City Council - Regular Meeting

[music] [music] La. [singing and music] [music] la. [music] [music] La. [music] Oh. [singing] [music]

[music]

I don't [music] feel la. La. [singing and music] La. Heat. [music] Heat. [music]

[music]

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] Heat. Heat.

[music]

Heat. Heat. [music]

[music] Heat. Heat. [music]

[music]

Hello. Are you [music] [music] [music] feeling Heat. Heat. [music] [music] I love you. [music] Hallelujah. [music] [music]

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

Praise the Lord. Good evening everyone. Welcome to our February 24th city council meeting. Please stand for invocation by Mrs. Timber followed by the pledge of allegiance. Ah, thank you Lord that we get to pray to you and thank you that you are the one that knits us together. Please be present today and please be honored in Jesus name. Amen. I aliance 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. Yes, ma'am.

I'd like to make a motion that we amend the agenda to add the resolution for the declaratory um injunction to the general business section of our agenda. Second. Okay. I don't have any further comments. Are you asking for a second? Did you second? A second. Okay, that's great.

No comment. You want to speak to it? I just thank the council for uh accepting my proposal to come before council and to have that discussion today. There there was a previous discussion to uh adopt a resolution that would essentially have us telling the registar that we um would ask them not to have the early voting until a certain deadline in order to comply with the constitution. This is a different proposal. This is essentially seeking the court in order to get clarity on what the city can and cannot do. I'll speak to the specifics of that proposal, but this is completely separate and I thank the council for

Thank you for discussing it tonight. Okay. Appreciate it. We'll get to uh do you need vote? I can call for the end. Thank you. Got it. I I'll call for the voice vote. Um, Council Member Reid, yes. Council member Timmer, yes. Council Wilder, no. Vice Mayor Demer, yes. Mayor Taylor, yes. The motion passes. 43 412. Okay. Um, if you're ready. Yes, ma'am.

Tonight at the beginning of the meeting, we have a very special proclamation to read. Um, this is for benefit program specialist appreciation month. Miss April Row, benefit programs manager, is in attendance here with us tonight. I'll go ahead and read it. Whereas Lynchberg provides essential support to vulnerable residents through programs including SNAP, TANF, medical assistance, childcare assistance, general relief, auxiliary grant, foster care, IDE, uh, refuge, cash assistant, employment service programs, energy assistance, and the percentage of income payment program administered by our local department of social services. And whereas Lynchburg's 75 benefit program staff including 45 specialists, six supervisors, one manager, 12 support staff, five child care specialists, six view SNAP and ENT specialists play a vital role in processing applications, managing cases, and connecting residents to critical service. And whereas these programs provide significant assistance to locally serving 669 TANF 669 TANF recipients, 122 VU participants, 35,74 SNAP participants, 22,144 medical assistance recipients, 34 auxiliary grant recipients, 2,29 energy assistant households, 1,087 PIP households, 368 childare households, and 699 foster care children and young adults. And whereas benefit program specialists demonstrate ethical public service by respecting human dignity, promoting professional excellence, and ensuring accurate application of policies and guidance. Now, therefore, be it resolved he, Mary Larry Taylor, Mayor of the City of Lynchburg, Virginia, to hereby proclaim the month of February 2026 as benefit program specialist appreciation month in Lynchburg and encourage all citizens to celebrate their invaluable contributions to public service.

[applause] [applause]

Thank you [clears throat] to Mayor Taylor, Vice Mayor Demer, and distinguished members of council. We are truly honored to serve and support community members who are facing challenging circumstances. The work carried out by the benefit programs department is both meaningful and impactful and we do not take that responsibility lightly. Each day we remain committed to delivering services with integrity and compassion. We are sincerely grateful for the continued support of city council. Your leadership and commitment play a vital role in making this important work possible. Thank you for your steadfast and tireless dedication to our community. I would also like to take a moment to recognize and thank the benefit program staff. Your work does not go unnoticed. The dedication and compassion you de demonstrate each day make a meaningful difference in the lives of the individuals and families we serve. Your commitment to public service is truly appreciated and it reflects the very best of our organization. Again, thank you.

Yes. Thank you.

[applause] [applause]

Thank you. Ready?

Yes, cler. All right. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Tonight, city council agenda is divided into three sections. Consent agenda, public comment, and general business. The first section is the consent agenda. Includes routine items that can be approved with one vote. We have a motion. Second. Let's go.

All right. [clears throat] Initiating the vote now. [clears throat] The motion passes. All right. The next section is public comment. Uh speakers have three minutes to speak. If you're speaking for a group, you have five. City council listens to your comments and may ask the city manager to follow up. Citizens often have different opinions to make sure everyone feels comfortable speaking. There's no applause, cheers, or jeers. Do not intimidate, insult, or disrupt others. Do not use profanity, promote businesses, or campaign for office. Agenda item number three, hear from a citizen regarding love. Greg Barry, don't see. Okay. Agenda item number four, hear from a group representative regarding W 2 287G and public safety in Lynchburg. Robert Flood, Rescue of the Youth, Hoop City. Please restate your name, group representative, and locality of residents. Uh [clears throat] my name is Robert Flood and I'm speaking on the behalf of the rescues of the uh I'd like to thank the uh city council once again. It's been a minute since I've been here and I want to address some things that I talked about about a year ago and just to see where y'all at with it. I was listening to this gentleman on one of y'all uh works workshops and he was crying out about how people was selling drugs in front of his house and he said something that you know I I really I really you know didn't understand why he said you know was setting himself up

maybe to get hurt killed but he was willing to risk his because he wanted the area to be safe wherever he lived at. I don't know where y'all at with that, but I hope that y'all address that because person I want to speak to, he's not here. He's not here, but somebody had mentioned to me that y'all have a lot of houses that's empty. And I and I've been talking about this for a while. Why can't you put a precinct in war two where a lot of people that's older like to come outside in the summertime, sit on the porch and feel comfortable? And I'm addressing this to you, uh, uh, Mr. Waller. Uh, and this been for about a year or something. I been talking about street lights. Why you putting cameras on people's houses when you ain't got no street lights working? I have rode around and I looked and seen different streets do not have street lights in different areas. That was like last year I talked about you know I don't know what what's going on with it now and vice mayor 287g that's a big topic now even the students expressing how they feel about it. My question is, I know that, you know, people make mistakes, some people make terrible mistakes, but everybody got something that's dig so deep inside until you investigate, you find out. Everybody want to have a safe environment. Everybody want to be safe in Lynchburg. We're not Minnesota. So, I don't understand why you would want 287g to come to Lynchber. You know what they done in Minnesota? They don't look at people like you. They look at people like me and a little bit dark or lighter. Them the ones they're harassing. But why would you? The question is why

would you want to come to Lynchburg? We have a new chief that expressed itself for 30 years. He communicate with ICE. If you need him, they'll come in. If you don't, he don't say nothing. But y'all want him to change his way of thinking and he been a chief for 30 years. I I don't understand that. Why would you want to come in for what reason? Because they don't arrest people like you. They arrest people that look like me and people that don't. So my question I hope maybe you could answer with them, but why would you want me to come to Lynchburg? And I think that you know the crime in Lynchburg is not like in Chicago and Minnesota. That's a question, you know, and it concerned me. Why would you want them come here when they know what they have done in big cities? Accidentally kill somebody, shoot them nine times in the back, you know, taking people out the cars. You see it on video. You can't You guys can't be blind. It happened. We don't need that in Lynchburg. We trying to get together and get along with each other now. We are so divided. Blacks are divided. black and whites are the provide. You know, my cousin was the first black mayor in Lynchburg named TD Thorn and he used to tell me things and I used to listen, but I never really hear a lot of it and understood it till later on in life. My [clears throat] grandmother lived in Boonesboro. She looked like you, you know, cuz I had folks that look like you. I'm kind to people that don't look like me. real blood people. So I don't understand why some of the things that we talk about, we don't need nothing like that in Lynchburg. And when you got EC Glass and Heritages High School to

walk out, that's their right to express themselves cuz one day they'll be able to vote. And I don't know who which way they might go, but we want safety. Everybody wants safety. No, don't nobody want to see nobody. If somebody come here illegal, immigrants built this country. They didn't steal it, they built it. So if they do something that ain't right, they supposed to go back where they came from. I agree with you on that. But when you just harass people for no reason, we don't need that in Lburg. So think about it and think about the question, why are you wanting to come here? Thank you. [music] [clears throat]

Uh, agenda number item number five was from Pat O'Hare. I did hear from him earlier. He's not able to make it today. So, agenda item number six, hear from a group representative regarding support of city staff. Travis Guthrie, Lynburg Firefighters Association Local 1146. Please restate your name, group represent, locality residents.

