Music I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to be a little bit more careful. Okay, let me welcome everybody to the March 25th meeting of the Fairfax City Council. This time, if you would please stand for the invocation presented by Council in Rasmussen and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. We ask, O Lord, to give us the strength and wisdom it takes to listen to trust, to discern the differences between wants and needs as we continue our budget deliberations. We ask for vision, we ask for humility, we ask for the heart to care for those in need. And finally, we ask for your protection for all those who serve so faithfully to protect us both at home and abroad. Amen. Okay. That now brings us down to item number four, which are presentations by the public and any item that is on tonight's agenda, but does not call for a public hearing. So if you're here to talk to us about items number 7a or b, which are the two public hearings, that opportunity will come later in the evening. If you would like to talk to us about any other item that's on the agenda, again, that does not call for a public hearing. This would be the time to do it. There have been a number of folks who have signed up under various agenda items none under this. Let me see if there's anybody in the audience who would like to address the City Council under this particular item. Here we none. We'll now move ahead to item number, excuse me, item number five, which is the adoption of the agenda. So moved. Moved by Mrs. Lyon, seconded by Mr. Silverthern. All in favor of the motion, signify by voting aye. Opposed? And a pass unanimously. We're now down to item number six, which is the approval of the consent agenda. And I should just say, in consultation with staff just a few minutes ago, I would like to ask whoever reads the consent agenda not include item number 6A, which is a consideration of a resolution to rescind a resolution regarding school board, to public school property. There's going to need some more discussion at the staff level with that. So whoever reads the motion, if you would just eliminate 6A, Mr. Greenfield. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Move adoption of a consent agenda for agenda item number 6B, introduction of an ordinance, amending section 102.3, one of the code of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, to increase the water and sewer rate by 7%. And agenda item number 6C, introduction of an ordinance, amending chapter 90, arched to division one of the code of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, to add a new section 90, DASH 33, pertaining to the classification and taxation of certain commercial and industrial real property in the City of Fairfax for transportation purposes. And agenda item number 6D, introduction of an ordinance amending and re-adopting chapter 90 article 10, section 90, DASH 422, of the Code of the City of Fairfax, Virginia pertaining to the additional tax imposed on real property and improvements located within the Old Town Service District. And agenda item number 6E, introduction of an ordinance amending and re-adopting chapter 90, Article 9, excuse me, Article 11, section 90, dash 436, or the code of the City Fairfax Virginia pertaining to the additional tax imposed upon real property and improvements located within the Fairfax Boulevard Business Improvement District. And for agenda items number 6B, CD and E, I moved away for the first reading and set the public hearing for April 8, 2008. Second. Moved by Mr. Greenfield, seconded by Miss winner. Is there anybody wish to object or abstain from handling of any of these items on the consent agenda? Harry, none. All in favor of the motion. Signify by voting aye. Aye. Opposed. And a passed unanimously. That now brings us down to item number 7a, which is a public hearing and council action. Under an ordinance to amend chapter 98, section 98, 18, pertaining to protestions, soliciting rides or business. Is this properly advertised? Staff report, please. Welcome, Chief. Good evening, Mayor, members of Council. Thank you. Firefighters across the country adopted the muscular dystrophy association many years ago, and the date have raised over $300 million nationally to support the fight against neuromuscular diseases. Our firefighters in the City of Fairfax have participated in the annual Labor Day fundraising campaign for many years. But their efforts have been handicapped because of the current ordinance that prohibits traditional filled the boot collections on city streets. The last year's campaign members of council questioned why firefighters were collecting just outside of the city limits and when learning of the restriction in the code asked that a code amendment be prepared for consideration. What we have it was introduced at the last meeting is in ordinance that in fact would then establish a permit process where the city managers have such collections provided a number of very specific requirements and conditions are met. First, the organization must be a 501C3 charitable organization. Only one permit per year may be issued for a maximum of five consecutive days. The hours of collection are restricted to 7.30 AM and a half hour before sunset. At approved locations, only where there is a traffic control signal light in place. Solicitors must be at least 18 years of age. They must wear official identification, which identifies the charitable organization. And they must provide a $1 million per occurrence liability insurance coverage for applicants, solicitors, and they must also name the city of Fairfax as an insured under this policy. That is a summary of the ordinance change. I'll be glad to answer any questions that you may have. Any questions that you choose? Very none. Thank you, Chief. Appreciate it. This is a public hearing. There are several who have signed up to testify. First is Greg Evans. And if you come come forward if you just give us your name and address for the record and there is a five minute limit on time for presentation. My name is Lieutenant Craig Evans City of Fairfax Fire Department. I'm here representing local 2702 as the City of Fairfax, Professional Fire Fires and Fair Metics. I want to give you a brief history of our fundraising efforts for the MDA. Over the years, we've, every year we've done this over Labor Day weekend and we used to do this in front of Safeway. I don't know if you remember us out in the front of the Safeway with the tables. And over the weekend we'd raise around $3,000 to $5,000. Now we started going to the intersections just outside of the city and the first year we raised just over $16,000 and the last year we raised $62,000, which is a large something money. Now the IAFF is the single largest contributor to the MDA, if you may not know that, and they raised of the $63 million or a raise last year, the IAFF raised around 25 million, which is a huge amount. Now this doesn't happen at the national level. This happens at the local level with governing bodies like yourselves making good decisions like this to change the ordinance and it's like these. So that's what I'd like to say. Any more questions for me? Thank you very much. Thank you. Next signed up is Jamie Lurow. Hi there, my name is Jamie Lurow. I am representing the Muscular Disturface Association out of 1920 Association Drive in Rest in Virginia. And basically a little bit about our organization, which I know you're very familiar with. We cover over 43 different neuro-muscular diseases, which include ALS, which is one of our more well-known ones as well as Dushan muscular dystrophy. We serve over 3,200 families in the greater Washington area. And the best part about our organization is that we don't receive government funding or United Way funding. All of the funding that we get to help these families comes from individual donations and the help of organizations like the IAFF and City of Fairfax Fire Department local, 27.02. All the menus that they raise in the City of Fairfax stay in the Greater Washington area to help the families that were serving here. So they're really reaching out and helping people in their own communities. Again, it has been a great tradition. They've been participating since 1999 and are completely dedicated. They have the support of the entire department, which is great to see, and we're just really proud to have them on board. I also wanted to assure you that safety is number one priority when it comes to our Phil the Boot campaigns. So we take great pride in making sure that each department and union has a specific safety plan developed and in place before their campaign even takes off that safety plan is communicated to all personnel who will be participating and they are required to abide by those regulations that are put forth by the department. So we just wanted to also say that by collecting in intersections, these departments are able to increase the monies they're able to raise by three to four times, which you already heard tonight. So we just wanna say this is so important. We take great pride in being associated with the City of Fairfax and the City of Fairfax firefighters. And thank you so much for your consideration on this. We certainly appreciate it. Thank you. Next sign up is Jan Bonner. Good evening. My name's Jan Bonner. And I am a parent of a child with Dushen Monskiela District. I live in the Pendler Brook community just outside Fairfax City. I just wanted to let you guys know how instrumental that Station 3 and Station 33 has been to my family. They have adopted Drew, who's 12 years old and an active boy in scouts and in baseball. The firefighters have invited him to their baseball program that they have every year right after the telethon. They've had birthday parties for Drew. They were worried when he had some social issues moving into middle school and they offered to come to a school and have lunch with them. They're always concerned. They're always calling to find out what's going on with him. The other thing I want to let you folks know is that all the money that is collected stays here in the area. We have one of the Centers of Excellence for Dushan Muscula-Justifi that is here in children's hospital in the Fairfax office, as well as the DC office. They are leading the way in treatments for Duchens and are making great headways. And I guess in the end what I wanna say is, what these men are doing, men and women are doing for our boys is making such a huge impact on their lives and all of our lives. So this is such an important issue that I just wanna let you know that I support. Thank you. Thank you. Wendy Lillie. Hello, my name is Wendy Lilly and I now live in Remington, Virginia, but I grew up in Fairfax County and I used to live outside the boundaries of Fairfax City. This is my son Brennan. He is 12 years old. He has Dushan's Musculidistor feet. And I like to say that I'm thankful for what the firefighters have done as far as helping our family and not only do they sacrifice and put their lives in a line for your community to help out. They raise money for MDA and these guys really do care about these kids. They're like big brothers and big sisters to us and like part of our family. The money goes to research and a camp and also helps with the MDA charitable organization. And without MDA, we would be lost without anybody to help us through the hard times. It's not always easy being a parent with a child with disabilities. There's a lot of sacrifices that you take. But I would like you to consider them being able to fill the boot for the community. I'm a firefighter and a medic myself, and it's huge, you know, just trying to get this money, and especially for research, so we could try to find a cure. So, another parent doesn't have to get the word from the doctors that you have a child with disease. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Barbara Bortesca. Hi. My name is Barbara Bortesca and we actually live in Burke and our daughter Amanda is here and she's back there. We are also parents of a child with muscular dystrophy. However, I wanted to stress the importance of the Philadelphia boot campaign for camp, which is really one of the most important times in my daughter's life. It's really where she gets to actually be like a normal child and do activities that normal children do that everybody else takes for granted. I'd also like to stress the importance of the money collected for research because unlike the other two families that Fairfax City firefighters have adopted, Our child does not have a specific diagnosis. So the research to me is very important. Any ongoing research and all the trials and everything that they do when they collect all this money for the field of boot campaign goes to help every child that doesn't have a specific diagnosis. So I mean without a specific, we do not know actually what we can expect, because no one has ever seen a child with any symptoms like my child. So I just wanted to stress the importance of letting them go out on the streets and help collect money for all our children that have all these issues and that's it. Thank you. Thank you very much. Nobody else is previously signed up when anybody I suppose it's political suicide for somebody to get up here and say what I'm going to say when he fires to being elected to the City Council. But I will say it nonetheless. Pan handling or other sorts of charitable collecting at intersections is hazardous, not just to the individuals doing the collecting, but to the motorists. This is not to say that I don't appreciate people trying to raise money for worthy causes. I don't think that's the proper means, the most prudent means to do so. Most motorists, if I can project my own values, on them probably don't like being delayed by panhandlers, even though some of them are genuinely poor, for reasons some might or totally, in some cases, beyond their control. And again, continuing the projection, I don't particularly like it when somebody selling newspapers delays me an intersection, even though I may want that newspaper. And I don't appreciate it when they're selling flowers. Even though it may be Valentine's Day and there's a damsel of interest to me. The picture this, if you help you see what's wrong with this. Picture every worthy organization going out into our streets, perhaps all of the same intersections on the same day at the same hour and collecting money. You can see what would happen. Thank you. Anybody else in the audience like to address the City Council under this item? Harry Nunn will close the public hearing and'll place it in the hands of the Council. Mr. Greenfield? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I move to approve an ordinance to amend Chapter 98, Section 98-18 of the Code of the City Fairfax Virginia to establish a permit process through which bona fide charitable organizations may be permitted to solicit contributions while standing on a roadway as approved. Second. Moved by Mr. Greenfield, seconded by Mrs. Cross. Any discussion? All in favor, Ms. Cross? Mr. Mayor, I just wanted to say that I appreciate all the people that came and spoke this evening, and which reinforces and underlines what we already know in this, that we have such an exceptional fire department here composed of, I can say, young men who have hearts as big as their red fire engines and are giving to the community beyond their service in the fire department. And I thank them. Any other discussion? All in favor of the motion, please signify by voting aye. Aye. Opposed? And a passionate animalist, please. Thank you all for coming out tonight. That now brings us to item number 7b, which is a public hearing and the proposed City of Fairfax Fiscal Year 0809 budget. Has this been properly advertised? Yes. Sir Staff Report, Mr. Assistant, no staff report. This is actually going to be the first of a whole series of public hearings that will be hosting one, two here, one offside. I believe it Daniel's run elementary school. Several folks have signed up to testify. We will have a five minute rule just because of the number of folks who have testified as you come forward If you'd give us your name and address for the record before you give your presentation first signed up as Dick Excuse me John Spiers Mr. Mayor Members of the City Council good evening Mr. Mayor, members of the City Council. Good evening. We have the opportunity to address the leadership of this fine city. For the record, submit it on behalf of the people who are governed under the principle, government of, by and for the people. By way or a reminder, the City Manager prepared budget, proposed an increase of 12 cents in the real estate tax, and an increase of 7% in water and sewer rates. These increases are justifying on the basis of the drop in revenue due to the downturn in the residential real estate market. This proposed budget first injures, and its justification and solves the good people from the city of Fairfax. In my case alone, the 2008 real estate assessment showed no change in value when compared with the 2007 assessment. This particular assessment does not conform to real estate reality and is not reflective of the downturn in the market in my district. With the understanding, is something funny? No, I'm sorry, I was just telling you something. That's extremely rude. I apologize. You expect to be reelected on 6 May? Good, good. Sir, please continue. Shameful. Oh, continue if I may. With the understanding that the budget, the tax rate, and assessments are linked, 2008 assessments cause injury. The budget's justification treats the financial troubles of homeowners and taxpayers as separate apart from that of the city. Unless I'm mistaken, for example, taxpayers still pay for gasoline twice, once in private vehicles and once in public vehicles. The justification causes insult. To be sure, at least one, if not more assessments, for residential property in the city, deny both reality and fact. Furthermore, the city manager proposed 12 cents increase in the real estate tax is four times as much as this Fairfax County executive proposed 3 cent increase, which then makes the question. What exactly wants an order of magnitude increase in the real estate rate for the city over that for the county in 2008? If I may, two additional questions hence their answer seem especially pertinent, if not relevant to the proceedings of this public hearing on the city budget. First, what exactly will be the difference in quality between glasses of water in 2008 and those from 2007? And second, what exactly will be the difference in efficiency between toilet flushes in 2008 and those from 2000? So I thank you. Dick Wrecker, Mr. Mayor. May I just apologize? I was actually reading something and I was not enough to do with your presentation, so I apologize. The Dick Rucker, 10426 Darby Street. Mayor and council, I would like to do three things quickly in five minutes. Compare some stats for the current year 2008 with those from 1974, which was the last time I sat up where one of you, some of you are. In 1974, the city of Fairfax, 1974, the city of Fairfax had a population of 21, 179 employees, a budget totaling 12.5 million, outstanding obligations to others of 18 million, on which the city paid debt service of 1 million. And by the way, one US dollar could purchase 262 Japanese yen. Between men and now, the rate of inflation compounded amounts to 4.4%, which translated in real money means that something you could have bought in 74 for a buck now cost you $4.30. Today the city is slightly larger it has 23,000 people up to 21,000. We have about two and a half city employees for every employee we had back in 1974. For every dollar we put in our budget you've been putting about nine dollars in yours. When it comes to obligations that we still owe to others, for every dollar, we were obligated. The city is now obligated about $17 to $17. And this year the City will pay debt service of 16 million, which incidentally is 4 million larger than our entire budget in 1974. And, by the way, the US dollar can only purchase 118 Japanese yen now. So, rolling to the end, it's worth 40% of what it used to be. If I look over those numbers, my bottom line is, I find the city's current debt load worrisome, and I believe it will limit the options available to future city councils in dealing with new problems and new opportunities will almost certainly arise. But that's really water under the dam or over the dam. With regard to the economic outlook, the outlook is grim and I give you five points there, some quotes from Warren Buffett and former City Councilman John Peterson speaking as an economist and my conclusion from reading those comments which you can read later for your sales is that the time has come for the City Council to temper its exuberance with some budget cuts. Now some suggestions. The first one is ensure that auto sales taxes do the city are credit to the city. I know that Ms. Cross is concerned about that one. Fortunately our commissioner of the revenue page Johnson has picked up that ball and is running with it so I'll say no more. Cut non-essential programs and cap the city staff at or below the current level and I've had two categories of cuts. One is based on the table on page A45, which lists a bunch of city-funded recreational and cultural events, take your choice. The total is over half million dollars for the total. And as Janice Miller reminded me the other day, the Chocolate Lovers Festival used to be done all by volunteers. Now it costs $16,000. The other thing I would cut, or consider cutting, is city-funded boosterism in support of local businesses. And I'll leave it at that. You don't like my cuts, find some others. Complete projects underway that defer starting nuens. And on page A58, that's the one with the challenges that the city managers listed for one to three years out. I've gone through my own sort of that and you can read that here. But basically it says we started the Blenheim expansion, so let's go ahead and finish that. We haven't started the Sherwood Community Center. I wouldn't start that, but that's a political decision, of course. We do have 2. half million of unspent bond money that the school board is going to, is offering to transfer back to the general fund. And what I would caution you on is that is longer term debt on which we're paying serious interest. I think the obligation is to the citizens who authorize the purchase of the sale of those debt papers is that you use those for other long term investments, not the balanced budget. I think that would be breaking with the spirit of things. Take on new long term debt only to ensure viability of essential services. The red light's on, I'll stop. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Racker. John Flehive. Good evening. I'm John Flehive. I'm the president of the City of Fairfax Band Association, a nonprofit performing arts organization which is incorporated in the city of Fairfax. The association is a collection of musical ensembles, including the concert band, the German band, the swing band, the saxophone quartet, and I'm sure I've forgotten one. But it all represents about 100 volunteer musicians with over 20,000 volunteer hours per year. The band in the city has had a long and wonderful relationship almost 40 years now. The band and its ensembles perform eight summer concerts in the city, including the much anticipated children's concert, complete with balloons, ice creams, and children marching around to the music of the band. This is a labor of love by the band. We love doing that for the band. On the morning of the 4th of July, we get up early, come in and decorate a truck, get on and ride around the city, play in music for you. That evening we go over to the high school. We do a formal concert and then we introduce the fireworks to the strains of the 1812 literature. Again, a labor of love. Our ensembles participate in the city spotlight of the arts festival from the opening fanfare and a evening of saxophone music to a polka till you drop happening. We also host the instrument petting zoo of which children of all ages can come and try out the instruments and see if they like to try this and enjoy it, enjoy music with us. The band of course has a subscription series highlighted by the annual Christmas and holiday concert which is presented free to the residents of the city as our thank you for your support during the year. During the city's 200th anniversary we dedicated the whole series to the city and to the music that was played throughout the city's history. We also have sent our ensembles out as ambassadors for the city. Last year the German band participated in the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, proudly displaying the city's name. The saxophone quartet and the Dixieland band recently came to the aid of the Northern Virginia Transitional Housing Program for Victims of Domestic Abuse. When the original entertainment could not make it, the proceeds from that recital help