409 S. Main Street

City of Harrisonburg

Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Meeting Minutes - Final

City Council

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

7:00 PM

Council Chambers

Roll Call

5 -

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, Chief

Matthew Tobia and Police Chief Joseph Tucker

Moment of Silence

Mayor Reed offered a moment of silence

Pledge of Allegiance

Mayor Reed led the Pledge of Allegiance

Special Recognition

Proclamation recognizing Arbor Day

4.a.

Council Member Dent presented the proclamation recognizing Arbor Day to Jeremy

Harold, Public Works Greenspace Manager, and Mike Hott, Landscape Coordinator.

Mr. Harold thanked Council for their continued support and noted that staff will be out

at Stone Spring Elementary School planting 12 trees to enhance their outdoor

learning space on April 11, 2026

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, that

the consent agenda be approved. 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:

Minutes from the March 10, 2026 City Council meeting

5.a.

These minutes were approved on the consent agenda

Consider enacting an Ordinance Temporarily Changing Certain Voting Precincts

5.b.

5.c.

This ordinance was approved on second reading

Consider the Disposal of Public Property Located at 301 S. Main Street

This ordinance was approved on second reading

Public Hearings

Public Hearing to Consider 2026 CDBG Action Plan

6.a.

Kristin McCombe, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Manager,

presented the 2026 Annual Action Plan. She described what CDBG is and how it is

to be used. She reviewed the following categories and presented funding

recommendations:

2026 Estimated CDBG Allocation from HUD;

Housing & Property Improvements;

Community and Public Facilities;

Planning and Administration;

Public Services;

Schedule for the 2026 Action Plan.

Ms. McCombe stated this presentation opens the 30-day public comment and

provided contact information for any public comments.

At 7:09 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 Tuesday, March

10, 2026

Joyce Nussbaum, Associate Director for VPAS, stated she appreciates all of the

support from City Council and guidance from Ms. McCombe. She noted the Meals on

Wheels and it's nearly 200 volunteers served over 45,000 meals this past fiscal year.

At 7:11 p.m., Mayor Reed closed the public hearing and the regular session

reconvened.

This Public Hearing - No Action was no action taken.

Regular Items

Consider revisions to the City’s Financial Management Policies

7.a.

Larry Propst, director of Finance, presented an update to the Harrisonburg Financial

Management Policies. He provided information on the policies and the updates

recommended as follows:

Overview of the Policies;

The importance of Financial Management Policies;

Organization of the Policy (eight sections);

Asset Maintenance and Replacement Policies;

Debt Policies;

Vice Mayor Fleming thanked Mr. Propst and stated these policies are incredibly

important to the city, he requested our financial information should be posted on our

website for full transparency.

Further discussion took place in regard to the amendments made, strength of the city

to get projects done when needed, and the city’s credit rating.

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

revisions be approved. The motion carried with a recorded roll call vote taken as follows:

4 -

Yes:

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

Robinson

No:

1 - Council Member Alsaadun

Absent:

7.b.

Consider Addendum to Downtown Harrisonburg Park Donation Agreement between

the City of Harrisonburg and Build Our Park

Chris Brown, city attorney, presented an addendum to the Downtown Harrisonburg

Park Donation Agreement between the Build Our Park organization and the city. He

stated based on discussions with contractors and suppliers, Build Our Park indicated

the project may be delivered more efficiently and at lower cost through the Virginia

Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA), which allows a

public-private partnership approach as a limited exception to standard procurement

rules. Mr. Brown emphasized that discussion of PPEA does not obligate the group to

submit a PPEA proposal; if submitted, it would follow City PPEA guidelines and

applicable state law, be initially reviewed by staff for consistency with previously

approved plans, and return to Council at least twice for approval. He further noted that

under a PPEA agreement the City would require bonding (including performance

bonds) to protect the City if a contractor or partner fails to complete the work. Any final

plans and the PPEA agreement would remain subject to Council approval. Staff

explained that under the PPEA approach, the group may bring proposed contractors

and material donations, but the City would ultimately contract with the group under the

Act.

