Richmond City Council Special Meeting - July 6, 2026: Solar Energy Initiative and Emergency Medical Dispatch Transition
Richmond City Council Special Meeting – July 6, 2026
The Richmond City Council held a special meeting on July 6, 2026, to receive reports from the Organizational Development Standing Committee. The meeting featured two major presentations: a no-cost solar power purchase agreement (PPA) for city buildings and an update on transferring emergency medical dispatch calls to the Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA). No formal votes were taken, but council members set expectations for future actions.
Discussion Items
Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Presentation Don Olesky, Energy Program Manager from the Office of Sustainability, presented a proposal to install solar panels on 27–30 city-owned buildings at no upfront cost through a third‑party PPA. The project would use the cooperative procurement contract of Prince William County Public Schools and the developer Secure Solar Futures. Key details included:
- Over 10 megawatts of solar potential identified on city roofs.
- Projected utility cost avoidance of more than $12 million over the 25‑year term, based on Dominion rate increases (23.5% effective July 1, 2026, plus an estimated 11.5% in July 2027, then 3% annual escalation).
- The city would pay a fixed electricity rate to the developer, avoiding upfront capital costs.
- Alignment with Richmond’s climate goals (RVA Green 2050) and workforce development through solar training partnerships. Council members expressed strong support for the proposal. Councilwoman Brighton questioned the 3% rate‑increase assumption; Councilwoman Alberbacher asked about broader energy‑efficiency efforts; Councilwoman Schrammel requested further briefing and input from the Director of Public Utilities. Councilwoman Gray highlighted workforce development opportunities for local solar trainees. The timeline targets introduction on September 14, 2026, and adoption on September 28, 2026, to meet expiring federal tax credits.
Transition of Emergency Medical Dispatch Calls to RAA Chip Decker, CEO of RAA, provided an update on preparations to receive emergency medical calls currently handled by the Department of Emergency Communications (DEC). RAA has completed call‑volume analysis, assigned additional veteran call‑takers, and conducted refresher training using IAED protocols and AI‑based simulation. However, meetings between RAA and DEC to coordinate the transfer have been canceled.
Later, Chief of Staff Watson (Mayor’s Office) reported that a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DEC and RAA is under review by the City Attorney’s office, with a goal of finalizing by August 1, 2026. Under that timeline, the MOU would be introduced to council on September 14, 2026, and passed at the second September meeting. She also noted that about 75% of DEC personnel have never processed medical calls using the transfer model and will require retraining.
Council members expressed frustration with the delay. Councilwoman Schrammel noted that the ordinance passed on June 8, 2026, included a 30‑day effective date (July 8, 2026), and that no action had been taken. Councilwoman Alberbacher questioned why an MOU is needed when the previous transition in 2024 occurred without council approval or a legal agreement. The City Attorney was asked to research the legal basis for the MOU requirement. Councilwoman Schrammel also raised concerns about delayed responses to 911 calls and requested that police and fire response times be placed on the Public Safety Committee agenda for July.
Key Outcomes
- Solar PPA: No formal action taken. Staff will return with legislation for introduction on September 14, 2026, and adoption on September 28, 2026.
- EMS Dispatch Transition: Council directed the administration to provide a written memo by July 15, 2026, summarizing the transition plan. Additionally, a substantive update on the implementation timeline is due by Wednesday, July 8, 2026, including a meeting with RAA leadership. The administration committed to reporting back by that date.
- The meeting adjourned without a closed session.
Meeting Transcript
Well, we'll be able to do it. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you. Good afternoon. This special meeting of the Richmond City Council will now come to order. Mr. Clark, if you'd proceed with the chamber emergency evacuation announcement, followed by the intro legislation. 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 north or south stairwell outside the rear doors of the chamber. Do not use elevators or escalators. After exiting the building, security will direct everyone down ninth street to the fenced area located between Clay and Lee Streets. Thank you, Mr. Clark. Let's proceed with the introduction of legislation. Members, the list of legislation for introduction this afternoon, consisting of items one through six has been provided to you, and the legislation on this list is hereby introduced as presented. A copy of the list is currently available for public inspection at the rear of the council chamber, and an electronic copy and copies of the listed legislation will be available on the city's website on Tuesday, July 7th. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. With that introduction, the agenda for the special meeting has been completed. The meeting now stands adjourned. I've said good evening already or good afternoon. He's he's doing the good afternoon. Yeah, before he starts. Good afternoon again. Mr. Clark. Madam Chair, the minutes to be approved are from the Monday, June 1st, 2026 Organizational Development Standing Committee meeting. If there are no corrections or amendments, then the minutes will be approved as presented. Those minutes have been approved. Thank you, Mr. Clark. Let's proceed with the reports for today's OD meeting. Don Olesky Energy Program Manager Office of Sustainability. Good afternoon. I'm Don Olexe, the Energy Program Manager from the Office of Sustainability, and I'm here to tell you about a no-cost opportunity to get solar panels on city-owned buildings so we can both mitigate the rising electric costs and get closer to our carbon reduction goals. We have been looking at solar power purchase agreements for over 10 years, exploring ways that we can use this as a financing mechanism. However, legal hurdles have prevented us from pursuing this until now. We have extra motivation right now with the expiration of the federal tax credits with up to 50% of project costs that will make these projects more economically viable, meaning we can get cheaper electricity from our own rooftops rather than we would be paying Dominion. Staff has been working collaboratively and creatively going above and beyond the past several months to find a solution that will work for Richmond. So in terms of the project background, the community climate collaborative partnered with us to apply to the municipal investment fund. And we are one of 48 localities selected across the country to develop a clean energy pipeline that would drive the local economy toward an investment in our workforce, uncover financing opportunities, and identify clean energy projects in the commercial, residential, and municipal sectors. So over that period of time, over 50 stakeholder interviews were held with financing partners, solar developers, and installers, representatives from the housing sector, nonprofits and faith-based institutions, workforce development advocates and specialists, and multiple city departments and state agencies. We really did our our homework here. What was found is that here on the city owned buildings, we have over 10 megawatts of solar potential. But due to the short timeline with the expiring tax credits, we would have to find a cooperative procurement to ride. So let me tell you a little more about what is a solar power purchase agreement. This is when a third-party solar developer installs solar at no cost to the city on our our buildings, and they continue to own the array through the contract, the 25-year contract term. And then during that time, we use the power generated in our own buildings and pay a rate for that electricity to the developer. This wouldn't be budgeted separately. It's just paid through our regular utility budgets.
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