provide childcare, housing, education, and counseling for the families recovering from domestic violence. The ensembles have already been invited back for next year. Our March concert will be held this Saturday at the Oakton High School and we invite you to please come and enjoy the music. Our May concert will be held at the Kenya Temple on Sunday May 5th with an exciting piano guest artist in addition to this year's winner of our young artist competition on wonderful young clarinetist. By the way, the 2004 winner of our young artist competition, a senior currently at Juilliard, is coming back to the opening of the spotlight in the festival to perform for us. The City of Fairfax Band is committed to maintaining its position as one of the premier community bands in the nation and reaffirming the great American tradition of the hometown community band and the role in music culture. This is our vision and with your help we will continue to do so. Thank you for your time and we enjoy playing for you. Thank you very much. We enjoy you playing for us. Thank you. A Robert Pouillot. Good evening, Mayor Laterer and members of the City Council. I'm Robert Pouillot, Music Director of the City of Fairfax Band. And I want to begin by, first of all, thanking you for your – it's thanking the Mayor and the Council for your continued support of the arts in the city of Fairfax. I'm not here to justify the things that we do or to go through all the nice things that the arts provide for as a society. I'm sure other people will address those specifics. Rather, I'm here to talk to you a little bit about the larger impact that public funding of the arts has on the local economy. Public funding and artistic programs should not be viewed as an expenditure, but rather as an investment in local economy. While I don't have specific data related to the City of Fairfax, I do have some specifics through a study that was commissioned in the last year in part that the Arts Council of Fairfax County participated in. The Arts and Economic Prosperity Survey was conducted by Americans for the Arts. This is an organization founded in 1960, the Nations Leading Nonprofit Organization for Advancing the Arts in America. It included data from 156 City, County, and statewide regions representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The City of Fairfax Van Association incorporated was one of 48 local organizations that provided detailed financial and event attendance information for that survey. The conclusions of the survey are rather astounding. If we look at a nationwide level, the arts industry is a 166.2 billion with a B economic activity. The arts generates nearly $30 billion in revenue to local, state, and federal governments every year. That $30 billion in direct revenue is a return on an investment of $4 billion annually by all three levels of government collectively. In other words, it's a 7 to 1 return on investment. For every dollar spent in public funding of the arts, $7 comes back and return to the community, in terms of direct revenue to the community. You might ask how this is all accomplished. Well, arch-loving is a such as the city band spent on money and local economy for needed goods and services and that's only one part of it. The other part is in money that spent in the local community when our organizations perform. It's estimated that audience attendees will spend on average $27.79 per person per event in addition to the cost of admission to that event. They might come to town and have dinner before the concert. They might go out afterwards and have a drink or dessert and coffee after the concert. They might come to the city a little bit early and do some shopping in the city. As John mentioned previously, the city ban has a five concert subscription series and an eight concert summer series. These are all the events that draw people into the city. It's not just the concert attendees, it's also our membership meets every week throughout the year, sometimes twice a week. Our members come from within Fairfax City and from outside Fairfax City. Usually they come into the city on the way in from work, maybe stop and have dinner on the way in everywhere from McDonald's to Artees or go out to dinner afterwards and enjoy some social time. All of this contributes to the local economy and the local business economy and also contributes to the local business revenue. So I would argue that support for the arts is in fact an investment in the economy and that's just something that we're going to spend for something nice for ourselves. Your continued support of the arts in the city budget really is that investment. I'd like to close this by quoting something from the Arts and Economic Prosperity Survey, the findings from the Arts and Economic Prosperity and the clear and welcome message leaders who care about community and economic development can feel good about choosing to invest in the arts. Once again, I thank you very much for the opportunity to speak with you tonight. Good evening. Excuse me. I'm Joe Canyon, a resident of the City of Fairfax. I live at 42-52 Barrett Street in the Green Acres subdivision. I am a member of the City of Fairfax Band, and I'm a retired music professor from George Mason University having spent 33 years at George Mason. I also served for three years as a clarinetist with the United States Army Band, Pershing Zone at Fort Meyer, and I serve on the Board of Directors as Vice President of Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts. We are aware that budgeting is a difficult issue for the City Council for the 2009 fiscal year. However, I would like to speak on behalf of the City of Fairfax Band and to address the quality of the city band not anecdotably, but primarily through an award that the band has received. In 2004, the John Philip Suza Foundation awarded its Subler Silver Scroll Award to the city band. The John Philip Suza Foundation is a non-profit, publicly supported, educational foundation dedicated to the promotion of international understanding through the medium of band music, and which seeks to uphold the standards and ideals of John Philip Sussah. The Sussah Foundation calls the Subler Silver Scroll Award, the one received by the City Band, as and I quote, North America's most prestigious award for community concert bands. The purpose of this award, as printed on the Suicide Foundation website, and I quote, is to identify, recognize, and honor those community bands that have demonstrated particularly high standards of excellence in concert activities over a period of several years, and which have played a significant and leading role into cultural and musical environment in their respective communities. For this award, the Suicide Foundation requires, among other things, 15 copies of a CD representing the band's repertoire of music. Written recommendations from three or more band directors of regional or national reputation who have heard or conducted the band. And also written comments from three or more local citizens documenting the band's contribution to a high standard of cultural effectiveness in the community. What is impressive about the selection process is that the selection committee, which consists of nationally recognized conductors, do not know which band is playing when they listen to the tapes that have been submitted. In other words, the auditions are blind, which creates the fairest and most professional way to select the recipients. In some years, the award is not granted to any community band. In other years, they have granted as many as four awards. Between 1987, when this award was first offered, in 2004, the Year to City Band received the award, only 29 community bands have been selected for this award. That is, 29 bands over an 18-year period. In effect, this award confirms that the City of Fairfax Band is one of the finest and best community bands in the nation. In addition to the National Award received, on the state level from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the City of Fairfax Band has received a special recognition award. To quote from the Commission's letters sent to the band, it states that, and I quote, this award is to recognize the band, it states that, and I quote, this award is to recognize the band for its high level of performance and extensive community service, particularly during the 200th anniversary of the city. Also from the Virginia Commission of the Arts, the city band has received a special grant for the commissioning of an original band composition by a Virginia composer. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first time the Virginia commission had ever given a commissioning grant to a band. Normally these go to symphony orchestras and choruses. In closing, I would like to encourage the City Council to continue its strong support for the City of Fairfax Band. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Joanne Asarello. I am a city resident and have been for about 15 years. I reside at 3404 and overdrive in Country Club Hills. I'm here tonight to thank the city for its support of the City of Airfects Band for about the past 38 years. I became a member of the band about 20 years ago and have served on its board. I moved to this area of Virginia. I came from New York State, knowing no one to start a new job. Currently, I am a Fairfax County Public Schools Band Director. I teach approximately 200 students weekly to blow and hit things in the Vienna and Tyson's area. I have even had the pleasure of teaching the mayor's daughter Ashley how to play the flute. I joined the city band, I said a minute ago, after moving to this area, not really having any friends or family around. I heard about the city band made a phone call and was welcome to the group. Shortly after joining, I realized that I was a member of a special group of people who have become lifelong friends. The city's investment in this group over the many years has brought the city recognition as said before me locally and nationally. Being a member of this group allows me the opportunity as a member of the community to volunteer my time. I have donated countless and I can't count but probably several hundred hours to the city through the City of Fairfax Band. Realizing that there are many places for the city to budgets, it funds the funds you invest in the City of Fairfax Band provide city residents and students a place to perform. And more importantly, quality entertainment for the city and non-city residents. And as was said before me, I wanted to draw the point that we do spend money after rehearsals when we go out to socialize after concerts. And I have many friends who come in from other parts of Fairfax who go out to dinner and spend more money in the city. Your continued investment will provide today's young musicians a place to perform in the future when they become adults in our community. Thank you for the time to speak this evening and thank you again for all your support of the Sonsamble. I should say I see that you were actually the last of the folks to sign up representing the City of Fairfax Pants. Somebody else may want to comment in a minute when we open her up, but it's not very often we get you all in one room as many as you're here at one time and let me just say on behalf of my colleagues and I know I speak on behalf of the entire City Council as well as the community. We consider the Fairfax City Band one of the true wonderful assets of this community, and thank you all very much for everything you do on our behalf. Okay, next to sign up is Doug Church. Mayor Letter, members of the Council, I'm Doug Church. I'm Vice Chairman for Jenny Heritage Bank, a relatively new bank community bank headquartered here in the City of Fairfax at 11166 Fairfax Boulevard. I'm also Vice Chairman of the Legislative Affairs for the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce. Our bank was founded almost four years ago. We chose a city of Fairfax because not only of its historic nature, but it acts as a hub for what we consider to be the business community surrounding us and throughout the metropolitan community. Our bank is grown, we've benefited from the community, and we thank the city as well as the Fairfax County and the Metro area for the robustness of our business community. As a banker, I've been 35 years in Fairfax County working since, with First Virginia, and of course we were purchased by BVNT and used to admire entrepreneurs and now I are one. So we have a very small little