City report: Public Works expects Angus Road / 29 modifications to be complete by end of October

In recent years, City Manager Sam Sanders or a member of his administration have delivered a verbal report at City Council meetings in between the adoption of the consent agenda and the first item of business.

That did not happen on October 19 but the written report does exist and is worth going through. For instance, Sanders said he will be putting in place an “operational framework” intended to guide the work of city employees.

“At a recent retreat, leaders were engaged in the foundational lesson on how we use organizational excellence to direct us in the execution of our work,” Sanders wrote in the report. “The pillars are openly disciplined, strategic advocacy, empowerment, and empathy.”

The report notes meetings Sanders has had with the Utilities Department, the Finance Department, and those charged with operating and maintaining the Downtown Mall.

“This group, led by Downtown Mall Strategy Manager Brenda Kelley, reviewed maintenance, programming, and investment priorities in what is a quarterly engagement on the City’s centerpiece for economic development,” the report continues.

Sanders met with Albemarle County Executive Jeffrey Richardson and followed up on the joint Council / Supervisor meeting from October 6. Transportation and land use planning are seen as areas for joint collaboration.

Other items from the report:

• Ten people completed the latest class of the Office of Economic Development’s latest GO Start-Up program. This initiative “helps individuals take the first steps toward launching a business by providing foundational business knowledge, practical tools, and guidance to turn their ideas into reality.”
• Staff in the Office of Emergency Management, Communications and Public Engagement, and the Charlottesville Police Department on a two-and-half day “Julie Parker Crisis Communications simulation” intended to help staff improve communications and media skills during a crisis.
• Americans with Disability Act Coordinator Paul Rudacille announced that the city is seeking places to fix uneven sidewalks with examples of “vertical displacement.” The playground at Meade Park is also being replaced with ADA-compliant equipment.
• Interns with the Office of Human Rights have researched the “the impact of luxury student housing development on housing affordability and accessibility in Charlottesville” and “availability and access to mental health services in Charlottesville.”
• The Office of Human Rights is also taking a pause on intake of new complaints now that one investigator has left the position. There are currently 26 open discrimination complaints. “Seven are in the process of alternative dispute resolution, nine are under investigation, nine are under review for determination after investigation, and one was reopened for further investigation following a public hearing by the Commission on August 27.”
• Public Works reports that pedestrian safety improvements at Angus Road and U.S. 29 are expected to be completed by the end of the month. In April, Council agreed to spend nearly $1.1 million from a surplus fund for this project which includes a new crosswalk and bus stop as I reported.

Before you go: The goal of Town Crier Productions is to increase awareness about what is happening at the local, regional, state, and federal government levels. Please share the work with others if you want people to know things.

Paid subscribers cover the cost of conducting research for this article which was originally published in the October 21, 2026 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement.  You can either subscribe through Substack or make a charitable contribution.