Loading...
1985-03-18 adjMarch 18, 1985 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) Page 1 A meeting adjourned from March 13, 1985 of the Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County, Virginia, was held on March 18, 1985, at 1:00 P.M. in Meeting Room 7 of the Albemarle County Office Building, 401 McIntire Road, Charlottesville, Virginia. PRESENT: Mr. F. R. Bowie, Mrs. Patricia H. Cooke, Messrs. Gerald E. Fisher, J. T. Henley, Jr., C. Timothy Lindstrom (arrived at 2:26) and Peter T. Way. ABSENT: None. OFFICERS PRESENT: Mr. Guy B. Agnor, Jr., County Executive; Mr. Ray B. Jones, Deputy County Executive; Mr. Robert W. Tucker, Jr., Deputy County Executive; Ms. Sandra R. Markwood, Administrative Assistant. Agenda Item No. 1. Chairman, Mr. Fisher. Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 1:06 P..M.. by the Agenda Item No. 2. Budget Work Session. Social Services: Virginia Public Assistance~ Employment Services; Payments~ Food Stamps; Fuel Assistance Ms. Karen Morris, Director of Social Services, was present. Mr. Agnor said the Social Services budget is recommended as presented, except for a change in the amount of compensa- tion set aside for the members of the Social Services Board. Instead of $1,440 under line item 100101, Boards and Commissions, the salary should be increased to $1,800 to provide a slight increase in the compensation for these board members. Mr. Fisher asked if the Social Services Department would be placed on the County computer system as well as the State system. Mr. Agnor said this was the recommendation of the auditors and is being done. Mr. Bowie asked if the Department is requesting the hiring of a deputy director and Mr. Agnor said no. Mr. Morris said the Social Services budget is very tight. overall increase, and a total budget of $1,601,320. It reflects an 11.5 percent No changes were recommended by the Board. JAUNT. Ms. Linda Wilson, Executive Director of the Jefferson Area United Transporta- tion< Inc., (JAUNT) was present. Mr. Agnor said JAUNT, at $17,770, is recommended for the same funding level as last year, the same funding level JAUNT has requested. He said the budget is prepared on the premise that nothing will happen to the federal funding proposed for JAUNT. Even though the federal budget has not been completed, more money will be avail- able from the state. The operational costs, he said, are being offset by the increase in ridership. Mr. Way said he worries about agencies turning to the County increasingly to make up deficits caused by federal funding cuts. The Board needs to look at additional sources for funding these agencies. Mr. Bowie said he feels there is a lot of duplication of services that should be stopped. Mr. Wilson said JAUNT is looking at ways to save money. institutions and not all their clients pay for transportation. make up about 30 percent of its ridership. It serves 59 agencies and Albemarle County citizens No change in funding was recommended. Offender Aid and Restoration. Ms. Patricia L. Smith was present on behalf of OAR. Mr. Agnor said the County recommends funding the requested amount of $18,284 for the coming year. This represents an eight percent increase. Albemarle Housin~ Improvement Program. AHIP Executive Director Gary Olivera was present. Mr. Agnor said the staff had recommended that the Board fund AHIP's full request of $166,950, an increase of 10.11 percent. Mr. Agnor noted that AHIP will be working with Community Development Block Grant Funds for the next two years. This will greatly increase the number of housing rehabilitations AHIP is able to perform. Mr. Fisher asked if this program has begun. Mr. Olivera said AHIP has done two projects and is starting three more. Mr. Way asked if this means AHIP will hire more people. Mr. Olivera said the money to hire some people is within the grant, but there will not be many. No Changes in funding were recommended. Monticello Area Community Action Agency. Mr. Kenneth Ackerman, Executive Director of MACAA, was present. Mr. Agnor said staff recommends funding MACAA at its requested level of $18,400, an increase of 2.47 percent. Mr.-Ackerman told the Board that there is a proposal before Congress that would totally eliminate the Community Services Block Grant, which is the core funding of MACAA to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars. Next week, the agency hopes the Senate will amend this proposal to put the money back. He said he would keep the Board informed. He would also request that the Board urge Senator John Warner and Senator Paul Trible to support such an amendment. Mr. Fisher said it is too early to promise support to only one agency when several are in danger of losing funding. No changes were recommended in the MACAA funding. 