Thanks, everybody.

I believe we have a quorum.

Is that correct?

Mrs.

White, but we have enough.

Yes.

All right.

All right.

Will you begin with the roll call, please?

Yes.

Um, Miss Glever is absent.

Um, Mr.

Green.

Here.

Mr.

Hugo?

Here.

Miss Hughes.

That's it.

Miss Thomas.

Here.

Mr.

Tillage?

Here.

Mr.

Walker.

Thank you.

Okay.

We've had the uh meeting minutes from last uh meeting in August sent to us.

Were there any um changes or points of discussion?

No, I'll accept the motion to accept the minutes.

Is there a second?

All right.

All in favor?

All right.

All right.

Okay.

I remember that time.

And then I think next on the agenda is a uh presentation discussion on the connection strategy.

Hi, my name is Scarlett Caprol.

I am just substitute for Mr.

Hayes, he's unable to be here today.

Um, I'd like to introduce the president of Broadband Telecom, Jeff Pico.

Happy New Year, everyone.

Let's make this out great year.

So um progress.

Huh?

Nothing but progress.

Yes, uh, before we get started, I'm gonna actually uh we've been working very closely with economic development.

Um tie in between broadband and egg dev, and we want to make sure we have a good working relationship this year, so we're planning it out.

Um let's try to kind of give you guys uh overview of what we've been working on.

We can talk about it, and then we'll put that on the agenda.

So at these meetings a little more often to kind of update you guys.

So try.

Jeff I've gotten to know Jeff over the years and uh his company and uh and other endeavors that I held uh previous to coming to Portsmouth.

But uh the Portsmouth Economic Development Plan Vision 2030 incorporates everything that we're talking about here today.

There's two principal directions.

One is building in digital equity for our citizens, also leveraging the infrastructure that's in place and developing uh now to retain companies here in the city and also to invite new companies to come and leverage the opportunities that we have here in Portsmouth.

Uh our strategy dovetails with the South Side Network Authorities uh aspirations and uh along with the mega regional uh strategies that are in place between Hampton Roads and Richmond, uh, which follows on to what the state is trying to do in terms of building its IT profile, which uh is already very high up there in the industry.

Uh in fact, uh we're hopeful to meet with the new incoming uh Secretary of Commerce and Trade soon after uh Governor Alex Spanberger is sworn in this Saturday.

So we'll be off to a running start and building Portsmouth's profile in the IT world and uh beginning to make a difference.

Uh again, the bottom line is uh delivering services to our citizens and opening up uh access uh for everybody.

Thank you, Charlie.

So um last year at our last meeting, we're talking about the connection of 10 anchor institutions that have the fiber optic engine.

Uh we had apply for SEID grant to actually accommodate a lot of the cost of those 10 facilities.

Um we're waiting for the grant itself.

We did not get the grant.

Um we did not score enough points uh because of Portsmouth being where it is.

So we did not get those tent facilities up, but our strategy this year is to look at getting the designs done, getting those tent facilities connected, and um hopefully by the next budget uh cycle we can put more facilities and to get more uh facilities connected.

Um there's probably uh Todd, how much uh facilities are we talking about for the 119, so we got to phase phase that out over the next uh few years to get the NGM connected.

Um broadband equity access and deployment, the bead funding.

So we all know the bead has actually been closed off, that's been awarded, and um we have the company that's actually working with the SN8 that won our one to bid uh to deploy Bede throughout Hampton Roads.

I'm gonna introduce them and they're gonna give a presentation to talk about what their strategy is for getting Portsmouth connected.

So Noelle, give me the floor.

Thank you so much.

Good afternoon.

My name is Noel Mitchell.

I'm with GTS Spark Networks.

We are the private uh member of the uh private public partnership with the South Side Network Authority.

My goal here with this presentation, this is kind of an eye chart, there's a lot of information in here, but I I did that so that you guys can kind of have a takeaway with you if you're ever speaking in circles or need to inform anyone about what our role is, um, what the SNA's role is and how it all kind of fits together.

This is all covered in this presentation.

I'm not gonna read it line for line and put you all to sleep.

That's not what I'm trying to do at four o'clock.

Um, but I am trying to go go through it and just let you know how we fall into the whole connectivity, what's our piece here with Portsmouth SNA in the Hampton Rivers region.

So, really just up front with the private public partnership we have with the SNA.

Um, we're really fulfilling a lot of the duties.

Um SNA was looking for obviously creating the 190-mile fiber optic ring that runs throughout the five south side cities.

They needed someone to uh operate that ring, and so when we filled out um our proposal to do that for them, they looked at some of our pedigree and decided us is to be the winner to be that third party to do that for them.

So I'm gonna kind of go over what we do, what our background is, why that kind of came to be um and how that kind of falls into uh meeting some of their charter and and and hopefully some of you all's as well.

So global technical systems, you can think of this as the parent company.

We have a large you know background in defense contracting.

Uh we support a lot of the large Navy contracts, go figure with this area.

Um, some of our largest contracts has to deal with networking, processing, compute, powers, um, uh a lot of the combat systems, networking systems.

We've done bases of network architecture, um, a lot of that expertise is done on the defense contracting side of our business.

Spark networks is the ISP arm that we've spun up to fulfill a lot of the duties that SNA has that we've won through this uh this proposal.

Um so with Spark, you're gonna see a lot of uh uh expertise pulling from GTS, a lot of the security.

Um GTS is a NSA trusted integrator, so a lot of secure uh communication networks is developable by GTS.

So a lot of that expertise we're pulling from on the Spark side.

We hope to secure uh the RCR and any additional last mile uh build out that comes out from that and hope to extend that to any you know member cities that want that service as well.

There'll be a knock sock at our new headquarters off of Linhaven to do a lot of that function.

So if any of that is appealing, um we'd love to talk to you further about that.

SNA again, I'm not gonna read this all to you.

Um, but the South Side Network Authority, of course, is is overseeing that that 119 mile fiber optic ring and that build out.

I know that March is when Portsmouth's portion will be done, but I think in totality, June is the last update we've had for the completion of the whole 119-mile fiber optic ring.

Um, and at that time we will start ensuring that the last build out of last mile will begin.

Um you can see a lot of their their charter there to provide uh last mile connectivity, um close the digital divide, um build and operate.

Um, a lot of that is is going to fall on their private part for GTS Spark to fulfill a lot of that.

And I'm open up for any questions at any time.

I don't want you guys to have to wait till the end.

Here's just a quick overhead view of the 119 mile fiber optic ring.

I'm sure some of you have seen this plenty of times, and then just there, the the Portsmouth network inlaid right there.

So just to give you a sense of scale of the two.

Um definitely a lot of surface area to cover and a lot of connectivity that can happen throughout the Hampton Roads region.

Um great for a lot of things, especially economic development that will be coming from this.

So last mile service provider, we will be uh building with our contract uh construction partner, a last mile services throughout areas that need it.

We hope to work with a lot of the cities, the member cities to find out where those areas are.

We have some clue because we do do the BED for this area, where some of those areas are.

I'm sure you speak to anyone that had to deal with the broadband equity access and development plan.

Not all of the areas that needed connectivity, got funding to get that connectivity.

So we're still looking for areas that that need service that would we would like to build out to one of our charters as well is to build out to areas that need service.

Um or if they have service, build a competition service in there for them, give them some choices about what kind of internet service they can purchase.

Here are some of the uh services uh Spark provides lots of things here.

Transport and backhaul if you need diverse paths to data centers or anything like that.

Um we'll be providing those high-speed connectivity, of course.

We have DIA circuits and all kinds of other internet options to provide businesses and residential, uh managed services, like I was saying before, um, network monitoring services, co-location data center services, um, also you know, things from television to telephone services.

If you need VoIP phone service or systems, we also provide those as well.

So, I'm not here to tell you what you guys do, but um in terms of supporting what you all need, um, we want to be here for that.

So we'd love to be in the conversation.

You guys come up with a problem, trying to meet one of your goals.

We'd love to talk with you about it, even if we can't solve it for you, we'd love to have a discussion, figure out how we can support you in in accomplishing anything that you guys lay out here.

Again, some more services on the left here.

Of course, we do last mile, but there's other services that we can provide.

Even as as much as like IT augmentation, if you find your staff or services are not enough to finish the job you need, those are other services we can provide.

Consulting and expertise of that matter we can also help with.

There are lots of digital equity initiatives too as well.

I don't want to miss touching on some of that.

If you guys come up with programs or speaking with the schools, if there's programs that they are running that they need help with, we'd love to have those conversations as well, bringing connectivity where that's needed, affordable connectivity.

We have there like community Wi-Fi zones, areas where people go to that they might want Wi-Fi access, you know, different parks or areas of that sort.

Um we'd love having those conversations as well.

Here's something that uh we talked about early on, I want to say last year.

We did have a meeting with uh PRHA about the different developments in there and and how that can be helped supported by by Spark and this new rollout.

Um so there's some the plans there that our director of sales and his team put together kind of to compete with the the loss of ACP when that funding fell through.

Um it's no longer supported.

Um these would act very similarly uh with uh people and households that follow in these different programs uh being accepted to these uh more affordable internet service plans to help kind of replace what was uh what's no longer there in terms of federal funding for for internet.

Some of the ideas behind these is to reduce the barrier to get some of these internet services.

Um a lot of these uh services usually come with um you know credit checks and and lots of applications, and um we want to kind of reduce that as much as possible to give people the connectivity that they're gonna need.

So we were talking about Bede earlier.

Um just to give you an update there on the BED process.

I'm in constant communication with uh the Department of Housing and Community Development that's running BED for the state.

Um this is a timeline here that ending in November when it was finally approved, the final proposal for all the BED applicants.

Um that's when we received our final uh Bede approval.

Uh we went through numerous rounds of BED to get our approval.

And starting my last conversation with DHCD starting around June is when they're hoping that all of the environmental and historic assessments are completed by the local PDC.

Um we have been assigned a uh a BDC to do that work.

Um we should hopefully hear from them around that time frame in which we can start beginning our build out to all the B locations.

I just want to give you a quick view of the two areas that were awarded to us through BED and the grant funding.

Um, through all the rounds of funding, um, you'll see that a lot of points fell off the map for various reasons that they weren't considered serviceable or they were CIAs that weren't supported by the grant anymore.

These are the two locations where we do have B locations in Portsmouth to build out to.

And one of the things I I commonly tell you know cities about their B locations is that you know, while we might have funding for one location in that area, oftentimes that neighborhood or you know, that area doesn't have the connectivity as well.

So while we're there, we'll build out to that location.

But any in the supporting area that needs connectivity or wants additional service, it will be there to give them that connectivity.

So I was kind of touching on this before.

I don't want you to just think of us as doing infrastructure and last mile projects.

Really, there's a number of ways I feel like we can help Fort Smith and the authority with different you know initiatives that you all have, especially when it comes to economic development plans, um building out the areas that need it, finding schools or programs that help you you want to help assist.

Um we could really be you know that that partner for you all.

So anything you come up with and you want you know to talk about or think to see how we can possibly help I think I think it'll be a beneficial conversation to have.

Um we'll love to have regular meetings, or if you want to call on us to come present something, we'd love to come back here and just give you an update about how we're doing or where construction status is or what else can be built off from what we're providing.

That's pretty much it.

I don't want to take too much of your time, but uh I really appreciate your your your time here and and letting us speak.

Um if you have any questions, I'd love to answer them or more information.

Like I said, there's that there's a ton of information in here.

It's great for a takeaway or or to give to other members to catch them up on the on the process and what's going on.

Any questions?

Could you go back to the slide that showed the bead regions?

Yeah, that one.

Okay, so it's been quite a long time since we met, and this is the first time I think I've heard that we now have identified or had okayed those two areas in green as bead regions.

So you say you uh the next step doesn't happen until June.

So there were areas identified federally as being approved to receive grant funding through the multiple rounds.

This was left in what we were awarded for in these two regions.

It will take several months, they're they're guessing for our plans and our build-out plans to go through the environmental and the historic uh analysis to from the local PDC to get approved before we can begin construction.

Okay, so um I assume that not so I'm looking at the crane island the the Great Big Green region at the top, the cranny island region, Churchland.

I assume that there are neighborhoods in that region that already have access everything they need and other neighborhoods that apparently someone in the federal level is determined needs to be built access into.

Yes, yes, yeah.

And so is it you guys that know which neighborhoods we're gonna have to build into, or is that not even known yet?

It is the exact points we know we have it's it's public information.

We have them the points that we're gonna have to build to.

We've had to produce those plans in our plan to build there to the PDC for them to approve.

Okay, and the bead grants that have been they've been approved now.

They've been approved.

Okay, so the bead grants for I guess one for each of these two regions or or one for Portsmouth, or how did that work?

So we applied for because we were the private partner of SNA, we applied and got support from all the Hampton Road cities to apply.

Um we are awarded it was multiple rounds.

So initially we applied for the zip code area, and then after that we applied specifically for individual points.

So the way they broke it up first was you had to apply for a specific zip code area and all the points within them, give them a budget how much you think it's gonna cost and how much the grant subsidy will be.

Um, and then after that, once that was extinguished, the individual points they try to you know figure out how much those points are and who would who what internet service provider they would go to.

Okay, and so the grant funding that's been so the big area I assume is 23703.

I'm not sure what zip code the the other one is, maybe 23704.

Anyway, so 23703 of the Churchland area, the grant funding, the bead funding is sufficient to build into all of the the neighborhoods that need to be built into.

Is that true or not true?

It's it's not true by design.

It's it's a subsidy, so we are putting up most of the money to build into those neighborhoods.

We get uh uh a small fraction back for doing it.

Oh okay, so who pays the rest?

We do.

We we are paying to build into these areas and we're see receiving a subsidy for each one of the points that we get to from feds, from state, from city.

Yeah, it's federal grant money that's dispersed uh statewide.

Okay, so kind of back to my last question then.

So you have the funding through the grant that you need to build all those points in those two green areas.

We won't have it until no, no, no.

I but but the budget will eventually when the checks finally start and the money starts flowing, you're supposed to have all the money you need to do all of those areas.

Correct, correct.

Okay.

Um you all build the put the hardware in the ground to to do the connectivity?

We're responsible to get to that location and if the because we can't force them to take service um be able to provide in a reasonable time, which is defined as a normal operation window.

So if you called Verizon and said, hey, I want internet.

You have to get to you within like 10 days.

So you have to be close enough and have enough connectivity ready enough, your network has to be up for them to ask for that service and provide service.

So we can't force them to take service, but we have to be able to provide in a reasonable amount of time.

And this is house by house in the neighborhood.

I mean, if if I live in a home that's been determined to be underserved and not serviced now, I call somebody and tell you I want service as part of this build out.

If it if it was one of the locations we are awarded, then you can get service in that in that time frame.

Okay, so uh I'm making this up, of course, but let's say I'm a I'm uh two three seven oh three neighbor and I don't have service, who do I call to get it?

You would call us.

757431 bill.

Okay, how are we advertising that to our our neighborhood?

The job, the other money.

Part of the part of the grant is we have to announce that we have this, the build out, what the but the program is all that announcement is an advertisement is is part of the grant.

Okay, so uh so I contact whatever that number was he just uh spoke to, and now sometime after June somebody comes and they hook me up.

Yes, right.

I mean we would start construction in that June time from once we've all been approved, we can start construction and you know we would make sure that the messaging aligns with when they can actually receive service.

And so when I sign up and you all come and and run service, does that give me internet connectivity?

It will it internet is the is what the grant is for.

So we we said that we would provide a certain amount of connectivity after the build is done.

Um so in that area they can receive internet as a slew of other things they can also get if they wanted it, um but internet is the main and and do they do so I I just got hooked up now.

Do I have to pay to have the service or is the the service provided for free?

You have to pay for the service, yeah.

The connectivity and everything.

Okay, so you connect me, but then I buy the service, right?

Do I have to buy Spark internet or can I buy Verizon Cox or anybody any other ISPs in the internet?

Initially it will be it would be Spark Internet.

Okay.

You can buy from anybody that will service your area.

You're not you're not tied to them.

Yeah.

But you have presumably I have been they're getting they're getting money to service the area.

Yeah.

If there are other service providers in the area, you can buy from anybody that's there.

All right.

But if you want internet, it's got to be somebody that's actually paying.

I'm just trying to figure out the equity piece of this.

So the reason that I don't have internet service now in 23703 at my house is because presumably because I can't afford it.

No.

No?

No.

Why do why do I not have what's what's the equity piece of this then?

Service provider didn't say a reasonable build to your area.

They'd have a business model that worked for.

Okay.

And so that gets solved because they're gonna give them some money to make that business model work.

Yeah, whether the business model works or not, something's gonna be available for them to connect to.

Right.

Okay.

And the reason that the uh so there are other zip codes in Portsmouth that are more poverty stricken than those zip codes.

They didn't get bead funding because of the service story there.

It's not based on poverty.

Yeah.

It's based on served and underserved.

Now those two things can go together.

Yeah.

But that's not that's not the driver.

Okay.

Okay.

Um so you mentioned digital equity initiatives.

So that was uh one on one of your slides.

Yeah.

Um so you're gonna create those, we're gonna create those.

How does that so what was that?

What does that look like?

Yeah, so we would like to be involved as much as you would let us.

We if you're working on a program, we would like to be involved to help support that.

Um so that I guess that open communication about what programs are going on, if you have initiatives that you are looking at, would need a piece to make it work.

Um these are just some ideas, but um, if you're looking at any of these as the authority, uh we'd love to help you solve that puzzle.

Okay, and uh easy link and I can't read my writing.

Connect to learn.

Connect to learn.

Yeah.

So tell us more about those.

I mean, easy link is available, how's currently participating in any of those things?

So if I'm I'm a household that's uh getting uh SNAP benefits, what what is how do I take advantage of easy link?

Sure, hopefully you would you know be informed about it through some service.

Hopefully, I'm sure they'll have you know flyers and whatnot, and so different social um offices, social services, and all kinds of different areas to let inform about these.

You're sure somebody's doing that.

No, I'm saying at the point where we have the funding to do the advertisement and to do all these different programs to push them out.

Okay, we'll be able to make those connections and get them in the right hands so the people that do these services will know about them.

And is that bead funding or some some other money?

Funding helps us advertise for it for these services, so we'll be using a lot of that to inform the public about what's coming and the timeline associated with that.

Okay, so uh again, plan one and plan two, easy link and connect to learn are ideas at this point until service is run, or if I'm currently receiving TANF or Snap benefits, uh I can go someplace and ask for Connect to Learn or Easy Link.

These have been developed, they've been flushed out for services that will offer when the service is up.

These are marketing campaigns with this company.

Okay.

These don't exist today.

These are marketing campaigns.

These are ideas today.

Yes.

And and they become real when services available.

When you can when you can purchase these, they will be available.

Okay, so but there are there are SNAP homes today that have service.

But they don't have service to them.

Remember, this is a company selling a service.

