[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:03] Do you stand for a moment of silence and please remain standing?
[0:06] For the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag.
[0:10] Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
[0:15] Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
[0:46] The Vice Mayor will be participating remotely in today's meeting, and Ms. Hassek, please read the resolution.
[0:54] Resolution approving participation through electronic communication means by Vice Mayor Thomas in the August 6, 2026 Norfolk City Council meeting due to a personal matter.
[1:04] Adopt the resolution. Mr. Clanton.
[1:07] Hi.
[1:07] Mrs. Doyle.
[1:08] Hi.
[1:08] Mrs. Johnson.
[1:09] Hi.
[1:09] Mr. McGee.
[1:10] Aye.
[1:11] Mr. Page.
[1:11] Aye.
[1:12] Mr. Smeagol.
[1:12] Aye.
[1:13] Dr. Alexander.
[1:14] Aye.
[1:17] Clerk, please read.
[1:19] Call the roll.
[1:21] Mr. Clanton.
[1:22] Present.
[1:22] Mrs. Doyle.
[1:24] Here.
[1:25] Mrs. Johnson.
[1:26] Here.
[1:26] Mr. McGee.
[1:27] Here.
[1:27] Mr. Page.
[1:28] Here.
[1:29] Mr. Smeagol.
[1:30] Here.
[1:30] Mr. Thomas.
[1:31] Here.
[1:32] Dr. Alexander.
[1:33] Here.
[1:35] Good evening and welcome to the Norfolk City Council.
[1:37] So, meeting tonight will take up a regular agenda item to address the council.
[1:43] You should have registers to speak with the clerk prior to 3 p.m.
[1:47] When your name is called, please come to the podium, state your name, home address,
[1:52] and limit your comments to three minutes.
[1:55] Before we begin, Madam Clerk, will you please read the speaker's rules governing tonight's
[2:00] meeting?
[2:01] City Council rules permit each speaker three minutes to speak tonight.
[2:05] As you approach the council, you will notice a timer on the lectern.
[2:08] At the beginning of the three minutes, the green light will activate.
[2:11] Two and a half minutes into your remarks, you will notice a yellow light
[2:14] indicating that you have 30 seconds to finish your comments.
[2:17] At the end of three minutes, you will see a red light, hear a beep,
[2:21] we ask that you conclude your comments at that time.
[2:24] All comments should be made in a manner that respects the seriousness of the forum
[2:28] and should not be made in a profane, disruptive, sarcastic, or demeaning fashion.
[2:33] All remarks should be directed to the City Council as a body rather than any particular
[2:37] member of Council, staff, or the audience.
[2:39] Comments should be germane to the item.
[2:42] A speaker who fails to comply with the basic rules of decorum will be deemed out of order
[2:46] and not allowed to conclude his or her comments.
[2:50] Thank you.
[2:56] Have several speakers.
[2:58] Mr. James Ferrell?
[3:03] Mr. Mayor?
[3:04] Good evening.
[3:05] Mr. Mayor.
[3:06] Council.
[3:06] Six-way Redgate Avenue.
[3:09] My name is Jim Thewer.
[3:10] I've had children in public schools from oh four to sixteen.
[3:15] And the budget for the schools has grown every year,
[3:18] and performance has gotten worse every year.
[3:23] On gradeschools.org, I checked it today.
[3:26] We have no middle school rated better than three out of ten.
[3:29] No high school rated better than four out of ten.
[3:32] And that's not a function of physical plans.
[3:34] That's a function of operations.
[3:36] The enrollment in public schools has declined 27 percent from 06 to 25.
[3:42] Physical plant was not adjusted in tandem with that reduction.
[3:48] The schools in their April report expect the enrollment to decline further through 28-29.
[3:54] But the school board has been dilatory in adjusting its physical plant to reflect the population that it has.
[4:01] But now they want to be rewarded for their effectiveness with more money.
[4:06] That's not the answer.
[4:08] The answer is to demand proper management of the funds that they are already provided.
[4:14] Similarly, the city needs to spend smarter.
[4:17] It doesn't need to raise taxes to get more money to take this item off the budget
[4:23] and then spend that money on something else.
[4:25] The city needs proper management of its resources.
[4:28] abuses. A general sales tax falls predominantly on the residents, not the visitors. And we
[4:35] are already sufficiently taxed. Thank you very much.
[4:38] Melissa Corrigan.
[4:41] Melissa will be followed by Grayson Player.
[4:47] Good evening.
[4:48] Good evening.
[4:49] I stand before you today because I survived the dredges of our society through foster
[4:53] care and countless abuses because of public school. My refuge was school. Education
[4:59] was the only thing that gave me an escape and an opportunity.
