Apr 07, 2026 Special Board of Supervisors

[1. ROLL CALL]

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

WELCOME TO THE, UH, SPECIAL MEETING ON APRIL THE SEVENTH, 2026 OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

CAN I GET A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? DR. MOORE? HERE.

FIVE BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT.

THERE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA? MADAM CHAIR? I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE AGENDA UNDER, UH, ITEM THREE F, WHICH WILL BE VIRGINIA CROSSROADS.

UH, ARE

[2. AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA]

WE HAVE MS. BEVERLY HAWTHORNE HERE TO, TO GIVE AN OUTSIDE AGENCY REPORT.

SO AGAIN, THREE F VIRGINIA CROSSROADS, MS. HAWTHORNE.

THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY AMENDMENT.

AT THIS TIME WE HAVE OUTSIDE AGENCY REPORTS AND WE HAVE THE APPROVED APPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION WITH, UM, RUFUS TYLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

UM, AT THIS TIME WE'LL GO TO GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MOTION AGENDA.

MAKE A MOTION.

WE ACCEPT THE AMENDED AGENDA.

[3.A. The Improvement Association]

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

UH, MEMBER OF THE BOARD, SUPERVISOR OF INDIVIDUALS THERE.

UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AGAIN TODAY.

UH, THIS FOR OKAY.

UM, UH, TO GIVE A OVERVIEW OF THE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION.

AND, UM, GIVE BASICALLY A STATUS REPORT.

BUT LET ME JUST START OFF BY SAYING I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, UH, FOR THEIR SUPPORT, UH, ENSURING THAT, UM, CHILDREN ARE PREPARED FOR KINDERGARTEN.

UH, DR.

WESTON, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATION AND, AND TRY TO COLLABORATE ON VARIOUS INITIATIVE TO ENSURE THAT ALL OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ARE, ARE PREPARED FOR KINDERGARTEN AND LATER ON SENSE OF LIFE.

I WANT TO START OFF AS GIVE YOU A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION.

I KNOW YOUR AGENDA, YOU HAVE A LONG ENOUGH AGENDA, SO I'LL BE BRIEF WHEN I SIT, SIT IN THE SEAT SO I KNOW HOW IT IS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS.

SO I'LL BE BRIEF.

BUT MANY OF YOU KNOW, MIGHT KNOW THAT IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, UH, MISSION, UH, IS THAT WE ARE THE CATALYST THAT ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE.

THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE INITIATIVE, ADVOCATING CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY AND EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT TAX PAYER CITIZEN.

UH, WE SERVE SUSSEX, SIR GREENSVILLE EMPLOYER OF BRUNSWICK.

AND OF COURSE, UH, DEN WITTY.

WE ARE MANDATED BY THE STATE AND THE FEDS TO HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

ONE THIRD OF OUR BOARD MUST BE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS.

UH, SO WE HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM EACH LOCALITY.

WE HAVE ONE THIRD REPRESENT BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND EDUCATORS, UH, CIVIC GROUPS.

AND ONE THIRD MUST REPRESENT THE LOW INCOME COMMUNITY INTERESTS ON OUR BOARD.

SO WE HAVE A TRAP, OUR BOARD, VERY DIVERSE, AND WE HAVE A 15 MEMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHO I HAVE 15 BOSSES.

SO, UH, THAT'S ALWAYS VERY INTERESTING.

THE CHAIR OF OUR BOARD IS THE REVEREND DR.

ROBERT ELLIOT, WHO MANY OF YOU KNOW HIM VERY, VERY WELL, WHO IS DEFINITELY COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE LIFE OF PEOPLE WITHIN OUR, UM, AREA.

UH, THE PROVEN ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN IN AN OPERATION FOR SUCCESSFULLY AND IMPLEMENTING SERVING ISSUE OVER 56 YEARS.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A FLY BY ORGANIZATION, BUT HAVE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME AND DONE A LOT OF SUCCESSFUL THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.

WORKING ON WITH LOCALES ON WATER, SEWER PROJECT, HOUSING PROJECTS, A NUMBER OF THINGS.

WE WORK WORKFORCE SKILLS TRAINING.

WE DO HOUSING INITIATIVE TO PREVENT PEOPLE BECOMING HOMELESS.

UH, WE ALSO DO AFTERSCHOOL INITIATIVE TO ENSURE THAT KIDS ARE READY AND PASS THE SOLS.

UH, AND OF COURSE, UH, HERE IN DENWITTY, UH, ONE OF THE INITIATIVE IS THE HEAD START PROGRAM, WHICH WE WERE.

I WANTED TO GO OVER TODAY WITH YOU AND ASK FOR YOUR HELP.

I HAVE WITH ME SEVERAL OF OUR, A COUPLE OF OUR STAFF.

I WILL HAVE OUR FISCAL OFFICER MARY BAR WHO'VE BEEN WITH OVER 20 SOME YEARS.

UH, ONE OF OUR TEACHERS, UH, MRS. GATLIN, WHO DOES A WONDERFUL JOB AS WELL.

UH, AND OF COURSE WE HAVE THE, UH, ADMINISTRATOR, MRS. TRACY OCK, UH, HERE, WHO IS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE DENVER SITE AND HAVE BEEN HERE WITH THE HEAD START PROGRAM FOR OVER 19 YEARS.

SO I WILL GIVE AWAY TO MS. MHA.

AND FROM THERE I WILL COME BACK AFTER HER

[00:05:01]

COMMENTS.

AND THEN AGAIN, THIS IS OUR FALL DATA VERSUS OUR SPRING DATA CLASSES DONE TWICE A YEAR.

AFTERNOON, MR. MASSING.

UM, SO AS YOU KNOW, HEAD START IS THE NUMBER ONE COMPREHENSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION INITIATIVE FOR CHILDREN, AGES THREE TO FIVE YEARS OLD.

HEAD START PROVIDES NUTRITIONAL DENTAL HEALTH, EDUCATION, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL PARENTING SKILLS, AND SCHOOL READINESS SKILLS TO PREPARE CHILDREN FOR KINDERGARTEN.

WE CONDUCT HOME VISITS.

OUR FAMILY SERVICE STAFF CONDUCT HOME VISITS TWICE A YEAR, AS WELL AS OUR TEACHING STAFF.

UM, SO WE MEET WITH ALL OF OUR FAMILIES MINIMUM OF FOUR TIMES A YEAR.

AND DURING THOSE VISITS, WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, AID AND SUPPORT THOSE FAMILIES.

WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM THROUGH PARENT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS, AS WELL AS, UM, WITH FAMILY ASSESSMENTS.

AND THROUGH THOSE ASSESSMENTS, WE'RE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS SUCH AS EDUCATION ASSISTANCE, ASSISTANCE WITH UTILITIES SUCH AS RENT, UM, OR MORTGAGE.

UM, WE'RE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH MEDICAL EXPENSES AND TRANSPORTATION, AND WE AID PARENTS WITH SECURE AND VITAL RECORDS FOR THEIR CHILDREN, SUCH AS THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND PHYSICALS, UM, FOR PREPARING THEM FOR KINDERGARTEN AND REGISTERING INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

RESEARCH HAS PROVEN THAT A HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM, SUCH AS HEAD START PRODUCES LONG-TERM POSITIVE GAINS FOR COMMUNITIES.

SOME OF THOSE INCLUDE COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC GROWTH, FAMILIES OBTAINING GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT OR WORKFORCE SKILLS, HIGHER GRADUATION RATES, LOWER TEEN PREGNANCY RATES, AND HIGHER PERFORMANCES ON ACADEMIC ASSESSMENTS.

IN, IN WITTY THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 48 SCHOLARS THAT'S IN THREE CLASSROOMS, AND WE'RE LOCATED IN THE MODULARS BEHIND SOUTHSIDE ELEMENTARY.

UM, WE HAVE IN THOSE CLASSROOMS, THREE TEACHERS AND THREE ASSISTANTS.

WE ALSO HAVE SIX SUPPORT STAFF.

STAFF.

SO FAR THIS YEAR WE'VE CONDUCTED 144 HOME VISITS.

WE'VE HELD 48 PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES.

WE'VE HAD TWO FIELD TRIPS, AND WE'VE HELD ONE COMMUNITY EVENT.

WE HAVE ASSISTED FAMILIES WITH COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES SUCH AS FOOD UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

NEXT, I'M GONNA GO OVER JUST A LITTLE BIT OF OUR DATA.

UM, WE USE TEACHING STRATEGIES GOLD, WHICH IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR CURRICULUM, CREATIVE CURRICULUM.

UM, AND LET'S SEE.

OH, THERE IT IS.

UM, HERE WE HAVE OUR FALL AND OUR WINTER SCORES.

I'M NOT GONNA READ TO YOU ALL OF THE NUMBERS, UM, BUT WHAT WE COVER AND WHAT WE ARE MONITORING FOR GROWTH IS THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL GROWTH.

UM, AND THAT'S HOW STUDENTS EXPRESS AND REGULATE THEIR FEELINGS.

PHYSICAL GROWTH, GROWTH, WHICH IS GROSS AND FINE MOTOR SKILLS, THEIR LANGUAGE.

SO THAT ABILITY TO FORMULATE SENTENCES AND EXPRESS WORDS, COGNITIVE, WHICH IS THE HIGHER ORDER THINKING.

SO ASKING THOSE HOW AND WHY QUESTIONS.

LITERACY, THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE LETTERS, SOUNDS AND WORDS.

AND THEN MATH, RECOGNIZING THEIR NUMBERS, SHAPES AND SEQUENCES.

IN THE CHARTS, YOU CAN SEE WHERE OUR STUDENTS HAVE PROGRESSED IN THE WINTER FROM THE FALL.

AND THOSE FALL SCORES ARE WHERE THEY CAME INTO, UM, WHAT THEY KNEW WHEN THEY CAME TO US.

AND THEN THE FALL SCORES WERE OUR MID-YEAR ASSESSMENT THAT WAS HELD IN FEBRUARY.

MM.

NEXT WE HAVE OUR CLASS SCORES.

CLASS MEASURES, THE INTERACTIONS IN THE CLASSROOM AMONGST THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS.

AND IT CONSISTS OF THREE DOMAINS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, WHICH IS HOW THE CLIMATE IS WITHIN THE CLASSROOM, AND HOW TEACHERS RESPOND TO THE STUDENT'S NEEDS CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION.

AND THAT LOOKS AT THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CLASSROOM.

IS THAT CLASSROOM PRODUCTIVE? DO THE CHILDREN KNOW WHAT THE ROUTINE IS AND WHAT'S EXPECTED OF THEM? AND THEN INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT, WHICH IS ARE THE, HOW THE TEACHERS ARE ENGAGING INTO THE, UM, STUDENT'S HIGHER ORDER THINKING, THEIR REPETITIVE PARALLEL AND LANGUAGE ENHANCING SKILLS.

[00:10:03]

UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE GROWTH THERE AS WELL.

UM, AND IN OUR SPRING AND FALL, WE MET OUR STATE BENCHMARKS.

AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK OVER TO MR. TYLER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOW, UM, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS WHY ARE WE HERE? OKAY.

