[00:00:04]
UM, WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE DENWOOD COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR APRIL 18TH, 2023.
[1. ROLL CALL]
MR. LEE? HERE.UM, WE'LL START THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING WITH THE INVOCATION OF THE LORD'S PRAYER AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WILL YOU PLEASE STAND WITH ME? I FATHER, REGARDING HEAVEN, I'LL BE THY NAME.
THY KINGDOM COME, THOU WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY, OUR DAY OF BREAD AND GIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE GIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US.
AND IT IS NOT THE TEMPTATIONS, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL, BUT VINS THE KINGDOM POWER OF THE GLORY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND IN THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY TO BE ANY JUSTICE FOR ALL.
BEFORE WE GET INTO THE NEXT, UH, UM, AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA, MR. LEE AND MYSELF NEED TO READ A STATEMENT, PLEASE.
AT THE APRIL 18TH, 2023, REGULAR MEETING OF THE DEITY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I, DANIEL DELEY, INTEND TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION THAT WILL INCLUDE THE BUDGET FOR FY 2024 AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN FOR DEITY COUNTY.
I WILL ALSO VOTE TO REAFFIRM THE TAX RATE AND TO TRANSFER MONEY WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BUDGET.
MY WIFE IS EMPLOYED BY THE DEWINE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.
THESE ITEMS MAY AFFECT ALL SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNTY AND I AM ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSACTION FAIRLY OBJECTIVELY AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
AND AT THE APRIL 18TH, 2023, REGULAR MEETING OF THE DENWITTY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I MARK E. MOORE.
INTEND TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION THAT WILL INCLUDE THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN FOR DENWITTY COUNTY.
I WILL ALSO VOTE TO REAFFIRM THE TAX RATE AND TO TRANSFER MONEY WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S BUDGET.
MY WIFE IS EMPLOYED BY THE DI WITTY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.
THESE ITEMS MAY AFFECT ALL SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNTY AND I AM ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSACTIONS FAIRLY OBJECTIVELY AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
[4. AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA]
AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA.ARE THERE ANY NONE FROM STAFF, MR. CHAIRMAN.
CAN WE GET A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED? I SO MOVE.
YOU HAVE, UH, YOUR CONSENT AGENDA
[5. CONSENT AGENDA]
THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU.YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THOSE.
ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS? MR. CHAIRMAN? IF ALL HONOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
I SECOND FORM IT BEING PRESENTED IN SECOND.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO INTO REPORTS.
[6.A. Virginia Department Of Transportation]
OUR FRIENDS FROM VDOT ARE WITH US THIS AFTERNOON.AARON, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I'M WELL.
GET STARTED WITH A COUPLE THINGS OFF THE LIST WITH OUR PROJECTS.
UM, THE BRANCHES ROAD ROLL RUSTIC IS UNDERWAY.
THEY WERE OUT THERE PULLING STUMPS AND DOING SOME DITCH WORK A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHEN WE SHOULD BE PROGRESSING RIGHT ALONG WITH THAT ONE.
UM, WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR MATERIALS FOR OUR PIPE REHAB PROJECTS, WATERFORD DRIVE AND CHEIN BOULEVARD.
UM, WE FINISHED THE CULVERT ON BALTIMORE ROAD FINALLY
SO THAT ONE WILL BE OFF THE LIST.
UM, WE ARE GONNA START PULLING SHOULDERS ON ROUTE ONE AND ROUTE 40 STARTING, UH, FIRST WEEK OF MAY.
UM, HAD TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT SO IT SHOULD GO RATHER QUICKLY.
UM, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE RESPONSE FOR THE TWO 20 AND FOUR 60 SIGNAL TIMING REQUEST.
UM, I WILL, UH, PROBE THEM SHORTLY TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY PROGRESS MADE ON IT AND IF NOT, SEE WHAT THEY CAN GIVE ME.
UM, THE CORING WAS PERFORMED ON THE LEFT LANE OF THE LOW SPOT FOUR 60 AT BUTTER WOOD WAITING ON THOSE GEOTECHNICAL RESULTS AND THEN WE'LL MAKE A DECISION ON THOSE REPAIRS.
UM, MORE TRENCH WIDENING IS GONNA BE COMING ON FOUR 60 AS WELL.
THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA START IN EARLY MAY
[00:05:01]
TWO.UM, ON THE EASTBOUND SIDE, WE WILL CONTINUE FROM WHERE WE STOPPED LAST TIME AND GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BRIDGE, BRIDGE WESTBOUND SIDE.
WE'RE GONNA GO FROM WHERE WE STOPPED LAST TIME, ALL THE WAY TO ROUTE SIX 11 TRINITY CHURCH ROAD.
AND THAT WILL PROBABLY WRAP UP THE MAJORITY OF THE TRENCH WIDENING FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
REASSESS NEXT YEAR AND MOST LIKELY DO SOME MORE.
UM, THAT BUMP ON AIRPORT DRIVE, I DID TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
THAT'S GONNA BE REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL FIX.
UH, THE CONCRETE UNDER THE PAVEMENT THERE IS AN ISSUE.
IT DOES SEEM TO BE A, A LIFTING EFFECT GOING ON, SO WE'LL CUT THAT OUT AND REPLACE WITH ASPHALT.
UM, WE DID GIVE A NOTICE TO PROCEED FOR OUR MOWING CONTRACTORS PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ROUTES THAT WAS SENT OUT YESTERDAY.
THAT'S A 10 DAY NOTICE TO PROCEED.
SO YOU SHOULD START SEEING SOME ACTIVITY WITH LETTER PICKUP STARTING ON THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARIES WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
UM, AS I STATED, THE LITTER PICKUP IS PART OF THE GRASS MOW AND SO EVERYTHING SHOULD BE GOOD AND CLEAN.
UM, AND OUR SAMPLE AD WAS SENT FOR THE SECONDARY SIX YEAR PLAN AND SHOULD BE ADVERTISED, UH, TWO WEEKS FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING IN MAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? NO, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
MR. MOODY, WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT THE FOUR 60 PROJECT? WHAT WAS THAT? THE TRENCH WIDENING OR WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? THE TRENCH WIDENING.
PUT SHOULDER, WHAT YOU STARTED ON.
UH, SO YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT? YES SIR.
WE'LL BE GOING WHERE WE STOPPED ON THE EASTBOUND SIDE, GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE EBORN BRIDGE.
GOING ALL THE WAY, ALL THE WAY TO SIX 11 TRINITY CHURCH.
ALL THE WAY TO SIX 11 ALL THE WAY.
I'D LIKE TO DO MORE, BUT
ANYTHING ELSE, MS. BONNER? MM-HMM
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU TO KIND OF LOOK AT YOUR SCHEDULE AT SOME POINT.
UM, IF WE COULD KIND OF GET TOGETHER AND MAYBE, UM, GET CERTAIN SECTIONS AND KIND OF LOOK AT SOME OF THE AREAS AND SOME OF THE ROADS.
YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME INDIVIDUALS HAVE, UM, CONTACTED ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, UM, STREETS AND SO FORTH AND, UM, WE COULD, YOU KNOW, WE COULD JUST KIND OF MEET UP AND KIND OF LOOK AT SOME OF THE AREAS AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
SO JUST WANTED TO KIND OF PUT THAT ON YOUR, UH, ROSTER THERE SO WE COULD DO KINDA GET TOGETHER AND DO THAT.
I'LL HAVE REACH OUT AND WE CAN GET A DATE SCHEDULED.
I ALSO DID NOT HAVE IT ON HERE, BUT JUST RECALL I GOT SOME INFORMATION ON THE NOTE THROUGH TRUCK RESTRICTIONS.
UM, THE, THE LARGE AREA THAT WE PUT IN, THEY ARE LOOKING AT IT, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR SOME HALIFAX ROAD AREA AND CHURCH STREET AS WELL.
BUT THEY DID DO A, A CURSORY MORE GLOBAL REVIEW OF THAT, OF THAT SECTION.
MANY OF THE ROUTES WOULDN'T QUALIFY, UM, BASED ON A COUPLE CIRCUMSTANCES.
MAINLY, UM, THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT'S ON THE ROADS AND THE RESIDENTIAL CRITERIA WASN'T MET AS WELL, BUT IT'S SUSPECTED THE MAJORITY OF THE TRAFFIC IS GOING TO ONE POINT DOWN TO CARSON.
SO RESTRICTING ONE ROUTE AT A SOUTHERLY POINT WILL MORE THAN LIKELY REDUCE THE OVERALL TRUCK TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA.
UH, COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ITEMS, UM, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT WATERFORD DRIVE? YES, SIR.
I HAD A, ONE OF THE, MY CONSTITUENTS HAD CALLED ME WANTING TO KNOW WHERE WE WERE IN THAT PROCESS.
I KNOW THAT WE HAD HAD ONE CULVERT THAT HAD BEEN CORRECTED IN THERE.
SO WE'RE WAITING FOR MATERIALS.
SO WHEN I COMMUNICATE WITH THAT CITIZEN, I CAN TELL THEM WHAT, WHAT WE'RE WAITING FOR.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THE PIPE OR WHERE IT IS.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE PIPELINING MATERIALS IS VERY HARD TO COME BY.
UM, DIFFERENT COUPLE DIFFERENT FACTORS.
UM, IT IMPACTS THOSE MATERIALS.
UM, OUR STEEL LINERS THAT WE USE TO LINE PIPES ARE MORE OR LESS BYPRODUCT MATERIALS USED IN PIPELINE, LARGER GAS PIPELINE INSTALLATIONS.
AND SO WHEN THERE'S NOT A TON OF THAT WORK GOING ON NATIONALLY, IT CREATES A HARDSHIP ON OUR END.
SO IN NO TIMELINE AS IT SHOULD BE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, THAT CONTRACTOR THAT'S GETTING THOSE MATERIALS HAS MOVED BACK INTO OUR DISTRICT AND SO WE SHOULD BE GETTING SOMETHING FROM THEM SOON.
I WANNA REACH OUT TO THAT CITIZEN.
UM, NUMBER TWO IS, FIRST THANK YOU FOR, UM, AIRPORT DRIVE.
I HAD THAT CITIZEN, I COMMUNICATED WITH THEM AND THEY IMMEDIATELY WERE, WERE PLEASED WITH IT.
OF COURSE NOW THEY LIVE ON BUTTER WOOD ROAD, SO I KNOW YOU'VE GONE DOWN AND DONE SOME IMPROVEMENTS AS FAR AS SHOULDER WORK THERE.
I THINK THEIR ANTICIPATION IS A LITTLE BIT GREATER THAN WHAT YOU'VE DONE, BUT THAT'S DOWN THE ROAD, UM, FOR AS FAR AS IMPROVEMENTS ARE CONCERNED.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE IS TO TRY TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SPEED WHEN YOU,
[00:10:01]
ONCE YOU PASS, UM, COMING SOUTHBOUND NORTHBOUND ON RIGHT.ONE, WE'RE 55 MILE AN HOUR ALL THE WAY TILL YOU GET TO JT MORRIS'S FUNERAL HOME.
AND I'D LIKE FOR US TO, TO THINK ABOUT REDUCING THE SPEED AS YOU COME IN.
UM, SAY, UH, BEFORE YOU GET TO EAST SIDE OR AT EAST SIDE AS YOU COME IN AND TAKE IT, TAKE THAT 45 ZONE AND PUSH IT BACK SOUTHWARD TO AT EAST SIDE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS TO GO BY, BUT I'D LIKE FOR US TO LOOK INTO THAT.
I, IT WOULD, IT WOULD REQUIRE A SPEED STUDY, JUST LIKE ANY, ANY OTHER, UM, SPEED ADJUSTMENT ON A ROUTE.
UH, WE'LL DO THE CURSORY REVIEW SUBMIT TO TRAFFIC ENGINEERING FOR THEIR REVIEW, FULL RECOMMENDATION FOR A STUDY.
I THINK YOU JUST, YOU'RE IT FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POINT OF VIEW, I THINK IT'S WOULD BE WORTHWHILE FOR US TO CONS LOOK AT THAT AT THIS POINT.
HEARING JUST TO JUST SECONDARY SIX YEAR PLAN SCHEDULED.
WHEN ARE WE, WHEN ARE WE HOPING TO GET THE HEARING ON? SHOULD BE HOLDING THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IN, IN MAY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL HEADED IN THE SAME.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAD A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS I THOUGHT OF, UM, ON THE FOUR 60, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD THE FEDERAL IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE SIGNS ON THE CURVES AND THE DEER CROSSINGS AND ALL.
I WAS JUST, YOU, YOU CUTTING CREW IS GOING TO HAVE MORE OF A CHALLENGE CUTTING AROUND ALL THOSE SIGNS.
ARE THEY AWARE OF THAT, THAT THAT'S THEY ARE, THAT'S GONNA BE AN ADDITIONAL TIME.
A LOT OF WEED EATING GOING ON, I'M SURE.
THE CONTRACTORS TYPICALLY THEY CAN, THEY CAN MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY ON THE SIGNS.
UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS MUCH MORE SIGNS.
THE CHEVRONS ESPECIALLY ARE CLOSE ENOUGH THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE ALONG AND KNOCK 'EM OUT PRETTY QUICK.
AND THAT LAST COMMENT I HAD, I KNOW THIS ISN'T IN DENWITTY, IT'S ON ON ROUTE 40 AT, AT FORT BARFOOT.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A, A PUBLIC HEARING IN OTTAWA ABOUT THE, UH, TRAFFIC CIRCLE.
UH, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING, DID DO Y'ALL EVER CONSIDER AN R CUT AT THAT ENTRANCE? AT THAT ENTRANCE? BECAUSE I KNOW A TRAFFIC CIRCLE IS, IS A MAJOR EXPENSE AND IT ALSO SLOWS DOWN A LOT OF PEOPLE.
IT'S A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE WHERE PEOPLE, TRUCK TRAFFIC CAN ALL GO UP THAT ROAD.
THEY'LL HAVE TO SLOW DOWN AND GO AROUND THE, THE CIRCLE TO GET WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
I'M NOT AWARE IF AN R CUT WAS ORIGINALLY CONSIDERED.
UM, I, I WILL SAY THAT BASED ON THE, ON THE CURRENT GEOMETRY WITH THE INTERSECTION BEING A FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION RATHER THAN A A, A CROSSOVER STYLE, UH, LIKE WE HAVE ON FOUR 60, THAT THE ROUNDABOUT WAS LIKELY THE BETTER OPTION TO CONTROL TRAFFIC.
