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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2010_tcmin0323COUNCIL MEETING March 23, 2010 Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, 7:30 p.m. Mayor Umstattd presiding. Council Members Present: Thomas Dunn, II, Vice Mayor Katie Sheldon Hammler, David Butler, Marty Martinez, Kenneth "Ken" Reid, Kevin Wright and Mayor Kristen Umstattd. Council Members Absent: None Staff Present: Town Manager John Wells, Deputy Town Manager Kaj Dentler, Town Attorney Jeanette Irby, Research and Communications Manager Betsy Fields, Public Works Director Tom Mason, Director of Parks and Recreation Richard Williams, Director of Finance Norm Butts, Senior Management Analyst Bob Berkey, Senior Management Analyst Annie Carlson, Director of Utilities Randy Shoemaker and Clerk of Council Lee Ann Green 1. Call to Order 2. Invocation was led by Vice Mayor Hammler 3. Salute to the Flag was lead by Council Member Dunn 4. Rall Call showing all present 5. Minutes a. Work Session Minutes of March 6, 2010 On a motion by Council Member Butler, seconded by Council Member Wright, the work session minutes were passed 7-0. b. Regular Session Minutes of March 9, 2010 On a motion by Vice Mayor Hammler, seconded by Council Member Butler, the minutes were passed 7-0. 6. Adopting the Meeting Agenda (Amendments and Deletions) On a motion by Council Member Wright, seconded by Council Member Butler, the agenda was approved after moving Items 12a and 12b and 14a to Consent and deferring Item 9b. The motion to adopt the meeting agenda passed by the following vote: Aye: Dunn, Butler, Hammler, Martinez, Reid, Wright and Mayor Umstattd Nay: None Vote: 7-0 7. PRESENTATIONS a. Certificate of Appreciation -Marc LeMaitre On a motion by Vice Mayor Hammler, seconded by Council Member Wright, a Certifcate of Appreciation was approved for Mr. LeMaitre's service on the Cable Commission and the Technology and Communication Commission. Town Council Meeting of March 23 2010 Paoe 2 b. Certificate of Aooreciation -Evan Macbeth On a motion by Vice Mayor Hammler, seconded by Council Member W right, a Certifcate of Appreciation was approved for Mr. Macbeth's service on -- the Cable Commission and the Technology and Communication Commission. c. Proclamation - Keeo Leesburg Beautiful On a motion by Vice Mayor Hammler, seconded by Council Member Wright, the following Proclamation was approved: PBOCL4MAT/ON KEEP LEESBURG BEAUTIFUL DAYS APxu 2010 WHEREAS, a commitment to maintaining a safe and clean environment is a building block of a healthy society and strong economy; and WHEREAS, daily activities of humans can cause adverse environmental impacts; and WHEREAS, the government, residents, businesses and community educators and leaders have a obligation to maintain a safe and clean environment for those who live in and around this community; and WHEREAS, as a result of the strains and stresses placed on the environment by human activities there is such a need for remedial action by all stakeholders; and WHEREAS, April is a month of heightened environmental awareness and community action; and WHEREAS, the adverse impacts upon the natural resources key to the quality of life for humans, plants and animals must be halted and reversed. THEREFORE, BE I7 PROCLAIMED that the Council of the Town of Leesburg in Virginia hereby declares the entire month of April 2010, Keep Leesburg Beautiful days, and shall so request that members of the government, citizens, businesses, youths and community leaders come together to take action to restore and preserve our national resources by participating in activities to repair, replenish and enrich our environment for the good of all living things in the Town and its surrounding communities. PROCLAIMED this 23'° day of March, 2010 d. CrisisLink Uodate Linda Eatmon-]ones, the Director of CrisisLink, gave a brief _ presentation on the mission and activities of crisis hotline. In particular, she noted the partnership with 2-1-1 to give callers an easy to remember number for assistance. She also noted that calls are up, which is normal for an Town Council Meetino of March 23 2010 Paoe 3 economic downturn. She said this number will be expected to grow as awareness of the service grows. - e. Certificate of Recognition -Leesburg Elementary School's 30`" Anniversary On the motion of Vice Mayor Hammier, seconded by Council Member Martinez, the Certificate of Recognition was approved. 8. PETITIONERS The Petitioners section was opened at 7:58 p. m. Kellv Burk, Leesburg District Supervisor, announced on April 10 her office will be sponsoring a youth job fair. She stated there are 35 businesses that are looking to hire youths from high school to college age. Timothy Schott, 703 Country Club Drive, SW, stated 40 years ago, the neighborhoods in southwest Leesburg were cut off because of the construction of the bypass. He stated he is an advocate of the long overdue southwest connector trail. He stated if Phase III is eliminated trail users will have to make their way to the bypass bridge using public streets. He stated Council should hear from the homeowners across southwest Leesburg, not just the residents of the condominiums and apartments. The Petitioners section was closed at 8:02 p.m. 9. ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA On a motion by Council Member Reid, seconded by Council Member Martinez, _ the following consent agenda was proposed: a. Acquisition of Easement -Traffic Signal (battlefield Parkway at Tavistock Drive SE) RESOLUTION 2010-030 Declaring that a Public Necessity and Use Exist and Authorizing Acquisition of Required Easement for the Traffic Signal at Tavistock Drive and Battlefield Parkway Project b. Award of Contract -Traffic Sional (eattlefeld Parkwav at Tavistock Drive. SE) RESOLUTION 2010-031 Awarding a Construction Contract for Battlefield Parkway and Tavistock Drive/Shiloh Place Traffic Signal c. Approving a Supplemental Appropriation of $43 573 to the FY2010 Budget Resulting from the Receipt of Proffered Funds from the County of Loudoun to be used for Improvements to Ida Lee Park RESOLUTION 2010-032 Approving a Supplemental Appropriation of $43,573 to the FY2010 Budget Resulting from the Receipt of Proffered Funds from the County of Loudoun to be used for Improvements to Ida Lee Park d. Loudoun Cares/Loudoun Free Clinic Triathlon Town Council Meetino of March 23 2010 Paoe 4 RESOLUTION 2010-033 To Endorse the Concept of a Waiver of Associated Town Costs for the Loudoun Cares/Loudoun Free Clinic Triathlon with a Final Decision to be - Made Once Costs and Impacts have been Identified The Consent Agenda was approved by the following vote: Aye: Butler, Dunn, Hammier, Martinez, Reid, Wright and Mayor Umstattd Nay: None Vote: 7-0 10. PUBLIC HEARINGS a. Setting the Tax Rate The public hearing was opened at 8:06 p.m. Norm Butts gave a brief explanation of the budget. He stated it is $2.7 million less than the current budget across all funds (general, airport, utilities, and capital projects). He stated the tax rate is proposed to remain at $0.195 per $100 of assessed value, which is less than the effective tax rate which would be $0.202. He stated this should result in a reduction of the tax bill to the average homeowner of 1.1%. The tax rate public hearing was closed at 8:12 p.m. b. FY 2011 Budget The public hearing was opened at 8:12 p.m. _ Rodion Iwanczuk, 361 Bridle Crest Square, stated the proposed traffic signal at Battlefield Parkway and Catoctin Circle is not necessary. He stated he understands the rationale for the proposal with the opening of the new high school. He stated it is not necessary for two hours during the day and will give the pedestrians and motor vehicles a false sense of security. Don Culkin, 105 Loudoun Street, SE, expressed support for the downtown improvements project. He stated Aecomm is off to a great start. He requested that the project not be spaced out over such a long period of time. He stated it is a buyer's market right now and all the construction costs will be lower now rather than later. He stated you invest when times are slow so you are ready to take advantage of the economy turning around. Greg Hartman. Visit Loudoun (LCVA), stated they implement programs to promote tourism and travel through the strategic and targeted use of marketing promotions. Dieter Mever, 214 Andover Court, stated he was speaking on the behalf of the membership of the Downtown Improvements Association. He stated finally the reversal of downtown decay has become. He noted that construction pricing is very low now. Ann Robinson, (remarks were read into the record from an email): My name is Ann Robinson. I have been a Leesburg resident/taxpayer for over 18 years, and thank you for the opportunity - to approach the Council in the matter of budget considerations. Town Council Meetino of March 23 2010 Paae S I work on Tuesday nights, teaching at NOVA this spring, so cannot attend. Otherwise I would address you in person. _ As we have listened in Leesburg, to the County budget debates at that level, I am reminded that Leesburg residents are affected. For some reason, unknown to me, local budget debates often begin by outlining cuts that eliminate funding to our most vulnerable citizens -- those who may be lacking in political power, but whose lives would be dramatically affected. I think it is time to reconsider that process. Seniors at our Senior Center are horrifed at the possibility of losing their place to spend what would otherwise be isolated and lonely hours. After serving our communities and paying taxes for decades, these citizens deserve consideration and attention from all of us. NGOs who serve our most fragile social fabric are being handed death sentences. Jobs are being