On Wednesday, January 11, 2012, Albemarle County Chief of Police Steve Sellers, and City of Charlottesville Chief of Police Timothy Longo, gave a comprehensive presentation addressing the multifaceted issues of crime, crime prevention and law enforcement in both the City and County.

Their joint presentation included an overview of area crime, a look at traffic safety in Albemarle and the Occupy Charlottesville demonstrations from a constitutional and operational perspective.

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Timothy J. Longo, Sr., Chief of Police, City of Charlottesville, is a 25-year veteran of law enforcement and is nationally-recognized in the area of police ethics and professional standards. He holds a law degree from the University of Baltimore and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1993. From 1981-2000, Longo served on the Baltimore police force, where he commanded several divisions and retired as Colonel in charge of Technical Services. Since 2001 he has served as Chief of Police for the City of Charlottesville, Virginia.

Longo lectures across America in the fields of Ethics, Professional Standards, Internal Affairs, and a variety of legal topics. He has served as adjunct faculty at Towson University and a guest lecturer at University of Virginia schools of law and business. Longo serves on the boards of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Virginia Center for Policing Innovation, the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission, the Central Shenandoah Criminal Justice Training Academy, the Charlottesville-Albemarle Commission on Children and Families, and Special Olympics Virginia. He chairs the Thomas Jefferson Area Community Criminal Justice Board. He is a non-voting member of the Charlottesville Police Department Foundation board. Other professional affiliations include the Police Executive Research Forum and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

During his tenure on the Baltimore force, Longo worked in a variety of operational positions, led investigations of criminal wrongdoing within the department’s ranks, commanded the department’s Southeastern District, served as chief of staff to the police commissioner, and led the Communications Division to implement the nation’s first three digit non-emergency number, 311, for which the division received the prestigious Weber Seavey Award for innovative law enforcement.

In Charlottesville, Longo has guided the police department through a transition from a traditional reactive force to a proactive problem-solving model. Under his leadership, the department has instituted a comprehensive strategic plan for community policing throughout the organization, and has undertaken major initiatives to improve police effectiveness, transparency and accountability. Those include a sophisticated crime analysis software system, a monthly Compstat process, an intensive 8-week Citizens Police Academy, a community-wide gun violence project, a strict internal quality assurance process, advanced leadership training opportunities, and community partnerships for targeted problem-solving projects.

Steve Sellers, Chief of Police, County of Albemarle, is a 29 year police veteran in Virginia and was appointed as the Chief of Police for Albemarle County in January 2011.

Shortly after the events of September 11, 2001, Sellers developed a plan to improve criminal intelligence and information sharing between local, state and federal law enforcement and helped to create the National Capital Regional Intelligence Center (now the Northern Virginia Regional Intelligence Center) staffed by local, state and federal agencies. The Center is now heralded as a national model for the sharing, collection and investigation of criminal intelligence.

In 2003, Sellers led the Washington Area Sniper Prosecution Taskforce, responsible for the successful prosecution of Lee Malvo and John Mohammed. In coordination with his counterpart in the Prince William County Police Department, his role was to lead the 26-agency team, responsible for the investigation and prosecution of the Washington Area Snipers.

Sellers is married with three children and resides in Crozet, Virginia. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Capital Wireless Information Network and is on the Board of Directors for the Fairfax County Police Historical Association. His hobbies include fishing, boating, motorcycles, blue grass music, wood working, hiking and amateur radio.

Sellers holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Virginia Tech. Additionally, he is a graduate from the FBI National Academy and is a graduate and alumni of Leadership Fairfax.

Sellers enjoys membership in the International Association of Chiefs of Police, FBI National Academy Associates and the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police.

Chiefs Sellers and Longo spoke at the Wednesday, January 11, 2012 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at the Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV board member Jim Perkins.

Program Summary

The following article is reprinted (and somewhat truncated) from the Daily Progress, January, 11, 2012, by Megan Davis.

Local police chiefs: Top concerns are fatal wrecks and gangs

The area’s two top law enforcement officers said reducing Central Virginia gang activity and the number of fatal wrecks in Albemarle County were the chief concerns heading into the new year. “Albemarle County is a dangerous place to drive,” said Albemarle Police Chief Steve Sellers. Sellers and Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy J. Longo spoke to more than 50 seniors about issues concerning policing and crime prevention Wednesday in a forum hosted by Senior Statesmen of Virginia.

