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Council adopts fair-housing and early-voting resolutions, confirms insurance transfer and certifies closed meeting
Summary
Norton City Council adopted a fair-housing resolution to meet VDHCD grant requirements, confirmed a $109,540 transfer to Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, held and certified a closed meeting on personnel and legal matters, and adopted a resolution about early voting commencement.
NORTON, Va. — At its March 3 meeting the Norton City Council adopted a fair-housing resolution required by a Phase II VDHCD community-development grant, confirmed a $109,540 transfer to Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield for employee health-insurance installment payments, held a closed session for personnel and legal consultation, certified that closed session on return to open meeting, and adopted a resolution regarding commencement of early voting.
City Manager Jeffery A. Shupe told council the VDHCD grant for the Southside Comprehensive Community Development Project requires demonstration of fair-housing practices and appointment of a fair-housing administrator; council adopted the proposed resolution by unanimous vote. Council then confirmed a transfer dated Jan. 1, 2026, to Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield in the amount of $109,540 for monthly employee health-insurance installments.
Council moved into a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters and to consult with legal counsel under the Code of Virginia. After returning to open session members polled and certified the closed meeting and adopted a Resolution of the Certification of Closed Meeting. Later, Vice Mayor Mark Caruso presented and read a resolution regarding commencement of early voting prior to the expiration of a constitutionally-mandated waiting period; council adopted that resolution unanimously.
City Attorney Matthew R. Dotson updated council on delinquent real-estate tax cases and said a judicial sale for three parcels was scheduled for March 25, 2026. City Manager Shupe provided several project updates, including that a preliminary engineering report from the Virginia Department of Energy on the Ridge Avenue wall exists but that Abandoned Mine Land funding likely will not be available; he said the city is awaiting the report. Council members also raised local maintenance and public-safety items, including the performance of a new aerial fire truck at a Feb. 20 Wise fire, asphalt stability on Park Avenue, tennis-court leveling and signage visibility.
Next steps: council will monitor the Ridge Avenue engineering report, coordinate presentation of framed federal documents with schools when delivered, and receive updates on the judicial sale and park projects at future meetings.
