Month: August 2010

By his own count, County Executive Bob Tucker has attended more than 1,700 meetings of various boards during his tenure as Albemarle’s CEO. After 20 years of crafting the county budget—and a total of 37 years as a county employee—Tucker announced last week that he’ll attend only a few more, and plans to retire at the end of this year. 

“You kind of know when it’s time,” says Tucker, 62, who adds that his family will remain in Albemarle. “I will be looking for some other things to do, not necessarily in county-related efforts.”

Tucker began his local career in the county Planning Department in 1973. Ten years later he became deputy County Executive, and became Executive in 1991. County attorney Larry Davis, who has worked with Tucker for 16 years, calls the executive “a person of high integrity, whose goal in public service was to make Albemarle County the best community that it could be.

“He is simply an outstanding county executive in carrying out that mission,” says Davis. 

The last two years, according to Tucker, have been the most challenging of his career. The nation’s financial crisis affected the management of county operations; Tucker says Albemarle County has eliminated 70 positions, “but not laid anyone off.” 

“That was my goal in the last two or three years,” he says.

Asked about the revenue sharing agreement—in which Albemarle pays Charlottesville a portion of its real estate tax revenue and the city agrees not to annex land from the county—Tucker says the matter is now predominately a political issue. For fiscal year 2010, Albemarle paid Charlottesville more than $18 million, money not factored into the composite index that determines state funding for the county.

“Obviously, it hurts us to send a check for $18 million to the city, but that’s what it is,” he says. While the overall relationship between the city and county “has been good,” says Tucker, financial anxieties and debates over the Meadowcreek Parkway—under construction in the county, but not the city—have occasionally tried the two localities. 

“I think the Board [of Supervisors] will have a difficult time next year,” says Tucker of the county’s budgeting process.

Despite the occasional strain, Tucker calls his job a rewarding one. He expresses pride in what he calls the county’s “strong growth management system.”  The county, says Tucker, has tried the keep Albemarle “as rural as possible” while encouraging development in designated areas. 

“I hope the citizens are proud of what we have been able to accomplish,” says Tucker. County supervisors will discuss plans for selecting Tucker’s successor at an upcoming meeting.

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 The school year kicked off August 25 for children in Charlottesville and Albemarle’s public schools, and while students and teachers display the usual pep and verve, they could have had a lot more to cheer for.

Educators in Maryland, North Carolina, Washington, D.C., and seven other states celebrated last week when they “won” Race to the Top, the $4.3 billion federal education competition. Each of those school systems will get hundreds of millions of federal grant dollars.

Virginia, meanwhile, had already dropped out of the race. This summer, Governor Bob McDonnell dashed any hope that a flood—or even a trickle—of new federal money could be on its way when he pulled Virginia out of this round of competition.

Albemarle School Board Chairman Ron Price laments the decision. “The governor and others talk about the economic vitality of the state. When you do something like this, it goes right against those words,” says Price. “You’re not going to attract the high tech industries into the Commonwealth of Virginia without having a quality education system.”

The recession led politicians to cut both state and local funding for schools, and Albemarle in particular has taken its lumps, cutting 40 staff positions. The county schools’ budget fell $6 million from the previous year to $143 million. That was supposed to have been cushioned by $4.5 million in federal stimulus funds, but this year, the state decided to keep that money rather than pass it along to local schools, as it had done last year. County supervisors opted not to offset the decline in county real estate assessments with an increased property tax rate, which lowered local school funding. The shortfalls helped incite a winter spat with Charlottesville over revenue sharing money.

Virginia entered the first round of the federal competition along with 40 other divisions. But despite lobbying from McDonnell and others, it placed a paltry 31st. Only Delaware and Tennessee received first round funding, of $100 million and $500 million, respectively.

As deadlines approached for the second round, McDonnell pulled out. The reason? He said Virginia’s curriculum standards are too high. The federal scoring system rewards states that adopt recently released, nationally approved “common core standards.” McDonnell said he couldn’t ditch Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOLs).

