1985-04-03'Apr-il 3, 1985 (Regular Night Meeting)
A regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County, Virginia, was held on
April 3, 1985, at 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium, County Office Building, McIntire Road,
Charlottesville, Virginia.
~Present: Mrs. Patricia H. Cooke, and Messrs Gerald E. Fisher, J. T. Henley, Jr.,
C. Timothy and Peter T. Way.
Absent: Mr. F. R. Bowie.
Officers Present: Mr. Guy B. Agnor, Jr., County Executive; Mr. Robert W. Tucker, Jr.,
Deputy County EXecutive; and Mr. George R. St. John, County Attorney.
Agenda Item No. 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:37 p.m. by the Chairman,
Mr;~ Fisher, who announced that Mr. Bowie had been taken ill during the afternoon meeting so
'could not be present tonight.
Agenda Item No. 2.
Agenda Item No. 3.
Pledge of Allegiance.
Moment of Silence.
Agenda Item No. 4. Public Hearing: 198586 County Budget. (Notice of this public
h~aring was advertised in the Daily Progress on March 23, 1985 along with a summary of
proposed expenditures and revenues.)
Mr. Agnor, County Executive, said the budget is a proposed financial plan for FY 85586.
This hearing tonight is on that plan plus a hearing for a tax increase occasioned by the bi-
annual assessment whlch will be discussed later in the evening. He said staff has attempted
to present the budget from the perspective of those who pay the cost of the plan as well as
from those who are the recipient of it.
At this point Mr. Agnor gave a summary of the budget in the form of a slide presentation
of charts.
Mr. Fisher then 'opened the public hearing.
Agenda Item No. 4a. Capital Improvements.
No one was present to speak on this item.
Agenda Item No. 4b. Education.
Mr. Bill Cleiber was first to speak. He referred to a statement of posit~ion from the
Albemarle High School Band Parents Association. He said the public has heard much recently
about the fine arts program and he feels sure the Board members had received many calls and
letters. He quoted Thomas Jefferson saying "Music is the universal language." Mr. Kleiber
said parents cannot turn their backs and watch the system set out to deprive their youths of
this fine art. Mr. Kleiber asked the Board to reconsider the number of proposed teaching
cuts and to reinstate funds to keep the music program whole at Albemarle High School. Mr.
Kleiber said that last year Western Albemarle High School's program was cut from two full-time
positions to two part-time positions and the choir director position at Jack Jouett Middle
School was discontinued although the enrollment was over one hundred students at that time.
He mentioned losing Mr. James Simmons, a fine arts director who had been replaced by a part-
time position. Mr. Kleiber said no other department in the school system has been cut so
severely. He said the present cut at Albemarle High School comes at a time when projected
enrollment has increased by 39 percent in the band program and '42 percent in the choir
program over last school year's enrollment. Mr. Kleiber said the Albemarle High School band
had placed first in regional competition out of 28 bands with a "Superior" rating. He said
the numbers and quality are up and the cut would destroy a great program. Mr. Kleiber said
the School Board had ignored a petition of over 3,200 Albemarle County citizens and voters
to keep the music program whole at Albemarle High School.
Mr. Kleiber said that petitions are still being received. He said the community is
concerned that several thousand dollars can be appropriated to the RSVP Program to make
physical repairs to private properties that house the disadvantaged and are owned by private
landlords who will, in turn, probably raise the rent, yet the County cannot afford to keep
the fine arts program whole at the high school. He said several community organizations
have stressed their strongest support, i.e. The Piedmont Council of The Arts, The Charlottesvi
Municipal Band, The Charlottesville Community Choir, The Community Youth Orchestra, The
Oratoricg5 Society, The Charlottesville Light Opera Company and many more. Mr. Kleiber said
Dr. Gutierrez sent a letter dated February 2, 1985 to the Board accompanying the budget,
which stated that the expenditure plan represented a compromise between austerity and full
funding and that it did not address the area which many people considered essential in the
community - an expanded program'in fine arts, especially music. Mr. Kleiber went on to say
that Dr. Gutierrez said in a meeting held the previous day that teacher positions need to be
added, not subtracted. He said that Dr. Gutierrez supports the music program but has been
talking "to deaf ears". Mr. Kleiber said the Board of Supervisors asked the School Board to
cut three additional positions in the middle schools and to look at "fluff" courses; they in
turn, cut core classes. He said that Mr. William Raines, the Principal at Albemarle High
School, was told to cut 2.5 positions. Since this school is already understaffed and in
need of more core teachers, Mr. Raines felt he had no choice except to make the cut in the
music program. Mr. Kleiber said as elected officials, the Board should listen to the voters,
petitiOns, various groups, public outcries from organizations and the parents here tonight.
Mr. Kleiber requested that the Board reinstate $25,000 in the school budget for the music
and fine arts program at Albemarle High School.
April 3, 1985 (Regular Night Meeting)
Mr. Fisher said Mrs. Jessie Haden, Chairman of the School .Board, had passed the petitions
on to him along with a letter, which he received today. Mr. Fisher commented that Mrs. Haden
said that the subject of fine arts is of great concern to the School Board and education
staff. Mr. Fisher said student enrollemnt is the basis of staffing decisions made by the
principal. He said when spring registration is completed, the central office will review
staffing for all areas. Mrs Fisher said Mrs. Haden told him that if there is sufficient
enrollment there will be staffing to take care of that enrollment.
