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Council Manager Memo #49 - July 15, 2005

Calendar:

Information Items:
    
Charlotte Neighborhood Fund Request for Proposals - Referral to Committee
     -  Bicycle Friendly Community
     -  Assault on Special Transportation Service Employee - Update
     -  Solid Waste Service Rollout Cart Restriction
     -  SBE Loan Program Quarterly Update
     -  Urban League of the Central Carolinas, Inc.
     -  Water Haven Subdivision Construction
     -  Charlotte Arena Project Monthly Expenditures

Attachments:
     -  July and August Calendars
     -  Arena Monthly Expenditure Report
     -  City Contrancts for June 2005


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Calendar:
Monday, July 18
       3:30 p.m.  - Mayor/Council Discussion of City Manager's Evaluation, Room 280
       4:30 p.m. -  Mayor Council/Manager  Discussion of City Manager's Performance, Room 280
       5:30 p.m. -  Council Manager Dinner Briefing, Room CH-14
       6:00 p.m. -  Zoning Meeting, Meeting Chamber

Tuesday, July 19
     12:00 p.m. -  Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee Meeting, Room 280.  AGENDA:  First Ward Park RFP;  Charlotte Neighborhood Fund RFP
Wednesday, July 20
       4:40 p.m. -  Economic Development and Planning Committee Meeting, Room 267  AGENDA: Cultural Facilities Request
       7:00 p.m. -  MUMPO Meeting, Room 267

Saturday, July 23
     10:00 a.m. -  National Night Out/CMPD Teleconference, CMPD Headquarters
 

Information Items:
Charlotte Neighborhood Fund Request for Proposals - Referral to Committee
Staff Resource: Pam Syfert, 704-336-3185

On April 25, 2005 City Council approved a competitive Request for Proposal process for soliciting Community Development Corporations (CDC) to participate in the Charlotte Neighborhood Fund in FY2006. The Council action requested that information about the CDCs selected be shared when Council approves the contract with the North Carolina Community Development Initiative (NCCDI) to administer the Charlotte Neighborhood Fund.

Due to limited time on the July 25 Dinner Meeting agenda and City Council's summer schedule, the City Manager is referring the CDC selection and Charlotte Neighborhood Fund FY06 contract with NCCDI to the Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee. The Committee will consider this item at its meeting on July 19 with a recommendation for action by City Council on July 25.


Bicycle Friendly Community
Staff Resource: Ken Tippette, 704-336-2278

The City of Charlotte has been recognized by the League of American Bicyclists for a designation of Honorable Mention as a Bicycle Friendly Community. According to the League, "Charlotte is a major US city that has been built almost exclusively during the automobile era, and yet is making great strides towards retrofitting bicycling back into its community infrastructure."

The Honorable Mention designation is presented only to communities on the cusp of earning a Bicycle Friendly Community award. The Bicycle Friendly Community Awards, given at levels from Bronze to Platinum, recognize those communities that are improving conditions for bicyclists and bicycling safety.


Assault on Special Transportation Service Employee - Update
Staff Resource: Pete Wallace, 704-366-3860

STS customer Rusty Loudermilk was temporarily suspended from using STS services in the wake of his being charged with of assault on a female STS driver. The suspension began on May 12, 2005.

A decision was made to resume Mr. Loudermilk's STS privileges under a six month probationary status beginning Monday, June 27, 2005, and a registered letter to that effect was mailed on June 21, 2005.

Mr. Loudermilk was notified that any subsequent violation of either the CATS Rider's Code of Conduct - Charlotte Code Section 15-4, or the guidelines set forth in the STS Riders' Guide could result in the immediate and permanent suspension of his STS privileges.

Mr. Loudermilk signed for the registered letter on June 24, 2005; however, he has not contacted STS to date to schedule any STS rides.


Solid Waste Service Rollout Cart Restriction
Staff Resource: Wayman J. Pearson, 704-336-3410

Solid Waste Services (SWS) is implementing a new policy that will define more clearly how City residents can use rollout garbage carts. Under the policy, residents of a single-family household will only be able to place a maximum of two rollout carts at the curb for garbage collection. The policy provides that if a resident places more than two carts at the curb, only two of the carts would receive service.

Approximately 193,452 single-family residential households receive curbside garbage collection. Included in this total are 14,050 households that have two rollout carts and 1,053 households with 3 or more rollouts. The actual number of locations with multiple carts is higher due to rollout cart theft. There were 880 reported cart thefts in FY04 and 955 in FY05. SWS will also increase efforts to recover and remove from circulation, stolen or non-City issued carts.

To allow time for transition, the effective date for the cart restriction policy will be August 15, 2005. Residents impacted by the new cart restriction policy or cart improvement efforts will receive notification by direct mail. Residents will be advised of other waste collection options, such as recycling and bulky item collection, that are available to supplement their disposal needs. Limiting the number of carts placed curbside and removing unauthorized carts will help ensure the continuous delivery of quality solid waste service at a competitive cost.


