[2:19] Good afternoon, and welcome to the November 9th city council work session.

[2:29] And I'll call on

[2:30] our city manager, Winterbenda.

[2:34] Thank you, Mayor and members of city council. Good afternoon.

[2:38] We have a healthy work session before us, I'll jump in with both feet, visiting us, but certainly no stranger is central Virginia Planning District's executive director, Gary Christie, also with him, his wife, Fran.

[2:53] He will brief you on his organization's 2021 annual report and tell you about some of his professional news.

[3:01] co-located with Gary in the Bank of the James is the Virginia career works and

[3:06] we have its executive director Tracy Blito. Who will introduce herself in

[3:14] their organization and then pitch it to her business engagement and outreach

[3:17] coordinator Tim Saunders who will present to us on employment trends in our area.

[3:23] Then because the holidays are upon us and we will not be back in this space again

[3:28] until December 14th, I've asked Ted from the museum

[3:32] and Ricky from the market to engage us in spreads

[3:36] and holiday cheer and tell us what to expect

[3:38] from them this holiday season.

[3:40] We've highlighted the legislative agenda again here

[3:43] after the recent election in prior

[3:45] to your legislative dinner, which is next Tuesday.

[3:48] Then we've a business item briefing and closed session,

[3:51] the business item briefing just to remind everyone

[3:53] the item itself, Tom, is going to engage you about,

[3:56] But it's a style for the planning commission very soon and we wanted you to hear it because by the time it's voted upon

[4:02] We will not had time because of meeting schedules to have engaged you about it

[4:07] So that's the business item briefing and so knowing time is of the essence

[4:11] I will like I said jump in with both feet

[4:14] So the first agenda item on the work session is styled as my 90 to 100 days if you recall

[4:21] When I first arrived I asked for each of you just for that amount of time to figure out where I am and

[4:26] who you are and exactly what Lynchburg is all about and so I stand before you

[4:32] today November 9th this is my 99th day. I remember my family I moved here on

[4:41] July 29th which midday during that day both my wife and I realized it was our

[4:45] 21st wedding anniversary so I think we shared a brief kiss and a quick hug and I

[4:50] get back to packing the trucks. We arrived physically here in Lynchburg on July 30th

[4:55] then I started work on August 2nd.

[4:58] Probably of that transition that was maybe the most nervous

[5:01] was explaining to my middle daughter

[5:04] that school started earlier out here

[5:06] than in Hampton Roads, and that she,

[5:09] the day after 16th birthday would be starting school.

[5:12] So she have started to talk to me again

[5:14] and settling and just fine with one another.

[5:17] It has indeed been a momentous in first few months

[5:21] in our new home.

[5:22] We are settling in learning about the city and thriving.

[5:26] Today I would like to share with you some of my initial observations and thoughts after

[5:31] three months on the job, but please understand, I'm very, very new in this infancy as city

[5:36] manager, so there's no broad initiatives, no expectations, just things that I've noticed

[5:40] and or you told me about and I want to make sure that you know that I'm paying attention.

[5:46] So with that, we have great work to do for the city and for residents that deserve our

[5:50] care, attention and best work as public servants. While I have raced all over the seven hills

[5:57] and beyond and met many, many people, atop them, I still have so many miles to go to meet.

[6:03] So but to my word and it being my 99th day, I am looking forward to working, to continue

[6:09] to working alongside you to move this community forward. So first I'd like to start with our

[6:14] team. This organization is strong and managed by accomplished and capable staff. I've witnessed

[6:21] this strength firsthand during my first city council meeting, which was also my daughter's

[6:25] 16th birthday. There was an incident at the regional jail. We showed plucking ability that

[6:30] evening and these same characteristics have been borne out in my interactions across all

[6:35] the 17 city departments. I've met with all of the city department head, city appointees,

[6:40] constitutional officers where they work. It has been important for me to meet them

[6:46] not meet them where they are not where I am. Bottom line, each and everyone wants

[6:52] this organization to be successful, want strong leadership and in turn support

[6:57] for their work. As we head into a new fiscal year, a key growth opportunity lies

[7:03] in resourcing both people and stuff to get the job done. I've heard you loud and

[7:10] clear about compression, which you have correctly diagnosed as an organizational opportunity

[7:15] not simply in one or two departments. Another opportunity that I have identified is an

[7:20] improving leadership and staff morale. COVID wreaked havoc over the last 18 months and through it we

[7:26] asked many people to step up and step in and they have. On day one, we had six acting or interim

[7:33] leadership positions across the organization. I have since filled two and got the others into their

[7:37] proper lanes so that we can continue to move forward. I think loudly, those who have stepped

[7:43] up and continue to do so. As the leader of this organization, my style will be to equip,

[7:49] encourage and engage. I've asked the deputy city manager, the assistant city manager, and

[7:55] all of our department heads to be bold. And take half step promotions in places where decisions

[8:01] need to be made. I expect mistakes and for us to learn from them together. This C is

[8:07] is 235 years old.

[8:10] Since 1920, eight city managers

[8:12] have proceeded to be in this role.

[8:15] This city has survived, drought, famine, pestilence,

[8:19] well, quite literally, wars, floods,

[8:21] and now a pandemic, and very few years have been

[8:26] as challenging as this last one.

[8:28] So while I look forward to my black and white photo,

[8:30] maybe hanging here in city hall

[8:32] after some hopefully long tenure,

[8:35] I pray that it is a tenure in which

[8:37] I and this leadership team make our small contribution to this organization and to this community.

[8:43] The next opportunity I will address is our message.

[8:47] A couple weeks ago, we heard from Margett and Anna on a city's new destination marketing message.

[8:53] LYH loves you.

[8:57] I mentioned then that communities often have three brands.

[9:00] One, a DMO brand to position the city for tourism and business investment.

[9:04] to an organizational brand to clearly communicate to our citizens and three

[9:08] sometimes an organic identity adopted by the community over time. Remember,

[9:14] Lunchburg? We as an organization haven't talked about what I call small city,

[9:18] small city, city communications brand in quite some time. Having come from a city

[9:24] and understanding there are literally thousands of more of us that call ourselves

[9:28] the greatest place to live or can play. I know that Lynchburg is exactly that but

[9:33] but it is also much, much more.

[9:35] For example, on any one day, as I travel to work out of my neighborhood, I drive by a

[9:39] school of higher education, pass a public high school down in a historic street, into

[9:43] our iconic downtown that abuts a famous river.

[9:47] And I can see as I drive that we have not maybe captured and may not be communicating effectively

[9:51] with the full diversity of this incredible community.

[9:55] So how do we capture the essence of us and who we are as a city, drawn from private and nonprofit

[10:00] businesses, arts and culture of faith, faith community, history, landscape and

[10:05] people, all of the people to reflect who we are as an organization. I offer to

[10:10] you that it's the city skyline. Already used graphically in several ways is

[10:14] notable and recognizable. We just need to be on message. I believe that this

[10:19] organization has an opportunity through the city's website, through our internal

[10:23] and external communications and strategies, to hit reset and refresh. If COVID

[10:29] would taught us anything, the way in which people give and receive information is broad

[10:33] and diverse.

[10:34] We need them, the technology and staffing to ensure that our residents are not simply informed

[10:38] but also engaged.

[10:41] I should add that no one agrees with me more than Ms. Joanne Martin, who I would like to recognize

[10:46] and publicly thank for keeping me straight and on message these last 99 days.

[10:52] She will be truly missed with Joanne's support now and new communications director in the coming

[10:58] months and possibly some outside help I intend to stretch us in this area. And lastly our process.

[11:05] In my early work with you and our staff, I've heard that you expect that we

[11:10] operate an open and transparent government responsible to the citizens of this community.

[11:15] In thinking through those expectations and observing the efficiencies of our meetings

[11:19] together over the past several months, I see an opportunity to improve how we're communicating with

[11:24] With one another and how we not only inform but also engage the citizens in the work of local government

[11:30] I've said before to you that City Council is a City Council meaning is exemptive of a Board of Directors convening their CEO to discuss

[11:39] Matters of import of import for their shareholders that for us as our residents while this example is not perfect

[11:45] But to that end I would have us begin to think through when where and how we meet the city leadership

[11:50] We currently meet together on two Tuesdays a month with work separated into

[11:55] committee's work session in formal docket. Committee meetings occur on

[11:58] alternating Tuesdays at 8 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. Work session is usually 4 to 6 p.m.

[12:04] with a formal docket following at 7.30 p.m. for your reflection this evening.

[12:08] I offer that there may be some ways in which to streamline some of this work and

[12:11] to optimize your in our residence time and when you're ready I'm prepared to

[12:16] offer some options on how to do so.

[12:19] As for where it has been important for me

[12:21] to hear from you and from staff,

[12:23] we have found those instances when we are around a table

[12:26] in collaborating with you to be especially helpful.

[12:31] Joe and her staff have leaned into this model

[12:33] and made the second four conference room connected,

[12:36] meaning that that space is able to accommodate broadcast

[12:39] and record public meetings.

[12:41] In the new year, I suggest that we consider using it

[12:44] for committees and or work sessions.

[12:46] In closing, I am proud to be standing before you tonight,

[12:51] leading a strong and capable staff with opportunities

[12:53] before us to improve our service,

[12:56] our communications and our processes,

[12:58] to better engage the citizens of this amazing community.

[13:01] What makes us great are our people, our special places,

[13:05] and the things that make up the fabric of this city.

[13:08] Over the last 99 days, I've met so many wonderful

[13:10] Lynchburgers who have offered their candid feedback,

[13:12] but most importantly their support for and their belief in the trajectory of

[13:16] this city. Make no mistake while resources help and boy do they. People inside

[13:23] and outside of this organization are getting things done. Who and what we want

[13:28] this community to be is reflected by each of you sitting before me today. Some of

[13:33] you were born and raised here moved away and returned to make a difference in our

[13:38] community. Some of you moved here, went to school, started a business, stayed for

[13:44] family and friendship. Your stories are the stories of this city, growing, dynamic,

[13:49] moving forward. And it was your passion for Lindsburg that made me in my family

[13:54] decide to make this our home and commit to its success. And we are not alone. Our

[13:59] arts and cultural community is spreading joy reminding us of who we are and

[14:03] inspiring the next generation of creators. Our institutions of higher

[14:06] education and equipping young people to change the world, rooting many of them right here in our city

[14:11] to help drive us forward. Our private and nonprofit businesses continue to invest in their employees

[14:16] and their property. Our shops, restaurants and entertainment venues are delighting our citizens

[14:21] and creating spaces for recreation and community. Our transportation providers are bringing people from

[14:26] all over the world to make an impact in Lynchburg. So what lies ahead? Please know that I will wake

[14:33] every day prepared to out hustle anyone to make this city ever better. Outside of ensuring that we

[14:39] are providing daily impactful municipal services, I will continually assess our work to identify

[14:45] the gaps and resources necessary to fill them. In my next 90 days, I will meet with you to discuss

[14:51] opportunities before us, including one, the American Rescue Plan Act or ARPA funding and how we deploy

[14:58] this for transformational

[15:00] No one time projects. Two, leadership, vacancies, and compression. We are not alone in these conversations as businesses and local governments assessed and adjusted to a post-pandemic future. Three, in a budget process that works for us all, with buying from you, city staff, and more importantly, the residents of the city, to insert ownership over future spending priorities. I will approach my work with humility in public servants asking you, our staff, and our residents, to believe in the greatness of the city. I remind it daily that we are in the

[15:29] together and we will succeed in our work for the benefit of our citizens and the prosperity

[15:34] of this city through mutual love and respect and common vision of Lynchburg shining

[15:38] atop at seven hills. Thank you. Thank you and now I'll call on Gary Christy to give

[15:48] the and report of the Central Virginia Planning District Commission 2020.

[15:53] Madam Mayor, it was a council good to see you again and special thanks to council member

[15:57] Tweety, she serves as our chairman this year on the Planning District Commission.

[16:02] A year when we've started in-person meetings again after COVID and we have a variety of

[16:07] challenges ahead of us, including staff transitions, so thank you Mayor Tweety.

[16:13] We do have annual reports there in your packet and I have printed copies if anybody would

[16:18] like one.

[16:19] We are a place where localities who come together and talk to each other, build trust with

[16:25] each other and we can do multi-gear-stictional planning and multi-gear-stictional projects

[16:30] that will save our localities money.

[16:32] We are a planning organization, we've completed a long-range transportation plan that will

[16:37] position each of our communities for smart scale and other grant applications.

[16:43] We've completed a hazard mitigation plan which provides opportunities to plan ahead for natural

[16:49] disaster events.

[16:50] Once we will be doing a housing study in 2022 and looking at how working family housing

[16:59] and looking at the need to identify where that might be.

[17:03] We'll also have one and a half million dollars to invest in new construction through a

[17:08] grant we received from Virginia Housing that we won't implement until that housing study

[17:14] is complete.

[17:14] But we will have something to implement with when once we have a plan in place.

[17:19] In 2022, we'll do an update to the Economic Development Strategy, our SEDS plan, that keeps

[17:26] our economic development players working towards the same set of goals, and this time we will

[17:31] include agriculture and civil culture in our planning process.

[17:36] We also expect to do an update to the Greenways and Blueways plan, looking at rivers, trails,

[17:43] waterways, and opportunities for connections.

[17:45] During the end of 2019, 35 local government officials got together for a strategic direction

[17:53] meeting and determined that advanced manufacturing was a continued emphasis for our region.

[18:00] And as a result, the planning district commission is invested $134,000 in the community colleges

[18:06] of CTE program and leveraging a Govergenne grant for staffing there.

[18:13] We also invested $150,000 towards the planning and reuse at the Virginia Training Center

[18:20] within the Training Center.

[18:23] We continued to have transit planning services for GLTC, our rideshare and commuting services

[18:30] are restarting now that COVID is getting settled in.

[18:33] We've completed transportation studies in the Rusper area and have intersection safety studies

[18:39] going on in three counties as well as March scale and transportation alternative applications

[18:44] for our counties.

[18:46] We're working with the Department of Environmental Quality on Chesapeake Bay practice, best

[18:51] management practices and a middle James River Vision project.

[18:55] And we continue to run the landfill in Rustburg and have a gas to energy proposal going before

[19:00] the Campbell County Board of Supervisors.

[19:03] Our planning work continues in the town of Alta Vista, the town of Amherst, where we're

[19:08] We're doing their comprehensive plan updates.

[19:11] We completed one foot of town of Appomattox, and we completed the Bedford County Transportation

[19:17] Conference Plan.

[19:19] We continue to work with the radio communication system for public safety, and we're adding

[19:23] Campbell County this year to make interoperability for the city and three of its neighboring

[19:28] counties, as well as investing $150,000 in new dispatch furniture in the Lynn Compte

[19:34] education center. Our county and towns have smaller staff so we do the CDBG

[19:41] planning work for them. They have to apply for grants in order to get that CDBG

[19:46] funds and we're working with the old town Madison Heights and Amherst and the

[19:51] Hilltop project in Bedford for those of those funds. As you hear later we have a

[19:57] new workforce development board director on board. We're excited about her work

[20:01] and youth partnerships with Benford Campbell and the Parkview

[20:06] Missions organization.

[20:09] For every $1 in dues that our jurisdiction has paid,

[20:12] we brought $24.75 to our communities

[20:16] in grants and other incomes during this past year.

[20:20] I thank you for supporting me over the past 16 years.

[20:23] 40 years ago, I started on the third floor city hall,

[20:28] working with city officials like Robert Martin,

[20:30] Sunday Cover Health and Dr. Joe Freeman. Over that 35 years since then I've

[20:36] been fortunate blessed to have worked in managed two cities, a county, and two

[20:41] planning district commissions. I appreciate the support you've shown me and to

[20:45] our organization. I'll be transitioning out of this position in April,

[20:51] friend and I plan to stay in Lynchburg, which has always been our home, and to see

[20:55] what retirement looks like. Again, a sincere thank you for the support you've

[21:00] given me and the organization and happy to take any questions about the

[21:04] planning distribution. Are there any questions? Comments? Councilmember

[21:10] Halbison. Thank you, member. Gary, I want to I know this I don't know when you're

[21:16] going to be back before us but I've talked a lot or a few of your former staff

[21:22] and what not, and they said, man, that's going to be tough to replace you because you've

[21:27] done a fabulous job.

[21:29] It's not as much notoriety or what not because a lot of times nobody sees it, but because

[21:36] of the fact that you're now working with competing jurisdictions sometimes to partner and work

[21:43] together.

[21:43] It's a difficult thing, especially when you have very different, maybe governing bodies,

[21:49] very different land use areas, you've got agriculture, you've got density, you've got lots of different things.

[21:58] And you were able to really thread those needles, so thank you for your work and I know it's going to be difficult.

[22:05] Hopefully it'll be easier to replace you because you've done so well, but it's going to be difficult to replace you as your personality and your work that you've done.

[22:14] So thank you for that.

[22:15] Thank you very much.

[22:21] I just want to echo that I work with you for years through the Workforce Investment Board and other committees, and I'm just certain I have to work you've done for our community to make this region a stronger region, because of your leadership and the staff and the team that you have with you, so we can just come in, you know it's not your final session, but again, we just want to hear, we just really appreciate you and the work you've done for our region, thank you.

[22:41] Thank you.

[22:41] Anyone else comes to remember all these?

[22:44] Gary, I think one of the first people I met when I first started to get involved with the various entities, organizations, nonprofits, and what not in Lynchburg, you were one of the first time met, and that was back in 2016, 2017, so I just want to say congratulations to you, and wish you all the best with your family as you move into this next stage, so thank you for your service to our region for sure.

[23:06] Thank you.

[23:07] Anyone else?

[23:09] Well, thank you very much and thank you for the presentation as well.

[23:18] Now we're going to hear a presentation from Virginia CareerWorks, Tracy Blito and Tim

[23:24] Saunders.

[23:26] Thank you so much and good afternoon everyone and it's really good to be here and I've kind

[23:31] of come full circle because I worked for Virginia's Reach in 2000 partnership in the Bank

[23:36] of the James, went to Bedford County for 10 years and now I'm back and I've been on the

[23:41] workforce board that whole time which is how I ended up going. I've been complaining

[23:47] about what we need to do better so let's see if I can help out. So that's kind of how

[23:51] I ended up here. I started my job on July 1st as the Director of Workforce Development

[23:57] and that is for the Central Virginia Workforce Development Board but our workforce area is

[24:03] Workforce 7 were one of 14 different regions that have Workforce areas.

[24:10] And since that time, I've been really happy to see what a great Workforce team and some

[24:17] of you are very familiar because you're on the board or you're associated with our chief

[24:22] elected officials that may help make the decisions on our budget and things like that.

[24:26] I'm looking at Dr. Tweedy and Dr. Wilde, of course.

[24:31] and you might ask you know why I came into workforce development with all the issues that we have

[24:36] and I've asked Tim to come and really share a great story that he's been promoting throughout the state

[24:42] and people really getting a lot out of about what exactly is happening and why is it happening across the nation

[24:49] and what exactly is happening in the Lynchburg region.

[24:54] So I think he's going to, you're going to work on getting that presentation up.

[24:59] Do you need me to move out of the way?

[25:01] Okay, well I'll just keep talking over here then, I'll just talk loudly.

[25:07] So we, our organization, the Virginia Career Works Central Region, we are known as the conveners,

[25:14] the unity that brings all the different people that are focused on workforce together, so

[25:19] So that we can be a good network, we can partner together, we can help send clients from

[25:25] one to the other because they can help with something that we can't help with or maybe

[25:29] they have a client that they need some help that we can help with.

[25:33] So really it's about collaboration and I think our region is very well known for being good

[25:39] collaborators and that's shown.

[25:41] And with that, I'm going to ask Tim to really go through this whole scenario of what we're

[25:46] seeing in the nation.

[25:47] I think you'll get a lot out of it.

[25:49] I think your constituents are asking you what is going on.

[25:52] And so be prepared to take a few notes because I think you're going to really enjoy this.

[25:57] Tim's a great asset.

[25:58] He's our business outreach person, and he's doing a great job.

[26:01] So Tim, please.

[26:03] Thank you.

[26:05] Thank you, Tracy.

[26:07] And it's good to be in front of you all in a different role.

[26:09] I think I interacted with all of you at one time or another over the 14 years that I worked

[26:13] at WDBJ7.

[26:15] So glad to be now in this role in helping kind of tell the story about what's happening in our local workforce

[26:21] And there is a lot going on right now as you've probably noticed

[26:24] You've heard from our businesses asking for help. I'm sure to find workers

[26:29] And we're hearing the same thing Tracy and I are talking to businesses every day

[26:33] And they're struggling obviously. We have got to work hard to try and

[26:39] Help them find the workforce that they need to fill the jobs now and in the future

[26:42] And that's what we do.

[26:44] I have this up on the screen because I just wanted to emphasize, I know that Dr. Wilder

[26:48] and Dr. Tweety are both part of the workforce system or part of what we do at Virginia

[26:55] CareerWorks.

[26:57] Councilmember Wilder is actually on our workforce board and has been for a long time.

[27:01] And Councilmember Tweety is your representative to the organization that oversees all of what

[27:06] we do.

[27:07] And I can get into detail about that if you'd like to know more.

[27:10] But if you haven't heard about Virginia career works, you're not alone because it is a relatively

[27:14] new name that it's a brand that the state came up with a few years ago to kind of give

[27:20] us an identity, give the work that we're doing an identity and bring together a little more

[27:24] formally, some things that have been going on for a while.

[27:28] We are a system of partners.

[27:29] We're a collection of state agencies and nonprofits that work together to provide employment services

[27:36] to job seekers and to businesses. We serve both of those constituencies, and so we are not

[27:42] operating as separate agencies. What we try to do and what the organization that Tracy and I

[27:47] work for tries to do is to make sure that all those different agencies that maybe have similar

[27:53] things that they do, make sure that they're all on the same page and that we're not duplicating

[27:57] our efforts, that we're leveraging our resources appropriately to serve everyone from the job

[28:04] who has never worked before to the employer that's now struggling to find workers.

[28:09] We want to make sure that we are using our resources in the most efficient way possible to serve everyone.

[28:16] And so, you know, we have those agencies like the Virginia Employment Commission that we work with.

[28:20] We've more closely been working in the last couple of years with the Department of Social Services here in the city and in the four counties that make up our region.

[28:29] We work closely with Central Virginia Community College.

[28:32] They have, as you probably know, workforce programs, classes that provide training for

[28:39] individuals who want to get directly into a career, something like welding or electrician,

[28:45] medical coding, things like that.

[28:47] They have those classes and we work very closely with them to promote those opportunities.

[28:52] But we also work with, at the state level, the Department of Education and the Virginia

[28:57] economic development partnership as well because workforce is a component of

[29:01] economic development and we want to make sure that folks like your economic

[29:05] development director Margett Upsher and her team have the workforce to support

[29:10] their businesses for business retention and for business attraction.

[29:17] So our base

[29:18] of operations, the main place that we operate from, is the center that you see

[29:25] screen. This is a building on Odd Fellows Road that has been known in the past as a base of

[29:31] operations for the Virginia Employment Commission, but this is actually a place where all of those

[29:36] agencies you saw on the last screen, you can find them there. People can come to this center and

[29:41] access the services of not only the Virginia Employment Commission, but also some services that we

[29:46] provide directly to youth and adult job seekers. They can also tap into some of the other organizations

[29:53] like the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services and also get connected with

[30:00] Your Department of Social Services through some of the people that we have there. We have staff that can get any job seeker, any business connected with those different agencies that make up Virginia career works. But the things that we do for people that come to our center, we try to get folks ready for a career. If they've never worked before, we can actually help them to prepare a resume. We can help them prepare for an interview. We can, for individuals, and this is something we really try

[30:29] hard to do. Individuals that are what we call out of school youth, they are not quite adults yet,

[30:37] but they are not in school for whatever reason, they're not engaged in school or work. We do try

[30:42] to work with them to identify things that they can do with their life and get them into a career

[30:49] or into something productive in the community. We help them overcome barriers because a lot of times

[30:54] that's something that they're facing, that we want to try to help them navigate. Get past those that

[30:58] obstacle in their life that's preventing them from engaging with the workforce or getting

[31:04] the training they would need to be part of the workforce.

[31:08] We also provide services, this is important too, for what we call dislocated workers.

[31:13] These are people who have lost their job by no fault of their own.

