All right, it's April the 14th, 2026 on our City Council work session night.

Mr.

Manager, would you please present another edition of our operating budget for twenty twenty-seven?

So uh appreciate the the time today.

So um at the last work session, you we sort of ran right up to the wire in in terms of time um uh going through the budget, and uh so I wanted to begin uh with where we left off in that work session, which is some of the impacts that are still unknown um regarding state legislation.

A lot of things happened in the General Assembly this year, and um it's starting to become more clear, but but um but actually some became a little less clear uh yesterday, so I'll touch on that.

Um second, if you recall from the end of the budget work session and then into the council's regular meeting, we had a series of uh budget requests that we that staff take a look at.

Um and so we have taken a look at those, and then I've got a few um um from council members since that time.

So I want to touch on uh where those requests stand, and then obviously um any other items that that we should consider as we continue um through the the budget uh process ultimately concluding an adoption um sometime in May.

Um so legislation passed by the General Assembly.

The big unknown when we did the work session on um on March twenty-fourth was uh collective bargaining.

So at the time that we made the presentation to council, um the legislation that had been approved by the General Assembly um required localities um to approve collective bargaining at the request of employee bargaining units, if you recall the current law is at a localities option.

Nearly every, if not every locality in Virginia opposed the legislation.

They the um they wanted to leave it as uh a a local choice.

However, the General Assembly did approve uh the collective bargaining mandate.

Um and I mentioned that uh 2028 was the uh projected start date.

The governor, I understand, made dozens of amendments to that legislation yesterday.

So all of us are still digesting um that legislation, but I understand that the one of the most significant um amendments that was made was delaying implementation until 2030.

And so that has a material impact on this year's budget, because that would delayed implementation would delay when we would need to start bringing on in-house labor relations specialists, in-house attorney contract specialists, and others.

So that's something that I'd like to talk to you a little bit about when, when would we like to start those discussions?

As we mentioned to you at the budget work session on the 24th, we estimate that the upfront costs, so labor relations staff and contract specialists, at least in the short term, would be about a million dollars.

So that would be the administrative cost to stand up that program.

Depending on how many bargaining units we ultimately would have, that program would grow substantially.

But the administrative costs upfront we estimated about a million dollars.

And then the overall costs are unknown because we have no idea if any units would organize and what um what those asks would be.

So that's a it's a very the cost to all localities in Virginia is well into the hundreds of millions of dollars in in terms of the likely impacts on all localities.

We don't know what the localities, of course, in Chesapeake would be.

So we'll continue to track that legislation and see where that goes.

The second was prevailing wage rate for um for public works contracts.

And so if you recall our contracts right now, they're market-based.

So we we solicit uh proposals for projects, we award a bidder and it's um you know its lowest qualified bidder with with some caveats there.

Um prevailing wage would would set um requirements about the wages that those contractors could pay.

And based on our experience historically, uh that would significantly drive up the cost of um public infrastructure projects.

As an example, uh what we the Federal Government already requires this, and there are times when we turn down Federal money because the value of that money is less than how much it would increase the cost of the project to have to pay prevailing wage.

If you put any Federal money into a capital project, the entire project is what we call federalized and prevailing wage applies.

And so it's a significant cost impact.

If you just look at our capital improvement project right now, we're estimating that prevailing wage, if it had to apply to public utilities projects, would cost uh uh 40 million dollars over the five-year CIP, and for our public works projects, we estimate an additional hundred million dollars over the five-year CIP.

However, we understand that there has been very significant changes made to the proposed prevailing um wage bill, and possibly that it would exempt localities.

So we're not sure yet.

Um, but this would, if it if it if it goes into effect as the General Assembly intended, it would have dramatic impacts on the city, but we're not in a position today to be able to tell you what those impacts would be.

But I bring it up to you today because as you are considering additional spending, I want to make sure you're aware that these items are still on the horizon, um, very significant expenditures that are mandates, and we're just not sure where the General Assembly and the Governor will end up.

Likewise with paid family medical leave, um that's a very expensive uh program, um originally intended to begin in April 2020, I think seven been pushed out to 2028, and our estimate is uh over $8 million annually based on existing um family medical leave usage.

So that's another one that we will continue to track.

Um I mentioned there was a bill put in and this actually this bill actually is specific just to the City of Chesapeake, and it would require that the City of Chesapeake, uh, we would not be able to use volunteer signsweepers.

So you know we've used a volunteer scienceweeper program for a very long time.

Um this would require us to hire either employees of the city to to pick up signs or use contract employees to pick up signs, the contract employees would likely be um significantly less expensive.

And so we have an estimated cost of about 200,000 annually if we use contractors.

Um we have found that there is a problem with the bill, and although it was intended to affect Chesapeake, the way it's written, it does not affect Chesapeake.

So it actually affects no locality in Virginia.

So we have a choice to make, and I I want to be sensitive.

We have one of our um members of our General Assembly delegation that represents Chesapeake that put this bill forward and I I want to be sensitive to what you know that delegate was trying to achieve so do we I ask council do we choose to you know do we choose to do it even though we're not required to or or not.

So that that will be a question that I will ask you later in the presentation.

Another one is absentee voting in person would be available the second and third Sunday before all elections we're required to cover the cost of those elections.

Again we're unsure about what this cost will be but that's something that we will have to absorb so we will keep tracking that.

On the cannabis control legislation, as you will recall localities will be required to permit locations for retail sales and as we've discussed a few times in the past we intend to implement the highest tax rate permissible by the law but we understand that the Governor's amendment moves that out I believe one year so to when the that we would have to begin permitting those locations for retail sales.

So questions regarding the legislation before I move into council requests.

If the collective bargaining legislation were indeed to go into effect in 2028 I would have recommended that in the coming fiscal year we begin to hire labor or labor relations team.

Given that the governor has amended that bill to push that out to 2030 my recommendation is to monitor.

Let's wait and see what happens and we still have plenty of time to bring that staff on board if need be.

So that would would be our recommendation there.

On the second we I would like to have a conversation about with the prevailing wage bill it's unclear at this point whether it um applies to localities we already were not recommending cutting the CIP we would have recommended monitoring this for next year to see if we needed to remove projects from the CIP but given that it may not apply to localities we are not recommending any changes to the CIP at this point.

And then lastly as I mentioned earlier do even though we are not required to given that the intent of the law was for Chesapeake to be required to hire either staff or contractors to remove illegal signs do we want to honor the intent of that law or or continue with the volunteer science weeper program.

So I would like to before Mr.

Mayor before I continue I would like to if I could maybe get a sense of counsel on these three questions so on collective bargaining is everybody generally okay that we shouldn't bring on staff right now but we should continue to monitor and bring them on in the future.

Second is everyone okay that we are not going to remove projects from the CIP this year but we will continue to monitor?

Yes.

And then third the illegal signs would would you like to honor the intent of the legislation and hire contractors or continue to rely on volunteers.

Before we take a sense of that let me let me ask you a question please what we were talking when I was speaking to the legislator about this he said some county I think Fairfax County hires it out but the the way the bill was written at that point that wasn't an option.

Correct so the original bill it had to be employees and that cost would have been in excess of $500 because they went our employees with benefits and we would have been responsible for vehicles and radios and safety equipment.

So that was a very expensive proposition.

We were successful to get that bill amended to include volunteers I mean I'm sorry contractors.

So it's like we contract out with landscaping service we could contract out teams to go do the removing the illegal signs that is significantly less expensive but still approaching $200,000 based on our estimates.

I will say that I believe and I don't want to speak for the delegate but I believe the intent of the legislation was a little bit more the volunteers or the a little bit more accountability.

So there was a question about whether there's accountability with the volunteers.

We do training with the volunteers obviously I do think there might be a middle ground and I'm not sure if this would satisfy the delegate but I do think there might be a middle ground where we could require the sign sweepers to carry photo ID in case they are questioned by anybody about why they're removing signs they could have a city ID identifying themselves as a volunteer signsweeper and we could we already require training but we could require a certification that they sign that they are going to abide by the rules that that we set out.

So I if if you choose to maintain the volunteer science weeper program, I would recommend that maybe we tighten that up a little bit to try to address the concerns that the delegate raised.

So my next question is this.

If you know even the volunteers are doing exactly what they are trained to do, there's always still some controversy in terms of uh one party's version of what happened versus another party.

An advantage of a hired contractor, they have no skin in the game whatsoever.

Is there any do you think it would be less controversial and or more efficient to have independent contractors?

So the highest level of control would be employees, and I still don't think that will eliminate the issue.

So often when we remove illegal signs, the folks that place the signs do not believe that they were illegal.

Um and in talking to the delegate, one of the bigger problems is people that aren't even related to the volunteer science weapon program, they're going out and removing signs illegally.

They have no authority to do so, even ones that are legally placed, no matter whether they are city employees or contractors or volunteers, that won't change.

It is still a crime.

So I'm not sure that even hiring employees or contractors will address the issues.

Okay.

But I am just trying to be sensitive to the concerns the delegate raised.

Thank you.

I have a couple of questions.

And on that, depending on where you go with it, but if you keep the volunteer program, maybe require a photograph before the signs removed, then you can tell whether or not it complies.

And we will give them a tape measure.

So I have a couple other questions.

On the prevailing wage, somebody ballparked it for me at 30 percent increase in the cost of a capital project.

Does that include or is that in addition to the additional cost that we pay in interest, should it be bond funded?

So that is just it it would be both.

Um so if the project cost is 100 million dollars, it would be a 30 percent increase, so 30 million dollar increase on the project, which then would be a $30 million in a 30 percent increase on the total borrowing cost.

So it would be both to the actual project and the overall total cost of the project when you when you figure out figure in the interest uh if we if we did um bonds on the project.

Okay, so is it too simplistic to say actually it could be 50 or 60 percent?

Because the cost of bonding can raise the cost of a project by 30 or 40 percent.

Like your mortgage.

We let us uh it's a great question.

I get what you are saying.

Let us um run a theoretical project and send you information on what that would cost in actual dollars, and then if we if we did bond funding of the project, what it would cost in real dollars in in over the yeah, I think we're always better to address the real cost as opposed to the cost without interest.

So I think that would be very helpful.

On the paid family leave, is the $8.2 million in excess of what we pay now, or does it include what we pay now?

That is in excess of what we pay today, I believe.

Mr.

Hobbs?

That's correct.

It is an excess of what we pay today.

Um yeah, there is a payroll tax, and then there's actually a payment that has to be made in the payroll tax.

There's an employee side and an employer side.

So there is a cost to the employee as well that's not included in the 8.2 million.

Now, uh is school construction included in these prevailing wage and I am assuming they are also included in collective bargaining.

I am not informed enough.

I I originally of course you are, don't fool me.

No, and I I don't so many things are changing right now.

I don't want to sit here and tell you that schools once upon a time I was told with within the, you know, but things change so rapidly.

I was told that school projects are subject to it.

Melissa is here, she is shaking her head yes.

So I am going to defer to her and say that the answer is yes.

And on collective bargain, I believe the answer is also yes.

Right.

So if we are possibly talking about increasing the cost of a capital project by over 50 percent, it kind of ends a capital improvement program, doesn't it?

It would be dramatic if we if we didn't change the balance of operating to capital, it would be a dramatic reduction in the capital improvement program, or for utilities projects and stormwater projects, a dramatic increase in the fees that we would have to charge.

Okay.

So when do we anticipate poor Mr.

Westcott giving us some clarity if he can?

So he is feverishly working on it right now.

Um we are hoping to have it to you, if not for next week's work session, the following week, because you will need that information in order to be able to make a decision on the budget.

Okay, and the General Assembly doesn't have a budget yet.

They do not.

So we don't have any idea where they are going to come out on the budget, much less on these changes.

Correct?

Okay.

Um then would you ask him to check on one more issue on this?

The payroll tax.

That I understand the Governor or the General Assembly put off for a year, but they want to have a new payroll tax.

We need to check on that, because that passed, which is going to hit everybody who gets paid in the state.

It is not just government.

Um I don't know.

I you know, this is all very murky.

So I think the just my opinion, until we get some clarity, and we figure out if we are going to be able to continue to move forward.

Um I wouldn't I would hope that we won't have a big wish list.

Yes, ma'am.

And that's exactly.

We almost decided not to present this tonight because there's so much that became unknown.

Um, however, as you are considering new expenditures, I just wanted to you know remind you that there are very significant State mandated expenditures that if they are not coming today are coming in the near future.

And just because the Governor made some changes does not mean the General Assembly will accept those, correct?

Correct.

Now, I don't know about this either.

We'll have to ask Mr.

Westcott.

He's going to kill me, I think.

So Sam, get me on call.

Um I really I asked a delegate.

Granted, not on appropriations.

Whether or not some of these taxes that were proposed could be inserted in the budget as opposed to bills that have not gone forward, they have either been defeated or passed over for the year.

They could be added to the budget.

Am I I don't know.

I would like to find that out because there may be other surprises embedded when the budget is finally adopted.

Yes, ma'am.

And I think we should be mindful that that certainly could happen.

Thank you.

Vice Mayor.

I just did a quick search because the payroll tax that you mentioned, I had not heard of anything, and not that I'm the authority on State legislation, but a quick search.

I believe that the payroll tax you are referring to, and we'll we'll look into it, is the family medical leave.

That's the payroll tax.

So there may be two separate ones, but it it may be the one that is related to the family medical leave.

