[00:00:01] THE MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR CLOSED SESSION AGENDA. NEXT, WE'RE READY TO ROLL ON INTO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR NOVEMBER 18TH, 2025. [1. Roll Call] GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. AT THIS TIME, IT'S HILL. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE PRESENT. VICE MAYOR. HILL HERE. MAYOR. PARENT HERE. SO YOU HAVE A NEXT. VICE MAYOR HILL WILL LEAD US IN OUR OPENING PRAYER. LET US PRAY. ETERNAL WISE GOD OUR FATHER, AS ONCE AGAIN WE COME BEFORE YOU GIVING YOUR NAME, HONOR, PRAISE AND GLORY. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS OF TO OF TODAY. NOW, LORD, WE ASK THAT YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WILL MOVE AMONGST US. HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE DELIBERATE YOUR THIS MEETING. HEAVENLY FATHER, BE WITH US, GUIDE US AND STRENGTHEN US. HEAVENLY FATHER, HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK THY BLESSING UPON OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. HEAVENLY FATHER, CONTINUE TO BLESS THEM AND KEEP THEM. OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR EMS, HEAVENLY FATHER, BE WITH OUR CITIZENS. HEAVENLY FATHER, KEEP THEM FROM ALL HURT, HARM, AND DANGER. BE WITH THE PROJECTS THAT WE ENDEAVOR TO TAKE PART IN. HEAVENLY FATHER, LET THEM COME TO FRUITION. HEAVENLY FATHER LORD, WE ASK A SPECIAL ANOINTING UPON OUR COUNCIL. HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE DELIBERATE, LORD, WE ASK A SPECIAL BLESSING UPON HOWARD MEYERS HEAVENLY FATHER, AS HE MOURNS THE LOSS OF HIS FATHER. HEAVENLY FATHER, CONTINUE TO BE WITH HIM AND STRENGTHEN HIM AND HIS FAMILY. HEAVENLY FATHER, HOLD HIM UP ON EVERY LEADING SIDE. BE WITH HIS MOTHER AND HIS SIBLINGS. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE GIVE YOUR NAME, HONOR, PRAISE, AND GLORY AS IN YOUR DARLING SON, JESUS CHRIST NAME WE PRAY AND WE THANK YOU. AMEN, AMEN. NEXT IS ITEM THREE, THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. BECAUSE EVERYONE, PLEASE STAND AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. NEXT IS ITEM FOUR, [4. Determination of the Presence of a Quorum ] [5. Proclamations/Recognitions/Presentation of Ceremonial Proclamations ] DETERMINATION OF A PRESENCE OF A QUORUM. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. NEXT IS ITEM FIVE. PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS OF CEREMONIAL PROCLAMATIONS. ITEM A RECOGNITION OF 2025 UNCF KEEPER OF THE FLAME AWARD HONOREE WAYNE CROCKER, DIRECTOR OF LIBRARY SERVICES FOR THE PETERSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY, IS WAYNE. IS WAYNE OVER THERE? WAYNE. STAND UP PLEASE. ALL RIGHT, I WAS I WAS THERE TO AT GOOD SHEPHERD TO SEE WAYNE GET HIS AWARD. AND WE'RE PROUD OF YOU, WAYNE. AND ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS YOU DO HERE AT PETERSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY. AND FOR THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. BEING A HOMETOWN GUY, YOU'VE ALWAYS INSPIRED ME AND MOST OF US ON COUNCIL FROM SINCE WE WERE KIDS, YOU KNOW, WATCHING YOU GROW UP IN TABERNACLE AND, AND GRADUATE THROUGH SCHOOL AND DO YOUR THING HERE AT PETERSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY. AND WE WANT YOU TO KEEP WORKING AND KEEP MAKING US PROUD. ALRIGHT. [6. Presentations ] THANK YOU. NEXT IS ITEM SIX PRESENTATIONS. ITEM A OVERVIEW OF CRATER DISTRICT AREA AGENCY ON AGENCY SERVICES. RENATA SHANWICK EXECUTIVE OFFICER. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CRATER DISTRICT AREA AGENCY ON AGING, WHICH PROUDLY SERVES OLDER ADULTS AND CAREGIVERS THROUGHOUT THE CRATER REGION, INCLUDING PETERSBURG CRATER DISTRICT AREA AGENCY ON AGING IS PART OF VIRGINIA'S STATEWIDE NETWORK OF 25 AREA AGENCIES ON AGING. OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE AND ESSENTIAL TO HELP OLDER ADULTS REMAIN HEALTHY, INDEPENDENT, AND SAFELY IN THEIR HOMES FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. WE SERVE ADULTS 60 YEARS AND OLDER, CAREGIVERS, ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES. OUR SERVICES PROMOTE INDEPENDENCE, SAFETY AND DIGNITY FOR PETERSBURG'S AGING POPULATION. PETERSBURG SENIOR POPULATION 60 AND OVER, IS, AS OF TODAY, 7995 RESIDENTS WE SERVE. LAST YEAR, WE SERVED 1080 OLDER ADULTS. PETERSBURG IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SERVICE AREAS IN OUR REGION, AND NEEDS OF OUR AGING POPULATION ARE GROWING RAPIDLY. LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE PROVIDED DIRECTLY TO PETERSBURG SENIORS 12,019 HUNDRED HOME DELIVERED MEALS, 619 CONGREGATE MEALS, 15 1581 WAY TRANSPORTATION TRIPS, 101 HOURS OF CARE COORDINATION, [00:05:04] 357 HOURS OF LEGAL AID, 1559 HOURS OF SOCIALIZATION AND RECREATION. EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR 30 OLDER ADULTS WITH OVERDUE BILLS. THESE NUMBERS REFLECT THE SUBSTANTIAL AND INCREASING NEED FOR NUTRITIOUS MEALS, SAFE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, AND EMERGENCY SUPPORT THROUGH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL SUPPORT. CRATER OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR PETERSBURG'S OLDER ADULTS, AND THEY INCLUDE HOME DELIVERED MEALS, CONGREGATE MEALS, TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, CASE MANAGEMENT, HOMEMAKER SERVICES, INSURANCE, COUNSELING, NUTRITION COUNSELING, DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION CLASSES, SCHOOL CARE PROGRAM, SENIOR MEDICARE PATROL, EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. WE ALSO HAS EXPANDED PROGRAMING AND OPEN NEW PROGRAMS, AND THEY INCLUDE CARE COORDINATION, WHICH INCLUDES SAFETY REPAIRS, HOME MODIFICATIONS, RAMPS, AND ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS. SHAW PROGRAM HOME REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE AND HOUSEHOLD SUPPORT, RESPITE AND CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAMS SUPPORTING OLDER ADULTS AT HOME IS BOTH COMPASSIONATE, COMPASSIONATE, AND COST EFFECTIVE. BY PREVENTING PREMATURE NURSING HOME PLACEMENT AND REDUCING AVOIDABLE HOSPITAL VISITS, GREATER SERVICES SAVE THE CITY AND THE COMMONWEALTH THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER PERSON EACH YEAR. INVESTING IN AGING SERVICES MULTIPLIES COMMUNITY BENEFITS BY IMPROVING HEALTH, STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, STABILIZING HOUSING, AND REDUCING EMERGENCY SPENDING. WHILE WE RECEIVE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING, LOCAL SUPPORT IS CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY AS NEEDS CONTINUE TO RISE. THE MORE FINANCIAL SUPPORT WE RECEIVE FROM THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, THE MORE OLDER ADULTS WE CAN SERVE, THE MORE MEALS WE CAN DELIVER, THE MORE HOMES WE CAN MAKE SAFE, AND THE MORE FAMILIES WE CAN HELP REMAIN STABLE. PETERSBURG IS HOME OF NEARLY 8000 OLDER ADULTS. THEIR NEEDS ARE GROWING AND THEY DEPEND ON THEIR SERVICES WE PROVIDE. GREATER DISTRICT REMAINS COMMITTED TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF PETERSBURG TO ENSURE THAT OLDER RESIDENTS CAN AGE WITH DIGNITY, DIGNITY, INDEPENDENCE AND THE SUPPORT THEY DESERVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND CONTINUED DEDICATION TO THE OLDER CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL YOU DO HERE FOR PETERSBURG. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? OKAY. SEEING NONE. ALL RIGHT. THANK [7. Responses to Previous Public Information Posted ] YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ITEM SEVEN RESPONSES TO PREVIOUS PUBLIC [8. Approval of Consent Agenda (to include minutes of previous meetings): ] INFORMATION POSTED UNDER COUNCIL COMMUNICATES. ITEM EIGHT APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA TO INCLUDE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS, A MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS NOVEMBER 5TH, 2025. CLOSED SESSION NOVEMBER 5TH, 2025 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION. ITEM B ADOPTION OF THE 2026 PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL MEETING. CALENDAR ITEM C ADOPTION OF THE FY 2027 BUDGET CALENDAR D FIRST READING SCHEDULE. PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG FOR THE PURPOSE OF CLARIFYING AND UPDATING REGULATIONS ON RECREATIONAL SUBSTANCE RETAIL USES BY DEFINING VAPE SHOP AND CIGAR LOUNGES. USES AND SPECIFYING THEIR ALLOWANCE IN THE CITY. ITEM E FIRST READING IS SCHEDULED PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION. AMENDMENT TO FY 26 GRANTS FUND ITEM F FIRST READING. SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE A REQUEST BY ALMA MATA ON BEHALF OF RUTH INVESTMENTS, LLC TO REZONE PROPERTY AT 318 IRVING STREET, PARCEL ID 006050012 FROM THE M-2 HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT TO THE R-3 TWO FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT. ITEM G FIRST READING SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND EMPOWER TO PURCHASE CITY OWNED PROPERTY AT 35 AND 17 BANK STREET, LOCATED IN PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. ITEM H FIRST READ AND SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENT TO THE FY 26 GENERAL FUND. ITEM. A CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND MOMMA'S HOUSE TWO, LLC FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 595 OLD WAGNER ROAD, SUITE C AND D TAX PARCEL 083010805. THOSE OTHER ITEMS FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA AT THIS TIME ENTERTAIN A MOTION. VICE MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS [00:10:05] READ. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN COOPER. MR. MAYOR, I IF WE ADOPT THIS MOTION, DOES DO WE ADOPT THE BUDGET CALENDAR? 8CI KNOW THIS IS JUST ADDED TO THE CONSENT AGENDA TO DISCUSS IT AT THE NEXT MEETING. OKAY. SO IF WE PASS THIS CONSENT AGENDA, WE WILL NOT BE ADOPTING THE BUDGET CALENDAR. IS THAT CORRECT, MR. CITY MANAGER? WE'LL HAVE THAT FOR DISCUSSION AS AN ITEM OF NEW BUSINESS AT YOUR NEXT MEETING. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. BUT I WOULD I WOULD LIKE TO WE WERE GOING TO TAKE ITEM I OFF OF THE AGENDA. THE, THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH MAMA'S HOUSE TO MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AND TAKE OFF ITEM NUMBER. EIGHT. I. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IT'S MOTION, COUNCILMAN. SECOND MOTION A SECOND AT THIS TIME. MISS. HERE, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE [9. Official Public Hearings ] MAYOR. AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM NINE, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN AMENDMENT TO FY 26 GRANTS FUND. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. GARY COZIER, BUDGET MANAGER. SO THIS ITEM WE HAVE HERE, PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE GRANTS FUND, WE AS A CITY GOT TWO NEW GRANTS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR. THE FIRST GRANT IS GOING TO BE THE PETERSBURG FIRE RESCUE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES AGENCY DEPARTMENT. THEY GOT A GRANT FROM FEMA, WHICH IS CALLED THE ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT, OR AFG, IN THE AMOUNT OF $74,890.91, WITH A LOCAL MATCH OF $7,489. AND THAT GRANT IS FOR PPE, CLEANING EQUIPMENT, AND THEN ALSO THE PETERSBURG BUREAU OF POLICE. THEY GOT A DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COPS GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,664,825, AND THAT IS TO COVER THE COST OF HIRING 17 SWORN POLICE OFFICERS. AND THEIR COSTS WILL BE FUNDED FOR THREE YEARS BY BY THE GOVERNMENT. SO VERY, VERY, VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD. YEAH. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO GRANTS WE HAVE FOR THIS GO AROUND. TOTAL COST 55. $7 MILLION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW WE OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE FY 26 GRANTS FUND. RIGHT. SEEING NO HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. NEXT, ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, VICE MAYOR HILL. CONGRATULATIONS. BUT I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO FY 26 GRANT FUNDING. OKAY, COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE, SECOND MOTION, SECOND DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION. SEEING NONE AT THIS TIME IS HERE. WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. OAKES. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM NINE B, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE FY 26 PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET FUND. OKAY. AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM SCHOOLS HERE TONIGHT TO COME UP AND SPEAK ABOUT THIS ONE. SO, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WHILE WE'RE WAITING. SO THE REQUEST THIS EVENING IS TO APPROPRIATE $850,000 OF THE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION GRANT THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM RECEIVED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALNUT HILL ELEMENTARY. THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM CITY REQUIRED FOR THIS. IT'S JUST BUDGETING, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THAT THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED. OKAY. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. SO ON THAT NOTE, IF THE I SEE OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS ARE HERE. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. DO YOU ALL WANT TO SPEAK OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND THEN WE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENT TO THE FY 26 PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET. OKAY. SEEING NO HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NEXT, I [00:15:01] GO TO QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL OR ENTERTAIN A MOTION. COUNCILMAN COOPER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE OF. REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. GOOD EVENING SIR. MY NAME IS MATTHIAS GREENWOOD, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M SORRY I COULDN'T CATCH YOUR LAST NAME. GRAY, G R E Y W O O D E. WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US, MR. GREYWOODE. I SEE THAT THE PROPOSAL IS TO FOR THE WALNUT HILLS, FOR THE SCHOOL TO BE BUILT USING THE PPE PROCESS AND. DESIGN BID BUILD. I DID THE SCHOOL BOARD CONSIDER A DESIGN BID BUILD APPROACH INSTEAD OF THE PPE. MR. MARTINEZ, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. MY NAME IS GIOVANNA MARTINEZ. J O V A N I'M MARTINEZ. I'M THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF OPERATIONS AT PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE ARE JUST CONSIDERING WE ARE IN THE PPE PROCESS. ACCORDING TO OUR PROCESS, WE RECEIVED AN UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL AND WE'RE LOOKING AT DESIGN BUILD AS OF RIGHT NOW. YOU RECEIVED A SOLICITED PROPOSAL, BUT YOU'RE CONSIDERING A DESIGN BID BUILD APPROACH AS AN ALTERNATIVE? NO. AS OF RIGHT NOW, ACCORDING TO OUR PROCESS, PPA IS A DESIGN BUILD. IT'S NOT DESIGN BID BUILD PROCESS. SO IT'S A DESIGN BUILD. I MISUNDERSTOOD, OKAY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. WE KEEP DOING IT. I KNOW IT'S THE EASY APPROACH, BUT IT ALSO IS THE MORE EXPENSIVE APPROACH GENERALLY, AS IT'S BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME, BECAUSE THERE'S NO COMPETITIVE BIDDING. INSTEAD, SOME INSIDER COMES APPROACHES THE MUNICIPAL ENTITY, IN THIS CASE THE SCHOOL BOARD WITH AN UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL AND SAYS, I'M YOUR BEST FRIEND. DO BUSINESS WITH ME. AND THE SCHOOL BOARD SAYS, SURE. THAT'S THE EASY APPROACH FOR US TO TAKE, AND IT'S GOING TO COST MONEY, MORE MONEY TO GO THAT WAY. BUT IT'S LESS WORK FOR US, AND IT'S NOT AT ALL TRANSPARENT. MY SENSE IS THAT IT NEEDS TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT, AND IT NEEDS TO BE THE DESIGN BID BUILD SO THAT EVERYBODY, NOT JUST THE PERSON WITH THE INSIDER TRACK, BUT EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO BID ON IT. THAT ADVANCES TWO IMPORTANT GOALS. ONE IS TRANSPARENCY AND THE OTHER IS GETTING THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK. SO I HAVE SOME REAL RESERVATIONS ABOUT SIGNING ON TO THE PPE APPROACH. AND I'M ALL FOR THIS NEW SCHOOL. TOTALLY, 100% HAVE SAID SO FOR YEARS, BUT I THINK THIS IS THE WRONG APPROACH. I THINK IT'S GOING TO END UP COSTING US MORE MONEY. MR. MAYOR, I THINK WE NEED TO TABLE THIS AND HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD TO TO DISCUSS THIS. PERHAPS THEY CAN TELL ME WHY I'M WRONG, AND I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO THAT CONVERSATION. AND PERHAPS I AM. AND I I'D BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT IT. OR MAYBE NOT THE FIRST, BUT I WOULD ADMIT IT IF I WAS WRONG. BUT I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PPE PROCESS. I JUST I KEEP SEEING IT, SEEING IT. I MEAN, WE DID THIS CITY COUNCIL IS GUILTY OF IT TOO. WE DID IT FOR THE COURTHOUSE. I THINK IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT JUST SNUCK UP ON US AND SUDDENLY WE FOUND THAT WE WERE, YOU KNOW, 80% IN THE QUICKSAND. AND IT WAS TOO LATE TO GO BACK TO THE DESIGN BID BUILD. I'M SOMETHING OF A NOVICE AT ALL THIS. I'M NOT I WASN'T I DIDN'T CUT MY TEETH ON MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. OKAY. BUT I HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE THESE TWO DIFFERENT ROUTES TO GO DOWN IN BUILDING IMPORTANT MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS. CERTAINLY THE NEW SCHOOL IS ONE OF THOSE. AND THOSE TWO ROUTES ARE, ON THE ONE HAND, PPE AND THE OTHER HAND DESIGN BID BUILD. AND WITH PPE IT'S THERE'S NO TRANSPARENCY AND THERE'S NO COMPETITION. IT'S JUST NOT I DON'T WANT TO GET TIED UP IN EMOTION HERE, BUT IT'S NOT THE AMERICAN WAY TO DO THINGS WITHOUT COMPETITION. IT JUST ISN'T. OUR SOCIETY IS BUILT ON [00:20:04] COMPETITION. WE BELIEVE THAT COMPETITION ADVANCES THE IDEA AND RESULTS IN THE BEST PRODUCT. AND WE'RE NOT THERE. WE'RE NOT GETTING IT WITH PPE. WE'RE BYPASSING IT BECAUSE IT'S AN EASY, EASY APPROACH FOR THE BUREAUCRATS TO TAKE. SO BUT LET ME LET YOU SPEAK. MAYBE TELL ME I'M WRONG. WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER, LET ME PUSH BACK ON A COUPLE OF YOUR CONCERNS. PPE IS A LAW THAT IS PASSED BY VIRGINIA. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. AND NUMBER TWO, THERE IS TRANSPARENCY IN A SENSE. SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE POSITION OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS WE DO HAVE A PPA POLICY. CORRECT. SO THAT ALLOWS FIRMS TO PROVIDE AN UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL. RIGHT. AND ONCE THEY DO THAT IT OPENS UP FOR TRANSPARENCY AND COMPETITIVENESS. SO WE HAVE A 45 DAY WINDOW. WE WE WE WE COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC, HEY, THERE'S AN UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL HERE. YOU HAVE 45 DAYS TO COMPETE. SO AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT NOW. THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS NOT MOVED FORWARD WITH IN A SENSE OF SAYING, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROCESS. WE'RE JUST MOVING FORWARD WITH THE POLICY THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. A FIRM DROPPED OFF AN UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL. IT OPENED IT UP FOR COMPETITION, AND WE HAVE CURRENTLY NOW WE HAVE THREE PROPOSALS, RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT IS OVERSEEING THIS PROCESS, AND WE WILL BE TAKING IT TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS. ONCE WE REVIEW AND GRADE THESE PROPOSALS. WHY DID THE SCHOOL BOARD NOT GO DOWN THE DESIGN BID BUILD AVENUE? WELL, THAT'S UP TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. THE SCHOOL BOARD IS STILL THERE LOOKING AT THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS. AND IF THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH ACCEPTING THE PROPOSAL, THEN THEY WILL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE AND THEY'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN BUILD. DELIVERY METHOD. BUT BACK TO MY QUESTION. WHY DID THE SCHOOL BOARD NOT GO DOWN THE DESIGN BID BUILD AVENUE? WELL, THERE'S MULTIPLE DELIVERY METHODS THAT YOU CAN GO DOWN, RIGHT? IT JUST DEPENDS ON MULTIPLE VARIABLES. WE CAN GO DESIGN BID BUILD. WE CAN GO DESIGN BUILD. YOU CAN GO CM AT RISK. YOU CAN GO CM MULTI-PRONGED. THERE'S DIFFERENT DELIVERY METHODS THAT YOU CAN GO DOWN. EACH DELIVERY METHOD HAS A PRO AND A CON. AND AS FAR AS THE DESIGN BUILD APPROACH THERE IS MANY PROS IN USING THAT APPROACH. THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR AND THE ARCHITECT WORKING TOGETHER TO PERFORM THIS PROJECT, VERSUS HAVING A CONSTRUCTION WORKER ON THE LEFT AND THE ARCHITECT ON THE RIGHT AND CHANGE ORDERS GALORE CAN HAPPEN. SO WE CAN ARGUE THE NEGATIVES OF DESIGN BID BUILD AS WELL. MY UNDERSTANDING, AS IT'S BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME, IS THAT DESIGN BID BUILD IS THE WAY TO GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK AND THE PPE APPROACH. IS TYPICALLY MORE EXPENSIVE. I HAVE AND WE SAW THAT WELL, WE TRIED, WE WENT DOWN THE PPE AVENUE WITH THE NEW COURTHOUSE AND THE COST HAS BALLOONED. WE DID. SEEK COMPETITION FOR 45 DAYS, BUT GUESS WHAT? THE INITIAL. PROPONENT OF THE PPE WAS THE WINNER. AND YOU KNOW, HE HAD MOST EXPERIENCE WITH HIS OWN PROPOSAL AND HAD BEEN TALKING TO THE BUREAUCRATS AND ESTABLISHED. A WARM RELATIONSHIP THAT THE BIDDER, THE COMPETITORS, COULDN'T COMPETE WITH. SO I HAVE SOME REAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS. MR. MAYOR, I THINK WE OUGHT TO TABLE THIS THING AND HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND DISCUSS DESIGN, BID, BUILD AS AN ALTERNATIVE WITH THEM AND SEE IF WE CAN'T GET THEM TO GO DOWN THAT APPROACH. WE'VE GOT LOTS OF COOKIE CUTTER PLANS THAT WE CAN BORROW FROM CHESTERFIELD COUNTY AND GET A GREAT PRODUCT, A PRODUCT AS GOOD AS THEIRS. I FORGET WHAT THE NUMBER IS, BUT I'VE HEARD SOME SOME NUMBER LIKE WAS IT 16 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT THEY'VE RECENTLY BUILT? I THINK WE I UNDERSTAND COUNCIL MEMBER WELL, [00:25:07] ONE THING THAT WE DO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS THIS KEYWORD CALLED TARIFFS THAT WE'RE FACING TARIFFS. WE'RE FACING ESCALATION AS WELL. SO IF WE GO DOWN TO DESIGN BID BUILD ROUTE, WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY NOT PUTTING A SHOVEL IN THE GROUND FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS. RIGHT. AND WE ALSO HAVE PPA IS ALSO HAVE A FINANCIAL COMPONENT TO IT. AND SO WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY I WANT YOU TO JUST START THINKING WE'RE IN A DESIGN BUILD. WE ALREADY HAVE OUR FINANCIALS ALREADY IN PLACE. AND WE ARE ARE MORE ON THE BENEFIT SIDE OF DESIGN BUILD. SO THERE'S A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP IT MOVING AND ALLOW THE PROCESS TO WORK ITSELF OUT. AND WE HAVE THREE PROPOSALS. WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY. COMMITTEE, STEERING COMMITTEE THAT THAT WE CONSULTED. AND THEY'RE STEERING OUR COMMITTEE AND HELPING US BREAK DOWN EACH OF THE PROPOSALS AND WHATNOT. AND SO IT'S VERY TRANSPARENT AND THERE'S NO WARM AND FUZZY MEETINGS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY. AND YOU GOT THE RIGHT PERSON IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE IT'S DONE RIGHT. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD TRUST US AND GET THIS, GET THIS THING MOVING, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE IF WE WAIT ANY MUCH MORE, LONGER, WE HAVE A SCAP GRANT THAT IS A SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FROM THE STATE. AND IF I BELIEVE IF WE DON'T GET THINGS MOVING SOON, WE'RE PROBABLY IN A MIX OF PROBABLY LOSING THAT LOAN. AND THEN NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE HERE NEXT YEAR WITH NO SCHOOL BUILT. RIGHT. WHO IS THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR OF FOR THE. INITIAL PROPOSAL? THE INITIAL PROPOSAL WAS. COUNCIL. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I WANT TO USE A POINT OF ORDER. I WANT TO STAY ON. WHAT IS THEIR ASKING FOR? THAT IS THE AMENDMENT TO THE FY 26 PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET. AND I KNOW WHETHER THE DETAILS OF THE PROPOSAL I KNOW THAT'S THAT'S A CONVERSATION YOU CAN HAVE AT OTHER TIMES, BUT I HAVE SEVERAL OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS AS WELL. WELL, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHO THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR IS WITH THE GROUP THAT MADE THE INITIAL PROPOSAL. ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE IT LISTED ON OUR ON OUR WEBSITE. EVERYTHING THAT WHICH IS VERY TRANSPARENT IS GILBANE. YEAH. WELL HERE'S THE OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. PEOPLE OF PETERSBURG. I KNOW YOU GET TIRED OF SITTING IN HERE AND PEOPLE COME UP HERE AND PEOPLE SIT UP HERE AND WE TALK ABOUT A, B, C, PPE. DESIGN BUILD. WE SEE ALL THESE ACRONYMS, BUT WE DON'T TEACH Y'ALL WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I'M TIRED OF THAT. SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU, MR. CUTBIRTH, TO EXPLAIN TO THE PEOPLE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PPE AND DESIGN BUILD SO THAT THEY WON'T BE CONFUSED WATCHING THIS STUFF, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE JUST HEARING YOU TALK ABOUT A BUNCH OF LETTERS. SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? WELL, I'LL TRY TO KEEP MY VOICE MODULATED IN. TURN YOUR HEARING AID UP. MR. MR. CITY ATTORNEY, TELL US WHAT PPE STANDS FOR. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. I'LL TELL THE PEOPLE I TELL THEM, I TELL THEM. AND IF MY VOICE IS TOO LOUD. CHARLIE, I CAN'T APOLOGIZE. WELL, THAT'S HOW I TALK, YOU KNOW THAT. WELL, I I'M CERTAINLY DESIGN BUILD, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. HAS ITS CONS. DESIGN BUILD IS FOR PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DELIVERED QUICKLY. IF I'M LYING, STOP ME WITH THE TRUTH. DESIGN BUILD. IS WHERE THE OWNER GIVES UP CONTROL, DESIGN, CONTROL AND USES THE DESIGN ARCHITECT AND NOT THEIR OWN. IF I'M LYING, STOP ME WITH THE TRUTH. PPE, PPE. IS A SUBSTANCE WHERE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE AND UPFRONT CAPITAL IS AVAILABLE. THAT'S NOT IN THE PUBLIC'S BUDGET. THAT MEANS IT WON'T BE TAKING MONEY FROM US AS A COMMUNITY. IF I'M LYING, STOP ME WITH THE TRUTH. ABSOLUTELY. YOU'RE GOOD TO GO. EXPAND ON IT. SO I'LL GIVE YOU. LET ME JUST READ IT STRAIGHT. THE PPE, THE [00:30:11] PPE ACT MOST COMMONLY REFERS TO THE PUBLIC PRIVATE EDUCATION FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ACT, A VIRGINIA LAW THAT ALLOWS PUBLIC ENTITIES TO FORM PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR PROJECTS LIKE BUILDING, RENOVATING OR EQUIPPING SCHOOLS AND OTHER PUBLIC FACILITIES. IT ENABLES THE USE OF PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERTISE, FUNDING AND RISK TO COMPLETE PUBLIC PROJECTS MORE QUICKLY AND COST EFFECTIVELY. THE ACT ALLOWS FOR BOTH SOLICITED AND UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS FROM PRIVATE ENTITIES. SO FOR THE PUBLIC AND JUST IN LAYMAN'S TERMS. ONCE WE GET INTO A CONTRACT ON A DESIGN BUILD SIDE, WE'RE LOCKED IN WITH A GMP. SO FOR AN EXAMPLE, LET'S JUST SAY HYPOTHETICALLY. JUST KEEP THE NUMBERS LOW. IF A SCHOOL COSTS $1,000, IF IF THE PROJECT COSTS $1,000, RIGHT, THE GMP IS $1,000, THEY'RE STUCK WITH THAT. SO IF ESCALATIONS COME UP OR WE'RE STUCK STUCK IN A MECHANICAL LIEN, THEY'RE STUCK WITH THAT. IF WE'RE IN DESIGN BID BUILD, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. CHANGE ORDERS GALORE. SO BUT TO TO COUNCILMAN JONES POINT HE HIT IT RIGHT ON THE HEAD. WELL I KNOW FROM ONE EXPERIENCE. AND THAT'S THE COURTHOUSE. WE STARTED OUT SAYING NO MORE THAN $70 MILLION. NO MORE. THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE CEILING. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO A PENNY MORE. WE'RE NOW TALKING $80 MILLION. SO WHAT YOU JUST SAID MAY BE GREAT IN THEORY, BUT THE THE REAL WORLD THAT PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL HAS CONFRONTED IS THAT THAT'S THERE'S NO LOCK IN UNTIL WE SIGNED THE CONTRACT FOR A SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNT. ALL RIGHT, MR. WILLIAMS. SO JUST TO MAKE THIS VERY, VERY SIMPLE. SO DESIGN BID BUILD IS THE THE STANDARD PROCESS THAT LOCALITIES USE. AND IT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE TITLE IMPLIES. YOU GET A DESIGN, YOU PUT IT OUT TO BID AND THEN SOMEBODY BIDS TO BUILD IT. DESIGN BID BUILD PPE MEANS SOMEBODY COMES ALONG AND PROPOSES A PROJECT OR TO DEVELOP IT FOR YOU. THEY'LL PROVIDE THE DESIGN AND THEY'LL PROVIDE YOU WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BID. BUT THEN IT DOES GET OPENED UP TO OTHERS TO BID ON IT. THAT'S THE 45 DAY. WE ACTUALLY EXTENDED OURS WITH THE COURTHOUSE TO 90 DAYS TO ENSURE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT TRANSPARENCY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS TO COMPETE. NOW, THE PPA PROCESS MAY, MANY WOULD SAY, GIVE THE INITIAL PROPOSER A BIT OF A LEG UP. AND MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT YOU DO GET A BETTER PROJECT, AT LEAST WITH THE PPA, BECAUSE AS THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SCHOOL SAID, THE DESIGN DESIGNER AND THE BUILDER ARE ACTUALLY WORKING TOGETHER. BUT AS COUNCILMAN CUTHBERT HAS NOTED, OFTENTIMES IT MAY COST A LITTLE BIT MORE. SO IT IS SOMETIMES A TRADE OFF, BUT THAT'S THE ABOUT AS SIMPLE AS YOU CAN DESCRIBE THE PROCESSES, THE TWO PROCESSES. BUT THEY'RE BOTH PERMITTED UNDER THE CODE OF VIRGINIA. THEY'RE LEGAL AND THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR BOTH OF THEM. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN JONES. SO TO CLEAR ALL OF THIS UP. THERE'S LEGITIMATE CONCERN ABOUT PROJECTS IN THIS CITY STARTING OFF AT ONE PRICE, GOING THROUGH THE ROOF, THAT'S I THINK THAT'S A CONSENSUS ACROSS THIS WHOLE TABLE. THAT'S WHAT CHARLIE IS CONCERNED ABOUT. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE MAYOR AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS CONCERNED ABOUT. BUT I THINK CHARLIE AND EVERYBODY ELSE, YOU GUYS ARE JUST HERE TO GET IT AMENDED. AND IS THAT CORRECT, MR. MAYOR? RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE MONEY THAT'S BEEN SET ASIDE THROUGH THEIR THE GRANT THAT THEY RECEIVED FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. AND RIGHT NOW THEY NEED THESE FUNDS TO START MOVING, TO START MOVING THEIR PROCESS THROUGH. CORRECT, MR. MARTINEZ? YES, SIR. SO WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO MY PARTNER RIGHT HERE TO MY LEFT AND EVERYBODY ELSE, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD TABLE IT RIGHT NOW, AT THIS MOMENT. LET'S GET THE BALL MOVING. AND THEY GOT TO COME BACK BEFORE US AGAIN. WE JUST GOT TO MONITOR ALL OF THIS STUFF. WE GOT TO. SO I'M GOING TO PASS IT ON TO VICE MAYOR. VICE MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. IF I MAY, MR. MAYOR, BASICALLY FROM WHAT THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN GOING ON [00:35:03] BACK AND FORTH, I THINK THAT IT'S STILL LEAVES ROOM FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BID DOING THIS PROCESS AT THIS BEGINNING STAGE. SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE FY 20 2026 PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL BUDGET AS WRITTEN MOTION BY VICE MAYOR HILL TO APPROVE SECOND SECOND COUNCILMAN JONES. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME IS HERE. WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER? CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MARTINEZ. MR. GREENWOOD, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS. OUTSTANDING. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ITEM C, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND ADOPT CHAPTER 106 OF THE CITY CODE TO INCLUDE ARTICLE 13, LOCAL DISPOSAL, PLASTIC BAG TAX. MR. ALTMAN. SO, MISTER MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THIS EVENING WE'RE CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE IMPOSITION OF A. TAX FOR. PLASTIC BAG USAGE IN THE CITY FROM. THIS IS THIS COMES ON AFTER A REQUEST FROM COUNCILOR WESTBROOK TO DISCUSS WHICH WE HAVE DISCUSSED. WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROPOSAL OF THE AMENDMENT TO CITY CODE, WHICH WOULD ALLOW US, THE CITY, TO ESTABLISH A TAX FOR CERTAIN DISPOSABLE PLASTIC BAGS. THE INTENT IS TO ASSIST WITH LITTER REDUCTION AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTIES. THE CHAPTERS 106 OF THE CITY CODE WOULD BE AMENDED WOULD THEN, ONCE WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE BECOME THE ORDINANCE WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE 95 DAYS AFTER COUNCIL'S DATE OF APPROVAL. WE WE THEN HAVE TO WORK TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE VIRGINIA TAX COMMISSIONER OFFICE OFFICE TO CERTIFY THE ORDINANCE. IT WOULD IMPOSE A FIVE CENT TAX FOR EACH DISPOSABLE PLASTIC BAG PROVIDED TO CONSUMERS OF TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY SUCH AS GROCERY STORES, CONVENIENCE STORES, DRUGSTORES, AND ETCETERA. WE WE WILL. THE REQUEST THIS EVENING IS TO CONDUCT THE PUBLIC HEARING TO SOLICIT PUBLIC INPUT. STAFF WOULD ASK THAT COUNCIL TABLE THE MATTER. ONCE THAT IS COMPLETED, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE COMMISSIONER REVENUE AND ALSO DISCUSS FURTHER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PRIOR TO BRINGING IT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR COUNCIL'S FINAL CONSIDERATION. WE ANTICIPATE TO DO THAT IN DECEMBER. SO IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ANY COMMENTS ON THE CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ADOPT CHAPTER 106 OF THE CITY CODE TO INCLUDE ARTICLE 13 LOCAL DISPOSABLE PLASTIC BAG TAX. ALL RIGHT, MISS DOCTOR LEWIS. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD, DOCTOR KENNETH LEWIS, 503 MISTLETOE STREET, WARD FIVE, IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, I SIMPLY ASK, WHAT DOES THE WHAT DOES THE BENEFIT? WHAT DOES THE OPERATIONAL BENEFIT LOOK LIKE? IF THOSE WORDS MAKE SENSE, I GO TO THE STORE, I PURCHASE SOMETHING, I PAY FIVE ADDITIONAL CENTS FOR THE PLASTIC BAG THAT IT COMES IN. WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT $0.05? HOW IS IT USED TO IMPROVE THE WASTE MANAGEMENT OF HAVING MY HAVING TO WALK AWAY WITH A PLASTIC BAG, IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR SOMEBODY TO ANSWER NOW, I'D APPRECIATE THAT, OR I'LL WAIT FOR AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO GET AN ANSWER. OTHERWISE, I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD TABLE THIS AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE PUBLIC EXACTLY ABOUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE WHEN I PAY $0.05 FOR THE BAG? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JULIEN GREEN. SO, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM JULIEN GREEN JUNIOR. AND MY CONCERN IS NOW IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ARE FACING, GOING TO THE GROCERY [00:40:06] STORE, THE SCENARIO IN TERMS OF WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING TO LOCAL CITIZENS, THAT'S ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AND YOU'LL COME BACK AT ANOTHER TIME SAYING THAT MAYBE THINGS HAVE CHANGED. BUT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THAT, IT PROBABLY WILL NOT CHANGE FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL. SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL. WATER IS GOING TO GO UP. PEPCO IS TALKING ABOUT LIGHTING IS GOING TO GO UP. NOW I'M GOING TO FULL LINE. SAM, DON'T GIVE YOU NOTHING. WHEN YOU GO INTO SAM'S, YOU BRING IT IN YOUR ARMS. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS VERY CAREFULLY WHEN TALKING ABOUT OUR SENIOR CITIZENS. YOU CANNOT WALK IN THE FOOD LINE AND WALK IN WITH YOUR DETERGENTS AND EVERYTHING IN YOUR HANDS. WE'RE LOOKING AT PAYING THIS TO THE SANITATION PEOPLE IN TERMS OF WHEN THEY TAKE THE BAGS OUT OF THE TRASH CANS AND DUMP IT. WE HAVE ALREADY PAID UPFRONT FOR THAT, SO LET'S BE CONCERNED AND BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN TERMS OF WHAT WE IMPOSED ON OUR CITIZENS. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. GREEN. MR. MAYOR. YES. MR. WILLIAMS, JUST TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE COMING UP BECAUSE THEY SEEM CONSISTENT, THE CODE SECTION THAT'S 5106 503, I BELIEVE IS THE NEXT ONE. IT REFERENCES THE STATE CODE, WHICH SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIES THE USES TO WHICH THE REVENUES COLLECTED FROM THIS TAX CAN BE USED FOR AND UNDER THE STATE CODE, IT SAYS ALL REVENUE ACCRUING TO THE CITY OR COUNTY IMPOSED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS TAX SHALL BE APPROPRIATED FOR THE PURPOSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP, PROVIDING EDUCATION PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL WASTE, MITIGATING POLLUTION AND LITTER, OR PROVIDING REUSABLE BAGS TO RECIPIENTS OF SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SNAP OR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN PROGRAM WIC. SO THAT'S WHAT THE REVENUES GENERATED FROM THIS WOULD BE USED FOR THE TAXES COLLECTED BY THE RETAILER. IT'S NOT PAID DIRECTLY THROUGH THE CONSUMER. ARISE. AGAIN, PLEASE RESPOND TO WHAT THE ATTORNEY IS SAYING. MR. GREEN, I HAVE YOUR I HAVE SOME SOME MORE PEOPLE TO GO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YES, SIR. RIGHT BEHIND MR. GREEN. SO IN REGARDS TO THAT ONE OTHER QUESTION, MOST OF OUR BUSINESSES NAME AND ADDRESS. I'M SORRY, MY NAME IS ANTHONY SACCO, 27 SOUTH SYCAMORE STREET. THANK YOU. WHAT ABOUT SELF-CHECKOUT? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE MOST OF THE BUSINESSES NOW ARE GOING TOWARDS SELF-CHECKOUT. SO HOW ARE YOU GOING TO TAX THAT? SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. MRS. RUDOLPH. THANK YOU. BARB RUDOLPH, 1675 MOUNT VERNON STREET. I HAVE THE SAME QUESTION AS MR. SACCO, AND I APPRECIATE DOCTOR LEWIS'S COMMENTS, TOO. I MEAN, I HAVEN'T READ ALL THIS AND I APOLOGIZE. SO BUT I THINK MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF IT ON SO MANY PEOPLE, BECAUSE WE ALL, MOST ALL OF US GROCERY SHOP. MAYBE THIS DOES NEED TO BE TABLED AND AND GIVEN WIDER CIRCULATION SO PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I'D CERTAINLY SUPPORT COUNCILOR WESTBROOKS INTENTION TO IMPROVE THE CLEANLINESS OF THE CITY AND BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY. AND CERTAINLY IN OTHER STATES, THERE'S A LOT MORE RECYCLING THAT GOES ON. WE'RE NOT VIRGINIA IS NOT EXACTLY AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS, AND WE COULD DO MORE. BUT RIGHT NOW THIS SEEMS TOO VAGUE. I HAD THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT SELF-CHECKOUT. I MEAN, WHEN I GO THROUGH SELF-CHECKOUT, I FIND THE BAGS TO BE VERY FLIMSY, SO I OFTEN DOUBLE BAG, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF I DOUBLE BAG EVERYTHING AND I WANT TO PAY THAT MUCH MORE. I GUESS IT'S A TRADE OFF. DO I WANT TO PAY MORE OR DO I WANT, DO I WANT TO WORRY ABOUT MY MY BAGS BREAKING AS I CARRY THEM IN? SO IT'S THERE'S A LOT OF VARIABLES TO IT. I THINK THAT'S THE PART THAT MOST OF US ARE. THE MORE WE LOOK AT IT, THE MORE WE THINK OF THEM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WENDY. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. WENDY AUSTIN, NEW RESIDENT OF PETERSBURG ON HIGH STREET. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE AND INVOLVED AND MORE INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT I'VE WORKED IN FOR 15 YEARS AND IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SECTOR. AND I REALLY APPLAUD MR. WESTBROOK'S INITIATIVE IN BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS OF THE POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION, AND IT IS [00:45:04] ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT TO LOOK INTO IT IN MORE DETAIL. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS SO BENEFICIAL IN SO MANY WAYS. AND SO MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE ENACTED THIS TAX ON PLASTIC BAGS AND IT, YOU KNOW, BRINGS IN REVENUE ALL THE GOOD THINGS. IT HELPS EDUCATE PEOPLE ON THE IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR WILDLIFE COMMUNITY. IT'S SO DEVASTATING TO THE FISH AND WILDLIFE WHEN THEY INGEST THAT. SO I DO THINK IT IS WORTH LOOKING INTO MORE DETAIL IN TRYING TO COME UP WITH A POLICY AND PROCEDURES THAT WORK FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHO I KNOW IT'S A CHALLENGE TO MAKE THAT CHANGE, BUT I ALSO AM FAMILIAR WITH GRANTS AND FUNDING AND AGAIN, IN PROCESSES THAT IT COULD BE AVAILABLE IN THE GROCERY STORE, REUSABLE BAGS. AND I WANT TO COMMENT THAT I KNOW FROM USE SELF-CHECKOUT IS GENERALLY A, YOU KNOW, SELF-HONESTY THE QUESTION COMES UP, HOW MANY BAGS ARE YOU? YOU KNOW, ARE YOU BRINGING YOUR OWN BAGS? HOW MANY BAGS DID YOU USE THAT SORT OF THING? SO I VERY MUCH SUPPORT THE EFFORT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, SIR. IN THE BACK. HOW Y'ALL DOING? I'M. I STAY AT 2936 BRIARWOOD ROAD, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. I ACTUALLY STAY IN MR. WESTBROOK'S DISTRICT. SO IF THE POINT IS I GET THE POINT IS TO LIKE, CLEAN THE CITY UP IN SANITATION. SO IF THE POINT IF THAT'S THE POINT, WHY DON'T YOU JUST STOP USING PLASTIC? BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO USING PLASTIC INSTEAD OF AND YOU CAN PUT THAT COST ON THE BUSINESSES INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT ON THE CITIZENS TO PAY MORE TAX. YOU CAN USE A DIFFERENT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH Y'ALL TRAVEL, BUT IF YOU GO PLACES THEY'LL USE LIKE CARDBOARD, THEY'LL USE PAPER, THEY USE A BUNCH OF OTHER BETTER RECYCLED MATERIAL OTHER THAN PLASTIC. AND THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER OPTIONS. SO IF YOU WANT TO STOP USING PLASTIC AND THAT'S THE POINT OF THE BILL, IS TO CLEAN THE CITY UP. JUST STOP USING PLASTIC AND PUT THE COST ON THE BUSINESS AND THE CORPORATIONS INSTEAD OF CITIZENS TO PAY MORE AT THE REGISTER. BUT THAT'S IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YES. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING. SHARON JOHNSON, 619 SUMMIT STREET. I'M FOR AND GOOD EVENING. I'M MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I'M FOR US DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THE PLASTIC BAGS BECAUSE IF YOU GROCERY SHOP MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK, IT'S YOU GET TOO MANY BAGS. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU GET HOME AND YOU GOT ALL THESE PLASTIC BAGS. AND YES, WE DO GO TO THE STORE AND WE DO SAY DOUBLE MY BAG OR THE STUFF'S GOING TO FALL OUT, TRIPLE MY BAG. TO ME, THAT'S WASTING AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WHAT THOSE BAGS ARE THERE FOR. I AGREE WITH THE YOUNG MAN. THERE ARE OTHER ALTERNATIVES. PERSONALLY, I GET RECYCLABLE BAGS. YOU CAN BUY THEM FOR $1 AND YOU CAN USE THEM OVER AND OVER AND OVER. AND MOST OF THE TIME, IF YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING, YOU HAVE A GREATER RESPECT FOR IT. AND I THINK NOW THAT WE GO TO THE STORE AND YOU CAN GET AS MANY BAGS, SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL GO TO THE STORE AND JUST GRAB A HUNK OF PLASTIC BAGS THAT'S WASTING, AND THEY GO HOME AND THEY USE THEM FOR TRASH BAGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THEY CAN USE THEM FOR BECAUSE THEY'RE FREE. SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME APPRECIATION FOR THEM. GET SOME. THE YOUNG MEN SAID THERE'S OTHER ALTERNATIVES. YOU DON'T. WHEN YOU GO TO SAM'S CLUB, SOMETIMES YOU'LL WALK OUT WITH A HUNK OF MEAT IN YOUR ARMS. IT DOESN'T CARE. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO YOU THAT YOU HAVE IT IN A PLASTIC BAG THEN, OR YOU PUT IT IN A IN A BOX. SO AS I STATED BEFORE, GET THE GET THE GET THE THE THE THE PAPER OR THE OR I MEAN NOT THE PAPER BUT THE REUSABLE BAGS. THEY COST $1. YOU CAN NICELY PACK YOUR GROCERIES IN THERE AND THEY LOOK NICE AND THEY MAKE TO ME. YOU TAKE PRIDE IN GROCERY SHOPPING AND YOU CAN GET THEM IN ALL COLORS, ALL KINDS. YOU CAN GET THEM IN SAYINGS. BUT I AGREE THIS THE PLASTIC BAGS IS,O I'M IN FAVOR OF US DOING SOMETHING NOW. IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE A TAX. AND ONE YOUNG LADY DID SAY, I KNOW WHEN I GO UP NORTH, IF YOU DON'T BRING YOUR BAGS WITH YOU, YOU DO HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM. BUT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT AND [00:50:01] HAVE THAT EXPECTATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY IF YOU DON'T BRING YOUR OWN BAGS. SO THAT PROVOKES YOU TO KEEP THEM IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY. SO LET'S DO SOMETHING WITH THE BAGS BECAUSE THEY'VE GOTTEN OUT OF HAND. AND PEOPLE DO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE FREE. AND THEY YOU DON'T NEED THAT MANY PLASTIC BAGS AT HOME. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO MORE HANDS. OH, OKAY. ONE. HELLO. HOW YOU DOING? I SEE YOU. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DOCTOR ROSALIA WEAVER. ROY, MY ADDRESS IS 2942 HOMESTEAD DRIVE. I'M STANDING UP HERE BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED. WE ALREADY HAVE HIGHER FOOD COSTS. WE'RE TRYING TO PAY THE REAL ESTATE TAX, WHICH IS HIGHER FOR A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS OR CITIZENS IN PETERSBURG. NOW WE'RE BRINGING FORTH, AS IT RELATES TO A TAX ON BAGS. AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW, OUR POVERTY RATE IS VERY HIGH IN PETERSBURG. PEOPLE ARE REALLY TRYING TO SURVIVE. NOW WE'RE BRINGING IN ANOTHER TAX. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE CASINO COMING AND WE WERE GOING TO THAT WILL BE MORE INCOME FOR THE CITY. BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAXES ON BAGS. I AM VERY CONCERNED. NOW, LET ME SAY THIS TO YOU ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. YES, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO CONTROL WHAT WE'RE DOING AS IT RELATES TO OUR ENVIRONMENT. BUT PLEASE CONSIDER ANOTHER MANNER IN WHICH TO MOVE FORWARD TO HELP US IN OUR ENVIRONMENT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATZENBACH, 301 SOUTH JEFFERSON STREET. ALDI'S IS A VERY LARGE CHAIN OF SUPERMARKETS. EVERYBODY THERE BEFORE THEY GO IN, THEY KNOW TO BRING THEIR OWN BAGS. WE'RE NOT IMPOSING. IT IS IS A TAX. YES OF COURSE. HOWEVER IT WILL JUST EDUCATE PEOPLE TO BRING THEIR OWN BAGS. I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 20 YEARS, SO I DON'T GET THE FACT THAT WE'RE IMPOSING UPON PEOPLE SO MUCH. YOU SIMPLY BRING YOUR OWN BAGS. IT'S A WIN FOR EVERYONE AND IT CLEANS UP THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, WHICH HAPPENS TO LIE RIGHT ON THE THE RIVER HERE. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NO MORE HANDS. THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. LOOK, I LIKE TO GO TO. OH, WE HAVE ONE. YOU WAS ONE OF MY. SOMEBODY. OH, HE'S. HE SEES ONE ONCE. SO? SO IT'S ONLY ONE ROUND. I'M GONNA GO TO YOU COUNCIL COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK. NOW I KNOW YOU WERE THE THE THE SPONSOR OF THIS. YOU WANT TO GIVE ANY TYPE OF INFORMATION BEFORE. YES. THANK YOU. SO AGAIN NOT TO HOLD EVERYBODY HERE LONG I AM A STRONG PROPONENT OF IT. I'M NOT GOING TO COMPARE US. I'VE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS AND WRITE IT DOWN. I'M NOT GOING TO COMPARE US TO ANYBODY ELSE. I JUST WANT PETERSBURG TO BE A PROGRESSIVE CITY. AND WHEN YOU GO A LOT OF OTHER PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY UP NORTH, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S UNCOMMON. AGAIN, I DO UNDERSTAND HOW SOME PEOPLE MAY FEEL LIKE IT IS AN IMPOSITION ON IT, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE SO, BECAUSE IF NOTHING ELSE, IT'S IN THE LAW THAT THOSE, FOR INSTANCE, THAT ARE ON SNAP, THEY ARE ABLE TO GET THE BAGS PROVIDED TO THEM SO WE CAN HELP OUT SOME OF THE, THE UNFORTUNATE AND AS WELL HOW WE FOR THE BUSINESSES, THEY GET ONE $0.01 OF THAT FIVE CENT TO HELP THEM ADJUST SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE ACCOUNTING AND COLLECTION PART OF IT. SO THE BUSINESSES GET A PART OF THAT AND THERE IS A GRACE PERIOD JUST BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE ENACTED TONIGHT OR WHENEVER, IT DOES NOT MEAN IT GOES INTO EFFECT TOMORROW. THERE IS A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THERE IS INFORMATION AND ADJUSTMENT OF 95 DAY PERIOD, SO THAT AGAIN, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOME BIG BAD WOLF THAT'S COMING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THAT'S GOING TO MAKE TAKE MORE MONEY OUT OF YOUR WALLET. BUT I DO THINK IT IS VERY BENEFICIAL FOR [00:55:03] THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. WE NEED TO CLEAN UP OUR CITY. AND IF YOU WERE HERE LAST MEETING WITH MR. FAGAN'S IS DOING. I WOULD LIKE TO EVEN DIRECT THAT MONEY NOT TO BE JUST GO INTO A GENERAL BUDGET, BUT ACTUALLY BE A LINE ITEM SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE IMPROVEMENT TO OUR GATEWAYS SO THAT WE CAN CLEAN UP. BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THIS CITY STARTING IN 2026, WHETHER YOU FOR THE CASINO OR NOT, PEOPLE ARE COMING AND THEY WILL JUDGE OUR CITY BY HOW THEY SEE IT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS THAT I CAN SEE ALL ACROSS THE BOARD THAT I'M WELCOME TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION WITH ANYONE ONE ON ONE IN MEETING. I'M GOING TO HAVE A BOARD MEETING IN JANUARY AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT EVEN FURTHER. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL WESTBROOK. AND AT THIS TIME I THINK WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TABLE THIS FOR FOR MORE DISCUSSION AT THE TIME VICE MAYOR HILL YES I MOVE THAT WE TABLE IT FOR MORE DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK SECOND HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. AND AT THOSE TIMES WE'LL HAVE MORE DISCUSSION. I KNOW DOCTOR LEWIS, MR. GREEN WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. SO WE'LL GET THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE I VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. AYE AYE. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK. AND JUST FOR A POINT OF ORDER AGAIN, THERE IS NOTHING IN STONE. BUT THIS IS LOOKING WE ARE LOOKING TO BRING THIS BACK UP IN JANUARY. SO IF YOU DO HAVE MORE CONCERNS, PLEASE BE AT THE JANUARY MEETINGS SO YOU CAN CONTINUE TO SEE HOW THIS GOES DOWN AND IS VOTED ON. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. NEXT WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM D, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CAROL WILLIAMS TO APPEAL A DECISION MADE BY THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD THAT AN UNAPPROVED SHED IN THE FRONT YARD OF 214 SOUTH ADAMS STREET IN THE POPLAR LAWN HISTORIC DISTRICT SHOULD BE REMOVED UNTIL ITS PERMANENT LOCATION IS REVIEWED AND APPROVED. JARED. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU SIR. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR. COUNCIL. JARED CREWS I'M ACTING DIRECTOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING. SO TONIGHT WE'VE GOT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN APPEAL OF A DECISION MADE BY THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD RELATING TO A SHED THAT WAS PLACED WITHIN A FRONT YARD AT 214 SOUTH ADAMS. SO THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU ALL WOULD BE TO DETERMINE IF THE DECISION OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD SHOULD BE REVERSED OR UPHELD, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT THEIR DECISION STANDS AND THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE THE APPLICANT TO REMOVE THE SHED FROM THE FRONT YARD UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THEY GET APPROVAL ON A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS. SO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, IT'S 214 SOUTH ADAMS STREET. IT IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF ADAMS AND TULIP ALLEY. SO THE SHED IS ACTUALLY IN THE YARD THAT WOULD BE FACING TULIP ALLEY. SOME BACKGROUND ON THE ON THE CASE. SO IT ORIGINALLY WENT TO THE ARB. IN AUGUST THEY REVIEWED A REQUEST TO INSTALL A PREFABRICATED SHED. THE REQUEST WAS WRITTEN THAT THE SHED WOULD BE IN THE REAR YARD OF THE PROPERTY. SO BETWEEN THE TIME THAT THEY FILED THE APPLICATION AND THE MEETING WAS ACTUALLY HELD, THERE WAS A SHED PLACED IN THE SIDE YARD, OR WHAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY CONSIDER TO BE ANOTHER FRONT YARD ALONG TULIP ALLEY. SO IT'S LARGELY VISIBLE FROM THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. SO AT THE AUGUST MEETING, THE ARB DEFERRED ACTION ON THE APPLICATION, THEY REQUESTED SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE APPLICANT ON WHERE EXACTLY THE SHED WAS MEANT TO BE PLACED PERMANENTLY, WHETHER THAT BE THE REAR YARD AS DESCRIBED OR WHERE IT HAD BEEN PLACED IN THAT FRONT YARD. THE APPLICATION DIDN'T INCLUDE A PLOT PLAN, SO NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED, AND AT THE NEXT MEETING, THE ARB VOTED TO DENY THE REQUEST BASED ON THE PLACEMENT OF THE SHED AND JUST THE LACK OF CLARITY ON WHAT THE PERMANENT INTENTION WAS FOR THAT SHED. SO THE DESIGN AND THE DIMENSIONS WERE DEEMED APPROVABLE. AGAIN, THE PROBLEM IS THE LOCATION OF THE SHED. SO BOTH THE DESIGN GUIDELINES AND OUR ZONING ORDINANCE ARE GOING TO SAY THAT YOU CAN'T PUT A SHED IN WHAT'S CONSIDERED TO BE A FRONT YARD. SO THAT DECISION MEANT THAT THE SHED WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED UNLESS AND UNTIL AN APPLICATION IS PROVIDED THAT SHOWS THE RELOCATION OF THE SHED TO AN APPROVED LOCATION. THE APPLICANT HAS INDICATED THAT SHE WOULD LIKE THE THE NEW SHED TO REMAIN TEMPORARILY. THE DATE SHE'S THROWN OUT IS OUT IS AT LEAST UNTIL MARCH, AND THEN SHE [01:00:03] WOULD BRING UPDATED PLANS TO THE ARB AT THAT POINT. FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THAT THAT'S ESSENTIALLY ALLOWING AN ACTIVE VIOLATION OF OUR ZONING ORDINANCE TO STAND WITHOUT ANY ENFORCEMENT. SO THIS IS THE CURRENT LOCATION. THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER PERSPECTIVE. THIS IS AT THE STREET INTERSECTION. SO YOU CAN SEE IT IS HIGHLY VISIBLE FROM TULIP ALLEY WHICH IS PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT WAS PROVIDED WITH THE APPLICATION AS FAR AS PLACEMENT. BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE REAR YARD OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH WOULD BE AN APPROVABLE LOCATION. SO A COUPLE PIECES FROM THE DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT LED TO THE DENIAL. THE FIRST POINT IS THE SHED SHOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE STYLE OF THE PRIMARY BUILDING. AND AGAIN THEY DID CHECK THIS BOX. THE BOARD DID NOT HAVE AN ISSUE WITH WITH THE DESIGN. BUT THE SECOND POINT IS THAT IT SHOULD BE PLACED IN THE REAR OF THE LOT. SO THAT BRINGS US HERE TONIGHT. AGAIN, THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED THAT THAT DECISION BE OVERTURNED. STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S VIOLATING OUR ORDINANCE IN A COUPLE OF WAYS. ONE, THEY DON'T HAVE THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL, AND TWO, THE SHED WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED WITHIN WHAT'S CONSIDERED A FRONT YARD, WHETHER IT BE IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT OR OTHERWISE. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AND WE DO HAVE MR. BATESON HERE. IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE PERSPECTIVE FROM THE ARB, BUT WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL, MR. MAYOR. YES? MAY I ASK A QUESTION, PLEASE? WE'RE GOING TO WE'LL DO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CAROL ADAMS TO APPEAL A DECISION MADE BY THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD THAT AN UNAPPROVED SHED IN THE FRONT YARD AT 214 SOUTH ADAMS STREET IN THE POPLAR LAWN HISTORIC DISTRICT SHOULD BE REMOVED UNTIL ITS PERMANENT LOCATION IS REVIEWED AND APPROVED. MR. BATESON. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL JOE BATTISTON, ONE SOUTH SYCAMORE STREET, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. THIS SIMPLE SITUATION HERE IS THAT IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD A LOCATION, WE WOULDN'T BE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR IT TO BE PUT IN THE REAR OF THE HOUSE. THERE WAS NO PLAT SHOWING US WHERE IT WAS, SO THAT'S WHY IT WAS DENIED. WE HAD A PLAT. WE WOULD HAVE SAID IT NEEDS TO GO BACK HERE. ACCORDING TO GUIDELINES FROM OUR NATIONAL PARKS DEPARTMENT OF INTERIORS. SO I'M ASKING THAT YOU UPHOLD WHAT WE ASKED. I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, IF SHE NEEDED A 30 DAY PERIOD, THAT WOULD BE REASONABLE, BECAUSE A SHED THAT'S NOT ON A FOUNDATION IS A RELATIVELY EASY THING TO MOVE, AND THAT WOULD GIVE HER ENOUGH TIME TO COME BEFORE THE ARB TO GET THE APPROVAL OF THE LOCATION. SO I IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM DECLINING THE SHED ITSELF. IT'S JUST A LOCATION BECAUSE IT IS CONSIDERED BY CITY ORDINANCE, A SIDE YARD ON AN ALLEY OR A STREET IS CONSIDERED A FRONT YARD IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. SO A CORNER LOT ACTUALLY HAS TWO FRONT YARDS. AND I LEARNED THIS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WHEN MR. CREWS POINTED IT OUT TO AT ONE OF OUR MEETINGS WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A YARD, YARD AND A FENCE. AND THAT'S WHEN WE LEARNED THAT THE ORDINANCE IN PETERSBURG, A CORNER LOT, ACTUALLY HAS TWO FRONT YARDS. SO THIS IS ACTUALLY SITTING IN A FRONT YARD. ACCORDING TO PETERSBURG ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. MISS BOB RUDOLPH. THANK YOU. MAYOR BOB RUDOLPH, 1675 MOUNT VERNON STREET. THIS THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE BRINGS TO MIND SOMETHING THAT CAME UP IN A CITY COUNCIL MEETING OVER A YEAR AGO. I BELIEVE IT WAS THE COUNCIL MEETING THAT WAS HELD IN THE SUMMER OF 2024 AT THE TRAIN STATION. BECAUSE THIS BUILDING WASN'T THIS ROOM WASN'T AVAILABLE AND IT WAS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A FENCE SOMEWHERE IN THE SAME IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD, IN THE SAME HISTORIC DISTRICT. AND IT ENDED UP THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AGREED TO LET THE FENCE REMAIN. AND I BELIEVE IT WAS THE SAME SITUATION. IT WAS LIKE I SAID, IT WAS A HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT WAS ALSO THE ZONING [01:05:03] ORDINANCE FOR THE WHOLE CITY, NOT JUST FOR THE HISTORIC AREAS, BUT THE ZONING ORDINANCE FOR PETERSBURG HAS CERTAIN RULES OF OF, YOU KNOW, OFFSETTING DISTANCES FOR FENCES. IN THAT CASE, THAT WAS I MEAN, I JUST IT CONCERNED ME BECAUSE AT THE TIME, I MEAN, WALNUT HILL WASN'T ANY KIND OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT AT THE TIME I'M REFERRING TO, AND IT STILL ISN'T THE SAME ONE THAT HAS THIS CONTROLLED BY THE ARB. BUT WHEN WHEN WE WORKED ON A HOUSE IN WALNUT HILL, WE WERE TOLD BY THE BUILDING INSPECTOR, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE FENCE WAS SUPPOSED TO GO WAS THE SAME KIND OF THING. IT WAS ON A CORNER LOT, AND WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HAD THE FENCE MUCH CLOSER TO THE STREET THAN WE DID, BUT WE CONFORMED WITH THE CITY'S GUIDANCE AND WE BUILT THE FENCE. SO IT WAS ON OUR PROPERTY, NOT ON A CITY EASEMENT. SO I GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A BONE TO PICK ABOUT EXCEPTIONS BEING MADE. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM WHAT JARED SAID, THAT HERE AGAIN, THIS IS THIS LOCATION OF THE SHED IS NOT JUST A HISTORIC DISTRICT ISSUE. IT'S A CITY WIDE ISSUE. SO I GUESS YOU GUYS HAVE GOT TO DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO BACK UP YOUR RULES OR JUST KEEP MAKING EXCEPTIONS FOR PEOPLE. THANK YOU. YES, MR. KATZENBACH. YES. HOLLY KATZENBACH, 301 SOUTH JEFFERSON STREET. I WAS AT THAT MEETING AND THERE IS NO CLARITY AT ALL GIVEN IT WAS HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE. AND SO AT THE END OF IT, EVERYONE IN THAT ROOM WAS KIND OF SHAKING THEIR HEAD LIKE, WHAT JUST WENT ON? SO I WAS THERE AND I CAN CONFIRM WHAT THIS GENTLEMAN MORE OR LESS SAID. NOT A WHOLE LOT OF CLARITY GIVEN. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. SEEING NO MORE HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NEXT I GO TO COUNCILMAN CULBREATH. I KNOW YOU HAD A QUESTION. I DID. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MR. CRUZ, WHY ARE WE SEEING SO MANY APPEALS FROM THE DECISION OF THE ARB? IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL SINCE JANUARY OF 2017, AND WE NEVER HAD ANY APPEALS UNTIL THAT. I CAN REMEMBER UNTIL ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. AND THEN, BOY, THEY JUST KEEP COMING. UP AND COUNCIL AFFIRMS THE DECISIONS OF THE ARB, TYPICALLY BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO BACK UP OUR BOARDS AND WE DO FROWN UPON MAKING SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS FOR PARTICULAR PEOPLE. BUT IS THERE A FEE FOR FILING AN APPEAL FROM ARB TO CITY COUNCIL? NO, SIR. THERE'S NO. WELL, THAT'S WHY WE KEEP GETTING THESE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S JUST A FREE RIDE. YEAH. I THINK AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. THE TIMELINES KIND OF ADD UP ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO IS WHEN, YOU KNOW, NAOMI AND I JOINED THE DEPARTMENT AND. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, A LOT OF IT IS JUST THE, YOU KNOW, PAPERWORK THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO FILE WITH THESE REQUESTS AS FAR AS NOTIFYING INDIVIDUALS AFTER THEY GET DENIED THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO AN APPEAL. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STATE CODE REQUIRES THAT WE NOTIFY, YOU KNOW, AN APPLICANT THAT THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT CERTAIN, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WAS HAPPENING CONSISTENTLY PRIOR TO THAT WINDOW A COUPLE YEARS AGO. SO FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, IF A PERSON HAS BEEN TOLD NO AND THEY DON'T LIKE THAT ANSWER, THIS IS AN AVENUE TO POTENTIALLY GET THAT ANSWER. CHANGED. OKAY. NEXT, COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THE QUESTION WAS ASKED WHY? ARE WE GETTING SO MANY APPEALS? AND I BELIEVE THE REASON WHY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IS BACK IN 2017, MAYBE THE PEOPLE WAS NOT EMPOWERED TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS TO FILE APPEALS. IT IS THEIR RIGHT TO FILE AN APPEAL ON ANYTHING WE DO. THEY DO JUST THAT RIGHT NOW. ODDLY ENOUGH, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I. I SUPPORT THE ARB ON THIS. HOWEVER, I WANT TO KNOW IF ANY OF YOU GUYS TOOK INTO [01:10:04] CONSIDERATION THE LETTER WRITTEN BY MR. CARROLL HERE. WELL, LET ME READ THIS LETTER BECAUSE LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AT THE MEETING, THINGS WERE HERE AND THERE AND EVERYBODY WAS DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS LETTER WAS SHARED WITH THE ARB, BUT I'M GOING TO READ IT. BECAUSE SOARING AND ADDITIONAL BOARD MEMBERS DISCUSSED UPON MY VISIT TO MISS GRANGE'S OFFICE. THIS IS MY WRITTEN NOTICE OF MY WISH TO APPEAL THE DECISION ON MY SHED AND THE OUTDOOR SUBTERRANEAN DOORWAY SLASH WALKWAY LEADING TO MY BASEMENT. I WILL FORWARD MEASUREMENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE DUE TO MY OWN PERSONAL MEDICAL ILLNESS AND A DYING FAMILY MEMBER, I ANTICIPATE THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT IN SPRING OF 2026. THANK YOU, CAROL WILLIAMS. I DON'T KNOW IF CAROL WILLIAMS OR MA'AM OR OR MAN, I DON'T KNOW. I JUST SAY MISS, BUT STILL, I DON'T THINK IT'S UNREASONABLE. TO LOOK INTO THIS TO MARCH NOW I DON'T. IT PUT US IN A BAD. HAVE Y'ALL LOOKED AT THIS LETTER? HAVE YOU GOT THIS LETTER? YOU NEVER RECEIVED IT? WOULD YOU HAVE CONSIDERED THIS LETTER IN YOUR DECISION? SO THIS WOULD HAVE COME AFTER THE DECISION. THIS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE THE NOTIFICATION AFTER THE DENIAL THAT SHE WISHED TO BRING THE CASE TO YOU ALL. SO I WOULD NOTE THAT WE DO HAVE A PROVISION IN OUR ORDINANCE FOR YOU CAN REQUEST, YOU KNOW, A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP FOR A TEMPORARY APPROVAL. YOU KNOW, SHE DIDN'T CHOOSE TO GO THAT ROUTE. AND AGAIN, I WOULD ALSO MAKE THE POINT THAT IT'S NOT JUST VIOLATING THE DESIGN GUIDELINES, IT'S THE ZONING ORDINANCE. I UNDERSTAND. SO SO THE BIGGEST THING HERE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IS EDUCATION TO OUR PEOPLE IS OUT OF ORDER. THE ARB CITED IT AND APPARENTLY THEY MAYBE SHE DIDN'T KNOW OR HE DIDN'T KNOW. RIGHT. AND IT'S NOT TAKING A SHOT AT YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? I THINK WE JUST GOT TO START MAYBE SENDING SOME OUT ARB. I THOUGHT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE SENDING THINGS OUT TO THE PUBLIC. YOU CAN'T HAVE THIS STUFF IN YOUR FRONT YARD OR YOUR FRONT YARD LIKE YOU MENTIONED. I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU. YOU MEANT TO DO IT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT THAT I MEAN, POINT WELL TAKEN. AND I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, CRITICISM THAT WE'VE TRIED TO TAKE TO HEART AND PUT INTO PRACTICE. IN THIS CASE, WE DID MEET WITH THE APPLICANT BEFORE SHE EVER FILED ANY APPLICATIONS. ALL THE RULES WERE TALKED THROUGH. SHE FILED THE APPLICATION, GOT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE MEETING, AND THEN PUT THE SHED IN THE FRONT YARD. SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT WASN'T AN INSTANCE OF HER NOT KNOWING. YOU GOT TO SAY NO MORE, MR. MAYOR. I WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION TO UPHOLD THE ARB IN THAT DECISION. IN THIS PROCESS, THAT'S ALL I GOT A MOTION TO UPHOLD, COUNCILMAN. I SECOND THE MOTION TO SECOND AT THIS TIME IS HERE. WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL, COUNCILMEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. AYE AYE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM E, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CAROL WILLIAMS TO APPEAL A DECISION MADE BY THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD TO DENY CONSTRUCTION OF STAIRS AND A WALKWAY FOR A SUBTERRANEAN ENTRANCE AT 214 SOUTH ADAMS STREET IN THE POPLAR LAWN HISTORIC DISTRICT. THANK YOU, SIR. SO THIS WAS A SEPARATE REQUEST FILED FOR THE SAME PROPERTY. VERY SIMILAR. THE QUESTION WOULD BE WHETHER THE TO REVERSE THE DECISION. IN THIS CASE, REVERSING THE DECISION WOULD MEAN APPROVING THE WORK THAT WAS REQUESTED AND DENIED. IN THIS CASE. AGAIN, IT STARTED AT THE AUGUST MEETING. THE BOARD REVIEWED A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS APPLICATION TO CONSTRUCT A WALKWAY AND AN ENTRANCE TO AN EXISTING CRAWL SPACE ON THE HOME. AS BEST I UNDERSTAND IT WOULD, THE IDEA WOULD BE TO CONVERT IT INTO MORE OF LIKE A LIVABLE BASEMENT AREA. SO WE HAD A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST, AND THAT'S ALL THAT CAME WITH THE APPLICATION. AGAIN, THE CASE WAS DEFERRED BASED ON LACK OF DETAIL FOR WHAT WAS PROPOSED. AS FAR AS THERE WAS NO INFORMATION ON MATERIALS, DESIGN, MEASUREMENTS OR JUST REALLY THE OVERALL SCOPE OF WORK. SO THE CASE CAME BACK IN SEPTEMBER. IT WAS [01:15:07] DENIED BECAUSE THAT INFORMATION HAD STILL NOT BEEN PROVIDED. IN THIS INSTANCE, THE APPLICANTS REQUESTED IT BE OVERTURNED BECAUSE SHE'S CURRENTLY UNABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE DETAILED PLANS FOR THE PROPOSED WORK. SO THIS IS A VIEW FROM TULIP ALLEY. YOU CAN SEE THE EXISTING ENTRANCE TO THAT CRAWL SPACE. THAT'S A CLOSER LOOK. SO AGAIN, AS BEST AS I CAN UNDERSTAND, THE IDEA WOULD BE TO DIG CREATE A STAIRWELL. THIS WOULD BECOME A FULL SIZE ENTRANCE INTO THAT PORTION OF THE HOME. SO THE REASON FOR DENIAL IS IN THIS CASE, JUST A LACK OF INFORMATION. WE DIDN'T HAVE PLANS SPECIFIED THE SCOPE OF THE WORK OR THE DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED ENTRANCEWAY. IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT THE MATERIALS WOULD BE, WHAT THE WORK WOULD LOOK LIKE. THERE WAS NO INFORMATION FROM AN ENGINEER DEMONSTRATING THAT THE WORK COULD BE SAFELY DONE WITHOUT IMPACTING THE FOUNDATION, OR THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE HOME. THERE'S NO INFORMATION, JUST DEMONSTRATING THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT IT WOULDN'T HAVE A VISUAL IMPACT. AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTIONS CAME UP, I DISCUSSED THIS WITH OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL. HE SHARED THE SAME CONCERNS. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LOAD BEARING COMPONENTS HERE. THERE'S THE CHIMNEY. AND IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD WAS COMFORTABLE APPROVING WITHOUT ANY KIND OF ENGINEERED DESIGN PLANS. AND AGAIN, I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CAROL WILLIAMS TO APPEAL A DECISION MADE BY THE ARB TO DENY THE CONSTRUCTION OF STAIRS AND A WALKWAY FOR A SUBTERRANEAN ENTRANCE AT 214 SOUTH ADAMS STREET IN THE POPLAR LAWN HISTORIC DISTRICT. YES, IN THE BACK, MISS MERRILL'S. MICHELLE BURROWS, 131 SOUTH MARKET STREET AND A MEMBER OF THE ARB BOARD. WE DIDN'T REALLY GIVE HER A DENIAL PER SE, ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN TOLD IF WE DON'T GIVE A YES, IT HAS TO BE A NO BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE DETAILS. BUT I ALSO WANT TO DISCUSS MR. JONES'S QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY THIS IS COMING UP MORE, OR EVEN MR. CUTHBERT'S. I THINK THAT WE ARE FINDING THAT THESE HOUSES THAT ARE OLDER AND ARE CHEAP BECAUSE THEY NEED A LOT OF WORK TO THEM, ARE BEING BOUGHT AND QUICKLY FLIPPED, AND NO ONE IS DISCUSSING WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE IN A HISTORICAL DISTRICT. CAROL DOES KNOW THAT AS HE, AS IT WAS MENTIONED THAT SHE HAD MET WITH THE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID. WE ALSO NEED TO REALIZE THE DETAILS OF THE VARIOUS HISTORICAL DISTRICTS. AND THE ARB HAS A MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT THAT I HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD THAT I WANT TO BE GOING OVER WHERE EXACTLY SOME OF THESE DISTRICTS ARE, AND NOT JUST OLD TOWN OR POPLAR LAWN, BUT FOR THIS WE NEEDED THE DETAILS. AND THERE SHE GAVE NO DETAILS. IT WAS JUST, I WANT TO DO THIS. LET ME DO IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YES, MR. BATESON? THANKS AGAIN. JOE BATESON, ONE SOUTH SYCAMORE STREET, PETERSBURG I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT A JOB OF THIS TYPE WOULD REQUIRE PERMITS WITH THE CITY. THAT'S THE SAME INFORMATION THAT THE ARB WOULD NEED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE AN APPROVAL. WE DEFERRED IT TO SEPTEMBER. THE POLICIES WE FILE IS IF THE PEOPLE DON'T SHOW UP OR PROVIDE THE INFORMATION, THEN IT AUTOMATICALLY GETS DECLINED. THEY CAN REAPPLY AND COME BEFORE US AGAIN TO GET THE APPROVAL OR DENIAL. ONCE THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED. WE WE HAD NEVER RECEIVED THE INFORMATION. WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR THE SAME INFORMATION THAT THE CODE COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT WOULD REQUIRE SO THAT WE KNEW WHAT THE MATERIALS WOULD BE. SO I ASK THAT YOU UPHOLD THIS AND ASK HER TO PLEASE PROVIDE THE PROPER INFORMATION SO WE CAN MAKE AN ACTUAL DECISION AND LET HER MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SEEING THE MORE HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS [01:20:03] NOW CLOSED, VICE MAYOR HILL. COUNCILMAN JONES, ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE THE. ARE YOU YOU GOT YOU GOT A SPEECH. YOU GOT TO GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. SO, COUNCILMAN JONES. MISTER BATTERSEA. YES. DO YOU HAVE A BUDGET TO ARB. I'M SORRY. DO THE DO THE ARB HAVE A BUDGET? NO BUDGET. NO BUDGET. ALL RIGHT. WELL. THAT KILLS EVERYTHING. I'M GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION, BUT I THINK JARED AND MR. BATTIS IS SOME KIND OF WAY. MAYBE WE CAN HELP. WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEBODY MOVE INTO THESE HOUSES. I THINK WE NEED TO GET SOME KIND OF DOOR HANGERS AND PUT THEM ON EVERYBODY'S DOOR, EXPLAINING THE RULES. AND MAYBE, JARED, YOU COULD DO A PRESENTATION AND PUT IT ON OUR WEBSITE ON THE INFORMATION THAT'S TO BE EXPECTED WITH THE APPLICATIONS IN THIS CASE RIGHT HERE. I'M GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION TO DENY BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF INFORMATION AND EVERYTHING THAT'S WRITTEN RIGHT HERE. OKAY, SO THAT'S MY MOTION. MR. MAYOR, I HAVE A MOTION. THANK YOU, MR. PATTERSON. ALL RIGHT. MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO DENY. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR HILL. SECOND, SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION, MR. WILLIAMS? IS THAT DENIAL OF THE APPEAL AND UPHOLDING THE ARCHITECTURE? OKAY. YES. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME IS HERE. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. AYE. MOTION CARRIED. NEXT IS ITEM F, A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE SECTIONS 106-8106 TEN. PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX TO CHANGE DUE DATES AND SECTION 110 TO 115. CHANGE THE DUE DATES FOR VEHICLE LICENSE FEE. MADAM COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY. I AM BRITTANY FLOWERS, THE MASTER COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE HERE, REQUESTING THAT WE RECOMMEND CHANGING THE PERSONAL PROPERTY DUE DATES. OKAY, SO PERSONAL PROPERTY IS DESIGNED AS A DEFINED AS AN ASSET THAT IS OWNED AND NOT PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO LAND OR BUILDING. PERSONAL PROPERTY IS ASSESSED ON MOVING ASSETS SUCH AS CARS, MOTORCYCLES, BOATS, TRAILERS, TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY OWNED BY BUSINESS OWNERS, LEASE EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY AND TOOLS FOR THE PERSONAL PROPERTY. WE GET A WEEKLY DOWNLOAD FROM DMV, DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR, DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES THAT CAPTURES THE UPDATES FOR PEOPLE WHO MOVE INTO THE CITY, MOVE OUT OF THE CITY, TRADE IN A VEHICLE. SELL A VEHICLE. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND. THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. PRIOR TO 2014 WE HAD ONE DUE DATE JUNE 10TH. CURRENTLY WE HAVE TWO DUE DATES FEBRUARY THE 28TH AND JUNE THE 10TH. FEBRUARY 28TH IS FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR. SO OUR FIRST SIX MONTHS IS DUE IN THE SECOND MONTH. OUR LAST SIX MONTHS IS DUE JUNE 10TH. I'M REQUESTING THAT THIS BE MOVED. SO THE FIRST SIX MONTHS WOULD BE DOING THE SIX MONTH OF THE YEAR, AND THE LAST SIX MONTHS BE DUE IN DECEMBER. WE ARE A PRORATING LOCALITY, WHICH I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR. PRORATING MEANS THAT THE CITY OF PETERSBURG WILL BUILD YOUR VEHICLE. FROM THE TIME THAT YOU MOVE TO THE CITY OF PETERSBURG FROM ANOTHER PRORATING LOCALITY, OR THE TIME THAT YOU PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE IN THE CITY. SO I DID SOME COMPARISONS WITH OTHER PRORATING AND NON PRORATING LOCALITIES. CHESTERFIELD THE BUILD ONE TIME A YEAR WHICH IS JUNE THE 5TH. DINWIDDIE JUNE 5TH AND DECEMBER 5TH. THE CITY OF HOPEWELL. THEY'RE A LITTLE DIFFERENT. THEY BUILD FEBRUARY THE 15TH BUT IT'S FOR THE PRIOR YEAR. SO THIS FEBRUARY THE 15TH OF 2026 THEY'RE BUILDING FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025. PRINCE GEORGE AND PORTSMOUTH BUILD ONE TIME A YEAR ON JUNE THE 5TH. THE NON PRORATING LOCALITIES COLONIAL HEIGHTS. THEY BUILD JUNE 5TH AND DECEMBER 5TH. MECKLENBURG WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. THEY BUILD THE FIRST SIX MONTHS DECEMBER 5TH AND THEN THE LAST SIX MONTHS JUNE 5TH OF THE NEXT YEAR. THAT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING TO ME. AND AS FAR AS SUSSEX COUNTY, THEY BUILD ONE TIME YEAR, WHICH IS DECEMBER THE 5TH. SO THE CHALLENGES THAT WE CURRENTLY FACE WITH THE DUE DATE BEING FEBRUARY THE 28TH, WE HAVE TO WAIT ON A THIRD PARTY. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. I AM THANKFUL THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN COMMISSIONER [01:25:03] FOR 2019 UP UNTIL CURRENT, WE WERE ABLE TO GET ALL THE ASSESSMENTS OVER 30,000 VEHICLES. THE BOOK WAS FINISHED BETWEEN THE 17TH OF JANUARY UP TO THE 23RD OF JANUARY, EXCEPT FOR 2022. THERE WAS A HICCUP WITH A THIRD PARTY, SO I DIDN'T HAVE THAT BOOK READY UNTIL THE 4TH OF FEBRUARY, FORCING THE CITY TO USE THE VIRGINIA CODE. 58.1 DASH 3912, WHICH ONLY ALLOWS THE CITIZENS TO HAVE 14 DAYS TO PAY A PERSONAL PROPERTY BILL. THAT'S NOT FAIR. THERE'S ALSO TWO FEDERAL HOLIDAYS IN JANUARY. WE NEVER KNOW WHAT THE WEATHER IS GOING TO BE. AND NOT TO MENTION THAT THE BUSINESS LICENSE IS DUE BY MARCH 1ST. ACCORDING TO THE CODE OF VIRGINIA 58.1 3700 3.1. BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED CHANGE. THERE BE LESS ABATEMENTS THAT MY OFFICE WILL HAVE TO PROCESS FOR THOSE WHO ARE TRADING VEHICLES OR SELLING VEHICLES MID-YEAR, I LOOK AT IT AS FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO FILE THEIR STATE INCOME TAXES, MOST OF THEM DON'T FILE AND GET THEIR REFUND UNTIL AFTER THE CURRENT DUE DATE OF FEBRUARY THE 28TH. THEY HAVE TO FILE BY APRIL THE 15TH. THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY BILL WILL BE DUE JUNE THE 5TH. YOU CAN PAY THE FIRST HALF OR YOU CAN PAY THE WHOLE YEAR. BUT IF YOU PAY THE FIRST HALF, AT LEAST YOU'RE ABLE TO MAKE INSTALLMENTS. THAT WOULD BE DUE BY THE DECEMBER 5TH DUE DATE WITHOUT ANY PENALTY AND INTEREST. THE EXAMPLE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE NOW, FEBRUARY, COVERS YOU FROM JANUARY 1ST TO JUNE 30TH. IF A TAXPAYER SELLS A VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY, I'M SORRY, SELLS THE VEHICLE IN APRIL, AN ABATEMENT WILL HAVE TO BE DONE, BUT THEY ALREADY PAID FROM JANUARY TO JUNE, SO THEY'RE WAITING ON A CREDIT TO BE TRANSFERRED OR WAITING FOR A REFUND CHECK. BUT IF THE DUE DATES ARE CHANGED, AT LEAST THAT JUNE 5TH BILL, THEY WILL GET A MORE SIMPLIFIED BILL, WHICH WILL HAVE THAT BILL DUE FROM JANUARY UNTIL APRIL. OOPS. OKAY. CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WE DO HAVE THE HIGH MILEAGE EXEMPTION. THIS FORM IS LOCATED ONLINE. A LOT OF TAXPAYERS USE IT. BUT THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF TAXPAYERS WHO DON'T. AND FOR SOME REASON THE FORM IS NOT COMING UP. SO I DO APOLOGIZE WITH THIS FORM. I AM LOOKING TO MAIL THIS FORM OUT TO ALL THE TAXPAYERS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. PRIOR TO 2014, THERE WAS A FORM THAT WAS SENT OUT FOR THE RESIDENTS TO SAY IF THEY HAD THE VEHICLE OR NOT. WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT ANYMORE, BUT I'M LOOKING FOR FAIRNESS FOR THE ASSESSMENT. SO FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HIGH MILEAGE, THEY WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION TO MAKE A MORE FAIR ASSESSMENT. WE DO HAVE WHERE THERE ARE SOME LOCALITIES THAT HAVE A MILEAGE DRIVE. I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYBODY'S VEHICLE AT ONE TIME. SO THE HIGH MILEAGE EXEMPTION FORM WILL BE SUFFICIENT. OKAY. THANK YOU. CURRENTLY, THE ACTIVE DUTY EXEMPTION, THOSE WHO ARE ACTIVE DUTY, WHOSE HOME OF RECORD IS ANOTHER STATE OTHER THAN VIRGINIA PROVIDING THEY'RE LESS AN ABATEMENT HAS TO BE DONE THAT IS TAKEN OFF OF THE TAXES. IF THE DUE DATES ARE CHANGED FROM FEBRUARY TO JUNE, I'M ABLE TO MAIL ALL OF THE ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY, A FORM THAT HAS TO BE COMPLETED, AND THEY CAN MAIL IT BACK TO ME TO PREVENT AN ABATEMENT BEING DONE. I LIKE TO WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER. FOR THE TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY, LEASED EQUIPMENT, MACHINERY AND TOOLS. THOSE FORMS WILL STILL BE DUE ON THE 31ST OF MARCH, BUT THAT DUE DATE WOULD GO FROM JUNE THE 10TH TO JUNE THE 5TH. SO IN SUMMARY, I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE CHANGE THE DUE DATES FROM FEBRUARY 28TH AND JUNE 10TH TO JUNE 5TH AND DECEMBER 5TH. THE VEHICLE LICENSE FEES WILL BE CHANGED FROM JUNE THE 10TH TO DECEMBER 5TH. IT REDUCES CONFUSION AND IMPROVES CONSISTENCY FOR TAXPAYERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS AND KEEPS THE PERSONAL, PERSONAL AND BUSINESS PROPERTY TAX CYCLES ALIGNED. CONCLUSION I LIKE TO DO SMOOTHER AND COMMONSENSICAL TAX BILLING CYCLES, HAVE FAIRNESS AND EFFICIENCY FOR THE TAXPAYERS, AND IT KEEPS US IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE CODES. AND IT ALSO ENHANCES THE TAXPAYER EXPERIENCES. NOW QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. NEXT [01:30:03] I'M GOING TO GO INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. NEXT. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER. AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE SECTIONS 106 TO 108 106 TO 110. PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX TO CHANGE DUE DATES AND SECTION 110 TO 115. CHANGE THE DUE DATE FOR VEHICLE LICENSE FEE. DOCTOR LEWIS. DOCTOR KENNETH LEWIS 503 MISTLETOE STREET, WARD FIVE. MY RESPONSE IS BASED PURELY ON EMOTION AND SENTIMENT AND THAT IS YOU'RE IMPOSING ANOTHER TAX. YOU'RE YOU'RE SWITCHING THE DATES AT CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY TIME AND THAT'S YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT JIVE AT ALL WITH THE LOGIC OF COLLECTING PAYMENTS, BUT EITHER WAY YOU'RE GOING TO COLLECT A PAYMENT. IF I HAD MY DRUTHERS, I'D DRUTHER YOU DO IT IN APRIL AND OCTOBER BECAUSE IT'S STILL SIX MONTHS, SO AT LEAST IT'S LESS PAINFUL IN APRIL AND OCTOBER IN ANY SIX MONTH PERIOD IS PROBABLY PAINFUL TO SOMEBODY FOR SOME REASON. ALL RIGHT. BUT I'M TRYING TO THINK OF NOT HAVING TO HAVE IT IN THE MONTH WHERE PROPERTY TAXES, QUARTERLY PROPERTY TAXES ARE DUE OR SOME OTHER TIME PERIOD WHERE PERHAPS HOLIDAY EXPENSES TYPICALLY OCCUR. THE BEST THAT I CAN COME UP WITH IS EITHER MARCH IN SEPTEMBER OR APRIL. WELL, MARCH IN SEPTEMBER. THAT'S WHEN YOUR PROPERTY TAXES, QUARTERLY PROPERTY TAXES ARE DUE. SO I WOULD JUST AGAIN DRAW THE IF I HAD MY WAY, IT WOULD BE APRIL AND OCTOBER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BOB RUDOLPH. BARB RUDOLPH, 1675 MOUNT VERNON STREET. MY INITIAL REACTION WAS THE SAME AS DOCTOR LEWIS, THAT THE TIMING OF THE NEW TIMING THAT'S PROPOSED IS IT DOES HAVE A LOT MAKES A LOT OF THINGS DO IN DECEMBER IN THIS. HAVING THIS COME DUE IN FEBRUARY GAVE US A LITTLE RELIEF IN THAT RESPECT. ON THE OTHER HAND, I KNOW THAT MISS FLOWERS, SHE IS LOOKING OUT FOR CITIZENS AS MUCH AS ANYTHING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT'S THAT'S WHAT SHE'S SHOWN FROM HER, WHAT SHE'S DONE IN THE PAST. SO BASED ON ON HER PERFORMANCE, I'M INCLINED TO SAY THAT I THINK WE SHOULD DO THIS OR TRY IT. NOW, MY ONLY QUESTION WOULD BE, AND THIS ALSO RELATES TO SOMETHING THAT DOCTOR LEWIS SAID IS THE EFFECTIVE DATE, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK NOW. I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE CAN CHANGE IT NOW TO BE DECEMBER 5TH OR WHATEVER. I THINK IT WOULD, I THINK, ARE YOU GOING TO STICK? I MEAN, MAYBE YOU DIDN'T. MAYBE YOU SAID THIS AND I MISSED IT, BUT IMPLEMENTATION, WHEN WOULD IT BE IMPLEMENTED? WILL WE STILL BE PAYING IN FEBRUARY AND JUNE AND THEN THE FALL IN 26. WE PAY IN DECEMBER INSTEAD OF PAYING FEBRUARY 27TH, 1920 2027. OKAY, THANKS. THANK YOU. OKAY. SEEING NO MORE HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NEXT, I GO TO QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN COOPER, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE AMENDMENT AS PROPOSED. I SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND QUESTION. ALL RIGHT. DISCUSSION, VICE MAYOR HILL. MR. HARTMAN, WITH THIS CHANGE, WOULD IT IMPACT US IN ANY TYPE OF WAY WITH WHAT WE GOT ON HOW THE WAY WE PAY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE FROM OUR BUDGET PERSPECTIVE? YES. I THINK WE SHOULD BE FINE WITH THE ADOPTION. I MEAN, I'M LOOKING AT IT WHEN THE DATES FROM FISCAL YEAR PERSPECTIVE. SO IT'S MORE LIKE DECEMBER IS THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR, JUNE THE 2ND HALF OF THE YEAR, JUST FROM A FISCAL YEAR THOUGHT PROCESS. THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KEEPING IN WITH OUR BUDGETING PROCESS. BUT I THINK WE'LL BE ALL RIGHT. WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT IMPLEMENTING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. RIGHT. SO THAT'S THAT'S THAT'LL THAT'LL COME AROUND. I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT GOING THROUGH THIS CYCLE IF I'M CORRECT. AND THEN FOR NEXT YEAR WE'LL SET A DATE WILL CHANGE. YES, SIR. THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION THAT WE GO. SO THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GOING TO. YES. IF IF WE APPROVE. YES SIR. WE DO IN THE NEXT NEXT YEAR. YES SIR. OKAY. NEXT QUESTION. HOW WOULD WE LET THE PUBLIC KNOW IN THE MASS FORM? [01:35:02] BECAUSE WE JUST HAD OUR QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PERFECT TIME TO DO IT. SO HOW WOULD WE WE HAVE TO REITERATE IT, MISS WILLIAMS AND YOUR TEAM. WELL, WHAT WILL THE GIVEN THAT IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE WITH THE NEXT CYCLE. SO WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE BILLING. WE'RE KIND OF STUCK WITH HAVING THE NOT STUCK. BUT THIS IT'LL BECOME EFFECTIVE WITH THE NEXT BUDGET. WE HAVE TIME TO EDUCATE THE CITIZENS ON THAT CYCLE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COLLECT OUR REVENUE UPCOMING THAT'S BUDGETED FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO PROVIDE THAT EDUCATIONAL ASPECT. WE'LL PUSH IT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. WE'LL PUT IT IN THE NEWSLETTER, WE'LL WORK WITH THE COMMISSIONER, WE'LL HAVE FLIERS, AND WE CAN DO ALL KINDS OF STUFF. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND LASTLY, I'M SOMEWHAT LIKE MR. LEWIS WHEN IT COMES TO CHRISTMAS. I MEAN, OF COURSE NO TIME IS A IS A IS A GOOD TIME. BUT YOU KNOW, IT'D BE SURPRISING TO SEE HOW THINGS WOULD GO DURING DECEMBER, BUT I'M IN FAVOR OF IT. IF WE FEEL LIKE THAT, THAT'LL BE. YOU HEAR SOMETHING, MR. WILLIAMS? YEAH. SO I WAS GOING TO SAY I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE ORDINANCE. IT DOES NOT SAY EFFECTIVE FOR NEXT CYCLE. SO IF YOU MAKE THE MOTION, PLEASE CLARIFY THAT IN THE MOTION SO YOU CAN BE SURE TO INCLUDE IT. SO IT DOES GO INTO EFFECT FOR THE NEXT CYCLE AND NOT THE CURRENT CYCLE OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I THINK MR. COUNCILMAN COPPOLA WAS GOING TO EITHER COUNCILMAN JONES WAS MAKING A MOTION, BUT BUT ALL MY QUESTIONS ARE SATISFIED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COVER, ARE YOU OKAY TO MODIFY YOUR MOTION? YES. TO MAKE THE CHANGE EFFECTIVE, WHAT WITH THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR? YEAH. IF WE IF WE DO IT EFFECTIVE NOW, WE'LL END UP LOSING HALF OF OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE CURRENTLY COLLECTING ALL OF IT SECOND, SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTER. WELL, I THINK ALL OF THAT IS A GOOD POINT. SO I WOULD ASK TO AMEND MY MOTION TO MAKE IT EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST OF 2026. OKAY. IT'S MOTION AMENDED. SECOND, COUNCILMAN JONES IS SECOND AT THIS TIME. MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MEYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. AYE. VICE MAYOR. AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS BOWERS. NEXT, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TO VACATE AN ALLEY BETWEEN 223 AND 227 KENTUCKY AVENUE. GARRETT, COULD YOU JUST GO TO THE PLAT THAT'S SHOWN IN HERE? SO WE WE'VE RECEIVED A REQUEST TO FROM. THE APPLICANT IS MISS KENNEDY. SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS PORTION, A PORTION OF ALLEY, THE UNOPENED, VACANT, UNDEVELOPED ALLEY ADJACENT TO 223 AND 227 KENTUCKY AVENUE VACATED. YOU COULD. THE PLAT IS ON. THAT WAY. EVERYBODY CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SHOULD BE THE VERY LAST ATTACHMENT. IT'S PAGE 254 OR. YEAH, 254. THERE'S A FIVE FOOT SECTION OF THE ALLEY THAT IS BEING REQUESTED TO BE VACATED BY MISS MISS KENNEDY. THE THE FIVE ADDITIONAL FOOT WOULD ALLOW HER TO CREATE A BUILDABLE LOT. RIGHT NOW, IF MY UNDERSTANDING IS CORRECT, JARED, THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROAD FRONTAGE TO CREATE A CONFORMING LOT. THE VACATION OF THE ALLEY, THE FIVE FOOT OF THE UNOPENED ALLEY AND UNDEVELOPED ALLEY WOULD ALLOW THE CREATION OF A CONFORMING LOT. FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE, THERE ARE NO UTILITIES IN THE ALLEYWAY AT THIS POINT, AND PUBLIC WORKS HAS RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST TO VACATE. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT, OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING TO VACATE AN ALLEY BETWEEN 223 AND 227 KENTUCKY AVENUE, RIGHT. SEEING NO HANDS. THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NEXT, COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE VACATING OF THIS ALLEY. BUT MY QUESTION IS, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THE FULL HISTORY OF EVERYTHING IN THE CITY. MY QUESTION IS, WHY WAS IT AN ALLEY IN THE FIRST PLACE? WHAT? WAS IT? A PART OF THIS PROPERTY AT ONE TIME AND NOT. WELL, WAS IT DID HAVE ANY USE? MOST LIKELY. AND I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO SAY BACK IN THE OLD DAYS. BEFORE WE BEFORE YOU GET INTO KIND OF MODERN SUBDIVISION [01:40:05] DESIGN, A LOT OF SUBDIVISIONS AND COMMUNITY IN CITIES IN PARTICULAR, WERE DESIGNED WITH ALLEYS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE REAR YARD, TRASH PICKUP AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO A LOT OF THEM ARE BUILT, YOU KNOW, THE SUBDIVISION IS BUILT, BUT SOMETIMES THE ALLEY ISN'T OPEN. AND I KNOW THIS IS YOU CAN ANY COMMUNITY, ANY PARTICULARLY CITIES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH ARE GOING TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF UNOPENED ALLEY ALLEYS AND RIGHT OF WAYS WHERE FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, IT WASN'T OPEN. AND IN THIS CASE, IT WAS NEVER OPEN. IT WAS NEVER ESTABLISHED. IT'S GREEN SPACE. REALLY. YOU WOULD NOT IF WE WHEN WE GO OUT THERE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE A BEATEN PATH WHERE TWO TIRE WELLS ARE DRIVING UP AND DOWN IT. IT'S JUST YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IT'S THERE. SO IT'S REALLY A FUNCTION OF HOW SUBDIVISIONS WERE DONE EARLIER. NOW THAT WE HAVE MODERN SUBDIVISIONS THERE, THERE'S NO NEED FOR ALLEY ACCESS BECAUSE ALL THE TRASH PICKUP IS AT THE STREET. SO THERE'S JUST A CHANGE IN HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE. BUT A LOT OF OLDER COMMUNITIES SUCH AS OURS, ALLEYWAYS ARE VERY PREVALENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I DO KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, BACK IN THE OLD DAYS IN PETERSBURG, PETERSBURG WAS A AND IS A CITY WITH A LOT OF WATERWAYS. AND I KNOW THIS MAY BE AN ALLEY WHERE THERE'S WHERE THERE'S NO WATER FLOWING THROUGH IT, BUT STORM WATER, NATURAL FLOW OF YOU LOOK AT YOUR YARD, SOME OF YOU LOOK AT YOUR YARD. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT GOING DOWN IN SLOPES IN CERTAIN PLACES. SO WHEN IT RAINS, IT FLOWS TO OUR MANHOLES AND SEWERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. HAVE WE LOOKED AT THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE MAKE THIS A BUILDABLE LOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT WE WON'T BE IN THE FUTURE INHIBITING STORMWATER FROM COMING THERE DOWN THAT WAY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD SAY IS AS PART OF THE THE IF ANYTHING WAS BUILT ON THIS PROPERTY, BUILDING CODES REQUIRE THAT THERE'S POSITIVE DRAINAGE. SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT SITUATION IF WHEN THEY BUILD THE HOUSE. SO THAT WAY THERE HAS TO BE POSITIVE FLOW AWAY FROM THE FOUNDATION. BUT ALSO YOU CAN'T IMPEDE THE FLOW OF A WATERWAY OR A CONVEYANCE. SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT THROUGH THE BUILDING PROCESS AS THEY, AS THEY CONSTRUCT CAME IN FOR THE BUILDING PERMIT. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT MAKING A DECISION NOW THAT'S GOING TO COST IN THE FUTURE. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF NOBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING TO SAY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO VACATE THIS ALLEYWAY FOR MISS KENNEDY. OKAY, COUNCILMAN, I SECOND THE MOTION. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. AT THIS. OH, MADAM. AT THIS TIME, MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM H, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND SABRINA MEAD FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 746 MOUNT AIRY STREET K AND K BEGINNINGS, LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 110 SPRUCE STREET AND TRUSTED VISIONS, LLC AND PROPERTIES, LLC FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 126 KENTUCKY AVENUE, 704 AND 706 WESLEY STREET. SKY IS THE LIMIT RESIDENTIAL SERVICES, LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 137 FRANKLIN STREET. ANTHONY JACKSON FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 724 HARDIN STREET AND NEW TOWN STATION, LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 321 WINTON STREET. MR. MOORE THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. THIS IS A CONSOLIDATED ITEM FROM PREVIOUS MEETING. THE PACKET MATERIALS WERE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY MANAGER. WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE CONSOLIDATED CUT SHEETS. ALL THESE PROPERTIES ARE BEING DONE BY LOCAL FOLKS. THEY OFFERED 100% OF PROPERTY VALUE AS DESIRED, AND THEY WILL ALL BE DOING SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING. SO AT THIS TIME, I'D ASK YOU IF YOU WOULD OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING, MR. MAYOR. OKAY. NEXT, I OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND SABRINA MEAD FOR 746 MOUNT AIRY STREET. NEW BEGINNINGS, LLC, FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 110 SPRUCE STREET AND TRUSTED VISIONS, LLC, AND PROPERTIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 126 KENTUCKY AVENUE 704 AND 706 WESLEY STREET. SKY'S THE LIMIT RESIDENTIAL SERVICES, LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 137 FRANKLIN STREET. ANTHONY JACKSON FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 724 HARDIN STREET AND NEWTOWN STATION, LLC [01:45:05] FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 321 WINTON STREET. YOUR HANDS IN THE PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. SEEING NONE. THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. VICE MAYOR HILL, MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSIDERATION OF THE ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES THEREFOR AND ITEM NUMBER H. COUNCILMAN MYERS, SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND. AT THIS TIME. MISS HILL, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ITEM TEN. [10. Public Information Period ] PUBLIC INFORMATION PERIOD A PUBLIC INFORMATION PERIOD, LIMITED IN TIME TO 30 MINUTES, SHALL BE A PART OF AN ORDER OF BUSINESS. AT EACH REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING. EACH SPEAKER SHOULD BE A RESIDENT OR BUSINESS OWNER OF THE CITY, AND SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES. NO SPEAKER WILL BE PERMITTED TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION. THE REGULAR DOCKET OF THE MEETING AT WHICH THE SPEAKER IS TO SPEAK. THE ORDER OF SPEAKERS, LIMITED BY THE 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD, SHALL BE DETERMINED AS FOLLOWS A FIRST IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF THE NOTICE. PERSONS WHO HAVE NOTIFIED THE CLERK NO LATER THAN 12:00 NOON THE DAY OF THE MEETING. ITEM B SECOND, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF THE SIGN UP. PERSONS WHO HAVE SIGNED THE SIGN UP SHEET PLACED BY THE CLERK IN THE REAR OF THE MEETING ROOM PRIOR TO THE MEETING. REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. YES. NEXT, WE'LL START OFF BY MR. JULIAN GREEN, JUNIOR. WHO? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JULIAN GREEN, JUNIOR, 1625 BLAIR ROAD, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. ZIP CODE 23805. AND THE PURPOSE FOR MY COMMENTS TONIGHT IS TO INFORM COUNCIL THAT AS A PART OF THE THE CO-CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE PEABODY ACADEMIC LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, THAT WE ARE ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION ABOUT, THAT WE WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE SOMEONE TO ATTEND EVERY COUNCIL MEETING AND SPEAKING IN BEHALF OF PAL DC, WHICH IS THE ACRONYM FOR PEABODY ACADEMIC LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER. AND I PREFACE THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A YOUNG MAN ACTUALLY WAS A BOY AT THE TIME THAT HAVE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THIS COUNTRY. HE WAS A YOUNG GUY, AND HE WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST GUY IN THE MEMBER OF THE BIG SIX WHO DEALT WITH LAWS AND RIGHTS AND CIVIL RIGHTS IN THIS COUNTRY. HE WAS A BOY FROM TROY. THEY CALLED HIM THE BOY FOR TROY, FROM TROY. TROY, ALABAMA, WHOSE NAME WAS JOHN ROBERT LEWIS. WE KNOW HIM AS JOHN LEWIS. HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF SNICK STUDENT NONVIOLENT COORDINATING COMMITTEE. AND TO THAT END, HE DEVELOPED SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW IN THIS COUNTRY CALLED GOOD TROUBLE. GOOD TROUBLE TO US, PEABODY ACADEMIC LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER AND PEABODY IS GOOD TROUBLE BECAUSE MANY OF YOU WHO SIT THERE, ALUMS OF PEABODY AND MANY OF YOU CAN ATTEST TO WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE BEING AT PEABODY. PEABODY IS THE MOST NATURAL AND HISTORIC LANDMARK IN AMERICA. FROM FOR SCHOOL, PUBLICLY FUNDED SCHOOL FOR BLACKS IN AMERICA. SO ITS HISTORY IS VERY, VERY RICH. EVERY PIECE OF GRASS IS IN THE CONTEXT OF BEING HISTORIC FOR THAT COMPLEX. SO WE COME TO SAY TO YOU TONIGHT THAT IN GETTING INTO GOOD TROUBLE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN? IT MEANS IT TO SHOW UP AFTER YOU SHOW UP, STAND UP AFTER YOU STAND UP, SPEAK UP AFTER SPEAKING OUT, SPEAK OUT. THAT'S WHAT WE INTEND TO DO FOR PEABODY. WE'RE GOING TO STAND UP. WE'RE GOING TO SHOW UP, SPEAK OUT AND SPEAK OUT OR UT BECAUSE IT MEANS SO MUCH TO US. AND COMING FROM PEABODY, IT WAS MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO LEARNED THE MOTTO, WHICH HAS BIBLICAL ROOTS. AND I PUT IT IN THIS CONTEXT, DO FOR OTHERS WHAT OTHERS DID FOR YOU. THERE'S ONLY TWO PEOPLE IN THIS CITY NOW THAT ARE STILL ON THIS SIDE OF THE JORDAN, WHO'S A MEMBER OF THE TEAM THAT BROUGHT THINGS TOGETHER IN 1992, 1972, I SHOULD SAY, CHANGING FROM THE [01:50:05] AT LARGE SYSTEM TO THE WARD SYSTEM THAT YOU NOW REPRESENT. THERE'S ONLY TWO OF US ARE ALIVE. AND HE, MICKENS AND MYSELF, WE WERE LITTLE PEOPLE AT THAT TIME. THEY ADOPTED US AND PUT US UNDER THEIR WINGS. THERE WERE THREE AT THAT TIME MILTON RICHARDSON, ANDY MICKENS AND JULIAN GREEN. PEABODY WAS A STAPLE. OKAY. THANK YOU BUDDY GREEN. MY TIME IS UP. YES I THOUGHT I COULD OH YEAH I THOUGHT I COULD CLAIM I WON 25. I LEFT LAST LAST COUNCIL MEETING. RIGHT. BUT BUT GUESS WHAT. DOCTOR KENNETH LEWIS IS GOING TO PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF. DOCTOR LEWIS, YOU'RE NEXT. AND THEN GET TO THE GOOD PART. THANK YOU. AND I'M HERE TONIGHT. ALRIGHT. FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD I AM DOCTOR KENNETH LEWIS, 503 MISTLETOE STREET, WARD FIVE, AND I DO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OF THE PEABODY PROPERTY. AND I ALSO WISH TO INFORM YOU OF THE EQUINE DEFECATION, DESECRATION OF THE PEABODY PROPERTY. AND JUST SO THAT YOU ALL HEARD ME, THAT'S EQUINE DEFECATION, DESECRATION. AND I'M POLITE ENOUGH IN PUBLIC SOCIETY NOT TO SAY HORSE SHIFT. RIGHT. BUT ON LAST SATURDAY, YOU ALL HAVE SEEN ALL IN THE PUBLIC. YOU ALL HAVE SEEN HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES THAT CARRY CASKETS DURING FUNERALS. AND THERE IS ONE COMPANY THAT DOES THAT FOR CHURCHES, FOR FUNERAL HOMES. WELL, THEY BRING THEIR HORSE TRAILER UP TO PEABODY. THEY LET THEIR HORSES DROP THEIR HORSE SHIFT ON THE CAMPUS, AND THEN THEY TAKE IT AND DUMP IT OVER INTO THE GILES COOK PROPERTY. I THINK THAT IS THE UTMOST DISRESPECT OF A NATIONAL REGISTRY PLACE SUCH AS THE PEABODY CAMPUS. NOT ONE OF THE SEVEN OF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT. YOU WOULD NOT LIKE THAT AT YOUR HOUSE ON RAMBLEWOOD ROAD. YOU WOULD NOT LIKE THAT AT YOUR HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL. YOU WOULD NOT LIKE THAT AT YOUR BROTHER'S HOTEL PETERSBERG. WE DO NOT LIKE IT IN THE COLORED NEIGHBORHOOD OF HALIFAX STREET AND MISTLETOE STREET, SO PLEASE TELL THEM TO TAKE THEIR HORSE SHIFT AND PUT IT SOMEPLACE ELSE. WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU ASK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO STOP HOSING DOWN THE BUILDING. THEY CAN GO TRAIN SOMEPLACE ELSE. WE ALSO ASK FOR FULL DISCLOSURE OF THE TIMELINE OF EVENTS THAT LED TO THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES SENDING A LETTER BACK TO THE TIMMONS ORGANIZATION TO GIVE THEM INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO TEAR DOWN THE ENTIRE PEABODY COMPLEX. WE HAVE A COPY OF THAT LETTER, AND. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I UNDERSTAND THAT PEABODY. THE PEABODY CAMPUS COMES FROM THE PEABODY IDEA. WE HAVE THE OLDEST PUBLIC BLACK HIGH SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. IT'S RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. AND IT CAN BE SAVED. IT CAN BE REPURPOSED. AND THE PRINCE. NOT PRINCE GEORGE, BUT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY EVEN GOT IT RIGHT WITH THEIR REPURPOSING OF CARVER HIGH SCHOOL. DINWIDDIE GOT IT RIGHT WITH THEIR PURCHASING OF SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL. OF COURSE, LYNCHBURG GOT IT RIGHT WITH THEIR REPURPOSING OF OF PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR HIGH SCHOOL. WHEN YOU GOOGLE I'VE GOT FIVE SECONDS. FINE. WHEN YOU GOOGLE OLDEST PUBLIC BLACK HIGH SCHOOL. PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR OF WASHINGTON, D.C. COMES UP. AND THAT IS NOT TRUTH. TRUTH IS THE OLDEST PUBLIC BLACK HIGH SCHOOL IS RIGHT HERE IN PETERSBURG. AND JUST TO ADD TO IT, WHEN YOU HOLD UP YOUR FOREFINGER, PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME 200 YEARS AGO COULD HAVE HAD OUR FOREFINGERS CUT OFF BECAUSE WE COULD READ AND WRITE, BECAUSE VIRGINIA ANTI-LITERACY LAWS SAID THAT PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME WERE NOT ALLOWED TO READ AND WRITE IF. BUT FOR THAT REASON, SHOULD YOU STAND WITH US AND SAVE THE OLDEST PUBLIC BLACK HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR LEWIS. NEXT, MISS BOB RUDOLPH. BOB RUDOLPH, 1675 MOUNT VERNON STREET, OKAY. UNPLANNED ADDITION. I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL CONSIDER ASKING DOCTOR LEWIS TO COME BACK AND DO ONE OF HIS PRESENTATIONS ON THE HISTORY OF PEABODY AND ITS ITS LEGACY AS THE OLDEST BLACK BLACK HIGH SCHOOL IN THE [01:55:07] COUNTRY, BECAUSE HE DID A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF I REMEMBER SEEING ANY OF YOU GUYS ATTEND. I THINK MISS SMITH SMITH LEE MIGHT HAVE COME TO ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS, BUT THEY WERE VERY WORTHWHILE, AND I HOPE THAT HE'S WILLING TO DO IT AGAIN IF YOU WOULD WELCOME HIM. ALL RIGHT. MY MY ORIGINAL PURPOSE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, BUT WE THE INFORMATION, THIS PIECEMEAL INFORMATION THAT WE GET ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT THE CITY IS UNDERGOING, IT'S NOT REALLY HELPING. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT CAN HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT MAYBE YOU DO. BUT FOR US OUT HERE IN CITIZEN LAND, IT'S VERY CONFUSING. I'LL GIVE ONE EXAMPLE, THE ANIMAL SHELTER. I THINK THE FIRST TIME WE HEARD ABOUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER IS IT WAS THERE WAS GOING TO BE SOME COVID MONEY PUT TOWARD A BUILDING, A NEW ANIMAL SHELTER, AND THEN IT I THINK THEN IT GOT IN A DIFFERENT IT GOT ON A DIFFERENT PLAN. IT WAS IT'S BEEN ON MAYBE IT'S BEEN ON A CAPITAL BUDGET PLAN. IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN ON THE REVENUE THE INCENTIVE REVENUE PLAN FROM THE CASINO IT'S HAD. AND NOW IT'S ALSO BEEN PART I THINK IT WAS PART OF ONE OF THE EARLIER BOND ISSUES THAT WE DID, THE ONE FOR 65 MILLION OR SOMETHING THAT INSTEAD OF 55 MILLION FOR THE COURTHOUSE, IT WAS IN THERE. NOW, I THINK IT'S IN THE STATE'S GIVING US MONEY AND MAYBE IT'S IN ANOTHER PACKAGE FOR A BOND ISSUANCE. I DON'T KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S JUST IT'S SO DAMN HARD TO FOLLOW. AND SPEAKING JUST OF ONE SPECIFIC ISSUE IS THE THE INCENTIVE FUNDING FOR THE CASINO. THERE WAS A PLAN THAT YOU ALL CAME UP WITH AND VOTED ON ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO. AND OF COURSE, PLANS EXIST TO BE CHANGED. AND WITH PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL, MY SAYING FOR YOU ALL IS THE EXCEPTION IS THE RULE. SO I'M SURE THAT THINGS CHANGE AND THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. BUT PLEASE GIVE US SOME KIND OF A GUIDEBOOK TO SHOW US HOW IT'S CHANGING AND WHERE IT GOES AND WHAT IT'S EVOLVED TO. I WISH I HAD THE TIME AND THE INCLINATION TO SIT DOWN AND GO THROUGH THE MINUTES OF MEETINGS FOR THE PAST 4 OR 5 YEARS AND FIGURE ALL THIS OUT FOR MYSELF. BUT I DON'T, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO GIVE MY GOOD FRIENDS IN THE FINANCE OFFICE WHO I BELIEVE ARE DOING A GREAT DEAL A GREAT DEAL FOR THE CITY. I'M NOT TRYING TO GIVE THEM MORE TO DO. THIS IS MORE OF A CITY MANAGER CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY ISSUE, NOT JUST A REPORT ON YOU KNOW, WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM BECAUSE IT KEEPS CHANGING. IT'S A MOVING TARGET AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL ARE FOLLOWING IT BETTER THAN WE ARE. NEXT, MISS KIMBERLY BOOKER. GOOD EVENING. KIMBERLY BOOKER, 1501 WEST WASHINGTON STREET, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. ALSO 210 WALNUT BOULEVARD, PETERSBURG. SPEAKING OF THE CASINO, MY NAME IS KIMBERLY BOOKER, AND I REPRESENT THE WORKFORCE AND JOB RECRUITMENT INITIATIVES FOR LIVE CASINO. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS TO MR. MAYOR. MR. VICE MAYOR, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER AND ATTORNEYS AND THE WONDERFUL RESIDENTS OF PETERSBURG. WE HAVE A VERY KEEN INITIATIVE TO HAVE 800 EMPLOYEES AT THE OPENING OF THE TEMPORARY CASINO BY THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY, AND TO DATE, WE HAVE HOSTED FOUR DIFFERENT HIRING EVENTS. SO WHAT I WAS HOPING IS FOR EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY, AND EVEN THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THOSE WITH CIRCLES AND FAMILIES AND SUCH, WOULD DO US THE GREAT SERVICE OF LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT CENTER THAT IS ON WEST WASHINGTON STREET. YOU CAN SEE ME AFTER THIS EVENT WHERE I'LL SHARE OUR RECRUITMENT CARD WITH A QR CODE, MAKING IT VERY EASY FOR ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED TO APPLY WITH POSITIONS THAT ARE UP TO DATE. IT'S MADE QUITE EASY. LAST WEEK WE HAD A THREE DAY JOB FAIR AT THE RECRUITMENT CENTER AND WE WERE ABLE TO SERVICE APPROXIMATELY 400 APPLICANTS. OF THOSE APPLICANTS, OUR STATISTICS ARE LOOKING PRETTY MUCH RIGHT AT ABOUT 27% CONVERTING INTO EMPLOYEES. ONE OF THE MAIN INITIATIVES IN MY PASSION FOR THE PEOPLE OF PETERSBURG IS THAT THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY. THIS MAKES MY THIRD CASINO PROJECT THAT I'VE WORKED ON, AND I CAN TRULY TELL YOU THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THE RESIDENTS OF PETERSBURG UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY CAN'T SEE. BUT THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT WHEN A CASINO, HOTEL, AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX COMES TO YOUR DOORSTEP IS PHENOMENAL. THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT WILL OUTLIVE ME AND YOU. [02:00:04] SO WITH THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, AND HAVING WORKED ON THE MGM PROJECT IN MARYLAND, THE ONE CASINO INITIATIVE THAT CAME HERE, THE FIRST REFERENDUM, NOT THE SECOND, AND THIS FOR MY HOMETOWN, I'M JUST HOPING AND ASKING THAT EACH AND EVERY PERSON BREATHING PETERSBURG AIR WOULD MAKE THIS A PART OF YOUR CIRCLE, YOUR CONVERSATIONS. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE KNOW WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER A INFORMATIONAL HIRING FORUM THAT WILL AFFORD ANYONE TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS. THAT WILL ALSO AFFORD ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BE IN ATTENDANCE. COMMUNITY LEADERS AND BUSINESS LEADERS, SO THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND SING FROM ONE HYMN BOOK AND MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS OF PETERSBURG, THE TRI-CITY AREA AND OUR IMPACT AREA TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THIS WONDERFUL EMPLOYMENT AND WEALTH BUILDING OPPORTUNITY. I THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YES. MISS BOOKER, CAN WE GET SOME OF THOSE QR CODE THINGS? IF YOU CAN JUST GIVE TO THE POLICE OFFICER? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALL [11. Business or reports from the Mayor or other Members of City Council ] RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE BUSINESS REPORTS FROM THE MAYOR, OTHER MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. WE'LL START OFF WITH COUNCILMAN COOPER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MR. HOLD ON, HOLD ON. MR. MAYOR, YOU GOT A HAND UP IN THE BACK? YES. WELL, WE HAVE WE HAVE. WE WENT DOWN THE LIST HERE OF THE EVERYONE WHO SIGNED SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, PER THE RULES. COUNCILMAN COOPER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. LET ME BEGIN BY ASKING MR. VAN VOORHEES TO SHOW THE VIDEO OF THE AFTERMATH OF THE DECISION MADE BY THE COLONIAL HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENT TO CHASE A SPEEDING VEHICLE UP ON SOUTH ADAMS STREET, APPARENTLY INTO THE CIRCLE AT THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH ADAMS AND MARSHALL. MR. VAN VOORHEES. THIS IS THE FIRST MINUTE. THERE ARE NINE MINUTES TO THIS VIDEO. IF ANYONE WANTS TO SEE THE WHOLE THING, GET IN TOUCH WITH ME AND I'LL BE GLAD TO SEND IT TO YOU. THANK YOU, MR. VAN VOORHEES. THAT'S QUITE A QUITE A MESSAGE. THAT PURSUIT WAS INITIATED BY THE COLONIAL HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY IDENTIFIED A VEHICLE THAT WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MILES AN HOUR ON THE BOULEVARD IN COLONIAL HEIGHTS, AND CHASED THAT VEHICLE INTO DOWNTOWN PETERSBURG, ACROSS THE INTERSECTION OF ADAMS AND ADAMS AND EAST WASHINGTON. CONTINUING ON SOUTH ADAMS UNTIL THE LEAD CAR THE ELDER, REACHED MARSHALL STREET. I SUSPECT THE. ELDER LOST CONTROL WHEN HE TRIED TO NAVIGATE AROUND THE LITTLE CIRCLE THERE, AT THE INTERSECTION OF MARSHALL AND SOUTH ADAMS, CRASHED INTO A TREE AND IT WAS A TESLA. IT BURST INTO FLAMES. CAUGHT THE TREE ON FIRE, CAUGHT THE HOUSE ON FIRE. YOU SAW THE AFTERMATH. AT SOME POINT, WE'VE GOT TO CONFRONT THIS PROBLEM OF. POLICE DEPARTMENTS OUTSIDE OF PETERSBURG, INITIATING PURSUITS OUTSIDE OF PETERSBURG AND DRIVING THE PURSUIT OF THE ELDER INTO A CRASH IN PETERSBURG. I THINK THE POLICE CONSIDER THAT TO BE A SUCCESS BECAUSE THEY STOPPED THE ELDER, BUT IT'S CAUSING QUITE A QUITE A TOLL. SO JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT. AND LET ME GO TO A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS. MR. [02:05:08] CITY MANAGER, I SENT YOU A TABLE OF PAST DUE TAXES THAT HAS A NUMBER OF BLANKS IN IT. I'VE GIVEN A COPY TO ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. IS IT FEASIBLE FOR THE CITY'S AUDITOR TO GIVE THIS INFORMATION TO COUNCIL BEFORE COUNCIL'S BUSINESS MEETING ON JANUARY 21ST OF 2026? YES, SIR. YOU. WHEN YOU SENT IT TO ME TODAY, I FORWARDED IT TO FINANCE SO WE COULD FORWARD IT TO OUR AUDITOR TO GET GET THEM TO COMPLETE THE INFORMATION. THAT'S GREAT. I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT. THE TABLE THAT I SENT THE CITY MANAGER THAT IS TO BE COMPLETED HAS TWO COLUMNS IN IT. ONE IS 90 DAYS OR MORE PAST DUE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023. DASH 2024 FOR REAL ESTATE TAXES, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES, MEALS, TAXES, LODGING, TAXES AND MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAX. MY INSTINCT IS THAT THOSE. PAST DUE TAXES TOTALED QUITE A BIG NUMBER. AND THEN TO COMPARE THAT WITH THE LAST FISCAL YEAR. THE SAME INFORMATION FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. SO WE CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WAY OF THE PAST, DUE TAXES INCREASING OR DECREASING. MR. ALTMAN, ONE OTHER THING. AT COUNCIL'S MEETING ON DECEMBER 9TH, WOULD YOU BRING COUNCIL A PROPOSAL FOR CHARGING A FEE FOR APPEALING A DECISION OF THE ARB? WE CAN BRING A PROPOSAL FORWARD. YES, SIR. OKAY. AND THEN COUNCIL CAN CAN CONSIDER IT ON DECEMBER 9TH AND DECIDE WHAT TO DO, WHETHER TO SET IT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING OR NOT. RIGHT. AND SO ONE OF THE OTHER OPTIONS WE WOULD HAVE IS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE REWRITE OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE. WE COULD INCLUDE IT IN THERE WHEN WE ADOPT THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE, BUT WE COULD DO IT EARLIER. YES, SIR. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT, COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT TO OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS AND SUPPORTING US. JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT I'M A LOUD SPEAKER. AND WHEN I SPEAK LOUD IS THE SPIRIT OF WHAT I SAY IS NOT TO DISRESPECT ANYBODY. SO IF ANY OF YOU TAKE IT AS THAT, THAT'S NOT THE SPIRIT. NOT THAT I CARE WHAT ANYBODY THINK OF ME. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT MY INTENT IS NOT TO DISRESPECT OR BE DISRESPECTFUL. ALL RIGHT. SOME OF THE THINGS I WANT TO SHARE, WE'RE GOING TO WAIT ON THOSE, MR. VAN. I'M GOING TO KICK OFF MY CAMPAIGN FOR 2026 CITY COUNCIL STARTING TODAY, AND I INVITE ANYBODY WHO WANT TO CHALLENGE ME. DON'T HIDE, DON'T RUN. DON'T BE SNEAKING ON FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL MEDIA TELLING YOUR FRIENDS, I'M GONNA RUN AGAINST MARLOW. COME DO IT. BECAUSE THIS IS NOT FOR THE WEAK. THIS IS FOR THE PEOPLE. YOU GOT TO HAVE THE HEART FOR THE PEOPLE. AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SATISFACTION. SEE, BABIES GET SATISFIED WITH A PACIFIER. I'M NOT HERE TO SATISFY ANYBODY BECAUSE I WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT SATISFACTION IS TO ME. IT'S A TEMPORARY FEELING. IT'S A TEMPORARY FIX. IT ENABLES POPULAR COMPROMISES THAT DO LITTLE TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE OF OUR CHALLENGES. I'M TRYING TO BUILD A COMMUNITY WHERE YOU GUYS CAN HAVE THE SAFETY AND THE TOOLS TO SATISFY YOURSELVES, AND HAD A VOICE, AND THE PATHWAY TO DO SO. THAT'S WHY I FIGHT SO HARD. IT DON'T MATTER IF YOU'RE BLACK OR WHITE. IF YOU'RE WRONG, I'M GONNA GET ON BOARD FOR YOU. YOU KNOW I LOVE BOTH OF YOU. BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS CITY, WE GOT TO START TRYING TO SATISFY OURSELVES. YES, YOU HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. WE UP HERE FIGHT, BUT WE WORK TOGETHER. THE CITY IS MOVING FORWARD NOW BETTER THAN IT'S EVER HAS DONE SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS CITY AS A KID. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT'S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED UP HERE WITH THIS TEAM THAT YOU GOT RIGHT NOW. IT'S GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND GROW MORE, WHETHER WE LIKE IT [02:10:01] OR NOT, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, WHETHER THE VISITORS ARE COMING, YOU CAN'T STOP THIS MOMENTUM NOW. IT'S MOVING. I JUST WANT ALL OF Y'ALL TO HAVE A PIECE OF IT AND FEEL LIKE YOU'RE A PART OF THE WINNING TEAM. WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE NOBODY OUT. WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF ALL GOES WELL BECAUSE OF MY COUNTERPARTS UP HERE AND I HAVE TWO IN PARTICULAR ON MY LEFT HAVE ENCOURAGED ME TO START LAW SCHOOL IN 2026. SO YOU OF YOU OF ARE HERE I COME. ALL RIGHT. STARTING IN THE SPRING. SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR ENCOURAGING ME. I MIGHT BE TAKING OVER THE CUTHBERT LAW FIRM ONE DAY. YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW, AND THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING, ISN'T IT? I'M A REPRESENT. WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MAN. AND THANK EVERYBODY ON MY TEAM. YOU KNOW, I'VE LEARNED A LOT REAL FAST SITTING UP HERE. I KNOW PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO COME ROCK THE BOAT AND TIP IT OVER AND ALL THAT, BUT I HAD TO LEARN THE CHARACTERS THAT'S SITTING UP HERE WITH ME. SO AGAIN. PUBLIC SAFETY. WE DON'T GET TO THANK THEM ENOUGH. OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT MAN, IT REMINDS ME WHEN I WAS ON ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT YEARS AGO, THEY ROCK EVERY FIRE, EVERY EMS CALL. EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO IS PROFESSIONAL DOWN TO THE LETTER. AND I JUST CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH, CHIEF HOOVER, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND EXCUSE ME, Y'ALL AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. HAVE Y'ALL NOTICED WHEN A CRIME IS DONE IN THIS CITY, THEM JOKERS ARE ON IT. I MEAN, THEY CATCH IT BEFORE YOU COULD EVEN GO CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE ON IT. AND IT'S PUTTING THAT RESPECT BACK IN OUR STREETS THAT IF YOU DO SOMETHING IN PETERSBURG, YOU WON'T GET CAUGHT BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS TALKING NOW. AND I APPRECIATE THAT, CHIEF, IF YOU'RE BACK THERE, YOUR WHOLE STAFF, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY, ALL Y'ALL. Y'ALL BE SAFE. BECAUSE WE HAD AN OFFICER KILLED. IT WAS A PRISONER. PRISON DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS OFFICER KILLED ON DUTY. THAT GOES TO SHOW HOW DANGEROUS ALL OF OUR JOBS ARE. WHEN YOU WEAR THAT BADGE. I KNOW I'M OVER MY TIME LIMIT, BUT YOU CAN BE GOING IN A STORE TO GET A SODA. NOT KNOWING WHO HATE YOU AND NOT KNOWING IF YOU'RE GOING TO WALK BACK OUT AND SEE YOUR FAMILY AGAIN. THAT'S POLICE! FIRE! CORRECTIONS OFFICER, FIRE MARSHALS, EVERYBODY. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. YOU GUYS BE SAFE BECAUSE 26 IS COMING. HOLD YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS TIGHT. WE'RE NOT GUARANTEED TOMORROW. WE'RE NOT GUARANTEED TOMORROW. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. AS USUAL, I'M GONNA TRY TO DO MY SEVEN AND GET ON AWAY FROM HERE. AND THE FIRST ONE IS STILL WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE WHAT'S GOING ON AT PETERSBURG HIGH. YES. THEY HAVE A GREAT FOOTBALL TEAM THAT'S ABOUT TO HOST THEIR SECOND PLAYOFF GAME THIS WEEKEND. SO PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT THEM FRIDAY. THEY HAVE A BASKETBALL TEAM THAT'S RATED NUMBER SIX AGAIN NUMBER SIX IN THE COUNTRY. SO AGAIN THE EYES ARE ON PETERSBURG FOR ATHLETICS. BUT THERE IS SOMETHING AGAIN THE ATHLETICS OF THE MIND. THE SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM COACHED BY MISS TERRY SMITH. THEY ARE HAVING THEIR THIRD ANNUAL SPEECH AND DEBATE TOURNAMENT ON DECEMBER THE 13TH. IT WILL BE HELD ALL DAY AND SHE DOES NEED JUDGES, BUT AS WELL SHE ALSO NEEDS SUPPORT JUST TO COME OUT AND SEE. OVER 75 OF VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOLS COMING TO PETERSBURG, TO THE VERBAL DISCOURSE OF SPEECH AND DEBATE. THE SPEECH TOURNAMENT WILL BE HELD AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE DEBATE TOURNAMENT WILL BE HELD AT VERNON JOHNS. SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE OVER THE WHOLE COMPLEX. AND AGAIN, I JUST URGE YOU TO COME OUT AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE EXERCISING THE SPORT OF THE MIND AND VERBAL DISCOURSE AGAIN, DECEMBER THE 13TH. AND SHE DOES NEED JUDGES SO THAT THEY CAN RUN THE TOURNAMENT VERY EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY. SECOND IN SEVENTH WARD, I'VE GOT A LOT OF WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WAS ABLE TO WORK THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY AND I GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT THE SPEEDING THAT WAS GOING ON ON PIT ROAD THAT WAS ALREADY KNOWN. BUT BY HAVING THOSE RESIDENTS COME OUT AND SIGN MY PAPER THAT I HAD JUST TO KIND OF PUT THEIR CONCERNS DOWN, I WAS ABLE TO TALK WITH CHIEF MILLER AS WELL AS MARSHALL ALTMAN, OUR CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET STOP SIGNS UP AT THE CORNER OF PLEASANTS LANE AND DUPEE. BUT NOW THE ISSUE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT REALLY RECOGNIZING THAT THEY'RE THERE. SO A LOT OF RESIDENTS ARE RUNNING THROUGH THOSE STOP SIGNS. SO FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SEVENTH WARD, ANYBODY COMING IN THAT AREA OF DUPEE AND PLEASANTS LANE, THERE ARE THERE IS A NOW FOUR WAY STOP. AND IF [02:15:02] WE NEED TO PUT RUMBLE STRIPS DOWN OR SPEED BUMPS, THAT MAY COME AS WELL AND PROBABLY WILL ONCE CHIEF CONTINUES TO EVALUATE THAT AREA TO SLOW THAT SPEEDING DOWN ON DUPEE ROAD, BECAUSE IT WAS A CONCERN OF THE RESIDENTS OF SEVENTH WARD. THIRD, I WOULD LIKE TO HELP OUT A LITTLE BIT WITH THE MISINFORMATION, AND I'M NOT SAY THAT MISS RUDOLPH AT ALL GAVE IT, BUT SHE DID BRING UP SOMETHING ABOUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER, AND I'M GLAD THAT SHE BROUGHT THAT UP, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN MISINFORMATION GOING AROUND ABOUT WHY DID WE PRIORITIZE AN ANIMAL SHELTER OVER A HOMELESS SHELTER? THAT ANIMAL SHELTER WAS A MANDATE BY THE STATE THAT WE WERE BEING SUED FOR. SO IT WAS MANDATE. SO IF YOU'RE REALLY UPSET WITH WHY THAT AN ANIMAL SHELTER GET PRIORITIZED OVER A HOMELESS SHELTER, YOU NEED TO TAKE THAT UP WITH OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND OUR GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THINGS OF THAT SORT, BECAUSE WE HAD TO FOLLOW THE LAW SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY SO THAT WE DIDN'T GET SUED. NOW, AGAIN, BACK TO MISS RUDOLPH AND HER PROCESS OF MAKING SURE THE MONEY WAS ALLOCATED CORRECTLY. I WOULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT HER ON THAT, BUT I JUST DON'T LIKE THE INFORMATION, THE MISINFORMATION THAT WE VALUE ANIMALS OVER PEOPLE. BECAUSE IF YOU ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY WITH THE HOMELESS SHELTERS OF HOW PEOPLE WERE DUMPING THEIR RESIDENTS HERE ON PETERSBURG AND USING UP OUR SOCIAL SERVICES, BENEFITS AND RESOURCES. SO THAT'S A LONG STORY THAT COULD BE DISCUSSED. AND THIS IS WHY I ALWAYS SAY, COME TALK TO US AND DON'T JUST THROW JABS AT US AND THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LOVE TO AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH YOU ON THE ISSUES, BUT LET'S GET DOWN TO THE FACTS SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE TRUE INFORMATION AND NOT GET CAUGHT UP IN MISINFORMATION. AND THERE'S A LOT OF IT ONLINE. FORTH. AND AGAIN, WOLF WARD SEVEN LEAF PICKUP IS COMING AROUND. PLEASE RAKE YOUR LEAVES WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT WITH YOUR FAMILY NEXT WEEK OVER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY AND JUST RAKE YOUR LEAVES TO THE CORNER. YOU HAVE TO GET THEM OUT OF THE DRAINAGE DITCHES SO THAT THE VACUUMS CAN COME AROUND AND SUCK THOSE UP. OUR DATES IN SEVENTH WARD IS DECEMBER 1ST THROUGH THE FIFTH. MY FIFTH POINT IS CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON CAN THE CITY GET BETTER WITH AI USAGE ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS? I WILL KEEP PUSHING AND SAYING THAT OUT LOUD, JUST LIKE I DID THIS YEAR WITH THE PLASTIC BAG TAX. I WILL TELL YOU, I WILL KEEP PUSHING FOR US TO GET UP TO THE GAME. AI SHOULD NOT SCARE US. IT'S NOT THE BIG BAD WOLF THAT'S GOING TO COME AND TAKE OUR JOBS AND MAKE THINGS SO MUCH WORSE FOR US. IT CAN MAKE THINGS A LOT BETTER FOR US IF WE UNDERSTAND IT. AND THAT'S TO EVERYBODY FROM OUR SENIORS TO OUR MIDDLE PEOPLE TO THE YOUNGER PEOPLE. WE USE IT SO OFTEN THAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T EVEN KNOW IT, HOW MUCH AI IS HERE, AND WE CANNOT FIGHT IT AS BEST AS WE GET AHEAD OF IT AND USE IT FOR OUR BENEFIT. SIX IS AGAIN. HOPEFULLY WE LOOK OUT FOR OUR SENIORS AS WE GO INTO THESE COLD MONTHS. WE KNOW THAT THIS CAN BE A TROUBLING TIME AS THEY MISS THEIR LOVED ONES. SO PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR YOUR SENIORS OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS AS WE MOVE INTO THE WINTER. AND THESE LAST 30S MY LAST POINT, I'M GOING TO TRY TO GO QUICKLY. HOPEFULLY I GET THAT OVERTIME LIKE COUNCILMAN JONES JUST GOT. BUT AGAIN, WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND US DISAGREEING, BEFORE PODCASTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE WAS PUBLIC FORUMS. THE IDEA OF A PUBLIC FORUM IS AS OLD AS THE COMMUNITY ITSELF. THROUGHOUT HISTORY, CITIZENS HAVE MET IN OPEN SPACES TO DISCUSS PROBLEMS, SHARE DISCOVERIES AND SHAPE DECISIONS. PUBLIC CONVERSATION WAS OUR FIRST FORM OF DEMOCRACY. ACROSS THE ANCIENT WORLD, PEOPLE BUILT SPACES FOR PUBLIC DIALOG. THE POWER, THE PALAVER TREES IN WEST AFRICA IS ONE EXAMPLE. DIFFERENT CULTURES WERE ALL UNITED UNDER THE SAME IDEA. CIVILIZATION GROWS THROUGH CONVERSATION. CENTURIES LATER, THE SAME IMPULSE TO GATHER HAS FOUND A NEW HOME IN AMERICA. IN THE 1800S, THE LYCEUM MOVEMENT FILLED CHURCHES AND SCHOOLHOUSES WITH IDEAS AND CIVIC DEBATE TO DEFINE A YOUNG DEMOCRACY. FREDERICK DOUGLASS SPOKE AT MANY OF THESE AND BELIEVED PUBLIC SPEAKING COULD BUILD A BETTER PUBLIC. COMING UP TO THE MICROPHONE HERE NOW, MY POINT IS, COME UP TO THIS MICROPHONE AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ISN'T JUST AN EXPRESSION OF THE RIGHT TO HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH. IT'S YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO A STRONGER, MORE CONNECTED PETERSBURG. SO PLEASE COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND TALK ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS AND YOUR POSITIVES, BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF ALL THE NEGATIVE OF PETERSBURG BEING SPREAD ON FACEBOOK, AND THE POSITIVE IS NOT GETTING EXPRESSED THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A COUNCIL AND A CITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK. THAT WAS MORE TIME THAN HE TOOK. BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN MYERS. I'M GONNA SAY IT LIKE I DO AT EVERY MEETING. WHY DO YOU DO THAT TO ME? I HAVE TO FOLLOW HIM EVERY TIME. ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA TRY TO BE BRIEF, BUT NORMALLY, YOU ALL KNOW I AM BRIEF, BUT I NORMALLY HAVE NOTHING TO SAY. BUT I'M GOING TO SAY TONIGHT. THAT I APPRECIATE EACH. AND LET ME GET IT OUT OF HERE. YOU. TAKE YOUR TIME. SPEND MY TIME USING IT WISELY. YOUR TRIP. I WANT TO [02:20:12] SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL OF THE CONDOLENCES. FOR MY FATHER'S PASSING. MAYOR AND MR. CUTHBERT. AND. MARLOW JONES. YOU KNOW, THE PASTOR HAD TO DROP HIS BIBLE ON THE PEW TO STOP MARLOW FROM TALKING LAST SATURDAY, HE SAID, BUT HE DID SAY HE GOT THE MESSAGE AND HE OBEYED. AND THAT COMING UP AND VISITING MY FAMILY ALL UP HERE, WHO GAVE THEIR CONDOLENCES AND ALL THE PUBLIC, ALL OF YOU, ALL WHO HAVE REALLY, REALLY, TO BE HONEST, AS I SAID AT THE FUNERAL AND THE MAYOR AND I WERE STANDING THERE IS THAT I MOVED TO PETERSBURG 22 YEARS AGO, AND THEY ACCEPTED ME AS FAMILY, AND I WAS HAPPY THEY WERE THERE TO BE AS MY FAMILY AT THE FUNERAL FOR MY FATHER. BUT THANK YOU ALL AND I APPRECIATE IT. AND IT'S VERY HUMBLING TO ME. I'D LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO RICHARD HARRIS FOR ALL THAT HE DO. COUNCIL, PLEASE GIVE HIM AN APPLAUSE. I'M TELLING YOU, HE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMING THIS CITY FOR US. OUR INTERIM WORKS DIRECTOR, STEVE STINSON, DEL MONTE FRIENDS, OUR HR DIRECTOR BABETTE HAMMOND, AND A SHOUT OUT FOR MAUREEN SMITH. SCOTT, MISS ANNETTE'S SISTER. SHE'S BEEN DOING A MARVELOUS JOB TO HELP US WITH OUR HOMELESS SITUATION AND TRYING TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE. BIG CHIEF, WHICH BIG CHIEF IS ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, CHIEF MILLER, LITTLE CHIEF IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HIS LAST NAME? TRAVIS. CHRISTIAN, I SAID. YEAH. AND THEN ALL MY CHIEFS THAT ARE HERE. BUT I WAS JAMIE FAGAN AND JOANNE WILLIAMS FOR. GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. AND JAMIE FAGAN FOR DOWNTOWN AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF DOWNTOWN. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. AND MISS RUDOLPH NO I DON'T HAVE A BOARD MEETING YET. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE. OKAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. FIRST WARD SIX WILL HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH WARD SEVEN ON JANUARY THE 13TH HERE AT THE PETERSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY. I HOPE ALL IS WELL. WHO WAS ON FURLOUGH? I HOPE THAT THEY'RE DOING OKAY. IT'S AN ADJUSTMENT COMING BACK FROM BEING OFF FOR 45 DAYS. ALSO. REST IN PEACE, MY NEIGHBOR. EVER SINCE I WAS ABOUT FOUR YEARS OLD, CHARLOTTE ANN GOULD I'M SENDING MY CONDOLENCES TO THE CASTILLO FAMILY. SHOUT OUT TO RETIRED COLONEL JOYCE JUNIOR, WHO'S RUNNING THE ROTC AT PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL. SHE IS MY CLASSMATE. SHE GRADUATED IN 1979, AND SHE'S DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB THERE. ALSO. LARRY MURPHY, YOU STILL HERE WITH ME? THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT. IT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED. AND ALSO, THANK YOU, PAT HINES, FOR, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE THE SHELTER STRAIGHT HERE IN PETERSBURG. ANYONE THAT CAN MAKE A DONATION OR HELP HER OUT, PLEASE DO SO. BUT I DO WANT TO READ. A QUICK IF ANYONE KNOW ABOUT HOW MUCH PRIDE THIS CITY HAS AND HAS HAD IN THE PAST DEALING WITH THE SCHOOL AND THE ATHLETES. SO I'M GOING TO READ THIS FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS ALERT. THE MIGHTY CRIMSON WAVE FOOTBALL TEAM IS CHARGING INTO THE VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE. SEMIFINALS PLAYOFFS AGAINST HOPEWELL BLUE DEVILS. AND IF YOU KNOW ABOUT RIVALRIES, HOPEWELL AND PETERSBURG WAS KNOWN FOR THAT. THIS IS OUR MOMENT, OUR TIME, AND WE NEED ALL OF YOU IN THE STANDS TO BRING NOISE, THE ENERGY AND THE PRIDE. LET'S PACK THE STADIUM, LIGHT IT UP ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND SHOW THE WORLD WAY. PRIDE. REALLY? WHAT PRIDE REALLY MEANS AND WHAT IT [02:25:08] MEANT TO US. CRIMSON RAID, CRIMSON WAVE. ROLL ON. CONGRATULATIONS, COACH MATHIS AND YOUR COACH, YOUR STAFF AND ALL THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS, THE CHEERLEADERS AND THE BAND MEMBERS. PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE PLAYOFFS IN A WHILE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR HILL. YES. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. HOPE EVERYONE IS HAVING A BLESSED DAY. ON THE DAY, I WANT TO BE REMINDED THAT FOR THOSE BUSINESSES, I KNOW SOME OF YOU ALL MAY HAVE SEEN IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, MAY HAVE MY FACE ON IT, BUT IT IS A CITY THAT IS DOING IT. WE HAVE A BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON MONDAY, DECEMBER THE 1ST, 2025, FROM 9 TO 11, RIGHT HERE IN THE LIBRARY. SO WE'RE ASKING ALL BUSINESSES IF YOU COULD COME OUT. I KNOW THERE'S NO GOOD TIME FOR IT. SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHY ARE YOU HAVING IT SO EARLY? SOME PEOPLE CAN MAKE IT, SOME PEOPLE CAN'T. BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THAT YOU'LL YOU'LL GET THE HIGHLIGHTS OF IT. BUT CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT. CITY IMPROVEMENT. WE HAVE LIVE CASINO HERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR INITIATIVES, MAYBE A NEW BRANDING FOR THE CITY, WHICH WE'RE DOING. IF YOU NOTICE ALL THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY CURB APPEAL, BEAUTIFICATION, PARKING, TRANSPORTATION, JUST TO NAME A FEW ITEMS, ALL OF YOUR OR YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS WILL BE THERE. BRITTANY FLOWERS WILL BE THERE. PAUL MULLINS WILL BE THERE ALONG WITH OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY CITY CITY MANAGER AND MISS WILLIAMS AND OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, MR. MILLER. SO. I, THE LORD KIND OF LAID IT ON MY HEART TO HAVE THESE FORMS IN THIS WAY, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THEY CAN'T MAKE IT TO THINGS LIKE THIS. WE HAD A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION WITH SOME PASTORS A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND THAT WENT WELL. AND WE WAS ABLE TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BECAUSE EVERYBODY DON'T HAVE THE TENACITY OR REALLY DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO COME OUT FOR, YOU KNOW, TO BE AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR 4 OR 5 HOURS AND WHAT HAVE YOU, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING A BUSINESS. MOST OF US UP HERE ARE BUSINESS OWNERS HERE, SO WE KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A BUSINESS. SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO ENGAGE OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY. AS YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ONE OF THE LARGEST TAXPAYERS TO THE CITY AS WELL. SO WE JUST WANT TO ENGAGE THEM AND SEE HOW THEY CAN HELP US AND HOW WE CAN HELP THEM. ALSO, I WANT TO THANK MISS WILLIAMS AND HER TEAM FOR THE LAST QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER. WE GOT A LOT OF EVENTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON THIS COMING MONTH COMING UP, YOU KNOW, CHRISTMAS PARADE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO WE'D LIKE FOR EVERYONE TO COME OUT. THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO COME WANT TO ALSO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE PETERSBURG HIGH CRIMSON WAVE, MY SCHOOL, MY ALMA MATER. I PLAYED FOOTBALL ALSO, SO I DO UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING. SO WE WANT TO CHEER THEM ON AND ALSO VERY QUICKLY, PEABODY. PEABODY. WE'RE LOOKING AT AVENUES IN WHICH WE CAN REPURPOSE PEABODY. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE TURNED A DEAF EYE ON PEABODY. AS YOU SAID, MR. GREEN, MANY OF US ATTENDED PEABODY SCHOOL, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT IT SO IT CAN WORK FOR ALL OF US, ALL OF THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT HAVE YOU. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT DOCTOR LEWIS SAID ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE HORSE DOING WHAT THEY WAS DOING OUT THERE TOO AS WELL. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT. LET US TRY TO CONTINUE TO STAY POSITIVE. WE'RE DOING GREAT THINGS IN OUR CITY. PEOPLE ARE TALKING. WE'RE WE'RE BUZZED ALL ACROSS THE NATION, NOT JUST VIRGINIA, BUT ACROSS THE NATION. IT'S NOWHERE WHERE YOU CAN GO. AND THEY FIND OUT YOU'RE FROM PETERSBURG, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A STORY, A POSITIVE STORY. ON TOP OF THAT, WE KNOW WE HAVE OUR ISSUES, BUT EVERY LOCALITY DOES. AND WE THANK OUR CITIZENS THAT THAT CONTINUE TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE AND WHAT HAVE YOU AND THOSE PEOPLE LIKE YOU, ALL THAT ARE HERE THAT KNOW THE FACTS AND KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. SO GOD BLESS YOU ALL. YOU ALL ENJOY THE HOLIDAY AND BE SAFE AND BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND CITIZENS, THANK YOU SO MUCH, VICE MAYOR HILL. I JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING. YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS UPON US AGAIN, AND I WANT TO THANK JOANNE WILLIAMS AND ELLA BACK THERE FOR PUTTING OUT OUR NEWSLETTER. OUR HOLIDAY NEWSLETTER HAS JUST JUST HIT MOST OF YOUR MAILBOXES. IT'S AN EASY WAY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO MARQUIS ALLEN. YOU KNOW, HE WAS AT LEGENDS PARK LAST [02:30:04] WEEK FOR FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING OF THE RENOVATION OF LEGENDS PARK. THAT PARK HAS NEVER LOOKED THAT GOOD MY WHOLE LIFE. AND MARQUIS AND HIS STAFF DID A FABULOUS JOB ALONG WITH PUBLIC WORKS WITH RICHARD HARRIS. WHAT HE'S DONE OUT THERE TO CUT DOWN SO MUCH DEBRIS AND AND TREES AND STUFF THAT HAVE BEEN OVERGROWN FOR DECADES. THEY WORKED OUT THERE TO HELP HIM GET THAT PLACE LOOKING SPECTACULAR. AND WE THANK, THANK RICHARD HARRIS AND HIS STAFF, TOO, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS CALL HIM ABOUT THINGS FROM POTHOLES TO WATER BREAKS. AND HE TRASH IS, IS, IS HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB WITH THAT BECAUSE HE HAS SOME CONTRACTORS OUT HERE THAT'S HELPING HIM TO TO KEEP THE CITY CLEAN. AND THE CITY LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER. ALSO WANTED TO THANK JAMIE FAGIN AS WELL. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET JAMIE'S BIG BROTHER, CHARLES FAGIN AT THE AT MY BOARD BOARD OF VISITORS TRAINING. SO. SO I FOUND OUT FROM THE FROM CHARLES WHO'S, WHO'S THE BEST GOLFER IN THE FAGIN FAMILY. SO HE SAYS IT'S CHARLES. BUT ALSO, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN COOPER FOR SHOWING THAT VIDEO OF OF THAT FIRE. I JUST WANT TO ELABORATE ON THAT. THAT GIVES US AN EVEN BIGGER CONCERN THAT I WANT TO GET WITH CHIEF HOOVER ON SOME OF THE DETAILS THAT WE DON'T KNOW. I TALKED WITH CAPTAIN LUCAS THE DAY AFTER THAT FIRE, AND HE SAYS THAT WAS A TESLA THAT CRASHED, AND IT HAD A LITHIUM ION BATTERY UP UNDERNEATH IT. AND OUR OUR FIREMEN PUT FOUR HOURS OF WATER ON THAT CAR AND IT STILL REIGNITED. SO WE REALLY HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ON WHAT TYPE OF MATERIAL WE NEED FOR THESE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, BECAUSE IT'S A HUGE FIRE HAZARD TO REIGNITE AFTER FOUR HOURS OF WATER IS INSANE. AND THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AS FAR AS WHAT WE CAN DO. AS FAR AS FIRE SERVICE CHIEF, IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN PUT ON THERE TO FREEZE THAT STUFF, OR TO COOL THAT THING OFF QUICKER TO KEEP IT FROM REIGNITING. ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD AN INCIDENT OUT AT PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL AND THE FOLKS GOT ARRESTED, BUT I WAS ON JOHNSON ROAD, HEADED HOME THAT DAY WHEN CAPTAIN ADAMS STEPPED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED ALL THE TRAFFIC AND MADE SURE THAT EVERYBODY THAT PETERSBURG POLICE GOT THERE AND SECURED THAT PERIMETER. I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD THAT MANY POLICE WORKING. AND THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN THE BUSSES WAS COMING OUT. AND I TELL YOU BEFORE THEM, BUSSES COULD GET DOWN JOHNSON ROAD, WE MAY HAVE HAD AT LEAST TWO DOZEN POLICE OFFICERS DOWN THERE THAT FAST. SO I WANT TO THANK PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR YOUR FAST, QUICK RESPONSES. AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL OUT THERE THIS FRIDAY NIGHT WHEN HOPEWELL COMES TO TOWN. WE WANT THEM TO GET IN SAFELY AND GET OUT QUICKLY AND SAFELY. OKAY. WHEN WHEN WE GET THAT WIN ON FRIDAY NIGHT. ALSO, VICE MAYOR HILL TALKED ABOUT THE BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE THAT'S COMING UP. AND WE HAVE A WE'RE HOSTING A GREAT EVENT HERE IN PETERSBURG CALLED LEAD VIRGINIA ON FRIDAY, WHICH IS GOING TO BE SPECTACULAR. HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PANELIST TO TALK ABOUT PETERSBURG AND THE GREAT TURNAROUND THAT PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL HAS HELPED INSTRUMENT IN REBUILDING THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. SO AT THAT TIME, THIS IS ALL I HAVE. AND IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN, I COULD HAVE DEFERRED A MINUTE AND 15 SECONDS TO ARNOLD WESTBROOK. SO BUT ANYWAY, [13. Finance and Budget Report ] MOVING ON TO ITEM 12. ITEMS MOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. NO ITEMS FOR TONIGHT. ITEM 13 FINANCE AND BUDGET REPORT. WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE MONTHLY UPDATE. MR. KOCHER, HOW ARE YOU? ALL RIGHT. VERY WELL. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. GARY COZIER, BUDGET MANAGER, FINANCE MONTHLY UPDATE. SO TONIGHT WE'LL DO BUDGET TO ACTUALS. AND I WILL BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THE FY 27 BUDGET CALENDAR. SO HERE WE ARE. THIS IS THROUGH OCTOBER THE 31ST. SO 33% OF THE YEAR EXPENDED. IF WE GET DOWN TO BOTTOM LINE WE'RE AT 34% SPEND. BUT IT IS WORTH IT TO KNOW. FINANCE IS STILL WORKING ON MAKING SOME TRANSFERS INTO INTO THE BUDGET THAT WERE ALREADY APPROVED. SO THIS WILL CLEAR ITSELF UP WITH THE NEXT REPORT. SO NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT THERE. OH, OKAY. HERE WE ARE WITH THE OTHER FUNDS STREETS, UTILITIES, STORMWATER, DOGWOOD AND MASS TRANSIT. DOGWOOD DOES OPERATE OFF OF THEIR OWN REVENUES. AND THIS YEAR WE CORRECTLY INCLUDED THE DEBT SERVICE THAT THE GOLF COURSE PAYS. SO WE'RE STILL WORKING TO GET THAT SITUATED AS WELL. SO THAT WILL RECTIFY ITSELF WITH THE NEXT REPORT. AND LASTLY, SO HERE IS OUR PROPOSED BUDGET CALENDAR. IT IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING. BUT BUT THIS IS [02:35:06] KIND OF WHERE WE ARE. JUST LIKE I SAID PROPOSED. THESE DATES ARE KIND OF JUST OUR FIRST STAB AT THIS. SO WE'LL BE DOING A BUDGET KICKOFF MEETING INTERNALLY WITH DEPARTMENTS TOMORROW AND THURSDAY. FOLLOWING THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTING AGENCY INSTRUCTIONS AND TEMPLATES. WE'LL HAVE BUDGETS DUE TO FINANCE ON JANUARY THE 2ND. WE'LL HAVE OUR MEETINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE CITY MANAGER BY FEBRUARY, DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET MEETINGS. ALSO IN FEBRUARY. WE'LL HAVE OUR FIRST PROPOSED BUDGET IN MARCH, COUNCIL BUDGET MEETINGS, COMMUNITY BUDGET MEETINGS, MARCH AND APRIL PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPTION IN MAY. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THAT IS. AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. LASKER OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE'LL [14. Unfinished Business ] MOVE ON TO ITEM 14, UNFINISHED BUSINESS ITEM 14, A CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE A REQUEST BY CHRIS WINSLOW, A WINSLOW MCCURRY AND MCCORMICK PLC ON BEHALF OF SP 13 PROPERTIES, LLC, FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO OPERATE AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY AT 36 WEST FILLMORE STREET. PARCEL ID 022360001, IN THE RB OFFICE, APARTMENT ZONING DISTRICT. MR. CRUZ, THANK YOU SIR. SO I'LL BE BRIEF. PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF. WE HELD THE PUBLIC HEARING BACK IN SEPTEMBER. WE HAD A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SPEAK DURING THAT REQUEST, SORT OF AN EVEN SPLIT. TEN IN FAVOR, 12 AGAINST, AND THEN FOUR ASKING FOR SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD VOTED TO TABLE THE REQUEST SO THEY COULD CONSIDER POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES TO THE CONDITIONS. SO IT'S COMING BACK TO YOU, AS YOU KNOW, UNFINISHED BUSINESS. SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A SPECIAL MEETING ON OCTOBER 16TH TO DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION ON THE REQUEST. THEY DID CONSIDER ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS THAT STAFF HAD DRAFTED, AS WELL AS A CONDITION THAT THE APPLICANT HAD BROUGHT FORWARD, BUT THEY ULTIMATELY DETERMINED THAT THE USE WOULD BE AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE, AND THEY RECOMMENDED DENIAL OF THE REQUEST IN A42 VOTE WITH ONE ABSTENTION. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL FOR DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. RIGHT. COUNCILMAN COOPER? YES. ANY DISCUSSION OR HAVE WE DISCUSSION. HAVE WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING? YES, WE'VE ALREADY HAD I'M SORRY OKAY. SO RIGHT NOW. ALL RIGHT. WELL, AND AND ANY QUESTIONS YOU WANT COUNCILMAN JONES TO ASK HIS QUESTION AND I'LL GO TO YOU OR HOW YOU WANT TO DO IT. WELL, I WANT TO VOTE ON THIS ISSUE WHEN THE TIME IS APPROPRIATE. AND STATE LAW SAYS THAT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER I HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AND I FEEL THAT I DON'T, BUT IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE ANY QUESTION, I AM TO READ A STATEMENT. AND I'M NOT DOING THIS TO TAKE UP COUNSEL'S TIME OR TO BE A SHOWBOAT, BUT BECAUSE STATE LAW SAYS THAT THIS IS THE PROCEDURE FOR ME TO FOLLOW. SO I HAVE FILED THIS LETTER WITH THE CLERK OF COUNCIL, AND I'D LIKE TO READ IT INTO THE RECORD AS WELL. I HAVE TO READ IT IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE CONFLICT OF INTEREST LAW, I CHARLES H. CUTHBERT JR, A DULY ELECTED MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, HEREBY TO STATE THE FOLLOWING FOR INCLUSION IN THE RECORD OF THE MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL, SCHEDULED FOR 5 P.M. ON. NOVEMBER THE 18TH OF 2025, CONCERNING SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION. 25 DASH SUP DASH ZERO THREE DEALING WITH 36 WEST FILLMORE STREET, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA ONE I DO. I DISCLOSE THAT MY HOME IS LOCATED AT 405 SOUTH SYCAMORE STREET, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA AND THAT I AM NOW AND OR HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST A MEMBER AND SUPPORTER OF THE HISTORIC POPLAR LAWN ASSOCIATION. TWO I FURTHER DISCLOSE THAT ON A PRO BONO BASIS, I SERVE AS THE REGISTERED AGENT OF THE HISTORIC POPLAR LAWN ASSOCIATION AND HAVE DONE SO FOR MANY YEARS. THREE THIS APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT INVOLVES LAND USE ACTION THAT MAY AFFECT REAL PROPERTY GENERALLY, INCLUDING MY HOME. HOWEVER, MY INTEREST IS SHARED [02:40:02] WITH AT LEAST THREE OTHER PERSONS WHO ARE SIMILARLY SITUATED, AND MY PERSONAL INTEREST IS THE SAME AS THAT OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE AFFECTED GROUP. FOUR I AM ABLE TO PARTICIPATE FAIRLY, OBJECTIVELY AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN CONSIDERING THIS MATTER. FIVE BECAUSE MY INTEREST IS NOT UNIQUE AND BECAUSE I WILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE FAIRLY, OBJECTIVELY AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, I AM PERMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONSIDERATION AND VOTE CONCERNING THIS APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT UNDER THE VIRGINIA STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST ACT, I HEREBY MADE THIS DISCLOSURE ON THE 19TH OF OCTOBER, 2025, AND I REPEAT IT TODAY AND REQUEST THAT IT BE ENTERED INTO THE MINUTES OF THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND FILED WITH THE CLERK OF COUNCIL AND MY SIGNATURE DATED OCTOBER 19TH, 2025. AND AGAIN, I REAFFIRM THOSE STATEMENTS TODAY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MR. MAYOR, WE AT THE POINT FOR ACCEPTING MOTIONS. IS THAT CORRECT? THE COUNCILMAN JONES HAVE A QUESTION? OKAY. OKAY OKAY. WELL I'LL GO I'LL GO TO COUNCILMAN COOPER FIRST, THEN THEN BACK TO YOU. COUNCILMAN JONES, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL, ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND DENY THE APPLICATION FILED BY SP 13 PROPERTIES FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT AT 36 WEST FILLMORE STREET. VICE MAYOR HILL I. SECOND MOTION A SECOND. COUNCILMAN JONES. AND BEFORE WE TAKE THAT VOTE, MR. VAN HEES, CAN YOU PULL MY PICTURES UP? AND WHILE WE'RE WAITING ON THAT, SOME THINGS I WANT TO SAY, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN BACK AND FORTH WITH THIS THING AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES AND I UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT HERE. OUR ROLE AS COUNCILMAN IS TO JUDGE THE PROPOSAL BASED ON ZONING LAWS, NOT AS A CREDIT AGENCY OR BUSINESS PARTNER TO THE PEOPLE. I JUST WANT TO SAY WE MUST BE CAUTIOUS NOT TO LET FEAR OR UNRELATED PAST EVENTS DICTATE OUR DECISIONS IN A WAY THAT IS UNFAIR OR PUNITIVE. THE CLAIM THAT THE APPLICANT HAS NO EXPERIENCE IS NOT A VALID CRITERION. IF WE REQUIRE EVERY NEW BUSINESS OWNER, KEEP THAT ONE RIGHT THERE. TO HAVE PRIOR EXPERIENCE, WE WOULD HAVE NO NEW BUSINESSES. THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT BANKRUPTCY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WELL. I FILED BANKRUPTCY BEFORE SOME OF Y'ALL FILED BANKRUPTCY BEFORE BANKRUPTCY IS A LEGAL TOOL FOR FINANCIAL REORGANIZATION, NOT AN AUTOMATIC MORAL FAILING. $2 MILLION IS A SIGN OF COMMITMENT, NOT FAILURE. DENYING NOW WOULD BE PUNISHING THAT INVESTMENT. TO DENY NOW WOULD BE AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL, WOULD BE A SERIOUS VIOLATION OF TRUST. IT WAS SENT A SERIOUS MESSAGE TO ANY FUTURE DEVELOPER THAT SAYS YOUR INVESTMENT HERE ARE NOT SAFE, EVEN IF YOU FOLLOW ALL THE RULES, WHICH HE DID, IT'S NOT HIS FAULT. THIS WAS A MISTAKE ON US AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE NOT HERE ANYMORE. I DON'T LIKE TO LOSE $10. THE BOARD DENIED IT IN THEIR OWN WORDS, SAYING BASED ON THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY. AND MY. COUNTERPART HERE. WAS A GENTLEMAN IN HIS CONCERN ABOUT WHERE HE LIVES. BUT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO POINT TO YOUR ATTENTION A FEW PICTURES. THIS ALSO IN THAT SAME AREA WHERE HE LIVED. THIS RIGHT HERE IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET, HISTORIC POPLAR LAWN. GO TO THE NEXT PICTURE, PLEASE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS THIS RIGHT HERE. THIS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR YEARS. THIS RIGHT BEHIND IT. HISTORIC POPLAR LUNG. SO WHEN WE SAY FOR THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY, DOES THIS NOT FIT IN PRACTICING MY LAW STUFF NOW? YEAH. DOES THIS NOT FIT IN NEXT. ALL OF [02:45:06] THESE ARE ISSUES WITH THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY. NOW PULL UP A BUILDING, PULL UP A PICTURE OF THE BUILDING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THAT WOULD BE 51, I THINK. YES. NOW IS THAT WORSE THAN WHAT Y'ALL JUST SAW? NO. THAT'S BETTER. HOW CAN THIS BE OR HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY OVER THE STUFF THAT Y'ALL JUST SEEN SITTING OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY? THEY'RE STILL SITTING THERE. I JUST WONDER WHY WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS. WHY ARE THEY NOT THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION? I UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO SHOOT THIS DOWN, WE SHOULD BE KNOCKING EVERYTHING DOWN IN THAT WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE NOTHING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD MEETS THIS RIGHT HERE BY ITSELF. WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS, AND I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE. I HAD HEART ON IT BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T WANT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU MAY NOT WANT THIS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT YOU STILL GOT THE OTHER STUFF THAT I JUST SHOWED YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HABITAT FOR HOMELESS, HABITAT FOR CRIME, HABITAT FOR RODENTS, HABITAT FOR ALL KIND OF SPECIES IS RIGHT THERE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN HISTORIC POPLAR LAWN. SO I'M ASKING YOU TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE AND NOT THROW AWAY $2 MILLION BECAUSE WE MADE A MISTAKE. THAT'S ALL I GOT. AND I'M GOING TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION AFTER THIS. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. NO. MR. MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JONES, I CONCUR WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID, AND I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT ANY MORE ELOQUENTLY. THIS GENTLEMAN SPENT $2 MILLION OF HIS MONEY. AND AT THAT TIME, IT WAS SUPPORTED BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. AND IS THE CITY'S MISTAKE, NOT HIS MISTAKE, TO MOVE FORWARD. AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO WHAT SUGGESTS TONIGHT. MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT WITH THE CONDITIONS SET FORTH BY PLANNING. COUNCILMAN MYERS SECOND. ALL RIGHT, A MOTION, A SECOND AT THIS TIME IS HERE. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER? CUTHBERT? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES I COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. NO. VICE MAYOR. HUGH. NO. MAYOR. PEAR I. THE MOTION FAILS NOW. THE ORIGINAL MOTION. COUNCILMAN. CUTHBERT. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. YOU CAN CALL. CALL THE ROLL. COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR I. MAYOR I MR. MAYOR, I. BASED ON COUNCIL'S MOTION OR COUNCIL'S ACTION, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT COUNCIL PROVIDE CLARIFICATION ON THE DIRECTION YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO TAKE IN THE CURRENT LITIGATION BECAUSE IT APPEARS ADVERSE TO THIS THIS ACTION. CURRENTLY, COUNCIL HAS AN APPEAL THAT WE FILED TO THE BZA DETERMINATION THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE THEIR USE. SO I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION EITHER TO DIRECT ME TO CONTINUE OR DIRECT ME TO WITHDRAW THE CITY'S APPEAL TO THE BZA DETERMINATION. COUNSELOR COVER. I THINK WE OUGHT TO DISCUSS THIS IN CLOSED SESSION. IT INVOLVES A A MATTER IN LITIGATION. I THINK IT'S A LEGITIMATE TOPIC, ISN'T IT, MR. WILLIAMS? FOR CLOSED SESSION DISCUSSION? YES, I THINK WE OUGHT TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN CLOSED SESSION AT OUR MEETING ON IN DECEMBER. I THINK IT'S DECEMBER 9TH AND. REACH A DECISION AS A, AS A BODY. AFTER CONSIDERING THIS AND CONSIDERING THE CITY ATTORNEY'S ADVICE, THE HEARING'S NOT UNTIL 26 AND THAT WOULD WORK. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL ADD THAT TO OUR CLOSED SESSION AGENDA. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ITEM 14 B CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG FOR THE PURPOSE OF [02:50:04] UPDATING AND CLARIFYING SIGNAGE AND ADVERTISING REGULATIONS TO ADDRESS ONGOING COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES PERTAINING TO CERTAIN ADVERTISING DEVICES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. DID YOU STILL WANT TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, OR DO YOU WANT TO MISS MR. MAYOR? MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THIS ITEM BE REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE REMOVING THIS ITEM FROM THE AGENDA TONIGHT. IT'S BEEN STRICKEN BY THE CITY MANAGER. NEXT IS ITEM C, CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND STEPPING STONE PROPERTIES, LLC FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TEN NORTH FOLEY STREET AND 340 MISTLETOE STREET SQUARE ACRE PROPERTY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 201 VIRGINIA AVENUE. NEW WAY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 851 EAST BANK STREET, 1420 FERNDALE AVENUE, 1162 HENRY STREET, 417 SOUTH JEFFERSON STREET, 921 PRIAM STREET, 1150 ROME STREET AND 201 TERRACE AVENUE. ANTHONY JACKSON FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 723 HARDIN STREET, UNDERHILL ROAD, LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PORTION OF 117 LAFAYETTE STREET. DANIEL SMITH REAL ESTATE, LLC FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 469 12 ROSS COURT AND ACUNA PROPERTIES, LLC FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 436 BURNHAM STREET. MR. MOORE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. THIS AGAIN IS ANOTHER CONSOLIDATED ITEM FROM A PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM. ACTUALLY ITEMS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY MANAGER AND APPROVAL. AGAIN THESE ARE LOCAL DEVELOPERS BUILDING SINGLE FAMILIES HOMES DOING A GREAT JOB. AND A LOT OF THEM ARE OUT HERE TONIGHT. SO WE WOULD ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. KEEP THIS BUILDING GOING FORWARD, SIR. RIGHT. VICE MAYOR HILL. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE ORDINANCE TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. NO RESTRICTING THAT ONE. WE HAD C. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE EXECUTION DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND STEPPING STONE PROPERTIES, LLC. DEVELOPMENT. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN MYERS SECOND, AS A MOTION, A SECOND TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND STEPPING STONE PROPERTIES, LLC FOR TEN NORTH FOLEY STREET AND 340 MISTLETOE STREET SQUARE ACRE PROPERTY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 201 VIRGINIA AVENUE. NEW WAVE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 851 EAST BANK STREET, 1420 FERNDALE AVENUE. 1162 HINTON STREET, 417 SOUTH JEFFERSON STREET, 921 PRINCE STREET, 1150 ROME STREET, AND 201 TERRACE AVENUE. ANTHONY JACKSON, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 723 HARDIN STREET, UNDERHILL ROAD, LLC FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A PORTION OF 117 LAFAYETTE STREET. DANIEL SMITH REAL ESTATE, LLC FOR DEVELOPMENT OF FOUR SIX, 912 EARLS COURT AND ACUNA PROPERTIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 436 BIRCH STREET. MISS HILL, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING AND APPOINTING MEMBERS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. START OFF WITH THE CRATER YOUTH CARE COMMISSION. MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST OR ASK IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO APPOINT MISS MARGO HARDY TO SIT WITH ME AT THE CRATER YOUTH CARE COMMISSION, GIVING HER INVOLVEMENT WITH YOUTH AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. I THINK SHE WOULD BE A PERFECT FIT FOR US THERE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S A MOTION. SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION, COUNCILMAN MYERS, THIS IS FOR MARGO HARDY TO BE ON. ABSOLUTELY. YES, SIR. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS PETERSBURG REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. THEY ASKED THAT ALL OF THE MEMBERS WANTED TO COME BACK. THE EXISTING MEMBERS. ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS TIME TO APPROVE THE EXISTING MEMBERS. SO MOVED SECOND MOTION A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS PETERSBURG ARTS COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN MYERS. YES. MR. MAYOR DEMETRIA HARRIS, WHO YOU KNOW IS OUR NEW PRESIDENT ELECT, AND SHE'S ASKED THAT WE SUPPORT VERONICA DAVIDSON AND WENDELL JONES. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. MOTION AND SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. [02:55:03] AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ADVISORY BOARD. WE HAVE SOME OPENINGS. ANY NOMINATIONS FOR ANYBODY ON THE CDBG ADVISORY BOARD, COUNCILMAN COOPER, I NOMINATE MR. MARCUS SQUIRES. YES. THE NOMINEES FOR MARCUS WILLIAMS. WHICH ONE ARE WE DOING? CDBG, CDBG, CDBG FUNDING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YOU CAN SECOND SECOND THAT ONE. FROM MARCUS SQUIRES. THERE'S A MOTION FROM MARCUS SQUIRES THE CDBG. I SECOND. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT'S WHAT I GOT. THAT'S THAT'S WARD ONE CDBG, CDBG WARD ONE I GOT I GOT SOMEBODY I MEAN IS THAT WARD FOR FOR MARCUS SQUIRE WARD FOR. OKAY OKAY I WOULD LIKE. YOU DON'T YOU ALREADY GOT ONE FOR WARD FOUR. YES. YEAH. I WOULD LIKE ONE SEAT IN WARD ONE. ONE SEAT IN WARD THREE, ONE SEAT IN WARD FIVE AND ONE SEAT IN WARD SIX. AND WE HAVE TWO AT LARGE SEATS. OH, OKAY. FOR I'M GOING TO. SO DID YOU WANT SQUIRES TO HAVE AT LARGE. IS THAT OKAY. NO. WELL I'D LIKE HIM TO SERVE. AND IF THERE'S NO VACANCY IN WARD FOUR AND THESE ARE IF THESE ARE WARD APPOINTMENTS, THEN YES, I WOULD LIKE MR. SQUIRES TO BE NOMINATED FOR ONE OF THE TWO OPEN AT LARGE SEATS ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ADVISORY BOARD. WE HAVE SEVEN, SEVEN SEATS AVAILABLE, SEVEN AVAILABLE. RIGHT. SO WE'RE PUTTING ALL SEVEN RIGHT NOW. I'M GOING TO FROM WARD THREE I'M GOING TO NOMINATE LEONARD CURRY BEING I HAVE A POSITION OPEN IN WARD THREE. AND I GOT WARD FIVE, GENEVIEVE LOHR GENEVIEVE LOHR OKAY. WARD SIX TANYA BROWN. YEAH. THERE YOU GO. WARD ONE, COREY WESSON. OKAY. AND DO WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER ONE DO AN AT LARGE AND A BERNARD HARPER. ABSOLUTELY. SO WE HAD TWO LR SEATS FILLED. NOW I THINK THAT'S IT OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION NOW TO APPROVE THE SLATE OF MARCUS SQUIRES AT LARGE LEONARD CURRY, WARD THREE GENEVIEVE LOHR FOR WARD FIVE, TANYA BROWN FOR WARD SIX AND COREY WESSON FOR WARD ONE AND BERNARD HARPER AT LARGE. TOM. THAT'S WHAT I SAID. WE READ THE NAMES OFF OF HIM. SHE SHE'S ALREADY ON. SHE ALREADY ON IT. SHE ON. ALREADY ON THERE. YEAH. SO MOVE MR. MAYOR. ALRIGHT. VICE MAYOR HILL. OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN SMITH SECOND. SECOND QUESTION. ALL RIGHT. YES. JUST HOW I WANT TO PUT THIS. I JUST HOPE WE JUST NOT PULLING NAMES OUT AND JUST THROWING THEM ON THERE. AND I JUST HOPE THEY HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, THE SKILL SET TO SERVE. I'M NOT QUESTIONING ANYBODY ABILITY, BUT I JUST HOPE THEY HAVE THE SKILL SET SET TO SERVE AND WHAT HAVE YOU. BECAUSE YOU KNOW HERE RECENTLY. WE'VE OVER RODE THE CDBG BECAUSE IT'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO IN THE CITY AND WE SEE THE BIG PICTURE. SO I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A SORT OF EFFORT FOR US TO MEET WITH THEM, JUST TO LET THEM KNOW THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, IF THAT'S LEGAL OR NOT. MR. WILLIAMS, IF THAT'S LEGAL OR NOT, BECAUSE I JUST DON'T WANT TO GET IN A SITUATION LIKE WE'VE BEEN IN IN THE PAST. THEY COME UP WITH THIS BIG LIST OF EVERYTHING, AND THEN WE END UP BASICALLY TAKING AWAY FROM THEM. AND BECAUSE WE KNOW THE BIG PICTURE, THE NEEDS THAT ARE IN THE CITY. SO THAT'S ALL I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT STATE THAT FOR THE RECORD, THAT'S ALL READY A MOTION AND A SECOND AT THIS [03:00:03] TIME IS HERE. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. VICE MAYOR HERE. AYE. MAYOR. AYE. MOTION CARRIES NEXT. ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD. THE ARB, I KNOW. IT'S JUST REAPPOINTMENTS. EVERYBODY'S COMING BACK. SO MOVED. OKAY, SO THAT'S A MOTION TO REAPPOINT THE EXISTING BOARD. DID WE GET ANY? YOU NEED A SECOND? ON ARB. WILL YOU REQUEST AN ALTERNATE BE APPOINTED? I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME. WELL, WE HAD MADE THAT REQUEST. OKAY OKAY, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. PERFECT. SO WE JUST REAPPOINTING THE CURRENT BOARD. OKAY. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOTION AND SECONDED. AT THIS TIME IS HERE. WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MEAD. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. AYE. VICE MAYOR. AYE. MAYOR. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS THE GREATER REACH COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD. REAPPOINTMENTS REAPPOINTMENTS OF MR. TAYLOR. QUESTION REAPPOINTMENT OF MR. TAYLOR AND. LEAVE IT JUST THERE. THAT'S EVER HEARD. MR. MAYOR WHO IS THERE. OKAY. BEHIND YOU. YES, BUT THEY'RE REQUESTING REAPPOINTMENT, SIR. WHAT BOARD IS THERE? THE GREATER REACH COMMUNITY SERVICES. WHO'S WHO'S ON THAT? MR. TAYLOR IS AND IT'S NOT IT'S NOT POPPING UP AND I CANNOT REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT. DO WE HAVE TO APPOINT TONIGHT? WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU REAPPOINT TONIGHT BECAUSE THEIR TERMS HAVE EXPIRED. AND I'M SORRY BECAUSE I GOT TOO MUCH UP HERE, AND I CAN'T FIND THE NAME OF THE OTHER YOUNG LADY THAT'S SERVING ON THAT BOARD. THAT A SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD. GREATER REACH. GREATER REACH. DISTRICT 19 OH DISTRICT. THAT'S THE NEW NAME FOR. OH, THAT'S MR. MR. TALLEY. YEAH, YEAH. MISS TALLY IS ON THERE. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT'S A ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO REAPPOINT THE CURRENT GREATER REACH COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD. SO MOVED SECOND MOTION A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM 15. NEW BUSINESS. NO ITEMS FOR TONIGHT. NEXT IS CITY MANAGER'S REPORT AND SPECIAL REPORTS. THAT TIME OF THE YEAR. ITEM EIGHT AT 2026 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. MR. MAYOR, WE'VE HAD A WE HAD A LAST MINUTE DISCUSSION AND CHANGE. SO WE'RE GOING TO ASK WE'RE GOING TO BRING THIS BACK AT OUR DECEMBER MEETING FOR APPROVAL. SO WE APOLOGIZE. WE JUST HAD A LAST MINUTE ISSUE TODAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO BRING THAT BACK IN DECEMBER IF THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. PERFECT. ALRIGHT. NEXT BUSINESS REPORTS FROM THE CLERK. ANY ITEMS TONIGHT MISS HILL? NOTHING TO REPORT. I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THE OTHER APPOINTMENT ON THE GREATER REACH IS DAPHNE TURNER. SHE'S. THEY'RE ASKING FOR HER TO BE REAPPOINTED. OKAY, PERFECT. LET HER KNOW SHE JUST GOT REAPPOINTED. SO. MOVED. YEAH. NEXT BUSINESS OR REPORTS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY, MR. WILLIAMS. ANY ITEMS? NO REPORT, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS ITEM 19. ADJOURNMENT. AMEN. LOOK AT THIS. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.