Category: Politics

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Crozet Library Meeting – 19 February

From Albemarle County –

Crozet Library Open House
Thursday, February 19, 2009
4:00-6:30 p.m.
Crozet United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall
1156 Crozet Ave, Crozet

Please join Crozet Library Steering Committee members and Albemarle County staff for an open house on the conceptual design of the new Crozet library and an update on the Destination Downtown project, including the streetscape and stormwater projects. The public is invited to drop in at any point during the Open House to view the conceptual design and other materials, talk with staff and committee members, and provide feedback. Additional details about the Open House will be available on the Crozet Library website at www.albemarle.org/newlibrary. For more information about the Open House, call the Albemarle County Community Relations Office at 434-296-5841 or email [email protected].

Update 11 February 2009: Is the Crozet library already too small?

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Minutes from the Crozet Community Association Meeting – 12 January 2009

Editor’s note: if you can, find the time to attend the monthly Crozet Community Association meetings; they are among the best ways to meet fellow Crozetians and learn about the goings-on in Crozet.

The minutes of the November meeting were approved.

David Wayland has received the Crozet bumper stickers (which are the Crozet family crest). They are available at various local stores, library, etc.

New officers were elected for 2009:

President: Sarah Henley, Vice President: David Wayland, Secretary: Judi Burbes, Treasurer: Emery Taylor

Moment in History:

Phil James was not available for the meeting, but the group discussed the history of the Crozet library; included in the discussion were memories of the Women’s Club serving as a library, the bookmobile serving as library, and the various buildings that served as libraries.

New Business/Reports:

Tim Tolson spoke to the topic of the new library. General agreement has been reached on the arrangement of the new facility. Of course, the economic deterioration may well affect the schedule of funding. All citizens are encouraged to communicate with their legislators (federal and state) as well as the Board of Supervisors, to put the library on the list of “shovel ready” projects to be submitted for federal funding. Wendy Saz (our head librarian) reported that the National Assoc of Libraries has put the Crozet library at the top of their shovel ready requests!! Although the library itself may not be shovel ready in the next 6 months, the new Main St. could be. The library is seen as a way to help bring economic stimulus to the downtown area of Crozet.  The library is the 4th busiest in the area (behind Central, Northside, and Gordan Ave). Tim and the library committee will be looking for sources of funding for the library going forward.

NOTE: the committee working on the new library meets the 4th Monday of the month, at 4:30 (new meeting place will probably be at the Meadows).

Kelly Strickland spoke for the Crozet Park Board regarding the proposal to put a cover over and expand the pool at the park. This proposal was one of three competing for funding from the Board of Supervisors; the other proposals are for the Y and Star Swimming (in N. Albemarle). It appears that these have all been put on the back burner (due to the economic situation), although surprisingly, the BOS initially seemed to favor the non-public proposal by Star Swimming.

Tom Loach (our representative on the Planning Commission) addressed questions on the industrial area proposed along Rt 64. This has been pushed to back to be included in the revision to the Crozet Master Plan, which will start later this year.  There are questions in terms of watershed protection (the stream on the property has recently been rated as only of fair quality already).  This area is not attached to the growth area as defined under the Master Plan.

Tom also spoke to the Gas Station proposal along Rt 250. Currently the water usage estimates are being reevaluated.

On a positive note, Tom indicated that the Crozet Streetscape is being funded and should be proceeding.

Items requiring followup:

Recycling within Crozet is still an unresolved item. The last update presented to the CCA was that the RSWA (Rivanna Sewer and Water Authority) was to present a proposal. It was also mentioned that Carroll Connelly is collecting cans for the Lions Club. Kathleen will follow-up on the RSWA status, and Barbara Westbrook will speak with Carroll to determine the extent of recycling he’s willing and able to support. Ray McCauley also indicated that he would be willing to do a pickup from a central location.

The CCAC proposal regarding the light industrial area will be forwarded to Judi Burbes by Tim Tolson for presentation/voting for concurrence at the next CCA meeting.

Most years the Crozet community sponsors a cleanup day in April. Judi Burbes will follow-up with Heidi Sonen (who has led this in the past) and WAHS to determine what role the community could play in the cleanup for 2009.

Advocacy Items:

The Fire Department will be celebrating it’s 100th year of service. The department will be sponsoring a contest to develop a new logo. Details will be unveiled in the near term.

The Blackfriars Theater in Staunton is apparently feeling the squeeze of the economic situation, and is asking for contributions for any donors who would like to support the theater.

Submitted:

Judi Burbes, Secretary

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Crozet Park Board Responds to Swimming Proposal

Editor’s note: Everything is politics and everything is political. What follows is a response from the Crozet Park Board to the recent decision about the STAR Swimming plan. Background information is available at Charlottesville Tomorrow – August 2008 and September 2008. If you feel strongly about this issue, feel free to leave comments here; I will ensure that they get delivered to our representative on the Board of Supervisors, Ann Mallek.

January 7, 2009 Agenda Item: “Concerns with Competitive Swimming Summary” A Response to the Executive Summary

Members of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and Albemarle County School Board;

It is the opinion of the Board of Directors of Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. that the executive summary and recommendation submitted by the committee, which was appointed by you, is biased, inaccurate and does not reflect the needs and interests of Albemarle County residents or its student population. Please consider the following in response to the Executive Summary:

According to the summary, “three County high school competitive swim programs are currently in desperate need of reasonably convenient lane space.”(click to go to executive summary)

– There are presently three aquatics facilities available in the urban ring (ACAC, Crow Pool and STAR swimming /Fairview Swim Club). There is not a desperate situation.
– Two more aquatic facilities are slated for construction in the urban ring in 2009-2010 (Smith Aquatics Center and McIntire YMCA), providing additional high school practice facilities.
– Monticello High School presently swims at Crow Pool; Albemarle High School presently swims at ACAC Pool, Western Albemarle High School swims in Star Swimming’s existing facility (STAR swimming/Fairview Swim Club). Charlottesville High School is scheduled to practice at the McIntire facility (when open), and no high schools are currently scheduled to practice at the Smith Aquatic Center, when complete.
– Western Albemarle is the only high school that doesn’t have a reasonably convenient facility available.

“Competitive swimming pools ranked 15th out of 16 with approximately five percent (5%) of the respondents selecting it as one of their top three (3) choices.”(click to see survey included in report – PDF)

– The recommendation ignores the needs and wants of County residents as outlined in the supporting survey and numerous (if not every) County needs assessment.
– Competitive swimming is never mentioned in the Albemarle County Parks and Recreation Funding Request form, which is the basis of evaluation for the executive summary. (See Attachment B funding requests instructions).
– The recommendation accommodates after school practices and meets for 120 high school athletes for one quarter of the year.
– Other proposals accommodate 4 of the top 5 survey responses in the executive summaries attachment A. (A warm water recreation family-oriented facility was number one choice of respondents).
– Recreational aquatics facilities serve thousands of residents, including competitive swimming.
– Pools built specifically for competitive swimming cannot be easily used for other needs. Better options are available that serve not only competitive needs but also learn to swim programs, recreational swimming, and programs for swimmers with disabilities.

The executive summary failed to list several concerns with the Star Swimming proposal:

– County high school swim teams, the only beneficiaries, will need to use the facility for many years, even if more convenient options are available (such as Smith Aquatic Center, Crozet Pool, or McIntire YMCA facility) for recovery of a $500,000 County investment.
– Investment made into a private facility will limit public use.
– Lack of operator for “optional” public use (Parks and Recreation Department is proposed)
– Lack of budget, funding, and reasonable hours for public programming option.
– Swimming Pool does not exist.
– Source of pool funding is not included in proposal.
– Star Swimming location is in a highly congestion (sic) area and inconvenient to 2 out of the 3 County school.
– Least attractive option for Western Albemarle.
– Location is near five existing and proposed aquatic facility locations.
– A facility already exists at Star Swimming/Fairview that is used by Western Albemarle High School.

