[00:01:14]
GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO OUR 2:00 PM SESSION.
[I. Call to Order, 2:00 PM]
UM, I AM HERE BY CALLING THE GOODSON BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR MARCH 8TH TO ORDER.UH, TODAY IS, UH, OUR CONTINUATION OF OUR, UH, COUNTY STAFF PRESENTATIONS FOR OUR BUDGET.
AND WE WILL BE STARTING TODAY WITH JUDICIAL ADMIN AND I CAN'T MISS WISDOM.
COULD YOU PUT YOUR BUTTON ON PLEASE? SORRY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER, SO WE'LL GET RIGHT INTO IT HERE.
[II. New Business]
FIRST.WE'RE GOING TO START WITH JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION.
WE'LL START WITH THE CIRCUIT COURT, THE CIRCUIT COURTS, PRIMARY FUNCTIONS.
UM, ALSO WE'LL CASES MORE THAN $25,000.
THEY HAVE CONCURRENT AUTHORITY WITH GENERAL DISTRICT AND JUVENILE DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURTS, AND THEY ALSO HANDLED DIVORCES PROPERTY DISPUTES, ADOPTIONS, NAME CHANGES, AND FELONY CASES THAT ARE APPEALED FROM THE OTHER TWO COURTS.
THEIR BUDGET IS ONLY AN OPERATING EXPENSE BUDGET.
UM, THEY HAVE A VERY SMALL INCREASE THIS YEAR AND THE MAJORITY OF THIS BUDGET, 28
[5310: Agency Presentations for FY2023 County Budget: Judicial Admin, General]
SET LITTLE OVER $28,000 OF IT IS TO COVER A PORTION OF THE JUDGES SECRETARY.WE SPLIT THAT WITH ANOTHER COUNTY.
NEXT, WE HAVE GENERAL DISTRICT COURT AND THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS, CRIMINAL AND TRAFFIC CASES.
THEY HAVE CONCURRED AUTHORITY AS WE SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT CIRCUIT COURT AND THEY DO ALL PRELIMINARY HEARINGS ON FELONY CASES.
THEY ALSO HAVE A PRETTY SMALL BUDGET.
UM, IT'S ONLY OPERATING EXPENSE, THE EMPLOYEES OR STATE EMPLOYEES, AND THAT'S A FLAT BUDGET THIS YEAR.
NOTHING WENT UP AND WE LIKE THIS.
THOSE ARE GOOD, UH, CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS, THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, PROBATE OFFICIAL RECORDER OF DEEDS AND COUNTY CLERK.
THIS ONE, UM, THEY HAVE SALARY AND BENEFITS.
SO LET ME START BY SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT SALARY AND BENEFITS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IN ALL OF THESE ARE MOST OF THESE PRESENTATIONS.
UM, THIS YEAR WE'RE HAVING ALMOST A 2% INCREASE IN VRS AS MORE THAN WE EXPECTED, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'VE HAD TO CALCULATE IN THIS BUDGET.
WE ALSO CALCULATED IN A 4% HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE BEFORE WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO HAVE A HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE.
SO THESE BUDGETS WILL BE REDUCED BY THAT 4% HEALTH INCREASE.
AND THEN THAT MONEY CAN BE PUT TOWARD PROBABLY EITHER SALARIES OR BENCHMARK STUDY.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S BAKED IN THERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT WAS WHEN WE PROPOSED IT.
THIS, UM, SALARY AND BENEFITS LINE HAS A MID-YEAR POSITION THAT WAS ADDED THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER SEEMS HIGH.
KEEP IN MIND, THAT'S GOT THE BENEFITS AND EVERYTHING IN THERE, AS WELL AS YOUR VRS AND HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE.
THE OPERATING IS JUST NON REVERTING FUNDS.
AND I BELIEVE THOSE ARE FUNDS THAT THE CIRCUIT COURT CLERK CHARGES FOR, UM, ELECTRONIC ACCESS.
AND THEY'RE ANTICIPATED TO GO UP THIS YEAR AND THE SERVICE LEVEL PLAN.
ANYTHING YOU SEE IN SERVICE LEVEL PLAN ON ALL OF THESE BUDGETS IS NEW.
UM, EMPLOYEES ARE REQUESTS FOR NEW EMPLOYEES AND ANYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THOSE NEW EMPLOYEES.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A REQUEST FOR INTERNAL PROMOTIONS IS $9,000.
IT'S FOR TWO DEPUTY CLERK, ONE'S TWO DEPUTY CLERK, TWO AND ONE DEPUTY CLERK, TWO TO DEPUTY CLERK THREE.
SO THAT WOULD BE KIND OF LIKE JUST A MOVE UP FOR THOSE THREE POSITIONS IN THIS BUDGET.
COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY PRIMARY FUNCTION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROSECUTING CRIMINAL CASES.
UM, APPELLATE PROCEEDINGS TO THE SUPREME COURT AND VICTIM WITNESS ADVOCACY THAT ONE'S
[00:05:01]
SALARY ACTUALLY WENT DOWN.THAT'S ACTUALLY, UM, BECAUSE THE HEALTH INSURANCE WENT DOWN, APPARENTLY THERE WAS SOME CHANGE IN PLANS THERE AND IT, IT OFFSET THE VRS INCREASE AND IT'S FLAT FOR THE OPERATING EXPENSES AND THEY DID NOT REGRET REQUEST ANY NEW POSITIONS THIS YEAR.
WELL, THIS ISN'T A SURPRISE TO US.
WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A NEW COURTHOUSE BECAUSE OF LACK OF SPACE AND SECURITY.
AND SO THAT'S CURRENTLY THERE CONCERN, LACK OF SPACE INSECURITY.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THE COURT.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO GENERAL GOVERNMENT GENERAL GOVERNMENT ARE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND LE RELATED FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNTY IS LEGAL, FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATIVE ELECTORAL RESPONSIBILITIES ARE 11 DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN WE ALSO PUT OUR NON DEPARTMENTAL COSTS IN THERE.
START WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, NO ONE GET EXCITED.
THERE'S NO RES UM, THAT $1,540 IS ACTUALLY WHAT YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS WOULD HAVE BEEN, HAD IT GONE UP.
SO WE'LL BE MOVING THAT TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.
UM, AND THEN THE OPERATING EXPENSES WENT UP A LITTLE BIT.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOME STRATEGIC PLANNING IN THERE, SOMETHINGS WHAT THAT WAS FOR.
AND THERE WERE NO, OBVIOUSLY PHYSICIANS REQUESTED A CONDITIONER REVENUE.
THERE ARE ALL THESE SECRETS THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER REVENUE, OF COURSE WE HAD THE INCREASE FOR VRS AND HEALTH INSURANCE.
UM, THEIR OPERATING COSTS ARE MAINLY, WE ASK EVERYBODY THIS YEAR TO ADD TRAINING DOLLARS.
WE FELT LIKE PEOPLE WEREN'T NECESSARILY GETTING THE TRAINING THAT THEY NEEDED OR DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAINING.
SO THERE'S SOME TRAINING DOLLARS IN THERE AS WELL AS OFFICE SUPPLIES, CONTRACTOR SERVICES, BOOKS, AND SUBSCRIPTIONS, JUST REGULAR DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS ACTIVITIES.
UM, NO POSITIONS REQUESTED IN THE COMMISSIONER REVENUE, BUDGET COUNTY, ADMINISTRATOR BUDGET.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HAD SOME MOVEMENT IN THAT OFFICE.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOUR SALARIES ARE A LITTLE BIT, UM, DIFFERENT THIS YEAR, THE OPERATING EXPENSES HAVE GONE DOWN.
THERE WAS A PLACEHOLDER FOR A BROADBAND STUDY, WHICH NOW OF COURSE WE DON'T NEED TO DO THE BROADBAND STUDY.
WE HAVE THAT HANDLED AND ALSO ON SOFTWARE LICENSES, WE HAD SWAGGERED IN THERE.
THAT'S ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
SO THAT'S NOT A CHARGE THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE.
YOU WILL SEE IN THE SERVICE LEVEL PLAN THAT THERE WAS A REQUEST, UM, WHICH IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THEIR PROPOSED.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE DID HAVE A PART-TIME ADMIN POSITION REQUESTED THAT WAS NOT MOVED FORWARD.
AND THE OTHER IS FOR A PROJECT COORDINATOR.
THE THOUGHT WAS THAT THE PROJECT COORDINATOR WOULD BE HIRED AFTER THE NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR STARTED SO THAT THEY COULD BETTER DECIDE WHAT EXACTLY IT WAS.
THEY WANTED THAT POSITION TO DO.
AND THERE FOR THE PROJECT COORDINATOR THAT WE PUT FORWARD, WHOOPS COUNTY ASSESSOR, UM, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT SALARY VRS AND BENEFITS, AND THEN THEY PUT SOME MONEY IN THERE FOR TRAINING AND THEIR OPERATING EXPENSES.
AND ALTHOUGH THEY ARE VERY BUSY, THEY DID NOT REQUEST ANY NEW POSITIONS THIS YEAR COUNTY ATTORNEY.
AGAIN, WE'VE GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, VRS AND HEALTH INSURANCE, THEIR OPERATING EXPENSE AND THEIR CAPITAL EXPENSES.
AND THAT IS FOR A FILE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
THE CAPITAL EXPENSE IS ACTUALLY THE SOFTWARE R IS ACTUALLY, I GUESS, HARDWARE THAT WOULD BE PURCHASED.
AND THEN THE $4,100 IS FOR THE LICENSES.
AND THEY DID REQUEST A POSITION.
THEY REPLACED, THEY REQUESTED AN ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, AND THAT WAS NOT THE BLUE FORWARD FINANCE, UM, SALARY LOOKS A LITTLE WEIRD AND FINANCE BECAUSE WE WERE PUTTING 20% OF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR SALARY TOWARD YOU INTO UTILITIES.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S WHAT THAT 3.8 POSITION MEANS AT THE BOTTOM.
UM, THIS YEAR WE PUT PERCENT IN THERE AND THEY HAVE HIRED A BUSINESS MANAGER.
SO WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT FINANCE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE THOSE DUTIES THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING FOR UTILITIES OVER TO THAT BUSINESS MANAGER, ONCE THAT PERSON'S UP AND RUNNING.
SO THAT WOULD GO BACK TO FOUR FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
AND PART OF ALL OF THAT FULL SALARY WOULD BE IN THE SALARY LINE.
UM, WE HAVE EVERY YEAR, THE AUDIT GOES UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, THE COST UNDER, UM, OPERATING EXPENSES.
WE DO HAVE A NEW BUDGET BOOK SOFTWARE.
WE DID WIN THE BUDGET AWARD FOR THAT.
KATHLEEN SMITH WORKS VERY HARD ON THAT.
THERE IS AN UPGRADE TO THAT, UH, $6,000 THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ROLL IN ALL THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EVERYTHING INTO THAT.
AND SO THAT'S ALSO FACTORED IN THE BUDGET, HUMAN RESOURCES, HUMAN RESOURCES DID REQUEST A POSITION, A HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER THAT WAS NOT MOVED FORWARD.
AND THE OPERATING EXPENSES WENT UP BECAUSE WE DID ASK HR TO PUT TRAINING DOLLARS IN THERE FOR MORE HIGHER LEVEL, LIKE OVERARCHING TRAINING, NOT NECESSARILY PER DEPARTMENT, BUT LIKE LEADERSHIP AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THEY DID PUT THAT IN THE BUDGET.
[00:10:01]
IT, UM, UNDER SALARY AND BENEFITS, IT ADDED $10,000 FOR OVERTIME THIS YEAR, 16,000 FOR ON-CALL PAY.THEY'RE HAVING A PROBLEM MEETING THE NEEDS DURING BUSINESS HOURS.
YOU CAN'T BRING THE SYSTEM DOWN AND YOU CAN'T DO THIS.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT WHEN EVERYBODY'S IN IT.
UM, THEY WEREN'T OPERATING WITH ANY KIND OF OVERTIME THAT THEY COULD DO THAT WITH.
AND SO THEY HAVE ASKED TO BUDGET $10,000 IN OVERTIME, SO THEY CAN DO SOME OFF-CYCLE OR OFF HOUR UPDATES AND MAINTENANCE TO KEEP THE SYSTEM RUNNING.
UM, THEY DO HAVE ON CALL PAY, WHICH WASN'T BUDGETED EITHER THE ON-CALL PAY, OBVIOUSLY IT'S IT, IF SOMETHING BREAKS, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO FIX IT, WHETHER WE'RE HERE OR NOT.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ON CALL, PAY US FOR.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, VRS AND HEALTH INSURANCE, UM, THEIR SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS WENT UP, UM, PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY.
UH, IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW, THE MORE SOFTWARE WE MAINTAIN AND THE MORE SOFTWARE WE GET, THE MORE IT COSTS TO DO THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE AT AND THEY DON'T HAVE A FULL-TIME REQUEST PURCHASING.
UM, PURCHASING IS, I BELIEVE THAT'S A COPIER LEASE IS WHY WE WENT UP ON OPERATING EXPENSES AND PURCHASING.
OTHERWISE EVERYTHING STAYED FLAT, DIDN'T REQUEST ANY POSITIONS THERE, REGISTRAR ELECTORAL BOARD, UH, THE REGISTRAR HAD AN INCREASED PER THE STATE, UH, LAST YEAR FOR SALARY.
UM, THEY ALSO ADDED $3,000 TO THEIR PART-TIME SALARY TO HAVE ADDITIONAL PART-TIME HELP.
UM, AND THEIR CAPITAL EXPENSES ARE FOR EQUIPMENT LIKE POLL BOOKS, AND THEY ALSO ADDED $2,489 FOR ELECTION WORKERS TO HAVE ADDITIONAL ELECTION WORKERS THAT WHOLE 45 DAY, UM, EARLY VOTING HAS PUT A LITTLE BIT OF STRAIN ON THAT OFFICE.
AND SO THEY'RE TRYING TO BEEF IT UP WITH SOME MORE ELECTION WORKERS AND SOME PART-TIME PEOPLE TO COVER ALL THOSE HOURS.
CAUSE IT IS A LOT OF HOURS WHEN YOU START YOUR ELECTION.
ON THOSE TWO MONTHS EARLY TREASURER IS, UM, BASICALLY THEIR OPERATING EXPENSES WENT UP BECAUSE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE BILL, BILL PRINTING AND POSTAGE BECAUSE THINGS KEEP GOING UP.
UNFORTUNATELY, UM, THEIR SERVICE LEVEL PLAN IS ALSO INTERNAL PROMOTIONS.
THEY'RE PROMOTING TWO DEPUTY TREASURER ONES TO DEPUTY TREASURER TWOS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS THERE.
THEY DID NOT REQUEST ANY NEW POSITIONS.
NON-DEPARTMENTAL UH, NON-DEPARTMENTAL THE FIRST SECTION IS DEBT.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE NEW DEBT IN THERE.
THAT'S CALCULATED FOR THE REFERENDUM.
PLUS THE CURRENT DEBT THAT WE ALREADY HAD.
THE SECOND SECTION IS INSURANCE.
WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING OUR INSURANCE RENEWAL.
UM, WE'RE ANTICIPATING IT WILL BE SIMILAR TO WHAT IT WAS BEFORE.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF MASSIVE INCREASES IN OUR INSURANCE.
WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD RECORD AS FAR AS OUR CLAIMS. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT'LL STAY FAIRLY STEADY.
THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, YOU SEE THE 1.3 MILLION THE WAY THAT'S THE WAY THAT'S STRUCTURED RIGHT THERE.
WE HAVE A 3% SALARY INCREASE IN THERE FOR EVERYONE AND THAT'S $600,000 BALLPARK.
AND THEN WE HAVE $700,000 IN FOR THE BENCHMARK STUDY FOR A TOTAL OF 1.3 MILLION.
NOW, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU DECIDE TO DO, YOU CAN MOVE THAT AROUND AND HOW YOU LIKE, BUT YOUR TOTALS IS 1.3 MILLION.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR TRANSFERS.
YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE TRANSFERRED TO OUR FUNDS BASED ON EITHER, UM, OUR PORTION THAT WE OWE OR WHAT WE ARE GIVING THAT IN THAT PARTICULAR GROUP SCHOOLS GETTING A MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR, CSA IN SOCIAL SERVICES, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS, UM, A LOT OF THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT SERVICES THEY END UP HAVING TO PROVIDE, BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT IS, IS MATCHING STATE MONEY.
AND THEN WE USUALLY PUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE CIP TO AT LEAST HAVE THAT BASE IN THERE FOR SOME REOCCURRING THINGS THAT WE DO.
UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE FACING INFLATION AND SUPPLY CHAIN.
WE'VE HEARD THAT UNTIL EVERYBODY'S TIRED OF HEARING IT, BUT BASICALLY THAT'S IT.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO LAST.
UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT CONTRACTED SERVICES AND, AND OFFICE SUPPLIES AND JUST THOSE SMALL ITEMS THAT DON'T SEEM TO BE A WHOLE LOT, BUT ADD UP WHEN YOU START ADDING SEVEN AND 10% TO THEM, YOU KNOW, SO WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT, UM, INCREASING WORKLOADS AGAIN, RIGHT NOW, THE COUNTY'S BOOMING, EVERYBODY'S BUSY AND THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF WHAT IT IS.
PHASE THREE OF THE NEW FINANCIAL SYSTEM, THE TREASURER COMMISSION REVENUE AND ASSESSOR ARE STILL LOOKING AT, UM, SOFTWARE SYSTEMS THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO REPLACE THE OLD SYSTEM THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND THEY'RE STILL, THAT'S STILL UNDER REVIEW.
WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AND WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF SPACE HERE.
IF WE ADD TOO MANY MORE PEOPLE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANYWHERE TO PUT THEM.
SO SPACE NEEDS ARE AN ISSUE AS WELL.
SO I HAVE, UM, THREE OR FOUR QUESTIONS ON SLIDE 23.
SO THIS IS THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE.
[00:15:01]
WE, I DID NOT REALIZE I, OKAY.SO WE HAD TWO FULL-TIME POSITIONS, BUT I THOUGHT WE JUST HIRED A PART-TIME POSITION.
WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL THREE OTHER PART-TIME POSITIONS PART-TIME POSITION WE JUST HIRED WAS ACTUALLY IN THE BUDGET LAST, LAST YEAR, BUT NOT HIRED.
UM, SO THEY JUST FINALLY GOT THAT ONE HIRED, BUT I MEAN, THERE'S ONLY TWO PEOPLE WORKING IN AN OFFICE RIGHT NOW.
SO WE DO CURRENTLY WE JUST DID HIRE THAT PART-TIME POSITION.
SO THERE'S CURRENTLY THREE PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S THE ELECTORAL BOARD BECAUSE WE, THAT COMES OUT OF OUR BUDGET, THE THREE ELECTORAL BOARD MEMBERS.
THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME FROM PAGE 25 LOOPS.
SO THE FAR RIGHT HAND COLUMN IS THE CHANGE.
CONTINGENCY 22 WAS 250,000 REQUESTED TWO 50 PROPOSED 2 35.
WHEN IT'S MINUS FIVE, WE USE THE CONTINGENCY TO BALANCE THE BUTTON.
I JUST THINK THE NUMBERS ADDED UP.
SO, SO THAT PERCENTAGE IN THE FAR RIGHT-HAND CORNER IS IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT, WHAT THEY REQUESTED, WHAT WAS LAST YEAR OR WHAT INCREASED DECREASED.
SO LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LINE OF DUTY, JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE, THE LINE OF DUTY ACT INSURANCE IS 8.7%.
WHAT IS THAT MEASURING INCREASE? DECREASE.
IS IT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL BUDGET IS 22 ORIGINAL BUDGET TO 23 PROPOSED 22 ORIGINAL, WHICH IS 46 TO WHAT? 22, 23 PROPOSED.
UM, SO THEN PAGE, THANK YOU ON PAGE 26.
UH, THE PHASE THREE FINANCIAL SYSTEM.
I KNOW THIS IS A WHOLE ISSUE AND TO HIMSELF.
UH, DO WE HAVE A GENERAL FRAMEWORK TIME OF WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THIS DONE? I DO NOT KNOW THAT.
THEN I MET WITH, UH, THE, UH, TRESOR AND COMMISSIONER A FEW WEEKS AGO AND THEY'RE STILL, THEY STILL NOT READY TO GO, UH, FOR BIDS, THEY HAVEN'T FOUND THE RIGHT SOLUTION THAT THEY LIKED, SO.
SO THE ANSWER'S NO, NO, SOMETIMES IT IS ANSWERED.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO MOVE ON TO SUPPORT SERVICES.
THESE ARE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH HUMAN SERVICES.
UM, WE HAVE HAD, WE HAD SEVEN REQUESTS FOR, UM, ASSISTANCE FOR THE SUPPORT SERVICE FUNCTIONS.
THIS YEAR, WE DID APPROVE SIX OF THEM.
UM, HERE ARE THE SIX THAT WERE APPROVED.
UM, ALL OF THEM ARE FLAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RENTALS, COMMUNITY COLLEGE RENTALS, COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
WE PAY A PORTION OF BASED ON THE SIZE OF OUR COUNTY.
WE PAY A PORTION OR PERCENTAGE OF THEIR, UM, CHARGES EACH YEAR FOR CAPITAL AND OPERATING.
