Coraggio Consulting
Manassas City Council 2026-04-13, Monday, April 13, 2026

Date: Monday, April 13, 2026
Place: Manassas City Council, Virginia
Length: 1h 36m (video)
Official meeting video (Wistia / RegionalWebTV): https://fast.wistia.net/embed/iframe/n42fa5y5b1

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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[00:00:03] Smith, please call the roll. Mayor Davis Younger. Present. Vice Mayor Wolfe. Here. Council Member Ellis. Here. Council Member Smith. Here. Council Member Osina. Here. Council Member Vasquez Luna. Council Member Hudson. Here. McCormish. Present. Thank you very much. If you're able to please stand with me for the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Dear God, thank you for bringing us all together again to provide governance to the residents of the city of Manassas.

[00:00:31] we thank you for keeping our community safe and ask for continued protection of our council our staff our men and women in uniform both locally and overseas we remain thankful for all things amen please join me in the pledge of allegiance i pledge allegiance to the flag you may be seated thank you and welcome everyone to the council meeting um and for those who traveled out here

[00:01:11] to be with us in person thank you for spending your gas money and your time to come out here and be with us in person and to those who are joining us from electronically or by television welcome to the meeting as well council members always good to be with you and thank you for consistently showing up for this community we have a pretty light agenda tonight with several proclamations as well as a closed session I want to thank you for all the visitors who have come out for the proclamations it's always good to look out and see smiling faces and joyfulness on um nights when we can do these um we're glad to see our commissioner of the revenue here

[00:01:49] tim demeria thank you for being here sir i don't see any other electeds in the audience oh jill oh i'm sorry hi jill jill spall our chair of the school board is also here thank you for being here tonight um with that we will move forward with council time i'll call on vice mayor wolf first uh ma'am i have nothing to add great councilwoman ellis thank you mayor uh yes uh just wanted to thank everyone for being here tonight and for watching tonight um as we do the city's business i wanted to remind everyone that earth day is april 22nd that's a big day uh we have a lot of

[00:02:29] things happening in the city to celebrate mother earth so please visit our facebook page for the manassas city of things going on we have a really robust gardening and beekeeping enthusiasts in our city. And right now it is the bee swarm time. I am a beekeeper by hobby with my husband. And if you see any swarms of bees, this big, massive pile of bees, don't be afraid. You

[00:03:03] know, just actually message me on Facebook, Teresa Coates House. We'd be happy to get them and then put them in a proper safe place. Tim DeMaria lives across the street from our apiary on Liberia else and I think George gives him little updates like hey what's going on over there and we actually had a swarm two days ago so and we saved it and got it where it needed to be so also at Liberia coming up May 2nd to 3rd is our first great Manassas camp out and that will be held in

[00:03:37] overnight at tent camping and this is my formal invitation to mayor and council to pitch a tent with us and, you know, come out and have a campfire and have our little roasted s'mores and we're going to have the Liberia House open for tours and some living history to celebrate the 250th year.

[00:03:58] It's an official Virginia 250 event. So sign up on ManassasBeatFestival.com. I did also get to visit Annenberg Manor over the weekend with my daughter, Nat. we did the paranormal tour which was sold out and um you know we got to be a part of some fun time it really wasn't too scary it was actually kind of fun there was lots of cameras and contraptions and trying to capture things a lot of energy in that that in the history of annaberg and our parks rec and culture department did a really great job talking about the history of

[00:04:38] annaberg and uh setting this up so i do want to thank them for that um you know annaberg was the home of the Portners. They actually had, I think, the first air-conditioned building in the country, I believe, because he was a brewer. So he knew how to keep things cool. And then gradually it became an assisted living nursing home facility and a lot of history there. And we're very grateful as a city to be able to restore it to its natural grandness. So that's all I have. Thank you.

[00:05:09] Councilman Smith. Thank you, Madam Mayor. I don't want to steal any thunder from the proclamations but i do want to um take this moment to thank you uh city manager and and the council members for joining the department of social services last wednesday on planning the pinwheels and i'm sure doing proclamation um director curvin would mention the purpose of the pinwheels but i do want to thank you it was a great affair thank you councilman nocino thank

[00:05:43] you mayor um so you know since we were last here a lot's been going on we had the eggs extravaganza were the community center and it was the second annual event and this one was pretty busy along the way here with folks the weather certainly helped and we had a lot of kids out there we had a lot of vendors who were there and parks and rec team and it was was there to organize things and then you know most importantly we we had a lot of the different city departments such as utilities

[00:06:19] there and demonstrating uh their equipment city police city fire were there along the way it was just a great uh neighborhood community event uh in in that regard they said you couldn't have asked for better weather i had the pleasure of attending the farmers market ribbon cutting on thursday so now it is officially open and i know the one for saturday is officially open and in one or two two more weeks, the Thursday market will be able to move back to Harris Pavilion because the work will be finished, and they'll be back in that location.

[00:06:57] The Friends of the Manassas City Library also last week had a fun event. They did their bingo night. There were a lot of different people, including a bunch of people who had never been to our library location there, so that was nice to see.

[00:07:13] I know the friends raise awareness and money to help add additional program at the library, and we're going to hear more about that tonight, I'm sure. GMBL had its opening day this past Saturday and got to sit in on the ceremonies at the beginning there and watching all the teams come in and the awards and the scholarships that were presented.

[00:07:37] That's always a nice event to see. so you'll be seeing the fields at E.G. Smith being used between now and the fall. So the attendance of these games is free, so you're welcome to pop in and watch the kids play.

[00:07:55] American Legion Post 10 had a barbecue showdown this past Sunday, yesterday. And just to remind folks that starting on this Saturday, I'm beginning my monthly neighborhood walks and talks. And I thought I had silenced that. My apologies there.

[00:08:13] And you know what? It's someone telling me I didn't silence my phone. So isn't that a wonderful way to work things here? So anyway, now we know. But doing these neighborhood walks and talks on a monthly basis is a way for me to meet our residents in their neighborhoods, have a chance to talk with them.

[00:08:37] The next two months, I have the pleasure of having Dr. Zella Jones, who is the vice chair of the Manassas City School Board, join me. So we'll be starting in the Weems neighborhood this Saturday, approximately 9.30. Don't hold us to right at 9.30, and we'll be walking and visiting with those folks who are out and about.

[00:08:56] If we don't like waking people up, because I did that once or twice last year, and I got an earful. No, people didn't answer the door. But we want to be respectful of people who just want to enjoy their Saturday night.

[00:09:13] But as I said, I find that very helpful. I know Dr. Jones is looking forward to meeting with parents who have kids in the schools to hear their concerns, their questions, and any other things that they might want to share along the way. With that, Mayor, thank you very much.

[00:09:30] What neighborhood is that you're going to be in? What neighborhood? It's this Saturday. What neighborhood? Oh, the Weems. Weems, yes. Okay, thank you. Thank you so much. Councilwoman Vasquez-Luna. Thank you, Madam Mayor. I hope everybody had a great Easter or holiday celebration.

[00:09:49] I always think it's a time for renewing and putting our priorities set as also the spring has arrived. I hope everybody's enjoying the better weather. And, you know, I hope you continue to, we continue to see that.

[00:10:09] First, I would like to remind you that there is an election going on on April 21st. You can vote any of these dates until Saturday. And then after that, the election will be held on April 21st. There is two meetings coming up, the transportation, TPV.

