At last Tuesday's briefing session, City Manager Mitchell Johnson provided the city council with a first look at his attempt to comply with the city council's directive to show us a budget with no property tax increase. To accomplish this, approximately $6 million dollars must be "found" with a combination of cutting ongoing expenses and increasing revenues. The department heads and city managers met for three days to identify and discuss these proposed cuts, taking into account the interconnection and dependency of various departments on one another.
M&O (maintenance and operations) expenses are proposed to be reduced by $900,000 that are not included in the following lists. At this point, the additional police officers I fought to add into the budget this current year are still included in the proposal.
The manager's proposal consisted of three parts --
Recommended actions for a grand total of $3,733,545
Field Operations:
* Reduce contract expenses with FCR (our recycling materials handler)
* Reduce roll-out recycling collection to once every other week (I don't know about you, but I only need to place my brown can at the curb every 2-3 weeks despite recycling religiously.)
* Reduce recycling inspections (and focus more on education efforts)
* Increase the commercial refuse collection fee slightly
Police:
* Eliminate four investigative aides (who do follow-up phone calls on cases)
Fire:
* Reallocate resources (equipment and personnel) from existing stations to open the Painter Blvd. station with no new positions
* Delete three Battalion Chief positions (currently 16)
Parks and Recreation
* Privatize dance program
* Increase various recreation center fees
* Reduce staffing for lakes (lakes would be open on a rotating schedule throughout the week)
Libraries
* Reduce staffing at Historical Museum gift shop
* Reduce current vacant positions (2)
Engineering
* Reorganize engineering design service
* Increase permit fees
Human Resources
* Eliminate tuition reimbursement
Finance
* Increase Privilege License fees (Greensboro's current rates are at or near the bottom when compared to other NC towns and cities; generates $548,000)
Other departments
* Miscellaneous cuts of smaller items/amounts totaling $92,515
Items Still Under Review for a total of $785,880 (possibilities, need more study)
* Realignment of police Community Resource Teams and reduction of Investigative Sergeant positions
* Transfer of ownership of Hagan Stone Park to Guilford County
* Review of user fees in the Planning and Fire Departments
Items NOT Recommended for a total of $2,103,165 (but are possibilities if the CITY COUNCIL wishes to pursue them; most have severe impacts on popular city services)
* Reduce the loose leaf collection program
* Reduce traffic signal installations and new street lighting
* Elimination of the PNRC program (Police Neighborhood Resource Centers in public housing)
* Elimination of police Community Affairs positions
* Transfer of costs of School Crossing Guards to the school system
* Elimination of CALEA certification (the "Good Housekeeping Seal" for police departments)
* Reduce software purchases and other support for all areas (GIS, Application Services, Administration)
* Reduce service at teller payment window
* Delay/postpone corridor studies
* Other miscellaneous reductions totaling $95,000+
These proposals are just a beginning point, and there will be plenty of additional research and review along with discussion and debate before the budget if finalized for adoption in June. We have some very tough choices facing us.
Friday, March 30, 2007
A LONG (but satisfying) week
Heavens! Despite my relatively light official schedule this week and an enjoyable political blogging forum over at UNCG Tuesday night with Jay, (the real) Ed and Leslie, it turned into a real bear and I haven't had time to do any blogging. Several last minute meetings popped up plus 7-month-old Kammy stayed overnight in an unplanned visit (decided she wanted to play with Grandma at 3AM). It just dawned on me as I sat down at this computer ten minutes ago that I completely forgot that we had tickets to the Greensboro Symphony Masterworks Series this evening -- too late now!
The main reason for being exhausted and frazzled, however, is this. My husband and I had been delaying our search for a second car, and the time finally came when we could not put it off any longer. We ventured over to Green Ford on Monday "just to look around," and finally found the right car later in the week with the help of salesman Jeff K. It's a four-cylinder compact, but is really roomy inside, has great pickup, and delivers good gas mileage. Plus, we now have that fire engine red car that was on my husband's secret wish list! Zoom, zoom!
The main reason for being exhausted and frazzled, however, is this. My husband and I had been delaying our search for a second car, and the time finally came when we could not put it off any longer. We ventured over to Green Ford on Monday "just to look around," and finally found the right car later in the week with the help of salesman Jeff K. It's a four-cylinder compact, but is really roomy inside, has great pickup, and delivers good gas mileage. Plus, we now have that fire engine red car that was on my husband's secret wish list! Zoom, zoom!
Monday, March 26, 2007
City Connections
The latest edition of City Connections highlights the appointment of Police Chief Tim Bellamy.
It was worth it!
All the sweat, broken fingernails, and sore muscles last fall from our landscaping project appear to have paid off. Our new flower bed is absolutely beautiful this spring, and neighbors have been stopping by to offer their compliments. I can hardly wait until the azaleas and the cherry tree are in full bloom to complete the picture.
I love this time of year!
Weekly schedule
This is one of those weeks with one or more meetings every day but not too much of those "dashing from here to there with one's tongue hanging out" situations -- still plenty of opportunities to enjoy this gorgeous spring weather!
On Monday, March 26 I have a lunchtime briefing from the corporate YMCA on their plans to move the Hayes-Taylor branch. I certainly hope this session does not turn into the same "ask" for financial assistance that previous briefings turned out to be. If that session does not last too long, I hope to get out to the Bryan Enrichment Center to watch the graduation of the latest class of Greensboro police recruits, the 86th such class. Later in the afternoon, I have my monthly one-on-one chat with the city manager.
The regular city council briefing session begins at 8:30AM on Tuesday, March 27. Items on the agenda include the preliminary budget presentation per council request for 0% property tax increase, police department’s “Operation Fresh Start,” and discussions of the noise ordinance and privilege license ordinance.
