Information Items:
Changes in Garbage Collection Schedule
Staff Resource: Wayman Pearson, 704-336-3410
With conditions on secondary roads and neighborhood streets showing little improvement, Solid Waste Services canceled collection services on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Garbage and recycling collection will resume on Thursday, January 29, 2004. Yard waste and bulky item collection have been suspended for the week of January 26, 2004. Bulky items previously scheduled for collection this week will be rescheduled to the week of February 2, 2004.
When collection resumes on Thursday, crews will operate on a normal schedule, collecting Thursday and Friday routes on Thursday and Friday. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday customers will be collected on their scheduled collection day beginning the week of Monday, February 2, 2004. Residents are being reminded that extra garbage must be bagged and placed neatly beside the rollout cart for collection.
Snow and Ice Policy - Residential Streets
Staff Resource: Layton Lamb, 704-336-5128
This week's weather has prompted questions about the City's Snow and Ice Policy related to residential streets. The policy states the priority for plowing and salting of streets as follows:
- City and State Thoroughfares: approximately 1500 lane miles with emphasis on clearing all lanes, emergency service routes, for example, hospitals and fire stations
- CATS Routes: to provide public transportation
- City streets providing access to schools
- Residential Streets with persistent icing problems
Another priority criteria includes residential streets where people have medical needs such as dialysis or home health care. After covering these areas, remaining residential streets are addressed on an as needed basis. In this week's storm, problem specific residential street salting and plowing began on Tuesday and will continue on Wednesday on an as needed basis.
The City's policy regarding salting or plowing neighborhood streets has been in effect for over 20 years. Over the years, the issue has been revisited several times. When the startup and operating costs are evaluated, the decision has been made to continue the current policy. In 90% to 95% of Charlotte snowstorms, temperatures after the storm rise to 45 to 55 degrees in a few days and neighborhood icing resolves itself.
The City's worst storms are those with ice or snow on the streets and temperatures that dip below 20 degrees at night and remain below freezing for several days. Historically this happens in about 5% to 10% of our storms.
A proactive neighborhood salting and plowing operation that would complete all residential salting and plowing within three days of a storm similar to this one is estimated to have a start up cost of between $1.2 and $1.5 million and an operating cost of $200,000 or approximately 50% of our current operating cost. The cost of this week's storm is an estimated $450,000.
Merger of Convention Center Authority and Visit Charlotte
Staff Resource: Ron Kimble, 704-336-4169
Due to the cancellation of the January 26, 2004 City Council meeting, the City Manager is referring the proposed merger of the Convention Center Authority and Visit Charlotte to the Restructuring Government Committee for consideration at its February 19 Committee meeting.
The item would then be placed on the February 23 agenda for action by the City Council. The proposed merger has been embraced by all of the key players in the hospitality industry and official votes by Convention Center Authority and Visit Charlotte will happen prior to February 19.
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)
Staff Resource: John Palmieri, 704-432-1397
We have entered into an agreement to work with the Centralina Council of Governments (COG) in securing grant funding from the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the development of a regional comprehensive economic development strategy. Such a strategy will qualify the City for grant funding administered by the EDA and demonstrate the City's commitment to the identification of regional strategies for economic development growth.
The COG has submitted a grant request to the EDA for $100,000 and is required by statute to match this grant in order to qualify. We have agreed to contribute $20,000 to this effort, as has Mecklenburg County government. This contribution, coupled with the COG's in-kind contribution of $40,000, and an anticipated State of N.C. and workforce development fund contribution of $20,000 will provide the match necessary to qualify for the EDA grant.
The grant will make possible the preparation of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the nine county region, building on the work done by seven counties to date. The strategy will merge this seven county information with information for the remaining two counties, to provide a regional strategy document that identifies and evaluates regional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Further, the document will focus on the key regional clusters that drive the economy, and prioritize projects identified in the county strategies. The final strategy, serving as a bridge between existing documents, will include an action plan and evaluation mechanism.
The EDA supports the regional approach identified to formulate the strategy and is expected to review the request and make a decision within the next 60 days. Once approved, plan development is expected to take place between March and July of 2004.
Scholastic Arts Program Video Wins Emmy
Staff Resource: Julie Hill, 704-336-4098
The Government Channel was awarded an Emmy this past weekend at The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' 18th Annual
Regional Midsouth Emmy Awards in Nashville. The Emmy was received for "I Create - Voices of a New World," a mini documentary on The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, 2002. The video was produced in partnership with Charlotte-
Douglas International Airport with assistance from Scholastic Corporate Productions in New York and Dean Johns, Visual Arts Specialist for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The six-month-long project shows the entire process of creating art from the initial concept to the final award ceremony.
Steve Rogers and John Bultman with The Government Channel were responsible for creating the visual magic that won the Informational/Instructional category. Awards were handed out in 59 categories from 760 entries.
The audience for this video ranges from the young artists and writers themselves (12-18 years old) to their parents, teachers, invited guests and future benefactors. Twelve Charlotte students participating in the Scholastic Arts Program, their parents and teachers were interviewed for the video. The video was shown at the National Awards Ceremony at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, June 15, 2002 and has run on The Government Channel.
Landscaping in Queens Road Medians
Staff Resource: Don McSween, 704-336-5752
The Landscape Management Division began a study of the Queens Road and Queens Road West median plantings last year. Although many trees have been removed and replaced over the years, the last major planting project for these medians was over twenty years ago.
After an assessment of the condition of trees and plants in the medians by the City Arborist and independent arborists, a plan was developed working with a landscape designer, HadenStanziale. The plan removes thirty-nine Yoshino cherries, one Willow Oak, and the azalea beds that are in severe decline. Cars, insects, disease, and last year's ice storm have caused major damage to these trees.
All trees removed will be replaced and additional plantings installed for a total of sixty-one Yoshino cherries, and fifteen (15) Willow Oaks. Other landscape enhancements will be made to these medians as well.
Plans for the median plantings were presented to the Myers Park Homeowner's Association Board for their review and input. As a result of the City's plans, the Association is investigating other landscape improvements they may consider funding. City Council awarded the project to Barringer and Barringer at the January 12, 2004 Council meeting and construction is scheduled to begin in early February 2004.
