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Public commenters press Lynchburg council on homelessness, school board selection and council conduct
Summary
Public commenters criticized council conduct, urged action on homelessness after two cold-weather deaths, and outlined a petition drive to secure an elected Lynchburg school board; remarks included accusations of unethical behavior and calls for greater transparency and oversight.
Multiple members of the public used the council’s public-comment period to press officials on governance, homelessness and education. Greg Berry (Lynchburg City Elders) accused the mayor and council of unethical behavior and specifically alleged irregularities in removing a member from the finance committee. His remarks included religious framing and a call for greater professionalism; the meeting record shows no substantive council response to those allegations during the session.
Sarah Bonner (Ward 1) returned to the council to urge action on homelessness and shelter capacity. Bonner said two people were found frozen to death in December 2024 and asked the council to partner with the city’s human services office and local providers (Miriam’s House, Salvation Army, Lighthouse, Warm Streets) to use empty buildings for temporary and emergency housing and a women’s shelter.
Gary Taylor (Citizens for a Better Lynchburg) delivered an informational presentation about his plan to pursue an elected Lynchburg school board in 2026, describing the signature-gathering process (about 5,700 signatures) and historical context for appointed vs. elected school boards in Virginia.
Several other speakers offered prayers, urged civility, and criticized procedural decisions such as canceled meetings and committee removals. Council agreed to place a homelessness update on a future agenda for staff briefing in response to the public concerns.
