Apr 06, 2021 BOS Regular Meeting 4-6-21

GETTING INTO THE AGENDA HERE, BRIEFLY BRIEF,

[III. Invocation: Pastor Rob Blackmore, Mizpah Christian Church]

[IV. Pledge of Allegiance]

A FEW BRIEF

[V. Chair's Comments]

COMMENTS.

UM, WE HOLD OUR VIRTUAL MEETING, OUR VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETING, UM, LAST MONTH AND I THINK IT WENT WELL, BUT THE SENTIMENT IS WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING BACK TO OUR PRIOR FORMAT, WHERE WE WOULD GET INTO DISTRICTS AND TALK TO FOLKS LOCALLY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES ABOUT, UH, SPENDING A LITTLE MORE TIME, MAYBE ON THINGS SPECIFIC TO THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE THERE THAT, THAT FALL.

BUT IF, IF YOU DIDN'T ATTEND OR YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE.

UM, THE SLIDES THAT WERE PRESENTED ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE, THE SCHOOLS, OF COURSE, AS, AS ALWAYS THE SCHOOLS GAVE A PRESENTATION.

SO YOU CAN SEE A VERY INFORMATIVE, UH, POWERPOINT SLIDE DECK FROM THEM.

UM, WE, OUR TAX RATES, UH, REAL ESTATE TAX RATES ARE GOING TO REMAIN UNCHANGED, BUT OF COURSE REVENUES HAVE INCREASED.

SO THERE'S INFORMATION ON THAT.

THE REVENUES HAVE INCREASED BECAUSE OF INCREASED ASSESSMENTS.

SO YOU CAN REALLY GET A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THE DETAILS OF HOW YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE PLANNING TO SPEND THE MONEY AND WHERE THE REVENUE IS COMING FROM.

SO IMPORTANT INFORMATION THERE.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, GETTING BACK TO OUR PRIOR FORMAT THIS FALL.

UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE AND WE'LL GO TO MR. YOUNG COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR COMMENTS.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE OUR TWO NEW DEPUTY COUNTY

[VI. County Administrator's Comments]

ADMINISTRATORS TO GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, BARBARA HORLOCKER TO STAND.

UH, BARBARA HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO THE DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.

UM, MS. HORLACKER WILL LEAD THE COUNTY'S FINANCE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, UH, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND OUR HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENTS.

UH, MS. HORLACKER HAS BEEN OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR THE LAST FOUR AND A HALF

[00:05:01]

YEARS.

AND AS A SEASONED LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROFESSIONAL, ALSO LIKE TO ASK, UH, JOANNE HUNTER TO STAND, UH, JOANNE HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO OUR NEW DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC UTILITIES.

MS. HUNTER WILL OVERSEE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING, AND ZONING BUILDING INSPECTION, ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC UTILITIES.

UM, MS. HUNTER WAS FORMERLY THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND SHE HELD THAT POSITION FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS FOR US.

I JUST ASK THAT YOU ALL HELP ME IN CONGRATULATING THEM ON THEIR PROMOTIONS.

A SECOND.

UH, WE ALSO HAD SOME GREAT NEWS FOR THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY TODAY.

WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT GOOCHLAND COUNTY WAS RANKED NUMBER TWO BY SMART ASSETS, UH, DOT COM FOR BEST PLACES, FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO LOCATE THEIR SMALL BUSINESS IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.

SO THAT'S A VERY GOOD, UM, THING FOR US.

UM, EVERYBODY ELSE CAN SHOW BEHIND AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED.

SO THAT'S A GOOD DEAL.

WE GOT ONE MORE SPOT TO GO.

UM, ALSO LIKE TO ANNOUNCE WE HAVE A COUNTY CLEANUP, UH, TAKING PLACE THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 10TH FROM 9:00 AM TO NOON.

UM, THIS IS OUR PART OF OUR HELP KEEP, UH, BEAUTIFUL GOOCHLAND, BEAUTIFUL INITIATIVE.

UM, THIS WILL TAKE PLACE FROM NINE TO 12, UH, IN THE MORNING.

UH, WELL JOIN YOUR NEIGHBORS AS WE PICK UP GARBAGE LITTER AND DEBRIS FROM OUR ROADWAYS.

UH, THE COUNTER, THE COUNTY-WIDE LITTER CLEANUP DAY IS A THIRD OF MANY FUTURE EVENTS AND INCLUDES THREE STAGING LOCATIONS FOCUSING ON THE SPECIFIC AREAS, UH, OF, UH, BIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 27 OH FOUR, UH, HAYDEN'S SEVILLE FIVE ROAD.

THIS WILL BE, THIS LOCATION WILL BE ADDRESSING HAYNESVILLE FIFE ROAD.

UH, THE SECOND LOCATION WILL BE CENTRAL, UH, HIGH SCHOOL CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT COMPLEX, WHICH IS THAT 27 48 DOGTOWN ROAD.

THIS WILL BE ADDRESSING THE DOGTOWN ROAD AND WHITE HALL ROAD.

UH, THE THIRD LOCATION IS GOOCHLAND COUNTY FIRE RESCUE STATION NUMBER THREE IN CENTERVILLE, UM, 52 BROAD STREET ROAD, UM, ADDRESSING THE AREAS ALONG BROAD STREET, THE CENTER OF THE VILLAGE AND ALONG MANNEQUIN ROAD AND, UH, HOCKETT ROAD, UH, CITIZENS ARE ASKED TO PRE-REGISTER AND CAN REGISTER BY CONTACTING THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES MAIN OFFICE AT (804) 556-5340 OR BY EMAIL, WHICH IS LITTER FREE GOOCHLAND@GOOCHLANDVA.US.

WE ASKED THE PARTICIPANTS, UH, WHERE SOLID SHOES, UH, FACE MASS SOCIAL DISTANCE AND BRING HEAVY DUTY GLOVES IF THEY HAVE THEM.

UM, OUR OTHER ITEM FOR TODAY IS OUR COVID VACCINATION EFFORTS.

UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY STILL ACCEPTING PEOPLE FOR PHASE ONE, A, B AND C, UM, ON APRIL 18TH.

UH, WE WILL OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR THOSE THAT ARE 16 AND OLDER AS OF 10:00 AM THIS MORNING, UH, GOOCHLAND IS STILL, UH, ONE OF THE TOP LEADERS IN THE STATE, UH, WE'VE UH, ADMINISTERED APPROXIMATELY 15,999 DOSES.

UM, WE'VE HAD 10,399, UH, WITH AT LEAST ONE DOSE AND FULLY VACCINATED.

WE HAVE, UH, 6,500, UH, OF OUR RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN VACCINATED.

OUR ONE DOSE RATE PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND IS A 43, UH, 780, WHICH, UH, PUTS US UP THERE IN THE TOP, PROBABLY TOP THREE IN THE STATE.

UM, ONLY TWO COUNTIES ARE, UH, AHEAD OF US, WHICH IS THERE ARE MORE IN THE NORTHERN NECK, UH, LANCASTER AND NORTH HAMPTON, UH, OUR THURSDAY, UH, VACCINATION CLINICS THAT WE'VE BEEN CONDUCTING AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL LOCATION.

UH, THIS THURSDAY, WE WILL START ACCEPTING WALK IN, UH, APPOINTMENTS FOR THOSE THAT 65 AND OLDER AGAIN, JUST THOSE THAT ARE 65 AND OLDER, UH, FOR, FOR THIS WEEK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT.

YOU CAN WALK UP AND IF YOU'RE A RESIDENT OF GOOCHLAND COUNTY, WE'LL GET YOU IN AND GET YOU ACCELERATED.

SO THAT'S A BIG CHANGE FROM THE PAST.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE WILL BE DOING, UH, A WALK IN, UH, RESIDENTS.

AND AS WE GET MORE OF OUR RESIDENTS VACCINATED, WE'LL MOVE THE AGE GROUPS, UH, DOWN.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.

LOTS OF GOOD THINGS IN NORTH HAMPTON'S ON THE EASTERN

[VII. Requests to Postpone Agenda Items and Additions, Deletions or Changes in the Order of Presentation]

SHORE, BY THE WAY, I STILL HAVE TO GET MY DIRECTIONS IN VIRGINIA.

WE'RE LOOKING TO REMOVE ITEM 11, WHICH IS NUMBER 39 58.

REQUEST TO POSTPONE AGENDA ITEMS, ANY ADDITIONS OF BOARD MEMBERS.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I'VE GOT SOMETHING, BUT I'LL HEAR FROM THE BOARD FIRST.

UM, I'LL, I'LL COVER, WHAT'S WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT, BUT IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING THAT'S ALL RIGHT, I'LL DIVE IN AND GO OVER THESE QUICKLY.

A COUPLE OF THINGS TO, TO ADJUST ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[00:10:01]

THAT EASEMENT REQUEST HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.

THAT'S AT THE END OF THE AGENDA, 39 58 RE REQUEST TO SET FOR A PUBLIC HEARING THAT HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.

SO I'LL ASK, UH, WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT OF EMOTION, I WOULD ASK THAT THAT BE REMOVED AND THEN WE'LL REPLACE IT.

JUST ADDING BACK THE NUMBER 11, UH, ENTITLED REQUEST TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR MAY 4TH, 2021, OUR NEXT NEXT MONTH, A REGULAR BOARD MEETING TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING COUNTY CODE 13 DASH 10 DOT 11.

AND IT HAS TO DO WITH, UH, THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT WAS PASSED AND COORDINATING OUR R CODE WITH THAT MORE OR LESS.

WE'LL HEAR SOME ON THAT WHEN WE GET TO IT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM, BUT, UH, IT HAS TO DO WITH A PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR DISABLED VETERANS.

SO THOSE ARE THE TWO I HAVE.

IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING TO ADD, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

MS. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT.

WE REMOVE ITEM 11 FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND REPLACE IT WITH A ITEM 11 TO REQUEST A SET, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR MAY 4TH, 2021 TO CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE AMENDING KIND OF CODE 13 DASH 10 11 SECOND.

WE HAVE, OUR AGENDA IS FINALIZED AND WE ARE NORMALLY VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT MAKING CHANGES AT THE LAST MINUTE, BUT OBVIOUSLY WITHDRAWN HAPPENS AND THEN THIS OTHER ONE, WHEN WE GET IT, YOU'LL SEE WHY IT'S TIME-SENSITIVE.

SO THANK YOU BOARD FOR APPROVING THAT WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.

ANYBODY, AND WE HAVE, UH, I GOTTA REMEMBER, YOU GOTTA

[VIII. Citizen Comment]

MAKE SURE YOU WAVE TO ME IF I FORGET THAT, UH, SOMEBODY IS ONLINE, BUT WE'LL START WITHIN THE ROOM.

IF, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT, UH, MATTERS OF INTEREST OR CONCERN TO GOOCHLAND COUNTY, PLEASE COME FORWARD, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, UM, TRY TO LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I'D LIKE TO SOLICIT YOUR SUPPORT AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

I'M SORRY.

THIS I'M SANDRA BAREFOOT REED.

I REPRESENT DISTRICT ONE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.

SO HOW CAN WE FULFILL THAT? THESE POSITIONS WITH RESPONSIBLE DRIVERS, IF WE DON'T OFFER BE COMPETITIVE WITH OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES AND ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO GET THESE DRIVERS ARE OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES ARE ALSO TAKING OUR DRIVERS BECAUSE OF BENEFITS.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SOLICIT YOUR REPORT.

I MEAN, YOUR SUPPORT FOR, UM, UH, ITEM ON THE, OUR BUDGET, WHICH HAS BEEN UNDER A LITTLE BIT OF A CONTENTION AS AN ELECTED BOARD WITH SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF OVERSEEING ALL OPERATIONS OF THE SCHOOLS.

THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS DILIGENTLY RESEARCHED THE ISSUE OF FINDING AND RETAINING PERMANENT PART-TIME EMPLOYEES IN RESPONSE TO THE DILEMMA OF A CONSTANT SHORTAGE IN THIS AREA, WE HAVE SUFFERED THE LOSS OF THESE EMPLOYEES TO OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS AND FINDING REPLACEMENTS FROM SMALL POOL OF APPLICANTS HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT AS SUCH, UM, RESEARCH AND THOROUGHLY REVIEWING THE FINANCIAL IMPACT AND JUDGING WHETHER THE SUCCESS WOULD JUSTIFY THE MEANS THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO PUT THIS ITEM IN THE BUDGET, THESE PERMANENT PART-TIME EMPLOYEES OR REGULAR CONTRACTED EMPLOYEES THAT REPORT TO WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY.

BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES, THEY ONLY WORK FOUR TO FIVE OR SIX HOURS A DAY.

PRIMARILY THESE EMPLOYEES ARE BUS DRIVERS AND FOOD SERVICE EMPLOYEES.

THE SCHOOL BOARD'S DECISION WAS MADE IN ORDER TO RETAIN AND RECRUIT THESE PERMANENT PART-TIME EMPLOYEES.

OPERATION OF A SCHOOL DIVISION IS UNIQUE.

AND IN ORDER TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES, IT MUST BE COMPARED WITH OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS.

IT WOULD NOT TAKE, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A OPPORTUNITY TO ASK EACH OF YOU IF YOU'VE EVER CONSIDERED DRIVING A SCHOOL BUS.

AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO ASK WHY NOT? BECAUSE I DROVE A SCHOOL BUS FOR 10 YEARS IN MY MINI, UH, JOB RESPONSIBILITIES AND IT'S DIFFICULT.

BUT AS THE REASON THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DRIVE A SCHOOL BUS, AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

I MEAN, IT'S A HUGE, BIG VEHICLE WAS 66 ROWDY PASSENGERS RIGHT BEHIND US.

BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY FINDING PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DRIVE A SCHOOL BUS.

THERE'S A BIG RESPONSIBILITY.

NO ONE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY MORE THAN A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER DRIVING THE MOST PRECIOUS CARGO THAT THIS WORLD HAS KNOWN OUR CHILDREN.

[00:15:01]

SO WE'RE HAVING TO COME TO STAND UP TO THE PLATE AND TRY TO RETAIN THESE DRIVERS AND FOOD SERVICE WORKERS, WHICH WERE THERE IN FACE OF COVID.

THE BUS DRIVERS BECAME SCHOOL MONITORS, THE FOOD SERVICE PEOPLE WERE WORKING IN THE CAFETERIA AND AT THE CURBS GIVING OUT FOOD EACH AND EVERY DAY.

SO WE CANNOT, HOW CAN WE DENY THESE PEOPLE WHO THEIR ONLY, ONLY THING THAT KEEPS THEM WITH US IS THEIR LOYALTY.

IF THEY GET AN OFFER TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE WITH BENEFITS, THEY WILL SURELY GO.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR LISTENING TO ME AND I HOPE YOU'LL TAKE THIS UNDER ADVISEMENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, MR. BURFORD REED.

ANYBODY ELSE? GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M KAREN HORNE.

I LIVE AT 32 OH FIVE DOUBLE BROOK ROAD.

I AM THE CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

HOWEVER, I'M GOING TO SPEAK FIRST ON A VERY PERSONAL ITEM, AND THAT IS THE LITTER ISSUE.

THANK YOU FOR SETTING UP THE LITTER DAY THE SATURDAY, BUT EVERY DAY SHOULD BE A LITTER PICKUP DAY AND EVERYDAY SHOULD BE A DAY WHERE YOU DON'T TOSS YOUR LITTER OUT THE WINDOW.

I AM A SELF-PROCLAIMED LITTER, GITTER.

I WEEKLY CLEANED MY ROAD, WHICH IS A THREE MILE ROAD BY MYSELF.

UM, SOME DAYS IT'S SIX BAGS OF TRASH, SOME DAYS IT'S TWO.

UM, AND I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO BE GOING OUT SATURDAY.

FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE BRIGHT COLORING.

SECONDLY, UM, THE VINES, UM, ARE, ARE EVERYWHERE AND THEY'RE SHARP, SHARP THORNS.

SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER KIND OF TOUGH PANTS, UH, TOUGH LONG SLEEVE SHIRT.

UM, IF YOU HAVE, UH, A GRABBER, ONE OF THE LONG GRABBERS, THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL.

SO YOU'RE NOT BENDING DOWN.

IT'S EXHAUSTING.

THE SHOULDERS ARE OFTEN SLOPED, SO IT'S KIND OF HARD ON YOUR KNEES AND YOUR FEET.

AND I HAVE, YES, I HAVE SLID INTO THE DITCHES OF YOU TIMES.

UM, SO, UM, CONSIDER YOUR FOOTING AND, AND YOU CAN USUALLY FIND A PLACE THAT'S A LITTLE EASIER TO GO DOWN.

SO ALSO GOOD TO WORK WITH A PARTNER.

I KNOW WE HAVE OUR, OUR DISTANCING TO THINK ABOUT, BUT IF MY HUSBAND'S AVAILABLE, HE WILL DRIVE.

AND SO THAT'S EASIER FOR ME TO HOP OUT, GET THE TRASH AND JUMP BACK IN AND ALSO TO NOT HAVE TO DRAG THE BAG FOR MILES.

SO, UM, YOU CAN DO, UM, EVERYONE IS CAPABLE OF DOING THIS JOB.

YOU CAN DO IT ON A DAILY BASIS.

LOOK, LOOK AROUND JUST YOUR AREA, BUT ALSO, UM, YOU CAN DO IT SMART AND IT CAN BE A FUN EXPERIENCE.

AND IT'S VERY WORTHWHILE TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE ROAD THAT YOU CAN MAKE ONE LAST TIP.

IF YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING A LONG SECTION AND IT'S REALLY MESSY GO THE FAR POINT AWAY FROM YOUR CAR, I HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO GO FORWARD AND THEN BE STUCK WITH DRAGGING A BACK A HUGE BAG, WHICH IS A REALLY, REALLY CHALLENGING.

SO, UM, THOSE ARE JUST SOME TIPS FROM A LITIGATOR.

SO SECONDLY, UM, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, SPEAK JUST BRIEFLY ON THE CIP.

UH, THE SCHOOLS ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE G S CONSTRUCTION.

WE'RE ALSO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC ON BULLDOG WAY THAT WILL ASSIST WITH THAT SCHOOL.

AND THERE'S OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE LINED UP TO CONTINUE TO CARE FOR THESE BUILDINGS THAT ARE A VERY IMPORTANT RESOURCE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN, FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT.

ANYONE ELSE? I GOT A LICENSE PLATE TO PROVE IT.

SO WHOSE IDEA WAS THAT? IT'S YOUR RISK? IT'S GREEN NOW JONATHAN LEE, 1521 MANNEQUIN ROAD.

I'M GOING TO TRY AND TOUCH ON THREE THINGS.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO START OFF WITH A WORD OF THANKS TO MR AND MR. KILDUFF, WHO HAVE MOVED ON, BUT THEY EXHIBITED GOOD HUMOR AND PATIENCE.

EVERY TIME THEY INTERACTED WITH ME, WHICH IS NO SMALL FEAT.

SO I WISH THEM WELL AS THEY TAKE ON THEIR NEW ENDEAVORS AND ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS, UH, BEST WISHES TO MS. HORLOCKER, UH,

[00:20:01]

MS. HUNTER, MS. CRONENBERG, AND MS. LIEBOW, AS THEY TAKE ON NEW POSITIONS HERE IN THE COUNTY.

I TELL FOLKS I LIVE IN GOOCHLAND BECAUSE I WANT TO NOT BECAUSE I HAVE TO.

AND IT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE, THIS BOARD INCLUDED, UH, WHO WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS HERE, MAKE THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I'M A, UH, A PROUD GUCCI.

UH, I TELL PEOPLE I'M A GUCCI.

UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO ITERATE TO THOSE FOLKS AS THEY TAKE ON THEIR NEW POSITIONS.

THAT IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN THE MONICA SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION STAFF CAN DO TO HELP PROVIDE, OR WE CAN DO IT IN THREE MINUTES OR LESS, UH, WE WILL CERTAINLY DO OUR UTMOST TO DO THAT.

I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION SPECIFICALLY TO THIS BOARD.

UM, I HAVE WATCHED YOU OVER THESE LAST THREE MONTHS, YOU DELIBERATED ON THE BUDGET AND MY THINKING HAS EVOLVED BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN SHARED IN SOME OF THE AGENDA POINTS AND GOALS AND ADOPT, UM, UH, OBJECTIVES THAT YOU HAVE, UH, OUTLINED THERE.

UH, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT HAS A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITIZENS.

IT'S, IT'S AN INVOLUNTARY RELATIONSHIP IN MANY RESPECTS.

IF I DON'T LIKE WHAT I'M HEARING PREACHED ON SUNDAYS, I CAN CHANGE MY CHURCH.

IF I DON'T LIKE THE FEES THAT MY HEALTH CLUB IS CHARGING.

I CAN CHANGE MY HEALTH CLUB.

IF MY FAVORITE HOCKEY TEAM IS NOT PLAYING THE WAY I THINK IT SHOULD BE.

I CAN CHANGE MY ALLEGIANCE, BUT I CANNOT CHANGE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOVERNMENT.

IT IS A RELATIONSHIP THAT REALLY IS IN FORCED UPON US AS CITIZENRY, WHICH MAKES THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC.

WE HAVE ALL THAT MORE AMAZING.

IT'S SO RESPECTS, BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.

YOU HAVE BEEN OPEN, YOU HAVE BEEN THOROUGH AND YOU HAVE BEEN DILIGENT IN LOOKING AT WHAT, UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AS A, AS A TAX BURDEN.

AND I USE THAT WORD PROPERLY BURDEN, UH, ON US AS CITIZENS.

UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UH, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU MEASURE TWICE AND CUT ONCE.

THIS IS NOT WHIMSICAL.

AND AS I THINK YOU'RE AWARE, I DO NOT ALWAYS FIND MYSELF IN CONCERT WITH DECISIONS THAT YOU FOLKS MAKE UP HERE.

GRASS CUTTING IS SOMETHING I'LL MENTION IN PASSING.

UH, BUT I HAVE NEVER DOUBTED YOUR SINCERITY IN YOUR EFFORTS TO DO THE BEST THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE THE BEST FOR THE COUNTY.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND THE LIGHT DID NOT FLASH.

YEAH, YOU CAN KEEP GOING.

YEAH, DON'T SAY THAT, RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. LAL, ANYONE ELSE? AND HAS ANYBODY RAISED THEIR HAND ONLINE? NO, THERE'S NOT.

WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.

A FOUR SETS OF MINUTES TO APPROVE OR REVIEW CORRECT CHECKS, UM, FROM OUR REGULAR MEETING, FEBRUARY REGULAR MEETING, A SPECIAL MEETING IN THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY, AND THEN TWO BUDGET SESSIONS IN FEBRUARY AS WELL.

OUR BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE

[IX. Approval of Minutes]

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE, UH, MEETING MINUTES FROM, ARE THESE FOUR MEETINGS, FEBRUARY 2ND, FEBRUARY 16TH.

UH, WELL, THE SPECIAL AND THE BUDGET, UH, SESSION ON FEBRUARY TWO OF THEM ON FEBRUARY 16TH AND FEBRUARY 23RD.

SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

NOW WE'RE MOVING RIGHT TO REPORTS.

[X. Reports]

AND FIRST UP AS MR. WYNN FROM V DOT, THIS IS LIKE THE WORLD IS GETTING BACK TO NORMAL.

WE'RE SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AND WELCOME.

TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

OLD FREDERICKSBURG AND SIX OH FIVE SHANNON HILL.

MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND MR. YANG MARSHALL, WHEN WAS VITA, UH, THIS PAST MONTH WE RECEIVED 153 WORK ORDERS AND COMPLETED 145 HAD THREE, UH, AFTER OUR CALL OUTS, UM, Y'ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE WHILE AGO.

WE JUST COMPLETED ALL THE PRIMARY SYSTEMS WITH OUR CONTRACTOR, DID A FULL PICKUP ON TWO 56, FIVE 2245 ON THE PRIMARY SYSTEM.

UH, WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE DEBRIS FROM THE ICE STORM.

STILL GOT A FEW MORE ROWS TO CLEAN UP, UH, TO, TO GET THOSE COMPLETED, UM, UPCOMING WORK THAT I WANT TO BRING YOU UP TO SPEED ON ON 64, THERE'S FOUR BRIDGES THAT ARE GONNA HAVE SOME REHAB WORK DONE TO THEM.

UH, THAT'S UH, SIX 21 MANNEQUIN ROAD, SIX 22 ROCKVILLE ROAD, UH, SIX 29

[00:25:01]

THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME PEER WORK.

IT'S CALLED A HYDRO HYDRO DEMO TYPE WORK.

AND WHAT THAT IS IS JUST LIKE A PRESSURE WASHER.

THEY WILL CLEAN THE DEBRIS, THE LOOSE, CONCRETE OFF THE PIERS AND EVERYTHING FIRST.

AND DO SOME REHAB WORK UP TOP.

THE ONE ISSUE I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THAT Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE IS THE DRIVE IN

[1. 3967: VDOT - March 2021]

ON OLD FREDICKSBURG, WE'RE WORKING WITH A CONTRACTOR NOW TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE A BIG DETOUR.

SO IF A DETOUR IS INVOLVED, ESPECIALLY WITH OLD FREDERICKSBURG, WE WILL INSTALL A MESSAGE BOARD AT FIVE 22 TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO GO TO GET TO THE DRIVER.

SO, UH, I KNOW THAT'S SOME, YOU KNOW, WAS THAT COMPANY THERE, THAT, THAT PERSON THAT ALLEVIATE SOME ISSUES ON HIS PART, COUPLE OF LINE ITEMS, WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO TWO PRO UH, PIPE REHAB JOBS.

AND WHEN WE GO, UH, ONE OF THEM ON ROUTE SIX OH ONE PRIOR ROAD, UH, THAT'S A 60 INCH CROSS PIPE.

AND, UH, THE OTHER ONES I'LL MATTHEWS ROAD, ROUTE SIX 48, THERE'S A 36 INCH CROSSROAD PIPE.

AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS JACK AND BORE PIPE UNDER THERE.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO DIG THE ROAD UP OR ANYTHING.

YOU MAY SEE SOME EQUIPMENT IN THE ROAD, OFFLOADING PIPE OR EQUIPMENT TO, TO JACK AND BORE THE PIPE THROUGH THE ROAD.

BUT THAT, THAT THOSE TWO PROJECTS HAVE COMING PRETTY SOON.

WE JUST GOT APPROVAL FOR THEM.

AND, UH, I THINK THE OTHER ITEMS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST ARE THE SPEED STUDIES OR TRAFFIC STUDIES.

UH, THE ONE BIG ONE, I THINK YOU'LL Y'ALL WILL BE INTERESTED IN IS DAVIS MILL THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER.

AND, UH, JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO, OR HEARD FROM PHILLIP THE SIGN TECH WAS HEADED UP THERE TO PUT THE SIGNS UP.

SO THE SIDES SHOULD BE UP THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE THREE TRUCK RESTRICTION DAVIS MILL.

UH, THE OTHER, THE OTHER ROUTES THAT ARE, UH, DOING STUDIES ON IS FIVE 22, UH, AND, UH, SEVEN OH ONE ALSO ELK HILL.

THERE'S ANOTHER STUDY GOING ON ON THAT.

UH, AND HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE COMPLETED SOON.

THERE'S BEEN SOME TURNAROUND AT TRAFFIC ENGINEERING, WITH VACANCIES AND EVERYTHING.

AND I THINK THEY GOT EVERYBODY ON BOARD NOW, SO WE CAN GET SOME OF THOSE THINGS COMPLETED.

UH, OTHER THAN THAT, I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, UNLESS Y'ALL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR HIM, PROBABLY DO BOARD MEMBERS, I'LL START THIS END UP, MR. SHARP.

I AM PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE CALL THAT I'M GETTING RIGHT NOW IS, UM, PEOPLE CALLING ABOUT TREES THAT HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN IN STORMS AND THE CONTRACTORS THAT I GUESS YOU GUYS CONTRACT THAT OUT PRIVATELY AND YOU DO IT YOURSELF.

WELL, THE PEOPLE THAT CUT THOSE TREES DOWN DOING A VERY GOOD JOB, GETTING THE TREE CUT IS CLOSE TO THE YELLOW LINE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AS I CAN.

ANYBODY THAT HAS TO VEER OFF THE ROAD FOR ANY REASON, THOSE TREES ARE GOING TO DECAPITATE EVERYBODY IN THE VEHICLE.

IT SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE THAT THEY WOULD CUT IT BACK FOUR OR FIVE FEET OFF THE ROAD.

I AGREE, INSTEAD OF RIGHT ON THE ROAD AND YOU CAN DRIVE DOWN CARDWELL, YOU CAN GO UP DOWN HOCKETT, YOU CAN DRIVE ANYWHERE.

I WAS OUT IN HANOVER COUNTY.

IT'S THE SAME WAY.

YEAH, EVERYTHING'S CUT LITERALLY AS CLOSE AS THEY CAN GET TO THAT YELLOW LINE, WHICH IS JUST UNSAFE.

SO I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CALLS ABOUT THAT.

LIKE I SAID, WE CONTINUE, WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.

AND THEIR GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL OF THESE, ALL THIS DEBRIS CLEANED UP BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.

SO THERE'LL BE REMOVING THEM OFF THE ROAD COMPLETELY.

CREEK, BECAUSE WITH 200, 250 HOUSES COMING IN, MOST OF A HALF OF THEM ARE THERE.

THEY, THEY GO BE TAKEN CARE OF ALL OF THAT, THAT THIS, THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG IN, IN GOOGLE, IN MY RESIDENCY SOUTH OF HERE, WE'RE PROJECTED TO BE $25 MILLION IN THE HOLE, JUST FOR DEBRIS IN THE 14 COUNTIES WE HAVE IN THE RICHMOND DISTRICT.

SO THAT'S A BIG PROJECT.

A LOT OF IT'S ON THE INTERSTATE.

I KNOW YOU SEE IT OUT ON 64, BUT IF IT GOES SOUTH ON 95 AND 85, IT'S NOT PRETTY, NOT PRETTY AT ALL.

BUT LIKE I SAID, WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON DEBRIS REMOVAL FROM THE AREA AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED THAT NO STUDY WILL BE DONE ON HOCKET ROAD DROPPING THE SPEED LIMIT FROM 55 TO 40 IN BROAD STREET AND, UM, TUCKAHOE

[00:30:01]

AND THE OTHER HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IT'S GONNA BE, UM, W WE CAN VISIT THAT ONCE THAT HAPPENS, REVISIT IT.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, MR. WYNN, WE'RE MISCHIEF.

UH, I'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

YOU MENTIONED THE BRIDGE WORK ON, UH, THE FOUR BRIDGES ONE, SO FREDERICKSBURG, WHICH AFFECTS THE DRIVE IN AND OTHER BUSINESSES IN THAT AREA.

UH, ALSO THE INDUSTRIAL PARK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE.

WELL, ACTUALLY, WELL, YEAH, THAT MIGHT BE AFFECTED AS WELL.

UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE OR EVEN A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF THE TIMEFRAME OF THAT WORK? AS SOON AS I GET, I TALKED TO THE CM THIS MORNING TO FIND OUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON THINGS ROCKVILLE ROAD RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE SETTING UP OUT THERE AND THEY HAVE SIX 22 OVER 64, AND THEY GO SEE HOW THE HYDRO DEMO GOES TO SEE HOW LONG IT'LL TAKE.

THE NEXT QUESTION, THE FIRST PROJECTION FOR EACH BRIDGE WAS 80 DAYS.

WOW.

BUT THE SECOND PROJECTION I GOT WAS A LOT BETTER WAS ABOUT FOUR WEEKS.

SO, AND I'LL LET YOU ALL KNOW HA HOW THAT PROGRESSES AND EVERYTHING, RIGHT.

BUT IT'S A, IT'S A RESEARCH COUNCIL PROJECT.

IT'S A NEW TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.

AND THE RESEARCH COUNCIL IS PUTTING THE BILL FOR THE WHOLE THING.

SO WE, WE KIND OF WORK RIGHT THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE PROCESS TO SEE HOW IT'S GONNA WORK.

