Public Safety Standing Committee
Council Chamber, 2nd Floor – City Hall
Agenda — 37 items
- 1 Committee Members and other Councilmembers in Attendance
- 2 Call to Order
- 2 The Honorable Reva Trammell – Chair The Honorable Nicole Jones – Vice Chair The Honorable Kristen Nye – Member The Honorable Stephanie Lynch – Council Member (late arrival)
- 3 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Announcement and Citizen Speaker Guidelines
- 3 Others in Attendance
- 4 Public Comment Period
- 4 LaTanja Davenport, Council Budget Analyst Greg Lukanuski, Deputy City Attorney Kimberly Morris, Assistant City Clerk Candice Reid, City Clerk Steve Taylor, Council Policy Analyst RJ Warren, Deputy City Clerk
- 5 Approval of Minutes
- 6 January 23, 2024 Public Safety Standing Committee Meeting Minutes
- 6 Chair Reva Trammell called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m., and presided.
- 7 Presentation(s)
- 1. Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) 2023 Annual Report
- 8 City Clerk Candice Reid provided information on the appropriate manner in which the Council Chamber is to be evacuated in the event of an emergency along with citizen speaker guidelines.
- 9 RAA Presentation
- 10 Paper(s) for Consideration
- 10 There were no public comment speakers.
- 1. To amend City Code § 11-102, concerning unlawful dumping, for the purpose of including a prohibition against dumping yard waste on public and private property.
- 12 Board Vacancies
- 12 There were no amendments or corrections to the meeting minutes of January 23, 2024 and the committee approved the minutes as presented.
- 13 There were no board vacancies.
- 14 Discussion Item(s)
- 15 There were no discussion items.
- 16 Staff Report
- 16 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
- 17 February Staff Report
- 18 Chip Decker, RAA Chief Executive Officer, presented to the committee RAA's 2023 Annual Report. Mr. Decker also presented information regarding RAA's budget subsidy request. Mr. Decker addressed the impact of customers that cannot pay for RAA services. Mr. Decker stated RAA will provide its services regardless of whether a person pays or not. Mr. Decker also stated that the subsidy request is made every year.
- 19 Member Kristen Nye asked for more information regarding leases, and she also inquired if RAA is still leasing ambulances. Member Nye also asked if leasing is the best use of taxpayer dollars. Member Nye requested council staff to review the cost of purchasing equipment rather than leasing.
- 20 Mr. Decker responded that the city used general obligation bonds to purchase ambulances in the past and that the city would lease the ambulances to RAA. Mr. Decker stated that ambulances are not on RAA records as assets.
- 21 Chairwoman Reva Trammell asked for the total amount of money RAA is requesting. Chairwoman Trammell also stated that she doesn't understand why RAA has difficulty receiving it's subsidy request each year.
- 22 Mr. Decker responded that the request is for $7.8 million, and that request is for $1.5 million more than the year prior in operational costs.
- 24 The following ordinance was considered:
- 26 Amy Robins, 5th District Council Liaison, spoke on behalf of patron Councilor Stephanie Lynch. Ms Robins stated residents spend hours removing invasive species from the city's park system and that the ordinance would help address the issue.
- 27 Councilor Stephanie Lynch joined the meeting at 1:33 pm. Councilor Lynch stated that she sponsored the ordinance on behalf of volunteers who keep green spaces clean, and the ordinance would help in their efforts.
- 28 There were no further comments or discussions and Vice Chair Nicole Jones moved to forward ORD. 2023-339 to Council with recommendation to approve, which was seconded and unanimously approved.
- 35 Council staff provided the committee with the February staff report.
- 36 Adjournment
- 37 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:35 p.m.