Not my most prolific posting time

Everything is a blur, so here are some scenes from the road.
1. Jen Fariello & Lisa Provence are geniuses.
2. Why does it take a year to test blood? Ivan Basso, now on Team Discovery (soon to be something else since Discovery has dropped its sponsorship), is not able to compete at this point for Operacion Puerto which happened last year. My thought is please suspend him if he is guilty of something. It is not good business practice to bring this up every year prior to the major cycling events- resolution would help, I am unsure why it is taking so long. See cyclingnews.com for further info on this scandal AND the very exciting Tour of Virginia which is making its way to town TOMORROW.
3.Leadership Charlottesville class has at least two great projects I know about. One is the Voices of Poverty, headed by cvilleblogs own StLWorkingMom. I was privileged to attend the premiere voice "Art" who was incredibly powerful. I look forward to the unveiling of the other voices in the coming weeks. The other project I know about is Friends of the Parks & Rec. I met one fellow who is heading that project at the Linear Trail dedication this morning (now known as Schenks Greenway). I look forward to the Parks Dept working collaboratively with the Friends of Parks group.
4. Emily Couric Leadership Forum was filled with at least 400 folks, a succesful fundraiser. I was honored to be there. I saw Howie Long in person for the first time and Leslie Visser was entertaining (plus I love sports so I loved her stories). I also had the opportunity to catch up with the Senator Couric's former legislative assistant (however briefly).
5. I rather like it when people are honest with me.
6. So far there looks to be 5 forums in May for the City Council candidates, but the May 19th forum is not happening. Just to be clear the Convention is June 2- arrive around 12:30 to be admitted, the door closes and no one is allowed in after 1:00. And it is at the Martin Luther King Performing Art Center at CHS.
7. Mike and Wendy are having another baby AND they are buying a house (so exciting).
8. One last tuition payment for this year at D's preschool (and then bye-bye for the tiny downtown preschool) and hello to two tuitions next year.
9. Wow Foxfield dresses are getting smaller and smaller. Outskirts posts his sardonic perspective on the whole thing. My experience was different- I sat in traffic (that part is the same) but parked in South Hill which is far from all the stuff (South Hill seems kind of in the swanky area), but very easy to leave Foxfield. The reason I say it is sort of swanky is the tents had tvs in them (in addition to the catering and hired band) to watch the far side of the race. I ran into lots of people I hadnt seen in awhile & laughed a lot.
10. Earth Day hot air balloning at McIntire didnt happen because of the wind (I hadnt noticed). Fortunately, the festivities went on, I learned a lot, picked up information for Chris to learn (and a spruce for him to plant). I am hoping to attend the Rivanna Conservation Society's fundraiser next weekend (at the Garden Barn in Advance Mills) and pick up a rain barrel (although Chris still votes on making our own).
Well ten things are enough for now.

More campaign/fun events

Here are some of the events I will attend in the coming weeks, certainly more will be added. Spring is a great time to be in Charlottesville, I look forward to meeting you at these fun events.
4/27- Trail dedication and naming at Harris and McIntire 11:30-12:30
part of Earth Day festivities
4/25 Emily Couric Leadership Forum Luncheon 11:00-1:00 (Omni)
4/28 Earth Day festivities at McIntire Park
Foxfield
4/29 Volunteer at the Tour of Virginia. Support the professional
cyclists coming through our City.
4/30 CAAR workforce housing forum 9-3 at Newcomb Hall
5/19 Candidate Forum at the monthly Democratic breakfast held at JABA at 9:30.
5/30 Public Forum on collaboration between YMCA and the City 6:30-8:00
at Carver Recreation Center.
6/2 Democratic Mass Meeting to nominate candidates for November
election. 1:00.

Venue Change City Convention

In order to accommodate the hordes of Democrats (and that is only the candidates) expected at the June 2, 2007 convention, the City Party has announced the location officially be the Charlottesville Performing Arts Center, the time changed to 12:30 too.

It is nice to know for sure where it will be. Everyone should come, it will be fascinating and it may be the only opportunity to make your vote count.

