* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. YOU GOOD? [00:00:03] SPEAK. [1. ROLL CALL] SPEAK. I'D LIKE TO CALL THE, UH, APRIL 8TH, 2025 PUBLIC HEARING OF THE DENDY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ORDER. CAN WE HAVE THE ROLL CALL PLEASE? MS. EBRA BONNER. HERE. MR. DOOLEY? HERE. DR. MOORE? HERE. MR. CHAVIS? HERE. MR. LEE HERE. FIVE BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. UH, AT THIS TIME [2. PUBLIC HEARING] WE HAVE SOME DISCLOSURES THAT, UH, NEED TO BE READ. UM, MR. DOOLEY, COULD YOU LEAD US WITH THAT? YES, SIR. AT THE APRIL 8TH, 2025 7:00 PM MEETING OF THE DEITY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I, CASEY M DOOLEY, INTEND TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION AND VOTE CONCERNING THE CALENDAR OF YOUR YEAR 2025 TAX RATE FOR DEITY COUNTY. THE TAX RATE WILL DETERMINE HOW MUCH MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR DEITY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I'M EMPLOYED BY DEITY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THE TAX RATE AFFECTS THE EMPLOYEES OF DIMITY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS WELL AS OTHERS. AND I AM ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSACTION FAIRLY OBJECTIVELY AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. ALRIGHT, DR. BOWL? YES SIR. AT THE APRIL 8TH, 2025 7:00 PM MEETING OF THE DI COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I MARK YOU MOORE. INTEND TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION AND VOTE CONCERNING THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025 TAX RATES FOR DENWITTY COUNTY. THE TAX RATES WILL DETERMINE HOW MUCH MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR THE DENWITTY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. MY WIFE IS EMPLOYED BY THE DENWITTY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. THE TAX RATES AFFECT ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF THE DENWITTY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AS WELL AS OTHERS AND I AM ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSACTION FAIRLY OBJECTIVELY AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. ALRIGHT, AT THE APRIL 8TH, 2025, 7:00 PM MEETING OF THE DEY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I, DANIEL D. LEE, INTEND TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION AND VOTE CONCERNING THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025 TAX RATE FOR DEITY COUNTY. THE NEW TAX RATE WILL DETERMINE HOW MUCH MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR THE DEITY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. MY WIFE IS EMPLOYED BY THE DEITY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. THE TAX RATE AFFECTS ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF DEITY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AS WELL AS OTHERS. AND I AM ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSACTION FAIRLY OBJECTIVELY. AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. I AM EMPLOYED BY THE APPOMATTOX RIVER SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT. AS SUCH, I WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY DISCUSSION PERTAINING TO THE APPOMATTOX RIVER SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION BOARD. ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND, AND START THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE TAX RATE FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025. AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MR. MASSENGILL, WILL, UH, EXPLAIN, UM, THE TAX RATE RESOLUTION AND, UH, AND THE ADD THAT WE PUT IN THE PAPER. OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD IN YOUR, IN YOUR PACKETS, YOU'LL SEE A, A RESOLUTION, UH, THAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. UH, THIS RESOLUTION WILL BE CONSIDERED AFTER HOLDEN, AS YOU SAID, MR. CHAIRMAN. THE, THE, THE PUBLIC HEARING, AGAIN, THIS ESTABLISHES, UH, THE, THE CALENDAR YEAR, 2025, UH, RATES FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY, REAL ESTATE AS WELL AS, UH, PERSONAL PROPERTY RELIEF