[31:17] These are people that may have been laid off from a company that left our community.

[31:21] We've had that happen in the last couple of years.

[31:24] And when that happens, these people are automatically eligible, in most cases, for services that we provide and we work with them one on one to figure out what is needed for them to get re-employed, to get a new job in our community whenever possible.

[31:40] And we are still working with people like that. I'm pleased to say that we've had some good success even in the last week, finding a job for someone that lost employment through a large employer in our area.

[31:54] We were able to get them reconnected with employment here locally in a very good paying job.

[31:58] So we have a lot of success stories to share.

[32:01] And then we also provide against services for employers.

[32:04] The things that we do there, we right now are working very hard to help them with recruitment,

[32:08] trying to advertise their jobs through social media, through the state-operated platform called

[32:14] the Virginia Workforce Connection, which is it operates much like indeed.

[32:18] It's a place that employers can go to post their jobs for free.

[32:22] And then we have staff at that center that I showed you, that's on the back end looking at those job postings and trying to find qualified applicants that they can connect with those jobs.

[32:32] Finding people that would have a skills match that they can get their resume and send it to the employer to look over.

[32:39] And when that's again something that we do collaboratively try to get resumes to our employers to fill some of these jobs right now, we're doing things at that low of a level.

[32:48] And then we also try to provide labor market information for businesses.

[32:52] A lot of them coming to us recently asking for salary data because they feel that that might be an area that they can improve on to hopefully look more attractive to applicants so we do provide that.

[33:04] And then we speak to groups like you all as well because we want our leaders in the community to be aware of what we do.

[33:10] We are a federally funded agency and you all are the grant recipient, the City of Lynchburg is, the grant recipient.

[33:16] that takes in that money from the federal government and then it comes to us to carry out the work

[33:21] that we do. So we want to make sure that you're aware of what's going on. So one thing that we've

[33:27] been doing for the last year plus ever since the pandemic started is trying to just keep a track

[33:32] of unemployment and I just wanted to very briefly show this to you in case you haven't seen these

[33:37] numbers. I know there's been a lot of talk about unemployment and what impact it might be having on

[33:44] the hiring situation. This was really something that was talked about a lot earlier in the year,

[33:49] but as you can see, I wanted you to have this visual first before I get into the numbers.

[33:54] The visual takeaway that I want you to have from this is that

[33:58] we did have a high number of people filing claims for unemployment insurance during 2020,

[34:06] but it was something that happened and peaked pretty quickly and then came back down almost as

[34:11] quickly as it went up, so just to get into the numbers, when the pandemic was declared

[34:18] by the World Health Organization, the week of March 14, 2020, we had a very low number

[34:24] of people in our region filing claims for unemployment insurance.

[34:27] And just to be clear, when I talk about our region, I'm talking about the city of Lynchburg

[34:31] and the four counties, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell.

[34:34] So in that entire area, that 260,000 plus population area, we had only 642 people filing claims for unemployment insurance. It was very low.

[34:45] Now that surged to almost 10,000 people filing claims during the week of May 9, 2020. And that's when it peaked.

[34:53] After that thing started coming down, we noticed at the end of July last year, 2020, that after some of the federal extended unemployment benefits

[35:03] We're no longer available. We did see those claims come down and this was something that happened across the board, across the country and we

[35:11] bottomed out last year in the winter around

[35:14] 1700 between 17 and 1800 claims

[35:18] Before going back up just a little bit after Christmas after the holiday season last year

[35:22] But then again continuing to come back down. We got down as low over the summer as

[35:27] 879 claims filed at the very end of July so by the end of July this year

[35:33] We were back almost where we were when the pandemic started as far as unemployment goes.

[35:39] So I just point all that out to sort of say that as far as there being a lot of people

[35:44] filing unemployment in this area, that's not happening at the moment.

[35:47] Claims have come back up just a little bit, but not in a really noticeable way.

[35:52] And I will point out that that happened after the last of the extended federal unemployment

[35:57] benefits were off the table, we saw those numbers go back up.

[36:01] So what's going on?

[36:02] Why are employers struggling to find workers right now?

[36:05] Well, I always say this.

[36:07] Anytime I speak before a group like yours,

[36:09] that you can't point to one single thing

[36:12] and say this is the problem.

[36:14] This is what is driving this shortage of workers

[36:18] that we're experiencing.

[36:20] But one thing that we are seeing,

[36:22] and again, I like to lean on data,

[36:24] this is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics is showing us.

[36:28] we lost 7,600 workers in our region, our MSA, between February of 2020 and August of

[36:37] this year. And we're not alone. This is something that's happened, you know, in many other

[36:41] parts of the country, Virginia, itself, the entire state lost almost 160,000 workers,

[36:48] looking at those same numbers. Now, I do want to update this slide here. You'll see

[36:54] it says July 13th. I apologize it has that date. I do have the most updated number and it is actually

[37:01] fairly close to what you see there. I think as of today there are 8,840 active job openings within

[37:09] 25 miles of Lynchburg on just the national labor exchange and that's something that pulls job openings

[37:15] from a variety of sources. And then indeed, which is another popular platform where job postings

[37:22] are available, the number is pretty comparable there as well.

[37:26] It's above 1800 in both places.

[37:29] So that's a pretty high number.

[37:31] For comparison's sake, last year at this time,

[37:36] I'd say probably last October, November timeframe,

[37:39] there were only about 1100 job openings.

[37:41] So we saw a huge surge of job openings this year,

[37:45] and that again, this has been happening across the country.

[37:48] This again, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics,

[37:51] this, it just points out what we're seeing across the country. Job openings have been

[37:56] going up pretty steadily since January of 2011, over the last 10 years, and things stayed

[38:04] going up at a pretty steady pace until we got to the pandemic. Right before the pandemic

[38:09] things started to fall off, and then they really went off a cliff when things were shut

[38:13] down and businesses were forced to close, but you'll see we rebounded almost immediately.

[38:17] was a V-shaped recovery. After things started opening back up, after businesses reopened,

[38:26] job openings just took off into outer space. I mean, we've seen record high

[38:31] number of job openings in the United States this year during the summer. We're still, I believe,

[38:37] above 10 million as of today job openings and 10 million is far above even the high water mark

[38:43] before the pandemic, you know, at least as far as the last 10 years are concerned.

[38:48] The highest we got was there, you'll see below 8 million in between 2018-2019.

[38:57] So to be at 10 million now, that's extraordinary.

[39:00] The problem is, we don't have as many people in the workforce to fill those jobs.

[39:06] We're seeing all these job openings available, but not nearly as many people to fill the positions.

[39:10] And again, this is something I do want to point out to you all because our area, the demographics, we are an older area.

[39:17] We do skew older in certainly the counties.

[39:20] And one thing that's happening nationally and even locally is we're losing a lot of workers to retirement.

[39:26] The baby boomer generation, those 55 and older all the way up to mid to late 70s now, they have worked longer than their predecessors.

[39:36] folks that are in that generation have worked much longer than previous generations.

[39:40] And they're now retiring in mass.

[39:44] We've seen that example.

[39:46] You've probably seen a lot of people coming before you to announce their retirements.

[39:50] And that's going to continue to be a problem.

[39:52] We've actually seen nationally several million more retirements than were expected.

[39:59] and I was actually in a webinar hosted by Chimura Analytics about a month ago where the Director of that organization mentioned that just in the first three months of the pandemic they saw several years worth of retirements take place so it's happening at a pretty fast rate and we actually I don't have the slide to show you but I was looking at some data that showed that retirements are probably going to continue to accelerate.

[40:28] There's an organization that does a survey every year of people asking them whether they

[40:33] plan to put off retirement or accelerate their retirement and they're seeing something

[40:39] like 40% of the respondents saying that they plan to accelerate their retirement in the

[40:45] next year.

[40:46] So I do think that this is a trend we're going to see continue and you know baby boomers

[40:51] are going to be aging out of the workforce very quickly.

[40:55] But, talking about the positive, I do want to try to just, you know, give you a little

[40:59] bit of quick data here about the local area and some of our wage trends.

[41:05] Our annual wages have been going up much like the rest of the state.

[41:10] Locally, average annual wages per worker have increased 5 percent over the last, or not

[41:16] over the last four quarters, but the four quarters leading up to the middle part of this year.

[41:20] So we are seeing quite a bit of wage growth, average annual wages as of the second quarter

[41:25] of this year, 64,000 in the nation, but for us, 46,000.

[41:31] And of course, we have a much better cost of living, as you know, than a lot of other

[41:36] communities.

[41:36] We have a much, our money goes farther, I should say.

[41:41] So we do have that going for us.

[41:43] Our cost of living is 11%, almost 12% lower than the US average, and that's improved even

[41:49] throughout the year. I've noticed that number creep up as I've given this presentation

[41:54] and updated the information. Some of your largest industry sectors,

[42:00] healthcare and social assistance, is the biggest at 16 percent of your workforce.

[42:06] Next largest sector is manufacturing. Manufacturing really doesn't get the love it deserves,

[42:11] I think, in this area. I mean, we have very strong manufacturing employers

[42:17] in the Lynchburg area. We actually saw manufacturing grow during the pandemic. When all the other MSAs

[42:24] around the state saw their manufacturing sectors decline, we saw 5% growth between June of 19 and

[42:32] June of 2020. So that's been very positive. And then we also have quite a bit of retail activity

[42:38] happening as well. The city being the hub for retail activity for this whole MSA, really largely the

[42:47] hub for employment in this entire MSA.

[42:49] You all have many of the jobs when we talk about those 1800 jobs most of them are here

[42:54] in the city.

[42:55] So that's certainly a good thing for you all.

[42:59] As far as your highest wages, professional scientific and technical services have the highest

[43:05] average wages per worker at around 79,000 followed by finance and insurance and then this actually

[43:13] just changed recently.

[43:14] I noticed that management of companies and enterprises kind of creeped up as a sector

[43:18] with the highest average wages per worker at around 67,500.

[43:22] Job losses over the next 12 months not projected to be super noticeable, around 209 jobs

[43:29] expected to be lost according to the data that we track.

[43:33] Your fast-disgrowing sectors again help care and social assistance, expected to add over

[43:37] 130 jobs over the next year.

[43:39] arts, entertainment, and recreation is very strong in this community. It's one of the top three.

[43:45] It's actually number two. Not adding a large number of jobs that you'll see there on the screen,

[43:50] but still seeing second most job growth followed by accommodation and food services in this area,

[43:57] which is expected to have a net gain of five jobs. So I'll entertain any questions that you all have,

[44:03] but I also want to just share my contact information and also trace these contact information. We do

[44:09] We hope you'll reach out to us from time to time to see how we can maybe help you all

[44:13] with labor market data and addressing this long-term issue of helping our workers, helping

[44:19] our employers find workers.

[44:21] I'm

[44:24] sorry for all this.

[44:25] Thank you for your presentation.

[44:27] It was interesting reading through it beforehand, and then also understanding how you were describing

[44:31] it.

[44:32] Could you walk a little through maybe what you're seeing either nationally or locally.

[44:36] You touched on it with the retirement piece, but what percentages of those jobs are

[44:40] opening up that are maybe not even retirement eligible, but early retirement.

[44:44] Can you go a little more specific on that and are you guys tracking or able to

[44:49] articulate on why they're leaving early? I don't want to throw the vaccine

[44:54] mandate thing in, but I mean that might be a part of it. There might also be, hey,

[44:58] I've got the funds to do it.

[45:00] I'm just going to do it anyway, because I don't feel like dealing with all this, not, you know, so just kind of curious if you could expand upon that a little bit more. Sure. So I don't unfortunately have data to show how many of those job openings have been created as a result of retirement. But now that you've mentioned that, I think that's something that we'll definitely want to look into and try to get a better handle on. I could only probably offer anecdotal evidence as far as what might be driving them, but from what I've read, I've tried to do a lot of reading on this and I've found that it seems that the

[45:29] The population that's eligible to retire has a lot of concerns about health and safety

[45:35] staying in the workforce.

[45:36] So I do think that there is some concern on their part as far as they're being an active

[45:40] pandemic still that they would like to try and keep health and safety first and foremost.

[45:46] I think there's other things that play to, for example women in the workplace, many of

[45:50] them have decided because of child care issues and the kids at home taking school and things

[45:58] like that.

[45:58] They stepped out of the workforce and it's a matter of getting them to come back.

[46:03] So I think that that's also, there's a lot of things that play and with the retirements

[46:08] I think you know when the stock market's doing well there's going to be more retirements.

[46:13] And frankly I think that the hit came even before the vaccine mandates.

[46:18] It just came from COVID and the fear of COVID and just that type of thing.

[46:23] But yeah I think now you're seeing some waves of that as well.

[46:26] Because in my mind, I know my uncle could totally retire right now from working at Delta, and he's nowhere near retirement, you know, and thankfully he's blessed enough he's in that situation.

[46:37] A lot of folks in our community are not, so I recognize that there could be some, there's a lot of give in this and where the data is coming from.

[46:46] I guess I'd be curious to see as the courts come out with that if you see a real big spike and even more job openings.

[46:54] because logically in my mind if you have all those baby winter generations folks leaving it's going to create vacuums down at the front and especially with your front line worker that was the word I was looking for so thank you for the presentation and for anything that's my observation so thank you guys appreciate it.

[47:13] Yes, so thank you for the information, we really appreciate it.

[47:15] I was very informative.

[47:17] I know I've been working for work for 10 plus plus years at the long time.

[47:22] And we've had some worker shortages in special skid areas the whole time I've been all

[47:25] there.

[47:26] So I am glad to notice that CBCC is working with that new CTE program, could you say a little

[47:32] brief about that?

[47:33] And I worked with Stan Sean, several years ago, where he did some quick careers, where we

[47:38] talked about worker in person, getting quick careers, getting skilled workers, and then

[47:42] and some of those really hot, paying jobs in this particular area.

[47:46] Well, we're definitely happy to see that CBCC are one of our main partners is a has formed

[47:53] that CTE academy and we're very supportive of it, we're doing everything we can to support

[47:57] it.

[47:58] Tracy and I both said on committees related to that organization and are trying to help

[48:03] get the word.

[48:04] I think the thing that the CTE academy is going to really do is going to help people in

[48:08] our community learn more about some of the high demand careers that exist in the trades

[48:15] and the training that is available at CVCC to get them there because this academy exists

[48:21] for both high school students and for college students or college age students I should

[48:25] say at CVCC. It's a program that will enhance things that have been available in the past

[48:33] at CVCC and at our high schools, but we'll just kind of accelerate it and make

[48:38] people more aware of it. I hope. Thank you. And there's so many other programs

[48:43] that the G3 program and various other programs that have come up the pipeline

[48:48] lately. What is that G3 program? They are all related to the trades, getting more

[48:52] students to enroll in the trades. One thing that Lynchburg has really going for it

[48:57] is this city has the highest percentage of youth

[49:01] of between, you know, under 24 years old

[49:04] that I've seen and compared to anywhere else.

[49:07] So I think it's a matter of capturing them

[49:10] and getting them connected to the trades

[49:12] and to the right fields and not only trades,

[49:15] but professional service as you mentioned,

[49:18] companies and nuclear engineering advance manufacturing

[49:21] and those types of management type jobs too,

[49:23] just getting them connected to the right fields

[49:26] where the jobs are.

[49:27] And I think it's so important, you know, for years we've pushed college, pushed college.

[49:31] And now we know a little bit about those CTE credits, those career programs that are

[49:36] available now.

[49:37] Where the education piece is so much shorter and the wage piece is so much larger.

[49:43] So letting just, I guess, the messaging and trying to continue to get that message out

[49:47] there to people, to let them know, you know, how I support college, I work with them, who

[49:52] with that.

[49:52] but also with CBCC and a short-term careers,

[49:55] the wages, like when my young man was in a program,

[50:00] I mean, he was making a minimum wage at one point.

[50:04] And he's been in new career for three years.

[50:06] He's made about five times an hour

[50:08] when he was making that minimum wage job

[50:11] at that other agency he worked with.

[50:13] I just went to a program less than six months.

[50:17] So again, this is just trying to continue

[50:18] to get that message out there,

[50:19] and let people in our community know about our great programs that all you have to, they can get into.

[50:25] If you don't want to have that before you get a degree, there's a one year or two year degree that you can get involved with.

[50:29] But thank you for the information.

[50:30] I know a great STEM Center that we can send some of them to.

[50:33] Yes, we're excited about that.

[50:34] So, we can continue to partner with these persons in our community.

[50:37] Again, tackling that high-probative rate, that's how we're going to do it.

[50:41] It's getting person with great-paying jobs and getting them out of poverty.

[50:44] Thank you.

[50:45] Thank you very much for the presentation and to echo Council Member Wilder, those programs

[50:53] have a lot of funding tied to them, either the G3 program, Virginia career works, and so

[50:58] the way the funding is braided, the cost for individuals who want to enter is very minimal.

[51:04] And I will say that, if not free, and so I do know that they are really looking for people.

[51:09] So to the public we encourage you to go online to research what your side is to register

[51:16] and enroll.

[51:17] And also one thing that made that type of success happen was that the partners work

[51:23] to really meet people where they are.

[51:27] And so right now that's very important because you have, we have people in our area who are

[51:31] still seeking their GEDs, who don't always have the high school education, they are, they

[51:39] It comes with some skill sets that are needed and so adult basic education as a partner and

[51:44] others who will work with them to kind of walk them through that process and so that's

[51:49] one thing that I have learned with some younger generations is that they are not always ready

[51:53] for process and that's very important but there are people that will support them.

[51:59] Also when you look at we had meetings here with Federal Reserve Chair Tom Barkin, okay

[52:07] OK, and so we were able to have a lunch meeting.

[52:10] And he did say on the retirements

[52:11] that they're like 1.5 million across the country.

[52:15] That's where we got our data from them.

[52:18] And we were on that call, too.

[52:20] Yeah, and it is very much people just

[52:23] did not want to go back into the work environment with COVID.

[52:27] He said they had hoped that people would come back.

[52:29] They had hoped the job market would come back by September 6,

[52:32] I think, Labor Day.

[52:34] And it did not happen in that way.

[52:35] So I mean we will run out of money eventually and they will come back they will they will and

[52:42] and but it's not like they're still getting assistance and things like that now people are making

[52:46] choices and that's one thing that we talked about at our lunch meeting people are making choices they've

[52:51] worked really hard for some of the minimum wage jobs and they're looking at options on who's paying

[52:56] a higher salary how do they enter a different career field how do they make things better for their

[53:01] family, so I don't want to ignore the fact that there are people who are just making choices

[53:06] about their lifestyles, their quality of life, and now is the time for them to do it.

[53:11] So that's something that I think we need to look at, because one thing that the Mr. Barkin

[53:16] did agree with is that motivation is really key to getting people into these new career

[53:21] fields and to education opportunities.

[53:24] And so I think as a community we need to look at how we support that messaging as a locality

[53:31] and as the area counties work to do that.

[53:34] And that's part of what the Cleo Board is looking at

[53:38] and how are we, our greatest need

[53:40] is advanced manufacturing in this area.

[53:43] So how is a region, are we working together

[53:45] to support the businesses and to give folks

[53:47] the training they need.

[53:48] So thank you all for what you're doing,

[53:50] but we are sitting around the table looking at all of that

[53:53] and trying to figure out how to get people

[53:56] into the right seats.

[53:58] Thank you so much for this time tonight.

[54:02] I remember before leaving the alliance and I don't remember from our jet you were at

[54:07] the table for one of those board meetings but there was a discussion about one of the

[54:12] Amazon centers coming to northern Virginia and do we start marketing towards those remote

[54:16] jobs based in Lynchburg and then the past year and a half has been so I just wanted to offer

[54:22] in that that was something that we were talking about when I was employed there and at what

[54:26] point, and I know you're shaking here because you're probably already there, but at what

[54:30] point do we start marketing Lynchburg region as live here, work here, not bring your business

[54:36] here.

[54:37] And that might be a-

[54:38] Mar-Jad would tell you that we're kind of already doing that because the DDP has passed

[54:43] a couple of incentive programs even to allow for incentives to happen that way, where you

[54:48] can live in Lynchburg and work for the Northern Virginia, you know, whatever.

[54:52] So that stuff is happening.

[54:54] Sure.

[54:55] Thank you.

[54:56] Okay.

[54:56] Anyone else?

[54:58] Well, thank you very much for your report.

[55:00] It was very helpful.

[55:02] At some point, we're going to get together.

[55:04] Tracy, so I'd like to see some numbers.

[55:06] I think it would be really interesting.

[55:08] Thank you.

[55:09] I'm in the bank of the James.

[55:10] I got it.

[55:12] Okay.

[55:13] Thank you.

[55:14] Next, we're going to hear from all we have a presentation on upcoming community events from

[55:19] Ted Delaney and Ricky.

[55:39] Okay,

[55:44] so good afternoon Mayor Dolan, Vice Mayor Wright, members of City Council.

[55:50] Thank you all so much for the opportunity to very briefly update you on some of the

[55:54] great things that are happening at our museum.

[55:57] The Lynchburg Museum System was established by City Council almost 50 years ago during the

[56:01] National Bicentennial.

[56:03] Well, much has changed since then our mission has not.

[56:06] Our

[56:09] mission is to collect, interpret, preserve and share the history and culture of Lynchburg, Virginia and the surrounding area.

[56:16] Our vision to be Lynchburg's leading cultural anchor is based on the idea that no other organization is better suited to tell the full story of what Lynchburg is and who we are as a community.

[56:29] Located at the heart of our city, at the top of Monument Terrace, we want our museum to be the first stop for visitors to Lynchburg,

[56:36] a place that welcomes them and shows them the hospitality that we would offer guests into our own homes.

[56:44] The Litchburg Museum at the Oldport has officially opened to the public on July,

[56:48] in July after being closed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[56:53] I am pleased to report to you that visitation is not only back to pre-pandemic numbers at the museum,

[56:59] but it is actually up 25% over the same period in 2019.

[57:03] This is a direct result of the new location of visitor services in the entrance hall of the museum.

[57:10] Professionally trained staff at our welcome desk, now not only orient museum visitors,

[57:15] but also curate experiences for them that offer the best of Lynchburg's attractions,

[57:20] shopping, and dining.

[57:22] As you well know, this drives crucial revenue for the city,

[57:26] and as our visitors spend money in local hotels, restaurants, and shops.

[57:29] In response to the pandemic and public concerns by gathering indoors for programs, we began

[57:37] a series of free, outdoor guided walking tours this fall.

[57:41] A professionally trained and certified staff is leading tours of the Dunbar High School campus,

[57:46] the Quaker Meeting House and burial ground, Presbyterian Cemetery and Miller Park.

[57:52] Local author and architectural historian Al Chambers led tours of Court Street, pictured here on the right,

[57:57] from 1st Baptist Church near 11th to 1st Court Street Baptist Church near 5th.

[58:03] The tours have all been sold out and every single one they have been a huge hit

[58:08] and every single one has been sold out as a matter of fact Al Chambersour has even had a waiting list.

[58:13] We continue to care for the cultural heritage of our community,

[58:17] past now from generation to generation, and entrusted to us today.

[58:21] There are now over 40,000 individual objects in our collection,

[58:25] including every type of artifact and archival material you can imagine.

[58:29] I'd like to highlight for you three recent acquisitions to the museum collection.

[58:34] The first picture at the top here is the first three paintings

[58:38] ever painted by Queen Estoval, the famous Amherst County folk artist.

[58:42] They're now on display in our art and artisans gallery that you see on the right.

[58:46] This summer, two local family members donated the early family rocking cradle

[58:53] which some of you all may know, according to one of much worse oldest legends, rocked on its own,

[58:59] unated in a house on Jackson Street in their early 1800s.

[59:04] Lastly, we were given just a few months ago the extensive biographical archives of Miss Carolyn Brown,

[59:10] who you all may know was the longtime secretary in the story of Dunbar High School.

[59:15] One of my favorite photos from her files, from her thousands of files,

[59:18] Is this photo that I show here at the bottom of the Glacilla Art Club?

[59:22] Do you all recognize some of the members there, Pauline, Whedon, Maloney, is in the front left?

[59:26] And then I also wanted to point out, in the front row, in the far right is Hazel Bolware,

[59:30] who was the first black woman to run for City Council in the City of Lynchburg.

