Building "Civic Muscle"

Learn how to apply to serve on city boards and commissions at a public forum sponsored by Project Inclusion Leadership Development Program, United Way of South Hampton Roads on Thursday, April 30th, 6:00PM – 8:00PM, at the Norfolk Workforce Development Center, 201 E. Little Creek Road, Norfolk.

The forum agenda includes:

Remarks on Community Service by Bernard Henderson-Senior Deputy Secretary, Commonwealth of VA

Keynote Presentation - Civic Boards & Commissions Panelists:

• Velma McNair, Deputy City Clerk of Chesapeake
• Katherine Glass, City Clerk of Hampton
• Mabel Washington-Jenkins, City Clerk of Newport News
• Shelia Wilder, Deputy City Clerk of Norfolk
• Debra White, City Clerk of Portsmouth
• Erika Dawley, City Clerk of Suffolk
• Ruth Hodges Frasier, City Clerk of Virginia Beach

Moderator: Delores “DeeDee” Gee-TV Show Host: “My Good Lyfe”

Project Inclusion aims to serve as an advocate for inclusion within the community and to build and promote cultural diversity among the United Way member agencies and other non-profit agencies to positively impact the quality of life for others.

Forum Take-Aways:

• Learn which boards have current vacancies in your city.
• Gain an understanding of board application processes.
• Obtain useful tips for gaining board appointments.
  

Refreshments will be served at this free event.

RSVP your attendance to J.R. Locke, Director of Project Inclusion, at 2515 Walmer Avenue Norfolk, VA 23513-2604, ebmincllc@msn.com or call 757-853-8500 ext 134.

Hampton University Marching Force

HRP Member, Hampton University's own Marching Band performs at the Inaugural Parade for Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States, on January 20th, 2009.

Video Link

VDOT's Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Meeting

by Russell Manning
(including photo credit)

Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim addresses the group.

Dennis W. Heuer (VDOT Hampton Roads District Administrator), Pierce R. Homer (Virginia Secretary of Transportation), and Randy Boice (Project Manager) addressed a group of citizens and elected officials at Granby High School in Norfolk, VA tonight. The first of two meetings was held last week at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, VA.

Mr. Boice gave very detailed, informative explanations of each alternative including the strengths and weaknesses of each as follows:

Alternative 1: at $2.2 Billion was the least costly, but would not meet Federal Highway requirements prohibiting two-way traffic within the same undivided tunnel.

Alternative 2: meets Federal Highway requirements for minimal extra cost (adds $100 Million) by making the middle tube reversible during rush hour, however the traffic pattern on I-64 does not allow for reversible lanes. There is equal traffic in each direction, making it difficult to reverse the lanes.

Alternatives #3 and #4 are the two most practical and the most costly at $3.3 Billion each.

Alternative 3: constructs a four-lane tunnel to accommodate all east-bound traffic and converts both existing tubes to carry only west-bound traffic.

Alternative 4: constructs a four-lane tunnel and reserve a lane in each direction to be used for a dedicated right-of-way transit service, either a bus way or, more preferably (in Secretary Homer’s opinion), an extension for the Light rail line.

Alternative 5: constructs a two-lane suspension bridge, a mile in length and high enough for cargo ships and aircraft carriers to pass underneath. It would require reversible lanes, which not only fails the Federal Highway regulations but, due to the lower speed needed for the two-lane tube, the time benefit is shown not be worth the money spent. It also has “adverse … aerodynamics,” similar to the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which collapsed in Washington State four months after it opened in 1940. Proper reinforcement would bring this bridge to the same cost as a four-lane bridge. (see #6)

Alternative 6: constructs a four-lane suspension bridge, which saves $100 million over the four-lane tunnel option. However, it was noted that the Navy would never approve it. Constructing a bridge over the only exit for the majority of the Atlantic Fleet would be a terrorist attack waiting to happen, also adding fuel to Florida’s case to move aircraft carriers away from Hampton Roads.


Chesapeake Mayor Alan Krasnoff and Councilman Dr. Richard W. West attended.