171 March 18, 1985 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) Page 2 Shelter for Help in Emergency. Ms. Deborah Cobb, director of SHE, was present. Mr Agnor said staff recommends funding SHE's request for $21,196, an increase of 5.08 percent. Mr. Agnor said this request is based on the number of Albemarle County citizens who use the shelter. Ms. Cobb said the use of volunteers has increased thirty percent this year. Federal funding for this group looks good and the Shelter is pleased with recent legislation (the Victims of Crime Act and the Family Violence Prevention Act) that has recently made more funding available. Mr. Bowie asked the average length of stay in the Shelter. Ms. Cobb said between 20 and 25 days. Outreach Counseling. Mr. Alan Segar was present, Director of Outreach Counseling. Mr. Agnor said the staff recommends a funding level of $10,800, as requested. This represents an increase of about eight percent. The agency has requested money to provide payment to Project SOAR, part of the Youth Services Center's programming for children in grades 4-8 who are in danger of dropping out of school. Staff recommends that Outreach Counseling fund Soar participants from its own funds. Mr. Segar said the Counseling service could reach more children if it could have the funds to send them into the SOAR program. He said the Board should consider funding the Youth Services Center, which has not been scheduled for funding. No changes were recommended in the funding. Jefferson Area Board on Aging - Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Executive Director Gordon Walker was present. Mr. Agnor noted the following information from the Program review committee report: "JABA is seeking additional funding this year to support two 'new' programs. The first is the Retired Senior Volunter Program (RSVP) 'which serves as a liaison between retired persons and community agencies, creating meaningful opportunities for persons over 60 years of age to participate more fully in the life of their community through volunteer service.' The RSVP Program has been funded for a number of years by the City of Charlottesville and has over 400 volunteers. Albemarle County residents currently contribute 25 percent of the total 48,000 volunteer hours provided by RSVP a year. JABA assumed sponsorship of RSVP and is requesting funding for the program in order to extend the program into Albemarle and other counties. Of the funding earmarked for this program ($5,078) approximately half would go to support staff for the recruitment and placement of 60 volunteers and half would help reimburse mileage for volunteers. JABA has noted that funds expended for this purpose leverage significant volunteer hours with a dollar value far exceeding the actual amount of reimbursement. RSVP estimates that over 250 County residents will be served if funding is made available. JABA is also requesting additional funding to expand the Home Safety Program for Older Adults into the County. This program currently serves City residents by completing in-home assessments for frail elderly and developing a plan to enable the person to remain in their home. Services include installing/repairing railings on stairways, tacking down carpeting, in- stalling bath tub guard rails, etc. According to JABA, AHIP is unable to meet these needs. JABA notes that it has consolidated its home care services with the American Red Cross in order to maximize resources and expand service delivery. American Red Cross has submitted a separate funding request." Mr. Agnor said the staff is recommending that JABA be granted $6,408 of its $12,800 request. He said the staff does not recommend that the Home Repair Program be supported at the present time: "$6~392 is requested to expand the Home Safety Program into Albemarle County. The Committee does not recommend support of this program at the present time. This program for home safety assessment, repairs and communi- ty education appears sound but no assessment of actual need for the program has been provided or quantified. In addition, the Committee would recom- mends that if such a program is considered, it should perhaps be offered through AHIP in coordination with JABA. AHIP has the equipment, expertise and existing volunteer network to facilitate such a program and avoid administrative duplication." The RSVP program is recommended for $5,078, as requested: "This funding would be utilized to recruit and place volunteers and reim- burse some mileage expenses. Support for this program is recommended on a one year trial basis. RSVP meets the County's objectives concerning 'active use of volunteers in achieving program objectives.'" Mr. Walker said the Home Safety Program is needed in this area and JABA has decided it cannot operate with $6,408 because it needs to hire a part-time carpenter to do some of the work. AHIP would supervise this person. This service would provide minor home repairs to enhance the safety of the dwellings of the elderly who have no means to perform or have these repairs made themselves. This program has met with some success in the City, although most donors will provide money for materials rather than staff. The extra money from the County would go for a staff person. 