OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Hampton City Council Work Session – August 14, 2024

City Council — Wednesday, August 14, 2024
BodyHampton, Virginia
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, August 14, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:46

Good afternoon and welcome.

0:48

I'd like to ask our clerk to call the roll, please.

0:50

Councilman Bowman.

0:51

Present.

0:52

Councilman Brown.

0:53

Here.

0:53

Vice Mayor Gray.

0:54

Present.

0:55

Councilwoman Harper.

0:56

Present.

0:56

Councilman Hobbs.

0:58

Present.

0:58

Councilwoman Muggler.

1:00

Present.

1:00

Mayor Tank.

1:01

Present.

1:02

And I'll ask our city manager to introduce this afternoon's agenda, please.

1:06

Thank you, Mr.

1:07

Mayor.

1:07

Today we're going to start off with a presentation by Ed Reed from Two Capitals Consulting to basically recap of sorts, but more importantly, help us look forward to the next General Assembly session so we can begin our legislative planning for the next session.

1:25

After that, we have some exciting stuff to present in the way of our annual update from our Office of Youth and Young Adult Opportunities.

1:33

And then Parks Recreation Leisure Services is going to provide a presentation on the many opportunities young people have for recreation and activity in our community.

1:45

He is the vice president of two capitals consulting.

1:47

And as I mentioned, he's here to do the General Assembly update and forward planning.

1:52

Good afternoon.

1:53

Thank you.

2:00

So glad to be here today.

2:04

We've been quite busy with uh special sessions and relative uh interim commission and committee meetings here in Richmond.

2:11

So I was actually in Richmond this morning, and I'm headed back to Richmond after the presentation this afternoon.

2:17

But I did want to take some time to give you a recap of how we fare with our legislative request during the 2024 General Assembly session.

2:25

Uh talk a little bit about the subsequent special sessions that we had this spring and this summer, and then uh as the city manager indicated, talk a little bit about how we prepare for the upcoming 2025 session.

2:37

So with that, I'll go ahead and jump right in.

2:40

Um the first on this list from the the previous session uh in terms of a legislative request, as you will recall, we've been working for a number of sessions on uh attempting to get additional authority to regulate vacant buildings by the way of a vacant building registry.

2:55

Um last fall we were able to work with the Virginia Housing Commission to uh get a recommendation, a formal recommendation on uh a piece of legislation that was vetted by all the stakeholders, and it subsequently passed the General Assembly session uh on a bipartisan vote and signed by the governor.

3:14

It took effect on July 1st.

3:16

However, that bill does require a local ordinance in order for it to go in effect.

3:21

So we're excited to see that after a number of years, which is typically the case in Richmond uh on trying to get something passed.

3:28

Uh the next request was introduced for the first time uh by the city of Hampton, and it would have added municipal park rangers, 911 operators and animal control uh officers to the list of uh employees who can receive enhanced hazardous pay.

3:43

Um while the bill was successful in the Senate on a vote of 40 to zero, actually, it ran into some uh resistance in the House Appropriations Committee largely due to the fact that J.

3:54

Lark had done a study last fall uh on this issue.

3:58

However, they did not study municipal park rangers.

4:01

They left them off the list because uh Hampton is somewhat unique with um some of the other localities across the Commonwealth that do not have uh park rangers locally.

4:10

So uh it required some additional study over the interim to determine what the fiscal impact could be across the state, and so we're uh grateful for Senator Locke and working with us on that, and so this is something I would um strongly uh encourage us to look at it for the upcoming session with some of that work being done in the interim.

4:31

Uh next was a bill that we've also worked on for a number of sessions.

4:35

Uh it authorizes the governing body of a city uh to provide by ordinance for the lawful seizure, impounding and disposition of an illegally operated all-terrain vehicle.

4:45

Um in Norfolk were very interested in this bill as well.

4:50

And um delegate Ward and Senator William Scraves were the patron.

4:54

Um initially the bill did include counties.

5:10

And they became very worried about that.

5:13

So we just took counties out, made it applicable for cities, which gets at what you all need.