[59:38] One of the essential ways that we share our exhibits with our citizens is through,

[59:42] that we share our collections with our citizens is through exhibits.

[59:46] And right now the museum has three incredible exhibits at the museum for you all to see.

[59:50] The first is we the women, which commemorates a 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote in 1920.

[59:58] It has a companion

[1:00:00] We traveling exhibit from the Library of Virginia and Richmond called We Demand, which tells a broader story of the women's suffrage movement in Virginia. We also have a very special traveling exhibit now through December 6th from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture and Richmond. This exhibit is titled Determined, the 400-year struggle for black equality, which includes the well-known Lidsburg poet and librarian and stensor.

[1:00:26] Now closed by inviting all of you all to visit our museum, we're located on Court Street at the

[1:00:31] top of Monument Terrace, we're open five days a week, Thursday through Monday, from 10

[1:00:37] to 4 each day, and 12 to 4 on Sundays.

[1:00:40] Admission is always free.

[1:00:42] We encourage everyone to visit our two websites as well, linchpermuseum.org, and point

[1:00:46] of honor.org.

[1:00:48] And you can always find us on our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and

[1:00:53] YouTube.

[1:00:54] Thank you.

[1:00:55] And I'm happy to answer any questions.

[1:00:56] Anybody has a one?

[1:00:57] Any questions?

[1:00:58] Mr. Delaney?

[1:01:06] That is a list of fall events and activities, and I'm not sure if somebody is speaking

[1:01:12] to those in particular, Ricky or Margett.

[1:01:16] So is the winter Christmas parade actually on a Wednesday this year?

[1:01:21] That is a great question.

[1:01:23] It says 12-8, which is a Wednesday, which there normally has always been on Sunday, but I'm

[1:01:29] I'm surprised to see it on a Wednesday, 12-8 on the back.

[1:01:38] I was on the Sunday, this thing that we just got all nice and printed and December 3rd.

[1:01:46] It's incorrect.

[1:01:48] Thank you very much.

[1:01:50] What else is wrong?

[1:01:53] Okay.

[1:01:55] Any other comments, questions, criticisms?

[1:01:58] I don't remember a while ago, Mr. Laney for the work they do in our community.

[1:02:06] What thing about Lynchburg?

[1:02:07] It's not the third.

[1:02:10] It's the fifth, sorry.

[1:02:12] Okay, thank you.

[1:02:14] Okay, excuse me.

[1:02:16] One thing about the history of Lynchburg, it is just so amazing.

[1:02:20] And Mr. Laney has worked on so many projects with Ms. White, with historical markers.

[1:02:25] We went to an event this past Saturday at the the Jones Memorial Library

[1:02:31] And I know you were recognized for some of the work that you've done by the I'm not sure

[1:02:35] But the name of the community I recognize you. It was Lynch for chapter D.A.R

[1:02:38] Yeah, yeah, I can just commend you for the work you're doing our community keeping those historical records together and all the great

[1:02:44] Exhibition bringing to our community. I mean we in Lynch for we are really blessed with so much diverse history

[1:02:50] especially with Anne Spencer and all the history there

[1:02:53] with the Renaissance period and just in the middle of Clayton House,

[1:02:57] I grew up down the street from the middle of Clayton House.

[1:02:59] So I just grew up next door almost pretty much to that facility.

[1:03:04] So I'm just so excited to see all these things that continue to flourish

[1:03:07] and having other persons come to our city to see the great history we have to offer

[1:03:12] and to be maintained all the great records and those great, great facilities.

[1:03:16] So thank you for the work you do.

[1:03:17] I continue to make this a great destination spot for people to come to thank you.

[1:03:21] Thank you.

[1:03:21] I appreciate that.

[1:03:26] Thank you so much.

[1:03:28] Thank you very much.

[1:03:28] Thank you for all the help that you gave to the D-A-R and to facilitate in the movement

[1:03:34] of that monument.

[1:03:35] That was really a fantastic event.

[1:03:37] If you haven't seen that, make sure you notice the new World War I monument that's now outside

[1:03:42] of the public library was moved from E-C-Glass closer to the library to get more visibility.

[1:03:46] Pretty incredible.

[1:03:47] Thank you.

[1:03:50] Okay.

[1:03:51] Next up.

[1:03:53] Oh, we're going to do a continuing review, our draft of the 2022 legislative agenda.

[1:04:00] May we have one more person, this is Ricky from the market.

[1:04:03] Oh, I'm sorry.

[1:04:04] Ricky's going to have to tell about some holiday things that are happening in it, so he's

[1:04:07] going to solve that.

[1:04:08] Oh, that would be this.

[1:04:11] I don't seem to have my slide on the hand, but I can roll with it.

[1:04:20] I'm going to have a presentation.

[1:04:21] Got it.

[1:04:22] It wasn't that last slide on this one, though.

[1:04:24] We'll talk more about it, we got it, we got it.

[1:04:27] Come

[1:04:30] on with it.

[1:04:31] All right, good afternoon, yo.

[1:04:34] You know, the market, we love our holidays.

[1:04:37] We love everything.

[1:04:38] We're always excited for something.

[1:04:40] We are quickly running into the holiday season,

[1:04:44] and we're very excited about it.

[1:04:46] As you can see, we've got the missile show market coming up

[1:04:49] in December, starting at the end of November.

[1:04:51] But before that, we actually have our second annual Thanksgiving

[1:04:55] giving Wednesday market that we just announced recently.

[1:04:58] We've got some farmers come in back on Wednesday mornings,

[1:05:01] let everybody grab some of their last minute Thanksgiving things.

[1:05:05] I'm really excited about that.

[1:05:06] That'll be about nine to one on Wednesday the 24th.

[1:05:10] We'll have vendors outside.

[1:05:11] Hopefully it won't be too cold.

[1:05:13] If today is any guide, then probably we won't be.

[1:05:19] We also will have our vendors inside.

[1:05:21] You know, we'll have the gallery open for any crafts

[1:05:23] or anything like that.

[1:05:24] We're also booking with Lynchburg Daily Bread a couple of produce drives right before those big holidays, too

[1:05:31] We did that for our

[1:05:34] Halt excuse me harvest festival last year

[1:05:38] So we're really excited to bring that back. We'll be taking some extra produce if anybody wants to buy anything

[1:05:44] Donated at the end of the day. We'll take it to the daily bread and that'll be the Saturday

[1:05:49] Before Thanksgiving and then the Saturday really before Christmas. So that'll be Saturday the 20th and then December

[1:05:54] 18 really excited about that as well so you know come to the market buy some things don't some things

[1:06:02] it'll be great and then you know running right into it the holiday season mr.

[1:06:07] market kicks off we're very excited that we can actually have a real missile

[1:06:10] market again this year carrot drives included you know with covid last year we

[1:06:16] couldn't do anything like that we had Santa in a bubble in the armory which was

[1:06:19] really cool we're really excited about that but you know have Santa more

[1:06:23] more accessible this year, downstairs in the market building, we'll have some carriage rides and stuff.

[1:06:29] So we kick off the 27th with Small Business Saturday and we're really excited about Small Business Saturday as we have about 40 something,

[1:06:37] Small Businesses in the market that we open up the market for.

[1:06:41] We're partnering with DLA for the retail crawl, so we're really excited about that.

[1:06:45] We'll have some of those stamp cards that I'm sure they'll be announcing pretty soon.

[1:06:50] every week of missile-to-market this year will also have gift wrapping. We're

[1:06:54] bringing that back. We couldn't do that last year because of COVID and

[1:06:57] everything like that but we'll have that so anything you buy in the gallery or

[1:07:00] anything like that, just bring it over to our friends of the market friends. No,

[1:07:05] they'll wrap it for you, put it in a nice bag, put it put a bell on it and everything

[1:07:08] for you. Moving on to the fourth, we're really excited. We'll have music. We should

[1:07:14] have, I believe, violinist outside as long as it's not too cold. If it's too cold,

[1:07:21] you know, we'll move them inside, can't play violin and freezing weather. So, but really

[1:07:27] the last two weeks of the holiday season, of our holiday season, are always the big ones, right?

[1:07:32] So the 11th and 18th are those days we're going to have the carriages outside. We'll have the

[1:07:36] horse-tron carriages running around downtown, so apologies in advance, anyone driving downtown,

[1:07:43] those two days but you know you might get stuck behind a horse on carriage. So we're really

[1:07:48] excited about that. That is also sponsored by the Friends of the Market so they have sponsored

[1:07:53] the carriage rides for years and we're really excited that we can bring that back downtown again

[1:07:57] because you know we had to do a lot a lot of fun stuff last year for COVID. Those those carriage rides

[1:08:03] like should be three dollars a person. I know we've got a lot of questions about that we usually do

[1:08:08] and I'm sure that we will up until after Christmas really.

[1:08:13] We'll also have pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus

[1:08:16] those last two days.

[1:08:18] So again, those are our big programming days.

[1:08:19] Let's go to Christmas, let's do it.

[1:08:22] So we'll have Santa and Mrs. Claus pictures with them.

[1:08:26] You know, can't really tell you to bring a dog or anything

[1:08:29] but maybe you can give them to go outside.

[1:08:32] We've had some questions about that too

[1:08:33] which is always a fun little conversation.

[1:08:37] And then, you know, the 18th, the last day before Christmas, that's our last chance market.

[1:08:42] That's the last chance you have to really see all of our really good producers and farmers

[1:08:47] and everything like that before Christmas.

[1:08:50] Care drives that day, pictures with San and Mrs. Claus that day as well.

[1:08:55] Both of those are 10-2, both of those weeks.

[1:08:58] So that's really fun.

[1:08:59] And then again, we will have our produce drive as well that day.

[1:09:05] We're also looking at and probably will have a Wednesday market that that following week right before Christmas same deal is Thanksgiving.

[1:09:13] So, you know, we're again, we're really excited about the holiday season really excited to get back into our holiday groove.

[1:09:20] Instead of having to have a space everybody out, you know, do some crazy things up in the armory with some bubbles and sand and stuff, but we are really excited.

[1:09:28] We're also continuing through the next few years, actually, but this one really hits home,

[1:09:34] especially with these produce drives, continuing our SNAP and matching incentives for anyone

[1:09:41] that's SNAP eligible.

[1:09:43] Bring your card down to the market, we'll give you some wood and tokens, you can buy some

[1:09:46] stuff for your holidays.

[1:09:48] I appreciate the opportunity come and talk about our super exciting holiday season.

[1:09:54] I'd be happy to answer any questions anybody has.

[1:09:57] Thank you very much. Are there any questions or comments?

[1:10:01] Perfect. Thanks, y'all.

[1:10:04] Thank you very much. Okay. Next item will continue to review the draft of the 2022 legislative

[1:10:13] agenda.

[1:10:19] Mayor Vice Mayor of Kansas City Council since we were last before you and issued

[1:10:25] the draft, what you have in your packets was the draft as it was given to you originally

[1:10:30] and we continue to receive input through November 17th about the draft agenda itself.

[1:10:35] This, in it, post-election and pre-legislative dinner, which is next Tuesday, the 16th at

[1:10:43] University of Lynchburg at 6 p.m.

[1:10:45] You invited our delegation, the council and some city staff to participate in the legislative

[1:10:52] dinner.

[1:10:52] So this was just a moment here, excuse me, during your work session to revisit the agenda and

[1:10:59] say in light of the election and prior to the dinner, was there anything else staff should be made aware of?

[1:11:05] And so I just leave it to you and your peers to tell us what you need.

[1:11:10] And so, Council Member Halgason?

[1:11:13] Thank God, Mayor.

[1:11:14] I've got several things that I think we should, and I'm glad we can bring this back up because now we know who's in Richmond.

[1:11:21] We know who's the new governor elect.

[1:11:25] We know the House of Delegates, and many times, and as I read this agenda,

[1:11:31] there are certain things that may, city council may ask for, but the delegation isn't going to support,

[1:11:38] because it's totally different from what they campaigned on and what the voters elected them to do.

[1:11:45] With that, we should ask and try to hone this legislative agenda so it's not just, you know,

[1:11:52] fodder that just kind of gets looked at and tossed, but actually focus on what we really want them to act upon, where it could be a win, win.

[1:12:02] Where we ask for something that they're wanting to push and wanting to do.

[1:12:07] So, I hope we can kind of go through some of these items on here.

[1:12:12] As I read through this, one thing that really kind of struck out to me at first when

[1:12:18] we read just the principles, and we read the third principle on here.

[1:12:26] As we read this third principle, we're asking the state.

[1:12:31] So, when the state experiences an anticipated or unanticipated surplus, what do we ask them

[1:12:40] to do?

[1:12:41] We ask them to give it back to the locality.

[1:12:47] We had a surplus, unexpected, a lot bigger than we anticipated.

[1:12:51] Maybe we ought to do what we're asking others to do it, we ought to do it ourselves.

[1:12:57] So when we have a $27 million surplus, maybe we've got to follow what we're asking for in this principle, and say hey, our citizens paid more than they needed to.

[1:13:08] Maybe we ought to give it back and relieve just like we're asking the state to relieve localities of funding responsibility.

[1:13:16] Maybe we ought to relieve our local taxpayers on their funding responsibility.

[1:13:21] As I go down here, I'm so delighted to see that we have a strong element on the ECOs.

[1:13:30] Years ago, I remember going on a ride along and seeing how devastating this is for a police department.

[1:13:37] Not just Lynchburgs, but you go do a ride along and they have an emergency custody order.

[1:13:44] And you go around the back to the hospital, the emergency room.

[1:13:48] And it's like a FOP meeting.

[1:13:51] I mean, there's Campbell County, there's Bedford Sheriff's,

[1:13:55] Lynchburg Sheriff's, all sitting there waiting.

[1:13:57] All sitting there when we have lots of officers

[1:13:59] that need to be on the streets.

[1:14:01] I'm glad that we really understand this.

[1:14:04] Years ago, Senator Newman, which hopefully we can fine tune

[1:14:08] this a little bit more, had pushed a bill that would actually

[1:14:11] help away some of these problems.

[1:14:13] but instead due to an isolated instance where one senator's son attacked him,

[1:14:22] it became a big issue, and I think they had kind of a legislation that probably

[1:14:27] wasn't well thought out. Lots of people understood unintended consequences,

[1:14:32] presented it, and that's what we got, and we're in lots of trouble now, and not just

[1:14:36] Lynchburg, but localities. I think everybody understands that. If there's something

[1:14:40] that we can do, and Senator Newman had led that charge years ago, unfortunately he was

[1:14:47] in the minority and got shot down, maybe that's something that could be easily resurrected.

[1:14:51] as

[1:14:58] we could

[1:15:00] Continue down here. A city charter change. I know we're going to talk about that tonight, but I just, you know, when we think about the issues, the things that are happening, maybe this isn't a good time to ask for that when we can actually focus on something that they're wanting to do. You know, obviously they've been elected for just recently this last November or last week. And is that something they're going to want to have political capital on?

[1:15:28] asking the city to change the charter only to change it back a few years later.

[1:15:34] Again, if we can look in the paradigm of trying to have a win-win,

[1:15:38] we ask for something that will help us win.

[1:15:42] They offer something that helps them win because that's what they campaigned on.

[1:15:47] As opposed to a political statement, we want this document to actually

[1:15:53] the things that we stress actually would be implemented.

[1:15:57] some things that I think could be really easy for us to ask for, that would benefit Lynchburg,

[1:16:04] and it's actually something that they campaigned on.

[1:16:07] And that's when we look at our educational, our public schools, when we look at the test scores,

[1:16:13] we look at our SOL scores.

[1:16:14] We look at math, got a 36% passing.

[1:16:17] We have some challenges with our SOL scores and the achievement.

[1:16:24] Governor-elect Junkin and others in the House of delegates campaigned on having given

[1:16:29] parents choice and the ability to say, hey, we're going to go to a different school

[1:16:34] and having a charter school is something that they said they wanted.

[1:16:38] They wanted 20 new charter schools.

[1:16:40] Why don't we at least kind of say, hey, this could something that could benefit the city of

[1:16:44] Lunchburg.

[1:16:45] And the citizens of Lunchburg tremendously, anytime you see a charter school, which is a

[1:16:50] public school. So it's not a private school. It's a charter school, which is funded by

[1:16:56] the public, and the lottery sets up who goes to it, so it's not just somebody gets to pick

[1:17:01] like you would in a private school. But it's run with an eye towards actual achievement

[1:17:07] and actual education. They have autonomy that says, here's what we're going to try and what

[1:17:12] we're going to do. Normally when a charter school comes into place, there's at least ten

[1:17:17] the one applicants to acceptance. So that tells us I think that lots of citizens could

[1:17:25] benefit from that. And it's not, it's picked not by income. It's picked because you

[1:17:30] get to actually choose, you know, the lottery picks who goes in. So it's not somebody

[1:17:36] has the money like a private school that they get to pick and select. So I think that could

[1:17:43] really benefit. We have some empty buildings. You know, we have several of our school system

[1:17:48] buildings that are already there. If we look at the facility study and understand that

[1:17:52] we've lost two thousand students in our public education, we could easily do some changing

[1:17:58] and have a school building that we already have. We can look at holy cross that is sitting

[1:18:03] there empty. Lots of opportunities that we could really give some choice for our parents

[1:18:13] and improve the education for our students.

[1:18:17] Qualified immunity, that's on here, right?

[1:18:19] We think it is.

[1:18:23] Okay.

[1:18:24] Huh?

[1:18:25] Does the body qualify for the report?

[1:18:27] The body qualify for the report?

[1:18:29] No, no, no.

[1:18:29] Qualified immunity.

[1:18:30] Okay.

[1:18:31] I think we look at the school.

[1:18:32] I think we look at the school.

[1:18:33] No, I'm not on my qualified immunity for school.

[1:18:35] I'm talking about qualified immunity for our police officer.

[1:18:36] Yeah, okay.

[1:18:37] So that's on here.

[1:18:38] Okay.

[1:18:39] Thank you.

[1:18:39] And the 599 money we're obviously dealing with that.

[1:18:42] Not looking at some of the language on here is something that we may want to consider.

[1:18:52] We have a poverty reduction title on here.

[1:18:57] Let's find where that is.

[1:18:58] That's on page three or four or something.

[1:19:04] Comprehensive poverty reduction.

[1:19:08] And I understand the programs and what not.

[1:19:10] But we've just talked about some things, and I heard councilmember Wilder talk about one thing that was fabulous for reducing poverty was education.

[1:19:18] And so when we look back of what has happened over this last year when schools were closed, when people weren't working with the huge spike in unemployment.

[1:19:29] And I'm not sure about having kids before married, but we understand that everybody has said the three ways to solve poverty is to finish high school.

[1:19:39] Work 40 hours a week, and don't have kids until you're married.

[1:19:43] So do we need yet another program?

[1:19:47] The next time down, I think we can strike that and actually get people back to work as council member while they're suggested.

[1:19:55] The next item down, community wealth building.

[1:19:58] So when we think about wealth building, and you look at actual people's wealth, lots of people have lots of their wealth in their real property.

[1:20:08] into their actual houses, right?

[1:20:11] So I don't understand how having more public housing helps for individuals to build wealth.

[1:20:20] So asking for $4 million for more, you know, maybe ask for it for what it is, but don't

[1:20:28] kind of put a bow on it and call it's community wealth building because how people build, how

[1:20:34] a community builds wealth is how individuals build wealth. As individuals build wealth,

[1:20:40] we become a more wealthy community. And having more subsidized housing through a housing

[1:20:47] redevelopment project, I don't think actually does what we're asking for. The next item

[1:20:54] down, disposal of property due to eviction. I look back at what happened last time.

[1:21:03] You

[1:21:04] is designed to actually enforce private contracts.

[1:21:10] And when a private contract is a landlord says,

[1:21:13] I will rent this to you if you pay me.

[1:21:16] And the tenant says, I'll pay you.

[1:21:18] And with that, that's a private contract

[1:21:20] that they enter into.

[1:21:22] And when the government puts their thumb on the scale

[1:21:25] like they did with the moratorium on evictions,

[1:21:28] that creates a whole lot of problems.

[1:21:30] It seems like now with what this is saying

[1:21:33] is by, hey, landlord, you got to do something with somebody else's property.

[1:21:37] We're not going to almost put the film on the scale again by saying you got to do something

[1:21:44] different than what has been historically happening.

[1:21:47] So I'm not really too totally sure about this.

[1:21:50] Putting the film on the scale saying that the landlord has got to do something completely

[1:21:55] different than what's happened before.

[1:21:57] I recognize the set-outs, I recognize the junk that has been on our streets and looks terrible,

[1:22:05] but let's really kind of think twice before we keep on putting the film on the scale against

[1:22:12] the landlord. We want landlords that do a good job that can rent out a good tenants and they both pay.

[1:22:20] You know, this eviction on this moratorium on evictions obviously was

[1:22:27] unconstitutional, but yet continued, stated by the courts, but yet continued.

[1:22:35] Early childhood education, the next one down, we understand that, is that

[1:22:41] something that they're going to want to support more of by having more

[1:22:44] government programs or is it something with regarding, you know, early childhood education,

[1:22:51] the very early portion is parents, and then after of which is daycares. And maybe it

[1:22:59] is the state really have something to do with that, or is it us locally trying to figure

[1:23:04] out what we can do to have more daycares, rather than funding yet another government program

[1:23:11] with early childhood education. Again, now we go down the list. I see another one here,

[1:23:17] another affordable housing. I understand affordable housing. Does that really have something

[1:23:24] to do with the state of Virginia? Granted, there may have grants or the funding of it,

[1:23:31] but is that something we need more of in the city of Lynchburg? Tourism, question on this

[1:23:38] improvement district. Help me understand that and I'll stop for dancing so I can hear

[1:23:44] what this tourism improvement district actually is referring to.

[1:23:56] So tourism improvement districts were set out. They have to be, I think, at least 50%

[1:24:04] of your stakeholders, your hoteliers would have to agree before you would be

[1:24:12] able to set up a tourism improvement district?

[1:24:15] So, I mean, it's not just, you know, so one thing I don't, hopefully this doesn't do and

[1:24:19] hopefully you can tell me that it's definitely not going to do that and that'd be fabulous.

[1:24:24] But what I've seen over the last decade is we've done a similar kind of not quasi-tour

[1:24:32] improvement district where we actually funded tourism destinations.

[1:24:36] We funded three hotels within, you know, a few blocks of here, meanwhile, folks that weren't in the downtown tourism business, the hotels on Ward's Road, the hotels out Candler's Mountain Road didn't get any Lynchburg funding.

[1:24:52] So hopefully this isn't going to be a tourism district that's going to say just this particular area, but it's going to include the entire city.

[1:24:59] Well, first of all, it would have to be set up, and what this does is just support the ability to have tourism districts.

[1:25:08] So the district would be decided, probably by council, where that would be.

[1:25:15] But you can't even have one if you don't have the buy-in from the hotels themselves.

[1:25:22] Well, I guess that is a function of where that district lies, like I just outlined.

[1:25:28] I mean, I'd sure these hotels that are having to compete with the government funded hotel are not going to say,

[1:25:34] hey, let's do another thing and allow for another tourism district that's going to get benefits from the state of Virginia to make it that much more difficult for us to compete.

[1:25:43] I don't, I don't, there's, the tourism improvement zones are done have to be sanctioned at the state level because we're the Commonwealth of Virginia, but then would be set up by each municipality and they, they can or cannot, they could be the whole city or they could be districts, but those districts would be set up just like your, the James River Arts and Cultural District would be set up in sanctioned by Council.

[1:26:12] Thank you. So with that I'm a little concerned about that, just for again, the unintended consequences

[1:26:19] of what I just outlined. The ABC licenses, you know, I can appreciate, you know, when we're

[1:26:26] looking at outdoor dining and the ABC stores, you know, one thing may be beneficial back during

[1:26:33] of shutdowns and what not.

[1:26:38] I heard from a lot of the restaurants that have had actual the ABC enforcement arm coming

[1:26:44] to their restaurants, and they didn't appreciate that.

[1:26:49] Because of the fact the ABC arm does, I obviously have an enforcement arm.

[1:26:54] They have the ABC agents that have the badges and people are having a restaurant that couldn't

[1:27:01] It had to close because of some state edict by a certain time.

[1:27:07] If they're open a little bit later, showing up so if we want to really look at our restaurants

[1:27:13] and businesses, maybe we can appreciate having alcohol outside and licenses there.

