Calendar
Thursday, August 19
12:00 pm - Restructuring Government Committee Meeting, Room CH-14 (MEETING CANCELLED) AGENDA: City Manager's Evaluation
Monday, August 23
12:00 pm - Agenda Briefing, Room 280
1:30 pm - Transportation Committee Meeting, Rooms 270/271. AGENDA: Connectivity; Transportation Priority Planning
5:00 pm - Council Manager Dinner Briefing, Room 267
6:30 pm - Citizen's Forum, Meeting Chamber
Wednesday, August 25
8:00 am - Mayor's Task Force on Cultural Facilities Meeting, Room 280
2:00 pm - Retirement Reception for Vi Lyles, Council Chamber
5:30 pm - MTC Meeting, Rooms 270/271
Information Items:
Contracts Awarded by City Manager June 2004 Report
Staff Resource: John Trunk, 704-336-5195
Council member Tabor had a question about the June 2004 Report that list contracts awarded between the amounts of $50,000 - $100,000. In the report it appeared that two separate contracts were awarded to Canberra Dover, Inc. for radiation detectors. Staff reviewed the report and it appears that there was an error.
One purchase order was issued to Pulcir, Inc. in the amount of $67,175.00 for radiation detection equipment. A second purchase order was issued to Canberra Dover in the amount of $59,279.00 for radiation monitoring equipment. These are two separate legitimate purchases to two different vendors. The June 2004 Report listed incorrectly that the two purchases as made to the same company. Attached is a correct version of the report.
We apologize for the inaccuracy of the report. A process has been implemented to ensure accuracy of the report in the future.
Concerns of Eastside Neighborhoods
Staff Resource: Stanley Watkins, 704-336-3796
On August 4, 2004 the City Manager and other City and County staff met with Eastside Neighborhood leaders regarding quality of life issues facing their neighborhoods. The key issues they identified include: code enforcement, zoning violations, ordinances and communication. Attached is a draft summary list of all the issues that were raised.
The concerns were recorded and sorted by accountability - City, County and private sector. Staff has been examining the issues by Policy (may require action by City Council or County Commission) and Operational (may be addressed by changes in departmental procedures or operations). While some of the issues will require appropriate policy or operational solutions to resolve, some short-term issues are already being addressed.
City and County staff are meeting to identify action steps, accountabilities and possible solutions for each issue raised. A follow-up meeting with the Eastside Neighborhoods is planned for the first week in October.
2004 General Airport Revenue Bonds
Staff Resource: T. J. Orr, 704-359-4006
Fitch, Inc., Moody's Investor's Services, and Standard & Poor's have all given an investment grade rating to the $171 million Series 2004 General Airport Revenue Bonds to be issued by the City of Charlotte on August 25. Fitch rated the Bonds A with stable outlook. Moodys rated the bonds A3 with stable outlook. Standard & Poor's rated the Bonds A- with stable outlook. Standard and Poor's had previously rated existing Airport Revenue Bonds as A with a negative outlook. In changing the rating, S&P representatives cited uncertainties in the future of US Airways. In improving the outlook from negative to stable, however, S&P gave recognition to the strength of the local economy, the demand for local air service, the Airport's ability to keep operating costs down and profits high, and the low airline rentals and landing fees at the Airport.
The bonds are to be issued to complete Phase II of a program of improvements identified in the Airport's 1997 Master Plan. Phase I was completed with proceeds of the Series 1999 Revenue Bonds. That project included the construction of Concourse "E" and the purchase of land for the third parallel runway. Phase II will pay for the cost of designing the runway, other airfield and terminal projects, a new parking garage, and additional airport roadways among other needed projects. Phase III will be actual construction of the runway, which will commence in 2005.
The Airport is in the process of imposing a $3 Passenger Facility Charge (PFC), which will be used to pay Airport Revenue Bond Debt Service.
The 2004 Bonds have been approved by a Majority In Interest of the Signatory Airlines at Charlotte. That means that these six airlines (American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways) each and collectively guarantee to pay the City enough money to pay the debt service on the bonds.
The 2004 Bonds are also to be insured by the Municipal Bond Insurance Association.
CATS Service Adjustment Effective October 4, 2004
Staff Resource: Keith Parker, 704-336-3855
On Monday, October 4, 2004, the Charlotte Area Transit System plans to adjust service on route 233 Tryon Hills.
The current route 233 Tryon Hills is among the lowest ridership routes in the CATS system. In an effort to rejuvenate interest in the service, the CATS Service Development Team investigated ridership patterns and initiated talks with representatives of the CPCC Northeast Campus. These efforts resulted in the new plan, which calls for the elimination of the low ridership section of the route from Johnston YMCA to the Tryon Hills area. Route 22 Graham Street and 11 North Tryon provide alternative services to residents in these areas.
The new plan for route 233 calls for service from the Johnston YMCA with an extension to the CPCC Northeast Campus by way 36th street,
Plaza Road, Eastway Drive, North Tryon, Orr Road and Grier Road. Key activity centers along the planned alignment include the Johnston YMCA, the BiLo Store near Eastway and The Plaza, North Park Mall and the CPCC Northeast Campus.
CATS staff held a public meeting to discuss this plan with existing customers of route 233. The meeting was advertised in the newspaper with additional information provided to customers on board buses. Unfortunately, the meeting was not well attended, which is likely due to the fact that ridership is very low.