[00:10:29] it will be on wednesday and also the bre monthly board meeting is coming up on friday as well i'll continue to advocate we still don't have weekend services but i continue to ask as i reported before we do have after almost 10 years we have a new train services and i hope it's it's helpful for everybody. A reminder if you have students they can ride the BRE for free and if you are a senior you can apply to have a discount ticket for

[00:11:06] the BRE so are you able to ride in a smaller fare. I also want to say happy anniversary to Manassas, which turned 153, if I'm correct, and that was back on April the 2nd. I had a great time seeing many of you at the Spring Egg Extravaganza. I believe it was a popular event, and I hope to see more. It's how you see different groups coming

[00:11:42] together, and it's all for the environment of our beautiful city, and I hope we're able to to continue that next year the town hall if you made it to March 25th town hole I believe it was very helpful and a lot of questions were asked and we had a health discussion but I just wanted to remind you you can always email us or you can one by one or you can email all of us at once when you have questions

[00:12:16] concerns. A lot of times, you know, at least for me, I try to let the city leadership answer you before I follow up. And we all get the email. So thank you for everybody that has reached out, especially when it comes to the name of the airport and other things related to what's happening in Manassas. I want to, if you are here for one of the proclamations, we have a few. So So I just want to make sure that I thank you for being here and for supporting the National Telecommunicators Week.

[00:12:52] I see at the safety building their big sign. And let's don't forget, you know, the great work that they do. I hope you never have to use it. But if you do, it's not only trained people, it's people that is ready. And I tell, you know, residents all the time, our first responders do a great job.

[00:13:14] Our communicators do a great job, but also our city staff to make sure that they all work together so they can access and they can get to you as fast as possible. So I just want to say thank you to each one of them. They answer the phone.

[00:13:30] If you call by mistake, just stay on the line and let them know. But if you call with an urgent need, just know that they will be there for you and support you. If you're here for the Sexual Assault Awareness Month, thank you for the work that you're doing for the Child Abuse Prevention Month.

[00:13:49] I believe Councilman Smith already talked about it, and thank you for leaving that. Now, I try to wear blue in order for me to be supportive and for us to continue to make sure not only we lift up here in Manassas, but we share with our friends and family.

[00:14:10] The Arbor Day is coming, so save the date. We get to see a lot of students, and they have worked really hard to compete on the Arbor Day, so looking forward to seeing you there. And the last one, Autism Acceptance Month.

[00:14:25] I, sometimes we don't know. I just wanna make sure that you not only welcome, but that you are supportive of that, as they are special kids, and they make our world a better place.

[00:14:42] I will say, you know, just when you get to meet them, you know, you will know how sweet and how beautiful persons they are. So I'm thankful for everybody that has work or that is here for the proclamations.

[00:14:57] And last meeting, I talked about the brick and brick. If you are wondering how the projects are doing or what is moving, You can find the newly updated brick by brick. You can find some printouts out here or you can find it on the website.

[00:15:16] But that's very comprehensive economic development report and also the capital improvement report. The bill for the future is always available too. So with that, I wanna close in the business for brick and mortar businesses.

[00:15:33] The breakfast is coming. It's always not only a way to networking, but it's also a way to talk to staff and to meet other Manassas City business leaders. I hope if you are a business that have a brick and mortar place in Manassas, that you're able to join or that you're able to send one of your leaders there.

[00:15:55] And the last, I'm looking forward to see you at the April 30th. If you serve as a commissioner or if you serve as a volunteer, I believe this year there's gonna be more people there, so I cannot thank you enough for what you do.

[00:16:12] You help us, for us, we are here to make sure that we have everything we need. So I just wanna remind you that that will be on Thursday, April the 30th, so please save the day. Thank you, Madam Mayor. - Thank you. Councilman Hudson.

[00:16:27] - Thank you, Madam Mayor. Good evening, everyone, and thank you for joining us. A few quick items tonight. The 10-year update on the Parks, Culture, and recreation plan is underway and the city is continuing to see your feedback. The survey is active online and you can attend an in-person event.

[00:16:44] Tomorrow, April 14th at six o'clock at the Art Factory, the topic of conversation will be focused on arts and culture. And the next Tuesday, April 20, or actually it's in two weeks, April 28th at six o'clock at the Boys and Girls Club, the topic will be athletics and sports.

[00:17:00] There'll be two more in-person events in May that I will mention at our next meeting, But please take that survey, share your thoughts about our parks so we can continue to improve them over the next 10 years. This Saturday, April 18th, at 9 o'clock a.m., community members will gather at Baldwin Park to clean up English ivy and scrape spotter lanternfly eggs.

[00:17:22] If you are interested in that, all are welcome to participate, and you can look up the Wilderness Project on Facebook. And finally, this Thursday, I will be attending my first Community Criminal Justice Board meeting the ccjb assists assists community agencies and organizations in establishing and modifying programs and services for offenders and on an objective assessment of the community's needs and resources if there are questions about this meeting please ask me after thursday when i learn more about what this group does but i'm excited to join and continue to represent the city in that fashion that is all i have madam mayor thank you so much thank you all um and again just to reiterate

[00:18:01] Thank you everyone who came out for the ribbon cuttings for the farmers markets on Thursday and Saturday The first mayor's pick of the market will be on May 9th. I know you couldn't wait to hear about that and if you don't know that is where I Show up at the market. I all the vendors are names are in a bag and I pull one out And then I go to their booth and hopefully try to help them sell their stuff I don't want to send people away, but they get a certificate as being the mayor's pick for that week But that's just my small way of saying thank you, because they could choose any market to go to and they choose Manassas.

[00:18:37] And so it's just a little something extra to help them sell for about a half an hour. And it's always they always get so surprised and they love that. So the first one for this season will be on May the 9th at nine o'clock. So and I again want to thank those who did sign up and are attending the City Leadership Academy.

[00:18:57] Cannot stress that that class enough. if you're able to get into that are we going to do it more than once we're going to have one the police department will have their their law enforcement in the fall okay so if you can get in that class it is it is amazing way to find out the truth about how the city works and how the sausage is made behind the scenes and if you're planning to run for office it is absolutely an amazing way to learn how things are done you get to practice budgeting and all of that So just wanted to thank all those who did sign up.

[00:19:32] We have quite a few people in that class. So looking forward to coming back and giving them a hard time when we get to practice about the budget. So today I was able to welcome, thanks to Mark Kay, I don't try to say his last name, Kowaluski. He lives across the street from City Hall.

[00:19:49] He had the Pathways of Patriots Sports Leisure Vacations Group all the way from Sacramento. They flew into Dulles, Washington, Dulles, last night, and he made, not made, he invited them to enjoy a stop in historic downtown today for lunch.

[00:20:09] And so there was a group of people that came on a bus. I met them at the train station, did my whole mayor thing, welcome, welcome, welcome, and then they dispersed to go have lunch in the different restaurants. Lisa from HMI had a bag for them. She highlighted what restaurants were open and made like a little map for them And it was just wonderful to to be able to welcome folks all the way from Sacramento They're here till the 19th and they're just checking out this whole region The battlefield they're going they went they were going down to Occoquan once they left Here and just traveling around and seeing as much as they can on this seven-day excursion

[00:20:46] So I want to thank Mark for that opportunity He works for the county, but he always tries to include the City of Manassas in all of these types of things Which we're very appreciative of so this week. I have the education workforce breakfast With the chamber at the Sweeney barn tomorrow morning We have several ribbon cuttings coming up this week and next week council So more of that which is good the virtual next virtual midday with the mayor and do that from 12:00 to 1:00 virtually The next one is on the 24th, and then we all have the Hilton Gala on the 25th as well.

[00:21:20] So with that, I will turn it over to Mr. Burke for city manager time. Thank you, Mayor. We'd like to thank our electric department. Back in October of 2025, there was some damage that occurred at our Prince William substation. Transformer sustained some damage.

