City Council

Minutes from the Petersburg City Council meeting held on: March 3, 2016 -1– ______________________________________________________________________________ The Special Meeting of the Petersburg City Council was held on Thursday, March 3, 2016, at City Hall in Council Chambers. Mayor Myers called the special meeting to order at 6:00p.m. 1. ROLL CALL: Present: Council Member John A. Hart, Sr. Council Member Darrin Hill Council Member Brian A. Moore Council Member Treska Wilson-Smith Vice Mayor Samuel Parham Mayor W. Howard Myers Absent: Council Member David R. Coleman Present from City Administration: City Attorney Brian K. Telfair Clerk of Council Nykesha Jackson, CMC 2. RECONVENE OF CLOSED SESSION FROM FEBRUARY 24, 2016, MEETING: a. Discussion of processes City Attorney Brian Telfair made a motion to return to closed session for the reason stated in the notice. City Council entered closed session at 6:03 p.m. CERTIFICATION: Council Member Hart made a motion to return City Council into open session and certify the purposes of the closed session. The motion was seconded by Council Member Hill. There was no discussion on the motion, which was approved on roll call vote. On roll call vote, voting yes: Hart, Hill, Moore, Wilson-Smith, Parham and Myers; Absent: Coleman 16-R-8 A RESOLUTION CERTIFYING, AS REQUIRED BY THE CODE OF VIRGINIA, SECTION 2.2- 3712, THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBER’S KNOWLEDGE, ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS OF VIRGINIA LAW WERE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED SESSION, AND ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION CONVENING THE CLOSED SESSION WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED. Vice Mayor Parham stated that the City of Petersburg City Council announces that the City Attorney, Brian K. Telfair, has resigned his position effective March 4, 2016. He stated that Mr. Telfair’s departure is for health reasons and is the result of a mutual agreement between him and the Petersburg City Council. He stated that Mr. Telfair’s departure is not related to the City’s financial difficulty including issues related to the City’s water bill, the nonpayment of monies to the Virginia Retirement System and anything else that is related to the City’s finance. He stated that the City thanks Mr. Telfair for his three years of service as the City Attorney and wishes him well in his future endeavors. Vice Mayor Parham made a motion that the resignation of Brian K. Telfair, City Attorney of the City of Petersburg, be effective March 4, 2016, and that the severance agreement negotiated by legal counsel for the  Minutes from the Petersburg City Council meeting held on: March 3, 2016 -2– ______________________________________________________________________________ City and Mr. Telfair be approved and executed by the Mayor. The motion was seconded by Council Member Hart. The motion was approved on roll call. On roll call vote, voting yes: Hart, Hill, Moore, Wilson-Smith and Parham; Absent: Coleman; Abstain: Myers Vice Mayor Parham made a motion that the employment of William E. Johnson, III, City Manager of the City of Petersburg, be terminated effective immediately, pursuant to Section 13(C) of his employment agreement dated January 22, 2015. The motion was seconded by Council Member Wilson-Smith. The motion was approved on roll call. On roll call vote, voting yes: Hart, Hill, Moore, Wilson-Smith and Parham; Absent: Coleman; Abstain: Myers Council Member Moore made a motion that in accordance to Subsection 15.2-1423 titled, “Powers of Chairman or Mayor”, that Mayor Myers, Vice Mayor Parham and Council Member Hart be appointed to the chief administrative officer committee that is set forth in Section 15.2-1541 for 60 days. He also motioned that Dironna Belton be appointed as Interim Chief Operating Officer until a permanent City Manager is appointed by Mayor and Council. The motion was seconded by Council Member Hill. The motion was approved on roll call. On roll call vote, voting yes: Hart, Hill, Moore, Parham and Myers; Absent: Coleman; Voting No: Wilson- Smith 16-R-9 A RESOLUTION APPOINTING MAYOR W. HOWARD MYERS, VICE MAYOR SAMUEL PARHAM AND COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN HART TO THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER COMMITTEE FOR 60 DAYS. 16-R-10 A RESOLUTION APPOINTING DIRONNA BELTON AS INTERIM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER UNTIL A PERMANENT CITY MANAGER IS APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL. 3. ADJOURNMENT: City Council recessed at 7:39 p.m. _________________________ Clerk of City Council APPROVED: _________________________ Mayor