I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, I'M JUST WONDERING 'CAUSE I KNOW THE EXPENSE OF OUR SO OUR CUTS ARE, WHAT'S THAT? OUR CUTS ARE INTENDED FOR CROSSOVERS.
SO NOT FOUR WAY INTERSECTIONS.
THEY'RE, UM, INTENDED TO CONTROL TRAFFIC AND CROSSOVERS ON MULTI LANE ROADS.
4 64 EXAMPLE, WHAT WE HAD LIKE ON FOUR 60.
YOU COULDN'T CROSS OVER AT THE POINT.
YOU'D HAVE TO GO DOWN AND MAKE A CIRCLE BACK.
BUT THERE IS NO CROSSOVER ON THIS PROJECT.
THERE'S REALLY ESSENTIALLY NO WAY TO DO AN R CUT.
I THOUGHT YOU'D PUT A CROSSOVER DOWN FURTHER IT BECAUSE IT'S A FOUR WAY INTERSECTION.
THE CROSSOVER AND CROSSING THE CROSSOVER IS MORE OR LESS WHEN YOU HAVE ONE DIRECTION TO TRAVEL, LIKE COURTHOUSE ROAD 6 27 AND FOUR 60, THAT THAT WOULD BE A, A SITE APPLICABLE FOR AN R CUT.
UM, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT THE OPTION TO GO FURTHER DOWN THE SAME ROUTE, TURN AROUND AND COME BACK AT THE FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION.
YOU CAN'T GO ANYWHERE AND TURN AROUND AND COME BACK WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION.
IT IT, AN ALTERNATIVE DESIGN TO THE INTERSECTION, I'M NOT GONNA SAY WOULDN'T BE IMPOSSIBLE, BUT IT WOULD'VE REQUIRED MUCH MORE RIGHT.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF, ONE OF THE ATTRACTIVE THINGS ABOUT THE ROUNDABOUTS IS TYPICALLY THEY CAN BE FIT WITHIN A VERY SIMILAR FOOTPRINT OF THE EXISTING INTERSECTION.
BUT THAT IS IN NOTTAWAY COUNTY? YES, SIR.
A LOT OF, I KNOW DEN A LOT OF DENWOOD PEOPLE USE THAT ROAD.
WE'RE DOING OUR CUT AT FOUR 60 AND 7 23 IN KNOT LAKE.
[00:15:01]
NOT A PROBLEM.UH, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED CHURCH ROAD, UH, ABOUT THE TRUCKS, DOES THAT INCLUDE ALSO WEEKLY ROAD THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT? YES MA'AM.
I SPOKE WITH OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERS ON THAT YESTERDAY.
AND THEY ARE, UM, WORKING ON A REPORT FOR ME.
THANK YOU VERY, I WILL SHARE WHEN I HAVE IT.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY GOOD? ALRIGHT.
[6.B. Petersburg Area Regional Tourism (PART)]
UNDER REPORTS IS PITTSBURGH AREA REGIONAL TOURISM.GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. THE BOARD, MR. MASSENGILL AND MR. SOUTHALL AND MS. HAMILTON, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD.
UM, SO NOW I'M STILL WITH PART, BUT IT'S SORT OF DIFFERENT 'CAUSE I RETIRED FROM CRATER PLANNING JULY THE FIRST.
ISN'T THAT SOMETHING? OH MY GOODNESS.
AND SO NOW I'M WITH PART ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND ADMINISTRATIVELY WE HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE UMBRELLA OF THE PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION.
SO WE ARE A SEPARATE ENTITY AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF ALL OF YOU WERE AWARE OF THAT.
AND SO I FIRST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND EXPRESS APPRECIATION TO MR. MASSING, WHO'S BEEN A REAL LEADER IN THIS EFFORT AND A BIG SUPPORTER OF MINE.
AND, UM, HAS SHOWN A GREAT DEAL OF LEADERSHIP AND GIVEN ME GUIDANCE.
UM, IT'S, IT, AS IT HAS, IT'S A YEAR OF TRANSITION.
SO WE HAVE A MARKETING BUDGET OF $200,000 THIS YEAR.
AND, UM, OUR BOARD HAS BEEN, UM, SOMEWHAT, UH, CHANGED.
WE HAVE, WE STILL HAVE THE CAO OF EACH LOCALITY.
WE HAVE ONE PRIVATE SECTOR REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH LOCALITY.
WE HAVE AT LARGE MEMBERS AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM FORT LEE.
BUT WE HAVE MUCH MORE FORMALLY PUT TOGETHER A MARKETING COMMITTEE AND, UH, TO ADVISE THE BOARD.
AND THAT EACH LOCALITY HAS SOMEONE WHO IS DESIGNATED AS A TOURISM OR PERHAPS TOURISM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFFER.
AND THAT'S OUR MARKETING COMMITTEE.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GETTING OUR MAJOR GUIDANCE ASIDE FROM THE BOARD.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S WORKING WELL.
AND STACY ENGLISH FROM DENWITTY IS PART OF THAT.
SO, UM, WE, IN TERMS OF TALKING ABOUT MARKETING, I WANNA REPORT THAT I HAVE ON YOUR, AT YOUR CHAIR TODAY, OUR NEW MARKETING BROCHURE.
NOW, THE LAST THING THAT YOU SAW FROM US WAS SORT OF A MAGAZINE FORMAT.
THIS IS A LITTLE MORE COST EFFECTIVE AND IT, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, IT WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO PERHAPS UPDATE IT MORE FREQUENTLY BECAUSE OF THE, THE BETTER COST.
UM, WE'VE HAD, WE JUST GOT IT.
UH, IT TOOK A LITTLE LONGER THAN I HAD HOPED, BUT WE GOT 50,000 COPIES AND THEY'RE NOW ALL, THEY ARE IN ALL OF VIRGINIA'S WELCOME CENTERS.
UM, AND THEY ARE GETTING OUT IN THE REGION AS AS WE SPEAK.
NOW IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE DOING OUR WORK, IT HASN'T CHANGED VERY MUCH, UM, ALTHOUGH YOU HAVEN'T SEEN US ON TELEVISION QUITE AS MUCH, PERHAPS AS MAYBE THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
BUT, UM, THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE, UM, A LITTLE BIT.
BUT WE DID DO, UM, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
IT, UM, BECAUSE OF, UM, AN INITIATIVE THAT OCCURRED AT THE TRACTOR MUSEUM IN COLONIAL HEIGHTS.
UH, THE MODEL RAILROADERS BROUGHT A WHOLE HUGE DISPLAY OF A VARIETY OF SIZES AND, AND LAYOUTS OF MODEL TRAINS.
AND SO WE WERE CALLED AND, AND WTVR WAS ALREADY INVOLVED.
AND, AND, AND WE, WE TOOK PART IN THAT AND SUPPORTED THAT WITH SOME TELEVISION.
MOSTLY NOT A LOT OF TELEVISION ON OUR PART, BUT SOME, AND, AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND I, I'M SHARING THIS WITH YOU BECAUSE I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PART OF A REGION, AND THAT IS PROBABLY ASIDE FROM THE MOTORSPORT PARK, WHICH OF COURSE IS NOT EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK,
[00:20:01]
THE BIGGEST DRAW IN THE REGION BY FAR.PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY COME TO THE TRACTOR MUSEUM.
IT'S, IT'S LIKE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT.
AND IF ANYBODY IN HERE HASN'T SEEN IT, YOU JUST GOTTA DO IT.
SO THEY BROUGHT THESE TRAINS IN AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA DO IT FOR TWO WEEKENDS.
WELL, THE FIRST SATURDAY, IT WAS IN JULY, THEY HAD ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
AND THEN ON SUNDAY THEY HAD MORE THAN A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
AND THEN THE NEXT SATURDAY THEY HAD, YOU KNOW, OVER 2000 PEOPLE.
AND ON SUNDAY THEY HAD ALMOST 4,000 PEOPLE IN THAT MU GO THROUGH THAT MUSEUM.
IN THOSE FOUR DAYS, THERE ARE PEOPLE, THERE WERE PEOPLE FROM OUT THAT DROVE FROM OUT OF STATE TO COME TO THAT.
SO IT'S, I I I, WHILE I WANT TO SHARE WHAT WE'RE DOING IN DENWITTY, I'D JUST LIKE TO SHARE WHAT'S GOING ON OUTSIDE OF DENWITTY AS WELL.
WE DID A HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN THIS PAST DECEMBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, BECAUSE WE WERE CONCERNED.
WE WERE COMING OUT OF COVID, BUT NOT REALLY.
AND WE REALLY WANTED TO TRY TO EXCITE PEOPLE ABOUT SHOPPING LOCALLY, DINING LOCALLY, AND VISITING LOCAL ATTRACTIONS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID AT THAT TIME.
UM, WE MOSTLY HAVE SPENT A LOT OF EFFORT THIS YEAR ON FACEBOOK.
UM, AND WE'VE GROWN OUR FACEBOOK, UM, FOLLOWERS BY OVER 2000 PEOPLE FROM SEPTEMBER TO NOW.
UH, I WAS LOOKING AT THE REPORTS, UM, AND, AND, AND WE, WE ARE O ABOUT 2,500 MORE PEOPLE.
OUR AUDIENCE IS, IF, WHEN YOU LOOK AT JOANNE'S BAR CHARTS, IT'S ALMOST EVEN THE 35 YEAR OLDS TO 45 AND THEN THE 50 TO 60, AND THEN THE 60 FIVES, IT'S PRETTY FLAT.
SO WE, WE HAVE A LARGE AUDIENCE.
WE DO NOT NECESSARILY ATTRACT A LOT OF REALLY YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND, UM, BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE A LITTLE BIT OLDER TENDS TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETBOOK.
AND TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, THAT'S WHAT TOURISM IS ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE COMING WITH MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS, STAYING LONGER AND SPENDING.
UM, AND SO I THINK TO HAVE THE RANGE FROM 35 TO 70 IS PRETTY GOOD.
NOW, IN TERMS OF, UM, WOMEN AND MEN WE'RE ABOUT TWO TIMES MORE WOMEN THAN MEN.
I GUESS THE WOMEN ARE THE ONES THAT ARE LOOKING AT THE FACEBOOK PAGE AND KIND OF DECIDING AND PICKING OUT, AND THAT'S OKAY TOO.
UM, SO I LOOKED BACK THROUGH OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND IT IS, UH, FACEBOOK.COM/BEST PART VA AS IS OUR, UM, OUR EMAIL, UH, I MEAN OUR, I'M SORRY, NOT OUR EMAIL, UH, ADDRESS.
OUR, UM, ONLINE ADDRESS, UM, IS, UH, BEST PART VA, H-T-T-P-S.
WE ARE USING THAT WE ARE LEGALLY PETERSBURG AREA REGIONAL TOURISM, BUT WE ARE USING IN ALL OF OUR MARKETING BEST PART VA.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A WHILE, BUT IT'S BEGINNING TO STICK.
UM, SO WHEN I LOOKED AT ALL OF THE FACEBOOK, I NOTICED THAT WE HAVE DONE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR A NUMBER OF EVENTS FOR DEN WITTY, UM, MANY AT PAMPLIN PARK, THEIR NEW YORK INFANTRY REGIMENT, WORLD WAR II EVENT, MEDAL OF HONOR DAY, THEIR VALENTINE'S TEA, THEIR BREAKTHROUGH BATTLE WEEKEND, UM, THEIR CAR SHOW.
SO WE, WE, WE FIND THAT WE HAVE GOOD SUCCESS, UM, SUPPORTING THOSE, UH, VIRGINIA MOTOR SPORTS PARTS, MOTOR SPORTS PARK EVENTS, UM, ARE ALL ON OUR CALENDAR.
BUT IN TERMS OF FACEBOOK, WE DID FAST CARS AND COUNTRY MUSIC.
WE JUST DID THE EASTER BASH MUD BOG.
SO WE ARE, UH, TRYING VERY HARD AS WELL TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT MISSING OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
AND THEN RICHARD BLAND, THEIR SOUTHERN KNIGHTS
[00:25:01]
CAR SHOW IS HUGE.THEIR PECAN FESTIVAL WE PROMOTED VIA FACEBOOK.
AND THEN OTHER THINGS IN DINWITTY, THE, THE FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DINWITTY COUNTRY STORE.
WE DID A, A FACEBOOK, A POST, WE DID VETERAN'S DAY HERE.
UM, WE DID YOUR CHRISTMAS PARADE AND YOUR GRAND ILLUMINATION AT THE COURTHOUSE.
BUT OF COURSE, THE BEST, BEST, OF COURSE, IS THE SMITH GROVE LIGHTS.
THEY CONTINUE TO GET BIGGER AND THEY CONTINUE TO GET A BIGGER RESPONSE AS WELL AS THE ACTIVITIES AT RED BARN FARM, WHICH WENT ON THROUGH THE SUMMER AS WELL.
BUT THE, WE, IN TERMS OF, UM, A FACEBOOK CAMPAIGN, WE DID, UM, HOLIDAYS WITH THE SANTA EVENTS AS WELL AS THE WALKTHROUGH BETHLEHEM, WHICH DID VERY WELL.
AND THEN WE SHARED IN WITTY TOURISM'S POST THAT THEY DO, UM, THEY DID A WONDERFUL ONE ON ALL THE RESTAURANTS IN DENWITTY AND ONE ON ALL THE HISTORIC SITES IN DENWITTY.
SO, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT RIVERSIDE VINES.
I JUST WENT ON AND SAW THEIR WEDDING, UH, WEBSITE.
AND WE WILL BE ADDING THAT TO OUR WEBSITE.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO A RE TO RE TO TELL YOU THAT A, A MAJOR INITIATIVE IN THE COMING YEAR IS GOING TO BE, TO GET INTO THAT WEBSITE.
IT NEEDS REFRESHING, IT NEEDS UPDATING.
UM, OUR, OUR MARKETING COMMITTEE IS WORKING ON ITINERARIES, SO WE WANT TO JUST HAVE MAYBE A, A REAL FRESH NEW LOOK FOR THAT IN THE COMING YEAR.
UM, WE'VE GOT IT FROM NOW, BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'VE GOT A PARTNERSHIP, UM, THAT WAS INITIATED BY CHANNEL SIX WTVR.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE DOING, UM, A NICE LITTLE CAMPAIGN IN THE BEGINNING OF MAY, OR MAYBE MID-MAY ABOUT, UM, THE CHILI PEPPERS AND GETTING INTO THEIR SEASON.
AND, UM, WE, WE
SO THAT WAS VERY COST EFFECTIVE AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT'S ALL BECAUSE OUR BOARD HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO GOOD ABOUT WORKING WITH WTVR.