[00:21:38] They have been working to make repairs, and then they have been slowly bringing back the load to that substation, and it has held. So the report repairs that they made were successful and were back to operating as we normally do. We'd also like to let everyone know that beginning next Tuesday, April 21st, we will be putting in stamped crosswalks on Church Street in the Old Town area.

[00:22:03] This work will be overnight from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for three consecutive nights. So please follow the detour directions while this work occurs. The public hearing for the FY27 budget is scheduled for Monday the 27th here at City Hall.

[00:22:20] If you're interested in helping the Chesapeake Bay watershed, you can go to Stonewall Park Saturday, May 2nd from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. They're having a trash pickup there. The Manassas Police Department will be hosting the Elder Care Resource Fair Saturday, May 2nd from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. at the Manassas Community Center.

[00:22:43] The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority is seeking feedback for their FY26 through 2031 six-year program. They'll be receiving input through May 17th. You can visit their website, which is thenovaauthority.org, for information and to provide comments.

[00:23:01] And as always, please visit the city's websites for events and the different programs that we have at the community center. That's all I have. Any questions for our city manager? Oh, Mr. Osino. Thank you. I understand that there's a 5K run this Saturday, is there not?

[00:23:18] The in Manassas, the anything is pausable, anything pausable, if I'm reading this correctly. Anything pausable, festival and 5K going on on the 18th, please, chief, right?

[00:23:36] Yes? Okay. So we were great. And it's not just the dogs that will be running, but there'll be some humans with them, and it'll be in Old Town. Okay. Very good. And lastly, could you, when I was coming back to Manassas today in the afternoon and I was crossing past the fairgrounds on the left and then got to Station 1, there is some construction along the curb across from Station 21. Is that related to something the city is doing or are they laying cable or?

[00:24:17] Along Dumfries Road? yes uh i'm not aware we could be doing some uh street repairs there but i know that earlier in the day uh we we had uh our storm sewer inspection crews out that were videoing the lines that were they actually doing demolition there was a lane had been closed and or the turn lane had been closed and they had single laning and what have you and i didn't know if this is the beginning of the installation of sidewalks on that side of the road on the NASA site?

[00:24:55] I will have to check on that, sir. I would hazard to guess. I know that our stormwater inspection crews were out in force today, but I will check on that. All right. Thank you again. There you go. Any other questions? I just have a comment.

[00:25:12] Sorry, I forgot something. I have great respect for all our veterans. So if you are able, please visit the Art Factory. There is an exhibition from Mr. Williams, Jr.

[00:25:29] He was there Saturday, and he talked about how he went from the paint to build. I believe we do have a modern bead, and we are big in art. He has a great exhibition, so please look into it.

[00:25:49] His veteran, he brought his PTSD to art and became part of the exhibition that he has there. And I do believe some of our community and other places as well, they were red on Friday.

[00:26:06] So if that's something that interests you, please support our veterans. And if you can stop by, it is free. And it's just an eye-opening how our veterans can bring art from their pain.

[00:26:22] Thank you. Thank you. No problem. Okay. No other questions. We'll move forward in the agenda, too. Item 1 is presentation. The first item that we have is item 1.1, presentation on State of the Library from the Nassau City Library. Ms. Lina Gonzalez-Berrios, the branch manager from the Nassau City Library.

[00:26:42] Welcome. Thank you for being here. Thank you so much.

[00:26:56] difficulties. Okay. Thank you, Madam Mayor, members of the City Council, and City Manager for this invitation to bring news from your library. I am Lena Gonzalez-Berrios, Senior Library Manager of the Manassas City Library. It is my privilege to bring greetings from the library staff, the Prince William Public Library's leadership team, and our library director, Jennifer Patterson. At

[00:27:33] Manassas City Library, we recently celebrated our fifth anniversary, and we are currently working on year three goals of our strategic plan we are mission focused in three specific areas to grow and improve library service to the community partnership development growing program offerings and outreach and ensuring that our library branch is inviting and accessible to all to achieve our mission we know that we must serve the community inside and outside our walls and in meaningful and sustainable ways we are making stronger

[00:28:08] connections with city agencies and departments, nonprofits, businesses, and schools. We started by getting to know our partners and learning from them about local needs and how their organizations serve residents. Together, we are finding opportunities to collaborate and support one another. Last fall, we organized a staff development day to learn more about the city. We started at the museum with a fascinating walking tour through historic Old Town Manassas. We heard the story of the founding and mission of Jurani Coffee House.

[00:28:45] We visited Dabble Creative Reuse Center and got ideas for book-themed craft programs. We hosted a lunch and learn with partners from Manassas City Public Schools and School Board, Social Services and the Police Department, the Boys and Girls Club, the Friends of the Library, and our neighbor, Georgetown South.

[00:29:06] To mention a few positive outcomes of Staff Day, we started a neighborhood library time with kids from Georgetown South and members of Rotary Impact. Our children's librarian now visits every elementary school at least twice per year to read to students and share library resources.

[00:29:26] And we participate in the Parent E3 series hosted by the Manassas City Police Department. And we work with the Friends of the Library to give away donated books at the Boys and Girls Club and community events like the city's extravaganza.

[00:29:43] We have established routines to regularly share information with partners, and through those relationships have expanded programs in the library, schools, and local venues. No matter where we connect with the community, we promote literacy and try to provide engaging, relevant, and hands-on learning opportunities.

[00:30:05] We are growing readers of all ages. We host popular story times in English and Spanish and equip parents as their children's first teachers. We have a long-standing reading incentive program to challenge children to read 1,000 books before kindergarten.

[00:30:22] This school year, we started a new K-12 reading incentive program called Level Up Your Reading, which challenges students to read 4,000 minutes by the time they graduate from high school. We celebrate teen writers with an annual poetry contest and feature local artists monthly at Art Happening.

[00:30:44] We know not everyone can attend scheduled programs because of work, school, and other challenges, so we created Leisure at Your Library activity area for teens and adults to drop in any time to relax, learn, and create, use Lego kits, fine arts materials, origami, puzzles, and games, or just read.

[00:31:08] Last year, we were honored to exhibit work by Baldwin Elementary students, and over 100 people attended the reception. the kids were very excited to show off their excellent work. To maximize our program offerings and stretch our budget to benefit the most people, we take advantage of what we call shared programs that are paid for by Prince William Public Library's Office of Programming and Events.

[00:31:35] For example, during the school holiday break, we hosted a bilingual performance called Cantando Ando con Mate y Gabo, was very fun. More recently, Seals on Wheels, the Mobile County Clerk Services came to help residents take care of official business, and at Manassas City, it was an affair of the heart, and we celebrated our first wedding.

[00:32:00] Last year, when I spoke to this body, I came away with a challenge to do more for our teens, and I want to share some of the ways that we are working toward that goal. First, we are engaging with teen volunteers through the TAG or Teen Advisory Group, and we also host summer volunteers.

[00:32:19] Teens help us with programs and other library tasks, They also give us input about what we can do for them and how we can make the library and teen area more engaging. Teens hang out to study, do puzzles, play games, Legos, and read.

[00:32:37] They also help us prepare program supplies and materials for younger kids. We have found that participatory programs are a big draw, so this photo shows teens making custom dice out of molds and resin.

[00:32:56] Here you see teens searching for clues to get out of the Taylor Swift theme escape room and a teen from 4-H teaching kids a very practical skill, how to make pancakes. Based on feedback that we got from the teen advisory group, we will be getting new teen furnishings soon.

[00:33:15] What we selected will double the capacity of that area. We will also have new tables with dry erase surface to encourage creativity and collaborative learning. For adults, many programs and services focus on workforce development and building life skills.

