Sue Sgt comment Part 1. Make sure to hit 'refresh' for Substack to generate 'Expand full comment' at the bottom of each comment.
As Hamilton Palmer notes in his comment, Councilor Gerlach does have a credibility issue. IT'S TIME for Jon Gerlach to get off Council. It was a relief to watch his video to announce he was not running again.
For the past two years, the involved residents who show up at the Council meetings and give public comment see that Ward 2 Councilor Jon Gerlach is just part of the NONTRANSPARENCY that has infected this Council's ONE PARTY DEMOCRAT RULE on the dais.
They all have to vote 7-0. (as per FOIAed retreat document).
More sophisticated Councils know that for controversial issues, this 7-0 consistent ALL IN voting builds DISTRUST.
FOIAs that we've chipped in to pay for are the evidence for the behind-the-scenes manipulation of the people, the residents.
See the 10-1-24 email below of the exchange from Curry Roberts, University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg Regional Alliance, and how he personally addresses Jon Gerlach to get 8-12 DATA CENTERS at CVA Celebrate Virginia near the Fred Nats ballpark and within 200 ft of children in the apartments there and the seniors at 'Jubilation'.
This type of backdoor manipulation of the people to 'socialize' (brainwash) them would never fly with NoVA voters. But 22401 residents are seen as more easily taken advantage of.
Why do we see the tremendous effort of the residents in the surrounding counties to hold the DATA CENTER developers accountable for their invasion of our region, yet in The Burg, we have more than a few braying about the children in the public schools and it's about their future. and they are the ones who get the DATA CENTER revenue?
Because they've been 'socialized' (brainwashed) and Councilor Jon Gerlach was part of this.
Stafford Co is responding to DATA CENTERS. Similar to King George, Spotsy, Prince William, Loudoun, Fauquier, Fairfax counties. Drive out on Rt 3 West and see the large 'NO DATA CENTERS' banners in the Stafford and King George fields.
Yet here in Fredericksburg 22401 (only 10 sq miles with its ever-decreasing tree canopy and green space), we have Councilors Frye, Gerlach, Graham, Holmes, Mackintosh appointee Finn and Mayor Devine voting on 2-25-25 ('aggressively'/city's word) ALL IN 7-0.
They even ignored Planning Commission's vote a few days earlier of "NO, the Technology Overlay District for 8-12 DATA CENTERS was not ready, expressing concerns about BYRIGHT instead of a Conditional/Special Use Permit'.
Friends of the Rappahannock did not support the TOD. A few days later American Rivers named The Rapp 6th Most Endangered River in the US.
But we had Councilors in Oct 2024 participating with the DATA CENTER developer that Mayor Devine wouldn't name until After the 2-25-25 vote, despite citizens on fixed incomes and UMW students paying hundreds of dollars in FOIAs/Freedom of Info Act requests for this non-proprietary fact.
That the CVA DATA CENTER Developer is STACK INFRASTRUCTURE, with employee Kevin Hughes appointed by Council to be on the FXBG Economic Development Authority.
Some of these Councilors even participated in a 'socializing' (brainwashing) strategy on the 22401 residents.
'Socializing' is used by the billion-dollar DATA CENTER industry, Goliath against the resident Davids, to get them to bleat messaging:
Wearing James Monroe HS colors of orange/black on their buttons "I support DATA CENTERS' at the 2-25-25 Council meeting: 'for the public schools, for the children, for our future, for their future, for the children's future'.
Not one of them spoke up for the children and seniors who have to endure the CONSTANT noise of 8-12 DATA CENTERS within 200 ft of their homes.
The Virginia General Assembly JLARC report (12-9-25) states: DATA CENTERS should be in Industrial zones, 1000 ft away from residences.
Children near them in NoVA are getting headaches and struggling to sleep at night.
Some of those button wearers rushed out of the 2-25-25 Council meeting on the Hanover St sidewalk to catch up with those of us speaking up for the children in those apts, shell-shocked, that they didn't know the downside of DATA CENTERS and apologized for what they said at the mic.
