RFP 13-25 Addendum 1.pdf

1 | P a g e

The City of Hopewell has received and reviewed the below questions/requests related to RFP

#13-25 Legislative Liaison Services and offers the following responses as Addendum #1.

Please acknowledge receipt of this addendum by signing and including the last page as part of your bid response.

1. Has the funding already been obtained for the Riverwalk Phase III?

This information is not necessary to submit a proposal.

2. Can you share where we can view the 2025 Legislative Agenda?

We have not begun the process for the 2025 Legislative Agenda. We will be building upon the 2024 Legislative Agenda. The 2024 State Legislative Agenda is attached.

3. Do you have a list of current legislation that has already been drafted for the 2025 GA session?

We have not begun the process for the 2025 Legislative Agenda. We will be building upon the 2024 Legislative Agenda. The 2024 State Legislative Agenda is attached.

ADDENDUM # 1

RFP #13-25 LEGISLATIVE LIAISON SERVICES

CITY OF HOPEWELL

AUGUST 9, 2024

2 | P a g e

2024 CITY OF HOPEWELL STATE LEGISLATIVE

AGENDA VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HERBERT H. BRAGG

BRAGG LEGISLATIVE CONSULTANT, ADVISOR, AND RELATED SERVICES

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

3 | P a g e

2024 CITY OF HOPEWELL STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS

SENATE OF VIRGINIA 2023

Senator Joseph D. Morrissey, Democrat, District 16

PHONE: (804) 698-7516

EMAIL: district16@senate.virginia.gov

LEGISLATIVE AIDES: Ann Marie

Lawson; And Penny Eakes

VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES 2023

Delegate Carrie E. Coyner, Republican, House 62nd District

EMAIL:DelCCoyner@house.virginia.gov

PHONE: (804) 698-1062

LEGISLATIVE AIDE: Meg Graham

VIRGINIA STATE SENATE 2023

Lashrecse D. Aird

Democratic, District 13

EMAIL: laird@lashrecsaird.com

PHONE: (757) 719-0287

CHIEF OF STAFF: Jameson Babb mailto:district16@senate.virginia.gov mailto:DelCCoyner@house.virginia.gov mailto:DelCCoyner@house.virginia.gov mailto:laird@lashrecsaird.com

4 | P a g e

AGENDA

CITY OF HOPEWELL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

JOHNNY PARTIN, MAYOR, WARD 3

JASMINE GORE, VICE MAYOR, WARD 4 (LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE)

BRENDA S. PELHAM, COUNCILOR, WARD 6

JANICE DENTON, COUNCILOR, WARD 5

MICHAEL B. HARRIS, COUNCILOR, WARD 2

RITA JOYNER, COUNCILOR, WARD 1 (LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE)

DOMINIC R. HOLLOWAY, SR., COUNCILOR WARD 7

DR. CONCETTA MANKER (LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE)

CITY MANAGER

THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING (CITY HALL)

300 N. MAIN STREET

HOPEWELL, VIRGINIA 23860

PHONE: (804) 541-2243

WEBSITE: www.hopewellva.gov

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/cityofhopewell http://www.hopewellva.gov/ http://www.facebook.com/cityofhopewell

5 | P a g e

1. Maintain local revenue sources such as BPOL, Machinery & Tools Taxes

2. Support funding for education, school construction and modernization

3. Support Community Violence Reduction Initiatives

4. Support funding for HB 599 Public Safety Funding

5. Public Transit Funding

6. Support Historic Rehabilitation and Tax Credits

7. Support funding for Water Quality Improvement Fund

8. Support Storm Water Local Assistance Fund

9. Support the Preservation of Local Taxing Authority and Fees

10. Support funding for Economic Development

11. Support the Virginia Enterprise Zone (VEZ) program

12. Support Children's Services Act (CSA)

13. Oppose Unfunded State Mandates

14. Fiscal Stress Statement

15. Support for Virginia First Cities Legislative Priorities

16. Support for the Virginia Municipal League Legislative Priorities

17. Support for Homelessness and Mental Health

18. Support for Residential Financial Wealth Building

19. DEQ Environmental Request

20. Support Virginia Disposable Plastic Bag Tax

21. Oxygen Plant Replacement

22. River Walk Expansion Phase III

23. Leachate Expansion

24. Incinerator Rehab and Upgraded Burner Management System

25. Domestic Bar Screen

26. Industrial Bar Screen

27. Gravity Thickener

28. MBBR Monitors & SCADA

29. Phosphorus Monitoring

6 | P a g e

1. Maintain local revenue sources such as Business Professional Occupational License Tax (BPOL) and Machinery and Tools (M & T) taxes. These two taxes comprise a significant part of the City's

General Fund budget and are extremely important for the City's revenue stream. Recommendation:

The City opposes any attempt to eliminate or reduce these taxes unless they are included with an alternate funding method for localities to recover the funds generated by these taxes.