eliminated. Special education teachers are being terminated. And yes, taxes will be raised anyway. The primary question for the Town Council to consider tonight is "how do we best serve a hurting public?" We cannot act as though this is not happening to our citizens. IC is not appropriate to go forward with recreational projects like the Southwest Connector, without first being sure we have taken care of Leesburg's essential needs. This $7.S million project was planned during the high expectation years of the "bubble" economy. A bubble that has burst. It is not appropriate that Town staff are negotiating to give amenities to the Westpark Golf Course in exchange for right- of- way- favors to Phase 3 of this enormously expensive recreational desire, when our most vulnerable citizens are risking their lives to cross the street at Rt. 15 N. Attention to priorities in tough times needs to be focused on the highest needs. It is not appropriate that a Council member suggested that the Town might pay for winter boat storage in order to free up parking spaces for this recreational trail, when Leesburg seniors as well as mothers and children have stood in the bitter winter wind, snow and ice-- waiting on bus transportation without shelter. Attention must be paid to those who suffer in their daily rounds. It is not appropriate that the Town wants to push through with interlinking trails in remote areas that cannot be easily patroled by police at night. Who will pay for the expense of additional safety patrols? We should construct our trails, at the right economic moment, alongside existing roads. I talked recently to an officer who works for the Fairtax Police Department. Their crime on neighborhood trails plagues them constantly. And yet you have been intent on bringing that expense and aggravation to Leesburg's residents, old and young alike. Town Council Meeting of March 23 2010 Paoe 6 I am not anti-bicycle, but I am fully against the needs of hobbyists outweighing the needs of our most vulnerable residents. Cycling enthusiasts have every right to be at the negotiating __ table for public resources. They do not have the right to own that bargaining table. I urge you to postpone construction of the Southwest Connector until a future date after we have looked further into the results of current economic realities and their affect on Leesburg's citizens, all of its citizens.... not just the 2-3 neighborhoods who heavily support recreational trails. To ignore everyone else, is too strong a punishment. Council Member Dunn requested that staff bring ideas forward for an $0.185 and $0.175 tax rates. He stated that some property values did go up creating a tax increase for some property owners. Vice Mayor Hammier thanked the public for coming to speak. She stated Mr. Wells is doing a tremendous job as Town Manager as represented by the low number of public speakers for tonight's public hearing. She noted tax bills have been decreasing over the past few years. She stated the Town Manager and staff have come forward with proposals that include no pay increases, which would have been a very difficult decision for Council to make. She stated her desire to bring the use of carryover funds down to zero. She suggested freezing the open engineering position. She stated there is support on Council for adding an additional police officer position. She stated many Council members are interested in increasing revenues from other levels of government as there have been failures on state and county levels of _- government causing the Town to have to step forward to assume their responsibilities. She stated she has been working with Delegate May to look for funds for the Meadowbrook section of Battlefield Parkway. She stated she agrees with postponing the stop light at Battlefield and Catoctin Circle noting that one of the major safety issues will be the triangle north of town with the opening of the new high school. Council Member Martinez stated he appreciates all the work that has gone into the budget thus far. He stated the proposed light at Battlefield and Catoctin will not just be for the new high school, but with the Lowenbach improvements, many of those streets will become through streets in the near future. He added the opening of the new strip mall on Battlefeld and the coming opening of the section of Battlefield from Edwards Ferry to Fort Evans will impact the area. He stated some Lansdowne residents will be required to provide transportation for their children attending Tuscarora, which will add to the traffic impact. He stated a desire to be proactive with regards to possible problems in this area. He stated once decisions have been made regarding the scope of the downtown improvements project, the timeline may be able to be compressed from five years to possibly two. Council Member Wright stated if discussion is to be started on what needs to be done