At this time CATS anticipates the implementation of the new alignment for route 233 Tryon Hills effective October 4, 2004.
Sewer Line Permit Suspension To be lifted for McDowell Basin
Staff Resource: Doug Bean, 704-391-5070
In June 2003, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities temporarily suspended accepting applications for sewer line extension in the McDowell Creek drainage basin (Huntersville, Cornelius, and Davidson area) due to concerns about potentially exceeding the treatment plant capacity. For several years Utilities had been working to complete permitting for an expansion of the McDowell Wastewater Treatment Plant. Due to regulatory delays in obtaining the permits, a temporary halt in new sewer permits became necessary. During the past year, Utilities obtained all of the necessary permits to expand the treatment plant, and obtained a new operating permit for the existing plant that allows some additional treatment capacity. A construction contract for the plant expansion was awarded in June 2004, and work is currently under way.
During the past year, Utilities has also completed the installation of two large sewer lines, which removed almost 1 million gallons per day of flow from the McDowell plant and sent it to the Cabarrus County treatment plant in accordance with our regional agreement with Cabarrus County.
Upon careful review of current flows into the McDowell plant and the potential growth over the next two years while the plant expansion is being completed, it has been determined that adequate capacity is available to reinstate the issuance of sewer line extension permits in the McDowell drainage basin. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities intends to begin issuing sewer line permits for the basin effective August 30, 2004.
CATS Administrative Offices in Uptown Area
Staff Resource: Ron Tober, 704-336-7245
At its meeting this month, the Metropolitan Transit Commission will be receiving an update on the possible acquisition of the vacant Home Federal Building on S. Tryon Street in the Uptown area to house CATS administrative offices in the future. The possibility of acquiring this building has been on the MTC's agenda for the past two months as reported to the Council in the monthly summaries of these meetings.
CATS has been planning for its administrative offices for some time now. Having its administrative offices in a more centralized location in property which it owns will help CATS reduce its costs by reducing the use of leased space, allow more of the office space cost to be eligible for federal funding and increase space available in the CMGC to other departments.
The effort to identify a future location for centralizing CATS administrative offices actually began a year ago, when two actions were taken:
- In July 2003, City Council approved a process for development of Arena Out-Parcel 3. Included in that process was an intent to explore the placement of CATS' administrative offices in the office building to be developed on Parcel 3;
- On September 17, 2003 the MTC unanimously adopted the following six criteria relative to the CATS' administrative office space:
1. Locate CATS administrative and planning offices in downtown Charlotte at the center of the transit system and help enhance downtown employment.
Rationale: The approved transit plan has five corridors which all come together in the Uptown area. As such, Uptown will be the most accessible location via public transit for both members of the public and transit employees. Placing the transit system's offices in one corridor rather than at the center of the system would benefit people in that corridor to the detriment of people in the other corridors. Further, the success of the future five corridor transit is very much dependent on downtown area employment growing to 90-100,000 by 2025 to support the investment in rapid transit. Given this critical linkage, locating the transit system's offices anywhere but in the downtown area is self-defeating. Finally, locating the offices in the downtown will help achieve the objectives that are embedded in criteria 2. and 3. below.
2. Locate the offices close to planned transit system improvements to facilitate CATS staff usage and observation of the system.
Rationale: The employees of the transit system should be regular users of the system to monitor its operations from the customer's perspective and to set an example for others to follow.
3. Locate the offices with convenient access to CMGC for interaction with staff in related functions within City and County government.
Rationale: CATS will continue to function as an enterprise department within the City and will require close involvement and communication with other City departments (i.e. Planning, CDOT and Engineering and Property Management) and the Manager's Office as well as certain County government functions.
4. Provide adequate space to centralize CATS administrative and planning staff in one location to maximize efficiency and communication.
Rationale: See number 5 below.
5. Provide the flexibility to meet the expected increase in space needs over the next 10-15 years as the transit system is expanded.
Rationale: CATS staff is currently spread over three floors in CMGC and at two other outside locations, one in the Uptown and the other off Park Rd. None of these locations has much if any space available to handle the expansion in staff that will be needed to effectively plan, design and administer the expanded transit system of the future. A centralized office with 50-60,000 square feet is what will be required within the 10-15 year time horizon.
6. Maximize the cost-effectiveness of CATS office space.
Rationale: The plan is for CATS to own its office space which will save a significant amount of money versus continuing to rent space over the long term.
In May 2004 staff determined that Arena Out-Parcel 3 was not the most cost-effective location of CATS' office space and CATS began evaluating sites that fulfilled the criteria established by the MTC. The current focus on the Home Federal Building came about as a result of that evaluation, and Home Federal emerged as the most desirable site following the evaluation. At the present time, staff is completing a due diligence process on the Home Federal Building property. It is now expected that this due diligence process will not be completed until September or later than previously thought.
Recently, some members of the Council have expressed concern about locating the CATS offices in the downtown area versus locating them in a transit corridor to help spur transit station area development. Because of this concern, we thought it would be beneficial for Council to have a more thorough understanding of the actions taken to date on this project and the reasons for these actions. Your representatives to the MTC and staff will keep you informed of the actions taken at the MTC relative to the CATS administrative office space.
