docketcity.com
Home › Richmond › Meetings

Education and Human Services Standing Committee

October 9, 2025 ·2:00 PM Final

Council Chamber, 2nd Floor - City Hall

Agenda PDF Minutes PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 74 items

  1. 1 Persons requesting to provide comments virtually during the public hearings or public comment period held at this meeting, must call the Office of the City Clerk at (804) 646-7955, option 3, by no later than 10:00 a.m., on Thursday, October 9, 2025.
  2. 2 Committee and Other Council Members In Attendance
  3. 2 The Honorable Stephanie Lynch - Chair The Honorable Andrew Breton - Vice Chair The Honorable Nicole Jones - Member
  4. 3 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Plan Announcement and Public Speaker Guidelines
  5. 3 Staff in Attendance
  6. 4 Public Comment Period
  7. 4 Kiley Kesecker, Deputy City Clerk Kimberly Morris, Assistant City Clerk Pamela Nichols, Council Management Analyst Janet Palmer, Deputy City Attorney Will Perkins, Senior Council Legislative Services Manager Candice Reid, City Clerk
  8. 5 Presentation(s)
  9. 5 Call to Order
  10. 6 Family Crisis Fund Update
  11. 6 Chair Stephanie Lynch called the meeting to order at 2:02 p.m., and presided.
  12. 7 Family Crisis Fund Annual Report September 2024 – August 2025 CD.2025.303
  13. 8 Discussion Item(s)
  14. 8 Upon the Chair's request, Assistant City Clerk Kimberly Morris provided information on the appropriate way to evacuate the Council Chamber in an emergency along with public speaker guidelines.
  15. 9 Richmond Public Schools (RPS) Updates
  16. 10 Update from the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO) for Human Services
  17. 10 There were no public comment speakers.
  18. 11 page break
  19. 11 Discussion Item(s)
  20. 12 Paper(s) for Consideration
  21. 1. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Fiscal Agency Agreement between the City of Richmond and NextUp RVA for the purpose of authorizing NextUp RVA to act as a fiscal agent on behalf of the City to facilitate funding for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ 2025 CarMax Basketball Youth Development and Summer Camp program. ORD. 2025-224 recommended for approval
  22. 13 Jason Kamras, RPS Superintendent, provided the committee with an update regarding the results of the graduating class of 2025, support for multilingual learners, Standards of Learning (SOL) test results, and the collective bargaining resolution.
  23. 2. To approve the City of Richmond Plan of Services under the Virginia Juvenile Community Crime Control Act. RES. 2025-R041 recommended for continuance
  24. 14 Chair Stephanie Lynch extended an invitation to Superintendent Kamras to participate in a legislative roundtable meeting with the Virginia General Assembly Richmond delegation, to discuss a joint advocacy plan with highlights on state funding on October 29, 2025.
  25. 15 Board Vacancies
  26. 16 Education and Human Services Standing Committee Boards & Commissions Vacancy Report Thursday, October 9, 2025 CD.2025.300
  27. 17 Approval of Minutes
  28. 17 Stan Southworth, President and Chief Executive Officer for Humankind, provided the committee with a presentation regarding Family Crisis Fund updates including a family crisis overview, payment activity, payment types, and client demographics.
  29. 18 September 11, 2025 - Education & Human Services Standing Committee Meeting Minutes CD.2025.297
  30. 19 Staff Report
  31. 19 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
  32. 20 Education & Human Services Standing Committee Staff Report October 9, 2025 CD.2025.314
  33. 20 Member Andrew Breton asked how creditors and vendors were paid, and if there had been difficulty helping anyone in need of assistance. He asked what the criteria were for applications, and how Family Crisis funds were used during the water crises.
  34. 21 Mr. Southworth stated that there was some difficulty with W-9 submissions from vendors, and that Humankind was working with other partners, like Dominion Energy and landlords of those who were facing evictions, to ensure funds would be available to assist. He further stated an applicant cannot exceed $2,500.00 in assistance per calendar year. Mr. Southworth also stated applicants were allowed to use the Family Crisis Fund in conjunction with the Water Crisis Fund for assistance.
  35. 22 Vice Chair Nicole Jones asked for the next steps after an applicant receives assistance and how often an applicant could apply for the Family Crisis Fund.
  36. 23 Mr. Southworth stated the Family Crisis Fund supplies funds once per year, and that ongoing work was done by partner agencies.
  37. 24 Chair Stephanie Lynch suggested implementing a learning lab or module to give insight into the Family Crisis Fund. She stated it would be helpful to educate families, communities, and schools.
  38. 27 Amy Popovich, DCAO for Human Services, provided the committee with updates regarding the inclement weather shelter at the Salvation Army, the overflow shelter at CARITAS, the Office of Homeless Services and partnerships, federal shutdown impacts, and the gun violence prevention event.
