A UVA facilities project manager jumped into the race for City Council February 6. Brian Pinkston said to dozens at The Haven, “I’m running for City Council because I want our city to recapture this vision of the common good.”
He was introduced by former vice-mayor Meredith Richards, who noted Pinkston’s ability as a project manager to handle a lot of moving parts and to work collaboratively and effectively with others.
“I believe in this City Council election, people are looking for solid, trustworthy, unifying, and principled leadership,” said Richards.
A Georgia native, Pinkston, 47, said his work as an engineer taught him “how to dive into complex problems.” And in his late 20s, as a parent of small children, he started work on a Ph.D. in philosophy at UVA. “I can’t recommend philosophy highly enough,” he said.
He noted that he grew up in the deep South, and, pointing toward the statue of General Robert E. Lee across the street, said, “I recognize the past is still with us.”
More so than the other three Democratic candidates in the race, Pinkston also stressed his faith, and the wisdom found in religion.
He noted that 25 percent of families here don’t earn enough to cover basic needs for survival. It’s “morally unacceptable to tolerate these high levels of poverty,” he said.
Pinkston joins activist Michael Payne, RegionTen board member Sena Magill, and attorney Lloyd Snook in seeking the Democratic nomination for three open seats on City Council. Incumbents Wes Bellamy, Kathy Galvin, and Mike Signer have not said whether they’ll seek reelection.
Among those at The Haven were Magill, former councilor Bob Fenwick, and UVA associate professor Jalane Schmidt, who formed a new political action committee, Progressives for Cville, that has backed Payne and was going to endorse Don Gathers, who had to withdraw from the race because of health concerns.
The deadline to file for the June 11 primary is March 28.