RATE. SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO READ THROUGH, I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL THE S FOR THE RESOLUTION, BUT, UH, OF WHAT IS PROBABLY A SPECIFIC INTEREST AS THE RATES THEMSELVES AND YOU, YOU ALL HAD DIRECTED STAFF, UM, TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PUTTING THESE RATES IN THE NEWSPAPER TO BE ADVERTISED SO THAT, UH, YOU COULD GET PUBLIC COMMENT. SO, UH, FOR REAL ESTATE, YOU HAD ASKED FOR US TO ADVERTISE 65 CENTS MOBILE HOMES, 65 CENTS MINERAL LAND AT 65 CENTS. PUBLIC SERVICE AT 65 CENTS. PERSONAL PROPERTY AT FOUR 60. PERSONAL PROPERTY FOR QUALIFYING VOLUNTEER VEHICLES AT 25 CENTS. MACHINERY AND TOOLS AT $3 AND 30 CENTS. HEAVY CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY AT $3 AND 30 CENTS, AND THEN AIRPLANES AT 50 CENTS. UH, THE SECOND ASPECT OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING TONIGHT IS ESTABLISHING THE TAX RELIEF FOR QUALIFYING, UH, MOTOR VEHICLES AND AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER REVENUE, UH, THAT HAS BEEN SET AT 34%. SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE EITHER NOW OR AFTER THE, THE HEARING. AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOU ALL HAD ASKED, UH, TO BE, TO BE ADVERTISED IN THE NEWSPAPER. ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA, UH, GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING NOW. UM, AND, UM, [00:05:02] I THINK, UM, KAISHA, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE SIGNED UP? WE HAVE ONE, MR. CHAIRMAN. ALRIGHT. UM, AND SO WE'LL, UH, ALSO OFFER, UM, OUT THE, UM, THAT THAT PERSON SPEAKS WE'LL, UH, OPEN IT UP TO THE FLOOR 'CAUSE UM, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SIGN UP, BUT WE'LL, UM, WE'LL ALLOW THAT TONIGHT. AND, UM, AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND WE'LL GET STARTED. SO MEET YOU DANA TIPTON. NOT TO BE RUDE TO Y'ALL, BUT MAY I ADDRESS THE CROWD? SURE. THANK, SO, MY NAME'S DAVID TIPTON. I LIVE IN CLARK AND I TOOK THE, THIS YEAR AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN. ACTUALLY, MS. MS. TIPTON, I HATE TO BOTHER YOU, BUT, UM, UH, COULD YOU STAND CLOSE TO THE MIC SO THAT THEY CAN HEAR YOU FROM THE MICROPHONE AND, OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YEAH. I'M DANIEL AND I'M, I LIVE IN CARSON AND I TOOK THE TIME THIS YEAR TO COME AND SPEND THREE DAYS LISTENING TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS IN DENWITTY PROVIDE THEIR BUDGET. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY AS A CITIZEN THAT PAYS TAXES HERE, THAT WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY PROPERTY TAXES. DENWITTY COUNTY, THE GOVERNMENT OF DOZEN EXCELLENT JOB LOOKING AFTER OUR MONEY, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF WASTE. THERE'S NO FRAUD. THEY SPEND THAT MONEY AS IF IT AS IF IT'S THEIR OWN, WHICH IN MOST CASES IT IS IN THIS COUNTY. SO I AM VERY PLEASED. NOW, MY PROPERTY TAX WENT UP $245,000. SO YES, I TOOK THE TIME TO BE HERE TO PARTICIPATE WITH EVERYONE BEHIND ME IN THEIR BUDGET MEETINGS. THERE IS ONE THING THAT I FOUND AS A CONCERN AND THESE PEOPLE ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS. THEY TREATED ME VERY WELL. THE CONCERN I HAVE WITH THIS COUNTY IS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THAT'S WHERE EVERY ONE OF YOU SHOULD GET INVOLVED AND TAKE A GOOD CLOSE LOOK AT. 'CAUSE WHEN I SEE A BUDGET THAT RIVALS THE SAME THAT THE REST OF THE COUNTIES HAS FOR 39, FOR 3,900 AND SOME STUDENTS, ABOUT 15,000 OF STUDENTS, WE HAVE QUESTIONS THERE. BUT THE TAX RATE THAT'S SET BY THE REST OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND WHAT THEY NEED TO MEET THEIR BUDGET REQUIREMENTS, YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT THEY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. I HAVE NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP, MR. CHAIRMAN. OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK? UH, I WILL ALLOW THEM TO COME AND, AND STATE YOUR NAME, UH, FOR THE RECORD. ALRIGHT. I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME. UH, IF ANY COMMISSIONER WOULD LIKE TO, UH, MAKE ANY