“We can’t go back,” said McDonnell. “We’ve been working on this for 15 years. Our standards are much superior.”

Price questions whether that’s the case, and an analysis by The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a think tank in D.C., backs him up. It concluded that Virginia’s English standards were roughly equivalent, but rated the Commonwealth’s math standards a C versus an A for the common core standards.

Moreover, Virginia scored 325 of 500 points on the first round—and only 30 of those points lost were attributable to common curriculum standards. The Commonwealth lost significant points for not sufficiently linking teacher/principal evaluations with student achievement, and for not distributing quality teachers and principals equally throughout the education system.

“I was disappointed that we were not able to compete,” says Albemarle Superintendent Pam Moran. “On the other hand, I understand why the state department in Richmond felt like it would be perhaps not a good use of their time” knowing Virginia would not adopt the common standards word-for-word.

Leah Puryear, chairman of the Charlottesville School Board, also understands the governor’s decision, pointing out that the funding, if Charlottesville received any at all, would have been heavily restricted. Charlottesville schools took a $2 million budget reduction this year.

Virginia had applied for $350 million. It’s unclear how much money local schools would have received had Virginia “won” Race to the Top. Much of the money was slated for low-performing and charter schools. Albemarle County is home to two of Virginia’s four charter schools.

“I think everybody realizes that money’s short in a lot of areas, not just education,” says Moran, “and that we certainly would like that we’re competitive anytime there is money that’s going to be available for us at the federal level.”

Moran looks on the bright side. “There may be a third round,” she says. “It’s possible we might be back in the game.”

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When the Albemarle County Planning Commission unanimously approved the 54-acre rezoning of UVA’s Fontaine Research Park in July, it did so without specifically including the most scrutinized piece of park property: a plot of land reserved for the Sunset/Fontaine Connector. One month later, the planning commission signed off on the same request to allow for more commercial space, updated to clarify the land reserved by the UVA Foundation for the path it favors.

“We’re looking forward to the Board of Supervisors meeting on September 8 as a final step,” says Fred Missel, UVA Foundation’s Director of Design and Development, of the park’s rezoning.

But while the UVA Foundation is committed to building the connector, a route between Fontaine and Sunset avenues—first recommended in 2004 in a study produced by the city, county and UVA—is yet to be finalized. Now, a new study by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission will examine the UVA Foundation’s preferred path, along Stribling Avenue, as well as other routes that might lower costs to the county.

The connector was once discussed as a possible way to moderate traffic to and from Biscuit Run, before the state purchased the county’s 3,100-unit development as a 1,200-acre park. In a July report, county staff identified Natural Resources Drive, which runs along the western edge of the research park, as an alternative location for the connector.

“Once you get off of foundation property, it’s going to be really, really expensive because of all the various issues—stream crossings, terrain of land, railroad crossings,” says Claudette Grant, a senior planner with the county. The TJPDC study, says Grant, “may give us an idea of whether there is a location that is less expensive.” 

The cost to the UVA Foundation, however, seems set. According to a proffer statement, the UVA Foundation agrees to construct its portion of the connector along Stribling, or contribute a comparable amount of cash for a different connector alignment on its property. Previous estimates put the total connector cost in the neighborhood of $12 million.

Stephen Williams, executive director of the TJPDC, says the study will “look at a number of different connections. We’ll try to find the one—or two, or three—that have the greatest benefits for traffic with the least negative impacts.” 

The TJPDC’s study will estimate, among other factors, the number of trips through the park. Williams says the TJPDC hopes to present results of the study to the Planning & Coordination Council, composed of representatives from the city, county and UVA, by the group’s next meeting, scheduled for November 18.

Missel says the Stribling alignment for the connector is the only alignment that would not adversely impact park operations. A regional connector might conflict with many of the park’s services, such as an ambulatory surgery clinic or physical rehabilitation hospital, says Missel.