Mr. Kleiber said the enrollment for next year is already much improved over what it is
this year. If a cut has to be made, it has been.proposed that Mr. Elmer Sampson, the band
director, take both the choir and the band. In that case, he would have under his charge
more than 250 students. Mr. Kleiber went on to say that a music program is not built
entirely in a classroom there is much extracurricular work, i.e. practices, rehearsals,
competitions, performances, halftime shows, etc. Mr. Kleiber said that one would not expect
a football coach to teach football and soccer at the same time in the same season. Mr. Fisher
indicated he understood the situation, having had children of his own in the band program,
and reiterated that if enrollment in the music program increases, the staffing needs will be
met, according to Mrs. Haden.
Mrs. Sue Lewis, President of the Charlottesville-Albemarle League of women Voters, said
she would like to speak regarding the entire budget. She asked Mr. Agnor for clarificatio~
of his statement about the United Way Child Care Scholarship Fund. Mr. Agnor said he had
recommended that this new program not be funded and the Board had accepted that recommendation
for this proposed budget. He went on to say that most agencies which were recommended for
zero funding were listed in the newspaper advertisement, however, the United Way Child Care
Scholarshi~p Fund was inadvertently omitted.
Mrs. Lewis then presented the Board with the following statement:
"Th'e League of Women Voters of Charlottesville/Albemarle appreciates this
opportunity to speak on the annual budget. We continue, however, to recommend
that the County make it easier for citizens to participate in the preliminary
budget sessions and that the County provide copies of the proposed budget to
concerned citizens' organizations.
We would like to commend the County on its investment in the Joint Dispatch
Center (911). We hope that the success of the cooperation on this service will
lead to further cooperation and integration between City and County services.
The League supports the recommended full funding for MACAA, SHE, AHIP, Outreach
Counseling and JABA. We remain concerned with the relative lack of low to
moderate income housing in the County. We support the Housing Coalition's
request for a full-time housing coordinator.
We strongly encourage the County to undertake (either directly or through
'contract to CVCDA) a general child care needs assessment. We note that the
staff made such a recommendation to CVCDA but did not offer funding for this
study. A child care survey would help the County in planning both for its own
after-school program and for future funding to United Way.
The League also recommends that the County continue to work with Youth Services
to identify a target population. We urge the County to look beyond current
administrative conflicts and to remember the long-term importance of servicing
troubled YOuth.
As for the education portion of the budget, we support the salary increase
for teachers. We regret that the most experienced teachers at the top of the
~[salary scale will receive only a five percent increase.
We are pleased that this budget includes funds to replace worn out school buses.
We hope funding for this recurring cost type item will be available on a yearly
basis so that worn out buses can be replaced in a systematic manner.
The League has long been concerned about inadequate maintenance of school
facilities and grounds. We applaud the comprehensive maintenance plan developed
by school administrators and we urge the annual funding required to implement
this plan.
Finally, the League has long supported fine arts at all grade levels. We
regret that this budget does not allow fine arts to continue at even its present
level and we certainly hope that future budgets will allow for the expansion of
fine arts at all grade levels."
Mrs. Marian Ross then spoke regarding the use of numbers as a basis of decisions in
education. She said that a band, orchestra, or choral group is a good program for gifted
and talented students and also a good circumstance for racial intermixing and esprit de cords.
She said in this situation, the program is more important than the number of students
participating. She said beyond the grade school level, music teachers must specialize in
either instrumental or choral music. Instrumental teachers must know the literature, how to
teach all instruments, where to go to get instruments repaired, where, the competitions are,
and how to encourage students to get scholarships for the future -giving advice in and out
of class. A choral director interacts differently with their students. The directing
motions, literature, and needs of the students are different. Mrs. Ross said when you
expect one person to take responsibility of two programs, you risk scuttling both programs.
1985 (Regular Night Meeting)
Mr. Lindstrom said he would like to make a few comments while there are still many
people in the audience. He said the school BOard, by State Constitution', is specifically
authorized to make the kinds of decisions that are being addressed; the funding of a budget
is the Board of Supervisors' responsibility. Mr. Lindstrom said he had reviewed a grid of
teachers' class loads and classes taught in the County system. He said it appeared to him
that'~there are a number of positions in the middle schools that have so few students that it
did not seem reasonable for the School~Board to request funding for the number of new positions
that it hhd requested. Mr. Lindstrom said he had spoken with his own representative on the
School Board, the Personnel Director, and the Superintendent of Schools, and each of them
agreed that the positions sought in the elementary schools could be made up without endangering
p-r~ogr~ms in the middle or high schools. He said he did not think fine arts was an area that
~a~nder-utilized or an area that should be cut and was in fact surprised at the aPproach
taken~by the School Board. Mr. Lindstrom said it is possible that personnel shifts in the
music department of Albemarle High SchOol would have been made even if the Board of Supervisors
hadf~granted the whole request. He said the Board of Supervisors has the responsibility of
spending the County taxpayers' money in a reasonable fashion, but cannot adjust line items
with&n the School budget. Mr. Lindstrom said he takes responsibility in supporting the cut
in the school budget in response to the fact that he believes the middle schools are overstaffe~
~ Next to speak was Mr. Elmer Sampson, band director at Albemarle High School. He said he
is q~$1ified to know how many students it takes to make up a band. He said he started the
school year with five classes including a study hall, which was later dropped from his schedule
He said that although there are classes at Albemarle High School that have only have five or
six students, he dropped his stage band of nine students because that band used to consist of
