Ed Elswick at Bent Mountain Fire Station Debate with Joe McNamara in 2009

In an email from Ed Elswick, Roanoke County Board of Supervisor Windsor District wrote, “politics may have been involved but against me because of the Roanoke Chamber [of Commerce]“

He said that the Chamber was against it because they were supporting his opponent. “The comment from [Supervisor Mike] Altizer that it would prevent the sheriff from serving warrants at night was absurd as they don’t do that and pretty much down at five [o'clock].”

He added, “This is a question of the bureaucracy versus the citizen and the issue is not dead.” He asked for comments.

He attached a copy of the resolution to affirm the protection of Roanoke County citizen’s property rights. The other Supervisors opposed the resolution calling it unenforceable and the business community called it an “anti-development” ordinance.

CLICK HERE for Elswick’s ordinance.

It is clear Elswick is going to make it an argument in his campaign to retain his seat on the BOS against his opponent Joe McNamara. McNamara lost to Elswick in a primary in 2009 by a slim margin. McNamara won his primary against RoxAnne Christley on Saturday by 5 votes.

Watch the video below of the debate at the Bent Mountain Fire Station in 2009. I expect a contentious repeat by Elswick against his opponent as this video foreshadows. A rematch debate is a must attend ringside event. Roanoke County Windsor District Republican Primary Debate – Video

Roanoke NAACP President Brenda Hale explains how slaves were chained 4 to a rack in the slave ships.

Dignitaries and volunteers were among the 75  or so guests at the ribbon cutting Thursday for the 7000 square foot Harrison Museum of African American Culture now relocated to the Center in the Square. The Square will have its grand opening on Saturday May 18.

With scissors in hand Mayor David Bowers said “We have transitioned from those dark days of segregation to now a day in which we can celebrate diversity.”

Jim Sears, President at Center in the Square said the decision to relocate the Harrison Museum to the Square came down to foot traffic. “If only by accident that people wonder into the space here, you probably will be able to reach out to more people and tell the story – an incredible and important story about the Harrison Museum and the influence the African American population has had our culture in Roanoke and Western Virginia.”

Charles Price, Chairman of the Board of the Harrison Museum had total commitment to the project said Sears. He praised Roanoke City for its $2.5 million commitment to Center in the Square with about $500,000 going toward the Harrison Museum.

Ribbon Cutting

All was readied to cut the ribbon. Mayor Bowers under his expert supervision instructed that the doors be opened and everyone step inside the Museum as the ribbon was strung across the doorway. “I’ve done this before,” said Bowers laughing. It took at least two minutes to get everyone lined up and then on the count of three – snip “welcome to the Harrison Museum.”

Senator John Edwards said after WWII his father as Mayor  integrated the police department and libraries. “This is the history of our city, a city of progress, a city of diversity and the Harrison Museum of African American Culture is especially important to us.”

Price said to get to this point “it was because of all the volunteers. The Board here today had a great deal to do with that … it’s not a one person show.” He thanked the former Executive Director of the Taubman Museum, David Mickenberg for serving as a consultant.

Mickenberg said that inside this Museum “it is about community, it’s about bridge building and it’s about history and learning from those old histories. It’s about where history is going and about culture identity as in the sculpture by Diane Smith. It’s about the past, the present and the future.”

The museum’s roots stretch back to 1985 when the Northwest Neighborhood Improvement Council and Total Action Against Poverty was established. HMAAC was previously located at the Harrison School built in 1916. The School was completed in 1917 with Miss Lucy Addison serving as principal. It is listed on the National and Sate Registers of Historic Places.

Enjoy some of the photos here.  CLICK to enlarge them.

Speakers were City Councilman David Trinkle, RSO Executive Director Beth Pline, and Amy Moorefield, chair of the Roanoke Arts Commission

On Thursday, City of Roanoke held a press conference in Jackson Park to launch Parks and Arts, a new program developed to complement its Neighborhood Arts Initiative which fosters community interaction with innovative arts programming. The Parks and Arts Program emphasizes the city’s Arts and Cultural Plan goal to bring performing and visual arts directly to neighborhoods.

The program is partially funded by an Our Town Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which the Roanoke Arts Commission received in partnership with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.

