MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 18, 2025, CITY COUNCILSPECIAL MEETING A SPECIAL meeting ofthe Hopewell City Council was held on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. PRESENT: John B. Partin Jr., Mayor Rita Joyner, Vice Mayor Michael B. Harris, Councilor (Virtual) Ronnie Ellis, Councilor Susan Daye, Councilor Yolanda Stokes, Councilor (Absent) Dominic Holloway Sr., Councilor (Absent) Vice Mayor Joyner makes a motion to allow Councilor Harris to participate virtually. Councilor Ellis seconds the motion. ROLL CALL Councilor Ellis- Yes Councilor Daye- Yes Councilor Stokes- Absent Councilor Holloway Absent Vice Mayor Joyner- Yes Councilor Harris- Abstain Mayor Partin- Yes Motion Passes 4-0 SPECIAL MEETING SB-1- Finance Committee Report -CFO Stacy Jordan, Finance Director Ms. Jordan presented a detailed budget review. Citywide revenues for January were up by 1.13% or $2.5 million compared to the previous year, while expenses were 0.28% higher, equating to $2.3 million more. The General Fund showed a 6%, or $1.3 million, decrease in revenues, primarily due to personal property taxes, but Ms. Jordan expected an increase in February as the due date for penalties and interest was extended to March 15th. Expenses for the General Fund were trending 1.5% or $3.8 million higher than last year. For the Enterprise Fund, revenues were up by 2.7% or $2.3 million, while expenses dropped by 12% or $2.1 million due to reduced emergency repairs. Ms. Jordan also explained a 0.72% increase in School Fund revenues but noted that expenses were trending 0.11% higher than revenues. There were questions about the higher-than-expected expenses for the schools, which were linked to unrecorded expenses and would likely balance out over time. The committee discussed the departmental budget, where most departments were in line with expectations. However, some departments, such as the City Manager's budget, were affected by lump-sum payments for consultants and economic development. Utility collections were at a high 99% for January, and 1,269 invoices totaling $4.2 million were processed. Regarding debt service, $215,000 was paid on time. The midyear salary savings allocation was discussed, with $203,000 in savings for the General Fund proposed to cover a forensic audit and attorney fees. The Enterprise Fund savings of $339,000 would be directed towards a rate study. There were also discussions on upcoming projects, including the Queen Anne Pump Station, and conçerns about potential cost increases due to inflation. The committee was advised that additional costs may arise, and they would need to look into reallocating funds to cover such expenses. Ms. Jordan informed the committee that the forensic audit should begin in March, with the contract already signed. The meeting concluded with updates on the status of financial reports and a reminder that the Treasurer's report would be emailed, as the Treasurer was unable to attend due to a family emergency. SB-2- = Treasurer's Report- Mya Bolling, Treasurer Department Ms. Jordan let the council know that Ms. Bolling was not there that night due to a family emergency, but everyone received the report, and ift they had any questions, they could email Ms. Bolling directly. Dr. Manker asked for the council to give her permission to close the city on 2/19/2025 due to inclement weather. ROLL CALL Councilor Ellis- Yes Councilor Daye- Yes Councilor Stokes- Absent Councilor Holloway Absent Vice Mayor Joyner- Yes Councilor Harris- Yes Mayor Partin- Yes Motion Passes 5-0 Mayor Partin mentioned the ongoing River Walk and Marina improvement projects, particularly in relation to securing funding from the state. They addressed the need for an updated budget estimate for completing the River Walk, especially in light of Virginia American Water's interest in acquiring a piece of property near the pump station for their project, which includes a laydown yard. The idea was proposed to coordinate the River Walk construction with Virginia American Water's schedule, ensuring that both projects can be completed in parallel, which would avoid potential issues with overlapping construction timelines. The final decision on the budget for the River Walk project was expected to be made on the 20th, a Thursday, as part ofthe state's budget review process. Several senators had already responded positively to the submissions, and the committee awaited further updates on the funding status. Mayor Partin then asked ifthere was a motion to adjourn. Councilor Daye made a motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned. ADJOURNMENT: Respectfully submitted, Johnny Partin, Mayor bmo Nillime Brittani Williams, City Clerk