I'm Travis Guthrie. I'm a group representative for the Lynchburg Firefighters Association and I live in Ward One in Lynchburg. Um, this statement was written on behalf of Lynchburg Firefighters Association Local 1146, which is [clears throat] made up of 140 active and retired firefighters. The Lynchburg Firefighters Association is exist to work alongside Lynchburg Fire Department and the City of Lynchburg leadership to advocate for firefighters safety, health, compensation, and other crucial aspects crucial to a successful and elite workforce. Why we are writing this to express our gratitude towards the city manager Winter Benda and his staff and their work on behalf of the firefighters of Lynchburg fire department over the past several years. Lynch the city city manager has not only vocally supported the fire the work and mission of the fire department but he has also put his words into actions working with former fire chief Greg Wormser. This included the area of recruitment and retention, raising start and pay, and creating a measurable step pay plan for incumbent firefighters. In addition, he was instrumental in the plans to expand the fire department, building the ninth fire station, the first since the city annex in the 1970s and for our ever growing city and increasing calls for service. Not to mention his acts on behalf of all city employees, including the creation of paid maternal leave, not only for biological parents, but foster and adopted parents also. And it is not uncommon for him to show up at a fire station, eat meals with firefighters, and most recently, he sat bedside at the hospital for for hours with a firefighter who broke his leg in a snow in the snowstorm caring for a patient. Each of these goes a long way in ascribing value to our work and worth as firefighters in the city. on the larger scale for our department at large. Most recently, the city manager and his staff have engaged a third-party firm to perform an assessment of the Lynchburg Fire Department in an effort to

strengthen our department with special focus and uh recruitment and retention as well as a culture within the fire department. Finally, he is initiating our search for the next fire chief of the department. These are just a few ways that we have seen the city manager and his staff be true to their values and support us in our mission to be the first in safety, first in service, and first in community. And while we are well aware there are many other many others within the city of Lynchburg that have also played a part in each of these initiatives including all of you here on council. We wanted to specifically express our gratitude to the city manager and his staff as a way of encouragement and to affirm that his work is not lost on us and to affirm our willingness and desire to continue working together to provide excellent service to the citizens of Lynchburg. While there are always there will always be room for improvement and growth in any organization and department, we remain optimistic that with leadership within the city as well as within the fire department affirming and walking in the values of the fire department that consists that that of compassion, honesty, integrity, and trust we will accomplish this mission. Thank you, city manager, city council members, and all of your staff. Thank you.

Thank you. Agenda item number seven, hear from a citizen regarding transparency and accountability. Barbara Televate [clears throat] your name and locality residents. U Barbara Telev one. I speak on behalf of myself. Good evening, mayor, vice mayor, city council. I want to bring to your attention a small matter, good governance, which I believe relies on accountability, fiscal responsibility, and transparency. No matter if you're Republican, Democrat, or independent, we all care how our money is spent. Yet, the spending process here in Lynchburg seems a little secretive. Nowhere is this more evident and more painful than in how raises and performance reviews are handled for our top appointed positions such as that of the office of city manager. That office commands significant influence over our tax dollars. So their compensation and evaluation must be clear and fully transparent to the public. Median household income here in Lynchburg is around 60K. So it is difficult, truly difficult for hardworking residents of Lynchburg to know that the city manager earns more than $300,000 a year. When people hear that, they are shocked and they transfer mistrust to the city council. And this isn't about envy. I want to make that clear. This is about fairness and stewardship. Public funds aren't unlimited and when they are allocated, we the people should be presented with evaluation,

explanations, and justifications. After all, it is we who paid a paycheck. Raises must be merit-based, tied directly to measurable results. Was the budget followed? Were there strict budget controls? cost-saving to taxpayers, improved services without waste. If yes, please tell us. We want to know. Please be transparent. We do believe that good results should be rewarded. Performance reviews, therefore, should be standardized, documented, and made public. No automatic bumps, no closed- dooror decisions. Full disclosure built trust. Currently we are facing a lot of different tax raises from the state and so affordability was an issue and continues to be an issue. That is why we look towards you our local leaders to ease the burden. I urge this council to keep the government accountable to its people. Perhaps audit is necessary. Please rebuild trust and please lead with integrity. Thank you.

Agenda item number eight, hear from a citizen regarding transparency and accountability, Angela Cash. Please restate your name and locality residents.

Angela Cash, Lynchburg 24502. Good evening, council members. Transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility are the foundation of trust between the city council and the people it serves. the strong 6 to1 Republican majority. You campaigned on those principles and you have a responsibility to uphold them. That is why it is deeply concerning to learn that the city manager has reportedly approved substantial salary increases, some ranging from 15% to 40% for employees within his own office, seemingly outside the standard payroll policies that apply to other city staff. Most city employees receive compensation adjustments through a structured review process approved by council, typically around 10% for promotions or the recent 2.5% cost of living adjustment. If that is the standard across departments, why does the city manager's office appear to receive significantly larger increases? At best, this creates the appearance of inconsistency. At worst, it undermines confidence in leadership and raises serious concerns about fiscal responsibility. It also affects morale among employees who keep our water running, our streets maintained, and our parks safe for our children. This situation raises broader questions about how are funds being allocated across departments. Are some areas being prioritized while others are constrained? What oversight exists to ensure fairness and accountability? Transparency is not optional. It is essential. An independent audit would provide clarity and help restore public trust. Audits are safeguards against waste, mismanagement, and uneven treatment. Taxpayers deserve assurance that public funds are spent responsibly and equitably. With tax increases looming from Richmond and rising cost affecting families at home, now is the

time to scrutinize large expenditures, eliminate unnecessary fees, and focus on the needs of hardworking individuals. I urge this council to put transparency and fiscal responsibility first and to act decisively to maintain the trust of the community. Thank you. [clears throat] Agenda item number nine, hear from a citizen regarding early voting. FJ Jalil, please restate your name and locality of residence. [cough and clears throat]

FJ Jalil Lynchberg. Greetings city council members and to your illustrious staff. On the topic of voting, would to God each and every resident of Lynchburg voted in every election. I once lived in an area where the voter turnout was in the 90th percentile. How much more confident would we be as a city that the right policies and right persons were chosen by the citizens of Lynchburg were that the case here? Further great would it be if people knew well who and what they were voting for and why for that matter, but that's largely an education issue to consider another time. Tonight, a matter at hand is essentially the inquiry of what can be done locally here to stave off the encroachment of power and influence from Richmond, Virginia. I believe history demonstrates the less influence Richmond has on us, the better for us. I support and commend the effort to find out what you can and cannot do toward this end in seeking that relief and declarations for our city. Over a decade ago, I ran an independent dollar store in a strip mall between a Sally's Beauty and a grocery store like Kroger. I was the founder, the owner, the manager, a stock clerk, shipping and receiving, the cashier, maintenance, and more. I had zero time and zero energy to research the candidates or ask about the referendums and measures introduced to vote on. The day before the election, around midnight, I made the time to research them all. I forced myself to inquire because I believed in the value of having a say through the ballot box and I wanted to do it with knowledge, not just believing any slogan or motto pitched to the public by way of advertisements which can be manipulative.

So questions are the way to clear your path forward and voting is our right. I also encourage you to make time to ask how we can get more citizens out to vote either early on election day or at all. Then all of us can more clearly move forward. Agenda item number 10 hear from a citizen regarding local elections and campaign finance. Jeff Rosner, please restate your name and locality of residence. Yes, I'm Jeff Rosner, citizen of Lynchber. On February 10th, February 10th, the News in Advance ran an article on Lynchberg City Council elections, partly about rural ground game. The article quotes the chair of the Lynchberg Republican City Committee as saying in part that rural ground game is quote a group that is not registered, not accountable, and not disclosing its donors unquote. At the February 12th electoral board meeting, I explained how documents from the state elections department clearly show that rural ground game is registered and accountable and discloses its donors. I also explained how to download those documents on the elections department website. Go through the reports menus to campaign finance reports 2012 through present. [clears throat] Type in the word rural, select search, then select rural ground game.

Several active Republicans attended that electoral board meeting. And on February 15th, there was a letter to the editor about the Republican chair's statement. So by now the Republican chair should have the correct information about rural ground game. She should issue a correction and apologize. As far as I know, she has not yet done either one. Also, and uh this may be the item that was added to the agenda, uh there may be circuit court litigation about early voting with an outside attorney that affects the registar and electoral board. The memorandum of understanding between the city and the registar and electoral board provides for the state risk management division andor the attorney general's office handling litigation affecting the registar or electoral board and uh I have copies of the relevant part of theou and uh I would I would like to provide them to city council and to staff. Thank you. Agenda item number 11 hear from a group representative regarding public transit in Lynchburg. Andre Miller, GLTC board of directors. [snorts] Don't see. Okay, moving on. Agenda item number 12, hear from a group representative regarding civility and local governance. Michael Bremer, Lynchburg, better together. Please restate your name. Group

representative, locality residents.