More than 20 county crashes resulted in fatalities in 2011, a number Sellers called “unacceptable.” The majority of fatal wrecks occurred in the rural parts of the county, where there is often less police coverage, he said. The three most common factors that contributed to fatalities were speeding, failure to wear seatbelts and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Longo and Sellers said their departments and others in the area are collaborating to reduce gang activity. “Our police officers are seeing more and more of a gang presence in this area, and we need to get in front of it,” Sellers said. It’s a problem that traditional policing has failed to eradicate, Longo said. That’s because traditional methods often treat the symptoms, but fail to address the root of problems in the community, he said. “Don’t put a Band-Aid on a sucking chest wound,” Longo said.

As an example of traditional policing, Longo described the way police would respond to a complaint of drug activity in a neighborhood. Under the older model, the department would increase the presence of law enforcement in the particular neighborhood identified. While drug activity may decrease in the neighborhood receiving attention, it will increase in areas under less scrutiny, he said. “It’s called spatial displacement,” Longo said. “Another reason it doesn’t work is that I don’t have the numbers to sustain that over long periods of time.”

Use of proactive solutions such as mentoring youth and initiatives to prevent children from joining gangs is a more effective strategy, Longo said. It’s an effort that involves the entire city, not just the police departments. Sellers said, “The community as a whole—-churches, schools, activity centers for youth, youth programs, social services, human services—-our goal is a collaborative, coordinated effort to bring all the players to the table.” It’s important to reach children at a young age before the opportunity to become involved with gangs arises, Longo said. “We can’t wait until the young men and women get in high school,” he said. “I worked with a gentlemen seven years ago who used to tell our community back in Baltimore a kid makes a gun-or-no-gun decision by the time that they’re 10.” Longo said the same is often true in Charlottesville. “I can’t tell you how many times over the years we’ve done a big case and sent somebody to jail for a long time and somebody will come up to me and say, ‘I could have told you that when they were at Buford,’.” Sellers said the departments plan to seek federal funding for a multi-disciplinary gang prevention coordinator. “We have to take a regional, multidisciplinary approach to the gang problem.”

Brian Wheeler spoke at the November 9, 2011 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at the Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV board member Grace Zisk.

This occurred on the day after the local elections for Charlottesville City Council and Albemarle Supervisors. Charlottesville Tomorrow’s Brian Wheeler analyzed the results and fostered a discussion about what it means for the future of the community, how these elections will shape our transportation future, our water supply, our rural landscapes, and our city.

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Brian Wheeler was hired as Charlottesville Tomorrow’s first Executive Director in July 2005. Mr. Wheeler has lived in the Charlottesville-Albemarle region since 1984. He represented the community as an elected member of the Albemarle County School Board during 2004-2010. During 1998-2005, Mr. Wheeler served as Chief Information Officer at SNL Financial, a leading provider of data to Wall Street. Prior to that, he was employed at the W. Alton Jones Foundation, a private family foundation that focused on grant making supporting environmental and international security projects. Mr. Wheeler received a B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia in May 1990. Brian and his wife Jean have two children and currently live in Ivy, Virginia.

Charlottesville Tomorrow is a community news platform covering growth, development, and local politics. It connects local residents with vital information for making informed choices about our community’s future. Through a partnership with The Daily Progress, the first of its kind in the nation, Charlottesville Tomorrow’s reporting is now a regular feature in the pages of the local newspaper of record.

While the recession is clearly at the center of the Commonwealth’s continuing fiscal shortfalls, the downturn also has revealed some serious underlying challenges with the state’s revenue structure. This discussion provided an overview of the issues the state faces in raising the resources necessary to meet public needs and introduced some key reform ideas for strengthening Virginia’s path to economic recovery.

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Sara Okos is the Policy Director at the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, where she analyzes, conducts, and coordinates research on a wide array of tax policies, the overall budget process, labor and wage issues, and education. Prior to joining The Commonwealth Institute in 2007, Sara worked in the Executive Office of Governor Jennifer Granholm in Lansing, Michigan. Sara has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Economics from the University of Notre Dame, and a Master’s of Public Policy from the College of William and Mary’s Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy, where she was a Schroeder Fellow in Health Policy. She is a 2011 recipient of the Richmond Community Foundation’s Stettinius Award for Nonprofit Leadership and is a member of the 2011 class of the Political Leaders Program with the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.

