Coraggio Consulting
Manassas City Council 1/13/2025

Date: Monday, January 13, 2025
Place: Manassas City Council, Virginia
Length: 0h 27m (video)
Official meeting video (Wistia / RegionalWebTV): https://fast.wistia.net/embed/iframe/kmd5cfx44w

Machine transcript (speech-to-text) produced by Coraggio Consulting. Not an official county record. Names and numbers may be misspelled; check the video at the timestamp before quoting.
Speech-to-text: whisper.cpp, model large-v3-turbo. Produced 2026-10-17. Timestamps are [HH:MM:SS] into the meeting video.

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[00:00:00] I love doing that. Thank you all so much for being here, calling the City Council Organizational Meeting to order. Thank you so much for being here tonight. We love looking out and seeing all the smiles and wonderful faces. And thank you so much for sharing in this very special occasion with us.

[00:00:16] We have some electeds here that are visiting with us. Andrea Bailey from Prince William County. She is the Potomac Supervisor. Thank you so much for being here. And we have our local elected officials as well from the school board. We have Dr. Zella Jones back there.

[00:00:34] Hello, ma'am. Thank you for being here. Sarah Brescia is also here from the school board. I think that's all that's here from the school board. Thank you for being here. I don't see any other members from the school board. Oh, Dana just came in. Thank you for being here as well. Dana Miles. And we have our Commissioner of the Revenue all the way in the back.

[00:00:53] We'll hear from him at the next meeting. He's trying to hide back there. Tim DeMaria. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you. All right, we're so excited to go ahead and get started as we know America has been heartbroken as we have heard of the loss of many lives and all the damage That is happening due to the devastating wildfires in California Please stand with me if you are able to for a moment of silence as we honor those lives lost and salute the first responders brave neighbors and all who are working to assist the impacted families

[00:01:26] Thank you and you can join me in the Pledge of Allegiance I don't know who that kid is, but he's great.

[00:01:55] Thank you so much. We'll go ahead with the next item on the agenda. We have the swearing in of our elected officials by the Honorable Jacqueline Smith, clerk of the circuit court. And first on the list is Councilman Mark Wolfe for his swearing in.

[00:02:14] If you want to go down front. Family members, come on down. Is Amy coming with you? I don't know. I've never done this before. Fourth time. Are you coming? Somebody has to own him.

[00:02:35] Mark, hold on. Your wife's coming. I made her come down. He needs to be with you.

[00:03:11] Next up, we have Ashley Hudson.

[00:03:41] Councilwoman. To support the Constitution of the United States.

[00:04:11] And the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia. And the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia And to faithfully and impartially And to faithfully and impartially Discharge all the duties Discharge all the duties Incumbent upon me Incumbent upon me As a member of the Manassas City Council As a member of the Manassas City Council To the best of my abilities To the best of my abilities So help me God So help me God Congratulations

[00:04:32] Now we get to Boston Just temporary, huh?

[00:05:07] Get comfortable Next on the agenda is the swearing-in of Tom Osina, council member.

[00:05:48] incumbent upon me. As a member of the Manassas City Council. As a member of the Manassas City Council. To the best of my abilities. To the best of my ability. So help me God. So help me God. Thank you.

[00:06:15] Swearing in of Michelle Davis Younger as mayor and I am joined so wonderfully by my almost 91 year old dad who's going to stand up with me.

[00:06:26] We swear to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia and to faithfully and impartially discharge all the duties incumbent upon me as mayor of the city of Manassas to the best of my abilities, so help me God.

[00:07:31] I know that there was some miscommunication with the parade, folks thinking maybe there were awards being given out tonight, but that is going to be at a later date.

[00:08:16] So, sorry for any miscommunication for people that were showing up to do that. So, now we're going to take a break so that way we can go out and have some refreshments and take pictures and all that. So, enjoy. Thank you so much for being here.

[00:08:42] Welcome back.

[00:09:04] Ashley's here. Welcome back, everyone. Thank you so much for sharing in the break and giving us that time. The next item on the agenda is the roll call from Mr. Smith, the first official roll call for the city council.

[00:09:21] Mayor Davis Younger. Present. Council Member Wolf. Here. Council Member Ellis. Council Member Smith. Here. Council Member Osina. Here. Council Member Vasquez Luna. Yes, thank you. Council Member Hudson.

[00:09:37] Here. McCormish, present. All right, thank you so much for that. In the agenda, item number one, first on the agenda is organizational meeting items. Item 1.1 is Resolution No. R-2025-382, Standing Committee's Appointments of City Council.