Good evening, mayor, members of council. I'm Michael Bremer, resident of W 4. One month ago, Lynchburg better together released the city council conduct pledge. It is not about policy. It does not take in positions on taxes, zoning, or schools. It outlines baseline expectations on how city council should conduct public business with professionalism, respect, procedural discipline, and accountability. We released the pledge after several years in which council many meetings included long procedural disputes, repeated point of order interruptions, prolonged debate over meeting minutes, visible conflict among members, and at times the need for police presence due to escalating tensions. Residents have waited extended periods to speak while internal disputes consume the meeting. Against that backdrop, we invited residents to sign the pledge and answer one question. Why does this matter to you? In 30 days, more than 250 residents signed the pledge. 158 chose to leave written comments. Here is some of what they said. Local government should not be a source of embarrassment. Kindness and integrity should rule the day. It is shameful and embarrassing to read about our city council misbehavior. We need professional and respectful leaders on city council. City council's negative interactions have been very embarrassing. I'm proud to be from Lynburg, but lately what is written and said about our city council and its behavior has been embarrassing and I believe has hurt us economically. It's time for that to change. We can do better. Embarrassment is just one theme. Trust is another. For example, the public has lost confidence in the city council due to a lack of

professionalism and civility. Or this comment, local government depends on public trust. When basic norms of governments break down, when meetings lose focus, procedures are misused, and public business is delayed or obscured, residents lose confidence in the institution meant to serve them. Many com comments tie conduct directly into council's inability to function. For instance, this one. Council needs to get work done for all of us, not spend hours wasting time on incessant points of order. Lack of civility has decreased council productivity. And this an effective city council is crucial for our city. The conduct of council this past couple of years is embarrassing and is getting to the point and getting in the way of policymaking. There is no place for childish behavior to continue on our council. Several citizens wrote about the impact beyond this chamber. The dysfunction in our current council is impacting the work of our city and its employees. This has to stop. We also heard privately from current city employees who supported the pledge but were not comfortable signing it publicly. Even though the pledge calls only for professionalism and civility, they expressed concern about potential backlash. That hesitation in itself is telling. And many people simply expressed exhaustion like this. I'm tired of the infighting in general embarrassment. It has been exhausting to watch. But there's also bipartisan clarity. For example, this comment. This pledge repeats that I what I've been saying to council for year at for years at council

meetings. It matters not that I'm a Republican and this pledge is created by Democrats. This pledge is bipartisan and puts all of Lynchberg first. Across affiliations, residents said the same thing. This is not about ideology. It is about standards. It is about whether city council can function in a way that earns trust, restores public confidence, and allows the city's work to move forward with vision. People are proud to call the city of Lynburg home, but pride is fragile. When meetings devolve into conflict and paralysis, it sends a a message far beyond this chamber. Residents are not asking for unanimity. They're asking for maturity. They're asking for leadership that reflects the best of this community, not the worst moments of its politics. The opportunity to model that leadership sits before us. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. The next section is general business. It includes new items for discussion. Agenda item number 13, consideration of adopting an ordinance repealing article six of chapter 18 of the city code concerning contracts and procurement processes. This item was discussed during council's business item briefings on February 10th. [clears throat] May I have a motion? So moved. Second. Second. Speak to you. You know, does the city have a presentation kind of just give us a brief summary of it? I could give a brief. Okay. Yes, sir. Thank you.

Thank you for I I did ask Miss Sudter to be here for for questions on the procurement process if needed. This is I understand it's a cleanup of the ordinance. Um, we have a I believe it's chapter 18.1 is our governing uh procurement ordinance and contract ordinance that we we have now. This has been on the books for a long time and and really what staff is seeking is part I guess part one of a part one of two process is to repeal this old chapter um and then to come back uh at some point in time with some updates to our current procurement ordinance. understood what the what the emotion was for. Thank you. Appreciate it.

No comments. That was internet. Alicia, I was signed in, but I lost it. Okay. And for the record, it's a repeal. That's the the motion. Is there anyone else for discussion? No. Let's vote. Should I call for the voice or you? Uh, I just got in so I think I'm good. Okay. All right. Initiating the vote now to approve. [cough]

Not go through. It's not coming through. Okay, I'll call for the voice clip. Council Missions, no. Council Reed, yes. Council member Timmer, no. Council Wilder, yes. Vice Mayor Demer, no. Mayor Taylor, yes.

The motion fails. Agenda item number 14, consideration introducing a resolution amending the FY2026 city federal state aid fund budget and appropriating $20,844 to the Lynchburg Police Department for drone equipment. This item is discussed during finance committee's meeting earlier today.

I defer to Miss Reed. Yes, we um had a presentation from Chief Edwards earlier and this had passed in finance and I will go ahead and make the motion. But if Chief Edwards, if you want to come and speak to this real quick, just explain to council what we're doing here. Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Vice Mayor, members of council. So, the uh Lynchburg Police Department was awarded $20,844 through a competitive grant process from the Department of Criminal Justice Services calendar year 2026 unmanned aircraft trade and replace grant program. This funding opportunity was established to assist localities in replacing foreign manufactured unmanned aircraft systems, drones, uh, with US manufactured models, aligning with current state and federal guidance related to equipment security and responsible technology use. And there's no local match required with that. I'll be happy to answer any questions. May

I have? Thank you, Chief. I appreciate the update. Um, I'm need some clarification because on the agenda it says unless I'm totally missing something. Oh, I'm sorry. I was on the next item. I thought we were doing bicycles and you're talking drones. So, yes, I would throw all my questions. That's next. Is there anyone else? Miss Timmer. Well, we're all going to thank you. So, I I'm going to add to that. Um, just thank you for what you're doing and thank you for your work in the department and we're glad to have you. Thank you. Anyone else?

Cast your votes, please. There we go. The motion passes. 51. Agenda item number 15. Consideration of introducing a resolution amending the FY2026 city federal state aid fund budget and appropriating $9,000 to Lynburg Police Department for electric bicycles. This item was discussed during finance committee meeting earlier today.

Uh [clears throat] refer to the chair of that committee, Mr. Reed. Thank you, mayor. Yes, this did pass in finance earlier and I'll go ahead and make the motion, but Chief Edwards, go ahead and you fill in council, please. Thank you.

Thank you again, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Vice Mayor, members of council. So, uh, this was awarded to the Lynchburg Police Department through fiscal year 2026 Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant program. Uh, this was a competitive grant provides funding for the purchase of two public safety grade electric bicycles, ebikes. Uh, if you recall years ago, we actually had a bike patrol unit. uh that went away uh due to some staffing reasons, but uh [clears throat] we'd like to reintroduce the bike patrol and it will increase visibility and create more opportunities for positive day-to-day interaction with the community. This will be especially important as the city prepares for increased activity around the new amphitheater and other community events. And uh we can also use those bikes on the Blackwater Creek trail system as well to have a uh better presence down there than we're able to with traditional vehicles.

Thank you. Yes, sir. Any discussion? Mr. Wild?

Yes. Good. Thank you for the information. It is a grant prior. I'm glad for your staff is looking for other ways to save the citizens money and to bring in money from outside of our community. So even for the prior grant, it was also making sure for the drones, it was about to make sure they purchase drones that are Americanmade. So that's another reason why reason to support even more so because they're buying American products. Um bike control, we we excited about that with all the things going downtown and also all things expanding at the White Rock Center. They hope to have a satellite center there. So, all the things that going on in our community. So, we appreciate the work you're doing and your staff are doing to make our city better and safe. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Agreed. And again, um that these two um sorry,

thank you. um that the two ebikes because they're covered under this grant, there is no match needed and that you'll be using them to just provide extra patrols within the city, which is also a great opportunity for our community members to be able to engage with officers and that you'll be adding regular bicycles along with this bike patrol. So, we won't be spending $4,500 per bike on the city's dime. This is just a great grant to add these uh new bikes to our to our regular bicycle patrol, too. So this is just I like the fact that you're bringing back the bike unit. I think that's going to be great. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Let's vote. Thank you, sir.

All right. Initiating the vote now for approval. Motion passes 6. All right. Agenda item number 16, consideration of adopting an ordinance extending the repeal date of the citywide youth curfew ordinance. This item was discussed during the council's business item briefings on February 10th. Um, you know, we talked about this last time and chief, you suggested that we continue on with the curfew and I think we all lean on you for direction and guidance, but also the um data spoke for itself that it's working and I know the mayor talked about, you know, when we first adopted the curfew Um, I don't think any of us will forget the events that led to that. Um, I know it's seared into our community's brain because it came out of the tragic loss of three young children in our city in three months. and uh the the outcry that the city had that led up to the curfew starting. And um you know there was push back from parts of the city for different reasons, but the support and the [snorts] port portion of the community that really asked for it was our downtown community. And uh and I think Mayor Taylor said it really well. Until they the the community members who really asked for it, I think tell us to stop,

then we keep going. And until the data tells us otherwise, we keep going because this is really what's we're trying to do is continue to protect our citizens through um through the curfew and and protect the kids from themselves, you know. So, uh, I will continue to support it as long as we need to. And thank you. Thank you to the officers that are helping that. The kids don't realize it, but that's what they're really trying to do. So, thank you.

