We're back with another installment of our "Meet Your Local Government" podcast series. Jamie Powers, the Climate Protection Program Manager, sat down with us and shared his passions, from playing music to climate justice, in our latest episode.
Ever wondered who the people behind local government are? Our new series on the "Let's Talk Albemarle" podcast aims to give you a behind-the-scenes look at the people who help shape our community. Join us as we sit down with local leaders to discuss their roles, passions, and the human side of public service.
Please tune in for the first episode, where we talk with Jeff Richardson, the County Executive, to talk about his journey with Albemarle County and what it's really like to lead in local government.
Move Safely Blue Ridge is the region’s plan to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries for all road users through the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. Learn about the project, the goals, and the vision in this conversation with Sarah Simba, Planner with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission.
Project Website: https://movesafelyblueridge.com/
Learn more about the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission: https://tjpdc.org/
Chapter by Chapter is a series on our podcast in which we introduce and review the draft chapters of the Comprehensive Plan. We’ll discuss land use, housing, environmental stewardship, parks and open spaces, and more.
This podcast was designed to provide a quick overview of the chapter. We hope you’ll be inspired to visit our website, read the whole chapter, share your feedback, ask questions, and review the plan actions.
Links:
Chapter by Chapter is a series on our podcast in which we introduce and review the draft chapters of the Comprehensive Plan. We’ll discuss land use, housing, environmental stewardship, parks and open spaces, and more.
This podcast was designed to provide a quick overview of the chapter. We hope you’ll be inspired to visit our website, read the whole chapter, share your feedback, ask questions, and review the plan actions.
Links:
Yay! Season Two of Let's Talk Albemarle is FINALLY HERE!!!
Katie VanLangen, co-executive director of LEAP, the Local Energy Alliance Program, and Gabe Dayley, Albemarle County's Climate Protection Program Manager, join me to discuss Solarize Virginia, an innovative program to help support community members put solar energy to work for them. We also cover an intro to solar energy – how it works and why it’s important in our climate protection program’s mix.
https://www.solarizeva.org/ https://www.epa.gov/greenhouse-gas-reduction-fund/solar-all
Introducing the Community Voices Audio Project. The intention of this project is to create a platform for community members to share their experiences and knowledge so that together we may build a deeper understanding of complex topics. The idea came to me as I was reflecting on the variety of perspectives and opinions people were sharing about community growth and the future of Albemarle County.
This episode will focus on growth in Albemarle County. The Weldon Cooper Center Demographics Research Group predicts that Albemarle County’s population will grow by 30 thousand residents in the next 20 years. A growing community faces many challenges and opportunities that have wide-ranging implications for the future. This is particularly important right now as we work to update our Comprehensive Plan.
So, here’s how it’s organized. I asked my team to nominate people whose work focuses on quality of life, resilience, development, infrastructure, or land use. I asked each participant to record a 3-to-5 minute response to these questions:
This episode is a collection of those responses.
I hope that listening to this show will add new and valuable context for you as you participate in the Comprehensive Plan Update project.
In this episode, we'll learn about the Comprehensive Plan Update (AC44). This is a great introduction to understanding what the Plan is, how it's developed, and what it’s used for. We’ll also get some insight into the project team’s role in the process and some of the challenges associated with such a big (comprehensive!) community project.
All community members are invited to participate! Please take advantage of these tools to get started:
Have You Visited Our Online Engagement Center? We are looking forward to providing you with a variety of robust tools designed to enable you to share your expertise, ideas, and feedback with us on a regular basis. Please visit the site and register to access current and future projects.
In this episode, we’ll learn about the Climate Protection Program, what’s next for the Climate Action Plan, and get a glimpse into the future of Albemarle County if we realize all of the goals associated with this important work.
This episode is part of a live fireside chat-type community event associated with the promotion of Colonel Sean Reeves to Chief of Police. Our host is my boss and the director of Communications and Public Engagement, Emily Kilroy, who spoke with Colonel Reeves about his professional experience and his vision for the future of the department. Colonel Reeves is the first patrol officer to rise through the ranks to become Chief. The conversation ranged from traffic safety to cyber-crime to community engagement. Toward the end of the live event, we took questions from the audience.
Prefer to watch the video? Check it out here.
Have a question or comment for the Chief? Email [email protected]
Let’s Talk Albemarle seeks to foster community participation through the exploration of important topics in Albemarle County, Virginia. Serena Gruia, host and public engagement specialist, designs each conversation to make local government interesting and accessible for our community.
I would love to hear from you. Call or email me to share your constructive feedback, suggest a topic, or ask a question you have about Albemarle County local government! 434- 296-5841 x3274 or [email protected].