[1:27:22] It almost be a better thing, maybe if we can think about how much less could we have them

[1:27:27] have control on our businesses.

[1:27:29] You know, a lot of these businesses, every bottle of alcohol that they have in their restaurant has to be stamped from the Virginia ABC.

[1:27:39] So they can't find competition and go to North Carolina or different, if we had a private ABC place and a private ABC liquor store like lots of states have, like where Mary Jane and I came from, they had private liquor stores.

[1:27:52] you know maybe that's something as opposed to saying hey enforce more do do less

[1:27:57] enforcement or something maybe it's something we ought to say they kind of showed

[1:28:02] their hand last year to the detriment of a lot of these restaurants they didn't

[1:28:07] appreciate that and so we can't keep it in as part because to your point what we

[1:28:15] found before I came here is that that alcohol on top of that bill is the impactful

[1:28:20] piece that gets the most revenue, so we can take a go at it.

[1:28:24] No, I didn't see him when it looks like, but I asked him to keep it.

[1:28:28] Keeping it as fine, I just, I guess, when I, as I read that and I just, you know,

[1:28:32] you kind of think about what happened over this last 18 months,

[1:28:36] kind of want to pause and reflect and say, what could we do better?

[1:28:40] You know, we, we had lots of things that have never been done before.

[1:28:44] Lots of action has happened that's never been done before.

[1:28:47] Or maybe we can look and say, how could we protect our businesses?

[1:28:51] How could we actually ask our, which I think we all care about protecting our businesses?

[1:28:56] Because we like our businesses to grow and thrive because that means more tax revenue to the city.

[1:29:01] I think our delegation and the governor elect and the lieutenant governor would also agree that, hey,

[1:29:10] having a little more freedom probably may be good.

[1:29:13] So if there's a way that we can kind of talk about that, I think, isn't a bad thing.

[1:29:20] It didn't mean to go off on so many things, but as I keep reading down this, and just

[1:29:25] if we could, again, think about something that they want, I know lots of the, our local

[1:29:31] delegation is who this actually goes to.

[1:29:35] Maybe we can ask for other things in addition to what I kind of suggested, or kind of maybe

[1:29:41] fine-tuning, things that there be to their benefit as well because that's what they campaigned on, so thank you.

[1:29:49] So I just so I understand this, so what you are suggesting is that our legislators do not represent the entire community.

[1:30:00] But rather just those who supported the platform that they ran on and that we should speak to our needs based on that platform. And I really don't believe that I believe that they represent the entire community and that they are there to serve us and that we need to develop our platform or our agenda according to what is needed in our community. And that's why I suggested there are several things that I think we need in our community that they campaigned on. And I believe they could easily

[1:30:30] But if we have something in our, in our legislative agenda, for example, that says, we as a

[1:30:37] moddy, the citizens didn't vote on having another program for poverty reduction.

[1:30:44] The citizens didn't have a vote on saying, let's fund hotels downtown.

[1:30:49] The citizens elected us to make decisions, and so we made decisions throughout the years.

[1:30:54] And with that, all I'm suggesting is maybe we can have a little bit more benefit like we

[1:31:03] did a few years ago when we asked for specific items like the CSO, the combined sewer overflow.

[1:31:09] With that, the General Assembly was said absolutely.

[1:31:15] Another item that I can think of very vividly is the bridge on the Oddfellow Road to extension.

[1:31:20] years ago, we drove across that, and not years ago we drove across it, but we drove

[1:31:25] across it. But years ago, that oddfellas road extension was a dead end. I suggested

[1:31:29] to counsel that this may be a great thing for our local businesses that are back

[1:31:35] there in the industrial zone. Senator Newman said, hey, it would be great for the

[1:31:40] state to have a connection from 460, which is, you know, you've got highways

[1:31:46] that are there. How can you connect? How can you make this bridge work? And with

[1:31:51] that, the two of us got this beautiful bridge and now people utilize that all

[1:31:55] the time because it was very helpful to Lynchburg and the state had extra

[1:32:00] head funds that they could utilize for improving transportation. That's all I'm

[1:32:05] suggesting. So please don't put words in my mouth. Thank you.

[1:32:17] I'll defer to anyone else. I'd love to hear other. Okay, so I heard a lot in that. And you know, we can all have our

[1:32:28] opinions on what should go in the legislative agenda. But as an at large representative, I represent many constituents throughout the city who have

[1:32:37] many differing viewpoints, some we agree with, some we don't. And we make decisions based

[1:32:42] on the best information at the time. You know, I heard a lot of campaign points and council

[1:32:55] member Herglson's suggestion of legislation, changing the legislative agenda, and that's

[1:33:03] council member have the sins view point. Some things I heard sounds like I'm in the

[1:33:09] wild wild west and it's a free for all. It's just a free for all. We can change everything.

[1:33:17] And then some of it is the devils and the details. And I didn't hear a lot of details.

[1:33:23] And I like everyone else heard different campaign points that would be made. And I think there

[1:33:30] There was a limited number of, even with the charter school suggestion of maybe 20 is

[1:33:37] what I heard on the stage, and but again, a lottery system is interesting, but again

[1:33:43] the devil's in the details.

[1:33:46] Do we just get a glass bowl, throw 8,000 names in it, and just pick out the first 100, 200

[1:33:54] names.

[1:33:56] What's the criteria after that?

[1:33:58] If it's for remediation, which I hear that is the argument for why we should have that type of opportunity.

[1:34:07] Is it based on the lowest test scores?

[1:34:09] Is it based on what are we basing?

[1:34:12] Again, the devil is in the details.

[1:34:14] What are we basing having this charter school on and do dollars follow students?

[1:34:20] So if you have 25% of your students with special needs in that charter school,

[1:34:26] will they get those special education dollars like other schools will?

[1:34:31] What does that do for the other special education students who are in public schools?

[1:34:35] So I think the double is in the details on how you would implement that type of thing.

[1:34:40] I know it works for some places, but when you look at how it works, I mean they still have

[1:34:46] to meet the needs of all the students that attend.

[1:34:48] So I'm just kind of wondering how that type of system would work.

[1:34:53] the charter piece as a recommendation.

[1:34:56] Then when you look at affordable housing as a center piece

[1:35:01] of the region, Lynchburg is.

[1:35:04] So when people come here for tourism for economic development,

[1:35:08] they do stay in the majority of our hotels.

[1:35:10] They eat in our restaurants.

[1:35:11] They visit our entertainment venues.

[1:35:13] And most of those are people working for less than $20 an hour.

[1:35:20] Right now we haven't hit quite $15 an hour,

[1:35:23] except for those who can compete at that wage level.

[1:35:26] So then what we're saying is that we don't want affordable housing options for people

[1:35:30] who are working in our hospitality, venues, and our retail establishments, and our restaurants,

[1:35:37] and our service industries. We want them to go find housing somewhere else, but then we're looking

[1:35:42] at transportation issues for people because folks in that income bracket range that provide

[1:35:48] many of our services including those who work at our hospitals who work at other

[1:35:53] areas they need affordable housing which is near the places they work. And so

[1:35:58] it's not just a public housing issue it's affordable housing for people who are

[1:36:03] out here working 40, 50, 60 hours a week, slaving away sometimes two jobs at wages

[1:36:09] that are just now catching up to the cost of living. And we're saying go live

[1:36:14] somewhere else go figure out your transportation because Lynchburg is not

[1:36:17] going to be a friendly place for you to work and or be a resident in our city because you

[1:36:23] won't be able to afford in the market that's happening now, which I do know that we have

[1:36:28] a high market right now, a rental housing. People that are having average wage jobs, living,

[1:36:34] working, average hours that people, hard workers work, and they can't find places to rent and

[1:36:40] lunch work. So then we're encouraging home ownership. Again, we've got to look at what's

[1:36:44] is connected to what? The devil is in the details. There are other things I could talk

[1:36:52] about from the poverty to all the other points of living in the wild, wild west now, but

[1:36:59] I will just defer to some of maybe my other council members and I just see a bit more of

[1:37:05] connectivity between just throwing out things and I think that our legislative delegation

[1:37:11] with think about the devil and the details.

[1:37:14] So in other words, they don't want to live in an area that's not economically successful.

[1:37:19] They don't want to live in an area that people don't want to tour in.

[1:37:22] They don't want to live in an area that has no redevelopment, no businesses that are relocating

[1:37:27] because of the quality of life.

[1:37:28] So I think there's a balance that has to be struck between those citizens we all represent.

[1:37:36] citizens who feel like they have special interests, businesses that have special interests.

[1:37:42] But also, what's the common sense connectivity, rational approach to making sure that we are a holistic, successful city?

[1:37:52] That's what I'm interested in our legislative agenda representing.

[1:37:58] Thank you.

[1:38:01] I think I do understand at least where Councilmember Hova some was coming from, and

[1:38:05] could we include items that was articulated that will likely get through?

[1:38:10] One of those I do know will be teacher pay.

[1:38:13] If that is not addressed in this general assembly, I'll be shocked, and there'll be a lot of press going crazy about that.

[1:38:19] I do think that is something we could include in here, maybe to a finer point, to say, you know,

[1:38:25] of these dollars should not be going just a blank check to school divisions specifically

[1:38:29] for teacher pay. That might be something that was articulated throughout this campaign

[1:38:34] cycle. I don't know what the language looked like. I don't know how it gets implemented,

[1:38:38] but that it was something that we might include to just point could be a win-win.

[1:38:44] I mean, I would like to know more information about the charter schools. I think if we can

[1:38:48] articulate, hey, we're willing to participate with Richmond to say, what could this look

[1:38:53] like, I think would be foolish not to at least explore it.

[1:38:56] I do think there would be some benefits there.

[1:38:59] And if we do have resources available to us that we could use for infrastructure, realizing

[1:39:04] Holy Cross was sold, we might be able to be a pilot program for that why not try it.

[1:39:11] I know we're talking about funding for law enforcement that was an item talked about very heavily by

[1:39:21] the campaign cycle, and I do believe our language does currently meet some of that, but that might be some things we might be able to adjust to meet what we might expect to see coming down the pike again to articulate the win-win scenario.

[1:39:34] And then, there's just some of my observations with what Councilmember Housen was offering

[1:39:40] and we might be able to include and incorporate some of that to a degree.

[1:39:44] And thank you.

[1:39:47] Either any of the comments?

[1:39:52] None?

[1:39:53] Okay.

[1:39:54] I guess just to talk about this affordable housing that Councilmember Twitties said, I'm

[1:40:04] Reading this, affordable housing plays a substantial and reinforcing role in local economic development.

[1:40:12] Without a sufficient supply of affordable housing, employers and entire regional economies can be at a competitive disadvantage given the subsequent difficulty to attract and retain qualified workers.

[1:40:27] Expand opportunities for housing, a community's workforce,

[1:40:32] expanded opportunities for housing, a community's workforce are critical

[1:40:36] to keeping and growing jobs in Virginia.

[1:40:40] So back to the comment with regarding either a bumper sticker or a campaign slogan,

[1:40:48] this is saying something that is a cut and paste that could be anywhere.

[1:40:54] It's a decent thing, it's good for the region, it's good to have affordable housing.

[1:41:00] We just heard from career works that said our cost of living is 12% less than the state

[1:41:06] average, which says, yes, that's, we have more affordable housing by 12% than the state

[1:41:14] average.

[1:41:14] That's a pretty good thing.

[1:41:16] Actually, a whole lot less than the state average.

[1:41:18] Actually, the state average was like at 115%, if you look at the numbers, we're probably

[1:41:22] about a 27% if you look at the delta from what he presented.

[1:41:26] It's a huge difference from affordable housing.

[1:41:29] Now, when we look at that, what does the state of Virginia

[1:41:32] have to do with that as opposed to Lynchburg?

[1:41:35] Lynchburg, we have zoning.

[1:41:39] We have places that are an R1 zone, R4 zone.

[1:41:44] We have the problems with high taxes on our property owners,

[1:41:50] which make a housing less affordable.

[1:41:54] So I think there's lots of things that this doesn't apply to necessarily the state.

[1:41:59] Or if it does, maybe you think it should have a finer point rather than kind of giving

[1:42:04] a general paragraph of says housing is good to have for people to work.

[1:42:10] Absolutely.

[1:42:11] Everybody agrees on that.

[1:42:15] I guess it's two questions I should apologize. The first question was going to be I was going

[1:42:23] to ask if for the record for counsel when this agenda is adopted, if there could at least

[1:42:28] be a vote to include the charter piece, because that is an item that I do object to, but

[1:42:34] I do wish to, I don't have many objections with the document as it stands overall.

[1:42:39] And so at least for the record for when it does go to Richmond that this council wants

[1:42:43] to pursue it, as I imagine, the vote breakdown would be the same, just so that's in the record

[1:42:48] that there were some objections to this document and this being included.

[1:42:52] And then, considering the document, overall, incorporate in that, when are we expecting to vote

[1:42:58] on this document today?

[1:42:59] December 14th.

[1:43:00] This is a process, remember, which came to you presented it since that of an election in

[1:43:05] And prior to dinner, so you have a whole other Tuesday now with your delegation as you can talk to us December 14th.

[1:43:11] Thank you, and I apologize, I forgot about that.

[1:43:14] I would just ask if for process, if that could be considered, that would be appreciated.

[1:43:19] Thank you.

[1:43:20] Can we add that?

[1:43:22] Does that need to be a formal motion metamare, or do you want to add the charter asking for charter schools to be on here?

[1:43:29] He's not, he's not, he's talking about the charter change.

[1:43:31] Not the charter change, that's going to be this afternoon, but charter adding the charter schools in our legislative agenda, sorry, is something I think we should put in here.

[1:43:40] I would motion to direct staff to at least come up with language we can consider on the 14th, that would be my motion.

[1:43:46] For the charter, not the charter change, but adding charter schools.

[1:43:51] For charter schools, yes.

[1:43:53] Okay, I'll second that.

[1:43:59] I mean, either that or I mean, we're obviously going to vote on the whole document.

[1:44:04] But I think you can instruct staff to put it in the document and then when it comes

[1:44:09] up for a vote on December 14th, we can either pull it out, but I don't want that.

[1:44:13] Keep it in there.

[1:44:14] Okay.

[1:44:14] Yeah, perfect.

[1:44:15] So it's good to have.

[1:44:18] My experience with this, having worked with this 10-plus years, is it this process, so things

[1:44:22] come in, things come out.

[1:44:23] What's helpful is to narrow the focus on what I hear loud if there's the TDOs I wanted to get just a quick and the ECLs

[1:44:30] These issues, excuse me, and that Central Health has actually reached out

[1:44:34] They too don't want the thing that you've proposed that the congregation of folks outside the back

[1:44:39] They know that they want officers and in and in out there

[1:44:42] So as we contemplate the state and going ahead with I think what's across the board some of the everyone supports

[1:44:49] Central Health has said that they're going to support us in that effort, so I thought that'd be something.

[1:44:53] Just to your point, we would, this is a process, we'll have the dinner and we'll talk through it there,

[1:44:56] and to the degree that I can get you a document with language and some things moved.

[1:45:00] That would be before you may or in your peers. Can I ask him a question about that? With regard to the ECOs, especially. The olden days, you know, before the Creed Eads bill, basically what happened is our police officers would bring people that were subject to the emergency custody order, bring them to Central Health and leave. Is that something that, I mean, Central Health, it seems like they could have, you know, once, once our,

[1:45:29] fire department or ambulance brings them a patient. Our fire department doesn't

[1:45:35] sit there and wait what you know what happens in the emergency room. They drop

[1:45:40] them off and leave. If there's a way that we can have central health working with

[1:45:46] that so our police officers can bring them and leave and get back on the

[1:45:50] street because we're down tremendously. I think right now we have to follow the

[1:45:55] state mandate, and it's all we can change that.

[1:45:59] And Central has to fear of.

[1:46:01] And so with that, if we could ask Central as well to partner with us, because they're

[1:46:05] the ones who used to actually take those patients in, they used to have a facility that our

[1:46:11] police officers could bring them to, and leave, rather than having to sit there.

[1:46:16] So about it, I wasn't clear.

[1:46:18] This is what Amy the new CEO and machine I talked about, together with Michael L.A., is that

[1:46:22] they are in full support of exactly that.

[1:46:24] They're good. They want the same thing that Chief Sudomus said is that police policing is opposed to what's happening current.

[1:46:30] So they're on board.

[1:46:31] Hell will you. Thank you.

[1:46:34] Council Member Tweet.

[1:46:35] To follow up on Council Member Hegelson's question of affordable housing, I guess because we do sit around the conversation of workforce development and career services so much.

[1:46:46] There is a thing called workforce housing and I think I would like for additional expansion of definition of that.

[1:46:54] And maybe the criteria, at least for council members to understand that what salaries can be qualified in workforce housing because some of our very own public safety and other city workers may qualify for affordable housing through their salaries.

[1:47:10] And so just expanding those options of where even our own folks who work and live with us and around us can have in our city.

[1:47:18] So, workforce housing is a state understanding through career works and development and so I'd like for some type of expansion on that.

[1:47:29] Thank you.

[1:47:29] Thank you, Vice Mayor, right?

[1:47:30] Thank you. I just want to make a quick point that, and I hear Council Member Heperson's point that we should try to find items on which we align with the state delegation.

[1:47:40] That's reasonable.

[1:47:41] You know, it's politics, you want to make sure that the, you know, extension can, you find common ground.

[1:47:47] But the point I think I want to emphasize is that this is Lynchburg's legislative agenda.

[1:47:52] We are here to represent Lynchburg. We are not here to necessarily represent the interests of the legislators and what they campaigned on.

[1:47:59] So I think it's important that we find common ground where we can.

[1:48:02] But otherwise this agenda is that we're that we're aligning on is a statement of what Lynchburg believes and values and wants to see happen.

[1:48:09] and as opposed to necessarily what other legislators or other entities might want.

[1:48:16] So thank you for letting me add that.

[1:48:18] Thank you.

[1:48:20] Any other comments?

[1:48:23] Okay, moving right along to our business item briefing, Tom Martin, Enterprise Drive Resoning Petition.

[1:48:34] And it's on the petition of Rick Barker Properties to rezone approximately 6.9 acres.

[1:48:41] located at 2001 and 2003 enterprise drive that's right at the corner of

[1:48:47] Enterprise and Dillard. The position is to resume from I-2 light industrial

[1:48:51] district to B-5C conditional general business district. Right now the

[1:48:58] property is used for warehousing and distribution which means that an unrelated

[1:49:04] office use cannot be in the same building. The building has about 4,500 square

[1:49:10] feet of office use that is desired to be used by the Center for Pediatric Therapies.

[1:49:16] They'd like to expand into this.

[1:49:19] They have an existing facility on-fast.

[1:49:21] If approved, they would expand into this vacant office space while the distribution and

[1:49:28] warehouseing would remain also.

[1:49:30] This petition is scheduled for a public hearing before the Planning Commission tomorrow afternoon.

[1:49:37] Pending the outcome of that.

[1:49:38] That this would be on Council's agenda for public hearing on December the 14th.

[1:49:46] Thank you.

[1:49:47] Any questions, comments?

[1:49:53] Councilmember Albuson?

[1:49:53] I guess just a quick question of just process as opposed to the specific.

[1:50:01] You're normally what happens with these rezoning's is that there's a public hearing,

[1:50:06] The public hearing then goes to the planning commission where they hear it, they vet it,

[1:50:13] they look at the different pluses and minuses, they hear the land use issues and hear from

[1:50:18] citizens there sometimes, maybe don't.

[1:50:22] Then with that we get a packet that says here's what the planning commission recommends,

[1:50:28] here's their vote, here's their minutes, here's why.

[1:50:32] so we're kind of changing the process a bit and so I'm a little curious I'm glad

[1:50:38] that we're not responding or I mean kind of you know everybody's saying here's

[1:50:43] what I think should happen or here's what I think should happen as a public body

[1:50:49] well before it meets those those processes. Sure and that's a good point those

[1:50:56] processes will still occur. The public hearing will be tomorrow when we send out the council agenda

[1:51:03] summary for December 14th. All those minutes will be in there. It's just the way the schedule

[1:51:08] worked this time. Your council meeting occurred before the planning commission meeting. And that may

[1:51:14] happen periodically, but we're just trying to give you an idea of what's coming to you in December.

[1:51:21] So hopefully the precedent would be that we don't necessarily put our thumb on the scale

[1:51:27] of that, but we listen to the presentations, kind of like what we do with the items when

[1:51:34] people have a public comment.

[1:51:35] We won't engage.

[1:51:37] I think that is to let you know it's coming, then if you have some type of questions, you

[1:51:41] may comment.

[1:51:41] Call you to the manager separately and we can get that information.

[1:51:46] Perfect.

[1:51:46] Thank you.

[1:51:47] Thank you.

[1:51:48] So

[1:51:51] we are now at roll call.

[1:51:56] Councilmember Nelson.

[1:51:57] Councilmember Tweety.

[1:51:59] No items.

[1:52:00] Councilmember Halgice.

[1:52:01] Thank you, Madam Mayor.

[1:52:02] As I mentioned in their legislative agenda, I think we need to take this another step.

[1:52:08] And fortunately the finance committee is looking at the why we had a $27 million surplus.

[1:52:16] One thing I think we should look at, just like our legislative agenda says, that when we overtax and have a larger surplus, we ought to give it back.

[1:52:26] So I think this is something that we should do as a explore the ability to give a rebate on this $27 million tax increase.

[1:52:35] granted I recognize one time money but we can explore that as a one-time

[1:52:42] rebate so it doesn't violate a principle that says continued funds if we can

[1:52:50] explore that because it's I think it's it's a little troubling when you know

[1:52:56] especially I guess next week the 15th is when real estate tax bills are due and

[1:53:02] And they're seeing this not just a surplus of $22 million, but a surplus that's $27 million more from the previous

[1:53:11] Estimate and now they're seeing an increase in their real estate taxes that they're sending in for this first quarter

[1:53:17] So if there's something we can explore there

[1:53:20] I would appreciate that the finance committee is going to look at the

[1:53:26] More in-depth in the December meeting as far as kind of the why and how so

[1:53:32] But if we can explore as a council, I think that would or as the administration to give options to what we could do as a tax

[1:53:39] rebate that as a rebate to our taxpayers.

[1:53:42] I think that would be would be prudent.

[1:53:45] Thank you.

[1:53:48] Council Member Huggleston, it does make me think to follow up with that.

[1:53:52] We still have items on our budget agenda, such as a new police building, public safety needs.

[1:53:59] So, I would like to add to that what are our competing needs that even though there is a surplus,

[1:54:08] we have some serious public safety and other issues that citizens are concerned about.

[1:54:14] And I know my constituents have asked to hear how we are going to fund those.

[1:54:19] So thank you.

[1:54:21] Council Member for all of you?

[1:54:23] Mr. Ben, I want to thank you for your presentation earlier.

[1:54:26] I can tell you at least from one council member, I'm already seeing some of the changes here.

[1:54:30] You're looking to do in our processes and the communications and I want to thank you for that.

[1:54:35] I'm very much looking to pour and see how you help us continue to take steps to improve the city.

[1:54:40] And I've got full faith you're going to do a great job with that.

[1:54:43] So thank you for the 90 days.

[1:54:45] I know that was probably tough to sit and not do anything and just listen.

[1:54:49] But truthfully, I know you're going to be very helpful with us in taking this to the next step, next place.

[1:54:55] So, and I know you weren't doing nothing, but I should probably should praise that better.

[1:54:59] I apologize.

[1:55:00] I do want to commend the fire department for their promotional ceremony the other night,

[1:55:04] might have been last night, was that sterling?

[1:55:06] That was wonderful to attend.

[1:55:08] I do not understand my own writing, so I'm going to skip over that one.

[1:55:14] And then, I know about a month ago, I asked for an update where we stand with Main Street,

[1:55:18] and there was some update on that, if we can get some updates similar to that, that would

[1:55:23] be appreciative, just to make sure Ron point with moving forward and if I can dissect my own handwriting before it gets to you, Madam Mayor.

[1:55:30] I'll come back to you.

[1:55:31] Thank you, Council Member Waller.

[1:55:33] Okay, again, I want to also commend the firefighters for the promotion ceremony.

[1:55:37] Again, last night, two of us were there, we commended them for the hard work they're doing.

[1:55:41] The one thing we talk about, the small business entity event, it is so important for us to support our local businesses.

