SUMMARY MINUTES OF A WORK SESSION
OF THE CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2002, AT 5:30 P.M.
Mayor Kevin Foy called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
Council members present were Flicka Bateman, Pat Evans, Ed Harrison, Mark Kleinschmidt, Dorothy Verkerk, Jim Ward, and Edith Wiggins.
Council Member Bill Strom was absent, excused. Mayor Foy noted that Council Member Strom was attending a Council of Governments meeting.
Staff members present were Town Manager Cal Horton, Assistant Town Managers Sonna Loewenthal and Florentine Miller, Assistant to the Manager Bill Stockard, Finance Director Jim Baker, Human Services Coordinator Karen Rose, Parks and Recreation Director Kathryn Spatz, Recreation Planner and Program Administrator Bill Webster, Planning Director Roger Waldon, Senior Planner Judy Johnson, Information Technology Director Bob Avery, and Acting Town Clerk Vickie Hackler.
Item 1 - Human Services Advisory Board
Chair Lew Borman introduced Vice Chair Harriet Crisp and other Board members. Mr. Borman thanked the Town Council for increasing last year's funding to $196,000. He stated that the Board was well aware of the Town's funding constraints this year, but noted that human services were particularly affected by downturns in the economy. Mr. Borman said that recent events, such as the New York Trade Center bombing, had caused the Board to closely examining the strength of its safety net.
Mr. Borman asked Council members to preserve the level of funding for the non-profit agencies that the Board screens. He added that the Board will more carefully scrutinize those agencies this year to determine that they are making a real impact, meeting real human needs, and responding over and above normal expectations. Mr. Borman said that the Board encourages collaboration among non-profits, and would take a careful look at which groups really are reaching out. He added that they would take a good look at track records and administrative costs.
Council Member Verkerk asked which non-profits Mr. Borman thought essential. Mr. Borman, noting that the $196,000 had helped fund 33 agencies last year, suggested that it would make more sense to look at what they might not be able to fund this year. He said that there have been programs outside the basic human services group, such as advocacy and community celebrations, which are not essential. Mr. Borman commented, though, that the Town funds a very important after school program that serves hundreds of children. He said that such a program is very important even though it might seem outside the normal realm.
Mayor Foy asked the Board to give a brief synopsis of the procedure it follows when making recommendations. Ms. Crisp explained that the Board receives applications from various non-profits and then meets with those applicants once a week for about six weeks. The groups come before the Board in thirty-minute sessions, she said, where they explain why they need a particular amount of money. After that, Ms. Crisp said, the Board reviews the applications one by one. Ms. Crisp noted that more than $300,000 was requested last year. She pointed out that hard decisions must be made and followed in order to insure that the funds allocated by the Town Council is spent appropriately and is very carefully scrutinized throughout the year.
Council Member Bateman said she hoped the Council would not reduce the level of funding.
Council Member Wiggins asked if the Board had an emphasis or a theme by which they evaluate and screen requests. She also inquired about the extent to which the Committee evaluates repeat funding. Mr. Bowman listed the following areas of particular need: family and individual support towards self-sufficiency, youth community services, and substance abuse treatment and prevention. He said that the Board had also reached out to the Hispanic community in recent years, as well as to a couple of developing agencies that had not received prior attention.
Council Member Wiggins noted that Town funds are used to leverage other funds. She also stated that family services, children's services, and substance abuse programs are areas that really suffer during an economic downturn. Council Member Wiggins emphasized that the Town should not withdraw support for these programs during hard times, adding that such cuts would only increase costs in other areas around Town. Mr. Bowman agreed that these funds leverage other funds from Carrboro, Orange County, the public sector, and United Way.
Council Member Evans praised the Board for its hard work.
Council Member Jim Ward also expressed appreciation, and remarked that the Board should not expect less money from the Council but should ask for what they need. He inquired about how they evaluate the effectiveness of programs. Mr. Bowman explained that they use a form based on a United Way application as part of a process that looks at the budget, mission, and outcome of each agency. He added that they also examine who the agency serves, including the surrounding community, so that they can determine how it affects Chapel Hill.
Mayor Foy brought up an idea, which he said Council Member Wiggins had mentioned a couple of years ago, about agencies being part of the decision-making process on who gets funding. He wondered if this might be a way to have groups understand the pressure that the Board is under. Mayor Foy noted that it also could help determine where human services might be duplicating efforts and find ways to complement each other and help the Council prioritize. He explained that he was not suggesting it for this year, but just bringing it up for discussion because it seems like a good idea. Mr. Bowman replied that the human services community of non-profits is extremely nervous right now about the economy. He said that he would not want to put them in the position of struggling against each other, noting that no one cause is more noble than another since they all serve important populations.
Council Member Wiggins stated that moving in the direction that Mayor Foy had outlined would not replace the Board's role. She explained that the idea had come from a National League of Cities meeting on how mediation can help towns do business. There was an example given there, Council Member Wiggins explained, of a town that had funded a mediator to work with the Board and the agencies. She said that having a mediator had lead to diminished competitiveness because the agencies began to see how the same amount of money could do almost what everyone wanted. She reported that mediation had lead to much more coordination and knowledge among the agencies of that community. Council Member Wiggins remarked that she was not suggesting that the Council impose this, but merely suggesting that Board members think about it.
Council Member Bateman suggested perhaps doing a pilot program this year or next with agencies that serve the same population.
Mayor Foy noted that non-profits have a consortium in Orange County that might facilitate some of the Board's efforts. He agreed with what others had said that a downturn in the economy is precisely the time that human service agencies need more support. Mayor Foy added that the Town Council would look as favorable as possible upon the efforts that the Board is helping to support.
Item 2 - Greenways Commission
Chair Joe Herzenberg explained that the Commission closely follows the Town's Greenways Master Plan. He noted that they had not recommended a recent request for a trail because the trail was not in the Master Plan.
Vice Chair Audrey Booth explained that the Commission was eager to build connections between the University's trail and the Town's greenways. She said that lack of funds should not necessarily be a barrier to that project because it is possible to get volunteers to do the work in a cooperative effort. Ms. Booth also expressed pride in the developing design of Southern Community Park.
Mayor Foy asked Ms. Booth if she had a specific recommendation about a process to engage in with the University with regard to building connections to the Town's greenways. Ms. Booth replied that she did not have a recommendation at this time but would be happy to develop a proposal.
Mayor Foy asked if the Commission had been involved in the University's development plan. Mr. Herzenberg replied that they had come to the Council's meetings with the University, and tried to become involved in planning, but did not know how or where to get involved with the University.
Council Member Bateman noted that there was a University representative on the Intergovernmental Parks Work Group. She asked if it would be appropriate for the Town Council to bring it up there. Mayor Foy replied that it was a place to start.
Council Member Evans said that she had approached the University to build a connection, and that they were conducting planning in relation to the increase in student population and access of that student population to recreation space. Mr. Herzenberg asked when that would be done. Council Member Evans replied that the University hopes to have it done by the time the dormitories on Manning and Ridge Roads are occupied.
Debbie Morris, Chair of the Greenways Award Program, reported that they had given seven awards last year in three categories:
· An Honor Award for a high impact initiative that created a clearly visible improvement in, or addition to, the Greenways or Open Space programs.
· A Vision Award for demonstrated commitment over a period of time with significant positive impact to the Greenways and/or space programs.
· The Citizen's Award to recognize contribution of value to the creation, improvement, or preservation of the Greenways and/or open space programs.
Ms. Morris stated that the Commission planned to add a fourth Friend's Award this year, which would recognize a one-time contribution of time or other resources, such as a clean-up day or assisting in trail building. She asked the Council to endorse the Award Program again this year and to submit nominations.
Council Member Wiggins inquired about the source of funding for the Awards program. Ms. Morris explained that the amount was very small and that it came from the administration portion of the Parks and Recreation Department's budget.