to take 1-2 cents off the tax rate, Council needs to be mindful of the things that are not being done or being delayed to keep the tax rate at its current level. He noted pay raises, computer replacements, road repairs, etc. He stated this level of deferral will not be sustainable over the long term. He stated it is also important to get an overview of what the Town Town Council Meeting of March 23 2010 Paoe 7 has absorbed with unfunded state and federal mandates such as GASB changes. He urged Council to look at not just how to get through this year, but how to get the Town through the next few years. Council Member Wright stated the SRO discussion needs to be a discussion, not just sending letters back and forth, as Council needs to be mindful of the situation that the County is in. He stated this discussion has been ongoing for at least 15 years and will take more than a few months to resolve. He stated with regards to compressing the schedule for the downtown improvements, he agreed with Council Member Martinez that once the final design is completed, they can look at the schedule and see how it can be compressed. He questioned whether there is anything that would prevent the schedule from being compressed based on action the Council might need to take. Mr. Wells stated he was not aware of anything that would prevent the schedule from being compressed. Council Member Wright stated he would like to see elimination of any use of carryover. He stated he could find around $475,000 that could be eliminated from the General Fund. He stated he would not support a tax rate reduction while carryover money was being used. He encouraged staff to review the engineer position and look at freezing or deferring that position. He stated he does not want to cut the road maintenance money too much, particularly with the winter damage the roads sustained. He stated there are also some savings in the Utility Fund. With regards to the CIP, he stated he appreciated the Planning Commission's recommendation of creating a priority project list and stated he would like to see this completed. He noted the proposed signal at Battlefield Parkway and Catoctin Circle should be deferred until the warrants are met. He stated the proposed drainage project for the Fields Apartments/Meadows Lane needs to be re-scoped for community enhancements and looking at some things that can provide immediate assistance. Council Member Wright questioned whether the Town Manager needs more feedback from Council. Mr. Wells stated he has one or two questions given that there is a wide range of what has been discussed. He stated the budget can be brought back to the work session on April 12 with a possible vote on April 13. Council Member Butler thanked the public for their input. He says the relatively small number of people who have come forth speaks to how well the Town Manager has managed the budget. He noted in some jurisdictions people are lined up around the block to provide input because they are in serious trouble. He stated with this proposed budget, there is almost no chance the average tax bill will go up, which is the fifth year in a row the average tax bill has declined. He noted that not everyone's tax bill will go down, because some property values have risen, but on average tax bills will go down. He agreed with the Vice Mayor and Council Member Wright that before the tax rate is dropped, Council needs to eliminate use of carry over Town Council Meetino of March 23 2010 Paae 8 and fix the things that are being deferred including lack of pay raises and training for staff and computer replacements. __ Council Member Butler stated he prefers waiting until the second meeting in April for a vote unless there is a compelling reason to move forward quicker. Council Member Reid stated he also prefers to wait until the end of April. He thanked the public for coming to speak including the members of the Downtown Improvement Association. He stated he supports finding further cuts as it is important to provide tax relief this year. He stated he has talked [o a lot of voters who want to see lower taxes. He stated he is working from the premise that Leesburg residents are double taxed. He stated he believes Council can find a half million dollars to cut which will lower the tax rate by a penny. He cited economic development and advertising as additional places where cuts can be made without decreasing services. He noted that some subdivisions received a $50,000 increase in assessments this year which added to the proposed increase in the County's tax rate, will mean a much higher tax bill for many residents. He stated since Leesburg is in a good financial position, Council should be able to roll the rate back to where it was last year. Mayor Umstattd stated she appreciated those members of the public who took the time to come out and speak. She stated she would like to