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City Council

April 16, 2025 ·10:00 AM Final

Council Chamber, 2nd Floor - City Hall

Agenda PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 48 items

  1. 1 Call to Order
  2. 1 Council Members Present
  3. 2 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Plan Announcement
  4. 2 The Honorable Cynthia Newbille, President The Honorable Katherine Jordan, Vice President The Honorable Sarah Abubaker The Honorable Andrew Breton The Honorable Nicole Jones (late arrival) The Honorable Kenya Gibson The Honorable Ellen Robertson The Honorable Reva Trammell
  5. 3 Council Amendment Considerations
  6. 3 Members Absent
  7. 4 April 16, 2025 - FY 2026 Budget Amendment Work Session Documents CD.2025.131
  8. 4 The Honorable Stephanie Lynch
  9. 5 Adjournment
  10. 5 Others in Attendance
  11. 6 LaTanja Davenport, Council Budget Analyst Laura Drewry, City Attorney Tamiya Lunsford, Council Budget Analyst Nahdiyah Muhammad, Assistant City Clerk Will Perkins, Senior Council Legislative Services Manager Candice Reid, City Clerk Tabrica Rentz, Deputy City Attorney Debora Shaw, Council Management Analyst Matthew Slaats, Interim Council Chief of Staff Daniel Wagner, Interim Deputy Council Chief of Staff RJ Warren, Deputy City Clerk
  12. 8 President Cynthia Newbille called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m., and presided.
  13. 10 Upon the President's request, Assistant City Clerk Nahdiyah Muhammad provided information on the appropriate way to evacuate the Council Chamber in an emergency.
  14. 12 Matthew Slaats, Interim Council Chief of Staff (CCOS), provided Council with a presentation concerning proposed FY 2026 Budget amendments.
  15. 14 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
  16. 15 Councilor Nicole Jones arrived at 10:07 a.m., and was seated.
  17. 16 Daniel Wagner, Interim Deputy Council Chief of Staff (CCOS), provided Council with additional information regarding Council amendments and proposed reductions from positions left unfilled for at least three years.
  18. 17 Sabrina Joy-Hogg, Interim Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), provided Council with an overview of the proposed FY 2026 Budget and responses to the proposed Council amendments and personnel reductions.
  19. 18 Councilor Kenya Gibson stated the importance of all budget related documents given to Council being made available to the public.
  20. 19 Vice President Katherine Jordan stated that she agreed that meeting materials should be easily accessible. Vice President Jordan also stated that Council staff had difficulties providing materials prior to the meeting due to the documents needing constant up-to-date changes.
  21. 20 President Cynthia Newbille stated Council staff will upload all meeting documents for public viewing.
  22. 21 Interim CAO Joy-Hogg continued to provide Council with responses to the proposed personnel reductions.
  23. 22 Councilor Reva Trammell asked about the proposed reductions in Department of Social Services staffing at Southside Community Center.
  24. 23 Interim CAO Joy-Hogg provided Council with additional information regarding the proposed reductions to Social Services staff.
  25. 24 Councilor Ellen Robertson asked about the vacant positions listed on the provided documents regarding proposed personnel reductions.
  26. 25 Interim CAO Joy-Hogg stated that some vacant positions listed on the provided documents are in recruitment status, and some are in offer status. Interim CAO Joy-Hogg also stated that a position being vacant does not mean the department does not need that position.
  27. 26 Interim CAO Joy-Hogg and Council continued to discuss the proposed personnel reductions.
  28. 27 Interim Deputy CCOS Wagner provided and reviewed Council's proposed enhancements to the mayor's proposed FY 2026 Budget, which included, but were not limited to the following highlights:
  29. 28 • General Services - Wage Increase $20.00 per hour - Contracted Workers - Council's Proposed Amendment - $1,710,800
  30. 29 • Non-Departmental - Add to Family Crisis Grant Fund - Mayor's Proposal - $520,000 - Council's Proposed Increase - $1,000,000
  31. 30 • Non-Departmental - Trauma Healing Response Network - Mayor's Proposal - $300,000 - Council's Proposed Increase - $250,000
  32. 31 • Circuit Court - Provide Salary Adjustments for Deputy Clerks - Council's Proposed Amendment - $237,000
  33. 32 • Planning and Development Review - Add two Full-Time Rental Inspectors - Council's Proposed Amendment - $250,000
  34. 33 • Richmond Ambulance Authority - Ambulance Leases - Mayor's Proposal - $7,139,121 - Council's Proposed Increase - $2,200,000
  35. 34 • Richmond Public Schools (RPS) - RPS Operating - Mayor's Proposal - $9,600,000 - Council's Proposed Increase - $4,000,000
  36. 35 • Non-Departmental - UBU 100 - MLK Middle School - Council's Proposed Amendment - $350,000
  37. 36 • Non-Departmental - Underground Kitchen - Community First - Council's Proposed Amendment - $186,000
  38. 37 • Non-Departmental - Eviction Diversion Program (Southside Community Development) - Mayor's Proposal - $500,000 - Council's Proposed Increase - $200,000
  39. 38 Interim Deputy CCOS Wagner continued to provide Council with information about the proposed Council enhancements to the mayor's proposed budget.
  40. 39 Will Perkins, Senior Council Legislative Services Manager provided Council with the draft amendments to ORD. 2025-057.
  41. 40 Vice President Katherine Jordan asked if removing the non-budget related text amendments from ORD. 2025-057 will require additional amendments.
  42. 41 Mr. Perkins stated that non-budget related text amendments could be considered outside of the proposed text amendments.
  43. 42 Councilor Kenya Gibson stated that she will review all of the text amendments to the proposed budget and asked if proposed legislation regarding changes to the residency requirements can be expedited. Councilor Gibson expressed concerns regarding having sufficient time to review the proposed amendments.
  44. 43 President Cynthia Newbille requested for all non-budget related text amendments to be removed from ORD. 2025-057 and for Council to review and discuss only budget-related items.
  45. 44 President Newbille requested additional information regarding a budget amendment to increase hourly pay for contact workers.
  46. 45 Sabrina Joy-Hogg, Interim Chief Administrative Officer, provided Council with financial requirements to meet the increase for contracted workers. Ms. Joy-Hogg suggested that the increase become a budget amendment and will require an appropriation of $3.5 million.
  47. 46 Council continued to the discuss and make adjustments to the proposed Council amendments with city administration and Council staff.
  48. 48 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 12:24 p.m.