2. Support funding for education, school construction, and modernization. The City of Hopewell supports total funding for K-12 education, school construction, and modernization. The state must meet its constitutional responsibility to adequately fund K-12 education, including total funding of all state mandates from the General Assembly and updates to the Standards of Quality (SOQ) to reflect actual education costs. Recommendation: The City of Hopewell supports total funding for

K-12 education, construction, and modernization.

3. Support Community Violence Reduction Initiatives. The City of Hopewell strongly supports legislation and budget initiatives that will stem the tide of community violence. Hopewell City

Council and administration are committed to building a safer community where all residents, business owners, and visitors feel safe. Localities need help to accomplish this task and must rely on the significant resources of the Commonwealth. Recommendation: Identify and implement community violence intervention programs, invest in crisis intervention training programs, support local law enforcement, expand services and support for teenagers and young adults, and help formerly incarcerated individuals successfully re-enter their communities.

4. Support funding for HB 599 public safety funding. The City of Hopewell supports total funding for State Aid to Local Police Departments to fight crime and criminal activity. Our community's safety is a significant priority for the city council. Recommendation: The City of Hopewell supports total funding for State Aid to Local Police Departments to assist with public safety and fighting criminal activity.

5. Public Transit Funding. Public transit is a critical component of America's transportation network, serving Americans in every state. Access to public transportation in the City is necessary for hundreds who would otherwise have fewer options and, for some, the inability to travel at all. The City of

Hopewell supports state and federal grant funding and or assistance to help offset the high cost of public transit. Recommendation: The City's specific funding request this year and subsequent years is $250,000.00 annually to support public transit.

7 | P a g e

6. Support Historic Rehabilitation and Tax Credits. The City of Hopewell supports Historic

Rehabilitation Tax Credits. The state and federal historic preservation tax incentive and tax credit program encourage private sector investment in rehabilitating and re-using historic buildings. It creates jobs and is one of the nation's most successful and cost effective programs. It has been instrumental in the rehabilitation of several historic buildings in Hopewell. Examples are The Beacon

Theatre, Luck’s Barber Shop, Saucy's BBQ, and City Point Ice Cream & Burgers, to name a few.

Recommendation: The City of Hopewell supports continued funding of historic rehabilitation tax credits.

7. Support funding for the Water Quality Improvement Fund. The City of Hopewell supports the continuation of the Water Quality Improvement Fund to assist municipalities by reducing nutrient discharges into state waters. Recommendation: The City of Hopewell supports continued Water

Quality Improvement Fund funding to assist municipalities by further reducing nutrient discharges into state waters.

8. Support the Storm Water Local Assistance Fund. The Storm Water Local Assistance Fund

(SLAF) provides matching grants to local governments for the planning, designing, and implementing of stormwater best management practices (BMPs) that address cost efficiency and commitments relating to reducing water quality pollutant loads. Eligible capital project types can include new stormwater BMPs, retrofits of stormwater BMPs, stream restoration, low-impact development projects, buffer restoration, pond retrofits, and wetland restoration. The SLAF program can also fund the purchase of permanent, certified, non-point source nutrient credits.

Recommendation: The City of Hopewell supports continued Storm Water Local Assistance Fund funding.

9. Support the preservation of local taxing authority and fees. Local governments are granted their taxing authority by the General Assembly, either through 1) general laws that apply to all localities or 2) municipal charters, which are unique legislative acts adopted by each City or town under the

Uniformed Charter Powers Act (15.2-1100 et seq.). Currently, local governments have available to them 26 different taxes. Recommendation: The City of Hopewell supports local taxing authority.

Authority to impose taxes without limitation, so long as not prohibited by law per code section 15.2-

100 and 15.2-1104, and by 15.2-2404 and 15.2-2405.

8 | P a g e

10. Support funding for Economic Development. The City of Hopewell asks that the General

Assembly increase funding for existing economic development/redevelopment incentive funds.

Recommendation: These incentives are pivotal in attracting, retaining, and expanding business.

Programs that support redevelopment are vital for the City of Hopewell because the City is landlocked and almost 100% fully developed. Grant programs that assist with redevelopment and rehabilitation will continue to be essential as we work to repurpose and redevelop strategic properties in the City.

