Dave Norris exhorts you to apply for these city boards and committees with openings. You could have a seat at the table on housing, transportation, planning and more. #
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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It is nice that Ambassador Norris has provided a nice list. Unfortunately, I won’t waste council’s time and mine applying, because they only appoint people that are committed to their positions on the direction the city and region should take on “housing, transportation, planning and more.”
Thanks Waldo for the plug. I used to be one of those people who complained a lot and then finally decided to become part of the solution by applying for some Boards and Commissions, and now I’m in the Mayor’s chair (who woulda thunk it?). Anyone who has constructive ideas to offer about the future of our community is welcome and encouraged to apply. We have Republicans, Greens, Democrats and Independents serving on City Boards and Commissions today, people with business experience or non-profit experience or life experience or academic experience — or, in a couple of cases, all of the above. I especially encourage young people to apply — some of our best appointments in the last couple of years have been younger people who are taking a fresh look at our community’s challenges and pursuing innovative ideas for addressing those challenges. And, of course, it’s important to us that the Boards and Commissions that make such critical decisions for our City represent a broad cross-section of our City’s diverse population.
A word of advice: if you apply for a particular Board or Commission and don’t get appointed (some of them are a lot more competitive than others), try again, and/or be open to the idea of serving on a different body.
It’s easy to anonymously throw stones, it’s harder to actually sit down at the table with people from a variety of backgrounds and do the hard work of finding common ground and developing constructive proposals for making Charlottesville a better place. The process isn’t always pretty (have you ever watched the entirety of a 7-hour Planning Commission meeting? It’s. Not. Pretty.) and the end results aren’t always perfect, but one of the things that makes Charlottesville special is the willingness of so many citizens to get engaged and get involved. This is a community that truly does value “the commons” and one way that’s evidenced is by the large number of residents who volunteer their time and energy on our multitude of Boards and Commissions. Come join the conversation.
Thanks for you reply, Mr. Ambassador; however, since I don’t value “the commons,” welfare programs, or some degree of communisum, again, I won’t waste your time or mine applying. I’m glad that you have made it clear that one of the requisites to serving is valuing “the commons.” A few years ago, in order to serve on the school board, one had to have a child in the school system. I imagaine if people keep applying, eventually the council’s philosophy will catch up to theirs.