bank, but we do have a chance to touch base and here are the needs of the local businesses on a very, very personal basis. I also understand from this experience in large and small banks the difficulty of the challenge you have before you in budgeting. We not only budget as banks, but we certainly take a deep look at everyone's financial statements as they come to the banks asking for loans and to be able to create the relationships. But it's a relationship that we're talking about. And the business community and particularly the small businesses, I truly believe are the engines of our economy. And while the owners of these businesses may not live in the city of Fairfax, I for one, I live just outside the city of Fairfax. I for one, I live just outside the city of Fairfax, about eight minutes from my office, which is wonderful. And but nonetheless, I have many of the same feelings and the emotions for the city as the residents. However, my vote will not count. The business is that owners that I'm talking about contribute greatly to the economic engine, the robustness of our economy. And quite frankly, it would be very easy to discount their non-voting status. I hope, while I also understand that you're not going to make everybody happy, okay? But I think the partnership of business, the efforts and investment that the Council and the city has made in the development of an economic entity is extremely important. The partnership in being able to consider the needs of the local businesses, I also think or something that it would be a mistake not to heed. I would offer certainly the Central Fairfax Chamber, but also the members of the business community to talk to help in any way possible to make sure that this is an issue of fairness and that our local business owners are a part of the process and my biggest fear really would be that the unintended result of creating a negative business environment. I am much more optimistic on the local economy, but I can tell you that it's not just the residential. It's being felt by the lawyers, it's being felt by the mortgage companies certainly, but the different entities that are involved with that, the employees, many of whom are residents of the city. And the auto dealers are being crushed like they have not been in a long time. The real estate taxes that you talked about earlier, the compounding effect that will have on certain businesses and landowners, I would just suggest that we not create even the situation where businesses would look to alternative sites. I do think that there, you know, you have a very difficult challenge. I know virtually all the businesses I talk to while challenge themselves are more than more than interested in working and creating a better relationship with the City Council. So thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Church, and I'll just remind you that we have wonderful, many wonderful beautiful homes in the city, and if you'd like to change your residential status, we'd be happy to help you in one time. Mr. Jeff Beam. I'll try and read my writing here. Good evening Mr. Beyer. Council members, I'm Jeffrey B. And I'm a 29 year long taxpayer in the city of Fairfax. And a 22 year long property owner at 10, 6, 3, 1 has to be placed in the Ardmore subdivision. As well know the economy fluctuates in a cyclical manner and all the markets that make up the economy cycle as well. Anybody with their eyes and their ears open can tell when the real estate market is hot, they can also tell when it is tanking. I believe it is necessary during the times of high real estate values to maintain sensibility and to not spend or plan to spend would often amounts to wind windfall in revenues. Similarly, it is not wise to raise taxes during the down times, such as now, in an effort to continue spending at a level that cannot be supported. Many of the city's citizens are retired, and many are self-employed, is simply not fair to attempt to balance an inflated budget on the backs of our fellow citizens by raising taxes. Everybody feels a crunch. Let me just tell you, I've heard some great speakers here before me this evening. I don't think I can do any better than them. But one thing I think that we need to keep in mind is that if we're not banking for the future, one time is a good if we're not keeping in mind the trends over the long term tend to be fairly even. Balance out, save money, bank plan for our future needs during a time as good as opposed to raising our spending. And then as soon as things downturn what they always do, we go on my where are we going to get the money. That's not right to take it from the businesses, it's not right to take it from the self-employed people or the musicians, I guess. So I urge you to do two things. Do the difficult work, and this is probably one of the most difficult things any town council does, and that is make the spending cuts. I encourage you to do it across the board. Be fair so that everybody shares in it. Secondly, I'd ask you to be sure that we do bank and plan for future needs, especially when the times are good. Thank you very much. Thank you. Mr. Dale, Mr. Mayor, members of the City Council, my name isina. I reside at 10025 Blue Code Drive in the City of Fairfax. In my view, we don't always need to have the lowest tax rate in this area. And then when we've run on to hard economic times, like we are now, it forces us economic times like we are now it forces us and you to make cuts in very vital programs. I for one would be happy with a middle of the range tax rate with the jurisdictions that surround us and I think that would show also prudent consideration as far as the City Council is concerned. And that's my first point. My second point has to do with the decrease in the retail in order to maintain the vital services we have, real estate tax will have to increase. And that brings me to the Fairfax Boulevard Master Plan. We spent a lot of money developing that plan. And I would urge City Council to adopt and or amend it very soon and take those parts that make sense. Because in my judgment, it has great potential for an increase in our retail business profit and Thus the taxes that are associated with it to help balance the retail and the residential tax base That concludes my remarks. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Nobody else's previously signed up would anybody like to address the city council? Yes, sir up would anybody like to address the city council? Yes sir. Good evening, Marin Council. My name is Eric Snyder. I was right at 518, Goldsmithing in Gertrude. I am a vice chair of the downtown Fairfax Coalition. Sit on the board for destination Fairfax and I'm a property owner here in town. I have two letters here to go to read to you. One from the downtown Fairfax Coalition. Here we all sit and we've got a pile of money to do. We have a lot of money to do. We have a lot of money to do. We have a lot of money to do. We have a lot of money to do. We have a lot of money to do. We have a lot of money to do. We have a lot of money to do. We have a lot of money to do. We have a lot of money to do. We have a lot of money to find alternative methods for funding events, arts programs, marketing and other activities related to the city. In an effort to capitalize on the new development downtown, we recommend the city take the following actions. Some are at no expense, some can generate income, and some do require capital expenditure. First off, we support the widening of sidewalks to a minimum of 10 feet, there are a number of areas within the old part of town not affected by the redevelopment where this could be achieved rather simply and directly. There should be a minimum of two trash cans on each side of the street in each block. Right now we have a test pattern that while it works well for those places where it is located, we do as the city becomes more popular have a growing public trash problem. And I would look to the city manager to see if we can't find a couple more of those, maybe in the property yard somewhere to kind of fill this out and finish the streets gate as it were. We support more frequent cleaning of the public right away, sidewalks and streets either by contracting with a company for services or purchasing a small street sidewalk sweep or a street sweeper. You don't have to get the full blown. We can do the Walmart parking lot streets. We would get something more manable to the budget that we currently have. Where the sidewalk with the lous, the restaurants should have the ability to place dining tables in front of restaurants in the public right away. This could either be done under some form of a lease agreement which would then bring money into the city coffers. You're in the in the landlord business again or even more deeply than you already are at this point. Let's put it that way. We would also like to promote a program which would allow live music to be performed in the public right away in designated areas. I understand there's been some activity in exploring that. We would be happy to work with whatever members of city staff or council are interested in pursuing that to see that that actually comes to comes before We also would support having police ticket drivers that are blocking the box downtown We need a couple of guys that are blocking the box downtown. We need a couple of guys, police, police people, excuse me, on foot who can hand out tickets when you're stuck in the middle of the intersection and the light has changed. There are a couple of intersections where this happens with a great deal of frequency and it backs them all the way up down the hill and around rust curve when it happens. We support either increase or maintaining the funding at the same level for marketing in the city. There's been a recent because I sit on both the destination Fairfax and downtown Fairfax Coalition. There was a lot of cooperative marketing done that program is expanding. It has had a dramatic impact in speaking with different tenants. It has increased foot traffic, they've participated in it. As the program has begun to get feet under it, they would be probably willing to support it more strongly and to take on more of the burden. It's just a little tougher at this point in time when their gross receipts are dropping, just as your revenues are dropping. The other item would be, I understand, I know that we have a library sitting there and we would, at this point, probably won't see condes unless there is someone out there bold enough to try that. But we would encourage the Council to explore it. This juncture, alternative adaptive reuse of the building to bring other activities downtown. There are lots of possibilities. And we would be happy to work with you on better understanding what might make the most bang for the least buck at this juncture. The other letter I have is from someone you all know and love a partner of mine and it pertains to the utility tax district and this is from RODICS and trustee. In light of the city's need to establish a transportation tax or tax district for all of the commercial property within the city of Fairfax, I feel appropriate to rescind the above reference special tax district. I find it appropriate that the funds that have been collected to date be returned to those who paid those monies. While you may not agree, please understand that while it was not the intent of the developer of the old town village project or city of Fairfax to create an economic hardship on the existing retailers, restra tours, service businesses, offices, and our property owners. In reality, the road improvements and ongoing efforts to underground utilities have done just that regardless of intentions. Accordingly, a state and a number of outreach meetings by City of Fairfax, the issues relating to transportation and undergrounding utilities may continue for a period of 18 to 24 months. My personal experience with the city and right away process for undergrounding of utilities, give me great cause to believe we can anticipate a time period and excess of what the city projects unless the current standard operating procedure is positively modified. Judge for yourselves, what has been accomplished today. And conclusion, the restoration of muddies and my judgment is simply clearly and justly appropriate. Thank you for your time. And thank you regarding this matter. Thank you. Yes, sir. Please. Thank you for the last minute opportunity to address the council. My name is Kevin Dillon. I'm in the Farcrowf community in the