appr.oximately fifteen. He said he could have used the class time for private practice to
he.~D~students with ensemble work, but instead was placed on duty in the halls and library
checking students' passes and watching over students during In-School Suspension. Mr. Sampson
went on to say that he had checked with friends in teaching positions through the State and
had found no other band director who teaches both band and choir. He said Albemarle County
wgmld be the first county to attempt this program and that it would not be progress, but Just
the opposite. Mr. Sampson said instrumental music is his major field and the choir students
will suffer if he has to direct both groups. He said the present choir director has twenty-
eight ac~l~l~i~s~ that she participates in beyond school contracted hours. He said he has
more ~activities than the choir director and had clocked 180 hours during the first nine weeks
with the marching band in after-school practice. He said he cannot spend that much time with
the choir also. Mr. Sampson said there is enough enrollment now for the band and it is the
best~.~out of twenty-eight in the State and has been granted four superior ratings in competition
~ .Mr. David Bryce was next to speak. He first said he applauded Mr. Lindstrom's diligence
in studying the teaching load in the school system. He said he had attended a School Board
meeting and one Board member indicated he did not have time to study these recommendations
and s~affing cuts and must accept the recommendation of the staff. He said he was concerned
that in the School Board meeting of the previous night, the number~of registrants in the
music department were not known, nor was the overtime contributed by the band and choir
directors. Mr. Bryce said that a music program could not be built without these extra hours
and one person cannot carry both band and choir alone. He said if it is not legally the
raspo,nsibility of the Board of Supervisors to look at the staffing cutest, he would like to
know who looks at staffing cuts besides the staff itself.
Next to speak was Ms. Dianna Kost. She said that government and law are to serve the
people and she feels they should be answerable to her, the people who signed the petitions
and everyone at the public hearing tonight. She said she had attanded a School Board meeting
recently and was surprised that one of the Board members had not heard certain information
discussed during that meeting. She said she hopes the Board members care about what happens
to the children in the school system and are interested in serving the people that live here.
She said she would like full assurance that they cannot decide to do away with a good thing
or leave something that might be good, just because of a narrow feeling they might have. She
said ~appointing someone else to the School Board in the future will not help the child in
school next year. She said it is possible that music would be the only course in which a
student would earn a good grade. If you lose that student, it does not matter if music is
reinstated in two or three years. She said it is important that the School Board member have
someone counsel them regarding this kind of decision.
Mr. Lindstrom said that School Board members no longer serve at the pleasure of the
Board of Supeyvisors, but for a four-year term. Therefore, it is important that the two
Boards communicate. He said the Board of Supervisors' role is primarily one of persuasion
regarding line items in the budget. He said he feels he and the other Board members will
exert as much effort as possible toward persuasion on the topic of the school budget,
Mr. Fred Arbogast, President of the Albemarle Band Parents ~ssoCiation, was next to
spea~. He said he would like the Board of Supervisors to relate to the School Board what has
been.said at this meeting tonight.
A student at Albemarle High School said she had been in the. band program for four years
and this year is the first time the band had placed first in competition. She said their
hours of practice had finally paid off and they have a quality band of which the parents and
students are proud. She said that quality, not quantity, is what is important in education.
Mr. Fisher said he had been involved with the County budget process for a long time. He
said it seems that every year there is some crisis and the band at Albemarle High School is
the crisis this year. Mr. Fisher.said the Board is proposing to increase the salary of
approximately 700 teachers by ten percent'and to add-seven teaching positions. He said there
is an old political trick, which he is not accusing anybody of using, but in political science
it is called the "Washington Monument ?~d~'~. It is used when one board wants to put pressure
on another and does so by choosing an issue that captures the public's attention. He explained
this.term came from a time when Congress was going to cut the budget of the National Park
Service. The superintendent of the Park Service went before the Senate committee and said if
the budget was cut, the Washington Monument would have to be closed. Mr. Fisher said this is
196
April 37 1985 (Regular Night Meeting)
the kind of thing that happens sometimes at the local level of government. Mr. Fisher said
one of the best organized groups in the schools is the band so there is the possibility of
making a big "spias~". He went on to say there is a substantial amount of new local fun~s
going into the education budget next year. He said all the teaching positions could be kept
by not giving as big a salary increase, but he did not think the teachers would approve-of
that, so some "trade-offs" will have to be made. Mr. Fisher reiterated that there has b~en~a
30 percent increase in teachers' salaries over a three-)~e~rperiod and there were seven ~
additional positions added this current year. He added that he believes the School Boar~
will make the right decision. .~ ~'
Next to speak was Ms. Lisa Ward, a student of Albemarle High and member of the Auxiliary
of the Rifle Corps of the marching band. Ms. Ward said that by cutting the band, the Awx~il.~ar
would also be cut because Mr. Sampson would not have time for the marching band. She sai~d
that last year the Rifle Corps placed first in competition in Florida and this year they
placed first again and also had a second place award. Ms. Ward said that this cut would~o~
only hurt the band, but also a group of people who devote much of their time without getting
credit. She said the members of the Rifle Corps enjoy and believe in what they do and th~ra~
fore ask the Board to reconsider cutting the band program.
Mr. Kleiber spoke again and thanked the Board for giving the audience an open forum. He
said the audience had tried to speak three weeks ago (School Board meeting) and was cut(~ff
by Mrna~. Jessie Haden .... ~ ~
Next to speak was Ms. Tina Jackson, President of the Concert Choir at Albemarle Hi~h .....
