Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Actions 10-05-98 JtMtgRoanoke City Council Alexandria City Council Joint Meeting Monday, October 5, 1998 - 7:45 a.m. The Hotel Roanoke Appalachian Room Agenda Do Welcome. David A. Bowers, Mayor Invocation and Breakfast. Introductions and Opening Remarks. Mayor Bowers Mayor Donley Attendees: City of Roanoke: ,.,'Mayor David A. Bowers ~,~i'ce-Mayor C. Nelson Harris Council Members: ,..AN. Alvin Hudson, Jr. ~Carroll E. Swain --"J'ames O. Trout ~¢~lliam White, Sr. Linda F. Wyatt ¢~-'~N. Robert Herbert, City Manager ,ANilburn C. Dibling, Jr., City Attorney dames D. Grisso, Director of Finance ,.~/lary F. Parker, City Clerk City of Alexandria: Mayor Kerry J. Donley Council Members: ~R~'edella S. Pepper · ,'~L. ois L. Walker Vola Lawson, City Manager ~Vlichele R. Evans, Assistant City Manager ~'ernard Caton, Legislative Director Comments: Roanoke City Council Alexandria City Council -=. ..5'~I.~9~ i6:20 CITY MANAGERS OFFICE ?03 838 6543 S~ptemborl$,1998 Mr. W. Robert Herbert, City Manager City of Roanoke 215 Church Avenue, S.W. Roanoke, Virginia 24011 Dear Bob, Vola ask~ that I forward tho attached information on City of Alexandria programs for your staff in our effort to ~xchangc pwgram ideas. The information is for the m~ting between Alexandria and Roanoke elected officials and staff at the Virginia Municipal League Conforenc~ in October. Please give me a call at (703) 838-4300 if you have any oomments. Beat resards, Mich~le R. £vaas Assistant City Manager cc: Vola Lawson, City Manager 'sEP-iU-,., .... ...... .: CITY MANAGERS OFFICE ?03 838 6343 P.03/09 DRAFT September 15, 1998 Topics for the "Virginians to Virginians" Program Information Exchange with the City of Roanoke ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Inc, This public-private partnership between the City and the business comm--~ty focuses on retaining existing business and industry, and attrgcting new businesses, investments and jobs to the City, By marketing the City as a desirable business location, A.EDP strives to improve the economio health of the City, increase its tax base, and enhance the quality of lifo for both businesses and residents. The AEDP's activities are suided by the 15-member Alexandria Economic Development and Tourism Bored, chaired by Mayor Donley and including Vice Mayor Euille. To capture a greater share of the region's economic development and tourism markets, City Council in June received a three.year marketing plan prepared by AEDP and the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association (ACVA). The plan includes inilialives by ABDP to incre~ commercial activity, target technology firms, and continue business retention efforts, and by ACVA to increase tourism and conventions. Annual Technology Week Alexandria is home }o 170 technology firms employing more than 10,000 workers. To celebrate'the accomplishments of these companies, the City joins the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, InC,, and the A~eXalldria Chamber of Commerce in spOllSOfing Techllology Achievement Week. Hi_ohllghting a week of activities showcasing technology, Mayor Donley presented the 1998 Alexandria Technology Achievement Award to UUcom, Inc. The other fl-slists were: Advanced Solutions Intema~onal, Inc.; · Advanced Television Technology Center; The Motley Fool, Inc.; and the Rcdmon Oroup, Inc. The Alexandria Campus of Nonhero Virginia Community College received a special reco?ition award for providi-$ the comm,nlty with exceptional technology services. The deadline for submittin$ nomtnntions for the 1999 Technology Achievement Award is October $1,1998. The 1999 Technology Achievement Week will be held March 8-12. Technology Workforee Development Center The Alexandria Campus of Northern Vir/inia Community College initiated the Alexandria Technolog~ Workforce Development Center (WDC), a coilabomtive effort involving ~he City of Alexandria's Office of Employment Trsi.i.g, the Virginia Employment Commission, the private computer trsl-lng finn CCS&T, Kenda Systems International and CA Consulting, The initiative is aimed at identifying training and placement needs for Alexandria workers in Northen Virginia's booming high technology industry. The WDC will focus on information technology trst.lng. SEP-15-1'998':l~:zi - : CITY MANAGERS OFFICE ?03 838 6343 P.04/09 Thc WDC received funding from the Northern Virgi~a Regional Partnership to begin and fired the program for the first year. Economic Snmmit II Local government leaders and budness and civic ~roup representatives took part in City Council's Economic Snmmit II j~ September 1997. Participants established five economic development priorities: Improve thc quality of the public educational system; Msi~ml,~ the City's excellent quality of life; Develop a cohesive plan for promoting the City's different areas; Continue efforts to attract the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) to Alexandria and to attract quality commercial development on alternative sites not selected for PTO; and Develop facility meeting space to accommochl~ large meetings/conferences. TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMF2~ Environmental Quality of Life Report and Summit In December 1997, City Council initiated a process to identify the most important cnviro~mcntal/qtuflity of life issues. The Enviwnmental Policy Commission coordinated th/s effort in June presented a report to City Council with its prellmi~nry recommendations: Conduct an Bnvironmantal/Q,,sltty of Life Summit; Develop an environmental section for the City's Master Plan; Improve communication and coordination within the City on enviwnmental issues; and encourage the Planning Commission and City Coundl to give greate~ attention to cnvironmcnud issues. Amens the issues highlighted in the report were open space, water resources, transportation, visual impacts/aesthetic issucs, urban development; solid waste; and historical cultural resources. City Council has scheduled an Environmental Quality of Life ,~ummlt for Saturday, October 31. Waste to Energy Facility New federal aL: quality regulations issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will requite upgrades to the emission control technology at the Ariington/Alexand~ Waste-to-Energy Facility. At au estimated cost of $30 million, the facility will be required to add new gas neutrali~tion and particulate matter conlainmant technology. The costs for the project will be paid from reserve funds that wee established in anticipation of the new envh'onmental requirements. To take advantage of favorable interest-rates in the bond market, the City worked with Arlington County to refinance the outstanding $62 million in bonds originally issued to build the facility in 1987. The refinancing is estimated to save $6 million in debt service payments over the term of the bonds. WISTORIC AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES Alexandria's 250a Anniversary CiV Council nppoin~ed 23 loeai citizens to the Ad Hoc City of Alexandria 250th Anniversary Commission which is working on cor~munity activities and events celebrating the City's 250~ birthday in 1999. The