172 March 18, 1985 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) Page 3 Mr. Fisher said he does not understand why Mr. Walker is panicky looking at an eleven percent reduction in Federal funding. Some agencies may get a 100 percent reduction in funding. This reduction is fairly modest. Mr. Walker said there are elderly people in this County who need services and the agency cannot provide them. Mr. Fisher said he cannot understand how the County staff can recommend any new program, such as the RSVP program, with the cutbacks in federal funds. He would like to know how this new program can be justified. Mr. Agnor said it is a primarily volunteer program with an excellent track record. JABA reinforces the County's position that volunteer help should be the backbone of service agencies. Mr. Walker said he is very supportive of the educational system and knows that decisions about the funding of the school system are made by enrollment and demand criteria. This same demand exists for the elderly. He asked if the County should just adopt the position of allowing people to sicken and die at home while the County takes no action to help them. Mr. Lindstrom said he sympathizes with the program and is interested in seeing it get funding. Enabling the elderly to stay at home reduces expenses. He is interested in the Home Safety Program because this does just that; the addition of handrails on steps and other simple items can keep elderly people in their own homes. He feels the County has a responsi- bility to order its priorities and place the elderly at a higher level. He would prefer to fund the Home Safety Program rather than the RSVP program because it deals with a more critical need. Mrs. Cooke said she agrees with Mr. Lindstrom, but she thLnks the more responsibility the government is willing to shoulder, the more the families of the elderly are willing to relinquish. The people helped by such programs should be screened carefully. Mr. Walker said the Board should realize that 41 percent of the elderly live alone and 20.5 percent have no family whatsoever to care for them. Whenever possible, JABA gets family and neighbors involved in the care of the elderly. Mr. Fisher said the Board could take this item up again on March 20. The Board took a brief recess at 3:03 P.M. and reconvened at 3:11 P.M. Education: Dr. Carlos Gutierrez, Superintendent of Schools; Mr. David Papenfuse, Assis- tant Superintendent for Finance and Administration; Dr. Elizabeth Morie, rAssistant Superin- tendent for Instruction; and Mr. Charles Tolbert, School Board member, were present. Dr. Gutierrez summarized the school budget. He said seven of the seventeen new primary teaching positions would be taken from the middle and secondary schools. Teachers in general would receive a ten percent pay increase. Dr. Gutierrez said the City of Charlottesville already pays $1,300 more than Albemarle County, thus making it difficult for Albemarle to get the best teachers. He said he expects this condition to worsen in the future. Mr. Lindstrom asked why some schools show wide fluctuations in utility costs, specifi- cally electrical service. Mr. Papenfuse said the schools have just begun the cost-center method of accounting and the figures reflect approximate baseline data only. In some specif- ic cases there have been other dramatic changes: Broadus Wood has expanded; Murray and Stone Robinson have new mobile units; other schools are undergoing energy analysis programs. Mr. Lindstrom asked if he could divide the c~st of instructional materials by the number of students listed in the budget report and get the cost of materials per pupil. Mr. Papenfuse said the membership figures are not based on the current Average Daily Membership but on projections for next year. This'will yield an approximate cost per pupil. Mr. Fisher asked about the tuition to Ragged Mountain School. tuition is all reimbursed. Mr. Papenfuse said that Mr. Bowie said he has done some research into the teaching position situation and he feels more than seven positions can be taken from the middle schools and placed in the primary grades. He presented the following memorandum: "School Budget School Population 1981-82 1985-86 Elementary 3,680 3,969 +289 Middle School 2,292 1,841 -451 Secondary 2,929 2,724 -205 Staffin9 Elementary 21.0:1 21.6:1 Middle 14.9:1 13.3:1 Secondary 18.0:1 17.5:1 -387 Class Size 63 Exploratory classes have less than 9 students with average size of 7. 