AND SO NOW THEY'RE WORKING WITH US AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
ALSO, THE TRAINS WILL BE RETURNING TO THE TRACTOR MUSEUM IN JULY AGAIN, SO LOOK OUT FOR THAT.
AND IF YOU DIDN'T GO THIS TIME, PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR.
UM, THE OTHER REALLY, REALLY EXCITING THING FOR ME, UM, IN THIS FIRST YEAR OF MY SORT OF NEW, OLD NEW, UM, JOB IS OUR BUS TOURS.
NOW WE, THIS IS WORKING THE WAY IT WAS ALL SUPPOSED TO WORK, AND IT FINALLY HAS COME TO FRUITION.
WE HAD GROUP, WE HAD A GROUP COME IN SEPTEMBER, A NATIONAL GROUP, PEOPLE FROM NOT JUST THE SOUTH, OR NOT JUST THE EAST COAST, BUT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THEY CAME, UM, THROUGH THE DECORATIVE ARTS TRUST, WHICH I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS.
AND THEY BROUGHT A CONFERENCE TO RICHMOND, BUT THEY DID A DAY TRIP WITH US.
AND SO, BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME CONTACTS IN OUR REGION, WE, IT WAS A FABULOUS TOUR.
AND SO SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON THAT TOUR ARE INVOLVED IN AN ENTITY CALLED THE CENTER FOR PALLADIAN STUDIES IN VIRGINIA.
AND SO THEY HAD BEEN ON THAT TOUR AND THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO BRING, THEY PUR PURSUED THAT THEIR ORGANIZATION TO BRING THEIR GROUP HERE, WHICH ENDED UP BEING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER VIRGINIA, THE DC AREA, AND, UM, AND NORTH CAROLINA.
AND SO THERE WERE A COUPLE OF, AND THEN WE HAD A WONDERFUL CHURCH GROUP FROM RICHMOND, WHICH OF COURSE IT'S REALLY GOOD TO HAVE THEM BECAUSE YOU CAN TELL THEM ABOUT ABOUT FIVE OR SIX OTHER ITINERARIES THAT THEY CAN DO WHEN THEY'RE HERE.
BUT THEN WE HAD SOME PEOPLE FROM THE DECORATIVE ARTS TRUST TOUR, THAT FIRST TOUR, WHO WERE INVOLVED IN COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG IN THEIR ANNUAL ANTIQUES FORUM.
AND THEY SAID, YOU GOTTA GO, YOU GOTTA GO.
SO WE HAD IN JUST, UM, ABOUT A MONTH AGO IN EARLY APRIL, A GROUP, THEY WERE ATTENDING THE COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG ANTIQUES FORUM.
BUT ONE OF THE DAYS WHILE THEY WERE THERE, THEY GOT ON A BUS AND CAME TO, TO
[00:30:01]
US AND SPENT AN ENTIRE DAY.AND ALSO SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON THE PALLADIAN STUDIES TOUR BELONGED TO THE TIDEWATER, VIRGINIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
SO THEY'RE COMING HERE ON MAY 4TH.
SO AS PEOPLE COME, THEY TELL THEIR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AND THEN THEY CALL.
AND THAT'S REALLY HOW IT ALL IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
AND IT, IT JUST IS TAKEN A WHILE, BUT YOU KEEP PLUGGING.
SO ALL IN ALL, I THINK WE'VE HAD A REALLY GOOD YEAR.
UM, AND I THINK YET NEXT YEAR WILL BE BETTER.
'CAUSE WE WON'T HAVE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONAL KINDS OF THINGS TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF HERE.
I'M HERE AND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE GOING AND WE'RE JUST GONNA KEEP ON GOING.
SO I WAS HOPING TODAY I WANTED TO SHOW YOU, UM, TWO VIDEOS, BUT TECHNOLOGY AMONG THREE DIFFERENT OF US.
AND, AND I'M THE WEAKEST, BUT JOANNE AND KAISHA ARE VERY STRONG AND THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT HAPPEN, BUT THEY COULD MAKE ONE HAPPEN.
AND SO, UM, WE ARE GETTING READY TO LAUNCH A TELEVISION CAMPAIGN IN MAY, WHICH WILL BE THREE DIFFERENT 32ND VIDEOS.
AND THEY'LL RUN, YOU KNOW, AT DIFFERENT TIMES ON DIFFERENT DAYS.
AND WE'RE GONNA RUN IT, WE HOPE TO RUN IT MAYBE UP TO THREE WEEKS.
UM, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING THAT CHANNEL 12 IS DOING WITH US ALSO, BUT NOT THE 32ND VIDEOS.
BUT I COULDN'T SHOW THOSE 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT READY.
SO THE ONLY THING I WAS ABLE TO BRING TODAY WAS OUR HOLIDAY VIDEO, WHICH IN WHICH I, YOU MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN BY NOW.
SO YOU'LL GET REFRESHED AND IT WILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHOP, DINE, AND VISIT LOCALLY.
SO, KAISHA, IF YOU COULD PULL THAT LOCAL BUSINESSES OFFER CHARACTER AND THOSE ONE OF A KIND EXPERIENCES TO OUR COMMUNITIES MAKING THE BEST PART OF VIRGINIA A GREAT AREA TO SHOCK, DINE AND ENJOY SPECIAL EVENTS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
SUPPORT AN ECONOMY OF YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR NEIGHBORS, AND LET'S CONTINUE BUILDING A COMMUNITY THAT THRIVES BY THINKING LOCAL FIRST, FIND THAT PERFECT GIFT, THAT SPECIAL PLACE TO EAT.
AND PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR HEART IS THIS HOLIDAY, SHARE WHAT YOU LOVE IN THE BEST PART OF VIRGINIA.
SO THIS SPRING YOU'LL BE SEEING A 32ND AND YOU'LL BE SEEING THREE OF THEM, AND IT'LL BE A MUCH BROADER REACH, BUT WE DIDN'T MAKE THEM, WE DIDN'T MAKE EACH ONE A PARTICULAR CATEGORY.
IT'S JUST ALL REGIONAL AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THERE ARE TO SEE AND DO HERE.
SO, UM, LOOK FOR THAT AND, UH, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.
AND, UM, I'M MOST APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR CONSIDERATION OF OUR BUDGET REQUEST THIS YEAR.
UM, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY ISSUES OR ANYTHING, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME.
I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO CHAT WITH YOU ABOUT ANYTHING, ANY CONCERNS.
SO I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY,
ANY ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? JUST ONE, ONE QUICK COMMENT.
I, I THINK WE'VE GOT THE BEST PERSON TO RUN THIS PROGRAM IS MARTHA BIRD.
YOU'VE BEEN THERE ALL YOUR LIFE,
I DID THANK YOU FOR YOUR FORWARD WORK.
AND IT'S REALLY FUN TO JUST MEET NEW PEOPLE AND TALK TO 'EM ABOUT HOW THEY GOT HERE AND WHY THEY GOT HERE.
AND SO, AND GIVE THEM A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE SO THAT WE CAN GET ALL THEIR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO COME TOO.
THERE'S NO QUESTION YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR IT,
I I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST, BUT I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO IN THE FUTURE.
LISTEN, JUST KEEP LETTING MR. MASSING HELP US TO GIVE HIM THE TIME TO HELP.
WELL, HE HAS A PASSION FOR IT TOO.
ALRIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE OUR FRIENDS
[6.C. Richard Bland College]
FROM RICHARD BLA COLLEGE, WHICH WE'RE GONNA BE OUT THERE THIS WEEKEND, BUT I'M NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE THERE.SO TERRELL, COME ON UP AND TELL US SOME GOOD STUFF ABOUT RBC.
SO, SUPERINTENDENT MASSENGILL, UH, CHAIRMAN MOORE AND THE HONORABLE MEMBERS, UM, OF THE BOARD AND ON THE DICE.
UH, TERRELL ROBINSON WITH RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE.
I SERVE AS THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.
UM, AND, AND SO TODAY I'VE PREPARED A POWERPOINT TO GIVE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW ABOUT WHAT THE COLLEGE HAS BEEN UP TO.
[00:35:01]
A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL.UM, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN, UH, GET THE POWERPOINT RUNNING SO I CAN RUN THROUGH SOME, SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS AND PHOTOS THAT WE HAVE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL.
AND IF NOT, I BROUGHT OH, OH, OH.
VERY APPRECIATIVE OF KAISHA WORK WITH US.
UH, WE AT THE COLLEGE, WE'RE JUST VERY THANKFUL FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE COLLEGE.
AND SO TODAY I JUST WANT TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE AND OVERVIEW ABOUT, UM, JUST HOW WE'RE USING THESE FUNDS AND, AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AT THE COLLEGE.
SO LET'S, LET'S DO AN OVERVIEW.
SO WE'VE DONE A, I DID A CLEAN SWEEP AND A, A DATA SURVEY FROM FALL OF 2017 ALL THE WAY UNTIL THIS ACADEMIC YEAR.
AND SO THROUGH THE RBC FOUNDATION, WE HAVE GIVEN 32% MORE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD INCREASE.
AND THIS IS IN PART DUE TO THE INCREASED GIVING AND ALSO DUE TO THE INCREASED NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT HAVE DECIDED TO ENROLL AT THE COLLEGE.
SO FOR THOSE, AND SO THEN THE NEXT BRACKET.
SO FOR DIMITY STUDENTS, FOR DIMITY STUDENTS THAT DO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS, ON AVERAGE, THEY RECEIVE AN AMOUNT OF $3,000.
AND FOR DIMITY COUNTY STUDENTS THAT DECIDE TO COME TO THE COLLEGE, UM, THAT MAY BE PELL ELIGIBLE, WE HAVE AN AVERAGE OF $6,500.
AND SO LOOKING, GOING BACK TO FALL OF 2017, WE'VE HAD A TOTAL OF 314 DIMITY, UH, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, UH, ENROLL AT THE COLLEGE.
AND THAT'S INCLUDING DUAL ENROLLMENT AS WELL.
UH, WE'VE HAD 106 GRADUATE, UM, AND WE HAVE A GRADUATION RATE OF 35%.
UH, SOME WOULD LOOK AT THAT NUMBER AND SAY THAT'S LOW.
BUT ALSO REALIZING THAT A LOT OF STUDENTS JUST COME TO RICHARD BLAND FOR A SEMESTER OR A YEAR AND THEN END UP TRANSFERRING.
AND SO IN TOTAL OF THIS YEAR, THE RBC FOUNDATION HAS GIVEN UP TO $300,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT OUR FAME, OUR FAME PARTNERSHIP, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THE EARN AND LEARN MODEL.
SO LAST YEAR IN 2021, WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM WITH NINE INDUSTRY PARTNERS.
UH, JUST THIS ACADEMIC YEAR ALONE, WE'VE GAINED FIVE MORE INDUSTRY PARTNERS.
SO NOW WE ARE UP TO 14 INDUSTRY PARTNERS.
AND SO THIS IS A, A GREAT APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
AND SO NEXT MONTH, UH, WE'RE LOOKING, WE'RE VERY EXCITED 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR FIRST COHORT GRADUATING.
THEY'RE GONNA BE RECEIVING THEIR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE AND ALSO RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR CAREER.
SO WE HAVE DRAWN UP ON CAMPUS.
AND SO WITH DRAWN UP JUST A QUICK UPDATE.
SO SINCE, UH, LAST FALL, SO SINCE AUGUST, THEY STARTED TRAINING ON THEIR TEMPORARY FACILITY.
AND SO FAR WE'VE GOTTEN UP TO 150, UH, DRONE PILOTS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THIS TEMPORARY PROGRAM.
AND SO THEY'RE, THE LONG-TERM GOAL FOR DRONE UP IS FOR THEM.
THEY'RE INVESTING 20 $20 MILLION IN A PERMANENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FACILITY.
UH, WHICH YOU'LL SEE ON HERE IS IN OUR, WHAT WE CALL OUR INNOVATION PARK.
UM, AND SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND WE HOPE THAT WE WILL, UH, BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEXT 12 TO 18 MONTHS.
SO WE'VE GOT DUAL ENROLLMENT AT THE COLLEGE.
UM, AND JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THAT.
SO WE'VE GOT, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, WE'VE GOT 21 PARTNERS.
WE'VE GOT SEVEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UH, TWO OF THEM ARE GOVERNOR SCHOOLS, UH, EIGHT PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
AND AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE 1,592 STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES AT THE COLLEGE.
AND SO BECAUSE OF OUR, I, I WOULD SAY OUR VALIANT EFFORT, UH, THE GOVERNOR HAS RECOGNIZED US.
AND SO IN HIS, IN THIS, HIS MOST RECENT BUDGET, HE PROPOSED $2.5 MILLION TO RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE SO THAT WE CAN EXPAND OUR DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GET TO WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
SO THE SPORTS SCENE AT RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE, WE HAVE, OH, WE HAVE 11, UH, MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SPORTS.
UH, AND A REALLY QUICK UPDATE, SOME EXCITING NEWS.
THIS YEAR, UH, OUR WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM WON THEIR FIRST NATIONAL TITLE.
UH, SO HERE'S A PICTURE OF US, UH, WITH A, WITH THE GOVERNOR, UH, BEING RECOGNIZED.
WE ALSO RECEIVED, UH, SENATE AND HOUSE BILL RESOLUTIONS ON THIS GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.
UH, AND WHILE I'M ON THE SLIDE, I MUST ADD THAT RICHARD BLAND ALSO HAS BEACH VOLLEYBALL.
AND SO THIS WEEK WE ARE IN THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT, UH, AND WE EXPECT THAT OUR WOMEN WILL BRING HOME ANOTHER NATIONAL TITLE.
SO HOPEFULLY BY SATURDAY WE WILL HAVE AN IDEA OF WHETHER OR NOT WE'VE TAKEN ON THE TITLE.
AND SO ALSO THIS YEAR ON THE SPORTS SCENE, SOMETHING REALLY EXCITING.
[00:40:01]
OUR INAUGURAL BASKETBALL TEAM.THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR EVER THAT RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE IS AT A BASKETBALL TEAM.
WE WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE NATIONAL TITLE GAME AND UNFORTUNATELY WE LOST IN OVERTIME, BUT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF OUR GIRLS.
AND IT'S, IT'S, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EVER BEEN DONE BEFORE FOR A TEAM TO GO THAT FAR.
ALRIGHT, LET'S END ON, UH, ACADEMIC INNOVATION CENTER.
