3 Things To Watch At July 6 Alexandria City Council Hearing

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria City Council's July 6 public hearing is slated to have numerous notable docket items.

City Council will hold a public hearing on reallocating funding for school resource officers for mental health positions and resources. A decision is also coming on how the city's first round of federal stimulus funds will be used.

The July 6 public hearing returns to City Council Chamber after meetings were held electronically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Members will participate in person or electronically via Zoom. The public can access the meeting in the City Council Chamber at City Hall, through live broadcast on the government channel 70, live streaming on the city's website, or via Zoom.

Here are the key docket items:

1. Public hearing on release of school resource funding for other uses

City Council will take public input on and consider reallocating $789,909 from the police department budget for school resource officers. The fiscal year 2022 budget approved by City Council in May moved that funding to contingent reserves and directed staff to propose mental health resource uses for the funding.

The proposed uses of the funding are an Alexandria mentoring partnership coordinator for $101,000, public health nurse at the high school's Minnie Howard Campus for $122,000, therapist supervisor at the Department of Community and Human Services' Child and Family Behavioral Health Services for $122,422, human services specialist for $98,654, and licensed senior therapist for $111,435.

City Council previously deferred the decision on the funding to allow discussion with Alexandria City Public Schools and the school board as well as provide a public hearing. At a June 28 City Council School Board Sub-Committee meeting, ACPS staff and school board representatives indicated support for the positions and student services in the funding proposal. School board representatives wanted more time over the summer and fall to preview the proposals with the school board and ACPS leaders to ensure they meet student needs. ACPS is also working on security-related changes to the high school building, which would carry an unbudgeted cost.

2. Consideration of American Rescue Plan Act funding uses

The city is receiving $59.6 million from the American Recovery Plan Act in two equal allocations of $29.8 million. City Council will make a decision on uses for the first round of funding with several different scenarios of proposed programs.

City staff developed a list of potential uses for the federal stimulus funds and sought public input. Permitted uses of the funds under the law are responding to the public health emergency or its economic impacts, premium pay for workers providing essential work during the public health emergency, government services to the extent of reduced revenue due to the public health emergency, and investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure. Funded projects and programs must be completed before 2024.

The second round of funding is expected in May 2022, and the city will start to consider uses for the second round in the late fall.

3. Funding for purchase of 1703 North Beauregard Street for public school use

Alexandria City Public Schools is requesting that City Council endorse a purchase of an office building at 1703 North Beauregard Street next to Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School. ACPS intends to use the building in the short term for administrative functions, then swing space during rebuilding of George Mason Elementary School, then Cora Kelly Elementary School, and lastly a new 600-student elementary or secondary school. ACPS projects it may need a new school in about 10 years.

The building is up for sale by owner Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and ACPS has executed a letter of intent with a purchase price of $17.9 million. This cost does not include funding for renovations ACPS has not requested, which were estimated to be $15 million in one analysis. If City Council endorses the purchase, it could direct the city manager to propose an appropriation ordinance to increase the capital projects funding for schools by $17.9 million to fund the proposed purchase.