celebration will begin with fire works and First Night activities on December 31 and continue throughout 1999. Electronic Library Services The Alexandria Library upgraded its on-linc catalog to operate on the World Wide Web, making it available for use 24 hours a day from home, school or business. Library card holders can search the Library's holdings, reserve and renew books, and search an electronic index of more than 3,000 magazine titles. The full text of more than 1,400 articles may be viewed online, printed or downloaded to the user's computer. More than 20 on-linc reference services are also available in each of the Library's three branches. At Lloyd House, the history branch of the Alexandria Library, librar~A,~-, began digitizing plans, blueprints, photographs, maps and other documents related to more than 200 historic buildings in Old Town Alexandria. The searchable database is located on the Intemet at (~.alexan~ga. lfb. va. us) PUBLIC S,a~VETY Anti-Drug Task Force Since 1988, coordination oftbe City's anti.drug efforts has been overseen by the City Manager's Anti-Drug Commi~. Chah~ by the Cit~ Manager, it meets monthly to assess the progress of drug enforcement, treatment and prevention efforts and to develop new slrategies to address drug crime problem~. Rcflecti~ the multi-disciplinAry nature of the City's anfi4mg efforts, the Task Force includes: the Vice Mayor, a City Council member, and representatives of the Police Dcpamnent, Commonwealth's Attorney, City Attorney, Suvenile Court Services, Office of Housing, Citizen Assistance Office, Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Department of Menutl Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse, Office of Adult Probation and Parole, the Sheriff's Office, Recreation, and Human Services. Red Light Camera Program In November 1997, the Red Light Traffic Camera Program began photo enforcement at three, high accident intersections. A camera, rotating among the three intersections, photographs vehicles that nm red lights. A $50 fine notice is then mniled to owners of the off~dlnE vehicles. In the first six months of the proslwn, the City issued more than 8,000 fine notices. Since Fairfax City and Alexandria began camera enforcement programs, Arlington and Montgomery countics have rotted similar projects to reduce red light violations. School Resource Officer Program The Police Department expanded its community policing efforts by sending two officers "back to school" in the fall of 1997. A School Resource Officer (SRO) was placed in each of thc two middle PA(~E 3 schools, with Officer Hassan Aden a~ George Washington Middle School and Officer OreS Shields at Francis C. Hammond Middle School. In their first yea~, both officers strengthened reiations between police and the schools by addrcssin~ safety, concerns ami by mediating conflicts between students. While i'ncidents o~' violence in schools elsewhere in the nation captured headlines, Alexandria's new SRO program received national rcco?ition as a way to prevent violence. Community Policing Although the concept of Community Policing encompasses the entire Police Department, 18 Commutfity Oriented Police (COP) Officers work in 12 communities to enforce nuisance violations, solve community problems and hclp improve the quality of life in City neighborhoods. Sexual Assault Response and Awareness (SARA) In FY 1998, this Office on Women program served 404 survivors of sexual assault, a 25% in~rease over FY 1997. The increase can be attributed to increased outreach and awareness efforts. With funding from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, the Office on Women was able to hire a Hispanic outreach prevention specialist in August 1997 to expand services to Spanish-speaking victim, of sextml assault. Domestic Violence Intervention Project Dome~c Violence Program services are available to victims of domestic violence through a 24-hour hotiine. The Domestic Violence Program offers comprehensive services including the Battered Women's Shelter, children's services, individual and group counseling, crisis inm'vention, and court advocacy. Individual counseling is provided to both women and men in abusive relationships. Through thc Abusers Counseling and Treatment Program, both court and self- rcfcnr, d individuals learn communication skills, stress manaaement principles, and anger control techniques. The Domestic Violence hotline number is: (703) 838-4911 voice/TrY Nuisance Aba~ement Pro.am The Fire Department's Code Enforcement Bureau established a hodlne (8364)041) to enable citizens to report hash build- ups, rodent infestation, abandoned or derelict vehicles, overcrowded apartments or other unsafe conditions. Calls to the 24-hour hotline are s,~swered seven days a week by tho Fire Communications Center. Cilizens who call the hotline are contacted withl. 24 hours and advised of the status of their complaint Posters in Spanish and Bnglish advertise this service throughout the City. Monthly reports identify problem addresses, whether the property is owner re tenant-oocupied, repeat offenders, the number and type of code violations, and the dates that the violations are oited and corrected. This information is entered into a trac_ ki.g system used to monitor City staff activities in the target areas, to compile violation histories by property and property owncrs/occupants, and to analyze trends that result from code enforcement. PA(~E 4 ~"SEP~'l~-~!998 16:22 · CITY MANA~ ~ ?03 838 63~3 P.O?x09 Citizens' Police Academy In its third year, the Citizeas' Police Academy was expanded to 11 weeks. In FY 1998, 32 community members graduated in two sessions after learning about search and seizure laws, patrol responsibilities, and specialized op~ralions and tactics. Eleven young people also graduated from a special one-we, zk surer, er session that addressed issues specifically geared toward the City's youth. HUMAN SERVICES AND 14~LTH Alexandria Works/ City's welfare reform initiative, Alexandria Works!, placed 878 panicipants in jobs between April 1996 and April 1998, including 118 participants in the job training program run by the Ceater for Employment Trsln~g (CBT). Since being retained by ~he City in 1995 to provide skills training to Alexandria residents on welfare and to others eligible for job assistance, CET has matched its job training to the needs of private empioyers. To acquaint local employers with job seekers, the Alexandria ItXork~l Employer Advisory Committee and the City's Office of Employment Training sponsored job ~rs in September 1997 and in May that atiracted 48 employers and 350 job seekers. Since the beginning of welfare refonn in April 1996, the City's welfare caseload has decreased from 1,403 to 966 as of April 1998, a 31% decrease. In April 1998, Alexandria's welfare clients faced a cutoff of benefits as they approached the end of their two-year time limit Most left assistance after securing employment and before exhausting the full 24 months of benefits. There has been no evidence that the two-year deadline for termination of benefits has resulted in an increased need for day care or other services fi'om the community. As the April deadline