School. She said the School Board had given the people at their meeting twenty minutes to~
speak and most of the time, the members were not listening. She said the Board of Super~iSSrs
must express their views to the School Board. She said the music program-is part of her life'~
and she does not like having it cut out. She asked what Would happen to the people who ~an~t~'~
to play and write music in the future. She expressed concern that if the music program~is
cut, these people will not have the chance to learn music in the future. She also said music
is to some students like athletics is to other students and said that she did not want it to
be taken away. ~-~
Mr. Fisher expressed~his appreciation to the students who came forward to speak to th~~'~
Board regarding the budget. -
Next to speak was Mr. Fred McDaniel who said he has a daughter who is a member of t~e~ ~!
Albemarle High School band. He pointed out that the County provides funds for a program to
rehabilitate young people who have drug abuse problems and who are school drop-outs. He said
the band program, athletics, the majorettes, are all important because they occupy students'
time away from school. He said he understands that the Board of Supervisors cannot make
decisions regarding line items in the School budget, but he said the law does not require the
Board to approve the budget.
Next to speak was Ms. Amy Rideout who said she wanted to speak on behalf of the choral
director. She told the Board about a ninth grade student whose voice began to develop while ~
still a student in the middle school. This student is now enrolled in choral classes in high [
school and is involved in music programs and talent shows. Mrs. Rideout said this would not
have been possible if she could not have received music instruction in middle and high school.
There being no one else to speak regarding the Education category, most of the people- ±~
the audience began to leave the auditorium. Mrs. Cooke suggested that it might be interesting
and worth their while to stay to hear the other funding requests from the community.
Agenda Item No. 4c. General Management. Mr. Fisher explained that this item includes~
the departments of the Board of Supervisors, County Executive, Personnel, Legal Services,
Finance, Real Estate, Purchasing, Data Processing, Inspections, Engineering, Refuse Dispos~[,
Buildings and Grounds, Soil Conservation, Watershed Management, contributions to the Thomas
Jefferson Planning District and the Visitors Bureau. There was no one present to speak
regarding these items.
Agenda Item No. 4d. Human Services. Mr. Fisher said this item includes Health, Region
Ten, Community Services, Social Services categories (Virginia Public Assistance, Food Stamps,
Employment Services, Fuel Assistance), Parks and Recreation, Regional Library, Housing, VPI
Extension Services, and contributions to Albemarle Housing Improvement Program, American R~d
Cross Home Care, Central Virginia Child Development Association, Community Action Agency and
a number of others.
Mrs. lBellen Perry was present to represent the Albemarle Housing Coalition. She said
that group requests that the Board support adding the position of a housing coordinator for
Albemarle County. She said she had spoken with each of the supervisors, they had been taken
on a tour by the Coalition and provided an information packet, which she hoped had been read~
Mrs. Perry said she would not go over all the reasons for a housing coordinator tonight, but
she had been asked by the Coalition to make a public statement to be sure the position is
considered and she then asked if there were any questions. ~
Ms. Karen Lilleleht, President of the Charlottesville Housing Foundation, was present t~
speak also about the position of housing coordinator. Ms. Lilleleht said she had a sense of
deja vu because years ago the ~osition of housing coordinator had been requested and granted,
but the position eventually became something else although the need is still there. She said
AHIP only deals with owner-occupied housing. There is a need for someone to coordinate the
scarce resources that are still available to deal with rental housing, problems of the elderly
and handicapped, and emergency housing. Ms. Litleleht said housing problems are not as
visible in the County as in the City. They are hidden behind trees and in the hollows but
the problems are just as bad for the people who live there. She said a position is needed at
the governmental level or in the Planning District Commission where leverage can be obtained,
not just interest.
April 3, 1985 (Regular Night Meeting)
197
Mr. Lindstrom said he had talked with Mrs. Perry and she was concerned that if the
position was not created in this bUdget cycle, it woUld have to wait another whole year. He
said he hoped a Community Development Block Grant-fun4~s might be available to provide funding
this year to create the position. He is not willing to create a position until the outcome
of~'~the block grant application is known, which should be this Summer. If that grant is
apDroved, he will then try to encourage other Board members who have a decision to make
regarding this matter. Mrs. Lilleleht said she could understand funding problems if it were
one of the counties surrounding Albemarle County, but this is a wealthy community and it can
be done.
Next to speak was Mr. James R. Peterson, Executive Director of Region Ten Community
Services. Mr. Peterson referred to his letter to the Board of Supervisors dated March 28,
1985 (copy on file in the Clerk's Office), which requested the Board to grant the full
appropriation of $152,416 fully in FY 1986 rather than over a three-year period. At a work
session Mr. Peterson attended with Charlottesville City Council, Mayor Frank Buck indicated
that if Albemarle County would more closely fund its requested share of the budget, the City
would do likewise. Mr. Peterson said he hoped the Board would consider this matter jointly
with the City sometime within the next week. Mr. Fisher asked if Mayor Buck had indicated
how much money the City was willing to appropriate. Mr. Peterson said Mayor Buck said the
exact amount selected by the City was directly related to the amount that the County would
appropriate. He said the City's amount was less because the Council felt the County had not
approached the target to the extent the City had, so it was left very open-ended.
Next to speak was Ms. Kay Rady, President of the Board for the CVCDA Office for Children.