I really didn't have any comments, but again, um, I was I was skeptical at the beginning. Um, but since we haven't received any reports that it was used um, in a negative manner, um, no one has complained to me about about that. So, I'm just again having another tool in our toolkit to make our community safer. So, I appreciate that what you're doing in our community. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Gman. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I

I I'm not going to support this, Chief. Crime being down is good news and I thank you for and your men for the and women for the work that they do. Um but crime is declining statewide and nationally and the data you presented to us in the presentation uh showed correlation but not proof that the curfew caused those declines. That was this was meant to be temporary measure as you know. Um without a clear specific evidence of the impact I don't believe extension is justified. So I'm going to be voting no. Um, I I need a better reason to limit the freedom of our citizens and I think it's time for this uh curfew to end. So,

Mimler,

thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I would like to offer a friendly amendment, hopefully friendly, uh, and that would be that in addition to a curfew, we would direct city staff to put together a task force um, including the chief of police or his design design, the school superintendent and or well or her design um, the director of social services or his designate and two parents to look into an alternate approach uh, to getting our youth youth back at home and in safe locations rather than having a perpetual curfew. So, I I'm I will vote for it today, but I I would like to see this taken seriously. Um it's something that I've brought up as a matter of concern each time we voted on this. Um I've I've asked city staff in this regard and um if if the amendment is not accepted, then I will bring it forward as a roll call item for us to consider in the future. But I believe that it is a compliment to the curfew. I understand the value of the tools that it has provided to the chief um and and the men and women serving our community. But in addition to that, we need to look at a broader approach of how are we engaging our youth rather than through these external forces um that that could have potentially negative consequences. So, I'd like that task force as an amendment that would continue with the

curfew. Submissions. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think that uh Council Member Timmer just pretty much summed up where my thoughts are on this because in the work session I discussed finding an offramp, I think are the is the exact term that I used. I think it is time to start looking for that off-ramp. So again, I can support the curfew with the offramp. So if it gets accepted as a friendly amendment, I can support it. If it doesn't, I'm I'm happy to second an actual amendment if if that's what you would like to do

either way. Um but without the off-ramp provision in there, I can't support it. With the offramp in there, I can do it.

You know, Virginia Beach just increased their curfew. Uh the night of the murder of the little boy over there on Floyd Street, Kingston, I saw four youth, say 15, have to be about 15 years old running that committed that crime. I grew up with curfew. We had curfew. It works. It helps. Um it's a tool for the parents, especially in my neighborhood. When you got 13, 14 year old boys with no fathers in the house, they need that. Police need that extra tool to be able to take the boy home without locking him up

before he get locked up. So, I'm I'm going to vote for this again and as often as I can, Miss Timber.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and I really appreciate your comments. My um my sentiment and my desire in now making a an amendment and I would ask for a second is that we look for a way to keep fathers in the home that we look for a way to support our youth before they're in these situations that require police intervention. That we look for ways to address truency in the school system because that's a real issue in our school system. So, let's put a task force together that's proactive, that helps addressing these issues on the front end, that's more comprehensive with the tools we have available. We'll keep the curfew in place for a year, and we'll see where we go from there. But, but let's get proactive about this. Let's deal with the fatherhood situation. So, that's that's the task force that I am now offering as an amendment, and I appreciate the second to that amendment.

Thank Speak to second.

Second. No, I and I appreciate your comments, Mr. Mayor. Uh, and and I fully supported the curfew when the concept first came up and I think that there's been some good that came out of it. I'm in a unique situation because I got one that's getting ready to cut loose with the driver's license at the end of this week. So, it's really had me start to think about this and to think about the, you know, the really what we're doing is the freedoms we're restricting people with. you know, it's not it doesn't do anything. And a lot of it has to do with the fact that I'm comfortable as a parent knowing if my son's out past the curfew, we're going to be communicating. I'm going to know where he is. Everything's going to be good, right? And that's we need to get to the root of this issue. And the root of this issue isn't just government putting an edict out there saying nobody's out past this time of night if you're under this age. It's actually trying to solve the problem and empower families. That's what we need to do. Um I appreciate this amendment. I think it's thoughtful. I think it's reasonable. There's no time constraint on this. What we're saying is let's put a team together to come up with an offramp. We're not saying the offramp's going to be at the end of a year or at the end of two years. What we're saying is we want to put a team together to start working on coming up with an offramp. That's how I can support this. I'm thankful and and I'll be supporting this amendment.

Miss Timmer, just one amendment to your language actually. Let's put a team together that makes this unnecessary. Let's put a team together that and and I know that's idealistic, but at the same time, what is the root that's driving this problem? and and we do have tools and resources to start addressing some of those components. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Re.

I'm trying to figure out how to say this. I appreciate the sentiment behind the task force. But if a task force is what it took to solve this problem, this problem would have been solved years ago. Do you know how many organizations and churches and nonprofits have been trying to figure out how to solve the issue with fatherlessness in the home? This is a generational problem. go to the jails and the prisons and look at how many men for decades don't have daddies that were active in their lives. I wish a task force was the solution. Talk to Dr. Wilder and I I about the children that we have in our organizations. Talk to the chief about all the children and young men that they have to deal with daily who have had this problem for years because they wish they had a man in their lives. I wish it was this simple. But I think it's um really sad that we have to have a condition on a curfew right now to get something passed to make it sound good for a task force that there are so many organizations in this city neck deep already that have been around for years trying to solve this problem.

Actively doing it. actively doing it, begging people to volunteer. How many people on this council are volunteering to be mentors? We don't need a new task force. We need people already in the city involved in the organizations that are already asking to help. We don't need to create recreate the wheel. But as an atlarge council member, I represent the people who begged us for this curfew, who live on the blocks where these children are dying, who are still asking us to keep this curfew active. Let them come line up and tell us to stop this curfew. When they're lining up and saying, "We're done. then I will say it's time when they're lining up and saying we need a new task force, then I'll vote on that amendment. But I know they know there are plenty of people trying to help solve this problem. And and we're not even trying enough because like I said, how many people watching in this city right now are actively trying to help already with all the organizations out there? I ask all the time with my other organization for people to come in and spend time with my kids. Cousin Flood does all the time. If everybody that was complaining would spend some time, an hour a week with a child out there, it would change lives. We don't need anything new. We do not need Are you volunteering?

Anybody out here volunteering that's saying this? Go volunteer. Go volunteer with these kids that you're talking about. Spend time with them. But this curfew needs to be passed because we have the data that shows it's working. And we don't need an amendment to pass that. We do not need an amendment to pass that. We should not have a condition on it. And again, this is just a political move. More politics. And anyway, our atlarge members represent the part of the city that asked us and begged us for this to to begin with and it would be a devastation to say it has to be conditional. Ridiculous.

Mr. Wilder, thank you. Thank you for your suggestion. I appreciate that. But again, I've worked with communities for 30 plus years in Lynchburg. I mean, I have been on so many task force. School task force, late night task force, basketball task force, how to keep them out of jail task force, getting parents involved. I'd have been on 50 task force. So, we're going to ask our school superintendent, our director of of social services, and our police chief who are probably already on 20 task force, get another task force. If we could just work with the task force we have, we wouldn't have as many problems as we have. So I appreciate the work that the overwork people right now this police chief and we have the four waves coalition go to that meeting and say let's do so and so work with that group go to um the the one community one voice meeting every first Thursday go to those meet we have several committees in our city that's already designed to address these issues if we could support those committees it would be so wonderful go support at the kumba dances she's doing an amazing job go support her young ladies and young men who who are out in the community making a difference so we can support the groups that are already out here. That would be so wonderful having another task force. I appreciate it. But from a person who been here for 30 years working on task force, I'm going to I'm so tired of task force. I want some people to do something. I'm freaking tired of a dag on task force. I'm so tired of going to meetings and nothing happens. I'm so Oh my god. I go to meetings all day long. I'm sick of it. I want something to happen. I want something to change. Bring some action. Bring some work. Don't just say, "Let's have another task force." I'm tired of that. I'm tired of that. I'm sorry. I am so tired of task force. Excuse me, Miss Timmer.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, and thank you for the comments. I want to clarify a couple things that have been reframed. Uh, but but first, uh, Chief Edwards, would you mind answering a question? How many times have you spoken with our school superintendent? How many times have I spoken with her? Yeah. regarding city business regarding city business

in general. Okay. Once thank you. So a lot of our information is siloed as a city and we need to be able to provide the tools and resources as a city to the nonprofits that are doing wonderful work. This is not the solution. This is part of a solution. And so being able to bring this to the table I believe would be highly valuable. And if it doesn't work, then we scrap it. It's not a problem. But let's look at proactive ways that we can deal with the truency issue and have these communications taking place so then we're not constantly using external government factors to control people. And and Mr. Mayor, I'd also like to identify and recclarify that I never made this conditional. I never said that. I said, "I am willing to vote for the the ongoing curfew, but if the amendment is not voted for as part of an amendment, I will bring it forward as an independent item as a council member." So, that representation was either a misunderstanding. Um, again, I believe that this is us creating communication across very um valuable and related city departments that are often seen as unrelated and it allows us as council members to better utilize our resources as tools for the community with nonprofit partners to get the job done. I think we need to use I agree with council member Reid. We need to use every opportunity that we have to solve these problems. So, this is something that I am putting forward to open up the communication. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Yes, ma'am. What's the mission? Thank you. Do you have any issues with the task force, Mr. Sir, do you have any issue? Do you do you have any do you have any issues with the task force if if we were to put a task force in to help try to find an offramp for this? I well with the work session previously uh you had mentioned the off-ramp potentially with this if it's approved develop out an offramp because we need an offramp. Sure. It sounds like tonight that it is

contingent on this even being approved. So uh [clears throat] an offramp like now I I I just think that it's going to take time to create this task force. Uh I believe and I won't speak for council but there was crime data to support instituting this uh uh curfew originally and it was based on crime data. crime data is now down which I think shows that it is working and sure there's a variety of factors uh not just solely the juvenile curfew but I believe it is working and when council adopted this ordinance it was three-fold to reduce juvenile related violence and crime to promote the safety and well-being of youth under the age of 18 and to reinforce parental responsibility so I think it's working and we can certainly in the next year uh well it won't take that long but develop out this task task force I think as well. So yeah.

