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Informal Meeting

June 2, 2025 ·4:00 PM Final

Council Chamber, 2nd Floor - City Hall

Agenda PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 29 items

  1. 1 Call to Order
  2. 1 Councilmembers 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 The Honorable Nicole Jones The Honorable Stephanie Lynch The Honorable Ellen Robertson The Honorable Reva Trammell (late arrival)
  5. 3 Councilor Stephanie Lynch inquired regarding the safety of drinking water prior to the boil water advisory. Councilor Kenya Gibson inquired regarding a prior fluoride contamination and the disconnection of an oxidation agent process within the water system. Councilor Ellen Robertson requested that the list of various maintenance and training standard operating procedures submitted to Virginia Department of Health be redefined to include performance measures as well as budget and staffing analysis. Councilor Robertson asked whether there had been discussions concerning a possible establishment of a regional utility authority to manage the city’s water treatment plant, to which Mr. Morris stated he was focused on enhancing current contractual agreements with surrounding counties.
  6. 3 Staff Present
  7. 4 Docket Review
  8. 4 Lisa Braxton, Council Management Analyst, Principal Tori Cotman, Assistant, City Attorney Candice Reid, City Clerk Tabrica Rentz, Deputy City Attorney RJ Warren, Council Chief of Staff
  9. 5 Sheila White, Finance director, presented an update regarding the Finance department, which covered recent events related to the 2025 tax season, real estate mailing remediation, personal property improvements and modernization efforts. A copy of the presentation provided has been filed.
  10. 6 Other Discussion Item(s)
  11. 6 Council President Cynthia Newbille called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. and presided.
  12. 7 Water Treatment Plant Update
  13. 8 Water Treatment Plant Update Presentation CD.2025.193
  14. 8 Upon the President’s request, Council Management Analyst Lisa Braxton provided information on the appropriate way to evacuate the Council Chamber in an emergency.
  15. 9 Department of Finance Update
  16. 10 Modernizing the Finance Revenue Division Presentation CD.2025.195
  17. 10 Council Management Analyst Lisa Braxton reviewed the following agenda items as indicated: Consent Agenda: 1. Ord. 2025-014 – to be continued to Monday, June 23, 2025 2. Ord. 2025-032 – to be continued to Monday, June 23, 2025
  18. 11 Closed Session
  19. 11 3. Ord. 2025-046 – to be continued to Monday, June 9, 2025 4. Ord. 2025-078 – to be amended and continued to Monday, June 23, 2025 5. Ord. 2025-084 – to be amended and continued to Monday, June 23, 2025 6. Ord. 2025-086 – retained on Consent Agenda 7. Ord. 2025-087 – retained on Consent Agenda 8. Ord. 2025-090 – retained on Consent Agenda 9. Ord. 2025-091 – retained on Consent Agenda 10. Ord. 2025-093 – retained on Consent Agenda 11. Ord. 2025-095 – retained on Consent Agenda 12. Ord. 2025-096 – retained on Consent Agenda 13. Ord. 2025-097 – retained on Consent Agenda 14. Ord. 2025-098 – retained on Consent Agenda 15. Ord. 2025-101 – retained on Consent Agenda 16. Ord. 2025-102 – retained on Consent Agenda 17. Ord. 2025-103 – retained on Consent Agenda 18. Ord. 2025-104 – retained on Consent Agenda 19. Ord. 2025-105 – retained on Consent Agenda 20. Ord. 2025-106 – retained on Consent Agenda 21. Ord. 2025-107 – retained on Consent Agenda 22. Ord. 2025-108 – retained on Consent Agenda 23. Ord. 2025-109 – retained on Consent Agenda 24. Ord. 2025-110 – retained on Consent Agenda 25. Ord. 2025-111 – retained on Consent Agenda 26. Res. 2024-R041 – to be stricken Councilor Stephanie Lynch informed her colleagues of her intent to request that Res. 2024-R041 not be stricken but instead reconsidered for approval later that evening during the Formal Session of Council. Councilor Ellen Robertson shared the reasoning behind the Finance and Economic Development Standing committee’s recommendation to strike Res. 2024-R041, stating that the proposed request had been completed by city administration. 27. Res. 2025-R018 – retained on Consent Agenda 28. Res. 2025-R019 – retained on Consent Agenda Regular Agenda: 29. Ord. 2025-099 – retained on Regular Agenda 30. Ord. 2025-100 – to be continued to Monday, July 28, 2025 There were no further comments or discussions concerning Consent and Regular Agenda items reviewed.
  20. 12 At 5:07 p.m., Vice President Katherine Jordan moved that the City Council go into a closed meeting pursuant to subdivision (A)(3) and (A)(29) of section 2.2-3711 of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to discuss (i) the disposition of publicly held real property for the purpose of the City Center development project and (ii) the award of a contract or contracts involving the expenditure of public funds relating to such City Center development project and the terms and scope of such contract or contracts, because discussion in open session would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the City. The motion was seconded and approved: Ayes 8, Breton, Gibson, Jones, Robertson, Lynch, Abubaker, Jordan, Newbille. Noes None. Trammell had not yet arrived.
  21. 13 Adjournment
  22. 14 Scott Morris, Public Utilities director, presented an update on the water treatment plant, which included information regarding the recent boil water advisory, its primary cause, and corrective actions. A copy of the presentation provided has been filed.
  23. 17 Mr. Morris informed Council of plans to improve the Department of Public Utilities’ billing practices by implementing handheld meter readers and assigning additional resources to manage the billing exceptions process. Vice President Katherine Jordan inquired regarding the process to disengage surrounding counties from the city’s water system when it is in crisis. Mr. Morris clarified the needs of his department going forward to ensure the delivery of reliable water service to city residents. President Cynthia Newbille requested that responses to additional questions regarding the water crisis and boil advisory be discussed at the July Organizational Development Standing Committee meeting, along with findings from the Incident Response Assessment conducted by Hagerty Consulting.
  24. 21 President Cynthia Newbille asked her colleagues to forward outstanding questions regarding the presentation to city administration for follow-up discussion at a future meeting of Council.
  25. 24 Councilor Reva Trammell arrived at 5:11 p.m. and joined the closed session.
  26. 25 Councilor Nicole Jones motioned to exit closed session. The motion was seconded and approved: Ayes 7, Breton, Gibson, Jones, Robertson, Lynch, Abubaker, Newbille. Noes None. Trammell and Jordan had not yet returned to their seats.
  27. 26 Councilors reconvened in open session at 6:12 p.m. CERTIFICATION OF CLOSED MEETING June 2, 2025 WHEREAS, the Council has convened in closed meeting on this date pursuant to an affirmative recorded vote and in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; and WHEREAS, Section 2.2-3712 of the Code of Virginia requires a certification by the Council that such closed meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia law: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the Council hereby certifies that to the best of each member's knowledge (i) only public matters lawfully exempt from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the closed meeting to which this certifying resolution applies; and (ii) only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the closed meeting were heard, discussed or considered by the Council. WITNESS the following vote of Council members, as recorded by Candice D. Reid, City Clerk: CERTIFYING: DECLINING TO CERTIFY: Cynthia I. Newbille, President Katherine L. Jordan, Vice President Andrew S. Breton Kenya J. Gibson Sarah M.A. Abubaker Stephanie A. Lynch Ellen F. Roberton Reva M. Trammell Nicole Jones
  28. 28 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:14 p.m.
  29. 29 ___________________________________ CITY CLERK