[5:03] Playing political and financial games with our children's education,
[5:06] using taxpayer funds like a shell game,
[5:09] moving back and forth between education and general funds,
[5:12] obscuring the tracks to taxpayers footing the bill,
[5:15] and then daring to come back to us with your handout for more
[5:17] is a real-time demonstration of ineptitude
[5:20] and a lack of vision embodied in the City Council
[5:23] and the Associated School Board.
[5:25] You come to us asking for educational facility funds and we have an educational facility at home.
[5:31] In 2023, the surplus at the end of the school year was $13 million due to staffing shortages.
[5:36] Rodney Jordan proposed, I was in the room, a bonus to every teacher who worked under those conditions.
[5:42] I watched every other school board member vote against that proposal.
[5:46] Then the money was turned over to the city.
[5:48] Then the city bought a mall, a mall that we still own,
[5:51] a mall that is only 27 years old, made to last a century or more, and you want more money from us.
[5:58] The city of Norfolk owns more commercial property than any surrounding city, most of it revenue-generating.
[6:03] Could you present a report to the people of Norfolk on why raising taxes and not using the facilities we already own,
[6:10] the funds we already generate, is a better solution for our children?
[6:14] Neither mismanagement of facilities nor finances is an acceptable excuse,
[6:19] just as losing a million dollars of her money to a Nigerian scammer is not an acceptable loss.
[6:25] And if you cannot use the facilities for education, as I understand zoning and other considerations may prohibit it,
[6:32] the funds generated by whatever is put in that place should be funneled into education.
[6:37] You bought it and you should use it for the children whose educational fund it came out of.
[6:42] Nobody, and I mean not a single person that has to drive 16 blocks out of the way when
[6:47] tide water floods or has to ride a bus to work, has asked for a mixed use development
[6:53] anchored by a luxury military-themed hotel.
[6:56] Not everybody that lives on that side of Lafayette.
[6:59] Not when our schools have enrollment falling off the cliff, failing test scores, and
[7:03] don't even bear full accreditation.
[7:06] If any private citizen ran their affairs like this city, we'd be bankrupt, foreclosed,
[7:10] and condemned.
[7:10] But, I suspect, it's the same reason there aren't safe sidewalks in the neighborhood
[7:16] I live in, in the Norview area, among other race-based decisions that impact the daily
[7:22] quality of life for the residents of Norfolk who are not wealthy, white, or developers.
[7:27] At the end of the day, a lack of vision, integrity, and honor is toxic to local governance.
[7:33] Hundreds of Norfolk residents woke up yesterday figuring out how to get to work because
[7:38] their cars are totaled due to floodwaters, and you come with your hand out.
[7:42] Almost 40,000 Norfolk residents live under the federal poverty limit, 25% a full quarter
[7:48] of the children who live here live under the poverty limit, and you come with your hand
[7:52] out.
[7:53] Your job is to be the hand up.
[7:56] Thank you.
[7:57] Thank you.
[7:58] Grayson?
[8:07] Good evening, council, mayor.
[8:10] My name is Grayson Player.
[8:11] I graduated from Norview High School with honors in 2023, and I just really don't
[8:15] understand how the school can put in an entire new football field and have a
[8:18] military recruiting officer in the cafeteria every day and not all the
[8:21] students have Chromebooks to do their homework. What message does that send to
[8:24] the students? That our worth is only in military and athletics, that our
[8:28] education doesn't matter, is that the mad message the city of Norfolk wants
[8:32] to send to the kids of the future? My experience in both Maury High School and
[8:35] Norview High School were similar in many aspects. Underfunded programs I
[8:39] wanted to take part into having the military or sports shoved down my
[8:42] throw. Honestly, I don't blame the teachers for not trying either. As previously mentioned,
[8:47] the budget allowed for them to get a pay raise for the extra work they were doing to
[8:51] make up for the 40% loss of teacher hires in 2023. However, the city of Norfolk chose
[8:55] to allocate that to other places. I blame the people in charge, who made the decision
[8:59] for me and hundreds of other students that our education didn't matter, that we belonged
[9:04] in athletics and the military, and that's all they were good for. Teachers like
[9:08] Noah Wren, who was my senior year English teacher, would have to go out of their way
[9:12] to print full books for each student to read in English class from his own printer paper
[9:17] due to them not being able provided by the school, while a new football field was being
[9:22] installed at the same time. That was the dedication these teachers gave to their students
[9:26] while the money they deserved was thrown towards MacArthur Mall. This whole speech
[9:29] is to say, give money to our future. The kids in our schools right now are
[9:34] going to be in your place one day. Do you want to help their future or the future of
[9:38] our city? This isn't a matter of a one percent sales tax. This is a matter of
[9:42] covering up a mishandling of educational funds for children in our city and
[9:46] taking more money from the people's pockets. It is your job to represent the
[9:49] people, uphold your oath, and listen to the people in front of you. As a resident
[9:53] of Norfolk, I would highly appreciate some explanation as to why exactly you
[9:57] need more money from our pockets when you already took money from my
[10:00] future. Thank you. Thank you. Vicky Manugo Greco followed by James Parker.
