Portsmouth Council approves consent agenda including crisis intervention, foster care and a 50% car tax relief

The Portsmouth City Council on March 10 approved a consent agenda that included several grant acceptances and a tax‑relief decision, voting 7-0 to adopt the package.

The consent agenda, read during the meeting by Deputy City Clerk Anita Sherrod, accepted $27,500 from the Virginia Crisis Intervention Team Coalition to support the Portsmouth Crisis Intervention Team program; $75,104 of additional 4E foster care funding from the Virginia Department of Social Services to be appropriated in the FY2026 Social Services Fund; and $15,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training funds from the Virginia Department of Social Services for eligible FY2026 Social Services Fund uses. The package also established a 50% personal property tax relief percentage for calendar year 2026 personal property bills.

Council moved and seconded the consent agenda and approved it unanimously, 7-0. The measures were listed under item 26-83 during the City Manager's report and require administrative implementation by city staff under the relevant fund accounts.

The council did not debate the individual ordinances during the meeting; the deputy clerk read the items and the council voted to adopt them as a block. Councilmembers present adopted the minutes of recent called and regular meetings earlier in the session by the same unanimous vote.

The adoption of these appropriations will allow the city to draw on the specified grant funds for program operations and to apply the 50% personal property tax relief on 2026 bills. City staff will be responsible for the technical appropriations and accounting under the FY2026 fund structure.