AND THE REASON I PARTICULARLY ASKED ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION IS GOING TO BE AT THE, UM, AT THE DRIVE IN THEATER AGAIN THIS YEAR.

AND I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD, IF WE HAVE ANY LEEWAY ON WHEN WE SCHEDULE THESE, IF WE COULD WORK WITH OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, UM, AS TO TIMING OF THAT, JUST TO ASSIST THEM IN THAT PROCESS.

I'LL DEFINITELY GET THAT INFORMATION.

AND IF YOU WOULD WORK WITH DR.

RAILEY ON THE TITLE, EVEN KNOW WHAT THE DATE, BUT I KNOW IT'S COMMON JUNE 7TH.

SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE TRY IF YOU COULD WORK WITH US ON THAT.

THE SECOND, UH, QUESTION I HAVE IS, UM, I KNOW IT'S BEEN SORT OF ON THE LIST FOR AWHILE, BUT FOLKS THAT ARE RURAL VIRGINIA STATES, UM, I'M STILL GETTING SOME, UH, COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, WORKING ON THE ROADS OUT THERE.

AND IF YOU COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT FORCE, I'D APPRECIATE IT.

I TALKED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT THIS MORNING.

HE IS, HE IS, UH, HE INFORMED HE'S GOING OUT THERE TOMORROW.

WITH, UH, THE ASPHALT.

IT IS CREW.

AND BASICALLY WE'LL PAY THE WHOLE CUL-DE-SAC WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, DETERIORATED.

AND THEN HE'S GO SURFACE TREATMENTS, SURFACE TREATED, SKIN PATCH IT.

AND WE HAVE PUT THAT ON NEXT YEAR'S SCHEDULE WORK JUST TO GET A CAPE SEAL MEAL FOREST.

WOW.

GREAT ANSWER.

I AM GLAD YOU'RE BACK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANYBODY ELSE? I, I GOT, I'M JUST, I SEE, ON YOUR REPORT, THE OIL VILLAGE AREA HEADQUARTERS, YOU'VE GOT A ROUTE SIX PATTERSON AVENUE POTHOLES, JUST, I WOULD SAY THERE'S A BUNCH OF THEM IN FRONT OF BULLDOG AROUND BULLDOG AND OKAY.

HOLD UP FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL IN FRONT OF, YOU KNOW YEAH.

JUST WEST, JUST WESTERN.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

THERE'S YEP.

THAT'S RIGHT ON THE EASTBOUND SIDE WEST OF THE SCHOOL IS UP THERE.

YOU'VE SEEN THEM TOO.

HUH? OKAY.

THERE A BUNCH OF THEM THERE.

AND THEN, UH, ON THE, UH, WELL UNDERSTOOD YOUR, YOUR REPORT THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PACKET SAYS THAT THE, UH, DAVIS MILL STUDY IS COMPLETE AND CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF IS REVIEWING, BUT YOU'RE YOU PASSED ALL THAT CORRECTLY.

ACTUALLY, YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE LETTER SENDING THE MAIL AND EVERYTHING, THE COMMISSIONER SIGNED OFF ON IT.

SO THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID.

CAUSE I READ THAT, UH, BEFORE THE MEETING AND SAY LIKE, WE ACTUALLY HAD TO, WE DID THE REPORT BEFORE WE GOT THAT LETTER.

SO IT WAS KIND OF HARD TO PULL IT BACK.

THAT'S FINE.

GOOD, GOOD.

THAT'S MOVING ALONG.

UM, FAIRGROUND THERE, ROUNDABOUT IS, AND I'VE SEEN OTHER THINGS BESIDES THIS REPORT THAT ARE STILL SAYING FEBRUARY 20, 20, 22 FOR ADVERTISEMENT.

IS THAT CONSERVATIVE OR DO YOU THINK THAT'S ON TRACK? GOOD.

THIS, YOUR REPORT ALSO SAYS ADVANCE EXTENSION AND ROUNDABOUT PROJECTS SIMULTANEOUSLY, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT REALLY HAPPENING GIVEN THE HUNTING, THE EXTENSION TO FAIRGROUNDS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT GOT PULLED BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING ISSUES.

THIS WAS, I THOUGHT WE WERE KIND OF AWAY FROM THE IDEA OF SIMULTANEOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING.

AND I THINK WITH, UH, POSSIBLE CBTA FUNDS, WE CAN WORK ON THAT SECTION AT A LATER DATE.

UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S COOL HAPPENED SIMULTANEOUSLY.

I DIDN'T SEEING

[00:35:01]

RIGHT, RIGHT.

BUT OTHERWISE THE ROUNDABOUTS ON TRACK.

AND IT SAYS RIGHT AWAY TO START SUMMER 2020, BUT YOU'VE KIND OF PASSED THAT.

SO GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, EDDIE FERGUSON, FIRE RESCUE CHIEF.

GOOD, GOOD TO SEE THESE, SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE ALREADY DONE.

SERIOUSLY, CHIEF FERGUSON FIRE RESCUE REPORT.

[2. 3955: Fire-Rescue 4.6.21]

UH, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON TO A REPORT ON SOME OF THE THINGS, UH, WITHIN THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT, THE COUNTY, UH, CERTAINLY HAVE PROVIDED THE REPORT IS NORMAL AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE REPORT THAT WAS PROVIDED.

FIRE RESCUE HAS, UH, TWO OR THREE THINGS ON THE AGENDA THIS AFTERNOON AND THE BOARD MEETING.

SO I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF AND LEAVE A TIME FOR THOSE.

I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE CERTAINLY, UH, NOTICING AN INCREASE IN CALL VOLUME, UH, MARCH COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, UH, WAS, IS UP BY 36.5% INCREASE IN CALLS.

UH, LAST YEAR OF COURSE, UH, CALL VOLUME WAS VERY LOW BECAUSE OF THE COVID THAT HAD JUST STARTED AND LOOKING AT OUR CALL VOLUME FROM A YEAR TO DATE, UH, FOR 2020, IT'S ABOUT A 17% INCREASE.

UH, IF WE'RE, WE'RE ON TRACK TO, TO REALLY, UM, TO REALLY BREAK LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS, UM, IN A VERY LARGE WAY, UH, TODAY IS CERTAINLY BEEN NO DIFFERENT.

UH, FIRE RESCUE HAS BEEN VERY BUSY TODAY WITH, UH, SEVERAL, UH, INCIDENTS WORKING AT THE SAME TIME, UH, IN THE COUNTY.

I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ECHO SOME OF THE, UH, THE GOOD WORDS THAT MR. YOUNG SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE VACCINATION CLINICS, UH, HOW WELL THEY'RE RUNNING EVERY THURSDAY, UH, THE SATURDAY CLINIC THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WITH THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON, UH, VACCINE WENT VERY WELL.

AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SCHOOLS AND DR.

REILEY FOR THE PARTNERSHIP THAT AIR TWO DEPARTMENTS HAVE WITH, UH, ONE OF HIS FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS, MRS. CARRIE, TONY, WHO IS AN RN WHO ACTUALLY, UH, OVERSEES THE CLINICAL ASPECT OF THE VACCINATION CLINICS IN THE COUNTY.

AND THAT HAS PROVED TO BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND HAS MOVED US ALONG QUITE NICELY IN OUR VACCINATION STRATEGY.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO I'LL LET YOU KNOW THE, UH, RESPIRATORY TRANSPORT VENTILATORS THAT YOU SO GRACIOUSLY FUNDED WITH CARES MONEY ARE BEING USED EVERY DAY NOW.

AND IT GIVES US A NEW PATIENT CARE CAPABILITIES.

UH, WE'RE ABLE TO DO C-PAP AND BI-PAP FOR PATIENTS WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY BREATHING AND WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED THOSE AND USED THEM, UH, SEVERAL TIMES, UH, IN ADDITION TO JUST USING THEM AS A VENTILATOR FOR A PATIENT WHO MAY NOT BE BREATHING.

UH, SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE ONE IN USE AT ALL AT EVERY FIRE STATION AND THOSE, UH, THOSE PIECES OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ARE, ARE DEFINITELY NICE AND ENHANCES OUR CAPABILITY AS A FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY.

OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN IS COMPLETE.

AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY, THAT'S GOING TO COME UP LATER, UH, ON YOUR AGENDA.

UH, OUR NEW TANKER FIRE TANKER HAS ARRIVED.

IT IS AT COMPANY FIVE, UH, KENWORTH TRUCK WITH 2,500 GALLONS OF WATER ON IT.

AND IF ALL GOES WELL, UH, WE'LL START THE TRAINING ON THAT VEHICLE IN JUST A FEW FEW DAYS.

AND WE HAVE A, QUITE A ROBUST TRAINING SCHEDULE TO GET ALL OF OUR PRESENT TANKER DRIVERS, UH, CLEAR TO OPERATE THAT VEHICLE.

AND MAYBE WE CAN GET IT, UH, OVER HERE FOR THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IN MAY OUT FRONT THAT YOU GUYS CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

IT'S A VERY NICE PIECE OF FIRE PARADIS, AND WE'VE RECEIVED LOTS OF COMPLIMENTS ON IT SO FAR LOOKING FORWARD TO NOT REALLY USING IT BECAUSE WE KNOW WHEN WE USE IT.

IT'S NOT USUALLY A POSITIVE THING THAT'S OCCURRING IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT CAPABILITY, THE LADDER TRUCK REMAINS ON ORDER.

IT'S ABOUT READY TO GO INTO PRODUCTION.

WE STILL HAVE A SUMMER, A DELIVERY DATE ON THE LADDER TRUCK.

UH, IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THOSE VEHICLES TO GO THROUGH THE ENGINEERING PHASE.

AND THEN ONCE THEY HIT THE PRODUCTION LINE, THEY MOVE UP RATHER QUICKLY.

UH, THE AMBULANCES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REPLACE, UM, IT'S MOVING RATHER SLOWLY.

I THINK, UH, MOST JURISDICTIONS ORDERED AN AMBULANCE DOING THE, UH, THE COVID PANDEMIC.

AND SO A LOT OF THE FACTORIES ARE BACKED UP AND, BUT WE HAVE, UM, PLACES IN LINE AND WE'RE LOOKING AT GETTING THE FIRST NEW AMBULANCE IN JUNE AND THE SECOND ONE IN JULY, IF THEIR SCHEDULES CONTINUE TO LIVE, UH, TRUE WHEN APRIL THE FIRST WE OPENED THERE, A HIRING PROCESS FOR THE, UH, THE FYI 22 BUDGET, UH, WE GO AHEAD AND START THAT PROCESS.

IT TAKES A WHILE TO ADVERTISE AND SEE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN COMING TO WORK FOR GOOCHLAND COUNTY AS A FIREFIGHTER EMT OR PARAMEDIC.

AND SO WE'RE HOPING, UH, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE, UH, APPLICATIONS IN HAND AND THAT WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR ABOUT 30 DAYS.

AND ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED CAN APPLY ON THE COUNTY'S

[00:40:01]

HUMAN RESOURCES, UH, WEBSITE.

I WANT TO TELL YOU, UH, SOME GOOD NEWS, UH, ON MARCH THE 10TH, THAT WAS A VEHICLE ACCIDENT AND THE HAYDENVILLE COMMUNITY, UH, SPECIFICALLY SHANNON HILL ROAD, THE VEHICLE WAS, UH, OVERTURNED AND ON FIRE.

AND THERE WAS A DRIVER, A PERSON WHO WAS TRAPPED, A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER EMT, JARED BROOKS, WHO LIVES ON SHANNON HILL ROAD RESPONDED, UH, FROM HOME DIRECTLY TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OUT, UH, THE DRIVER TO SAFETY.

UH, THE PATIENT DID SUSTAIN SERIOUS SECOND AND THIRD DEGREE BURNS, BUT AS EXPECTED TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY, I BRING THIS UP TO YOU BECAUSE, UH, OUR VOLUNTEER MEMBERS, UH, CERTAINLY MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION AND SOMETIMES RESPONDING FROM HOME, UH, CAN SAVE A LIFE.

AND THIS IS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THAT.

UH, THE FIRE ENGINE WAS ABLE TO RESPOND FROM COMPANY SIX WITHOUT ANY DELAY, UH, AND HAD A VERY GOOD RESPONSE TIME, BUT SECONDS AND MINUTES MATTER IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT, FIREFIGHTER BROOKS, UM, DID NOT HAVE HIS PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WITH THEM BECAUSE IT'S NORMALLY KEPT AT THE FIRE STATION.

UH, AND HE DID SUSTAIN A MINOR BURN TO HIS HAND, UH, PULLING, UH, THE PATIENT OUT OF THE VEHICLE.

HE WAS ASSISTED BY A BYSTANDER THAT, UH, JUMPED IN AND HELPED HIM.

FIREFIGHTER BROOKS HAS ALSO A CAREER FIREFIGHTER EMT WITH CHESTERFIELD FIRE AND EMS AND HOPE TO MAYBE GET HIM HERE AT A FUTURE DATE, UH, TO RECOGNIZE HIM, UH, BUT CERTAINLY INDEFINITELY A LIFE SAVED ALL.

I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE THE ANNUAL DINNER MEETING FOR THE VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION OF THE PANDEMIC GUIDELINES, BUT THINGS ARE LOOSENING UP AND WE'RE ALL GOING TO LOOK AT A PICNIC.

AND SO I WILL HAVE A, UH, AN INVITATION TO YOU ALL VERY SOON FOR THE EARLY SUMMER, UH, WHERE WE CAN ALL BE OUTSIDE AND GO THROUGH OUR NORMAL AWARDS, UH, AFTERNOON, UH, AND ALSO HAVE A SOCIAL ACTIVITY, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE DEPARTMENT.

AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS WE GET SOME OF THE, SOME MORE MINOR DETAILS WORKED OUT, I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF OUR MEMBERS WHO DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB ON A DAILY BASIS, UH, RESPONDING TO THE EMERGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTY AND ALL THE PLANNING THAT GOES INTO IT AND PREPAREDNESS.

UH, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU, CHIEF, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, MR. SPOON OUT.

APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTION.

UM, THANK YOU, CHIEF, UM, GREEN REPORT, THE NUMBERS, UH, THAT YOU SEE INCREASE THIS YEAR, DID YOU, BY CHANCE HAVING A LOOK TO SEE HOW THEY COMPARED TO 2019, WHICH WAS MORE OF A NORMAL YEAR, YOU KNOW, UM, THE, THE NUMBER OF SAID, W WHAT WAS THAT INCIDENTS OR HOURS, OR WHAT WAS THAT QUESTION? CONTENT? I MISSED SOMETHING REGARDING THE INCREASE IN CALLS, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT WAS FROM 2019, 2020, THAT WAS A SLIGHT DECREASE IN CALLS.

AND I BELIEVE, UH, WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS THAT THE NUMBERS THAT WE ARE SEEING INCREASING PRESENTLY ARE GOING TO BE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY WERE IN 2019.

AND THE OTHER CONCERN WITH THAT IS NOT THE CONCERN NECESSARILY JUST SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF IS THAT A LOT OF OUR BUSINESS PARKS HAVE NOT COMPLETELY REOCCUPIED YET.

AND A LOT OF THOSE CALLS, UH, BACK IN 2019, WE'RE AT THE WEST CREEK BUSINESS PARK.

UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE POPULATION THERE, PLUS WE HAD LARGE CROWD EVENTS IN 2019 THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE IN 2020, BUT WE WILL PROBABLY START TO SEE THE SECOND HALF OF THIS YEAR.

SO I BELIEVE THAT, UM, THAT WE ARE ON TRACK TO EXCEED THOSE NUMBERS.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

UM, THANKS CHIEF.

THERE WAS ONE SENTENCES ON PAGE TWO OF YOUR REPORT, UM, IS THAT FIRST BULLET POINT DEPARTMENT OF FIRE RESCUES WHERE IT STARTS AND ABOUT THE FOURTH LINE FROM THE BOTTOM.

I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS.

EMS CREWS CONTINUED TO APPROACH PATIENTS DAUNTING, DAUNTING, A HIGH LEVEL OF PPE, INCLUDING IN 95.

SO CERTAINLY CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR OWN LANGUAGE WE SPEAK AND THE EMERGENCY SERVICES AND DONNING AND DOFFING PPE IS A, IS TWO OF THOSE TERMS. DAWNING IS SIMPLY IN OUR BUSINESSES PUTTING ALL THE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING ON, AND THEN WHEN WE DOFF IT, IT'S TAKEN IT OFF IN A LOT OF THOSE TERMS COME OUT OF THE HAZMAT WORLD, UH, WHERE HAS MET, UH, PERSONNEL WILL, WE'LL PUT THAT PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT ON ONE AND VERY METHODICALLY TAKE IT OFF SO THAT THEY DON'T RECEIVE CONTAMINATION FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE CLUB.

AND THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING THAT OUT.

THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T DIDN'T KNOW THAT EITHER.

OPERATIONS PLAN.

THERE'S A FEW, A FEW PAGES FOR, UH, ACRONYMS. ABSOLUTELY.

AS IMPORTANT AS THE NUMBER OF CALLS YOU GET IS THE RESPONSE TIMES.

YES, YES, SIR.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

UM, YOU HEARD THE QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT THE, THE CALL VOLUME.

UM, THAT'S THE REQUEST FOR SERVICE? UH, OBVIOUSLY YOUR SERVICES ARE IN DEMAND.

UH, WE WISH THEY WEREN'T, BUT THEY OBVIOUSLY ARE.

UM, SO TO ME,

[00:45:01]

AND I KNOW WE'VE GOT ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING WHETHER WE'RE, UH, DOING A REASONABLY GOOD JOB OF BALANCING THE INCREASED NEED FOR YOUR SERVICES, WITH THE INCREASED DELIVERY OF YOUR SERVICES.

WE ARE, AND YOU ARE RIGHT.

WE HAVE, UM, ALL SIX OF THE FIRE RESCUE STATION STAFF, 24 SEVEN WITH AT LEAST TWO CAREER PERSONNEL AND OUR VOLUNTEERS.

UH, SO THAT COMBINATION OF THAT TEAM, UH, IS ABLE TO REDUCE RESPONSE TIMES.

AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT WE PREPARE A MONTHLY REPORTS FROM MR. YOUNG THAT, UH, HAVE THAT RESPONSE TIME INFORMATION IN.

IT HAPPENED TO HAVE THE ONE IN MY FOLDER FROM FEBRUARY.

I HAVEN'T COMPLETELY COMPILED THE ONE FROM MARCH YET, BUT I DON'T EXPECT IT TO BE MUCH DIFFERENCE.

UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EMS RESPONSE TIME PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE BY THE OFFICE OF EMS, THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.

AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, IN THE EAST END OF THE COUNTY IN FEBRUARY OF RESPONSE TIMES WERE DOWN AGAIN FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND ONLY, UH, 6.8% OF THE CALLS DID NOT MEET THE MINIMUM, UH, TOM STANDARD.

AND THAT WAS DOWN FROM THE, FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

NOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU HEAR THAT THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY THE UNITS MAY HAVE NOT MET THEIR RESPONSE TIME STANDARDS, IT COULD BE A SITUATION WHERE THE ADDRESS WAS DIFFICULT TO LOCATE, UH, OR WHETHER THE UNIT WAS ASKED TO STAGE BECAUSE LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THE SCENE WAS CLEAR AND SAFE FIRST, WHICH ADDS TO THAT RESPONSE TIME.

SO THERE ARE SOME ANOMALIES THAT WE CAN BACK OUT OF THOSE NUMBERS AND THE WESTERN OF THE COUNTY.

THE RESPONSE TIME STANDARD IS A LITTLE HIGHER BECAUSE OF THE LARGE GEOGRAPHIC AREA AND IN FEBRUARY, UM, BASICALLY, UH, 6.7% OF THE RESPONSES IN THE WEST END OF THE COUNTY, WHICH WE IDENTIFY FROM JACKSON SHOP ROAD ON FIVE 22 WEST TO THE FLUIDS AND CUMBERLAND FLUVANNA COUNTY LINES.

UH, SO OVERALL, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING VERY WELL WITH THAT.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, UH, WE ARE ABLE TO MEET THE RESPONSE TIME STANDARDS, UH, 90% OF THE TIME, WHICH IS WHAT IS REQUIRED, UH, BY THE VIRGINIA OFFICE OF EMS THAT'S IN STATE, UH, STATE RULES AND REGULATIONS.

WHEN YOU SAY RESPONSE TIMES ARE DOWN, THAT'S A GOOD THING.

IT IS, IT IS A REALLY, REALLY GOOD THING, BUT I WILL, I WILL CAUTION YOU AND JUST, UH, AND YOU KNOW, THIS TO BE TRUE, ALL YOUR INCREASES IN UNITS ARE NOT AS AVAILABLE AS, AS THEY ARE WHEN THERE AREN'T ANY CALLS GOING ON.

WE MAY START TO SEE THOSE RESPONSE TIMES, START TO GO BACK UP AND WE'RE ON THE WATCH OF THAT.

AND THAT'S A LOT OF THE PURPOSE FOR THAT MONTHLY REPORT IS CALLS THEIR ATTENTION TO THAT INFORMATION ON A REGULAR BASIS.

AND WE ALWAYS COMPARE TO THE PREVIOUS MONTH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON TOP OF THAT.

BUT PARTICULAR EMS RESCUE.

IN FACT, THAT'S REALLY JUST SO THAT YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO DELIVER THE SERVICES, AND THERE'S NO DETERIORATION DESPITE THE INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR YOUR SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE DOESN'T DROP AT ALL.

AND, UH, THE NUMBERS I'VE SEEN RESPONSE TIMES HAVE DROPPED AS MUCH AS 10 OR 20%.

THAT'S A GOOD THING.

I, LIKE YOU SAID, EVERY CENT, EVERY SECOND, EVERY MINUTE COUNTS.

AND WHEN WE CAN SHAVE THAT KIND OF 10 OR 20% TIME OFF THE RESPONSE TIMES, THAT THAT'S A GOOD THING.

SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO TREND IN THAT DIRECTION OR AT LEAST MAINTAIN THAT EXACTLY RIGHT.

AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN BE, AND EVERYONE ELSE CAN BE ASSURED THAT WITH THE ADDITIONAL CAREER POSITIONS, UH, IN THE BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE OUTER YEARS IN THE BUDGET, THAT THE DESIGN OF THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE DEPTH IN THEIR BENCH DEPTH AND THE RESPONSE TIME STANDARDS AND THE PERSONNEL AND UNITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

UH, THE HOPE HOPEFULLY, UM, WITH THE POSITIONS THAT ARE COMING UP IN THE , UH, BUDGET, WE'D BE ABLE TO ADD THAT THIRD FIREFIGHTER EMT, UH, TO SEVERAL MORE OF OUR STATIONS.

AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE FOUR OUT OF OUR SIX STATIONS THAT WOULD HAVE AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE ON DUTY 24 SEVEN.

AND THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE BECAUSE WE TEND TO TALK A LOT ABOUT AMBULANCE STAFFING, BUT, UH, FIRE STAFFING IS JUST AS CRITICAL.

AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THREE PEOPLE ON EVERY FIRE ENGINE THAT ROLLS OUT THE DOOR AND ULTIMATELY FOR IT TO BE, TO MEET THOSE IN FPA, UH, RESPONSE TIMES AND JUST PURELY TO BE SAFE AND HOW WE GO ABOUT DOING BUSINESS.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT TO, UM, TO HAVE THE PERSONNEL AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED.

OKAY, GOOD.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND YOU KNOW, THIS, UH, AND I'LL TIE INTO WHAT YOU JUST SAID A SECOND AGO.

YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD IS ALL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PROMOTING THE VIOLENCE, ABSOLUTELY WHAT YOU CAN, WHAT WE CAN TO HELP YOU PROMOTE THE VOLUNTEERISM.

A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS.

IT LOOKS TO ME FROM YOUR VOLUNTEER RESCUE DUTY HOURS.

IF YOU ONLY HAVE CAPTURED TWO MONTHS, MATE, MARCH NUMBERS ARE PROBABLY JUST BEING COMPILED.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE, THE NUMBER WELL ON FIRE DUTY HOURS, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GONE UP QUITE A BIT ALREADY, BUT RESCUE DUTY HOURS ARE LOOK LIKE YOU'RE WAY AHEAD OF LAST YEAR'S.

I'M THINKING MAYBE THE PANDEMIC VACCINATION STATUS.

IT, IT IS, UM, IT IS NO DOUBT.

I THINK I UNDERSTAND IT IS NO DOUBT THAT THE PANDEMIC, UH, MAJORLY AFFECTED THE ABILITY OF OUR VOLUNTEER MEMBERS, UH, TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES, BOTH EMS AND FIRE,

[00:50:01]

I GET A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS, UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC, UH, BASED ON MEDICAL ADVICE FROM THE DOCTORS OR VDH OR WHATEVER THE SITUATION WAS, WHERE THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AS THEY HAD IN PREVIOUS, UH, PREVIOUS YEARS AND, AND, AND, AND LOSS AND SO FORTH, FIRE DUTY HOURS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IT'S A LITTLE EASIER TO MANAGE, UH, CERTAINLY SOME OF THE SAME HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED, BUT FROM THE FIRE STANDPOINT, UM, WE HAVE MORE PARTICIPATION IN THE FIRE FIRESIDE THAN WE DO THE EMS SIDE RIGHT NOW.

BUT TO YOUR POINT, YES, THEY ARE STARTING TO INCREASE.

I WILL TELL YOU THOUGH, THAT, UM, THAT I HAVE CERTAINLY REALIZED AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT YOU ALL, THAT I ARTICULATE CORRECTLY, THAT WHAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON OUR PERSONNEL THAT ARE ON DUTY AND THAT ARE THE PEOPLE ON DUTY THAT OUR VOLUNTEERS AND CAREER MEMBERS THAT IS OUR FIRST WAVE OF RESPONSE AND THE PANDEMIC, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, BROUGHT THAT TO THE LIGHT.

AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT PERSONNEL RESPONDED FROM HOME.

I JUST CITED AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER EMT SAVED A LIFE.

UH, IT JUST MEANS THAT AS A, AS A COUNTY AND AS A FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT IN A DEVELOPING COUNTY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PREPARED TO DELIVER THAT SERVICE FIRST WAVE A SERVICE BASED ON THOSE WHO ARE ON DUTY, BOTH VOLUNTEER AND CAREER.

AND THEN THE RESPONSE FROM HOME IS CERTAINLY APPRECIATED AND CARRIAGE.

AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT BILL BACK, BUT YOU JUST CAN'T RESPOND FROM HOME TO AN EMS CALL LIKE YOU COULD BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, UH, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE ON EMS DUTY AND YOU'RE ON THE AMBULANCE, YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHERE YOUR PP IS.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU, UH, ARE IN THE RIGHT UNIFORM SO THAT YOU CAN LAUNDER THAT YOU DON'T GET THAT ON YOUR SKIN, THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.

SO IT IT'S, IT MAKES IT REALLY TOUGH TO RESPOND FROM HOME.

LIKE WE DID ALL THOSE PREVIOUS YEARS THOUGH, ON A PAIR OF COVERALLS AND GO TO THE FIRE STATION AND JUMP ON THE AMBULANCE.

THE PANDEMIC CHANGED A LOT OF THAT, MYSELF INCLUDED.

I THINK, I THINK WE UNDERSTAND IT'S A CHANGING WORLD.

THERE'S NO, BUT, UM, THE, THE VOLUNTEERS ARE, ARE SUCH A CORE AND, AND WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PICNIC, THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU'RE FOCUSED ON IT.

THAT'S GREAT.

I GUESS THESE NUMBERS ARE ENCOURAGING TO THE RESCUE DUTY HOURS, I GUESS, FROM A, FROM A FINANCE AND OUR PLANNING PERSPECTIVE.

WHEN YOU SAID TO MR. PETERSON, YOU SAID YOU, YOU HOPE TO HAVE THREE ON A TRUCK, THREE FIRE ON A TRUCK, THREE PERSONS ON A TRUCK, IDEALLY FOUR.

WHEN YOU SAY THAT, IS THAT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO BASE YOUR PROJECTIONS FOR CAREER OR, OR IS IT IN THE MIX THAT YOU SAY, I, I CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT WITH ONE OR TWO VOLUNTEERS? UM, IT'S, UH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

UH, JUST PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, THAT WAS A FIRE ALARM THAT WENT OFF AT DOGTOWN ROAD AT THE MEADOWS NURSING CENTER.

UH, WE HAVE THREE PERSONNEL ON ENGINE, SIX 51, RESPONDING TO THAT.

THERE WERE TWO CAREER MEMBERS AND WE HAD ONE VOLUNTEER AND ABOUT FOUR OTHER CALLS ACTIVE, ONE VERY SERIOUS, AND THE OTHER END OF THE COUNTY.

SO WE CAN NOT, WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH CAREER MEMBERS OR VOLUNTEER MEMBERS, SEPARATE IT'S ONE TEAM.

WE WANT TO PUT EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND WORK AS ONE TEAM I'D LIKE TO HAVE FULL ON EVERY FIRE ENGINE, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS BECAUSE OF THE STAFF.

AND IT TAKES TO HANDLE A STRUCTURE, FIRE, YOU KNOW, TWO IN AND TWO OUT.

AND, AND WE'VE SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE THAT THOSE NSPA NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE BIT MISLEADING BECAUSE IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY, A RURAL WATER SUPPLY OPERATION COULD BE AS LARGE, BIGGER THAN, THAN THE FOLKS THAT ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING WATER ON THE FIRE.

SO YOU HAVE TO ADD THAT IN THERE TOO, BUT YES, SIR, UH, VOLUNTEER MEMBERS ARE RELIED UPON AND COUNTED ON EVERY DAY.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BIG READ THAT YOU GAVE US ON THE EOP.

THAT WAS A LOT, IT WAS A LOT TO GET OUT, BROUGHT IN AN EXPERT TO GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT AGAIN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

WE'RE DOING GOOD ON TIME.

MS. SUTTON, YOU READY? NEW COUNTY STAFF.

UM,

[3. 3963: Introduction of New County Staff]

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. YAN, UH, I'M MICHELLE SUTTON WITH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

AND ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE NEW STAFF AND GENERAL SERVICES AND FIRE AND RESCUE MR. KNIGHTON, DUE TO YOUR RESIGNATION.

KEITH NITIN JOINED THE GOOCHLAND COUNTY TEAM ON MONDAY, MARCH 1ST AS A GROUNDSKEEPER WITH GENERAL SERVICES.

HE HAS PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE AT SOUTHERN STATES AND A LOCAL LUMBERYARD WELCOME DUE TO A RESIGNATION.

STEVEN PARRISH BEGAN EMPLOYMENT ON MARCH 1ST AS A FACILITY MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN WITH THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

HE IS A LIFELONG GOOCHLAND COUNTY RESIDENT AND BRINGS 15 YEARS OF JOURNEYMEN AND MECHANICAL EXPERIENCE FROM LOCAL COMPANIES.

[00:55:01]

WELCOME MR. TINSLEY HERE.

DUE TO HER RESIGNATION, JAMES TINSLEY JOINED FIRE AND RESCUE ON MARCH 16TH AS A FIREFIGHTER EMT.

AND HE WAS PREVIOUSLY A FIREFIGHTER WITH THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA, WHERE HE SERVED FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS.

I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALL OF THE NEW STAFF TO GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

THIS CONCLUDES THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW COUNTY STAFF.

NO PRESENTATION, UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY THAT IS SHOWN IN THE, IN OUR AGENDA ON PAGE 50, TWO OF THE, YEAH.

VERY THANK, THANK YOU, MISS.

AND AGAIN, WELCOME EVERYBODY.

UH, SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA, UH, JUST, UH, ITEM NOTHING, NO DISCUSSION,

[4. 3941: Planning and Development Activity]

52 OF THE PDF, I GUESS IT LOOKS LIKE THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN DISTRICT THREE AND DISTRICT FOUR.

SO NO QUESTIONS.

WE WILL, UH, KEEP ROLLING ALONG ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AP REPORT?

[5. 3961: Accounts Payable]

I HEARD A NOTE FROM THE LEFT DOWN HERE, NOTHING HERE FROM MY RIGHT.