see an additional police officer added to the budget. She stated the hostage event over the summer underlined the need for a fully staffed police department. She stated without an additional officer, the town will be two officers short with respect to the Police Department's strategic plan. She stated she has her doubts about the value of the downtown improvements proposal. She stated she is skeptical that the $5 million project will solve the problems of the downtown and cited previous projects such as the parking garage and town hall and the county government center as other such projects that were supposed to solve downtown problems at great expense to the taxpayers. Mayor Umstattd stated lowering the tax rate will affect the [own for years to come. She noted it will cause a budget crunch in coming years and stated she cannot see how the tax rate can be lowered and the downtown improvements funded on a compressed schedule. She stated she understands that people are hurting and the lower tax bills will be greatly appreciated. She stated the other high dollar improvement, the southwest connector trail, is a parallel recreational trail to the utilitarian South King Street trail but she applauds Council Member Butler's efforts to shave costs from this project, which makes it more palatable from a cost standpoint. She stated right now, $8 million for the downtown improvements and $6 million for the southwest connector trail cannot be found while lowering the tax rate. She noted that Council Member Wright's argument that eventually the computers and trucks will need to be replaced and it is better to do it before everything breaks down. She questioned whether cutting advertising will appeal to the business community. She stated advertising for Leesburg can be and is very effective. Town Council Meeting of March 23 2010 Paoe 9 Council Member Dunn stated the cuts that he came up with were over $500,000 without having to affect computer replacement, services, or positions. He stated these are simple cuts to issues with staff, training, trips, _ and footwear. He stated it would allow the Town to give staff a 1% pay raise. He stated Council needs to be policy setters and not rubber stamps of the budget submitted by the Town Manager. He stated he appreciates the concern for the county's difficulties, but for years Leesburg residents have not been getting their tax dollar's worth from the county. He stated the downtown improvements are no different from improvements in any other area of the town. He stated the downtown is an attraction and will help increase tax dollars over the long run and should be viewed as an investment rather than an expense. Council Member Martinez stated he is discouraged by the willingness to make comments about policies made by previous Councils that were willing to take on responsibilities to provide a high quality of life for Leesburg residents. He stated there are a lot of support services provided below the political level. He stated by playing hardball with the county, no one will win and as Council Member Wright stated, a dialogue with the county would be more productive to find concessions. He noted the use of Leesburg Police officers as SROs for Leesburg high schools has been shown to be very important for the community. With regards to public improvements, he stated it is tough to take the political risk to do the right thing particularly during hard economic times. He stated Council needs to think about Leesburg for the next 20 years, not just today. He stated putting off replacements to infrastructure have been made and managed well by the Town Manager, but at some point the town will have to "pay the piper". He stated micromanaging the budget should not be Council's job and added that town taxpayers get a lot of services for their taz payments. Mr. Wells asked Council to reaffirm what tax rate staff needs to work from and the amount of carry over that can be used in the budget. Council Members Wright and Butler agreed on the proposed tax rate with no carry over. Council Member Butler stated there may be a few more cuts that could be made as well. rate. Council Member Reid expressed his desire to use cuts to lower the tax Council Member Martinez supported the proposed tax rate and no use of carry over. Vice Mayor Hammier suggested all Council members transmit their specific cuts to the Town Manager who would then consolidate those cuts and report back to Council. She stated Council owes it to the taxpayers to look at what it would take to get down a penny on the [ax rate. Town Council Meetino of March 23 2010 Paae 10 Council Member Wright requested apro-forma for what that would mean two years down the road since the tax rate this year will impact the next few years. Mr. Wells stated staff has looked at what the deferral effort has cost and this year alone it has been $4.2 million in the General Fund