STATEMENT DISCUSSION, I'LL START. ALRIGHT. UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS AND I THANK YOU FOR COMING AND BEING WITH US FOR THREE DAYS. WE HAD A WORKSHOP, BUDGET WORKSHOP TOGETHER WITH ADMINISTRATION, UH, GOING THROUGH EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT, UM, OF THIS COUNTY. WE'VE DONE IT FOR 14 YEARS NOW. UH, IN THE BUDGETS THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER, UM, I THINK PROBABLY RIGHT NOW THIS IS ONLY OUR SECOND REA UH, ASSESSMENT AS FAR AS PROPERTY THAT WE, SINCE WE HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD, THIS IS OUR SECOND TIME SETTING A A, A TAX RATE, UM, THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IT'S BEEN FOR FOR MULTIPLE YEARS. UM, THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT I WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF THAT I SEE THAT'S INCORPORATED IN THIS, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THAT GETS US TO A, A CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT OUR TAX RATE IS. FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE THAT I SEE AS A SUPERVISOR. WE ARE MOVING SOME THINGS THAT HAVE, FOR YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD HAVE BEEN IN WHAT WE CALL THE C-I-P-C-I-P PROJECTS. AND THEY ARE BUSES, AMBULANCE, FIRE TRUCKS, AND POLICE CARS. AND THEY AVERAGE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN TWO, TWO AND A HALF TO $3 MILLION THAT WE HAVE BEEN PAYING BASICALLY OUT OF FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR GOING INTO [00:10:01] THE NEXT YEAR. BUT THERE'S FUNDAMENTALLY, WE, WE HAVE MADE A DECISION, OR AT LEAST I THINK WE HAVE, IS THAT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUY EVERY SINGLE YEAR. SO THEY SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF DENWITTY COUNTY. 'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BUY THEM EVERY SINGLE YEAR. SO THAT'S THE FIRST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. THE SECOND PIECE IS WE ARE IN THE PEOPLE BUSINESS. AND I'VE SAID THIS FOR, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. UM, DENWITY COUNTY CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE THAT WORK FOR US. AND THIS YEAR WE ARE MAKING A VERY BIG COMMITMENT TO THOSE EMPLOYEES, UM, AS FAR AS THEIR PAY IS CONCERNED. AND THAT'S ALL PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. AND YOU CAN LOOK FOR THOSE THINGS ONCE THE BUDGET IS IS PASSED. UM, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT THAT WORK, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY, WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THIS BUILDING OR THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, OKAY, THERE ARE ALMOST 700 EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. ALMOST TH OVER 30, ABOUT 35 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR GOES TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. BUT THEY'RE IN THE PEOPLE BUSINESS TOO, JUST LIKE WE ARE. UM, SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR DENWITTY COUNTY AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR DENWITTY COUNTY LIVE IN DENWITTY COUNTY AND PAY TAXES JUST LIKE THE REST OF US DO. UM, AND THEY BUY THINGS IN DENWITTY COUNTY, THEY EAT IN DENWITTY COUNTY. SO FROM A TAX POINT OF VIEW, THEY'RE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. AND THE LAST THING IS INFLATION. EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY INFLATION. WELL, GUESS WHAT? COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS AFFECTED BY INFLATION TOO. ALL THE SERVICE CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE ON ALL OF THE DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE AND DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT WE HAVE, ALL OF THOSE SERVICE CONTRACTS ARE GOING UP, OKAY? UM, AS WELL AS JUST THE THINGS THAT WE BUY TO RUN GOVERNMENT IS GOING UP. AND SO THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS THAT I SEE THAT ARE AFFECTING IN MY EYES, THE DRIVING OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND WHAT THE RATE WILL BE. OKAY. MR. CHAIRMAN, ANY ANYONE ELSE? LIKE