Y'ALL ARE JUST ANXIOUS TO GET TO BOARD REPORTS, RIGHT?

[6. Board Reports]

MR. SPOON CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON YOU.

YOU GOT SO MUCH GOING ON WITH PLAYING RVA.

WHAT'S GOING ON A LITTLE BIT.

UM, IT WAS KIND OF QUIET.

WELL, WE DO HAVE ITEM NUMBER SIX, THE VERSION NUMBER NINE OF THE CHARTER AGREEMENT.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYBODY IS ON BOARD.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

AS WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THAT, TO MAKE NINE LOCALITIES, A VERY DIFFERENT SIZES WITH VERY DIFFERENT AGENDAS, UH, WORK.

SO THAT'S GREAT NEWS.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, FROM A CTA PERSPECTIVE, HAD SOME INTERESTING, UH, CONVERSATIONS.

UM, WE WERE APPROACHED BY AN ORGANIZATION TO TALK ABOUT THE 15% TRANSIT, UH, PORTION OF THE FUNDS THAT WE PROVIDE.

SO FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT AREN'T AWARE LAST JULY NEW TAXES WENT IN EFFECT BOTH ON GAS AND SALES TAX.

50% OF THAT TAX COMES BACK TO US FOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.

35% GOES TO THE REGION FOR REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND 15% GOES TO TRANSIT.

WELL, WE CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE REGIONAL.

WE CAN PARTICIPATE OBVIOUSLY IN THE LOCAL, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN A BUS COME OUT TO GUM SPRING IN LONG TIME.

UM, THAT MIGHT CHANGE.

SO WE, WE MET IN A INTERVIEW, MR. CAMPBELL, AND I, UM, TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, W WHAT ARE SOME POSSIBILITIES FOR GOOCHLAND.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY EXTENDING THE BUS LINE, THE PULSE LINE UP POTENTIALLY TO SHELTER, SHELTERING ARMS, THEN MAYBE EVEN INTO CENTERVILLE.

IT'S VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS, BUT JUST WANTING TO MR. CAMPBELL DID A GREAT JOB OF REPRESENTING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME OF THE TAX DOLLARS BACK HERE IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

THAT'S BUT I HEARD MR. WAYNE, I THINK HE'S ALREADY GOING TO SPEND OUR CBTA MONEY ON THE EXTENSION.

ANYTHING, ANYTHING TO REPORT GO ON DOWN THE ROAD, ANYTHING ON ANY FINANCE AUDIT COMMITTEE, ANYTHING MR. CHAIR, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE DID NOT MEET THIS MONTH.

WE'RE SCHEDULED TO MEET BEFORE OUR BOARD MEETING NEXT MONTH.

UM, AS ALWAYS WE'LL HAVE A FAIRLY BUSY AGENDA, UM, AS WE APPROACH JUNE 30, THE FISCAL YEAR END, WE'LL NEED TO TALK ABOUT ENGAGING OUR AUDITORS TO BEGIN THAT AUDIT OVER THE SUMMER.

UM, ALSO FINANCING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WILL BE A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AS WELL.

AND WE'LL BRING A REPORT BACK AFTER THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT MONTH.

THANKS JERRY.

REPLACED NUMBER 11 WITH, UH, AN ITEM THAT OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY CAN PROBABLY HELP US WITH IF WE NEED ANY HELP ON THAT ONE, BUT I'LL LET MR. YOUNG WALK US THROUGH AND, AND A HANDOFF WHERE YOU NEED TO ON ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WE GOOD.

I WILL GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA A LONG, LONG LIST, AND REMEMBER, WE'VE

[XI. Consent Agenda]

FOR EMERGENCY SHELTER SERVICES AT THE RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT IN THE NOTCH.

UM, BOARD MEMBERS, UH, THIS AFTERNOON, WE HAVE 10 ITEMS THAT ARE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ITEM.

NUMBER ONE IS AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH CAITLIN HOSPITALITY, LLC,

[1. 3957: Authorization for County Administrator to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Kalyan Hospitality, LLC for emergency shelter services at the Residence Inn by Marriott at the Notch]

UH, THE AGREEMENT WAS, UH, CREATED SO THAT, UH, FIRE AND RESCUE AND DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, UH, HAVE AN IDENTIFIED LOCATION WITHIN GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

AS YOU KNOW, THE HOTEL IS, UH, JUST RECENTLY OPENED.

UH, THIS GIVES US AN ACTUAL AGREEMENT THAT, UH, WE ARE ABLE TO PUT IN PLACE FOR TEMPORARY LODGING FACILITIES.

SHOULD WE NEED THEM? I DON'T REMEMBER TO IS AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE VIRGINIA

[2. 3922: Authorization for County Administrator to execute an Agreement with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for the Installation and maintenance of Emergency Preemption Equipment]

[01:00:01]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, FOR THE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF EMERGENCY PREEMPTION EQUIPMENT.

THE PREEMPTION, UH, EQUIPMENT ALLOWS OUR FIRE AND RESCUE VEHICLES TO PROCEED THROUGH INTERSECTIONS IN THE DIRECTION THAT THEY'RE GOING, UH, SAFELY AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THAT ITEM.

AND THEN NUMBER THREE IS AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE OAK HILL PERFORMANCE

[3. 3920: Authorization for County Administrator to execute the Oak Hill Performance Agreement to provide financial incentives for dedicating a right of way and constructing a multiple lane public road in Goochland County]

AGREEMENT, TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR DEDICATING RIGHT AWAY AND CONSTRUCTING A MULTIPLE LANE, UH, UH, PUBLIC ROAD IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES A LOCAL INCENTIVE THAT SHELL AND MARCH 1ST, 2030, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT REBATED COLLECTIVELY SHALL NOT EXCEED $40,000 STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.

AND NUMBER FOUR IS A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING NATIONAL CRIME

[4. 3969: Proclamation Recognizing National Crime Victims' Rights Week, April 18-24, 2021]

VICTIMS A WEEK, APRIL 18TH, THROUGH THE 24TH, 2021, THE PROCLAMATION REAFFIRMS THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO CREATING A VICTIM SERVICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESPONSE THAT ASSISTS ALL VICTIMS OF CRIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION REQUEST IN VITA TO ACCEPT

[5. 3938: Consideration of a Resolution requesting VDOT accept an extension of Tuckahoe Creek Parkway into the Secondary System of State Highways for Maintenance]

AN EXTENSION OF TUCKAHOE CREEK PARKWAY INTO THE SECONDARY SYSTEM OF STATE HIGHWAYS, UH, FOR MAINTENANCE.

UH, THIS IS MAINLY A CLEANUP ITEM.

THIS SECTION OF ROAD HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR SEVERAL YEARS, UM, AND IT WAS JUST DISCOVERED WE HAD NEVER, UH, HAD AN ACCEPTED INTO THE SECONDARY SYSTEM.

UH, THE STREET SEGMENT REQUESTED TO BE ACCEPTED IS TOOK A HOE CREEK PARKWAY STATE ROUTE SEVEN 40 FROM HOCKET ROAD, ROUTE SIX 23 TO TUCKAHOE CREEK, UH, COURT, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.

I REMEMBER SIX IS, UH, MR. SPOONER HAS, UM,

[6. 3928: Consideration of a Resolution approving an amendment to the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission (RRPDC)/PlanRVA Charter Agreement]

UM, COMMENTED ON THIS, HIS CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE RICHMOND, REGIONAL PLANNING DISTRICT AND PLAN RBA CHARTER AGREEMENT.

UH, THE AGREEMENT THERE ARE CHANGES OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THE AGREEMENT ARE AS FOLLOWS FOR LOCALITIES WHOSE GOVERNING BODIES ARE ENTITLED TO MORE THAN ONE VOTE.

IT ALLOWS THE GOVERNING BODY AND MEMBERS TO REPRESENT MORE THAN ONE VOTE AT THE OPTION OF THE LOCALITY.

UH, THE SECOND THING IT DOES IS ALLOWS ANOTHER MEMBER OF A LOCALITY'S GOVERNING BODY TO SERVE AS AN ALTERNATE MEMBER.

IF, UH, IF THE APPOINTING BODY MEMBER IS UNABLE TO BE PRESENT THIRD, IT, EACH LOCALITY DETERMINE THE TERMS OF OFFICE, UH, FOR ITS APPOINTEES AND FORTH.

UH, IT PERMITS PLAN RVAS OFFICES TO BE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE CITY OF RICHMOND, AS LONG AS, UH, THEY ARE LOCATED IN A CENTRAL LOCATION IN THE REGION.

UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AT A NUMBER SEVEN IS A PROVEN OF, UH, APPROVAL OF A SECOND AMENDMENT

[7. 3948: Approval of Second Amendment of the Goochland Powhatan Community Services FY2019 & FY2020 Performance Contract with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services]

OF THE GOOCHLAND PALLETS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, FYE 2019 AND FYI 2020 PERFORMANCE CONTRACT WITH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

UH, THE BORDER'S REQUEST TO APPROVE, UM, THE AMENDMENT.

UH, THIS AMENDMENT IS EXTENDING THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT FOR DECEMBER 31ST, 2020 TO JUNE 30TH, 2021, ALL OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE AMENDED FYI 2019 AND PERFORMANCE CONTRACT AS APPROVED ON AUGUST 4TH, 2020 WILL REMAIN IN FULL EFFECT AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.

ITEM.

NUMBER EIGHT IS AUTHORIZATION OF THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY

[8. 3951: Authorization for Chair of the Board to execute an amendment to County Attorney Employment Agreement]

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.

THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IS EMPLOYED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PURSUANT TO AN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT DATED JANUARY 3RD, 2017, DUE TO A CHANGE IN MARKET VALUE OF THE POSITION, THE PARTIES NOW MUTUALLY WISH TO AMEND.

ONE OF THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT AT A NUMBER NINE IS A REQUEST TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR MAY 4TH, 2020

[9. 3947: Request to Set Public Hearing for May 4, 2020, to consider an ordinance amending Goochland County Code Section 14-251 to add Tax Map No.47-1-0-93-A into the Tuckahoe Creek Service District]

TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING GOODSON COUNTY CODE SECTION 14 DASH TWO 51 TO ADD TAX MAP NUMBER 47 DASH ONE DASH ZERO DASH 93, A INTO THE TUCKAHOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT.

UH, THIS PUBLIC HEARING WITH WOULD BE 12 LAO 0.506 ACRES OF A PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF MATTHEWS LANE AND ROCKVILLE ROAD INTERSECTION IN THE CENTER OF OVID'S VILLAGE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE TUCKAHOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT IN ORDER TO OBTAIN PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER ITEM.

NUMBER 10 IS A REQUEST TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR MAY 4TH, 2021

[10. 3942: Request to Set Public Hearing for May 4, 2021, to consider an ordinance amending Goochland County Code Sections 2-64 (Description of precincts) and 2-65 (Polling places) to update the Central absentee voting precinct to include the Registrar's office; change the Hadensville precinct polling place to Goochland Fire-Rescue Station 6; and rename the Blair Road precinct to Blair precinct and change its polling place to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church]

TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING GOOCHLAND COUNTY CODE SECTIONS, TWO DESKS, SIX, FOUR, AND TWO DESK 65, UH, TO UPDATE THE CENTRAL ABSENTEE VOTING PRECINCT TO INCLUDE THE REGISTER'S OFFICE CHANGED THE HAYNESVILLE PRECINCT POLLING PLACE TO GOOCHLAND FIRE RESCUE STATION SIX, AND RENAME THE BLAIR ROAD PRECINCT TO BLAIR PRECINCT AND CHANGES POLLING PLACE TO ST.

MARY'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH STAFF ALSO RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AS ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY FOR YOUR CONSENT.

THANK YOU, MR. YOUNG, THAT BEING SAID, THERE IS ANOTHER ITEM THAT'S BEEN ADDED.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING CONFUSED

[01:05:01]

WHEN HE SAID 10.

I THOUGHT MAYBE I MADE A MISTAKE BECAUSE DIDN'T ONE OF THE ONES EARLIER, ONCE YOU GET TO NUMBER 11, GET TAKEN OFF, AND THEN WE ADDED NEW NUMBER 11.

SO THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T, IT WAS NOT AN EARLIER ONE.

IT WAS THE, THAT WAS THE RIGHT OF WAY.

THAT WAS EASY, THAT THERE WAS A STRONG, SO WE DO HAVE, I WAS RIGHT ORIGINALLY.

SO 11.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND I APOLOGIZE, BOARD IS, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO, I FORGOT TO ASK A SECOND TIME.

I'VE DONE THAT.

FORGOT TO ASK AT THE BEGINNING.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU ALL WANT PULLED FROM THE CAR AND Y'ALL, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW YOU WOULD SCREAM AT ME ANYWAY.

GRANTING A TAX EXEMPTION FOR THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES OF A DISABLED VETERAN.

OKAY, GOOD, GOOD.

SO WE DON'T NEED TO PULL ANYTHING.

SO LET'S GO THROUGH THESE AND WE NEED TO GO OVER NUMBER 11, MS. MCGEE, DO YOU WANT, UH, I'D BE HAPPY TO, UM, BOARD MEMBERS.

THERE WAS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PASSED BY THE VOTERS OF VIRGINIA IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR,

[11. 3958: Request to Set Public Hearing for April 20, 2021, to consider a Right-of-Way Agreement with Virginia Electric and Power Company, doing business as Dominion Energy Virginia, for an approximately 1,500 square foot easement on a portion of Tax Map No. 42-1-0-58-D, at 3075 River Road West]

WHO'S A HUNDRED PERCENT DISABLED THAT WAS PASSED BY THE VOTERS, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, UM, IN MARCH LAST MONTH, PUT IN PLACE A STATUTORY FRAMEWORK FOR THAT EXEMPTION AND IN THEIR INFINITE WISDOM, THEY MADE IT, UH, EFFECTIVE AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 2021.

TYPICALLY GOOCHLAND COUNTY HAS PROVIDED A, UH, CUT RATE, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX FOR DISABLED VETERANS, GIVING THEM A CREDIT OF HALF THE COST OF THE NORMAL TAX.

OUR VETERANS WILL BE BENEFITED BY THIS NEW STATE LAW THAT ALLOWS THEM, THEY FULL EXEMPTION, BUT WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU AMEND YOUR COUNTY ORDINANCE TO REMOVE THE OLD CLASSIFICATION AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WILL BE A FULL TAX EXEMPTION FOR THE DISABLED VETERANS MOTOR VEHICLE.

AND THEN AS MS. HORLOCKER, WE'LL GO THROUGH WITH YOU THIS, UH, THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING, UM, YOU WILL, IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED THAT YOU ADOPT THE HALF TAX RATE FOR THIS CATEGORY BECAUSE INSTEAD THE EXEMPTION WILL BE FOR FULL, FOR ONE VEHICLE.

WE HAD TO PUT IT ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY BECAUSE THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES ARE MAILED OUT IN MAY.

AND SO ALL WE'VE PUT ON YOUR AGENDA FOR TODAY IS THE REQUEST TO SET.

AND THE FULL ORDINANCE AS REVISED IS BEFORE YOU TODAY AND WILL BE BEFORE YOU AND THE PUBLIC FOR A MONTH BECAUSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON CHANGING OUR ORDINANCE IS MAY 4TH.

SO ALL WE ADDED TODAY WAS JUST TO NOTIFY EVERYBODY ABOUT THE NEED TO CHANGE OUR ORDINANCE.

AND AGAIN, IT'S BECAUSE OF A BENEFIT TO OUR VETERANS THAT THEY'LL HAVE A FULL EXEMPTION FOR A VEHICLE.

THANK YOU, MR. MCGEE.

SO IMPORTANT PIECE TO NOTE IS IT IS JUST A REQUEST TO SET.

UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES WITH IT.

WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT WHEN IT COMES UP.

UM, AND I BELIEVE MR. YOUNG, IF YOU KNOW, IS IT, IS IT A $7,000? REMEMBER THE REDUCED TAX RATE IS WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT $7,736 IMPACT WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE REFERENDUM.

UM, MS. LASKO, YOU HAD A QUESTION.

I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT.

IF THERE, YEAH.

LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOTION THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT AFTERWARDS.

UM, GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU, MS. CHAIRMAN.

SO I MOVED THAT, UM, THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH 11 TO INCLUDE THE NEW ITEM 11 ENTITLED REQUEST TO SET PUBLIC HEARING FOR MAY 4TH, 2021 TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING GOOCHLAND CODE 13 DASH 10 DOT 11, WHICH IS THE CLASSIFICATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES OWNED AND REGULARLY USED BY DISABLED VETERANS TO REFER TO PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR DISABLED VETERANS.

THANK YOU MISS.

LAST QUICK, SECOND, SECOND, MR. SHARP.

Y'ALL GOOD TO KEEP GOING.

THANK YOU BOTH.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH HERE.

[XII. New Business]

OR DOES ANYBODY WANT TO TAKE A BREAK BEFORE WE GET INTO NEW BUSINESS? WE'LL KEEP GOING.

UM, MR. YOUNG, I'M NOT SURE WHO'S GOING TO LEAD TO OUR FIRST ITEM IN NEW BUSINESS, SO I'LL I'LL OKAY.

MR. DRUMRIGHT, RIGHT.

GOING TO DO THE INTRODUCTION.

UH, THIS YEAR BROADBAND IS ONE OF THE KEY TOPICS FOR THE COUNTY.

UM, NEW BUSINESS ITEM, ONE 39 64 PRESENTATION, FIREFLY FIBER BROADBAND ON REGIONAL PROJECT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT AN MOU AS WELL, RIGHT? YES, SIR.

UH, UH, AS THE, UH, BOARD HAS STATED MANY TIMES BROADBAND IS A, UH, PAUL FROM RIGHT, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, AFFAIRS MANAGER, UM, AND HERE TO TALK ABOUT BROADBAND AS THE BOARD HAS STATED,

[01:10:01]

SO WE ACTUALLY

[1. 3964: Presentation by Firefly Fiber Broadband on a Regional Project & Plans for Goochland and Authorization for County Administrator to execute a Memorandum of Understanding]

HAVE FOR YOUR INFORMATION TODAY, A PRESENTATION FROM A COUPLE OF OUR PARTNERS ABOUT A, A REGIONAL PROJECT, AS WELL AS IN TO, UH, TALK ABOUT A MOU THAT THE BOARD WILL BE ASKED TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE.

UM, WITH US, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM CENTRAL VIRGINIA ELECTRIC CO-OP FIREFLY, FIBER BROADBAND, DOMINION, ENERGY, AND RAPPAHANNOCK, UH, ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE.

UH, SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UH, GARY WOOD TO COME UP FIRST AND SPEAKING HE'LL HAVE HIS OTHER PARTNERS WITH HIM, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE FROM DOMINION ED DIGS AND SARAH MARSHALL.

UH, WE HAVE FROM RAPPAHANNOCK ELECTRIC, JOHN HALEIWA AND MARK PONTON, AND AS WELL AS JOINING, UH, GARY IS, UH, GALEN CREEK MORE FROM, UH, UH, SEEBECK.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

WELCOME MR. WOOD ONE OR TWO.

OH MY GOODNESS.

THIS IS BETTER THAN CRAYONS.

I'M GARY WOOD.

I'M THE CEO AT CENTRAL VIRGINIA ELECTRIC CO-OP AND A FIREFLY FIBER BROADBAND IN A NON COVID WORLD.

I WOULD HAVE MY PARTNER STAND UP NEXT TO ME, BUT WE'LL TRY TO ROTATE THROUGH PRETTY QUICKLY.

WE UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A LOT ON THE AGENDA AND I'LL TRY TO GET THEM MOVING UP.

AS I WRAP UP, WE WANT TO, UH, GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON A COUPLE OF THINGS, AND THEN TALK ABOUT OUR MOU IN THE MOU IS FOR A REGIONAL PROJECT AND WE'LL TOUCH ON, ON HOW THAT'LL WORK.

I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY HAD SOME BACKGROUND ON IT.

SO I'M GARY WOOD.

UM, WE HAVE OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM, UH, THINK ONLINE, DENNIS REESE, OUR GENERAL MANAGER AND MELISSA GAYE.

WHO'S OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND MEMBER SERVICES MANAGER.

WE HAD TO LEAVE SOMEBODY BACK AT WORK TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK CAUSE WE BUSY AND GALEN WHO HAD NOTHING TO DO CAME WITH ME, NOT QUITE, UM, IN GOODSON COUNTY, THERE ARE THREE ELECTRIC PROVIDERS.

UH, THIS MAP GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN INDICATION OF WHERE THE, UH, THE SERVICE AREAS OF THOSE ARE W THIS GROUP HAS COME TOGETHER REALLY IN A HISTORIC, UH, PARTNERSHIP.

WE THINK IF YOU, IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET YOUR ELECTRICITY, WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET YOU CONNECTED TO GOOD BROADBAND.

SO CBC IS IN THE BLUE, UH, RAPPAHANNOCK IS IN THE GREEN, AND THEN DOMINION IS IN THE RED, UH, RAPPAHANNOCK AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA BOTH HAVE ABOUT 800 ACCOUNTS IN THE COUNTY.

AND I THINK DOMINION PROBABLY HAS SOMETHING OVER 11,000 ACCOUNTS.

SO THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE BIGGEST PART OF THE TERRITORY.

CVC IS ALREADY BUILDING FIBER IN, IN GOOCHLAND, WE'RE DOWN, UH, COMING OUT OF OUR CARTERSVILLE SUBSTATION.

WE'RE WAITING TO COMPLETE A RIVER CROSSING DOWN THERE SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY START CONNECTING PEOPLE.

UH, WE HAVE THAT FIBER IS CONNECTED OVER ON THE CARTERSVILLE SIDE AND SOON WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE CONNECTED IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH GOOCHLAND BEFORE WITH, UM, UH, THE RECONNECT, UH, APPLICATION THAT WE RECEIVED IN THE FIRST ROUND.

AND THEN WITH THE SECOND APPLICATION, WE'RE STILL AWAITING WORD ON, AND I'M JUST RUNNING OUT OF HOPE BECAUSE IT HAS TAKEN FOREVER AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD SIGN.

UM, BUT THIS PROJECT TODAY WE'LL HANDLE AS A BACKFILL.

IT WOULD COVER EVERY UNSERVED AREA, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE GET THE RECONNECT GRANT.

SO WE ANNOUNCED A RECENT PARTNERSHIP WITH DOMINION ENERGY AND RAPPAHANNOCK ELECTRIC.

CO-OP THE INTENT OF THE PARTNERSHIP IN THE COUNTIES THAT SIGNED ONTO THE MOU IS TO ASSURE THAT WE WILL PROVIDE SERVICE TO EVERY UNSERVED LOCATION THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY IN THE COUNTY.

SO UNIVERSAL SERVICE, ALL THE UNSERVED AREAS, UNSERVED IS WHAT IS DEFINED THROUGH THE BODY, UM, UH, GUIDELINES RIGHT NOW, WHICH I THINK IS 25, THREE 25 MEGABIT DOWNLOAD, AND THREE MEGABIT UPLOAD.

ANYONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THAT IS UNSERVED, AND WE CAN SERVE THEM.

THERE ARE SOME RESTRICTIONS OTHERWISE IN WHAT WE CAN USE THE DOMINION PROGRAM FOR.

AND, UH, THE, UH, THEY CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

UH, PLUS WE WANT TO APPLY FOR BODY GRANTS.

SO WE WANT TO STAY WITHIN THEIR, THEIR GUIDELINES.

THIS WILL BE FIBER OPTIC, CONNECTED GIGABIT SPEED SERVICE.

WE BELIEVE THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO BUILD BROADBAND BECAUSE THEN YOU BUILD IT ONCE IT'S BUILT, RIGHT? YOU CAN UPGRADE THE ELECTRONICS THIN, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK AND CHANGE OTHERS.

THANKS.

UM, HERE'S, UH, JUST THE GENERAL AREA THAT, UM, CVC IS IN AND THEN DOMINION AND RAPPAHANNOCK.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A REGIONAL PROJECT BECAUSE

[01:15:01]

OF A COUPLE THINGS.

ONE, YOU GET, UH, SOME EFFICIENCY GAINS IN COST IN CONSTRUCTION.

SECONDLY, IN RECENT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE UPCOMING VIRGINIA TELECOMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVE, WHICH IS BODY, WHICH I SHORTENED EARLIER, THE GUIDELINES FOR THAT THIS YEAR ARE GOING TO EMPHASIZE REGIONAL PROJECTS AND UNIVERSAL PROJECTS.

THOSE TWO THINGS FIT TOGETHER FOR US.

IT GIVES US MORE POINTS, MORE LIKELY TO GET FUNDED.

UH, THEY LIKED THAT HERE.

YOU'RE GOING TO GO IN AND FINISH A WHOLE AREA AT ONE TIME.

SO WE'LL, WE'LL TOUCH PARTS OF, OF SEVERAL COUNTIES WITH THIS.

UM, THERE ARE THREE PHASES TO THE PROJECT.

ONE IS SIGNING THE MOU.

IF YOU KNEW THAT TODAY WE'RE FINISHED PHASE ONE, I WISH THE OTHER TWO WOULD MOVE SO QUICK.

UH, PHASE TWO IS, UH, IS WHEN FIREFLY GOES TO WORK ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS, WE WILL BE DOING WORK THIS SUMMER TO IDENTIFY THOSE UNSERVED AREAS.

WE THINK WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD HANDLE.

I'M THINKING THERE'S PROBABLY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN, UM, MAYBE 3030 500 UNSERVED AREAS IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

WE KNOW THE AREAS THAT THE FCC HAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED, BUT WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND WE'LL BE ALSO MAKING CONTACT WITH THE CITIZENS TO ASK IF YOU'RE UNSERVED, LET US KNOW.

UM, WE'LL DO THAT.

WE'LL COME UP WITH A PRELIMINARY, FINAL DESIGN, A GOOD BUDGET.

WE WILL BE USING THAT IN THE NEXT, UH, PHASE WHEN DOMINION HAS TO GET THEIR APPROVAL FROM THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION, AND ALSO TO GO TO BODY FOR, UH, A FUNDING REQUEST FROM THEM TO HELP OFFSET A FEW OF THE COSTS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE PROJECT FEASIBLE.

WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND SHOW YOU WHAT, UH, THOSE COSTS ARE.

THERE MAY BE A REQUEST FOR THE COUNTY TO ALSO PARTICIPATE AT SOME LEVEL IN THAT BECAUSE BODY ALSO AWARDS POINTS FROM LOCALITIES, PARTICIPATING IN THE FUNDING.

UM, WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL BE BACK WITH THAT, UH, LATE SUMMER, THE NEXT BODY APPLICATION ROUND CLOSES IN SEPTEMBER.

SO IF WE'RE GOING TO HIT THAT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET TO YOU BEFORE THAT.

AND THEN, UH, DOMINION WILL BE FILING WITH, UH, THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL FOR THEIR PART OF THE PROGRAM AND WORK WE'LL START ON THE EASEMENTS AND MAKE READY DESIGN.

THE REAL CONSTRUCTION WILL TAKE PLACE STARTING NEXT YEAR AND GOING INTO THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

SO THAT'S A REAL QUICK HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW.

UM, WE HAVE OUR PARTNERS COME UP AND THEN WE'LL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS AT THE END, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

AND I'LL ASK IT TO COME UP AND GIVE DOMINION'S VIEW.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, UH, I THINK JOHN, WHO WAS GOING TO BE THE FIRST SPEAKER FOR, OKAY, THANKS.

READY IN THE MIDDLE MILE CONSTRUCTION ITSELF, WE'LL HANDLE THAT 100%, WHICH WILL ALLOW OUR ISP PARTNER TO FOCUS ON WHAT THEY DO BEST IS BUILDING THAT LAST MILE AND SERVING THE CUSTOMER.

WE CAN TAKE THIS OFF.

CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME OKAY? YES.

SO GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS ED DIGS.

I'M THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR BROADBAND, FOR DUMMY, WITH DOMINION ENERGY AND, UH, EXCITED TODAY ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER, OF COURSE, WITH FIREFLY AND REC, BUT ALSO WITH THE COUNTY OF GOOCHLAND.

IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE START? I MEAN, THINK ABOUT ALL THE BARRIERS, IF YOU THINK ABOUT TODAY, HOW YOU CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.

I MEAN, IT'S VERY COSTLY.

UM, YOU HAVE RIGHT AWAY ISSUES.

THERE'S THINK ABOUT THE DEPLOYMENT.

GARY TALKED ABOUT IT.

I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A VERY LENGTHY PROCESS WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT TAKING FIBER TO THE HOME.

UM, AND THEN THERE'S FINANCIAL CHALLENGES.

IF, IF THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT WERE SUCH THAT THESE PROJECTS COULD HAVE BEEN BUILT LONG AGO, HAD ALREADY BEEN SOLVED, RIGHT? WE WOULDN'T HAVE THESE, UH, SITUATIONS WE HAVE TODAY.

SO HOW DO WE REMOVE THE BARRIERS? WELL, IN VIRGINIA, WE ACTUALLY HAD ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWS INVESTOR OWNED UTILITIES LIKE DOMINION, UM, TO, TO ESSENTIALLY PARTNER WITH NON-GOVERNMENTAL INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS TO, TO TAKE OUR MIDDLE MILE FIBER OUT TO THESE UNSERVED AREAS.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRULY, REALLY, TRULY TARGETING AS THE UNSERVED AREAS THAT REMAINED IN VIRGINIA AND ACROSS OUR SERVICE TERRITORY.

AND THAT'LL HELP REMOVE SOME OF THESE BARRIERS.

AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, DOMINION IS ALREADY GOING TO BE BUILDING OUR TRUNK LINE.

SO ESSENTIALLY SUBSTATION TO SUBSTATION, WHICH YOU SEE UP THERE BY, UM, PARTNERING WITH, UH, WITH AN ISP LIKE FIREFLY, WE CAN ESSENTIALLY BUILD OUT FURTHER INTO OUR FOOTPRINT AND WE'RE GOING TO CALL THOSE LATERALS.

WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO IS ENABLE OUR PARTNERS, UM, TO FOCUS MORE ON THE LAST MILE, WHICH IS MUCH CLOSER TO THOSE UNSERVED AREAS.

YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THAT HELP, UM, JUST THINK ABOUT IT.

IF YOU'RE PARTNERING WITH THE, IF WE'RE PARTNERING WITH AN ISP AND ISP IS PARTNERING WITH US, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN TAG TEAM ON ACQUISITION OF EASEMENTS, PERMITTING, INFRASTRUCTURE, CONSTRUCTION, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVING PARTNERSHIPS WITH JURISDICTIONS, UM, REGULATORY ENGAGEMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF HURDLES TO PASS WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT PERMITTING AND THOSE SORT OF THINGS.

UM, AND THEN THERE'S THE MAKE

[01:20:01]

UM, BUT I COULD GO BACK, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT HELPS SHORTEN DURATION, HELPS LOWER COSTS.

UM, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE PROJECT CYCLE, YOU KNOW, GARY ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IT, WE'VE ALREADY FORMED, UM, A PARTNERSHIP.

IF YOU WILL, WITH AN, WITH BETWEEN DOMINION AND FIREFLY AS OUR ISP PARTNER, WE'RE CONCEPTUALIZING, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH SOME OF THAT RIGHT NOW TO FIGURE OUT, HEY, IS THIS GOING TO BE A WORTHWHILE PROJECT? SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WITH TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE ROUTES, SOME OF THE JURISDICTIONS, IT LOOKS VERY GOOD.

SO WHAT DO WE NEED NOW? SO NOW WE'RE IN THE COMMIT PHASE AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING HERE TODAY IS REALLY A COMMITMENT.

IT'S A, YOU KNOW, FORMALIZE OUR PARTNERSHIP, UH, WITH THE JURISDICTION OF GOOCHLAND.

UM, THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH A PERIOD OF ASSESSMENT AND DESIGN WORK.

UM, AS WE PUT TOGETHER OUR, OUR FILING PACKAGE FOR THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSIONS CONSIDERATION, UM, AND THEN WE'LL IN PARALLEL BE WORKING ON DESIGN.