Working with the Office of Neighborhood Services and the Roanoke Neighborhood Advocates, parks in each of the city’s four sections have been identified for programming based on need, accessibility, and proximity to adjacent neighborhoods. They are:

• -Washington Park
• -Jackson Park
• -Kennedy Park
• -Mill Mountain Park
• -Eureka Park
• -Highland Park
• -Elmwood Park

Parks and Arts events will provide venues for a wide variety of local and regional artists, dancers, and musicians to showcase their talents. With a focus on community settings, these events will meld
the outdoors with the arts, engage residents in art, and promote neighborhoods’ diverse cultural and historic resources.

Through this program, the city hopes to strengthen support for neighborhood-based art and culture; attract and retain artists by supporting programs that encourage them to live and work in Roanoke’s neighborhoods; and develop new audiences for arts and cultural groups and individual artists.

In addition, the Parks and Arts Program addresses the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) outcome for livability: Strengthening communities through the arts by providing exposure and opportunity to participate in the arts at the neighborhood level, which will lead to greater  participation in neighborhood associations through civic engagement.

For a complete event schedule, visit www.roanokeva.gov/parksandarts.
For more information about the program, please contact Susan Jennings, the city’s Arts and Culture Coordinator, at 853-5652 or email her at susan.jennings@roanokeva.gov.

Roger Malouf seeks nomination for Roanoke City Commissioner of Revenue

JUST IN: In a unanimous decision tonight by the Roanoke City Republican Committee, Roger Malouf will be the Republican candidate for the Commissioner of Revenue. He will face incumbent Democrat Sherman Holland. This is the only Republican that has stepped forward. No one for Treasurer or Commonwealth Attorney. See who he is and check the link to his website. He is also on facebook.

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May 8: The Roanoke City Republican Committee will be holding a Mass Meeting May 15th to elect candidates for Commissioner of the Revenue, Treasurer, Commonwealth Attorney, and Delegate for District 11. Roger Malouf is the only candidate that has filed. He is seeking the nomination for Commissioner of Revenue to challenge incumbent Democrat Sherman Holland.

Malouf is a lifelong resident and native of Roanoke City. From his website:

His family members were founding parishioners of St. Elias Catholic Church where he has worshiped and served his whole life.  As a member of St. Elias Catholic Church, he served as President of the Men’s Club and Parish Council.  He was one of the founders and organizers of the now popular Lebanese Festival.  He continues to serve as a guitarist and vocalist for the St. Elias Choir. And yes, he was an altar boy (for two Catholic churches).

Roger served as past committee chair for the Boy Scouts Troop 138 at St. Elias Church.  He created and ran Civic Night for the Knights of Columbus honoring the police officer, fireman and EMS officer of the year in Roanoke City, County, Vinton and Salem.

Roger is a passionate hunter and fisherman.  He loves the shooting sports in every form from pistols and rifles to shotguns and archery. Roger is a lifetime member of the NRA.

Roger graduated BBA “Cum Laude” from Roanoke College in 1977.  While at Roanoke College, Roger was on the debate team and was named in the “Who’s Who Outstanding American College Students”.  He joined the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, Blue Key Society, and held the office of Warden and Chapter advisor. He was the treasurer of the Inter Fraternity Council.

After graduating Roger went to work at the family business, the Double Cola Bottling Company, where he worked until 1986 as a sales manager and personnel trainer in marketing retail and wholesale sales.

In 1986, Roger left Roanoke for a short period to study and then worked at PaineWebber on the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.  While there he graduated number one in his class.  He received a special commendation for NASD for having one of the highest test scores on record.  He trained in stocks, direct placements, options, bonds, retirement and financial planning, municipals bonds, life/health insurance products and annuities.

In 1989 Roger became a stated licensed registered investment advisor (RIA).  Roger was one of the first people in Roanoke to earn this designation under the Investment Advisor’s Act of 1989.  He was qualified to give independent specific investment advice in financial securities insurance products and financial planning using financial products.  Since 1979 Roger invested on his own behalf and on behalf of others… millions of dollars in residential, commercial and Smith Mountain Lake Resort properties. Roger has been a professional REALTOR/Broker since 1994.  Since 2001 Roger has been a professional property manager of residential and commercial real estate.

