BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) – The City of Bristol, Virginia completed its annual reorganization on Tuesday by electing a new mayor and vice-mayor who both say the landfill is the first item on their agendas.
Neal Osborne and Becky Nave were named mayor and vice-mayor, respectively, and the two represent a mix of experience in public service. Nave was newly elected to the council in July of 2021, and Osborne has previously served as both mayor and vice-mayor since his election in 2018.
“I’m very hopeful for where we’re going and where we’ve been,” Osborne said. “We’ve learned our lessons, we’ve got a lot of good stuff on the horizon. I have no preconceived notions that it’s going to be easy, but nothing worth doing is easy.”
The closure and cleanup of the city’s landfill is already looming as the largest challenge of the duo’s tenure, and they said as much when they sat down with News Channel 11.
“We know that’s still a huge issue, not only for our citizens but also for our budget,” Nave said. “It’s not going to be cheap for the city.”
The next few years are likely to feature some heavy expenses in the city’s budget as steps are taken to satisfy Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) requirements and expert advice. As the Bristol Casino continues to develop into a Hard Rock location, both Nave and Osborne said the city hopes for some revenue increases.
“They have specific things that that can be spent on,” Nave said. “Which could free up some funding in other areas that then we could use on the landfill and other things.”
Osborne said he’s still looking forward to the city’s next year, despite the obstacles he, Nave and the council will need to navigate.
“I’m an optimist at heart, so I’m very hopeful for where Bristol’s going. I truly believe, and I’ve said it a million times, this is the greatest hometown in the world to live in.”
