Informal Meeting

Council Chamber, 2nd Floor - City Hall

Agenda — 24 items

1. 1 Call to Order
2. 1 Council Members Present
3. 2 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Announcement
4. 2 The Honorable Cynthia Newbille, President The Honorable Katherine Jordan, Vice President The Honorable Sarah Abubaker The Honorable Andrew Breton The Honorable Kenya Gibson (late arrival) The Honorable Nicole Jones The Honorable Ellen Robertson The Honorable Reva Trammell
5. 3 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:07 p.m.
6. 3 Absent
7. 4 Docket Review
8. 4 The Honorable Stephanie Lynch
9. 5 ___________________________________ CITY CLERK
10. 5 Staff Present
11. 6 Other Discussion Item(s)
12. 6 Lisa Braxton, Council Management Analyst, Principal Laura Drewry, City Attorney Kiley Kesecker, Deputy City Clerk Candice Reid, City Clerk Tabrica Rentz, Deputy City Attorney RJ Warren, Council Chief of Staff
13. 7 Office of Community Wealth Building (OCWB) Annual Impact Report - FY 2025
14. 8 Office of Community Wealth Building Annual Impact Report - FY 2025 Presentation and Report CD.2025.315
15. 8 Council President Cynthia Newbille called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. and presided.
16. 9 Adjournment
17. 10 Upon the President’s request, Council Management Analyst Lisa Braxton provided information on the appropriate way to evacuate the Council Chamber in an emergency.
18. 12 Council Management Analyst Lisa Braxton reviewed the following agenda items as indicated:
19. 13 Consent Agenda: 1. Ord. 2025-014 – to be continued to Monday, November 10, 2025 2. Ord. 2025-079 – retained on Consent Agenda 3. Ord. 2025-081 – retained on Consent Agenda 4. Ord. 2025-113 – to be continued to Monday, November 10, 2025 5. Ord. 2025-150 – to be continued to Monday, November 10, 2025 6. Ord. 2025-174 – to be amended and continued to Monday, November 10, 2025 7. Ord. 2025-209 – to be continued to Monday, November 10, 2025 8. Ord. 2025-210 – to be amended and continued to Monday, November 10, 2025 9. Ord. 2025-211 – to be amended and continued to Monday, November 10, 2025 10. Ord. 2025-212 – retained on Consent Agenda 11. Ord. 2025-213 – retained on Consent Agenda 12. Ord. 2025-214 – to be amended and continued to Monday, November 10, 2025 13. Ord. 2025-215 – to be continued to Monday, November 10, 2025 14. Ord. 2025-216 – retained on Consent Agenda 15. Ord. 2025-217 – retained on Consent Agenda 16. Ord. 2025-218 – retained on Consent Agenda 17. Ord. 2025-219 – retained on Consent Agenda 18. Ord. 2025-220 – retained on Consent Agenda 19. Ord. 2025-221 – retained on Consent Agenda 20. Ord. 2025-222 – to be continued to Monday, November 10, 2025; Referred to the October 28, 2025 Public Safety Standing Committee meeting Per a prior request from Councilor Reva Trammell, it was the consensus of Council to refer Ord. 2025-222 to the October 28, 2025 Public Safety Standing Committee meeting for recommendation and the November 10, 2025 Council meeting for consideration.
20. 14 Councilor Kenya Gibson arrived at 4:05 p.m. and was seated.
21. 15 21. Ord. 2025-223 – retained on Consent Agenda 22. Ord. 2025-224 – retained on Consent Agenda 23. Ord. 2025-226 – retained on Consent Agenda 24. Res. 2025-R041 – to be continued to Monday, December 8, 2025 Regular Agenda: 25. Ord. 2025-161 – to be amended and continued to Monday, November 10, 2025 26. Ord. 2025-184 – retained on Regular Agenda 27. Ord. 2025-185 – retained on Regular Agenda 28. Ord. 2025-186 – retained on Regular Agenda 29. Ord. 2025-190 – to be continued to Monday, November 10, 2025 30. Ord. 2025-191 – retained on Regular Agenda 31. Ord. 2025-207 – retained on Regular Agenda 32. Ord. 2025-208 – retained on Regular Agenda Councilor Kenya Gibson, mentioning the need to receive information regarding fiscal year 2025 surplus, moved to continue Ords. 2025-207 and 2025-208 to the November 10, 2025 Council meeting. The motion failed for lack of a second. President Cynthia Newbille mentioned Rule IV(K) of Council’s Rules of Procedure regarding the maximum time allowed by each member to speak to an agenda item following its public hearing. In anticipation of a significant number of individuals participating in the public hearing for Ords. 2025-207 and 2025-208 later that evening during the Formal Session of Council, President Newbille also mentioned reducing the time limit for each public hearing speaker from three to two minutes. There were no further comments or discussions concerning Consent and Regular Agenda items reviewed.
22. 16 Page Break
23. 19 Mayor Danny Avula provided a presentation regarding the Office of Community Wealth Building’s FY 2025 annual impact report, which included poverty reduction goals, OCWB’s contributions and programs, highlighted FY 2025 outcomes, and the city's future strategies for a path forward to help eliminate poverty. A copy of the presentation and report provided have been filed.
24. 21 Councilor Ellen Robertson acknowledged OCWB staff, ambassadors, and members of the Maggie L. Walker Initiative Citizens Advisory Board for their hard work. Councilor Robertson thanked Thad Williamson, senior policy advisor to the Mayor’s Office, for his prior contributions towards the inception of the Office of Community Wealth Building. Ms. Robertson requested an opportunity to discuss the impact that federal government changes are having on families of poverty with city administration. Councilor Kenya Gibson, commenting on the city poverty rate, asked if the analysis defined the percentage of individuals voluntarily leaving the city verses those being financially forced out. Councilor Nicole Jones requested information concerning the strategy to coordinate city-wide efforts to reduce poverty after it was noted that several other city departments also provide resources towards the effort. Caprichia Spellman, OCWB director, was also available to answer questions regarding OCWB’s annual impact report.