[00:00:02]
ALRIGHT, YOU READY? YES, SIR.[1. ROLL CALL]
ALL RIGHT.I'LL CALL THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE DEWIT COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
CAN WE GET ROLL CALL MS. EBRA BONNER? HERE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY AMENDMENTS TO
[2. AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA]
TODAY'S AGENDA? YEAH.MR. MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE TWO AMENDMENTS.
UH, FIRST UNDER REPORTS, WE, WE RECEIVED WORD JUST, UM, A LITTLE BIT AGO THAT, THAT CHRISTINA WOODS THAT WAS GONNA PRESENT THE ADOPT A HIGHWAY, UM, FOR VDOT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT.
SHE WAS NOT FEELING UNDER WEATHER.
SO WE'RE GONNA REMOVE THREE C.
UM, BUT ALSO WANT TO ADD AN A ACTION ITEM.
YOU'LL SEE AT YOUR SEATS THERE IS A RESOLUTION FOR SIGNATORY AUTHORITY, AND THAT'S A PROPOSAL FOR GRANT FUNDING FROM THE VIRGINIA OPIOID ABATEMENT AUTHORITY.
AND SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE PRESENTED AFTER THE PROCLAMATION.
UM, SO FOUR B, WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT RESOLUTION.
ANYTHING ELSE? THAT, THAT'S ALL FROM STAFF? ANYTHING FROM SUPERVISORS? IF NOT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO AMEND THE, UM, APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA.
[3.A. Dinwiddie County Emergency Operations Plan]
IS DEITY COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.UM, JUST A QUICK, UM, UPDATE ON THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN, WHICH IS DUE FOR ITS FOUR YEAR ADOPTION IN THE MONTH OF MAY.
UH, SO IT WILL COME FOR ADOPTION.
UM, IT'S YOUR MAY 16TH MEETING FOR AN OFFICIAL VOTE.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE TODAY TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO HIGHLIGHT THE CHANGES AND MAKE SURE YOU GUYS DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, ABOUT THE PLAN BEFORE WE GO FORWARD WITH, GIVE ME A COUPLE OF WEEKS IF THERE ARE TO CHANGE, UH, THE THINGS I SENT YOU THE COMPLETE DOCUMENT ABOUT SEVEN WEEKS AGO, I GUESS ABOUT THEN.
'CAUSE I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA GET THIS IN IN APRIL.
UM, HOPEFULLY YOU'VE HAD TIME TO LOOK AT IT OR TO SEE THE SYNOPSIS OF THE CHANGES.
UM, I WILL SAY, I KNOW THERE'S ONLY TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE EVER READ THAT THING COVER TO COVER.
AND THAT'S ME BECAUSE I'VE WRITTEN IT AND REWRITTEN IT FIVE TIMES NOW IN MY CAREER AND TYLER SOUTH HALL BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE DOES
SO, UM, REAL QUICK, THE PLAN SINCE 2019, UM, THIS PLAN HAS BEEN PUT THROUGH THE RINGER FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT WITH THE FEBRUARY 21ST ICE STORM.
UM, THAT WHERE WE WERE UNDER LOCAL EMERGENCY FOR OVER 10 DAYS, AND WITH COVID-19 WHERE WE WERE UNDER LOCAL EMERGENCY FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS.
UM, THIS PLAN HAS BEEN PUT THROUGH, THROUGH THE RINGER AND PRETTY WELL, UM, FIGURED OUT, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH IT, SO THERE WERE NOT A LOT OF CHANGES.
UM, WE HAD SOME STATUTORY CHANGES THAT REQUIRED, UH, AS THE STATE MORE AND MORE MAKES US FOCUS ON, UH, EQUITY ISSUES AND ON VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
UM, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR SHELTERING PLANS AND OUR EVACUATIONS PLANS FOR THOSE TYPES OF, UM, POPULATIONS.
UM, OURS WAS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE HAD SOME ISSUES IN OUR ANIMAL PROTECTION PLAN, UH, WHICH CHIEF LANGLEY WAS ABLE TO CORRECT PRETTY EASILY AN UPDATE, UM, AND GOT THAT STRAIGHT AS WELL.
AND THEN THE BIGGEST CHANGE I'VE PUT IN THE EMAIL TO YOU GUYS WITH THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT WAS THE FACT THAT, UM, AND WE'VE GOTTEN APPROVAL FROM THE STATE.
MATTER OF FACT, MOST PLACES ARE DOING IT AND WE REMOVED THE ENTIRE RADIOLOGICAL PLAN FROM THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.
UM, WE ARE REQUIRED AS A COUNTY BECAUSE WE GO ABOUT 60% OF THE COUNTY IS WITHIN THE 50 MILE INGESTION PATHWAY FOR SURY NUCLEAR POWER STATION.
SO WE ARE REQUIRED BECAUSE WE ARE IN THAT INGESTION PATHWAY, WHICH IS MAINLY AFFECTS AGRICULTURAL, UM, ISSUES, ANIMALS AND CROPS.
UM, WE ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A, A RA A FEDERALLY, UM, MANDATED RADIOLOGICAL PLAN FOR THE COUNTY.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF RENEWED INTEREST IN THAT, BOTH AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THE STATE LEVEL.
AND WE'VE HAD TO DO TWO MAJOR REVISIONS TO THAT PLAN IN THE LAST, UH, ABOUT 24 MONTHS.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IN THAT PLAN, FREQUENTLY CHANGED.
LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD THAT PLAN IS FREQUENTLY GONNA GET EXERCISED AND CHANGED AS THIS RENEWED INTEREST IN THE NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS HAS COME ABOUT.
UM, WE ASK THE STATE TO JUST REMOVE IT FROM THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN AND MAKE IT ITS OWN PLAN, ITS OWN STANDALONE PLAN SO THAT EVERY TIME IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.
I'M NOT TRYING TO CHANGE A 500 PAGE DOCUMENT IN THE ENTIRE MERCY.
I REALLY LIKE FOR THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN TO KIND OF STAY STABLE.
AND, I MEAN, MAKING MINOR CHANGES IS ONE THING, BUT MAKING MAJOR REWRITES
[00:05:01]
TO SECTIONS OF IT IN THAT FOUR YEAR BLOCK IS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT I PREFER TO DO AND HAVE TO BRING IT BACK HERE AND HAVE YOU APPROVE IT ALL AGAIN.UM, WE DID THIS WITH THE HAZMAT PLAN, THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
THAT PLAN GETS UPDATED ALMOST ANNUALLY AS WE CHANGE BUSINESSES AND BUSINESSES MOVE IN AND OUTTA THE COUNTY WITH DIFFERENT HAZARDOUS MATERIAL COMMODITIES THAT WE HAVE TO OVERSEE.
WE TOOK THE HAZMAT PLAN OUT OF THE EMERGENCY OPERAT SO THAT IT CAN JUST BE UPDATED AS WE SEE FIT ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
AND IT JUST KEEPS IT BETTER, UH, MORE CURRENT AND IT'S BETTER AND EASIER FOR US TO WORK WITH.
SO IF YOU LOOK AND YOU SAY, HEY, IN 2019 YOU HAD THIS WHOLE SECTION ON RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCIES, THAT'S GONE.
IT'S NO LONGER HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S JUST IN A SEPARATE PLAN.
ANYBODY WANTS TO READ THAT? I WILL BE GLAD TO FORWARD YOU THAT WHOLE PLAN.
BUT, UM, IT DID GET REMOVED AND THE STATE DID BLESS THAT.
BASICALLY, I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE DOING IT BECAUSE OF THE RATE THAT THAT PLAN IS CHANGING.
SO OTHER THAN THAT, IF YOU, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE WILL, WE WILL BE BACK ON THE 16TH WITH A RESOLUTION THAT ONLY ADOPTS THE PLAN FOR FOUR MORE YEARS AND ALSO GIVES MR. MASSENGALE THE AUTHORITY TO, TO EXECUTE THAT PLAN FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AND PROMULGATE IT BACK OUT TO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE A ROLE WITHIN THE PLAN.
SO IT'LL BE TWO THINGS THAT YOU'LL BE DOING AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS, STAFF? OKAY, WE'RE GOOD? YEAH.
[3.B. Marketing And Tourism Plan]
IS MARKETING AND TOURISM PLAN AND STACY ENGLISH.I THINK ALL OF US HAVE THE, THE PLAN BEFORE YOU, 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'LL BE ON THE SCREENS, SO GOOD AFTERNOON.
HOW ARE Y'ALL TODAY? GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.
SO I HAVE WHAT, TWO HOURS I'M, AND THEN OKAY.
UM, SO THIS, UM, THIS, THE FY 24 MARKETING PLAN WAS DEVELOPED AS A STRATEGIC DOCUMENT TO LEAD OUR MARKETING AND TOURISM OBJECTIVES THROUGH THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM SECTOR, UM, CONTINUES TO GROW, END IN WOODY COUNTY AND HELPS TO SUSTAIN THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
THIS IS A RESULT OF THE, UM, TOURISM TEAM AND THE, UM, DEPARTMENTS THAT HELP US DELIVER OUR, UM, OBJECTIVES.
SO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR PROMISES TO BE OUR MOST EXCEPTIONAL, YET GENERATING POSITIVE RESULTS ACROSS THE BOARD AS WE CONTINUE TO REBOUND FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
SO THE MARKETING STRATEGIES OUTLINED IN THE PLAN WILL HELP THE COUNTY CONTINUE TO RECOVER FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND BUILD UPON THE COUNTY'S TOURISM ASSETS.
THIS PLAN WILL, UM, ALSO OUTLINE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND HOW THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT PLANS TO GROW THE LOCAL ECONOMY BY INCREASING TOURISM REVENUES AND TAXES GENERATED.
SO, UH, DISCOVERED IN WITTY IS, UH, WHAT WE REFER TO, UH, THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT.
IT'S THE BRANDING FOR THE COUNTY, UM, TOURISM DEPARTMENT, UH, WHICH IS FUNDED BY THE LODGING TAX AND THE GENERAL FUND.
THE DEPARTMENT IS STAFFED UNDER COMMUNITY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND HAS ONE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING MANAGER.
BUT WE ARE ASSISTED BY MANY OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
THE PRIMARY MISSION OF DISCOVER DINWOODY IS TO ENHANCE THE ECONOMY OF DINWOODY COUNTY THROUGH TOURISM MARKETING THAT INCREASES BUSINESS REVENUE, TAX REVENUE, AND CREATES TOURISM JOBS.
DISCOVER DENWOODY IS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING AND ELEVATING DENWOODY COUNTY AS A DESTINATION FOR LEISURE TRAVEL.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HISTORY AND ADVENTURE.
WE FURTHER SERVE TO ENSURE TOURISM CONTINUES TO CONTRIBUTE LOCALLY TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL WHO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY HERE.
SO THIS TOURISM PLAN HAS BEEN CRAFTED BY TOURISM STAFF AS A ROADMAP FOR SUCCESS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 24, WITH KNOWLEDGE OF PREVIOUS PLANS AND FUTURE GOALS FOR DENWOODY TOURISM.
THE PLAN WAS CREATED WITH THE FOLLOWING KEY OBJECTIVE OBJECTIVES TO ENSURE A COMMON VISION, VOICE, AND CONSISTENCY IN ALL MESSAGING.
THE KEY OBJECTIVES FOR THIS PLAN INCLUDE BUILDING THE DISCOVER DENWOODY BRAND THROUGH ENGAGING CONTENT DEVELOPMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISCOVER DINWOODY WEBSITE, TOURISM KIOSKS, AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE DISCOVER DINWOODY
[00:10:01]
PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN.UM, THE SECOND IS TO EFFECTIVELY DIFFERENTIATE AND PROMOTE THE DISCOVER DINWOODY BRAND THROUGH ENGAGING IN DIVERSE CONTENT DEVELOPMENT, EXPANDING OUR MARKETING REACH THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE CREATION OF ENGAGING ITINERARIES.
UM, AND THE THIRD IS ATTRACTING DAY TRIP VISITORS THROUGH TARGETED AD CAMPAIGNS AND POSITIONING DINWOODY AS A RETURN VISIT DESTINATION.
AND SO IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THE DISCOVER DINWOODY BRAND AND THE TOURISM EFFORTS OF THE COUNTY, WE FIRST HAVE TO EXAMINE SOME HISTORICAL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH VISITORS IN DINWOODY COUNTY.
SO TOURISM IN DINWOODY COUNTY IS AN ECONOMIC SECTOR THAT DELIVERS REVENUES, EMPLOYMENT, AND TAX BENEFITS.
TOURISM IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF TY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND HERE ARE SOME OF THE FIGURES FROM 2021 RELATED TO DINWOODY COUNTY'S TOURISM SECTOR.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, VISITORS SPENT $19 MILLION IN DINWOODY COUNTY IN 2021, AND THAT ATTRIBUTED TO $850,000 IN LOCAL TAX REVENUES.
AND SO THERE IS SOME, UM, BREAKDOWNS OF WHERE VISITORS SPENT MONEY, INCLUDING FOOD AND BEVERAGE, RETAIL AND OTHERS, AND THEN OUR LODGING AND ADMISSION TAXES, UM, AS WELL AS OUR TOURISM JOBS AND LABOR INCOME FROM TOURISM.
UM, UM, AND SO IN ADDITION TO THE TOURISM SECTOR IN ITY, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE REGIONAL HAPPENINGS THAT WILL AFFECT THE REGIONAL ECONOMY IN TURN AFFECTING DUNWOODY'S LOCAL TOURISM ECONOMY.
UM, THE FORT GREG ADAMS MUSEUM ENCLAVE PROJECT IS ONGOING WITH WORK BEING DONE TO CREATE A SEPARATE ENTRANCE ONTO THE FORT FOR VISITORS TO EASILY ACCESS THE TWO MUSEUMS. THE US ARMY WOMEN'S MUSEUM LOCATED AT THE FORT IS THE ONLY MUSEUM IN THE COUNTRY DEDICATED TO WOMEN'S HISTORY IN THE ARMY.
THIS IS A LARGE DRAW FOR HISTORY TRAVELERS TO OUR REGION.
AND WITH CROSS CROSS PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, WE CAN DRAW THESE TRAVELERS TO DENWOODY COUNTY.
THE GOVERNOR'S PARTNERSHIP FOR PETERSBURG WILL HAVE LARGE IMPACTS ON THE REGION AS A WHOLE, BUT SPECIFICALLY THEIR ENHANCEMENT OF THE ELECTRIC ELECTRIC AMTRAK STATION AND INCREASE TRAIN ROUTES WILL MAKE OUR REGION AND DUNWOODY COUNTY MORE ACCESSIBLE TO VISITORS TRAVELING ALONG THE EAST COAST.
AND LASTLY, WE MAINTAIN GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS, INCLUDING, UM, PETERSBURG AREA REGIONAL TOURISM, VIRGINIA CROSSROADS, AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
UM, THESE ORGANIZATIONS PROMOTE DI COUNTY TO REGIONAL AND NATIONAL AUDIENCES.
AND SO, UM, HERE IS A TOURISM ECONOMY FORECAST WITH DATA PROVIDED BY VIRGINIA TOURISM.
UM, DIY COUNTY CONTINUES TO REBOUND FROM THE PANDEMIC, BUT THE TOURISM ECONOMY HAS NOT YET REACHED PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
SO HERE WE EXAMINE THE HISTORICAL TRENDS OF TOURISM EMPLOYMENT AND VISITOR VISITOR EXPENDITURES THAT WERE GREATLY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC.
OUR VISITOR EXPENDITURE NUMBERS ARE REBOUNDING WELL WHILE THE EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS ARE LAGGING A BIT BEHIND.
UM, LET'S SEE, ALSO, OUR LODGING AND ADMISSIONS TAXES SEEM TO BE REBOUNDING WELL FROM THE PANDEMIC.
VIRGINIA TOURISM HAS A REGIONAL FORECAST FOR THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA REGION THROUGH 2023.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE REGION IS EXPECTED TO GROW IN TOURISM SPENDING AND TOURISM RELATED JOBS.
THE HOTEL ROOM REVENUE, UM, EXPECTED IS AN INCREASE OF $37 MILLION OVER 2019 LEVELS.
ALL OF THESE NUMBERS ARE REGIONAL.
UM, THE OCCUPANCY RATE, UM, IS SHOWING AN INCREASE OF 19% OVER THE 2020 RATE.
AND THE A DR IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE $23 FROM 2020, AND THE REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE $30 OVER 2020 REVENUES.
SO, UM, THE DISCOVER DENWITTY AND THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT WENT THROUGH A TRANSITION, UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 2023 TO IMPLEMENT NEW METHODS OF MARKETING DENWITTY
[00:15:01]
AS A DESTINATION AND NEW METHODS OF TRACKING AND ANALYZING RESULTS FOR MARKETING EFFORTS.SO THIS YEAR WE HAVE WORKED TO INCREASE SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT THROUGH MARKETING COLLATERAL AND CONTENT TO ENGAGE VISITORS AND BRING AWARENESS TO THE DISCOVER DINWOODY BRAND.
THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT IS NOW UTILIZING A MARKETING CONTENT CALENDAR TO ENSURE CONSISTENT POSTING ACROSS DIGITAL CHANNELS AND TO ENSURE THAT CONTENT IS FRESH.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO CREATED A NEW METHOD TO TRACK KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.
UH, SO WE CAN UPDATE THESE ANALYTICS EACH WEEK TO LEARN HOW TO CONTINUOUSLY AND EFFECTIVELY MARKET DWI AS A DESTINATION.
UM, SOME OF THESE ANALYTICS INCLUDE SOCIAL MEDIA REACH, NUMBER OF WEBSITE VISITS, UM, AND THEN ONCE WE IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, STRATEGIES THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER, WE CAN ALSO TRACK, UM, VISITOR BROCHURE REQUEST, E NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS, UM, TOURISM KIOSK VISITORS, AND, UM, OF COURSE OUR TAXES AND VISITOR SPENDING THAT WE GET FROM, UM, FROM THE COUNTY AS WELL AS VIRGINIA TOURISM.
SO, UM, LOOKING AT RESEARCH FROM VIRGINIA TOURISM, WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON FOUR TARGETED AUDIENCES, UM, DAY VISITORS, HISTORY TRAVELERS, ENTERTAINMENT AND AMUSEMENT TRAVELERS AND FAMILY FUN TRAVELERS.
EACH OF THESE AUDIENCES WILL FIND SOMETHING TO CAPTURE THEIR WONDERLUST AND DENWOODY COUNTY.
WHAT ALL OF THESE TARGET MARKETS HAVE IN COMMON IS THAT THEY ARE PRIMARILY 25 TO 54 YEARS OLD.
THEY'RE MARRIED A COLLEGE GRADUATE, AND ARE EMPLOYED FULL-TIME.
THEY MAKE 50,000 TO $150,000 A YEAR AND HAVE OLDER OR NO CHILDREN, EXCEPT OF COURSE THE FAMILY FUN TRAVELER.
UM, THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE MAINLY TAKING LEISURE TRIPS TO VISIT FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND SPENDING TWO TO FOUR NIGHTS AWAY.
THEY SPEND THE MOST ON LODGING AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE AND NORMALLY TAKE TRIPS DURING JANUARY, MARCH AND OCTOBER.
SO BASED ON, UM, THE VIRGINIA TOURISM RESEARCH, WE NEED TO TARGET BOTH IN AND OUT-OF-STATE VISITORS TO ACHIEVE OUR MARKETING GOALS.
WE PLAN TO TARGET THE FOLLOWING MARKETS, WASHINGTON, DC, RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, HAMPTON ROADS, AND ROANOKE.
EACH OF THESE MARKETS HAVE AN EASE OF ACCESS TO DENWOODY COUNTY AND COULD BE POTENTIAL DAY TRIPPERS OR WEEKEND VISITORS.
AS WE GROW THE DISCOVER DIY BRAND, WE'LL GROW OUR GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS TO NEIGHBORING STATES AND BEYOND.
BASED ON THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED TRAVEL PROFILES AND OTHER RESEARCH DEVELOPED BY VIRGINIA TOURISM, WE HAVE A DEEP DEMOGRAPHIC UNDERSTANDING OF OUR BULLSEYE TARGET AUDIENCE AND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
KNOWING THIS AUDIENCE WILL HELP US TO TARGET OUR MARKETING EFFORTS TO THOSE WHO WILL BE INTERESTED IN VISITING DENWOOD FOR A DAY OR WEEKEND TRIP.
WE KNOW WHEN TO MARKET TO THE VISITOR BASED ON THEIR TYPICAL TRAVEL TIME AND LENGTH OF TRAVEL PLANNING, AND WE KNOW WHERE THEY GET THEIR TRAVEL INFORMATION FROM.
ALL OF THESE DEMOGRAPHICS HELP US TO DRIVE OUR STRATEGIC MARKETING DECISIONS.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF A SNAPSHOT OF OUR AUDIENCE THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.
SO OUR MARKETING STRATEGY OUTLINES THE STRATEGIC APPROACH THAT WE'LL TAKE TO INSPIRE AND ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO DISCOVER DENWITY WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF ESTABLISHING VISITATION TO THE COUNTY, THE DISCOVER DENWITY TEAM WILL CREATE A RELATIONSHIP WITH TRAVELERS TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND VISITATION.
