Podcasts about sewer authority

Maldonado-Gonzalez v. Puerto Rico Aqueduct & Sewer Authority

At the 14 January 2025 Newtown Sewer Authority public meeting, residents from Middletown and Newtown had several questions regarding the proposed Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP, aka Sewerage Treatment Plant) on Lower Silver Lake Road abutting Middletown. One important question had to do with ACT 537, which currently provides: "The Township's continued use and expansion of the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority's (BCWSA) conveyance system that includes the Neshaminy Interceptor for sewage conveyance to the City of Philadelphia's Northeast Water Pollution Control Facility." This act would have to be modified by BOTH Newtown Township AND Newtown Borough to allow the use of a local sewage treatment plant that would send its effluent to Lake Luxembourg. Read "Water Treatment Expert Comments on Proposed Newtown WWTP"; https://rebrand.ly/RayPostonPatch

Buffalo Sewer Authority announces $1 billion Queen City Clean Waters initiative full 1165 Wed, 16 Oct 2024 14:00:28 +0000 LSNyH5QeKMugt1XIArZeKwcqHhlV7e0d buffalo,news,wben,chris scanlon,o.j. mcfoy WBEN Extras buffalo,news,wben,chris scanlon,o.j. mcfoy Buffalo Sewer Authority announces $1 billion Queen City Clean Waters initiative Archive of various reports and news events 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News False https://playe

This a recording of the Q&A session at the 16 October 2024 meeting of the Newtown Water & Sewer Authority public meeting. At issue was the 43% rate increase starting in 2026 (read "#NewtownPA Sewer Authority Rates to Increase 43%!"; https://sco.lt/8o4g9A) and the proposed sewage treatment plant down Lower Silver Lake Rd from the Wawa site on the Newtown Bypass (read "#NewtownPA Sewer Authority Purchases Land for Sewage Treatment Plant"; https://sco.lt/6VZozw).

Willy took a trip down memory lane with George Hawkins as they discussed the incredible turnaround at DC Water when Willy was Chairman of the Board and George was General Manager. Under their leadership, they took one of the most problematic public utilities in the country, The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, and turned it into one of the most innovative, customer-driven, environmentally friendly utilities on earth. George and Willy discussed why Willy picked George to lead the turnaround, the challenges they faced, the $4.2 billion they spent on infrastructure and environmental protection, and the customer focus and client satisfaction that George and his team achieved. It is a fascinating story of private sector innovation and strategy being implemented at a massive public utility that resulted in huge gains for the citizens of the Washington, DC Metro region.

It's the Friday news roundup! Even though it's been over 90 degrees every day this week, only a fraction of the city's water fountains are on, and we're blown away by why. One of Pittsburgh's most beloved fall attractions isn't opening this year, and we've got an update on the push to legalize recreational cannabis in Pennsylvania.  We always cite our sources: Pittsburgh has over 200 water fountains, but only 35 of them are turned on because there's only one plumber who works for the city. Pittsburgh City Council passed legislation so that the city could work with the county, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, and school districts to hire other plumbers and pay them overtime. ScareHouse isn't opening for Halloween this year because of pandemic-related financial challenges and vacancies at Pittsburgh Mills. Residents of Second Avenue Commons who were displaced by a fire are temporarily relocating to Reedsdale Center on the North Side and other sites like Light of Life. It will be months before the Downtown shelter reopens. Two shelter residents got married at a Juneteenth celebration. Rep. Emily Kinkead, whose district encompasses some of Allegheny County, shared plans to introduce and co-sponsor a bill to legalize cannabis in Pennsylvania, but it doesn't seem like it'll get passed with this year's budget. This weekend is the groundbreaking for a memorial to the eleven worshippers killed in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. Instead of sticking shovels in the ground, participants will smash small glass houses. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 21st episode: Rivers of Steel Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We're also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Wikipedia entry for Writer's block currently suggests five distinct causes for the phenomenon ranging from “physiological and neurological basis” to “negative self-beliefs and feeling of incompetence.”None seem to apply to the inability for Charlottesville Community Engagement to swiftly write up all of the desired stories in the timeliest of manners. Time is required to sift through all of the elements to see what segments result. I'm Sean Tubbs, understanding there are no more than seven days in a week. On today's show:* The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority announces a pump station has been completed in the wake of a January 9 incident that overwhelmed the system leading to untreated sewage entering Moores Creek* The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission's Board learns about and then endorses two efforts to get people around the area without a car* Charlottesville City Council adopts the manual to guide the development review process under the new zoning code, and allows for more projects to be considered older the old one This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Tim is the Executive Director at Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority in North Carolina. Tim and I chat about what his position entails and his career pathe to his specific position. We talk about how Finance coursework can help out anyone in this industry. Give the episode a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/public-works-podcast--3064636/support.

A shooting on the I-190 that killed a Sewer Authority worker yesterday has left WNY in shock. Jeff Rinaldo explains what procedures police may use in an investigation like this.

At the September 6, 2023, Newtown Borough Council Meeting, Mr. Warren Gormley - executive director of the Newtown, Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority - informed Council members that the Authority is investigating the possibility of acquiring land and building its own sewage treatment plant in Newtown Township. The Authority is looking into the feasibility of acquiring a 17.5-acre tract on Lower Silver Lake Road for the construction of a state-of-the-art treatment facility to serve the authority's 9,000 customers in Newtown Township and Newtown Borough. NOTE: The site is the same site that KRE developers plan to build a multi-story apartment building (read “Developer Challenges Validity Of Zoning Ordinance In #NewtownPA Township”; https://sco.lt/7R2bq4). Is Newtown Township "On Board" with the plan? “We've talked to the Department of Environmental Resources (DEP) and the DEP is on board with us. We also talked to the township and they are on board as well*,” said Gormley. *As far as I can recall, this has NOT come before the Newtown Board of Supervisors at a public meeting. So, unless by "talked to township" Gormley means unofficial, non-public conversations with one or more supervisors or Township Manager or other officials, I do not believe it is accurate to say that the township is "on board" with the Sewer Authority's plan to develop a treatment plant on Lower Silver Lake Road. More...https://sco.lt/7rUKbg

From the Ingles Studio this is your news minute on the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast Presented by Engineered Solutions of Georgia. Today is Thursday August 3rd, and I'm Brian Giffin Hollis Lathem, former chairman of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners, passed away at the age of 86. He was remembered as a hardworking and devoted family man who loved Cherokee County. During his time as chairman in the mid-1990s, he focused on managing the county's growth while maintaining its small-town charm. Notable accomplishments included establishing the emergency system and bringing the Georgia National Cemetery to Cherokee County. Lathem played a significant role in the development of the Hollis Q. Lathem Reservoir, a major project for the Cherokee County Water and Sewer Authority. Besides his local roles, he also served on Georgia's State Board of Education. Lathem had a successful banking career and was known for his dedication and leadership. He enjoyed farming, traveling, and had a close-knit family. Memorial services were held in his memory, and the family requested donations to the Cherokee County Educational Foundation in lieu of flowers. For more on this story, visit tribuneledgernews.com. For the tribune ledger podcast I'm Brian Giffin www.esogrepair.com www.ingles-markets.com www.henssler.com  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A number of Verizon Wireless customers in Pennsylvania were hit by a nationwide outage that occurred yesterday. Meanwhile, the two public hearings over the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority's proposed rate hikes drew not a little negative feedback. Yet another mall could go to sheriff's sale if it doesn't pay its bills. Lastly, a raccoon was caught hanging out in baggage claim.

As we dive into the world of water with our upcoming NABWIC BDL in Water Opportunities, Host Jada Williams revisits an episode featuring women in construction in the water industry. Special Guests: Beverly Beard -WT Stevens, iNC. Tylene Henry, MBA - UjIma Services, LLC Dr. Esther Lambert - Corporate Project Services, Inc. Listen as these powerful women reflect from their specific industry knowledge and provide a fresh perspective on the water industry. Their presence and contributions are essential in enriching the discussions and outcomes of events such as the Billion Dollar Luncheon in Water Opportunities coming up on July 12, 2023. ________ Upcoming NABWIC Billion $$ Luncheon in Water Contracting Opportunities, featuring DC Water, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, and HRSD (Hampton Roads Sanitation District) as presenters. They will provide valuable insights about opportunities in the water sector, especially in construction-related projects. ____________________ NABWIC's Vision: The Vision of the National Association of Black Women in Construction (NABWIC) is to build lasting strategic partnerships with first-rate organizations and individuals that will provide ground-breaking and innovative solutions for black women in construction and their respective communities.| NABWIC.ORG

Mora is the Construction Communications Project Manager at Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority. Mora and I chat about communication is a vital piece in any community project and how public speaking skills helps everyone. We also covered topics like community meetings and how she got into the industry. Give the show a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.This show is Sponsored by Vitendo Training Solutions: The Leader in Public Works Workforce Development

In December of 2022, Buffalo, NY experienced a once-in-a-generation blizzard. Extensive snowfall and high winds impacted the city, devastating neighborhoods, and leaving community members stranded. In this episode, the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center's communications intern, Mya Bonney, interviews Rosie B. Nogle, a Principal Sanitary Engineer for the Buffalo Sewer Authority. Join us for a conversation on what happened before, during, and after the storm from the perspective of a wastewater treatment facility.

On today's episode of The Confluence:Several schools went on lockdown Wednesday morning after receiving reports of an active shooter. After responding, law enforcement said the threats were false. WESA reporter Oliver Morrison gives an update on the threats. (0:00 - 8:15) A water main break over the weekend impacted 4,400 households in the East End. Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority lifted the boil-water advisory it put in place for those homes. Will Pickering, CEO of the PWSA, joins us to discuss what happened, along with the authority's work to replace lead pipes and update stormwater management. (8:23 - 17:03) For our Good Question, Kid! Series, we ask: how do television shows end up on a screen? We speak with Brad Peroney, director of public and community programming at the Carnegie Science Center to learn how signals get broadcast to eventually be received by our television and displayed for viewing. (17:20 - 22:30)

Cherokee County Water and Sewer Authority customers will see a $2 increase in the base charge for water and sewer, effective April 1.  And, customers who use at least 3,000 gallons per month will see an additional 5% volumetric rate increase. #CherokeeCounty #Georgia #LocalNews           -          -          -          -          -          -          The Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast is local news for Woodstock, Canton, and all of Cherokee County. Register Here for your essential digital news.             This podcast was produced and published for the Cherokee Tribune-Ledger and TribuneLedgerNews.com by BG Ad Group     For more information be sure to visit https://www.bgpodcastnetwork.com/    https://cuofga.org/   https://www.drakerealty.com/   https://www.esogrepair.com/     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, CSB Director CB Bhattacharya is from our hometown Pittsburgh, PA by Will Pickering, Chief Executive Officer at Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA). Prior to transitioning to CEO in 2021, he served as the Deputy Executive Director and Director of Public Affairs at PWSA.  In the Episode Will Pickering and Prof. Bhattacharya discuss...   - Why finding a deeper sense of purpose can help rally the workforce during the Great Reshuffle,  - What an equitable water future looks like for the citizens of Pittsburgh,  - How PWSA is protecting public health and the environment through the delivery of safe and reliable water services, and more... - While Pittsburgh is rich in water resources from the surrounding rivers, complex and interlocking water inequities abound. Water-related challenges disproportionately affect low-income people and communities of color. The economic and health ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have hit communities of color at much higher rates than white communities, have also exasperated these issues.  As a public utility, PWSA is responsible for serving as a mindful steward of our water system and continuing to provide essential and dependable water services now and for generations to come. Right now, they're making decisions that will impact Pittsburgh for the next 100 years.   With over 350 employees across all of its locations, PWSA produces an average of 66 million gallons of water per day and serves approximately 300,000 customers with an annual operating budget of $3 million. - Please submit any feedback and/or questions you have. This episode was researched, recorded, edited, and produced by Prof. CB Bhattacharya and CSB Team of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Sustainable Business: www.sustainablebusiness.pitt.edu Music: "Lively" by Dee Yan-Key From the Free Music Archive CC BY NC SA

