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<br />August 25, 2025 <br /> <br />At a Called Meeting of the City Council on Monday, August 25, 2025, there were <br />present: <br /> <br />Mayor Shannon E. Glover, Vice Mayor William E. Moody, Jr., Mark A. Hugel, Vernon L. <br />Tillage, Jr., Kathryn W. Bryant, Dr. William S. Dodson, Jr., Yolanda E. Thomas, City <br />Manager Steven Carter, City Attorney Lavonda Graham-Williams. <br /> <br />25 - 220 - Mayor Glover called the meeting to order and welcomed all in attendance. <br /> <br />th <br /> "Please attend a called meeting of the City Council to be held in the 6 Floor <br />Conference Room, 801 Crawford Street, 5:30 p.m., Monday, August 25, 2025, for the <br />purpose of a Public Work Session. <br /> <br /> In addition, you may consider a motion to go into a Closed Meeting. <br /> <br />By order of the Mayor." <br /> <br />Economic Development Authority Members Present: <br />Malcom Mitchell, Chair <br />Neal Barber, Vice Chair <br />Theresa Saunders-Smith, Treasurer <br />Anthony Brown <br />Joe Harmon <br />Brian Donahue, Director of Economic Development <br /> <br />25 - 221 - The following items were discussed in Public Work Session: <br /> <br />1. Joint Meeting with Economic Development Authority – Malcom Mitchell, Chair <br /> <br /> Vice Mayor Moody requested City Council to consider an ordinance regarding <br />the blight tax, which grants the ability to raise the real estate tax 25% higher than <br />the normal $1.24 per $100 rate, specifically on blighted properties. <br /> <br />2. Zoning Ordinance Language Changes – Dr. Rhonda Russell, Planning Department <br />Director <br /> <br /> Councilman Dodson requested that the Planning Department look into ABC’s <br />wording in reference to a museum’s ability to charge entrance fees while serving <br />alcohol to circumvent the requirement of an ABC license and how this may apply <br />to the use permit process. <br /> <br /> Councilman Hugel asked for and received a consensus of City Council to move <br />forward with the language changes to the Zoning Ordinance. <br /> <br />25 – 222 - Motion by Mr. Moody, and seconded by Mr. Hugel, to go into a closed meeting <br />pursuant to Virginia Code subsection 2.2-3711(A)(1) for the purpose of discussing the <br />performance of the City Assessor and the process for retaining a new City Attorney. <br /> <br />Ayes: Bryant, Dodson, Hugel, Moody, Thomas, Tillage, Glover <br />Nays: None <br /> <br /> Motion by Mr. Moody, and seconded by Mr. Hugel, pursuant to Virginia Code <br />Section 2.2-3712(D) certifying that, to the best of the Council Members knowledge: <br /> <br />1. Only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting <br />requirements under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and <br /> <br />2. Only such public business matters as were identified in the motion by which the <br />Closed Meeting was convened were heard, discussed, or considered in the <br />closed meeting just concluded by the City Council. <br /> <br />The motion was adopted by the following vote: <br /> <br />Ayes: Bryant, Dodson, Hugel, Moody, Thomas, Tillage, Glover <br />Nays: None <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />