VML Voice

How is this small town doing such big things? The VML Voice travelled to Tappahannock in December to talk with lifetime resident Mayor Roy Gladding and relative newcomer Town Manager Eric Pollitt to find out how the community is honoring its past while building for the future.

"Sell your surplus assets virtually - anytime, anywhere!" We've all got stuff we need to get rid of and local governments are no different! VML partner organization GovDeals is a leader in helping local government assess and sell their unused assets easily, affordably, and responsibly. We had a chance to catch up with Business Development Manager Chris Lassiter during our Annual Conference in Octo...

On September 25, the VML Voice traveled to the City of Manassas to spend an afternoon with Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger. Find out what it's been like for Mayor Davis-Younger to be the first African-American, female mayor of Manassas, what motivated her to run for council in the first place, and why her "My Mayor Looks Like Me" program is making a difference in the lives young girls in her city.

Among the highlights we are looking forward to for the 2024 Annual Conference is the return of ace facilitator Matt Lehrman. This time, Matt is coming back to emcee the Mayors Institute on Sunday and to close out the conference Tuesday morning with an interactive leadership exercise In this episode, we catch up with Matt to find out more about what we can expect to experience at the 2024 VML Annua...

On May 14, the VML Voice traveled from Richmond to Falls Church for a chat with Mayor Letty Hardi and Councilwoman Marybeth Connelly. The timing was fortuitous as May 14 happened to be the day after the Falls Church council had not only honored the Region 5 winner of VML’s “If I Were Mayor” essay contest, but had also celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and passed a budge...

Learn about Dominion Energy’s outdoor LED conversion program with options that are perfect for municipal customers. Plus – hear about Dominion Energy’s partnership with several Virginia cities to pilot innovative smart city technologies. These partnerships aim to enhance urban living, improve sustainability, and empower local communities. Guests include: Jerri Northedge, Manager Outdoor Lighting &...

The Manassas City Police Department (MCPD) complies with over 460 standards set forth by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). These standards drive department policies from mental health response to use of force; from evidence handling to volunteering; from uniforms to towing.  In this episode the VML Voice chats with Police Chief (and current Interim City Manager)...

On May 18 and 19, VML, VACo and the Broadband Association of Virginia hosted an in-person conference in Richmond that brought together some of the leading voices in Virginia and national broadband. The VML Voice was there talking to some of the leading voices in broadband.  In Part II we talk to... Elad Nafshi – Executive Vice President and Chief Network Officer of Comcast Sejal Naik – Deputy Chie...

On May 18 and 19, VML, VACo and the Broadband Association of Virginia hosted an in-person conference in Richmond that brought together some of the leading voices in Virginia and national broadband. The VML Voice was there talking to some of the leading voices in broadband. In Part I we talk to... Jim Doyle – President, Business Forward Foundation Deborah Lathen – Founder and President, Lathen Cons...

This episode of the VML Voice came at the suggestion of City of Bristol Manager (and VML Board Member) Randy Eads. Bristol’s city council members are all relatively young and new to local government. But I think you’ll find, as I did, that though they may be young and new they are also enthusiastic and bring a lot of the table. Featured guests are Mayor Neal Osborne, Vice-Mayor Becky Nave, Council...

The VML Voice travels to the Town of Ashland (aka “The Center of the Universe”) to chat about their new town hall. What was wrong with the old town hall? How did the staff and PMA architecture make the case for a new town hall? What makes the new town hall fantastic? And…who paid for it? These, and other questions, are answered in glowing detail. Guests include Town Manager Josh Farrar, Town Engin...

  If you’ve checked out the July/August issue of VML’s magazine Virginia Town & City then you already know that it’s all about making the most of all the outdoor recreation options available in our amazing Commonwealth. In this episode of the VML Voice, host Rob Bullington calls contributing author Jessica Bowser for a chat about all the great advice in her article “How to recreate in Virginia...