UH, I'M HERE ON BEHALF, OF COURSE, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, BUT ALSO THE 48 FAMILIES THAT SHE ALLUDED TO EARLIER WHO ENROLLED IN THE HEAD START PROGRAMS. UH, MANY OF THOSE FAMILIES ARE WORKING AND THEY CANNOT AFFORD THE HIGH COST OF CHILDCARE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS LOOKING AT SOME STATISTICS FROM CATHOLIC GLASER, WHICH MANY OF YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MAJOR PRIORITIES IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHIELD WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE, WORKING FAMILIES, TRYING TO WORK, AND TO PROVIDE FOR, UH, THEIR FAMILIES.

UM, AND, AND THEN WITH ABOUT 17% OF THE CHILDREN, AS YOU KNOW, UM, UH, LIVE IN POVERTY.

UH, AND I GUESS THE IDEAL SITUATION IS NO KIDS IN ANY LOCAL SHOULD LIVE IN POVERTY.

BUT THE REALITY IS, AS THE BIBLE SAID, THE POOR WALL WOULD BE AMONG US.

AND WE REALIZED THAT.

BUT ONE OF THE, UH, THERE WAS A SURVEY DONE AND IT TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE CAST A GLASER, BY THE WAY, IF YOU KNOW, SHE'S HEAD OF THE VIRGINIA EARLY CHILDHOOD FOUNDATION IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, WAS TALKED ABOUT WHERE CHILDREN, A CHILD IS ENROLLED IN A PROGRAM THAT'S QUALITY PROGRAM SUCH AS HEAD START.

OF COURSE, THEY WOULD DO WELL IN SCHOOL.

BUT ALSO IT TALKS ABOUT THAT VIRGINIA, UH, NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE CHILDCARE, QUALITY CHILDCARE A PRIORITY.

AND THE REASON BEING BECAUSE THE LACK OF CHILDCARE, MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE WORKFORCE, THE REASON WHY THEY'RE ABSENT FROM WORK IS BECAUSE OF CHILDCARE.

UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT PURSUE FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF CHILDCARE.

WELL, WE HAVE A PROGRAM IN DENWOODY THAT HAS PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

WE HAVE 48 FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE.

NOW, THE ISSUE IS THERE ARE IN BUILDINGS THAT'S OUTDATED AND ELABORATED, I MEAN BEEF PERFORMANCE WITH YOU.

UH, IN SARA, WE, THE PROGRAM IS HOUSED IN SCHOOL, UH, AND SUSSY THE HOUSE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND THE BOARD BUILT A BUILDING IN WAVERLEY TO ACCOMMODATE THE HEAD START PROGRAM.

AND GREENS EMPORIA IS IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND IS AT A CHILDCARE CENTER.

AND BRUNSWICK IS IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

AND THEY APPROPRIATE, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, OVER 20 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS TO EXPAND, UH, THE CENTER THERE TO SERVE CHILDREN.

IF, AND, AND IF THERE'S A CHART THERE, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT CHART, UH, THERE'S NO SECRET, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO A ANNUAL REPORT EVERY YEAR, A AUDIT REPORT SHOWING THE CONTRIBUTION, IT SHOWS THAT IN BRUNSWICK WE SERVED 50 CHILDREN AND EVERY AND LAST YEAR THEY CONTRIBUTE $70,000 IN ADDITION TO THE $207,000 TO EXPAND THE CHILDCARE CENTER.

THEN WI, WE SERVE 48 CHILDREN.

UM, THERE'S NO FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION GREEN'S EMPLOYEE, WE HAVE 33 CHILDREN.

THEY GIVE $49,000 A YEAR.

SUSSEX HAS 42 CHILDREN THAT GIVE $104,000 A YEAR.

SARAH HAVE 17 CHILDREN, AND THEY CONTRIBUTE $50,000 A YEAR.

AND BASICALLY WE ARE JUST HERE TO ASK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

UH, YOUR, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE, I'M NOT SURE IT WAS YOUR, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE, I THINK WAS THE SCHOOL DIVISION MAIN PERSON CAME OUT AND DID AN INSPECTION OF THE BUILDING.

FOLK, IT'S JUST NOT CONDUCIVE FOR CHILDREN.

AND WE NEED YOUR HELP.

UH, WE CAME A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE TALKED ABOUT YOU HELPING, UH, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM COULD NOT PROVIDE ALL THE TRANSPORTATION FOR THE CHILDREN.

WE APPEARED TO THE FED AND TALKED WITH THEM, AND THEY GAVE US MONEY TO PURCHASE TWO BUSES FOR THEM WITH THE CHILDREN.

UH, THAT WORKED OUT WELL.

BUT NOW WE ARE HERE ASKING YOU

[00:15:01]

FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PARTNER WITH THE HEAD START PROGRAM THAT THOSE CHILDREN BEING A DECENT, CONDUCIVE BUILDING, UH, FOR LEARNING.

UM, THE, WE WENT OUT FOR, UH, MS. WAS OUR FIFTH PERSON HERE.

UH, WE WENT OUT.

YOU WANT ME TO CON CONTINUE OR YOU WANT TO COME ON? JUST SATISFIED.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO COME FOR THAT.

WE, UH, MS. HAD BEEN WITH US QUITE SOME TIME AND, AND, UH, I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT OF THE, WHAT, 15, 20 YEARS BEING HERE.

WE HAVE A ZERO FINAL AUDIT.

HAVE UNQUALIFIED AUDIT.

BUT YOU WANT TO GO, GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE COST FOR THE MODULES AND EVERYTHING.

GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING OR EVENING OR DOING STILL.

UM, FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT THAT DENWOODY DOES GIVE TO THE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION.

UM, WE WENT OUT AND DID A PRICE ANALYSIS FOR OUR MODULARS.

UM, THE PRICE OF 'EM HAVE GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY FOR ONE MODULAR IS $266,400.

AND THAT'S TO HOLD TWO CLASSROOMS. UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FOUR MODULARS, BUT WITH, UM, HAVING THREE CLASSROOMS AND THEN WITH AN OFFICE, WE'D BE ABLE TO GO DOWN TO TWO MODULARS AND EACH MODULAR, IN ORDER TO GET IT OFF THE SITE, IT COSTS OVER $8,000 PER MODULAR, IF NOT MORE.

NOW, UM, SO IF WE PURCHASE THE MODULAR OUTRIGHT, IT'S 206 $6,400 PER MODULAR.

IF WE LEASE THE MODULAR, IT COMES TO $2,300 PER MONTH.

WITH, RIGHT NOW, WE ARE PAYING $2,492 PER MONTH FOR THOSE MODULARS.

SO, UM, OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD, IF WE LEASE THE NEW MODULARS, IT'D BE OVER $552,000.

AND IF WE OUTRIGHT PURCHASE 'EM FOR TWO MODULAR, IT'S $532,000 TO PURCHASE THE MODULARS.

SO WE ARE, YES, WE ARE REQUESTING HELP TO PURCHASE SOME NEW MODULAR FOR THE CHILDREN FOR HEAD START.

AND WE, WE DID A, AN ANALYSIS IT PROBABLY MORE COST EFFECTIVE TO PURCHASE OVER AS OPPOSED TO LEASE OVER 10 YEAR PERIOD.

AND THAT'S WHY WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, SO MR. CHAIR AND, UH, MADAM CHAIR AND AND MEMBER BOARD AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, THAT'S WHY WE HERE, WE ASK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, UH, TO ASSIST THE FAMILIES AND THEN WE, THE 40 FAMILIES WILL BE, ARE THE MOST APPRECIATIVE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, UH, ANSWER THOSE AT THIS TIME.

UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'M GOOD.

NO, I JUST MAD, I WAS JUST GONNA, VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.

AND MS. M**K ON THE, THE, UH, THE NUMBERS OF IMPROVEMENT.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE, YOU'RE MAKING A, A DIFFERENCE THERE.

SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

IT'S A THANK YOU.

THANK, THANK YOU.

YOU YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.

I, I WILL SAY MADAM CHAIR, I, I HAD A CHANCE MM-HMM.

LAST WEEK, UM, I MET THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT AND THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR THE, FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

OUT THERE.

SO I, I PERSONALLY WENT, WENT THERE TO REVIEW THE TRAILERS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR SURE.

SOMETHING NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

SO JUST, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THANKS FOR COMING.

THANK, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

AT THIS TIME WE WILL HAVE, UH, THE CRATER COMMUNITY HOSPICE.

UM,

[3.B. Crater Community Hospice]

UH, NATALIE SIERRA, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT.

GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M NATALIE.

I DO HAVE SOME, UM, PRINT OFFS.

IS, CAN I HAND THOSE OUT? ABSOLUTELY, PLEASE.

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE SERVED OVER 32 RESIDENTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

WELL, I WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALLOWING US TO COME AND SPEAK AND PRESENT TO YOU GUYS.

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST TIME, UM, THE CRATER COMMUNITY HOSPICE HAS IS ASKING FOR FUNDING.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO LEAD OUT WITH OUR MISSION.

OUR MISSION AT CRATER COMMUNITY HOSPICE IS TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON SERIOUS ILLNESSES AND END OF LIFE CONCERNS, AND PROVIDE FAMILIES AND PATIENTS WITH QUALITY CARE.

SO,

[00:20:01]

YEAR TO DATE, WE HAVE SERVED NINE RESIDENTS WITH A MAJORITY OF OUR PATIENTS RECEIVING CARE IN THEIR HOMES.

WHERE FAMILIES ARE MOST COMFORTABLE, THE NEED, MANY FAMILIES ARE UNAWARE OF THE RESOURCES AND, UH, SUPPORT SERVICES UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE, UH, IN THEIR LOVED ONE'S JOURNEY.

BY INCREASING THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH EDUCATION, WE CAN ENSURE THAT FAMILIES ARE MORE PREPARED, INFORMED, AND SUPPORTED EARLIER, WHICH LEADS TO BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE AND CARE PLANNING.

SO WITH OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTION, OUR ORGANIZATION, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR 30 YEARS.

RECENTLY, WE EXPANDED OUR OUTREACH IN THE LAST FEW YEARS TO THE RICHMOND REGION NORTH OF ASHLAND.

STRENGTHENING ACCESS TO CARE AND EDUCATION FOR MORE FAMILIES IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT WE ARE SEEING A TREND.

WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE OF YOUNGER PATIENTS, HOSPICE PATIENTS, MANY STARTING IN THEIR FORTIES TO SIXTIES BEFORE THEY'RE EVEN ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE.

SO THE NEED FOR EARLIER EDUCATION AND FAMILY PREPAREDNESS IS VERY NEED MUCH NEEDED.

SO OUR FUNDING REQUEST IS RESPECTIVELY REQUESTING $5,000 IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH EDUCATION, AND EARLY FAMILY PREPAREDNESS.

AND THE DETAILED BREAKDOWN IS ACTUALLY IN YOUR FOLDER.

SO I DO HAVE A FEW TESTIMONIALS THAT ARE ALSO IN YOUR FOLDER JUST TO LET YOU KNOW OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

AND I WILL READ ONE OF THEM AND JUST LET YOU KNOW.

THIS IS BILL HUMPHREYS.

HE'S THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY DOES ALL THE WORK.

I JUST GO OUT AND TRY TO GET THE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO, TO SET HIM UP FOR SUCCESS.