I WILL FOLLOW BEHIND MARK THERE? UH, UH, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE SAID. UH, WHEN I GOT ON THE BOARD, UH, WE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS TALKING ABOUT HOW HIGH THE TAXES WERE AND, AND I STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT, UH, AND I ASKED HIM, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO CUT? WHAT DON'T YOU THINK WE NEED? FIRE EMS? THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE NEED. WHAT, WHAT CAN WE GET RID OF? AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THIS COUNTY IS, THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT. YOU KNOW, THE TAXES, THAT'S WHAT WE SET 'EM FOR, TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THE THINGS WE NEED. THE GUY THAT'S STANDING IN THAT DOOR THERE, HE'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US. THE GUY'S SITTING ON THE BACK ROW BACK THERE, ANIMAL CONTROL. WE NEED THAT. SO WHAT CAN WE CUT? WE NEED IT EVERY YEAR. AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS. WE TRIED TO SAVE, I SAID I'D LIKE THE TAXI TO BE 64, BUT ONCE WE STARTED TALKING, CAN WE, WE DECIDED 65. SO I THINK WE, I THINK WE MAKING A GOOD CHOICE. UM, MARK COVERED IT A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN ME, BUT JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO CUT. THANK YOU. UM, YES, I AGREE WITH, UM, WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID WITH, UM, MARK, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TAXES, PEOPLE ARE NOT ALL THAT FA FOND OF IT, BUT IT'S NEEDED TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN THE COUNTY. AND, YOU KNOW, UH, AGAIN, WHEN WE, ALL OF US, UM, DOWN THE BOARD, I'LL NEVER FORGET THIS GENTLEMAN THAT WAS IN THE AUDIENCE AND AT THAT TIME WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE FIRE TRUCKS. AND HE SAID, WELL, UH, I'M NOT REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. HE SAID, IF MY HOUSE CATCHES ON FIRE, JUST LET IT, LET IT BURN DOWN. SO THAT WAS A PRETTY AWFUL THING TO SAY, UM, BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT TO, YOU KNOW, PAY ANY ADDITIONAL TAXES. BUT I CAN SAY THIS ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES HERE. WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOME VERY LOYAL EMPLOYEES. WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK PAST THE TIME THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GET OFF AND SOMETIMES THEY COME IN ON WEEKENDS. THIS IS NOT FOR, UM, ADDITIONAL PAY. IT'S JUST TO TRY TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO FOR THE COUNTY. AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. AND YOU TRY TO COMPENSATE PEOPLE WHO TRY TO GIVE, UM, OF THEMSELVES WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO. THEY COULD GO HOME AT FIVE O'CLOCK AND SAY, YOU KNOW, UM, WE CAN DEAL [00:15:01] WITH IT ANOTHER TIME. BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THIS COUNTY AND WE'VE, WE'VE, UM, JUST TRIED TO DO THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN AND GIVE IT OUR ALL. AND I KNOW THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, YOU ASK, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN GOING TO SCHOOL, SOME OF YOU ALL MAY NOT HAVE KIDS AT THIS TIME, OR EVEN YOU MAY HAVE GRANDCHILDREN, BUT IT'S A LOT, UM, FOR THE TEACHERS. PEOPLE, TEACHERS ARE NOT GOING IN THE FIELD LIKE THEY USED TO. BUT YOU TRY TO KEEP THE TEACHERS THAT ARE, THAT WANT TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO, FOR THE STUDENTS. BECAUSE YOUNG PEOPLE AT THIS TIME, IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN, I GUESS A LOT OF US BEFORE THEY HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA, THE INTERNET AND ALL THIS. SO THEY HAVE A LOT MORE TO DEAL WITH THAN WE, THAN WE DID AT THAT TIME. AND, UM, A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES I OFTEN TALK ABOUT, UM, WHEN WE HAVE BOARD MEETINGS, MENTAL HEALTH. 