AND SO OUR PERCENTAGE THIS YEAR HAS GONE UP SLIGHTLY FROM 24, 6 82 FOR CAPITAL TO 26,000 OR 71.
AND FROM OPERATING 88, 46 TO 93 44.
AND OUR PERCENTAGE IS THREE POINT LET'S SEE, 3.2, 1% IS THE PERCENTAGE OF THEIR REQUESTS THAT WE PAY.
THE ONLY ONE THAT WE DID NOT FUND WAS THE AMERICAN RED CROSS.
UM, WE, WE HAVE NOT HISTORICALLY ADDED ANY NEW, UM, SUPPORT SERVICE FUNDING TO OUR BUDGET.
[00:20:02]
IN KEEPING WITH THAT, WE DID NOT ADD THE RED CROSS THIS YEAR.NOW THAT'S CERTAINLY UP TO THE BOARD.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO CONSIDER, BUT WE DID NOT PUT IT IN THE BUDGET AS IT WAS REQUESTED.
PAGE 30, IF YOU DON'T MIND GOING BACK TO THAT.
SO ON THE DITCH, UH, BOTH THE CAPITAL EXPENSE AND THE OPERATING EXPENSE, WE PAY A PRO-RATA SHARE BASED ON OUR POPULATION, WHETHER THEY SPEND A DIME HERE, WHETHER THEY SPEND 9,000 OR 90,000 OR NOTHING, WE STILL PAY THAT SAME AMOUNT.
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A CAMPUS HERE.
SO THEREFORE THAT THAT'S HOW WORKS.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, GOOCHLAND CARES, NEGOTIABLE CHARACTERS HERE.
SO I'M GOING TO RUN THROUGH THIS AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE THE ON SHORE TO ADDRESS THOSE FOR ME, UH, THEIR PRIME, THEIR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE AND BASIC HUMAN SERVICES FOR GOOCHLAND NEIGHBORS IN NEED.
THESE ARE THEIR HOME REPAIR EXPENDITURES.
THEY HAVE A $44,000 INCREASE IN THEIR REQUESTS.
THIS YEAR, $40,000 OF THAT IS FOR HOME REPAIR.
AND THE OTHER 4,000 IS FOR TRANSPORTATION.
SO WE'RE FOCUSING MAINLY HERE ON THE HOME REPAIR, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THEY'RE THEIR BIGGEST STYLE REQUEST IS.
UM, IN 21, THEIR BUDGET WAS 350,000 FOR HOME REPAIR, NOT JUST FROM US.
THIS IS TOTAL AND THEY SPENT $410,000.
THEY DID 71 PROJECTS FOR 43 HOMES IN 2021.
AND YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE UNDER MAJOR REPAIRS, WHAT THOSE PROJECTS WERE AND WHAT THEY WERE, WHAT THEY ACTUALLY WORKED ON AND FIXED.
THIS IS, UM, BASICALLY JUST THEIR DISCUSSION ON, ON WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIR HOME REPAIRS, UM, WHAT THEIR, WHAT THEY LIKE TO DO.
THEY'D LIKE TO INCREASE COUNTY FUNDING SO THAT THEY CAN DO MORE WORK ON HOME REPAIRS, UM, OPEN IT UP TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
AND TH THIS IS ONLY FOR GOOCHLAND COUNTY.
THESE HOME REPAIRS ARE ONLY DONE IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY FOR GOOCHLAND COUNTY CITIZENS.
THEY ALSO WANT TO EXPAND FROM HOME REPAIR TO BASICALLY WEATHERIZATION WHO WOULD HAVE TO BUILD AND GETTING HOMES.
UM, NOT ONLY REPAIRING THOSE THAT NEED MAJOR REPAIRS AND THEIR BUDGET FOR 22 WAS $450,000.
SO THEY WENT UP A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ON THEIR BUDGET FROM 21 TO 22 FOR HOME REPAIRS.
AS I STATED AT $44,000, $40,000 IS FOR HOME REPAIR OR 4,000 IS FOR SOME ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION FOR FOLKS THAT NEED IT 23, THEY'D LIKE TO EXPAND THEIR HOME REPAIR, UM, BILLING.
THEY'RE GOING TO BILL MEDICAID FOR DENTAL SERVICES AND THEY NEED TO FUND INCREASE OF OPERATIONS, INSURANCE, INTERNET, ET CETERA, AND IDENTIFY NEEDS FOR GOOCHLAND WITH THE WRONG WAY.
I'M SURE THEY'D BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, OR I GUESS IT'S MY DAY.
SO BACK ON THE, UM, THE BUDGET REQUEST, IT SOUNDED LIKE PART OF THAT MONEY HIGHNESS UH, NO, WE GO ONE PAGE BEFORE THAT WE WERE EXPLAINING WHAT IT WAS FOR.
UM, SO PART OF THIS REQUESTED BUDGET 450,000 IS GOING FOR MARKETING.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH OF THAT IS FROM ALL? LET ME EXPLAIN THIS SLIDE.
UM, I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN THIS SLIDE.
THIS ACTUALLY ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE HOUSING GVA REPORT.
SO THEY ARE COUNTY-WIDE RECOMMENDATIONS, NOT JUST FOR GOODWILL AND CARES.
AND THE REASON I PUT THEM UP THERE, MANNY WANTED MORE DETAIL WITH HOME REPAIR WAS TO SHOW YOU WHAT'S DRIVING OUR INCREASE BUDGET INCREASE.
SO I HOPE THAT HELPS BESIDES THE FACT THAT WE SPENT MORE THAN WE HAD BUDGETED FOR LAST YEAR, UM, THE DEMANDS HIGH.
AND NOW THAT WE HAVE ASSUMED SOME MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE DIDN'T USE TO DO, LIKE HVAC S UH, SEPTIC WELLS.
WE HAD PEOPLE COMING TO THE CLOSE TO THE FOOD PANTRY, JUST FOR WATER DRINKABLE WATER.
YOU COULD SEE ON THAT OTHER SLIDE, UH, DOING FOUNDATIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT ARE VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE.
SO DOES THAT HELP? NO, IT DOESN'T DARN PLEASE TELL ME HOW MUCH OF THE $450,000 REQUEST IS FOR MARKETING.
FOUR 50 IS WHAT THEY SPENT ON HOME REPAIR FOR FOUR 50 IS WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED GISH AND CARES, SAYS BUDGET AND PUT IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR FOR HOME REPAIR.
[00:25:01]
WE DON'T HAVE ANY LIGHT ON LINE ITEM, UM, LINE ITEMS FOR MARKETING.THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME OUT OF THE HOUSING GVA STUDY.
THAT'S NOT WHAT'S IN OUR BUDGET.
WE'LL BE DOING SOME MARKETING.
I MEAN, MARKETING, WHEN I SAY MARKETING, JUST DOING THINGS LIKE PUTTING FLYERS AND FOOD PANTRY BAGS, THINGS LIKE THAT, NOT HIRING A WAIT.
WE DON'T NEED TO MARKET THIS PROGRAM.
THAT'S WORD OF MOUTH AND MY POINT.
WE'VE ABSOLUTELY WE CAN HANDLE.
WHY ARE WE ASKING FOR MORE? NO, NO, NO.
THAT WAS THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
SO, UM, AND AGAIN, THIS, COULD YOU GO BACK TO THAT OTHER SLIDE BEFORE? I MEAN, THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS IN THERE THAT SORT OF REALLY CONFUSED ME.
SO YOU'RE EXPANDING THE PROGRAM HOME ADAPTABLE.
SO TH TH THAT'S MAYBE IT CAN HELP.
SO THIS IS, THESE WERE THE BULLETS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT BIG REPORT THAT WAS DONE, RIGHT.
THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING EACH OF THESE IS JUST GIVING SOME CONTEXT FOR MR. ALBERT, NOTHING TO DO WITH US MONEY MAY.
IF, IF, IF WE APPROVE AND THAT THE INCREASE GOES IN, THEY WILL, SOME OF THAT MONEY MAY FALL INTO SOME OF THESE THINGS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW ONE OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THERE INCREASED COUNTY FUNDING.
SO OUR REQUEST IS TO, UM, AS FOR THAT INCREASE.
AND JUST SORT OF KEEP IN MIND THAT THE SENIOR POPULATION IN GOOCHLAND WILL DOUBLE BY 2024, AND THOSE ARE PEOPLE OFTEN LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
IF YOU'RE ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND YOU NEED A ROOF REPAIR, YOU CANNOT AFFORD IT.
SO THAT'S THE GAP WE'RE TRYING TO FILL.
MR. WILKINS, IT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW JERA, SALLY, HOW ARE YOU DOING? UM, AS I UNDERSTOOD THIS PROGRAM, IT'S A WONDERFUL PROGRAM.
IS IT STARTED OUT, WAS FOR WANT, LIKE YOU SAID, IF YOU'RE ON SOCIAL SECURITY FOR ONE OF JUST A COUPLE OF DOLLARS TO FIX THE ROOF FOR A COUPLE OF DOLLARS TO DO THIS OR THAT, UH, FOR ONE OF THOSE COUPLE OF DOLLARS, THERE MAY BE AN EVICTION BECAUSE YOU, YOU, YOU NO LONGER CAN QUALIFY FOR A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIVABLE.
AND PERSON GETS THROWN OUT OF A HOUSE.
THE HOUSE GOES INTO DISREPAIR, WE LOSE TAXES, IT'S A DOWNWARD SPIRAL.
SO TO FILL THAT GAP WITH JUST A FEW DOLLARS TO FIX THAT SHINGLE, OR FIX THAT PIPE, THEN THE PERSON CAN STAY IN THE HOME AND CONTINUE ON.
THAT'S THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD THE KIND OF GENESIS OF THIS PROGRAM.
UM, PROGRAMS HAVE A TENDENCY TO GROW JUST LIKE A SEED IN THE GROUND.
UH, IS THIS, IS THIS, DO YOU SEE THIS MORPHING INTO, WHEN I SEE OTHER QUALITY OF LIFE REPAIRS, IS IT TO TAKE IT BEYOND LIVABLE TO VERY NICE.
I MEAN, YOU SEE WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS? I MEAN, IS IT STILL WHAT IT STARTED OUT TO BE, WHICH IS CRITICAL HOME REPAIR, RESTORING HOMES TO SAFETY.
THE CRITICAL, UH, AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
I MEAN, WATER IS A QUALITY OF LIFE.
WHEN I THINK OF SOME OF THESE THINGS, I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, HIGH QUALITY, I THINK OF IT AS A BASIC NECESSITY, BUT ANYWAY, SO I JUST, MY QUESTION REALLY IS, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE ANSWERED IT.
IT'S NOT GROWN BEYOND ITS ORIGINAL CHARTER, WHICH IS TO JUST, JUST, JUST EXPANDED THE SCOPE, BUT EXPANDING THE SCOPE TO BE ABLE TO MEET THOSE NEEDS TO, TO GET HOMES LIVABLE.
I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP ON THE SAME.
THIS IS KIND OF AN UNFORTUNATE SLIDE BECAUSE I THINK IT GAVE US ALL SOME PAUSE, UM, PROACTIVELY MARKET, THE PROGRAM TO RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUE DEMAND FOR SUCH A PROGRAM.
I THINK MS. LASKO THAT LATCHED ON TO THAT I DID TOO.
YOU KNOW THAT THIS JUST UNFORTUNATE, BUT I'M BEGINNING TO HEAR FROM YOU THAT THIS IS WHAT IT IS.
IT'S JUST OUT THERE, BUT THAT YOU'RE FOCUSED DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE TO MARKET A PROGRAM TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUE DEMAND, THAT'S JUST BACKWARDS.
THAT'S NOT OUR RECOMMENDATION.
THAT WAS THE REPORT'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
I JUST WISHED YOU HADN'T EVEN INCLUDED THIS SLIDE, BUT THE CRITICAL HOME CRITICAL, THE CRITICAL HOME REPAIRS.
YOU WANT TO EXPAND THIS PROGRAM.
SO I THINK RIGHT AWAY, WE'RE THINKING, OKAY, WE'RE TAKING OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY, GIVING IT TO GET SOME CARES AND YOU'RE GOING BEYOND CRITICAL HOME REPAIR.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE YOU FOLLOWING UP MR. PETERSON'S QUESTION, I WOULD JUST LIKE YOU TO DEFINE CRITICAL HOME REPAIRS.
YOU DESCRIBED PEOPLE COME IN THAT JUST NEED DRINKABLE WATER.
THEY COME INTO THE FOOD PANTRY AND DRINKABLE WATER, AND YOU SAID, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
OF COURSE, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, WELL, WHY ARE THEY DOING THAT? AND I'M ASSUMING,
[00:30:01]
BECAUSE SOMETHINGS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A FAILING, WELL, YEAH, THEY HAVE A WEALTH IT'S SO THAT I WOULD SAY IS A CRITICAL HOME REPAIR.WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE AS CRITICAL HOME REPAIRS ON YOUR SO WE DIDN'T USE TO DO SEPTIC HVAC FOUNDATIONS.
UM, WE DID NOT USE TO D BECAUSE WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY.
SO WE'VE EXPANDED THE SCOPE TO INCLUDE THOSE THINGS.
WE ALWAYS KNEW THEY WERE CRITICAL, BUT WE WE'VE JUST, I THINK, COME TO APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THAT MORE.
AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS, THE EXTRA MONEY, ARE YOU GOING TO BE EXPANDING THE DEFINITION OF CRITICAL HOME REPAIRS FROM WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED? NO.
I MEAN, THINGS LIKE SOMEBODY NEEDS A RAMP TO GET INTO THEIR HOME NOW, OR THEY GOT A DOOR THAT DOESN'T LOCK.
IT CAN BE THAT SMALL, OR IT CAN BE A WHOLE FLOOR THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY HAD A WATER LEAK.
AND WE HAD ONE CLIENT WHO WAS ACTUALLY WALKING ON THE JOYCE OF HER FLOOR.
SO SHE WOULDN'T FALL THROUGH THE FLOOR TO THE GROUND BELOW.
I'D LIKE YOU TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, CAUSE I HAVEN'T TALKED TO YOU YET ABOUT IT.
I'LL I'LL SAY I AM CONCERNED ABOUT NOT PROVIDING SERVICES TO PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT VACCINATED.
UM, WE HAVE ALWAYS PROVIDED ALL OF OUR SERVICES TO PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF THEIR VACCINATION STATUS.
SO DEPENDING, SO IF THEY COULDN'T COME IN THE FOOD PANTRY BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T VACCINATED, WE, THEY COULD GO ONLINE AND ORDER, THEY COULD CALL, WE PACKED BAGS, WE TOOK THEM OUT TO THEIR CARS.
SO WE NEVER STOPPED GIVING SERVICES TO ANY, ANY OF OUR SERVICES TO ANYBODY EXCEPT DENTAL BECAUSE DENTAL GOT CLOSED DOWN BY THE STATE FOR A COUPLE MONTHS, BUT HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS.
AS OF MONDAY, WE ARE TAKING THE MASKS OFF AND WE ARE GETTING RID OF THE VACCINATION POLICY.
SO I DID WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL.
CAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT IT, BUT THAT WAS REALLY A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT WE WEREN'T SERVING PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE, OF THEIR VACCINATIONS.
WE DID INTERVIEWS ON THE PHONE REGISTRATIONS ON THE PHONE.
I'M STILL CONFUSED ABOUT THIS GVA HOME REPAIR.
THIS HOUSING STUDY HAS GOOCHLAND CARES, ADOPTED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
NO, I MEAN WHERE WE ARE, WE HAVE NOT GONE DOWN THAT CHECKLIST AND SAID WE'RE DOING EVERY ONE OF THOSE.
SOME OF THOSE WEREN'T MEANT FOR US, THAT COUNTY FUNDING, OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT MEANT FOR US THE, UM, ELIGIBILITY OF THE, OF THE, TO THE PROGRAM AND THE COSTS CAP FOR THE PROGRAMS BUILDING CAPACITY.
WE'RE UM, WE HAD JUST REALLY STARTED PARTNERING WITH HABITAT WHEN COVID HIT.
SO WE'RE RESTARTING THAT UP AGAIN.
UM, THAT RECOMMENDATION IS TO, YOU KNOW, GET THE WHOLE COMMUNITY INVOLVED WITH, WITH HOME REPAIR IF WE CAN, THE MARKETING YEAH.
THE EXPANDING TO, UM, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE WEATHERIZATION HOME, ADAPTABILITY, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND THEN THE, UM, I DON'T QUITE HONESTLY, I THINK WHAT THE LAST BULLET MEANS IS THAT IF WE GO TO A HOME AND IT'S SO DECREPIT THAT WE CAN'T FIX IT, THAT WE CAN WALK AWAY AND SAY, THIS JUST ISN'T WORTH PUTTING MONEY INTO IT.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THAT HAPPEN ONCE AND IT COSTS US A LOT OF MONEY CAUSE YOU FIXED ONE THING AND THEN SOMETHING ELSE IS WRONG, YOU KNOW? AND WE'RE NOT IN THAT BUSINESS OF JUST THROWING OUT ENDLESS MONEY AND DO IT.
UM, SO ARE YOU, YOU'RE NOT OKAY.
SO, UM, INCREASED FUNDING RESOURCES.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE ENABLE, UH, GOOCHLAND CARES TO EXPAND ELIGIBILITY OR YOU'RE ADOPTING THAT.
UM, NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLANS TO WHERE WE ALWAYS LOOK AT ELIGIBILITY.
YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT 200%, WHICH IS OUR FPL IS VERY, VERY LOW.
WE HAVE EXPANDED IT FOR OTHER PROGRAMS. WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLANS TO DO THAT FOR HOME REPAIR.
AS I SAID, WE'VE GOT ENOUGH BUSINESSES AS IT IS AND HOME REPAIR, SO YEAH.
AND INCREASE THE COST CAP FOR THE PROGRAM.
WE USED TO JUST GO UP TO LIKE $5,000 AND YOU CAN'T DO A ROUTE FOR $5,000.
SO WE'RE BEING PRETTY FLEXIBLE WITH THAT.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE MARKETING, UM, WHICH SEEMS COMPLETELY COUNTERINTUITIVE TO ME.
SO, SO YOU AREN'T DOING MOST OF THESE THINGS, RIGHT? YEAH.
THIS LAST CLIP, THIS IS VERY, THIS IS VERY, I THINK SOME OF THE MARKETING WAS TO MARKET, TO POTENTIAL DONORS.
SO TO MARKET THE PROGRAM TO FOLKS THAT COULD HELP FUND IT IS THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
BUT THIS SAYS TWO RESIDENTS ARE,
[00:35:01]
AND I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY YOU'RE ASKING RESIDENTS.SO AN OUTSIDE CONSULTING FIRM DID THIS STUDY FOR US FOR THE HOUSING GVA GROUP.
MR. PETERSON WAS THINKING MS. CHAIR, UM, SALLY, I GUESS ONE OR TWO MORE REAL QUICKLY HERE.
UM, SOME OF THE DYNAMIC HERE IN THE BACK AND FORTH IS YOU'VE GOT SOME VERY COMPASSIONATE, FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE PEOPLE UP HERE.
I JUST THOUGHT I'D FILL IN THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT SOME OF THE WRESTLING IS GOING ON UP HERE.
UM, QUICK QUESTION, YOU DID 71 PROJECTS LAST YEAR.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NIGHT.
HOW DID YOU JUST PICK THESE 71 OUT OF THESE HUNDRED AND 50? I MEAN, HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT DECISION OF WHO? SO PEOPLE APPLY.
WE GO OUT AND EVALUATE IT WITH A VOLUNTEER WHO KNOWS CONSTRUCTION AND THAT KIND OF THING.
TAKE PICTURES, BRING IT BACK, DECIDE WHETHER IT IS CRITICAL, DECIDE WHETHER FIND OUT WHETHER THEY OWN THE HOME.
YOU KNOW, WE CHECK THEIR PAPERS, RECORDS AND EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ACTUALLY OWN THE HOME BECAUSE THEY DON'T ALWAYS OWN THE HOME.
UM, WE, UM, PUT IT OUT TO CONTRACTORS.
A LOT OF THIS HAS TO BE DONE BY CONTRACTORS BECAUSE IT'S LICENSED WORK, ELECTRICITY, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND UM, WE JUST TAKE, TAKE THEM AS APPLICATIONS COME.
AND THAT'S HOW WE RAN OVER LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T, THEY WERE ALSO CRITICAL.
WE JUST DECIDED TO 71 THAT MADE THEIR WAY THROUGH THAT MAZE THAT PASSED ALL THE GATES AND PUT A FEW OUTSIDE FOR 2022 OR 72.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF BIRDS.
CHEEPING FOR A WORM HERE IN THE NEST AND NUMBER 72 THAT DIDN'T QUITE GET THERE AS, HOW DID, WHY DID YOU PICK ALL OF THEM? AND I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME INSIGHT INTO HOW YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WHO GETS IT, WHO DOESN'T, BUT IT'S NOT AN ART, IT'S A SCIENCE OR VICE VERSA.
IT'S IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY HAS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE.
AND THAT WAS 71 PROJECTS FOR 43 HOMES.
SO WHEN ONE HOME, WE MIGHT'VE DONE THREE PROJECTS, SO YOU HAVE, BUT YOU HAVE TO PRIORITIZE THEM SOME FASHION.
I MEAN, HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE TO SPEND.
