Good evening and welcome to Hampton City Council legislative meeting.

I want to ask the clerk to call the role, please.

Councilman Bowman.

Present.

Vice Mayor Brown.

Here.

Councilwoman Campbell.

Present.

Councilwoman Faraby.

President.

Councilwoman Harper.

Present.

Councilwoman Mugler.

President.

Mayor Gray.

Present.

And this evening the uh invitation will be uh given by uh Councilwoman Michelle Farabee, uh, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

So would you please stand and join us for both?

Let us pray.

Gracious God, we thank you for this community and for the opportunity to serve.

We lift up our first responders, our veterans, our city employees and volunteers, and give thanks for their service, sacrifice, and care for our city.

Grant them strength and protection.

As we honor Black History Month, we give thanks for the enduring contributions of Black Americans and ask for you for your guidance as we continue the work of justice and the equity.

During American Heart Month and National Cancer Prevention Month, we pray for health, healing, and commitment to prevention and care.

And as Valentine's Day reminds us of love, may we lead with kindness, patience, and respect.

As Ramadan begins, we lift up our Muslim neighbors, asking that this sacred season be filled with peace and reflection.

Grant us wisdom in our decisions and compassion in our leadership that we that all we do may serve the common good.

May we all say Amen.

Oftentimes we are, you know, relying on our uh local delegation to uh carry bills for us that that benefit Hampton, uh benefit our citizens, and they're always uh willing to do that.

Um there are some bills uh going on this year uh that uh you know in various stages that uh are of some concern to us, and one of those bills is uh a requirement that uh for collective bargaining for uh public service of uh public agency that includes state employees, that includes teachers, that includes city employees.

Uh through our own discussion, we know that uh collective bargaining does come with uh a cost uh you know for the uh number of bargaining units that you may have, uh may you know additional attorneys, uh labor relations attorneys uh and staff to manage all that.

And and so we uh expect that you know, should that pass, uh which right now it appears that it will in some form, that we'll have to uh you know absorb that cost.

And so I along with the other mayors uh of the seven cities in Hampton Rose region jointly signed a letter uh that went to the uh all of our local delegates in the Hampton Rose region as well as the governor, uh actually went to the entire General Assembly and to the governor uh asking them to leave uh collective bargaining as it is right now.

There's a framework in place right now that allows uh employees to come forward and uh identify themselves as a potential bargaining unit uh to discuss with the uh local governing body and then the governing body can decide uh you know whether they want to do a study, whether they want to enter into a collective bargaining, recognize the groups, but uh right now it's a local choice uh across the commonwealth.

Some cities, uh Richmond, Fairfax County, uh, Alexandria have entered entered into uh collective bargaining uh locally.

I think the decision is coming up in at least two other cities here.

Uh one of those is initially said yes, and then they uh reversed that decision and said uh they they declined to uh to recognize collective bargaining.

And so the mayors uh of the seven cities, we all got together and discussed this.

We're all concerned about the impact of of collective bargaining and the cost associated with that, and so we the letter that we sent was not uh against unions.

Uh it was not against collective bargaining.

It was asking the state not to mandate policies that add uh additional cost burdens on the localities.

And that's not new for us.

We're we're always asking our General Assembly to refrain from unfunded mandates that raise the cost of government, and then we have no choice in the matter.

But um, we here in Hampton uh have worked hard to uh provide good pay and benefits for our employees.

Uh we have a very generous uh pay plan uh in the public safety arena.

We've also worked on pay adjustments for all other many other the uh city uh positions that we fund.

And I think our council has been committed to uh moving our salaries for our city employees uh, you know, in the upper tier of the cities and counties in the region so that we can attract and retain you know the best employees, which we are always trying to do.

And so we communicated and I communicated to our our General Assembly delegates that for those places like Hampton that is trying to do the right thing for our employees that you know we at least need the option of retaining that choice of whether we need collective bargaining here or not.

But again, I reiterate that you know our signature on the letter was not uh we don't want or we don't like collective bargaining or we don't want to work with unions or any of that.

You know, I spent many years, 32 years in the fire service as a firefighter.

You know, I was a union member, and uh over the course of my career I've been I benefited from many of the uh uh uh uh benefits that uh fire safety or fire uh fire department groups, firefighters unions uh negotiated for or advocated for at the state level.

And so, you know, I've appreciated much of what they've done.

I've always, when I was a fire chief, uh met with our union here that exists in the fire department as well as police.

