We Support Peter McIntosh for City Council

February 16, 2000

As persons who have been very active in the City's civic life, we are writing to commend Peter McIntosh to you for consideration at the Mass meeting this Monday, February 21st at the Performing Arts Center at CHS.

While we have known Peter as a supportive Democrat, he has not been actively involved in the Party, nor has he held office or a leadership position. To us, he represents new leadership for the Party that is seasoned by broad interests and experience in the life of our community.

His career in legal and civic organizations in Charlottesville is truly exemplary. Peter headed the local Legal Aid office for over 12 years and was an effective advocate for the low income communities. He served on the Library Board for 12 years during times when substantial challenges
faced the system. In both capacities, Peter prepared and defended budget requests before City Council and the Board of Supervisors with success and effective diplomacy. Peter's further service on the Boards of MACAA, OAR, and SHE have provided him a range of experiences that we feel are important assets needed by the Party and on Council.

For the past two years Peter's work with the Board of the Walker Upper Elementary PTO, as Treasurer and Co-Chairman, has made him a passionate advocate for the City schools. Through his work on the l998-99 Walker Advisory Committee, which evaluated and redesigned the school's schedule for 1999-2000 to accommodate a significant increase in students, Peter has gained insights into the complex issues facing our schools.

Peter has served as an attorney for people from all walks of life in our community, from the homeless and disabled to the wealthiest. He has the ability to establish a rapport with people from a wide variety of different backgrounds. During the past few years he has been providing mediation services, both on his own and, pro bono, through the Mediation Center at FOCUS.

In a word, we support Peter because he represents the best of this community: a long history of public service, a sense of justice for all, and the skills and experience of working with Boards and groups of people. This is the type of new leadership which the Party and City Council need.

Kay Slaughter (former Mayor), Grace Tinsley (former School Board Member), Virginia Daugherty (Mayor), Frank Buck (former Mayor), Mary Ann Elwood (former Party chair), Tom Vandever (former Mayor), Elizabeth Gleason (former Vice Mayor), Dave Chapman (Commonwealth's Attorney), Peggy Van Yahres (Parks Advisory Committee), Robert Tinsley (Carver Precinct Chair), George Gilliam (former City Councilor)

(electronic mail, February 17, 2000).