Petersburg City Council adds ordinance rescission to agenda, approves $1M for downtown-to-casino improvements and $32,090 for homeless-prevention aid

Petersburg City Council members moved to add and adopt an ordinance to rescind ordinance 23-ORD-51 related to the North Adams and Sycamore Grove projects and approved two budget actions: a $1,000,000 allocation to improve the landscape and visual pathway from downtown to the casino site and a $32,090 appropriation to the Virginia Community Resource Center for a homeless-prevention collaboration limited to Petersburg residents.

The council first voted to reconvene after a closed session and then, during the open portion of the meeting, Councilman Covert moved to suspend the rules and add an ordinance to rescind 23-ORD-51; the motion was seconded. Councilman Covert then moved to adopt the ordinance to rescind 23-ORD-51 (concerning the North Adams and Sycamore Grove projects); that motion was seconded. The transcript does not record a roll-call or voice vote result for the rescission motion.

Council member Myers moved to direct the city manager to allocate $1,000,000 as part of the city's budget to improve landscaping and the visual pathway between downtown and the casino site. Myers described that the allocation would include facade grant access as part of the improvements. The council approved that motion; the record shows the presiding officer asked for aye/nia and the mayor stated the motion carries (no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript).

Myers then moved to appropriate $32,090 to the Virginia Community Resource Center to support a collaboration with Cash (name as stated in the transcript) to distribute homeless-prevention funds limited to Petersburg residents. Vice Mayor Hill seconded that motion. After a voice vote in which members said “aye,” the mayor announced the motion carries.

The meeting transcript shows the motions, seconds, and announcements that the $1,000,000 allocation and the $32,090 appropriation carried; it does not contain a documented vote tally for the ordinance rescission motion. The transcript also records the council’s closed-session certification immediately before these actions.

What remains unclear from the transcript: whether the rescission ordinance (23-ORD-51) was formally adopted by roll call (no roll-call or final voice-vote result is recorded for that item in the transcript), and the transcript offers limited detail about the specific programs, eligibility rules, grant terms, contracting authority, or schedule for the $1,000,000 streetscape work or the mechanics by which the Virginia Community Resource Center will distribute the $32,090 (beyond the stated residency limitation).

Council members recorded in the meeting as present include Council member Cuthbert, Council member Jones, Council member Myers, Council member Westbrook, Council member Smith Lee, Vice Mayor Hill and Mayor Perrin; Miss Hill (city clerk) called the roll. The transcript shows Councilman Covert initiating the suspension-of-rules motion and subsequent rescission motion; Council member Myers moved both budget allocations; Vice Mayor Hill seconded the $32,090 appropriation.

Votes at a glance - Motion to suspend rules and add ordinance to rescind 23-ORD-51 (North Adams and Sycamore Grove): mover Councilman Covert; second recorded; final vote/result not recorded in transcript (not specified). - Motion to adopt ordinance rescinding 23-ORD-51 (North Adams and Sycamore Grove): mover Councilman Covert; second recorded; final vote/result not recorded in transcript (not specified). - Direction to city manager to allocate $1,000,000 for landscape/visual pathway improvements from downtown to the casino site (including facade grant access): mover Council member Myers; second not specified in transcript; outcome: motion carries (voice vote; no roll-call tally recorded). - Appropriation of $32,090 to Virginia Community Resource Center for homeless-prevention distribution limited to Petersburg residents: mover Council member Myers; seconder Vice Mayor Hill; outcome: motion carries (voice vote; no roll-call tally recorded).

The council’s public record or minutes should be consulted for formal ordinance text, final vote tallies, contracting details, implementation schedule, and program rules for the authorized expenditures.