SO ONCE AGAIN, UH, WHO DOESN'T LOVE NEW CONSTRUCTION? UH, WE'VE GOT THIS ACADEMIC INNOVATION CENTER THAT'S GONNA BE OVER 20,000 SQUARE FEET.
UH, IT'S GONNA HOUSE MORE CLASSROOM SPACE, ONLINE LEARNING, AND ALSO STUDIO SPACE, UH, AND MORE SPACES EVEN FOR LARGE GROUP MEETINGS.
AND SO JUST YESTERDAY, TO MAKE SURE I WAS PREPARED FOR THIS MEETING, I WENT OUT TO THE SITE AND I SNAPPED THIS BEAUTIFUL PICTURE FOR YOU ALL TO SEE THE PROGRESS THAT WE ARE MAKING, UM, ON THE BUILDING.
AND SO WE EXPECT THAT IT WILL BE OPEN IN FALL OF 2024 FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL END ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? JUST DOING A GREAT JOB.
YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS, IS PROGRESSING TO BE A PARTNER WITH YOU IN THE DUAL ENROLLMENT SIDE, UM, AS WE GO FORWARD.
UM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ONE OF THOSE 35% GRADUATES THAT'S GONNA GRADUATE FROM VIRGINIA TECH IN A MONTH FROM NOW.
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK IT'S ONE OF THE BEST VALUES THAT'S OUT THERE.
UM, AND I, I HOPE THAT MORE OF OUR STUDENTS WILL REALIZE THE VALUE THAT, THAT THERE IS AT RBC.
AND I, WHAT WAS IT? I, I DIDN'T TOUCH ON IT, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT US WINNING NATIONAL TITLES, I THOUGHT EVEN ON THE RIDE OVER HERE, IT'S MORE THAN JUST THE NATIONAL TITLE FOR RECRUITMENT.
I THINK THAT JUST SPEAKS TO THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THAT WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS.
YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T WIN NATIONAL TITLES BY NOT PERFORMING WELL ACADEMICALLY AND HAVING A WELL-BALANCED LIFE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN ALSO TRYING TO GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY MORE.
SO THIS PAST SATURDAY, UH, WE DID OUR FIRST EVER JAZZ IN THE GROVE.
THIS WAS PART OF OUR FOUNDERS WEEK WHERE WE HAD CLUNKY, UM, AND ONENESS PERFORMED.
UH, THIS WAS A FREE EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
FREE JAZZ MUSIC, FREE FOOD AND DRINKS WERE, UM, AVAILABLE AT THE GROVE.
AND SO WE GOT AN UPDATE THAT WE HAD OVER 2,500, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ATTEND.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WELL AND THRIVING.
[6.D. Voter Registrar: Voting Sticker Winner Recognition]
TO ITEM SIX D AND THAT'S THE VOTER REGISTRAR, VOTER STICKER, WINNER RECOGNITIONSTEPHANIE RAY, HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS AFTERNOON? I'M DOING FINE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE WITH US, WITH YOU.
UH, BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WANT TO INTRODUCE MY BOARD.
WE HAVE OUR NEWEST MEMBER, ONE OF OUR NEWEST MEMBERS, MS. EMMA RUFFIN.
SHE'S OUR CHAIR, OUR SECRETARY, MS. CAROLYN WAR IS HERE.
AND OUR VICE CHAIR, MR. TALBERT COULDN'T MAKE IT.
UM, BUT HE WAS TRYING TO GET HERE.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE WILL DO LOTS OF NEW FUN THINGS.
THIS I VOTED STICKER CONTEST WAS INSPIRED BY FOUR HS, UM, COUNTY FAIR T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST.
AND I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW MUCH I MIMICKED IT UNTIL I ACTUALLY READ IT, BUT I SAW THAT THE T-SHIRT THAT WAS DESIGNED, AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT'S THE BEST TEACHER THAT I'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
AND EVERYBODY WHO COMES TO ME WHO HAS FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN PRINCE GEORGE OR PETERSBURG OR CHESTERFIELD, THEY ALL HAD THEIR OWN STICKER.
IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT, EVEN IF IT'S JUST I VOTED IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE COUNTY INSTEAD OF THE GENERIC STICKER THAT WE GIVE OUT.
SO SINCE I SAW THAT CONTEST, I THOUGHT, THIS IS PERFECT.
I'M NOT AN ARTIST, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE ARTISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, SO AS A WAY TO GET THE STUDENTS INVOLVED, THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED, I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE WE COULD DO THIS.
AND THANKFULLY THE ELECTORAL BOARD WAS ON ON BOARD WITH IT AS WELL.
SO WE HAD 29 DESIGNS TO BE TURNED IN, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
WE DIDN'T ASK FOR A THEME OR ANYTHING THIS TIME, UM, JUST KIND OF THREW IT OUT THERE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED.
SO THERE WERE SO MANY DESIGNS, SO VERY CREATIVE.
THE ELECTORAL BOARD VOTED ON THE TOP SIX, WHICH WAS A TIGHT RACE OVERALL.
AND THEN WE PUT THE TOP SIX OUT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO VOTE ON TO FIND THE WINNER.
I'LL MENTION THAT THREE OF THE TOP SIX WERE ALL SIBLINGS.
UH, COINCIDENTALLY OUR WINNER OF OUR CONTEST IS ALSO
[00:45:01]
THE, THE WINNER OF THE FOUR H CONTEST FOR THE T-SHIRTS.SO WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT UNTIL RECENTLY.
UM, BUT THE WINNER IS E ERIC EDWARDS.
HE'S AN 11TH GRADER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND HE IS A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT FIREFIGHTER WITH COMPANY ONE.
HE DOES ALL THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT WHEN WE, WE ASKED WHAT INSPIRED HIM TO DESIGN THE STICKER, HE MENTIONED THAT HE, HE THOUGHT ABOUT THE REASON WHY WE GET TO VOTE AND THAT IF IT WASN'T FOR OUR MILITARY AND PEOPLE FIGHTING FOR OUR COUNTRY, WOULD IT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THESE FREEDOMS. UM, SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CHAIR, MS. RUFFIN TO PRESENT, UM, MR. EDWARDS WITH HIS CERTIFICATE.
THE, THIS DESIGN WILL BE USED, UM, FOR ALL THE ELECTIONS FOR THIS YEAR.
WE DIDN'T GET IT DONE BEFORE THE SPECIAL ELECTION, SO THE JUNE PRIMARY ELECTIONS AND THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS FOR THIS YEAR.
AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THIS GOING FORWARD.
COULD I HAVE, ERIC, IF I MAY CALL YOU BY YOUR NAME THAT YOU USE? ERIC
I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING AND, UM, I VOTED STICKER CONTEST AND CONGRATULATIONS ON WINNING THE RACE WHEN YOU WON THE, YOU WON FIRST PLACE.
AND THAT'S DUE TO YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR HARD WORK THAT YOU EXHIBITED AND, AND JUST YOUR ARTISTIC ABILITY.
WE HOPE YOU FOUND THAT THE VI THE EXPERIENCE WAS VALUABLE TO YOU.
AND IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE EDY COUNTY ELECTORIAL BOARD, I PRESENT YOU THE CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION AND IT READS US CERTIFICATE 2023 I VOTED STICKER DESIGN CONTEST.
THIS CERTIFICATE IS PROUDLY PRESENTED TO CHAD ERIC EDWARDS, JR.
FOR HIS WINNING, UH, FOR HIS WINNING DESIGN OF THE I VOTED STICKER TO BE USED DURING THE 2023 ELECTION AS VOTED ON BY THE D ELECTORAL BOARD AND CITIZENS OF DENVER COUNTY.
I'LL GET PICTURE AND TO KNOW THIS WILL BE IN EACH POLLING PLACE SO EVERYONE KNOWS WHO.
WHEN'S YOUR 18TH BIRTHDAY? JUNE 4TH.
SO YOU'LL TURN 18 THIS YEAR? NEXT YEAR.
SO YOU'RE 17 OR YOU'RE 16 NOW THEN? YES.
NOW I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN YOU COULD VOTE.
I WAS HOPING THAT YOU WERE GONNA TURN 18 TO BE ABLE TO VOTE THIS YEAR.
[7.A. Contract Award, Ambulance Remount 4330]
HAVE A FEW ACTION ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO ATTEND TO THIS AFTERNOON.THE FIRST ONE IS A CONTRACT AWARD FOR THE AMBULANCE, REMOUNT 43 30.
UH, CHIEF HA IS WITH US THIS AFTERNOON.
I WAS HOPING HE WOULDN'T RUN OUTTA HERE 'CAUSE IF Y'ALL VOTE POSITIVELY HERE, I'M GONNA GET HIM TO DESIGN SOME GRAPHICS FOR THIS NEW AMMO,
UM, THIS PROJECT THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY IS PART OF THE FY 23 CIP THAT WAS APPROVED UM, IN OCTOBER.
UM, ACTUALLY THIS IS A RE CHAS AND ANDERSON THAT ACTUALLY WORKED, I THINK A LITTLE BIT TO OUR ADVANTAGE BECAUSE WE HAD A RE CHASSIS
[00:50:01]
OUT THAT'S GONNA BE SIMILAR TO THIS.WE WEREN'T QUITE SURE WHAT THAT WAS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT RE CHASSIS IN FEBRUARY, UH, SHOULD BE GOING IN SERVICE ANY DAY NOW IN THE STREET.
AND WE, WE WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK OF MOVING THESE BOXES, UM, FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CHASSIS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE TO THE FORD FIVE 50 CHASSIS.
UM, SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS TO REPEAT THAT PROCESS WITH THIS 2014 AMBULANCE.
IT'LL HAVE ABOUT 200,000 MILES ON IT WHEN WE TAKE IT OUT.
ACTUALLY IT'S BEEN REMOVED FROM SERVICE NOW.
IT'S WAITING FOR APPROVAL FOR THIS.
UM, AND BY RE CHASSIS, AND AGAIN, YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE, IT SAVES US ABOUT 50 TO $60,000 OVER THE PRICE OF A NEW AMBULANCE, INCLUDING, IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO BRING OUR, OUR CURRENT AMBULANCES UP TO THE NEWEST, UH, STANDARDS, WHICH IS THE BIGGEST EXPENSE IS THE COT RETENTION SYSTEM AND LOAD SYSTEM THAT HAS TO BE PLACED IN ON NOW.
WE HAVE REDESIGNED THE BACKUS TO A MEDIC IN MINE DESIGN, WHICH BRINGS THE EQUIPMENT CLOSER TO THE MEDIC SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET UP AND BE UNBELTED.
UM, THE TIME UNBELTED WITHOUT HAVING THE SIX POINT HARNESS ON US DECREASED BECAUSE THE, ALL THE EQUIPMENT'S CLOSER TO 'EM.
SO WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS TO APPROVE, UM, THE CONTRACT WITH GOODMAN SPECIALIZED VEHICLES, WHO IS WHO WE HAVE USED FOR OVER 25 YEARS NOW FOR BOTH AMBULANCE PURCHASES AND REACH CHASSIS, UM, TO REACH CHASSIS.
THIS 2014 AMBULANCE, UH, ONTO A FORD FIVE 50 CHASSIS.
UM, FOR THE, THE TOTAL PRICE THERE FOR THE CONTRACT IS $299,284.
JOHN, JUST A QUICK COMMENT THAT YOU SAID IT WON'T BE REACHED CHASSIS UNTIL FALL OF 24 AT LEAST.
UM, FORD CHASSIS ARE, UM, IT'S A WEIRD SITUATION RIGHT NOW HOW THEY'RE ALLOCATING CHASSIS TO LOCALITIES, UM, NOT TO DEALERSHIPS ANYMORE.
SO WE, WE ARE STILL WORKING TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF ALLOCATION DEY COUNTY HAS FROM FORD.
UM, SO IT COULD TAKE US A LITTLE WHILE TO FIND, RECEIVE THE CHASSIS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? YOU HAVE THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU IN THE CONTRACT.
IS THIS THE READ IT BEING FURTHER RESOLVED? I THINK WE CAN DO THAT OR JUST SAY WILL AS, AS PRESENTED.
CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL? MR. LEE? AYE.
[7.B. National Day Of Prayer Proclamation]
A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER PROCLAMATION.MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD IN YOUR, IN YOUR PACKET, YOU'LL SEE A PROPOSED PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MAY 4TH, 2023 IS NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER.
SO AS YOU ALL ARE, ARE VERY WELL FAMILIAR, DEY COUNTY HAS A FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE IN WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL PASTORS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THE PROCLAMATION, IT WAS PUT INTO YOUR PACKET, BUT WHEN WE HAD ONE OF OUR PASTORAL ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS, UM, IT WAS RECOGNIZED THAT IN DENWOODY, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER THAT WE NEED TO DO, UM, MORE OF A LOCAL EFFORT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
AND SO BEING THAT, THAT WE HAD OUR FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE AND AGAIN, THE COLLABORATION WITH THE SCHOOLS, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO BRING THIS PROCLAMATION, UH, TO YOU EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY THAT WE'VE ALSO ADOPTED HERE LOCALLY.
AND I'LL ALSO SAY THAT IN ADDITION TO THE PROCLAMATION ON, UH, MAY 4TH OF THIS YEAR AT THE DEY COUNTY SPORTS COMPLEX, OFF OF FOUR 60 AT 6:30 PM WE WILL BE HAVING A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER EVENT.
AND AT THAT EVENT WE HAVE LOCAL PASTORS THAT WILL SHARE, UM, WITH US AS WELL AS, UM, DIFFERENT PRAISE GROUPS THAT WE'LL BE HAVING SOME MUSIC AND WHATNOT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT EVENT.
SO SIX 30 ON THE NATIONAL DAY, WHICH IS MAY 4TH, 2023.
SO AGAIN, THIS, THIS IS JUST IN A SIMPLE, UM, UH, ADOPTION AS PRESENTED AND, UH, WE WILL PROMOTE THE EVENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS CITIZENS' COMMENT.
[8. CITIZEN COMMENTS ( 3 MINUTES)]
AND I'LL READ OUR NORMAL STATEMENT THAT WE READ AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DESIRES TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON MATTERS THAT ARE NOT LISTED UNDER THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THIS MEETING.THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD IS PROVIDED.
THIS TIME IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A, A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD, NOR IS IT A TIME
[00:55:01]
FOR DIALOGUE WITH BOARD MEMBERS OR STAFF.CITIZENS WHO DO TAKE PART IN THIS COMMENT PERIOD MUST ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS THE BOARD WITH DECORUM LOUD, DISRUPTIVE, OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR TO INCLUDE OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE SHALL BE AVOIDED.