THIS INTEGRATED APPROACH WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON BRAND BUILDING AND TACTICAL MARKETING INITIATIVES.
THESE PRINCIPLES, UH, THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES WILL GUIDE OUR MARKETING EFFORTS, PROVIDING A CLEAR DIRECTION FOR HOW STRATEGIES ARE DEVELOPED AND TACTICS ARE EXECUTED.
THESE ARE AT THE CORE OF OUR, OUR MARKETING INITIATIVES, AND WE WILL MANAGE AND PRO AND THEY WILL HELP US MANAGE AND PROVIDE A MAP FOR PARTNERS TO FOLLOW.
SO, UH, OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES INCLUDE AND WOODY'S UNIQUE BRAND POINT OF VIEW WHERE WE HIGHLIGHT WHAT MAKES IN WITTY UNIQUE, WE WILL MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF EVERY MARKETING DOLLAR.
UH, SINCE WE ARE A SMALL PLAYER IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE SPACE, WE WILL STRETCH OUR BUDGET AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BY FOCUSING ON WHAT WILL HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACTS ON OUR MARKETING GOALS.
[00:20:01]
WELCOMING TO ALL AND ALL MARKETING EFFORTS WILL REFLECT THE VALUE WE PLACE ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.AND WE'LL BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT ENGAGING AND REPRESENTING, REPRESENTING DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND LASTLY, BUT PROBABLY MORE, MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT ALL OF OUR DECISIONS WILL BE RESEARCHED, UM, RESEARCH AND ANALYTICS LED.
AND SO FROM PLANNING TO IMPLEMENTATION TO EVALUATION, UM, WE WILL ADJUST AS NEEDED BASED ON THE ANALYTICS THAT WE'RE SEEING.
AND SO FOR THE KEY FOCUS AREAS OF THE PLAN, UM, WE WILL BUILD AND CREATE TOURISM MARKETING CHANNELS TO INCLUDE THE DISCOVER DINWOODY WEBSITE.
UH, WE WILL MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE THE DISCOVER DINWOODY SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
WE'LL LAUNCH AND MAINTAIN THE DISCOVER DINWOODY TOURISM KIOSKS AND THE DISCOVER DINWOODY BROCHURE.
WE'LL ALSO USE OUR PARTNERS CHANNELS, INCLUDING THE PART AND VIRGINIA TOURISM WEBSITE TO LIST OUR DESTINATION AND EVENTS.
UM, A SECOND KEY FOCUS AREA IS ATTRACTING DAY TRIP AND WEEKEND VISITORS TO THE COUNTY THROUGH ROAD TRIPS.
UM, VIRGINIA TOURISM HAS A FOCUS ON ROAD TRIPS, UM, THAT WAS KIND OF THEIR FOCUS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, AND THEY'RE STILL LEADING, UM, CAMPAIGNS BASED ON ROAD TRIPS.
SO SINCE DENWOODY COUNTY HAS AN ADVANTAGE AS A DRIVE DESTINATION, WE'LL WE WILL HIGHLIGHT ROAD TRIPS AS WELL SO THAT WE CAN HOPE TO LEVERAGE THE MEDIA ATTENTION GARNERED BY VIRGINIA TOURISM.
AND THEN THE THIRD FOCUS AREA IS THE IDEA OF DISCONNECTING TO RECONNECT.
OUR MARKETING CAMPAIGNS WILL SHOW EXPERIENCES THAT ALLOW TRAVELERS TO CONNECT WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES IN A MORE AUTHENTIC AND RELAXED WAY.
SO OUR, UM, FOR OUR MESSAGING ARCHITECTURE DEN WOODY'S KEY COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IS THE UNIQUENESS OF ATTRACTIONS AVAILABLE TO VISITORS.
SO TO LEVERAGE THIS MOST EFFECTIVELY, WE NEED TO LEVERAGE AN EMOTIONAL TRUTH ABOUT DENWOODY AND USE THAT AS THE IDEA TO DRIVE OVERALL BRAND COMMUNICATION AND PROVIDE CONTEXT TO PILLAR SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION.
SO, UH, WE'LL BE USING THE TAGLINE, DISCOVER DENWOODY, WHERE ADVENTURE AWAITS IN THE RURAL LANDSCAPE.
THIS WILL BE THE BACKBONE OF OUR MARKETING CAMPAIGN AND WILL ACT AS A STRATEGIC UMBRELLA OVER ALL OF OUR ATTRACTION PILLARS.
OUR ATTRACTION PILLARS MATCH OUR TARGET MARKETS AND ARE THE REASONS THAT VISITORS ARE ATTRACTED TO DIY COUNTY AS A TOURISM DESTINATION.
SO THEY INCLUDE HISTORY, OUTDOOR RECREATION, ENTERTAINMENT, AND AMUSEMENT DAY TRIPS AND FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES.
AND SO WE, UM, PLAN TO KEEP PROVEN, PROVEN CHANNELS AT THE CORE OF OUR STRATEGY WHILE ADDING EXPERIMENTATION AS NECESSARY.
AND SO HERE'S HOW WE PLAN TO MOVE VISITORS THROUGH THE MARKETING, UM, LIFECYCLE.
UH, SO FIRST IT STARTS WITH AWARENESS.
WE'LL USE MANY CHANNELS TO BRING AWARENESS AT THE BRAND TO VISITORS, INCLUDING OUR WEBSITE, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, OUR PARTNERS WEBSITES, AND ARE DISCOVERED IN WOODY BROCHURE.
NEXT, WE HOPE TO LEAD CUSTOMERS INTO THE CONSIDERATION PHASE OR VISITORS INTO THE CONSIDERATION PHASE WHERE TRAVELERS ARE AWARE OF THE DISCOVERED IN WOODY BRAND.
AND SO THEN WE WILL USE DISPLAY AND RETARGETED MESSAGES TO DRIVE CONSIDERATION.
THESE WILL BE HARD HITTING PIECES OF COMMUNICATION USING MESSAGES AROUND THE DISCOVERED IN WOODY BRAND, UM, AND WILL BE MOSTLY DIGITAL MESSAGES.
AND FINALLY, WE HOPE TO LEAD A SMALL PORTION OF VISITORS TO CONVERSION, UM, WHICH IS USING SUPER TARGETED MESSAGES TO THE VISITORS, UM, TO CONVERT THEM TO TRAVELERS TO DENVER WOODY COUNTY.
SO VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION HAS A LOT OF, UM, CO-OP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS.
SO, UM, WE CAN USE TRIPADVISOR, GOOGLE LE LEISURE MEDIA 360 AND BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS.
AND, UM, THERE'S SOME GRANT FUNDING FROM VIRGINIA TOURISM FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. AND SO MOVING ON TO OUR TACTICAL MARKETING PLANS, UM, THESE PLANS ARE, WERE MADE TO MOVE VISITORS THROUGH THAT MARKETING LIFECYCLE.
UM, SO THE ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVE
[00:25:01]
TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF DENWOODY AS A DESTINATION IS TO BUILD AND GROW THE BRAND.THE GOALS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS OBJECTIVE INCLUDE BUILDING AND MAINTAINING BRAND AWARENESS LEVELS AND FOCUSING AUDIENCE STRATEGIES TO DRIVE MORE QUALIFIED AUDIENCE INTENT.
THE KEY SUCCESS METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE, UM, WITH THE AWARENESS IS REACH AND IMPRESSIONS, NEW WEBSITE CONSUMERS AND WEBSITE VISITS.
SO IN ORDER TO DRIVE CONSIDERATION OF DWI AS A TOURISM DESTINATION, WE NEED TO EFFECTIVELY DIFFERENTIATE AND PROMOTE THE BRAND.
THE THE GOALS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS INCLUDE ENGAGING CONTENT AND ENCOURAGING CONSUMERS TO SEEK OUT VACATION PLANNING INFORMATION.
SO THE KEY SUCCESS METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSIDERATION INCLUDE A WEBSITE ENGAGEMENT, CLICK THROUGH RATES, NEWSLETTER SIGNUPS AND BROCHURE REQUESTS.
AND THEN FOR CONVERSION, UM, IS TO ACTUALLY GET THAT VISITOR TO VISIT DUNWOODY COUNTY.
SO THE CAMPAIGN GOAL FOR THIS IS TO INFLUENCE MEASURABLE VISITS FROM CORE AUDIENCE SEGMENTS.
SO THE KEY SUCCESS METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GOAL INCLUDE NUMBER OF TRIPS, VISITOR SPENDING AND LOCAL TAX REVENUE.
AND SO THE FIRST TACTICAL PLAN TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS IS OUR BRANDING AWARENESS AND PROMOTION PLAN.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE THE, UM, OBJECTIVES LISTED, UH, UP THERE FOR THIS TACTICAL PLAN.
AND THEY'RE REALLY ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDING THE DINWOODY COUNTY BRAND.
UM, SOME STRATEGIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PLAN INCLUDE INCREASING CONTENT, REDEVELOPING OUR WEBSITE, LAUNCHING DISCOVER DINWOODY TOURISM KIOSKS, DEVELOPING TARGETED AD CAMPAIGNS, PARTNERING WITH ORGANIZATIONS TO EXPAND OUR MARKETING REACH AND POSITIONING DUNWOODY AS A RETURN DESTINATION.
AND THEN AT THE UM, BOTTOM LEFT, YOU CAN SEE OUR KEY SUCCESS METRICS THAT WE WILL ANALYZE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REACHING THIS, THESE OBJECTIVES.
UM, AND THEY INCLUDE NUMBER OF DISCOVER DENWOODY BROCHURE REQUEST ENGAGEMENT ON OUR WEBSITE, CLICK THROUGH RATES, SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYTICS, UM, VISITOR SPENDING AND TAX RETURN, UM, TAX RETURNS, TAX REVENUES FOR THE WEBSITE.
WE HAVE OUR OBJECTIVES, OUR STRATEGIES, AND OUR KEY SUCCESS METRICS LISTED.
UM, SO WE PLAN TO LAUNCH THE WEBSITE TO PROMOTE ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UTILIZE THE WEBSITE TO CONVERT UNDECIDED TRAVELERS TO, UM, VISIT DINWITTY AND OTHER DESTINATIONS.
SO SOME OF THE STRATEGIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ARE TO, UH, CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT THE WEBSITE, LAUNCH THE WEBSITE, AND CREATE FRESH ITINERARIES FOR THE WEBSITE.
AND OUR KEY SUCCESS METRICS ARE MAINLY RELATED TO WEBSITE AND BROCHURE REQUESTS FOR THIS PLAN.
OUR THIRD PLAN IS SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO, UH, WE PLAN TO BUILD AUDIENCES ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM TO INCLUDE MORE FOLLOWERS FROM THE, UH, FROM PLACES THAT ARE 50 PLUS MILES AWAY FROM DIY COUNTY.
AND THIS WILL HELP TO EXTEND VISITORS STAY AND CONVERT DAY TRIP TRAVELERS INTO OVERNIGHT VISITORS.
SOME OF THE STRATEGIES ARE LISTED, BUT THEY MAINLY INCLUDE CONTENT CREATION, BOOSTED POSTS, AND PAID ADVERTISEMENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND DESTINATIONS.
UM, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR THIS PLAN, UM, HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT.
AND SO OUR LAST PLAN IS, UM, OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS PLAN.
SO THE OBJECTIVE HERE IS TO KIND OF, UM, EARN FREE MEDIA THROUGH PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.
AND SO WE REALLY WILL JUST WORK TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH KEY MEDIA STAKEHOLDERS AND PUSH OUT INFORMATION ABOUT DENWOODY COUNTY SO THAT WE CAN BE PUBLISHED IN REGIONAL, STATE AND NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS.
UH, WE HAVE RECENTLY STARTED DOING THAT VIRGINIA TOURISM SENDS OUT, UM, PRESS OPPORTUNITIES.
AND ACTUALLY FOR MEMORIAL DAY WE ARE FEATURED ON FISHING BOOKER.COM AS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO FISH FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.
SO, UM, WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES AND THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS PLANS.
UM, SO VOLUME OF MEDIA COVERAGE, UM, NUMBER
[00:30:01]
OF BRAND PARTNERSHIPS, BROCHURE REQUESTS, BRO, NUMBER OF BROCHURES DISTRIBUTED, ET CETERA.AND SO HERE ARE THE MARKETING COMPLAIN CAMPAIGNS THAT WE PLAN TO RUN FOR FISCAL YEAR 24.
UM, WE HOPE TO LAUNCH OUR NEW DISCOVERED IN WOODY WEBSITE IN THE FALL OF 2023.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF THE FIRST THING WE'RE FOCUSING ON FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
UM, IN, WHEN WE LAUNCH THE WEBSITE, WE HOPE TO LAUNCH, UM, OUR TOURISM KIOSKS, WHICH WE ARE USING THE ARPA FUNDING FROM VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION TO PURCHASE THESE TOURISM KIOSKS.
AND THEY'LL BE PLACED, UM, WE ARE PURCHASING FOUR KIOSKS AND SO THEY'LL BE PLACED AT THREE DESTINATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE THAT WILL BE HERE IN THE COUNTY ADMIN BUILDING AND CAN BE RENTED OUT OR RENTED OUT.
WE'RE GONNA FIGURE THAT PROCESS OUT.
BUT IF THERE'S A LARGE EVENT IN THE COUNTY, UH, WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT TABLET TO THE EVENT AND THEN BRING IT BACK HERE WHERE IT'LL LIVE.
UM, SO WE HOPE TO LAUNCH THE DISCOVER DI WOODY WEBSITE AND TOURISM KIOSKS IN THE FALL.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT, ALONG WITH THAT, THOSE LAUNCHES, WE PLAN TO DO A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO BRING AWARENESS OF THE NEW WEBSITE AND THE TOURISM KIOSKS IN THE COUNTY.
UM, NEXT WE ARE WORKING ON REDOING THE DISCOVERED IN WOODY BROCHURE.
AND SO VIRGINIA TOURISM HAS A LOT OF PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE CAN HAVE BROCHURES IN THE REST AREAS AND WELCOME CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON UPDATING OUR BROCHURE SO THAT WE CAN STRATEGICALLY PLACE THAT BROCHURE INTO THOSE LOCATIONS.
UM, AND THEN FOR THE OTHER HALF OF OUR ARPA FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED FROM VIRGINIA TOURISM, WE'RE WORKING WITH PART OR REGIONAL TOURISM GROUP TO DO A DIGITAL AND TELEVISION CAMPAIGN.
WE JUST HAD A MEETING ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY.
AND SO I THINK, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE A DENWOODY SPECIFIC CAMPAIGN AND WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY DOING IT AROUND THE DENWOODY COUNTY FAIR OR THE LAUNCH OF OUR DISCOVERED IN WOODY WEBSITE AND KIOSKS.
UM, POSSIBLY DOING SOME SPLIT BETWEEN BOTH.
AND THEN, UM, OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN IS GONNA BE ONGOING AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.
AND THEN OUR ITINERARY FOCUSED CAMPAIGN FOR THE SPRING OF 2023 IS KIND OF A DAY OR A WEEKEND IN WOODY COUNTY.
THAT'S GONNA BE A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, JUST HIGHLIGHTING EVERYTHING THERE IS TO DO IN THE COUNTY.
UM, AND SO HERE IS BASED ON OUR FY 24 BUDGET REQUEST, THIS IS HOW WE PLAN TO SPEND, UH, OR THIS IS WHERE THE FUNDING FOR TOURISM IS COMING FROM.
SO, UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE TOTAL BOARD FUNDING SEEMS LIKE A VERY LARGE NUMBER, BUT IT IS, UM, ENCOMPASSING OF COUNTY FAIR FUNDING.
SO THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS GONNA BE GOING TO THE COUNTY FAIR.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE PARTNER ORGANIZATION FUNDING, WHICH COMES FROM, UM, PETERSBURG AREA REGIONAL TOURISM AND VIRGINIA CROSSROADS.
AND THEN WE HAVE VTC FUNDING, UH, WE HAVE ARPA FUNDING AND THE AMOUNT OF $30,000.
AND THEN, UM, WE DID HAVE A GRANT REQUEST INTO VTC FOR THE, UH, COUNTY FAIR FOR THEM TO MATCH SOME OF OUR MARKETING EXPENDITURES FOR $10,000.
AND SO HERE'S HOW THE FUNDING BREAKDOWN WORKS.
IT'S ABOUT 50% OF THE TOURISM BUDGET IS COMING FROM BOARD FUNDING, BUT OF COURSE A LARGE PART OF THAT IS FOR THE FAIR.
AND THEN, UM, 17% FROM BTC AND THE REST FROM PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THEN THE BAR GRAPH ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS KIND OF HOW THAT MONEY IS ALLOCATED TOWARDS THOSE CAMPAIGNS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE ONE AT THE BOTTOM SHOWS SPECIAL EVENTS, VINCE.
LOT TO TAKE IN LOT TO TAKE IN.
LOOKED LIKE YOU GOT A, A LOT OF, HAD DONE A LOT OF HOMEWORK AND GOT A GOOD PLAN IN PLACE.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING IN TOURISM.
AND I GUESS MY ONLY COMMENT, AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN MCKINNEY, UM, ON A THREE
[00:35:01]
DAY EVENT, AND THEN, UM, MARIE AND, AND, UH, FALLAH AT THE, UM, GOVERNMENT, THEY ALWAYS ARE TALKING ABOUT A BILLBOARD, BUT, UM, WE REALLY DO NEED SOMETHING ON 85 AT THE, AT THE BRUNSWICK LINE, SOMETHING ON 85 AT THE PETERSBURG LINE, AND THEN NOTTAWAY COUNTY ON FOUR 60, UM, TO TRY TO CATCH ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING INTO DENWOODY JUST TO GET 'EM TO EITHER THE WEBSITE OR SOCIAL MEDIA.UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S USUALLY TWO PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE, ONE'S DRIVING, THE OTHER ONE COULD BE SAYING WHAT'S TO DO HERE WHEN THEY BLOW THROUGH.
AND THEN I NOTICED YOU'RE MARKETING ROANOKE TO THE BEACH, A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND IT TRAVELS BOTH WAYS.
AND IF, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO A TECH FOOTBALL GAME, GO HOKIES, UM, ON A SATURDAY ON FOUR 60, IT'S JUST AMAZING.
THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING FROM THE BEACH THROUGH DENWOODY COUNTY, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA DO IT MORE THAN ONCE.
SO YOU, YOU KNOW, WE CAN CAPTURE SOME OF THAT TOO.
I THINK THAT IS A GREAT MM-HMM
YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, GREAT JOB.
PEOPLE DO COME FROM NORTH CAROLINA, YOU KNOW, INTO VIRGINIA.
GO TAR HEAD
UM, MY BROTHER HAS DONE A LOT, UH, FOR OUR FAMILY ON BOTH SIDES TALKING ABOUT ANCESTRY.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
WE THINK ABOUT OUR SITES THAT PEOPLE COME TO, BUT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING UP THEIR GENEALOGY.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THERE ARE PLACES THAT THEY GO TO LOOK FOR THAT GENEALOGY.
SO, UM, KEEPING THAT IN MIND AS PART OF THE TOURISM ASPECT ALSO.
YES, I, FOR THE, OUR NEW WEBSITE, UH, OUR NEW TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE, I PLAN TO TALK TO THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY ABOUT WHAT THEY OFFER.
'CAUSE I KNOW THEY OFFER SOME SORT OF GENEALOGY AND TO HAVE A LITTLE PART ON OUR WEBSITE ABOUT THAT SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THAT'S A RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHERE EVERY CEMETERY IS IN DENWITY COUNTY.
BUT I'M SURE THERE'S PLENTY MM-HMM
AND THE COUNTY CAN PROBABLY TELL US.
SO I, I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT TO, FOR FAMILIES AND, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DOING THAT RESEARCH TODAY, AND IT BRINGS TAX DOLLAR TAX BRINGS DOLLARS IN DI INTO DIMITY COUNTY, MR. CHAIRMAN, SO, UM, COUPLE COMMENTS.
ONE, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY, I GOT LAST NIGHT, UM, SO MS. COLLINS AND MS. ENGLISH WERE VERY MUCH, UH, KEEPING THIS TIGHT IN THEIR HANDS TO THE VERY END.
BUT, UM, SO I GOT THIS LAST NIGHT, WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT HOME AND, AND READ IT FROM COVER TO COVER, UNLIKE THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.
THIS, THIS IS READS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY,
AND THAT WAS 21 YEARS AGO NEARLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES OVER THE YEARS AND, AND TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD AND I THINK VERY SUCCESSFULLY WITH PROMOTING SOME OF THE, THE TOURISM ASSETS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THIS, THIS MARKETING PLAN, UH, JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY FOR STACY THIS, THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL.
UM, AND STACY, I WISH I'D HAVE GOT YOU TO DO MY, MY, MY PRESENTATION FOR THE BUDGET, BECAUSE I HOPE THAT YOU DON'T LOOK AT THIS PRESENTATION AND THINK THAT THIS EVENING YOU'RE GONNA SEE ANYTHING MARKETING WISE THAT LOOKS HALF AS GOOD AS, AS WHAT THIS IS.
