City to Consider State Retirement Contribution Changes

By Desiree Parker Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Williamsburg City Council has a busy agenda for its Thursday afternoon meeting, including deciding on possible state retirement contribution changes and choosing whether to promote the deputy city attorney when the current attorney leaves.

Thanks to a new piece of state legislation, localities are faced with a tough choice that might help ease some of their financial stress. Currently the city (and all other local governments) pays the five percent employee contribution to the Virginia Retirement System. They now have the option of requiring all employees hired after July 1 to pay that contribution. Either way, the state mandates they need to make the decision by July 1.

City Manager Jack Tuttle explains in a memo that there is slight flexibility with the decision. Council may also choose to keep picking up the five percent and then change its mind at any point – however, if this change is made it will still apply to all hires after July 1 regardless of the date of the future decision.

Tuttle suggests the city continue to pick up the contribution because it will ensure all employees are treated equally and because the decision can be changed in the future if necessary. Also, he points out salary reductions could accomplish the same goals if the city ever finds itself in need of reducing funding.

Council also is set to decide whether to promote Deputy Attorney Christina Shelton to the city attorney position being vacated by Joe Phillips.

Council interviewed Shelton recently, and should they decide to hire her, the transition would be effective July 1.

Other business
Council will open two public hearings Thursday. One is for a special use permit to convert two offices to apartments at 110 Westover Avenue. The offices have been vacant for several years, and the area is zoned to limited business, which allows for mixed uses such as offices, commercial or residential uses.

The applicant already has two dwelling units on the property.

The second public hearing is for an appeal of an Architectural Review Board decision to deny permission to the Mahone family to demolish two single-family dwellings to make room for a subdivision.

The ARB denied the request because the homes are unique, rare homes dating from 1919 and 1920, and  also because they felt the subdivision can be redesigned to keep the homes where they are. The applicant hadn’t demonstrated a compelling case for removing the homes, the ARB found.

The applicant argues Williamsburg residents will benefit from the removal of the homes, and that the financial impact to the property and the community will be greater if they’re gone.

Council can choose to support the ARB decision, or to modify or reverse it.

Council will also decide on adopting the heritage tree program, which aims to preserve trees of significance in the city. Along with deciding on adopting the new ordinance, council will also consider the new program guidelines along with an initial list of trees that would fall under the ordinance.

The meeting begins at 2 p.m. in the Stryker Building on North Boundary Street.