The Program
New member Stephen Kirkland introduced our guest, the City of Norfolk’s Budget Director Greg Patrick. In addition to citing his many professional and academic accomplishments, Stephen noted that Greg is super smart and has great hair!
Greg first gave us an overview of how the City’s budget is structured, followed by an explanation of the Dillon Rule which places restraints on what cities can do to boost revenue. Essentially, unless the power is expressly authorized by the General Assembly, cities cannot create new kinds of taxes. He told us Norfolk’s largest sources of revenue come from three areas – state aid, property taxes, and local taxes from sales, meals, hotels, and admissions. Our largest expenses are schools, public safety, debt (from bonds), services, and public health and assistance.
Right now, Greg says the City is reconciling all the lost revenue resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Until that occurred, he said Norfolk was way ahead of revenue projections, due primarily to the wildly successful run of Hamilton at Chrysler Hall. Once the pandemic hit, revenue was reduced to a trickle with the hardest hit areas being hotels, restaurants, and retail. He says the biggest question mark now is how many of these affected businesses will be able to weather the storm.
Initially, the 2021 budget was set at $915 million, but has since been revised to $872 which will mean cuts in discretionary spending, of which only $115 million is truly discretionary. Hardest hit will be the City’s museums, and the renovation of Chrysler Hall will have to be postponed. Even the school system will experience significant reductions in revenue - $8 million in local funding and $3 million lost from the state. However, capital projects in such areas as storm water will remain fully funded.
Bottom line, Greg says now is the time to let your elected officials know what you consider to be of greatest priority. He says some priorities can be met, but not all.
The Meeting
We began our virtual meeting with Bob Heely and his guitar, singing Lean on Me by the late, great Bill Withers, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, Four-Way Test, and invocation led by Jim Sell who adapted a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, calling for us to do our part to remove hate in our world and replace it with love for mankind.
We are asked to keep Bill McInnis’ wife in our prayers who was in the hospital but is now at home recovering. We also welcomed Carlisle Wroton’s guest, his next-door neighbor, Martin Levin.
President Lorna reminded us to please respond to the one-question survey she sent us regarding the July installation of our new President, Jim Kitz, and the club’s newest officers. We want to have an in-person meeting for that at the Norfolk Botanical Garden – with social distancing measures in place – but need to know if enough people plan to attend.
Jim Kitz reports that we have now surpassed $12,000 in our Food Bank campaign! He also wants to remind members to expect adjustments in our invoices coming next month. While there will be a reduction because we have been meeting virtually, some money will have to be added back in to offset lost revenues from meals.
We also recognized Joey Rothgery with a Paul Harris pin and her tireless work on the club’s behalf with EVMS and the Hunton YMCA. Finally, we welcomed new members, Michael Richardson, a Microsoft Engineer, and Dr. Henry Butler, a retired surgeon.
Happy Bucks
- Jim Kitz – celebrating a record number of participants – 56 – for a virtual meeting.
- Chuck Spence – celebrating four grandchildren graduating high school and college.
- Barbara Lipkis – granddaughter climbed her 80-foot tree in the absence of playground equipment!
- Alan Nelson – celebrating his 28th wedding anniversary.
- Jeff Wells – recognizing the City of Norfolk and its citizens for staging a series of peaceful protests, saying his thanks for Norfolk doing it the right way!
- Winston Whitehurst – praising his wife for walking in Sunday’s protest and coming back without blisters!
- Bob Batcher – For the City of Norfolk and it’s continued proud history of successfully engaging its communities. Also, for the reopening of the Norfolk Recreation Center and Prime Plus.
- Laurie Harrison – for Lorna Cochrane’s great leadership and mentorship as president.
- Lois Kercher – for how proud she is of Norfolk’s peaceful protests.
- Eleanor Schoonover – celebrating her 46th wedding anniversary.