Mayor to visit Occupy Richmond protesters today

Signaling a limit to his lenience, Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones said he will visit the Occupy Richmond protesters today about their encampment at Kanawha Plaza.

Jones said that as a "child of civil rights" and protests, he had allowed the group to remain in the park but understands his mayoral responsibility to uphold laws of the city.

"There comes a point where that discretion has got to be tempered and something will have to change," he said Wednesday at the Richmond Times-Dispatch's Public Square forum series.

For 90 minutes, Jones spoke and answered questions from residents on a wide range of topics, including the city's deep-rooted problems with poverty, violence and other challenges with downtown nightlife, and potential development along North Boulevard and in Shockoe Bottom.

Overall, Jones said, his administration has accomplished much in its three years, improving the city's financial position, managing budgets, and moving forward to build new schools and a new jail despite a weak economy.

Jones also offered a vision for an inclusive, bike-friendly, environmentally conscious city that has improved access to the James River, better public transportation, a revitalized Broad Street, and amenities such as a new civic arena and baseball stadium.

"We're not in the best of economic times, but we've got to have vision. We've got to think big. We've got to think beyond today," he told the crowd of about 100 people, which included members of his senior staff.

The tone of the evening was serious but conversational and light, although Jones was challenged by speakers on several occasions. Times-Dispatch President and Publisher Thomas A. Silvestri, who moderated the session, had to not-so-subtly nudge several speakers to ask questions rather than make prolonged statements.

Howard Elford of Richmond asked the mayor why he had pushed to collect a $63.2 million debt from the region's expressway system without exploring other options.

Jones responded that the debt had been on the table for decades and that the city, by receiving payment, would be giving up none of its rights of eventual ownership of the toll-road system. He also said that no proposal for a lease or private operation of the system had been presented and that one could be considered at any time, even with the debt paid.

"But we can't deal in probability. We can only deal in reality," he said, cautioning residents to not believe "political hype" that privatization could result in a larger payout for the city without a downside.

Jones has not announced whether he plans to seek re-election next year, but he may have revealed his hand. He suggested delaying any decision about use of the $62.3 million until after the 2012 elections for mayor and City Council "so we can suck the politics out of it."

In responding to a speaker, Jones said he agreed that the city should study how to develop prime land it owns along North Boulevard, where a replacement stadium for The Diamond has been envisioned in talks with the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels.

"We need to do a comprehensive study of the Boulevard area. We need to do it quickly because it is a wonderful opportunity for us," he said. "There are developers with ideas … but we have got to take a step back and make sure we're driving the train."

Jones also said his administration would release a long-awaited plan for revitalization of Shockoe Bottom on Tuesday. He nixed a speaker's suggestion that the area once again be considered for a sports venue and said an improved Main Street Station would be the emphasis.

Asked about controversial development proposals for the riverfront east of downtown and in Carver, Jones said he would make sure that river views from Libby Hill are preserved and that city officials work closely with Virginia Commonwealth University to manage its student-housing needs.

Jones said he's pushing to make the city's workforce more customer-friendly and sees a need to merge visions with the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. He said there's little accountability after the City Council appoints members of the authority's board of commissioners.

He referred to one RRHA redevelopment project "that's been going on for 16 years, and it's still not finished."