Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
[Introductory paragraph: The Richmond City Council held a formal meeting on October 14, 2026, beginning at approximately 7 PM (after preamble). The meeting included awards, public comments, consent agenda, and regular items including a payment register for financial transparency, a special use permit for 21 townhomes on South Meadow Street, legislative agenda adoption, and council announcements. Multiple votes were taken and significant procedural discussions were held around transparency, surveillance, and housing density, and community engagement....]
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Good evening, everyone. Good evening. The formal meeting of the Richmond City Council will now come to order. And Madam Clerk, if you will certainly ask that we'll have our Spanish interpretation announcement. Spanish interpretation is available in the Council chamber. Please see a representative at the rear of the room to receive the appropriate equipment. Spanish interpretation is also available through Microsoft Teams for virtual attendees in need of this service. Thank you. At this time, we will have an invocation by Pastor Sterling Burton III of founding City Church. After which we will have the Pledge of Allegiance. Welcome, Pastor Burton. Thank you. Thank you, President New Bill and to this August body, amen of Council board members. Let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity tonight. We thank you for this space and time to rule this great city, to hear the people's plight, to answer challenges, and to add to the success of this great municipality. Father, we ask that your presence be here. Help us, God, to lead and to have good conversation and have resolution. We thank you for all of your blessings. Lord, continue to add to them and strengthen them as they do due diligence in leading us into further endeavors. We thank you and we pray these prayers in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you, Pastor Burton. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. Madam Clerk, if you would provide the emergency evacuation plan followed by the public speaker guidelines at this time. 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 stairwells 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 fenced area located between Clay and Lee Streets. Able persons should assist visually and hearing impaired visitors with exiting the building. Individuals speaking during public hearings and the public comment period are generally allowed three minutes to speak. Persons appearing before council are not allowed to campaign for public office, promote private business ventures, use language of a personal nature which insults or demeans any person, including comments directed at public officials or staff members that are not related to their official duties, or address or question staff members directly. All questions are to be directed to the president of council. Failure to adhere to the guidelines may result in speakers forfeiting any remaining time and further disciplinary action as necessary, which could include borrowing from attendance at future meetings of City Council for a period of six months. Also, under Rule 4M of Council's rules of procedure, applause is not permitted at any time during this meeting, whether in support of or in opposition to any matter except during awards and presentations. Thank you for adhering to that rule. Thank you, Madam Clerk. We will proceed with the uh awards and presentations for this evening. Tonight's recognition being presented by the honorable president Cynthia Newbill, Councillor Stephanie Lynch and Mayor Dania Vula is to officially honor the life and legacy of Vicky Hester, a champion and trailblazer for LGBTQ plus rights. As the owner of Babes of Careytown since the 1990s, she turned it into a welcoming home for the LGBTQ plus community, a neighborhood cultural icon, and a significant Virginia LGBTQ plus landmark, while hosting countless benefit events and supporting local nonprofits and other charitable causes, including the Metropolitan Community Church Food Pantry that bears her name. Through Babes, Vicki Hester is given generations of Richmonders a place to belong, and her legacy will continue to make our city a more welcoming place for all. Are there others here representing the family and our friends? You would come forward. Okay. So I you've heard the um the recognition. And so for us as a body, we are wanting to make sure we honor, recognize the incredible and tireless work, that work, advocacy, um, efforts to make sure that we cultivate and build an inclusive community in our city. Uh, and that there is a place that LGBTQ must feel seen, accepted, welcomed.