HomeMy WebLinkAboutAUGUST 14, 2003 MINUTESVIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL
Virginia Beach, Virginia
14 August 2003
Mafor Meyera E Oberndorf and Chatrman Darnel D Edwards called to order the VIRGINIA BEACH
CITY COUNCIL and SCHOOL BOARD RETREAT tn the Theater of the Tidewater Communtty College
Advanced Technology Center, on Thursday, August 14, 2003, at 6 30 P M
Councd Members Present
Harry E Dtezel, Margaret L Eure, Vtce Mayor Louts R Jones, Reba
S McClanan, Rtchard A Maddox, Mayor Meyera E Oberndorf, Jtm
Reeve, Peter W Schmtdt, Ron A Vtllanueva, Rosemary Wtlson and
James L Wood
Councd Members Absent
None
School Board Members Present
Jane S Brooks, Emma L Davts, A James DeBelhs, Chatrman Darnel
D Edwards, Dan R Lowe, Vtce ChatrmanNedL Rose, SandraSmtth-
Jones, Mtchael W Stewart, Arthur T Tate, Dr Lots S Wtlhams
School Board Members Absent
Carolyn D Weems
Ctty and School Staff Present
James K Spore, Ctty Manager
Leshe L Ltlley, Ctty Attorney
Dr Ttmothy R Jenney, Supertntendent of Schools
Kamala Lannettt, City Attorney for Schools
Jeff Cobb, Vtrgtnia Beach Educattonal Assoctatton (VBEA)
Susan Whtte, Vtrgtntan-Ptlot Reporter for Schools
Lyle Sumek - Facthtator
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VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL
AND
SCHOOL BOARD RETREAT
Lyle Sumek- Lyle Sumek Assoctates, Inc , facthtated the Retreat Mr Sumek advtsed the last Joint Virginia
Beach City Council/School Board Retreat was October 1998 Mr Sumek chstrtbuted cortes of the Guide
for Teamwork approved October 1998
Mr Sumek asstgned all Members seats, chsperstng Ctty Counctl and School Board Members together
accor&ng to Dtstrtct, then asstgned each tnto five (5) dtscusston groups and provtded a twenty mtnute ttme
hmttatton for dtscusston
Group 1 "red 1" Counctl Members Peter W Schmtdt, Reba S
McClanan, Chatrman Darnel D Edwards and School Board Member
Sandra Smith-Jones
Group 2 "blue" City Counctl Members Margaret L Eure, Ron A
Vtllanueva, School Board Vice Chairman Ned L Rose and Emma L
Davis
Group 3 "green 1" City Council Members Jim Reeve, Rosemary
Wilson, School Board Members Arthur T Tate and Michael W
Stewart
Group 4 "red 2" Mayor Meyera E Oberndorf, Ctty Counctl
Members Rtchard A Maddox, Harry E Dtezel and School Board
Members Dan R Lowe and Dr Lots S Wtlhams
Group 5 "green 2 ", Vtce Mayor Louts Jones, Counctl Member James
L Wood, School Board Members Jane S Brooks and A James
DeBeIhs
The Task entatled dtvtcltng the large sheets of paper tnto the categortes of School and Ctty
"What are the major Challenges facing Schools and Cities?"
"What does Success Mean in terms of Education?"