And that that is a payroll tax that is passed.

Okay.

And when you are looking into it, could you please find out whether or not that will be all state funded from the payroll tax or our local I I don't know that any of us will know the answer.

We'll look into it.

Absolutely.

Thank you very much.

Yes, ma'am.

Mr.

Banager.

So I believe we have consensus on we're gonna we're gonna wait and monitor on collective bargaining.

We're gonna wait and monitor on prevailing wage.

How about the um contractors for removing the illegal signs?

Yes, that would that would be what I would like to share something on number three in reference to the contractors.

As candidates, they spend thousands of dollars on those signs and them being taken up by volunteers.

There is no real accountability, really no policy in place and no accountability.

But when you pay someone, the incentive is they're getting compensated.

So they look at things differently.

But when we're giving it to volunteers, it's it's free for all.

So that's why we need to have some kind of control.

If we have to pay some by, we pay some by it.

We we don't need to pay employees because it would charge more, but a contract would be less costly to us when it has some checks and balances in place.

And that's my opinion on that.

Thank you, Mr.

Smith.

I know where were you going next?

Whether we have consensus on on the illegal signs on the contractors.

So right now there's nothing in the budget for it.

So unless council directs me to put something in the budget, um, there is nothing in the budget.

Is anyone else want to indicate where they stand on this we can get a consensus uh Dr.

Ward?

Um thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

And I have some concerns, even though I'm short term uh here, but having experienced some real, real um serious things that have been done over my 26 years of being elected in this city, uh having uh volunteers.

Um I've had signs removed from you by city employees, the city shot that pictures of them.

So I agree that we I think we should consider um loyalty and also to if you're getting paid, I think you're gonna you're more likely to be honest and do the job it's supposed to be done and be fair about it.

So I agree that we need to look at that.

And I think you say 200,000.

I mean, yeah.

Uh when it can you consider the fact that you represent the whole city, whole city of Chesapeake.

Um question, a comment.

We're gonna go to everybody's.

All right.

Well, thank you.

I do believe that it would be in our best interest and the city's best interest um in paying people to actually do that.

The accountability is important.

I guess thank you.

Mr.

Whitaker.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um Mr.

Manager, exactly when would this be officiated if it were to be made into law?

So if you approved it in the budget, it would be effective July 1.

Um, but the law does not it it meant to apply to Chesapeake, but it has it has some legal problems, so it doesn't apply.

So we're under no legal requirement to make any changes.

Understood.

Understood.

I mean, if it's not in the budget, wasn't planned for the budget.

Uh honestly, it's I would just assume table it for the time being and continue to use the sweepers so we can focus on other items.

So that's just my opinion.

Thank you, Mr.

Chaffers.

Yes, Mr.

Mayor, thank you.

Uh I tend to agree with Mr.

Whitaker.

I think this is 200,000 is a lot of money, and I don't think it would solve the issue.

I think the majority of the signs that are removed improperly or illegally aren't coming from the volunteers.

It is being done by other either uneducated or nefarious actors, and that the fees won't necessarily correct that issue.

Thank you.

Thank you, Dr.

King.

And I agree.

Um I think there should be and can be accountability for the volunteers.

And you mentioned earlier that we were properly training them and monitor them.

I would rather use the $200,000 for something else with all these costs that were going to be additional costs that we're going to be um responsible for.

So I'm going to go with volunteers.

Thank you, Ms.

Dillens.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

I agree with um Councilmembers King and Jeffrey and Whitaker as well, that I think 200,000, that's two additional police officers, two additional firefighters, maybe three or four additional teachers.

There's a value in that that's much higher to me than ensuring that candidates' signs are uh picked up properly, I think like Councilmember Jeffries just said.

I think it's still gonna happen, even if we have we're paying somebody.

And there is a comment that if you pay them, it means they are more honest.

I don't I disagree with that.

I think people who volunteer to do it who do it for free are probably doing it with the best intentions because they are not getting a benefit for it.

They are doing other goodness of their heart.

So I like the idea though about the idea IDs, um, having them carry an ID so that way if they are confronted, they can show their ID.

And um I also like the idea about the additional training.

I think a picture may be a lot to ask, but I if it can be incorporated somehow, um, even just not just a picture, but keeping track of where they retrieve the signs from.

Keeping a log that day of what they did and what signs they retrieved would be, I think a little bit easier than keeping a log of photo.

So I think that will solve the problem at least, but that's my position.

Thank you.

Mr.

Bunn.

Thank you, Mayor West.

I agree.

Ms.

New is said the exact same things.

I said just do a better job in training.

I think with that Vice Mayor said about doing a federal ID, doing pictures of the illegal signs that are removed.

I definitely think that $200,000 could be used in after school programs for parts recreation or other great causes.

Thank you.

Anyone else want to weigh in?

I think you have consensus to continue with the volunteers at least for this year.

Okay, moving into additional budget requests from members of council.

So I'll start with Councilmember Smith's request, establish a summer youth employment program.

I believe Councilmember Smith, the the number he he um started with was 250 youth.

Just practically speaking, 250 youth is way more than we could absorb.

That's 5% of the total city workforce would be 250.

However, um if it's something the council wanted to get started with, we would recommend maybe starting with a dozen or a few dozen deploy them mostly in parks and rec.

Um talking to Mike Barber, Director of Parks and Rec, um when you have you know kids 16 and older, there's often transportation challenges and there's there, you know, historically we've had um supervision challenges, and of course, we'd have to find meaningful tasks for them to do.

So if this was something council was interested, um we would have the capacity to do it, but I would start at a much um you know much lower number of kids.

Um I do want to mention um uh not exactly on point but related.

We have a number of internship programs, both with the city and with the um um Hampton Roads Workforce Council, and it's not just uh people sometimes think it's just for college students or grad students, um especially with the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, it's also high school students and um they actually came and made a presentation to our department directors earlier this month, and so they have slots available, and one of the things I would suggest with or without this program is um we continue to work with the workforce council to get that word out to the community that these opportunities are already available for placement, both with the city and other cities in the region and with private businesses.

So I don't think we could accomplish 250, but if it's council's um desire, we certainly could get a program like this started at relatively minimal cost, and I would recommend maybe starting with um 20 or less um uh youth.

So Mr.

Smith.

Yes, to start somewhere beats the zero from my standpoint, but we need to implement something to say we're actually trying.

So if that's the order of everyone, to start with a smaller amount, then so be it.

Well that let's start some way up, and also like you say, advertising, what's already out there with the workforce council.

Thank you.

Ms.

Can I I did do you know the schools have something similar to this?

Yes, ma'am.

Is this something that maybe we can just piggyback with the schools on?

I know we we do a lot with the schools already with having students um intern or shadow city staff members.

It I don't know if perhaps instead of recreating the wheel, if there's uh an avenue of if we're gonna start slow piggyback off the school's program.

Could I maybe suggest that we um I have staff put together a list of the programs that we know are already available and funded, and I can dispatch that to council and we can re revisit this in a work session so you can see what is already out there and that how our program, if we do one might dovetail with what is already out there.

I think that would be great.

Okay.

Next up is increasing the community agent agency payments and human services, so what we call the human services grants to one million.

So we're we're at a little over 430,000 right now.

Um that would be an increase of $560,000 to increase the human services grants.

Any uh comments?

What do you are you looking for?

Yeses and no's, or are you looking for people who would support that?

Yeah, so for today, what would be good is direction if it's an absolute yes, we want to do it, or if it's an absolute no, but I suspect that there will be several that you're gonna ask to bring forward additional information.

And so this is what we do every year as we kind of drive towards the the final budget um adoption.

So for today, it's just direction, either included in the budget, don't include it in the budget, or you need more information.

I will say, and I'm sorry, I should have mentioned this earlier.

At the retreat in January, you tasked us with creating dashboards with outcomes.

So the grant says the human service, the recipient is going to achieve this outcome.

And so we're putting that dashboard together today.

Dr.

King asked if we could monitor over time from an outcome perspective, are we seeing repeat clients?

Meaning that people are using the same or multiple programs over and over again, so that even if they are demonstrating a positive outcome, it might not be that positive if we keep having people coming back into the programs.

That piece is a little more difficult, but we are tracking on that.

My initial reaction to the request, and certainly we'll do whatever, whatever council desires was.

I would rather my preference would be you have access to that information you have already asked for before we expand the program.

Because at this point I am not confident that the outcomes of our existing programs are meeting the desires you expressed in January.

And that's that's still a work in progress.

Dr.

Kay?

That was my sorry, that was my point.

Okay.

Mr.

Whittaker.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

That is quite a bit of money.

I would have to have much more information before I would feel comfortable saying yes.

Thank you.

Mr.

Smith?

That's why we are asking for the research to see if there is a need for it.

Not to say that we are going to do it, but to see if there is a need for it.

And also, if a lot of work that goes on in the city that the city cannot afford to do, as far as our employees are concerned.

Well, these different organizations can provide those services.

Yes, it is good to have in place a system to where you can find out the results of what these organizations are doing.

And if we're not doing that, then it's failure on our part.

But we should be monitoring what their results are.

But there are more groups that need the money, and we should be providing that for them because we cannot afford to do the services ourselves.

So that's why I suggested it.

If you recall in last year's budget, actually, um one of the directions we got was to expand our outreach of this program so that more we we had a lot of the same nonprofits every year that were getting the money year after year after year.

So we we expanded our messaging and outreach, and we got significantly more applications, maybe double the applications year over year.

However, there was no more money, right?

So to Council Member Smith's point, there was a lot of um self-identified needs in the community from the from the um from the um nonprofit uh agencies out there.

But again, as as Councilmember King just mentioned, the the basic information you asked for in um in January, that's that's sort of how we thought we would spend this year is making sure that we have the outcome measures before we expand the program.

But uh again, I just want to honor the the wishes of council.

So this is another one that maybe I suggest if we we take the the direction you have given us where we're at on that direction, where we've been historically with the grant funding and the outcomes.

I'll present that to council so that you have access to that information before you make a choice.

And to that point, there's always a possibility, should we need you see some outcomes or the greater need, we could do amendments throughout the year, correct?

Yes, sir.

Yep.

Okay, thank you.

I think I think we are all comfortable with what you are saying, and that includes what Mr.

Smith is talking about in terms of research.

So thank you all.

Um next up was increased funding for Chesapeake Care Clinic.

Uh this came from Councilmember Smith uh unspecified amount, but I believe this was in reaction to the um to the Affordable Care Act subsidy um expiration.

I believe that that's what Councilmember Smith mentioned at the council meeting.

So no no, there was no specified amount, but certainly the the way we would recommend accomplishing this would be um to either from our existing human services grants, um, the existing money you already have, you could carve out a portion of that money and say this is going to the to the um the care clinic, and so it will take that out of the competition, or you could increase funding over and above what we fund today to specifically fund the clinic or make no changes.

Any comments from council?

Dr.

Kay?

I guess my question again would be what are the needs of the Chesapeake Care Clinic?

Um we don't have that information.

I think that's vital information to have.

Yes, ma'am.

What do we give them now?

Do we know?

Do you know at the top?

Well, let's include that, please.

I believe they are grant recipient, but we will check to see what that funding has been.

I mean, I think it's fairly substantial amount, and they do great work.

I mean, they really do.

But again, to look at where the overlaps are.

Um the health department does a chronic disease.

You know, they have a clinic, care clinic does it.

We don't know how, you know, it would be good to know how many clients and patients they have and what they serve, prescription availability for medication.

Um we need not only do we need to know the outcomes, but we need to know that is there a necessary overlap.

Um I can't think of any worthy organization that doesn't want to help more than they help now.

And and that's laudable, but is it our respon, you know, is it that that collective responsibility?

You know, and I think to some extent it is, but if we're going to go over and above, I think we need to know why.

And then as I appreciate so much your um interest in outcome and not overlapping services.

Thank you.

We have a number of these to go through.

Can we move forward?

Mr.

Bunn.

Yeah, thank you, Mayor West.

Um, just a question I would ask too is if you can find out if the Chesapeake Care Clinic do they service Chesapeake residents or is it regional?

I'd like to know that.

Yes, sir.

Next one.

Yes, sir.

And um to council's direction from from the past, uh the the other caveat is we've changed at your request, we have changed the paradigm.

So in the future, we will be looking less towards funding grant requests because the requests have come in and we think it's a good idea, and more towards what services would we choose to buy that the nonprofit can provide better, faster, cheaper than we can.

The example I always use is the group neighborhood that does the workforce development training, has had phenomenal outcomes in terms of placing, and it it hits a lot of our strategic plan elements.

Um so that's sort of the work we were expecting to do over the coming months.

But I you know, one certainly want to be responsive to the request to increase the funding.

So we will get you that information and and how we're tracking.

Next up is establish a Fund Fridays program in parks recreation and tourism.

We estimate that we could um this is really giving kids something to do in the summer, right?

Something different than our existing programming.

Um we think we can do this with less than a half um half of a full-time position, so a part-time position estimated cost of about $96,000 to coordinate on this.

This is something staff would recommend that that we advance in the budget.

Any disagreements?

Mr.

Button?

No, I I was going to say I support this.

And um Mr.

Um Councilman Smith, this is for teens, though, right?

Or is it for all ages?

I don't remember when you brought up.

Yeah.

Yes.

I would like to see this advanced.