Mrs. Rady said the number of women in the work force has risen from 18 percent in 1890 to 34
percent in 1950 and in 1983 to 53 percent. Day care is a part of every parent's day. Child
care is not just an issue for women and poor people, but for all parents. Mrs. Rady quoted
the Governor of Massachusetts at the conclusion of his study on child care in January, 1984
as follows: "In a society in which both parents work or there is only a single parent, if we
really want to open up opportunities for employment and a good life, a good future for people,
then day care has to be an essential part of that." She said what is needed in this community
and nationally is a day care partnership that is public and private, one that will assure
quality care for all children, especially those in family day care arrangements. Day care
experts estimate that about 70 percent of day care children are in the care of people who
take them into their own homes. The younger the children, the more likely they are to be in
a family day care arrangement. There is no way to determine exactly how many of these homes
exist because they are largely unlicensed and they are totally unsupervised. Parental vigi&
lehce and involvement are the best and often the only monitors of this most common type of
day care. In this effort, parents need the type of help offered by CVCDA's information and
directory service. Day care is a service for families, not just for children. When it
works, parents have support for their children and in return, the provider also needs support.
The majority of family day care providers stay in this business less than four years. The
nemesis of most family day care providers is isolation. One way to avoid this isolation is
to be part of a network or system of like workers. Training can also make a difference.
Aside from the obvious benefits to children, training for providers~encourages the development
of'informal networks and Professional status for providers. It is our hope that CVCDA's
child care information directory and related services will be allowed to contribute to the
future of Albemarle County's children. Mrs. Rady thanked the League of Women Voters for
their support of child care issues. She encouraged the Board to consider contributing to the
United Way Child Care Scholarship Fund Program, which she said is of vital importance to the
l~w and moderate income people in this community.
Next to speak was Ms. Dorothy Abbot who said she is a County resident and a child care
provider associated with CVCDA. She said CVCDA offers a program that she is not eligible for
because the County does not fund this agency. The program covers communications with parents,
child development and behavior, discipline techniques, health care, first aid, nutrition and
recognizing child abuse. This program would help County day care providers to give better
quality day care. It would also help parents select a provider who had had training and
would therefore be more reliable. Ms. Abbot said she had previously worked outside of the
home but because she could not find quality day care at a reasonable cost, beCame unable to
work and started providing day care for others.
Next to speak was Mr. Paul Kingston who said he is on the Board of CVCDA and is a parent
who has used a provider listed in the agency's directory. Mr. Kingston said as a sociologist,
most of his research is focused on the connections between working family lives, especially
among families that 'have children. He said the information directory and the training program
associated with it provide a service that benefits the community as a whole. Mr. Kingston
said approximately 1,000 people have made inquiries regarding the directory and some 300
people have actually looked at it. He said he believes everyone benefits from this service
when parents feel their children are being taken care of. They have some kind of comfort and
less anxiety knowing they have made an informed decision regarding their child's care. Also,
all benefit when their children grow up in safe, positive environments. This early start
effects how they will do in school and what contributions they make to the community later in
their lives. Mr. Kingston said not all people will use this service, but most who do will
benefit by it. He went on to say that by equipping parents to be better consumers in child
care, by telling them what kind of questions to ask, it can reduce the risk of child abuse.
Subsidizing this directory service will reduce barriers to its use and with wider use, child
abuse can be reduced in the community.
Mrs. Cooke asked if it was not possible for a provider to avail him/herself of the
agency's services for a fee.
Ms. Carle Lanning, Executive Director of CVCDA, said most providers' services are run
like a business and they earn less than minimum wage. ~
April 3, 1985-(Regular Night Meeting)
Next to speak was Mr. Tom DeMaio, Chairman of the~ Youth Commission, which oversees the
Youth Services Center. Mr. DeMaio said he was not able to attend the County's budget work --
session and referenced the fact that the Youth Service Center had not been recommended for
funding. He said he feels the Youth Services Center merits reconsideration of that recommen-
dation because there was not a clarification of what happened to their project the past year~,~
Mr. DeMaio said the Youth Commission had met with City Council to renegotiate and revamp itself,
program. He said they had attempted to do the same with the County staff but were unable to
do so. In revamping the program, Mr. DeMaio said the City requested that they attemped to
provide direct services to the community. To accomplish this, they split half of the agency~
resources into a joint project with Outreach Counceling Services. The other half of the
agency remains as a study component geared to youth issues that would concern any locality.
This past year they were asked to review the summer needs of youth and find.what needs were
not met. This coming year they will be studying the drop out issue to find out why youths
drop out of school and what happens to them afterward. Mr. Demaio said half of the agency's
resources go to direct services, outreach, maintaining the agency, and studying youth issues.~
He said what the agency believes it offers for the $7,300 request amounts to $14,000 worth of
outreach services. He said this might not have been clear because the project was called
SORE and is done by the Youth Services Center at Outreach Counseling. He said they have
attempted to do what staff had asked, which is to make a project that the locality wants. -o
The Board has supported Outreach Counseling in the past and the staff has recommended continued
support. This past year the services have been at the City, have been utilized by the school
system and a waiting list maintained for same. County officials have seen these services are
available in the City and asked that they be provideda in the County. The only way they can
be provided is with a direct appropriation from the Board to leverage the State money (three
to one match) for funding. The City has made an arrangement to fully fund the Youth Services
Center. Mr. DeMaio said the agency believes it would better serve both localities if~it ~
could study youth in both the City and the County.
