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Votes at a glance: Newport News council approves sidewalk acquisitions, hospital bond concurrence and pedestrian grants
Summary
Newport News City Council approved multiple routine and project items March 11, including property acquisition authority for a Ward Boulevard sidewalk project, concurrence with a revenue bond issuance tied to Mary Immaculate Hospital, and appropriations of VDOT revenue‑sharing and local funds for four street and pedestrian projects.
The Newport News City Council on March 11, 2025 approved several agenda items by unanimous votes, including an ordinance to authorize property acquisition for a Ward Boulevard sidewalk project, a resolution of concurrence for revenue bonds associated with Mercy Health/Mary Immaculate Hospital, adoption of VDOT revenue‑sharing and local project appropriations for pedestrian and signal work, and routine consent items.
Ordinance for property acquisition (Ward Boulevard sidewalk): Council approved an ordinance authorizing the city manager to execute documents necessary to make offers to acquire by voluntary sale or condemnation portions of property for the Ward Boulevard sidewalk/Lucas Creek Road Boulevard project. The council closed the public hearing, and the motion to adopt the ordinance carried 6‑0.
Revenue bond concurrence for Mercy Health/Mary Immaculate Hospital: Council approved a resolution of concurrence for the issuance of revenue bonds by the Henrico County Economic Development Authority in an aggregate amount described in the meeting materials (city staff noted public funds are not pledged for repayment and the city is not endorsing project financial viability). Staff said Mary Immaculate Hospital in Newport News was identified as a beneficiary in an amount “not to exceed $65,000,000” as recorded in the meeting presentation. Council voted 6‑0 to approve the resolution of concurrence.
Appropriations for pedestrian and signal projects: The council approved a resolution appropriating VDOT revenue‑sharing grant funds and local project funds for four projects: downtown pedestrian improvements; Jefferson Avenue pedestrian improvements between Green Grove Lane and Industrial Park Drive; Campbell Road pedestrian improvements between Bland Boulevard and Warwick Boulevard; and a Jefferson Avenue at Wilcox Lane traffic signal mast arm conversion. Staff presented totals of $1,757,573 in VDOT revenue‑sharing grant funds and $2,310,445 in local project funds for the listed projects; the appropriation motion carried 6‑0.
Consent agenda and other routine items: The consent agenda — including minutes from Feb. 25 and a resolution confirming and terminating the local emergency declaration tied to Winter Storm Kingston — was approved 6‑0.
What the votes do and do not do: Staff clarified on the revenue bond item that approval of the concurrency resolution does not obligate city funds nor constitute an endorsement of the project’s financial viability; the action is a local procedural concurrence requested by the bond issuer. The Ward Boulevard item authorizes acquisition activity (offers, voluntary sale or condemnation) tied to a capital sidewalk project; no speakers were present for that public hearing.
Council members recorded in roll calls for these motions were Mayor Jones, Councilman Long, Councilwoman Vick, Vice Mayor Bethany, Councilman Coleman and Councilman Harris. Several items will require implementation steps by city departments: the property‑acquisition ordinance assigns document execution to the city manager; the appropriations direct Finance to allocate VDOT and local funds to the listed projects.