There are many made-up holidays that somehow have found their way into being mentioned on this particular channel of programming as part the introduction. For some reason, today is Clean Your Floors Day, though it’s unclear who makes the money off of those greetings cards. But how clean are your floors? Are you a rebel without a broom, or are you a vacuum warrior? It’s a very good thing that none of the rest of this installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement has anything to do with this particular topic. But I will have you know, I mopped mine yesterday in anticipation of this very important day. On today’s show:So far there are no debates scheduled in the contested Fifth Congressional District race but Democrat Josh Throneburg wants to change thatArea home sales volumes have decreased, though the cost to buy a place to live continues to increaseGreene County hires a water and sewer director to prepare to expand supplySeveral area organizations receive funding from Virginia Humanities, including a project to tell stories of PVCC students who have been or are in prisonAlbemarle County continues to review its Comprehensive Plan and the seven-member Planning Commission got their chance to review growth management options late last month First shout-out is for LEAP’s new Thermalize Virginia program In today’s first Patreon-fueled shout-out: Have you been thinking of converting your fossil-fuel appliances and furnaces into something that will help the community reduce its greenhouse gas emissions? Your local energy nonprofit, LEAP,  has launched a new program to guide you through the steps toward electrifying your home. Thermalize Virginia will help you understand electrification and connect you with vetted contractors to get the work done and help you find any rebates or discounts. Visit thermalizeva.org to learn more and to sign up!  Challenger Throneburg challenges Good to an in-person debateThe Democratic candidate in the Fifth District Congressional race has asked his opponent to agree to meet in person for a debate or other kind of candidate forum before the November 8 election. Josh Throneburg of Charlottesville became the candidate earlier this year before the primary when he was the only one to qualify for the ballot. “There’s one question I get asked more than any other and that is, when will the two of you debate?” Throneburg asked in a campaign video sent out this morning. Throneburg addressed his comments directly to Good and said there were at least three organizations that would hold a campaign event, and that he’s accepted all of them.“But you have either rejected or ignored those invitations and so I want to make things crystal clear. I, Josh Throneburg, challenge you, Representative Bob Good to an in-person debate sometime between now and November 8.”Good is seeking his second term in the U.S. House of Representatives having defeated Cameron Webb in the 2020 election. Candidate Good did participate in a September 9, 2020 virtual campaign forum put on by the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. You can take a listen to that whole event at the Charlottesville Podcasting Network. A request for comment or a response is out to the Bob Good for Congress campaign. CAAR: Charlottesville real estate market continues to cool as prices continue to increaseThe number of sales in the Charlottesville housing market continues to drop as the median sales price continues to climb. That’s according to the latest report from the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors. (view the report) “There were 1,380 homes sold in the CAAR area in the second quarter,” reads one of the bullet points in the CAAR Home Sales Report for the second quarter. “This is an eleven percent drop from the second quarter a year ago, which is 165 fewer sales.” CAAR’s jurisdictional area is the same as the Thomas Jefferson Planning District with the city of Charlottesville as well as the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson. The median sales price increased to $417,850, an eleven percent increase over the second quarter of 2021. Additionally, supply has increased with 741 active listings in the area, a 28 percent increase over the same period in 2021. To put the increase in perspective, consider that the median sales price for the second quarter of 2018 was $301,000. The report also covers recent economic trends such as steady job growth and low unemployment. “Several job sectors have fully recovered and have actually expanded since the start of the pandemic, including the Professional and Technical Services sector, and the Federal Government sector. The homeownership rate within these two job sectors tends to be relatively high, so growth in these sectors provides fuel for the housing market in Virginia.”However, the leisure and hospitality sector continues to show signs of recovery. Mortgage rates are higher than last year, but have shown a slight decline from the end of June when the average rate on a 30-year fixed was 5.7 percent. However, the report acknowledges the cooling effect of rates that have increased two percentage points so far this year. Sales volumes were down in all localities except Greene County where there was a 33 percent increase in sales. There were 122 homes sold in that jurisdiction between April and June of this year compared to 92 in the same period the year before. The median sales price increased in all of the jurisdictions, but Nelson County saw the biggest jump in values from $285,000 in second quarter of 2021 to $425,000 in the second quarter of 2022. Visit caar.com to download the report. What do you think? If you’re a property owner, how does this change your views on what you may do with your own place? What about if you want to own? Say something in the comments. New water and sewer director in GreeneGreene County is preparing for anticipated population growth by expanding its urban water supply. Now the locality has hired its first ever water and sewer director. “Mr. Greg Lunsford… will oversee the development of a team to operate Greene County Water and Sewer Department as Greene transitions out of the Rapidan Service Authority,” reads an announcement posted to the county’s Facebook page. Greene County recently left the RSA in order to build a reservoir that’s already received permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The idea is to impound White Run to create storage. (learn more on the Greene website)Lunsford recently served as the town manager of Elkton in Rockingham County where the release states he helped advance a water system upgrade. In Greene, he will lead the work to create a water and sewer ordinance to govern the new supply. Virginia Humanities awards grants to area nonprofitsThe state agency that serves as the official humanities council for Virginia has made its latest round of grants to nonprofit organizations that seek to tell new stories about the people who have lived in the Commonwealth. “We want Virginians to connect with their history and culture and, in doing that, we hope we’ll all get to know each other a little better,” reads the About section of the website for Virginia Humanities. In all, Virginia Humanities awarded $153,200 to eighteen organizations including several in this general area. The Catticus Corporation of Berkeley, California will get $10,000 for a project to build a website intended to tell the story of Barbara Johns and the 1951 student walk out in Prince Edward County to a larger audience across Virginia and the nation. James Madison University will get $5,400 toward a project called A Miserable Revenge: Recovering 19th-Century Black Literature from the Shenandoah Valley. This will transcribe a handwritten novel by George Newman around 1880. Newman was an African American educator from the Winchester area. The Louisa County Historical Society will get $7,000 for a project called Representing our Residents: African American History at the Louisa County Historical Society. This will be a series of oral history interviews and public outreach activities.The National D-Day Memorial in Bedford will get $8,000 for a project called Someone Talked! A Podcast of the National D-Day Memorial. This will include conversations between the prolific WWII historian John McManus and other scholars and is intended and designed to reach and engage new audiences now that the generation that lived through WWII has passed. A project to add two Louisa County churches to the National Register of Historic Places received $3,000.Piedmont Virginia Community College will receive $10,000 for the PVCC Prison Creative Arts Project. The idea is to collect original writing from incarcerated PVCC students and then create a theatrical production based on the stories. The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Museum will get $8,250 to make three videos to introduce the Monacan Nation as “custodians of the lands and waters in and around Charlottesville” to serve as land acknowledgments The Virginia Tech Foundation will receive $20,000 for a podcast to be called Tribal Truths on the histories and cultures of state and federally recognized Tribes in Virginia. To see the rest, visit the release at Virginia Humanities. Second shout-out goes to Camp AlbemarleToday’s second subscriber-supported public service announcement goes out to Camp Albemarle, which has for sixty years been a “wholesome rural, rustic and restful site for youth activities, church groups, civic events and occasional private programs.”Located on 14 acres on the banks of the Moorman’s River near Free Union, Camp Albemarle continues as a legacy of being a Civilian Conservation Corps project that sought to promote the importance of rural activities. Camp Albemarle seeks support for a plan to winterize the Hamner Lodge, a structure built in 1941 by the CCC and used by every 4th and 5th grade student in Charlottesville and Albemarle for the study of ecology for over 20 years. If this campaign is successful, Camp Albemarle could operate year-round. Consider your support by visiting campalbemarleva.org/donate. Albemarle Planning Commission reviews seven options for growth management Is this the summer of 2022, or is it the Summer of AC44? AC44 is the name Albemarle County has given for the review of its Comprehensive Plan. That’s a document Virginia requires all localities to adopt and review every five years. Albemarle last updated its plan in 2015 and work got underway earlier this year. “We’re currently in phase one, plan for growth, where we are reviewing and evaluating the current growth management policy, using lenses of equity, climate action, and capacity projects,” said Tori Kannellopollous, a senior planner with Albemarle County.At the end of this phase, staff and hired consultants will have developed a draft vision for “growth and resilience” on which new policy objectives will be written.  The work so far has led to the development of seven growth management policies for the public to review. “We are planning having in-person and virtual roundtables and online opportunities in step three,” Kannellopollous saidThe Commission will then review the work in September followed by a review by the Board of Supervisors. Discussions about what changes might come in the rural area will come during phase two of the Comprehensive Plan Review. Several Commissioners wanted to know if survey responses have done enough to capture a diversity of opinion. “I did a deep dive on the last one that came out and when I look at the demographics, the demographics really trend white, upper class, middle-upper class, and extremely well-educated,” said Commission Julian Bivins. “What I’m nervous about is that those responses become the drivers for lots of decisions.” Charles Rapp, the deputy director of the Community Development Department, said he expected participation to increase when the plan review gets into specifics.“People are excited to get into the specific topics [and] into the details of this plan,” Rapp said. “At this point we’re still at such a high level trying to figure out which of those avenues we’re going to go down and which ideas we want to explore and what are those topics that we want to dive into.” The Commission also got an update on the buildout analysis of the county’s existing capacity for new homes and businesses. The firm Kimley Horn has been hired to conduct that work. Kannellopollous had several preliminary observations.“In mixed-use developments, the residential component tends to fill out first and the non-residential component may not build out until years later,” Kannellopollous said. “When factoring in site readiness and site-selection criteria, there appears to be sufficient capacity for commercial and retail uses but much less currently available for office and industrial uses.” Another finding is that new developments are not being approved at the maximum possible, and that by-right developments also do not use all of the potential building space recommended in the existing Comprehensive Plan.Seven growth management optionsThe firm EPR has been hired to help develop the growth management options. “These were developed by the consultants and the staff after the first round of public input,”  said Vlad Gavrilovic with EPR. “They’re not intended as picking one as the winner or the loser. They’re intended to initiate discussion.” Let’s go through them. Here’s option one:“Applying more density and more in-fill development within the existing development areas and retaining and enhancing green infrastructure,” Gavrilovic said. “Next option was looking in the development areas to adjust the densities and reduce the maximum densities to more closely align with what people have actually been building as.” The third option would be to develop criteria for which the growth area might be adjusted. “Looking at new criteria to identify when, where, and how growth areas should be expanded,” Gavrilovic said.  “The next option was opportunities for non-residential development around the interchanges on I-64 to support job growth and economic development.” Option five would explore the possibility of rural villages. “Rural villages where you would promote small scale commercial and service uses to nearby rural area residents,” Gavrilovic said. “Number six was looking at current service provisions and seeing if adjustments are needed to ensure equitable distribution of services, particularly health and safety services.” The final option is to “explore opportunities to promote forest retention and regenerative land uses in the Rural area that support climate action goals.” So those are the seven scenarios. A second round of community engagement went out with these results. “We heard that the three options that best support climate action were regenerative uses in the rural area, rural villages, and distribution of service provision,” Kannellopollous said. “The three options that best support equity were service provision, rural villages, and providing more density and infill in the development areas with green infrastructure.” For the “accommodating growth” lens, the top three options were rural villages, non-residential development at Interstate interchanges, and service provision. Commissioner feedbackCommissioner Karen Firehock said she saw the provision of infrastructure to support development areas as an equity issue.“People should be able to walk to a park or a trail or a healthy environment near to where they live and not have to get in the car and drive a really long way to find something green,” Firehock said. Firehock said the county is expanding some services into the rural area, such as the Southern Convenience Center in Keene. She said that will make it easier for people to meet other environmental goals. Commissioner Lonnie Murray lives in the rural area, and hopes the growth management strategy does not undo work to date. “I think it’s important to have a concept of ‘do no harm’ in the rural area,” Murray said.As an example, he said he wants the county to stop paving gravel roads in the rural area. Bivins urged the Commission to look ahead to the next redistricting after the 2030 Census, when he said the urban areas will continue to have more of the county’s expected population. “If we do not increase the development area, Samuel Miller [District] will end up in the near future as the largest land mass district in Albemarle County.” Bivins said “From an equity standpoint, one has to say ‘is that where we want to go as a county?’” The Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service currently projects Albemarle’s population as increasing to 124,016 by 2030, up from 112,395 in the U.S. Census of 2020. Commissioner Fred Missel said he wanted to know more information about how capital infrastructure works together to support development.“How does the capital plan for infrastructure, how does that inform development and how are they linked together?” Missel asked. “Not to throw the [Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority] into the mix it’s just one that comes to mind. What is their capital plan and how does that support strategic density? How does it support sustainability?” Missel’s day job is as director of design and development at the University of Virginia Foundation. The Foundation is pursuing a rezoning at its North Fork Discovery Park for a potential mixed-use residential complex. If you’d like to learn more about capital projects in Albemarle County, click here.If you’d like to learn more about the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority’s Capital Improvement Program, download it here.Luis Carrazana’s day job is at the University of Virginia’s Office of the Architect. He said he wanted better metrics. “And a lot of times we focus on the big picture but we lose that option to say ‘we know we’re going in the right direction if we’re achieving A, B, C, and D,” Carrazana said. “So I would encourage everyone to think about that as well.” Planning Commissioner Corey Clayborne said density in the right place can help the county achieve certain goals, but he also acknowledged a tension with those who have pushed back. “That’s something we kind of have to wrestle to the ground and I’m not sure if that would be part of the final deliverable here as much as, is there an education sense in this process with the community as we step through this?” Clayborne asked. “Does that mean there are graphics or visuals? I’m not sure what that answer is yet but addressing it… if we can get our arms around and embrace strategic density, I think if you start talking about design importance, that could be a major key to affordable housing.” Commissioner Dan Bailey said one piece of data is experience that comes from what’s been approved and what’s actually been built. “I live in Belvedere and it has a concept that’s been there for nearly ten years of having centers in the community, but it’s been vacant for ten years,” Bailey said. “And we’ve done a lot of approving these novel neighborhood model density and other things where they should have this retail or office building. I would really love to know how many of them have actually been developed.” The next step will be a series of public engagement on the themes as well as the growth management options. Stay tuned. If you’re interested in this topic, invest an hour in the conversation to inform how you might participate. Housekeeping notes for 415 (Clean Floor edition)That’s the end of another installment of the program. Thank you so much for being here! I hope to have another one out tomorrow, followed by another on Friday. Then the Week Ahead and the Government Glance. The latter is the first publication of the new Fifth District Community Engagement.  That’s another service of Town Crier Productions, a company formed to keep you in the know. Contributions and payments to Town Crier Productions cover the cost of reporting. That includes a bill with the United States for the Public Access to Court Electronic Records. I use that service to stay up to date on federal lawsuits such the one former City Manager Tarron Richardson had filed against the city, or the two court cases that sought a House of Delegates race this year.  So, if you’re like to support this program which includes expenses like court reporting, consider a paid subscription through Substack. If do so, Ting will match your initial payment! And, if you sign up for their services through this link you’ll get a free standard install, your 2nd month free, and a $75 downtown mall gift card! Enter the promo code COMMUNITY for full effect. All of the funding goes to ensure I can keep doing the work, which two years ago included bringing the audio from a campaign forum to the public via the Charlottesville Podcasting Network. That’s also part of Town Crier Productions. There’s a lot, and your support will help me pull all of the pieces together into whatever it becomes. Music comes from the D.C. entity that currently goes by the name Wraki, selected randomly from a bin of basement-recorded cassette tapes. You can support that work by purchasing the album Regret Everything for whatever you would like to pay. Now. Off to go clean some floors. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Joining Connor tonight are two guests David McMahon & Sarah Zhang. First Connor will discuss the fight to stop the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority sale to Aqua and why this matters with activist and organizer David McMahon. They will dive into efforts in Norristown and the "NOPE" group that has been fighting against Aqua for years. Then Connor will jump into CBSD's book banning policy that was passed by the School Board last night 7/26. He will be joined by activist and organizer Sarah Zhang who spoke out about the policy and wrote an op-ed for the Bucks County Beacon (read here - https://buckscountybeacon.com/2022/07/why-we-need-students-to-mobilize-in-central-bucks-and-why-we-need-them-now/) Lastly, Connor will show a video of School Board Director Tabitha Dell'Angelo from the hearing on this crazy policy and why voices like this are so important and how YOU can make a difference. All of this and more on tonight's program. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and hit the like button on the stream! Support on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/greatersocietymedia Find all the show links here - https://linktr.ee/greatersocietymedia Follow on Instagram - @greatersocietymedia Follow Connor on Twitter - @ConOHanlon Greater Society Media is a progressive media company dedicated to bringing insightful analysis to viewers and readers on political topics of today from the local level to the international. ​ The Greater Society Podcast is a weekly progressive show that focuses on analyzing American politics, current events, and history. The show covers a wide range or topics and will incorporate various guests to dive deeper into their specialties. Shows are broadcasted live on YouTube and available in audio versions as well where you listen to your podcasts. What sets the show apart is the focus on local organizing and the impacts we can all make on a local level as Connor OHanlon (the host) leverages his experience as Chairman of a local Democratic committee and former candidate for office to bring you an inside look at how politics is done. We aim to bring nuance to each and every discussion and debate and look forward to covering the unfolding history of America. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Today is the antepenultimate day of Fiscal Year 2022, and we’re counting down the hours to when the metaphorical ball will drop in Richmond marking the beginning of FY2023. Are you prepared? Feel free to review previous installments of Charlottesville Community Engagement to revisit the hundreds of stories written in the tinfopast 12 fiscal months. Or head on over to Information Charlottesville to see I’ve been able to cover at least. The “I” here is Sean Tubbs and thanks for reading. On today’s program: Charlottesville City Council gets details on a water infrastructure project in advance of a vote today by the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority Many people had an opinion about whether the name of the regional library system but it’s up to elected officials to decide on a change How much trash was processed in Virginia last year? The Department of Environmental Quality has a new report.And about two hundred people attended an open house on the forthcoming update of the city’s zoning codeToday’s first shout-out goes to WTJUIn today’s first Patreon-fueled shout-out: Algorithms know how to put songs and artists together based on genre or beats per minute. But only people can make connections that engage your mind and warm your heart. The music on WTJU 91.1 FM is chosen by dozens and dozens of volunteer hosts -- music lovers like you who live right here in the Charlottesville area. Listener donations keep WTJU alive and thriving. In this era of algorithm-driven everything, go against the grain. Tune in and support freeform community radio on WTJU Consider a donation at wtju.net/donate.Around 200 people turn up at Pavilion to get details on the city’s zoning processWhen the Cville Plans Together Initiative began in early 2020, there were plans to engage people at a series of meetings while the work of crafting an affordable housing plan and the Comprehensive Plan update was conducted. However, the pandemic forced all of that public engagement work to go online. Council adopted the Affordable Housing Plan in March 2021 and the Comprehensive Plan last November. Both call for additional residential density across the city and an update of the zoning code is the next step. This time around, people can meet in large numbers, and an open house was held yesterday at the Ting Pavilion where attendees could get a look at the new Diagnostics and Approach Report for the zoning rewrite. People could go through the entire process to date and ask questions of consultants, city staff and each other. I dropped by briefly and spoke with James Freas, the city’s Director of Neighborhood Development Services since last September.  (read the Zoning Diagnostic and Approach report)“We’ve just released the report about two weeks ago and what we’re really looking for is where can we answer clarifying questions, where can we answer questions about what we’ve already shared and what’s in there, and what else should we be considering?” Freas said. Freas said even half an hour into the event, he could see how community engagement will be different for this phase of the Cville Plans Together initiative. “If you look around, people are having conversations,” Freas said. “You can’t do this on a Zoom environment. So it’s really exciting to be back in person talking to people face to face, introducing ourselves, having a conversation, and even if we don’t agree, because we’ve met and talked face to face, we’re able to walk away in a move civil environment.” Freas said the city will collect comments through August, and he will be visiting various neighborhood associations to explain the idea. Then the diagnostics report will be finalized in September for the Planning Commission and Council to review, followed by the actual rewrite. DEQ releases solid waste reportMore than 22.7 million tons of solid waste were sent to processing facilities in Virginia last year, with nearly 5.4 million coming from out of state. That’s according to the annual solid waste report for 2021, released yesterday by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. “The total amount of solid waste received increased by one percent or 225,524.95 tons compared to 2020,” reads the report.However, the amount that came from another jurisdiction dropped by 5.28 percent. About 44 percent of out-of-state came from Maryland, 18.7 percent came from New York State, and 14 percent came from Washington D.C. Around 11.8 percent of the waste was incinerated and 73 percent went into landfills. Another 8.24 percent was recycled. All but one of Virginia’s 204 permitted solid waste facilities submitted reports. Locally, the landfill operated by Louisa County buried 23.1 tons of solid waste and has 10.2 years left of capacity. Two transfer stations included in the reporting are the Ivy Materials Utilization Center in Albemarle County as well as the Nelson County transfer station. Speakers express multiple views on renaming of library system The Board of Trustees of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library met yesterday at the Northside Library on Rio Road for the usual things such as a five year plan and a budget. But the main item throughout the meeting was whether the system’s name should be changed. “I don’t expect that we will have a vote on the issue of the library’s name change today,” said Thomas Unsworth, the chair of the JMRL Board. “In fact the Board would be able to call a public hearing if need be to collect further feedback from commentary on that issue.”The public comment period came at the beginning of the meeting before comments on the topic from JMRL Director David Plunkett. The topic came up at the last trustee meeting in May when Myra Anderson asked for the change because Thomas Jefferson and James Madison owned people as enslaved workers. We’ll hear from Anderson again in a minute.  The first speaker identified himself as Nickolaus Cabrera and said he was a rising senior at the University of Virginia as well as president of the school’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom. “We lose our future when we burn our past,” Cabrerra said. “What you all are considering today is a direct burning of our past. Why is this discussion happening? On what basis?” Cabrerra said the name change would do nothing more than promote a “woke agenda” and this would be an example of censorship. The next several speakers sided with this view. Others did not, including Gloria Beard of Charlottesville. “It’s time for a change for all people and I hope you all consider what we’re trying to bring across to you,”  Beard said. “It’s time to change so all people feel like this community is for everybody.” Others felt Jefferson and Madison’s legacy was too important not to honor. “Without Jefferson we would not have the freedoms we have so that is just so important for people to research, come to libraries that are full of books,” said Ann McLean of Richmond. “Yes, he loved books.” McLean said the Declaration of Independence was more important than the works of Shakespeare, the Magna Carta, and the writings of Cicero.“Without the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence, we would have no rights and no liberties and be completely at the mercy of the government,” McLean continued. “Which we do not want to be!”Myra Anderson described herself as the president of the Reclaimed Roots Descendants Alliance and a descendant of enslaved laborers.“Six of my ancestors were sold on the auction block in 1829 at the second estate sale of Thomas Jefferson,” Anderson said. “At the time the Declaration of Independence was written and it was declared that all men are created equal, my sixth great grandfather and grandmother were enslaved at the time at Monticello.” Anderson said libraries should be inclusive spaces and the name should change to reflect the updated values of the system. She said to her, the name Jefferson does not just conjure up greatness. “It represents the trauma, the oppression, the pain, and the part of Jefferson that most white people want to gloss over when they talk about his greatness, but unfortunately that’s the part that put Black people on a trajectory of struggle,” Anderson said. Anderson said the precedent for such a change was set locally when the health district dropped his name last year. Director’s reportAfter the public comment period was over, Plunkett gave his report on how the name is currently codified and how it might be changed. He said state law for regional library boards deal with how trustees are appointed and the rules for spending money.  There’s no mention of who gets to name them. Plunkett said the current name has informally been in place since 1972 when the regional system was created to pool resources across a wider area. “The big reason though that Charlottesville, Albemarle, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson joined forces to create JMRL was because of state aid funding which was amplified in the 70’s,” Plunkett said. “Basically the state incentivized localities to get together and share their resources in order to provide library services.” The original agreement from 1972 did not yet include Greene County, and Plunkett said it was originally called the Thomas Jefferson Regional Library. “The library board heard a comment from a library board member who made a plea to them to change the name from the Thomas Jefferson Regional Library to the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library,” Plunkett said. Plunkett said that board member wanted to recognize the “special friendship” between Madison and Jefferson. He noted Madison did not live in the service area now operated by JMRL. Greene County joined in 1974 and the name was officially changed in an amended agreement. Plunkett said he’s sought legal advice about who gets to change the name. “The legal counsel that the library board has received is that the authority for changing the library name rests with member jurisdictions, with Charlottesville, Albemarle, Louisa, Greene, and Nelson,” Plunkett said. Plunkett said the agreement is overdue for its mandatory five-year review and a five-member committee with one appointed by each jurisdiction should begin that work and consider a new name as part of that process. “If there were changes made to the regional agreement at that point, they would need to take them back to their Boards of Supervisors or City Councils to vote on before that could come back as an amended regional agreement,” Plunkett said. Plunkett said the Blue Ridge Health District did not have to ask for permission to make a change and it was made administratively. He added Albemarle County Public Schools have a policy in place regarding school names (learn more). The University of Virginia has a Namings & Memorials committee. Board discussionDuring the Board discussion, Trustee Lisa Woolfork of Charlottesville noted the library was not named to honor the two former presidents, but their friendship. “It wasn’t about ‘Oh, look what they did for the Bill of Rights and the Declaration and et cetera,” Woolfork said. “It was, ‘these guys are friends!”’Woolfork noted that Charlottesville’s Unitarian church recently dropped Jefferson’s name from its official name. “I really do believe that we are in a moment where our democracy is being challenged in a variety of ways and I feel as though we have the opportunity to make some true progress to reflect some of the growth that Charlottesville has made,” Woolfork said. One of Albemarle’s trustees, Michael Powers, said at issue is that different people view as the primary legacy of Jefferson. “I think it’s clear to me that many people primarily associated Jefferson and Madison with their practice of slavery, but it’s also clear that whatever the origin of the name was at the time, over the last 50 years many people have come also to primarily associate these figures with powerful and fundamental American values, principles and ideals,” Powers said. Powers said the JMRL Board has to take both considerations into account and he spent some time defending how others have sought to defend Jefferson’s legacy. He cited the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as the main legal tool used in the Civil Rights movement. “So we hear in the 14th amendment, equal protection for life, liberty, they are very familiar echoes of Jefferson’s ‘All men are created equal’ and ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” Powers continued. JMRL Chair Thomas Unsworth said while the JMRL can’t directly change the name, they can make recommendations or suggestions to local officials as part of the agreement review. Woolfork was clear that she feels the name must change and she resisted framing the issue as one of two equal sides. “It seems to me that that true energy of what a library does and brings and provides should be robust enough and substantial enough that we can serve our services areas and provide the things we continue to provide and not being called Jefferson Madison will not impede our ability to do that,” Woolfork said. The trustee from Louisa County pointed out that two of the five localities have already voted on resolutions opposing a name change. Neither resolution in either Greene or Louisa specified any further action. (Louisa Supervisors unanimously oppose name change, June 9, 2022)The trustee from Nelson County said she was concerned about the resolutions.“They put that out before even hearing what the other people in the area,” said Aleta Childs. The Board had a long discussion of the matter and in the end opted to pick up the conversation at its next meeting in July. By then, Tony Townsend of Albemarle will be the chair. “My agenda here is to make sure that the area’s most inclusive, diverse, and free resource doesn’t get sidetracked or handicapped by this discussion,” Townsend said. “I think it’s a good discussion. I think it needs to happen. I think we can probably come up with a plan that will allow everyone to have at least input.” Townsend said the process is just beginning. Woolfork said she wanted to know if Louisa and Greene would leave the regional system as a result. “Are they that committed to their adulation of Jefferson and Madison that they will just say ‘we don’t want to have a library with you anymore, thanks, and nice knowing you,’” Woolfork asked. The JMRL Board of Trustees next meets on July 25 at 3 p.m. Second shout-out is for LEAP’s new Thermalize Virginia program In today’s second Patreon-fueled shout-out: Have you been thinking of converting your fossil-fuel appliances and furnaces into something that will help the community reduce its greenhouse gas emissions? Your local energy nonprofit, LEAP,  has launched a new program to guide you through the steps toward electrifying your home. Thermalize Virginia will help you understand electrification and connect you with vetted contractors to get the work done and help you find any rebates or discounts. Visit thermalizeva.org to learn more and to sign up!  RWSA to vote today on Central Water Line projectToday the Board of Directors for the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority will meet to select an alignment for a five mile pipeline that the organization says is necessary to help secure drinking water infrastructure. Last week, Charlottesville City Council got a briefing on the project. (view the presentation)“So we call it the Central Water Line project because it was recommended to be located in the central portion of the city to provide the greatest water benefit to our regional water supply system,” said Bill Mawyer, the executive director of the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority. Mawyer said planning dates back to a drought in 2002 that led to a long discussion about how to expand the community water supply plan. That involved expansion of the Ragged Mountain Reservoir by building a new earthen dam, as well as an upgrade of the Observatory Water Treatment plan. This Central Water Line is to transfer water to a location in Pantops. “We realized later, it was not part of the original Community Water Supply plan, that we needed to have a large pipe coming away from the Observatory Treatment Plant so that we can distribute that water to all parts of the city and the county, the urban water area as we call it,” Mawyer said.The current cost share is a 52 to 48 percent split with the Albemarle County Service Authority picking up the larger share. Various versions of this pipeline have been considered in the past to increase capacity, and a report released last year called the Urban Finished Water Master Plan recommended this central pipe through the city. “If we expand the water treatment plant and we replace the raw waterline to get it to the treatment plant, it has no benefit if we can't put that water out into the system,” Mawyer said. Mawyer said the work would be done in segments of several hundred feet at a time with most of the work underneath city streets. “We expect the schedule to be from 2024 through 2028,” Mawyer said. Mawyer said the RWSA has presented to six neighborhood associations along the route and mailed out information to every parcel on the way. He said that led to another visitation of the five alignments and other alternatives that had been examined. One of the alignments would have used the Route 250 bypass but that would have taken eight years. “Work on the bypass was going to be quite a challenge [and] that likely would have to be completed at night due to the impacts on traffic,” Mawyer said. Other alignments included Preston Avenue, West Main, and along Harris Street and Fifth Street Extended. Mawyer said the latter got further attention during the neighborhood meeting phase. “Now, when we had our neighborhood meetings, they said, well what about going down Harris Street all the way to Fifth Street and come up Fifth Street ,” Mawyer said. “So we took a careful look at that and found that there were two disadvantages. One,  it was going to be about $8 million more expensive because it’s a much longer route.”Mawyer also said Fifth Street carries heavy traffic including emergency vehicles. Another potential alternative was to go underneath Shamrock Road which would have been shorter and cheaper, but other problems were identified.  “But Shamrock is such a narrow street, with no shoulder on one side, with on street parking, very congested, [and] you have the railroad track and the vertical curve,” Mawyer said. The Cherry Avenue alignment was deemed to have the least amount of traffic and to take the least amount of time to complete. “We think this southern Cherry Avenue [alignment] when all things are considered provides the greatest benefit and opportunity for us,” Mawyer said. “We recognize that there will be impacts along the way.” The RWSA’s chief engineer said she ran models on all of the various ways to connect the water line.“The connectivity that we get from the… Central Water Line that ties in all of these mains and provides this main corridor that goes east-west through the city in a relatively straight line really did provide the greatest hydraulic benefits to the system under the most number of conditions,” said Jennifer Whitaker. Councilor Michael Payne acknowledged he is not an engineer but he said he had concerns about the preferred alternative along Cherry Avenue in part because he felt RWSA’s assessment of impact to neighborhoods had been subjective. “Is that really the best route in terms of objective criteria and how much that decision has been made via subjective criteria,” Payne said. Payne said the Northern route would be cheaper with a price tag of $28 million. That alternative would also require moving ahead with an $11 million upgrade of the Emmet Street water main that was not otherwise required until the 2030’s. “It raises my eyebrow that a project that at least on my understanding while adding some redundancy to the whole system is primarily benefiting the Pantops area is being routed through the southern part of the city, particularly public housing and low income communities,” Payne said. Councilor Brian Pinkston has been on the RWSA Board of Directors since January. He supported the Cherry route and said it would have benefits for the southern portion of the city. “One of the extra benefits of doing it this way is that you get larger transmission lines on the southern side of the city,” Pinkston said. “That’s not something that’s been brought up tonight but its an important reason why I think this is the most reasonable route.” Pinkston also noted that much of the opposition is based on an idea somehow this would all be done for the benefit of people in Albemarle’s growth area. “I don’t know why it’s a problem that we would to help people in the county, particularly when they’re paying 52 percent of it,” Pinkston said. Council did not take a vote on how to direct Pinkston and the city’s two other RWSA members. Charlottesville Community Engagement is free to receive, but supported by paid subscriptions. If you subscribe, Ting will match your initial contribution! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Friday once more and there’s no time like this moment to begin to tell you about information that’s been waiting for you to read or listen to. The purpose of Charlottesville Community Engagement is to bring you as many stories and articles about the community as possible, on as frequent a level as possible.  I’m the host Sean Tubbs, and I want to make sure you know no Sean Tubbs were harmed in the creation of this episode. This work is free to read or listen to, but needs financial support. If you subscribe through Substack, Ting will match your initial payment!On today’s show: Former Charlottesville Police Chief RaShall Brackney files suit against the city alleging she was fired for trying to reform what she calls a racist departmentThe General Assembly meets today to act on Governor Glenn Youngkin’s amendments to the state budget A quarantine on moving some materials around parts of Virginia to stop the spread of the Spotted Lanternfly will soon be extended to Albemarle and CharlottesvilleCharlottesville’s Board of Zoning Appeals upholds a determination related to a future Wawa The Albemarle County Service Authority reports it’s ready to guard against “forever chemicals” in their drinking water supply First Shout-out is for the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards In today’s first subscriber-supported shout-out, have you ever wanted to learn as much as you can about how to preserve and protect trees? The Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards are opening up registration for their fall series of online training sessions and field activities running from August 9 through November 19. Full tuition details are at charlottesvilleareatreestewards.org and if you want to get a feel for what you may learn, there’s a public tree identification walk through the grand trees spanning the front areas of the University of Virginia on Sunday, June 26. Attendance is limited, so register today!General Assembly to consider Governor Youngkin’s budget amendmentsThe House of Delegates and the Senate convene this afternoon in Richmond to finalize budget amendments recommended by Governor Glenn Youngkin. “I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that thirty-five amendments be adopted,” Youngkin wrote in his recommendations for HB30.(the paragraph below was edited to make a correction)One of the largest amendments is a three month suspension on the state tax on gasoline and diesel beginning July 1. Legislation to accomplish this goal did not pass the General Assembly in the Special Session in April. A bill introduced by Youngkin did not make it out of either the House of Delegates Appropriations Committee or the Senate Finance Committee. Another amendment would make it a class 6 felony to picket at the residence of a judge, juror, witness, or court officer. The amendments cover both the current fiscal year and the next one that begins in two weeks, so financial amounts listed below are split over the biennium. These include:Two full time positions to support the Lieutenant Governor An additional $300,000 in salary increases for staff in the Office of the Attorney General$300,000 in state funds to the Virginia Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services to add staff to expand inspections for new meat processing facilities An additional $3 million for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority An additional $4 million to expand the Early Reading Specialists program to schools that rank lowest in performanceThe redirecting of $5 million in financial aid assistance to students at Norfolk State University and Virginia State UniversityTwo million in additional funding for an Innovation Center to be built an a historically Black College of University as well as another four million over two years for increased security at all of the Commonwealth’s HBCU’s. Four million in funds would be redirected to support the University of Virginia’s Program on Constitutionalism and DemocracyThere’s $160,000 going to the Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University to “research ways to increase opportunities for K-12 students”Two million over two years for the Hampton Roads Proton Beam Therapy Institute at Hampton University $2.35 million in each year to hire 36 security guards at state-operated mental health treatment centersAnother $200,000 would go to the families of the security officers killed at Bridgewater College earlier this yearan appropriation of $50,000 would be made to prepare more prison beds for those arrested for picketing at a judge’s house There are also new policies that have been introduced into the budget.All public universities will have to demonstrate an “official commitment and set of policies and practices to support freedom of expression and inquiry, free speech, academic freedom, and diversity of thought.”The University of Virginia at Wise is authorized to offer graduate programs All state funding for any abortion-related service would be prohibited unless required by federal lawBail would be waived for certain criminal offensesParticipation in the new Community Lab School program would be expandedYoungkin made three amendments to HB29 which is known as the caboose bill as it looks back at previous budgets including the current fiscal year. These include a $26.5 million increase in revenue for FY22 and a $15 million for site preparation work in Richmond in an account called the Property Analytics Firm Infrastructure Fund. VDACS to expand Spotted Lanternfly quarantine to Charlottesville areaThe state entity that oversees management of invasive species will expand a quarantine on the movement of certain products to help slow the spread of the Spotted Lanternfly. The Virginia Department of Consumer and Agricultural Services has sent a letter to localities including Albemarle and Charlottesville notifying them of the new rules. “The Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine requires a permit to ensure that businesses are taking steps to guarantee regulated articles are free from spotted lanternfly,” reads a June 15 letter from David Gianino, the program manager for the Office of Plant Industry Services. “To obtain a spotted lanternfly permit, completion of an online training course is required and businesses must then apply for the permit with VDACS.”According to the letter, the spotted lanternfly is known to feed on “grapes, peaches, apples, maples, walnuts, hops, cucumbers, and basil.” The insect was spotted in Frederick County in January 2018 and a quarantine has been in place there, Clarke County, Warren County, and the city of Winchester. However, surveys conducted by VDACS indicate the bugs have been found in the cities of Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, Manassas, Staunton, Waynesboro and the counties of Albemarle, Augusta, Carroll, Page, Prince William, Rockingham, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, and Wythe. A wide range of materials are regulated including live or dead trees, lumber, vegetation, shipping containers, outdoor construction materials, equipment trucks, recreational vehicles, and more. A complete list is available in that letter. Information on how to get a permit is available on the VDACS website.Albemarle County Supervisors were briefed on the spotted lanternfly back in February, as reported here. Board of Zoning Appeals upholds city zoning in Wawa Officials with Tiger Fuel attempted yesterday to overturn a decision by the city’s zoning administrator that affects the future layout of a proposed Wawa on Fifth Street Extended. This one gets a little technical. “The applicant contends that the prescribed front setback for gas stations in Section 34-931(h) of the zoning ordinance are more lenient than the front setbacks for structures in the Highway Zoning district,” said Genevieve Keller, the chair of the Board of Zoning Appeals. Keller said that Tiger Fuel believed Zoning Administrator Read Brodhead should have used Section 34-738 instead. Tiger operates a convenience store immediately to the south. The details are way above most people.“It’s a little complicated, I know,” Brodhead said. Gordon Sutton, president of Tiger Fuel, tried to simplify the argument.“We are asking you to determine which of the two standards is more restrictive,” Sutton said. “The Highway Commercial regulations or the gas station regulations.” Sutton said the highway commercial zonings should apply, and he said his company has had to work under those rules in the past. Attorney Valerie Long with Williams Mullen represented the property owner, RBD Bent Creek LLC. “Virginia code specifically provides that the Board is to presume that Mr. Brodhead’s determination is correct and that the appellant, Tiger Fuel, has the burden of proof of proving otherwise,” Long said. Long said their scope of review was solely whether Brodhead was correct.“This is not the appropriate venue for a business owner to be attempting to stifle competition from a prospective business owner or property owner,” Long said. Long said the zoning rules for gas stations are written specifically to safely govern such a use, and that Tiger Fuel’s interpretation was not germane. After a public hearing and brief discussion, the BZA voted unanimously to uphold Brodhead’s determination. Albemarle County Service Authority officials: No PFAS in municipal drinking waterOn Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued non-binding health advisories on the presence of certain chemicals that do not break down. Yesterday, the environmental compliance specialist for the Albemarle County Service Authority told that entity’s Board of Directors that the municipal water supply is set up to filter out per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. But first, Tim Brown explained there are thousands of different chemical combinations that were created to make products that are water-resistant, heat-resistant, and grease-resistant. “Every chemical is distinct by the fact that the element fluorine is a component of the chemical, and the carbon-fluorine chemical bond is a very very strong one,” Brown said. “What does that mean? It means this chemicals do not break down in the environment.”Brown said health risks include liver failure, hormone imbalances, cancers, and suppression of immune systems.“A lot of nasties in there potentially,” Brown said. The EPA is currently promulgating new regulations to require monitoring and to seek to lower the acceptable level of PFAS compounds to near zero. “It was almost borderline startling information,” Brown said. Brown said the current acceptable standard is around 70 parts per trillion for PFAS and the new regulations could take that down. “Now going down into the fractions of parts per trillion which is in essence at the parts per quadrillion level,” Brown said. Brown said one issue will be that current test equipment may not be able to detect those levels. He said he felt the EPA advisories are intended to signal water producers across the country to take the issue seriously. He said the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority have been testing for PFAS twice a year since 2019. “Eighteen PFAS compounds were tested at all six of our treatment plants, both in the raw water and in the finished or treated water,” Brown said. “There were zero detections.” Brown said the new standards will be announced in September to be effective in the fall of 2023. He said the ACSA and the RWSA will continue to monitor the situation. Second shout-out goes to Camp AlbemarleToday’s second subscriber-supported public service announcement goes out to Camp Albemarle, which has for sixty years been a “wholesome rural, rustic and restful site for youth activities, church groups, civic events and occasional private programs.”Located on 14 acres on the banks of the Moorman’s River near Free Union, Camp Albemarle continues as a legacy of being a Civilian Conservation Corps project that sought to promote the importance of rural activities. Camp Albemarle seeks support for a plan to winterize the Hamner Lodge, a structure built in 1941 by the CCC and used by every 4th and 5th grade student in Charlottesville and Albemarle for the study of ecology for over 20 years. If this campaign is successful, Camp Albemarle could operate year-round. Consider your support by visiting campalbemarleva.org/donate. Brackney sues the city of Charlottesville, other partiesFormer Charlottesville Police Chief RaShall Brackney has filed a lawsuit in federal court against multiple parties alleging that, among other things, the city of Charlottesville acted unlawfully when former City Manager Chip Boyles fired her last September 1. She’s seeking ten million dollar in damages. (read the suit and its exhibits)In addition to Boyles, Brackney’s complaint in the Western District of Virginia also includes: former city Communications Director Brian Wheeler; city attorney Lisa Robertson; acting police chief Latroy “Tito” Durrette; former assistant police chief James Mooney; current Councilors Sena Magill and Lloyd Snook, former Councilor Heather Hill, and former Police Civilian Review Board chair Bellamy Brown. She also named Mike Wells of the Police Benevolent Association as a defendant. The suit builds on a claim filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission soon after she was fired by Boyles. In a series of facts, the complaint seeks to establish that Brackney was hired in June 2018 to “bring empathy, community-oriented training, and years of law enforcement methodology to the table” following distrust after two specific incidents in the summer of 2017. “As Chief of Police, Dr. Brackney’s priority was to stabilize [Charlottesville Police Department] by building rapport with its employees, whilst simultaneously empowering them to challenge their personal assumptions, regarding policing in the 21st Century,”  reads paragraph 31. As part of that work, Brackney collected data on all divisions of the Police Department and according to the complaint concluded that members of several of them including the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team were not up to the task. “Assignments were not based on strengths, but decades-old, archaic practices such as nepotism, favoritism, genderism, and racism,” reads paragraph 36. The complaint describes Brackney’s attempts to reform, such as converting four positions to civilians rather than sworn in officers. One of these was the public information officer. More trainings sessions were to be held, as well as taking minutes at department meetings.“These actions angered those who resented having a Black female at the helm of a police department, particularly one in the South with a conservative undercurrent,” reads paragraph 47. On June 3, 2021, Brackney received an email and video from a community member claiming police conduct by a specific officer and she took action on the complaint. That action included dismantling the SWAT team and firing or suspending officers she found to be involved through a subsequent investigation. In paragraph 61, the complaint states that Bellamy Brown and Mike Wells in early August put together a survey for Charlottesville police officers that Brackney claims was “intentionally negatively worded and targeting Plaintiff as a result of the investigation and disciplinary actions described above.” Paragraph 66 alleges a conspiracy between Brown, Hill, Wells, Snook, Boyles, Mooney and Magill to out Brackney as chief. The next one states that Boyles expressed confidence in Brackney’s leadership on August 26, 2021, as evidenced in a secret audio recording she made of their meeting. Brackney was fired on September 1 and paragraph 76 of the complaint quotes Boyle’s September 3 press release in the first of many iterations used to advance her complaint. “In order to dismantle systemic racism and eliminate police violence and misconduct in Charlottesville, we need a leader who is not only knowledgeable in that work, but is also effective in building collaborative relationships with the community, the department, and the team at City Hall… and [w]hile very good work and progress has been made, I ultimately decided new leadership was required to continue the City’s progress towards building a new climate and culture within the department,” Boyles wrote. The complaint continues to list specific incidents that Brackney considers libel. Paragraph 89 accuses Roberston and Boyles of falsifying documents, and offers that Brackney has secret recordings. Brackney seeks a trial by jury for all of the counts, including one alleging “tortious interference with employment contract.” Another claims unlawful retaliation and another claims that Brackney acted as a whistleblower and another alleges defamation and another claiming business conspiracy that involves Wells, Brown, and the named City Councilors.  Support the program!There’s a lot of information in this installment of this program, which is the 397th edition of the program. About a quarter of you are paying something to help keep Town Crier Productions in business. I have never been a very good salesperson, and won’t overly pitch. But, if you are benefiting from this newsletter and the information in it, please consider some form of support. I am not a nonprofit organization and most of my time is spent in putting the newsletter together, which includes producing the podcast. Supporting the program through a Substack contribution or through Patreon makes it very easy for me to get paid and every single dollar that I get makes me want to work that much harder to serve the community. In just under two years, I’ve produced hundreds of stories that seek to give you information about how decisions are made in our community and in the Commonwealth of Virginia. For more information on all of this, please visit the archive site Information Charlottesville to learn more, including how you too can get a shout-out! Thank you for reading, and please share with those you think might want to learn a few thing or two about what’s happening. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

