After months of confusion, the city and Alexandria City Public Schools plan on creating a committee to evaluate the co-location of affordable or workforce housing on the grounds of public schools slated for renovation.
“I feel like as a board that we’re being kind of we’ve been already left behind in this process. And and so I think that that we need to try to remedy that in some way,” School Board Chair Cindy Anderson said at a joint budget work session on Wednesday night.
Alexandria firefighters are likely getting a raise this year, but under the city manager’s proposed budget they are still the lowest paid in the region.
City Manager Mark Jinks is proposing a 6.6% pay hike to $52,531 for first-year firefighters, which includes the 1.5% increase for all city employees. The city’s salary for first-year firefighters, however, would still be 6.4% behind other jurisdictions in the region.
Alexandria may allocate $6 million to reopen closed portions of the Holmes Run Trail.
The trail, which was damaged in last July’s flash flooding after the Barcroft Dam overflowed, in addition to previous flood damage from 2018, is currently closed in four sections. City Manager Mark Jinks has proposed new capital funding to reopen all four sections.
School Board Approves New Budget — “The Alexandria City School Board has approved an Operating Budget for the 2020-21 school year focused on supporting students socially, emotionally and academically while also increasing graduation rates. The Operating Budget of $299.1 million is an increase of 4.4% on last year’s budget, in line with ACPS’ anticipated continued enrollment growth and needs.” [ACPS]
City Unveils New 311 System — “The City of Alexandria has launched a new customer service initiative called Alex311, to connect customers to more than 175 City services in a variety of convenient ways. The service includes new web, mobile app, social media and phone options to submit requests for service or information… Alex311 replaces the City’s previous Call.Click.Connect. service.” [City of Alexandria]
Alexandria City Manager Mark Jinks released his proposed, $799.9 million fiscal year 2021 budget at City Hall on Tuesday night, and it includes a 2 cent real estate tax increase.
Jinks, who also presented a $2.1 billion 10-year Capital Improvement Plan, proposes increasing the current tax rate by six cents over the course of six years — a 2 cent addition every other year — in order to pay for city and school system improvements.
The superintendent’s leadership reorganization, the fiscal year 2021 combined funds budget — as well as the reelection of the Alexandria School Board Chair and Vice Chair — are just a few of the items on the docket for Thursday, Jan. 9.
The ACPS budget process began in September and will conclude in May in coordination with the passage of the City budget. Additionally, the 2021-2030 Capital Improvement Budget was approved in November, and the Combined Funds budget priorities include:
More on Alexandria’s New Fire Chief — Newly-appointed Alexandria Fire Chief Corey Smedley “is now working with the city manager’s office on a number of budget issues. He recently submitted a budget proposal to the city manager, and said that he is working to improve the pay for Alexandria’s first responders, which is among the lowest in the region.” [Zebra]
City Ready for Winter Weather — “Responding to winter weather events is a top priority for the City of Alexandria. City crews clear snow from more than 560 lane miles of roadway, 20 miles of City-owned walkways and trails, and 44 acres of municipal parking lots or City-owned squares.” [City of Alexandria]
