[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6610245,"mediaKeyId","2904932-7a901e770a82b0a5985083379a20e2fa","parentId",2904932,"title","Firefighters urge council to prioritize station repairs, raise health and safety concerns","audioSeconds",3189,"startMs",920000,"endMs",4109000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904932-7a901e770a82b0a5985083379a20e2fa&start=920&end=4109","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904932-7a901e770a82b0a5985083379a20e2fa/thumbnail_920000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6610245/Lynchburg/Campbell-County/Virginia/Firefighters-urge-council-to-prioritize-station-repairs-raise-health-and-safety-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610245-fae2fc65e010d6d12532fde99b1a3e4e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193789&Signature=SeBoL9pNZmo183a-ueWJMw3A7Xi7TmGkfYAmEVljGLTZDWliH2YVDjaUExKaP1xq4T0UJj76MwXgge2QOQDdDG~pS4JAQvLb94GvPXnxg9wQYoUMMwkMWRSEjPBzFv6RayZ9VLcgAasBWCF69vD4o4KHp4DxMC1rUcKuxl16UhiCtIZfGwFEPRRip8Xo9MG86p1rLL2o-dEho6cHl~k7-Az6kLuDnzLdhys6F4WqILs~70b45zlR8LLZddxBMHI9O8u-XLUygukfSRYtfVNzHATIW1Iyy8JgEC3p-E7pYnG9Hh114Yjb9Fnu~AdK3PTXsiiZ~Rcc71uMz6XJxwvWEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lynchburg","date","2025-04-09T00:17:33.247Z","article","At the April 8 meeting of the Lynchburg City Council, the president of the Lynchburg Firefighters Association delivered an emotional public comment urging the council to prioritize repairs and safety upgrades to fire stations and equipment.

Jamie Maxwell, identified in remarks as \"president of the Lynchburg Firefighters Association,\" spoke after council voted earlier in the meeting to add him to the end of the speakers list. That procedural motion to add Maxwell to the speaking order passed by a voice vote recorded in the meeting as \"Motion passes 3 2.\"

Maxwell criticized council priorities and said firefighters were being overlooked for building and equipment investments. He said, \"Keep his name out of your mouth during your meetings. His memory doesn't deserve that,\" in reference to comments made earlier in a work session. Maxwell urged council to redirect a portion of other project funds toward station work, asking rhetorically whether the council could give \"15% of each 1 of those so we can redo Fire Station 5 and encapsulate that asbestos that's inside Fire Station Number 8 and Fire Station Number 1.\" He also said a remodel request for Fire Station 5 was about \"$500,000\" in his remarks.

Maxwell raised health concerns tied to firefighting gear and building materials, saying \"This is killing firefighters\" and asserting that firefighters in Lynchburg are working while battling cancer. Maxwell asked the council to provide updated gear and station improvements and said firefighters had documented concerns about PFAS in protective ensembles and asbestos in older stations. He described having brought examples of gear and materials to illustrate the condition but discussed them verbally when visual aids were not permitted.

During Maxwell’s comments there were several points of order and brief interruptions from the dais and from the audience; the mayor and council reminded speakers of public-comment rules about not addressing council members directly. Maxwell and others framed the remarks as pleas for prioritizing health and safety investments for first responders.

Council had no immediate vote in open session to reallocate funds at the meeting; the firefighters’ request and the earlier procedural vote to add Maxwell to the speaking list were recorded in the meeting minutes and will inform follow-up discussions on CIP and maintenance priorities.

Sources: Public-comment remarks and council procedural vote, April 8, 2025 meeting transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lynchburg City Council Meeting 4-8-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Lynchburg Firefighters Association and its president, Jamie Maxwell, pressed council to fund station repairs and raised health concerns including asbestos and PFAS exposure; council had previously voted to allow Maxwell to speak at the meeting.","taxTitle","Lynchburg, Campbell County, Virginia","taxId",3745,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6610250,"Residents press council on Wigginton Road safety and criticize CIP trade‑offs during public comment",0,2151000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904932-7a901e770a82b0a5985083379a20e2fa&start=2151&end=2151","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904932-7a901e770a82b0a5985083379a20e2fa/thumbnail_2151000.jpg","/articles/6610250/Lynchburg/Campbell-County/Virginia/Residents-press-council-on-Wigginton-Road-safety-and-criticize-CIP-tradeoffs-during-public-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610250-f95d41b73897951a0451b28a4fb09b8c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193789&Signature=Y8YcT16CgVHWpS~RMWuSnG4qObGkmR4M~t9INeJRsEbQubcArBS4~uZ~MByz5ZxxC5z7K8TLVQdbJoYKx7b7x9lrtKbHQ4WglDPdTedMjs4yuiMXaxT~6qMAmO2vOtfpj5cRIxHnHtlMJeKGmoNVXM0uXXszpZ7MQhIJd4QlhonspwSt5~3h3QPv~FpbHlkzR8o4WggW7ruY2E7dpInmFYOyPxsmxbL7u-OHzU2iLp~IaiTtXNrNnPZYLykz1R3aRL1xO0JHNo3kvogrBdd5EpcetiHT9pdjYKDSygEc~HNM-L1KykPT5olyuaZ7V~-ct5LAhzGT73z~IYLqdf9WRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several residents used the April 8 public-comment period to raise concerns about traffic, safety and how the capital improvement plan (CIP) and other expenditures interact with large new developments.