Mr Sumek advtsed success tn terms of educatton was &scussed durtng the School Board Retreat Thts
parttally entatls the hnkage between schools and economtc development If the Ctty has poor quahty schools,
tt wtll be extremely dtfficult to attract bustnesses Ctty Counctl also expressed interest tn this toptc
14 August 2003
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VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL
AND
SCHOOL BOARD RETREAT
Councdman dtm Reeve spoke for hts group (green 1) and advtsed the hstmg
Re: Major Challenges
Schools City
Pubhc Trust
Money
5-year forecast worse, not better
competing needs
Small class size Ftx pot holes
Alternative educatton Redevelopment
Capttal Improvement Program
Changtng demographtcs Brtng tn jobs
Health Insurance
Securtty
NCLB (no chdd left behind)
Oceana
Agtng upper management
Career Counsehng
Tracktng graduates *
Commumcattons**
Needs of local bustnesses ***
Infill and new development tssues
Transportatton tssues
Envtronmental (Lynnhaven
Rtver projec0
* to determine if the City's education tsproducttve, the location of the graduate and if there ts an economic
factor whtch would brtng them back to the Ctty
**commumcatton relattve tssues, t e the soft drtnk consohdatton has been successful and the Performtng
Arts Theatre
*** VOTECH tssues matchtng careers wtth the market today and tomorrow
Dr Jenney advtsed thetr soft drtnk venchng machtne consohdatton resulted tn a $10-MILLION contract
Mayor Oberndorf's represented her "red 2" group
Re: Major Challenges
Schools City
Academtcs*
Fundtng
Capital Improvement Program
Modermzatton of Schools
Safety and Technology
Lump Sum
Lack of fundtng - State and Federal Government
World Class educatton
(shared VlSlOn of Clty and School)
Commumcattons
(early knowledge of school budget vta
quarterly brtefings)
Sustatnable tourtsm **
Workf orce development***
14 August 2003
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VIRGINIA BE~ICH CITY COUNCIL
AND
SCHOOL BO,4RD RETRE,,IT
*Tracktng of graduates, to determtne employment and the producttveness of the educatton system
**If healthy tncome productng bustnesses are not avatlable, fun&ng of Ctty needs wtll be dtfficult
***Advanced Technological Center (A TC) became a reahty to ensure crtttcal workforce tratnmg
Mayor Oberndorf also referenced the Semor Citizen Real Estate Tax Rehef Task Force and thetr
forthcommg recommendattons Dtscusston has not entatled tf Ctty Counctl follows proposed
recommendattons, the amount of fundtng whtch wtll be lost t e thru freeztng of taxes at age 62 The needs
of the young famthes need to be revtewed
A James DeBelhs, School Board Member, advised the results of his "green 2" group:
Re: Major Challenges
Schools
Dtverstty
School populatton
City
Changtng Demographtcs
Shortfall vs Needs
Capttal Improvement Program
Unfunded mandates
Teachers/Prtnctpals shortage
Quahty of Workforce
Alternattve Educatton
Trades
Fundtng Formula
Staff turnover
Emma Davts, School Board Member, represented the "blue" group and advtsed the majortty of toptcs
covered were prevtously discussed Basically the group diverted discussion relative wages and health
benefits Ve3en the health benefits are mcreased for the Ctty, the benefits are also mcreased for the School
system, however, the Ctty has one-half the number of School employees, therefore, the mcrease to Schools
would be twtce that of the Ctty's The Ctty wtth fewer employees can be more compettttve
Counctl Lady Margaret Eure advtsed the Ctty and Schools assumed both pay the same salartes Although
aware Schools have double the employees, she does not vtsuahze thts tn "dollars" re the benefit packages
The assumptions have been made
Counctlman Schmtdt represented the "red" group and advtsed areas and challenges common to both
Schools and Ctty were revtewed, t e agtng tnfrastructure (not a challenge, but best way to address the
capttal needs)
Mr Sumek referenced an tnterdependence of the challenge of the Schools and the Ctty, what one does
impacts the other There ts a need for a common dialogue and joint participation on Task Forces The
Transttton Area Techntcal Revtew Commtttee was ctted as an example
Counctl Lady Eure advtsed the questton was posed "What does educatton mean to you ?" To her, tt means
one could etther go on to htgher educatton, attend a trade school or walk out the door and get a job
Educatton relates to earntng a hvtng The tnchvtdual who works wtth hts hands must sttll be recogntzed
wtthtn the realms of educatton
14 August 2003
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VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL
AND
SCHOOL BOARD RETREAT
Mr Sumek requested the groups respond to "What Does Success Mean tn Terms of Educatton ? "One of the
questtons posed among other groups Mr Sumek has facthtated was "What ss the Product turned out?"