WE'LL BE WORKING ON THE EASEMENT ACQUISITION AS WE PREPARE FOR OUR FILING WITH THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION, WHICH WE'LL FILE LATER THIS YEAR.

UM, HOPEFULLY WITH THE SEC.

AND IT TYPICALLY TAKES ABOUT SIX MONTHS FOR THEIR APPROVAL, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO GET STARTED ON A LOT OF WORK UPFRONT THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE, WHICH IS DESIGN OR SCOPING DESIGNING.

AND THEN OF COURSE, SO SECURING EASEMENTS WILL NEED A SUPPLEMENTAL COMMUNICATION EASEMENTS.

AND THEN OF COURSE WE'LL GET TO THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE LATER IN THE PROJECT.

UM, SO I, THAT WAS QUICK, BUT I WAS TRYING TO KEEP IT SHORT.

WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THE END.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ADMINISTRATOR YOUNG, UH, THOSE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY AND THOSE VIEWING ONLINE, I'M JOHN HALO, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF RAPPAHANNOCK ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE.

AND FIRST, LET ME JUST, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE AND SAY HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

WE KNOW THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES AND ALSO MANY CHALLENGES, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL DO IN SERVING.

LET ME ALSO SAY WE'RE DELIGHTED.

RAPPAHANNOCK IS DELIGHTED TO BE A PART OF TODAY'S DISCUSSION AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH A FIREFLY AND DOMINION.

AND THE, MY COMMENTS TODAY ARE ON BEHALF OF OUR CO-OP OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

AND OF COURSE ARE A STRONG TEAM OF EMPLOYEES JUST VERY QUICKLY.

UM, REC'S KIND OF FOOTPRINT AND ROLE IN THIS PROJECT.

YOU SAW THE, UH, PROVIDED EARLIER, UH, THE CO-OP TODAY PROVIDES SERVICE IN PORTIONS OF 22 COUNTIES AND ABOUT 170,000 TOTAL ACCOUNTS THAT WE SERVE JUST OVER 800 OF THOSE ARE HERE IN GOOCHLAND, UH, WITH ABOUT 84 MILES OF DISTRIBUTION ALIGN, UH, THAT WE SERVE HERE.

IF WE LOOK AT OUR SERVICE TERRITORY IN TOTALITY, THE FCCS MAPS IDENTIFY THAT WE HAVE ABOUT 46,000 A LITTLE MORE THAN 46,000 LOCATIONS, UH, ACROSS OUR TERRITORY THAT ARE UNDERSERVED.

SOME OF THOSE OF COURSE ARE HERE IN GOOCHLAND.

AND, UH, QUITE HONESTLY WE BELIEVE THAT NUMBER IS PROBABLY HIGHER, UM, GIVEN THE FCCS, UH, UH, PROCESS OF COUNTING THOSE FROM OUR CO-OP MEMBERSHIP PERSPECTIVE.

UM, AND JUST THE DRIVERS FOR US AS A CO-OP, UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF AREAS.

NUMBER ONE, I'VE NOTED ARE UNDERSERVED TERRITORY.

I THINK EVERYONE HERE IS, IS AWARE OF THAT NEED AS WELL.

UM, WE'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO OUR MEMBERSHIP, INCLUDING DIRECT ENGAGEMENT AND OUR MEMBERS, BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESS HAVE STRONGLY SUPPORTED REC'S ROLE IN FACILITATING BROADBAND.

WE ARE KEENLY INTERESTED IN THE FUTURE FOR GRID MODERNIZATION AND OPTIMIZING ALL THAT WE DO IN TERMS OF RELIABILITY AND ENERGY SERVICES.

AND THEN CERTAINLY LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS THE ROLE AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

UH, ADMINISTRATOR YOUNG HAD MENTIONED, UH, SOME OF THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF THE COUNTY WITH SMALL BUSINESSES AND OTHERS.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE A STRONG PARTNER IN THAT THAT WE'RE TAKING STEPS TO HELP FURTHER, UH, YOUR EFFORTS AND TO BRING PROSPERITY TO THE COMMUNITIES, UH, A RECENT STUDY BY THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, PUT, UH, THE, UH, CAPABILITIES AND THE CAPACITY FOR THE COMMONWEALTH HERE, UH, INTO NUMBERS IN TERMS OF THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND UNLOCKING THAT POTENTIAL.

AND IT'S, UH, THOUSANDS OF JOBS, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS IN ANNUAL WAGES AND BILLIONS IN TERMS OF ANNUAL VALUE AND SALES.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I INTRODUCED TODAY AND HE'S SEATED, UH, IN THE, UH, TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE AUDIENCE HERE.

BUT MARK PONTIN IS ONE OF OUR NEWER, UM, UH, LIAISONS IN THIS ROLE.

MARK IS, IS NO STRANGER TO RAPPAHANNOCK.

HE'S, HE'S BEEN WITH THE CO-OP FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

HE'S DEEPLY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT OUR SYSTEM, OUR OPERATIONS, OUR GRID, OUR SUBSTATIONS, AND MARK'S NEW ROLE, UH, AS PART OF OUR EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN WORKING WITH PARTNERS AND OTHERS IS THAT HE IS NOW OUR DIRECTOR OF BROADBAND AND FIBER SERVICES.

SO MARK WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE IN HELPING FACILITATE AND EXTEND THE SERVICES ON THE REC TERRITORY HERE IN GOOCHLAND.

NOW JUST QUICKLY.

AND AGAIN, WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER.

THE, TODAY IS ALL ABOUT COOPERATION.

UM, REC RAPPAHANNOCKS

[01:25:01]

ROLE WITH RESPECT TO THIS PROJECT WOULD BE, UH, WITH OUR SERVICE FOOTPRINT, WHICH AGAIN IS ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE COUNTY, BUT WITHIN THAT TERRITORY, UH, WE WOULD, UH, HANDLE THE SYSTEM, MAKE READY, EXPRESSLY, GETTING OUT AND GETTING IN FRONT OF THE PROJECT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE OUR POWER GRID READY TO ACCEPT THE FIBER CABLING, UH, IN AN EXPRESS FASHION.

AND THEN SECONDLY, WE WOULD OWN AND FINANCE THE NETWORK AND REC'S PORTION OF THE SERVICE TERRITORY.

SO THAT BRINGS SOME STRENGTH THAT BRINGS SOME ABILITY TO GET THE SYSTEM READY.

IT ALSO BRINGS SOME CAPITAL CAPACITY WITH US OWNING A PORTION OF THE PROJECT.

SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I COVERED THOSE.

AND I'M GOING TO TURN THIS BACK TO, UH, GARY AND MR. WOOD.

AND WE'LL BE READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

SO WE'VE HAD A REALLY ABBREVIATED PRESENTATION.

UM, WE ARE GOING TO ASK THAT YOU SIGN THE MOU AND, UH, JUST REAL QUICKLY, AGAIN, IF YOU SIGNED THE MOU, WHAT IT'S DOING IS COMMITTING YOU TO WORKING WITH THIS PARTNERSHIP.

WE WILL BE DOING THE STUDY AND BRINGING IT BACK TO YOU.

YOU WILL MAKE A DECISION AT THAT POINT, WHETHER TO, UH, COMMIT TO ANY MONEY, AS FAR AS THE CONSTRUCTION, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THOSE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE.

I WILL TELL YOU HOW WE'LL DEVELOP THOSE NUMBERS.

WE KNOW HOW MUCH OUR RATES WILL SUPPORT PER ACCOUNT.

UM, AND WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT THE TAKE RATE WILL BE.

AND IF YOU ASSUME ABOUT 10 ACCOUNTS PER MILE, WHICH IS TYPICAL IN OUR RURAL AREA, AND ACTUALLY SIMILAR TO WHAT, UH, JOHN HEWITT JUST SHOWED IN RAPPAHANNOCKS TERRITORY, UM, AT ABOUT 10 CUSTOMERS PER MILE, AND OUR RATES, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP LOW 49, NINE NINE FOR THE INTRODUCTORY LEVEL.

WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT OUR AVERAGE USE IS, WE CAN, UH, COMMIT ABOUT $25 A MONTH PER ACCOUNT TO PAY FOR CAPITAL COSTS.

UM, I'M LETTING YOU HAVE ALL THE SECRETS HERE.

IF YOU RUN THAT THROUGH THE NUMBERS AND YOU ASSUME SIX OUT OF 10 PEOPLE SIGN UP, UH, THEN THAT GIVES YOU ABOUT $30,000 A MILE.

WE CAN SUPPORT AN INVESTMENT WHEN WE COME BACK AND SHOW YOU WHAT THE TOTAL COST IS, ANYTHING OVER 30,000 FOR, WE HAVE TO GET SOME GRANT FUNDING TO BUY IT BACK DOWN TO 30,000.

AND AT THAT POINT WE HAD EVEN, UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'LL SHOW YOU AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, IS WHAT WE NEED TO GET TO THAT, UM, THAT POINT SO THAT WE CAN, UH, FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE PROJECT TAKEN OFF.

UM, TODAY WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TO, UH, COMMIT TO SIGNING THE MOU, WHICH COMMITS YOU TO WORK WITH US WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS STUDY.

AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE ABOUT GOING FORWARD WITH THE, UH, ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION WE WILL ASK DURING THE SUMMER THAT YOU HELP US ALSO TO IDENTIFY THOSE UNSERVED AREAS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND WE'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE TODAY.

YEAH, WE PROBABLY HAVE A FEW, BUT THANK YOU.

LET'S START AT THIS END, MR. SPOON HOUR.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

IT REALLY MEANS A LOT, AND I'M RELATIVELY NEW TO THIS ROLE, BUT, UM, I'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT GREAT THINGS ABOUT ALL OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE IS, UM, I ACTUALLY HAVE TO, UH, IN READING THROUGH THE MATERIALS, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF COUNTIES INVOLVED IN THIS AND A LOT OF BOARDS AND A LOT OF BOARDS HAVE MADE COMMITMENTS TO THEIR CITIZENS THAT SAID THAT'S BROADBAND AS A PRIORITY.

SO WHAT IS THE PRIORITIZATION OR DO YOU HAVE IDEA WHAT THE PRIORITIZATION OF HOW WE START LAYING THE FIBERGLASS AS FAR AS OUT? UM, AND, UH, I'LL, I'LL PUT IT ON THE SPOT HERE IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UM, WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT THE DOMINION AREA WILL BE BUILT IN A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT, WHETHER IT'S, UH, WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS FROM WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET FIBER STARTED.

SO TO THE MIC, COME ON, COME ON UP BECAUSE SINCE THIS IS BEING RECORDED YEAH.

Y'ALL CAN MAYBE SIT ON THE FRONT ROW AND YEAH.

UH, SCOPE DESIGN AND BUILD AT LEAST 600 MILES ANNUALLY.

WE WANT TO HEAR THAT STUFF.

PUT ME ON THE STAND, RIGHT? LISA, CAN YOU GET THEM THE BIBLE? OKAY.

SO WHAT, SO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY TAKING PROJECTS IN THE ORDER IN WHICH WE GET THAT WE GET AN MOU EXECUTED.

SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE WORKING WITH, UH, SEVERAL ESPS ACROSS, YOU KNOW, OUR SERVICE TERRITORY, OF COURSE, FIREFLY BEING ONE OF THEM.

AND, UH, AS WE GET THOSE MOU SIGNED, THEY'RE GOING IN OUR PRIORITY.

SO YOU THINK ABOUT IT FROM A PRIORITY PERSPECTIVE, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO BE SINGLE OR FOCUSED.

SO WE'RE PLANNING ON ENGAGING, UM, NUMEROUS CONTRACTORS AND VENDORS TO HELP US OUT.

SO WE MAY WORK IN DIFFERENT REGIONS AT THE SAME TIME, SO WE CAN START IN DIFFERENT AREAS AT THE SAME TIME WITH OUR DIFFERENT PARTNERS.

UM, BUT WE WILL, WE BUILD WHEELBASE STRATEGIC IN THE SENSE THAT WE WERE PROBABLY ONLY GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH BANDWIDTH PER YEAR, UM, IN OUR, IN OUR GOAL IS TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY,

[01:30:01]

THAT'S OUR GOAL.

UM, BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT REGIONAL PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN YOU CAN, YOU CAN GET TO THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, GET TO THAT NUMBER PRETTY QUICKLY.

AND THAT'S YOUR LATERAL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LATERAL COMPONENT IN YOUR DIAGRAM? NO, THAT WOULD INCLUDE ALL MAINLINE AND LATERAL.

SHE MADE, THINK I WANTED TO KIND OF EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT IS WE ARE, WE WILL BE IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING BOTH MAINLINE AND LATERAL BECAUSE IN MOST OF THESE AREAS, WE DON'T HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE TODAY.

JUST TO GIVE YOU A RELATIVE OF VIEW, UH, UH, PRELIMINARILY WITH ED, UH, HIS FOOTPRINT, UH, DOMINION'S FOOTPRINT.

AND, UH, I THINK WE WERE AROUND BY MY GUESTS 300 OR 350 MILES OF DOMINION CONSTRUCTION IN ALL 10 OF THOSE COUNTIES TOGETHER.

SO WHEN HE'S TALKING ABOUT 600 MILES ACROSS THE STATE, IF HE'S WORKING SEVERAL REGIONS, HE CAN STILL MAKE PRETTY GOOD PROGRESS.

SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO AT WORST FOR THE WHOLE PROJECT.

UM, IN TERMS OF WHERE WE START, WE, UH, AGAIN, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO IT, BUT, UM, PART OF IT WE'LL LOOK AT, UM, WHERE IT MAKES SENSE LOGISTICALLY.

UH, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE, WE, WE CAN'T START IN THE MIDDLE AND WORK OUT.

WE KIND OF NEED TO START NEXT TO FIVE OR SOMEWHERE AND WORK IN.

UM, SEVERAL OF THESE COUNTIES HAVE VERY SMALL AMOUNTS OF FIBER.

SO APA MADDIX AND BUCKINGHAM COUNTY APPOMATTOX MAY HAVE 10 MILES OF CONSTRUCTION.

SO THERE IT'S ONE OF 10 COUNTIES, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT ARE VERY SMALL, UH, ALBEMARLE IN GOOCHLAND AND LOUISA ARE THE LARGEST ONES.

UM, IN TERMS OF THE DOMINION FOOTPRINT, UH, I THINK GOOCHLAND IS LARGE AS ANYWHERE.

SO IT'S GOING TO GET FAIRLY EARLY ATTENTION.

HOW'S THAT FOR SOFT SHOE.

AND WITHOUT SAYING, I'LL BE YOUR PERSON.

AND THEN JUST FOLLOW QUESTION.

I'M NOT SURE WHO'S BEST TO HANDLE IT.

UM, YOU'D MENTIONED, UM, THAT W TWO, THE BIG PIECE OF THAT IS, IS ONCE WE GET THE, THE COST APPLYING FOR GRANT FUNDING, IS THAT THE ONLY FUNDING SOURCE THAT'S ABLE TO BE USED, OR IF WE'VE SAID WE'VE PUT ASIDE SO MUCH MONEY FOR BROADBAND, HERE'S A CHECK, YOU START LINING THIS UP THAT WE WILL ABSOLUTELY START.

IF YOU WRITE MONEY, WRITE US A CHECK, WE'LL GET STARTED.

UM, AND BY THE WAY, THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE TO SOME OF THAT BEING MATCHING FUNDING TO GO TO BETTY WITH.

BUT, UH, WE ARE NOT COMMITTED TO ONLY USING BATTY FUNDS.

I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A BIG, UH, FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE ISSUE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE, BUT IF THE FUNDS ARE THERE WOULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT IT USING THAT.

UM, I HAVE, UH, I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR MONEY FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND, AND, UH, I'M NOT SHY ABOUT TRYING TO FIND ANYWHERE WHERE THERE'S ACCESS.

UM, SO YES, CERTAINLY IF THE COUNTY HAS OTHER FUNDS, WE WOULD LOOK AT, UM, UH, OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER THAT'S AS PART OF THIS PROJECT OR TO GET STARTED.

UM, MAYBE IN SOME SMALLER AREAS, IT REALLY MAKES SENSE THOUGH, TO WORK THIS AS THE BIG PROJECT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THE EFFICIENCY AND GO THROUGH THE WHOLE AREA AND NOT JUST COME IN AND PICK UP A COUPLE OF STREETS AND THEN LEAVE BECAUSE THAT'S MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUILD.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, IS THAT ALL? YEAH.

UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW HAPPY I AM TO HEAR THIS, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR AWHILE, AND YOU'VE SAID YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR FUNDING FOR THIS, AND WE'VE BEEN PRETTY MUCH LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR AN INTERNET PROVIDER.

SO, UH, SO I THINK WE'VE MADE A MATCH HERE.

UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS THE OTHER COUNTIES.

UM, IF YOU HAVE OTHER COUNTIES THAT HAVE SIGNED THE MOU, THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AT THIS POINT ON THE ONE IN OUR PACKET, LOUISA HAS SIGNED.

I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF IT.

SO LOUISA, HIS SON AND OTHERS ARE CONSIDERING THIS MONTH, BUT I THINK YOU WOULD BE NUMBER TWO, NUMBER ONE IN OUR EYES.

WELL, I W I WANT TO THANK YOU.

AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR DOMINION IF YOU DON'T MIND.

UM, SO THE EASEMENTS, NOW THESE WOULD BE THE DOMINION EASEMENTS, RIGHT? SO YOU WOULD BE, UH, CONTRACTING ON THE EASEMENTS.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT WOULD BE YOUR, YOUR PORTION IN OUR SERVICE TERRITORY AND YOUR SERVICE TERRITORY, RIGHT? WE PLAN ON BUILDING.

YES, MA'AM.

THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD CHECK ON THAT.

AND ENFORCING IMMINENT DOMAIN.

DOWN HERE, MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU.

UM, JUST TO CLARIFY ON THAT DOMINION EASEMENTS, UH, WHEN YOU SAY SECURE EASEMENTS, UM, IS THERE ANY CONTEMPLATION OR ENVISIONING ANY FUTURE IN PHASE THREE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION WHERE EMINENT DOMAIN WOULD COME INTO PLAY AT ALL? SO WE CURRENTLY ARE NOT ENTERTAINING UTILIZING

[01:35:01]

UH, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH OUR, WITH OUR CUSTOMERS AND LANDOWNERS TO SECURE WHAT WE'RE CALLING A SUPPLEMENTAL COMMUNICATION EASEMENT BECAUSE 99.9% OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE'RE PLANNING ON BUILDING ON IS ALREADY IT EXISTS TODAY.

BUT WE, BUT WE FEEL AS THOUGH WE WOULD AT LEAST LIKE TO SECURE A SUPPLEMENTAL COMMUNICATION EASEMENT, WHICH PROVIDE ALL THE RIGHTS TO GO AHEAD AND TRANSPORT THIRD-PARTY DATA.

I MEAN, W WE COULD WITHOUT SECURING NEW EASEMENTS, UM, USE IT FOR INTERNAL COMMUNICATION PURPOSES SO THAT WE COULD, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, MANAGE OUR ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE TODAY, BUT WE ARE GOING AHEAD AND SECURING THE SUPPLEMENTAL COMMUNICATION EASEMENT SO THAT WE CAN AVOID ANY, ANY, UM, ANY MISNOMERS ABOUT HOW WE'RE UTILIZING THAT FILE.

SO, YEAH, FORGIVE ME IF I'M, UH, SO WHERE YOU HAVE AN EASEMENT TO BRING POWER TO THE HOMES, CORRECT.

THERE'S SUPPLEMENTAL EASEMENT WOULD BE TO SAY, WE, WE ALREADY HAVE AN EASEMENT TO GO TO THE HOME.

THIS WOULD BE A DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDED TO THE HOME.

IS THAT WHERE YOU'RE GOING THERE? SAY, JUST SAY, IT'S, IT'S ADDING ON ANOTHER BUNDLE OF RIGHTS.

IF YOU WILL, AS A BUNDLE OF RIGHTS, JUST TO SAY THAT WE WANT TO NOW MAKE SURE WE HAVE COMMUNICATION RIGHTS SO THAT WE CAN TRANSPORT THIRD PARTY DATA.

CAUSE YOU RUN THE RISK.

IF SOMEBODY SAYS, I DON'T WANT BROADBAND.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGED, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE'RE REALLY ASKING FOR JURISDICTIONAL SUPPORT FOR THESE PROJECTS, BECAUSE WE REALLY GOING TO LEAN ON, YOU KNOW, THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO REALLY GET THAT MESSAGE OUT THERE AND ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROGRAM.

SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

AND IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I'M JUST PLEASED THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT THIS QUICKLY, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON THESE CALLS, UM, SINCE LAST FALL, LAST SUMMER.

AND, UM, WE'RE IN A LETTER SUPPORTING THE BODY AGREEMENTS AND WHATNOT, AND I'M JUST, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT FIREFLY'S IN ON IT, BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HEAR IS THEY'VE STARTED A JOB AND THEY'RE WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

SO THEY WORK, THEY WORK EFFICIENTLY AND THEY GET THE JOB DONE.

THEY GET DONE WELL, AND THEIR PRICING MODEL IS BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE.

THAT'S OFFERING INTERNET SERVICE NOW.

AND IN OUR COUNTY, THAT'S A HUGE BENEFIT.

SO I JUST HOPE THIS WHOLE THING GOES THROUGH QUICKLY, EASILY.

AND, UM, I HOPE A FEW MORE GRANTS COME THROUGH THAT ARE WAITING.

MR. SHARP.

I LOOKED AT SOME MORE.

GO AHEAD, MS. LAST NIGHT, GO AHEAD.

WELL, FOLLOWING THE QUESTIONS, SIR, EVERYONE FOLLOWING QUESTION VERY QUICKLY.

YOU MENTIONED, UM, YOU'VE RUN ALL THE NUMBERS, THE PRICING MODELS AND WHATNOT, AND THE UPTAKE AND ALL OF THAT, UH, ARE THOSE PRICES OF THOSE FREE MARKET PRICES? WILL THIS ENTITY BE REGULATED IN TERMS OF ITS PRICING POWER? HOW WILL THAT WORK? UH, THE INTERNET IS NOT REGULATED, UM, BUT PEOPLE LIKE TO STAY CORPORATION COMMISSION.

IT IS MARKET-BASED, UH, OUR INTENT AT FIREFLY WHEN WE STARTED, UM, ONE OF OUR FIRST GOALS WAS TO HAVE AN ENTRY LEVEL PACKAGE THAT WAS UNDER $50.

WE THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO SERVE, UM, AND THAT'S NOT AN INTRODUCTORY PRICE.

WE, WE DON'T EVEN DO THE, WE DON'T HAVE A MARKETING DEPARTMENT.

IT'S IT'S 49, 99 FOR A HUNDRED MEGABITS SERVICE AND 79.99 FOR GIGABIT SERVICE.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

THAT'S WHAT IT IS TODAY.

THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

EVERY MODEL THAT WE RUN THAT GOES OUT FIVE YEARS OR 10 YEARS, THAT'S THE NUMBERS WE USE.

THERE IS NO PLAN.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WON'T INCREASE PRICES GO UP, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PLANNING.

SO SUPER THE REASON, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE REASON I ASKED THAT QUESTION IS THERE'S THIS RATE AND THE BUILD OUT COSTS AND ALL THESE THERE'S A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS IN THERE, RIGHT? THERE ARE.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BUILD OUT COSTS AND THINGS, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT ACTUAL MARKET RATES ARE AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING.

AND, UM, AND AS MORE FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE, THEN THE COSTS FOR THAT LABOR AND THINGS ARE GOING UP, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON TO GET IN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE AND GET THIS BUILT.

I KNOW, I KNOW WE'VE GOT PEOPLE UP HERE ANXIOUS TO MAKE A MOTION AND GET US ON, GET US ON BOARD.

I HAVE A PREDICTION OF HOW THE VOTE IS GOING TO GO, BUT, UM, BEFORE WE GET THERE, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOLLOWING UP ON MY COLLEAGUES, UM, IN THE MEMORANDUM MOU IS VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD AND CLEAR AND, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMITMENT ON OUR END.

THE LIMITING ASPECTS OF THIS PHASE ONE, UH, IN TERMS OF OUR OBLIGATIONS, OF COURSE, I THINK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU ALREADY HEARING ARE WERE, WERE

[01:40:01]

ANXIOUS.

LIKE WHAT, WHEN DO WE GET TO PHASE TWO? WHAT'S IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE? AND THAT SORT OF THING.

THE PIECE THAT I HAD WHEN I FIRST STARTED LOOKING AT THIS ABOUT THE PILOT STATUTE, WHICH I THINK IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY IS NOW BEEN MADE PERMANENT JOB.

THE LAST GENERAL ASSEMBLY MADE IT PERMANENT, THAT SAYS UNSERVED.

AND SO I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR SLIDES CAREFULLY, AND I THINK MOST OF YOU SPOKE TO UNSERVED.

I BELIEVE MAYBE IT WAS DOMINION SLIDE, OR MAYBE IT WAS RAPPAHANNOCK SLIDE THAT SAID YOU HAVE UNDERSERVED.

UM, I THINK THE QUESTION WE HAVE LOOKING FORWARD IS HOW DO THE UNDERSERVED AREAS FIT INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW? BECAUSE AT LEAST THIS ELEMENT IS UNSERVED.

IS THAT CORRECT? I'LL BE GLAD TO LET SMOTHERS GIVE THEIR IDEAS ON THIS TOO.

BUT, UM, UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED, UH, I JUST HAD THIS DISCUSSION IN ANOTHER COUNTY.

UM, THE CUTOFF FOR THE BODY APPLICATIONS IS 25, THREE.

SOMETIMES THAT'S CONSIDERED UNDERSERVED AND FOLKS UNDER 10 ARE UNSERVED.

UM, SUDDENLY THE, UH, IT'S KIND OF SEMANTICS.

SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS WHAT WILL QUALIFY IN THOSE GRANT PROGRAMS GOING FORWARD.

UM, AND THAT'S PARTICULARLY TRUE OF DOMINION BECAUSE THEIR LEGISLATION SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT'S WHERE THIS PROGRAM CAN BE USED.

UM, UH, I ANTICIPATE WITH RAPPAHANNOCK AND I'LL LET MR. HEWITT, UH, SPEAK TO IT, BUT THEY MAY LOOK AT IT LIKE CENTRAL VIRGINIA DOES, WHICH IS WHEN WE GO IN AN AREA WE BUILD OUT ENTIRE SUBSTATION.

WE DON'T JUST BUILD UNSERVED.

UM, THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING WITH DOMINION.

UM, THEN LOOKING THAT THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT LOOKING LONGTERM, WE WILL GO ANYWHERE.

WE BEING FIREFLY, WE'LL GO ANYWHERE THAT IT'S ECONOMICALLY VIABLE FOR US.

SO IF WE BUILD TO AN AREA IN AND WE'VE GOT A LOT TO DO TO GET UNSERVED AREAS COMPLETE AT THAT POINT, WE'LL LOOK AND SAY, DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO NOW EXTEND DOWN ANOTHER STREET? ARE THERE ENOUGH TAKERS AT OUR PRICE TO JUSTIFY THE, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT WE MAY NOT HAVE GRANT FUNDS TO HELP US.

SO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THE ECONOMICS WORK, BUT THAT'S, THAT MAY WORK BECAUSE MAYBE HIGHER DENSITY AREAS, THERE MAY BE OTHER THINGS THAT HELP DRIVE THAT VERSUS THESE UNSERVED AREAS.

BUT LET ME, LET MR. HEWITT TALK ABOUT WHEN YOU SAID YOUR 30,000 POINT, DOES YOUR BREAK BREAK THE 30 TO GET IT DOWN TO 30,000? I FIGURED THAT'S BASED ON PRESUMABLY YOUR PAST, UH, SUBSCRIPTION RATES, THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE SO FAR WITH THAT, ASSUMING ABOUT 60% OF, OF, UH, PEOPLE SIGN UP WHO IT'S AVAILABLE TO AND ABOUT 10 PER MILE, AND THAT GETS YOU TO THE 30,000.

THERE'S A LOT OF PIECES IN THOSE ASSUMPTIONS, AS YOU MENTIONED, BUT LET ME, LET MR. HEWITT TALK ABOUT THAT.

UH, THANK YOU.

AND I'LL, I'LL CERTAINLY, UM, UH, ECHO GARY'S COMMENTS WITH RESPECT TO THE TERMINOLOGY UNDERSERVED.

THAT'S REALLY THE FCCS TERMINOLOGY FOR, UM, HOW IT, HOW IT VIEWS THOSE CENSUS BLOCKS AND THOSE LOCATIONS LOCALITIES WITHIN IT.

UM, AND ONE EXAMPLE MIGHT BE LEGACY SATELLITE WHERE IT'S IT'S AVAILABLE, BUT IT'S OFTEN CONSIDERED TO BE, UM, UH, HIGH LATENCY AND LOWER THROUGHPUT.

SO THERE MIGHT BE A SERVICE AVAILABLE, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE USING THE TERMINOLOGY UNDERSERVED, BUT WITH RESPECT TO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FIREFLY, UH, OUR INTENT, FOR INSTANCE, IN LOUISA COUNTY IS TO, IS TO BUILD OUT THE ENTIRE ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION NETWORK WHERE REC'S FOOTPRINT IS.

AND, UM, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WOULD BE THE SAME PHILOSOPHY HERE IN GOOCHLAND THAT WE WOULD BUILD OUT, UM, ALL 80 PLUS MILES OF OUR DISTRIBUTION ELECTRIC DELIVERY SYSTEM AND OVERBUILD THAT, OR UNDERBILLED THAT IF YOU WILL, WITH, UH, UH, FIBER OPTICS, RIGHT? SO, SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE DOMINION, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE INSTALLATION OF DOMINION'S PIECES, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO GET IN, IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION IF WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE UNSERVED OFF OF DOMINION'S LINES IS CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WITH THIS PILOT STATUTE LIMITATION DEFER TO DOMINION FOR A MOMENT.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST WONDERING.

IT CAN, CAN WE, CAN WE TAP INTO THE UNSERVED AREAS, PARTNERING FOR US TO GET INTO AN AREA AS TO WE HAVE TO BUILD TO UNSERVED AREAS.

SO TO THE EXTENT WE CAN BUILD TO UNSERVED AREAS, WE'LL BUILD THAT MIDDLE MILE, WHICH IS A LOT CLOSER TO THE LAST MILE.

UM, AND TODAY'S STANDARD IS 25 THREE, BUT THE DHCD HERE IN VIRGINIA CAN ACTUALLY CHANGE THAT.

I MEAN, THEY CAN GO TO 50, 50 NEXT YEAR IF THEY WANTED TO.

AND THAT WOULD BE THE NEW CRITERIA IF YOU WILL, FOR BEING UNSERVED.

SO THAT CAN CHANGE.

AND I THINK THERE'S ALREADY DISCUSSIONS THAT THAT COULD POSSIBLY CHANGE.

SO I KIND OF GET IN ONCE, ONCE THE FIBER IS THERE, THEN I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO OPEN UP MORE OPPORTUNITIES DOWN THE LINE, OUR ISV PARTNERS.

INFRASTRUCTURE THERE, BUT SOME SOMETHING ABOUT, WELL, THE SPEEDS ARE THAT I DON'T THINK IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SPEED THING IS MAYBE ULTIMATELY NOT GOING TO BE AN OBSTACLE TO GETTING THE CORRECT.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LET

[01:45:01]

W WHAT WE CANNOT DO IS WE CANNOT COMMIT TO BUILDING EVERYWHERE IN GOOCHLAND UNDER THIS PROGRAM.

UH, SO WE, WE WILL BUILD TO THE UNSERVED AREAS AS THAT DEFINITION CHANGES.

WE'LL BE GLAD TO LOOK AT THAT WITH OUR PARTNERS AND IT WILL EXPAND AS IT EXPANDS.

UM, AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE FIBER IN AN UNSERVED AREA, IF THERE'S A AREA NEXT TO IT THAT HAS INTEREST, AND THAT IS ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, WE CAN USE THE SAME FIBER AND EXTEND OFF OF IT.