We are now half of the way through a month that some may consider half way through the year. Many of these observations are arbitrary, but it is definitively June 15, 2022 and this is the equivalent installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement. What shall we learn today? Stay tuned and let me know if you did. On today’s program:The Charlottesville Economic Development Authority learns more about the city’s lease for space the S&P Global building downtown A key document for the third phase of the Cville Plans Together initiative will be released tomorrowA major toy manufacturer is set to open a factory in Chesterfield providing over 1,700 jobsThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issues a warning on “forever chemicals” in drinking waterAnd the Charlottesville Planning Commission recommends a special use permit for 11 homes in the section of the Belmont neighborhood inside a mixed-use urban zoning district First shout-out: The Plant Northern Piedmont Natives Campaign It’s getting very close to the technical end of springtime, and one Patreon subscriber wants you to know the Plant Northern Piedmont Natives Campaign is a grassroots initiative of motivated citizens, volunteers, partner organizations, and local governments who want to promote the use of native plants. Did you know that National Pollinator Week is June 20th-26th this year? There are many ways to celebrate and learn more about our native pollinators, and here's a great one to start with:Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is hosting an in-person/virtual Pollinator Power Symposium on June 23rd, and there is an excellent line up of speakers scheduled for the day! There are plenty of resources on the Plant Northern Piedmont Natives Facebook page, so sign up to be notified of lectures, plant sales, and more! City details terms of S&P Global’s lease for downtown buildingCharlottesville’s Office of Community Solutions continues to review leases the city has with third parties who rent space. Council held a work session on the topic in May and learned that until now there was no central place in city government entrusted with keeping track of leases for about 145,275 square feet of floor space and about 50 acres under ground lease. (view the presentation)One of those buildings is a five-story structure currently occupied by a branch of S&P Global, an international company that does research into economic and business issues. According to the May presentation, the city’s Economic Development Authority takes in $240,000 annually in rent but the property’s market value could be as high as $1.58 million. “The S&P Global building started its life as the National Ground Intelligence Center,” said Chris Engel, the city’s economic development director. “Essentially it was built in the 60’s by the federal government and occupied by the Army.” In the 1990’s, NGIC moved to a larger and more secure location at the Rivanna Station in northern Albemarle County. “At that time the city was concerned about the loss of activity that building created and went and petitioned the federal government and the General Services Administration to have them gift the building to the city,” Engel said. The city entered into a lease with the Economic Development Authority and the EDA offered a 30-year lease to a company that used to be called SNL Financial, which then took the space to consolidate its offices into one place rather than be scattered across multiple locations. A company that would later be renamed S&P Global purchased the company in July 2015 for $2.2 billion. Engel said the EDA’s lease with S&P Global is about two thirds of the way through. “The way the lease is structured is that all the burden is on them to manage the facility and maintain the facility, everything,” Engel said. “We essentially do nothing from a physical standpoint.” Engel said S&P Global has earned upfit credits for about $9 million worth of investments put into the building at the beginning of the lease. “Those credits are nearly running out,” Engel said. “Those credits are nearly running out. They’re not quite all the way run out. They have actually just qualified for about $3.5 million in additional rent credits. They replaced the boilers. They replaced the roof, the chiling system, the elevator system. They added fire protection.”When the credits do run out, Engel said S&P Global will pay closer to market rate. Council will have a further discussion on city-managed leases.Charlottesville’s zoning rewrite is about to enter next phaseOn Thursday, the city will publish a document intended to set the stage for the final portion of the Cville Plans Together initiative.“So this is the diagnostic and approach report,” said James Freas, the city’s director of neighborhood development services. Freas briefed the Charlottesville Planning Commission at the beginning of their meeting on Tuesday. An open house to explain the event will be held on June 27 at the Charlottesville Pavilion, an event for which Freas said the city would validate parking. “We look forward to a lot of conversations with the community, with all of you, and whoever else chooses to show up at that meeting,” Freas said.The new zoning code is expected to make it easier for more dense development in the city. That’s a major goal of the new Comprehensive Plan adopted by Council last November. The zoning rewrite may also offer more guidance for rules and regulations about housing affordability. Direction for that comes from the Affordable Housing Plan adopted by Council in March 2021. “This first report kicks off our three-step process for the zoning rewrite,” Freas said. “As I’ve referred to it before, this is kind of the conceptual plan of the new zoning ordinance and it lays out the ideas. It talks about what we need to do to change our zoning ordinance in order to advance implementation of the affordable housing plan.” A joint meeting of the City Council and the Planning Commission will be held in September to confirm the next steps in writing up the new ordinance. A first draft will be the second step, followed by a review of a final draft next spring. In May, Planning Commissioner Hosea Mitchell got a preview at the closed-door meeting of the Land Use and Environmental Planning Committee that consists of top planning staff from Albemarle, Charlottesville, and the University of Virginia. “The rewrite of our code is not form-based code but as Mr. Freas mentioned a couple of times, it does contain form-based elements,” Mitchell said.In general, form-based code refers to a series of rules and regulations to govern building envelopes. We’ll hear much more about these details as the conversation continues. Meanwhile, there is an active lawsuit in Charlottesville Circuit Court against the City Council for adopting the Comprehensive Plan. Among other things, that suit argues that the city failed to provide a transportation plan. There’s a hearing on July 15 on a motion to force the plaintiffs to identify themselves, followed by another hearing on August 26.See also:Anonymous group of city property owners files suit against Comprehensive Plan adoption, January 12, 2022Charlottesville served with suit against the Comprehensive Plan, March 20, 2022City responds to Comprehensive Plan lawsuit, April 12, 2022Charlottesville zoning info slightly delayed, May 13, 2022Environmental Protection Agency sounds warning about PFAS in drinking waterThe United States Environmental Protection Agency today has issued four advisories on the potential for “forever chemicals” in water supplies. The term PFAS covers per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances which are used in the manufacture of many products people use every day such as non-stick cookware, food packaging, electronics, and more. These substances do not break down and can accumulate in the human body and blood over many years and have been linked to cancer and diseases that affect the immune system. The four advisories are for specific substances.“The updated advisory levels [for PFOA and PFOS], which are based on new science and consider lifetime exposure, indicate that some negative health effects may occur with concentrations of PFOA or PFOS in water that are near zero and below EPA’s ability to detect at this time,” reads a press release announcing the steps. “The lower the level of PFOA and PFOS, the lower the risk to public health.”This fall, the EPA will issue new regulations on drinking water related to PFAS. There’s also $1 billion in funding for states and localities to install equipment in drinking water supplies to filter out the substances. The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority has applied for a $21 million grant to remove the contaminants by upgrading filtration systems, according to the May agenda. Youngkin announces LEGO factory in ChesterfieldWill everything be awesome in Chesterfield County’s near future? Governor Glenn Youngkin has announced that the LEGO Group will open a 1.7 million square foot manufacturing plant in Chesterfield County’s Meadowville Technology Park.“This transformational project will create more than 1,760 jobs and bolster Virginia's manufacturing industry, which continues its renaissance with major investments by high-caliber corporate partners like the LEGO Group,” Youngkin is quoted in a news release. The $1 billion investment is spurred by $56 million from the state’s Major Employment and Investment Project grant program. Such a fund has been established by the General Assembly  and that figure depends on LEGO providing every one of those jobs. There’s also another potential for $19 million in state funding for site development costs that will require approval by the legislature. The LEGO Company was founded in 1932 and remains a family run company headquartered in Denmark. Their primary product is plastic construction blocks. “These cherished play experiences are being made in factories across the world, keeping up with the continuously high demand and soon they’ll be manufactured right here in Virginia,” says the narrator of an announcement on a new website for people who’d like to work thereApplications for positions will be taken later this year and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership will use the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program to recruit potential applicants. Second shout-out is for LEAP’s new Thermalize Virginia program In today’s second Patreon-fueled shout-out: Have you been thinking of converting your fossil-fuel appliances and furnaces into something that will help the community reduce its greenhouse gas emissions? Your local energy nonprofit, LEAP,  has launched a new program to guide you through the steps toward electrifying your home. Thermalize Virginia will help you understand electrification and connect you with vetted contractors to get the work done and help you find any rebates or discounts. Visit thermalizeva.org to learn more and to sign up!  Planning Commission recommends approval of 11 units at 1000 Monticello Road The Charlottesville Planning Commission has recommended approval of a special use permit for additional density at 1000 Monticello Road in the Belmont neighborhood that would allow for 11 units and a small commercial space on the ground floor.A split City Council denied a similar permit in February 2021 with the majority expressing concern about adverse impacts on the neighborhood. At the time, five of the units were being proffered as affordable to households and individuals whose incomes at around 65 percent of the area’s median. This time around, two additional units would be restricted to tenants at 80 percent of the area median income. Neither is required by existing city code.“This project does not trip the standard in Section 34-12 of our zoning ordinance, the requirement for affordable housing, so this condition is offered by the applicant above and beyond what is required under our code,” said city planner Brian Haluska. The property in question already has an apartment building with 23 units that was purchased by Core Real Estate and Development in January 2018 and then sold to Piedmont Realty Holdings a year later. The special use permit is required for additional residential units on the 0.81 acre property. An existing curb cut into a parking lot would be removed. “The proposed new building footprint, which will house 11 units and a small commercial tenant space, is proposed directly adjacent to the existing building fronting along Monticello Road,” said Kelsey Schlein with Shimp Engineering.  (view the presentation)Schlein said the project has been brought back because Council adopted both an Affordable Housing Plan and a Comprehensive Plan that calls for more housing. “The purpose of the land use section of the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Plan states that ‘land use policies shape where housing is located, what housing looks like, and how much housing is built,’” Schlein said. Schlein said in this case, the developer would not be seeking any city funds to help subsidize the development. She added the site is within walking distance to eight bus stops, is an example of infill development. The length of the affordability period is at issue. The developer is offering the below market rates for ten years, but the city wants more.“I think a 30 year period would be more in  line with city policy and then also the lack of mention of a willingness to accept vouchers,” said Alex Ikefuna, the interim director of the Office of Community Solutions. The last time this project was before Charlottesville officials, there were several speakers who argued the special use permit should be denied because the rents at 1000 Monticello Road were increased. Schein said the current owner should not be punished. “There was a longtime owner, and then there was a short-term owner, and now we have this third owner in place who has been in place since 2018,” Schlein said. “During the short-term owner… I believe 11 of the units had already gone to a rental rate that somewhat more of a market rate.” Schlein said there are six tenants left at 1000 Monticello Road who are renting below market rate. She said the project would take federal housing vouchers. She said she knows the city would like to see longer terms, but her interpretation of the Affordable Housing Plan is that those would be triggered by the acceptance of public funds. “When an applicant utilizes city funds, there should be a standard by which they adhere to,” Schlein said. “In this case, ten years is what we can commit to on this project.” Councilor Michael Payne voted against the proposal the first time and said he wanted it to be known that Piedmont Holding has displaced some of the former owners. Only one person spoke at the public hearing. Brandon Collins worked for the Public Housing Association of Residents when this permit was last before the city. He now works for a government entity but last night he said he was speaking for himself. “As it stands I’m going to ask you to deny this special use permit for this property,” Collins said. “A special use permit is going outside of your existing rules. The property is already outside of your existing rules and in order to do so you have to show that there’s a benefit to the community and that there’s not a negative impact on the community and I think it’s really crass to hear the development team talk about their commitment to affordable housing and affordable housing crisis when this exact property has contributed to the crisis in Charlottesville when it comes to affordability.” However, the Commission recommended approval. “I do think it is a good infill proposal,” said Commissioner Karim Habbab. “I do like the commercial. I think something creative can happen there to extend that Downtown Belmont feeling.” “I’m of the opinion that this is a good project,” said Commissioner Rory Stolzenberg. “Certainly if you look at it in a vacuum ignoring the site its possibly the best possible project you can imagine. It’s replacing a redundant driveway and curb cut with 11 units of housing, seven of which are affordable.” Stolzenberg pointed out that Council is not permitted by law to consider previous actions by previous owners, or the current one, as it considers the permit. “If we’re denying those homes as punishment to the property owner, when does that punishment end?” Stolzenberg asked. The Council recommended the special use permit on a 5-1 vote with Commissioner Jody Lahendro voting no and Commissioner Taneia Dowell not present. Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Ting will match your initial payment! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

There are two weeks left before the next solstice, with fourteen more days of the sun springing above the horizon just a little bit higher each sunrise before the march to fall begins once more. I will not mention that other season for I know that may trouble some readers and listeners. It is June 7, 2022, and this is the matching installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement. I’m Sean Tubbs, planning for a summer of content.  Sign up for free, but if you opt to help support the work with a paid subscription, Ting will match your initial payment! On today’s program:A panel of federal judges has dismissed a lawsuit seeking an election for the House of Delegates this yearThe Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority turns 50 today, and both Albemarle and Charlottesville have agreed to extend its existenceVarious updates from Charlottesville City Manager Rogers, as well as an update on why consideration of a seven-story building on Jefferson Park Avenue has been delayedFirst shout-out to Camp AlbemarleToday’s first subscriber-supported public service announcement goes out to Camp Albemarle, which has for sixty years been a “wholesome rural, rustic and restful site for youth activities, church groups, civic events and occasional private programs.”Located on 14 acres on the banks of the Moorman’s River near Free Union, Camp Albemarle continues as a legacy of being a Civilian Conservation Corps project that sought to promote the importance of rural activities. Camp Albemarle seeks support for a plan to winterize the Hamner Lodge, a structure built in 1941 by the CCC and used by every 4th and 5th grade student in Charlottesville and Albemarle for the study of ecology for over 20 years. If this campaign is successful, Camp Albemarle could operate year-round. Consider your support by visiting campalbemarleva.org/donate. Federal judges dismiss Goldman’s lawsuit seeking 2022 House of Delegates electionThere are 518 days until the next time voters will decide on who will sit in the Virginia House of Delegates. That’s a year later than the 154 days that Richmond attorney Paul Goldman had wanted, but a panel of three federal judges have ruled that he did not have standing to bring the lawsuit either as a voter or a potential candidate. (read the opinion)In his original complaint filed June 28 of last year, Goldman alleged that the legislative boundaries at the time of the 2021 House of Delegates elections scheduled for that November would be in violation of the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution. He argued the population of some districts were much larger than others due to the outdated districts.The case made its way up to the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals before being sent back to the lower court this past March. Attorneys for the state filed a motion to dismiss the case on April 1, 2022, and yesterday’s opinion granted their request.“The current Motion to Dismiss follows a convoluted, months-long procedural history involving multiple complaints, motions to dismiss, motions to intervene, various hearings, as well as the appointment of a three-judge court and an interlocutory appeal to the Fourth Circuit of Appeals on sovereign immunity,” reads the introduction to the opinion. The opinion is also a history of the delays experienced by the U.S. Census Bureau in delivering data from the 2020 count due to pandemic-related issues as well as the failure of the bipartisan Virginia Redistricting Commission to reach consensus last October. The opinion notes that Goldman opted to not file paperwork to actually run in 2021, and notes Goldman resisted proving that he even voted that year. That means he could not prove he personally suffered an “injury” that would grant him the right to sue. “Plaintiff bears the burden of proving that he has standing, but he has not properly supported his assertion that he voted in November 2021,” the opinion continues. “If Plaintiff did not vote in November 2021, he lacks standing, as he cannot claim injury to a right that he voluntarily failed to exercise.” Goldman later did file an affidavit stating he did vote, but the opinion notes this was filed improperly. Still, the ruling goes on to state Goldman had not sufficiently explained why he was personally disadvantaged by voting in 2021 in the older district. “Virginia has 100 House of Delegates districts, making the ideal district population 86,314,” Judge Novak writes in the opinion. “Plaintiff’s House of Delegates District, District 68, had an adjusted population of 85,344.” The case is now closed, according to the order, with no possibility of appeal. City Manager report: Utility disconnections, city leases, building permits, and more One innovation to come with the tenure of interim City Manager Michael C. Rogers is a written report that is produced once a month to address items that come up at City Council.  He also read from the report at the beginning of last night’s meeting and provided an update on the city’s current pause on issuing new building permits. No new inspections or permits will take place through June 13. (read the report)“We have made multiple offers for a new building official and have to restart the process again with the most recent candidate changing their mind about relocating here at the last minute after we thought they accepted the position,” Rogers said. “We had previously contracted with a firm to help us with the inspections to offset our shortage. The two employees signed by that firm also left us recently so we are scrambling to catch up.”In his written report, Rogers said the city is working with the University of Virginia on a solution. Rogers also said an award should be made soon for a firm to help the city write a collective bargaining ordinance and that should be before Council in September with a draft ready in August. The interim city manager also reported that the city has been once again awarded a AAA bond rating from both S&P and Moody’s. A $26 million sale of bonds to fund capital projects is expected to be made today. Council also got an update on the city’s resumption in April of disconnecting utility customers for non-payment. A moratorium was in place for nearly two years due to the pandemic. “The utility billing office notified 282 accounts of pending disconnections by hanging cards on their doors,” said Deputy City Manager Ashley Marshall. “To date, 246 of those accounts have made payment arrangements.” The written report contains several other pieces of information that touch on previous stories:The June 21 Council work session will resume the discussion of city-owned properties and whether the city is getting the most out of current arrangementsA request for proposals for $178,394 in remaining Community Development Block Grants will be released this week Final design of a parking and pedestrian access for the Dogwood Memorial in McIntire Park has been reviewed and a budget and scope of work is being drafted, as well as a fundraising plan Rogers’ employment by the city is through a contract with the Robert Bobb Group, and Council extended that contract until the end of this year. Council action on seven-story building on Jefferson Park Avenue delayedCharlottesville City Council had been expected to consider a special use permit for a seven-story building on Jefferson Park Avenue  at their meeting last night, but the item was delayed until a further meeting. The Planning Commission voted 4-3 on May 10 to recommend approval, with some members expressing concerns about the massing and scale of the project. Mayor Lloyd Snook addressed the delay. “There were a number of issues raised at the Planning Commission and the approval that the Planning Commission gave was in some ways was conditioned upon ‘you all go figure ways to moderate this, to mitigate some of the harmful effects of the way it was appearing to be so massive and so on,” Snook said. Snook said the Department of Neighborhood Development Services requested more time to work on the proposal before it gets to City Council. The item will be rescheduled. Second shout-out goes to a Livable Cville eventIn today’s first subscriber supported shout-out, Livable Cville wants you to know about an online presentation coming up on June 7. The Community Climate Collaborative and Livable Cville are presenting a talk on what they consider Climate-Smart Zoning. Executive Director Susan Kruse and Director of Climate Policy Caetano de Campos Lopes will be the presenters. This is happening on Tuesday, June 7, from 5:30 p.m to 6:30 p.m. Sign up for the free event on EventBrite. Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority will get to turn 100Fifty years ago today, the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority was incorporated as a public body, pursuant to what was known as the Virginia Water and Sewer Authorities Act. The body was created at the request of both Charlottesville and Albemarle County. “That was for the purpose of managing our reservoirs and dams, our public drinking water, treating that and distributing it, and also treating our sewage,” said Lance Stewart, the director of Facilities and Environmental Services for Albemarle County. Under the terms of the incorporation, a term limit of 50 years was imposed but extension could be granted if its member bodies pass resolutions to allow it to continue. Bill Mawyer has been the RWSA’s executive director for the past five years and he appeared before both bodies in the past week to make the case for continued existence.“Our staff works very hard to diligently, professionally, and economically provide water for the greater region of the city and the county, including Crozet, Scottsville, in Red Hill we have a small system,” Mawyer said. “We operate and manage six water supply reservoirs, five water treatment plants, and four wastewater plants.” No one spoke at the public hearing in Albemarle and the resolution passed. Last night, it was City Council’s turn, but before that public hearing, City Council Clerk Kyna Thomas read the consent agenda which included this item:“Approving the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority northern area projects allocation agreement, one reading,” Thomas said. Consent agenda items are resolutions that are not controversial for which a public conversation isn’t deemed necessary. Capital projects are paid for by ratepayers and each locality pays a share. In this case, the agreement lays out that the Albemarle County Service Authority will pay the full costs of new service to increase capacity in the area north of Hollymead Town Center, with the exception of a future storage tank that will hold one million gallons. By the terms of the agreement, the city will pay ten percent of that project because it adds to the system’s overall capacity. The city will pay 48 percent of the $2.425 million cost to decommission a water treatment plant on the North Fork of the Rivanna River. After holding a public hearing on rates for water, wastewater, and natural gas, it was time for Council to adopt their resolution extending the existence of the RWSA. “It’s been 50 years, it expires tomorrow, and so this action is placed here for renewal,” Rogers said. No one spoke at City Council’s public hearing, either, and Council concurred with Supervisors to keep the RWSA in business. The RWSA next meets on June 28. Did you learn something new? I learned something new writing it. Share this post with others to keep the learning going! Town Crier Productions has a sponsorship thing with Ting!For over a year one year now, Town Crier Productions has had a promotional offering through Ting!Are you interested in fast internet? Visit this site and enter your address to see if you can get service through Ting. If you decide to proceed to make the switch, you’ll get:Free installationSecond month of Ting service for freeA $75 gift card to the Downtown MallAdditionally, Ting will match your Substack subscription to support Town Crier Productions, the company that produces this newsletter and other community offerings. So, your $5 a month subscription yields $5 for TCP. Your $50 a year subscription yields $50 for TCP! The same goes for a $200 a year subscription! All goes to cover the costs of getting this newsletter out as often as possible. Learn more here! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

On this day in 1890, Idaho became the 43rd member of the United States of America, a fact that may not have resonance but could be the important piece of information you hear today. This is doubtful, but we are only at the very beginning of this installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a program that contains between two and two-hundred-and two facts per newsletters or podcast. Actual amounts may vary by consumer. I’m your host, Sean Tubbs. Sign up for free to get all of the information!On today’s program:A site plan will be held tomorrow for a large condominium complex on land in Belmont that’s been used for automotive repair It’s the 68th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, and the R.R. Moton School in Farmville is now an officially designated historic site Albemarle County’s Climate Action Coordinator talks Climate Action with the Crozet Community Advisory CommitteeAlbemarle Supervisors to vote on resolution to allow reintroduction of a freshwater mollusk to area rivers Time is running out to inform surveys for climate action planning in Charlottesville First shout-out: Charlottesville Jazz Society spotlighting benefit show for UkraineIn today’s first subscriber supported shout-out. The Charlottesville Jazz Society is spotlighting a benefit event to support the people of Ukraine at the Whiskey Jar this Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Young jazz students near the besieged city of Mariupol sent guitarist Royce Campbell a plea to help, and several area musicians have jumped into action. Vocalist Monica Worth has organized the event, and Campbell will play for Ukraine with bassist Andre La Vell and drummer Jim Howe. Many of Charlottesville’s best jazz musicians will sit in. Donations will be collected and sent to Global Giving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, and you can also go ahead and support this effort with a payment online. That’s We Play for Ukraine at the Whiskey Jar this Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. City climate actions surveys closing this FridayThe city of Charlottesville is working on a Climate Action Plan to guide decisions on funding and resources for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the community. Charlottesville and Albemarle County both have agreed to meet certain reduction targets by 2030 and to be carbon-free by 2050. A pair of surveys has been live since April 20, but the deadline to participate is coming up this Friday. The first seeks input on how you think greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced and there have been over 160 responses so far. (survey #1)The second wants your thoughts on what issues are faced by vulnerable populations when it comes to the top three climate hazards identified by staff. They are extreme heat, increased intensity of precipitation and flooding, and changing season conditions. This survey is five pages long. (survey #2)To learn more, there are five Climate Action Fact Sheets on the city’s website.Site plan review meeting for Belmont infill residential scheduled for tomorrowAs Charlottesville continues to change under the impact of a new Comprehensive Plan that encourages more residential density, there are still some examples of projects that could build to higher density under existing zoning.One such example comes up tomorrow at a site plan review conference that will be held virtually at 10 a.m. by the city’s Neighborhood Development Services Department. (meeting info)An entity with the name Belmont & Carlton Holdings LLC owns 16 parcels in the area, with one of them being a 2.58 acre parcel purchased in February 2006 upon which an automotive repair use has been on the property for many years. All of the land is zoned Neighborhood Commercial Center, which is the reason there are commercial uses in what some refer to as downtown Belmont. Now, that entity seeks to develop a portion of nearly 6.2 acres of their property and they need a critical slopes waiver to do it. “The applicant is looking to construct 118 multi-family condominiums and 12 single-family attached townhouses,” reads a supplement for the site plan review related to the critical slopes waiver. “The site includes existing city right of way that will be improved with the project for the development of the street grid and proposed neighborhood.”As part of the development, the applicant is seeking to designate eight of the units as affordable and argue that is why the slopes waiver should be granted. Of the total site, 14.31 percent are defined as critical slopes. To mitigate the impact, the applicant will build a stormwater management facility to reduce the impact to the watershed. In addition to the site plan review meeting, the critical slopes waiver will need to come through the Planning Commission and the City Council. Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education ruling todayToday marks the 68th anniversary of the ruling in the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case which struck down the legal doctrine of “separate but equal” that sanctioned and required schools to be segregated. This anniversary marks the first time the U.S. Park Service has extended official recognition to other sites in other communities across the country that played a role in the Brown v. Board ruling. One of them is Farmville, where students at the R.R. Moton High School walked out on April 23, 1951 to protest inferior conditions and a pattern of being denied funds for improvements. A month later a lawsuit was filed by NAACP lawyers Spottswood Robinson and Oliver Hill and the case Davis v. County School Board was consolidated with four other cases on appeal to the Supreme Court. To learn more about the ruling and about how the ruling eventually led to the five-year closing of all public schools in Prince Edward County, visit the R.R. Moton Museum’s website or its Facebook page. Last week, President Joe Biden signed into law the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Park Expansion and Redesignation Act which officially designates the R.R. Moton Museum as a National Historic Site. Learn more in a press release on the R.R. Moton website. Second shout-out goes to Camp AlbemarleToday’s second subscriber-supported public service announcement goes out to Camp Albemarle, which has for sixty years been a “wholesome rural, rustic and restful site for youth activities, church groups, civic events and occasional private programs.”Located on 14 acres on the banks of the Moorman’s River near Free Union, Camp Albemarle continues as a legacy of being a Civilian Conservation Corps project that sought to promote the importance of rural activities. Camp Albemarle seeks support for a plan to winterize the Hamner Lodge, a structure built in 1941 by the CCC and used by every 4th and 5th grade student in Charlottesville and Albemarle for the study of ecology for over 20 years. If this campaign is successful, Camp Albemarle could operate year-round. Consider your support by visiting campalbemarleva.org/donate. Albemarle Supervisors to be asked to support reintroduction of James Spineymussel The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is working on a plan to restore an endangered freshwater mollusk back into the James River watershed from which it has perished. On Wednesday, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors will vote on a resolution giving their support to efforts to introduce the James Spineymussel into the Rivanna River as well as the James River. “Existing JSM populations have been augmented in six streams in Amherst, Bath, Buckingham, Botetourt, and Nelson Counties, but to truly recover this endangered species, the mussel also needs to be reintroduced to waterbodies from which it has been lost,” reads the staff report.According to a staff report, there are over 300 species of freshwater mussels and many of them are located in the southeastern United States. They provide filtering of water with each individual able to process as many as 12 gallons a day in a single day. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources have been working on a recovery plan for decades and have raised James Spineymussel at the Virginia Fisheries and Aquatic Wildlife Center at the Harrison Lake National Hatchery. The species has been on the federal endangered list since July 22, 1988. The sighting of James Spineymussel has been enough to stop infrastructure projects in the past. At one point, the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority was considering a reservoir in northwestern Albemarle County, but the potential presence of the James Spineymussel eliminated that from further consideration. Albemarle CACs are being briefed on county’s climate action implementationThe Albemarle Board of Supervisors adopted a Climate Action Plan in October 2020 to help guide the county’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent of a baseline by the year 2030. That’s the first step before a second goal to be carbon neutral by 2050 and the baseline is derived from the year 2008. Albemarle Climate Program Coordinator Gabe Dayley began his journey through the county advisory panels by asking the Crozet Community Advisory Committee what their first thoughts are when thinking about climate action and what he might have as an update. (review Dayley’s presentation)“I’ll jump in because I hope that I will hear some real substantive things that we’re going to do and not just talk about them,” said Supervisor Ann Mallek. Another CAC member said he’s noticed temperature changed over the decades. Kostas Alibertis has been in Crozet since the 1980’s. “Truly in the winter time we used to be a lot cooler than Charlottesville and now our temperature seems to be more comparable to Charlottesville,” Alibertis said. “I think that some of the growth has taken away some of the coverage, the greenery and the grass, and that’s led to the community being a little warmer. Maybe I’m completely wrong about that, but how do we address what we’ve lost?” There are some new members of the Crozet CAC and this was the first for Mallory DeCoster.“I feel excited that this is a topic because this is my first meeting and I joined this group because I care about the environmental issues particularly in this county,” DeCoster said. Another new member is local Realtor Jim Duncan, who said more needs to be done about getting infrastructure built to get people out of their cars. “Climate change is a real legitimate thing but I don’t know what the viable action items are that the CAC can voice our opinion on,” Duncan said. The Climate Action Plan was adopted prior to the review of the Albemarle Comprehensive Plan which is currently underway. Dayley said the overarching Comprehensive Plan that will be adopted will be influenced by the climate plan as well as efforts to include equity as a major consideration in future county decisions.  He also said there’s a lot of work to be done.“Climate change is big and can feel overwhelming and I think sometimes in professional spaces, policy spaces, local government, and science we can shy away from that side of things,” Dayley said. “But the number two point is that there is research showing that actually kind of like acknowledging our reaction whatever it might be to climate change might move us to effective actions.”Dayley said everyone can take actions to be part of the solutions to meet community targets. Dayley said CACs can play a role in communicating back to the public what the county and its partners are doing.There are four themes to Albemarle’s Climate Action Plan that mirror the county’s adopted missions and values. “Through our efforts to address global climate change we also want to attend to our local health of people and place here, benefiting the local economy through our climate action,” Dayley said. “Also the local environment and thinking about some of our intersecting county priorities like clean water and biodiversity and then making sure the work that we do and the services we offer to folks are equitable and inclusive in how they involve people in the community and bring benefits.”The plan itself has 135 action areas to reduce emissions for each of the sources including transportation, land use, building energy use, sustainable materials, renewable energy sources, agricultural and natural resources and more. The most recent inventory of greenhouse gas emissions dates back to 2018 and another one is underway now that will give a glimpse into 2020. In September, the Board of Supervisors was told more work needs to be done to meet the 2030 targets. (read previous coverage)Dayley said for the county, climate action means things like transitioning to an electric fleet and continuing to make county buildings more efficient. “We’re also looking at how the county manages landscapes it owns and that includes things like parks and natural areas as well as school grounds,” Dayley said. “We’re soon going to be looking at also our procurement and the sustainability of the materials that we procure like plastics and paper and things like that.”A second phase for the climate action plan will be on adaptation and mitigation and to prepare for impacts. The results of a climate vulnerability and risk assessment will be available for review in the coming months. As Albemarle reviews its Comprehensive Plan and the growth management policy, Dayley said one idea is to continue to build places to live that are more dense to support public transit. Study and analysis by county staff demonstrates the role that conservation of existing ecological resources can play.“They found that our forests are helping us quite a lot,” Dayley said. “They are sequestering and drawing down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, almost a million carbon dioxide metric tons a year.”I’ll have from other CAC presentations in future installments of Charlottesville Community Engagement. At publication time, there are 12 views of this meeting on YouTube. Can we make that 24 in 24 hours time?Help Ting help support Town Crier productions!For one year now, Town Crier Productions has had a promotional offering through Ting!Are you interested in fast internet? Visit this site and enter your address to see if you can get service through Ting. If you decide to proceed to make the switch, you’ll get:Free installationSecond month of Ting service for freeA $75 gift card to the Downtown MallAdditionally, Ting will match your Substack subscription to support Town Crier Productions, the company that produces this newsletter and other community offerings. So, your $5 a month subscription yields $5 for TCP. Your $50 a year subscription yields $50 for TCP! The same goes for a $200 a year subscription! All goes to cover the costs of getting this newsletter out as often as possible. Learn more here! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

