The Norfolk City Council is now in session. Please stand for a moment of silence. And I pledge allegiance to our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. a better chairs. thank you, sir. Excuse me. Well Clark, please call the roll. Mr. Clanton, present. Mr. Doyle here Mr. Johnson, here, Mr. McGee, here, Mr. Page, Mr. Smeagle here Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander, the motion dispense with the reading of the minutes of our previous meeting. Mr. Clanton, Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. Smegel. Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander. All right, Mr. Clerk, please read the resolution certified the closed meeting. I have a resolution certifying the closed meeting of the Council of the City of Norfolk in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Adopt the resolution, Mr. Clanton. Hi, Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee, Mr. Page, Mr. Smeagle, Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander. Hi, good evening and welcome to the Norfolk City Council meeting tonight. We will begin with public comments on our regular and consent agenda items followed by public hearings. Then the consent agenda will be voted on the block. If any member of the council wishes to discuss an item, it will removed from the consent agenda and considered separately. Following the consent agenda, we'll take up regular agenda items, then new business to address the council. You should register with the clerk prior to 3 p.m. Please come to the podium, state your name and home Name is Paul. address, and please limit your comments to 3 minutes. It's quite wanna read the rules. Sir, city council rules permit each speaker 3 minutes in total to speak on any and all consent or agenda docket items at uh the monthly first of the monthly meetings. If in advance of tonight's meeting you register with the clerk to comment on a public hearing matter, you'll have 3 minute opportunity to comment on your matter as well. As you approach the council, you'll notice the timer on the lectern. At the beginning of your 3 minutes, you'll see a green light which will which will lead to activation. 2.5 minutes into your remarks, you'll notice a yellow light indicating that you have 30 seconds to finish your comments. At the end of your 3 minutes, you'll see a red light and hear a beep. We ask that you conclude your comments at that time. While speakers have an opportunity to address counsel on docket matters, all comments should be made in a manner that respects the seriousness of the forum. And should not be made in a profane, disruptive, sarcastic, or demeaning fashion. All remarks shall be directed to the city council as a body rather than to any particular member of city council staff or the audience. Comments on an agenda item should remain germane to that item. A speaker who fails to comply with the basic rules of decorum will be deemed out of order and not allowed to conclude his or her comments. And as a reminder, no signed placard, poster or light material which may be carried by hand. Shall be permitted in the city council chamber or adjoining areas. Thank you, uh, um, Mr. Clerk, we have public comments on the regular and consenting items. Uh, we have Bala Mohammed. Loud Muhammed Christie Franks. Christy Franks. Rob Rob Bracknell Um, Mayor Austin. Sharon Houston. Hi, welcome. Hi, I'm Sharon Houston. Um, 1955 Great Falcon Drive, uh, Mayor Alexander City council and residents of Norfolk. I recently heard someone say Norfolk is different. That statement stayed with me because that's the very reason that brought me to Norfolk. My husband and I could have chosen many cities, but we chose Norfolk, not because it was perfect, but because it was promising. As a licensed clinical social worker, I saw something special through my professional lens. Norfolk made space for all people, black brown families, working class residents, single mothers, returning citizens, and those struggling to rise systemically, um, through poverty. That's not something you find in the city of Virginia Beach or Chesapeake. um, historically those cities are built to avoid the diversity, equity and inclusion. They made it difficult or make it difficult for low income families to enter into the community, let alone thrive, but Norfolk is different but I fear we're forgetting that, uh, Mayor Alexander Eckstein council member, it appears that we're moving away from the legacy away from being a city of inclusion and towards become a city of elimination. Prioritizing corporate welfare, tax breaks and favorable interrupt um it's for our 3. So it, it is for our 3. So we're prioritizing tax breaks, favorable legislation to support corporate agenda. Often at the expense of everyday citizens we're beginning to see a system that criminalize poverty rather than address it causes. I volunteer at Ruffingham Middle School, 3rd grade and 8th grade students through 8th grade students where 99% of the students are from public housing. When I talk to them, I often hear voices filled with hopelessness, pain, and anger, but I also see their potential. I see their gifts. I hear their hearts. I fill with love and desire to be better. If only we could invest in them truly invest, if only we could be bold enough to write an ordinance, law or policy that uplift their future rather than find new ways to discard them. So I ask those of you who will be voting, can you stand tall and confidence and say that your decision about R3 will uplift all the Norfolk residents will be disproport or will it be disproportionately harm, uh, will it disproportionately. On families who are living in poverty pushing them into a cycle of incarceration, generational poverty just so a few business owners can expand their wealth, enjoy their luxury vacation, and grow their bank account. The rich will be richer the poor will get poor. That's the story we're writing when we do our three we know who will be impacted by that rule. Norfolk is different. Let's not toss that distinction. It must be if we're gonna retell a story, let it be the one of Robin Hood, where equity, justice, and bold leadership rise to the, uh, very much Elton Robinson followed by Barry Hicks. And Mr. Robinson, you, you're gonna be speaking on, uh, 333 items I see. Yes, sir. Yes, um. Uh, good evening. Good evening. Uh, mayor and council members. Do we not already have laws pertaining to stealing? Concealing or taking possession of merchandise, altering price tags, transferring goods from one container to another, counseling. That's what you guys are gonna vote on. This is the added. 29 11 2 section 29. Another in performance of such acts. What does that mean? How can a person prove or defend themselves in a court of law against such ordinance? That is what you're all about to vote for to approve. Before it is public. What does the last statements in this amendment mean? What does it mean? You're about to vote on it. What group of people would be impacted the most? I recommend that you do not pass this. Moving on to the budget. What can be said about a budget that you all know you're going to pass? Without question. The majority of finances of this budget and all budget before this budget has been in favor of white people. The minority of the people. The majority of the people on this council are white. There's one person who controls the budget. And he's white. Where is equality? White people pay more White people pay more in real estate taxes than black people. False. We all pay the same in taxes. But it is the administration, is the administration of the budget that cause us to hate the disparities, which in turn causes us to have the disproportionate conditions. Incarceration, Lack of education, Housing and financial wealth, just to name a few. Black people. And I want you to listen very carefully. We will no longer be silent. And allow this to go on. We will