Sara Okos spoke at the October 12, 2011 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at the Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV Vice President Bob McGrath.

Program Summary

Ms. Okos focused on the state’s general fund which is half of the overall budget and the dollars our legislators and governor have the most discretion over their use and where they come from. Ninety percent of these come from sales and income taxes. Half go to localities. Virginia is still 6% below in revenues since the great recession in 2007. Yet demands are up for food stamps, temporary assistance for needy families, and Medicaid all resulting in an $11 billion shortfall. Forty percent of this was made up through program cuts, 30% from the federal government in the form of relief funds in the Recovery Act, 7% from the rainy day fund, 6% from tax policy changes, and 22% from the Virginia Retirement System.

Three challenges: (1) over time, more income taxes are paid by individuals rather than corporations–now 90/10. Although the individual income tax is intended to be progressive, because no changes have been made in the tax code since 1987, in practice 60% pay the highest rate. While the corporate rate is intended to be flat, in actuality 60% of corporations have zero tax liabilities. (2) For the sales tax, the shift to the purchase of services vs. goods, and the increased buying on-line, are driving these revenues down. (3) “Tax code spending” (special rates, credits, deferrals, deductions for special references) result in a loss of over $2.5 billion (just the Land Preservation Tax Credit has gone from $2.2 million in 2002 to $200 million in 2008).

Candidates seeking election to three vacancies on Albemarle County’s Board of Supervisors presented their views on a number of topics of local interest. Each candidate was asked to provide a short statement containing any combination of biographic, qualification, and policy position information and a photo. These appear below listed alphabetically by name.

The candidates spoke at the September 14, 2011 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at the Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV Secretary Bill Davis.

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Kenneth C. (Ken) Boyd

Kenneth C. (Ken) Boyd – Rivanna District – Republican For over 30 years Ken Boyd has been a part of our community. Ken and his wife Brenda raised 4 children (Casey, Patrick, Kelley and Cory) who all attended Albemarle public schools. It was Ken’s longtime commitment to the Albemarle school system that led him to chair his children’s PTOs and then on to winning a seat on the School Board. From coaching youth sports to his current service on the Computers4Kids’ board, Supervisor Boyd has always tried to make a positive difference in preparing our children for the future.

Since being elected to the Board of Supervisors, Ken’s focus has remained on improving the quality of life in Albemarle County for all. By working to bring the new Martha Jefferson Hospital to the county and helping to secure quality jobs at the DIA and NGIC, Ken has labored to keep our local economy strong. His leadership in shaping the Board of Supervisor master plan, limiting growth to 5% of the county’s landmass, has allowed roughly 80% of the county to remain forested. His transportation solutions like the Meadowcreek Parkway and now the 29 bypass will help ease congestion and better serve local residents and businesses for decades to come.

Christopher J. Dumler

Christopher J. Dumler – Scottsville District – Democrat Christopher Dumler is an attorney and UVA Law graduate with his own practice who lives and works in Scottsville. In addition to his private law practice, Christopher also serves as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General Corps. He has been appointed by the Board of Supervisors to serve on the Board of Directors and as chairman of the Finance Committee of the Region Ten Community Services Board, and he is also a member of the Albemarle Natural Heritage Committee, a stakeholder in the Biscuit Run State Park master planning process. He also serves the community as a volunteer firefighter, a member of the Scottsville Government Services Committee, and a member of the Scottsville Chamber of Commerce. Christopher is running to ensure that Albemarle and the Scottsville District have an accountable, collaborative, responsive government that focuses on issues that actually matter to the residents of the district: economic development and job creation for citizens; smart investments in our schools to ensure our children receive a world-class education that will keep us competitive in the global market; and smart growth and development to preserve our agricultural heritage, environmental treasures and the pristine beauty of Albemarle County.

Ann Mallek

Ann Mallek – Whitehall District – Democrat I am descended from a 13th c Irish lady pirate, the granddaughter of a Rachel Carson environmentalist, and daughter of a veterinarian. I wear many hats which use different skills and interests. Farmer, biologist by training, teacher — all provide me with experience to support my major goals as supervisor — representation and collaboration.