The final day of the month, and the final day of 2022’s first quarter. A lot has happened so far, and there’s still a lot more to go. Mathematically we are 24.66 percent of the way through the year, and for those who want to take the long view, we are 21.25 percent of the way through the 21st Century. It all adds up in this installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement and I’m your host, Sean Tubbs. Sign-up for free for as much material as I can manage to write! Payment is optional but very much supports continued production!On today’s program:People are warned to not come into contact with water in an urban stream in Charlottesville due to high levels of E. coli bacteriaThe director of the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority is hopeful Crescent Halls can be reopened this year Charlottesville City Council will meet three days in a row beginning with tonight’s budget work sessionThe Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority gets an update on capacity in Albemarle’s northern growth areaFirst Patreon-fueled shout-out goes to the Charlottesville Area Tree StewardsIn today’s first Patreon-fueled Public Service Announcement, the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards are preparing to hold their first in-person tree sale since 2019. On April 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards will open up their tree nursery at the Fontaine Research Park and will sell saplings of native trees, some of which are hard to find from commercial sources for between $5 and $15. There will be large trees from Birch to Sycamore, smaller trees from Blackgum to Witch Hazel, and shrubbery! Visit charlottesvilletreestewards.org to learn more!High bacteria levels in urban streamCharlottesville is warning the public to stay out of Pollocks Branch between Elliott Avenue and Rockland Avenue due to elevated levels of E. coli. Pollocks Branch is a waterway that travels south from downtown Charlottesville and is one of many locations monitored by the Rivanna Conservation Alliance.“E. coli is a type of fecal coliform bacteria and when it is found in water, it is a strong indicator of sewage or animal waste contamination which can cause disease or illness,” reads an announcement from the city. City officials are investigating the situation and advise that no one touches the water. Pollocks Branch runs underground from the Downtown Mall and underneath the Ix Art Park before daylighting at Elliott Avenue where it flows into Moores Creek. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality certifies the Rivanna Conservation Alliance’s monitoring efforts as a Level III which means the data can be used for official scientific purposes. The RCA has been monitoring bacteria since July 2012. Charlottesville City Council to hold retreat this weekendThe Charlottesville City Council will meet in-person for the first time in over two years tomorrow when they convene at CitySpace for a retreat. A limited amount of public spaces are available, but the event can be viewed via Zoom.The two-day retreat will be facilitated by the Virginia Institute of Government, a branch of the Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia. On the agenda is a facilitated discussion of City Council goals and strategies, as well as an item called “Identify and Build Consensus for Priorities and Actions Items.” The retreat begins tomorrow at 4 p.m. and on Saturday at 10 a.m. (Friday meeting info) (Saturday meeting info)Tonight Council will meet at 6 p.m. for a budget work session. Read previous coverage courtesy of this Tweet thread. CHRA Director wants Crescent Halls reopened by AugustOn Monday, the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Board of Directors voted to approve a $12 million budget for the fiscal year that begins tomorrow. They also learned that at least one revenue source for the current fiscal year is coming in much lower than had been anticipated. The CRHA had expected there would be some residents at Crescent Halls while it was renovated, but a flood last summer changed the plan.“There was some knowledge as to what was going to happen but obviously with the flood it created a different wrinkle and deficit,” said Mary Lou Hoffman, CRHA’s finance director. The CRHA had budgeted $291,049 in yearly rent from Crescent Halls but only received $122,745. The building is currently unoccupied as crews work to renovate all apartments. CRHA Executive Director John Sales said the original plan had been to do to the renovation in stages and the budget had expected 70 units would be occupied at all times. “After that we emptied half the building and put them in hotels,” Sales said. However, Sales said insurance would not cover that expense long-term because the units that had been damaged were going to be renovated anyway. “Then we started having the conversation with the residents that were living in the building about the conditions of the building with half of the building being empty, the work that was going on on the other side with the walls being town down, applianced ripped out, and just the morale and how depressing it was living in a building with only four floors occupied and only half of those units occupied,” Sales said. Sales said some residents were moved to other public housing sites and others were given housing vouchers. The CRHA lost revenue not only from rent but from subsidies from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Sales said the project needs to be completed on time. “So I’ve been pushing the contractor that we’re not changing that August date,” Sales said. “We have to make that date work.”Sales said the first phase of South Street also needs to come online on time in order to meet the revenues that HUD officials are expecting. The federal agency considers CRHA to be a troubled agency. When Crescent Halls does come back online, not all of the units will be considered public housing units by HUD. Sales said the units will remain affordable. “At Crescent Halls you’re going to have your traditional public housing units, but then you’re also going to have the project-based voucher units where they will be higher rents but they’ll be subsidized with the voucher,” Sales said. Sales said under the vouchers, tenants would only have to pay thirty percent of their income toward rent.“So we can charge $1,000 for a one-bedroom unit while not impacting what the resident that is living in that unit can actually afford because the voucher is going to subsidize their rent above their 30 percent,” Sales said. “So if they make $1,000, their rent is going to be $300. The voucher would cover the $700.”For the public housing units, the CRHA can only charge what the tenant is able to pay. CRHA Board members also asked City Councilor Michael Payne to ask Council to waive the payment in lieu of tax that CRHA pays to the city each year. Payne said he would bring up the matter at tonight’s budget work session. See also: Public Housing projects move forward after Council talks on CRHA financial sustainability, CCDC property tax liability, October 4, 2022Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority turns 50 this JuneThe government entity responsible for providing drinking water and collecting and treating sewage will officially have to ask the state of Virginia for permission to continue existing. “Authorities are authorized for 50 years and then they have to be reauthorized,” said Bill Mawyer, the executive director of the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority.The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority received its original authorization in June 1972, marking the 50th anniversary of the decision to create an authority to provide basic essentials for a growing urban community. “So a part of our celebration will be submitting resolutions to the Albemarle Board of Supervisors and City Council to reauthorize the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority,” Mawyer said.The RWSA owns and operates facilities that serve the urban ring around Charlottesville as well as Scottsville and Crozet. Mawyer said the Beaver Creek Reservoir has recently been treated to bring down levels of algae. “It is the earliest we’ve seen that we’ve had an algae bloom at any of our reservoirs since our current staff have been around,” Mawyer said. “In the long term, we plan to have a hypolimnetic oxygenation system which is a pipe that goes along the bottom of the reservoir that bubbles air into the water and helps to oxygenate it to minimize the conditions that are conducive to algae blooms.”That pipe will be installed as part of the upgrade of the Beaver Creek Dam scheduled to take place next year. Another major capital project is a proposed waterline to connect drinking water from the Observatory Water Treatment Plant to other portions of the urban water system in Albemarle’s growth areas. Some have expressed concern about the route preferred by staff. RWSA officials have been meeting with neighborhood groups to explain its purpose and to discuss its path through the Fry’s Spring neighborhood along Cherry Avenue, 6th Street NE, and East High Street before connecting to a waterline that serves Pantops. “So the plan is that we’re going to collect all the information and feedback from the neighborhoods, assess it, get any feedback that Council may provide us or the Board of Supervisors and assimilate all that data and come back to the RWSA Board at the June meeting for the final location of the waterline,” Mawyer said. The project has an estimated cost of $31 million and may be further informed by the completion of a master plan for water infrastructure. Second shout-out goes to the JMRL Friends of the Library In today's second Patreon-fueled shout-out! Lovers of used books rejoice! The Friends of the Jefferson Madison Regional Library is back again with their annual Spring Book Sale opening this Saturday through Sunday, April 10! The Friends of the Library sale will once again take place at Albemarle Square Shopping Center from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. There’s a special preview for members tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and there’s still time to volunteer! Visit jmrlfriends.org to learn more! See you there! Planning for additional homes and businesses in northern Albemarle The RWSA Board of Directors were also briefed on whether there is enough capacity in Albemarle’s northern growth area to support additional homes such as at the University of Virginia’s North Fork Discovery park. There are also hundreds of homes coming online at Brookhill, RST Residences, North Fork, and other developments under construction. “What we’re looking at now is that these significant utility demands that are being proposed may force one of two options,” said Jennifer Whitaker, the RWSA’s chief engineer. “One is to accelerate the utility plan or require some phasing so that we don’t have an unmet need in the future.” According to a demand study from July 2020, current demand for the whole system is at 10.4 million gallons a day (MGD) and capacity can provide a safe yield of 12.8 MGD. “Every ten years we try to take a very strong look at what we know as a community about growth and development and use within our community and then we also take a look at what’s going on in our reservoirs,” Whitaker said. “We try to look at how the raw water supply and the finished supply match up.”Whitaker said there is enough water through 2060 as long as several parts of the Community Water Supply Plan are built by 2035. They are construction of a pipeline to connect the South Fork Rivanna and Ragged Mountain Reservoir and the raising of the pool at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir. Northern Albemarle is served by the North Fork Rivanna Water Treatment Plant which Whitaker said can effectively treat one million gallons a day. There’s a demand of about a half million gallons a day. The RWSA is planning to decommission the plant but has to first connect that area to water from the South Fork Rivanna Water Treatment Plant.  “Some of the growth demand at the North Fork Research Park and another northern Albemarle areas, the need has picked up and we’re now looking at that plan and trying to figure out how to sequence it to meet that need,” Whitaker said. Wastewater flows via gravity to the Moores Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and Whitaker said improvements to what’s known as the Powell Creek Interceptor are currently slated for some time between 2045 and 2065. “As we evaluate future growth in this area we’re looking at potentially having to accelerate that as well,” Whitaker said.Whitaker said the RWSA is working with the University of Virginia Foundation and the county as a rezoning for the North Fork park makes its way through the approvals process. They’ve asked for a maximum potential of 1,400 homes there. UVA has announced that some of these units will count toward UVA President Jim Ryan’s goal to build up to 1,500 affordable housing units. “Ultimately we will be able to serve all of it but the question is how quickly will we allow them to bring that online,” Whitaker said. The other two locations for affordable housing are on Fontaine Avenue at the Piedmont housing site as well as Wertland Street. There was no action at the meeting, but certainly a lot to pay attention to into the future.Support Town Crier Productions!Special announcement of a continuing promo with Ting! Are you interested in fast internet? Visit this site and enter your address to see if you can get service through Ting. If you decide to proceed to make the switch, you’ll get:Free installationSecond month of Ting service for freeA $75 gift card to the Downtown MallAdditionally, Ting will match your Substack subscription to support Town Crier Productions, the company that produces this newsletter and other community offerings. So, your $5 a month subscription yields $5 for TCP. Your $50 a year subscription yields $50 for TCP! The same goes for a $200 a year subscription! All goes to cover the costs of getting this newsletter out as often as possible. Learn more here! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

It’s the fifth of Tuesday of the month, and what does that signify to you? For me, it’s a rare pause of sorts that allows me to catch up with items I’ve not been able to write about just yet. That’s the general theme of this installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement. I’m your host Sean Tubbs, grateful for the opportunity to bring you as much information as I can in newsletter and sonic form.Surely you know someone who would like to see this installment? Why not share it?  On today’s show: Charlottesville City Council takes a deeper look at how $46 million in affordable housing funds have been spent since 2010There are six days until the General Assembly meets again to finish the state budgetA nearby Board of Supervisors has a land use decision overturned by a Circuit Court judgeAn update on mulch, clean-fill, and the budget for the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority Today’s first Patreon-fueled shout-out goes to LEAPYou don’t need the “luck of the Irish” to be safe and comfortable in your own home. To see what you can do to get the most out of your home, contact LEAP, your local energy nonprofit, to schedule a home energy assessment this month - just $45 for City and County residents. LEAP also offers FREE home weatherization to income- and age-qualifying residents. If someone in your household is age 60 or older, or you have an annual household income of less than $74,950, you may qualify for a free energy assessment and home energy improvements such as insulation and air sealing. Sign up today to lower your energy bills, increase comfort, and reduce energy waste at home!General Assembly reconvenes next Monday for special session Virginia’s Legislative Information System has been updated to reflect that the General Assembly will convene next Monday for a special session to complete the biennial budget. There are 30 House Bills pending and 17 Senate bills. There’s also the possibility of more being added. “Typically, the GA will approve an operating resolution that guides its work, including if/what legislation can be considered,” said David Blount, legislative liaison for the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. “Typically, they will allow commending and memorial resolutions to be introduced.”The main unresolved issue is the state budget. Each House has named members to be conferees to work on a compromise. Blount said the public will have a chance to review aht document as soon as a deal is worked out. As the regular session ended, both the House and Senate have differing positions on how to increase funding for school facility construction and renovations. Legislation to allow all Virginia localities to levy a sales-tax increase for education did not make it out of the regular session. (House Subcommittee kills school sales-tax bills, February 25, 2022)Solid waste update: How much Mulch madness? Two thousand tons! This one is not a shout-out, but an update. This year’s winter storms wreaked havoc on many trees across the region, and there was much debris for government crews and property owners. In January, the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority waived fees to drop off downed limbs and trees at the Ivy Materials Utilization Center where it was turned into mulch. “We had so much mulch available after the free vegetative debris disposal program from the storm in January that we had so much mulch, we were giving away the first two tons and then charging people after that,” said Bill Mawyer, the executive director of the RWSA and the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority. Mawyer said the RSWA wanted to get rid of the material as quickly as possible before it became a fire hazard. As of this morning they’ve distributed 2,004 tons according to Phil McKalips, the RSWA’s Solid Waste Manager. He said they are hoping to run out by the end of next week. Clean-fill pilot considered a successSince February, the RSWA has been working with Faulconer Construction on a pilot project to have lower tipping fees for “clean fill” from sites where buildings and old landscapes have been removed. This is in response to new rules in Albemarle County, a locality that until recently allowed that material to more easily be buried underground. The lower fees are because Faulconer is doing some of the work. “The contractor that brings in the fill is going to take responsibility for all of the grading, compaction, seeing, and installation of interim stormwater controls,” said Philip McKalips, the solid waste manager for RSWA. As of last week, Faulconer had dropped off 17,000 tons that will be placed in an unused cell of the former landfill. “In total they’re expected to deliver between 30,000 to 40,000 tons by the end of May,” McKalips said. “They might get done with that a bit sooner.”One lesson learned is that the RSWA has needed to limit the number of trucks that can come through in a day to 120.“We had up to 165 trucks in one day and with our other operations it was a bit of a stress for the site staff,” McKalips said. “They were having to do a lot of crowd control and managing traffic out towards Dick Woods Road and things that are not acceptable for long-term operations.”Even though the tipping fee for clean-fill is lower, the pilot project has brought in over $60,000 in revenues to date. McKalips said other contractors are very interested in participating in the program. At their meeting on March 22, the RSWA Board of Directors also got the first look at the agency’s $6.84 million budget for FY23. That’s based off of an anticipated $3.53 million in revenues and $3.3 million from local and state government. Albemarle County pays 82.2 percent of that amount, Charlottesville pays 15.3 percent, and the University of Virginia pays 2.4 percent. Albemarle’s share is increasing next year to help cover the costs of operating the new Southern Convenience Center which is expected to open next January.  There’s also a need to build a new baling facility to handle recycled paper and cardboard. A cost share will need to be worked out for how much each locality would pay. More details will be available at the RSWA’s next meeting in May. To learn more about the programs of the RSWA, take a look at the budget presentation from the March 22, 2022 meeting.  (view the budget presentation)Second shout-out goes to the Rivanna Conservation AllianceIn today’s first Patreon-fueled shout-out, the Rivanna Conservation Alliance wants wildlife and nature photographers to enter their first-ever photography contest! They want high-resolution photos related to the Rivanna watershed and the winning entries will be displayed at the 2022 Riverfest Celebration on May 1. The two categories are 16 and under, and those over the age of 17. You can send in two entries, and the work may be used to supplement Rivanna Conservation Alliance publications. For more information, visit rivannariver.org.Charlottesville City Council discusses reform for affordable housing fundThe Affordable Housing Plan adopted by Charlottesville City Council in March 2021 established a moral commitment for the city to spend $10 million each year on affordable housing projects and administration. But how have previous funds for that purpose been spent since 2010?“In summary, you’ve administered $46.7 million in funding [and] this is broken down into operating, program, development, and city administration,” said Callahan Seltzer, a principal with HR&A Advisors. “And when we see development here, we’re talking about new construction and rehab, so specific hard costs related to construction and rehab of affordable housing.”HR&A Advisors were hired by Rhodeside & Harwell as a subcontractor for the overall Cville Plans Together initiative. HR&A wrote the plan, which helped inform the greater residential densities allowed under the new Comprehensive Plan adopted by Council last November. City Council originally approved a Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund (CAHF) in 2007. Very few staff who were around at the time are left in the city government. Last July, the previous City Council agreed to pay HR&A Advisors an additional $165,000 to review how the CAHF has been used since 2010. The review’s purpose was to determine if the city was getting a return on its investment and to suggest reform.  An initial review was presented to Council in December, but the rest of the report was the subject of a City Council work session on March 21. “The study is also designed to redesign the program to make it more efficient and then to show some kind of accountability moving forward,” said Alex Ikefuna, the interim director of the Office of Community Solutions. View the March 21, 2022 presentationView the March 21, 2022 staff and HR&A report View the March 21, 2022 work session on the city’s websiteThat $165,000 also covers the costs of HR&A to write an inclusionary zoning program as part of the ongoing rewrite of the zoning code. That will come forward at a later date.Seltzer said the review involved following up with transactions from the past 12 years. Around 95 percent of the funds have gone to eleven recipients. There are two classes of recipients and they are households served versus units constructed. The study sought to create a metric to measure the efficiency of funding. “We think it’s only one of many important metrics, and generally performance in terms of cost efficiency per unit, from what we see in the industry is very good,” Seltzer said. “You are getting a good amount of cost-efficiency per unit via the CAHF.” Nearly half of the funding has gone to development of new units. Some highlights:In 2010, Virginia Supportive Housing was awarded $1.825 million for what would become the Crossings on 4th Street. There are 60 single-resident occupancy units there.  The Thomas Jefferson Community Land Trust  has been awarded $3 million since 2012. The land trust is now part of the Piedmont Housing Alliance. Habitat for Humanity has received nearly $3.9 million since 2010 for a variety of projects.Piedmont Housing Alliance received $5.545 million in 2021 for the Friendship Court redevelopmentCharlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority has received a total of nearly $8.4 million, with significant amounts earmarked for redevelopment since 2018.The Albemarle Housing Improvement Program has received a total of $8.448 million primarily for rehabilitation of existing units. Construction that is intended to subsidize the cost of housing always has multiple sources of revenue, but the above is direct investment of funds ultimately covered by city taxpayers either in terms of cash or bond proceeds. Callahan said the review of the CAHF is intended to turn goals of the Affordable Housing Plan into reality, such as requiring affordability for as long as possible. “So really trying to get 99 years of affordability whenever possible and we are working to help you get the right sight of agreements in place with your grantees that get you that longer term of affordability,” Seltzer said. “Twenty years at an absolute minimum would be our recommendation there.” Those can take the form of covenants that return some of the value of the unit back to the city. One way to secure those covenants would be to restructure the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund as what Seltzer calls a “soft loan.” “What that does is essentially bind that affordability and if a developer in ten or fifteen years decides they own the property, they have a covenant, but they’re okay to terminate that covenant because they’re going to sell the property and make a lot of money when they sell it,” Seltzer said. “It brings you back to the table to renegotiate and say, well, actually this is a loan. We paid for it as a loan and here you are needing to basically within your sale, we are going to recoup these funds so that we can reinvest in affordable housing in other ways.” Seltzer said the city will need additional housing staff to track all of the information and to ensure the covenants and provisions are enforced. One Councilor asked HR&A to give a sense of how Charlottesville is doing compared to other cities across the country. “Charlottesville is punching above its weight on a per capita basis,” said Philip Kash of HR&A Advisors. “Almost any way you cut the numbers, you are very committed to this public policy priority.” “You also have a very sophisticated group of affordable housing developers that I have not seen that level of sophistication in the southeast,” Seltzer said. “I think in Boston, New York, places where you have strong neighborhood-based [Community Development Corporations] with a 30 or 40 year history of neighborhood-based action. That exists, but it doesn’t exist in the southeast.” However, both Kash and Seltzer said the administration of those funds has been lacking and better tracking will be required. Deputy City Manager Sam Sanders said it is the intention of the city government to hire additional staff when the right positions are identified. CAHF committee to be createdAnother reform will be the creation of a committee to review competitive proposals for use of the city’s affordable housing funds. Council currently makes the ultimate decision with some guidance from the current Housing Advisory Committee. The new CAHF committee has not yet been named. Sanders said this will eliminate conflicts of interest such as members of nonprofits evaluating their own proposals. “When you have one committee that’s been evaluating the actual proposals then that in itself leads to various confusion so the establishment of the CAHF committee is an attempt to pull the developers out of the conversation where they may have a direct benefit so that there are others that are fully vetting out those proposals and making a recommendation separate and apart.”The Housing Advisory Committee would continue existing as a body to discuss policy, but would no longer be involved with making funding recommendations. The goal is to have all affordable housing proposals come through one channel. “Anyone making a request for a housing investment to the city of Charlottesville should come through one door,” Sanders said. “That request should be factored against everything else that is being considered and it gives us a better ability to track it.”Responsibility for this will be transferred to the Office of Community Solutions. There is another work session on April 4 that will focus on affordable housing issues in Charlottesville. Rappahannock Board of Supervisors overruled in land use caseIn Virginia, elected bodies usually have the final say in matters related to land use and zoning. However, property owners have the right to appeal decisions to state courts. The Rappahannock News reports that a Rappahannock Circuit Court Judge has overruled that county’s Board of Supervisors in a case where a contractor had sought a special use exception to store equipment on land zoned agricultural. The five person board unanimously voted to deny the request in March 2020, citing traffic issues. Contractor John Cappali appealed, and Julia Shanahan reports that Judge Jeanette Irby ruled the use would not have any impact on traffic. Rappahannock County may appeal the ruling.  Read Shanahan’s story to learn more about the case. (read through materials March 2020 hearing)Support Town Crier Productions!Special announcement of a continuing promo with Ting! Are you interested in fast internet? Visit this site and enter your address to see if you can get service through Ting. If you decide to proceed to make the switch, you’ll get:Free installationSecond month of Ting service for freeA $75 gift card to the Downtown MallAdditionally, Ting will match your Substack subscription to support Town Crier Productions, the company that produces this newsletter and other community offerings. So, your $5 a month subscription yields $5 for TCP. Your $50 a year subscription yields $50 for TCP! The same goes for a $200 a year subscription! All goes to cover the costs of getting this newsletter out as often as possible. Learn more here! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Round and round and round we go on this 333rd installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Where will we stop? In about 16 minutes if you’re listening to the podcast. If you’re reading it, that would depend on your pace, I suppose. Either way, this is February 17, 2022 and we are indeed one third of the way to a thousand editions of this program. I’m your host, Sean Tubbs, and I hope to be here for all three of the years it may take to get there. On today’s program:An update on former City Manager Tarron Richardson’s lawsuit against Charlottesville City CouncilThe Thomas Jefferson Planning District is working on two major housing initiativesA round-up of what’s happening in TJPDC communitiesLouisa Supervisors gets an update on water supply plan for Zion CrossroadsA closed-door group gets an early look at the University of Virginia’s master plan First Patreon-fueled shout-out goes to the Charlottesville Area Tree StewardsIn today’s first subscriber-supported Public Service Announcement, the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards continues to offer classes this winter and spring to increase your awareness of our wooden neighbors and to prepare for the future. The next event is February 22 at 7 p.m. when tree steward Emily Ferguson will help you look beyond the monotonous winter forest by focusing on the finer details that will help you differentiate between species of trees. Learn more at charlottesvilleareatreestewards.org. (register for the February 22 session) And in the second shout-out, there’s still a long-time supporter who wants you to know: "Today is a great day to spread good cheer: reach out to an old friend, compliment a stranger, or pause for a moment of gratitude to savor a delight."Visit infocville.com and click on the Support the Info button to find out how you can support the show and get a shout-out!Richardson lawsuit update Both sides in a federal lawsuit filed by a former city manager against Charlottesville City Council have filed extensions requesting more time to file the next round of legal responses. Dr. Tarron Richardson sued Charlottesville City Council and several individuals by name in the Western District of Virginia last November alleging that the city had denied his first amendment rights by not allowing an op-ed to be published in the Daily Progress months after his resignation in September 2020. In addition to Council, former City Attorney John Blair, current City Attorney Lisa Robertson, former City Councilor Heather Hill, and former Mayor Nikuyah Walker are all named in the suit. Before resigning, Richardson had signed a release and waiver governing his $205,000 in severance that included a mutual non-disparagement clause. On January 26, an attorney for Lisa Robertson filed a motion asking for the suit against her to be thrown out. (read the motion)“The complaint does not state a claim against Robertson, as she did not personally deprive Plaintiff of his First Amendment rights,” reads that motion. “Plaintiff waived his claims against the City, as well as its employees and officials by signing the release.”The motion also states Robertson has qualified immunity and cannot be sued as a private individual. It goes on to refute Richardson’s claim that his publication of the op-ed was stopped by Robertson. Instead, the motion states the then interim city attorney warned Richardson’s counsel twice in February 2021 that the city could pursue action if he broke the non-disparagement clause. On February 8, Richardson’s attorneys filed a motion requesting more time to respond to Robertson’s request to be dismissed, a request granted by Judge Norman K. Moon on February 11. Charlottesville has hired Richard Milnor to represent the city and he filed a motion on January 20 requesting more time to respond to the initial complaint. On February 11, Milnor asked to have until February 28 to respond. Judge Norman K. Moon granted that extension. Yesterday, the suit turned 90 days old which triggered a notice to Richardson’s attorney that summons have not yet been served to Heather Hill, Nikuyah Walker, John Blair, or Robertson. Only the city of Charlottesville has received a summons. Land Use, Environment and Planning Committee to meet tomorrowA regularly-scheduled closed door meeting of planners from Albemarle, Charlottesville, and the University of Virginia is scheduled for tomorrow, and materials are now available from the last meeting.The Land Use, Environmental and Planning Committee (LUEPC) was created after November 2019 when the public Planning and Coordination Council which consisted of elected officials was disbanded. The group also consists of officials from the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority. In January, they got two briefings from the University of Virginia’s Office of the Architect. One was an update on the UVA Grounds Framework Plan, which is a master plan for UVA. The public Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization got the same presentation a week later. (view the presentation)See also: UVA announces three sites for affordable housing projects, December 14, 2021MPO Policy Board briefed on the UVA Master Plan, February 1, 2022The second presentation was a four-slide review of the three sites the University of Virginia has selected as locations for up to 1,500 affordable housing units that would be build in partnership with a private developer. These are at the North Fork Discovery Park, Wertland Street, and the Piedmont site on Fontaine Avenue. Of those three, a rezoning application has been filed with Albemarle County for the North Fork site. (download)Third shout-out goes to Code for CharlottesvilleCode for Charlottesville is seeking volunteers with tech, data, design, and research skills to work on community service projects. Founded in September 2019, Code for Charlottesville has worked on projects such as an expungement project with the Legal Aid Justice Center, a map of Charlottesville streetlights, and the Charlottesville Housing Hub. Visit codeforcville.org to learn about those projects.TJDPC Roundtable: Fluvanna and Nelson both updating Comprehensive Plans this yearTo conclude the show today, let’s return to the February 10 meeting of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. Let’s start with a couple of staff reports. The TJPDC will work with a nonprofit partner to help prevent evictions through a pilot program with funding from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. (DHCD)“It’s $250,000 for Charlottesville and Albemarle County,” said executive director Christine Jacobs. “That grant actually will have a subrecipient and that will be Piedmont Housing Alliance and that will allow them to hire an eviction prevention case manager as well as a landlord outreach manager which was what we requested in the grant application.”Last year, the city of Charlottesville used $300,000 from American Rescue Plan Act funding to pay Legal Aid Justice Center to also work in the area of eviction prevention. Jacobs said the TJPDC used that funding as a local match to secure the DHCD grant.The TJPDC is also administering a $2 million grant from Virginia Housing to actually construct units. Jacobs said requests for proposals have been received and there three entities have been selected to proceed.“We will then have those three priority applicants submit their formal applications with all of their documentation and then a review panel will look at the feasibility of the project,” Jacobs said.Jacobs said the TJPDC Commissioners will be shown a recommendation at their meeting in April. Last year, the TJPDC completed a regional housing plan which has chapters for each of the six jurisdictions. Keith Smith represents Fluvanna County on the TJPDC Board. (plan website)“We’re starting our comp plan process and it looks like we’re going to be leaning pretty heavily on the work that the Regional Housing Partnership has done,” Smith said. Greene County Supervisor Dale Herring said his locality continues its separation from the Rapidan Service Authority. That entity did not want to proceed with Greene’s vision to create a new reservoir for an urban water supply. “For those who don’t know, we’ll stay with it until we actually own our own water authority,” Herring said. Greene County has recently created its own emergency medical services department and has offered to pay for full time firefighters. However, there may be an issue. “We had one fire department that has asked originally for four staff members,” Herring said. “They came back and asked for seven.” Herring said the county continues to hope to supplement fire service with volunteers, but numbers are dwindling. The TJPDC meetings are also an opportunity for urban communities to brief rural ones on trends that may affect them in the future. City Councilor Michael Payne shared information about the fundamentals informing the creation of the budget for next fiscal year.“We got our assessment increases and the average assessments were up eleven percent,” Payne said. “We’re beginning budget discussions and to afford everything currently in our budget, on top of that 11 percent increase will require a ten cent real estate tax increase.” The major driver is the renovations to Buford Middle School as a major plank in school reconfiguration, as well as an $10 million commitment to affordable housing projects. “So we are going to have to have some difficult, honest, and realistic conversations over the coming weeks about how to get our budget working,” Payne said. Another difficult conversation will be had when the public process related to the upgrade of the zoning code begins later this year. Planning Commission Chair Lyle-Solla Yates is a new member of the TJPDC and he said Rhodeside & Harwell and internal city staff are working on a review. “They’re doing an analysis of what we’ve got versus what our Comprehensive Plan says we need,” Solla-Yates said. “It’s going to be a big project and it’s going to be difficult. We should have something I’m recalling, an initial assessment in mid-April and once we have that we will go into public process and people will share their thoughts and feelings on zoning which is always a good thing.”Nelson County faces a lot of changes and challenges, according to Jesse Rutherford. He’s chair of both the Nelson Board of Supervisors as well as the TJPDC. A Comprehensive Plan review is soon to get underway. “And trying to figure out it is we can thrive as a community, which leads into the bigger thing which is even more important than the Comprehensive Plan - zoning,” Rutherford said. “How do you define things in rezoning? I think affordable housing has to be radically looked at and radically approached as opposed to pandered by the respective demographics in power. At the end of the day its about making sure that everybody and every income bracket has a place to live.” Rutherford said Nelson has many more people who are opting to work from home, and the county’s pledge for universal broadband by 2024 could accelerate a trend. “And we’re starting to see a change in the conversation of what does the future of a rural county look like,” Rutherford said. “Obviously preserving rural is such an interesting thing. Is it preserving trees? Is it water? For some people it’s culture.” That housing plan also has information for Nelson County. The TJPDC next meets on March 3. Louisa Board briefed on new intake for Zion Crossroads water supplyStaying regional to conclude this installment. The Louisa County Board of Supervisors got an update this Monday on the efforts of the James River Water Authority to secure a final permit to proceed with a plan to build a waterline between the James and Zion Crossroads for an urban water supply. One site for an intake is seriously contested by the Monacan Indian Nation because it on a major historical site called Rassawek. Archeological work has been conducted on a nearby site. “[GAI Consultants] who are the Authority’s current archeology consultant is very close to finalizing a phase one archeology report on alternative 1C and they are doing that in conjunction with Gray & Pape who are the Monacan’s selected archeologist so that’s a good team effort and that report is finished,” said Louisa County Administrator Christian Goodwin. If the Monacans agree, the JRWA will apply for a permit for that location from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. “The attorney for the Monacan Indian Nation attended last week’s JRWA meeting and voiced the Monacan’s intent to continue supporting the project if the conditions are met, and those conditions being that we worked with their archeologist Gray & Pape and that no evidence of burials were found and that appears to be the route we are proceeding upon right now,” Goodwin said. The JRWA is next scheduled to meet on March 9. Support the program!Special announcement of a continuing promo with Ting! Are you interested in fast internet? Visit this site and enter your address to see if you can get service through Ting. If you decide to proceed to make the switch, you’ll get:Free installationSecond month of Ting service for freeA $75 gift card to the Downtown MallAdditionally, Ting will match your Substack subscription to support Town Crier Productions, the company that produces this newsletter and other community offerings. So, your $5 a month subscription yields $5 for TCP. Your $50 a year subscription yields $50 for TCP! The same goes for a $200 a year subscription! All goes to cover the costs of getting this newsletter out as often as possible. Learn more here! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

