Yesterday my copy of Tuesday’s Charlottesville Daily Progress arrived via mail and it was a thrill to smell the paper and to remember my early days as a journalist. Though I was never an employee, I had stories appear for nine years from 2009 to 2018 and I’m glad to have been part of the first rough draft of history.
I am grateful there are many sources of information about what happens in this community and glad I’ve got enough paying subscribers myself to keep me practicing my brand of journalism here at Charlottesville Community Engagement. I’m Sean Tubbs, making sure you check out the ‘reading material’ at the bottom of every edition.
In today’s installment:
Charlottesville Area Transit starts off the new year with new resources
A work group has created by-laws for a future Charlottesville Albemarle Regional Transit Authority
Charlottesville is seeking people to join boards and commissions and applications are due July 31
First-shout: ACHS lecture on “Laborers of Birdwood Plantation with Andi Cumbo”
In today’s first subscriber-supported public service announcement, the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society’s speaker series continues on July 23 with a discussion on genealogical, historical, and archaeological research that has been done at Birdwood Plantation in Ivy. Historian Andi Cumbo will discuss the research findings as well as the work to include living descendants in the process of memorialization that is just beginning at the property.
This is a free program to be held at JMRL Central Branch, 3rd Floor Swanson Room at 201 East Market Street in Charlottesville, VA 22902.
The program will also be livestreamed on the ACHS Facebook page
CAT to begin to expand service in FY2025; Route 11 stop at the Center promised for October
As 2024 continues to wheel along, Charlottesville Area Transit has new resources intended to move the agency out of reduced service caused by the pandemic and toward expanded capacity.
At the June 27, 2024 meeting of the Regional Transit Partnership, CAT Director Garland Williams said increases in the city’s budget for fiscal year 2025 allows for the hiring of a procurement specialist, a transit planning manager, and eight new transit operators.
“It’s not exactly what we need but we’re getting closer and this is a marked improvement from where we were and where we will be,” Williams said.
Williams said there will also be three new full-time customer service agents which will allow the Downtown Transit Center to be staffed six days a week. There are now 99.5 full-time equivalents working for CAT, up from 94 in the last fiscal year.
From fiscal year 2019 to fiscal year 2024, CAT’s budget has increased from $9.9 million to $14.3 million. There’s another increase this year to $15.1 million.
Williams said this is the first year that CAT will operate under a unionized environment and that will increase the costs of providing the service. The new fiscal year will also come with some new equipment.
“We have 40 buses and we are increasing that number by 5,” Williams said. “We are disposing of some of our existing [fleet]. We are adding two battery-electric [vehicles].”
There will also be three new diesel buses purchased this year. Williams also said ridership had increased to 1.5 million in FY2024.
One capital project that will get underway this fiscal year are bus stop improvements, eleven of which will be in Albemarle County and thirteen in the city. The total cost is about $324,000.
Williams said this fiscal year, CAT will begin to make some of the route changes that have already been through the public process. Council originally saw the amended routes in the spring of 2021 and reconfirmed them with adoption of CAT’s transit strategic plan in June.
These changes will include doubling service on the current Route 6 that travels between Willoughby Shopping Center, the Downtown Transit Center, and the University of Virginia Medical Center via Prospect Avenue and Crescent Halls.
Williams said there is also room in the budget to finally make the adjustment for Route 11 to travel to the Center at Belvedere. That was discussed as part of the city’s capital contribution in the 2010’s.
“We have our consultant who guarantees me that they are going to have our schedules done by September which means that in September we will be able to post those and by October at the latest we will actually be putting in service,” Williams said.
Williams added Council will need to adopt an ordinance allowing city buses to be on the private property at the Center at Belvedere.
Mike Murphy, the CEO of Jaunt also presented his budget for FY25 to the Regional Transit Partnership. He said one issue is the inability to match wages paid by CAT to its unionized workforce. One of the first things he did in the position was to establish a classification and compensation system to help increase wages for long-term operators.
“We are about caught up to the starting pay on operators where we were about 18 percent lagging when I joined in January,” Murphy said. “However, the rate of escalation that’s called for in the union contract we can’t match so we will fall behind naturally again. Our scales at the top end roughly align but it is just that folks will get there a lot faster in the CAT system.”
