Sept. 10 Newsletter: Land deal for delegate paused
Weather: Light showers all day, high of 66.
On this date in 1984, Linwood Briley is again sentenced to die by electric chair after being recaptured. He and his brother J.B. led a six-convict escape from death row earlier in the year.
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New Council members insist on competitive process for potential land sale to state delegate
State Del. Delores McQuinn, a Democrat who previously served on the Richmond City Council, wants to buy the lot next to her home from the city, which purchased it in the '90s for a natural gas facility that never materialized.
McQuinn offered the city $6,500 for the property, above its $6,300 assessed value. She said it'll take another $10,000 to clean up the overgrown trees, which have become a breeding ground for snakes.
Richmond city code says the Council must declare the property surplus at one meeting, then sell it at the next, to allow time for bids to come in. On Monday, Council heard a proposal to do both steps at the same time, before ultimately holding off on the transfer. Read more here.
RPS summit with state legislators produces friction over budget requests
A joint meeting between the Richmond School Board and local members of the General Assembly became contentious as the board blamed the state for not properly funding schools, while the legislators were unhappy at being portrayed as opposing education.
Bagby noted that Henrico and Chesterfield both have multi-year capital improvement plans, while Richmond is still working on a long-term facilities plan.
Board members asked the legislature to advocate for Richmond to be able to propose a 1% sales tax increase for schools to voters, something that requires state permission. Read more here.
Council recap: $5.8M budget transfer to pay wrongfully convicted man approved; affordable housing given a boost
During this week's Council meeting:
- A $5.8 million payment was authorized to Marvin Grimm, who was wrongfully incarcerated.
- Grimm was paid out of a fund created by selling tax-delinquent properties. As part of the negotiations, the mayor authorized the moving of $2 million from that fund into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
- Five years after it was first proposed, Council approved the rules for a new Civilian Review Board that will examine police officer conduct.
Read more on the meeting here.
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In other news
- FOIA Fight: The Connie Clay whistleblower case offers a great opportunity to set a new tone of transparency and accountability for city government. (Style Weekly)
- Dominion proposes Richmonders pay about $20 more a month (Axios)
- Richmond’s new memorials expose hidden history beyond the Confederacy (Washington Post)
The editor's desk: Introducing our new tagline
These are uncertain times in the news business.
Look around and you'll hear stories of layoffs and funding cuts. There's also the question of what it will mean as Americans get their information in increasingly polarizing ways.
We started The Richmonder not to compete against those outlets, or drown them out by yelling louder, but to change the tone in the room.
As we mark our first birthday, our successes aren't just subscribers and pageviews. As a nonprofit, we are driven by a mission to help Richmonders feel informed and connected.
When other outlets take an increased interest in City Hall, we celebrate that. When people get together to discuss civic issues, we support them. When voters make more informed choices, we all win.
As we start Year 2, I'm pleased to announce our new tagline, crafted with the assistance of our Board of Directors.
Yes, we print the news each day. But our aim is to make Richmond a better, smarter, more connected and engaged city.
We're The Richmonder. And every day, we're elevating the conversation.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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