City Council
Council Chamber, 2nd Floor - City Hall
Agenda — 32 items
- 1 Call to Order
- 1 Councilmembers Present
- 2 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Plan Announcement
- 2 The Honorable Kristen Nye, President The Honorable Ann-Frances Lambert, Vice President The Honorable Nicole Jones The Honorable Cynthia Newbille
- 3 Formal Budget Presentation
- 3 Absent
- 4 Budget Presentation Handout
- 4 The Honorable Andreas Addison The Honorable Katherine Jordan The Honorable Stephanie Lynch The Honorable Ellen Robertson The Honorable Reva Trammell
- 5 Introduction of Legislation
- 6 March 27, 2024 Introduction Papers List
- 6 Council President Kristen Nye called the meeting to order at 3:13 p.m., and presided.
- 7 Adjournment
- 7 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Plan and Spanish Interpretation Announcement
- 8 Upon the President’s request, Deputy City Clerk RJ Warren provided information on the appropriate manner in which the Council Chamber is to be evacuated in the event of an emergency. Deputy City Clerk Warren stated that Spanish interpretation service was available in the Council Chamber and that attendees should speak with a representative to receive the appropriate equipment. Deputy City Clerk Warren also stated that Spanish interpretation service was available virtually through Microsoft Teams.
- 9 Roxana Talavera-Denson, Language Access Coordinator, Office of Immigrant and Refugee Engagement, then provided Spanish interpretation of Deputy City Clerk RJ Warren’s announcements.
- 11 Mayor Levar M. Stoney presented the proposed Fiscal Plan for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), and the city’s Capital Improvement Plan for 2025-2029, which included, but were not limited to, the following highlights:
- 12 • Total General Fund revenues projected at $1 billion for FY25
- 13 • A local contribution of $15.8 million in funding for Richmond Public Schools’ FY25 budget
- 14 • An Investment in Affordable Housing with an additional $40.0 million from FY25 - FY28
- 15 • A 4% salary increase for all non-sworn city employees
- 16 • A 7% salary increase for sworn police and fire personnel
- 17 • The establishment of the Department of General Services
- 18 • An increase in the water rate of 2.04%, wastewater rate of 4.97%, stormwater rates of 10.75% and natural gas rate of 3.39% for all single family residential customers
- 19 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
- 23 City Council will hold a public hearing on the following ordinances on Monday, April 22, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.:
- 1. To adopt the annual budget, which includes all of the separate current expense budgets for the general operation of the City government and Richmond Public Schools and for each utility as defined in ch. 13 of the City Charter and provides for increases to certain fees for certificates of appropriateness, certificates of zoning compliance, zoning confirmation letters, and other filing fees set forth in ch. 30 of the City Code, concerning zoning, for the fiscal year commencing Jul.1, 2024, and ending Jun. 30, 2025, and to appropriate the estimated revenues for such fiscal year for the objects and purposes stated in such budget. (As Amended)
- 2. To accept a program of proposed Capital Improvement Projects for the fiscal year beginning Jul. 1, 2024, and for the four fiscal years thereafter; to adopt a Capital Budget for the fiscal year beginning Jul. 1, 2024; and to determine the means of financing the same. (As Amended)
- 3. To adopt a new pay plan for the City for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 and to repeal Ord. No. 2023-074, adopted May 8, 2023, and all amendatory ordinances thereto.
- 4. To authorize the issuance of general obligation public improvement bonds of the City of Richmond in the maximum principal amount of $96,417,470 to finance the cost of school projects and general capital improvement projects of the City for the following purposes and uses: construction, reconstruction, improvements and equipment for public schools; construction, reconstruction, improvement and equipment for various infrastructure needs, including traffic control facilities, streets, sidewalks and other public ways, bridges, storm sewers, drains and culverts, and refuse disposal facilities; to make grants or loans to assist in financing capital expenditures for the purposes of promoting the development of housing projects for the benefit of persons with low or moderate incomes; participation in redevelopment, conservation and community development programs, including the construction, reconstruction, improvement and equipment for targeted public facilities included in these programs; construction, reconstruction, improvements and equipment for public institutional, operational, cultural, educational and entertainment buildings and facilities, including but not limited to the theaters, parks, playgrounds, cemeteries, libraries and museums; acquisition of real property therefor as appropriate; and the making of appropriations to the City’s Economic Development Authority and the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority to be used to be used to finance capital expenditures or to make loans or grants to finance capital expenditures or to make loans or grants to finance capital expenditures for the purposes of promoting economic development or promoting the development of housing projects for the benefit of persons with low or moderate incomes; to authorize the Director of Finance, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City, to sell such bonds for such capital improvement projects, to provide for the form, details and payment of such bonds; to authorize the issuance of notes of the City in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds; and to authorize the issuance of taxable bonds, for the same purposes and uses, in the same maximum principal amount and payable over the same period as such general obligation public improvement bonds.
- 5. To authorize the issuance of general obligation public improvement bonds of the City of Richmond in the maximum principal amount of $23,191,102 to finance the cost of capital improvement projects of the stormwater utility of the City for the following purposes and uses: replacement of and upgrades to the stormwater facilities, including but not limited to, construction, reconstruction, improvements, rehabilitation and upgrades of stormwater sewers and associated facilities; new and replacement infrastructure of the storm sewer system, drainage structures, catch basins, ditches, storm sewer pipes, culverts, green infrastructure; acquisition of real property therefor as appropriate; and equipment for various infrastructure needs; and authorizes the Director of Finance, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City, to sell such bonds for such capital improvement projects, to provide for the form, details and payment of such bonds and to authorize the issuance of notes of the City in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds, and to authorize the issuance of taxable bonds, for the same purposes and uses, in the same maximum principal amount and payable over the same period as such general obligation public improvement bonds.
- 6. To authorize the issuance of public utility revenue bonds of the City of Richmond in the maximum principal amount of $73,804,186 to finance the cost of capital improvement projects of the gas, water and wastewater utilities and public utilities buildings and facilities for the following purposes and uses: enlargement, extension, repair, replacement, improvement and equipping of the gas plant and transmission lines; enlargement, extension, repair, replacement, improvement and equipping of the waterworks plant and transmission lines; enlargement, extension, repair, replacement, improvement and equipping of the wastewater plant and intercepting lines; construction, reconstruction, repair, replacement, and improvement of sanitary and storm water sewers, pumping stations, drains and culverts; construction, reconstruction, repair, replacement, improvement and equipping of public utility buildings and facilities therefor, including but not limited to the stores division; and acquisition of real property and real property rights (including without limitation easements and rights-of-way) therefor as appropriate; to authorize the Director of Finance, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City, to sell such bonds for such capital improvement projects; to provide for the form, details and payment of such bonds; to approve the form of supplemental indenture of trust; to authorize the issuance of notes of the City in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds; and to authorize the issuance of taxable bonds, for the same purposes and uses, in the same maximum principal amount and payable over the same period as such public utility revenue bonds.
- 31 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m. ___________________________________ CITY CLERK