I am proud to be a citizen activist, with sole allegiance to residents and to our county. I stand up for open, accessible processes and transparent decision making, as I believe these are essential to build and maintain the public’s confidence in local government.

There are many critical issues facing our district and our county right now-economic development and employment, success in our schools, transportation priorities and the Western Bypass, zoning concerns, air and water quality, water capacity planning, and the county use of tax funds, to name a few. I actively listen to citizens, bring varied opinions together, and represent the majority of the citizens in our district. Please share your views with me by calling or e- mailing. Invite me to speak with your neighborhood or homeowners association, or community group.

Cynthia Neff

Cynthia Neff – Rivanna District – Democrat It seems I have spent my whole life preparing for this role on the BOS. I was a small business owner then transitioned to one of the most successful companies in the world. At IBM I learned what it took to be a leader, to make tough decisions and to make thoughtful analyses. I learned to balance the needs of customers, the marketplace, employees, and the bottom line. I worked my way up from account specialist to the executive ranks where I was accountable for running a global operation.

I plan to live the rest of my life here in Albemarle County. I want to help our community not only survive, but thrive. Someone needs to stand up for the residents of the Rivanna District and Albemarle County, listen to them, engage them and work with them to build a sustainable, integrated community for everyone.

We are at a defining moment in the history of our community. Strong leadership is required that proactively listens to all parties, understands there are no simple solutions nor room for rigid ideology, plays well with others and gets the job done. I can do that job well. I ask for your support, help and your vote.

James C. Norwood

James C. Norwood – Scottsville District – Republican

• B.A. Economics University of New England… presently a Trustee
• Independent business owner in Albemarle county for 12 years
• Private business owner 25 years of 45 year career
• Married to Joan for 43 yrs , five children, seven grandchildren
• Past President of Charlottesville American Heart Association
• Past President American Cancer Society, Charlottesville

Issues:

• FOR-Freedom, Liberty and Rights
• FOR-Common sense fiscal responsibility
• FOR-Extending CAT service where needed
• FOR-In classroom investment for education
• FOR-Safe rural roads
• FOR-Manage county revenue to avoid raising taxes
• FOR-Buy Local and expand present businesses from within to create jobs
• AGAINST-Partisan politics
• AGAINST-Internet sales for products available locally

Program Summary

Rivanna District incumbent Ken Boyd (R) said that after his extensive involvement in education (as the PTO president, founding member of the parent council, and school board member) he was elected to the board of supervisors eight years ago. He identifies the following as important issues: education; fiscal responsibility (people living on fixed incomes just can’t pay any more taxes now); good, high-paying career ladder jobs; and the environment. He is very proud that we have actually lessened the size of the growth area and added over 1,000 acres of park land.

Rivanna District challenger Cynthia Neff (D) left retirement to speak out for people who do not have a voice–persons with AIDS, abused children, the environment, and the working poor. Giving citizens the chance to be part of decisions and providing regular input is one of the main reasons she is running. Open, transparent government means giving citizens a voice before decisions are made. Economic vitality is critical, but it means more than just growth and development.

Scottsville District candidate Chris Dumler (D) sees potentially unchecked and unplanned for growth threatening to clog our transportation infrastructure and overcrowd our schools. He understands what works and doesn’t work in education (both parents are teachers), and the difficulties of opening a small business. We need a holistic, comprehensive vision of what our county will look like. We deserve a government that is collaborative and works with UVa, the city and the surrounding localities to solve regional issues.

Scottsville District candidate James Norwood (R) supports funding for education so we can promote highly qualified students to compete on a world-wide stage, but also to look after all children who need to be better prepared for life after school. He will lead the charge to expand our present businesses and generate jobs through those expansions to meet our revenue needs. He supports the 29 bypass and improvements to Rt 20 and Rt 53.

White Hall District incumbent Ann Malleck (D) is running for reelection unopposed. In the last election cycle in 2007 the county was growing and changing at a very fast pace, but now the economy is slowing and the need is to cut the budget. Albemarle also faces the State government’s desire to devolve its highway responsibilities to us. We need to stand shoulder-toshoulder with other counties to tell the General Assembly, “No!” To maintain thousands of miles of roads in Albemarle County would be a huge expense.