This would be a good opportunity to see if we can get the teams engaged in some positive activities.

Thank you.

Is this citywide?

We would we would look at it to be citywide.

Yes, ma'am.

Now I will tell you when we have done programs like this in the past, while we will while we would likely have activities citywide, we have concentrated activities.

Um these were recommendations in the mayor's um youth task force, both in Campus Stella and in Holly Cove.

And so we we have done enhanced efforts in those particular areas in the past, and we probably would recommend maintaining that.

Thank you.

Next one.

Next up was um a recommendation from Councilmember Smith to increase funding for the homelessness programs at the Chesapeake Care Resource Center.

We call that stepping stone, unspecified in amount, and I believe a related request at a community program specialist in human services.

This was from Councilmember Newens.

This is one of the positions that we noted that was rec requested by staff, but didn't make my proposed budget.

And if we were to um to augment the services, this is really the relationship between CAST, ABLIS, and the city to make sure that we're effectively running that program.

Um if that is something council wanted to do, the the recommendation we would make in terms of increasing funding support for that center is to add that position.

So that would be something staff would recommend.

One thing that CAST has requested in the past that we don't recommend is overnight staffing with city staff.

That's not that's turning it into a city homeless shelter that's not what we intended with with the partnership.

So but funding this program is something this this position is something staff would recommend.

Any disagreement?

Right.

What would the position do?

Um it would really be the um point of the principal point of contact between Cast Abelist of all the volunteers and the city and help to um increase the coordination of effort between the city and the volunteers.

We've run we've encountered some situations where there's been some miscommunication between the volunteers and the staff, and it's actually functioning really well, but I think this additional resource would help it take it to where to where we expect it to be.

And Jonathan, you did some research on this earlier today.

Am I missing anything?

No, sir.

You that's an accurate assessment.

Or description.

And that was the request of human services, as they thought that this was the most important thing to shore up that um program to make sure it's functioning as we intended.

Ms.

And actually, and I'm sorry, uh Mr.

Mayor, the the uh as I've mentioned to you before, we do have a goal of have making this a year-round service.

And so this position would also help facilitate transitioning from a cold weather service to a year-round service.

Ms.

Snowens?

Well, can I ask one more question?

Daytime or day and night.

So this the city staff is daytime, the volunteers are in the evening.

Um the only evening services that we're really providing is security.

Mr.

Stewart?

Can this position also have additional mental health training?

Folks who are struggling with homelessness also struggle with mental illness.

So I think it would be advantageous to have this person maybe cross-trained.

We could take a look at either that or making sure that we have the right partnership with CIBH to make sure that we have the right resource available.

Thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Uh next up is add additional fire shift safety officers.

So as you'll recall, um we the fire department requested three shift safety officers.

Umly one made the um uh the proposed budget, but the remaining two were the first positions that didn't make the budget, meaning if you asked me which would be the next two positions that you would fund, these would be the two that I would recommend uh funding so that we have full funding across uh full um fire shift safety staff officers across all three shifts.

Any disagreement with this one?

Thank you.

One more question, just I I see Chief Sam out there.

Correct.

I'm sorry.

Not for the shift, you know.

Okay.

Next up is uh is a market feasibility study for Campus Stella redevelopment.

So if you recall, there's a lot of things going on in South Norfolk.

So we have obviously the municipal building, we have the um Cuffy Center pool, um the redevelopment and housing authority is working if you were you if you know where the the coal ash site is, they're they're working on a um uh a um new housing project there.

Um but there's one area that remains that we've talked about over the past few budget cycles for some kind of reinvestment, and it's the area we call the lanes.

So it's and if you look at the police department's crime heat map, it is it is one of the highest areas of crime in the entire city.

And there's a variety of reasons for that.

There are some absentee um property owners, so you have properties that that have gone into disrepair.

Um actually a significant amount of properties held by very few property owners.

Um you have really the the if you think of the physical layout, it's really easy access in and out.

So a lot of the bad things that happen in the neighborhood aren't actually being committed by residents.

And and so um so looking, re-looking at the physical layout of of the area and re-looking at the mix of housing.

So is there a way to get more um ownership opportunities in that area?

If it were to redevelop, could we have more home ownership opportunities?

So there's a mix of rentals and homeowners and homeowners right now in that area.

It's almost all rentals.

Um there is some homeownership.

But um, so this is something that that council member Whitaker has brought up a couple times.

Uh, Councilmember Smith has recently acquired about it.

The mayor and I have talked about this a few times.

And what we would like to do is um this would be a heavy lift if there was a redevelopment project here.

It would likely take private sector partners.

And what we would like to do is work with the private sector on a market feasibility study to say, is there any kind of redevelopment we could do to achieve the outcomes of improving the lives of the community, improving the values of the property, reducing the crime, trying not to displace people.

So we have a variety of outcomes that we would be trying to achieve, but nothing will happen unless we engage the development community.

So we're we're really asking for counsel for just some seed money to get that project started.

Dr.

Ward?

I just think that this is an excellent idea.

I think that talks at least one or two councilman about that.

There is such a need.

And I'm glad to be able to definitely support this and increase in it if possible.

Thank you.

Mr.

Manager, I've met with a couple of times an individual who did something similar in Newport News.

I hope he's had a chance to meet with you to, and he may be able to provide some alternatives that would not request.

So I'll I'll kind of get that name to you.

Appreciate that.

Can I give this?

My concern is you use the words heavy lift and then seed money.

$200,000 is a lot of seed money just to have conversation with the private sector to see if there is any interest in this.

So my preference would be to follow up on maybe the mayor's lead or before we go and spend $200,000 on something that we don't even think is potentially feasible to do in the end.

I mean, I don't know.

Have we had conversations with developers at this point?

Very informal.

When I mean market feasibility, I mean what would the uh these these are high-level outcomes, but what would it cost?

What what's the likelihood of acquiring properties?

What would the cost of those properties be?

What physical changes would be necessary post-development to make sure that it's not as easy to get in and get out and commit crime.

Um, what would be the carrying cost of the, you know, from where we are today to if if we acquired property and redeveloped in the future, who would be responsible for those carrying costs?

Is there a role for the city long term?

So let's say the city were to buy the property and do a ground lease, and a private developer develops the property so that the city has some long-term control about um the residents and you know what happens at the property and how the condition the property is kept up with, all of that is way beyond the conversation of one individual um uh development partner.

And so we, whether it's 200,000, 100,000, 50,000, we would just like something in the budget that's council's acknowledgement that this is an issue that you would like us to take a look at.

I I don't think I'm in the majority on this, but I think the lanes is a problem.

I think it needs to be addressed.

I don't think taking the properties or tearing them down or changing the ownership is going to solve that.

So I think we have got numbers in the past that were tens of millions of dollars to do something like this.

I don't think that solves the problem personally.

So I am not supportive of it.

I think there is a problem there that needs to be addressed, but I don't think taking people's homes or changing the type of homes that are there is the one is what's going to solve it.

That guy.

Jeffries.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh, before signing off, or before I would feel comfortable signing off on a line item being added, I would like for you to meet with or discuss uh the partner on the peninsula that's that's had success with this already that may either negate that expense or point you in the direction of a lower cost.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Um several years ago, I think too many, 2002.

We had a sort of ad hoc team that swept through the medicine arms apartments.

Um police, fire marshals, inspectors.

And the results of that day were pretty horrifying.

And they made the front page of the then read, not that anybody reads the newspaper anymore, but people used to, front page, top of the fold about what was going on there.

And it took a couple of years to come to a resolution.

But if we could do something like that again as a precursor, then I think looking at a market analysis is probably very wise.

This came to us a couple of years ago.

Um I was one of the people who felt it would be a very good idea to look at development there, but that did not pass muster with the majority.

But I do agree it is an area that it could, I think it could make a huge difference in that particular area.

And we have a built-in group of community activists there that would be great partners.

So maybe come back to us with a plan, but maybe start with a sweep that would give us the basis to know about whether the property is kept up, what goes on there.

And I I wouldn't recommend a taking of anybody's property.

I don't think taking a taking is where we want to go.

But you know, I think it's something to evaluate.

And not only is it a housing issue, it's a significant public safety issue.

So Dr.

King?

I'd rather do that than $200,000 for a contractor to pick up signs.

Thank you.

I was just going to ask you about law enforcement's presence in that area, because as long as the crime rate is high, you're going to have problems with the property.

And you can also have difficulty getting people to live there who are going to take care of their properties.

So I really think the underlying factor is going to be addressing the crime.

And is that something we are undertaking?

We are.

Yes, ma'am.

So we have very one as the council member to your right can attest.

We have very active policing in that area, but it's uh it I just think experience has taught us we're not going to police our way out of the issue.

And there's a lot of folks, long-time residents in that community that are victims of folks that are doing the wrong thing, and that they would like a better neighborhood, better quality of life, better amenities.

So and I should have mentioned this when Councilmember Newman's uh mentioned the idea, but even a physical redevelopment that included um you know uh call-de-sac, maybe little uh park areas, um maybe uh uh public safety presence.

If you look at the neighborhood that's just to the east of the Cuffy Center, those are those areas are on call-de-sacts.

It's not easy to get in and out.

Those properties have really held their value in time, but the physical layout of the the area we call the lanes really has made it over time conducive um to some bad activity.

So I think you are exactly right.

Um, but it policing itself is probably unlikely to solve it.

Um if we did nothing, I would recommend it at a minimum some physical changes to the infrastructure that probably would involve that could involve some displacements, unfortunately, but physical changes to the infrastructure to make it um not as conducive to criminal activity as it is today.

Thank you.

Mr.

Smith?

Yes.

I want to say this is a can, we cannot continue to kick down down the road.

This is something that needs to take place as soon as possible.

Uh this has been going on for years as far as this community is concerned.

The crime has been there for quite a period of time.

It hasn't been resolved.

What you are talking about as far as changing the housing to where some rental and some home ownership would change things.

The economy needs to change in that particular community.

You got a multimillion dollar swim pool coming into existence in a couple of years, and the surrounding area needs to be to where people want to come to that area.

If we don't make the changes now, we're going to continue to have problems, and people are not going to come, people are not going to want to come to our newly aquatic center that's going to be built.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

And I would just add to Mr.

Smith's comments as well.

I agree.

I since I was a sister principal at Truett Junior High School and going going into that community, I've seen so many things over the years, particularly with our mayor's task force that we it is a huge problem that can only be addressed with huge action.

So I think it's going to take something drastic.

And I would like to have a good uh plan that would make a difference.

So whatever that takes for me is is good.

But but to be sensitive to the council's comments, we will meet with the development.

Yes, absolutely.

If there is a better way, we can find it.

But it if we can make it less than 200, that's good too.

All right, yeah.

Dr.

Ward.

No, I just agree, uh totally agree because even the homes that are right across the street from Oscar Smith, and where the pool is going to be going, um, and how they you know that that has helped tremendously.

So the ones to the left, we really really need to, and this is the area that you are talking about.

And I think we have something in plan.

So I totally agree that we need to try to make things happen now.

Uh and that's a proof that it can happen if you look at the homes and the ownership right across the street from the pool.

But those who the left, it's really needs all we can do to bring it up to par.

Um I support it.

Thank you, Dr.

Ward.

Uh Mr.

Manager, before we move on, uh the special the program specialist of the human services, was that addressed uh by the pri previous item on this list?

Um, I think the first two will be addressed by adding if if you asked us what resource would be necessary to improve it, that's the resource we would have.

That's what I'm saying.

Yes, sir.

Okay, thank you.

Last up, um, the uh the submissions for departments for the the budget um are due in the fall.

Last week we received a request from the airport authority for a million dollars um for the five year CIP.

So it's a hundred and sixty-two thousand dollars in year one.

Um, and they have multiple um requests over the five years of the CIP totaling just under a million dollars.

So um you know, I think they're good quality projects, but given what we've been through with the airport in the past, I don't feel like I can sit here and advocate on their behalf.

If it's council's wish we could ask them to come to a work session to present um those items to you, or at a minimum, um, we could have them dispatch a report to council to see if it's something you're even interested in, and then see if further conversations warranted.

I think uh Mr.

Quitaker.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um wow.

Uh yes.

Have them come to council in a work session.

And explain away why we should give a million dollars to them.

Please.

Personally, I think a report will give us what we need to hear.

Uh see who's next, Mr.

Jeffers.

And in that report, could we uh see the progress they've made with the proposals that they said they they brought to us as new projects for increasing their own profitability?

Actually, some very good news on that front.

You may have seen um uh an economic development announcement recently for the um and they talked to you about this during that business plan.

There was uh they they couldn't announce it at the time, but they they had a deal that they were very close to, and they have secured that deal, so we'll make sure they include that in the report.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh we're done.

Questions?

No.

No questions more quick.

Uh, you missed it.

I went to thank you.

I just wanted to I mentioned whether or not you could find capacity for that matching state grant for um agriculture.

Is that possible?

And it's very small amount compared to everybody else's, but yes, ma'am.

I actually think we have an agenda item coming this month.

It's the the AFID grant.

Um, we have an agenda item for an appropriation coming to council in two weeks.

Okay.

Thank you.

Our regular meeting will begin in thirty minutes, six thirty-five.

Thank you, Ms.

Vice Mayor.

Council is now in session.

I'd like to recognize Councilman Newens at this time for the invitation.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Please join me in prayer.