AVOID WORDS OR ACTS THAT ARE AIMED AT EVOKING VIOLENCE OR CAN BE DEEMED TO BE A BREACH OF THE PEACE.
AND LASTLY, DIRECT ALL COMMENTS TO THE BOARD'S CHAIRMAN, I'LL OPEN THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD.
HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP? YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE WIDA JONES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I RESIDE, I HAVE A BUSINESS AT, UH, 56 31 BELL STREET, NORTH DINWITTY, AND I'M HERE TODAY WHAT I'D LIKE TO THANK MY PREDECESSORS OF MS. MARTHA BURTON.
BURTON AND MR. TERRELL ROBINSON BECAUSE THEY KIND OF PLEADED MY CASE FOR ME.
THEY SET UP THE FOUNDATION THAT I WANNA BRING TO THE BOARD.
UM, I SPENT 42 YEARS IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE AND JUST RECENTLY RETIRED A YEAR AGO IN JANUARY.
I HAVE A PROPERTY AT 56 31 THAT I WANTED TO, UH, TURN INTO AN AIRBNB THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY RETIREMENT THING.
I KIND OF OCD AND NEEDED SOMETHING TO DO.
AND, UH, IT WAS, UH, MY MOTHER'S PROPERTY, MY MOTHER'S FATHER'S PROPERTY.
I, UH, TURNED INTO, INTO A AIRBNB.
BUT THE COST OF IT, UH, THE PROFITS WENT INTO THE BUSINESS.
MY CONCERN, UH, I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS ILLEGALLY DONE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS ZONED FOR COMMERCIAL RESIDENTS.
WELL, IT'S COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENT, BUT THE HOUSE ITSELF WAS RESIDENT.
AND, UH, I ASKED THE ZONING COMMISSION BECAUSE I DIDN'T FIND OUT UNTIL I CAME TO PAY TAXES.
AND, UH, THEY COULD NOT GIVE ME THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO, TO COMPARE IT TO BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL PROPERTIES IN FRONT OF US, MAYBE TWO TO THREE FOOTBALL FIELDS IN FRONT OF US THAT ARE, UH, COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES ALONG WITH CHAPARRAL IS DIRECTLY BEHIND US, UM, OFF OF CHURCH ROAD.
AND, UH, WE ARE ABOUT A MILE, MILE AND A QUARTER FROM THE HOTEL ON NUMBER ONE.
AND, UH, I'M HERE TO ASK THE BOARD TO SEE IF THEY CAN CHANGE THE POLICIES WITH AIRBNB.
I WAS INFORMED THAT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE ZONING, UH, ORDINANCE IS ONLY ZONED FOR AGRICULTURE AND DEER ON THE PROPERTY AND NOT AGRICULTURE.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT PASS THROUGH THE AREA ON 85 95 COMING TO THE MOTOR PORTS, UH, UH, PORT MOTORS, PORTS, SPORTS PARK, MOTOR PARK.
AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, SHE, SHE, UH, MS. BURTON JUST READ SET BEFORE MY CASE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING THROUGH AND NOT ALL PERSONNEL WANT TO LIVE, UH, TO DO HOTELS.
YOU KNOW, THEY LIKE THE, UH, ATMOSPHERE AND THE RELAXATION THEY CAN HAVE WITH AIRBNBS.
AND I ASK THAT YOU, UH, LOOK INTO IT TO SEE IF WE CAN HAVE A CHANGE SO THAT, UH, YOU BENEFIT FROM IT, THE COUNTY BENEFIT FROM IT WITH THE TAXES AND UH, WE'D LIKE TO BENEFIT FROM IT TOO.
UM, I REALLY DON'T KNOW IF I NEED TO ADDRESS THE SAME ISSUE, BUT I DO WANT TO SUPPORT, UM, THE, THE REQUEST FOR AIRBNB IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE TOURISM AS WELL AS, UM, ALLOWING, UM, THIS, UH, THAT AREA, THAT AREA TO ALSO BENEFIT FROM WHAT'S CALLED THE STAY FARM STAY THING IN DENWOOD.
WELL, OUR AREA IS ZONED FOR RESIDENTIAL ONLY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO, UM, OTHER AREAS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM, WHAT AM I SAYING? THAT THE AIRBNB AND OUR, IF ANY, IS FOR AIRBNB IS IN OUR AREA AND RULE OR ALLOWED, WE COULD PROVIDE
[01:00:01]
ALSO TOURISM FOR OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THE FARM STAY AREA AND WE COULD ADVERTISE THAT AS WELL.UM, BECAUSE IT'S A COUNTY AND THAT'S WHAT WE, UM, PRIDE OURSELF ON AGRICULTURAL.
SO, UM, I'M JUST SUPPORTING THE AIRBNB THING ALSO BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PROPERTY THAT I WAS PLANNING TO DO THIS AND WHEN SHE TOLD ME THIS HAPPENED, I SAID, OH, WE GOTTA GO TO THE BOARD.
SO I'M ASKING ALSO THAT, UH, WE ALLOW THAT THE COUNTY ALLOWS US TO, UM, HAVE A AIRBNB.
ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK IN CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD? IF NOT, WE'LL CLOSE THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD.
UM, NOW WE HAVE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
[9. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR COMMENTS]
COMMENTS.YEAH, MR. MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, FIRST LEMME SAY TO TO THOSE THAT CAME IN REGARDS TO THE AIRBNB, WE'LL SURELY GET WITH STAFF AND LOOK INTO THE SPECIFIC ISSUE.
AND THEN MS. COLLINS IS MOTIONING, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A CONVERSATION, UM, ABOUT THAT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL ANY OF THAT THAT NEEDS TO COME BACK TO YOU ALL FOR CONSIDERATION.
WHAT WE'LL DEFINITELY DO THAT.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING TO EXPRESS, UM, YOUR DESIRES AND CONCERN.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M GONNA DEVIATE A LITTLE BIT FROM MY COMMENTS.
MARTHA SET A SUCH A GREAT STAGE WHEN IT CAME TO PETERSBURG AREA REGIONAL TOURISM AND JUST FOR, FOR SOME OF THE PEOPLE BACK HOME TOO, WHEN YOU, WHEN WE GET QUESTIONS SOMETIME OF, OF HOW MUCH GENERAL DOLLARS FUND DOLLARS TAXPAYER DOLLARS ACTUALLY GOES TO SUPPORT TOURISM AND, AND OUR APPROACH IN DIMITY, UM, HAS BEEN TO USE THE ADMISSIONS TAX AND OUR TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX OR LOD AND TAX.
SO I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE WE'RE IN THE, THE ROWS OF BUDGET AND I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER ABOUT, BUT YOU KNOW, REALLY FROM A LOCAL TAX DOLLAR STANDPOINT, WE USE THE TOURISTS THAT COME TO THE COUNTY IN REGARDS TO THAT ADMISSIONS TAX TO, UM, THE RACETRACK AND SPECIFICALLY OUR LOING TAX TO SUPPORT WHAT WE PAY TO PETERSBURG AIR REGIONAL TOURISM.
UM, SO THAT HELPS TREMENDOUSLY.
AND MARTHA DID A REALLY GOOD JOB AGAIN, AT KIND OF SETTING THE TONE FOR THIS, THIS REGION.
AND I THINK FOR, FOR TWO THINGS, ME BEING ON THE BOARD, ONE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE, WE TEND TO FORGET WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR OWN BACKYARD.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, THE TRI-CITY AREA AND THEN THE COUNTIES OF PRINCE GEORGE AND DENWOODY, IT HELPS EDUCATE AND BRING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IN OUR OWN REGION AND TO SUPPORT LOCALLY, UH, ALL THE DIFFERENT ASSETS THAT WE HAVE THAT, THAT BRING SO MUCH VALUE, UM, TO US.
BUT IT, IT ALSO AGAIN IS THAT THAT REACH AND THAT ATTRACTION, UM, AND AS FAR AS NOT ONLY WHAT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SEE ON COMMERCIALS, BUT IT, IT REALLY BRINGS AN ATTENTION TO THIS AREA THAT INDIVIDUALLY THE FIVE MUNICIPALITIES THAT MAKE UP PETERSBURG AREA REGIONAL TOURISM COULDN'T DO ON ITS OWN.
AND SO, UM, ONE THING MARTHA DIDN'T SAY, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MARTHA, BUT WE AS AN ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE WORK OF JOANNE WILLIAMS, WHO DOES A LOT OF OUR, OUR MEDIA WORK WON TWO EMMY AWARDS, THREE EMMY AWARDS LAST FOR TWO PROJECTS, BUT I MEAN, DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON IT.
SO I JUST, I MEAN, TO BRING TO THE CALIBER WORK THAT'S BEING DONE AND THAT'S BEING DONE HERE LOCALLY FOR THOSE TWO PARTICULAR PROJECTS AND THREE RECOGNITIONS.
AND I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THAT'S THE CALIBER OF WORK THAT'S BEING, BEING PRODUCED, UH, FROM FROM PARK.
UM, UH, SECOND, AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA REHASH ALL OF THE REPORTS, BUT RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE, YOU KNOW, IT IS, UM, SOMEWHAT, IT'S SPLIT, RIGHT? YOU GOT PRINCE GEORGE, THAT HALF OF IT'S IN.
BUT WE SAY THE BEST PART OF RICHARD BLAND IS ON THE DENWOODY SIDE.
UH, AND AGAIN, I KNOW THE TEEN EXPO THAT THAT'S COMING UP, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT A WONDERFUL, UM, ASSET WE THINK WE HAVE.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE FOUNDATION BOARD AND THE $300,000 THAT WE GIVE IN SCHOLARSHIPS AND, AND REALLY FROM SOMEONE WHO'S GRADUATED, LIKE MYSELF OF RICHARD BLAND, THE START THAT IT GAVE ME, AND REALLY WORKING WITH A LOT OF THE STUDENTS THERE NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN REALLY GOOD HANDS MOVING FORWARD AND SUCH A WONDERFUL ASSET THAT WE HAVE.
UM, BUT LET ME NOW KIND OF DEVIATE BACK TOWARDS MY COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO, UH, FIRST THE BUDGET.
AND I WANTED TO TALK, UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
AS YOU KNOW, MS. TON'S GOTTA GET A, A BUDGET
[01:05:01]
AD IN THE, IN THE NEWSPAPER.AND WE, WE WERE TRULY UP UNTIL JUST, I GUESS A FEW HOURS BEFORE THIS MEETING, GETTING TO THE POINT THAT WE, WE FELT LIKE, UM, WE COULD KIND OF TALK PUBLICLY ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WHEN IT COMES TO THE, TO THE BUDGET.
UM, SO I WILL TELL YOU UP FRONT, WE BALANCED IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SO THIS IS MY 20TH BUDGET IN DIMWIT, AND THIS HAS PROBABLY BEEN IN THE TOP FIVE MOST DIFFICULT BUDGETS, UH, THAT WE'VE HAD HAD AS FAR AS A BUDGET YEAR.
UM, SO I KNOW MR. LEE, I'M GONNA LOOK BACK AT HIM AND HOW MUCH HE LOVES THIS WHOLE BUDGET PROCESS.
AND, AND FOR THE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FEW TIMES THIS YEAR, IT GOT TO BE SUCH A STRUGGLE.
WE WERE WONDERING, YOU KNOW, EXACTLY HOW WE WERE GONNA MAKE THIS.
'CAUSE AS YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THIS PROCESS, THE, THE REQUEST GREATLY OUTNUMBERED THE FUNDS THAT WE HAD TO, UH, TO DO THE BUDGET THIS YEAR.
AND, AND, UM, SO THAT, THAT MADE IT EVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT THAN, THAN NORMAL.
SO I WILL SAY THAT WE, WHEN, WHEN THIS AD GOES IN THE PAPER, WE HAVE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND THE CIP FOR MAY 2ND WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT WE, UH, ADOPT A BUDGET ON, ON MAY 16TH.
UM, BUT JUST LEMME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE APPROACH REAL QUICK.
SO THIS YEAR, UM, AGAIN, YOU WERE LOOKING AT ABOUT SIX AND A HALF TO $7 MILLION WORTH OF REQUEST, AND WE WERE LOOKING AT JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOVE A MILLION DOLLARS AT ONE POINT FOR, FOR REVENUE.
THAT NUMBER DID GROW SOMEWHAT.
UM, SO WE ASKED EVERYBODY AS FAR AS OUR COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, OUR, OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, UH, THOSE THAT WE PARTNER WITH, LIKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND SOME OF OUR OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS, THAT IN ORDER TO, TO DO A GOOD JOB OF THE BUDGET, YOU REALLY NEED TO ASK FOR WHAT YOU THINK YOU NEED.
AND THEN IT'S THE HUMBLING EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT CAN BE BALANCED WITH THE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING IN.
THE FIRST TONE OF THAT WAS THE BOARD SAYING, HEY, WE, WE'VE BEEN IN OFFICE ALL THESE YEARS TOGETHER AND NEVER RAISED TAXES, AND IN THIS YEAR YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT CHANGING.
SO WE ADOPTED THE TAX RATES RECENTLY FOR THIS CALENDAR YEAR WITHOUT RECOGNIZING ANY, ANY ADJUSTMENT IN THAT, THAT TAX RATE.
UM, WE, WE DID KNOW UPFRONT THAT THERE WAS SOME INFLATIONARY COSTS.
THE COST OF DOING GOVERNMENT SERVICES AREN'T GETTING ANY CHEAPER.
SO WE WERE, WE WERE LOOKING ON JUST ON THE COUNTY SIDE, WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS OF JUST OPERATIONAL INCREASES AND SOME, SOME ONE TIME THINGS LIKE THE, UH, REASSESSMENT THAT NEEDED TO GET DONE, UH, FOR FY 24 PERSONNEL COST.
IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, OUR APPROACH TO THAT WAS FIRST STARTING OFF AT, AT LOOKING AT A STEP ADJUSTMENT.
WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS BACK TO YOU LAST WEEK, SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT MAYBE SEEING WHAT THE REST OF THE REGION WAS DOING, AND ME TALKING TO A LOT OF THE AREA MANAGERS AND ADMINISTRATORS, UM, WE SEE THAT NUMBER GOING ANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO 7%.
SO WE CAME BACK AS EARLY AS, AGAIN, LA LAST NIGHT TRYING TO, TO LOOK AT COULD WE GET FROM A JUST A STEP ADJUSTMENT TO A, A 5% ADJUSTMENT.
UM, AND THEN TRYING TO AGAIN, KEEP UP WITH THAT MARKET, WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN, IN THE REGION.