U.S. Open Cycling Championships

Tomorrow- the weather is supposed to be cold and breezy- so stay in, and watch NBC starting at 2:00. NBC will be airing the US Open Cycling Championships which is being held right here in Virginia. Some very fine cycling teams will be participating- choose your favorite colors and follow that team, it does help the watching. Al Trautwig is doing the color commentating. Al is not the best, but he is recognizable and helps keep people engaged who are just learning the sport. I like the Navigators- they have cool colors. Around here though we have a Rite Aid and (possibly) a HealthNet (or is it Priority Health?) rider so those are good reasons to cheer for those teams. I also like to root for teams based on their names- Jittery Joes and Jelly Belly being my two favorite names.

For more information see this website.
I understand the Masters is on too, but that will also be on Sunday. Follow the leaders through Amen Corner, then watch the end of the third day after the race. And have a happy Easter!

News from the Campaign Trail

I have been attending most of the City budget meetings- "a glutton for punishment." True, but a lot work happens during the work sessions and I wanted to see the push and pull of the budget debate. The newspaper had done a good job of covering the budget debate this year, but I like to decipher it through my own filter, not a reporter's. I discovered I enjoy the budget/policy development stuff. I am a lawyer so details and minutia are part of my life, but these details make a big difference. The City Council meeting was packed again this week. When it is not budget time, only the diehards (Yes. You, Peter) and high school students, who are assigned this as homework, attend of the Council meeting (the students all leave around 8).

I had a press conference this week, see coverage by the Progress and comments are posted at myspace. I stood at the corner of 10th and Page streets to discuss my proposal for substantial rehabilitation loan program. As chair of the CDBG task force I have seen how overwhelmed the non-profit sector is just to bring homes up to the building code.

My thought is in order to avoid tearing down some homes as a result of the blighted condition of the home, the City can provide low interest loans (possibly with deferral on payments) to homeowners to have private builders come in and rehabilitate their homes. And I am not talking Extreme Makeover rehabilitation, but only to bring the home up to the building code therefore SAFE for the residents.

I enjoyed the Left of Center meeting at Starr Hill on Tuesday night. The discussion involved education, Juan Diego Wade and Steve Kolezcar spoke on their philosophies and how they approach their roles on their respective School Boards. I had the opportunity to meet some new people who enjoy political discussion.

Next week looks like a busy week too (4/10- special meeting of Council to approve the budget). The City Democrats are holding their annual fundraiser on the 14th and Mark Warner is attending the 5th District annual dinner in Danville on 4/12. I should have some fun things to talk about (unrelated to budgets) as a result of these adventures.

Transparency

Open & transparent government is a major theme of my campaign. My experiences with the Parks & Rec board, CDBG Task Force, my neighborhood association & this year's budget process solidified the need for such an emphasis in my campaign.

I expect a coherent process with open debate on key matters before Council, something that citizens and staff can rely on to facilitate process. If elected, I will help make the local government process much more open and transparent, and hopefully helping people to either understand the rationale for a decision or how the decision was actually made.

Here is my quote from the Hook article cited below:
"City Council candidate Jennifer McKeever is looking at the expenditure from a taxpayer perspective. "We wouldn't want expansion of these services without meaningful public dialogue," she says. 'I don't believe it's a ... issue as much as a taxpayer issue.'"

Someone emailed me the following quotes, widely available in the local weeklies:
"...says he's disappointed the issue has become so public. 'It's just one of those major changes...'" From the Hook.

From Cville Weekly
"We have been trying to avoid any public debate so that it would be all under the radar,” ...says. “Hopefully ... would’ve embraced the additional resources in a way that it would’ve been a silent transaction.

...indicates who or what the issue is (see the articles, I am not trying to harp on one particular issue).

My platform on Open & Transparent Government.
1) Outline Council priorities early in the budget process.
2) Before major new initiatives or cuts, the public will have the ability to add to the discussion through the public hearing process.
3) As a councilor, I will bring information to our residents, not listen only to those who come to the public hearings. I will quite simply be available, return calls, and come to small and large gatherings throughout the City.
4) I will be an advocate for all residents by asking relevant questions and thoroughly researching all the material prior to making decisions.