11. Support the Virginia Enterprise Zone (VEZ} program. The Virginia Enterprise Zone Program was established by the General Assembly in 1982 as a partnership between state and local governments to stimulate job creation and private investment within designated areas throughout the state.

Recommendation: The City of Hopewell supports the Virginia Enterprise Program and urges the

General Assembly to provide the amount of funding needed to honor grant awards fully and maintain the effectiveness of this critical economic development tool.

12. Support Children's Services Act (CSA). This law, Code of Virginia, 2.2- 5200, intends to create a collaborative system of services and funding that is child-centered, family-focused, and community-based when addressing the strengths and needs of troubled and at-risk youths and their families in the Commonwealth. 1) CSA will Identify and intervene early with young children and their families who are at risk of developing emotional or behavioral problems, or both, due to environmental, physical, or psychological stress 2) increase inter-agency collaboration and family involvement in service delivery and management 3) encourage a public and private partnership in the delivery of services to troubled and at-risk youths and their families and 4) provide communities flexibility in the use of funds and to authorize communities to make decisions and be accountable for providing these services.

13. Oppose unfunded state mandates. The City of Hopewell opposes any government unfunded mandates. Public expectations of services provided by local government continue to increase while local revenue streams, heavily dependent on property, sales, and other taxes, are limited.

Recommendation: The City of Hopewell asks that the General Assembly: 1) refrain from creating unfunded mandates, 2) not adopt tax relief programs that sacrifice local revenue without a commitment to making communities whole, 3) fully meet the state's financial commitment to programs and services it deems essential and 4) not create administrative and procedural hurdles that negatively impact the fair and timely collection of local revenue.

14. Fiscal Stress. According to the State Commission on Local Government Report published in July 2023, 9 | P a g e the City of Hopewell ranks 11 out of 133 governments. The lower the rankings, the higher the fiscal stress index. Fiscal stress refers to the growing imbalance between revenues and expenditures over a period, or where the imbalance is short-term, usually confined to a fiscal year and reflecting a situation different from that used as a basis for the budget. The fiscal stress index also illustrates a locality's ability to generate additional local revenue from its current tax base relative to the rest of the Commonwealth. The primary users of the fiscal stress index are local governments in Virginia and state agencies, who use the index to assist in allocating state aid.

15. Support for Virginia First Cities Legislative Priorities

A. Maintain funding for the current TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) for Employment Grant Programs.

B. Protect HB 599 funding for Police departments.

C. Support maximum funding for the Storm Water Local Assistance Fund (SLAF).

D. K-12 education At-Risk Add-On and Master Teacher Residency Program.

E. Protect Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits and oppose any further decreases.

F. Protect the Street Maintenance Program.

G. Protect and increase Brownfields Redevelopment Assessment and Remediation.

16. Support for the Virginia Municipal League Legislative Priorities

A. Protect HB 599 funding for local police departments.

B. Education in Funding. VML opposes changes in methodology and the division of financial responsibility that result in a shift of funding commitment from the state to localities. VML opposes policies that lower state contributions but do nothing to address the cost of meeting the Standards of Accreditation and Standards of

Learning requirements.

C. Storm Water Local Assistance Fund. VML supports continued investment in the

Stormwater Local Assistance Fund to assist localities with much-needed stormwater projects to meet federal and state clean-water requirements.

17. Support for the Homeless and Mental Health.

The City of Hopewell continues to work to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring; however, the City's unsheltered population has increased by 51% since the

COVID-19 safety protocols expired.

10 | P a g e

The stress of experiencing homelessness may exacerbate previous mental illness and encourage anxiety, fear, depression, sleeplessness, and substance use. The needs of people with mental illness who experience homelessness are similar to those without mental illnesses: physical safety, education, transportation, affordable housing, and affordable medical and dental treatment. When providing care to those experiencing homelessness, it is essential to create a non-threatening and supportive atmosphere, address basic needs

(e.g., food and shelter), and provide accessible care.

Poor mental health can lead to homelessness, poverty, disaffiliation, and personal vulnerability. Because they cannot often sustain employment, they have little income.

Delusional thinking may cause them to withdraw from friends, family, and others. This loss of support leaves them with fewer resources to cope with times of trouble. Mental illness can also impair a person’s ability to be resilient and resourceful; it can cloud thinking and impair judgment. For all these reasons, people with mental illness are at greater risk of experiencing homelessness.

It is paramount that comprehensive homeless services are provided effectively and efficiently by best-practice models to maximize limited resources. Recommendation: The

City's specific funding request this year and in subsequent years is $500,000.00 annually to support the operation of a year-round shelter that will mental health care/support.

18. Support for Residential Financial Wealth Building Services: To facilitate equitable solutions to reduce the effects of poverty and enhance wealth development opportunities for

The City of Hopewell's most impacted communities.