(Quahty or successful educatton)
The red 1 group Counctlman Schmtdt retterated hts group's responses
Well tratned workforce
Preparatton for college
Partty tn resources among Schools t e Landstown
Techntcal educatton centers
Low drop-out rate
Smaller class stze
Community and City pride tn schools academtc potential
Equal to or exceechng prtvate schools tn tnstructton of currtculum offered
Pubhc educatton rather than prtvate education as an alternattve
Academtc potenttal
Phystcal, as well as mental development of students
Vtce Chatrman Nell Rose, School Board Member, spoke for the "blue group" Hts group was &scusstng
success, compettttve schools, developtng potenttal, not just graduattng wtth a certatn Grade Potnt Average
(GPA), attendance, need for alternattve educatton (butld a facthty and devtse needed program) On the Ctty
stde Workforce development ss the abthty to move out of the system tnto the work-force
Mayor Oberndorf , representtng the red 2 group, advtsed chscusston entailed success tn educatton The
group chscussed what the Ctty and Schools succeeded tn dotng now
Capttal Improvement Plan
(Replactng or renovattng older schools)
Technology to accommodate world class development of students
Fun&ngformula
More emphasts on readtng, wrtttng and artthmettc
(Instruction creating a capable studenO
Ltfe long learning
(working with sensor ctttzens and newer cmzens)
Academtes (Math, Law, Sctence and Technology)
Internattonal Baccalaureate Program
(both on high school and mtddle school leveO
Alternattve educatton
Nurstng career program
Vtce Mayor Jones represented the green 2 group Hts group responded to the basic questton and addressed
the dtrectton A successful educattonal system would be to have graduates able to read, wrtte, multtply, to
develop bastc sktlls AND to functton as adults tn soctety Vtce Mayor Jones referenced an example of hts
employees, the majortty of whom cannot compose a proper bustness letter Vtce Mayor dones sends hts new
employees to a typtng class Thts way they must learn form and punctuatton
Jane Brooks, School Board Member, advtsed tf the Vtrgtnta Beach School Board stopped atjust bastc skdls,
the child wtth the abthty to earn 1600 on a SA T score would not be developed
14 August 2003
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VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL
AND
SCHOOL BOARD RETREAT
Mwhael Stewart represented the green I group and advtsed re educaaonal success
Productng academtcally accountable responstble, producttve ctttzens
100% passtng re Standards of Learmng Tests (SOLs)
High test scores
Prepared work force to attract bustnesses
Multtple and expanded opportuntttes
(Challenge and tmprove skdls)
Zero drop out rate
Quahty tn School system
(t e Advanced Technical Center (ATC)
Preparatton for college and trades
Mr Sumek advtsed the School Board Retreat dtscusston entatled a producttve ctazen also means an
effecttveparent Parentsplay a role Another ttem referenced the ctvtc responstbthty of ctttzens to contrtbute
and be a part of the commumty
Mr Sumek advtsed dtscusston wdl entad revtston of the Guide for Teamwork: School Board and Mayor -
City Council (October 1998).
On Page 17, "Recommendations to Facilitate Teamwork", dane Brooks advtsed for her group, the
Informatton Sheet (Item 1) ts not necessary Instead of an Annual Retreat, a quarterly briefing should suffice
durtng Ctty Councd's workshop ttme (3 or 4 hours) Councdman Reeve advised "no paper" Thts ts not a
staff presentatton Thts ts a Councd to School Board dtalogue Re Dtalogue wtth Federal and State
Legtslatures, Councd Members Rosemary Wtlson and Ron Vdlanueva and School Board Members Ned Rose,
Arthur Tare and dtm Debelhs (so there wdl always be a back-up) wdl be the Legtslattve Coordmatton
Ltatsons
Relattve Item 4 Communications Protocol (Page 18), strtke paragraph No 2
.,_ _ o .............. ~ .... There should be member commumcatton between
the correspondtng Dtstrtcts t e Beach Dtstrtcts (Maddox and Broo~)
Relattve paragraph No 3, reports should be provtded by the Mayor and Vtce Mayor to the School Board
and by the Chair and Vtce Chatr of the School Board to the Mayor and Ctty Councd