[00:33:35] For example, I have the privilege to lead the system-wide Career Online High School, a 100% online adult high school scholarship program that's open to patrons 20 and older who live in Prince William County or the city of Manassas.

[00:33:52] Currently, students from the city make up 10% of all enrollments, including seven graduates and three that are on their way. In all, Prince William Public Libraries has celebrated 52 graduates since 2020.

[00:34:08] To break it down, each scholarship costs about $1,300, and we provide 20 scholarships every year through grants, sponsorships, and donations. According to a study by Northwestern University, the average lifetime taxpayer savings ROI for each high school graduate is $292,000.

[00:34:30] So if you do the math, we have 52 graduates so far. PWPL has invested approximately $67,000 in scholarships for a lifetime taxpayer ROI of $15,184,000.

[00:34:47] High school graduates earn on average $10,000 more per year. Adult graduates achieve this milestone and move on to start businesses, get better jobs, and enroll in college. With each graduate, the economic impact of this program will grow exponentially and benefit our whole region.

[00:35:08] In addition to partnerships, programs, outreach, we have prioritized making our library more inviting and accessible to patrons of all ages. One way we do this is by creating stations for discovery and learning.

[00:35:25] For example, residents flocked to the library recently to observe the incubator and brooder where we recently hatched 14 chicks and learned about each stage of chicken growth and development. They're on the farm now. Don't worry, they're not in the library.

[00:35:43] We added Dewey Decimal Shelf Dividers to aid our youngest patrons to find the right book, and we expanded our large print section and moved it closer to the front door to make it more accessible. We installed several bulletin boards, including the Thousand Books Before Kindergarten Wall of Fame, to celebrate our young rock star readers.

[00:36:08] We established a seed library to combat food insecurity in collaboration with the Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners. Construction with the Manassas City Women's Club was another way that we can help neighbors and serve our community.

[00:36:26] Thank you, Mayor Davis Younger, for being there that day and to all of you for supporting us in so many ways and on so many occasions. At Art Happening, artist Susan Furr invited participants to leave their mark on a blank canvas that she will transform into a painting.

[00:36:47] We encourage patrons to learn, create, discover new things and stay informed at the library. So I wanna thank the city of Manassas, the friends of Manassas City Library for supporting the library throughout this year and for your ongoing partnership with Prince William Public Libraries.

[00:37:07] We have had fun together walking our first loop for the library and celebrating our fifth anniversary. Together we are planting seeds, growing readers, cultivating partnerships, and strengthening our community. I have to give a big shout out to the dedicated library team back at Manassas City Library, which has grown to 11 members, at least for this year.

[00:37:34] While Chin Park Library is under renovation, we have the benefit of two additional staff members that are helping us extend library service in Manassas City. Did you know that the library has its own podcast called Important Library Stuff?

[00:37:51] Take a few minutes to listen as library staff share on the subject of joy in the library in the latest episode, and then it's National Library Week. I would like to draw attention to the handout that was shared with you all electronically for you to review when you have a chance.

[00:38:13] It is a calendar year view, overview, and highlights from 2025. It's been a great year, and we look forward to seeing you at the library. So thank you very much, and if you have any questions, I'd be happy to try to answer them.

[00:38:29] Thank you, Ms. Ferrios. Councilmembers, any questions? Ms. Veskidman. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you for the great report. By the numbers, to me, the two pages is so impactful and so important to see all the work. if you don't mind could you please introduce uh the uh friends of the library that we have here i believe they volunteers they have their board and they work so hard so that would be my honor yes thank you would you like to come up or stand up just stand up mr keller miss ball

[00:39:03] two of our board members from the friends of the library here tonight jill spall is our vice president of the board and bob keller is our treasurer so die hard supporters of the library thank you all for being here any other questions mr osina yes um just one thing and i you've got chief mills right there in the back so you ought to talk to him afterwards i thought one of the best things that uh i had the the chance to to attend when you talk about bringing in uh different

[00:39:39] patrons and it was for the very small kids where you had a fire truck from station 21 who came yes and had a reading a reading hour though it wasn't an hour that was related and then the the the kids along with their parents but the kids especially got to crawl all over the the the fire truck and and actually see the real thing got to toot the horn and do things of that sort so So I hope you'll be able to schedule something like that again because it's very, very impactful,

[00:40:17] particularly when our kids are young and impressionable to see our public safety people, as an example, in action and be able to read about it and then actually visit with it. And then I believe you also have some related books that they could check out about fire personnel or different things like that along the way.

[00:40:41] So I hope you continue to do that or expand it with police and, you know, other departments that we have in the city. Because we're trying very hard to make this our library, our city library, and anything we can do to help is always appreciated there.

[00:40:57] Thank you so much. And I think that type of program goes a long way of building trust in the community. And I do want to thank the fire department because we requested one truck, and they sent two. And so it was just an overabundance of joy and excitement, but it was also very full of important lessons and opportunities to build that trust.

[00:41:22] Thank you. Any other comments or questions? Thank you, Ms. Berry. It was very good. Thank you so much for being here. Okay. The next items on the agenda are all proclamations.

[00:41:39] And as I read the proclamations, but any council member who wishes to come down for any particular proclamation that I'm reading, please feel free to do so. the first one on our agenda item 1.2 is the proclamation for national public safety telecommun telecommunicators week proclamation so i'll go down front whoever's here for that can join me

[00:42:00] okay all right support you thank you very much all right thank you all for being here i have the proclamation miss wright okay i figured that was and then and some of her staff

[00:42:40] all right good to see some of your staff here as well so these are for you so thank you all for being here tonight the proclamation reads whereas emergencies can occur at any time that require police fire or emergency medical services and whereas when an emergency occurs the prompt response of police officers is critical to the protection of life and preservation of property and whereas the safety of our police officers is dependent upon the quality and accuracy of information obtained from citizens who telephone the city of manassas public safety

[00:43:17] communications center and whereas public safety telecommunicators are the first and most critical contact our citizens have with emergency services and whereas public safety telecommunicators are the single vital link for our police officers by monitoring their activities by radio providing them information and ensuring their safety and whereas public safety telecommunicators of the city of manassas have contributed substantially to the apprehension of criminals and the safety of our police officers and citizens and whereas each public safety communication specialist i.e

[00:43:53] dispatcher has exhibited compassion understanding and professionalism during the performance of his or her job in the past year now therefore i'm michelle davis younger mayor of the city of manassas virginia and on behalf of the manassas city council proclaim the week of april 12th through 18 2026 as national public safety telecommunicators week in the city of manassas in honor of the men and women whose diligence and professionalism keep our city and citizens safe.

[00:44:22] Thank you so much. Congratulations. Thank you, Madam Mayor. We appreciate the time set aside this evening for us to recognize some of our very important individuals and professional staff here.

[00:44:40] National Telecommunicators Safety Week was founded in 1981 as a way for us to take an entire week aside to recognize these individuals who are rarely seen, but their voice is heard. And we truly do appreciate everything that they do. In the city of Manassas, all the 911 calls, non-emergency calls, and police radio calls originating within the city go through our Public Safety Communications Center at the Public Safety Facility.

[00:45:05] So far this year, they've fielded nearly 20,000 calls. That equates to about 200 per day. That's both externally and officer-initiated, so you can imagine how much work they actually do. And these are four of our 15 total dispatchers that we have here. Mr. Theorite, who is the manager, Sarah Harrison, Elaine Lee, and James Moran.

[00:45:24] So, again, you're rarely seen, but you're always heard, so we appreciate everything that you do. Good afternoon. Thank you for honoring us.