Mr. Herzenberg asked to come back in a few months with a status report on the greenways system. He also requested that the Town Council try to free up some of the $1.75 million in bond money so that the Commission could begin to design either the Bolin Creek or the Morgan Creek connection. Mayor Foy described that as a "great idea," noting that full funding would not come about for quite some time. Town Manager Cal Horton commented that this could be included in the Town's recommendations to the County Commissioners.
Mayor Foy, noting that Morgan Creek was on the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) list for both Chapel Hill and Carrboro, pointed out that funding would come from a source other than bonds. Bill Webster with the Parks and Recreation Department Recreation explained that Morgan Creek was much higher on the TIP than Bolin Creek. He added that the limit was $300,000 for each project, adding that it would not fully fund either of them since both have formidable engineering problems.
Mayor Foy asked if County funding would supplement State funding. Mr. Webster replied that was the plan. He noted that Bolin Creek was not even ranked the last time he looked at the TIP list, but said that Morgan Creek was fairly high on that listing.
Council Member Harrison suggested that the Commission think about what kind of cooperative effect the three boards dealing with pedestrian transportation might have on increasing pedestrian and bicycle access to some parts of Town. He said he was encouraged by seeing the Commission's projects appearing on the TIP and that he would like to encourage the State to keep using its money here.
Council Member Evans wondered if the Commission had thought about reaching out to corporate sponsors, since some corporations have budgets that favor mitigating traffic impacts. Mr. Herzenberg explained that the Friends of Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation and Greenways is available to receive private funds. Council Member Evans replied that she was thinking about a more aggressive "Adopt a Trail" type of approach.
Council Member Harrison asked if the Town had received actual substantial funding from "Adopt a Trail" projects or State funds. Mr. Webster replied that they had received "Adopt a Trial" grants, one National Trails grant for a section of Dry Creek, and several substantial amounts of money through the State's Office of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation. He said that these were for both phases of Bolin Creek and the current phase of Booker Creek Trail across from Eastgate Shopping Center.
Mayor Foy and Mr. Herzenberg agreed that the Commission would come before the Council again in May to request bond funds to get projects started.
Item 3 - Parks and Recreation Commission
Chair John Covach introduced Commission members John Anderson, Pam Hemminger, Andrea Rohrbacher, Bob Broad, and Mary Norwood-Jones. He thanked the Town Council for its support on the Parks and Recreation Department's bond issue, for funding the position for special populations, for support in moving the Hargraves schedule along, and for committing to the gym at Meadowmont. Mr. Covach said that Commission members had been very involved in developing their Master Plan, that they will soon begin planning the Summer Concert Series, and that they were involved in developing the Southern Community Park conceptual plan. He explained that the Commission wanted to discuss small parks, the Southern Community Park, the Aquatics Center, and a Capital Improvements Program (CIP) issue.
Ms. Hemminger noted that they normally receive $50,000 in CIP funds each year to cover a long list of typical needs. She asked the Town Council not to cut back so drastically this year that the Commission will not be able to do anything at all. Ms. Hemminger said that some maintenance issues had become safety concerns. She urged Council members to keep this in mind when discussing budget allocations.
Council Member Evans asked if relocation of the play structure was an immediate need. Ms. Hemminger replied that the Commission had not thought it was but the Town Council had mandated that it be moved. Council Member Evans pointed out that the Town Council had recommended that before being hit with the current budgetary crisis. She suggested that the Commission determine whether or not the Council should reconsider that decision and use funding in a different way.
Mr. Covach pointed out that the funds needed for immediate safety-related and maintenance projects exceed what the Commission has available. Council Member Verkerk determined that bond money could not be used for anything but Southern Community Park. Ms. Hemminger explained that both Southern Community Park and the Homestead Aquatics Center were moving along and that the Commission probably would come before the Council next year to ask for a release of bond money for those projects. She commented that there was enough money left over from previous bonds to keep those projects moving along. Mr. Covach added that the Aquatics Center was years from realization, and that they are now trying to keep that project from getting bogged down.
