George,

Is it ever to early to begin campaigning for city council?

Yes, it is still too early to be campaigning. Having been a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination last election I am beginning to consider the notion of running for council in the upcoming election but it is WAY TOO EARLY to make any decision on that for me, anyway.

This is, however, a great time to revisit some of the issues that were addressed in the last council election and see if the current council has taken any positive actions. Two of the issues that were discussed and for which action by the current council was anticipated is that of directly electing a mayor, and increasing the salaries of council members.

On these two issues, I have heard rumors of action but have seen little. In light of current 'living wage' actions, I believe city council members are now the only city paid folks who make less than $8 per hour. When I do a rough calculation of the number meeting hours council members spend on council meetings, committee meetings, closed sessions, ... , and all the preparation required to be effective decision makers at these meetings they appear to be compensated at less than the national minimum wage. This is a sorry situation and I think it is time the council made a significant increase in compensation for the mayor and council members to ensure that we encourage high quality individuals to seek these demanding, challenging, and important positions in city government.

Given the number of committees that council members serve on and the ever larger range of issues before council it is time to consider expanding the number of council members to seven rather than five. I believe a larger council would provide a greater breadth of professional knowledge and allow council members to focus on areas of their own expertise to the betterment of the entire Charlottesville community.

I am sure the key issues in the upcoming election will emerge in the months ahead, but the issues of fair compensation of council members, popular election of the mayor, and an expanded membership on council are issues that need immediate consideration if we as a community with to ensure creative leadership in City government.

Peter Kleeman (electronic mail, August 28, 2001).

Editor's Note: Please read the other pieces about Peter Kleeman on my web site.

Then send your thoughts about Peter Kleeman and the 2002 race for the Charlottesville City Council to george@loper.org where the most representative comments will be placed on my web site with full attribution.