New Police Chief Tim Bellamy's official badge ceremony will begin at 11:30AM in the city council chambers immediately after the briefing session.
I'm looking forward to participating in Jay's panel discussion on political blogging later that evening at UNCG.
I hope to attend the monthly meeting of the Lee Street Merchants Association on Wednesday morning, March 28 to hear about their efforts to address the many challenges facing the Lee Street corridor. Then it's off to the TAC (Transportation Advisory Committee) that afternoon where the agenda includes amending our annual work program, reviewing the final draft of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and getting an update on the implementation of the BiPed plan.
Thursday, March 29 begins with a meeting of the Fun Fourth Advisory Committee; plans for our annual 4th of July celebration are coming along nicely. I'm off to the Lake McIntosh clubhouse for an afternoon regional meeting of the North Carolina League of Municipalities, and if that ends in time, drop in on the Farmington Forest community watch meeting that evening.
Friday, March 30 is clear of official duties at this point, but my husband and I do plan to attend the Greensboro Symphony's Masterworks performance that evening.
On Monday, March 26 I have a lunchtime briefing from the corporate YMCA on their plans to move the Hayes-Taylor branch. I certainly hope this session does not turn into the same "ask" for financial assistance that previous briefings turned out to be. If that session does not last too long, I hope to get out to the Bryan Enrichment Center to watch the graduation of the latest class of Greensboro police recruits, the 86th such class. Later in the afternoon, I have my monthly one-on-one chat with the city manager.
The regular city council briefing session begins at 8:30AM on Tuesday, March 27. Items on the agenda include the preliminary budget presentation per council request for 0% property tax increase, police department’s “Operation Fresh Start,” and discussions of the noise ordinance and privilege license ordinance.
New Police Chief Tim Bellamy's official badge ceremony will begin at 11:30AM in the city council chambers immediately after the briefing session.
I'm looking forward to participating in Jay's panel discussion on political blogging later that evening at UNCG.
I hope to attend the monthly meeting of the Lee Street Merchants Association on Wednesday morning, March 28 to hear about their efforts to address the many challenges facing the Lee Street corridor. Then it's off to the TAC (Transportation Advisory Committee) that afternoon where the agenda includes amending our annual work program, reviewing the final draft of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and getting an update on the implementation of the BiPed plan.
Thursday, March 29 begins with a meeting of the Fun Fourth Advisory Committee; plans for our annual 4th of July celebration are coming along nicely. I'm off to the Lake McIntosh clubhouse for an afternoon regional meeting of the North Carolina League of Municipalities, and if that ends in time, drop in on the Farmington Forest community watch meeting that evening.
Friday, March 30 is clear of official duties at this point, but my husband and I do plan to attend the Greensboro Symphony's Masterworks performance that evening.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Goal achieved!
When I stepped on my scales to weigh in this morning, I happily asked my husband to come in and witness/verify the results. Victory! I've officially shed my ten pounds in the Mayors' Weight Loss Challenge -- mission accomplished! I can definitely tell a difference -- am able to button some buttons that I previously needed to leave undone.
Since the effort has been RELATIVELY painless, I think I'll keep the diet up a bit longer and see if I can drop an additional five pounds or so.
Since the effort has been RELATIVELY painless, I think I'll keep the diet up a bit longer and see if I can drop an additional five pounds or so.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Almost there!
I've been faithfully participating (starving!) in the Guilford County Mayors' Challenge to lose 10 pounds between February 1 and April 15. I'm pleased to report that I am well on the way to meeting that goal -- my scales this morning show me down eight pounds! Hooray! Now if I can just control this craving for chocolate...
Communications improvement
Here's good news for the media and bloggers contained in this morning's Items for Your Information from the city manager -- a first-step response to the bloggers' meeting with Mitch?
New Web Site a Response to Media Needs
In the past year, we have been subject to a volume of requests for public information from the traditional media and the blogging community, which, frankly, nearly overwhelmed our ability to respond in the traditional manner. Base on requests and suggestions from these customers, Public Affairs is developing several new systems to make us more responsive and transparent. The first of these is a web site which will feature the answers to common questions and provide basic information needed by media representatives. We hope that the media themselves will suggest additions to the site, which we will provide whenever practical. The shell of this site is complete and may be viewed athttp://www.greensboro-nc.gov/Departments/PublicAffairs/newsroom/
We will continue to refine and add to this based on feedback.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
PART update
As expected, the PART Board of Trustees approved Yadkin County to become a member of PART at last Wednesday's meeting; Commissioner Brady Wooten was sworn in as a new member of the board, bring us to a total of 20 members.
We also set our regular April 11 meeting as the public hearing to consider the imposition of a $1 per vehicle registration fee in Randolph County. This money will be used as the local match, enabling PART to construct park-and-ride lots in Randolph County as well as begin PART Express service in that county.
PART staff had prepared an update to the commuting patterns map that estimates the number of vehicles crossing county lines every morning and evening as workers travel out of their home county to go to work and back. The numbers continue to grow, highlighting the need for better transit options to get some of those cars off the roads. (Sorry for the poor quality of the image!)
We also set our regular April 11 meeting as the public hearing to consider the imposition of a $1 per vehicle registration fee in Randolph County. This money will be used as the local match, enabling PART to construct park-and-ride lots in Randolph County as well as begin PART Express service in that county.
PART staff had prepared an update to the commuting patterns map that estimates the number of vehicles crossing county lines every morning and evening as workers travel out of their home county to go to work and back. The numbers continue to grow, highlighting the need for better transit options to get some of those cars off the roads. (Sorry for the poor quality of the image!)
The city's loss
Although I am happy for her personally, I really regret that the city is losing Associate General Counsel Blair Carr to Winston-Salem. Ms. Carr has been a great asset to the city and handled her duties competently and professionally. She worked diligently with me to assist a local neighborhood with noise problems generated from a nearby business and has been instrumental in our attempts to strengthen city ordinances regulating sexually oriented businesses.
In addition to her city duties, she is also one of our faithful PART riders and has been one of our best cheerleaders -- as well as letting us know occasionally when service needed some improvement.
Ms. Carr announced her departure to friends and colleagues with this email:
In addition to her city duties, she is also one of our faithful PART riders and has been one of our best cheerleaders -- as well as letting us know occasionally when service needed some improvement.
Ms. Carr announced her departure to friends and colleagues with this email:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
With mixed emotions I am announcing my departure from the City of Greensboro on March 23, 2007. Effective April 2, 2007, I will take a position as an Assistant City Attorney with Winston Salem. I have enjoyed working with all of you. I have grown both professionally and personally as a result of my time in Greensboro. However, I built a life in Winston Salem where my family, friends, community and spiritual center are. Each day I work in Greensboro and live in Winston I feel torn. When the opportunity arose in Winston, I saw it as a way to give my services to the community in which I live. I could not pass it up.
I will miss your professionalism, integrity, and kindness. It has been a GREAT Ride….thanks for helping me enjoy it.
Blair Carr, Associate General Counsel, City of GreensboroGood luck, Blair! We'll miss you!
Weekly schedule
This is going to be a fairly busy week in spots, mainly due to our regular city council meeting on Tuesday evening.
On Monday, March 19 I plan to attend the West Hunter Hills community meeting in the evening. More and more neighborhoods seem to be organizing crime watches and neighborhood associations and are becoming more proactive in addressing the needs of their individual communities. I try to attend as many of these as my schedule will allow.
The Greensboro Economic Development Alliance is holding their Annual Investors Breakfast at 7:30AM on Tuesday morning, March 20 and I plan to attend (although I thoroughly dislike early morning meetings).
Our regular city council meeting will begin at 5:30PM, and there are a number of interesting items on our agenda. Those topics include the following:
* Item #7 -- a report on the needed replacement of the Lake Townsend Dam (excellent report by Taft Wireback in today's News & Record).
* Item #21 -- purchase of property for a new fire station at West Vandalia/South Elm-Eugene.
* Item #22 -- changes to the RUCO ordinance to extend the time for completion of inspections to January 2009.
* Item #23 -- a request from the Human Relations Commission for the city council to seek a local amendment to state legislation allowing the Complaint Review Committee to have full access to police personnel files and reports. Greensboro would be the only jurisdiction in the state allowing such unrestricted access. I am firmly opposed to this request and will not support it. The review process can be tweaked to improve it without setting this dangerous and unfair precedent.
On Wednesday evening, March 21 I plan to attend the Sponsors' Kick-off Banquet for the Greensboro Memory Walk to be held on June 2, a fundraising event for the Alzheimer's Association . I lost my mother to this dreadful disease so this charity occupies a special place in my heart.
I'm meeting with constituent Joel Landau and others on Thursday, March 22 to learn about the mayors' initiative to address global warming. Greensboro is already doing a lot of things in the name of better air quality that fit nicely with this effort to reduce energy consumption and preserve the environment.
Friday evening, March 23 will find my husband and me downtown enjoying the "Tournament Town Goes Downtown Block Party" festivities featuring Chris Daughtry. This date is also our 39th wedding anniversary -- isn't it nice that they are throwing us such a big party to celebrate! { just kidding, of course} As an aside, I received the following email notification from Grassroots Production ( I had passed along a citizen complaint some time ago about the absence of recycling efforts at our outdoor events):
On Monday, March 19 I plan to attend the West Hunter Hills community meeting in the evening. More and more neighborhoods seem to be organizing crime watches and neighborhood associations and are becoming more proactive in addressing the needs of their individual communities. I try to attend as many of these as my schedule will allow.
The Greensboro Economic Development Alliance is holding their Annual Investors Breakfast at 7:30AM on Tuesday morning, March 20 and I plan to attend (although I thoroughly dislike early morning meetings).
Our regular city council meeting will begin at 5:30PM, and there are a number of interesting items on our agenda. Those topics include the following:
* Item #7 -- a report on the needed replacement of the Lake Townsend Dam (excellent report by Taft Wireback in today's News & Record).
* Item #21 -- purchase of property for a new fire station at West Vandalia/South Elm-Eugene.
* Item #22 -- changes to the RUCO ordinance to extend the time for completion of inspections to January 2009.
* Item #23 -- a request from the Human Relations Commission for the city council to seek a local amendment to state legislation allowing the Complaint Review Committee to have full access to police personnel files and reports. Greensboro would be the only jurisdiction in the state allowing such unrestricted access. I am firmly opposed to this request and will not support it. The review process can be tweaked to improve it without setting this dangerous and unfair precedent.
On Wednesday evening, March 21 I plan to attend the Sponsors' Kick-off Banquet for the Greensboro Memory Walk to be held on June 2, a fundraising event for the Alzheimer's Association . I lost my mother to this dreadful disease so this charity occupies a special place in my heart.
I'm meeting with constituent Joel Landau and others on Thursday, March 22 to learn about the mayors' initiative to address global warming. Greensboro is already doing a lot of things in the name of better air quality that fit nicely with this effort to reduce energy consumption and preserve the environment.
Friday evening, March 23 will find my husband and me downtown enjoying the "Tournament Town Goes Downtown Block Party" festivities featuring Chris Daughtry. This date is also our 39th wedding anniversary -- isn't it nice that they are throwing us such a big party to celebrate! { just kidding, of course} As an aside, I received the following email notification from Grassroots Production ( I had passed along a citizen complaint some time ago about the absence of recycling efforts at our outdoor events):
Just thought you would both like to know that we are testing a recycling program for outdoor events at the March 23, Tournament Town Block Party. With the help of Sheldon Smith with City of Greensboro Field Operations, Leo Check with Street Cleaning, and the staff at GSO Coliseum we hope to see if we can recycle some of those cans and bottles that will be used that night. Wish us luck. I'll report back after the event on how it went.
Brenda
Brenda J. Studt, Operations Manager,
Grassroots Productions Limited
Great -- I hope this effort is successful!
I can't celebrate too much, though, because I'm off to Raleigh on Saturday morning to assist with a NCPTA workshop for PTA council presidents and other council leaders in preparation for the upcoming convention in Asheville in April.
That's it for this week!
Monday, March 12, 2007
Great new city video
Here's the new city video produced in-house by our talented Channel 13 staff. It's great!
Making Greensboro greener
Every little bit helps! Check out this press release from the city.
THIRD GRADERS TO RECEIVE DOGWOOD SEEDLINGS FOR ARBOR DAY
GREENSBORO, NC (March 12, 2007) – The City of Greensboro will give 6,000 dogwood seedlings to Guilford County third-graders to celebrate Arbor Day on Friday, March 16. Third graders are encouraged to take the seedlings home and plant them. The elementary school that plants the largest percentage of their seedlings will win a pizza party for all the third-graders in their school and a tree will be planted on their school grounds.
The seedlings are part of an Arbor Day project sponsored by the City’s Parks & Recreation Department, the Planning Department’s Urban Forestry Program, the NC Cooperative Extension Service of Guilford County, Guilford County Master Gardeners, Greensboro Beautiful, and Davey Tree and Lawn Care. Funding for the seedlings was provided through a grant from Syngenta Crop Protection.
“This project is a great way to replace some of the trees we have lost over the years,” said Mike Cusimano, the City’s Urban Forester.
For more information, contact Mike Cusimano, Urban Forester, at 373-2150 or visit
www.greensboro-nc.gov/Departments/Planning/forestry/
THIRD GRADERS TO RECEIVE DOGWOOD SEEDLINGS FOR ARBOR DAY
GREENSBORO, NC (March 12, 2007) – The City of Greensboro will give 6,000 dogwood seedlings to Guilford County third-graders to celebrate Arbor Day on Friday, March 16. Third graders are encouraged to take the seedlings home and plant them. The elementary school that plants the largest percentage of their seedlings will win a pizza party for all the third-graders in their school and a tree will be planted on their school grounds.
The seedlings are part of an Arbor Day project sponsored by the City’s Parks & Recreation Department, the Planning Department’s Urban Forestry Program, the NC Cooperative Extension Service of Guilford County, Guilford County Master Gardeners, Greensboro Beautiful, and Davey Tree and Lawn Care. Funding for the seedlings was provided through a grant from Syngenta Crop Protection.
“This project is a great way to replace some of the trees we have lost over the years,” said Mike Cusimano, the City’s Urban Forester.
For more information, contact Mike Cusimano, Urban Forester, at 373-2150 or visit
www.greensboro-nc.gov/Departments/Planning/forestry/
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Weekly schedule
This week looks like it will be a fairly light one. If the nice weather holds up, maybe I can take care of some spring gardening chores. During last fall's front lawn make-over, we relocated a planting bed from the center of the lawn to form a flower bed/planting area across the front of the house in front of the azaleas. However, with the appearance of some scattered daffodils and tulips in the middle of the grassy area, it's apparent we missed a few bulbs that will have to be relocated before the mowing season begins.
Except for a personal lunchtime appointment, I'm free and clear on Monday.
I plan to attend the Annual Employee Service Awards Breakfast at the Coliseum on Tuesday morning, March 13. This event recognizes retirees from the past year as well as those hitting 5-year milestones in their careers with the city. The East Hunter Hills Community Watch meets later that evening and I plan to attend, having had to miss the last three due to other schedule conflicts.
The PART Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday, March 14. Items of interest on the agenda include the approval of Yadkin County to join the PART team and setting a public hearing date for the $1 per vehicle registration fee in Randolph County. I will be attending the executive committee meeting of the Piedmont Triad Council of Governments later that evening. If the meeting is relatively short, I hope to visit the Parks & Recreation Commission meeting being held at Folk Center in District 5.
That's it except for Thursday evening when my husband and I plan to attend the opening night performance of The Caretaker at Triad Stage.
Except for a personal lunchtime appointment, I'm free and clear on Monday.
I plan to attend the Annual Employee Service Awards Breakfast at the Coliseum on Tuesday morning, March 13. This event recognizes retirees from the past year as well as those hitting 5-year milestones in their careers with the city. The East Hunter Hills Community Watch meets later that evening and I plan to attend, having had to miss the last three due to other schedule conflicts.
The PART Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday, March 14. Items of interest on the agenda include the approval of Yadkin County to join the PART team and setting a public hearing date for the $1 per vehicle registration fee in Randolph County. I will be attending the executive committee meeting of the Piedmont Triad Council of Governments later that evening. If the meeting is relatively short, I hope to visit the Parks & Recreation Commission meeting being held at Folk Center in District 5.
That's it except for Thursday evening when my husband and I plan to attend the opening night performance of The Caretaker at Triad Stage.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Coliseum report
Wow! Didn't the Coliseum look great on TV this weekend for the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament? That kind of positive publicity is priceless! Congratulations to the teams (of course, this Wolfpack fan would have preferred a different ending), the coliseum staff, and all the wonderful volunteers who made it happen! With sold-out games, another attendance record shattered, and the dynamic atmosphere, we should have an excellent chance of being successful with our bid to land the NCAA women's finals for 2012.