UM, AND AGAIN, THERE'S SOME SPECIFIC POSITIONS THAT ARE HARDER TO FILL NOW THAN THEY WERE BEFORE.
PUBLIC SAFETY POSITION POSITIONS IN PARTICULAR, UM, ARE, ARE GETTING TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A CHALLENGE.
THEN THROW IN IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, THE, THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, THE, THE COMMONWEALTH, UM, NOT HAVING A BUDGET, AND EVEN THROUGH THIS RECONVENE SESSION, EVERY EVERYTHING, UH, TELLS US THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A BUDGET IN MAY.
SO EVEN AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WHERE, WHERE WE HAVE TO BALANCE A BUDGET, UM, THE STATE SEEMS TO BE AT A, A PRETTY GOOD IMPASSE AT THIS POINT.
AND EVERY INDICATION SHOWS THAT IT'S GONNA BE AFTER THE, THE PRIMARY DATE IN JUNE, BEFORE THEY CAN COME BACK TOGETHER.
AND POTENTIALLY, HOPEFULLY IT'LL HAPPEN BEFORE THEN, BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THAT HAPPENING UNTIL AFTER THAT DATE.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING LATE JUNE, EARLY JULY BEFORE YOU, YOU GET, YOU HAVE A GOOD FEEL FOR WHAT THE STATE'S GONNA DO.
UM, AND AGAIN, REGIONAL, UH, REGIONALLY, WHEN THERE'S QUITE A FEW BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AUTHORITIES, EVERY ONE OF THEM ARE SCRAMBLING TO TRY TO LOOK AT WAGE INFLATION, TO LOOK AT THEIR OPERATIONAL INCREASES.
AND WHEN, WHEN THEIR OPERATIONS GO UP, OUR OPERATIONS, UM, ALSO HAVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, REFLECT THAT.
AND SO AS EARLY AS YESTERDAY, THE MEHERON RIVER REGIONAL JAIL AUTHORITY WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST SWINGS IN THE BUDGET, POTENTIALLY.
WE MET FOR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF HOURS TO WORK OUT, UM, WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A GOOD COMPROMISE FOR FY 24.
THE BOARD DOESN'T MEET, UM, UNTIL ABOUT ANOTHER MONTH TO VOTE ON THAT.
BUT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FEELS LIKE IT CAN MAKE STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WON'T HAVE ADVERSE IMPACTS ON MECKLENBURG,
[01:10:01]
UH, BRUNSWICK AND DUNWOODY WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.UM, AND THEN AGAIN, ANOTHER PART OF OUR APPROACH WAS JUST THIS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE KNEW REVENUE WAS FLAT, OPERATIONAL INCREASES WERE UP NO NEW REVENUE STREAMS. SO WE HAD TO LOOK AT OVERALL AN, AN INTENSE EVALUATION OF ALL OF OUR COUNTY SPENDING, WHICH WE DID THAT.
AND SO, I'M, I'M, I'M PROUD TO SAY IN THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PRESENTING TO YOU THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS, UM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TRIM THAT BACK ACCORDINGLY, JUST TO BE ABLE TO DO THE THINGS THAT, THAT, UM, I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU, UH, IN A, IN A MINUTE ABOUT NOW.
WHAT THAT ALSO MEANT WAS THAT WE HAD TO CHANGE THE WAY WE WERE DOING BUSINESS IN SOME AREAS.
THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT COUNTY DEPARTMENTS OR PARTNERS, UM, WANTED THAT THEY, THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET WITH THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
AND IN SOME CASES, THAT MEANS DEFERRING SOME OF OUR INITIATIVES TO, UM, MAYBE FUTURE FISCAL YEARS.
BUT WE, WE BELIEVE, AGAIN, OVERALL THAT WE'VE GOT A GOOD BUDGET BEFORE YOU.
UM, SO WHAT IS IN THE BUDGET? SO WE, WE DID COME BACK WITH A 5% ON INCREASE TO ALL COUNTY, UM, STAFF POSITIONS AS WELL AS STATE SUPPORTED AND ADMINISTERED POSITION.
SO OUR, OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, DSS POSITIONS.
UM, AND AGAIN, ALL COUNTY POSITIONS WOULD, WOULD RECEIVE THAT FIVE.
THAT FIVE IS ACTUALLY BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO ASPECTS.
ONE, IT'S ACTUALLY A SCALE ADJUSTMENT ABOUT 2.63%, AND THEN THE REMAINING 2.37% WOULD BE A STEP ADJUSTMENT.
SO THE IMPORTANT PIECE ABOUT THE SCALE IS WHEN THE SCALE MOVES, UM, ALSO STARTING COMPENSATION WOULD MOVE WITH IT.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT RECRUITMENT OF NEW, UH, NEW POSITIONS AND, AND STARTING SALARIES ARE TO BE COMPETITIVE TO THE REGION.
WE KNOW WE DID OUR CLASS IN COMPENSATION.
WE WERE KIND OF MIDDLE OF THE PACK, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, UM, IN JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS WHERE WE'RE LAST.
AND THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU AT THE BUDGET MEETINGS, UM, SO THAT, THAT FIVE PERCENT'S IN PLACE.
AND WE WERE FORTUNATE THIS YEAR NOT TO HAVE ANY INCREASES IN OUR HEALTH INSURANCE SO THAT THAT 5% WOULD, WOULD TRULY BE A 5%.
UM, THAT'S THE FIRST TIME IN A WHILE.
WE'VE HAD ZERO, UH, PERCENT ADJUSTMENT WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTH INSURANCE.
SO WHERE, WHERE ARE WE INVESTING IN INVESTING THE NEW FUNDS? UM, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THIS REWORK THAT WE DID WITH OPERATIONAL REVIEW, UH, ONE WAS JUST, JUST THIS YEAR ABOVE ALL YEARS WAS JUST REAL COMMITMENT TO, TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND SO, UM, IF YOU REMEMBER BACK FROM THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS, ONE OF THE KEY AREAS THERE WAS FIRE AND EMS. AND SO CHIEF HALE PRESENTED TO YOU, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT OVERALL STAFFING PLAN THAT, IF YOU REMEMBER, IS MULTI-YEAR.
IT'S NOT JUST ONE YEAR, IT'S MULTI-YEAR.
BUT THE FIRST BIG STEP WAS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FIRE AND EMS, UH, HIRING OF NINE NEW EMPLOYEES TO HELP US WITH, UM, OUR FIRE AND EMS SIDE.
SO THAT BEING SAID, THAT THAT'S IN THE BUDGET.
WE HAD A REQUEST FOR TWO NEW DEPUTY SHERIFFS.
YOU WERE PROUD TO SAY THAT, THAT THOSE TWO POSITIONS AND THE POLICE CARS TO GO WITH THEM AND THE UNIFORMS AND WHATNOT, UH, ARE IN THE BUDGET.
THERE WAS SOME, AGAIN, WHILE WE'RE TALKING PUBLIC SAFETY ON CALL PAY FOR ANIMAL CONTROL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALSO BEEN INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, UM, PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
WE JUST, WE JUST, UM, ARE STARTING, I GUESS WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING SOON OUR OVERALL COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE, OUR COMP PLAN UPDATE.
AND ONE OF THE, THE PIECES WITH THAT, IF YOU LOOK AT STAFFING FOR OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WE'RE LESS STAFFED TODAY THAN WHEN I STARTED IN DIM WOODY, UM, NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO.
BUT, SO WE REALLY FELT LIKE THE PLANNER POSITION THAT WAS BEING PROPOSED WAS NEEDED.
YOUR PLANNING COMMISSION, YOUR COLLEAGUES ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION REALLY SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF NEEDING ANOTHER PLANNING POSITION SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SOME OF THOSE ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF THE COMP PLAN BECOME A REALITY.
SO THAT, THAT'S FUNDED IN THE BUDGET.
UM, OTHER SALARY OR AND WHATNOT WAS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE ONE TIME WHEN A BOARD IS GOING OUTTA OFFICE AND A NEW BOARD IS COMING IN THE INTO OFFICE AFTER AN ELECTION THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR ACTUAL SALARIES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
THOSE INCREASES HAD BEEN PUT IN THE BUDGET.
ALSO, IT WAS ASKED BY THE BOARD TO LOOK AT, AT SOME OF OUR PARTNERS THAT SERVE ON BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND AUTHORITIES.
AND SO THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY TO BE RECOGNIZED IN OUR PLANNING COMMISSION, OUR BZA AND OUR IDA, UM, TO BE A PART OF THAT.
UH, OUTSIDE AGENCIES, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WE'RE FORTUNATE TO SUPPORT, UM, I THINK ANN, IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 2030 OUTSIDE AGENCIES TODAY, I THINK WAS THE LAST DAY OF OUTSIDE AGENCY
[01:15:01]
REPORTS.UM, SO YOU'VE GOTTEN TO SEE THE PLETHORA OF THOSE THAT WE PARTNER WITH.
AND SO I'M, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT FOR, UM, THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST LEVEL FUNDED, MOST OF THOSE IS, THERE WAS A FEW THAT ASKED FOR OPERATIONAL INCREASES.
UM, THOSE THAT WE FELT LIKE WE COULD JUSTIFY, WE, WE DID PUT IN THE BUDGET.
THERE ARE A FEW THAT, THAT WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE COULD PARTNER WITH THIS YEAR FOR THE INCREASES.
BUT AGAIN, IN TOUGH BUDGET YEARS, YOU, YOU KIND OF DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.
UM, AND IF WE SAW GOOD RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT, WE PUT THE FUNDS IN THE BUDGET TO DO THAT.
UM, INTERNAL CAPITAL, THE, THE SYSTEMATIC REPLACEMENT OF, OF SMALLER THINGS LIKE CARS AND, UH, OTHER PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, WE, WE DEFERRED ALL THAT.
SO IF YOU'RE, IF YOU RECALL ANY TYPE OF REPLACEMENT VEHICLE, WE, WE DECIDED THAT THIS ISN'T THE YEAR TO DO THAT.
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO DRIVE THOSE VEHICLES A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET PROFESSIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT.
IF IT WAS TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF VIRGINIA, UH, WE FROZE THAT SO THAT THAT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, DO IN FY 24.
AGAIN, IF IT'S ONGOING TRAINING WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH, YOU KNOW, WE WILL LOOK FAVORABLY UPON THAT.
BUT ANY OUTSIDE TRAVEL, WE, WE TOOK THOSE FUNDS OUT OF THE BUDGET.
YOUR GENERAL REASSESSMENT, AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE $400,000 FOR THAT.
OUR PLAN, LIKE WE DID LAST TIME WE DID A REASSESSMENT, IS TO TAKE THAT OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND RESERVES.
AND, YOU KNOW, BEING THAT'S A ONE TIME, YOU KNOW, WE DID IT ONCE EVERY SIX YEARS, NEXT TIME IT'S GONNA BE MORE THAN OR SHORTER THAN SIX YEARS.
UH, BUT THIS TIME AROUND WE FELT COMFORTABLE TAKING THAT OUT OF RESERVES THAT, THAT 400 AND KNOWING THAT NEXT YEAR YOU PROBABLY HAVE ANOTHER, UM, SMALLER AMOUNT THAT NEEDS TO COME OUT OF, OUT OF THE BUDGET TO PAY FOR THAT TRANSFERS, WHICH IS ANOTHER BIG PIECE OF THAT.
UM, WE LOOK AT OUR, OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND SO WE WERE, LAST TIME WE WERE TO TALK, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT COULD BE DONE FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND AT THAT POINT WE WERE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY LEVEL FUNDING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHY THIS IS SO FLUID, EVEN AS LAST NIGHT, FIVE 30 QUARTER SIX, I CAME INTO MS. TON'S OFFICE, WE WERE STILL GETTING SOME UPDATED INFORMATION FROM THE COMMISSIONER REVENUE.
UM, AND WITH THAT, WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GIVE AT LEAST $200,000 TO THE, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THIS YEAR, UM, WHICH WOULD CONTINUE OUR INVESTMENT.
AND, UM, AGAIN, I, WE, I THINK WE, THE HOPE AND INTENT, OBVIOUSLY THOSE FUNDS WOULD GO OVER TO THE SCHOOLS IF IT'S THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH US LOOKING AT GOING TO 5%, THE HOPE WOULD BE THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STATE'S GONNA END UP DOING, WHETHER IT'S FIVE, SIX, OR SEVEN.
UM, HOPEFULLY IT WOULDN'T BE ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT, BUT AT LEAST THIS, THIS AMOUNT WOULD BE ABLE TO GO TOWARDS HOPEFULLY, UM, MATCHING SOME OF THE NON SOQ FUNDED POSITIONS TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, WHEN YOU'RE ONLY GROWING 2% REVENUE GROWTH, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FULFILL, YOU REMEMBER THE REQUEST CAME IN WAS ABOUT 2.8 MILLION, WHICH GREATLY EXCEEDS THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY.
AND I WILL, UM, IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS, WE FINALIZE THE, THE, UH, ACTUAL, UM, ADVERTISEMENT.
UM, I WILL THEN START TO DISSEMINATE THE ACTUAL INDIVIDUAL DETAILS, BUT THAT'S KIND OF JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, WITH THE BUDGET ITSELF.
NOW, FY 24 CIP, UM, IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT STORY.
I, I WILL HAVE IT BALANCED OR FIGURED OUT WHAT, WHAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND BY TOMORROW.
UH, BUT THAT, THAT'S ANOTHER WORK IN PROGRESS.
IT'S, UM, IF YOU REMEMBER, THERE WAS A REQUEST OF NEARLY $7 MILLION.
UM, AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU'RE NOT GROWING, BUT, BUT JUST OVER 2% AND, AND LOOKING AT WHERE WE ARE FUND BALANCE WISE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL HOW MUCH CASH, UH, WE PAY AS FAR AS, UH, YOU KNOW, A, A COUNTY AT ONE TIME.
I LOOKED AT THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
WE, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE HAD A YEAR, WHICH WE USE A LOT OF FEDERAL MONEY, BUT IF YOU TAKE THAT OUT, WE'VE BEEN SPENDING SOMEWHERE AROUND TWO, TWO AND A HALF TO 3 MILLION.
UM, YEAH, THIS YEAR WE'RE 400,000 COMING OUT OF, ALREADY, COMING OUT FOR THE REASSESSMENT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE US GOING TOO TOO HIGH WITH OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF YOU JUST DID SCHOOL BUSES, AMBULANCES, UM, POLICE CARS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 1.7 MILLION THERE.
