12:00PM
Richmond, VA
Draft
Council Members Present
Officers:
Bryan L. Porter (City of Alexandria), Chairman
R. Bryan Haskins (Pittsylvania County), First Vice Chair (remote attendance pre-approved – distance)
David L. Ledbetter (Waynesboro), Second Vice Chairman
Tracy Q. Martin (Halifax County), Secretary
Anton A. Bell (Hampton), Past Chairman
Council District Representatives:
1. Krystyn L. Reid (York County) (remote attendance pre-approved – Distance)
2. Georgette C. Phillips (Isle of Wight County)
3. Anton A. Bell (City of Hampton) (remote attendance pre-approved – Distance)
4. Erin B. Barr (Chesterfield County)
5. Bethany A. S. Harrison (City of Lynchburg) (remote attendance pre-approved – Distance)
6. David L. Ledbetter (City of Waynesboro)
7. G. Ryan Mehaffey (Spotsylvania County) (remote attendance pre-approved – Distance)
8. Bryan L. Porter (City of Alexandria)
Other Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Present
Meredith Adkins (King and Queen County)
Erin Barr (Chesterfield County)
Colette McEachin (City of Richmond)
Amy Ashworth (Prince William)
Clarissa T. Berry (Madison County)
Justin Griffith (Pulaski County)
John Alexander (Botetourt County)
Leanne Watrous (Nottoway County)
Elizabeth Trible (Richmond County)
Mackenzie Babichenko (Hanover County)
Megan Clark (Prince George County)
Spencer Morgan (Accomack County)
Wendy Hannah (Cumberland County)
Guests
Deputy and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys Present
None
CASC Staff Present
Elliott Casey, Director
VACA Staff Present
Amanda Howie, Administrator
STATE OF EMERGENCY NOTE:
This meeting took place during a declared Virginia State of Emergency, per the Governor’s September 22 declaration, EO-11, which is currently in effect. The Governor declared a state of emergency to exist for the Commonwealth of Virginia based on National Weather Service forecasts that indicate a severe winter storm with significant snow, along with sleet, ice, freezing rain, and temperatures below freezing for several days that could cause transportation difficulties and power outages.
https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/governor-of-virginia/pdf/eo/EO-11-Declaring-State-of-Emergency—2026-January-Winter-Weather.pdf
This meeting took place in-person at the Truist Building, but several members attended electronically using a secured video link provided by the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys to facilitate their attendance.
Call to Order
Mr. Porter called the meeting to order at 12:01 p.m.
Minutes
The draft minutes from the January 27, 2026, meeting were previously posted and circulated to Council. The minutes were approved as submitted.
Chairman’s Report
None
Administrator’s Report
Mr. Casey reviewed the agenda items:
Old Business
CATF Update
Mr. Casey reviewed the CATF balance sheet reflecting account activity through January 31, 2026.
2026 Spring Institute Update
Mr. Casey shared that CASC has 739 registered for in-person Spring Institute. Last year was 724 people, so we are very close.
Mr. Casey also shared an update regarding the hotel room availability for CASC Spring Institute. All three previously contracted hotels are sold out. CASC staff attorney Jill Harris contracted with hotels to expand the hotel block so that at the moment, it appears that anyone who needed a room has one available.
Mr. Casey shared that if and when our room blocks sell out, CASC staff attorney Jill Harris will pursue additional room blocks to accommodate the increased demand. Mr. Casey reminded members that CASC has to be mindful of not over-contracting for hotel rooms.
New Business
Status of CASC Budget Request to Restore Funding for Administrative Assistant Cut in 2009.
Mr. Casey advised that CASC has made a budget request of the Governor for the position of Program Specialist/ Administrative Assistant at an annual cost of $107,344.06 (Annual Salary of $64,480 + benefits)
Mr. Casey noted that the number of training programs conducted by CASC has increased substantially since the 2010-2012 mandatory budget cuts, from a dozen or fewer trainings to now over thirty trainings per year, along with multiple webinars and other resource trainings. In the past twenty years, the number of prosecutors in Virginia has more than doubled. Since the 2010–2012 mandatory budget reductions, CASC’s training volume and operational complexity have increased substantially, but administrative capacity has not. CASC currently has no funded full-time administrative assistant positions. The only full-time staff are the agency head, staff attorneys, and the fiscal officer.
Mr. Casey noted that the shortage of administrative employees in the agency has resulted in the agency head and staff attorneys being unable to deliver legal work and instead being responsible for administrative and IT duties that are not consistent with their job descriptions, education and skill level. Staff attorneys and the agency head are currently handling tasks such as travel voucher processing, website maintenance, basic data entry, answering the main office phone line, and serving as de facto IT support. In short, CASC is paying professional-level salaries for clerical and technical work because there is no funded administrative position to perform it.
Public Comment
There was no public comment
Adjournment
There being no further business before Council, the meeting adjourned at 9:12 a.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting is April 12, 2026, 1:00 p.m., at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott, 235 E Main St, Norfolk, VA 23510.