[10:10] Hello Vicky, how are you?
[10:11] Good evening Mayor Alexander, City Council members, City Manager Roberts and staff, and all other
[10:17] stakeholders of Norfolk Public Schools here tonight. My name is Vicky Manugo Greco. My address
[10:22] is 1433 Brunswick. I'm an NPS grad, former NPS special educator, and school board advisory
[10:27] committee member, co-parent to three young adult NPS alum and an NPS volunteer
[10:32] surrogate parent for special education students. So I'm all in and I fully
[10:36] support Resolution R1 to be placed on the ballot. Since the aftermath of the
[10:43] great recession and through the upheaval of the pandemic and the
[10:45] ongoing trials of two presidential administrations that have set out to
[10:49] divest from public education, I've been giving back locally as a public
[10:53] school advocate and grassroots coalition by pushing for greater and
[10:56] and sustainable investments by our city government
[10:58] in our public school system for nearly the past 15 years.
[11:02] Starting with when I helped to co-found Norfolk Games,
[11:04] growing and investing in Norfolk schools,
[11:06] a city-wide coalition made up of parents, educators,
[11:08] business owners, community leaders, and neighbors
[11:11] that envisioned a vibrant Norfolk,
[11:13] our mid-sized waterfront city,
[11:14] with an enviable location on the central East Coast,
[11:17] awful tidying and title and flash flooding combos
[11:20] like this past Tuesday, not withstanding.
[11:23] A city noted for thriving businesses,
[11:25] is outstanding cultural and recreational opportunities,
[11:28] well-regarded institutions of higher learning,
[11:31] and highly desirable neighborhoods,
[11:32] anchored by excellent public schools across the city,
[11:36] a city with a skilled, well-prepared workforce
[11:38] and superior quality of life.
[11:40] Gain spread the good news that public education
[11:42] is vital to the strength of our city and our economy.
[11:45] We called on our government leaders
[11:47] to prioritize public ed as an invaluable investment
[11:52] to our shared futures.
[11:53] We pushed for greater and dedicated and sustainable funding streams for NPS.
[11:57] We sent each other emails over these past 15 years, bemoaning the deficient school maintenance budget,
[12:02] especially for our schools that are the heart and community centers of under-resourced neighborhoods.
[12:07] We worked on various school committees to promote equitable educational facilities and budget planning.
[12:13] From our advocacy efforts with city leaders, we got a 4-cent real estate tax increase in 2014,
[12:19] which still needs to be looked at, needs to be reevaluated as to whether this investment
[12:24] strategy provided adequate revenue dedicated to address school construction and renovations
[12:31] and deferred school building maintenance and technology.
[12:34] And now, as we're potentially asking more folks again to consider paying one cent tax
[12:38] for each retail dollar spent, this I know.
[12:42] I'm for this measure, which could only come up before voters to consider as early
[12:48] is Friday, September 18th, the early voting start date.
[12:51] I'll end with this.
[12:52] We in the realtors and employers constantly hear the one question when a family or business
[12:56] looks at Norfolk as a place to call home.
[12:58] How good are the schools?
[13:00] Let's come together as Norfolk as a city we're proud to call home because of our
[13:03] public school system.
[13:05] Schools in demand are not just consumers of tax dollars, but producers of dollars.
[13:09] Thank you.
[13:10] Thank you.
[13:11] James Parker is followed by Philip Hawkins.
[13:22] Good evening, City Council.
[13:23] My name is James Parker.
[13:26] I'm the President of the Education Association of Norfolk.
[13:29] I'm also a resident of Norfolk, a teacher serving the students here in the city.
[13:34] I'm here tonight in support of this referendum to raise local sales tax to provide additional funding for our public schools.
[13:40] This investment is critical to ensure that our students have the resources, opportunities, and support they need to succeed.
[13:48] Our schools are the foundation of our communities.
[13:50] When we invest in public education, we invest in our children, our neighborhoods, and the
[13:55] future of Norfolk.
