2025 Meeting Minutes

Table of Contents

July 2025 Meeting - Members Meeting #5

June 2025 Meeting - Members Meeting #4

May 2025 Meeting - Members Meeting #3

March 2025 Meeting - Members Meeting #2

February 2025 Meeting - Members Meeting #1

July 2025 Meeting - Members Meeting #5

Meeting Date: Saturday, July 26, 2025, 12:15 - 1:45pm

Meeting Location: North Ave Library - 2901 North Ave, Richmond, VA 23222

NEW - Youtube meeting recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Snng1etgqUA

June 2025 Meeting - Members Meeting #4

Meeting Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025, 12:15 - 1:45pm

Meeting Location: North Ave Library - 2901 North Ave, Richmond, VA 23222

Welcome & Introductions

• Meeting opened at 12:15 PM by President Karen Link-Aaron. No old or new business was reported.
• A printed copy of the May 2025 meeting minutes was available at the welcome table.
• Shannon Macika (Secretary) presented the financial report on behalf of the Treasurer:

• Balance as of April 30, 2025: $139.32
• Deposit: $11.30
• Balance as of May 30, 2025: $150.62

Announcements (shared by Shannon Macika, Secretary)

• Extra resource “grab bags” from the City (provided during the May meeting) were available at the sign-in table.
• The NBHCA “Honey Do Crew” is preparing to support Phase II & III of a home repair project for a senior neighbor.

• August 2: Power washing and porch clearing (2 volunteers needed)
• August 3 or 9: Porch and step painting (2–4 volunteers needed)
• Sign-up sheets were available at the sign-in table.

• Code Refresh Video: Civic association member Buster Johnson produced two short videos explaining how the proposed citywide rezoning could impact North Barton Heights. A pocket-sized QR code handout was provided. One of the videos was optionally screened following the meeting:  “This Is Where I Live, Part 1” (Video runtime: ~40 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvlTDxbh3V4&t=2s 
• Brookland Park Boulevard Community Cleanup (hosted monthly)

• Next event: Saturday, July 19, 10–11 AM (meet at the library alleyway)

• Next Civic Association Meeting:

• Saturday, July 26, 12:15 PM at the North Avenue Library
• See all upcoming events: on our Facebook events or website calendar

• Library Feedback Requested – The future of the North Avenue Library is uncertain under the city’s rezoning proposal. Residents were encouraged to complete the anonymous library user survey.
• Board Elections Reminder

• October 18, 2025: Board nominations open during the NBHCA meeting
• December 6, 2025: NBHCA officer elections and holiday potluck
• Voting eligibility: Paid members or exempt senior members only. Read more on our Membership page about different levels of membership.
  

Presentation: Councilwoman Kenya Gibson (District 3)

• Councilwoman Kenya Gibson, who began serving in City Council in 2025 after previously representing the 3rd District on the Richmond School Board, attended this meeting as our featured guest. She spoke about her work and priorities while also answering questions from those in attendance. She shared reflections on:

• Her early advocacy efforts on school funding (starting around 2014) and her ongoing focuses on community voices, budget transparency, and accountability.
• City Budget Process: The Mayor’s proposed budget came late in May, limiting the timeline for meaningful public input. She has called for better public engagement and greater clarity in spending decisions.
  Zoning and Code Refresh: Attendees raised concerns about proposals lacking clear protections for historic preservation and community-serving institutions (e.g. libraries, post offices). She emphasized the importance of a baseline before approving more changes.
• Housing & Affordability: She advocates for a more robust rental inspection program, transparency in housing grants, and policies that ensure developments meet family housing needs.
• Economic Justice: She opposed the casino development and raised questions about property tax subsidies for large institutions (e.g. Costar, VCU).
• City Governance & Transparency: She spoke about the limits of the “strong mayor” system and her calls for reform related to campaign finance transparency.
• Collective Bargaining & Workers’ Rights: Advocated for expanded union rights for city employees and highlighted how unions can protect whistleblowers and improve city services.

• Meeting attendees participated in an engaging Q&A, covering topics from public transparency and tax relief for seniors to the future of Monument Avenue and equitable access to services.
• Anyone can sign-up to receive email updates from the Councilwoman’s office via the 3rd District Monthly E-Mail Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/a64346df6f45/richmond-city-3rd-district-newsletter 
• As a reminder, City Council meeting videos and calendars can be found on RVA.gov:

• https://rva.gov/richmond-city-council/meeting-audiovideo 
• Full City of Richmond meetings calendar: https://richmondva.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx 

Adjournment

• The meeting concluded at approximately 1:45 PM. Volunteers stayed to assist with chair re-stacking.

May 2025 Meeting - Members Meeting #3

Meeting Date: Saturday, May 3, 2025, 12:15 - 1:45pm

Meeting Location: North Ave Library - 2901 North Ave, Richmond, VA 23222

• Welcome & Introductions

• Meeting opened at 12:15 PM by President Karen Link-Aaron.
• New members and participants were welcomed, especially those who joined following the successful flyer distribution campaign (~700 flyers delivered over 8 days—thank you to all volunteers!).
• Hard copies of the previous meeting’s minutes were available at the welcome table & aim to be updated on the website 5-7 days after each meeting.