approached, the Department of ri, ms, Services (DH$) focused its efforts on welfare recipients with no job skills or work experience. In one such effort, DHS slaffprovided intensive case management services to all clients exiting welfare in May, Sune and ~uly. Thc Department of H-man Services also contracted with the new ALIVEI l:~mily Independence Program to provide supportive services to individnaln and their families. Teen Pragnaney Prevention The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program provides life-skills training to at.risk youth between the ages of ri(ha and 17 who live in areas of the City identified with a high incidence of teen pregnancy. The program supports five neighborhood-based prevention projects and delivered pregnancy prevention services, inclu~h,$ health care, reentering, cultural and recreations! activities, career-shadowing, and volunteer opporttmities to more than 200 youth in FY 1997, Walk to Figh~ Breast Cancer A project of the City Manager's Brmmt Cancer Awareness Committee and coordinated by the Office on Women and Inova Alexandria Hospi~l, the annual Walk brings together oommullity groups and City agencies to promote early detection and to m/se money for the Alexandria Breast Cancer Fund at the Hospital. The Fund provides free mammograms for uninsured and under insured women who live in Alexandria. The 1997 Walk is scheduled for 8:00 a.m., Saturday, October 25 at Cameron Run Regional Park. Arlandria Health Center for Women and Children Thc bilingual nursing staff at this neighborhood health center, at 3804 Executive Avenue, provided family planning services, immunizations, and well care for 1,600 women and children in 1997 during ~,600 patient visits. Alexandria Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. (ANHSI), a nonprofit organization created in 1996 to support thc Center, works with thc Alexandria Health Department to msn.~$e the Center's operations. This unique partnership was recognized with the 1998 Metropolitan Washin~on Public Health Award for excellence in community collaboration. Efforts are underway to enlist public and private funding to co-Iocatc the Center with other human service Alexandria Children's Comprehensive and Enhanced Servtee System Thc Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse is entering thc fifth year of this five-year demonstration project, one of 22 sites funded by the federal Center for Mental Health Services. The goal of ACCESS is to demonstrate thc cost-effectiveness of community-based treatmen! of youth with serious cmotionsl disturbances and their families. In FY 1998, the ACCESS Program served 250 Alexandria youth. Participating agencies include Alexandria City Public Schools, the Department of Human Services' Division of Social Services, the Suvcnile and Domestic Relations Court Services Unit and the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse. Accomplishments in FY 1998 include: ADMINISTRATION City Web Site The City expanded its web site (http://ci.alexandria. va.us) to approximately 1,~00 pages during FY 1998. The City's Home Page received over 39,000 inquiries or "hits" per month during FY 1998 and was visited by more than 60,000 computer users from around the world. ~*~,~ements to the web site allow citizens expanded access to City Council?. legislative and public hearing docket materials for upcoming meetings. In addition, web site visitors arc now able to access: thc City Charter, the City Code, and the Zoning Ordinance; the Approved Budget for Fiscal Year 1999; and solid waste and recycling information, inclu,t~ns trash pick up, leaf collection and spring cleen-up days. A search utilitT enables visitors to easily locate information posted on the web site. Other FY 1998 enhancements include comprehensive web pages for the Office of Historic Alexandria, the Registrar of Voters, and the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Inc. The Office of Historic Al~,~,~,~via web site features photos and infonnation on historical sites. The Voter Rcgistrar's web page contains recent election and registration statistics, a precinct map, and information on becoming a poll worker, registering to vote and running for City Council or the School Board. Visitors can also download an absentee ballot application or check local voting results, including Presidential elections from 1924 to 1996. Results of Alexandria voting in the November 1998 congressional election will be posted shortly after the polls close. PAinE ~ SEP-15-1998 The Alexandria F,~onomic Development Partnership, Inc. (AEDP) web site providea information on starting or relocating it business in Alexandria as well as demographic and comparative lax information, and finsncing assistance. The AEDP web sim provides iin~ to the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association. For the third year, the,innual Report is also posted on the City's web site. City Employee Compensation Philosophy City Council in adopted a City Employee Compensation Philosophy to guide Council's future pay decisions. The pay philosophy provides a framework for Council, the City Manager, City Employees and citizens to understand and guide decisions that affect employee pay. The philosophy essentially states the Council's intention to keep employee salaries competitive with those of nearby jurisdictions. To implement the Compensation Philosophy in FY 1999, the City Council direct~ the City Manager to develop pay scales that include steps for the public safety employees and the general City employeea. On December 9, 1997, City Council adopted a pay plan containing fixed steps with a declining percentage pay prolFession (annual steps of 5%, de~ to 3.5% in the mid-range, then declinint~ to 2.3% in the top steps of the plans). To implement the two pay plans and to place employees on the new pay scale, Council approved 1.9 million in the FY 1999 Budget. City employees will receive no cost-of-living or merit pay increases in FY 1999. P.09/09 I~AG~ ? T~T~I P ~q Office of the City Manager October 1, 1998 Ms. Michele R. Evans Assistant City Manager City of Alexandria 301 King Street, Suite 3500 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3211 Dear Ms. Evans: Attached are highlights of the City of Roanoke's initiatives for your consideration for the "Virginians to Virginians" Program. Many of these activities are included in our Roanoke City Council Vision Progress Report, which I have enclosed for your review. On August 4, 1997, Roanoke City Council adopted the following Vision statement: Roanoke, "The Star City", appreciating its past and planning for a shining future, will be a community of excellence, providing an outstanding quality of life through educational, economic, and cultural opportunities for all people who live, work, and visit here. During the public participation phase of the visioning process, citizens contributed over 2,000 comments and suggestions. This data was condensed into twenty-three draft strategic issue statements and each statement was linked to one of the four visions categories: · Effective Government · Economy · Education · Quality of Life The enclosed Progress Report provides a summary of our