Deborah Armstrong (Ward 1) told council she is \"very concerned about Wigginton Road\" after approval of a development near the 501 interchange and urged the council to consider sidewalks, wider travel lanes, bike lanes and an additional entry/exit to the new development. Armstrong said she \"travel[s] it every day\" and asked council to look at whether Chapel Lane or Jefferson Ridge could be used for access instead of making Wigginton the primary entrance.

Peter Cepharati (Ward 1) urged the council to encourage development and expand the tax base, saying additional homes would increase property-tax revenue that could pay for road upgrades. Cepharati offered an example calculation—hypothetical—estimating new revenue if large parcels were developed and noting it would \"easily pay for any road upgrades on Wigginton Road, intersections, roundabouts,\" subject to council decisions.

Cora Sepharate (Boonesborough) raised questions about the overall budget and prioritization, asking for transparency on estimates for repairing Miller Pool and the library, and whether those are needs or wants. She noted the council previously discussed holding the tax rate at 89¢ and suggested equalization at 0.767 as an alternative; she asked whether there had been a recent audit and whether the city had considered selling property or eliminating duplicative services.

Michael Brin urged the council to \"protect the capital improvement plan for city schools,\" saying some council members had proposed changing the timing or amount of distributions and that the council had already committed $2,200,000 related to a large residential development. Brin listed several transportation projects he suggested could be delayed rather than reducing school CIP funds.

Council did not take formal action on any of these public comments during the April 8 meeting; staff and council members heard concerns and may follow up in future budget and CIP discussions.

Sources: Public comments and resident remarks recorded April 8, 2025.","Multiple residents urged the council to prioritize road safety and school CIP funding amid a large proposed residential development; speakers questioned CIP trade-offs and asked for transparency on cost estimates.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6610255,"Library controversy and renovation plans prompt sharply divided public comments at Lynchburg council meeting",2401,1741000,4142000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904932-7a901e770a82b0a5985083379a20e2fa&start=1741&end=4142","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904932-7a901e770a82b0a5985083379a20e2fa/thumbnail_1741000.jpg","/articles/6610255/Lynchburg/Campbell-County/Virginia/Library-controversy-and-renovation-plans-prompt-sharply-divided-public-comments-at-Lynchburg-council-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610255-7cf77641e8df768d30918dc1bf9f332f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193789&Signature=Sl1XKJY5AZxMI3vBYa4vSidLPNhqdanr5YywRP2P7UJWXl1waDx32U918hbgvTjXWuPs2X9bDiLDhWI9T4eM61omkdic8mRfQNYBhuUlTNeOTbG-XsHswNXzywCydeFBIjQ~tU2UztiH0nY8QMQoOoLwkEtVZWJIe0HLm19P2N7yajKVDArJEPV9eBH2ou0BIS0gUpR92nT1iubFKbHFdDaEEauvg4U4q0x1W8zj-arlJI~ommMch0Z7OGScqdlOKPCUwe5CzQzVzozx9Ijqz9SJlPlos7kcbBEXEzlf25OxE2nPlQgK~7RxsZ0z96XLpsqtO0wQdPS1JabazOn2TA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public comment at the April 8 Lynchburg City Council meeting included sharply divergent appeals over materials in the children’s section of the Lynchburg Public Library and broad support for the library’s capital improvement plan (CIP).

Jamie Plank, a resident of Ward 4, asked the council to \"establish a board to allow community oversight of books the library selects and promotes for the children of our city,\" saying she wanted parental safeguards such as designated shelving, parental supervision, or removal of certain titles from the children's section. Plank argued materials promoting \"gender fluidity\" and \"homosexual relationships\" are \"a harmful and controversial ideology\" and urged community control over youth selections.

Several speakers followed Plank with similar concerns about children’s materials, including Karen Quigg (Ward 3) and Beth White, who addressed the council on behalf of Citizens United for Lynchburg. White referenced constitutional protections and a recent court filing, saying, \"There is a current lawsuit against the city regarding the violation of the freedom of speech,\" and warned against city expansion of oversight powers through an advisory board.

Other residents strongly supported investment in the library building and its missions. Denise McDonough, a member of Friends of the Library, described her recent visit to the main branch and said the building \"is 40 years old\" with \"old computer wiring,\" \"leaky plumbing,\" and \"problems with water sewer backups,\" and urged council to endorse the library CIP. McDonough reported the library averages about \"465 patrons a day and over 4,000 books and materials accessed a day on average.\" Thomas Brennan and other speakers described the library as an essential, free public space and said modernizing it would benefit residents across the city.