Roger served on the board of directors of the Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors (RVAR) from 2002 until 2006.

Roger is currently serving as a member of the Board of Zoning Appeals of Roanoke City.

WEBSITE CLICK HERE

“This new funding also allows for the continued expansion of Amtrak Virginia from Lynchburg to Roanoke within four years and for additional train service to Norfolk. The six-year program also provides new funding for high performance public transportation services.”

Rail and public transportation – $3.0 billion ($0.6 billion increase)  

If you can’t attend a hearing, comments will be accepted via mail and email.  For VDOT projects, the mailing address is Programming Director, Virginia Department of Transportation, 1401 East Broad St., Richmond, VA 23219 or email six-year program@vdot.virginia.gov. For DRPT projects, the mailing address is Public Information Office, VA Dept. of Rail and Public Transportation, 600 East Main Street, Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 23219, or email drptpr@drpt.virginia.gov by June 7, 2013.

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PRESS RELEASE:

Commonwealth Transportation Board releases greatly enhanced draft program which includes new and sustainable revenues from HB 2313 for highway, rail and other transportation projects

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that HB 2313, the transportation funding bill he signed into law this week, went into immediate action today when the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) released the state’s working draft of the Fiscal Years 2014-2019 Six-Year Improvement Program. The program allocates $15.4 billion, a $4 billion increase, in funding to transportation improvements over the next six fiscal years beginning July 1, 2013. Improvements include highway, road, rail, transit and bridge projects and other improvements across the state.  Each year the six-year program is updated to reflect the latest projected revenues and transportation priorities.

            “Because of the new sustainable funding, the CTB can now look at the entire six-year-program with a long-term focus on improving the transportation system we have, building projects and planning new ones,” said Governor McDonnell.  “The program reflects hundreds of transportation projects identified as critical priorities by localities, regional entities and the Commonwealth.  Most importantly, the work created by the program will sustain thousands of jobs and have a multi-billion dollar impact on Virginia’s economy.”

            Secretary Sean T. Connaughton added, “The CTB is putting the new funding into action by programming where the transportation dollars will go, including rehabilitating existing roads, adding new capacity to ease congestion and expanding intercity passenger rail service. The draft program is about making all modes of transportation better statewide. The new funding allows the Commonwealth to advance many projects that are already in the existing six-year program and move ahead on getting new projects ready for construction.”

            “A key component of the program is the ongoing rehabilitation of the existing transportation system,” said Greg Whirley, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). “The new, sustainable revenues will accelerate VDOT’s efforts to extend the life of existing pavements and bridges, so we can get the most out of our current infrastructure.  Motorists will see more paving projects than usual in the short-term and more highway construction projects in the long-term as we get new projects ready for construction.  The result will be a better transportation system.”

            “Timing was critical to identify a dedicated funding source for continued intercity passenger rail for Virginia and provide funding for greater public transit choices to meet the needs and challenges of the Commonwealth’s growing transportation system.  With the end of federal funding for Amtrak Regional train service this year, Virginia is now prepared to support intercity passenger rail as an integral part of its transportation solutions and is able to meet the new federal law requiring the Commonwealth to support all regional Amtrak train services originating in Virginia,” said Thelma Drake, director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT).  “This new funding also allows for the continued expansion of Amtrak Virginia from Lynchburg to Roanoke within four years and for additional train service to Norfolk. The six-year program also provides new funding for high performance public transportation services.”

            The draft six-year program funding breakdown, including additional funding for Hampton Roads is below:

Highways and bridges – $11.1 billion ($2.1 billion increase)

Rail and public transportation – $3.0 billion ($0.6 billion increase)   

Hampton Roads transportation fund – $1.3 billion (new funding for transportation improvements in the Hampton Roads region)

Total: $15.4 billion ($4.0 billion increase)

            HB 2313 also established a new transportation revenue source for Northern Virginia, which is $1.9 billion over six years.  This amount is not reflected in the draft six-year program because it will be allocated regionally through the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority Fund.

