On April 24 Governor Bob McDonnell is scheduled to be the Special Guest at a fundraiser for Randy Wright's reelection to the Norfolk City Council. It will be from Noon to 1 P.M. at the Bayfront Beach Club in Norfolk. The cost is $150 per person, including heavy hors d'oeuvers.
No, I'm not into promoting political fundraisers. It goes back to the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) trying to make an ideological litmus test out of support for subsidized fixed rail transportation, plus mass transit in general. Republican Governor Bob McDonnell doing a fundraiser for Mr. Light Rail ought to have the breakfast cult spitting up their Kool-Aid. We've had Ken Stolle securing money for the Norfolk Southern Right-Of-Way, not to mention Bob Tata's bill that got the whole Virginia Beach extension process rolling. Now the McDonnell Administration is on board, with Thelma Drake as Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT).
You would think the Deaniacs would get a clue. Nah, they never learn....
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Virginia Beach City Council Strategic Planning Meeting
On Tuesday the Virginia Beach City Council held it's one day midyear strategic planning meeting. Being the midyear, it's largely about tracking progress on the priorities from the previous Summer's two day goal-setting session. However, it did provide updates on some ongoing initiatives, and a few humorous moments.
1. Budget - The Virginian-Pravda has reported the exchange between Councilman Bob Dyer and City Manager Jim Spore over Spore's proposed Budget. Dyer accused Spore of trying to back Council into raising taxes; Spore "deeply resented" Dyer's statement.
However, the part you didn't read in the paper: Dyer was so worked up over the Budget that at the break afterwards, he started heading towards the wrong restroom. I called to him from behind; Rosemary Wilson, heading for the women's room, wondered if he was going to follow her in. In the men's room, I told Bob he had probably made the lead story in the next morning's Hampton Roads section. (Okay, he ended up at the bottom of the page.)
That's as intense as I've ever seen Bob.
2. Animal Shelter - there are essentially two options on the table:
a. In FY 2011 upgrade the existing facility ($185k) and design the new one. Begin building it in FY 2012 modular, core elements first with others added on later.
b. Go full bore in FY 2011.
Jim Wood (a builder) argued Option A; Rita Sweet Bellitto (a civil engineer) argued Option B.
3. Dome site - Michael Jenkins will probably ask the Virginia Beach Development Authority (VBDA) for another extension this month.
4. Light Rail - the mass transit discussion was under a minute. Jim Wood used a number of acronyms that half the people in the room probably didn't understand. The bottom line: the Virginia Beach Transit Extension Study is an ongoing process. Probably no City Council action will be needed until the Spring of 2011, when Council will need to weigh in on the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). (The legal authority for setting the LPA actually rests with the TPO, which must include it in the region's Long Range Plan for it to be eligible for Federal funding.)
5. Norfolk Southern Right-Of-Way - the state is in the process of issuing bonds to cover it's final part in the purchase, which should be closed on this Summer.
6. Strategic Growth Areas (SGAs) - While supporting planning, Vice Mayor Louis Jones wanted to go slow on actual redevelopment of them. He wanted to focus on one or two at a time, singling out (surprise! surprise!) Burton Station in his Bayside District.
7. VBTA puppet Bill DeSteph - Councilman Bill DeSteph repeated the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance's (VBTA) spin on the City Charter limits on annual debt issuance as fact.
When he saw where DeSteph was going, City Attorney Mark Stiles started shaking his head "No". In turn, Stiles set the record straight.
8. Radar Issue - Deputy City Manager Steve Herbert spoke on gap-filler radar, which may be the heart of a compromise on height restrictions in Virginia Beach.
9. Convention Center headquarters hotel - it's on the back burner until the radar issue is tackled and the credit market improves for financing hotels.
1. Budget - The Virginian-Pravda has reported the exchange between Councilman Bob Dyer and City Manager Jim Spore over Spore's proposed Budget. Dyer accused Spore of trying to back Council into raising taxes; Spore "deeply resented" Dyer's statement.
However, the part you didn't read in the paper: Dyer was so worked up over the Budget that at the break afterwards, he started heading towards the wrong restroom. I called to him from behind; Rosemary Wilson, heading for the women's room, wondered if he was going to follow her in. In the men's room, I told Bob he had probably made the lead story in the next morning's Hampton Roads section. (Okay, he ended up at the bottom of the page.)
That's as intense as I've ever seen Bob.
