SR 96 (161st Virginia General Assembly)

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 96 Commending Elizabeth Stamoulis Via-Gossman.

Agreed to by the Senate, January 28, 2021

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Stamoulis Via-Gossman, assistant city manager of the City of Manassas, who has ably guided the planning decisions of localities throughout the Commonwealth for more than 30 years, was named to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners in 2020; and

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Via-Gossman received a bachelor’s degree in historic preservation from the University of Mary Washington in 1985 and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from The George Washington University in 1992; and

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Via-Gossman contributed to innovative and inclusive community planning in the Counties of Henrico and Prince William and the City of Hampton, but has spent the majority of her career with the City of Manassas, serving the locality as its director of community development from 1990 to 2020 and as its assistant city manager thereafter; and

WHEREAS, over Elizabeth Via-Gossman’s tenure, Manassas has transformed into a significant arts and entertainment destination in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, with her strategic plans encouraging a proliferation of downtown restaurants and venues that draw visitors from near and far; and

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Via-Gossman has championed transit-oriented design, including the implementation of a commuter rail to Washington, D.C. that has improved residents’ commutes and added residential value to the community of Manassas; and

WHEREAS, the Manassas Neighborhood Services Program that Elizabeth Via-Gossman spearheaded from 2006 to 2017 was recognized for its innovation in 2011 with a President’s Award from the Virginia Municipal League; and

WHEREAS, dedicated to cultivating excellence in her industry, Elizabeth Via-Gossman is a past president of the Virginia chapter of the American Planning Association and has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners since 1993; and

WHEREAS, with great sagacity and vision for fostering a vibrant and thriving community, Elizabeth Via-Gossman has helped make Manassas a wonderful place to live, work, and play; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That Elizabeth Stamoulis Via-Gossman, assistant city manager of the City of Manassas, hereby be commended on the occasion of being inducted to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Elizabeth Stamoulis Via-Gossman as an expression of the Senate of Virginia’s profound admiration for her contributions to Manassas and the Commonwealth.