Speakers on both sides connected the debate to broader questions of parental rights, intellectual freedom, and city oversight. Some speakers called for removal or restricted shelving for specific materials for minors; others argued that the library’s role is to preserve access to information and that proposed oversight could amount to an expansion of government control over book selection.

No formal council action on library materials was taken during the public-comment period. Several speakers urged council to consider the CIP funding request for a renovation; council members heard the testimony and asked staff to follow up where appropriate.

Sources: Public-comment remarks recorded April 8, 2025.","Public commenters urged both creation of community oversight of youth materials and support for a library renovation; speakers on both sides invoked child safety, intellectual freedom, patron counts and building repair needs.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6610260,"Lynchburg council approves amended conditional-use permit to allow firearm sales at Campbell Avenue pawn shop",662,1113000,1775000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904932-7a901e770a82b0a5985083379a20e2fa&start=1113&end=1775","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904932-7a901e770a82b0a5985083379a20e2fa/thumbnail_1113000.jpg","/articles/6610260/Lynchburg/Campbell-County/Virginia/Lynchburg-council-approves-amended-conditional-use-permit-to-allow-firearm-sales-at-Campbell-Avenue-pawn-shop","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610260-f87751dc9a071ae97b783bad594db7a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193789&Signature=AqWIGVzLroTRJpOm0Skht3mEkaqcBWR8sOiIEj9LXm97ZCKAi2UkyLCPzy1yhG0JU3b34eLc9AF5Z5LI7MD2je9janxyGOr0vXkQEBvv09Gd2Rm-rPBNViIRuenrC3Jt1ZKYb5ltbEKmlm7s~FPbAePkCrsvJsFiEm6bDaksO7qH33pvwlk4-im3TiA3Z4roOVc6L9KCZhDrzdg~HZMVc48uY3zRqcEm6AzvUiP38zuBSDIDE76OHObMJfUCXzp25y6NaEOflSqD8ZrYqLgzAxmuCY4yxdwru6V0gaMmltL~678pcFLOERjXYE2GuiBlzzxyzvEoM8LaMs4xoL8qKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lynchburg City Council on April 8 approved an amendment to a previously issued conditional use permit (CUP) for a pawn shop at 2811 Campbell Avenue that removes a prohibition on firearms sales and extends daily hours by 30 minutes.

The measure, presented at a public hearing, passed unanimously with a recorded vote noted as \"The motion passes. 5 0. 2 absent.\" The council closed the public hearing before voting.

City planning staff explained the property has been zoned R-3 (medium-density residential) since 1978 and that small retail uses in existing structures built before that year have previously been allowed through administrative flexibility in the zoning code. Staff said the Board of Zoning Appeals approved an earlier permit in 2014 that set conditions including a prohibition on pawning firearms.

A representative for the petitioner, identified in the hearing as the owner of King Pawn, told council the business had operated under a firearms license issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) since 2021 and that the current owner had purchased the business in 2020. The petitioner said they were unaware of the CUP restriction until December 2024, then applied to amend the CUP and described security measures, annual internal firearm audits, nightly uploads of pawned items to an LEADS-compatible database, and coordination with law enforcement.

The petitioner said the requested change would set operating hours to \"making our hours 09:30 to 05:30\" and argued that regulated pawn-shop transactions provide traceability that informal private transfers lack.

Council members who moved and seconded the motion said the amendment was intended to correct a conflict between city conditions and the store's federal licensing. No one in the hearing spoke in favor from the public, and staff reported receiving no voicemails in favor or opposition prior to the meeting. After a short exchange, the council voted to adopt the amendment.

The council record indicates the pawn shop has held an ATF license since 2021 and that the prior CUP conditions—established in 2014—had prohibited firearms sales at this location. The planning staff advised the proposed changes should have limited impact on the surrounding area and noted the property’s long history of retail use.

Council did not attach additional conditions on security beyond those described by the petitioner in the public hearing. The amended CUP and any resulting changes to signage or operating procedures will be administered by the city’s planning division.

Sources: City planning staff presentation and petitioner remarks provided during the April 8, 2025 public hearing.","The City Council voted to amend operating conditions for a pawn shop at 2811 Campbell Avenue, allowing the sale of firearms and a 30-minute extension to daily hours; council unanimously approved the change after a public hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Firefighters urge council to prioritize station repairs, raise health and safety concerns

Residents press council on Wigginton Road safety and criticize CIP trade‑offs during public comment

Library controversy and renovation plans prompt sharply divided public comments at Lynchburg council meeting

Lynchburg council approves amended conditional-use permit to allow firearm sales at Campbell Avenue pawn shop