VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach Councilman John Moss has proposed some changes to the agreement for the high-speed ring for the Southside.
The agreement between Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach brings high-speed internet ring to the cities.
Councilman Moss wants protection for future City Councils to withdraw from any regional obligation and to make sure that any regional body can be held accountable to the residents.
"We must preserve the ability of a future City Council to be able to unilaterally withdraw from any regional obligation we make. We have a duty to make sure our residents have the right to engage and hold a regional governing body accountable, as they have with their City Council. We have a duty to make sure a regional body, of which we are a member, has the same obligations to Virginia Beach residents as we do. For example, Virginia Beach residents should have the right to speak on agenda items at the Authority' s meetings prior to a vote on an item. the Authority should be obligated to hold public hearings on their budget prior to its adoption, etc. Now is the time to establish the requisite accountability measures," Moss wrote in a letter to councilmembers.
One adjustment Councilman Moss would like to make is that members of the board of directors for the internet ring are elected officials as opposed to appointed officials.
In the letter, Moss added:
Additionally, since the Authority is executing policy-making delegated powers, no non-elected person can legitimately serve as a primary or alternate member of the Authority. We are granting powers, now vested in City Council, as the people's elected governing body. In my judgment, we do not possess the moral authority to further delegate the people's power as the sovereign we serve to a non-elected alternate.
Councilman Moss wants hold periods between meetings and votes as well as requirements for notifications of special meetings to give the public enough time to decide if they want to petition for a referendum.
The adjustments also recommend a salary cap for board members.
Councilman Moss also calls for protection for municipalities to only pay for infrastructure needs within their municipalities and to approve any projects within city limits among other conditions that would protect each city.
The recommended adjustments to the agreement also call for transparency from the Authority to the public.
The full letter and adjusted agreement submitted to the council by Councilman Moss: