City Council
Council Chamber, 2nd Floor - City Hall
Agenda — 36 items
- 1 Council Members Present
- 2 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Plan Announcement
- 2 The Honorable Cynthia Newbille, President The Honorable Katherine Jordan, Vice President The Honorable Sarah Abubaker The Honorable Andrew Breton The Honorable Kenya Gibson The Honorable Nicole Jones The Honorable Ellen Robertson The Honorable Reva Trammell
- 3 Formal Budget Presentation
- 3 Absent
- 4 Introduction of Legislation
- 4 The Honorable Stephanie Lynch
- 5 Motion to Suspend the Rules
- 5 Call to Order
- 6 Adjournment
- 6 Council President Cynthia Newbille called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. and presided.
- 8 Upon the President's request, Deputy City Clerk Kiley Kesecker provided information on the appropriate way to evacuate the Council Chamber in an emergency.
- 10 Mayor Danny Avula presented the proposed Annual Fiscal Plan for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27), and the city’s proposed Capital Improvement Plan for Fiscal Years 2027-2031, which included the following highlights:
- 11 • Total General Fund revenues projected at $1,099,079,826 for FY27
- 12 • A local contribution increase of $8.2 million in funding for Richmond Public Schools’ FY27 budget
- 13 • An investment of $43 million in accessible housing to include $11.7 million to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund
- 14 • An investment of $263.5 million in city staff and labor partners, and to fulfill the city's collective bargaining agreements
- 15 • A 2% reduction in departmental budgets
- 16 • A 3.25% salary increase for general employees in a collective bargaining agreement
- 17 • A 3% salary increase for all eligible general employees not in a collective bargaining agreement to be implemented January 2027
- 18 • A 6.73% salary increase for all sworn police and fire personnel
- 20 March 11, 2026 Introduction Papers List
- 21 City Council will hold a public hearing on the following ordinances on Monday, March 23, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.:
- 1. To adopt the annual budget, which includes all of the separate current expense budgets for the general operation of the City government and for each utility as defined in ch. 13 of the City Charter and provides for increases to certain fees for the fiscal year commencing Jul.1, 2026, and ending Jun. 30, 2027, and to appropriate the estimated revenues for such fiscal year for the objects and purposes stated in such budget. (As Amended)
- 2. To appropriate and to provide funds for financing the school budget for the fiscal year commencing Jul. 1, 2026, and ending Jun. 30, 2027.
- 3. To accept a program of proposed Capital Improvement Projects for the fiscal year beginning Jul. 1, 2026, and for the four fiscal years thereafter; to adopt a Capital Budget for the fiscal year beginning Jul. 1, 2026; and to determine the means of financing the same. (As Amended)
- 4. To adopt a new pay plan for the City for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 and to repeal Ord. No. 2025-059, adopted May 12, 2025, and all amendatory ordinances thereto. (As Amended)
- 5. To authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and notes of the City of Richmond in the maximum principal amount of $135,014,135 to finance the cost of school projects and general capital improvement projects of the City for the following purposes and uses: construction, reconstruction, improvements and equipment for public schools; construction, reconstruction, improvement and equipment for various infrastructure needs, including transit facilities, traffic control facilities, streets, sidewalks and other public ways, bridges, storm sewers, drains and culverts, street lights, floodwall and levee system facilities and refuse disposal facilities; construction, reconstruction, improvement and equipment for public safety and other governmental purposes; to make grants or loans to assist in financing capital expenditures for the purposes of promoting the development of housing projects for the benefit of persons with low or moderate incomes; participation in redevelopment, conservation and community development programs, including the construction, reconstruction, improvement and equipment for targeted public facilities included in these programs; construction, reconstruction, improvements and equipment for public institutional, operational, cultural, educational and entertainment buildings and facilities, including but not limited to the theaters, parks, playgrounds, cemeteries, libraries and museums; acquisition of real property therefor as appropriate; and the making of appropriations to the City’s Economic Development Authority and the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority to be used to finance capital expenditures or to make loans or grants to finance capital expenditures or to make loans or grants to finance capital expenditures for the purposes of promoting economic development or promoting the development of housing projects for the benefit of persons with low or moderate incomes; to authorize the Director of Finance, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City, to sell such bonds for such capital improvement projects; to provide for the form, details and payment of such bonds; to authorize the issuance of notes of the City in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds; and to authorize the issuance of such bonds as either federally tax-exempt bonds or federally taxable bonds, or both.