• Treasurer’s Report

• A review of the beginning and end account balances for the civic association was shared with data since the last meeting, considering necessary expenses reimbursed to individual members who had paid with personal funds for association business, as well as incoming funds from new members joining.

• Planned Candidate Presentation - Cancelled

• William Burnett, candidate for Richmond Sheriff, was previously anticipated to attend the meeting to present his platform and take questions from attendees. However, he was unable to attend.
• Note: NBHCA does not endorse any candidates but welcomes those who request to speak to our community.

• Presentation by City of Richmond’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) https://rva.gov/neighborhood-and-community-services/about-us 

• Speakers: Timika Vincent, Manager (and NBHCA resident), and Tiffany Ford, Director of the Department
• Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) is a newly established department as of FY 2025. The creation of this department allows the city to build self-sufficiency and resilience by providing a more community minded approach by engaging with residents, businesses, neighborhoods, and civic leagues.
• Timika shared plans to revitalize community engagement, strengthen transparency, and support better access to city services.
• Discussion included traffic safety along Brookland Park Boulevard. Plans underway include:

• Traffic calming near Richmond Community High School
• Bump outs between Chamberlayne and Fendall
• Future pedestrian crossings under consideration
• Related projects are also being funded under the RVA People’s Budget, Richmond’s first participatory budgeting process. Projects for Council District 3 (which includes our neighborhood) have just been announced: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJWt5FGPLkP/ 

• Updates from City Departments - The team from the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services also invited several other departments for presentation and discussion:

• Department of Public Utilities (DPU) https://www.rva.gov/public-utilities 

• Lead Free Water Program: https://www.rva.gov/public-utilities/leadfreewater The city anticipates a block-by-block service line replacement program in the future, based on need. Residents can request a free plumber to visit their home to check for lead pipes and service lines. Homeowners who replace their own lines should notify the city to prompt public-side replacements, if needed. Additional information and a list of participating plumbers was shared with those in attendance and is also available at the link above.

• Department of Social Services (DSS) https://www.rva.gov/social-services 

• This department has multiple branches, with specific areas of expertise. Each of these branches house programs that help serve the citizens of Richmond. Programs and services provided by RDSS are funded through federal, state and local funds, in addition to other grants and donations. All funds are used to further progress our mission of improving the quality of life for all Richmond citizens.
• Available assistance programs and benefits include the following. Each program has its own specific eligibility requirements:

• Medicaid support for Medicare Part B premiums and co-pay relief
• TANF for families with children under 18, including childcare, job training, and no waiting list
• SNAP and SNAP Employment & Training (E&T) programs
• Energy Assistance for cooling (June 2–Aug 15) and fuel assistance (starts November)
• Healthy Families support for pregnant women and children up to age 3
• Adult Services including wellness checks for elderly and Adult Protective Services

• The easiest way to apply for any benefits and track progress is online, otherwise residents can call 311 for assistance or also visit the Department’s website to learn about in-person assistance locations: https://commonhelp.virginia.gov/

• Clean City Commission / DPW https://www.rva.gov/public-works/clean-city-commission 

• Representatives discussed ongoing monthly cleanups along Brookland Park Boulevard. NBHCA has been a great partner.
• More information on trash collection is available here: https://www.rva.gov/public-works/trash-collection 
• Use the City's “finder tool” to look up recycling and bulk waste pickup days by address: https://cor.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=87ec8fd7358149dbb7db2e3e8ae1951a 
• Quarterly e-waste and paper shredding events also available. More details here: https://www.rva.gov/public-works/clean-city-commission

• Department of Public Works and Traffic Safety Discussion https://rva.gov/public-works 

• Presenter: Bobby Vincent, Director of Public Works and NBH resident
• Shared overview of department priorities and budget (serving over 220,000 residents with an approximately $220 million budget).
• Residents present at the meeting raised concerns about:

• Speeding near Brookland Park Blvd and Hotchkiss
• Dangerous areas near Richmond-Henrico Turnpike
  Tree maintenance and bulk waste coordination

• Bobby acknowledged the challenges, including reduced traffic enforcement post-2020.
• Emphasis was placed on the city’s “Three E’s” approach: Education, Engagement, and Enforcement

• Meeting Adjournment

• Final discussion concluded at approximately 1:45 PM
• Attendees assisted with re-stacking chairs
• Next community cleanup: Saturday, May 17, 10-11 AM https://calendar.app.google/TueefS9suZxtXbwCA 
• Next civic association meeting: Saturday, June 21, 12:15-1:45 PM https://calendar.app.google/3vfuqaWox31ttS8y8 

March 2025 Meeting - Members Meeting #2

Meeting Date: Saturday, March 22, 2025, 12:30 pm

Meeting Location: North Ave Library - 2901 North Ave, Richmond, VA 23222

Minutes:

1. Administrative Updates

1. Boundary Extension & Dues Simplification

1. The NBHCA boundaries have been extended to better align with city precincts, council districts, and other neighborhood divisions.
2. Civic association boundaries can be adjusted at any time and may overlap with other associations.
3. Annual dues have been updated to $12 per voting individual per calendar year. A household membership discount may be explored in the future.

2. Meeting Schedule Proposal

1. Proposed schedule: meetings every 45 days (approximately 8 meetings per year), held on Saturdays from 12:15 to 1:45 PM.
2. The goal is to plan the full year of meetings in advance to support communication and participation.

2. Bylaws & Quorum Discussion

1. A vote on amending the bylaws to set quorum as “50% of those present + 1” (including absentee participants) was postponed.
2. Members requested more time for review and discussion.
3. Concerns were raised about the importance of adequate notice for bylaw changes and ensuring all members, including those not on Facebook, are informed and able to vote.

3. Communications & Outreach

1. Plans to distribute flyers to all homes within the association boundaries, sharing upcoming meeting dates and contact information.
2. A block captain model was proposed to help with distributing flyers and neighborhood updates.
3. Zoom or phone-accessible meetings were suggested to increase accessibility.
4. Communications strategy moving forward - suggested:

1. A general newsletter every six weeks, in between meeting
2. Separate announcements for upcoming meetings and distribution of planned meeting agenda one week in advance
3. Flyers and signs posted in visible public spaces

4. Treasurer's Report

1. The Treasurer provided a brief update on the association’s bank account status.

5. Richmond ToolBank Presentation

1. Website: https://www.richmondtoolbank.org 
2. NBHCA is now a registered community group member of the Richmond ToolBank. Available resources include:

1. Lending of tools and event items (such as cornhole sets, chairs, and tables)
2. Hosting community build events to create compost bins, Adirondack chairs, etc.
3. Access to a classroom space for hands-on learning
4. Support for the “Honey Do Crew” volunteer initiative, focused on helping seniors and other residents with home projects

6. Volunteer Recruitment

1. Flyers will be distributed to all residents, specifically our senior residents.
2. The first round of flyers will include information about the civic association, the meeting schedule, and how to get involved.

7. Other Business and    Community Ideas

1. Community Engagement and Improvement Initiatives
2. Extend an invitation to the local Police Precinct Lieutenant to attend a future meeting
3. Explore the creation of a subcommittee for a dog waste station near the library
4. Plan neighborhood social events and consider developing a plaque recognition program
5. Advocate for pedestrian safety improvements:

1. Request pedestrian safety signage at intersections
2. Support the installation of traffic calming measures
3. Invite a representative from the City of Richmond Public Works Department to hear residents' concerns

6. Organize volunteer efforts for:
7. Cleaning bumpouts throughout the neighborhood
8. Removing ivy from trees to improve tree health
9. Next NBHCA Members Meeting: Saturday, May 3, 12:15-1:45pm at the North Avenue Library

February 2025 Meeting - Members Meeting #1

Meeting Date: Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 6:30 pm

Meeting Location: North Ave Library - 2901 North Ave, Richmond, VA 23222

Minutes:

1. Confirmation and Initiation of interim officers (“re-launch committee”)

1. Karen Link - President
2. Jamal Tylor - Vice President
3. Neethi Jois - Treasurer
4. Shannon Macika - Secretary / Webmaster
5. Also discussed background and history of the civic association to date

1. Interim officers have been working since April 2024-December 2024 to get the civic association back in legal working order and officially registered with the State of Virginia
2. Hosted two Meet & Greets in January to re-engage with the community and promote membership
3. Also engaging with the 3rd District Civic Associations in Northside to promote work toward shared issues

2. Budget report from Treasurer presented by President

1. The interim board has funded, from personal monies, startup expenses including but not limited to: $316.44 (for registration with the State of Virginia, Go Daddy website and domain, printing materials for flyers, initial $100 to fund the bank account)
2. Membership dues levels have been established for 2025 and available on the NBHCA website

3. Secretary report

1. New members: 13 paid members, 4 senior members (no dues) for 2025
2. Overview of tools: Gmail & Google suite, Wordpress / GoDaddy for website, Facebook, Instagram, Mailchimp (free version)

4. Review of Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation Presented by President

1. Quorom explained for new officer voting
2. Bylaws can be changed going forward.
3. Both documents, Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation, will be made available on our website.
4. Changes being implemented - need to vote based on quorum:

1. Quorom for voting: currently 15 members
2. Dues will be adjusted to individual paying members: $12 per year ($1 per calendar month).  Updated Bylaws will be distributed and discussed at the next meeting

5. Discussion of the proposed project on North Ave

1. 2700 North Ave Special Use Permit proposal for an “Adult day care and office professional use”
2. Our role as a civic association: provide any comment, if we choose
3. Members present discussed open questions on the project & recommendations

6. Other Business:

1. Children are welcome at meetings! Please come next time and we welcome them :) There are toys we could borrow to let kids play in the room, if needed
2. Upcoming NBHCA events:  

1. NBHCA sponsoring the monthly Brookland Park Cleanup February 15,2025.  Partners with Clean City Commission and Keep Virginia Beautiful.

3. Upcoming Community events

1. 3rd District Councilperson’s monthly meeting - Barack Obama Elementary, next Wednesday, February 19
2. Rep McClellan virtual town hall, Feb 13, 6pm