Richmond City Council Informal Meeting - March 23, 2026: FY 2025 ACFR Presentation, Consent Agenda, and Closed Session
Richmond City Council Informal Meeting - March 23, 2026
The Richmond City Council held an informal meeting on March 23, 2026, to address consent agenda items, receive the FY 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) from the administration and external auditor, and later convene a closed session to discuss cybersecurity threats.
Consent Calendar
- The clerk reviewed agenda items, noting amendments, continuances, and waiver requests. Councilmember Robertson requested waiver of committee referral for items 5, 7, and 8 due to cancellation of a standing committee meeting; council consensus approved.
- Items continued to April 27, 2026: Resolution 2026-R003 and several ordinances. Items 14–22 (budget-related) were continued to April 13, 2026, after the budget public hearing.
- Councilmember Gibson noted she would abstain from item 2 (ordinance 2026-003).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Council discussed public comment duration. President initially proposed two minutes to accommodate many speakers. Councilmember Gibson preferred the standard three minutes. Seventeen individuals had signed up to speak. The final decision was to allow three minutes unless numbers grew significantly.
Discussion Items
- FY 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR)
- CAO Donald presented the report, noting it was late due to turnover in financial leadership, delayed component unit data, and implementation of new GASB standards. He emphasized accuracy over speed and stated the delay did not affect budget development. The city remains in compliance with state notification requirements.
- Greg Miller (CLA) presented audit results: an unmodified (clean) opinion on the financial statements, one material weakness related to reporting of EDA bonds, and six management recommendations (including staffing). The single audit is still in process. The audit was completed with no disagreements with management.
- Councilmember Gibson questioned the discrepancy between the CAFR's property tax revenue ($595.8 million) and the budget's actual figure ($584.5 million) for FY 2025, a difference of about $10 million. She also requested a breakdown of the surplus calculation (estimated at $22 million, final $12.6 million). CAO Donald explained that the initial estimate was a compliance snapshot based on incomplete data; the final figure incorporated all component unit information.
- Councilmember Albacher flagged a typo on page 15 of the ACFR regarding assessed value growth (stated as 7.5% when actual growth exceeded 200%). She also asked about improving processes with component units to avoid future delays. CAO Donald committed to earlier timelines and ramping up coordination.
- Councilmember Breton requested a comparison of the assumptions used in the surplus estimate versus final data. CAO Donald agreed to provide bundled component unit submissions.
- CAO Donald also noted that the Fire Department overspent its budget by $4.1 million, partly due to overtime, and that similar pressures existed in other departments.
Key Outcomes
- Council voted to go into closed session (motion by Councilmember Jones, second by Albacher) under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to discuss cybersecurity threats. The motion passed with ayes from Breton, Gibson, Jones, Trammell, Albacher, and President Newbill.
- After closed session, council voted to exit closed session and certified that only exempt matters were discussed. The motion passed unanimously.
- CAO Donald agreed to provide: a breakdown of the surplus calculation (subject to further clarification), a written explanation of the property tax revenue discrepancy, and bundled component unit data for FY 2025.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon. The informal meeting of the Richmond City Council will now come to order. And Madam Clerk, if you would provide the chamber emergency evacuation announcement, followed by roll call and then document review. Would appreciate that. Upon activation of the emergency alarm signal, all persons should immediately exit the building. Please use the exits to the left or right front of the council chamber or the east or west stairwell outside the rear doors of the chamber. Do not use elevators or escalators. After exiting the building, security will direct everyone down 9th Street to the assembly area located inside the former public safety building parking lot. Able persons should assist visually and hear and impair visitors with exiting the building. And Madam President, for the record, all members are in attendance this evening with the exception of councillors Breton, Lynch, and Vice President Jerdon. You do have a quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Let's proceed with the document review. Starting with the consent agenda, item number one, ordinance 20. Item number one, ordinance 2025-258. This paper was amended at the March 10th council meeting. It's currently being retained on this evening's consent agenda. Item two, ordinance 2026 003. This paper planning commission recommended approval of this paper on the fed on the at their February 17th council meeting and is currently being retained on this evening's consent agenda. Item 3, ordinance 2026 042. This paper was amended at the March 10th council meeting and will be will be retained on this evening's consent agenda. Item 4 excuse me. Item 4, ordinance number 2026 051, Planning Commission recommended approval. Item 5, Ordinance 2026 052. This paper was was scheduled to be continued to the April 27th council meeting due to the cancellation of the Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee meeting. However, I believe there is a request that this item be committee referral waived. Councilmember Robertson. And there are a couple other papers that were supposed to come before the finance committee, which was canceled because of the weather. And so I am asking for this paper and the other two as well, but I know they have to be read in, but that's uh agenda item number seven and eight as well to be omitted from uh going back to the committee and we can move forward on them. Thank you, Councilmember Robertson. Thank you. So if that's the consensus of council, item five, item seven, and item eight will be actually on this evening's agenda on the consent agenda and not continue to the April 27th council meeting. So is that the consensus of council? Yes, madam clerk, thank you. All right. So item number five, ordinance 2026 052 will be retained on this evening's consent agenda. Item six, ordinance 2026 053. Committee referral was waived on this item and will be retained on this evening's consent agenda. Item seven and eight, ordinance 2026 054, and item uh and 2026 055 will both be on this evening's consent agenda. Item nine, ordinance 2026 056, land use, housing, and transportation standing committee recommended approval. Item 10, resolution 2026 R003, land use housing and transportation standing committee recommended a continuance. So this item is to be continued to the April 27th council meeting. Item 11, ordinance resolution 2026 or 013. This item is to be continued to the April 27th council meeting due to the cancellation of the five of the March Finance Economic Development Standing Committee meeting. On the regular agenda, we have item 12, ordinance 2025-215. Um, this paper will be on this evening's regular agenda. Previously, the planning commission did recommend. I'm sorry, I take that back. This item is to be continued to the April 13th council meeting.
openpublica.com