SO I'M GONNA READ THE SECOND ONE.

IT SAYS, THANK YOU BILL HUMPHREYS FOR YOUR SERVANT'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS OUR COMMUNITY.

HE IS SUCH A RESEARCH RESOURCE FOR HURTING FAMILIES, CARING FOR LOVED ONES AS THEY DECLINE.

AND THAT COMES FROM A VERY SPECIAL PERSON, WHICH IS MISS SOUTH HALL, WHICH IS AN RN THAT WORKED FOR US AT GREATER COMMUNITY HOSPICE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

SO AT THIS TIME, WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE BILL HUMPHREYS, OUR PHYSICIANS LIAISON, AND THE GREATER TRI-CITY AREA WHO WORKS CLOSELY WITH CARE PROVIDERS, FAMILIES, HOSPITALS, AND THEY CAN SPEAK TO YOU DIRECTLY TO WHAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS ARE.

THANK YOU, NATALIE.

KEVIN, HOW YOU DOING? GOOD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, CHAIRMAN AND BOARD FOR HAVING US TODAY.

UM, IF YOU, MY DAUGHTER, WHO IS A NURSE AND IS ABOUT 31 YEARS OLD, SHE SAID, DAD, YOU'RE ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.

WHY ARE YOU ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA? AND THE REASON BEING IS EXACTLY THAT'S WHERE THE, THE AGE GROUP OF LIKE NATALIE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE HOSPITALS, THE, UH, DOCTOR'S OFFICES, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT SEE THAT INFORMATION AND INQUIRE OUT TO ME.

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY BACKGROUND'S KIND OF UNIQUE.

I'VE BEEN WITH CRATER HOSPICE 20 YEARS.

UM, I'VE BEEN IN HEALTHCARE 30 YEARS IN THE TRI-CITIES, THE IN EMPORIA AREA.

AND PROBABLY THE BIGGEST JOB FOR ME IS BEING THE CAREGIVER FOR MY WIFE, WHO'S HAD MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS FOR 33 YEARS.

SO BASED ON THAT EXPERIENCE, UH, IT HAS PROVIDED ME A LOT OF RESOURCE INFORMATION.

AND, UM, THERE'S REALLY TWO THINGS THAT I ALWAYS PROJECT TO, UH, IN MY SPEAKING, WORKING WITH FAMILIES, WORKING WITH PATIENTS IS NUMBER ONE, TO AVOID CRISIS, UH, CAREGIVER CRISIS.

THE OTHER ONE IS, IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO CALL ME.

AND TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, UH, A LOT OF THE STUFF, SO IN MY NORMAL DAY, I'LL GET 15 TO 20 CALLS AND MAYBE THREE OR ABOUT HOSPICE.

THE OTHERS ARE ABOUT RESOURCES.

AND IT USUALLY KINDA GOES LIKE THIS BILL, MY FRIEND NATALIE SAID TO CALL YOU.

AND I SAID, AND, UH, SAID THEY'RE CALLING AND THEY SAY, I NEED HELP, HELP.

I'M A CAREGIVER.

I'VE BEEN THERE AT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING FOR 33 YEARS.

I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE AND THAT'S WHY I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, IT IS CALLED CRATER COMMUNITY HOSPICE.

[00:25:01]

I WISH WE COULD CALL IT CRATER COMMUNITY ICE CREAM.

WE CAN.

SO WHAT I HAVE TO DO IS GET ACROSS TO PEOPLE TRUST.

THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING.

THEY HAVE TO DEVELOP TRUST WITH ME.

AND IN DOING THAT, I LOOK BACK TO, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS TALKING TO HIM ON THE PHONE OVER HERE TODAY, SAM CLAY.

I HAVE COMPETED AGAINST SAM CLAY.

I'VE HAD HIM ON OUR BOARD, AND HE'S ALSO A FRIEND.

AND WHEN I LOOKED AT SOMEBODY THAT I WANTED TO BE IN THIS COMMUNITY WAS LIKE, SAM.

AND THAT'S WHAT I SHOOT FOR, UH, IN MY RELATIONSHIPS.

HAD A LONG RELATIONSHIP HERE IN DENWITTY.

I THINK YOU'LL SEE IN THE TESTIMONIALS WAS A BIG PART OF HELPING THE HEALTH FAIR START WITH THE SCHOOLS.

UM, YOU KNOW, I, DR.

PENBERTHY, WHO NOW RUNS, UH, OR IS AT THE CANCER CENTER, UH, HE TELLS A STORY THAT THE FIRST PERSON HE EVER MET WHEN HE CAME TO THE HEALTH FAIR WAS ME.

UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WANT TO BE ABLE TO BE IS SOMEBODY THAT CAN BE REFERRED AND TO BE ABLE TO HELP AND FOLLOW, NOT JUST ONE TIME, TAKE A PHONE CALL, BUT BE SOMEBODY THAT'S THERE ALL THE TIME.

THE HOSPICE PART IS VERY IMPORTANT ALSO.

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A HUGE CRISIS IN THIS COUNTRY OF CAREGIVERS.

I'M WALKING INTO A LOT OF HOMES.

HE'S 85, SHE'S 75.

THE KIDS ARE FIVE STATES AWAY AND THEY DON'T HAVE NOTHING.

AND THEY LOOK AT ME AND THEY SAY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? SO I TELL, I SPOKE AT THE BRANDON MILL WOMEN'S CLUB ONE DAY, AND I SPOKE TO THE, A OWN AGENT ALL OVER, ALL THE DIFFERENT AGENT LUNCHEONS.

AND I SAID, BASICALLY, YOU BOTH GOT THE SAME ISSUE.

YOU GOTTA COME UP WITH A PLAN AND, AND THE CHILDREN AND THE FAMILY OR THE PARENTS HAVE GOTTA TALK.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW IS WE JUST FINISHED OUR SECOND TALK IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S ABOUT HOW FOR THE, UH, ADULT CHILDREN AND THE PARENTS START TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.

WE HAD A FULL HOUSE IN EMPORIA AT THE CHAMBER MOST RECENTLY AT THE OFFICE.

HAD ANOTHER STANDING ROOM ONLY.

WE'LL BE DOING IT OUT HERE REALLY SOON.

SO APPRECIATE YOU.

I'LL SAY TO YOU WHAT I SAY TO ANYONE THAT I TALK TO, AND THAT'S CALL BILL.

THANK, THANK YOU AGAIN.

UM, NOW

[3.C. Crater Small Business Development Center]

WE HAVE THE CREATE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER.

MR. BANDY JONES, DIRECTOR.

MADAM CHAIR, HOW YOU DOING? MEMBERS OF THE BOARD? MR. MASSENGILL, MS. HOWARD, MR. SOUTH HALL, MS. BROWN, GOOD AFTERNOON.

UM, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TRAINING EVENTS.

THANK Y'ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.

UH, AS STATED, I'M VANDY JONES.

I'M DIRECTOR OF THE, UH, LONGWOOD SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS EASTERN REGION.

AND I GUESS THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT IS A SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER? WELL, WE ARE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.

WE'RE FUNDED IN PART THROUGH THE SBA LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY.

AND THEN EACH OF THE LOCALITIES THAT WE SERVE, UM, AS I SAID, I'M WITH THE EASTERN REGION, BUT LONGWOOD COVERS THREE.

IN THE RED.

YOU HAVE OUR WESTERN, WHICH IS AROUND MARTINSVILLE, DANVILLE, THAT AREA.

THE BLUE WOULD BE OUR CENTRAL, WHICH IS AROUND FARMVILLE.

AND THEN OF COURSE, THE EASTERN, UH, THE 10 LOCALITIES THERE, DENWITTY.

AND YOU SEE THE LITTLE STAR IN PETERSBURG.

THAT'S MY ACTUAL OFFICE.

I'M WITH THE, UH, UH, CREATE A, UH, PLANNING DISTRICT.

UM, SO I COVER THE 10 LOCALITIES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED THERE.

UM, AND THIS IS WHAT WE DO.

WE ADVISE, UH, WE OFFER ONE-ON-ONE CONFIDENTIAL, UH, SERVICES FOR EXISTING AND STARTUP BUSINESSES.

WE EDUCATE, WE OFFER TRAINING, UH, WHETHER THAT'S IN PERSON OR ONLINE.

AND I WANTED TO NOTE THAT, UM, THERE ARE 25 OF THESE S BDCS ACROSS THE STATE.

AND SO WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU'RE COVERED BY ONE OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

[00:30:01]

CENTERS.

AND ONCE YOU ARE REGISTERED, ANY TRAINING OFFERED IS AVAILABLE TO THAT BUSINESS.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS FROM THIS AREA WHO MIGHT BE TAKING CLASSES THAT ARE OFFERED OUT OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND VICE VERSA.

SO WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO ALL 25, UH, AREAS OF TRAINING THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

AND THEN WE OFFER RESEARCH.

UM, A LOT OF TIMES BUSINESSES APPLY FOR GRANTS, UH, CERTIFICATIONS, UM, OR LOAN APPLICATIONS.

AND THEY NEED INFORMATION THAT, UM, WE CAN GIVE THEM.

WE SUBSCRIBE TO QUITE A FEW DATABASES.

SO I WORK WITH A LOT OF FOLKS TO GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION THEY NEED FOR WHATEVER, UM, THEY ARE PURSUING AT THAT TIME.

THIS IS A LIST OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE WORK WITH FROM THE CONSULTING END.

UH, GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT, MARKETING, UH, STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLANNING AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL.

I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE FUNDING VEHICLES AT SBDC.

SOMETIMES FOLKS GET US CONFUSED WITH SBA AND THEY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT A LOAN OR A GRANT.

UM, I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE, BUT I STAY ABREAST OF WHAT IS OFFERED OUT THERE.

UM, A LOT OF TIMES THERE ARE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO AN AREA OR A LOCALITY THAT A LOT OF TIMES BUSINESSES WON'T KNOW ABOUT.

UM, LAST YEAR I WORKED WITH THE SOUTHERN VIRGINIA CHAMBER.

THEY HAD A PITCH COMPETITION, UH, AVAILABLE TO ALL THEIR MEMBERS AND BUSINESSES OUTSIDE OF, UM, THEIR MEMBERSHIP.

BUT, UM, UM, WORKED WITH THEM TO GO ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE BUSINESSES AS THEY PREPARE THEIR PITCH.

UM, I'VE WORKED WITH THE LOCAL INITIATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES GROUP OUT OF RICHMOND LISC.

THEY PUT TOGETHER FUNDING PROGRAMS FOR THIS AREA THAT, UM, I WORKED WITH THE BUSINESSES AS THEY APPLIED.

AND THEN I ALSO WORKED WITH SOME OF THE STATE AGENCIES, LIKE VIRGINIA SMALL BUSINESS FINANCING AUTHORITY, WHICH ACTUALLY HAS, UM, AS PART OF THEIR PROCESS FOR SOME OF THEIR LOANS, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO, UM, HAVE THE BUSINESS MEET WITH AND GO THROUGH A ONE-ON-ONE SESSION WITH ME AND I HAVE TO SIGN OFF ON THEIR LOAN APPLICATION.

WE ALSO OFFER SOME SPECIALTY PROGRAMS, UH, AS NOTED HERE.