This is a the internet everybody, you know, because I get snapped, I go everywhere and do this.

No, this is a company providing a marketing campaign.

Okay.

Okay, go to Bird King Little WAP.

I'll be like both more whopper.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

I have other questions for Mr.

Bihu, but we'll save those till I've till everybody's done talking to you.

Any other questions?

Yeah, I think he answered a lot.

A lot of that I had a lot of questions.

Yeah, that was really good.

Yeah, is the intent I I have one.

Um is the intent when you do build out into the areas that you had identified before that the um service being offered is at a below market rate, or is it comparable to it'll be competitive.

Okay.

It would definitely be competitive.

Um, there's options there, of course, for for you know other payment strategies, you know, but it'll it'll be competitive.

Thank you.

I think options is is the best thing.

It'll make the whole market be competitive.

Okay.

Thank you.

Well, thank you.

Could we get Mr.

Blue back to the podium?

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate the brief.

You've answered a lot of questions and raised a whole bunch more.

So great presentation.

Thank you.

Um, so I just want to touch a little bit on the digital equity part of this.

I think it's important that we all understand what digital equity is.

Residential broadband, commercial broadband is internet services, digital equity can be sensors, sea level rise, um, anything dealing with technology, um, IoT applications, um public safety in the park, so you want to do 5G backhaul, or you want to put cameras in the parks, all of the digital equity projects.

So one of the uh the objectives uh cliff has is to identify programs that's enforcement needs, and then we'll look at our partners at GPS to help us deploy it.

Um Mr.

Hugh questions?

Yeah, so so back to the beginning of the of the conversation.

So we have 119 city facilities that need to be connected, right?

And some I don't know the number of.

Somebody in the back row said 119.

Okay.

So we were supposed to have the first 10 connected by the end of the year, according to the last broadband meeting that we had months ago, and so there was never any mention at a broadband meeting that the first 10 weren't gonna get connected if we didn't get a grant.

But you just got done saying we didn't get a grant, so we didn't get anything connected.

Correct.

Okay, so so here we go again.

So I have been asking for a plan for how we're gonna get the city connected since the very first broadband authority meeting that I attended as a brand new city councilman back in however many years, three years ago.

So the last plan we provided really wasn't a plan, it was we have 10 things that we're gonna connect and they're gonna be connected by the end of the year, and so now they didn't get connected, so we're off we're off that plan.

Do we have a plan to get 119 things connected in three phases?

We are working on a plan.

Okay, but we've been working on a plan for three years that I've been on the broadband authority.

And you'll recall, because I think you're in the meeting.

I even asked for a plan to have a plan.

Okay, so I'm tired of asking for a plan.

I want to plan, and I don't understand what it takes to put on a piece of paper a perk chart that outlines 119 things, and your best guess for when we're gonna get those 119 things connected.

So to go with the plan, right?

We have to look at the cost associated with connecting these facilities together.

That's all part of the plan.

Okay, so he can't build a budget to do a plan if we don't have a plan.

Okay, if 10 things were gonna get connected, and nobody in the world knew that they weren't going to get connected unless we got grant funding, except some small collection of you guys, because the the so y'all have been in the same meetings I've been in anybody here that we were not gonna connect 10 things unless we we want a grant?

Okay, that has never been said until today now.

So that means we didn't really have a good plan, even for the first 10 things, because the budget ain't gonna cover it, because Mr.

Carter, do we have 10 or any of this 119 in our current budget?

No.

Okay.

So here's why we need a plan.

Because we got to do a budget, and we're rolling into budget season, and so the question is what do we want to try to accomplish to get city buildings connected to each other in between this coming first of July of 2026 and the 30th of uh June in 2027.

Now inform the upcoming budget.

Are we gonna have enough information so that we can have this discussion with city council to ensure that that we've got in the budget the funding that we need to execute any of this?

Because if not, then we're gonna look at each other on the first of July and say, okay, now we're back to praying that money's gonna fall from heaven out of grants or who knows what and another year is gonna come and go, and we're not gonna have anything more done inside the city than we've got done right now.

Then we're going to look at each other on the first of July and say, okay, now we're back to praying that money's gonna fall from heaven out of branch or who knows what and another year's gonna come though, and we're not gonna have anything more done inside the city than we've got done right now.

And the whole purpose of building out this dog on Portsmouth ring was to get off of the other guy's stuff, get on to our own stuff, and and save money.

So if we're in violent agreement that we need a plan.

Are we gonna have a plan in time to inform the budget at least or the upcoming budget season?

Cliff and I will be working on it.

Okay.

Yes, sir.

So right now we're in the middle of the actual fiber network design.

Like we're getting the uh the map from Danella and looking at where the connections are because not only are we connecting the buildings, we're also connecting looking at how we what we need to do to connect the fiber to traffic safety boxes, make sure you have you got a combination traffic safety.

No, here's what I asked you.

I'll be working on CliffMonic.

And that's actually a question for Cliff.

Okay.

All right.

There you are.

I get it.

Thank you.

So right now it looks like we're scheduled for our next meeting for February 10th.

What can we expect by February 10th?

How we're gonna get off of the services that we're paying for in terms of network.

Thank you.

My pleasure.

Any other questions?

No, sir.

Thank you.

Did we have anything else on the agenda?

Uh no, sir.

We have no closed session items.

As you mentioned, our next meeting is on February 10th, and we have no speakers.

So if if we can and Mr.

Carter, I don't know if it's addressed to you, but um prior to that meeting, if we can send out whatever it is that we're gonna be whatever's gonna be presented to the review.

Okay, you have opportunity to be before the meeting.

Yeah, thank you.

I appreciate it.

There's nothing else?

Good evening.

Like to welcome everyone to our public work session.

Uh good to see everybody.

Our uh city attorney.

Dr.

Datson.

Here.

Mr.

Moody.

Here.

Miss Thomas.

Mr.

Tillich.

Here.

Mayor Glever.

Mayor Glover is a good thing.

All right.

Mr.

Manager.

Hey, do we have some of the documents on the best we have to leave during this presentation?

However, as we prepare to get started, we have three presentations for you today.

The first one is going to be Safe Streets for All update from actually the update on the action plan.

Dr.

Russell, are you are you going to be the presenter or it's a joint effort?

Okay.

All right, cool.

Following her will be our city engineer.

He's going to talk about this parking issue that we have downtown.

And we have a resolution that we'll present to you.

So finally, we're going to go over the pillars again so that we can kind of solidify that document and move that process forward.

First, can we ask Dr.

Russell if her and her team would go forward?

This will be a safe streets for all action plan update.

Yes, thank you.

Good evening.

Evening everyone.

Okay.

So we're going to present to you this evening.

I hope I'm shown at the same time.

We're going to present to you this evening the results of the Safe Streets for All Action Plan, which is a grant funded project from the U.S.

Department of Transport.

This is Megan Goebbels, our transportation planning manager.

And some of you will recall Carl Jackson, who is truly missed, who formerly served here in the city of Portsmouth as our transportation manager.

So the Safe Streets for All Funds are particularly or specifically provided to study corridors, both our collectors and our arterial roadways in the city of Portsmouth to improve traffic outcomes as they relate to traffic accidents, injuries, and fatalities.

Portsmouth was one of several communities that were funded, and the first let of these grant funds, which included five billion dollars from 2022 to 2026.

The action plan is a detailed data-driven roadmap for reducing crash frequency and severity across our transportation network.

And you may recall that in January of last year, almost a year ago, the city council adopted a resolution as it related to goals for traffic injuries and fatalities in the city of Portsmouth.

Those goals stipulated a reduction and both injuries and a reduction in our fatality incidents.

Is a safe and reliable transportation network through the adoption of a safe systems approach, protecting the safety of vulnerable road users, reducing vehicle speeds, and improving roadway safety for all people.

And zero roadway deaths and injuries by the year 2050 with specific measurable goals for how we intend to accomplish this.

That analysis resulted in this data set.

So from 2019 to 2023, we had just over 6100 crashes on our high injury road networks, 30 fatalities and 849 serious injuries.

And these fatalities and crashes were a result of safety factors related to performance and our intersections, our interior roadways, driver behavior, angle crashes, our sight lines and visibility issues, and then conflicts between pedestrians, uh bicyclists, and vehicles.

This graphic shows you is the total number of crashes in those uh roadways, arterials that most frequently experience problems as they relate to crashes, fatalities and injuries.

Those included George Washington Highway and Victory Boulevard, Constitution Avenue and High Street, Realm Hurst and Portsmouth Boulevard, and then Greenwood and Victory Boulevard.

Those fatalities and that data informs us of what our critical emphasis areas are as they relate to needed improvements, and those include uh intersections and pair driving, speed, departing roadways, uh, and pedestrian symbolist um conflicts.

So this rubble indicated to you that we were uh partnering in the presentation, and I'm going to defer to her to discuss with you the specific recommendations as they relate to roadway improvements.

Um we have some priorities that Ms.

Gribble will also identify in terms of implementation and grant dollars that we will pursue for implementation of these recommendations.

Thank you, Rhonda.

Um good evening, City Council.

Um like uh Ms.

Russell elaborated, I will be covering some of the recommendations for that have been the result of the um safety action plan that was just completed.

Um so the plan identifies a range of countermeasures that can help mitigate uh severe crashes along Pittsburgh's high uh high high incident network or high incident network corridors and intersections.

Um, those include some that are more low cost and near-term, um, some more midterm options, some long-term options, and then countermeasures in the report are also um categorized by whether they are targeted or systematics or something.

Excuse me, Matt.

Can you speak up a little bit more?

Thank you.

Um, so um as I was saying, the countermeasures um are sometimes uh low cost near term, some are midterm, some are long-term um goals, and then other ones um overall all of them are categorized as targeted or systematic to just kind of further clarify and help us in the prioritization of these uh countermeasures.

Some low-cost option options could include signage and pavement marking upgrades, signal timing and phasing changes, installation of traffic calming measures, and or increased law enforcement presence.

Some examples of midterm might include installation of curb extensions, pedestrian refuge islands, sidewalk gaps, and or developing local policies for traffic calming or complete streets, and long-term measures are um often require significant investment in infrastructure such as corridor or intersection reconfigurations, the construction of shared use paths, or new sidewalks along a stretch of the corridor, a longer stretch of corridor, and installation and new traffic signals.

Some examples of uh systemic recommendations would be parking restrictions and daylighting, uh traffic signal timing and phasing improvements, high visibility traffic signal backplates, all way stop control, and improved wayfinding.

Excuse me.

Question um when you say parking restrictions and daylighting, and then when you say high visibility traffic signaling, is that like street signs and apparatus like that that you light them up?

Is that kind of what some of that is?

If you're familiar with ODU's campus at all, there's a few high visibility crosswalks.

There's some on Elkhorn, and there's some on uh ninth or uh 39th Street, excuse me, up by the stadium.

Okay.

They blink when pedestrians uh enter the crosswalk.

They have a sensor that senses any movement so that way it can indicate to drivers that someone is entering the crosswalk in case of low visibility, and just to keep your eyes on the more vulnerable users.

Um in terms of parking restrictions, that could be anything from um restricting hours of on street parking, implementing meters, different things of that nature.

Yeah, daylighting this.

I forget the exact definition that they used, um, but um I can get that to you after the day in uh that way I'm not misreporting the report.

I'm sorry about that.

Oh, that's okay.

Um, some targeted uh recommendations could be um geometric improvements, alternative intersections and roundabouts, um, dedicated turn lanes, um, intersection lighting, high friction surface treatments like the rumble strips you'll see on highways, um, and access management.

Um, access management is primarily for private garages or private um excuse me, driveways or entrances to like a shopping plaza, parking lot, for example.

Additionally, um the establishment of a city um road safety audit program was also recommended, um, which would be formal evaluations of roadway segments or intersections to identify issues and recommend improvements on an ongoing basis.

Excuse me.

Do we have those today?

I do not believe we have audit team.

I don't believe we have any.

And that's one of the recommendations.

Um in addition, they also have uh the establishment of a complete street uh design standard policy, um, just to help um guide us in the design process while we're looking at streets um such as high street redevelopment, any of the corridors in the length, for example, would be good examples of where that would be technical, um, as well as a local speed limit policy, a traffic calming policy, and a maintenance program for bike and pedestrian facilities was also included, which we do not currently have.

Next few slides um have a bit of text on them, but they go into a little bit more detail about what each um tip uh each time or measure could entail for examples, um so such as the left turn phasing, um, leaving pedestrian intervals, etc.

Um and then it just shows um a heat map where the the um high incident network is overlaid on the street map so that way you can see where the intersection intersections tend to have more conflict than others.

Um, this is George Washington Highway from Frederick Boulevard to Victory Boulevard.

Next is High Street or Chestnut Street to Virginia Avenue.

Um, and also I want to point out the corridor characteristics and the box on the corner.

Um, talk about um which modes are impacted, um, which intersections are prioritized, um, the average automobile daily traffic.

Um, so this one, for example, is 11,000 uh vehicles per day, um, and the speed limit currently of that segment.

Excuse me.

Yes.

Can you explain a bit what uh even this slide or the previous slide, what those graphs with the dots represent?

Like, yes, so these are heat maps.

So, as you see, the the red areas are where more accidents tend to occur and where they have been reported to occur, and the ones that are colder or bluer are the ones that are less or not at all.

So it's to try to show a visual example.

Um, also in the report, which I believe will be made um available to you all before the next city council meeting as well.

Um, it goes into uh smaller, much smaller segments and uh highlights each intersection's improvements in much more great detail.

Um, but that was probably along the lines of 25 pages long, so we did not want to too overwhelm with information today.

Does that answer your question?

Yes, thank you.

This is an example of Elmhurst Lane, unpriority intersection, um, and it is considered more of a low priority for all modes because it does not have as many uh incidents or accidents as in that area.

Um, some of the more long-term um recommendations on this one, for example, are sidewalks on side streets that don't currently have them.

Um I remember reading one of the reports that Carl completed before he left and noted that there were several hundred miles of missing sidewalks or sidewalk segments throughout the city.

Um, so that's something that is noted here as well.

As we can fill in those gaps and kind of patchwork a better network for people to um be able to access things and reduce that impact on people.

I'm sorry.

On the bottom right, it's Portsmouth Boulevard Boulevard, not President Avenue.

Oh, sorry, thank you.

Victory Boulevard, uh George Washington Highway to Greenwood Drive.

Um this is a priority high impact uh network area for all nodes and bicycles uh with two priority intersections um with the speed limit.

Um Norfolk recently implemented on that note with the speed limit reductions in some areas that they're recommending.

Um they recently um reduced uh a large portion of their residential streets from 35 to 30 um or 30 to 25 in areas where they had seen a lot of um crash impacts and other conflicts between vehicles and other modes um or other people for that matter, um and they've uh been happy so far with the results, but it it has happened recently, so um so the next steps for Portsmouth is for uh funding implementation.

Um so this study was a requirement for us to apply for Safe Streets for All implementation grant funding.

Um the notice of funding opportunity has not yet been posted with a date yet, but uh anticipating that hopefully soon.

Um, and uh we fully intend to apply with the safety plan and any supporting documentation that we can uh include on that um to uh try to uh win that award, that notice reward for funding.

Um but some other um places that the plan recommended us looking into funding was the Virginia Highway Safety Improvement Program, uh V DOTS Transportation Set Aside Program, the State of Good Repair Program, Smart Scale Funding, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, and Regional Service Transportation Program.

Um so we have a lot of different opportunities to look into funding and to explore it and uh apply to multiple different places and see what we get and then really work towards applying that funding wherever we can do the most good.

Um we also recently submitted uh requests for um CIP funding for both uh set of targeted and systematic um group of uh projects from this plan for the CIP funding that's been made available.

Um does anyone have any questions?

Mayor Mooney, sir, you have the floor.

Okay, mayor.

Uh thanks for the uh presentation.

A few questions uh uh on the uh intermediate and short-term and long-term uh projects.

I do not see any uh churchlin projects like uh Twin Pines Road.

Uh that's that's critical.

I I know it's I think it's been in uh uh in the CIP but unfunded.

Uh I think the uh uh the state uh was gonna give some funding for that, but uh that road is critical.

Uh very narrow uh no sidewalks and carries uh a lot of traffic, uh a lot of pedestrian traffic at different times.

Uh that that definitely should be uh I think in the short-term uh category.

Um also uh when we're talking about things to make uh particularly intersections safer.

Uh I know this uh turn signal caution light.

Uh I think we need to revisit that at some of the intersections because uh I I see a lot of near misses, and I'm sure if you broke down some of these accidents, like at George Washington and uh uh uh victory.

Uh have them behind cars there that uh will uh the run the the caution light once it goes out, or even misjudge the oncoming traffic and we need making a left off of uh George Washington onto uh victory.

Uh it's always a lot of oncoming traffic, so I I think we need to revisit some of those um uh caution turn signals.

Um I think that would be helpful.

I didn't see anything about uh uh traffic enforcement.

Obviously, that plays uh a big part of it.

Um I'm pleased to see I've noticed a lot of radar units uh out recently.

I don't know if that's a new initiative uh or not, but uh it's good good to see it, particularly uh in the area of 164 and and uh uh West Norfolk Bridge.

In fact, I was I guess about a month ago I was uh headed the church and the West Norfolk Bridge and two cars that uh seemed to be racing.

I guarantee you that seemed like they were doing 80-90 miles an hour.

And uh I thought myself, I said, you know, the a cop is never around when this happens, but interesting as we as we approach the the turn off of the port.

Uh there was an unmarked police car, and uh it they took after one, got one of the two.

Um but uh traffic enforcement, I think is uh uh uh plays a big part, obviously, I think in keeping our streets safe.

So thanks for the presentation.

Thank you.

Councilman Tillage and then Councilwoman Bryant.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um the presentation.

Uh to speak on Vice Mayor Moody's point.

Um twin ponds and town point.

I'm really shocked we did not make this list.

Yeah.

Um, especially town point and town point.

Uh when people are getting off of 164.

Um town point is used as a way to get the supplement.

And with Suffolk having been built up the way it's been built up over the last several years, people use it as a shortcut instead of going down to College Drive.

And if you're trying to go down that street between three and six in the afternoon, you're either having to go up to Pete Street on the gateway to make a U-turn or cut into um stone mills, I mean stone ridge apartments and do U-turns in there to just do across the street.

Um I really think that needs to be on that list.

I think we had a presentation a couple months ago that made some type of study and was presented to us as being a dangerous intersection.

Um in addition to that George Washington Highway, which is listed here, but when you're coming out of independent square apartments, um right on the border of Chesapeake is a very dangerous um, it's it's just a stop sign, there's no stoplight.

And I know my time from driving a school bus.

Um, when I was taking kids from Craig Mill School into Independent Square, it would take me on a given any given day, it would take me about 15 minutes to be able to get out of there.

Um and I consider myself to be a pretty good driver.

Um, and I would literally have to block traffic getting into Chesapeake with my bus to slowly creep in to get into the left lane.