Mr. Lane Kneedler, Chairman of the United Way Child Care Scholarship Committee, was next
to speak. He listed several individuals with him in the audience with backgrounds relating
to child care programs. These people included Ms. Joy Matthews, Vice Chair of the Committee;
Mr. Charles McCallum, Director of United Way; Ms. Dagmar Ail, the mother of a child who is
the receipient of the program; Mr. Francis Fife, Chairman of Charlottesv~e, Albemarle Training
a~d Employment Commission (which endorsed the program); Ms. Peggy VanYahres, Chairman of the
Commission's Working Parents Committee; and Mr. Joe Gibson, member of the Board of Direc~ors~
of Westminster Day Care Center. Mr. Kneedler thanked both the League of Women Voters and
CVCDA for their support of the United Way Child Care Scholarship Committee program and the
child care industry in the community. Mr. Kneedler said the Committee has requested approxiL_
mately $10,900 of which the County's Program Review Committee recommended full funding. The-.~
County Executive recommended no funding. He said the Scholarship Committee was a bit surprised
that it had not received funding, in fact the only communication received was from the Program
Review Committee, which indicated that full funding was recommended. Therefore, the Committee
was not prepared at the work session to try to persuade the Board that this is a worthwhile-
expenditure, which is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Kneedler said he believes-~
this is the only program for which the Program Review Committee recommended full funding and~
for which the County Executive recommended no funding. He said the goals of the program are~
two-fold. The first is to provide quality day-care for at-risk children. Without assistance~
parents of these children are often faced with a choice to either quit work and go on welfare-
or provide substandard care or no care - that is allow the children to care for themselves.
The child care offered by the program is not merely baby-sitting. Its purpose is to also
provide educational skills. The second goal is to enable those parents just above the poverty
level to continue working. They are part of the free enterprise system and want to remain
so. They are not eligible for social services; they are Just above the cut-off line. The
program is a partial scholarship program based on income level and size of family. There are~-
no full scholarships. The average cost of care at the centers participating in the program
is $39.00. The scholarships for 1985 range from $15 to $25, which means that even the most
deserving parent must pay at least $14 per week under the program. That is a substantial
percen~ of the budget of a family just over the poverty line. However, Committee members
believe it important that families participate financially in the program and that is why
there are partial scholarships. Parents can select the day care home in which their-child is
placed as long as it is an approved or licensed facility. By insisting upon licensed facilitie~
the Committee is assured of quality care and does not have to spend administrative funds on
licensing. Mr. Kneedler said the program is administered by a combination of volunteers and
paid staff. The volunteers at the day care centers and providers at day-care homes help to
fill.out applications for parents. Volunteers at the United Way Child Care Scholarship
Committee work together with the staff at CVCDA and United Way to ~administer the program.
Mr. Kneedler said during 198~,84the program served 226 children, 34 of whom were from Albemarle
County. So far in 1985, 104 children are being served and as of the end of March, 59 children
are on the waiting list, nine of whom are from Albemarle County. Mr. Kneedler said without
assistance from the County, it highly unlikely that those nine children or any other Albemarle
County children will be served. Mr. Kneedler said the projected needs of the Committee are
based on that approximately $62,000 will be received from the United Way and the City will '-._
provide $37,000. The Committee has requested $10,900 from the County. This figure was
arrived at by taking the County's historic use, which is approximately 16 percent of half of.
the projected need. Funding from the County would supplement United. Way funds and would not
be used until United Way funds were exhausted. Mr. Kneedler said the program furthers the
goals of the Comprehensive Plan by providing services to the low income population, providing'
necessary support services for jobs, promoting active use of volunteers and demonstrating
efficient administration by keeping the cost at less than ten percent of the budget. The
program saves the County money in Social Services because the parent who is working is not
receiving those services. The expense of child care scholarships is less than providing
social services for the family. Many national commentators have taken the position with the
use of this type of program that there is not as great a need for special programs in our
schools and the cost involved with juvenile delinquency is reduced. Mr. Kneedler said the
program is in essence, preventive in nature.
Mr. Way said he understood what "licensed" meant in regard to day care homes, but not
what "approved" meant. Mr. Kneedler said licensed and approved means the same thing. Mr.
Way asked who licenses the day care homes. Mr. Kneedler said the State licenses the homes
and centers.
~~1 _ 1 8 Re. ul.ar Night Meeti~
Mrs. Dagmar Hall was next to speak. She said she is a single mother with four children,
and~recipient of a United Way Child Care scholarship. She said she can stay off the welfare
roll as long as she can work, but she must have care for her child (two years old) until she
is enrolled in public school because her salary does not cover all of her expenses. While
she is working, Mrs. Hall said someone will be saving approximately $18,192 in the next four
years, excluding food stamps and medical care. Day care for that period of time would cost
$4,800. Mrs. Dagmar said the greatest benefit goes to the children because in the long run,
th~~ quality of their lives will be passed on.