UM, BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, IF, IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF TOURISM AND IT BEING, WHY IS IT IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IN, IN PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? WELL, WE'RE GONNA HEAR IN JUST A FEW MINUTES FROM MR. HENSON WITH VDO.
IT'S GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT PROJECTS, BUT I, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THAT PLANNING AND ZONING, AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING DOWN MAJOR THOROUGHFARES OF THE COUNTY, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR, OUR BUILDING STANDARDS, OUR ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ROUTE 1, 4 60, UH, PLANS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, I MEAN, IT'S ALL GETTING
[00:40:01]
TO THE POINT OF THINKING THROUGH AS A TRAVELER WHAT YOU WOULD EXPERIENCE COMING INTO, INTO OUR COMMUNITY.UM, SO AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY THINKING THE TRAVELER IN MIND.
UM, BUT I THINK STACY'S DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB HERE.
HOW, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ON THE PAYROLL? NOVEMBER.
SO JUST FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS TIME TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THIS TYPE OF MARKETING PLAN.
UM, IS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL AND HAS TAKEN ON SOME ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO AGAIN, I JUST, I WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK STACY FOR THE WORK THAT'S HERE AND, AND, AND REALLY AGAIN, THAT INTERCONNECTEDNESS.
'CAUSE I KNOW THE BOARD, Y'ALL GET REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND, AND JUST BE THINKING ABOUT THAT TOO.
THE BRAND THAT IS DIM, WITTY COUNTY AND, AND AGAIN, THE DISCOVERED DIMITY PIECE OF THIS.
AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE PURPOSEFUL AND WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THE PLAN, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, ME, I'M KIND OF A PROVE IT TYPE OF GUY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR NO PRESSURE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, HEY, DID THESE THINGS ACTUALLY WORK? I MEAN, IF WE'RE BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT, DID THEY ACTUALLY WORK? AND, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS, Y'ALL Y'ALL COMMENTED TO THIS BEFORE THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVING OUR ASSETS LOCALLY IS GOOD, UH, TO PROMOTE THE TRAVELER, BUT IT'S ALSO FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE IN DENWOODY THAT SOME OF THE STUFF WE JUST TAKE FOR GRANTED.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN THIS MORE, YOU KNOW, RURAL ATMOSPHERE WHERE WE GET TO GO OUTSIDE AND EXPERIENCE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IN AN MSA THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN RICHMOND CAN EXPERIENCE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE HAVE HERE TO OFFER.
AND AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE, IF YOU DON'T TELL YOUR STORY, NOBODY ELSE WILL.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST THE POWER OF WHAT DIM HE'S DOING AND I KNOW WHAT THE REGION'S TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER AS WELL.
UM, JUST, JUST REALLY GOOD WORK, STACY ON THAT.
LOOK FORWARD TO, I KNOW THE BOARD IS TOO, IN TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THIS.
KEVIN, I WAS HOPING MAYBE TONIGHT YOU CAN DO YOU RETURN ON INVESTMENT AS WELL AS STACY.
[3.D. Virginia Department Of Transportation's Comprehensive Roadside Management Projects]
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT.AND THAT'S THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S COMPREHENSIVE ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT PROJECT.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. CHAIRMAN.
AND I'M GONNA START BY SAYING I AM NOT A MARKETING MAJOR
I'M PICTURES AND FIGURES KIND OF GUY.
TODAY I CAME TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT VDO T'S COMPREHENSIVE ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
WHAT IS THAT? ESSENTIALLY IT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT A LOCALITY A BUSINESS, ANYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO ANY KIND OF LANDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE LIMITED ACCESS RIGHTS.
AND THE WHOLE GIST OF THIS PROGRAM IS THAT WE WANT THE LOCALITIES TO BASICALLY COME TO US WITH THESE PROGRAMS, SAY, HEY, THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.
THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO, AND WE'RE TRYING TO HELP YOU GET THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO START WITH A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM, REALLY SORT OF WHAT ITS PURPOSE IS, AND THEN JUST SORT OF TAKE YOU THROUGH THE STEPS A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE PROCESS IS AND SHOW YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME OTHER PROJECTS AS WELL.
UM, THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER PROGRAM, IT'S CALLED THE ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT SPECIAL PROJECT.
REALLY THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IS THAT A ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT SPECIAL PROJECT IS INITIATED BY A PRIVATE ENTITY.
THEY TAKE ON ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT IT STILL NEEDS COUNTY SUPPORT.
SO THE COUNTY IS THE ONE THAT REALLY NEEDS TO DECIDE WHETHER THESE PROJECTS ARE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO OR NOT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE TWO PROGRAMS AND, UH, WE'LL PROCEED FROM THERE.
UM, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW, AGAIN, IT'S A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS LOCALITIES TO TEAM WITH BUSINESSES OR ANY OTHER ENTITIES YOU WANT TO, TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
INTERCHANGES, INTERSTATES, AREAS WITHIN LIMITED ACCESS RIGHT AWAY, SORT OF SACRED GROUND.
WE, WE DON'T LET MANY PEOPLE OUT IN THE LIMITED ACCESS.
AS I MENTIONED, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RSMP AND THE, AND THE UM, CRMP PROJECT IS THAT CRMP PROJECTS ARE BASICALLY, UM, DRIVEN BY THE LOCALITY.
THEY HAVE THE LOCALITY DRIVES THEM, THE LOCALITY MANAGES THEM, THE LOCALITY INSTALLS 'EM, AND THE LOCALITY, EXCUSE ME, MAINTAINS THEM
'CAUSE ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS DO REQUIRE MAINTENANCE BY THE PROPOSER.
VDOT DOES NOT MAINTAIN ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS. UM, I THINK I COVERED MOST EVERYTHING WITH THAT.
AGAIN, UM, JUST SORT OF HOW THIS PROCESS STARTS.
UM, IF, IF YOU DECIDE, I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THE 85 LINE
[00:45:01]
MM-HMMI HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BRUNSWICK LINE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THE, THE PETERSBURG LINE.
YOU CAN'T REALLY PUT WELCOME SIGNS THERE, BUT IT DOES GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY IN THOSE AREAS TO MAYBE CREATE AN ENHANCED AREA WHERE YOU CAN FOCUS SOMEWHAT ON THAT.
MAYBE THE, THE FIRST RAMP THAT YOU GET TO SQUIRREL LEVEL, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
YOU CAN MAKE SOME ENHANCEMENTS THERE.
IT GIVES THE COUNTY SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK IN THESE AREAS IN THE GORE AREAS, LOOK IN THE MEDIANS, LOOK AT THE INTERCHANGES AND SEE WHAT MIGHT BE AN ATTRACTIVE AREA FOR YOU TO DO SOME SORT OF A PROJECT.
ONCE YOU SORT OF HAVE A VISION OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, GET IN TOUCH WITH US, CONTACT THE ROADSIDE MANAGER, CONTACT ME, CONTACT CRYSTAL, WHOEVER YOU WANT AT THE RESIDENCY.
WE'LL GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
THE FIRST STAGE IS BASICALLY SIT DOWN WITH Y'ALL, MAKE SURE IT'S A PROJECT THAT WE CAN SUPPORT, MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SORT OF TRYING TO DO.
AND WITH ANY LUCK, MAYBE YOU'VE GOT SOME IDEAS, SOME PLANS, SOME SORT OF GUIDANCE AS TO WHAT YOU CAN PROPOSE FOR US.
UM, ONCE IT'S SORT OF MADE IT PAST THE INITIAL MEETING STAGE IN THE COUNTY AND WHOEVER MIGHT BE INVOLVED IS CONVINCED THIS IS A PROJECT WE WANNA PROCEED WITH, THEN WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP? THE NEXT STEP REALLY IS YOU GET WITH THE LAND USE ENGINEER ME AND I'M SORT OF THE PROJECT COORDINATOR IS A GOOD TERM FOR THAT.
I MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO LOOK AT IT DO AND ON THE MAIN LIAISON BETWEEN THE APPLICANT, THE COUNTY OR WHOEVER THAT MAY BE.
SO THEY ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON TO DEAL WITH DURING THE WHOLE REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS.
SO WE'RE KIND OF THE PROJECT MANAGER, IF YOU WILL, FOR THE WHOLE PROCESS.
NOW THERE IS A FEW PIECES OF INFORMATION INCLUDED IN HERE.
IT ISN'T A NAPKIN SKETCH THAT WE GO WITH HERE.
IT HAS TO BE A, A MASTER PLAN OF SOME SORT, SOME DETAILED LANDSCAPE PLANS.
WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, GET AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH CLEARING MIGHT BE INVOLVED AND SORT OF WHAT THE LEVEL OF, OF THE PROJECT IS.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO, UM, WE'LL NEED DETAILED CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.
AND AGAIN, A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT.
THESE PROJECTS ARE MAINTAINED BY THE PROPOSERS, NOT BY VO.
UM, AGAIN, THE ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM SPECIAL PROJECTS IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME EXCEPT THAT IT'S PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY BUSINESSES.
WE DO HAVE ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS IN THE AREA, UM, AT EXIT 37 DOWN THERE AT THE, UM, DAVIS DAVIS OIL.
IT DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD ONE IN MY OPINION, BUT THEY DID DO A SPECIAL PROJECT THERE.
THEY DID SOME CLEARING IN THE MEDIA AND YOU CAN SEE SOME LANDSCAPING OUT THERE, BUT IT DOESN'T GET THE ATTENTION I'D LIKE IT TO, FOR IT TO BE SORT OF A SPECIAL PROJECT.
WE ALLOWED IT, WE APPROVED IT, BUT I'M NOT SURE.
IT'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF, OF WHAT WE REALLY LIKED THOSE PROJECTS TO LOOK LIKE.
UM, HERE'S THE APPROVAL FLOW CHART.
I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT SIGNS OFF ON THIS.
IT GOES THROUGH A FAIRLY EXTENSIVE PROCESS.
IT IS IN THE LIMITED ACCESS RIGHT OF WAY, BUT IT ISN'T AS HARD AS IT LOOKS LIKE.
I'LL GUIDE YOU THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
AND NOW WE'RE TO THE PART YOU REALLY WANNA SEE SOME EXAMPLES.
I PICKED SOME OF THEM THAT WERE IN THE LOCALITY AREA AND I JUST TRIED TO PICK SOME OTHER EXAMPLES.
I KNEW PEOPLE PROBABLY HAD SEEN.
THIS WAS JUST ONE OF THE PLAN SHEETS THAT WAS SUBMITTED FOR THE EXIT 45 GATEWAY PROJECT.
THIS IS A PROJECT IN PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY RIGHT THERE.
THEY CONSIDER THAT TO BE ONE OF THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREAS.
SO THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT ENHANCING THAT INTERCHANGE.
YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THE SPIRES THERE ON THE LANDSCAPING, ON THE RAMPS AND SUCH.
UM, THAT WAS A, A COMPREHENSIVE ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM PROJECT PROPOSED BY PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.
UH, THIS IS JUST A LOOK GOING DOWN THE RAMP.
ALL THE TREES YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND SIDE, WERE ALL DONE AS PART OF THAT PROJECT.
EVEN SOME OF THE CLEARING NEXT TO THE, TO THE ROADWAY TO ENHANCE THE VISIBILITY.
ALL THAT WAS ALLOWED AS PART OF THE PROJECT.
SOME OF THE LANDSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS THEY'VE DONE UP AT THE INTERSECTION AND TELL SOME OF THESE ARE GOOGLE ALERT PICTURES, BUT I COULDN'T DRIVE EVERYWHERE TODAY.
SO, UM, YOU CAN JUST SEE SOME OF THE THINGS WE ALLOW.
WE ALLOW SOME, SOME PAVERS OUT THERE TO GIVE IT SOME CHARACTER.
WE ALLOW, UM, SOME BENCHING, SOME SOME LANDSCAPING ELEMENTS, SOME SOME FEATURES.
THERE'S EVEN THE NEXT PICTURE YOU CAN SEE THEY, THEY PUT BOTH OF THESE SPIRES IN THERE.
WE HAD TO MOVE THE LIMITED ACCESS LINES, WHICH IS THE EXTENT VDO T'S WILLING TO GO TO HELP LOCALITIES OUT WITH THESE TYPE PROJECTS.
BUT WE DID GET TO THE FINISH LINE AND IT IS A PROJECT THE COUNTY'S VERY PROUD OF.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE WASHINGTON STREET BRIDGE PROJECT.
THAT WAS ANOTHER, UH, GATEWAY PROJECT, IF YOU WILL, A COMPREHENSIVE ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT PROJECT.
UM, THAT'S A PICTURE OF THE ACTUAL, UM, BRIDGE AGAIN.
AND IT ALSO HAS SOME OTHER ELEMENTS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE AS AWARE OF, BUT ON BOTH ENDS OF THE BRIDGE AND THE, THE FENCING THAT DID, THEY HAVE LANDSCAPING ON ALL FOUR AREAS.
[00:50:01]
WE EVEN ALLOW IRRIGATION OUT IN THE INTERSTATE TO TAKE CARE OF US.SO WE DO TRY VERY HARD TO ACCOMMODATE Y'ALL'S DESIRES IN THESE AREAS TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES.
THIS IS IN THE CITY OF RICHMOND.
I WAS A LITTLE HESITANT TO PUT THOSE IN THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY NOT SUPPOSED TO PUT SIGNAGE IN THESE PROJECTS.
I DIDN'T SIGN THAT PERMIT TOM HAWTHORNE DID BEFORE HE LEFT.
BUT ANYWAY, IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A, OF A COMPREHENSIVE ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT PROJECT.
JUST SOME LANDSCAPING ON THE DOWNTOWN EXPRESSWAY.
AGAIN, JUST SOME SOME IDEAS OF, OF PROJECTS THAT WE WILL HELP YOU WITH THAT WILL HELP YOU GET TO, WE DO MAINTAIN THIS ONE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKED OUT EXACTLY, BUT OUR ROADSIDE MANAGER COULD FILL YOU IN IF YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN I JUST PICKED ANOTHER ONE.
I KNEW THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF PROJECTS IN THE LYNCHBURG AREA DOWN THERE BY LIBERTY UNIVERSITY.
THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT ENHANCING ALL OF THE ROADWAYS IN THE AREA.
SO THAT'S JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A, OF A COMPREHENSIVE ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT PROJECT.
AND UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE PROGRAM.
IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, GIMME A CALL.
I CAN PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE, WE CAN SEND YOU ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
IT'S THE ONLY PROGRAM WE HAVE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO GET OUT INTO THOSE INTERSTATES, INTO THOSE HIGH VISIBILITY AREAS AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING VISUALLY ENHANCEMENT.
I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MOVE MORE TOWARD NORTH CAROLINA.
YOU DRIVE DOWN NINE FIVE AS SOON AS YOU CROSS THE STATE LINE.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT EMBARRASSING WHAT NORTH CAROLINA PROVIDES MM-HMM
BUT AS A TAXPAYER, I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE COST OF THOSE PERMITS AND WHAT IT TAKES TO MAINTAIN THEM.
BUT IT DOES ADD A LOT OF VISIBILITY TO THEIR INTERSTATE.
SO AS LOCALITIES, MAYBE YOU CAN CAN TALK TO THE, TO THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT MAYBE ENHANCING SOME OF THAT SO THAT OUR INTERSTATES HAVE MORE CURB APPEAL.
THAT'S A PERSONAL OPINION THERE.
BUT I DO NOTICE THAT WHEN I DRIVE DOWN NINE, FIVE OR 85, AS SOON AS YOU CROSS THE STATE LINE, THEIR INTERCHANGES JUST LOOK BETTER FOR HOURS.
WE DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH THE FUNDS WE PROVIDED.
LOCALITIES PICK THE PROJECTS THAT WE FUND.
MR. MOODY'S, UH, LET ME GET, MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING.
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THAT? IF IT'S A PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP, IS IT, IS IT, IS LOCALITY THE FINAL MAINTENANCE PERSON? IF THE, IF THE ENTITY BACKSIDE OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? THAT WOULD TYPICALLY BE HOW IT WOULD HAPPEN.
NOW YOU MAY, UH, ASSIGN YOUR MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES BY SOME OTHER AGREEMENT TO A THIRD PARTY, MAYBE A BUSINESS OR SUCH.
THERE IS AVAILABILITY TO, TO ADD SOME SMALL SIGNAGE.
BUT IF YOU HAVE BUSINESSES THAT PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THESE COMPREHENSIVE ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT PROJECTS, THERE IS THE ABILITY TO HAVE SOME SIGNAGE IN ONE OF THE PICTURES ACTUALLY SHOWED US A SMALL SIGN.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S REALLY HARD TO SEE, BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A COUPLE SIGNS IN THE BACKGROUND UNDER ONE OF THOSE TREES THAT'S ACTUALLY SOME ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SIGNS FOR A PRIVATE ENTITY THAT RIGHT.
HELPED OUT WITH THE, WITH THE PROJECTS.
AND WE DO LET THEM AT LEAST GET THEIR NAME ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECTS.
BUT YES, WE ARE GONNA LOOK TO THE LOCALITIES FOR THE FINAL ASSURANCE THAT THEY WILL BE MAINTAINED.
IS IT A THAT WE WILL ALLOW YOU TO DO THAT BY YOUR CONTINUOUS RESOLUTION SO THERE'S POTENTIALLY NO REAL COST TO THE LOCALITY OTHER THAN IN THE EVENT IT ISN'T MAINTAINED AND YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING.
YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND WATER, WATER IT AND WEED IT AND ALL THAT.
THAT, THAT'S THE LOCALITY, RIGHT? YES SIR.
WE HAVE A FORMAL MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT ON ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT I SHOWED YOU FOR THE CONTINUOUS MAINTENANCE OF THOSE ACTIVITIES.
I JUST, I REMEMBER WE HAD, REMEMBER WE HAD BUSHES ON 4 61 TIME BETWEEN DOWN THERE NEAR 2 26.
THEY HAD TO TAKE 'EM OUT BECAUSE THE BIRDS WERE FLYING OUT, THREW 'EM INTO THE TREE.
I THINK THEY DID THE SAME THING ON 64 TOO.
FROM WHAT I REMEMBER, THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE THAT ATTRACTED GUESS TOO.
I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY THE NAME OF THE BIRD, BUT YES, I DO REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS A CERTAIN BERRY THEY REALLY LIKED AND IT WAS CREATING ISSUES WITH BIRD CAR INTERFACES.
UM, I JUST WANNA ASK, ASK A QUESTION.
I'M KIND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, I KNOW ON THE ROADS, UM, WE DO HAVE, UM, SIGNS AND BUSINESSES THEY PROMOTE WHAT THEY HAVE.
UH, NOW, UM, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, I KNOW YOU, YOU MENTIONED SQUIRREL LEVEL ROAD AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE
[00:55:01]
TURNING, DO YOU ADD SOMETHING OR DO WE TALK TO YOU ABOUT ADDING SOMETHING ON NEAR THAT, UH, SIGNAGE OR JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WELL, WE'RE NOT REALLY TRYING TO ENHANCE SIGNAGE SO MUCH AS IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE OF OUR INTERCHANGES.AND IF THERE'S A WAY THAT YOU CAN IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE OF AN INTERCHANGE AND ENHANCE YOUR LOCALITY OR SOMEHOW ATTRACT ATTENTION TO THE AREA OR MAYBE A BUSINESS OR SOMEBODY THAT MIGHT BE AFFILIATED WITH THE PROJECT, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT IN A VERY SMALL WAY.
BUT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS DO CLEAR SOME TREES AND CREATE SOME VISIBILITY WINDOWS THAT AREN'T THERE AS WELL.
THAT'S NOT THE INTENT OF THE PROJECT, BUT THAT IS SOME OF THE OUTCOMES SOMETIMES OF PROJECT IS THEY DO INCREASE SOME OF THE VISIBILITY.
YEAH, JUST A COUPLE THEN I'LL MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS.
SO MR. HEON, I GUESS IF, IF, SO, IF THE COUNTY AFTER TODAY DESIRED TO MOVE FORWARD ON MAYBE SOME SPECIFIC AREAS YES SIR.
UM, YOU INDICATED THAT THE COUNTY WOULD NEED, UH, AND LEMME MAKE SURE I GOT IT RIGHT, THAT THE COUNTY WOULD NEED TO, TO GIVE YOU A PLAN OR SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND SHOW SOME INTENTIONALITY OF WHAT THEY'RE WANTING TO DO.
WOULD THAT BE LIKE WE, WE WOULD NEED TO HIRE LIKE A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT? NO.
THE INITIAL MEETING IS MORE LIKE A NAPKIN SKETCH.
YOU, YOU GUYS HAVE A CONCEPT, HEY, WE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS INTERCHANGE, WHAT DO UVO SEE? AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME PARTICULAR ISSUE WITH THAT INTERCHANGE THAT YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF THAT WE CAN ALERT YOU TO.
THERE'S SITE DISTANCE ISSUES, THERE'S A PROJECT COMING IN THE FUTURE, SOMETHING THAT MIGHT IMPACT YOUR PROJECT OR ADD COMPLEXITY TO IT.
SO WE'D MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT BEFORE YOU SPEND ANY MONEY ON LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS OR DOING ANY OF THE PLAN PREPARATION.
SO THE INITIAL MEETING IS REALLY BRING US YOUR CONCEPT, HOWEVER YOU CAN DO THAT AND LET'S SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN SUPPORT.