Add one more ttem under 5. Budget
Combined Pubhc Hearing Ct~_ and School Operattng Budget
Councdman Maddox advtsed at one of the Operattng Budget and Capttal Improvement Plan (Resource
ManagemenO Pubhc Hearings, the twenty-two members (Combtned Ctty Counctl and School Board) should
be tn attendance
Councd Lady Wtlson advtsed her group had suggesttons relattve Recommendations to Facilitate
Teamwork Page 17, Item No 1 Informatton Sheet Councd Lady Wdson requested the School Board
Summary of Acttons be forwarded to Ctty Counctl The Ctty recetves a copy of the School Board Agenda
The Ctty Counctl Agenda, as well as the Three Month Tentattve Agenda, should be forwarded to the School
Board The weekly newsletter of the Ctty Manager should also be forwarded to the School Board
14 August 2003
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VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL
AND
SCHOOL BOARD RETREAT
The contacts re commumcatton protocol should be changed to Ruth Hodges Smtth- Ctty Clerk and Kathleen
Hassen -Ctty Manager's Office and Kathleen Thompson and Jeanne Evans -Supertntendent's office and
Dtanne Alexander - Clerk to the School Board
Re No 2 Annual Retreat, whtchever body, School Board or Ctty Counctl, has the latest Summer Retreat
could "piggyback" the Jotnt Retreat Meals should be served
Item No 3 Dialogue with Federal and State Legislators: Federal Legislator (Ed Schrock) should be
tncluded tn the dtalogue and the Legtslattve Package should be a jotnt effort of Ctty and Schools
No 5 Budget The Dtrectors of Ctty and Schools Management Services should coordtnate a new format and
address when the Schools should submtt thetr Operattng Budget to the Ctty
Page 18, Communication Protocol:
Underhne "The staff should seek to agree on cost figures and on
sources of funding" This sttll seems to be an tssue
Make sure the Mayor/Vtce Mayor and the Chatr/Vtce Chatr of the
School Board do meet monthly and tnform both bo&es of the tssues
dtscussed
On Page 19, Summation of Communication Lines: There should be "member commumcatton" between
the corresponding Dtstrtcts Invtte Ctty Counctl and School Board Members to events whenever feastble
Mtchael Stewart, School Board Member, spoke on behalf of hts group
Recommendations to Facilitate Teamwork:
Item 1 Information Sheet wtshed statement added to make sure the Ctty Counctl recetves the School Board
Agenda wtth some backup tnformatton
Item 2 Annual Retreat Delete "October timeframe" and tnsert 'followtng the Counctlmantc and School
Board Electrons
"Thts was a worthwhtle effort sandshould be conttnued It ts suggested
that t;~¢~,~,~,~,~,'-' -~ - L ___ time jS-ai~ie.followtng the Counctlmantc and School
Board electron ts appropriate as tt allows new members of both elected
bo&es a chance to become famthar wtth thetr respecttve groups "
Item 3 Dialogue with Federal and State Legislators Shall rematn as stated
14 August 2003
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VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL
AND
SCHOOL BOARD RETREAT
Item 4 Communications Protocol (Page 18)
Programmattc Issues That Have Budget Impacts
1 (Gramattcal correctton)" There should be some wrttten~o.,.,,,o,,,~,.,,~.,,° .......... communtcatton to document
thts tntttal level of contact and copied to all members of the Ctty Counctl and School Board "
2 Ifa problem ss not resolved, dtalogue should occur between the Ctty Manager and the Supertntendent
of Schools, not necessartly a meettng
3 "The quarterly moi~t,'ily meettng wtth the Mayor/Vtce Mayor and the Chatr/Vtce Chatr of the School
Board should address all new program tssues or other ttems, as they deem necessary "
"A wrttten copy to all members of the elected bodtes as to the tssues and any soluttons shall be provtded rs
i-eqiiested to keep them mformed of the process"
Item 5 Budget The word Annual was added "Annual Joint meettng of the elected bodies and staff for the
presentatton of the Frye Year Forecast Submtsston of Superintendent's Budget as a working document
only was amended to reflect "Superintendent's Estimate of Needs as a working document onlF."
