Petersburg council approves Sackler settlement participation, reassigns project management and orders two terminations in closed session

PETERSBURG, Va. — In a special closed session on July 24, 2025, the Petersburg City Council voted unanimously to approve the city's participation in a proposed direct settlement of opioid‑related claims against the Sackler family; to direct reassignment of management for a long list of city projects to outside contractors or other entities and require a status report at the council work session in September; and to instruct Acting City Manager Kenny Miller to terminate the public works utilities director and the city engineer.

The council moved into closed session under provisions of the Code of Virginia cited on the record for legal advice, discussion of investment of public funds where competition or bargaining is involved, and discussion of performance, assignment and appointment of specific public officers. Vice Mayor Hill moved each of the principal actions; motions were seconded as recorded and adopted by roll call. No public comment was taken on the resolution related to the Sackler settlement.

On the Sackler matter, the council adopted a resolution “approving the city's participation and proposed direct settlement of opioid related claims against the Sackler family and directing the city manager to execute the documents necessary to effectuate the city's participation in the settlement.” The motion to adopt the resolution was moved by Vice Mayor Hill and seconded by Councilwoman Smith Lee; the roll‑call vote recorded each council member voting in the affirmative (Council member Cuthbert, Council member Jones, Council member Myers, Council member Westbrook, Council member Smith Lee, Vice Mayor Hill, Mayor Perham). The council chair stated there were no public comments on the resolution before the roll call.

The council also directed reassignment of project management responsibility for a set of capital and maintenance projects from Public Works/Utilities to a private contractor or other personal entity and required a status report on those reassignments at the council work session in September. The projects enumerated on the record were: courthouse project; Poor Creek water/wastewater and water tank; Locks water main; the police station; animal shelter; Southside Depot; Oak Hill Bridge; Bank Street Hole; stormwater study; Whiff Street Bridge; storm cleanup; Wilcox Lake Dam; grass cutting, cemeteries and others; former Roper property; paving, downtown parking lots; Petersburg Harbor; Mount Vernon water tank and pump station; casino; lead pipe replacement; Virginia Linen; and the Bridal Inn (project numbering in the record was inconsistent). The motion to add the item to the agenda and the subsequent motion directing reassignment were both moved by Vice Mayor Hill and seconded by Councilman Jones and were approved by the council.

Finally, the council moved to add to the agenda direction for the acting city manager to terminate the public works utilities director and the city engineer. After the motion and second, the council voted by roll call to instruct Acting City Manager Kenny Miller to carry out those terminations; the recorded vote was unanimous. The transcript records the council directing the acting city manager to terminate the two positions but does not identify the individuals by name.

All three major actions were taken in closed session under the Virginia statute citations read into the record and were subsequently certified by roll call as required by state law. The council ended the special meeting after completing the votes and directed staff reporting as specified (status report on project reassignments at the September work session).