no longer be silent because I know it's not right, you all know it's not right. How can we have a budget being passed? And the black people in this community cannot benefit from the budget, and it's their money. We, the people, are the city, not you guys. That's uh what I have to say on. And I'm new. This, this is really new. And y'all had something on the news today about stealing. I'm like, how ironic is that on the news about stealing and you're voting on something pertaining to that today. Y'all are crafty. Thank you, Mr. Robinson. Barrett Hicks, followed by Liz Albert. Barrett Hicks, you have, uh, maybe about 6 items that you signed up for, sir. All right, welcome. Well, thank you, sir. Barrett Hicks, 1515 East Indian River Road. I had to come down to see what my the Hicks doctrine looked like, because we know this well this this is that we're talking about all these items at one time in 3 minutes. I want to speak to R3 as well, R3, I I look at it and part of that. Says counseling. And how are you guys gonna prosecute for counsel? If somebody's out here counseling somebody about steal. Come on, man. Get out here. We talk about the budget as well in that sense of, you know, I think that, you know, when you come to CIP but my question comes back as I always talk about the Berkeley Paella community outside the streets and roads and stuff of that nature, what do we do for them, for us. Very little. Talk about our 12. How about looking to lower the rates in Berkeley and Campus Stella because of the lack of the education that these children are getting? Our property taxes. Our 10, you know, we look at. Yeah, fund the school boards, but surely, let's get some teams that's auditing all those funds getting to the proper people. Getting to the the schools that really need it. You know, every time we talk about R9, every time I look at library, anything that includes a library, I come back to when are we going to bring the library back to the Berkeley community. R 6 You know, my fellow veterans, you guys are doing some stuff with them or whatnot in that sense, but I, you know, I, I, I, I get kind of upset looking at this and we see all these great What, what do you wanna call it. I say you're doing stuff. It's very little been done for the underserved veteran, the homeless veteran out there. Come on guys, it's gotta change. And again back to that thing of STEM. Looking at our 4. When you talk about funding any other program, Ste. Surely we know you guys helped to build that STEM Academy over there on the south side again, called South Side STEM Academy. Ras somewhere from 2 to 10. Of all 1100 schools in the entire state of Virginia. How about when you're talking about STEM? Make sure that the funds. Get to that STEM Academy. Thank you, thank you, Mr. Hicks, uh, Liz Albert. Ms. Albert Thalia McCormick. Yeah Welcome. Thank you. I'm Thaler McCormick, 517 Fairfax Avenue with 4 kids tonight. Good evening, Mr. Mayor, members of council and city manager Roberts. I'm here to ask for your support for the housing crisis hotline operated by Four kids. For kids in the city of Norfolk started the hotline together over 15 years ago. And we did that to efficiently and effectively be able to connect Norfolk citizens to any available resources in the most humane way possible. In the following years, the hotline expanded to cover 14 cities and counties in Hampton roads, tracking hundreds of local resources. In calendar year 2024, we answered 82,000 calls. Our hotline, the one we created together. Is a national model On a typical day, we screen 300 to 400 calls. Yesterday, we answered 391 calls with an average wait time of 1 minute and 28 seconds. We are efficient, effective and humane. The city of Norfolk represents 27% of the total call volume, the highest percentage of any of the cities we serve, yet now the city provides no direct funding. It is essential that we rectify that. In the year ahead, our human services safety net faces catastrophic cuts to housing, healthcare, food assistance, utility assistance, and daycare, just to name a few. The impact of each one of those cuts we will see on our hotline board within minutes. As our Norfolk citizens choose between paying for medications or food. And paying their rent. We need to use every single ounce of our service capacity in the most efficient and humane way possible. And to keep the hotline going. We need you. Please, please. Fund your housing crisis hotline in the FY26 budget. Your citizens need it more than ever. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, PH1. Look one schedule to stay pursuant to state law to hear comments on approving a short-term lease agreement permitting Hope Foundation to go upon NU city-owned property located at 801 Church Street, known as Purpose Park for the Hope Foundation Community Health Fair event to have an ordinance approving a short-term lease agreement permitting Hope Foundation Inc. to go upon EU city-owned property located at 801 Church Street, known as Purpose Park. For the Hope Foundation Community Health fair event dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date, Mr. Clanton. Hi. Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McKee. Hi, Mr. Page, Mr. Smegel. Hi, Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander. PH2 hearing two scheduled this day pursuant to state law to your comments on approving a short-term lease agreement permitting TWP, the youth movement, to go upon a new city-owned property located at 801 Church Street and known as Purpose Park for Fuse Fest 2025. Of an ordinance approving a short-term lease agreement permitting TWP, the youth movement, to go upon a new city-owned property located at 801 Church Street and known as Purpose Park for Fuse Fest 2025, dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice in adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clayton. All right, Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. McGinty, Mr. Page, Mr. Smeagle, Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander. PH3 reschedule the state pursuant to state law to hear comments on approving a lease agreement with the Virginia Cooperative extension for the lease of a portion of the property located at 8:30 Golf Street, known as Huntersville Murphy Multi-purpose Center, having an ordinance approving a lease agreement with the Virginia Cooperative extension for the lease of a portion of the property located at 8:30 Golf Street, known as the Huntersville Multi-purpose Center dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date, Mr. Clanton. I. Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. McGee, Mr. Page, Mr. Smigel, Mr. Thomas, Doctor Alexander. Well they came for scheduled to stay pursuant to state laws vacating and releasing to KG1 Little Creek LLC, a utility easement across the property located at 201 East Little Creek Road, of an ordinance vacating and releasing to KG1, Little Creek LLC, a utility easement across the property located at 201 East Little Creek Road, dispensed with the charter requirement freeing the ordinance twice and a dot with the effective date. Mr. Clanton, Mrs. Doyle. Mrs. Johnson, Mr. McGee, Mr. Page, Mr. Smegel. Hi, Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander, consent agenda will be considered in the block unless otherwise noted. Approve the consent agenda dis dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinances twice and adopt with the effective dates. Mr. Clanton. All right. Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee. Mr. Page, Mr. Smeagle, Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander, one is an ordinance approving an amendment to lease through the statutory bid process extending the term of an existing retail lease by and between the city of Norfolk as landlord and 150 owner LLC as tenant. By 10 years for the lease of premises known as Suites 101 and 102 in the office building currently known as the Trust building and located at 150 West Main Street in the city of Norfolk, Virginia and authorizing the city manager to execute the amendment to lease on behalf of the city, dismissed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date, Mr. Clanton. Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. McGee, Mr. Page, Mr. Smeagle, Mr. Thomas, Doctor. And Part two is an ordinance approving a short-term lease agreement permitting Hope Foundation Inc. to go upon a new city owned property located at 801 Church Street, known as Purpose Park for a community outreach event dismissed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton. Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. McDe. All right, thank you, Mr. Page, Mr. Smeagle, Mr. Thomas, Doctor Alexander. Clerk Arthur, Arthur is an ordinance to amend and reordain Section 29 of the Norfolk City Code 1979 so as to add a new section number 29-11. Relating to the concealing or taking possession of merchandise, altering price tags, transferring goods from one container to another, counseling, etc. another in performance of such acts, dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton, uh, Mr. Mayor and my fellow colleagues on council as a professional working in juvenile justice and a councilman committed to public safety and neighborhood investment. And economic vitality. I recognize the importance of addressing retail theft and supporting small business within our community. This ordinance provides Norfolk with a localized tool to deter and address shoplifting while ensuring that our city can manage these offenses with discretion and proportionality. However, I remain committed to ensuring that our enforcement approach is fair and does not criminalize poverty or disproportionately impact youth. And marginalized communities. I support the ordinance with the understanding that we will also explore diversion options, community service alternatives, and restorative justice practices where appropriate. So I vote out. This is Doyle. So if you recall late February, our Norfolk Police Chief Mark Talbot spoke to us regarding our crime statistics in 2024 relative to 2023. And what he said is that larcenies are up 6% in 2024 compared to 23. Larsonnies from auto were down 21%, but all other larcenies were up 30%. And he attributed that in large part due to the thefts coming out of the ABC stores and others. So I just wanted to share that data point with you as that is relevant. I went back and saw the video last night. I looked at the PowerPoint that he shared, and so I vote I. Mrs. Johnson? Thank you, um. To be boots on the ground in the community, you get to know the people. You have to be in the community to know exactly what's going on. That's what I do every single day. So no one can tell me I don't know what's going on not just in Ward 3 but in the entire city. Along with that, you have to have knowledge. You gotta know, you don't guess. Knowledge is powerful. And what I mean by that. You remember. In Berkeley. The food line that was on in Berkeley, you remember that? Farm Fresh Farm Fresh, thank you, sir. And we were asked to to put up the money we were also asked to hire the people from the Berkeley community. And one of the things that I asked was that the community insured. That Farm Fresh would survive. Because we hired the people in the community. One of the reasons, in case you don't know, one of the reasons Farm Fresh failed was because of the theft. The amount of stealing that was going on in that grocery store. And it hurt me deeply to know. That when Farm Fresh decided to close its stores that Berkeley was going to be on that I mean I'm sorry, Farm Fresh in Berkeley was gonna be on that list of store closure. I'm often in the grocery stores because I have a Walmart where I live, the neighborhood one. And I go in there and I'm deep cover undercover when I go there. I don't tell people who I am, I just wanna know what is going on. And often I see. Those large containers of uh containers. You know how you go through the self checkout. And one of the things that I noticed, although I couldn't get involved because I was deep covert that day, was to see people put items in the large containers and go right through the the line. So we're willing to help. Those who are in need. So that they don't have to steal. You don't have to steal. We're here to help you. Especially spending a year working with small businesses, no matter what background you came from and it was brutal work. And telling them how to go get the money. And my team Norfolk back there can honestly tell you. I told them how to get the city's money. I always do. But this right here. It's not, I know that most of you consider it's targeting a certain race. But the question is, what can we do to prevent it from looking like it may be targeting a certain race. We do have to do better, but most importantly we need people who live in the city to help us do better you have to be boots on the ground. You have to be out in the community. You have to be teaching children that there are safe places in our city. There are over 2500 programs. In this city for children and families ask me how do I know? because I got the numbers from Doctor Erica Woods Warrior who came to a task force meeting last Thursday or Thursday before last, is that correct? Yeah, and she gave us the numbers of how many programs there are in the city to help children and families. What are we going to do? If we put it out, you say that we don't put the information out, we do, but you gotta go get it. What I'm doing, we are doing our part. But you have to go get it. Anytime you ask us to meet with you to try and teach you, we do just that. But it is a partnership. I'm out there telling people and my colleagues, how do we get people. Off of depending on the government, cause that's one thing I don't agree with. That you depend on the government for your livelihood. You shouldn't. We should in 2025 be beyond depending on the government for our livelihood. And there are programs to help you get there. So when a lady tells me that she's been in public housing for 50 years. I want to know why. What can I do to help her? How do we move to the next level? So this ordinance right here targeting certain people, you have to understand there are also safety nets in place that says we're not gonna throw them under the jail, we're gonna provide them with help that they need so that they won't Go out and get it and do it again and that's the have to. information that you don't know that is a part of our 3 but I'm telling you tonight there are safety nets in place. I wrote I. Mr. McGee, I. Mr. Page. All right. Good evening everyone. I don't think it's what was said. I think it's the mic is not on, that's OK, my voice carried. Uh, I don't think it's what was said. I think it's what's not said a lot of times, and I want to start off with giving a belated Happy Mother's Day to every mother here. And I hope my mother is watching, who is a saint to me. Uh, happy Mother's Day to all the mothers. A lot of times as a council, we have access to information and we move faster than the people. We need to stop doing that. We need to slow down and make sure y'all have the information that we have for the decisions. Ms. Houston, Mr. Robinson, and Mr. Hicks, I thank you so diligently for your comments. I want to read something to everyone. Men do not despise a thief if he steals to sat satisfy his soul when he is hungry. But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold. He shall give all the subsidies of his house. So this here is a very simple thing. Alton, we talked yesterday. I've been up all night. Studying and preparing and getting information about this meeting here today, mostly the budget, but a whole lot about this. This is very simple. When you go to court, you're either under a state code or a city code. Ms. Houston, this