Mayor Foy stated that it would help if the Commission would monitor the bond situation since things can get delayed. He asked them to help the Council understand how best to use any money that they do get, since the County's preliminary projections show that it will be a long time before the Town sees the money it needs.
Council Member Evans said that Orange County might be delaying the issuing of bonds in order to save on debt payment. She suggested that Commission members be "somewhat vocal" about their need for money to move projects forward.
Council Member Bateman inquired about summer programming for special needs children. Parks and Recreation Director Kathryn Spatz explained very difficult to hear that even though the new position has been funded the program will remain the same as last year because they do not yet have funding for inclusion staff.
Ms. Rohrbacher said that they intend to be more proactive regarding capital improvements, building maintenance, and earmarking money in the budget for needs that will be forthcoming. She explained that Commission members were focusing on the Hargraves Center and said that they want to keep that facility in the excellent condition that it will be after renovations. Ms. Rohrbacher asked the Town to provide maintenance as early as possible to prevent problems from becoming expensive. Mr. Covach added that the Town staff had suggested designating certain Parks and Recreation maintenance funds so that the Commission could plan for maintenance needs. He said that the Commission endorses that idea in principle.
Council Member Evans noted that Mr. Horton had done an inventory of Town property and had itemized what needed to be done. She asked if he would like to comment on Mr. Covach's statement. Mr. Horton replied that the staff knows where the maintenance needs are, but does not know where the money will come from. He explained that Council members have had a very difficult time finding the money to address all of the maintenance needs and that now, with the Governor's actions and the economic downturn, the CIP might be "almost unrecognizable" at the end of the budget this year. Mr. Horton said that everything Ms. Rohrbacher had said would be difficult to achieve even though he agreed with it.
Council Member Ward inquired about nighttime security at the Town's parks. He also asked how having a school across the street would affect Southern Community Park programming.
Mr. Broad asked if the Parks and Recreation Department could be tied into development. He suggested taking some of the money the Town receives in lieu of land and using that for long-term maintenance of parks. Mr. Broad pointed out that the Town should not be adding parks if it cannot maintain them properly. Mayor Foy replied that the Council had discussed using the impact fee, and Mr. Horton explained that the Council had concluded that the Town can get more funds from the methods used in negotiating Special Use Permits. Mayor Foy added, though, that it might be something the Commission could revisit and give the Council its best advice on. Mr. Horton pointed out that impact fees must be used to create facilities to serve the development. He said that he did not know if it was possible to arrange for one that would be used for maintenance, but agreed to look into it.
Ms. Spatz said that the idea of using an impact fee had been referred to the Intergovernmental Parks Work Group, but had not yet made it to the top of their agenda. With regard to Council Member Ward's question about security, she replied that the Police Department had funded four security monitor positions in the past year and that these have been quite successful. She said that there had been only a few security issues. Mr. Horton added that the Town would be glad to receive applications for security monitor positions.
Council Member Bateman explained that there now was a camera monitoring the entrance to the women's locker room at Community Park so that no one of the opposite sex could enter. Ms. Spatz added that the staff had also been getting away from their desks and walking around to monitor the outside.
Council Member Verkerk recommended that the Department make sure its brochures and maps were labeled correctly.
Mr. Broad suggested naming some facility in Town, perhaps at the Hargraves Center, after Fred Battle, who has been a good influence on recreation in Chapel Hill for many years. Council Member Wiggins noted that there was a Naming Committee, on which she serves, but that a recently-named park had not gone through that Committee. Mayor Foy asked Mr. Horton to add getting the Naming Committee together to his list of things to do.
Item 4 - Historic District Commission
Chair Catherine Frank introduced Commission members Barnson Hobbs and Jim White. She noted that it had been two years since the Town Council had approved signs to mark boundaries of historic districts. Explaining that the signs had been received but not put up, she requested that this project go forward. Ms. Frank asked for funding to print the Historic District Design Review Guidelines. She stated that there had been great progress on maintenance of infrastructure in the districts, and expressed hope that the project would continue to go forward with neighborhood input. Ms. Frank requested pedestrian level lighting so that people can feel safer walking in the districts. She also asked that attention be given to better lighting in the Chapel Hill Cemetery, and that police patrol there be increased and some paths rerouted. She stated that zoning enforcement continues to be an important item, adding that continued funding for that position is important. Ms. Frank predicted that rental licensing would make a difference in these neighborhoods and requested that it be funded.
