The first Monday of February does not come with any special remarks, treats, or rules. This particular one is called February 6 and my handy-dandy reference guide to imaginary holidays indicates this may be Pay a Compliment Day.
This is perhaps a time I should exclaim my notion that the audience of Charlottesville Community Engagement is made of a wonderful assemblage of human beings and likely at least one example of artificial intelligence. Always flatter Hal.
On today’s show:
UVA Health is one of the area’s major employers and they have just unveiled a strategic plan for the next year, including construction of a new biotech research center at Fontaine Research Park
Charlottesville City Council will be asked tonight to hire an appraiser for land on the Rivanna River for which plans for a 245-unit apartment building have been filed
A round-up of some of what’s in tonight’s monthly report from Interim City Manager Michael C. Rogers
The city is looking for people to work in summer camps and are offering signing bonuses
First shout-out: WTJU Folk Marathon
In today’s first subscriber supported shout-out: Today is the beginning of the WTJU Folk Marathon, airing round-the-clock folk, roots, and world music. DJs are dusting off stacks of fine records that’ll make you move. Meanwhile, their sound techs are setting up mics for eight live performances in seven days. When you connect with WTJU’s Folk Marathon, you’ll find authentic music playing for you. Check out the full schedule at wtju.net and consider a donation today to support community radio.
UVA Health rolls out new strategic plan
The University of Virginia Health System is one of the major drivers of the Charlottesville economy. Now the entity has released its first-ever 10-year strategic plan to guide its activities and physical growth. (view the plan)
Dr. Craig Kent is the Chief Executive Officer of UVA Health and he begins with a question.
“Why does UVA Health exist?” Kent asked. “It’s to take care of our community. We have 16,000 people that are part of UVA Health and we have one focus in mind which is to take wonderful care of the patients and the people that need our help.”
Dr. Kent said this is the first plan to cover all the missions of UVA Health.
“We’ve been doing great things over the last ten years but this gives us a NorthStar and some direction of where we plan to head,” Dr. Kent said.
The kickoff to the process began during the pandemic, but officials said they tried to capture as much community input as they could during the 18-month planning period. This involved employees and community members.
“We did that in lots of creative ways,” said Jason Lineen is the Chief Strategy Officer for UVA Health. “It was a pandemic and a lot of virtual sessions. We launched a website where we had thousands of great suggestions coming from the communities that we serve.”
Lineen said one aspect of the plan is to increase the number of primary care physicians in the areas around Charlottesville and Culpeper. He said that’s a direct result of community outreach.
“A number of folks in Nelson County discovered our website and we have a small primary clinic out there and a little bit of a campaign was made to allow us and let us know that we have a great little primary clinic but there’s no retail pharmacy nearby and that community members had to drive 30 to 45 minutes to full up a prescription and we acted on that,” Lineen said. “Our pharmacy team has prioritized that as an initiative and we’re already making some progress.”
Another initiative is to decrease wait times for clinics by restructuring the way they operate.
The plan has three components. One is related to workforce development, which Lineen said doing more to hire people who live in the community to work for UVA Health. Another is an increase the research output from UVA Health.
“We are an academic health system and have an education and research mission,” Lineen said.
In January, UVA Health announced the gift of $100 million from the Manning Family Foundation for a new biotech research facility that will be constructed in the Fontaine Research Park. Dr. Kent said UVA Health will seek to recruit people to the area.
“Probably up to a hundred researchers who do what we call translational research, meaning they invent things that are going to be in patients relatively soon,” Dr. Kent said.
The building is under design at the moment but Dr. Kent said it would be between 250,000 and 300,000 square feet and a parking structure will be likely.
“There are two research buildings there already and then we have a number of our clinics and different specialities that are there, but there’s a fair amount of space in the research park and that’s the place that we’re going to locate our new translational research building,” Dr. Kent said.
Fontaine Research Center is within Albemarle County. The University of Virginia Architect created a master plan for the site in September 2018. (view that plan)
Some other things to keep in mind.
The city is finalizing design for the Fontaine Avenue Streetscape
Most of Fontaine Avenue is designated as either CX-5 under in Charlottesville’s draft zoning map though some areas are designated as CX-8.
The Piedmont family housing area in Albemarle County owned by the University of Virginia is slated for an affordable housing development. (learn more)
Second shout-out: Bake-N-Bike with Charlottesville Community Bikes
In today’s second subscriber supporter shout-out, Charlottesville Community Bikes wants you to join them for their annual Valentine’s Day Fundraiser, Bake-N-Bike!
On Tuesday, February 14, costumed bike couriers will deliver pre-ordered bags of scones all around Charlottesville. Bags will include 6 scones (chocolate chip and cranberry) baked and packaged by Sweet Holly's Desserts, and you can add a personalized note for the recipient.
Deliveries will be made from 11 am to 3 pm. If you live outside of our delivery area, you can also pre-order scones and pick them up at Community Bikes on Tuesday, February 14. They are limited to 160 bags of scones, so order as soon as you can! Visit charlottesvillecommunitybikes.org to learn more!
Council to consider funds for market study of land slated for apartments
The Charlottesville City Council meets tonight for a very full meeting. Check out yesterday’s Week Ahead for all of the details, but one item on the consent agenda is worth giving some attention.
Council will be asked to spend $3,800 to hire a firm to conduct an appraisal of three parcels of land along the Rivanna River off of East High Street for which a private developer has filed filed for 245 apartment units.