UH, SOMETHING LIKE THE, UH, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS I IMPORT EXPORT.

MOST OF THESE ARE HOUSED OUT OF GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY, BUT AGAIN, AVAILABLE TO ANYONE, UH, WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH.

AND GETTING A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME, A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC TO THE COUNTY.

THE, UH, UPPER CORNER THERE, THE, UH, TEEN EXPO COMING UP AT RICHARD BLAND, I'LL BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT.

I HAVE ONE OF THE SECTIONS THAT, UM, I'LL BE WORKING ON.

AND THEN THE LOWER CORNER.

UM, UH, ALONG WITH MS. ENGLISH, WE JUST HAD A TRAINING, UH, WORKSHOP AT THE ENHANCEMENT CENTER LAST MONTH, SPECIFICALLY ON QUICKBOOKS.

UM, SO THAT WAS A ONE-ON-ONE THAT WE OFFERED, UH, TO BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY.

AND, UM, OUR SERVICES ARE CONFIDENTIAL, WHICH IS ONE THING THAT IS REQUIRED OF US.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT THIS ONE BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF OUR SUCCESS STORIES.

AND SO THE PERMISSION WAS GIVEN, UH, UH, WORKED WITH, UH, JOHNSON FUNERAL SERVICES, UH, MCKINNEY.

AND UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIRD GENERATION FAMILY BUSINESS, UM, WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM ON A LOAN THROUGH THE, UH, LISC GROUP THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.

THEY HAD A PROGRAM CALLED A TRI-CITIES, UH, CAPITAL ACCESS PROGRAM.

THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A $50,000 NO INTEREST LOAN THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, BUT THEY'VE ALSO TAKEN A LOT OF ADVANTAGE OF THE, UH, ONLINE TRAINING COURSES THAT WE OFFER TO, UM, IMPROVE THEIR BUSINESS PROCESSES AS THEY AS THEY GO ON.

THAT WAS LOCAL SUCCESS.

THIS IS KIND OF MORE VIRGINIA OVERALL SUCCESS.

UH, YOU CAN SEE BEFORE YOU THERE, I WON'T TRY TO READ EVERYTHING ON THE BUSY SLIDE, BUT, UM, UM, OFFERED.

UM, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THING IS EVERY $1 THAT'S INVESTED IN THE SBDC RETURNS $5 IN TAXES, UH, TO THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.

AND THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, I WANTED TO NOTE THAT THIS IS ALL GATHERED THROUGH SELF-REPORTED RESULTS FROM THE CLIENTS.

A LOT OF TIMES YOU GET A PROGRAM AND THEY'LL SAY, HOW EFFECTIVE ARE YOU? AND THEY'LL GIVE YOU A NUMBER, BUT IT'S BASED ON A FORMULA MULTIPLIER.

THIS IS ACTUAL FEEDBACK FROM THE CLIENTS THAT WE HAVE.

UH, TWO SURVEYS GO OUT, UM, A YEAR, UH, FOR FEEDBACK.

UM, AND THEN SOME OF US COLLECTED RIGHT IN THE OFFICE FROM THE, FROM THE CLIENTS.

SO THAT IS THE OVERVIEW.

UM, UM, I'M GETTING READY TO ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT UM, I GUESS I DID WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, UH, ONE OF THE REASONS I'M BEFORE YOU IS TO GIVE YOU THE OVERVIEW, BUT ALSO TO THANK

[00:35:01]

YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, UM, THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN, UH, IN THE PAST FOR SBDC.

AND I ASKED YOU TO SUPPORT THE REQUEST, UH, FOR FUNDING FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.

SO ANY QUESTIONS THAT I MIGHT ANSWER? ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

THANKS.

THANK GOOD, THANK YOU.

[3.D. Department Of Healthy Families]

UH, NEXT WE HAVE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHY FAMILIES, CARRIE WILLER, PROGRAM SUPERVISORS AND DON CHERRY PROGRAM PROGRAM OPERATIONS COORDINATOR.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS TERRY WHEELER.

I AM THE PROGRAM SUPERVISOR FOR HEALTHY START LOVING STEPS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHY FAMILIES WITH THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.

THAT'S THE WHOLE S SPILL.

OH, OKAY.

UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HEALTHY FAMILIES, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHY FAMILY DOES WITH THE PROGRAM.

HEALTHY START LOVING STEPS.

WE'RE AT HOME VISITATION PROGRAM, UM, THAT COVERS THE AREAS OF HOPEWELL PETERSBURG, AND NOW DENWOODY WE HAVE BEEN INSIDE OF, CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? MM-HMM .

WE HAVE BEEN INSIDE DENWITTY, UH, NOW FOR SINCE 2024.

UM, WE GOT THE EXPANSION FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO COME IN, UM, DUE TO THERE NOT BEING A PRESENCE FOR MATERNAL HEALTH EDUCATION FOR UM, OUR MOMS. AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY HAD, UH, 18 WONDERFUL FAMILIES, UH, MOMS AND DADS IN OUR PROGRAMS. UM, WITH A SPECIAL ONE GRADUATING THIS YEAR, A 16-YEAR-OLD.

SHE CAME IN AS A 16-YEAR-OLD MOM, UM, AND GRADUATED AS A 17-YEAR-OLD WISE WOMAN.

UH, LEARNING HOW TO PARENT, HOW TO BALANCE SCHOOL, HOW TO BALANCE HER NEW LIFE AS A MOM.

UM, WORKING ALONG WITH DSS WORKING ALONG WITH COURT SERVICES, UM, WITHIN THE COUNTY HAS BEEN AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW DENWOODY CONNECTS AND INTERTWINES WITH EACH OTHER AND HOW THEY PULL THEIR RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND THAT IS WHAT HEALTHY START IS ABOUT, UM, SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY.

SO OUR GOAL FOR OUR PROGRAM IS TO IMPROVE THE MATERNAL AND INFANT, UM, HEALTH OUTCOME WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP SERVE THE UNDER SERVING AREAS AND E EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITATION SERVICES SERVICES.

THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON RISK FACTORS OF PRETERM BIRTH, LOW BIRTH WEIGHT, AND INFANT MORTALITY.

WITH THE EDUCATION WE'RE HOPING TO ELIMINATE THE HEALTH DISPARITIES, PROMOTE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CARE AND ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH THAT MAY IMPACT THE BIRTH OUTCOMES AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MOM, BABY, AND THE FAMILY STRUCTURE.

WITH OUR HOME VISITING SERVICES, OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, THEY VISIT THE HOMES, UM, PROVIDE PERSONAL SUPPORT.

EACH HOME VISIT LOOKS DIFFERENT BASED ON WHERE THE FAMILY NEED IS.

SO SOMETIMES IF MOM IS STRUGGLING WITH HOUSING INSTABILITY, OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS ARE GOING TO FIND THAT RESOURCE TO COUNTERACT AND HELP SUPPORT MOM MORE IN THAT AREA.

AND THEN ONCE WE GET MOM STABILIZED, WE THEN WORK WITH MOM ON ENGAGING BACK WITH BONDING BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE ALL OF THOSE OTHER STRESS FACTORS, IT'S HARD TO FOCUS IN ON BEING AN EFFECTIVE PARENT WHEN YOU KNOW THAT FOOD MAY BE A REASON THAT, UM, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY CONNECT WITH YOUR CHILD OR RINSE DUE BABY NEEDS DIAPERS, WHICH 1:00 AM I GONNA GO FOR? SO WE COME IN AND WE SUPPORT ALL OF THOSE MEASURES.

OUR CARE COORDINATION SERVICES HELP SECURE MOM WITH UM, HEALTH INSURANCE, BUT ALSO FINDING THAT MEDICAL HOME WHERE SHE CAN ROUTINELY GET THOSE CHECKUPS THAT SHE NEEDS AND THAT BABY CAN GET THOSE CHECKUPS THAT THEY NEED.

WE OFFER GROUP SUPPORT AND EDUCATION WITH A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES.

ALL SERVICES IN THIS PROGRAM IS 100% FREE.

WE DO NOT CHARGE ANY OF OUR PARTICIPANTS FOR ANYTHING.

UM, WITH OUR PARENT EDUCATION, OUR NUTRITION GUIDANCE, UM, WE OFFER INFANT MASSAGE TAX.

WE ALSO HAVE

[00:40:01]

CAR SEAT SAFETY.

OUR CAR TECH IS RIGHT THERE.

SHE INSTALLS ALL OF THE CAR SEATS FOR OUR BABIES.

UM, LACTATION SUPPORT AND A HOST OF OTHER, UM, SERVICES THAT ARE THERE READILY FOR MOM, DAD, AND BABY.

WE MONITOR WITH SCREENING, UH, SCREENINGS, WHICH ARE POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION AND, UM, INTIMATE PERSONAL VIOLENCE.

AND ASQS.

UM, AND THAT HELPS WITH THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND MILESTONES OF THE CHILD.

OUR NEW FOCUS HAS ALSO BEEN OUR FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE THAT WE CALL FATHERHOOD EMPOWERED.

WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS WE HONE IN SOLELY ON THE DADS TO FOCUS ON WHAT THINGS MAY BE HINDERING THEM FROM CONNECTING WITH THE CHILDREN, BUT ALSO WHAT BARRIERS DAD MAY GO BE FACING, WHETHER IT'S PRIOR INCARCERATION THAT'S LIMITING HIM ON FINDING APPROPRIATE JOBS.

I GO OUT AND MY TEAM GO OUT AND SPEAK DIRECTLY TO UM, TEMP AGENCIES.

SOMETIMES PUTTING A FACE AND NAME TO IT AND ADVOCATING FOR THE DAD TO HAVE A SECOND CHANCE.

UM, IF IT'S HOUSING INSECURITY, ADVOCATING FOR THE FAMILIES TO HAVE A SECOND CHANCE AT BEING A, HAVING THAT CHANCE TO HAVE AN APARTMENT OR HAVE HOUSING.

I KNOW I'M TALKING A LOT .

SO WHEN WE GO INTO THE HOME, IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WE'RE PREACHING.

WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE COME INTO YOUR HOME, WE'RE YOUR FAMILY.

WE'RE AN EXTENSION OF YOUR FAMILY.

WE'RE A SUPPORT.

IT'S A NO JUDGMENT ZONE.

SO WE GO IN WITH THE RELATIONSHIP BASED APPROACH.

WE WANT YOU TO TRUST US JUST AS MUCH AS WE TRUST YOU.

UM, SO WE FOCUS ON BUILDING THAT STRONG BOND SO THAT WHEN THEY ARE GOING THROUGH A HARD TIME IN LIFE, THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN ALWAYS CALL US.

OUR PROGRAM IS ZERO TO 18 MONTHS, BUT IN THAT 18 MONTHS WE DO SO MUCH AND SO MUCH IMPACTFUL THINGS FOR THE FAMILY THAT MOST OF THE TIME AFTER THE 18 MONTHS THEY DON'T GO NOWHERE.

, THEY FIND A WAY TO COME BACK THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, UM, AND POUR BACK INTO THE PROGRAM, BE IT DONATING THEIR USE CLOTHES TO MOMS THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD CLOTHES TO THEIR CHILDREN.

UM, DONATING SOFT OR GENTLY USED TOYS.

