City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: FEBRUARY 10, 2026
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: Marc Barbiere, Emergency Management Coordinator, Office of Emergency Management
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Resolution Affirming Local Emergency Declaration for January 2026 Snowstorm. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
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ISSUE: Resolution affirming Local Emergency Declaration for the JANUARY 2026 SNOWSTORM.
RECOMMENDATION: (1) Affirm the attached Declaration of Local Emergency signed by the City Manager; and (2) Authorize the Director of Emergency Management to enter into contracts, incur obligations and exercise powers as enumerated in Section 44-146.21 of the Code of Virginia.
DISCUSSION: As a result of the snowstorm of January 2026 occurring on January 24. 2026, I issued a Local Declaration of Emergency (Attachment 1) so that the City was positioned to take advantage of any State or federal assistance that might become available. That Local Declaration was extended on January 28, 2026.
State law requires that City Council affirm my Local Emergency Declaration within 14 days.
I recommend that Council adopt the resolution.
As a result of the January 2026 snowstorm, I issued a Declaration of Local Emergency (Attachment 1) so that the City is positioned to exercise emergency powers as enumerated in Section 44-146.21 of the Code of Virginia, and the Governor's Executive Order Declaring a State of Emergency (Attachment 3) issued on January 22, 2026, to take advantage of any State or federal assistance that might become available. I further extended that Declaration of Local Emergency on January 28, 2026. It is customary for the Commonwealth of Virginia and the federal government to require that a Declaration of Local Emergency be issued prior to either of these levels of government reimbursing a local government for emergency related expenses. At this point it is not known what aid may become available to localities, but having a Declaration put in place is in the City's interest for financial as well as emergency management reasons.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Local Emergency Declaration
Attachment 2: Local Emergency Declaration Extension
Attachment 3: Governor Spanberger’s Executive Order 11 (January 22, 2026)
STAFF:
Felipe Hernandez, Fire Chief
Yon Lambert, Deputy City Manager
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager