Chesapeake council unanimously approves opioid settlement grant, capital transfers and fiber co‑build

Chesapeake City Council on an 8-0 vote approved multiple budget, grant and infrastructure items, including the acceptance of $377,164 from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority and an ordinance to permit a co‑build of fiber conduit with the Southside Network Authority.

The council voted to accept and appropriate $377,164 in opioid-abatement funding requested by Chesapeake Integrated Behavioral Healthcare. City Manager Price told the council the funds come from statewide settlements managed by the Opioid Abatement Authority and from targeted grant applications; Attorney Lindley said some allocations derive from settlements involving retailers such as Walmart and Walgreens. "We have two sources from which to draw," Price said, describing both state allocations and competitive grant awards.

Council also approved several capital transfers. The consent agenda included transferring $264,185 to the Northwest River Park Improvements project and appropriations of $3,015,000 to the Bel Air Avenue extension and $380,000 to Oak Grove Park Phase 2. Separately, Public Works requested and the council approved a $2,811,800 transfer from the Greenbrier site infrastructure project to the Bel Air Avenue extension project.

On broadband, the council adopted an ordinance authorizing the city manager to execute a co‑build agreement with the Southside Network Authority. City Manager Price explained Chesapeake is building a fiber ring (Chesapeake Connects) and will co‑build a segment with the regional authority to save time and money; the Southside Network Authority will reimburse the city for costs incurred on that portion of the work (roughly $1.7 million was discussed during the item).

Earlier in the meeting the council had separated and approved City Manager Item 2, a FY2026 operating budget amendment that includes funding to replace aging police vehicles. Price described pandemic-related procurement delays and sharply rising vehicle costs as the rationale for accelerating purchases.

All motions related to these items were adopted by an 8-0 vote. The acceptance of the opioid funds will allow CIBH and city staff to expand services and beds referenced in the discussion; the fiber agreement allows the city to proceed with the identified co‑build segment and seek reimbursement under the MOU.

The council also approved concurrent advertising for a rezoning application (PLNREZ-2025-017, Stillwater) that will advance to the Planning Commission and then back to council for a later hearing.