expect during the short session of the General Assembly.

Friday will be a free day ( playing some Charity League bridge) and that's good because I'm spending the entire day on Saturday, February 18 at Elon University participating in the final interviews of North Carolina Teaching Fellows candidates. These high school seniors are "the cream of the crop" competing for four-year scholarships to become teachers in our state. My faith in the younger generation is always renewed after spending the day with these energetic, intelligent future teachers.

That's it for the week -- not bad at all!

Update on Heart of the Triad

The Heart of the Triad steering committee met on Wednesday morning, February 8. Arnold King chaired most of the meeting because committee co-chair (Duke alumnus) Robbie Perkins had attended the Duke-Carolina basketball game the evening before and had not yet come back down to earth from that hard-fought game.

We received a report on the February 2 public meeting held in Kernersville that 180-200 interested people attended, many more than anticipated. Participants in that meeting were asked to place colored dots on a map of the Triad region, and many of the attendees live or own property in the area under study. Several staff and committee members noted that no attendees expressed hostility to the process, but there was a lot of underlying concern and apprehension of the unknown. Most folks acknowledged that change is inevitable and it would be best for those changes to be planned, not haphazard, lest they be "run over" by those changes.

Assets of the area identified during the small-group exercises that evening included the excellent location, lots of open space and good environment, and an excellent quality of life. Lack of public water and sewer, poor transporation options, and undetermined jurisdictional control of the area were listed as limitations. During a hypothetical exercise where participants were asked how they would spend $5 million on the area if it were available, the top choices were transportation (including light rail), schools, and parks and recreation facilities.

The six-day planning charette will be held on April 3-8 at an undetermined location. (Due to the unexpected large turn-out for the February 2 meeting, staff decided we'd better be looking for a larger facility than originally thought.) There will be numerous opportunities for public input and participation in that event. It was noted there is still considerable concern that there is no resident of the immediate area serving on the steering committee.

The next meeting is scheduled for March 22. PART executive director Brent McKinney was asked to prepare and present a continuation budget to implement this project or move onto the next step once this curent study is completed. There is no funding currently identified and it may be necessary to request an allocation from the General Assembly or other sources. It was also suggested that we make efforts to inform our neighboring rural counties about the progress of the project as they are looking to the urban counties (Forsyth and Guilford) to move forward with jobs creation that will benefit all the Triad counties.

Circus fun

The week wasn't entirely all work. My husband, our son and his girlfriend and her two children, and I spent Thusday evening at the Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Circus at the coliseum. It was a fun evening, particularly in watching the wonder and excitement of the children -- that's what the circus is all about.

The audience is encouraged to go onto the arena floor for the pre-performance activities that allow one "to get up close and personal" with the performers and clowns. The kids really enjoyed trying on the costumes.

See how close we were able to get to the "painting elephant" -- one lucky attendee got to take the elephant's masterpiece home as a souvenir of the evening.

The format of the circus is different from previous years. There is a storyline to the entire performance and there is only one ring instead of the usual three. We all found it much easier to follow the action with a single act going on instead of trying to keep up with three at the same time.

For a fun time, I highly recommend treating the whole family to a performance before the circus departs on Sunday. But be prepared for the constant onslaught of vendors throughout the entire facility trying to sell all the souvenir toys, programs, coloring books and concessions. Those expenditures may be great for the coliseum's budget, but they sure can put a big dent in your wallet if your kids aren't receptive to the word "no."

Back to blogging

I apologize for my recent silence. If you looked at my schedule for the past week, you saw that I had a large number of meetings and obligations. Some of those days, I actually got the morning newspaper read around midnight or later. I had the choice of "taking care of business" or writing about it -- I chose to use my time get the job done. Thank heaven the weekend has arrived, and I hope to catch up on this poor neglected blog.

Weekly schedule

I'm late getting my schedule posted for the coming week due to a hectic weekend. Three of our grandchildren visited for a sleepover Saturday night while their parents took a much-needed break -- chaotic, but fun. Once they departed, it was off to Charlotte for my friend Sam's memorial service, and it was nearing 6PM before I got back. Just not enough hours in this weekend to get everything done!

This Monday morning, February 6, began with a chat at the Green Bean with a consultant with whom I have worked in a number of transportation forums. Then it's off to Kernersville for a 2PM meeting of the Triad Early Action Compact to review progress for the past six months and consider our next steps. I will then rush back to Greensboro for a 4PM city council briefing to review major financial trends and indicators in preparing to begin the city's budget process.