  In episode one, we learned that confidence is what makes a great public speaker, well, great. In this second part of our two part series on “Strategies for Successful Public Speaking,” Leslie Strickler of Etre Communications explains how everyone can be more confident and achieve greatness as a public speaker.

  Do you suffer from glossophobia – the fear of public speaking? Well, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that as much as 75 percent of all people are fearful of speaking in front of groups. If you’re a public official or local government staff, the occasions where you need to speak in public can be frequent and unavoidable. That’s why the VML Voice is doing a two part series on “Strategies for Succ...

  In November of 2021 the City of Radford was missing a councilmember. Well, they weren’t really “missing” a councilmember; he had resigned before the end of his term to pursue a job opportunity elsewhere. But, missing or not, the remaining councilmembers had a vacant seat to fill. Normally, they would have appointed someone without too much fanfare to finish out the term. However, this time the C...

VML is able to do what we do thanks to the fantastic work done by the local officials and managers who serve on our committees and Board of Directors. In this episode we visit with some new and veteran Board members to find out what makes VML work and why folks might want to devote some of their time and energy to serving on VML’s Board and committees. Participants include: President Jon Stehle (C...

Connections start with conversations and VML’s Annual Conference is one of the best places for local government leaders in Virginia to share stories, trade experiences and build connections. In the spirit of building connections, the VML Voice is pleased to offer this four-part series of podcasts recorded during the 2021 Annual Conference held Oct. 3-5, 2021 at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg. Ho...

Connections start with conversations and VML’s Annual Conference is one of the best places for local government leaders in Virginia to share stories, trade experiences and build connections. In the spirit of building connections, the VML Voice is pleased to offer this four-part series of podcasts recorded during the 2021 Annual Conference held Oct. 3-5, 2021 at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg. Ho...

Connections start with conversations and VML’s Annual Conference is one of the best places for local government leaders in Virginia to share stories, trade experiences and build connections. In the spirit of building connections, the VML Voice is pleased to offer this four-part series of podcasts recorded during the 2021 Annual Conference held Oct. 3-5, 2021 at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg. Ho...

Connections start with conversations and VML’s Annual Conference is one of the best places for local government leaders in Virginia to share stories, trade experiences and build connections. In the spirit of building connections, the VML Voice is pleased to offer this four-part series of podcasts recorded during the 2021 Annual Conference held Oct. 3-5, 2021 at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg. Ho...

It’s hurricane season Virginia! The VML Voice chats with Erin Sutton from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Listen to find out what localities can do to be ready and what resources VDEM can provide to help. We also discuss unique challenges that persist due to COVID and find out what VDEM is doing to ensure equitable disaster response and recovery. Finally, Erin participates in our...

It’s hurricane season Virginia! The VML Voice chats with Erin Sutton from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Listen to find out what localities can do to be ready and what resources VDEM can provide to help. We also discuss unique challenges that persist due to COVID and find out what VDEM is doing to ensure equitable disaster response and recovery. Finally, Erin participates in our...

In early May, the VML Voice spoke with Terry Tilley, town manager of Stuart, and Keith Barker, city manager of Galax. Both these managers are set to retire this year after many years of service to their communities. We used the occasion to ask them about their experiences in local government, what got them started and what kept them going, advice for those who will follow them, and their post-reti...

Checking in with the VDH's Office of Environmental Health Services On March 18, host of the VML Voice, Rob Bullington, chatted with a couple staff members from the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Environment Health Services. He was joined by Director Julie Henderson and Legal Affairs and Environmental Health Coordinator Karri Atwood. The conversation covered a lot of ground – from sewage...

Petersburg: How to Save a City (part 2) In part 1, we explored how Petersburg nearly went off the rails when it faced financial ruin just a few short years ago. In part 2 we spend some more time with Mayor Samuel Parham, City Manager Aretha Ferrell Benavides, Deputy City Manager Lionel Lyons and Economic Development Manager Clay Hamner as they discuss some recent good news and their hopes for the...