City manager outlines limited scope of federal funding freeze; council OKs $5,000 event support and moves to closed session

City Manager Alan briefed the Newport News City Council on Jan. 28 about a White House pause on certain federal programs and grants, saying the administration’s guidance limits the freeze to specific priority areas and that staff are working to clarify city-level impacts.

Alan told council that, in the current city budget, $79,000,000 in federal awards have been appropriated (excluding human services projects). He said about $60,000,000 of that total is for streets and bridges, $8,000,000 is for waterworks projects, and $11,000,000 covers Community Development Initiative (CNI) and other programs such as Community Development Block Grant and HOME funding. He also said schools hold about $14,000,000 for school lunch program funding. “So it's $79,000,000, and this excludes human services projects,” Alan said.

Alan and other staff emphasized the pause does not apply across the board; the memo from the Office of Management and Budget cited examples tied to the president's executive order such as actions related to DEI, the Green New Deal and funding to some nongovernmental organizations. Alan said the initial freeze runs through Feb. 10 and the administration will reevaluate, and city staff are continuing to review OMB guidance to determine direct effects.

Council members raised concerns about nonprofit partners and service providers that rely on federal drawdowns, and one councilmember asked staff to monitor homeless services and Port-related providers that could face cutoffs. Council members also raised concerns about leaf-collection timing and a separate concern about ESL students and school attendance in light of immigration-related enforcement; Alan said the city has already scheduled follow-up meetings with the school superintendent and school board chair.

Votes and actions: the council approved a request to support the 2025 Excel Summit (Dr. Norwood) with $5,000 in city support. The motion was moved and seconded (mover and seconder not specified in the audio), the clerk called the roll and the vote was recorded as unanimous: Councilman Coleman — yes; Councilman Dooley — yes; Councilman Harris — yes; Mayor Jones — yes; Councilman Long — yes; Vice Mayor Benjamin — yes. The clerk announced “Motion carries 6–0.”

Later in the meeting the council voted to enter a closed session under the Code of Virginia § 2.2-3711 for consultation with legal counsel regarding probable litigation, discussion of disposition of publicly held property in the southern section of the city and discussion of potential acquisition of real property in the central section of the city. The motion to go into closed session passed on a roll-call vote (6–0) and the council later certified in open session that the closed meeting had been limited to the authorized topics; that certification also passed on a roll-call vote (6–0).

Ending: city staff said they will continue to monitor federal guidance and OMB updates, report any confirmed impacts to capital and grant-funded projects, and follow up with nonprofit partners and the schools as needed.