Sale of undisclosed property discussed by City Council in closed session
Recent meeting also addressed litigation involving personal injury
The Williamsburg City Council met in closed session last week to discuss the potential sale of “economic development property”. At that time, they also heard updates “pertaining to actual or probable litigation concerning personal injury.” The session was authorized under Virginia code that permits governing bodies to meet privately when open discussion could affect the outcome of litigation or property negotiations.
While no further information was disclosed about the litigation discussed, the closed session could signal new movement on two long-vacant properties owned by the city on Richmond Road. The city purchased the former Tioga Motel site at 906 Richmond Road in 2007 for $1.08 million; the 0.69-acre lot remains vacant with a 2026 appraised value of just over $1.06 million. Further down the corridor, the city acquired two adjacent parcels at 1223 and 1233 Richmond Road, the former Super 8 Motel site, for $2.45 million in 2016. That combined 0.96-acre site also remains undeveloped, carrying a 2026 appraised value of over $1.17 million.
The fate of city-owned property on Richmond Road could be the subject of recent discussions by the Williamsburg City Council in several closed sessions.
The following sections summarize the substantive agenda items discussed at this meeting, with each section linking directly to the relevant point in the YouTube recording.
Outdoor dining license approved for Ricky’s Wine Bar Council unanimously approved a five-year license agreement allowing Ricky’s Wine Bar to occupy 360 square feet of the Prince George Street sidewalk parklet for outdoor dining. City Attorney Chris Shelton explained the restaurant will pay an annual fee of $5 per square foot, totaling $1,800 annually. Mayor Douglas Pons noted that outdoor dining has enhanced the area since the COVID pandemic and expressed enthusiasm for the new business. Vice Mayor Pat Dent agreed, citing feedback from other business owners about the benefits of expanded outdoor seating. The furniture design still requires approval from the architectural review board. Watch the license discussion from 2:03
Prince George Street in Williamsburg where several restaurants will be expanding outdoor dining options.
Budget amendment transfers fiscal agent fees and reallocates project funds Chief Financial Officer Barbara Dameron reported mixed revenue results at the council meeting. Room tax collections are up 21.5% year-to-date, while sales tax revenue has grown 3.7% compared to the prior fiscal year, both on track to meet or exceed budget. Real estate tax collections have reached roughly 72% of budget through May, with collections typically continuing through August. Meals tax receipts, however, fell 1.5% when adjusted for the rate change, and personal property and business license tax revenues are tracking below projections.
Despite the overall surplus, Dameron cautioned the city is operating close to budget due to unexpected fire truck repairs and higher utility costs. Council adopted Resolution 26-11 amending the FY2026 budget on three fronts: appropriating $514,300 in surplus general fund revenues to contingency to help cover those unexpected expenses; transferring $437,500 in fiscal agent fees, received from Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s bond issuance through the Economic Development Authority and required by policy to flow there, to the EDA; and reallocating $500,000 in balances from completed capital improvement projects to the African American Heritage Trail. Council members noted the need to continue monitoring revenues closely as the fiscal year concludes. Watch the budget and finance discussion from 6:45
Police chief highlights new facility and announces National Night Out date Police Chief Sean Dunn provided an update on the department’s new facility, describing it as an exceptional space focused on 21st century policing that allows comfortable community interaction. Dunn thanked council and the public for attending the May grand opening, which drew a larger crowd than anticipated. He announced National Night Out will take place October 6 at 5:00 pm at the new police building, featuring both outdoor activities and facility tours. Council members praised the improved parking and public access compared to the former location and highlighted the community room available for neighborhood groups and organizations to use for meetings. Hear the police facility update from 19:00
Term limits extended for social services advisory board members Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 26-04 increasing the maximum number of consecutive terms for Social Services Advisory Board members from two to three terms. Shelton explained the change aligns the city code with recent amendments to state law under Virginia House Bill 727. Council members questioned the rationale behind the state legislation but agreed to comply with the requirement. The ordinance takes effect July 1, 2026. Watch the term limit ordinance discussion from 27:52
Council withdraws support for Monticello Avenue roundabout project Council unanimously approved Resolution 26-10 withdrawing support and requesting cancellation of the Monticello Avenue, Richmond Road, and Lafayette Street Smart Scale roundabout project. Director of Public Works Jack Reed explained that project costs escalated from the original $6.3 million award to over $10.5 million, requiring the city to cover a $4.2 million shortfall. Reed noted VDOT would not provide additional funding. Mayor Pons stated he was never convinced the roundabout improved pedestrian safety despite potential traffic flow benefits. Council members agreed that community support has diminished since the 2017 proposal and noted recent intersection improvements have already enhanced safety. Reed confirmed the funding will be reallocated to other projects throughout the Commonwealth. Watch the roundabout project withdrawal from 28:51
Tyler Munis software system approved for cloud hosting transition Council authorized the city manager to execute a contract with Tyler Technologies not to exceed $121,548 for hosting and management of the Tyler Munis enterprise resource planning system. Chief Information Officer Mark Barham explained the transition from local servers to cloud hosting will streamline operations, provide better scalability, and reduce future costs for hardware, software, and staff maintenance time. The system manages all city financials, taxes, utility billing, human resources, payroll, and codes compliance. Barham confirmed security protections including encryption, multi-factor authentication, and annual audits remain in place, with environments isolated by individual municipality to prevent cross-contamination of data. The target deployment date is September 2026. Watch the software contract discussion from 36:32
Multiple board and commission appointments approved Council reappointed and appointed multiple individuals to various boards and commissions for terms beginning July 1, 2026. Reappointments included Michelle Mixner DeWitt to the Colonial Community Criminal Justice Board, Odessa Dowy to the Economic Development Authority, Curtis Williams and Robert Taylor to the Finance and Audit Committee, Jerry Phillips to the Williamsburg Area Arts Commission, Rachel Tritler to the Williamsburg Public Arts Council, and Michelle Mixner DeWitt to the Williamsburg Regional Library Board of Trustees. New appointments included Davendesburg as alternate to the Middle Peninsula Juvenile Detention Center Commission, Jennifer McDe to the Williamsburg Area Arts Commission, and Charles Leisure to the Virginia Peninsula Community College Board. A council member emphasized appreciation for all volunteers who serve on boards and commissions. Watch the appointments from 40:24
Council member announces Juneteenth events and first community chat Council members announced multiple Juneteenth events scheduled for the following week throughout Williamsburg, including the African American Heritage Trail groundbreaking on June 19 at 9:00 am at the corner of Virginia Avenue and Lafayette Street. Attendees were encouraged to park at the municipal building lot, where police officers and parking ambassadors will assist with street crossing. A council member also announced the inaugural council chat on June 23 at 5:00 pm in the Stryker Center, where two council members will be available for informal community conversation. The member indicated future chats may focus on specific themes or topics based on community interest. The grand opening of the Greater Williamsburg Sports and Event Center was also announced for June 24 at 3:30 pm. Hear the community event announcements from 44:16