- 6. To authorize the issuance of general obligation public improvement bonds of the City of Richmond in the maximum principal amount of $9,778,140 to finance the cost of capital improvement projects of the stormwater utility of the City for the following purposes and uses: replacement of and upgrades to the stormwater facilities, including but not limited to, construction, reconstruction, improvements, rehabilitation and upgrades of stormwater sewers and associated facilities; new and replacement infrastructure of the storm sewer system, drainage structures, catch basins, ditches, storm sewer pipes, culverts, green infrastructure; acquisition of real property therefor as appropriate; and equipment for various infrastructure needs; to authorize the Director of Finance, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City, to sell such bonds for such capital improvement projects; to provide for the form, details and payment of such bonds; to authorize the issuance of notes of the City in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds; and to authorize the issuance of such bonds as either federally tax-exempt bonds or federally taxable bonds, or both.
- 7. To authorize the issuance of public utility revenue bonds of the City of Richmond in the maximum principal amount of $314,003,404 to finance the cost of capital improvement projects of the gas, water and wastewater utilities and public utility buildings and facilities for the following purposes and uses: enlargement, extension, repair, replacement, improvement and equipping of the gas plant, gate stations, transmission, distribution and service lines and associated metering equipment; enlargement, extension, repair, replacement, improvement and equipping of the waterworks plant, pump stations, transmission, distribution and service lines and associated metering equipment; enlargement, extension, repair, replacement, improvement and equipping of the wastewater plant and intercepting lines; construction, reconstruction, repair, replacement, and improvement of sanitary and storm water sewers, pumping stations, drains and culverts; construction, reconstruction, repair, replacement, improvement and equipping of public utility buildings and facilities therefor, including but not limited to the stores division; and acquisition of real property and real property rights (including without limitation easements and rights-of-way) therefor as appropriate; to authorize the Director of Finance, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City, to sell such bonds for such capital improvement projects; to provide for the form, details and payment of such bonds; to approve the form of supplemental indenture of trust; to authorize the issuance of notes of the City in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds; and to authorize the issuance of such bonds as either federally tax-exempt bonds or federally taxable bonds, or both.
- 8. To authorize the issuance of general obligation equipment notes of the City of Richmond in the maximum aggregate principal amount of $11,000,000 to finance the costs of equipment and vehicles for the various departments, bureaus and agencies of the City and the Richmond Ambulance Authority; and to authorize the Director of Finance, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City, to issue and sell equipment notes to finance the acquisition of such equipment and vehicles; to provide for the form, details and payment of such notes; and to authorize the issuance of such notes as either federally tax-exempt notes or federally taxable notes, or both.
- 9. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer to submit a PY 2026-2030 Consolidated Plan and PY 2026 Annual Action Plan to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as an application for the receipt of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) funds; to accept funds from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the total amount of $12,553,779.59; and to appropriate $12,553,779.59 for various projects. (As Amended)
- 32 Vice President Katherine Jordan moved to suspend Rule VI of Council’s Rules of Procedure for all budget-related ordinances, introduced that day, so that those ordinances are not referred to or reviewed by a standing committee, but are instead reviewed during a budget review process developed by the Council and the Council Chief of Staff and heard during the budget public hearing scheduled for Monday, March 23, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. The motion was seconded and approved: Ayes 8, Breton, Gibson, Jones, Robertson, Trammell, Abubaker, Jordan, Newbille. Noes None.
- 33 page break
- 35 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:39 p.m.
- 36 ___________________________________ CITY CLERK