This November’s election will fill three Charlottesville City Council seats. This forum occurred before the Democratic Party primary and before the deadline for Independents to file final papers, so while not all participants will be on the November ballot we had the opportunity to hear and explore the views of the entire set of declared candidates on Charlottesville issues and priorities for City Council.

Sue Liberman, president of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia, will be the forum moderator. Each candidate gave a three minute opening statement before questions were taken from the audience. The candidates bios are given in the August Newsletter at the link above.

The candidates spoke at the August 10, 2011 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at the Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV President Sue Liberman.

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Program Summary

The seven candidates vying for the Democratic nominations to City Council and the five independents shared their experience and positions at the SSV Candidates Forum.

Scott Bandy (I) is running to bring a different perspective to the race.     Paul Beyer (D) is running because he is a hometown guy and a businessman with an arts background. He wants to look at the arts as a driver of our local economy and a middle class jobs source and the cultural life of the city.     Colette Blount (D) brings her experience as a teacher, school board member and her ability to connect to the community and her dedication. Her three key concerns are the jobs market, affordable housing and schools.     Brevy Cannon (D) is running because he believes middle class jobs are the city’s biggest challenge. Job training and mentoring is needed along with tax breaks to encourage job creation.     Brandon Collins (I) says that as bad as the current economic crisis is, there are many families who have spent their entire lives in economic crisis, and he does not want to see continued great suffering to be the legacy we leave for the future.     Bob Fenwick (I) spent seven years in the Corps of Engineers building bridges, and was a combat engineer in Viet Nam. With regard to the water controversy, he comes from the perspective of “dredging-first-option,” but he can converse civilly with those who are “dam -first-option.”     Kathy Galvin (D) comes from a blue-collar city where she witnessed the closing of factories and the withering of neighborhoods. She is an architect with a vision for a greener, smarter Charlottesville by design, a city that expands economic opportunities especially for the most vulnerable while minimizing the regional footprint.     James Halfaday (D) was elected to his hometown council at age 18, the youngest official in Illinois history. He doesn’t run from a script, but rather from his heart and mind. His focus is on education to close the education gap and accountability so that city council will be responsive.     Satyendra Singh Huja (D) is the only incumbent running. He points to his achievements including the downtown mall, but looks to creative solutions for future needs. The city has a bright future, but there is a need to improve the environment, safely walk and ride a bike, improve transportation system, infrastructure, water and sewer lines, and housing.     Paul Long (I) has been in Charlottesville since 1998 and is running because he is disgraced by the way we’re treating our homeless people.     Dede Smith (D) is running because she loves Charlottesville and wants to see the city maintain a high quality of life for generations to come. She has a long history of community service and cofounded citizens for a sustainable water plan.     Andrew Williams (I) is a full-time student and claims adjuster for State Farm. The purest form of representation at local level is independent. His core principles are sustainability, honesty, moving forward, and helping the major populace without ignoring the concerns of the few.

Past programs with podcasts can be seen by scrolling below.

Future Programs

All meetings are open to the public and take place at the Senior Center on Wednesdays from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. The Senior Center is located at 1180 Pepsi Place in Charlottesville — www.seniorcenterinc.org.

February 8th:  Dahlia Lithwick will speak on the Supreme Court.  She is senior editor at Slate, editor at Newsweek and contributor to the New York Times.

March 14th: Craig Littlepage, University of Virginia athletics director, will speak on big time collegiate athletics and the interface with academics, especially at a university such as UVa.

April 11th: Members of the Virginia House of Delegates, Rob Bell, Steve Landes and David Toscano will speak.

May 9th:  A report from our Virginia Senators, Creigh Deeds and Bryce Reeves.

Past Programs

Past programs are arranged in inverse chronological order.  Speaker bios and links to podcasts are given, with a program summary written by SSV Board member Jim Peterson.

School Superintendents Rosa Atkins (Charlottesville) and Pam Moran (Albemarle) examined the state of education in Albemarle’s and Charlottesville’s public school systems.

Rosa Atkins (left) and Pam Moran speaking before the June 8th meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia.