Ms. Frank said that the Commission had received a grant for updating its existing survey and for surveying new areas in Town. They hope to receive a grant to publish that information, she said, adding that the State's historic preservation office might come to the Town for a potential partnership in that funding. Ms. Frank explained that a Commission website would be very useful.
Council Member Wiggins explored the idea of having tree lights that shine upward from the base of trees. She said that Charleston, SC had done that and that the effect was beautiful. Mr. Horton replied that any private property can install those lights but that the Town had not done so for street lighting. Council Member Wiggins asked if there were rules against it, and Mr. Horton replied that there were none. He noted that such lights could flow onto someone else's property, but pointed out that they can be designed to avoid that. Mr. White said that some sorority houses on Franklin Street use that kind of lighting.
Mayor Foy asked who would make the decision, and Mr. Horton replied that the Council would do so because it would be installed in the public right-of-way.
Council Member Wiggins asked if this would be more expensive than pole lighting, and Mr. Horton replied that it would be less expensive. He remarked that it might be subject to more vandalism, but noted that there are some vandal-resistant fixtures.
Council Member Evans agreed that the Town should do a better job of lighting, especially in the downtown areas. She then inquired about the idea of a website for the Commission, and Mr. Horton replied that designing one would be easy.
Council Member Verkerk agreed that the cemetery was looking shabby. She suggested that the Commission talk with local artists about improving and maintaining it. Ms. Frank replied that a problem with that was that everyone had a different idea about what constitutes cemetery maintenance. Such committees have languished in the past, she said, adding that it might work, though, if the Town were to act as mediator.
Council Member Wiggins noted that the Town needs University support to maintain the cemetery because much of the damage there is the result of student vandalism.
Council Member Kleinschmidt asked what specifically the rental licensing program would do for the historic districts. Ms. Frank replied that there would be a database available to someone whose neighbors are being rowdy at two o'clock in the morning, and that it will enable them to call the property owner. She said that it would also help ongoing maintenance problems that residents cannot afford to pay for, because they will easily find out who the owner is. Ms. Frank stated that the website would improve communication and would let newcomers know the neighborhood standards.
Mr. Hobbs noted that parking and maintenance violations had concerned the Commission a great deal over the years, and that some landowners had played the system until the number of complaints was at a level where Town enforcement raised it to a priority. Having such a website, he said, would create a situation where a landlord could be put out of business for violating Town rules.
Mayor Foy said that Mr. Horton had remembered that Council Members Bateman, Strom and Wiggins had been appointed in February 2000 to serve as the Facilities Naming Committee and to bring its recommendations to the Council. In response to Council Member Bateman's question about who named the Alice Ingram Park, Mr. Horton stated that, as with others in Town, that park had been dedicated but not yet named. Council Member Bateman said that the Naming Committee should name it then.
Mr. Horton commented that many citizens do not realize that they may call the Manager's office, the Public Works Department, or Duke Power directly to report a broken street light. He said that Duke Power maintains them, but if a citizen calls and does not get a satisfactory response then they may call the Manager's office.
Item 5 - Technology Committee
Chair Al Rimer introduced Committee members Joel Dunn and Roscoe Reeve. He then gave a PowerPoint presentation on the Citizens Technology Committee, which he described as a diverse group of highly qualified citizens with backgrounds from private industry, local school systems, the University, and county government. He said that the Town Council had formed the Committee in 1999 and that the Committee had presented a report to the Council in 2000 on how the Town should proceed in the technology arena.