gives us a city code. That this gives us more opportunity to have insight and say so. See, right now we're at a place with what's going on nationally, we don't know even this council, but we still want to carry on like everything's normal with everything that everybody out here is facing and we're working and we're preparing plans to make sure we can keep the city running. But at the same token, there are things that are happening that don't just impact businesses that affect us and our accountability as a community. I remember when I was a child, where if I stole something, the police was the least of my concern. It was when I came home. We have businesses that are ready to leave our city. I have a CVS on Military Highway outside of Poplar halls that's ready to go. I've been in a business that I don't want to state the name of because somebody else that hears this might want to go there and steal, but I watched a group come in and steal and watched them not call the police because their management had told them not to call the police for fear of retaliation from the members that had done this. This is not an attack on black folk. I won't allow it. Not while I'm here. What this is is an attack on the lack of accountability that we've had in place and had in store. So after a lot of research and some new information. I'm gonna go out also. Thank you, Mr. Smigel. Yeah, um, thank you for those comments. So I know most of us have heard of stories that some of the big cities around the country in which department stores are just flat out closing and leaving because of the thefts that are happening and then also some of the retailers that have moved to where everything is locked behind the counter. And so if you want to go into, uh, to the store and buy something, you have to talk to somebody and then to go in the back and get it and purchase it. I don't want Norfolk to get to that point. Uh, but we are reaching a point in which we have some of our retailers that are, are saying that this is the theft loss ratio is so huge that they cannot, um, uh, justify staying in that location, um, but for me it's not about the, the corporates. In fact, I, I said earlier, uh, you know, let Walmart battle what they need to battle. This is about our small businesses. Last night was my 8th civic league that I have visited since January. In which I've been out talking about this um issue. I monitor social media heavily I respond back on social media and um what folks are, are thinking is not true and I know some of this gets aired out publicly. But the reality is is the information, the data that we receive and the people that we talked to at our civic leagues and the business owners are telling us what a big problem this is. So when you have a uh a bike shop owner, a bike shop owner in Ocean View who just had a group of people, not teenagers, not, uh, Norfolk citizens just walk in and steal bikes and walk right out with it and they're not prosecuted. Um, the bottom line for that small bike shop is, is killed right there. Um, insurance may not cover it, um, and if they do, then their insurance rates go up, um, and they're paying more. And so for me this is about our small businesses many of uh the owners who live in our communities, um, and the impact that this is having on us because of this lawlessness idea that you're not going to be held accountable by doing this. If this was about targeting juveniles, I wouldn't be voting for it um because I've worked with juveniles for 25 years. And that's not what this is about. This is about folks that come into our city and think that they could just come into a store, steal stuff and leave and it, and how it impacts our communities at the end of the day. Um, and what it does, your neighbors, the people that have to work there, um, and could lose their job over this loss and so that's why this is important and when you hear that they're not being held accountable for this, that people are not being accountable for breaking the law on this, then yes, I'm gonna support this and make sure that we are protecting our citizens in Norfolk and making sure that it it is being handled right. So if I felt just like I, uh, Councilman Page said that this was going in another direction, I wouldn't be supporting it, but as he did his homework and my homework of talking to folks that have been impacted by this, there's something that has to be done and this is giving another tool for those folks to use in order to hold people accountable and to make sure that it doesn't continue um at the end of the day. So I vote aye, Mr. Thomas Doctor Alexander. Mr. Clerk44 an ordinance amending the FY 2025 Annual Appropriations Ordinance number 49,590 so as to accept inappropriate donated funds up to the sum of $1800 from the Norfolk Public Library Foundation to support STEM programming at the Van Wy Neighborhood Branch Library if and when received and amending the FY 2025. Budget to add the same dispense with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton. Hi, Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. McGee, Mr. Page, Mr. Smeagle, Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander. 5 R 5s in ordinance. Approving the 2026 officer and employee health insurance plans, the employer and employee contribution rates, and authorizing the expenditure from the healthcare fund of a sum sufficient heretofore appropriated, dispense with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton, Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. McGee, Mr. Page, Mr. Smeagle, Mr. Thomas, Doctor Alexander. Our 6 is an ordinance to amend and reordain the Norfolk City Code 1979 so as to create the Department of Military and Community Affairs, the Office of Citizen Services, and the Office of Norfolk Arts dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date, Mr. Clanton, uh, Mrs. Doyle. Hi Mrs. Johnson. Hi Mr. McGee. Hi, Mr. Page, Mr. Smegel. Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander. R 7, and there's a motion to continue to the next meeting. The motion on the floor is to continue R7 to June 10th, 2025. Mr. Clanton, Mrs. Doyle. Mrs. Johnson, Mr. McGee, Mr. Page, Mr. Smegel, Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander. R8 R8 is an ordinance to amend and reordain sections 25.1-36, 25.1-75, 25.1-86, 25.1 87, 25.1-140 of the Norfolk City Code 1979 regarding discounted parking rates for students. In the central business district providing 2 free hours of parking and off-street parking facilities and adjusting the hourly rates accordingly, designated parking lots, designated parking garage, and parking meter rates dispensed with the charter requirement for ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton. Hi, Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. McGee, Mr. Page, Mr. Smeagle, Mr. Thomas, Doctor Doctor Alexander, clerk, we continue. R9 is an ordinance approving the July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 budget for the Norfolk Law Library, authorizing the city treasurer to make disbursements and appropriating and authorizing the expenditure of up to $218,000 by the Norfolk Law Library from various sources including monies assessed and collected by the city as part of cost and civil court actions in accordance with the approved budget. And the October 1, 1987 agreement between the city, the Norfolk Law Library, and the Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date Mr. Clanton. Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. McGee, Mr. Page, Mr. Smeagle, Mr. Thomas, Doctor Alexander. I just. Our tenants and ordinance appropriating grant funds totaling $69,743,491 to the school board of the City of Norfolk for grants, other special programs, and the school nutrition services program and authorizing the expenditure of the funds in fiscal year 2026 for Norfolk Public Schools dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date, Mr. Clanton. Mrs. Doyle. Mrs. Johnson, Mr. McGee, Mr. Page, Mr. Smegel, Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander, R11 R11 is an ordinance approving the Capital Improvement Plan budget for fiscal year 2026 beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026, appropriating $260207,613 for certain projects approved therein, authorizing an issue. of bonds in the amount of $180549,235 and authorizing the expenditure of $79,658,378 in cash dispensed with the charter requirement reading the ordinance twice and with the effective date, Mr. Clanton. Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee, Mr. Page. Some comments. Mr. City manager, uh, we have to do a whole lot more, uh, for the marginalized people of our community. I know this is CIP. I reserve the rest of my comments, uh, for the other part of the budget. Uh, the last minute, you got me. I'm voting now. Mr. Smigel, I don't know. Should I just vote no just to vote no, no, um, thank you for working on the CAP and for those who make comments about how funding is around the city, there's great improvement in this budget with spreading that money a little bit more out to the communities. I know we're, we're gonna continue working on it, uh, but as, uh, Councilman Page, um, said there's been a big improvement, so I, I appreciate that. I. Mr. Thomas, Dr. Alexander, R 12. March 12th is in ordinance approving the annual budget and appropriating funds for operation of the city for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026. Appropriating US Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD entitlement grants, appropriating annual anticipated grants and other fees revenues, regulating the payment of money from the city treasury, maintaining the tax rate on real estate within the city at $1.23 for. Every 100 of assessed value and amending and reordaining section 41-21A of the Norfolk City Code 1979 as amended so as to increase the annual fee for the collection and disposal of refuse to $402.12 for every single family dwelling unit dwelling and dwelling units in multiple residences not exceeding 4 families or dwelling units dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date, Mr. Clanton. Uh, this being my first city council budget, this is, uh, been on the school board side but definitely all the many different, um, things pulling on, uh, for this, uh, this budget. I do want to thank the manager and his team, um, and for listening, um, to the concerns that we brought in, um, working with Councilman Page and, um, Councilman Johnson and the other two members of council that I shared space with, um. I know that this is not a perfect plan and everybody didn't get everything, um, but I do believe that we're moving in the right direction and as we move forward with the Norfolk 2050 plan, um, that'll come in and give us a sense of direction, um, that we'll continue to advocate and that everybody will get something at some particular point in time, but, um, I'm gonna be voting aye in support of this and looking forward as we continue to move forward to work with the community to get those things placed there that are important to them. Thank you, Mrs. Doyle. Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee. Hi Mr. Page. Yeah, Mr. Man, um, You came through the last minute, Lee Street over on Southside with money, um, that I found that we had somewhere um where it was just money to go and give the community something that they needed, um, and it's not just on you. I have to work harder, uh, sharing the reality of what we're dealing with in our communities, with some of my other counterparts, but we're dealing with trauma stacked on top of trauma, which is stacked on top of trauma. So when you go into this budget, the managers put in place almost $21,000 per student in our public schools, almost $21,000 per student. If we don't address this trauma stacked on top of trauma, what these kids have to deal with, just to get up and go to school, that money is gonna be for that. So I don't know if that is still the number, if that changed, uh, but I hope it's close to it, if it has changed. Um, I think that's a noble attempt, but we need some other areas for money. We need mental health. I need mental health on site when there's violence that takes place in our communities. And RHA has listened to the call, and they have mental health professionals that show up when violence happens in those communities. You've been to the site of, uh, some of the violence, there are children that are out, they have to go to school the next day. And how can you prepare to learn when you have these types of things that are on your mind? Uh, leadership of all. The way that it went, if something was in one community, we want that in ours too. The day we know we have a vast difference of needs in the black community versus what goes on in other communities. And I know that it's only so much that the government can do, Ms. Johnson. So I'm not asking for the government to take care of us, but we pay our equal share and we just want our equal share back. I've discovered this year that Ward 4 is not the worst ward in this city. We're responsible for over 47% of retail income tax to this city. 6 of 7 shipyards that are in the city of Norfolk sit in Ward 4. We have the airport, we're the home to HRT and the headquarters for the light rail. So we're a transportation hub, not just of the city of Norfolk, but of this region. We also have industrial Park, which generates a lot of tax revenue. We have to get to a place where more money from Ward 4 is going back to the challenged areas of Ward 4, and we have to be creative. We cannot be like we used to. We no longer have to be under the Duckworth doctrine. We can behave ourselves and carry ourselves moving forward like the leader that I know you are. You have brought us our first black fire chief to the 3rd oldest paid fire department in the United States of America and our first black fire marshal. So I know that you can do this. So we need to keep working. Thank you. My vote is up. Thank you, Mr. Smeagle. Yeah, um, thanks again. This budget has a lot of great things in it and folks, just to let you know, um, it's expensive to run a city. um, it's just like it's getting more expensive for us to buy stuff. It's getting really expensive. Last night at the East Little Creek Road advisory Committee meeting. I learned that of our 25 code inspectors we're down to 10 code inspectors so we have 15 vacancies. Most of the folks that left are leaving because they can make more money um when we have our community, um, uh, survey that's done, one of the highest priorities of our citizens are in their neighborhoods and, and what it looks like. And so in order for us to maintain that we've got to pay people more and every time. In Hampton Roads and specifically, every time another locality raises their salaries, we've got to raise ours because we lose people and that's what happens. Um, and there's some great things in here for our first responders and helping them so that we can try to maintain that, uh, um, from that loss, but you know, the only thing that I'm, and I, I, I sound like I'll contradicting myself with this is our tax rate. Um, I'm gonna vote for this, by the way, um, but the one thing that I wanted, uh, in this budget was to continue moving our real estate tax rate back to what it used to be, uh, before the recession, which is down to $1.15. Um, I wanted just a penny this year, Mr. Man, can you give me a penny, um, but I'm, it's OK because the mayor's promised me some stuff next year, um, but I would like for councilman, uh, Clayton and Councilman McGee, as you are working on the housing issue, to also look at how the real estate tax rate impacts housing in Norfolk, particularly for our seniors that are on fixed incomes. So I represent the oldest part of the city, um. And not uh how long the