So but I guess you see the value in trying to come up with some kind of offramp. That's the question I'm getting at. Do do you see? Sure there. Yes. I think there needs to be if if it's going to change or to either completely go away or if it's going to become seasonal something like that. I think there needs to be some kind of an offering. Yes. And the task force could be an option with that uh to do that. Got it. Thank you, Miss Timmer. Sorry, one other clarification just to Dr. Wilders's comments or a designate. So, we don't have to tie up, but we we need the conversations flowing. That's what I'm saying. Yeah, Mr. De.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Uh, some may wonder why I voted against drones tonight, and those only vote, too. But I've observed some things as a political science uh student in a study of history in Lynchburg, the city I love, very very much. And I feel like Liberty is slowly being eroded one small bite at a time. I think any of these programs that we do need very strict guidelines. Whether it's the flock cameras that have slowly popped up around our city, the uh neighbors of mine have been giving access to their security cameras that are pointed at my house. And I don't mind them having a camera, but given access to the police department to a view of my house that they can access at any time. If that's what's going on, we need guidelines. We need strict guardrails for this type of thing. Secure uh curfews as part of that. Curfews is a restriction on liberty on our citizens and we've got some exemptions about eight of them I think if I watch closely. Is that about right? About eight reasons that you can get out of being in trouble for breaking the curfew and that's good. But if you got to have eight reasons uh to get out of it, maybe we shouldn't have it. Properties taken through the state or through our city. That that goes on in people take homes. The city takes homes. Our police radios in Lynchburg have gone silent, which I've mentioned to you before that I've got concern about. Not just because I listen to the police radio and my wife loves the police radio. She used to work for Lancome. God bless her. She still likes to listen to the police radio. But all of a sudden, we can't hear that anymore. And we talk about community policing, but your community can't hear what you're up to. And you all are our servants. And you're doing our work to protect and serve. And as our servants, uh, we'd kind of like to know what you're doing. So, these are all creeping things. A little bit here,

a little bit there. But I see a bigger picture that I'm concerned about, and that is shrinking liberty. And I really want us to seriously look at all the things that we do and make sure there are strict guidelines on this stuff. And I I again think the curfew and the reduction in violence is a correlation to a national reduction that's happened. And I would argue what probably would have happened here without the curfew. If you can show me how our correlation is different and it was because of the curfew, I will listen. I've heard the policemen say they like it. I've heard parents say they like it. Uh so I'm listening. But I'm also looking at it from a city councilman's perspective of a city I love and a city that I think is slowly turning the heat up on a frying pan uh to the point we don't maybe notice every little incremental step. But altogether eventually if we keep turning the the heat up

like this and we wake up one day and find out our liberty is gone um that will that will be very sad. Thank you. Mr. Well,

just real briefly, there's already a truency committee with the school system and they address some of these same issues that have some of the same people already on that committee. Just maybe ask that committee to kind of review this as well and make a sub portion of that committee. So, there's so many I'm telling you, I can give you 10 committees right now to address this. The fatherhood initiative working on that with the 518 or 517, they working on fatherhood trying to get fatherhoods active. There's so many committees. just talk to the truency committee and say let's work on that process as well through the school system. So we already have committees involved and again look we're a committee council who has been reducing funding for our parks and wreck reducing funding to some of our community centers but yet we want to say let's stop this let's get another task force the task force don't need we need to get the task force say give more money to our parks and wreck so cers because they belong let's give more money to basketball programs so they can have some kids off the street but into a a constructive program but no we want to say oh let's have a task force we don't need we need to put some some support by these programs that are breaking and I have another task force. Thank you,

Miss Timber. Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. And and I appreciate that. There are a lot of different task force. There are a lot of different groups, but again, that's on truency and it's not dealing with youth at night. It is related. It's related to the fatherhood component. There needs to be cross-pollination between these silos. M. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. If uh Dr. Wilder would answer a question. I would I would love to ask him exactly how many dollars we've reduced from parks and wreck in those programs that he uh mentioned because he said that we reduced dollars from certain programs. I'd like to know exactly what dollars we reduced. Good dollar red.

We I don't have the exact I'm not the finance director. She probably needs to answer that when she was here. But I know we closed some centers. We closed um some centers. The the nature zone was closed. So I know some closed centers have been reduced in those areas. Were any of those open at night? Were any of those open at night?

I don't think that was a question. But we reduce funding for some of those areas. You know, it was a whole list. They gave us the list of things they had to cut. Some they put back in was a whole list of programs they want to cut because they want to reduce taxes. We want to reduce the the tax rate so we can reduce services. But then we want to say we want to do this. Uh we can't have it both ways. Will you reduce funding to our city? That's going to cut some services. So, some services have been cut. Mm. I think you answered my question, but but I think you're specifically talking about the list the city manager gave us. Thank you. Okay. Mayor. Yes, ma'am. [sighs]

There is a lot up here that is just proving [clears throat] what people don't understand that's happening in our city. I mean, seriously, you you need to go spend time walking around and seeing what's happening happening in our neighborhoods with our youth and going it and I'm going to admit I learned more in the last few years um than I than I thought I would ever learn. And I didn't know later.

I didn't know what I didn't know. And I then I knew and then you can't you can't know you know you can't not know it. And um it's a deeply rooted situation like I said and it's devastating and it t it's it takes a whole community and there's so much that needs to be done and I like I said I wish it was as easy as a task force and I and I appreciate the sentiment but uh we have something that's been working. I don't understand what's happening up here. I understand an offramp. We talked about that last time. You know, you did mention something about an off-ramp at some point, and I think that's fine. You know, we know it can't be forever,

but [laughter] there are people texting me right now like that I know are from the same area of the city where this all happened. and like that will lose their minds because if this does not pass tonight because like I said when there's a line out the door that's saying it's time to end it and and maybe it takes you being called at 2 in the morning like well I mean I can't even speak to what law enforcement and our firefighters have to show up and see or the family members that hold these children in their arms. because I only had to be on the call when our city manager called me and told me about Kingston. Some of our council members were there, the people in this part of the city that see those things and our first responders that are there and hear the crying mothers and the family members and the neighbors that see this in the same part of the city over and over and over again. and it's their teenage sons that are arrested and spend forever or a good part of their lives in jail. That is the reality. And those are phone calls you never forget. And those are images you can never forget. [snorts] And those are lives that they years of their lives they don't get back. And that is what this curfew is for. If we can save any number of teens from making a bad choice, if it's one or five, that is what this is for. And you've shown us data that there have been less crimes committed, less kids out, more kids in. And that is who we're fighting for. And that is what our citizens begged us to do. And [clears throat] we listen to them. And that is what we're trying to honor

tonight. So again, I appreciate the the intent here, but it [snorts] I just people are not understanding and then we need to all be more educated as a city about what is happening and what is is h I'm sorry, I don't even have words, but we need to pass this curfew and we can talk about an offramp, but regardless if it's conditional or not conditional, I'm not going to support the task force [clears throat] or the amendment. I'm going to support what we told our chief we were going to support and what we told our community we were going to support for the reasons we said we were going to do it from the beginning. And if y'all want to put something else together later on, we can talk about it some other time. But I'm not going to deal with the aftermath of a furious portion of our citizens who still want this for politics. I'm not.

Uh Miss T. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I'm not quite sure why a test force is so controversial, but I would like to call for the vote on the amendment. Let's vote. This is for the motion to amend. Initiating now. [snorts] The motion fails with a 331. And now I believe you do have a main motion on the floor. We have a main motion. Let's vote on the main motion. All right. This is

still not speak. [clears throat]

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. It's it's unfortunate that we couldn't do something as reasonable as as uh trying to get some people together to have some conversations about this. I made it clear in the work session that I wanted to see an offramp for this. Normally I would support this but without any kind of offramp in sight I can't support this for another year perpetually because when you look at um some of the information that's been provided to us and the curfew data itself is not being enforced that much. I know that we're trying to say that there's some correlation with the crime being down but there was a huge uh amount of enforcement actions on the curfew in 2023. I think there's only been one firearm recovered since it's been enacted based on the data that you guys provided. And that's again going all the way back to 2023. Uh significantly those numbers have dropped off. Charges and so forth, enforcement actions with the curfew have dropped off in the in the 24 25. I wish we could have gotten the the uh amendment to to have some kind of off-ramp. Again, I don't know why that was so controversial. I thought that was reasonable with an off-ramp. I'd be happy to support this without an off-ramp. I can't support it. I was that 16 year old boy out past time in Charlottesville and I still wear that scar where I laid in the street and got a beaten. I was that 16 year old boy who went to the University of Virginia hospital and got stitches in his head because I was out. I was out there past 12 doing things I ain't had no business. I got the beating.

