City Council

November 18, 2023 Work Session A work session meeting of the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia was held on November 18, 2023 in Council Chambers, Municipal Building, at 9:00 AM with Mayor LC Jones residing. Other Council Members present included Kathy Lawson, Aaron Rawls, Lawrence Mitchell and Tammy Pearson. Staff present included City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides. Mayor Jones called the meeting to order and advised Council would go into Closed Session beginning at 9:00AM. In accordance with the Code of Virginia, Title 2.2 Chapter 37, Freedom of Information Act and upon a motion by Vice Mayor Rawls and seconded by Council Member Lawson with the following 5-0 recorded vote: Vice Mayor Rawls, aye; Council Member Pearson, aye; Council Member Mitchell, aye; Mayor Jones, aye; and Council Member Lawson, aye. Council convened in Closed Session to discuss the following matters: (A) Personnel Discussions, as authorized by Subsection 1, (B) Discussion or consideration of the acquisition of real property for a public purpose or of the disposition of publicly held real property, where discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body, as authorized but Subsection 3, as authorized by Subsection 3, (C) Discussion concerning a prospective business or industry or the expansion of an existing business or industry where no previous announcement has been made of the business or industry's interest in locating or expanding its facilities in the community, as authorized by Subsection 5. And (D) Consultation with legal counsel and briefings by staff members, attorneys or consultants pertaining to actual or probable litigation or other specific legal matters requiring the provision of legal advice by such counsel, as authorized by Subsection 7, as authorized by Subsection 7. At the conclusion of Closed Session, each returning member of Council certified that (1) only public business matters exempt from open meeting requirements were discussed in said Closed Session; and (2) only those business matters identified in the motion convening the Closed Session were heard, discussed, or considered during the meeting. A motion was made by Council Member Lawson and seconded by Council Member Pearson with the following recorded 5-0 vote: Mayor Jones, aye; Vice Mayor Rawls, aye; Council Member Lawson, aye; Council Member Mitchell, aye; and Council Member Pearson, aye No action was taken out of Closed Session Hear a presentation by Share the Air – Representatives from Share the Air made a brief presentation summarizing the Share the Air organization November 18, 2023 Work Session November 18, 2023 Work Session Discuss the ARPA funding update and remaining additions – Discuss the Legislative Agenda, proposed City Charter update, and 2% School Tax - Discuss the City Council Calendar for December - November 18, 2023 Work Session There being no further business, Council Member --- made a motion to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 9:30pm. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Karen Roberts, Clerk of Council LC Jones, Mayor