Civics teacher joins crowded City Council race

Charlottesville School Board member Colette Blount announced her candidacy for City Council Wednesday, becoming the seventh Democratic candidate in the race.

A longtime teacher in both Charlottesville and Albemarle County schools, Blount stood on the steps of Burley Middle School — where she’ll teach eighth-grade civics next year — to make her announcement.

Blount, 46, laid out a platform focused on education, the environment and engaging city residents on public affairs, tied together under the broad goal of providing “equal access to the future.”

 “In order for Charlottesville to move ahead, it must seek out diverse community input in order to make informed decisions,” Blount said.

Blount spent the last four years teaching math at Sutherland Middle School in the county, and she stressed the importance of education as a community-wide priority.

“When our children have the tools to actively engage in the 21st century and beyond, then the community is on a good path,” Blount said.

On economic issues, Blount said she would work to strengthen small business activity to boost entrepreneurship in “underrepresented communities.”

She also said it’s important for the city to be aware of its environmental impact in order to ensure future generations’ access to natural resources.

“Charlottesville packs a lot of energy into these 10 square miles,” Blount said. “It is vital that we be aware of our footprint and do our part to maximize the positive effects, while minimizing the less-than-positive ones.”

In an interview, Blount pointed to her vote against the installation of artificial turf at the Charlottesville High School stadium as an example of her record as a “strong proponent for the environment.”

“People can speak up for themselves, the environment can’t,” Blount said.

She also said she would’ve voted against the construction of a new dam at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir, saying she favors a dredge-first approach.

Blount was joined by about 30 supporters, including fellow candidates Brevy Cannon, a media-relations writer at the University of Virginia, and Dede Smith, a former chairwoman of the city School Board. She was introduced by Mayor Dave Norris.

“You can tell a lot about the kind of leader somebody would be by the kind of life that they’ve led,” said Norris. “Colette is somebody who can count a number of accomplishments in her life, but perhaps the thing she should be most proud about is the fact that she’s the mother to a wonderful young woman who is off doing great things and in fact was the first African-American valedictorian at Charlottesville High School.”

Blount’s daughter, Jo, led the 2009 graduating class. She’s now a rising junior at Columbia University, where she’s majoring in ethnic studies.

Blount joins Cannon, Smith, incumbent councilor Satyendra Huja, homebuilder and developer Paul Beyer, city School Board member Kathy Galvin and fitness club owner James Halfaday in seeking one of three nominations by the Democratic Party.

Retired attorney Peter McIntosh withdrew from the Democratic race.

Independents Bob Fenwick, Brandon Collins, Andrew Williams and Scott Bandy also have announced campaigns.

Councilors Holly Edwards and David Brown have announced they will not seek re-election this year. Mayor Dave Norris and Councilor Kristin Szakos are not up for re-election until 2013.

The Democratic Party’s “firehouse primary” is 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 20 at Burley. The general election is Nov. 8.