progress to-date in these strategic areas. The attached pages profile some of the more significant topics which may be of interest to you for the Information Exchange Program. During our meeting on October 5t~, I will discuss these initiatives in more detail. Room 364 Municipal Building 215 Church Avenue, S.W. Roanoke, Virginia 24011-1591 (540) 981-2333 FAX (540) 224-3138 Ms. Michele R. Evans Assistant City Manager City of Alexandria Page 2 I look forward to meeting with you next week. Sincerely, W. Robert Herbert City Manager "Virginians to Virginians" Program Information Exchange The city of Roanoke has always been the largest and most progressive jurisdiction in western Virginia. Roanoke serves as the retail and medical center for a vast region. The Norfolk and V~estern Railway, now Norfolk Southern, was born in Roanoke and provided the primary impetus for the city's early growth and prominence. Up until the late 1950's the city grew and developed residentially, commercially, and industrially, enhanced by the city's development of an airport, establishment ora watershed, and a regional wastewater treatment plant. However, by the late 1970's, like many other cities in Virginia, the inner city declined& taxes increased& and development Slowed. That's when the citizens of Roanoke stepped forward. Partnerships were formed between the public, private and non-profit sectors - which served as the foundation for bom new approaches to maintain and revive Roanoke's community spirit and economic vitality. Citizen involvement increased steadily through the 1980's. The Neighborhood Partnership was formed along with special citizen task forces formed to address homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, and community relations. Through the efforts of the Community Relations Task Force, Roanoke implemented Community Oriented Policing, increased its number of minority police officers, and put more DARE and School Resource Officers in the schools. Crime rates are declining, and the Magnet School concept is not only keeping city students within their school system, but is attracting increasing numbers from surrounding school systems. The downtown market area has also come back to life, with art galleries and specialty shops, centered around the historic farmer's market which was recently named one of 63 "Great American Places." Economic development efforts in the city and region are strong, and unemployment remains low. Property values remain strong, expanding an average of 3 to 5 percent per year. Following for your consideration are highlights of twenty-two initiatives that have been recently undertaken in the city of Roanoke by citizens, city government, non-profits, and private entities as we continue our joint efforts to become the "community of excellence" as described in Roanoke City Council's Vision. INITIATIVES Citizen Service Center- Technology, Customer Service and More Service, quality and innovation are the buzz words of consumers, business and government alike as our society continues to pressure all sectors of the community to provide ever increasing value for consumers. Roanoke has been working on several fronts to meet the challenge of providing more sophisticated ways for citizens to talk to us and to obtain the service and information that they require. In April of this year the city launched its new Citizens' Service Center complete with a new computerized database to track citizen service requests. The Respond! system provides a mechanism to track response times, track recurring problems and will help management to target resources more effectively. The Center is located in City Hall but call- takers staff the system in a decentralized manner which allows callers to talk directly to departments that deliver the service which they require. The system is designed to be a one stop shopping approach that allows customers to call one central number for service if they do not know who to call directly. The new City Line features automated calling which can notify citizens of dangerous weather conditions, water main breaks, snow removal schedules, etc. It can also be activated to do citizen polling to help gage public opnion on issues and help educate the community on issues. The City Line system works in tandem with the 24 Hour Answer Line Service to allow citizens to dial up a variety of informational messages. This service also supports a fax on demand feature which will speed up application processing and get other information into citizen's hands more quickly. The city's website ( http://www.ei.roanoke.va, us) is another new technology feature that includes a living encyclopedia of information that citizens can browse at their convenience. Roanoke Renaissance Revitalization Task Force Realizing the importance of strengthening the neighborhoods surrounding the central city and responding to the Mayor's call for a strategy to be developed to address the conditions of housing in the city's older neighborhoods, business leaders, neighborhood groups, non-profits, and city government joined forces to develop a plan to revitalize Roanoke's inner city areas. This effort, entitled Roanoke Renaissance, established eight working groups to focus on the areas of housing, economic development, social/human services, transportation, community developmentAnfi'astmcture, public safety/crime prevention, education and leadership development. Rather than starting over, this group's efforts are built upon previous studies. The task force developed an action strategy that includes specific tasks, assignment of responsibilities, a time schedule, and an identified source of funds or resources to accomplish those tasks. These set of policies and activities will be implemented by the community as a whole over approximately the next five (5) years to stabilize, enhance, and protect the overall quality and livability of Roanoke's older core neighborhoods. To date, a community forum has been held, strategies have been developed for each of the focus areas, and community agencies have focused on how to collaboratively implement these strategies. Occupational Health Clinic Program In an innovative approach to contain healthcare and workers compensation costs, the city's Occupational Health Services unit operates a clinic which serves to review Worker's Compensation claims as well as offer a preventive health program. The program, which offers free medical care for employees, is staffed by the two physicians, an occupational health nurse, a part-time registered nurse and a medical office assistant. These physicians monitor worker's compensation claims and staff the clinic for medical needs of employees who have acute illness or non-work related claims. The Preventive Health Program has been successful in holding down health insurance premium rates by detecting and treating illnesses before they become major health problems. The physicians have.diagnosed many health problems from elevated blood pressure to diabetes and kidney problems. The Occupation Health Program has been a vital asset to the employees and city in keeping employees working and healthy and by providing cost savings to employees, the