I mean to be able to get to the yeah, to get to the left lane to be able to head back into Portsmouth.

Um so that's another one I think we need to look at maybe a stoplight or something to go there.

Um but I also for the funding implementations, um I would really be curious to know as you all progress in that which pro uh programs you're looking at um applying for um letting us know that because I I'd like to see that whatever we can't get be a part of our 2027 legislative package, but also in March, we're going to DC to meet with our congressional uh members, and this is something I think now that we have a plan and attached to it, it's something that we should we can be able to share with our federal delegation, um, especially intersections that are near our railroad crossings.

Councilwoman Brian?

Yeah, thank you, Mayor, and thank you for the presentation.

It's um I'm looking at the crash data and key safety concerns.

Um and wondered, Megan, if you could put the numbers into some um perspective for us.

They're surprising or they generate an emotional response.

So how do we compare it to our neighbors if you know in terms of 6,137 crashes for the valleys that um I do know that would be high or I do know that we rank um very high um compared to other cities in the state, um, according to the VDAT data where this information comes from in terms of reported crash reported crashes to V DOT.

Um so I'm not quite sure about the comparison between local cities.

That's something I can definitely look into for you and get you guys um that information.

Um but um two Vice uh Vice Mayor Moody's uh point earlier, angle crossings, which would be yeah, the ones that he was indicating, especially with the blinking lights, um that was noted as one of the um largest concerns for where accidents occur.

Um so I would say that that is uh a big risk factor.

Um so um but I can definitely get you data from other cities locally if you'd like to compare.

Um, but it is also available, I believe, on VDOT's website um for all of the crash data from the the time frame that we were using.

And you recommended the walkable city book to council correct and mayor, you gave us each a copy of that.

Absolutely.

It's tremendously eye-opening, especially with this um presentation now, also to know that it it really does make a difference as we're looking at our our other neighborhoods and and that it's more about it's it's about many things quality of life, but also public safety and physical safety.

So thank you for that.

You're welcome.

I'm glad you all enjoyed it.

Yeah, definitely.

Very much councilwoman Thomas.

Yes, thank you, ma'am.

Thank you so much for the presentation.

Just another uh added question on this particular slide.

Do we have a breakdown by kind of driver demographic, driver age, newer driver um in terms of our data and addressing some of those those crash data numbers.

Now I'll look into that for you.

All right, thank you.

It may be in the V dot data, but I don't believe that it was um included as a component of the plan.

I was interested just because of the recommendations in terms of the vision regarding um implementing like safe driving culture or something like that as well.

If there was a case or any type of data digging down further around, like maybe we have a higher number of newer drivers or or younger drivers or so forth like that.

So thank you.

Vice Mayor Moody and then Councilman Hughes.

Another uh thing that perhaps we could address obviously if funding was available is Cedar Lane uh between West North Road and High Street.

Okay.

When Cedar Lane was widened, uh uh sidewalks were projected to be on both sides of Cedar Lane.

Well, we we got some pushback, and unfortunately, council caved.

I was on council I cave too.

Uh and uh uh we acquiesced and only put sidewalks on one side.

Never again should we let uh public opinion overrule public safety because what you have now uh are a lot of bicyclists and pedestrians walking in the the center uh of Cedar Lane.

So that road uh definitely need needs another sidewalk.

Uh uh and uh I I would obviously that would probably be long term, but I would suggest adding that so thank you.

Council Hughes.

Well, while we're talking about Cedar Lane, so not only is it only one sidewalk, but we put a turn lane down the center, and that turn lane has become a passing lane, not a turn lane.

So uh yeah, something we could do there.

Um so there are several of the intersections on this slide where we installed red light cameras.

Do we have any data since we put the red light cameras there that show that they're actually having an impact in terms of forcing people to actually stop and and the number of collisions or severity of the collisions has gone down?

Do we have that data?

Um, I'm sure we may have that data, but I can look into that.

Um it was not included in the report in the final safety action by the uh uh partner.

Yeah, so it'd be interesting to to go take a look to see if we've got the red light cameras in the right and in the right intersections that they're really having the impact that we hope.

Okay, and then to uh to councilman Tillage's comment about uh looking for federal and state advocacy, uh if you could follow up with the specific CIP projects that are tied to the short mid and long-term action so that we have some specifics that we can look at uh uh plugging into next year's legislative agenda, please.

Councilman Dodson, yeah, um I know that you're looking at in our side of this, but there's another side of this that is the user component, and I wonder how much of an important part that is to it too in terms of us enforcing and prosecuting those people who might be uh in danger, like they just said this lane has become a passing lane.

Well, that's not our fault, that's a psychology of the population.

And I wonder if we if it might be worth our while to include that component uh to say in enforcement prosecution uh and education uh might be a necessary part of the application for the grant when you go for it too.

Thank you.

One more thing.

Go ahead.

Um, just wanted to um point out that we find came up here as a recommendation and also was in last night with the comprehensive plan, and it's something we even talked about at the retreat.

So we have a bit of a pattern there, so thank you for including we finding you know that it's important.

Critical.

Thank you, Mayor.

The other thing I I would just recommend it, you you know, we talk about these task force or these audit teams and and and the impact that they can have.

And I don't know what that means ultimately, but I would think that there needs to be a periodic visit drive-by.

Something that continuously engages this process so that we know that we're making progress.

An audit team should be able to identify if they're active, where they go out once a month, once a quarter, a group of individuals should go to some of these areas, drive through.

I'm a visual learner, so I learn by seeing.

So when we do these things periodically, I'm really excited that that's a part of it.

I think we bring it full circle.

And and it helps to inform us as leaders too, because we certainly live in the neighborhoods.

I just drove past Victory and George Washington 15 minutes ago, and I saw that flashing left turn that vice mayor was talking about.

A lot of activity there.

So I think it would be helpful if we when we put these teams together, the audit teams, Mr.

Carter, and these kind of teams, that we have a periodic schedule that is then reported out what the findings of those scheduled visits or drive-by's are.

I just think that would be.

Okay.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Thank you.

I'll be right back now.

Vice Mayor, members of city council.

Talk to you a bit tonight about uh parking violations and non-paid parking tickets.

So several challenges associated with consistency of parking enforcement, notification, uh, late fees for parking violation and collections uh for parking in the uh downtown business area.

So um just a quick operational overview.

Um parking enforcement is managed jointly by the police and parking uh authority.

Um city treasurer does normal collections.

Um there's a range of violations for specific parking funds.

There's normally range between uh 15 and 25 dollars.

Um of the uh parking uh restrictions and and violations, expired meter oversized vehicles, uh, prohibitive restricted parking.

Um, general that's the uh the two-hour parking limits along High Street.

Um, the uh one is highlighted in red um just because in research and different things have seen preparing for this presentation.

I've seen three different fines noted for that same parking violation that that gets to the to the point of some of the issues that we're having.

And then you have those fees that are a little bit more uh for egregious infractions, uh blocking a five drink power hydrant, uh parking or space reserved for handicap, blocking an intersectional crosswalk.

Um just for context, uh parking with enforcement was suspended during COVID when the city reopened.

Um, downtown customers were giving a 30-day warning period for resuming parking enforcement.

Any lack or perceived lack of enforcement since that time is associated with staffing or specific areas associated with city projects, such as the demolition of the County Street Garage.

But there are while we're here today, there are existing ongoing issues with notifications for late payments, parking violations.

So what happens after the violation is there's a 14-day window where the person that received the violation can appear in person at General District Court to have a hearing date set that can test the ticket.

Automatically, after a 14-day period, a $10 late fee starts to accrue.

There is on specific instances when people call, contact the parking authority.

Meters not working.

I didn't display my have my hang tag displayed, a dispute resolution from they present that evidence is researched, and then that ticket can be abated.

It's not an advertising because it's set for just those specific type of instances.

It's not come see us instead of going to the court.

I've got my tag with me, I just plan.

Sometimes we get city contractors that are working in the building that don't display their hang tag, they forget to display them, they come, do the resolution form.

Those tickets can be abated.

And then there's vehicles, the tailing vehicles with three or more unpaid tickets are eligible for towing or booting, but that was suspended recently by city council.

Um vote city council and then not directed from CMA.

So for here, there are enforcement challenges recognized and meetings that we've had through the summer.

Um information about the payout methods, late fees, and how to appeal a ticket is clearly defined and stated on the tickets produced by the ticket machines that the enforcement tech use.

Not all tickets that are written are currently, not everybody's not all using the same system.

That creates confusion, um, doesn't have consistency, and so that's part of the issue.

Um so we're going to need to reset the enforcement protocols and expectations downtown.

Um we need to fix the procedures for late payment violations with that coordination fees between the parking attorney, uh, police and DMV.

Then there is a backlog, so there's significant outstanding debt from previous years that remain uncollected.

Um we need to come up with a formal strategy to recover those funds.

Um that's going to be talked about here in some of the next slides.

Could you speak of the little bit?

Yes, sir, sorry.

So because I know I'm having voice issues too.

So short term for immediate improvement.

So just check the existing parking tickets and make sure they're clear.

We may understand them, but if the person is getting the tickets, not clear on what they're understanding, then it's the moot point.

So we just need to review everything.

So we're going to start with reviewing the existing parking ticket to make sure that the ticket is clear.

Um, and then you're gonna in that the 45-day deadline for final resolution.

Um, there's a 30-day trigger, um, automatic overdue reminders for attached uh within 30 days, and then uh we hope to get voluntary compliance.

So voluntary compliance either you pay the ticket or we offer a flexible payment plan to pay your to pay your fines now.

Um City Traveler offers several options once we get T2 uh mobile pay up and running that had a module that'll actually allow us to address collecting those fines that'll that'll simplify the procedure.

So um looking at the unpaid parking tickets, um so once again, 30-day mailing time paying to target all existing unpaid balances, um, have a 45-day response window.

So there's either full payment or um you enter into an agreement to basically have a flexible payment plan.

Um mandatory down payment for all new accounts like that, and then um immediate escalation expensive payment and that those D and D and putting putting calls and registration.

Uh that was previously done by the city treasurer based on a little bit of research.

I don't think that isn't practice anymore, but it is an available option.

So um long-term SOPs, um, working out the coordination piece between all the entities that are involved in parking enforcement, making sure that the roles are clear, the roles are defined, and everybody knows exactly what they're supposed to be doing in any gaps or anything like that.

Um use T2 Flex to collect those uh car fees for parking violations, so that gets into the next piece, leverage leverage modern technology to do collections, and then uh reciprocal enforcement through B and V, looking at renewals.

Right now it's unclear what where those debts stand, so I think they're still on the city books, but I haven't been able to confirm that.

So for discussion, uh far as collecting these backlog.

First question is our recommendation is to make flexible payment options available.

Um is that something that you want to offer as part of this process?

Council, sir, you have the I was under the understanding of our last meeting that we were gonna waive it up to a certain date and we were gonna start at a certain date and just go forward clean.

Was that a misunderstanding on my part for no what we're recommending though is that people violated no doubt about the evaluate?

We're not recommending getting rid of all tickets because we don't I don't think that's the right thing to do.

Yeah, it's up to the council what you actually do, but my recommendation is that we don't just wipe all tickets clean because we didn't we didn't give tickets because they didn't deserve tickets, they actually violated you know what I mean.

So our recommendation is not to just wipe everything off the board, start over like nothing happened.

Right.

Okay, somebody was the recommendation that we talked about last time but work revisiting it.

Yes, okay.

Yes, Vice Mayor Moody then Council Thomas.

I I agree with that uh recommendation that I think it opens uh uh Pandora's box.

You're gonna waive it this time, and what else uh are you gonna waive?

Do you want to start with waiving speeding tickets?

So that's that's not good.

Uh the towing uh uh recommendation, where where will the cars be towed?

And and my thing is uh they shouldn't be towed outside the city limits of Portsmouth.

Right.

And uh when a car is towed, uh there needs to be a system of notifying the uh vehicle owner or operator where that car has been towed to uh along with uh how do they get it out of the uh impound lot?

Uh so how will that uh be communicated?

So currently it does city has a towing contract.

There are number of vendors on the contract.

Um as I understand it, it goes through a cycle.

So are all of them in Portsmouth?

That I'll have to check into and confirm.

Basically, but we can validate that.

So they go to actually the vendors uh facilities.

Uh used to be uh in the past that the towed vehicles with the city compound.

Um that's no longer the case, they actually go to um the towing vendors uh place of business.

Well that that leaves a lot to conjecture uh if it's towed to the vendor's facility.

Uh ha has the security there.

Uh towed cars usually have contents I don't know what that contract is, but we we we need to be very careful uh and monitor uh the security uh and I wouldn't support towing a car outside the city limits of Portsmouth.

I don't think that's happening, but we're gonna validate it for you and towing companies they're responsible for your vehicle when they tow your vehicle.

Well, uh if they think their contest that has been missing, there's a process that you have to go through to you know kind of try to move prove that your content wasn't actually in the vehicle.

Yeah, but there's a there's a process for this.

This is a kind of haphazardly.

But there needs to be a process for communicating to the vehicle owner uh uh where the car is uh how arrangements can be made to get your car out.

And and also the uh the the price, what uh uh is there a consistent uh fee to use these are scheduled and that information is communicated to uh whoever vehicles were towed.

Yeah, or there's a and there's a phone number that you can call at the police department given the identification of the vehicle and they can help you.

But I think it'd be good for us to see how that communication, what form is that communication?

Uh do we mail something?

Uh uh I I don't know.

Do we make a phone call?

And and is that the vendor's responsibility or the city's responsibility?

Right, to contact the uh the person whose vehicle got towed.

Yeah.

That is a that is both the city and the vendor's responsibility.

Be good to know what form that communication is uh taking place.

Yeah.

Um perhaps get back with us.

We can do that, man.

Absolutely.

Thanks.

Councilwoman Thomas, you have the floor, ma'am.

Thank you.

Um I concur.

I'm uh that towing after 30 days.

I I would like more clarity around what that looks like.

Um, when you get to talking about towing people's vehicles, um, you know, we don't want to put our citizens in a bind, we want to hold accountability, but also that just that can go a million ways wrong.

So I'm always concerned when we talk about towing actions there regarding the payment arrangement or the make flexible payment options or what we want to do there.

Uh my question is regarding how far back are we talking about going for these parking fees?

That's my first question.

Well, one of the things we just talked about was the the three year statute of limitations on it.

So we can't go back further than three years.

So one of the uh one of the things that we want to communicate to this group is how far do you want to go back?

Again, I would recommend something.

I wouldn't recommend just wiping it all off.

Okay.

But uh there is the option to make a determination of something other than three years.

Three years, okay.

And then I know we had an instance last time we discussed this regarding even um a downtown business owner, and we that person's car was towed, and we had to basically agree to wipe or re refund their fees, and that was a case by case basis, I understand.

Yeah, so it was a case.

A case, right?

A case.

So that's why I'm trying to understand.

Like what you know you there from that discussion though, there was the understanding that we did put a hold on parking violations, right?

Parking fees.

If you're out there today, you can still get a ticket.

Okay, so we've still were issuing tickets.

We put a hold on requirement requiring payments, and we put a hold on towing at the time.

Okay.

Um I don't want to go back three years, so I'll just put that out there.

I think we should implement something, but I'm not for a full three years.

I just on top of the toll issue, and then I don't I just don't know what type of bind that would put our citizens in.

So some accountability's not saying they don't have any accountability, but um we didn't even have you know, we're talking about the process now to implement payment um three years to me is just going too far back.

So can I say something to the so you have the floor?

The process we this isn't a brand new process.

There's always been accountability that should have been enforced.

Should right.

So it's not like we just started writing ticks today and nobody knew we were gonna start write tickets.

This parking has been an enforcement arm of our parking authority for many years.

And and you said the keyword should have been enforced.

So people, if they wanted to were paying their parking tickets, but also if they weren't paying their parking t tickets, there was no enforcement to do anything.

It was I will say it was not equally applied all the time, or not consistent.

So that's why I'm saying we didn't have a process because it wasn't definition of process was still there.

People are following our process consistently.

Yes, ma'am.

Um so I that's why I say I don't agree with going back a full three years, something, but not a full three years.

So that's where I stand on it.

Okay.

Councilman Tillage and then Councilwoman Bryant.

Thank you.

You got a phone.

So I have a couple of questions.

First of all, to be back on some of my colleagues, I think number one consistency is key here.

Um I heard earlier that you know it's based on staffing and all this stuff, but if you might have a person patrolling Monday, but person might not be at work Wednesday through Friday, whenever automatic inconsistency that's occurred.

Um, which is kind of what we've seen my entire life living here.

I remember as a kid I saw parking in force, uh, but probably over the last since I've been driving, um, I've parked on city streets on high street for way beyond my time having a parking pass and never had a ticket.

Um, knock on wood.

But I have not had a ticket, I've parked there for numerous hours.

Uh we're gonna go back and review that and make it a lot of people.

My point is saying that is they think my point of saying that is just that consistency is key to make sure this happens.

But my next question is who who or what department is currently in charge of parking enforcement, or authority parking authority and the police.

There's also joint sound there's parking authority has parking enforcement technicians and then their arms are painted at the parking enforcement as well.

Okay.

No, your your police department can they can enforce any law.

Yeah, but it's it's a primary a parking authority.

So there's actually so the people that met so the parking authority, there's actually a person that's reporting to the parking authority.

Yes.

Okay, parking enforcement technicians.

Okay, so there is a system in place to keep the stuff moving consistency.

Yes, consistently.

All right, yes.

The next question I have is well statement I have is um I'm in favor of collecting fees up to a certain point as well.

Um not going back more than probably five things more than six months.

Um but I think with this T2 mobile pay that we have coming up, I think it's a great start for us to move forward in the collection of payment because it's a new system coming on board and the the educational piece one time.

Um and then also as far as the towing, resuming towing after 30-day mail blitz.

I'm not in favor of that.

I think that there's other alternatives we could do, such as collection agencies.

Um I mean, I think to till a car over a $15 or $30 ticket is insane.

You don't get told for a $15 ticket.

You get to you get told for multiple.

Okay, so I guess $315 forty-five dollars is not worth being getting a car towed $45.

Um but I think if you send that to a collection collection agency and DMV holds, I think it's more suitable than having our car towed.

Um and then to Vice Mayor Moody's point about being able to communicate what a car's been told.

When I if I'm coming out of a restaurant and my car's not there, I'm not looking at my phone to call the city manager or city to say where's my car?

I'm running up and up the street having a fit to find out where my car is.

I'm thinking my car's got controlled upon 911.

So could we have signs that are placed that say if your car was parked here, your car is no longer here, call this number.

Um, which is probably gonna be the towing agency.

Right.

Because the towing agencies rotate.

Right.

Okay, we'll we're having a sign display that has that contact information on it.

Right.

Like the size that we put up that with the with your vehicle all the tow that says towing enforced here.

That's those slides you're talking about.

The signs are there now?

Yes, sir.