2. Animal Shelter - there are essentially two options on the table:
a. In FY 2011 upgrade the existing facility ($185k) and design the new one. Begin building it in FY 2012 modular, core elements first with others added on later.
b. Go full bore in FY 2011.
Jim Wood (a builder) argued Option A; Rita Sweet Bellitto (a civil engineer) argued Option B.
3. Dome site - Michael Jenkins will probably ask the Virginia Beach Development Authority (VBDA) for another extension this month.
4. Light Rail - the mass transit discussion was under a minute. Jim Wood used a number of acronyms that half the people in the room probably didn't understand. The bottom line: the Virginia Beach Transit Extension Study is an ongoing process. Probably no City Council action will be needed until the Spring of 2011, when Council will need to weigh in on the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). (The legal authority for setting the LPA actually rests with the TPO, which must include it in the region's Long Range Plan for it to be eligible for Federal funding.)
5. Norfolk Southern Right-Of-Way - the state is in the process of issuing bonds to cover it's final part in the purchase, which should be closed on this Summer.
6. Strategic Growth Areas (SGAs) - While supporting planning, Vice Mayor Louis Jones wanted to go slow on actual redevelopment of them. He wanted to focus on one or two at a time, singling out (surprise! surprise!) Burton Station in his Bayside District.
7. VBTA puppet Bill DeSteph - Councilman Bill DeSteph repeated the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance's (VBTA) spin on the City Charter limits on annual debt issuance as fact.
When he saw where DeSteph was going, City Attorney Mark Stiles started shaking his head "No". In turn, Stiles set the record straight.
8. Radar Issue - Deputy City Manager Steve Herbert spoke on gap-filler radar, which may be the heart of a compromise on height restrictions in Virginia Beach.
9. Convention Center headquarters hotel - it's on the back burner until the radar issue is tackled and the credit market improves for financing hotels.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
How Many Rolls Does It Take?
This may be symptomatic of why the City of Norfolk is having financial problems. In downtown Norfolk this afternoon, the men's room in the basement of the main library has six rolls of toilet paper in it. For the single stall.
That's right: six rolls. They're in various states of use. It's obvious that you need toilet paper in the men's room, and then maybe a backup roll. However, why did you put six rolls of friggin' toilet paper in the men's room?!? I'd love to hear their public libraries director try to explain that one to City Hall....
That's right: six rolls. They're in various states of use. It's obvious that you need toilet paper in the men's room, and then maybe a backup roll. However, why did you put six rolls of friggin' toilet paper in the men's room?!? I'd love to hear their public libraries director try to explain that one to City Hall....
Monday, April 5, 2010
Spore To Address The CCO On The Budget
Virginia Beach City Manager Jim Spore is scheduled to make a presentation on his draft FY 2011 Budget to the Council of Civic Organizations (CCO), Virginia Beach's civic league federation. It will be at the CCO's April general meeting. That will be Wednesday, April 14 at 7 P.M. in the auditorium of Meyera Oberndorf Central Library.
The CCO normally meets on the second Wednesday of the month at the same location and time.
The CCO normally meets on the second Wednesday of the month at the same location and time.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
RAC April 1, 2010
Virginia Beach's Resort Advisory Commission (RAC) met on Thursday afternoon. The meeting lasted just over an hour.
The RAC reviewed the strategic priorities it had voted out at it's March meeting. Consideration was given to adding Homeless Behavior to the list, which had only received one vote in March. In the end, as it was deemed the RAC would act on the measure anyway, the priorities list was not amended. The funny part is that there were two votes on the priorities. Combine that with March's meeting vote, and the RAC voted out the same list three times. (Go figure.)
The Plan/Design Review Committee (PDRC) has plenty on their plate. First, JT's Grommet Island Park is now under construction, with a tentative opening date of May 22. Second, the Roland Court Theater building is literally falling apart, with barricades placed on the north side of 17th Street to keep pedestrians away. With that a high traffic area, obviously the matter must be tackled before the season opens. There will be an attempt to devise a plan; if not, the building itself may decide the matter. Third, a nationally recognized firm (Walker) is being brought in to look at the Resort Area parking situation in the context of the redevelopment envisioned there. Fourth, two outdoor cafes have requested modifications of their permits.
The issue of multiday farecards for the VB Wave came to the full RAC. RAC/TPPC Chairman Preston Midgett not only raised the issue of a Shuttle 3 Day pass, but now was pushing a Shuttle 5 Day.