'CAUSE MENTAL HEALTH IS VERY IMPORTANT. UM, NOT ONLY, UH, SEASON PEOPLE AS I SAY, BUT YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUNG PEOPLE SOMETIMES CANNOT DEAL WITH THAT. AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY TAKE THE HARD WAY OUT AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE AND DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO AND, UM, IN THIS LIFE. BUT WE TRY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN, UM, AS A GROUP HERE. AND WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO TRY TO DO THE BEST FOR NOT JUST SOME PEOPLE, BUT EVERYONE. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT MR. DOLEY, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UM, THROUGHOUT THE FIRST YEAR AND A HALF THAT I'VE, I'VE BEEN IN THIS SEAT, UH, MY EYES HAVE BEEN OPEN TO HOW TRULY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE OUR STAFF IS. UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE NOT SEEING IT, WHEN YOU DON'T TAKE THE TIME LIKE MS. TIPTON DID TO COME AND, AND LISTEN AND, AND SEE WHERE OUR COUNTY IS, UH, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. AND SO THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE HAVE A DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO NOT ONLY OUR OUR STAFF, BUT TO OUR CITIZENS. AND WHAT I HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS THAT OUR CITIZENS NOT ONLY EXPECT, BUT A LOT OF TIMES DEMAND AN ABOVE AVERAGE RESPONSE TO THEIR NEEDS. AND TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THAT AND MEET THOSE NEEDS, WE NEED FOLKS THAT ARE GONNA PROVIDE AN ABOVE AVERAGE, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE. AND THAT COST ALSO, WE HAVE TO RECRUIT, WE HAVE TO BE COMPETITIVE. AND WHAT WE'VE FOUND IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS IS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN A COMPETITIVE, UH, REALLY EMPLOYABLE RATE, UH, OF PAY. IN FACT, SOME OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN ON COMMUNITY BOARDS WHERE WE'VE POSTED VACANCIES AND, AND THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE REALLY LAUGHS AT US BECAUSE WE'RE, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE, THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RECRUIT. SO WE ALSO HAVE A DUTY TO RETAIN THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE INVESTED IN AND TRAINED SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE THEM TO OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, JURISDICTIONS OR MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE HIRING THAT ARE AT A, AT A HIGHER WAGE. SO I THINK THIS, THIS TAX RATE ENABLES US TO KEEP GOOD EMPLOYEES HERE AT AT DENWOODY. ALRIGHT. UM, AND I GUESS A LOT OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND, AND I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT I'VE OPENLY SAID FOR THE LAST, UM, 12 YEARS, 13 YEARS THAT, THAT I DON'T LIKE BUDGET TIME. AND IT'S THREE DAYS OF, OF ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS. AND I KNOW WE HEARD A LOT ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL ABOUT WHAT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES DO OR DON'T DO. UM, BUT FOR THAT THREE DAYS, UM, WE HEAR WHAT COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE DOING. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FIRE AND, AND EMS AND THEN ANIMAL CONTROL, UM, AND THEN THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, UM, THE DEMAND FOR COUNTY SERVICES IS, UM, JUST CONTINUING TO GROW CALL VOLUME FOR FIRE AND EMS, UM, IN A TIME WHEN VOLUNTEERISM IS SLOWLY, UH, GOING AWAY, OUR CALL VOLUME HAS JUST ESCALATED. AND SO THE LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE, WE'VE MADE A HUGE COMMITMENT TO, UM, AND MUST HAVE CHA I APOLOGIZE, OF, OF GETTING INDIANS, UM, IN PLACE TO DO THE WORK, UM, IN FIRE AND EMS AND, UH, UH, IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING, UM, WHEN WE HIRE CHIEFS IN FIRE AND EMS, WE WANT THEM TO BE INDIANS TOO BECAUSE IN THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, A CHIEF IS PROBABLY A CHIEF, BUT IN DENWOODY THAT CHIEF IS ON A FIRE TRUCK OR, UM, UH, ANSWERING CALLS, UH, MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND EVERYTHING. SO, UM, YOU [00:20:01] KNOW, WE EXPECT A LOT FROM, FROM OUR EMPLOYEES