AND, AND YOU MENTIONED NORTH CAROLINA AND I, I WAS GONNA MENTION IT IF YOU DIDN'T, BUT, SO IN NORTH CAROLINA WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS NCDOT, ARE THEY FUNDING THOSE PROJECTS THAT YOU SEE ON IT'S NOT COMMUNITIES LAND? I WOULD BELIEVE SO.
I HAVE NOT LOOKED INTO IT, BUT BASED UPON EVERY INTERCHANGE AND EVERY AREA, I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THE N-C-D-O-T IS DOING THAT.
I I WOULD, I I I THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR OUR STATE LEGISLATURE AS WE ARE TALKING TO OUR, OUR LEGISLATORS.
IT'D BE NICE TO KNOW FOR SURE IF, IF NCDOT IS DOING THAT OR IF THEY'RE PAYING IT OTHER WAY.
BUT I MEAN, IF THERE'S ANY RESEARCH YOU CAN PROVIDE, WELL YOU MAKE UP THE CALLS.
I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S TOO BIG OF AN ASK.
WE, I JUST CURIOUS 'CAUSE SURE.
BECAUSE I DO THINK IF IT IS A FUNDING PRIORITY ISSUE, IT, IT DOES ADD SO MUCH, UM, I GUESS CURB APPEAL AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.
UM, AND I, I KNOW FOR US ONE OF THE, THE KEY AREAS IS THAT FIRST, UH, 61 360 3 3, YEAH.
63 INTERCHANGE AND YOU KNOW, IT'S SUCH A, A VAST AMOUNT OF LAND ALL THE WAY AROUND THAT, THAT, THAT WHOLE CLOVERLEAF, I GUESS IT'S THERE.
UM, SO JUST TRYING TO PUT IT INTO SIZE AND PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE COULD DO THERE.
I KNOW THE BOARD, AND I KNOW 63, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BOYTON PLANK AND ROUTE ONE, I MEAN IN 85.
AND AT ONE TIME WHEN THE CAMERON FOUNDATION WHO FUNDED A COUPLE OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED HERE, UM, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT PARTICULAR, UH, CLOVERLEAF THERE, WE, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WAS MENTIONED, I GUESS BACK THEN WAS THAT THERE WAS NO SIGNAGE THAT WAS THERE ABLE TO BE PUT THERE.
UM, BUT THEN THE ONE IN RICHMOND DID POP UP.
AND I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BETWEEN DEWINE COUNTY AND RICHMOND.
UM, AND, AND YOU INDICATED THAT MR. HAWTHORNE SIGNED OFF ON IT, BUT IT JUST FROM A A, A SAFETY STANDPOINT, YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE, THE TRAVELING PUBLIC, IF THERE WERE TO BE AN ACCIDENT IN RICHMOND WOULD BE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN IN THIS LOCATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ELEVATED WAY ABOVE THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL INTERSTATE ITSELF AND IT'S, IT'S SURE.
UM, AGAIN, SO, BUT WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY SHOULD STOP TALKING ABOUT THE SIGNAGE IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT IS THERE, AND, AND NOW IF I HAD TO PICK ONE AREA THAT I REALLY HATE ABOUT MY JOB IS SIGNS, RIGHT? EVERYBODY WANTS A SIGN AND I CAN'T ALLOW ANY OF 'EM.
IF IT'S NOT A WHITE REGULATORY SIGN, YOU BASICALLY CAN'T PUT IT IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THAT AND THAT AND IN A CLEAR LEAF LIKE THAT EVERYTHING IS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY OR IS THERE YEAH, SIR, THAT WOULD ALL BE RIGHT AWAY.
[01:00:01]
TAKE ANY OF THOSE LEAFS YOU WANTED.IF MAYBE THE WINE THAT SENDS PEOPLE SOUTH ON, ON ROUTE ONE IS YOUR PREFERRED ONE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE HEADING INTO DENWOOD AND YOU PICK THAT QUADRANT AND YOU MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO IT.
WE'D BE, WE'D BE OPEN TO THOSE IDEAS.
AND YOU GOT UTILITIES IN THAT AREA TOO.
SO YOU TALKED ABOUT IRRIGATION AND MAINTENANCE.
SO IN THE INSTANCE THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS HAS BEEN ONE, WHEN AMAZON FIRST CAME TO THE COUNTY, THERE WAS, WOULD YOU, AS YOU GET OFF OF 85 TO GO ON FOUR 60? YES SIR.
UM, YOU, YOU EITHER GET TO GO FOUR 60 WEST OR YOU COULD TURN AND GO, UH, FOUR 60 EAST AND THERE'S A BIT OF GRASS THAT'S IN, IN A MEDIAN AREA THAT'S NOT TOO BIG, BUT IT'S NOT TOO SMALL EITHER.
BUT THERE WAS SOME QUESTION AS TO COULD AMAZON COME IN AND JUST PLANT ALL OF THAT AND TULIPS OR DAFFODILS OR SOMETHING LIKE SOME TYPE OF, WOULD THAT, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT THE RMSP WOULD CONSIDER AT THAT LOCATION OR WHATEVER THE VEGETATION WOULD WOULD BE? YES, SIR.
WE'LL CONSIDER ANY TYPE PROJECT THAT, THAT THE COUNTY HAS THAT SORT OF MEETS THE GUIDELINES OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE CAN SUPPORT.
AND, AND I DON'T KNOW OF ALL THE SPECIFIC TO THAT.
I KNOW THE AREA YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE THERE.
NOW PUTTING THINGS IN THE MEDIAN IF THE MEDIA'S NOT WIDE ENOUGH, GETS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF CLEAR ZONES AND SAFETY ISSUES.
BUT GENERALLY, UM, I, I DON'T SEE WHY THAT COULDN'T BE AN AREA WE WOULD AT LEAST CONSIDER.
MR. MOODY PARTICULARLY, THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COULD CONVINCE AMAZON TO, UH, TO TAKE THAT ON AND BEAUTIFY THAT AREA, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT, UH, YOU AS THE, THE COUNTY WOULD NEED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH AMAZON.
AND, AND FOR YOU ALL, I GUESS IN, IN SOME OF THESE, LET'S LET'S SAY FOUR 60, YOU ALL WOULD KNOW WHERE YOUR MAINTENANCE STARTS AND WHERE THE COUNTIES WHERE YOUR STARTS AND STOPS AND WHERE MINE WOULD START AND STOP FROM THAT POINT FORWARD.
ESSENTIALLY, IF WE'RE GONNA SEE LANDSCAPING IN OUR INTERSTATE AREAS, WE'RE GOING AROUND IT.
THE, YOU SAID THAT NO SIGNAGE IS ALIVE, BUT IF YOU PUT THE SHROER IN AND AND MAKE WORDS OUT OF IT, THAT'LL BE OKAY.
I LEAD THAT TO THE ROADSIDE MANAGER, WHETHER THAT'S ACCEPTABLE OR NOT.
BUT, AND I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT AND I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T, BUT I, I, THAT HASN'T STOPPED ME BEFORE, BUT I BET YOU THE, THE RECORD IS SET FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT GO UNDER THAT BRIDGE ON 95 AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THOSE, AND THEY ARE REMSON WAVES.
I FINALLY FOUND THAT OUT THAT THEY ARE REMSON WAVES, BUT I GUARANTEE YOU IT'S IN THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THAT GO UNDER THAT BRIDGE.
WE JUST ADMINISTERED THE PROJECT, SIR.
AND THAT ONE WE ACTUALLY DID ADMINISTER.
THAT ONE GOT, WELL, WE, WE TOOK THAT ONE OVER TO MAKE SURE IT MADE IT TO THE END.
WELL, I, I'LL JUST, MS. BONNER AND I SHARE EXIT 63.
BUT I JUST SEE THAT AS A GEM THAT AS WE GO FORWARD, SOMETHING VERY POSITIVE COULD HAPPEN THERE IF WE HAD COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TO WORK WITH US.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT LARGE ENOUGH PLAYERS THAT COULD, IF NOW THAT WE'VE GOT SOME RECOGNITION OF THE PROCESS YES, SIR.
THAT WE COULD START SMALL AND POSSIBLY WORK TOWARDS SOMETHING VERY POSITIVE.
AND I SAY FOR THE INITIAL CONCEPTS, ANYBODY THAT CAN DRAW IT UP AND PRESENT IT TO THE STATE THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
THAT'S ONLY, THAT'S ALL THE LEVEL DETAIL WE NEED TO HAVE INITIAL MEETINGS.
WE DON'T WANT YOU TO SPEND A TON OF MONEY TO COME TALK TO US AND WE TELL YOU NO OR NOT NO, BUT WE CAN'T ACCOMMODATE THAT REQUEST IN THIS LOCATION.
AND I, PAUL, I KNOW THERE'S A, A TON OF FUNDS AT THE STATE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY FUNDS THAT YOU KNOW OF THAT, THAT COULD EITHER, AS FAR AS REVENUE SHARING FOR THE COUNTY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OR IS IT ALL TYPICALLY JUST LOCAL FUNDED? LOCAL ADMINISTERED? ARE THERE ANY WAYS TO SYNERGIZE WITH THE STATE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE NOT, THAT I'M AWARE OF ON THESE TYPE PROJECTS.
NOW, I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH LOCALITIES ON UPC, MEANING THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THE NORMAL FUNDING PROCESS AND THEY'RE ADMINISTERED BY VDOT THAT WE DO, UM, WORK WITH LOCALITIES
[01:05:01]
TO ENHANCE THE OVERALL CHARACTER, THE PROJECT, THE ROUNDABOUT THERE ON FERNDALE ON AT, UM, COX ROAD.WE LET YOU LANDSCAPE THAT IT'S, IT'S UNDER AN AGREEMENT WITH THE LOCALITY, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR REQUEST TO MAKE THAT LOOK BETTER AND FIND A WAY TO WORK FOR BOTH OF US.
SO WE WILL WORK WITH, WITH Y'ALL ON OTHER OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT, AS YOU FIND THEM AS WELL.
YOU GOT THE VERY EDUCATIONAL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE HAVE SOME ACTION ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS AFTERNOON.
[4.A. Proclamation: 54th Professional Municipal Clerks Week]
SO THE FIRST ONE IS THE PROCLAMATION IS THE 54TH PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK.CHAIRMAN, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA PRESENT THIS ONE.
SO, UM, YOU SEE THE PROCLAMATION BEFORE YOU, I'M NOT, I'M NOT NECESSARILY GONNA READ IT.
UH, YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO, TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, OVER THE YEARS I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH SEVERAL MUNICIPAL CLERKS, UM, MS. BROWN, IN TALKING THROUGH EVEN THIS, THIS PROCLAMATION, I WANTED TO, TO ONE, JUST BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF, OF THE BOARD SO THAT WE COULD PASS IT AND, AND, AND HIGHLIGHT, UM, JUST THE PROFESSION ITSELF, BUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT MS. BROWN BRINGS TO THE TABLE HERE FOR, FOR THE COUNTY.
UM, AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE YEAR TO WORK WITH THE VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL CLERK ASSOCIATION AND JUST THE PROFESSIONALISM THAT EXIST, UH, IN THAT ORGANIZATION TO, TO REALLY SOME OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. AND IN MANY WAYS, AND YOU SEE THIS IN THE RESOLUTION, THERE'S THIS, THIS CLEAR CONNECTION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UM, TO ALL DIFFERENT, UM, LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT FROM FEDERAL, NATIONAL LEVEL DOWN TO STATE TO LOCAL.
AND JUST THE DEPTH AND UNDERSTANDING THAT'S REQUIRED TO, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY IS WELL DOCUMENTED, IF YOU WILL.
SO WE, WE SEE MS. BROWN AT THESE MEETINGS, UM, BUT ALSO, AND WE, WHEN WE APPROVE OUR MINUTES, BUT THAT'S TRULY LIKE THE HISTORY BOOKS OF, OF DIM WITTY COUNTY TO DOCUMENT, NOT JUST LEGALLY TO MAKE MR SOUTHALL HAPPY, BUT FOR, FOR ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE RICH HISTORY OF THE COUNTY AND, AND TO DOCUMENT IN AN UNBIASED WAY, UH, WHAT HAPPENS AT THESE MEETINGS SO THAT WE CAN GO BACK AND, AND, UM, AND LOOK AT HOW GOVERNMENT IS DONE AT, AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
AND IF IT WASN'T FOR MUNICIPAL CLERKS, UM, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT TASK.
SO, UM, WHEN IT WAS, WHEN IT CAME UP AND, AND I FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS THE WEEK I TOLD MS. BROWN, I SAID, WELL, LOOK, I I DEFINITELY WANNA BE THE ONE TO PRESENT THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO BRING THIS RECOGNITION TO THE PROFESSION ITSELF.
AND SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M GLAD TO ANSWER THOSE.
BUT AGAIN, ON, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I KNOW IN, IN THE COUNTY, WE APPRECIATE MS. BROWN AND THE WORK THAT YOU PUT IN TO THIS PROFESSION AND TO THE JOB WELL DONE, AS WELL AS THOSE OTHERS THAT EXIST ACROSS OUR NATION.
SO WE DON'T GET TO PROCLAIM IT FOR THE NATION, BUT WE DO GET TO SET IT ASIDE FOR DIMITY COUNTY.
AND THAT'S ALL WE SIMPLY NEED A A, A MOTION TO ADOPT UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO THANK YOU.
ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND ROLL CALL.
[Additional Item.]
AND THEN THE ITEM THAT WE ADDED IS THE OPIOID, UH, GRANT.UM, AND I WILL BE DOING THAT MR. CHAIRMAN? YEP, I CAN, I CAN DO THAT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THEN WE'LL BRING MARIA UP AND SHE CAN ANSWER 'EM FOR YOU.
SO
AS YOU, AS YOU WILL RECALL, THE BOARD JOINED IN, IN A NATIONAL NATIONWIDE OPIOID LITIGATION.
AND, UM, FUNDS HAVE STARTED TO, TO FLOW OUT OF THAT.
UM, AND SO SPECIFICALLY THE COUNTY WANTS TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, UH, TO THE VIRGINIA OPIOID ABATEMENT AUTHORITY TO PURCHASE AND, UM, AND IMPLEMENT THE OWLS POWELLS, UM, CURRICULUM IN DEWIN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, ALSO, AL PALS PROMOTES RESILIENCY IN CHILDREN AND PROVIDES PROTECTIVE, UH, FACTORS THAT HAVE, THAT MAY LESSEN THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF TRAUMA, INCLUDING PARENTS SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
UM, SO THE PROPOSAL ALSO INCLUDES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DRUG ABUSE, UM, RESISTANCE EDUCATION DARE AND GRADES K THROUGH EIGHT.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH, WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM, UM, THERE AS WELL.
AND, UH, THE COUNTY WILL APPLY
[01:10:01]
USING THE, UH, OAA GOLD STANDARD, WHICH INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE FUNDING OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD.AND, UH, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THERE IS, IS ATTACHED TO THIS, THIS MEMORANDUM.
UH, SO THIS IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO AGAIN, BE ABLE TO PUT THAT PROPOSAL IN, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE GRANT FUNDING.
AND AGAIN, AS OUTLINED HERE, THIS IS WHAT WE PLAN TO DO WITH THE, WITH THE FUNDS.
I WILL TELL YOU, 'CAUSE MS. HOWERTON, I KNOW SHE'S BEEN UP TO HER EYEBALLS IN THE ERP, UH, IT SEEMED LIKE BUDGET FOR ME AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE, WE ACTUALLY FORMED A, A COMMITTEE HERE, A LOCAL WORKING GROUP, UM, THAT REALLY, REALLY GOOD COUNTY, UM, EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE WORKED KIND OF THOUGHT THROUGH THIS.
AND SO I WAS PLEASED TO HEAR THAT, THAT THIS IS, UM, WHERE WE PLAN TO, TO FOCUS HERE.
SO THIS IS A FUNDING MECHANISM TO GO GET THOSE FUNDS? THAT'S CORRECT.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? IF NOT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RESOLUTION.
ALRIGHT, SO AT THIS TIME WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA ADJOURN AND THEN WE'RE GONNA COME BACK AT, AT SEVEN O'CLOCK FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS SINCE WE HAVE NO CLOSE SESSION.
RECESS OR ADJOURN? IS THAT RECESS? HOW WE WANNA HANDLE IT? WE'RE GONNA RECESS, RECESS, AND ADJOURN.
SO WE NEED A MOTION? YEAH, JUST A MOTION TO RECESS AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK AT SEVEN O'CLOCK AND GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL BE BACK AT 7:00 PM UM,
[5.A. Proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Budget]
THIS EVENING.THIS EVENING WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS AND IT'S BASICALLY ONE IS ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET AND THE OTHER IS ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BUDGET FOR 20, UH, 24 THROUGH, UH, 20 20, 24 THROUGH 33.
SO MR. QUI, WE'LL, UM, START WITH THE F FIRST PRESENTATION AND THAT'S THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET.
DO WE NEED, YEAH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK YOU WOULD ORDER, DO WE? OKAY.
NOW MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO READ THE STATEMENTS DR. MOORE.
YEAH, WE'RE GONNA, YES, I NEED TO DO THAT BEFORE MR. LEE.
AT THE MAY 2ND, 2023 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE DEITY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I, DANIEL D. LEE WILL PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.
THE BUDGET AND CIP WILL DETERMINE HOW MUCH MONEY IS APPROPRIATED TO THE DEITY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.
MY WIFE IS EMPLOYED BY THE DENWOODY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, BUT THE BUDGET AND CIP WILL AFFECT ALL SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNTY, AND I AM ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSACTION FAIRLY OBJECTIVELY.
I AM EMPLOYED BY THE APPOMATTOX RIVER SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, WHICH HAS AN ADDRESS OF 13,915 BORDEN PLANK ROAD, PALM CREDIT MALL, DENWOODY, VIRGINIA 2 3 8 4 1.
DUE TO MY EMPLOYMENT WITH THE APPOMATTOX RIVER SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, I WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY DISCUSSION OR VOTE PERTAINING TO THE APPOMATTOX RIVER SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION BOARD.
AND I HAVE A STATEMENT TO READ ALSO AT THE MAY 2ND, 2023 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE DIMITY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
I'M MARKE MOORE WILL PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN, THE BUDGET AND CIP WILL DETERMINE HOW MUCH MONEY IS APPROPRIATED TO THE DEITY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.
MY WIFE IS EMPLOYED BY THE DE WITTY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, BUT THE BUDGET AND THE CIP WILL AFFECT ALL SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNTY AND I'M ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSACTION FAIRLY OBJECTIVELY AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
BOARD MEMBERS, YOU ONLY HAVE ONE MORE TIME TO READ THAT.
I SAY, UH, SO IT'S MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO DO BOTH HEARINGS TONIGHT.
AND ONE, UH, THE FIRST ONE AGAIN IS ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 COUNTY BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION AS FAR AS, UM, THIS, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.
UM, SO AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO TO START OFF WITH JUST THE OVERALL VISION STATEMENT OF, OF DEWEY COUNTY, WHICH IS THAT WE CHERISH
[01:15:01]
OUR HERITAGE, EMBRACE OPPORTUNITY, AND OFFER AN EXTRAORDINARY, UH, COMMUNITY IN WHICH TO SPEND A LIFETIME.UH, THE MISSION OF THE COUNTY IS TO BUILD OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ATTEMPT HERE EVERY DAY.
SO, UM, NEXT I JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE BOARD OF OUR, OUR CORE VALUES OF ALL OF OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND TO GET INTO SOME SPECIFICS OF THOSE CORE VALUES.
UM, STEWARDSHIP BEING, BEING THE FIRST, AND AGAIN, THAT STARTS WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY OWN THE ASSETS, BUT AGAIN, WE ARE, WE'RE AGAIN, BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE COUNTY'S TRUST, UH, TEAMWORK, RESPECT, INTEGRITY, BEING AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO, VALUE ADDED CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHICH IS A, A REALLY, I GUESS, FANCIER WAY OF SAYING THAT WE LIKE TO GO THE EXTRA MILE FOR ALL OF OUR, UM, OUR CONSTITUENTS IN EACH OTHER.
AND SO AGAIN, IF YOU WERE TO TAKE THOSE, IT SPELLS THE WORD STRIVE, WHICH IS OUR ATTEMPT AND OUR CORE VALUES EACH AND EVERY DAY.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA TRANSITION NOW, UM, TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO GET YOU TO DO IT.
UM, SO JUST A REMINDER TONIGHT, THE DECODER VIRGINIA FOR THE BOARD.
IT PROHIBITS YOU ALL FROM VOTING TONIGHT.
SO AFTER I PRESENT THE BUDGET, WE'LL OBVIOUSLY GET INPUT ON BOTH THE, THE, UM, THE BUDGET ITSELF AND THEN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.
BUT THE IMPORTANT DATE HERE IS MAY 16TH.
ON MAY 16TH, JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AWAY HERE AT THREE O'CLOCK, THE BOARD CAN TAKE ACTION.
AGAIN, THE CODE CONTEMPLATES THE FACT THAT YOU'RE TO SOLICIT PUBLIC INPUT.
THINK ABOUT THAT BEFORE YOU VOTE ON IT AND NOT NECESSARILY VOTE THAT ONE NIGHT.