and $6 million across all funds. He stated the broader policy question will be as the economy begins to pick up, should we reduce more or begin to put things back? He stated this is a major fork in the road question as there have been signifcant deferrals and postponement of salary increases for two years. Council Member Dunn stated that on one hand he is being told he cannot micromanage, but on the other hand he is being told to make additional cuts. He stated at some point, Council will need to do the work necessary to get the tax rate down to a rate that still provides services. He stated he would like to see what the Town Manager would propose to get down to a lower tax rate. Council Member Reid stated it is a question of needs and wants and all local governments are strapped. He stated more foreclosures may mean lower housing prices. He stated Council does not need to cut essential services to bring the tax rate down by a penny. Vice Mayor Hammier stated we have only discussed raising one fee, but we may need to look at raising other fees. She stated her highest priority is doing away with carry over use but would like to explore ways to save that penny on the taz rate. Council Member Butler stated we are stretching the budget to the point of snapping. He stated Council will be putting the town at risk by cutting the tax rate further and corrected earlier claims that a penny on the tax rate is about $100 for the average homeowner. He stated a penny on the tax rate is closer to $30. He stated since Council has been lowering the average tax bill for the past four years, they will most certainly want to do so again next year and if they are starting from an even lower point, at some point it will become impossible to lower it any further and they will have to raise the tax bill. He expressed that most of the people he has talked to are not willing to put this great town at risk for $30. Mayor Umstattd stated the consensus of Council is to maintain the tax rate at $0.195. She stated she does not see how desired projects can be funded while reducing the tax rate. She stated delivering lower tax bills on average for four years in a row is a good thing. The public hearing was closed at 9:21 p.m. c. Amending Chanter 34 Article II (Water Svstem) and Article III (Sewer and Sewage Disoosall The public hearing was opened at 9:21 p.m. Randy Shoemaker summarized the proposed amendments. He stated there were some minor code conflicts between the Town Code and the Design - and Construction Standards Manual. He stated the recommended amendments can be distilled down to three primary issues: Town Council Meeting of March 23 2010 Paoe 11 1. Rate for water drawn at hydrants, which is primarily water used outside the corporate limits for agricultural purposes. He noted the existing rate has not been changed for the past 30-15 years and the recommended rate will tie it to _ the high user rate, which is 45% greater than the in-town user cost for water. He added that this would alleviate the need for Council to change this rate periodically. 2. Clarify the definitions for service lines and sewer laterals. He stated terms service line and supply line were used interchangeably. He stated the terms have been clarifed which will aide in determining responsibility in the event of failure. 3. Strengthen the code to allow prosecution of individuals who damage or obstruct the water system. Council Member Reid questioned how much the anticipate increase in revenues from this amendment will be for water from hydrants. He questioned what the rates are from other jurisdictions. Mr. Shoemaker stated he would get that information for Council. He indicated the majority of the cost of hauling water is the transportation cost so water that is less expensive, but further away may not be any more affordable for a bulk water user. Council Member Dunn stated the rate could be changed later if Council so decides, but passing the ordinance tonight would allow the Town to collect the higher rate immediately. Council Member Wright pointed out that the language of the proposed amendment, as advertised, ties the rate to the existing rate schedule so changing the rate would require a separate public hearing. There were no members of the public to address this public hearing. The public hearing was closed at 9:32 p.m. On the motion of Council Member Wright, seconded by Council Member Martinez, the following was proposed: ORDINANCE Amending Chapter 34 (Utilities), Articles II and III of the Town Code The motion was approved by the following vote: Aye: Butler, Dunn, Hammier, Martinez, Reid, Wright and Mayor Umstattd Nay: None Vote: 7-0 11. ORDINANCES a. None 12. RESOLUTIONS a. None Town Council Meetino of March 23 2010 Paae 12 13. OLD BUSINESS a. None 14. NEW BUSINESS a. None 15. COUNCIL COMMENTS Council Member Reid distributed matzo to Council and announced that it is Passover. He stated his family signed up to be volunteers for Interfaith Relief at the Food Pantry. He stated they were finally called to volunteer on the third Sundays of the month. He stated a lot of the patrons are working poor or middle class people who have been pushed to the edge. He stated the ancient Hebrews were slaves who had to get out of Egypt and expressed his hope that the policy makers in Washington will continue to support Israel and its right to exist. He expressed a desire to give donations to Interfaith Relief and the Free Clinic from the Uran Fund. He stated Mr. Uran did not give specific instructions when he gave the money to the town. He stated the town could charge the ROCK kids a nominal fee. He stated he was very appreciative that Council Members Butler and Dunn helped break the log jam that he and Council Member Martinez have been trying to break for years in terms of donations to non-profits. He stated the non-profits get more "bang for the buck" as they are able to serve more people than social services programs funded by tax dollars. Council Member Butler stated he had the opportunity to go to the grand opening of Art Square, which has lots of wonderful space for kids to go and take classes. He stated different artists have rented space there and you can purchase art from them. He wished everyone a safe spring break. Council Member Wrioht wished everyone a happy Easter and Passover and a good spring break. Council Member Martinez stated while he missed the Art Square ribbon cutting, he went by on Saturday and it is a wondertul place. He noted that Heritage High School Project Graduation had its egg hunt over the weekend. He stated there will be fund raiser spaghetti dinners on April 9 and 16 to raise funds for the graduation parties. He thanked Council Member Reid for mentioning the needs of the non-profits. He wished everyone a happy Easter. Vice Mavor Hammier disclosed a phone meeting with Roger Staub, Tom Dunlap, Ara Bagdasarian, John Wells and Marantha Edwards. She stated the community meeting regarding Potomac Crossing Park had good turnout. She stated the Parks and Recreation Commission expect that park to be on line by late spring 2011. She stated the Parks and Recreation Commission passed a resolution seeking to reach out to Tuscarora High School regarding sharing felds. She stated the Art Square space is very inspiring. She thanked everyone for attending the downtown improvements input meetings. She stated she is looking fonva rd to being able to take a look at what the design will be. She stated she is also looking forward to the downtown management association discussion. She specifically requested bringing Mr. Devine into the discussions. She thanked Mayor Umstattd for attending the Leesburg Elementary 30`" Anniversary celebration with her. She stated she and her daughter were helping out at Interfaith Relief this afternoon and noted that when Wegman's opened, they donated 20,000 pounds of food. She stated Interfaith Relief has received a lot of support from the local grocery stores. She noted that there is a lull in the summer as far as donations are concerned and reminded everyone that Interfaith Relief still needs Town Council Meetino of March 23 2010 Paae 13 donations during the summer. She thanked Tony Conway and Betsy Montgomery for welcoming she and her daughter to the ROCK program. She noted she spent the morning with Officer Potter at Loudoun County High School and was able to see the relationships he has built with the children. She stated this relationship has allowed him to help solve crimes and prevent crimes. Council Member Dunn thanked John Wells and Rich Williams for helping to work out the field assignments for the two girls softball leagues. He noted that Little League has started practicing and mentioned that the Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts will be helping with the Keep Leesburg Beautiful effort for the next few weeks. He stated he will invite Mr. Devine to the downtown management association meetings. He stated it is great this time of year to see how the two religions of Judaism and Christianity are related. 16. MAYOR'S COMMENTS Mayor Umstattd extended her wishes to everyone for a happy Easter and happy Passover. She stated the Art Square space is a wonderful art gallery. She noted M&M Pet Grooming is now open on Catoctin Circle. She noted the Wachovia is open near Wegmans. She stated the Leesburg Elementary Anniversary was wonderful. 17. MANAGER'S COMMENTS Mr. Wells stated nominations are open for the 9`" Annual Business Appreciation Awards to be held on May 18. He wished everyone a happy spring break. 18. CLOSED SESSION None. 19. ADJOURNMENT On a motion by Council Member Martinez, seconded by Council Member Butler, the meeting was adjourned at 9:51 p.m. \ _' n C! U stattd, Mayor Town of Leesburg /~TT@ST:' Clerk of Co n it ~/ 2010_tcmin0323