On the occasion of my birthday week

I used to have a birthday month- March. Not really, but close enough that I love March because my birthday is at the end of it. This week was delightful. For all those who care (I hear a lot I am too young to be running), I am now officially old enough to run for president (so I cant be that young anymore). More relevant, I only have one more year of eligibility for the Young Lawyers Conference of the Virginia State Bar.
I did get myself two books- Bird by Bird by Anne Lemont (recommended since I have such issues starting the writing process) & Marietta McCarty's Little Big Minds. When will I read them?

CTS

At the Parks & Rec Advisory Board meeting the other night, I encountered my first CTS schedule/route locator. It was just sitting there in the basement conference room of City Hall (there were several). The booklet had a center middle page with all the routes in different colors, like the Metro system in DC area. Suddenly, things were more clear. All the routes had their own page with details including where the bus travels and ... WHEN! I have to tell you I was really surprised and happy to find such a booklet. I suppose a brochure like this will be housed at the new transit center, perhaps it can make its way into the hands of residents who may not normally ride the bus (but would be interested if they knew more about when and where the bus ran).

Information about CTS fares and text only route descriptions are available online.

And then there is the 77 page report which is available in .pdf format on this page. This report was completed in August 2006 and is supposed to deal with issues through 2011- probably worth a read.

A beautiful day for a bike race

Chris had his first bike race of the season today. Jeff Cup is held this weekend every year, this is our third year participating. I know this because it is always around my birthday. Jeff Cup is brought to you by Blue Wheel Bicycles, among other sponsors. Chris and his teammates had a tough day, the first race of the season really brings out the holes in your training program.

This year the Jeff Cup had collegiate categories. I saw AU, Tech, UVA, W&M, Maryland, Appalachian State, JMU, VCU, NC State- I have to say that is a lot of schools. The races were cool and brought out some diehard fans- which was refreshing.

The Tour of Virginia is coming- this is great for Virginia. In the back of my mind, I am hoping for a strong showing where we get to compete with the Tours of Georgia & California in the coming years for great American cycling races. This is a fantastic state for riding, these riders bring their money, the sponsors bring their commitment, and it is great opportunity for the state to show off its beauty. Check out opportunities to volunteer for this race! OK- I am done waxing eloquent on cycling and Virginia.

Budget Dilemma part 1

CARS- the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad held a press conference today. The Hook has some of the details. There is much more to the story. I will be at the Community Budget Forum tomorrow so I am hoping this issue is discussed.

My two main concerns are 1) $400 (or more) ambulance transport fee 2) ~$1,000,000 expenditure of taxpayer money for services we get for free at this moment (this is just the first year expenditures, there will be ongoing expenses of salaries, benefits and maintenance). CARS has never been a part of the City's budget, therefore Charlottesville residents have received highly professional service from CARS for free. CARS has relied significantly on its annual fundraising to continue its quality service. Even the threat of charging for transport (by the City's fire department, not CARS) reduces the amount of contributions.

The Fire Department argues CARS service has declined and points to the County Fire/Rescue model. I have not seen data on response times. I will give the fire department the benefit of the doubt- BUT for educational purposes, the Charlottesville fire department is considered a first responder. It is not a surprise if an ambulance comes in behind the fire engine since there are 3 fire stations in the City and only 1 rescue squad. Commonly, the fire department has been the first to arrive and provide initial care.

The County Fire/Rescue model has come about because of a significant population explosion, new, widespread development & increase in number of calls from the County. To supplement CARS, the County has added daytime fire/rescue personnel on CARS ambulances. It makes sense for County taxpayers to add personnel and equipment especially north where the next station is being built (an ambulance is already running from this station). The County has proposed new stations in Ivy and Pantops to further alleviate the burden on CARS and thus response time issues in the City. Charlottesville has not seen the explosion of growth and the County's investments have made it easier for CARS to respond to City residents.