SO PREVIOUSLY ALREADY IN THE YEAR, WE, WE ACCEPT THE, THE OVERALL TAX RATES, AND THAT'S WHAT HELPS BALANCE YOUR, YOUR OVERALL REVENUE BUDGET.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR TAX RATES THAT ARE HERE, THEY'RE THE SAME AS THE TAX RATES WERE, UH, LAST YEAR.
AND I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN, UM, IN OFFICE NOW FOR 12 YEARS, AND THAT SINCE THAT TIME YOU'VE NOT RAISED TAXES ANY OF THOSE YEARS.
AND, UM, QUITE HONESTLY, YOU HAVE GONE DOWN IN PERSONAL PROPERTY DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT HAVEN'T RAISED TAXES.
SO THESE TAXES THAT YOU SEE HERE HAVEN'T CHANGED.
SO IF WE TAKE IT A LITTLE DEEPER DIVE INTO THE, INTO THE REVENUE BUDGET.
SO WHERE DOES THE FUNDS COME FROM? YOU KNOW, YOU GOT THREE MAJOR SOURCES OF FUNDS, UH, FOR FY 24.
ONE IS THE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
NATIONALLY, WE GET ABOUT $92,000 IS WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING FOR THE, THE OVERALL FISCAL YEAR.
FROM, FROM THE, UH, FEDERAL SIDE, FROM THE STATE, WE'RE GETTING ABOUT SEVEN, JUST OVER $7.8 MILLION, UH, FOR, FOR FUNDS FOR FUNDING.
AND THEN THE LION'S SHARE, AS YOU SEE, COMES FROM LOCAL, UH, REVENUE, UH, HERE FROM THE COUNTY.
SO THE COUNTY, UH, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE VARIOUS DIFFERENT REVENUE STREAMS, 26 TO BE EXACT.
UM, BUT THE TWO MAIN REVENUE SOURCES FOR THE COUNTY COME FROM TWO TAXATION SOURCES.
ONE IS FROM REAL ESTATE AND THE OTHER IS FROM, FROM PERSONAL PROPERTY.
SO THAT MAKES UP 67% OF ALL LOCAL REVENUE COMES FROM BOTH THE REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX.
SO AGAIN, OF THAT 48 MILLION THAT I JUST SHOWED YOU PREVIOUSLY, 32.4 MILLION OF THAT IS JUST COMING BETWEEN THE REAL ESTATE TAX AND THE, THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX.
SO LET'S LOOK A LITTLE BIT CLOSER AT, UM, THE REAL ESTATE.
SO REAL ESTATE THIS YEAR GREW LESS THAN THAN ONE 1% GROWTH.
AND SO IN THIS GRAPHIC, WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE IN MORE OF THE, UH, DARKER ORANGE BARS ARE ACTUAL COLLECTIONS THAT OCCURRED IN REAL ESTATE IN 2021 AND 22.
SO THEY'RE NOT BUDGETED THEIR ACTUAL, UH, HIT THE COUNTY COFFERS IN THOSE YEARS.
FY 23, THE PRESENT YEAR BUDGET IS THAT FIRST BLUE BAR WHERE YOU SEE, WE WERE AT 19.2 MILLION.
WE'RE PROJECTED TO BE A LITTLE BIT ABOVE WHERE WE HAD BUDGETED LAST YEAR AT ABOUT 19 THREE.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE IN THE GREEN BAR, IS WHAT MS. HOWERTON AND I ARE PROPOSING PROJECTION WISE, UH, FOR FY 24.
BUT IF YOU GO BUDGET TO BUDGET, NOT PROJECTION, IT'S A BUDGET CHANGE OF ABOUT $160,000 IN REAL ESTATE.
OKAY? PERSONAL PROPERTY, AGAIN, THAT, THAT OTHER LARGE AREA.
SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD GRAPHIC.
[01:20:01]
THE, THE, THE THREE ORANGE YEARS, YOU CAN SEE THE GROWTH THAT'S OCCURRED.THAT 2020 FY 23 BUDGET THAT WE'RE PRESENTLY IN.
KEEP IN MIND YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY WAS AT $4 AND 60 CENTS, BUT WE DID THAT AT 90% OF THE FAIR MARKET VALUE.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE, WE WERE PROJECTING 12.6 MILLION.
NOW WE EXPECT TO GET SOMEWHERE AROUND 12.9.
SO WE, WE WE'RE PRETTY ACCURATE TO WHERE, WHERE OUR EXPECTATIONS WERE.
AND THEN FOR FY 24, GOING BACK TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE VALUE, WE'RE LOOKING TO BE JUST OVER, UH, 13 MILLION THERE.
BUT THE, THE INTERESTING PIECE IS THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE WHERE YOU'LL SEE THAT THE BUDGET CHANGE FROM 22 TO 23, NOT ACTUAL, BUT BUDGET CHANGE WAS OVER 2.1 MILLION IN THIS PARTICULAR CATEGORY FROM, UH, THE PRESENT YEAR TO NEXT YEAR, WE'RE LOOKING AT 442,000 IN CHANGE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, IT, IT, YOU KNOW, WE EXPECTED THAT PERSONAL PROPERTY VALUES WOULD COOL, SOME THAT DID HAPPEN IN THIS YEAR.
AND AGAIN, GOING BACK TO A HUNDRED PERCENT GETS US MORE IN LINE TO, TO WHERE WE, UH, LIKE TO BE.
SO THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES ARE JUST THE OVERALL GAIN AND LOSS.
WE'VE GOT THOSE 27 DIFFERENT DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS THERE.
SO THOSE THAT ARE IN BLACK, UH, AGAIN, YOU SAW SOME POSITIVE GAIN.
THOSE THAT ARE IN RED WERE WHERE WE SAW SOME DECREASES.
BUT IF YOU GO TO THIS NEXT PAGE, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE OVERALL LOCAL REVENUE IS AN ANTICIPATED TO BE, AGAIN, THAT $48 MILLION.
AND THAT'S AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 1.7 MILLION LOCALLY FOR THE BUDGET.
SO THAT WAS THE REVENUE THAT WE, WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO BUILD THIS BUDGET.
THAT'S THE BUDGET, THE REVENUE BUDGET THAT WE STARTED WITH.
UM, AND THAT WAS, IN OUR OPINION, GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN WE NORMALLY ARE.
WE LIKE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE, BUT AS YOU KNOW, UH, FROM THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THIS YEAR WE HAD A WHOLE LOT MORE REQUESTS THAN WE HAD THE ABILITY TO FUND.
SO WE WERE LOOKING AT CREATIVE WAYS ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
SO LET ME, LET ME JUMP IN ON THE EXPENSES.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE MET EARLY ON AND WE SAID THAT, AND INITIALLY THAT WE NEEDED SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
AND ONE THAT WAS TO DEVELOP A CONSERVATIVE BUDGET THAT REALISTIC, THAT'S REALISTIC, THAT'S ALIGNED WITH THE CURRENT ECONOMY WE'RE IN.
WE KNOW THAT, UH, INFLATION IS HERE AND WE SEE SOME ESCALATED COSTS AND THAT, THAT OUR OVERALL BUDGET NEEDED TO REPRESENT.
UM, THE FACT THAT, THAT THIS ECONOMY WE'RE IN IS A LITTLE BIT, UM, SHAKIER THAN WHAT IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST.
WE ALSO STARTED OFF WITH THE PRINCIPLE THAT WE'RE GONNA AT LEAST MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICES THAT THE DIMITY COUNTY CITIZENS HAVE COME TO EXPECT.
AND, UM, WHERE IT WAS FEASIBLE, IF WE CAN MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS, WE WANTED TO DO THAT.
UM, WE'RE IN THE PEOPLE BUSINESS, WE SAY THAT A LOT.
AND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO AFFECT AND TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
SO WE, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN NEW EMPLOYEES AND, AND, UH, EMPLOYEES WE HAVE AND ATTRACT NEW ONES, UM, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD LOOK AT AT LEAST DOING A COMPRESSION STEP FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE.
AND IF WE COULD TO TRY TO MOVE THAT SCALE, UH, DO A COST OF 11 ADJUSTMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO THAT WAS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR, OUR OVERALL GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
UM, ALSO WE, WE KNEW THIS YEAR THERE WAS GONNA BE A, A STRATEGIC STAFFING INVESTMENT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND WE KNOW THAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF IS SPECIFICALLY LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE AND EMS, UM, HARD TO MAINTAIN AND EVEN HARDER TO ATTRACT THESE DAYS.
AND SO, UH, THAT WAS A, A FOCUS EARLY ON AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE.
AND, AND AS WE COULD, YOU KNOW, OUR, WE'VE HAD THIS A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE, THE NEE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND IF THERE WERE FUNDS AVAILABLE THAT WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO HELP TEACHER COMPENSATION AS A PRIORITY.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL PROPOSED BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE OVERALL COUNTY OPERATIONS IN GREEN MAKE UP ABOUT 58% OF THE TOTAL, UM, UH, OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURE.
UH, SECOND TO THAT IS GONNA BE YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH THEIR OPERATIONS.
AND THAT INTERNAL CAPITAL BEING ABOUT 16.3 MILLION, WHICH IS UP ABOUT $200,000 MORE THAN WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR.
UM, SOME OF THE OTHER, YOU'LL SEE THE, THE, THE DEBT TRANSFERS IN ORDER TO MAKE OUR DEBT PAYMENTS 6.2 MILLION, 11%.
AND, AND THEN, UH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES AT ABOUT 2% IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
YOU KNOW, WE PUT UP $25,000 OVER THERE EACH YEAR.
SO IF I, I GO BACK TO THE, THE BUDGET AND AGAIN, ALIGNING IT TO THE ECONOMY AND DEVELOPING THIS KIND OF CONSERVATIVE BUDGET.
WHAT WAS THE BUDGET APPROACH THIS YEAR WHERE EARLY ON FEBRUARY 1ST, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD YOU ALL MET GAVE SOME STRATEGIC GUIDANCE TO THE COUNTY, WE KNEW THEN
[01:25:01]
THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE OVER SIX AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF REQUESTS AT THAT TIME.WE WERE LOOKING ABOUT 1.3 IN REVENUE, AND YOU CAN SEE WE WERE ABLE TO GET WITH BETTER NUMBERS, UM, MORE REVENUE THAN THAT, BUT WE KNEW WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE REVENUE AND WHAT WAS BEING ASKED FOR.
UM, YOU ON APRIL 11TH DECIDED ON THOSE TAX RATES THAT I I SHOWED YOU.
SO WHEN THAT WAS LOCKED IN, THE REVENUE NUMBER WAS IN PLACE AND THERE WAS NO, UH, IN ANTICIPATION AT THAT POINT TO ADJUST THE TAX RATE.
SO THAT PUT STAFF HAVING TO CAREFULLY GO BACK IN AND, AND REVIEW ALL OF OUR SPENDING.
AND WE SAID, WELL, BEFORE WE EVEN THINK ABOUT NEXT YEAR, WE WANNA LOOK AT ALL THE SPENDING THAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR AND CAREFULLY EVALUATING THAT.
AND IN ORDER TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, THERE HAD TO BE SOME CUTS, OBVIOUSLY SIX AND A HALF MILLION WORTH OF, AND THE REVENUE COMING IN.
SO EVERYWHERE POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD LOOK AT MAKING CUTS, UM, AND DEVELOPING STRATEGIES TO ABSORB SOME OF THESE CURRENT EXPENSES.
IF YOU REMEMBER, WE HAD OVER A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF JUST OPERATING EXPENSES DUE TO INFLATIONARY COSTS.
THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IS MORE.
SO WHEN WE WENT BACK AS A STAFF, WE SAID, WELL, LOOK, WE'VE GOTTA FIND THOSE CUTS INTERNALLY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, TO MOVE THIS BUDGET ALONG.
AND SO I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, SOME THINGS WERE CUT OUT OBVIOUSLY, BUT WE HAD TO ALSO DELAY SOME INTERNAL CAPITAL, UH, PURCHASES.
SO EXAMPLES OF THAT, IF ANYBODY ASKS FOR A NEW VEHICLE OR REPLACEMENT VEHICLE, IF IT'S WORKING FINE, EVEN THOUGH IT PROBABLY MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED, WE'RE ASKING FOR, FOR THOSE TO BE DELAYED.
AND AGAIN, IT WAS THOSE TYPES OF INTERNAL CAPITAL THAT WE JUST DECIDED THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO, TO MOVE FORWARD ON.
WE HAD TO ELIMINATE A LOT OF NEW POSITIONS THAT PEOPLE WERE ASKING FOR.
AND ULTIMATELY, ONE OF THE BIGGER PIECES OF THAT SIX AND A HALF MILLION WAS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WHO HAD ASKED FOR NEARLY 2.8 MILLION, A LITTLE OVER 2.8 MILLION IN REQUEST.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE DIDN'T EVEN GROW AS A COUNTY THAT AMOUNT, SO WE HAD TO GO BACK AND, AND SEE IF THERE WAS WAYS TO STILL PROVIDE SOME TO THE SCHOOLS, BUT OBVIOUSLY HAD TO MAKE, MAKE SOME CUTS, UM, LEVEL OF SERVICE.
SO AGAIN, WE SAID WE, WE GOTTA AT LEAST MAINTAIN WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
SO I DIDN'T WANT ANY COUNTY DEPARTMENT TO COME BACK TO ME AND SAY, WE'RE HAVING TO STOP A SERVICE OR DEFER A SERVICE.
WE'RE GONNA AT LEAST MAINTAIN, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
SO THE BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHES THAT.
SO EVERY COUNTY DEPARTMENT, ALL FIVE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS AND ALL OF OUR OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS AT LEAST ARE, ARE MAINTAINING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE, WE ARE USED TO HERE, EVEN THOUGH THIS ISN'T THE BEST OF OF REVENUE YEARS.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, THIS BUDGET ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT SOME OF THESE FUTURE INVESTMENTS THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IN SOME KEY TARGETED AREAS.
SO PARTNERSHIPS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LIKE TO SAY THAT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT SHOULDN'T BE THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING.
UM, AND IF WE WERE TO DO THIS ON OUR OWN, IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO WE HAVE TO FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO PARTNER.
AND SO WE, WE HAVE 32 TOTAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT THE BUDGET SUPPORTS.
UM, AND THOSE ARE SERVICES AGAIN THAT, THAT WE NEED TO PARTNER WITH VERSUS HAVING TO DUPLICATE THE SERVICE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE 13 OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS.
OF THOSE 32 THAT WE ARE EITHER HAVING SOME FORM OF REGIONAL COMMITMENT TO OR A CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENT TO, ALL OF THOSE WERE AT LEAST LEVEL FUNDED.
AND IN SOME CASES WE WERE ABLE TO FUND MORE SPECIFICALLY VIRGINIA'S GATEWAY REGION, PETERSBURG AREA REGIONAL TOURISM, AND THE CRATER PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION.
YOU'LL SEE INCREASES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE.
THE CRATER YOUTH CARE, THE DETENTION HOME, UH, YOU SEE AN INCREASE IN THOSE.
THEY'RE CONTRACTUALLY REQUIRE, HAVE A SERVICE AGREEMENT, A PART OF THOSE.
AND THEN WE HAVE 19 OTHERS THAT WE, WE DO.
SO THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS.
AGAIN, IT'S 32 OF THEM THAT WE, WE HELP SUPPORT, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT TAKES ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO, TO BRING THESE SERVICES, UM, TO DIM WOODING.
SO LEMME GET INTO SOME MORE SPECIFICS OF, OF THE, THE BUDGET.
AND THIS IS GOING BACK TO THE COUNTY WORKFORCE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD, UH, ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, UH, DID THE LARGEST COMPENSATION REFORM OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND THEN, AND, AND ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY AND A CLASS AND COMPENSATION PLAN.
AT THE END OF THAT CLASS AND COMP PLAN, YOU SAW YOURSELVES NOT AT THE HIGHEST, BUT KIND OF MIDDLE OF THE HIGH, UM, AND THEN JUST THREE YEARS, THREE, FOUR YEARS, WE'RE NOW BACK, YOU KNOW, CLOSER TO THE BOTTOM IN MOST AREAS, IN SOME AREAS.
THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS WHY WE, WE SAID, LOOK, WE'VE REALLY GOTTA LOOK AT, AT, AT DOING A COUPLE ADJUSTMENTS, UM, AND HAVING SOME NEW, THESE, SOME NEW POSITIONS I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT.
SO AN FY 24 CURRENT SALARIES AND BENEFITS BUDGET, UH, IS UP 1.4 MILLION.
AND YOU SAW THE OVERALL AMOUNT THAT WE WERE GROWING.
SO WE'RE INVESTING THIS BACK IN, INTO
[01:30:01]
OUR PEOPLE.UH, FIRST OF THAT IS TO DO A, A PAY SCALE ADJUSTMENT.
SO STARTING PAY WILL MOVE BY 2.624%.
SO WE'RE, WE'LL MOVE THAT SCALE AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF COLD ADJUSTMENT, AND THEN THE COMPRESSION STEP WILL COME ON TOP OF THAT.
SO AGAIN, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IF YOU'RE AN EMPLOYEE AND YOU'VE SEEN YOURSELF, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK FIVE, 10 YEARS FROM NOW AND SEE WHAT YOU WOULD BE MAKING IF THE SCALE MOVES.
IF THE SCALE DOESN'T MOVE, YOU GET INTO SOME COMPRESSION PROBLEMS. SO I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT OUR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES ARE GONNA GET A, A MINIMUM OF 5% INCREASE THIS YEAR, UM, WHICH IS EXTREMELY, UH, HELPFUL.
SWITCHING NOW TO SOME OF THE NEW POSITIONS THAT WE PUT IN THE BUDGET, AND PROBABLY THE LARGEST PART OF YOUR BUDGET THIS YEAR IS THIS COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND YOU HAVE NINE NEW POSITIONS FOR FIRE AND EMS. UM, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN THE BUDGET IS APPROVED AND STARTS, UH, JULY ONE, YOU'RE NOT BRINGING IN NINE PEOPLE AT THAT TIME.
THEREFORE, WE DIDN'T BUDGET A FULL YEAR AGAIN, TRYING TO BE CONSERVATIVE, WE BUDGETED FOR 10 MONTHS, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, THE SALARY AND BENEFITS OF THAT IS JUST OVER A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
ONCE YOU ADD THE UNIFORMS AND YOU ADD THE FIRE GEAR AND YOU ADD THE MEDICAL EXPENSES THAT REQUIRES TO GET THESE INDIVIDUALS IN, IN, IN TOP SHAPE, UM, AND CLEAR, THAT'S ANOTHER $61,000 TO DO THAT.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT'S YOUR LARGEST INVESTMENT IS BACK TO, UH, FIRE AND EMS. NEXT AREA IS IN OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFF SPECIFICALLY HAD TALKED ABOUT NEEDING TWO NEW FULL-TIME, UH, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPUTIES.
UH, WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS A MATTER OF, UM, AGAIN, PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE, WE WERE ABLE TO, TO FUND BOTH OF THOSE NEW POSITIONS.
THE SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE TO 128,000, UH, $520 ONCE YOU GET THEIR VEHICLE, THEIR COMPUTER, THE UNIFORM YOU ADD ABOUT, UH, ANOTHER $79,000.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S IN YOUR BUDGET.
ANIMAL CONTROL, SMALL DOLLAR FIGURE HERE, JUST OVER $5,000.
BUT OUR ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS NEEDED TO GET INTO ALIGNMENT WITH ALL THE OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF.
SO ON CALL PAY WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT AFFORDED OR ANIMAL CONTROL.
AND WE SAW THAT AS A, A CLEAR PRIORITY TO TRY TO GET, UH, ON-CALL COMPENSATION, UH, FOR THAT.
THE NEXT, UM, POSITION THAT WAS ADDED WAS A FULL-TIME PLANNER ONE POSITION, WHICH IS AN ENTRY LEVEL PLANNER.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD LEFT STAFF IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT THAN WHEN I STARTED 21 YEARS AGO IN, IN DIM, WITTY, VERY HARD AREA TO KEEP FILLED.
UM, AND THIS POSITION WAS ELIMINATED YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD SOME BAD BUDGET CUTS.
UM, BUT THIS POSITION'S BEING ADDED BACK.
NOW THIS YEAR YOU CAN SEE ON THE, THE GRAPHIC HERE IS THE DIM FORWARD OR COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN.
YOU HEARD FROM YOUR PLANNING COMMISSIONERS THAT IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO FUND A PLANNING POSITION, THAT THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO THE COUNTY.
AND SO WE, WE AGREED WITH THAT.
WE PUT 12 MONTHS OF SALARY AND COMPENSATION AGAIN AT, AT JUST OVER $68,000.
ANOTHER AREA THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WAS LOOKING AT, UH, THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, WE HAVEN'T ADJUSTED THE COMPENSATION IN THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WORK HARD FOR US IN YEARS.
AND SO WE, WE DID A CAREFUL LOOK OF THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THAT A BOARD CAN ADJUST ITS PAY IS THE YEAR OF AN ELECTION.
AND SO BEING AN ELECTION YEAR, WE HAVE ACTUALLY GONE BACK AND LOOKED AT WHAT THAT ADJUSTMENT WOULD BE OVER TIME.
