Newport News City Council re-adopts budget, approves waterfront grants and infrastructure agreements in unanimous votes

Newport News City Council on June 24 re-adopted the city's operating budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, 2024, and approved multiple ordinances and resolutions to advance waterfront dock work, a downtown lease, interlocal utility agreements and property actions.

The re-adoption of the fiscal 2024'025 budget was approved by a recorded roll-call vote of 7-0. Councilmembers then approved a series of related ordinances and resolutions with no recorded opposition.

Why it matters: the package includes grant-funded work on Jefferson Avenue and the seafood industrial park, a new bulk-water purchase agreement with the city of Williamsburg that will allow Newport News Water Works to provide supplemental water during Williamsburg construction, and property authority to pursue voluntary sale or condemnation checks needed to repair a City-owned bridge structure over CSX railroad tracks.

Key adopted measures and outcomes (motions and roll-call results as recorded at the meeting):

- Readopt FY2024-25 operating budget (ordinance amendment tied to Ordinance No. 7985, as previously amended by Ordinance No. 8007, and Resolution No. 13829). Motion carried by roll call, 7-0; ordinance adopted, 7-0.

- Restriction agreement for 701 Jefferson Avenue: Ordinance authorizing the city manager to execute a restriction agreement among the Economic Development Authority, the City of Newport News and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Motion and adoption recorded, 7-0.

- Port Host Communities grant for 701 Jefferson Avenue: Ordinance directing the city manager to execute documents to effectuate and implement a Port Host Communities Fund grant for 701 Jefferson Avenue. Motion and adoption recorded, 7-0.

- Lease of Seafood Industrial Park, Parcel 1: Resolution authorizing the lease of city-owned Seafood Industrial Park Parcel 1 by the Economic Development Authority of the City of Newport News. Resolution approved, 7-0.

- Mercury Boulevard bridge access / property acquisition: Ordinance authorizing the city manager to make offers to acquire by voluntary sale or condemnation portions of property needed for repairs to the Mercury Boulevard bridge over the CSX Railway (Route 17), structure No. 1820. Motion and adoption recorded, 7-0.

- Easement to Hampton Roads Sanitation District: Ordinance authorizing and directing the city manager to execute a deed of easement granting additional easements on city-owned property at 100 City Farm Road. Motion and adoption recorded, 7-0.

- Consent items (minutes and a city-code technical amendment): Approved as submitted by a single motion; roll call 7-0.

- Interlocal/billing and utility agreements presented by staff: Several resolutions were approved by roll call, 7-0, including a bulk-water purchase agreement with the city of Williamsburg and an agreement under which Newport News Water Works will bill and collect Hampton sewer and solid-waste fees on the same bill as water service.

- Redevelopment services agreement: Resolution authorizing a FY2026'030 agreement with the Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority to support redevelopment in the Southeast community and downtown (includes options for annual renewal tied to CIP funding). Approved 7-0.

- Donation to Bethea Family Foundation: Resolution authorizing donation of lawn equipment to the Bethea Family Foundation for property maintenance under an existing license agreement. The resolution passed with one abstention; the clerk recorded the abstention and a signed written declaration was placed on file. Recorded outcome: motion carried, 6 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention.

- Appropriations for seafood-dock work and port-host match: Two appropriations were approved by roll call, 7-0. The council appropriated $1,000,000 in fiscal 2024 Community Project Funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for seafood-market and Seafood Industrial Park dock improvements (dredging, demolition of old piers, installation of new commercial moorings). Council also appropriated $1,600,000 in fiscal 2024 funds that combine an $800,000 Port Host Communities Revitalization Fund grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and the required 1:1 local match; those funds will support dredging, demolition of deteriorated piers, installation of new commercial moorings with shore power and water, and construction of an ADA-compliant floating dock at 917 Jefferson Avenue.

Meeting close: council proceeded through its agenda and, after public comments and council remarks, the mayor declared the meeting adjourned.

Note on recordkeeping and disclosure: where roll-call votes were recorded, the clerk read each council member's name and the recorded response; where a single abstention was recorded for the Bethea Family Foundation equipment donation, the clerk noted a signed conflict-of-interest declaration was filed and the abstention is reflected in the meeting tally.