Suffolk Councilman Roger Fawcett will assume the chairmanship of a key Virginia Municipal League committee that helps shape policy goals to lobby the General Assembly.

Fawcett had been the vice-chairman of the Legislative Committee, but will take over as chairman with Thursday’s meeting in Richmond. He said it’s the first time since at least 2006 that someone from Suffolk has been either vice chairman or chairman of the committee.

“It’s such an honor for me being the council member from Suffolk to be selected as VML’s legislative committee chairman for 2019,” Fawcett said. “That’s a pretty good, significant appointment, because not too many people get to do it.”

The role of the 24-member legislative committee is responsible for outlining positions on existing or proposed state or federal legislation or regulations, and urges for the adoption or rejection of those legislative items.

The VML executive committee appoints members to the legislative committee, with 12 members coming from cities and urban counties with populations of at least 35,000 people, six coming from cities and urban counties of fewer than 35,000 people, and another six representing towns.

The Legislative Committee meets ahead of the policy committees to identify issues that it wants those other committees to consider for potential inclusion in the VML’s legislative program. It meets again after the policy committees have met to consider their recommendations.

Policy committees include those on community and economic development, environmental quality, finance, general laws, human development and education, and transportation.

Fawcett said he expects there to be a focus on education and workforce development, broadband mapping, E-911 funding, scooters and state budget expectations.

“One of the big items that’s going to get talked about again this year is broadband,” Fawcett said. “Suffolk is in need of broadband, because there’s areas of Suffolk that have no connectivity at all.”

Fawcett said after the policy committees meet in July, the Legislative Committee would meet again Sept. 6 to “dissect it down and put it in a priority format.”

VML’s membership will then take the Legislative Committee’s recommendations and vote to adopt its agenda for 2020.

“I look at it as an opportunity for us to engage from a different angle, not just one specific angle,” Fawcett said.