IT MUST BE DIFFICULT TO, UH, THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND NOT TO FOCUS ON.
THEY START REBUILDING TOGETHER.
UM, I'VE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN THAT PROGRAM AND IT IS, IT'S ALL VOLUNTEERS.
SO THERE'S NO EXPENSE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND THEN I'VE ALSO GONE OUT TO RIBBON CUTTINGS FOR HABITAT, FOR HUMANITY, AND SOMEBODY IS GETTING A BRAND NEW HOME, THE ENTIRE THING'S NEW.
SO SOME OF MY QUESTIONS WERE IF YOUR MISSION IS TO SOLVE CRITICAL PROBLEMS, UM, LEVERAGING OFF REBUILDING TOGETHER TO DO THAT WITHOUT COST IS A, IS A GOOD THING, GIVING A NEW HOME DOESN'T SOUND LIKE WE'RE SOLVING A CRITICAL PROBLEM.
SO THE WHOLE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY THING, MAYBE BEYOND THE SCOPE THAT I THOUGHT I HEARD THAT I DO, ALTHOUGH HABITAT DOES USE LICENSED CONTRACTORS, THEY MIGHT BE VOLUNTEERS, BUT YEAH, WE, WE, WE RELY ON OUR VOLUNTEERS AND TRY TO MAKE IT AS VOLUNTEER BASIS.
WE CAN, BUT WE CAN'T HAVE AN UNLICENSED PERSON GOING IN AND PLUMBING A HOUSE.
LET ME FINISH BY JUST THANKING YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO AND ALL THE PAIN AND SUFFERING THAT YOU EASE IN THE COURSE OF YOUR DAILY LIFE.
UM, ONE OF, SO I HAVE A LONG HISTORY WITH GOOSSEN CARES.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I GOT ON THE BOARD WAS JUST BECAUSE I SAW HOW THEY STRETCH THE DOLLAR MORE THAN ANY ORGANIZATION.
I SAW ONE OF THE THINGS YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT, I'D LIKE TO SEE, AND YOU JUST MENTIONED IT.
UM, ARE THERE PLACES, ARE THERE PLACES WHERE WE AS GOVERNMENT CAN COME IN AND LESSEN RESTRICTIONS WHILE NOT MITIGATING SAFETY? SO I'D LOVE TO SEE YOUR BOARD WORK WITH OUR BOARD OR OUR STAFF TO FIGURE OUT, HEY, HERE'S SOME OF THE, HERE'S SOME OF THE, HERE'S SOME OF THE WAYS THAT COSTS ARE INCREASING AND THEN AS A GOVERNMENT BODY, IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO HELP WITH THOSE? AND I WOULD LOVE, I THINK THAT IS A COMPLETELY APPLICABLE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT.
JUST TELL US WHO TO TALK TO ANYTHING ELSE, MR. ALVAREZ.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO MR. PETERSON'S QUESTION ABOUT HOW YOU IDENTIFY THESE FOLKS.
AND I DID REGISTRATIONS WHILE I WAS DURING THE TIME I WAS RETIRED, I DID REGISTRATIONS.
AND WHEN COVID STARTED, I WAS DOING IT FROM HOME.
AND THE WAY YOU IDENTIFY SOME OF THESE FOLKS IS YOU'RE ON THE PHONE WITH SOMEBODY AND HE SAYS, HOLD ON A SECOND, SIR, I NEED TO GO TURN ON MY BREAKERS BECAUSE THE LIGHTS WENT OUT.
I FORGOT THAT I HAD TURNED ON THE WATER PUMP AND EVERY TIME HE TURNED IT ON THE WATER PUMP, IT, IT PUMPED FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
SO HE WAS FILLING HIS TUB AND THEN IT WOULD BLOW THE FUSE.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT BEFORE GOOCHLAND CARES, COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY EXPENSIVE
[00:40:01]
TO DO A PUMP REPAIR.AND AS I TALKED TO HIM YET IDENTIFIED A FEW OTHER THINGS WHERE THE SOUTH, SO I WENT TO, UH, ANGIE WHO'S WHO MANAGES IT.
IT DIDN'T MEAN THAT IMMEDIATELY THEY GOT THAT HELP, BUT THEY APPLIED AND THEY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND GOT, UH, GOT APPROVED.
UM, BUT SO THAT'S ONE THING YOU GOTTA REMEMBER THIS LIST AND I KIND OF ASKED SALLY, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE HOME REPAIR? THIS IS ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE PROPOSAL FROM THE COMFORT FROM THE CONSULTANTS.
I THINK THEY WANTED THE BOARD TO SUBSIDIZE SOME BUILDING AND SO ON THAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE NEVER AGREED TO DO, BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE, THAT WERE CLOSE TO THE, UM, MISSION OF GHOSTLAND CARES.
IT'S NOT ABOUT ANYBODY CAN LIVE IN GOOCHLAND.
IT'S ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO LIVE IN GOSHEN AND SHOULD LIVE IN SAFE HOUSING.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THEY STILL WANT TO FOCUS IN ON.
WHEN I STARTED ON THE BORDER, CUSHMAN CARES, I THINK I MAY BE WRONG, BUT IT WAS ABOUT $80,000 THAT WE HAVE FOR HOME REPAIR, UH, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.
I MEAN, IF SOMEBODY CAME IN, YOU KNOW, WE COULD GO A LITTLE MORE AND NOW IT'S GOING TO BE FOUR 50.
SO, SO GOSHEN CARES, REALIZES THAT IT IS A BIG NEED, UM, IN THE COUNTY.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE MR. PETERSON'S COMMENTS THERE.
I THINK, WHEREAS THE BACK AND FORTH AND THE TOUGHNESS OF THE QUESTIONS IS I'M JUST ALWAYS REMEMBERING THAT WE'RE SPENDING OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.
SO I KNOW WHEN YOU, AND THIS IS A WEALTHY COUNTY AND I THINK I'VE SENT THIS TO YOU BEFORE.
I DON'T WANT, I IMAGINE WE COULD GIVE YOU $2 MILLION AND I BET YOU, I SURE.
AND I'M SURE IT WOULD ALL BE TO WORTHY CAUSES THAT IF ANY OF US WERE IN THE FRONT LINES, LIKE YOU ARE, WE WOULD SAY THIS IS AWESOME.
BUT THERE'S JUST A REAL DIFFERENCE IN MY MIND, PHILOSOPHICALLY BETWEEN GOVERNMENT GIVING MONEY AND PEOPLE COMING TO YOUR ANNUAL GATHERINGS AND WRITING THEIR OWN CHECKS.
CAUSE I JUST THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF OVERSIGHT THAT WE CAN'T BRING AS A GOVERNING BODY.
WE CAN'T BRING THAT NEEDED OVERSIGHT THAT I THINK PEOPLE PULLING OUT THEIR OWN CHECKBOOKS CAN BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SHOW THOSE DONORS THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS WORTHY OF THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY.
AND IT'S SOMETIMES GOVERNMENTS CAN JUST GET IN SPOTS WHERE IT'S, WE DON'T THINK ABOUT THIS IS OTHER PEOPLE'S HARD-EARNED MONEY.
AND I THINK, I THINK WE JUST KIND OF REMINDING OURSELVES THROUGH THIS QUESTION OF WHAT OUR ROLE IS TO BE, TO BE CAREFUL.
AND I NEVER WANT OUR MONEY TO SUPPLEMENT WHERE OTHER PEOPLE, WHEN YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE SAY, WELL, DIDN'T YOU GET, YOU KNOW, THIS MUCH MONEY FROM THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT PROBLEM.
WHY SHOULD I START TO DO THAT? SO, CAUSE I THINK THAT THAT SCRIPT CAN FLIP IF, IF GOVERNMENT STARTS STROKING MORE AND MORE CHECKS FOR THESE SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND, AND GOOCHLAND IS A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE GENEROUS AND WEALTH, I KNOW IT'S A DIVIDED COMMUNITY.
THERE'S THERE, THERE ARE THESE NEEDS AND ARE REAL.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, BROADLY SPEAKING, WE HAVE A GENEROUS AND WEALTHY COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS YOU AND YOUR GOOD WORK.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND I THINK ONE RESPONSE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING TAXES AND THEN SEEING THAT GOES IN, GO INTO SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS TO REMEMBER THAT IT, IT ALSO HELPS THEIR, THAT PROPERTY VALUE NOT TO HAVE THAT HOUSE FALLING APART.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR CHANGES ABOUT VACCINATION POLICY.
CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A HOT BUTTON.
THIS WAS, I THINK WE HAVE MS. HUNTER TO ME AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
[Government, Support Services, Community/Economic Development, OCS, DSS,]
GOOD AFTERNOON.CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, JOANNE HUNTER, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I HAVEN'T BEEN UP HERE IN A WHILE.
SO, UH, I DON'T THINK I CAN GO AS FAST AS A MARIANA AND DO LIKE 24 BUDGETS AND 10 MINUTES, BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TRY.
SO COMMUNITY FOR ANNUAL REPORT ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO AND UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS HERE LAST, UH, TWO MONTHS AGO.
SO WE'LL TRY TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, BUT THE ECO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WE'LL START WITH THAT.
THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS COMPRISED OF FOUR COMPONENTS, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER PLANNING AND ZONING, ENVIRONMENTAL
[00:45:01]
AND LAND DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING INSPECTIONS.UH, SO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, UM, CONSISTS OF 1.3 POSITIONS, UM, THAT IS OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER.
AND ONE THIRD OF MY POSITION IS, UH, CHARGED TO THIS ACCOUNT.
UM, ONE THIRD OF MY POSITION IS CHARGED TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND ONE-THIRD TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO VERY MINOR CHANGES WITHIN THIS.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S ABOUT AN OVERALL, UM, REDUCTION OF ABOUT A 4%, UM, IN THE OVERALL BUDGET.
UM, WE DID ASK EACH STAFF AND, UM, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS TO LOOK AT, UM, TRAINING IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
AND THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST LINE ITEMS, UM, IS INCREASED TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, MANY OF THESE POSITIONS, UM, DO YOU REQUIRE CERTIFICATIONS AND WITH COVID A LOT OF THOSE TRAININGS WERE NOT AVAILABLE OR THEY WERE ONLINE.
SO AS THAT IS NOW GEARING BACK UP, WE DO WANT OUR STAFF TO GO BACK OUT AND GET, GET THEIR TRAINING THAT'S REQUIRED FOR THEIR CERTIFICATIONS.
SO IN THE, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION CATEGORY, SOME OF THE, UH, FUTURE OUTLOOKS FOR THIS YEAR IS TO MAINTAIN OUR HIGH LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, UH, WITH AN INCREASE IN WORKLOAD.
YOU HAVE HEARD US FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS ABOUT HOW THE INCREASE, UM, IN PERMITS DEVELOPMENT THAT IS OCCURRING.
UM, WE DO DO OUR, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE CARDS.
AND EVEN THOUGH OUR NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED, UH, PROBABLY ABOUT 40% IN THE NUMBER OF PERMITS, UM, OUR AVERAGE RATING FOR OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE, IT'S STILL A 4.9 OUT OF FIVE.
UM, AND, UM, ONE OF THE, MOST OF THE, UH, REQUESTED CONCERNS OR CHANGES WITH THOSE CUSTOMER SERVICE CARDS ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSED WITH OUR NEW PERMITTING SOFTWARE SYSTEM, UM, WHICH IS CURRENTLY A HUGE PROJECT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
ALL OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF, UH, THERA WARLEY IS THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
WE HAVE A, ABOUT A 20 YEAR OLD PERMIT SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT IS NO LONGER, UM, EVEN SERVICED ANYMORE.
I THINK THERE'S ONLY TWO LOCALITIES LEFT IN THE COUNTRY THAT ARE STILL USING IT.
UM, SO THIS NEW PERMIT SOFTWARE, WE HAVE BEEN, UM, ONBOARDING IT FOR ABOUT THE LAST YEAR, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF HAS BEEN TESTING THE DIFFERENT WORKFLOWS AND DIFFERENT, UM, PERMIT, UH, DIFFERENT PROCEDURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE WILL KNOW APRIL 1ST OF OUR ACTUAL GO LIVE DATE, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT WILL OCCUR SOMETIME IN LATE MAY.
UM, WE WILL BE DOING TRAINING FOR BOTH, UM, OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY ON HOW THEY CAN SUBMIT PERMITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO DOING YOUTUBE VIDEOS SO THAT PEOPLE GET THAT WE DO BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE A WEALTH OF INFORMATION, NOT ONLY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, BUT FOR CITIZENS ON GETTING INFORMATION ON PROPERTIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO WHAT THE PERMIT SYSTEM WILL DO, UM, IT WILL ENHANCE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE SATISFACTION.
UM, IT WILL ALLOW FOR ONLINE PERMIT SUBMISSIONS, ONLINE PERMIT, STATUS UPDATES, ONLINE SCHEDULING AND RESULTS FOR INSPECTIONS.
AND THE BIG ONE IS WHAT WE ALWAYS GET REQUESTED FOR PEOPLE WILL NOW BE ABLE TO PAY WITH CREDIT CARDS, UM, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST REQUESTS DURING OUR, UH, ANY FEEDBACK WE GET FOR PLANNING AND ZONING.
UH, THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS ARE TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT ON LAND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, PLANNING, COMMISSION, DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE, BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
THEY ADMINISTER THE ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCES.
UH, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ALSO INCLUDES THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING HAS BECOME MUCH MORE INVOLVED AND COMPLEX IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, OVERSEEING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE SMALL AREA STUDIES AND MANY OF THE, UH, APPLICATIONS THAT THEY REVIEW AND PROBABLY THE FOLKS THAT YOU SEE THE MOST UP HERE AT THE PODIUM.
SO AGAIN, NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE BUDGET, UM, FOR THIS CATEGORY, UM, FEW INCREASES, UM, BUT AGAIN, VERY, PRETTY MUCH STABLE FROM LAST YEAR.
THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PLANNING AND ZONING OFFICE OVER THE LAST FISCAL YEAR FISCAL YEAR WAS, UH, TO FACILITATE NEW DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF SEVERAL EXISTING BUSINESSES, UM, PROCESSING NUMEROUS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS PARTICIPATION IN THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
UM, WE NOW HAVE A DIRECT FUNDING SOURCE FOR TRANSPORTATION.
UM, CURRENTLY NOW WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE SOME OF THAT FUNDING TO GET SOME OPTICOMM WORKING WITH V.TO GET OPTICON, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS ON OUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
[00:50:01]
UM, WE'RE ALSO BE USING SOME OF THAT FUNDS.WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON REDESIGNING THE MEDIAN ENTRANCE AT THE FIRE STATION ON PATTERSON AVENUE TO MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT FOR THEM.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO SPENT A LOT OF TIME, UH, DETERMINING WHICH PROJECTS TO BE CREST MONEY FROM FUNDING FOR, UH, IT'S A VERY COMPETITIVE PROCESS NOW FOR TRANSPORTATION FUNDING AND SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON THAT.
UH, THE ENGINEERING FOR FAIRGROUNDS ROAD ROUNDABOUT HAS BEEN FINALIZED.
UM, THAT PROJECT HAS GONE OUT TO BID AND WE DO EXPECT CONSTRUCTION OF THAT TO BEGIN SOMETIME THIS SUMMER.
UM, AND ONE BIG SUCCESS IS WE ALSO, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO GET THE, UH, FUNDING FOR THE OILVILLE INTERCHANGE, UM, SUCCESSFULLY INCLUDED IN THE FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, UM, FOR THAT TO BE PAID FOR IN THAT MANNER.
SOME OF THE OUTLOOK AND CHALLENGES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE, UH, PEPS KICKED OFF THE SMALL AREA STUDIES FOR THE CENTER, VILLE AND COURTHOUSE, UM, AREAS WE'VE HAD OUR FIRST AROUND THE PUBLIC MEETINGS LAST MONTH, UM, HAVE HAD AN ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THE COURTHOUSE HAD ABOUT 45 PEOPLE AND CENTERVILLE HAD ABOUT 130 PEOPLE.
SO PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT IT'S A NECESSARY PLAN TO DO AND PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WORKING THAT THROUGH THAT THIS ENTIRE YEAR.
WE ALSO ARE WORKING ON THE SUBDIVISION RE REWRITE THE MANAGEMENT OF FUTURE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WORKING ON A SOLAR ORDINANCE AND A SOLAR POLICY DEVELOPMENT REVIEW IMPROVEMENTS, AND ALSO MANAGING JUST THE INCREASE IN DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? SPEED, SPEED.
I WILL ADD THAT TO AS A FOOTNOTE DOWN THERE.
NOT BUT LAST BUT NOT LEAST SPEED UP.
SO YES, UH, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND LAND DEVELOPMENT, THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS ARE PROVIDING ENGINEERING, ENGINEERING, EXPERTS, FEES, EXPERTISE TO ALL THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, THEY PROCESS REVIEW AND ISSUE THE PLANS OF DEVELOPMENT, LAND, DISTURBANCE, PERMITS, AND STORMWATER PERMITS.
UM, AND THEN THEY ALSO OVERSEE SITE CONSTRUCTION, UM, AND REQUIRE ALL THE, UH, REQUIRED INSPECTIONS AND ANNUAL MAINTENANCE FOR BMPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, THIS DEPARTMENT IS ALSO A LIAISON TO THE MONICA AND SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT.
UM, AND THEIR ROLE IS TO FACILITATE AND SUPPORT VARIOUS AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UH, GENERALLY THE BUDGET, UM, NO CHANGE IN OPERATING EXPENSES.
UM, THE DID REQUEST, UM, THIS WAS THE FIRST DEPARTMENT THAT IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UM, THAT REQUESTED A POSITION, THEY ACTUALLY REQUESTED TWO POSITIONS.
UM, ONE WAS FOR A STORM WATER INSPECTOR.
SO ALL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HAVE TO BE INSPECTED EVERY TWO WEEKS.
UM, AS A REQUIREMENT BY STATE LAW, WE CURRENTLY HAD ONE STORM WATER INSPECTOR WHO IS DOING THAT AS YOU CAN SEE AS YOU, UH, THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS BECOME BEFORE THE BOARD, THAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP UP.
UH, SO WE DID ASK FOR A STORMWATER, UM, INSPECTOR POSITION AND, UM, IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AND WE DO APPRECIATE THE OTHER POSITION.
WE HAVE A, UM, AN EXISTING PART-TIME ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER POSITION THAT WA THAT IS CURRENTLY NOT FILLED.
UH, WE WERE WAITING TO SEE IF WE COULD GET THAT CHANGE TO A FULL-TIME POSITION.
THERE IS A LARGE ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT THAT WE WILL BE DEALING WITH IN THE UPCOMING YEAR.
FEMA IT SHOULD, WHICH IS THE FLOODPLAIN ORGANIZATION.
ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO BE, UM, REVISING THE FLOOD PLAIN ORDINANCE CLOUD, PLAIN MAPS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY, UM, THAT WILL, THIS WILL REQUIRE A LARGE OUTREACH FROM OUR OFFICE, UH, TO NOTIFY PEOPLE OF THE CHANGES AND THE IMPACTS ON THEIR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WE WERE WAITING TO SEE IF WE COULD UPGRADE THAT POSITION TO A FULL-TIME POSITION, UM, THAT DID NOT GET INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.
UM, BUT WE WOULD BE, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD AND HIRING THAT PART-TIME POSITION, UH, WITH ONE OF THEIR MAIN ROLES WAS FOCUSING ON THAT.
SO WHAT THEY'VE SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR IS CONTINUED THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
UM, ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES, UM, IS ABOUT 2018.
WE DID A SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE AMENDMENT REQUIRING INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, BEING BUILT, UM, AS A SUBDIVISION IS DEVELOPED, INSTEAD OF ALL THE WAY, UH, WAITING UNTIL THE END IN TERMS OF SIDEWALKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE, THE DEPARTMENT THAT MANAGES MAKING SURE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS INSTALLED AT APPROPRIATE TIMES.
[00:55:01]
AND THEY'VE ALSO WORKED WITH PLAN RVA ON THE REGIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE, AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR BIOSOLID ACTIVITY OVER THE NEXT YEAR.UH, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ENFORCING THE STATE REGULATIONS FOR STORM WATER AND EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION OF THE UPDATED FLOODPLAIN MAPS AND MANAGING THE CONSTRUCTION, UM, FROM THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE COUNTY, AS I SAID, THEY ARE THE LIAISON TO MONICA AND SOIL AND WATER.
SO JUST BRIEFLY THE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF MONICA SOIL AND WATER IS TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION, AND LEADERSHIP TO IMPROVE NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION.
UM, THEY DO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS, UM, TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC HEALTH EVENTS, UH, PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE MASTER GARDENERS AND PARTICIPATE IN FULL FARMER'S MARKETS.
THEY DO A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS AND, UM, I'M SURE THERE IS SOMEONE WHO COMES TO THE BOARD REGULARLY.
AND IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ON WHAT MONICA AND LITTLE AND WATER DOES, WOULD BE GLAD TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE LECTURE.
SO, YES, UM, MOVING ON TO BUILDING INSPECTIONS, THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO PRESERVE THE PRO, UH, PRESERVE AND PROMOTE THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE REGULATION OF THE UNIFORM STATEWIDE BUILDING.