[00:45:40] We're rarely seen, but we try to get out when we can. And we appreciate them bringing their families and taking the time out, coming after work and before work, to come out and accept this proclamation. And thank you, citizens of Manassas, and we're happy to help.

[00:46:01] Thank you.

[00:46:02] Next is the Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

[00:46:43] We have Axe and folks come on down for that. Thank you so much for being here. Good evening, folks. I had my teal.

[00:47:01] I remember teal is the color for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, so I follow directions well. Thank you all for being here. All right, the proclamation reads, Whereas Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Sam, is observed each April to raise awareness and promote the prevention of sexual violence.

[00:47:22] And whereas sexual assault is a pervasive and underreported crime affecting individuals of all backgrounds, including residents of the city of Manassas, with an American assaulted every 68 seconds, according to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network.

[00:47:38] And whereas sexual violence has profound and lasting impacts on survivors and their families, while many face barriers to reporting due to fear, stigma, and lack of access to supportive, trauma-informed services. And whereas the City of Manassas is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and supportive community that does not tolerate sexual violence and support survivors, and whereas dedicated service providers, law enforcement, health care professionals, educators, and advocates work year-round to support survivors, hold offenders accountable, and prevent sexual violence.

[00:48:16] And whereas preventing sexual violence requires a collective community effort to promote respect, consent, and accountability. And whereas the city of Manassas affirms its commitment to supporting prevention efforts and calls upon all residents to educate themselves, support survivors, and work toward a community free from sexual violence. Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Michelle Davis Younger, Mayor of the City of Manassas, and on behalf of the Manassas City Council, hereby proclaim the month of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the City of Manassas, and I urge all residents, businesses, organizations, schools, and community leaders

[00:48:54] to educate themselves about sexual violence, support and believe survivors, uplift local service providers, and work together to ensure a community where all people are treated with dignity, safety, and respect. Congratulations. Thank y'all for being here.

[00:49:10] Did you want to say something, please? Okay. I'll keep it short, I promise. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor Davis Younger, City Council members, citizens, for showing up.

[00:49:28] My name is Paige Mead. I serve as a volunteer and member of the ACTS, Action and Community Through Service, Board of Directors, and I'm also a volunteer. But today, I'm here to share something with you that is far more personal. In 1992, I was sexually assaulted here in Manassas, in this county, in the place that I call home.

[00:49:49] Thanks to the Manassas City Police Department and Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert, we were able to secure two life sentences plus 20 years for my perpetrator. For a long time, I carried those facts quietly.

[00:50:05] Like many survivors, I didn't know if I would be believed or judged or whether this community truly saw me. Sorry, I lost my face. I eventually found help, and finding help changed my life. I found people who believed me without question, who walked alongside me without judgment, and who helped me see that my experience didn't have to define me.

[00:50:28] That if I chose, I could use that experience to help others. This proclamation is deeply meaningful to me, not just as an ACTS board member, but as somebody whose assault happened right here. It tells me and every other survivor in Manassas that Prince William County, that, sorry, that Manassas City, sees us, stands with us, and is committed to doing better.

[00:50:48] Healing doesn't happen in isolation. It happens when a community like ours decides that survivors matter, and they act like it. To anyone in this community who is quietly carrying something heavy today, I hope you know that you are seen and heard and believed and that help is available.

[00:51:04] Thank you. I just want to personally thank City of Manassas for the support you provide for our services.

[00:51:20] Thank you so much for that. That's all. Wild Abuse Prevention Month.

[00:51:52] We have Nicole and her team. Come on down. We have a lot of these.

[00:52:15] Are you in here? Yeah. Sorry. Thank you, Sonia, the work to do.

[00:52:38] Thank you, Sonia. I appreciate it. Okay, the proclamation reads, Whereas child abuse affects 94,754 families in Virginia, documented through reports to the city of Manassas Department of Social Services and 119 other local departments of social services here in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

[00:53:08] And whereas children are the foundation of a sustainable and prosperous society and our welfare as a city, a commonwealth and a nation is built on a foundation of safe and healthy child development. And whereas every child is entitled to love and care in a safe and nurturing environment, free from abuse and neglect with equitable access to resources to grow and community support needed to help them thrive. And whereas all citizens should become involved in supporting families and raising their children in a safe, nurturing environment. And whereas preventing child abuse and neglect is a community problem creating communities where families are

[00:53:47] supported and strengthened through meaningful partnerships between social services agencies schools health services inclusive of mental health support community and faith-based faith-based organizations businesses and law enforcement can prevent child abuse and neglect now therefore i'm michelle davis younger mayor of the city of monassas virginia and on behalf of the monassas city council hereby proclaim the month of april 2026 as child abuse prevention month in the city of manassas and call upon all citizens community agencies faith groups medical facilities and businesses to increase their participation in our efforts to support

[00:54:24] families thereby thereby preventing child abuse and neglect and strengthening the communities in which we live and call this observance to the attention of all of our citizens thank you so much for what you do and director curvin i know you want to have some words thank you um i actually i'm going to be very brief i just want folks to know what pinwheels are for uh literally it is looking at the child being happy safe healthy enjoying a childhood that's what we're here for

[00:54:58] when it comes to the city of manassas and i am going to pass this off uh as i hand off these nice little pinwheels that's what the pinwheels are for and that's what we try to ensure that we have our community so thank you pass it off to ebony wright who is our assistant director over family services madam mayor city council city residents we are humbled by this occasion while we continue

[00:55:33] to strengthen families we are dedicated to protecting children and vested in educating parents we the city of manassas department of social services child abuse and prevention team we accept this proclamation we do not take it lightly and thank you for allowing us to serve you thank you so much um i know we want to get the robin's got a camera but did you get

[00:56:09] jeremy okay we need to do that so i'm gonna have this extra one here so just kind of next on the

[00:57:05] agenda we have the proclamation for arbor day um we have mr thomas joyce here and others

[00:57:26] thank you all so much for being here proclamation reads whereas the planting of trees not only enhances the beauty of our city but also contributes to energy conservation helps to purify the air and water and provides homes for wildlife insects and other creatures and whereas the annual celebration of arbor day promotes the recognition of the value trees offered to our community and gives citizens an opportunity to participate in the renewal of the forest while arbor day programs and schools educate our youth about the importance and benefits of trees and

[00:58:04] whereas arbor day was begun in 1872 by agriculturist agriculturist julius sterling morton who sought to instruct people in the modern techniques of farming and forestry and improve agricultural techniques in his adoptive state of nebraska and was the first to propose to the nebraska board of agriculture that a special date be set aside for the planting of trees and whereas the first annual manassas city arbor day was celebrated on april 26 1984 and was held at nelson park with honorary chairman mayor harry parish delivering the

[00:58:40] arbor day address and this event has been observed continuously in the city for the past 37 years and whereas 2026 is the 36th year the city of manassas has earned the national designation as a tree city usa community for its commitment to urban forestry and whereas in order for the city of manassas to achieve this special designation it was necessary to meet four strict standards as well as have a tree board or department a tree care ordinance a comprehensive community forestry program and an arbor day observance and proclamation and whereas the arbor day foundation

[00:59:16] commends the city of manassas its elected officials volunteers and citizens for providing such vital care for its urban forest now therefore i'm michelle davis younger mayor of the city of manassas virginia and on behalf of the manassas city council proclaim the month of april 2026 as arbor month and proclaims april 26 2026 as the 42nd annual manassas city arbor day and full appreciation of all the values that trees offer to the citizens of the city of manassas

[00:59:46] congratulations thank you very much mandra johnson i'm the chair of the beautification committee arbor day is my favorite day of the year on the beautification um board or committee we are having our celebration next friday april 24th at nelson park same as the original first celebration was to honor our very talented kids that submitted posters for our arbor day poster contest so Welcome to anybody that would like to join.