Next tO speak was Mrs. Peggy VanYahres, representing the Working Parents Committee of
the Charlottesville-Albemarle Employment and Training Commission. She said one of the problems
the Committee had identified for the working, low-income population, is the high cost of
child care. She said the Committee found that since 1981 there has been a decrease of Federal
funds and an elimination of programs that support employment. Current Federal guidelines
encourage people to stay on welfare. Mrs. VanYahres demonstrated this fact with an outline
showing the benefits to a single mother with three children unemployed but in a training
program who receives $930; four months after employment she will receive $1,126, which include
earned income and some benefits, and after the fourth month of employment, the benefits
decrease .(particular the day care benefitS) so she will receive a total of $715. Where is
the incentive to work? A single mother with one or two children receive no day care benefit,
therefore upon employment, earns much less than if receiving welfare. One of the major
reasons many women are stuck in poverty and welfare is because of the rising cost of child
care. She said Ms. Karen Morris, Director of Social Services, told her she believes one of
the major reasons for repeat applicants for welfare is because of the cost of child care.
The average cost of child care is $35 per week or $1,750 per year. A typical family of two
qualifying for a day care scholarship earns $8,500 annually. The cost of day care for one
child takes 20 percent of the family's income. Day care cost for a middle income two,pearson
family ($20,000 per year) would take nine percent of the income. According to the 1980
census, there are q65 poverty level children in Albemarle County. There are 1,016 families
with children under 18 years of age in the poverty level. Of those families, 228 are house-
holds headed by females with children under six years of age. The United Way program presently
serves approximately 27 Albemarle County children. With extra support, the scholarship
program could increase that number by 20 or more. The reason there are only nine children on
the waiting list from Albemarle County is because the program cannot be advertised due to
lack of funds. Mrs. VanYahres said the scholarship program meats many objectives of the
Working Parents Committee. It enables people to remain employed. Scholarships are given
only to people who are working or who are in vocational training. The scholarship program is
not a "hand~out" program. Every family must contribute something. The children are only
placed in approved day care facilities. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal,
a recent twenty~two year study of pre-school children discovered that children with preeshho~l
education stayed in school longer, earned a greater salary, committed fewer crimes, used less
public money in welfare and educational aids. It was found that the benefit was seven times
the cost. Investing in people is a long-term investment and it will pay off for Albemarle
County.
Mr. Joseph Gibson said he had been associated with the Westminster Child Day Care Center
for many years. He said the center has no affiliation with a church although it does rent
the building from the Church. It is a very well managed, solvent, non-profit organization.
It subsidizes those people who cannot afford its services by charging according to the families
incomes. Those people who pay~over the cost of child care are subsidizing those who cannot
afford the cost of care. That is an indirect tax to those people who over pay for benefits
that they do not get individually. They get no contribution or deduction. Mr. Gibson
mentioned one single mother who has three children and walks six miles to work each day. She
has one child at the center. Her options to working are to take her other two children out
of school to let them baby sit or go on welfare. Mr. Gibson commended her for working because
her children will not witness her being on welfare and they continue their education. He
said the scholarship program was not asking for additional dollars, but substitute dollars.
Money spent on welfare would go to pay for day care subsidy which would allow children to
have a meaningful education and allow the parent to work and preserve their individual dignity.
Mr. Gibson asked the Board to help the scholarship program help people to help themselves.
He said the long-range benefits in money, pride and citizenship are self-evident and asked
if the Board did not fund the $10,900 requested, to at least make a substantial contribution.
Mr. Francis Fife was next to speak. He said he assumed the Board was going to appropriate
approximately $35 million for education. What the Board has heard from supporters of child
care scholarships is that many Children will be able to avail themselves of that education.
He said it seems to him that $10,900 is not a lot of money to spend to assure that those
children will be able to get to the $35 million education.
Mr. Lindstrom said the argument regarding economics is very persuasive and he expects to
support the program next week.
Agenda Item No. qe. Public Safety. There was no one present to speak on this subject.
Agenda Item No.
this subject.
Revenue Sharing Agreement.
There was no one present to speak on
Agenda Item No. qg.
subject.
Self-Sustaining Funds.
There was no one present to speak on this
Agenda Item No. 4h. Other.
public hearing was closed.
There being no one to speak further on .the budget, .the
,. 200
April 3, 1985 (Regular Night Meeti~ng),
Agenda Item No. 5. Tax Increase Caused by Reassessment of Real Property. (Notice of
this item was Published in the Daily Progress'on March 23, 1985, as required by Virginia Code
Section 58-785.1.) The public hearing was opened and there being no one persent to s.peak,
the public hearing was closed.
Mr. Fisher asked the members of the Board i.f they had any statements to be made regar'd~ing
the public hearing. There being no comments from the Board, Mr. Fisher asked fo~ a motion to
defer Agenda Items 4 and 5 to the meeting of April 10, 1985. Mr. Lindstrom made a motion ~
that effect which was seconded by Mrs. Cooke and the motion carried by the following recorded
vote:
AYES:
NAYS:
Mr. Bowie, Mrs. Cooke, Messrs. Fisher, Henley, Lindstrom and Way.
None.
Mr. Fisher expressed the. Board's gratitude to the staff members who have worked on the~
budget for the past year.
Agenda Item No. 6. SP-856. William Stevenson/Alton Martin. To locate a drive-in
window for video and music sales. Property at the intersection of Georgetown and Hydraulic
Roads. (Deferred from March 20, 198'5.)
Mr. James R. Donnelly, Director of Planning and Community Development,. read the staf~'~
report as follows: ~
"ATTENTION: Patricia Cooke
Dear Ms. Cooke:
Reference to request by William Stevenson/Alton Martin to locate a Drive-In Window
for sales of video and music, on the east side of Georgetown Road (Rt. 656)
and Hydraulic Road (Rt. 743), County Tax Map 61, Parcel 40, Charlottesville
District.
