June 2008 Krupicka Council News
Upcoming Events
June 2008 Krupicka Council News
June 2008
In this issue:
Enhancing Pre-K in Alexandria
Safe Routes to School
Working Towards Metro at Potomac Yard
Alexandria's Face Book Page
Community Health Assessment
The Re-Birth of a Book Store
Election Reform Debate
A Successful Soccer Team
Dear Friends,
Its Hot. Wow. We went from a great spring to a very hot one. As were many of you, I was without power last week. Please make sure to watch out for friends and neighbors in this heat.
We are winding down the legislative season this month. There is a lot on the calendar in these last four weeks; planning decisions that could impact a Metro at Potomac Yard, council action on election reform, funding decisions to enhance pre-k in Alexandria and more. And the Council continues to work to understand and address the terrible communication on the Norfolk Southern ethanol facility located 600 feet from Tucker elementary school -- the full council and community only found out about it 6 weeks after it opened. Under federal law, the city has no regulatory power over this facility. Even so, we should have known about it and had emergency plans in place before it opened. And we should have had time to work with our federal representatives before the facility opened. We are reviewing the procedures that lead to poor communications and planning, are working to make sure every safety precaution is being taken and we are also working with our federal representatives to see what else we can do about this facility.
As you know, the City is currently reviewing the design entries for our Freedmen's Cemetery Design Competition. The City received 176 entries from 22 countries. The top six finalists are now on display in the Vola Lawson lobby in City Hall. You can also view them at the website www.alexandriava.gov/freedmens. You comments can help select the winner. The comment period runs through June 18th. The Steering Committee will meet again later in June to make their recommendation to the City Manager for a first, second and third place winner.
As you know, the City is currently reviewing the design entries for our Freedmen's Cemetery Design Competition. The City received 176 entries from 22 countries. The top six finalists are now on display in the Vola Lawson lobby in City Hall. You can also view them at the website www.alexandriava.gov/freedmens. You comments can help select the winner. The comment period runs through June 18th. The Steering Committee will meet again later in June to make their recommendation to the City Manager for a first, second and third place winner.
Enjoy the month,
Rob
Rob
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Enhancing Pre-K in Alexandria
At the June 24th City Council meeting, the City Council will consider a proposal to use $300,000 in unused child care money from last year's budget to enhance pre-k opportunities in Alexandria. This effort is aimed at improving quality and access to pre-k services in order to ensure more children show up for kindergarten ready to learn and to excel. Quality improvements help us to ensure we get the best bang for the buck for our children. Access improvements help us ensure more children are ready for school. The more children that show up ready to learn, the more efficient and effective our schools can be.
At the June 24th City Council meeting, the City Council will consider a proposal to use $300,000 in unused child care money from last year's budget to enhance pre-k opportunities in Alexandria. This effort is aimed at improving quality and access to pre-k services in order to ensure more children show up for kindergarten ready to learn and to excel. Quality improvements help us to ensure we get the best bang for the buck for our children. Access improvements help us ensure more children are ready for school. The more children that show up ready to learn, the more efficient and effective our schools can be.
Safe Routes to School
I have the privilege of chairing Virginia's State-wide safe routes to school committee. We are working with VDOT, the state PTA, local government and national groups to do all we can to provide safe and convenient ways for children to walk or bike to school. The recent Washington Post series on obesity illustrates our great need to ensure children are active and fit. As part of this effort, Mt. Vernon Elementary school has received a national grant to increase walking and biking to school by testing programs that can be used to encourage children to walk and bike to school. I am looking forward to working with City and school staff as well as the Mt. Vernon PTA to ensure we develop a model that can be emulated across our city and the country.
