City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. Welcome to all. This Pocosna City Council meeting is called to order. Item B on our agenda is the invocation and pledge of allegiance, which will be led by Vice Mayor Debbie Bunton.

Stand, please. Let us pray. Dear Lord, we enter your gates with thanksgiving and praise on our heart tonight for the many blessings you have bestowed upon us. Father, I pray that... You would be with those in our city, all of our citizens, be with our graduates that graduated on Friday night, take new paths, new journeys in their life, Father. Many asking, what do they do now? I pray that you grant them wisdom and lead them as they go in this path. And the students that are off for the summer, doing all things summer, Lord, that you would keep them and their families safe. And for our athletes that are still competing, who will travel next week to destinations, this week, dear Lord, competing at the state level, I pray that you would keep them safe as well. For we as council, I pray that you would grant us wisdom as we deliberate the things, the matters of the city this evening. Be with us, Father. I pray that you would help us, that we would be the light to all the world, that we would be that city on a hill, Father, that shines bright for your glory. We ask these things in your name. Amen. Now we'll say the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Debbie. Item C on our agenda is the audience for visitors. At this time, we'll open the floor for public comment related to the city. Seeing none, we will close the floor and move on to Item D, approval of the minutes of the regular session of May 26, 2026. Do we have a motion and a second?

So moved, Mr. Mayor.

Second.

Thank you. Any questions or comments? Christy, call for a vote, please.

Councilman Fye. Aye. Vice Mayor Bunting. Aye. Councilman Freeman. Aye. Councilman Southall. Aye.

I oppose the Keith. I missed the last meeting, but I did watch it on TV.

Councilwoman Hubbard? Aye. Mayor Hux? Aye. Mr. Mayor, the motion is carried by a vote of 6-0.

Thank you, Christy. With that, we'll move on to Item E, New Business. We have seven ordinances and resolutions on the agenda this evening. Number one is an ordinance making an additional appropriation fiscal year 2026 in the Capital Projects Fund, burn justice assistance grant funding for the police department. And we're very pleased to have with us tonight our Chief of Police, Stephen Cates, who will give us a briefing. So, Chief, thank you for being here. The floor is yours.

we've been always glad to bring an opportunity for money that doesn't cost our residents earlier this year through the Burn Justice Assistance Grant Program was an equipment grant that had a cap of $25,000, which is pretty close to the cost of adding four MDTs to our current stock, which will account for the additional positions we've added over the last couple of years. And so with that, and we're also at the a little bit past the end of life for our current MDTs. So we'd like this opportunity to upgrade all of them. There's already funding set aside and appropriated in the capital projects fund for the replacements. This grant allows the four additional to be added so that everybody that needs one in the department will have one. And so for your consideration tonight is an ordinance authorizing city manager to receive an appropriate grant funding in fiscal year 2026 and to authorize four new MDTs and 21 replacement MDTs through an existing contractual agreement with your county.

Thank you, Chief, for the briefing. Council members, any questions or comments for Chief Cates?

Are these things big, small?

They're slightly smaller in dimensions than your average laptop, but they are a ruggedized laptop. It makes it much more difficult to damage them. And so their usable life when they're in a police car and exposed to all different kinds of things, they tend to last the five years of the normal life cycle, where if it wasn't a ruggedized computer, being in a car and constantly jostled around, taken in and out, they might last a couple of years. Thanks.

Thank you, Keith. Any other questions or comments for Chief Gates? Chief, thank you for being with us.

Appreciate that. Do we have a motion and a second? Mr. Mayor, I propose an ordinance making an additional appropriation for fiscal year 2026 in the Capital Projects Fund, burn just to assist in grant funding for the police department. Thank you. Christy?

Councilman Southall?

Aye.

Councilman Freeman? Aye. Councilwoman Hubbard? Aye. Vice Mayor Bunting? Aye. Councilman Fyde? Aye. Mayor Huggs? Aye. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of six to zero.

Thank you, Christy. Number two is an ordinance making additional appropriations and transfers for fiscal year 2026 in the general fund for various departments. We have with us tonight, we're very pleased to have Ms. Robin Bellamy, our acting finance director. So, Robin, welcome. Thank you for being here.

