Public hearing for water / sewer increases in Charlottesville; Public hearing in Louisa for ability to declare water emergencies
The first of at least three newsletters this week
The challenge of doing a newsletter about every single locality in Virginia’s Fifth District is that there’s a lot of meetings. A year ago I began this as an experiment to see if it were possible to do, as at the time I thought I would be moving out of Charlottesville.
In the past few months I’ve had to take a step back due to family obligations, and that may happen again. But the 114th installment of this newsletter was an easy one to do because it’s all repurposed from today’s Week Ahead newsletter on my main feed.
I’m not yet turning on paid subscriptions for this newsletter, but I am seeking more Patreon contributions. I am going to begin to use at least half of my monthly revenue to pay others to help me build Town Crier Productions. So please consider making a contribution!
Charlottesville City Council to allocate $5.3M for CATEC purchase
The Charlottesville City Council will begin their day at 2 p.m. in City Council Chambers to interview candidates for City Manager. (meeting info)
Then at 4 p.m. the work session will begin with three items: (meeting info) (meeting agenda)
Courtney Cacatian, executive director of the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau, will give a presentation on what that organization does. A theme is “Tourism for All.” (view the presentation)
The Human Rights Commission will present their annual report. (view the presentation)
There will be a presentation on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition plan. (view the staff memo)
The evening session begins at 6:30 p.m. and has several action items.
The city will seek to abandon an easement for a former sewer line that was removed when the CODE Building was constructed. This is a public hearing and first reading. (staff report)
There will be a public hearing and first reading for utility rates for FY24. They are all increasing and the average ratepayer will see a 9.49 percent increase for water, a 7.23 percent increase for wastewater, and a 7.11 percent increase for natural gas. Rates for the stormwater utility feed will remain the same. (staff report)
The new pick for City Attorney is Jacob P. Stroman. He’s a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law who has been the city attorney in Chesapeake since 2018. The Virginian-Pilot reported in February that Stroman warned that city’s Council they were likely violating the Freedom of Information Act. (resume)
Council will resume discussion of the appeal of a denial by the Board of Architectural Review of a demolition permit for 104 Stadium Road. (staff report)
Council will hold first of two readings on the use of $137,500 of money budgeted for housing vouchers to instead pay for the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority to purchase 100 Harris Road. The full purchase price would be $275,000. The current rent is $750 a month and that would remain. (staff report)
Council will hold first of two readings on the appropriation of over $7.3 million in federal and state capital funding for Charlottesville Area Transit. This will include five buses as well as funding for the forthcoming microtransit pilot that CAT will run for Albemarle County. (staff report)
Council will hold first of two readings of the University of Virginia’s $5 million contribution to two streetscape projects. This funding was originally pledged to the West Main Streetscape but will now be used for the Emmet Street and Fontaine Avenue projects. We learn from the materials that the city owes $78,000 to VDOT for the cancellation of the West Main project. (staff report)
Council will hold the first of two readings on allocation of $5.3 million to the Charlottesville City School Board for the acquisition of the Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC) from Albemarle County. (staff report)
Louisa County to hold public hearing on ability to declare water emergencies
The seven-member Louisa County Board of Supervisors will meet at 5 p.m. in the Louisa County Public Meeting Room. They begin in closed session and the open session begins at 6 p.m. (meeting packet)
There are 14 consent agenda items. Here are a few of interest:
The county seeks a speed study for Roundabout Road in the Patrick Henry District. (page 43)
The county seeks to lease 60 acres of real property at Quaker Hill Farm for producing hay and spreading bisolids. (page 44)
The county will authorize a budget supplement for volunteer fire and EMS stations. (page 48)
July 3 will be an additional holiday for Louisa County. (page 65)
There are two information or discussion items:
There will be further conversation about the Dogs Running at Large ordinance. (not in packet)
There will be a resolution to approve a lease agreement with the Virginia Department of Health. (page 72)
There are six items under new business:
Louisa County Supervisors will move the July 3 meeting to July 17. (page 75)
There will be a discussion of amending Louisa Code to allow the return of surplus real property taxes. (not in packet)
There will be a request for a waiver from the Virginia Department of Elections to administer a split voting district. (page 77)
There will be a resolution to proceed with the design of synthetic turf fields for the middle schools. (page 78)
There will be a resolution to appropriate the FY24 operations and maintenance budget. (page 91)
There will be a resolution to appropriate the FY24 Capital Improvement Plan budget.
There are two public hearings:
There will be an ordinance amendment to add the ability for the Louisa Board of Supervisors to declare water supply emergency to curtail usage of drinking water by those on the public supply. (page 186)
There will be a resolution to amend County Code related to election precincts to add an absentee voter location at 103 McDonald Street in Louisa. (page 192)
But if you want to really know about Louisa County, you have to read what Tammy Purcell writes over on Engage Louisa.
Reading material:
Tom Lawton to run for Altavista District Supervisor, Debra Ferrell, Altavista Journal, May 31, 2023
Lynchburg fails to dismiss excessive force claims, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, June 1, 2023