YOU CAN'T JUST AS LONG AS IT'S A DIFFERENT FUNDING MECHANISM AND A DIFFERENT, YEAH, I GOT IT.

BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? SO MS. LAST CALL THAT YOU HAD THEM.

UM, SO, UM, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO MOVE THAT THIS BOARD AUTHORIZED THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH DOMINION ENERGY, VIRGINIA FIREFLY, FIBER BROADBAND, AND RAPPAHANNOCK ELECTRIC CO-OP COOPERATIVE FOR A REGIONAL BROADBAND INITIATIVE.

VOTE, MR. YEAH, NO, SIR.

IF WE CAN DO, WE CAN DO IT.

NO DISCUSSION.

THAT'S THAT GOOD? I DID HAVE THAT PROMPTLY DISCUSSION.

ANY DISCUSSION? YES.

YEAH, NO, IT'S JUST GOING TO SAY WE CAN DO ROLL CALL IF YOU WANT PUBLIC.

TALK ABOUT THAT FIRST.

UM, HOW ABOUT, I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS, IS A ROLL CALL REQUIRED OR IS IT SOMETHING YES, ABSOLUTELY.

BUT I DID HAVE A QUESTION ON, UH, SINCE WE'RE DISCUSSING IT.

ONE MORE QUESTION.

THE LOUISA COUNTY ADDENDUM ABOUT PILOT PROJECTS IN TWO SUBSTATION AREAS.

UM, COULD YOU TELL US JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT PLEASE? UM, THEY ARE OFFERING $15 MILLION IN, UM, LOCAL GRANT FUNDS AND SOME OF THAT WILL BE SPENT WITH A STARTUP THIS YEAR IN A COUPLE OF AREAS, UH, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH RAPPAHANNOCK AND ACTUALLY STARTING PRIOR TO DOMINION, CAN'T START THEIR AREAS UNTIL THEY GET APPROVAL FROM THE SEC.

RAPPAHANNOCK DOES NOT HAVE THAT TIME RESTRICTION.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND AGAIN, THANKS, PAUL.

ALL THREE OF YOU.

AND, AND IN CASE I DON'T GET BACK UP HERE, MR. YOUNG, WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO GET THIS PROJECT COMPLETED.

SO THAT Y'ALL AREN'T NUMBER TWO ANYMORE.

NEXT TIME THEY DON'T LIKE BEING TOLD RIGHT THERE.

I LIKE TO HEAR THAT.

ALRIGHT.

A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE.

SUPERVISOR SPOON HOUR.

YOU NEED A PEN? CAN WE TAKE A BREAK FOR A LITTLE BIT TO SIGN IT? WE'LL TAKE A BREAK UNTIL LIKE A FEW MINUTES TO FOUR O'CLOCK.

[2. 3949: Presentation by The Olson Group on the New Emergency Operations Plan and Approval of Resolution to Adopt the 2021 Edition of the Goochland County Emergency Operations Plan]

[01:52:44]

HEY, HOW ARE YA? I'M LISA.

I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU QUICKLY.

THIS IS THE ARROW KEY TO GO FORWARD.

THIS IS THE ARROW KEY TO GO BACK.

AND THIS IS A LITTLE POINT OR IF YOU'RE GOOD.

OKAY, GOOD.

STILL HAVE A LOT TO COVER.

[01:58:40]

[02:02:51]

ARE WE BACK RECORDING? WE'RE GOOD.

SERVICES ARENA, INCLUDING THE, THE SHELTER AND MOU THAT WAS JUST COVERED.

GOOD ENOUGH FOR THERE.

IT ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT WAS ITEM ONE OF, SO JUST ONE DOWN TO WHAT? FIVE TO GO.

UM, ALRIGHT.

UH, CHIEF FERGUSON, WILL YOU LEAD US WITH THE NEW AND IMPORTANT EOP? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT ALSO, UH, HANDLES EMERGENCY SERVICES, UH, FOR THE, THE COUNTY.

AND, UH, THE WAY THAT WORKS IS, UM, MR. YOUNG, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS, THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, AS THE FIRE CHIEF, I'M THE COORDINATOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THEN MRS. ROBIN HILMAN, UH, ONE OF OUR LONGSTANDING VOLUNTEERS OF 40 YEARS IS OUR, UH, DEPUTY COUNTY, UH, COORDINATOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

UM, EVERY FOUR YEARS, UH, BY STATE CODE, UH, WE ARE REQUIRED TO UPDATE, UH, OR REWRITE OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.

UH, THE EOP IT'S COMMONLY REFERRED TO, UH, THIS PARTICULAR, UH, YEAR.

IT WAS LAST DONE IN 2017.

AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, THE, HAVING THE EOP AS A GUY TO LEAD US THROUGH THAT PROCESS WAS ABSOLUTELY INVALUABLE.

AND LOOKING AHEAD FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AND THE CURRENT SITUATIONS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, UH, CERTAINLY I BELIEVE, UH, WILL PROVE TO BE A, AN EXCELLENT DOCUMENT.

UH, THAT'LL HELP US BE PREPARED AND TO HANDLE THE EMERGENCY AND ALSO TO RECOVER FROM THE EMERGENCY.

I WOULD LIKE TO JUST PAUSE HERE AND RECOGNIZE, UH, DEPUTY EMERGENCY COORDINATOR, ROBIN HILMAN, UH, ROBIN IS A VOLUNTEER MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION.

UH, SHE STARTED AS AN EMT AT COMPANY THREE IN CENTERVILLE, UH, WITH, UH, EMS AND THE RESCUE.

AND OVER THE YEARS HAS ASSUMED A, THESE ROLES FOR THE PAST STUFF, PROBABLY THE CLOSEST PAST 20 YEARS OR SO AS THE, UH, THE DEPUTY COORDINATOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

UH, I'LL TELL YOU THAT ROBIN, UM, HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE AND HAS SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS, UH, AS OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY POINTED OUT JUST PREVIOUSLY, UH, ON THE EOP AS, AS WELL AS OTHER THINGS, UH, IN THE EMERGENCY

[02:05:01]

UH, ROBYN ALSO DOES EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, AND SHE HAS NATIONWIDE AND WORLDWIDE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK HER FOR A SERVICE TO THE COUNTY AND THE TIME THAT SHE HAS SPENT, UH, DOING THIS, UH, WITH US, FOR THE EOP, THE, THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.

UM, WHEN WE GOT STARTED THIS YEAR, WE TOOK A LOOK AT THAT AND WE TALKED TO SOME OF THE, UH, OUR, OUR PARTNERS IN THE REGION AND THE OLSEN GROUP CAME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, UH, AS AN EMERGENCY CONSULTING FIRM TO ASSIST US WITH THE REVISION OF THE EOP.

UH, WE LEARNED THAT THE OLSEN GROUP ALSO, UH, WORKS WITH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT VIA THEM.

AND BECAUSE WE HAD DECLARED A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE COOPERATIVE LANGUAGE AND THE VNM CONTRACT TO ALLOW THE OLSEN GROUP TO HELP US, UH, WITH, WITH THE EOP.

THE ALSTON GROUP HAS ALSO, UH, HELPED SEVERAL OF OUR NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS, UH, MANY ACROSS THE STATE, BUT SPECIFICALLY AND THE COUNTY OF HENRICO, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS, UH, JOBS THERE FOR THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, EMERGENCY START LOCAL AND THEY ALWAYS END LOCAL, UH, THERE'S A LOT IN BETWEEN, AND A LOT THAT THIS PLAN WILL HELP GUIDE US THROUGH, UH, SHOULD WE NEED IT FOR SOMETHING THAT WE HADN'T THOUGHT OF OR SOMETHING THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY PLANNED FOR, UM, OUT THAT EMERGENCIES ARE ALWAYS BEGIN LOCAL AND IN LOCAL, THE EOP TAKES INTO ACCOUNT WHERE WE RECALL THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH, BOTH, UH, GOVERNMENT PARTNERS AND ALSO PRIVATE PARTNERS, UH, WITH, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

THE EOP ACTUALLY ADDRESSES MORE THAN, THAN WHAT WE EVER BELIEVE.

WE'D HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH.

UH, THE, THIS EOP WOULD ACTUALLY ADDRESS, UH, PANDEMICS THAT WE ALL KNOW ALL TOO WELL, AS WELL AS A CIVIL UNREST, UH, AND ALSO ACTIVE, UH, THREAT TYPE SITUATIONS THAT, UH, THAT WE HEAR ABOUT, UH, ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE NATION.

UH, SO IT'S A VERY DIVERSE EOP FROM THE STANDPOINT OF TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EMERGENCIES THAT WE WOULD, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO OPERATE WITH.

AND THROUGH, WE WERE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO USE, UH, CARES MONEY TO HELP COVER THE COST WITH, UH, THE REWRITE OF THE EOP.

AND WE MOVED, UH, TOTALLY FROM A TRADITIONAL EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION BASED EOP TO WHAT WE USE EVERY DAY.

AND THAT WOULD BE THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM AND ICS BASED, UH, EOP.

AND YOU'LL HEAR LATER THAT, UH, THAT IS BENEFICIAL.

IT'S SCALABLE, IT'S MODULAR.

IT CAN BE BUILT TO THE NEEDS OF THE EMERGENCY, UH, AS WELL AS TO THE AMOUNT OF STAFF THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL BE AS A MORE PRACTICAL APPROACH FOR A SMALLER JURISDICTION.

AND I THINK IT'LL TAKE US FAR INTO THE FUTURE.

UM, MS. HILLMAN, YOU'D LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING.

I'LL JUST ADD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.

I DON'T WANT TO STEAL FROM THE OLSEN'S PRESENTATION, BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, THE UPDATES THAT WE DID THIS PARTICULAR TIME AND THIS CYCLE THAT WE WENT THROUGH, WE HAD, UM, GREAT COLLABORATION FROM ALL OF THE HEADS OF THE DEPARTMENTS, UM, IN REVIEWING THE DOCUMENTATION, UM, PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS WITH THE OLSEN GROUP.

AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE A MUCH BETTER AND USEFUL TOOL FOR US GOING FORWARD.

SHOULD WE HAVE TO PULL IT OUT? UM, IT'S ORGANIZED IN A MORE SIMPLER, UM, UH, APPROACH SO THAT YOU CAN LITERALLY PULL OUT CHECKLIST AND YOU CAN GIVE IT TO A PERSON THAT MAYBE THEY HAVEN'T ACTUALLY DONE THAT ROLE BEFORE, BUT THEY HAVE SOMETHING AS A GUIDE THAT THEY CAN, THAT THEY CAN LOOK TO, UM, TO CARING FOR WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT WITH IT.

SORRY.

THANK YOU, ROBIN.

MR. CHEATHAM HAS DESIGNED AND DELIVERED INVOLVE MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS AND RESPONSE AGENCIES WITH DIVERSE PLANS, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES.

SO, UH, TODAY WE HAVE A GUEST WITH US FROM THE OLSEN GROUP.

WE HAVE MR. ARBERY, UH, CHEATHAM WITH US TODAY.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, MR. CHIEFDOM'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE YEARS, ARBORETUM HAS A DISTINGUISHED RECORD PROVIDING LEADERSHIP MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS OVER THE PAST 42 YEARS.

OVER THE PAST NINE YEARS, MR. CHEATHAM HAS MANAGED AND HELPED DESIGN FACILITATE AND EVALUATE OVER 185 TABLETOP COMMAND POSTS, FUNCTIONAL, AND FULL-SCALE HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMPLIANT EXERCISES.

HE HAS LED THE PLANNING CONDUCT AND EVALUATION OF MULTI-AGENCY MULTI VENUE EXERCISES AND ADDRESSING BOTH NATURAL DISASTERS AND ACTS OF TERRORISM AT THE FEDERAL AND LOCAL LEVELS.

HE HAS DEVELOPED AND DELIVERED HIGH LEVEL EXERCISES, BRIEFINGS, AND OTHER PRODUCTS FOR SENIOR POLITICAL AND AGENCY OFFICIALS IN BOTH WASHINGTON DC AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE EXERCISES

[02:10:01]

MR. CHEATHAM HAS EIGHT YEARS OF EMERGENCY MANNEQUIN MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY EXPERIENCE AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF A DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COORDINATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, FIRE, FIRE, MARSHALL EMS EMERGENCY NINE 11 AND ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES IN CAMPBELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA.

HE ALSO HAS SEVEN YEARS EXPERIENCE AS A UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.

FIRST SERGEANT, WHERE HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MORALE WELFARE AND DISCIPLINE OF ORGANIZATIONS AVERAGING 200 PERSONNEL IN VARIOUS WORLDWIDE LOCATIONS.

MR. CHEATHAM SPENT 13 YEARS AS A SECURITY FORCE MANAGER IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, WHERE HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SECURITY OF UP TO 500 NUCLEAR WARHEADS AND THE SUPERVISION OF 50 INDIVIDUALS PERFORMING VARIOUS NUCLEAR SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT RELATED DUTIES WORLDWIDE, MR. CHEATHAM EARNED A MASTER'S DEGREE IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FROM LESLEY UNIVERSITY AND AS CREDENTIALED AS A CERTIFIED EMERGENCY MANAGER THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND AS A MASTER EXERCISE PRACTITIONER, MR. TITA, A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU SPEAK.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

AGAIN, I'M OPERATE CHEATHAM AND IT IS BEEN A, UH, A TRUE HONOR AND PLEASURE TO WORK WITH GOOCHLAND COUNTY AND ITS OUTSTANDING STAFF, UH, TO, UH, UPDATE AND REVISE YOUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.

SO, UM, YOU USED CARES ACT FUNDING, AND, UH, THE CHIEF TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONSULTING CONTRACT THAT VDM HAS, AND THAT BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT YOU HAD A DECLARED EMERGENCY, YOU COULD ACCESS, UH, UH, ALSO GROUP SERVICES ON THAT CONTRACT.

SO THAT'S THE CONTRACT VEHICLE WE USED.

SO WHAT WE DID IS WE JUST TOOK A LOOK AT THE ENTIRE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN AND WE UPDATED IT.

AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE MADE SOME OF THOSE UPDATES.

UM, SO THERE'S A BASE PLAN AND I BELIEVE EACH OF YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THE, SEEN THE PLAN AND REVIEWED THE PLAN, BUT THERE'S A BASE PLAN THAT KIND OF GETS INTO BACKGROUND, UH, HAZARD MITIGATION, UH, THE THINGS THAT THE LIKELY HAZARDS THAT YOU FACE, THAT SORT OF THING, YOUR DEMOGRAPHICS, AND THEN YOU KIND OF MOVE INTO LIKE A CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS, HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO ABOUT RESPONDING, UH, TO AN EMERGENCY IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

AND THEN WE HAVE A SERIES OF ANNEXES THAT COVER EVERYTHING FROM MITIGATION, PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE RECOVERY, UH, THERE'S A RADIOLOGICAL ANNEX, UH, CAUSE I BELIEVE YOU'RE IN THE NORTH ANA FOOTPRINT, UH, OIL AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, YOUR BASIC HAZMAT RESPONSES THAT HAPPEN QUITE OFTEN, DAM SAFETY AND THEN ANIMAL HANDLING HANDLING AS THE CHIEF HAD KIND OF MENTIONED, UH, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO DO THIS EVERY FOUR YEARS.

AND THE LAST TIME YOU ADOPTED, UH, YOUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN, IT WAS 2017.

SO SOME OF THE CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS WE MADE, SO WE KIND OF UPDATED YOUR DEPARTMENTAL PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES.

AND THE WAY WE WENT ABOUT DOING THAT WAS WE USED A SURVEY INSTRUMENT TO CAPTURE DATA.

AND THEN WE TOOK A LOOK AT THAT PROCESS THAT, UH, AND USE THAT TO KIND OF, UH, UH, GUIDE US AND ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND DELVING LITTLE DEEPER WHEN WE WENT BACK AND DID DEPARTMENTAL DISCUSSIONS.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, BACK AND FORTH WITH DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS, UH, TO THE PLAN TO TRY TO REALLY ZONE IN AND FIGURING OUT EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING TO MEET YOUR NEEDS SO THAT IT WOULD BE A USEFUL DOCUMENT.

THIS IS NOT A DOCUMENT THAT YOU WANT TO JUST TAKE AND SIT ON A SHELF AND LET IT COLLECT DUST.

THE CHIEF SAID WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, WHERE WAS THE FIRST PLACE TO START? YOU ALWAYS START WITH THE PLAN.

OBVIOUSLY THINGS CHANGED.

AND SO THAT EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN IS THE STARTING POINT.

PANDEMIC TAUGHT US A LOT OF NEW THINGS.

VERY GOOD FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND FOR THE STATE GOVERNMENT.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE DID WAS WE INCLUDED SOME OF THAT, THE LESSONS THAT WE'VE ALL LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC, UH, IN, IN THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN, WE TRIED TO OPERATIONALIZE IT.

CHIEF MENTIONED IT, CHECKLISTS, TEAR OUTS, THINGS THAT SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MAYBE NEW TO A POSITION, HEY, HERE ARE THE THINGS YOU NEED TO GET STARTED WITH, UM, UH, TO GET THE BALL ROLLING ON YOUR RESPONSE.

AND THEN PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE TRANSITION YOU FROM, UH, UH, FROM AN EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION BASED EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN TO AN INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM BASED, UH, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR YOUR PLAN NOW IES THE ESF.

SO THE EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE AN INTERESTING THING AND THEY WEREN'T

[02:15:01]

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS 15 EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS THAT COVER EVERYTHING FROM ESF ONE TRANSPORTATION TO ESF 15, WHICH IS PUB PUBLIC INFORMATION.

ALL RIGHT, VIRGINIA HAS 17, THEY ADDED ON TOP OF THAT, UH, VOLUNTEERING DONATIONS, MANAGEMENT AND MILITARY AFFAIRS.

SO THERE'S 17 OF THOSE IN MOST EMERGENCIES, YOU WOULD ONLY BE DEALING WITH A HANDFUL OF THOSE EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS.

UM, AND, UH, SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A LOCALITY, THE SIZE OF, OF GOOCHLAND, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE SOMEBODY STAFF 17 DIFFERENT EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS.

UM, SO, UM, USING THE BASIC ICS PRINCIPLES THAT YOUR RESPONDERS AND YOU, AND, UH, YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOLKS USE EACH AND EVERY DAY, UM, IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER FOR THEM.

ALL RIGHT, WE DIDN'T LOSE THOSE.

UM, WE ACTUALLY INCLUDED A CROSSWALK INSTRUMENT IN THE PLAN SO THAT IF YOU DO NEED TO BRING THE STATE IN, OR YOU DO NEED TO BRING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND YOU KNOW, WHERE IN YOUR ICS ORGANIZATION, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE PARTICULAR EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS.

SO YOU DON'T LOSE THEM ALL TOGETHER.

IT'S JUST THE WAY YOU OPERATE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.

IT ALSO FACILITATES YOUR ABILITY TO PLAN FOR SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONAL PERIODS.

USUALLY WHEN YOU STAND UP A, AN EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER, YOU MAY BE UP FOR THREE, FOUR OR FIVE DAYS.

AND IN SOME CASES LONGER, ALL OF YOUR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOLKS ARE TRAINED.

AND, UH, IN AN ICS PRINCIPLE CALLED THE PLANNING P AND IT'S A CYCLE AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THERE IS A METHOD TO GOING THROUGH PLANNING FOR THE NEXT OPERATIONAL PERIOD, SETTING THE OBJECTIVES, SETTING THE T THE TACTICAL OBJECTIVES, FIGURING OUT WHO NEEDS TO DO WHAT, WHAT THE ASSIGNMENTS ARE.

ALL RIGHT, BYE BYE.

USING AN ICS BASED STRUCTURE, IT MAKES IT MUCH EASIER FOR THEM TO PLAN FOR THOSE SUBSEQUENT PERIODS, BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH.

THEY DO IT ON LARGE STRUCTURE FIRES, THEY DO IT ON EVERYDAY INSTANCE.

THEY, THEY PRACTICE THE INSTANT COMMAND SYSTEM.

SO BY DOING THAT, ONE OF THE NEATEST THINGS ABOUT ICS IS THAT YOU CAN SCALE IT AND MAKE IT BIGGER.

YOU CAN MAKE IT SMALLER BASED ON THE SITUATION.

SO, UM, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY, UH, THE TRANSITION WAS MADE.

UM, AND THEN OF COURSE YOUR EMERGENCY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE ALIGNED MORE CLOSELY TO WHAT YOU DO ON A REGULAR BASIS, UH, AS AN ORGANIZATION, AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ALL RIGHT.

IN, IN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE THE FOLKS THAT HAVE TO DECLARE A LOCAL EMERGENCY.

UM, YOU ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT IN THE EXECUTIVE POLICY GROUP.

AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WILL BE THERE, UH, DEPENDING ON THE EMERGENCY SITUATION, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NEED TO, UH, TO DO SOME, UH, TO HAVE SOME LEGAL CONSULTATION.

AND THEN WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS YOU NEED TO DEVELOP THE STRATEGY POLICY AND DIRECTION FOR THAT EMERGENCY OPERATION.

AND YOU, YOU PROVIDE YOUR GUIDANCE AND ADVICE DURING THAT PROCESS.

SO, UM, WE WERE REAL EXCITED, UH, AND I THINK EVERYBODY IN GOOCHLAND WAS EXCITED TO KIND OF MAKE THE SHIFT FROM THE OLD EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION BASED, UH, UH, PLAN TO A, UH, ICS BASED PLAN.

SO NEXT STEPS.

THE COOP PLAN WORKS HAND IN HAND WITH THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.

THE FIRST THING WE'RE GOING TO DO IS ON THE 26TH OF APRIL FROM ABOUT ONE TO FOUR, O'CLOCK, WE'RE GOING TO DO A STAKEHOLDER ORIENTATION, YOUR STAKEHOLDERS, WE'RE GOING TO ALL GET BACK TOGETHER, UH, VIRTUALLY, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH, UM, UM, THE PLAN TO KIND OF ORIENT EVERYBODY TO THE PLAN.

AND THEN WE'RE GONNA RUN A LITTLE VIGNETTE, LIKE A LITTLE AND TALK ABOUT HOW YOU MIGHT USE THE NEW PLAN AGAINST THAT SCENARIO, JUST TO KIND OF GET EVERYBODY FAMILIARIZED AND UP TO SPEED WITH IT.

AND I THINK SOMEBODY MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT ALL THE ACRONYMS IN THE, UH, IN THE AOP.

WELL, LOOK OUT, WE'RE ABOUT TO START, UH, A CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN FOR YOU ALL.

UM, UH, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST CALL IT COOP AND IT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT, UH, CHART OF, UH, OF ACRONYMS. UH, BUT

[02:20:02]

YOUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN IS FOCUSED ON RESPONSE.

THE COOP PLAN IS THAT TRANSITIONING INTO RECOVERY.

AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, IT'S GOING TO FOCUS ON HOW DOES THE COUNTY RESTORE ITS SERVICES AND CONTINUE IT SERVICES WHEN IT'S IMPACTED BY AN EMERGENCY.

CERTAINLY APPRECIATE MR. CHEATHAM EXPLAINING

SO YOU'LL IDENTIFY YOUR MISSION, ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, HOW SOON THINGS HAVE TO BE, UH, BACK UP AND RUNNING AND WHAT ARE THOSE WORKAROUND PROCEDURES? WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATE LOCATIONS? IF SOMEBODY IS OUT OF PLACE OR, OR SOMEBODY IS INJURED, WHO TAKES THEIR PLACE, ALL RIGHT, WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DO WHAT, UH, FOR THE COUNTY? SO ALL THOSE THINGS ARE OUTLINED IN A CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN, AND WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, GETTING THAT STARTED WITH YOU ALL VERY SOON.

ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS.

[3. 3956: Citizen Noise Committee Report Presentation]

THE PLAN AND THE OVERVIEW OF THE NEW PLAN, AND WE APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION TODAY FOR ADOPTION.

AND MAYBE WE MIGHT HAVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, BEFORE? OKAY.

JUST IF I COULD, WHAT IS, WHEN I WAS LOOKING SKIMMING THESE THINGS, WHAT IS WEB EOC? AND, AND I'M LOOKING FOR LIKE A PRACTICAL, I READ THE DEFINITION, I'M LOOKING PRACTICALLY, HOW'S IT GOING? OKAY.

SOUNDS LIKE IT'S PRETTY POTENTIALLY PRETTY POWERFUL.

IT IS A VERY POWERFUL INSTRUMENT.

WEB BOC IS AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE PROGRAM.

UH, THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT USES THAT.

UM, AND, UM, YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOLKS, IF THEY HAVE A RESOURCE REQUESTS FROM THE LOCAL LEVEL THAT THEY CAN'T FILL, THEN THEY MAKE THAT RESOURCE REQUEST, UH, THROUGH WEB BOC AND THAT CHANNELS UP TO THE STATE SO THAT THE STATE CAN GO FIND THAT RESOURCE FOR YOU.

IT ALSO IS THE PLACE WHERE, UM, UM, THE CHIEF WOULD BE MAKING A SITUATION REPORTS, WHAT'S GOING ON? HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SHELTERED? WHERE ARE YOUR SHELTERS OPEN? THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

THERE'S ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT BOARDS THAT ARE ON THAT PIECE OF SOFTWARE.

AND IT HELPS, UH, INCREASE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND PROVIDES A COMMON OPERATING PICTURE ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH OF AN EMERGENCY.

SO WE ALREADY USE IT, USE THAT.

AND SO THIS PLAN IS WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO ENHANCE OR CHANGE OUR CURRENT USE OF THAT.

NO, RIGHT? NO, SIR.

BUT IT'S PO IT'S A PUBLIC, THERE'S A PUBLIC FACING COMPONENT OF THIS AS WELL.

NO, YOU HAVE TO BE CREDENTIALED TO OKAY.

TO GET INTO, SO THIS IS NOT A WAY TO DISSEMINATE TO THE PUBLIC.

BUT THE, THE EOP WILL LIVE ON THE WEBSITE, SO THE CITIZENS CAN GO AND REFER TO IT AT ANY TIME THAT THEY WANT TO.

UM, BUT FOR THE , WE ACTUALLY JUST REALLY USE THAT AS LIKE AN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION TOOL, UM, TO PROVIDE US SITUATIONAL UPDATES TO THE STATE.

AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN USING THEM ALL ALONG FOR OUR VIRTUAL EOC MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE COVID, UM, THE PANDEMIC.

SO WE'VE BEEN SUBMITTING REPORTS AND GIVING THEM PROGRESS ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.

IT'S RED IT'S FULFILLED AND THE RESOURCES SHOW UP.

SO THIS IS REALLY JUST APPROACH THINGS.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A BIG SHIFT IN SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY UTILIZING.

WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THE WEB BOC IS WE NEVER HAD ANY DOCUMENTATION AND OUR PLAN ABOUT HOW TO ACTUALLY USE THAT TOOL.

SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE NEW ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE ADDED THIS TIME WAS TO HAVE THAT REFERENCE MATERIAL IN THERE.

SO I'M GLAD YOU NOTICED IT.

AGAIN, THANK YOU, MR. MR. CHEATHAM.

UM, AREN'T THIS, MR. LUMPKINS, I'LL JUST TELL YOU, UH, BACK TO THE WEB POC, UH, W AIR EOC EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IS OPEN VIRTUALLY AND EVERY OTHER FRIDAY, WE HAVE A VIRTUAL MEETING.

AND AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT MEETING ALL THE NOTES FROM THE MEETING ARE PLACED INTO WEB POC.

UH, GOING BACK A FEW YEARS, WE'VE USED WEB POC TO MAKE REQUESTS FOR RESOURCES.

WE NEEDED TO MANAGE FIELD DAY OF THE PAST.

AS AN EXAMPLE, THE INCIDENT ACTION PLAN COULD EITHER BE AN INCIDENT OR IT COULD BE AN EVENT.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE REQUESTS FROM BDM FOR RESOURCES WE NEEDED TO PROPERLY PROVIDE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR THAT FIELD OF THE PAST EVENT.

SO IT WAS ANOTHER WAY WE PUT THE REQUEST IN

[02:25:01]

SO, I MEAN, WHERE ARE WE KIND OF, ARE WE LEADING THE PACK IN TERMS OF SHIFTING TO AN INCIDENT? UH, I S I C S SYSTEM, OR IS THIS SEEMS LIKE CLEARLY THE TREND, RIGHT? YES, SIR.

I, I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS A TREND.

I WOULD SAY THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE EMERGENCY OPERATION PLANS IN THE COMMONWEALTH ARE ESF BASED, BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ASKED TO UPDATE, UH, AN, AN ESF BASED PLAN.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO TO THE ICS BASED PLAN, UH, BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY IN SMALL TO MID-SIZE LOCALITIES, IT'S, IT'S ALMOST AN IMPOSSIBLE JOB TO KEEP UP WITH 17 EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS AT THE SAME TIME.

IT'S GOT YOU.

SO YOU'RE SEEING CERTAINLY SMALLER JURISDICTIONS MOVING TO ICS, ALMOST ALL OF THEM.

NOTHING I'M SAYING IT'S PROMPTING THE QUESTIONS.

I THINK WE'RE READY FOR IT.

THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM AWARD.

SO, UM, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION OFFICIAL MOTION BEFORE I, BEFORE I DO THAT, UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UM, I THINK MAYBE LIKE I COULD BE WRONG UNDER THE COUNTY PROFILE IT'S PAGE 19 OF THE RE OF THE REPORT, UM, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THE, UH, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATORS.

I THINK THAT POSSIBLY NEEDS TO BE UPDATED WITH OUR TWO NEW FOLKS, THEIR DUTIES.

I BELIEVE THAT COULD BE POSSIBLY LIKE THE PARKS AND REC.

UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S TOTALLY UP TO DATE THIS LAST COLETTE, UH, THE, THE PLAN HAS A MECHANISM BUILT INTO IT TO ALLOW FOR UPDATES.

AND WE CERTAINLY, UH, AGREED, UH, RATHER THAN CHANGED IT AT THE LATE HOUR, WE WOULD ACTUALLY USE THAT MECHANISM, UH, RELATIVELY SOON TO MAKE THOSE UPDATES.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

SO AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE TO SEE IF IT WORKS.

UM, THANK YOU.

I CAN'T FOLLOW THE PAGE NUMBERS ON HERE, BUT I THINK I SEE RICHARD TALKING.

AND, AND AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE TO DRAG THEM BACK IN HERE TO DO ANOTHER, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, REQUEST FOR CHANGE, UM, I'M HAPPY WITH THAT.

I GUESS THAT DOES PROMPT A QUESTION.

WHAT, WHAT SCOPE OF A CHANGE TO THIS WOULD PROMPT YOU TO COME BACK BEFORE US? BECAUSE I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A SOMEWHAT OF A LIVING DOCUMENT I WOULD THINK, AND YOU ALL ARE CERTAINLY FREE TO, IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT AND IT HAS, WHAT'S CALLED A CHANGE CONTROL PROCESS MINUTES.

SO THERE ARE FORMS THAT ARE BUILT IN FOR EACH OF THE SECTIONS.

SO IF WE MAKE A CHANGE TO IT, I HAVE TO FORMALLY LET THE CHIEF KNOW ABOUT IT.

IT REALLY WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO BRING IT BACK ON FOR YOU UNTIL WE GET TO THE NEXT ADOPTION CYCLE.

BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'LL COUNT ON YOU IF YOU GUYS HAVE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO IT, IF YOU'D COME FORWARD TO US.

AND THERE'S A LOG, THERE'S A LOG IN AT THE END.

DEFINITELY.

WELL, IN THE PREVIOUS PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 2017, WE MADE, UH, CHANGES TO IT, UH, WITH POSITION IN PERSON CHANGES IN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND OBVIOUSLY FIRE CHIEF POSITION AND SO FORTH.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE UPDATES, UH, TO THAT, UH, RELATIVELY EASY.

AND IT WAS ALSO A FORMALIZED PROCESS, BUT IT DIDN'T REQUIRE THE BOARD'S APPROVAL, CHIEF CHANGES WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT TIME.

REPORT FROM OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY.

CAUSE WE HAVE TO REVIEW THIS EVERY FIVE YEARS.