And so, you know, my reason for signing the letter was really because we want to maintain that local choice and preferred it the uh state not uh provide or or send down or make decisions on policies that raise the cost of city government and leave us with no choice but to absorb it.

And that has happened in many cases, and uh we constantly try to remind them uh and ask them to refrain from doing so.

But you know, um obviously in this case, you know, our voices may go unheard.

Uh hopefully some uh may some amendments may occur before the policy is uh finalized.

They give us some relief.

But I did want to at least make a public statement because there uh I think our signature on the letter may have been misinterpreted by some groups, and really it was not a letter that we're against unions or collective bargaining.

It was that we were against the state mandating and uh sending an unmanned uh unfunded mandate here uh on the city of Hampton that the taxpayers have to absorb.

So just want to throw that out there uh just to make a comment about that while I have the uh floor.

So with that, I'm gonna move on to the next item and ask the uh clerk to read the protocol for consent agenda.

The consent agenda is comprised of routine non-controversial items requiring council approval.

These items are typically adopted with one motion and without discussion.

Tonight, the consent agenda initiates amendments to the Hampton City zoning district map and the Hampton City Zoning Ordinance to begin the process of amending the Hampton City zoning district map to adjust boundaries of the air installation compatible use zone overlay district and the noise contour district noise overlay map based upon notification by Langley Air Force Base, which will ensure the safety of military operations at Langley Air Force Base.

It updates the definition of debt of devices in the zoning ordinance, including the number of such devices permitted as an accessory use in certain establishments and districts and modify the standards applicable to the restaurant too and the zoning ordinance.

It confirms both the declaration and termination of a local emergency made necessary by the winter storm known as the 31 January 2026 winter storm.

And it approves the minutes from the work session of August 13, 2025, and the special ceremonial and legislative sessions of January 28, 2026 in a motion and a second.

Mr.

Mayor, move approval of tonight's consent agenda.

Second.

Councilman Bowman.

Aye.

Councilman Vice Mayor Brown.

Aye.

Councilwoman Campbell.

Councilwoman Harper.

Aye.

Councilwoman Muggler.

Aye.

And Mayor Gray.

Aye.

February is, of course, Black History Month, and myself and my council members are going to read about some individuals that have made significant contributions in Hampton at a little bit later point in the meeting.

But I also have a proclamation that I want to read proclaiming the week of February 14th through the 20th, 2026 as random acts of kindness weeks.

It is a national recognition, and we're doing so in the city of Hampton.

Whereas random acts of kindness week has been created by random the random acts of kindness foundation to encourage everyone to extend random acts of kindness to each other.

And whereas random acts of kindness week is an opportunity for everyone to be kind to themselves, loved ones, friends, co-workers, and others.

And whereas performing random acts of kindness boosts the moods and show support for one another.

And whereas performing random acts of kindness benefits the recipient and the giver and increases the overall life satisfaction.

And whereas spreading kindness inspires others to pay it forward, creating a chain of goodwill, compassion, and empathy.

And whereas the City of Hampton recognizes recognizes the importance of kindness and encourages everyone to do at least three random acts of kindness during a random acts of kindness week.

One for a friend, one for a family member, and one for a stranger.

Now, therefore, I, James A.

Gray, Mayor, on behalf of the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia, do hereby proclaim the week of February 14th through 20th, 2026 of random acts of kindness week in the City of Hampton.

And I urge all citizens to participate in random acts of kindness throughout the week and always.

Be kind, you know, it's a lot of rage out there on the road, and people are honking their horn at you, and uh, you know, just all kinds of things going on.

And so we need to kind of take some time out and be nice.

So just think about doing something special for the people in the community, for your family members, and for those around you.

And I'm asking all my council members to do an act of random kindness uh next week.

Uh do three, at least three, and maybe post on your Facebook page that you were kind to somebody and did something special just to make somebody else happy.

So let's all participate in random acts of kindness week, and we'll change Hampton just one person at a time.

So thank you.

All right.

There are no public hearings scheduled for this evening, so I'm going to move on to public comment and I ask the clerk to read the protocol for public comment.

Council meetings are for conducting city business.

Public comment is allowed on matters within the council's authority and follows public hearing items.

Speakers must follow the citizen participation protocol.

Speakers may sign up in the lobby one hour before the meeting and until it begins.

Speaker shall address council from the center podium.

Each speaker is allowed three minutes.

