Calendar Details:
Monday, March 9
3:30pm - Transportation Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: Arrowood Transit Station Area Plan, Review and recommendations for a directed MUMPO vote on actions related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Federal Stimulus Bill)
5:00pm - Council Dinner Briefing, Room 267
6:00pm - Council Business Meeting, Council Chamber
Wednesday, March 11
12:00pm - Housing & Neighborhood Development Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: 2010 & FY2011 Focus Area Plan, 2009 Neighborhood Symposium Update, February 25th Follow Up Report
1:30pm - Budget Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: Proposed March 25th Budget Retreat Agenda, General Fund Revenue Update, Financial Partners and Outside Agencies
Agenda Notes:
Agenda Item # 11: MUMPO 2009-2015 Transportation Improvement Program Amendment
Staff Resources:
Danny Pleasant, CDOT, 704-336-3879, dpleasant@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Attached is an amended Item #11 for Monday's agenda regarding directing the vote of the City's MUMPO Representative. This matter will be considered by the Transportation Committee at its meeting at 3:30 Monday. The Committee Chair will review with the City Council the Committee's recommendations for directing the vote of the MUMPO Representative. The attachments referenced in the RCA are also attached in this document.
As a footnote, there has been discussion of using stimulus money for completing the I-485 loop. At this point, we do not believe I-485 is eligible for stimulus funding due to restrictions in federal law related to updating the TIP. We would also be concerned about using funds distributed through the state's Equity Formula for a loop project, which normally would be funded outside the equity formula.
We understand from NCDOT staff that they are working to select other projects for the second wave of the stimulus funds and are developing the details of other funding for 485.
Agenda Item # 13: State Transportation Equity Formula
Staff Resource:
Dennis Marstall, Mayor's Office, 704-336-3980, dmarstall@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Attached is a revised Request for Council Action for item #13 on Monday's Council Business Meeting agenda.
Information Items:
Homeless Prevention Fund
Staff Resource: Stanley Watkins, Neighborhood and Economic Development, 704-336-3796, swatkins@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development initially posted this program as the Emergency Shelter Grant on its web site, but now has corrected it to be the Homeless Prevention Fund.
At the City Council's Budget Retreat on March 4, 2009, the program was presented as the Emergency Shelter Grant, which is a grant program that the City currently receives funding for that can be used for rehabilitation of shelter space, operations and maintenance of shelter facilities, essential supportive services, homeless prevention and grant administration.
We now understand that the Homeless Prevention Fund is a new program that provides financial assistance and services to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless and help those who are experiencing homelessness to quickly be re-housed and stabilized. The funding can be used for short-term and medium-term rental assistance and relocation and stabilization services, which include mediation, credit counseling, security or utility deposits, utility payments, moving cost assistance, and case management.
The City of Charlotte is expected to receive $1.9 million as a direct grant from the new program and the State of North Carolina is receiving about $22 million. The City must spend 60% of the funds within two years of obligation of the funds and 100% of the funds within three years.
City staff met with Mecklenburg County and State representatives to discuss the parameters of the program this past week. We will meet with members of the Homeless Network next week to provide an overview of the new program. Final federal rules governing the program are expected to be released on March 19, 2009. City staff plans to work closely with the homeless community in final design of the local program. The City Council will have to amend its Consolidated Plan and hold a public hearing before the program is implemented.
Transition of Video Service Franchising Authority and Related Services
Staff Resource:
Chuck Robinson, Business Support Services, 704-432-3539, clrobinson@ci.charlotte.nc.us
In 2006, the North Carolina General Assembly passed the Video Competition Act (S.L. 2006-151), a law that provided for the transfer of franchising and other regulatory authority from local governments to the State. Under the Act, current local video franchise agreements remained in place until either: (a) the agreement termination date; or (b) a video service competitor began offering services in the franchised area. At the time the Act became effective, the City had one active franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable that was due to expire in May 2010.