SO THIS WILL RESTART IT FOR THIS SORT OF STRIPPERS.

THE BOARD APPROVE, UM, THE RESOLUTION FORMALLY ADOPTING THE NEW 2021 GOOCHLAND COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN THAT WAS CLOSE TO FINISHED.

GIVE IT A SECOND AND THIRD, GIVE IT TO MR. SHARP.

UM, THANK YOU BOTH.

AND, UH, LET ME LOOK AT MY CHEAT SHEET AND GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME FOR MR. PETERSON, MR. JERRY, YOU HAVE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF LATITUDE THIS AREA, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE.

ALRIGHT, PASS YOUR NAMES AGAIN.

THANK YOU, MR. CHEATHAM AND THE OLSEN GROUP.

AND I KNOW WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE WORK AHEAD WITH YOU, UM, SOME OF THE EXERCISES, BUT, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

THANK YOU, CHIEF FERGUSON.

[02:30:01]

THANK YOU, MISS.

MADE FROM RESIDENCES IN THE COUNTY.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I AM GOOCHLAND COUNTY ATTORNEY TERRA MCGEE.

I AM HERE TO SUMMARIZE FOR YOU THE GOOCHLAND COUNTY CITIZEN NUISANCE NOISE COMMITTEE.

THE BOARD'S AGENDA PACKET CONTAINS THE FULL REPORT.

SOME 75 PAGES, 12 OF WHICH ARE PAGES AT THE TEXT AND SUMMARY OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE ANALYSIS AND THE REST IS SOME DATA AND INFORMATION THAT WAS REVIEWED BY THE COMMITTEE.

UM, THESE ARE THE DOZEN, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT SERVED TO DATE.

ALL OF THEM ARE GOOCHLAND COUNTY RESIDENTS OR BUSINESS OWNERS.

THERE'S A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH DISTRICT AND WE DO IN FACT, HAVE COMMITTEE MEMBER WHO TOOK THE TIME TO BE HERE TODAY.

WOULD YOU STAND, PLEASE? I'LL MAKE IT WORSE.

MR. WILLIS WON'T STAND, BUT IS PRESENT BEFORE YOU TODAY.

UM, AND I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF THE OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS CAME DURING THE BUSINESS DAY, BUT I AM PRESENTING THIS REPORT ON BEHALF OF THIS COMMITTEE WHOSE EFFORT AND TIME IT IS.

IT REPRESENTS, LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE CONTEXT FOR, UM, WHILE WE HAVE A COMMITTEE REPORT AND WHY WE HAD THE COMMITTEE.

UM, THE COUNTY HAD A NOISE ORDINANCE THAT WAS REPEALED IN 2010 AFTER VIRGINIA SUPREME COURT.

THAT STRUCK DOWN THE STANDARDS OF FRANKLY, ALMOST ALL NOISE ORDINANCES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH.

A CITIZEN NOISE COMMITTEE FORMED THEN WORKED WITH MY PREDECESSOR COUNTY ATTORNEY NORMAN SALES TO PROPOSE A NEW NOISE ORDINANCE.

IT CAME BEFORE THE BOARD IN 2011, BUT IT WASN'T ADOPTED BECAUSE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING, THERE JUST WASN'T SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR IT.

IN SPRING OF 2019, THIS BOARD BEGAN HEARING FROM RESIDENTS WHO HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE NEED FOR NOISE REGULATION OR NOISE CONCERNS IN THE COUNTY.

AND IN RESPONSE, WE FIRST HELD A CITIZEN LISTENING SESSION IN MAY OF 2019 AND NOTES FROM THAT MEETING, WHICH WAS OVER 75 CITIZENS WHO PRESENTED VARIOUS, UH, OPINIONS ABOUT THE NEED FOR NOISE REGULATION.

THAT THOSE SUMMARY IS INCLUDED AS AN EXHIBIT TO THE REPORT.

AND THE BOARD THEN FORMED THIS CITIZEN COMMITTEE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ISSUE.

THE COMMITTEE WORK THAT IS SUMMARIZED IN THE REPORT.

THEY MET OVER A DOZEN TIMES SINCE THEY'VE BEEN FORMED AND SUMMARIES OF WHAT THEY LOOKED AT IN THE MEETINGS OR IN THE REPORT.

UM, I INCLUDED BRIEFING THEM ON SOME OF THE STATUTORY AND CASE LAW LIMITATIONS THAT AFFECT NOISE REGULATION AND THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED AND ANALYZED NUMEROUS NOISE ORDINANCES FROM OTHER LOCALITIES, EVEN NOISE COMPLAINTS FROM SOME OTHER LOCALITIES THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD ASSIST THEM.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, PROBABLY THOUGH IS THEY REVIEWED 10 YEARS OF NOISE COMPLAINTS FROM GOOCHLAND COUNTY, WHICH SHERIFF CHRISTIE'S OFFICE MADE AVAILABLE TO US.

AND THAT DATA IS AN EXHIBIT TO YOUR REPORT.

AND THEN SHERIFF CREASY AND MAJOR EAST MET WITH THE COMMITTEE ABOUT THE NOISE COMPLAINTS, ENFORCEMENT, THEIR PERSPECTIVES FROM HAVING BEEN SERVING IN THE COUNTY DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.

UM, PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING IN THE REPORT IS THAT THERE IS A PROPOSED NUISANCE NOISE ORDINANCE THAT'S SUPPORTED BY A MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE.

UM, YOU'RE ALSO TOLD IN THE REPORT THAT THERE IS A MINORITY PERSPECTIVE THAT DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT NOISE REGULATION IS NEEDED IN THE COUNTY.

AND THAT'S AGAIN, CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE HAD FROM THE ORIGINAL COMMITTEE MEETING IN MAY OF 2019.

AND BOTH PERSPECTIVES ARE IN YOUR ROOM PORT.

UM, SUBTITLE HERE FOR SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS IS THAT EVEN THE MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTS WHO PROPOSED, UH, TO REGULATE NOISE IN THE COUNTY WANT TO HAVE A VERY LIMITED, UH, NOISE ORDINANCE.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY.

THESE FOUR SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS ON WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS PROPOSING IN THE ORDINANCE, AND I'LL GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THESE FOUR.

FIRST OF ALL, THE COMMITTEE STARTED FROM A PERSPECTIVE THAT PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM.

AND SO THEY DID NOT WANT, THEY WANTED PEOPLE TO BE FREE TO USE THEIR PROPERTY IN ANY WAY THAT THEY SAW FIT UNTIL THE POINT AT WHICH THAT THE USE OF THE PROPERTY SUBSTANTIALLY INTERFERES WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S RIGHT TO ENJOY FRANKLY, THEIR HOME, WHERE THEY LIVE.

AND SO WHAT YOU SEE IN THE NUISANCE NOISE LIMITATION IS THAT NOISE MUST BE REPETITIVE.

IT MUST BE UNREASONABLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY DISCERN THE PEACEFUL ENJOYMENT OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.

AND THEN THERE ARE THESE FIVE CRITERIA BY WHICH NOISE MUST BE EVALUATED TO EVEN DETERMINE IF IT COULD BE A NUISANCE AND ONLY REPETITIVE NOISE, WHICH RISES TO THE LEVEL UNDER THIS CRITERIA TO BE A NUISANCE IS COVERED BY THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

THE NEXT LIMITATION IS THAT IT ONLY AFFECTS RESIDENTIAL PLEA SO THAT IT APPLIES ONLY TO RESIDENTIAL NOISES

[02:35:01]

AND THAT DISTURBS SOMEONE'S RESIDENCES THREE ELEMENTS WHERE IT'S FROM, WHERE IT IS HEARD AND WHAT TYPE OF NOISE IT IS.

SO IT DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL OR BUSINESS PROPERTIES OR ANY NOISE FROM THOSE ACTIVITIES.

IT DOESN'T APPLY TO NOISE FROM AN APPROVED BUSINESS ACTIVITY.

IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE A BUSINESS ACTIVITY ON YOUR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, AND IT DOESN'T APPLY TO OUR LARGE MANAGED APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN THE COUNTY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME OF THEIR OWN NOISE REGULATION SYSTEMS THERE, IT DOES APPLY WHEN I SAY RESIDENTIAL ONLY IT DOES APPLY TO AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY ON WHICH A DWELLING OCCURS THAT'S BECAUSE SOMEONE'S LIVING THERE.

HOWEVER THAT LEADS YOU TO THE NEXT LIMITATION, WHICH IS THAT ALL AGRICULTURAL NOISE IS EXEMPT FROM THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, DRAFTED BY THE COMMITTEE.

THE COMMITTEE RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

THEY DRAFTED THE BROADEST POSSIBLE EXEMPTION FOR AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY, ADDING IN SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, UH, ACTIVITIES THAT WERE SUGGESTED FOR INSTANCE, BY WAYNE PRIOR AT THE VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU.

IN ADDITION, AT THE SUGGESTION OF OUR OWN MR. LYLE, WHO GOT MORE THAN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AT THE COMMITTEE, UM, IT INCLUDES A REFERENCE TO ANY AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES IDENTIFIED IN THE FUTURE UNDER VIRGINIA'S RIGHT TO FARM ACT.

THEY'RE AUTOMATICALLY INCLUDED IN HERE AS EXEMPT.

SO EVERYTHING THEY COULD THINK OF TODAY AND SOMETHING THAT IN THE FUTURE IS IDENTIFIED AS AN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY.

THAT'S THE BREADTH OF THE EXEMPTION THAT THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO PUT INTO THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

SO THE FOURTH AND FINAL LIMITATION IS THAT A WARNING IS REQUIRED BEFORE A VIOLATION COULD BE FOUND OF THIS ORDINANCE.

THIS IS TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO A NEIGHBOR THAT, YOU KNOW, A NEIGHBOR OF YOURS HAS FOUND YOUR NOISE TO BE A NUISANCE THAT THE QUIET ENJOYMENT OF THEIR HOME WAS DISTURBED.

THEY SEND A WRITTEN, UH, A WARNING BY CERTIFIED MAIL THAT, WHICH WAS THE SUGGESTION OF OUR COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY.

THAT'D BE CERTIFIED MAIL.

AND THEN A VIOLATION CAN ONLY BE FOUND UNDER THIS ORDINANCE IF THE SAME NOISE CONTINUES AFTER RECEIPT OF THAT WARNING SO THAT SOMEBODY IS TOLD WHAT YOU'RE DOING AS A NUISANCE.

I FIND IT, IF I, YOU KNOW, I FIND IT DISTURBING AND YOU DECIDE TO CONTINUE IT THAT'S WHEN YOU GET TO A VIOLATION.

THE WARNING PROVISION FRANKLY, IS MODELED AFTER THE COUNTY'S COMPANION ANIMAL NUISANCE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT THAT WAS ADOPTED, I BELIEVE IN 2011.

SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE SETTLED ON FOR THIS PROPOSED NUISANCE NOISE ORDINANCE.

VERY BRIEFLY, THERE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO BE AWARE OF.

IT IS A CIVIL PENALTY, WHEREAS THE NOISE ORDINANCE MANY YEARS AGO WAS A CRIMINAL PENALTY, AND THERE ARE TWO OTHER EXEMPTIONS.

ONE IS BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A COMPANION ANIMAL NUISANCE NOISE ORDINANCE.

THAT'S EXEMPTED FROM THIS ORDINANCE.

THAT'S ALREADY SET ASIDE IN SECTION THREE, ONE TO FOUR.

AND ALSO THERE IS AN EXEMPTION FOR ALL NOISE FROM LAWFUL HUNTING IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY IS EXEMPT FROM THE NOISE ORDINANCE.

AND THAT DOES BRING US TO THE ONE AREA WHERE THE COMMITTEE CERTAINLY HAS SOME DIFFERENCES.

THERE ARE SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE ALL LAWFUL SHOOTING TO BE EXEMPT FROM THIS NOISE ORDINANCE THAT WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE.

WE DID GET FEEDBACK FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND FROM SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WOULD WANT TO SEE AN EXEMPTION FOR ALL LAWFUL HUNTING, BUT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THE DOZEN PEOPLE THAT MET IN THE ROOM COULD, UH, THE MAJORITY AGREED ONLY ON AN EXEMPTION FOR LAWFUL HUNTING.

I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE COMMITTEE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A GROUP OF 12 THAT MET WITH SOME CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT, WE SET THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE OUT AT VARIOUS TIMES TO ALL OF THESE ENTITIES AND PEOPLE TO SEEK FEEDBACK.

WE MADE CHANGES BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS RECEIVED.

UM, AND THAT'S DETAILED IN THE REPORT SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE THAT THIS WAS NOT JUST 12 PEOPLE IN A ROOM COMING UP WITH SOMETHING THEY WERE TRYING TO FIND OUT, NOT THE BEST THING TO DO FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THE REPORT, AS I'D MENTIONED IS 75 PAGES LONG, AND IT'S IN YOUR PACKET.

IT CONCLUDES WITH THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE SEVERAL ACTIONS THAT WOULD, MIGHT MAKE SENSE FOR YOU TO TAKE UPON RECEIPT.

ONCE YOU'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO REVIEW AND CONSIDER THE INFORMATION IN THE FULL REPORT, YOU CAN THEN DIRECT STAFF AS TO THE NEXT STEP WITH THIS INFORMATION THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

AND I JUST WANT TO CONCLUDE ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE, THESE 12 PEOPLE, THESE WERE RESIDENTS WHO PUT THEIR TIME TO IT.

WE APPRECIATE CERTAINLY THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION OF THE REPORT THAT THEY WORKED ON AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.

AND THE COMMITTEE APPRECIATES THE TIME THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND MEMBERS OF THE AG COMMUNITY PROVIDED INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK DURING THIS PROCESS.

AND THEN PERSONALLY, AS STAFF TO THIS COMMITTEE, I EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO THESE CITIZENS FOR THEIR TIME AND EFFORT IN

[02:40:01]

THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND, UM, THAT ADDRESS THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR THE COUNTY.

BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME AT THIS TIME, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THEM MCGEE.

THIS IS, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR, YOU SPOKE A LOT ON THAT FACT.

I THANK THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.

WE THANK THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS WELL, BUT ALSO THANK YOU FOR LEADING IT YOUTH.

THIS IS A LOT OF WORK BY YOU AND THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND IT'S IT'S, UH, UH, THIS HAS BEEN A DAY OF A LOT OF READING AND A 74 75 PAGE NOISE COMMITTEE REPORT WAS, WAS, IT WAS, BUT IT WAS A LOT IN HERE, A LOT OF GOOD STUFF.

AND, UH, I THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO, YOU KNOW, A DECISION POINT FOR THE BOARD.

UH, ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMES? UH, WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANY ACTION PLANNED ON THIS, BUT CERTAINLY IF SOMEONE HAS A MOTION, WE CAN.

I'M LOOKING AT PAGE 11 ON THE FIREARMS, BUT WHAT PAGE IS THAT? WHERE THE CHOICE 12 WHAT'D YOU SAY? YEAH.

12.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO FORMALLY, THE IDEA WAS, AGAIN, YOU HAVE A LOT OF REPORTS THAT YOU'RE ACCEPTING TODAY THAT YOU WOULD DIRECT STAFF.

UM, AND CERTAINLY I'LL BE SPEAKING WITH YOU IN APRIL, BUT TO SEE IF A DIRECTION IS COME FROM THE BOARD AS TO NEXT STEPS, IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE.

WELL, I, YEAH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.

WE'VE HAD COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES MET FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS.

SORRY, THERE WE GO.

UH, THE COMMITTEE HAS MET FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS ON THIS.

UM, THE NEXT STEPS WOULD, UM, IN MY OPINION, WOULD EAT, WOULD BE A PUBLIC HEARING OF SOME TYPE.

UM, AND I, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IF WE SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, UH, THAT GIVES THE PUBLIC ONE LAST CHANCE TO SEE THE FINAL REPORT AND, UH, HAVE, HAVE A, UM, A VOTE ON IT AT THAT POINT IS WHERE I'M GOING.

IT GIVES US A MONTH TO, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT AND FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE NOTIFIED AND INPUT.

NO, I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN, MR. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING THERE? YEAH, I WOULD SAY THIS IS ONE OF THOSE.

THIS IS A TOUGH ONE.

SO THIS IS PROBABLY TOP THREE OF THINGS I GET APPROACHED WITH.

AND WHILE THE PEOPLE THAT I'M SPEAKING TO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUR APPEAL THAT APPROACHED ME ABOUT IT ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTING ORDINANCE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BEING ABLE TO ENJOY THEIR PROPERTY.

SO WHILE THEY ARE THE LOUDEST, THEY'RE DEFINITELY IN MY OPINION, NOT THE MAJORITY.

SO I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO LET FOLKS KNOW WHERE WE ARE THAT WE'RE CLOSE TO THIS.

AND I WOULDN'T, I WOULD SAY COMMUNITY MEETING BECAUSE, UM, THIS HASN'T BEEN CIRCULATED TO THE PUBLIC YET, CORRECT? NO.

WELL, UM, IT'S AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE.

THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY CIRCULATION UP TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

ONCE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THIS IS BEING DISCUSSED AND IT IS A POSSIBILITY, I THINK THOSE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN IMPACTED, BUT THAT FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, FREEDOM, UM, ARE THEY'RE GOING TO BECOME MORE VOCAL AND WE NEED TO ALLOW THAT OPPORTUNITY.

HOW WOULD YOU NOTIFY HIM? STAND OUT WITH SCIENCE.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM.

NOTIFYING FOLKS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY MEETING IN MAY OF 2019 THAT DREW 75.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, I THINK THIS WOULD, I THINK WHEN THIS HITS THE GROUP WEBSITES OR THE GROUP PAGES THAT ARE OUT THERE, PEOPLE, IF HISTORY IS A GUIDE AND WHENEVER YOU SEE THIS MENTIONED, IT GETS A LOT OF RESPONSE.

AND I CAN SEE THAT HONESTLY.

UM, BUT IF WE DO A COMMUNITY MEETING, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE ANY ACTION.

THERE WHAT'S REALLY THE DIFFERENCE IN HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING AND COMMUNITY MEETING POINT.

AT LEAST WE CAN TAKE ACTION OR WE CAN DEFER IT.

I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ACTION.

IN, IN THIS AREA WHO DOESN'T.

IT GIVES THE PUBLIC A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN.

THAT'S MY THINKING, MR. SHARP, ANY MORE COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO ME, OR IS INSANITY, UM, TWO YEARS, UM, TONS OF MEETINGS, TONS OF INPUT.

AND YOU KNOW, IF EVERYBODY PAID THEIR TAXES, WE WOULD NEED THE IRS.

IF EVERYBODY MADE THE SPEED LIMIT, WE WOULDN'T NEED THE SHERIFFS OUT THERE WITH SPEED TRAPS.

IF EVERYBODY RESPECTED EVERYBODY ELSE WE WOULDN'T NEED OR NEED NOISE WARNS.

HIS PROBLEM IS EVERYBODY DOES.

AND I THINK WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW

[02:45:03]

AND SO IT DOESN'T, IT WOULDN'T PUT US OUT OF STEP TO CONSIDER THAT.

AND, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COMPLAIN ABOUT IT.

SO, UM, TO ME, IT'S, YOU KNOW, HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, PUBLIC HEARING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE EXPRESS VIEWS AND WHATNOT, BUT TO DO MORE COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO ME IS JUST, I AGREE.

I THINK THAT'S THE WORD.

I HAVE PLENTY OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE DRIVING ME THERE.

I DON'T NEED ASSISTANCE.

I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR A COMMUNITY MEETING UNTIL YOU WAIT THEN.

WELL, WHEN THEY, MR. CHAIR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, THE OTHER THING IS THAT WHEN I'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE REALLY ADVERSELY AFFECTED, UM, I MEAN IT'S SERIOUS.

I MEAN, THEY NEED RELIEF AND IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS.

COULD WE? AND I DON'T WANT TO RUSH IT.

WE WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING HERE, BUT TO FURTHER DELAY IT ANY MORE THAN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

I MEAN, I JUST, MY CONSCIENCE WON'T LET ME DO THAT.

UH, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, UH, IS MCGEE I'VE, I'VE HEARD BACK FROM SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THAT YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB, UM, SHEPHERDING THIS THING THROUGH THE PROCESS.

UM, IT'S A VERY PASSIONATE ISSUE ON BOTH SIDES.

THEY'RE ALL SIDES.

UM, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT TRICKY AND A LITTLE BIT DICEY, BUT YOU'VE DONE A, UH, AN EXCELLENT JOB.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.

UM, I'D ECHO SOME OF THE COMMENTS I'VE HEARD THAT WE'VE BEEN AT THIS QUITE AWHILE.

UH, IF I COULD JUST CONFIRM WITH YOU, UM, DO ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES HAVE SOME ORDINANCE ON THE BOOKS, IS THAT OKAY? SO WE'RE NOW I KNOW GOODSON CITIZENS, UM, PLACE A HIGH VALUE ON THEIR FREEDOMS AND LIBERTIES, AND WE'VE TAKEN AN OATH TO, WE'VE TAKEN AN OATH TO SUPPORT, UH, THEIR RIGHTS, UM, INCLUDING THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND OTHERS, THAT CONSTITUTION.

UM, AND SO I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSED ON DEFENDING FOLKS RIGHTS AND THEN WHERE DO THEY START AND WHERE DO THEY STOP? AND THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE ISSUES HERE AS FAR AS COMMUNITY MEETING VERSUS PUBLIC HEARING.

MY SENSE IS COMMUNITY MEETINGS ARE VERY HELPFUL WHEN YOU'RE GATHERING A LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, BEFORE YOU'VE KIND OF CLEARLY DEFINED WHERE YOU WANT TO GO OR WHAT YOU WANT TO DO THAT PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE MORE WHERE YOU HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC TO REACT TO A PROPOSAL, IF YOU WILL, OR SOME SPECIFICS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE ADJUSTED OR MODIFIED, BUT, BUT YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO REACT TO AS OPPOSED TO A GENERAL CONSENSUS BUILDING OR, OR GET INFORMATION GATHERING EXERCISE.

SO I GUESS I'D CONCUR THAT I THINK AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS OF THIS PROCESS, WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE HAVE SOMETHING FAIRLY SPECIFIC TO REACT TO.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE DOCUMENT THEN THAT WE BRING TO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POST ONLINE AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS.

UM, AND THEN THAT WOULD BRING FORWARD WHATEVER COMMENTS THAT WE WOULD NEED.

CAUSE I, I DO WANT TO RUN THIS BY THE CITIZENS AT LEAST ONE MORE TIME.

NOW THAT IT MEANS SOMETHING SPECIFIC, RIGHT? SO IT'S NO LONGER CONCEPTUAL.

THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS YET, AND THEY SHOULD BE, AND WE WANT TO GET EVERYBODY'S INPUT BEFORE WE REACH A DECISION.

SO I GUESS THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM.

MR. CHAIRMAN.

I YIELD BACK THE REST OF MY TIME AND MR. JEFFREY WAS MINE.

I MEAN, IF I HAD MY CHOICE, I WOULD BRING, I WOULD ASK THAT WE LOOK AT IT AND ON APRIL 20TH, WHEN WE MEET AGAIN FOR THE BUDGET, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT OTHER BUSINESS ITEMS AS WELL, BUT I WOULD PREFER, I THINK TO LET IT GO TO THE NEXT, OUR NEXT REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING, THAT GIVES MORE TIME TO GET IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, MORE TIME TO GET INFORMATION BACK SO THAT THAT'S WHY I WOULD MOVE TO MAKE IT OUR MAY 4TH.

AND IF I MAY, ONE OTHER, I BELIEVE WE'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT THE SHERIFF IS NOT AVAILABLE TO ATTEND OUR BOARD MEETING ON MAY 4TH.

I DO THINK THE BOARD AND THE RESIDENTS WOULD WANT THE SHERIFF'S PERSPECTIVE ON THIS.

SO EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT TRYING TO GET IN THE WAY OF THE BOARD MOVING OR SO FORTH, BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT IF YOU SET IT FOR MAY 4TH, THE SHERIFF CAN NOT BE HERE.

HE'S HE'S BEEN INTEGRALLY INVOLVED IN THIS.

HE'S GOT OTHER PEOPLE HE CAN SAY.

I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR YOU ABOUT, ABOUT THAT SINCE WE DID HAPPEN TO KNOW HIS SCHEDULE FOR MAY 4TH.

SO IT IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT THOUGH.

MS. LASKA, LET TWO WEEKS OF ADVERTISING IS REQUIRED.

SO IT CAN'T BE SET FOR APRIL 20TH.

IT COULD IN FACT BE SET AND NOTIFIED FOR YOUR MAY 4TH, BUT LEGALLY YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET THE NOTICE OUT FOR APRIL 20TH.

WE ADVERTISED OUR APRIL 20TH MEETING.

OKAY THEN NEVERMIND.

OH, WELL GAVE IT A SHOT.

UH, THAT, AND I DON'T WANT US TO RACE.

UM, FOR, FOR ME, UM, I THINK I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING AND GO LIKE BACK TO SQUARE ONE.

I THINK THE FIREARMS QUESTION IS, IS WHAT REALLY IS THE STRUGGLE,

[02:50:01]

I THINK THE COMMUNITY'S READY FOR A NOISE ORDINANCE.

WHEN WE WENT INTO THIS, MY INCLINATION FROM HEARING FROM CONSTITUENTS IS WE NEED, WE NEED A NOISE ORDINANCE.

AND, BUT WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS PASS SOMETHING BECAUSE I THINK, I THINK MR. SPOONER, I THINK YOU SAID IT, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME OUT AND FIND OUT WHAT'S IN IT AFTER THE FACT.

AND I DID THAT BACK IN 2015 WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE HOMESCHOOLERS, AND WE PASSED SOMETHING, HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS, MANY MEETINGS TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND THEN A YEAR AND A HALF LATER PEOPLE COME FORWARD AND IT'S LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS HERE.

SO WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS FIREARMS PIECE.

WE HAVE TO DO A GOOD JOB OF GETTING, GETTING IT, GETTING IT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS A YEAR FROM NOW, WHEN THIS BECOMES A CHALLENGE FOR SOMEBODY THAT THEY COME FORWARD AND SAY, I HAD NO IDEA.

SO I DON'T, I WANT TO MINIMIZE THE RISK THAT, OR DO WHAT WE CAN TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT AS TO WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE ADDRESSING.

THE EXCEPTIONS ARE PRETTY COMPLETE.

YOU SAY THE MAJORITY, THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE DID NOT WANT TO DO A, UM, AN EXEMPTION FOR ANY, FOR SHOOTING FOR ALL LAWFUL SHOOTING.

RIGHT? AND THEY LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT.

I SPOKE WITH THE SHERIFF ABOUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, IF YOU HAD THE TIMEFRAME, WHAT IF YOU ONLY HAD LAW ENFORCEMENT? THIS IS WHERE THAT GROUP OF 12 PEOPLE CAME DOWN.

AND VERY HONEST WITH YOU IS THEY KNOW BECAUSE THEY REVIEWED THE PRESENTATION TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.

AND THERE'D BEEN SOME NEGATIVE FEEDBACK, BUT AS A COMMITTEE, THAT WAS 12 PEOPLE.

THIS WAS AS FAR AS THEY COULD GO, MR. CHAIRMAN.

SO THIS IS NOT ALL SHOES AT ALL HUNTING.

IT'S ONE, IT'S A NUISANCE THAT THIS LIST IS NOT PROVEN, INHIBITING, TARGET, PRACTICING.

IT'S NOT ANYBODY ELSE.

I THINK IT'S WHEN IT'S A, SO I HAVE SOMEONE WAS PRETTY CLOSE TO ME THAT SHE'S FOUR TO SIX HOURS ON THE WEEKENDS THEN BOTHER ME.

SO IT'S, THAT'S NOT A NUISANCE.

IF SOMEBODY ELSE THINKS IT IS, THEN THEY CAN GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

I, I, I THINK THAT'S WHAT I STRUGGLE WITH IS THE SUBJECT, THE SUBJECTIVE NATURE OF A LOT OF IT.

SO HOW, HOW MANY HOURS IS, IS W A REASONABLE NUISANCE, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU'RE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT LISTENED TO SHOOTING IT.

IT'S MORE THAN 30 MINUTES.

THAT'S A NUISANCE.

SO THAT, I THINK THAT'S WHERE I'M STRUGGLING PERSONALLY IS.

CAN, IS IT DEFINITIVE ENOUGH? SO THAT THERE IS, THAT SAID, WHEN THE SHERIFF GOES OUT THERE, DEPUTIES GO OUT THERE, THEY KNOW, OKAY, THIS MEETS THAT CRITERIA.

WELL, THEY FIRST HAVE TO SEND A LETTER TO THE, TO THE, UH, TH THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS IN RESPONSE TO THAT.

UM, IN SOME RESPECTS THAT COMMITTEE WANTED IT TO BE, UM, PERSONAL IN THAT FOUR TO SIX HOURS.

DOESN'T BOTHER MS. LASKA LET, SO SHE'S NOT GOING TO BE MAKING A COMPLAINT ON THE OTHER HAND, THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY.

AND I SPECIFICALLY DISCUSSED THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE THIS THROUGH THAT NUISANCE, WITH THOSE STANDARDS.

AND HE FELT THAT THE CRITERIA LAW'S FAMILIAR WITH THE NUISANCE AND THE CRITERIA ARE SUFFICIENT FOR THAT, TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THE, THE WARNING IS WHAT LETS YOU, LET YOU LET YOUR NEIGHBOR KNOW, HEY, WHAT YOU'VE JUST DONE.

I AM FINDING A NUISANCE, YOUR NEIGHBORS, HERE'S THE CERTIFIED LETTER THAT TELLS YOU THAT, SO THAT YOU'RE NOT CAUGHT BY SURPRISE WHY THAT I WAS DOING SOMETHING.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS A PROBLEM.

UM, SO THOSE ARE THE VARIOUS WAYS THAT IT, UM, THE COMMITTEE LOOKED AT ADDRESSING, AND AGAIN, TALKING TO THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY ABOUT WHETHER, UM, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S A CIVIL PENALTY, IT STILL GOES THROUGH THE, THAT PROCESS LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SO FORTH.

UH, AND BEFORE THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY, WHILE WE SET THE PUBLIC HEARING TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, OKAY, LET'S, LET'S DO THIS IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.

UM, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS A BIG STRIDE.

THIS IS A BIG STEP LONG WAY TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

AND THANK YOU, MR. WILLIS AND OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THE WORK THAT GOT US HERE.

THIS IS A BIG STEP, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH THIS.

I'M CONFIDENT.

THE QUESTION THOUGH, BEFORE, SINCE WHAT IS THE IMMEDIATE NEXT STEP, AND IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION, WE'LL, WE'LL PUT IT UP TO A VOTE.

OKIE DOKIE.

SO MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT.

WE SET A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, FOR OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS MAY 4TH ON THE PROPOSED NUISANCE NOISE ORDINANCE.

WE HAVE A MOTION.

SUPERVISOR ALASKA LIT YES.

THANK YOU, MR. SHARP MOTION AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.

HEARING NONE.

JUST A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE.

ON THIS ONE,

[02:55:04]

SUPERVISOR SPOON HOUR.

IT'S PAST FOUR TO ONE.

SO WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING THAT'S DOABLE RIGHT UNDER THE TIME TIMEFRAMES AND EVERYTHING.

[4. 3930: Amendment to FY2021 CIP Budget]

WHERE WE'RE I THINK WE'RE ON, WE'RE ON KIND OF KEEPING AN EYE ON THE TIME.

I THINK WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.

WAIT.

NO, NO, WE'RE GOOD.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN.

UM, I AM BARBARA HORLOCKER DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES TITLE.

CONGRATULATIONS.

IT'S A MOUTHFUL.

IT'S A MOUTHFUL, BUT, UH, BUT I'VE BEEN PRACTICING.

SO, UM, I HAVE TWO ITEMS TODAY.

THE FIRST ITEM IS A REQUEST, UM, FOR A $50,000 AMENDMENT TO THE FY 20 ONES.