The War Memorial Commission met last Wednesday (one day early to avoid the scheduling conflict with the tournament) and received updates on various aspects of the coliseum's finances and operations.
* Finances are on track to stay within this year's budget. Revenues from the commissions on Centerplate's concession and catering sales are ahead of projections. Although it was not pointed out in the meeting, the end-or-the-year audit for 2005-06 revealed an operating deficit of $493,181.50 LESS than budgeted due in part to last year's three March weekends of basketball tournaments.
* Now that the purchase and construction costs have been paid off, the Coliseum will earn $100,000/year in rental fees from UNCG for the parking lot on the former George C. Brown cedar company at the corner of Lee and S. Chapman St./Coliseum Boulevard.
* Ticket sales for the Ringling Brothers circus in February set a new record for the Coliseum with gross sales in excess of $1 million.
* Coliseum staff is upfitting old concession stands and converting former storage space into new stands on the upper concourse to increase the "point of sales" availability to reduce congestion at the stands on the lower level.
* Patrons in the luxury suites can now pre-order their snacks and goodies online before an event and have it waiting for them upon arrival.
* Guilford College has scheduled four events in its popular Bryan Series. The first one will feature a panel discussion between Louis Gosset Jr., Jane Seymour, and Richard Dreyfuss. Sounds like a "must see" event!
* Arena football is on schedule to open its season later this month.
* Hockey discussions are continuing as the potential owner explores the availability of a team for purchase. April 1 looms as the deadline to have a team in place for the 2007-08 season.
* In a memo to the city manager in response to the city council's interest in imposing a ticket tax to generate more revenue at the coliseum, Coliseum Director Matt Brown estimates total net revenues somewhere in the range of $141,000 to $283,000 annually, depending upon how much of a cut show promoters demand. This is disappointing since I think some on council viewed this as a way to fund some enhancements in the auditorium.
Matt pointed out the potential loss in bookings (none of our three largest competitors -- RBC in Raleigh, Bobcat Arena in Charlotte, Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill -- assess a surcharge), fewer ticket sales due to patrons being fed up with high ticket prices and the negative impact on deliberate efforts to keep children's tickets to certain events low-priced to encourage family attendance, and contractual agreements with some promoters that prohibit the collection of a tax on their shows. Due to current legislation, the surcharge could only be charged for events in the arena due to the provision that the venue must have 10,000 seats or more to qualify.
The War Memorial Commission met last Wednesday (one day early to avoid the scheduling conflict with the tournament) and received updates on various aspects of the coliseum's finances and operations.
* Finances are on track to stay within this year's budget. Revenues from the commissions on Centerplate's concession and catering sales are ahead of projections. Although it was not pointed out in the meeting, the end-or-the-year audit for 2005-06 revealed an operating deficit of $493,181.50 LESS than budgeted due in part to last year's three March weekends of basketball tournaments.
* Now that the purchase and construction costs have been paid off, the Coliseum will earn $100,000/year in rental fees from UNCG for the parking lot on the former George C. Brown cedar company at the corner of Lee and S. Chapman St./Coliseum Boulevard.
* Ticket sales for the Ringling Brothers circus in February set a new record for the Coliseum with gross sales in excess of $1 million.
* Coliseum staff is upfitting old concession stands and converting former storage space into new stands on the upper concourse to increase the "point of sales" availability to reduce congestion at the stands on the lower level.
* Patrons in the luxury suites can now pre-order their snacks and goodies online before an event and have it waiting for them upon arrival.
* Guilford College has scheduled four events in its popular Bryan Series. The first one will feature a panel discussion between Louis Gosset Jr., Jane Seymour, and Richard Dreyfuss. Sounds like a "must see" event!
* Arena football is on schedule to open its season later this month.
* Hockey discussions are continuing as the potential owner explores the availability of a team for purchase. April 1 looms as the deadline to have a team in place for the 2007-08 season.
* In a memo to the city manager in response to the city council's interest in imposing a ticket tax to generate more revenue at the coliseum, Coliseum Director Matt Brown estimates total net revenues somewhere in the range of $141,000 to $283,000 annually, depending upon how much of a cut show promoters demand. This is disappointing since I think some on council viewed this as a way to fund some enhancements in the auditorium.
Matt pointed out the potential loss in bookings (none of our three largest competitors -- RBC in Raleigh, Bobcat Arena in Charlotte, Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill -- assess a surcharge), fewer ticket sales due to patrons being fed up with high ticket prices and the negative impact on deliberate efforts to keep children's tickets to certain events low-priced to encourage family attendance, and contractual agreements with some promoters that prohibit the collection of a tax on their shows. Due to current legislation, the surcharge could only be charged for events in the arena due to the provision that the venue must have 10,000 seats or more to qualify.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Weekly schedule
This week starts off with a busy Monday, but otherwise, is fairly easy.
I have a meeting with a GTCC student first thing Monday morning, March 5 to explain how city government operates. That will be followed by the quarterly meeting of the Triad Early Action Compact at 2PM, the 2007 Guilford Women in Power Forum at 6:30PM, and the Rolling Road Community Watch at 7PM if I can depart the women's forum in time.
The regular city council meeting will begin at 5:30PM on Tuesday, March 6. There are a number of rezoning cases on the agenda (we have received a request for a continuance on the Rice Toyota/Stratford Drive proposal) so it has the potential to be a long one. One unusual item will be an appeal from Peek-A-Boo (an adult business) contesting the revocation of their business license; it must be heard as a quasi-judicial case, meaning that there will be swearing in of witnesses, presentation of evidence, etc.