AND, AND, UM, AT THE FIRE AND EMS AWARDS BANK WITH, UM, COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, RIGHT NOW, IT'S STILL FAIRLY SEAMLESS BETWEEN THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE PAID STAFF AND THEY WORK WELL TOGETHER AND THAT'S A TRIBUTE TO HOW THEY HANDLE THEIR BUSINESS. UM, BUT IN THIS BUDGET WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT A COUPLE OF CHIEFS THAT, UM, WILL HELP WITH THE OVERALL OPERATION AND HOPEFULLY SOME VOLUNTEERS WILL CONTINUE TO, UM, TO JOIN SOME YOUNG PEOPLE. UM, BUT THIS BUDGET ALSO, UM, PICKS UP THE RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT WERE GRANT FUNDED FOR THE SCHOOLS. UM, AND, AND THEN WHAT DR. MOORE WAS TALKING ABOUT. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE IT, IT'S A GOOD BUDGET. UH, ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU IS WE WON'T WAIT SIX YEARS FOR ANOTHER REASSESSMENT. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT, UH, MUCH. AND, UH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEREVER WE GET WITH THIS, UM, TAX RATE, WHETHER IT'S 65, 64, UM, OR WHATEVER, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE BUDGET HEARING TO REFLECT, UM, KINDA WHAT WE, WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH, WITH THE BUDGET. UM, BUT, UM, REALLY JUST PUBLICLY LIKE TO THANK STAFF AND KEVIN AND ANNE FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE. AND, AND THAT THREE DAYS IS PRETTY INTENSE. UM, WE HAD TUESDAY OF THE THREE DAYS WE HAD ALL DAY MEETING AND THEN SCHOOL BOARD AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, AT ABOUT NINE O'CLOCK I I TOLD 'EM THAT I'D PULLED TOBACCO AND PICKED UP HAY WHEN IT WAS A HUNDRED DEGREES AND I WAS A WHOLE LOT MORE TIRED THAT NIGHT THAN I WAS, UM, PULLING THE TOBACCO OR PICKING UP HAY. SO, UM, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A LONG PROCESS, BUT A GOOD PROCESS AND UM, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH, WITH TAXPAYER MONEY AND WE ALWAYS UNDERSTAND AS TAXPAYER MONEY WHEN, WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH IT. SO, UH, SO AT THIS TIME, UM, IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, OR IF THERE'S ANY MORE DISCUSSION AMONG BOARD MEMBERS, MR. MASSENGILL, WOULD YOU? NO, JUST MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS THE BOARD, IF YOU, WHAT WE HAVE ADVERTISED IS WHAT YOU ASKED US TO AT 65 CENTS. UM, SO YOU, IF YOU WANTED TO DO THAT, YOU COULD HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED. IF YOU WISH TO CHANGE THE 65 AND YOU JUST MENTIONED 64 OR WHATEVER NUMBER, AND REMEMBER NOW YOU CAN ALWAYS GO DOWN ON THE TAX RATE. YOU JUST CAN'T GO ABOVE WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY ADVERTISED. SO 65 IS THE, IS THE HIGHEST THAT YOU CAN GO, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO DOWN. UM, AND ALSO WITH THE TAX RELIEF YOU CAN ALWAYS GO UP. WE'RE JUST RECOMMENDING THAT YOU NOT GO UP, THAT YOU STAY AT 34%. AND I, A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY TOO. I, I WILL TELL YOU STAFF THIS YEAR REALLY TRIED TO BE VERY PARTICULAR. WE, WE DO HAVE THE CLASS IN COMPENSATION PLAN, UM, TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT THIS YEAR. UM, ONE THING SPECIFICALLY WITH THAT WE WERE, WE WERE HOPING FOR IS THERE WAS ENOUGH NATURAL REVENUE GROWTH THAT COULD PAY FOR THAT CLASS AND COMPENSATION PLAN WITHOUT HAVING TO RAISE THE REAL ESTATE RATE TO COVER IT. SO ONE THING I WAS PARTICULARLY FOND OF IS THE FACT, EVEN THOUGH THE RATE WAS GOING FROM 84 CENT TO THE EQUALIZED RATE OF 56 CENT, THAT YOU STILL CAN DO MOST OF THAT CLASS AND COMPENSATION PLAN, IF NOT ALL OF IT OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH TAXES TONIGHT. UM, SO I JUST WANNA WALK YOU THROUGH, I KNOW I DID THIS AT THE BUDGET, BUT I, I'D JUST LIKE TO WALK YOU THROUGH REAL, REAL QUICK WHERE YOU ARE. UM, SO IF YOU CHOSE TO DO THE REPLACEMENT PLAN, AND SO AS DR. MOORE UH, INDICATED, THIS IS THE SYSTEMATIC REPLACEMENT, MEANING THAT REOCCURRING REVENUE WILL PAY FOR THE REOCCURRING EXPENSE, NOT YEAR END MONEY PAYING FOR THESE EXPENSES. SO REOCCURRING REVENUE TO PAY FOR SCHOOL BUSES, AMBULANCES, FIRE TRUCKS, POLICE CARS. AND WE'VE ALSO SET ASIDE FOR HEAVY, LARGER IT EQUIPMENT SERVERS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AS THEY WOULD BE NEEDED OVER A 10 YEAR CYCLE. WHAT YOU WOULD NEED IS YOU WOULD NEED ABOUT 1.8 TO 1.9 MILLION ANNUALLY TO COVER THOSE EXPENSES. THAT IN, [00:25:01] IN ITSELF IS ABOUT A 5 CENTS ABOVE THE EQUALIZED RATE. SO INSTEAD OF BEING 56 CENTS PLUS THE 5 CENTS WOULD PUT YOU AT 61 CENTS. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CAME WITH AN OPERATIONAL REQUEST THIS YEAR THAT IN AND OF ITSELF WAS ABOUT $500,000 IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND OPERATIONS AND ABOUT ANOTHER 150,000 IN WHAT WE CALL INTERNAL CAPITAL IN ADDITION TO THE ONE 50 THAT WE'RE ALREADY PAYING THEM. RIGHT? SO THAT IN ITSELF WOULD BE A, A COUPLE PENNIES. AND THEN THE FINAL PENNY WOULD BE MORE CLOSE TO SOME SPECIFIC, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY POSITIONS. SO WE MENTIONED THAT OUR EMS FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S, THERE'S OUR JUST A PARAMEDIC STAFF THAT FROM A LEADERSHIP STANDPOINT WE NEED AN EMS CAPTAIN POSITION AS WELL AS A FULL-TIME FIRE MARSHAL. UM, WE ALSO HAVE CONTEMPLATED, UM, FIVE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC DIVISION BEING CREATED FOR, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO THAT WOULD GET YOU TO 64 CENTS IF THAT'S WHERE YOU WANT. I BELIEVE WE CAN BALANCE AT 64 CENTS AT 65 CENTS. THAT WAS WHAT MANY OF YOU WANTED US TO ADVERTISE THAT THERE WAS ADDITIONAL CUSHION. UM, THAT'S COMPLETELY UP TO YOU ALL. YOU CAN DO ANY OR NONE OF WHAT I JUST TALKED THROUGH, UM, AS TONIGHT, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO DOWN. YOU JUST CAN'T GO UP. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? WELL, I'LL COME OUT THE GATE FIRST AND IF I GET A SECOND THEN WE'LL GO FORWARD. BUT I, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE RATE THE REAL ESTATE RATE TO BE 64. I, I'VE SAID THAT PUBLICLY IN A MEETING, UM, AS WELL AS THE, THE, THE TOP FOUR RATES TO BE 64 CENTS. UM, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR THE REAL ESTATE MOBILE HOME MINERAL LAND AND PUBLIC SERVICES FOR THOSE RATES TO BE 64 CENT. THE REST BEING HELD AS PRINTED. I SECOND THAT. MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD MAYBE THE, MAYBE THE MOTION SHOULD READ TO, UH, APPROVE OF THE RESOLUTION, UH, WITH AN AMENDMENT OF 65 CENT IN REAL ESTATE, MOBILE HOME MINERAL LANDS AND PUBLIC SERVICE TO 64 CENTS. OKAY, THAT'S FINE. ALRIGHT, AND WE HAVE A SECOND. I SECOND. OKAY. ALRIGHT, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SO WE HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE. MS. EBRA BONNER. AYE. MR. DOOLEY? AYE. DR. MOORE? AYE. MR. CHAVIS? AYE. MR. LEE? AYE. ALL VOTING? AYE ALL RIGHT. ALRIGHT. DO, DOES ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANYTHING MORE? I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE, UM, THAT CAME TONIGHT. UM, AND, UH, INVITE Y'ALL, UM, TO, UM, PARTICIPATE IN THE, UM, IN THE PROCESS NEXT YEAR. UM, I TOLD MS. TIPTON WHILE SHE WAS THERE, WE, WE KIND OF GAVE HER A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY TO, TO TALK AND, AND I TOLD HER IF IT WAS 20 PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, SHE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY, BUT SHE, SHE REALLY DID ADD A LOT TO IT, UM, THE PROCESS AND UH, SO WE ENJOYED HAVING HER, UM, FOR THOSE THREE DAYS. AND, UH, SO WITH THAT, I'D ASK FOR A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT. SHALL MOVE? SECOND. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MS. EBRA. BONNER. AYE. MR. DOLEY? AYE. DR. MOORE? AYE. MR. CHAVIS? AYE. MR. LEE? AYE ALL VOTING AYE MEETING IS ADJOURNED MR. CHAIRMAN. I WAS JUST GONNA SAY ON, ON APRIL 29TH, BACK IN THIS ROOM AT 7:00 PM IS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON HOW WE PLAN TO SPEND THE BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN. SO APRIL 29TH, 7:00 PM UH, BACK IN THIS ROOM. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. MEETING ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.