Lynchburg council adopts drug-testing grant, corrects airport leases and affirms redistricting standard; several items pass unanimously

The Lynchburg City Council on Jan. 29 approved several routine and substantive measures, including a grant appropriation for the adult recovery court, a correction to airport lease resolution dates, a motion directing staff to research burial-ground records, and a resolution opposing changes to Virginia's redistricting process.

Taylor Jones, program director for the Lynchburg Adult Recovery Court, told council the item before them was an appropriation of a Supreme Court of Virginia drug-testing grant totaling $45,590 to help the court comply with state and national best practices. Jones said the award covers lab testing contracted through Abra Health and testing supplies; council documents and discussion noted a 25% local match that may be met in kind through staff and probation officer time. The grant appropriation was adopted by unanimous vote.

Cedric Sandman, director of the Lynchburg Regional Airport, explained that two earlier council resolutions (R25071 and R25090) incorrectly listed lease end dates; the leases themselves showed the correct end year. Sandman described the discrepancy as a scrivener's error and asked council to adopt a correcting resolution to align the council record with the lease documents. Council approved the correction unanimously.

During public comment, a resident raised questions about Old City Cemetery records and unmarked graves. A councilmember moved and the council voted unanimously to direct staff to research those burial-ground records and return findings at the second work session in April.

Council also considered a resolution that "supports section 6A of Article II" of the Constitution of Virginia and opposes efforts to change the commonwealth's redistricting process. After debate about partisan gerrymandering and the intent of the state constitution, the resolution passed 6'1.

Finally, the council adopted a resolution confirming the end of the declared winter-storm emergency; members used the vote to thank first responders and public-works crews. That motion passed 7'0.

What changed: appropriation of a $45,590 testing grant to the Lynchburg Adult Recovery Court, adoption of a lease-correction resolution for airport tenants, a unanimous directive for staff to research Old City Cemetery burial records with a report due at the April work session, approval of a redistricting-position resolution (6'1), and termination of the storm emergency (7'0).