            Below is a partial listing of high priority projects that the new funding makes possible:

Statewide

• Pavement and bridge rehabilitation
• Smart roadway technology 

Northern Virginia

• Funding to advance the Metro Silver Line and help reduce tolls on the Dulles Toll Road
• I-66/Route 28 interchange improvements
• Route 606 Dulles loop 

Fredericksburg

• I-95/Route 17 improvements over the Rappahannock River
• Route 630 interchange relocation

Hampton Roads

• Increased intercity passenger rail service between Norfolk, Petersburg, and Richmond
• I-64 widening from Newport News to Williamsburg
• Route 165 widening (Military Highway) in Norfolk 

Richmond

• Rail improvements between Petersburg, Richmond, and Washington, DC
• I-95/I-64 overlap safety improvements
• Lewistown Road bridge replacement 

Culpeper, Shenandoah Valley and southwestern Virginia

• Extension of intercity passenger rail service to the City of Roanoke within four years
• Route 29/Route 666 interchange improvement in the Culpeper region
• I-81 bridge replacement over the New River in Salem region
• Route 340 bridge replacement in Staunton region
• Greenview Drive widening in Lynchburg region
• AltaVista/Town of Hurt bridge replacement
• Coalfields Expressway’s Cranes Nest section in Bristol region
• Route 19/Route 460  Claypool Hill intersection improvements in Bristol region 

Public Meetings

The public has the opportunity to review the program and provide input, which will be taken into the consideration by the CTB before the final program is adopted in June. The FY 2014-2019 program will go into effect July 1, 2013.

The working draft six-year program is online at http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/syp-default.asp. The program can also be reviewed at Virginia Department of Transportation’s district and residency offices and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s Richmond office.

The public may comment about essential rail, public transportation, commuter service, bicycle, pedestrian and highway projects (except local/secondary roads) at the hearings. Public comments will be considered before the board adopts a final program in June.

Note:  If you can’t attend a hearing, comments will be accepted via mail and email.  For VDOT projects, the mailing address is Programming Director, Virginia Department of Transportation, 1401 East Broad St., Richmond, VA 23219 or email six-year program@vdot.virginia.gov. For DRPT projects, the mailing address is Public Information Office, VA Dept. of Rail and Public Transportation, 600 East Main Street, Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 23219, or email drptpr@drpt.virginia.gov by June 7, 2013.

RICHMOND – Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling today announced the formation of the Virginia Mainstream Project.  The Virginia Mainstream Project is a state-based political action committee that will focus on electing mainstream Republicans to public office and promote responsible policy solutions to the most important challenges facing the Commonwealth.

Lieutenant Governor Bolling stated, “I’m proud to announce the creation of the Virginia Mainstream Project.  As I’ve said many times over the past several months, there is a growing need in the Republican Party in Virginia to recruit and elect mainstream, conservative candidates to state and local office and promote responsible policy solutions to the most important challenges facing Virginia. The Virginia Mainstream Project will work to address these issues while encouraging bipartisan cooperation and compromise on the major issues facing the Commonwealth.  I am excited about this opportunity to continue to serve Virginia and remain actively involved in the public debate.”

The primary missions of the Virginia Mainstream Project include:

1. Recruit, advise and support mainstream Republican candidates for state and local office, with particular emphasis on the House of Delegates in 2013 and the State Senate in 2015.
2. Provide a platform to continue discussing the need for mainstream approaches to governing in Virginia that put policy ahead of politics and seek to promote compromise and bipartisan cooperation to solve the most important challenges facing the Commonwealth.
3. Develop and promote responsible conservative policy solutions to the most important issues facing Virginia, with an emphasis on fiscal policy, economic development, tax reform, education reform, transportation and health care.

Paperwork to create the Virginia Mainstream Project was filed with the State Board of Elections yesterday.

Additionally, Bolling has transferred the remaining assets from his campaign committee to the Virginia Mainstream Project and will be raising additional funds to help support the important work of this new initiative.

At the May 1 Roanoke City Council meeting either not heard by other media or ignored Shawver off the top of her head said that council had received a 5% over the last 10 years (two of those years it was rolled back to 2004 level). Click HERE for why.

Shawver guessed that city employees over those same 10 years had received a 25% raise. After careful calculation she responded today that it was actually a cumulative 23.5% for city employees.

They will receive a 2% raise this year, a 1% raise to compensate for health retirement contribution for a total of 3%. Next year they will also start contributing 5% to their pension (July 2014) for which they will receive at least a 5% increase to compensate assuming they get no other raise.

