Minutes - City Council

409 S. Main Street

City of Harrisonburg

Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Meeting Minutes - Final

City Council

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

7:00 PM

Council Chambers

Roll Call

5 -

4 -

Present:

Mayor Deanna R. Reed, Vice-Mayor Dany Fleming, Council Member Laura Dent,

Council Member Nasser Alsaadun and Council Member Monica Robinson

Also Present:

City Manager Ande Banks, City Attorney Chris Brown, City Clerk Pam Ulmer and

Chief Matthew Tobia

Moment of Silence

Mayor Reed offered a moment of silence

Pledge of Allegiance

Mayor Reed led the Pledge of Allegiance

Special Recognition

Consent Agenda (any item placed on the consent agenda shall be removed and

taken up as a separate matter, if so requested by any member of Council, otherwise all

items will be voted on with one (1) motion)

motion was made by Council Member Robinson, seconded by Vice-Mayor Fleming, to

approve the Consent Agenda as presented.

vote taken as follows:

The motion carried with a recorded roll call

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Fleming, Council Member Dent, Council Member

Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson

No:

5.a.

5.b.

Minutes from the May 12, 2026 special meeting of City Council and the May 12, 2026

City Council meeting

These minutes were approved on the consent agenda

Consider a request from Collicello North LLC to amend the approved master

development plan (rezoning) for various addresses on Collicello Street and Kates

Lane.

This item was approved on second reading

5.c.

Consider adopting an Ordinance for administrative issuance of Encroachment

Licenses in downtown

This ordinance enactment was approved on second reading.

Public Hearings

6.a.

Public hearing regarding the real estate tax rate for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 to be set

at $1.01 per $100 of assessed value

Larry Propst, director of Finance, presented the tax rate for FY 2026/2027 as $1.01

per $100 of assessed value. While the rate remains unchanged since last year a

public hearing is required by state code anytime reassessments are estimated to

increase by more than one percent from the previous year, FY 2026/27 assessments

are at a 2.5% increase.

At 7:04 p.m., Mayor Reed closed the regular session and called the first public

hearing to order. A notice appeared in the Daily News-Record on Friday, May 15,

2026.

There being no one desiring to be heard, Mayor Reed closed the public hearing at

7:05 p.m., and the regular session reconvened.

motion was made by Vice-Mayor Fleming, seconded by Council Member Alsaadun,

approve the tax rate for FY 26/27 as presented The motion carried with a recorded roll call

vote taken as follows:

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Fleming, Council Member Dent, Council Member

Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson

No:

Regular Items

Presentation on the Point in Time Count

7.a.

Kaitlin Heatwole, Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) administrator,

Western Virginia Continuum of Care (COC), presented an update on the

homelessness in Harrisonburg. She reviewed the following:

Overview of the counties covered under the West Virginia COC;

The 2026 Point in Time (PIT) Count by counties;

Distribution by age for Harrisonburg/Rockingham County homeless versus

general population;

Distribution by race/ethnicity for Harrisonburg/Rockingham County homeless

versus general population;

Last residency of the homeless versus general population;

Reported length of time spent homeless throughout life;

Factors contributing to homelessness;

Common income sources of the homeless;

Economic and Housing Cost Factors;

Factors contributing to Homelessness;

Addressing social support and personal factors; and

Addressing economic and housing cost factors;

Discussion took place among City Council, Ms. Heatwole and Dr. Nate Riddle,

executive director of Open Doors, regarding the elderly and veterans, fair market rent,

barriers to housing, needs to end homelessness, the Navigation Center and it's

collaboration with other non-profit organizations, prevention programs, the housing

eco-system and need for affordable housing, wages, doubled-up households, the

Homelessness Coalition, job training, and the reduction of federal funds available.

This Presentation was received and filed.

Consider Approval of 2026 CDBG Action Plan

7.b.

Kristin McCombe, Community Development Block Grant program manager,

presented the 2026 Annual Action Plan and highlighted the following:

2026 allocation and rollover funding for a total allocation of $555,809.29;

Housing and Property Improvements funding;

Planning and Administration funding;

Public Service funding;

Community Public Facilities funding;

motion was made by Council Member Robinson, seconded by Council Member Dent, that

the 2026 CDBG Action Plan be approved as presented.

roll call vote taken as follows:

The motion carried with a recorded

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Fleming, Council Member Dent, Council Member

Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson

No:

7.c.

Consider adopting the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget and approving the

Appropriation Ordinance

Ande Banks, city manager, presented the revised FY 26-27 Budget, stating the

changes were due to the city schools finalizing their budget and the final CDBG

funding allotment has been confirmed. The amendments to the FY 26-27 Budget

address those changes.

Larry Propst, director of Finance, stated the budget decreased by approximately one

million dollars from the previously presented budget.

motion was made by Council Member Robinson, seconded by Vice-Mayor Fleming, that

this Ordinance be approved.

follows:

The motion carried with a recorded roll call vote taken as

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Fleming, Council Member Dent, Council Member

Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson

No:

7.d.

Consider adopting a resolution for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)

Project Funding and Signature Authority

Tom Hartman, director of Public Works, presented a resolution that is required for

VDOT grant funding. It confirms that if a grant is applied for and matching funds are

required, the city will provide the matching funds, and it gives the city manager and

deputy city manager the authority to sign the agreements for those grant funds.

motion was made by Council Member Robinson, seconded by Vice-Mayor Fleming, that

this Resolution be adopted.

follows:

The motion carried with a recorded roll call vote taken as

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Fleming, Council Member Dent, Council Member

Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson

No:

Presentation of the Downtown Master Planting Plan

7.e.