Thank you, Mayor Hutz. Tonight presented to you is an ordinance making additional appropriations and transfers for fiscal year 26 in the general fund for various departments. This is a normal end of the year, fiscal year cleanup, if you will, when we get additional revenue and grants and such for various departments, such as library, fire department, police department, the opioid abatement authority. There's additional needs for the CSA and Parks and Recreation and commissioner and treasurer. The total amount, I guess, is $377,344 for the general fund in fiscal year 26.

Okay. Well, thank you, Robin. Any questions or comments for Robin? Thanks again.

Do we have a motion and a second? Mr. Mayor, I propose an ordinance making an additional appropriations and transfers for fiscal year 2026 and a general fund for various departments. Second. Thank you.

Christy?

Councilwoman Hubbard? Aye. Councilman Fye? Aye. Councilman Southall? Aye. Vice Mayor Bunting? Aye. Councilman Freeman? Aye. Mayor Hux? Aye. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of six to zero.

Thank you, Christy. Number three is a resolution adopting revisions to the City of Pocosins Purchasing Procedure Manual. And we have with us our Assistant City Manager, Tanya O'Connell. Give us a brief, and so welcome, Tanya.

Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council Members, City Manager, City Attorney. Tonight, we have a resolution adopting changes to our purchasing policy. Just want to note that we follow the Virginia Public Insurance Act, which is a requirement of the state. So anything that the Act has in their legislation, we have to follow. With that, the City Manager Authority... We currently have $100,000 that he can sign off on a contract. Up to that, anything over that requires city council approval. It now moves to $200,000. Note with the $200,000, the appropriation still must exist. So city council has to approve the appropriation before the city manager can contract. So with this change, y'all still have the power to approve the funding. Also changed, believe it or not, professional services is 80,000 in the state, where we've been reflected of 100,000, so we have decreased it to reflect that act. We've done some more strong language and compliance that did not exist, as well as we made a few changes for the school board. They get grants for school food. We do not, but they follow our policy, so therefore we've incorporated that for their purposes. Notable change is the purchasing card policy. We've always had purchasing cards in the city. We've just ramped it up to make sure our employees who have one follow this policy. So I welcome any changes or any questions that you have.

I do have a few changes, questions. I wasn't aware that the personnel in the city already had some credit cards to use. I saw that get out of hand at NASA, at least it was my personal opinion. And so if we've been doing it, we're not doing anything significantly different on the credit cards we have been in the past.

Correct. So I will let you know, not everybody can get a purchasing card with the city. Only directors and maybe one-off personnel, they have to have approval of the city manager. But again, not everybody has a P-card. We call them P-cards. They're purchasing cards. So it's for higher level employees. So yes.

Okay, well, that's good because I have seen a situation where we had purchasing agents who knew all the rules and regulations and laws surrounding that, but people who had no idea what they were also got credit cards. That became a little bit of a disaster as far as I'm concerned.

And this is why we have the procedures. We've had a lot of turnover with directors, so we thought a policy could possibly indicate their authority and why they have it and what they should do if something should happen is why we're introducing this tonight.

and I had one other question when it comes to credit card purchases and it's X out where city employees will submit to the finance department called payment voucher within three days apparently that used to be a policy but are we just saying don't do that if you just like buying food or something while you're on travel or is it for all purchases it's in all purchases They still have to report the building and that kind of thing. The three days is gone.

Yes.

Okay.

It was not feasible for them to turn it around in three days. Therefore, we do it based on the statement now. As long as when the statement is due, if we have all the transaction, then we process it forward. Don't worry. Our directors are primed and ready for the P-card because, again, they have to get through me to make sure the purchase is good.

I'm happy. Thank you.

The comments I had were, like we discussed before the meeting, probably the titles of the documents are properly annotated inside the documents. And I know people have different names for them, just like the P-card versus the purchasing card and things like that. Have that straight and everything's fine by me.