[1:55:50] and one way we can do that by supporting some of our front line workers,

[1:55:55] like going to like different local businesses and buying things,

[1:55:58] and giving them to some of our front line workers, like the police, the fire, the nurses.

[1:56:02] They have been under the health care professionals.

[1:56:04] They have been so much stressed this year with the pandemic.

[1:56:07] It would be nice for us to have community that is so seasoned through our own community,

[1:56:11] and small businesses, and it gives back to our front line workers.

[1:56:14] I think it would be so good to just support them.

[1:56:16] I want to also mention there's a vaccination event Saturday 11 o'clock at the Jubilee Center from 11 to 2

[1:56:22] There are several doctors going to be there answering a question about the vaccine. It's really stressing on the now the age of 5 to 11 and eligible

[1:56:30] So there'd be focusing on that group especially but also the booster shot also the flu shot

[1:56:35] So this Saturday at the Jubilee Center Florida Avenue

[1:56:38] Again, doctors are going to be there answering your questions about the vaccine and other concerns you might have

[1:56:43] that's the kind that really have free access to doctors.

[1:56:46] So I've prepared a community to go to that event as well.

[1:56:50] And then I said, first off, I'm gonna miss it.

[1:56:52] I'll be seeing Lila Melvin being inducted

[1:56:55] into the, I think it's Airspace, Virginia Museum

[1:57:00] of aeronautics, all the way, all the way.

[1:57:02] Thank you.

[1:57:03] So seeing Lila Melvin do the local hero from here.

[1:57:06] That's right.

[1:57:07] And the last point, I do want to commend

[1:57:09] the mustache for kids.

[1:57:10] So, the work they're doing there, well, you see I cut my mustache off, so they're raising funds for children's charities in our community.

[1:57:19] We commend them, I know I've seen in manager, police chief, a fire chief.

[1:57:23] They've all done that. I'm raising funds for charities.

[1:57:26] You know, for 30 days, they raised about $300,000 for kids in our community.

[1:57:31] And I still remember even today, one of the businesses are matched to donation from 9 to 12.

[1:57:36] I can't take the name of the business right now, but again we want to commend them for

[1:57:40] the work they're doing on community and they've got together, that's the big, let's

[1:57:44] make some things happen on community.

[1:57:46] And just about cutting my stash off for 30 days and they're doing like $300,000 and 30 days

[1:57:51] for children's charity is not a community.

[1:57:54] I want to commend what foster he is really excelling, I'm doing a very way, if you look at

[1:57:59] some of the leaderboards, some of you know, but he is doing a tremendous job for all the

[1:58:04] May, it's like over 100 that are raising funds for children in our community, and it's

[1:58:09] so good a great place for Lynchburg against.

[1:58:10] Thank you.

[1:58:11] Vice Mayor, right?

[1:58:12] Thank you, Madam Mayor.

[1:58:13] I just want to commend the Lynchburg Registrar's office and the election administrators

[1:58:16] and poll workers who made that, sure, the last Tuesday with such a smooth election day that

[1:58:22] worked really hard in under tough conditions, so we owe them a great deal of thanks.

[1:58:27] And then I'm sure you'll be mentioning it about folks getting the booster shot, but if

[1:58:33] Would you recommend it to your employer, health care provider, please do get the, get the shot.

[1:58:37] Thank you, and back to Councilmember Faroli, who's not able to read his hand right now.

[1:58:41] Well, apparently the Vice-Mayer could read it better than mine, because that was my comment.

[1:58:45] But on Councilmember Walder's note, as a matter of fact, a few months ago, with the most

[1:58:50] asked for kids, I was listening to WONI, the sports line, and they had an interview with some

[1:58:55] NASCAR driver, I don't follow our NASCAR whatsoever.

[1:58:57] So, there's a NASCAR driver somewhere in the United States right now going around that circuit

[1:59:01] who was promoting the fact that he's raising money for Lynchburg, Virginia, doing

[1:59:05] much as for kids, so kind of a cool subject.

[1:59:07] Thank you.

[1:59:08] And I have a couple announcements.

[1:59:10] Lynchburg Museum and Visitor Services update hours.

[1:59:14] The Lynchburg Museum and Visitor Services has expanded their hours to five days a week.

[1:59:19] Thursday through Monday from 10 to 4, Sunday hours are 12 a.m. to 4 p.m.

[1:59:25] The museum is also opened by appointment at other times for special events, meetings or research.

[1:59:30] The Lynchburg Museum and Visitor Services will also host an upcoming walking tour at Presbyterian Cemetery.

[1:59:37] On Sunday November 14th, from 2 to 3, please call 434-455-6226 or visit Lynchburgmuseum.org for additional information.

[1:59:48] Parks and Recreation Announcements. Celebration of Holiday Lights returns to Riverside Park.

[1:59:54] The Apple Drive through kicks off on December 1st and operates through December 31st.

[2:00:00] Lights turned on at dusk, the event is free of charge. There will be a new photo opportunity available this year located near the parking lot. On Saturday, November 13, the 22nd annual Veterans of Fritiation Luncheon will take place at Miller Park from 11 to 1. There will be free barbecue lunches for all veterans. Fire Department recognition. Captain Candace Brown with the Lunch for Fire Department received the Governor's Award for a standing pre-hospital provider in the Commonwealth.

[2:00:29] of Virginia. Captain Ron was selected by her peers out of thousands of pre-hospital providers

[2:00:35] across the Commonwealth. Additionally she became the third Lynchburg Fire Department

[2:00:40] Pyramidic Firefighter to receive this award over the past six years. And those are my announcements.

[2:00:49] Next item, consideration of a close meeting to discuss the acquisition or disposal of real estate

[2:00:54] in the city for a PPEA project and to discuss an appointment to the Lynchburg

[2:01:00] redevelopment and housing authority, pursuant to section 2.23711A, and section 2.23711A1 at the Code of

[2:01:09] Virginia, 1950 as amended. May I have an emotion to go into closed meeting?

[2:01:17] Second.

[2:01:18] Second. Cash to vote.

[2:01:23] We are now in closed session.

[2:01:32] Welcome to the November 9th City

[2:01:33] council meeting. Please stand for the invocation by councilmember for all the follow-up by the

[2:01:39] pledge of allegiance.

[2:01:42] Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to come together as a community

[2:01:44] and discuss items before us. I pray you're blessing on this meeting for wisdom and guidance and we thank

[2:01:51] you for the opportunity to serve you in this way. Jesus name I pray. Amen. I pledge allegiance

[2:01:58] to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[2:02:16] We have some recognitions of a proclamation for Nurse Practitioner Week.

[2:02:22] I'd like to read it.

[2:02:24] Whereas nurse practitioners, MPs serve as trusted health care providers for patients.

[2:02:30] And whereas there are more than 325,000 licensed MPs in the United States.

[2:02:36] And whereas MPs continue to work tirelessly to diagnose and treat patients with COVID-19,

[2:02:41] and to combat community spread nationwide while grieving MP colleagues who have lost their

[2:02:46] lives during the pandemic.

[2:02:48] And whereas nurse practitioners work to expand access to care in underserved communities

[2:02:53] and health disparities and combat systemic racism and health care.

[2:03:00] And whereas NPs provide high quality primary, acute and specialty care services while focusing

[2:03:05] on health promotion, disease prevention, health education, and counseling guiding patients

[2:03:11] to make smarter health and lifestyle choices every day.

[2:03:14] And whereas they are highly skilled practitioners with advanced education and clinical training building upon their initial registered nurse preparation.

[2:03:24] And whereas the confidence that patients have an MP's delivered health care is evidenced by the more than one billion visits made annually to NPs across the country.

[2:03:34] And whereas better utilization of NPs through modernized state laws and improved policies creates better health through a more accessible,

[2:03:42] available, efficient, cost effective, and higher quality health care system.

[2:03:46] Now therefore, I, Mary Jane Chuzignadol, on mayor of the City of Lynchburg, Virginia, do hereby proclaim the week of November 7th through the 13th, 2021, Nurse Practitioners Week.

[2:03:57] In recognition of the countless contributions, Nurse Practitioners have made over the past half century, and will continue to make on behalf of the health and well-being of citizens of our city.

[2:04:08] And I believe that

[2:04:23] Gabriel Crawford is here to accept the proclamation.

[2:04:43] Congratulations.

[2:04:45] Thank you.

[2:04:47] Our next recognition is a small business Saturday.

[2:04:52] Whereas the City of Lynchburg celebrates local small businesses and the contributions that they make to our local economy and community.

[2:04:58] According to the United States small business administration there are 31.7 million small businesses in the United States representing 99.7% of firms with paid employees and were responsible for 65.1% of net new jobs created from 2000 to 2019.

[2:05:17] And whereas small businesses employ 47.1% of workers in the private sector in the United States approximately,

[2:05:24] 88% of US consumers feel a personal commitment to support small businesses in the wake of the pandemic.

[2:05:31] And 92% of small business owners have pivoted the way they do business to stay open during the pandemic.

[2:05:37] And whereas 97% of small business, business Saturday shoppers recognize the impact they can be made by shopping small and encouraging friends and families to do so too.

[2:05:49] And whereas 56% of shoppers reported, they made purchases online with a small business on small business Saturday in 2020.

[2:05:59] And more than 50% of consumers who reported shopping small endorsed a local business on social media or shopped at a local business

[2:06:06] because of a social media recommendation.

[2:06:09] And whereas the City of Lynchburg supports local businesses that create jobs,

[2:06:14] boost the local economy and preserve our communities.

[2:06:17] And whereas advocacy groups as well as public and private organizations across the country

[2:06:22] have endorsed the Saturday after Thanksgiving as small business Saturday.

[2:06:27] Now therefore, I am Mary Jane Tuzignodola and Mayor of the City of Lynchburg do hereby proclaim Saturday, November 27th, 2021.

[2:06:35] one, small business Saturday in Lynchburg and urge residents to support small businesses

[2:06:40] and merchants now and throughout the year.

[2:06:44] And I guess, Margez, I'm sure, I'm going to accept this population.

[2:06:51] And if I can get a plug in real quick, this recognition is important and more timely than ever.

[2:06:59] Small businesses are the economic lifeblood of our city.

[2:07:03] Nearly 70% of the businesses in the city of Lynchburg have less than 10 employees.

[2:07:09] And they have all been on the front lines for the past 18 months.

[2:07:13] As we head into the holiday season, please remember to shop small and shop local.

[2:07:20] For every $100 spent locally, $68 stays in this community.

[2:07:26] You'll keep more money here.

[2:07:27] Small business Saturday reminds us to celebrate who we are as a city, support local jobs, benefit

[2:07:35] from local expertise, and invest in entrepreneurship.

[2:07:40] If each of us spent $100 more a year in small, locally owned businesses, it would put millions

[2:07:48] into our economy and create thousands more jobs.

[2:07:51] There is no better time to show our small business community that Lynchburg

[2:07:57] love you.

[2:08:07] Thank you, Martin. Recognition Virginia Park, Virginia Park and

[2:08:12] Recreation Society Awards and Jenny Jones, our Director of Parks and

[2:08:17] Recreation will give brief remarks.

[2:08:29] Mayor Dolan, Vice Mayor Wright, members of

[2:08:32] City Council, today we'd like to celebrate our Virginia Recreation and Park

[2:08:36] Society Awards. The Statewide Program honors individuals, departments and organizations throughout

[2:08:42] Virginia who have demonstrated excellence in any of several areas during the previous year.

[2:08:49] Over 100 applications were received from the many of the 110 Park and Recreation Department

[2:08:57] Statewide, vying for 14 different categories. Judged by a jury of our peers, Lynchburg Parks and

[2:09:04] creation was selected for two of those awards. First,

[2:09:11] the Langhorn Tressel Trail

[2:09:13] project was honored in the category of Best New Facility. This category is

[2:09:18] awarded in recognition of a facility ground up, which depicts innovative

[2:09:22] outdoor facility or property design and construction. The Langhorn Bridge

[2:09:28] renovation and black water creek trail extension to Linkhorn Middle School.

[2:09:33] That's a very long title, but that's the official title, extended the existing Blackwater Creek Trail from Ed Page entrance and continued at West to connect to Linkhorn Middle School parking lot.

[2:09:45] This added 2,600 linear fee almost a half a mile of new shared use path to the city's active pedestrian network.

[2:09:54] work. Today, I'd like to recognize key individuals responsible for bringing this project to fruition.

[2:10:01] And if they're here, ask them to come forward for a photo with the mayor. Campaign, a previous

[2:10:07] city manager who worked for 20 years to negotiate one key property easement from a private citizen

[2:10:14] took him 20 years, but that was the key component that moved the project forward. Kay Frazier,

[2:10:20] previous park immigration director and Andrew Reader, our previous park service manager

[2:10:26] who conceptualized the trail extension and secured the initial CIP funding.

[2:10:32] Dave Owen, if you're here, come on up.

[2:10:34] The initial project manager who worked with V.Dot to secure 80% of the matching funds and

[2:10:40] solve the project through the construction phase.

[2:10:43] Melissa Tillman from the finance department worked on the project RFP and was incredibly

[2:10:48] helpful in coordinating with the contractor. Susanna Smith, who took over for Dave Owen

[2:10:55] as project manager, she successfully led a team through a federal audit. As many of

[2:11:01] you know, the Virginia Department of Transportation is a pass-through of federal highway funds. Chris

[2:11:07] Higgins, Park Service Manager, who supported Susanna as they worked through the punch list

[2:11:12] and many audit issues.

[2:11:15] Greg Allen, our V.OT locally administered projects coordinator, he worked with administration

[2:11:21] to secure three iterations of funding for this project, which was over $1.6 million of

[2:11:28] the $2.2 million project, and this was awarded through V.OT's Transportation Alternative Program.

[2:11:35] Shane Weekly and Rodney Hill from WRA, and they were engineering and design consultants.

[2:11:41] Charlie Evans from Coleman Adams Construction was the construction project manager.

[2:11:47] And I also want to thank City Council for the Capital Improvement Project funding that made this project possible.

[2:11:54] And we'd like to get a photo with the mayor and the award.

[2:11:58] And I also want to say for anybody watching from home, this project ribbon cutting is viewable on the City's YouTube channel.

[2:12:24] Thank you all very much.

[2:12:25] Next

[2:12:36] up is the Riverside Overlook, which was honored in the category of Best New Renovation

[2:12:42] Edition.

[2:12:43] This project was a complex and delicate undertaking that combined both heavy construction for

[2:12:50] the rebuilt portions of the overlook and the careful preservation of existing elements

[2:12:55] of the structure that were to remain in place.

[2:12:59] The resulting project did just that.

[2:13:01] The crowning achievement of this project was a discovery and restoration of the fountain structure which was believed to be a planter at the time and it sits on the overlook lawn.

[2:13:12] Today I'd like to recognize the individuals who played a role in realizing this project and asked them to come forward with a photo with the mayor for a photo with the mayor.

[2:13:20] First, Gaynell Hart Director of Public Works, she and her department contributed the engineering expertise to the project.

[2:13:27] Clay Simmons, Deputy Director of Public Works, actually spearheaded the project on behalf

[2:13:34] of Parks and Recreation, coordinating the project through design bidding and construction

[2:13:39] phases of work. Howard Covey served as the Parks and Recreation

[2:13:44] Departments Project Consultant. Don Dye was Public Works Construction Coordinator

[2:13:50] One and Sheree Taylor was Public Works Construction Manager. Those two assisted in all the

[2:13:57] design reviews and they oversaw the construction of the structure.

[2:14:02] The project was designed by Bill Allen and Josh Knight of Virginia A&E and constructed

[2:14:07] by first-class contracting of Richmond, Virginia.

[2:14:13] Chris Higgins, Park Service Manager, and Susanna Smith, construction coordinator, organized

[2:14:18] the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which included in-depth and in-depth historical overview.

[2:14:24] the ribbon cutting can also be viewed on a city's YouTube channel as well as a

[2:14:29] documentary about the Riverside Overlook. So again I want to thank City Council

[2:14:33] for the Capitol Improvement Project funding that made this project possible and

[2:14:38] we'd like to get another photo with the Mayor. Thank

[2:14:57] you all very much.

[2:15:27] Tonight, city council agenda is divided into four sections. Consent agenda, public hearing, public comment, and general business. The first section is the consent agenda. This section includes all routine items, and all items may be approved by one vote. May I have a motion for the consent agenda? Please cast your vote.

[2:15:52] Motion passes 70. Thank you.

[2:15:59] Next section is public hearings. This section includes all public hearings as required by law, or as council made

[2:16:06] proceed your staff will make a presentation comments will then be solicited from the public

[2:16:10] and individual speakers shall have three minutes to speak. If the speaker represents a group

[2:16:15] the speaker shall have five minutes. A speaker representing a group shall identify that group

[2:16:19] at the beginning of his or her remarks and a group may have only one spokesperson. Each speaker

[2:16:25] shall clearly state his or her name and locality of residence. Upon the conclusion of public comments

[2:16:30] the public hearing will be closed and the matter will be referred to council for deliberation.

[2:16:35] First item consideration of doping a resolution to approve a COP to allow the construction of a oil change facility at 8209 and 8213.

[2:16:45] Timberlake Road, this item was presented to City Council on October 26th, 2021 under our business item briefings.

[2:16:55] Is there anyone to make a presentation?

[2:17:01] Mayor Dullan, members of the City Council, my name is William Schumach, I'm going to

[2:17:05] turn it with Wood Rogers, and I represent the applicant in this case.

[2:17:19] This is a straight forward case, at first I want to thank Mr. Martin, his planning staff,

[2:17:25] as well as Mr. Newland, the traffic engineer, working with us closely to bring this before

[2:17:29] you.

[2:17:30] I would note that staff has recommended approval in the planning commission unanimously

[2:17:34] recommended approval of the six members that were there.

[2:17:38] This is basically on the county line with Campbell County of Timber Lake Road.

[2:17:52] Thank you.

[2:17:54] This is laying out the site plan for the oil change.

[2:17:59] It's basically a, there's a 7-11 that's being constructed on the corner, which is in Campbell County.

[2:18:07] This is take 5 oil change.

[2:18:09] It's a 1,450 square foot facility with three bays.

[2:18:15] It would be next to the 7-11.

[2:18:16] It would have access from Timberlake Road and Lachston Road.

[2:18:20] Working with Mr. Newland, we provided a traffic analysis to the city.

[2:18:28] As I think has been noted, it is an extremely low traffic generator.

[2:18:32] This is actually B-3 zoning, we technically need to come in with a conditional use permit,

[2:18:38] but there are many more intensive uses as a matter of right that could have gone here that would have generated a lot more traffic.

[2:18:44] As we noted, I think the traffic engineer said that there would be about a hundred trips for the entire day.

[2:18:51] And I think during peak hours, the most would be about six.

[2:18:57] The working with Mr. Newland, though, we did recognize and agree as part of the site plan to add a taper off the road, off the timber-like road, even though we're such a low generator.

[2:19:10] Most of the traffic's going to be generated, obviously, overwhelmingly, by the 7-11, so I've been approved.

[2:19:15] in the county,

[2:19:18] as I noted, it's only about 1,450 square feet.

[2:19:22] We have about seven employees at a time on a shift.

[2:19:26] And the hours are generally seven to seven Monday through Friday, Saturday,

[2:19:30] eight to six, and generally Sunday, nine to five.

[2:19:33] I will be in ground stormwater.

[2:19:41] We've done the conditions that we've settled be in substantial compliance with the concept plan and our building will be consistent with the elevations, which I think matches well with the surrounding area, and we will provide a taper.

[2:19:55] That's my presentation. I'd be glad to answer any questions, but as I said, I think it's a pretty straightforward case.

[2:20:02] We'll call you back if we have any questions.

[2:20:04] Thank you very much for the opportunity.

[2:20:05] Is there anyone who would like to speak in favor?

[2:20:11] Is there anyone who would like to speak in opposition?

[2:20:17] Are there any emails or phone calls from citizens?

[2:20:21] No.

[2:20:21] No, everybody needed.

[2:20:23] Public hearing is closed and the matter rests with counsel.

[2:20:27] Council member, how does it make a motion for approval?

[2:20:31] Second.

[2:20:32] Okay.

[2:20:33] And.

[2:20:34] Thank you.

[2:20:35] As presented, it's not a rezoning as was stated.

[2:20:39] And it's a conditional use permit, so it's already the property is already zoned for business.

[2:20:45] And I think it's a good use and glad that you're employing more Lynchburg citizens.

[2:20:49] Glad you're increasing and proving a piece of property and I hope we all vote in favor of this.

[2:20:56] Thank

[2:20:58] you.

[2:20:59] According to this motion, I would like to offer for the record similar condiments from when we discuss this previously.

[2:21:06] I do realize the traffic may not be a lot going into this little business, but the intersection

[2:21:14] associated with Timberlake and Lachson is quite intense, and it's particularly certain

[2:21:19] times of days.

[2:21:20] As such, Wood Road and Mountain V Drive are notoriously used as cut-arounds and to get around

[2:21:27] the intersection, both by heavy trucking and heavy vehicles as well as your average day motorists

[2:21:35] like ourselves. So, as we move forward in this intercession in approving this, we just

[2:21:40] want to be very mindful as we look at development in this corridor and how the impacts could

[2:21:46] be associated. So, happy to support it, happy to see a business coming into a new slot

[2:21:50] of land and just want to be mindful as this part of town develops.

[2:21:55] Thank you.

[2:21:55] Other hand in the comments or questions? Please cash through vote.

[2:22:03] Motion passes, 7-0.

[2:22:04] Thank you very much.

[2:22:07] Next item, consideration of adopting an ordinance to rezone, 16191701, 12th Street at 1114 Buchanan Street to renovate the existing building into 24 apartments.

[2:22:20] Is there anyone to make a presentation?

[2:22:29] Thank you, Madam Mayor, Mr. Vice Mayor, members of council.

[2:22:32] My name is Jamie White, I'm with White Engineering and Zan in force Virginia, representing the owner and developer of these three lots.

[2:22:41] This piece of property now, it's an existing building, it has actually gone through the process to get a historic recognition.

[2:22:50] And it currently is being used in an industrial use, I think there's some wood shopper stuff like that in the lower levels there.

[2:22:57] The owner developer is looking to convert this into apartments.

[2:23:02] what we're looking at is four apartments on the first level and five apartments on each level above is five stories told us that we're looking at 24 residential apartments in the building.

[2:23:15] Right now existing at 1701 where the building is actually sitting, there's an existing gravel lot that we are looking to improve and we are looking to add parking at the building itself and add dumpsters and things of that nature.

[2:23:31] here. They also owned a lot of 1619, which is across Buchanan Street, and we were looking

[2:23:37] to renovate that in traditional parking. Currently, right now, it is vacant. It's used

[2:23:43] for accessory parking to some of the adjoining businesses that are there under, and it's

[2:23:49] a verbal agreement, and they understand of what we're looking to come through and do with

[2:23:54] the property. Also, at 1114 Buchanan, we're looking to expand onto that property as well

[2:23:59] just to add additional parking.

[2:24:01] So there's a mix of zoning that's already out there.

[2:24:05] It's I-2, B-5, and R-3 in that little intersection.

[2:24:11] And we're looking for rezoning to B-4.

[2:24:13] And we're looking for B-4 just to have some flexibility

[2:24:15] with landscaping and parking and buffer requirements

[2:24:20] and additional options for buffering

[2:24:23] that you don't typically get

[2:24:24] in some of the other business

[2:24:26] and residential destinations there.

[2:24:29] So we think that the property would be a great use for residential.

[2:24:36] We are, even though we're not going to be required before to have parking, we're going to meet the parking requirements as if it was.

[2:24:42] We're going to have 24 spaces off street parking.

[2:24:45] There is some ability to put parking on.

[2:24:49] You can't ensure it as well.

[2:24:50] The road is wide enough and we could have additional parking there.

[2:24:53] and we're going to work with the City's traffic engineer to kind of locate some additional spots to mark as parking on on street.

[2:25:01] With the improvements that have gone on in the Kimper Street Park Avenue and the future development that's going to be happening with the New Police Station

[2:25:08] and we think that this is a good opportunity for additional growth in the area and we believe that this would be a great opportunity to do that now.