The Mayor over 10 years has received a salary increase was 5.2%, and city council members received 5.3%.

in FY08, a higher level of pay was set for Vice Mayor, $1,000 more than City Council members so that turned out to be 12.1%. All this averages out at a yearly average rate .5% for the Mayor and council members and 1.2% for Vice-Mayor for the past 10 years.

Employees over the last 10 years averaged a 2.4% pay increase per year.

CLICK HERE for the YEAR by YEAR analysis by Ann Shawver.

Comments, and Roanoke Times Editorials and Dan Casey have made hay over the 28% pay raise for council members at $20,000 (take 6% off for pension and health contributions leaving actually 22%). The Mayor who has received the brunt of the criticism would get a raise to $23,000 which equates to a 15% raise (minus the 6% pension and health contribution is actually 9%).

As comments from citizens complaining that city employees received less than council has received over the past 10 years they are sorely mistaken and The Roanoke Times has failed to correct their perception. or more cynically don’t want them to know.

Whether they deserve any raises at all and citizens think they are all buffoons as council member Ray Ferris remarked on Monday that is citizens prerogative. Take into consideration “actual facts” ignored by other media.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte wrote a letter to Cox Cable company and I got a call yesterday from Alisha a customer care supervisor.

At the end of April I called to negotiate the cost of my skyrocketing cable bill. I dropped TV stations I was previously told I could not drop without cutting the cord completely.

Of course I “acted” seniorly and did my best to sound like a social security dependent little old lady. (Not far from the truth.)

The fishy explanation from the Cox representative by Mr. Javaid in April was that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) doesn’t allow discounts and when I asked why they didn’t offer it to us little old ladies – I guess he thought he could tell this senile old lady anything.

He said that the FCC considers it discrimination. That’s right discrimination against young people I guess.

HA! I know people and my call to Mr. Goodlatte actually went somewhere. He wrote to the top honcho and I got a call.

It seems Mr. Javaid was trying to pull a fast one – go figure. There is no such FCC rule. Alisha said, “we understand your need to budget and pay a reasonable amount for such services.” She said she would be more than happy to pass the “senior discount package idea” along to the pricing team.

“That comment should probably not have been made,” she said. Oops, they know who he is and are going to give him some “feedback.”

She said I wasn’t the first customer to ask about a “senior discount” so “that is something we definitely can look at in the future.”

I have her direct number.

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High cost of cable, the FCC and Rep. Bob Goodlatte help!

UPDATE May 2: LETTER FROM GOODLATTE says “I have contacted the FCC on your behalf regarding this matter. As soon as I receive a response, I will be back in touch with you.” This is in regards to the Federal Communications Commission not permitting cable companies to offer discounts for senior citizens.

April 29: On facebook last night a sponsored post by Cox Cable touting a cool ad they were producing about an Internet price special sparked hundreds of comments with most of them being complaints. Many asked why as loyal customers did they not get any of these “deals.” Playing the switch game to Verizon and/or Satellite was not a solution.

I chimed in since I just received my Cox Cable bill that had increased again after having negotiated a reduction of my $160 bill with them only a couple months ago.

On the facebook post comment thread a Cox helpdesk employee named Stephanie gave an email address saying to contact her with billing or service issues. I took her up on it immediately with details of the last 3 months of bills. I received an almost immediate response.

I made my case as a loyal customer never having switched back and forth with other providers to take advantage of “new customer deals.” I had been on the waiting list 14 years ago anxiously waiting for Cox’s broadband service. At the time there was NO special. I rented the modem, then purchased it for $75 not to mention that a technician had to come to my home for initial set up at $125. NO specials there!

A year ago I called as my bill increased beyond what I was willing to pay – $160. The problem comes in when you are promised a reduction plus a new TV channel(s). For example I was offered Starz but not told that the channels are only for a certain period of time and then your bill would increase.

So now I am documenting my call today with a Mr. Javaid. My  monthly $150 is now reduced to $126 with the removal of Starz channels I rarely watched and sports channels above 1311 I never watched. I agreed to a $5 HBO channels special for 12 months and if I hadn’t taken that my bill would be $121 a month.