[01:00:32] Next up is the Autism Acceptance.

[01:00:54] I have Megan Stubbs, Director of Did Lake Autism Center here. Okay, good, Megan, thank you. Thank you all so much for being here.

[01:01:14] All right, the proclamation reads, whereas Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how individuals communicate, interact with others, and experience the world and presents uniquely across a broad and diverse spectrum.

[01:01:31] And whereas autism spectrum disorder affects one in 31 children in the United States and individuals of all the backgrounds and is one of the fastest growing developmental disabilities. Individuals with ASD can achieve independence and lead purposeful lives when provided appropriate support and opportunities.

[01:01:51] And whereas Autism Acceptance Month emphasizes the importance of moving beyond awareness to foster inclusion, equity, respect, and opportunity while celebrating the strengths, perspectives, and contributions of neurodiverse individuals.

[01:02:07] And whereas creating inclusive communities requires collective action to remove barriers and expand access to education, employment, housing, healthcare, and community engagement for individuals with autism and other disabilities. And whereas Dead Lake Inc., a nonprofit organization headquartered in the city of Manassas, has been a trusted community partner for 60 years and counting supporting people with disabilities including individuals with autism through employment rehabilitation services and business enterprises that promote dignity independence and inclusion and whereas since its founding in 1965

[01:02:46] did lake has grown from a local family-led initiative into a community impact organization serving thousands of individuals while maintaining deep roots and a lasting commitment to the manassas community and whereas did lake's work exemplifies the values of inclusion and opportunity by demonstrating that people with disabilities strengthen our workforce enrich our community and contribute meaningfully to the social and economic vitality of the city of manassas now therefore be it resolved that i'm michelle davis younger mayor Mayor of the City of Manassas do hereby proclaim the month of April as Autism Acceptance Month

[01:03:22] in the City of Manassas and encourage all residents to learn more about autism, champion inclusion, and support the full participation and dignity of neurodiverse individuals. And be it further resolved that the City of Manassas recognizes and honors Dead Lake Inc. for its decades of service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to empowering people with disabilities and building a more inclusive community for all.

[01:03:48] Thank you so much. Thank you, Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger, Vice Mayor and Councilmembers. For 60 years, Did Lake has worked to create opportunities that enrich the lives of people with disabilities.

[01:04:06] At our core, we are committed to removing barriers so everyone can fully participate in their community. Today, we celebrate the achievements of neurodiverse individuals and recognize the value they bring to our workplaces and communities. My name is Megan Stubbs, and I serve as the Director of the Autism Center of Excellence at Did Lake and over the past four years I've seen meaningful progress but also the continued need for greater understanding. Autism now affecting 1 in 31 children is still widely misunderstood and that is why conversations like this matter. At Did Lake we believe inclusion makes us stronger. We welcome

[01:04:43] individuals on the autism spectrum into our workforce. We're not just doing the right thing we're making a smart investment. Many individuals with autism bring strength like attention to detail, reliability, innovative thinking. When businesses create inclusive hiring practices, they unlock talent that too often goes overlooked.

[01:05:06] I'm joined today by Christy Sargent, an employment specialist with Diddlake, who is supporting Eli Williams, the son of Prince William County and a graduate of Colgan High School, as he works towards his employment goals in facilities and operations. So please contact, I'd like to get to know Eli better, and have a wonderful employee.

[01:05:25] Their partnership is just one example of what's possible when we invest in people. But there is still more to do. We must continue to learn, to listen, take action, expanding opportunities, strengthening support systems, and amplifying the voices of individuals with autism.

[01:05:43] Together, we can build a community where people are not just included, but truly valued for their contributions. Thank you to the city of Manassas for recognizing the contributions of people with disabilities

[01:05:54] all aspects of the community and workplaces thank you all so much for that thank you for being here

[01:06:48] all right moving forward in the agenda next item is public comment time at this time we welcome residents and community members who wish to speak about services policies and affairs of the city of manassas anyone who has not requested additional time four days prior to this meeting from the city manager we have a timer and your comments will be limited to three minutes we appreciate the time You have taken to be here a reminder that council does not engage in back and forth conversation with speakers during this time The lack of an immediate response to your comments should not be taken as a lack of interest or concern

[01:07:25] As we have staff present taking notes and we will respond to your concern in a timely manner When you approach the podium, please give us your name and we would appreciate it if you would state if you are a city resident And you may provide your address if you so desire it is not required we ask that you please be respectful when presenting your comments to not only council members but to those residents and community members who are also present with that i have the sign-up sheet here i don't have anyone signed up but we will not miss anyone is there anyone who wishes to address

[01:07:53] council at this time during public comment time good evening my name is jenny plebniak and i am a resident citizen of manassas resident of the city since i have three minutes i've got a lot of things um i've been attending for two years so i just want to list some of the things i've observed over the two years new police station opened in september of 2023 and we still have the old

[01:08:27] police station unoccupied for two and a half years now the old town inn was purchased for 5.75 million dollars the parking lot was paved for 160 thousand dollars and it was demolished let's see that was purchased three years ago demolished two and a half years ago and we do have a nice parking lot I hear people say if they try to get rid of the parking lot, it's going to be trouble.

[01:08:54] So we're enjoying the parking lot. The Marsteller Community Center was $9.9 million, and there was meetings. I went to the meetings as to what we were going to use it for, and I drove home one day, and the community center sign was up.

[01:09:15] So I guess I missed the decision on that. The Apple Federal Credit Union building that was purchased for around $11.5 million, I read an article today that the main reason they were buying it was to put the alternative ed program in there and then come last minute couldn't do it because of some kind of fire department rules whatever we have great city staff who missed that in all that time in the deal who missed that that had to be done so now they are over in the community center and we own that big

[01:09:53] building. The Micron tax break a year ago, their tax break went until 2030, and it got extended to 2035. Citizens asked, hold off, you don't have to do it now. Last year in 2025, Micron made $37.38 billion, up from $25.11 billion from 2024. But the city is giving them a $10 million a year tax break for the next nine years now data center taxes we didn't know that one of them that the

[01:10:32] data center was being leased by a bank there was another big tax break that we didn't get the money we got a little bit of money again we have great employees why didn't somebody know that was happening the dmv project now we're going to loan six million dollars so not only is the city of Manassas, a real estate company, we're also bankers now.

[01:10:54] So we're going to have the loan on that. We purchased MIFCO for $3.1 million. There is 700,000 state grant for the former oil site. When they go to dig under there and find out the damage under the ground, that's going to be another big thing.

[01:11:13] And the renaming of the airport, which is going to be decided tonight. Who are you going to back? The people that are going to be flying the airplanes in, that you have to have it. We're in a budget crisis, oil, other airlines, all the airlines are cutting back.

[01:11:31] You mentioned gas, how much gas is. So the citizens have asked not to have it renamed, not now, or put Manassas first. And we also have a council member that has had a car with Maryland tags for years. Are those taxes being paid?

[01:11:49] There's things going on we're watching, and I've seen a lot. And also the third day of the retreat still is not online. and the retreat was in january so that's been my observance in two years thank you thank you anyone else hello mayor council lynn forkel green monassa city resident i'm just here as a last ditch effort to remind you that you represent monassa city residents at any table you're at

[01:12:24] you don't represent other people's interest you represent ours i saw the survey that went out it It did not even have a box to check if you're a Manassas City resident. I'm sorry that I didn't get here to hear your comments, so I'm not sure if you've shared the data from that survey, but if you haven't in someone's remarks tonight, I hope that you will.

