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468 Mr. Maurice Cox, 702 Ridge Street, speaking as a parent and former Councilor of a student at Jackson-Via, said Council should have legislation that gives greater flexibility than what they are hearing tonight. He expressed concern that those models do not give the flexibility that will assure diversity. He noted that Albemarle County now has an all white School Board. He said he thinks we need at least three at large members. He said there could be difficulty in finding African-Americans to run as they are not often clustered around the elementary schools and the African-American School Board members over the past years have not been from those neighborhoods. He said we should not have narrowly focused wards. He asked that the School Board not be politicized. He said he did not vote in favor of an elected School Board. He said the School Board should advocate for all children, not just those in their ward. Mr. Richard Collins, 108 Wilson Court, said his children attended City schools and his grandchildren currently attend City schools. He said he did not vote in favor of an elected School Board because he thinks the existing system did hold people accountable. He said that now that the vote is in we should take time to help people gain office and should recruit young and new political talent. He said he favors district elections for many of the candidates. Mr. Paul Wagner, 841 Locust Avenue, supported a mixed system. He said he is comfortable with a compromise of a mixed ward and at large system. Mr. Kenneth Martin, 222 Lankford Avenue, supported a total ward system. He said this would make a big difference in the cost of campaigning. He said the School Board should not be reserved for those more affluent or with an organization behind them. He said not so much emphasis should be put on diversity, and it should not be the paramount purpose. He said in the last 30 years we have had a mostly mediocre School Board. He said he hopes to get people with expertise to improve the School system. Mr. M. Rick Turner, 1663 Brandywine Drive, said he had children in the City School system. He said he is President of the Albemarle/Charlottesville branch of the NAACP which endorsed an elected School Board. He said that since 1948 Council has appointed School Board members from four wards and three at-large, and he is surprised that Council wants to abandon this system. He said the NAACP believes a ward system would provide more diversity. He said at large elections would work against the goals of diversity and geographic representation. He said a ward system is the only way racial diversity can be met. Ms. Beth Kariel, 102 Tripper Court, said she worked for an elected School Board. She said an elected School Board can operate independent of the control of Council. She said at first glance she feels a mixed ward/at large system would be best, but she said she thinks we need to do more research. She said an at large system may be better in that School Board members would represent everyone and said that should be considered. She said she wants School Board members to know their constituents and their problems, but feels they should represent the entire community. Mr. Bob Hodous, 1309 Lester Drive, said he has heard that ward representatives can work against each other and at large representatives represent all. He said in Albemarle County where they have a ward set up, when something specific to that area occurs they can get advice from each other. He said they are also not competitive with others on the Board because they did not have to run against them. He said he feels a ward system with six ward representatives and one at large or four ward representatives and three at large would be fine. He said he feels this would have a positive effect and no negative effect. Ms. Virginia Daugherty, 104 W. High Street, said that what is valuable about an at large system is they have the viewpoint of all citizens, there is more choice and more participation and interest in each seat. She said when an issue comes up citizens have a chance to lobby each member, not just their ward representative. As there were no further speakers, the public hearing was closed.