That's numbers on them.

I think they'll have we don't have a number on them.

I'm not sure they have the number on.

I don't think so.

I see two hour parking, I don't see those signs there.

Okay.

Uh I pay I pay very close attention to uh signage and different things.

I haven't I've never seen those signs, at least not on high street.

Um, but I think those types of things are important because nobody's gonna just automatically call the city and say where's my car?

Right.

Uh say do other things and it's call other numbers.

Absolutely.

Um but yeah, consistency is is definitely key in this, and um yeah.

So with with something, I guess uh no go ahead, councilman Brian thing.

Councilman, I'll ask mine at the end.

Councilman and Brian, I think counselor with you.

Thanks, Mayor.

Um do we have a way of measuring how far back is worth our time?

So let's say we decided to go back three years and a portion of those people that had tickets have moved, and it's not worth following up on those, or if we go back one year, that is there is there a way to kind of that evaluate the I'm not sure if what you're asking us because if you have a ticket, we have a record of where you were where you got the ticket, that's where we're going to uh mail that citation.

Now we don't have any way of knowing whether you moved or not, you know.

If someone has got a ticket three years ago and has since moved, and we're going to get them to repay their ticket, how does that what does that look like?

How does that work?

Well, hopefully they left a foreign address and that and that citation forwarded to where they are now.

Okay.

That feels like uh a long process to follow.

I guess this is what I'm I'm in agreement that it's worth going back a ways, but it feels muddy to go back three years.

Um we are better enforcing now.

We're not enforcing at all right now because we're in that moratorium.

What we're just talking about is when we start by enforcing, we will enforce all the time.

Yes.

And that includes the T2 pay.

Okay.

So we're trying to align that all at the same time, which I agree with Councilman Tillage that communication is going to be huge on this, like we said with the trash, and we've seen that play out in social media with the the changes to trash and recycling that people were very unclear on what the changes were.

So with something like this, I think the blitz, as Mr.

Wright phrased it, to let people know what's happening, whatever we decide.

I think that's a really important piece.

Um Mr.

Carter, I shared with you ages ago when we talked about this last time.

Another city, I can't remember what the city was that was doing a creative way to pay off fines, and it was through donations.

I think it was a chance to drive.

We said maybe a school supply drive.

So maybe that's an option in some way, shape, or form if um if we're looking at being a little creative and making this a little bit more of a hey, we can do better.

Let's let's go back and revisit this and maybe make it a little bit less about fines and more about building building the community.

What councilwoman Bryant's talking about is an alternate payment versus just paying your ticket.

Uh you maybe you donate to some charity that you have picked or or some program that you have picked uh instead of you know getting the money to the city you you support some other organization that this body functions.

I can't I can't imagine how you're gonna uh uh monitor that uh uh I mean we we can do all this stuff, the law is the law.

It you know, either either we do away with it or if it's on the books we enforce it.

How about if I bring a chocolate cake uh uh in in lieu of uh $15 fine?

It you know, it gets a little bit uh ridiculous, I think.

Uh to uh it's kind of the barter system uh you know uh I I'll give this uh you forgive my fine.

Uh city shouldn't get in uh into that at that level.

I sorry vice maider, maybe just to just to put it in a different perspective.

I I think with something like this, it feels like we were not following the process.

It hasn't been something that we've enforced, and so to repair the relationship between the citizens and the city and kind of move forward in good faith.

And this the suggestion of a canned food driver, a school supply driver something would be sort of a um you know, not excusing people for getting a fine, but it would be more of a community building effort.

So I understand if it's not something the council's interested in doing, but it's an alternative that might offer a different fresh perspective.

I think what we need to do is to revisit Greenville uh and how they handled the their main street parking.

Uh they they use that uh as uh economic uh boost for downtown and for the merchants.

Uh I don't know where we stand on that.

There everybody that went on that uh uh trip well uh I thought was in support of that.

Uh I don't know how we go about uh implementing it, but uh I think the sooner we do, I think it'd be uh a positive thing uh for our downtown merchants and and for the people who uh visit Portsmouth.

Uh uh what are your thoughts on the mayor?

Uh well uh I I'm gonna share my thoughts, um, but I want everybody to get through it because I do have some some perspective, so okay.

Why don't why don't we let uh ask Councilman Hugo to provide his points in?

And I think you know we we need to make a decision on how we go forward.

Okay, thanks, Mayor.

Uh so I'll start with an opinion and then some facts from PA since I'm the liaison there now.

So my opinion at a work session several months ago, we said we were gonna forgive at some point going backward because it didn't make much sense given the irregularities in enforcement, not in the process, but in the enforcement of the process.

It didn't make sense to uh to to go back and try to uh to collect and so now to change our minds and say, uh forget about what we said at that work session, which was a public meeting.

Yeah, now we're gonna undo that and we're gonna pick some arbitrary date between now and three years ago, seems to me to be uh the wrong thing to do.

So my recommendation is we pick today or someday like this week, and say everything before now is forgiven, and then we start with the Blitz campaign to tell the business owners and the residents along High Street in particular, okay.

Uh graces over, and now we're not only gonna write the tickets, but we're gonna do everything that's been presented here.

I say that because uh during my time on parking authority, which just goes back to this past January, we've had two high street business owners come to parking authority, both of them ask for help.

The help that they asked for was a combination of uh I'm losing customers because of parking tickets, and I have trouble finding parking for my employees.

Uh to my knowledge, we've provided no answers to either of those businesses to the requests that they've had for help, and so seems again to go punch them in the mouth with uh uh collecting uh on parking tickets when they came to us and asked for help, and and I don't think we've given them any uh seems to be unfair.

Um for everybody's information at the uh crime commission uh last Monday, uh a motion was made and agreed to by the crime commission to recommend to the mayor and the city manager, I guess primarily to the city manager, that the uh parking enforcement that currently is split between the police department who does some of it and the parking authority that does some of it, uh that all of that be consolidated under the police chief.

Uh and as we talked about at our retreat, kind of expanding them their role as a special law enforcement person in a real uniform with a radio uh and the ability to put some police presence out on the street, but also to hopefully uh put a consistent ticket process in place.

So, as the city engineer mentioned, the police department tickets don't look like the parking authority tickets, and so bringing it all into we're gonna all do it the same way with the same people was their recommendation, and so uh manager that uh over to you, I guess, on uh on on where that goes.

Um we have a parking survey that's recently been done.

Um it the the recommendations from that parking survey have all been put together in draft form, uh, and we're in the midst now of uh the parking authority has commented.

I'm not exactly sure when the when the survey goes from a draft survey to a final survey, but we have a parking problem in downtown, and all of this points to the fact that we have a parking problem in downtown.

So to the vice mayor's point, uh Greenville had to wrestle with this problem with customers, employees, and residents parking, we have the same problem, and some of the residents have solved it, some have not, some of the business owners have solved it, some have not.

Uh, but in any case, there's recommendations gonna come out of this parking survey.

We need to get on with getting that survey finalized and figuring out what are we gonna do in the long term because we've had a lot of churn in parking with the knocking down the court street or the county street garage.

We're getting ready to have even more churn with uh Crawford Bay project and the civic center and the parking lots associated with this, and so the sooner we can put um parking rules in place that are consistently enforced, uh the the better off we're gonna be to help us get through the next the next phase.

Um I asked this question of parking authority, but but the uh person that needed to be there to answer wasn't there.

So since uh I didn't get that the question answered, my question is to city manager where do we stand on implementing T2?

I see the signs are starting to go up and and specifically I know that we're the first phase is to implement where we currently have broken parking meters.

At what point do you think we're gonna be ready to implement T2 along the high street corridor, which is where the lion's share of our parking problems seem to be?

I'll defer to uh uh Mr.

Wright, he has the the the rollout play in there.

So the rollout will start um fourth end of the month with uh city hall and city center lot, then two weeks.

I don't have it in front of me, but the next two weeks, the next set of lots, the next lots two weeks after, the next two weeks after.

So by February, everything that was you have enforcement or collections now will have T2 High Street doesn't have um that discussion needs to come back city council because right now it's restricted parking.

The change from restrict it to pay for parking, has to be a city council city manager decision, but that's a discussion that needs to come back to city council to add that to simple to add that to T Two.

We just haven't had the discussion to actually get through the process to do it.

Okay, so I think what I heard was there's no plan right now to do T2 along the high street corridor.

Well, I've told Mr.

Wright is we will enforce parking on the high street.

What he's saying now is do you have the appetite to go ahead and say yes, we're gonna do that?

Um well I I think what we're saying is we want to enforce the current parking policy, which is two hours free, like we've like we're supposed to be doing along the high street corridor, but that doesn't take into account that we're implementing T2.

If our plan is to never implement T2 along the high street corridor, that's not the plan.

Okay, so could we have the plan?

Yeah, that's where what he's asking you right now is do you it will does this council support paying for parking on high street?

And if so, we're rolling out where we roll out the rest of it.

If not, then we'll leave it as it is.

So is it possible to do two hours of free parking and then pay for after two hours?

It's possible to do that, but what I would recommend is do free parking in garages, everybody park, everybody pay for everywhere else because what you want to do is it incentivize people to park someplace else, not along the street.

Okay, I'm tracking with you, which which kind of leads me back to is that what the parking survey is gonna recommend to us, or is the parking survey gonna go a different direction because the experts presumably are gonna recommend something to us about how to solve our parking along high street.

If T2 isn't the answer, then what is the answer?

I guess is I I'm not the expert.

I just know we got a problem, and we're looking for a solution.

That's the solution we're providing to you this evening.

If that is something that you're willing to entertain.

We'll look at what the parking uh study actually said about it, but I would still recommend paying for parking on high street and no have and no free time on high street, free time in the garages.

Okay.

Two hours free or a period of time free in the garages.

Yeah, not totally free.

Yeah, I'm sorry.

Two hours.

Let me make sure I restate that.

And for the uh enforcement team that's part of the uh parking authority, that's something that we had already started implementing.

So even before that was mentioned at the last task force meeting, we've already started preparing for that in part as part of our budgeting process already right now.

So that there's no more work to do on that.

That's that's happening already.

Okay.

Um and then I guess my last question is uh so you proposed some short-term immediate improvement actions here.

Uh when can these actions be implemented by because if uh if we're um getting ready to go do uh blitz of a communication blitz um is that starting tomorrow or starting next week or starting next month because we we want to do a communication blitz before we start actually uh towing and and uh collecting on parking tickets or whatever we're gonna do.

That window is 30 days.

We're gonna tell everybody for third days at the end of that 30 days if if we don't get any pushback from you guys tonight, they end it starts tomorrow, end of 30 days, right?

End of 30 days, right?

The enforcement tomorrow short-term actions are done and full effect.

Full effect.

Thank you.

Councilman.

Vice Mayor.

What are you looking for counsel tonight?

We've talked about uh the period uh where tickets are uh forgiven.

Uh are you are you looking for consensus on that?

That is all right.

Um I think that's the only thing.

Well, we're we're presenting this to you as hey, this is the plan.

If you guys don't like the plan, you better say something because this is how we're gonna roll it out.

Well, that's what I'm getting at.

So right now the plan is uh charge everybody for the three years that we can.

You don't like that, you have to tell us what what you do like.

Okay.

I my opinion is uh I think three years is too long.

Okay.

Uh and uh uh I I would I would say if it were me, uh I would say uh a year, I think anything over a year, uh gets uh troublesome uh uh in a number uh of ways.

So I think a year would would be realistic.

And uh you know, going back two years, uh I couldn't tell you whether I was parking on a high street or or did I loan my car to somebody or we can't well yeah uh when I'm the one paying without dismissage I think a year uh should be it uh and no further.

I mean that's my opinion.

Okay, we don't really have a dog in that fight.

We we but we need a we need a determination.

Council councilman doesn't we won't move on.

Thank you.

I think we've um uh some kinds of plans cost money, and and I want to address that with you, Kitty, is that if we did that plan you're talking about, it would cost us too much overhead.

So I understand the sentimental value that that has uh with getting people alternates, but I don't think that it's something we could implement without too much overhead more than it would cost.

Do you know like libraries do that do amnesty instead of pay your fine?

That's where that trade is.

It's too involved.

I know.

It's not anything more expensive than that.

Secondly, secondly, I wanted to say that if we're gonna roll out a new plan, I I'm not in favor of going back at all.

I say we just start clean with a new day because if we go back, uh many of the business owners in in downtown have told their customers throw the ticket away.

And a lot of these customers believe what they're told that they these tickets are not going to be enforced.

Um and for us to go back any time at all on these people who've gotten this uh not prosecuted for these tickets, I think is really gonna create a uh hullabaloo that um uh it's gonna stink.

So I think we start from day one and we say okay, it starts today, and that we can do that as far as early as tomorrow, I believe, and just say you get a ticket starting tomorrow, you're you're on the hook a hundred percent.

As far as towing goes, we've got to coordinate it somebody they've got to call it.

Now, if my car gets towed, I'm calling 911.

And and if they don't know where my car is, I'm filing a report right then about a stolen car.

So I think 911 is where if somebody tows the car, absolutely not.

That is not an emergency.

I know it's an emergency to you, but that's not an emergency.

So don't tell the public to call 911 if the car gets towed.

Please don't do that.

I would excuse me, I the police.

I would call the police.

Okay.

And say thank you for the non-emergency number for the police.

The non-emergency number.

Thank you for clarifying that, sir.

Yeah.

We'll we'll make sure that that happens.

I would want to call the police.

And and if it was told, I would want them to inform me.

Oh, yeah, sorry, farmers tell me.

Right.

And that's that would be where where they're responsible.

Uh secondly, one thirdly, I wanted to know if a they are writing a ticket for a parking violation, and that tag isn't for that car.

What's the consequences for that?

That's a whole nother problem.

That that's not parking anymore.

Those guys behind you take care of that.

Yeah.

That's a whole nother problem.

Yeah.

Okay.

Um as far as my uh my uh recommendation if there's a consensus for anything less than starting from day one, I'm not gonna vote for it.

Okay, that's that's and and that's why we're having this discussion.

I'll keep it very short there.

Uh one question I wanted to have to make this decision.

I was going towards the one year um, like going back one year as well.

But if we don't go back one year and we kind of go on the recommendation of starting fresh, what is the uh cost that we're like you know, possible costs?

The revenue that's gonna be there.

Yes, I have to look at that.

I can take a topic here tonight, but there is a lost revenue based on component, right?

Sure.

And and and one of the things, you know, this has been a very good and important discussion.

Uh Councilman Hugo, I spent a lot of time downtown uh listening to vendors, listening to their parking concerns.

In order for us to become the city and develop our downtown, we must deal with parking.

And there's no easy answer to parking.

Uh, we've talked to a lot of people.

Greenville, of course, everything was glowing and pretty, but they had to go through iterations to get there.

The point I simply want to make is to Mr.

Carter's point, people have violated parking.

There is a cost, and parking is going to be expensive, and we're going to incur costs to build these parking establishments to accommodate our community and its growth.

So we got to be realistic about that.

I know people get emotional about it and whatever.

I trust me, I've listened to it.

So, first thing, I think what we need to do is build consistency and credibility, number one.

We've lost that.

And to the degree we've lost that, we've got to regain that.

How do we regain that consistency and credibility?

We do it a couple of ways.

I have been sharing with with with business owners downtown and residents that we were going to deal with this issue together.

And so, with that, I think the first thing, just a recommendation, we need to determine to councilman Thomas' point, how far are we willing to go back?

I don't disagree with a year.

I I agree with Vice Mayor Moody.

People did violate the rules.

They violated parking.

The fact that we're willing to go back, that is going to be a loss to the city.

And we can say it's an emotional loss, it's a credibility loss, it's a money loss.

It's a revenue loss.

But if we're willing to incur that revenue loss, people need to understand that as well.

But going forward, we need to build that consistency, the credibility.

We make it one year, we put in place.

If the idea is to have or give people two hours first, and then they're on the hook for the next hours after those two hours, that has to be enforced.

And it has to be incommunicated with the expectations.

What I've heard from business owners is they don't mind paying for parking.

Is that fair?

Some people don't like it, but they they're willing to do that.

And some business owners have even offered to pay for their clients to come into their businesses.

Right.

They just need a process and a mechanism in which to do that.

We should be willing to work to provide those mechanisms and processes to get it done.

That part is not real hard to me, guys.

But the part is we haven't been consistent.

We have been a little haphazard, and so people kind of do it the way they want to do it.

We just need to clean that up.

And I think we have a roadmap for that is absolutely and we talked about the T the T T new technology we want to use.

That will be a part of the high street business corridor as well.

Is that correct?

Yes, yes.

Can we just talk about that tonight?

Yes.

Yes.

So there's another opportunity for people to engage.

Now, I need we all need to understand this is not the total answer.

This is probably the short-term solution.

As we continue to move forward, we're gonna have to continue to revisit parking.

Because it's all a part of our walkability strategy or making it the best downtown strategy.

That's a critical component.

But but but you know, let's get above get out of our feelings a little bit, and let's look at this like the leaders we are and be rational and say people need to pay for their parking.

We need to give them a methodology and a way to do that, and we need to hold them accountable, and we need to be consistent in how we administer it.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Now I do want to say an issue about the parking once your car gets towed.

So one of the bit one of the folks, and I've heard from several people who have gotten their car towed, we use different vendors.

Most of them, to your point, Vice Mayor, take them to Portsmouth lots.

However, when the people actually get to the lots, because the information the policeman shows up, I think, when the towing takes place, and then the towing company comes.

But what happens is the transfer of information doesn't always take place smoothly with the appropriate information from the towing company, where you retrieve your car, how much is it gonna be, do you pay or do you accept cash, credit card, or denari?

Whatever, you know, component of pay you take.

That's not clear.

Some people share me when we went when they went to get their car, they went with cash and cat, I mean, excuse me, credit card and credit card pay wasn't an option.

So people need to be prepared when they show up to pay for the retrieve their vehicle with the option to pay.

And that can be frustrating.

I could believe that.

So that kind of process can be tightened up.

But that's my two cents on the whole parking thing.

We need to do a better job of parking.

And we need to communicate that to our citizens and our business owners, and they need to share with us, you know, when we have areas for improvement.

That's just my two cents.

So are we in agreement with the one-year look back or the one year?

I'm asking my comments on council.

No.

You want to start fresh?

Absolutely.

Wipe out all the money.

We said it.

And now we shouldn't go back on what we said.

Agreed.

Okay.

Well, I gotta wait until Councilman Thomas comes.

Councilwoman Thomas comes back.

Okay, well, that's that's why we're having a discussion.

And and the majority will tell us what to do.

So when she gets back, we'll put it on the table.

And if that's the then, you know, if that's the pleasure of or or the decision of the majority on this group, then that's what we'll do.

So this is the suicide.

I'm sorry.

No, we're gonna because I don't want to exclude councilwoman Thomas.

Did she leave?

She comes to the lady.

Right.

So let's wait till she comes back and then we'll we'll take the consensus on the item.

