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Richmond council approves consultant‑led community process for $550M Chevron settlement, keeps funds invested during planning
Summary
The council voted to engage a consultant to lead broad, citywide community engagement and to gather input on spending strategies for the $550 million Chevron settlement; an amendment directs that the funds remain invested while the process proceeds. The motion passed with one no and one abstention after extensive public comment.
The Richmond City Council voted to engage a third‑party consultant to design and conduct an inclusive community engagement process to develop a framework for expenditure of new general fund revenues from the Chevron polluters‑pay settlement and to solicit input on strategies for holding and releasing those funds.
Councilmember Claudia Jimenez moved the measure and Vice Mayor Robinson seconded. The motion included an explicit instruction that the settlement funds remain invested while the community process proceeds. Mayor Martinez announced the final tally: the motion passed, with Councilmember Brown voting no and Councilmember Bonner (recorded as Bana/Bonner in the transcript) abstaining.
Council and staff framed the decision as a response to repeated community appeals for meaningful participation in how settlement funds will be used. "This $550 million settlement is a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to repair harm, meet people's…
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