The Alexandria City Council held its second legislative meeting of May 2026 on Thursday, May 28, 2026. The meeting included multiple proclamations, committee reports, policy discussions on the Duke Street land use plan and school resource officer MOU, and action on the Go Alex Strategic Plan. No public comments were heard.
Good evening, everyone. We are going to begin our second legislative meeting of May. Okay. Uh Madame Clerk, please call the role. Councilman McCurry. Councilman Chapman. Councilman Elmuby. Councilwoman Green. Here. Councilwoman Marks. Okay. Good evening, everyone, and thank you for joining us tonight. Madam Clerk, please call the next item. Moment of silence and pledge of allegiance. Okay, it is our practice to begin each meeting with a moment of silence followed by the pledge. If you are able to stand, we ask that you please rise at this time. Okay, I have asked Councilwoman Mark to read this proclamation. If you are here joining us for the recognition of the eighty-second anniversary of D Day, we ask that you please come to the front. Um this is my right, your left, the front corner at this time. Khan City Motors visited Alexandria to participate in events commemorative of Lafayette's visit to Alexandria. And Alexandria City Winners visited Khan for that city as a winning celebration last year. And was the assault on the beaches of the Nazi occupied France for our sister City Khan on the June 6th, 1944 by the United States and its allies, popularly known as D-Day, was one of the most important efforts of World War II. And the success of the landings led to the defeat of Nazi Germany, the liberation of Western Europe, and the advancement of freedom, democracy, and shared prosperity between the United States and Western Europe in the post-war post-war world. And whereas the sons and daughters of the City of Alexandria participated in that great operation and in the larger war effort of which it was a part, in some cases, making the ultimate sacrifice. And whereas this year's commemoration of D-Day recognizes the 82nd anniversary of this historic operation, and whereas this year, the City of Alexandria's 16th annual commemoration remembers this critical moment in world history, educates our community, honors our veterans, strengthens Sister City camaraderie, and recognizes this time when the endeavors of our two nations overlapped and changed the course of history. And whereas the city or whereas the Alexandria Khan Sister City Committee has organized several programs to recognize this 82nd anniversary of D-Day, including a flagship event on Sunday, May 31st, 2026 in Alexandria's John Carlisle Square, and a June 4th lecture at the Lyceum by Rear Admiral Samuel Cox, U.S. Navy retired, Director of the Naval History and Heritage Command on Operations Tiger and Neptune, D-Day at Sea. Now, therefore, I, Sandy Marks, on behalf of Mayor Oleah Gaskins, Mayor of the City of Alexandria, Virginia, and on behalf of the entire Alexandria City Council, do hereby proclaim the month of June as 82nd anniversary of D-Day Commemoration Month in the City of Alexandria and call upon the city and the citizens of Alexandria to participate in public commemorations of the heroic events of D-Day and reflect upon Alexandria's post-war relationship with our sister city con. In witness hereof, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the seal of the city of Alexandria to be affixed on this day, the 26th of May, 2026. Thank you very much. I'm Kari Anderson. And I'm Diana Garcia. So Mayor Gaskins, members of the City Council, thank you for issuing this proclamation. This year is the 16th year that the Alexandria Khan Sister City Committee has commemorated D Day to strengthen bonds between our city and our sister city of Caen in Normandy, France, by recognizing the heroic events of that day. On behalf of the Alexandria Khan Sister Com Uh Sister City Committee, we hope people will join us at the commemoration on May 31st in John Carlisle Square and for a June 4th lecture at the Lyceum. Thank you very much. Thank you. And with that, I move that our council accept this proclamation. Okay, there has been a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion? Councilman Chapman. Thank you. Um just again, thank you to uh the committee for continuing to put this effort together for all of us. Um please uh let's roll up our sleeves and help them because as you know, uh the committee knows this is the first time they're gonna be at John Callal. Uh so uh folks are kind of nervous about turnout just because we're moving it from Market Square. Um, but we are excited that you guys are putting this on again. Thank you. I too just want to echo my thanks to the committee and to both of you having seen your work up close and personal, but also I know Councilman Chapman and I had the honor of traveling to our sister city for the millennium, and one of the things they talked about was just how special and unique our relationship is, and how they always appreciate the committee coming up with new ways for us to do exchanges for us to learn from each other, and they talked about at a time when so much is going on in the world to know they have a friend in Alexandria, is really special. So I too would just echo what my colleagues said. I really hope if you have some time either this weekend or the next, please come out and support our committee and join their events, and also if you're interested in serving our sister city committee, I think, as one of our most active boards and commissions.