The executive summary misrepresents Claudius Crozet Park:


– Long history of working successfully with the County to provide affordable programs to all County residents, regardless of income.
– Subcontracted YMCA coaching and aquatics staff since 2004.
– Proven 50-year track record of successfully running the ONLY public pool in Albemarle County.
– Existing affordable public swimming is subsidized through regular fundraising (30 year bi-annual Arts and Crafts Fair).
– Pool expenses include facility costs and depreciation.
– Crozet Park has over $150,000 in banking assets and no debt. Limited fundraising is required for proposal.
– Commitment and mission of YMCA mirrors partnership responsibilities in Crozet Park request. See Executive Summary Attachment F.
– Air supported dome structures provide the highest aquatic programming return on investment.
– Concern of financial failure is unwarranted and not realistic. There are numerous options other than County “takeover” of operation.
– Monticello and Albemarle High School have numerous, more convenient training options available.
– Crozet Park proposal is the only option that provides reasonable access to Western Albemarle High School.
– The Crozet pool is already built and provides public programming.
– The adjoining 6,000 SF Community Building is already built and provides public programming.
– Crozet Park proposal can be accomplished in the least amount of time for the lowest cost.

In conclusion, Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. urges the Board of Supervisors not to support a recommendation that takes appropriations from Parks and Recreation to subsidize the replacement of an existing private facility, for a “questionable” benefit to a very limited County Schools program that does not require immediate assistance, at a time when financial resources are extremely limited.

If the focus of the request is only for additional options for high school swimming, Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. further urges the Board of Supervisors to re-evaluate the needs of high school swimming in relation to more important needs of City and County residents and in relation to the location of existing and proposed public and private facilities in Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville. It is perfectly reasonable to expect that Albemarle County, the City of Charlottesville, The Piedmont Family YMCA, the University of Virginia, ACAC, Star/Fairview Swim and Tennis Club, and Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. can meet every indoor aquatic programming need for every resident throughout Central Virginia at a reasonable cost and in a reasonable time frame. Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. looks forward to participating in such a dialogue.

Sincerely,

The Board of Directors of Claudius Crozet Park, Incorporated

Editor’s notes:

1 – Quite simply, in my humble opinion, the Park Board has been politically outmaneuvered. STAR Swimming has been working on this for years, and the Park Board is likely too late with their efforts.

2 – The only edits made to the above are formatting to improve readability on the blog or addition of links.

3 – The only connection I have to Crozet Park is that I live in an adjacent development and my family has had a lot of friends involved in competitive swimming.

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Pool Enhancements coming To Crozet Pool?

Update 04 January 2008: Turns out the County is opting to recommend against funding the Crozet request.

From Albemarle County’s site regarding the January 7 meeting; if you live in Crozet, reading this proposal submitted by Crozet Park (PDF) would be a good idea.

Crozet Park (Attachment E)

The Crozet Park request is for a $350,000 contribution to be used for a 960 square foot addition to the existing pool building, HVAC equipment and a 14,170 square foot air supported dome over the existing swimming pool. The County contribution is 66% of the estimated $525,000 project. Crozet Park will begin a fund raising campaign to secure the remaining $175,000 if the County agrees to fund this proposal. The existing pool is an 8-lane, 25-meter pool with an additional zero depth beach entry. The anticipated lifetime of the structure is 15 to 20 years. The programming and operations of the facility will be provided through a lease arrangement with the YMCA. A letter of intent from the YMCA included with the Crozet Park proposal indicated their interest in entering into a long-term collaborative agreement “as soon as is practical” (Attachment F). The high school swim teams will have access to the pool for practice at a standard cost of $15 – $20 per lane hour. Crozet Park anticipates that the bubbled facility would be available for the start of the high school swim season in November of 2009.

Favorable Factors:

·         Most attractive proposal to Western Albemarle swim team.

·         Conveniently located to serve western part of County with potential non competitive swimming programs.

·         Least expensive request of 3 proposals.

·         Potential long-term partnership with YMCA.

·         Very committed Park Board has sustained outdoor pool annual operations without County assistance.