SO THIS INCLUDES BUILDING PERMITS, MECHANICAL PERMITS, ELECTRICAL PERMITS.
THERE ARE ALSO OUR OFFICE THAT, UH, VERIFIES THAT SITES ARE MEETING THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITY ACT REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF HANDICAP ACCESS, UM, HANDICAPPED, BATHROOMS, PARKING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, I KNEW WE HAVE TOLD YOU HOW ABOUT HOW MUCH MORE, UH, PERMITS THEY HAVE BEEN PROCESSING INSPECTIONS.
AND YOU'RE PROBABLY WERE VERY CONFUSED WHY WE DIDN'T ASK FOR A POSITION IN THIS CATEGORY.
UM, WE HAD IN 20 21 9, UM, STAFF MEMBERS IN THIS, UM, WE HAD ALWAYS PLANNED ON ASKING FOR THE POSITION THIS YEAR.
HOWEVER, UM, THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT AND PERMITS THAT WE WERE SEEING ABOUT YEAR WAS, UH, TO THE POINT WHERE WE FELT LIKE WE WERE FALLING BEHIND.
WE DID COME TO THE BOARD SIX MONTHS AGO AND HAD A MID-YEAR POSITION UPGRADE, UM, WHICH, I MEAN A MID-YEAR POSITION ADDITION.
UM, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
THAT PERSON IS, UM, STARTED ONBOARDING AND, UH, IS ALREADY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
SO INSTEAD OF WAITING TO JULY, WE'VE ALREADY HAD THAT POSITION HIRED.
UM, SO NO NEED TO ASK FOR ANOTHER PERSON.
UM, SO WE DO GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN THE LAST, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN EXPANDING AND STORING ALL THEIR OLD PERMIT FILES.
UM, A BIG PROJECT THAT TOOK A AMOUNT INTENSE AMOUNT OF IMPRO OF INSPECTIONS WAS THE CEO FOR TUCKAHOE PINES.
THEY ARE DOING THE ONGOING REVIEW OF AVERY POINT.
UH, THAT PROJECT IS MOVING SO QUICKLY.
WE HAVE ONE INSPECTOR THAT SPENDS ABOUT FIVE HOURS A DAY, JUST DOING THE INSPECTIONS ON AVERY POINT.
THAT'S HOW MANY INSPECTIONS ARE REQUIRED OF A BUILDING OF THAT COMPLEXITY.
UM, AND AS YOU RECALL, WE TOLD YOU THEY HAD ABOUT A 39% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PERMITS AND A 28% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS, UM, LAST YEAR.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'LL BE WORKING ON THIS YEAR IS, UH, PURSUING CERTIFICATIONS FOR THEIR NEW AND CURRENT STAFF.
THEY'RE WORKING ON SOME IN-HOUSE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR INSPECTOR SKILLS.
UM, ONE THING WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS FOCUSING ON CREATING STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
UM, WE HAVE TRIED TO DO THIS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER.
IF, IF SOMEONE'S OUT, YOU KNOW, THEORETICALLY I CAN GO IN AND IF SOMEONE'S APPLYING FOR A PERMIT, I CAN PULL THIS BOOK OUT AND, AND GET THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE ARE NOW DOING THIS, UH, SAME THING FOR THE BUILDING INSPECTION STAFF.
UM, THIS HELPS THEM WITH TRAINING.
AND ONCE, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR WHEN YOU'RE GOING OUT TO DO A MECHANICAL INSPECTION? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THINGS LIKE THAT? UM, THE IT'S IT'S TIME CONSUMING, BUT, UH, IMMENSELY HELPFUL AND, UM, VERY, VERY GOOD FOR THE LONG-TERM OF THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO DEVELOPING AND PRESENTING CONTRACTOR TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN ONGOING ISSUES WITH AND, UH, ARE BIG CHALLENGES, THE NEW PERMIT SYSTEM, UM, IT'S GOING TO IMPACT ALL OF CD, BUT, UM, BUILDING INSPECTIONS, PARTICULARLY, UM, THEY WILL BE GOING LIVE, UH, COMPLETELY AND THEY WILL BE GOING PAPERLESS.
SO WE WILL NO LONGER BE PRINTING OUT MOUNDS AND MOUNDS OF INSPECTION TICKETS.
THEY WILL ALL BE GOING TO IPADS AND THEY WILL BE USING THEM IN THEIR CAR.
THEY WILL LEAVE THE SITE, GO INTO
[01:00:01]
THEIR CAR, ENTER THE INFORMATION AT THE IPAD.UM, IT WILL NOTIFY THE, UM, THE, THE APPLICANT AND ALSO, UH, WE WERE GOING TO CUT DOWN, UH, UH, LESS CONSIDERABLE, MORE TREES AND GOING PAPERLESS.
AND ONE THING I DIDN'T COVER IN THERE IN THEIR CHANGE IN THEIR BUDGET IS YOU DO SEE IN THE SERVICE PLAN ITEM, OOPS, I'M ON THE WRONG.
THERE IS A NUMBER THERE FOR, UM, $28,000, UM, FOR CAPITAL EXPENSES THAT IS, UM, THE BLUE BEAN SOFTWARE.
SO ALSO NOW, BECAUSE WITH THE NEW PERMIT SYSTEM, YOU WON'T BE SEEING ALL THE ROLES OF PLANS THROUGH OUR OFFICE.
UH, THE BLUE BEAM SOFTWARE WILL ALLOW THEM TO REVIEW ALL THEIR PLANS ELECTRONICALLY NOW.
SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SUBMIT YOUR PLANS ELECTRONICALLY.
THEY WILL BE REVIEWED AND TRACKED ELECTRONICALLY AS WELL, AND THAT'S IT FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE'RE ALSO GOING TO COVER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGAIN, NEW NOACS, UH, MAJOR CHANGES WITHIN THE OPERATING BUDGET.
UM, AGAIN, YOU SEE THE 2.3 POSITIONS THAT COVERS THE TWO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATORS AND A THIRD OF MY POSITION.
UM, SOME OF THEIR MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS, UM, FOR THE LAST YEAR IS THE EXECUTION OF MORE GOALS AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, STRATEGIC PLAN.
THEY CREATED A CAMPUS BASED MARKETING MATERIALS TO SHOWCASE WEST CREEK.
UM, THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS AND MARKETING MATERIALS AND CONTINUATION OF THE BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION PROGRAM.
UM, THEY'VE RESPONDED TO OVER 150 BUSINESSES IN LAST YEAR'S CALENDAR YEAR.
THERE ARE FUTURE OUTLOOK FOR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR IS TO INCREASE AVAILABLE BUILDING AND LAND PRODUCT 10 TRADE SHOWS TO MARKET OUR TARGETED INDUSTRIES, HOST BUSINESS ROUND TABLE EVENTS, UH, CREATION OF A BUSINESS APPRECIATION MONTH CREATION OF AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, AND ALSO TO DEVELOP A TRUE TOURISM STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT EITHER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT BLUEBEAM AND ALL THESE THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING STUFF, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO, ULTIMATELY ONCE YOU GET PAST THE LEARNING CURVE, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A GOOD THING.
UM, BUT THAT MADE ME THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE GIS LAYERS AND PUTTING, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THINGS LIKE CUP INFORMATION ZONING, OR IS THAT IN THE MIX? IS THAT IN THE BUDGET OR IS THAT IN WORKS? YEAH, SO WE ORIGINALLY HAD A GIS DIGITIZATION PROJECT TO DO THAT.
UM, ONCE WE'VE GOT INTO WORKING WITH THE PERMITTING SOFTWARE, WE REALIZED THAT IT WOULD BE ALL WITHIN THAT INFORMATION.
UM, AND THAT, THAT WOULD BE A BETTER FORMAT OF HOW TO BRING THAT FORWARD.
ALL OF THAT DATA WOULD BE IN THE, UM, GIS SYSTEM.
SO YOU'D BE ABLE TO CLICK ON A PROPERTY AND NOT ONLY FIND OUT IF A CUP OR REZONING ISSUE WAS ISSUED ON THAT PROPERTY, BUT YOU'D ALSO BE ABLE TO CLICK ONTO THE RESOLUTION.
UM, AND IT WOULD HAVE THE RESOLUTION.
AND IF THERE'S ANY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS, LIKE THE, UH, CONCEPT PLAN OR THE EXHIBITS OR ELEVATIONS OR ALL THAT, THAT WOULD ALL BE PART OF BRINGING, UH, WE WILL KNOW THE EXACT DATE, UM, AS OF APRIL 1ST, BUT WE'RE, OUR ANTICIPATION IS LATE MAY.
THIS MAY, LIKE, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THIS COMES OFTEN WHEN THEY GET THESE CASES.
AND I THINK WE HAVE ON THE FOREST THE OTHER DAY, WE'RE TALKING PERSON WAS PUTTING IT UP, TALKING ABOUT NOTIFYING THE NEXT BUYER OF CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
SO WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED THERE AT THE END, IT WAS A LOT OF DETAIL.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO CLICK CLICK THROUGH RIGHT ON, RIGHT ON THE GIS MAP.
WE REALLY BELIEVE THIS PERMITTING SOFTWARE IS NOT ONLY GOING TO HELP THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE A WEALTH OF INFORMATION FOR OUR CITIZENS AS WELL.
AND IT WILL MAKE ALL OF OUR STAFF'S JOB A LOT EASIER INSTEAD OF GETTING PHONE CALLS.
PEOPLE CAN LOG INTO THE SYSTEM AND SEE WHERE THINGS ARE.
AND ALSO, UH, UH, I THINK THE IT'LL MAKE THE MAKE EVERYBODY'S JOB HARDER FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS AS WE ALL FIGURE OUT THE QUIRKS AND, AND ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
UM, BUT WE REALLY HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR THIS GENE INCREASE EVERYBODY'S EFFICIENCIES.
I'M SURE THERE'LL BE A STILL DEVELOPMENT COMING OUT THE DOOR.
SO, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FILLING UP VACANT TIME.
[01:05:01]
THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR SOME COMMUNITY SERVICE FROM MILLS JONES.[CSB, Health Department, Library, General Services, Parks & Recreation]
JONES, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES FOR GOOCHLAND COUNTY, AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS.UH, WITH ME, I HAVE LESS SALZBURG FROM THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD AND KIMBERLY JEFFERSON TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER, UH, DURING THE PRESENTATION.
UM, FIRST OFF IS GUCCI POULTON COMMUNITY SERVICES.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THEY PROVIDE LOCAL PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY, AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES TO THE COUNTY.
UH, THEY SUPPORT ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS, INCLUDING CASE MANAGEMENT, OUTPATIENT COUNSELING, NURSE, AND PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES.
24 HOUR CRISIS SERVICES, DAY SUPPORT PROGRAMS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND WELLNESS, COMMUNITY SPORT AND INFANT INTERVENTION SERVICES.
UM, THEIR LOCAL FUNDING REQUESTS FOR INCREASES BY $75,000 OVER 22.
UH, THEY'VE INCREASED OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH STAFFING FROM TWO TO SIX STAFF INCREASED SALARIES TO COMPETE WITH SURROUNDING CSBS.
THEY'RE ADDING A MEDICATION PRESCRIBER TO DO MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT FOR OPIOID ADDICTION.
AND THEY'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING A LOT TO IMPROVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SCHOOLS, SOCIAL SERVICES, COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, AND ESPECIALLY MY OFFICE.
UH, THEIR OUTLOOK AND CHALLENGES IS RECRUITING AND MAINTAINING AN APPROPRIATE WORKFORCE.
RESPONDING TO COMMUNITY NEEDS FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN AND CITIZENS REQUIRING SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES.
UH, THERE ARE ONGOING CHANGES REQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
AND OF COURSE THEY'RE ADDRESSING EXPECTATIONS AND PRIORITIES OF THE NEW STATE ADMINISTRATION.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
UH, THEY PROVIDE SERVICES TO GOOCHLAND RESIDENTS, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATION OF THE SNAP PROGRAM, MEDICAID, AUXILIARY GRANTS, TANIF, AND OTHER FINANCIAL AND ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. THEY PROVIDE PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND ELDERLY, DISABLED ADULTS, FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION SERVICES.
THEY ALSO PROVIDE CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE TO INCOME ELIGIBLE FAMILIES AND ADMINISTER THE COMMUNITY ACTION GRANT THAT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO INCOME ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS.
UM, THEIR FISCAL YEAR 23 REQUEST OF A 3.83% INCREASE COVERS SALARIES BENEFITS AND THEIR CONTRACTED LEGAL SERVICES, THEIR OUTLOOK AND CHALLENGES.
THE FAMILY FIRST PREVENTION ACT, UH, UH, REQUIRES THEY'RE MOVING MORE TOWARDS PLACEMENT WITH FAMILIES AND DOING KINSHIP CARE MEDICAID EXPANSION NUMBERS CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN THE LOCALITY RESIDENTS ARE SEEKING AND RECEIVING MEDICAL SERVICES THROUGH THAT.
AND COVERAGE FOR DENTAL SERVICES BEGAN JULY 1ST, 2021 FOR ADULTS 18 AND OVER, UH, THE STATEWIDE CHALLENGE CHALLENGES LOCATING APPROPRIATE PLACEMENTS FOR HIGH RISK FOSTER YOUTH THROUGH TO DENIALS BY VIRGINIA FACILITIES.
AND I WILL ADD THAT WE HAVE LOST ABOUT 30% OF OUR RESIDENTIAL BEDS FOR CHILDREN IN THE LAST YEAR, UH, DUE TO FACILITIES EITHER CLOSING OR NO LONGER SERVING THAT POPULATION.
THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES MANAGES AND ENSURES COMPLIANCE WITH THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES ACT PROGRAM, WHICH FUNDS SOME OF THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES FOR GOOCHLAND COUNTY CHILDREN.
UH, WE MANAGE AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE VIRGINIA JUVENILE COMMUNITY CRIME CONTROL ACT, UH, WHICH IS A PREVENTION PROGRAM THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE.
UH, WE DEVELOP COMMUNITY RESOURCES DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN DUPLIN COUNTY FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, AND WE REPRESENT GOOCHLAND ON LOCAL REGIONAL AND STATE WORK GROUPS FOCUSING ON CHILDREN'S SERVICES ACT AND RELATED AREAS.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE NUMBERS OF CHILDREN WE'VE SERVED SO FAR, WE'VE CURRENTLY SERVED 15 CHILDREN AND KIND OF GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF SPREAD OF WHERE THOSE COME FROM.
WE'VE HAD FIVE CHILDREN COME INTO FOSTER CARE DOING DUE TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT OR SERVING THREE CHILDREN WITH FOSTER CARE PREVENTION SERVICES.
UH, WE HAVE FOUR CHILDREN SERVED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD THAT ARE PLACED RESIDENTIALLY, UH, FOR MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS.
UH, AND WE HAVE FIVE STUDENTS IN PRIVATE DAY, SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. UH, OUR DEPARTMENT BUDGET REMAINS FLAT.
UH, THE ONLY CHANGE YOU'LL SEE IN THERE AS A 65 85, UH, DECREASE IN OPERATING EXPENSES, THAT IS THE AMOUNT THAT WE RECEIVE FOR THE VIRGINIA JUVENILE CRIME CONTROL ACT GRANT.
UH, WHAT WE ARE DOING THIS YEAR IS WE ARE MOVING THAT GRANT TO COURT
[01:10:01]
SERVICES BECAUSE WHAT THAT'LL HELP US DO IS STREAMLINE THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COURTS AND THE FAMILIES.UH, WE WERE FINDING THAT AS IT'S CURRENTLY, UH, SITTING IN MY OFFICE THAT INCREASES THE COMMUNICATION AND THE CONFUSION FOR FAMILIES AND CAUSES A LOT OF FRUSTRATION FOR THEM.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO STREAMLINE THAT TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN MORE SMOOTHLY.
UM, AGAIN, LIKE I JUST MENTIONED, WE'RE MOVING THE VJ TRIPLE CA PROGRAM UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF COURT SERVICES.
UM, MEDICAID, UH, IS NOW FUNDING ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE-BASED SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES.
THE NEGATIVE IS NONE OF THOSE PROVIDERS PROVIDE SERVICES IN GOOCHLAND COUNTY.
UH, SO WE ARE WORKING WITH, UH, OUR LOCAL PROVIDER NETWORK AND OUR STATEWIDE ASSOCIATIONS TO WORK WITH THOSE AGENCIES TO TRY AND DEVELOP THE SERVICES HERE IN THE COUNTY SO THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES CAN GET SERVED.
UM, WE HAVE MORE CHILDREN THAT ARE NOW LIVING WITH NON TRADITIONAL FAMILY UNITS, SUCH AS GRANDPARENTS, AND THAT IS, UH, RESULTING IN SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES FOR THOSE FAMILY UNITS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THE CHALLENGES THAT, THAT BOTH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT ARE THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT MY OFFICE FACES.
HOWEVER, I KNOW WE HAVE A TALENTED GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING WITH THESE FAMILIES, UH, TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
AND THAT'S WHY WE DO AS WELL AS WE DO.
UM, THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION, IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR ME OR THE DIRECTORS.
I HAVE ONE, I THINK, VERY SIMPLE QUESTIONS BACK ALL THE WAY BACK ON PAGE FOUR, WHERE YOU WERE INCREASING THE, I BELIEVE IT'S THE OPERATING BUDGET BY 75,000 AND IT'S NOT BY HUGE DOLLARS, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT, WHAT IS THAT? THERE YOU GO PHONE A FRIEND.
I HAD A FEELING YOU MAY ASK ME THAT, UH, I'VE BEEN WITH THE AGENCY NOW FOR 11 MONTHS, ALTHOUGH IT DOES SEEM LONGER FIVE MONTHS AS CLINICAL DIRECTOR AND SIX MONTHS AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND, UH, WHEN I CAME TO THE AGENCY, UH, WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ADEQUATE STAFFING.
WE WEREN'T BEING VERY RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET INTO OUR SERVICES.
UH, AND WE WERE ABOUT 30% SALARY WISE BEHIND THE OTHER COUNTIES THAT WE'RE COMPETING WITH.
SO SINCE THAT TIME, UH, I THINK WE'VE MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES.
WE'RE NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE, BUT THE MONEY IS REALLY TOWARDS TWO THINGS CATCHING UP ON THE SALARY SO WE CAN KEEP OUR STAFF.
AND I PROUD TO SAY, WE'VE ONLY LOST ONE STAFF SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, WHICH IS REMARKABLE.
UH, WE'VE ADDED FOUR STAFF, UH, MAINLY AROUND CHILDREN'S SERVICES, UH, AND PROVIDE THE SUPERVISION.
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE ONE MORE WAVE TO GO.
SO THE MONEY IS TOWARDS SALARIES AND ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
UH, AND ALSO, UH, AS I MENTIONED, WE ADDED STARTING APRIL 12TH.
I'M PLEASED TO SAY A PRESCRIBER WHO CAN PRESCRIBE SUBOXONE TO PEOPLE WITH OPIATE ADDICTION.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T HAD.
UH, PEOPLE HAVE HAD A HARD TIME GETTING, THEY'VE HAD TO GO TO RICHMOND.
IF YOU GO TO RICHMOND AND YOU, UH, HAVE AN ADDICTION, THE ODDS OF GETTING THERE ARE NOT HIGH.
SO IT'S ALL AROUND SALARIES, INCREASED STAFF TO INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO SERVE AND PARTNER WITH THE SCHOOLS, MALES AND DSS.
UM, FOLLOW-UP BUT IT'S IN THE BUDGET LINE.
IT'S R OVER 80% OF OUR OPERATING COSTS ARE SALARIES.
SO YOU JUST DON'T SHOW IT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES.
BUT THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR.
WE CAN GET MORE CLARITY FROM THIS IS WE DON'T PAY THE SALARIES.
IS THAT RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT EMPLOYEES THE COUNTY.
UM, SO WE GIVE THEM MONEY TOWARD THEIR SALARIES, BUT WE DON'T PAY THEIR SALARIES AS COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
SO WE ARE PAYING THE SALARIES, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT COUNTY EMPLOYEES, WE'RE GIVING THEM FUNDS.
AND THEN THEY USE THOSE FUNDS TO PAY THEIR SALARIES OR OPERATING OR WHATEVER, BUT THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T WORK FOR THE COUNTY.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THEM LISTED AS SALARY.
SO NO OFFENSE TO NOT TAKE OFFENSE AT THIS WILL NOT GIVE YOU A GOOD ANSWER.
WE'LL SEE WITH COUNTY STAFF, WE HAVE ACCOUNT THE MONEY.
HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THAT'S SPENT WISELY? I GUESS I COULD SAY, OR HOW DO WE KNOW HOW THAT MONEY IS EVEN SPED? I MEAN, IS THERE ANY ACCOUNTABILITY BACK TO THE COUNTY FOR THE MONEY THAT WE'RE GIVING OUR CITIZENS MONEY WE'RE GIVING YOU? YEAH, I BELIEVE THERE
[01:15:01]
IS.I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE GIVE, AND WHEN I MET WITH MR. ALVAREZ, WE LAID OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WE SERVED IN THE COUNTY, THE GROWTH IN THE SERVICES.
I THINK IF YOU TALK TO MALES, DSS IN THE SCHOOLS, THEY WOULD TELL YOU THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE IN THE LAST YEAR.