“I believe that the Board of Supervisors, as the planning commissioners did, will see the wisdom in a perimeter road as opposed to a road that bisects the park,” he adds.

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Almost everything has changed since UVA football head coach Al Groh finished the 3-9 2009 season by reading the bizarre poem “The Guy in the Glass” to media in the bowels of Scott Stadium. After firing Groh and conducting a national search for his replacement, the University awarded former assistant coach Mike London a five-year, $1.7 million annual contract to try and resurrect the Wahoos from the college football graveyard. 

London’s test begins Saturday, September 4, when Virginia opens its season at home against London’s former team, the Richmond Spiders, at 6pm. To accompany the new head coach, Virginia has redesigned uniforms, a nearly brand new coaching staff and a shot at shaking the goat horns from last year’s helmets.

Since London was hired in early December, he has worked the state tirelessly to smooth over relationships with the Commonwealth’s powerhouse high school programs. London focused recruiting efforts in the football-crazy Tidewater region, Richmond, and the fertile Northern Virginia areas.

And his efforts have paid off. London’s 2010 recruiting class is made up almost entirely of players from Virginia. Compare the new Hoos to Groh’s nine seasons in Charlottesville, when Virginia Tech out-hustled UVA in signing top-tier recruits and bested UVA in eight of nine meetings.

Gone is Virginia’s 3-4 NFL-style defense, replaced by a more college-friendly 4-3 Stack defense. Defensive coordinator Jim Reid prefers faster guys, as opposed to the bulky players favored by Groh. Expect Reid’s defense to be hard-hitting, smart and led by NFL prospect and returning senior Ras-I Dowling—a big, physical cornerback.

Nate Collins, who led the Hoos’ quarterback assault with six sacks in 2009, graduated and will be sorely missed. But defensive end Cam Johnson is poised for a breakout type of season, and linebacker Steve Greer, who led Virginia in tackles with 92 in 2009, is healthy again after battling injuries.

The Wahoos should avoid quarterback controversy this season with senior Marc Verica under center, and under the watch of new offensive coordinator and QB guru Bill Lazor, who brings an NFL coaching pedigree to the Hoos. While the line protecting Verica up front may be inexperienced, the long wait for top recruit Morgan Moses is over, and he should contribute early at guard before moving on to right tackle next season.

For its ground attack, Virginia would like to use as many as four running backs. Sophomore Perry Jones has earned the title of starter at tailback, and true freshman Kevin Parks might crack the rotation early instead of redshirting for a year. Both Joe Torchia and Colter Phillips hope to get the tight end position back in play for the Wahoos after almost taking the position totally out of the offense last season in Gregg Brandon’s anemic spread offense.

Virginia is picked by nearly everyone to finish dead last in the Coastal Division, but six wins in 12 games seems reasonable, if Verica stays healthy and the Hoos find an 800-yard rusher in their stable of tailbacks. At the least, Virginia should nab four wins, among games against Richmond, Virginia Military Institute, Maryland, Eastern Michigan and North Carolina. Unlike the Hokies, the Tar Heels just don’t win in Charlottesville.

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On Sunday, during a guest sermon at St. Paul’s Memorial Church, just a few steps from Thomas Jefferson’s Rotunda, UVA President Teresa Sullivan preached the Gospel according to Luke, and addressed violence and “bystander behavior” in relation to the death of University student Yeardley Love. Sullivan, also discussing humility, emphasized the need take responsibility for people’s well being, which she called the foundation of a strong community. “The kingdom of God has many bridges, not so many fences,” said Sullivan. She also promoted UVA’s upcoming Day of Dialogue, scheduled for September 24, a day of “vigorous” discussion about campus security and the university’s new Get Grounded coalition to encourage student safety. “We want each of us to take ownership of this community, and help take care of everyone in it,” said Sullivan. “Let’s promise not to stand by when someone else needs help. Let’s promise to take responsibility for each other.”

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