To view both of the presentations as well as the full meeting, take a look on YouTube:
Second shout-out: Plant Virginia Natives
We’re a month into astronomical summer, and I’ve spent a lot of time fighting the invasive species that love to take over my yard. But as I think ahead to the fall, the winter, and the spring, I’m thinking about one resource that may help me develop a landscape more suitable to this area. I’m talking about Plant Virginia Natives!
Plant Virginia Natives is part of a partnership with ten regional campaigns for ten different ecosystems across Virginia, from the Northern Piedmont to the Eastern Shore. Take a look at the full map below for the campaign for native species where you are in the Commonwealth. For the Charlottesville area, download a free copy of the handbook: Piedmont Native Plants: A Guide for Landscapes and Gardens.
This shout-out has been with the newsletter since the beginning thanks to one Patreon supporter! Thanks to that person!
Work group presents by-laws for potential Regional Transit Authority
A working group of Albemarle, Charlottesville, and regional planning staff have come up with a plan to formally create a regional transit authority that would begin to set up expanded public transportation.
“It really could serve as a collaborative, multijurisdictional entity that could identify and solve transit issues,” said Ann Wall, a deputy county executive in Albemarle. “It would serve as a forum for planning and working out decisions that are difficult, decisions such as funding formulas for service and capital, service expansions and alternatives.”
The Charlottesville Albemarle Regional Transit Authority (CARTA) would succeed the current Regional Transit Partnership (RTP) but would be recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia as an entity that could receive funds for enhanced services. Wall spoke at the June 27, 2024 meeting of the partnership.
The workgroup was formed earlier this year when the RTP directed them to create by-laws for a potential authority.
The idea of an authority is not a new one and a coordinated effort led by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission led to the General Assembly passing legislation in 2009 to allow for such an entity to be created. However, a bill to allow a referendum on a sales tax increase to help fund the authority did not make it out of committee.
“And what was settled upon was the creation of this body, the Regional Transit Partnership, which was created in 2017,” Wall said.
Wall said formalizing the partnership into a new authority would have multiple benefits, including creating an entity that could seek new funds from the Commonwealth of Virginia. The authority would not necessarily replace existing providers and could pass through any new revenues that are generated for transit to existing entities.
“A well integrated system could be an attractive investment particularly for federal and state grants.” Wall said.
And there would be a lot to pay for. Since 2017, the RTP and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission have hired a firm to create a long-range regional transit vision that had a cost estimate of $33.5 million a year for the “constrained” version of the plan. (view the final report dated November 30, 2022)
A governance study conducted by the same firm recommended establishing an authority, and now there’s a set of draft by-laws as well as a work plan.
“The legislation gave us a bit of a head start telling us exactly how the composition of the board is supposed to work out initially,” said Ben Chambers, transportation planning manager for the City of Charlottesville. “The Board of Directors needs to include two members from the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and two members of Charlottesville City Council and one member of the governing body of each of the jurisdictions that join CARTA as a voting member.”
Chambers said the working group reached out to other localities and found that most of them don’t know yet what level of enhanced service they might want.
“They know that they get their Jaunt service and they rely on their Jaunt service but they don’t really know what they need beyond that,” Chambers said.
Wall said different localities had different levels of interest, but the authority could be structured in a way to build partnerships over time.
Chambers said the authority could enhance the role the partnership currently plays to coordinate on items such as app development, integrating commuter services, and fleet electrification. It could be set up initially without providing any services, allowing for a time of transition.
Work remaining to do is to set up an initial budget to cover the set-up costs and planning work will continue for a while.
“We’re hoping to wrap up all that work in the current fiscal year so we’ve got 12 months starting in three days,” Chambers said.
In response to a question from one current service provider, Wall wanted to make clear that if formed, the entity would not immediately be in charge of running any transit service.
“Our intent is to use CARTA as a vehicle to pursue this transit vision plan which will require additional revenue,” Wall said. “That I think is really the goal I think more than taking authority and responsibility away from entities.”
The RTP took no action on the by-laws but it will come back at the August meeting.
Charlottesville seeks applications for Boards and Commissions
You may be enjoying the summer, but have you thought about public service in the fall? The City of Charlottesville is seeking applications for people to volunteer to serve on one of many advisory bodies.
Vacancies range from the Board of Architectural Review to the Youth Council. Applications are being taken through July 31 and Council will make the next set of appointments at its meeting on August 19. You can apply for any of these positions here.
A position for a licensed architect is open on the Board of Architectural Review
There’s one full-time position on the Board of Zoning Appeals, a position that requires being sworn in by the Charlottesville Circuit Court.
