Social Services Funding, Voting Rights Act to be Considered by Council

In its meeting tonight, the Fredericksburg City Council will take on a number of issues relating to next years budget as well as long term planning. 

• , the public will have its first opportunity to comment on the appropriation of next years funds from the federal Community Development Block Grant Program. Money from that program, which is administered by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, is used to fund a broad range of social service programs. In the past, Fredericksburg has Some local non-profits, like  have also received money from the program. 
•  The Fredericksburg City Council will also consider a holding another public information meeting on the city's application to be exempted from certain oversight provisions of the federal Voting Rights Act .On Jan. 31, the city held a community information meeting to discuss Fredericksburg's application to the U.S. Department of Justice to waive the pre-clearance requirements of the Voting Rights Act. These requirements mandate that city officials must have the DOJ sign off on any change to local voting procedures. Many members of the community spoke at that meeting about the need for more community involvement in the waiver process. Former councilman Matt Kelley was at the meeting and asked if the city could form a citizens advisory committee to oversee the waiver process, however city staff is not asking for the establishment of a citizens advisory commission in this instance, saying that such a body would be subject to the Freedom of Information Act. 
• The council will also consider the approval of the, which guides city planning for the next two years. In all, the document contains nine broad goals subdivided among 43 policy initiatives which city leaders want to make progress on over the next two years.