Heavenly Father, we come before you with grateful hearts, asking for your presence to guide us in this meeting.

Grant us wisdom in our discussions, clarity in our decisions, unity in our purpose.

Help us listen with open minds, speak with kindness, act with integrity in all we do.

May we work here in your honor and serve the good of those we represent.

Bless our efforts and lead us in the right direction.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

Now if I can please have Mr.

Patrick Anderson from Troop 413 come forward.

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

It was not expected to get in front of all these people and lead the Pledge of Allegiance, but he is truly a scout with courage and all the things that you say you represent.

So Patrick, thank you for that.

Council Member Bunn.

Here.

Councilmember Jeffrey.

Here.

Council Member King.

Here.

Councilmember Newman's here.

Councilmember Smith.

Here.

Councilmember Ward.

Present.

Councilmember Whitaker.

Present.

Vice Mayor Ritter.

Here.

Mayor West.

I am here.

Next is the approval of the proposed agenda.

Are there any changes to the proposed agenda?

Dr.

King.

Okay.

Dr.

Ward, did you?

No.

Okay.

Thank you.

Uh motion, please.

Move approval.

Thank you, Dr.

Ward.

Second.

Second.

Thank you.

Please prepare to vote.

Please vote.

And record the vote.

Madam Clerk.

Motion to approve the agenda as presented.

It's adopted by a nine-o vote.

We have a number of presentations tonight.

And I want to ask well, first of all, this first one is a certificate of recognition for Mr.

and Miss Abilities in Chesapeake.

Today will we celebrate participants of the Chesapeake Mr.

and Mrs.

Abilities Pageant, a program where every individual shines.

Abilities take center stage.

We extend recognition to Councilmember Jeff Bunn, whose advocacy and compassion through his meaningful events to our attention.

At this time, I would like to ask Mr.

Mike Barber, Parks and Recreation and Tourism Director, along with Melanie Beck, recreations coordinator for therapeutics to the podium.

Mr.

Barber will give brief overview for the program, and Melanie Beck will introduce the winners of the 2026 pageant and our councilman Bunn will present the certificate.

Good evening, everybody.

And uh thank you for having us here tonight.

And we're very excited about introducing you to this year's uh winners.

But uh quick little history.

Um, and um back in 2014, there was a conversation between one of our outstanding parks, recreation and tourism employees and the therapeutic specialist.

Oh, he's now council member Jeff Bunn.

Um, just talking about Jeff had a lot of experience with pageants and all at that time, and they just talked about what's something we could do that would be a little bit different and special.

Hence, on April 19th, 2015, the first Miss Abilities was done.

Uh, we had an our second one in 2016.

Then in 2017, we expanded it um to Mr.

and Mrs.

Abilities.

Um fast forward to 18 and 19, two uh more great years.

Then um we brought on Miss Melody Beck here, who um is our now our recreation coordinator, who's really helped with Jeff take it to another level.

Um, our whole therapeutic program, not only just this this particular pageant.

And then um after COVID and after some renovations at the conference center back in 2024, 25, 26.

Now we have had subsequent um eight now Mr.

and Miss Abilities pageant.

So at this time I'd like to introduce Melody, and then I think Jeff is going to um do the recognition.

I just wanted to say a few quick words about our Mr.

and Miss Abilities.

I just wanted to introduce them before Jeff comes up.

So Lance Brown, our Mr.

Abilities 2026, participates in Special Olympics.

He serves as a football manager at Grassfield High School and an assistant coach for 11U football.

Lance loves country music and spending time with his cat Sunny.

So this is Mr.

Abilities Lance Brown.

And now I'm really gonna confuse you because as Melody, I'm going to introduce Melody, who is our Miss Abilities, Melody Fields.

Um Melody was born in Florida and grew up in Chesapeake when she was eight years old.

She was diagnosed with um an intellectual disability and ADHD, and she attended Chesapeake Public Schools, graduating in 2010 from Indian River High School, Go Braves.

She was married to her husband Jeffrey Fields in December, and she loves to help around the house.

She's very social, she's friendly with everyone she meets.

She's a part of a family business, and she is super helpful working at local farmers' markets with her dad.

She has an outgoing personality, and she is a tremendous asset.

She loves to cook, paint, and go on walks with Jeffrey.

So this is Miss Abilities 2026.

Melody Fields.

Parades, all kinds of different fun activities that you could represent.

And the great thing about this pageant, it celebrates young people.

We're going to give you the certificate.

In celebration of your outstanding achievement as a winner of Miss Abilities Pageant 2026.

Your victory is a reflection of your confidence, courage, and shining spirit.

You have inspired our community and reminded us that greatness is defined by heart, determination, and the courage to be yourself.

May your journey continue to inspire, uplift, and open doors for others to see the power of limitless abilities.

We are so proud of you.

Congratulations, Miss Abilities.

Melody Fields.

I wanted to thank Ms.

Melody Beck and her volunteers for this opportunity.

It was a long journey.

But I also look forward to representing the Department of Parks and Recreation and Therapeutic Program in the City of Chesapeake of this upcoming year.

May God bless you all.

And next we have the amazing Mr.

Ability.

Thank you.

I don't know.

Thank you, Mayor West.

Now I'll bring Mr.

Abilities, Mr.

Lance Brown forward.

Lance is such a talented young man.

He's a great vocalist and dancer.

The Vice Mayor was in attendance and she crowned them this year, and she can attest to their absolutely great abilities.

He's a student at Grassville High School, as Melanie spoke earlier.

Um again, uh Lance, your victory is a reflection of your confidence, courage, and shine and spirit.

You have inspired our community in reminding us that greatness is defined by heart, determination, and courage to be yourself.

May your journey continue to inspire, uplift, and open doors for others to see the power of limitless abilities that you have.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr.

Lance Brown, Mr.

Chesapeake Abilities.

I want to thank the City of Chesapeake for having for everything they do for us.

Thank you for having me here.

Go Norfolk Tides.

All right.

And I believe Lance's uh mother, Jenny Ellington.

Is she here?

There you are.

Hi.

Yeah, can um Miss River like I have a group picture.

Families, if they'd like to come.

Miss Beck also has her two sons and her husband, Robert, which is also a firefighter in our department here.

Thank you for being here also.

We're gonna volunteer.

Major major volunteer, yes.

He's uh he's our buddy in our pageant for the guys.

Maybe I'm right.

Melody, don't try to get out of the year.

I was good at one time.

My phone hates me.

I got one I can share.

Huh?

I got one I can share.

Okay, thank you.

All right, great.

Thank you all.

Appreciate you.

Congratulations.

Next, we have proclamations for the National Public Safety Telecommunication Week, and a proclamation for National Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week.

We bring together two important proclamations that recognize dedicated professionals who serve our community through the Chesapeake Police Department, often behind the scenes, yet always in the front line of care, safety, and protection.

During National Public Safety Telecommunication Week, we honor the voices behind the calls, the calm in the chaos, and those who answer in the moment of crisis and help save lives with clarity, compassion, and precision.

At the same time, the National Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week recognizes those who protect both people and animals, ensuring safety, responding to concerns, and showing daily commitment to well-being of the community.

I'd like to acknowledge Mr.

Mark Sileski.

Is he here?

Would you come forward, please?

I'd like to also call to the podium Kat Daniels, Animal Shelter Manager, who will speak on behalf of the National Animal Career and Control Appreciation Week, and Jessica Kaye, Assistant 911 Coordinator, who will speak on behalf of the National Public Safety Telecommunication Week.

And if after you finish, would you put pick up the proclamations from Ms.

Madison here?

Honorable Mayor and Honorable Council members.

Thank you for recognizing animal or National Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week.

On behalf of our shelter staff and animal control officers, I want to express our sincere gratitude.

Animal care and control is a unique field.

On any given day, our staff may be rescuing an injured animal, reuniting a lost pet with its family, investigating cruelty, or helping a frightened dog take its first steps towards trust.

It requires compassion, resilience, and a steady commitment to public service.

Sometimes all before lunch.

In fact, if you've ever tried to convince a 100-pound dog or any cat that you are in charge, you know that other duties as assigned is the majority of our job description.

This proclamation highlights the dedication of our officers, shelter staff, and volunteers who show up every day with professionalism and heart.

They are the reason that vulnerable animals receive care, people adopt their newest family member, and our community remains safer and more compassionate.

Thank you for standing with us and helping shine a light on a profession that truly serves both sides of the leash.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Thank you to members of City Council and to Chief Seleschy for recognizing the invaluable contributions of our public safety telecommunicators.

Since the first 911 call was placed in 1968 in Haleyvale, Alabama, the role of the telecommunicator has evolved significantly.

What was once a position with minimal training has transformed into a highly skilled profession, requiring extensive training, sound judgment, and the ability to make critical decisions in real time.

Today's telecommunicators are trained professionals who quickly and accurately prioritize, classify, and dispatch calls for service.

They're responsible for meeting a wide range of public needs, from providing information about city services and connecting callers to other jurisdictions to delivering emergency medical dispatch instructions, including life-saving measures such as CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, and tourniquet applications.

We take great pride in the service we provide to our community and to our public safety partners.

That service has expanded far beyond traditional telephone and radio communication.

Telecommunicators now utilize multiple databases, mapping systems, and emerging emerging technologies that provide critical, often life-saving information to responders in the field.

As technology continues to advance, we're entering the next generation of 911.

In the near future, telecommunicators will have access to enhanced data, including images and live stream videos from callers, further improving situational awareness and response capabilities.

Chesapeake has been a leader in this evolution.

In 2022, we became one of the first in the region to implement next generation 911.

This year, the city has continued that leadership by class reclassifying telecommunicators as a protective service occupation, recognizing the complexity, responsibility, and impact the work they perform every day.

Our telecommunicators work side by side with police, fire, and EMS, serving as a critical link in emergency response.

They are there for our citizens on their worst days, providing calm guidance and support when it is needed most.

Thank you for recognizing these dedicated professionals and for your continued support.

Their work is essential to fulfilling the city's mission of making Chesapeake a place where people can live, learn, work, farm, and play.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We really appreciate what you do, what you do.

You really do make a difference in the lives of our citizens and improve the quality of life for us all.

So thank you and God bless.

Mark Chief, did you want to make a comment?

Just wanted to say thank you, Mayor, members of council, Mr.

Manager, for acknowledging them.

We couldn't do what we do without them.

Thank you.

Thank you for your leadership, sir.

Can you all come up for a picture with and Officer Barlow and the President?

No comment.

I'm not going to argue with him.

We're not going to argue with you.

Thank you.

Next is a proclamation for National Fair Housing Month.

And April is a national fair housing month.

As a city that proudly embraces the spirit of small town with the strength of a and growth of a big city, we are committed to ensuring that every citizen has access to safe, fair, and equitable housing.

Excuse me.

Fair housing is fundamental to building strong neighborhoods, supporting families, and creating opportunities for all.

I am proud to ask my longtime friend and colleague, Dr.

Debbie Stukes to please come forward.

She is the CHRA board chair, Commissioner and Nellie Sanchez, Director of Community Development for Chesapeake Redevelopment Housing.

Please come to the podium.

We really thank you so much for your continued leadership and dedication to serving our community.

Dr.

Stees, would you please prepare uh give us a few remarks?

I know you can always have something to say.

I love you too, Mayor.

Honorable Mayor West, Vice Mayor Ritter, other members of City Council.

Good evening.

On behalf of the Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority, we are honored to accept this proclamation in recognition of Fair Housing Month.

As you know, as a public housing authority, providing opportunities for fair housing is at the core of our mission.

Fair housing is also fundamental to opportunity, health, and economic stability.

This proclamation is not merely symbolic for us, but it serves as a reminder for all of us, and it challenges us to do the following.

It challenges us to act, to educate our residents about their rights, to help those who experience discrimination, to train landlords and property managers in fair housing practices, and to continue to pursue policies that expand affordable housing for our most vulnerable neighbors.

We're extremely grateful for the city's continued support and commitment of fair housing.

Thank you to each of you for your leadership and for your willingness to stand with us as we continue to do the work of ensuring that every person has a fair chance when it comes to housing.

Again, on behalf of the Board of Commissioners, our leader, Director, Mr.

Art Harbin, and my sidekick over here, Miss Nelly Sanchez, and other members of the authority.

We thank you for this opportunity and thank you for the recognition.

Thank you.

Dr.

Stookes, I remember the day I saw your name on the list when it uh for appointment for this position, and I knew what you did in your former life as a principal and as a leader in the school system, and I knew you would make a difference here too, and really do appreciate you, appreciate all that you do and give.

Thank you, sir.

Now can you go so you want to go inside one of us?

Next is uh National Volunteer Week.

In recognition of National Volunteer Week, we take a moment to honor the spirit and services that strengthen and uplift the City of Chesapeake.

Volunteers are the heartbeat of our community, giving their time, talent, and passions to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

At this time, I would like to ask Alison Myers to come to the podium, Director of Human Services, and Mary Beth.

You call the other people you want to come to the podium.

Mary Beth Neenauber and Jaden Hughes.

So Mary Beth is our Deputy Director of Human Resources, and Jaden is the volunteer coordinator for the city.

Good evening, Honorable Dr.

Richard West and members of City Council.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you for a few moments this evening.

Each year during the third week of April, we recognize National Volunteer Week at this year that will be observed April 19th through the 25th, established in 1974.

Established in 1974.