Public safety is essential, this year's proposed budget has the fire department in line to receive ~$2.5 million more than last year. I support the renovation of Headquarters on Ridge Street which is $1.5 million of the money. I strongly support a dialogue between CARS, Fire Dept, and taxpayers, who will be asked to fund the dispute between the two, before we start charging City residents for ambulance transport and commit to a significant, ongoing expense parallel to an existing organization.

Calendar for the weekend

Tomorrow- Happy St. Patrick's Day!
9:30- Democratic Breakfast at JABA
10:00- Community Budget Forum- make your voice heard on the recently unveiled budget. Buford Middle School 617 9th St SW Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
7:30- Dancing with Deeds, a fundraiser for Creigh Deeds re-election bid.

Monday 3/19
City Council meeting at 7:00 (starts with 35 minute comment period, 3 minute limit)

My campaign is going on the road, I want to attend your neighborhood association meeting or church group or book club or other event, heck I would like to meet you and your family (City residents) for coffee (for the book I am writing on coffee/tea shops in the 'ville). Let me know what is going on, I am happy to be there.

Meeting folks

Some people think it is crazy to run for office- it is simply unimaginable, and that is fine. I agree one has to enjoy campaigning- and do I ever.

Bitsy Waters taught a class a UVA on urban planning that I took. Part of the homework was to walk around four different neighborhoods and observe. I love walking around Charlottesville and I had the opportunity to walk on streets I had not been on before. I loved it- I spoke with people about their neighborhoods and their concerns, I learned a lot during that exercise.

Campaigning is a lot like that exercise, I get to meet folks, discuss issues, LISTEN, & observe. I love it, the more people I talk to, the more focused I become on the issues, and the stronger my commitment is to this City and its residents. Every person I have met has added value to this process. Everyone has something to say, and I want to listen. Staying connected to the pulse of this very diverse community especially after I am elected is KEY to governing well. I am in no position to know all, so I will continue to listen & observe in hopes that the whole community will be served by my election.

Week One on the Campaign Trail

It has been a week since I announced. What a week. I am grateful and overwhelmed by the responses I have received. The day of the announcement the blogosphere, radio and tv stations had great coverage of it, the print media (Daily Progress) had nice coverage the day after. hat the he

The night of the announcement I attended Left of Center's one year anniversary party. The turn-out was great. Moreover, the ability to talk to so many Democrats was a great additional benefit. Senator Creigh Deeds and Delegate David Toscano were present and they always inspire & educate. Jay James from WINA invited me to be on the morning show. I enjoy being on the radio, but this time is different. The questions were exceptionally reasonable, but I stumbled a bit.

So, I have a lot of hard work to do. I received numerous mentions of the typos in the email my campaign sent out, that will be resolved. I have been asked to speak more definitively. I agree, I do equivicate too much in my speech, and I sound apologetic, when I dont really mean it. I have the wonderful gift of friends who are helping me to speak definitively and feel confident on the campaign trail.

I am great one on one, I do get nervous in a big crowd- so my message has to be crystal clear to me so I can communicate effectively to others.

This week also brought the unveiling of the City's budget. I will have much to say about the budget in the coming weeks. Just to give an overview of my thoughts on the budget- Council has a lot of work to do for this to be a budget that serves taxpayers, children and businesses. Be sure to attend the community budget forum at Buford Middle School on Saturday at 10AM & let your voice be heard.

Typos

In a blog post a typo is relatively unimportant, well unless you are KT who finds typos more annoying than a lot of things (I can hear her now-"just read it once, it doesnt take that long"). OK Chris doesnt like typos in my blog posts either (funny thing about brother and sister there).

Having said that, this morning my campaign sent out an email trumpeting my announcement that I am running for Council. I have gotten some very good responses and questions. Most of those good responses, respectfully tell me there are a number of typos in the email.

I had never even seen the email prior to the blast- which brings me to my main point- I must review everything. Senator Couric reviewed EVERYTHING and at the time I was amazed "how does she have time for that?" Well now I realize, you make time so you dont look like you don't know how to spell. Also if you take the time to do it, people know you care about making things look professional. Just to be clear, the blog is still a mistake prone place. Feel free to point out the errors!