Here's more about THE SOCIALIZING (brainwashing) these naive, gullible residents went through:
This is an email sent out by Curry Roberts, University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg Regional Alliance to outgoing Ward 2 Councilor Jon Gerlach:
"The purpose of this is to host a Building Construction Trades Council meeting in Fredericksburg to begin socializing the benefits of potential data center development in the City of Fredericksburg. Don Slaiman with IBEW Local 26 will be coordinating with the other Unions. Can you also propose an agenda Don?
Joel (Brittany), could we utilize the event space connected with Castiglia’s at a reduced charge? Could you have someone reach out to Don about food, which the FRA is willing to contribute towards? Kevin, would Stack be willing to contribute as well?
Joel and Kevin, we have Jon Gerlach and Chuck Frye attending from City Council for this one. Are you the two best to participate from the EDA? If it is more than two people from either body, it would make it a public meeting.
We would also like to invite some potentially allied groups who might be interested in learning about the significant job creation and tax benefits to the City. Two groups mentioned were representatives of the City teachers organization and the NAACP. Jon, can you and Chuck help with the NAACP? Kevin, can you speak with Jannan about who we should invite from the teachers association? The one time I spoke with her, she suggested the PTA as well".
With all this behind-the-scenes work to get to the 'aggressive' timeline to hurry up and pass the TOD/Technology Overlay District at Celebrate VA, the supporters of DATA CENTERS came out to bray about the money the schools would get. and 'it's for the children, our children, the schools need the money, the children are our future, we've got to have DATA CENTERS money for the children!'.
NOTE: Not one of them mentioned the historically 'equity-denied' children and families living within 200 ft of those noisy DATA CENTERS at 'Celebrate Virginia'. The ones who are targets for oppression by systemic discrimination.
We just don't have the data yet to show the harm of living 200 ft near them. 24/7 CONSTANT noise of them. JLARC noted reports of migraines, and NoVA News sources in the 'Digital Gateway for DATA CENTERS' in Prince William, documenting that children have headaches now and are struggling to sleep at night.
Here's what the NoVA online news sources write about. They're living the DATA CENTER explosion in their area, which is now coming here.
Those of us in the Fredericksburg Neighborhoods Coalition for the past two years, meeting 1X per week have learned from what they're going through. To hear 'the other side' of the story, like we used to have with a Council that had BALANCE on it and respected 'DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT':
“This election is the most important we’ve ever seen in Gainesville,” Harders said in his opening statement. “We’ve gone against Disney and others before, but this is the biggest challenge yet. It’s not just about saying no to data centers — it’s about saying yes to a vision that protects our watershed and reinvests in our community.”
[The FXBG Dem Committee reps at their Early Vote table in front of the 601 Caroline St, 5th floor, Registrar's Office? 'Not true. Not true. Not True. They don't use water. Not true'. ad nauseum].
Harders called for a five-year moratorium, warning that unchecked industrial growth threatens local drinking water and the environment. Stewart agreed, arguing that residents have lost trust in their government after years of opaque decision-making'.
“The job of a supervisor is to listen to the will of the people,” Stewart said. “When constituents say no, that’s what you do. You represent them — not developers.”
Harders said the county’s earlier handling of the Prince William Digital Gateway project — a 2,100-acre corridor planned for 37 data centers — was “reckless.” “We’ve been absolutely irresponsible with this issue,” he said. “It’s time for a new direction.”
In reference to the passing of Bd of Supervisors Bob Weir: 'Bob was a beloved leader who earned everyone’s trust,” Harders said. “We need to continue his mission to protect the Rural Crescent and bring integrity back to local government.”
Stewart agreed: “Bob didn’t care what political stripe you came from. He cared about the community. That’s the kind of leadership we need to bring back.”
Sue Sgt comment Part 2: That's what the Fredericksburg Community Coalition is trying to do in 22401 in working hard every day to elect the NON-PARTISAN Council and School Board candidates who refuse to take a political party endorsement because cities in Virginia are non-partisan:
These UNITY & TRANSPARENCY Council candidates will bring 'DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT' to the Council dais.
They listen to ALL residents. They refuse to participate in the Fredericksburg Democrats' endorsed blue ballot because it is dividing the city. The Democrat endorsed blue ballot: the lazy candidate's way of getting a vote instead of doing the sweat work, knocking the 1000s of doors that these hardworking, invested in the community candidates have been doing, some since 1-2-2025.