In light of the Obama Administration, on the previous day, not halting the process towards Virginia offshore drilling, the RAC discussed the issue. First, the RAC felt it needed more information in three areas before taking a position: the impact on Navy operations, the environmental issues with bringing energy ashore, and the economic impact on Virginia Beach. Second, some felt the RAC needs to take a "Maybe" position, then try to leverage it for a seat at the table in drafting any offshore plan.
Finally, Bobby Melatti is scheduled to come before the RAC at it's May 6 meeting to give a Presentation on this Summer's Resort Area events.
The RAC reviewed the strategic priorities it had voted out at it's March meeting. Consideration was given to adding Homeless Behavior to the list, which had only received one vote in March. In the end, as it was deemed the RAC would act on the measure anyway, the priorities list was not amended. The funny part is that there were two votes on the priorities. Combine that with March's meeting vote, and the RAC voted out the same list three times. (Go figure.)
The Plan/Design Review Committee (PDRC) has plenty on their plate. First, JT's Grommet Island Park is now under construction, with a tentative opening date of May 22. Second, the Roland Court Theater building is literally falling apart, with barricades placed on the north side of 17th Street to keep pedestrians away. With that a high traffic area, obviously the matter must be tackled before the season opens. There will be an attempt to devise a plan; if not, the building itself may decide the matter. Third, a nationally recognized firm (Walker) is being brought in to look at the Resort Area parking situation in the context of the redevelopment envisioned there. Fourth, two outdoor cafes have requested modifications of their permits.
The issue of multiday farecards for the VB Wave came to the full RAC. RAC/TPPC Chairman Preston Midgett not only raised the issue of a Shuttle 3 Day pass, but now was pushing a Shuttle 5 Day.
In light of the Obama Administration, on the previous day, not halting the process towards Virginia offshore drilling, the RAC discussed the issue. First, the RAC felt it needed more information in three areas before taking a position: the impact on Navy operations, the environmental issues with bringing energy ashore, and the economic impact on Virginia Beach. Second, some felt the RAC needs to take a "Maybe" position, then try to leverage it for a seat at the table in drafting any offshore plan.
Finally, Bobby Melatti is scheduled to come before the RAC at it's May 6 meeting to give a Presentation on this Summer's Resort Area events.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Warning Walmart Shoppers
The Walmart on Military Highway in Norfolk at Janaf is redoing it's grocery area. The places some items are stocked has been changed, plus the grocery area is being slightly enlarged. It's a work in progress, so items are still being reshuffled and signage is somewhat lacking. Allow extra time for your grocery shopping trips.
When I went shopping this morning, I found out the hard way. After I couldn't find one item, I asked a trio of employees moving goods. None of them knew, but a fourth employee they asked did. Inevitably, it was on the rear aisle at the far end.
I've done my grocery shopping there for over 7 years now. This morning it took me about 50% longer than usual.
When I went shopping this morning, I found out the hard way. After I couldn't find one item, I asked a trio of employees moving goods. None of them knew, but a fourth employee they asked did. Inevitably, it was on the rear aisle at the far end.
I've done my grocery shopping there for over 7 years now. This morning it took me about 50% longer than usual.
The VBTA Merges With al-Qaida
Meeting in the tribal areas of northwestern Pakistan, the leaders of the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) agreed to merge their tiny breakfast cult into al-Qaida. The pact is the fruit of secret negotiations based on contacts gained by Ben Krause during his service in Iraq.
"Both groups have been all about a tiny fringe minority trying to impose their extremist agenda on society by intimidation tactics," explained VBTA Maximum Leader Robert Dean. "The merger was a perfect natural."
"I no longer have to masquerade as a Christian, a faith that everyone knows I never really believed in any of the tenets of," went on VBTA Vice Chairman/Transportation Chairman Reid Greenmun. "I can now begin planning terrorist attacks against Norfolk light rail."
Finally, Bob O'Connor commented, "We'll launch a jihad against the Resort Area. The dress, bars...it's all in violation of sharia (Islamic law)."
"Both groups have been all about a tiny fringe minority trying to impose their extremist agenda on society by intimidation tactics," explained VBTA Maximum Leader Robert Dean. "The merger was a perfect natural."
"I no longer have to masquerade as a Christian, a faith that everyone knows I never really believed in any of the tenets of," went on VBTA Vice Chairman/Transportation Chairman Reid Greenmun. "I can now begin planning terrorist attacks against Norfolk light rail."
Finally, Bob O'Connor commented, "We'll launch a jihad against the Resort Area. The dress, bars...it's all in violation of sharia (Islamic law)."
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