city here. I had the opportunity to address the council. My name is Kevin Dillon and I'm in the FARCraft community in the city here. I had the opportunity to read the city manager's report on the agenda regarding the proposed increases in the sewer and water rate taxes this year. And a couple of things jumped out of me. Looking at his history of the increases over the past number of years, I think, as much as 16 years. I first looked at the increases, including the proposal for this year, and they amounted 15% in water and 15% in surr increases. It was absolutely extraordinary to me. Was that over the past nine years, the increases have amounted to 48% for water and 23% for surcharge. I realize that in this most vital service that a lot of these increases are perhaps to remain in compliance with legal mandates. So I can understand that, but I would ask the council as they review and scrutinize this proposal that they look closely at the exact reasons for this increase outside of what may be necessary to stay in compliance. on the proposed real estate increases and a letter to the mayor and he so kindly replied that he would take those under his consideration and share them with the council. I thank you again for the opportunity to speak to me. Thank you. Anybody else like to address the City Council regarding the budget? Mr. O'Dell. As I said before, every year since 2001 through 2007, the City Council should not exploit the undeserved swelling and the City coffers resulting from rising assessments triggered by the exceedingly low interest rates that motivated people to buy bigger homes rather than gamble on the stock market that crashed for three years, 2003-2002. The council recognizing this would accordingly cheer lower the tax rate, but never enough to make the change in assessments fully revenue neutral. Homeowner's tax bills still went up by huge amounts year after year. Now that the housing market is in a significant downturn, properties are selling for much lower prices so assessments still based on the fair market value as measured by selling price are down significantly as well. Death phenomena should still be revenue neutral, which means that tax rates should be moved up, not down, but up only enough to leave the city no worse and no better off. But the Department of Finance has presented figures to the Council suggesting that there will be tax bills substantially higher yet again. Granted revenue should be increased enough to offset inflation and the city must cover debt service and not default on its bonds, especially since you recklessly gambled it all by pledging our own city hall as assets to secure debt funding bonds to renovate an enlarged city hall itself. But it seems to me that the council is proposing real estate tax hikes higher than necessary. Better be careful if you're seeking reelection. The city's taxes on businesses should never, in my view, exceed those imposed on a piece of terrain not very far away, known as Fairfax County. Or as one of the previous figures and I suggested, many businesses will be sorely tempted to relocate from the city. The business improvement districts suddenly reducing its, I suppose, self-imposed tax of six cents per 100 dollars of assessed value several years ago. Suddenly reducing that to one cent and possibly zero is a little hard to fathom. You have an opportunity to query them when the Department of Planning and Development made its budget presentation accompanied by the head of the Economic Development Authority and the head of the Business Improvement District. That was your time to cross-examine. I suggest that one way or another, you get the full story from them. You need to understand, I don't yet, you need to understand what's going on. Because I asked the head of the bid at the candidates forum that you and I attended. I asked, have you already amassed enough revenues to carry off the purpose and the answer is no, they haven't. I better get to the bottom of that because our business is the way to save our residences from heavy taxes. Well, it seems to have a minute left. Every year since 1994, I've urged you to buy health insurance plans that don't support abortion. Every year you ignore that plea. Mr. Greenfield, around 1998 or shortly thereafter, suggests very strongly that the city buy a plan that all the jurisdictions in Virginia were buying into and that we could save money because of the economy of scale in large risk pool. I found out last week that that plan is subscribed to by no jurisdiction in northern Virginia, but the city of Fairfax and furthermore, it doesn't just provide abortion in certain cases that we all think, but I don't, are justified, but it even allows abortion because some doctor rightly or wrongly says the baby will be born with physical or mental handicaps. Get off it, guys. Anybody else like to address the city council? any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? I serve on the board of directors. Our president can't be here tonight. She has, I think, a sinus infection that you had maybe a week or so ago. But we just want to have a conversation with you. And it is budget-related. I'm not sure if it's appropriate now or if it's appropriate at the end of the session. So please guide me. It has to do with the project, the fields, and the cost at Stafford and and the lease financing. Is it appropriate to talk about it now? Or later? Sure. Well, first of all, I want to acknowledge those of you that had the courage and the leadership to purchase Stafford East and West years ago and save it for open space of that. We are grateful. We know that it almost was developed into condos and townhomes and that you saved it I think what happens somewhere along the way is that the interpretation of open space or our perception and others perception changed and there's always the ongoing Rally for more feels and so I don't think a lot of people really understood that it was seriously being considered for active recreation people really understood that it was seriously being considered for active recreation. So I'll jump fast forward to last year. Until I really was given the opportunity as others during that six-week period to really walk the land with environmentalists and look at it in a different way, it changed it for all time for us. So it's hard for us not to consider the ecological sensitivity of the land. But then going forward, and this is mixed for me, because I've been a member of Prab, a chair of Prab, I support active sports recreation, I think what we come to now is the concern about the cost that this is incurring. Because the green light was given to go ahead and develop that field with all the latest amenities and synthetic turf and bathrooms and everything, The cost now is approaching $3 million and you think that realistically it will go over. And I think that when we started out a year ago looking at five to six fields and then we lobbied to have draper upgraded and then I think it's now down to Providence school. You know, juggling all these figures, it looks like the least financing for 5.8 million is probably going to end up funding for fields. But I really want to go back to Stafford again. I really would like for you to reconsider that cost. I know that there's been time spent, engineering studies, et cetera, et cetera. But those plans are not a total waste because whatever happens in the future, they are a value. But it's a concern to see a kind of a monument state of the art part going on there. And it's nothing against Mike or his planning or anything. It's just the scale of economy. When in another location, those amenities could benefit more. I just thank you for your consideration. Thank you. Just a moment. Good evening. My name's Gary Perryman. I live at 1-1-0-0-8 Westmore Broad right here in the city. As time went on, I was a big largely in favor of the Stafford project, but I took this budget thing to our association meeting recently, and a lot of people didn't understand the kind of numbers they're talking about. Most of the houses in our neighborhood now with the new assessment are around 400,000. And according to the budget book, the new tax increase would raise everybody's taxes by $241 a year, which approximately $20 a month. A lot of people were astounded with that. And then as we went on and I covered a lot of the other stuff concerning the ball fields and the community center, and the tune come up to somewhere around $12 million. They said, just what you were saying, and I, you have to balance the wants with the needs. And a lot of people said, well, we want the fields, we want the community center, but do we have the need right now to spend that kind of money? I believe somewhere in the book it said every penny of increase in the tax was approximately $5 million. If you're looking at a long-term cost here, you're talking about three cent of the raise just for those two projects. And I charge the City Council. I know this will be a very unpopular decision to make a back-off on these. But as the people of my community asked me to say, do we really need this stuff at this time and can we really afford it? I just looking at it myself, I'm beginning to think that the Stafford Project may not have been a good idea at the cost that it's looking at and the Community Center. A lot of people would feel that if we went with the original plan starting at the $6 million price, they wouldn't have a problem with. But as a proposed $11 million price where the city would have to come up with five or six million dollars. A lot of people really do have a problem with that. And I think the general public being made aware of that now, you're going to start hearing more and more at these meetings. Thank you. Thank you. And you mean safely, though? Unpinny was actually five million dollars. One pinny is over just about $500,000. I wish it was five million dollars. We wouldn't be having the problems we're having today, but Anybody else like to address the City Council on the budget? If not this actually is going to be a continuation of The public hearings on the budget. Mr. Sissin, could you just share with the community the the dates of the next public hearing? Yes, sir April the first Daniels Run School, 7 o'clock PM. The final hearing will be on April 8th in this chamber also at 7 o'clock. Thank you. Okay, that now moves us down to a gen item number eight, which are items not requiring a public hearing. Eight A is the consideration of the fiscal year 0809, real estate tax rate to be advertised. I always like to sort of clarify to the community, there's three steps in this process. One is the budget and the recommend it tax rate from the staff. The second is an action tonight which is to advertise a tax rate that we cannot exceed, but we can always go lower during the next couple of weeks of the budget process. That's what action we're taking tonight. This would be the advertised tax rate that we will not be able to exceed as the budget hearings go forward, but we certainly could lower if the will of the council is to do that. I'd like to entertain a motion. Mr. Greenfield? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I move the City Council to the proposal to the Council to propose a real estate tax rate of $0.79. Second. Move by Mr. Greenfield. Seconded by Mr. Silverthorn. Mr. Greenfield. Mr. Mayor. I think this is probably made a motion to advertise a tax rate with an increase in my 14 years of sitting on this body. But I want to let you know that we hear what you're saying. The city manager's proposed budget called for an 11.5 cent increase. This is advertising the tax rate for no more than a seven-cent increase, but I can tell you we're not done yet. We've got a lot of work to do over the coming weeks as we move in the early April adoption of the budget. It is going to be difficult, and I think the challenge that we are going to be faced with is balancing those needs between the business and residential communities when we look at the amount of general fund revenue that is generated by the business community, we thank you for the quality of life that we have been able to enjoy over the years. But we have difficult situations that we are going to continue to work through. I know that this is not the adoption of the budget tonight. This is just the advertised rates. So I hope my colleagues can support this as we move forward over the coming weeks. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Greenfield. Other discussion? Ms. Lyon. Well, Mr. Mayor, thank you. I know this is going to be my last budget year. And I hate to leave it on this note that was never my intention to do. But I am very thankful, Mr. Greenfield, for you to put this forward. I would like to see us have a flat rate this year because of our assessments. And please have it know that looking at this budget I hope to make many cuts. One of the things I'm looking at too is some of our festivals that aren't as exciting as they used to be and community centers and blend of mistakes. We have a lot we have to roll our sleeves up about. So Mr. Mayor, I look forward to the next couple of weeks. And Mr. Subwathorn, I do intend to support this. However, I hope to even make this rate lower. So, thank you so much. Thank you, Ms. Lyon. Other discussion? Mr. Brassmosson? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You got our attention. The tax rate is eating us. Well, I certainly don't like to be in favor of higher taxes, but the thing that bothers me about this motion to set the 79 cents as opposed to 83 that was recommended by the City Manager is, councils over the years that I've been here aren't very good at cutting things out of the budget. And this immediately means that $2 million has to be cut out of the budget very quickly. You have to do a lot of digging through the budget. Excuse me, Mr. Assistant, is it 3 million? 3.8 million. 3.8 million. Okay, so we're on to $4 million. We've got to come up with very quickly. That's a lot of stuff to cut out of the budget. And I hope everybody is equally willing to find that $4 million just to bring it to this time of the week, let alone bring it down further. Thank you. Thank you. Any other comments? Yes, Mr. Mayor? Miss Cross. Well, I would ask Mr. Greenfield and the seconder, Mr. Silverhorn, if they could share with us the process they went through to come up with 79 cents. Mr. Greenfield? Sure. I believe between now and the night of adopting the budget there will be additional one time revenues to the city. We already know approximately two and a half million dollars from the school board that we can use to work to balance this budget so that we are not forcing the residents to have an 11.5% tax increase. I know we can argue about, you know, gee, this is bonds, you know, monies that is covering the bond projects and they were voter approved. And that's true, but when times are tough and everybody is facing tough times, the business community is seeing their phone not rang as often. Car sales aren't as robust as they were. Gas prices go up on a daily basis. I actually saw one station here in the city that gas price went down over the weekend. I almost drove off the road. But it is tough and you've got people in the city with families, people who are losing jobs. And I think it's incumbent upon us to adopt a budget and a tax rate that is of absolute necessity and not because we think drive the tax rate down to at least a 79 cent rate, if not lower. That's how I arrived at where I'm at. Ms. Winter. I concur with Mr. Rasmussen. The idea of looking at the 2.5 million, that's robbing Peter to pay Paul. And what Mr. Rooker, I brought up earlier this evening, you can't, it's not physically right to do that. Right now it should go to maybe a long term debt but not to just cover some shortcomings now. I would more so I'm not going to agree with this motion. I think we need to be able to look at the total picture, look at all of the facts, and then come up. The idea of being very cavalier and saying we can come up with 4 million. I don't want to make that decision at night. I would rather work with what the city manager had proposed. Thank you. Mr. Sovrissonor, thank you. I appreciate my colleagues' comments on both sides of this debate. And let me just try to give you a few thoughts around my little thinking that I have around this issue, which is that while I concur with Mr. Rasmussen that it is very difficult to get city councils to find spending that we're all willing to cut. What I've also learned in the same length of time that I've served with Mr. Rasmussen over the last 18 years, that it's equally hard to get the Council to not spend money period. In other words, if we raise the tax rate, Mr. Lestini came up with a very thoughtful presentation, talked about building a little bit of an SDG. And I have traditionally, as you know, opposed that approach because building a larger SDG, in my opinion, leads to nothing but further spending on the part of the City Council. I think that we had the money in reserves as suggested. It probably wouldn't be there today, irrespective of whether or not we were taxing people out of their pocket to basically put in our reserve funds. Having said that, I think this approach that Mr. Greenfield has laid out actually forces discipline on the City Council. It's a very tough call. There's no question as Mr. Cross and I were discussing in the back room. I'll tell the audience this that we all can agree to disagree on what our priorities are. Mr. Rucker came forward tonight with a very good set of suggestions, a start in which I think this Council can take a serious look at in terms of making budget cuts. There's some that aren't on there that we can certainly look at as well. But when you start thinking about staffing positions, all of which do need to be scrubbed and looked at. When you look at special events, all of which need to be looked at, I mean, everybody's ox has to be gourd, somewhat. Somebody else suggested across the board cuts of some amount. So everybody shares in the pain equally. I think that's the only way we're going to get through this process, frankly. And I know it's not going to be a popular decision. The bottom line on school board spending, I mean, I do think that that's money that the school board has been willing to come forward with and help us with. I realize that that is a shift at one time funds, but let's be candid. We've done that many years time after time to help balance the budget. So again, I think this is going to be a process that we're all going to have to roll up our sleeves about over the next couple of weeks, and it's not going to be easy. But I think that collectively, if everybody in the community is willing to go through shared sacrifice, which we know it's going to take that, I think we can get through it. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Mr. Sussan. And just last comments, and we're going to have a lot of opportunity to hear the fuel that's discussion and debate, and certainly not just here in the Dias, but certainly within the community. But I just want to make one comment on some things that we're saying. You know, the way City Government works, if we either sell property or we get money return to us, it has to be used only one of two ways to either add to our fund balance or to add to our capital improvements and help pay for longer term debt or to help pay down the debt. That's it. That's actually three ways. So this concept that somehow when the school returns money to the city of Fairfax, that it's supposed to mysteriously go into some back vault somewhere, it's just nonsense. It either has to pay down the debt, it has to be used for long-term financing in those that regard. And let's not forget, we have a piece of property, we spent millions of dollars in road improvements and undergrounding utilities over the last many years as part of our downtown project. We sold property. That property should be sold and that revenue should come to the City of Fairfax and we'll talk about this later on and that's $2.7 million in addition to the over $2 million that will be returned from the school board. So I just want to make sure we put this all into its proper light. I know there's going to be a lot of time for dialogue. There's going to be a lot of time for heated discussion and debate that I know that was just naturally comes with the challenge like we have in front of us. But I want to make sure we put it all in its proper context. With that, let me call the question. I'm going to go by row call, a vote in favor would be to set the tax rate at 79 cents, the advertised tax rate, a vote against would bring back another motion at some point in time. Mr. Scross? No. Mr. Greenfield? Aye. Mr. S. Muslin? No. Mr. Scross. No. Mr. Greenfield. Aye. Mr. Rasmussen. No. Mr. Soverthorne. Aye. Mrs. Lyne. Aye. Mrs. Werner. No. And the mayor will vote aye. And so the tax rate will be said at 79 cents not to exceed 79 cents. And I think we all look forward to fruitful discussion to try to get that even lower as we go through the process. With that, we will now move to agenda item number nine, which are presentations by the public and any item that is not on tonight's agenda. Those are presentations again on any item that is not on tonight's agenda, but for the interest of the city. Nobody has previously signed up with anybody like to address the City Council. Mr. O'Dell. Thank you. Today is Tuesday, March 25, 2008. The fee said the enunciation of the Archangel, St. Gabriel, messenger of God, March 25, 2008, the feast of the enunciation of the Archangel, St. Gabriel, messenger of God, the Father, the first person of the Holy Trinity, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom Gabriel addressed as, quote, pale, full of grace, unquote, an erroneous, impossible title, but for the fact that Mary was conceived immaculately. That is, free of the stain of original sin, and thereby miraculously preserved from all taint of sin, both original sin and through her constant cooperation with divine grace, which cooperation was much easier for one not handicap by the concupacence accompanying original sin from, I was saying, both original sin and actual personal sin as well. That preservation from sin was essential so that if in exercising her free will, which God never took away from Mary, nor from anyone else, sins without free will, there never could be praise or blame, reward or punishment. If she accepted the role of mother of Jesus, second person of the blessed Trinity, a position Saint Gabriel was about to offer her, and Jesus should then take up residence in Mary's virginal womb, he, Christ Jesus, would avoid subjugation to Satan through the taint of original sin, such a domination of God by Satan. By Satan would be both unseemly and impossible without Mary's miraculous preservation from original sin, that is, without her immaculate conception. You see, then, sometimes even with God, necessity is the mother of invention, even the invention of the divine motherhood of Mary. But the excitement doesn't end there for whereupon Mary's acceptance with the words, behold the hand made of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy will, the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, overshaddle as her, and she miraculously conceived Jesus, the very Lord who first created her even while she remains ever a virgin. If after the birth of Christ Mary had conceived a union with husband St. Joseph, other children, so that she did not remain a virgin as many Protestants mistakenly argue, then when Jesus was crucified, he would not need to entrust the care of his mother to the disciples St. John, standing with Mary at the foot of the cross for Mary's next born, surviving son, would under Jewish custom automatically assume the role of caretaker. In other words, Mary bore no other children. She indeed remained ever a version, and is to this day, properly so venerated. This year, 2008 Easter was celebrated only two days before this feast of the Anonization. We do can see that there would be no saving us from our sins by crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday celebrated this year on March 21st. No opening of the gates of heaven if Jesus had not first been born. Without Christmas there can be no Good Friday nor Easter nor even nor eventual resurrection for the rest of us but there can be no good Friday nor Easter nor even nor eventual resurrection for the rest of us. But there could be no birth of Jesus if Mary if Mary and her embarrassment at being found with child that is pregnant and confronted by an understandably incredulous St. Joseph if Mary had prepared an abortion. Get the message. Thank you, Mr. Adele. Anybody else like to address the City Council? Hearing none, we'll close agenda item number nine, and we'll go to agenda item number 11, which is actually a recess of our regular meeting. We're going to go into our work session. We're going to stay actually right in this room. The first session is presentations