[2:25:20] The development right here where it's located now, it overlaps the community commercial

[2:25:25] and neighborhood commercial zones on the future land use map, and we think a multi-family

[2:25:31] with use with adequate parking provides an audio transition between the existing residential

[2:25:36] and the commercial areas that are along to our street.

[2:25:41] There's adequate water, adequate sewer, storm water management is not going to be required

[2:25:46] We are interested to provide proof that the existing system is already adequate since we are all in the CSO area

[2:25:52] And I'll be happy to answer any questions that you have.

[2:25:54] Thank you.

[2:25:55] We'll call you back.

[2:25:56] Is there anyone to speak in favor?

[2:26:02] Is there anyone to speak in opposition?

[2:26:08] Are there any emails from citizens or phone calls?

[2:26:11] No.

[2:26:12] No rebuttal.

[2:26:14] Public hearing is closed and the matter rests with council vice mayor.

[2:26:18] Thank you Madam Mayor.

[2:26:18] I'd move approval.

[2:26:22] I think it's a really important historical building on 12th Street and it's really exciting

[2:26:31] to see it being restored and converted into more housing units which we need here in

[2:26:37] Lynchburg.

[2:26:38] You know, it's also not often that we get petitioners with the name stud muffins LLC, which is also

[2:26:47] kind of fun.

[2:26:48] And so excited about the project and good luck to you.

[2:26:53] I think it's a great building for the intended use.

[2:26:58] And I think it's set kind of with some, needing some TLC for a while.

[2:27:03] So I think this is a great use for it.

[2:27:05] And I look forward to seeing it afterwards.

[2:27:08] Thank you.

[2:27:10] I'll do any other comments, come to my room for early.

[2:27:13] I associate my comments with my colleagues.

[2:27:14] I just had general observation and I apologize for not bringing this up.

[2:27:18] But when you brought it up to your bib, I'm still getting used to the flow of it, a love word's going.

[2:27:24] But just a general comment that has been mentioned before, if there has been some conversation in the past since I've been elected about using B4 or business districts for residential use.

[2:27:37] So just a general note that that has been discussed and there has been some hesitation with that, definitely associated by comments I'm glad to see this is being pursued.

[2:27:45] But that might be something we take a look at as there have been previous conversations along those lines.

[2:27:53] Thank you, thank you, Council Member Allison.

[2:27:55] I guess question for, maybe Mr. Martin, normally when there's a rezoning,

[2:28:03] there's usually some ancillary either proffers or the site plan that is going there.

[2:28:10] We've heard that parking is going to go separate and it's going to be off street as mentioned 24 spaces.

[2:28:15] is this one is asking for a change to the zoning.

[2:28:20] Is there any drawings or plans other than verbal?

[2:28:26] There was a site plan that was submitted along

[2:28:29] with petitioned, the petitioner chose not to proper

[2:28:33] that site plan, again, of Proffers or Voluntary.

[2:28:37] So it's entirely up to them.

[2:28:40] I would not hesitate to say that they are going

[2:28:43] and provide all street parking because it's in their best interest to do so in order to market the apartments.

[2:28:50] And yes, they're not going to be the section 8 housing I've heard and they're going to be full rent.

[2:28:58] I believe so, yes sir.

[2:29:02] Thank you.

[2:29:03] Councillor Neillander.

[2:29:05] Yes, thank you.

[2:29:05] I'm glad she's an improvement in that particular area, so I'm glad for the investment that was important.

[2:29:09] And just a curiosity, it's rather a part of the common event, but what are they?

[2:29:20] It is unique.

[2:29:23] Okay.

[2:29:26] Thank you.

[2:29:27] Appreciate it.

[2:29:28] Any other questions, comments?

[2:29:31] Okay.

[2:29:31] Thank you.

[2:29:32] Cast your vote.

[2:29:38] Motion passes, 7-0.

[2:29:41] Thank you very much.

[2:29:42] Next item, consideration of introducing an ordinance authorizing the city manager to sell 3-1-7

[2:29:48] Hancock Street. This item was presented to City Council October 26 under our business

[2:29:54] item briefings. Is there anyone to speak in favor?

[2:30:15] Council, good evening. My name is Gerald Calfi, resident and business owner of Lynchburg for almost 20 years. We currently own the Bacon Street bagels building across the bridge and after cleaning up that property, looked across the ravine and said, what can we do over there? And so after a few months of going back and forth with Margett and the city, I think it would be exciting to see what we can do across the street. Cabo was such an important part

[2:30:44] part of the Danielsville area and with the B1 zoning, I think we can do some fun things

[2:30:49] that bring hopefully some commerce and some new life to that side of the bridge as well.

[2:30:55] So it would be myself and Billy Hanson and we have a kind of long history in Lynchburg

[2:31:01] of like doing great things with little spaces so that's it.

[2:31:06] Thank you guys.

[2:31:06] Thank you.

[2:31:08] Is there anyone who would like to speak in opposition?

[2:31:37] I'm sorry I'm Gina Smith and I located and I'm in Vaxden but I have houses here in Lynchburg. I have a house over on 311 F street.

[2:31:50] Thank you.

[2:31:51] So, in concerns with that, I'm not understanding how even though this land, the 317 on the D-street, is worth significantly more and is also significantly bigger.

[2:32:08] the value of only the land from, I have to switch glasses,

[2:32:21] from 2005 to 2004 it was

[2:32:25] 6800. And then this is the D-street area. Then from 2007 to 2018 it jumped significantly

[2:32:36] to $22,500, and then from 2019 to 2021, it's assessed again at $45,000.

[2:32:47] My property and the surrounding properties are significantly less, just the land,

[2:32:56] not including the homes up there.

[2:33:00] So my property that

[2:33:07] is only worth $9,000.

[2:33:11] I have a little house on it and the value that goes around there,

[2:33:18] I'm just not understanding how the assessment is going.

[2:33:23] When I'm wanting to turn around and fix mine up and sell it,

[2:33:27] And I have appraisers coming in saying it's a lot less than what this property is.

[2:33:36] And also, when they destroyed the bridge that was once there, they buried on the D Street 317 all of that iron and stuff.

[2:33:48] So I'm not getting it.

[2:33:51] But I think that's a question really for the city assessor, and we're having a public hearing at this moment about 317 Hancock Street, so it doesn't really.

[2:34:00] So Mayor, what I can do is follow up with a resident and talk to her and get her acquainted, how kind of give an explanation as to the values in that area.

[2:34:08] And just make sure that he's our city assessor and he's very helpful to help kind of understand property values.

[2:34:12] Okay, but all of us who are wanting to sell our property, is a lot less than this.

[2:34:18] And it's not fair.

[2:34:22] Thank you for your concern.

[2:34:29] Is there anyone who would like to speak in opposition?

[2:34:35] Are there any emails or phone calls from citizens?

[2:34:38] Thank you.

[2:34:39] Public hearing is closed and the matter rests with council.

[2:34:43] Council member Helles, can you have a question?

[2:34:45] Yes, thank you, Madam Mayor.

[2:34:45] I guess it's, it's, it's, the, the general lady brings up a good question.

[2:34:51] And so I guess the beauty of her question, though, helps to kind of frame the fact

[2:34:57] that we are selling this amount for fair market value.

[2:35:02] And so I was always concerned that we're selling property, Lynchburg owned property,

[2:35:09] Lynchburg citizen owned property, for less than fair market value.

[2:35:13] so I'm hopeful it sounds like we're selling it for a fair market value and this

[2:35:20] 37 or 39,000 that were netting that is based on a fair market value that had

[2:35:26] other folks that could possibly buy it so with that you have a willing

[2:35:32] buyer and a willing seller so hopefully to answer your your question which is

[2:35:37] think is a good one is the fact that once this actually sells between a willing

[2:35:41] buyer and a willing seller for a higher amount, that hopefully is going to push up the value

[2:35:47] of your property.

[2:35:48] So normally, comparable are made, and so when the price of the property sells, now I would

[2:35:54] be concerned if it was worth 45,000, we're selling it for 10,000.

[2:35:59] Now I would really raise my hackles.

[2:36:01] So hopefully it sounds like we're selling it for the fair market value, and don't tell

[2:36:07] All the city assessor too loud and proud that your assessment is too low because they'll

[2:36:12] be out there tomorrow and raise your taxes so I'd yeah

[2:36:19] but good great question, thank

[2:36:22] you.

[2:36:23] We'll

[2:36:32] come to Member Tweet.

[2:36:33] You have a question?

[2:36:34] No.

[2:36:35] Just follow the public hearing for the call.

[2:36:37] All right.

[2:36:38] Great.

[2:36:38] Thank you.

[2:36:39] So public hearing is closed and matter rest with council.

[2:36:44] Any questions?

[2:36:45] in his comments,

[2:36:50] we have a motion.

[2:36:52] I'll move for approval.

[2:36:59] Second.

[2:37:02] Councilmember Wilde.

[2:37:03] And I'm always in courtesy of different establishments

[2:37:06] expand their area for the rest of the run.

[2:37:10] I was in there the other day by the fact

[2:37:13] I did have a challenging time at the parking,

[2:37:15] but the food was great.

[2:37:17] But I'm glad to see them take on the next lot

[2:37:19] over and do some improvements there

[2:37:22] to expand their business.

[2:37:23] Thank you.

[2:37:25] Okay.

[2:37:26] Any other?

[2:37:27] I guess just a general comment that when we have property that the city has, there's

[2:37:33] no tax bearing assumption because it's tax exempts in the city, tax bears on it.

[2:37:40] So the more property that we have that we can sell for fair market value that we have no

[2:37:44] use for, I'm in favor of.

[2:37:46] And I appreciate Mr. Calfey, I've seen some of the work that they've done before and hopefully

[2:37:51] they'll do a good job in this area of Daniel Sills as well.

[2:37:55] Great. Thank you. Anything else? No?

[2:37:58] Cash to vote.

[2:38:03] Motion passes, 7-0. Thank you.

[2:38:07] Next item, consideration of adopting a resolution requesting an amendment and

[2:38:11] reenactment of Section 5 of Chapter 3 of the city's charter regarding general elections.

[2:38:17] This item was presented to City Council at the October 26 meeting under our business item briefings.

[2:38:23] is there anyone to speak in favor?

[2:38:35] Good evening. My name is Michael Gillette. I live here in Lynchburg, Virginia. It's great

[2:38:40] to see you all. And thank you for opening up this public hearing. As someone who has

[2:38:46] some experience in local government, having served 12 years on City Council and four years

[2:38:51] as the mayor of the city, I am here to speak in favor of the plan that you have published.

[2:38:57] I think that it's extremely important that you make every effort to move elections into those odd numbered years.

[2:39:07] Well, based on my experience as a council member, I have to say that when the state government made the decision to prohibit us from maintaining our elections in May, I was rather distraught.

[2:39:19] I think that it was a terrible overreach from Richmond and assault on the notion of

[2:39:24] home rule, and that they were not taking our needs into consideration when they decided

[2:39:30] that they would rather subsume local elections and local election issues onto a higher level

[2:39:37] of the political structure.

[2:39:40] I think that it's very dangerous for local issues to be debated and discussed in an environment

[2:39:46] where they could be drowned out by discussions about issues on a different level.

[2:39:51] I think that's probably true as we mix local elections with state elections,

[2:39:55] which is why I think that it was a mistake for Richmond to rob from us our ability

[2:40:00] to autonomously decide what is best for our local government.

[2:40:05] But I think that that problem would be accentuated by orders of magnitude

[2:40:10] if city council elections were to take place at the same time that national elections were taking place.

[2:40:15] I don't believe that a local discussion would be able to break through the airwaves when

[2:40:22] presidential candidates are eating up the oxygen in absolutely every room.

[2:40:27] Local government in many ways is the most important form of government.

[2:40:30] It is closest to the people.

[2:40:32] It needs to be attuned to the will and the needs of the local citizenry.

[2:40:37] And I don't think that it will be healthy for our political dialogue or for our local

[2:40:43] democracy if our local elections are lost in the shuffle of other higher level issues.

[2:40:51] And for all of those reasons, I urge you to adopt the plan that you have developed.

[2:40:57] Thank you, and have a good evening.

[2:41:10] Good evening, Mayor Dole and Vice Mayor Wright, members of the City Council.

[2:41:15] I'm Dr. Owen Cardwell, and I reside in Ward 4107, Pleasantville Drive.

[2:41:21] I professed my statement tonight by saying I return home to Lynchburg a little over a year ago

[2:41:28] to serve and give back to my home city that nurtured and helped to mold me. I currently serve as a

[2:41:35] distinguished professor at the University of Lynchburg and Leadership Studies and one of the courses I

[2:41:41] teach is on leadership and change. One of the things I understand is that leaders don't manage change,

[2:41:49] effective leaders must lead change. So I applaud the members of council who are

[2:41:54] attempting to lead in a time of sudden and often tumultuous change. I'm also

[2:41:59] pastor of Diamond Hill Baptist Church following a legacy of pastors and

[2:42:04] church members who have laid their lives on the line to ensure voting rights for

[2:42:08] all our citizens. I want to speak tonight in support of the proposed charter

[2:42:12] amendment to bring our charter on alignment with the Virginia Department of

[2:42:17] elections of Virginia code 15.2-1400.

[2:42:23] It has been said that all politics are local.

[2:42:26] However, the change in the Virginia code

[2:42:29] moving municipal elections from May to November

[2:42:32] under our current practice of even year voting,

[2:42:35] which subsume our local issues and concerns

[2:42:39] to presidential and gubernatorial elections.

[2:42:43] The persona and persuasive power of national

[2:42:46] and statewide political candidates would take center stage and push adequate vetting

[2:42:52] and debating of local issues to the back burner.

[2:42:56] Garbage pickup, plugging potholes, school board budgets are not sexy items, but they matter

[2:43:03] to the everyday quality of life for local taxpayers, so moving local elections to odd years solves

[2:43:11] this quandary.

[2:43:12] Someone said that the proposed charter change goals against 50 plus years of voting during

[2:43:19] presidential election.

[2:43:20] That statement attempts to obfuscate the reality that even during presidential election

[2:43:26] years, the municipal elections were held in May and not during November when federal elections

[2:43:32] take place.

[2:43:33] It has also been said that the proposed amendment is an attempt at voter suppression.

[2:43:37] and odd turn of phraseology usually referred to as the pot calling the kettle black, but

[2:43:44] of these statements both of these statements are attempts to suggest that there is something

[2:43:49] nefarious for foot.

[2:43:51] In this season it appears that reason and cooperation have gone on hiatus.

[2:43:56] In actuality successful councilmanic candidates for voting cycles, for two voting cycles are

[2:44:03] being asked to voluntarily serve less time,

[2:44:07] three years as opposed to the customer for your term

[2:44:10] until 2025 and 2027 respectively.

[2:44:15] This proposal seems to be reasonable

[2:44:18] and I urge the members of Council to vote

[2:44:20] in the affirmative for this proposal.

[2:44:22] Thank you and may God bless you and I'll heal soon.

[2:44:28] Is there anyone else who's speaking favor?

[2:44:30] Please come forward.

[2:44:43] Good evening.

[2:44:44] Thank you so much.

[2:44:45] My name is Nicole Sanders. I'm a resident of Lynchburg. I come to speak in favor of the proposal to sync our elections to odd years.

[2:44:56] My story is a little bit different than Dr. Cardwell's and he's a hard-ass.

[2:45:01] I am not from Lynchburg. I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, which is a huge city with a huge number of suburbs. And there was absolutely no way that you could get to know your local representatives. I've lived in Lynchburg now for 18 years. And one of the things that I value is my ability to connect with my local officials. For example, I live in Ward 3, Mr. Helgison has been to my home to Canvas me. And I appreciated our interactions, even if we didn't agree on all of the issues.

[2:45:29] I believe like the others who have spoken before me that if we have elections on even

[2:45:35] years, these issues of our locality that are so important and so crucial to our citizens

[2:45:44] are going to get lost in the hub of presidential year elections.

[2:45:49] So I believe that the local is the most important, it's the thing that these laws and these policies

[2:45:57] These are the ones that are going to affect our daily lives as citizens of this city, and I urge City Council to take that into consideration, and I speak in favor of this proposal.

[2:46:10] Thank you very much.

[2:46:12] Is there anyone else to speak in favor?

[2:46:22] Good afternoon mayor, City Council.

[2:46:25] It's Bert from Dotson, Jr. 3332, George F. the Court in Lynchburg.

[2:46:29] I rise again with my friends that have been up here before in relation to change in the charter.

[2:46:38] I guess you know that 160 towns and 16 cities are going through exactly the same thing the Lynchburg is going through.

[2:46:45] To have an election doing a presidential year, US senators elected, congressman or congresswoman are elected.

[2:46:52] It's going to be very bad in relation to issues.

[2:46:56] Obviously, I spent 12 years served with some of you on City Council during that time.

[2:47:01] And one thing I would enjoy about the word elections, and

[2:47:04] at our elections, we talked about city elections.

[2:47:07] You know there was a 1919 tie in the senate and the lieutenant governor broke the tie.

[2:47:13] And this issue came out of nowhere from Chesapeake up on the state senator from Chesapeake proposals.

[2:47:19] New part of the woods down in Hampton Roads, not blaming you.

[2:47:24] But what I'm saying is that moving forward, whoever sits in these seats in the future will

[2:47:30] deal with city issues rather than state or national issues.

[2:47:36] Wars go on, payments overthrow governments, that's national, international issues.

[2:47:42] And obviously the issue that you deal with in us, a dealt with in the past, relation to

[2:47:47] City Council members have to do with the Senate so much for going away.

[2:47:51] So I really, truly think that going to the General Assembly with the charter chains will

[2:47:57] be the best thing for future generation of City Council members.

[2:48:00] Thank you, Mayor.

[2:48:01] Thank you.

[2:48:03] Is there anyone else who would like to speak in favor?

[2:48:14] Good evening, everybody.

[2:48:16] Good evening.

[2:48:16] My name is Caesar Johnson, and I'm winging it.

[2:48:20] I've been on this out of the podium in a long time, Alpha really, and I served on this

[2:48:25] the Legislative State Council for 12 years as the ward two representatives in the Vice

[2:48:28] Marathon for six years.

[2:48:30] And I'd like to say that I really think that our citizens, especially our minority citizens

[2:48:37] and our unrepresentative communities, need our voices and your voices to be heard.

[2:48:42] And I really feel that their voices, the least of us, the least voices in our community,

[2:48:47] won't be heard in a national election.

[2:48:50] And our issues are local and they are citizens and they need to be heard.

[2:48:54] and they're not going to be heard in the hog wash of national debates. I often

[2:49:00] said when I was on City Council that potholes are not Republican or

[2:49:04] Democrats, they're potholes that our citizens need fixing. And when you hear

[2:49:08] citizens comment, ask your questions. You're not going to be able to explain it

[2:49:11] away. It's because we got caught up in a national cycle. And then we lose seats

[2:49:15] and representations from our citizens that we want there to represent us.

[2:49:23] So I'm

[2:49:23] It's not major for no other city, but I was where you need we are on the city who has the issues that our city has

[2:49:30] And we don't have this plan. I says and they should have talked to us and they assured us that they wouldn't do this and then they did it

[2:49:37] And so you all be brave enough to take this back to them and ask them to change it for us our citizens. Thank you

[2:49:45] Is there anyone else who'd like to speak in David?

[2:49:56] Thank you for this opportunity to speak my mayor vice mayor

[2:49:59] I support everything that the people before me have said.

[2:50:02] My name is Daniel Talk, a little cool citizen, went to

[2:50:04] Intrared College.

[2:50:06] I think we've seen the pendulum swing a lot and I like in prior

[2:50:11] years when our city council elections, we had people that

[2:50:14] actually oppose each other and they had to get their voices

[2:50:16] out there and we had to hear between two candidates instead of

[2:50:19] being overrun by a national debate and I think would be more

[2:50:24] stable for the city to maintain it in to follow through with

[2:50:28] the amendment as proposed, and I don't have anything else to add, thank you for your

[2:50:31] time. Thank you very much. Is there anyone else who would like to speak in favor? Please

[2:50:38] come forward.

[2:50:55] Thank you. My name is Jeffrey Rosner, and I'd like to speak to a slightly

[2:51:01] different aspect of this issue, and that is civility. I think we can agree there has been a real

[2:51:09] loss of civility in our politics, in our elections, and it's particularly true at the

[2:51:18] national level, presidential and congressional elections. So if the local elections are

[2:51:31] scheduled in odd-numbered years, then we have a better chance of avoiding the loss of civility and maintaining our existing civility level for local elections.

[2:51:49] Thank you.

[2:51:51] Thank you.

[2:51:53] Is there anyone else who would like to speak in favor?

[2:52:00] Is there anyone who would like to speak in opposition?

[2:52:23] Thank you for this opportunity. My name is John Vassar. I'm a retired military

[2:52:28] aviator and a retired university professor. And I like to say for one moment I

[2:52:35] just like to give a shout out to the veterans out there because veterans days

[2:52:38] coming up in my fellow veterans who are in this room like to acknowledge you. I'm

[2:52:44] sort of what I call representing the loyal opposition on this issue and with

[2:52:49] If I'll do respect to my fellow citizens and their views, I'd like to present another

[2:52:55] point of view.

[2:52:58] The federal government and several studies have been including the Manhattan Institute

[2:53:03] study, which I have forwarded to the City Council and to the House of Delegates.

[2:53:10] It has encouraged the synchronization of elections for practical and economic reasons.

[2:53:20] However, we're in a unique situation where we would not be in synchronization.

[2:53:28] And we would have elected officials that in some cases could have their terms extended

[2:53:33] by 18 months without a special, some kind of special election.

[2:53:38] Now, ask you to forgive me for this because my, all my political experience has been inside

[2:53:42] the DC beltways.

[2:53:43] So, please don't hold that against me.

[2:53:45] But, I'm thinking that this idea of synchronization has been discussed at the national level, and I think it's certain that we should at least consider.

[2:53:56] Because you've got a situation here where I'm sitting here working with the board of elections.

[2:54:04] And I'm thinking we've got a continuous cycle of elections.

[2:54:07] decisions. The voters are going to be constantly dealing with political campaigns. We got an election

[2:54:15] next year.

[2:54:18] We got one next year, got one the year after, and you're constantly being bombarded

[2:54:25] with political ads. And I was thinking, according to the Manhattan Institute study, it had

[2:54:29] and several reasons.

[2:54:31] The two reasons they had was it would stop political fatigue

[2:54:36] and it would be more efficient, all right?

[2:54:39] I'm just asking you to consider that as a point of view.

[2:54:42] And I yield the balance of my time.

[2:54:44] Thank you.

[2:54:45] Thank you.

[2:54:47] Is there anyone else who would like to speak in opposition?

[2:55:02] Good evening, Lynchbrook City Council.

[2:55:04] My name is Andrew Glover.

[2:55:05] I'm a citizen award-for and a Lynchbrook City business owner.

[2:55:09] I'm not a fan of word games, so before I begin I want to start with a definition of some terminology straight out of the encyclopedia.

[2:55:18] Voter suppression. Voter suppression is any legal or extra legal measure whose purpose or practical effect is to reduce voting by members of a targeted group, political party or religious community.

[2:55:34] I'm here to be up to oppose the resolution as is presented.

[2:55:40] The Virginia Assembly is requiring us to move local elections from the previous May date,

[2:55:45] to a November general election date, for the purposeful intent of increasing voter turnout in local elections.

[2:55:54] However, the proposal that you have all presented does the opposite.

[2:55:58] It uses complicated legal maneuvers that change the city charter for the purpose of moving

[2:56:04] elections away from federal election cycles.

[2:56:07] This has the practical effect of reducing voter turnout in Lynchburg City by 200% or more.

[2:56:16] For example, in 2020 election, which was a federal election, Lynchburg City had 36,000 voters

[2:56:23] turn out compared to the 2019 election that only had 10,000 voters turn out, that's one third of the turn out.

[2:56:33] Now, one of the main arguments I have heard tonight is that in favor of this action was that it moves local elections to a more local issue for smaller races so that local campaigns get more attention.

[2:56:45] However, to be, I find this argument, honestly, to be incredibly offensive to the Lynchburg

[2:56:53] City residents.

[2:56:54] To suggest that Lynchburg residents are so unattentive to their needs that they wouldn't

[2:56:59] be able to decide who they want to lead their city, you are in effect calling us too dumb

[2:57:05] to make our own choices.

[2:57:08] Now my offense isn't without a defense.

