After a petition opposing a potential war in Iraq and bearing over 2,000 signatures was presented to Charlottesville City Council on Tuesday, Council members will vote to pass their own resolution addressing the threat of war early next month.
"This is an issue that comes very, very close to home for us, and when 2000 citizens petition you to take a stand, I feel an obligation to be responsive," Mayor Maurice Cox said.
The Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice presented the petition on Tuesday along with a resolution that it had drafted opposing war with Iraq.
Board member Sarah Lanzman said the Center included the signatures in order to show Charlottesville's wide support for peace, and to encourage Council not to deviate too far from their original resolution.
"You can go ahead and change it, but if you change it too drastically, it's not what the people are supporting," she said.
Cox said it is the norm for Council to draft its own resolutions.
"Resolutions have to reflect opinions of those on Council," he said.
The center's resolution was "an extraordinarily forceful and decisive resolution against war with Iraq," Cox said.
The original resolution joined 42 other cities, including Washington, D.C. and Seattle, in declaring a "City for Peace."
"It's a very powerful concept," Cox said.
The resolution being drafted by Council will "put forward ideas that are consistent with those goals" expressed in the original resolution, he added.
Council member Blake Cavarati said he wants changes to the center's resolution to include strengthening support for the military.
"I'm not going to vote for anything that doesn't show support for our men and women in the armed services," he said, adding that he might draft a separate resolution with that as the sole aim instead of including it in the larger resolution addressing war.
Cavarati also was concerned about the length of the resolution.
"It's too long and rambling," Cavarati said of the resolution the center presented. "I'm trying to draft a one-pager."
Lanzman said the center expected changes to the original resolution and were "fine" with adding more vocal support for the military.
"We don't want any lives lost on any sides," she said.
Lanzman said she is cautious about altering the basic message of the resolution.
"I'm interested in seeing how they change it," she said. "We hope they don't change the tone."
The resolution is still in the process of being written by Council and its staff.
Cox said he could not predict what will happen when Council votes on Feb. 3.
"I am for a peaceful solution to the push for war in Iraq," he said.
Cox said he expects a "very stimulating debate on the issue."
There are five Council members and the resolution needs to pass by a majority vote.
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