Jeff Bragg

This Council Priorities document outlines strategic objectives for the City of Fredericksburg from 2024 to 2027. Key focus areas include increasing participation of under-represented voices, developing comprehensive strategies for housing affordability, and completing an economic development strategic plan with a focus on diversity and sustainability. The plan also addresses comprehensive planning and small area updates, fostering a diverse business community, encouraging redevelopment, and attracting environmentally sustainable data centers. Infrastructure priorities involve water, sewer, wastewater treatment, and fire safety, alongside strategies for employee attraction and retention. Connected communities are promoted through trail system evolution, pedestrian/bike safety improvements, and multimodal transportation options. Additionally, the plan emphasizes learning for life by expanding CTE opportunities and supporting local schools, while respecting the city's past through telling a complete history, determining next steps for historic properties, and incentivizing preservation. Environmental goals include moving toward 100% renewable energy, maintaining the canal, expanding the tree canopy, and installing solar panels. Finally, community well-being is addressed by working on solutions for homelessness, enhancing community-oriented policing, promoting mental health response programs, implementing a new public safety system, and pursuing opportunities for teens.

This document outlines the Fredericksburg City Council's three-year strategic priorities. The plan is structured around key pillars such as economic development, comprehensive planning, community engagement for under-represented voices, infrastructure improvements, employee attraction and retention, transportation enhancements, historic preservation, cultural vibrancy, environmental sustainability, educational support, housing affordability, homelessness solutions, public safety, and youth programs. The overarching vision is to foster a vibrant economy, build a future-ready city, connect communities, promote lifelong learning, honor the past while embracing the future, enhance cultural experiences, advance environmental initiatives, and ensure overall community well-being.

The Council meeting included recognition of Detective Gloria Mejia, a Wall of Honor Ceremony for Janice Davies, Lawrence A. Davies, and Thomas Williams, and a presentation on the Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report for the Tri-County/City Soil and Water Conservation District. The council discussed trail safety enhancements, including potential work session discussions and safety strategies implemented by Fredericksburg and UMW Police. They also addressed the adoption of minutes, appointments to the Towing and Recovery Advisory Board and the Fredericksburg Arts Commission, and approval of the City of Fredericksburg Public Art Policy. Additional discussions covered budget supplements and appropriations, including funding from Dominion Energy and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, as well as budget amendments authorizing the appropriation of FY 2025 Transit Carryovers. The council also considered supplemental funding for the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank and approved the Fredericksburg 2026 General Assembly Legislative Program.

The City Council discussed the transfer of a surplus fire truck to Spotsylvania County. The City Manager is authorized to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the transfer, ensuring the fire truck remains available for the City to borrow if needed, in accordance with the mutual aid agreement between the two localities.

The City Council is considering a budget amendment for Fiscal Year 2026 to reappropriate funds for ongoing Transit projects, specifically the Motorola Tower project. The amendment involves reallocating unspent FY 2025 funds to ensure project continuity in FY 2026, with no new funding required. The proposed carryover appropriations will use fund balances as detailed in the attachment, reflecting the reappropriation of previously budgeted funds. The council is being asked to approve a resolution to authorize the appropriation of these carryover funds.