UM, WE HAVE TALKED TO YOU, UH, FOR THE LAST, UH, TWO MONTHS OR SO ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE WORK THAT NEEDS AT THE, UH, DONE AT THE FIRE TRAINING CENTER AND, UM, SORT OF A PRECURSOR TO THAT WORK IS, UM, TAKING OUT AN OLD TOWER, AN OLD COMMUNICATIONS TOWER.

UM, IT'S ACTUALLY CALLED DECOMMISSIONING OF THE FIRE TRAINING CENTER, COMMUNICATION TOWER AND SHELTER.

WE DID, UM, NOT HAVING ANY IDEA WHAT IT WOULD COST OR WHAT WOULD BE INVOLVED.

WE DID ASK FOR QUOTES.

WE ONLY GOT ONE QUOTE AND WE, UM, THE QUOTE WAS FOR $47,950.

SO WE ARE ASKING FOR $50,000 TODAY TO, AND THIS IS ESSENTIALLY LIKE THE PRE OR THE BEGINNING STEP OF THE PROJECT THAT WILL BE CARRIED ON IN THE CIP, UM, IN WHICH WE WILL MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BURN CENTER, THE BURN BUILDING THERE AND, UM, AND THE CLASSROOM SETTING.

SO THIS WILL CLEAR A LOT OF SPACE, GIVE THEM A LOT MORE USABLE SPACE THERE.

AND IT IS, IT HAS NO WORKING EQUIPMENT ON IT ANYMORE.

AND, UM, THE LIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THE EXCEPTION BECAUSE THE LIGHT WASN'T WORKING AS WELL.

SO, UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PROJECT OR REQUESTS, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

THAT ONE ON YOUR PRESENTATIONS, ISN'T IT CORRECT? SO BOARD, COULD WE HAVE A MOTION ON THAT MR. I MOVE THAT THE GOOCHLAND COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVING THEM AS APPROVE AMENDMENTS AND TRANSFERS TO THE HOUSTON COUNTY FISCAL YEAR, 2021 BUDGET AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $50,000 FOR THE IDENTIFIED PROJECT IN AMOUNT SHARP AND MISS ALASKA.

LET THAT EMOTION IN A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, WELL THIS ONE, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AND TO THE SECOND ITEM, UM, AS YOU SAID, THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM.

THIS IS INFORMATIONAL

[5. 3931: Review of Amendments to FY2022 Proposed Budget]

ONLY AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR WE COME TO YOU.

WE WERE HAVING OUR PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT, UM, ON THE, UM, BUDGET.

AND SO WE COME TO YOU SORT OF RECAP THINGS AND ALSO TO DISCUSS ANYTHING THAT MAY HAVE COME UP IN THE PAST.

UM, I KNOW FOR THE SCHOOLS AND FOR THE COUNTY AS WELL, I MEAN, WE, WE SET OUR NUMBERS BACK IN JANUARY.

SO, SO NEW THINGS ARE DISCOVERED, UM, NEW SOURCES OF INCOME FOR THE SCHOOLS, UM, AND SOME CHANGES.

SO TO RECAP, THE FY 22 BUDGET, UM, THE GENERAL FUND HAD INCREASED THE 12.9%.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY LARGE NUMBER, BUT AGAIN, REMEMBER, WE'RE COMPARING THAT TO FYI 21, WHERE WE ACTUALLY DECREASED OUR BUDGET DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE COVID EXPECTATIONS.

UM, WE ARE ADDING 21 NEW FULL-TIME POSITIONS IN THIS BUDGET, AND 16 OF THEM ARE ON THEM IN PUBLIC SAFETY.

OF COURSE THE BUDGET IS SUPPORTED BY INCREASED REVENUES AND REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.

UM, THE TOTAL ALL FUNDS IN THE, IN THE COUNTY INCREASED BY $54 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO, UM, CIP INCREASES THE CIP AND IS $46.8 MILLION.

[03:00:01]

AND THAT INCLUDES A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UM, A NEW FIRE ENGINE, A NEW AMBULANCE AND MOTIVATION, AND THE FIRE TRAINING CENTER, AND A LOT OF SIP CYCLICAL REPLACEMENTS.

THE, UM, USER FEE CHANGES THE ONLY ONES INVOLVED IN THE BUDGET OR THE, UM, UTILITY CHANGES, WHICH YOU HEARD A PRESENTATION ON, UM, THE NEW RATE STUDY.

SO THAT WOULD BE A 3% INCREASE IN THE WATER RATE OF 4% AND THE SEWER RATE AND A 5%, UH, INCREASE IN THE CONNECTION FEES FOR BOTH WATER AND SEWER.

UM, WE HAD INITIALLY THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE NO TAX CHANGES, BUT AS, UM, AS YOU HEARD EARLIER FROM, UM, MS. MCGEE, THEY, UM, WE FOUND OUT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSED THIS EXEMPTION FOR, UM, UH, PERMANENTLY DISABLED VETERANS.

SO WHEN YOU SEE THE RATE SCHEDULE TONIGHT, YOU'LL SEE THAT ACTUALLY STRUCK OUT.

SO WE, WE WILL NO LONGER HAVE A RATE FOR, UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT PHYSICALLY DISABLED VETERANS, AND BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE, UM, THE ABILITY THROUGH THE STATE CODE TO NOT PAY ANY TAXES.

AND, UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THE AMENDMENTS.

THERE AREN'T A LOT ON THE COUNTY SIDE, THE, UM, THE, THEY ADD UP TO $200,000, WHICH OUT OF A GENERAL FUND BUDGET OF 65 MILLION IS A VERY SMALL PERCENT OF THEM.

WE, UM, DID LEARN, UM, AFTER PRESENTATIONS WERE DONE, THAT THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS. THE TOTAL COST FOR THE COUNTY WOULD BE ABOUT 90,000.

AND WE, AS EMPLOYERS ARE GOING TO BEAR ABOUT 60,000 OF THAT.

AND SO THERE WILL BE A SMALL AMOUNT OF THAT PASSED ON TO THE EMPLOYEES AND THE, UM, THERE WAS INTEREST IN CONVERTING THE, WE HAD A PART-TIME, UH, ATTENDANT IN THE BUDGET AT THE CONVENIENCE CENTER.

WE, WE ARE PLANNING NOW TO INCREASE THAT TO FULL-TIME, THAT WILL COST US AN ADDITIONAL $30,000.

AND, UM, THAT WILL ALLOW THE WESTERN CONVENIENCE CENTER TO BE OPEN ON WEDNESDAYS.

THEN WE WERE GOING TO MAKE A, UM, SOME FIXES TO THE SALARY COMPRESSION AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND, UM, WE ALSO ADDED IN, UH, SOME COSTS TO THE NOVEMBER, UM, REFERENDUM, PRINTING COSTS, MAILING COSTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE IN OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET.

AND THEN, UM, JUST TO MAKE THINGS A LITTLE EASIER, WE'RE INCREASING THE RESERVE FOR CONTINGENCIES TO 250, AND IT WAS ALWAYS AT 200, BUT THEN LAST YEAR WE MADE IT LARGER AND WE HAVEN'T USED ABOUT 200,000 OF IT THIS YEAR.

SO THIS, THIS IS INCREASES AT 50,000 TO TWO 50, AND THAT'S A TOTAL OF 200,000 THAT WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY INCREASED PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX AND BUSINESS LICENSE TAX.

AND THE SCHOOL WAS ALSO AT A POSITION WHERE THEY COULD, UM, THEY COULD ALSO AMEND THEIR BUDGET.

THEY HAD FOUND OUT ABOUT SOME, UM, REVENUE CATEGORIES THAT, UM, THEY COULD, UM, ACCESS SOME INCREASED REVENUE AND THEY ALREADY KNOW, UM, THAT THEY ARE RECEIVING ABOUT, OR AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.

WE DON'T HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION YET.

THEN I, UM, HESITATE TO GET STARTED ON THAT.

SO THERE'LL BE MORE INFORMATION COMING ON THAT, UM, LATER, AND WE'LL AMEND THE BUDGET AT THAT TIME WHEN WE GET IT.

SO, UM, THOSE ARE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.

AND AT THIS TIME WE LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, KNOW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER ISSUES, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OUT THERE THAT WE CAN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GET EITHER GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION TONIGHT, OR WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU WITH THE INFORMATION BECAUSE WE DO OVER A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT, AND THEN WE HAVE A VOTE IN TWO WEEKS ON THE BUDGETS.

SO, UM, I'M HERE OBVIOUSLY.

AND, UM, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SCHOOL AND SCHOOL BOARD ARE HERE.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENTS OR THE BUDGET AS A WHOLE, THIS WOULD BE THE TIME.

THANK YOU, MR. LACQUER, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, MR. AND THAT'S ALL I GOT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR UPDATES.

YOU'D MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS NO, UM, CHAIN, UH, CHANGES IN THE TAXES, THE TAX RATES W THERE, WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE ANY, BUT THERE WAS ONE I ALREADY SEE.

I KNOW I, WASN'T A BIG FAN OF THE CHANGE THAT WE WERE PROPOSING TO, UH, ALLOW ONE VEHICLE PER FOR VOLUNTEER FIRE, EMS, AND RESCUE TO, UM, BE FULLY F UH, NOT TAXED, RIGHT? SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE CAN'T, THERE CAN'T BE CHANGES.

WE, WE SORT OF HAVE A PLAN.

WE HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN TOGETHER TO WORK ON IT YET, BUT THE, UH, I WANT TO WORK WITH THE FIRE CHIEF AND THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE AND PROBABLY MS. MCGEE TOO.

AND, UM, THE TALK ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS EARLIER, UM, THE CHIEF WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS YEAR TO KIND OF BUILD THAT FORCE

[03:05:01]

BACK UP AGAIN.

AND SO, UM, SO SOMETIME THIS YEAR ENACT A PLAN THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE THEY COUNT THEIR HOURS IN A REARS, SO TO SPEAK.

UM, SO, AND INCENTIVES BE THAT YOU HAVE A BIGGER TAX BREAK.

WOULDN'T THAT BE AN INCENTIVE? IS THE CHIEFS LIVE HERE, BUT THE CHIEF OF WINE TO, TO GIVE AN EXEMPTION TO ONE VEHICLE? YES, YES.

BUT WE WANT TO WORK ON THE PLAN.

LIKE, WHAT WOULD THEY HAVE TO DO TO DO THAT? HOW MANY HOURS WOULD THEY HAVE TO PUT IN, UH, HOW ACTIVE WOULD THEY HAVE TO BE? UM, AND THEY HAVE A, RIGHT NOW, THERE IS CRITERIA IN ORDER TO GET THAT, THAT BREAK.

SO THIS YEAR THEY WOULD GET THAT BREAK.

HE WOULD USE THAT AS AN INCENTIVE TO BUILD UP AND, UM, HOPEFULLY BUILD UP.

AND THEN, BECAUSE IT'S ALL BASED, EVEN WHEN THEY'RE APPLYING THIS YEAR, IT'S BASED ON THE HOURS THEY PUT IN LAST YEAR.

SO WE KNOW THAT A, NOT A LOT OF HOURS WERE PUT IN LAST YEAR.

UM, AND SO TO ANY, AT ANY RATE, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, AS SHORT AS I CAN, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON A PROGRAM THIS YEAR THAT WOULD TAKE EFFECT AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR, AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT CALENDAR YEAR, BUT THEY CAUSE THEY GO BY CALENDAR YEARS FOR THEIR HOURS.

SO IF SOMEONE GOT THE HOURS IN LAST YEAR, THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE BREAK THIS YEAR.

IF SOMEONE GETS THE HOURS IN THIS YEAR, THEY'LL QUALIFY HOPEFULLY FOR AN EXEMPTION.

IF WE GET THAT PASSED FOR NEXT HALF A CAR, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT, SEE, IT JUST SEEMS ODD TO ME THAT WE WOULD NOT WANT TO IMPLEMENT THAT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO FOR AGAIN, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT VOLUNTEERS AND PROGRAMS, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT'S THE CHIEF'S DECISION.

IT'S, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME AND US DEVELOPING A PROGRAM BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT AS EASY AS THEM WALKING IN AND SAYING, HEY, I I'M A VOLUNTEER.

NOPE.

SORRY TO IN ON YOUR QUESTION HERE, WHAT DOES THE, DOES THE PROGRAM NEED TO HAVE ALL THE DETAILS IN PLACE FOR US TO DO A BUDGET COMPONENT TO IT? WHERE WE CAN SAY, UM, WE COULD, WE COULD JUST PLAN OUT THE BUDGET, SUBJECT TO THE CRITERIA THAT THE DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHES.

IT WON'T HAVE A HUGE BUDGET IMPACT.

SO IT WON'T EVEN, IT'S KINDA LIKE THE STATE PASSING THAT EXEMPTION.

UM, IT'S NOT A HUGE BUDGET IMPACT TO US.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO ABSORB IT WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING.

SO IT'LL JUST BE A QUESTION OF AMENDING THE ORDINANCE THAT DESCRIBES THE PROGRAM NOW.

UM, UH, I'M NOT SURE, BUT, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, I'VE KNOWN THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S COMING, BUT WE JUST HAVEN'T MET OR TALKED ABOUT IT.

RIGHT? SO IT'S MORE OF A MATTER OF RESOURCES.

AND, UH, WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE WITH THE LIMITED STAFF THAT WE HAVE AND HOW WE CAN DELIVER, UM, ALL THOSE PROGRAMS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM, UH, FOR THE BOARD AND TO GET NEW VOLUNTEERS ON BOARD.

AND THAT'S THE SCHEDULE THAT, THAT, UM, BARBARA HAS LAID OUT AT.

WE WOULD HAVE IT IN PLACE BY JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR.

I GUESS I UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND I GUESS MY DEEPER FRUSTRATION IS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT VOLUNTEERS NOW IN SEVERAL MEETINGS, THE LARGEST BUDGET INCREASE WE HAVE IS BECAUSE OF FULL-TIME, UH, FIREFIGHTER, EMS AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

WE HAVE.

SO, UM, I, I HOPE THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS A PRIORITY TO GET IT IN PLACE AS A RECRUITING STRATEGY FOR VOLUNTEERS.

AND I WAS TELLING MISS, I BELIEVE THE AUXILIARIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT AS WELL.

SO CHECK ON THAT AND THEY DON'T PUT ANY OUT.

WELL, I KNOW THEY'RE WELL, WE'LL LOOK INTO IT.

AND JUST THROWING IT ON THERE.

CHIEF HAS, IS HAPPY WITH, WE'RE DOING IT BY, BY JUNE, JANUARY.

ISN'T HE? BARB.

BARBARA, I THINK MR. SHARP JUST SAID, IS IT CHEESY? THE CHIEF'S HAPPY WITH WAITING UNTIL JANUARY TO START IT.

HE WAS NOT FRUSTRATED.

NO, NO.

IN FACT, HE, HE WANTED THIS YEAR TO SORT OF BUILD UP THE PROGRAM AND GO OUT AND SORT OF RECRUIT AND USE THAT AS A RECRUITING TOOL.

WE'RE TWO APPOINTMENTS, RIGHT?

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? REMEMBER WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD HERE.

THANK YOU ALL.

REALLY? AND I SAW DEBBIE, WHY DID I NOT? UM, ANY QUESTIONS OF WHERE WE ARE SO FAR ON THE BUDGET? OKAY.

LET'S KEEP, UH, KEEP ROLLING HERE.

[6. 3966: Appointments - April 1, 2021]

LET ME BRING THAT UP ON THE SCREEN AND YOU'RE GONNA ARE GONNA BRING IT UP ON THE MONITOR.

THANK

[03:10:01]

YOU, MS. HORLACKER.

THAT WAS, THAT WENT FASTER THAN I WAS ANTICIPATING.

WE HAVE, IT LOOKS LIKE ONE APPOINTMENT.

IS IT? AM I READING THAT CORRECTLY? NOTHING.

AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED ON THAT.

HOW DOES THIS INCREASE IN DENSITY BENEFIT THE COUNTY? WHY IS THIS A GOOD THING FOR THE COUNTY? AND THEN I CORRELATE IT BACK TO THIS INCREASE IN FIRST RESPONDER SERVICES.

WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO THE RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION.

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

MR. CHAIRMAN, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.

ALL I HEARD WAS WHEN COVID IS OVER.

TALK TO ME WHEN COVID IS OVER.

TALK TO ME, IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME TO GET A REPLACEMENT FOR ME ON THE PARKS AND REC RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD.

HOWEVER, I'M PLEASED TO MOVE THAT THE GOOCHLAND COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED THE APPOINTMENT OF MICHELLE KAUFMAN TO THE RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION AS PRESENTED SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR.

THAT TAKES US THROUGH OUR TWO O'CLOCK SESSION.

WE'LL BE BACK AT SIX FOR MORE BUDGET OR SOME

[XIV. Dinner Break]

PUBLIC HEARINGS.

RIGHT AWAY.

THANK YOU, MR. .

[XV. Call to Order, 6:00 PM]

[03:58:45]

[03:58:59]

IT'S

[03:58:59]

JUST

[03:59:00]

MATTER

[03:59:00]

[03:59:01]

[03:59:01]

[04:00:31]

WE'LL START THE SIX O'CLOCK APRIL REGULAR MEETING, THE SIX O'CLOCK SESSION FOR THE GOODSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

AND WE WILL GO RIGHT INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.

I'M SORRY.

WHY AM I AH, THERE, I FLIPPED THE PAGE.

IT'S RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF CITIZEN COMMENT, PERIOD.

THANK YOU, MR. LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM.

I'LL LOOK ONLINE FIRST.

HAS ANYBODY LOGGED IN? ALL RIGHT.

JUST LET ME KNOW IF SOMEBODY DOES AND WE'LL START IN THE ROOM.

COME ON.

JONATHAN LAU, 1521 MANNEQUIN ROAD.

UM, WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS THAT COME INTO THE TWO O'CLOCK MEETING IS IT DOES SPARK MY THOUGHTS, I MEAN, AND, AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATED THAT YOU HAD A LONG, OR YOU HAD A FULL AFTERNOON MEETING, BUT I APPRECIATED HEARING THE FIRE RESCUE PRESENTATION FROM, UH, CHIEF FERGUSON AND IN SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT HE SHARING ABOUT THE INCREASE IN CALLS AND MY SEGUE HERE.

WELL, THE GREEN LIGHTS ON, UH, HIS DEVELOPMENT THAT, UM, I DON'T GET TO EVERY COMMUNITY MEETING WHEN A NEW DEVELOPMENTS BEING SUGGESTED.

I DO GET THE, SOME I'LL EVEN SAY MAYBE A LOT OF THEM.

AND ONE OF MY FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS IS HOW DOES THIS DEVIATION FROM THE COMP PLAN? IF IT'S A DEVIATION,

[XVI. Citizen Comment]

THE BIGGEST INCREASE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS IN PUBLIC SAFETY.

UM, SO I GUESS MY REQUEST, NOT THAT YOU ARE NOT ALREADY DOING THIS, CAUSE I BELIEVE YOU ARE, IS IT'S A REMINDER THAT WHEN THESE NEW REQUESTS, PARTICULARLY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT COME ABOUT, WHAT IS, I DON'T WANT TO SAY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, BUT THE LONGER REACHING CONSEQUENCES, PARTICULARLY ON THE TAX RATE, WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY SEE A LEVEL TAX RATE.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE A TAXI INCREASE OF 6% OR MORE.

AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MONEY IN THAT BUDGET THAT DOESN'T HAVE A USE OR A NECESSARY APPLICATION.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LOT OF FRIVOLITY OR FAT IN WHAT I THINK IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET, BUT I DO HAVE A CONCERN THAT WE'VE NOT YET HIT THE 70, 30 COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL.

AND THE REQUEST FOR GROWTH SEEMS TO BE EVEN WE ARE NUMBER TWO FOR BEST PLACE FOR SMALL BUSINESS.

WE'RE SEEING MORE RESIDENTIAL REQUESTS COME IN.

I DON'T KNOW I'M A PROPERTY RIGHTS PERSON.

I THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO OWN PROPERTIES SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO REQUEST, BUT I THINK THAT WE MIGHT BE GETTING OUT OF BALANCE ON RESIDENTIAL GROWTH VERSUS COMMERCIAL GROWTH.

AND I, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU FOLKS DO CONSIDER THAT AND WRESTLE WITH IT.

BUT WHEN I HEAR CHIEF FERGUSON TALK ABOUT WHAT HE'S EXPERIENCING, AND THEN I HEAR SOME OF THESE, WE WANT TO INCREASE DENSITY.

WE WANT TO AGGREGATE FROM THE COMP PLAN.

IT'S LIKE, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY BY COUNTY.

I MEAN, THE PEOPLE ALREADY HERE BECAUSE I MOVED HERE.

I MEAN, I'VE BEEN HERE 30 YEARS, BUT I WASN'T BORN HERE.

SO I APPRECIATE THE BENEFITS OF BEING IN GOOCHLAND, BUT TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING SOMETIMES CAN GET US A LITTLE OUT OF BALANCE.

SO I THINK THE LIGHT POINT GOING TO BEAT HER TO THE PUNCH.

GENERAL BUDGET FUND, A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WORKSHOP WAS HELD IN MARCH.

GOOD EVENING.

KAREN HORN, 32 OH FIVE DOUBLE BROOK ROAD, UH, TO OUR LUMPKINS BOARD MEMBERS, MR. YOUNG AND CITIZENS OF GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

I'M GOING TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ON ITEM 15, WHICH IS, UH, INCLUDES A SUMMARY OF INFORMATION IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH.

THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HELD MULTIPLE WORK SESSIONS AND RECEIVE PRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE COUNTY.

ADMINISTRATOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S BUDGET REQUESTS, AS WELL AS THE PROPOSE

[04:05:01]

WE ALL KNOW THAT THE SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2022 COUNTY BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN ACTUALLY REPRESENTS MONTHS, EVEN YEARS OF PLANNING AND WORK TO IDENTIFY THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

AND I THINK EVERYONE WHO'S WORKED ON ANY OF THESE BUDGETS, IT'S IT'S IMPORTANT WORK AND IT'S GREAT WORK.

I'M SURE THAT EVERY GROUP REPRESENTED IN THE COUNTY BUDGET FOLLOWED A PROCESS MUCH LIKE THE SCHOOLS.

AND, UM, I SHARED SOME DOCUMENTS WITH YOU IN AN EMAIL.

AND ONE OF THOSE INCLUDES, UH, FROM THE JANUARY 12TH, UH, BUDGET WORK SESSION, OUR PROCESS, WHICH BEGINS IN OCTOBER.

SO BY THE TIME WE'VE FINISHED THIS, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ALREADY STARTING A NEW ONE, BUT IT'S, UM, AGAIN, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND THE PROCESS IS ARDUOUS BECAUSE IT'S COUNTY MONEY AND IT'S ADDRESSING NEEDS AS A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTY.

I HAVE A PERSONAL STAKE AND ALL BUDGET ITEMS THAT SUPPORT OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE COUNTY SERVICES AND PUBLIC WORKS AND RECREATION AS CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

I AM COMMITTED TO MAKING INVESTMENTS THAT PRIOR OUR ATTIRE, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, 2026, I ALSO GAVE YOU GUYS, UM, AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, UM, TO HELP YOU OUT.

UM, IT'S A GREAT RESOURCE GOAL.

ONE TO MAXIMIZE EACH STUDENT'S POTENTIAL AND PREPARATION FOR SEX SUCCESSFUL LIFE GOAL, TO, TO CREATE AN ENGAGING AND RESPONSIVE EXPERIENCE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS INFORMED, INCLUDED, VALUED, AND EMPOWERED GOAL THREE TO ENHANCE AND SUPPORT THE INSTRUCTIONAL AND LEARNING NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF, THESE GOALS, OUR EQUITY GOALS, OUR SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES, OUR MISSION AND VISION ARE ALL ABOUT CREATING A SAFE AND ENGAGING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL OF OUR CHILDREN CAN FLOURISH.

FLOURISHING MEANS MORE THAN PASSING AN END OF YEAR ASSESSMENT.

WE HAVE WITNESSED INCREDIBLE GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT AND CREATIVE THING, COMEDIAN EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP.

IN SPITE OF COVID, OUR STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE WITH MULTIPLE HONORS INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS, ASSOCIATE DEGREES, JOB, READY, SKILLS, COLLEGE, READY SKILLS.

OUR GRADUATION RATE WAS 98.11% IN 2020.

CAN I KEEP ONE? IF YOU CAN WRAP UP, I'M ALMOST DONE.

FLOURISHING MEANS PROVIDING HEALTH AND SAFE LEARNING AND WORKING FACILITIES IN ENVIRONMENTS, FOOD FOR THE SOUL THROUGH EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES, FOOD FOR THE BODY AND MIND TRANSPORTATION TO OUR LEARNING SITES, CURRICULUM AND LEARNING MATERIALS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS, ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AND BENEFITS AND SALARIES THAT ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE BEST PEOPLE.

THE CULTURE OF CARING, INCREDIBLE SCHOOLS FOR LEARNING PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS TO PROVIDE INNOVATIVE AND INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT IN ALL DEPARTMENTS, WE CANNOT FORGET THAT OUR BUDGETS ARE ALSO IMPACTED BY STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS.

I THANK YOU FOR STAYING THE COURSE TO BE EXCELLENT STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF THE SCHOOLS I DESCRIBED REQUIRES A BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED BY DR.

REILEY TO YOU IN MULTIPLE SETTINGS.

I PROVIDED YOU WITH AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND A LIST OF SPECIFIC SCHOOL BOARD AGENDA ITEMS, INCLUDING THE IMPORTANT BUDGET BOOK THAT TELL THE STORY OF HOW THE SCHOOL DIVISION COMMUNITY WORK RESULTED IN THIS FISCALLY TRANSPARENT AND RESPONSIVE BUDGET.

WE HAVE THE BEST FINANCE DEPARTMENT WHO CONTINUES TO EARN PRESTIGIOUS GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS, ASSOCIATION, BUDGET AWARDS.

THANK YOU, DEBBIE WHITE, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

WE HAVE THE BEST TEAM OF EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE ALL DONE MORE THAN THEY THOUGHT POSSIBLE.

THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAVE THE BEST DIVISION LEADERSHIP TEAM WHO STAY TRUE TO OUR ECO VALUES.

WE HAVE THE BEST SCHOOL BOARD WHO SHARE A PASSION FOR EDUCATION AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR BOARD APPROVAL OF OUR BUDGET.

LATER THIS MONTH, WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

YOU MAY HAVE AS YOU WORK THROUGH THIS MOST IMPORTANT PROCESS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS OPEN.

ANYBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM AND ANYBODY ONLINE? OKAY.

WE'LL CLOSE THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD FOR OUR EVENING SESSION, AND NOW WE'LL TRANSITION TO THE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

AND MAYBE I CAN INTRODUCE IT BY SAYING THAT OUR INTENT IS TO

[XVII. Public Hearings]

WE WILL CERTAINLY TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT NOW.

UM, BUT WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE IT OPEN AND THE EMAIL ADDRESSES IN THE AGENDA.

[04:10:01]

IF YOU, IF ANYBODY LOOKS AT THIS VIDEO IS LOOKING NOW AND WANTS TO COMMENT LATER, OR IS NOW LOOKING@THERECORDEDVERSIONOFTHISATBOSCOMMENTATGOOCHLANDVA.US, UH, FIVE, FIVE, SIX 58, 11, UM, TO WEIGH IN.

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OPEN, UM, FROM NOW UNTIL MONDAY, APRIL 12TH AT FIVE O'CLOCK.

AND WITH THAT, UH, MS. HORLOCKER, OUR DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IS GOING TO

[1. 3932: Public Hearing to Consider the Proposed 2021 Real Estate Tax Rate, 6:00 PM]

INTRODUCE US TO THE ALL THREE PUBLIC, UH, NO TWO OF THEM, RIGHT.

THE FIRST TWO, THREE OF THEM.

THE ORDINANCE TO SPEED SCHEDULE.

UH, UM, THREE, UM, YES, WE WILL HAVE THREE BUDGET RELATED, UM, PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT AND, UM, AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.

AND THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING WE'LL HAVE TONIGHT IS TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED TAX REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE ADVERTISED THE TAX RATE AT 53 CENTS.

UM, AND, UM, THE ADVERTISEMENT REQUIRES YOU TO GO THROUGH A CALCULATION.

WHAT WOULD BE THE LOWERED RATE NECESSARY TO OFFSET THE INCREASE IN ASSESSMENT? AND THAT LOWERED RATE WOULD BE 50 CENTS.

SO IT IS AN EFFECTIVE TAX RATE INCREASE OF 3 CENTS PER A HUNDRED DOLLARS, THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET AS IT INCREASED, UH, 12.9%.

AND THE TOTAL BUDGET HAS INCREASED 63% THIS YEAR.

SO, UM, ARE THERE, IF THERE ARE NO, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THE 53 CENT TAX RATE.

BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ITEM, THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE? ALRIGHT, WELL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO IT'S ONLINE OR IN THE ROOM WISHES TO SPEAK TO THAT COME FORWARD AND NOBODY ONLINE.

LET'S MOVE TO THE SECOND.

COUNTY SINCE SUMMARY ONE HERE.

JONATHAN LAU, 1521 MANNEQUIN ROAD.

UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'M GOING TO EXPRESS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT I AM THE ONLY CITIZEN HERE WHO IS APPEARING TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU ON THIS, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT.

UM, AND MY THINKING HAS EVOLVED WHEN THIS WAS FIRST ANNOUNCED AND I SAW THE INCREASE IN ASSESSMENTS.

I WAS ASKING MYSELF AND I ACTUALLY HAD CONVERSATIONS OFF LINE WITH SOME FOLKS AS TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE KEPT THE TAX RATE AT 50 CENTS.

I E WE DIDN'T SEE A TAX INCREASE BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN ASSESSMENTS.

AND I'VE EVOLVED BECAUSE I HAVE SET PRIORITIES ON PUBLIC SAFETY, EDUCATION AND TRANSPORTATION.

AND AS I'M LOOKING AT THE BUDGET, I SEE THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE INVESTING A FAIR AMOUNT OF THE REVENUES, AND I THINK THEY'RE NEEDED.

SO THESE WORDS ARE COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH.

I AM OKAY WITH THIS TAX INCREASE BECAUSE OF WHERE I SEE THANKS TO YOUR TRANSPARENCY OF WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING.

UM, BUT I STILL DON'T WANT TO SAY THERE'S A CHALLENGE THERE.

COULD IT HAVE BEEN DONE IF WE HAD A 52 CENT RATE AND AGAIN, AND, AND I'M GOING TO NAME NAMES.

MR. PETERSON HAS BEEN VERY GRACIOUS IN HELPING ME THINK THROUGH SOME OF THE NUANCES ON THIS.

SO WHILE I CAN APPRECIATE THAT THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A LOWER TAX INCREASE OR EVEN A FLAT TAX RATE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD SEE SOME OF THE, WHAT I'LL TERM NEEDS IN THE COUNTY BEING MET.

SO I APPRECIATE, AND IT HEARKENS BACK TO MY EARLIER CITIZENS' COMMENT.

AS WE GET MORE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY, THERE'S GOING TO BE A MORE DEMAND FOR SERVICES.

IN MY UNDERSTANDING IS NEW RESIDENTS DON'T REALLY PAY FOR THAT.

IT HAS TO COME FROM INCREASED TAXES, AND THAT'S WHERE I HOPE THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

BUT BACK TO THE TAX RATE, IT'S AN INCREASE BECAUSE OF ASSESSMENTS.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

YOU'RE KEEPING THE RATE THE SAME.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFIT TO THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, NOT THAT YOU'RE NOT, BUT IF YOU COULD LOOK AT THAT BUDGET AND SAY, HUH, WHAT IF IT WAS ONLY 52 CENTS? WHAT WOULD WE NOT BE ABLE TO DO? AND, UH, I'M NOT DOING IT JUST TO BE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, BUT WOULD THERE BE ANY BENEFIT OF SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB WITH THE REVISED FEBRUARY BUDGET OR AFTER THE PANDEMIC BUDGET, WE KEPT THINGS GOING, IT COULD BE DONE, BUT MY ASSESSMENT IS YOU HAVE CRAFTED A PRETTY SOLID BUDGET IN THE, I GUESS I'LL SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE

[04:15:01]

I THINK HE HAD DONE GOOD.

