(To Barclay Winn)

In our continuing effort to partner with the City to make Norfolk's neighborhoods the "neighborhood of choice" throughout Hampton Roads, the league board offers the following recommendations. These recommendations are suggested as vehicles to improve service to residents throughout Norfolk.

It is our understanding that City Manager Regina V. K. Williams is currently researching the feasibility of replacing Norfolk's software system with one that serves the needs of the city more effectively. It is widely known that the database currently in place for inspectors to track code violations is cumbersome to use and ineffective. It is most important to have a system in place that allows each department to access all information pertaining to a particular property. Furthermore, a system that allows constituents to receive as well as relay information to city departments via the internet meets the needs of the public and the City much better. It's essential for everyone to be able to look at the whole history relating to one property at one site; under the property address. We need this system put into place now in order to eliminate the continuance of unnecessary work on the part of inspectors and citizens. If funds are not allocated in FY2002 to replace the current database system in its entirety, at the very least, provide funding to procure the database software module for the environmental health and property maintenance departments. In addition, the inspectors need a way to access this information from their vehicles, since that is where they spend the better part of their workday.

We've been reading that there is an ongoing pay and classification study of all personnel working for the City of Norfolk. It is my understanding that this study won't be completed soon. We are losing code inspectors now. It is estimated that six inspectors have left so far. We cannot afford to keep losing any more experienced inspectors. These inspectors are not only trained, they have established an important rapport with the residents they serve. That's why we recommend increasing inspector's salaries and benefits to be commensurate to the city within Hampton Roads that pays the highest salary. We also support implementation of a tiered system within position categories that provides incentive raises for inspectors who have completed training requirements, and attain certain experience/skill levels.

Debris discarded by property owners and renters can sit by the curb for long periods of time before pick-up. These discarded household items are unsightly and make a community look rundown. We recommend that the City procure two or three solid waste trucks that can be quickly deployed to pick up sofas, old tires, and other debris. These trucks would be on-call, to be dispatched as the need arises. In addition to quick removal of debris, it is important to impose penalties on those who fail to comply with the regulations specifying how and when to place discarded items by the curb and neglect calling waste management to pick up those items. Of course, before penalties can be levied, notice of the regulations need to be disseminated to the public.

Environmental Health and Housing Codes are currently housed in different buildings. The board recommends that they be housed together so that they can work more closely together. We also think it's a good idea to provide more environmental health inspectors devoted solely to working on neighborhood issues. We would like to see one Environmental Health and Safety inspector for each sector. There are five sectors.

We encourage you to provide funding in the next budget year for the items mentioned above. If Norfolk's neighborhoods are going improve, we need to work together to provide the tools that make it possible for City employees and residents to achieve that goal. The time to do that is now. I look forward to receiving a written response from you on the status of our recommendations for the fiscal year 2002 budget. If you need additional information, you can reach me at 628-4588, 640-8938 or jkstark2@juno.com.

Sincerely,

Kathy Stark Community Improvement Chairperson
Colonial Place and Riverview Civic League