It doesn’t seem at this moment like a holiday week, with so many items happening at public meetings before Thanksgiving. But, I’m grateful you are listening to this installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement, and I’m hopeful that you’ll share it with others. Most people read the newsletter, but the secret is that each one is produced for audio, as my professional career in journalism began in radio. More than a quarter-century later, I’m glad to be bringing you information as often as I can and this is what I have for November 22, 2021. Let’s begin today with a Patreon-fueled shout-out! WTJU is hosting Classical Listening Parties, a series of four free, casual events on Tuesdays in November. These four events are led by Chelsea Holt, pianist, teacher, and one of WTJU’s newest and youngest classical announcers. She’ll guide you through all the eras of classical music and tomorrow night at 7 p.m.: the Romantic period. For a list of the others, visit wtju.net to learn more and sign up! On today’s show:Albemarle’s Planning Commission gets an update on the county’s capital improvement budget for the next fiscal yearA hedge fund sets its sights on the Daily Progress and its parent company The EPA seeks to reestablish jurisdiction in the Waters of the United StatesAnd the University of Virginia seeks a tuition increase for undergraduatesPandemic updateAs the week begins, the seven-day average for new COVID cases is at 1,644 new cases a day and the percent positivity is at 5.9 percent. The Blue Ridge Health District reports another 29 new cases today and a percent positivity of 5.5 percent. Three more fatalities have been reported since Friday for a total of 311 since the pandemic began. Fatal fireA fire in an apartment in the 1200 block of Carlton Avenue in the Belmont neighborhood on Sunday has killed one person, according to a release from the Charlottesville Fire Department. Crews began fighting the fire soon after arriving and then looked for anyone trapped. One adult was rescued but died soon after being taken to an unidentified hospital. Fire marshals are investigating the cause. This is the third fatality from a fire this year. Newspaper consolidation continuesThe Charlottesville Daily Progress and most other daily newspapers in Virginia might soon have a new owner. Alden Global Capital has announced in a letter that it will pay $24 a share for Lee Enterprises, thirty percent over the Friday’s closing stock price. “We believe that as a private company and part of our successful nationwide platforms, Lee would be in a stronger position to maximize its resources and realize strategic value that enhances its operations and supports its employees in their important work serving local communities,” reads the letter. Alden Global Capital is a New York based hedge fund that owns the Tribune Publishing Company and Media NewsGroup. Among their newspapers are the Chicago Tribune, the Denver Post, the Mercury News, and the New York Daily News. The company already owns six percent of Lee Enterprises. “Scale is critical for newspapers to ensure necessary staffing and in order to thrive in this challenging environment where print advertising continues to decline and back office operations and legacy public company functions remain bloated, thus depriving newsrooms of resources that are best used serving readers with relevant, trustworthy, and engaging content,” the letter continues. Lee Enterprises completed the purchase of the Daily Progress from BHMedia in March 2020. BHMedia is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, which purchased the Progress from Media General in May 2012. Media General purchased the paper from Thomas Worrell Jr. in 1995 as part of a $230 million deal. The Progress was first published on September 14, 1892. Other Virginia papers owned by Lee Enterprises include the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Lynchburg News Advance, and the Roanoke Times. Learn more about the potential takeover from Rick Edmonds on Poytner.org or at Virginia Business. The real question is - who gets the Daily Progress March? In April 2005, the Charlottesville Municipal Band unveiled a tune written by Nellysford composer Paul T. Richards. Check out my news story from that time!Crozet school redistrictingAn Albemarle committee appointed to study scenarios to alleviate overpopulation of elementary schools in the western part of the county has unveiled their recommendation. After meeting four times and holding two public comment sessions, the Crozet-Brownsville Redistricting Committee has suggested a total of 219 students be moved from Brownsville to Crozet Elementary at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. By then, Albemarle should have completed a $21.25 million addition to that school which includes 16 new classrooms. (committee website)Water quality rulesTwo federal agencies that regulate land use as it relates to water quality have announced plans to reinstate a more robust definition of what constitutes the “waters of the United States.” Both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers use that phrase as a basis for enforcement of the Clean Water Act of 1972 which among other things regulates industrial discharges into “navigable waters.” A rule change made in the previous presidential administration reduced the geographic scope of the definition, potentially limiting the jurisdiction  of the EPA and the Army Corp’s reach. The Southern Environmental Law Center and other conservation groups sued to overturn the rule. “The prior administration stripped protections under the Clean Water Act from countless streams, lakes and wetlands, leaving thousands of stream miles, many public recreational lakes, and millions of acres of wetlands without protections that have been in place for decades through every other administration and putting our communities and water supplies at risk,” reads a statement issued last week.The SELC argues that preserving wetlands can help preserve the ability of communities to reduce flooding and deal with extreme weather events. To learn more, visit the EPA’s Waters of the United States website. UVA tuitionThe Cavalier Daily reports that tuition at the University of Virginia could increase between 3.5 percent and 4.9 percent in the each of the next two academic years. That’s according to two representatives from the UVA Finance office who spoke to Student Council last week. Public comment will be taken at a forum on December 2 followed by a vote by the Board of Visitors at their meeting a week later. Tuition was frozen for the current academic year. For a sense of scale, the current tuition for most undergraduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences is $14,188 for a Virginia resident and $48,036 for an out-of-state resident. Third-year students pay slightly higher. First-year engineering students from Virginia pay $22,566 for a year’s tuition, with non-Virginians paying $56,730. These figures don’t include fees. Take a look at the UVA website to learn more about how much students are charged for their education. To learn more about the proposed increase, read Eileen Powell’s article in the Cavalier Daily. You’re reading Charlottesville Community Engagement. Let’s have two more Patreon-fueled shout-outs. The first comes a long-time supporter who wants you to know:"Today is a great day to spread good cheer: reach out to an old friend, compliment a stranger, or pause for a moment of gratitude to savor a delight."The second comes from a more recent supporter who wants you to go out and read a local news story written by a local journalist. Whether it be the Daily Progress, Charlottesville Tomorrow, C-Ville Weekly, NBC29, CBS19, WINA, or some other place I’ve not mentioned - the community depends on a network of people writing about the community. Go learn about this place today!Albemarle Planning Commission’s capital budget briefingTomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m., an advisory committee appointed to help Albemarle County shape its capital improvement program budget for the next fiscal year will hold its first meeting. Last week, the seven-member Planning Commission got an overview including a reminder that last year was very different. (watch the meeting)“Last year when we were putting together the FY22 budget, there was no [capital improvement program],” said Andy Bowman, the chief of budget in the Finance and Budget office. “The county was in the middle of the pandemic and there was a tremendous amount of uncertainty and really at that time it was decided instead of focusing on a long-range picture, to focus on the impacts of the pandemic and what might be able to be unpaused from a number of projects that were paused at the start of the pandemic.”Bowman said the economy has rebounded much better than initially anticipated with outlooks becoming more favorable with each passing month. As the FY23 budget approaches, Bowman said the county is not immune to inflationary pressure, with bids for some capital projects coming in higher than budgeted. The process starts with a review of what’s currently in the works.“We have a capital program currently underway, before we even start anything from 2023 to 2027, of around $147 million for about 65 projects,” Bowman said. “Of that $147 million, $91 million has been appropriated in the last eleven months now, from what was unpaused in January which included the expansion at Crozet Elementary.” Bowman noted that over the course of the next five years, the county will adopt a new Comprehensive Plan and the Board of Supervisors will update their strategic plan. Both documents as well as the School Board’s strategic plan will guide future decisions on capital spending. Bowman said the focus this cycle will be on the immediate year to give flexibility on future needs. The CIP advisory committee consists of Supervisors Bea LaPisto-Kirtley and Donna Price, School Board members Kate Acuff and Jonno Alcaro, and former Planning Commissioners Bruce Dotson.and Cal Morris. “They’re charged to do a few things,” Bowman said. “First they will review and evaluate a proposal that is recommended by staff as a starting point and then the CIP committee will sort of make a recommendation and modify that starting point.” Bowman said there will be additional revenue from the cigarette tax and potential revenue from a tax on plastic bags. The county also refinanced its debt earlier this year.“Given the current market we were able to issue a large amount of [borrowed proceeds] at low interest rates and that will create some capacity that didn’t exist in the prior plan prior to the pandemic,” Bowman said Bowman said staff is also reviewing through the details of the American Rescue Plan Act to see how that funds can be used to leverage local dollars capital spending. In August, Supervisors used $4.5 million in federal COVID-relief funds for broadband expansion. One of the biggest items in the capital improvement program is the need for school maintenance and expansion. Rosalyn Schmitt is the chief operating officer of Albemarle County Public Schools. She briefed the Planning Commission on the school’s strategic plan.“Getting the right resources to educators and students for their teaching and learning is key to our success,” Schmitt said The school system has a Long-Range Planning Advisory Committee and their most recent recommendations were published on September 9, 2021. The eleven projects have a cumulative cost estimate of $196 million, with most of the projects containing either word “renovations” or “capacity.”“Adequate capacity continues to be a need for the school division,” Schmitt said. “This is supported by the ten-year enrollment projections and reinforced by both the recently completed development and student yield analysis, and a thirty-year population forecast.”  One item is $40 million for another elementary school in the northern feeder pattern and another would be to purchase land for the western feeder pattern. “As these schools all reach a saturation point where expansion is no longer practical, we recommend a strategy for land acquisition and the construction of new facilities,” Schmitt said. “I think for the first time in a long time you’ll see several new schools on this list.” There’s also a recommendation to improve air quality within schools. There is a possibility that federal ARPA funding could be used for that purpose. “That is a comprehensive program around mechanical improvements that there is some opportunity to have some matching funds from ARPA funding that we are pursuing,” Schmitt said. Luis Carrazana is the associate architect of the University of Virginia and a non-voting member of the Albemarle Planning Commission. He noted that the recent adoption of the Crozet Master Plan update called for capital infrastructure, as did the relatively recent update of the Pantops Master Plan and adoption of the Rio Small Area Plan. “And so I’m wondering how we’re looking at those approved master plans with the CIP and putting the same rigor as we seem to be doing with the School Board,” Carrazana said. Planning Director Charles Rapp said implementation of many projects in the master plans are dependent on lining up ideas with funding opportunities.“A lot of those infrastructure related improvements, we identify them in these master plans or small area plans or corridor studies and that’s often the first phase of identifying a project,” Rapp said. The next day, Bowman gave a similar presentation to the Board of Supervisors. This one has more specifics about the developing budget. (watch the presentation)Supervisors were reminded that there is a significant “positive variance” from the FY21 budget of more than $13 million that can be used for one-time money.“We are proposing, not really for discussion today but this will come back on December 15, to invest some of the one-time fiscal year 21 funding into the economic development fund,” Bowman said. At their December 15 meeting, the Board will also be asked for direction on whether to explore tax relief programs. They’ll also be given a review of what additional revenue sources could be pursued in Richmond.The Board of Supervisors will have a work session on December 1 related to the way the FY23 budget will be developed. Another change this year is the December release of Albemarle’s property assessments for 2022. That will be presented to the Board of Supervisors on December 15, a month earlier than usual. See also: Albemarle may close FY21 with $13.2M in one-time money, November 9, 2021Unsolicited fact of the dayFinally today, sometimes there are pieces of information I come across during my reporting, or facts that people tell me that don’t quite make their way into a news story. These facts are not entirely random, but they may seem that way.First up, the commercial portions of the Stonefield development have paid a total of $841,955 in connection fees to the Albemarle County Service Authority for water and sewer between 2012 and 2020. That’s according to information provided to me by Gary O’Connell, the director of the ACSA. That figure does not include residential connections. Before anyone can connect to water and sewer in Albemarle, they have to pay a hefty connection fee. For instance, for one commercial unit on Bond Street to connect in 2021, they had to pay $14,280 for water and $13,505 for sewer. Both of these fees include a portion paid to the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority to cover the cost of capital projects to expand capacity. Special announcement of a continuing promo with Ting! Are you interested in fast internet? Visit this site and enter your address to see if you can get service through Ting. If you decide to proceed to make the switch, you’ll get:Free installationSecond month of Ting service for freeA $75 gift card to the Downtown MallAdditionally, Ting will match your Substack subscription to support Town Crier Productions, the company that produces this newsletter and other community offerings. So, your $5 a month subscription yields $5 for TCP. Your $50 a year subscription yields $50 for TCP! The same goes for a $200 a year subscription! All goes to cover the costs of getting this newsletter out as often as possible. Learn more here! This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s first subscriber supported public service announcement, one person wants you to know about another community litter cleanup event in Albemarle, this time on October 30 in the southern part of the county. The latest Love Albemarle event will take place between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at sites in Esmont, Keene, Scottsville, and North Garden. Around fifty people showed up for a similar event in Esmont this past spring, and organizers want to double that amount. Organizer Ed Brooks is seeking to get children involved, so if you’re a parent or guardian and want to spend the morning cleaning up road-side litter, register now!On this installment of the program:More campaign finance numbers in advance of Election Day A preview of a film on Stan Brock, the founder of the Remote Access Medical CorpsThe Chickahominy River has elevated levels of forever chemicals known as PFASAnd a quick look at the wonderful world of wastewater can help track the scope of the PFAS problem Virginia flags will be at half-mast for the next 30 days to mourn the passing of former Governor Linwood Holton. Holton was elected in 1969 as the first Republican governor of the 20th Century, though he would later endorse Democratic candidates for statewide office. Holton was born in Big Stone Gap in 1923 and died at his home in Kilmarnock yesterday. (Wikipedia) While in office, Holton and his wife sent their children to public schools. Governor Ralph Northam noted that in a statement yesterday. “If you want to know what American strength looks like, look at the famous photographs of Governor Holton—smiling, as he walked his children to Richmond’s public schools during the tensest moments of desegregation,” Northam said. “He faced down Virginia’s demons and enabled this Commonwealth to look ahead.”In the most recent letter, we took a look at campaign finance for local candidates in Albemarle County, Charlottesville, and Nelson County. Election day is just a few days away. Today let’s look at House of Delegates races. Albemarle County currently has four different districts within it boundaries. Let’s start with the 25th House District, which stretches from Albemarle into Augusta and Rockingham Counties. Democrat Jennifer Kitchen is challenging incumbent Republican Chris Runion. Kitchen began the October reporting period with $108,930 on hand, raised an additional $29,673, and spent $37,189. Runion began October with $77,655, raised an additional $37,837, spent $39,320 in cash, and recorded $16,314 in in-kind donated expenses. The 57th District includes all of Charlottesville and some of Albemarle. Incumbent Democrat Sally Hudson began October with $29,158 on hand, raised $24,469, spent $7,482 in cash, and recorded $2,499 in in-kind expenses. Hudson’s Republican challenger, Philip Hamilton, began the month with $2,917 in the bank. He raised $495 and spend $1,468. The 58th District consists of eastern Albemarle, all of Greene County, and parts of Fluvanna and Rockingham counties. Incumbent Republican Rob Bell began October with $354,466 in the bank and raised $89,293 in the first three weeks of the month. Bell’s campaign spent $164,137 during the period and recorded $21,435 in expenses.  Bell’s challenger is Democrat Sara Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe began October with $14,035 in the bank and raised $48,668 in the period. She spent $28,618 in cash and marked $24,928 in in-kind expenses. Southern Albemarle is within the 59th District, which also includes portions of Appomattox, Buckingham, Nelson, and Campbell counties. Republican Matt Fariss is the incumbent and he began the month with $29,671 in the bank. His campaign raised $18,285 in the period and spent $38,201 in the first three weeks. Farris had $9,755 in the bank on October 21.His Democratic challenger Ben Moses began the month with $84,215 and raised an additional $102,505. Moses spent $76,789 in cash and recorded $61,231 in in-kind expenses. Moses has raised $603,138.01 during the campaign. (report)Independent Louis Scicli began October with $207, raised no money, and spent no money. Special thanks to the Virginia Public Access Project for their work in making this information accessible. Before the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, it would be commonplace for factories to discharge pollutants into rivers and streams without any consideration of the effect of the natural world. Nearly fifty years later, there is a system of permits and regulations in place to improve water quality. The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority is working with certain industries in the community to pre-treat industrial waste before effluent is released into the ecosystem. Patricia Defibaugh is the laboratory manager for the RWSA.“The purpose of this program is to protect the sewer system and wastewater treatment plants through limits on industrial waste discharges,” Defibaugh said. “This is a requirement of the [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.” This is part of the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and an annual report is due to the DEQ by the end of every January. The goal is to remove as many fats, oils, greases as well as metals, nutrients, and acidity as possible by working with industries who create those waste products. “The ones we’re concerned with are the significant industrial user, and that’s either a categorial user which is metal finishing, or semiconductor manufacturers,” Defibaugh said. “Or non-categorical which discharge more than 25,000 gallons per day or had a potential to adversely affect our treatment processes.”The types of businesses of concern include restaurants, breweries, wineries, dentists, and dry cleaners. None of the breweries connected to urban water exceed the 25,000 gallon threshold. Gary O’Connell, executive director of the Albemarle County Service Authority, said there is a program that seeks to remove cooking oil from the wastewater process. “There’s an active [fats, oil, and grease] program that goes on,” O’Connell said. “I know in our case it’s about 260 grease traps that we inspect.On the more industrial level, the RWSA has three companies that are in the pretreatment program. These are Virginia Diodes, Mikro, and Northrup Grumman. For more information on this topic, visit Henrico County’s Industrial Pretreatment Program. PFAS concernsFifty years after the Clean Water Act, there are concerns about other pollutants that are not easily seen. In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation requiring the Virginia Department of Health to study the level of polyfluorinated substances in drinking water (PFAS). These are chemical byproducts of the processes used to make non-stick cooking utensils, fire-fighting foam, food packaging, and other uses They are known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down. The health effects are being studied. (CDC fact-sheet on PFAS). The industrial pretreatment work will be used to help identify the scope of the problem. “DEQ is going to be sending out a survey to Rivanna’s significant industrial users to confirm their use and manufacture of PFAS compounds,” Defibaugh said. Yesterday, the DEQ announced that elevated levels of PFAS have been found in the Chickahominy River. They found out from a report from the Newport News Waterworks (NNWW) and now the DEQ will work with the VDH to further study the issue.  “NNWW is continuing to monitor source waters in coordination with state agencies and has assured residents that the water it provides to its customers is safe to drink and has consistently shown PFAS levels well below the lifetime health advisory from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),” reads the press release. Last week, the EPA announced a national strategy will be undertaken to confront the PFAS problem. “EPA’s Roadmap is centered on three guiding strategies: Increase investments in research, leverage authorities to take action now to restrict PFAS chemicals from being released into the environment, and accelerate the cleanup of PFAS contamination,” reads a press release from that initiative. Next up, a quick Patreon-fueled shout-out!Fall is here, and with it, more moderate temperatures. While your HVAC takes a break, now is the perfect time to prepare for the cooler months. Your local energy nonprofit, LEAP, wants you and yours to keep comfortable all year round! LEAP offers FREE home weatherization to income- and age-qualifying residents, so, if you’re age 60 or older, or have an annual household income of less than $74,950, you may qualify for a free energy assessment and home energy improvements such as insulation and air sealing. Sign up today to lower your energy bills, increase comfort, and reduce energy waste at home!The 34th Annual Virginia Film Festival is underway today and runs through Sunday, Halloween. In all there are dozens of films being screened in Downtown Charlottesville and at other various locations. Some of the films provide glimpses into topics of things that may not be working. One of those is Medicine Man: The Stan Brock Story, a documentary about one person's attempt to bring healthcare to various places across the United States of America where regular care is hard to come by. Brock is a British-born adventurer who founded Remote Area Medical, a nonprofit that holds pop-up free clinics in remote places across the world. Earlier this week I spoke with Paul Michael Angell, the director of the documentary which screens this Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Violet Crown.  Take a listen to the podcast version to hear the interview. Or, take a look at the video interview on YouTube. Do sign up for the podcast on Spotify, Apple Music, Audible, Amazon, or however you get your podcasts! This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the 221st day of the year, at least, that’s the spot on the annual timeline upon which this script was written and the chronic coordinates when this recording was made. We can also just go ahead and say it’s August 9, but where would the fun be in that? In any case, this is the 229th edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement, which is also perhaps an unnecessary numerical signifier. Either way, I’m Sean Tubbs, your two syllable host. On today’s show:The General Assembly signs off on Governor Northam’s $4.3 billion ARPA spending plan, but makes a few adjustmentsOne Albemarle Supervisor warns about dry conditions And a federal partnership is seeking volunteers to help map urban heat island conditions in CharlottesvilleIn today’s Patreon-fueled shout-out: The Rivanna Conservation Alliance is looking for a few good volunteers to help out on Clean Stream Tuesdays, a mile and a half paddle and clean-up to remove trash and debris from popular stretches of the Rivanna River. Trash bags, trash pickers, gloves, and hand sanitizer/wipes will be provided, though volunteers will need to transport themselves to and from the end points. Kayaks for the purpose can be rented from the Rivanna River Company. Visit the Rivanna Conservation Alliance's volunteer page to learn more about upcoming dates.The seven-day average for COVID cases in Virginia continues to rise with the Virginia Department of Health reporting that number as 1,626 today. On Saturday, there were 1,784 new cases reported, 1,573 cases reported Sunday and 1,298 today. The seven-day percent positivity rose to 7.3 percent. As of Friday, 98.55 percent of cases since February have been in people who have not been fully vaccinated. There are 51 cases reported in the Blue Ridge Health District today and the percent positivity rose to 4.5 percent. On Friday, leaders at the University of Virginia announced they would begin requiring masks indoors in order to prevent the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19. UVA is still preparing to begin the fall semester later this month. According to UVA Today, the policy applies to indoor spaces owned or leased by the University, but are not required when eating or drinking. The policy also does not apply outdoors.The General Assembly has passed a marked up version of a plan to spend $4.3 billion of state funding that comes from the federal American Rescue Plan. The legislature’s changes include $2.5 million for grants for community-based gun violence prevention reduction and $3,000 bonuses for officers who work in Sheriff’s offices and regional jails. The General Assembly also wants the Department of Motor Vehicles to submit a plan within 30 days to serve walk-in customers at service centers.  Currently all visits are made by appointment only.Around $761 million in funds will not be programmed at this time depending on the direction of the ongoing pandemic, according to a release from Governor Northam’s office. Areas with high amounts of asphalt and pavement are less healthy places to live, and a hotter climate will exacerbate the problem. The city of Charlottesville is participating in a federal program to map urban heat islands and is looking for volunteers to provide data on temperature and humidity levels. The National Integrated Heat Health Information System is a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other partners across the world. According to the website, the idea is to “understand this problem, develop a robust and science-informed response, and build capacity and communication networks to improve resilience.”The effort is seeking people who are willing to take samples on three different occasions in the last two weeks of August. If you’re interested, there’s a volunteer interest form to fill out. If you need more information, that’s available on the city website. Learn more about the NIHHIS program in a brochure on their websiteOn Friday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finalized the first section of their Sixth Assessment Report titled Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. A 39-page Summary for Policymakers describes in detail how human activity since the beginning of the industrial age has contributed to the gradual warming of the planet. The Arctic sea ice is melting, sea level is rising, and the report indicates that warming will continue throughout the mid-century even if greenhouse gas emissions can be cut severely. (view the various reports on the IPCC website)Earlier this month, Governor Ralph Northam announced five new historical markers will be placed across the Commonwealth to commemorate contributions Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played. One of them will celebrate the life of W.W. Yen, a Chinese man who graduated from the University of Virginia in 1900.“Virginia has about 2,500 historical markers across the state but not enough are dedicated to sharing [Asian American and Pacific Islander] history,” Northam said in a ceremony announcing the new markers, each of which was submitted by students across Virginia. “This is a problem because AAPI history is Virginia history.”Take a look at the release to find out who else has been recognized. W.W. Yen is the subject of one of five new historic markersThe rest of the newsletter is a review of last week’s Albemarle Board of Supervisors meeting. That was August 4 for anyone who needs a time stamp. At the top of the meeting, Supervisor Ann Mallek wanted people who don’t live in the rural area to know there’s a problem.“Urban people who have not been out in the countryside may not be aware of how severe this dryness is,” Mallek said. “We have streams drying up all over the place in the countryside and pastures are gone, hayfields are gone, cornfields are gone.” According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Albemarle County is either in the Abnormally Dry or Moderate Drought. All of Nelson County is marked as Moderate Drought, while Fluvanna and Greene counties are Abnormally Dry. Mallek warned that the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority be clear in reporting conditions to the city of Charlottesville and the Albemarle County Service Authority. “If we don’t start getting rain there is going to be a precipitous drop in supply,” Malelk said. “It happens very fast, like two, three, four feet a day at South Fork [reservoir] when things get to that saturation point.”According to today’s water report from the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, South Rivanna is full, as is the Totier Creek reservoir that serves Scottsville. Sugar Hollow is down over ten feet and Ragged Mountain is 2.31 feet below the usual level. Today’s reservoir report from the RWSAAlbemarle County has hired a new director of the Human Services Department. Ti-Kimena-Mia Coltrane will take over the position on September 20, 2021, succeeding Lorna Gerome who will retire that month. Coltrane’s most recent position was as the Organizational Learning and Development Administrator for the city of Roanoke. She has worked in human resources for 17 years and has a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Texas, a Bachelor of Science in Human Services and religious studies from Indiana Wesleyan University, and a Master of Public Administration  from the University of Maryland. “I look forward to applying my experience in developing current and future catalyst leaders to services,” Coltrane said in a press release. Supervisors also agreed to schedule a public hearing on September 1 on whether to adopt an ordinance to levy a cigarette tax, a power that counties in Virginia only just received from the General Assembly this year. The work is being coordinated by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, who will be administering a regional board to collect the tax. Lori Allshouse is the Assistant Chief Financial Officer for Policy and Partnerships for Albemarle County. “The ordinance would establish a regional board which would efficiently administer the collection, accounting, disbursement, compliance monitoring, and the enforcement of cigarette taxes assessed by localities that desire to join the board,” Allshouse said. Fluvanna, Nelson and Greene counties have expressed interest in joining the board. Madison, Orange, and Augusta counties are also considering the board, even though they are not part of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District. The city of Charlottesville is also interested. I’ll have more from the Board of Supervisors meeting and from other recent meetings in future installments of the newsletter.Thank you for reading. Did you know this is a podcast, too? Every installment of CCE (but not the Week Ahead) is a podcast as well, building off my years in audio production. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify! This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s Patreon-fueled shout-out: Help support black-owned business in the Charlottesville area. Check out the Charlottesville Black Business Directory at cvilleblackbiz.com and choose between a variety of goods and services, ranging from beauty supplies, professional services, and e-commerce. Visit cvilleblackbiz.com as soon as you can to get started.On today’s show:Another update on the redevelopment of Southwood Mobile Home Park by Habitat for Humanity of Greater CharlottesvilleSpotted Lanternfly spotted in Albemarle Two Virginia community colleges have new names Governor Ralph Northam announces federal ARPA funding fo water and wastewater projectsGovernor Ralph Northam has announced plans to use $411.5 million of the state’s share of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to invest in water and sewer infrastructure throughout Virginia. There is no list of projects provided in the release, but the announcement does state that $186.5 million will go to wastewater treatment plants, $125 million will go to assist Richmond, Alexandria, and Lynchburg replace their combined sewer overflow systems, and $100 million will go to water systems in small and disadvantaged communities. The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority was set to discuss how it may seek out ARPA funds at its meeting today, and I’ll have that information in a future newsletter. Yesterday, Governor Northam announced $250 million in ARPA funds to improve ventilation in public schools, and those projects will all require local matches. (release)Earlier this month. Northam announced the use of more than $200,000 to bolster grants from the Virginia Main Street program run by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Several communities in the general area received funding:The Town of Farmville will receive $25,000 on a wayfinding system identified in a 2020 studyThe Town of Orange will receive $25,000 for the Orange Downtown Association and the Orange County African American Historical Society for placemaking in a town parkThe Town of Altavista will receive $20,000 to add to an existing grant for the town’s Downtown Business Investment program to fill empty storefrontsNelson County will receive $7,000 to create a market analysis and retail gap analysis for the village of Lovingston An invasive insect that threatens a wide range of crops has been spotted in Albemarle County. The Virginia Cooperative Extension has confirmed the presence of Spotted Lanternfly this month. The extension is a service of Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, whose communication staff prepared an informational video.“The Spotted Lanternfly, an invasive bug from China, has been wreaking havoc on agricultural crops and causing a nuisance in the Northeast since 2014,” the narrator narrates. “Now the pest has found its way to Virginia. The insect can attack everything from peach and apple trees to hops and grapes.Extension agents have been training volunteers to monitor for the Spotted Lanternfly. Visit the Extension’s website to learn more and to find out how to report the species if you see a specimen. Learn more about the Spotted Lanternfly on the Virginia Cooperative Extension website (Credit: Virginia Cooperative Extension)Two new community colleges in Virginia have new names, and another has added one character to its title. The State Board of Community Colleges approved the changes last Thursday. John Tyler Community College in Chesterfield County will become Brightpoint Community College, and Lord Fairfax Community College in Fauquier and Fairfax counties will become Laurel Ridge Community College. Patrick Henry Community College will add an ampersand to become Patrick & Henry Community College due to it serving two southside counties in that area. (VCCS release)All 23 colleges in the system are re-examining their names and the names of their buildings. John Tyler was the 10th president of the United States and a slaveholder who eventually served in the Confederate House of Representatives. (learn more on Brightpoint site)In the case of Lord Fairfax, the school’s website states that before the institution opened, minutes from 1969 reveal there was a struggle to come up with a name. “The workgroup unanimously agreed, based on his history and lack of any notable legacy, that if the college were being named today, the group would not recommend it be named for Thomas, the 6th Lord Fairfax,”  reads the Laurel Ridge Community College website. At least two other community colleges are expected to change their names. These are Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in Clifton Forge and Buena Vista and Thomas Nelson Community College in Hampton Roads. In today’s second subscriber-supported public service announcement: On Thursday, July 29, the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society will turn the spotlight on four interns who have been helping the organization on topics this summer. Tune in on YouTube or Facebook at noon to learn about work to identify people buried in the early 19th century in unmarked graves at Pen Park, how cvillepedia is being updated to have a more broad perspective on local history, and to learn more about the ACHS’s Race and Sports project. It’s part of the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society’s Unregulated Meanderings series. Register on Zoom!One of the speakers will discuss her work helping to update cvillepedia, such as this article on Fountain Hughes. In 2007, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville purchased the Southwood Mobile Home Park in Albemarle County’s southern growth area for $7 million. Since then, the nonprofit agency has served as landlord of the site which currently has about 1,500 residents in 341 mobile homes. Since then, Habitat has been planning to redevelop it on a bigger scale that at the 16-unit Sunrise Trailer Court on Carlton Road. Megan Nedostup is a planner with Albemarle County.“In 2016, the county partnered with Habitat through a Board resolution and then for fiscal year 2017 through fiscal year 2019, the Board of Supervisors included in their strategic plan initiative revitalizing urban neighborhoods,” Nedostup said.In 2018, the Board agreed to contribute $675,000 to assist Habitat prepare its rezoning application for the first phase. In 2019, Habitat, the Board of Supervisors, and Albemarle Economic Development Authority entered into a performance agreement through which Albemarle would provide up to $1.8 million to help fund construction of affordable housing as well as $1.4 million in property tax rebates. Supervisors approved the first rezoning from R-2 to Neighborhood Model Development that year as well.  (performance agreement)“Four hundred and fifty maximum units were approved in this phase one,” Nedostup said. “The units included a mixture of residential townhomes, multifamily, single family, duplexes and a maximum of 50,000 square feet of non-residential was permitted under the code of development.” Illustrative concept for how development is progressing at Southwood (Credit: Waterstreet Studio)Construction of several blocks is underway and at various stages of the review process. Some of the first units to go through the site plan are the ones being constructed by Piedmont Housing Alliance using Low Income Housing Tax Credits in Blocks 11 and 12. In all, Piedmont Housing is seeking to build 121 rental units in Southwood Apartments. Blocks nine, 10, and the rest of 11 are mostly market-rate townhomes on the future New Horizon Drive to be built by Atlantic Builders“There are 16 affordable townhomes,” Nedostup said. Village One consists of Blocks 5, 6, and 8, with parts of Blocks 3 and 4. There are a wide range of unit types in this area. An illustrative plan depicts what developer is building what units and where. In all, 287 units are planned so far, with planning to get underway on Village 2 in the future. Dan Rosensweig is the chief executive officer at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville.“We all know that you took a bit of a leap of faith with us when you recommended approval about two years ago,” Rosensweig said. “This is something a little bit different in that it was organized as a block plan which created a framework, a regulatory framework, which created flexibility for cohorts of residents to design the various moments within the new development.” Rosensweig took the Planning Commission on a video fly-through of these sections, which you can watch as part of the YouTube video. That’s also the best way to get a full sense of where the project is at the moment. (watch)One small detail, the first floors of each of the buildings that make up Southwood Apartments will be 12 feet high, which Rosensweig said will allow them to serve as commercial at some point in the life cycle of those buildings. Here’s another detail about the architecture of some of the residential units in Village One. “One of the things that’s very important to us at Habitat and I know that it was important to you all in the rezoning process is that you can’t tell Habitat units from market-rate units so on every block there is a mixture of Habitat homes and market rate homes and we’ve coordinated with the market-rate builders to make sure our architecture matches up,” Rosensweig said. Rosensweig said that during the rezoning, Habitat agreed to make 15 percent of the housing in the first phase below-market through various interventions to bring down the cost to future residents. “So that would have been 50 of the 335 total units,” Rosensweig said. “We ended up 207 affordable units out of the 335 or 62 percent. That breakdown is about 80 Habitat units for purchase, six Habitat units for rent, and that will toggle a little bit. Some of the families may rent originally and then purchase the ones that they are renting.”Piedmont Housing Alliance is building the rest of the subsidized units. The original plan had been to not move any of the mobile homes during the first phase, but 25 units have had to be moved. “In the initial phase, we had hoped not to move anybody at all,” Rosensweigh said. “That’s why we developed greenfields at first. We thought we might have to move a few. We’ve had to move a few more than we thought but none of them off-site. Out of an abundance of caution, we’re working with 25 families that are adjacent to the first construction zone that were a little too close for comfort.”So far, eleven of the 25 trailers have been moved to other sections of the park and others should be moved by September. Rosensweig said Habitat has accumulated many trailers in its 14 years operating the site and was able to provide those in situations where the original structure could not be moved. As for construction of new units, Habitat’s Chief Construction Officer said the first lots will be turned over to developers sometime this fall. Here’s Andrew Vinisky.“We anticipate our first five Habitat homes and likely the first four market rate homes to be delivered some time next summer,” Vinisky said. Work is underway now on the phasing for the rest of the Sunrise development. Attorney Lori Schweller of the firm Williams Mullen said staff has made a recommendation on how to proceed.“We have been working closely with staff to plan for submittal of phase two and have been advised that an amendment to the existing zoning makes the most sense so we are preparing our concept plan and new code of development and hope to submit that in the fall,” Schweller said. Commissioner Karen Firehock had several questions related to affordability. “What percent or total number of the original units that you showed us a couple of years ago were supposed to be occupied by South residents?” Firehock asked. “How many are currently committed to existing residents? I’m trying to understand your success rate.”“It’s actually going pretty well,” Rosensweig said. “We essentially canvassed the neighborhood and if you recall we’ve had numerous families who have been working toward this for a while so our first application process took place in the spring and we had 25 families step forward. Remember there are 49 homes in the first village, but they’re not all going to get built next year. There’s about 20 to 25 that are going to be get built every year so that was about the right number of families we needed to fill up the first buildings that we’re building.”Rosensweig said the second application process will begin in August, and he expects all 86 Habitat units in the first phase to be occupied by current Southwood families. “We can’t force anybody to stay in the neighborhood and so there will be some families who leave and we’re working one on one on a strategy with all of them,” Rosenweig said.Rosensweig did not have a break down on the annual income for the first cohort of families, Southwood, but said the average AMI for a Habitat family is 32 percent of the area median. Commissioner Tim Keller went back to the 1,500 people who are believed to be living at Southwood currently. He said with just over 200 affordable units in the first phase so far, that might not be be enough to accommodate all current residents who might want to live there. “I’m concerned at least that what we’ve seen so far, that there could actually be a net loss [of affordable housing],” Keller said. Rosensweig said that there is more of Southwood to be developed. “This is phase one so this is 30 acres out of 123 so there are 207 affordable homes on roughly a fifth of the site,” Rosensweig said. “There is an area four to five times the size of what Phase One is that will accommodate more affordable housing so when we come back for the second phase of rezoning, that’s where the additional density of affordable housing and market rate housing wll be.”Keller said the numbers of affordable units often appear to be in flux.“It seems like each time we have these discussions we’re told there are going to be answers in the future and I just can’t believe you be doing this without having those kind of projections,” Keller said. Commission Chair Julian Bivins noticed that all of the affordable rental units  appeared to be clustered, with the 120+ rentals built by Piedmont Housing Alliance in Block 12 and many of the Habitat clustered in the middle of village one. “And I’m sort of seeing all of the affordable housing units grouped together which means that people will sort of co-locate,” Bivins said. “When you bring this back for the second time, that will be one of the things I’m going to key off of.” For another version of the story, please do check out Allison Wrabel’s July 16 story in the Daily Progress. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s reader-supported public service announcement, the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards is getting ready for a series of fall classes for new volunteers. The Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards increase public awareness of the value of trees in all environments, rural and urban. The Fall 2021 class will involve a combination of online training sessions and field activities with a maximum of 32 students to facilitate the best field training possible. The registration period opens on June 15 and slots will fill quickly! With a 15-week duration beginning August 7th and ending November 13th the online classes will precede the field activities held on every other Saturday at various locations in the Charlottesville area. Learn more at charlottesvilleareatreestewards.org. On today’s show:A small hydroelectric plant on the Hardware River gets the nod from the Albemarle Planning Commission The city will work with the USDA to introduce wasps to save younger ash treesVMDO aims to build net zero building for PVCCVirginia aims to reduce stormwater runoff on 400,000 acres of public land As stated in the sub-headline, June 5 is World Environment Day. This program has many beats, representing various interests I have as a reporter and community member. Today’s installment has several segments about the natural world around us, and how we may fit in.But, first, a quick update on the status of efforts to address climate change, perhaps the biggest environmental issue of our time. The city of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the University of Virginia all have adopted ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals.  There’s a joint website where activities are intended to be tracked. Charlottesville completed an inventory in 2016, and have adopted a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and net zero by 2050. The first measurement will be made from an inventory completed in 2011. The city is now putting together a climate action plan. (website) (emissions page)Albemarle County adopted a climate action plan in October 2020 last year and are now working on an inventory of where emissions stand now. Supervisors have adopted a resolution seeking to be net zero by 2050 and to be 45 percent below where the numbers were in 2008. (Albemarle climate page)UVA adopted a sustainability plan in October 2020 intended to build off of previous plans. This plan seeks for the University to become carbon neutral by 2030 and fossil fuel free by 2050. The plan also seeks to reduce water use and nitrogen emissions by 30 percent by 2030, as well as a 30 percent reduction for waste and an increase in sustainable food purchases by 30 percent. Read this plan here. Read about all the plans on the Climate Action Together websiteA new building under construction at Piedmont Virginia Community College aims to be a net zero energy building, the first of its kind at a higher education institution in the Commonwealth. VMDO Architects has designed the Advanced Technical Training Center which is expected to be completed in the spring of 2023. The Center will house laboratory space for robotics, advanced manufacturing, and cyber-security. The project has a budget of $21 million. The Advanced Technical Training Center at Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC), by VMDO Architects and slated for completion in spring 2023, will be the first higher education facility in Virginia, and one of just a handful of community college facilities in the US, to achieve net zero energy. (VMDO Architects)Governor Ralph Northam has signed an executive order directing state agencies and higher education facilities to take steps to reduce stormwater runoff on public land. Executive Directive Seventeen sets specific reduction targets for phosphorus and nitrogen. Those are two major pollutants that destroy habitat for aquatic species in the Chesapeake Bay by removing the oxygen. Virginia and several other states must meet the terms of a 2009 mandate from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to improve water quality in the bay by making the reductions. Northam’s directive covers about 400,000 acres of land. “The Commonwealth of Virginia has pursued and achieved significant reductions in nutrient and sediment pollution to the Chesapeake Bay and the rivers and streams that are tributaries to the Bay,” reads the directive’s summary. “Despite real progress, continued reductions in nutrient and sediment pollution are necessary both to restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and to meet federal Clean Water Act requirements.”For more details, read Sarah Vogelsong’s story posted on the Virginia Mercury. At the local level, education efforts are coordinated by the Rivanna Stormwater Education Partnership. Local investments include millions to upgrade what’s now known as the Moores Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility - formerly known as a wastewater treatment plant. The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority spent $48 million to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus released into the river. A map of the Chesapeake Bay watershedThe city of Charlottesville is soon to receive some help from the United States Department of Agriculture in the fight against the Emerald Ash Borer, which is devastating ash trees across the east coast. Patrick Booz is a plant health safeguarding specialist with the USDA and he addressed the city’s Tree Commission on June 1. He said the agency had been relying on quarantining ash products as a way of stopping the spread of the ash borer, but that has not been an effective strategy. The new strategy is to introduce wasps to fight the invasive ash borer.“There’s four different species now of parasitoid wasps that are found in the native range where Emerald Ash Borers was found and that’s in Russia and China,” Booz said. ‘So these wasps will predate. They’re stingless wasps and they’re not going to harm anybody else.”Booz said when introduced nearby, the wasps will lay their eggs inside the eggs of Emerald Ash Borer. He said this treatment is best applied to younger trees that are not yet infested, and he’s proposing introducing the wasps at the Ragged Mountain Natural Area. One member of the Tree Commission asked if there would be any unintended consequences.“USDA has reported that there weren’t any unintended consequences so far, but I mean who knows?” Booz said. “It’s pretty early in the process but so far we haven’t had any insect species that it was attacking.”According to a press release, the wasps have been introduced in 28 other states so far. The city has been treating 32 ash trees since 2016 to prevent infestation, and budget constraints have prevented a wider application. Once infested, trees can die after two or three years due to larvae burrowing for food. The Commission voted to endorse the use of wasps, but member Peggy Van Yahres voted no due to the possibility of unintended consequences. Watch the whole Tree Commission meeting on the city’s video channel. The Emerald Ash BorerYou’re reading to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In this subscriber supported public service announcement, over the course of the pandemic, the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society has provided hours and hours of interviews, presentations, and discussions about interpretations and recollections of the past. All of this is available for you to watch, for free, on the Historical Society’s YouTube Channel. *A plan to update  a hydroelectric plant at the Jefferson Mill Dam on the Hardware River obtained a recommendation of approval from the Albemarle Planning Commission on June 1, but not without a tough question intended as a softball. In beginning of the 21st century, construction of dams is strongly discouraged in most cases, with the exception of impoundment for water supply. But the Jefferson Mill Dam dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. Bill Fritz is the county’s development process manager. (staff report)“The existing dam and the adjacent building date to the 1800’s and the mill building is now used as a home,” Fritz said. Power has been generated at the location for much of that time, but the proposal is to update the turbine that’s within an underground water room through which a diverted portion of the river flows. “The project will improve the outfall from the water room, install new inlets to bring water to the turbine,” Fritz said. “The applicant has submitted by far the most extensive and complete application I’ve seen in thirty plus years I’ve worked for the county.”However, the applicant was not quite ready to give a presentation. While not required, it’s customary for a formal presentation to be made when making a land use request. But we’ll hear more about that in a moment. Fritz said state agencies found no significant concerns and all potential issues have been resolved. Currently fish and eels cannot swim upstream past this point, but that will change after the work is complete. “It’s not the subject of the special use permit but the applicant is proposing to install a ladder on the dam on the opposite side of the river from the mill building,” Fritz said.In addition to the fish ladder, a ramp for eels will also be installed (Credit: Natel Energy) The applicant did not prepare a presentation but was available to answer questions. At first it appeared no one would ask one, but Commissioner Tim Keller went ahead and offered one up. Keller is a professor emeritus of landscape architecture at Iowa State University. “Let me preface this by saying that I do support it and this is the great conundrum between cultural resource protection and natural resource protection that I spent my professional lifetime thinking about,” Keller said. “But just to be a devil’s advocate here, wouldn’t best practices here be to remove this dam? Best environmental practice be to remove this dam completely?”Fritz said that did not come up during the discussion with state agencies. The project manager said there was no compelling reason to remove the dam based on this application. “The studies that we’ve done thus far and the information that’s publicly available indicates that the dam is not a huge hindrance to species, especially species of concern, going upstream any farther due to the amount of dams that are below the Jefferson site,” said Jessica Pendrod of Natel Energy. Keller was satisfied with the answer, but civil engineer Joseph Head jumped on the Zoom call to offer this response.“The best practices would probably be to tell us to tear up all of our freeways and turn them into meadows full of butterflies,” said Joseph Head. “But that would make it hard to get your truck around if you did that. So it’s a balance between human existence and the animals.” Head said the stone dam has withstood years of being pummeled by the Hardware, which he called a “flashy” river that can go from an easy stream to a raging torrent in hours if there’s enough rainfall.“This dam’s actually totally amazing,” Head said. “These guys built this and did it my hand 200 years ago. It’s just rock and mortar and it’s still there. This river has been pounding on this dam for 200 years and it’s still there.”Commissioner Karen Firehock also supported the project, but said that the best practice would be to at least study a partial removal of the dam.“From an environmental perspective, the best option would be a partial breach of this dam so that we don’t have a dam across the river and if anyone wants to study this, there are a multitude of dams that have been come down in Virginia including some major ones,” Firehock said. “There’s a whole host of problems that occur from warming water behind the dam, from preventing migration and passage, from trapping sediments, sometimes which are contaminated.”Firehock supported the upgrade of the powerplant but did not want that vote to be interpreted as support for continued existence of dams.“Just because something is historic doesn’t mean we should maintain it,” Firehock said. “There are historic coal mines. No one would make an argument for maintaining all of our historic coal mines so I just don’t think that argument holds water so to speak.”To learn more about the dam removal at the Rivanna River, visit the Rivanna Conservation Alliance. You can watch the whole item on the Albemarle County YouTube page. Special thanks to the Valley Research Center for a donation in January that has helped provide music beds for the audio version of this. I strongly suggest listening to the program if you’ve not heard it before. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Spotify or Amazon or just hit the play button above! This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s Substack-fueled shout-out, would you like to use your tech, data, design, or research skills in the name of community service? Code for Charlottesville may be the place for you! Code for Charlottesville will be holding an orientation session on April 21 where you can learn more about their streetlight mapping project, criminal record expungement data analysis, or their pro-bono tech consulting for local nonprofits. Learn more on the Code for Charlottesville website. On today’s show: Scottsville Town Council briefed on various infrastructure projectsAlbemarle Supervisor Ned Gallaway seeks a second termGround is finally broken for Crescent Halls rehabilitation For the second time in the past six weeks, an official ceremony has been held to begin major construction at a public housing site in Charlottesville. Crescent Halls was built in 1976 at the intersection of Monticello Avenue and 2nd Street SE. Brandon Collins is with the Public Housing Association of Residents.“As we all know, urban renewal happened in Charlottesville in the 60’s and we hear a lot about Vinegar Hill but it also happened here on Garrett Street and that was the birth of this building, Crescent Halls,” Collins said.The Public Housing Association of Residents put together a four-page booklet outlining the amenities in the new structure (download)Collins said a lack of investment in the facility has led to a series of well-documented maintenance problems, including a lack of air conditioning during the summer months. He said the Public Housing Association of Residents pushed to create a Bill of Rights to protect citizen rights during relocation. The Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority was created to serve as an instrument of what was termed “slum clearance” following a narrow referendum held on April 15, 1954, 67 years ago today. The proposal won by only 36 votes. At the time, The Daily Progress reported that approval of the new authority carried three of the city’s four wards in the referendum. A master plan intended to guide redevelopment of all the sites was adopted in the summer of 2010 but nothing happened. The events of the summer of 2017 moved the rehabilitation project forward. In October 2020, Council approved a performance agreement with CRHA that governs the use of $3 million in direct city investment in Crescent Halls as well as the first phase of South First Street. Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker also serves on the CRHA Board of Commissioners.“By doing this today we also show that promises that have been broken for decades are finally being fulfilled,” Walker said. “People shouldn’t have to wait for decades for their basic needs to be met and that happens when a community doesn’t own its responsibilities.” Walker said construction should take about 18 months. Riverbend Development has shepherded design and financial planning for the project. Part of the project is funded through low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) that are used to encourage private investment. The credits were granted by the Virginia Housing Development Authority in 2019 to Crescent Halls Reno LLC, which is made up of the CRHA and its nonprofit arm known as the Charlottesville Community Development Corporation (CCDC). (VHDA application)Under the terms of the arrangement, the Crescent Halls building will no longer be owned by the CRHA but will instead be owned by a limited liability company (LLC) created specifically for the project. That’s the same arrangement for the first phase of South First Street which broke ground on March 7. Unlike the CRHA, the CCDC must pay to pay property taxes to the city of Charlottesville for the rehabilitated structure. An agreement signed on March 5 between the city, CRHA and CCDC compels the city to make a subsidy to CRHA to cover the costs for CCDC’s tax liability for a period of 15 years. Cornelius Griggs, president and CEO of GMA Construction, also spoke at the dedication ceremony.“We are here today partnering with our great partners at Martin Horn who are going to assist us and work with us to deliver an excellent facility to the residents of Crescent Halls,” Griggs said.CRHA Executive Director John Sales also spoke at the event. He took that job last August after serving for a brief time as Charlottesville’s housing coordinator. “One of the things that really excited me about taking this job was an opportunity to work with the residents to build a future that they saw themselves living in and I think this project as well as South First Street and all the other future projects will have that same aspect,” Sales said. CRHA Executive Director John Sales speaks at the dedication ceremony on April 14, 2021. The event can be viewed in its entirety on the CRHA Facebook page. Scottsville’s Town Council met this past Monday and got several updates on several infrastructure projects. Planning continues for a park in west downtown funded through a $80,000 grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. Scottsville Town Attorney Jim Bowling said the next step is to sign an easement document for public access on land owned by prominent landowner Dr. Charles Hurt. “All of this land is in the flood plain and its proposed to be a permanent recreational easement for the benefit of the town and its citizens,” Bowling said. “The easement will be jointly owned as proposed by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the town.” The Council also got a briefing from the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, which withdraws water from Totier Creek or the Totier Creek Reservoir. RWSA Executive Director Bill Mawyer said the reservoir was built in 1971 and holds 155 million gallons. “We get water out of the creek most of the time,” Mawyer said. “Totier Creek Reservoir tends to have a high turbidity and sediment load.” Mawyer said RWSA is planning for an $11 million upgrade to the water treatment plant that was originally built in 1964. That won’t happen for at least five years. Learn more about the Keene Convenience Center in this presentationMuch sooner than that, Albemarle is working on a facility where residents can bring household waste in southern Albemarle to a collection site known as a “convenience center.” The project will be built in the unincorporated area of Keene on land owned by the county, north of Scottsville on Route 20. The Albemarle Board of Supervisors has allocated $1.1 million for this project. “And that would include all of the containers and compactors necessary to open the operation,” said Lance Stewart, the county’s director of facilities and environmental services. “That of course would be done in cooperation with the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority.”  The county purchased the land in 1990 for a potential trash transfer facility, but that project was never built. Stewart stressed this is not the site of the now-closed Keene landfill. But what is a convenience center, exactly?“It’s a place to take bagged household waste or in containers, not bulk household waste,” Stewart said. “Also compostable food waste or array of recyclables, glass, plastics, paper, cardboard, tin, and other metals.”      Stewart said the project helps the county implement its Climate Action Plan by moving forward with a project to reduce greenhouse gases. “That food waste that’s compostable is the largest greenhouse gas emitter among the solid waste components so from a climate action plan perspective that’s a significant and growing opportunity for us,” Stewart said. For the project to move forward, it will need to be reviewed against the Comprehensive Plan by the Albemarle Planning Commission.  The hope is to have the facility to be open in the fall of 2022. The Scottsville Town Council will vote on a resolution of support at its meeting on Monday, April 19.Ned Gallaway has announced he will seek a second term to represent the Rio District on the Albemarle Board of Supervisors. Gallaway was first elected in 2017 as a Democrat after running unopposed. “Four years ago when I ran, I said that my priorities would be public education, public safety and economic development and I feel that after four budgets and many votes that I have stayed true or focused on those priorities,” Gallaway said. Gallaway said highlights of the last four years have been adoption of the Project Enable economic development plan, adoption of the Rio and 29 Small Area Plan, and passage of the Climate action plan. So far, no one has filed to run against Gallaway as an independent or a Republican. The deadline to challenge him in the Democratic primary on June 8 has passed. Currently all members of the Board are Democrats, but Gallaway said that does not make them a monolith. “I think people think that because we are all of the same party that we are automatically of the same mind on things and we’re not,” Gallaway said. Gallaway previously served on the Albemarle School Board. He moved to the community in 2002 and lived on Old Ivy Road before moving to Fluvanna County for a brief time. He moved back to Albemarle in 2007. Since then, he said there has been a lot of growth.“A lot has changed in a quick amount of time,” Gallaway said. “I remember driving back from D.C. and you weren’t really feeling like you were in town until you started to get to the Kroger on Woodbrook. And now that’s a whole different animal, even through Greene County.” Last week, Supervisor Diantha McKeel announced she would seek a third term to represent the Jack Jouett District. Democrat Jim Andrews is the only candidate who has filed in the Samuel Miller District race to succeed outgoing Supervisor Liz Palmer.  No independents have yet filed for any of those three seats, and would-be candidates have until June 8 to qualify for the ballot. No Republicans have filed either, according to Albemarle Republican Chairman George Urban. Do you enjoy this program? Want it to keep going? If you sign up for a paid subscription through Substack, Ting will match the amount. You can learn why here! This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s subscriber-supported information announcement. This shout-out is in celebration of Stewart Johnston's birthday. In celebration, please consider donating to your favorite environmental charity in his honor. I’ll put a list at the end of the newsletter. Here’s to you, Stewart, and hope you have a good day. On today’s show:Solar panels are being planned for the long-closed Ivy Landfill The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority is briefed on what to do with land for the never-built Buck Mountain reservoirOne candidate for City Council has failed to make the primary ballot and another’s slot is still pending The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation make a multimillion commitment to an affordable housing projectAnd the Local Food Hub moves its drive-through market to new location  Only four of the five candidates in the race for two Democratic nominations to City Council have qualified for the June 8 primary, and another’s slot is still pending. Yas Washington did not obtain the 125 signatures of registered city voters required to get on the ballot. That means Carl E. Brown, Brian Pinkston and Juandiego Wade are on the ballot, and the registrar’s office is still waiting to finalize Josh Carp’s paperwork. Carp did turn in at least 125 signatures but has additional paperwork that must be received by tomorrow at 5 p.m.However, a staff member in the Charlottesville registrar’s office told me this morning that Washington can still qualify for the November ballot as an independent should she choose to do so. In 2009, candidate Andrew Williams failed to qualify for the ballot in the Democratic primary, but later ran as a write-in candidate. Williams did qualify for the general election ballot in 2011 as an independent candidate.  Stay tuned for more information about upcoming campaign forums. The Charlottesville School Board has voted to designate Jim Henderson as the Acting Superintendent of the city school system. He’ll take over from Rosa Atkins, who retires as of May 31 and is taking a position in the Virginia Department of Education. Henderson worked in Charlottesville Schools for more than 40 years before retiring in 2020. He began as a teacher at Clark Elementary in 1975. (read more)Source: Charlottesville City SchoolsThe Charlottesville Area Community Foundation has made its largest ever grant with $4.25 million going to Piedmont Housing Alliance for their redevelopment of land on U.S. 29. Piedmont Housing is working with the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless and Virginia Supportive Housing to redevelop the Red Carpet Inn site for a total of 140 units that will be guaranteed to be rented at prices for people with extremely low and very low incomes. Eboni Bugg is the director of programs for the CACF. “This first came on our radar last April when we received a grant application from TJACH and PACEM and the Haven regarding wanting to ensure that there was a non-congregate option for our homeless community members so that they could weather the pandemic without being in congregate shelter,” Bugg said.The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors rezoned the land for the project in February. The Red Carpet Inn will continue to be used as a shelter by TJACH in the short-term as the project moves forward. Bugg said the CACF’s investment is made in the spirit of community health. There will be an update on grant at an event on April 15. Anthony Haro of the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless (TJACH) speaks with Eboni Bugg of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation at the Red Carpet inn (Credit: CACF)Plans are being crafted to install solar panels atop 12 acres of the Ivy Landfill, which has been closed since 1998. The facility is now run by the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority to oversee a remediation program and now contains a Materials Utilization Center where people can discard various items. Dominion Power has been working on the project since 2017, but legislation allowing Dominion and Appalachian Power to proceed with solar energy facilities didn’t become law until last April. Phil McKalips is the director of solid waste. “We just found out about a month ago that our project has been selected by Dominion for the program,” McKalips said. “We’ve already reached out to neighbors in the area and seem to have gotten quite positive feedback from them.”Dominion will need up to a year to finalize interconnection agreements and construction could get underway next spring. The facility will be owned by the Community Power Group and not by Dominion, who will purchase the energy from CPG. They will pay the RSWA $800 per acre per year for a 20-year period. “There is a possibility of later on adding one megawatt, basically 50 percent increase if Dominion seems to think that will be advantageous,” McKalips said. Community Power Group will be responsible for maintaining the landscape and the panels. Albemarle County will need to grant a special use permit for the project. Under the plans, Dominion will get all of the green energy credits associated with the project. Source: Rivanna Solid Waste Authority meeting packet for March 23, 2021You’re reading Charlottesville Community Engagement. What do you know about rock music? Want to put it to the test? Join WTJU virtually on April 16 for their first-ever Trivia Night at 8 p.m. Join a team in the virtual pub and put your screens together to answer rounds of questions with themes that relate to rock, radio, and local lore. There will be merriment! There will be prizes! Trivia Night is just three days before the beginning of the rock marathon, a seven-day extravaganza to help fund the station. Visit wtju.net to learn more! After the solid waste meeting, the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority met and got a presentation on plans to continue owning and managing hundreds of acres of land in the White Hall district. “It’s up in the northern part of the county near Earlysville and Free Union,” said Andrea Bowles, the water resources manager for the RWSA      . The property was purchased in the 80’s for the proposed Buck Mountain Reservoir, but that project was abandoned when the presence of the endangered James River spinymussel was detected. That would have made permitting extremely difficult if not impossible.“There’s a total of 1,314 acres and it cost the Authority $6.95 million,” Bowles said.Some of the land is currently being used to satisfy the terms of an Army Corps of Engineers permit that allowed for the expansion of the Ragged Mountain Reservoir. “Back in 2012, we started working on our mitigation plan for the impacts that we had at Ragged Mountain Reservoir and we impacted a lot of streams and we impacted of wetlands so we used the Buck Mountain property as the stream restoration area or the stream mitigation area,” Bowles said.This meant planting of trees along Buck Mountain Creek and other waterways for a total of about 80,000 linear feet of new riparian buffers. “We planted over 40,500 trees and we placed 600 of those acres into deed restrictions,” Bowles said. In 2019, a landowner came forward to ask to buy some of the land back, and the RWSA Board directed staff to come up with a master plan for how the property should be managed.  “Whatever we’re doing up there, we want to address it through our mission and our values and our strategic plan goals,” Terry said. “So environmental stewardship, we would like to have water quality protection, operational optimization. We’d like to be efficient in how we use those properties and sustainable with the use of resources.”There are 484 acres that are leased for others for agricultural use generating about $1,900 a year in revenue and one recommendation in the plan is to increase the rents to market value. None of the deed restricted lands are leased. “And the other thing we would like to do is evaluate additional parcels for leases,” Staff has also reviewed the possibility of selling some of the land and what the development potential might be. They’re recommending demolishing one structure known as the Buck Mountain House and selling off lots, potentially netting the RWSA between $243,000 and $325,000. There’s also the issue of a bridge over a creek on RWSA land that is failing and many have liability issues. Staff is recommending removing the bridge after 2024, which is when the time RWSA will no longer need to use the bridge.Supervisor Liz Palmer said she needed to hear more voices on that last issue.“I’m just going to put out there that I think we definitely need to know what the neighbors thinks about this before we do anything and hear from them,” Palmer said. Palmer also said that other members of the Board of Supervisors have expressed concerns about selling the lots for development.“Can these be put into conservation easement to remove those development rights so we don’t have clusters of homes?” Palmer asked. No decisions were made and the plan will come back to the RWSA Board in the future.The RWSA Board was also presented with a $38.95 million budget for the next fiscal year, split between $20.533 million for operating expenses and $18,418 million in debt service. The public hearing for the budget will be held on May 25. Last year, the RWSA drew about a million from its reserves in order to prevent rate increases. Bill Mawyer is the executive director of the RWSA.“As we move forward into the next year we have reduced that contribution from our reserve  funds,” Mawyer said. The charges to the Charlottesville Department of Utilities will be increased by 7.6 percent and the charges to the Albemarle County Services Authority will increase by 14.3 percent. The RWSA sells water to the city and the ACSA on a wholesale basis, and those two entities retail rates for individual customers. The RWSA budget has more than doubled since 2007 due to capital projects to expand capacity and to make upgrades to becoming compliant with Virginia Department of Environmental Quality mandates. According to a cost-share allocation, Albemarle can expect larger increases in rates to cover the cost of increased capacity and redundancy. For a year now, the Local Food Hub has been running a drive-through market in order to connect local food producers with customers. They’ve done so in the parking lot of the former K-Mart, but have recently moved to a different space. The market now operates at Seminole Square Shopping Center on land owned by the Great Eastern Management Company. “We’ve realized over the past year that the desire for safe and convenient access to local food is strong and enduring,” said Local Food Hub Executive Director Kristen Suokko in a press release. “As the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel continues to brighten, we remain committed to bridging the gaps between our community and our farmers as effectively as we can.”The market operates on a preorder-only, drive-through basis. Ordering for the Wednesday market is open Thursday at 3:00pm-Monday at 2:00pm. Ordering for the Friday market is open Monday at 3:00pm-Thursday at noon. Place orders at www.localfoodhub.org/market.Some environmental organizations you might consider donating to for Stewart Johnston’s birthday:Blue Ridge Foothills ConservancyChesapeake Bay FoundationJames River AssociationNature Conservancy of VirginiaPiedmont Environmental CouncilRivanna Conservation AllianceSierra Club of VirginiaSouthern Environmental Law CenterVirginia Conservation NetworkVirginia Native Plant SocietyVirginia Outdoors FoundationWild Virginia This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Cebollero-Bertran v. PR Aqueduct & Sewer Authority

