By Lizzie Stone, city council reporter
Council members shared the text of a letter they sent to federal and state leaders in December outlining their “deep concern over recent federal law immigration enforcement actions in Harrisonburg.”
In the letter, they asked for information on enforcement policies, called for a statewide forum of local leaders to discuss community impacts, and asked for legislation prohibiting enforcement officers from certain areas.
The council addressed the letter to Virginia U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, and the incoming Virginia governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. It was shaped by council discussion in earlier meetings and it comes as other cities are embroiled in protests after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) and U.S Border Patrol officers shot and killed residents.
The council members said in discussions and in their letters that they receive questions and concerns from city residents about conduct during detention stops. They wrote “the conduct of some federal immigration law enforcement officers in Harrisonburg does not meet the high standards we expect from our own Police Department,” explaining specific incidents where minors and vehicles were left unattended, and other procedural concerns.
In their letter, the council members also sought clarification on where the public could report concerns about conduct and asked about policies regarding appropriate treatment of members of the public, dependent minors, as well as policies governing the use of force.
The council asked representatives to answer their specific questions as soon as possible, but to later host a larger forum for local leaders to ask their own questions about federal immigration law enforcement.
They said fear is having a ripple effect across the community. “Concerned residents are avoiding seeking justice and lifesaving medical care out of fear,” the letter says.
The letter emphasizes Harrisonburg’s identity as a “place of solace and new beginnings for refugees, asylees, and immigrants” and the council’s own vision of Harrisonburg as a “City for All.”
“It’s clearly crucial to the safety of our community,” council member Laura Dent said.
City residents to sponsor public art in Northeast Neighborhood park
The city council on Tuesday approved a call for artists for a public art project at Ralph Samson Park in the new Spraygrounds. One couple — Chris and Steve Carpenter — is sponsoring the project entirely, intending to provide public art at no cost to the city.
The proposal explains the purpose is to “add an extra touch of creativity and joy to the new Spraygrounds, while also recognizing the neighborhood’s history.”
In a presentation to the city council, Steve Carpenter said they would like to install a mosaic, an entrance arch, and a sculpture piece following themes of bright primary colors, children playing, neighborhood history, and the designed features of the sprayground including nature imagery.
The park is the former site of a segregated pool in the Northeast Neighborhood community, a history the project organizers want to include in the final art pieces.
The Carpenters, as project sponsors, are part of the project committee along with representatives from the Arts Council of the Valley, Karen Thomas of the Northeast Neighborhood Association, and Deputy City Manager Amy Snider. The committee designed the call for artists and will select the final pieces. Themes for the artwork were planned with community input from a November meeting with residents of the Northeast Neighborhood.
The proposed project timeline includes a proposal deadline of March 1, with a presentation of the chosen artwork to city council on March 24. The committee wants to install the mosaic by Memorial Day, and the arch and sculpture by Labor Day.
Carpenter said they want to include neighborhood children on the committee to choose the design as well.
Council member Monica Robinson said she was concerned there wouldn’t be enough local input when choosing the design because the project committee is mostly made up of people outside of the Northeast Neighborhood.
“I just think you need to have some community members on it,” Robinson said. “I understand that they gave you the ideas, but in the deciding portion of it, they’re not included.”
Mayor Deanna Reed said she liked the idea of getting feedback from neighborhood children, but didn’t want to “dismiss what they have already done.” She said the Carpenters have “very intentionally involved the community” in the design process.
Council member Dany Fleming said there may be an opportunity to get more community feedback in the time between the submission deadline and the city council presentation.
City council members said they were appreciative of the donation of the public artwork to the city.
“I want to thank you for your generosity,” Council member Nasser Alsaadun said. “Harrisonburg is lucky.”
Also from Tuesday’s meeting:
- A change to the city zoning ordinance will allow meat processing facilities in the city where previously only poultry processing facilities were allowed. City council members approved the addition of specific language for meat processing facilities, and a process that will allow businesses to apply to run a meat processing facility. Poultry processing will continue to be the only kind of processing allowed by right within Harrisonburg.
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