Norfolk City Council

To read more about local regulations around coal dust, see Local Regulations.

Map showing the local jurisdictions the Hampton Roads region, with the City of Norfolk in orange and the three coal terminals marked.

To read about Newport News City Council, see Newport News City Council

The Norfolk City Council is the elected legislative body that governs Norfolk, Virginia.

Operating under a council-manager form of government, the Council includes a mayor and seven other members who are responsible for setting municipal policy, passing local laws, approving budgets, and overseeing land use and development. The Council wields considerable influence over issues related to economic development, environmental regulation, and public health, making it a key player in addressing community concerns about coal dust pollution.

Norfolk is organized into a ward system, with the city divided into five small wards, two superwards (each encompassing about half the city). Residents in each ward therefore do not vote for the entire city council, but for mayor, their ward representative, and their superward representative. This was enacted to promote a more diverse council, following a 50 year stretch form 1918-1968 when the at-large system produced an all-white council, and a seven year court case that ended with the US Supreme Court forcing Norfolk to use the ward system.

The City of Norfolk has jurisdiction over one of the three coal terminals in the Port of Virginia, Pier 6. The Norfolk Southern terminal is located in Ward 2.

Council Members (in 2025)

• Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander, Ph.D. (Term: Jan 1 2025 - Dec 31 2028)
• Vice Mayor Martin A. Thomas Jr (Jan 1 2023 - Dec 31, 2026); Ward 1
• Courtney R. Doyle (Jan 1 2023 - Dec 31, 2026); Ward 2
• Mamie B. Johnson (Jan 1 2023 - Dec 31, 2026); Ward 3
• John E. "JP" Paige (Jan 1 2023 - Dec 31, 2026); Ward 4
• Thomas R. Smigiel Jr (Jan 1 2023 - Dec 31, 2026); Ward 5
• Carlos J. Clanton (Jan 1 2025 - Dec 31 2028); Superward 6
• Jeremy D. McGee (Jan 1 2025 - Dec 31 2028); Superward 7

Relevant Meetings

City Council meetings are open to the public. Informal sessions are held prior to the formal sessions, and there is no public comment at informal meetings. Public comments are accepted at the formal sessions for agenda items. Speakers are permitted 3 minutes in total for all consent and regular agenda items.  Public Hearing items on the agenda are discussed separately and speakers are permitted 3 minutes. Signs, placards, posters or like material are not permitted in the City Council Chamber, adjoining areas or city offices.

Following the business meeting, speakers will have an opportunity to address the council on new business matters at the first meeting of the month.

The Council Generally conducts meetings in the following order:

1. Ceremonial Matters
2. Public Comment for Consent and Regular Agenda Items
3. Public Hearings
4. Council Votes on Consent and Regular Agenda Items
5. New Business (Citizens will have the opportunity to address council at the first meeting of the month)

December 13, 2022

New Business:

• Ann Creasy spoke regarding coal dust pollution in Lambert's Point
• Monet Johnson spoke regarding coal dust pollution in Lambert's Point.
• Carl Poole spoke regarding coal dust pollution in Lambert's Point.
• Hunter Noffsinger spoke regarding coal dust pollution in Lambert's Point.

May 23, 2023

Consent Agenda: Carl Poole spoke regarding declaring a state of public emergency for coal dust pollution in Lambert's Point.

• ACTION: Adopted [6 to 1]
  • AYES: Doyle, Johnson, McClellan, Smigiel Jr., Thomas Jr., Alexander
  • NAYS: Paige
  • ABSENT: Royster

Documents

• Ward & Superwards. City of Norfolk. 2014.
• Norfolk City Council. Formal Session Meeting Minutes. December 13, 2022
• Norfolk City Council. Formal Session Meeting Minutes. May 23, 2023.
• City of Norfolk, VA. Format for City Council Meetings. February 14, 2025.