74 Regular classes have less than 9 students with an average size of 6.5. 137 classes (equivalent of 19.5 teachers) have average enrollment of less than 7. Exploratory Classes Offered (all taught in 1984-85) Henley Middle School Jouett Middle School Walton Middle School Burley Middle School 64 51 23 23 MarCh 18, 1985 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) Page 4 173 While many exploratory courses are valuable (language, math, arts, etc., many seem unsuited for including in a school curriculum. A list is attached. Class Assignments - Staff Jouett Middle School - 8 teachers teach nothing but exploratory classes. Walton Middle School - 7 teachers teach nothing but exploratory classes. At these schools, while teachers with core subjects (Math, English, Social Studies, etc.) teach classes with 18 to 26 students, exploratory teachers have class sizes that average about 10. It is obvious that the class size at the elementary school level must be reduced, and the School administration states that 17 new elementary posi- tions are required. The County Executive's recommendation is that seven be transferred from the middle/secondary schools and ten new teachers be hired. I would point out the following: If all 17 positions were removed from the middle schools, a 15.3:1 student/teacher ratio would result, a ratio well below the ratios at the other two levels. If ten positions were eliminated from the middle schools, a 14.1:1 student/teacher ratio would result. This is lower than the middle schools had in 81-82 (14.9:1) or 82-83 (14.5:1) and only slightly above 83-84 (14.0:1). Exploratory Courses: Echo - School yearbook* Arts and Crafts Colonial Crafts Crafts Hotline - School Paper* Advanced Arts and Crafts Leather crafts Ceramics and Sculpture Sketching I Sketching II (Some of the crafts classes could surely be combined.) Leisure Time Activities Home and Family Living (macrame, needlework, sewing) Trail Blazing (Outdoor survival) Fishing in Central Virginia Singing for Fun (in addition to Choir) Baker's Shop Holiday Foods Aerobic Dance Guitar Photography (babysitting skills) Knitting, Crocheting, Cross Stitch Toys and Tots Breakfast Nook Snack Shop Golf (in addition to P.E.) Jazz Dance Conflict and Nuclear War Lawnmower and Mini-bike Repair *These are usually extracurricular. Mr. Lindstrom said he agrees with Mr. Bowie, since he has looked at this material also. While there have been some cuts, there appears to substantial room, even in the middle school model, to make cuts without affecting programs. Core programs and substantial numbers of exploratory classes could remain and some positions could still be cut. He feels all 17 of the positions could come from the middle and high schools. There seems to be room to do this. His point is that he has struggled and pushed for education and was willing last year, to push for a tax increase to support the schools. Now, even thought he realizes that the middle and high schools will see an increase in coming years, he is anxious not to allow the education department of the County to become like the national Department of Defense, with a sacrosanct budget that cannot be touched save to augment it. He feels the middle school model can be tightened up without cutting quality. The model itself might deserve another look because it does not operate as efficiently as it could. He would be willing to support the removal of more positions from this level unless someone can explain to him why this should not happen. Mr. Gutierrez said Mr. Bowie is right in saying that the numbers of teachers have not declined with enrollment in recent years. The State has mandated more programs and the middle school model is not as efficient as other ways of teaching. The School Board has reviewed it twice, and both times, parents and teachers have argued for it and it has re- mained intact. The School Board has chosen this model, in opposition to the junior high model, which concentrates on the four basic subjects of math, science, history and language. If the middle school model is kept, then the teachers will eventually have to be rehired, because the children causing the increasing enrollment in the primary grades will eventually reach the middle and high school levels. Mr. Fisher said he does not understand why there cannot be some efficiency in the model as it exists. Dr. Gutierrez said the essence of the middle school model is choice between non-challenging alternatives. Some of the