19. DEQ Environmental Request: The City of Hopewell requests that there be legislative consideration given to the City providing the authority to create environmental laws/ordinances for the City of Hopewell with the approval of the

Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The City also requests that the

11 | P a g e

Environmental Protection Agency provides City officials with continued reporting notifications of plant violations until the event is resolved.

20. Support Virginia Disposable Plastic Bag Tax: The City of Hopewell supports legislation enacted during the Regular Session of the 2020 General Assembly

(House Bill 534 (2020 Acts of Assembly, Chapter 1022) and Senate Bill 11

(2020 Acts of Assembly, Chapter 1023)) that authorizes any county or City to adopt by ordinance the Virginia Disposable Plastic Bag Tax on disposable plastic bags provided to customers in grocery stores, convenience stores, and drugstores in the locality. The Virginia Department of Taxation ("the

Department") will administer the tax. A locality must provide a certified copy of the ordinance to the Tax Commissioner at least three months before the tax becomes effective.

21. Oxygen Plant: Replace the existing, aging cryogenic facility, which is the original facility, with a Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption System (VPSA). To improve performance and reliability and reduce energy consumption. Recommendation:

This year, the City's funding request to complete this project is $16.5M.

A. Substantially reduce the financial burden on industry, and the City to rebuild the plant.

B. Enormous savings in liquid oxygen and maintenance cost ($2-

3million/year).

C. Reduce energy usage and air emissions (better air quality).

22. River Walk Expansion Phase III: This project aims to connect the existing river walk to the Hopewell City Marina, covering a remaining distance of 556 linear feet with a plaza at the Marina entrance. The project will focus on ensuring accessibility for

12 | P a g e all individuals. The primary purpose of this project is to enhance connectivity and provide a seamless pathway for pedestrians to access the marina from the riverwalk. Completing this connection will improve the user experience and encourage more people to utilize the river walk and marina facilities. This project will significantly benefit the community by promoting outdoor activities like walking and jogging while supporting local businesses near the marina. It will create a safe and convenient route for residents and visitors to enjoy the waterfront and engage in recreational activities. Additionally, this project will repair the Weston Manor staircase, walkway, and pier along the Appomattox River, resulting in increased historic and eco-tourism. Recommendation: The City's funding request to complete this project this year is $1.5M.

23. Leachate Expansion: The City of Hopewell wants to expand leachate operations and storage capacity to accept additional leachate from surrounding landfills and increase the outside revenue source for capital improvement. Recommendation:

The City's funding request this year to complete this project is $3M.

A. Reduce the financial burden on industry and the City

B. Minimize (possibly prevent) industrial, commercial, and residential sewer rate increases for capital improvements.

24. Incinerator Rehab and Upgraded Burner Management System: Rehab the existing incinerator and upgrade the burner management system. The incinerator is over 40 years old. The incinerator is critical to our solids removal process and in maintaining environmental compliance for both the

VPDES discharge permit and the Title V Air permit.

A. Reduce energy costs by making the incinerator for efficient

B. Less air emissions (better air quality)

25. Domestic Bar Screen: The bar screens and associated equipment are a critical part of inorganic material removal that is unusable and untreatable in the facility. Effectively removing this material

13 | P a g e increases treatment performance.

A. Enhanced primary screening results in less debris in the treatment process resulting in maintenance and operation cost savings

B. Improved solids removal results in less phosphorous entering the James River

(phosphorous attaches to particulate matter

26. Industrial Bar Screen: The bar screens and associated equipment are a critical part of inorganic material removal that is unusable and untreatable in the facility. Effectively removing this material increases treatment performance.

A. Enhanced primary screening results in less debris in the treatment process resulting in maintenance and operation cost savings

B. Improved solids removal results in less phosphorous entering the James River

(phosphorous attaches to particulate matter)

27. Gravity Thickener: A recent project has been approved to repair an existing, failed gravity thickening unit and the one that is currently in service will need rehab and repair as well. The gravity thickener is a critical process in the conditioning of solids removed from the process before dewatering and ultimate disposal.

A. Improving the solids handling will improve the MBBR process.

B. Additionally, improved solids handling will result in less phosphorous entering the

James River (major water quality improvement).

C. With improved solids handling we decrease operating and energy costs (oxygen demand and chemical use) to treat recycled solids, also resulting in improved water quality and less air emissions.

28. MBBR Monitors & SCADA: The fairly new MBBR system (2017) only has instrumentation on a third of the process. Additional instrumentation needs to be installed for process optimization and real time data into the SCADA system for efficient operation to meet the stringent ammonia reduction requirements.