Today's Patreon-fueled shout-out is for the Plant Northern Piedmont Natives Campaign, an initiative that wants you to plant native plants in yards, farms, public spaces and gardens in the northern Piedmont. Native plants provide habitat, food sources for wildlife, ecosystem resiliency in the face of climate change, and clean water.  Start at the Plant Northern Piedmont Natives Facebook page to learn how you can prepare for next spring.  *There is no caveat placed on today’s count of 2,125 new cases of COVID-19 in Virginia this morning from the Department of Health. That’s now the highest one-day total without an asterisk, higher than the 2,103 reported on November 7. The seven-day average for new daily cases is 1,693. The percent positivity for PCR tests continues to rise and is at 7.4 percent today, up from 7.3 percent yesterday and 6 percent on November 7. Another metric that demonstrates the rise of cases in Virginia is the total number of new cases per 100,000 of population. The statewide figure today is 259.3, up from 169.5 a month ago on October 17. The number of people confirmed to have died of COVID in Virginia is now 3,835. That’s 413 more people since October 17. In the Blue Ridge Health District, there are another 23 cases, bringing the seven day average to 24. The percent positivity rate for PCR tests dropped to 2.1 percent from 2.7 percent, but that is in part based on an additional 4,668 tests processed yesterday. Looking around the rest of Virginia, the city of Roanoke posted a record 82 cases this morning reported another 5 deaths today. The city of Lynchburg reported 41 cases today and 43 cases yesterday. Their total number of cases per 100,000 population is 311.7. The city of Harrisonburg reported 35 new cases, though that number is nowhere close to their one-day total of 143 on September 8, 2020, around the time James Madison University returned to in-person instruction. Tazewell County reported another 28 cases today, and their total number per 100,000 population is 570.3 Roanoke County reported another 64 cases, and their 14-day metric is 456. Wise County reports another 23 cases today, and their 14-day metric is 826.1. Looking at percent positivity rates throughout Virginia.  Keep in mind this is just one metric and it alone does not give a full picture of community spread. Central - 6.3% Eastern Region - 6.4%Far Southwest - 16.4%Near Southwest - 10.2%Northern - 8%Northwest - 5.7%*Charlottesville City Council spent about an hour last night discussing ways to address speeding concerns on 5th Street Extended, a four-lane highway that heads south from downtown Charlottesville that has seen more residential neighborhoods built over the years. One person concerned with recent crashes on 5th Street lives around the intersection at Bailey Road. “I walk on 5th Street almost everyday,” said Kristen Lucas. “I bike to work sometimes on 5th Street. And I walked out my door when there was a crash and someone had passed away on 5th Street and I strongly support changes to 5th Street to make it safer not only for drivers but also for pedestrians and bikers and those that are living on this road.” Lucas and about 1,400 other people signed a petition to ask Council to push for changes to the roadway. She said she wanted more than for the city to limit the speed, and she supported roundabouts and other traffic calming measures.Traffic engineer Brennen Duncan wrote a report that outlined how vehicular speed has played a role in the five fatal accidents that have taken place in the past four years. “It’s my assertion that there’s really not a speeding problem with the posted speed limit of 45 but I have said in my report to Council that we do have a corridor that allows for higher speeds for those that want to break the speed limit,” Duncan said. Duncan’s suggestions for short-term solutions include reducing the speed limit to 40 miles per hour and additional lighting. Mid-term solutions could be informed by studies such as a 2018 study of the entire 5th and Ridge Street corridor.  Joan Albiston of the Willoughby neighborhood singled out a specific intervention that she favored. “I have read the traffic engineers report for 5th Street and I would like to thank them for their recommendations to make 5th Street safer,” Albiston said. “In particular I would like to thank for recommending a flashing yellow area in place of a green light.”These would be for permissive left-hand turns. Duncan explains the logic behind adding these flashing yellow lights. “Nothing changes about the functionality,” Duncan said. “You’re supposed to yield on a green ball anyway but it really has been found that it alerts drivers more they are supposed to yield in that condition.”For a mid-term solution, Duncan is recommending a roundabout just north of Bailey Road. “What the roundabout would do is really put a damper on [high speeds] right in the middle of the corridor where drivers are forced to slow down,” Duncan said. Duncan said that 18,000 vehicles use the roadway every day, and more efforts need to be made to get people out of their cars and onto buses. He said there could be as many as 500 more residential units in this area in the several years if undeveloped property is built upon. The mother of a man who died in a motorcycle crash had the chance to address Council about the issue. “My name is Binta Rose and my son was one of the fatalities on 5th Street Extended,” Rose said. “I had some concerns about that roadway as well. Even though speed may have contributed to his fatality I just had a question about the, I know that you guys are talking about some lighting in the area, and I know that the cars that pull out of the driveways there. My son driving down that road, an SUV pulled out into the traffic so he tried to avoid the vehicle and he hit a tree.”Rose said the crash happened at night when there was no lighting. She also said she wants the roadway’s character to be less of a speedway. Council agreed to the lower speeds and the flashing yellow light. For other solutions, Council will further discuss the topic at a budget work session on the capital improvement program budget on Friday that begins at 1 p.m. City Council also approved $100,000 in CARES Contingency funding to go to city employees who have either been laid off or have had their hours reduced. They can request up to $1,000 for assistance, depending on income level. Kaki Dimock is the director of human services. “A thousand dollars is certainly helpful and it is symbolic,” Dimock said. “It’s not addressing someone’s poverty concerns. It might be very critical for that month but it’s certainly not a sufficient amount of money to address someone’s ongoing concerns.”Existing conditions in the corridor were documented in this November 2018 study *Today in meetings, the Albemarle Planning Commission will have a work session at 6 p.m. on technical language intended to translate the vision of an urban Rio/29 area into reality. Michaela Accardi of the Department of Community Development described the existing conditions in the area slated for what is known as a “form-based zoning code.” “The area that this planning effort is referring to is about 400 acres around the Rio Road and Route 29 intersection and most of the properties in this area are commercial single use properties,” Accardi said. “The vision for this plan is a connected network of complete streets designed for all types of users, a network of public spaces that are sustainable and usable and enrich the community, and a vibrant and diverse mixture of uses. For more on how this vision has worked in other communities, read this very long article I wrote last summer on how Arlington, Leesburg, and Virginia Beach have employed form-base code. The Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review meets at 530 p.m. and will hold a preliminary review on the conversion of 1001 West Main Street into a Starbucks coffee chain as well as review of a modification to the approved design at Dairy Central and an intermediate review of a four-story building planned at 612 West Main Street where a University Tire Franchise now stands. (meeting info)The Albemarle Economic Development Authority meets at 4 p.m. Among the items on the agenda will be an update on tourism in the area from Courtney Cacatian, executive director of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau. They’ll also vote on a proposal to add public comment at EDA meetings. (meeting info)The Charlottesville Parking Advisory Panel meets at 3:30 p.m. for an update on the future parking structure as well as an introduction of the Parking Action Plan adopted by Council in January 2017 when they purchased the land for said structure at a cost of $2.85 million with no prior public input. (meeting info)The CVille Plans Together initiative will hold another webinar to introduce the draft affordable housing plan to anyone interested. (meeting info)The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority meets following the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority, which begins at 2 p.m. (agendas for both) This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