UM, WE HAVE STARTED TO INSTILL IN THEM THAT AS MUCH AS WE GIVE IS BETTER TO GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.

YOU ARE ONCE THERE, NOW IS YOUR TIME TO HELP SOMEBODY ELSE.

UM, WE ACCEPT VOLUNTEERS, WE DO TRAINING FOR OUR MOMS, OUR DADS, AND ALSO OUR STAFF.

BUT WE HAVE RECENTLY CONNECTED WITH HENRICO TO DO COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER TRAINING FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS SO THAT THEY CAN GET A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF EXACTLY WHAT WE DO SO THAT THEY CAN ALSO HAVE A CAREER PATH IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.

I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THE WHOLE SLIDE 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GIVE Y'ALL TOO MUCH, BUT I HOPE THAT THAT WAS ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT WE DO.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS, I KNOW I GAVE IT TO Y'ALL FAST.

YOU'RE A SOURCE OF FUNDING.

SO OUR IS STATE RELATED, FEDERAL.

WHERE IS YOUR SOURCE OF FUNDING? SO OUR SOURCE OF FUNDING COMES FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

IT'S A GRANT AND UM, WE JUST FINISHED OUR GRANT CYCLE .

SO WE ARE CURRENTLY WAITING FOR THAT FUNDING TO COME IN.

BUT WE DO OUTSIDE FUNDRAISING, UM, TO CONTINUE TO DO OUR EMERGENCY FUNDING.

SO OUTSIDE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WE HAVE STARTED TO DO OUR ANNUAL BLUE GALA EVENT, WHICH IS FOR CHILD, UH, CHILD ABUSE AND PREVENTION.

SO DURING THAT EVENT, ALL THE FUNDS THAT WE COLLECT GO DIRECTLY BACK INTO THE PROGRAM TO HELP ASSIST OUR FAMILIES IN THE EVENT OF CRISIS.

SO THEY NOW HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.

WE WILL GIVE SEVEN DAYS OF A HOTEL OR WE WILL DO THE DOWN PAYMENT FOR THEM TO HAVE A NEW HOME AND A FRESH START.

SO WE USE THOSE FUNDS TO THOSE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WE FUNDRAISE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.

NEXT WE HAVE VIRGINIA NAVIGATOR.

Y'ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL NIGHT.

HEY, YOU TOO.

YOU, YOU TOO.

UH,

[3.E. Virginia Navigator]

IT'S BONNIE, UM, SHIMON.

SHI SIMON.

COMMUNITY SPECIALIST AND MARKETING ASSISTANT.

[00:45:03]

AND GOOD AFTERNOON, KEVIN MASSENGALE, MADAM CHAIRMAN, ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, ANN HARTON AND MR. SOUTH HALL.

IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AND, UM, WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO THIS PAST YEAR AND MY PLANS FOR THE, HOPEFULLY THE FUTURE.

BUT, UM, I HAVE BEEN THE LEAD COMMUNITY SPECIALIST AT VIRGINIA NAVIGATOR NOW FOR 22 YEARS.

AND I'VE COUNTED UP AT THAT.

I'VE BEEN YOUR BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN THE COUNTY FOR ABOUT 12.

AND I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MS. MARIE.

OH, SHE'S, SHE JUST WALKED OUT HERE.

ANYWAY, SHE'S MY, UM, REALLY CONFIDANT IN CONTACT HERE TO FIND OUT MORE.

SO I ENJOY WORKING WITH HER.

AND AS A REFRESHER ON OUR, UM, UH, WEBSITE, WE HAVE BEEN NAVIGATING LIGHT FOR VIRGINIANS NOW FOR 25 YEARS.

AND WE JUST CELEBRATED OUR MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY IN FEBRUARY, WHICH WAS THE MONTH THAT WE STARTED 25 YEARS AGO.

AND SO YOU'RE SEEING NOW THE CO-BRANDED PAGE THAT IS PART OF OUR PARTNERSHIP.

AND SO YOU SEE WE'VE ADDED YOUR, UM, WE UPDATED YOUR SEAL.

SO IT'S NEW .

THAT I CAN WORK, ESPECIALLY WITH THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.

AND YOU SEE OUR 25, UM, YEAR, UM, LOGO AND THEN OUR REGULAR LITTLE MAN.

AND SO WE ARE THAT STATEWIDE TRUSTED PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, A NOT-FOR-PROFIT THAT'S PROVIDES FREE ASSISTANCE IN HELPING OLDER ADULTS, CAREGIVERS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY, VETERANS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND OF COURSE PROFESSIONALS ACROSS VIRGINIA AND IN DENWITTY COUNTY.

WELL, ALL OVER THE WHOLE WEBSITE WE HAVE OVER 26,000 PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN OUR DATABASE.

BUT THIS ILLUSTRATION IS SHOWING HOW SOMEONE COULD DO A SEARCH IN DENWITTY COUNTY AND THERE ARE 877 SPECIFICALLY IN DENWITTY OR SERVING DENWITTY SERVICES.

BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE OVER 3000 STATE OR NATIONAL PROGRAMS, WHICH WILL BE VERY ESSENTIAL FOR ALL VIRGINIANS.

AND SO THIS, UM, LITTLE SEARCH HERE WE'RE, WE'VE PUT IN, UM, UH, HOME CARE IN DENWITTY COUNTY AND DO A SEARCH AND THEN WE GET A RETURN OF ALL THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT WOULD SERVE WITH THE FILTER OVER TO THE LEFT.

AND WE ALWAYS SHARE WITH EVERYONE WHO IS YOUR AREA AGENCY ON AGING.

SO IN DENWOODY OF COURSE IT WOULD BE CRATER DISTRICT AREA AGENCY ON AGING.

SO THIS IS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING, UM, EVEN THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.

WE, I DID TRAINING A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AND I'M HOPING TO DO THAT AGAIN, TO UPDATE, UM, THEM, 'CAUSE IT'S A LOT OF TURNOVER, UM, MANY MONTHS.

AND SO THIS IS THE PAGE THAT WOULD COME BACK THAT WOULD GIVE A PERSON ALL THE INFORMATION.

UM, SO LIKE IF SOMEONE WERE SEARCHING FOR HOSPICE, OF COURSE CRATER COMMUNITY HOSPICE WOULD COME UP WITH A WHOLE PAGE THERE BECAUSE THEY SERVED IN WITTY.

NOW I'M REALLY EXCITED.

UM, WELL HERE'S ANOTHER SEARCH TO SHOW YOUR OWN AGENCY FINANCIAL AID IN WITTY.

THEN YOU WOULD GET, UM, THE, THE DSS OFFICE HERE.

AND UM, SO THIS PAGE IS, UM, LETTING YOU KNOW TOO, UH, THAT THERE'S TOOLS FOR OLDER ADULTS AND CAREGIVING.

THAT WAS THE REASON WE WERE CREATED 25 YEARS AGO WAS FOR CARE CAREGIVING.

AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE A SECTION OF ALL THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES WHERE PEOPLE CAN LEARN THEIR ARTICLES AND EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION.

AND THE STATE CONNECTED SECTION HAS OUR ASK AN EXPERT, A COMMUNITY CALENDAR, WHICH HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE AND THE TRUSTED, UM, CAREGIVER TECH TOOL, UH, FINDER.

BUT JUST LAST MONTH, WHICH DIDN'T MAKE IT TO OUR NEWLY PRINTED CARD, BUT WE HAVE ADDED A LANDING PAGE FOR VIRGINIA CANCER SUPPORT HUB.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE, UM, SUPPORTING PATIENTS, FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS TO OFFER INFORMATION ON CLINICAL TRIALS, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, TREATMENT OPTIONS, TRANSPORTATION AND MORE.

SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO BRING THAT TO YOU.

AND SO I AM GOING TO BE PROMOTING THE PARTNERSHIP GOING, UM, AROUND VISITING AS I DID TODAY, OUR NAVIGATOR CENTERS, UM, TRYING TO EXPLORE AND FIND NEW AVENUES

[00:50:01]

I ALSO HELP TO PROMOTE SNAP THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AROUND THE COUNTY AS WELL.

AND I WANNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR PARTNERS, OUR NAVIGATOR CENTERS, AND ACROSS THE STATE WE HAVE 702 TO SERVE ALL OF THE STATE IN DENWITTY.

LAST YEAR I REPORTED 14, IT'S NOW 15.

AND I'VE JUST ADDED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE TRIAD PROGRAM BECAUSE I WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

SO THAT WENT TO THEIR MEETING TODAY.

BUT THAT INCLUDES THREE LIBRARIES, TWO, UM, FOR PROFIT AGENCIES, FOUR CHURCHES, ONE VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATION, AND FOUR PUBLIC, WELL, FIVE NOW PUBLIC AGENCIES TO ASSIST FOLKS WHO DON'T MAYBE HAVE A COMPUTER.

SO THEY'VE GOT OUR MATERIALS AND THEY'RE TRAINED.

WE DID PRINT THE NEW, UM, FOUR BY NINE CARD THAT IS PART OF OUR PARTNERSHIP.

AND WE HAVE THE NEW FEATURES AND THE NEW SEAL.

AND UM, SO I'LL BE DISTRIBUTING THOSE TO THE NAVIGATOR CENTERS.

I GAVE, UM, A COUPLE OF PACKS TO MARIE SO SHE WOULD HAVE THEM.

SO I HOPE THIS HAS HELPED YOU TO SEE WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING AND WHAT I PLAN TO DO.

UM, AND REALIZE SOME NEW WAYS MAYBE TOO, TO HELP YOUR COUNTY WITH THIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP.

SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO BUILDING MORE FRIENDSHIPS AND CONTACTS AROUND THE, UM, COUNTY.

THIS HAS BEEN MY MISSION FOR 25 YEARS ACROSS THE STATE.

AND, UM, MINE FOR YOUR COUNTY FOR THIS WILL BE THE 12TH YEAR.

SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING TOO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I WAS GONNA ASK THEM, WE SEE THAT YOU'RE VERY BUSY, .

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU ALL TODAY AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

VIRGINIA CROSSROADS, MS. BEVERLY HAWTHORNE.

UM, NOW WE HAVE, UM, ACTION ITEMS.

[Additional Item]

OH, I'M SORRY.

WE HAVE ONE MORE.

THANK.

YEP.

GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD AFTERNOON.

AFTERNOON.

I HAVE BEEN TO SEE Y'ALL A COUPLE TIMES, BUT I THINK IT'S BEEN A COUPLE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

SO STACEY IS HANDING OUT A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY FOR THE FOLKS WHO DO NOT KNOW WHO I AM OR WHO VIRGINIA'S CROSSROADS IS.

THE SHORT VERSION.

WE USED TO BE KNOWN AS VIRGINIA'S RETREAT AND WE WERE STARTED AS A CONSORTIUM OF COUNTIES, ALL OF THEM SOUTH OF THE RICHMOND CHESTERFIELD AREA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STATE.

VIRGINIA, AND HE WAS ALSO THE VIRGINIA STATE PARKS PERSON AT SAILORS CREEK BATTLEFIELD.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE LIST AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SHEET RIGHT HERE AS TO WHO IS STILL THERE.