[00:09:53] And I will read part of the resolution along with all of the assignments and the council members that are filling the committee positions. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Council of the City of Manassas, Virginia, meeting for its organizational meeting on this 13th day of January 2025 that the city council hereby makes the following appointments the appointments committee tom osina sonia vasquez luna ashley hudson mark wolf is alternate airport commission is mark wolf our arb architectural

[00:10:28] review board teresa coats ellis community policy management team ralph smith economic development Authority, Ralph Smith. Manassas Historic Resources Board, Teresa Coates-Ellis. Parks and Recreation Committee, Ashley Hudson. Social Services Advisory Board, Ralph Smith. Solid Waste Committee, Mark Wolf. Utility Commission, Tom Osina. For our Regional Transportation Assignments, NVTA, Michelle Davis-Younger. NVTA Governance and Personnel Committee, Michelle Davis-Younger.

[00:11:02] NVTA Planning and Programming Committee, Michelle Davis-Younger. NVTA Planning, Coordination, and Advisory Committee is Ralph Smith. Northern Virginia Regional Commission, Ashley Hudson. OmniRide, Ralph Smith. Sonia Vasquez Luna is the alternate.

[00:11:19] Virginia Railway Express, Sonia Vasquez Luna, Ralph Smith as alternate. For our COG assignments, Metropolitan Washington Council of Government Assignments. Board of Directors, Mark Wolfe. Sonia Vasquez Luna is the alternate. Chesapeake Bay and Water Resources Policy Committee, Teresa Coates-Ellis.

[00:11:38] Climate, Energy, and Environment Policy Committee, Tom Osina. Human Services and Public Safety Policy Committee, Teresa Coates-Ellis. Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee, Sonia Vasquez-Luna. Region Forward Coalition, Ralph Smith.

[00:11:54] Transportation Planning Board, Sonia Vasquez-Luna. Ashley Hudson is the alternate. and Agriculture Regional Member Policy Committee is Ralph Smith. Now I need a motion to do all of that.

[00:12:10] Council members. Madam Mayor, for approval of Resolution 2025-382. Second. Oh, we've got four or five seconds. I'm going to give it to Ms. Vasquez Luna. We have the motion from Ms. Councilman Wolfe, seconded by Councilwoman Vasquez Luna, approving Resolution R-2025-382.

[00:12:31] Any discussion? Hearing and seeing none. Mr. Smith, please call the roll. Council Member Wolfe. Yes. Council Member Vasquez Luna. Yes. Council Member Ellis. Council Member Smith. Yes.

[00:12:47] Council Member Osina. Yes. Council Member Hudson. Yes. The motion carries. Thank you so much for that. Next on the agenda is resolution number R-2025-383, appointing the city representative an alternate to the Omni-Ride Board of Commissioners.

[00:13:05] And we have for that, now, therefore, be it resolved by the Nassau City Council, that Ralph J. Smith is hereby appointed as the City of Manassas representative to the Omni-Ride Board of Commissioners and Sonia Vasquez-Luna as the alternate. Is there a motion?

[00:13:20] Madam Mayor, I move passage of Resolution R-2025-383. Second. I hear the motion by Councilman Osina, seconded by Councilman Wolfe, approving Resolution R-2025-383.

[00:13:38] Any discussion? Hearing and seeing none, Mr. Smith, please call the roll. Council Member Osina? Yes. Council Member Wolfe? Councilmember Ellis, Councilmember Smith, Councilmember Vasquez Luna, Councilmember Hutz. The motion carries. Thank you for that. Item 1.3 on the agenda, resolution number 2025-390, appointing the city representative and alternate to the Virginia Railway Express Operations Board.

[00:14:08] Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Manassas City Council that Councilmember Sonia Vasquez Luna is hereby appointed as the city of Manassas representative to the Virginia Railway Express operations board and ralph j smith is appointed as the alternate madam mayor uh i move uh resolution r-2025-390 seconded then a motion by councilman osina seconded by councilwoman hudson approving resolution number r-2025-390 any discussion hearing and seeing them mr smith please call the roll

[00:14:44] council member osina yes council member hudson council member wolf yes council member ellis yes council member smith yes council member vasquez luna yes the motion carries thank you for that next on the agenda resolution item 1.4 resolution number r 2025-467 approving the manassas city council rules of procedure and code of conduct is their motion and mayor move adoption resolution r2025-467 second we have the motion by councilman will second by councilman

[00:15:20] Vasquez Luna to approve resolution number R 2025-467. Any discussion? Hearing and seeing now, Mr. Smith, please call it. Oh, I'm sorry. No, no. I looked, but I didn't look. There are all these people in my way here, but that's going to change soon. Watch out. I'm coming closer.

