City Council: A baseball fight by proxy

City Council continues ordinances to accept The Diamond from the RMA, while RVA looks for every opportunity to talk about plans for the new baseball stadium.

December 10, 2013; 8:28 AM • by Ross Catrow

City Council ended their informal meeting early yesterday afternoon by continuing three ordinances (2013-221, 2013-222, 2013-223 (PDFs)) that would transfer The Diamond and some surrounding property from the RMA to the City.

The three #RVACouncil ordinances to allow the city to take ownership of The Diamond will be continued for 4th time to Jan. 27— Graham Moomaw (@gmoomaw) December 9, 2013

As #rvacouncil watchers would say later in the evening,¹ this is significant because:

1. Currently Richmond holds six seats on the RMA board, while Chesterfield and Henrico hold two a piece.² This gives Richmond a heavy advantage when voting on things like…should we give The Diamond back to the City of Richmond.
2. The General Assembly can decide how those seats are distributed.
3. Legislators (Del. Manoli Loupassi from Chesterfield) have a couple of bills in the works for the 2014 General Assembly that would equalize the seats between the three localities (a similar attempt to equalize things was shot down this February by the GA).
4. The 2014 Session of the General Assembly convenes on January 8th…before January 27th.

So a worst-case scenario is: the GA decides to equalize the seats on the RMA board before City Council has a chance to accept the property, then the newly-formed RMA board changes their mind on what to do with The Diamond. Got it?

Well, not so fast my friend! The worst-case scenario was seemingly averted when, somehow, the three papers ended up back on the agenda.

Some last minute confusion about what papers are withdrawn and continued or not… #rvacouncil— Amy George (@georgeae) December 9, 2013

In plot twist, Diamond ownership ordinances go back on the #RVACouncil agenda— Graham Moomaw (@gmoomaw) December 9, 2013

Then there was a pretty intense outpouring of water from the ceiling of the Council chambers:

But the worst-case scenario is totally still possible, because, turns out, not everyone in attendance (both Council members and the public) were stoked about the City accepting the property from the RMA. Even as the City’s CAO Byron Marshall pointed out that the intent has always been for the property to revert back to the City.

Paper on the table to put into effect an agreement that when baseball isn't played at the Diamond, the city gets back that land #rvacouncil— The Richmond Lens (@RichmondLens) December 9, 2013

The Diamond, the parking, and all agreements would remain the same – papers are ostensibly to codify and old agreement #rvacouncil— The Richmond Lens (@RichmondLens) December 9, 2013

Byron Marshall is pointing out that the contract gives the land to the city for either baseball or not baseball #rvacouncil— Taber Andrew Bain (@taber) December 9, 2013

Hilbert and @ParkerCAgelasto feeling railroaded into voting on this. Seems there are major communication issues on #rvacouncil— The Richmond Lens (@RichmondLens) December 9, 2013

Chris Hilbert believes the City of Richmond has non-baseball problems. I don't see how this could possibly be true. #rvacouncil— Taber Andrew Bain (@taber) December 9, 2013

City's fear is counties could use Diamond transfer as leverage in battle over how many seats localities get on RMA board #RVACouncil— Graham Moomaw (@gmoomaw) December 9, 2013

Samuels says city wants to move on this before General Assembly can "vote to do something awful to the city of Richmond" #RVACouncil— Graham Moomaw (@gmoomaw) December 10, 2013

All for naught though as Council unanimously voted to continue the RMA ordinances to their January 13th meeting (still after the opening of the General Assembly’s 2014 session).

Unanimous vote to continue RMA papers to January 13th, 2014 meeting. #rvacouncil— Taber Andrew Bain (@taber) December 10, 2013

RMA papers continued. Samuels: "Ladies and gentleman, please don't say your city council doesn't listen to you." #rvacouncil— Ned Oliver (@nedoliver) December 10, 2013

The consent agenda passed, and Councilman Agelasto baked 700 cookies.

Consent agenda: 8 ayes, Mosby had stepped out. Motion passed. #RVACouncil public comment period is now over— The Richmond Lens (@RichmondLens) December 10, 2013

Parker Agelasto baked 700(?) cookies for his holiday party this week. Time for a #rvacouncil tweetup.— Ned Oliver (@nedoliver) December 10, 2013

#rvacouncil 's gavel is wood from Rev John Jasper's mantel in his house destroyed when the interstate was built. More on HRT The RVA Podcast— HistoryReplaysToday (@historyreplays) December 10, 2013

Five years ago, almost no one I knew followed #rvacouncil. Now multiple people live tweet the dang meetings! I think this is great.— Ross A. Catrow (@RossCatrow) December 10, 2013

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Richmond is passionate about The New Baseball Stadium. We’ve been passionate about it for over five years. Now, as it looks like the City is closer to moving on a new baseball diamond than ever before, each opportunity to argue about the thing will become a Big Deal.

Diamond papers becoming proxy in larger baseball issue. City wants to move fast on this due to RMA equalization fight in GA #RVACouncil— Graham Moomaw (@gmoomaw) December 9, 2013

REAL TALK: City Council w/no germane papers is no place to talk about baseball. Your councilperson's having a meeting, go to it #rvacouncil— Taber Andrew Bain (@taber) December 10, 2013

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December 10, 2013 8:28 AM 3