Concerns:

  • Commitment from the YMCA needs to mirror partnership responsibilities in Crozet Park request.
  • No history of working partnership with the YMCA.
  • Park financial records indicate total expenditures over revenues for the last 5 years to be $77,000.
  • Outdoor pool operation has shown a total deficit of $71,000 for the last 5 years.
  • Air structure is the least efficient pool covering and given financial performance of the existing park operations, unknown future economic conditions and lack of market information, seems to be a risky investment for the County, YMCA and the Park Board at this time.
  • If YMCA/Crozet Park partnership fails, County could become default owner and operator of the bubble.
  • Least attractive proposal to Albemarle and Monticello swim teams.

BUDGET IMPACT:

The budget impacts for all proposals are discussed above. The only proposal being recommended for consideration at this time is the Star proposal which would have a budget impact of $100,000 per year for 5 years.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Committee has made the following recommendation to the CIP oversight committee:

  1. The County’s commitment to the YMCA should remain at $2,030,000 with no additional funding provided for the competitive pool in the final adopted 5-year plan.
  2. Funding for a more efficient Crozet Park pool enclosure system should be included in the out years of the CIP.
  3. Consideration should be given to funding the Star request at $100,000 per year over a 5-year period with the first $100,000 being provided from the existing Parks and Recreation capital budget in the spring of 2009, if the Star request is included in the final adopted 5-year CIP. Funding would be conditioned upon the execution of an agreement to assure the public and school use of the facilities as proposed.
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Take Steven Landes’ Legislative Survey

For those that don’t know, Steven Landes is our representative in Virginia’s House of Delegates. Every year, he sends out a mailer asking his constituents to fill out a legislative survey. The survey is here; my longstanding belief remains – if you don’t voice your opinion (especially when it’s requested), it’s not worth very much.

Learn more about Del. Landes’ legislation at Richmond Sunlight and find out who is donating money to him at the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP).

Richmond Sunlight » Delegate Steve Landes (R-Weyers Cave)
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Crozet and Brownsville Redistricting Plan Approved

From today’s Daily Progress –

The Albemarle County School Board unanimously agreed Thursday to transfer 100 pupils from Crozet Elementary to Brownsville Elementary. The affected pupils live in the Grayrock area.

…

The proposal is part of a long-term plan to handle the increase in students in Crozet. Crozet Elementary, which has a capacity for 380 students, has an enrollment of 428.

Because there is little room for expansion at Crozet Elementary, the county is building a $10.27 million expansion to Brownsville Elementary. The expansion, which includes a new wing of classrooms, more kitchen space and a new gymnasium, is slated to be finished in the spring.

There are 402 students at Brownsville Elementary, and the additions will allow for 716, according to a school official.

The transfer of the 100 pupils will take effect next school year, Wheeler said.

In May, it was noted that only 15 people had expressed opinions about the redistricting plans.

If you are thinking about buying (or selling, really) in Crozet – check the school district yourself – don’t necessarily trust the MLS (as much as it pains me, as a Realtor, to write that).

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Yancey Business Park folded into the Master Plan

Find out more at Charlottesville Tomorrow –

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors has overturned a decision by the Planning Commission to end consideration of a proposal to create a new industrial park in Crozet on largely rural land just outside the designated growth area. The 184-acre Yancey Mills Business Park will now be considered as part of the mandated review of the Crozet Master Plan scheduled to take place next year.

And December 9 at the Crozet Firehouse, talk to the Yanceys about their plans. Please attend; this has the potential to greatly impact our community – whether you’re for or against it, participate in the conversation.

Yancey Mills Business Park in Crozet

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Tax Town Hall

Albemarle and Charlottesville are not alone in struggling with tax cuts/service cuts – all levels of government – and the citizens – are struggling. From the New York Times regarding states’ budgets –

The astonishing decline in revenues is without modern precedent here, but California is hardly alone. A majority of states — many with budgets already full of deep cuts and dependent on raiding rainy-day funds or tax increases — are scrambling to find ways to get through the rest of the year without hacking apart vital services or raising taxes.

…

Others are demanding hiring freezes and across-the-board cuts. A few states are finding their unemployment insurance funds running dry, just as the ranks of out-of-work residents spike.

The plunging revenues — the result of an unusual assemblage of personal, sales, capital gains and corporate taxes falling significantly — have poked holes in budgets that are just weeks and months old and that came about only after difficult legislative sessions.