[01:12:47] Stafford has just named their airport this evening, I believe they voted, or today. I think they're gonna be Washington executive. So it seems to me that we might want to be Manassas, Washington, to continue to be Manassas first, have our identity, and know who we are.

[01:13:10] So I really hope that you have considered the things that you heard from other folks, that AI is going to manage how close you are to any place that you need to travel to. You don't have to know the area to do that. And I think it's just disingenuous to say that those are the factors that you're making your decision. I also find it disingenuous to say that the FAA will manage whether the name is correct or not because that's not their job either their job is probably just to make sure there's not another airport with that name it's not their job to represent Manasseh City so I do hope that you'll consider that in other news because of what Janet

[01:13:49] said I have heard about a situation with personal property taxes and I'm not sure what to say about that other than other Manasseh City residents have asked me about it and I haven't had the correct information to share. I do think that anyone who is sitting in that seat should make sure that they are following the rules that we ask our residents to follow. So please, whatever that situation is, get it fixed, figure it out. And if it has to be with like a, you know, work

[01:14:23] vehicle and there's some kind of misunderstanding, maybe clear it up so that everyone knows. And then finally, regarding the Manassas Community Center, I asked Councilman Smith, and I don't think we had a chance to connect about the hyperthermia shelter just making sure that as the plans move forward for the community center that this body work with the church making sure we don't lose that resource for our community I know it may be challenging and perhaps Prince William County isn't being helpful

[01:14:57] but that is a really big thing to make sure that it has a succession plan for those in our community so i ask all of you to look into that please thank you thank you anyone else good evening diane lane manassas city apologies for the coat it's chilly in here tonight i am a traditionalist by nature i called price club price club until they took the card from my

[01:15:33] hand and said no it's costco and you have to change your name i don't feel that putting manassas as part of the middle name for the airport is losing Manassas's identity. It's setting the airport up to succeed, to be an asset for the community, for businesses, to put us on the map. The analogy I would use is when I look to go to Chicago, I put Chicago in a search engine. It shows me not only the ORD, the big airport that everybody knows, but also love, excuse me, also Midway, which is where

[01:16:09] Southwest flies. That's what I use when I want to go to Dallas. I look at DFW, but I also find Love Field, Dallas Love Field, which gives me another option. This airport will give our consumers, our residents, and businesses another option. And having that Washington name go first, while, yes, it hurts our pride, it does our business community and the business at the airport is there to serve justice. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Owen. Anyone else wish to come

[01:16:43] forward at this time? If not, I'll call on Vice Mayor Wolf for item three to make the motion to approve our consent agenda. Madam Mayor, I move the consent agenda be approved and the reading of the ordinance is dispensed with. Second. May the motion by Vice Mayor Wolf seconded by Councilman Smith to approve resolution number R consent agenda. Any discussion? Hearing and Seeing none, Mr. Ellis.

[01:17:13] Yeah, actually a discussion, but a question just to clarify something. I don't know if Mr. Burke can help or Jaylene Berry or, oh, I'm sorry. Pass.

[01:17:28] Consent agenda. Consent agenda. No discussion. Okay. Any discussion? Hearing and seeing none, Mr. Smith, please call the roll. Vice Mayor Wolfe. Yes. Council Member Smith. Yes. Council Member Ellis. Yes.

[01:17:44] Council Member Alicino. Yes. Council Member Vasquez Luna. Yes. council member hudson yes motion carries okay thank you that moves us forward to item four on the agenda the ordinances and resolution resolution number r 2026-881 resolution to approve renaming of manassas regional airport to washington manassas airport and jolene is here for mr rivera who couldn't be here with us tonight thank you for being here and welcome thank you so good evening madam mayor members of council and city manager i appear before you this evening on behalf

[01:18:20] of juan rivera who was unable to make it this evening in support of resolution our 2026 1 8 8 1 concerning the proposed renaming of the airport the airport commission airport staff tenants users of the airport app ports have all expressed their collective support for this name change renaming the facility to washington manassas airport would better align its identity with both the local community and the broader aviation sector i'm available to respond to any

[01:18:57] questions you may have and thank you for your time and consideration thank you jolene council members questions for jolene ms ellis okay now i can ask you a question um i think in one of our work sessions or presentations we did talk about uh i think i actually asked a question about naming at manassas washington airport and it was a name that we could not use if i recall that was your answer can you give a little more information about that yes i had actually uh believed that there was a washington manassas city washington state a city of manassas and washington state and

[01:19:34] i misspoke on that one so the reasoning behind so that was one of the reasonings the other reasoning was just the confusion of we uh when we held our work session meeting with the commission the ideas that came up was putting washington first so the commission was behind that it's also behind and when it comes to the discussions that we've had with the airlines is that you're aligning yourself this airport and the commercial service that's coming up you're aligning it with the location of dc that when folks are looking for a ticket they're flying into the dc area

[01:20:14] and so that's why washington would go first and then manassas also um want to address a little bit just in regards to northern virginia or dmv being used in the name those are terms that are just local for this area you know within the several states if you were to go outside of this area and you use the terms dmv those are more terms that people associate with department of motor vehicles not dc maryland and virginia again nova is an is a discussion item just in this area that people identify northern virginia when you leave this area nobody knows

[01:20:53] what nova is so so i just want to address that that those are some of the comments that came up in regards to other names that could be used um and so that's why those didn't come up in the work session that we had with the commission okay thank you any other questions thank you madam mayor and The reason why I asked for the vote to be pulled out of the consent agenda, because I think it's important that we talk about it.

[01:21:24] I know we had a great discussion, but I truly appreciate this opportunity. I have a couple of questions for you. So I know the name that we're looking at is more the commercial name, the name that we'll show when you're looking for a flight. But is the name of the actual airport going to change?

[01:21:44] So the name is going to be, that we are proposing would be Washington Manassas Airport. The airfield is still Harry P. Davis. We're not asking to change the airfield. And kind of the history of why you would have two names associated with an airport is it's more when, let's date ourselves back 40, 50 years, flyers that would come into an airport really identified that airstrip, that airport that they were flying into, and there wasn't a commercial aspect.

[01:22:19] And so it was your flyers that were flying into, you know, Harry P. Davis' field. Where we have gone with aviation is we've kind of gone away more with the field names and we're going with the airport names. So it's not a Manassas thing. It's just that's what the aviation industry has done.

[01:22:36] Thank you. I appreciate it. The code is going to remain the same, and I think we talk about another airport having the code, which is F-H-E-F. Correct. But that will continue. And, you know, just to say, you know, thank you to everybody that took their time to provide information for some, and will continue to be Manaport, did I say it right?

[01:23:00] Manaport? Manaport Plaza? Yes, Manaport Plaza. That was the original location. And it will always be like that, but I appreciate everybody's input. We got a lot of emails, we got the survey, and the information was very important, so thank you.

