August had plenty of fire works between Lynchburg City Council, the Lynchburg City Schools, and the Electoral Board. The highlights are listed below. For an exceedingly accurate and comprehensive report of what transpired, please read Bryson Gordon's reports in The News & Advance. Or better yet, watch the recordings all three groups provide of their meetings. The recordings, working papers, and minutes for each group can be accessed on the group's website.
On August 8, City Council and the LCS Board held a joint meeting divided into four small groups to review and consider the findings of GMT consultants about school facilities, programs, and demographics. In the past, one method to create diversity within individuals schools was to create magnet schools. Now we have some students being bused passed two or three schools on the way to their assigned school. Funds to legally address this problem had been cut from the recently passed LCS budget. So...
On August 15, City Council held a special meeting to approve amending the recently passed LCS budget to move $261,000 from the contingency category to the administrative category. Included was also $11,000 for LCS Board training. At the end of the meeting two councilors tried, unsuccessfully, to introduce a second resolution that only a few councilors had seen and that was not part of the agenda. The meeting adjourned without its consideration. So...
On August 22, City Council held a second special meeting to consider a resolution requesting another deputy registrar through December and an additional $100,000. This resolution was the work of the city manager and deputy manager, mayor and vice mayor, the registrar and his personal attorney. The two council members who had written the original resolution tried to amend this new resolution without success. The resolution passed 6-1.
On August 29, the LCS Board meet. They will finalize a vote at their next meeting on which elementary schools to close.
On September 7, at the Electoral Board meeting, Registrar Dan Pense introduced newly hired Deputy Registrar Nancy Davis and Assistant Deputy Registrar Juleigh Brown. Twenty additional Officers of Election were approved. The best guarantee to fair elections is to have Officers of Election from both political parties working on election day. Please consider volunteering. It is a long day for very little pay, but you would serve a key role in assuring a clean, fair democratic election. And it is interesting! Call the registrar at 434-477-5999 to volunteer.
Early in-person voting begins September 22. Voter registration ends October 16. After that date a person can register to vote and vote using a provisional ballot. A request for an absentee ballot must be made by October 27. The election is November 7. Polls are open from 6am to 7pm. This election will decide which party will control the Virginia House and the Virginia Senate. Take a friend to vote!
Respectfully Submitted by Molly McClenon