Are we going to totally forgive and start a new?

Um and whatever that will be, um, that's what the body says.

So, councilwoman, uh, we're we we've had a discussion about um forgiving the tickets um totally okay, starting within with a new slate.

Reason why I'm reminding you of that is because there is a call for consensus from my colleagues to not go back on any of the tickets to wipe out, wipe the slate clean and start fresh starting tomorrow with the 30-day process.

Is that correct?

So if all in favor of doing that, please give a show by raising your hand.

Okay.

So you've been given the direction.

We got it.

High street.

Say again, high street.

We'll be enforced.

That's that street will be enforced.

Okay.

Uh high street will be enforced.

All right.

Going forward.

Thank you, gentlemen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um, let me say thank for the that was good work.

And I'm I'm sorry, sir.

No, uh it's this important for me as your city manager to see you have a debate about the thing.

Come to a resolution.

And it's not a knockdown drag out.

Yeah, this is just we didn't agree, we figured out a way to move forward, and we did.

That's that's really important to me as your city manager's really important to your citizens to see you do that.

So thank you for the work that's just here.

Um this last piece is um I need to look at the Horsemen uh 2030 strategic pillars.

Now I got feedback from a lot of you.

I didn't put it in this because the reason I didn't put it in this because I don't want multiple versions of this being circulated.

So uh this is the same one you got.

I do have your feedback.

Um and I go over the feedback that I do have uh for pillar number one, which is get stuff done.

Um the city facilities facelift, uh councilman Hugo Moody and Councilwoman Bryant all talked about that particular item.

Uh matter of fact, I think a couple of them wanted to remove it completely, uh, saying it's inconsistent with moving to a new city hall.

Uh so that is one of the areas that we talked about.

Councilman Moody talked about um moving the new city hall uh construction to a to the five-year mark on goal.

I mean killer number one.

Toller number two, um Councilman Hugo talked about adding DSEP uh funding, uh the SIP funding rather uh as a short-term goal.

Uh Councilman Thomas talked about adding a city auditor as a short-term goal.

Um Councilman Moody talked about reduced interdepartmental bottlenecks to by 25% to year one instead of uh year two.

For pillar number three, Councilman Griebel talked about uh the joint EDA property purchase in the Link district as a short-term goal.

Uh Councilman Moody um talked about increasing uh tax revenue streams.

Um again talked about uh the parking app being part of the short-term goal.

Um midterm goals, Councilman Moody talked about uh cleanup of the Crawford Bay need to be moved up to year one.

Yeah, uh that's in process right now, as a matter of fact.

So being in year one would be a perfect spot for it.

Um talked about implementing the parking study uh as a as a long-term goal for pillar number four councilman he did councilman Moody talked about solicitation for a beautiful architect.

I hadn't heard that before, but yeah, unification architect Greenville.

So that's a that's he wants to add that as one of our short-term goals for uh uh pillar number four.

Also, Councilman Hugo uh talked about providing uh safe and secure parking being added as uh a short-term goal.

Uh councilman Hugo, I'm sorry, Councilman Moody talked about applying for an all-American city designation for me.

And he also talked about adding uh an Olympic size who uh for the uh the sports players done.

Excuse me, Mr.

Carter.

Is that um have we ever been an all-American city?

Yes, okay.

I know Hampton recently was re-designated redesignated, I think they were designated.

I had a former neighbor who actually had the banner that I mean, City Hall.

In fact, we may still have that banner uh because I never have I brought it in there.

You have it now that it has the banner and uh we displayed it uh when I brought it in for a while.

Awesome and we applied for I think we we were close in our application, but we didn't get the designation.

But my point is with at the appropriate time, I think with what we have going on, what we have in the hopper, what our plans are, and even the strides we've we've made thus far.

I I think we could present a strong case uh on an application to once again be an all-American city.

Absolutely.

I'd like to do that.

Sounds great.

And it's on this on the list.

Which uh I think Councilman Hugo added a couple items to this one.

One was uh the design, the K through eight design and K through eight construction as K-38 design naturally as a short-term goal and K through a construction as a long-term goal.

And uh one of the things that Councilman Moody mentioned as a side note is we gotta make sure that we're talking to the school board about all of these things that deal with the uh education and workforce piece.

And we introduced this to our liaisons at our last uh council and school board liaison meeting.

So uh they're aware that this document exists in in the form that we have it right now.

So but I did tell them that this was a uh a working document.

Uh we will publish once we come to terms uh what that full version is going to be.

So the question I'm asking you tonight is based on the things that listed things we that I've mentioned from uh the input from the group.

Are there further modifications that's needed before we're ready to say this is the document?

Yes, I'd like to speak quick.

Council that's needed for so in uh number two, I can make sure I record whatever you need to interdepartmental um bottlenecks.

Um I think what we also need to address this may be already be part of that is customer uh interface where they process citizen applications and permits say that in a way that I can make that easy.

Right, I know.

Thank you.

Um our interface with our customers is not good.

My greatest example is me trying to get a building permit took four years until Mr.

Wright jumped in and said, Let me help.

Okay.

Um we can't get things through departments.

So part of it is addressing the interpartment about the problems, but also interface with the customer too.

Okay, so spake that in a succinct way though.

Help me out, please.

Uh maybe you I think you have uh which one are you on?

Two something where oh, I'm sorry, under medium term item, the bottleneck one where um Vice Mayor Moody suggested to move that to year one.

I mean, essentially that should address that issue, but you can add something like with a customer reduce, you know, bottlenecks that's by 25% through process audits and operational streamline, but they focus on customer uh service service, thank you.

Yes, that was a word.

So I'm doing another building project in another state.

When I walk into their city building, they have a office right in front for customer interface.

You can't get to engineering, you can't get to any of the departments except you go through this customer interface, and they will supply you with all the papers, the deadlines, help you through all the process, and if you need to go to the department, then the department can department then can do their job.

Um and uh in that manner, and that customer interface to me is ideal.

Uh and I look at that and go, I'd love to suggest that for consideration here.

It would be great.

You know why?

Because if you go to free school right now, one of the things that from the process that we've been working on to improve that is just what you're talking about.

There's a central spot where all applications will start, and they're gonna they're you'll be assigned a person's gotta kind of help you through that process.

So we're we're already heading in the direction that you're talking.

Thank you.

My pleasure.

Anyone else?

Yeah, one, yes.

Um, nothing to add, just want to think uh I think that's great that uh Vicemar Moody added the recommendation for pillar for number four safe connected and thriving communities about the Olympic size pool at the sports place.

I think that's a great recommendation to add.

Um, whether it's the pool or additional, I'm gonna throw in the the water park, yeah, water aquatics.

Um I think that's a great addition to add to that.

That's actually a lot of discussion around that at our retrieve, yeah.

And and also I think it's uh good uh collaboration opportunity with the uh YMCA uh that uh was here just uh one last month.

Yeah, uh and I think this council is uh we we've had that discussion, I think, and uh we we need to keep it uh uh uh in the forefront and make it a priority and make it happen.

Absolutely because uh I hate to see our kids on swimming teams have to go to another city uh to practice that puts them at a uh a disadvantage and inconvenience as well, but uh uh uh I hope to hope to see that come to fruition.

Won't be my time here, but uh I think it can happen uh uh shortly after.

So if I could could just uh add to that, uh I have heard back from the Y and uh Mr.

Walters, they are ecstatic about moving that process forward uh very deliberately, and so that is a priority because to your point, it's not just about it.

That's a big part of it, having our children to have access uh to aquatics and also being able to swim and learn swimming and have competitive aquatic sports in our city, but the other part is that a lot of children die every year from drowning, and they don't get the proper training how to deal with water and water safety.

That is a huge component.

We are surrounded by water in this city, and so it's really to me there's a life, there's a life-saving component as a part of this, and that's as important.

So we are going, we're not gonna let this go.

We have a willing partner, we have the community behind us, we have corporate people that are interested in supporting this effort.

This can truly and will truly be a public-private partnership where we pull off for the betterment of our people.

And so I'm excited about that.

And although I though although I know you may not be in the sea, sir, it's gonna be a part of my job and our job to make sure we can deliver that for you.

Terrific.

Oh Councilman Dotson, go ahead.

So also on pillar number three, uh you mentioned on the left-hand side uh a new city hall, but I don't see it on the right hand side.

Mr.

Wendic when it's a goal.

Outcomes part of uh one.

If you look at pillar one, so maybe I need to clean that language up just to be says demo, but it doesn't say bill the new one.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying is that is part of pillar one.

If you look at the very first and look on the right-hand side of that in the new city halls, the third down.

Thank you.

So I cleaned that language up to make sure make it right for both players.

Consistent.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Okay, sir.

We good?

Great work.

Thank you so much.

Thank you guys.

I appreciate you.

Um again, and I'm proud of you guys.

I really am.

Thank you.

I know I've said that, but I I am.

I'm I'm proud of you guys, and thank you for what you do for Mayor.

Um the last thing I have is the review of the agenda for this evening.

Okay.

Um at the meeting tonight, uh, council will consider eight ordinances appropriating a consolidated package of grant and settlement funding totally 758,910 and 60 cents across multiple city departments.

The Department of Behavior Health Care Services accounts for three major items.

One is a 104,926 uh speciality dockets grant for the from the Supreme Court of agenda support the adult recovery court.

Yeah.

Uh one is a 174,966 workforce funding grant from the Virginia Virginia Department of Behavior Health and Department Services to address workforce shortages and improve employee retention.

The other one is a 269,765 opiar settlement disbursement dedicated to approved opiator abatement purposes.

The Department of Public Utilities is requesting an appropriation of $85,832 and the PFAS settlement fund from DuPont.

Additional grant proposals, uh support core community services, economic development, and public access to technology.

The Department of Social Services is requesting $2,070 as from the Virginia Department of Social Services to provide respite care for foster families and $53,623 from the Degen Virginia Department of Children's Services to support administrative costs associated with Children's Services Act program.

The Department of Museums and Tourism seeks to appropriate a combined 43,750 from the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

And the final one is the Department of Libraries is requesting to appropriate $23,978 through the E-rate program via Cox Enterprise to support telecommunication and internet service for public library users.

Again, that toll is $158,910 and 60 cents.

The only other thing on the agenda is a public hearing for use permit to construct the public dwelling and multifamily dwellings at the property at 3741 Elliott Avenue.

That concludes my presentation for this evening, sir.

Thank you.

Mr.

Carter, thank you, sir.

And I did want to remind my colleagues.

And invite those young people and let them know we appreciate all their efforts.

Um, so you know, we discussed last night your consent agenda, and that process is moving forward.

That will be on your January twenty seventh agenda.

But as far as tonight, just as we discussed last night, you have grant items.

I've not seen the speaker slit just yet.

Um, but we will kind of test that out tonight.

And so we will kind of play it by ear on how you handle that.

But I haven't seen the speaker's list yet.

I believe all the speakers are non-agenda speakers.

So you should be good on making a motion to adopt the whole agenda and use the process we talked about last night.

Thank you.

Thank you, everyone for participating.

That concludes our work session.

See you all in the seven o'clock meeting.

Good evening, citizens of Porsmouth, and welcome to our first Portsmouth City Council meeting for twenty twenty-six.

Want to welcome everyone and thank you all for coming, all of our citizens, our young people that are in the audience with us today.

Also want to acknowledge our city staff that is with us here this evening, uh, who will be helping us throughout the the night, and I want to make note that we have with us our city manager, Mr.

Stephen Carter, our city interim city attorney, Mr.

Derek Challenger, and our city clerk, Miss Deborah White.

I will at this point acknowledge us all my uh colleagues on City Council to acknowledge their presence electronically.

Seven members of the city council are present the first order of our agenda tonight will be a moment of silence, followed by a pledge of allegiance.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And we have a call meeting on December ninth, twenty twenty-five, and a regular meeting on December ninth, twenty twenty-five.

Do we have a motion and a second to approve the meeting?

Move it up.

Second.

Please vote electronically.

The minutes are adopted seven zero.

Moving to the next item on our agenda, we have a presentation.

And this is a presentation that we're excited to have.

So if I could ask all of the team and the coaching staff and leadership team of the non-U team, United Youth Football and Cheerleading National Championship Team to come forward.

So we will begin.

And whereas, as a team, they were dedicated, practiced hard, worked harder, and individually and collectively put forth 11% effort to proudly represent our great city, the city of Portsmouth, Virginia, and the Commonwealth on a national stage.

Whereas this team consists of Damian Whitley, Mikeing Hinton, Kelsey Garland, Cameron Evans, Noah Anderson Brown, Tamir Evans, Tylen Johnson, Tristan Snowden, Rylan White, Amir Hagins, Major White, Jameson Jewell, Kendrick McCoy, Ramir Perez, Aiden Chandler, Donnell Jordan, Caden Boyer, Landon Jordan, Chase Taylor Ward, Injun Carroll, Terrence Taylor, Kamari Carter, Knowledge Jefferson, Jasir Jefferson, and Anderson, Corey Brown, Trevon Scales, Joseph Bell, JCon Baker, Aidan Hoachens, Chase Fanfair, Weston Hulan, Honey, Owen Williams, Nasir Vaughn, and Jeremy Kilgore.

And whereas the Virginia Gators Athletics Organization's leadership team with President Justin Jewell, Vice President, Dennis Anderson, Secretary, Travis McCoy, Treasurer, Stephanie Jewell, and coach, is that Coach Bo?

Okay, I won't make sure Coach Bo, Coach Eddie Carroll, Coach Dre Hagins, Coach Travis McCoy, Coach Giovanni Strong, Coach Ray Perez, Coach Dame Whitley, Coach Dequan Sanders, Coach Trey Horn, Coach Ronald Graham, Coach Jesse Hill, Coach Trey Evans, and Team Moms, the most important people.

And Siavon Fanfare provided the foundation and support for the 2025 mission to bring the national championship to Portsmouth.

Whereas we, the citizens of this community, desire to honor these athletes for their proficiency, physical conditioning, and sportsmanship displayed throughout the season.

Now, therefore, I, Shannon E.

Glover, mayor of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, do hereby proclaim January 13th, 2026 as Virginia Gators, 9U, United Youth Football, and Cheerleading Champion Celebration Day.

In Portsmouth, and commend this team and the many volunteers for their outstanding accomplishment in witness whereof and on behalf of the Portsmouth City Council, all of my colleagues who are who are standing up there, I have here to set my hand and cause the seal of the city of Portsmouth, Virginia to be a fixed this 13th day of January 2026.

We are so proud of you, young people, and thank you for bringing the championship home.

Is there anybody that wants to come and say a few words on behalf of the team?

Okay.

If you would identify who you are, just make a few years.

Yes, sir.

So my name is Justin Jewell.

I'm the president of the Gators organization.

So we uh we set out to bring uh some of the great athletes that we had from around Hampton Roads.

We wanted to bring those great athletes from around Hampton Roads back to Portsmouth.

You know, we we've played football for a while.

Um most of them have played together for a while, and we found that a good portion of these athletes were from Portsmouth, but traveled outside.

Um it was important to us to bring everything back into the city.

Um we had some quite a few people from the city.

I mean a good portion of our families grew up here, and uh, and so it was it was really important to them to have something to be you know represented by folks from the city.

And uh, and I will tell you that the the outreach that we've had from the community, I know we've had you out at the field, we've seen you out there when we first started uh when we were in Flag, you know, for you to show up, it was a big, it was buzz all over, even the mayor's here.

Uh it was really, really big really made an impact.

Um, you know, the support from Mark and Jackie and the staff of Parks and Rec.

Uh, we look forward to to going back into your office and looking at reading up and for the uh sportsplex next year.

And uh, so we really uh we really look forward to that.

Um but we just I mean the the the last people that I would that I would really like to thank is the other nonprofits in the area who as soon as they heard that we had something going on.

Um Monica Atkins with uh stop the violence.

I mean, just incredible support from her and her team, and they really kind of showed us like hey, if you want to navigate things in this city and you want to understand how to be a nonprofit here, and this is how you can do it.

So, kind of their mentorship and guidance for all the organization was was just incredible.

And then, of course, you know, you you called out the team moms, but they're all team moms, right?

All of them.

Um, so the parents in particular, right?

I just want to say uh thank you for Paul's parts, all right, for believing in us, uh giving us a chance to start some great in your city of Portugal.

Thank you.

Sir, let's click a kick picture, please.

Go ahead.

Hello, uh Eddie Carroll, athletic director for the for the organization.

Uh and there's one more uh group of individuals we wanted to make sure we thanked.

Uh oh, I guess two.

One, Miss uh Shawnee Twyman, the citywide athletic director's been an inspiration and showing us kind of how to move about correctly uh as an organization.

So thank you if you're out here.

Uh there she is, you're in the back there, right?

And uh also all of the Portsmouth Public School academic leaders, custodians, uh uh athletic individuals that uh run teams.

We've been in contact with all of them, right?

In order to try to reach out and uh really one of our big missions here is to try to curb the violence in the city, right?

And that starts by uh getting connected with the educators who are talking to our kids every single day and trying to get them involved with the program so we can keep them off the streets to keep them safe.

So thank you to everybody involved uh with Portsmouth Public Schools as well.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

And look, let's do a repeat.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Now, gentlemen, I want you to know we are going to continue on with our junior gender.

You're not required to stay throughout the whole meeting.

So we just wanted to let you know that.

That's the most polite way I've ever heard.

I know you have young people and they have school.

Yes, sir.

You too, sir.

Go through the bar.

Yeah.

Thank you, everybody.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's it.

Thank you, brother.

Congratulations.

Thanks for what you're welcome.

Thank you, brother.

All right, yeah.

Congratulations.

That was excellent.

That was a feel good moment.

Yeah, it was moments like that play well on the uh channel.

That's all downhill from here.

Madam Clerk, could you please read the council rules for speakers?

Yes, sir.

Ladies and gentlemen, city council rules require a limit of up to five minutes to speak.

As you approach the speaker's podium, you will notice a timer.

At the beginning of your five minutes, you will see a green light.

Four minutes into your remarks, you will notice a yellow light.

At the end of five minutes, you will see a red light here beep, and we ask that you conclude your comments at that time.

While speakers have an opportunity to address counsel on matters of public concern, all comments should be made in a manner that respects the seriousness of the forum and should not be made in a belligerent, sarcastic or demeaning fashion.

Our remarks shall be directed to the city council as a body rather than to any particular member of City Council, staff, or the audience, and should be limited to matters that only the Portsmouth City Council can influence.

A speaker who fails to observe this basic rule of decorum will be deemed out of order and not allowed to conclude his or her comments.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Yes, sir.

The next item on our agenda is public hearing item 2607.

UP dash 21-11.

And Madam Clerk, could you please read the public hearing resolution we're considering for this item?

Yes, sir.

Newport resolution granting the request of M Venable for a youth permit to construct townhouse dwellings and multifamily dwellings on the property at 3741 Elliott Avenue in the conditional multifamily urban residential URMK zoning district.