[13:56] Providing our schools with funding they need allows us to better have students prepare
[14:03] for skills, knowledge, and experience necessary for the future.
[14:07] Supporting this referendum is a commitment to our students, our educators, and our
[14:11] entire community.
[14:13] Strong schools create stronger communities, and investing in education is an investment
[14:18] and the benefit of us all.
[14:22] I strongly encourage our neighbors
[14:24] to support this referendum.
[14:26] Our students deserve every opportunity to succeed
[14:28] and they cannot reach their full potential
[14:31] without the resources and support they need.
[14:33] Students cannot grow unless we provide them
[14:35] with the tools they need to thrive.
[14:38] Let us come together as community
[14:39] and ensure that our students have the support,
[14:42] resources and opportunities they deserve.
[14:44] Thank you.
[14:45] Thank you.
[14:45] Philip Hawkins is followed by Patrick Barry that
[14:59] he
[15:00] Good evening, Mayor Alexander, City Manager Roberts, members of council. I'm Philip Hawkins, Jr.
[15:09] I am a resident of the City of Norfolk. I reside at 3597 Mississippi Avenue. I'm a proud product
[15:17] of Norfolk Public Schools as well. I'm a graduate of Norfolk State University. I hold
[15:23] degrees there in business and in education. I am a proud educator of 29 years. This will
[15:30] be my 29th year serving Norfolk public schools and I am the proud assistant principal of PB
[15:36] Young Senior Elementary School as well as a civic leader in the neighborhood of Ingleside.
[15:41] Tonight I'm speaking as an individual but of course we are all connected. It is so
[15:46] important that we do find streams of funding for our schools. We know this
[15:54] has been an ongoing problem in our city. Not only this year or just five years
[15:58] ago, this has been decades in the making. I served at a school that is
[16:03] underserved that has not had the proper maintenance over decades. You know, the
[16:09] flood waters affected our school, you know, it hit us all and we're
[16:14] addressing that now and we're preparing our schools for opening. We're excited about that.
[16:19] However, we need more support. While I see that the Council has arrived at proposing
[16:25] a referendum to raise taxes, I'm kind of mixed about that outcome because I feel that the
[16:34] work that has already been done speaks to other alternatives that I would ask that
[16:39] the council, as well as the school board. The school board has already done their work.
[16:44] I was serving on the school facilities committee last year. And we know that schools are in
[16:50] the process of being closed and consolidated. They're doing what was requested to save the
[16:55] city money. Now, the committee last year, the report was delivered publicly that we
[17:01] would like to see those funds from those schools closed, reinvested in Norfolk public
[17:06] schools that are already on the table.
[17:09] So I would ask respectfully that the council consider those funds at average school costs
[17:15] to run about $1.4 million.
[17:19] And that's a small school.
[17:20] My school is considered a small school.
[17:22] But we have three schools closed in June.
[17:25] We're closing five this year at the end of next year.
[17:28] So that's a lot of money that's still on the table that the citizens would like
[17:32] our leaders to consider those funding streams. Also, there were streams of funding considered
[17:39] or promised for the casino, which is in the process of being completed, that they would
[17:45] be earmarked for Norfolk public schools. I would like to see those options considered
[17:50] again as the referendum goes forth. So I do support the referendum, give it back to
[17:55] the citizens, and let them decide if they say no, that's no. If they say yes,
[18:00] Yes, but let's look at the other options as well.
[18:02] Thank you so much.
[18:03] Thank you, Phillip.
[18:06] Patrick Berry,
[18:09] followed by Carl Poole.
[18:12] Good evening, Mayor Alexander.
[18:13] Good evening.
[18:14] And members of the Norfolk City Council.
[18:16] I'm Patrick Berry, and I serve as the Vice President of the Education Association of
[18:20] Norfolk, representing the educators and school employees who work every day in
[18:25] our public schools.
[18:25] schools. I am here tonight in support of Resolution R01 to place a proposed 1% sales tax referendum
[18:33] before the voters of the City of Norfolk. This vote tonight is not about raising taxes.
[18:38] It's an investment. An investment in our children, our workforce, our neighborhoods, and Norfolk's
[18:45] future. Every day educators and students walk into buildings that were never designed
[18:51] to meet the needs of a 21st century education.
[18:57] We ask our students to dream big,
[18:59] while too many of them learn in aging facilities
[19:01] that require significant repairs and modernization.
[19:05] Our educators do extraordinary work,
[19:07] but they cannot fix leaky roofs, outdated infrastructure,
[19:11] or buildings that have reached the end
[19:13] of their useful lives.
[19:14] This referendum would create a dedicated funding source
[19:17] for school construction and major renovation,
[19:20] State law also limits these funds to capital projects.