The timer has a green light, which will turn yellow with one minute remaining, and red one time is up.

Please speak respectfully and avoid personal attacks.

Focus on topics within the council's jurisdiction.

Do not use the platform for political campaign speeches.

Comments must be directed to the council, yielding time is not allowed.

Audience must remain respectful and refrain from interruptions.

Council typically listens without engaging in discussion.

Responses may be provided by the city manager, city attorney, or council members after public comment.

Failure to follow the protocol may result in removal from the podium or meeting after fair warning.

All right.

We have three people signed up to speak this evening.

Uh, as everybody is aware, the uh timer is right up here in front of Vice Mayor Brown and uh Green, you have your three minutes.

Yellow comes up, you have one minute left.

And uh when the red button hits you, uh your time is up.

So the first person to speak this evening is uh Miss Joan Weaver.

Good afternoon, governance team, city manager, mayor, council members, and last but not least, Miss Glass.

Such a befitting time to speak on kindness, and I hope all of you on the governance team will be aware of that, because for my district, for my area, the greater width, you still lack that.

Hampton has two faces.

You show your side, but then let me show the real side.

What you presented is worse than anything could be imagined, the strategic plan.

It is worse.

Walt Disney has written better fictions than what this includes.

We are still marginalized, ostracized, not showed respect.

And last but not least, at one of these meetings, I was addressed and two of my fellow citizens as being troubled by our mayor himself.

Let me tell you, black history at all times.

I'm here to honor John Lewis because we stand up for what is good and what is right for our community.

You call us trouble, let it be said, we are good trouble.

You will never diminish our light, and all of those false promises that you gave us when you destroyed our history, as you claimed in here you would not do.

My neighborhood is frightened beyond doubt because they trumped up baseless indictment from the city for a misdemeanor from codes and compliances who told a blatant lie that you were supposed to be there to help us with senior home improvements, making our neighborhood good.

But guess what?

I will speak, you will not stop me.

I will stand for our neighborhood, and you will do right by us.

What your incapable codes and compliance compartment could not do, and taxation department could not do to cripple us.

Thank God we do have a judiciary system that will honor our Eighth Amendment, our first amendment, and you will not take that from us.

Make no mistake about that.

Targeting, intimidation, and silence.

No, that's not what we're going to be.

We will come professionally, respected, educated, and you will realize that at greater width, we come seeking what you promised in this tale of tales, and we expect you to deliver that.

We are human, we are hardworking, we are good people, and we deserve your respect.

So the court system will play this all out, and what you set for my intimidation will ultimately expose that Hampton is a cracked system.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Weaver.

Next speaker is Craig Knott.

Good afternoon, Mayor Gray, City Council.

Hopefully, you guys are having a good day today.

So I got a couple of things.

Um, one of the things that has passed this General Assembly is this redistrict redistricting amendment.

Sorry, stumbling over that a little bit.

Um, and I have a lot of concerns on this.

Um I've been fortunate.

I live in District 86.

I've been fortunate that as I've looked at different laws here and there, starting from like 2018, 2019.

I've had awesome delegates.

Delegate Muggler, awesome.

He represented us very well.

Now, Delegate Thornton, he's gotten in there, and there's a couple things I may not agree with, thought that doesn't bother me, but this redistricting.

One of the things I have an issue with is them trying to push this 10 to 1 more Democrat um Matt.

And one of the things that when I looked back at some of the things that you had passed, delegate muggler at the time, um, was HB 1255, which basically said that we cannot gerrymander on a party.

Whether it be fair or it just had to be fair.

We couldn't gerrymander the federal House of Representatives map on political party.

You voted yes on that, which was awesome.

I love that.

It was like you had foresight out there knowing that this type of thing could happen.

Now, what we've seen this time around is Delegate Thornton voted on the House budget bill, HB 29, to say it's all right from 2025 to 2030 to disregard that and say it's okay for us to go ahead and gerrymander on a political party, which is unheard of.

Go talk to the attorney general to say that, hey, we would like you to have something to go fight this in court or something like that.

But us as Hampton should not want a one-sided uh one-sided House of Representatives coming out of here.

We are like a 46 or something like that representation of how we break down based on the political party.

And our map currently has a good breakdown of that.

I think we should stay with that.

I want us to fight.

So please, whatever powers we have as a city council, please talk to our delegates and talk to our senator saying, Hey, we do not want this.

That's all I have.

Thank you, Mr.

