Portsmouth council approves nearly $2 million in grants, appropriations and agreements

Portsmouth — The Portsmouth City Council voted unanimously to accept a series of grants, donations and intergovernmental agreements and to appropriate the specified funds for fiscal 2026.

The measures, each adopted by a 7-0 roll call, included grant awards and appropriations to Social Services, the Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services, Behavioral Healthcare Services and other city programs, plus a property sale and a downtown revitalization support resolution. Together, the items with specified dollar amounts total $1,963,294.35; additional measures adopted on the consent calendar included an agreement with the Virginia Department of Health and an amended Community Services performance contract whose dollar amounts were not specified in the clerk’s reading.

Council members approved these items after the city clerk read each ordinance or resolution and the council moved and seconded for adoption. There was no public discussion recorded on the measures during the manager’s report.

Key items adopted

- An ordinance accepting additional foster care funding of $252,461 from the Virginia Department of Social Services and appropriating the amount in the FY 2026 Social Services Fund to pay foster care costs. (Adopted 7-0.)

- An ordinance accepting $424,733.35 from the Virginia Department of Education and appropriating the amount in the FY 2026 Grama fund to reimburse the city for the Summer Food Service Program. (Adopted 7-0.)

- An ordinance authorizing sale of property in the 800 block of Lake Kilby Road to the City of Suffolk for $93,400 and appropriating the purchase price to the FY 2026 Public Utilities Fund budget. (Adopted 7-0.)

- An ordinance accepting a Stop the Bleed program grant of $40,000 from the Portland General Hospital Foundation and appropriating the funds in the FY 2026 Grama fund for the Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services to purchase and install 68 trauma kits in city-owned buildings. (Adopted 7-0.)

- An ordinance reapproving a donation of $5,700 from The DeLong Company Inc., reappropriating those funds from the general fund balance to FY 2026 for use by Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services. (Adopted 7-0.)

- An ordinance accepting $500,000 of Operation STOT categorical aid from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority and appropriating the amount in the FY 2026 Behavioral Healthcare Service Fund to address opioid use. (Adopted 7-0.)

- An ordinance accepting adult recovery court funds of $167,000 from the Office of Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia and appropriating that amount in the FY 2026 Behavioral Healthcare Service Fund for use by the Portsmouth adult recovery court. (Adopted 7-0.)

- A resolution authorizing execution of the FY 2026 agreement with the Virginia Department of Health for funding and services of the Portsmouth Health Department. (Adopted 7-0; funding amount not specified in the clerk’s reading.)

- A resolution certifying the city’s support of an application to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Port Coast Community Revitalization Fund (Grama) for $480,000 in furtherance of revitalizing 1117 through 1121 High Street for port-related uses. (Adopted 7-0.)

- A resolution approving the amended and restated FY 2026–FY 2027 Community Services performance contract for the Department of Behavioral Healthcare Services. (Adopted 7-0; contract dollar amount not read aloud.)

Council procedure and vote

The clerk read each ordinance or resolution into the record; motions were made and seconded as shown in the official record and each item was adopted by an electronic roll-call vote with a 7-0 tally. Where the clerk did not read a dollar amount or other detail aloud, the transcript shows the description but does not specify the figure.

What the measures do

Most of the appropriations add state or private grant proceeds to city fund budgets for specific programs: foster care costs, summer food reimbursement, trauma kits for city buildings, opioid-abatement programming, and adult recovery court services. One ordinance approves the sale of a parcel to the City of Suffolk and another reappropriates a private donation for fire-rescue operations. The Port Coast grant application would support rehabilitation of three contiguous downtown buildings for port-related uses; it was a council certification of support rather than an award of funds.

Next steps

Adopted appropriations will be reflected in the FY 2026 budgets for the named city funds and departments. For items that require interagency agreements (for example, the Virginia Department of Health contract) or grant awards, staff will execute contracts and proceed with implementation under the terms of each funding source.

Votes and the public record

All items listed above were adopted by recorded vote as indicated in the council transcript. The clerk’s reading and the 7-0 roll-call outcomes are captured in the official meeting record.