Lobbying firm reports progress at Richmond and lists four federal funding priorities for Hopewell

Ulysses Jack Howard of DBS Public Affairs Group and colleagues Ida McPherson and Rich Williams briefed the council on state and federal advocacy work. Howard described the firm’s effort to raise Hopewell’s profile in Richmond; Ida McPherson said the team narrowed an original list of 32 proposed legislative priorities to six that were driven by council direction, including treasurer duties realignment, an oxygen plant replacement, support for homelessness and mental-health services, the penny tax, incinerator rehabilitation, and a nature expansion initiative.

On federal priorities, Rich Williams told council DBS is actively coordinating with Senator Mark Warner, Senator Kane (as named in the presentation), and Representative Jennifer McClellan to pursue four key appropriation requests: $1,700,000 for the Heritage Avenue flood mitigation project; $1,000,000 for citywide police technology upgrades; $1,200,000 for the Hopewell community center project update; and $1,700,000 for citywide pump station improvements. Williams said DBS is in close contact with federal partners and emphasized the need to continue highlighting Hopewell’s return on investment, particularly for the Riverwalk expansion project.

Councilmembers encouraged more frequent delegations to Richmond and invited state leaders to visit Hopewell to see progress. Staff said they will continue to prepare materials demonstrating the city’s financial controls and project ROI to share with appropriations committee leaders.