WE'RE A VERY DIFFERENT AGENCY WHEN I FIRST CAME.
SO I THINK WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
SO I THINK HOW OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THINK WE DO AND THE DATA WE GIVE YOU TO SHOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WE SERVE, THE INCREASE AND THE BROADENING TO RESPOND TO NEEDS OF THE COUNTY, LIKE GETTING MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT.
SO I THINK ALL OF THAT MAKES US VERY ACCOUNTABLE.
AND YOU CAN SHOW THAT THAT EAST 30%.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, COULD I, AND SO, UH, HOW IS THIS SPLIT WITH POWER TOWN? CAUSE I KNOW IT'S A, IS IT EVENLY SHARED? IT'S EVENLY SHARED.
THEY HAVE PUT IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY, THEIR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO THEIR BORDER SUPERVISORS.
THEY HAVEN'T MET YET TO APPROVE IT, BUT WE DO IT A 50 50.
AND THE BREAKOUT BETWEEN, UH, SERVICES ABOUT 52% OF THE CLIENTS WE SERVE ARE POWER TAN AT ABOUT 48 GOOCHLAND.
UM, THEY THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION, BY THE WAY.
GREAT JOB AND A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS HERE ARE THERE, UM, I'M NOT FAMILIAR ENOUGH TO KNOW STATE OR FEDERAL, UM, GUIDELINES OR REQUIREMENTS FOR LOCAL MATCH.
AND IT WOULD SOME OF THIS, A LOCAL MATTRESS, SOME OF THIS JUST GOOD NATURE.
THE REQUIREMENT IS 10% OF STATE FUNDING.
SO WE'RE A LITTLE BIT, UH, YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT OVER THAT.
I THINK THE LAST, I LOOKED SOMEWHERE AROUND 13 OR 14%.
BUT THERE IS A BASELINE THERE THAT SAYS THIS IS YOUR YES.
SO IT'S NOT COMPLETELY ARBITRARY.
NO, AND IT REALLY VARIES FROM COUNTY TO COUNTY.
SOME COUNTIES HAVE A 50% MATCH.
THANK YOU, MR. PETERSON, MR. LUMPKINS.
WELL, LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE, I WAS, I KNOW I WAS GOING TO HER ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTION.
I DO WANT TO FIND SOME TIME IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO TOUR AND MEET WITH YOU.
UM, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO DO THAT.
IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, MOST WE HEAR ABOUT YOU IS, YOU KNOW, TWICE A YEAR OR WHATEVER BUDGET TIME.
AND SO I'D LOVE TO GIVE LOVE TO MEET WITH YOU SOMETIME AND TOUR THE FACILITIES.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
IT'S IT'S CRITICAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, LET'S TAKE 10 MINUTES HAND ON THE FIVE BIG HAND ON THE FIVE, NOT THE LITTLE BIG HAND ON THE FIVE
[01:27:26]
ALL[01:27:26]
RIGHT, EVERYBODY.WE HAVE A MR. DURHAM, WHITE, MR. DRUMRIGHT TALKING ABOUT A HEALTHY LIBRARY.
UH, PAUL FROM RIGHT COMMUNITY AFFAIRS MANAGER.
UH, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEN THE LIBRARY.
SO, UH, WE KINDA GOT A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH, UH, PERSPECTIVES.
SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THE HEALTH GUCCI AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS PART OF THE CHICKEN, HOW MANY HEALTH DISTRICT, WHICH IS MADE UP OF FOUR DIFFERENT LOCALITIES IN THE REGION.
UM, AS MANY PEOPLE ARE AWARE, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE PAST TWO YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT.
THEY DO A LOT WITH MEDICAL CLINICS, COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND RESPONSE, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, VACCINES, POPULATION HEALTH, AND ALSO THEY DO A WIC, WHICH IS THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION FOR, UH, WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THEIR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE, TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY BY PREVENTING DISEASE, PROMOTING HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND PROTECTING PEOPLE FROM ENVIRONMENTAL AND OTHER HAZARDS.
UH, WE HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF THEIR MEASURES TO KIND OF SHOW WHERE THEY LIVE, WHERE THEY ARE IN SUCCESS-WISE.
UM, LOOKING AT THIS, YOU CAN SEE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE AND THAT WAS ADDED.
UM, THEY ADDED COVID IN THERE AS A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE IN 2020, AND THEN IN 2021, THEY ADDED, UH, VACCINATIONS GOT ADDED INTO THEIR, UH, UH, CATEGORY.
SO THAT'S WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU SEE COVID VACCINATIONS IN THERE AND OVER 3000, UH, DONE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, AS WELL, THEN THEY HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, UH, PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
SO THEY DO RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS, SEPTIC, WELL APPLICATIONS.
UH, THEY DO SUMMER CAMP INSPECTIONS AS WELL AS THEN TOURISM, TOURISM INSPECTIONS AS WELL, MOVING ON TO THEIR BUDGET.
UH, WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS NOT ACTUALLY TOTALLY, UH, CORRECT.
SO IT SAYS IT'S A 16% INCREASE, BUT AFTER THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR, THEY GOT THEIR BUDGET FROM THE STATE IN, THEY HAD TO COME, WE HAD TO COME BACK AND ADD ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO THEM.
THAT WAS A REQUIREMENT FROM THE STATE THAT CAME DOWN RELATED TO SALARIES FOR THEIR POSITIONS
[01:30:01]
AND EVERYTHING.SO REALLY THAT PERCENTAGE IS A LOT LOWER WHEN YOU INCLUDE THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT HAD TO GET ADDED FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
SO, UM, AND THEN THEIR BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 RIGHT NOW INCLUDES A ANTICIPATED 5% SALARY INCREASE AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT BETWEEN A FOUR AND 5% IN THE TWO COMPETING BUDGETS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
AND THEN LOOKING AT THEIR, HOW, UH, OUTLOOK AND CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE, OBVIOUSLY A COVID-19 PANDEMIC THAT THEY'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, THEY PROVIDED SOME METRICS FOR US HERE, UH, 3,859 CASES AS OF MARCH 2ND.
UM, THEY'VE GIVEN OVER 44,000 FACT SCENES AND A 74.2% OF OUR POPULATION HAS FULLY VACCINATED.
UM, AND THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT EFFORT, UH, FOR THE PAST, OVER THE PAST YEAR AND CONTINUED TO WORK IN THE VACCINE EFFORTS.
UM, COVID RECOVERY, UH, DEALING WITH A LOT OF OTHER, UH, ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THEN THE NEGLECTED DELAYED MEDICAL TREATMENTS, ISOLATION, AS EVERYBODY HAS HEARD IN THE NEWS AND TALKED ABOUT DECLINING MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, ANOTHER, UH, ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN THROUGHOUT COVID IS THE OPIOID CRISIS.
THAT WAS A CRISIS GOING ON BEFORE COVID AND IT REMAINS A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY CRISIS.
UH, AND THEN, UM, WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO WELL IN THE, UH, 20, UH, THE COUNTY HEALTH RANKINGS.
THERE WERE 16 OUT OF 133 JURISDICTIONS IN VIRGINIA.
AND SO THAT IS A VERY GOOD NEWS MOVING ON TO THE, UH, PUNKY REGIONAL LIBRARY.
UH, THEIR MISSION IS TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF AND OUR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING FREE ACCESS TO INFORMATION, READING ENJOYMENT, NURTURING, LIFELONG LEARNING, AND PROVIDING PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO INTERACT, UH, LOOKING AT THEIR MEASURES.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, UH, WHAT THEY WERE USING AS TARGETS AND THEIR MEASURES ARE GOING BACK TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2019.
BECAUSE AGAIN, WITH COVID THAT JUST CHANGED EVERYTHING STARTING IN THE SECOND HALF OF FISCAL YEAR, 20, 20 HAND, ALL THE WAY THROUGH 2021 WITH ALL THE SHUTDOWNS AND ALL THE CHANGES AND, UH, PEOPLE'S BEHAVIORS AND PATTERNS RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WE'RE GOING OFF THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR, UH, 2019 TARGETS, AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY ARE GETTING CLOSE RIGHT NOW AS A JANUARY, 2020, THEY'VE HAD OVER 20,000 VISITS.
AND SO THAT'S JUST, UH, WE'RE JUST HALFWAY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE BACK TO, UH, OUR 2019 LEVELS.
PEOPLE'S PATTERNS HAVE CHANGED AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE FOR THOSE PATTERNS TO PEOPLE, TO, TO, UH, ADJUST TO NEW PATTERNS, UH, CIRCULATION, UH, CONTINUED TO, UH, UH, BE DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
AND THEN NEW CARDHOLDERS IS STARTING TO TICK UP A LITTLE BIT, UM, MOVING ON TO THEIR BUDGET.
THERE'S A MODEST INCREASE IN THAT RELATES TO SALARY INCREASES FOR SOME OF THEIR EMPLOYEES RELATED TO MINIMUM WAGE, UH, BENCHMARK INCREASES.
AND THEN FOR THEM THE OUTLOOK AND CHALLENGES, UH, AGAIN, POST PANDEMIC CHANGE.
SO PEOPLE'S PATTERNS HAVE CHANGED.
SO PEOPLE MAY NOT BE GOING TO THE LIBRARY AS MUCH.
I THINK WE'LL GO THIS WEEKEND AND CHECK OUT BOOKS, OR THEY ARE HOW THEY'RE USING THE LIBRARY RESOURCES AND DOWNLOADING STUFF.
INSTEAD OF CHECKING OUT A BOOK AT THE LIBRARY AND GOING IN, UM, THEIR SALARIES AND STAFFING INCREASING OF THE MINIMUM WAGE, AS WELL AS THEN HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASES THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE IS BASED OFF OF HANOVER COUNTY.
AS HANOVER COUNTY HAS THE DOMINANT NUMBER OF LIBRARY LOCATIONS.
UH, OTHER OUTLOOKS ARE AS A FORMAT CONTENT DELIVERY, AGAIN, KIND OF GOING BACK TO CHANGING IN HOW THEIR, UH, CONTENT AND THEIR, THEIR LIBRARY RESOURCES ARE USED.
IS IT MORE DIGITAL NOW FIRST, UH, PHYSICAL BOOKS, AND THEN, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE, JUST ADDRESSING THEIR, UH, FACILITY NEEDS.
AND WITH THAT, UH, HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS I DO HAVE, UH, DR.
TOM, UH, FRANK AND TOM SHEPLEY HERE, WHO CAN HELP, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU, MR. JEREMY BOARD, MR. LUMPKINS, MR. MR. SHARP, BECAUSE I DID ALL MY STUDYING BEFOREHAND.
UM, BACK ON SLIDE EIGHT, THE OPIOID,
[01:35:01]
YOU HIT IT, AND BY THE TIME I COULD FOCUS, IT WAS GONE, UM, GOOD TO INTERACT 16TH OUT OF 133 JURISDICTIONS, 16TH ON THE GOOD AND OR 16TH ON THE BAD END.THAT'S THAT'S ON THE GOOD END.
AND THAT'S REALLY, THOSE ARE THE COUNTY HEALTH RANKINGS, SO THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE OPIOID.
UH, SO THAT, THAT, THAT LOOKS AT, AND DR.
FRANK CAN PROBABLY, UH, EXPAND ON THAT BED.
AND IT LOOKS AT DIFFERENT RANKINGS THAT ARE CONSIDERED IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AS I RECALL, I THINK WALKABILITY AND OTHER STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT'S, UH, IN VIRGINIA, THAT RECORD YEAR, IT WAS 2,309.
DO WE KNOW HOW MANY DEATHS WERE IN GOOCHLAND? ANY IDEA IF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP, WE CAN LOOK THAT UP.
I CAN GET YOU FOR, FOR GOOD TALENT, BUT IT GOES BACK TO 2007.
I CAN'T REMEMBER EVERY, ALL THE DIFFERENT NUMBERS FOR THE YEARS, BUT GOOCHLAND THIS OF THE PROBLEM IN GUCCI.
AND, UH, YEAH, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE NUMBERS HAVE, HAVE GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE WE FIRST STARTED RECORDING THESE NUMBERS IN 2007, AND PRETTY MUCH MOST JURISDICTIONS IN VIRGINIA ARE IN THE SAME TREND.
LAST YEAR WAS EXPONENTIALLY LAST YEAR, MEANING 2020, UH, 20 WAS THE LAST YEAR WE HAVE FULL NUMBERS FOR 2020 WAS A RECORD YEAR FOR OVERDOSE DEATHS.
UH, IN VIRGINIA, BY FAR, IT WAS EXPONENTIALLY GREATER THAN 2019, WHICH WAS PRETTY DARN HIGH IN 2020.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TREND 20, 21 IS GOING TO BE EVEN WORSE THAN 2020.
NOW WE'VE GOT THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO NOW THESE ARE CALENDAR YEARS.
WHAT YEAR IS IT? SO 20, SO 20 21, 20 21 RESULTS.
SO THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER TABULATES THIS DATA, AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE FULL MEDICAL REPORTS AND THE DEATH REPORTS, AND THEY GO BACK AND THEY VERIFY EVERYTHING.
SO DEATH, DEATH DATA IS OFTEN DELAYED BY ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
SO WE'LL HAVE 2021 DATA SOMETIME IN THE LATE SPRING, EARLY SUMMER.
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WE'VE GOT THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS AND THAT'S ALL IT COMES OUT OF THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER.
BUT YES, WE'RE HAVING A RECORD YEAR THIS YEAR AND 2021 IS, IS ON TRACK TO BE A RECORD YEAR FOR A NUMBER OF DEATHS.
AND THIS IS NOT JUST OPIOID DEATHS.
UH, YOU'LL SEE THERE, THIS IS ALL DRUG TOTAL DRUG OVERDOSE TO NOT JUST OPIOIDS.
THIS INCLUDES, UH, BENZODIAZEPINES, COCAINE, METHAMPHETAMINES, AND A AND OTHER DRUGS.
UH, THE ONLY THE TWO CATEGORIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING GOOD, UH, WITH DECREASE DEATHS ARE HEROIN.
AND, UH, PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, PRESCRIPTION DRUGS HAVE ACTUALLY DROPPED OFF IN TERMS OF STATE DATA FOR STATE DATA.
AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THE, UH, THE SPECIFIC GOOCHLAND DATA WITH YOU.
I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT A SPREADSHEET WITH, WITH, UH, ALL 133 JURISDICTIONS IN VIRGINIA WITH ALL THEIR DATA FROM 2007.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
UM, THAT, THAT KIND OF COVERED THAT.
SO TO THE LIBRARY AND MAYBE MR. SHUCK CHEF HAS TO FEEL THIS, BUT, UH, WHAT HAVE THE OTHER COUNTIES DONE? I SAW OUR NUMBERS.
WHAT, WHAT HAVE THE, I GUESS IT'S KING AND QUEEN KING WILLIAM AND HANOVER.
WHAT HAVE THEY, WHAT ARE THEY PROPOSING IN THEIR BUDGETS? IF YOU'RE AWARE IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE? I THINK WE'RE AT, I THINK THE SLIDE WAS 10.
UM, I'M TRYING TO DO THE MATH ON THE, ON THE CALCULATION.
HANOVER IS, UM, I THINK 15, THERE WERE, UH, WERE IN THE, UM, COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS PROPOSED BUDGET WITH A $437,000 INCREASE.
CHRIS THEY'RE THE LARGEST LOCALITY, RIGHT? UM, KING AND QUEEN, UM, APPARENTLY UNDERTOOK CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT CLEARLY HAVE A NEED FOR IT.
BUT, UM, I WAS TOLD THAT THE COST WENT FROM LIKE 20 MILLION TO 28 FROM OCTOBER
[01:40:01]
TO DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.SO THERE HAVE BEEN ASKING ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE A, A FLAT REQUEST.
WE DID NOT BECAUSE WE HAD DONE OUR REQUEST BEFORE.
THERE WAS ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
IF, IF THEY DO FLAT AND THEY DON'T FUND US, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'LL HAVE ANY MONEY TO KEEP THE BRANCH ACTUALLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO WHERE, WHERE SOMEWHERE MAYBE BETWEEN ZERO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE LOCALITIES, UM, KING WILLIAM HAS NOT PUT OUT A PROPOSED BUDGET YET MET THERE AT LAST WEEK.
THEY SEEM TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE BEST I CAN SAY.
SO HOW DOES THAT WORK? YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE THE MONEY IN THE JURISDICTION, RIGHT? YOU JUST GET A POT OF MONEY AND YOU CAN ALLOCATE IT, THE, THE LIBRARIES AS YOU NEED, OR IS THERE ANY OBLIGATION ON YOUR PART OR WHETHER IT'S LEGALLY OR POLICY-WISE TO LEAVE THE MONEY IN THE COMMUNITY? SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A LEGAL QUESTION, BUT THE, LIKE OUR REQUEST IS A SPACE BASICALLY ON KIND OF ON TWO LEGS, THE SHARED SERVICE PIECE AND THE BRANCHES.
AND SO THE MONEY WE REQUEST FROM GOOCHLAND FOR THE GOOCHLAND BRANCH DOES NOT LEAVE THE GOODLAND BRANCH AND THE OTHER MONEY IS SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF US THAT WORK IN SHARED SERVICE.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'LL HAVE TO COMPARE WHAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THE VARIOUS LOCALITIES AND SEE HOW CLOSE WE CAN COME TO MEETING THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE.
AND WE MAY NEED TO, YOU KNOW, FIGURE THAT OUT.
SO THAT OPERATING EXPENSE LINE, UM, THAT'S NOT ALL SALARIES, THAT'S EVERYTHING.
THAT'S WELL, YOU HAVE A $308 IN SALARY.
I'M LOOKING AT THE WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN.
UH, SO, UM, SO TELL ME WHAT NUMBER YOU'RE LOOKING AT THERE.
AND IT'S THE 3 0 8 DOESN'T REALLY MATTER OPERATING EXPENSES IS THAT THE BULK OF THAT IS SALARIES OR IS THAT SHARED SERVICES THAT THAT'S YOUR, AND IN GOOCHLAND IT'S SPLITS PRETTY EQUALLY.
SO THE OPERATING EXPENSES, THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE FOR THEM, FOR THE, FOR SALARIES, FOR THE INDIVIDUALS AT THE LIBRARY, OPERATING THE BRANCH SHARED SERVICES ARE ALL IN THERE.
THAT SALARY AND BENEFITS LINE IS JUST THE LIBRARY BOARD MEMBERS STIPENDS.
SO THAT'S SO, SO YOU WERE ANSWERING MY QUESTION THE FIVE 13, UM, WELL, W W WHATEVER, THE OPERATING EXPENSE, HOW DOES THAT WORK? THAT YOU'RE SPLIT? WHAT IS IT? YOU SAID YOU START TO SAY 50, 50, 50 SHARED SERVICES.
I BELIEVE IT IS PRETTY CLOSE TO 50 50 HERE.
I CAN LOOK IF YOU GIVE ME JUST A SECOND, BUT, UM, IT'S IT'S TO OPERATE THE BRANCH AND YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SHARED SERVICE PIECE OF IT, WHICH IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ADMINISTRATIVE PIECE, THE COLLECTION, THE TECHNOLOGY, YOU HAVE A FORMULA THAT YOU ALLOCATE TO SHARED SERVICES, CORRECT? THAT IS A PER CAPITA FORMULA.
SO YOU'VE USED THE NEW CENSUS DATA FOR, FOR THAT? YES.
OH, NOT THE NEW CENSUS DATA, BUT WE USE WELDON SUPER DATA TO DO OKAY.
DOES THIS, WHAT DOES THIS MEET YOUR, I MEAN, I THINK YOUR, YOUR ASK WAS GREATER THAN THIS.
UM, WELL, IT IS 5 76 WAS THE ASKED, RIGHT.
5 77 WAS HE ASKED 5, 13, 1 16 IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET, BUT YOUR ASK WAS TO BRING, IT INCLUDED EVERYBODY UP TO US ABOVE MINIMUM WAGE.
IT REALLY WAS SEVERAL LAYERS OF KIND OF INCREASE.
UM, W W THE $12 MINIMUM WAGE STATUTORY PIECE HAVE TO PAY THAT NO OPTION WITH THAT.
BUT AS WE WERE WORKING THROUGH THAT, WE LOOKED TO, UM, ALL OF THE MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES THAT ARE ON THE BOOKS IN VIRGINIA.
I KNOW THE 15, 13, 15, 15 HAVE TO BE REAPPROVED, BUT WE PROJECTED ALL OF THAT OUT.
YOU HAVE TO REDO YOUR COMP PLAN.
YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOUR PEOPLE ARE.
YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT COMPRESSION, CAUSE IT CAN'T REALLY HAVE A HUNDRED PEOPLE AT $12 AN HOUR.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK EITHER.
AND WHAT REALLY, AS WE LOOKED AT THOSE, THOSE DATA, WE ALSO HAVE BEEN BENCHMARKING NOW FOR SOME TIME.
AND WE GOT, I GOT TO THE $15 AN HOUR SALARY SCALE, AND THAT REALLY COMPARED VERY FAVORABLY WITH THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA LIBRARIES THAT WE BENCHMARK ON.
IN FACT, WHERE, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, FOR US JUST REFILLED RICHMOND, HENRICO, UH, AS OUR PEERS, BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR HIRES, OUR STAFF AWAY.