Mr. Rimer explained that the Committee report addressed seven major topics: formation of an Information Technology Department, Network Infrastructure, Web Site Development, Geographic Information Systems, Library Services, Records Management, and Radio Communications. The Town's response, he said, was to provide moral support for the concepts outlined, to implement organizational changes, and to provide some funding for new initiatives. Noting that the Town is faced with extremely tight budget constraints this year, Mr. Rimer advised the Council to make critical decisions to enhance technology, which he said means changing the Town's budget and priorities.
Mr. Rimer stated that important first steps had been taken when the IT Department was formed. He added that this department should be involved from the outset in any project that involves information technology. Mr. Rimer said that the Committee recommends the following:
· The Town should continue the enterprise approach to developing systems.
· The Committee should play an active role in that decision making as a "gateway to knowledge."
· The Town should evaluate and benchmark what other communities are doing.
· The Council should bifurcate the information technology and the communications functions of the Committee into two separate committees.
Mr. Dunn asked for the Council's reaction to Mr. Rimer's comments, adding that he also served as Chair of the Orange County Information Technology Committee.
Mr. Reeve noted that technology often provides much salvation in tough budget times, since much can be gained in productivity and service from modest investments.
Mayor Foy, noting that he had been the Council's liaison to the Technology Committee, agreed with the suggestion to bifurcate the Committee because radio communication is a completely different line of expertise, and asked Mr. Horton for his opinion regarding that. Mr. Horton agreed that "radio communication" is not even the correct term anymore because it really is "emergency communication" now. Mr. Horton explained that some federal funds might assist in this effort, adding that the Town might be asked to raise local funds as well. Mr. Horton pointed out that it could cost more than $3 million. He offered to bring back a proposed charge for the new committee, which the Technology Committee would review. Mr. Rimer suggested that his original report might serve as a springboard for writing that charge.
Council Member Bateman ascertained that bifurcation of this Committee would not lead to redundancy. Mr. Dunn stated that the Committee would like to focus on a large number of information technology issues and would be more productive if they could do so. Mr. Horton pointed out that Fire Chief Dan Jones would lead the work with the new committee, since emergency communications will be its focus.
Council Member Wiggins asked if it would be more economical to link Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Orange County governments together via the Internet. Mr. Rimer replied that this was being done now de facto. He said they already were working together on a County-wide view of the entire problem and had set up a task force. Mr. Rimer suggested that some group be assigned to represent Chapel Hill's interests and to solidify the Town's position in those discussions. Mr. Horton remarked that the County must be the lead agency because they are the backbone of the communications systems.
Council Member Evans, noting that the Historic District Commission had requested an online listing of real estate owners, asked if the technology to do this was available. Mr. Reeve replied that there are many things that the Town and County can do to make information available to citizens via the Internet. Commenting that there was no reason to reinvent the wheel, he explained that such a step is being designed that will allow citizens to do such practical things. Council Member Wiggins commented that not all people are able to use the Internet, however.
Council Member Verkerk suggested that the Committee look at Blacksburg, Virginia as a model. Mr. Rimer said he had always admired Blacksburg because they had done such a good job with their website. Council Member Verkerk also suggested having computer literacy workshops for those who are not familiar with how to search the Internet.
Mr. Dunn said that the Information Technology Department should be fully engaged in developing the Request for Proposals and making sure that it fits with the technology architecture that the Town is developing. Otherwise, he said, you end up with a set of programs that do not integrate. He pointed out that individual departments would have to give up a degree of autonomy and control for the greater good. Mr. Horton explained that the Town had already insisted on this.
Council Member Harrison expressed hope that the technology would be compatible with Durham.
Council Member Ward asked the Committee for information on how to proceed toward having a fiber optic utility or infrastructure. He also asked for advice on whether there would be any cost savings to having Council business done more electronically. Mr. Dunn replied that there is an ad hoc initiative, called OC Net, which is attempting to build a business case for creating a fiber optic infrastructure to connect governmental and educational entities within Orange County. He said that this was something they were actively pushing and trying to figure out how to come together and create a business case.
Council Member Reeves suggested that Council members look at "Citizen Express" on the Charlotte/Mecklenberg website.
The meeting adjourned at 8:06 p.m.