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April 22, 2024 ·1:00 PM Final ·Budget Work Session

Council Chamber, 2nd Floor - City Hall

Agenda PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 55 items

  1. 1 Call to Order
  2. 1 Members Present
  3. 2 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Plan Announcement
  4. 2 The Honorable Kristen Nye – President The Honorable Ann-Frances Lambert – Vice President The Honorable Nicole Jones The Honorable Katherine Jordan The Honorable Stephanie Lynch (late arrival) The Honorable Cynthia Newbille The Honorable Ellen Robertson The Honorable Reva Trammell (late arrival)
  5. 3 Update on Non-Departmental Requests
  6. 3 Absent
  7. 4 New Department Review and Enhancements
  8. 4 The Honorable Andreas Addison
  9. 5 Department of General Services
  10. 5 Others in Attendance
  11. 6 April 22, 2024 Budget Work Session - Overview of New Departments Presentation CD.2024.133
  12. 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 Pamela Nichols, Council Management Analyst Adam Poser, Deputy Council Chief of Staff Candice Reid, City Clerk Tabrica Rentz, Deputy City Attorney Debora Shaw, Council Management Analyst RJ Warren, Deputy City Clerk
  13. 7 - Community and Neighborhood Support
  14. 8 Overview of Non-Departmental CD.2024.134
  15. 8 President Kristen Nye called the meeting to order at 1:08 p.m., and presided.
  16. 9 -
  17. 9 Councilor Reva Trammell arrived at 1:10 p.m., and was seated.
  18. 10 Office of the Council Chief of Staff Overview and Next Steps
  19. 10 page break
  20. 11 Adjournment
  21. 12 Upon the President's request, Council Management Analyst Pamela Nichols provided information on the appropriate manner in which the Council Chamber is to be evacuated in the event of an emergency.
  22. 14 Lincoln Saunders, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), presented an overview of the city's non-departmental application process, the application timeline, required documents and criteria for all applicants. CAO Saunders explained that non-departmental categories are divided into two sub-categories, organizational subsidy and charitable organizations.
  23. 15 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
  24. 17 Councilor Stephanie Lynch arrived at 1:28 p.m., and was seated.
  25. 18 Traci DeShazor, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services, responded to Vice President Ann-Frances Lambert's questions regarding the city's notification to organizations not receiving funding.
  26. 19 Vice President Lambert further inquired whether the organizations receiving funding provided services that aligned with the city's shared priorities.
  27. 20 CAO Saunders stated that organizations selected provide a wide range of services such as housing and homelessness assistance, community health, youth services and youth support, and gun violence prevention.
  28. 21 Councilor Katherine Jordan reiterated her request for a performance matrix for charitable organizations receiving grant funding from the city.
  29. 22 Councilor Nicole Jones requested a breakdown of the number of city residents being serviced by charitable organizations receiving funding.
  30. 23 Councilor Cynthia Newbille requested in addition to a performance matrix, data on the outcomes and impact of projects funded through non-departmental grants.
  31. 24 Councilor Ellen Robertson requested a review of proposed non-departmental grant funds with city administration, prior to Council's deadline to submit budget amendments. Councilor Robertson stated she wanted to ensure that the charitable organizations were addressing the most critical needs of the city relative to housing, homelessness, drug overdoses, gun violence, suicides and academic performance.
  32. 25 Councilor Stephanie Lynch requested a summary of funding for the non-profit organizations receiving funding from the city, and the services they provide.
  33. 26 President Kristen Nye requested a list of appropriations from the American Rescue Plan Act funds.
  34. 28 Department of Neighborhood and Community Services
  35. 29 Lincoln Saunders, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), explained that the creation of two new departments will help the city to provide better and coordinated services to address neighborhood and community needs. CAO Saunders provided an overview of the proposed Department of Neighborhood and Community Services, and reported the newly proposed department will increase collaborative integrated programs and community solutions.
  36. 30 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
  37. 32 Traci DeShazor, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO) for Human Services, explained how the coordinated efforts and a restructure of certain city divisions would better equip the city to address the community needs of residents.
  38. 33 Councilor Ellen Robertson requested an organizational chart for the newly proposed Department of Neighborhood and Community Services, to include employees, department directors and funding appropriations.
  39. 34 Councilor Nicole Jones requested that city administration ensures citizens are well informed of the new department and the services it will provide.
  40. 35 Councilor Cynthia Newbille requested additional information for the newly proposed department which included staffing, the overall proposed budget, and the departments or divisions being reorganized. Councilor Newbille further requested an overview of the city's citizen engagement campaign regarding the new department.
  41. 36 DCAO DeShazor responded to Councilwoman Reva Trammells's question relative to the relocation of Department of Social Service's staff located at Southside Plaza. DCAO DeShazor emphasized that staff personnel in the front offices will be rotated in and out of the current location; however, the staff not working in the front offices will be relocated to the Richmond Times Dispatch building.
  42. 37 Vice President Ann-Frances Lambert stated she can not support the creation of two new departments, and that city resources should be used to address the current needs of the city such as, gun violence and homelessness.
  43. 38 President Kristen Nye requested that Council be provided the organizational information for the proposed Department of Neighborhood and Community Services.
  44. 40 Lincoln Saunders, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), presented an overview of the proposed Department of General Services.
  45. 41 Councilor Katherine Jordan expressed support for the proposed department.
  46. 42 Councilor Cynthia Newbille inquired about next steps and the services being provided by each of the divisions under General Services.
  47. 43 CAO Saunders agreed to discuss concerns raised by Vice President Ann-Frances Lambert regarding procurement services.
  48. 44 Vice President Lambert expressed additional concerns about the creation of the proposed department. Vice President Lambert further expressed concern about what she described as deficiencies in budget oversight.
  49. 45 President Kristen Nye expressed support for the proposed department.
  50. 46 The Department of Citizen Service and Response (311) and Proposed Enhancements
  51. 47 Lincoln Saunders, Chief Administrative Officer, provided an overview of enhancement to RVA 311. CAO Saunders agreed to provide a breakdown of the calls received by RVA 311.
  52. 48 Councilor Reva Trammell commented it is crucial for RVA 311 staff to be trained properly in order to respond to citizens; however, the proposed budget for the enhancements seemed excessive.
  53. 49 President Kristen Nye requested that an employee from the Office of Council Chief of Staff or a Council Liaison be a part of a RVA 311 review panel assembled by city administration.
  54. 51 LaTesha Holmes, Council Chief of Staff, reported next steps included Council's submission of budget amendments by April 24th, and of members' proposed district fund expenditures for the upcoming budget.
  55. 53 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:16 p.m. ___________________________________ CITY CLERK