[2:57:10] We have the benefit of a very local example from a recent election to point to the fact that our community is fully informed voters.

[2:57:20] Last week, our neighbors in Bedford had the same noise from a large political race in the Governor's race,

[2:57:26] where millions of dollars were poured in and drowned out many other local races.

[2:57:30] However, voters in Bedford being fully informed voters voted not for one, but for two,

[2:57:37] right and candidates instead of the candidates that were on the ballot.

[2:57:41] If right and candidates can win against ballot candidates in an election where millions

[2:57:46] of dollars and ads were flooding and aware airwaves, then we can trust our own citizens to

[2:57:51] do what's best.

[2:57:53] When you put into a place a process with a known outcome of a reduced voter turnout, you

[2:57:59] You are explicitly, you, and you, and you are explicitly guilty of voter suppression.

[2:58:06] Thank you.

[2:58:07] Thank you.

[2:58:09] Is there anyone else who would like to speak in that position?

[2:58:19] Good evening Council. My name is Stephanie Reed and I live in Ward 1 in Lynchburg.

[2:58:24] Before I get into my concerns, I wanted to just familiarize everyone in the room with a Google search

[2:58:30] I did on the purpose of City Council and here's what it said.

[2:58:33] A City Council enables the economic, social, and cultural development of the municipal area

[2:58:38] it represents.

[2:58:39] Supports individuals and groups and provides a wide range of services for the well-being

[2:58:44] of the local community.

[2:58:46] They're responsible to the elected government, not a political party.

[2:58:51] And I wish that I believed the motives of this change were actually good, and they were

[2:58:56] for the well-being.

[2:58:57] But up until tonight I'm trying to figure out who's well being caused this proposal to take place because as a resident of Lynchburg I have heard zero people concerned about this.

[2:59:11] I haven't heard an outcry of anyone in the city saying oh my goodness we need to move the new updated elections cycle to a new election cycle.

[2:59:22] What I'm hearing in the community is why are we at a double digit deficit for our police officers?

[2:59:30] Why are we the double digit deficit on our fire department?

[2:59:33] Why are we the double digit deficit at our 911 call center?

[2:59:38] That's the outcry I'm hearing.

[2:59:40] And if you guys have been elected to look at the well-being of the community of Lynchburg and

[2:59:44] the city and the representatives, I would love to see that that would be the first priority in focus

[2:59:49] of your concern versus changing an election cycle that I haven't heard anybody

[2:59:54] aside up until tonight say anything about. I stood in this room, I think

[3:00:00] Earlier this year, as I heard Lynchburg residents pretty much beg you not to raise taxes, and they gave a variety of really upsetting reasons, yet you raised taxes. And now it's come to my attention that there's $50 million left of this past year's budget, unused tax payer dollars that are available that could have filled all the positions in our public safety offices, yet we're still at a double digit deficit.

[3:00:28] Our city's unsafe, our families are unsafe, yet this is what we're discussing to vote on.

[3:00:35] It comes across as a self-serving initiative, not something that truly benefits the needs

[3:00:39] of the city.

[3:00:41] So I encourage each of you to really give thought to decisions you make from this point

[3:00:44] on, because last week's elections showed that there were a lot of angry Virginians who

[3:00:50] are holding the decision makers in the state accountable.

[3:00:53] And I believe the residents of Lynchburg will be ready to see a change on this council if we continue to put things that are truly not an

[3:01:01] important need of the city in front of what truly is important which is the safety of our citizens. Thank you.

[3:01:09] Is there anyone else who would like to speak to that position?

[3:01:19] Are there any citizen emails or phone calls?

[3:01:27] Public hearing is closed and the matter now rests with council.

[3:01:35] Councilmember Nelson.

[3:01:37] Thank you Madam Mayor and thank all of you who took the time to be here tonight after

[3:01:43] a long agenda to share your thoughts with us.

[3:01:47] I disagree with but understand why the General Assembly moved all local elections to the

[3:01:55] November general election date.

[3:01:57] At this point, City Council has no voice in that decision.

[3:02:02] For me, the primary question is how to best disconnect the distasteful details of partisan

[3:02:13] federal elections from the delicate details and decisions needed to choose the most qualified

[3:02:22] city candidates.

[3:02:25] It is certain that having local elections with federal elections will increase the number

[3:02:31] of voters choosing city council members.

[3:02:36] Higher voter turnout is a good thing, especially if all or even most of those voters are well

[3:02:45] informed about city council candidates and the issues.

[3:02:52] Unfortunately, several factors operate against that being the case when local elections coincide

[3:03:00] with high-profile federal elections.

[3:03:05] In assessing these factors, we must ask why is voter turnout greater when there are

[3:03:13] presidential, senate, and congressional campaigns and elections?

[3:03:20] I think the answer is obvious.

[3:03:22] These are high-profile elections that draw greater voter attention.

[3:03:28] So then we must ask, why is the greater voter attention for federal elections?

[3:03:36] Again, the answer is obvious.

[3:03:40] Major political parties saturate national and local media with obscene amounts of money to dispense

[3:03:49] incessant campaign messages surrounding the broad regional and national issues

[3:03:55] favored by their party.

[3:04:00] As a result, voters primarily see and hear those

[3:04:05] national and regional candidates and messages and lose focus on local

[3:04:11] candidates and issues.

[3:04:15] Nothing and I repeat nothing suggests that voters who

[3:04:19] cast ballots in federal election years are better informed about local

[3:04:24] candidates and local issues.

[3:04:28] Another major factor is the media's

[3:04:30] inherent focus on marketing priorities.

[3:04:35] Media must decide how much it should focus on local races

[3:04:40] versus those regional and national issues in races.

[3:04:44] Their decision is greatly driven by the media's obvious need

[3:04:48] to maintain and expand its media audience.

[3:04:53] While local media does cover local news and campaigns,

[3:04:57] states, they tend to give more attention to broader issues in candidates that attract

[3:05:02] and have appeal to a broader viewing, reading, and listening audience.

[3:05:10] Very few newspaper, radio, and TV stories widely highlight issues in specific city wards

[3:05:19] or closely analyze each candidate with federal elections are occurring.

[3:05:25] and then there's the impact of national media. Most voters watch national

[3:05:33] major news channels. The nightly news networks and social media primarily

[3:05:40] focus on national issues. They often adopt sensational themes to attract

[3:05:45] broader audiences but they infrequently if ever highlight Lynchburg local

[3:05:52] candidate's or issues. When was the last time a Lynchburg election issue or candidate

[3:05:59] was mentioned on the National Nightly News Program of Fox, CNN, ABC, CBS or the CW.

[3:06:11] Then there's

[3:06:12] the issue of increased advertising costs when competition increases during federal elections.

[3:06:18] The cost of campaign ads and publicity increases when candidates must compete with

[3:06:25] high-profile national candidates who have large funding sources during a fixed and limited

[3:06:31] campaign period.

[3:06:33] Independent local candidates are less able to afford the cost of publicizing their platforms

[3:06:39] forms and ideas when higher advertising costs naturally rise preceding the election day.

[3:06:47] Only candidates with hefty financial resources can afford to widely market their candidacy.

[3:06:54] This incentivizes local candidates to seek funding from political parties, which inherently

[3:07:01] injects greater partisanship into the profile of city council.

[3:07:05] Then

[3:07:10] there is the inevitable factor of straight-party line voting in federal elections.

[3:07:17] Many voters vote a straight-party line ticket in all federal elections.

[3:07:22] They vote for every candidate on the ballot who has a certain partisan letter following

[3:07:27] that candidate's name on the ballot.

[3:07:30] As such, local candidates will be incentivized to run as the nominee of a major political

[3:07:36] party whose co-tails they may garner additional votes, again this injects partisanship into

[3:07:44] local election campaigns. So essentially the political partisanship that is inherently

[3:07:52] embedded in federal campaigns will be more likely injected into local campaigns when local

[3:07:59] candidates seek to ride those co-tails or seek the major political party funding to help

[3:08:04] them finance their campaign.

[3:08:15] I am confident that such national partisanship does not benefit

[3:08:20] our city, nor does it increase voters' knowledge of local issues and candidates. We don't

[3:08:28] need the partisan politics of Washington and Richmond artificially injected into City Hall and

[3:08:35] the City Council. So again, I ask, does Lynchburg need more voters? Or do we need more informed

[3:08:46] voters? Federal elections clearly generate a higher volume of voter turnout. But why should

[3:08:53] we increase the number of voters at the expense of the quality of the voters? If you in this

[3:09:02] room or in this city dispute the value of an informed enlightened and engaged local

[3:09:07] electorate who understand all candidates positions on local issues, free from distracting

[3:09:14] national and statewide cattle calls to partisan voters through partisan talking points, cliches

[3:09:23] and soundbikes. Having a high percentage of informed voters is far more important to

[3:09:30] to me than having a high percentage of uninformed or misinformed voters.

[3:09:36] So fundamentally, I think we need to maximize the focus on local candidates and issues,

[3:09:45] to minimize partisanship, to better enable City Council to be composed of those who are

[3:09:51] truly independent and free from the dictates of major political parties, and relieved of

[3:09:57] the financial and practical incentives to align themselves with any major political party.

[3:10:05] Council members should seek accountability, excuse me, for the issues that impact local

[3:10:11] voters, issues that impact local citizens, issues that impact that which are truly our local

[3:10:19] needs and not cater to partisanship. I think this can be better achieved by separating

[3:10:27] local elections from federal elections. Thank you Madam Mayor.

[3:10:31] Thank you councilmember Hal Wilson. Thank you Madam Mayor.

[3:10:36] You know we've I've heard the the reason why we should change you know and I think everybody

[3:10:42] in agreement in what we've heard is the fact that we didn't like the fact that Richmond

[3:10:47] from afar said here is what you must do. You must do that. Well and we look back a little

[3:10:55] bit and see how did that happen. It happened from a partisan group of Democrats in the Senate

[3:11:02] that said, we're going to force this change on you. I've been elected five times in May.

[3:11:08] I appreciate the voters in May. I get to go by all sorts of folks as houses, whether

[3:11:13] it be Republicans or Democrats, and go visit with them as stated earlier.

[3:11:17] With that now we're going to say, okay, we're so mad at them that they changed our election

[3:11:24] And without our say, now we're going to go back with our tin cup in our hand, begging for

[3:11:30] them to change our charter.

[3:11:32] And quite frankly, what we have to do, it's a high hurdle.

[3:11:36] That hurdle, not only if council passes it five to two, that's somewhat irrelevant like

[3:11:42] what's happened before, we've got to get the local delegation to say yes, this is a great

[3:11:49] thing for Lynchburg citizens to change it from the even year where there's a whole lot

[3:11:53] more voters. I think voters, I wouldn't question their intelligence. I would appreciate

[3:12:00] their fact that they're going to vote. Whether it be a lot of voters in the federal elections

[3:12:06] or less voters in an off-year congressional election, they can decide as was stated, because

[3:12:13] we have some pretty smart voters. They've looked at issues. Now we're going to take our local

[3:12:18] delegation, and I heard someone mention about the civility. Now you have this split in

[3:12:25] Richmond that said, hey, we're going to force this on the local city of Lynchburg regardless

[3:12:29] of what other people say. Regardless of what Lynchburg says, we're going to force you to

[3:12:33] change it from May to November. Now our local delegation which are Republicans are going

[3:12:40] have to go and get 75% a super majority to change Lynchburg's charter, a charter that's

[3:12:49] been there for 50-some years that has said we're voting in even years only to say hey, don't

[3:12:55] change the charter for long. Let's do the Hokey-Pokey. We'll change the charter, get people elected

[3:13:02] for three years and we'll change the charter back for the four-year terms. I think Richmond

[3:13:07] as was stated earlier by Ms. Reed, that Richmond and we as a council have lots of really big challenges.

[3:13:15] We have big challenges just like to have in Richmond that we have in Lynchburg. We have high taxes.

[3:13:22] We have high crime rate without the ability to actually recruit and retain good public safety officers.

[3:13:31] We have a big problem with our educational achievement with our low test scores.

[3:13:35] Now, we're going to say, okay, local delegates, take lots of time to now try to help Lynchburg

[3:13:45] one city to get 75 percent folks agreeing that say, yeah, that's great thing to do in this

[3:13:53] time of change.

[3:13:54] We're going to focus our capital, our political capital, rather than putting Virginia forward

[3:14:01] moving academic achievement, moving our fact of our limiting the role of government

[3:14:07] our lives, we're going to say we're going to take that political capital and ask

[3:14:11] them to just push to get us to change a charter. I don't want to ask that. I want

[3:14:18] them to actually fix the problems in Virginia. I'm delighted to see the the

[3:14:23] election that happened. I'm glad to see that lots of the informed voters

[3:14:28] recognized that we need some changes. We're going on a lot of problems. And so I'm not going to

[3:14:35] support the change to this resolution or to support asking the General Assembly to somehow

[3:14:42] miraculously get 75% of all of them to agree. Yeah, that'll be a miracle in itself to say that we can

[3:14:51] change the charter. Let's focus on real issues. Let's focus on things that aren't just a preference

[3:14:57] and focus on things that

[3:15:00] That actually move Lynchburg forward and move Virginia forward. I don't, I want more people to vote, not less. I think voters as presented earlier, and as I watch that case are the election in that Bedford County school board race. It was shocked. A right in candidate one, because the voters were informed, because the voters knew, which is shocking, that they expelled the candidates name right. I mean, lots of times those are thrown out.

[3:15:29] but with this we've heard both sides. I don't think we want to ask our general

[3:15:36] assembly delegation to be really fighting tooth and nail against the very

[3:15:41] folks who just a few months ago about a year ago forced the moving of our

[3:15:46] elections from made in November. Now to go back and say, hey will you 75% of you

[3:15:52] vote with us? I don't think that's good. I think keeping it as the charter has

[3:15:57] stated for 50 some years that were on even elections.

[3:16:01] I think that is fine.

[3:16:03] I think our voters are intelligent enough to see the fact

[3:16:07] of if somebody is looking at growing government

[3:16:10] or looking at accountability.

[3:16:13] So I think our voters are smart enough.

[3:16:16] I think that we can actually move forward

[3:16:18] without changing the charter.

[3:16:20] Even if council votes today to change the charter,

[3:16:24] you now still got to find delegates that are going to carry that.

[3:16:28] I've talked a lot of our constitutional officers that are in the even years.

[3:16:34] There's lots of people in that ballot. A lot of you just voted last Tuesday.

[3:16:38] There's a lot of people in the ballot.

[3:16:41] Some of you voted and then flipped over the ballot only to have a few more.

[3:16:45] Now we're going to add on their 6 to 9 to 12.

[3:16:48] I think one time we had 12 council candidates that ran on the ballot.

[3:16:52] But you're going to be voting and have three pieces of paper that you've got to figure out how to fill out or it's going to have such a small print.

[3:17:02] So I think keeping it as is and I appreciate the concerns and I appreciate the thoughts.

[3:17:07] I mean, I think there are valid points on both sides that say, yep, let's change it because we think there'll be less people to vote.

[3:17:14] I really want more people to vote and whether it be in May, whether it be November, I think

[3:17:22] leaving it in November does exactly what our charter says.

[3:17:27] And you know, lots of times we've heard from citizens, as was mentioned earlier, we heard

[3:17:32] about public hearings that we've had.

[3:17:35] We've heard actually very informed people get up.

[3:17:39] I remember last, or a couple of years ago, we had a public hearing on a second amendment sanctuary.

[3:17:44] We had hundreds of people got up, articulated their position, but yet we chose not to listen.

[3:17:51] So I think they have learned, and so let's keep the elections the same.

[3:17:57] And I'll make a motion that we, I don't think there's been a motion on the table as we're still saying it.

[3:18:02] But I'll be supporting keeping it in the even years.

[3:18:06] Thank you.

[3:18:10] Madam Mayor, before I go to what I had, that will keep me more online and hopefully more timely.

[3:18:18] Just some observations, this is what has been offered this evening.

[3:18:22] I would challenge those watching in here today to look at any of the former colleagues,

[3:18:30] I should say, not mine, but I do realize we have some former council members here today.

[3:18:34] any of them, or us on this bias, who were not in any way affiliated with any of the political

[3:18:40] party, whether endorsed or nominated, all of us were in some way, it's in my knowledge.

[3:18:48] Maybe not all of us, my point is the majority of us on this bias, the majority of the folks

[3:18:54] in the room, were endorsed by either the Democrat or Republican party. To say that we're all

[3:19:04] challenge that argument. I think the Bedford and Campbell situation proves that even with

[3:19:11] the most expensive election in the history of the Commonwealth, that media will cover

[3:19:18] local issues. We saw plenty of coverage from the news advance in WSET about some of the

[3:19:23] right in candidates. There was discussion about home rule versus Dylan's law, where Dylan's

[3:19:29] law state. If Richmond says it, that's the way our Commonwealth goes and I'm sure the

[3:19:36] Liberty students here this evening just observing could have a very intellectual discussion

[3:19:40] about home law versus Dylan's law. And so I'll get back to my main reason for opposition

[3:19:49] this evening. I agree that federal politics should not influence local issues. I've said

[3:19:59] that publicly, I've said my great respect for a May election because I went through it.

[3:20:06] I came to appreciate the challenge of getting at least 1,000 people out to the polls.

[3:20:12] I really respect that and I do see the pitfalls of involving local issues with other elections.

[3:20:20] But the question I would ask is should personal philosophical preferences, particularly of

[3:20:31] incumbents, dictate to the voters when elections or re-elections are, and I say no.

[3:20:39] In my opinion, it is not proper I have and will continue to argue for counsel to mandate

[3:20:46] when elections be held through a charter change, particularly if this change has not been

[3:20:51] asked by the general public. It was said this evening, there has not been an outcry

[3:20:57] of public call. Up until this coming up, I know there was a very slight mention of should

[3:21:04] we consider this by one of our colleagues, not much else. To this, if the community and

[3:21:12] voters wanted this change to occur, and this truly was a debate that the city should

[3:21:18] to grapple with, I would say the proper course of action would be to have for this ballot

[3:21:22] be put, this question be put as a ballot question or referendum whereby the empowered voter

[3:21:28] could make the decision, not council members who may have preferences one way or the other

[3:21:33] way. Otherwise, to affirm the justified course of action is enabled by a simple majority of

[3:21:41] council members. What if the sheet was on the other foot and council had the opportunity

[3:21:46] to move to November to a federal cycle and that's my preference and we had enough folks

[3:21:52] to say to do it. Does that make it the right thing to do? I still say no.

[3:22:01] I take issue

[3:22:02] with this notion and would even argue that if conservatives wanted to be with federal

[3:22:07] election cycles, my logic and my argument would be the same. Regardless of how it benefits

[3:22:15] it's one sect of the community who has a political ideology or another.

[3:22:21] Simply, I believe as an incumbent may feel better about running in one election or another, one November or another.

[3:22:30] Spring versus autumn, yet my argument still maintains its footing.

[3:22:33] Voting for this proposal, two degree places the preferences of elected officials over the will of the voters.

[3:22:42] We as elected official on occasion must sacrifice our own inclinations, and I believe this to be one of those instances.

[3:22:49] Therefore, I do believe it is improper for council to consider this charter amendment and proposal on the grounds that our preference is void.

[3:22:57] There are some other things to consider.

[3:23:00] The Senate bill 1157 was mentioned, and it was cited publicly by the patron that the pure legislative intent was for

[3:23:08] this bill to be tied into the federal cycle.

[3:23:12] Councilmember Helgeson brings up a good point.

[3:23:14] We would need 24 Democrats to go along with the Republican majority in the House,

[3:23:19] and potentially 30 years, I'm fudging my mouth, so I apologize.

[3:23:25] We would need 30 senators to agree that that is the right course of action.

[3:23:31] Knowing this past 19 to 19 or 20 to 20 in the Senate this last year,

[3:23:37] with the tie-breaking vote being the lieutenant governor, and only one Republican voting in favor.

[3:23:44] I do not see the chances of this getting through the General Assembly at all.

[3:23:51] It is profoundly doubtful, and again, the proposal would be contrary to the previous actions of the General Assembly.

[3:23:57] The numbers don't lie, and I will concede maybe the terminology voter suppression should not be used.

[3:24:02] But the data is still valid.

[3:24:08] The ward cycles in their current iteration, combined with presidential US Senate or

[3:24:14] House of Representatives, would have a total turnout on average of about 35,000, which

[3:24:19] was previously mentioned.

[3:24:20] For at-large in their current iteration, which would be the US Senate and House of Representatives,

[3:24:25] in the midterms, so to speak, is approximately 22,000.

[3:24:29] The proposed cycles would have turnout for award elections, which would then be the very special time of the cycles where it's the Virginia House of delegates and the Senate on the same ballot, historical data of the city has turnout of approximately 10,000.

[3:24:47] I do realize that's cut between four different seats, two House of delegates and two Senate seats, and that's wrong, hopefully it's remedied in the future.

[3:24:55] but that's the historical trend that we have to look at with the data.

[3:25:01] Similarly, at large would be the governor and House of Delegates race,

[3:25:04] which, if you put all the numbers together, is approximately 18,000 voters.

[3:25:09] This election was different, incredibly high turnout.

[3:25:13] I do think, to degree, this election was a bit of an anomaly.

[3:25:18] Adopting this proposal with this data in mind is moving forward with a policy

[3:25:21] that has associated data indicating lower turnout and avoiding the term suppression,

[3:25:29] that would be an argument or a stance we're taking that does adopt lower turnout.

[3:25:37] And that is something I am not comfortable with.

[3:25:41] One other thing that Jeff did mention that I do want to go into a little bit more detail with.

[3:25:46] The proposed cycles would place at large seats in the same elections that we just voted in.

[3:25:51] Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House of Delegates,

[3:25:54] Commonwealth Attorney, Trevor, Commissioner of the Revenue, and Sheriff.

[3:25:59] One year, there was over nine candidates for at-large.

[3:26:03] Now, if the argument was, and is, that it is too confusing, and too much for

[3:26:09] the voter to sift their way through, the presidential cycle, the House of Representatives, and so on,

[3:26:15] how does that then line up to say it is more proper to get all of those folks

[3:26:20] on to one ballot in this iteration.

[3:26:23] That logic, to my understanding, does not make sense.

[3:26:27] Surely this is far more convoluted and complex and less favorable compared to having council

[3:26:34] elections stay with federal ones.

[3:26:37] I'd finally, I do conclude it is wrong to adopt this proposal and will continue to vote

[3:26:41] no on principal, data, and requirements for it to pass enrichment considering their previous

[3:26:47] actions.

[3:26:51] We don't necessarily know what other communities are doing.

[3:26:58] Have we gotten a commitment from anyone in our delegation, including my boss, which I have been very transparent from the get go on this, saying I will advise him and tell him whatever he needs to be successful.

[3:27:10] And if he determines he wants to take this bill on, that's his decision and I will not influence him one way or the other.

[3:27:16] That being said, that is something that this Council may move forward with, and we don't

[3:27:21] only have to have a verbal commitment to move forward with, and that presents problems

[3:27:25] with the success of this proposal. So, those are my thoughts, my comments. I will vote

[3:27:33] accordingly, and I want to say, I think this evening was a good representation of how our

[3:27:40] community, you can come out, have respectful dialogue of, I guess, public policy 101.

[3:27:46] So, thank you everybody for coming out and thank my colleagues for your indulgence.

[3:27:51] Thanks, Mary.

[3:27:51] Did you know?

[3:27:53] Well, I'll defer to Council on Tweeter, she would like to speak.

[3:27:56] Thanks, my pleasure.

[3:27:58] Thank you.

[3:27:59] I was elected at large.

[3:28:03] I was elected by Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, who identify with all of those

[3:28:11] letters behind them because I know some of you know them, some of the viewing audience

[3:28:16] knows them, and I know them. I've grown to know them on the boards I serve on. I've

[3:28:21] grown to know them on the work that I do. And what's important to me is keeping Lynchburg

[3:28:28] first.

[3:28:31] No one wants to move to a town that's dying. No one wants to move to a town that

[3:28:36] a council doesn't take bold decisive action to get the results that we do here in Lynchburg

[3:28:42] We are the center of this region.

[3:28:45] We can't shallow back from our responsibility

[3:28:50] of being leaders in the region.

[3:28:53] An environment for opportunity.

[3:28:55] This is what's important to me in this decision.