[00:15:38] Those fighting words. My understanding is that what we're adopting in terms of the rules of procedure. There was one change that was required by state law, but could we call upon the city attorney just to explain what that is so we have full disclosure? Sure. Thank you. Mr. Brown. Good evening, Madam Mayor, members of council. As Councillor Osina mentioned, you were re-adopting

[00:16:15] your rules of procedure, which you do every two years at your organizational meeting. The code of conduct is unchanged from past years. There is a change in the rules of procedure, which is reflective of a recent change in state law. It is on page 14 of your rules of procedure.

[00:16:34] It is section 6-11, participation by remote electronic communication. Since the General Assembly adopted enabling legislation, which allows members of a public body to participate in a public meeting remotely. They have always required that a quorum of the body be physically assembled at one location to approve the remote participation. The person who is absent but who wishes to participate does not count towards that quorum. There is a slight change in that rule as

[00:17:11] a result of recent legislation. A person, a council member who is absent because of a disability or because they are a caretaker of someone with a disability can request to participate and they are counted toward a quorum in determining whether that vote can take place.

[00:17:31] So, and there's an additional definition of caretaker, which is taken from the state code. Again, if you want to review these changes, they should be in red line on page 14 of section 6-11. There is one typographical error in a citation of the state code that we'll clean up, assuming this is adopted, but if you would like to adopt your code of conduct and the rules of procedure, I would recommend your passage of resolution number R-2025-467, a resolution approving the Manassas City Council rules of procedure and code of conduct.

[00:18:11] Thank you, Mr. Brown. Any other discussion or questions? Secondary motion. Oh, okay. Secondary. Okay, sorry.

[00:18:27] Councilman, we have the motion by Councilman Will second it by Councilman Vasquez-Luna to approve resolution number R-2025-467. Any further discussion? Hearing and seeing none, Mr. Smith, please call the roll. Councilmember Wolfe?

[00:18:42] Yes. Councilmember Vasquez-Luna? Yes. Councilmember Ellis? Yes. Councilmember Smith? Yes. Councilmember Osina? Yes. Councilmember Hudson? Yes. The motion carries. Thank you. That moves us forward to Item 2, Resolutions to Appoint Staff.

[00:18:58] Item 2.1 is Resolution R-2025-386, Designation of the City Manager. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Council of the City of Manassas, Virginia, meeting for its organizational meeting on the 13th day of January, 2025, that the City Council hereby designates Douglas Keene as Interim City Manager to serve through February 2, 2025, the pleasure of the council in accordance with chapter 4 section 14 of the city charter and 2 designates steve burke as city manager effective february 3rd 2025 to serve at the pleasure of the

[00:19:35] council in accordance with chapter 4 section 1.4 of the city charter is there a motion motion to approve resolution number r 2025-386 second we have the motion by councilman ellis seconded by Councilman Vasquez Luna to approve resolution number R-2025-386. Any discussion? Hearing and seeing none. Mr. Smith, please call the roll. Councilmember Ellis. Councilmember Vasquez Luna.

[00:20:02] Yes. Councilmember Wolfe. Yes. Councilmember Smith. Councilmember Osina. Yes. Councilmember Hudson. Yes. The motion carries. Thank you for that. Item 2.2, under item 2, resolution number R-2025-387, designation of the city clerk and deputy city clerk. Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Council of the City of Manassas, Virginia, meeting for its organizational meeting on the 13th day of January 2025, that the City Council hereby designates Eric W. Smith II as City Clerk to serve at the pleasure of the Council in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 12 of the City Charter,

[00:20:40] and Karen Garcia as Deputy City Clerk to serve at the pleasure of the Council in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 12 of the City Charter. Is there a motion? Madam Mayor, I move to approve the resolution R-2025-387. Second.

[00:20:56] I get a motion by Councilwoman Vasquez-Luna, seconded by Councilman Smith, to approve resolution number R-2025-387. Any discussion? Hearing and seeing none, Mr. Smith, please call the roll. Councilmember Vasquez-Luna?

[00:21:12] See. Councilmember Smith? Yes. Councilmember Wolfe? Yes. Councilmember Ellis? Yes. Councilmember Osina? Yes. Councilmember Hudson? Yes. The motion carries. Next on the agenda, item 2.3, resolution number R-2025-388, designation of the city attorney and deputy city attorney.