AND SO THAT'S BEEN PUT INTO THE BUDGET AND WOULDN'T START UNTIL JANUARY AFTER WHATEVER BOARD COMES IN PLACE AND TAKES THE OATH OF OFFICE WOULD BE DONE IN IN JANUARY.
UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WE LOOKED AT AS WELL INCLUDED BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, AND THE, UH, DEITY COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD.
SO THESE ARE OUR TOP BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OF THE COUNTY DO A LOT OF HARD WORK FOR.
AND SO WE'VE ALL ADJUSTED THEIR SALARIES ACCORDINGLY, UH, IN THIS, THIS PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO LET'S LOOK AT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AGAIN.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF YOUR, AGAIN, PRINCIPLES AT THE BEGINNING, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, KEVIN, IF THERE'S ANY WAY YOU SAID TO ME, IF ANY WAY WE CAN GET THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SOMETHING AT ONE TIME WE THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE LEVEL FUNDED.
UM, BUT WE WERE FORTUNATE THIS YEAR TO INCREASE BY ABOUT $200,000.
SO BETWEEN THE SCHOOL OPERATING FUND, THE OVERALL SCHOOL DEBT THAT THE COUNTY PAYS AND THE INTERNAL CAPITAL, IT'S 150,000 FOR THEM TO, TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, EVEN THOUGH THEIR OPERATING BUDGET IS $56 MILLION.
THIS, YOU KNOW, OVER 18.8 MILLION HERE IS WHAT, UM, WE HAVE PROPOSED TO GO TO THE, THE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR.
SO BALANCING THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW HOW, SO AGAIN, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE OVERALL SOURCES OF REVENUE, LOOK AT THAT FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL DOLLAR.
[01:35:01]
THE COUNTY'S ANTICIPATED THIS YEAR, PROJECTION WISE TO BE $56.5 MILLION IN ON REVENUE COMING INTO THE COUNTY.AND THAT BEING SAID, IF YOU TAKE YOUR COUNTY OPERATIONS, THE SCHOOL OPERATIONS, THE DEBT PAYMENT FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE COUNTY DEBT, AND THEN SOCIAL SERVICES AND CHIL AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES, AND THEN THAT $25,000 IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND, YOU'RE GONNA BE AT $56.1 MILLION.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT, THAT THERE IS SOME REVENUE LESS EXPENDITURE HERE OF ABOUT $393,000, BUT YOU'RE ALSO SPENDING IN THE SECOND PART OF TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION, I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR, OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.
AND IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO STICK BETWEEN 2 MILLION AND 3 MILLION IN OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM EACH YEAR.
ONE, THE, THE BOND RATING AGENCIES LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF PAY AS YOU GO INSTEAD OF BORROWING MONEY, BUT WE WANTED TO BE IN THAT RANGE THIS YEAR.
DIDN'T REALLY WANNA GO MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT.
IF YOU TAKE THE $393,000, APPLY IT TO THE OVERALL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE OVERALL NET IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS WHERE THE YOU'LL GET PAID, UH, PAY YOUR, YOUR, YOUR CIP OUT OF IS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
SO WE CLEARLY HIT OUR GOAL TO, TO TRY TO BE IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE IS, IS HOW IS YOUR LOCAL TAX DOLLAR SPENT? AND SO IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, AND I LIKE TO SAY THAT THAT BUDGETS ARE, THEY, THEY'RE YOUR PRIORITIES.
SO YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET AND YOU DETERMINE WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE.
SO FOR DIMITY COUNTY, YOU KNOW, YOUR TOP PRIORITY HAS AND CONTINUES TO BE, UH, K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION.
SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT COMES INTO DIMITY COUNTY, BETWEEN WHAT WE PAY THE SCHOOLS FOR OPERATING AND THEIR DEBT PAYMENTS, UM, IS AROUND 34 CENTS.
SO EVERY DOLLAR THAT COMES IN, 34 CENTS OF THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE DIMITY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THAT PARTNERSHIP.
NOW, CLOSE TO THAT, AND THIS IS THE NUMBER THAT'S GROWN OVER THE YEARS, IS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS.
YOU KNOW, YOUR OVERALL, JUST FOR OUR INMATES AT MEHERON RIVER REGIONAL JAIL AUTHORITY IS OVER $1.7 MILLION TO HOUSE INMATES AND THEN THE OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY ENTITIES, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST UNDER 30 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR GOES TO PAY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC WORKS, EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY GENERATES TRASH.
IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET RID OF THAT TRASH.
ALSO, PUBLIC WORKS TAKES, TAKES CARE OF ALL THESE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS AND LAWN MAINTENANCE THAT, THAT YOU SEE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THAT'S, UM, JUST OVER 9 CENTS OF EVERY OF EVERY DOLLAR ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNMENT IS THAT GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE ALL THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS THAT DON'T FIT IN THE OTHER PIECES OF THE DOLLAR, BUT IT'S, IT'S MAINLY EVEN YOUR COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, YOUR TREASURER'S OFFICE, THE ACCOUNTING OFFICE, MY OFFICE, UM, AND WHATNOT.
SO YOU'VE GOT THERE, UH, ABOUT 8 CENTS TOO COUNTY DEBT.
YOU GOTTA MAKE YOUR DEBT PAYMENTS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST OVER 6 CENTS.
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AT 3.40 CENTS.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AT 3.10 CENT.
QUALITY OF LIFE, WE TALKED EARLIER, UH, WITH OUR MARKETING AND TOURISM AND WITH PARKS AND RECREATION'S GONNA FALL UNDER QUALITY OF LIFE AS WELL.
UM, AND SOME OF OUR INVESTMENTS THERE.
AND THEN THE LAST PIECE OF THIS, WHICH IS HEAVILY STATE FUNDED, UM, BUT IS JUDICIAL SERVICES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE STATE OVER IN THE COURTHOUSE, THAT'S ONE OF OUR SMALLEST AREAS, BUT STILL AN IMPORTANT AREA OVER THE COUNTY.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE, UM, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD, UH, HAS, YOU NOTICE I PUT ANNE TON'S NAME ON THIS PIECE SO SHE CAN ALSO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
BUT, UM, I KNOW THIS IS, THIS HAS BEEN A PROCESS THAT STARTS BACK IN NOVEMBER FOR US, RIGHT? AND WE'RE ACTUALLY REVIEWING ON A MONTHLY BASIS WITH YOU ALL.
IT'S ALWAYS IN YOUR BOARD PACKETS.
THE SPENDING THAT WE, WE PRESENTLY HAVE.
I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN A PART OF, OF OVER 20 BUDGETS AND I'VE TOLD YOU ALL THIS, UH, BEFORE, THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE DIFFICULT BUDGETS THAT WE EVER HAVE.
BUT I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS BUDGET, I THINK MAINTAINS THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE.
IT LETS US MOVE FORWARD WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, ESPECIALLY ON THE FIRE AND EMS SIDE.
IT MAKES FURTHER INVESTMENTS INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE COULDN'T DO ANY OF THAT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO GIVE A 5% THIS YEAR WHEN WE WERE ORIGINALLY LOOKING AT IT, DIDN'T KNOW WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, I THINK IT'S THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE IN THE REGION IS CLOSELY ALIGNING OUR SPENDING.
AGAIN, WE HAVE REALLY TIGHTENED THE BELT THIS YEAR AND, UM, AND I, AND I CAN SAY WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT, THAT I, I GET TO
[01:40:01]
BE THE INDIVIDUAL STAND HERE, BUT THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES THAT ARE DOING THE WORK EVERY DAY, UM, I THINK THIS BUDGET HELPS THEM CONTINUE TO DO THAT IN SUCH A POSITIVE WAY.SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, AT THIS POINT, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OF ME OR MS. HOWERTON, IT WOULD BE OUR DISTINCT PLEASURE TO ANSWER THEM AND IF THERE'S ANYBODY WHO'S SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, WE NEED TO GET THAT.
UM, LISTEN TO THOSE COMMENTS HERE THIS EVENING.
BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, ANY ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM SUPERVISORS? NO.
BEFORE I OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION, LET ME READ A STATEMENT.
THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMENT TIME IS PROVIDED FOR CITIZENS TO HAVE THEIR VIEWS HEARD.
YOUR COMMENTS DURING THIS TIME MUST BE CONFINED TO THE MATTER OR THE CASE THAT IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE CUMULATIVE OR REPETITIVE.
YOU ARE ASKED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD WITH DECORUM, LOUD, DISRUPTIVE, OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR TO INCLUDE.
OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE SHALL BE AVOIDED.
ALSO, AVOID WORDS OR ACTS TENDING TO EVOKE VIOLENCE OR A DEEMED TO BE BREACH OF THE PEACE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS TIME IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD OR A TIME FOR DIALOGUE WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS OR STAFF.
RIGHT? WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024.
UH, MS. BROWN, IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP? MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THE PUBLIC BUT ON THE BUDGET? 2024 BUDGET.
OKAY, HEARING DONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION THERE
[5.B. Proposed Fiscal Years 2024-2033 Capital Improvements Plan Budget]
AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE, UM, THE SECOND PIECE, WHICH IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN BUDGET FROM 2024 THROUGH 2033.UH, SO MR. CHAIRMAN, I GLAD THIS YEAR THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BRING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN ON TIME.
AS YOU KNOW, THE LAST COUPLE YEARS THAT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT, UH, FOR US TO DO, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH ARPA FUNDS AND CVID AND WHATNOT THAT WE WERE, WE WERE HAVING IN YEARS PAST.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS JUST KIND OF RUN THROUGH THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS I HAVE FUNDED IN THE BUDGET.
SO I MEAN, IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BUDGET.
SO OF THAT 2.9 MILLION THAT I WAS SHOWING YOU EARLIER, THEY'RE IN MY RECOMMENDED BUDGET TO BE DONE THIS YEAR.
UM, IF IT'S THE BOARD'S DESIRE TO APPROVE THOSE, THEY WOULD GO IN AS FUNDED UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WISH TO PULL OUT.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT WE COULD, WE COULD HAVE CONVERSATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO THE FIRST PROJECT THAT, THAT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND AGAIN, THIS IS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, STARTING JULY ONE, UM, WAS THE NEED TO DO AN ELECTRICAL UPGRADE AT SUNNYSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND SO THAT UPGRADE WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR AN HVAC PROJECT, UH, TO BE DONE.
AND IF YOU RECALL, THE STATE, THE STATE HAD PROVIDED THE ESSER THREE FUNDS TO THE, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEEDED, AND WOULD LIKE TO SPEND THEIR ESSER THREE FUNDS ON THAT HVAC.
SO I KNOW THAT, THAT YOU ALL USUALLY DON'T LIKE TO FUND SOMETHING THE FIRST YEAR IT'S SEEN IN A PLAN, BUT BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR LARGEST INVESTMENT THIS YEAR, THIS IS A MILLION DOLLARS TO DO THIS ELECTRICAL UPGRADE.
BUT WE REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO, TO MAXIMIZE THE FUNDING THAT WE WE ALREADY HAD.
THAT'S ONE REASON THAT IT ESCALATED TO THE POINT OF BEING FUNDED THIS YEAR.
THOSE S3 THREE FUNDS HAVE TO BE EXPENDED BY 2025.
AND AGAIN, THAT COST IS, IS A MILLION DOLLARS.
THE SECOND INVESTMENT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS SCHOOL BUS REPLACEMENT.
AND, UM, THEY'RE LOOKING AT FIVE SCHOOL BUSES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED.
UM, AND AGAIN, WHEN, WHEN WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND TO THE SCHOOLS, THEY LIKE TO ROTATE THESE BUSES OUT OF SERVICE EVERY 14 YEARS AND THEY DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE SEEN THE BUSES, UH, YOU KNOW, HIGH RUNS GOING TO LOW RUN AREAS.
SO THEY, WE GET OUR USE OUT OF SCHOOL BUSES IN THE COUNTY.
UM, I AM OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER A SCHOOL BUS BEING ONLY $50,000, UM, 113,000, UH, THIS YEAR FOR A SCHOOL BUS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE PROJECT COST IS ESTIMATED TO BE $565,000.
THE NEXT ITEM IS UNDER OUR, UH, DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND EMS. SO WE HAVE AN, AN AUTO PULSE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.
AND SO IF YOU REMEMBER, THIS WAS ACTUALLY WANTING TO BE FUNDED LAST YEAR.
I, I MOVED IT TO THIS YEAR TO, TO FY 24.
UM, SO THIS IS ALL THE EXISTING AND, AND WHAT IS AN AUTO PULSE? IT'S AN AUTOMATED CPR DEVICE THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS CAN USE, UM, TO HELP IN THOSE, UH, CARDIAC SITUATIONS.
SO, UH, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 13 OF THOSE DEVICES.
[01:45:01]
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING TO REPLACE EACH ONE OF THOSE.AGAIN, WE FELT THIS WAS AN ITEM OF, UH, HEALTH SAFETY WELFARE.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM IS AN AMBULANCE REPLACEMENT.
AND SO, UM, THIS PROJECT WILL REPLACED ONE OF THE, THE OTHER COUNTY, UH, CURRENT AMBULANCES THAT HAVE, UH, REACHED THE END OF SERVICE LIFE.
AGAIN, THE, THE KEY TO SOME OF YOUR FIRE APPARATUS AS YOU ORDER IT NOW AND YOU'RE, YOU KIND OF GOT YOUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT IT COMES IN IN AN EXPEDITIOUS WAY, BUT AGAIN, WE NEED TO, TO KEEP UP WITH OUR AMBULANCE, AMBULANCE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THE NEXT ONE IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENTS OVER AT THE PAMPLIN BUILDING.
UH, DID A RENOVATION OVER THERE RECENTLY, YEARS AGO.
THEN WE TURNED AROUND LAST YEAR AND ADDED SOME CONTROLS TO THE HVAC SYSTEM.
THIS IS ACTUALLY THE LARGER ROOFTOP UNIT THAT NEEDS TO BE, UM, MEET UPGRADED, REPLACED OVER THERE.
THE TOTAL PROJECT COST THERE IS $300,000.
UM, SO PARKS AND REC HAD BEEN OFF THE PROGRAM FOR A WHILE, AND SO WE WERE, WE WERE ABLE TO, TO PUT FUNDS IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR TO BUILD TWO MULTI-USE BASKETBALL COURTS AT THE DIMITY, UH, COUNTY SPORTS COMPLEX.
SO THESE COURTS WOULD BE TWO HIGH SCHOOL REGULATION SIZE BASKETBALL COURTS.
UM, SURFACE MARKINGS WOULD BE OF SUCH THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO BASKETBALL AND PICKLEBALL.
UM, IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT SCOPE IS A 10 FOOT EXTERIOR FENCE AROUND THE PERIMETER AND A FIVE FOOT FENCE DOWN THE, THE CENTER.
UH, THIS GRAPHIC TO THE, TO THE RIGHT IS THE ACTUAL DESIGN.
AND YOU CAN SEE IN THAT TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER IS PROBABLY THE BEST VANTAGE POINT OF, OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS ON THE, THE PROPERTY, UM, JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM RB PAMPLIN DRIVE ON THE PROPERTY OF THE COUNTY ALREADY HAS.
SO THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL ACQUISITION COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
ONE REASON WE FELT LIKE WE COULD BRING THIS PROJECT FORWARD THIS YEAR, UM, IS THAT THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE FUNDS TO HELP SUPPORT THE PROJECT.
SO THE PROJECT IS JUST UNDER $380,000, BUT ALTERNATIVE FUNDING HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN A COUPLE SOURCES OF 122,000.
SO THE OVERALL IMPACT, UH, TO THE COUNTY IS ABOUT 256,000.
SO WE, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THIS, THIS BASKETBALL COURT, OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURT FACILITY.
I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT'S IN THE, IN MY PROPOSED, UM, CIP UH, SIX PATROL VEHICLES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PART OF A VEHICLE REPLACEMENT PLAN WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, HE HAS 10 VEHICLES OVER THERE WITH OVER 130,000 MILES.
AND NOT ALL OF THOSE ARE IN HIGH RISK SITUATIONS, BUT WE WERE, UM, COMMITTED THIS YEAR.
YOU, YOU MEAN THE SHERIFF CAME BEFORE YOU AND MAJOR KNOT, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT BUDGET TIME AND YOU, YOU ASKED IF THERE'S ANY WAY POSSIBLE TO KEEP 'EM IN THE BUDGET, TO KEEP IT IN THE BUDGET.
SO WE HAVE $232,000, UH, TO DO THAT.
MDTS IS MOBILE DATA TERMINALS.
SO THIS IS THE LAPTOPS IN THE POLICE CARS THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THIS YEAR THAT WE, WE COULD ACTUALLY GET A GRANT, UH, OUR FUNDS AMERICA RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS THAT THE STATE HAS, UM, TO PARTNER WITH US TO, TO MAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THERE ARE OVER 50 OF THESE MDTS THAT ARE IN OUR, UH, POLICE CRUISERS.
THE TOTAL PROJECT IS $348,000, BUT WE'VE IDENTIFIED $218,000 WORTH OF ALTERNATIVE FUNDING.
UH, MS. GRANT, YOUR GRANT WRITER HAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED THAT.
AND, AND, UH, WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THOSE FUNDS WOULD COME INTO THE COUNTY THAT WOULD LEAVE, UM, US BEING ABLE TO ONLY HAVE TO PAY 130 OF A PROJECT THAT WAS $348,000.
SO THIS NEXT SLIDE IS A SUMMARY OF, AGAIN, THIS YEAR, AND THIS IS THE FUNDED YEAR.
SO YOU SEE THAT THE GENERAL FUND, WHAT WE WOULD BE TAKING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND IS AT 2.9 AND YOU SAW ON THE OPERATING SIDE WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE CASH COMING IN TO OFFSET SOME OF THAT COST.
YOU'LL SEE IN THAT OTHER CATEGORY AS FAR AS ALTERNATIVE FUNDING, WHERE WE'VE TRIED TO MAXIMIZE, UM, NON-LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS OF ABOUT $340,000, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE TOTAL COST BETWEEN ALTERNATIVE FUNDING AND GENERAL FUND, YOU WOULD SEE, UH, THE 3.3 MILLION IS THE TOTAL, UH, IMPACT OF, OF THOSE PROJECTS.
SO WHERE DID THE FUNDS GO? UH, SO AGAIN, IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT FY 24, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS THAT AREA IN BLUE.
SO OF YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, 1.5 MILLION IS GOING TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR THOSE
[01:50:01]
TWO SPECIFIC PROJECTS.AGAIN, SOUTH, UH, DOING THE, THE ELECTRICAL UPGRADE AT SUNNYSIDE AND BUSES FIRE AND EMS, AGAIN, YOU GOT THAT AUTO PULSE IN THE, AND AMBULANCES, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE, AND THE, THE PROJECTS THERE.
UM, THE PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE HVAC AT THE PAMPLIN BUILDING AND THEN THE BASKETBALL, UH, FACILITY AT THE SPORTS COMPLEX.
SO I, YOU ASKED ME ALL, YOU ASKED ME EARLIER TO TRY TO BE BRIEF, SO I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THE REMAINING NINE YEARS OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST SUMMARIZE A COUPLE POINTS BEFORE WE GET ANY COMMENTS.
AND AGAIN, THE VIRGINIA CODE REQUIRES THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO HAVE A FIVE YEAR CIP.
WE CHOOSE TO DO A 10 YEAR CIP TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT SOME OF THESE OUTLYING YEARS OF WHAT COULD IMPACT OUR OVERALL FINANCES.
SO, BUT A COUPLE STRATEGIES I JUST WANNA MENTION IS ONE I THINK WE CAREFULLY NEED TO CONSIDER IN FUTURE FISCAL YEARS, CREATING AN INDEPENDENT REVENUE STREAM THAT REALLY ADDRESSES SOME OF THE SYSTEMATIC REPLACEMENT WE OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.
WE KNOW FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, ON AVERAGE, WE'RE GONNA BE SPENDING ABOUT $1.8 MILLION A YEAR JUST REPLACING SCHOOL BUSES, AMBULANCES, POLICE VEHICLES, AND FIRE APPARATUS.
BEFORE YOU DO ANY BRICKS AND MORTAR CAPITAL PROJECTS, WE KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE AROUND $2 MILLION.
YOU HEARD ME SAY EARLIER, BASED ON OUR RATE OF GROWTH, AND AGAIN, NOT, NOT RAISING TAXES, BUT JUST BASED ON, BASED ON OUR RATE OF GROWTH, WE'RE GONNA BE AROUND TWO TO 3 MILLION A YEAR IN OVERALL PROJECTS.
SO FOR ORDER, IN ORDER FOR US TO DO LARGE SCALE PROJECTS, I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT INDEPENDENT REVENUE SOURCE, UM, BEING IDENTIFIED TO HELP TAKE THESE OUT OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.
THEN I THINK THE COMMUNITY CAN START SEEING MORE REALISTICALLY OTHER ENHANCED SERVICES AND BRICKS AND MORTAR FACILITIES.
ALSO, I WANT YOU TO, THE SECOND BULLET HERE IS THAT JUST WE HAVE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING ABOUT $2.8 MILLION WORTH OF DEBT COMING OFF OF OUR BOOKS.
