|
|
|
| Mon, Nov. 23 - - Mobile - RSS | |
|
|
City BeatBy Emily Battle
Nov. 19, 2009 9:56 am
For those who signed up for the Historic Half yesterday, you'll get a chance to see a truly obsessed half-marathoner tomorrow if you stop by City Hall at 3:30 p.m. A man named Doug Merrill is supposed to meet Mayor Tomzak there as a stop-off on his journey to run from Fenway Park in Boston to Key West, Fla., one half-marathon at a time. The journey started Oct. 4. You can learn more about this here. Fredericksburg faces a $5 million lawsuit from a King George man who was erroneously arrested twice on city charges, Keith Epps reports today. Rodney Maurice Morton, 42, filed the suit Thursday in federal court in Richmond. Both arrests referred to in the lawsuit occurred when police were really looking for Rodney Lee Morton, a local man with a long criminal record. I've been talking to restaurateurs over the past few days about the city meals tax, which went up from 5 percent to 6 percent in August. Most say the tax draws little notice, but at least one has pointed out that the tax draws the most notice from out-of-towners, the very group Fredericksburg's tourism efforts are trying to draw in. To a visitor from Northern Virginia, the rate probably does seem high, because most Northern Virginia localities have a meals tax of either 0 or 4 percent. To those coming from Hampton Roads, though, the tax could seem just a tad low, as Norfolk, Newport News, Portsmouth and Hampton all levy a 6.5 percent tax. But after a dinner out, maybe a beverage or two and all the other activity that goes with visiting a new town, do people really notice an extra percentage or two of tax on their bill? Read tomorrow's paper to see what local restaurants have noticed.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1258642571
Tags: Morning Buzz
Nov. 18, 2009 9:47 am
If you've been reading the paper, then Chelyen Davis' story today about how the state is looking at a shortfall of up to $2.7 billion over the next two years, and faces the possibility of having to cut up to $300 million from the current budget, shouldn't be news to you. Edd Houck delivered a similar warning to two area boards last week. The impact of state budget cuts is one of the big unknowns city budget writers are working with as they look to next year. When budgets get tight, one of the catchphrases you often hear from elected officials is how important it is for government to "think outside the box" and do things differently. Officials in Lynchburg have been working on one of those efforts since I was working there five years ago. As you can read here, their efforts to consolidate duplicate government functions with the city schools system haven't been easy, though they have yielded some small savings. Want something positive to focus on amid all this bad budget news? Registration for the Marine Corps Historic Half marathon opens today. Sign up now and you can replace all your recession worries with strategy on how to get your mile pace down, or where to go for this week's long run.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1258555627
Tags: Morning Buzz
Your car has a lock for a reason. Nov. 16, 2009 12:24 pm
From today's police report: 500 block Hawke St, 11/12 9:00 pm – 11/13 9:00 am. A Spotsylvania resident reported that 200 block Keavy Ct, 11/13 11:30 pm – 11/14 7:30 am. A resident reported that his radio/CD
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1258392273
Nov. 16, 2009 10:09 am
There's a lot still unknown about next year's budget. As City Council members heard at their planning retreat on Friday, additional state budget cuts, a likely increase in pension costs and the continued performance of the sales tax and other major revenue sources are hard to put good numbers on right now. Over the weekend, the Daily Press editorial board wrote about the difficulties localities face this year. Some of the questions raised in the editorial are the same ones council members discussed on Friday, and will talk more about as budget season begins. After all the sobering budget talk Friday, City Manager Beverly Cameron joked that council members should forget all the bad news before turning to talk about building a nearly $40 million courthouse. He then made a case, which we reported here, for why now is an important time for the city to make some progress on this longstanding need. As usual, Matt Kelly was the loudest voice against building courts now. He made a case for why the city can't afford the project now over the weekend on his blog, which you can read here.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1258384166
Tags: Morning Buzz
Nov. 12, 2009 9:53 am
On the heels of Edd Houck's warning about the state budget, The Wall Street Journal has an article today about state budget situations around the country. Virginia is better off than many. The article references a report from the Pew Center on the States that makes a point similar to Houck's about when things will turn around:
Speaking of budgets, a discussion of the city's financials will lead of the City Council's retreat tomorrow, which starts at 9 a.m. in City Hall. See the full agenda here.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1258037595
Tags: Morning Buzz
Council: Train station wall not that big of a deal, after all. Nov. 11, 2009 9:21 am
Over the summer, council members heard complaints from some downtown residents that the fake stone wall the city put up to keep commuters out of traffic around the train station was ugly, and should be painted. Council members asked city staff to make that happen. Councilman Matt Kelly said at the time he had talked to a painter who could do it for $600, and private citizens were already taking up collections to pay for it. But when the city put the project out to bid, along with a request that the wall be coated with an anti-graffiti substance, the price went up, and council members weren't interested in spending more money on it. Last night, Kelly asked the council to make a decision one way or the other on whether the wall should be painted or whether the council should formally decide to scrap the project. The council's response: Table it indefinitely.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1257949280
Tags: train station
Nov. 11, 2009 8:58 am
Today is Veterans Day. City offices are closed. If your recycling was supposed to be picked up today, it will be picked up tomorrow. The Hazel Hill community will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. today, and second-grade students at Hugh Mercer Elementary will get a visit from area veterans who will share their experiences. State Sen. Edd Houck visited public meetings and Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg last night to talk about how dire the state's budget situation is. You can read about his Fredericksburg remarks here, and Dan Telvock has a report from Spotsy here.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1257947889