UM, LAST TIME I WAS HERE, UM, I HANDED OUT EXAMPLES OF THE DIFFERENT FLYERS THAT WE ADVERTISE IN.

SO THE MARKETING TOOLS.

SO WE HAVE LEE'S RETREAT, WHICH ALSO HAS, UH, WILSON, THE WILSON COUCH RAID THAT GOES THROUGH THE SOUTHERN SECTION.

DEN WHIT'S GOT PART OF LEE'S RETREAT AND PART OF WILSON COS.

SO, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL ARE BRIGHT IN THE HEAT OF THINGS.

WE ALSO, THIS GROUP CAN, UM, CREATED THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND EDUCATION HERITAGE TRAIL, WHICH HAS GOT 52 SITES OVER ALL THESE SAME COUNTIES.

AND THE GOAL OF IT IS TO SHOW PEOPLE WHERE PEOPLE WERE EDUCATED, WOMEN, BLACK PEOPLE, INDIANS, OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS UNTIL A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME.

AND THESE ARE, WE HAVE RECENTLY GOTTEN A LOT OF INTEREST FROM THE VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION.

THEY WANT TO DO SOME TRAVELING AND TO DIRECT SOME PEOPLE TO SOME BLACK HISTORY TYPE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WOULD GO TO SEE DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

BUT THEY'RE AVAILABLE ALL YEAR ROUND.

SO THIS TRAIL FITS RIGHT IN.

THEY CAN GO SEE ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

AND CURRENTLY WE HAVE A MUSEUM IN, UM, FARMVILLE, WHICH IS THE ROBERT RUSSO MUSEUM.

AND THAT IS VERY WONDERFUL ABOUT THE WALKOUT IN PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY FROM THE SCHOOLS.

IT'S, IT'S GOT HOURS ALL YEAR LONG.

AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE A NEW, UM, UH, MUSEUM IN LAWRENCEVILLE NEAR ST.

PAUL'S COLLEGE.

SO ON KIND OF TWO ENDS, WE'VE GOT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME THINGS FOR PEOPLE TO STAY IN AND DO A LONG TIME WHEN IT'S RAINING INSTEAD OF JUST RIDING AROUND.

OKAY? MM-HMM .

SO THOSE ARE BOTH, UM, DRIVING TOURS.

WE ALSO AS A ORGANIZATION HAVE CREATED THE AFRICAN AMERICANS ON LEE'S RETREAT, WHICH IS A ONE OF A KIND TYPE OF A, UM, BROCHURE THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS.

THE GENTLEMAN WHO DEVELOPED THIS WAS FROM PETERSBURG,

[00:55:01]

WONDERFUL MAN.

UM, WE MET HIM, HE CAME TO ALL VIRGINIA'S STREET MEETINGS FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, AND THEN HE GOT PARKINSON'S AND I THINK HAS SINCE PASSED AWAY.

BUT GREAT GUY AND HE GAVE US THE RIGHTS TO REPRINT THIS BROCHURE AS MANY TIMES AS WE NEED TO.

ALSO, WE HAVE CREATED, YEARS AGO WHEN WE CHANGED THE NAME FROM VIRGINIA'S RETREAT TO VIRGINIA'S CROSSROADS, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT THIS BOOKLET AND Y'ALL SEE HOW BIG THIS BOOKLET IS? MM-HMM .

IT'S A WHOLE LOT.

JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.

WE'VE ALSO, FOR YEARLY NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS, HAVE ADVERTISED IN A USA TODAY, UM, PUBLICATION FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN FEBRUARY.

AND WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LOCATED VERY WELL IN SOMETHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH BEING IN THE RURAL AREAS.

LIKE ONE YEAR WE WERE IN GROWING FOOD IN THE CITIES.

SO HOW DO YOU GROW FOOD IN THE CITIES? WELL, YOU DO IT LIKE THEY DO IT IN THE COUNTRY, BUT ON A SMALLER SCALE.

YOU KNOW, SO WE'VE ALWAYS, THEY'VE ALWAYS PUT US IN A REALLY GOOD PLACE IN THIS MAGAZINE.

SO WE'VE CONTINUED TO DO THAT.

AND THIS YEAR, UM, DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS ON THE FRONT COVER.

AND SO WE WERE ABOUT THE SAME PAGE, ABOUT PAGE 72 ON THAT ONE TOO.

WE'VE ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO EVERY YEAR IS WE ADVERTISE IN THE VIRGINIA TRAVEL GUIDE AND WE ADVERTISE AS AN ORGANIZATION, BUT EVERY COUNTY, EVERY MEMBER CAN ENTER IN THEIR OWN ACTIVITIES.

SO LIKE RIGHT HERE, ALL THOSE LITTLE YOU CAN SEE, IT'S LOTS OF THEM ON THOSE PAGES.

THOSE ARE FROM INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES OF THINGS TO DO WHEN DON'T TAKE THE PLACE OF THAT, WE DON'T TAKE THE PLACE OF THAT.

WE WANT ALL THE TOURISM PEOPLE TO STILL PUT THINGS IN HERE.

WE ALSO, SAME AS THE, UH, BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE USA TODAY HUNT AND FISH.

THIS MAGAZINE GOES IN, IS IN BASS PRO SHOPS AND IS AVAILABLE FROM AUGUST UNTIL PROBABLY MARCH OR, OR, UM, APRIL OF EVERY YEAR FREE.

SO WE ARE ADVERTISED IN THERE AS WELL.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE COVERING A VERY LARGE GAMUT OF THINGS.

SO THE CHANGES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE THAT Y'ALL NEED TO KNOW ABOUT, UM, NUMBER ONE, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY MORE MONEY, OKAY? THAT'S THE FIRST THING.

WE'RE STILL AT $4,500.

WE HAVE LOST TWO MEMBERS.

AND, UM, SO WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE UP THINGS WITH GRANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WITH THOSE, WITH THAT.

SO WE'RE STILL ASKING FOR $4,500 FROM EACH OF THE MEMBER COUNTIES.

AND WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR $4,500 IS ADVERTISEMENT WITHIN LEE'S RETREAT.

I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, WITHIN VIRGINIA'S CROSSROADS IN ALL OF THESE ARTICLES.

OKAY? WHAT YOU ALSO GET IS THERE ARE THE CIVIL WAR TRAIL SIGNS AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND EDUCATION TRAIL SIGNS THAT ARE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

WE PAY FOR THEM TO BE MAINTAINED.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY OF THAT.

WE'RE NOT GONNA COME BACK TO YOU FOR EXTRA MONEY FOR ANY OF THOSE SIGNS, OKAY? AND THAT IS COSTING US $300 A SIGN PER YEAR.

OKAY? SO IF Y'ALL CAN JUST FIGURE ON THAT, YOUR $4,500 IS GOING A LONG WAYS.

OKAY? NOW, THE BIG THING THAT'S HAPPENING IS WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET OUR WEBSITE UPDATED.

IT WAS CREATED IN BACK IN 2017, HAS A GOOD PLAN, A TRIP KIND OF THING IN THERE AND ALL THIS STUFF.

AND THAT'S REALLY GOOD.

BUT SOME OF THE STUFF IS OUTDATED.

AND I AM LUCKY TO HAVE STACY ENGLISH, WHO IS FROM THE, THE TOURISM PERSON FROM DENWITTY, AS WELL AS A LOT OF OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE.

THEY DON'T HAVE GRAY HAIR LIKE I DO.

OKAY? AND THEY HAVE COME UP WITH A LOT OF IDEAS ON THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.

AND THE FIRST THING IS THIS, OKAY? MM-HMM .

INSTEAD OF THE INFORMATION ON EVERY COUNTY BEING FOR THIS A MEMBER IN HERE, WE'RE GONNA GO WITH A SMALLER OVERVIEW OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN VIRGINIA'S CROSSROADS WITH DIRECTIONS TO EVERYBODY'S WEBSITES, WHICH IN THE END, THEY WILL FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION AND IF SAY THEY'RE COMING TO A WEDDING OR SOMETHING, THEY KNOW, THEY KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE, THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO AND LOOK SPECIFICALLY.

WAS, YOU'RE HERE NOW WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? OKAY.

SO IT'S A, IT'S KIND OF HELPING THE VISITORS TO PLAN THEIR TRIPS A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN THIS GREAT BIG THICK ONE.

YOU KNOW, WITH THIS ONE

[01:00:01]

THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT AS, NO, WE WANT YOU TO COME AND THIS IS HOW YOU PLAN YOUR TRIP BEFORE YOU GET HERE.

OKAY? THE OTHER THING THAT THEY ARE, ARE VERY ADAMANT ABOUT, AND I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THEM BECAUSE I, THEY KNOW A WHOLE LOT MORE ABOUT IT THAN I DO.

IT'S FACEBOOK AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

CURRENTLY, VIRGINIA'S CROSSROADS HAS A FACEBOOK PAGE, BUT WE DON'T EVEN PUT ANYTHING ON IT.

OKAY? I MEAN, WE HAVE IT AND WE HAVE OUR WEBSITE ADDRESS.

BUT IF YOU DON'T ANSWER IT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HELP VERY MUCH.

SO WHAT THEY UM, WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW IS WE ARE INTERVIEWING A MARKETING CONSULTANT AND THAT CAN DO OUR WEBSITE SO THAT IT PUSHES PEOPLE TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNTY WEBSITES WHERE APPROPRIATE, BUT HAS THE REST OF THE INFORMATION RIGHT THERE SO THAT THEY CAN KIND OF FIGURE A TRIP.

THEY'LL HAVE THE, THE TRIP PLANNER WE HOPE WILL BE ON THAT WEBSITE AS WELL.

AND WE WILL HAVE BLOGS.

AND THIS IS ANOTHER THING THAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE THINK A LOT OF, I THINK WE USED TO CALL THEM, UM, ITINERARIES, BUT NOW THE BLOGS ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE, YOU KNOW, FAMILIAR AND YOU KNOW, KIND OF A LITTLE MORE ROUNDABOUT JUST TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING RATHER THAN DO THIS, DO THIS, DO THIS, DO THIS.

SO BECAUSE OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE YOUNG FOLKS, WE ARE GONNA BE USING MORE SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE GONNA BE USING MARKETING CONSULTANTS THAT ARE GONNA PUT US IN THAT DIRECTION.

AND AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, UM, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK FOR ANY EXTRA MONEY FROM YOU ALL.

WE WILL SEE HOW IT GOES.

WE'VE, UH, ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE.

IF Y'ALL CAN'T TELL THIS GRAY HAIR HAS TOLD ME, Y'ALL REMEMBER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE? HAVEN'T I SAID THAT STACY? OKAY.

UM, AND YOU GOT A PLAN WITHIN YOUR OWN BUDGET.

SO WE ARE TRYING NOT TO GO OUT BEYOND OUR NEED, BEYOND OUR MEANS.

WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITHIN OUR MEANS AND TRYING TO GET Y'ALL'S NAME OUT THERE INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL AS WITH THE GROUP.

SO, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? JUST ONE, ARE WE INTERTWINED WITH PART IN, IN WHAT WAS BEING OFFERED HERE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH PART AS A OKAY.

A MARKETING SIDE FOR ALRIGHT.

FOR THE REGION, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OKAY.

