Hampton City Council Legislative Session: Regional Jail Closure & Sale Approved

On May 22, 2024, the Hampton City Council convened a legislative session at 22 Lincoln Street, Hampton, VA. Vice Mayor Jimmy Gray presided because Mayor Donnie R. Tuck was absent attending the American Flood Coalition in Washington, D.C. Councilmember Steven L. Brown arrived shortly after the meeting began. The council approved the consent agenda, discussed a proposed short-term rental ordinance and the legacy of the Virginia State School for the Deaf, Blind, and Multi-Disabled, and unanimously approved the closure and sale of the Hampton Roads Regional Jail and Hampton's membership in the Western Tidewater Regional Jail.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the consent agenda unanimously (6–0, Mayor Tuck absent), which included:
  • 24-0264: Budget amendment to accept and appropriate the 2023 Urban Area Security Initiative Grant for election physical security.
  • 24-0255: Budget amendment for the Family and Children’s Trust (FACT) Fund emergency grant for the Home Visiting Program.
  • 24-0254, 24-0256, 24-0257: Three encroachment agreements authorizing fences within city drainage/utility easements.
  • 24-0271: Approval of minutes from prior work sessions, legislative, and ceremonial sessions.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Michael Mulheran expressed support for Hampton and Norfolk school boards' language protecting trans youth, praising the city's inclusive community.
• Aaron Weaver raised concerns about transparency and accountability regarding a past development project in his community. He also questioned the short-term rental (STR) proposal (scheduled for June 12, 2024), asking about measures to prevent a single LLC from dominating ownership, how the 1% density cap is applied, whether selection is first-come-first-served, and how fairness and monitoring would be ensured.
• Joan Weaver demanded permanent recognition for the Virginia State School for the Deaf, Blind, and Multi-Disabled at both the school site and the Hampton History Museum, criticizing the current separate-but-unequal approach and asking for more than a tiny reference in the museum's eight exhibits.

City Manager Responses

• City Manager Mary Bunting addressed the STR question: applications will be first-come, first-served; existing legally operating STRs and granted use permits will be grandfathered until December 31, 2024. Pending applications will be processed under rules to be adopted by Council in June 2024, with a 1% density cap and 500-foot separation between properties. No distinction is made between LLC and owner-occupied units.
• Regarding the Virginia State School for the Deaf and Blind, Bunting agreed that recognition is needed both on-site and in the museum. She explained that the museum uses rotating exhibits rather than permanent full exhibits, and suggested possibilities such as a permanent display, artifacts in storage, or incorporating items into the future Workforce Development Center at NorthPoint, depending on stakeholder input.
• Councilman Steven Brown noted his 30-year effort to keep the school open and supported creating permanent memorabilia artifacts in the museum to honor the school's legacy.

Discussion Items

• Hampton Roads Regional Jail (HRRJ) Closure and Sale (Item 24-0263) & Western Tidewater Regional Jail (WTRJ) Membership (Item 24-0266):
  • Assistant City Manager Brian DeProfio presented the proposal to close the HRRJ and join the WTRJ.
  • The HRRJ, operating since 1993 with Hampton guaranteed 175 beds, faced staffing shortages and a DOJ consent decree after an inmate death. In FY2024, Hampton could only use 66 beds at a cost of $3.6 million, compared to the FY2023 budget of $5.7 million for 175 beds.
  • All inmates were moved out by April 1, 2024. Portsmouth agreed to purchase the facility for $31.5 million. Hampton's share of proceeds is $8.1 million.
  • Hampton will join the WTRJ with a buy-in of $5.7 million (covered by sale proceeds). WTRJ has a lower cost structure, with Hampton's costs based on a fixed 200-inmate count for the first three years, then a rolling three-year average. Hampton will receive a $250,000 allocation for extraordinary medical costs.
  • The HRRJ Authority will remain active for two years to handle lawsuits and records, with dissolution targeted for March 31, 2026.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously (6–0).
• Item 24-0263 – Resolution approving closure and sale of HRRJ: Approved 6–0 (Mayor Tuck absent).
• Item 24-0266 – Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute the WTRJ Authority amendment: Approved 6–0 (Mayor Tuck absent).
• The meeting adjourned at 7:39 p.m.

(Note: The agenda listed the meeting start time as 6:30 PM, but the minutes record the actual call to order at 6:46 PM. The transcript reflects the same items but omits the roll call details mentioned in the minutes.)