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i already saw one city councilor and one county supervisor this morning in richmond, but i just can't get enough meetings. 
standing room only at this meeting, y’all. no joke.
seems like the entire city staff is here with the exception of the fire chief who would probably have a problem with these numbers
after a “fun” icebreaker where councilors and supervisors had to guess in which decade various city-county joint endeavors took place, the meeting is underway.
here’s a peek behind the curtain: this is boring.
here’s a peek behind the curtain: this is boring.
the county’s strategic plan has much more concrete objectives...
a county supervisor clarifies that while race & equity isn’t LISTED in their objectives, it’s an important component of many of the listed items.
i don’t know which county supervisor is which, my apologies. but one of them says he doesn’t think this is the proper venue for discussing what staff is doing (in response to others saying we should hear from staff on how they’re using the current memoranda of understanding)
he says the housing crisis can be addressed with job training & workforce development - that the goal should not be be subsidizing housing in any way. (ok so do you have a plan to pay single moms $30/houa8QT
a8QT“the two governments ought to be more aligned,” says mike signer, talking about the importance of regionalism.
(it is a truly unique arrangement - for those outside VA: charlottesville is an independent city that exists as a tiny island inside albemarle county)
(it is a truly unique arrangement - for those outside VA: charlottesville is an independent city that exists as a tiny island inside albemarle county)
you’re really not missing much. nothing is actually happening. kathy just said “it’s really the twin values of equity and sustainability!”
would it be beneficial for the city & the county to have joint meetings about their capital improvements budgets? yeah, probably. but good god that sounds dull to sit through. (signer suggested it - it makes sense!)
the city & county budget cycles currently aren’t in sync, but that seems like a solveable problem. maybe not today or this year, but it’s certainly a more surmountable obstacle than reverting the city to a town in the county.
kathy says “we just had a meeting last week” with the school board when “we got hit with a $50mil price tag” for school updates/new construction. (that’s not entirely true - that’s been a known quantity for like... a year? still, it’s a big ticket item)
it’s public comment time, baby!
first up is john hall - he’s already declared his candidacy for the november city council election. he ran in 2017, receiving fewer than 600 votes.
he told a story about a public housing resident with cancer that he’s helped move to better living conditions, but he speaks so quietly and slowly and seems utterly unaware of the time limitation that he never got to his point before being asked to take a seat.
a comrade at the mic says he’s very glad to see climate change at the top of the county’s list of priorities. he hopes the city & county can explore the possibility of divesting from fossil fuels.
city councilor heather hill and county supervisor diantha mckeel both say how important it is for officials in both localities to work together, get to know each other, and share their concerns & priorities.