land's been there but the people in it and some of you know many of my constituents have owned their houses for 4050 years and their taxes just keep on going up because their assessments have gone up, but their income has either stable is stable or is going down and so um what is that causing and forcing our. Seniors, um, into a housing crisis, so I hope that you guys will consider that and as our casino comes on board and remember the General Assembly has granted the city of Norfolk the opportunity to have a casino because 38% of our property is not taxable, um, in order to bring in that revenue so that we can have a lower tax rate, um, that's all the localities that we're allowed to have that was the basis of allowing that. And so we as a city council should be committed as that revenue starts coming in uh to look at those tools, particularly one that will help our most vulnerable but also our seniors really our seniors with that delegate Phil Hernandez um has legislation that passed and was actually signed by the governor that gives more tools for localities to help seniors out with tax. Relief and I think that as we look at that revenue coming in from uh the casino that we look at applying that first um to those folks even before you reduce it a penny, Mr. Mayor, 2 pennies um is looking at seeing how we can help with that with that cash that's coming in. Uh, but there's a lot of great things in this budget, and folks, I, I just hope you know that, um, um, it is getting expensive, but this budget is, uh, dedicating funds to the priorities, um, that we based off of the community survey. There's a lot of great things in there, so I appreciate that, and I vote I, Mr. Thomas, Doctor Alexander, Mr. Clark, you have another? That's all I have, sir. council will stand at ease as we transition to new business. I see it. What All right, new business, Alan, do we read rules again? Well you can if you like, sir. If you've already done, that's fine, we're good. All right, new business, uh, first up we have Lindsey Sims followed by James Drano. Hope I got that right. Go ahead. Hi, my name is Lindsay Sims. I live at 901 Colonial Avenue here in Norfolk. I'm a small business owner here. Um, I own an ethical gift shop called Maison Slaver in Ghent. Um, we pride ourselves on supporting other small businesses here and around the globe by putting their products in our store, and we also host many community events. Um, we would try to make low cost for our neighbors as well as a community closet we have outside our store for anyone who needs clothes, shoes, hygiene items, etc. um, and the one thing I wanna talk about today is that it came to my attention a few weeks ago that city council voted to implement. Um, a new emissions tax change in December of last year. A fellow business owner had told me about this, and it became a concern for me because I heard that the commissioner of revenue, um, and their staff are. To in my opinion, are miscategorizing certain events as the subject to this tax. I found out also that some of the business associations such as the Gent Business Association did not know that this was changed, um, and I was not informed and neither was anybody else I know in the business community, um, that I've talked to. I am concerned because these events that I have at my store are these events listed in the um in the ordinance are also very similar to ones I hold at my shop. Many are also hosted. Um, at my shop by other small business owners and local artists, um, so I'm talking about, I believe it's Article 9. Section 24-288, um, specifically there's a place in there that says a place of amusement or entertainment shall mean any place, um. In the city where in and we're at of the falling any of the following are located, conducted, performed, exhibited, and operated, and it goes on to say any amusement, entertainment performance exhibition or production including but not limited to any circus, carnival cinema, fair, Ferris wheel, roller coaster, um, it goes on to talk about lectures and conferences, plays, concerts, theatrical performances, sporting events, etc. um. We're hosting events of less than 20 people at the most at our private space, and that is not the same as a conference or a theater production um and we're also not making near enough profit to cover 99% of the materials, um, and fees that come with that, um, and we heard from the commissioner's office that because we require registration for such events such as a paint and sip or something. Um, that our businesses collect a fee and registration that our business qualifies, we're barely surviving in this economy as retailers in the first place, as small businesses and doing business in Norfolk. Um, this also just hinders other businesses from wanting to do business here. I've already lost personally I've already lost events from certain instructors because I told them about this taxes on, um, in discussion. Because they're afraid they're like I can't afford another 10% on top of a 6% sales tax um and let me just finish by saying, um, that there just needs to be better communication and um guidance with the commissioner staff and if you guys do vote to change this, I hope you think of a small business first thank you thank you. Next up we have James Drano, Drano, sorry sir, followed by Aaron Payton. Yes, my name is James Driano. I live at 8654 Devon Street, and this is, um. Not so much about a dog, but about justice. This is about an off-leash permit. I adopted a dog in 2011. I obtained an off-leash permit through the proper means, walked the dog daily with exceptional, extremely inclement weather. Uh, there was construction going on at, uh, Chesapeake Boulevard. I was confronted by two highly. Provoke Unprofessional and belligerent. Animal protection officers who immediately issued me a criminal citation for an off uh uh a uh. Basically a stray dog. And of course, this was, could be more correct. At the time, bear in mind, I've got, I've got, she's, she's vaccinated, she got her tags, she got her ID tag. She's been shipped, she's got, uh, uh, Training training certificate, and here I am right with her. And I don't know what I find more disturbing, the fact that our animal protection officers don't know the difference between a stray dog, dog at large was the term I was looking for. And one that meets this criteria. Well, they pursued this of course it was immediately dismissed in court, but it's a problem I don't know if it's a problem of omission or commission, but either somebody is unaware that they're acting rogue. And uh. Being belligerent and predatory towards pet owners and their, and their, and their pets, not enforcing ordinance, actually making up ordinance. In fact, they lied under oath twice in court. OK, so I don't know what disturbs me more, the fact that they're conducting this and either people are unaware of it, that your subordinates are doing this or you're on board with it, which is, I, I would think would be more disturbing. So I also have a petition here of 231 Norfolk citizens, none of which my relatives, friends, never worked for me. I never worked for them. Who swear that uh her conduct was exemplary. And if you think of the population of the city of Norfolk, that's a pretty good percentage. And if memory serves me correctly, 5 of them are business owners, countless veterans, the homeowners, 2 of them are official dog trainers certified. And, uh, they just, I, I think it's absolutely ridiculous that it was, uh, immediately and they right there on the foot and they're not the ones I got it from, I got it totally legally, but they revoked it and revoked it permanently on that day. Even though it was dismissed in court, had I known that. You know, I, I would have been better off if it had been a conviction because I would have had appeal rights. OK. And I could have repealed it, which is the equivalent of me not being Mirandized