AND, AND, UH, I I'M COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT YOU FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING HERE.

SO LIGHT JUST GOING TO FLASH.

THANK YOU, MR. HALL.

ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? NOW? THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS GONNA STAY OPEN, BUT, UH, I'LL MOVE TO ITEM TWO, IF YOU WANT ME TO JUST GO AHEAD.

MR. CHAIR, WITH URINE DALTONS MAYBE I'LL JUST TOUCH ON THE, ON THE RATE FOR JUST A SECOND AND SHARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS.

UM, IF YOU DO GO DOWN THAT ROAD OF REVENUE NEUTRAL, YOU'LL END UP CUTTING THE TAX RATE DURING THE GOOD TIMES AND RAISING THE TAX RATE DURING THE ECONOMIC RECESSIONS.

AND AS A MATTER OF POLICY THAT DOESN'T STRIKE ME AS GOOD PUBLIC POLICY TO LIGHTEN THE BURDEN WHEN PEOPLE CAN MOST AFFORD IT AND RAISE THE BURDEN WHEN THEY CAN LEAST AFFORD IT BY, BY LEAVING IT FLAT, UM, FOLKS KNOW WHERE THE ASSESSMENTS ARE GOING.

THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR HOME VALUES ARE.

IT CAN ALLOW US TO PLAN ON AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE VARIABLES BEING STABLE, THE ASSESSMENT BEING VARIABLE.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE GENERAL POLICY OVERVIEWS, BUT AS A DOUBLE CHECK AND A BALANCE ON THAT, UM, WE'VE DONE THIS OFTEN WITH A DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, GO BACK AND LOOK LAST EIGHT, EIGHT YEARS, 10 YEARS, 12 YEARS AS THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR THIS COUNTY GROWN FASTER OR SLOWER THAN THE POPULATION CHANGE IN POPULATION AND THE INFLATION RATE.

AND IF YOU GO BACK EIGHT OR 10 YEARS AND YOU GROW THE BUDGET BY POPULATION PLUS INFLATION, THIS BUDGET IS LESS THAN THAT GROWTH RATE.

SO AS AN OVERALL BIG PICTURE CHECK BALANCE, ARE WE GROWING FASTER OR SLOWER THAN THE POPULATION AND INFLATION? THE ANSWER IS NO, WE'RE NOT.

AS A MATTER OF POLICY, DO YOU FOLLOW THAT REVENUE NEUTRAL AND RAISE TAXES DURING THE RECESSIONS AND CUT THEM DURING THE EXPANSIONS? MAYBE THAT'S NOT AS GOOD AN IDEA.

SO IF THOSE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS ON THE RATE, SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. PETERSON, IS ANYBODY, DID ANYBODY JUMPING ONLINE, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS MS. MS. HORLICK? I, I, IN ADDITION TO WHAT MR. PETERSON SAID, ONE OF THE, IT'S NOT JUST A PURE, UM, UH, CHANGE IN ASSESSMENT SINCE DRIVING THE NET VALUE.

THERE'S ALSO GROWTH, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING A COMPARISON.

THE 50 CENT THAT YOU GAVE US IS JUST HOLDING THE REVENUE FLAT, CORRECT? CORRECT.

SO, SO WE HAVE REVENUE INCREASES BECAUSE OF ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING IN THE COMMUNITY.

IN ADDITION TO THE, THE APPRECIATION OF EXISTING STRUCTURES THAT TAXES HAVE BEEN PAINFUL, RIGHT.

AND WHEN YOU DO THIS CALCULATION, YOU ONLY COMPARE THE REASSESSMENT PART INCREASED IN VALUE.

YOU DON'T CONSIDER THE GROWTH PARTS OF THAT.

YOU'RE YOU'RE SAYING APPLES TO APPLES.

OH, SO YOU ARE GIVING US AN APPLES TO APPLES.

THE 50 CENTS TO THE 53 CENTS IS RIGHT.

A DELTA BY RE REASSESSMENT OF EXISTING PROPERTIES.

THANK YOU, JEFF.

I'M GOING TO FOLLOW IN ON THAT SAYING, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THIS, BUT I BELIEVE THIS IS A STATE MANDATED, UH, ADVERTISEMENT WHERE WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE.

AND THEY, THEY MANDATE THAT YOU USE ONLY THE REASSESSMENT, NOT THE BROKER, BUT THEY DO NOT REQUIRE US TO GO OUT AND SAY, IN ORDER TO BE REVENUE NEUTRAL DURING THE DOWNTIMES, WE'D HAVE TO RAISE THAT RATE.

THEY DON'T REQUIRE US TO ADVERTISE THAT IT'S REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE.

SO IT'S ONLY THE, THE RATE CUTS THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO ADVERTISE TO BE REVENUE NEUTRAL.

BUT NOT THE RATE RATING REGARDLESS, BUT YES, YOU, YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

UH, WE'LL MOVE TO NUMBER, UH, NUMBER TWO.

BUDGET, UM, AS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT IS ON THE TOTAL COUNTY

[2. 3933: Public Hearing to Consider the Proposed Fiscal Year 2022 County Budget, with proposed amendments, the Proposed Fiscal Year 2022 School Board Budget, with proposed amendments, the Proposed Fiscal Year 2022 - Fiscal Year 2046 Capital Improvement Program, and the Proposed 2021 Tax Rates, 6:05 PM]

SO THE TOTAL COUNTY BUDGET, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS MADE UP PRIMARILY OF THE GENERAL FUND EDUCATION AND THIS YEAR, OUR CIP, UM, AND IT HAS GROWN, UH, CONSIDERABLY DUE TO OUR LARGE CIP THIS YEAR.

AND OF COURSE IT'S SUPPORTED BY FOR THE MOST PART GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES.

AND, UM, THIS YEAR WE HAVE A, UM, TOTAL COUNTY BUDGET OF A HUNDRED, A LITTLE MORE THAN $139 MILLION, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR IS $46 MILLION.

UM, IT DOES INCLUDE A LOT OF, UM, REPLACEMENTS, UM, UH, REPLACEMENT CYCLES, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES SOME, UM, AN AMBULANCE, UM, A FIRE ENGINE, SOME WORK AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING CENTER, AS WELL AS THE CONSTRUCTION

[04:20:01]

OF, UM, GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND EARLIER TODAY, WE, UM, SHOWED BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOLS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE COUNTY AND MS. TRADER'S BUDGET.

UM, AND AS I SAID, THAT'S ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF ALTOGETHER, 200 FOR THE COUNTY SIDE, AND ABOUT A 0.1 0.3 MILLION FOR THE SCHOOL SIDE.

AND THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE TOTAL NUMBERS THAT WOULD BE ADOPTED IN TWO WEEKS.

SO THERE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE TOTAL COUNTY BUDGET OR ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM? ONE LAST QUESTION.

UM, SO MS. HALL, LACK OF DEBT.

UM, WAIT, THAT'S TALKING TO YOU AT DINNER ABOUT THIS, THE NEW, UM, THE NEW FEDERAL FUNDS.

YES, YES.

THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLANS.

WELL, AT THIS POINT, THE KNOWS THAT THEY WILL GET AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR, THEIR BUDGET.

UM, WE WILL GET OURS IN TWO DIFFERENT PIECES SIMILAR TO THE WAY, UM, THE OTHER WAS GIVEN.

BUT I THINK THIS TIME IT COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, NOT THROUGH THE STATE WE ARE TOLD AND THE NUMBERS I'VE SEEN ARE ABOUT $4 MILLION.

UM, SO WE WOULDN'T GET THE FIRST OF IT TILL, UM, PROBABLY LIKE MAY OR JUNE TIME PERIOD AGAIN, IN TWO PIECES.

UM, THE CONDITIONS FOR SPENDING IT ARE VERY SIMILAR TO, UM, THE LAST CARES ACT MONEY, BUT THE THIRD BULLET POINT AFTER THEY SAY EVERYTHING THAT YOU COULD SPEND IT ON BEFORE WAS INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER, SEWER, AND BROADBAND, NOT MANY DETAILS ON THAT.

THEY HAVEN'T COME OUT WITH GUIDELINES YET, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE ARE NOT INCORPORATED INTO OUR BUDGET YET BECAUSE WE JUST HAVE NO IDEA.

THE OTHER NICE THING IS THAT WE DO HAVE A MUCH LONGER SPENDING SPEC SPAN ON THAT.

IT HAS TO BE SPENT BY DECEMBER OF 2024.

SO THAT WOULD ACTUALLY GIVE US SOME TIME TO PERHAPS USE SOME OF THAT MONEY FOR BROADBAND AND TIME TO, UM, SPEND IT, BUT NO GUIDELINES YET.

UM, I DO WANT TO ADD, SINCE YOU ASKED ABOUT FEDERAL MONEY AND, UM, MR. SPOON HOWARD, YOU'VE BEEN ASKING FREQUENTLY THAT WE ACTUALLY GOT A CHECK MARK.

WE CHECKED OFF ON ALL THE FEDERAL MONEY WE SPENT IN 2020.

SO WE'RE GOOD ON THAT.

SO PAT, OUR SINGLE AUDIT WAS CLEAN.

SO, UM, SO THAT'S GREAT.

NOW WE JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH 2021, BUT, BUT ANYWAY, AT LEAST WE KNOW THE KIND OF GUIDELINES AND THINGS WE CAN SPEND IT ON.

SO THAT'S EXCELLENT NEWS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH QUESTIONS MORE THAN OTHERS.

I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

THE I'M LOOKING, I LOOKED FOR OUR PROPOSED BUDGET ON THE WEBSITE AND I FIND IT UNDER THE TAB, YOUR GOVERNMENT.

THEN I GO DOWN TO BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM UNDER FINANCIAL SERVICES.

AND THEN THERE'S A LIST OF PDFS F Y 2020 PROPOSED BUDGET.

I CAN'T TELL FROM HERE, IS THAT CORRECT? IT SHOULD BE THE ONE ON TOP.

IT'S JUST IT, IS IT, IS IT THE LATEST YES.

AND YOU MAY HAVE VISITED THE CLASSROOMS WHERE VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION OCCURRED SIMULTANEOUSLY.

THE LATEST VERSION.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE LATEST AVAILABLE FOR CITIZENS IF THEY LOG ON, BECAUSE IT STILL HAS THE FEBRUARY 16TH COVER LETTER.

RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

AND THAT'LL BE UPDATED AFTER THE BUDGET IS PASSED.

AND THEN, AND THEN WE'LL REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ONE.

BUT THE TWEAKS AND ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN MAKING UP TO TODAY WILL, WILL BE, UM, INCORPORATED INTO IT.

UH, SO LET'S, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE COUNTY WIDE BUDGET, INCLUDING THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET AND ALL THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, ALONG WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

ANYBODY WISHING TO SPEAK HERE IN THE ROOM.

GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN BOARD MEMBERS AND MR. YOUNG, THE SUCCESS OF GOOCHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAN BE IN MANY WAYS, ATTRIBUTED TO THE DEDICATED EMPLOYEES, SERVING IN ANY CAPACITY TO SUPPORT ACADEMIC GOALS, JOINTLY HELD FOR STUDENTS AND EQUALLY IMPORTANT.

PART OF THE SCHOOL.

SUCCESS HAS BEEN THE SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AT WORKING TOGETHER.

IT HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CORNERSTONE OF OUR SUCCESS IN A YEAR OF CHALLENGES THAT HAS BEEN BEYOND ANYONE'S IMAGINATION OR EXPERIENCE.

GCPS FOUND IT POSSIBLE TO BRING TEACHERS AND STUDENTS INTO CLASSROOMS.

[04:25:01]

THE LEARNING CURVE FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS DRAMATICALLY AND DYNAMICALLY CHANGED OUR APPROACH TO TEACHING AND LEARNING.

AND NO ONE GAVE UP THE SCHOOL'S BUDGET REQUEST COMES TO YOU.

AFTER ALL EMPLOYEES THROUGH THEIR DEPARTMENTS, GRADE LEVELS, SCHOOL BUILDINGS HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND PRINCIPALS HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS AND FACULTY MEETINGS ABOUT WHAT IS NEEDED IN THE COMING YEAR.

IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT INSTRUCTION, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT FULL PART-TIME STAFFING, CUSTODIANS, BUS DRIVERS, CAFETERIA STAFF, AND OTHERS WHO WORK TO ENSURE STUDENTS ARRIVE EACH DAY, HAVE A CLEAN BUILDING FOR LEARNING NOURISHING FOOD.

AND IN THAT ATMOSPHERE OF POSSIBILITIES, SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL'S INITIATIVE FOR PART-TIME STAFF IS PARTICULARLY ESSENTIAL GOING FORWARD.

I ASKED THAT YOU TRUST THE EMPLOYEES, THE TEAM THAT MAKES IT HAPPEN.

TRUST THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE HAVE USED TO ACHIEVE A BALANCED BUDGET REQUEST AND CONTINUE TO COLLABORATIVELY WORK WITH US TO ENSURE WE PROVIDE BEST LEARNING OPPORTUNITY T'S TO ALL STUDENTS.

THANK YOU, MR. NEWMAN.

APPRECIATE IT.

GOOD EVENING.

BOARD MEMBERS, MR. LUMPKINS, UH, JEREMY RAILEY, TWO, TWO, ONE, TWO PARKER'S HILL DRIVE AND MAIDENS.

I'M SPEAKING TO YOU THIS EVENING, NOT ONLY AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF OUR WONDERFUL SCHOOL DIVISION, BUT AS THE FATHER OF TWO CHILDREN, ONE WHO IS A GRADUATING SENIOR FROM GOOCHLAND HOSPITAL, AND ONE WHO IS A CURRENT SOPHOMORE AND SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY BUDGET.

UH, CHIEF FERGUSON IS IN ATTENDANCE TODAY, AS WELL AS SHERIFF CREASY.

AND I KNOW THE HARD WORK THAT THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS DO ON BEHALF OF THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND CERTAINLY THIS BUDGET PRIORITIZES PUBLIC SAFETY, AND IT PRIORITIZES PUBLIC EDUCATION.

AND I'M SEEKING YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY BUDGET, AS IT RECOGNIZES, WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY.

UH, SELFISHLY AS SUPERINTENDENT, I'M SPEAKING THIS EVENING AND SUPPORT OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION'S BUDGET, YOU HAVE SOME VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS TO MAKE AS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN LARGELY COMPRISES A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS AHEAD, CERTAINLY AS OUR COMMUNITY MAKES DECISIONS RELATED TO THAT.

BUT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SOME TIME RECENTLY IN GOOCHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND JUST HAD THE CHANCE TO SHOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THAT SPACE.

AS THOSE STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE AN ADEQUATELY SIZED LIBRARY AND THEY HAVE NO GYMNASIUM THERE'S ATTACHED TO THEIR SCHOOL AND CONTINUE TO SEEK YOUR SUPPORT FOR THAT PRIORITY PROJECT FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION, THE RELATIONSHIP THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAVE, HAS BEEN BUILT ON TRUST.

IT'S BEEN A RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST AND VERIFY AND A RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS RESULTED INSIGNIFICANT DIVIDENDS AND SUCCESSES OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.

THE INVESTMENT THAT 23,000 RESIDENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH YOUR VOTES HAVE MADE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION HAVE RESULTED IN THE NUMBER ONE SCHOOL DIVISION IN THIS REGION, UH, THE TOP 10 SCHOOL DIVISION IN THE COMMONWEALTH AND 98.1% GRADUATION RATE, AND MANY OTHER ACCOLADES.

SO AS YOU DELIBERATE AND MAKE DECISIONS IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, UH, AS A RESIDENT, AS A FATHER AND AS YOUR SUPERINTENDENT ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE FULL BUDGET FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS AS PRESENTED.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE ITEM? TWO OF OUR, OUR SECOND PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING ON THE COUNTY BUDGET AND HAS ANYBODY CHOPPED IT ONLINE? OKAY.

THE THIRD PUBLIC HEARING IS, UM, RELATED TO ORDINANCE CHANGES, UM, PROPOSED TAX AND FEE CHANGES.

I THINK WE'RE READY TO MOVE TO NUMBER A THIRD PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE FEE SCHEDULE.

[3. 3927: Ordinance to amend the Goochland County Fee Schedule, County Code Appendix C, to increase the water and sewer volume charges, service charges, and connection fees, pursuant to the authority in Virginia Code §§ 15.2-2111, 15.2-2119, 15.2-2122, 15.2-2143, and 15.2-2403; and to move the courthouse maintenance and construction fees from Administration to Courts]

UM, THIS IS YOUR, UH, THE TAX RATE SCHEDULE AND INCLUDES ALL THE TAX RATES IN THE COUNTY.

AND, UM, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE PERSONAL PROPERTY FOR PERMANENTLY DISABLED VETERANS THAT'S JUST STRIKE THROUGH FOR NOW.

UM, WE WON'T BE ADOPTING THAT RATE, UM, TWO WEEKS FROM NOW.

UM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF FEED CHANGES, I MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE DAY, WE, UM, ARE RECOMMENDING A BI-MONTHLY VOLUME, UH, AND SERVICE CHARGE FOR WATER, UH, INCREASE OF 3% AND WASTEWATER AT 4%.

THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL BIMONTHLY INCREASE OF AN AVERAGE OF 3.78 FOR THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER, THEIR BILL WOULD INCREASE, AND THAT IS A BIMONTHLY BILL.

UM, AND ALONG WITH THAT, WE WERE ALSO

[04:30:01]

RECOMMENDING A 5% WATER CONNECTION FEE INCREASE AND A 5% SEWER CONNECTION FEE INCREASE.

UM, AND THEN ARE THERE ANY CHAIN QUESTIONS ON RATE CHANGES OR FEATURE CHANGES? YEAH, THIS LAST CLASS.

SO MS. HORLOCKER THE, UM, THE CONNECTION FEE CHANGES, UM, THE WATER AND THE SEWER CONNECTION FEES, THOSE ARE RESIDENTIAL OR IS THAT, YEAH, WELL, I THINK ALL THE RATES CHANGED.

BUT THOSE WERE THE, YOU LISTED THE TWO RESIDENTIAL ON THE SLIDE, BUT THERE ARE, IT GOES UP BY THE, THE SIZE OF THE PIPE.

THAT'S NOT THE WHITE ONE.

YEAH, I THINK I KNOW, I THINK I'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE THIS LAST TIME, WHEN IT IS FULLY SET OUT IN YOUR PACKET ON, UM, TUESDAY, TWO 34 THROUGH 36, ALL OF THE, THE CHANGES AND YOU'LL SEE WHY THERE'S SO MANY OF THEM, THEY COULDN'T POSSIBLY PUT THEM ON A SLIDE.

AND I'D BE HAPPY TO CLARIFY THEM.

THIS LAST COLLETTE, UH, THOSE FEE CHANGES WOULD BE ACROSS THE BOARD 5% IN THE PRESENTATION.

WE LIST OUT HOW THEY WOULD AFFECT A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, OUR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

UM, BUT, UH, AGAIN, OUR, OUR CONDITION FEES ARE LISTED BY CATEGORY.

UH, BUT THEY'RE ALSO LISTED FOR METER SIZE FOR COMMERCIAL PROJECTS.

AND THAT 5% WOULD BE ACROSS THE BOARD IS DEAL, RIGHT.

REGARDLESS OF WHAT, WHAT THEY HAVE NOW, EVERYTHING IS GOING UP THAT UNIFORM AMOUNT.

JUST HAPPENED TO BE THE RESIDENTIAL.

IS THAT OKAY, MATT, WHILE YOU'RE STILL THERE DON'T COME.

DON'T GO ANYWHERE.

AND THESE JUST, THESE INCREASES WOULD BE NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THE, UH, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR MNR GOING FORWARD, UH, UNDER OUR MASTER UTILITY PLAN TO KEEP THINGS ON AN EVEN KEEL THAT'S THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

UH, THOSE INCREASES ARE BASED OUT OF THE RATE STUDY.

WE UPDATED THIS PAST YEAR D SERVICE CHARGERS IN VOLUME INCREASES THE THREE AND 4% THAT BARBARA MENTIONED.

UH, WE WOULD BE TO GO TOWARDS OUR ONGOING O AND M COSTS AND OUR OPERATING BUDGETS.

UH, THE 5% CONDUCTION FEE INCREASES WOULD GO TOWARDS OUR CAPITAL FUND BUILD OUT THE SYSTEM.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AND MR. LONGSHORE, I, I KNOW, UM, I KNOW, I THINK YOU'VE TALKED TO THE HOME BUILDERS, UM, AND I THINK QUESTIONNAIRE WE'RE GOING TO FACE IS THE QUESTION THAT I THINK WE HAD LAST MONTH, OR WHENEVER THE MEETING WAS THAT WE HAD THE DRAPER ADEN PERSON PRESENTING.

AND THAT IS THE PROJECTION IS THE PROJECTION.

IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THE PROJECTION AND OUR RATES IS EVERY TWO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT COMPARABLE INCREASES.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO DO A CONNECTION FEE INCREASES EVERY OTHER YEAR, ALL THAT TYPE OF INTERVAL.

UH, AND WHAT THAT DOES.

UH, A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS THAT WE LOOK AT ARE MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS THAT ALLOWS DEVELOPERS TO PLAN FOR HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BUDGET THEIR PROJECTS.

WE FEEL THAT THAT'S KIND OF THE FARES WAY TO DO IT VERSUS IN EVERY YEAR INCREASE ON SOMEBODIES CONNECTION FEES.

WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE FAIR TO OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AS WELL, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LOOKING AT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

WE ALSO HAVE INCREASING COSTS AS WE GO.

SO WE WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH OUR NEIGHBOR AND LOCALITIES, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO BE FAIR TO OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AS WELL.

SO THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO.

SO WHEN YOU YOU'VE REFERRED, PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO YOU, YOU'VE REFERRED THEM TO, UH, YOU JUST DON'T TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT PLAN, BUT YOU'RE REFERRING THEM TO SAY, HERE'S OUR FORECASTS.

W YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE FORECASTS OUT HERE FOR, DID WE WANT, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT PEOPLE TO SEE, RIGHT? YES, SIR.

ORIGINAL RATE STUDY TWO YEARS AGO IN 2018.

WHEN IT COMES TO CONDUCTION FEES, WE FORECAST PROJECTS GOING IN THE FUTURE.

WHEN WE LOOK AT RATES AND POTENTIAL INCREASES, WE TRACK THE PROJECTS WE HAVE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, BUT WE ALSO LOOK AT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THE 25 YEAR PLAN AND TRYING TO PROJECT, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT CONDITION FEES PAID FOR IS THOSE PROJECTS.

SO WE PROJECT WHAT THOSE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.

AND THAT'S A PRETTY MUCH A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT OUR RATE STUDY MANIFOLDED INTO OUR UTILITY MASTER PLAN AND HOW THAT ALL LOOKS, UM, TOGETHER IS HOW WE, UH, PROJECT THOSE, THOSE ITEMS. THANKS.

SO THE MORE YOU TALK, THE MORE IT MAKES ME THINK OF QUESTIONS.

SO, SO HERE'S A, HERE'S A HIT.

NO KIDDING.

NO.

UM, SO DIDN'T WE DO THE STUDY LIKE TWO, TWO YEARS AGO, THE DRAPER ARDEN STUDY, LIKE TWO YEARS AGO, HOW OFTEN DOES, WOULD YOU ESTIMATE WE WOULD NEED TO RE UM, TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE STUDY.

SO WE DID THE

[04:35:01]

THAT WAS THE FIRST EVER PROFESSIONAL RATE STUDY WE'D DONE, UH, IN THE COUNTY.

SO WE ANTICIPATED ON UPDATING THAT PLAN ON A FIVE-YEAR BASIS.

UH, THAT'S GENERALLY INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR STUDIES LIKE THAT.

HOWEVER, WITH ALL THE INTENSE GROWTH, WE TOOK ANOTHER LOOK AT IT THIS PAST YEAR.

UH, SO WE, WE UPDATED IT, UH, AS RECENT AS LAST YEAR.

SO W AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE, UH, THAT EVERY YEAR, YOU KNOW, THE MORE INTENSE GROWTH WE HAVE, THE MORE PEOPLE PAYING INTO THE SYSTEM, THE MORE, UH, WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, BUT TYPICALLY IT'S AN EVERY FIVE YEAR OUTLOOK, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, TOO.

AND ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BOARD ON PUBLIC HEARING ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE FEE SCHEDULES.

WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE THIRD PUBLIC HEARING OF THE EVENING FOR THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND GOOCHLAND COUNTY FEE SCHEDULE COUNTY CODE APPENDIX C FOR THE VARIOUS INCREASES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED.

ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK TO THESE, ANYBODY ONLINE.

WE DO REPRESENT INTERNATIONALLY.

AGAIN, UM, THE PUBLIC, THESE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL STAY OPEN UNTIL APRIL 12TH AT 5:00 PM.

YOU CAN SEND COMMENTS BY EMAIL OR CALL THE COUNTY, AND WE HAVE STAFF READY TO HELP.

HOW ARE WE DOING ON TIME? ALL RIGHT.

I THINK THAT TAKES US TO THE END OF THIS REGULAR MEETING.

IS ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD? YES, SIR.

GOOD EVENING.

HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING TODAY? GOOD, GOOD.

I'LL JUST CHOP IT UP HERE FROM HAMPTON ROADS, AREA, VIRGINIA.

MY NAME IS CAMERON BERTRAND.

I'M THE CEO OF VIOLENCE, INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION, VIP LLC.

AND WE ARE STATIONED OUT OF HAMPTON ROADS.

UM, WE'VE CAME UP HERE TO VISIT YOU ALL TODAY, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THE NAME AND THE FACE OF XAVIER HILL.

HE WAS MURDERED HERE JANUARY 9TH IN GUTEN COUNTY.

THAT IS THE REASON THAT WE HAVE CONTINUED TO COME HERE TO GOOCHLAND COUNTY.

WE HAVE BEEN SEVERELY DISMAYED WITH THE AMOUNT OF TRANSPARENCY HAS BEEN SHOWN BY GLUTEN COUNT, AND WE'VE SEEN THE LOVE THAT'S IN THIS ROOM.

WE SEEN THE IMPORTANCE THAT'S PLACED ON TRANSPARENCY IN RELATIONSHIPS, AND WE SEEN WHAT THAT CAN DO WHEN WE ACTUALLY COME TOGETHER AND UPLIFT THE FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES WITH TRAUMA INFORMED EVIDENCE-BASED OUTCOME DRIVEN SOLUTIONS TO ACTUALLY ADVOCATE FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO I FOUND SOMETHING INTERESTING.

THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY, THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY IS THE COMMUNITY LEADER WHO SHAPES THIS JUSTICE SYSTEM AS AN ELECTED LEADER OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT COME MOST ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THE SYSTEM TRANSPARENT AND GUARANTEEING THAT IT WORKS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY FEEL THAT THIS MAY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WHY THEY CAME HERE TODAY.

AND A LOT OF US WERE RATTLED WHEN WE FOUND OUT THE REALITY OF HOW THE SITUATION WAS HANDLED RIGHT HERE IN GOSHEN COUNTY.

THE FACT THAT THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE OFFICES WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT IN A POSITION TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND TO HELP WITH TANYA AND HER FAMILY.

AND THERE WAS NO TRANSPARENCY TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY PHONE CALLS FROM ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM TO EVEN JUST SEND AN OUNCE OF CONDOLENCES.

AND I DO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE IN HERE THAT HAVE FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES, IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY HARD FOR THEM TO BE PATIENT FOR ONE SECOND, ONE MINUTE OR ONE HOUR.

THE MINUTE THEY FOUND OUT THEIR CHILD WAS KILLED THE MATTER OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE HAVE HAD TO COME AND PROTEST AND MARCH, AND THIS AMAZING COUNTING FOR TRANSPARENCY, THAT'S IT.

AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT.

WE'VE SEEN THE POST ON FACEBOOK.

WE'VE SEEN THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ORGANIZED AGAINST US, AND OUR GOALS WERE TO COME AND EDUCATE PEOPLE ON WHAT HAPPENED TO XAVIER HILL, TO ORGANIZE OUR IDEAS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANOTHER FAMILY

[04:40:01]

AND TO MOBILIZE, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE TRUTH.

AND WE HAVE THE ANSWERS BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT.

IT BROUGHT US HERE TO YOUR HOME OF GOOCHLAND COUNTY SEVERAL TIMES.

AND UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO GET THE ADVOCACY THAT WE, THAT WE KNOW THAT WE DESERVE, WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO COME TO VIRGINIA STATE POLICE AND GOSHEN COUNTY AND DEMAND THAT WE GET THOSE ANSWERS.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO CONTROL THAT NARRATIVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT HAVE A VOICE AND A PLATFORM TO DO WHAT YOU CAN FOR THIS FAMILY.

I ASK THAT YOU DO IT BECAUSE YOU WOULD WANT THE SAME THING FOR YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES.

I DON'T WANT ANYTHING ELSE TO BE PUT INTO THE MEDIA WITH ABOUT WHY WE'VE CAME OUT HERE SEVERAL TIMES TO THIS COUNTY, HOW WE'VE BEEN, UM, OPPRESSED AND TARGETED AND FOLLOWED AND THREATENED WITH RACIAL SLURS, WITH DIFFERENT CHARGES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT AGAINST PEOPLE WHO HAVE CAME OUT TO EXERCISE THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT.

RIGHT? AND I GUARANTEE YOU, UH, THAT IF WE HAD TRAUMA INFORMED SOLUTIONS FOR THIS FAMILY, IF WE HAD OUTCOME DRIVEN SOLUTIONS USED BY THE GUCCI COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT, WHEN THEY ACTUALLY DID ENGAGE WITH US, WE WOULD HAVE HAD A HUNDRED PERCENT DIFFERENT RESPONSE.

SO TO GOSHEN COUNTIES, COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY, TO VIRGINIA STATE POLICE, AND FOR EVERY PERSON THAT CAN BE INVOLVED IN ACTUALLY CHANGING WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE, WE DO NOT LIKE SEEING THAT SCHOOL SYSTEMS WERE SHUT DOWN AS WE CAME IN HERE TO PROTEST, BUT WE KNOW THAT THAT FAMILY DESERVES JUSTICE.

WE DO NOT LIKE SEEING THE RESPONSE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN AGAINST THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME OUT TO UPLIFT THIS FAMILY, BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT OUR GOAL.

WE ARE HERE TO BRING JUSTICE FOR EXUBERA HILL.

WE'RE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS LOVE AND TRANSPARENCY AND ALL THAT WE SEE IN THE POLICIES AND LEGISLATION THAT GOVERN OUR COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE.

AND WE ASK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO USE YOUR VOICE, TO PLEASE USE YOUR PLATFORM, TO PLEASE USE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN TO SHOW THAT TRANSPARENCY IS ALL THAT WE NEED AND EVERYTHING THAT GOVERNS OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO UPLIFT THIS MESSAGE, WE WANT TO BRING JUSTICE FOR HILL.

ONCE IT COULD SEND YOU TO SURE, TO JUST PUT THIS, THIS CASE IS PUT INTO THE RIGHT HANDS.

AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU HAVE US HERE AND YOUR COUNTY, AND YOU SEE US HERE FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE, THAT YOU PLEASE STAND WITH US, THAT YOU PLEASE UPLIFT US, THAT YOU PLEASE HELP CONTINUE TO KEEP US PROTECTED FROM THE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT JUSTICE IS TO THE HEALING OF OUR FAMILIES.

THANK YOU ALL.

BUSINESS MEETING, UH, THAT MEETINGS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

AND, UM, I THINK OUR JOURN UNTIL APRIL 20TH, FOR A REGULAR

[XVIII. Adjournment]

AND THEN AFTER THAT MAY 4TH AUDIT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING AT ONE, AND THEN OUR REGULAR MEETING.

AND MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU JUST MAY WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT, THAT APRIL 20TH MEETING CONVENES AT FOUR.