In this special episode of Talking Under Water, One Water, One Podcast, hosts Bob Crossen, Lauren Del Ciello and Katie Johns share the second interview in the four-part Value of Water Series. Each Friday in October, TUW is releasing a special episode in conjunction with the Value of Water Campaign – a US Water Alliance campaign – and Imagine a Day Without Water, which is October. 21. The series will share diverse voices and perspectives on solving water access, equity and affordability issues starting with the role of one water before digging into the utility perspective, a community group perspective and finally a perspective from the ground floor on water access. In this episode, Bob interviews OJ McFoy, the general manager for Buffalo Sewer Authority, about the affordability programs that they have implemented in Buffalo, New York.

Today we have a new Patreon-powered shout-out. The Local Energy Alliance Program wants you to consider a Home Energy Check-Up as the first step toward lowering your energy bills. For a $45 consultation, Albemarle and Charlottesville residents can have their homes audited to see what can be done to reduce energy consumption. Sign up today!”*Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has given his first press conference since he and his wife were diagnosed with COVID-19.“We know that we have been very fortunate that our experience with this disease was mild,” Northam said. “Many other people have not been so lucky and our hearts continue to be with those who have lost loved ones.” As of this morning, there have been 3,381 COVID-19-related deaths in Virginia and over 200,000 nationwide. Northam said that none of his close contacts have been diagnosed with the disease. He attributed this to mask wearing and spoke to the importance of contact tracing. Dr. Danny Avula is the director of the Richmond City and Henrico County Health Districts. “The role of the local health department in every new case of COVID that we have, we follow up that case and we identify when was their onset of symptoms or when was the date of their positive test,” Avula said. Contact-tracers then interview the person to try to identify who they were around. “And we determine who actually met the definition of a close contact, so having spent 15 minutes or greater within six feet of somebody is the epidemiological definition of a close contact,” Avula said. Anyone who meets that definition is now considered to be exposed and they are asked to go into quarantine for 14 days. That’s the period when the virus can incubate in a person’s body. Avula said tracers tracked down 65 individuals across seven health districts who met the definition. None tested positive. *This morning, the Virginia Department of Health reports another 805 cases today, and reported 1,235 yesterday. The numbers of yesterday were made available later than usual due to a communications problem we’ll discuss more in a moment. The statewide seven-day average of positive tests increased to 4.6 percent. There have been 38 cases reported in the Blue Ridge Health District since Monday, with 19 new cases both today and yesterday. A recent spike in new cases has appeared to slow. The seven-day daily average for new cases is now at 8 in Albemarle and 12 in Charlottesville. The seven-day average of positive tests in the district is at 3.6 percent today. Last night the Greene County Board of Supervisors got an update from emergency services director Melissa Meador. That body had not met since September 22. “Our numbers in Greene County stand at 255 as of today,” Meador said. “When we met last met it was at 212 so we are up 43. 12 hospitalizaiton, up 2, and 3 COVID related  fatalities, no change there.”In all there have been 74 fatalities in the Blue Ridge Health District to date. The number of active cases at the University of Virginia is now at 95 people with 74 of those individuals being students. Yesterday, UVA officials announced they would loosen restrictions on gatherings from five people to ten people. They also said that all students living in dorms would be tested on a regular basis, or at least every nine days.Governor Northam said it is crucial to avoid complacency as the seasons change.“We are heading into the colder months and all of the outdoor socializing we’ve been able to do is getting harder,” Northam said. “People are going to be less likely to want to meet up outside when it’s 40 degrees or below.”Northam also announced yesterday that he has signed legislation recognizing Juneteenth as a state holiday. Legislation passed the General Assembly in the ongoing special session. *Now, about that fiber cut. A federal judge has extended the voter registration deadline in Virginia one day after the line was cut in Chester that served the online system. Several groups ranging from the New Virginia Majority Education Fund to the League of Women Voters filed a complaint asking for an extension, which required judicial action. Here’s judge John A. Gibney Jr.“I will order, as you requested, all registration may occur until 1159 p.m. on tomorrow, October the 15th,” Gibney said, just before thanking the attorneys for working together to allow more people to register.*Today is the first day of operations for the new Greene County Department of Emergency Medical Services. The Greene Board of Supervisors authorized the move in May after the University of Virginia opted to not renew a contract to provide the service for the county. Here’s Melissa Meador again.“All 14 full-time positions are filled and we have hired an additional 13 part-time employees,” Meador said. Supervisors praised Meador and her staff for putting together the department in such a short amount of time. “I went from a little bit of anger earlier this year when the contract was terminated, quickly to awe for what Ms. Meador and her new team has accomplished,” said Supervisor Bill Martin. *The Virginia Department of Health has issued a warning against eating fish caught in the Upper James River due to elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in tissue samples. This affects a stretch of river from headwaters at Iron Gate to Balcony Falls Dam near Glasgow. (press release) *Over 90 percent of the office space has been leased in the Dairy Central project according to an email from the firm Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer. In all, the Dairy Central will include 50,000 square feet of Class A office space and 180 upcoming apartments, as well as a food hall. Tenants for office space include the Costar Group and Virginia Humanities. “The Dairy Market targets an opening in late 2020 where Starr Hill brewery will anchor a 16-stall market hall featuring a talented roster of Virginia's leading purveyors, culinary talents and artisans,” the email reads. “Market Hall stalls are entirely subscribed with tenants including cult classics Moo Thru and Take it Away Sandwiches, The Milkman's Bar, and an exciting and diverse lineup of additional tenants.” Today in meetings, The Crozet Community Advisory Committee convenes virtually at 7 p.m. for a meeting that a discussion of a special use permit to amend previous approvals for the private Claudius Crozet Park to allow for a “Community Recreation Facility.” There will also be a presentation on the many projects the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority is planning for the Crozet Area. The RWSA Board of Directors were given this presentation in late August. There’s a capital cost of about $41.5 million in projects to increase capacity and improve safety at Beaver Dam. (slides) Thanks again to LEAP for their Patreon-fueled shout-out. You too can help fund this show and get the word out about a nonprofit, an idea, a cause, or someone’s birthday. For now, you will get four shout-outs a month for $25. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Support for this program comes from the many people who have decided to fund it through a monthly contribution to Patreon. For $25 a month, you too can have me read a shout-out! Support also comes from those who have paid for a subscription through this newsletter service. Either way, thank you for all who have contributed so far!  *Students at the University of Virginia are now under rules that are stricter than those in Albemarle County and Charlottesville. President Jim Ryan announced yesterday that gatherings are limited to five people or less and that masks are to be worn at mostly all times."Over the last few days we've become more concerned about the spread of COVID-19 within the UVA community,” Ryan said. “Some of this has been driven by a rise in positive cases in our community. But we've also gotten reports of a few large student gatherings, both on and off Grounds as well as reports about inconsistent adherence to masking and distancing guidelines. This has caused concern among our public health experts who worry we may be headed in the wrong direction and that if we don’t get back on track quickly, we could end up in a situation where have to severely restrict where students can go or risk running low on isolation or quarantine space.”The UVA COVID-19 Tracker reported yesterday that 26 percent of quarantine rooms are in use and seven percent of isolation rooms. Seven new cases were reported for Monday, all students. The number of active cases is listed as 224. According to the tracker, these are “new cases with a positive test during the past ten days who require isolation or quarantine. The Cavalier Daily reported yesterday that a fifth dorm was placed under testing. The 5-person-or-less restriction on gatherings applies to students on and off grounds. “Students will still be able to gather outside safely including on the Lawn, but will have to do it in groups of less than five or fewer,” Ryan said. “If this limit is not respected we may have to consider additional restrictions including curfews.” A third restriction involves who can visit the students. “We’re going to ramp up enforcement of our travel and visitor policies for students, which should be simple to understand and easy to follow,” Ryan said. “Please do not leave Charlottesville over the next two weeks and do not invite visitors to come to town. This is to protect people outside of this community as well as to prevent more of the virus being brought back to Grounds.”Ryan said in-person classes would continue. Watch the whole video on UVA Today. *The Virginia Department of Health reports another 580 cases of COVID-19 today, the lowest one-day total since July 6. That brings the seven-day average for daily new cases to 890. The seven-day average for positive tests remains at 5.5 percent for the second straight day. In the Thomas Jefferson Health District there are another 16 cases reported today, with a seven-day average of daily new cases now at 53. Another death has been recorded in Nelson County for a total of 69 since the pandemic began. *The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority’s Board of Directors met yesterday, and it was perhaps the last meeting in the area to be chaired by Dr. Tarron Richardson, whose tenure as Charlottesville City Manager is over at the end of the month. Richardson was honored with a resolution for his time serving on the RWSA, and he ended up chairing his final meeting. “Dr. Richardson, on behalf of this board, we want to take this opportunity to give you a heartfelt thanks not only for your service not just to the city and the community, but also to this Board,” said Albemarle County Executive Jeffrey Richardson. Richardson tendered his resignation to City Council earlier this month. *Albemarle County has launched another initiative to help businesses cover some of their pandemic-related expenses. The Safe Spaces and Places Grant Program is intended for those companies that have spent money to expand to outdoor operations or otherwise be able to serve customers during the pandemic. This could include tents, sanitizing stations, outdoor furniture, space heating, and other items that could help slow the spread of COVID-19 while allowing business to continue. Others include extended WiFi and computer systems to allow easy payment through cards.  Qualifying purchases may have occurred between March 1st and the end of this year, and payouts are up to $25,000. “Only non-residentially zoned parcels are eligible to apply,” reads an inquiry form for the project, which will be administered by the Community Investment Collaborative on behalf of the Albemarle Economic Development Authority. “Costs will be reviewed for reasonableness and applicants must certify that expenses are in response to the COVID-19 crisis.” Albemarle will hold a webinar on the program on September 25 at 1 p.m.  The inquiry form closes on October 2. (inquire) (attend the webinar)This morning, Albemarle County also launched another initiative for residents struggling with hardships due to the pandemic. The Board of Supervisors voted earlier this summer to allocate over $1 million in funding from the federal CARES ACT for emergency financial assistance. “Albemarle County residents experiencing lost wages or earning ability as a result of reduced hours or loss of employment due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic can apply for funds for rent/mortgage assistance, utility payments, groceries/prescriptions, or childcare,” reads a press release for the program. “Residents are eligible for a one-time payment for rent/mortgage assistance that will be allocated based on the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Developments program guidelines determined by the household size or up to $1,000 per household for emergency funds for all other expense types,” it continues.The funds are being disbursed in partnership with the United Way of Greater Charlottesville. To apply, call 434-326-0950, 9 am - 6 pm, Monday-Friday.    Para Español - marque 434-373-0930, 9 am a 5:30 pm, de lunes a viernes. Other languages are available upon request. *In meetings today, the Ridge Street Priority Neighborhood Task Force will meet virtually at 4 p.m. The group is made up of people appointed to review potential projects to be paid for through a federal program known as the Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG. Each year, the city selects a neighborhood to receive funding, and for this year and the next two, the Ridge Street Neighborhood has been chosen. City Council discussed whether some of the $150,000 could be used for housing issues. City Councilor Michael Payne asked this question:“Could that pool of money should the Ridge Street Task Force receive applications and vote on it, go to things related to homelessness services or public housing or other things that may be connected to housing in some way?” Payne asked.“The Ridge Street, or the priority neighborhood funding typically goes to funding public infrastructure improvements to better improve that community,” said Erin Atak, the city’s grants coordinator. “It really depends on the type of activity that they are looking to fund.” Previous projects funded by CDBG funds through this process include sidewalk improvements in the 10th and Page neighborhoods, as well as intersection improvements on Monticello Avenue and a partial streetscape on Cherry Avenue. One thing for the task force to keep in mind is that the city received $6.1 million in Smart Scale funding for a project at the four-way intersection of Ridge Street, Cherry Avenue, Elliot Avenue and Fifth Street Extended. However, that project doesn’t have an anticipated construction start time until 2028. Speaking of Smart Scale, the area body that makes decisions about regional transportation projects meets at 4 p.m. On the agenda of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization is a new design for a reconfiguration of the intersection of U.S. 29 and Fontaine Avenue into something called a “modified continuous flow intersection.”  (MPO agenda)There will also be a discussion of the needs for electric vehicle charging stations in the community. “MPO staff would like guidance on developing a network of key stakeholders to assess and build strategies for supporting the use of electric vehicles in the TJPDC region,” reads the Action Item section of the memo on the topic. (learn more) This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s installment comes with support from the Charlottesville Podcasting Network. Celebrating 15 years of audio from the community and planning for another 15 and beyond.  There are another 872 cases of COVID-19 reported by the Virginia Department of Health, just below the seven-day average of 928 new cases per day. The seven-day average for positive test results has declined to 5.5 percent from 5.7 percent yesterday. The Thomas Jefferson Health District reports another 15 cases, lower than the seven-day average of 53. There is another COVID-19 related death, this time of someone in Louisa County. The University of Virginia updated their COVID-19 tracker Monday afternoon, three days after last giving new official numbers for the ongoing outbreak. They reported 50 new cases on Friday, 15 cases on Saturday, and seven on Sunday. That’s a total of 562 cases since August 17, with 508 of them students. However, a more useful number tracks active cases which are defined as “new cases with a positive test during the past ten days who require isolation on or off Grounds.” More than a quarter of the quarantine rooms are occupied, and seven percent of isolation rooms are occupied. Quarantine is defined as “for those who may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19” and isolation is “for those who have tested positive for COVID-19.” As many as four residence halls have been identified for testing, with residents of Leferve being told Sunday they would need to go through tests after early detection measures raised the alarm. “The University will continue to conduct wastewater and prevalence testing throughout the UVA community in order to detect cases as early as possible and take action to limit the spread of the virus,” reads a message posted to UVA Facebook page on Sunday.*Total enrollment is down this year in Albemarle County School by five percent according to figures presented yesterday to the Places-29 Hydraulic Community Advisory Committee. However, School Board Chairwoman Kate Acuff said the decline is higher when you include only elementary school pupils. There were 6,483 students in the county’s 15 elementary schools on September 30, 2019. That number on September 9 was 5,856, a 9.7 percent decline. (presentation)“Two thirds of the drop in enrollment are elementary school kids,” Acuff said. “[They] are the ones who probably have the most difficulty navigating in virtual education and of the elementary kids, half of them are kindergarteners, or would have been kindergarteners.” Albemarle County Schools are currently in stage two, which means mostly all students are receiving virtual instruction. A move to stage three would be a hybrid model for pre-K  through 3rd grade students and officials are currently studying whether conditions merit that change. “Under this protocol, Dr. Haas, the superintendent, is obligated to make a recommendation halfway through a term about whether we should move to another stage or stay where we are,” Acuff said.  The Places29-Hydraulic CAC was also presented with plans from Jaunt for their on-demand transit project. CEO Brad Sheffield has been visiting many elected and appointed bodies to get feedback on the idea.“This is really not a big jump for us,” Sheffield said. “It’s more of a slight evolution of where we are headed with the types of services that we want to provide and how we want to be able to provide those quickly.” Sheffield said Jaunt and other transit agencies are currently experiencing lower ridership and reduced revenues due to being fare-free. But he added that the goal is to make transit work better for people in the future, especially those who may qualify for subsidies. “We want to make sure that the customers just don’t have to worry about where or how to get to their locations or even about what to pay,” Sheffield said. “If there are different programs or different types of services that they are eligible for, and that helps cover the cost, that’s what this type of platform would answer for them almost immediately.”Sheffield said data collected through pilot projects will help improve the overall transit system. *The Wintergreen resort in Nelson County will open the winter ski season on December 11. “In addition to following all CDC and local regulations, Wintergreen will require face coverings, will make the necessary changes to allow for physical distancing, and will closely monitor employee health including requiring employees to stay home if they are sick,” reads a September 14 letter from Rod Kessler, Wintergreen’s General Manager. If there is a need for enforcement limits on a given day, priority will be given to season pass holders. The resort is also giving anyone who has already purchased a pass the opportunity to defer it to next year. *More than 70 miles of railway between Charlottesville and Clifton Forge will get an upgrade thanks to $13.7 million in federal grants announced yesterday. Funding for the Buckingham Branch Railroad North Mountain Subdivision will cover the cost of upgrades to 14 at-grade rail crossings, improve bridges and new drain systems in the tunnel that runs through the mountains at Afton. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner announced the funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant. Last year, the state of Virginia and CSX reached an agreement to purchase the railway, which will continue to be operated by Buckingham Branch. “The benefit of the suite of projects reduces maintenance costs on [Buckingham Branch Railroad],” said Haley Glynn with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. Part of the work also includes eliminating some clearance restrictions. “While removal of the clearance restrictions benefits freight services, maintaining class track safety standards and installing continuous welded rail allows passenger speeds up to 60mph, improves signal reliability, and results in a noticeably improved ride quality for passenger trains, including the Amtrak Cardinal Service which operates over this segment 3 days per week,” Glynn said. *Yesterday, the Albemarle Architectural Review Board took a look at several projects including a new Sheetz in the northwest corner of the intersection of U.S. 29 and Airport Road. That project had to undergo several changes including a smaller  fuel canopy. “I think that the prominence of this site, it’s elevation above U.S. 29 maybe does make it more of a concern here that it is across the street or in some other locations where we have looked at larger canopies where grade effectively mitigates the appearance,” said ARB member Dade Van Der Werf. They have also been asked to reduce the number of fuel dispensers from eight to six.  Lee May is engineering and permit manager for Sheetz and he said that might be an issue. “Operating 600 of these locations, we’ve learned over time what works and what doesn’t work and whenever we drop to six its really important they be spread out to serve the same volume of customers,” May said.The ARB asked May to reduce the width of drive aisles in order to help move the building closer to the street, a key design guideline in Albemarle County. The ARB also reviewed an application for a redesign of the southern portion of Albemarle Square to make way for a new Aldi store, which would feature a corner tower with the trademark logo. The building was formerly a Fresh Market, and before that a Circuit City building. Frank Hancock is another ARB member who favored the design. “It works surprisingly well with the existing architecture and I think it’s more successful than the Fresh Market in its response and connection to the Rio Road corridor,” Hancock said. The ARB will hold another work session on the Aldi after a more refined design is submitted. *Today in meetings, the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority meets at 2:15 p.m. items include an agreement between the RWSA and the University of Virginia to study ways to boost wastewater capacity on campus, and a presentation on how the water and wastewater systems operated by the RWSA work. (meeting info)The Greene County Board of Supervisors meets at 7:30 p.m. One item is a public hearing on through truck restrictions on Fredericksburg Road (Route 609) between U.S. 29 and U.S. 33. There is also a presentation on a new Post Office facility near Dyke, an update on CARES Act funding, and a progress report on the Business Disruption Grant Program. There’s also first reading on a resolution to begin review of the county’s Comprehensive Plan. (agenda) *If you are enjoying this newsletter, please consider support in one of two ways. Pay for a paid subscription, which will give you additional content here and there. Or fund my general research through Patreon. For $25 a month, you can suggest a shout-out for a charity, nonprofit, cause, or general idea. Thank you to all who have supported this work so far! This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

We all take our drinking water for granted. But we are only able to do that because of the dedicated men and women of the Douglasville/Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority. The WSA is a prize winning provider of clean drinking water for our community. On this edition of Douglasville Impact we are pleased to welcome, Gil Shearouse, Executive Director of the WSA.  Aaron Szarowicz and Hayley Chapman join host, Jason Post, for this edition of Douglasville Impact! Show Notes: City of Douglasville Website: douglasvillega.gov/ City of Douglasville on Comcast: CITI TV, Channel 22 throughout Douglas County City of Douglasville on YouTube: youtube.com/user/douglasvillecititv City of Douglasville on Facebook: facebook.com/CityofDouglasvilleGA/ City of Douglasville on Instagram: instagram.com/cityofdouglasvillega/ Jason Post Email: postj@douglasvillega.gov Hayley Chapman Email: chapmanh@douglasvillega.gov Aaron Szarowicz Email: szarowicza@douglasvillega.gov Water and Sewer Authority Website: ddcwsa.com/  

Editor’s note: I accidentally sent yesterday’s email to the wrong setting, so you most likely didn’t get it. I caught this well after sending it out and there’s no way to send it again without creating a new post. I’ve reused some of the info in today’s newsletter, so some of you may have seen this twice! Do take a look at yesterday’s edition if you missed it. Today’s shout-out is for the Parent-Teacher Organizations of the Charlottesville City Schools, and their request for donations to the Reopening Fund: Ready to Teach, Ready to Learn. Visit their website for more information and to make a contribution. There are another 1,005 new cases of COVID-19 reported today by the Virginia Department of Health and another 23 new deaths. The seven-day positive testing rate remains at 6.4 percent statewide. There is one more death reported in Charlottesville for a total of 46 to date in the Thomas Jefferson Health District. The district reported 25 new cases today with 12 from Albemarle, eight from Fluvanna, three from Charlottesville and three from Greene. In the district the seven-day positive testing rate is at 5.5 percent. That figure was at 6.4 percent on August 18. *The Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners last night got an update on the redevelopment of public housing sites in the city. The long-awaited renovation of Crescent Halls as well as the first phase of new units at South First Street are getting closer to breaking ground. Dave Norris is the director of redevelopment at CRHA. “We’re making good progress in getting to closing on our first two projects and there’s a number of hoops we have to jump through but one of the final hoops was a approval from the fair housing office at HUD,” Norris said. HUD is the acronym for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and their approval was for something called the Site and Neighborhood Standards Review Process. Norris said the city has assisted CRHA in getting bonds to finance the project, and that closing on all of the financial paperwork should take place by October 1.  “And then it will take a little bit of time to mobilize and get some construction activity going but we’re still hoping to break ground this calendar year, and that’s to be determined, but we’re getting there,” Norris said. There are currently 58 vacancies among the city’s 376 public housing units as of August 24, with 26 of those at Crescent Halls in order to prepare for those units to be upgraded as part of the renovation. Executive Director John Sales said they are working on ways to get those units refurbished so they can be returned to service. “So right now we are working with Habitat,” Sales said. “Habitat has pledged us some construction managers and possible volunteers to assist us with a few units. We currently have a contractor going through some of the units as well.”Sales said 49 of the CRHA’s housing vouchers are in use with families living in an affordable living arrangement, and there is a goal of adding 20 more in recent weeks. However, there are obstacles to doing so. “Unfortunately, the more vouchers we put on the street, the harder it is for individuals to find housing units and we already have low numbers of being successful in finding units in a short amount of time,” Sales said, adding it takes between 90 and 150 days for a housing voucher recipient to actually move in. The CRHA has been discussing ways to incentivize property owners to accept the vouchers. *The Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce has been identified as a world leader for the way it has helped local businesses adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Association of Facilitators will give the Chamber one of 17 Facilitation Impact Awards for the Project Rebound program. The recognition also goes to the Organizational Excellence program at the University of Virginia. In May, the Chamber held over three dozen meetings to get input before launching its Blueprint for Economic Resiliency in the Greater Charlottesville Region on June 25, 2020. The facilitation work is credited with translating business concerns into concrete ideas embedded in the plan. The award will be handed out at a virtual ceremony on October 26. *Virginia’s coastline was hit fairly hard earlier this month by Tropical Storm Isaias which spawned several tornadoes on the eastern shore and caused flooding throughout much of the Commonwealth. That’s part of a continuing trend toward a more turbulent climate. This fall, the Northam administration will release a master plan to deal with rising sea levels, which are experienced now in the form of more frequent sunny day flooding. Part of that will include greater data about where flooding occurs, data coordinated by the Commonwealth Center for Recurrent Flooding Resiliency. Retired Navy Admiral Ann C. Phillips is Northam’s Special Assistant for Coastal Adaptation and Protection. “You can go in and look at coastal Virginia using this new nuisance flood overlay data and the intent is that it will help localities and communities better understand the context of nuisance flooding which we are seeing more and more and more of and which we will see more and more and more of in our future, and then overlay that with sea level rise projections and also with a cat 1 or a moderate Northeaster storm,” Phillips said. Phillips said nuisance flooding today in some places will lead to permanent inundations but there can be remedies that also improve water quality. Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed legislation that strengthens the role the plan will play in Virginia’s conservation programs. Phillips made her comments Friday at the annual meeting for Resilient Virginia. The group aims to increase planning for and awareness of adaptation to a changing climate. *The word of the day in government meetings today is “reservoir.” First, the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority will meet at 2:15 p.m. One topic will be the unveiling of a master plan for land that had been purchased in the 1980’s for the Buck Mountain Reservoir. That project never went forward because of the presence of an endangered species. Some original landowners have requested the land to be sold back to them. (master plan) (full agenda)The Greene County Board of Supervisors will get an update on the proposed water supply plan that was to have been undertaken by the Rapidan Service Authority. Last month the Madison County and Orange County representatives on the RSA Board voted to stop collecting facility fees to pay for impoundment along White Run for a new reservoir. Prepare for this by reading Terry Beigie’s latest story in the Greene County Record. Another meeting today is the Charlottesville Housing Advisory Committee which meets at 1 p.m. The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority also meets shortly before the RWSA. The two will hold a joint strategic planning meeting as part of the RWSA agenda. (full agenda)*Thanks for reading or listening! Why not do both? Sometimes you will see differences between what I record and what ends up in the text. Either way, I’m really glad you are here. Please consider sending on this edition to a friend, family member, co-worker, or elected official. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s Patreon-fueled shout-out comes from an anonymous supporter who wants to say - "We keep each other safe. Wear a mask, wash your hands, and keep your distance."* There are another 861 cases of COVID-19 in Virginia reported today by the Department of Health, and another 11 deaths for a total of 2,396 people dead since the pandemic began. The seven day average for positive tests dropped to 6.8 percent. There are another 19 new cases in the Thomas Jefferson Health District. The test rate here is at 6.4 percent, up from 6.1 percent on Monday. *The Virginia General Assembly convenes today for a special session expected to cover the impacts of COVID-19, criminal justice and police reform, and whatever else might come up. A joint meeting of the House Appropriations, House Finance and Senate Finance committees kicked off the session at 9:30 a.m. beginning with remarks and budget amendments from Governor Ralph Northam. “Virginia ended the 2020 fiscal year on June 30 with a $234 million shortfall in general revenue collection,” Northam said. “We now project that we will have $2.7 billion less than we expected in general revenue for the coming biennium. We feared worse. But this still requires serious and thoughtful budgeting and planning.”The full House of Delegates convenes at 1 p.m. at the Siegel Center in Richmond, and the full Senate will also convene at 1 p.m. (full schedule) (legislation list)*Charlottesville City Council held a public hearing last night on giving permission to the regional water authority for a pipeline to connect the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir with the Ragged Mountain Reservoir. The project has an $80 million cost estimate and is the second phase of the community’s long-term water supply plan. “This waterline will replace the existing Upper Sugar Hollow pipeline which is very old and increase raw water transfer to the urban water system,” said Lauren Hildebrand, the city’s utilities director. “The waterline is anticipated to be constructed between 2027 and 2040.” At the public hearing, former City Councilor Dede Smith continued her opposition to the plan, which she voted against in January 2012.  She claimed there were cheaper alternatives. “This $80 million pipeline that may I add was not in the original plan and was added very late in the game doubles the cost of the community water plan and that is going straight into our water bill,” Smith said. The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority submitted its application for the water supply plan in June 2006. “The project involves expansion of the existing Ragged Mountain Reservoir (RMR) and construction of a new raw water intake and pipeline from the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir (SFRR) to RMR,” reads the permit application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The application goes on to say that timing of construction would be dependent on funding. The first phase of the plan was completed in 2014 when a new earthen dam was built at Ragged Mountain Reservoir, expanding capacity. The second phase is not yet programmed in the RWSA’s Capital Improvement Program, which lays out how ratepayer money is reinvested back into the water and wastewater system. One of the next steps is an analysis of current water usage rates which was presented to the RWSA in June. Capital projects such as the waterline are paid for through bonds floated by the RWSA and paid by ratepayers in the form of debt service. The cost share agreement adopted in January 2020 states that Albemarle ratepayers are responsible for 80 percent of the costs of the waterline. Council asked for a full briefing on what the impacts that other 15 percent might have on Charlottesville ratepayers in the future. Council also passed a resolution in support of three Smart Scale applications, one of which would include a pedestrian bridge to connect the city’s side of U.S. 29 with Stonefield. “We definitely need some way for people that aren’t in vehicles to get across that road because it is not an option right now at all,” said City Councilor Heather Hill.*New apartment units are coming to the Stonefield mixed-use development in Albemarle County, according to information told to the Places-29 Hydraulic Community Advisory Council Monday evening. Stonefield was originally rezoned by the Board of Supervisors in 2003, but the project did not break ground until the spring of 2011. “The original vision was for a very vertically mixed-use development and it remained unbuilt for a number of years and what we’ve all seen built out has been more single-use and shorter buildings due to economic factors,” said county planner Micheala Ac cardi. “For the past two years we’ve seen developers come in submitting some plans that are more consistent with that more vertical mixed-use development.” Accardi said these include 220 apartments planned for a new building on an empty parking lot between Hydraulic and the Hyatt Hotel, which will also include commercial space. Close by there are 49 town homes under construction as well as another 160 unit apartment building. Supervisor Diantha McKeel said these new projects will get the built environment closer to what had been planned. “If you think about the main street where all those stores are, those stores were planned to have residential living above them,” McKeel said. “When the economics and recession hit, those residential units were taken away. It would have been more like a, if you think about downtown Charlottesville where you have stores on the mall and then residences above, that’s what Stonefield was originally planned to look, we’re making up for that now.” Another common link between the downtown Mall and Stonefield is the presence of a movie theater, and those were all closed at the beginning of the pandemic. Victoria Tremaglio is the general manager of the Shops at Stonefield, which she said is holding its own despite the loss of a few tenants. She said the Regal Theater will reopen this Friday for limited service. “They’re going to have 50 people per theater to start, I think with $5 movies at Regal which should help with some foot traffic,” Tremaglio said. As for Stonefield, Tremaglio said more people are coming back. “People have been super respectful, super safe, lots of outdoor dining. You’ve probably seen Champion Grill is on the green and they’re going to be adding a tent. We’ve added other tables and chairs outside for people to sit.”The Violet Crown on the Downtown Mall remains closed. *Coming up in government meetings today, the Albemarle County Economic Development Authority and the Albemarle Planning Commission meet, but not at the same time. The EDA meets at 4 p.m. for the first time since three members resigned last month in protest of new conflict of interest forms they had to sign. (meeting info) The Planning Commission has a public hearing at 6 p.n. on a rezoning for the proposed Albemarle Business Campus on Old Lynchburg Road across from the county’s office building. (meeting info) The Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review will meet at 5:30 p.m. Items include lighting and interpretive signage of the historically protected Coal Tower on Water Street, an update on the Belmont Bridge project, and a letter of support to apply for the Burley School to be on the National Register of Historic Places. (agenda) (meeting registration)Correction: This article originally stated an incorrect figure for the cost share for the future waterline. It has since been corrected. I regret the error. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

