A reader informed me today that I am saying too much about my personal life in these opening segments of Charlottesville Community Engagement. That may or may not be the case and perhaps it’s time to turn all of this over to artificial intelligence and I’ll go back to waiting tables and cooking people food. However, that sounds like more work than simply proceeding with the January 29, 2024 edition of the newsletter and podcast. I’m Sean Tubbs, beep beep, boop boop. 

On today’s show:

* A boil water advisory in Albemarle County was lifted Sunday after tests showed no bacteria infiltrated the distribution network for treated drinking water

* New population estimates are out from the Weldon Cooper Center of Public Service at the University of Virginia

* City Council gets a briefing on the initial stages of a plan to create a management plan for Downtown Mall trees

* And an area publication has a new owner and will remain locally owned 

According to one way of looking at the world, January 2024 is now over 83 percent of the way to its completion. Charlottesville Community Engagement, however, will likely be sorting through meetings that have been held so far with the goal of weaving together narratives of how decisions were made. I’m Sean Tubbs, and it’s in this manner that I’ve come to terms with reality. 

On today’s show:

* A boil water advisory remains in place in the Hollymead area in Albemarle County following a water main break yesterday afternoon 

* Albemarle County will send out real property reassessment notices today and the average increase is 4.07 percent for 2024

* Charlottesville seeks applicants for Boards and Commissions

* The Albemarle Board of Supervisors weighs in on the goals and objectives of the Environmental Stewardship chapter of the county’s next Comprehensive Plan

What should be done about January 23? The one for this year marks 6.8 percent of the way through the orbital cycle. Items in this and every edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement happened at different points and the goal is to capture as much as possible. I’m Sean Tubbs, continuing to try to not look at fake holiday calendars for easy opening copy. 

On today’s show:

* Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders announces a new deputy and a working group on a potential city landbank 

* A piece of Albemarle’s industrial history is added to the Virginia Landmarks Register

* The Albemarle Charlottesville Jail Authority will hold the first of three meetings on the proposed renovations

* Charlottesville Area Transit’s director explains why he wants the city to test both battery-electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cells 

We are now more than halfway through the first month of the year, and all of the usual markings of the season time are present. This January 19 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement captures at least one of them, including an observation that this is perhaps one of the first installments produced while there is snow on the ground in a week with two storms! I’m Sean Tubbs, wondering if the statute of limitations of one particular holiday song can be extended a little longer. 

On today’s show:

* A snapshot of who’s who in the race to be next Representative in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District

* A brief look at the beginning of Greene County’s first Board of Supervisors meeting of the year with Marie Durrer being  

* A group of property owners in Charlottesville have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the city’s new zoning code 

If 2024 were an Olympics, today would be the closing ceremony. Yet, there are 351 days left until this year wraps up and there’s a lot of work to do. It is January 16, 2024, and this is the corresponding edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. I’m Sean Tubbs, already wondering what I will wear the next time the ball drops. 

On today’s show:

* A quick look at recent building statistics in an Albemarle County that has a set housing goal for 2040

* Albemarle approves funding to subsidize rental costs for two affordable housing projects 

* The Charlottesville Planning Commission recommends the city spend more money on sidewalks in the five-year capital improvement plan

* The Nelson Board of Supervisors is briefed on what the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District does for the county 

If you’ll forgive an attempt at neologism, today is the dozenth day of 2024. And as I typed that word, there are no squiggly lines to indicate that I have made something up. Does this word already exist? That is definitely not the purpose of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter and podcast that exists to describe a little of what’s happening. I’m Sean Tubbs, and I’m very careful to not make things up. 

On today’s show:

* City Manager Sam Sanders names a Pennsylvania official as his deputy for administration

* Two top officials in land use positions at the University of Virginia are now the chair and vice chair of the Albemarle Planning Commission 

* Nelson County Supervisors take the first step toward lowering speeds on Route 151 in the Rockfish Valley

* Nelson Supervisors also agree to a schedule change for EMS personnel that will also require hiring more people 

We are now nine days into 2024 and the question is whether I will be able to get through an entire year without resorting to telling you what item or issue or individual is being honored. The goal of the past few weeks has been to avoid that entirely based on the note of one podcast listener of Charlottesville Community Engagement who felt the bit had played out. Has it? Continue listening throughout the year to find out. I’m Sean Tubbs, a believer that there’s much worth celebrating and honoring each and every day. 

In today’s edition:

* Nelson County Supervisors pick a chair for 2024 

* There’s a new owner of the Michie Tavern on Route 53 near Monticello 

* Charlottesville announces an end to the waitlist for school bus routes, but over a thousand students still have to use their feet or get a ride to class

* Another window for affordable housing funding opens up in Charlottesville 

* Several community members weigh in on whether Albemarle’s Crossroads Communities should provide more services and land for development 

Anyone wishing to pass judgment or make a ranking on 2024 so far should consider that only 2.2 percent of the year has taken place so far. More evidence should be gathered. Perhaps each edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement will assist you in your evaluation? Either way, I’m Sean Tubbs, here to capture as much as I can. 

On today’s show:

* Christopher Fairchild is the new chair of the Fluvanna Board of Supervisors

* An expert on infectious diseases from the University of Virginia Health provides an update on winter respiratory illnesses and the latest COVID strain

* A round-up of recent land use applications in Albemarle County including an amendment for more residential units at Albemarle Business Campus 

There’s nothing like January 5, 2024 to have the 621st installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter and podcast that may or may not have had 620 previous installments so far. Anyone who wishes to conduct an audit should contact the management. That’s me, Sean Tubbs, increasingly working to bring more information through the polishing of more mirrors. 

On today’s show:

* Charlottesville Police have “diffused” a situation in Belmont where a heavily armed man caused a shelter in police order to be issued this morning

* Duane Adams is once again the Chair of the Louisa Board of Supervisors

* Charlottesville City Council approves $750,000 to help fill a shortfall for the first phase of the Premier Circle project to create 80 affordable units on U.S. 29 in Albemarle

* The Albemarle Architectural Review Board takes a look a climbing gym planned for Old Ivy Road near the UVA baseball stadium

* Albemarle County Supervisors consider amending the wording for the rules for public comment periods 

The third day of the year may or may not have a special topic or issue associated with this particular 24-hour period. One way to begin each edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement is to look up these bits of trivia as a way to lull the reader or listener into the narrative constructed for each edition, and this is the one for January 3, 2024. I’m the Sean Tubbs that corresponds with this day. 

In today’s edition:

* There’s new leadership on the Albemarle Board of Supervisors with Jim Andrews as Chair and Diantha McKeel as Vice Chair 

* City Councilor Natalie Oschrin introduces herself and she and the rest of Council get assignments to Boards and Commissions 

* City Manager Sanders gives a quick preview of some of the work coming up this year

* Get ready for Albemarle’s next budget with direction from Supervisors on tax relief and staffing for fire and rescue services