Wednesday is clear at this point, and I will be playing bridge with my "Wacky Wednesday" group that evening for a bit of friendship and relaxation.
Thursday morning, March 8 starts off bright and early with a meeting of the Fun Fourth Advisory Committee. Then I have to rush home to participate in a telephone conference call meeting of the Charter Schools Advisory Committee -- at least I don't have to drive to Raleigh for this one. Finally I hope to attend the MPO Public Meeting at 4PM at the Central Library to hear citizen input on the MTIP (Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program).
That's all for now on my calendar, but if things go as they usually do, there will be plenty of other items popping up on it to keep me busy.
I have a meeting with a GTCC student first thing Monday morning, March 5 to explain how city government operates. That will be followed by the quarterly meeting of the Triad Early Action Compact at 2PM, the 2007 Guilford Women in Power Forum at 6:30PM, and the Rolling Road Community Watch at 7PM if I can depart the women's forum in time.
The regular city council meeting will begin at 5:30PM on Tuesday, March 6. There are a number of rezoning cases on the agenda (we have received a request for a continuance on the Rice Toyota/Stratford Drive proposal) so it has the potential to be a long one. One unusual item will be an appeal from Peek-A-Boo (an adult business) contesting the revocation of their business license; it must be heard as a quasi-judicial case, meaning that there will be swearing in of witnesses, presentation of evidence, etc.
Wednesday is clear at this point, and I will be playing bridge with my "Wacky Wednesday" group that evening for a bit of friendship and relaxation.
Thursday morning, March 8 starts off bright and early with a meeting of the Fun Fourth Advisory Committee. Then I have to rush home to participate in a telephone conference call meeting of the Charter Schools Advisory Committee -- at least I don't have to drive to Raleigh for this one. Finally I hope to attend the MPO Public Meeting at 4PM at the Central Library to hear citizen input on the MTIP (Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program).
That's all for now on my calendar, but if things go as they usually do, there will be plenty of other items popping up on it to keep me busy.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Greensboro moves to E-procurement
According to information contained in the city manager's latest Items for Your Information memo to city councilmembers, the City of Greensboro began offering "E-procurement" through GePS on February 12. This new system allows suppliers to do business electronically with the city by registering, viewing, and responding to open bids via the city's website. GePS will be used to procure equipment, supplies, and services that have traditionally processed through the Purchasing Division.
GePS will NOT be used for construction bids.
GePS will NOT be used for construction bids.
Caught in the middle
In her story in today's News & Record, Margaret Banks highlighted the dilemma elected officials face when one or more of our own become embroiled in personal controversial issues. I am of course speaking of the recent actions of my fellow councilmembers Dianne Bellamy-Small and Florence Gatten. There has been plenty of public reaction to the dispute supporting one side or the other, including statements from the Pulpit Forum, emails and phone calls from citizens, letters to the editor, and of course, posts and comments on numerous local blogs.
I have deliberately chosen not to publicly condemn or condone the personal actions of any of my fellow councilmembers. As a result in this particular case, I have been criticized by some who disagree with my stance of "just trying to stay out of the line of fire." Here's my personal philosophy on how I try to approach these sticky situations.
* When an issue is a matter of PUBLIC policy or where the city council will be voting on the city's business, the discussion most definitely needs to be held in the public arena where all the pros and cons, impacts and implications, and costs can be openly vetted and thoroughly examined. That debate should be based strictly on the merits and shortfalls of the issue itself, not on the personalities or actions of those who are supporting or opposing that particular issue.
* When an issue arises based on a councilmember's PERSONAL actions or behaviors, I believe in speaking with that person privately to express my concerns and/or dissatisfaction in hopes of gaining a better understanding of the situation . This allows for an open, honest dialogue without the appearance of pursuing political motives for doing so. I use the Golden Rule as my basis for this belief.
* For a wide range of reasons -- from economic development efforts to attract new businesses to Greensboro as well as our own citizens' personal pride and support for their hometown -- the public image we project is vitally important. That image takes a beating every time we find ourselves in another battle over personal actions, statements, and behaviors of various elected officials. I do my best not to contribute to that poor showing.
* In reality, my personal opinion of this issue does NOT matter one little iota because we councilmembers have no power or disciplinary authority over each other whatsoever. Even if this city council should "pile on" and vote unanimously to censure Mrs. Bellamy-Small or call for her immediate resignation, we have no power to enforce that vote. She would be totally within her rights as a councilmember to ignore our action. The power to elect and un-elect their councilmember rests in the hands of the voters. I rely on one of my favorites for guidance here.
* From time to time, there are issues and/or policies before the city council on which there is no clear consensus. At those times, we each need all the votes we can muster -- at least four in addition to our own one -- to get a particular item approved. (A prime example is the inclusion of the 32 additional police officers in this year's budget which I initially got adopted on a 5-4 vote.) I cannot afford to alienate one of those potential supporting votes in the future and become ineffective in my efforts as a councilmember.
* Although bad behavior, dissension, and personal disagreements may capture our attention from time to time, I try to remain focused on the city council's duties and responsibilities -- to make the best possible decisions for the City of Greensboro and its citizens. Therefore I do my best to move beyond those distractions and keep my eye on the ball -- citizen service.
End of sermon! {smile}
Having shared my thoughts and reasons for not jumping into this fray, I do support the adoption of a Code of Conduct/Ethics for the city council. We all ASSUME everyone else knows what is deemed to be right and wrong, but it is unfair to measure anyone against undefined standards. Although I do not believe the city council would have the power to enforce them, I do believe it is totally logical to have a list of clear expectations and operating guidelines to assist us in working together effectively.