So thank you to all my friends and supporters and the media who came out this morning, I promise to do better and avoid sending things out with typos!

Jennifer McKeever Announces Run for City Council

Today, March 6, 2007, I officially announce my candidacy for Charlottesville City Council. I am running because I love Charlottesville and I am passionate about making Charlottesville great for all of its residents. As your City Councilor, I will find ways to connect communities to opportunities, I will do this with a fresh voice and an outside perspective of what can be accomplished. My campaign will focus on community, opportunity and CONNECTION.

For those who dont know me, I am proud to have grown up here in Charlottesville and fortunate to have taken advantage of opportunities available in our community. After high school it was not obvious I would be able to succeed, I had a lot stacked against me and to be honest a lot of it was my own doing. But something changed when I began to study at Piedmont Virginia Community College. I had the great opportunity to work with committed professors and wonderful students who helped me see what could be achieved. Slowly I became more confident. Then I was accepted to the University of Virginia, a possibility so remote at the time I graduated as to be laughable. So I recognize Piedmont as a KEY resource to connecting residents to a bright economic future.

While studying at the University of Virginia, I had the great honor to work with (state) Senator Emily Couric. Senator Couric's values of integrity, cooperation and the art of compromise gave me my roots in public service. During law school I returned to every summer to work at the Legal Aid Justice Center. This work for the residents in the area cemented my commitment to service and to providing opportunities for people in Charlottesville.

Now I am a mother, a business owner and a public servant in Charlottesville. My experiences in these roles have given me a unique perspective of the community.

As a mother, I have seen how great services have real impact on families- this is especially true with respect to schools and parks- two areas I have a particular interest since I have two young children, who constantly use our parks and will attend public schools. I want to make these services work for residents and families. I will ensure the City is responsive to the needs of the Community.

As a business owner, I understand how the lack of affordable housing impacts our economic vitality, or how traffic congestion erodes our quality of life and makes doing business very difficult. I will make transit and affordable housing top priorities. As a business owner, I need results. I, along with my dedicated law partner determine our businesses priorities, we set our budget, frequently cut our business' budget and then we implement the action plan to get the results we need. I will bring a results driven agenda to Council to ensure citizens get what they need from the City in a timely fashion.

As a public servant, I will do more with less, by collaborating with others to maximize efficiency, grow at a measured pace, a pace that takes into account the burden households face. I have begun with the work I do on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and Community Development Block Grant task force. I connect government with non-profits, citizens, businesses, and other areas of the government. Once the connections are made, we can leverage our strengths to come up with the best possible solution – this so my children, your children and future generations will all have the same opportunities to succeed and so Charlottesville can become a place where all may thrive.

It is shameful that in this world class city, the number 1 place to live in America, is a place where people who grow up here cant afford to live here, so they have to leave. I want to bring the opportunity to thrive her to all our residents.

I ask for your support, come to the democratic convention at the County office building on June 2, 2007 at 1PM and vote for me, Jennifer McKeever.

For videocast and audiocast (are these words?) check out Charlottesville Tomorrow's website.

For additional information check out my website or sign up to be a friend on myspace

Paint the state blue

I went to another political training this morning sponsored by the Road Back PAC and Left of Center. There were plenty of notables who spoke at the event including Jennifer McClellan, Dave Norris and Steve Jarding, Creigh Deeds was the facilitator for the event. A lot of local elected officials came out to support the event.

In the interest of full disclosure, now that I know Creigh Deeds reads blogs, I want to be extra nice to him. Having said that, I am so impressed with his attitude towards cultivating political leaders. He is extra committed to attending events that will bring new leaders into the party. Moreover, he is really a regular guy- when I talk to him, I really believe it is possible to be elected as a young person who didnt grow up with a lot of resources and still doesnt have that many resources. Or more clearly, one doesnt have to be groomed since birth and have a lot of money to be a a good public servant.

However, the program reinforced running is hard work and requires a great deal of discipline. I look forward to seeing if I am up for the challenge.