The property is owned by Newport property investors.

The future land use map of the Bill 14 Comprehensive Plan designates this property for mixed residential use.

Excuse me, reads a resolution granting a use permit UP 2511 to MVenable to construct townhouse dwellings and multifamily dwellings at 3741 Elliott Avenue.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Is the applicant present?

Yes, sir.

If you would come forward, sir, state your name and address.

You will have 10 minutes.

Thank you, Mayor Glover, Vice Mayor Moody, members of Council, staff.

My name is Tim Callpepper.

I'm a principal with Canopy Development Group.

And our business address is 208 East Plume Street in Norfolk.

We're excited to be here with you this evening, although following up the first act is gonna be hard.

Um but uh we we are excited to be with you uh this evening um to discuss with you our conditional use permit application for the Newport Phase 2 project.

Uh just uh just a little history on uh our involvement with Newport and the site overall.

Um this site, Newport Phase 2, as we reference it, is a portion of the overall Newport uh development plan that was instituted actually almost to the day.

It was January 14th uh in 2004, 22 years ago, uh, when the Newport Development Plan was first conceived.

And um the the plan as it was originally conceived uh was um in three phases phase one, two, and three.

Uh phase one uh is predominantly fully developed, uh existing residents within phase one.

Uh that project was developed just prior to what I'll refer to as the Great Residential Recession uh in 2008 and nine.

Uh phases two and three have remained fallow, undeveloped sites uh for again over over two decades.

Um the project, because of several market conditions, um, went through a series of um of failed attempts to develop the property over the over the course of the of the years.

Um but the the property was ultimately we uh we acquired the Newport Phase 2 property, approximately 60 acres of the original development plan uh in January of 2025.

Our acquisition was via um a city tax auction.

Um the the Newport property had um had gone through several rounds of developers uh starting and stopping.

Uh there was some delinquency in taxes, there was some delinquency in CDA bonds, and ultimately after a couple of failed attempts at a tax auction, we acquired the site last uh last January.

Uh originally the Newport development plan was uh in those three phases.

There was anticipated to be about 1,600 units overall, a little over 1600 units.

Phase one was uh was comprised of about 670 units.

Phase two, uh the the phase that is subject to our application this evening, and that we own uh was about 528 units, and phase three, uh which is on the uh north side of 264.

Phase three was uh anticipated to be uh 427 units.

So that development plan that was conceived uh 22 years ago.

There's a that 2006 is a revised plan date, but that the original intent of that plan was for there to be a mix of residential uses.

Um traditional single family detached homes, some townhouse development.

Uh there is one section, the multifamily section and in section three that is not subject to this tonight, but that had uh I believe some some multifamily or some apartment components to that and some condominiums.

It was always intended to be a mix of uses uh within within Newport.

Um getting more specific to uh to Newport Phase 2.

Um the entire plan for Newport was originally intended to be 528 units.

Uh when we acquired the site, we immediately sat down with city staff to understand the existing zoning.

Uh there is a 53-page uh design guideline booklet that really governs uh the the overall development of Newport that provides for some um some continuity with development plans, even though some of these developments are 20 years separated.

There is continuity in the plans through those design guidelines.

So we we uh immediately upon acquisition sat down with city staff to make sure make sure we understood the zoning, the existing design guidelines, and um the plan that you see on the left hand side of the screen is the original phase two design guidelines site plan.

The plan on the right side is the plan that we've submitted to you tonight, a portion of which is subject to a conditional use permit.

The property is zoned, it is currently zoned.

We are not asking for a rezoning.

This is a use that's been intended for over two decades.

So we are asking for approval of our conditional use permit, which only is only applicable to the attached product types, the townhouses and the condominium units within within Newport.

Uh the city's ordinance requires even if zoning calls for that that you have to get a conditional use permit.

Uh thus our presence here this evening.

So we submitted this plan uh plan right in May of 2025 again through uh dialogue and interaction with the staff, understanding the design guidelines.

Um, and we also uh went through the effort of submitting the plan to the the department uh the zoning administrator just to confirm that what we had envisioned was in conformance with the original vision for Newport.

Um we were able to get uh a uh favorable response from the zoning uh administrator back in June of 2025, and uh the zoning administrator did find that our master plan as submitted um was in substantial conformance with with the plan as it was originally intended, and really there were four factors that were that were driving uh that approval were or conformity.

Um those were the general layout and overall road configuration, uh the housing types, the housing mix and the distribution of housing units, uh the stormwater management requirements, and the guiding design principles.

Those were really the four pillars of uh of the approval, and I'm gonna I'm gonna talk just a little bit about each one quickly.

Um so our our our general road configuration um zoning administrator found that that our intent with the way our site is laid out still reflected quote still reflects the character and connectivity goals of the original plan.

So therefore he found he found that that that was uh that was a basis for approval or conformity.

Um the second thing, and probably the most important and most relative to why we're here tonight is um the the housing types, the unit mix and the distribution of those units.

Uh the zoning administrator determined that the updated unit mix and layout remain consistent with the original vision.

Uh the proportion of townhomes, condominiums, and single family homes and their geographic distribution, uh, higher density on the west, lower density on the east and south, aligns with the existing design guidelines, and the total number of units, what we're planning to do does not exceed what was originally intended.

Um so that's that's all all very important.

Uh item number three that was uh that was reflected as our stormwater management requirements.

I don't know if you could notice, and I don't know if there's a way to go back to the comparative plans.

Um the um the stormwater guidelines in the state of Virginia changed, have changed significantly over the past 20 years.

Um optically, the uh most visible change in our plan is the addition of the two large blue ponds, and that's really a stormwater um regulation that we had to adhere to that was different than it was in 2006.

So we were forced to design our plan to meet current regulations.

That is really the the biggest change in our plan, and the zoning administrator found that the 2020 20 the 2025 development plan accommodates these updated engineering requirements while maintaining the intended neighborhood character.

Um, lastly, the uh the guiding design principles.

Um it was found that uh our guiding principles that the guiding principle expressed on page four of the existing guidelines have been adhered to in the new layout, and the plan supports a walkable wealth landscape neighborhood with a focus on community oriented open space, continuity of architectural style and compatibility with the greater Newport development.

So we're again we're asking for your approval of our conditional use permit, which really allows us to continue to move forward.

We are in site design right now.

We've submitted civil plans to the city, and we are asking for your support of our continued progress in bringing Newport phase two to a uh to a reality.

Um and with that, I uh I am out of time, and I will uh I will remain available for questions.

So thank you again for your for your time this evening.

Thank you, sir.

Uh councilman Tillage, sir, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, thank you for that presentation.

Um if you could stay at the point.

Because if any questions come, we would have to thank you, sir.

I appreciate the presentation.

Um my question to you is in the world that we're facing today with the um mission on being able to address affordability and the uh goal of people being able to achieve home homeownership.

Um that is top priority for many of our citizens here in the city of Portsmouth.

And so my question to you is there a plan that's a part of this development that helps to address the affordability aspect and the ability for people to be able to purchase uh their first home.

Um yeah, thank you for that.

Um a couple of of highlights for Newport.

Um there are several types of affordability.

There's mandated or regulated affordability where you have a law or a guideline that's that's kind of proposed and propagated by by a municipality or an agency.

Um that type of affordability can be challenging at times, and then there's a market-driven affordability, and there's affordability through design.

Um Newport was originally set up to be affordable by design.

There's density on the site, there's a mix of residential housing types, and its location proximate to employment centers to major tourism drivers, other things make it a very very desirable location.

But more importantly, and directly to affordability, average home price in Hampton Roads is creeping up on a half million dollars.

Average new home cost in uh Hampton Roads is high 400,000s, if not at a half million already.

Um our entry level pricing for Newport will be in the high 200s.

Um our average price will be somewhere in the mid-threes, upper 300,000 dollar range.

And this is affordability again through market dynamics and through design.

So at the end of the day, we will have um you know, I think our average pricing will be well in well below or more than a hundred thousand dollars below the average price of a new home in the rest of the region.

Uh that's by design, uh, and that's the way Newport was set up.

Gotcha.

And I appreciate that that um that answer.

With the the Verizon cost of housing, um, as you may mention, um is in Portsmouth, the average house is about 320, roughly.

Um, but the average salary in Portsmouth does not meet that of a $300,000 home.

Uh the average salary in Portsmouth is probably somewhere between uh $35,000 and 40.

And so to be able to afford that $320,000 house, you need to make well above that $35,000 to $40,000 to be able to live to be able to purchase that property.

Uh so my question would be would you would this development be willing to uh allocate a 10% of the development uh to be attainable and affordable units.

Um I've been across the country touring on different conferences and with other cities to look at their affordable housing, their housing developments, and they have built developments that include market rate homes, um, and they're mixed in with affordable units.

You can't tell the difference uh between either any of the units on the outside, um, but it allows for people to be able to have mixed income communities, which creates that vibrant community that we're looking for here in the city of Portsmouth, uh, while being able to address the housing needs of our citizens so that everybody can be able to achieve that goal of homeownership.

Um, because it's like I said in Portsmouth, our residents are making not all of them, but a good majority, the average is about that 40,000 mark.

And so for them to be able to afford a high 200s or th mid 300s is is a stretch.

Right.

Um, is that something that you all would be willing to look into?

It's certainly something that that we we would consider.

I would say um Newport is a little unique.

A lot of these communities where there are mixes and and what I'll call mandated or regulated affordability components, they're developments that are coming on from scratch.

Oftentimes you get density bonuses for doing affordability so you can increase your density.

We don't have any of that flexibility with our existing zoning that's been in place for 20 years and invested.

Um the other thing that is unique about Newport uh relative to some of these other communities that you're probably referring to is um Newport was originally developed, one of the financing vehicles used to develop the infrastructure that exists today were community development act bonds, and this property along with the remainder of Newport is still burdened by those community development act bonds.

And so we have to be at a certain level of marketability and value to service the bonds to pay for the development work and to do all that, and not having that component contemplated with a density bonus or something else from the onset makes it challenging to come in now to to try to try to force that piece.

I can say though that um we will be the lowest priced new home community in Southampton Roads.

Um I can tell you that I can commit to that with you.

Um from an affordability standpoint, how that stacks up and what the definition of affordability is is there's some subjectivity to that.

So our intent would be our request would be to stay with the original plan.

It's a very well thought out plan.

There is affordability components through the design of the plan that allow us to achieve some of those price points.

Doing it in a mandated or regulated fashion at this stage is is more challenging.

Okay.

And my last question would be in regards to that would be well, my last two questions.

Um is there HOA that's gonna be subject subjected to these properties?

Yes, there will be an HOA.

Um there is an existing Newport HOA that is traditional with these types of developments.

Uh generally, those developments uh when they're established and the HOAs are established, um, there is property that is identified as additional property.

This was one of them that can be annexed within a certain time by the original developer, by the original declarant.

Well, Newport phase two and Newport phase three for that matter, we're never annexed into the existing HOA.

So we're not subjected to that HOA, but the design guidelines say that it shall be governed by an HOA.

So yes, we will have an HOA.

Um, our HOA will um be responsible for maintenance of of the amenities.

Um our amenity package is more enhanced than what is even required in in the existing design guidelines.

So the HOA we will be in HOA, but it'll be it'll be separate from the current HOA.

That's correct.

Yes, so that's the same thing.

Yeah, it's um that's the biggest component of that is a communications agreement that is baked into the existing hoa that I agree with you 100%, Councilman Tillage, um, is a burden on uh on that portion um and does impact affordability.

So our hoa will not have any such enhanced costs or forced expenses onto uh on onto the residents of Newport phase two, such as that.

Gotcha.

Um and then my last state is more of a statement.

Um this is for phase two today.

Um, and of course for phase three when you all work on that later on in the future.

Um I would like to see you know how we could maybe incorporate you make you may mention that one being more multifamily, um things of that nature, see how we can make that more uh affordable.

Yeah, and just just to be clear, we um we only acquired phase two.

Another group owns Newport phase three that is unaffiliated with us.

Gotcha.

All right, thank you.

Uh so those are separate separate owners.

I appreciate it.

Yes, sir.

Councilwoman Thomas, ma'am.

You have the floor.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you for the presentation.

Um, just for I want to make sure I'm clear on the use permit request.

Can you go back to that slide with the the it had the left and right comparison numbers?

Um yeah, keep right here.

Okay, so in the package, which was rather long, um I wrote down there's just to make sure I'm clear, there's a hundred and sixty-nine condominiums units or stacked townhomes.

That is that correct.

That's what was presented in the package versus an 131 multifamily dwellings.

And but I okay, so I see the 131.

I think I'm reading this correctly, multi-family dwellings, but then I see 169 in the package.

Um, so there's like a difference from here than what's on page six in the package.

Just wanted to get some clarity there, Dr.

Russell.

It's not a big difference, but just wanted to make sure we're clear on the numbers in the units that we're voting on.

Mr.

Closet.

Okay.

Page six.

Um yeah, I think I saw them.

Page six of the package that we have in our documents where it says um, I'll tell you like, let me see.

I'll tell you what paragraph one, two, three, four, five, fifth paragraph.

That's it.

Dr.

Russell, can you yes?

I'm gonna try.

Yes.

So I have um I'm going to lean heavily on the applicant to support 299 attached units, and they are distributed with 136 stacked, 163 townhouse units.

And then um detach units, uh, 199 units.

Okay.

Yeah, and the package is defined, and it kind of lays it out.

I had to make a table just to make sure I'm tracking, but for parcel A, B, C, D, and E, um, totaling that up to 169 um condominium.

So if that and then the 131 for product B, um, it's right under that diagram on number page seven.

So I just wanted to make sure that we are consistent with what we're voting on uh from what's in the package versus what's here.

Maybe just if there's clarity of how I'm reading this package, let me know, and maybe I I'm on the wrong section.

Try and defined the page.

And thank you, Dr.

Russell.

I'm on page, oh I'm sorry, it's page for you, it's page three of seven.

And our document is like page seven of one twenty-two.

So but but page three of seven for file number use permit twenty-five-11.

Do you see it right under the diagram with the parcels?

The applicant proposes to create 131 townhouse units.

Is that yes, yes.

And um the 1990 detach units, is that yes.

Okay.

Yeah, but here it's 136.

Is it I think I can clarify thank you.

Melissa Venable is our land planning and civil engineer.

There are so the conditional use permit is applicable to all attached housing.

Townhouses and condominiums.

Some of our townhouse lots are actually fee simple lots.

They are not subjected to a condominium regime.

So the and I think that's what we're what we're referring to.

Yeah.

So some of the condominium, the the units listed as condominium units, are also require a site plan.

So that number could vary depending on whether it's an attached fee simple lot or a condominium attached lot.

Okay.

So there's still it's still 200 and round numbers 299 total units that is being considered under the attached housing and conditional use permit.

Okay.

Which is a portion of the entitled zoning.

Okay.

Thank you for that.

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

I'm sorry, if they move on to the case.

Ma'am, if you would please come, ma'am, ma'am, ma'am.

Sorry.

I'm sorry, but I need you to you can come up, ma'am.

You can come up and speak to the to the issue.

I need you to come to the microphone so that we can hear you.

I I'm I have a little a bit of a cold, so about this.

I apologize.

Um, this graphic that Tim was referring to is actually in that presentation if it helps for everyone to be looking at the same thing, but it just it just notes or shows the exact units that would be needed to be have that condominium overlay as opposed to just being fee simple townhouse.

That was all sorry about that.

Thank you.

Um, and thank you.

Uh other question I had um let me see a few questions here.

Um there was a question or email uh from the applicant in this package regarding um condition three, something regarding uh condition three regarding apartments, parentheses rental units.

Um, but I thought this was only this use permit is only regarding basically condominiums or townhomes.

Can I get an explanation of uh uh Mr.

Carter?

I just want to direct that question to Dr.

Russell just on that piece of the application process.

Yes, yes, okay.

Councilman Thomas in the planning commission deliberations and the planning commission deliberations regarding this use permit request.

Um I don't recall if it was the applicant or applicant or commissioners, but uh standard border plate condition that we attach to multi-family um lease units is um um video recording, continuous camera recording of the activities, and so the um commission agreed to consider language that would only require um see what we call CTV recording in the event that the development product was not an owner product, but you know, a uh lease rental not per unit, but a development that was was uh multifamily rental.

Okay, so that might be in effect for the next phase.

I don't know if I'm using it, or the next product or not at all.

That's not app applicable here because they're not rental development.

It is not, it is not applicable here, and I can't speak to the next phase.

I'm not sure what their plan entails.

Okay, and then also uh I saw comments from the schools um regarding possible density or support needed um as a result of increased student family population.

Um I don't have any comments or questions per se, but I did want to bring that note to uh my council colleagues, just that we as a council understand that we support housing and development, but that means that we also have to support uh future development and uh for our schools, which I'm sure we all do.

So just wanted to bring that point that that is the item, a point of consideration as we continue to develop these areas.

Um there were also comments from fire about density, but I don't think it was a stopper.

Um the only other question I had, I didn't see any comments from engineering, and I see our last traffic study was for this project in this totality was completed in the initial phase from 2004.

Um, with the development of the casino, um future uh planning that's happening, development that's happened with the phase one of this.

Is there a need to update the traffic study per se?

And I don't see Mr.

I want to ask that to Mr.

Carter to then um ask city planning around that.

How often um as we do these larger phased out um developments, should we be updating our traffic studies since the the last one for this particular development was 2004 floor as they get further along in that design phase where we actually get the engineering department to uh help or or reply or provide comments to what their designs are.

Um those kind of things will be addressed at that point.

So this we haven't got there yet.

Okay.

But there are there'll be other comment points.

That is definitely okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

And that's definitely um something I I hope we revisit for more often as we continue to make these developments.

Um, because I do think that 20 years is a bit too long to wait um as we are moving forward, like to kind of reassess what's been impacted.

Did the traffic patterns happen in the way that we expected them to happen and so forth.

So that's my recommendation here.

But thank you for the design.

I like the plan.

Um thank you.

Thank you.

May May I just Mr.

Mayor, may I just respond to her just for that one question?

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Um, thank you for that.

Councilwoman Thomas, just for clarity, we um as uh Mr.

Carter indicated, once we get a little further in our engineering there or when engineering gets a little further, that would be a study.

We we're at that point, and we've actually taken the traffic study that was done for the casino.

We've uh we've added some of our density to that to project what uh traffic improvements would would be required, and those recommended improvements were part of our second submittal of civil plans to the city for review.

So we've taken that step of updating that.

Uh we're at that point and have done that, and we've implemented the recommendations of set.

And I did thank you for that.

I did see that you all took it was like three recommendations.

I think you all two had already been implemented, and there was another um quote there was three total, I think.

Um so I do agree there, but I I do think that is pertinent to the city that we always go back and account for what does it really look like.

And then before I and I just want to reemphasize that um with the development, the schools did make comments that we do they will need additional support staff um and resources as we continue to to build in this development area.

