The Harrisonburg City Council met on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included a special recognition of outgoing Council Member Christopher Jones, approval of a multi-item consent agenda, presentations on the FY 2024 financial audit and a new cardboard collection program, unanimous approval of several land-use and utility requests, public comment, board appointments, and a closed session. The meeting recessed into closed session at 9:07 PM and adjourned at approximately 9:25 PM.
If you wish, please join me in prayer. Father God, in the name of Jesus, thank you for allowing me this opportunity to sit at this desk and to call on your name one more time, one last time in this formal capacity. Then I get to stand before you and call on your name and say thank you. We thank you for loving us for protecting us and for keeping our city. God, we thank you for life and life more abundantly. God, we've been through a lot over the last decade, and I thank you for the opportunity to have served over the last decade in this capacity and as mayor. But most of all, God, I thank you for the 58,000 residents that make up the city of Harrisonburg currently, and all of those that we stand, whose shoulders we stand on today. God, I thank you for the future that you have planned for us that is ever so bright and perfect. God, there's nothing we can do to make it any better than you have already created it. I just thank you for the opportunity to be a part of those that helped to architect and engineer it into existence. God, I thank you so much for our staff, the dedication, love, friendship, and professionalism that they show our residents and visitors every single day. Most especially, God, I thank you for our business community, our visitors, our students, especially our university students, those that have invested many, many hours and many, many thousands of dollars into our city to make it what it is today. And so, God, I ask you that you continue to pour a blessing on Harrisonburg. And God, let us not just be friendly by name or by motto or by slang, but let it be our reality, let it be how we move and operate in mind, body, soul, and spirit. Now, God, as we are about to take due action on the agenda that's set before us, we ask that you would give us the wisdom to move forward throughout that. Let no hurt harm or danger come to anyone that enters and exits this place. It's in the mighty, matchless, unparalleled name of Jesus the Christ, I pray, and I say thank you. Hallelujah. Amen. Amen. I glad your allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which ascends one nation under God and individual with liberty and justice for all. And so if I can have Councilman Fleming help me. And Christopher, if you will go up front. With Councilman Fleming. This is a resolution honoring Christopher B. Jones for service as mayor and council member for the city of Harrisonburg. Whereas Christopher Jones has served on the city council since 2015, including one term as mayor, and has executed his duties with integrity, fairness, and effectiveness. And whereas Councilman Jones has contributed to numerous boards and commissions, including, now this is a long list, the Harrisonburg Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, the City and Rockingham County Liaison Committee, the City and Harrisonburg City School Liaison Committee, the City and James Madison University Liaison Committee, the Community Criminal Justice Board, the Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance Board of Directors, the Deer Population Task Force, the City and Build Our Park, formerly Plan Our Park Liaison Committee, the City and Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority Liaison Committee, and the city, the city and Eastern Mennonite University liaison committee. And whereas Councilman Jones has represented the city and state and national organizations, such as the Virginia Municipal League, the National League of Cities Racial Equity and Leadership Council, and National League of Cities National Black Caucus. And whereas Councilman Jones supported the City Hall and Municipal Building Renovation Projects, as well as the construction of new educational facilities like the Elon Rhodes Early Learning Center, Bluestone Elementary, and Rocktown High School. And whereas Councilman Jones has always been a strong supporter of economic development and championed the creation of the BQ program for black and brown-owned businesses, which has enrolled 84 businesses and secured funding for early stage entrepreneurs. Woo. Give it around. Give a round. Y'all can clap it any more. Whereas Councilman Jones was a major supporter of public safety, funding fire station number five and COVID-19 hazard pay, adding new firefighters positions, and acquiring new fire engines and equipment. And whereas Councilman Jones was a strong advocate for the investment into the South Fork Shenardor River Project and supported the comprehensive housing assessment. And whereas Councilman Jones enhanced the workplace for employees by helping to launch an internal diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging program, and supporting a 2022 classification and comprehensive comprehension study, compensation study that was implemented in 2024. And whereas Councilman Jones leadership, dedication, and professionalism will be greatly missed by the city staff, elected officials, and the citizens he served. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Harrisonburg City Council honors Christopher B. Jones for his exemplary service and invaluable contributions to the city. So there's a couple of things we're going to do. And then we'll allow Chris to introduce his family. So Councilman Fleming. It seems just a blink of an eye ago. Sat down at Capitol Ale. Oh. And met this Southern Baptist guy from the City of Churches from the River City. That's right. That's right.