The Glass Castle

My friend, Sarah, is a member of the Junior League. Tonight was the League's big fundraiser- the Literary Feast. It was the first event of the JL I ever attended, Sarah really is a great girl and several other friends went with me.

The evening involved a silent auction (I only bid on two things and likely did not win, much to Chris' relief) and a nice dinner. The event was held at Farmington. I had never ever been to Farmington before. Once inside it looks like all nice country clubs, and I didnt get to see too much outside since it was raining and dark when I got there.

The high point of the evening was Jeanette Wall- author of The Glass Castle, a memoir of her life in poverty in rural West Virginia. I read some of the book, as you may imagine, I dont quite have time to read too many books anymore, nevertheless the part I read was awesome and horrifying all at the same time.

Her speech focused on overcoming the shame of the past- shame is very powerful and has a strong hold on some of our present actions, but once we face the shame/fear it no longer has the power. She thought for sure the world would swallow her whole if she told this awful story of her past, instead she told the story and has inspired others to move beyond the shame of their pasts. Now that is powerful.

Children

As those regular readers know (hey dad), I have two great boys (ages 2 and 3- yep thirteen months apart). Like all toddlers, they are actively exploring the world. So today at the Kroger (I know what Marijean thinks but sometimes convenience matters), the boys were fairly well behaved despite Andrew needing a nap.

The store was not crowded but inexplicably the lines were backed up- so I checked out myself (which at Kroger is not as seamless as other places). The boys were even good doing that.

As we are leaving, the dog food is placed precariously on the cart, David is driving the 'car cart' as they like to call it, and Andrew is wandering behind us. The dog food shifts as we go down a hill into the parking lot and I catch the cart (phew); but Andrew wants to go in another car cart inside the store and has not come out, and there are many other shoppers now watching him and looking at me as if to say, 'ma'am come get your child'. So thinking quickly, I could not get that cart up the hill again, so I run get Andrew and I hear 'oh I hope that cart doesnt...' and yes it does slide down the hill more. Another woman, runs and catches the cart, even as I run to catch it too.

I thank her graciously and tell her she is a hero and she responds "I didnt want your toddler in the street" a position I entirely agree with.

Being a mom is not graceful, it is messy & imperfect. I am doing the best I can, even as I am still learning this motherhood thing. Thank you to all those who help out!

Conversations on Poverty

The Quality Community Council & the Virginia Organizing Project sponsored a conversation on the poverty of Criminal Justice issues as part of their ongoing conversations on poverty.
The panelists included Shon Parker, Community Activist; Phyllis Back, Charlottesville Albemarle Regional Jail; Joy Johnson, Quality Community Council; Christa Pierpont, Restorative Community Foundation; Jack Payden-Travers, Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Moderators David Saunier and Jen Larson Sawin, Central Virginia Restorative Justice.
Two things I take with me as I leave the program-
1) As a community, we should educate ourselves on the power of restorative justice and implement RJ techniques in our schools and larger community.
2) Redefining punishment to stop at the end of a jail term/probation and focusing on support for an ex-offender. We are quick to turn our backs on folks when they need our help most, unfortunately if we turn our backs, the ex-offender has few choices and may be more likely to recidivate (that is a word I think).

The program was a true conversation and we (as the audience and panelists) are hoping to generate interest in RJ and facilitating transition for offenders back into the community.

Next conversation is on hunger next Tuesday at Buford at 7:00PM.
I am proud to live in a community where these conversations are happening AND action and results are expected.

A new judge

We havent had a new Circuit Court judge since I interned with Senator Couric in 1998 when Judge Hogshire was chosen. The announcement that Cheryl Higgins has been chosen by the committee renews some faith I have in the judicial nominating process and selection. I don't know her personally, but the folks I have discussed the process with are confident of her abilities and temperament. I dont practice too much in Circuit Court either but it is important to have a judge who will not be a lightening rod in the community. I wish the soon to be Honorable Cheryl Higgins well.

It is really cool to have a woman appointed as a Circuit Court judge.