IS THAT PART, UM, DOES A WHOLE LOT MORE THINGS WITH RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE DO MORE THINGS WITH JUST EVENTS AND PARTICULARLY THE CIVIL WAR AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND EDUCATION HERITAGE TRAIL.

I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, IS BEING INTERTWINED WITH PART, BEING ABLE TO, HAVING ACCESS IF I GO TO THE PART WEBPAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR INFORMATION, WHICH WOULD TAKE ME TO A VARIETY OF OTHER TYPES OF EVENTS AND THROUGHOUT THE REGION AS COMPARED TO JUST, UM, DR. MOORE MAYBE TALKING ABOUT CO-BRANDING.

MAYBE THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY OR BEING, YEAH.

BEING A PART OF, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S SOMETHING IN OUR THING THAT TAKES YOU TO THIS AS SINCE WE'RE A PARTNER WITH THEM.

WELL AND THAT WOULD BE A, UM, A MATTER OF A QUESTION AND AN ANSWER AS TO WHETHER PART WOULD, WOULD DO THAT WITH US.

AT THIS TIME WE HAVE ACTION ITEMS, UM, CONTRACTOR, BOARD, FIRE, EMS, UNIFORMS, UH, THE CHIEF, UH, DAVID KISSNER.

I'M JUST CURIOUS.

AND I WOULD SAY THE PROPER PLACE, FIRST OF ALL TO DO IT WOULD BE THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND EDU, THE CIVIL WAR TRAILS BECAUSE Y'ALL HAVE A LOT OF CIVIL WAR HISTORY IN THIS AREA.

AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST PLACE TO PUT A CONNECTOR CONNECTING LINK ON THEIR WEBSITE IF THAT, IF THAT WOULD BE THE QUESTION.

AND WE MA'AM, HOPE TO HAVE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND I THINK, I HOPE I'M BACK HERE NEXT YEAR AND TELLING Y'ALL HOW WONDERFUL THIS NEW WEBSITE AND ALL THIS STUFF IS WORKING.

[4.A. Contract Award: Fire & EMS Uniforms]

FIRST I'D LIKE TO SAY, UM, I ENJOYED OUR FELLOWSHIP TODAY, MR. CHAVIS.

SINCE WE WERE AN HOUR EARLY TO THE MEETING, UH, WE HAD A GREAT VISIT AND WENT AND VOTED.

SO WE GOT A LOT DONE IN THAT HOUR OF TIME THAT WE SPENT TOGETHER.

SO I WANTED TO SAY THAT.

MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. MASSENGILL, ANN AND TYLER.

ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO MR. HUMPHREYS.

HE PERSONALLY HELPED ME WITH MY GRANDMOTHER AND MY FAMILY, SO I WANTED TO KINDA SPEAK TO HIM TOO A LITTLE BIT.

AND UM, HE DID A GREAT JOB WITH GETTING SOME THINGS UNDER CONTROL ON MY SIDE.

SO VERY, UH, VERY GOOD THERE.

[01:05:01]

UM, I'M HERE TODAY FOR AN ACTUAL, A PRETTY QUICK ONE COMPARED TO NORMAL.

UM, A UNIFORM RFP IN JANUARY, EXCUSE ME, IN JUNE 16TH, 2025, OUR CURRENT CONTRACT WITH REEDS UNIFORMS EXPIRED AND WE SOUGHT OUT FOR ANOTHER UM, VENDOR.

THE CURRENT CONTRACT THAT WE HAD WAS CLASS A UNIFORMS ONLY, WHICH IS OUR DRESS UNIFORMS. THE CONTRACT THAT WE WERE TRYING TO GET IN PLACE AND SUCCESSFULLY, I BELIEVE WILL THIS AFTERNOON GET IN PLACE WILL BE TO COVER EVERYTHING THAT WE TECHNICALLY PUT ON FOR EVERYDAY USE, NOT PPE BUT OUR BASIC UNIFORM.

WE RELEASED AN RFP FOR FIRE AND EMS UNIFORMS IN JANUARY.

FOUR VENDORS SUBMITTED PROPOSALS.

WE REVIEWED THEM AND CAME UP WITH A COMMITTEE SELECTION OF GALLS, LLC, WHICH WE BELIEVE WILL BE THE BEST PROPOSAL FOR US TO USE.

THEY HAVE A GOOD WEBSITE.

IT'S, UM, APPEARED TO BE AN EASY COMPANY TO DEAL WITH AND HAD THE BEST PRICES OVERALL.

SO WE'D LIKE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO GO INTO CONTRACT WITH GALL'S, LLC TO BE OUR UNIFORM VENDOR FOR FIRE AND EMS AND ALSO, UM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO BE USED BY THE COMM CENTER AND BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THE WAY THAT THE CONTRACT'S WRITTEN.

ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? I SO MOVE.

ALL VOTING AYE NEXT YEAR WHEN YOU DO THAT, PUT US IN SO WE CAN WEAR THE SAME THINGS ALL THE TIME.

SO ABSOLUTELY.

WE'LL DEFINITELY WORK ON THAT.

WHO'S GONNA DESIGN IT? THAT'S THE QUESTION.

THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING.

ALRIGHT, UH,

[4.B. Contract Award: Printing And Direct Mailing]

NOW WE HAVE, UH, CONTRACT AWARD, UH, PRINTING AND DIRECT MAILING.

MARIE GRANT DIRECTOR INTO GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.

GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM CHAIR.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. MASSENGILL, BEFORE YOU IS A CONTRACT FOR PRINTING AND MAILING, UH, DIRECT MAILING SERVICES.

THIS IS A JOINT CONTRACT THAT INCLUDES OUR COUNTYWIDE NEWSLETTER AND THE AMBULANCE AID PROGRAM BROCHURE.

UM, WE DID PUT OUT AN RFP, WE RECEIVED 13 PROPOSALS.

UM, OF THOSE WE SELECTED ART AND NEGATIVE, THEY WERE THE, THEY BEST MET OUR NEEDS AND HAD THE BEST PRICE.

UM, THE CONTRACT DOES RESULT IN, EXCUSE ME, UGH, SORRY.

INCREASED EFFICIENCIES AND A LOWER COST TO THE COUNTY.

UM, AND SO IT WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT WE, UM, THE CONTRACT BE AWARDED TO ART AND NEGATIVE GRAPHICS.

ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? I MEAN, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE IT AS PRESENTED.

AND LABOR RELATIONS POLICIES.

[4.C. Collective Bargaining Resolution]

YOU.

NOW WE HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESOLUTION.

MARIE GRANT AGAIN.

ALL RIGHT.

I'LL TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS.

I GUESS THE POLLEN'S GOTTEN ME, UM, MADAM CHAIR REMEMBERS THE BOARD.

MR. MASSENGILL, DURING THE MOST RECENT GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION LEGISLATION WAS PASSED THAT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER THE FRAMEWORK GOVERNING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.

THIS LEGISLATION, SPECIFICALLY HOUSE BILL, UH, 1263 AND SENATE BILL 3 78 HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO GOVERNOR SPAN BERGER FOR SIGNATURE.

VIRGINIA LAW CURRENTLY ALLOWS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER AND HOW TO ENGAGE IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WITH PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.

CURRENT LAW ALSO ALLOWS LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TO ORGANIZE AND PETITION LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES TO VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT TO ADOPT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

THIS LOCALLY DRIVEN APPROACH RECOGNIZES THE DIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA'S COUNTIES AND ALLOWS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO REMAIN DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR RESIDENTS FOR WORKFORCE AND BUDGET DECISIONS.

HOUSE BILL 1263 AND SENATE BILL 3 78 WOULD REPLACE THIS FLEXIBLE SYSTEM WITH A MANDATORY STATEWIDE FRAMEWORK ADMINISTERED BY THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RELATIONS BOARD.

THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS STATEWIDE THAT THE LEGISLATION WOULD SHIFT THE DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY AWAY FROM LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES WHILE CREATING NEW FISCAL LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE RISKS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE BOARD ADOPT THE RESOLUTION THAT IS ATTACHED TO YOUR MEMO, WHICH OUTLINES ITS OPPOSITION TO HOUSE BILL 1263 AND SENATE BILL 3 78 AND URGES GOVERNOR STANBERGER AND MEMBERS OF THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO PRESERVE LOCAL AUTHORITY OVER WORKFORCE

[01:10:01]

UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT THIS IS, UM, A MATTER THAT VACO IS, UM, VERY, UM, COMMITTED TO AND, AND, UM, OPPOSED TO AND HAS ASKED LOCALITIES TO JOIN THEM IN THIS OPPOSITION.

WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES PROVIDED CONTRACT AWARDS AND AS MS. ANGEL YOUNG GILL DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES.

ANY CONCERNS, COMMENTS? I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED.

[4.D. Department Of Children's Services Provider Contract Awards]

AFTERNOON.

UH, THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME.

FOR OUR CONTRACT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CHILD THAT ACTUALLY IS IN, UM, SHE'S ACTUALLY IN FOSTER CARE AND SHE'S ACTUALLY AGING UP TO AN INDEPENDENT LIVING ARRANGEMENT.

SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR APPROVAL OF IF, IF YOU ALL CAN APPROVE A CONTRACT FOR HER TO BE IN THE CSA OFFICE FUNDING WISE, UH, FOR HER TO BE GOING TO THE PICF TRAINING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS LLC AND IT'S REALLY A PULLIUM, UH, PROGRAM THAT SHE HAS INITIATED YEARS AGO, BUT THEN SHE HAD SHUT DOWN AND HAS REVISED HER WHOLE PROGRAM.

SO THIS WOULD BE FOR AN ADULT THAT SHE WOULD BE AGING UP INTO.

SO WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR ANY APPROVAL FOR THAT.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? ANGEL? I GUESS IT'S THE ANTICIPATION THAT, THAT THIS MAY EXCEED THE 50,000 THAT I HAVE A AUTHORITY TO APPROVE.

SO IT, IT COULD GO ABOVE THAT.

THAT'S WHY IT'S REQUIRING BOARD ACTION? YES.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO.

WELL, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT YOU HAVE NO IDEA, IT COULD BE OR YOU DO, I DUNNO IF YOU HAVE A ROUGH ORDER OR MAG, UH, MAG, I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA GO OVER 50,000.

UM, BECAUSE SHE'S GONNA BE IN THAT INDEPENDENT LIVING ARRANGEMENT THEN SHE'S ALSO GONNA BE TRYING TO WORK AND FIND A JOB AND SUCH LIKE THAT.

SO IT SHOULDN'T BE A LONG TRANSITION FOR HER TO BE OKAY AT THAT PLACEMENT.

SO THERE'S, SO HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TAKE HER TO GET TRAINED OR WHATEVER SHE'S GOING TO DO? WELL I KNOW OUR SOCIAL SERVICES IS ALSO WORKING OUT WITH HER TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE'S FINDING JOBS AND GETTING HERSELF READY FOR SERVICES IN PLACE.

SO WE ALSO REVISIT THOSE AT LEAST EVERY THREE MONTHS OR SO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING BETTER.

UH, AND IF THEY NEED ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.

AND CSA USUALLY COVERS THAT COST.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE A LINE WHERE YOU CAN SAY, OKAY, NO, NOT RIGHT NOW.