Atkins and Moran spoke at the June 8, 2011 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at the Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV Vice President Bob McGrath.

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Rosa Atkins

Prior to coming to Charlottesville in July, 2006, Rosa Atkins served as assistant superintendent in Caroline County. She has previously worked as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of leadership development, and director of instruction. A former fellow in Educational Leadership and Ethics at Oxford University, Rosa was named Henrico County Instructional Leader of the Year in 1999. Her breadth of experience spans urban, suburban, and rural settings; she has worked closely with refugee, homeless, and extraordinarily precocious children.

Rosa received a bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Virginia State University. She received a master’s degree in Special Education, and a master’s degree in Administration and Supervision, also from Virginia State. She received her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Policy from Virginia Tech.

Rosa was named 2011 Superintendent of the Year for Region 5 of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents and 2011 Virginia Superintendent of the Year.

Rosa has provided inspiring and innovative leadership in her urban school district of 3,800 students. She has reduced the achievement gap between her advantaged and disadvantaged students on the state’s standardized tests, while simultaneously elevating her district’s academic standards to better prepare her students for enrollment in higher education and successful employment in a globally competitive economy.

Pam Moran

For more than 30 years, Pam Moran has held a wide variety of teaching and leadership roles in elementary, middle, and high schools as well as at the district level including middle and high school science teacher, staff development and instructional coordinator, middle school associate principal, elementary principal, director of curriculum and instruction, assistant superintendent for student learning, and superintendent.

Pam holds a B.S. degree (1974) from Furman University and a master’s degree (1981) in Curriculum and Instruction and a doctoral degree (1997) in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Virginia. As an adjunct instructor for the University of Virginia, she has taught over 10 different instructional and leadership courses across the state, including a recent virtual course on “Reimagining Education in the 21st Century.”

Connecting with other public school educators to make sense of needed transitions in our field as we close in on the second decade of the 21st Century is a passion. Pam is energized by conversations with young people who relish emerging technologies as learning and communication tools, and see themselves as contributors to the communities in which they live.

Pam is the current president of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents for the 2011-12 School Year and serves as a member of the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, military history, poetry, and writing.

Program Summary

At the June 8 SSV meeting, Rosa Atkins and Pam Moran, school superintendents of Charlottesville and Albemarle, provided an overview on “Educating for the Future.”

Dr. Atkins described the goal of developing a global school system–going beyond this region to connect students and teachers with resources, and to prepare students with the skills they will need anywhere in the region, state, nation or world. This involves connections; partnerships; innovation; academic rigor; professional excellence; and learning for life. She also discussed a number of legislative issues that need to be addressed. These include benefits; evaluations of staff; time for instruction; alternative modes of instruction and learning; curriculum; and funding.

Dr. Moran introduced guests including a former teacher at Western Albemarle High School (WAHS) and a WAHS graduate (who will be going on to UVa) to discuss how important it is that all students graduate college-ready, citizenship-ready, and workforce-ready. The school places an emphases on leadership, community service, and how to purposively integrate technology into the curriculum.

Dr. Moran looked at the perspective through the lens of who are we in the world. We hear a lot in the media about our schools not being up to snuff in comparison with the rest of the world. However, in some countries only populations with low levels of poverty are tested. Also, the majority of kids in many other countries don’t go past middle school. Another factor is that females in our system have the same access to education as boys, and students with special needs are not shunted to the side. Indeed, when comparing apples to apples, our kids are ranked number 1 in the world. We are about equal opportunity. Yet just because of sheer numbers, if you take only the top 15% of the students in China, that number is greater than all the kids in US schools. What this means is that we can’t afford to educate just our middle class students well, but rather all of our students must receive a world class education in order for us to compete around the globe.

Delegates Bell and Toscano spoke at the May 11, 2011 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at the Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV Secretary Bill Davis.

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Rob Bell

An honors graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia Law School, Rob Bell served as a state prosecutor for five years. He prosecuted over 2,400 cases, working with the police and crime victims to bring criminals to justice.

Representing the 58th House District (County of Greene and parts of Albemarle, Fluvanna, and Orange Counties), Rob has written laws that crack down on drunk driving. He was named the 2005 Outstanding Legislator by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)-Virginia. He is also interested in school safety. In recent years, he has written laws to ban criminal sex offenders from school property during school hours and to require additional background checks on school personnel. In 2008, Rob helped overhaul Virginia’s mental health laws in light of the tragedy at Virginia Tech.