A. Add resiliency and redundancy into the treatment process for monitoring solids.

The less solids that we recycle in the MBBR system – the less inhabitation on the nitrification process (decreases total nitrogen, improves the water quality in the

James River)

B. Additionally, the less nitrogen we discharge the more nitrogen credits we can sell, resulting in more funds for capital and less rate impact on industry, small businesses, and residents.

29. Phosphorus Monitoring: The facility is looking into additional phosphorous monitoring and control to control the feed of phosphoric acid, which is needed at this facility because of the phosphorous deficiency in the industrial waste stream. Currently, the feed is a manual operation and we are

14 | P a g e looking to optimize this process to reduce chemical costs from overfeeding.

A. Reduce the amount of phosphorous discharged into the James River, resulting in improved water quality.

B. Reduce the amount of purchased Phosphorous credits needed to maintain compliance with DEQ

C. Reduce the amount of money spent of chemicals for over treating phosphorous

15 | P a g e

2024 CITY OF HOPEWELL PROGRAMS OF SUPPORT

Support Local Authority to Enforce Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act- The Virginia

Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA), Sections 55.1-1200 through 55.1-1262 of the Code of

Virginia, establishes the rights and obligations of residential landlords and tenants in the Commonwealth.

However, only the courts can enforce those rights and obligations. This act applies to apartment complexes, single-family houses if the landlord rents out more than two of them, and hotels, motels, or boarding houses if the tenant has been renting for more than 90 days.

Support Virginia Jobs Investment Program- The Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP) is an incentive program offering customized recruiting and training assistance to companies creating new jobs or experiencing technological change. The program is designed to reduce human resource development costs by providing direct funding to qualifying new and expanding companies.

Support Virginia Investment Performance Grant. Subject to the appropriation by the

General Assembly of sufficient money to the Investment Performance Grant sub-fund, any eligible manufacturer or research and development service that is not eligible for a significant eligible employer grant under § 2.2-5102 shall be eligible for an investment performance grant as provided in this section.

A. The Partnership shall establish an application process by which eligible manufacturers and research and development services may apply for a grant under this section. An application for a grant under this section shall be approved once the Partnership has verified that the capital investment is complete.

B. The amount of the investment performance grant that an eligible manufacturer or research and development service shall be eligible to receive under this section shall be determined by the

Secretary, based on the recommendation of the Partnership, and contingent upon approval by the

Governor. The determination of the appropriate amount of an investment performance grant shall be based on the application of guidelines that establish criteria for correlating the amount of a grant to the relative value to the Commonwealth of the eligible investment.

Support the Virginia Main Street Program. The Virginia Main Street Program is a preservation-based economic and community development program that follows the Main Street Four-Point Approach

16 | P a g e developed by the National Trust Main Street Center. Virginia Main Street offers a range of services and assistance to communities interested in revitalizing their historic commercial districts.

Support Homeless Solutions Program (VHSP). The Virginia Homeless Solutions Program (VHSP) is a

Homeless and Special Needs Housing (HSNH) funding source that supports the development and implementation of localized emergency crisis response systems with housing-focused, coordinated community-based activities. These activities are designed to reduce the overall length of homelessness in the community, the number of households becoming homeless and the overall rate of formerly homeless households returning to homelessness.

Veterans Health Coalition. The Community Veterans Engagement Board (CVEB) model enables Veterans, Servicemembers, Military Families, Veteran advocates, community service providers, and stakeholders to have a collective voice in identifying their community goals and work to resolve gaps in service at the local level to improve service delivery for Veterans, Military Families, Caregivers, and Survivors. VA leaders are committed to actively engage in community-based efforts that maximize the collective impact of local services, stakeholders, and federal/state/municipal agencies working collectively to improve Veteran outcomes where they live, work, and raise their families. CVEBs play a key role by looking generically at veterans and what their holistic needs may be, as well as who provides support to veterans and how veterans are connected to those services.

ArmyPaYS. The Community Veterans Engagement Board (CVEB). The Partnership for Your Success

(PaYS) Program is a strategic partnership between the U.S. Army and a cross section of corporations, companies, and public sector agencies. The Program provides America's Soldiers with an opportunity to serve their country while they prepare for their future. PaYS Partners guarantee Soldiers an interview and possible employment after the Army. This unique Program is part of the Army's effort to partner with

America's business community and reconnect America with Army.

17 | P a g e

Please sign and include this form as part of your bid response to verify receipt of Addendum # 1.

Arquesia S. Haskins

Procurement Officer

Signature of Receipt of Addendum # 1

Date

Company Name