Page 19, Summation of Communication Lines
The number of meettngs has been tncreastng
2 "It ts suggested the City Manager and the Supertntendent meet oitce a moiit,~ as needed wtth a member
of the Ctty Counctl and the School Board"
School Board Member Dan Lowe represented hts group
Recommendations to Facilitate Teamwork (page 17)
Item 1 Information Sheet was not amended
Item 2 Annual Retreat Should be Btenntal on the even years, wtth the first Retreat encompasstng the newly
elected Ctty Counctl and School Board Members
Item 3 Dialogue with Federal and State Legislators No change
Item 4 Communication Protocol (page 18) Tttles, not names, should be hsted throughout the Grade for
Teamwork document re the representattve contacts
Programmatic Issues that have budget impacts
Mr Lowe's group disagreed wtth the term "accusatory" "Prtor to thepassmg of accusatory letters and the
vottng of Resoluttons, a method of seektng common ground ts suggested"
Item 5 Budget The School Board should tdenttfy items destred but not funded (ttered budgeO
14 August 2003
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VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL
AND
SCHOOL BOARD RETREAT
Summation of Communication Lines (Page 19)
The meettngs of the Ctty Manager and the Supertntendent attended by elected officials rotattng monthly, has
ceased Thts was damage control five years ago, as there was a communtcatton tssue five (5)years ago and
thts Gutde was developed Thts ts no longer a problem
Mr Sumek requested each group tdenttfy a representattve Councd Members Rosemary Wtlson, Harry
Dtezel and School Board Members Jane Brooks and Mtchael Stewart were chosen Mr Sumek wdl prepare
a comptlatton of the tnchvtdual groups re the Guide for Teamwork and then the representattves tdenttfied
wdl redraft the compdatton to brtngforward wtthtn the next month to thetr respective bo&es (Ctty Councd
and School Board) Councd Lady Wdson wdl be the convener of the group The ortgmals were collected by
Mr Sumek who wdl return hts compdatton to the representattves next week
Chairman Dantel Edwards referenced tnternal controls of the School Board relattve fundtng Every transfer
between umt codes ts brought to the School Board and tf over $50,000, must be approved by the School
Board
School Board Member Stewart suggested revtewtng extsttng committees prtor to estabhshtng new ones
School Board Member Dr Lots Wdhams referenced emtnently quahfied members, both Ctty Counctl and
School Board Members, avatlable to serve on the vartous dotnt Task Forces, but are never chosen The
&verse group of tntellectuals should be exerctstng their sktlls and talents for the benefit of the students and
ctttzens served
School Board Member Sandra Smtth Jones beheves the Commtttees are unbalanced
School Board Member Lowe advtsed the Commtttee structure was reduced considerably tn 1999 This was
a dehberate dectston Only Ad-Hoc commtttees are now created wtth a few standtng commtttees rematntng
Many of the School Board Members have been servtngfor years on these Commtttees
Mr Sumek referenced the Ctty appotntment of a Task Force that may tmpact Schools t e Sentor Ctttzen Real
Estate Tax Rehef Task Force Perhaps a School Board Member should be appotnted
Councdman Reeve tnvtted Members of the School Board to be a member of thts Board Relattve the
Transttton Area Techntcal Revtew Commtttee, tnput was sohctted from the staff of Schools relative needs,
future populatton growth and demographtcs
School Board Vtce Chairman Ned L Rose beheves, tfa Commtttee exists affecttng Schools, a representattve
of the School Board should be a member Staff has somettmes reflected tdeas whtch were not the School
Board's posttton
Mr Sumek suggested, for Cay Councd 's constderatton, tnclu&ng School Board Members on Task Forces
re tssues whtch tmpact school locatton, fundtng, etc
Chatrman Lowe requested any School Board Member who wtshes to serve on the Senior Ctttzen Real Estate
Tax Rehef Task Force to advtse and thts shall be scheduled for the School Board Sesston of August 19, 2003
Mr Sumek chstrtbuted drafts of the Virginia Beach Schools Strategic Plan~Action Plan 2003-2008
Reports shall be furntshed on CD Rohm
14 August 2003
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VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL
AND
SCHOOL BOARD RETREAT
ADJOURNMENT
BY CONSENSUS, the Vtrgtnta Beach Ctty Council and School Board Retreat ADJOURNED at 10 O0 P M
Hooks, CMC
Chtef Deputy Ctty Clerk
Ruth Hodges Smtth, MMC
Ctty Clerk
Meyera E Oberndorf
Mayor
Ctty of Vtrgtma Beach
Vtrgtma
14 August 2003