Comments following the VDOT presentation included:

Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, who objected to any and all plans to widen HRBT, stating that the region has already determined that the Third Crossing was the best option, better during an evacuation, a plus for military mobility, and it would draw traffic away from the HRBT, lessening traffic jams. Any HRBT widening project in the current footprint would disrupt the Willoughby area.

Senator John Miller and Delegate Paula Miller were present to support the project, stating that we need to plan for the future and not just alleviate current problems. Delegate Miller inquired if the HRBT project or the Third Crossing would be eligible to receive funding under the proposed stimulus programs from President-elect Barack Obama. Mr. Homer replied that neither project would be eligible as they are not ready for immediate construction.

Bobby Mathieson of Virginia Beach stressed that the community needs to continue to talk about solutions. Virginia Beach’s Vice Mayor Louis Jones stated that he did not support any project that was not previously supported by the MPO.

Norfolk councilman Randy Wright took a minute to publicly thank Mr. Homer for supporting the Norfolk Light Rail project.

Hampton councilwoman Angela Leary stressed that as a supporter of personal property rights, she would like to discuss further alternatives with Norfolk and the Peninsula.

Mr. Homer strongly supports a multi-modal tube in any expansion to make it more attractive to the Region.



Russell is a Political Science major at ODU and Hampton Roads Magazine Top Ten Blogger, and we thank him for his continued reporting.
http://757HamptonRoads.blogspot.com

Economic Crisis of 2008

Economic Crisis of 2008

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Report provided by Dr. Filer to the Hampton Roads Partnership Executive Committee on 17-Oct 2008.

Summary: as of Aug08, the U.S. has $19.3T in housing stock with $10.6T in debt. 91.6% are at prime rates; only 8.4% is sub-prime. So, how did this small sub-prime number create such havoc? Regionally, Hampton Roads has less sub-prime stock than the nation and comparable MSAs (such as Charlotte, Jacksonsville, Atlanta). Locally, while still small, the majority of sub-primes are #1) Suffolk, with an alarming rate #2) Chesapeake #3) Portsmouth #4) Hampton.

Hampton Roads has a low foreclosure rate compared to national average. However, over the next year, local ARM resets will be slightly higher in number than national average. Hampton Roads’ median monthly average house payment income as a percentage of monthly income has always been lower than the national average, that is, until 2007.

Hampton Roads' home inventories are a definite concern, although we’re approaching “bottom”, our historical minimum of home sales and at the peak of our historical home inventories. Is our current housing situation the result of fundamental appreciation or over-speculation in home values? This is debatable among local economic experts, including Dr. Koch.

Hampton Roads and NOVA are the only MSAs in Virginia not already in recession or at risk, but “expansion” mode. Expansion in Hampton Roads is evidenced by personal income growth and job growth versus job losses.

In 2008, 59% of mortgage debt was being sold on the secondary market and not held by banks, two times as much as any other period in history. Warren Buffet referred to this rise as “weapons of financial mass destruction”. The credit default market is at $58T while the debt rate is actually $10.6T. These are highly leveraged “insurance contracts”. Credit on “paper” is at 13 times its actual worth and the assets attached to that credit.

The TED Spread, the percentage banks pay to borrow money from other banks, has experienced huge spiking in the last two months. The commercial paper market (basically IOUs) for short-term needs, i.e. paying debt with debt has been rolling over since Jul07 and has started to “crash”. Banks have liabilities and can’t find buyers for the debt.

As of 3rd Quarter of 2008, essentially 80% of the banking industry is finished with sub-prime lending. 60% of banks report tight lending even with credit cards.

So, where’s the bottom? The fundamental weakness is in housing defaults. Foreclosures will continue until this market stabilizes. The high-end market in housing is much more volatile than the conforming market (valued at $417k or less). World-wide recession is indicated by the slowing of GDP. The recent moves by the Federal Reserve and the federal government are very aggressive and need to be allowed time to work in the various markets to stabilize the economy.

The solution to Hampton Roads' housing excess inventory? Need to address the supply side by keeping buyers in the market and attracting new buyers and encourage banks to make loans. Current federal response hopefully will stimulate demand. Hampton Roads builders should be highly commended, having responded well by reducing new permits and avoiding over-building. Other regions are not so fortunate.