Persons requesting to provide comments virtually during the public hearings or public comment period held at this meeting, must call the Office of the City Clerk at (804) 646-7955, option 3, by no later than 10:00 a.m., on
Thursday, November 13, 2025.
Call to Order
Chamber Emergency Evacuation Plan Announcement and Public Speaker Guidelines
Public Comment Period
Presentation(s)
Gun Violence Prevention Efforts
Gun Violence Prevention Efforts
Discussion Item(s)
Richmond Public Schools (RPS) Updates
Update from the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO) for Human Services
Paper(s) for Consideration
To approve the City of Richmond Plan of Services under the Virginia Juvenile Community Crime Control Act.
Board Vacancies
There were no board vacancies.
Approval of Minutes
October 9, 2025 - Education & Human Services Standing Committee
Meeting Minutes
Staff Report
Education & Human Services Standing Committee Staff Report
November 13, 2025
Committee and Other Council Members In Attendance
The Honorable Stephanie Lynch - Chair
The Honorable Andrew Breton - Vice Chair
The Honorable Nicole Jones - Member
Staff in Attendance
Kiley Kesecker, Deputy City Clerk
Kimberly Morris, Assistant City Clerk
Pamela Nichols, Council Management Analyst
Janet Palmer, Deputy City Attorney
Will Perkins, Senior Council Legislative Services Manager
Candice Reid, City Clerk
Chair Stephanie Lynch called the meeting to order at 2:05 p.m., and presided.
Upon the Chair's request, Assistant City Clerk Kimberly Morris provided information on the
appropriate way to evacuate the Council Chamber in an emergency along with public speaker
guidelines.
There were no public comment speakers.
The following ordinance was considered:
Discussion Item(s)
Jason Kamras, RPS Superintendent, provided the committee with an update regarding the Virginia Department of Education's accountability system, the master facilities plan, collective bargaining, and a summary of academic success.
Chair Stephanie Lynch asked when the facilities master plan would be completed, and if Superintendent Kamras could provide an update in early 2026.
Superintendent Kamras stated the plan would take about a year from now, and he would provide the committee with updates as the master plan progresses.
Amy Popovich, DCAO for Human Services, provided the committee with updates regarding food distribution efforts during the federal government shutdown.
Chair Stephanie Lynch suggested discussing the city's contract with the Salvation Army for it's operation of the inclement weather shelter, at the December committee meeting.
DCAO Popovich stated she had been in contact with Home Again and the Salvation Army regarding the city's contracts with the respective organizations.
Greg Hopkins, Interim Director of the Department of Justice Services, provided the committee with a presentation regarding gun violence prevention efforts, crime analysis, and current initiatives.
There were no further comments or discussions and Vice Chair Nicole Jones moved to forward RES. 2025-041 to Council with the recommendation to approve, which was seconded and approved: Ayes 3, Breton, Jones and Lynch. Noes, 0.
Public Hearing
Greg Hopkins, Interim Director of the Department of Justice Services, provided an introduction and additional background information regarding the proposed resolution. He stated the resolution consists of a host of programs implemented to support juveniles in the city of Richmond.
Craig Jones addressed the committee and spoke neither in favor of nor in opposition to the proposed resolution.
Chair Stephanie Lynch asked how justice services providers were being compensated.
Interim Director Hopkins stated providers were contracted and compensated through the state and the city.
Vice Chair Nicole Jones asked if youth were integrated into existing programs or if new programs were created. She also asked how partners were funded.
There were no amendments or corrections to the meeting minutes of October 9, 2025, and the committee approved the minutes as presented.
Council staff provided the committee with the November Education and Human Services Standing Committee staff report.
Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:05 p.m.
Chair Stephanie Lynch asked how many youth were in both foster care and juvenile systems. She stated her concerns regarding the discontinuation of state services that were critical to gun violence intervention.
Interim Director Hopkins stated individual service plans were based on youths' risk and needs. He stated extra resources were used in other areas, such as group homes or assessments.
Member Andrew Breton asked if this was the right plan according to the budget level, and if there was a better plan with a larger fund amount.
Interim Director Hopkins stated the plan was already approved by the state, and a second approval will need to be made by local government.
Chair Lynch stated the importance of having programming in place in the community.
Interim Director Greg Hopkins stated he would provide that information to the committee.
Vice Chair Nicole Jones stated time would be needed to see results from the work put into gun violence prevention efforts. She asked if efforts were aimed at intervention or prevention.
Interim Director Hopkins stated the goal of the steering committee was to implement the work as stated, and also prevention.
Member Andrew Breton suggested a dashboard to measure the success of gun violence prevention efforts. He asked why there weren't enough programs for adults, and if the city has an advocacy program like other cities.
Interim Director Hopkins stated there were programs for adults; however, that there were not as many as there are for juveniles. He stated they would look into implementing a gun violence dashboard, and that the city had multiple drivers which would make an advocacy program difficult.
Member Breton praised the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Program.
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