docketcity.com
Home › Richmond › Meetings

City Council

April 29, 2024 ·1:00 PM Final ·Budget Work Session

Council Chamber, 2nd Floor - City Hall

Agenda PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 72 items

  1. 1 Call to Order
  2. 1 Councilmembers Present
  3. 2 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Announcement
  4. 2 The Honorable Kristen Nye, President The Honorable Ann-Frances Lambert, Vice President (early departure) The Honorable Nicole Jones (early departure) The Honorable Katherine Jordan The Honorable Cynthia Newbille The Honorable Stephanie Lynch (late arrival) The Honorable Ellen Robertson (late arrival) The Honorable Reva Trammell
  5. 3 Discussion and Finalization of Proposed Budget Amendments
  6. 3 Absent
  7. 4 April 29, 2024 Budget Work Session Documents CD.2024.145
  8. 4 The Honorable Andreas Addison
  9. 5 Adjournment
  10. 5 Others in Attendance
  11. 6 Myrtle Brown, Council Budget Analyst LaTanja Davenport, Council Budget Analyst Joyce Davis, Council Policy Analyst Laura Drewry, City Attorney LaTesha Holmes, Council Chief of Staff Tamiya Lunsford, Council Budget Analyst Kimberly Morris, Assistant City Clerk Adam Poser, Deputy Council Chief of Staff Candice Reid, City Clerk Tabrica Rentz, Deputy City Attorney Debora Shaw, Council Management Analyst Steven Taylor, Council Policy Analyst RJ Warren, Deputy City Clerk
  12. 8 Council President Kristen Nye called the meeting to order at 1:10 p.m. and presided.
  13. 9 page break
  14. 11 Upon the President's request, Assistant City Clerk Kimberly Morris provided information on the appropriate manner in which the Council Chamber is to be evacuated in the event of an emergency.
  15. 12 FY 2025 Proposed Council Budget Amendments
  16. 13 LaTesha Holmes, Council Chief of Staff (CCOS), provided Council with a presentation that addressed Council's proposed amendments for the FY 2025 Richmond government budget.
  17. 14 A copy of material provided has been filed.
  18. 16 General Fund Amendments
  19. 17 LaTesha Holmes, Council Chief of Staff (CCOS), provided Council goals, actions, and focus descriptions regarding Council's budget priorities. Ms. Holmes also recapped Council's planned budget work sessions with Council staff.
  20. 18 Councilor Cynthia Newbille stated that the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) provides a loan as opposed to a grant and will not cover her budget amendment request to fund training and consultants for minority businesses. Councilor Newbille noted that she will have a meeting with city administration regarding the issue, and that the budget amendment request can be paused.
  21. 19 Councilor Newbille inquired if the $2,315,900 is still a flat $300 bonus or a 5 percent bonus for retirees.
  22. 20 CCOS Holmes stated the amount was the additional funds needed to reach 5 percent.
  23. 21 President Kristen Nye stated administration has made a proposal in reference to increasing the retiree bonus and that $2.3 million is the delta of what Council will need to find if there is consensus.
  24. 22 Vice President Ann-Frances Lambert stated her Bright Minds RVA Chess Club budget amendment will be postponed until next year.
  25. 23 Councilor Ellen Robertson arrived at 1:27 p.m., and was seated.
  26. 24 Councilor Katherine Jordan stated the decrease in the CultureWorks funding request is to move $50,000 into the Public Arts Commission for resident artists and traffic calming projects.
  27. 25 President Nye stated Ord. No. 2024-077 will be considered on May 13, 2024, which includes administration's $100,000 reallocation for Housing Opportunities Made Equal.
  28. 26 Councilor Stephanie Lynch arrived at 1:33 p.m., and was seated.
  29. 27 Vice President Lambert gave a description for the proposed Richmond Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA) Mental Health and Trauma Healing expansion amendment.
  30. 28 Councilor Stephanie Lynch stated obtaining a report to see where funds are allocated for the RBHA Mental Health & Trauma Healing program will be helpful.
  31. 29 Councilor Nicole Jones stated it will be helpful to know which organizations are a part of the network involving RBHA Mental Health and Trauma Healing, and how it attributes to the city's plan.
  32. 30 Vice President Lambert stated that information will be provided to the members.
  33. 31 Councilor Robertson stated non-departmental funding information is not clear in the budget.
  34. 32 President Nye suggested Council meet again with RBHA and look at funds, allocations and impacts before moving on with the Council's proposed amount of $500,000.
  35. 33 Councilor Jones stated she would like to see information on organizations pertaining to intervention, prevention, crisis and aftercare to ensure proper assistance to citizens.
  36. 34 President Nye stated there is a list of organizations on the Mayor's webpage referencing gun violence prevention information.
  37. 35 Councilor Newbille clarified the entity of discussion is Richmond Behavioral Health Foundation and not Richmond Behavioral Health Authority.
  38. 36 Councilor Robertson stated she would like to make sure the best job is being done with the funds that have been appropriated for gun violence, and she may have an additional request for an amendment.