Let's all hope this latest controversy is resolved soon so we can proceed forward to address our public responsibilities and the more important issues requiring our attention.
I have deliberately chosen not to publicly condemn or condone the personal actions of any of my fellow councilmembers. As a result in this particular case, I have been criticized by some who disagree with my stance of "just trying to stay out of the line of fire." Here's my personal philosophy on how I try to approach these sticky situations.
* When an issue is a matter of PUBLIC policy or where the city council will be voting on the city's business, the discussion most definitely needs to be held in the public arena where all the pros and cons, impacts and implications, and costs can be openly vetted and thoroughly examined. That debate should be based strictly on the merits and shortfalls of the issue itself, not on the personalities or actions of those who are supporting or opposing that particular issue.
* When an issue arises based on a councilmember's PERSONAL actions or behaviors, I believe in speaking with that person privately to express my concerns and/or dissatisfaction in hopes of gaining a better understanding of the situation . This allows for an open, honest dialogue without the appearance of pursuing political motives for doing so. I use the Golden Rule as my basis for this belief.
* For a wide range of reasons -- from economic development efforts to attract new businesses to Greensboro as well as our own citizens' personal pride and support for their hometown -- the public image we project is vitally important. That image takes a beating every time we find ourselves in another battle over personal actions, statements, and behaviors of various elected officials. I do my best not to contribute to that poor showing.
* In reality, my personal opinion of this issue does NOT matter one little iota because we councilmembers have no power or disciplinary authority over each other whatsoever. Even if this city council should "pile on" and vote unanimously to censure Mrs. Bellamy-Small or call for her immediate resignation, we have no power to enforce that vote. She would be totally within her rights as a councilmember to ignore our action. The power to elect and un-elect their councilmember rests in the hands of the voters. I rely on one of my favorites for guidance here.
* From time to time, there are issues and/or policies before the city council on which there is no clear consensus. At those times, we each need all the votes we can muster -- at least four in addition to our own one -- to get a particular item approved. (A prime example is the inclusion of the 32 additional police officers in this year's budget which I initially got adopted on a 5-4 vote.) I cannot afford to alienate one of those potential supporting votes in the future and become ineffective in my efforts as a councilmember.
* Although bad behavior, dissension, and personal disagreements may capture our attention from time to time, I try to remain focused on the city council's duties and responsibilities -- to make the best possible decisions for the City of Greensboro and its citizens. Therefore I do my best to move beyond those distractions and keep my eye on the ball -- citizen service.
End of sermon! {smile}
Having shared my thoughts and reasons for not jumping into this fray, I do support the adoption of a Code of Conduct/Ethics for the city council. We all ASSUME everyone else knows what is deemed to be right and wrong, but it is unfair to measure anyone against undefined standards. Although I do not believe the city council would have the power to enforce them, I do believe it is totally logical to have a list of clear expectations and operating guidelines to assist us in working together effectively.
Let's all hope this latest controversy is resolved soon so we can proceed forward to address our public responsibilities and the more important issues requiring our attention.
Housing newsletter
Beth McKee-Huger and her hardworking team over at the Greensboro Housing Coalition produce a very effective newsletter. Thanks for keeping everyone informed about this problem and the progress we're making!
Friday, March 02, 2007
February city council briefing session
There were a number of topics in addition to the new police shift schedule that were discussed at last Tuesday's council briefing session.
The meeting began with a viewing of a fantastic new Greensboro promotional video that will soon appear on the city's website. This short, lively video does a great job of highlighting Greensboro and its many offerings. It was produced in-house by our professional Channel 13 staff at a great savings over the price quoted by private firms to produce a similar product. The new video should air soon after staff tweaks it a bit by adding newly-landed HondaJet to the list of our corporate headquarters.
City planning staff has been working with the Neighborhood Congress and TREBIC to develop a neighborhood conservation overlay district which will enable neighborhoods to protect the unique character of their neighborhoods by voluntarily requesting certain restrictions be placed on new development within their borders. In response to a request for guidance, the city council agreed that at least 51% of the affected property owners must sign the petition of support no matter which entity (the neighborhood, an adopted plan, or the city council) initiates the process in order to move forward to a public hearing.
Dan Lynch of the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance (check out another welcome video while you're there) reviewed the status of available "construction-ready" sites for corporate and industrial businesses in and around Greensboro. We are in much better shape with more available locations than when we were wooing the Dell plant, but we were cautioned to fiercely protect and preserve the remaining corporate and industrial sites for future new businesses. In response to the congratulations Mr. Lynch received for the successful recruitment of HondaJet, Mr. Lynch noted that he first began working that project in 2002.
Members of the Bicentennial Commission briefed us on the upcoming 200th birthday celebration which will feature official events from March 25-May 17, 2008. They are raising $2 million in private funds to provide activities such as a torch run through the various neighborhoods in the city, a citywide ecumenical service, an arts festival, neighborhood celebrations, and a "Parade of the Decades." A historical calendar will be produced and a survey of all the historical plaques, markers and murals in the city is being conducted. The Commission has selected the Downtown Greenway as the commemorative project for this celebration and asked for the city council's blessing to proceed with planning. This will be an expensive, multi-year undertaking and we were concerned about the huge price tag (estimated at $25 million) and who would provide the funding for it. The city council agreed to allow staff to cooperate and work on the planning but made it clear we were not committing to any funding for the greenway at this point.
GDOT finished up the day with a quick overview of how neighborhood traffic concerns are addressed. Traffic concerns are addressed through the three "E's" -- Engineering (street design, four-way stops, lowering of speed limits, etc.), Education (Neighborhood Speed Watch, Radar Trailer, Pace Car program), and Enforcement (ticketing). They reviewed the process and criteria to get the speed limit lowered and/or four-way stops installed. In response to numerous inquiries, they have investigated the installation of speed humps -- with potential of 10,000 in the city and at a cost of $2,000-3,000 each, it would be a very expensive undertaking.