I believe we have the authority for Scrivener Airways to go ahead and make those changes if City Council grants us. What Keith is referring to is where in one document we refer to the policy and procedures and the other document we just call first. So we can update that line to ensure we have the policy and procedure titled properly.

Thank you. One other question. I just thought of that. I marked it in here, but I didn't see where I marked the page. It was about the small women swarm, the small... minority or women-owned businesses, where we use that, when that happens, if a farm business guy bids for a contract, but if they bid like three times the cost of anybody else, do we still have to comply with that?

No, we do not.

Okay, thank you.

Anything else for Tanya? Tanya, thank you for being with us. Thank you. Appreciate the brief. Do we have a motion and a second?

Mr. Mayor, I propose a resolution adopting revisions to the City of Pocosin Purchase and Procedure Manual.

Second.

Thank you. Christy?

Vice Mayor Bunting? Aye. Councilman Fy? Aye. Councilman Southall?

Aye.

Councilman Freeman? Aye. Councilwoman Hubbard? Aye. Mayor Huss? Aye. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of 6-0.

Thank you, Christy. Number four is a resolution making appointments to the school board. Do we have a motion and a second?

Mr. Mayor, I move the Council adopt a resolution making appointments to the school boards with the following names. Lauren Gilbert, Eastern Precinct, expiring term on 30 June 2027. Caitlin Orsburn, at-large, expiration June 30, 2030. That would be the first of the four-year terms. And then Joseph, sorry about the last name, Coquemiglio, also at-large, expiration on 30 June 2030.

Second.

Thank you. Any questions or comments? Christy?

Councilman Freeman? Aye. Councilman Southall?

Aye.

Councilman Pye? Aye. Councilwoman Hubbard? Aye. Vice Mayor Bunce? Aye. Mayor Hooks? Aye. Mr. Mayor, the motion carries by the vote of six to zero.

Thank you. Number five is a resolution making an appointment to the Workforce Development Consortium. Do we have a motion and a second?

Mr. Mayor, I'd like to propose a resolution making an appointment to the Workforce Development Consortium and the named individual, Gary Freeman, with an expiration date on that appointment of June 30, 2027. Second.

Thank you. Any questions or comments? Christy?

Councilwoman Hubbard? Aye. Councilman Southall? Aye. Councilman Freeman? Abstain. Vice Mayor Bunting? Aye. Councilman Fye? Aye. Mayor Hooks? Aye. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of 5-0 with one abstention.

Thank you. Number six is a resolution making appointments to the Middle Peninsula Juvenile Detention Commission. Do we have a motion and a second?

Mr. Mayor, I propose a resolution appointing Mr. Randall Wheeler, primary, and Ms. Tanya O'Connell, alternate, to Middle Peninsula Juvenile Detention Commission. Both terms expire June 30, 2020. I'm sorry, 2030. Second. Any questions or comments?

Christy?

Councilman Fai?

Aye.

Vice Mayor Bunting? Aye. Councilman Freeman? Aye. Councilman Southall? Aye. Councilwoman Hubbard? Aye. Mayor Hobbs? Aye. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of six to zero.

Thank you. And number seven is a resolution to make an appointment to the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program Policy Board. Do we have a motion and a second?

Mr. Mayor, I propose a resolution appointing Sergeant Pete to the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program Policy Board as far as 30 June 2029. Second.

Thank you. Any questions or comments? Chris?

Councilman Southall? Aye. Councilman Freeman? Aye. Councilwoman Hubbard? Aye. Vice Mayor Bundy? Aye. Councilman Fye? Aye. Mayor Hux? Aye. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of six to zero.

Thank you, Christy. And that completes the new business. We'll move on to item F, which is a closed session pursuant to section 2.2-3711A8. of the Code of Virginia from 1950 as amended to consult with the city attorney on a specific legal matter. Do we have a motion and a second? So moved.

Second.

Thank you. Questions or comments? Christy?

Councilwoman Hubbard? Aye. Councilman Fye? Aye. Councilman Southall? Aye. Vice Mayor Bunting? Aye. Councilman Freeman? Aye. Mayor Hooks? Aye. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of six to zero.