This week is dedicated to highlighting those inspiring individuals whose active service strengthen our community and enrich our lives.

Here in Chesapeake, countless residents have received support, care, and opportunities that simply would not be possible without the dedication of our volunteers.

Their time, energy, and unwavering commitment enable us to provide services far beyond what resources alone we could accomplish.

Volunteers are woven in the fabric of city operations for caring for animals through Chesapeake Animal Services, coaching youth sports through parks, recreation, and tourism, removing unauthorized signs, serving as child advocates, or contributing their expertise on boards and commissions.

In every corner of our city, volunteers elevate our work and truly make Chesapeake an exceptional place to live, learn, work, farm, and play.

In 2025, our volunteers contributed an outstanding total of 352,824 hours, representing a value of over 12 million dollars.

Beyond the remarkable number of hours, these volunteers have built relationships, touch lives, and strengthen neighborhoods.

And this year we saw an increase of 8,500 hours from 2024, which further supports our commitment to volunteerism in our community.

These hours reflect more than time.

They represent dedication, compassion, and a shared commitment to making Chesapeake wonderful.

We are incredibly grateful and privileged to have such a dedicated group of individuals helping us.

I'd also like to extend appreciation to our volunteer coordinators throughout the city whose dedication and leadership helped to make sure that we can continue this volunteer program.

At this time, I'd like to invite the Honorable Mayor Richard West to present our proclamation.

I was thinking we had budget meeting today, and I don't know how many since that takes off the real estate tax, but I can tell you this, it's significant.

I'm glad that's 12 million dollars that we don't have to uh either tax people with or find other ways to get.

So really, on behalf of the city council and the 250,000 plus student uh citizens that we have in this great city.

Thank you, and thank you, all the volunteers.

And would you please recognize them at this time?

And I want to present this to you, this proclamation.

Fantastic.

Thank you.

Any volunteers in attendance, if you would like to come forward and take the uh picture of the mock check, the 12 million dollar mock check, we'd love to have you appear.

After all, we couldn't do it without you.

Anyone else?

We still have some maintenance.

Oh, we have some.

Thank you.

All right, which way do we want to face?

Maybe it's this way or that way.

All right.

You have to come in more so you can see you've got to be in the picture, Mary Beth.

I did, sir.

Thank you.

Fantastic.

Thank you.

Thank you all for this in our pocket.

Fantastic.

So again, thank you, volunteers who are able to join us.

Um, thank you for giving your generosity.

Your service enriches our community daily, and we are sincerely thankful and thank you, Council.

Next uh on the agenda is citizens' comments on public hearing items.

Uh the city council meeting is a limited public forum.

So public comments must be related to tonight's agenda items.

And when speaking, please focus your remarks on the merits of the application that you're speaking on.

Doing so helps uh this hearing fulfill its purpose of gathering relevant information for the voting body.

Additionally, to balance order with the public's right to speak as outlined in the city council's rules of order and procedure.

Any speaker who delays, interrupts, or disrupts the meeting through disorderly insolent or disturbing action, speech, or conduct will be declared out of order.

Madam Clerk, are there any speakers?

Not at this time.

Thank you.

Texas South Council's consideration for public hearing items.

Madam Clerk.

Item A, effective tax rate increase for the fiscal year 2026-2027 operating budget.

This hearing is for public comment only.

No action is required.

And do we have speakers?

Yes, sir.

We have one speaker, Dr.

George Reed, representing New Chesapeake Men for Progress speaking in opposition.

To our Honorable Mayor, Dr.

West and our Vice Mayor, Mr.

Ritter, and fellow councilmember.

I'm speaking tonight on behalf of myself and the new Chesapeake Men for Progress as represented by citizens throughout the city and civic leagues.

Many of them are here tonight.

If they would stand, I would appreciate it.

Mainly because the assessment is going up at the same time, projected to be somewhere in the neighborhood of three to four percent.

Also, we are hit at the national level with increased cost and food, gasoline, paper, towels, whatever you want to call it.

This is not the time to be increasing things on our citizen.

And I'll tell you a few things why.

Right now, many of our critical workers cannot live in the city because the rent is too high, or buying a home is too high.

Chesapeake rent went up 52 percent since 2019.

52 percent, which outpaced the national rent growth of about 30 percent in the same time period, and more than double the national rate of wage increase.

We can't afford any more increase in fund.

We you just increase our water and sewage, and back in 2023, you increase the assessment of our home.

Mine went from 226 in 2022 to 326 in 2026.

99,000 in four years, real property assessment went up.

Right now, we need homes where we can at least house the people who want to stay here.

Our young college graduates, they can't come home and take a job because they can't afford to buy a house or rent.

Right now, over 12,000, 300 Chesapeake families are rent burdened, which means they are paying over 30 percent of their household income towards rent.

And think about these other costs that have gone up.

Uh we are suffering in this city, which the population is increasing.

And it has been said from the Chesapeake Alliance who advise you all that we're gonna need 15,000 multifamily housing units.

Yet only 4 percent of the land owned by the city is zoned for multifamily units.

We're good at maintaining, but the future is missing somewhere on this council because you're not taking care of the citizen as you should.

It is good to build a new radio station.

It is good to build a new fire station.

We want to be safe.

But when it comes to building something that the citizen in the sense of enjoying life, you make it a priority and you don't fund it.

I'm against this tax.

You shouldn't pass it.

The assessment yield at a high yield as the city manager report reflect over the last four years, there have been $373 million uncommitted at the end of the year.

What do you do with it?

You didn't spend it on the communities to improve them in any way.

In my neighborhood, Bainbit Boulevard, you have to pay dodge ball to get down for sinkholes and check holes.

And listen to the people.

Because you can't keep burdening us with taxes.

Just increase the tolls.

Who's effective on expressway and the veteran?

Whose effect?

Workers.

I got a young man coming out of North Carolina and say, boy, I got to pay a toll now.

Who comes to this city to work?

Policeman living novel comes to this city and work because he can't afford to be here.

You need to take a home and look at where you are taking this city, because you are not taking it into the future.

You're just maintaining in taxing.

Thank you, Dr.

Reed.

Next is that concludes the speaker.

Next is citizens' comments on agenda items only.

Do we have any speakers on this?

No, sir.

Thank you.

So next is consent agenda.

Would you please present the congenital agenda?

But however, let me call on councilmember Jeffries at this time.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

I am an employee of the city and member of its police department.

I am disclosing this personal interest because City Manager Item 1 could benefit police department employees.

Since the police department includes three or more people who may be affected, the City Attorney has advised me that I can participate if this disclosure is made.

I do not have a conflict that prevents me from participating, and I therefore and I hereby affirm I can participate fairly objectively and in the public's interest.

Thank you.

Councilman Jeffries.

Ms.

Patterson.

Madam Clerk.

City Clerk Item 1, acknowledgments for rezoning applications, public necessity, convenience, general welfare, and good zoning practice requires a following zoning reclassification request to be heard.

These requests are not public hearing items at this time.

These items are tentatively scheduled to be heard by the Planning Commission on May 13, 2026, and will be considered by City Council at a future meeting.

Item A, PLN REZ 2025-015, Great Hope Baptist Church.

Item B, PLN R.

E.

Z 2025-021, Mears Creek.

Two resignations.

A, Councilmember Jeff Jeffries, Commission on Health and Well-Being.

B, Nicole Taylor Batiste, Chespeak Interagency Consortium, and C Anthony Kelly, Citizen Advisory Committee.

City Manager Item 1, request for the authority to apply for a FY25 Burn Justice Assistance Grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance requested by police.

That concludes the consent agenda, Mayor.

Thank you.

Are there any items council members would like to remove for discussion on the regular agenda?

Yes, I'd like to remove item one.

City manager item one.

Thank you.

Could we have a motion, please, on the uh consent agenda?

Move approval.

With the conception of item one.

With the exception of item one.

Do we have a second second?

Thank you, Dr.

Ward.

Please prepare to vote.

Please vote.

And record.

Motion to approve the consent agenda, with the exception of City Manager Item One is adopted by a 9-0 vote.

Thank you.

Next is our regular agenda.

First consider item one from the consent agenda.

I'll call on Vice Mayor Midder.

Thank you.

To the manager.

Were you able to talk to the police chief about the application?

So there's two parts to the application.

One is a software improvement for the maintenance of software for the police department.

The second is a position in the Common Laws Attorney's Office.

Wasn't able to speak to the Chief about that position, but the question that we discussed was whether or not the position would continue if the grant fund if we receive the grant funding, if the grant funding ran out, we would not continue the position unless we made a purposeful decision to do so.

And then the second is on the outcomes of the position.

So as with all of the constitutional officers, council's direction is to not supplement the constitutional officers above what we're doing today, unless you make a purposeful choice to do so.

And then through the MOU process and the budget process over the past few years, we're getting more specific about the outcomes that we that we intend to achieve, which with each position.

So if we were to receive the grant funding, as we're doing with other positions, we would look at what outcomes we're achieving and then track the outcomes on that position.

Okay.

If we should be successful, these burn grants have been quite helpful to the city.

If we should be fortunate enough to get this grant, uh before the appropriation, I'd like you to provide the council with a job description.

This is a new position we've never had before.

And then I'd like to be able to have an outcome track at least every six months.

I assume it's a year's grant to see what the outcome is and whether or not it's provided value to the citizens.

Are we able to do that?

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

With that, and under those provisions and criteria, I make a motion that we approve the request for the grant authority.

Do we have a second?

Second.

Thank you, Mr.

Bond.

Any other discussion?

Seeing none, please prepare to vote.

Please vote and record.

Madam Clerk.

Motion to approve City Manager Item 1 is adopted by a 9-0 vote.

Thank you.

Mr.

Manager, would you please present your items?

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Item two is a request to de-appropriate $800,000 received from the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services requested by Chesapeake Integrated Behavioral Health Care.

Motion, please.

Move approval.

Thank you, Dr.

Ward.

Second.

Thank you, Ms.

Ritter.

Any discussion?

Just to clarify, I know we have a lot of speakers.

We are de-appropriating it for.

Can you explain to folks?

That's a lot of money.

It is.

And we didn't spend any of it, correct?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

We do have a motion for approval.

Please prepare to vote.

Please vote and record.

Madam Clerk.

Motion to approve the request as presented is adopted by a 9-0 vote.

Item 3 is a request to appropriate $82,400 in state revenue and transfer $20,600 from the General Fund Reserve for contingencies to the Virginia Public Assistance Fund requested by human services as an emergency action.

Thank you.

A motion is an order as an emergency.

Mr.

Smith.

Move to approve.

Thank you, sir.

Second.

As a new urgency.

Dr.

Ward.

Any discussion on this item?

None.

Please prepare to vote.

Please vote and record, Madam Clerk.

Motion to approve the request as presented and as an emergency action is adopted by a 9-0 vote.

Item 4 is a resolution designating city-owned property located at 4437 Portsmouth Boulevard, known as the Western Branch Park, to be renamed and known as the Claire R.

Ask you Western Branch Park, requested by Parks Recreation and Tourism.

A motion is in order.

Move approval.

Thank you.

Ms.

Ritter and Dr.

Ward.

Is there any discussion?

She's maybe Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you.

I'm sorry.

Dr.

Ward?

Yes.

Oh, I just certainly want to thank the Mayor and City Council and Managers for the proposal.

Claire Ask you is just an amazing, an amazing leader on Fox Recreation and Tourism.

We have long history.

I mean she was the substitute teacher for me back in the day, but she has just moved up and just done wonderful things for our school system and for our recreation center.

And it just makes my heart feel good that we can name a part for this wonderful leader of Fox Recreation and Tourism.

And as a member of the Western branch community, I think we can all say this is a job well done in such an amazing, well thought out plan to name that park after Ms.

Claire ask it.

Thank you, Dr.

Ward.

Ms.

Rutter.

Thank you.

Mr.

Barber.

I want to thank the advisory board for their quick action on this.

And not to take up the time to read this to you all.

Many of you may have known Claire.

Many of you may not have known her.

But if you can take the time to go to the council's agenda and to read the reasoning behind the resolution, I think whether you knew her or not, you'd recognize the tremendous contributions over the years that Claire gave to this city and why it's so important that she received this recognition.

I wish you were with us to be there.

She gave a lot to the city, and whether you knew or not, we all benefited from her efforts and her hard work.

So if you get a chance, Mr.

Barber, you all did a wonderful job with this.

Thank you so much.

You captured Claire and her spirit beautifully.

Thank you, Ms.

Ritter.

Thank you.

Please prepare to vote.

Please vote and record the motion to approve the resolution as presented is adopted by a 9-0 vote.

All right.

Thank you.

Next is our city attorney.

Uh Lenley, would you please please present your item?

A resolution authorizing the city's participation in the proposed settlement of opioid-related claims against Associated Pharmacies, Inc.

and American Associated Pharmacies, JM Smith Corporation, Louisiana Wholesale Drug Company Inc., Morrison Dickinson, North Carolina Mutual Wholesale Drug Company Inc.

and United Food Natural Food, its subsidiary, supervalue, and advantaged logistics, collectively referred to as a six remnant defendants, and directing the city attorney and or cities outside council to execute or execute the documents necessary to effectuate the city's participation in the settlements.

Motion is in order.

Move approval.

Please push a button.

Second.

It's hard to tell who's first without that.

Mr.

Whittaker.

Second.

Ms.

Ritter.

