Virginia Municipal League Hosts Virtual Conference Attended by Four Front Royal Town Council Members and Town Manager

On January 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Town Council members Melissa DeDomenico-Payne, Joshua Ingram, Glenn Wood, and Bruce Rappaport, accompanied by Town Manager Joe Waltz, attended the 2024 Virginia Municipal League Elected Officials Conference, virtually, in Town Hall at 102 East Main Street. The purpose of the conference was to inform local officials on key issues and encourage them to open channels of communication with state legislators.

This was an opportunity for newly elected as well as veteran local officials to learn about issues of mutual interest that affect the state level as much as they affect the local level of government, issues that the legislators in the General Assembly are currently facing, although they may not fully understand the local impact of their decisions; in the course of the conference, local officials were urged to connect with their respective state representatives on issues ranging from mental health support to reproductive health constitutional amendments. Speaking of that long list of issues, Councilman Glenn Wood said, in an email summary response to an inquiry: “These issues, along with state funding to localities, will be critical to our local governments.”

Opening those channels is the key. “Most of the General Assembly doesn’t know firsthand how the state funding actions impact local government,” Wood explained. He went on, “We were encouraged to immediately reach out and engage our state elected officials now while in session, while they are home, and again in November and December to help prep for the General Assembly Session by making frequent phone calls and emails.”

In her response to an inquiry, Councilwoman DeDomenico-Payne expressed how grateful she is for this resource. “The Virginia Municipal League is a non-profit, non-partisan association that offers opportunities for local government officials to receive important training and resources to assist them in their service,” she wrote. “Local government is often directly impacted by activities at the state and federal levels, and it is great to have a resource that can help local officials understand how best to serve their municipalities in consideration of what is happening throughout all levels of government.” She added, “As a Council member, it is important not only to be exposed to the best practices and emergent issues and trends but also to meet others from across the state who are providing similar service and facing similar issues. I especially appreciate virtual educational opportunities as they reduce travel costs and enable recordings that can be referenced all year long as different issues present. Sometimes I have learned new or more in-depth information and other times, I found that the information validates the direction and approaches we have taken as a Council.”

Councilman Ingram, in his response, said “The new General Assembly is nearly split between the two major parties. There are also a significant number of newly elected members in both chambers. With these factors in mind, VML is making a concerted effort to ensure local elected officials are aware of and know how to effectively use the channels of communication they have with their counterparts in Richmond.” He went on to say, “What I learned most from the training is the importance of maintaining your goals as an elected official. Sometimes, you can champion an effort in a very short time; sometimes, it can take years to see your efforts come to fruition. Sometimes, you might not get enough support to achieve a goal. Whatever the result is, be consistent and firm with your goals. Remember that voters put you where you are because they share your goals.”

About the Virginia Municipal League

The Virginia Municipal League (VML) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association that has been supporting city, town, and county governments across Virginia since its establishment in 1905. Its primary goal is to enhance local governance through various means, such as legislative advocacy, research, and educational initiatives. The league’s membership is extensive, encompassing 38 cities, 170 towns, and eight counties. The governance of VML is entrusted to an Executive Board, which consists of local government officials. This board is elected by league members at their annual conference each October, and it plays a crucial role in directing the staff and shaping the league’s activities and policies.