So the curfew is working when you have less of these things happening. So let's vote, please. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I will vote in favor of this tonight, but this will be the last time unless we have other action. Um, I I'm just putting that on the table. A a perpetual curfew without a proactive plan is irresponsible as a city in my mind. Um, let's let's open the communication. Let's create these opportunities and I will be putting it forward for I agree with you. We can work on other things. Thank you. Thank you,

Mr. Wild. Let's recommend everyone go to the next 40 weightights coalition and bring it as one of the topics. They can work on that or one of the other committ but let's work on that committee and they can address that. Thank you Mr. [clears throat] and I appreciate your willingness to vote on this tonight and I I wasn't opposed to an offramp. I just don't think it needs to be discussed tonight. I think we voted on this tonight and the chief had mentioned at at our work session, I believe, on working towards an off-ramp when this expires or discussing that direction when this one this extension expires. So, I'm I'm not opposed to that. I just think it didn't need to be conditional for this evening to pass. So, I appreciate your willingness. Thank you,

Mr. Dean.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. [laughter] Uh, [clears throat] as I said before, I can't support extending the curfew tonight based on the evidence I've seen uh and what's been presented. I'd love to see some better evidence uh that isn't correlated to national or state reduction. Uh [clears throat] I would have been willing to support creating a task force and I I I haven't served on a lot of task force. I uh I don't think we need to end all task forces and I I love 40 Ways Coalition. I love all these organizations. I wouldn't I wouldn't get rid of a single one of them. And uh maybe after I've been here as long as Dr. Wilder, I'll have similar feelings. But right now, I think they do great work and I work with many of them. And uh I do mentor some children and I do work with some kids and I'm involved in a lot of organizations and uh I don't resent what was said, but I do think that there needs to be some clarity about that that uh we need to be careful about accusing each other of not doing things that we're actually doing. So, um, be careful of what we say up here. It's very important that it's truthful. I I can't support this tonight. Uh, it needs to be more datadriven evaluation. Um, if the curfew is truly causing reductions in juvenile crime during these curfew hours, we should be able to demonstrate that, chief. And that uh we should be able to do that before we renew it. So, that's why I will not be supporting it tonight. Maybe if you bring it back with more data,

Miss I'll support it. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, um I'm going to make a motion to amend the expiration date to September 8th. That's the day after Labor Day. What that'll do is kind of give us through the summer and then see if we can come up with an offramp by then. And I'm going to make that as a motion to amend the instead of doing it a year, we'll extend it six months. If I could get a second on that, that would be great. But I am going to put that motion out there to see if we can So, we got a second. Second.

So, if I can speak to the motion, Mr. Mayor. I just again I'd like to support this, but I'd also like to try to get an off-ramp off of this. I think that a reasonable compromise here would be to extend it for six months, then try to come up with an off-ramp by the end of the summer that gives us coverage through the summer, which tends to be kind of the busier time of year through Labor Day. Kids will be back in school, and then before the uh before we get into the fall, we can we can come up with an offering for this. I think that's a reasonable approach. Speak to a second. to speak to your second.

Yeah, I uh I'd be in favor of a six-month because I think that'll give uh you more time to get the data that I'm looking for. uh and any reduction in in the curfew uh that returns some liberty sooner. I'm going to be favor favorable too. M I will not be supporting the amendment because the recommendation from our chief based on the data that he gave us was to extend it for the year and I'm supporting your recommendation based on you being the expert in here and knowing what you're talking about. So thank you. That's well that really but again um what is the time period for this? Is it next year? What is it year? What is it was March 2nd 2027?

So pretty much a year. Okay. Effective March 2nd 2026 to March 2nd and that would give us more time to review it as well. Um I think the city citizens need an offramp on several things but I'm not going to go there. Thank you. What's the mission? Mr. Mayor,

Mr. Mayor, I hope you'll support this. I think it's reasonable. I think uh I'd like to support the curfew as one of the original people that supported it when it when it first came out. I actually want to thank our Conwell's attorney, Bethany Harrison, for helping write it. She was she was instrumental in helping write the actual ordinance that we have and providing some information to to get us where we got. And and again, I think it's been a good tool, but I think that we do need to come up with an offer for it. And I think that 6 months is a reasonable extension. That gives us plenty of time to come up with that. Maybe it's something different than the task force idea that Council Member Timmer proposed. That gives us time to come up with that.

I think it uh um kind of creates a little bit of um incentive, so to speak, to really come up with that off-ramp. If we if we set that expiration out, six months covers us through the the busiest time, which is the summer. and and I just think it's reasonable to help us get get to where we need to go as a city with that. So I ask [snorts] you to support it, Mr. Mayor. Okay, let's vote on the amendment. [clears throat]

All right, this is a motion to amend and initiating the vote now. [cough and clears throat] The motion fails. Three, three, and one absent. Let's vote on the main motion. Thank you, chief. Thank you, Chief.

All right, initiating that vote now to adopt. So motion passes 42 with one absent. Uh Mr. R, before we move on to the item not on the agenda, um I do believe that there is a public commenter who was not here prior who has shown up. Um that is correct. Mr. Andre Miller with GLTC if council would allow him the opportunity. Yes. Make his public comment.

All right. I'll reiterate that is hear from a group representative regarding public transit in Lynchburg. Andre Miller, GTC board of directors. Please restate your name, group representative, and locality residents.

My name is Andre Miller. I'm on the board of GOTC board of directors. Um, I have some copies I would like to pass out. Um, I sent the email link. I only have three copies. Could you pass the rest uh copies to everyone? Thank you. All right. Good evening, Mayor Ter and members of council. My name is Andre Miller. I'm a member of GTC board of directors. Before I begin, I would like to thank the board and members of the public for supporting to me tonight. Tonight, I come before you to ask questions about the future of the public transportation in Lynchburg. GLTC receives funding from the federal government and state government, and those funds require a local match. And for the city, that equals to less than 0.3% of its uh budget. This upcoming budget year FY27, the city manager has ordered GOTC to submit a flat budget. A flat monetary budget does not equal a flat operational budget and a flat local contribution does not match with federal and state contributions. As a result, they will pull back funding to match his local contribution. Because of this, we stand to lose $2.5 million in federal funding and state funding. This is a significant loss of funds and to compensate for this loss, service will be reduced. What does the future of public transportation in Lynchburg look like? As of today, staff is preparing to start the process of conducting public hearings on the reduction of one-third of all services. Uh this means Saturdays, Sundays, week nights as well as some routes during the weekday will all be eliminated.

paratransit and microtransit will also be reduced to limited weekday service. For most people, myself included, these changes will be de devastating. It might mean that we can't go to work, to medical appointments, to child care, to grocery stores after 6 p.m. and on the weekends. This just adds another layer of frustration and difficulty to our lives. The ramifications could mean people lose their jobs, their residents, and access to food as public transportation is their only form of transportation. Under federal law, this level of service disruption is consider considered a major service change and requires GTC to conduct a impact assessment and hold public hearings before any changes occur. The budget proposed by the city manager FY27 will begin on July 1st. So we must plan and prepare now in order to be in compliance. The consequences of a city manager proposed budget is loss of revenue equals loss of service. Loss of service equals loss of wrership. And the loss of writership equals the loss of more funding. This is unacceptable and is a dust brow and we will not engage in that. I have been serving on this board for a little over a year now and since then we have informally requested for a joint session with city council and multiple times through our former and current board members Greg Patrick and Mercedes Bronn who are assistants to the city manager and we were denied every time. In November of 2025, the board formally voted to request a session with council. And as of today, that request has yet to be honored. Why? I don't know. And that's a question I think council should ask the city manager. As a result of his actions or lack of GOTC does not have clear direction from council. What level of public transportation service does council want to have in Lynchburg?

You have the right to decide that for the citizens, not the city manager. He does not have that authority. Now, we only have a very limited time to decide. I would like to invite council and the public to attend our board meeting on March 4th at 8:30 a.m. at the GTC public uh transportation transfer station at 800 Kemper Street where staff will give us an update on the situation. We are als you you are also invited to our board retreat on March 19th at 9:00 a.m. at GOTC offices at 419 Riley Drive where we will discuss the FY27 budget and the impact it will have on service for the future of transit in our city. Hope to see you there. Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Yes.

Like to make a motion that we actually do have a joint meeting on a future agenda with uh GTC. I think that would be appropriate. It's concerning to me that that uh apparently they voted on this and it's never been brought to city council. Um I'm also looking at an email right here that was provided to us and I appreciate Mr. Miller. I appreciate you coming up and speaking to us. Uh a member of our city staff, I'm not going to say the name, actually made the comment, I really hope this isn't any of the board members or employees saying this as this is going to severely harm our reputation and credibility with the mayor, vice mayor, and city council. that nobody gets to speak to what harms the reputation with the mayor, the vice mayor, and city council other than the mayor, the vice mayor, and the city council. I think that's highly inappropriate for members of city staff to say that to our appointed boards like GTC. So, I'm making that as a motion that we actually set up that this is a serious thing we need to discuss. I don't know what kind of things we're talking about here. Are we talking about cutting off weekend service? I know that's one of the things that that I've heard about different things of that nature. We need to have this conversation with our GLTC board and try to sort this out. So I believe that's appropriate. I make that as a motion that we set up that joint meeting.

I'll second the joint meeting. Yeah, you second. Yeah. You want to speak to your second? I just thank you for coming forward and this has been an ongoing question as far as prioritization of how those funds how city funds are allocated and this is an absolutely essential service that we have in our city and we need to have the discussion to know how those resources are being utilized to make sure that this is still available.