They are not beholden to Democratic politico bosses in the Democratic Party telling residents who they must vote for:
We want this NEW WAVE to come on Council. To return to TRANSPARENCY. The ones who 'walk their talk' in voter outreach at the voters' doors:
Ward 1: KEN GANTT (vote at Hugh Mercer ES); 8 years on Planning Commission;
Ward 2: ANNE LITTLE (vote at Dorothy Hart): Tree Fred volunteers planted more than 10,000 trees, increased the Bluebird population, has THE TIME to knock doors herself, every door possible, up to 2000 doors now. She'll read the city documents and understand them. That takes about 6-8 hours released late on Thursday to be prepared for the Tuesday Council meeting. She has THE TIME.
Ward 3: MATT KELLY. (vote at Gladys West ES. Same bldg. just different name). Experienced. Respected by regional partners because he won't sell them out as happened with current Councilors on eliminating the least expensive Bridge Crossing when they voted on 2-25-25 for the Technology Overlay District.
Ward 4: JESSE DOMINGUEZ. Out busting his bottom to get to voters. He's not being a part of the Fredericksburg Democratic endorsed divisive ballot doing all the work like his worn out incumbent-opponent is relying on that piece of paper to get him an easy vote. JESSE is 'feet on the ground' doing the sweat work to engage voters. That's the Councilor we want on the dais.
School Bd QUALITY candidates: Ward 3 SARAH STELMOK;
Ward 4: DR. STAN JONES (write in his name and make sure to color in the circle by his name. Vote for only one candidate.
We don't want the clone opponents who will just mimic/regurgitate info they've been told to say at the Council 'work sessions' and repeat it a few hours later on the Council dais. All talk. No substance. We don't want the ones who have participated in behind the scenes scenarios that we used to see in the open in FXBG.
As the rep from the Virginia Coalition for OPEN GOVERNMENT asked in an email: 'What has happened to Fredericksburg? It never used to be this way'.
Sue Sgt comment Part 1. Make sure to hit 'refresh' for Substack to generate 'Expand full comment' at the bottom of each comment.
As Hamilton Palmer notes in his comment, Councilor Gerlach does have a credibility issue. IT'S TIME for Jon Gerlach to get off Council. It was a relief to watch his video to announce he was not running again.
For the past two years, the involved residents who show up at the Council meetings and give public comment see that Ward 2 Councilor Jon Gerlach is just part of the NONTRANSPARENCY that has infected this Council's ONE PARTY DEMOCRAT RULE on the dais.
They all have to vote 7-0. (as per FOIAed retreat document).
More sophisticated Councils know that for controversial issues, this 7-0 consistent ALL IN voting builds DISTRUST.
FOIAs that we've chipped in to pay for are the evidence for the behind-the-scenes manipulation of the people, the residents.
See the 10-1-24 email below of the exchange from Curry Roberts, University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg Regional Alliance, and how he personally addresses Jon Gerlach to get 8-12 DATA CENTERS at CVA Celebrate Virginia near the Fred Nats ballpark and within 200 ft of children in the apartments there and the seniors at 'Jubilation'.
This type of backdoor manipulation of the people to 'socialize' (brainwash) them would never fly with NoVA voters. But 22401 residents are seen as more easily taken advantage of.
Why do we see the tremendous effort of the residents in the surrounding counties to hold the DATA CENTER developers accountable for their invasion of our region, yet in The Burg, we have more than a few braying about the children in the public schools and it's about their future. and they are the ones who get the DATA CENTER revenue?
Because they've been 'socialized' (brainwashed) and Councilor Jon Gerlach was part of this.
Stafford Co is responding to DATA CENTERS. Similar to King George, Spotsy, Prince William, Loudoun, Fauquier, Fairfax counties. Drive out on Rt 3 West and see the large 'NO DATA CENTERS' banners in the Stafford and King George fields.
Yet here in Fredericksburg 22401 (only 10 sq miles with its ever-decreasing tree canopy and green space), we have Councilors Frye, Gerlach, Graham, Holmes, Mackintosh appointee Finn and Mayor Devine voting on 2-25-25 ('aggressively'/city's word) ALL IN 7-0.