  39. 37 President Nye stated it will be difficult to consider another amendment due to time constraints; however, if there is Council consensus for an item, the request could possibly be included.
  40. 38 President Nye asked members if there was consensus on proposed amendments to the general fund budget.
  41. 39 Councilor Robertson inquired what is the total amount of amendments for which Council is asking.
  42. 40 CCOS Holmes stated the amount requested is $16,000,000.
  43. 41 Councilor Robertson inquired if the current work session is the first time the list of amendments has been provided to members.
  44. 42 President Nye reminded all about the timeline and that staff have been working on a list, and she would like to see focus and consensus due to the accelerated timeline.
  45. 43 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Amendments
  46. 44 LaTesha Holmes, Council Chief of Staff (CCOS), provided Council goals, actions, and focus descriptions regarding CIP amendments.
  47. 45 Vice President Ann-Frances Lambert clarified she will submit a text amendment for the Laburnum Median Improvements CIP.
  48. 46 President Kristen Nye stated the administration has found an old construction account with an additional $5,100,000 in it that city administration is proposing to move to the Richmond Public Schools Maintenance fund. An additional $2,500,000 is being proposed from the Mayor, for a total of $7,600.00, with an additional $10,000,000 through text amendment.
  49. 47 Councilor Newbille stated she is willing to defer $100,000 she put in for RVA League for Safer Streets, and she also stated it will take $2,000,000 to address needed wall repairs at St. John's Church.
  50. 48 President Nye stated Councilor Robertson's request will be updated, and she acknowledged that she does not want projects to get lost with changes in administration due to the upcoming election.
  51. 49 Proposed Text Amendments
  52. 50 LaTesha Holmes, Council Chief of Staff (CCOS), provided Council goals, actions, and focus descriptions regarding proposed text budget amendments. CCOS Holmes stated that $24,000,000 in funding from the Diamond District project is available for use.
  53. 51 Councilor Robertson stated an additional $1,200,000 will be needed to complete Whitcomb Park. Ms. Robertson also inquired what is the total CIP budget request and if staff had an opportunity to look at any sources of revenue to cover the $16,000,000 needed for amendments to the general fund.
  54. 52 President Nye requested a consensus on proposed CIP item, Mobile Home Repair and Replacement Program, and she stated city administration is requesting a reassessment and report by November.
  55. 53 Councilor Reva Trammell expressed concern about the reassessment request from administration for the Mobile Home Repair and Replacement Program. She stated if the CIP is revisited in November, it will possibly be too long for citizens to wait on repairs and the cost for materials could possibly increase.
  56. 54 Councilor Robertson asked what is in the proposed budget for mobile homes.
  57. 55 Lincoln Saunders, Chief Administrative Officer, stated there is no money for mobile homes in the proposed budget and they were looking at the results of the combined pilot. Mr. Saunders also stated CIP money cannot fund mobile home repair.
  58. 56 Councilor Robertson stated the mobile home and the public housing communities are old and in need of repair.
  59. 57 President Nye suggested to cut James River Park System (JRPS) funding to $2,000,000.
  60. 58 Councilor Lynch asked for clarification as to whether the $2,000,000 will go to the Department of Parks and Recreation and Community Facilities or the planned Department of General Services.
  61. 59 President Nye stated she was unsure of which department will receive the funding, but the money will go towards the JRPS master plan. She also stated the 1st Police Precinct and Fire Station 21 replacements ran over budget, and city administration requested that some of the $24,000,000 be used for these projects.
  62. 60 CCOS Holmes stated the three areas that were reviewed for reduction justifications are service impacts, business justifications and prior funding. The total amount of reductions across departments is $6,092,989.
  63. 61 Councilor Katherine Jordan stated her concerns about the lack of information on proposed reductions.
  64. 62 Councilor Cynthia Newbille stated she would like to understand the impact of reductions on the general fund budget.
  65. 63 Councilor Nicole Jones inquired how the general fund reductions will affect the Department of Social Service's transition.
  66. 64 Councilor Robertson inquired is it possible to identify first time funding for new positions in the budget that weren't funded the year before.
  67. 65 LaTanja Davenport, Council Budget Analyst, provided details on proposed general fund reductions.
  68. 66 Council Chief Of Staff LaTesha Holmes informed Council the proposed amendments will need to be submitted to the City Attorney's Office and she will inform Council of next steps.
  69. 67 Councilor Nicole Jones left the meeting at 3:11 p.m.
  70. 68 Vice President Ann-Frances Lambert left the meeting at 3:12 p.m.
  71. 70 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:13 p.m.
  72. 71 ___________________________________ CITY CLERK