At Informal Session - Juvenile Justice Center

Entire Informal Session 2012 Feb. 13 • Richmond City Council • Richmond, Virginia from Silver Persinger.

The Informal Session opened with Docket Review at 3:15 PM [0:35].

Dr. Carolyn Graham, Deputy CAO of Human Services, gave an update on the Juvenile Justice Center [3:10]. She discussed corrective actions that had been taken to address issues raised by a recent City audit and the Commonwealth. Issues included repairing defective door locks, reactivating intercoms, installing 32 new cameras, installing a new server, a camera recording system and new monitors, correcting water pressure, distributing hair brushes to female residents, TB testing for staff and staff training, replacing chairs, "no evidence of bed bugs found," and the medical mismanagement of child "unfounded."

[13:40] Charles Samuels [2nd Distict] for several minutes asked questions related to the medical management and was not satisfied with Dr. Graham's responses. A girl made an initial complaint in February 2011 and Mr. Samuels alleged that the treatment was not given until November/December. Dr. Graham disputed that claim with information from a report. Then Mr. Samuels pursued a line a questioning about hair brushes [20:00]. Then Mr. Samuels asked about bug bites [21:45]. He also asked about the replacement of 35 mattresses and a "funny question" about the use of anti-itch cream to treat acne.

[23:58] Ellen Robertson [6th District] asked if any resident has filed a complaint. Dr. Graham said that no complaints had been filed.

[26:10] Marty Jewell [5th District] asked about timelines for work completion, the intercom system, and the door locks. 39 youths are currently in the facility and capacity is 60.

[38:00] Review of Council Priorities.

The Latest Boondoggle - The Richmond Coliseum Study Group

Interim Status Update from Coliseum Study Group - Sept. 9, 2010 - Richmond, Virginia from Silver Persinger.

Today at 12 noon at the Performing Arts Center, a presentation was given to Richmond news media outlets by consultant Dan Barrett of Barrett Sports Group, LLC to discuss the preliminary results of their unscientific survey among Coliseum users which was used to illustrate support from the "General Public."

A statement from the report that jumped out to me was, "Approximately 99% of Respondents would potentially attend an event at a renovated Coliseum or New Arena Development."

Read the Interim Status Report for yourself and Mayor Dwight Jones' Press Release that was handed out after the presentation.

Here is an informative article about the formation of the Coliseum Study Group that costs $150,000 and was paid for by four area corporations, Genworth Financial, Dominion Resources Inc., Altria, and MeadWestvaco.

Mayor Jones was not present at the Press Conference, neither was any member of the Council present, nor any representative from Council's Chief of Staff. However, many of Mayor Jones' top administrators were there including Byron Marshall [Chief Administrative Officer], Peter Chapman [Deputy CAO, Dept. of Economic and Community Development], Suzette Denslow [Mayor's Chief of Staff], and four members of the Mayor's public relations office: Tammy Hawley [Press Secretary], Michael Wallace [Public Information Officer], Shelby Crouch [videographer and one of the only carry-overs from Mayor Wilder's administration], and a photographer, Jemila Woodson.

The assembled press were permitted to ask questions after the presentation.

KUDOS to the Office of the Press Secretary to the Mayor for both emailing PDFs of the documents above and for having paper copies at the Presentation for members of the media.

Swine Flu Presentation at Health, Human Services and Education Committee Meeting

On Wednesday May 20, Richmond City Council's Health, Human Services, and Education Committee heard a report from Dr. Donald Stern, Health Director at the Richmond City Health District, a division of the Virginia Department of Health, on the recent outbreak of H1N1, a new strain of flu virus, that has made many sick and killed several people since April.

Dr. Stern reviewed the Flu Pandemic of 1918, it's transmission, and simple precautions we can take such as washing our hands regularly and covering our mouths when we cough or sneeze.