So as a council, I think agreeing to con future current development or future development also means that we have to continue to have that conversation with our schools on how that support looks for our schools as well.

So thank you.

Thank you Councilman Dotson, sir.

You have the floor.

Thank you.

Um I'm not sure where this question goes.

I think it's gonna go to Dr.

Russell and and to you.

Um one of our concerns that we've had ongoing is the maintenance of the retention ponds.

Uh one of our neighbor neighborhoods, the peach tree neighborhood, the some of the neighborhoods aren't paying, and I'm concerned that is there any bite in the uh homeowners association the fees in case people decide 50% of us aren't gonna pay anymore.

Um there plans for that and uh as a city, are we accounting for that in the future as we talked about before?

Um from my from my perspective, uh Dr.

Dodson, um, yes, the HOA um would be responsible for the perpetual maintenance of the stormwater ponds.

That is gonna be in our HOA documents is gonna be a responsibility of the homeowners association.

Um how that has gotten complicated is some of these stormwater ponds are not under the purview of an HOA, or the HOA doesn't have teeth as you suggested.

Right, that's where we really enforce that.

Right.

All of our HOAs have lien rights.

Um they have foreclosure rights, they have very formidable teeth for those who don't pay.

Uh, because it's um those those associations are uh established to maintain an enhance value of your property, so having having those maintenance obligations considered in your budget and being an ongoing responsibility that's funded by the homeowners is paramount um and having some uh enforcement provisions in those some lien rights is really what it is.

The HOA will ultimately have lien rights to lien property uh through the court system uh to enforce their rights for payment.

And and just so we're clear, that's not a city function.

That is not a city function.

The city has nothing to do with that process.

That is not a city function.

I understand, but we had discussed with uh planning at one point how we could our concern with the lack of maintenance for these developments of these retention funds, and were we going to uh speak about handling this for future developments?

I didn't know whether we made any progress for that.

But it sounds like but this is one he's answered the question quite well.

Okay.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Councilman Hugo.

Yeah, thanks, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh Mr.

Culper, thanks for uh your commitment to invest in housing in Portsmouth as uh has always been commented.

We certainly uh need uh the housing.

Uh so my first comments uh kind of piling on to uh what councilwoman Thomas spoke to, and that is at our most recent school board liaison meeting, we had a conversation with the school board chair and this and the superintendent around uh uh the development that city council is uh uh reviewing and and in many cases approving and the potential impact that that will have on schools.

Uh so it's good to see that we got uh detailed comments back from the schools in the package.

Uh those comments address the staffing issues that this will create uh but but doesn't interestingly address the fact that there are 10 classrooms roughly that would be needed to accommodate the students, and in particular, I think the elementary students will be at victory, which is already uh uh uh overflowing into uh trailers in the backyard.

So I th uh so just for our own benefit uh uh we will need to uh to uh to think about uh uh school infrastructure as part not just staffing but uh but also where the kids gonna uh gonna sit.

Um and then uh for you, Mr.

Culpepper, uh back during the planning commission, I think you all were asked by the commissioners if you had engaged the phase one HOA to talk through kind of what your plans are and whatnot.

The answer then was no, as I recall.

Uh from then until now, I'm wondering if you had done that.

And the reason I'm asking is I think just today maybe uh we were engaged by the HOA wanting to get some insight into what your plans are.

So can you speak to that, please?

Excuse me, yes, sir.

Um to date we have not had a formal meeting with the HOA.

Um because our plans don't constitute a change in the intended use.

Um we we haven't reached out because our plans are 100 percent in conformance with what's been planned for for 20 years.

Um what we do by practice is once we get approved plans and we have more clarity on our schedule and when we'll start and when there'll be construction activity and construction traffic that is in the vicinity of existing residents, we will reach out to them.

Um we'll advise them of when we're gonna start, what our construction schedule will be.

We don't have that clarity tonight because we haven't gone through full plan approval or gotten full approval on our civil design plans.

Once we get there, we'll have that engagement.

Um we will also there'll be a dedicated project manager to Newport Phase 2.

Residents will have direct contact information for that person.

So if there's an issue, we'll have phone numbers on our board for emergency contacts.

So, yeah, we will have um we will have that engagement once we have more clarity on our schedule and when some of the the um the growing pains of of construction will be will be imminent so they can be prepared for that.

Okay, I heard what you said.

I understand what you said and why you said it.

I'm gonna encourage you as a good neighbor to uh at least make contact with that hoa and and uh maybe fill them in on uh kind of where you stand and and and and the information that's uh been publicly presented tonight just to uh kind of open the the dialogue as you go through this process.

But again, thanks for uh for investing in housing in Portsmouth.

Thank you.

Question Mayor Motors.

Thank you, Mayor, and I echo what my colleague uh just said about uh thanking you for your investment in Portsmouth, and also the uh uh continuation of what was an exciting kickoff on the announcement back in 2005 uh when council approved the uh uh the development.

We also approved the formation of the development authority uh that was formed to uh pay for the roads uh uh infrastructure, utilities, uh lighting.

Uh and we did that uh and and of course then the formation of the authority uh uh did a bond issuance uh of over 16 million dollars uh to pay for those things.

And uh I guess my question, we mentioned the HOA, uh, but there was uh uh a community uh uh development authority formed.

Uh so my question uh to our attorney, are they one and the same?

Is the development authority the same as the HOA?

It's my understanding they aren't.

Okay.

So is the authority?

Mr.

Challenger, you have the floor, sir.

Click the button.

It's a Newport Development Authority.

Yeah, they meet uh once a year, and one of the members is a resident there.

Um so there is an authority that meets um regularly.

They have a separate from the HOA.

Correct.

Okay, that's that's what I wanted to uh uh get across.

So in the new development, is the uh is the city gonna be footing the bill for any of the infrastructure?

Because we didn't in the initial development through the Newport Development Authority.

No, sir.

There's there's no um city funding of the new development work moving forward, at least not in Newport phase two.

Okay.

And my other question, since those special assessments are included within the uh our real estate assessments in the same bill, do we do we know uh and my question is not to you, it's to staff and and our assessors, and he may have to get back with us.

Are those uh uh any of those delinquent?

And I would invite our our assessor to to come to answer that.

Mr.

Edwards, if you would come forward, please.

Correct.

I will have to get back to you on that.

I'll have to Okay, and and I didn't want to put you in the spot, but uh I think it's good for council to uh to know that because those assessments are really in the form of a lien.

Uh uh each buyer, if if the property is sold, the lien is still on the property.

Uh and uh so that uh I I've always wondered since since that is the case and the lien stays with the property.

Is that is that computed in with your price?

I think you mentioned the sale price is gonna be somewhere in the twos.

Yes, sir.

From a starting standpoint, they'll be in the in the high 200s, and yes, it is contemplated in there.

There's um an enhanced assessment that's uh paid through real estate taxes uh as you suggested, Councilman Moody.

Um to my knowledge, we're we're we're paid to date.

I I do know that we've uh uh I do know that we've um we did pay a single assessment, what I would say in in protest and written protest, and that was for an assessment period that was prior to our ownership.

Um it was as of the auction date and not as of the date that we actually took title to the property.

That also has been paid.

Um so uh relative to Newport Phase 2 that I think everything has been so.

So all the all the assessments uh of the properties are that's correct are up to date.

That's right.

Terrific.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you again for the the investment.

And it is exciting to see uh uh this uh project come to final fruition.

So thank you.

We're excited about moving it forward.

Thanks.

Yes, thank you all for your engagement.

Thank you, Mr.

Clowpepper, for your engagement, and I will echo all of my colleagues' sentiment in that 22 years is a long time.

But we finally see a way forward, and we appreciate the investment and subsequent partnership.

Um I would too would encourage you to reach out to all parties that need to be just updated.

It's good, it's good neighborly practices.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Yes, sir.

Thank you for your time.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a public hearing.

If you wish to come speak on this item, you're not required to sign up, but you are required to state your name and address, and you will have five minutes.

Seeing none, this public hearing is closed.

Colleagues, we're in need of a motion and a second.

Move adoption.

Second.

Any additional discussion, please vote electronically.

This item is adopted 70.

That concludes our public hearing items on the agenda.

We now move the city manager's report.

Y'all want me?

We now move to city manager's report.

Vice Mayor Moody, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um I'd like to make a motion to alter the agenda.

We have a we have a motion to alter agenda and a second.

Please vote electronically.

This motion is adopted 70.

Mayor, I'd also like to make a motion at this time that we vote on the city manager's report in its entirety.

Second.

Please vote electron, excuse me.

Wait.

Is there any discussion on this item?

I need to read the items.

Okay.

Okay, before we vote on it.

Okay.

Got it.

Okay.

Item 2608, adoption of an ordinance accepting settlement funds in the amount of 85,832 and twelve cents from the PFAS settlement with DuPont and appropriating set amount in the FY 2026 public utilities fund for use by the Department of Public Utilities for water supply and testing and treatment and other authorized uses under the term of the settlement.

26 09.

Adoption of an ordinance accepting respite care funding in the amount of $2,070 from the Virginia Department of Social Services and appropriating set amount in the FY 2026 Social Services Fund for Direct Supervision of Children by respite care providers.

26-10, adoption of an ordinance accepting a vacation starts with VA MMLP co-op program grant in the amount of 1,250 from the Virginia Tourism Corporation and appropriating set amount in the FY 2026 grants fund for use by the Department of Museums and Tourism and for marketing.

26-11 adoption of an ornaments accepting funding in the amount of $53,623 from the Virginia Office of Children's Services and appropriating set funds in the FY 2026 Social Services Fund for Children's Services Act Administrative Cost.

26-12 adoption of an ordinance accepting universal service schools and libraries e-rate program funds in the amount of $23,978 from Cox Enterprises and appropriating set sum in the FY 2026 general fund for use by the Department of Libraries.

26-13 adoption of an ordinance accepting an allocation of 123,630 from the state compensation board technology trust fund and appropriating set amount in the FR 2026 grants fund for use by the Portsmouth Circuit Court Clerk's Office to fund technology maintenance and improvements.

26-14 adoption of an ordinance accepting a specialty docket grant in the amount of 104,926 and nine cents from the office of the executive secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia and appropriating set funds in the FY 2026 Behavioral Health Care Service Fund for use in connection with the Portsmouth Adult Recovery Court.

26-15 adoption of an ordinance accepting workforce funding in the amount of 174,966 from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services as distributed by Region 5 and appropriating set funds in the FY 2026 Behavioral Health Care Service Fund for use in connection with employee signing or retention bonuses or other workforce initiatives.

And finally, 26-16 adoption of an ordinance accepting settlement funds in the amount of 269,765 and 39 cents from opioid settlement and appropriating said amount in the FY 2026 Behavioral Health Care Service Fund for use by BHS for approved abatement purposes as defined by the Virginia Opioard Fund and Settlement Allocation MOU.

We have the motion and a second.

Is there any discussion?

Please vote electronically.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Yes, sir.

Now we'll move on to the next item on our agenda, which is new business 26 17 boards and commissions.

Councilman Hugo, do we have any boards or commissions to report?

Mr.

Mayor, we have no board and commission business for this evening.

Thank you.

Next item.

Thank you.

Next item 26-18.

Item submitted by council members.

Councilman Tillage, you have the floor, sir.

Thank you, Mayor.

I just have one announcement I want to make.

Um next Tuesday, January the 20th, um, at 7 p.m., the Virginia Symphony will be hosting its annual Martin Luther King uh concert at Isa Norcombe at 7 o'clock.

And this is a great opportunity for you to bring your family out to be able to enjoy some good music while um being able to commemorate the great legacy of uh Dr.

Martin Luther King.

Um in this year that they will also be honoring um a member of our community, and so please come out and uh be a part of that uh great night.

And I'm very proud to say that the Virginia Symphony is really um investing their time and their energy um here in the city of Portsmouth to be able to bring fun, good family fund entertainment um to our citizens and also introducing others to what the symphony really is thank you, sir.

Councilman Dodson, sir.

You have the floor.

Thank you.

Um, and uh city manager, I apologize for bringing this up at this time.

I should have brought it up in our meeting, the 250 celebration.

I know we've talked about a Harbor Master over and over and over.

Do we have some designation for that?

And would you mind getting back to me at a later date with uh the considerations that we're making for that?

And I apologize my apologies.

Uh, secondly, my only uh big announcement is I got finally got a library tour, and I was amazed at at how our library operates on a string budget for the services they give.

Um, amazing book selection in the basement.

Um just a neat, neat place to hang out.

I'd love for everybody to visit it.

Thank you, sir.

Councilwoman Bryant, ma'am.

You have the floor.

Thank you for that segue, Councilman Dodson.

Uh, had the pleasure today of visiting the Main Street Library Branch, which opened a new exhibit.

So I encourage you to stop by.

It runs through the end of February.

It is on loan from Alexandria, um, and it displays the process for Alexandria's sit-in in 1939, which then led to the eventual um integration of Virginia public libraries.

So while you're there, you can read that history.

Um, and you can also visit the history room in the bottom of the main street branch, which is open Mondays and Tuesdays from 10 to 4 and get some access to some of Portsmouth's very own history, which parallels in many ways the Alexandria example.

Um, tomorrow we hope that you will join us for Rock the Block.

We will be in Prentice Park.

The meeting place is Pearl and Jefferson Streets at 9 a.m.

And excited to have our behavioral health care teams and social services teams out there on site to share information about the services that they offer.

So please come out and join city staffers.

This is a wonderful initiative.

Um, lots of city staff come out and blanket a neighborhood and give it lots of loving care.

Um, also want to shout out our fire EMS and dispatchers who councilman Tillage, um, the mayor and councilman Hugo and I got to attend the firefighter awards last last week.

Was it last week?

Um, and celebrate their um hard work and bravery over the last year.

So that was a wonderful experience.

Um, and just to councilwoman Thomas's point and Councilman Hugo's point about the new development that we just approved with our schools.

Um, we will certainly have that conversation tomorrow when we have our next school board liaison meeting.

So looking forward to talking to our school partners more about that and upcoming developments in the city.

So thank you all.

Thank you, ma'am.

Councilwoman Thomas, ma'am.

You have the floor.

Thank you so much, Mayor.

Um, just want to give a shout out and say happy founders day to the women of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.

Um, this week I, as a member, I had the pleasure to speak with the uh Portsmouth Alumni Chapter Social Action Committee for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, uh, part of Delta their mission involving um social action and being active, and so the chapter they wanted to know how they could be more involved and active and supporting the city's efforts, and we talked about a lot of the development there.

They gave great feedback, uh, which I want to follow up on here regarding just being more aware of what we have going on in the city and increasing our outreach to the community.

So one of them gave a suggestion about um making sure all of our faith-based um community, all of our churches are actually sent those messages from Portsmouth Connect.

So uh just wanted to pass that on to my our city manager and Mr.

Peter Gagola for possibly connecting um all of our faith-based uh communities or organizations to our Portsmouth um notifications so that they can spread the word to their members, their congregation about things that they can support in terms of volunteer efforts, um, community engagement and so forth.

So they also gave great feedback around some of the things that they want to support around medical care, um, urgent care, um, and all so many other things with civic engagement.

So we had a great conversation.

I want to just say happy founders and thank you, thank them for their active um service in the community.

Um, and on that part, I did want to follow up.

We had a great discussion at our work session, city council work session yesterday.

Um, and we talked about an upcoming public interest meeting for our Crawford Bay development, and so I just wanted to see if there was an update on the location for that first public interest meeting that's scheduled to happen on January 28th.

Anything yet?

Mr.

Carter, Mr.

Carter.

Uh no, ma'am.

We we talked about it last night.

We haven't solidified anything thus far.

Okay, well, okay.

We will let you know as soon as we do.

All right, so no location at TBD, but to the public, the first public interest meeting for the Crawford Bay development will happen January 28th.

So I encourage everyone to stay updated on the city's website, social media pages, however, we're gonna send it out because your input and um just bringing you along in this process is very important.

So thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Vice Mayor Moody, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh a citizen came to me last week with a suggestion of all things on our panhandling signs.

They say we uh our signs say contribute uh to the solution, but they offer no direction for the solution.

And uh since then I've noticed that uh I believe it's the city of Chesapeake has an addition to their no panhandling signs, a number for people who want to be part of the solution to contact.

So if staff could look into that, uh I think that's a great idea.

Uh instead of just uh uh generalization of uh being part of the solution.

I think we should uh point them in the right direction to be the solution.

Thank you.

Thank you, Vice Mayor, Councilman Hugel.

Yeah, thanks, Mayor.

Uh so it's uh 2026, and that means this summer, July the 4th, the nation will celebrate our 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Uh, here uh locally, uh, we've had a committee that's been stood up for uh more than a year now planning uh the events associated with that 250th celebration.

Uh this morning uh leadership of that committee met with the mayor, city manager, and city staff to talk about uh one important event upcoming.

And I want to share it because uh you'll want to put a placeholder on your calendar.

The third weekend in June, June 19th to the 22nd is sale 250.

Sail 250 is a tall ship visit to the Hampton Roads Harbor.

Uh it'll be the largest tall ship visit uh along the East Coast, uh dating all the way back to Opsale 2012.

So 14 years since uh we've had the collection of tall ships, uh make port here in Hampton Roads, like we're gonna see uh on the the third weekend in June.

Uh so there are uh uh history activities uh that are being planned.

There are fun activities that are being planned.

Uh we expect to have uh out of towners uh bust their way here uh to see the tall ships and uh to celebrate with us.

Uh so please mark your calendars for the third weekend in June, uh, which will be the uh the celebration of sale 250.

Thanks, Mayor.

Thank you, sir.

Unless I would like to share with everyone on January 19th, the leaders of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated Gamma Delta Omega chapter, uh, will have a MLK day of service.

It's gonna take place at the Social Services Building starting, I believe, at 9 30 a.m.

to 12 30 p.m.

They're asking citizens to bring items.

It's listed on our website.

Please participate if you can, and if nothing else, stop by encourage you know those leaders who are working to help those individuals and the school students in our community.

Thank you.

Item 26-19 report on pinning items.

Mr.

Carter, sir, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, a couple items.

One is you already have um our report back, so uh please take a look at that and let me know if there's any comments or questions about anything that's listed there.

Uh I also want to make an announcement for our uh main library.

Uh I think it's um on the 17th.

Uh the singer Melbourne Moore will be there uh doing a book sign.

So if you're a fan of that genre of music, she will be in our um uh uh main library on January the 17th.

And finally, to all of you who have reached out and all the world wishes uh to my wife, I thank you for all that you've said and done uh to try and make that uh process easier for her and her family.

So thank you very much.

I'll be uh going to join them tomorrow.

Uh so just let you know uh Dr.

Coleman uh will be around to to handle all the appointments in my stead.

But again, thank you so much for all that you've done uh to support us in this situation.

You're welcome, sir, and we wish you safe travels and can continue prayers uh from your portion of family here in the city.

Thank you.

