Welcome to The James Exchange: Monday Matters July 26, 2021. I am your host, Nancy Gill. Sean Tubbs, who has a podcast City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County meetings, let me know that I must have time-traveled into the future by speaking to Mayor Ron Smith in 2023. If anyone else caught onto this adventure, I really met with Mayor Smith on Friday, July 23, 2021.
There isn’t much to announce for government meetings in Scottsville this week. The past couple of months have been hectic with a lot of decisions made and a record-setting four-hour meeting in June. In a rare event, Mayor Smith had to cast a tie-breaking vote which changed the zoning on the Upper Bird Street 19.87 acres from Industrial to Village Residential.
Construction on the DMV Select office is going well. The Town Council conference room is being repurposed for this office. I believe all staff positions have been filled. I have heard some confusion on what a DMV Select office is, and concerns on how it will affect limited downtown parking.
DMV Select offices provide services for vehicle titles and registrations, license plates, permits and placards, transcript requests, return checks, voter registration applications, E-Z Pass, transportation network company vehicle renewal, and hunting and fishing licenses. What they do not provide is processing any online or franchise dealership work, processing mechanic/storage lien titles, do not issue Vital Records, and they do not issue or renew driver’s licenses, learner’s permits, or ID cards. For more information go to: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/general/#utilities/select_svs.asp
The Scottsville DMV Select will open in mid-August. We will see if parking becomes an issue.
The James River Boys & Girls Club registration for the fall starts today! Stop by 300 Page Street between 2:30 and 6:30. The club is for ages 6-18. Registration is ongoing. You can also call 434-286-8801 for more information.
The Scottsville Center for Arts and the Natural Environment held their first community outreach event last Thursday on the beginning stages of developing their 13 acres on Hardware Street. Over twenty participated in the discussion and had the pleasure of walking the trails. It was a great turnout for a much-anticipated event. I will have more on this later.
There are people in our community that we always expect to see while out and about. Eileen Pillar was one of these. She could be seen replenishing her booth at Rivertown, volunteering at Bread of Life, attending church, or simply waving as we passed her driving along Valley Street or James River Road. I often saw her in my driveway. If I was outside and she had something to tell me, she would stop by for a chat. After my mother passed, I called her regarding The Community Medical Supply closet. I had several items to donate, but my contributions would have been redundant. However, Eileen stopped by. We had a mutual acquaintance in Buckingham who needed some things. I was so excited to have Mom’s things used, that I loaded her vehicle with everything—whether she wanted to take it or not. She did retaliate by giving me things that I probably didn’t need either. Eileen left us on July 16, 2021. She will be missed by those of us who met her while out and about and at volunteering with her chosen activities. There will be a memorial service for her on Saturday, July 31 starting at 11:00 am at Christ Church on Glendower Road. (https://www.thackerbrothers.com/obituary/Eileen-Pillar)
This is what I have for you today. I am looking forward to talking with one of our friends from Buckingham this evening. You will be hearing from her on Friday Forward. Have a great week!
The James Exchange: Monday Matters 7.26