Working Towards a Metro at Potomac Yard
As you may recall, I wrote a while back about Councilman Wilson and my efforts to add the concept of a new metro at Potomac Yard to our transportation master plan. The council unanimously agreed to that request. And just recently, the Planning Commission voted to support a density transfer plan for Potomac Yard that would move some of the approved density in Potomac Yard around in order to 1) increase the economic viability of the to-be-built Potomac Yard Town Center and 2) to increase our chances to bring a new metro station to Potomac Yard. This isn't a new idea. This kind of density transfer was specifically encouraged by city planning officials during the adoption of the original plans for Potomac Yard. While this action does not guarantee a Metro, it does increase our opportunity to make a metro financially viable. The Council will consider this item at its next public hearing.
The next steps to achieve a metro will come down to what we decide to do with the current Potomac Yard shopping center. Over the next year or so, the community will start talking about our options for that property and we'll determine the level of contribution the developer should make in order for us to achieve the city goal of a new metro station.
The next steps to achieve a metro will come down to what we decide to do with the current Potomac Yard shopping center. Over the next year or so, the community will start talking about our options for that property and we'll determine the level of contribution the developer should make in order for us to achieve the city goal of a new metro station.
Alexandria's Face Book Page
I joined Face Book recently. If you don't know, Facebook is a web site that lets users share photos, support causes, exchange ideas and otherwise interact with each other. I've set up an Alexandria Facebook page open to any Facebook user. The Alexandria page includes discussion of a range of topics in the city and more can be added. Its my hope we can use this as a community bulletin board for issues, ideas, events, and much more. Please note, you have to join Facebook to use this. Its free.
Community Health Assessment
In 2002, the Alexandria Health Department received a grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant to conduct a community environmental health assessment of the City of Alexandria. Alexandria's Health Department and community representatives have been working since then on the assessment. Based on this work, the top environmental health concerns for Alexandria are:
1. Indoor Air Quality
2. (tie) Outdoor Air Quality & Disease Carriers and Vector Control
4. Built Environment (Healthy Lifestyles)
5. (tie) Food Safety & Surface Water Quality
7. Chemical & Toxics
8. Solid Waste
9. (tie) Recreational Safety & Noise
11. Drinking Water
And the highest priorities for action are:
1. Indoor Air Quality
2. Outdoor Air Quality
3. Surface Water Quality
The city is now working to implement the many recommendations of this study in order to ensure our city is as healthy as possible.
The Rebirth of a Book Store
A Likely Story Books is back, kind of. Previous employees of the store have bought it and reopened this fantastic children's book store. Hooray for Books is located in the same spot at 1555 King Street. The store is well stocked with wonderful books and gifts. The grand opening is planned for June 21st. Their website is hooray4books.com. Please do all you can to support the store. We can't let the big guys force them out.
Election Reform Debate
At the next public hearing, we'll have our second round of discussion about a referendum question for this fall that asks voters if they are interested in moving council elections from spring to the fall to align with other state (not federal) elections. Over the last few years local governments have been moving to fall elections to save money and to increase voter participation. The cost of elections, declining spring-time participation and some of the challenges of pulling together election day workers to manage the polls are just a few reasons this question is being considered. Councilman Wilson and Mayor Euille asked that there be a simple ballot question so the council can get input from voters on this question. Much like the ballot referendum to change to an elected school board, the idea is that voters should weigh in on any changes to the way we elect our government. We had an earlier public hearing on a draft question and based on input from the public and electoral board, that question has now been modified into two different approaches and we'll be discussing those approaches this weekend.
Opponents to the ballot concept have said they know the voters will support it so we shouldn't ask them so we can avoid making any changes. The idea that we should purposely prevent the voters from change, if that is what they want, seems pretty undemocratic to me. But that's what some told us at the last public hearing on this topic.
Some past and likely future candidates for city council and their supporters have made the argument that if more people voted in city council elections there is no way any of them could get elected so it is better for the city to continue a voting system that minimizes voter participation and input. The argument that low voter participation is a better strategy for winning elections than good candidates and ideas is troubling, to say the least. There was a time in our Country's history where intentionally holding back voter participation was common place. That isn't history any of us should be proud of. While nobody has argued for a poll tax or writing test for voters, it is clear that low turn-out is seen by some as a benefit of spring elections. What is even more ridiculous about this argument is that turn-out in the fall for delegate and state senate elections isn't dramatically higher than some city council races and sometimes its been lower. While a change to the fall would likely prevent further decline in voter participation and may increase turn out by ensuring greater media coverage and attention, it isn't going to lead to a tsunami of voting in Alexandria. This is just a small step towards higher voter turn out. There will still be a great need for candidates and community groups to work hard to reach out to voters.