city's health plan, and worker's compensation budget. Regional Radio System With the goal of improving services to the citizens of Roanoke Valley, Roanoke City has established a cooperative joint effort with the County of Roanoke to develop a regional 800 MHz tmnking radio system to communicate whenever a dual public safety response is needed and to enable dispatch centers to back up each other in emergencies. This new system will replace the city's aging radio system and provide more efficient and effective communications within a wider coverage area. City Fire/EMS and Police field units will be able to talk with their own units or Roanoke County units without assistance from dispatchers. This $7 million project not only enhances services, but allows the use of shared equipment and radio frequencies, resulting in reduced costs for both localities. The project is scheduled to be completed in Calender year 1999. Development of Roanoke Centre for Industry and Technology (RCIT) Industrial development activity is important to Roanoke and is showcased at the city's Centre for Industry and Technology. This 300 acre industrial park is home to businesses such as Orvis, which has just completed a $2.3 million dollar expansion that now employs more than 3 1200 during peak times, Crouse-Hinds, a division of Cooper Industries, Advance Stores, Elizabeth Arden's Logistic Centre, Transkrit, Bellsouth Communications, and Vitramon. A perfect example of the city's most recent successful business recruitment effort was the addition of Maple Leaf Bakery. Maple Leaf is a Canadian company which will invest $18 million and provide 120 new jobs. We are currently developing the remainder of the park with $4 million in bond funds and interest earnings. Plans are in place to extend the roadway and grade more sites for future prospects. Enterprise Zone Two We believe that the city's Enterprise Zone Two is one of our best examples of cooperation between government, residents, and business for the community's benefit. While Enterprise Zone efforts across the state have traditionally focused on incentives for business, Roanoke City Council has created programs in Enterprise Zone Two which combine incentives for both business and residents. As a part of the process in being awarded an Enterprise Zone, the city's Office of Economic Development conducted a thorough analysis of the Enterprise Zone area. What they found was that residents' incomes were below the average income in the city; that ½ of the 1,500 housing units were 25 years old or older; and that a number of the housing units lacked working and complete kitchens. In addition, 38% of residents, 25 years old or older, never finished high school. Roanoke City Council recognized that we must not only encourage business development but address these real problems and concerns in this neighborhood. The Enterprise Zone Two community development initiatives were tailored to address these needs. First, the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority has worked with residents in this area to lend more than $150,000 for comprehensive home repairs for thirteen homes. In addition, he Filth District Employment and Training Consortium has worked in conjunction with the Roanoke City Public School Systems to assist Enterprise Zone Two residents with enrolling in classes to finish their high school education. Also, working through the Neighborhood Partnership, two neighborhood organizations in this area have received mini- grants of $500 each for sigla_age and landscaping in the area. One local housing developer has received financial assistance to connect two newly constructed homes to the city sewer system through the utility line extension program and another is developing a new subdivision in the area. New Century Venture Center With its nationally and internationally recognized leadership and programs, Roanoke's New Century Venture Center is a genuine success story. The New Century Venture Center, a 29,000 square foot small business incubator, opened its doors only two years ago. In that short 4 time, it has assisted twenty companies, had three graduates and currently houses thirteen fn'ms employing 60 people. Other incubators marvel at the rapid progress, so much so that Center president Lisa Ison has been invited to speak at an upcoming international conference on such facilities. New and expanding businesses benefit from locating in the Center through a range of shared office services, monthly seminars and tenant networking sessions. In addition, each client firm is assigned a team of advisors that provides guidance and support until the company is ready to graduate from the incubator. Recent studies indicate that 87% of companies which graduate from an incubator will succeed. The city of Roanoke has been a proud supporter of the Center since its inception, offering Community Development Block Grant Funds to assist with the purchase of the incubator building and its operating costs. Funding has also come from the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology and private sources. Fitness Centers located in City Middle Schools Recreation, fitness and fun in innovative community partnerships through Roanoke City Parks and Recreation and the public schools are found in the fitness centers located in newly renovated middle schools. This project brings the first state-of-the-art fitness facility to the city schools, featuring a 1,000 square foot fitness room, Landis treadmill, 4 Sci-fit bicycles and 11 circuit training machines. The Breckinridge Fitness Center was opened in October 1997 and the Woodrow Wilson Center will open in October 1998. The facilities will be open 6 days a week and will employ personal fitness trainers. Community use and support has been extremely favorable and has served to link citizens with the schools in their communities. A fitness center is also planned for Lucy Addison Middle School. School Facility Improvements Modem and up-to-date School facilities are essential to enhancing academic programs and curricula. During the last decade, the Roanoke City Schools have been undertaking a facility modernization/renovation effort for all School buildings. The elementary schools have been renovated to modernize the buildings and expand the facilities for learning. New heating and Air-conditioning systems have been added where needed, making the buildings more efficient. The current phase of the renovation plans are for the middle schools. Four middle schools are being renovated, with three presently complete and one under construction. Renovation of these buildings will extend their useful lives for at least forty additional years and the improvements will enhance the health, safety and learning environment of Roanoke's students. Funding has also been earmarked in the City's 1998-2002 Capital Improvement Program for instructional technology innovations. The goal is to equip schools with a computer for every 5 students and network these computers throughout the schools by the year 2002. The f'mal phase of the school facility improvements will be for the high school facility needs. A feasibility study will be conducted in the