Our next item, 26-20, non-agenda speakers.

Madam Clerk, would you please read the speaker statement?

Yes, sir.

Ladies and gentlemen, city council rules require a limit of up to five minutes to speak.

As you approach the speaker's podium, you'll notice the timer.

At the beginning of your five minutes, you will see a green light.

Four minutes into your remarks, you will notice a yellow light.

At the end of five minutes, you will see a red light here beep, and we ask that you conclude your comments at that time.

While speakers have an opportunity to address council on matters of public concern, all matters should be direct.

Excuse me, I'm sorry, I am reading this wrong.

While speakers have an opportunity to address counsel on matters of public concern, all comments should be made in a manner that respects the seriousness of the forum and should not be made in a belligerent, sarcastic or demeaning fashion.

All remarks shall be directed to the city council as a body rather than any particular member of City Council staff of the audience, and should be limited to matters that only the Porson City Council can influence.

A speaker who fails to observe this basic growth decorum will be deemed out of order and not allowed to conclude his or her comments.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

And with that announcement, our first speaker tonight is Mr.

William Richardson.

If you would come forward, state your name and address, sir.

You will have five minutes.

I'm the owner of Richardson Top of the Line Tree Service.

Could you please speak into the mic a little more, sir, so we can hear you?

There you go.

My name is William Richardson, also known as Bink Richardson.

I am the first African American State Arborist Assay certified in the state of Virginia.

So with that being on, I'm gonna say justified wrongs for manipulated loyalty and false narrative in order to secretly commit criminal acts and benefit friends or friends in political positions to orchestrate organized crime activity as a city official.

There was attempted murders, Ponzi schemes, rackaturn, embezzlements, misappropriation of city funds behind the back of the CFO and the city manager, and then purposely misinforming the people of the city of Portsmouth to gain half rankings for have ranking city officials to come to and their constituents for their personal bank accounts.

Councilman Mooney, sir, you have the floor.

Excuse me.

Uh point of order, uh rule state that uh speakers do not uh mention uh criticize people by name or title, especially when everyone knows who hold who the title holder is.

Your point of order is taken, sir.

Um you need to speak to the issue.

Um if you're unable to speak to the issue, that's okay.

I I I can't.

Okay, so pretty much in this in the disbursement, there's uh coercion, collusion, conspiracy.

Uh there's a lot of misappropriated funds.

There's a lot of things that link to things in our city that have happened in our city, things that even trump that our crime rate.

These things need to be looked into, and pretty much when you sit and you speak on these things, they say a hit dog.

So, you know, and did in here there's shell companies that link to city officials, and it's not right.

And pretty much it was stated by uh the past CFO and city manager.

She stated that that the criminal acts was done and you could find them in the city disbursement.

Sir, we're still going down that that that track so we we we're not here to approve or or deny criminal acts.

That's not the issue.

You need to speak to the concern.

But I'm saying we can't affect that.

We can't affect that as a council in that manner in this discussion today.

So if you don't have anything other than that, I I think you need to change the line that you deliver.

There's nothing more to say.

It proved the point.

Thank you, sir.

Oh, we're not.

Our next speaker is Mr.

David Hurst.

Sir, if you would come forward, state your name and address, you will have five minutes.

My name is David Hurst, and I'm at Tim Crawford Parkway.

And uh I'm a tourist, came across the northern tier of the U.S., uh, picked up a boat in uh New London, Connecticut, and I'm sailing down the coast.

Found Portsmouth, and I kind of like it here.

I've been here two years.

If somebody was gonna say, you know, what do you dislike about Portland?

I have to say not much, but there's a couple things.

Okay.

Restrooms and sidewalks.

Okay.

Sidewalks are wonderful.

You've got these paid brick pavers.

Man, they need a lot of work.

And you don't seem to have an organized or systematic approach with systems and processes where you have a couple of guys out taking care of things.

I can see places where it's been marked for two years.

The pain's wearing off.

Nobody's done anything about it.

This is under your responsibility.

What's up with that?

The second thing is the cleanliness of the parking garage.

When I got here, the restrooms were open and they were kept clean.

And now they're shut down.

They're open one day a month, and that's when they have the flea market in there.

And the stairwells smell like a manure pit on a farm.

And if you don't have any experience with that, all you have to do is walk down to the midtown garage, walk in there, and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

They're urinating in the stairwells, on the stairs, against the walls, and you don't have an open restroom, although it's designated a public restroom.

And I've talked to some of you people, and you say, Oh, you're aware of it, but why isn't anything being done about it?

The next thing is talking is not doing.

Not until somebody picks up the tools and gets to work, is anything done.

Slogans are just a feel-good excuse for not doing something.

So you want people to come here.

That's what everybody says.

You want people to come to Portsmouth.

But when you invite somebody over to your house, do you leave the restroom in the worst?

You not clean it for two weeks or a month.

Because that's what you're showing.

Every time.

So what's up with that?

I was asked if I was going to harass you, and I said, No, I'm not gonna harass you.

But I'm gonna harass you a little bit because you guys are tough enough to take it.

But this is it's shows.

It's just the the lack of taking care of the small things shows.

So how are you gonna get people here?

The only thing that's worked consistently that I've seen in my lifetime is festivals.

People like festivals.

And it's not one festival or two festivals.

A town in Washington State where I'm from, it's the city capital.

And they have a busy agenda every weekend of the year.

They've got a festival for this, a festival for that.

We have oyster festivals, clam festivals, muscle festivals, tugboat races.

You name it.

We have it.

So I won't take any more of your time.

I'm gonna harass you further.

I love the town, I love the climate.

But come on, please.

Clean up the act.

Thank you, sir.

Councilman Dodson, sir, you have the floor.

Um do we have an update on this?

Because we discussed it at a previous meeting.

City manager.

Do we have an update on those uh restrooms he's talking about?

Because we had discussed it a couple meetings ago.

I don't remember the discussion, but no, I don't have it updated this time.

I get to get one.

I can get you an update.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Rachel Copeland.

Rachel, if you will come forward, state your name and address.

You will have five minutes.

Good evening.

I'm Rachel Copeland.

I own Cooper's Restaurant located at 3112 Heist Street, and this is Pastor Sheila S.

She is one of my partners.

She partners with me on Monday nights to host Project Phoenix, which is a Christian-based drug alcohol PTSD anxiety depression support group that we host at the restaurant every Monday night.

And on the first Monday of each month, we feed a free dinner at that meeting as well.

And we would love to have some of y'all come down and see what it's about because we would like to find avenues where we can better promote it through the city.

Um her organization is eligible to sign off.

So if it's court mandated treatment programs, we have the ability, they sign in on a sign-in sheet, and it can work for their PO officer, all of that.

So we would like to find out more ways to deal with that.

Um I'd also like to give you an update.

The free feeding that I did in November, Pastor Sheila partnered with me on that as well.

We had what, probably 10, 15 different pastors, missionaries, evangelists, a slew of volunteers.

We ended up serving 720 free dinners to the city of Portsmouth.

Probably we find a final count.

We counted about 40 to 50 people that rededicated or came to Christ for their first time.

Don't know how many hundreds of people got prayer, how many times we broke out into song.

We had a Holy Ghost good time up in my restaurant.

And the last time I was here, I re I asked all of you guys if you remembered that the city of Portsmouth actually had a song.

And I don't believe any of y'all remembered it, but I'd like to read it real quick.

I'm trying not to go over our time.

And this is presented on behalf of Project Phoenix and Cooper's Restaurant.

Portsmouth is for people.

Portsmouth is for people.

All kinds of people of a good place to live, work, and play, where we can help one another, treat each other as a brother.

The time to begin is today.

Portsmouth is for people, all kinds of people.

With our help, it surely will grow.

Starting now, you are invited to work together united.

If we reap first, we have to sow.

And if you try, you will find a world of joy waiting for you.

And you will see why your peace of mind is derived from the great things that you do.

Portsmouth helping people, all kinds of people.

Just open your eyes and you will see that Portsmouth is for people, and with people helping people, it would be a better home for you and me.

You and me.

Portsmouth is for people, all kinds of people, a good place to live, work, and play, where we can help one another, treat each other like a brother.

The time to begin is today.

Just watch us grow.

You're sure to know that Portsmouth is for people.

And we would like to present this to y'all to hopefully find someplace in City Hall to hang it to call all of us back to this.

And the young men and women that were up here this morning at the beginning of the meeting embodied that.

It represented that if we all come together as community, we can make this city back to the light on the hill it used to be and get rid of the negative that everybody says about it.

So I call all of you, I call all of you.

I call the entire city of Portsmouth.

Let's raise our hands together and work together, not divided.

And I'd like Pastor Sheila, real quick if she can, just to talk more on Project Phoenix.

Unfortunately, unfortunately, she she's not a registered speaker, so that's not a procedure.

But she's welcome to come back, and we'd love to hear more about it.

So I think it's an ongoing ministry.

We'd love to hear more later.

Can I give a little bit then briefly?

You can give a little bit briefly.

You still have some time.

We go through the 12 steps, it is based off of the 12 steps with the Bible backing of it.

And what we try and teach is true recovery, that through Christ, through council, through meeting together and stuff.

You don't ever no longer have to claim I'm an alcoholic.

You don't have to keep calling that condemnation down on you through Christ and through community and through binding together and having people support us and uplift us.

You can truly be healed from alcohol, drugs, whatever, and begin to see that life that Christ envisioned for you that we don't envision for ourselves.

So that's that's what it we're all about.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Copeland.

Thank you for that presentation.

And Councilman Moody, sir, you have the floor.

Thank thank you, Mayor.

Um thank you, Ms.

Copeland for uh gifting the uh our city's song.

And in saying that, I don't know that we've ever adopted that as our official city song.

I don't I don't recall it doing my tenure here.

And it it reminds me of my uh late uh colleague, uh councilwoman uh Marlene Randall.

Uh Marlene used to uh uh invoke the city song quite often.

She may have uh even uh uh broke out in song uh on occasion.

I won't do that.

Uh won't spare you.

And uh Mayor, if uh if if my colleagues are in agreement, I think that one I think we should officialize our city song.

I don't think we've ever done that.

I know states have uh their official bird, uh official insect, official plant.

I think I think we need to uh formalize it and have uh an official song because that song encompasses just about everything we work and uh to accomplish in our city.

So that's a wonderful gift, uh and uh uh delighted that you uh thought of us and bringing that to us.

And on another note, I was in your restaurant with the uh company that uh uh worked with uh a few weeks ago, and uh uh I was certainly impressed with the professionalism of your staff and as well as the food.

Uh so you you have a wonderful restaurant.

I I tell everybody I don't own a God does, he just gave me a job at a mission that I love, and FYI, we are doing another feeding the end the last Monday in March that will be again open free to the community for anybody who is in need.

All right, and Councilwoman Thomas, maybe you have the floor.

Yes, um, I thank you so much, and your heart and your restaurant uh represents the best of Horseman.

So thank you both so much.

And I I agree with Vice Mayor Moody.

I like that song.

I so um I I'd say we make it official as well.

Um, I do wanted to ask you to can you get the date you said that for Project Phoenix is you said it's the first Monday.

The first Monday, uh so it's it we meet every Monday, but the first Monday we do a dinner in conjunction with it that we would love to have any of y'all attend.

At 7 p.m.

Okay.

Um I think it's great what you're doing.

Um, you know, food and healing the soul and mind and body, my I'll shout out my own dad over there, he right here.

Keep your hand, Dad.

My dad, uh, the drug and alcohol abuse counselor.

So um that's near and dear to my heart, and that you do that in the work that my dad does as well.

I think that's amazing to to bring people back fully through that journey of process.

So thank you for all that you do and that you're continuing to do.

And I I hope to make it one is one of the Mondays to visit.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

And to to the request, uh, I will uh bring that request to our city clerk who will investigate the process and procedure for that to potentially happen.

Is that fair?

Thank you very much.

Our next speaker is Mr.

Aaron Cody.

Mr.

Cody, if you come forward, state your name and address.

You will have five minutes.

Good evening, and happy new year, City Council.

I am Aaron Cody, and I live at 2908 Tan Bark Lane.

The last time I spoke to you, I described six recent examples of when ranked choice voting was used in elections.

Tonight I will explain the legal authority the Portsmouth City Council has to do what Arlington and Charlottville County Boards have already done, adopt ranked choice voting.

Code of Virginia, section 24.2-673.1, ranked choice voting, defines ranked choice voting and authorizes the elections of members of a city council by ranked choice voting.

The law requires a city council to consult with the local electoral board and general registrar before deciding to conduct an election by rank choice voting.

The decision to conduct an election by ranked choice voting may be made by a majority vote of the city council that the office being elected serves.

The code also provides information about regulations the state board may promulgate and standards the state board may administer or prescribe for voter outreach and public information program for use by any locality conducting ranked choice voting.

The House bill passed in 2020, resulting in the code was supported by both delegates and the senator representing Portsmouth.

If there are no changes to the code, the authority for the Portsmouth City Council to adopt ranked choice voting expires on July 1st, 2031.

So voters have more power to elect city council members with a demonstrated majority of support.

Thank you, Mr.

Good.

Our next speaker, Mr.

Sergey O'Neill.

Sir, if you would come forward, state your name and address.

You will have five minutes.

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of council.

First of all, happy new year.

Haven't seen you all since uh late last year.

Had to take a few meetings off.

Um first of all, I'd like to say, as far as I'm looking at community engagement, and I would like to say thank you to those who made a decision to have Printest Park as the first rock the block event of 2026.

Um we we suffered a great loss, some great losses over the last few weeks, and especially with our kids.

Um we we shouldn't end a year like we ended 2025.

Uh I think you know if nothing else, it shows the commitment to community service when we take uh an opportunity like rot the block and go into an area that has suffered such tragedy and really try to bring that wholesomeness back and uh really bring some resources to those in that community that may not know they exist at all.

Um so just thank you all for that.

Um, secondly, with community engagement, I want to point out, and if I'm wrong, please say my wrong, council Councilman Dotson.

He came to my house, and we took a tour of Prentice Park.

He wanted to see exactly what the situation was, how it looks from the bird's eye view, the on the boots on the ground view.

And and I will say it was interesting the night he came because nothing was going on.

It was barely anybody outside.

And I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but in any event, he got to see in real time exactly what our community looks like, where some of the issue places are, and listen to some pop some possible solutions on how to address those situations.

I don't I don't I know a few, I don't see many of my neighbors that come to City Council and really, you know, speak up to what's going on.

I know there's a few that do, but many that don't.

Um I actually moved to a new part of uh a different part of Prince Park now, um Nashville Avenue.

So, you know, and seeing my neighbors on that side of Print's Park, it's almost like night and day from the area of Duke Street and Elm and all of those, it's a like almost like a whole different side of town almost.

And given even with that, given that I can see Dale's home right outside my front window, it's still like that that section of Portsmouth seems like a it's like a mist almost a mystery.

Anyway, I would like to thank Councilman Dotson for coming out and really seeing what it's about.

Um I always invite any any of you all to come to Prentice Park to really get that same tour to really get to see what you know what is has happened, some of the new things that have come up, and some of the the same problems that we've dealt with for a long time.

Some of these problems have been around since before I was born.

Um any event, I I also would like to add this, and I'm speaking this from a person that's really, you know, very um focused on our youth.

We have uh a partnership called Portsmouth United in the city, and Portsmouth United has done some great things to address you know crime and other situations in this city.

However, I think that from a from a uh standpoint of there, I would hope that you all are really paying attention to what you Fortsman United is doing.

Um I I can say that uh Chief Jenkins, you know, I I he's he's called my phone.

We've had plenty of conversations, we had plenty of face-to-face conversations.

I I can't say I've seen somebody more dedicated to what he's trying to do with Portsmouth United and bringing everybody together.

I I would say that I think council members should attend those meetings and get to see those individuals who are partnering with Ports Portsmouth United and get to learn what they do across this city.

Um also say is that you know it gives it would give you all an example of some of the people that may not come to this meeting, but may be able to make that meeting and really get to put a face with a name and get to see and get to learn about those organizations and how they really impact um Portsmouth.

I say all that to say again, you know, thank you all for what you are doing.

I hope the and continued improvement across Portsmouth is recognized.

Thank you, sir.

Councilman Dotson, you have the phone.

Uh Mr.

Neil, you promised me a list of action items from that car ride.

I'm still looking forward to that.

Um if any of you do go want to go for a ride, please.

He's he's not a bad driver.

Thank you, sir.

Our next speaker, Miss Donna Biggs, Ms.

Biggs, if you would come forward, state your name and address.

You will have five minutes.

Good evening.

Good evening.

My name is Donna Biggs.

I am the principal that is authorizing the elected to act on my behalf.

I live in the Woodvine Farms neighborhood in Churchland.

The City Council is the agent being authorized to act on my behalf as well as the residents' behalf to physically work to get projects done as ordained by the people.

Also, as our agents, y'all are required to get the structure of our city in place, not only in reference to the city's department as well as throughout the city's environment as a whole, which is supported by our Bill of Rights.

Article one, section three, states that government is instituted for the common benefit.

That government is or ought to be instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation or community of all the various modes and forms of government that is best, which is capable of producing the greatest degree of happiness and safety, and is most effectually secured against the danger of maladministration.

And whenever any government shall be found inadequate or contrary to these purposes, a majority of the community has the right to reform, alter, or abolish it in such a manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public welfare.

Last night there was a present presentation given to City Council regarding the waterfront.

I recopied it so I could understand what he was trying to tell us.

Okay, and this agreement by a division of the community and economic development authority is not authorized to make the decisions to create a waterfront development cooperative agreement and present it to the city council council members to enforce.

This is evidence that the Portsmouth City government has not instituted any common benefit, protection and security of the people, nation or community by its maladministration and allowing the historic sites and architecture to be demolished and housing put on the land without the people's consent.

And if you look at the section 15 point or two-2306 of the Code of Virginia, pertains to the preservation of historical sites and architectural areas.

So if you look at the rules, uh so I just thought I just before I close.

What am I getting for it?

All right.

So you want to keep everybody poor in the city.

There's a definition for that, but I can't say it.

Then looking in the budget book is the community and economic development department.

And there's all these divisions in it.

Okay.

So now we the people can file a petition to the circuit court to prevent this demolition of historic buildings.

This is a call to action to obtain petitions, stop this Marxism takeover of our city.

Communism in the city.

Thank you, ma'am.

Yes, sir.

Our next our next speaker is Mr.

Sherman Tyler.

Mr.

Tyler, if you're here, please come forward, state your name and address.

You will have five minutes.

Thank you, Scone.

Moving right along, our next speaker is Mr.

Philip Johnson.

Mr.

Johnson, if you are here, state your name in a jet.

Come forward, state your name and address.

You will have five minutes.

Thank you, Scott.

Next speaker is Jessica Saxton.

Ms.

Saxton, if you're here, state your name and address.

You will have five minutes.

She's gone.

And the last speaker is Kawa Downey.