Location of the above mentioned drive'in window for sales of video and music
is protested by the residents and management of Arbor'[Crest Apartments. This
is a quiet community built for adults 55 years old and over and we feel that
this kind of business would cause the following problems for the residents:
The added traffic woul.d create a real hardship for the residents who use
and depend upon the bus transit service which picks up and discharges
passengers at the Georgetown Road/Hydraulic Road stop light. It is
already difficult at certain times of the day to _cross at this inter-
section, and with the addition of drive-in window sales, traffic would
make it almost impossible to cross at any given time of the day.
Traffic would also present a dangerous condition whereby residents would
have a very difficult time entering and leaving Arbor Crest Drive.
If drive-in window is open during evening hours it will create a lot of
undesirable noise from customers playing radios/stereos in the auto-
mobiles entering and leaving - also, it is reasonable to assume that the
added traffic will cause noises.
It would be greatly appreciated by all concerned if the Board of Supervisors
of Albemarle County would take into consideration the concerns of the residents
and management of Arbor Crest Apartments'when making a decision of locating a
drive-in window for sales of video and music in this district.
Sincerely,
(Signed) Ruby D. Furr
Rental Manager"
Mr. Fisher then referred to a letter from Mr. Daniel Roosevelt, Resident Engineer of the
Department of Highways and Transportation dated March 7, 1985, regarding access to the drive2
in window site as follows:
"2a. Burr Video and Record Klosk Site Plan~ Route 74~: To provide adequate
access to this site will require a modification to the traffic signal at this
intersection. As part of previous right of way agreements for this site, the
Department will be responsible for the modifications to the signal system."
At this point, Mr. Fisher opened the public hearing.
Mr. Jon Burr was present to represent the application. There being no questions or
comments from the Board or the public, the public hearing was closed.
Mr. Lindstrom asked Mr. Donnelly what uses are permitted by right under C-1 zoning.
Mr. Donnelly said he did not have an ordinance with him, but basically C-1 zoning is intended
to encourage development that might be found in a central business district such as indoor
retail type businesses.
Mr. Lindstrom noted that this property is surrounded by residential zoning and asked for
some history of the property that would explain how it came to be zoned C-1. Mrs. Cooke asked
if there was not a residence there at one time. Mr. Donnelly said the property is vacant.
Mr. St. John said the property is already zoned for the requested use except for the drive-in
window. Mr. Donnelly said any dristan window must be approved by a special permit.
April 3, 1985 (Regular Night Meeting)
201
Mr. Lindstrom said the present zoning is part of a mistake made in 1980 when the zoning
map Was reVised by continuing some of the zoning classifications in existence at that time.
He said he is concerned about the hours of operation, visual lighting and noise impact. He
said he would like to have screening on all sides of the property to block light from residen-
tial areas and that the hours of operation be limited from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on week
days. Mr. Lindstrom then made a motion to approve SP-85-6 with conditions o£ the Planning
Commission~amended as follows:
l)
3)
Development in general accordance with site plan submitted on February 19, 1985.
Hours of operation limited to 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday through
Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Adequate screening to be planted and/or erected to block lights from
adjoining property.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Way and carried by the following recorded vote:
AYES:
NAYS:
Mr. Bowie, Mrs. Cooke, Messrs. Fisher, Henley, Lindstrom and Way.
None.
Agenda Item No. 7. Appointments.
Mr. Fisher referred to notification from the Thomas Jefferson Housing Improvements
Corporation that the term of Ms. Jill Pope has expired and she has moved out of town. Mr.
Fisher said he had not seen a letter of resignation from Ms. Pope and asked that the Clerk
confirm this through the VACo office where Ms. Pope works before the Board appoints someone
to this position. He then asked that this matter be placed on the agenda of April 10.
Mr. Fisher said he had received notification that Charlottesville City Council has voted
to appoint Mr. George Prill as the joint appointee on the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport
Comm~ission. Mr. Agnor .said Mr. Prill is currently a County appointee on the Commission. As
a joint appointee, he would be the third member of the Airport Authority Board. Mr. Agnor
recommended that the Board concur wi~h the City's appointment of Mr. Prill as the Joint
appointee to the Joint Airport Commission and that the vacancy created by this change be
advertised.
Motion was made by Mr. Way to appoint Mr. Prill as the joint appointee to the Charlottes-
ville-Albemarle Airport Commission with a term to expire on December l, 1987. The motion was
seconded by Mr. Lindstrom and carried by the following recorded vote:
AYES:
NAYS:
Mr. Bowie, Mrs. Cooke, Messrs. Fisher, Henley, Lindstrom and Way.
None.
Item No. 8. Other Matters Not on the Agenda from the Board and Public.
Mr. Way referred to a memorandum dated March 25, 1985, from Mr. Frank Johnstone, Chief
of Police, concerning potential problems regarding drunken driving, littering, drug use and
abuse, etc. in the vicinity of the Pancake Falls area of the Hardware River. Mr. Way said it
is his understanding that funds have been appropriated for installation of a guardrail along
Route 631. He said with the coming of good weather, action should be taken as soon as
possible because people are already beginning to gather there. Mr. Agnor said Mr. Maynard
Elrod, County Engineer, has been working with the Highway Department staff in that regard and
a report is expected on the agenda of the April l0 meeting.
Agenda Item No. 9. Adjournment.
meeting was adjourned at 10:35 p.m.
With no further business to come before the Board, the