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THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1999 <br /> <br /> A special and duly-called meeting of the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia, with Mayor <br /> <br />Mark A. Crabtree presiding, was held Thursday, May 13, 1999, in the Council Chamber, City Hall, <br />beginning at 9:00 a.m.. The purpose of the meeting was to consider the City's FY 1999/2000 budget, <br />specifically those items relating to the following agencies, Constitutional offices and departments: E-911 <br />Center, Virginia Museum of Natural History, Piedmont Community Services, Piedmont Arts, Henry- <br />Martinsville Social Services, Blue Ridge Airport, Blue Ridge Regional Library, Henry County-Martinsville <br />Health Department, Commissioner of Revenue, Treasurer, and the Information Services Department. All <br />members of Council were present: Dr. Mark A. Crabtree, Mayor; M. Gene Teague, Vice-Mayor; and <br />Council Members Bruce H.T. Dallas, Elizabeth H. Haskell, and Terry L. Roop. <br /> <br /> Council first considered the budget request of the E-911 Center, as presented by Mr. Wes Ashley, <br />Center Director. Mr. Ashley began by noting that the budget request presented showed a 23.22% increase <br />over the previous year, in the amount of $46,630. He stated that the great majority of this increase was the <br />result of Capital needs, in addition to compensation improvements for stall. Compensation improvements <br />included a 2.55 merit pay increase for all staff coupled with a 2% cost of living increase. Mr. Ashley stated <br />that the City's share of the E-911 Center's expenses was 30% of the budget according to the formula in <br />place, which was the same percentage as the previous year. The City's share of Capital costs was stated as <br />about $61,485. Vice Mayor Teague asked about the frequency of payment by the City to the County for E- <br />911 expenses, and was told the payment was made semi-annually. Mayor Crabtree asked if the new mobile <br />data terminals going into service with the Police Department would reduce the costs of operation. Mr. <br />Ashley stated that it would take a year of operation to measure the impact, but that he thought they would <br />have a positive effect on costs. Council Member Roop asked if calls from the City had decreased, and was <br />told that they had gone down by about 1,000, or about 3.8%. Council Member Roop then observed that <br />although our dependence on the E-911 Center was decreasing, with the expectation of even fewer calls in the <br />future, and the number of police officers in the City had not increased, the costs for the Center continued to <br /> <br /> <br />