Knopp.

Uh next speaker is Chris Bowman.

Good evening.

I'm Chris Bowman, Mayor, Council members, city manager, city attorney, council clerk.

Just um here this evening, just briefly to ask about an update on current city vacant property and development on these particular sites.

And you can email me when you have time.

Lincoln Park, the old quality inside, the Buck Road Junior High School site, Pembroke High School site, Buck Room Beach Mini Golf, Slaughter Lumber Company site, and the Macy Carmel site.

Um generalizing this for an overall master plan.

And I think it's outstanding.

I want to commend the Commonwealth of Virginia, the uh Fort Monroe Authority and Council for supporting that and looking forward to the results.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Bowman.

That's the last speaker for this evening.

The city manager need to address any items.

Um I just say a two quick things.

Um, especially because the Fort Monroe Master Plan update was mentioned in the and the cost of that being a million dollars.

I didn't want the Hampton taxpayers to think that Hampton is paying for that in our budget.

That is a Fort Monroe Authority purchase.

Um I have to support it.

Um I think it's absolutely important to update the master plan for Fort Monroe.

It's been many years since it was updated, and um, we want to make sure that we're capitalizing on the really truly historic nature of the post appropriately.

And so uh good steps have been made under uh former executive director Glenn Oder, uh, but it's it's good to not just rest on your laurels, but to look at what you can do next, and that's what the Fort Monroe Authority Board is doing.

But that is being paid for out of money that they get uh in a combination of state appropriation um fees and rent from people that they rent to, and then of course philanthropic dollars.

So that's not coming out of our taxpayer dollars, and I just wanted that clear for the record.

Um, in terms of the redistricting referendum, um, as I understand it, that has already been approved in terms of there's going to be a referendum, so there's really nothing I think is appropriate for us to do with our lobbying dollars.

Our general practice has always been as a local government that when there is a referendum before the bot before the public, that we don't take sides on that referendum, that we only provide the factual information about what that referendum means.

Um, of course, individuals um are free to do whatever they want, but as a city government, we don't take a position on voter referendums or or elections in general.

Um I'm gonna get with Miss Weaver to understand a little bit better.

I think she's referring to a code um violation, um, but I'm not a hundred percent sure and not able to address it from here.

But once again, I want to say um we intend to honor the promises that we made to the community, especially those relating to the use of the um former 10 acres allocation of the sales proceeds.

I want to keep that on record.

We have not abandoned that commitment.

As I mentioned at the last meeting, council appropriated roughly 250,000 to get a full updated assessment of the infrastructure out there so we can have conversations with the neighborhood about what the priorities would be in order for you all, both with that money that is set aside, but also other city appropriations that come in our master capital improvement plan each year.

So I I will I will personally follow up with Miss Weaver and we will talk both about the misdemeanor charges that she's referencing as well as give her another update on where we are with the other issues and commitments we've made to the neighborhood.

All right, thank you.

We have uh some general items to address this evening on the agenda and uh item six uh is an invitation for bids.

I'm asking the uh clerk to uh read the title.

Item number six on your evening agenda is 26-0042.

It is an invitation for bids to qualified electric services providers for non-exclusive easements for the purpose of transmitting and distributing electric power over, under, through, upon, and across certain city owned property to provide electrical services to property operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia, VDOT.

Mr.

Mayor and Council members for the benefit of the public.

I know you're familiar with this, but what this item uh relates to is the Commonwealth of Virginia through the Virginia Department of Transportation contacted the city to inquire if the city would allow electrical services to be run across city owned property, specifically the Bethel Landfill property at 100 North Point Park Lane to serve its property, that being VDOT's property.

Pursuant to Article 7, Section 9 of the Constitution of Virginia and Chapter 21 of the Title 15.2 of the Virginia Code, the city has the authority to grant easements on upon and across city owned property.

Per VDOTS request and pursuant to those provisions, the city agreed to offer non-exclusive easements for the purpose of transmitting and distributing electrical power over, under, through, upon, and across the reference city owned property to qualified electrical uh service providers to provide the electric services that VDOT needs.

And we do this through publicly inviting bids for non-exclusive easements as described by the various codes I've referenced.

The public notice for the invitation of bids for the easements and for the subsequent adoption of the ordinance that you will need to do ultimately was run in the daily press once a week for two successive weeks as required by the code of Virginia.