UM, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT LEADING ANY OF THEM BY TAKING OUR SALARIES TO THE $15 AN HOUR SALARY SCALE.
UM, AND SO RATHER THAN ASK FOR SOMETHING
[01:45:01]
THAT WASN'T GOING TO MEET OUR NEEDS, WE SAID, LET'S SHARE WHAT WE GOT, SHARE, ASK FOR WHAT WE NEED AND, AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SEE HOW IT GOES AND PEOPLE WHO'VE LISTENED.SO, AND SO LOOKING TO OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND OUR FINANCE PEOPLE DOES THE FIVE 30, THE PROPOSAL DOES THAT.
UM, DOES THAT GET, GET THE MINIMUM THAT COVERS THE MINIMUM WAGE AND, AND ADDRESSES COMPRESSION AS FAR AS, UM, THE, THE OVERALL BUDGET REQUEST INCLUDED MONEY TO INCREASE OUR, UM, BUDGET FOR MATERIALS BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASES FOR THAT.
AND, UM, LIKE OUR HOTSPOT PROGRAM COSTS ABOUT $50,000 A YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET SORT OF OUTSIDE MONEY, PRIMARILY, UM, SORT OF PANDEMIC RECOVERY MONEY TO PAY FOR THAT.
BUT THAT'S ENDING, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
THE HOTSPOTS ARE POPULAR, YOU KNOW, EVERY ONE OF OUR LOCALITIES HAS A BROADBAND PROBLEM.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE IF SOMETHING HAS TO GO THAT'S, THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE, ARE NOT GOING TO BE INCLUDED.
AND WHEN WE GET TO THE END OF THE DAY, THE STAFFING PIECE IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE A CHOICE.
UM, I THINK, I MEAN, LIKE IN THE CASE, IF, IF KING AND QUEENS NOT FUNDING IT AT ALL AND OTHERS ARE, YOU KNOW, SHY OF IT, I'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW SHY AND WHETHER WE CAN KIND OF MAKE THAT WORK AS WE PUT TOGETHER OUR FINAL BUDGET, JUST TO THE QUESTION OF OURS, IS OUR LIBRARY BACK TO FULL HOURS, PRE PANDEMIC.
IT HAS BEEN YES, SIR, FOR, UM, UH, ALL FISCAL YEAR, FOR SURE.
WHICH PANDEMIC YEAR AND LASTLY, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK LAST, YOU HEAR, I MENTIONED THAT HOPE THE LIBRARIES, UH, ENGAGED WITH THAT.
SO JUST, JUST A REMINDER, WE STARTED OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM.
WE'VE, WE'VE HAD SOME KICKOFF MEETINGS, SO I HOPE, UH, YOU CAN MENTION TO YOU, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU CAN AND MENTION TO YOUR ARE OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
I NEED TO DO THE SAME, BUT I CERTAINLY WANT THE LIBRARY TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN THE VILLAGE PLANS.
IT'S PRETTY, I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I HAVE A MEETING INVITE FOR SOMETHING, I THINK IT'S NEXT WEEK, PROBABLY THE ROUND, PROBABLY THE ROUND TABLE.
YOU'RE DOING AND APPRECIATE YOU.
UH, SO YES, I HAVE LIKE FIVE QUESTIONS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, YOU SAID KING AND QUEEN COUNTY POSSIBLY WILL CLOSE.
I MEAN, THEY COULD CLOSE THAT BRANCH AND NOT, WELL, IT'S NOT REALLY.
THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY COUNTY HAS A CHOICE ON THE FUNDING.
LIBRARY BOARD HAS A CHOICE ON WHAT TO DO.
SO IF THEY DON'T MEET OUR FUNDING REQUESTS, I'VE DONE THE MATH.
IF THEY FUND US WITH A FLAT BUDGET, PRETTY MUCH HAVE NO MONEY TO PUT ANYBODY IN THE BRAND.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO US AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY? BECAUSE WE'RE SHARING EXPENSES WELL, THAT'S THAT OTHER LEG.
AND THEY HAVE, ALL OF, ALL OF THEIR MONEY WILL BE IN THE SHARED SERVICE PIECE.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S KIND OF A PRIORITY LIST FOR THIS FIRST THING FOR ALL FOUR COUNTIES.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL LIBRARY, YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SHARED SERVICE PIECE, OTHERWISE YOU'RE NOT PARTICIPATING.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO BE A PARTNER WITH THAT, AND THEN YOU WANT TO HAVE A BRANCH OPEN.
UM, LIKE THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE.
DO WE WANT A SECOND BRANCH? WELL, TO GET THE FUNDING FOR THAT COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAD TO FUND THAT FOR US IN HANOVER THEY'RE EXCUSE ME, THEY'RE FUNDING SIX BRANCHES TO BE OPEN.
UM, YOU GUYS ARE FUNDING ONE KING AND QUEEN IS FUNDING ONE THERE'S THIS AND OPEN NEARLY THE HOURS THAT YOURS IS THEY'RE CURRENTLY OPEN 34 HOURS BECAUSE THE CONTRIBUTION IS SO, SO SMALL, RIGHT? SO I HAD TO PROTECT THE PARTNERSHIP FIRST FOR HOW THE, HOW WE ALLOCATE THE MONEY.
AND THEN IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BRANCH FIRST THING THAT I HAVE TO HAVE FUNDED AS I HAVE TO HAVE A FULL-TIME BRANCH MANAGER, CAN'T I CAN'T SKIP THAT PIECE BECAUSE THE ONLY PEOPLE I HAVE TO PULL UP THE SLACK FROM THAT WOULD BE THE SHARED SERVICE PIECE.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY STAFF AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT.
SO THE COUNTY HAS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE OPERATION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, TO, TO GIVE THE CITIZENS THERE.
IT, IT DOESN'T AFFECT YOUR, YOUR OPERATION.
SO I GUESS I PROBABLY FUNDAMENTALLY MISUNDERSTOOD SOMETHING HERE.
UM, MAYBE GOODSON COUNTY IS FUNDING THIS BRANCH RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
SO THE SHARED SERVICE, WHAT'S THAT PAYING FOR? UM, LIBRARY DIRECTOR BEFORE LOCALITIES HAVE ONE LIBRARY DIRECTOR.
[01:50:01]
OF THEM AND ALL OF THE COLLECTION, ALL OF THE SUPPORT, ALL OF THE TRAINING, YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE A STAFF MEMBER HERE WITH A MASTER'S IN LIBRARY, SCIENCE DEGREE, AS YOU WOULD NEED TO BE LIKE TO HAVE IT DIRECTOR, UM, ALL OF THEM, ALL, ALL OF THOSE SUPPORT PIECES.YOU'RE BASICALLY FUNDING STAFF AT THE SERVICE DESK AND THE BUILDING, AND BY KEEPING THIS BRANCH OPEN.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO PROVIDE A BUDGET THAT'S LESS THAN YOUR REQUEST KING AND QUEEN IS DOING LESS THAN YOUR REQUEST, MAYBE.
UM, SO HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THAT SHARED SERVICES OR THE FACT, I MEAN, ARE YOU GOING TO COME BACK TO US AND ASK US FOR MORE MONEY ON THAT? SO HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO, I MEAN, YOU'RE IN, IN WHAT YOU HAVE FUNDED, UM, YOU, YOU WILL PAY FOR THE SHARED SERVICE PIECE AND KING AND QUEEN WILL PAY FOR THE SHARED SERVICE BASE.
AND I KIND OF CAN'T KNOW UNTIL I SEE WHAT IS APPROVED IS, UM, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO KEEP EVERYTHING GOING? SO LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THE L FROM THE LOCALITY TO, FOR BRANCH OPERATIONS AND THAT'S KINDA THE, THE LAST THING, THEN THAT ENDS UP BEING HOURS THAT THE BRANCHES OPEN.
SO IN KING AND QUEEN, FROM WHAT I'M READING ON THE WALL, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY NOT MAKE IT.
AND THEIR BRANCH WOULD PRETTY MUCH BE CLOSED.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, KITCHENS HAVE DIFFERENT FUNDING PARTNERS.
SO YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW FAR AWAY ARE WE, CAN WE, CAN WE, UH, BUDGETS HAVE A PLAN? IT'S NOT A, UM, IT'S NOT SPECIFIC NECESSARILY.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU KNOW HOW, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, SOMETIMES YOU SPEND MORE AND SOMETIMES YOU SPEND LESS, EVEN THOUGH THE BUDGET STAYED THE SAME.
SO GENERALLY WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE HOURS IN THE BRANCH.
THAT'S KIND OF THE WORST THING FOR US.
AND IT'S, I THINK THE WORST THING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'LL TRY TO HOLD ON TO THAT.
WE'LL HAVE, IF, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY WILL LIKELY TRY TO DO THINGS THAT DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF IMPACT FOR ALL THE OTHER LOCALITIES.
I AM KIND OF WITH MY HANDS TIED WITH KING AND QUEEN.
THEY'RE JUST A DIFFERENT ISSUE.
AND I DON'T, AND AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO GET, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO US, RIGHT? WHAT THEY DO IS, IS THEIR BUSINESS.
AND THEY DO WHAT THEY THINK IS RIGHT.
UH, THE OTHER ISSUE I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE MEETING SPACE, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE THE SHARED MEETING SPACE AND YOU DON'T, AND MAYBE I'M WRONG.
SO LET'S, SO YOU CORRECT ME THAT, UM, WHAT, WHAT TIME DOES THE BRANCH CLOSED DURING THE WEEK? NORMALLY 8:00 PM.
SO IF SOMEONE WANTED TO USE THAT SHARED SPACE SAYING STARTING AT SEVEN, FOR EXAMPLE, AND WANT TO STAY TIL EIGHT 30, THEY COULDN'T DO IT.
ANY CHANCE THAT COULD BE CHANGED.
UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE US MORE MONEY.
SO THE BRANCHES OPEN TILL EIGHT 30.
YOU USED TO LEAVE THE KEY AND YOU KNOW, YOU WEREN'T, YOU WEREN'T OPEN.
WE HAD TO DO THAT OUT OF SAFETY CONCERNS.
UM, WE HAD IN, IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTION, BUT I WILL SAY THAT GOOCHLAND WAS ONE OF THEM.
UM, WHEN SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN CALLED TO THE BRANCH, BECAUSE CITIZENS ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THE EXCHANGE APPROPRIATELY.
PEOPLE WANTED TO STAY OVER THEIR TIME AND SOMEONE ELSE WAS BOOKED.
AND IT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS ONE WAS A WEEKEND.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAID.
WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WE CA I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER FACILITIES YOU HAVE THAT YOU WOULD, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RUNNING, YOU'RE RUNNING THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE OPEN ACCESS.
THE PROBLEM, THERE ARE SO FEW SERVICES, AND THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST ASSETS TO THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S NOT AVAILABLE.
HAVE Y'ALL EVER THOUGHT ABOUT CHARGING? WE HAVE CONSIDERED THAT, BUT WE'VE NOT DONE THAT.
I MEAN, BECAUSE EVERYWHERE ELSE YOU GO, YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO PAY.
UM, IF YOU COULD GET ACCESS IN THE EVENING, THAT WOULD BE OKAY.
DID YOU KNOW THAT? ARE YOU DONE? THAT'S EVERYTHING ONLINE.
UM, UH, I ALSO, I WANTED TO, UH, THINK
[01:55:01]
WHEN WE, WE SEE THE, UM, THE PUBLIC HEALTH SAYS THAT ONE OF THE HELP, WE SPOKE A LOT ON COVID, BUT ALSO WORTH, UM, THE, THE SUPPORT THAT WE GOT FOR OPENING OUR WARMING CENTERS AFTER THE STORM, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, SHOWING UP PEOPLE, DRIVING, YOU KNOW, MAKING THEIR WAY TO OUR AREAS AND DO THAT.AND IT WAS JUST VERY WELL COORDINATED.
AND, UH, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE HAVE, UM, GENERAL SERVICES AND MR. SCOTT FILES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SCOTT FOSTER DIRECTOR OF GENERAL SERVICES, GENERAL SERVICES HAS A LARGE AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.
SOME OF THOSE ARE FLEET MANAGEMENT, FUEL MANAGEMENT, UM, RENOVATIONS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, DOOR, SECURITY CARD, ACCESS PRINTING THE ID BADGES.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, BUT WE'RE DIVIDED INTO THREE MAJOR GROUPS, FACILITY MANAGEMENT, GROUNDS MANAGEMENT, AND CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
WE'LL START WITH FACILITIES MANAGEMENT.
UM, I'M GOING TO TRY TO BEAT MARIANA'S RECORD HERE.
UM, ROUGHLY 34 PROPERTIES TOTALING OVER 272,000 SQUARE FOOT.
THE MAIN FUNCTION IS TO PROVIDE CLEAN, SAFE, SECURE FACILITIES FOR BOTH OUR STAFF AND ALL OF OUR VISITORS THAT 2 72 BREAKS DOWN TO ABOUT, UM, 120 SOME THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT PER TECHNICIAN.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT NUMBER AROUND 50,000 TO 70,000 IS IDEAL.
AND WE HAVE REQUESTED AS YOU'LL SEE, OR A FULL-TIME TECHNICIAN, AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
AND THAT WILL HELP THAT YOU'LL SEE A 12.7, BOTH MY SALARY AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SALARIES DIVIDED ACROSS ALL THREE, ALL THREE GROUPS.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE 0.7 0.7 AND A 0.6, UM, WITH THE ADDITIONAL FACILITIES TECH, THAT'LL BRING THAT NUMBER DOWN TO AROUND 84,000 SQUARE FOOT PER TECHNICIAN, WHICH BE VERY HELPFUL OPERATING INCREASES.
WE'VE JUST SEEN UNBELIEVABLE INCREASE IN ALL OF OUR MATERIALS, WHETHER IT BE WOOD OR SUPPLIES, JUST EVERYTHING HAS GONE THROUGH THE ROOF, INCLUDING FUEL IS NOW GOING THROUGH THE ROOF.
UM, WE CONTINUE THE COUNTY CONTINUING TO EXPAND AND ADD MORE SQUARE FOOTAGE, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND THAT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE AN OPERATIONAL IMPACT.
AND THE CALENDAR YEAR 2021, WE RESPONDED TO OVER 3,500 WORK TICKET REQUESTS.
WE STRIVE TO DO THREE HOURS FOR ANY HIGH PRIORITY, WHICH MIGHT BE A TOILET OVERFLOWING.
NO IT, NO HEAT, NO AIR CONDITION, NO ELECTRICITY, AND A FIVE DAY TURNAROUND ON ALL YOUR OTHER BASIC REQUESTS.
UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS IS ALSO PART OF THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT, AND I'LL JUST HIT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, THE COUNTY GATEWAY SIGN CONSTRUCTION.
WE JUST APPROVED THE PLANS FOR THE SECONDARY SIGNS.
AND IF MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE, WHICH I SHOULD KNOW BY NEXT WEEK, WE'LL GIVE THEM NOTICE TO PROCEED.
AND WE'LL 90 DAYS IS WHAT THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE THAT, WHICH IS REASONABLE.
SO HOPEFULLY BY JUNE, THAT PROJECT SHOULD BE FINISHED AND THE SECONDARY SIGNS WILL BE INSTALLED.
WE RECEIVED THE CARDS TODAY FOR THAT.
WE'RE LOOKING TO GO LIVE AND HAVE SOME TRAINING POSSIBLY EARLY NEXT WEEK AND MIDWEEK TO GO LIVE ON THAT SYSTEM.
AND THAT'S WITH QUARRELS MANAGEMENT THAT WILL GIVE US NOT ONLY THE FUEL HERE, BUT ANY QUARREL SITE WE CAN USE IN THE COUNTY.
WE GET THE SAME DISCOUNT PER GALLON, ROUGHLY IT VARIES, BUT ROUGHLY IT'S ABOUT 20% OFF OF WHATEVER IT IS AT THE PUMP IN THAT RANGE.
SO THERE'S A QUARREL SITE DOWN ON 6 23, THERE'S ONE IN GUM SPRING.
THERE'S ONE UP AT ZION, CROSSROADS.
THERE'S ONE IN POLITAN, THERE'S A BUNCH OVER IN HANOVER.
AND ANY OTHER LOCALITY YOU TRAVELED TO THE CARDS CAN ALSO BE USED AT ANY GAS STATION.
SO IN AN EMERGENCY, SOMEBODY IS TRAVELING OR FIRE.
KEN WOULD JUST PAY FULL PRICE.
AND THAT SCENARIO, UM, THE VEHICLE REPLACEMENT, THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION.
WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET VEHICLES.
UM, THE ORDERING FOR NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE OPENED UP IN THE FALL.
AND THEY'RE SAYING, RIGHT NOW IT'S PROBABLY ONLY BE A ONE WEEK WINDOW IS ALL THEY GONNA ALLOW WATERING.
AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY'LL BETTER FILL THAT.
WE HAVE HELD ONTO ALL THE SURPLUS VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN TURNED IN.
WE IDENTIFIED NINE OF THOSE THAT WE WENT THROUGH THEM MADE REPAIRS, YOU KNOW, NEW TIRES.
WE DID WHATEVER WE COULD DO TO KEEP THEM ON THE ROAD.
WE'VE PUT FOR THEM BACK INTO SERVICE AND WE HAVE FIVES ON STANDBY.
UM, I KNOW THE SHERIFF'S HAS SOME, THEY'RE WAITING ON.
IF WE GET THOSE CARS IN, WE'LL DO THE SAME THING.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM AND TRY TO KEEP THEM AS BACKUPS UNTIL WE CAN GET NEW VEHICLES, WHICH IS NOT LOOKING, NOT LOOKING GOOD, NO, NOT LOOKING GOOD AT ALL SECURITY UPGRADES, WE IDENTIFIED A BUNCH OF AREAS THAT WE COULD IMPROVE ON SECURITY.
UM, THE BOARD FUNDED THAT AND WE MOVED FORWARD.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THE CHIP THAT GOES IN SOME OF THOSE CAMERAS IS THE SAME CHIP THAT GOES IN.
[02:00:01]
BY THE SAME PEOPLE.SO YES, A LOT OF THE PRE-WIRING HAS BEEN DONE AND MOST ALL OF IT IS DONE.
I DON'T, I TALKED TO THE VENDOR YESTERDAY.
YOU KNOW, THEY SAID, MY GUESS IS AS GOOD AS THEIR GUESTS TAKE A GUESS.
MAYBE IN THE FALL WE'LL HAVE CAMERAS.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW WHAT EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE.
AND WE TOUCHED ON THE FUEL MANAGEMENT AND FUTURE OUTLOOK.
I THINK THE FACILITIES WILL FACE TWO PROBLEMS. ONE, SOME OF THE FACILITIES ARE AGING AND SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE WE'RE TRYING TO STAY ON TOP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, AND DO REPLACEMENTS AND REPAIRS AS NEEDED.
BUT ALSO THE COUNTY IS GROWING.
WE ARE GOING TO BUILD SOME NEW FACILITIES.
SO THERE'LL BE ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS AND ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOT THAT THE FACILITIES WILL HAVE TO LEARN AND HAVE TO MAINTAIN.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE SOME OF THEIR BIGGEST CHALLENGES GOING FORWARD.
THEY DON'T WANT TO WAIT TILL THE END FOR QUESTION OR GO OVER FACILITIES, QUESTIONS NOW, OR LET'S DO I THINK IT'S EASIER TO WAIT TILL THE END.
UM, NO, ACTUALLY, AS WE GO THROUGH EACH THEM MISS LAST, BUT I SAYS MAYBE IT'S THE WAY IT SHOWED ON PAGE FOUR, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES AND THE SALARIES AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU INCREASED THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, BUT LOWER THE SALARY LINE.
WELL THERE, AND THAT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME FROM IN MARIANA, MAYBE CAN EXPLAIN IT, BUT IT SAYS THAT THE GREEK GREECE IS DOING THE SHIFTING SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR SERVING MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
I'M NOT SURE UNDER STOOD THAT MYSELF.
SO THE WAY THAT THE, THAT ARE BRIGHT SYSTEM USED TO WORK, WE COULD DIVIDE THE SALARY, BUT WE COULDN'T.
SO ALL THE BENEFITS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, SCOTT AND LARRY'S SALARIES ARE DIVIDED AMONG OTHER THREE LOCATIONS, BUT ALL THE BENEFITS HIT THIS ONE.
NOW WITH MUNIS, IT HAS TO BE DIVIDED BETWEEN THREE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, I DID HAVE ONE, MR. FOSTER.
WHEN YOU SAID, WHEN YOU REACHED OUT FOR VEHICLE REPLACEMENT, THEY SAID IT ONLY BE A WEEK.
UM, WE DEAL WITH, UM, EVA AND SO SEVERAL THERE'S A FORD DEALER AND TWO CHEVY DEALERS AND EVEN ONE NISSAN DEALER THAT ON CONTRACT WE'D REACHED OUT TO THEM, TRYING TO SEE WHAT THEY HAD AVAILABLE WHEN WE COULD ORDER.
AND ALL OF THEM TOLD US THE SAME THING WOULD BE FALL.
AND THAT'S WHEN THE ORDERING WE WOULD OPEN.
AND THEY SAID, IT LOOKS LIKE, BUT THE VA, THE ORDERS THEY'RE ANTICIPATING AND HOW MANY VEHICLES I THINK THEY'LL HAVE THIS.
IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A ONE WEEK WINDOW THAT WE CAN ORDER.
SO WE PLAN TO BE PREPARED AND WE HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND RIGHT NOW.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE VEHICLES TO BUY.
AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR DOING WITH THE OTHER VEHICLES.
GROUNDS MANAGEMENT, GROUNDS MANAGEMENT MAINTAINS ALL THE COUNTY OWNED PROPERTIES, THE, UM, THE PARKS, THEY CUT THROUGH ALL THE LANDSCAPING.
THEY ALSO SERVE FOR SPECIAL EVENT ASSISTANCE LIKE 4TH OF JULY.
UM, THE CHRISTMAS TREE, ANY EVENT LIKE THAT, WHERE STAFF IS NEEDED, THAT'S WHERE GROUNDS TYPICALLY STEPS UP.
THEY DO THE PARKING LOT MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING SNOW REMOVAL, UM, ET CETERA.
THEY TAKE CARE OF HERE AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE THE, UH, 8.7.
WE DID ASK FOR A GROUNDSKEEPER, BUT, UM, IT WAS NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT MOVE FORWARD.
SO 8.7, THAT 0.7 GOES TO LARRY'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN MIND.
UM, OPERATING CROSS THERE HAVE GONE UP, YOU KNOW, JUST ANY ANYTHING WE BUY HAS GONE UP, WHETHER IT BE A LOT MORE SUPPORT PARTS FOR IT AND FUEL OUR MOWERS HOLD ABOUT 10 GALLONS AND WE CAN BURN 10 GALLONS IN A DAY PER MOWER AND THAT $4 A GALLON, OR WHO KNOWS WHAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO TO OUR OPERATING COSTS.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO, YOU KNOW, WE ADD MORE AREAS, WHICH IS GREAT.
WE'RE GOING TO ADD NEW FACILITIES, WHICH WILL ALSO AFFECT THE GROUNDS.
IF WE BUILD NEW FIRE STATIONS, THAT WILL BE NEW GROUNDS THAT NEED TO BE MAINTAINED, NEW PARKING LOTS THAT NEED TO BE CLEARED.
SO WE'LL HAVE AN IMPACT ON THEM.
UM, WE DO, WE USE A PARTIAL STAFF AND PARTIAL CONTRACTED THE CONTRACT AT PEACE IS ALL THE SCHOOL OWNED PROPERTIES.
AND ALSO THE CENTERVILLE ISLANDS AND THE DOWN IN FRONT OF THE AUDI DEALER.
WE USE A CONTRACTOR, JUST THE NATURE OF THAT BEING IN THAT TRAFFIC AND THE SETUP WITH THE TRAFFIC CONTROL.
IT'S A LITTLE MORE THAN WE FEEL COMFORTABLE TRYING TO HANDLE.
UM, THE OUTLOOK THEY'LL CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, THEY DO A JOB AND THEY'LL CONTINUE TO DO A GREAT JOB.
IT'S JUST, AS WE ADD MORE, MORE FACILITIES AND MORE, MORE SITES, IT CONTINUES TO GROW QUESTIONS ON GROUNDS BOARD.
DO YOU STILL CUT? WE USE CONTRACTORS FOR THAT.
WE, WE IN-HOUSE, WE CUT, UH, ROUGHLY
[02:05:01]
102 ACRES AND THE SCHOOLS ARE ABOUT GIVE OR TAKE PLUS OR MINUS 42 ACRES OF THE SCHOOL SITES.WE CUT THE BUS GARAGE, CAUSE THAT IS COUNTY OWNED.
IT'S NOT A SCHOOL OWNED PROPERTY, BUT WE CONTRACT ALL THAT OUT.
AND THEN WE CUT OTHER STUFF IN HOUSE OTHER THAN THE CENTERVILLE ISLANDS IN FRONT OF THE AUDI DEALER.
I THINK EVERYONE'S AWARE THAT WE HAVE THE TWO CONVENIENCE CENTERS, CENTRAL CERTAIN CONVENIENCE CENTER.
UM, THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND CLEAN CONVENIENT SPOT TO DISPOSE OF HOUSEHOLD WASTE BRUSH AND ALSO TO DO DROP-OFF RECYCLING.
NOW THESE NUMBERS ARE CALENDAR YEAR NUMBERS.
THESE ARE NOT FISCAL YEAR NUMBERS, BUT WE SEE IF YOU LOOK AT TRAFFIC COUNT THAT'S FOR BOTH SITES COMBINED ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THAT NUMBER WOULD BE AT CENTRAL, ROUGHLY GIVE OR TAKE OR A LITTLE MORE OF THOSE NUMBERS.
2020, YOU SEE A BUMP THAT WAS DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE HOME AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD A LOT OF TIME ON THEIR HANDS AND THEY WERE CLEANING OUT THEIR SHEDS.
THEY WERE CLEANING OUT THEIR YARD.
THEY WERE CLEANING OUT EVERYTHING THEY COULD CLEAN OUT.
SO, BUT THE TRAIN CLEANED OUT SOMETHING ELSE.
THE, UH, YEAH, BUT THE TREND IS GOING UP.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE TRAFFIC COUNT TO 84 TO 20, 21 CALENDAR YEARS, THREE 16.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE TRAFFIC THERE AND YOU MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE AND TONS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S CONTINUING TO GO UP.
RECYCLING TONS IS CONTINUING TO GO UP ANOTHER CYCLE AND THAT'S, DROP-OFF RECYCLING.
THAT'S ANYTHING OF THAT? NATURE, YOUR GLASS, YOUR ALUMINUM CANS.
THAT'S NOT YOUR CURBSIDE RECYCLING.
UM, ONE THING WORTH NOTING IS WE HAVE HAULED OVER 402 TONS OF BRUSH SINCE JANUARY 1ST TO MARCH 1ST IN-HOUSE TO 6 23 PREVIOUS YEAR.
IT WAS A LITTLE OVER 200 TONS.
SO WE DOUBLED IT AND THAT'S, WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE HELP WITH GETTING A CONTRACTOR TO HELP SH YOU KNOW, SHRED THAT AND HAUL THAT AWAY.
CAUSE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST BURIED WITH BRUSH.
SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT HELP.
WE DID COLLECT 12,768 POUNDS OF PLASTIC BAGS WE COLLECTED.
AND THEN WE TAKE IT UP TO THE FOOD LINE THAT EQUALS OVER A MILLION BAGS ROUGHLY ON THE AVERAGE GROCERY BAG, UM, THAT WE DO NOT GET ANY REVENUE FROM THAT, BUT IT IS RECYCLED IS BETTER THAN FROM THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND THE TREX COMPANY ACTUALLY PICKS THAT UP.
AND SOME OF THOSE TREKS BOARDS, DECKING BOARDS, THAT'S WHERE THOSE PLASTIC BAGS END UP EVENTUALLY JUST KIND OF INTERESTING.
LAST YEAR WE HAD AN E WASTE TO RECYCLING AND WE COLLECTED OVER EIGHT TONS OF E-WASTE FROM CITIZENS.
WE DO HAVE JUNE 4TH, I BELIEVE IS THE DATE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER SHREDDING EVENT COMING UP AND A HAZARDOUS HOUSEHOLD WASTE COMING UP, WHICH IS ANY YOUR SOLVENTS, YOUR PAINTS, ANY OF YOUR, UM, ANYTHING WITH MERCURY IN IT.
ANYTHING OF LIKE THAT THOUGH, IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A WASTE WHERE WE DO THAT ABOUT EVERY IDEA.
THAT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION FOR THE COUNTY, BUT WE USE THE STATE GIVES US FUNDS FOR LITERAL CONTROL.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE USE FOR THAT.
SO IT'S NOT COMING OUT OF THE BUDGET PER SE HERE, YOU'LL SEE THE 0.6.
SO WE HAVE 0.7 0.7 0.6 TO EQUAL TO TWO FULL POSITIONS.
UM, OPERATING EXPENSES GO UP THERE JUST BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME CONTINUES TO GO UP.
THE CONTRACTOR DID INCREASE SOME COSTS ON US, AND WE ANTICIPATE WITH FUEL GOING UP THAT THAT'S ONLY GONNA CONTINUE TO RISE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THERE.
WE ARE STILL TRYING TO EXPLORE A FACILITY DOWN IN THE EAST END SOMEWHERE, WHETHER IT BE JUST ONE COMPACTOR AND RECYCLING, JUST TO TAKE SOME OF THE LOAD OFF CENTRAL AND TO HELP WITH THE CITIZENS DOWN THERE, THEY HAVE TO TRAVEL ALL THE WAY UP HERE.
UM, WITH THE CONTINUED GROWTH CENTRAL MAY NOT IN THE FUTURE, BE ABLE TO HANDLE, IT MIGHT JUST BE TOO SMALL.
WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF SPACE THERE.
WE HAVE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENT TO THE BRUSH, THANKS FOR THE, THE MONEY THE BOARD ALLOCATED AND MR. ALVAREZ, THAT WE'VE MADE THAT IMPROVEMENT.
WE'RE WORKING ON THE ELECTRICAL UPGRADES, THE THREE PHASE AND THE NEXT STEP WILL BE TO ADD ANOTHER OPEN TOP.
THERE WOULD BE THE NEXT, THE THIRD PHASE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THERE, BUT LONG-TERM, THEY'RE DOING 80 TO 90 CARS AN HOUR THERE ON A GIVEN DAY.
AND IT'S JUST, IT'S A TIGHT SITE.
IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN OVER THERE, WHEN IT'S BUSY, BEFORE WE GET INTO QUESTIONS FOR THAT, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY ACROSS, I JUST WANT TO THANK MY ENTIRE STAFF.
A LOT OF MY STAFF WORKS IN SOME OF THE WORST CONDITIONS, SNOW ICE, EXTREME HEAT ON THEIR FEET, AND THEY DO A TREMENDOUS JOB AND THEY, UH, THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO AND THEY CARE ABOUT THE COUNTY AND THE CITIZENS.
SO I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THEM FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK.
THE QUESTIONS FOR CONVENIENCE CENTER BOARD.
W YOU ALSO MADE SOME, UM, THIS YEAR WE'VE INCREASED THE OPERATING HOURS, UM, BOTH WEDNESDAYS AND SUNDAYS.
SO, UH, AT LEAST IN THE WESTERN, UM, WESTERN AND CENTRAL FOR SUNDAY,
[02:10:01]
UM, ALSO WANTED TO, UM, HAVE ANOTHER THOUGHT.OH, HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING INTERESTED IN, IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE, BUT HOW MUCH MONEY OUR CITIZENS ARE ACTUALLY SAVING BY UTILIZING OUR CONVENIENCE CENTERS? YOU KNOW, I, I PAY SOMEBODY TO TAKE MY HOUSEHOLD, BUT THEN MY, I TAKE MY RECYCLING MYSELF.
SO IT'D JUST BE INTERESTING TO KNOW THAT, HEY, WE'RE SAVING OUR SYSTEM CAUSE THAT, THAT RATE, I'M SURE IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT STAYS IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS.
WE'VE NEVER TAKEN THAT ENDEAVOR ON, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY KIND OF LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE, LIKE YOU SAY, PEOPLE PAY 15 OR 20 BUCKS A MONTH, YOU KNOW, OR EVERY OTHER MONTH THAT 15, 20 BUCKS TO 32 BUCKS A MONTH TO HAVE YOUR STUFF PICKED UP.
AND THAT'S JUST YOUR SMALL CANS.
YOU CAN BRING A WHOLE TRAILER AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO SAY A WORD.
I THINK HE HIT MR. PETERSON'S HOUSE.
IT'S THAT ONE THING ABOUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
YOU MENTIONED JUNE 4TH, THERE'S AN, UH, OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR SHREDDING HAZARDOUS WASTE, YOU CAN DO ANOTHER TIRE.
EVERY YEAR TIRE AMNESTY IS IN THE FALL AND THEN ELECTRONICS IN THE FALL AS WELL, OR, UM, THIS YEAR, UM, YES, WE SHOULD HAVE ELECTRONICS AND TIRE SHREDDING.
I'LL CONFIRM THAT AND SHARE THAT WITH MR. ALVAREZ AND HE CAN GET IT TO YOU.
BUT YES, JUNE 4TH, UH, 9 2 1 DOWN HERE AT THE FAIRGROUND LOT WILL BE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE AND DOCUMENT SHREDDING, SHREDDING, AND THEN MAYBE THE FALL IS TIRES AND ELECTRONICS.
IF WE CAN, I GUESS WE'LL GET THAT ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL AND PUSH THAT INFORMATION OUT BECAUSE THAT TIRE COLLECTION WAS WILDLY POPULAR.
IT SEEMED LIKE IT IS EVERY YEAR.
I BELIEVE IT'S A VERY POPULAR PROGRAM TO KEEP THOSE FROM BEING TOSSED OFF THE BRIDGE, INTO THE RIVER.
AND THEN I DID HEAR SOMETHING ABOUT AN EASTERN CONVENIENCE CENTER.
UH, THERE IS A LIMIT TO HOW FAR PEOPLE WOULD DRIVE TO COMPLETE.
IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT SINCE I STARTED HERE IN 2017, THAT'S, WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO FIND ONE THE LOCATION AND WHAT MAKES SENSE THERE WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT SOME LIKE LOUISA HAS A SITUATION WHERE IT'S JUST, UH, A COMPACTOR SITTING ON TOP OF THE ASPHALT.
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, DOWN, PEOPLE CAN THROW IN IT ONE ATTENDANT, ONE LITTLE BUILDING AND YOUR RECYCLING AREA, NO BRUSH SOMETHING SMALLER LIKE THAT, PERHAPS.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, MR. ALVAREZ, MIKE COULD SPEAK THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN ANY FURTHER THAN, THAN THE LOOKING OR INVESTIGATING, BUT I MENTIONED THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
THE FOLKS SAY THE CONVENIENCE CENTER ISN'T IS IT IT'S NOT CONVINCING, BUT ANYWAY, JUST KEEP THAT ON THE, ON THE RADAR SCREEN, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A LARGER AMOUNT THAN PEOPLE WOULD THINK THAT DRIVE TO DO RECYCLING AND STUFF FROM, FROM THE EASTERN END TO COME TO CENTRAL LIMIT TO HOW FAR THEY'LL DRIVE.
LISTEN, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO.
I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE I RECOGNIZED YOU FOR, UH, WORKING WITH THE CLEANING, UH, GOOCHLAND COUNCIL.
UH, IT'S A GREAT CITIZEN ORGANIZATION, AND I KNOW THAT THEY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GIVE, BUT YOUR TEAM DOES DO AN AMAZING JOB.
AND I SEE THEM EVERY TIME I GO OUT TO THE CENTERS ARE ROLLING UP MOST PROFESSIONALS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR PARKS AND RECREATION.
AND TODAY I WILL BE RECREATION AND VIRGINIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION BUDGET REQUEST.
SO STARTING WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, OUR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS ARE TO PROVIDE QUALITY PROGRAMS, FACILITIES, AND SELF-DIRECTED ACTIVITIES, UM, AND PROVIDE THOSE ACTIVITIES IN A SAFE AND CLEAN ENVIRONMENT, AS WELL AS SERVE AS A CONDUIT FOR THE TOURISM AND AGRITOURISM ACTIVITIES IN THE COUNTY HERE, YOU'LL SEE OUR BUDGET REQUESTS.
YOU'LL NOTE THAT SALARY AND BENEFITS HAS INCREASED.
THAT IS DUE TO THE MOVING OF A POSITION FROM GENERAL SERVICES TO PARKS AND RECREATION.
THAT'S OUR SPORTS TURF MANAGER POSITION THE MID YEAR ADD OF THE FIELD TECH POSITION, WHICH THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HE STARTS NEXT WEEK.
UH, AND AN INCREASE IN OVERTIME OPERATING EXPENSES HAVE INCREASED, UH, DUE TO THE INCREASED COST FOR, AS SCOTT SAID, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.
UM, MATERIALS FOR EVENTS, PROGRAMS, ATHLETIC SUPPLIES,
[02:15:02]
UH, ALL OF THAT.AND AS WELL AS NOT JUST THE INCREASE IN PRICE, BUT THE INCREASED IN DEMAND WORSE.
AND WE'LL COVER THAT IN A LITTLE BIT, CAPITAL EXPENSE WOULD BE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF OUR AGING FIELD MACHINE, WHICH DESPERATELY NEEDS REPLACED.
UH, WE'RE KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT IT LASTS, UH, AND SERVICE LEVEL PLAN IS INCREASED DUE TO ADJUSTMENTS IN TWO POSITIONS, A PART-TIME RECREATION SUPERVISOR TO FULL-TIME TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR OUR PROGRAMMING, AS WELL AS AN ADJUSTMENT FROM OUR RECREATION SPECIALIST TO AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITION FOR OUR OPERATING IMPACTS, WE WERE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTY'S TOURISM PLAN WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NOTICED A DRASTIC INCREASE IN REGISTRATION AND REVENUE AS COVID RESTRICTIONS BEGIN TO EASE, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
HOWEVER, THE RAPID GROWTH OF THOSE REVENUES AND REGISTRATIONS ARE STRAINING OUR STAFF RESOURCES THIS PAST YEAR, WE HOSTED THE DIXIE YOU STATE, BUT BASEBALL TOURNAMENT AT HIDDEN ROCK.
AS A RESULT, WE HAVE SEEN A INCREASE IN REQUESTS FOR TOURNAMENT RENTALS AT HIDDEN ROCK, WHICH IS AGAIN GREAT.
HOWEVER THAT REQUIRES ADDITIONAL SETUP AND WORK ON ON STAFF SIDE.
UM, WE'VE ALSO STARTED HOSTING RACIST TRAIL RACES, UH, AT LAKE SMELL WELL AS MOUNTAIN BIKE RACES, AND THOSE REQUESTS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS WELL AS FAR AS FUTURE OUTLOOK RECREATION PROGRAMMING AND FACILITY-BASED SERVICES BY THE COMMANDER CONTINUALLY, UH, BY THE COMMUNITY ARE CONTINUALLY INCREASING IN DEMAND.
AND THIS IS AGAIN STRAINING DEPARTMENT RESOURCES AND FACILITIES.
UM, WE PLAN TO HAVE THE TOURISM INITIATIVE, A TOURISM PLAN WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMPLETED SHORTLY, AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT PLAN.
I WANTED TO INCLUDE THIS BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ON IN THE PAST, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A REPORT PRIOR TO THIS PRESENTATION.
THIS IS JUST A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE COST RECOVERY AT CENTRAL FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS BASED ON CALENDAR YEAR, NOT FISCAL YEAR.
SO THE ORIGINAL BUSINESS PLAN FROM 2016 SHOWED ANTICIPATED COST RECOVERY WITHIN THREE YEARS.
I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE MET THAT WITH A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
SO, UH, I DID WANT TO INCLUDE THAT.
AND AGAIN, YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL REPORT THAT KIND OF GOES INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT BEFORE WE GET INTO COOPERATIVE EXTENSION? OKAY.
SO WOULD YOU GO BACK? I'VE GOT ANOTHER QUESTION, BUT SINCE THIS IS THE MOST RECENT THING, THE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, YOU SAID THAT THERE YOU GO.
DID I HEAR YOU SAY THAT WE MET OUR EXPECTATION? I MEAN, WE'RE STILL FINALLY FINALLY, BUT FOR TWO YEARS I MOVED, WE LOST OVER $110,000, RIGHT? SO OUR GOAL IN THE ORIGINAL BUSINESS PLAN WAS TO BASICALLY BREAK EVEN WITHIN THREE YEARS.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED THE PANDEMIC, BUT IF YOU LOOKED AT, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR ORIGINAL PLAN IN THE REPORT THAT I HAD GIVEN YOU, IT SHOWED WITH 2016 COST ESTIMATES, US LOSING $30,000 ONE YEAR IN ABOUT 25, THE NEXT, OBVIOUSLY THE PRICE OF VARIOUS MATERIALS AND EVERYTHING HAVE GONE UP, BUT IT TOOK US FIVE YEARS INSTEAD OF THREE, RIGHT.
WE HAVE BEEN FULLY OPERATIONAL THERE FOR THREE YEARS.
SO BACK ON SALARIES NOW ON PAGE FOUR, UM, EVERY, I JUST LEFT FOR RETINA ON MY NOTES BECAUSE EVERY, EVERY PERSON I'VE ASKED THEM TO ASK ABOUT PAGE FOUR.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS MAY BE THE WAY IT JUST GETS SHOWN.
SO YOU'RE INCREASING THE SALARY AND BENEFITS BY 50% AND LOWERING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
NOW, YOU EXPLAINED YOU'VE GOT ONE PERSON THAT'S BEING PROMOTED.
SO IS THAT WORTH $200,000? SO THAT, THAT SALARY AND BENEFIT INCREASE IS THE SPORTS TURF MANAGER THAT WAS MOVED FROM GENERAL SERVICES, THE MID-YEAR FIELD TECH POSITION OVER TIME, AND, UH, BELIEVE THAT ADDITIONAL COST FOR BENEFITS.
OKAY, BUT YOU HAD EIGHT AND 14, EIGHT FULL TIME AND 14 NOW YOU'VE GOT NINE FULL TIME AND 14, YOU'VE GOT ONE ADDITIONAL PERSON FOR $217,000.