  39. 29 Pamela Nichols, Council Management Analyst, reviewed board vacancies and applications for consideration by the committee.
  40. 31 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
  41. 32 Vice Chair Nicole Jones moved to forward the following board appointment applications to Council with a recommendation to approve, which was seconded and unanimously approved.
  42. 33 Advisory Board of Recreation and Parks: Anitra Rochelle Carter Aging and Disabilities Advisory Board: Laura Mallinak Richmond Public Library Board: Antione Green Social Services Advisory Board: Lisa Specter-Dunaway Kenrick Cameron, Jr.
  43. 34 Vice Chair Nicole Jones moved to continue the following board appointment application to the January 8, 2026 Education and Human Services Standing Committee meeting, which was seconded and unanimously approved.
  44. 35 Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Inc.: Vik Murthy
  45. 37 The following ordinance was considered:
  46. 39 Deborah Morton, Deputy Director with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, provided an introduction and additional background information regarding the proposed ordinance, stating that it would change the fiscal agent to NextUp RVA to support Pine Camp Arts and Community Center's youth basketball and summer camp program.
  47. 40 Public Hearing
  48. 41 There were no public hearing speakers.
  49. 42 Vice Chair Nicole Jones asked who the previous fiscal agent was for the basketball program. She also asked if the program was specific to Pine Camp youth, and if an expansion to the Broad Rock Community Center was possible.
  50. 43 Ms. Morton stated Enrichmond was the previous fiscal agent for the basketball camp, which was for all youth in the city, and the main site was Pine Camp. She also stated some league games were held at Broad Rock facilities, and additional funding from a foundation grant could possibly be used to expand the camp to the Broad Rock facility.
  51. 44 Member Andrew Breton asked if there was any relation between NextUp RVA and the Positive Youth Development Fund.
  52. 45 Ms. Morton stated there was no relation between the entities.
  53. 46 There were no further comments or discussions and Chair Stephanie Lynch moved to forward ORD. 2025-224 to Council with the recommendation to approve, which was seconded and approved: Ayes 3, Breton, Jones and Lynch. Noes, 0.
  54. 47 The following resolution was considered:
  55. 49 Shannon Paul, Deputy Director for the Department of Justice Services, provided an introduction and additional background information regarding the proposed ordinance. Ms. Paul stated that the proposed ordinance would continue to serve the youth in the community through early intervention, accountability, and rehabilitation.
  56. 50 DJS Program Narrative CD.2025.344
  57. 51 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
  58. 52 Public Hearing
  59. 53 There were no public hearing speakers.
  60. 54 Chair Stephanie Lynch asked how many youth were being served in the Virginia Juvenile Community Crime Control Act program.
  61. 55 Olivier Faye, Program and Operations Supervisor for the Department of Justice Services, gave projected statistics, and stated that the exact amount of youth participants currently in the program would have to be obtained by the department.
  62. 56 Chair Lynch stated that according to a Department of Juvenile Justice bill, a higher number of youth in diversion should qualify for a state match, and asked if the city utilizes the diversion program.
  63. 57 Ms. Paul confirmed that the city does use the diversion program.
  64. 58 Chair Lynch asked if convicted youth not in the diversion program would become incarcerated.
  65. 59 Ericka Wakefield, Program Supervisor for Youth Justice with the Department of Justice Services, stated the programs that were available without court involvement were the Youth Justice Leadership Program, Lift Messengers, and Youth Court.
  66. 60 Chair Lynch stated that according to the statistics that were presented, the program was not receiving many court cases, and asked if there were residential providers for the diversion program.
  67. 61 Ms. Paul stated they were willing to work to increase the number of cases for fiscal year 2027, and there were no residential providers for the program.
  68. 62 Chair Lynch requested data point cross system information involving the number of youth in the city that were in foster care to be presented at the November 13, 2025, Education and Human Services Standing Committee meeting.
  69. 63 There were no further comments or discussions and Chair Stephanie Lynch moved to continue RES. 2025-R041 to the November 13, 2025 Education and Human Services Standing Committee meeting, which was seconded and approved: Ayes 3, Breton, Jones and Lynch. Noes, 0.
  70. 64 page break
  71. 66 There were no amendments or corrections to the meeting minutes of September 11, 2025, and the committee approved the minutes as presented.
  72. 69 Council staff provided the committee with the October Education and Human Services Standing Committee staff report.
  73. 71 Adjournment
  74. 72 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:17 p.m.