Tags: Morning Buzz
Mark Whitley promoted to assistant city manager Nov. 10, 2009 3:33 pm
City Manager Beverly Cameron has hired Mark Whitley for the assistant city manager position that had been advertised. Whitley, 38, has been Fredericksburg's budget manager since 2004. He has worked in local government for 14 years, including jobs in South Hill and Garner, N.C. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina and a master's in public administration from the University of Georgia. The assistant city manager position was left open after the City Council hired Cameron as city manager, after former City Manager Phil Rodenberg was forced to resign. Cameron said that given the city's difficult budget situation, he does not plan to fill the budget manager position Whitley will leave at this time. He said he would like to eventually hire a full-time budget manager, but didn't see that being possible before 2012. Cameron said he and Whitley will share budget duties. Whitley's new salary in the position is $104,000. He will not have duties related to economic development, something Cameron had said could potentially be a role of the assistant city manager when the position was first advertised. Council members had talked about that possibility, since the city has not had an economic development director since Kevin Gullette left in October 2008. Cameron said that position will remain open for the time, but the city is working to fill the economic development manager position that Kim Schill left over the summer. City officials are interviewing candidates now for that post, which is focused on business development and retention.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1257885209
Tags: Beverly Cameron, Mark Whitley
Nov. 10, 2009 8:51 am
City Council meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. Council members could vote on raising the personal property tax from $2.99 to $3.40 per $100 of value. Holiday parking rules, which will take the 2-hour downtown time limit to 4 hours, are set to start Saturday. Additional details here. An armed robbery suspect who is charged in Fredericksburg was arrested at the Dunkin' Donuts on Salem Church Road yesterday after a three-hour pursuit that had city schools on lockdown for part of yesterday afternoon. Read Keith Epps' story here.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1257861063
Tags: Morning Buzz
Omelet, festival get JumpStart funds Nov. 9, 2009 3:54 pm
The Economic Development Authority made another round of JumpStart grant awards today. Both grants will help support the "Festival Francais" connected with the 30th anniversary of Fredericksburg's Sister City relationship with Frejus, France. The Authority agreed to award $3,000 to the Fredericksburg Sister City Association to help finance a 5,000-egg omelet the group wants to cook on July 17 to mark the anniversary, coming up in July. The giant omelet was staged in 2000 to mark the 20th anniversary of the partnership, and it proved a big enough draw that organizers have ordered une autre. The goal is to hold the event at the riverfront park that is now under construction downtown. By health department order, 5,000 egg shells won't be cracked at the scene of the event; rather, the chefs will have to pour cartons of pasturized egg into their giant skillet. Another $3,000 grant was awarded to an "American music festival" that will take place the night before the omelet-cooking. The event will also take place in the park, and is meant to put American music on display as visitors from Frejus arrive in town for the anniversary festivities. EDA members turned down a $7,500 grant request from a UMW music professor who wanted to use it to produce a CD for a music project.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1257800076
Tags: Economic Development Authority
Morning Buzz: November 9, 2009 Nov. 9, 2009 9:25 am
Construction on the U.S. 1 bridge over state Route 3 still has a ways to go, but transportation reporter Kelly Hannon offers an update in her "Getting There" column today. Lane closures under the bridge should be gone by Nov. 20, but lane closures on top of the bridge will stick around until Dec. 11. Economic Development Authority meets today. This will be the first meeting for new authority member Amy LaMarca, appointed last month by the City Council. See the agenda here.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1257776721
Tags: Morning Buzz
Nov. 5, 2009 9:50 am
Leaves. With sunny days in the 60s predicted for this weekend, it's great weather for Holiday Prep. Next Monday and Tuesday, Fredericksburg police will hold seminars with city bar and restaurant owners on "managing the nightlife" as holiday festivities approach. Bill Freehling has details, along with some of the posters the department has created to promote responsible behavior, on his blog. These seminars have been conducted before, and are focused on educating bartenders and managers about occupancy limits, how to avoid over-serving, how to deal with intoxicated patrons and other issues.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=20&p=1257432617
Tags: Morning Buzz
|
What do you think?
If you would like to post a comment about this blog, please log in.
You can use your FredTalk user name and password here. If you don't have one yet,
REGISTER Now...
Contact City Beat is a companion to the Fredericksburg government coverage that appears in The Free Lance-Star. Look here for background, extra information, documents and tidbits that didn’t make it into the print edition. And please, feel free to leave your comments. Follow City Beat updates on Twitter at twitter.com/citybeatblog.
Tags:
(22)
Blog Roll
City Bloggers
In the BurgThe Fredericksblog The House on Caroline Street Fredericksblogger College Terrace Neighborhood Blog City Government
Official Fredericksburg Government PageFredericksburg Land Records Fredericksburg Police Department Fburgimpact.com -- Councilman Brad Ellis's Web site City Charter Council Agendas Online Councilman Matt Kelly's blog Fredericksburg.com
Fredericksburg News PageThe Weekly Challenge--You need to play! |
A daily digest of what's going on in Fredericksburg, and what news from elsewhere is relevant here. Send suggestions to 
A daily digest of what's going on in Fredericksburg, and what news from elsewhere is relevant here. Send suggestions to 
A daily digest of what's going on in Fredericksburg, and what news from elsewhere is relevant here. Send suggestions to 
Emily Battle covers Fredericksburg government for The Free Lance-Star.
 |
|||
|
|||