[19:23] They cannot be used for any other purpose.
[19:27] Norfolk is not alone in considering this opportunity.
[19:30] Following action by the General Assembly this year,
[19:33] communities across the Commonwealth are asking their residents
[19:36] whether they want to make this investment in public education.
[19:40] This is more, much more than about buildings.
[19:43] It is about the students who learn in them,
[19:46] the educators who teach in them,
[19:47] and the neighborhoods that are strengthened by them.
[19:50] As educators, we know that school facilities matter.
[19:54] They influence student learning, staff morale,
[19:57] recruitment, retention, and the pride people have
[20:00] in their neighborhood schools.
[20:02] One of the reasons I support this referendum
[20:04] is because a sales tax spreads the responsibility broadly.
[20:08] I don't live in Norfolk, but I work here.
[20:11] I shop here, and I gladly contribute
[20:14] to the community through the purchases I make.
[20:17] visitors, commuters, and shoppers like me all help share in this investment rather
[20:22] than placing the burden solely on Norfolk house homeowners. Tonight I urge you to
[20:27] vote to place this referendum on the November ballot and trust the people of
[20:31] Norfolk to make this decision. Thank you for your time and for your
[20:34] commitment to Norfolk students. Thank you. Carl Poole.
[20:46] Good evening Mayor
[20:47] Alexander. Good evening City Council. My name is Carl Poole and I'm an
[20:52] I'm speaking tonight in full support of Resolution R1 to put a 1% sales tax referendum on the ballot.
[20:57] I'm confident that the people of Norfolk will vote for it.
[21:00] We see the condition of our school facilities.
[21:02] We know that these funds are urgently needed.
[21:05] Not only to replace schools like Morey High School,
[21:08] but for the school boards to advance a broader plan to construct and modernize additional schools over the next decade.
[21:15] given voters the chance to approve this dedicated funding stream for capital
[21:19] projects is a vital step forward but also want to bring a strategic perspective
[21:24] on how these upcoming capital improvements overlap with our city's
[21:28] values and long-term commitments. Back in July of 2020 our school board reached
[21:34] a consensus that several schools several Norfolk schools named after
[21:37] Confederate officers should be renamed. During these discussions one board
[21:42] member rightly pointed out that the most practical and fiscally responsible time to handle this
[21:49] major renaming with all the costs associated with new signage, athletic branding and facilities
[21:55] updates is when the school is already undergoing a major overhaul or reconstruction or replacement.
[22:02] That former school board member now serves on this council. When the school was being
[22:08] rebuilt to receive a ground-up transformation. Those updates naturally integrate into an
[22:12] overall capital budget rather than requiring separate standalone expenses down the road.
[22:19] As we talked tonight about generating revenue specifically for dedicated to major construction
[22:24] and school modernization, we are creating those exact conditions for that timeline
[22:29] to align. Now, I know that official decisions regarding school names rest directly with
[22:35] the school board. But I'm taking this conversation to them as well. But as the body that allocates
[22:42] major capital funding shapes our city's financial priorities and collaborates closely with the
[22:48] school division, City Council plays a critical leadership role in ensuring that our investments
[22:56] deliver both a structural excellence and a community alignment. By advancing this
[23:02] referendum, you're not just funding bricks and mortar. You're giving our city the resources
[23:07] to build modern, welcoming schools that reflect the values of our community for generations
[23:13] to come. I urge this council to pass Resolution R1 unanimously tonight, and I look forward
[23:19] to seeing all the voters support our schools on the ballot box. Thank you.
[23:23] Thank you.
[23:24] Madam Clerk, please call the roll.
[23:26] I'll read the resolution first.
[23:28] Read the resolution.
[23:29] The resolution initiating a referendum election pursuant to Virginia Code section 58.1 draft
[23:35] 635.1 on the question of whether the city shall add an additional local general retail
[23:40] sales tax not to exceed 1% to provide revenue solely for capital projects for the new construction
[23:47] or major renovation of schools serving this city. Adopt the resolution. Mr. Clanton.
[23:55] Aye.
[23:56] Mrs. Doyle.
[23:57] Aye.
[23:57] Mr. Johnson.
[23:59] Aye.
[23:59] Mr. McGee.
[24:00] Aye.
[24:01] Mr. Page.
[24:02] Aye.
[24:02] Mr. Smeagol.
[24:03] Aye.
[24:04] Mr. Thomas.
[24:07] Dr. Alexander.
[24:08] I do want to recognize our superintendent, Dr. Jeff Rose, and members of the school
[24:13] board for being here.