My total bill includes basic landline phone and Internet.

I removed HBO many, many years ago because there was nothing on it but I’ll give the HBO channels another try for awhile at $5 a month. The $126 includes the premium package so I can get my cable news and my favorite Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

So last years call to Cox when I was informed my only option was to drop cable TV altogether because I had the “basic premium” channels and there was nothing lower was “not quite true.”

I hope I’m not calling back again in a few months getting a different story from Cox.

As a senior I asked didn’t they have a senior discount say like Kroger’s has on Tuesday’s “Senior Day.” You get 5% off your total grocery bill on that day if you have the patience maneuvering around some very slow buggy pushers.

According to Mr. Javaid the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) doesn’t allow discounts. They consider it discrimination. Say what???

Well that is when I turned to my congressional representative Bob Goodlatte. Do something about this Mr. Goodlatte. I’m sure my call to his Roanoke office will yield no reply but it certainly seems to me that such a bill ordering the FCC to allow cable or satellite providers to offer senior discounts at their discretion is a “no brainer” – if you are a politician that cares about seniors and wants my vote you better get on board.

Oh, and Dear Mr. President Obama don’t stab me in the back with that damn Chained Consumer Price Index (Chained CPI) either.

David Suetterlein reads the name on the marker.

The build up to breaking the Roanoke County Republican Primary tie between Al Bedrosian and Mike Bailey for the nomination came and went quickly Tuesday Morning. It was sort of anticlimactic.

You could see the puzzled and worried looks on Republican Party officials as 40 minutes ticked by with no announcement. A guard was at the Hollins Library voting room door. All he would say is stick around it’s going to be something big. The primary was confirmed a tie 389-389.

Tuesday morning on the fourth floor of the Roanoke County Administration Building the two candidates were calm and smiling – at least on the outside. The Roanoke County Republican Chair, David Suetterlein read the rules and on the table was a red pillowcase.

Mike Bailey prepares to write his name on the markers.

The candidates shook hands before being seated at the table flanked by Don Huffman a former Republican Party of Virginia Chair and Susan Edwards of the 9th Central State District Representative. Each candidate was given 5 markers identically sized to write their names on and Edwards placed them in the bag.

Suetterlein explained that this would have been the same process as a general election or a State Board of Elections Primary had they resulted in a tie. The former Republican Party of Virginia Chair, Don Huffman didn’t have to wait long to draw the name.

The tie in the Hollins District and close vote in the Windsor District where Joe McNamara won “showed just how significant each individual’s participation can mean in an elections outcome,” said Suetterlein.

Al Bedrosian is the Republican nominee declared Suetterlein as Huffman handed him the marker drawn. Huffman, Bailey and Bedrosian all go to Shenandoah Baptist Church. “They’re all friends – someone had to lose,” said Huffman.

Al Bedrosian and Don Huffman

Bedrosian said afterwards his goal was to reduce the size of government, rein in the exploding debt and bring prayer back into government. “Debt increases peoples taxes … we need to stop pushing God out of government,” he said.

Bailey said that neither he nor Bedrosian wanted it to end this way. “My role now is to help him in any way I can,” said Bailey. “I feel sorry for the people who said Mike I supported you – I couldn’t make it or Al I couldn’t be there – they are the ones I feel sorry for,” he said.

Bailey said he will spend more time with his grandchildren and was headed to Virginia Beach after the drawing no matter the outcome then on the Virginia Republican Convention on the 18th. He has crossed off his list any future plans to seek another office.

There is no Democratic candidate but Bedrosian will face independent Gary Jarrell in November.

Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Roanoke will hear public comments on the matter of pay increases for the Mayor, the Vice-Mayor and Members of Council at its regular meeting to be held on May 20, 2013, commencing at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as possible, in the Council Chambers, 4th Floor, Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building, 215 Church Avenue, S.W., Roanoke, Virginia and at its regular meeting to be held on June 3, 2013, commencing at 2:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as possible, in the Council Chambers.  Citizens shall have the opportunity to be heard and express their opinions on this matter at both meetings.

If you are a person with a disability who needs accommodations for this public comment period, contact the City Clerk’s Office, 853-2541, by 12:00 noon on Thursday, May 16, 2013.