Politics

Lynchburg’s city attorney had unusually sharp words for two council members after they said they believe he is improperly assisting a fellow council member in a pending lawsuit.

Peter Alexander, who lost last month’s Republican primary for a city council seat to incumbent Chris Faraldi, is seeking to have the results thrown out.

The city has diverged from its decade-old plan in recent years to accommodate rapid growth.

Only three members of the city council showed up for the meeting, which had been called by two Republican members who say they’re concerned about how a primary-related lawsuit is being handled.

Danville joins cities including Roanoke, Richmond and Hampton in taking advantage of a new state law that provides for higher maximum salaries for mayors and city council members.

The incumbent congressman still vows to pursue a recount over losing his renomination bid by under 400 votes.

Starting July 1, 2025, the mayor will be paid $35,000, and council members $33,000. In 2026, both salaries will increase by $5,000, and by 2027, both will hit the maximum salary allowed.

Council members Marty Misjuns and Jeff Helgeson want to block the city attorney from acting on behalf of the electoral board.

The rare election challenge raises questions about whether all the votes were counted.

Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a record 201 bills this year, while also signing 845 of them into law.