An Eagle Scout, Rob was an active volunteer with the Boy Scouts and with the public schools prior to his election in 2001. Rob’s wife, Jessica, is a school teacher. She is currently staying home to raise their children, Robbie and Evelyn. The Bells live in Albemarle County and are members of Aldersgate United Methodist Church.

David Toscano

David Toscano was elected to his first term in the Virginia House of Delegates in November 2005 representing the 57th House District (City of Charlottesville and part of Albemarle County). David was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1950, the first of five children. He was educated in the public schools, received a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University in 1972, a Ph.D. from Boston College in 1979, and a law degree from the University of Virginia in 1986. He has taught at various colleges and universities, including Boston College, the University of Maryland (European Division), Piedmont Virginia Community College, the University of Virginia, and James Madison University. He is an attorney with Buck, Toscano & Tereskerz, Ltd., specializing in family law and real estate. David served on the Charlottesville City Council from 1990 to 2002 and as Mayor from 1994 to 1996. David is a resident of the City of Charlottesville, where he lives with his wife of 30 years, Nancy A. Tramontin, and their son, Matthew. David serves on the Courts of Justice, Transportation, and Science and Technology Committees in the House of Delegates. He is also a member of the Disability Commission, the Joint Commission to Study Math, Science and Technology Education in the Commonwealth, and the Joint Subcommittee to Study Land Use Tools in the Commonwealth. He is also a member of the United Way Board and the Chamber of Commerce.

Program Summary

At the May 11 SSV meeting, Delegates Rob Bell and David Toscano, provided their perspectives on the 2010 General Assembly session. Both delegates discussed how Virginia’s budget is smaller than it was years ago. Indeed, in 2007 the budget was $17 billion and then went down as low as $14.7 billion and now is up to $16.6 billion. Even though the total pie is smaller, spending on Medicaid and schools is up leaving even less for everything else. Toscano noted that even though Medicaid is the single fastest growing part of the budget, Virginia ranks only 49th with regard to Medicaid reimbursement rates.

Delegate Bell cited the work on legislative changes to the protective order laws. Given such situations as that of Yeardley Love, legislators determined that it should be easier to get an order against someone even if you are not married to that person. The new law enables an individual to get a protective order regardless of the relationship between the parties.

Delegate Toscano talked about the significance of the redistricting process and asked members of the audience, “Do you know what district you’re in now?” Both districts have changed.

Areas requiring major legislative attention cited by the delegates included transportation, the Virginia Retirement System fund (which is $17 billion in arrears), and higher education.

What can we expect as the economy recovers? Where will the jobs be? What skills will be in demand? How do we plan for the changes? These are the questions that PVCC Division of Workforce Services grapples with everyday.

Ms. Valerie Palamountain of PVCC spoke at the April 13, 2011 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at The Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV member Grace Zisk.

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Valerie Palamountain is the Dean of Workforce Services at Piedmont Virginia Community College. In her position, Ms. Palamountain works with business organizations, the Virginia Workforce Center, and economic development agencies within the Charlottesville region to develop training programs that meet the needs of the business community.

Prior to joining PVCC, she held a similar position at Bucks County Community College in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Ms. Palamountain also worked in private industry for 15 years as a project management consultant in the information technology industry. Her experience includes marketing, training and consulting with Fortune 1000 companies.

Ms. Palamountain holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY, and a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University at Albany, Albany, NY.

Ms. Palamountain is on the boards of the Albemarle County Rotary Club, the Small Business Development Center, and the Charlottesville One Stop Committee. She resides in Palmyra, Virginia, and enjoys gardening, music and outdoor activities.

Program Summary

At the April 13 SSV meeting, Valerie Palamountain, Dean of Workforce Services at Piedmont Virginia Community College, addressed the topic, Coming Out of the Great Recession: Changes in Workforce Development. It will likely take four to six years for the nation to return to the pre-recession employment peak. Yet the Charlottesville area manifests a number of positive assets: a strong economy, outstanding educational systems, exceptional quality of life, well-educated workforce, technologically sophisticated, and extremely capable people who can meet a diverse range of recruitment needs.

