Hampton City Council Special Organizational Meeting - January 9, 2025
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Hampton City Council Special Organizational Meeting - January 9, 2025
This special meeting of the Hampton City Council was held on the morning of January 9, 2025, at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. The council convened to administer oaths of office to newly elected members and to elect a vice mayor for a two-year term. All council members were present. The meeting included an invocation, pledge of allegiance, swearing-in ceremonies, the election of a vice mayor, and remarks from the mayor and council members.
Swearing-In of Council Members
- Mayor James Arthur Gray was sworn in by the clerk, followed by Councilmember Randy C. Bowman Sr., Councilmember Carolyn S. Campbell, Councilmember Michelle Taylor Faraby (sworn in by her brother, Judge Wilford Taylor), and Councilmember Hope L. Harper (sworn in by Judge Stephen Bond). Each recited the oath to support the U.S. and Virginia Constitutions and faithfully discharge their duties.
- The clerk then called the roll for the first time under the new council; all members were present.
Election of Vice Mayor
- Councilman Steve Brown was nominated for vice mayor by Councilman Bowman, and the motion was seconded. The roll call vote resulted in 5 ayes (Bowman, Brown, Campbell, Faraby, Gray) and 2 nays (Harper, Muggler). The motion carried, and Councilman Brown was elected as vice mayor for a two-year term.
Remarks from the Mayor and Council Members
- Mayor Gray thanked his family, campaign team (led by Michael Harris), and supporters. He pledged to lead with integrity, empathy, and collaboration, building on his eight years of council service.
- Councilman Bowman expressed gratitude to his mother, aunt, campaign manager Mooney Chandler, and mentor Bobby Norris. He committed to serving with integrity, honesty, and transparency.
- Councilwoman Campbell thanked her husband, family, election integrity team, and mentors. She emphasized her slogan "Accountability, Integrity, and Respect" and noted she has already begun working.
- Councilwoman Faraby acknowledged family, her campaign manager Sandra Timmons, her husband Melvin, and her late parents. She emphasized her deep roots in Hampton and her commitment to building a better Hampton together.
- Councilwoman Harper thanked her family, campaign team (Team Hope), mentor Chris Sneed, and significant other Tommy Jackson. She pledged to remain accessible, accountable, and visible, and quoted the city's vision statement.
Key Outcomes
- All council members were sworn in and seated for the 2025 term.
- Councilman Steve Brown was elected vice mayor by a 5-2 vote.
- The meeting concluded with a benediction by Reverend David Eric Fox, followed by a reception with cake and punch in the lobby.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, good morning, everyone, and welcome to this uh special organizational meeting for the Hampton City Council. Uh I'm gonna ask the clerk uh to read the uh call for the special session. Good morning. This meeting was called pursuant to section 3.06 of the code of the city of Hampton to select by majority vote a vice mayor for a two-year term and for administration of the oaths of office as provided by law. Thank you. And with that, I want to ask uh Councilman Steve Brown to uh do the invocation. I've been asked to come down to the floor to justice mic for vertically challenged people. So let me do that first. Bring it down a little bit. Let's bow ahead in prayer. Father, this is the day that you made, and we have come to rejoice in it. Thank you, Lord, for the people who gathered in this great city we call Hampton in love. We pray today, God, that the deliberations that our meeting, that our installations will be blessed, and you find favor in everything we say and do today. I pray blessings upon each of my council members and colleagues. I pray blessings upon this great city of Hampton, all of our citizens, those who have been engaged, those who are can uh who are working to make this city the best city uh that we can live in. And Father, I ask now that your grace would be sufficient for everything that we need. For this is the day you've made. We have come to rejoice in it, and all of God's people say it together, amen. Thank you, Councilman Brown. Uh and with that, would you please stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance to the flag? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. And before we uh get started with the uh administration of the oaths, I'd just like to acknowledge a few of uh special guests, and uh know we have family members and friends of all of the uh new council members uh coming on board, so glad to have you all with us today. I'd like to acknowledge on the front row our president of uh Hampton University, uh President Darrell K. Williams, um, Newton News News Mayor uh Philip Jones, uh Commonwealth Attorney Anton Bell, uh School Board Member Jason Samuels, the Chairman of the School Board, uh Mr. Richard Mason, uh Treasurer Chris Sneed, and our sheriff uh Karen Bowden. Thank you all for being with us this morning. So this is uh the day that we uh do our swearing in, our ceremonial swearing in, and we have all of our council members uh assembled here. And uh so if you have a copy of the program or the agenda, uh kind of list the order, and so we'll we'll go in that order uh with the first administration uh being mine and then councilman Randy Bowman, Councilwoman Carolyn Campbell, Councilwoman Michelle Taylor Faraby, and then Councilwoman Hope Harper. And so with that, I am gonna come down front and uh begin with the first one that is swearing in uh of the mayor. All right, Mr. Gray, are you prepared to take your oath of office, sir? I am. Please place your left hand on the Bible, raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, James Arthur Gray. Aye, James Arthur Gray. You solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States. That I will support the Constitution of the United States. And the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia. And the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia. And that I will faithfully and impartially discharge. And that I will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties incumbent upon me. The duties incumbent upon me as mayor for the city of Hampton, Virginia. For the city of Hampton, Virginia. As mayor for the city of Hampton, Virginia. According to the best of my ability. According to the best of my ability. So help me God. So help me God. I remember that vote in the gym, and I've said that.
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