City Council

CITY OF FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA HON. MARY KATHERINE GREENLAW, MAYOR HON. CHARLIE L. FRYE, JR., VICE -MAYOR, WARD FOUR CITY COUNCIL HON. KERRY P. DEVINE, AT-LARGE HON. MATTHEW J. KELLY, AT-LARGE HON. JASON N. GRAHAM, WARD ONE HON. WILLIAM C. WITHERS, JR., WARD TWO Council Chambers, 715 Princess Anne Street HON. DR. TIMOTHY P. DUFFY, WARD THREE Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401 Council Work Session February 9, 2021 Update from Main Street Fredericksburg Regional Transit Radio System Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Report Brief on Enterprise Resource Management Progress The Council of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia held a work session on Tuesday, February 9, 2021, beginning at 5:30 p.m. using electronic communication through GoToMeeting pursuant to and in compliance with the City Council Ordinance 20-05, an ordinance to address Continuity of City Government during the pendency of a pandemic disaster. Council Present. Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw, Presiding. Vice-Mayor Charlie L. Frye, Jr. Councilors Kerry P. Devine, Timothy P. Duffy, Jason N. Graham, Matthew J. Kelly and William C. Withers, Jr. Also Present. City Manager Timothy J. Baroody, Assistant City Manager Mark Whitley, Assistant City Manager Doug Fawcett, City Attorney Kathleen Dooley, Police Chief Brian Layton, Special Advisor Eddie Allen, Director of Transit Jamie Jackson, Operations Manager for Transit Glenn Jenkins, Equity and Economic Advancement Officer Angela Freeman, Public Information Officer Sonja Cantu and Clerk of Council Tonya B. Lacey. Others Present. Executive Director of Main Street Anne Glave, President of Main Street Jenn McGovern. Update from Main Street. Ms. Glave presented a PowerPoint presentation giving an update and she started with the State of Main, CARES Funding, January- February 2021 Survey Results, Greatest Needs of Businesses, 2021 Projects, Downtown Investment Grant, Technological Innovations in 22401, Virtual Event and Highlights and Accomplishments (2020). 1  Ms. Glave explained that many of the businesses were struggling with technology and were fearful to get onto new sites although they had received grants to do so. Fredericksburg Regional Transit Radio System. Special Advisor Allen stated that some of the things they looked at when they went with the public safety radio system was to look at other agencies in the City to bring them into the system. In 2020, they looked at working on the Public Works system but due to COVID it was put off. Ms. Jackson learned that transit was not on the public safety radio system and they began working to get them on the system. Director of Transit Jackson explained that their request was to get permission to approach Stafford County for use of their tower. She presented a PowerPoint presentation and she discussed the project overview, project rationale and project funding. Ms. Jackson explained that the $752,897 was the total capital cost and there would be an annual cost of $50,000 but there would be matches and the City’s cost would be $17,744. Mr. Allen explained that this system would be putting the City and FRED in a good position because if the City decided to go on its own tower it would be able to do so. He also stated that with this new system if there was an emergency on a bus there would be a button to alert the Police Department and currently this was not available. Mr. Allen also noted that currently the City share code plugs with Spotsylvania, Stafford, Caroline and King George but there were propriety items that could not be shared. He said Spotsylvania would be given the ability to communicate with FRED and FRED with them if they choose to add FRED to its system. Ms. Jackson was hopeful there would not be any issues since this was a regional system. Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Report. City Attorney Dooley explained the idea of this discussion was to frame up the discussion before receipt of the report. Ms. Dooley presented a PowerPoint and she discussed the Racial Equity Context, Police Executive Research Forum, Assessment and Recommendation, Community Participation – Input and Proposed Review Framework. Ms. Dooley described PERF as having a sustained interest and focus on public safety and law enforcement response to mass demonstrations and the use of force. PERF brings best management practices approach and they try to identify where we could improve operations in the future. 2  Equity and Economic Advancement Officer Freemen stated the reason for engaging PERF was to engage the community as well as represent and support them. As PERF developed the report she preserved the feedback in order to develop broader feedback. This feedback would tie back to Council’s previous feedback. Public Information Officer Cantu noted that the PERF survey would be located on the City’s website for anyone who would like to take the survey. She reviewed each of the questions with the Council and asked if there were any additional question that the Council would like to see on the survey. Councilor Kelly stated that he would like to see questions regarding the events that took place during the protests. He said it was important to look at all aspects otherwise the City would not get all the information it needed. Councilor Graham said a way to move forward was to get recommendations and he thought the survey should ask if there were recommendations in the report that were not agreed upon and how should the recommendations be changed. He said this could be used as a conversation starter and give a foundation on how to move forward. Mayor Greenlaw said that was an interesting way to get a broader perspective. Ms. Freeman talked about an organization called Government Alliance on Racial Equity (GAORE) they are designed to assist municipalities in navigating complex conversations. There are several tools available to help guide the work and review. She said it would be important for the City to go back to the community and check in and this would help engagement and trust in the process. Councilor Devine agreed with Councilors Kelly and Graham and said there needed to be more poignant questions to get better feedback. Councilor Duffy spoke frankly and stated that the City was obligated to monitor its employees and their actions must be reviewed and he said it was most important to know how the employees acted and why so they City could learn to move forward. He felt there was a gap in what the Council was debriefed on and what was suggested in the report. He said this report was filled with important information on how the government should relate to its citizens. 3  Vice-Mayor Frye spoke of how disorganized the protest were and he felt that many in the community were misled by others. He said this was not a City related incident it was worldwide. Councilor Kelly asked how the City was planning to have dialog with the public regarding the report and Ms. Freeman noted that it was important to engage the public but not everyone was comfortable in engaging. She said a process would need to be established so that no harm is done to anyone, the City must respect and demonstrate what its heard in order to build trust and transparency. Ms. Freeman noted how hard it was to engage people during the pandemic. Brief on Enterprise Resource Management Progress. Assistant City Manager Whitley reported the they had successfully completed the Go Live Payroll system. He said they had great collaboration with schools. Adjournment. There being no further business to come before the Council at this time. Mayor Greenlaw declared the session officially adjourned at 7:22 p.m. ______________________ Tonya B. Lacey, MMC Clerk of Council City of Fredericksburg 4