upcoming years to determine the options for renovation or replacement of the high school facilities. The First Homeless Assistance Team in Virginia Reducing the prevalence of homelessness in Roanoke Valley is the vision of the Roanoke Valley Task Force on Homelessness. This task force consists of representatives of local governments, non-profits, religious congregations, neighborhoods and businesses. The task force conducts surveys, reviews proposals for Community Development Block Grant homeless services projects, monitors the progress of homeless service providers, and initiates new programs. In 1997 under the Task Force's leadership, the city of Roanoke, in cooperation with the Roanoke Area Ministries, competed for and received a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to establish the first Homeless Assistance Team or "HAT Team" of its kind in Virginia. The HAT Team works on the streets of Roanoke, in coordination with homeless service providers and city departments, to provide outreach services and case management to homeless individuals and families to help them obtain emergency assistance, permanent housing, and supportive services. Juvenile Detention Center - A Regional Response Localities nationwide are being challenged to respond in new ways to increasingly complex social challenges. The startling rise in the number of juvenile criminal offenders is a concern facing urban, rural and suburban areas alike. The rising tide of regional thinking is opening new possibilities to localities which are strapped for resources to meet these needs. Roanoke City owned and operated a Juvenile Detention Center in neighboring Botetourt County since 1960. Bed space was made available on a per diem basis to other neighboring jurisdictions including Botetourt, Franklin Roanoke County and the City of Salem. The ballooning of the offender population took its toll leading to serious overcrowding, security concerns and licensing challenges. In 1996, the Center was forced to mm away populations beyond its licenced capacity of 21 youths. Monies were made available through the State Board of Juvenile Justice to expand the center and city voters agreed to finance the city's $2 million dollar share of the total project cost. At the same time, other localities within the region had completed their own needs assessment that eventually proved that their own jurisdictions were chronically in need of bed space as well. This need could not be met by the planned expansion at the Roanoke Center to 6 only 43 beds. The need was evident and thanks to cooperation, negotiation and good common sense leadership, the five affected jurisdictions together developed a regional facility that would meet all of their needs. Although it will continue to be located in Botetourt County, the new center will have 81 beds and will be owned and operated by a new Roanoke Valley Detention Commission. The Commission will be led by representatives from all of the participating governing bodies. The Center is expected to open by July 1, 2000. This example of regional cooperation will pay a handsome dividend to taxpayers and increase the quality of life for citizens. Transferring youth far from home and family only would have added more cost, effort, legal tangles and strained the system even more. The region has been well served in this initiative that will reward all five localities for their proactive actions. Extended Community Policing Efforts Realizing the value of our community policing, the city of Roanoke continues to expand these efforts. In 1993, the city of Roanoke, joining such cities as Seattle and New Orleans, formed a Mounted Patrol Unit in partnership with Downtown Roanoke, Inc. The Mounted Patrol, which primarily works in the downtown area, is a unit that consists of four horses and five officers. The officers presence in the downtown area not only makes the area safer, but they have also become some of the city's most valuable public information officers - giving information and directions to up to 75 people each day. The city's bicycle patrol was established in 1995. Now we have 60 officers who are certified by the International Police Mountain Bike Association. On a given day, twenty police officers patrol specific areas in the city and neighborhoods based on bi-weekly printouts of offense locations. Recently, the city has obtained a Bureau of Justice grant which provides equipment and overtime for teams of officers to provide bicycle patrol to at-risk neighborhoods selected by a citizen's advisory board. A public/private partnership was created in August 1998 to assist the Police Department Community Oriented Policing Effort (COPE) expansion by offering four donated vehicles from two local automobile dealerships. The vehicles are used by COPE Officers in each of the four quadrants and are marked as police vehicles. There is also a decal which notes the donating Dealer's name. This parmership eliminated the need for the city to purchase additional vehicles and saved approximately $65,000. City Action Team We know that, if given the proper tools, neighborhood residents can become empowered to solve issues relating to their community. With this in mind, the City Action Team (CAT) was formed in August 1995 to proactively and more effectively address issues that impact neighborhoods and the entire community. Partnering with neighborhood groups, CAT comprises representatives from the Neighborhood Partnership, Police Department, Commonwealth Attorney, City Attorney, Building Inspections, Public Works, Health Department, Sheriffs Department and Engineering. This team works to bring together various city departments that provide direct citizen services and "cut through the red tape" often associated with government. The goals of the team include enhancing communications among city departments, the community and with City Council, preparing and implementing action plans to address neighborhood problems, and making recommendations for policy changes as needed. CAT's accomplishments include daily successful problem solving between neighborhoods and city departments, an annual "Spring Clean Roanoke" program, which includes residents and city staff volunteers, and a "Freeloader" program, which helps cleanup neighborhoods by making a portable dumpster available to neighborhoods flee of charge. Community Service FFork Program In the city of Roanoke, jail inmates work. Under the supervision of the Roanoke City Sheriff's Department, three crews of inmates paint city facilities, work in the city garage and improve the appearance of our community. Since its inception in March 1997, this program has produced a cost savings of over $215,000. Inmates have painted 11 recreation centers, 32 park restroom facilities, five police department COPE Unit offices, washed vehicles at the City garage, and have removed snow and ice from the sidewalks around the courthouse and jail. This successful program is lauded by citizens and jail inmates alike. Inmates have the opportunity to contribute to the community and citizens see that their time is being well spent. There are plans to expand this program by adding another inmate crew by January 1999 - saving even more taxpayers dollars while improving the cleanliness and condition of our community. Roanoke Neighborhood Partnership The Roanoke Neighborhood Partnership was formed in 1980, based on citizens knowing what's best for their neighborhoods, with the city's role being supportive and facilitative. The Partnership changed the way the city does business and empowered neighborhoods to participate in the governance of their lives. Through the establishment of the Parmership Office, neighborhood involvement gained a significant place within city government. Now, the Partnership is an action-oriented coalition of twenty-six neighborhoods, three business associations, non profits and government working together to preserve and improve the quality of life in Roanoke. The Partnership provides neighborhoods with technical assistance and training, advocacy within city government, and a forum for communication. It is designed to .strengthen neighborhood organizations by linking them with the resources they need to solve their problems. 