They even ignored Planning Commission's vote a few days earlier of "NO, the Technology Overlay District for 8-12 DATA CENTERS was not ready, expressing concerns about BYRIGHT instead of a Conditional/Special Use Permit'.
Friends of the Rappahannock did not support the TOD. A few days later American Rivers named The Rapp 6th Most Endangered River in the US.
But we had Councilors in Oct 2024 participating with the DATA CENTER developer that Mayor Devine wouldn't name until After the 2-25-25 vote, despite citizens on fixed incomes and UMW students paying hundreds of dollars in FOIAs/Freedom of Info Act requests for this non-proprietary fact.
That the CVA DATA CENTER Developer is STACK INFRASTRUCTURE, with employee Kevin Hughes appointed by Council to be on the FXBG Economic Development Authority.
Some of these Councilors even participated in a 'socializing' (brainwashing) strategy on the 22401 residents.
'Socializing' is used by the billion-dollar DATA CENTER industry, Goliath against the resident Davids, to get them to bleat messaging:
Wearing James Monroe HS colors of orange/black on their buttons "I support DATA CENTERS' at the 2-25-25 Council meeting: 'for the public schools, for the children, for our future, for their future, for the children's future'.
Not one of them spoke up for the children and seniors who have to endure the CONSTANT noise of 8-12 DATA CENTERS within 200 ft of their homes.
The Virginia General Assembly JLARC report (12-9-25) states: DATA CENTERS should be in Industrial zones, 1000 ft away from residences.
Children near them in NoVA are getting headaches and struggling to sleep at night.
Some of those button wearers rushed out of the 2-25-25 Council meeting on the Hanover St sidewalk to catch up with those of us speaking up for the children in those apts, shell-shocked, that they didn't know the downside of DATA CENTERS and apologized for what they said at the mic.
Here's more about THE SOCIALIZING (brainwashing) these naive, gullible residents went through:
This is an email sent out by Curry Roberts, University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg Regional Alliance to outgoing Ward 2 Councilor Jon Gerlach:
"The purpose of this is to host a Building Construction Trades Council meeting in Fredericksburg to begin socializing the benefits of potential data center development in the City of Fredericksburg. Don Slaiman with IBEW Local 26 will be coordinating with the other Unions. Can you also propose an agenda Don?
Joel (Brittany), could we utilize the event space connected with Castiglia’s at a reduced charge? Could you have someone reach out to Don about food, which the FRA is willing to contribute towards? Kevin, would Stack be willing to contribute as well?
Joel and Kevin, we have Jon Gerlach and Chuck Frye attending from City Council for this one. Are you the two best to participate from the EDA? If it is more than two people from either body, it would make it a public meeting.
We would also like to invite some potentially allied groups who might be interested in learning about the significant job creation and tax benefits to the City. Two groups mentioned were representatives of the City teachers organization and the NAACP. Jon, can you and Chuck help with the NAACP? Kevin, can you speak with Jannan about who we should invite from the teachers association? The one time I spoke with her, she suggested the PTA as well".
With all this behind-the-scenes work to get to the 'aggressive' timeline to hurry up and pass the TOD/Technology Overlay District at Celebrate VA, the supporters of DATA CENTERS came out to bray about the money the schools would get. and 'it's for the children, our children, the schools need the money, the children are our future, we've got to have DATA CENTERS money for the children!'.
NOTE: Not one of them mentioned the historically 'equity-denied' children and families living within 200 ft of those noisy DATA CENTERS at 'Celebrate Virginia'. The ones who are targets for oppression by systemic discrimination.
We just don't have the data yet to show the harm of living 200 ft near them. 24/7 CONSTANT noise of them. JLARC noted reports of migraines, and NoVA News sources in the 'Digital Gateway for DATA CENTERS' in Prince William, documenting that children have headaches now and are struggling to sleep at night.
Here's what the NoVA online news sources write about. They're living the DATA CENTER explosion in their area, which is now coming here.