Thank you.

Whatever you mean.

We have a motion for approval.

Is there any discussion?

Please prepare to vote.

Please vote and record.

Motion to approve the resolution as presented is adopted by a 9-0 vote.

Thank you.

Next is citizens' comments on services, policy, and affairs of the city, non-agenda speakers.

Do we have any speakers?

Yes, sir.

We have 16 speakers.

They will get three minutes each.

The first speaker is Dr.

Janelle St.

Louis speaking on a bus stop to be added in front of the resource center.

Followed by Sharon Stoll.

Okay, thank you.

Good evening, Honorable Mayor, Vice Mayor, all of City Council.

I thank you for the opportunity to speak on adding a bus stop in front of the resource center.

My name is Dr.

Janelle St.

Louis.

I'm a clinical pharmacist community advocate and currently serve in the Commission on Health and Wellbeing, appointed by this body.

I stand before you today, not just in those roles, but as someone deeply committed to ensuring that every resident in our city has equitable access to resources they need to live healthy, safe, and dignified lives.

Access to safe, reliable transportation is not a privilege.

It is a basic necessity.

And if we are serious about serving every resident in this city, then we cannot continue to ignore the very real barriers facing our most vulnerable neighbors.

I strongly and unapologetically support adding a bus stop at the Chesapeake Care Resource Center for our unhoused citizens.

This is not a new issue.

In fact, it has been brought before this council for over a year with letters being written.

Several letters have been written raising these concerns yet.

There's been no resolution.

The lack of action speaks volumes, and tonight I'm asking that we finally move from awareness to action.

Right now, the nearest bus stop is more than a quarter of a mile away.

On paper, that may not seem like much, but in reality, for an elderly individual, someone living with a disability, or someone facing significant health challenges, that distance can be the difference between receiving help and going without it.

And without sidewalks, that walk is not just inconvenient, it's unsafe and unacceptable.

Chesapeake is the city that cares, right?

It must be reflected in our infrastructure and our decisions and in how we serve those who need us most.

This is not a complicated issue, is it a test of whether we are willing to meet people where they are and move remove barriers that should not exist in the first place?

Transportation is directly tied to access to health care, employment, food, shelter, and stability.

When people cannot safely reach essential services, we are not just facing a transportation issue, we are failing them as a community.

Adding a bus stop at the Chesapeake Care Resource Center is both a practical solution and a moral responsibility.

It affirms that safety matters, access matters, and dignity matters.

If we truly want to be a city that leads with both strength and compassion, then this is exactly the kind of action we must take.

Direct, necessary, and long overdue.

Thank you.

Chair and Stall, followed by Kathy Anastasia.

Good evening, Mayor West and Vice Mayor Ritter and Council members.

I am here tonight to advocate for individuals in the city of Chesapeake who are experiencing the challenges of being unhoused.

Specifically, I'm asking for your support in establishing a bus stop.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Closer to the Chesapeake Cares Resource Center.

I actually first spoke to you in February 2025.

And over a year later, I have not seen mean meaningful progress on this request.

I know we are a big city, and I know as a council you have many, multiple decisions you have to make.

But while you're making those decisions, vulnerable members of our community are forced to walk long distances through extreme heat, cold, rain, wind, carrying everything they own just to access essential services.

In my perspective, because I spoke to you in February 2025, it appears this to not have been a priority for the council.

Yet for those affected, this is not a minor inconvenience.

It is a daily hardship that affects their health, safety, and dignity.

I urge you to live out the spirit of the we care that the City of Chesapeake proudly promotes.

And I sincerely hope I will not need to return in February 2027 to speak on the same issue.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have we have uh 13 more speakers.

Please hold your applause.

Just we we know you're here and we appreciate it.

We tell by your signs.

We don't need the applause as well, so thank you.

Kathy Anastasia, followed by Patty Dominic.

Good evening, Mayor.

Good evening, Council members.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you.

My name is Kathy Anastasia, 748 Ridge Circle.

I am a retired ICU nurse, a volunteer with Agape Feast, and a proud member of the Society of St.

Vincent de Paul, St.

Benedict's Conference.

I am here to ask you to consider a simple but important change extending the bus service to the We Care Resource Center.

Many of the guests at this center are elderly, physically disabled or dealing with serious health challenges.

Including the We Care Center on the HRT bus is not only a convenience, but would stop a barrier that prevents many of our homeless from accessing social services, a meal, a shower, and a mailbox.

What is a 10-minute bus ride from Military Highway or Green Bar Parkway becomes a two-hour walk, carrying all their belongings with them.

Imagine having a mobility or chronic illness.

Each step is more painful than the last.

The following are three incidents I have witnessed.

September 22nd.

A couple left the center walking on Smith Avenue Military Highway, carrying all their belongings with them.

Traffic was tremendous.

Cars parked on both sides of Smith Avenue.

No sidewalks.

The couple had to maneuver around incoming cars and trucks.

They had no safe place to work.

I prayed the day would not be injured.

I was horrified that these already compromised individuals had another hurdle thrown at them.

On September 19th, I emailed the mayor and each council member as to the unsatisfactory, unacceptable, and unsafe conditions that walking on Smith Avenue presented.

On September 26th, I did receive a response that a work order was sent to the public works department, and their response was sidewalks were not feasible.

September 25th, while volunteering at the center, I sat down beside a lady with extremely swollen right leg with a pain scale of 10 to 10.

I asked her how she was able to walk on that leg had she seen a doctor.

She was living in a tent under a bush and had no proof of health insurance.

She walked daily from the bus stop on Green Bar Parkway to the center for a meal, a shower, her mail, and fellowship.

March 17th, leaving the center in the evening, two elderly women were entering the parking lot, each carrying two green bags.

One of the ladies was obviously having respiratory issues.

She would walk 10 steps, put down her luggage, take a rapid shallow breath.

She would continue this routine till she reached the door.

Our city prides itself as a city that cares.

Please support our neighbor in need and have an HRT provide bus service to the center.

This is a practical and compassionate solution to assist our vulnerable citizens.

Thank you for your service, your time.

As I trust in God, I trust that you will make the right decision to help this forgotten community.

Thank you, ma'am.

Thanks, Pikachu.

Patty Dominic, followed by Debbie Gunderson.

Patty.

I'm right here.

Okay, sorry.

Good evening.

My name is Patty Dominic.

I reside at 703 Sarasota Arch.

I'm a volunteer at Chesapeake CARES Resource Center.

I am speaking today to request the addition of a bus stop at the Chesapeake CARES Resource Center.

Currently, the closest bus stop is 0.7 miles away on Military Highway.

To reach it, individuals must walk along Smith Avenue, which is a very busy road without sidewalks.

This creates a dangerous situation for the people who rely on public transportation to access the services provided at the resource center.

On March 3rd, between 1125 and 1155, I observed a mother and her young son attempting to walk down Smith Avenue to reach the bus stop on Military Highway.

I was very concerned for their safety as they navigated around parked cars and tried to avoid oncoming traffic.

During that 30-minute period alone, I counted 81 cars and 26 commercial trucks traveling down Smith Avenue.

Even while I sat in a parked car with my hazard lights on, I was worried that a passing vehicle might hit me.

I cannot imagine how frightening it must have been for that mother and her child walking along such a dangerous road while carrying their belongings.

I also wondered how difficult it must be for the commercial truck drivers to navigate around the walkers and numerous parked cars.

For the safety and accessibility of everyone who depends on that Chesapeake CARES Resource Center.

This small change would make a significant difference in protecting the people who rot who rely on these essential services.

Thank you for your time.

Debbie Gunderson, followed by Bobby Eager.

Good evening, Mayor and members of the City Council.

I'm Debbie Gunderson and I live at 1400 Benefit Road.

I'm a volunteer with Agape Feast and Cast.

I'm advocating for a bus stop at Stepping Stone Square and Smith Avenue.

Research has shown reliable transportation makes all the difference in someone getting out of homelessness.

Without transportation access, it is difficult for persons experiencing homelessness to connect with services.

The Chesapeake CARES Resource Center helps coordinate many services for the homeless, such as housing, health care, and employment employment, to name a few.

The current route from the bus stop on Military Highway to the Resource Center is down Smith Avenue.

It is not safe for pedestrians.

There are no sidewalks.

Most of our residents have to walk on the street, which is heavily traveled.

I observed the traffic on March 6th during the morning before the resource center opened between 8 and 9, and I observed 182 vehicles, many cars, but many commercial vehicles.

Bobby Yeager.

Followed by Betty Brauman.

My name is Barbara Yeager.

I live at 615 Montebella Circle.

Good evening.

Thank you so much for allowing me to speak.

I'm a proud member of Agape Feast Ministry and have had the privilege of serving lunches to those in need, first at the South Norfolk Library, then at the former WeCare Center, and now at the CARES Resource Center on Stepping Stone Square.

I have witnessed a definite need for a bus stop at or near the present center.

I'm sure that you are aware that most of our guests do not have vehicles.

I'm here to voice my concern for the many guests who do not have personal transportation and are dealing with physical mobility issues as well.

Over the last four years, I cannot remember serving a meal where there wasn't anyone with the with the mobility issues, some requiring pains or walkers, others hobbling along the best they can, and some with chronic breathing issues.

These guests do not ask for special care or accommodations.

They line up with everyone else, they struggle to carry their plate of hot food to their table.

Yes, they are managing the best they can.

I want you, the city council of the We Care City to be aware of the physical burden that these citizens live with and how they have to negotiate life in spite of these challenges.

These people who struggle to navigate the dining area with what are now required to walk from the current bus stops one point seven miles away, the other one 1.7 miles away.

Surely something can be done to assist these people who are in need of so many services offered by the city at the center and yet are obligated to walk so far to receive them.

Please consider working with HRT to alleviate this disparity.

Thank you.

Betty Brauman.

Follow by Andrea Kelleher.

Thank you very much for allowing us to be here this evening.

My name is Betty Braman, and I live at 1408 Highgate Court in Chesapeake.

I've been helping out with CAST and helping with lunch and dinner meals at the center when CAST is not in session.

Ahead of any criticism, I would like to commend your caring and professional staff at the resource center.

However, the need for a bus stop at this corner of Stepping Stone at Smith Avenue is of paramount importance.

As you can see from our pictures and from the data we collected, traffic is heavy and walkers are at risk.

I want to share that one evening as I was driving away from the center at five o'clock, an elderly woman walked into the parking lot.

It was in the fall, and desk dusk was upon us.

Her ankles had so much edema that they were almost as large as my thighs.

She had obviously struggled her way down Smith from the existing bus stop, but she was too late for dinner.

It's an image that cannot leave my mind.

If Chesapeake is the we care city, then I ask what progress have we made when we leave the most vulnerable behind.

Andrea Kelleher, followed by Kathleen Sweet.

Good evening, Mayor West, Vice Mayor Ritter, City Council members.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you this evening about regarding a bus stop at the Chesapeake We Care Center.

My name is A.J.

Kelleher.

I live at 812 Forest Lake Circle, right here in the Great Bridge area of Chesapeake.

First, I'd like to thank all of those who were involved in establishing the We Care Resource Center, as well as the staff and volunteers that keep it running with its various programs.

I am very proud to live in a city that offers this service to our citizens.

However, the access to the service is critical to those who need it.

This evening you've heard about the volume of traffic in the area around the resource center, much of whisk which consists of commercial trucks.

There are no sidewalks providing a safe space to walk.

You've heard stories of our citizens with physical limitations and other health issues doing their best to make their way to the resource center.

Hearing the specific stories shared this evening, there should be little doubt that an over half a mile walk from the nearest bus stops is preventing some who need the surface from being able to access it.

And for those that are making the arduous walk, it's endangering their safety.

And it's also causing a hazard for our citizens driving in that area.

Those who need the resource center are known to us.

They're a former neighbor, they're a former co-worker.

They could be a current co-worker.

They could be a classmate.

Imagine my surprise while volunteering at the resource center.

How saddened I was to learn that one of my former classmates, right here at Great Bridge High School, was experiencing homelessness.

It could be any one of us.

One unpredictable, uncontrollable circumstance can change our lives in an instance.

So I urge you to continue the amazing work to support our unhoused brothers and sisters by providing reliable and safe access to the resource center.

Thank you for your attention and consideration of this important matter.

Kathleen Sweet followed by Sandra Ship.

Good evening.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak this evening.

I'm Kate McCone Sweet, and I live at 2121 Ferguson Loop.

I am also here to request that the City Council consider a bus stop at Stepping Stone at the Resource Center.

I was so pleased when I moved here that the city was creating a resource center and expanding it.

But one of the things that was missed was understanding the mobility issues of those citizens that needed to use these services.

Without reliable access to the resource center, unhoused individuals cannot reach the caseworkers, they can't receive the meals that are provided, or the shelter that is also provided.

These are essential for survival and making progress towards employment and being permanently housed.

Right now, there is a van that is at the resource center.

However, the system places a huge burden on the already committed staff members.

A case worker must abandon their critical duties to provide transportation, but only when they're available, when it's requested, and when there's sufficient staffing.

So they can't always transport and meet the needs of our community members.

The process for taking the bus is not far from simple.

The caseworker must complete paperwork to access the bus.

They have to start the vehicle, return inside to get everyone that needs to go on the bus, wait there while everyone comes into the bus with all of their belongings, which when it's your entire belongings, tends to be several bags and takes some time.

