FROM: Timothy J. Baroody, City Manager
DATE: November 16, 2016
SUBJECT: City Manager’s Update
Highlights of major activities and other notable developments:
Holiday Events – The annual Children’s Tree Lightning will be held on Saturday, November 26 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. This year there will also be a menorah in the park, which will be lit as appropriate during Hanukkah. The annual Christmas Parade will be held on December 3 at 5:30 p.m. in the downtown.
Downtown 31 – Parks and Recreation is getting ready for December and the Downtown 31 events. One of the new activities that has been added to the month long celebration are large picture frames, a backdrop for people to take photos and post them on social media or print them as greeting cards. The frames will be the installed before Small Business Saturday on November 26, in Riverfront Park and stay up through the month of December.
WWII Veteran Appreciation Event – In partnership with Stafford and Spotsylvania counties a special appreciation event will be held on Thursday, December 8 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Eagles Lodge, 21 Cool Springs Road in Stafford. See attached press release.
Forum on Regional Tourism Partnership – On Monday, December 12 a public forum will be held to discuss existing tourism efforts in the Fredericksburg region and to hear more about other approaches to regional tourism in Virginia. The event will be held at the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts in Stafford County. See attached press release.
EDT Staff Attend Tourism Summit – Staff from the Department of Economic Development and Tourism attended the annual VA1 Tourism Summit in Roanoke on November 14 and 15. The professional development conference is hosted by the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Virginia Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus, and the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association. In addition to general sessions from industry experts and trade-show networking opportunities, staff attended seminars on The Gastronomy Economy, Making Travel Human Again and Economic Development through Youth and Amateur Sports Tourism.
EDT Staff Attend Civilian –Military Council – Amy Peregoy, Economic Development Specialist for the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, attended the South Potomac Civilian Military Community Relations Council on November 15 at the UMW campus in Dahlgren. Updates were presented by officials from the U.S. Navy, King George County Economic Development and Tourism, King George County Schools and the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council.
Police Department Employees Partake in Treats On The Streets – On October 29, Sergeant Crystal Hill, Ms. Laura Mahaney and Parking Enforcement Officer Paul Henson supervised a bounce house and handed out popcorn while watching children participate in Halloween festivities during the downtown “Treats On The Streets” event.
The Police Department Participates in Community Cleanup Day – On November 3, Sergeant Crystal Hill pictured alongside her husband, Assistant Accreditation Manager Jack Compton, Officer Christine Ferguson and police department volunteer, Mr. Gannon Sullivan, partnered with Fredericksburg Green and Clean Commission for a Community Cleanup Day. Their focus was primarily downtown, and proved very successful!
Building Statistics Reports – The August, September and October Building Construction Activity and Property Maintenance Reports are attached for your review.
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