Last December we advised the Mayor and Council that on November 13, 2008, AT&T had filed a request for a State Video Franchise with the North Carolina Secretary of State for an area that included the entire city limits. On December 15, 2008, AT&T filed a Notice of Service with the Secretary of State. These two actions triggered Time Warner Cable's right to terminate its franchise with the City based on there being a video service competitor offering services within Time Warner Cable's franchise area. On January 26, 2009, Time Warner Cable notified the City that the company was terminating their City franchise effective January 31, 2009.
With the termination of all local franchise agreements, most of the responsibilities of the Office of Cable Franchise Management (OCFM), an office of the Business Support Services (BSS) business unit, have now been transferred to the State. The responsibilities that remain with the City include:
- Referral of citizen complaints to the appropriate Federal, State or local agency;
- Management of rights-of-way issues associated with video service providers;
- Providing coordination for local public, education, and government access channels with video service providers; and,
- Internal services associated with provisioning of basic video services to public buildings.
Despite these remaining responsibilities, these changes will reduce resource requirements for BSS. The associated budget impacts will be reflected in the FY2010 Budget request.
Monthly Project Update for the NASCAR Hall of Fame
Staff Resource:
Jim Schumacher, City Manager's Office, 704-336-3656, jschumacher@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Attached is the March edition of the Project Update newsletter for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. At Council's request, this document will be provided to City Council each month through completion of the project. It includes a table of expenditures to date, key milestones completed, and a look ahead at upcoming milestones.
Possible City Participation in Earth Hour
Staff Resource:
Julie Burch, City Manager's Office, 704-336-3187, jburch@ci.charlotte.nc.us
At the February 23 Council meeting, Councilmember Edwin Peacock suggested that the City participate in "Earth Hour" and asked the City Manager for an information report on feasibility of the City participating this year.
On Saturday, March 28 at 8:30pm, cities from across the world will participate in "Earth Hour," a program sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund. Earth Hour encourages cities, businesses, and citizens to take the initiative to turn off their lights for one hour in order to make a global statement of concern regarding climate change, conservation of limited energy supplies, and demonstrate a commitment towards finding sustainable energy solutions. Earth Hour began in 2007 with 2.2 million homes switching off their lights in Sydney, Australia. Last year Earth Hour expanded across the globe to reach 50 million people. The key cities in the United States participating include: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York and San Francisco.
Several cities have participated in this initiative for the past two years and have invested resources in broad public information efforts to encourage resident and business participation across their communities. Given the time available and existing City resources, if Charlotte participates in Earth Hour this year, staff would suggest a very modest effort be undertaken. Staff would suggest a focus on encouraging Uptown business and resident participation as well as the City leading by example by turning off non-essential lighting in our Uptown facilities, i.e. the CMGC, Old City Hall and the CMPD Headquarters. Public information would be provided thru media releases and information and links on the City's website.
For this one hour on March 28, exterior/interior lighting in the Government Center, Old City Hall and portions of the exterior lighting of CMPD headquarters could be turned off. On a normal weekend, electricity usage in the CMGC and Old City Hall is limited already, so it would not cause an impact on services or cause any additional workload for building maintenance staff. All essential lighting would remain for operations at the Police headquarters. Street lights would remain fully functioning at all times to ensure public safety would not be comprised.
Staff is surveying the City's facilities outside of uptown and asking each facility manager about the impact of limiting their exterior/interior lighting during the designated time period. Since some City operations lease privately-owned space, we cannot mandate participation at all City-occupied facilities. Mecklenburg County indicated they would like to participate within their own facilities. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has been contacted and staff will work with them to determine their interest and level of participation.
Charlotte Center City Partners and Duke Energy have been contacted by staff. The initial reaction from Center City Partners was very supportive and they are in the process of surveying Uptown property owners and managers to gauge their level of interest in participating. Staff is waiting to hear back from Duke Energy representative about their interest. We are also asking them to address a specific Council member question about any potential stress to the power grid when lights are turned back on at 9:30 p.m. that evening.
Staff will provide Council with an update next week.