They then drive to one or two of the nearby bus stops, drop them off, return the bus, complete additional paperwork, and finally resume their actual positions.

This isn't a quick five minute drop off.

Imagine if you, as city council members, had to navigate this type of process every time someone came to visit you to have due city business.

How would you get your work done?

I can't imagine that you would.

And we're asking our case managers to do this.

New or returning individuals have even more problems.

They arrive at the bus stop, but they don't know how to reach out to the case manager to get to the center.

So they must walk, if they're able, to the center, which is seven-tenths of a mile, along with the road with no sidewalks, heavy traffic, and frequent truck activity.

Is that my time?

Thank you.

Sandra Shepard, followed by Mary Raleigh.

Good evening.

My name is Sandra Shepherd.

I live at 1712 Chesley Arch.

I'm also here to speak about the bus stop.

I contacted Antoinette White, Director of Planning and Scheduling for HRT, and on March 26, 2026, just 19 days ago, she left me a voicemail that said she had sent an email to Mr.

Luther Jenkins from the City of Chesapeake's public works traffic engineering division.

She was told that there is no change at this time in the decision of the city to extend the Route 15 to the Chesapeake Care's Resource Center due to a lack of infrastructure along Stepping Stone Square.

Since the spring of 2025, the City of Chesapeake has approved or installed seven different large sidewalk projects throughout the city.

I also contacted HRT on demand, and I was told by three different people, including a supervisor, that there are no plans to expand the on-demand zone to include 2255 Stepping Stone Square.

With the on-demand service, there are increased travel cost issues for people who would need access out of the zone.

And we need to ensure that the folks that we serve don't wind up paying more by having to do on demand.

On Smith Street, there are at least 13 businesses.

In Stepping Stone Square area, there are at least nine businesses, and many of those require tractor trailers to navigate the roads daily.

These large trucks and other vehicles have to maneuver around the people we serve.

One day I saw a senior citizen driving their medical scooter down Old Greenbrier Road in the road because there are no sidewalks.

A vehicle had to pull out into the next lane to avoid the person.

From the resource center to the closest bus stop, it is 3,696 feet.

Most customer service-based buildings from the city of Chesapeake are under 840 feet from a bus stop.

As you can see in the photo of the Chesapeake Integrated Behavioral Health Center, there's a bus stop directly outside their building with a sidewalk that runs from the parking lot to the bus stop.

Easy access for people dealing with trauma.

That is called planning with a trauma-informed care mindset.

I think for all of you, what is needed is a reframing of the Chesapeake Care's Resource Center and what it actually is.

As a veteran myself, what I see is the walking wounded trying to make it to a field hospital.

The Chesapeake Care Resource Center is a beacon of light in an ever darkening world for those we serve.

Thank you for your time.

Mary Riley.

Follow by Beth Cremins.

Good evening, Mayor, members of council.

I'm Mary Riley.

I reside at I now reside not at the city anymore, but at 1137 Eagle Point Way in Chesapeake.

When I retired in 2024, I told you that I would be back.

And here I am, back as an advocate for those that are unhoused.

I'm not going to go into what my colleagues and friends have already said about the re about the resource center and the need for a bus stop.

I'm just here to ask you to please, please consider putting a bus stop and putting sidewalks there at Stepping Stone Square.

I know that you you've given so much to um to our residents, our unhoused residents, by having the resource center there, and I'm very appreciative, as are all of us.

But we do need the bus stop.

They need the bus stop.

They can't walk the distance that they have, and it's impeding their progress and their ability to get resources.

The resource center is just the first step in getting them safely housed.

So please, please do what you can to please get us a bus stop and to get some sidewalks at the resource center.

Thank you.

And don't worry, I'll be back.

Beth Cremens.

Good evening.

My name is Beth Crimsons, and I live at 624 Glasgow Street in Chesapeake.

I'm here to present a completely different perspective than you'd heard than you've heard from some of the others this evening.

Supporting the less fortunate in our community has become a personal mission of mine.

I have a 42-year-old son named Justin.

Fifteen years ago, after attempting to jump off a bridge in Georgetown, he was hospitalized in the psychiatric ward at Sibley Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Fortunately, he his his effort to commit suicide was thwarted by a friend.

His first words to me in the hospital was, Mom, I hear voices.

This terrified me because I knew absolutely what it meant.

Soon thereafter, my firstborn son was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

Pre-diagnosis, this son worked his way through college as an IT support specialist.

He played bass upright and electric in a reggae band and in the University of the District of Columbia jazz ensemble.

He purchased sound equipment.

He bought an SUV to haul his equipment to gigs.

He dreamed he even dreamed of moving to either Los Angeles or California or Los Angeles or New York City to pursue a music career.

He was also a very proud father to his infant son Lucas.

But then schizophrenia happened because it happens to anybody.

You can't predict it.

He lost his SUV.

He lost his home, and ultimately he lost his son.

He roamed DC streets for many, many years.

He eventually relocated to Arlington, Virginia, where resources and transportation were better.

He has walked miles and miles and miles in ill-fitting shoes and holy socks because of insufficient transportation and his feet are now permanently damaged.

He suffered physical and mental abuse from strangers who don't understand or just don't care.

I'm here tonight to demonstrate to you that homelessness touches all of us and it touches me in a very, very personal way.

Um, in a way that I I don't wish on anyone.

Um the bus stop that we're trying to that we're trying to get approval for is but the tip of the iceberg in terms of what the fragile homeless community needs.

So when you cast your vote, please to approve funding.

Remember people like my son, people like me who love people like my son, and um the lives will greatly be improved because of like because of people, you know, because of what we can do for them to help them.

Um we care, we're all here tonight to talk to you all, to tell you our story.

Please show us that Chesapeake cares too.

Thank you very much.

Next speaker is Tommy Hart, followed by Dr.

George Reed.

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of council.

My name's Tommy Hart.

I guess I might be talking about getting a bus stop at my house because right now DMV has put me in the doghouse.

I knew that when I come down here and talked about these unsolved murders that I would pay the price.

Well, someone anonymously wrote a letter to DMV and said that I was a danger to myself and others, that I shouldn't have my driver's license taken away.

And I had to go take a special test.

This was a dilly.

There's only five places in the state of Virginia where you take this crazy driver test.

And I ended up getting a crazy instructor, but I I made it through that.

But then they figured they'd get me another way.

They said, Well, you gotta have glasses.

I said, I don't need glasses.

They said you do, so I went.

He said, You got 30 days to get it.

I went to one doctor, they couldn't put get me in.

So somebody told me there was a doctor at Edinburgh that could take me in.

He took me in.

He said, You got cataracts so bad, I can't help you.

I'll send you to Dr.

B.

I went to Dr.

B, took the test.

He said, I asked him, I said, Well, how bad are my cataracts?

He said, What cataracts?

You ain't got no cataracts.

I said, Well, the other doctor said I had them bad.

He said, No, he said it's something all you had got to have is a special uh pair of glasses.

I said, How special?

I said, How much they cost?

He said $3200.

I said, I don't want none of your glasses.

I went to Dr.

Pavelar, he done the test, he said your hours are not bad.

But DMV wouldn't accept his thing, so I had to get glasses.

So I can see all y'all.

So anyhow, then they said, we're going to do an audit on one of your farm trucks.

Okay.

So they did an audit on my farm truck.

And they wrote me a thing I got on December the 9th of last year.

It said that I defrauded the state out of $61 in some cent, plus $19 in interest, plus they find me $200 for the violating the low mileage farm vehicle law.

I fought it and fought it, and I went over to her, I've called everybody, and finally, I think it was on March the 17th, I got a phone call from DMV from one of the higher-ups.

And they said, Mr.

Hart, we got good news for you, and we're sorry.

There's no such thing as a low mileage farm vehicle.

They had no business.

In fact, we owe you 17 dollars.

We're gonna send you an amended audit and 17.

I said, okay.

So I got the amended audit.

They said they owed me 17, but it didn't get to 17.

So all this time I haven't been able to renew nothing.

No, I got no license, nothing.

So gotta wrap it up.

Anyhow, that's a quick one.

They uh I uh you got Meg McNubbna.

They I went to re get my get my license renewed, and they said, uh, there's a hold on you.

We found out where you were late filing a fee in 2024, and we're gonna find you $50 for that.

And I said, Well, how about my license?

They said, nope, we didn't give you a license.

So, anyhow, Mr.

Hart, thank you.

I am so sorry for your troubles.

I really enjoy it.

I'm gonna see you next time.

I'm gonna find me a lawyer that's not scared to sue.

Good mood.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Good luck.

Dr.

George Reed speaking on a communication center and performing arts center.

GW Carver Intermediate School, followed by Dolores Pellet.

That's good evening again.

This is my sixth year in this chamber.

Advocating for a convocation center.

And a performing arts center.

You made it a council priority, unfunded.

So it was 320 million then, according to Johnson consultant, in which we paid 65,000 for him to do that report.

I don't know whether that's a disconnect between the city manager and the city council or not, because I noticed the council priority items were not funded as a capital improvement project, for instance.

We get the new radio station, a new fire station.

I didn't see that as a council prior order written anywhere.

I went through the budget.

But your priorities, apparently you don't believe in them because you won't fund them.

And for an arts center is a revenue generator for the city.

It will cause our young people to stay here.

It'll bring business here.

But you don't see the need.

Who do we blame?

Well, I blame you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, and you, because you don't have the courage or the humanity to do something for our students.

Academically, the school board does nothing in terms of uh health and welfare.

We need to build that.

Secondly, I'm here to request that you build a new carver intermediate school.

It's been around since 1952, seven, four years old, is inadequate.

The surroundings there are awful.

And you could easily fund it from the tax increment financing in South Nova.

I understand you're gonna have 14 million in that this year.

Okay.

You use it to build uh treasurer's office, a new office, so you can get our money easier.

Why not do something for us that the citizen can enjoy?

I'm asking you tonight to consider, not consider, but to do two amendments to this year's budget.

And don't tell me the money that I read the money, it's plenty fed in it.

Okay.

I'm asking you to do a budget amendment to build a convocation and performance arts center.

I'm asking you to submit a budget amendment to build a new car or school.

There's great interest in this in our community across Chesapeake.

Delores Pruitt Polite, speaking on a roundabout in her community, followed by Linda Tyndale.

Good evening to Honorable Mayor and Vice Mayor and the City Council members.

I'd like to thank you for your service that you render to the city of Chesapeake.

You're gonna join me, honey.

My husband and I are here.

We know about serving the community.

My husband served 20 years in the United States Navy, and we both also serve as federal employees for the federal government for military sea lift command.

But what I am here about this evening is the roundabout and my community in Miller's Run and D Peak Creek area of Chesapeake.

My husband and I both have been residents there now for it'll be seven years in September, and we are proud residents of here of the city of Chesapeake.

Um we selected our forever home here.

Um we first owned our home in Norfolk and then in Virginia Beach, but we chose Chesapeake as a city that we want to retire in and be our forever home.

We love our community, we take pride in our home and our landscaping where we live.

However, there is an island and a roundabout in our community that has been ignored for the past six years of our residency there.

We've taken up the charge and we've been maintaining, if you look on the photo, that huge roundabout in our community.

It's been there from the uh time of the inception of the community as we understand from our neighbors.

Um we do not have a homeowner's insurance.

I've contacted the city on many occasions about the roundabout to ask for it to be maintenance.

Um at one point we were told that it wasn't city property.

I contacted a prior city council member and was told that it was city property, and they sent someone out to maintain the island.

Um when I called back and spoke to um a member of the administration, which is in my actual letter that I wrote, I was told, yeah, we did send someone out there to maintenance it and that was politically motivated, and that's why it was maintenance at that time.

A recent, I also reached out to a current city council member who looked into it for me, and she was told by the city manager that the street that the island sits on is not city property and it's a private street.

As you can see in the photo, the island sits on Baystone Street and runs over through Musquat, which is the roundabout area, and it sits in front of my home.

Um it's a eyesore.

It indeed is not my property.

It uh uh we don't have a homeowners association.

I'm just sitting here.

I want to request help um to have the island maintenance is quite disheveled right now, and I just don't think that it is fair for myself and my husband to take care of property that doesn't belong to us.

And I'm asking you, the city council here, the city of Chesapeake, to take action and have the island masons maintenance, and thank you so much for your time.

Linda Tyndale.

Speaking on the West Road Water and Sewer Project.

Good evening, Linda Tyndale, 1045 West Road.

I'm here tonight to provide a brief update on the construction of the water and sewer project.

It began with the milling of West Road on Friday, March 29th.

By Saturday morning, we were trapped in our driveways by two to three foot piles and banked up roads, rows of asphalt millings, and the job site was closed for the weekend.

Three neighbors and I used our tractors to clear the driveway aprons all afternoon and on Sunday.

The brand new Verizon FIOS line has been cut twice, and the Cox line was pulled from the pole, trapping the Grassfield High School bus until the wire was secured.

Last week during spring break, the dump trucks frightened horses being ridden by three teenagers.

The young girls were struggling to maintain control as the trucks failed to give them right of way.

The girls quickly dismounted, but one horse bolted and dragged the teen.

A neighbor blocked the road and stopped the trucks until the horse was caught.

The trucks are loud, throw rocks and kick up dust, banging and squeaking all day long.

The child and her horse are both okay.