when they did not tell me that within 10 days I could apply it in writing and had an appeal with the. The board. Thank you, sir. You can give the petition to the clerk. If you'd like to circulate the petition, you can give it to the clerk. OK, yes. Mr. Vice Mayor, yes, um, I don't know, uh, Mr. Piso or Mr. Man, I don't know which one of you guys could look into that further. Um, I, I believe he said that they were vote his off leash. Yes, I, I, I wasn't certain I understood you that, uh, I understood that you went through the process. Uh, do, do you mind? No, I, that's why I'm asking you went through the process and, and got a permit for your, uh, dog to be able to walk off leash, and then. Animal, uh, patrol officers to, um, not knowing you had a permit stopped you for having a dog at large. It is, it is my suspicion that they saw the dog first. We were right there together, but their vehicles were stopped because the construction on Chesapeake Boulevard. So they give you a ticket. I'm sorry to be a little bit short, but I, what I'm trying to understand is, um. You were not convicted because you had a permit, but um what I was a little confused about was the revocation of the permit to the animal control officers, uh, um. Take steps or inform you that your permit was revoked? Yes, a matter of fact, he said you'll never get. I said, Well, how long is it gonna be revoked for? She had not at that time. This is when the citation was written. OK, let, let me get back to you, sir. OK, sir, Mr. Piska is our city attorney, and that's why I was asking why you were over there is our city attorney need to handle this or the city manager's office, but he's gonna get back to you on I'll stand there. I'll stand there. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Next up, Aaron Payton. Followed by Rayron White. Aaron Payton here. OK, Raytron. Good afternoon, council. Um, just got a couple of questions. Uh, I want to direct this question. The first question to the city manager. Um, the summer's coming. Kids are out of school early. Are we gonna have our pool open or not? the Chesterfieldol Chesterfield, the best pool in the world. I'm getting a head nod from my deputy city manager. Yes, yes, we will. And I know what the question is because the, he said, 3rd week in June, until what day? Because last year we only had 2 weeks. You know, actually, Rayron tonight Darryl Cretton gave a great presentation about the pool schedule this week this this evening for the summer, and that was all in that, so you might want to go back and take a look at that. Trista and I need to know about the fee because we that's the only place we have to go for the summer because we're gonna pay for that. We have sponsors gonna pay for that. James, do you have that or Trista, do you have the fee? And, and while they're here, I haven't seen all four of them here. I just want to tell you because of a, as a resident to pay taxes here. Um, Mr. uh, Doug Beaver, Miss Pope, Mr. uh, James Rogers, and Mr. Lavos, I don't know why that we don't praise you all enough because you do a wonderful job in our city, not these people, but you all because you all do a wonderful job. I want to thank you personally as one of the finest citizens people in this city that's been here 50 something years. I told my story of my age, but to tell you all, you do a wonderful job and you always come through for the little people that make big noises in the city. Thank you so much. My next question before the time go out, um, I want to direct this question to, um, I guess Mr. Mr. Page, uh, what NRJ told you is incorrect. Um, there was a shooting two doors down from my house last weekend, and mental health, they did not, and they have not ever called the residents and asked them were they all right? And the bullet, they got shot in the house of my by my house. The bullet could have traveled to my house. I was home that weekend. We're talking about, you know, a lot of things were going on with shoplifting and all this stuff. I've asked for three years in a row about the lighting in our, on our street from the residents and the other residents. There's really darkness in our area. We just did a Harley Creek project. It's still black. If you close your eyes, that's how black it is out there. And if the, the undercover cop asked me for my camera, he would've saw it if we had some light out there. There's no light. So the budget if there's a light. We need to put some of that budget money into Kimble Terrace to make sure the people are safe. It got close home to me and I will be at your doors. I know you all stay at your doors and make sure that we get our stuff right because that in our mental health, no one has asked us a lot about no one that that's something is incorrect they're telling you. A lot of churches have called us. A lot of people have called us. A lot of people on the city council have gave me a call about some things and asked me where I write when they heard that, but they have not. There's some things they're not telling you they're not, and it got close to that last Friday. It was roped off. I thought the young man was murdered in his house. So thank you so much. Thank you. Next up we have Darren Willis, followed by Ashley Cannon. Hello, my name is Darren Willis. I live 791 48th Street, but I'm actually here about a property on Wilson Road, um. I'm asking for. For you guys to consider doing on street parking on the on Wilson Road, um, I bought that house, uh, I don't know, 1516 years ago, um, when we bought it, it had parking on it. The, the two, my property and the one next door, which I do not own, um, do not have driveways. The house, their old houses, probably one of the oldest houses on they're too close to the road. There's no driveways. Uh, when we bought them, um, the closest parking is on Joyce and Hatton, which just to give you an idea, Joyce and Hatton intersect Wilson Road, but they don't cross it. Um, my house would be right in between them. The next closest on street parking on my side of the street is a block and a half away. Um, the traffic is terrible on the street. Um, I drove there today just to keep up with traffic to see what it is. It's a 25 zone and people go 40, 45 there. I followed people going 4045 there. Luckily you didn't have the police out there today, um, but we had somebody unfortunately get hit by a car just back in November she was killed in front of our house. She was a tenant next door um we we need to do something um I sent an email to a couple of you, uh, giving heads up about what I was asking for and it was forwarded on to some people I get responses. Which was we're looking into it there's studies being done I'd be hesitant to do anything and I get that's a that's a fair answer. I, I get it it's a standard answer from a city, you know, I, I get it, um, but I would like to add that parking was taken away without a survey without notification, without community input, um, by, by taking away parking on a house, you take away value from the house, but my taxes assessment was never adjusted, um, you know, uh. Right, right about the time that this happened, I planned on putting a lot of money into the house, fixing it up. I went to the city. Everything I wanted to do to get parking in my, my house was no, no, it's a standard answer a lot of times you go to the city, not necessarily from you guys, but some of the some of the employees, certain certain departments more than others, um, but, uh, I, I offered, you know, I'm, I'm gonna do major work. I, I'm taking a duplex. I'm converting it down to a single family. I'm not just trying to cram parking in here for more houses and more money. You know, I converted, I've already converted it down to a single family, I wanted to. Cut out some of the house, so I have the 18 ft for a driveway. No, well, could I put in a parking lot in? I'm sorry, a garage in the house? No, can't do it. Um. Running out of time. So basically I'm, I'm asking, I know I talked to, I think Mr. Stevenson, if I got his name right, um, we talked briefly outside, but we have to do something. It's not safe there. People are dying and there's no, there's no, there's nowhere to park, and, uh, you can't rent or sell or get good tenants in a house when there's no parking. I mean, we're trying to fix up the neighborhoods, um, not all realtors are, are slumlords real, uh, not all of us are bad, so, uh, some of us are trying to do the right thing, but we need your help. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Ashley Cannon. And Ashley Cannon here. All right. Devin Gronka. Come on. And that'll be followed by Barrett Hicks. Um, I, um, my name is Devin Gronka. I live at 745 Lexington Street here in Norfolk. Um, I haven't ever spoken in front of city council like this before, but, uh, uh, so, uh, I seem a bit nervous, uh, it's OK, um, so I work for the, uh, Norfolk Public Library, and, uh, um, I'm really proud to work for the city that's, uh, um, where I can meet people from all over the world. I work in youth services, so we have like an impact on the, uh. Youth in um in the area and I'm, uh, really, you know, and just enjoy working here, uh, but I'm coming to you as a private citizen and particularly as someone who's married to, uh, to an immigrant, uh, she's a citizen now, but, um, the way things have been going at the federal level, it seems like that doesn't exactly matter. Um, my son isn't going to get to see his grandparents this year because the risk is too great of them being detained on one because they only speak Portuguese. Uh, for my father-in-law that could easily mean the end of him because of medication that he needs, um. And uh this isn't just my story. This is the sort of like uh friends and co-workers that I've talked to, um, you know, I've had like way too many uh hush discussions and, you know, behind the stacks about what we do if someone disappears. Um. I, um, I, what I really would like are assurances from the Norfolk City, um, police and, uh, the Norfolk, uh, sheriff that they will stand by the people of the city and not by, um, by, uh, ice and by not even, we can't always be sure that avian is ice. There's people in masks maintaining anonymity. Driving up to people without warrants and throwing them into unmarked cars. We have no way to tell if that's kidnapping, if that's actually some kind of legal action, or if it's just terrorism. Um Uh, I at the same time is denying people access to legal counsel. They're destroying the oversight mechanisms that they're, uh, that would maintain people's freedom. Um, I'm really mystified that just across the country people are kind of standing by as this happens, um, and yeah, so the main thing that I'm asking for today are, uh, assurances that the Norfolk City Police and the Norfolk, uh, the Norfolk Sheriff's office. We'll, um, we'll stand by the people that make up this city and, uh, protect our rights if they're, um, uh, if they're violated. And, um, that's about all I have to say. Thanks. Thank you, sir. Barrett Hicks, followed by Elton Robinson. But even again. We know new business is actually old business, when we look at uh what we've been talking about on all three, that is really. One of the issues when a man is hungry, his family's hungry, we never know what he might do. But what is truly needed is community hubs. Before the crimes Walking directly into communities. And speaking to the communities. And not sharing false information, such as this thing about Farm Fresh clothing because of the theft. Farm Fresh closed because they they closed regionally. We know monies went directly to not just farm Fresh Berkeley or people in Berkeley went to Ocean View and whatnot in that sense. So don't tell the stories halfway. And putting our, our communities down in that sense. It is truly needed. Community hubs. It's great to hear that y'all found the money to open Lea Street, but Lea Street needs to open, we're programming. That I submitted proposals for in that sense. Community hubs, to where we bring our young folks in, we bring our neighbors next to, and we talk about what's going on to change the dynamic of a community. Not just that we got a building. And again, when I hear that buildings are gonna be open on the funds are there, it is, I've heard that 100,000 times. Telephones come and the building is open. I don't believe it. Because it hasn't happened. We've, we sit around here for almost 30 years and then what was the last building or anything that really came to the Berkeley Caso community? That recreation center. In 30 years. If not more. But, but I thank you guys for even considering that you said you found the money, you're gonna open up that Lea Street. You know how much work I did on that. I mean, whether the community, whether the civic leagues or somebody bought and paid for rejects it or not. Again, I work on behalf of the people, my people. Not me. I'm highly favored. The Lord is taking care of me and my family. Give me the direction to look after those in communities. I get so and and and I I I wanna ask this question my little time, when are we gonna set up this community review board for police? That's suppose it's been in place since 2020. That's five years ago. Can somebody answer that somebody is there, is it even? On the board, on, on anybody? Anybody can tell me about that one. I, I'm not, I don't need anybody to answer anything else except for that one. Is there anything in place? For the community review board when it comes to police. Thank you, thank you, Mr. Xs. Uh, Mr. Robinson? Um, This It's not too You all hope you really listen very carefully. The Lord give and the Lord takes away. You all are acting like you gods. You gave the people the right to express themselves for 3 minutes. Now, you've taken that away. Remember, The people are your boss. How can you shut the boss's mouth? I recommend that you reverse the ordinance and go back to hearing from your constituents. God knows all. And he sees all. And God knows that this council has been wicked for hundreds of years. Black people want the same thing. Some of the black people want the same thing that white folks have. Black people want safe streets for our children to play just like white people have. Black people want their children to get a quality education. Just like white people with children. Black people want quality, affordable housing and to own commercial square footage. Just like white people It's time to allow black people to get the same opportunities that white people have been getting for hundreds of years. We sit here, we talk about our community. Our is a preposition. But if you are white and you say our community, that's the community you're talking about. I'm black and I say our community. That's whose community I'm talking about. So let's stop the word changing and be real. You guys have been elected to serve the people and you're making rules to allow the people to be excluded. All they want to do is just speak. They had 3 minutes to say. And that has changed. Maybe you guys are above the law. I don't know. But if you want a good city. With all the people. Black, white, Hispanic, Chinese. Get along Grow together, be together, not smile on your face and talk behind your back cause you're black or talk behind your back because you're white. I'm talking about all the people in the city of Norfolk. Coming together and living together and playing together or not. Like I told you once before. My buddy Pat. Have you prepared the city for what's gonna come to Norfolk? Because we gotta have some money, and it has to be money held up for what's gonna come to Norfolk. And this is not uh no type of. Thread or nothing like that. I'm just saying. Thank you, Mr. Robinson. Mr. Clerk, do you have anything else? Nothing else, sir. All right, this meeting is adjourned.