exploratory courses are taught by teachers who teach core classes as well. To become more efficient, the number of offerings would have to be reduced, and this would be contrary to the model. Mr. Lindstrom said he sees three issues here: 1) the efficiency of the middle school model; 2) the need for a lot of electives; and 3) how the County should respond to the decline in enrollment. Dr. Gutierrez said that if the School Board directed the school staff to scrap the middle school model, then it would take six months just to get a replacement system worked. The School Board did not instruct the administration to reduce programs, so no one did that. Now, the scenario seems to be that the model will stay, which means that any teachers let go will have to be rehired in a few years. Mr. Lindstrom said it seems several of these things could be combined. Dr. Gutierrez said the teachers who teach arts and crafts or cooking classes also teach other subjects so it will require moving core teachers, too. The schools do not have teachers just for the "frills" courses. Mr. 17'4 March 18, 1985 .(Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) Page 5 Lindstrom said he understands that there are some who teach only exploratory classes, and if the teaching load for other teachers is reduced by combining or dropping some offerings, core positions can be cut back as well. Dr. Gutierrez said that is probably the case. Mr. Lindstrom said if he were an English teacher (with a large class) he would be upset because some teachers receive the same salary for teaching fewer students less demanding subjects. He said the pay/classification plan does not allow for distinctions on that basis. Dr. Gutierrez said that problem exists at the high school level as well. Mr. Fisher said it occurs to him that money is the central issue here, and this Board must justify either the School Board's request, the County Executive's recommendation, or some other alternative. Mr. Bowie said his work sheets show eight teachers who teach explor- atory classes and nothing else. They have classes of fewer than ten students, while other teachers have 20 to 25 students. Mrs. Cooke said these classes are just regular physical education and home economics dressed up to sound attractive. Students need courses in nutrition and physical education, but there seems to be a lot of duplication. The schools should stick to basic subjects and let some things be done extracurricularly. Mr. Fisher asked if there will be enough classrooms when the 17 teachers are placed in the primary grades. Dr. Gutierrez said the schools will use some trailers. Mr. Papenfuse outlined teachers' salary ranges for the Board. Mr. Fisher asked if there is any information on salaries other than teachers' salaries. He would like to see some information on bus drivers and administrative personnel. Mr. Tolbert told the Board that Mrs. Haden was sorry she could not be at this meeting. The School Board appreciates Mr. Agnor's recommendation and hopes the Board can fund it. Regardless of the funding level, the School Board stands behind the staff in the presentation of the schools' needs. He said he had a comment on the titling of courses in the middle school. The schools are trying to find names for courses that make them sexless in a way that "home economics" is not. He is convinced that the middle school model is a good system. Mr. Agnor summarized the School's capital improvements and refurbishments that have been moved to the Capital Improvements budget. Mr. Lindstrom asked if retirement benefits can be provided for bus drivers and not for all part-time general government employees. Mr. Agnor said the County does have some perma- nent part-time employees who would qualify under the same guidelines as the school bus drivers. Mr. Lindstrom asked how many bus drivers there are. Dr. Carole Hastings, Director of Personnel, said there are 128. About 55 other people in the school system and 40 to 45 people in general government would be eligible for some type of retirement benefits in addition to the bus drivers if the Board wanted .to do that. Mr. Lindstrom said he feels uneasy funding a program that might balloon into something the staff really has not had time to study. He would support the funding of all part-time personnel rather than just part of these people. Mr. Agnor said the Board could wait a year or six months and study the issue. The school bus drivers have waited a year. Mr. Lindstrom asked how much it would cost to provide retirement for all the permanents part-time employees. Mr. Agnor said about $25,000 to $30,000. It could come from the County's general fund, but he does not know where the school system would get the money for the 55 additional