“The appraisal will include sufficient information to understand the basis for the provided value taking into account market value for undeveloped land, the allowed uses of the property under zoning, and the costs associated with the necessary improvements to the property in order for it to be developable,” reads the staff report.
If Council approves on a second reading, the appraisal would be completed within six to eight weeks. The property in question is owned by the United Land Company and Seven Development has a contract to purchase the land to develop. They submitted a site plan in September and have argued its a by-right development.
City staff have twice issued a preliminary denial of the site plan, most recently on January 20. However that means the applicant can still get an approval if they address the issues within the letter.
One of the sticking points is a determination by staff that the development could not be accessed via Caroline Avenue because access from single-family residential lots to a mixed-use district is not allowed. The applicants disagree and have until April 20, 2023 to address the staff comments.
I have asked the city for more information on what this appraisal is for and will update this story by the time it gets posted to Information Charlottesville. Visit that site for more articles on this subject.
City manager report: Albemarle takes over 7th Street lot; Buford Middle bids to go out soon
Another item on the agenda tonight is a report from interim City Manager Michael C. Rogers. The 14-page document contains a lot of information that may not be stated tonight because of the length of the meeting. (read the document)
Charlottesville’s Compensation Study will be available on February 15. The document will likely lead to further salary increases for city employees.
There are two firms still in the running to provide the function of Labor Relations Administrator to handle collective bargaining for the three unions approved by the city. That will also likely lead to further salary increases for city employees.
The city continues to need new bus drivers and is paying $21 an hour as a starting wage. There are still almost 500 pupils who are not eligible for pupil transportation due to the triage rules put into place before the beginning of the school year.
Albemarle County has taken over control of the surface parking lot at Market Street and Seventh Street for use by court staff and court visitors. Council agreed to amend the terms of an agreement late last year.
The Office of Human Rights saw over 4,300 incoming and outgoing contacts for service last year, including around 2,500 which are outside the charge of its enabling ordinance. A full report will be presented to Council in the spring. The Office is hiring an intake specialist and are creating a Fair Housing Assistance Program in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Want to be a Charlottesville firefighter or work for the department in some capacity? The hiring window is now open through March 6.
Want to rent a garden plot from the city of Charlottesville? The window for existing renters to renew their plot from Parks and Recreation lasts through Friday. If you’re a city resident and want a plot, you can begin applying after February 13. If you’re a non-resident, you have to wait until February 20. (learn more)
Bids for the renovation and expansion of Buford Middle School are expected to go out today with a deadline of March 13. “Based on bid prices, Public Works will require swift decisions from Charlottesville Public Schools and City Council on options based on any foreseen escalations that exceeded our original estimate for construction.”
While not in the report per se, the position of Housing Program Manager is still posted on the website. That person will oversee the city’s affordability requirements. The position has been vacant for some time.
Charlottesville offering signing bonuses for workers for summer camp
There are 112 days until Memorial Day and the traditional beginning of summer if not the astronomical definition. The city of Charlottesville is already looking at staffing needs for summer camps and are offering bonuses and other incentives.
“Charlottesville Parks & Recreation offers fun, rewarding, and enriching summer activities for children and young adults through our Day Camps, Adaptive Camps, and Inclusion Program,” reads a press release.
There’s a signing bonus of $250 for all staff and another $250 for those who stay on all summer. Those who work more than 180 hours could get other bonuses. Wages for regular camps range from $15 to $17.33 an hour. Those who work at the adaptive camp would be paid more beginning at $23 an hour.
To view the jobs, visit the city’s jobs board.
Reading material:
Albemarle County weighs incentives for affordable housing, Alice Berry, Charlottesville Daily Progress, February 2, 2023
Albemarle County Public Schools reacts to Charlottesville CATEC purchase, Madison McNamee, NBC29, February 3, 2023
Black residents take retreat in rest in response to deadly violence, Sydney Shuler, Charlottesville Daily Progress, February 4, 2023
Senate Bill 1484 Unpacked, Virginia Pillion and Christopher Van Norden II, WUVA News, February 6, 2023
Housekeeping for #495
I didn’t think I’d get one of these out today, but here we are. We are now in the beginning days of Februama, the name I’m giving to the month as it stands on my 35-day planning calendar. Januarf ended on Saturday and I find that the only way to keep things straight is to inject nonsense where possible.
It’s not nonsense that both Valerie L’Herrou and Michael Kilpatrick were very helpful today in providing audio for the podcast version. I highly recommend taking a listen sometime. You’ll hear people’s voices and it’s always fun to listen in to see if I’ve left in a bad word. It’s always possible.
Valerie wants you to know about the Virginia Poverty Law Center, protecting the rights of low-income Virginians. Michael wants you to know about Notes Music Studio in Ruckersville.
I want you know I’m grateful you’ve read to this point and if you have, you may likely already be a paid subscriber. Thank you! If not, please know that subscribing increases the chance we’ll get way past this Beltway edition (#495, you know) and who knows how far we’ll get? There’s certainly no shortage of things to write about it.
If you pay through Substack, Ting will match your initial payment and I’ll write you a personalized thank you. I’m a bit behind in getting those out to people but it’s coming!
Ting also wants to help with your highspeed Internet needs.
If you sign up at this link and enter the promo code COMMUNITY, you’ll get:
Free installation
A second month for free
A $75 gift card to the Downtown Mall
February 6, 2023: UVA Health releases ten-year strategic plan and plans to build biotech research center at Fontaine Research Park