Discussion took place regarding additional options for the organization without

obligating the city.

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

this addendum be approved.

follows:

The motion carried with a recorded roll call vote taken as

5 -

Yes:

No:

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

Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson

Supplementals

8.a.

8.b.

8.c.

Consider a supplemental appropriation for the General Fund and the Water Capital

Projects Fund

Larry Propst, director of Finance, presented a supplemental appropriation request for

the General Fund and the Water Capital Projects Fund in the amount of $255,000 for

the purchase of the land next to HFD Station Four and all remaining interest earnings

from the 2021 bond issue in the amount of $174,403 into the Eastern Source project

for Public Utilities.

motion was made by Council Member Alsaadun, seconded by Council Member Robinson,

that this Supplemental Appropriation be approved.

call vote taken as follows:

The motion carried with a recorded roll

5 -

Yes:

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

Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson

No:

Consider a supplemental appropriation for the General Fund, Water Fund and the

Stormwater Fund

Larry Propst, director of Finance, presented a supplemental appropriation for the

General Fund, Water Fund, and Stormwater Fund related to the Saufley Farm.

Discussion on the investment in the property to help with required nutrient credits and

the planting of many trees as well as the savings for the laying of raw water line;

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

this Supplemental Appropriation be approved.

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:

Consider a supplemental appropriation for the Harrisonburg City School Board

(HCPS)

Larry Propst, director of Finance, presented a supplemental appropriation will

increase the School Fund and School Capital Projects budgets by $1,398,507.29

and $56,369.17, respectively, from additional funding from state and federal sources.

motion was made by Council Member Robinson, seconded by Council Member Alsaadun,

that this Supplemental Appropriation be approved.

call vote taken as follows:

The motion carried with a recorded roll

5 -

Yes:

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

Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson

No:

Reallocations

Consider a reallocation of funds for the Harrisonburg City School Board (HCPS)

9.a.

Larry Propst, director of Finance, presented a reallocation request from Harrisonburg

City Public Schools, in the amount of $1,481,630.83 from the completed Rocktown

High School (RHS) capital project to the Facilities project to fund various projects

from the HCPS approved CIP.

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

this Reallocation 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:

10.

Other Matters

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

agenda. (Name and address are required)

Wayne Wenger, 641 Broadview Drive, spoke against the Link development;

Dibora Mekonnen, senior at EMU, spoke on the collaboration of students from JMU

and EMU who marched earlier in the day for Justice, Dignity and Fairness;

Panayotis “Poti” Giannakouros, spoke on the recent Pollinator in Your Yard city event

in which the Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition participated; tall grass and weed

enforcement; and No Mow May;

10.b. City Council and Staff

Vice Mayor Fleming spoke on the recent National League of Cities (NLC) conference

and recent legislation activity;

Council Member Robinson spoke on the recent National League of Cities (NLC)

conference and the collaboration that occurred during the conference, and she

thanked the collaborators of the march for Justice, Dignity and Fairness earlier in the

day;

Council Member Dent spoke on the recent National League of Cities (NLC)

conference and her involvement with the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources

(EENR) Committee at the conference; and she spoke on her trip to Brazil last year for

COP30.

Council Member Alsaadun, spoke on work that he and Church World services have

done related to SNAP benefits for newcomers, and an article will be published in the

Virginia Pilot and Daily Press.

Mayor Reed spoke on the recent National League of Cities (NLC) conference and her

presence with a small group of Mayors for a discussion on immigration and ICE

challenges; she also participated in the opening session; her attendance to a press

conference about new child care center in the city; and she thanked the collaborators

for the march for Justice, Dignity and Fairness earlier in the day.

11.

Boards and Commissions

Economic Development Advisory Committee

11.a.

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

appoint Ryan Silver to the Economic Development Advisory Committee to first term to

expire on March 24, 2030. 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:

12.

Adjournment

At 8:23 p.m., there being no further business and on motion adopted, the meeting

was adjourned.

________________________

CITY CLERK

________________________

MAYOR