SO THAT 2.8 MILLION STRATEGICALLY, UM, COULD BE APPLIED TOWARDS SOME OF THESE LARGER PROJECTS, I THINK AND WOULD HELP US BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME OF THESE BIGGER INVESTMENTS.
SO WHEN ARE THOSE GONNA TAKE PLACE? SO WE'RE, WE'RE IN FY 24 PROPOSED.
NOW NEXT YEAR WE HAVE 314,000 COMING OFF THE BOOKS AND 27 630 8,020 9, 750 4,000 AND BY 31 OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN THAT YEAR.
THE BUILDING THAT WE WERE SETTING IN THAT WE LOWER TAXES THE YEAR THAT THIS BUILDING WAS OPEN.
THIS BUILDING WILL BE PAID OFF IN THIS PERIOD OF TIME, AS WELL AS THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS AND PUBLIC SAFETY, THE RENOVATIONS TO THE PLIN BUILDING ALL WILL BE SATISFIED AND THAT DEBT PAID CLEAR IN THE NEXT, UM, NEXT 10 YEAR PERIOD.
SO WE, AGAIN, IF THE IDEA IS THAT YOU CAN KEEP THAT DEBT PAYMENT THE SAME, YOU CAN START TO LAYER SOME THINGS BACK IN TO BE ABLE TO PAY THIS, THIS SLIDE IS A LITTLE BIT BUSY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ILLUSTRATE THAT POINT A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND TO SAY AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE FY 25, I WANT IT REALISTICALLY FOR OUR CIP COMMITTEE.
UM, IF I WOULDN'T HAVE MADE THIS CHANGE NEXT YEAR, CIP WOULD'VE BEEN $18 MILLION.
WE KNOW THAT THIS COUNTY IS NOT GONNA BE OR NOR OUR CITIZENS IN A FINANCIAL POSITION TO PAY $18 MILLION NEXT YEAR.
SO WE HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC AND, AND, AND MOVE SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS TO THE TIME IN WHICH THE COUNTY CAN AFFORD IT, NOT NECESSARILY WHEN PEOPLE WANT IT.
AND SO IN FY 25, YOU'LL SEE THE TOTAL CIP IMPACT OF ABOUT $4 MILLION OF THAT THOUGH YOU HAVE TWO TANKER TRUCKS THAT ARE OVER 1.3 MILLION.
AND AGAIN, JUST BUSES, POLICE CARS, AND FIRE APPARATUSES AROUND 1.4 MILLION.
I'M NOT GONNA READ EACH ONE OF THESE TO YOU, BUT WHAT I'VE DONE IS, AND, AND US AND STAFF IS OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, YOU CAN SEE 4 MILLION, 2 MILLION, 3 MILLION, 4 MILLION, THAT'S MORE REALISTIC.
18 MILLION NEXT YEAR IS NOT REALISTIC.
I THINK WE, AGAIN, THOSE BOLDED AREAS, 25, 27, 29 AND 31, IF WE'RE SMART, IF WE'RE PURPOSEFUL AND WE'RE STRATEGIC, I THINK WE CAN BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO MAKE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS HAPPEN.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE CIP THAT WE HAVE TODAY DOESN'T INCLUDE THE FULL RECREATIONAL FACILITIES MASTER PLAN THAT WE'RE DOING THESE YEARS.
25 THROUGH 33 ARE JUST PLANNING YEARS.
UH, AND THEY, THEY DON'T, AGAIN, THEY DON'T CONSIST OF ALL PROJECTS 'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT THE RECREATION FACILITIES PLAN, THE MUNICIPALS FACILITIES PLAN, THAT'S THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ME AND DR.
WESTON AND ALL MUNICIPAL FILL FACILITIES BEING LOOKED AT.
AND THEN THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN, WE KNOW THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS TO THE CIP ON THOSE PROJECTS AS WELL.
[01:55:02]
SO LASTLY HERE AGAIN, JUST LIKE IN THE, THE PREVIOUS, UH, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.YOU, YOU CAN'T VOTE TONIGHT ON IT.
YOU CAN JUST SOLICIT COMMENTS TONIGHT.
UM, BUT I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT AGAIN WHEN WE, WE STARTED THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN THIS YEAR THOUGH THE OVERALL CIP WAS ALMOST, UM, SEVEN, $8 MILLION, SEVEN OR $8 MILLION.
UM, SO I I DO, I STILL THINK EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE SOME PROJECTS THAT HAD TO BE MOVED AND WE HAD TO REALIGN, UM, AND, AND THEN AGAIN BE SMART ABOUT TRYING TO USE OTHER FUNDS TO MOVE PROJECTS FORWARD.
AGAIN, THOSE MDTS AND THE BASKETBALL COURTS ARE GREAT EXAMPLES OF HOW WE CAN, WE CAN BE SMART, BE PURPOSEFUL, USE SOME OF THEIR FUNDING TOO TO, TO HELP US.
AND I THINK NOW IS THE TIME TO DO THOSE SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME OR MS. HOWTON AT THIS TIME? YES, MR. BOOTH, MR. CHAIRMAN? YEP.
TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET.
WHEN WE DO VOTE IN A COUPLE WEEKS, WE'RE ONLY COMMITTING FUNDS FOR THAT THIS PARTICULAR YEAR.
THE REST OF 'EM IS, WE MIGHT BE VOTING ON THE CIP BUT WE'RE NOT COMMITTING FUNDS TO THE REST OF IT.
SO THE ONLY, ONLY YEAR THAT YOU'RE FUNDING IS FY 24.
THE OTHER YEARS IS AGAIN, THOSE PROJECTS CAN MOVE, THEY CAN EBB AND FLOW.
UM, BUT YEAH, THE ONE YEAR THAT YOU'RE COMMITTING TO IS THAT THE OTHER? JUST FOR PLANNING PURPOSES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.
MS. BROWN, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP? YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, FIRST UP WE HAVE LOUIS COLLINS.
MY NAME IS LOUIS A. COLLINS II.
I LIVE AT TWO 17 OLD KESWICK LANE, NORTH INWOOD, VIRGINIA 2 3 8 0 5.
UH, GOOD EVENING CHAIR, UH, MR. MASSING TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL THE OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE COUNTY AND TO THE TY COUNTY, TO THE PEOPLE HERE ALSO, UM, I'M SPEAKING IN REGARDS TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UM, PLAN BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT A PIECE THAT'S IN THERE, ESPECIALLY THE OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURTS, IS SOMETHING OF SIGNIFICANCE THAT I THINK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT, HAS BEEN PUT INTO THE ATMOSPHERE, BUT NO ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN.
WE OUGHT TO BE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT IN A COUNTY THAT DOESN'T HAVE OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURTS, WE'RE STILL ABLE TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE.
OUR GIRLS' BASKETBALL TEAM MADE IT TO THE SECOND ROUND IN THE REGIONS.
OUR BOY BASKETBALL TEAM MADE IT TO THE SEMI FINAL, ALMOST TO THE THIRD ROUND OF THE REGION.
AND THOSE ARE SMALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS IF YOU LOOK AT IT.
IF WE HAD A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS THAT WITHOUT OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURT, HOW DO OUR PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO DO THIS? WELL, I'LL TELL YOU HOW YOU LEARN.
EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM AT SOME POINT IN TIME HAS TAKEN A PIECE OF PAPER, BOUGHT IT UP, LOOKED AT THE TRASH CAN AND SAID LEBRON JAMES, MICHAEL JORDAN, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT BASKETBALL PLAYERS ON A BASKETBALL COURT.
BUT YET STILL IT'S IN THE MIND.
THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS THAT IT'S A GAME THAT ALLOWS YOU TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND ALLOWS YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY TOGETHER AND PERFORM.
AND WHAT AN OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE DOES IS IT GIVES YOU ACCESS.
IT GIVES OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY CAN WORK ON THEIR SKILLS, BUT ALSO TO HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THEMSELVES.
WHEN YOU TAKE THAT AWAY, IT MEANS WE HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND THE REALITY IS THAT WE SHOULDN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE OF DENWITTY TO DO THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO HERE IN DENWITTY.
I BELIEVE THAT THE TIME HAS COME TO OFFER THIS TO THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THE TIME THAT YOU'LL SEE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE APPRECIATE IT, I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT IT WILL CAUSE US TO COME TOGETHER EVEN MORE.
BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO SAY, HEY, LET'S GET TOGETHER AND LET'S GO AND DO THIS.
AS A PERSON WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED IN SPORTS FOR, FOR A LARGE PART OF MY LIFE, I CAN ALWAYS SAY A LOT OF THINGS THAT I LEARNED WERE NOT LEARNED BECAUSE I WENT INTO A GYM OR BECAUSE I WENT TO A FIELD WHERE THERE WERE COACHES GIVING DIRECTION.
IT WAS IN THE INDIVIDUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO GO OUT TO SHARE AND TO ENCOURAGE.
WITH THIS, IN OUR PLAN FOR THIS YEAR OF 2024, I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR PEOPLE WILL APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK APPRECIATE IT TO THE POINT OF TAKING CARE OF IT.
I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WANTING IT FOR A WHILE, THAT THEY WILL DO THE THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO WORK TO TOWARD IT, BUT ALSO TO MAINTAIN IT.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A VERY, UM, IMPORTANT AND STRATEGIC PART OF THE PLAN BECAUSE IT SAYS TO THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE IN EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WAS IN THAT PLAN, A LOT OF IT DEALT WITH MECHANICAL THINGS.
IT DEALT WITH BUILDINGS AND THINGS.
BUT THIS ONE DEALS WITH PEOPLE.
IT SAYS HERE, THIS IS FOR YOU.
I HOPE THAT YOU'LL GIVE A STRONG CONSIDERATION AND CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A GOOD STEP FORWARD.
[02:00:01]
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S A GREAT STEP FORWARD TO SAY THAT WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HEAR YOU AND WE SEE YOU.AND I THINK YOU'LL ALSO SEE IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA TAKE TIME TO COME AND PARENTS SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET THERE WITHOUT THE PARENTS.
SO THEREFORE, WE'LL BE A PART OF THAT AS WELL.
AND I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT TO BE A BLESSING TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
MICHAEL RALEY, UH, GOOD EVENING TO THE GOOD EVENING BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND, UH, ALL MEMBERS, UM, DR. MOORE.
GOOD EVENING, UM, TO MOUNT LEVEL BAPTIST CHURCH AND ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THIS TIME.
I, I'M MICHAEL RALEY, UH, PASTOR OF MOUNT LEVEL BAPTIST CHURCH.
AND, UH, I'M RELATIVELY NEW TO MOUNT LEVEL BAPTIST CHURCH, BUT NOT TO DENWOODY COUNTY.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR PROBABLY ABOUT THE LAST 22 YEARS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK, UH, PASTOR COLLINS FOR THAT, UH, FINE, UH, FIND, UM, PRESENTATION OF THE REALITY OF THE CHILDREN, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING IN THEIR HOME COMMUNITY, SUCH AS PLAYING BASKETBALL BASED ON THE AVAILABLE FACILITIES THAT ARE THERE.
UH, SO ON BEHALF OF MOUNTAIN LEVEL BAPTIST CHURCH AND ITS CONGREGATION, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND TALK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT.
I DO WANNA SHARE WITH YOU AN EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD, UH, LAST WEEK, THE CHANGING OF THE NAME OF THE MILITARY INSTALLATION, UH, CLOSE TO US HERE, KNOWN AS FORT GREG ADAMS. NOW LAST WEEK THERE WAS A DE, UH, DELIBERATE CHANGE TO WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN LONG RECOGNIZED AS A SYMBOL OF OPPRESSION OR A REMINDER OF THE DAYS OF OPPRESSION OR EVEN SLAVERY.
THIS CHANGE TELLS ME THAT THERE IS HOPE IN OUR NATION.
THERE IS HOPE IN OUR COUNTIES, BUT MOST OF ALL, THERE'S HOPE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
SO HERE, OVER TIME, THERE HAS BEEN A STRUCTURE DESIGN IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF OUR COUNTRY TO EMIT EQUALITY AND OPPORTUNITY OR DESIGNS AND DEVELOPMENTS THAT DO NOT REFLECT THE MAKEUP OF A COMMUNITY.
I HAVE RESEARCHED SOME OF THE AMENITIES CURRENTLY ESTABLISHED HERE IN THE COUNTY.
I FOUND THE FOOTBALL STADIUM, FULL SIZE BASEBALL FIELD, SOCCER STADIUM, AND THREE NCAA AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL CHAMPIONSHIP SIZE SOFTBALL FIELDS.
THESE FIELDS ARE PLANTED WITH BERMUDA GRASS FULLY IRRIGATED AND EQUIPPED WITH A STATE-OF-THE-ART MUCO LIGHTING.
BUT WHAT I DIDN'T FIND WAS A BASKETBALL COURT.
NOW, AS YOU CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE BASKETBALL COURT, BECAUSE MR. MASSENBURG HAS SO DILIGENT TO HIM AND HIS STAFF ESTABLISHED THE FACT THAT THE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, THAT THE COUNTER CAN ABSORB AND BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
SO AS YOU DO THAT, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU TAKE THE SAME ZELL OF PERFECTION TO BE CONSIDERED AS THAT SPORTS COMPLEX.
BECAUSE IT IS A MAGNIFICENT STRUCTURE.
I BELIEVE A BASKETBALL COURT CAN BE DONE THE SAME.
I BELIEVE THE PASSING OF THIS REQUEST TO BUILD A BASKETBALL COURT IN DENWOODY COUNTY WILL BE THE BEGINNING OF THE CHANGES TO COME.
THIS WILL BE AN ACT THAT WILL GIVE THOSE HOPE, WHO THINK THERE IS NO HOPE.
LASTLY, AS A SOLDIER AND A LEADER FOR OVER 24 YEARS IN THE MILITARY AND ANOTHER 18 YEARS AS AN ARMY CIVILIAN SECTOR, THE ARMY HAS SEVEN KEY VALUES.
AND THIS IS REALLY FOR THE BOARD BECAUSE AS LEADERS OF THE COUNTY, IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOU, RIGHT? YOU'LL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE CHANGE AND THE GOODNESS OF WHAT IS TO COME.
IN THE COUNTY OF DE WITTY, WE USE THESE SEVEN VALUES.
THE FIRST ONE IS LEADERSHIP, WHICH TELLS US TO BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, TO THE ARMY, TO OUR UNIT, AND TO OUR SOLDIERS DUTY.
IT TELLS US TO FULFILL OUR OBLIGATION.
RESPECT IS TO TREAT PEOPLE AS THEY SHOULD BE TREATED.
SELFLESS SERVICE TELLS US TO PUT THE WELFARE OF THE NATION AND THE ARMY AND OUR SUBORDINATES BEFORE OUR OWN HONOR LIVE UP TO THE ARMY.
IT TELLS US TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT LEGALLY AND MORALLY ALL OF THE TIME.
IT TELLS US TO FACE THE FEAR IN DANGER OR ADVERSITY PHYSICALLY OR MORAL, BECAUSE CHANGE SOMETIMES CAUSES FEAR, BUT AS LEADERS, WE HAVE TO LEARN TO GET OVER THAT AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT BECAUSE THE TIME HAS COME TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY REFLECTIVE OF THE WILL IT'S MADE UP WHEN IT COMES
[02:05:01]
TO ITS CITIZENS.SO AS A LEGISLATIVE BODY ENACTING THE LAWS AND SETTING POLICY, APPROVING THE BUDGET FOR COUNTY SERVICES, AS YOU APPOINT CITIZENS TO THE DIFFERENT BOARDS, AUTHORITIES, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES, THAT SHOULD REFLECT THE MAKEUP OF DENWITTY COUNTY.
I AM ASKING YOU, I BELIEVE WE ARE ASKING YOU TO BE ABLE AND FAVORABLY SUPPORT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BASKETBALL COURT AS A NEW AMENITY FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
UM, THE ADDRESS LOOKS LIKE CIRCLE WOOD DRIVE.
MY NAME IS RON DRELL GOON AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE BASKETBALL COURT.
I THINK Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE, I THINK Y'ALL SHOULD PUT THE BASKETBALL, BASKETBALL COURTS THERE 'CAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WANT TO GET BETTER AT THIS SPORT AND WANT TO LEARN CERTAIN STUFF THAT THEY SEE AND THEY WANNA, AND THEN SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET BORED.
IT IS JUST SITTING IN THE HOUSE ALL DAY.
SO THEY WANT GO OUTSIDE, HAVE FUN WITH THEY FRIENDS.
AND I THINK, ME PERSONALLY, I USED TO PLAY BASKETBALL FOR DAN WITTY AND WE HAD A COURT IN OUR YARD, BUT SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T GOT YARDS BIG ENOUGH.
SO THIS, Y'ALL SHOULD PUT BASKETBALL COURTS IN CERTAIN PLACES SO PEOPLE COULD HAVE PLACES TO GO AND HAVE STUFF TO DO IN THE MEANTIME WHILE THEY GOT OTHER STUFF TO DO.
SO WHEN THEY FINISH THAT, THEY, THEY GOT A LITTLE FREE.
IF THEY GOT A LITTLE FREE TIME LEFT, THEY CAN GO UP THERE TO THE BASKETBALL COURT, HAVE A LITTLE FUN WITH THEIR FRIENDS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING CASE? YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME UP ONE AT A TIME, NAME AND ADDRESS YOU DON'T MIND.
JUST NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I LIVE IN NORTH DENWOOD 5 3 1 7 CHEROKEE DRIVE.
UM, I COULDN'T SIT DOWN, I HAD TO COME UP HERE AND SPEAK ON THE BEHALF OF THESE YOUNG FELLAS.
I GREW UP IN THE COUNTY AND BACK IN MY TIME AS, UH, GROWING UP, I WENT FROM MCKINNEY TO CARSON TO BUTTERWORTH ROAD, TO WEST PETERSBURG TO STONEY SPRING WHERE I GREW UP AT.
AND I ACTUALLY MADE BASKETBALL BACKBOARDS AND GLOBES IN ALL THESE AREAS.
AND ME AND SOME OF MY, UH, CLASSMATES, WE PUT GLOBES UP IN THESE AREAS AND WE ACTUALLY WENT AROUND THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SUMMER AND WE ACTUALLY PLAYED AGAINST EACH OTHER FROM MCKINNEY TO STONY CREEK TO THEN WITH, WE HAD ABOUT SEVEN DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND THIS WAS BACK IN 19, EARLY EIGHTIES, LATE SEVENTIES.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT GREW UP IN THESE, UH, DENVER WITH THE COUNTY CAME TO PLAY IN THESE AREAS.
AND WE MIGHT EVEN HAVE, UH, YOU REMEMBER THAT TONY AND UM, TO NOT HAVE A BASKETBALL COURT OF NO KIND IN THIS COUNTY OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPENING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NOT GOING TO DWELL ON WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO GOING FORWARD TO HELP THESE YOUNG PEOPLE.
SO IF YOU CAN, UH, DO SOMETHING TO HELP MAKE THAT CHANGE, UH, IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATED.
HOW ARE YOU? HI, MY NAME IS SHERELLE GREEN.
I LIVE AT 8 8 0 1 LAKE JORDAN WAY.
I'M ALSO A COACH AT THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE GIRLS BASKETBALL PROGRAM.
AND I THINK IT'S TAKING CONSIDERATION OF THE BASKETBALL COURT FOR TWO REASONS.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE IT HERE AND THEN WITH IT AND EVERY, ALL THE GYMS ARE NOT AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE KEY PEOPLE, YOUTH THAT WANNA WORK ON THEIR SKILLS OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL TIME AND INSIDE OF SCHOOL TIME.
AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE ENOUGH COURTS TO SUPPORT SOME OF THAT.
SO INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL WOULD BE A GREAT CONSIDERATION.
ALSO WITH LIVING IN LAKE JORDAN, WE HAVE OUR OWN BASKETBALL CAUGHT UP AND IT'S BEEN VERY BUSY
YOU KNOW, ALL THE PEOPLE DON'T LIVE THERE, BUT WE INVITE OTHER KIDS TO
[02:10:01]
COME OVER.'CAUSE GUESS WHAT? THEY WANT TO PICK UP A BASKETBALL, JUST LIKE THEY CAN FIND AN OPEN FIELD, GET A FOOTBALL AND YOU CAN JUST THROW IT.
OR THEY CAN GO TO THE SPORTS COMPLEX, BUT THERE'S NOWHERE TO BOUNCE THEIR BASKETBALL FOR SOME OF THESE YOUNG, UM, BOYS AND GIRLS.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING TO CONSIDER TO GO AHEAD AND GET THAT PROCESS MOVING TO HELP TO USE OUT HERE.
AND THEN WOODY COUNTY, 'CAUSE Y'ALL DID SURROUNDING AREAS TO HAVE IT.
THEY MAY HAVE TO GO DOWN TO PETERSBURG OR THE OTHER PLACES, BUT IT'D BE NICE TO STAY HERE IN THE COUNTY 'CAUSE HALF THE KIDS DON'T DRIVE.
BUT IF THEY CAN GET DROPPED OFF GROUPS OR PARENTS WATCHING 'EM, YOU KNOW, A DAY IN THE PARK, PICNIC, SOMETHING, JUST WATCH THEIR KIDS YOUTH ALSO OVER SPRING BREAK, OPEN UP THE GYM FOR YOUTH TO JUST COME AND PLAY BASKETBALL FROM SIX ON UP.