GDOT also reviewed a proposed ordinance requiring cross-access between two contiguous businesses, allowing vehicles to move from one parking lot to another without having to go out onto the adjacent street. This would apply to new businesses only and has numerous exceptions when it is not practical to build the connection.
This was a busy, productive work session with plenty of good information.
The meeting began with a viewing of a fantastic new Greensboro promotional video that will soon appear on the city's website. This short, lively video does a great job of highlighting Greensboro and its many offerings. It was produced in-house by our professional Channel 13 staff at a great savings over the price quoted by private firms to produce a similar product. The new video should air soon after staff tweaks it a bit by adding newly-landed HondaJet to the list of our corporate headquarters.
City planning staff has been working with the Neighborhood Congress and TREBIC to develop a neighborhood conservation overlay district which will enable neighborhoods to protect the unique character of their neighborhoods by voluntarily requesting certain restrictions be placed on new development within their borders. In response to a request for guidance, the city council agreed that at least 51% of the affected property owners must sign the petition of support no matter which entity (the neighborhood, an adopted plan, or the city council) initiates the process in order to move forward to a public hearing.
Dan Lynch of the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance (check out another welcome video while you're there) reviewed the status of available "construction-ready" sites for corporate and industrial businesses in and around Greensboro. We are in much better shape with more available locations than when we were wooing the Dell plant, but we were cautioned to fiercely protect and preserve the remaining corporate and industrial sites for future new businesses. In response to the congratulations Mr. Lynch received for the successful recruitment of HondaJet, Mr. Lynch noted that he first began working that project in 2002.
Members of the Bicentennial Commission briefed us on the upcoming 200th birthday celebration which will feature official events from March 25-May 17, 2008. They are raising $2 million in private funds to provide activities such as a torch run through the various neighborhoods in the city, a citywide ecumenical service, an arts festival, neighborhood celebrations, and a "Parade of the Decades." A historical calendar will be produced and a survey of all the historical plaques, markers and murals in the city is being conducted. The Commission has selected the Downtown Greenway as the commemorative project for this celebration and asked for the city council's blessing to proceed with planning. This will be an expensive, multi-year undertaking and we were concerned about the huge price tag (estimated at $25 million) and who would provide the funding for it. The city council agreed to allow staff to cooperate and work on the planning but made it clear we were not committing to any funding for the greenway at this point.
GDOT finished up the day with a quick overview of how neighborhood traffic concerns are addressed. Traffic concerns are addressed through the three "E's" -- Engineering (street design, four-way stops, lowering of speed limits, etc.), Education (Neighborhood Speed Watch, Radar Trailer, Pace Car program), and Enforcement (ticketing). They reviewed the process and criteria to get the speed limit lowered and/or four-way stops installed. In response to numerous inquiries, they have investigated the installation of speed humps -- with potential of 10,000 in the city and at a cost of $2,000-3,000 each, it would be a very expensive undertaking.
GDOT also reviewed a proposed ordinance requiring cross-access between two contiguous businesses, allowing vehicles to move from one parking lot to another without having to go out onto the adjacent street. This would apply to new businesses only and has numerous exceptions when it is not practical to build the connection.
This was a busy, productive work session with plenty of good information.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
A day in the life of a Greensboro firefighter
Here is an excellent, award-winning video of a day in the life of a Greensboro firefighter that highlights the dedication and professionalism of our fire department.
Guidelines for the $10 million economic development bond
At Tuesday's city council briefing, city staff presented proposed guidelines for the disbursement of the $10 million economic development bond approved by the voters in November. The guidelines closely mirror the current Urban Development Investment Guidelines and will be added to that document as another chapter. It is anticipated that part of the $10 million will be used to prepare "construction ready" sites for future businesses which this addendum will address as well as possible projects in downtown and our reinvestment corridors such as High Point Road that are already covered under the current Guidelines.
The purpose of the guidelines are to "provide a consistent City investment policy for promoting Corporate Parks that are strategically located and timely, economically strong and of the highest quality." Infrastructure improvements -- water, sewer, storm-sewer and streets -- are the preferred type of assistance.
Eligible projects must satisfy the following criteria in addition to the strict financial qualifications in Part 1 of the current Guidelines and an independent financial analysis, recommendation from the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, information on past "hits" and commitments, site layout, and a budget:
Transportation access, environmental suitability, highway frontage, location on a transit corridor, and the developer's successful experience with similar projects will be other factors considered during the application review process.
The city council will be asked to approve these guidelines at one of our March meetings.
The purpose of the guidelines are to "provide a consistent City investment policy for promoting Corporate Parks that are strategically located and timely, economically strong and of the highest quality." Infrastructure improvements -- water, sewer, storm-sewer and streets -- are the preferred type of assistance.
Eligible projects must satisfy the following criteria in addition to the strict financial qualifications in Part 1 of the current Guidelines and an independent financial analysis, recommendation from the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, information on past "hits" and commitments, site layout, and a budget:
* In City or annexed within 5 years
* Consistent with Connections 2025 (the comprehensive plan)
* Minimum PRIVATE investment of $15 million
* Must hold use for 15 years (if use changes from the original intent before that, developer must repay 100% of the city's investment)
* City M/WBE requirements for publicly-funded infrastructure
Transportation access, environmental suitability, highway frontage, location on a transit corridor, and the developer's successful experience with similar projects will be other factors considered during the application review process.
The city council will be asked to approve these guidelines at one of our March meetings.
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