Those of us in the Fredericksburg Neighborhoods Coalition for the past two years, meeting 1X per week have learned from what they're going through. To hear 'the other side' of the story, like we used to have with a Council that had BALANCE on it and respected 'DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT':
“This election is the most important we’ve ever seen in Gainesville,” Harders said in his opening statement. “We’ve gone against Disney and others before, but this is the biggest challenge yet. It’s not just about saying no to data centers — it’s about saying yes to a vision that protects our watershed and reinvests in our community.”
[The FXBG Dem Committee reps at their Early Vote table in front of the 601 Caroline St, 5th floor, Registrar's Office? 'Not true. Not true. Not True. They don't use water. Not true'. ad nauseum].
Harders called for a five-year moratorium, warning that unchecked industrial growth threatens local drinking water and the environment. Stewart agreed, arguing that residents have lost trust in their government after years of opaque decision-making'.
“The job of a supervisor is to listen to the will of the people,” Stewart said. “When constituents say no, that’s what you do. You represent them — not developers.”
Harders said the county’s earlier handling of the Prince William Digital Gateway project — a 2,100-acre corridor planned for 37 data centers — was “reckless.” “We’ve been absolutely irresponsible with this issue,” he said. “It’s time for a new direction.”
In reference to the passing of Bd of Supervisors Bob Weir: 'Bob was a beloved leader who earned everyone’s trust,” Harders said. “We need to continue his mission to protect the Rural Crescent and bring integrity back to local government.”
Stewart agreed: “Bob didn’t care what political stripe you came from. He cared about the community. That’s the kind of leadership we need to bring back.”
What is telling is that email from Curry Roberts. Advance, Stack and digital thursdays?
Sue Sgt comment Part 2: That's what the Fredericksburg Community Coalition is trying to do in 22401 in working hard every day to elect the NON-PARTISAN Council and School Board candidates who refuse to take a political party endorsement because cities in Virginia are non-partisan:
These UNITY & TRANSPARENCY Council candidates will bring 'DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT' to the Council dais.
They listen to ALL residents. They refuse to participate in the Fredericksburg Democrats' endorsed blue ballot because it is dividing the city. The Democrat endorsed blue ballot: the lazy candidate's way of getting a vote instead of doing the sweat work, knocking the 1000s of doors that these hardworking, invested in the community candidates have been doing, some since 1-2-2025.
They are not beholden to Democratic politico bosses in the Democratic Party telling residents who they must vote for:
We want this NEW WAVE to come on Council. To return to TRANSPARENCY. The ones who 'walk their talk' in voter outreach at the voters' doors:
Ward 1: KEN GANTT (vote at Hugh Mercer ES); 8 years on Planning Commission;
Ward 2: ANNE LITTLE (vote at Dorothy Hart): Tree Fred volunteers planted more than 10,000 trees, increased the Bluebird population, has THE TIME to knock doors herself, every door possible, up to 2000 doors now. She'll read the city documents and understand them. That takes about 6-8 hours released late on Thursday to be prepared for the Tuesday Council meeting. She has THE TIME.
Ward 3: MATT KELLY. (vote at Gladys West ES. Same bldg. just different name). Experienced. Respected by regional partners because he won't sell them out as happened with current Councilors on eliminating the least expensive Bridge Crossing when they voted on 2-25-25 for the Technology Overlay District.
Ward 4: JESSE DOMINGUEZ. Out busting his bottom to get to voters. He's not being a part of the Fredericksburg Democratic endorsed divisive ballot doing all the work like his worn out incumbent-opponent is relying on that piece of paper to get him an easy vote. JESSE is 'feet on the ground' doing the sweat work to engage voters. That's the Councilor we want on the dais.
School Bd QUALITY candidates: Ward 3 SARAH STELMOK;
Ward 4: DR. STAN JONES (write in his name and make sure to color in the circle by his name. Vote for only one candidate.
We don't want the clone opponents who will just mimic/regurgitate info they've been told to say at the Council 'work sessions' and repeat it a few hours later on the Council dais. All talk. No substance. We don't want the ones who have participated in behind the scenes scenarios that we used to see in the open in FXBG.
As the rep from the Virginia Coalition for OPEN GOVERNMENT asked in an email: 'What has happened to Fredericksburg? It never used to be this way'.
Why would Councillor Gerlach put his credibility to test?