Portsmouth City Council & Broadband Authority Meeting - May 13, 2025

The meeting of the Portsmouth Broadband Authority and subsequent City Council work session and regular meeting took place on May 13, 2025. The Broadband Authority received updates on the regional fiber ring, local next-generation network (NGN), and grant-funded last-mile projects. The City Council work session reviewed the sale of a 2.95-acre parcel in Suffolk, formed a committee for the Crawford Bay redevelopment, and finalized the FY2026 budget, including a real property tax rate reduction to $1.24 and the withdrawal of a proposed tax credit.

Broadband Authority Meeting

Officers Election

• Chair: Ron Green was nominated and unanimously elected as Chair.
• Vice Chair: Jennifer Hughes was nominated and unanimously elected as Vice Chair.

Regional Fiber Ring Update

• Cliff Hayes (CIO) and broadband strategist Jeff Bikou reported on the 119-mile regional fiber ring connecting five South Side cities, with 288 strands, scheduled for completion by March 2026.
• The ring connects to transatlantic subsea cables in Virginia Beach, providing access to Europe and Africa.
• Portsmouth receives six dedicated fiber strands for public safety, CAD systems, digital city applications, and academic partnerships.
• The South Side Network Authority leases 96 strands to Global Technical Systems (GTS).

Local Next-Generation Network (NGN)

• Three strategic sites are currently connected: 206 High Street (police admin), 311 Building (EOC, fire admin), and 700 Port Center.
• Current annual internet cost for 56 anchor institutions: $672,000. Projected annual cost after full buildout: $21,000, saving $4.6 million over 10 years.
• Plan to connect 10 additional facilities by end of calendar year 2025; a full buildout plan is expected by March 2026, with a preliminary timeline available by the next meeting.
• The city earned $1.3 million from the regional organization for conduit access at the West Norfolk Bridge.
• Excess fiber strands are available for lease at $900 per linear mile per month; interest has been expressed.

BEAD & Digital Equity Grants

• Virginia received $1.48 billion for broadband deployment. Three ISPs (Cox, Verizon, Spark GTS) have provisional awards for Portsmouth, targeting 75 unserved locations.
• Ten other providers submitted blanket applications but are not expected to receive awards locally.
• Portsmouth is developing a Digital Opportunity Plan (due June 30, 2025) to educate residents on digital literacy, telehealth, and online services.

Future Topics

• Economic development via NGN, speaker from Virginia Broadband Office, grant writing workshops, digital opportunity plan presentations, and member-suggested topics.

City Council Work Session

Sale of 2.95-Acre Parcel in Suffolk

• City manager presented pros/cons of selling the parcel (appraised at $90,000) to Suffolk for a new fire station adjacent to their existing station.
• Property is legally non-conforming (2.95 acres vs. 3-acre minimum) and currently vacant.
• Council Position: General support for sale as a goodwill gesture and to generate revenue. Council requested a list of all city-owned parcels in other localities.
• Decision: Proceed with negotiations with Suffolk based on appraised value.

Crawford Bay Area Committee

• The EDA requested two council members serve on a committee to work with a consultant on redevelopment planning.
• Council Action: Mayor Glover and Councilman Hugo designated as primary members; Councilwoman Bryant and Councilman Tillage as alternates.

FY2026 Budget Finalization

• Real Property Tax Rate: Following previous consensus, council confirmed a rate of $1.24, eliminating the proposed $0.06 tax credit (Item H withdrawn).
• School Budget: Contribution increased by $1.5 million to $82,878,325. Councilwoman Thomas and Councilman Tillage voted no, citing desire for full funding.
• Supplemental Retirement Plan: Councilman Moody disclosed his participation in the plan but voted per legal guidance.
• Nonprofit Funding Process: Council agreed to improve the Community and Regional Organization (CRO) grant process, including earlier deadlines, required presentations, and impact reporting.

Key Outcomes

• Broadband Authority: Officers elected; buildout plan timeline set; BEAD and digital equity updates received.
• Suffolk Parcel: Authority to negotiate sale.
• Crawford Bay Committee: Two council members appointed.
• FY2026 Budget: Adopted with tax rate of $1.24; including $1.5M school increase, $150K retiree supplement, and funding for named community programs.
• Next Meeting: June 10, 2025 at 4 PM (Broadband Authority) and regular council meetings as scheduled.