City Council Meeting Agendas

City Council Regular Meeting November 4, 2020 Regular Meeting of the Suffolk City Council was held in the City Council Chamber, 442 West Washington Street, on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. PRESENT Council Members - Linda T. Johnson, Mayor, presiding Leroy Bennett, Vice Mayor Michael D. Duman Roger W. Fawcett Donald Z. Goldberg Timothy J. Johnson Curtis R. Milteer, Sr. Lue R. Ward, Jr. Albert S. Moor, Interim City Manager Helivi L. Holland, City Attorney Erika S. Dawley, City Clerk ABSENT None CALL TO ORDER/INVOCATION/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Johnson called the meeting to order. Council Member Milteer offered the Invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance. City Clerk Dawley called the roll, and all members of City Council were in attendance. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES Council Member Fawcett, on a motion seconded by Council Member Goldberg, moved to approve the minutes from the July 15, 2020, Regular Meeting, as presented, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Mayor L. Johnson, Vice Mayor Bennett, and Council Members Duman, Goldberg, Fawcett, T. Johnson, Milteer and Ward 8 NAYS: None 0 SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS There were no items under this portion of the agenda. REMOVAL OF ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA Mayor Johnson advised that a motion was in order at this time to adopt the agenda, as presented. 1 City Council Regular Meeting November 4, 2020 Vice Mayor Bennett, on a motion seconded by Council Member Duman, to adopt the agenda, as presented, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Mayor L. Johnson, Vice Mayor Bennett, and Council Members Duman, Goldberg, Fawcett, T. Johnson, Milteer and Ward 8 NAYS: None 0 AGENDA SPEAKERS There were no speakers under this portion of the agenda. CONSENT AGENDA City Clerk Dawley presented the following Consent Agenda items: Consent Agenda Item #7 - An ordinance to accept and appropriate funds from the United States Department of Agriculture for the Summer Food Service Program Consent Agenda Item #8 - An ordinance to accept and appropriate a Fiscal Year 2020 Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant from the United States Department of Justice for the Suffolk Police Department Consent Agenda Item #9 - An ordinance to temporarily suspend the maximum accumulation limits for annual leave and paid time off Consent Agenda Item #10 - A resolution to accept gift cards donated in support of the City of Suffolk Police Department Referring to Consent Agenda Items #7 through #10, Interim City Manager Moor submitted a review of the background information as printed in the official agenda. Referring to Consent Agenda Item #9, Council Member Duman asked if the annual leave is expensed at the time of accrual or payout to the employee. Finance Director Tealen Hansen advised that the cost is expensed at the time the employee utilizes the annual leave. Referring to Consent Agenda Item #9, Council Member Duman called for clarification about any potential fiscal impact of extending leave accrual. Finance Director Hansen replied that the extension of leave accrual would not result in any type of fiscal impact. Council Member Fawcett, on a motion seconded by Council Member Goldberg, moved to approve the Consent Agenda, as presented, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Mayor L. Johnson, Vice Mayor Bennett, and Council Members Duman, Goldberg, Fawcett, T. Johnson, Milteer and Ward 8 NAYS: None 0 PUBLIC HEARINGS There were no items under this portion of the agenda. 2 City Council Regular Meeting November 4, 2020 ORDINANCES Ordinance – An ordinance to provide for a cost of living adjustment of 3.0% to all full-time and regular part-time city employees, grant employees, the Registrar and their employees, Constitutional Officers and their employees, and City Council appointees Utilizing a PowerPoint presentation, Finance Director Hansen submitted a synopsis of the background information as printed in the official agenda. Council Member Fawcett, on a motion seconded by Council Member Goldberg, moved to approve the ordinance, as presented. Referring to the presentation, Vice Mayor Bennett called for information about the cost of living adjustments provided by other localities in the region. Interim City Manager Moor presented the following information about the cost of living adjustments provided by other localities in the region: City of Portsmouth – three percent, effective November 1, 2020 and City of Newport News – 2.5%. He added that Suffolk Public Schools provided a cost of living adjustment effective, July 1st. Council Member Fawcett, on a motion seconded by Council Member Goldberg, moved to approve the ordinance, as presented, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Mayor L. Johnson, Vice Mayor Bennett, and Council Members Duman, Fawcett, Goldberg, T. Johnson, Milteer and Ward 8 NAYS: None 0 AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT OF 3.0% TO ALL FULL-TIME AND REGULAR PART-TIME CITY EMPLOYEES, GRANT EMPLOYEES, THE REGISTRAR AND THEIR EMPLOYEES, CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES, AND CITY COUNCIL APPOINTEES Ordinance – An ordinance to amend the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 General Fund Budget to provide for a cost of living adjustment Council Member Fawcett, on a motion seconded by Council Member Goldberg, moved to approve the ordinance, as presented, by the following vote: AYES: Mayor L. Johnson, Vice Mayor Bennett, and Council Members Duman, Fawcett, Goldberg, T. Johnson, Milteer and Ward 8 NAYS: None 0 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021 GENERAL FUND BUDGET TO PROVIDE FOR A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT RESOLUTIONS There were no items under this portion of the agenda. 