employees that would qualify in the education department. Dr. Hastings estimated that the schools would need another $80,000. Mr. Bowie said that part of the distinction of part-time employment is that it does not carry the benefits of full-time employment, and perhaps should not. He would like to see this item taken out of the budget fOr study. Mr. Bowie also said he would like to see the administrative merit pay system for the schools brought into line with that for general government employees. He feels the schools should consider having a one-step merit at five percent. Mr. Lindstrom said he would like for someone to explain why the merit increase for the schools is seven percent instead of five percent. Dr. Hastings said the seven percent merit was brought before the School Board and that body approved it. The School Board and Board of Supervisors have not yet agreed on a single administrative merit system. Mr. Fisher said the range of increases in the school system is from zero to 11.5 percent. General government employees will see increases of four, six and one-half or nine percent; the result is that the general government employees are rewarded differently even though both groups are county employees. Mr. Henley said the school system's plan for administrative merit pay bothers him and he expects to see it on the same level as the county's next year. Mr. Bowie agreed. Mr. Bowie said he would like some information on transferring ten teachers instead of seven from the middle schools to the primary schools. He would like information on making the school's administrative merit pay equal to the county's and on the retirement program for bus drivers and part-time personnel. He would like for a discussion of the retirement plan to include any benefits it might produce for the County in terms of improved service and dependability. Mr. Fisher said the Board would discuss the school budget again on Wednesday. Agenda Item No. 5. Other Matters Not on the Agenda from the Board and Public. Mr. Lindstrom reported on the meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Organization he attended this morning. He said the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation has submitted its eight alternatives to the proposed Piedmont Corridor bypass of U. S. Route 29 in the City and urban area of the County. None of the alternatives looks good. For the most part, they call for six-laning the U. S. Route 29 North area, with diamond interchanges at Rio and Hydraulic roads. In addition to discouraging development, this would have some Marc'h 18, 1985 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) Page 6 serious drawbacks in terms of the adequacy of the interchanges. Mr. Lindstrom would like to see cloverleaf interchanges. He said the alternatives are proposed in a vacuum, with no money, no relation to plan- ning concerns, and no perspective. He asked for ballpark estimates of the costs and learned that it might be $75-80 million without the interchanges or purchase of rights-of-way. Mr. Lindstrom requested that the staff look at the report and address the following issues: 1. What would the eight alternatives cost, approximately, in comparison with a western by-pass? 2. How much of the local traffic problem on U. S. Route 29 would each of the alterna- tives alleviate? 3. Could grade-separated interchanges be used in the six alternatives that do not propose them? What would be the cost/benefit estimate for cloverleaf interchanges as opposed to the diamond interchanges suggested for two alternatives? Mr. Lindstrom said he would like a report on these questions by April 10, 1985, if that is possible. He said the eastern bypass possibility was briefly discussed. It would be longer, but that does not seem to be a problem. It would alleviate some of the congestion on Pantops Mountain (Route 250 East) and would not funnel excess traffic through the downtown section of Charlottesville. Dr. Hastings briefly presented the salary scale. Mr. Lindstrom asked if this is being implemented this year and she said the County is trying to do that. Agenda Item No. 6. Adjournment. At 4:40 P.M., Mrs. Cooke offered motion to adjourn into executive session to discuss personnel matters. Mr. Lindstrom seconded the motion. Roll was called and the motion carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: Mr. Bowie, Mrs. Cooke, Messrs. Fisher, Henley, Lindstrom and Way. NAYS- None. The Board reconvened at 5:15 P.M. and motion was offered by Mrs. Cooke and seconded by Mr. Lindstrom to adjourn until 1:00 P.M. on March 20. Roll was called and the motion carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: NAYS: Mr. Bowie, Mrs. Cooke, Messrs. Fisher, Henley, Lindstrom and Way. None. ' CHAI'RM~