CBDA and CBDX members were out in full force at Tuesday's City Council meeting to express their views and encourage Council members to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Commonwealth of Virginia, and to enter into an agreement with the Virginia Department of Public Rail Transportation for the funding and procurement of light rail cars.  The provision passed by a 9-2 vote with Councilmen Bob Dyer and John Moss voting no. This vote was a turning point and one more step to  extend "The Tide" to Virginia Beach.

CBDA President Chris Stone, and Board member Mark Slaughter each expressed their support for the execution of the MOU.  Chris, President of Clark Nexsen, a national architecture, engineering and design firm, expressed his concerns about the  importance of sending a timely and positive message and to reaffirm the City's commitment to the Commonwealth Transportation Board.  Mark, an attorney who specializes in corporate and real estate law with prominent law firm of Willcox & Savage, focused on his decision to work and live in the urban area of Town Center as a baby boomer.

CBDX speakers included Dan Heatwole of Ripley Heatwole, Colby Raymond of Tidewater Home Funding, and Erin Burdick of Kimley-Horn.  All three spoke of their professional and personal experiences with multi-modal transportation, their expectations as they advance their careers in Hampton Roads, and their commitment to making lifestyle choices in their personal futures.  Each presentation was candid, professional and well stated.

Andrew Richmond of Mahoney Nashatka and Richmond, PLLC,  Kristen Jurjevich of Pender & Coward, Bryan Hickman of Marathon Consulting, Allyson Monsour of Clark Nexsen, and Matt Rose of Lumos Networks attended the City Council meeting and also participated in the Light Rail Rally outside of the Municipal Center earlier in the afternoon where a number of Light Rail supporters gathered to show their support. They were joined by members of the Downtown 100 and  tHRive.

A special thank you to Kaitlin Burket, Development and Donor Relations Coordinator for the Virginia Beach Public Library and the CBDX Philanthropy Director, for all her hard work in coordinating the CBDX members' participation.

This outstanding effort was a job well done by everyone involved!  We will now continue to educate the public on the benefits of extending "The Tide" to Virginia Beach and true facts about this important part of the future of our City and the region.