50 KIDS ALMOST EVERY DAY WHO WANT TO COME AND PLAY BASKETBALL.
NO CHARGE HERE AT THE DENWOODY COUNTY GYM, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM
AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT CONSIDERATION SPEAKING ON BOTH SIDES, RESIDENT SIDE AND FOR THE COACH BASKETBALL.
I LIVE IN THE 24,000 STRETCH OF COX ROAD IN NORTH DENWITTY.
I HAVE LIVED IN DENWITTY SINCE MY PARENTS RETIRED IN THE LATE 1990S.
UM, AND I GREW UP, WENT TO DENWITTY, WENT ON TO COLLEGE, UH, AND HAVE COME BACK TO WORK IN THE COUNTY.
UM, AND IN MY HIGH SCHOOL, THROWBACK TO HIGH SCHOOL, SPEAKING AS A STUDENT, AS A YOUTH, AND GROWING UP AT DAN WITTY BACK IN THE TWO THOUSANDS, UM, IN THE TWO THOUSANDS DURING SPRING BREAK, THERE'S NOTHING TO DO, UM, BECAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO DRIVE.
SO THERE'S VERY LIMITED THINGS TO DO THEN.
AND IF I'M HONEST, THERE'S VERY LIMITED THINGS TO DO NOW, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T HAVE MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION.
UM, SO THAT LEADS TO, IF I'M BEING HONEST, THAT LEADS TO TROUBLE AND MISCHIEF AND, UM, I'M NOT A PARENT, BUT FOR THOSE PARENTS, IT LEADS TO TROUBLE.
AND ONE DAY, AND WHEN I WAS IN 11TH GRADE, WAS JUMPING ON THE TRAMPOLINE BECAUSE SOMEONE HAD A TRAMPOLINE AND IT WAS A WET TRAMPOLINE AND I FELL AND I DISLOCATED MY KNEE, UM, SPRAYING MY KNEE, WHICH STILL GIVES ME TROUBLE TO THIS DAY.
SO, UH, UH, SO THAT'S SOMETHING I STILL STRUGGLE WITH NOW, UM, 20 YEARS LATER.
AND A BASKETBALL COURT OR SOME MEANS OF ACTIVITY, THE STUDENTS MAY BE ABLE TO DO AND ENJOY THAT THEY CAN HAVE PUBLIC ACCESS TO, WHICH IS ANOTHER THING.
UM, WILL THEY HAVE PUBLIC ACCESS? I KNOW THIS ISN'T A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD, BUT FOR FUTURE, WHEN WE LOOK TO IT FOR THE FUTURE COMING INTO 2024, WILL THERE BE PUBLIC ACCESS TO GETTING ONTO THE COURTS BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THE COURTS, UM, NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEBODY TO COME UNLOCK THE COURTS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE WHEN YOU BUILD IT.
UM, SO PROVIDING THINGS FOR THE STUDENTS TO DO IN COUNTY, STAY IN THE COUNTY, WE WANT THEM TO BE HERE.
WE DON'T WANT DEANWOOD COUNTY BECOME JUST FULL OF OLD PEOPLE.
WE WANT THE YOUTH TO COME BACK AND BE HERE AND RESIDE AND LOVE DIY COUNTY THAT THEY'VE GROWN UP IN.
UM, CERTAINLY TO COME BACK AND JOIN AND BECOME, HELP THEM WITH IT.
BEAT THE GREATNESS THAT WE HAVE HERE ALREADY.
THAT THEY'VE LAID THESE GREAT ROOTS TO BUILD TO GREAT HEIGHTS, SOLID ROOTS.
SO AS A STUDENT WHO'S COME THROUGH DENWITTY, MAKE IT BE MORE, BRING MORE TO THE COUNTY, THIS WOULD BE A GREAT BEGINNING POINT.
BUT JUST BE, JUST AS A, JUST TO REITERATE BEFORE I SAID YES, MORE TO COMING TO DAN WITTY, UM, THIS IS FABULOUS, PLEASE BRING IT BECAUSE IT'LL BENEFIT ALL THE YOUTH AND WE WANT 'EM OUTSIDE RUNNING AROUND.
I DIDN'T PLAY SPORTS UNFORTUNATELY, BUT, UM, OUTDOOR ACTIVITY, AIR EXERCISE IS ALL GOOD FOR THE MIND.
IT'S GOOD FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH.
ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? I, NO, NO? OKAY.
I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE WILL THE BUDGET.
WE WILL IN TWO WEEKS FROM TONIGHT, WE WILL VOTE ON BOTH THE BUDGET AND THE CIP BUDGET AS WE GO FORWARD.
ANY COMMENTS? I KNOW I'M JUST KIND OF LAYING OUT THE, THE, THE TIMEFRAME AND, UH, BUT I NOW AT THIS POINT, THAT'LL BE TWO WEEKS FROM, FROM, UH, TODAY AT THREE O'CLOCK ON THAT DAY.
SO ANY COMMENTS FROM, UM, SUPERVISORS? WELL, UM, I APPRECIATE THAT WE'VE, UM, GOT A CROWD HERE TONIGHT AND, UM, I HOPE EVERYONE HERE LISTEN TO MR. MASSENGILL'S PRESENTATION.
AND I'LL STRAIGHT UP, I HATE THE BUDGET
[02:15:01]
PROCESS.UM, AND IT STARTS IN FEBRUARY AND WE GET DEPARTMENT HEADS COME IN, YOU KNOW, SIX, $7 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS AND WE'VE ONLY GOT 1,000,003 OR WHATEVER IT GETS.
IT GETS VERY TOUGH TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE FUNDED.
AND, UM, I'LL TELL A STORY ON MYSELF TODAY.
I HAD TO GO TO, UH, WINDOR TODAY, AND I, I STOPPED AT THE DQ IN WINDOR AND GOT LUNCH TODAY, UM, CHICKEN STRIPS AND, UH, UH, CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE, $14 FOR, FOR THAT MEAL FOR MYSELF.
UM, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A BUDGET AND WE TALK ABOUT, UM, EVERYTHING IN THIS COUNTY THAT WE DO HAS A COST, AND IT COMES RIGHT BACK TO THE TAX PAYING CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTY.
SO WHEN WE SAY WE HAVEN'T RAISED TAXES IN 12 YEARS, IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT VERY REASON.
UM, I'LL PICK ON RAY VINES NOW NEXT.
UM, I TOLD RAY THIS, UM, HE'S A VICTIM OF HIS OWN SUCCESS WITH RICK.
UM, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, UM, SO MANY KIDS WITH SOFTBALL, FOOTBALL, SOCCER, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND BASKETBALL TOO.
AND I WILL THROW IN, UM, AND THIS, MAYBE THIS IS THE POLITICIAN AND ME PAT MYSELF ON THE BAT, UM, BUT, UH, AND I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T DO THAT.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A DEAL IN MCKINNEY WITH, WITH A CIVIC ORGANIZATION TO GET A GYM IN, UM, MCKINNEY, THE OLD COMMUNITY GYM IN MCKINNEY.
AND I, I TRULY THINK THAT GYM IS UNDERUTILIZED NOW AND MAYBE THAT PUTS PRESSURE ON RAY GOING FORWARD.
UM, BUT HE'S HAD, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD OPEN GYM NIGHTS.
I ACTUALLY WENT UP THERE AND PLAYED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT THAT SHIP HAS SAILED LONG AGO NOW.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THE OUTSIDE BASKETBALL COURTS, UM, IT'S, IT'S TIME FOR 'EM.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THERE'S ALWAYS THIS QUESTION OF DO YOU HAVE IT, UH, TOTAL ACCESS FOR THE PUBLIC OR DO YOU HAVE TO PUT SOME, UM, PARAMETERS ON IT TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM TEARING IT UP BECAUSE IT'S FOOLISH TO SPEND THIS KIND OF MONEY IF, IF IT GETS TORN UP.
AND I DON'T THINK THE REC DEPARTMENT WILL LET THAT HAPPEN.
SO I DO THINK THERE WILL BE SOME RULES WITH IT.
UM, BUT I TRULY APPRECIATE WHAT EVERYBODY HAS SAID TONIGHT.
UM, AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I'M, I'M GONNA SUPPORT IT.
I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR, UM, AND MAYBE KEVIN HATES THE BUDGET PROCESS LIKE I, I DO, UM, AFTER THIS SHIELD.
BUT, UM, IT TRULY IS A LOT OF WORK FOR, FOR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND, UM, ANN AND KEVIN TO, TO GET THIS BUDGET PUT TOGETHER.
SO MR. MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D JUST ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF FOR WORKING THROUGH THIS TOUGH BUDGET.
IT, IT WAS HARD TO WHITTLE IT DOWN TO WHERE WE TRY TO GET A GOOD BUDGET THAT CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY.
UM, WE'VE GOT TWO WEEKS TO, TO, TO LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS.
IF THEY HAVE ANY COMMENTS THEY CAN CALL, CALL US AND COMMENT ON ANY CHANGES THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE.
I THINK, UH, WE PUT TOGETHER A GOOD BUDGET.
FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, I'M, UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES MY MIND, I FEEL LIKE WHAT WE'VE GOT TOGETHER IS A GOOD BUDGET THAT I WOULD SUPPORT.
I AGREE WITH, UM, THE LAST TWO, UH, SPEAKERS, UH, I PAID DAN LEE TO SPEAK FOR ME.
HE, THAT'S HIS DREAM TO BE A PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYER, YOU KNOW, BUT I, I GOTTA TELL HIM, YOU GOTTA PUT IT UP WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, BUT HE LIKE TO BREAK IT DOWN SO HE CAN
MY BOYS LOVE TO PLAY, UH, BASKETBALL WHEN THEY WERE COMING UP TOO.
AND I, I PUT A GOAL UP ON MY GARAGE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY GARAGE DOORS I PUT UP BECAUSE THEY FELT LIKE THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, CLIMB IT.
BUT TODAY, YOU KNOW, THE WORST THING I DID, I DIDN'T PAVE
[02:20:01]
MY DRIVEWAY UNTIL NOW, AND I DID IT BECAUSE OF MY GRANDSON.SO I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE GRANDKIDS BEFORE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN KIDS
MY KID, MY GRANDKID GOT THE PAID DRIVEWAY SO HE CAN BECOME A BETTER BASKETBALL PLAYER.
YOU KNOW, I, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED A PLACE FOR, FOR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO GO, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, AND HAVE FREEDOM TO PLAY AND LEARN HOW, LEARN THE GAME, THE COACH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU NEED A PLACE FOR THEM TO, UH, TO DO WHAT THEY LOVE DOING.
UH, MY GRANDKID, HE STARTED OFF BEING A GOLFER.
NOW HE IS A BASKETBALL PLAYER.
HE WAS A FOOTBALL PLAYER, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S GONNA DO, BUT HE'S GOT HIS DREAM.
HE'S GONNA BE A PROFESSIONAL SPORTSMAN.
SO, AND I HOPE I LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO GET SOME OF THE MONEY, BUT I AGREE WITH YOU.
YOU NEED A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GO AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLACE AT HOME WHERE YOU CAN DO IT, THANK YOU, MS. BARN,
UM, FOLLOW ALL THESE JOKES, BUT, UM, HAD THESE BOARD MEMBERS, BUT, UM, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK, UM, UH, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME TODAY.
I SEE A LOT OF MOUNT LEVEL HERE TODAY.
UH, I SEE YOU WAVING YOUR HANDS, GLAD TO SEE YOU ALL, UM, COMING TO, UM, SUPPORT THE, UM, THE BASKETBALL BECAUSE WE DO NEED IT.
AND I'VE HAD PEOPLE TO CALL ME AND ASK ABOUT THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, DE WITTY IS A, A SPORTS ARENA, YOU KNOW, UM, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM OUR FOOTBALL TEAM'S DOING WELL AND ALSO, UM, UH, THE BASKETBALL AND BASEBALL.
SO WE'VE, UM, WE THRIVE AND WE DO WELL IN THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT SPORTS, YOU KNOW, RE YOU KNOW, I JUST LOVE RECREATION, PERIOD.
AND, UM, I, I JUST HOPE THAT WE HAVE A COMMITMENT FROM PEOPLE TO HELP THE YOUNG PEOPLE IF, UM, THEY CAN'T GET TO THE AREA, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME, UH, PARENTS CAN COME AND MONITOR BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T HAVE COMMITMENT FROM OTHER PEOPLE TO HELP WITH THE STUDENTS.
SO IF YOU, UM, YOU'RE AT HOME.
HE SAID, UM, DO YOU NEED ANY HELP DOING ANYTHING? AND I THINK HE WAS A, A COACH AT SOME TIME.
AND I SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PROBABLY TRY TO CALL HIM TO GET HIM INVOLVED IN DOING THINGS AND, AND THAT WILL HELP, YOU KNOW, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST THINK OF ALL OF US AS A, AS A FAMILY WORKING TOGETHER FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE, UM, I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT, UM, UH, YOUTH FORCE AND, UH, WE HAD A TEEN EXPO.
DID ANYBODY OUT THERE GO TO THE TEEN EXPO? OKAY, I SEE SOME HANDS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT NOW FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND, UM, ON A SATURDAY, AND I'M GLAD, UM, WE STARTED THAT SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN OFFICE AND I'M, I'M JUST SO PROUD OF IT BECAUSE IT HAS JUST EVOLVED TO SOMETHING REALLY GREAT.
AND I KNOW, UM, THIS YEAR THE SENIORS WHO CAME, THEY HAD, THEY RECEIVED GALAXY, UM, LAPTOPS AND TABLETS MM-HMM
TABLETS, SORRY, TABLETS, GALAX TABLETS.
LAST YEAR THEY GOT, THEY GOT LAPTOPS.
THAT'S THE SENIORS, UM, JUST FOR COMING.
SO, UM, NOW I THINK WE, THIS YEAR WE HAD, UH, I THINK 200, 200 STUDENTS THE MOST WE'VE EVER HAD.
SO THAT MEANS IT'S INCREASING EVERY YEAR.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M, I'M GLAD ABOUT THAT.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COUNTY AND, AND I'M JUST GLAD THAT YOU ALL SHOWED UP AND IT JUST TELLS ME THAT YOU ALL ARE TOGETHER.
YOU WANNA SEE EVERY, EVERYBODY GROW AND, UM, AND YOU BEHIND THE YOUTH.
SO I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE EVERYBODY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA SAY THIS, UM, MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, REVEREND SPRADLEY OUT THERE, HE, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT IS MY BROTHER-IN-LAW AND, UM,
WE NEED TO DO THIS AND HELP 'EM OUT, HELP THE YOUTH.
AND I'M JUST GLAD THAT WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD TO TRY TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN.
AND I WANTED TO, UH, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME BACK BECAUSE YOU SAW THE BUDGET AND EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO OR ANY IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE, PLEASE CALL US AND LET US KNOW.
AND AGAIN, WE CAN JUST WORK TOGETHER TO MOVE FORWARD TO DO WHATEVER WE NEED FOR THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, AGAIN, GLAD TO SEE YOU ALL AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN SOON.
FIRST, LET START BY SAYING THANK YOU TO STAFF, UH, BOTH KEVIN AND TO ANN AND ALL, EVERYBODY THAT'S INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING A BUDGET TOGETHER.
FOR THOSE OF US THAT HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 12 YEARS,
[02:25:01]
WE ALWAYS KNOW THAT THE BUDGET IS EVOLVING.WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THAT AND WHAT IT STARTS AS IS NOT WHAT IT, WHAT IT ENDS AS.
UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS, THIS CIP PROJECT THAT WE ARE, THAT WE HAVE CONVERSATION ABOUT TONIGHT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT FOR MANY YEARS, TO BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU.
BUT YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE YOU SUPPORT THAT.
AND THIS YEAR WE FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BRING THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
THAT'S WHY IT'S ON THE CIP BUDGET.
OKAY? UH, I'M PERSONALLY IN FAVOR OF IT IS MY DISTRICT, UH, I'VE BEEN GOING BY THE SPORTS PARK EVER SINCE THERE WAS DIRT BEING MOVED THE FIRST TIME.
UM, AND SO I, I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS PROJECT COMING FORWARD.
UM, THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO THAT, THAT'S GREATER THAN BEING IN OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES AND GIVING THEM OPPORTUNITY.
UM, MR. VINES DOES A FANTASTIC JOB WITH THE REC DEPARTMENT IN THIS COUNTY.
HE WILL BE THE PERSON THAT WILL BE IN CHARGE OF THIS PARTICULAR FACILITY, JUST LIKE HE'S IN CHARGE OF THOSE SOFTBALL FIELDS, THE BASEBALL FIELD, THE FOOTBALL FIELD, AND THE SOCCER FIELD.
UM, BUT THIS WILL FALL UNDER HIM.
AND I GAVE TELL YOU WHAT, HE WILL DO A FANTASTIC JOB WHEN IT IS BUILT.
HE WILL RUN IT IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY.
HE WILL DO IT IN A WAY THAT, THAT YOU AS THE CITIZENS WILL RESPECT AND, UH, WILL APPRECIATE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM NOW WHEN WE, UH, PRESENT THIS BUDGET AND WE VOTE ON IT, I THINK THAT IT WILL PASS IF YOU HEAR WHAT THE COMMENTS THAT I HEAR TONIGHT.
UM, BUT I, I THINK IT'S A POSITIVE MOVE, MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR DIY COUNTY FOR ALL KIDS.
MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHO THEY ARE.
UM, I, I'M JUST GONNA SHARE A STORY WITH YOU AND I'M GONNA BE SHORT.
UH, I GREW UP IN PETERSBURG, YOU KNOW, I WENT TO PEABODY, I WENT TO PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATED IN 79 AND PLAYED A MILLION NIGHT OF BASKETBALL FRIDAY NIGHT OR SATURDAY NIGHT AT LEE PARK, WHICH IS LEGENDS PARK NOW.
AND THOSE ARE PE YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT'S AT.
AND UH, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I WAS A LOT YOUNGER TALKING ABOUT SPORTS, BUT WE WOULD GO AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DID HUNG OUT.
IT WAS, YOU KNOW, EIGHT OR 10 OF US WE'D GO UP THERE AND HAVE SOME PICKUP GAMES FOR AN HOUR OR SO AND THEN WE WOULD GO HOME.
SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE NEED THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I HEAR FROM YOU, THE OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE FOR EVERYBODY.
SO I, I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
THE BUDGET HEARS YOU LOUD AND CLEAR AND I THINK THAT, THAT THE FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS DO TOO.
SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOU COMING OUT THIS EVENING BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF THE PROCESS.
YOUR VOICE HAS BEEN HEARD AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
SO I JUST HAVE ONE THING I WANTED TO SAY, PLEASE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY ALSO, UM, THANK THE STAFF AND THE, UM, AND KE AND KEVIN MASSENGILL FOR, UH, THE BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S A LOT.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE STRUGGLED A LOT TRYING TO, YOU AND ANNE GETTING EVERYTHING AND TAMMY WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU TOO BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU PRESENTED IT WELL AND HAD SOME HARD DECISIONS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD JUST, JUST MAKE AN OBSERVATION, JUST, JUST LISTENING.
UM, AND IT REALLY KINDA CAME FROM WHEN YOU SAID LEGENDS PARK AND YOU POINT IT TO YOURSELF.
SO, YOU KNOW, MR. VINES, I GOT AN IDEA, UH, UHOH.
SO WHEN THE, THE SPORTS COMPLEX BASEBALL FIELD OPENED, WE THREW OUT A FIRST PITCH.
AND SO WHEN THE BASKETBALL COURT OPENS, YOU KNOW, IT'S FIVE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
FIVE TAKES FIVE TO PLAY BASKETBALL.
I I THINK YOU SHOULD CHALLENGE THE SCHOOL BOARD 'CAUSE I THINK YOU CAN TAKE 'EM
I'LL, I'LL LET RAY FIGURE OUT THE DETAILS.
BUT ARE THOSE NINE EMTS GOING TO BE
UM, I KNOW THERE'S ONE OTHER THING IN FRONT OF US THAT'S THE GERMAN, BUT I DO WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY BEFORE WE LEAVE TONIGHT.
THERE IS A THURSDAY IS THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER.
OKAY? WE ARE HAVING AN EVENT AT THE SPORTS PARK, UH, FOOTBALL FIELD.
I GUARANTEE YOU, YOU WILL BE BLESSED IF YOU WILL COME.
OKAY? UM, SO I HOPE TO SEE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THURSDAY EVENING.
[02:30:01]
THE GOOD LORD'S GONNA WATCH OUT FOR US.THERE AIN'T GONNA BE NO RAIN ON THURSDAY NIGHT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO PRAY IT UP AND WE'RE GOING TO ASK HIM FOR THE GLORY, THE BLESSINGS TO BE WITH US.
SO WITH THAT WE NEED A MOTION FOR ADJOURN.
MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S ON ONE COURT.
THAT, THAT'S, UH, THE ONE THAT'S ON FOUR SIX ON FOUR 60.
THE SPORTS COMPLEX FOOTBALL FIELD.
MR. LEE A DR. MOORE? AYE ALL VOTING AYE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.