On this episode we continued our ongoing conversation on racial healing with Pastor Anthony Moore and Pastor Kendick Curry.Anthony MoorePastor Anthony E. Moore is the Senior Pastor of Carolina Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor Moore has served Carolina Missionary Baptist Church since 1987 and has been proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ for over thirty years. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and his lovely wife, First Lady, Cynthia A. Moore a native of Dallas, Texas. Pastor and First Lady Moore are the proud parents of three children, Sharnessa, Jamal, Joshua and three beautiful grandchildren; Jaylin, Jeniya and Lyric.Carolina Church is a Bible-Based and Purpose Driven Ministry. The Carolina Ministry seeks to meet the needs of ordinary people in a holistic way. Pastor Moore believes that people have to be met at their level of need. Kendrick CurryReverend Dr. Kendrick E. Curry has led the Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church (PABC) in Washington, DC as pastor for 16 years. He earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Prairie View A&M University and an M.S., and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan. He also earned a Master of Divinity from Virginia Union University, and Certificate in Preaching and Worship from Northern Theological Seminary. Rev. Curry has a passion to transform the challenged Southeast Washington community through the love of Jesus Christ. As such, he has partnered with MBI Health Services to deliver a mental-health day treatment program at PABC.Additionally, he serves on various boards and councils including the Board of Directors of the DC Water and Sewer Authority, AARP DC (President), Board of Education Forward DC (Chair), and the Howard University Community Advisory Board for Opioid Addiction. Furthermore, he is also a co-host of the upcoming “Just A Cup Of Coffee” podcast series.

Pastor Anthony Moore and Pastor Kendick Curry are back to continue discussing a path forward towards racial healing.Anthony MoorePastor Anthony E. Moore is the Senior Pastor of Carolina Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor Moore has served Carolina Missionary Baptist Church since 1987 and has been proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ for over thirty years. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and his lovely wife, First Lady, Cynthia A. Moore a native of Dallas, Texas. Pastor and First Lady Moore are the proud parents of three children, Sharnessa, Jamal, Joshua and three beautiful grandchildren; Jaylin, Jeniya and Lyric.Carolina Church is a Bible-Based and Purpose Driven Ministry. The Carolina Ministry seeks to meet the needs of ordinary people in a holistic way. Pastor Moore believes that people have to be met at their level of need. Kendrick CurryReverend Dr. Kendrick E. Curry has led the Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church (PABC) in Washington, DC as pastor for 16 years. He earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Prairie View A&M University and an M.S., and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan. He also earned a Master of Divinity from Virginia Union University, and Certificate in Preaching and Worship from Northern Theological Seminary. Rev. Curry has a passion to transform the challenged Southeast Washington community through the love of Jesus Christ. As such, he has partnered with MBI Health Services to deliver a mental-health day treatment program at PABC.Additionally, he serves on various boards and councils including the Board of Directors of the DC Water and Sewer Authority, AARP DC (President), Board of Education Forward DC (Chair), and the Howard University Community Advisory Board for Opioid Addiction. Furthermore, he is also a co-host of the upcoming “Just

This brief look and listen at our region is sponsored today by the Charlottesville Podcasting Network, bringing you public affairs programming since 2005, cvillepodcast.com offers hours of audio from the community’s recent past. That’s cvillepodcast.com. *The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and the Charlottesville City Council have both voted to limit occupancy in indoor restaurants and to require facial coverings in indoor spaces. The two resolutions were also endorsed by University of Virginia President Jim Ryan, even though the new rules are not binding on Grounds. Deputy County Attorney Andy Herrick told Supervisors Monday that Albemarle’s ordinance change has three main components.“The first is a limit on indoor occupants at food establishments, wineries, breweries and distilleries,” Herrick said. “It would provide for a limit of 50 percent of occupancy. The second provision is a limitation on gatherings. While phase 3 statewide limits gatherings to 250 people, the proposed ordinance would limit gatherings to 50 people with certain exceptions.”Herrick said those exceptions are for outdoor food establishments, farm wineries, farm breweries, religious exercises, weddings, and for public demonstrations.  “Finally section 6 of the proposed ordinance would have a face covering requirement which would require face coverings at indoor public places and outdoor public places at which six foot physical distancing is not possible,” Herrick said.  Exceptions include residences, gyms, schools, religious institutions, and the county courthouse building. The ordinance had been modified since the Board last took it up last week with input from Albemarle’s Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Hingeley. Supervisor Donna Price of the Scottsville District likened the ordinance before the Board as a high-wire act. “I believe as Supervisors that we have a responsibility for health and welfare as well as looking at the economic impact and that we are walking a bit of tight-rope here in trying to ensure that we take enough action without taking too much action,” Price said. “If we won’t take too enough action then we run the risk of our residents being infected and having spikes here that the rest of the country has seen. If we go too far then we have the potential of too much economic adverse impact.” Supervisor Ned Gallaway of the Rio District urged anyone opposed to the ordinance to read it carefully before it goes into effect at midnight on August 1. “And I won’t want folks to either think we’re being overly restrictive or not restrictive, Gallaway said. “Whether you’re for this ordinance or against this ordinance, I hope everybody will be mindful to read exactly what it is and isn’t doing.” Supervisors voted unanimously to support the ordinance,  which goes into effect at midnight on August 1 it will last for a period of sixty days. Herrick said the county is still looking into a policy to allow for restaurants to open more temporary outdoor seating. The ordinance does not affect the school system, who held the third in a series of town hall meetings to discuss potential options for the upcoming school year. The School Board will hold a meeting on July 30 to make a final decision, as will their counterparts in Charlottesville. University of Virginia President Jim Ryan sent an email to the Board and Council stating support for the ordinances. “Now more than ever, we see ourselves as partners with all of you and with our neighbors in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties,” Ryan wrote. “It has become a cliché to say that we are in this together, but in our case, the actions of a few people on Grounds or in the community really can affect everyone else.  That’s why we continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis, and why we are working to make the best possible decisions under ever-shifting conditions—as I know all of you are.”Less than an hour later after the Albemarle meeting, four of the five City Councilors met to discuss a similar ordinance. City attorney John Blair described their draft as having stricter guidelines than those put forward by Governor Ralph Northam in Phase 3, which Virginia entered on July 1. Like Albemarle’s ordinance, the city’s will also limit in-person gatherings to fifty or less. “What this local ordinance would do would be to capture all indoor public spaces and it’s important to note that the ordinance itself,” Blair said. The city’s ordinance has language that covers Councilor’s desire to make sure that not wearing a mask would not be an offense that would result in incarceration. Blair said Albemarle’s ordinance states that a violation would be a Class 1 misdemeanor, which could lead up to a year of jail time. Instead it would be a Class 3 misdemeanor.Councilor Lloyd Snook said he had been contacted by restaurant owners about the ordinance, which he supported because physical distancing rules also limit capacity by reducing available space. “My suspicion is that it’s not going to hurt them, and number two, it’s going to hurt them, if they’re truly trying to enforce what the law would require it,” Snook said.Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker was absent. The city’s ordinance also goes into effect on August 1. For more on the two meetings, listen to the latest episode of the Charlottesville Quarantine Report. * The University of Virginia will reopen its Aquatics and Fitness Center (AFC) and other athletic facilities on August 3, according to a report on the Cavalier Daily. Members of the AFC will need to reserve a space and space will be limited. Other areas that will reopen are the Snyder Tennis Courts and the Artificial Turf Fields at the Park. (UVA rec website)*Governor Northam will speak at 2 p.m. today at a press conference to give updates on Virginia’s response to COVID-19. He last held such an event on July 14. Northam was in Hampton yesterday to unveil a $70 million grant package for small business that comes from the federal CARES Act. The Rebuild VA program will help up to 7,000 applicants to cover costs associated with the pandemic. “This grant program will provide up to $10,000 for small businesses and nonprofits to help them meet existing or unpaid expenses such as back due rent or utility payments,” Northam said. ”The funding can also be used to prepare for and respond to this this new environment,  whether that means purchasing PPE or hand sanitizers for employees or pivoting to a new business model to better serve their customers.” To be eligible, businesses must not have received federal loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or other such initiatives. (press release)*The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority will meet today at 2:15 p.m. for a virtual meeting. In a report to the Board of Directors, executive director Bill Mawyer said two groups at the University of Virginia are planning to study wastewater before and after students come back to trace "the prevalence of SARS COV 2 in wastewater as an indicator of community health and infection rate." (agenda)*In Greene County, the Board of Supervisors there will meet and get an update on their water supply plan. Last week, the Rapidan Service Authority voted 4 to 2 to stop the collection of monthly facilities fees that were intended to help cover the capital costs of a new reservoir. They meet in an open session beginning at 7:30 p.m. They’ll also get an update on COVID-19 from Greene’s emergency management director. (agenda) This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

On this podcast, GFOA’s John Fishbein talks with Matt Brown, Chief Financial Officer for DC Water & Sewer Authority about a variety of financial topics including the effects of COVID-19 on their budget process.

At the January 13, 2020, public meeting of the Newtown, Bucks County, Joint Municipal Authority Board, members discussed the Toll Brothers' proposal for a 41-unit residential development at Rt. 413 and Twining Bridge Road. Specifically, they focused on the proposed onsite Sewage Treatment Plant, (Use F-1). Heard on the recording is Warren Gormley, Operations Manager and Chief Administrative Officer, Gerry Couch, Authority Board Member, and Edward Woyden, the Authority Engineer.

(https://www.theh2duo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/1074-x-366-current-podcast-template-1.png) George Hawkins is the President and Founder of Moonshot Missions, a non-profit enterprise that offers communities and utilities a choice: 1) to undertake an assessment to identify opportunities for improvements, or 2) to select from a list of model projects that have been field-tested in other communities. George Hawkins is the Harvard educated Founder of Moonshot LLC and just recently, Moonshot Partners, a Professor of Practice at American University and former head of DC Water. He facilitated the transformation of DC Water and Sewer Authority to DC Water and oversaw taking DC Water from some very challenging times to the national and international reputation it now enjoys. George wants to help other enterprises tell their story, create replicable roadmaps and reach their dreams. Sponsor: This episode is powered by (https://www.theh2duo.com/roguewater) ? Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher.  This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes. Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us (https://twitter.com/the_h2duo) or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page. Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

(https://www.theh2duo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Copy-of-1074-x-366-podcast-template-2.png) George Hawkins is the Harvard educated Founder of Moonshot LLC and just recently, Moonshot Partners, a Professor of Practice at American University and former head of DC Water. He facilitated the transformation of DC Water and Sewer Authority to DC Water and oversaw taking DC Water from some very challenging times to the national and international reputation it now enjoys. George wants to help other enterprises tell their story, create replicable roadmaps and reach their dreams. Top Takeaways: As water nerds passionate about communication, obviously, our chat with George Hawkins is ripe with takeaways: The incredible importance of communication to our industry, however, it’s always a treat to hear that perspective from someone who is on the front lines of water technology and financing the way that George is. We talk about the importance of internal communication and how you have to begin on the inside to ever hope to have an effective external communication strategy. Internally this means not only writing down your mission, vision, and values but living them as an organization and ensuring your entire team hears them used regularly and sees them in action. We also talk about the role of communication in earning trust with the communities we serve. Show Notes: [4:15] Life after DC Water: how entrepreneurial life has treated George Hawkins this past year. [8:21] George shares how his perspective of the industry has changed given his new role in it this past year. [12:46] George gives us examples from his experiences that made him an advocate for communication in the water industry. [22:23] In his own words: advice on how water educators and communicators can win over upper management. [28:56] Why it’s so important for an organization, especially in the water industry, to not only believe in the mission but more importantly, act on it. [35:58] George shares how can utilities earn back their communities trust, given the fact that people are sort of wary, of us but we need their trust to move forward with new infrastructure and technology. [44:06] Hear George’s take on why customer service is so vital to utilities today, especially related to adopting new technology and addressing funding needs. [57:00] With all he has seen and been introduced to, hear what has THE George Hawkins the most excited about the future of water. [1:05:12]  George speaks directly to all you men and women in the field, braving all conditions, and working tirelessly in a thankless job. He shares with you why what you do matters so much. Resources: The Ghost Map: The Story of London’s Most Terrifying Epidemic–and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson Sponsor: The Alliance for Water Efficiency (http://www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org) is a non-profit organization and North America’s authoritative resource for water efficiency. Their mission is to promote the efficient use of water to achieve more resilient communities, businesses, and ecosystems. The AWE network brings together more than 450 member organizations, including water providers, business leaders, government agencies, non-profits, academic institutions, and associations. AWE advances sustainable water use in partnership with its members through research, advocacy, resources, and education. AWE gives communities the tools and training to manage water resources sustainably, helps build the market for tomorrow’s technologies and services, and partners to advocate, educate, and legislate. Learn more and join the network by visiting www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org (http://www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org) or emailing membership@a4we.org. Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on...

Today we're talking about a widespread issue that's extremely important to the business of healthcare, and probably not on your radar: Legionella. And more specifically Legionellosis, which is the most significant waterborne disease in the U.S. Legionellosis accounts for thousands of hospital admissions and many deaths. It has a 10% mortality rate for those infected and that rate goes up as high as 25% in a healthcare setting. The good news is, it's controllable. In fact, it's largely an engineering problem that has known, low-tech controls. Related: Checkout our entire Infection Prevention and Control series  Given the prevalence of the issue, the high mortality rate and increased risk in healthcare settings (especially in LTC), CMS now says that Hospitals must develop water management policies to prevent Legionnaires' disease. They're calling for hospitals to do a risk assessment, implement a water management program and specify testing protocols. The approach sounds like it would be in line with that of a good HIPAA or cyber-security program. That is, you must build a culture of control and manage the issue for the long haul. On this episode, Dave Purkiss and Joseph Cotruvo tell you what Legionella is, how it can be controlled and why health systems should prioritize the issue. Most importantly, they'll tell you about the standards, tools and approaches that'll help you implement a sound water management program, keep your patients safe, and avoid a non-compliance citation from CMS. Dave and Joe also tell us about the Legionella 2018 conference coming up May 9-11, 2018 in Baltimore, MD (they are co-chairs).  The conference will bring together many of the experts working in this space to give you a 360 degree look at what the problem is, why it's important and what you can and should do about it today. On this episode you'll learn: What is Legionella? Why was it largely unknown prior to 1976? Why does Legionellosis have such a high mortality rate? Can we control the issue and prevent outbreaks? What is the CDC doing to track outbreaks and promote the appropriate measures to control it? How much of a problem is Legionella for U.S. Hospitals? Are Hospital leaders aware of the issue? Why are Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities at a greater risk? Are healthcare leaders aware of the tools that exist to properly manage water systems and control Legionella? When did CMS begin to regulate the issue? How does CMS validate that the health systems are properly managing their water systems? Why should a healthcare organization prioritize this issue? What advice would you give a health system leader for getting started with a water management program? How can health systems use tools like the NSF 444 standard and ASHRAE 188 to guide them? Is there a potential for a CMS audit and are there any financial penalties involved? The Legionella 2018 conference: Who's it for? What you'll learn? What are the goals of the conference? How does a good water systems control program relate to a HIPAA program or a cyber security program?   About Dave Purkiss Dave Purkiss was recently appointed to the position of Vice President, Global Water Division at NSF International. In his new role, Purkiss leads NSF International's global water programs, including certification programs that help ensure the quality and safety of products used in municipal water treatment, water distribution, residential drinking water treatment, plumbing, pools and spas, and wastewater treatment. Reporting directly to NSF International's President and CEO, Purkiss is responsible for strategy development, innovation, growth of water programs and teams, and alignment with NSF International's mission, strategy and goals. He leads a global team with locations in the United States, Canada, Belgium, China, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand and the United Kingdom. Most recently, Purkiss served as interim Director of NSF International's Global Water Division and General Manager of the Plumbing Products Program. During his 30 years at NSF International, he has worked in all areas of water treatment and distribution. His previous leadership roles include General Manager of Municipal Water Products, General Manager of Drinking Water Additives and Managing Director of NSF International's UK Water team, formerly known as NSF-WRc. He began his career at NSF International working as an hourly employee in the engineering laboratory. During his time at NSF International, Purkiss has worked on several major initiatives in the water industry, including assisting in the development of NSF/ANSI 223: Conformity Assessment Requirements for Certification Bodies that Certify Products Pursuant to NSF/ANSI 60: Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals – Health Effects. This standard establishes minimum requirements for certification organizations that evaluate and certify products to NSF/ANSI 60. He also played a key role in the launch and development of NSF International's water products testing service in the UK to provide independent testing and certification services to Europe's water product industries. Purkiss is a member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and has chaired both the AWWA Polyelectrolytes and the AWWA Utility Quality Management Committees. He holds a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Michigan State University. About Joseph Cotruvo Joseph is Board Certified in Environmental Science, and president of Joseph Cotruvo and Associates, LLC, Water, Environment and Public Health Consultants. He was the first Director of USEPA's Drinking Water Standards Division that produced the first regulation of TTHMs in drinking water as well as many existing drinking water standards, and initiated USEPA's Drinking Water Health Advisory Program. He has participated in the World Health Organization Drinking Water Guidelines development process for over 20 years. WHO work includes producing monographs on Health Aspects of Plumbing, Pathogenic Mycobacteria, Heterotrophic Plate Counts, Calcium and Magnesium in Drinking Water, Waterborne Zoonoses, Health and Environmental Aspects of Desalination Technology, and Potable Water Reuse Guidelines. His work also includes drinking water quality and risk evaluations, water treatment technology, direct and indirect potable water reuse, and international and national regulatory assessments. He has initiated and managed toxicological research on bromate, water system decontamination, and studies on trihalomethanes. He served as chair of the Water Quality Committee of the Board of Directors of the Washington DC Water and Sewer Authority. He received a PhD in Physical Organic Chemistry from The Ohio State University. About NSF International NSF International is an independent, global organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the water, food, health sciences, and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment. Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. With operations in more than 170 countries, NSF International is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Food Safety, Water Quality and Indoor Environment. NSF International's Global Water programs provide risk assessments, testing, inspection and certification services for the water industry from source to tap. NSF led the development of the American National Standards for all materials and products that treat or come in contact with drinking water to help protect public health and the environment and minimize adverse health effects. In 1990, the U.S. EPA replaced its own drinking water product advisory program with these NSF standards. Mentioned on the podcast InfectionControl.tips is a Pan-Access journal that extends globally and touches locally. www.IC.tips is: Free to Publish. Free to Access and provides Accessible Scientific Services. National Science Foundation CDC EPA American Water Works Association Related Check out our series on Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC): Infection Prevention and Control with Niall Wallace and Michael Diamond Using Barrier Technology to Stop the Spread of Infectious Disease with Rik Heller Why Hand Hygiene Matters with Tamás Haidegger Shining a Light on C. diff with Christian John Lillis Lessons on Infection Control and Healthcare Sales from the Man with the High-Tech Pillow  with David Woolfson Redefining Sepsis with Michael Ackerman Understanding Infectious Agents in the Environment with Dr. Syed Sattar and Bahram Zargar The Patient Hot Zone | Darrel Hicks HITS Conference Preview w/ Dr. Christine Greene and Dr. Kelly Reynolds Subscribe to Weekly Updates If you like what we're doing here, then please consider signing up for our weekly newsletter. You'll get one email from me each week detailing: New podcast episodes and blog posts. Content or ideas that I've found valuable in the past week. Insider info about the show like stats, upcoming episodes and future plans that I won't put anywhere else. Plain text and straight from the heart :) No SPAM or fancy graphics and you can unsubscribe with a single click anytime. The #HCBiz Show! is produced by Glide Health IT, LLC in partnership with Netspective Media. Music by StudioEtar

Democrat Liz Palmer is a candidate for the Samuel Miller District seat on the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors. Three of the six seats on the board will be determined in the November 7 election. Other candidates in this race include: John Lowry (R). Each candidate was interviewed by Charlottesville Tomorrow and asked 10 questions about their qualifications, priorities and important quality of life issues.  Included in the box at the right are links to the full transcript and audio recording of those interviews.     Bio: Dr. Palmer is a veterinarian, small business owner and mother who has been deeply involved in local civic and environmental issues for 20 years. She has represented the Samuel Miller District on the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors since 2014. She also currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority, the Albemarle County Broadband Authority, and the Charlottesville Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization. She lives in Ivy with her husband, Herb Stewart, and their dog Alice. Her children, now grown, all attended Albemarle County Public Schools. Education: Va Tech: BS and Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine: DVM Occupation: Veterinarian self-employed mobile veterinary practice Previous political experience: Board of Supervisors 2014 to present, Albemarle County Service Authority 2006 through 2013 Age on Election Day: 62 Neighborhood or area of residence: Ivy Hometown: Grew up primarily in Virginia and Delaware Family: Herb Stewart husband. Children Clay, Ben, Matt, Bailey all went to Albemarle County schools. They are now grown and doing well. Other interests and experiences: Spending time with family, hiking, camping and studying macroeconomics, herpetology, and most science related topics. Website: lizpalmerforsuperivsor.vote Email: lizpalmerforsupervisor@gmail.com Telephone: 434-964-7876 Download

  From River to Tap: Examining Local Water Quality Presenter: Gina Cyprych Environmental Compliance Coordinator Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority Water: We drink it every day. But have you ever stopped to think about just exactly where your water comes from and how it’s treated? Join Gina Cyprych, Acting Chief Water Quality Officer at the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, as she discusses how Pittsburgh’s drinking water is captured from the Allegheny River and treated. The Authority must ensure that the highest quality water is reaching each person, but with the many competing regulations a water utility must uphold, how do they maintain simultaneous compliance given a variety of circumstances? Cyprych has worked at the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority for the past 11 years. She received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management from Columbia Southern University.   Recorded Monday, August 1, 2016 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

You Asked, We Answered! Transcript of the podcast Hello, my name is Matt Gallo and today I am going to talk to you about water pollution and how we can stop it. Over the years we have discovered many different impacts to the environment. We have seen things that have impacted the air, wildlife, and our topic today, water. Within the last year we have heard about polluted Water Michigan. CNN Eliot McLaughlin wrote about 5 main things that people may not know about the crises [1]. 1 was that they declared a state of emergency 2 was the issue know that it is in presidential debates. 3 was celebrates stepping in to help. 4 was the worry of the long term impacts And 5 was the blame game. The issue grew the first couple of weeks but has died down for a little bit. It is a tough situation for anyone involved. This issue brings up more than just the issue in Flint. This issue should open the eyes of everyone and help them realize how serious water pollution is. An article written on Washington Post talked about how serious the Flint crisis is. Article states, “A group of Virginia Tech researchers who sampled the water in 271 Flint homes last summer found some contained lead levels high enough to meet the EPA's definition of ‘toxic waste’”[2]. Imagine drinking toxic waste. Water can be polluted in many different ways, such as light and noise. Yes, light and noise. In an article written by Kate Wheeling of Science Magazine, she talks about the impact light may have on wildlife that lives in water. She touches on a study done by Thomas Davies from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom that looks into what dangers light may have on wildlife in water. They state that, “Light from harbors, ships, and offshore structures such as oil rigs may be disrupting the lives of marine worms, barnacles, and corals, preventing their wayfaring larvae from finding suitable habitats in which to settle down” [3]. In this short article called Standard Ship Noise May Interfere with Orcas Communication by Virginia Morell, she suggest that the noises that ships make are making it harder for Orcas to communicate with each other [4]. Both of these article goes to show that it is not only material things that are impacting the water. Having said that, there is still much to be said about the way we as people affect water. An article by Chris Woodford gives an introduction on what water pollution ism what it is in different forms, how we know water is polluted, and the cause and effects of it. He states, “Thus, water pollution is all about quantities: how much of a polluting substance is released and how big a volume of water it is released into” [5]. So what does this mean? This means that a person can put a small amount of toxins into a large body of water and it may not have any immediate impact, but over time if we as people keep doing that, then our waters will be completely toxic. Article was written by Tim Friend, for the National Geographic. Friend talked about the chemical spill in Charleston, West Virginia where 300,000 residents went without running tap water. Lakes and ponds all over the area were polluted by this chemical spill and while locals could not drink tap water, residents waited for water that was coming from Pennsylvania [6]. This helps proves it also hurts living conditions. Article written by Lian Sun called, Risk Identification of water pollution sources in Water Source Areas of Middle Route of the South to North Diversion Project. They talk about the dangers of the water sources caused by humans who work around those areas [7]. We drive around and see trees and other things being knocked down. It is important for everyone to understand we, as people, need to be careful about what we want to build because it can really impact our eco and water system. So what is being done about this? Someone has to pay for all the bad things that we do to our waters, right? Well, Charles Duhigg wrote an article called Water and Sewer System Would be Costly where he mainly discussed the expenses of fixing a pipe that ruptured in the cold. Homes near the pipe that ruptured were also destroyed. George Hawkins, the new head of District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority at the time, spoke out about the issue stating, “water rates for the average resident went up about 17 percent, to about $60 a month per household. Over the coming six years, that rate would rise above $100.” This would allow the city to replace the damaged pipes fairly quickly [8]. It comes down to if people want to help the cause, then they have to pay for it later. This article is about the Water Pollution Control Act in 1948 written by Ann Power. They talk about the issue that came about at the state and federal levels about polluted waters. However, even after the Act was passed, it still had trouble being effective. According to the article, “Congress changed the act six times before completely rewriting it in the 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments” Today it is known as Clean Water Act [9]. As a person who cares about how we treat our water, it is good to hear that over time we have recognized the issue and have taken some right steps in trying to solve it. My hope is that legislators and the general population continue to try to further solve this issue. An article found on National Geographic website talks about how the advancement of technology has helped science detect more water pollutants recently. They state that 70% of industrial waste are dumped untreated into waters. [10]. Again, as someone who cares about our waters, this is something that is not pleasant to hear. Like I had just said, I hope that we continue to address this issue not only for ourselves, but for generation to come. (This audio file was recorded by Matt Gallo, undergraduate student at Penn State Brandywine, in April 2016. References are attached in transcript.) https://www.paesta.psu.edu/podcast/what-can-we-do-help-stop-water-pollution-paesta-podcast-series-episode-14