On Tuesday, February 7, I'm meeting with a constituent to hear concerns about an upcoming rezoning proposal in a District 5 neighborhood followed by the Bryan Foundation's annual meeting and luncheon at 11:45AM. There is a 4:30PM reception for the Bicentennial Commission followed by the regular City Council meeting at 5:30PM. From the looks of the agenda, this meeting has the potential to be a long one.

The Heart of the Triad steering committee meets at 8:30AM on Wednesday, February 8. I will also attend the Executive Committee meeting of the Piedmont Triad Council of Governments at 5:30PM.

Thursday, February 9 brings a midday meeting of the steering committee of the new university bus service beginning in August. I'm looking forward to an evening at the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus at the Coliseum as a guest of the circus.

I'll finish the week on Friday, February 10 with a lunch meeting with Walker Sanders of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro to discuss housing initiatives.

Whew -- a busy week (and this is just the official stuff on my calendar, there are a number of personal meetings and events as well)! I hope to find time later to catch up and share details of some of the issues with which we are dealing this week as well as update you on the coliseum meeting last week.

A continued assignment, and then some

After eight years of service on the Charter Schools Advisory Committee (I've been on it since Day One), my term was supposed to expire back in December. However, the State Board of Education (SBE) asked me to continue for another two years due to the large number of committee members who were rotating off and the SBE's need for some continuity and experience on the committee. On Thursday, the SBE officially appointed me to serve as the committee chairman. So it looks like my monthly treks to Raleigh are going to continue (and probably increase) for another couple of years.

Farewell to a friend and mentor

One of my long-time PTA mentors and friends died yesterday in Charlotte -- Dr. Sam Haywood. Sam twice served as the president of North Carolina PTA , one of the few males who have served in that position, and on the National PTA Board of Directors in a variety of roles, including treasurer. This gentle giant taught me a lot about PTA and how to work with people, and all of us in the PTA world will miss him. Rest in peace, friend.

Protest arrests explanation

City Council members have received a couple of emails today protesting the handling of last night's protest march downtown. Here is a press release from Captain Gary Hastings of the Greensboro Police Department explaining the incidents.

MULTIPLE ARRESTS DURING TUESDAY NIGHT PROTEST

Greensboro Police Officers arrested 7 people last night during an Anti-President Bush protest in downtown Greensboro. At approximately 9:00 PM protesters marched on the sidewalk from 604 South Elm Street through the downtown area. At approximately 9:15 PM the protesters entered the roadway blocking traffic near the intersection of South Elm Street and Washington Street. Additional police units were called into the area to monitor the crowd of approximately 150 protesters. State Law prohibits the obstruction of traffic and the group did not have a parade permit as required by Greensboro City Ordinances. During the march protesters shouted, played drums and other musical instruments and were carrying posters and signs. At approximately 9:40 PM the march ended in the 600 block of South Elm Street where protesters completely blocked the roadway. Police Officers blocked the roads and redirected traffic for over an hour. The marchers continued their protest with loud chanting and excessive noise.

At approximately 9:45 PM protesters assaulted a Greensboro Police Detective monitoring the demonstration. Detective E. L. Cuthbertson was assaulted by protesters when he was pushed and struck with an elbow in the chest. Officer J. O. LeGrande was pushed and struck in the neck by suspects. One suspect was carrying a collapsible police-style steel baton and another suspect was carrying a lock blade knife. The weapons were not used against police officers.

During the arrests the crowd became agitated and began yelling obscenities at police officers. Additional officers were called to the area and remained until order was restored. The following people were arrested:

Kenneth Wayne Harris WM/24
621 Fairmont Street
Charged: Assault on Governmental Official, Inciting to Riot, Carrying a Concealed Weapon

Zach Harrell Jones WM/25
902 West Market Street
Charged: Assault on Governmental Official, Inciting to Riot ; Resisting, Delaying and Obstructing a Law Enforcement Officer

Andy James O’Hara WM/26
1312 West Market Street
Charged: Assault on Governmental Official, Inciting to Riot; Resisting, Delaying and Obstructing a Law Enforcement Officer

George Lawrence Saba WM/32
621 Fairmont Street
Charged: Assault on Governmental Official

Kyle Daniel Whisenant WM/22
2627 Walker Avenue
Charged: Assault on Governmental Official, Inciting to Riot; Resisting, Delaying and Obstructing a Law Enforcement Officer

Erik Lee Stephens WM/21
311 South Mendenhall Street
Charged: Inciting to Riot

Marissa Renee Csanyi WF/22
1312 West Market Street
Charged: Inciting to Riot

The investigation is continuing and no serious injuries were reported.