AND WE, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE IN THE TWO AND A HALF RANGE, UH, IF MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT, BUT, BUT NOT TOO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
SO WE'LL HAVE, BE ABLE TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON IT, UM, COMING UP.
SO JUST, JUST WANTED TO, TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE WERE WITH THE BUDGET.
AND NOW I'M GONNA TRANSITION TO, UH,
[01:20:01]
OVER AT WOCK CREEK, WHICH IS A, A CREEK, A MAIN CREEK OFF OF LAKE CHEIN.UH, THERE WAS, THE COUNTY WAS APPROACHED, I GUESS ALMOST DURING COVID, UH, WITH LOOKING AT THAT PARTICULAR COVE AND CREEK.
THAT MEAN THAT LEADS TO THE MAIN LAKE OF DOING, UM, A NO WAKE ZONE THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
IF YOU RECALL, UM, WE HAD A, A BOAT ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON THE MAIN LAKE THAT, THAT'S STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION, THAT'S NOT TOO FAR FROM THIS LOCATION, BUT, BUT JUST A COUPLE COVES OVER.
UM, SO WE, WE REENGAGED WITH THE CITIZENS.
WE HAD A TOWN HALL MEETING WITH MS. E BONNER AND, AND DR. MOORE, SOME OF THOSE CITIZENS CAME TO THAT MEETING AND, AND ASKED THAT WE LOOK AGAIN AT THE, AT WOCK CREEK.
UM, SO WOCK CREEK GOES TO, UM, WOCK MARINA, WHICH IS THE ONLY MARINA ON LAKE CHEIN THAT SELLS, UH, GAS.
SO IF YOU'RE DRIVING A BOAT ON LAKE CHE, AND UNLESS YOU BOUGHT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THEN BROUGHT YOUR BOAT THERE, YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE GETTING GAS ON THE LAKE, YOU'RE GETTING IT AT WHIP KNOT MARINA.
SO IT'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.
THERE'S A BLIND CURVE ON ONE PART OF WHIP KNOT CREEK THAT HAS AN ISLAND ON ONE SIDE.
AND SO THE CITIZENS HAD CONCERNS OF, OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO GET THOSE BUOYS PUT IN PLACE THAT WOULD SLOW PEOPLE DOWN AT THE ISLAND LOCATIONS.
SO WE HAD A MEETING, DR. MOORE, MYSELF, THESE CONCERNED CITIZENS, AND ROBERT WILSON WITH THE APPOMATTOX RIVER WATER AUTHORITY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THERE.
AND WHAT IT WAS DETERMINED OUTTA THAT MEETING WAS TWO OR THREE BUOYS COULD BE PUT IN PLACE IN, IN ANTICIPATION OF, UM, THIS UPCOMING SPRING AND SUMMER MORE ACTIVITY ON THE LAKE.
AND MAYBE THAT WOULD GET PEOPLE TO SLOW DOWN, ESPECIALLY AS THEY, THEY GET TO THE MAIN LAKE.
SO WE WORKED WITH, UM, THE WATER AUTHORITY.
THEY ACTUALLY INSTALLED, UH, THREE BUOYS, UH, ON I BELIEVE MAY, UH, MARCH 8TH IS WHEN THOSE WERE PUT INTO PLACE, SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO THAT DATE.
UH, SINCE THAT TIME, SOME CITIZENS HAD QUESTIONED DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES, SPECIFICALLY OF THOSE BUOYS AND THE ENFORCEABILITY OF THOSE.
AND SO WE WERE CONTACTED BY, UH, THE WATER AUTHORITY WHO HAD A CONVERSATION WITH, UH, ONE OF THE OFFICERS OF, UM, WILDLIFE RESOURCES AND SAID, IF THE BOARD HAD THE DESIRE FOR THAT ORGANIZATION TO ENFORCE IT, THAT YOU REALLY NEEDED TO PASS A, AN ORDINANCE TO DO SUCH AND HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ASSOCIATED WITH, WITH GETTING THAT DONE.
SO I'VE TALKED TO DR. MOORE ABOUT THAT.
UM, JUST WANTED TO MENTION THIS TO YOU ALL TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, THAT AT A UPCOMING MEETING THAT WOULD TAKING PLACE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, AND THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME TYPE OF, UM, ADOPTION IF IT'S THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD.
SO THE IMMEDIATE GOAL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY WAS GET PEOPLE TO SLOW DOWN.
THOSE BUOYS ARE IN PLACE TO DO THAT FOR NO WAKE.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU WANT THE ENFORCEABILITY SIDE, THAT THEY'D BE ABLE TO WRITE TICKETS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE AFTER A HEARING AND AN ADOPTION ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UM, SO JUST, JUST AGAIN, JUST WANNA MENTION THAT MS. SOUTH, I, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, OR DID I DO A YOU DID A GREAT JOB COVERING IT, MR. MASSING.
THE ONE SLIGHT CHANGE THERE IS, AFTER TALKING TO THE STATE, THEY BELIEVE THAT JUST A RESOLUTION IS NECESSARY.
ALTHOUGH IT HAS TO BE A RESOLUTION WITH NOTICE AND A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO I THINK THE PROCESS THAT YOU GO FORWARD, FORWARD WITH WOULD BE LIKE THAT OF AN ORDINANCE, BUT ACTUALLY THE END PRODUCT COULD OPTIONALLY BE JUST A RESOLUTION AS OPPOSED TO AN ORDINANCE.
AND THEY, THEY BELIEVE THAT WOULD GIVE IT ENFORCEABILITY.
SO AGAIN, WHAT THIS DOES IS SLOW PEOPLE DOWN AS THEY, UM, COME OFF OF THE MAIN LAKE, GO INTO THIS, THE WOCK CREEK, OR AS YOU'RE LEAVING WOCK CREEK GOING ONTO THE MAIN LAKE, THERE HAD BEEN SOME DISCUSSION OF WHETHER THE WHOLE WHIP OR NOT CREEK AREA NEEDED TO, TO BE NO WAY.
IT, WHAT YOU'RE DOING THEN IS YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALMOST A, WHAT, WHAT THEN GOES FROM JUST A FIVE, SIX MINUTE SLOW DOWN TO OVER 25 MINUTES, SLOW DOWN IF YOU WERE TO GO NO, WAKE, THAT WHOLE DISTANCE, THAT'S NOT WHAT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT.
AGAIN, IT'S JUST THE, THE SPECIFIC H UH, NATURE OF, OF OUT THERE AT, UM, THE MAIN LAKE AND WHIP CREEK.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE, MOVE FORWARD AS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SUGGESTED, LOOK AT A RESOLUTION AND, AND GET THAT, UH, BEFORE YOU WITH THE APPROPRIATE, UH, HEARING.
SO LAST TWO THINGS I WANT TO JUST MENTION.
UM, SO THE LAST FEW MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN A YOUNG LADY BESIDE ME, AND HER NAME IS JAMAICA WEAVER.
SO JAMAICA, IF YOU COULD JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO JAMAICA'S BEEN SHADOWING ME
[01:25:02]
FOR, UH, A FEW WEEKS NOW, AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW JAMAICA, I THINK MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW HER, BUT SHE, SHE'S A SENIOR AT DEWINE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, AND DON'T CRINGE VIRGINIA TECH FOLKS, BUT SHE HAS COMMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA AND JAMAICA.YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT BOTH ANNE HOWERTON AND TYLER SOUTH HALL ARE GRADUATES OF UVA.
SO WE, WE ACCEPT BOTH HERE, BUT JAMAICA IS GONNA BE GOING TO UVA, I THINK CONCENTRATING, MAJORING IN, UH, PUBLIC POLICY.
SO WE HAD, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I'VE, I'VE SPENT SOME TIME WITH JAMAICA OVER THE YEARS.
UM, SHE'S BEEN, UH, IN THE GIFTED PROGRAM.
SHE'S DONE SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS, BEEN A LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH THE, WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND, UH, I CAN TRULY TELL YOU, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMEONE THAT POTENTIALLY COULD CHANGE THE WORLD, UH, JAMAICA WEAVER HAS THAT, THAT SKILL SET ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
IT'S BEEN, SHE MAY THINK IT'S BEEN BEEN HER PLEASURE, BUT IT'S BEEN MY PLEASURE TO HAVE HER SHADOWING ME.
AND, AND EVEN WHEN SHE GOES TO UVA, WE'RE GONNA BE ROOTING FOR HER BACK HOME BECAUSE SHE'S GONNA DO, AGAIN, SHE'S GONNA DO SOME PHENOMENAL THINGS.
AND LASTLY, I WANTED TO, TO RECOGNIZE A NEW FACE IN THE CROWD.
AND SO, STEPHANIE CHRISTMAS IS HERE.
STEPHANIE, IF YOU COULD JUST WAVE SO THOSE THAT, THAT MAYBE HAVEN'T MET STEPHANIE, SHE STARTED YESTERDAY AND WE'RE SO PLEASED THAT SHE CAME BACK AGAIN TODAY,
BUT SHE, SHE, STEPHANIE COMES FROM, UH, CHESTERFIELD COUNTY WHERE SHE'S MOST RECENTLY HIRED, AND SHE'S BEEN A GIS PROFESSIONAL OVER IN CHESTERFIELD.
AND YOU ALL KNOW WE, WHEN, WHEN I FIRST CAME TO DEWIN 20 YEARS AGO, WE HAD A GIS POSITION, UM, WITH BUDGET CUTS AND OTHER THINGS.
LATER IN YEARS IT WOULD GO AWAY AND WE OUTSOURCED IT.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN, UM, VERY MUCH WANTING YOUR SERVICES FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE WERE SO GLAD YOU CAME BACK THE SECOND DAY, BUT EVEN MORE PROUD THAT, THAT OVER THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS IN YOUR CAREER HERE IN DEWINE COUNTY, WHAT A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE YOU'RE GONNA MAKE TOO.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, GISS IS A PART OF ALMOST EVERYTHING THESE DAYS.
AND SO WE, WE, AGAIN, THANK YOU.
WELCOME TO DEWINE COUNTY OFFICIALLY YES.
WANTED THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO GET A, A FACE WITH THE NAME.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR, YOUR TIME WITH US, STEPHANIE.
WE APPRECIATE IT OKAYS, MR. MASS.
SINCE WE'RE RECOGNIZING FOLKS TODAY, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE KAITLYN GERARDI, WHO HAS BEEN INTERNING WITH ME THIS YEAR.
AND YOU'VE SEEN HER IN A NUMBER OF YOUR, YOUR BOARD MEETINGS.
UM, SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB FOR US.
SHE, TOO IS GRADUATING THIS MAY, I GUESS, AND GOING TO RANDOLPH MACON COLLEGE.
AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO HER DOING GREAT THINGS.
I THINK, I THINK EVEN AFTER SPENDING TIME WITH ME AND MR. CHAP, SHE SAYS SHE'S STILL INTERESTED IN BEING AN ATTORNEY
AND SPECIFICALLY, I, I WANT TO THANK HER FOR HER, HER WORK AND BEING ANOTHER EYES READING THE COMP PLAN.
UM, SHE'S, SHE'S READ OVER THAT AND, AND HAS JUST EXCELLENT EDITORIAL, UH, SKILLS AND, AND IS A GIFTED WRITER.
SO WE WANT, WE APPRECIATE HER CONTRIBUTION THERE AND IN OTHER WAYS AS WELL.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
WELL, WE'LL MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS,
[10. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
AND I'LL START WITH MS. BONNER.UM, I THINK KEVIN SAID A WHOLE LOT HERE.
SO, UH,
UM, THE, UM, THE, IN THE INTERNS, THE, THE NEW HIRE AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND I WILL SAY, UM, THE YOUNG LADY HERE WAS JAMAICA.
YEAH, YEAH, SHE WAS, UM, WE HAD GOVERNMENT DAY AND SHE WAS AT MY TABLE, SO SHE'S SO SMART, THAT'S WHY.
AND, UM,
AND, AND THE YOUNG LADY AS WELL.
UM, THE, UM, INDIVIDUALS, UM, PASTOR CAR AND KEITH JONES, THEY LEFT.
I WAS GONNA, UM, YOU KNOW, TALK TO THEM.
THEY, UM, REAL PASSIONATE ABOUT THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE AIRBNB, SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE, UM, ALSO LOOKING AT AS WELL AS, UM, UH, UH, WILLOW JONES THAT WAS WITH THEM, HER, HER, UM, FAMILY MEMBER.
SO SOME, THEY REALLY WANNA CONCENTRATE ON TOURISM, GIVING PEOPLE AN OPTION, SOMETHING, UH, DIFFERENT TO, UM, TO VISIT AND MAYBE STAY AT.
SO I THINK THAT'S, UM, IT'S A GOOD PLUS BECAUSE THEY'RE INTEREST INTERESTED IN PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT, AS MS. BURTON SAID, PEOPLE VISITING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SHE SAID, YEAH, SHE SAID, MS. BURTON JUST TALKED ABOUT WHAT SHE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.
[01:30:01]
I THINK IT'S GOOD, YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN PEOPLE COME WITH A PLAN OR A DIFFERENT OPTION, SOMETHING THEY WANT TO DO IN THE COUNTY, WHICH IS GREAT.AND, UM, ALSO, UM, THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, AS, UH, KEVIN SAID IS, IS, IS SOMETHING ELSE.
AND HOPEFULLY, UM, THE STATE DOES MOVE FASTER.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THEM, BUT, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE A BUDGET, YOU HAVE TO TRY TO STICK TO IT, AND YOU JUST HAVE TO TRY TO DO THE BEST THAT YOU CAN.
BUT, UM, AS, AS INDI AS INDIVIDUALS ALWAYS SAY, THIS TOO SHALL PASS AND MOVE FORWARD.
SO I'M GONNA LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING MORE MONEY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M GONNA BANK ON.
AND, UH, THE LAST THING IS, UM, OF COURSE THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER PROCLAMATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE THING ABOUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE KNOW WE PRAY EVERY DAY IT, BUT TO SET ASIDE A DAY TO BE RECOGNIZED, I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT THING.
IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE.
AND OF COURSE, UM, MAY 4TH AT THE COMPLEX, LOOKING FORWARD TO PEOPLE COMING AND BEING A PART OF THAT.
JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE TO GET THE, UH, INFORMATION OUT SO PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT.
AND, UM, JUST CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE AND KNOW THAT, UM, WE ARE HERE BECAUSE OF ONE GREAT PERSON.
SO WE ARE GOING TO LOOK TOWARDS THAT AND JUST, UH, KEEP, UM, NOT GOING TO SEPARATE CHURCH AND STATE.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP PRAYING TO DO WELL AND, AND GOING, UH, FORWARD.