5:29

The next was an attempt to fix for uh some of the unintended consequences of the Gloss v.

5:33

Wheeler case, and I don't think I need to go into too much detail about that.

5:37

You guys are very familiar with that.

5:39

Um, but we worked with Senator Locke and Delegate Cherry on that bill, both as members of the FOIA council, Senator Lock being the vice chair, and worked to get that across the the finish line.

5:50

Um the finished product was endorsed by VML VACO, the coalition of open government and the the press association.

5:57

And then the last on our list of requested legislation was a new request by the city uh for a study on the benefits of violence interrupters and the impacts of uh barrier crime statutes in Virginia uh on violence interrupters and very timely.

6:12

I had a good discussion with my my folks behind me today, um, but we did make some progress uh on that this session, whereas the bill did not pass in the House Rules Committee, which is was the case for most of the study bills this session.

6:25

Um the speaker of the House did agree to send a letter from his office to the crime commission asking that the crime commission conduct this study over the interim.

6:34

So we're working with delegate ward, who is a patron of that bill to ensure that they take a look at that before the upcoming session.

6:40

So we'll um be certain to report back findings on that issue.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety█████████████████████████████████33%
Youth Programs███████████████████████████████31%
Procedural██████████10%
Legislative Advocacy████████8%
Parks and Recreation████4%
Public Health███3%
Engineering And Infrastructure███3%
Budget Equity Analysis██2%
Public Comment██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Hampton City Council Work Session – August 14, 2024

The Hampton City Council held a work session on August 14, 2024, at 1:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting covered three major presentations: a review of the 2024-25 General Assembly session and legislative planning, the annual report from the Office of Youth & Young Adult Opportunities (OYYA), and a summary of Parks, Recreation and Leisure Services youth programs. The Council also entered a closed session to discuss appointments, personnel matters, real property, and prospective businesses.

Discussion Items

1. 2024-25 General Assembly Session Review and Planning

  • Mr. Ed Reed (Two Capitals Consulting) presented on Hampton’s 2024 legislative requests and outcomes:
    • Vacant building registry – passed both chambers, signed by Governor, effective July 1, requires a local ordinance.
    • Enhanced hazardous pay for municipal park rangers, 911 operators, animal control officers – passed Senate (40-0) but failed in House Appropriations Committee; further study needed, possible reconsideration in 2025.
    • Seizure/impoundment of illegally operated ATVs – passed, signed, effective July 1, requires a local ordinance.
    • FOIA fix (Gloss v. Wheeler) – passed, signed, effective July 1; endorsed by VML/VACo, Coalition of Open Government, Press Association.
    • Study on violence interrupters and barrier crime statutes – did not pass in House Rules, but Speaker of the House sent a letter to the Crime Commission requesting a study over the interim; Delegate Ward involved.
  • Budget amendments: Hampton requested increased rental funding for the Health District and Human Services Department (not funded) and $1.5 million for Fort Wool restoration (not funded). The May 13 budget deal included 3% salary increases for SOQ-funded positions, school construction loans, public education funding, water quality improvement, HB 599 funding, toll relief, and flood preparedness. Items NOT included: sales tax increase, digital tax, skill games, and rejoining RGGI.
  • Special sessions: The Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Program (VMSDEP) was amended and then fully repealed with $90 million allocated; skill games were not addressed.
  • Interim work: Hampton staff participated in Virginia First Cities housing workgroup, FOIA Council study, and VML policy committees.
  • 2025 session timeline: 45-day session begins January 8, 2025; bill limits expected; legislative package planned for November adoption.
  • Councilmember Brown asked about the credible messenger barrier crime study; City Manager Bunting explained that barrier crime statutes prevent unsupervised work with youth, and the goal is to allow credible messengers to operate without supervision.