on the proposed redevelopment of the former 11 Oaks property just by way of some background for the community. A number of years ago the City of Fairfax was approached by the Fairfax County School Board which actually owned the 11 Oaks property. In this part of that dialogue, it was identified and revealed that there were plans underway to use the facility for a troubled kid, I guess, the best way I can do facility that could not be mainstreamed back into the school system and we felt very strongly was not appropriate in a residential community surrounded on three sides. In that dialogue and discussion, the City of Fairfax was willing to step in and very proud of the action and the Council to step forward and agree to purchase that property. And then our intent was to control it and then flip it back to the development and community. As a result of that process, we sent out an RFP to the development community for a residential redevelopment that we felt would be consistent with the Shrine and Community. We obtained three proposals during that process, and tonight we're gonna invite the three interested parties to present a summary of their proposal to the City Council and to the public. In no particular order other than let me just see if I could like to invite Tom Calhoun to come for from George Mason University only because he's been here for a large portion of the night. And so let me just out of courtesy to his time get him up first and then we'll proceed through the list from there Thank you mr. Mayor members of council Building on the discussion we had at the six o'clock hour about George Mason University need for faculty and staff housing. I'd like to point out that faculty and staff housing is of critical importance to the university. What we outlined in the Robert Road development does not meet the total requirement for the university in terms of faculty housing. That's why we saw the opportunity with the redevelopment of the former 11 Oaksight as a great opportunity really for a win-win-win between the city, the county and the university. The potential for that development really provides, again, win on several levels. And one is for providing faculty housing for the university. Because of its location, it provides an opportunity to build a transition between the university and a neighborhood, with a neighborhood, a university neighborhood as a transition between the academic university and the community of Fairfax. Also because of its location, it provides an opportunity to serve as a gateway between the university and the city. In a moment I'm going to ask Dave Row, the president of the George Mason University Foundation to outline the specifics of the proposal which we submitted last year than again in January. Let me quickly though highlight the central elements of the vision. It meets and what I see is the win-win-win. It meets the mission requirement for the University of Providing Faculty Housing. It builds that bridge. It does lots of things that I think are important to all of us. What I would point out though, what it essentially is is a proposal for a partnership between the university and the city. The proposal that which day will outline is not a line in the sand. It is one that we can work together with the city to come up with something that is workable and is a win for all of us. University much like the city is a public institution and has physical constraints just like the city does. Given that constraint of coming up with a project that doesn't lose money for the university is kind of a bottom line. Other than that, we're willing to work with the city. I really just about anything that works out that meets the needs of the university in terms of factually housing. We do have a vision at which we propose we'll walk you through that, but please take that as appointed departure and not as a line in the sand. With that, I'll introduce Dave Roe. Mayor, this is Council. This is Tom alluded to, David Roe, the President of the George Mason University Foundation. We were privileged to be invited to participate in this proposal process. And as Tom alluded to, George Mason is in the fortunate position that we could provide the five acre site that the city needed to relocate the city buses or county buses, excuse me, on the city needed to relocate the city buses or county buses, excuse me, on the city lot. Without that, I don't think that the foundation would have been in position to address this. And there's a little bit of background. The foundation at George Mason exists solely for the benefit of the university. So, the university saw an opportunity, they came to the foundation. Our board is full of people that understand real estate. on opportunity they came to the foundation. Our board is full of people that understand real estate. We're trying to help the university out here and believe me that foundation is very well aware that this particular site has really nice high end single family homes on one end and very high end really nice town homes on the other. So we want to work and partner with the city to see if we can't come up with a plan, with a density that meets the university's affordability needs while at the same time blending well with the community. And that's the way the proposal was submitted and there were any questions. Thank you very much. Thank you. Ms. winner. One question. The other project that you had brought forward, it's that it is going to be owned by the University and rental units. This would be owned by the University and Seoul or this would be rental units. This would be owned by the University and Seoul or this would be purchased by the foundation and either gifted or sold to the university and then ground-leased back for development for additional rental units. It's not anticipated there would be resale. Okay thank you. I'm Miss Cross. Thank you. The project that we looked that we were briefed on earlier, I was very, very sort of mid to lower range I would say and as noted, this is a project that we would want to have more upscale housing on. Would that be part of your plan, or is this just to be a stopgap measure for incoming faculty before they move to other areas in the region. The plan would be to try to address having multiple levels of housing on the site being in understanding with the need to buffer from the high end as a single family units and the high end town home units on either side. So we'd have to have a mix of at least duplex type housing on the end close to the single family and comparable towns on the other end coming into the middle of the project. But you know, George Mason Boulevard's you know, be running right through there. And this is all to be least housing, secret. That's correct. Same kind of terms as the project that was spoken about earlier is transitional housing for new faculty and for staff at the university. And in the proposal, we also spoke a little bit about relationship with Inova with their property adjacent to this that could come into the mix. The care facility, is that what you're talking about? That's correct. They own two lots that are adjacent to the 11th school site and They're willing to share if we could help them with some staff housing as well Are there any would there be any amenities provided within this community that might be a shared amenities with with the city for a fix? The original proposal had contemplated a replacement of some other public facilities within the city, and we were asked to remove that from our original request. But we certainly would work with City Council and with the city area spaces to the edges of the property and away from the higher end residential that exist now. We would have to work with the city on that because obviously if you had the public space, you would have to park the public space visitors without impacting the local residents. So we're open to that. Thank you. Any other questions? Not. Thank you very much. We appreciate your time. Thank you very much. Next, I'd like to invite Bobby Montaine, Wallet Street Development. Good evening. Nice to see you all. I have a handout just to see some pictures and stuff to look at. We have proposed for the site a 52 unit townhouse development. Basically two and a half and three story townhouses, architecturally keeping it on the second page of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the hand out of the them out on the third page as a brief site plan. We've laid them out so there aren't any long, continuous and continuous sticks of these townhouses. And we've included a large community park, Northern Plaza and a Southern Plaza, which are smaller parks. And in the center, we've included next to a stormwater detention pond, the clubhouse and a pool. We've also done a, we, we based our proposal monetarily on the number of units that we ended up getting here. We did a denser development, which is the back page of the handout. I handed you, which is 70 units, and felt like it didn't work because there is no common area except for the community pool in the center of it. And I also appreciate the opportunity to get up here in front of you again because I made a mistake when I put forth my original proposal and that I thought I was building George Basin Boulevard through the site, the road that bifurcates the site. The way I read the RFP, it had you guys designing it and providing the how it gets built in the V. out standards and that sort of thing, but I had the cost of that in my numbers. So we'd be happy to let you build it. Actually, I was thrilled to hear that you were building it. I think that's a good plan. So what I did is I base this on a density calculation on a per lot density of whatever's yielded after zoning through here and with the county. And as appropriate, I'd like to revise those numbers. Mr. Montana, I assume you'll get the revised numbers, the staff, then as part of this process so that we have that. Sure. Is that complete your presentation? Yes, it does. Any questions? Ms. Winnard. Is that complete your presentation? Yes, it does. Any questions? Let's wear. Um, are you taking into consideration the buses? Um, well, I have. Although I haven't done anything formally, um, what I've done informally is counted the buses that load up on that site and then gone around to the elementary schools and some of the high schools when the buses aren't being used. And I'm sure there's a reason that I don't fully understand, but I don't know why you couldn't park a dozen buses at Oakview, a dozen buses at Robinson, another dozen buses at Frost or Woodson. I mean, they can be strategically moved around, I believe. So I think there's an answer there. Again, there's probably some formula of why they need to be in one spot, but I think it's a solvable issue. Thank you. I think I had missed a cross. Well, I understand this is just really preliminary, but knowing what you're capable of. I put your red brick on there. No. It's really very ordinary. You know, it's there nothing exceptional about these. And I can't imagine 52 of them. And with no articulation, no unique qualities from one to the other, it's just, I can't. Is there a plan to better than that? I can't argue with you. I was disappointed when those came through to we're up against we have to turn it in and I had literally I'd spent my time on the site plan. Laying them out trying to make them not just packed into one spot. We looked at the shotgun style houses which are detached long narrow houses and played around that plan for a long time. And I liked it but we couldn't get any kind of density that made sense economically in order to support the land price that we felt like we needed to get to. So I think you're right. I'm disappointed with them as well and I'm sure I can do better. other questions, comments, thoughts? Not, thank you very much. We appreciate your time. Representative D.R. Horton. Good evening. My name is Mark Gigantin. I'm with D.R. HHorton. I didn't bring copies of this. I don't know if you've all seen them or not. I can get copies over here. Our approach to this was kind of similar to the gentleman before me. We did a layout of 53 single-family homes using the TND approach to this. We tried to put as much emphasis on balancing the public and the private part of this and we have some designs of pocket parks in the middle with the alley design and real low garages. We tried to come up with a layout and this is preliminary. There wasn't a whole lot of time. I spent more time on the site plan, although this