UH, THAT AIRBNB THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, I KNOW WE HAD BROUGHT IT UP IN A WORKSHOP SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, AND I MEAN, THERE IS SOME ISSUES WITH IT THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS IN DEMAND AND, UH MM-HMM.
SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO KIND OF MAKE IT WORK, ESPECIALLY WITH HAZARDS IN RURAL AREAS MM-HMM
WITH THE SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND ALL.
SO, UH, IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.
AND THE OTHER THING WAS, THIS HAS BEEN, THIS IS MY 36TH BUDGET THAT I'VE HAD CLERK WITH AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE TOP FIVE YEAH.
UH, I KNOW ONE, THE, NOT THE TOP, THE ONE THAT WE HAD, THE FORMER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR USED TO SIGN THE CHECKS FOR FRED INC.
SO WE'RE NOT THAT BAD YET, SO
BUT, UH, YEAH, IT'S BEEN A TOUGH BUDGET YEAR.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I'M GLAD TO SEE, WE HAVE A GIS EMPLOYEE FOR US.
I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF MY, ONE OF MY TOP COMPLAINTS OR CONCERNS FROM PEOPLE.
THEY SAID, THEY LOOK AT THE GIS MAP AND SAY, THAT MAP'S NOT RIGHT.
BE GLAD TO GET THOSE MAPS STRAIGHTENED OUT.
UM, FIRST, UM, APPRECIATE MARTHA COMING AND SHE, SHE, UM, DEFINITELY FROM A, UM, TOBACCO FARM AND DENWOODY COUNTY, UM, SHE, UM, SHE DOES A GREAT JOB AND, AND I'LL TELL ONE STORY, AND THAT'S ALL I'M GOOD FOR THESE DAYS IS STORIES, BUT, UM, HUGH JONES, UM, WHO, UH, IS PART OF RICHLAND CREAMERY, UM, AND WE GO ON HOKEY, UM, FOOTBALL TRIPS, WHICH JAMAICA, YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, UM, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE COMING TO THIS AREA AND THEN DOING ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER THING, TO ANOTHER THING, AND ALWAYS ENDS WITH ICE CREAM.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, HE, THEY'RE VERY, UM, PARTIAL TO WHAT POT DOES FOR THEIR BUSINESS.
SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S AN INTERESTING, UM, HOW PEOPLE WANT TO DO MULTIPLE THINGS WHEN THEY COME TO AN AREA.
UM, THE SECOND, AND I TELL THIS STORY EVERY TIME, AND I WON'T TELL IT AS, UM, TOUCH ON IT AS MUCH, BUT
THEY DIDN'T WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, BUT THEY WENT TO REGIONALS THAT YEAR THAT THEY PLAYED.
UM, AND THEY HAVE, UM, A LOT OF GOOD SPORTS AT RICHARD BLAND, AND THAT JUST MAKES THAT COLLEGE EXPERIENCE, UM, THAT MUCH BETTER.
UM, I TOO WILL TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, UH, AND I TOLD KEVIN THIS THIS AFTERNOON AND, UH, I KIND OF COMPARE THIS, UM, BUDGET CYCLE TO WHEN MY SON CAMERON TURNED 16.
AND SO, UH, WE WENT THROUGH THE FAMILY BUDGET PROCESS AND AT THE END WE OFFERED CAMERON
[01:35:01]
A 92 BUICK CENTURY OR PAIR TENNIS SHOES, ONE OF THE TWO.HE TOOK THE BUICK CENTURY TO DRIVE TO SCHOOL
UM, BUT HE WANTED, UH, HE ACTUALLY WANTED AN F TWO 50 PICKUP TRUCK, LIKE A 2008 OR SOMETHING.
SO, UM, I, I KIND OF FEEL LIKE WE ARE, WE'RE ALL IN THE 92 BUICK THIS YEAR, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT OF NEXT YEAR.
WELL I GOT A BUNCH TO TALK ABOUT.
THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS IS GONNA BE EXTREMELY BUSY.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE'VE GOT GOING FORWARD.
UH, FIRST LET ME JUST SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUDGETS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE UNTIL YOU HAVE TO ROLL YOUR SLEEVE UP AND YOU GOTTA FIND A MILLION DOLLARS HERE, A MILLION DOLLARS THERE.
UM, WHEN YOU HAVE FLAT REVENUE, IT'S JUST LIKE YOUR HOME.
YOU, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU CAN EXPEND IT, THOSE MONIES ON IT.
THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU'VE GOT TO PAY THE BILLS.
AND, UH, WE'VE ALWAYS PRIDED OUR OURSELF ON OUR PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S US OR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE VALUE THOSE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR US.
AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, AS WELL AS A COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, THAT IS A PRIORITY THAT THIS BOARD HAS, HAS BEEN COMMITTED IN.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE COMMITTED GOING FORWARD, WHETHER IT BE THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT DO THAT JOB OR THE APPARATUS THAT IT TAKES TO DO THE JOB.
AND, UH, SO THANK YOU TO MS. HARTON AND, AND, AND MR. MASSAL FOR THE, THE, UM, BURNING OF THE MIDNIGHT OIL.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT FINISHED, BUT WE'RE, IT'LL A WHOLE LOT BETTER TODAY THAN WE WERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, SO THANK YOU.
UM, OF COURSE TEEN EXPO COMING UP THIS COMING WEEKEND AT RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE.
OUR PARTNER, THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING WHEN TERRELL CAME UP.
BUT, UH, MS. BONNER AND I HAVE, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THIS SINCE THE BEGINNING.
SO THAT'S THIS SATURDAY, EIGHT O'CLOCK AT, UH, IN THE, UM, GYMNASIUM I THINK IS WHERE WE'LL HAVE REGISTRATION AT THERE.
240 STUDENTS, UH, ARE REGISTERED.
WE'VE GOT 103 PARENTS AND SO THE WEATHER'S SUPPOSED TO BE PRETTY DURING THE MORNING.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET IT IN BEFORE MAYBE SOME SHOWERS ARE GONNA COME IN THE EVENING.
UH, LAST WEEK WAS A, UM, AN IMPORTANT WEEK.
WE HAD A COUPLE OF RECOGNITIONS THAT KIND OF, UM, PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR US ON A DAILY BASIS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED, AND THAT'S A NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATIONS APPRECIATION WEEK, AS WELL AS OUR NATIONAL ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER APPRECIATION WEEK.
I KNOW THEY HAD SOME EVENTS THAT, UM, WERE RELATED TO THOSE, BUT THAT'S YOUR 9 1 1 PEOPLE.
THAT'S YOUR ANIMAL CONTROL PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE JOB 24 7, 7 DAYS A WEEK.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE JOB THAT THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, UNITY WORSHIP SERVICE THAT IS THIS COMING, UH, SUNDAY AT ROCKY BRANCH BAPTIST CHURCH, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT, THAT'S ABOUT A HALF A MILE FROM THE SUTHERLANDS CITY LIMITS, I'LL SAY.
UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AT THREE O'CLOCK.
UH, IT'S COORDINATED BETWEEN THE ITY COUNTY, UH, FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE AND DENWOODY COUNTY ITSELF.
UM, WE'LL HAVE TWO SPEAKERS ON THAT DAY.
WE HAD THE INAUGURAL ONE WAS LAST FALL, RIGHT.
AND IT WAS AT WESTERN HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH.
AND WE HAD A PACKED HOUSE AND I ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL HAVE A PACKED HOUSE THIS TIME WITH OVER 80, UH, HOUSES OF WORSHIP IN DITY COUNTY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE FROM LEBANON, UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND SHARON BAPTIST CHURCH.
WE'LL BE THE TWO SPEAKERS FOR THE DAY.
ALONG WITH THAT, OF COURSE, IS THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, WHICH WILL BE THURSDAY, MAY THE FOURTH, UH, AT THE SPORTS COMPLEX.
AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE AT THE FOOTBALL FIELD.
AM I CORRECT THE SEATING AT THE FOOTBALL FIELD? SO AT SIX 30.
UM, LOOKING, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT A, A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS THAT WILL BE THERE, BUT THE MUSIC IS WHAT I THINK IS GONNA BE, UH, SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL LOOK FORWARD TO.
SO, UH, AND I, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE AS A COUNTY ARE RECOGNIZING NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER AS A COMMUNITY.
THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND ASK FOR GOD'S, UM, DIVINENESS TO BE WITH US.
UM, THEN OF COURSE WE'RE FINISHING UP OUR CITIZENS ACADEMY, WHICH IS ANOTHER WEEK OR SO FROM NOW.
THAT IS GONNA BE, UM, UM, AT THE RAGSDALE CENTER, UH, AT THE END.
I THINK IT'S THE 27TH EVENING.
THE 27TH APRIL, UH, AT RAGSDALE WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE DINNER AND WE'LL HAVE APPRECIATION FOR THOSE CITIZENS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH OUR FIRST CITIZENS ACADEMY.
SO THAT'S BEEN AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAD A, AS A BOARD HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM HERE ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO OR SO.
AND, UM, AND THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT, BUT I KNOW THIS
[01:40:01]
WILL BE A CULMINATION AND OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE LEARNED OVER THE LAST EIGHT TO 10 WEEKS.UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING I'M GONNA END WITH IS TALKING ABOUT RICHLANDS AND THAT ICE CREAM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE A NEW BUSINESS THAT HAS COME INTO SUTHERLAND CALLED THE COOP MARKET.
UH, AND RICHLANDS WILL BE THERE THIS SATURDAY, UH, GRAND OPENING AT 10 O'CLOCK.
AND THEY WILL BE SERVING ICE CREAM, GONNA HAVE MUSIC THAT'LL BE PROVIDED.
SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY IF THEY'LL PROBABLY RUN ALL DAY.
OF COURSE WE'LL BE AT THE, AT THE UH, TEEN EXPO.
BUT I'LL GO THERE WHEN I FINISH AT LUNCHTIME AND GO GET SOME ICE CREAM.
SO MR. LEE, THAT IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND GET SOME RITZ ICE CREAM, UH, ON SATURDAY.
UM, SO IT'S A LOCALLY OWNED INDIVIDUAL, UH, OPERATION AND IT WILL HAVE LOCAL PRODUCE AND VIRGINIA GROWN PRODUCTS THAT WILL BE AT, UH, THERE FOR PURCHASE.
AND, UH, SO COME OUT AND, AND SUPPORT A LOCAL GROWN BUSINESS.
UH, IT IS APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED YARDS FROM THE FRONT DOOR OF OAKLAND UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
SO THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR MARKER.
AND WITH THAT, I THINK WE HAVE A NEED
[11. CLOSED SESSION]
TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.THE BOARD WILL CONVENE INTO A CLOSED SESSION UNDER 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 A ONE.
PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS, BRIGHTPOINT COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 A FIVE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION CONCERNING PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY OR THE EXPANSION OF EXISTING BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY WHERE NO PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS UPDATE 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 A THREE DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION OF THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE OR OF THE DISPOSITION OF PUBLICLY HELD REAL PROPERTY WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN MEETING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE BARGAINING POSITION OR NEGOTIATING STRATEGY OF THE PUBLIC BODY.
ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EMPLOYED OR RETAINED BY A PUBLIC BODY REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS REQUIRING THE PROVISIONAL OF LEGAL ADVICE BY SUCH COUNSEL, BROADBAND ANIMAL SHELTER DONATION, AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 A 29 DISCUSSION OF THE AWARD OF A PUBLIC CONTRACT INVOLVING THE EXPONENTIAL OF PUBLIC FUNDS, INCLUDING INTERVIEWS OR OF BIDDERS OR OFFERS AND DISCUSSION OF THE TERMS OR SCOPE OF SUCH CONTRACT WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN SESSION WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE BARGAINING POSITION OR NEGOTIATING STRATEGY OF THE PUBLIC BODY BROADBAND CONTRACTS.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSE PLEASE? SO MOVED.
WE WILL HAVE, WE MAY HAVE SOME APPOINTMENTS WHEN WE FINISH CLOSED SESSION, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC HEARINGS THIS EVENING, SO WE'LL COME BACK INTO SESSION AFTER THAT, OKAY? OKAY.
WE HAVE A NEED TO COME OUTTA CLOSED SESSION.
WHEREAS THIS BOARD CONVENED IN A CLOSED MEETING UNDER 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 A ONE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS BRIGHT POINT COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 A FIVE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION CONCERNING PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY OR THE EXPANSION OF EXISTING BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY WHERE NO PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS UPDATE AND 2 2 3 7 83 DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION OF THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE OR OF THE DISPOSITION OF PUBLICLY HELD REAL PROPERTY WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN MEETING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE BARGAINING POSITION OR NEGOTIATING STRATEGY OF THE PUBLIC BODY ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
2.2 DASH 3 7 180 8 CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EMPLOYED OR RETAINED BY A PUBLIC BODY REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE BY SUCH COUNSEL, BROADBAND ANIMAL SHELTER DONATION, AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 18 29 DISCUSSION OF THE AWARD OF A PUBLIC CONTRACT INVOLVING THE EXPONENTIAL OF PUBLIC FUNDS, INCLUDING INTERVIEWS OF BIDDERS OR OFFERS AND DISCUSSION OF THE TERMS OR SCOPE OF SUCH CONTRACT OR DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN SESSION WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE BARGAINING POSITION OR NEGOTIATING STRATEGY OF THE PUBLIC BODY BROADBAND CONTRACTS.
AND WHEREAS NO MEMBER HAS MADE A STATEMENT THAT THERE WAS A DEPARTURE FROM THE LAWFUL PURPOSE OF SUCH CLOSED MEETING OR OF THE MATTERS IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION DISCUSSED NOW BE IT CERTIFIED THAT ONLY THOSE MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED IN THE MEETING.
I NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT PLEASE.
SECOND ROLL CALL MR. LEE A MISSY BROWN, BONNER.
[01:45:01]
NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 12,[12.A. Appointments]
OLD AND NEW BUSINESS APPOINTMENTS.AND I DON'T THINK WE EVENING MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, NEXT IS ITEM 13 AND THAT CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD.
IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR THIS SESSION? NO.
MR. CHAIRMAN, UNLESS THERE'S A GHOST THAT WANTS, I'LL OPEN THE CITIZENS COMMENT HERE.
WE'LL CLOSE THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WISH TO HAVE A COMMENT THIS EVENING? ALL RIGHT, I SEE EVERYBODY SHAKING THEIR HEAD NO.
OKAY, THEN THAT LEAVES ONE THING.
I NEED A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.