The introductory paragraph of every edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement is intended to be a script for a podcast but recently there was a disturbance in the workflow. Efforts are being made to build a new framework and the arrival of steel beams this week to the construction site for Buford Middle School has prompted me to take the next step. I’m Sean Tubbs, and I miss the podcast, too:

On today’s podcast edition:

* Charlottesville City Council adopts a budget that reflects a move toward unionization of the city’s workforce, higher salaries for city employees, and lower education funding from the state due to increasing property values (read the story)

* There’s a problem with excessive dog waste being left at the city’s newest park (read the story)

* Charlottesville’s parks and recreation officials want your input on the next master plan to guide the future of public spaces in the city (read the story)

* The city has a plan to fix drainage issues in Oakwood Cemetery and will further discuss the issue on April 24 (read the story)

* Albemarle and Charlottesville both need more lifeguards for the summer season (read the story)

* Charlottesville’s Planning Commission gets an update on the new Development Code (read the story)

* Albemarle Supervisors have comments on recent deployment of the HART team and a bomb threat at Planet Fitness (read the story )

* The Albemarle Department of Social Services helps a lot of people each year and Supervisors get a briefing (read the story)

* Albemarle Supervisors weigh in on expanded uses in the rural area as part of the Comprehensive Plan process (read the story)

I will state clearly at the outset that this newsletter and podcast comes from Virginia, and not from either Indiana or North Carolina. The celebration of the beginning of the second quarter of the year often comes with merriment and mirth, but this April 1, 2024 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement comes at a time when there’s information to get out. I’m Sean Tubbs, because who else would I be?

In today’s installment:

* Council will hold first reading tonight on a proposed budget for FY25 based on three tax rate increases, and only a handful of people spoke at public hearings on March 21

* A nonprofit group building a commercial kitchen to assist would-be restaurant entrepreneurs receives additional funding from the City of Charlottesville

* Council will hold second reading tonight on funding for several affordable housing projects and services

* The Charlottesville Jewish Organizing Collective is hopeful City Council will adopt a resolution tonight supporting a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza

For the past six weeks, a version of the podcast has aired on WTJU 91.1 FM at 6 a.m. For most of this week, I’ve only posted print editions because I need to more time now to make sure the audio is produced correctly. I spent a good chunk of Friday getting this ready for the airwaves and this Saturday morning all of my energy wants to turn to the next set of stories rather than create a new edition.

Town Crier Productions is an experiment in the practice of journalism and this is the latest iteration. There are many more readers than listeners to the podcast, but audio production has been at the heart of my reporting for the past four years.

Anyway, take a listen. What’s coming up next? There’s a Week Ahead tomorrow. After that, stay tuned. And if you want to know more about the production schedule, follow me on Substack Notes.

Sometimes it’s a print newsletter. Sometimes it’s a podcast. Charlottesville Community Engagement always seeks to inform.

In this edition:

* Charlottesville’s City Attorney has filed three motions seeking to dismiss a lawsuit that claims the city’s new zoning code is invalid (read the story)

* The City of Charlottesville is seeking a new member of the Planning Commission after one member resigned publicly in protest (read the story)

* A UVA geriatrician wants you to get a COVID vaccination if you’re over the age of 65 and especially over the age of 75 (read the story)

* Albemarle Supervisors agree to advertise increases in personal property tax, lodging tax (read the story)

* Albemarle Supervisors learn that funding is in place to get more of Biscuit Run Park under construction (read the story)

* Albemarle budget officials provide more information about payments that University of Virginia related pay to the county (read the story)

* Albemarle County Police have released an annual report with statistics on crime and the make-up for the force (read the story)

Fun fact: I had two minutes remaining in the program so I opted to do a preview of the Week Ahead for next week. If you want to get that information, you’ll have to take a listen!