SBE Loan Program Quarterly Update
Staff Resources: Richard Bargoil, 704-336-2142 and Dale Harrold, 704-409-5915

The SBE Loan Fund has been in operation since September 2003. The Fund, administered by Self Help Credit Union, is overseen by an Operating Committee comprised of investors in the Fund, including the City. To date, City representation on the Committee has been provided by Richard Bargoil in Economic Development.

In addition, the City has the option of appointing two additional stakeholder representatives to the committee. The Mayor and Council will be asked to appoint these two stakeholder members; this request will be coming to the Mayor and Council next month. Staff is working with the City Clerk's office to seek nominations for this committee. Appointees to the committee should have a business financial background preferably with experience in credit analysis. Council member's with possible appointees should refer the prospective applicants to the City Clerk for application forms.

Since the last program update, Self Help Credit Union has approved 5 new loans to small businesses under the SBE Loan Fund for a total of 38 loans. The Fund continues to serve small businesses, particularly minority and women-owned businesses, in need of non-conventional financing for working capital and equipment with an average loan size of $53,657. Finally the 38 small business owners would not have been approved for new business start-up and expansion financing totaling $2,038,960 without the additional collateral provided by the Loan Fund's collateral reserve account.

SBE Loan Fund Activity 6/30/05

Loans closed
Loans pending closing
     Grand Total loans closed and pending

Average loan amount
Amount set-aside in reserve account
Minority-owned businesses
Woman-owned businesses
Start-ups

34 loans/ $1,740,400
  4 loans/ $298,560
38 loans/ $2,038,960


$53,657
$517,090 (1:3.94)
18 loans ($870,000 - 47.4%)
18 loans ($841,000 - 47.4%)
19 loans ($1,021,000 - 50.0%)



Urban League of the Central Carolinas, Inc.
Staff Resources: Richard Bargoil, 704-336-2142

City Council approved a $200,000 loan to Urban League of the Central Carolinas April 26, 1999. The purpose of the loan was to assist in permanent financing of the organization's training/office facility located at 740 West Fifth Street. First Citizens Bank provided $1,700,000 in primary permanent financing for the facility. Terms of the City's loan included a five-year deferral with no interest accruing during the deferment period to be followed by four payments of $50,000 each. Interest at a rate of 3% begins accruing immediately following the first payment due December 31, 2005.

The Urban League has requested that the City defer repayment of the loan for an additional period yet to be determined. Staff is reviewing this request and will have a recommendation for City Council's consideration on the Council's August 22 agenda. A preliminary review of the financials shows that the Urban League does not currently have sufficient income to support repayment of both the First Citizens Bank loan and City loan as structured under the existing loan agreement.

Water Haven Subdivision Construction
Staff Resources: David Weekly, 704-336-4103 and Stephanie Gross, 704-336-4556

In response to concerns from neighbors of the Water Haven Subdivision now under construction on Rumple Road, staff from the Land Development and Storm Water Divisions of City Engineering visited the project site to inspect the work in progress and to investigate concerns expressed by the neighborhood. Our summary report is as follows:

  • Land Development staff has confirmed that subdivision construction is proceeding in compliance with the City-approved subdivision plans and applicable land development regulations.
  • Although Land Development staff found no evidence of failed erosion control measures on the subdivision site or excessive downstream sedimentation related to the subdivision construction, we did identify existing erosion control measures in need of maintenance and areas where erosion control measures could be improved. During a follow-up inspection on July 11, we confirmed that the required maintenance had been performed and erosion control improvements had been implemented.
  • Land Development staff has contacted Mr. Bernie Samonds, President of the Derita-Statesville Road Community Organization, and explained the approved subdivision storm drainage design, the regulations applicable to the development, and confirmed for him that the development is in compliance with the City-approved subdivision plans. We have also confirmed for Mr. Samonds that we are willing to meet with him and/or any concerned neighbors to answer any further questions regarding the subdivision development. (Mr. Samonds previously asked the project engineer to attend a neighborhood meeting with two days notice, and she was unable to do so due to a previous commitment.)
  • Storm Water investigated the existing storm system downstream from Waterhavem. Ridge Lane Rd is drained by roadside ditches, which have always carried runoff from the area that is currently being developed (Waterhaven). The ditch on the west side is vegetated and stable but its capacity to carry storm water runoff is significantly reduced due to several small diameter, partially clogged driveway culverts and sediment accumulation that has occurred over an extended period of time. The reduced ditch capacity problems qualify for assistance from Storm Water Services since runoff from existing public streets is involved in addition to the runoff from the new development. Storm Water Services will immediately utilize Street Maintenance Resources to perform sediment removal from the open ditches and the driveway culverts to improve the ditch conveyance capacity that should help mitigate the runoff impacts from the new development. In addition, Storm Water Services staff will conduct an analysis of the existing drainage system based on the system having been cleaned and graded to the inverts of the existing culverts, to determine the scope of additional improvements necessary to address any design standard deficiencies.

Staff will continue to work with Mr. Samonds as the maintenance work and further studies are completed.


Charlotte Arena Project Monthly Expenditures
Staff Resource: Jim Schumacher, 704-336-3656

Attached is the Monthly Arena Expenditure Report.

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