City Council

The “New River” City 10 Robertson St. April 21, 2025 Radford, Virginia Special Meeting of Radford City Council, F.Y. 2024-2025 The special meeting of the Radford City Council was convened at 6:00 p.m. on April 21, 2025 in the Radford City Council Chambers, located at 10 Robertson Street Radford, VA. The Mayor of the City, Raymond David Horton, was present and presiding. Other members of City Council present were, Vice- Mayor Seth Gillespie, Ms. Jessie Foster, Ms. Kellie Artrip, and Mr. Guy Wohlford. Others present were as follows: Mr. Craig Meadows, Interim City Manager Ms. Jenni Goodman, City Clerk SUBJECT: Remote Participation ACTION: Ms. Artrip made a motion to allow Ms. Foster to participate remotely; Mr. Gillespie seconded the motion. Ms. Foster stated that she was in Illinois visiting her grandmother. VOTE: AYES: Mrs. Artrip, Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Wohlford, Mayor Horton NAYES: None SUBJECT: Ordinance 1813 SUMMARY: The F.Y. 2026 Budget is supported by revenues generated from taxes, fees and utility rates. Ordinance #1813 is an Ordinance to establish the tax rates for Real Estate, Personal Property, Machinery and Tools, Meals, Cigarette Tax, and Hotel Occupancy Tax for the 2025 calendar year. The proposed F.Y. 2026 Budget reflects a tax rate of 0.79 per $100 assessed value for Real Property. The rate is an effective tax rate increase of 10 cents over 2024. Council advertised the following rates: 1. Real Property tax levy at $0.82 per $100.00 of assessed value (the current real property tax rate is $0.69 per $100.00 of assessed value). 2. Machinery and tools tax levy remains at $1.76 per $100.00 of assessed value. 3. Tangible personal property as listed and specified in Subsections 3 through 13 of Section 58.1-3503A, Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended, is proposed to increase to $2.55 per $100.00 of assessed value (the current corresponding personal property tax rate is $2.44 per $100.00 of assessed value). 4. Tangible personal property as listed and specified in Subsections 15 through 19 of Section 58.1-3503A, Code of Virginia 1950 As Amended, remains at $1.76 per $100.00 of assessed value (the current corresponding personal property tax rate is $1.76 per $100.00 of assessed value).. 5. Meals tax levy is proposed to increase to 6.5%. 6. Hotel occupancy tax is proposed to increase to 8.5%. ACTION: Mayor Horton made a motion to adopt Ordinance 1813 on the second reading, Ms. Artrip seconded them motion. Ms. Janet Jones, City Treasurer, called out from the audience disagreeing with the decision to increase personal property tax because of the cost of software needed to make the change in the rate. Mayor Horton asked he to get in order several times before the vote was called. VOTE: AYES: Mrs. Artrip, Mrs. Foster, Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Wohlford, Mayor Horton NAYES: None SUBJECT: Ordinance 1814 SUMMARY: The F.Y. 2026 Budget is supported by revenues generated from taxes, fees and utility rates The following rate increases are needed to support the cost of operations: 1. Wastewater rates are proposed to increase from $32.48 to $36.48 for 4,000 gallons. 2. Water rates are proposed to increase from $20.32 to $24.32 per 4,000 gallons. 3. Solid Waste Fee is proposed to increase from $22.00 to $25.00. 4. Land Use Fees are proposed to increase as listed below: Site Plan/Engineering Review $200 to $300 (Increase of $50 combined with Engineering review of $50-total increase of $100) Subdivision $50/plat Zoning Confirmation Letter $25 Comprehensive Plan Amendment $250 There are also several fees that are adopted annually to support the cost of services; these have been previously adopted in the Fee Resolution, but those are now incorporated in the Fee and Rate Ordinance. ACTION: Ms. Artrip made a motion to adopt Ordinance 1814 on the second reading, Mr. Wohlford seconded them motion. VOTE: AYES: Mrs. Artrip, Mrs. Foster, Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Wohlford, Mayor Horton NAYES: None SUBJECT: Ordinance 1815 SUMMARY: The Budget for F.Y. 2026 has been delivered to City Council from the Interim City Manager, as required by the City Charter. Revenues are balanced with expenditures in the amount of $77,262,257. The proposed budget provides sufficient revenues to pay for