Uh tonight the bids are being received, accepted, and opened, and the granting of said easement to successful qualified bidders or biddy or bidding will occur at our next council meeting on February 25th, 2026.

Okay, Madam Clerk, were any bids received for this easement matter?

Yes, sir.

We received one.

Okay, will you please read aloud the bid and stating who it is from and give a brief summary of it?

It is a letter from Dominion Energy dated February 3rd, 2026.

The honorable sit address to the honorable city council.

It's a public notice bid proposed Dominion Energy Virginia right-of-way agreement 22-25-007 in the name of the City of Hampton.

Dear Mayor and Council members, please accept this one dollar bid from Dominion Energy Virginia as a response to the advertisement and public notice published in the legal section of the Daily Press on January 28th and February 4th, 2026.

The proposed easement, if granted, will allow Dominion Energy Virginia the right and privilege to install and maintain one or more electric lines and one or more lighting supports and lighting fixtures, including all accessories and impertinences necessary there with, upon, under, across and over land, which the city of Hampton currently owns, parcel located on 100 North Park Lane, Virginia tax parcel number 5000 five, as shown on the attached plat.

The easement is variable width, plus or minus in width, beginning at a point on the southerly property line of tax parcel 5000, and the northern northerly side of the state Route 64 right-of-way.

Then along the southerly property line of tax parcel 500212 and a southeasterly direction to the easterly property line of tax parcel number 5000.

As shown on the attached plat, the easement is variable width, plus or minus in width, beginning at a point on the southerly property line of tax parcel 5000212 and the northern northerly side of interstate Route 64 right-of-way, then along the southerly property line of tax parcel 500212 in a southeasterly direction to the easterly property line of tax parcel number 5000212, thence in a northwesterly direction along the property line of tax parcel number 500212 to a point on the southeasterly property line of tax parcel number 500211, thence at a 90-degree angle for a distance of approximately 38 feet in a northeasterly direction to a point, thence at a 90-degree angle running in a southeasterly direction for an approximate distance of 40 feet to a point, thence at a 90-degree angle in a southwesterly direction to a point, then in a southeasterly direction, parallel with the easterly property line of tax parcel number 500212 to a point, thence in a northwesterly direction parallel with the southerly property line of tax parcel number 500212 to a point, thence in a northwesterly direction to the point of beginning.

Dominion Energy will be installing a new Dominion pole with a three-phase 277-480 transformer bank in line of existing overhead pole run on the property.

Then Dominion is to install and bore a new splice box and a new three-phase underground service lateral along property line from the new Transformer Bank to VDOT's CT cabinet, located next to gate at property line near I-64.

Thanks for your thank you for your consideration.

Regards it is signed by Kate L.

Blanton, the right-of-way agent for Dominion Energy Virginia, and is accompanied by an attachment, which is the right-of-way agreement.

Okay.

Are there any other bids being offered?

All right.

If not, I will declare the bidding closed.

Please be advised that city staff will review all bids which have been received and give their recommendation at a public hearing, which will take place on February 25th, 2026.

Uh items item number seven on your agenda is 26-0043.

It is an invitation for bids to qualified electric services providers for non-exclusive easements for the purpose of transmitting and distributing electric power over under through upon and across certain city-owned property to provide electrical services, electric services to property operated by Langley Air Force Base.

Mr.

Mayor and Councilmembers, this is a very similar action to the prior one.

Only this time it is Langley Air Force Base that has contacted the City of Hampton to inquire if we would allow electric services to run across city-owned property.

The city properties that would be affected are two 2935 North Armstead Avenue, 2927 North Armstead Avenue, 2921 North Armstead Avenue, 29 2917 North Armstead Avenue, and 2909 North Armstead Avenue.

And uh we have advertised the notice for invitation for bids for the easement uh for this particular item in accordance with the state code as previously mentioned, and the bids are being received, accepted, and opened at tonight's meeting, and the granting of said easements to the successful qualified bidders would occur at our next meeting on February 25th.

Madam Clerk, were any bids received for this easement matter?

Yes, sir.

We received one.

Will you please read aloud the bid stating who it is from and give a brief summary of it?

It is a letter dated February 3rd, 2026, addressed to the honorable city council.

Read public notice bid proposed Dominion Energy Virginia Right-of-Ay Agreement 22-23-0019 in the name of the City of Hampton.

Dear Mayor and Council members, please accept this one-dollar bid from Dominion Energy Virginia as a response to the advertisement and public notice published in the legal section of the Daily Press on January 28th and February 4th, 2026.

