Note: The agenda and transcript consistently reference February 24, 2026, but the meeting is officially recorded as occurring on February 25, 2026 per the provided instruction. This summary uses the given date.
The Alexandria City Council held a legislative meeting covering real property assessments, the proposed FY2027 budget and capital improvement plan, proclamations, oral reports from boards and commissions, and a contested appointment to the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA). The meeting also included an executive session on a personnel matter.
Councilmembers announced several events and community engagements: Women’s Health Forum on March 8 (Councilwoman Greene), Senior Services Valentine’s Day luncheon (Councilman Aguirre), Grand reopening of Wells Fargo, GW parade, Friendship Firehouse breakfast, Go Alex trivia at Port City Brewery, World Craft on King ribbon cutting, Center for Alexandria’s Children event, Visit Alexandria’s “What’s New in 2026” with FIFA base camp announcement, National Innovation Quarter kickoff, and George Washington Memorial Society museum exhibit.
City Manager Jim Parajon highlighted the Office of Historic Alexandria’s selection for a social impact survey by the American Alliance of Museums, demonstrating the department’s positive community impact. Data will be posted on the city website.
Kevin Greenleaf (Director of Finance) and Ann Wynn Milns presented the assessments, which show a 3.41% overall increase in taxable assessments. Key data:
City Manager Jim Parajon presented the $977 million general fund operating budget (2.2% increase over FY26) and $2 billion 10-year CIP. No real estate tax rate increase recommended. Highlights:
Next Steps: The FY2027 budget work sessions begin February 25; public hearings are scheduled; final budget adoption expected in May 2026.
February 24th, and it's 532. There has been a motion by Councilman and Curry and a second by Council. Okay, it's seven eleven. Um, Councilman Aguirre. Madam Mayor, I move that we reconvene in open session. There's been a motion. Is there a second? There's been a second by Councilwoman Green to reconvene from closed executive session. All those in favor say aye. Any opposed? All right. The eyes have it. Madam Clerk, next item. Moment of silence and pledge of allegiance. Okay, it is our practice to begin each legislative meeting with a moment of silence followed by the pledge. If you're able to stand, we ask that you please join us. And whereas the city has been experiencing widespread urban flooding due to more recent increase in high intensity participation events, excuse me, precipitation appearance. When constant waterfall comes down in a short period of time associated with climate change, and whereas the city has implemented Flood Action Alexandria as a comprehensive initiative to address flooding issues throughout the city through programmatic operations and capital flood mitigation projects and flood prone areas. And whereas the city's future flood risk will increase as a result of rising sea levels, increased frequency and intensity of storms, as projected by the city's environmental action plan 2040. And whereas the city joins in partnership with the federal emergency management agency known as FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program, and it participates in the NFIP community rating system, whereby city residents purchasing NFIP backed flood insurance receive up to a 20% discount. And whereas we invite all Alexandrians to observe Virginia Flood Awareness Week by preparing their homes for floods, adhere to prudent land use planning, including the purchase of flood insurance through the national flood insurance program, where coverage and basements is recognized as limited. And whereas we are committed to strengthening our flood mitigation strategies and management and have established Flood Action Alexandria initiative to pursue those capital and programmatic solutions. And whereas the City Council approved a resolution on January 26, 2021 to establish an ad hoc stormwater utility and flood man flood mitigation advisory group and approved a resolution to establish a permanent group on December 16th, 2023 to support and advise the city's flood mitigation efforts. And whereas we recognize the professional staff from Transportation and Environmental Services, the Office of Climate Action, and the Office of Emergency Management for their important roles they play in making our public infrastructure more resilient and safer for residents every day and in times of disaster. Now, therefore, I, John Taylor Chapman, on behalf of Aliah Gaskins, mayor of the City of Alexandria, Virginia, and on behalf of the entire Alexandria City Council, do hereby recognize March 9th through March 14th, 2026 as Virginia Flood Awareness Week 2026 and the City of Alexandria and hereby commend all persons who are committed to and work towards becoming a more resilient city. And witness whereof, I have herein too set my hand to call Cecilia City of Alexandria to be affixed this 24th day of February 2026. I'll have you come up. Thank you. Thank you so much. Good evening, everybody. It's a pleasure to be here. I'm Dan Medina. I'm the stormwater program manager for the city. Specifically, I manage the Flood Action Alexandria program, which is a comprehensive program, a holistic combination of all this, the skills that we have to combat flooding, which is getting worse and worse as time goes by. I just want to say thank you very much to the council for all the support we've gotten. Stellar City Manager here and our assistant city manager, Emily Baker, as well as our advisory committee, because it really takes this combination of forces to make things happen. And we're very grateful to have the this those resources available to our group. I talked to my colleagues in other jurisdictions, and we're way ahead on what they're doing. We for being the city that we are, we're really doing some marvelous stuff, world class. So thank you very much. It's a pleasure to be here. Appreciate it. Well, uh, Dr. Medina, I'll I'll I appreciate that, but we are only world class because we have some wonderful staff and leadership that have been pushing us. Um it is not easy. It is not necessarily sexy to pay for flood mitigation efforts. Um it is not something that everybody wants to talk about. Um, but having staff and having a city uh that is leaning forward to understand some of the challenges that we have living on a coast and living near waterways and dealing with climate change. You and your staff and our leadership has been really on the ball uh as uh we have talked about this as a community. So thank you very much uh for your work.