Here’s what I do – I ignore the advocacy and focus on the information. Raising taxes should not be the default response. We’re all facing “unprecedented declines” and we need to work together to find the solution. Blaming government without getting involved is counterproductive.

From the Albemarle Truth in Taxation Alliance –

Crozet Town Hall Meeting “2008 Firehouse Tour” Continues

ATTA is hosting a series of local Town Hall meetings throughout the county this fall.

To find out more about ATTA and what to expect during the 2009 county budget process, please attend our Crozet ATTA Town Hall Meeting:

Crozet Town Hall Meeting
Crozet Firehouse
5652 Three Notched RD, Crozet
Thursday, November 20, 2008
7:00 p.m.
Free and open to the public

If you read the Nov. 13 Daily Progress article “County’s decision: Cuts or tax hike” you saw the following statement regarding Supervisor David Slutzky’s approach toward our current financial situation:

David L. Slutzky, a Democrat, said the county should start with a tax rate closer to 90 cents – which would allow the county to avoid service cuts, and then systematically decide which of those services should be cut or scaled back.

Slutzky’s attitude is profound for several reasons:

A 90-cent real estate tax rate represents a 26.8% increase over our current rate. During the current economic climate — when so many of us struggle to provide for basic needs — suggesting such a draconian tax increase is absurd.

The premise is flawed. Raising taxes or cutting services are not the only options. More effective and efficient use of available revenues should be the first option. This is why the county is currently performing a Resource Utilization Study–to identify how we can do more with less!

Slutzky’s suggestion to raise taxes now and then fix government spending later is truly laughable.
The Program Service Review (Form 4) initiated by Albemarle County well over a years ago has gone nowhere (its goal was to identify 10% cost savings in every department).

It took the Albemarle BoS seven months to begin its current Resource Utilization Study after being challenged to do so by ATTA.
There remains a profound lack of sense of urgency by county gov. to make substantial improvements to how our tax money is spent.

Slutzky is basically ask us to trust him: raise tax now and he’ll lead the charge later to cut them in the future.

We all know what will happen: if we raise taxes now, there won’t be a later. There will only be new rationale to keep the tax rate at 90 cents — or raise it even higher.

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No Business Park in Crozet – Yet

Courtesy of Charlottesville Tomorrow – I recommend reading the entire post on what could have been (and may yet still) be a new business park in Crozet.

My primary question –

– What types of businesses and industries would they like to bring in? If they’re talking about seeking out high-value, low impact jobs – bio-tech, manufacturing, etc. wouldn’t that represent a possible net gain for Crozet?

On November 11, 2008, the Albemarle County Planning Commission held a work session on the proposed Yancey Mills Business Park in Crozet. The Commission came close to recommending that the development be reviewed as part of the upcoming Crozet Master Plan update, however, the discussion concluded with a 6-1 vote to end all further consideration of the matter. Linda Porterfield (Scottsville) was the only Commissioner who supported further study.

In an interview with Charlottesville Tomorrow the day after the decision, Will Yancey described what he had hoped to accomplish at the meeting.

…

Charlottesville Tomorrow asked Will Yancey where he thought the family would go next with their business park proposal.

“The Yancey family is going to spend the next couple of weeks speaking with our advisors and the community. We will reach out to the Crozet community and try to reassure them that have been in the area for a long time, well over a hundred years, and we intend on keeping our word and to do what we say. The notion that we want to put in a shopping mall with a Stuckeys and a Cracker Barrel there is not what we have in mind at all. We will make a determination if we should go forward and bring this to the Board of Supervisors.”

Yancey Business Park in Crozet denied

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Crozet Library Delayed Until 2013

And we’re not alone in having projects pushed back due to the economy (bolding mine)-

The County will delay several capital projects. New fire stations in Pantops and Ivy will be delayed until FY2013. A new library for Crozet was expected to open in 2011, but that will now be pushed back to 2013. A new library to replace the Northside library will be pushed back out of the five year plan. Recycling centers anticipated to open in FY2010 will be delayed until FY2013. Western Park in the Crozet growth area, scheduled to open in 2012, will also be moved out of the first five years of the capital plan.

Read the entire story at Charlottesville Tomorrow.