The Alexandria City Council held a public hearing on Saturday, April 20, 2026, at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center. The meeting covered a wide range of items including proclamations, a consent calendar, public discussion, and numerous public hearings on budget, taxes, development permits, and zoning amendments. Key themes included funding for the Sheriff's Office, rental assistance, school board reform, and development incentives. The meeting lasted from 9:32 AM to 2:47 PM with a lunch recess.
Okay, it's 9:32. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our Saturday public hearing. Madam Clerk, please call the role. Vice Mayor Bagley. Councilman Aguirre. Here. Councilman Chapman. Councilman L Newby. Here. Councilman McGreen. Here. Hey, Madam Clerk, next item. Public discussion. Oh, excuse me, proclamations, presentation of proclamation recognizing National Library Week. Okay, I've asked Councilman Aguirre to begin with our proclamation recognizing National Library Week. If you are here joining us for this proclamation, we ask that two representatives come to the front and then we'll recognize everyone who is joining at the end of the proclamation. Yeah, Ms. Gross, are you in here? Oh come on up. Come on up. All right, good morning, everyone. So libraries have a great place in my heart, and I wanted to be on the library board the first go around, but I didn't get to do that second term though. I made sure to make it a point to get onto the library board. Um and we will go ahead and jump into this and then I'll pass the mic around, let everyone introduce themselves. Um and uh if our library director has a few words to say, we'll let her say that. All right. Whereas the residents of this city have acted upon this principle to create and support a system of library and information services through the Alexandria Library, library media centers of the Alexandria City Public Schools, a number of special libraries, as well as libraries and private and parochial schools and institutions of higher excuse me, of higher education, and whereas these libraries serve as a gateway to information and technologies that support the preservation of our democratic traditions and cultural heritage. And whereas libraries have long served as trusted institutions for all members of the community, regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socioeconomic status. And whereas libraries of today function as much more than repositories of knowledge, helping residents keep up with changing technology, offering audio books, e-reader materials, free computer classes, hotspots, and laptops, community meeting spaces, access to free online resources, passport services, English language classes, adult programs, story hours, and as you can tell, our libraries do a whole lot. And whereas the nation and the city of Alexandria celebrate America's 250th anniversary, libraries are ensuring that all the nation's history is told. As prominent Virginian James Madison stated, knowledge will forever govern ignorance. And whereas libraries, library workers, and library supporters across the United States will celebrate National Library Workers' Day on Tuesday, April 21st, 2026. Now, therefore, I, Kanik Agar, on behalf of Elia Gaskins, mayor of the city of Alexandria, Virginia, and on behalf of the Alexandria City Council, do you hereby recognize and proclaim the week of April 19th through April 25th, 2026 as National Library Week in the City of Alexandria. This year's theme is Find Your Joy, an invitation for people of all backgrounds to explore and discover what brings them joy in their library. I encourage all residents to support the library's mission to be a bastion of intellectual freedom where all views are represented and everyone is welcomed. Further, the city council expresses its appreciation to the dedicated staff of the Alexandria Library and urges residents to reach out via the library's website, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms to thank library workers for the essential services they provide. A witness whereof I have here on two set my hand and cause the seal of the city of Alexandria, Virginia to be affixed this 18th day of April 2026. My name is Luis Labra. I'm the deputy director of the Alexandria Library. Um I am I have the pleasure of serving as the library's director. My name is Rose Dawson, and yes, the Titanic name. And I just want to say for any of you who are all in the overflow room or who are in this room, I'd like for you to stand up and you can do a super silent cheer or whatever, recognizing your support for the library. Um, uh, as the board chair stated, I'd like to thank the council, the city manager, and my staff who are amazing, amazing public workers and public servants who make sure that the community gets what it is they need and they deserve. And so I would like to, while we've been celebrating the America 250th, I would like to make you all aware that in 2027, the Alexandria Library turns 90. We will be celebrating. The staff have already begun to prepare to celebrate our 90th anniversary. And that just shows you how much Alexandrians love their public library, that we have had one since 1937. So on behalf of the staff, the board, the foundation, and the library friends, I thank you all. Thank you. Thank you.