8 Today, neighborhood groups like the Northwest Neighborhood Environmental Organization have renovated housing and brought new families into a decayed city neighborhood; flowers and gateway signs now lead to city neighborhoods as part of cooperative efforts; the Raleigh Court Civic League has won national attention for its efforts to work cooperatively with police to catch thieves that were breaking into homes. When public attention was focused on the work of the City Police Department, neighborhoods reacted by sponsoring Police Appreciation Day activities. Inoperative Vehicle Ordinance Junk cars are no longer a problem for Roanoke city residents. In July 1995, City Council authorized an inoperative vehicle ordinance that provided regulations pertaining to the storage of inoperative vehicles in residential and commercial areas of the city. Since the program began, approximately 3,200 inoperative vehicles have been cited. To date, 90% of all vehicles that have received citations have been brought imo compliance by the owners. Trash Transfer Station The impending closure of the Regional Landfill brought Roanoke face to face with an issue facing many localities nationwide: where to put the trash. The surrounding county had the space for a landfill bm a central collection point or transfer station was needed in the city. Officials knew no neighborhood would want it! A Solid Waste Committee was formed in 1990. This diverse group was asked to develop the criteria on how to design, site and operate such a station if it were built next door to them. Extensive citizen involvement followed and the final plan called for a station near a rail line that would allow the export of trash by rail. The Waste Line Express had been bom! Norfolk Southern Corporation worked hand in hand with local government and citizens to bring this plan to life. Twelve potential sites for the station were identified and narrowed to three then one. As Council approval was sought the NIMBY attitude was no where to be found in the Council Chamber. There was not one single voice of opposition! The 47,000 square foot station opened in December 1993 with great community celebration. Local government and the community learned that trash doesn't have to be a divisive issue is we work on the solution together. The new station brought community renewal and developed a 22 are site near downtown. Operated by a Regional Authority, the station receives over 800 tons of dally waste which is transported nightly in special rail cars. The building was heralded as "too pretty to hold trash!" The station has a community room used for citizens gathers among other happenings. A recycling center, stringent odor control, am'active landscaping, traffic flow regulations and set hours of operation were all key ingredients to the 9 successful acceptance of the Station. An on site mulching operation offers mulch for public use for a minimum loading fee. Expanded Special Events Programming From the Dave Mathews Band to "Blues and Jazz," the city's special events mission is to produce events that reflect the character and spirt of the Roanoke Valley. The Roanoke Parks and Recreation department has recently expanded special event programming and increased its focus on destination events. Hosting such events as the Sunset on Mill Mountain summer concert series, the expanded St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Taste of the Blue Ridge Blues and Jazz Festival, the 13 member Special Events Committee has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 major events this year, with collectively over 135,000 people in attendance. A large portion of the special events funding is secured through corporate sponsorships. The estimated economic impact of the Dave Matthews Band concert tour kickoff this year was one million dollars. Roanoke Higher Education Center Welcome to the Information Age! Just as most localities throughout the country, Roanoke works hard and fast to attract basic industry to sustain economic growth and to fuel an ever improving quality of life for citizens. Knowledge is fast becoming the number one attribute that attracts fast-paced industry to locate in any given area. The economy of today depends on brain power. The Roanoke Region has recognized that challenge and has been working hard to provide access to training and education that will make us competitive in the workplace and attractive to new innovative companies who demand a skilled and hardworking employment base. No one educational institute can meet all of these needs. A collaborative effort of regional local governments, thirteen public and private colleges and universities, two training institutions and the handsome gif~ of a historic 158,000 square foot railroad landmark have combined to build a word class Education Center to serve the needs of business and employees in this region. Momentum for the Center was driven by Destination Education, a group of 70 regional business, civic and educational leaders who joined forces to solicit community and political support for the project. The group secured an endorsement from the State Council of Higher Education and $5.4 million to date from the General Assembly towards the Center's establishment. The landmark building is the former headquarters of the Norfolk and Western Railroad, the present day Norfolk Southern Railroad, who generously conlributed the $6 million building for this use. The city of Roanoke has pledged $2.5 million to the project and other funding sources will include bonds supported by contributions from surrounding jurisdictions, 10 university and college rents, and other tenant contributions. The Center will be established by the Roanoke Higher Education Authority which was created by the General Assembly for this purpose. The Authority has selected an architect and is moving forward on an aggressive time schedule that will open the Center for student use in the fall of 2000. By combining resources and a central and accessible location, the Center will bring over 5,000 adults for credit course work and over 13,000 for non credit courses. Regional Competitiveness