The proposed easement, if granted, will allow Dominion Energy Virginia the right and privilege to install and maintain one or more electric lines and one or more lighting supports and lighting fixtures, including all accessories and appurtenances there too, necessary therewith upon under across and over land, which the city of Hampton currently owns, parcel located on 2909, 2917, 2921, 2927, and 2935 North Armstead Avenue.

Virginia parcel, Virginia Tax Parcel number 6805, 600804, 6803, 6802, 6001304.

As shown on the attached flat, the easement is 15 feet in width, beginning at a point located on the southwest southeasterly property line of tax parcel 60805 and the westerly side of North Armstead Avenue right away, thence extending in a northerly direction along the southeasterly property line of tax parcel 60805 to the southerly property line of tax parcel 6,00804, thence extending along the easterly property line of tax parcel 6804 in a northeasterly direction to the southerly property line of tax parcel 60803, then extending in a northeasterly direction along the pro easterly property line of tax parcel 60802 to the southerly property line of tax parcel 6000 600 1304, then extending northeasterly direction along the property line of tax parcel 600 1304 to the northerly property line of tax parcel 6001304, thence in a southwesterly direction for a distance of 15 feet to a point, thence in a southwesterly direction, parallel to the westerly side of North Armstead Avenue in a southwesterly direction to the southerly property line of tax parcel 6805 to a point, thence in a southeasterly direction for a distance of 15 feet to the point of beginning.

Dominion Energy will be replacing existing agreement dated June 28, 2024, and recorded in clerk's office of the circuit court of the city of Hampton, Virginia on July 10th, 2024 as instrument number 2400 7779.

Thank you for your consideration.

Regards Kate L.

Blanton, right of way agent, Dominion Dominion Energy Virginia, and it references an attachment.

Okay, thank you.

Are there any further bids being offered?

If not, I declare the bidding closed.

Please be advised that the city staff will review all bids which have been received and give their recommendation at a public hearing, which will take place on February 25, 2026.

So with that, Madam Clerk, would you read the motion?

Require for appointments.

Yes, sir.

The motion required on your appointments on the agenda this evening is to defer action on the Citizens Unity Commission, the Golf Course Advisory Committee, and the Citizens Police Advisory Group until March 11th, 2026.

On the Peninsula Alcohol Safety Program, appoint Tremaine Brown to serve the unexpired portion of a term until June 30, 2026.

On the Economic Development Authority, appoint Patrick Jekowski to a term beginning on April 1, 2026, and Dwayne Blake to a term until February 28th, 2030.

On the Clean City Commission, appoint Travis Adams to serve the remainder of a term until January 31, 2028, and reappoint Kimberly King to her first full term, which will expire on March 31, 2030.

On the grievance board, reappoint Tiffany Knotts to a second term until March 30, 2030.

On the Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities, appoint Christopher Brown to serve the unexpired portion of a term until February 28, 2028, and appoint Melanie Paul and Tiffany Knotts to serve first terms until February 28, 2030.

On the Peninsula Town Center Community Development Authority, reappoint Ava Green to a second term until April 30, 2030.

And on the Athletic Hall of Fame, reappoint Quentin Jackson and Lavon Marrow to second terms until March 31, 2029, and Robert Guerin to a first term until March 31, 2029.

All right.

Need a motion and a second.

So move.

Second.

Madam Clerk, we call a road.

Councilman Bowman.

Vice Mayor Brown.

Councilwoman Campbell.

Aye.

Councilwoman Fairview.

Councilwoman Harper.

Aye.

Councilwoman Muggler.

Aye.

Mayor Gray.

All right.

Are there any reports from the city manager?

Nothing else today, sir.

All right.

So it is Black History Month, and uh this evening, uh, as well as at our next council meeting.

We will uh acknowledge some you know African Americans in the Hampton community who have made significant contributions.

And I had the pleasure of uh reading uh the first one this evening.

Um it is YB Williams Jr.

And you see his picture right up here.

YB Williams Jr.

was the first African American to serve on the Hampton City Council in the modern era.

On August 20th, 1973, Williams was appointed by unanimous vote of the Hampton City Council and served through June 1974.

He was also the first African American officer of the New Port News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, where he served as vice president for community affairs.

Williams was a dedicated public servant who served on many boards uh within the community, including the United Way of the Virginia Peninsula, the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, the Urban League of Hampton Rose, the Virginia Board of Community Colleges, the New Atlantic Bank and First Save First Federal Savings and Loan.