expenditures, maintains positive fund balances, provides resources for maintenance and improvements to infrastructure, supports core customer services and necessary equipment replacement, as well as identifies funds for payments to service the City debt. The funds are summarized as follows: CITY OF RADFORD Total for City GENERAL FUND $33,122,947 STREETS MAINTENANCE FUND $3,058,290  TRANSIT $3,885,515 WATER/WASTEWATER FUND $6,594,000 ELECTRIC FUND $28,867,505 SOLID WASTE FUND $1,734,000 *INTERNAL SERVICES $1,078,320 *Not included in total above as this fund is allocated through all other funds. Radford City School Board Budget in the amount of $50,298,738. The Summary is as Follows: RADFORD CITY SCHOOL BOARD Total for Schools OPERATING FUND $41,652,203 SCHOOL NUTRITION FUND $1,049,861 GRANTS FUND $2,385,304 TEXTBOOKS FUND $852,102 CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND $220,000 HEALTH INSURANCE FUND $3,064,671 REGION 7 VIRTUAL ACADEMY FUND $190,166 SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA GOVERNOR’S SCHOOL FUND $884,431 ACTION: Mr. Wohlford made a motion to adopt Ordinance 1815 on the second reading, Mr. Gillespie seconded them motion. VOTE: AYES: Mrs. Artrip, Mrs. Foster, Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Wohlford, Mayor Horton NAYES: None COUNCIL COMMENTS: Ms. Foster stated that this has been a very tazing year and thanked Craig and Council for coming up with a budget to start to get us back on track. Mr. Gillespie reiterated what had been said by Ms. Foster and that Council worked together to get this budget adopted and made the hard decisions to where some of the burden is on everyone from employees to citizens. Mr. Gillespie stated that the first step is the hardest step and Council has made that and will continue to make decisions to move Radford forward. Mr. Gillespie said this budget stops the bleeding and that there are very real reductions and very real increases and thanks Craig and staff for all their hard work. Ms. Artrip stated that Seth said it well and commented on how difficult the job of councilmember is. She stated she took on this role to make Radford better and that Council has worked hard and will continue to work hard to move forward. Ms. Artrip thanked Craig and staff for all they have done and continue to do. Mayor Horton stated that this is not what people typically run for Council to do and that we thought we were in a different place 12 months ago but have a more realistic budget now and to move forward. Mayor Horton stated that people often call him the cheerleader of Radford, but Radford is a great community and a great community together and we need to boast about those things. Mayor Horton made a motion, seconded by Mr. Wohlford to convene a closed meeting for the purpose of Discussion, consideration, or interviews of prospective candidates for employment; assignment, appointment, promotion, performance, demotion, salaries, disciplining, or resignation of specific public officers, appointees, or employees of any public body; and evaluation of performance of departments, under Virginia Code Section 2.2-3711 (A) (1). VOTE: AYES: Ms. Artrip, Ms. Foster, Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Wohlford, Mayor Horton NAYES: NONE-0 Mayor Horton made a motion to adjourn the closed meeting, Ms. Artrip seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Ms. Artrip, Ms. Foster, Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Wohlford, Mayor Horton NAYES: NONE-0 Mayor Horton made a motion to re-convene the regular meeting Mr. Wohlford seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Ms. Artrip, Ms. Foster, Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Wohlford, Mayor Horton NAYES: NONE-0 CERTIFICATION OF THE CLOSED MEETING: Mayor Horton made a motion that Council did not discuss anything in the closed meeting other than the item for which it was convened, Mr. Wohlford seconded the motion. VOTE: AYES: Ms. Artrip, Ms. Foster, Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Wohlford, Mayor Horton NAYES: NONE-0 Mayor Horton made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mr. Wohlford. VOTE: AYES: Ms. Artrip, Ms. Foster, Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Wohlford, Mayor Horton NAYES: NONE-0 ATTEST: _____________________________ Jennifer Goodman, City Clerk