Local Government, Civic Affairs and Education
Roanoke City Council has just filled the seat vacated by John Garland recently with Trish White-Boyd, who finished 47 votes behind Garland for the third seat on Council in 2016. State law required that seat to be filled within 30 days of Garland’s January 2nd resignation. Retired city worker Bob Clement, 2018 Democratic primary candidate for Congress Peter Volosin and previous council candidates Robert Jeffrey Jr., Grover Price and Trish White-Boyd had also applied for the seat. The vote to confirm the business owner and Democratic party activist was unanimous, although councilwoman Michelle Davis objected to the selection process before the vote.
Salem City Council has voted to seek the resignation of city manager Kevin Boggess. Council voted 3-2 to accept that resignation during a closed session at last night’s meeting. One of those votes for resignation came from newcomer John Saunders. During a candidate’s debate last spring he said all was not well in the City of Salem. It’s not clear why Saunders voted to seek Boggess’s resignation last night. At that debate last spring, Saunders also criticized the condition of sports facilities in Salem. He had just retired as director of the Salem Civic Center complex. Saunders also said then redevelopment in the city needed to happen in places other than the downtown corridor.
The City of Roanoke is seeking feedback on what it wants to see in the way of public art in the Melrose-Orange Avenue Target area that is ticketed for major renovations. More from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
Maury Strauss (r) and Heywood Fralin/G Marrano photo
Virginia Western Community College hopes to grow its Education Foundation endowment from 21 million to 35 million dollars. A major gift announced today will help jump start that effort, as WFIR’s Gene Marrano has the story:
The Hope Center is branching out with a venue where the less fortunate can pick up healthy foods – and its gearing up for a fourth annual “Hope for the Homeless.” WFIR’s Gene Marrano has that story:
Its still two weekends away but it has been a sellout in the past – the annual Guns and Hoses hockey game to benefit MDA. More from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
The completion of the Franklin Road Bridge over Norfolk Southern Railway tracks has been delayed until Mid-March 2019. Roanoke City says the two-month delay is due to significant rain from hurricane events in September and October that prevented concrete from being poured and the early onset of colder weather.
From Roanoke City: The completion of the Franklin Road Bridge over Norfolk Southern Railway has been delayed until Mid-March 2019. The delay is due to significant rain from hurricane events in September and October, and the onset of colder weather earlier than expected. The rain events delayed pouring the concrete bridge deck in September and October. The contractor was delayed due to having to reschedule the deck bridge pours and coordinating available time with Norfolk Southern to access the deck. The onset of colder weather, along with the recent snowfall, has impeded the contractor’s last remaining major work item of the pouring the concrete barrier (sidewall) or parapet along the bridge. Also, with the early onset of colder weather, the contractor will have to take more care, time and precautions constructing the barrier.
Governor Northam’s next proposed budget will include an additional 2% raise for public school teachers, this on top of a 3% hike already budgeted. If passed next winter in the General Assembly, it means teacher pay would increase 5% in the next school year. The proposed increase is part of a broader package of new proposed education spending in the state’s next fiscal year that begins July 1, 2019.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is proposing to give teachers a 5 percent pay boost next year. The governor outlined parts of his upcoming state budget proposal Tuesday that would increase funding for K-12 education and shore up the state’s rainy day fund. Northam wants to spend $88 million to boost a 3 percent pay raise for teachers scheduled to take effect July 1, kicking it up to 5 percent. The governor said
pay in Virginia is lagging the national average and making it harder to recruit and retain quality teachers. He’s also proposing additional spending increases for at-risk students and school construction. The governor’s proposals will have to pass the Republican-controlled General Assembly next year to take effect. Northam, a Democrat, will introduce his full detailed budget plan next week.