2. Office of Youth & Young Adult Opportunities Annual Report

  • Director Latiesha Handie presented on the Hopeful Hampton City Violence Prevention Initiative, a three-pronged approach (prevention, intervention, enforcement).
  • Journey: Starting in 2013 with the Urgency of Now Initiative, the city developed a violence prevention office, partnered with Cities United, conducted community surveys (top contributors: unaddressed trauma, unsupervised youth, access to guns), and joined the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative.
  • Data correction: Commonwealth’s Attorney Anton Bell corrected the presentation’s initial data: from January 1 to July 15, 2023, there were 24 fatal and 46 non-fatal shootings (not the reverse). As of August 14, 2024, year-to-date fatal homicides were 9 vs. 26 in 2023 (65% reduction), non-fatal gunshot victimizations were 30 vs. 52 (42% reduction), total 39 fewer people impacted (50% reduction). Compared to the 4-year average, a 40% reduction.
  • Vulnerability list: 93% African American, 70% male, under 25 years old (84% of list). Focus on five neighborhoods: Shell Road, Langley Square, Doolittle, King Street, Magruder Heights, Nickerson Boulevard. Incidents decreased on Shell Road, King Street, Nickerson; increased in Langley Square and Magruder Heights.
  • Lighting and surveillance: Through an Attorney General grant, 80 lights purchased for designated areas (including an additional area, Rip Rap Road, for environmental design). City Manager Bunting noted other citywide lighting projects; backlog due to Dominion Power staffing, but new installations are LED. Councilmember Brown asked for before/after crime data; City Manager cautioned that lighting alone cannot be isolated as the cause for reduction.
  • Summer Youth Employment: 150 students employed this year (up from 103 last year), with 50 host sites. Plans for a year-round pilot program selecting 4 students.
  • Night Jam and Hampton Hoops: After-hours basketball programs providing safe recreation. Council members praised the program and expressed interest in continuing it through the fall. City Manager Bunting stated she would find funding if partners commit.
  • Intervention programs: Keep the Peace (court-ordered) – 10 participants in 2023, one re-offended; 2024 cohort 100% success after 120 days. Hopeful Hampton Divergent Program – 15 at-risk individuals served, 80% success rate (3 faced firearms charges). One participant’s story highlighted: a 24-year-old formerly incarcerated individual now employed, attending school, and speaking at events.
  • Referrals: 148 submissions in the reporting period, a 136% increase; 16 intensive cases.
  • Funding: $2.435 million in community support grants; $300K Attorney General grant; $800K Burns Discretionary Grant (delayed, expected release by end of August/October). Recommendations to continue funding violence interrupters, multidisciplinary services, and public health assessments.
  • Councilmember Harper, Vice Mayor Gray, Councilmembers Brown, Bowman, and Hobbs commended the presentation and results. Mayor Tuck noted the work began with former Councilman Will Moffett and highlighted financial support from ARPA, Congressman Scott, and grassroots organizations.
  • Future regional efforts: Mayor Tuck announced a joint press conference with Newport News Mayor Jones on August 15 at Crittenden Middle School to seek mentors for middle school boys.

3. Parks, Recreation and Leisure Services Youth Programs

  • Director Dave McCauley presented an overview of summer and fall/winter programs:
    • Summer programs: Rec ‘n’ Roll Scuttle Bus (traveling recreation and USDA meals – 24,000+ lunches, 900 dinners provided), Making a Splash events, summer camps (including Junior Ranger Camp training teens as counselors), partnerships with athletic associations, and over 200 weekly visitors at four community centers.
    • Fall/Winter programs: Beyond the Bell after-school program, winter break camp, holiday events, trunk-or-treat, new game rooms and fitness rooms.
    • Additional amenities: Free/ low-cost activities: outdoor fitness circuit, skate park, tennis, basketball, volleyball, dog agility equipment, Buckroe Beach Playground improvements. Fee-based activities: carousel ($1), pedal boats ($5), golf for youth ($5), etc.
    • Therapeutic Recreation Center: Programs for special needs, including Camp Superstar and partnerships with Special Olympics.
  • Mayor Tuck praised the comprehensive nature of the programs and noted that the Rec ‘n’ Roll bus visited Mary Jackson Center twice a week, providing activities for kids without a game room.