[00:21:33] Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Council of the City of Manassas, Virginia, meeting for its organizational meeting on this 13th day of January 2025, that the city council hereby designates 1. S. Craig Brown as the city attorney to serve at the pleasure of the council in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 26 of the city charter, and to Amelia May as the Deputy City Attorney to serve at the pleasure of the Council in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 26 of the City Charter.

[00:22:01] Is there a motion? Madam Mayor, I move to approve the Resolution R-2025-388, designation of the City Attorney and Deputy City Attorney. We have the motion by Councilwoman Vasquez, and on the seconded by Councilwoman Ellis, approving Resolution R-2025-388.

[00:22:18] Any discussion? Hearing and seeing none, Mr. Smith, please call the roll. Councilmember Vasquez Luna? Yes. Councilmember Ellis? Yes. Councilmember Wolfe? Yes. Councilmember Smith? Yes. Councilmember Osina? Yes.

[00:22:34] Councilmember Hudson? Yes. The motion carries. All right. That moves us to item three on the agenda, election of a vice mayor. Do I have a motion? Madam Mayor? Yes, sir. I'd like to move the election of Councilman Mark Wolfe as vice mayor.

[00:22:54] Is there a second? Seconded. We have a motion by Councilman Ossina, seconded by Councilwoman Hudson, to approve Mr. Wolfe as the vice mayor. Any discussion? Yes, Madam Mayor. Yes, ma'am.

[00:23:10] All right. The vice mayor acts as the mayor when the mayor, Davis Younger, is not present. You know, I would like, I believe this is a leadership position, and it's a team building. I would like to see a compromise.

[00:23:27] I would like to see from the leadership position when it comes to this, because it's acting as the mayor, filling in as the mayor, so my ask, I will vote, and my ask is, my vote is to see better communication like we saw with the mayor.

[00:23:59] our by a vice mayor to see empathy accountability fairness respect for others and this is what leadership looks like okay thank you any other discussion comments not mr. Smith please call the roll council member Osina yes council member Hudson council member wolf council member Ellis council member Smith yes council member Vasquez Luna yes the motion carries Thank you for that. Congratulations, Mr. Wolf.

[00:24:39] You going to move? Or you going to stay there? Okay, we can take a recess then. Just a real quick recess. Then we'll come back and I'll make my remarks.

[00:24:55] Just a five-minute recess. Thank you. Council member down there, Ashley, congratulations to all of you. As we embark not only on a new year and with a somewhat new council, I'm excited about the work that lies ahead of us.

[00:25:13] We accomplished a lot in the last four years. and there's still a lot of work to do, and that alone, and alone, that will be our focus for the next four years, getting the job done. Congratulations, Mr. Wolf, for election two vice mayor. I look forward to working with you in that role, and I'll give you a few moments after I speak if you want to share some comments.

[00:25:32] This is your fourth term on count, fifth, excuse me, fifth term on council, so we look to continue to lean on your institutional knowledge. I closed the book on 2024 and all that came with it, the ups, the downs, the highs and the lows, and am only focusing on what is ahead and supporting you, council members, in doing what is best for our residents.

[00:25:57] You have worked hard to get here, and the voters spoke loud and clear as to who they wanted to represent them in these seats. None of us up here are perfect, and we will make mistakes along the way, but as long as we learn from the mistakes and we grow from them, we will all be successful.

[00:26:14] We must work together as a team to be successful for all of our constituents, always keeping in mind and asking ourselves what is best for our city, and most of all, respecting each other at all times, even when we disagree. Governance needs to be the priority, and doing so without personal feelings getting in the way.

[00:26:33] I am reaffirming and recommitting to the Council Code of Conduct as well as our Council Rules of Procedure and doing what is best for the city. To our staff, I simply say thank you for everything that you do to help us be successful in our positions.

[00:26:49] We see you and appreciate you, and I look forward to working with each of you. We may not always agree on everything, but we must always have respect for each other, and we know that you will always give us your best, and we must commit to working together to move our city forward. being your mayor has and will continue to be some of the best years of my life this term you will see many changes as i have learned some valuable hard life lessons but one thing that hasn't and will not change and that is the fact that i do love this city and will always strive to do what is right so that we can all be proud to mccommon as his home with that thank you all again for being

[00:27:27] here tonight before i adjourn i invite you to stay with us for our first full council meeting of the new year after we take a short break. So tonight, we start to get the work done. Mr. Wolfe, you want to make some comments? I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for the words and the support and the trust in place to meet.

[00:27:46] And now let's get to work. All right, thank you. This meeting is adjourned. Thank you. We're moving to the other one. That's right. I don't want to take it right.

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