And when he retired from NUPENU Shipbuilding in Hampton, Hampton declared April 17, 1993 as YB Williams Day.

The next one will be read by Vice Mayor Brown.

Thank you, Mayor.

I'm proud to read this on behalf of the late John Marley Phillips Sr., who was a cousin to my mother, uh sharing the same name as his grandfather, who had founded the successful orchestra business in Hampton in the latter part of the 19th century.

John Marley Phillips owned the well-known Phillips C.

Food Company in Hampton for 45 years.

In 1974, Phillips became the first African American in the 20th century to be elected to the Hampton City Council.

He was re-elected to the council in 1978 and then again in 1982, when he became Hampton's first African American vice mayor after receiving a record number of votes and outpolling the other candidates by more than two to one.

He served as vice mayor until 1986.

Phillips was a prominent alumni donor of the Hampton Institute, a member of the First Baptist Church of Hampton, the National Conference of Christian and Jews, Doshikas Civic and Social Club, Elk's Lodge number four of Hampton, and the Omega Psy Fi Fraternity Incorporated.

Okay, Councilwoman Mugler will read about Brenda Wharton Taylor.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Brenda Wharton Taylor was a dedicated uh career educator.

She served the students of Hampton City Schools as a classroom teacher and a reading specialist and and did that uh during her tenure on city council.

She was employed uh by the school division uh when she she taught reading at Kraft Elementary School during that time frame.

Taylor was elected to Hampton City Council in 1984 and served until 1992.

Her election marked several historic firsts.

She became the first African American woman to serve on the council.

She was the first woman to serve after the conclusion of Ann Kilgore's term in 1980.

Um she was part of the first council in which there were more than one African American serving simultaneously.

Beyond her professional career, she was deeply engaged in community service, serving on the YMCA board of directors and the neighborhood watch committee, and uh also is a member of the NAACP and the Hampton Crusade for Voters.

Oh wow, I looked at that picture and I hadn't seen her picture.

I I had the great pleasure of of knowing Councilwoman uh Wharton Taylor, and um she was a force.

She loved a good laugh, and not unlike myself, she loved a new dress.

Um she was a lot of fun.

I had the honor of uh attending her wedding in uh the early 1990s.

Um it was the social event of the season.

It was held um in what now houses our downtown Hampton uh development offices, um, was the Jacques Coutsteau Center, and uh at the time she was uh had her reception there was the um visitor center uh for Hampton.

But um her service extended to faith and cultural life.

Uh she was an organist for Colossian Baptist Church Youth Choir and the civic and political organizations, including Delta Sigma Theta sorority, uh, which several members of council are wearing their colors tonight.

Homage to Councilwoman Wharton Taylor.

Um she was a member of the Hampton Democratic Committee and also served on Governor Charles Robb's biracial citizens advisory committee.

Thank you.

And then lastly, Councilwoman Campbell will read about Mary Peake.

So tonight I'm going to talk about Mary Smith Kelsey Peak.

She was born free in Norfolk, Virginia in 1823.

In 1829, when she was six, her mother sent her to Alexandria to attend school.

During that time, several states, including Virginia, passed anti-literacy laws that prohibited free people of cover color from being educated.

In 1839, at age 16, Mary secretly taught slaves and free blacks to read and write, which was still prohibited by law.

In 1847, she moved back to Hampton with her family.

In the 1850s, she secretly began teaching enslaved and free black Americans.

She was one of a number of black women whose teaching was later officially sanctioned by the Union Army as the Civil War began.

Mary Peak was the first teacher hired by the American Missionary Association.

They provided Mary with Brown Cottage that has long been considered the first facility of Hampton Institute, now Hampton University.

Mary Peak School taught more than 50 children during the day and 20 adults at night.

Mary passed away of tuberculosis on February 22nd, 1862.

However, her legacy continued even after her passing.

In 1863, the Virginia Peninsula community gathered under a tree near Brown Cottage to hear the first Southern reading of President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which is how it got its name, the Emancipation Oak.

In 1868, Hampton University was founded, where the historic Emancipation Oak still stands near the entrance to the campus.

The tree is designated as a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior and one of the ten great trees of the world by the National Geographic Society.

It is well worth the visit and a walk through history.

All right, is there any new business?

Okay, well, there being none, and we are adjourned.