Richmond City Council ends winter-storm state of emergency and delays budget ordinances to April 28

The Richmond City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution repealing the city's winter-storm state of emergency and moved to continue all pending budget-related ordinances to the Monday, April 28 council meeting.

Stephen Willoughby, coordinator of emergency management for the City of Richmond, told the council the administration recommended terminating the declaration because "all emergency actions have been taken and the emergency no longer exists." The council held a brief public hearing on the proposed repeal; no members of the public spoke in support or opposition, and the hearing was closed before the council voted to adopt the resolution.

Council members also agreed to delay consideration of pending budget-related ordinances until April 28 to allow additional review and to accommodate an approaching weather event, the council said. Council Member Ellen Robertson moved to continue the budget items; Council Member Jones seconded the motion, which passed on a roll-call vote.

Votes and roll call on the two main actions were recorded by the clerk. The motion to continue pending budget-related ordinances carried with the following recorded votes: Mr. Breton (Aye); Ms. Gibson (Yes); Ms. Jones (Yes); Ms. Robertson (Yes); Ms. Lynch (Aye); Ms. Trammell (Aye); Ms. Abubaker (Aye); Vice President Jordan (Aye); President Newbill (Aye). The expedited consideration and final adoption of the resolution to repeal resolution 2025-R-002 (the winter-storm emergency resolution adopted Jan. 8, 2025) also passed on recorded ayes.

City staff provided the council with the history the repeal references: the original emergency declaration was made on Jan. 5, 2025 and was later confirmed by the council on Jan. 8, 2025. Willoughby told the council that the administration believed the emergency actions tied to that declaration had concluded.

Other routine business at the meeting included approval of minutes from earlier March meetings and the formal introduction of a list of legislation (items 2 through 25) as presented; the council clerk said copies of the introduced legislation would be available for public inspection at the rear of the chamber and online on Tuesday, April 15.

Council members closed the meeting with neighborhood and district announcements, including upcoming town halls and a public-safety program offering free smoke-alarm installation. The council adjourned and warned attendees to travel safely because of an approaching weather condition.