There are five vacancies of the Community Development Block Grant Task Force, including three to represent the “low income neighborhoods” of 10th and Page, Belmont, and Ridge Street. An at-large representative and a public service program representative are also desired.
The Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund Committee has two openings for representatives who are beneficiaries of subsidized housing.
There is one opening on the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners for an at-large representative. This one may require an interview with City Council. (learn more)
The city also needs a representative on the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Commission.
The city is looking for a parent to serve on the Community Policy and Management Team. This is a joint body with Albemarle County that discusses services related to the Comprehensive Services Act.
The Housing Advisory Committee is seeking two people who live in subsidized housing to serve alongside three housing non-profit directors, three real-estate professionals, and two at-large members.
There is one vacancy on the Human Rights Commission.
There is one vacancy on the Jaunt Board of Directors.
There is one representative needed for the Jefferson Area Community Criminal Justice Board.
What about the library? The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Board needs a city resident.
There are four positions on the local Board of Building Code Appeals.
There are three vacancies on the Minority Business Commission. There’s also a vacancy reserved for the city’s minority business procurement coordinator.
There are three vacancies on the Charlottesville Planning Commission, a body that is still finding its new role after adoption of the new Development Code. Earlier this year, Commissioner Karim Habbab resigned in protest and the terms of Betsy Roettger and Lyle Solla-Yates are up at the end of August.
There are several vacancies on the Police Civilian Oversight Board and the deadline for this one is actually July 26, 2024. There are three community representatives sought as well as one at-large representative and a social justice representative.
There is one opening on the Retirement Commission for a community member.
Charlottesville’s Sister Cities Commission seeks a community representative and a youth representative.
There are three positions on the Social Services Advisory Board that are waiting to be filled.
The Towing Advisory Board requires a community member and a representative of the towing industry, as well as an alternate community member.
The Vendor Appeals Board seeks three members. The purpose is “to provide an impartial avenue of appeal to vendors to protest a decision to award or an award, refusals to pre-qualify or to allow withdrawal of bids, debarments and determinations of no responsibility and decisions on disputes arising during the performance of a contract.” Now you know.
There are multiple positions on the Youth Council and take a look at the link to see what grade levels are required.
The hope of Charlottesville Community Engagement is to get more people involved with local democratic institutions. I’m pleased that in the time of this newsletter to date, there is at least one person who now serves on one of these bodies thanks to these notes.
Maybe it’s your turn?
Reading material:
Charlottesville's Belmont Bridge is finally complete, Emily Hemphill, Charlottesville Daily Progress (paywall), June 30, 2024
Hearing set for Fifth District recount request, Sharra Klug, CBS19, July 15, 2024
With electricity demand predicted to double, Dominion Energy looks to add "peaker plants", Mallory Noe-Payne, WVTF / Radio IQ, July 16, 2024
Six months after local Head Start provider closed, its executive director has resigned, Tamica Jean-Charles, Charlottesville Tomorrow, July 16, 2024
Updates on the construction and detours at Hydraulic Road and Route 29, Catie Ratliff, C-Ville Weekly, July 17, 2024
Undeveloped land on major highway into Charlottesville up for grabs, Sean Tubbs, C-Ville Weekly, July 17, 2024
The turn of #706 is now stopping
Today’s focus is on an alternate way for people to get around Albemarle and Charlottesville, something I have written about for a long time. My first story about transit funding was published on July 12, 2007 for Charlottesville Tomorrow. Would it be worth writing a book or just continuing to document the various tides?
In any case, will I still be here in 2041 writing about transit service? Is it even safe or wise to think that far ahead? I don’t know.
I do know that I plan to continue doing this for the foreseeable future and support from paid subscribers helps make that each day possible. It has now been four years since the first newsletter and podcasts began and this day in 2020 I concluded the first week. Go back and take a look or a listen. There have been plenty of shifts in this experiment in journalism, but I’m grateful I’ve had the chance to write hundreds and hundreds of stories.
And you know the deal by now. Paid subscriptions are matched by Ting.
In return, I tell you that Ting can help you with your high speed Internet needs. If service is available in your area and you sign up for service, enter the promo code COMMUNITY and you will get:
Free installation
A second month for free
A $75 gift card to the Downtown Mall
July 17, 2024: Charlottesville Area Transit begins FY25 with a boost, while work continues toward a regional transit authority