Thank you Mr. Dee. Well, our buses and our transportation system are a lifeline to our citizens. It's the way they get to work. It's the way they feed their families. It's not a joke. And uh level funding, he's absolutely right, is not operational, does not match operational increases. Everybody knows gas goes up, expenses go up, repairs go up. We need to uh to try to support uh our transportation system. And maybe we are, maybe we aren't, but doesn't sound like we have all the information. And I've said over and over again, we need to have the good information, all the information in order to make a good decision. So, I'm supporting uh this motion to have the conversations so that we can hopefully get to the bottom of this and be reasonable. So,

Dr. Wall,

yes. Thank you. I appreciate the information. Um, now we had a finance committee earlier today. When I asked the the director um some questions that was seemed like that would have been a opportune time for him to bring that up and he did not bring that up. I'd heard a little bit of information. I hadn't read this but I heard something and he did not bring that up at our finance committee meeting. To me that should have been a time to bring that up. So I'm sorry he did not bring that up and we can relate information whatever but to me that's when you have a finance committee me that's when you talk about finances if you have some struggles your finances but again to our community when we reduce funding when we reduce our tax rate we reduce things there are consequences that comes with that flat funding is a consequence when we reduce our taxes we reduce the money coming in we can reduce this I can reduce that it's going to have a consequence on services. That's why they say flat funding because that's what happens when you have to reduce services. It's called a consequence.

That's just stop. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. W. Um, so Mr.

I appreciate the the public comment, but we're we're operating completely out of order. Like we've gotten into this habit of having having public comments and then just making motions out of public comments and adding things to the agenda and this is not this is not even proper procedure here. We we don't know anything about this. We just found out about it tonight and we're just going to now um order a joint meeting which we haven't even we don't have all the information here. So to just add just to to call for a joint meeting. So, and we're again, we're not even this isn't even the way we're supposed to do business. So, I'm not going to support the motion that is improper procedure here to do anything because it's out of order. We need to uh actually move on to what's on the agenda that we added from the top of the meeting and do that. None of this conversation should be even happening. We we can listen to what the gentleman said. We should be on to the next agenda item. We could be talking via email after council or tomorrow and talk about doing the next thing, but we shouldn't be talking about this, voting on it. We should already be talking about the next agenda item. We shouldn't even be voting on anything.

Mr. Yes, Mr. Mayor. I'd like to read section 53, which is public comment B. General rules regarding public comment are as follows. Number 11. Any issue raised by the public which the council wishes to consider may be put on the agenda for for a future council meeting by a majority vote. It is entirely in order. That is exactly what our rules of procedure say. I I you can say it's not right all you want. Agenda future and that's what I said to put on a future agenda for a

You're not voting to do it on a future agenda. I know exactly what the motion was that I made. And to be to be clear, Mr. Mayor, when we have members of staff telling members of the GLTC board, I really hope this isn't any of the board members or employees as this is going to severely harm our reputation and credibility with the mayor, vice mayor, and city council. I can understand why the director may not have said something in a finance committee meeting because when we have this kind of passive aggressive language towards the members of our GTC board, they might not want to say something. So, so we got to cut this out with our [clears throat] board members. We should not be communicating like that to them. Nobody gets to speak to whether or not their reputation is damaged with the council or the mayor, the vice mayor, but the council and the mayor and the vice mayor. Um, so it's very simple asking to put it on the agenda. I'm very surprised that they voted for a request. I've had conversations with people on the GLTC board about this. I've known that this was coming. I knew that your public comment was coming and I appreciate it.

And I do think that we need to put this on a future agenda to set up a joint meeting. So that's Miss Timber. Were you done with your comment? I am. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, just quick points of clarification. You can correct me on this, but my understanding is that you all put forward a flat budget to the city manager's office. That flat budget was denied and then decreased and in relationship with that that it actually cuts out other grants or opportunities financially. Is that budget proposed? Okay. Well, I I'm sorry. I was asking the gentleman from the JTC.

Okay. Well, my point being my point being No. Well, it is relevant and it is according to our rules. No, it is in our rules. We've got a I've got a motion and a second on We're not supposed to be discussing anything in public comment when you move on. It's in our rules procedure. Okay. No. Okay. So, what is the point of order? The point of order is that just because he made a public comment does not mean we should be discussing it right now. This whole Mr. Attorney, please speak to this. So, and it is Oh, you have I have the floor and I'm asking for his opinion. Thank you. Let Let me fix this.

Public comments. Our city manager is sitting there. He's taking notes. He know he know what's going on. And our rules say he take the notes and take things into consideration. Is that's what you're doing. Our rules don't say that. They don't say that. They don't say that. Well, he's taking notes and he's aware of what's going on. So, let's move on. Would it work? Mr. Freriedman, I still asked you to speak, please. Mayor, can I can I offer some thoughts? Yes, sir. So, Councilman Misch is correct that that is the language of 11,

but there is a process that council follows in getting things on the agenda. Yes. And when looking at them together, I would submit that obviously there is the ability if if the mayor permits, yes, in some type of exigency to be able to do an immediate motion and vote, but it is abnormal for us to do it on the fly like that. It's only been done once before that I recall. Okay. And the normal procedure for counciling getting these items on the agenda is through roll call, through working with city staff to understand what's going on and then of course city council addressing it. Yes. Mr. Timmer.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, unfortunately, the rules of procedure are the focal point of city council. That's why I put forward a rules package that unfortunately was then rewritten and gutted to have an alternate intent. Um, that's for another time. My point being, our rules say what they say. They do not say at the mayor's discretion. The reason they don't say at the mayor's discretion is because it protects a minority voice on council so that our conversations are transparent and open to the public. If we sway back and forth with how our rules are interpreted, it moves all of these conversations behind closed doors and then it centralizes through city staff and it gets curated before it comes to our desks. There has to be transparency and open dialogue in the conversation. It's part of why I've been talking about how the budget process has been so backwards. We didn't get the line items until the night of the first of first reading of the budget and I can go into that later. That is problematic for us to be able to deliberate and make decisions as a council. That's why there is this eruption. That's why there is this frustration because the rules of procedure are not followed. It creates an arbitrary environment. It creates ambiguity and and it it erodess trust. And so we need to be able to bring this out. We need to be able to have these open dialogues. Our rules say that we can bring forward a motion. Mr. Mishins has brought forward a motion. Mr. Demer and I have both seconded it. We would like to have this conversation to make sure that services are not cut on our bus line. Do you support that? That is the question.

Let's vote on the amendment. Awesome. Okay, let's keep moving forward. Real quick, y'all spoke enough. Go ahead, Mr. Dean.

We had a surplus last year. So, we could definitely do some things. At the beginning of this meeting, everybody that sat through all this tonight, God bless you. But you may remember there was a motion to amend the agenda. Does everybody remember that? Okay, that's allowable. It was done and the same person just complained about amending agendas. So, it's interesting to say the least. Uh I I am supporting this not for any of the apparent hypocrisy or any personal reason. It's a policy issue, not a personality issue. I want to discuss and hear all the information to make a good decision. And I'm so thankful we had a citizen willing to stand up and speak plainly. I would encourage more of that. You will not hurt your reputation by speaking truth and transparency to this guy. So, thank you for that. I'm be supporting this motion. I hope you will too, Mr. Mayor.

I do support the motion because again, I know the staff is making notes and they they're going to document that. So, request for a meeting. So, I can I can support the motion. My thing is when we when it comes time to a budget, they give our city manager directions, flat funding, we want to reduce this, we're going to reduce that. And then when he reduces items, then you try to make him the scapegoat. when they closed the the funds for the the senior citizen center. When they closed the funds for the center on um y the senior citizen to place on the art center or another when they closed sent money for the um the with the central Virginia alliance for aging when they closed those centers the funds for that oh we got to put it back in I didn't know that was on there it was on the list it was on the list so again just so you know when we Excuse me. Yes, let's be polite. When we excuse me, when we ask for the city manager to cut funding, he has to cut funding. And then when he does that, we want to accuse him and throw him under the throw him under the bus. But he's just doing his job because they pressure we got to reduce taxes. We got to reduce this. And then he's trying to do his job. Thank you,

Mayor.

Yes, ma'am. I I support the request for the joint meeting. What I don't appreciate is the fact that all [clears throat] of a sudden all the stuff comes out. We knew this was coming. We knew this. We knew that. And it sounds again some of the language up here is another attempt to try to make certain staff members look bad. And again, like Dr. Wilder said, um we had our finance uh meeting earlier and nothing was said about it. So, quit trying to put the blame on certain people when the reality is we didn't hear anything about it from from um our meeting earlier, you know, and we we hear the presentation um during public comment and then everybody's kind of it it makes it sound like, you know, we're the bad guys up here try and then, you know, that's not the case. It's just we have to have time to prepare for putting things on the agenda the right way. You can argue all you want, but we don't really do not do this. So, it's not that I have a problem with us having a joint meeting, but I feel like there was some trickery behind the scenes.

Let's vote. Trying to call the vote. Let's vote in vote now. [clears throat] Get the cable. He's [clears throat] not gone.

There we go. Thank you. Come up. The motion passes. [clears throat] Thank you. And now to get to the item that was not on the agenda previously, the declaratory relief resolution.

Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion uh that we pass the resolution that I have presented to council. There are two edits that the city attorney has reviewed that list Mr. Tim Anderson as our proono representation and also um I've been in conversations with Mr. levy and uh the registars's office that we remove them from the suit and remove them from inviting them to the suit and I have also been in conversation with them about theou as well as outside counsel about theou and any concerns that Mr. Rosner has raised and and how that can easily be resolved. So um I've passed out

second my proposed resolution. Thank you. a second. Mayor, just for for clarification. Yes, sir. I haven't seen what was passed out in this moment. I did see it was the same the exact copy you did earlier.

Just just for clarification for the record. If I could just to say uh uh with the exception of the last sentence above the adoption adoption date, anywhere city attorney is mentioned, change it to uh attorney Timothy V. Anderson, DBA Anderson law serving the city proono. and then at the very end uh include a final sentence in the last resolving clause that says the city attorney is authorized to assist attorney Timothy V. Anderson as may be needed. Um so as as we know, Mr. Anderson has been very gracious and w and willing to help the city with this matter and and council

and I've approved those adjustments per the um city attorney's recommendation. Okay. Uh these are also affidavit from the registars's office that can be included as a factual predicate both with the resolution and the filing um from the discussion with Mr. Levy today in the registars's office. We have a pertinent situation that is Lynchberg specific that requires court um clarity. So I will pass these out. Um you have seconded and then Mr. Mayor, if I could speak more specifically to the whole body of the resolution itself. Um, go ahead. Okay. Thank you.

There there's been a lot of confusion as far as what this council is doing in response to the current actions in Richmond. Um, understandably there's a lot of confusion about the current actions in Richmond and there's a very real time element of how all of this is developing. uh the resolution that I am putting forward seeks judicial clarity. It is um it is their purview. It is their realm to decide when the law is in congruent with other components of government and then from there to interpret it and for us to respond as a result. So this um resolution that I am putting forward, it has been reviewed by well over half a dozen attorneys, multiple congressional offices, and it is clean and clear language that cites case law. Uh additionally, it speaks to a number of specific elements within Lynchburg that we are currently facing. So in Mr. Faraldi's district, there is a new precinct location. With that new precinct location, there's a statutory requirement that a notice is sent out to all of the residents within that precinct by a certain timeline. But those notices have to be mailed through elect uh or the Virginia Department of Elections. Currently the Virginia Department of Elections is under an injunction through the Tazwell 2 decision uh the the the second Tazwell decision that has recently come forward and as such is unable to respond to our electoral board or our registars's office and they need guidance. Uh there is a twoweek period that is needed for the vendor to be able to get all of this mail in process to approximately 5,000 Lynchburg residents. And if we do not have court clarity on this decision, um I do not believe that we are providing the proper covering or guidance that our registar needs. I am thankful to council

for the ongoing discussions in this regard. Um I am thankful to all of the attorneys that have worked with me over the past couple days as this has been an expedited process and we've had to get a number of hands on deck to fly speck it and make sure that this thing is good to go. I'm thankful to uh the electoral board and Mr. Levy for his input and his the clarity that he's brought to the conversation as well as our registars's office for helping me to understand the facts of what they are facing and the challenges that they are facing within that office. Um I'm happy to address any concerns that council raises in the context of this discussion and I ask for the opportunity to do that uh as as things may come up. But I I believe that this is the action that we need to take to protect our citizens right to vote to protect our registar and the legal clarity around them and I believe that it is um just prudent and wise as a council. So thank you Mr. Mayor.

Thank you Mr. Mayor. I just really want to commend Council Member Timber for for taking this and running with it the way she did last week. We were looking at this from a different perspective and then lots of things changed, right? We got an injunction. So last week we had a we called for a special meeting on Wednesday, then there was a statewide injunction on Thursday, then there was an appeal to the Supreme Court on Saturday and it it moved really fast. And uh in those conversations when when we originally connected with Mr. Anderson, you know, there was the original path. Looks like that's something we should do. And now this has emerged as the thing that makes the most sense for us to do to be proactive to actually take this to the court and ask the question and and provide that cover. So, I'm I'm really thankful for the work you put into this and and I think this is clearly the right decision. I wish we weren't in this situation. I really weren't. I really wish it, but That's what happens when you got a Democrat legislature in Richmond that is drunk on power and decides to shove through a constitutional amendment outside of the guardrails of the Constitution. And that is exactly why we're dealing with this. And you know what? There's some people that don't like me saying that and I'm okay with that. But it's just the reality. It's 90 days from the time the joint resolution was passed before the ballot question is to be presented to the voters. That's what it should be. this whole process needs to be moved six weeks. So, uh I do think that we need to protect our registar. We need to protect our citizens. We need to protect their right to vote and I hope we can get something out of the court from this action. Thank you for putting this together,

Mr. Dana.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, [clears throat] I just want to thank you as the mayor for being a steady hand here and a very chaotic situation brought on by what the legislature did. Um, [clears throat] I don't want to talk about political parties tonight, but I think this election, if it goes forward, is meets the qualifications of a fraudulent election. It's against our constitution. Couldn't be clear. Third grader can read it. Yesterday today I was invited by uh by Jacqueline Timber, Miss Timmer to join her the registars's office to talk to our voter registar. He's also got the title of director of election and he's trying to direct an election that's almost undirectable. One of the things that the uh chairman of the electoral board told me was that law that the general assembly passed requires us to set up a satellite office in Lynchburg to run an election in another location for the 45 days of early voting. Every locality has to do that. He basically said there's no way we can do that. It's impossible. So the law was written in a very flawed way. not only unconstitutional, but basically undoable. Um, so I appreciated talking about it. This this election is pro probably going to cost us about $100,000 if it goes through. Um, I think the people that vote before April 16th are voting on against our constitution. Uh, precinct [clears throat] 402, I think it is, still needs to be approved by the g the attorney general's office. And uh Matt, if you don't mind me saying, he told me he's going to send the request to get it approved tomorrow. And normally that's like a 60-day thing, I think, Matt, when for them to reply back. I mean, all this stuff in the air. We're just asking the courts to give us

some direction. It's pretty simple thing. We're not directing the registar. We're not cancelling elections. We're asking the court to give us some clarity on the constitution and how it affects us. So, it seems pretty reasonable. Um, there's fiscal implications to this. $100,000, an election that's so full of holes, I can't even begin to start. The 90-day rule is a huge hole. I think uh, you know, we've had a lot of alternatives. This is a this is a a moving target. It's been moving since the beginning, you know. Um, but [clears throat] I appreciate that we had the special meeting that my fellow council members agreed to bring it up again tonight and I hope we will will support this to just ask the question to the court which hopefully they will answer quickly. Maybe the Supreme Court will finally get its job done and weigh in as well. It's their it's their lane for sure. We have the guard rails for just this reason, mayor. Just this reason. And if it was Republicans trying to do this, you can be sure you'd be hearing twice the screaming about it that you're hearing from us. It's about doing the right thing for the Lynchburg taxpayers. Mr. Mayor,

can we vote on this? Would you like me to shut up? [snorts] Yes. Okay. I appreciate your honesty, Mr. Mayor. [laughter] Let's vote. Excuse me.

Oh, sorry. What's the Wild real quick? I I do not I do not support the motion. Make sure we understand. Yes, I do not support the motion. Yes, make sure we understand this is all started by a leader who has said to Texas, and I know we're not Texas. I know there different laws about that, so I'm not trying to get into that discussion. Who said, "Find me more districts. Find me more votes." That's how Austin got started. When you call Georgia, say, "I want to find more votes." When you call Florida, I want to find more votes. We have issues like that. We are silent. We we don't we don't don't shake your head. We are silent. We don't talk about that. But here it is now because the other part is doing something. Oh, this is wrong. This is wrong. Where were we speaking up when they did it in Texas? We were silent. I talked about that last week when we had the abortion issue. I'm not in favor of abortions, but we are silent when it comes to funding certain things. We are silent when it says even though once the baby's here, I'm not going to support that child. I'm not going to turn my back on that child. Oh, we cut funding to this or we're going to cut funding. We got to reduce the tax. I'm not going to support this child. I'm not support Oh, put the father in jail. Do this. Do put the mother in jail. I'm not going to support them. We have all these issues. Two sides. And we are silent when issues. Nobody said anything about Texas. Nobody about all the other states that are doing this. But when Virginia does it, oh my gosh, we're going to speak up against this because you're on the other side. It's so sad to see all that's happening to our country when you have all the chaos that's happening from day to day. We must know and you look at what's going on in America and how everything flips like a switch on and off every single day. Something different where nobody the market's up and down. The market no one can understand what's what's going to be the new rule for tomorrow. There's going to be tariffs. There'll be no tariffs. We don't know what's [clears throat] happening from day to day. The country is in chaos. We need to focus on Lynchburg. Lynchburg issues. There's no

abortion clinics coming to Lynchburg. What abortion clinic going to be crazy enough to come to Lynchburg. We got all these issues. VMI. I appreciate VMI. I love VMI. But I ain't got time to worry about VMI. I want to worry about Lynchburg and the issues that directly affect Lynchburg and the taxpayers of Lynchburg. Thank you. Thank you. Let us vote, please.

Are you in the vote now? [snorts] The motion passes 51. [applause] Our next meeting is March 10th, 4:00. Listen up.