Key Outcomes

  • Closed Session: The Council voted unanimously (7-0) to convene a closed session at 3:06 PM to discuss appointments to boards/commissions (FADA, CPAG, FMA), performance evaluations of the City Manager and Clerk of Council, disposition of real property in downtown Hampton, prospective businesses, and legal counsel. Vice Mayor Gray stated he would not participate in the portion concerning prospective businesses but voted for the remainder.
  • Upcoming deadlines: Legislative pre-file deadline November 25, 2024; adoption of legislative package in November; budget amendments to Governor in December.
  • Continued programs: Council expressed support for continuing Night Jam and Hampton Hoops into the fall; City Manager will identify funding and coordinate with partners.
  • Data correction: Commonwealth’s Attorney Bell provided corrected shooting numbers and committed to ongoing collaboration.
  • Requests for data: Councilmember Brown requested overall crime reduction data and lighting-specific impact; City Manager agreed to provide before/after statistics but cautioned against attributing reductions solely to lighting.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon and welcome. I'd like to ask our clerk to call the roll, please. Councilman Bowman. Present. Councilman Brown. Here. Vice Mayor Gray. Present. Councilwoman Harper. Present. Councilman Hobbs. Present. Councilwoman Muggler. Present. Mayor Tank. Present. And I'll ask our city manager to introduce this afternoon's agenda, please. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Today we're going to start off with a presentation by Ed Reed from Two Capitals Consulting to basically recap of sorts, but more importantly, help us look forward to the next General Assembly session so we can begin our legislative planning for the next session. After that, we have some exciting stuff to present in the way of our annual update from our Office of Youth and Young Adult Opportunities. And then Parks Recreation Leisure Services is going to provide a presentation on the many opportunities young people have for recreation and activity in our community. He is the vice president of two capitals consulting. And as I mentioned, he's here to do the General Assembly update and forward planning. Good afternoon. Thank you. So glad to be here today. We've been quite busy with uh special sessions and relative uh interim commission and committee meetings here in Richmond. So I was actually in Richmond this morning, and I'm headed back to Richmond after the presentation this afternoon. But I did want to take some time to give you a recap of how we fare with our legislative request during the 2024 General Assembly session. Uh talk a little bit about the subsequent special sessions that we had this spring and this summer, and then uh as the city manager indicated, talk a little bit about how we prepare for the upcoming 2025 session. So with that, I'll go ahead and jump right in. Um the first on this list from the the previous session uh in terms of a legislative request, as you will recall, we've been working for a number of sessions on uh attempting to get additional authority to regulate vacant buildings by the way of a vacant building registry. Um last fall we were able to work with the Virginia Housing Commission to uh get a recommendation, a formal recommendation on uh a piece of legislation that was vetted by all the stakeholders, and it subsequently passed the General Assembly session uh on a bipartisan vote and signed by the governor. It took effect on July 1st. However, that bill does require a local ordinance in order for it to go in effect. So we're excited to see that after a number of years, which is typically the case in Richmond uh on trying to get something passed. Uh the next request was introduced for the first time uh by the city of Hampton, and it would have added municipal park rangers, 911 operators and animal control uh officers to the list of uh employees who can receive enhanced hazardous pay. Um while the bill was successful in the Senate on a vote of 40 to zero, actually, it ran into some uh resistance in the House Appropriations Committee largely due to the fact that J. Lark had done a study last fall uh on this issue. However, they did not study municipal park rangers. They left them off the list because uh Hampton is somewhat unique with um some of the other localities across the Commonwealth that do not have uh park rangers locally. So uh it required some additional study over the interim to determine what the fiscal impact could be across the state, and so we're uh grateful for Senator Locke and working with us on that, and so this is something I would um strongly uh encourage us to look at it for the upcoming session with some of that work being done in the interim. Uh next was a bill that we've also worked on for a number of sessions. Uh it authorizes the governing body of a city uh to provide by ordinance for the lawful seizure, impounding and disposition of an illegally operated all-terrain vehicle. Um in Norfolk were very interested in this bill as well. And um delegate Ward and Senator William Scraves were the patron. Um initially the bill did include counties. And they became very worried about that. So we just took counties out, made it applicable for cities, which gets at what you all need.

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