will mean greater earning power for employees and greater worker skills for employers, a match made in heaven. Jefferson Center The historical 111,000 square foot Jefferson High School was the first major high school built by the city of Roanoke in 1924. It was closed to use as a high school in 1974 and was used intermittently for special education classes until 1979 when it was vacated. For the next six years the High School languished and was frequently vandalized. In 1985 a group of alumni and business leaders asked City Council to study possible reuses for the school. The findings indicated that there was a need for facilities for art, education and social services at minimal rental rates and shared services for tenants. The price tag was $5 million, of which $3.5 million was overwhelmingly approved by 72% of city taxpayers in a city bond referendum in 1990. The Jefferson Center Foundation was created to raise $2 million from community funding sources for this renovation; an effort that involved over 20,000 community volunteers. Construction began in 1992, and by late 1995 all of the space was rented to a wide array of tenants. The Center is home to 21 different tenants including the symphony, opera and ballet, the City Police Academy, Head Start Child Care Center, and mental health services to name just a few. The ornate and decorative features of the High School were preserved creating elegant marble halls and meeting spaces which are used to host meetings, wedding and other social events. This public/private/non-profit partnership has returned this fine old school to a unique community facility. Currently fund raising efforts are again in full swing to renovation the auditorium space in the school into a world class concert hall. World renowned experts have studied the acoustical attributes of the hall and found them to be beyond compare. This fmal leg of the project will be the development of a home to the Roanoke symphony. The city of Roanoke has partnered with the project and is working to revitalize surrounding lots for patron and employee parking. The new hall is projected to open in the year 2000. 11 Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center The Norfolk & Western Railroad built the Hotel Roanoke in 1882 and it quickly earned the reputation for "service, fine dining and hospitality." Roanokers dubbed it" the Grand Lady on the Hill" and continually booked ball and receptions in her fine ballrooms and special dinners in the famous Regency Dining Room. In 1989 after a corporate decision to withdraw from the hotel business, the Norfolk Southern Corporation donated the hotel to the Virginia Tech Foundation. The girl came with an challenge; return her to usefulness for Roanoke,or, face the prospect that she will be demolished. Almost to the day of the four year deadline, Virginia Tech and the city of Roanoke labored to produce a plan and funding to restore her in a viable way. A combination of funding including a bank loan, HUD 108 loan, Virginia Tech Real Estate Foundation, Doubletree Hotels, and, last but not least, a $7 million girl from Roanoker citizens sealed the deal. The city of Roanoke pledged $12.8 million in general obligation bonds to build a world class high tech conference center attached to the refurbished hotel. The city also approached VDOT to help build a $7 million pedestrian walkway to link the new complex with downtown restaurants, shops and amenities. The renovation and construction of the new conference center were completed in 1995 and the new facility welcomed its first guest, naturally a native Roanoker, on April 5, 1995. The project was developed in parallel to VDOT's redesign and widening of Wells Avenue to the north of the facility. The city contributed $775,000 to that effort by funding period street lighting, a bus shelter siguage and other street scape improvements. The Conference Center is owned by the Hotel Roanoke Conference Center Commission which was established by the General Assembly and made up of members from Virginia Tech and the city of Roanoke. Doubletree Hotels manages both the hotel and the conference center. Virginia Tech provides an array of continuing education programs at the facility and students from the university's renowned hospitality and tourist management program train there. The project created over 400 new jobs, increased retail sales downtown by 30% in the first 6 months of opening and brings over $1.5 million per year in tax dollars annually from operations at the facility alone. The hotel is once again offering 4 Diamond Service to her guests and the same southern charm that has made her such a treasure to so many. OUTLOOK Roanoke The city of Roanoke has a strong history of effective public participation in the development of comprehensive plans that have brought extraordinary private sector development to downtown Roanoke. The latest effort, Outlook Roanoke was funded through the city of Roanoke, the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority and Downtown Roanoke, Inc. to garner the maximum public input to help guide the proposals and decisions that will help focus 12 development opportunities into the year 2000. Earlier public supported efforts produced very successful plans including Design 79, which encouraged over $107 million in investments; Design '85, which initiated over $81 million in new investment; Focus '89 which led to over $148 million in investment and now Outlook 2000. If past efforts are a benchmark, our latest effort is already on its way to take Roanoke to new levels of investment and growth. OUTLOOK Roanoke fleshes out six key strategies including the rebuilding of gateways into and out of the downtown, the creation of a new City Place in The Rail District, the development of desirable downtown living spaces, expansion of downtown development, the defining of city places and an improved traffic flow pattern. Fully realized, the plan could make Roanoke into a 24 hour city which will attract locals and tourists to enjoy its diversity of attractions and amenities. The ink on the plan is just about dry but many of the initiatives are already offand running. A number of infrastructure projects are being implemented including a Railside Linear Walk, improved streetscapes, improvements to the Williamson Road Viaduct and renovations to the Old market building and historic farmer's market stalls. Thanks to the generosity of the Norfolk Southern Corporation, their former general office buildings are both earmarked for creative reuse; one as a high tech Education Center and the other as a new downtown living address for residential apartments. The former passenger station is planned for revitalization as well. The historic Henry Street area has come alive with fresh and innovative plans parallel to the envisioned Rail District to the south and in close proximity to the city's oldest neighborhood, historic Gainsboro. The partnership approach to this planning process has created a true collaboration of effort to move these initiatives forward and to launch others. Public participation continues to be the linchpin to projects and development that will make sense for the city. 13