What happened
The council approved Richmond's $249 million operating budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. The budget covers daily operations like police, fire, and parks and passed with one councilmember absent.
The council considered but did not vote on a $1.2 million settlement to pay attorney fees from the Point Molate lawsuits. Environmental groups won their case against the city and are entitled to legal costs as the winning party.
Several major housing items were discussed without votes, including a revised deal to buy the Motel 6 on 24th Street for $6.2 million to create homeless housing. The council also considered applying for a federal program to convert Richmond Village public housing subsidies.
The council reviewed placing the Richmond Election Reform Act on the November 2024 ballot after residents collected over 15,000 signatures. The measure would require primary elections before general elections for city council races.
Major infrastructure costs were on the agenda, including $4.9 million in unexpected costs for the wastewater treatment plant project and accepting a completed Marina Bay sewer line project with a $356,786 cost overrun. The council also considered expanding the Groundwork Richmond tree planting contract by $687,000.
Auto-summarized from official minutes and vote records
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