Regional Cooperation: Coffee Hour

Elected officials from throughout Central Virginia probably run into one another frequently. There are social functions to attend, as well as sessions of regional boards. Civic groups sponsor events. These things usually occur in government buildings, community centers, conference rooms on corporate campuses, hotel banquet halls, and colleges and universities.

Kathy Graziano, Dan Gecker, and Joe Walton like Starbucks.

The Times-Dispatch's Wes Hester reported recently that the three gather at Starbucks every other Monday for coffee and conversation. As the representative of the 4th District, Graziano serves as president of Richmond's City Council. Gecker represents the Midlothian District on Chesterfield's Board of Supervisors. Walton is the supervisor for District One in Powhatan. The Graziano-Gecker-Walton trio makes geographic sense. Their districts are contiguous.

Informal meetings build trust. A shared round of joe promotes an intimacy with the potential to produce results in official settings. We hope the example catches on. And future candidate interviews in the Editorial premises will include crucial new questions: Bold coffee or mild, latté or straight? We will be predisposed to candidates who volunteer that they prefer Verona and French Roast.