Other opponents of the ballot question have commented on the "ignorance" of Alexandrians who vote in the fall. Even in one of the most educated communities in the country, a number of people commented at the last public hearing that voters in the fall essentially were not smart enough to vote for local government. At the last public hearing, members a prominent civic group made the argument that they didn't think the general public was capable of making decisions about local government. Voters in Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William and the District of Columbia all do pretty well with fall elections. Loudoun has made major changes to its board over the years, so they are clearly able to pay attention in the fall. Why all of them and not us?
Other opponents of the ballot question have commented on the "ignorance" of Alexandrians who vote in the fall. Even in one of the most educated communities in the country, a number of people commented at the last public hearing that voters in the fall essentially were not smart enough to vote for local government. At the last public hearing, members a prominent civic group made the argument that they didn't think the general public was capable of making decisions about local government. Voters in Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William and the District of Columbia all do pretty well with fall elections. Loudoun has made major changes to its board over the years, so they are clearly able to pay attention in the fall. Why all of them and not us?
Another argument against moving the elections revolves around the concern that fall elections for local government pose the risk of being influenced or overshadowed by national elections. I share this concern. And we have addressed in in the revised ballot questions by making it clear that fall elections cannot occur in federal election years. This provides the benefit of slightly higher turn-out, and saves the public money by paying for fewer elections. It also ensures no overlap between presidential and local elections. And it could be a good thing for public education as well since State issues like education, transportation, the environment (Mirant) and many others clearly fall across both local and state areas of responsibility. Having an election cycle that helps illustrate the connection between state and local issues would be a net plus for voter education and good government.
Another common argument against a ballot question is that things are fine, why change them? In tight budget times, I personally like the idea of saving thousands of dollars with fall elections. Its also clear our current system isn't perfect. As former Vice Mayor Macdonald wrote in an editorial recently, our process could benefit if the political parties selected candidates in an open primary. I'd like to see the local political parties use an open primary system as well. Open primaries are very expensive to run. Changing to the fall makes that much easier as the political parties can use the already established June state primary for this purpose and won't have to spend huge funds to create another primary. Also, without a change, we will have at least five different elections in Alexandria in 2012 -- a council primary, a presidential primary, a council election, a federal primary and a general election. I don't think five elections in one year is a great thing for participation or our budgets.
I understand that there are a number of folks concerned that any change has the potential for unintended consequences and that the risk is too great. I'm not sure what the real risk are. Budget savings? Slightly higher voter participation? Those don't seem that dramatic to me. On Saturday we will discuss two different options for questions that could be placed on the ballot. The first option of four questions represents a compromise approach designed by the council. The simpler, shorter option of two questions reflects input from the electoral board to simplify the questions in order to avoid voter confusion.
Area Soccer Team wins the Virginia State Cup!
Team America ’95 Stripes is a boys soccer team made up of 12 year old boys from the northern Virginia area. The team is one of the most diverse teams in the area, with players representing the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Peru, Saudi Arabia, and, of course, the USA. This team is also diverse economically. Because of that, club costs and fees are kept as low as possible so all the boys’ families can afford to let them play.
This hard working team became Virginia state champions when they won the Virginia State Cup on May 18, 2008. This very prestigious cup begins with the 38 best travel soccer teams in the whole state of Virginia and ends with a state champion. The state champion is then eligible to participate in a tournament against the other state champions in the region in a National Regional Championship. This is a 5 day tournament that takes place in Portland, Maine from June 26 to July 1, 2008.
This trip is very expensive. They are currently seeking business sponsors or private donations to help fund this trip. If you are interested in helping, please contact our team manager, Brian Arnold, at 703 658-0388.
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