[3:28:58] The City of Lynchburg is rapidly growing

[3:29:00] as Central Virginia's urban center for commerce and culture.

[3:29:03] This is evident in our expanding diverse population,

[3:29:06] our flourishing higher education institutions,

[3:29:09] and our economic growth.

[3:29:10] Read below, so obviously I'm reading from our city's economic development website, median age is 28.3 with 58% of the population age 34 and under 46.2% of the population have an associates or bachelor's degree or higher.

[3:29:28] 2020 population is 79,09, a 4.5% increase since 2010.

[3:29:37] Lynchburg is projected to grow by 22% by 2040.

[3:29:46] Largest employment sectors include healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and accommodation and food services.

[3:29:53] Cost of living is 13.3% lower than the national average in average annual wages in

[3:30:04] We are a hub and a draw for business, for people who want to move to this area, for people who send their students to our town. We provide services. I don't know of any council in the past several rotations of Lynchburg City Council, who have not supported public safety needs. I speak directly to that because we have made the commitment to our public safety police.

[3:30:31] fire and 9-1-1 operators most recently particularly in the investment of a

[3:30:38] public police building so

[3:30:43] all of the councils that I've known since I've

[3:30:46] lived here and that's been growing up here then becoming an adult raising a

[3:30:52] family here and serving on almost 16-17 years of public service have always

[3:30:59] is invested in the needs and the services of our locality. That's why we have growth.

[3:31:06] So I am about the participation of voters who understand how we are growing. It's not

[3:31:15] about voters not being educated. It's about voters often being misinformed. Provided with

[3:31:22] misinformation, manipulative information because politics tends to rule the day. I

[3:31:31] am in

[3:31:31] agreement with this charter amendment presentation to our local delegation and I would also present

[3:31:38] the same information to our local delegation.

[3:31:43] Lynchburg has fared well for a number of years when the housing crisis of 2008 occurred.

[3:31:49] Lynchburg fared well.

[3:31:52] That's because there are people at the helm who put the investment and the economic growth

[3:31:58] and the quality of life, and businesses locating here, our neighborhoods, our commerce at the forefront.

[3:32:07] This year we had trash trucks that we had to send to Canada to have an arm put on, and do you know how many people complained about not having trash picked up?

[3:32:18] But they don't understand that we have to send that to Canada to have it upgraded.

[3:32:22] it. That's not our fault. The cost of rising cost of these services is not our

[3:32:30] fault. We offered $5,000 recruitment bonuses for potential officers, veteran

[3:32:39] experience. I'm a veteran. I'd love to hire more veterans and our police

[3:32:45] force and throughout our public safety areas. But we have to be in a

[3:32:50] attractive city. We have to be an attractive locality that puts the needs of our community

[3:32:57] first versus the politics.

[3:33:01] However, we got here, we didn't ask for it,

[3:33:06] but it's our responsibility

[3:33:08] to put forth the best foot for Lynchburg.

[3:33:16] Elections, they affect sometimes what happens

[3:33:19] in locality, but they're not sitting in these seats, talking to people and croakers and

[3:33:24] grocery stores, going to school events, meeting each other at park events, helping each

[3:33:30] other at university events.

[3:33:35] So we got to keep the main thing, the main thing as someone used to say, and keep what's

[3:33:39] important and important.

[3:33:42] Civility matters, correct and truthful information matters.

[3:33:48] Not using our airways for 30-second soundbites and rhetoric that does not fix the potholes

[3:33:56] here.

[3:33:57] I

[3:34:00] am supporting the motion, but for all the reasons that I gave you on the growth of

[3:34:06] Lynchburg, the continued growth of Lynchburg, we don't always agree or disagree on how we

[3:34:11] get there, but I think the proof is in the numbers, and the proof is in the services, and

[3:34:18] the proof is in how many folks are deciding intentionally to invest in Lynchburg and

[3:34:24] property development, real estate development.

[3:34:26] people

[3:34:30] have been witness to the the projects we've approved that's jobs that's

[3:34:35] taxes and

[3:34:40] that helps provide services so I'm supporting it and you know I just

[3:34:48] asked that the voters be informed about from whence we have come and where

[3:34:53] we're going because rhetoric and politics don't get there coming to the table

[3:35:00] deciding as a council, listening to constituents, and still making the decisions that we were voted in to do is what matters.

[3:35:17] I think I'll defer the rest of my time, but if I hear something else great, I'll come back.

[3:35:23] Thank you.

[3:35:36] Thank you.

[3:35:37] that you have given today. You know, as far as I'm concerned, I came in not really having a set

[3:35:49] purpose as far as whether it's in this time or this time. For me, it doesn't make a difference

[3:35:56] as far as that's concerned. My biggest concern for all of this is the election rhetoric that comes with

[3:36:04] those national elections, it must be truthful, it must be transparent. For the month of November and before, I watched no television.

[3:36:16] If I do, I watch Hallmark Channel. I cannot watch ABC any kind of morning news. I can't watch any news, period. I cut it off.

[3:36:27] I listen, I read my Bible, and I don't do any news whatsoever, none.

[3:36:34] Okay, when I see it come on, I cut it off, I have watched every hallmark Christmas special

[3:36:40] they have on, and I'm being honest, I cannot tolerate it.

[3:36:46] It's sickening to me, and even everything I'm so much has been said in on this note.

[3:36:53] But whenever we allow politics and all the other issues to come to our community, it's

[3:36:59] so damaging, it's so degrading.

[3:37:02] If I can read you, some of the emails we get, and be honest, most of the time when we

[3:37:07] get them, it comes from another constituent, another council member who sends out an email

[3:37:14] or another person's email saying some information.

[3:37:19] I've been...

[3:37:20] Okay, let's...

[3:37:21] Different information, okay?

[3:37:23] Well, you've sent us on.

[3:37:25] Okay.

[3:37:26] I don't want to be seeing you.

[3:37:28] Yeah, I want to see you.

[3:37:29] Okay, I will.

[3:37:30] Yes.

[3:37:31] So, again, I've been called Communists.

[3:37:34] I've been called...

[3:37:34] I said, I'm a Communist.

[3:37:36] It's just amazing how when you invoke all this rhetoric

[3:37:41] into a local election, it's sickening to me.

[3:37:44] That's why I do not want our election to be involved in so much negativity.

[3:37:51] One thing I love our community.

[3:37:53] It's a great place to live, work and play.

[3:37:55] We talked to our early-day about the beef or cherries we have,

[3:37:59] about the investment they have made in our community,

[3:38:02] about all the great churches we have,

[3:38:04] all the great synagogue we have,

[3:38:06] all the way in place of love,

[3:38:07] and we did a new campaign for the city about tourism,

[3:38:10] the main thing they talked about was love.

[3:38:12] love. That is the greatest gift we have as love. So we, I encourage us to get back to

[3:38:20] that, show more love to another, regardless of your pillow cuff, fiction, affiliation

[3:38:23] or whatever it is. I think we just need to get rid of that whole piece and get back to

[3:38:28] us best for our citizens. So I'm moving, well, whenever we get to the motion, I'd rather

[3:38:34] do it on off-year cycles because it gets more attention to the real issues that affect

[3:38:39] our community. Thank you.

[3:38:40] Madam Mayor, if I may respond very briefly.

[3:38:45] Is it all right if I just come up in here?

[3:38:46] Thank you.

[3:38:48] Well, thank you, Council Member.

[3:38:50] And thank you, Mr. Vassar.

[3:38:51] You pointed out that November 11th is armistice day.

[3:38:56] It's Veterans Day.

[3:38:57] Thank you for your service.

[3:38:58] Thank you, Council Member Tweetie for your service as a veteran.

[3:39:01] Mr. Ball, Mr. Tuck, and the other veterans in the room.

[3:39:04] Thank you very much.

[3:39:05] And for that reminder.

[3:39:06] And as I think Councilmember Helgison said, there are a lot of good points on either side,

[3:39:15] on impeachable points.

[3:39:19] And so I think it's important just to focus on what the question is before us and it's

[3:39:26] that we need to decide to align local elections with federal elections or state elections,

[3:39:31] which one is a natural fit.

[3:39:33] We only get to choose one.

[3:39:35] And I think it's really important that we're doing this here tonight.

[3:39:39] Everybody here having this public hearing because there's really nothing more important than how we choose our representative.

[3:39:45] So this is an important evening.

[3:39:49] And of course, it's possible, as some of my colleagues have said that the legislators may not take this up.

[3:39:55] It may not pass the legislature.

[3:39:58] That's the reality, that may not happen.

[3:40:02] But it's our obligation of course here tonight as a body, as representatives of the community

[3:40:07] consider the options before us and make a decision and send it forward and if something

[3:40:13] happens from that okay but if not that's also okay then we'll just revert to November

[3:40:17] on the even years and I should point out that this change will not benefit any of the members

[3:40:22] currently sitting here.

[3:40:24] If any of us choose to run again, we will all have to run in even years.

[3:40:30] So the next set of cycles would be on even years.

[3:40:33] And then we would actually move over to odd years, okay.

[3:40:38] So that's how it would work.

[3:40:39] And then the next group of people would sit for three years, and then we would align with

[3:40:43] odd year elections.

[3:40:44] That's how it would go.

[3:40:46] So nobody up here is going to be able to benefit from this change.

[3:40:49] no masquerading there, nothing, as Dr. Carwell said, nothing nefarious as a foot, you know,

[3:40:56] this was sort of forced upon us, but here's why I lean towards moving to align with state

[3:41:01] elections and it's, so Council Member Nelson as many of you may know as a lawyer, he's

[3:41:07] a very capable lawyer and you saw that tonight, he laid out the case very well for why I think

[3:41:13] and get makes a lot of sense because primarily if we were to align local elections with federal

[3:41:21] elections they will subsume, actually, and Dr. Wilder also illustrated, he watches the

[3:41:26] home market channel for just that reason, but federal elections will subsume local elections.

[3:41:30] We won't be able to talk about as vice mayor, former vice mayor, the former vice mayor said

[3:41:37] that we won't be able to talk about potholes because we're talking about nationalized politics.

[3:41:40] And there's an example of one member on that currently sits on his body.

[3:41:44] So my colleague, Councilmember Faraday, talked about whether all of us receive the endorsement.

[3:41:49] There's one, and for some members, that's true.

[3:41:53] That is absolutely true.

[3:41:55] Receive the endorsement of a party, whether they seek it or not.

[3:41:58] Sometimes parties choose to offer it, sometimes candidates seek it.

[3:42:01] But there's one member up here who is studiously avoided, very much so,

[3:42:06] any kind of endorsement from anybody.

[3:42:09] And this member also ran, yeah, Jeff does the way, and this member also ran, so this

[3:42:20] member doesn't, I'm going to reveal who it is in a second if you don't already know,

[3:42:22] but this member doesn't believe in campaign spending.

[3:42:25] He just does not believe that you should spend money on elections, which is a principled

[3:42:30] thing to do.

[3:42:30] It's a principled stand to take.

[3:42:32] I think most of us would like to see less money in politics.

[3:42:35] And so, in the last election that this person ran in, they didn't spend, I don't think, a dime, not one dime on their election.

[3:42:45] They ran because they are independent, they genuinely believe in serving Lynchburg first.

[3:42:53] Not any kind of party, no obligations to anybody else, just what they think is the right thing to do for their citizens according to their conscience.

[3:43:00] and look, I disagree with Council Member Nelson pretty frequently, but you can't question

[3:43:06] his integrity as a leader for Lynchburg. And my worry in part is that if we move to sink

[3:43:14] our elections with federal elections, the incentive structure, as he said, changes,

[3:43:18] everybody has the incentive to run as a party, and you lose out on dedicated civil servants

[3:43:23] like Council Member Nelson, who don't believe that you should have to choose between

[3:43:29] right or left.

[3:43:30] They just, local elections, they just want to do the right thing for Lynchburg.

[3:43:34] They don't want to have to deal with all that other stuff that isn't helpful.

[3:43:39] So, I'm in favor of moving it to the odd years.

[3:43:44] Actually, I'll make the motion.

[3:43:45] I don't actually think the motion is on the table.

[3:43:47] So, I'll make it, but I want to thank my colleagues for the conversations.

[3:43:50] It's been a really good one.

[3:43:51] I'll second that.

[3:43:54] Would you like to add anything to that?

[3:43:56] I do address some of the specific counter-arguments, but I think that really wouldn't be productive in any way.

[3:44:06] Thank you.

[3:44:12] Council member for all.

[3:44:14] I will never apologize.

[3:44:17] Is this to any constituent in addressing them on matters before this council?

[3:44:25] by any medium, email, media, social media, in person, over the phone.

[3:44:36] And quite frankly, the notion of

[3:44:42] imputing my reputation simply because you do not

[3:44:46] like the content I put out is absurd.

[3:44:50] If you listened to my comments this evening, it was respectful, full of data.

[3:45:00] And principle. If you read my comments about anything I submit, there is nothing associated with the comments. I will continue. I know, and I have to. It's not your main to the motion. It absolutely is your main to the motion, Madam Chair.

[3:45:18] I am not responsible for what any of these folks, any of our neighbors say, to you and what they call you. I cannot control that. I apologize. That that is where they go.

[3:45:33] But the fact of the matter is, I will never, never stop communicating with a

[3:45:41] constituency that elected me, also, by the way, in the campaign where I was

[3:45:46] overly communicated with them. It is so unfortunate.

[3:45:51] Council Member, I beg to differ with you.

[3:45:53] Ma'am, I have the floor and I would like to respectfully submit that if you don't

[3:45:59] like it, deal with it. Are you back?

[3:46:06] Excuse me.

[3:46:07] Madam Mayor. May I comment?

[3:46:11] Thank you. I do agree with Councilmember Foralty with regard to the fact that we all

[3:46:19] have a constituent base. We bring the sentiments and perspectives of that base to this Council.

[3:46:26] And that perspective and that those sentiments may not coincide and be totally acceptable to those others of us who bring their separate bases.

[3:46:40] But consistent with the message I first delivered tonight and that is that we need to hear dialogue among local constituents from local candidates, from local issues.

[3:46:54] I would never want to stifle the expression of any of the seven of us who are elected to

[3:47:03] represent our citizens. And to the extent that Council Member Faraldi is expressing the

[3:47:09] fact that this is his settlement, constitutionally and ethically and practically. We need to be respectful

[3:47:17] of what said, even if we don't agree with it. Thank you.

[3:47:22] Okay, we have a motion on the floor and seconded.

[3:47:27] We have another person to speak.

[3:47:31] Oh, me.

[3:47:32] Thank you, Madam Mayor.

[3:47:35] You know, with this, I am very thankful, as the vice mayor stated, that we didn't arbitrarily

[3:47:43] add another year on our terms.

[3:47:46] That was before us before.

[3:47:48] And it was because we had opposition.

[3:47:50] I opposed it strongly, others opposed it strongly, we heard from lots of citizens that said

[3:47:55] don't arbitrarily add another year term on your another year on your term, that's rotten.

[3:48:05] So with that, I'm very thankful that dialogue happened that we heard from citizens that said

[3:48:10] do not do that and that's why it's not before us today.

[3:48:13] That was being presented to us before and I'm glad that was a shot down and I believe

[3:48:18] eventually unanimously. As we're looking at this particular issue, we've heard of

[3:48:26] vehement opposition from the electoral board that said don't change it to the

[3:48:32] even year, which I was quite frankly surprised. A lot of times you see

[3:48:37] partisanship issues that say hey do this because it benefits us or do this because it

[3:48:41] fits us, the electoral board chairman raised a vehement opposition against this motion

[3:48:51] that's on the floor.

[3:48:53] Also, when I've heard about, talking about partisanship and the national elections,

[3:49:00] apparently, lots of people shut off those ads just like, remember, Wilder, that when these

[3:49:07] These ads come on, whether it be national or state, their partisanship, advertisements as

[3:49:14] well.

[3:49:14] So, if we're with the federal elections or the state elections, you're going to have

[3:49:18] those same things.

[3:49:20] So I think that's somewhat of a moot point and so I do hope that we'll vote this down,

[3:49:28] this resolution.

[3:49:29] I'm glad to have very good dialogue and Council Member for all the IM, glad to hear your

[3:49:36] concerns in your points, and I do appreciate Councilmember Nelson saying that we can't just

[3:49:41] arbitrarily say if somebody is talking about some completely different issue that you just

[3:49:47] try to let them speak, but then if somebody is speaking about the issue that we try to silence

[3:49:52] them, let's be fair, and let's all Councilmember speak, and we can have a divided vote, but

[3:49:59] we can leave and be fine. So, thank you.

[3:50:07] So we have a motion on a table, a second on a table.

[3:50:10] I guess I didn't get it not going to speak, I was going to speak until you spoke, but

[3:50:15] my decision to support this resolution is not whether or not it's going to be carried

[3:50:19] to Richmond.

[3:50:21] I'm sure it won't be carried to Richmond, but I'm going to support it for all of the reasons

[3:50:25] that Councilmember Nelson, so clearly articulated I have a whole list here, but it's just a repetition

[3:50:32] of what my other colleagues have said, so I'm not going to go through that.

[3:50:35] So I'm going to just go ahead and call for the vote.

[3:50:42] Motion passes five, too.

[3:50:45] Thank you.

[3:50:48] Next section is public comment.

[3:50:50] During public comment, individual speakers have three minutes to speak.

[3:50:53] And those representing a group have five minutes to speak.

[3:50:56] Typically, city council takes comments made during the public comment section of the agenda,

[3:51:00] under advisement.

[3:51:01] And maybe for those concerns to the city manager for follow-up.

[3:51:05] We're going to hear from a citizen regarding a concern, Mr. James Crawford.

[3:51:09] and thank you so much for sitting through this whole evening

[3:51:13] a long time log, games give you a good flavor, right?

[3:51:19] Good afternoon, my name is James Crawford.

[3:51:23] I'm a resident at Love 100 Buck Island Street,

[3:51:27] which is a couple of houses up the street

[3:51:29] from Love 14 Buck Island Street,

[3:51:32] where they can build a new law set that might concern

[3:51:35] tonight is safe. In the past, goes back to 2019, I have achieved the time that I've

[3:51:46] called down to the police station for a long, different reason. Too much noise,

[3:51:51] fighting, shooting, just like the time. So I'm asking you to cancel the numbers and

[3:51:56] set a line for Kujal, please work with me and work with the city police to try

[3:52:06] Thank you very much. I think if you leave here, I'm going to go over and say,

[3:52:10] follow up with that. Thank you very much, and we certainly will follow up on that.

[3:52:22] Next item is consideration of this general business, items in new business,

[3:52:28] item consideration, introducing a resolution, approving a grant awarded to assist with

[3:52:32] response to the infestation of the spotted lantern fly.

[3:52:36] And we were briefed on this at our October 26th meeting

[3:52:41] under business item briefings.

[3:52:46] So just, well, I'm looking for a motion.

[3:52:51] May I make the motion then?

[3:52:52] Thank you.

[3:52:54] Third second.

[3:52:55] Thank you, any discussion?

[3:52:57] Yeah, I'll just add that this is,

[3:52:59] so we've already been briefed on this for the community.

[3:53:01] And this is to accept a grant of, I believe, it's $20,000 to, is that right?

[3:53:13] To assist with the eradication of the spotted lantern fly, which is an invasive species,

[3:53:21] and so it's all around a good thing.

[3:53:23] We're just taking money to do some good stuff with it.

[3:53:27] Okay.

[3:53:28] Okay, any other comments from board?

[3:53:30] No, I just want to comment.

[3:53:31] I'm sorry.

[3:53:32] No, just from comments.

[3:53:33] Comments from comments.

[3:53:34] Not very good thing for the spotted fly that's getting

[3:53:38] now on this, but.

[3:53:40] That for the fly.

[3:53:41] That for the fly.

[3:53:42] Any other comments?

[3:53:47] Coffee's both.

[3:53:48] Cash's both.

[3:53:51] Motion passes 70 to approve the grant.

[3:53:58] Second item, consideration of adopting an ordinance

[3:54:00] to change the main general elections to November

[3:54:03] to ensure compliance with Virginia law.

[3:54:10] Let's have both.

[3:54:11] I was going to say Madam Mayor would recall

[3:54:13] that this is something we are doing

[3:54:15] to ensure we're in compliance

[3:54:18] with the Department of State Elections

[3:54:20] while we wait and see what happens

[3:54:21] with the charter amendment.

[3:54:22] Thank you, I want the public to.

[3:54:24] Yes.

[3:54:25] And I have a motion.

[3:54:27] Move a little.

[3:54:28] Second.

[3:54:29] Any comments?

[3:54:30] No.

[3:54:31] I'm sorry.

[3:54:32] You have to do this with the state.

[3:54:33] I know we have to do it to comply with the state law.

[3:54:36] So this is the public.

[3:54:39] I'm sorry.

[3:54:40] I'm sorry.

[3:54:41] I seconded it.

[3:54:42] We don't have a choice.

[3:54:43] Right.

[3:54:44] That's not probably.

[3:54:47] I was just going to clarify the six-months extension here is what came down from Richmond

[3:54:51] from this.

[3:54:52] So this is definitely in line with the legislation.

[3:54:55] Okay.

[3:54:56] And just so it can be clear, I think our city attorney was describing it and kind of

[3:55:01] cut off short a little bit.

[3:55:02] Can you describe this a little bit more clearly?

[3:55:05] This has nothing to do with changing or charter, even though it's stated in here.

[3:55:11] Please describe it again.

[3:55:12] That's having us, it's me.

[3:55:14] Sure, I'd be happy to.

[3:55:15] So, recently in the 2021 session, the General Assembly had passed, I believe it's 15.2-1400,

[3:55:23] which required really all local elections to be in line with general elections.

[3:55:34] That was really left open to interpretation as relates to the definition of general election.

[3:55:40] It wasn't specific to presidential or the immediate following election, but that is the terminology that was used.

[3:55:48] That being said, as Council recalls, it chose as a body with exceptions noted to seek a charter amendment.

[3:55:59] With that charter amendment, it would alter the terms for the years 2022 and 2024 to be for three years,

[3:56:11] which would then end up in an odd year cycle if it's approved by the General Assembly.

[3:56:18] So really, as I'd stated before, adopting this un-conified ordinance is in preparation of those elections that are coming up in 2022 and 2024.

[3:56:29] So when it's something we have to have in place, because the Department of Elections and our Registrar needs to begin the process of preparing for those elections, even though we may or

[3:56:40] may not have the charter amendment adopted by the General Assembly.

[3:56:45] I hope that helps.

[3:56:47] So regardless of the charter amendment, we have got to change the elections from May to November.

[3:56:55] Yes, based on that new legislation, that's correct.

[3:56:58] So this has nothing to do with what we voted to, five to two, just a moment ago.

[3:57:03] Well, it's related, but it's a separate action that's correct.

[3:57:08] It's

[3:57:12] really changing the May of November to the months.

[3:57:14] This only is the May to November not the seeking the charter transfer.

[3:57:19] Yes.

[3:57:21] So we have.

[3:57:23] Yes.

[3:57:25] Okay.

[3:57:27] I was just going to say, I did say we don't have a choice.

[3:57:32] And that choice that we don't have results in our regular May elections being conducted in

[3:57:39] In the general election in the November, in the year in which we are next scheduled to be elected.

[3:57:47] And that would be the first of those would be next year, which would affect three at large council members.

[3:57:54] That's correct, there is no choice.

[3:57:56] It's adoption, adoption of the ordinance or not, it's happened in November.

[3:58:00] And because our terms previously had ended on June 30th, because the election occurs in November,

[3:58:07] the terms of those three are going to be extended to the end of December.

[3:58:12] Yes, sir.

[3:58:12] Otherwise, we'll have only four council members of six months.

[3:58:16] That's right.

[3:58:18] So, if we don't adopt that, we'll only have four council members for six months.

[3:58:23] Well, I mean, you have to have someone else.

[3:58:27] That now you bring a whole new dynamic here.

[3:58:30] Council member Nelson.

[3:58:31] That's it? Let's hope?

[3:58:32] Yeah.

[3:58:33] That's it. Let's hope.

[3:58:35] I can't give up. Please, thank you.

[3:58:37] Oh, gosh.

[3:58:39] Welcome back to 7-0.

[3:58:41] That is all we have this evening.

[3:58:44] You are adjourned.

November 9, 2021 Council Meeting

Agenda

Transcript