[01:23:20] - Any other comments or questions? Ms. Hudson. - Thank you, Madam Mayor. Ms. Jolene, could you speak to the work that the Airport Commission has done on choosing and kind of assessing what the different options of names could be? - Sure, would you like the names we went through also no just just the work i know there was a work session just a little bit about what they've done okay sure so we did a work session um and prior to the work session that you know we had that staff had with the commission we also had sent an email out to tenants i believe it was two emails that we sent out to just the airport tenants saying that we were having this

[01:23:56] work session so that they knew and we looked at sending it to just them and they're our stakeholders and they're the ones that had initially gave us that feedback that we should look into changing the name of the airport to just align ourselves better within the aviation sector so that information went out when we had the work session you know it's open anyone can attend and we didn't have many folks that attended we had our two fbos that attended and gave their their feedback as well and staff and so once that was put together we also did the work behind finding out other airports and what it took to change the name did they get feedback from

[01:24:35] the community did it was it just a vote that was done and there's no common denominator in regards to you know public feedback or was it just you know was it a vote so we went through several airports over the years to do that research and look into that we looked at the cost aspect of what it would take to change the name and we have you know we estimated and when we put our packet together we estimated 500 000 part of that is because those large signs that we have at the airport are pretty expensive and are they going to remain there when some of the development happens

[01:25:12] for the terminal we're not sure but we went ahead and put those costs in there and i just want to also say that those any costs that's associated with changing the name of the airport is would come out of the airport's budget which doesn't come out of the general fund so there's no taxpayer money being used there's no community money being used um so i just want to make that clear that we you know looked into that too and that comes out of the airports fund so that's kind of you know an overview of what we did in regards to you know looking at the options of changing the name and what those names would be thank you and would you say the commission is backing the change to

[01:25:51] washington manassas yes they are okay thank you any other comments or questions miss ellen more More of a comment than question. I know that a lot of work was put into this, you know, with the staff, the businesses at the airport, as well as the airport commission.

[01:26:14] I do appreciate the 159 responses from the community with the survey, but, you know, we did have 42% support, 58% opposed. I'm not sure if I am that excited about the total number of responses.

[01:26:35] I don't know if the survey was really reflective of, you know, the full community. That's a very low number. I'm not a survey expert, but that seems really low. I am kind of—so the Manassas-Washington Airport, when I thought that was something that was not even an option, you know, I think I kind of swayed through the Washington-Manassas.

[01:27:00] But I'm just—I think I'm going to explain my vote. I am supporting Washington-Manassas Airport, and I do want to say why. I think that there's been a lot of extensive research on this with marketing, business analysis, economics.

[01:27:17] And so I think if we're looking at trying to have a successful airport, it is the right thing to do. I also fly a lot. I know down in Florida, when I just went down to see my grandsons, you have airports with Orlando attached to their name that are an hour to an hour and a half from Orlando because that is still how people search they don't understand the you know the territory unless they're very familiar with it so I want this to be successful we've had a lot of

[01:27:53] investment time put into this airport and I do believe that in the long run that is the right option with the amount of time that was put into that decision so thank you any other comments thank you madam mayor I believe for years the airport has been you know number one of the busiest airport in Virginia when it comes to general aviation it's been a lot of work in progress when it comes to bringing commercial aviation the last work session we talked about the economic impact that those general aviation customers or

[01:28:32] tenants or everybody that is doing business at the airport is bringing an impact to the city and providing income. A couple of concerns, you know, changing it to make sure that it is available, it's marketable, making sure that it's not paid by the taxpayers as this is money and even if the expense was to happen soon it still it wouldn't be something they have to

[01:29:05] be faced I appreciate the comments and I believe the airport director and the city has been successful and continue to promote and to do what we need to do to make sure that is economic economically viable so I with that and knowing the recommendations and the support knowing they came from some of the customers. I will be supporting the name change. Thank you. Any other comments, Mr. Osina? Thank you, Marilyn. So I did a little

[01:29:42] research on the name and I found that our airport has had three names, hasn't it? Yes. Along the way. So our name has changed over time here. And so we're considering another name change.

[01:30:00] But changing the name is not an unusual thing for the city, even before that the town, to do. And from what I can tell, the kind of common denominator for why the name was changed was that it was intentionally, the name change was done to intentionally reposition the airport.

[01:30:26] When we first started out, it was at Manafort. It was just an airport, a little strip. And then when the land was bought and we moved to the current location, it became a municipal airport. And then only later, as we grew to have fixed-based operators and flight schools and things of this sort, that was changed again to the name regional along the way.

[01:30:55] So in this particular case, we're looking at an additional use to reposition this airport. And I think it's perfectly reasonable that if that's the case, and this will be of assistance in doing so, that it's being true to what this airport has been all along in that sense on that.

[01:31:16] I will observe that, as I have mentioned to those who have written to me and written back, and kind of we've talked back and forth, both those who have supported and those who haven't, You know, when people say, for instance, you know, Tom, where are you?

[01:31:38] I'd say I'm flying to Atlanta. And they say, oh, that's great. Where are you flying out of? I'll say not Washington, Manassas Airport. I'm going to say Manassas Airport, just as I would say National Airport or Dulles Airport or BWI, not Thurgood Marshall, Baltimore, Washington International Airport along the way here.

[01:32:04] I mean, we do have a shorthand of doing it, you know, believing we have partnered with AvPorts and with the fixed-based operators that are there saying that this is to assist in their economic success.

[01:32:21] I think we owe it to them to be able to do that. But I do want our residents to understand that this, when the name does get changed, if that is the will of this council here, it won't be the first time or the second time.

[01:32:40] You know, it's been had three different names along the way here on that sense. And I think that's important to have as part of the record. So thank you, Madam. Thank you. Any other comments or questions? Vice Mayor. Madam Mayor, I move adoption of Resolution 2026-881.

[01:32:56] Second. We had a motion by Vice Mayor Wolfe, seconded by Councilman Osina to approve resolution number R-2026-881, resolution to approve renaming of Manassas Regional Airport to Washington Manassas Airport. Any discussion? Hearing and seeing none, Mr. Smith, please call the roll.

[01:33:14] Vice Mayor Wolfe? Yes. Council Member Osina? Yes. Council Member Ellis? Yes. Council Member Smith? Yes. Council Member Vasquez Luna? Yes. Council Member Hudson? Yes. The motion carries. Thank you very much for that. Thank you, gentlemen. Appreciate it. Okay. That moves us forward to item 5 authorizing a closed meeting Resolution need a motion for that Yeah Move adoption resolution 2026 - 891 authorizing the closed meeting of the City Council second made motion by vice mayor will second by Council woman

[01:33:53] Hudson to prove resolution 2026 - 891 Authorizing a closed meeting any discussion hearing and seeing none. Mr. Smith, please call the roll vice mayor wolf. Yes Yes, council member Ellis council member Smith. Yes, council member of Sina. Yes Thank you so much. We will be back shortly

[01:34:40] Councilwoman Hudson approving resolution 2026 - eight nine threes to certify our closed meeting any discussion hearing and seeing them as dismissed please call the roll vice mayor wolf yes councilmember Hudson yes councilmember Ellis councilmember Smith yes councilmember Osina yes councilmember Vasquez Luna the motion carries item 5.2 our 20.6897 making appointments to city boards commission committees mr. Osina thank you mayor I'd like to move the following appointments to various city boards committees and commissions reappoint Eric

[01:35:19] Godwin to the beautification committee as a regular member for term beginning July 1 2026 and ending June 30th 2030 reappoint Elizabeth Maiko to the cemeteries committee as a regular member for term beginning July 1 2026 and ending June 30th 2030 reappoint Philip Smith to the Manassas Regional Airport Commission as a regular member for term beginning July 1 2026 and ending June 30th 2030 and reappoint Bree Stokes to the Manassas Business Council as a regular member

[01:35:53] for a term beginning July 1 2026 and ending June 30th 2030. So moved. Second. That's his motion. So you're second. My bad. I made the motion by Councilman Lucina seconded by Councilwoman Hudson to approve the appointments as read.

[01:36:11] Any discussion? Hearing and seeing them, Mr. Smith, please call the roll. Council Member Alcina? Yes. Council Member Hudson? Yes. Vice Mayor Wolfe? Yes. Council Member Ellis? Council Member Smith? Yes. Council Member Vasquez-Luna? Yes. The motion carries. Thank you so much for that. Anything else to come before the council for the good of the residents?

[01:36:30] If not, we are adjourned. Thank you. Thank you.

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