We’re LIVE! tonight at the Danville City council meeting. Refresh the page for the latest updates. We’ll start reporting around 6:15 PM.
We’re here. Eric Deaton’s going to address council tonight.
Sherman Saunders is out of town. Vice Mayor Gary Miller presides tonight.
Public comment section time. We’ve got a presentation on the Youth Council (that I’ve never heard about until now.
Apparently it started 2 years ago. Go figure.
Eric Deaton’s at the podium. He’s talking about the residency program, with 50 doctors in Danville this year. 5 doctors have stayed in the area after finishing. Every one has passed their boards. Now talking about the combining of Martinsville and Danville’s hospitals into one market. He’s now endorsing Medicaid expansion. Council will be considering a “pass the damn budget” resolution later.
Softball questions and comments from the council, as expected. The hospital now has 24/7 heart attack coverage (they didn’t before?).
Multiple comments on how Deaton’s leadership has turned things around. New Chief Operating Officer is here tonight.
No public comments so we move to business. Domestic violence grant money, hazmat equipment replacement and on to the “pass the budget” resolution. Adam Tomer reminds that this is a non-partisan resolution.
Around the horn time.
Main Street Plaza and Fountain ceremony is Wednesday evening. Riverwalk south trail opens Thursday morning.
Larry Campbell talks about a potential electric rate increase. He’s throwing the gauntlet down for no increase. Interesting. Alonzo Jones concurs. Miller talks about the awesome CSA day. Fred Shanks explains transmission costs jacked the electric budget out of control. He’s also mentioning lack of coal plants. He’s also hinting the rate increase is very much needed. Tomer concurs with Shanks, and battle lines aee drawn. Wow.
We’ll clean this article up soon.
Moee coming up on SouthsideCentral!
Maybe you can inquire about Web Parts.
I am skeptical about the need for a rate increase of the magnitude described by the consultant. It smells to me like a way to line the city coffers. I do think the January overage and the general trend in rates argues for some type of increase. Hopefully there will be a reasonable compromise between the two groups.
Bruce,
You need to ask about this latest unemployment report. This is probably one of the 5 worst unemployment reports since things have been going downhill. 1300 people have left the workforce in a year?????? Incredible when you consider the population of the area.
No one seems to want to challenge the status quo of doling out $$ for “announcements” and precious few jobs. Imagine if all that money had been invested in DPS with serious reforms. I’ll guarantee you this, as long as the city has such a poor-performing school system, you can forget anyone but the lowest-wage/low skill employers coming to the area. That really is the bottom line. If you settle for a poor public school system, your hopes of attracting high wage employers are diminished.