Thank you. We're now in closed session. Item G on our agenda is reconvenement and certification of the closed session. Do we have a motion and a second?

Mr. Mayor, I move we certify the closed session and only public business matters lawfully exempt from open meeting requirements and only such public business matters as were identified in the motion were heard, discussed or considered.

Second.

Thank you. Any questions or comments?

Do we have to include language for reconvening as well in there?

Did you read it that way?

Reconvenement and certification of closed session.

Vice Mayor Bunting? Aye. Councilman Fye? Aye. Councilman Southall? Aye. Councilman Freeman? Aye. Councilwoman Hubbard? Aye. Mayor Huggs? Aye. Mr. Mayor, the motion carried by a vote of 6-0.

Thank you, Christy. Item H, comments of the city manager, Randy.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, members of council. Just one thing this evening. Just wanted to share something which, to the best of my knowledge, has only happened one other time ever in the history of our city. And that is this coming Friday, the 12th, our fire chief, Mike Bryant, will celebrate his 46th anniversary as a city employee. Only former chief Robert Holloway, who succeeded that by one year, has ever gotten that far. And in a city that is not quite 51 years old, being an employee for 46 years is a pretty big thing. That's all I have, sir.

Thank you, Randy, and certainly congratulations in advance, Chief Mike Bryant. And certainly appreciate his service over the decades. Item I, Council Directors, Keith.

Thank you, Mayor. First thing I have is I and a couple other council persons attended the high school graduation on Friday. For those that were there and sharing, it's a happy day. And I'm sure when they got home later that night, parents probably realized it was a sad day as well because their child is going off to the future, which may or may not be locally. Hopefully they get through that. Also, greeted and be able to spoke with Delegate Virgil Thornton, uh at that event it was nice to see him there um talked to council chair or not council board chair verbiage and he recognized him and talked to him as well so uh hopefully good things he talked like he might come to the ball game tomorrow softball game hosted by the softball team here in town uh thing is uh Also attended the Langley Civic Leader Association Luncheon, met two members who are actually members of our community. One is the A6, is a Brigadier General, lives in town, and also a brand-new Senior Master Sergeant who's purchasing a house. I won't say where, but she's really excited about being here, bringing two little girls with her when the family moves from Dayton, Ohio, to Pocoson. I also learned at the luncheon that the Langley runway will be closed about four months next year. I didn't say when, you know, like months or what the activity was other than construction, but... Maybe it will be quiet for four months, but it was kind of strange to hear. I had not heard that anywhere else, so I'm sure we'll get the news somewhere and we'll get more information on that. And last but not least, Thursday morning is our Pocosna Mobile Food Pantry distribution at Emmaus Baptist Church beginning at 830. The volunteer group this month will be the Pocosna Lions Club. Looking forward to that.

Thank you, Keith. Debbie?

I don't have anything, Mr. Mayor.

Thank you.

Jeannie? I think. Thank you. Mr. Freeman?

I don't have nothing further.

Okay. Thank you. Mr. Sathall? Well, yes. I'd like to thank everyone who came out tonight, Paul in particular, and the other gentleman, and I didn't catch his name, for paying attention to the city government and for those who watched from at home. I remind everyone that we have many boards and commissions that can use people, and so please apply. And several weeks ago, I have to say that several weeks ago because I don't remember exactly the date, and I've missed the last two city council meetings because my wife had an accident. And two meetings ago, she was in surgery while you were in. And so, but she is getting much better. But I'd like to thank the rescue squad. They came out and they picked her up in a very professional manner. They were there in a very short period of time. They treated her well and made her comfortable. Got her to the hospital. And particular thanks to Tommy Diggs and Anthony Giovino, who were the responders. They did a great job. Thank you, Mr. Southall.

I'd just like to thank Jason Ernzen for helping us out with the audio-visual tonight. So, Jason, appreciate your help. And that's all I have. And with that, we'll move on to Item J, adjournment. Do we have a motion and a second?

So moved, Mr. Mayor. Second.

Thank you. Christy?

Thank you, Christy. We're adjourned.