The dump truck company has now limited their drivers to 20 miles per hour, but it is horrible.

The subcontractors and their employees are driving like it is a normal rough duty job site.

It is our home.

Our mailboxes are being removed and laid on the ground.

We have nowhere to put our trash cans as the shoulders have been removed on the majority of the road.

The silt fences are in were installed after the milling, after the asphalt was thrown in the ditches.

They are below grade at the bottom of the ditch with the shoulders pushed down to secure the fence.

We have lost capacity in our ditches to manage stormwater, and in a rain event, the water level will be above the silt fence that is in place to collect runoff from the project.

Please explain this to me.

Our only outfall for all of West Road that lies at Dominion Boulevard has been sandbagged.

We will flood if we have a big event.

Mr.

Jurgens and Mr.

Whitaker have been notified and were given pictures.

I also have a recently vacated rental home.

The prospective tenants that have come to see it have declined because of the chaos.

This project is now costing me money.

I had a new refrigerator delivered today.

The truck could not get into the driveway because of the silt fence.

They had to carry it from the road.

The assessed value of my home and farm needs to be adjusted due to the lack of city services and inconvenience at this time.

Our community has still not yet been officially notified that the connection to water is optional.

The contractor is asking us to mark where we want our meter boxes installed.

I can assure you I've told him exactly where to put the meter.

I have one sentence.

Okay.

Sort of.

We were told our one mile section would be a nine-week project.

Now they are saying 18 weeks.

We are two weeks in, but I was told Monday they're four weeks behind.

This is far worse than I ever anticipated.

What's going to happen on the main thoroughfare?

I just thought you should know.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Tendle.

That concludes the speaker's.

Thank you.

Mr.

Manager, a number of speakers talked about the bus stop.

I think uh could you update us on what is happening there?

Actually, can I throw it to Deputy City Manager Wright uh just to give a brief update on where we're at?

Yes, sir.

We have uh reached out to HRT, uh several of us for us, including some of your colleagues, and we're just waiting for a response.

Our challenges is that they are going through a lot of uh change over there and uh leadership positions.

So getting to the right person and someone to make the decision is kind of challenging at this time, but we are still uh pursuing that.

And I will add it is a priority for us.

So to the group that brought it up um last year to us, we immediately deployed the bus that was um that was brought up by the residents, but we recognize the operational challenges uh to both staff and uh and the um the visitors to the center that that that provides.

Um the middle step until we can get a bus stop at that location.

Um HRT ha is using uh Chesapeake as a pilot project um for an expanded on-demand service that it's that's like a ride share service right now.

Um so we're working to figure out if there is a way we can operationalize that.

And I know there's community partners interested in in um helping to um fund that so that it's uh no cost to the um to folks that would be using the service.

Um so that I just want to say uh that for the folks that said it's not on the radar screen, definitely on the radar screen.

We don't own the um the bus stops or the buses, um, but we did immediately purchase and acquire a bus so that we could launch that service.

Um, and we are trying to get HRT interested in doing the bus stop in that location.

But in the meantime, uh we're hoping that the the between our bus and the enhanced um ride share service um can continue to provide low-cost alternatives until we get the permanent solution.

So uh it seems to me I did a commercial for HRT on demand this past weekend, and then we also did a groundbreaking uh for uh for that program.

And it seems to me like that would be almost better than a bus stop because bus stop, they've got to get to you know where the bus is on demand.

They do have uh uh uh loading points, but you but it probably would be closer than a bus stop, isn't it?

The challenge is not everyone has access to be able to contact the on-demand service.

And so it's it's not a one-size-fits-all thing.

So we're you know, very um it's a high priority issue for us.

We we you know we knew it even when we opened Stepping Stone in that location, and it's a phenomenal um facility, phenomenal service.

But this clearly is a critical missing uh piece of the of the puzzle.

Is there any uh are there any plans to deal with the sidewalk issue?

No plans for sidewalking.

I I will say as as important as sidewalk is in this location, we have hundreds of miles of city road where kids don't have sidewalks to walk to schools.

This isn't a problem just in this location.

And so we we went decades without adding new sidewalks in the city.

We started in earnest about six years ago, um, really significantly adding funding to the sidewalk program, uh, but this is not a sidewalk this currently.

So, if there's a bus stop, is uh how how much of a need would there be for the sidewalk as well?

Um that's a good question.

Um I can have the team evaluate if we had a bus stop in that location.

Would the sidewalk still be necessary?

Um ideally we would have both, but the resources aren't there for the I understand.

Thank you.

Uh Mr.

Smith.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

I I want to thank those that came out to speak today in reference to the bus stop.

I am one of the commissioners for the HRT.

Uh I do understand your concerns.

I didn't know you all were coming tonight, but actually Sunday, I drove down to the location Stepping Stone.

So I saw the layout as far as things are concerned.

We know there is a lot of demographics involved here.

We know there's a lot of challenges involved here, but there is possibly a way to make it happen.

Uh the one problem was was the turnaround for the bus.

The bus cannot turn around where Stepping Stone is, but it could possibly drop off at the intersection of Stepping Stone and Smith Avenue and go to the parking lot adjacent to cornerstone.

I mean, Stepping Stone and turnaround.

Uh I was told that there is a three-minute ride to and from, so six minutes total, approximately out of the way uh to make that happen.

So I'm continuing to work with staff on our end and also HRT to see if we can make that happen.

It's not out of the question altogether, but you are showing a concern.

We know it's going to cost tax dollars, but it may be worth uh taking a look at and making it happen.

So we will be trying to do that.

Thank you.

Thank you for that from HRT as well.

Mr.

Manager, uh Ms.

Ritter.

Yes, and thank you all.

Um, Ms.

Riley, thank you for reminding everybody how far we've actually come from nothing to now having the resource center, which I think is a very big commitment for the city.

And it's also a commitment for CAST for the evening and overnight hours, because without that partnership, we could not be successful at the center.

I also have had probably a bit more success than most.

Some people uh understand that I don't give up on things.

I've been in contact with Alexis at HRT, and I spoke to Mr.

Harrell a couple weeks ago.

A nonprofit of which I am a member, is going to fund a hundred and fifty trip vouchers for the on-demand service, which all exists within the lines of the pilot area.

They'll be given, they'll have to be tracked, they'll be given to the folks at the resource center.

And this week they're supposed to send me the list of criteria.

Um our group is gonna design the voucher and provide them.

So that's uh a hundred and fifty one-way trips.

I would encourage anyone else, and I think our organization, if this works out to be positive, we'll purchase more.

But you have to start small, make sure that they're usable.

The one hang-up, and the where we're gonna all have to work together, is you have to have a smartphone with an app.

So I know that might be a barrier for some, but I know there are a lot of creative minds out there that we can solve that problem easier than getting a bus stop.

And I think there are a number of other organizations, including my Rotary Club, that would entertain grants to buy more vouchers.

These are on demand, it's service within 15 minutes, and HRT seemed very enthusiastic about participating because it's a win-win.

It's a win for the people who need transportation, and it's a win for HRT, showing that within this pilot area, they're able to provide a needed and critical service.

But stepping stone is a very good thing.

Excuse me, ma'am.

Yes.

This is not a discussion, I'm sorry.

I I've had this discussion with them.

So maybe it's the wrong person, maybe it's a different area, but the if it's geographically within the area.

It's 11 square miles of area.

So I'm not gonna debate that.

I'm gonna go with what HRT is telling me.

And if we can provide this, it really is a benefit.

And I know there are minds out there that can figure out the logistics issue on how to make sure that people have access to call for the ride.

Not so much leaving, that can be done in the resource center.

But you know, a couple thousand trips a year could be easily funded by other nonprofits and community organizations without all the hassle of it's more efficient, it's more effective, and people won't have to wait an hour for a bus to come, which can be equally difficult.

So we'll go down this road.

Is Sam Howard here?

I had emailed Sam when I saw the email about y'all coming tonight to tell him the progress.

So I'm hopeful this will work out.

Um it certainly is a good interim solution, and just gonna have to work on the how people can make sure they can contact them.

So I'm looking forward to your all's help on fixing that.

Thank you, Mr.

Redder.

Mr.

Jeffers.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh I guess I'd like to start with addressing the current status, which is that we have uh acknowledged that there's a problem by providing a van, but not providing a driver.

Uh I think that's acknowledging the need.

I think the vouchers are a great uh attempt at an interim solution.

But I I want to be clear that I think the only solution to this is the bus stop.

And I want uh assistant city manager uh right and uh Mr.

Price to know that that's all I see as the solution here, and I would love to be a part of the discussions with HRT to make that happen.

Um, we're not talking about making a bus drop off at a more convenient shopping location.

These are truly our most vulnerable in our population, and I believe six minutes out of the way is more than reasonable to help these people get the necessary services they need.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Manager, we had a uh concern about a street.

Uh if you would just follow up on the street concern or the round and uh uh set she called it a roundabout, but it looks like a turn into a closet.

But anyway, I feel follow up on that.

I appreciate it.

Is next is uh we're dealing.

This is not really a discussion period.

We'll take one more comment, then we're moving on.

Go ahead, Mr.

Smith.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

My was going to be on the same thing in reference to the the roundabout because they reached out to me in reference to it, and it's confusing as to whether or not it's city property or is the property of that community.

So it needs to be shared one way and the other so we can start running back and forth.

Yeah, I wasn't sure the reference to the city manager.

I've never said that that is a private street, so it's uh I believe it is public, but we we will verify and and um and find out what the maintenance schedule is for.

Thank you, sir.

Uh next is uh unfinished business.

Do we have any unfinished business council members?

Seeing none, uh the next is uh new business.

And before I ask for anybody who has any, I would like to uh ask the staff to prepare an annual cost of living salary increase for mayor and city council members and present it to the in the same manner as the general wage increase for city employees.

The cost of living adjustment should be included in the operating budget amendment, public hearing, and should propose should propose to increase mayor and council members' salaries by the same percentages recommended for the full city employees.

I understand that state law does have restrictions on when such increases are effective, and I would like to direct the staff to fully comply with all legal requirements.

So we look forward to you bringing that for consideration under budget uh amendment, sir.

Any other new business items council members would like to present at this time.

Uh Ms.

Lewis.

I just wanted to first I didn't address the issue because I think all of my colleagues said, but thank you for everyone for speaking.

I think it speaks volumes that you all came out, you all wore the uh we care uh for the city.

I think this is a city that cares, and we appreciate that the people come out and speak to us about the issues.

We don't know about them unless you come out here and share them with us.

So I just appreciate y'all being here on that same token.

Um I want to congratulate the mayor and the city manager.

We had an excellent state of the city address.

All of us were in attendance, and we talked about some really great things that the city is doing, um, like Stepping Stone, like so many things that make us feel like a small big community.

So I just want to congratulate you both on excellent state of the city address.

It was a wonderful uh lunch, and all of us were in attendance.

So it was great for all of us to be there and be unified together in support of the city.

Thank you, Ms.

Newleas.

Any other unfinished business.

I mean, excuse me, new business, sorry.

Uh Dr.

Ward.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh we could consider a new business.

I just wanted to commend uh our staff uh with HR camp.

This is our Hampton Rose Community in Action Program for a meeting with us today, uh delegates, uh state delegates and city councils from the five cities on the south side of a lot of programs that uh really we need to uh be aware of that can really help us even with this situation.

Uh I was glad to be able to represent the city, uh city council members there, but I did provide it for flip Mr.

Mayor to let you know and others know that uh there are communities out there, they're community service organizations that can really help us uh if we work together.

And they provide a lot of vital information, uh especially with our delegation there, uh delegates were in uh allowed to speak, uh, the mayors, mayor ventin be spoke, but all about communities in action that are helping us with some of these issues, whether it's transportation around about, uh stepping stones, uh HRT, but the the partners are working that we can do more together than we can individually or separately.

So I just want to commend that staff uh for bringing this to us today in a very very um cooperative manner.

Uh, hopefully they'll take it up on it if you didn't get one of these, and if you'll like this is how the communities can work together, all fast cities, but it's flooding or homelessness, uh, to get things done.

Thank you.

Thank you, Dr.

Ward, Ms.

Millis.

Yeah, and I want to kind of follow up on what you had to say about state of city.

You know, one of the things that I think we've seen here tonight, the council does care.

We do want to find solutions.

We may not always agree on how to get there, but we certainly are willing to discuss all possibilities, and we certainly want to uh be able to disagree and and have all all uh considerations for every idea.

So that's how we roll, and that's how we'll continue to roll.

So thank you, Council, for uh being that way and being a great city council that it all has the same interests, and that's the interest of our citizens.

So again, we may not always agree, but we will get there one way or the other.

I think that then concludes all of our new business.

I don't see any other lights on.

So we're gonna go to our city attorney in regards to a closed session.

All right, I'll read the motion.

A motion to conduct a closed meeting to one discuss the acquisition and conveyance of certain real properties located in the Great Bridge planning area for discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargain bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body, and two, to discuss a prospective business when we're no previous announcement has been made of the business's interest in locating or expanding facilities in the city for the purpose of a specific economic development opportunity, as permitted by section two point two-thirty seven eleven, a three and five of the code of Virginia.

Please prepare to vote.

Would you please provide the language certification of the closed meeting?

A motion is certified that to the best of each member's knowledge.

Only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements were discussed.

And only such public business matters as were identified in the motion committee in the closed meeting were heard discussed or considered.