No Fourth of July fireworks display in Alexandria this year
Town Talk staff reports
The City of Alexandria will not host a fireworks display on July 4 this year after members of the Alexandria City Council voted the measure down Tuesday night, states a press release issued by the city.
The request failed 4-3 with council members Reddex Washington, Gerber Porter, Cynthia Perry and Catherine Davidson voting against the fireworks display slated for Sunday, July 4 in downtown Alexandria. Voting for the fireworks display were Council President Jim Villard, Chuck Fowler and Lee Rubin.
“We are disappointed with the vote, but we encourage residents to celebrate our nation with our neighboring cities and at home this year,” quoted Mayor Jeff Hall in the release. Hall had requested the measure.
The Alexandria City Council voted 5-2 to again adopt the amended 2021-22 budget, overturning the mayor s veto and perhaps setting up a showdown in court.
One week after the Alexandria City Council passed an amended budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year, Mayor Jeff Hall on Tuesday vetoed it, saying it violated the city charter.
That means some projects and raises for employees, police officers and firefighters will be delayed. The city s fiscal year begins on May 1.
In a release, Hall said he wouldn t be bullied into undermining the foundation of our community.
At its April 20 meeting, the council approved by a 4-3 vote an amendment from District 4 Councilwoman Catherine Davidson to move a budget surplus from the police department from the old fiscal year into the new budget.
The Alexandria City Council this week appointed an interim member to replace Harry Silver and also set a public hearing on condemning 26 houses.
Council members voted unanimously to appoint attorney Catherine Davidson to the District 4 seat, vacated when former Councilman Harry Silver announced his resignation that took effect Feb. 28.
A special election to fill the seat is expected later this year.
Davidson, who ran unsuccessfully in 2018 for mayor, and another attorney, Maria Losavio, were nominated for the interim spot. But Losavio s nomination was rejected by a 4-2 vote.
The council also unanimously passed a resolution calling for an April 6 public meeting to take action on the cost of demolishing 26 residential structures.