Jeremy Harold, Greenspace manager, presented the Downtown Master Planting

Plan. He reviewed the following:

The history of the development of the plan;

The project areas and goals of the plan;

The focus areas;

The landscape goals;

The lean plan versus the dream plan;

Court Square Concept Plant;

Parking lot perspective;

City Hall parking lot concept plan; and

Next steps

Discussion took place among Council Members on native plantings, food forests,

mitigation of the urban heat island areas, fruit tree planting, avoiding invasive species,

ongoing maintenance, the pollinator program, manpower and budgeting.

Mr. Banks stated he and Mr. Hartman, director of Public Works would like to see the

budget grow for this plan to implement the dream plan versus the lean plan, however,

competing priorities mean staff cannot always implement projects to the extent they

would prefer

This Action Item was received and filed.

Recess

At 8:35 p.m., Mayor Reed called the meeting into recess.

At 8:45 p.m., Mayor Reed called the meeting back into session.

Consider approving the update on the Stormwater Improvement Plan

7.f.

7f and 7g presented together

Keith Thomas, sustainability and environmental manager, Public Works, reviewed

the Stormwater Improvement Plan (SWIP). He reviewed the following:

The background of the current plan;

The SWIP update process;

Examples of Best Management Practices (BMP);

BMP locations overview;

Priority BMPs and locations;

Public engagement overview; and

Locations of concern/drainage complaints;

He also reviewed the following:

Blacks Run and Cooks Creek Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL);

TMDL Development background;

Reference watershed;

Pollutant reduction targets (phosphorus and sediment);

Progress and phased targets;

Vice Mayor Fleming stated the city has been given an unattainable TMDL standard by

DEQ, which staff has tried to change but to no avail.

He also reviewed the following related to the Harrisonburg City Public Schools

(HCPS)

Stormwater Memorandum of Understanding:

The 2023-2028 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit

changes;

Low priority issues;

Moderate priority issues;

Critical priority issues;

HCPS BMP maintenance problems and proposed solutions;

MOU requirements;

Council Member Robinson asked if fees are being charged to HCPS for any repairs

or maintenance. Mr. Banks stated one Public Works employee's pay is being

reimbursed by HCPS and HCPS is reimbursing the city for any maintenance the

Public Works Department does.

Discussion took place on the long-term infrastructure operations with BMP

maintenance, opportunities for residents to help collect water rather than allowing

run-off, and how city departments are taking part in water collection systems as well.

motion was made by Council Member Dent, seconded by Council Member Alsaadun, that

the SWIP be approved as presented. The motion carried with a recorded roll call vote taken

as follows:

Yes:

5 -

Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Fleming, Council Member Dent, Council Member

Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson

No:

Update on the Stormwater Program

7.g.

Presented with agenda item 7.f.

This Report was received and filed.

Other Matters

8.a. Comments from the public, limited to five minutes, on matters not on the regular

agenda. (Name and address are required)

Michael Alexio, spoke on the use of plastic bags and recommended to Council that

an ordinance be created to charge a minimal fee for use of plastic bags in stores.

8.b. City Council and Staff

Vice Mayor Fleming spoke on a meeting with the Harrisonburg Community Health

Center and a recent Stormwater Advisory Committee meeting.

Council Member Robinson spoke on recent graduations in her family and recent tour

with an EMU class on local history;

Council Member Alsaadun spoke on his upcoming trip to Washington DC for

Advocacy Days for immigrants and refugees.

Mayor Reed spoke on recent graduations in her family; highlighted Council Member

Dent for a wonderful article on her in the Virginia Town and City (VTC) magazine;

Council Member Dent spoke on the article in VTC; the COP30 work; recent Virginia

Association of Planning District Commission meeting she attended;

10.

Closed Session

10.a.

Closed Session as authorized by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Virginia

Code Section 2.2-3711(A), under:

Subsection 7 for consultation with legal counsel and staff regarding actual or probable

litigation where such consultation in open session would adversely affect the

negotiating or litigating posture of City Council.

At 9:30 p.m.,

a motion was made by Vice Mayor Fleming, seconded by Council Member

Dent, to enter into closed session as authorized by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act,

Virginia Code Section 2.2-3711(A), under: Subsection 7 for consultation with legal counsel

and staff regarding actual or probable litigation where such consultation in open session

would adversely affect the negotiating or litigating posture of City Council. The motion

carried with a recorded roll call vote taken as follows:

5 -

Yes:

No:

Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Fleming, Council Member Dent, Council Member

Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson

11.

Adjournment

At 9:54 p.m. the closed session ended and the regular session reconvened. City

Attorney Brown read the following statement, which was agreed to with a unanimous

recorded vote of Council: I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge (1) only

public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements under

Chapter 37 of Title 2.2 of the Code, of Virginia, 1950, as amended, and (2) only such

public business matters as were identified in the motion by which the closed meeting

was convened were heard, discussed or considered in the closed meeting by the City

Council.

At 9:54 p.m., there being no further business and on motion adopted, the meeting

was adjourned.

________________________

CITY CLERK

________________________

MAYOR