package did include some rendered elevations of some of the products, but we tried to make it fit within the existing community, you know, as well as the affordability of the area and efforts, you know, keeping in mind the historical heritage of the area. The homes are kind of expandable. There are three and four bedroom home. They're sort of a courtyard-type deal within the area. The homes are kind of expandable. There are three and four bedroom home. They're sort of a courtyard-type deal within the two. Gives you little privacy. They're sidewalks connecting throughout the whole community, as well as the alleys. And I thought it was kind of a unique approach to address it. It's a small site where the road going right down through the middle of it and it's relatively flat. There's not a whole lot of topography to it which I'm kind of looking forward to based on what we've been going for the past few years. So it's we thought it was a relatively simple design but it's something that's attractive. Thank you, Ms. Winter. Question on the buses. No, the buses. Our proposals did not address them. Okay. Thank you. Ms. Cross. I'm sure. And the reason for that is we're not in any way, shape or form. I have no idea about the school buss and requirements. So I tried to stay out of that. I'm sorry. Your homes would be for sale, right? Yes, all for sale. We're a straight residential builder. We're ready to go. For sale. Thank you. And we typically develop and build all our sites. Right, okay. Other questions? If not, thank you very much. Thank you. It was quick and easy. And let me just say for the benefit of the community, we know there is a tremendous amount of interest in these plans. Mr. Assistance, not here, but Mr. Hutchins in his absence. I think it's going to be important that we sort of cleanse these proposals minus the dollar amounts until we negotiate through and work through that, but in a way that the community can have access to the various layouts and plans so that they certainly feel like they're part of this process. This will be a very public process as we go through to try to find, go through the RFP process. So I just want to make sure that obviously tonight there weren't any power points or layouts and those sort of things. We do have hard copies of that, but it's going to be important. We find a way to compact the information we've been given so that that can be shared with the community as well. OK. The next item, and I'm going to suggest that tonight is not really the night to really roll up our sleeves. I doubt anybody's in the frame of mind, but just so we can follow the process forward on two of the big items that I know we're discussed about. The first is Mr. Luckerman, since you're here is the sale of, I want to say, Tremel Crow, but I know it's not a chem co-property where the old library site, the intent all along has been to sell that property to the development team, the cost to which was negotiated as part of the GDA was, I believe, $2.7 million in dialogue and discussion that we've had both of the council level which I've shared with the development team. The direction is to either get the property back or have them pay for the property in a reasonable amount of time. And it's my understanding consistent with that you're taking the lead and developing some amendments to the GDA to ensure that that property would be purchased during the coming fiscal years. Is that and can you share with the council the status of all that? We're working on as you noted working on appropriate amendments to the document or a separate understanding with the developer with the idea being that the closing would occur during the next fiscal year well in advance at the end of the fiscal year. And again, that would be the hope moving forward and the developer seems to be on board with that. So we should have something to report probably in the next week and certainly prior to your consideration of the budget adoption on April 8th. Okay. The second big ticket item that we talked about is certainly the $2,250,000 that we look for to be returned by the school board. That was as we've talked about before, that was not part of the 97.8 or whatever the dollar amount bond. That was money, the council identified and barred as a result of the overruns from the school of which now that amount is going to be returned. school of which now that amount is going to be returned. It seems to me and I'm not asking for direction tonight, but as I tried to outline, there's several different approaches to that money. And I would just ask Mr. Sissin if the staff could sort of outline the various options, certainly paying down the debt with that money, funding other CIP on long term capital improvement projects, which we've done consistently with long-term financing and there may be other options as well. But I would hope that the staff would have give us some direction, some options in our line that we can follow in terms of trying to get guidance in terms of what those options are and what the more appropriate process would be to follow. Those are the items. the more appropriate process would be to follow. Those are the items I guess I would ask at this time, are there any other budget memorandums or questions or additional information you all would like before we get into our real markup session which would be the I guess the next April 1st. Is there any other information that you'd like to ask the staff that we have not already asked the staff to date for additional information? Ms. Kross? Ask a question. When I've been going through Department by Department and in some cases wondering what a decision to not hire the employees that were recommended. How do I figure the cost that that would save the city to not hire those folks? We, earlier distributed, I believe we distributed a schedule of what all of the proposed positions were by the department directors and then those that were approved to go forward to the council by the budget team. I think it's on that schedule and we'll get that to you. You know I do kind of remember that but I have misplaced it so few could replace that for me. Thank you Mr. Chair. Any other requests for information at this stage? If not then I would suggest we move on. We are now going to reconvene our regular meeting and go into a closed session. I move the City Council of Convene a closed meeting under Section 2.2371181 to discuss appointments to boards and commissions. Section 2.2371183, the Code of Virginia Discussed Acquisition and Deposition of Certain Real Property. For public purposes under Section 2.2371187 for consultation with legal council legal counsel for legal by assault council members in favor of the motion Please signify by voting aye. Aye. Opposed and a passed unanimously. Thank you. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm gonna leave I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. 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I'm gonna go back to the old town. I'm gonna go back to the old town. I'm gonna go back to the old town. I'm gonna go back to the old town. I'm gonna go back to the old town. I'm gonna go back to the old town. I'm gonna go back to the old town. I'm gonna go back to the old town. I'm gonna go back to the old town. I'm gonna go back to the old town. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna go home. music I'm going to do a the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to go to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to be a little bit more careful. I'm going to be a little bit more careful. I'm going to be a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the night I'm going to go to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. music I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be to the next room. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to go to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. Thank you. I'm going to go to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the music I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be a little bit more serious. I'm not going to be to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to do it. I'm going to go to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to go to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the next station. I'm going to the Okay. I'm going to go to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. music music I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm I'm going to go to the next one. music I'm I'm going to go to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to play a little bit of the same thing. I'm going go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm not going to be to the next one. music I'm going to to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go back to the place where I'm gonna go music I'm gonna going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm not going to go to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to the beach. I'm going to do it. I'm going to go to the next room. We'll move that each of us certify the best of each council members knowledge, only public business matters lawfully exempted from the open meeting requirements in the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and only public business matters to identify the motion. Communion the closing meeting will her discuss to consider it all. Council members in favor of the motion, please signify by voting aye. Aye. Opposed and the past unanimous say that now brings us to comments by the city council. Mr. Restmusson. Nothing to see. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Greenfield. Mr. One item, I'm sorry, the police left. I wonder if we can work with our police department. Some of the property owners along the Perfax Boulevard whose buildings have been tagged recently. I've noticed Perfax Racket Club has been tagged. Are the furniture store PJs could use, making sure that we're increasing patrols in that area. It's all very fresh, probably done within the last week or so. What do you mean when you say tag? Tagged, they have been with graffiti. Oh. Typically, no one that's coming from over off the blank lane, but we can focus a little extra effort on that. I think that would be worthwhile. That's it, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. This cost? Okay. That's it, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. This cross? Okay. There's so thing. Mr. Mayor, thank you. The only comment I was going to make, and obviously we're going to have lots of opportunity to debate the budget over the next two weeks. But there wasn't an interesting statistic that this is lying on, I were speaking about this earlier this evening that was on the news today about housing sales actually for the first time in a substantial number of, I think it's months. I'm one of it, it could even be years, but I think it was months, as actually seen a very slight uptick. Now, that's the good news. The bad news is, of course, that the reason that that's being driven is primarily because the plunching values of homes, people are now suddenly saying, maybe it's too good of an opportunity to pass up. I think CNN this morning and Good Morning America both ran the story and they were saying that housing values nationwide right now are the price in 2008 or the price of 2004 houses. So for those who might be looking for a new home, Mr. Mayor, it might be a good opportunity to buy. But the point is, is that I don't think our numbers are quite as bad as some of the other national statistics, but clearly this is going to force us to strut a little bit as we go through this. And I suspect that the pain and suffering is probably not going to be limited here. It's going to go on for another couple of years. But interesting stat, I just wanted to share that for those who missed it. Thank you. I know, comment. I thank you, Ms. Mayor. Just to remind people again that the Fairfax Band is having their concert at Oakton High School Saturday at 8 p.m. And that I also saw what Mr. Silver, or referred to, and I was like 1.8 that went up. But then also the balloon mortgages, the ones that were done in O5 is what we're experiencing now, and that there will be one more event of sorts. So we have one more to live through. Thanks. Okay, I'm going to take a motion for adjourned. Second. Moved by Mr. Silverthorn, seconded by Ms. Winterall, and favor the motion signified by voting aye. Opposed to passing aye. I'm sorry. Thank you.