DONNA, YOU HAVE ANY INPUT TOO? WELL, UM, THE FOSTER FUTURE PROGRAM RUNS FROM THE AGE OF 18 UNTIL THEY TURNED 21.

UM, SO THIS YOUNG LADY, SHE JUST TURNED, I BELIEVE SHE'LL BE 19 IN ABOUT JULY.

UM, SHE AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE.

SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DO FOSTER IN FUTURES LAST YEAR.

SHE HAS NOW COME BACK TO US AND WE HAVE TO OPEN HER BACK UP.

AND, UM, CHOICES.

SHE WANTS TO BE IN THE PROGRAM CHOICE, SO, UM, WHICH IS A PLUS.

AND UM, HOPEFULLY SHE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THE SERVICES AND THINGS THAT SHE NEEDS SO THAT SHE CAN BE A PRODUCTIVE ADULT.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH THE KIDS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE FOSTERING FUTURES PROGRAM.

SO WE'RE HOPING THIS YOUNG LADY CAN DO THE SAME THING.

SO THE MAXIMUM TIME WOULD BE WHEN SHE TURNS 21.

SHE'LL BE, WELL SHE'LL, I THINK SHE'S 19 AND THIS YEAR, SO SHE'LL BE 21 2 MORE YEARS.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE MAXIMUM THAT THIS WOULD GO ON IS UNTIL SHE TURNS 21 IF AMEN.

AND SHE CAN LEAVE THE PROGRAM AND BE DISCHARGED FROM US AS MANY TIMES AS IT TAKES.

SO SHE COULD BE IN THIS PROGRAM FOR THREE MONTHS AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T WANNA HAVE ANYMORE TO DO WITH YOU ALL AND LEAVE OUT AND COME BACK TO US A YEAR LATER AND SAY, I DON'T COME BACK INTO THE PROGRAM.

ARE THERE THINGS THAT WOULD DISQUALIFY HER FROM REMAINING IN THE PROGRAM? SHE HAS TO EITHER BE IN SOME TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OR SHE HAS TO.

I WOULD NOTE THAT THESE CSA CONTRACTS ARE REALLY, I VIEW THEM AS UMBRELLA CONTRACTS AND SO THEIR ORDERS UNDER THOSE, ONE OF THEM MAY BE FOR A GIVEN PERSON, THIS CONTRACT WOULD RUN UNTIL JUNE OF 2027.

AND SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT ANOTHER PERSON WOULD NEED THESE SERVICES AND THEY COULD FALL UNDER THAT TOO.

THE $50,000, IT'S ANYTIME BETWEEN NOW AND 27, THE END OF FISCAL IN JUNE 20TH, 2027.

AND SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT

[01:15:01]

AND THAT IS A, THIS A ONE TIME FEE FOR THEM? THE 50,000? MM-HMM.

IT'S NOT, NO, THE CHARGES IS USUALLY MONTHLY.

MM-HMM.

WELL, DAILY, WELL DAILY AND THEN DAILY AND THEN MONTHLY.

SO Y'ALL HANDLE THE MONEY THEN NOT FROM YES, YES, YES.

YEAH, THE MONEY COMES OUT UNDER THAT CSA SERVICE WITH CSA AND DEPENDENT UPON, OR THE BRING BOARD, IT MAY COME OUT AT THE FOUR E MM-HMM .

AND IF THERE ARE OTHER IN LIKE ISSUES OF MEDICAL INITIAL FOR INSURANCE AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT'S USUALLY COVERED THROUGH THROUGH MEDICAID.

MEDICAID.

SO MADAM CHAIR, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL IN THIS CASE, BUT THE RELATIONSHIP THAT MR. SOUTHALL IS MENTIONING IS, IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNTY CSA SERVICES WITH PICF TRAINING INSTITUTE LLC? YES.

SO IT WOULD BE ANYONE WHO WOULD QUALIFY WITHIN THIS CONTRACTING PERIOD FOR THE SERVICE.

I KNOW WE'RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS CASE, BUT THERE MAY BE OTHERS IN THAT, IN THAT PERIOD TIME THERE WOULD BE, IT COULD BE YOU SAID.

SO IT'S REALLY THAT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE TRAINING CENTER WOULD SAY LOCAL, THE TRAINING CENTER ITSELF, LOCATION IN THE COUNTY? NO, NO.

IT'S IN CHESTERFIELD.

THAT'S WHAT MM-HMM .

AND IT'S LIKE AN INDEPENDENT LIVING APARTMENT, BUT THEY ARE ALSO PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE WALK WORKING WITH HER AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO DAILY DAY.

GOTCHA.

WE'RE TRYING TO HELP HER, SO.

YEP.

MA'AM, CHAIR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE RESOLUTION PRESENTED BEFORE US SECOND ROLL CALL DR. MOORE.

AYE.

MR. CHAVIS? AYE.

MR. LEE A MR. DOLEY? AYE.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

[5. CLOSED SESSION]

UM, AT THIS TIME, UH, WE HAVE A NEED TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.

THE BOARD WILL CONVENE INTO A CLOSED SESSION UNDER 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 A ONE.

PERSONNEL COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSE PLEASE? SO MOVED.

NICE TO MEET YOU MR. BELL.

AND AT THIS TIME, UM, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE SESSION AND WE DO COME BACK AT UH, SEVEN O'CLOCK FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR OUR TAX RATE FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2026.

AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A NEED TO COME OUTTA CLOSED SESSION.

WHEREAS THIS BOARD CONVENED IN A CLOSED MEETING UNDER 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 A ONE PERSONNEL COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND WHEREAS THE MEMBER HAS MADE A STATEMENT THAT THERE WAS A DEPARTURE FROM THE LAWFUL PURPOSE OF SUCH CLOSED MEETING OR OF THE MATTERS IDENTIFIED THE MOTION DISCUSSED NOW BE CERTIFIED THAT ONLY THOSE MATTERS WILL IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED IN THE MEETING.

I NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT PLEASE.

SO, SO MOVED.

AT THIS TIME, UM, THE TAX RATE CALENDAR YEAR 2026, UM, MR. KEVIN INGAL, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MADAM, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD IN YOUR PACKET YOU'LL SEE THE, THE NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING THAT WAS ADVERTISED, UH, FOR THE HEARING TONIGHT.

[6.A. Tax Rates For Calendar Year 2026]

THIS IS FOR YOUR CALENDAR YEAR 2026 TAX RATES.

UM, WHAT WE WERE DIRECTED BY THE BOARD TO ADVERTISE WAS THE PROPOSED THE SAME TAX RATES FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026 AS EXISTED FOR LAST TAX YEAR OF 2025, NO CHANGE.

UM, SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE, UH, AD IS THE, THE LEVY BETWEEN CURRENT AND PROPOSED BASED ON THE DESCRIPTION OF OF RATE.

UM, AND THEN WE ADVERTISED A TAX RELIEF FOR QUALIFY QUALIFYING MOTOR VEHICLES AT A RATE OF 34%.

AND SO THAT, THAT IS IN YOUR, IN YOUR PACKET.

SO, UH, UNLIKE THE BUDGET WHERE YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO ADOPT, YOU CAN TAKE ACTION TONIGHT ON ESTABLISHING THE TAX RATE.

UH, MS. HOWTON AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE COUNTY BUDGET, SO THE BUDGET WILL GO INTO PLACE TO BE ADVERTISED TOMORROW, UH, FOR, FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

SO THE

[01:20:01]

REVENUE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE PRESENTLY PROPOSED FOR FY 27 IS BASED ON THE CALENDAR YEAR 2026, UH, TAX RATES THAT, THAT ARE BEFORE YOU.

SO MADAM CHAIR, WE JUST NEED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND, AND TAKE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, AT THIS TIME.

AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME.

WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SO MADAM CHAIR, AGAIN, UH, WE JUST SIMPLY, IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS OR ANY QUESTIONS, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY, UH, TO ADDRESS THOSE.

THERE ARE, UH, THERE HAS BEEN A RESOLUTION THAT'S BEEN PAIR PREPARED THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET.

UH, AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE DOING TWO THINGS, ESTABLISHING THE 2026 PROPERTY TAX RATES FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR AS WELL AS THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, AGAIN, AT THAT 34%, THAT RESOLUTION IS IN YOUR, IN YOUR PACKET.

ANY, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? MADAM CHAIR, I JUST GOT A COMMENT.

UM, OKAY, SIR.

AND, AND I WAS SICK DOING THE BUDGET PROCESS, SO IT, IT WENT AS SMOOTHLY AS I'VE EVER HAD OTHER THAN BEING SICK .

UM, BUT EVERYTHING THAT HAS GONE ON IN THIS WORLD IN THE LAST YEAR AND TO NOT HAVE ANY INCREASE IN TAXES IS, IS AN ACHIEVEMENT THAT I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND, UH, WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.

UM, BECAUSE IT'S NO WAY WE CAN COME IN WHERE WE'RE AT WITHOUT SOME CUTS AND SOME CREATIVE THINGS TO KEEP THIS TAX RATE WHERE IT IS.

SO I APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE AND UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE SQUEEZING PENNIES, UM, TO GET WHERE WE'RE AT.

SO, UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.

MADAM CHAIR.

I I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT.

UM, WE ALL KNOW IN OUR LIVES THAT EVERYTHING AROUND US HAS GONE UP.

WHETHER IT'S OUR INSURANCE, WHETHER IT'S YOUR HOUSEHOLD, THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO PURCHASE OR WHATEVER, WHERE THE COUNTY IS IN THE SAME SITUATION OF HAVING TO, UM, ONE PAY ITS PEOPLE, BUT TWO, YOU'RE PURCHASING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ITEMS THAT RUN THE COUNTY MM-HMM .

AND, UH, SO IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, SUSTAIN IT AND BE WITHIN THE TAX LEVY THAT WE'VE, UH, ESTABLISHED LAST YEAR, I THINK IS PHENOMENAL.

AND, UH, SO I I WOULD SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF ALSO FOR THAT AND THANK YOU TO OUR EMPLOYEES, UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT, THAT, UM, DRIVE THIS COUNTY AND UM, THEY, THEY LOOK FOR THINGS THAT WE CAN SAVE AND WAYS THAT WE CAN SAVE AS A COUNTY.

SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THOSE COUNTY EMPLOYEES TOO FOR THEIR CREATIVENESS AND WHAT THEY DO EVERY DAY.

ANYTHING ELSE? AND I DO AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID.

THE, UM, THANKING UM, OUR EMPLOYEES AND THANKING EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED AND, AND ANNE WITH HER EXPERTISE WITH HER, HER NUMBERS.

DANCING IN HER HEAD AND EVERYTHING.

THAT'S RIGHT.

OKAY, ADAM CHAO, I'D LIKE TO MOVE, UM, THE RESOLUTION.

ADOPTION OF CALENDAR YEAR 2026, PROPERTY TAX RATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF RATE.

ANYTHING ELSE? AND GOOD JOB.

GOOD.

NEXT BOARD MEETING 20 Z.

FIRST.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR ADJOURN? MOTION TO ADJOURN.

MR. LEE A, MR. DOOLEY? AYE.

MS. EBRA BONNER AYE.

ALL VOTING AYE.

MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

LET'S GO HOME.