HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2011-10-05 VML award presentation
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Virginia Municipal Leagues Presents Leesburg Officials and
Staff With Achievement Award For Overhaul of Town’s Land
Development Processes
Leesburg, VA (October 5,
2011) – At the Virginia
Municipal League (VML)
annual conference in
Henrico County last night,
VML officials presented
the Town of Leesburg with
a 2011 Achievement
Award for the Town’s
reorganization of its land
development application
and permit process.
Mayor Kristen Umstattd,
Vice Mayor Kevin Wright,
Council members Katie
Hammler and Marty Martinez, Town Manager John Wells and a number of senior staff
members were on hand to receive the award.
“This award is an example of what Town staff and the Town Council can do whenever we put
our minds to it,” commented Mayor Kristen Umstattd. “I am extremely proud of John Wells,
our staff and our council members for their commitment to making Leesburg a wonderful place
to live and do business. You won't find a better town anywhere.”
“I am very excited and grateful for the recognition from VML for the Town’s Development
Process Improvements,” added Vice Mayor Kevin Wright. “The award reflects on the
outstanding team effort between the Town Council, our Town Manager, and Town Staff to
make Leesburg an outstanding community.”
“Leesburg's VML award is a significant achievement symbolizing the tremendous leadership of
our Town Manager, and the willingness of our hard-working staff to embrace change,” noted
Council Member Katie Hammler. “What is most gratifying is that by recognizing Leesburg's
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TOL PR 2011-10-05 VML Award presentation
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success, other towns and cities across our Commonwealth will be able to learn from Leesburg's
process improvements and improve their service delivery. If all Virginia Towns and Cities
embrace Leesburg's type of change, we will go a long way, collectively, to reach our shared goal
of making Virginia the best place to do business in the United States.”
“Having so many of the staff here this evening to be part of the award presentation was
particularly important to me,” said Council Member Marty Martinez. “The staff works with
development community on a daily basis and they deserve the recognition for the results of
their efforts to make land development in Leesburg a seamless and predictable process.”
Leesburg’s entry was judged as the best entry in the category for local governments with
populations between 35,001 and 90,000. There were eight entries submitted in this category.
The entries in the five population categories were evaluated on criteria that emphasized
innovation, efficiency and entrepreneurship. A copy of the Town’s nomination is available on
the Town website at www.leesburgva.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8024.
The Virginia Municipal League is a statewide, non-profit, non-partisan association of city, town
and county governments established in 1905 to improve and assist local governments through
legislative advocacy, research, education and other services. The membership includes all 39
cities in the Commonwealth, 159 towns and ten counties.
Contact:
Betsy Fields
Research & Communications Manager
bfields@leesburgva.gov
703-771-2734
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