City Councilor Satyendra Huja—whose 30-plus years as a planning director include development of the Downtown Mall and Rivanna Trail—announced a reelection bid for his seat on council this morning.
"In the last three years on City Council, I have worked to improve our community," said Huja, who mentioned his support for a Preston Avenue single-room occupancy facility and replacement of the aged Jefferson Park Avenue bridge, as well as efforts to pass a noise ordinance for Belmont and promote the community’s Dialogue on Race. Huja’s candidacy speech is available in its entirety here.
Huja addressed a small audience of reporters—small because, at the beginning of his press conference, the 30 people assembled for the event stood behind him in support. Those assembled included former councilor John Conover and former mayor Meredith Richards, as well as current councilors Holly Edwards and Kristin Szakos—on opposite sides of a critical vote on the city’s water supply, but seemingly united in their support of Huja. (In turn, Huja called council’s 3-2 vote for a 30′ reservoir raise at the Lower Ragged Mountain Dam "a great decision.)
Richards, who called herself a "longtime friend" of Huja, said nobody knows local issues better. "He’s very strategic," Richards told C-VILLE.
Huja’s council seat is one of three that might change this year. Edwards and Councilor David Brown will not seek reelection. Independent Scott Bandy recently announced his intention to run.
City Councilor Satyendra Huja