When looking at retirement–whether in 2015 or 2050, Ms. Palamountain says we must look at three issues: How we keep an older workforce active? How we keep an older workforce up to date on technology? How we bridge the gap between 5 generations in the workforce? PVCC provides training for career changes, life changes, and finding jobs; customized training for employers; certification and licensure programs; and demand-driven training for career pathways, apprenticeships, continuing professional education, continuing personal education, and recreational interests.

PVCC focuses on healthcare, construction, green building, intelligence community, viticulture/culinary, technology, hospitality/tourism, and K-12 students. Partners are the key to the future. PVCC partners with employers, the Chamber of Commerce, the Artisan Center of Virginia, the Advanced Technical Intelligence Center, economic development (TJPED, WIB), K-12, and colleges and universities.

Forecasting the future, the focus will be on workplace skills; rapid implementation of new technologies; infrastructure projects; more “green” regulatory oversight; “skills” versus “education”; recruiting and retention; entrepreneurship; and worldwide community.

Can the United States police the world? Can we identify and act on another country’s national security interests? These are some of the issues addressed by Donald Nuechterlein at this month’s meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia.

Donald E. Nuechterlein grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, and received his undergraduate and PhD degrees in political science from the University of Michigan. He served on active duty in the Navy during World War II and was commissioned in 1945. After the war ended, he served in the U.S. military occupation of Germany, in Bremerhaven and Berlin.

Mr. Nuechterlein had a long career in the federal government, at home and abroad. After joining the State Department in 1952, he served in Washington, D.C. and at U.S. embassies in Reykjavik, Iceland, and Bangkok, Thailand. In 1965 he joined the senior staff, International Security Affairs, in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, as a specialist on Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. In 1968, he became a founding faculty member of the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville and lectured and conducted seminars on U.S. foreign policy. He retired from government service in 1988.

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Dr. Nuechterlein has taught U.S. foreign policy both in the United States and abroad, including George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Queen’s University in Canada, the University of Kaiserslautern in Germany, and the University of Virginia, where he taught most recently in 2008. He was a Rockefeller fellow at the University of California, Berkeley (1963-64), a Fulbright scholar at the University College of Wales (1976), visiting faculty member of St. Antony’s College, Oxford (1982-83), and research fellow at the Australian National University in Canberra (1991) During each of these fellowships, he wrote a book on various aspects of U.S. foreign policy.

Don is the author of ten books, the most recent: Defiant Superpower: The New American Hegemony (2005). He writes a monthly commentary on international relations for several Virginia papers, including in Charlottesville, Richmond, Lynchburg, and Roanoke.

Don and his wife, Mildred, have four children and six grandchildren, and reside in Albemarle County near Charlottesville.

Mr. Nuechterlein spoke at the March 9, 2011 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at The Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV board member Sue Liberman.

Program Summary

At the March 9 SSV meeting, Donald Nuechterlein discussed “Our Current US National Interest and Policies in the Middle East.” The topic could not have been more timely given the recent developments in Egypt, Libya and other countries in the middle east. He identified 16 criteria for determining vital interests in case of war. He divided these into two categories, “Value Factors” and “Cost/Risk Factors.” The first include proximity of the danger; nature of the threat; economic stake for U.S.; type of government; effect on balance of power; sentimental attachment; national prestige at stake; and support of allies and friends. The “Cost/Risk Factors” include economic costs of hostilities; estimated U.S. casualties; risk of enlarged conflict; risk of protracted war; risk of international opposition; risk of U.S. public opposition; risk of congressional opposition; and cost of defeat or stalemate

Mr. Nuechterlein conducted a very interesting and informative exercise involving audience members. He distributed copies of a “National Interest Matrix” with the vertical axis titled “Basic National Interest” and comprised of the following factors: defense of homeland; economic well-being; favorable world order; and promotion of values. The horizontal axis, titled “Intensity of Interest,” was comprised of the following factors: survival level (critical); vital level (dangerous); major level (serious); and peripheral level (bothersome). He then asked all members of the audience to place the following countries on the matrix: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Israel and Libya. This was followed by a discussion of the thinking behind why the audience members selected the particular cells in which to place the countries