3 City Council Regular Meeting November 4, 2020 STAFF REPORTS There were no items under this portion of the agenda. MOTIONS Motion – A motion to schedule a public hearing on November 18, 2020, to consider the adoption of an ordinance authorizing the acquisition of right of way and easements for the Route 17 and Crittenden Road Intersection Improvements Project (UPC 111089) Council Member Johnson, on a motion seconded by Council Member Ward, moved to a public hearing on November 18, 2020, to consider the adoption of an ordinance authorizing the acquisition of right of way and easements for the Route 17 and Crittenden Road Intersection Improvements Project (UPC 111089), by the following roll call vote: AYES: Mayor L. Johnson, Vice Mayor Bennett, and Council Members Duman, Fawcett, Goldberg, T. Johnson, Milteer and Ward 8 NAYS: None 0 Motion – A motion to schedule a City Council Work Session, for Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at 4:00 p.m., unless cancelled Council Member Goldberg, on a motion seconded by Council Member Ward, moved to schedule a City Council Work Session, for Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at 4:00 p.m., unless cancelled, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Mayor L. Johnson, Vice Mayor Bennett, and Council Members Duman, Fawcett, Goldberg, T. Johnson, Milteer and Ward 8 NAYS: None 0 NON-AGENDA SPEAKERS Ellen Saunders, 2019 Meade Parkway, representing the Western Tidewater Free Clinic, provided City Council with an overview of the clinic’s accomplishments. Thomas Westfall, 8759 Adams Drive, representing the Sleepy Lake Homeowners Association, opined about the Route 17 and Crittenden Road Intersection Improvements Project. Debbie Zirpolo, 8759 Adams Drive, representing self, opined about receiving information from the City. Kelly Hengler, 9345 Eclipse Drive, representing the Crittenden-Eclipse-Hobson Heritage Civic League, opined about receiving information from the City. Mayor Johnson asked Interim City Manager Moor to clarify the dates for the upcoming community meeting regarding the Kings Highway Bridge and the public hearing for the Route 17 and Crittenden Road Intersection Improvements Project. Interim City Manager Moor advised that the upcoming community meeting regarding the Kings Highway Bridge will be held on November 11, 2020 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Lone Star Lakes Park, and the public hearing on the Route 17 and Crittenden Road Intersection Improvements Project will be held at the November 18, 2020, City Council meeting. 4 City Council Regular Meeting November 4, 2020 NEW BUSINESS Referring to the distributed handout, Interim City Manager Moor presented the following item for City Council’s consideration – an ordinance to accept and appropriate funds from the Commonwealth of Virginia for Suffolk Public Schools. Vice Mayor Bennett, on a motion seconded by Council Member Duman, moved to approve the proposed ordinance, as presented. Referring to the distributed handout, Dr. James Gordon, III, Superintendent, Suffolk Public Schools, provided supplementary information provided supplementary information on the proposed ordinance. Vice Mayor Bennett, on a motion seconded by Council Member Duman, moved to approve the proposed ordinance, as presented, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Mayor L. Johnson, Vice Mayor Bennett, and Council Members Duman, Fawcett, Goldberg, T. Johnson, Milteer and Ward 8 NAYS: None 0 AN ORDINANCE TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE FUNDS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA FOR SUFFOLK PUBLIC SCHOOLS Council Member Fawcett, on a motion seconded by Council Member Goldberg, moved to accept Development Associates, LLC as the City’s search firm for the City Manager search. Members of City Council opined about the proposed motion. Council Member Fawcett, on a motion seconded by Council Member Goldberg, moved to accept Development Associates, LLC, as the City’s search firm for the City Manager search, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Mayor L. Johnson, Vice Mayor Bennett, and Council Members Duman, Fawcett, Goldberg, T. Johnson, Milteer and Ward 8 NAYS: None 0 Vice Mayor Bennett, on a motion seconded by Council Member Duman, moved to authorized Human Resources Director Robin Wynn to start interviews of the current applicants for the City Assessor position prior to the November 11, 2020 closing date and include any qualified applicants, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Mayor L. Johnson, Vice Mayor Bennett, and Council Members Duman, Fawcett, Goldberg, T. Johnson, Milteer and Ward 8 NAYS: None 0 5 City Council Regular Meeting November 4, 2020 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COMMENTS Utilizing a PowerPoint presentation, Media and Community Relations Assistant Director Timothy Kelley provided a report on the following: the Suffolk Police Department’s new text-to-911 service; the Suffolk Police Department’s accreditation assessment team public comment period from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Incorporated; the Suffolk Public Works Department’s upcoming public meetings regarding the Kings Highway Bridge; the City Treasurer’s unclaimed property virtual call event; Suffolk Restaurant Week and the City’s observance of the Veteran’s Day holiday. Council Member Johnson opined about the Peanut Crossing Marketplace groundbreaking. Council Member Duman inquired about a response to a constituent concern in the Sleep Lake area. Interim City Manager Moor advised that a response has been prepared and will be provided tomorrow. Council Member Fawcett opined about the location of the community meetings hosted by the Public Works Department at Sleepy Hole Park, as it relates to handicapped accessibility. Council Member Goldberg opined about the importance of flu vaccines. Vice Mayor Bennett queried about the feasibility of installing a refuse collection container at White Marsh Road and Truman Road. Council Member Fawcett, on a motion seconded by Vice Mayor Bennett, moved to adjourn, by the following vote: AYES: Mayor L. Johnson, Vice Mayor Bennett, and Council Members Duman, Fawcett, Goldberg, T. Johnson, Milteer and Ward 8 NAYS: None 0 There being no further business to come before City Council, the regular meeting was adjourned at 7:32 p.m. Teste: ________________________________________________ Erika S. Dawley, MMC, City Clerk APPROVED: APRIL 7, 2021 6