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Hampton council approves easement for Dominion, accepts state loan availability for Bethel High addition; consent agenda adopted
Summary
The Hampton City Council on June 3 approved a nonexclusive easement for Dominion Energy, adopted a resolution authorizing application for up to $20 million in Literary Fund loan proceeds for a Bethel High School science wing, and adopted the consent agenda.
The Hampton City Council on June 3 voted to accept a bid from Virginia Electric and Power Company (doing business as Dominion Energy Virginia) for a nonexclusive easement across city property, approved a resolution authorizing access to up to $20,000,000 from the Virginia Literary Fund for a science wing addition at Bethel High School, and adopted the consent agenda.
City staff told council the Dominion bid relates to an easement to transmit and distribute electrical power across city-owned property to serve property at 187 Hall Road. Councilwoman Catherine Adams announced she was disqualified from participating on the Dominion item under state law: "In accordance with section 2.2-3112(a) of the Virginia Conflict of Interest Act, I'm disqualified from participating in the consideration or voting on this particular item because my spouse is engaged as a paid consultant for the bidder, Dominion, Virginia Power." No members of the public signed up to speak on the Dominion easement during the public hearing; council moved and approved the ordinance as presented.
On the Bethel High School item, city staff described a school-board-backed application to borrow up to $20 million from the Virginia Literary Fund for an approximately 38,000-square-foot science-wing addition intended to upgrade science and math facilities and remove portable classrooms from the site. Staff said the loan would carry an annual interest rate of 2% payable over 20 years and would be paid to the city on a reimbursable basis after the schools provide documentation. The staff presentation said the School Board was anticipated to approve a similar resolution at its June 4, 2025 meeting.
The council also adopted a consent agenda that amended the FY2025 council-approved budget to appropriate previously received funds to the clear zone account, requested that VDOT program three projects in its six-year improvement plan, and approved minutes from the ceremonial session of May 15, 2025. The consent agenda was adopted by one motion and roll-call vote.
Roll-call votes recorded on the floor showed unanimous approval on the items as presented. The council did not receive public speakers on either the Dominion easement or the Bethel loan during the scheduled public hearings.
What happens next: the Dominion easement ordinance was adopted as presented and the school loan resolution was approved by council; the School Board was expected to take a related vote on June 4, 2025. Any loan proceeds from the Literary Fund would be distributed on a reimbursable basis after required documentation from Hampton City Schools is submitted.
Votes at a glance: - Consent agenda: adopted (items described above). - Ordinance accepting Dominion Energy bid and granting a nonexclusive easement for property at 187 Hall Road: adopted. (Councilwoman Catherine Adams recused under the Virginia Conflict of Interest Act.) - Resolution authorizing access to up to $20,000,000 from the Virginia Literary Fund for a Bethel High School science-wing addition: adopted.