THAT'S SLIGHTLY MISLEADING BECAUSE WE ADDED, RIGHT? YES.
SO THAT IS THE, UM, FYE 22 ADOPTED INCLUDES THOSE TWO POSITIONS.
THE MOVE FROM GENERAL SERVICES
[02:20:01]
IS IN THERE AS PART OF THAT AID.THE SPORTS TURF IS IN THERE AS PART OF THAT EIGHT.
SO REALLY THE ONLY ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME POSITION WOULD BE THE INCREASE FROM PART-TIME SUPERVISOR TO FULL-TIME.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT ONE ADDITIONAL IS COMING FROM.
AND THAT'S COSTING US 217,000.
THAT INCREASE IS SHOWN IN THE SERVICE LEVEL PLAN FOR THE TWO ADJUSTMENTS TO POSITION 41, RIGHT? THE TWO POSITIONS, THE TWO ADJUSTMENTS TO POSITIONS ARE SHOWN IN THE SERVICE LEVEL PLAN.
THE 217,000 IS THE INCREASE IN, UH, VRS, THE GENERAL SERVICE, THE POSITION THAT WAS MOVED FROM GENERAL SERVICES AND THE SPORTS TURF POSITION AS WELL AS OVERTIME.
BUT IT'S THE ONLY ONE POSITION ACTUALLY YOU'RE SHOWING ONE LESS, ONE MORE, YOU KNOW, IT IS ONE, RIGHT? SO THE ADDITIONAL CHANGES ARE IN THE SERVICE LEVEL PLAN, LINE, NOT IN THE SALARY AND BENEFITS AND PROMOTING ONE PERSON, NO, THE PROMOTION, THE POSITION ADJUSTMENTS ARE WITHIN THE SERVICE LEVEL PLAN, BUT THE SERVICE LEVEL PLAN IS A SEPARATE LINE ITEM.
YES, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE, IT WAS 17 IS THE, UM, IS THE POSITION THAT WAS MOVED FROM GENERAL SERVICES.
SO THE SPORTS TURF MANAGER, ADDITIONAL PERSON, THIS FIELD TECH POSITION, WILL WOMEN KNOW YOU ONLY GOT ONE PERSON.
THESE WERE ADDED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR.
THAT'S WHY IT WASN'T PART OF OUR REQUEST LAST YEAR, BUT IT WAS ADDED.
BUT DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, DID WE AMEND YOU? YOU HAVE HERE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
DID WE AMEND F Y 22 BUDGET? YES.
AND WHY CAN'T WE GET THOSE NUMBERS? THAT WOULD ANSWER EVERYTHING.
IF SOMEBODY HAD WHAT THE AMENDMENT WAS THEN WE'D, THEN THAT WOULD PROBABLY SETTLE THE WHOLE THING.
WELL, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS.
WE CAN PROVIDE YOU THE NUMBERS, BUT THERE WERE TWO, ACTUALLY TWO AMENDMENTS BECAUSE WE MOVED IN JULY OF 22, WE MOVED, UM, THE, WHAT DO YOU CALL HIM? THE GROUND MANAGER FROM FACILITIES TO, RIGHT.
AND THEN IN JANUARY YOU APPROVED A NEW POSITION, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE AMENDED IS.
I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I COULD PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT.
BUT YOUR PUT YOUR FYI 20, 22 ADOPTED NUMBER EIGHT, THE EIGHT PEOPLE THERE, IF I'M FOLLOWING YOU THAT ALMOST REFLECTS THE AMENDMENT, BUT THE NUMBER DOESN'T RECOVER 26.
SHOULD THAT BE A SIX OR IS IT A PART? COULD BE A SIX? YES.
WOULD THAT HELP YOU ESCALATE? WELL, THE MONEY'S NOT WORKING THOUGH, BUT SAVE, OH, YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING FROM SIX PEOPLE TO NINE PEOPLE.
IF YOU'RE DOING APP, WHAT THE COLUMN WOULD BE HELPFUL AS IF THEY HAD F Y 22 AMENDMENT.
THAT'S WHY NUMBER EIGHT IS AMENDED.
THAT IS, THAT SHOULD BE NUMBER EIGHT.
SHOULD BE SOMETHING, I THINK SIX, UNLESS WE'RE TALKING PART-TIME OR SOMETHING RIGHT NOW.
SO WE AMENDED PART OF IT, BUT NOT THE OTHER.
THAT'S WHY IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE, CAN YOU GIVE US THOSE NUMBERS? YES.
SO, UM, YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THE, UM, INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR SOME OF THE PROGRAMS IS INCREASING THE NEED FOR STAFF.
ARE THEY GETTING, SO ARE WE INCREASING WHAT WE'RE CHARGING? I MEAN, ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE REVENUE NEUTRAL? CAN WE DO ACROSS THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, 10% OR 15 OR WHATEVER PERCENT INCREASE FOR THESE PROGRAMS, SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS HAVE INCREASED IN COST JUST BECAUSE FOR THAT REASON THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE COST NEUTRAL.
SO WE WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE KEEPING OUR COSTS AS LOW AS WE POSSIBLY CAN BECAUSE OF THE POPULATION WE SERVE.
A LOT OF OUR REGISTRANT'S ARE ON SCHOLARSHIPS EITHER THROUGH US OR THROUGH SOCIAL SERVICES.
UM, SO WE HAVE, BUT WE HAVE INCREASED OUR COSTS, BUT HOW DO YOU JUGGLE THAT? I MEAN, IF WE CAN'T, IF IT'S COSTING US MONEY TO PUT THE PROGRAMS ON THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE INCREASED COSTS.
SO IF YOU'LL NOTICE FOR SUMMER CAMPS, FOR EXAMPLE, USED TO BE ABOUT A HUNDRED DOLLARS A WEEK.
SO WE'RE INCREASING COSTS TO COVER OUR STAFF NEEDS.
AND SO THERE'S IS, THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO SEE YOUR REVENUE VERSUS YOUR EXPENSES.
DO YOU KNOW ANY IDEA OF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I CAN, I CAN GET IT TO YOU BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
BECAUSE IF WE'RE RIGHT, WE SHOULD BE CHARGING ENOUGH TO COVER OUR EXPENSES.
SO YEAH, IF YOU WOULD, THAT'D BE GREAT.
I JUST SAID THAT THE TOURNAMENTS THAT ARE COMING UP THAT'S GREAT NEWS.
[02:25:01]
UM, BUT MY QUESTION, THESE ARE OUT OF TOWN TOURNAMENTS, RIGHT? PEOPLE FROM THESE ARE NOT GOOCHLAND.SOME OF THE TEAMS ARE VIGILANT.
UH, ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE STARTING A LEAK IN THE COUNTY FOR ADULTS, AS WELL AS HOSTING REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS.
SO THERE WILL BE GOOCHLAND TEAMS THAT PLAY IN THAT AS WELL.
BUT THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION WE RENTING THE FIELDS FROM US.
SO WHEN WE DO, UH, OUT OF ANNOUNCED BY THE QUESTION, WHEN WE DO OUT OF TOWN TOURNAMENTS, WE ARE GETTING OUR POUND OF FLESH FOR IT.
THEY'RE PAYING TO RESERVE THE FIELDS AS WELL AS TREATING THEM.
SAME WAY WE TREAT OUR RESIDENTS.
NO, UH, RESIDENTS GET A CERTAIN FACILITIES ARE AFFILIATED AS A CERTAIN FEE RESIDENTS OR A CERTAIN FEE NON-RESIDENTS ARE A CERTAIN FEE.
I DON'T MIND CHARGING ABOUT DAN AND RICO.
AND, UM, JUST TWO QUICK, WHAT WAS THE CLARIFYING YOU GET GETTING BACK TO THE CENTRAL HIGH COST RECOVERY.
WHEN I HEAR COST RECOVERY, I THINK OF THE COST TO DO THE RENOVATIONS.
IS THIS, IS THAT ACCURATE OR IS THIS MORE OF A NET NEUTRAL? THIS IS, UH, LIKE OPERATING EXPENSES VERSUS REVENUE.
SO THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE COST FOR RENOVATIONS.
SO THE COST OF RENOVATION AND WE DON'T EXPECT TO, THAT WAS A INVESTMENT.
THAT WAS AN INVESTMENT IN WHAT WE SAID ACROSS THE RENOVATIONS WAS A LOT LESS THAN TEARING IT DOWN.
WELL, WE SAID WAS THAT WE WANTED TO BUILD IT TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
I JUST WASN'T SURE WHAT WE'RE OPERATIONS, IT'S NOT COST RECOVERY.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND PIECE IS THE NEW BALL FIELDS THAT ARE GOING INTO CENTRAL.
UH, DO WE SEE THOSE INCREASING REVENUE AT SOME IN SOME WAY POTENTIALLY, UH, THE FIRST IMPACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO FEEL IS LESS STRAIN ON OUR EXISTING FIELDS AND FACILITIES WE'VE MET WITH GYA AND THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED TO ACTUALLY MOVE SOME OF THE SOFTBALL.
AND I BELIEVE T-BALL OUT THERE THIS SPRING.
UM, BUT LIKE A GRAND OPENING FOR THAT COMPLEX WE CAN ABSOLUTELY.
SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MOVE ON TO VIRGINIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OR WHILE YOU CAN? ALL RIGHT.
SO VIRGINIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION IS PRIMARY FUNCTIONS ARE TO HELP THE CITIZENS IMPROVE THEIR LIVES THROUGH AGRICULTURAL NATURAL RESOURCES, FAMILY, AND CONSUMER SCIENCE AND FORAGE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING.
UH, THEY DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS BASED ON RESEARCH WITH LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS AND THEY ASSIST THE COUNTY WITH EFFORTS RELATING TO AGRITOURISM, AS WELL AS PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES THROUGH EDUCATION AND SPECIAL EVENTS HERE, YOU'LL SEE THEIR BUDGET REQUEST.
YOU'LL NOTICE AN INCREASE FOR SALARY AND BENEFITS THAT IS PRIMARY PRIMARILY RELATED TO THEIR SUMMER INTERN POSITION, AS WELL AS AN INCREASE FOR OPERATING EXPENSES.
UM, THAT IS THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION TO COVER A PARTIAL COST OF A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR.
SO THAT POSITION WILL ACTUALLY BE LOCATED WITHIN, UH, VIRGINIA TECH, BUT THE COUNTY PAYS A PORTION TOWARDS THE SALARY.
SO THIS KIND OF BREAKS DOWN THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION TO VIRGINIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION IS THIRD OF THE UNIT COORDINATOR SALARY.
THIRD OF THE FOUR H AGENT SALARY, THE COUNTY FULLY PAYS FOR THE HORTICULTURAL ASSISTANT AND HALF OF THE AMOUNT FOR THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, WHICH WILL BE SPLIT BETWEEN GOOCHLAND AND POWER TAN.
AGAIN, DEMAND FOR PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES BY THE COUNTY IS INCREASING.
UM, THE FOUR H AGENT WAS HIRED LAST YEAR AND IT'S BEEN WORKING, UM, DILIGENTLY TO PROVIDE YOUTH PROGRAMMING.
RIGHT NOW, THE CHALLENGE IS LEVERAGING THE VOLUNTEER BASE TO MEET THOSE YOUTH AND BE ABLE TO SERVICE THEM, UH, WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH PARKS AND REC TO IMPLEMENT THE AGRICULTURAL CENTER PLAN AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT, NICOLE SHOEMAN IS HERE.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, OKAY, SO YOU JUST BROKE MY TREND.
IT'S ON PAGE 11, THEN I WAS GOING TO PAGE FOUR ALL THE TIME.
WHY? SO THAT'S WE GAVE YOU $14,000 MORE THAN YOU ASKED FOR THAT REQUEST IS WRONG.
I THOUGHT WE HAD UPDATED THAT.
[02:30:01]
WRONG.THAT THAT SLIDE IS, IS INCORRECT.
IF YOU LOOK AT SOMEBODY IT'S, IT'S INCORRECT.
SO THAT'S WRONG IN OUR BUDGET BOOK AS WELL.
DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WE CAN GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AS A SLIDE.
UM, THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON ORIGINAL REQUEST.
UM, UM, YOU SHOULD BE AT THE MIC.
CAN YOU COME UP MARY? I'M SORRY.
JUST BECAUSE OF, WE CAN GET YOU AN UPDATED SLIDE.
THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON THEIR ORIGINAL REQUEST.
THE ORIGINAL REQUEST AFTER GOING BACK AND FORTH IS THE 85, 5 30, WHATEVER THAT SAYS 85, 5 37.
SO WE WILL CORRECT THAT AND GET THAT TO YOU.
THEIR REQUEST SHOULD HAVE BEEN 85, 5 37, WHICH IS WHAT, OKAY.
SO MUCH OF THE BUDGET BOOK IS RIGHT, RIGHT.
AND IT, AND THE REAL BUDGET BOOK WILL BE, I MEAN, THE FINAL BOOK WILL BE RIGHT, BUT I CAN STILL GET YOU AN UPDATED PAGE LOOKING AT THE REAL ONE.
I MEAN, IT'S, THE PRESENTATION IS ONE THING IF WE MADE A MISTAKE FINE, BUT JUST AS LONG AS THE BUDGET BOOKS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OH, MS. SHARP.
UM, THE EXTENSION PROGRAMS I'VE RUN ARE FANTASTIC.
I MISSED THE ONE ON HEALTHY SEPTIC TANKS SYSTEMS AS FASTLY, BUT I WAS, UH, UNABLE TO ATTEND.
UM, MY QUESTION IS THE EXTENSION AGENT.
WE HAVE HAD AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME KEEPING EXTENSION AGENTS BECAUSE THEY BARELY MADE 1250 AN HOUR, MUCH LESS.
I MEAN, THE PAY WAS SO MISERABLE THAT SOMEBODY WOULD COME TO PAY THEIR RENT UNTIL THEY COULD FIND A GOOD JOB.
I MEAN, THAT'S LITERALLY THE WAY IT'S BEEN FOR HIM SINCE I WAS ON THE PARK DIRECT BOARD.
IT WAS, I MEAN, THERE WAS A NEW ONE INTRODUCED EVERY, EVERY YEAR.
HAS THAT GOTTEN ANY BETTER AS SHE SMILES FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM? DO YOU WANT TO PAY ME MORE? NO.
AND I DON'T MEAN THAT I DON'T MEAN TO, I'M NOT DISCOURAGING IN THE PAST.
IT'S BEEN SINCE OH FOUR, THE PEOPLE DIDN'T LIVE ON IT AND THEY CAME IN WITH GREAT INTENTIONS AND ASPIRATIONS AND THEN REALIZE THAT THEY JUST COULDN'T DO IT.
THERE ARE SOME, I THINK DIFFICULTIES AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH FUNDING, EXTENSION AGENT POSITIONS ACROSS THE STATE.
AND SO CERTAINLY WHAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED IN GOOCHLAND.
I THINK MANY OTHER LOCALITIES HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES.
AND THE, YES, THEY WANT SOME, I SAW THAT WE'RE SHARING IT IN THREE PLACES.
IT USED TO BE GOOCHLAND POWER TO HIM.
BUT, BUT AT, AT WELL, SO RIGHT NOW GOOCHLAND HAS DEDICATED AGENTS THAT ARE JUST DEDICATED TO THE LOCALITY IN THE PAST.
GOOCHLAND HAS SHARED AGENT POSITIONS WITH POWER TAN COUNTY, AS WELL AS WITH CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.
SO, UM, YEAH, THAT WAS, UH, I THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AGAIN, THIS WAS ALL BEFORE MY TIME.
SO I'M JUST REPEATING WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD.
UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW, UH, GOOCHLAND DOES HAVE A DEDICATED AND OUR AGENT THAT'S ME, THE UNIT COORDINATOR, AND THEN A DEDICATED FOUR H AGENT.
UM, BUT YES, THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, VIRGINIA TECH AND VIRGINIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION HAD BEEN GOING TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY REPEATEDLY TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDING, TO BRING AGENTS SALARIES UP TO PAR AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ALSO HAVE THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT MAKE THE JOB EASIER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING TO GET PAID POORLY.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO GET PAID POORLY FOR A VERY DIFFICULT JOB, YOU KNOW? UM, WE UNDERSTAND.
UM, SO, SO, SO THAT, THAT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW, WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, UM, TRYING TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM, YOU, THE BENEFIT THAT EXTENSION DOES PROVIDE TO THESE COMMUNITIES AND THE VALLEY PEOPLE COME THROUGH AND REALLY WORKED HARD, DID SOME GREAT PROGRAMS, AND THEN THEY WERE GONE AND IT WAS, YOU COULD NEVER GET ANY CONTINUITY BECAUSE THE TURN ON, AND THEN YOU COULDN'T FIND SOMEBODY AND THEN YOU DID, AND THEY WERE GONE.
AND THE STATE HIRING PROCESS IS SO LONG THAT SOMETIMES YOU'LL BE UP TO A YEAR OR TWO YEARS.
WE WERE WITHOUT A FOUR H AGENT.
UM, SO YES, YOU KNOW, SOME LOCALITIES TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO SPEED THE HIRING AND COMPENSATION.
I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SPLIT HERE IS, IS A THIRD AND TWO THIRDS WITH THE COUNTY PROVIDING ONE-THIRD AND VIRGINIA TECH PROVIDING TWO THIRDS OF AGENT
[02:35:01]
SALARIES.SOME COUNTIES HAVE GONE 50, 50, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER, UM, COUNTIES THAT HAVE, UH, ENDOWED POSITIONS THAT THEY'VE SET UP, OR THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT LOCALITIES HAVE USED TO TRY TO ATTRACT AND KEEP, UH, AN, AN EXTENSION AGENT BASICALLY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, I PLAN TO HAVE THIS JOB FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.
I WAS ON, ON THAT BOARD FOR AWHILE AND THEY PUT THAT UNDER THE PARKS REC BOARD AND IT WAS JUST WHICH OPENED A MEETING AND THE AGENT WAS GONE.
AND IT WAS A LONG TIME BEFORE WE FOUND ANOTHER ONE.
AND I, AND I HOPE YOU GET A RAISE.
I HOPE WE, YOU YOU'VE HANDLED THIS.
AND, AND YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEM AND, AND, AND SO, UM, I HOPE YOU CAN HELP US, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU SOUND LIKE YOU HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHY OTHER COUNTIES ARE HANDLING IT AND MAYBE WE SHOULD CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST THANK YOU FOR HANDLING THIS THE WAY YOU DO.
SO THIS LAST SPLIT, UM, COULD I ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT THE MASTER GARDENERS PROGRAM OR IS THAT NOT SOMETHING THAT OH, ABSOLUTELY.
I'M THE, WELL, WE SHARE COORDINATION RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT I COORDINATE THAT PROGRAM.
I, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW THIS FOR MYSELF FOR A FACT, BUT I HAD THIS COMPLAINT THAT THE MASTER GARDENERS PROGRAM INCLUDES A DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION REQUIREMENT IN ORDER TO GRADUATE.
SO, UM, I THINK, LET ME, LET ME START WITH A COMMON MISCONCEPTION THAT PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT THE MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM, WHICH IS THAT IT IS NOT PURELY A GARDENING TRAINING COURSE.
NO, IT IS, IT IS A VOLUNTEER TRAINING COURSE WHERE WE GIVE PEOPLE HORTICULTURAL INFORMATION, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE TO BE TRAINED AND COMPETENT AS VOLUNTEERS.
UM, AND THAT MEANS THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE COVERED BY TECH LIABILITY, WE DO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT NOT ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS LIKE INCLUDING BACKGROUND CHECKS THAT ARE DONE EVERY THREE YEARS AND INCLUDING, UM, A CIVIL RIGHTS TRAINING COMPONENT BECAUSE OF HOW EXTENDED IS FUNDED.
WE ARE A STATE AGENCY, WE RECEIVE FUNDING FROM USDA.
SO, SO WE, WE HAVE WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE NOT DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION TRAINING, BUT WE DO HAVE CIVIL RIGHTS TRAININGS AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE MATERIALS WITH YOU.
UM, SO IT, BUT IT'S A REQUIREMENT IN ORDER TO GET YOUR CERTIFICATE.
AND I GUESS THE COMPLAINT IS COULD PEOPLE BE TOLD IN ADVANCE CAUSE THEY WOULD'VE NEVER HAVE TAKEN IT.
WE HAD, THEY KNOWN THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU THE INTERVIEW QUESTION THAT, THAT WE HAVE WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ASK ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, BUT BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, WE GO OVER, THESE ARE THE CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITMENTS OF VIRGINIA TECH AND VIRGINIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION.
AND WE ASKED THE POTENTIAL VOLUNTEER IF THEY HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THOSE, WE DON'T SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT THERE WILL BE A 20 OR 30 MINUTE VIDEO DEVOTED TO THE TOPIC.
UM, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, IT HAS NOT REALLY BEEN MUCH OF AN ISSUE IN THE PAST.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY HAVING HAD THE EXPERIENCES WE'VE HAD IN RECENT YEARS, IT IS SOMETHING WE'RE BEING MUCH MORE EXPLICIT ABOUT MOVING FORWARD.
UH, ALL I'M SAYING IS I THINK IF YOU WERE MORE UP FRONT ABOUT IT, I THINK IT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE FEEL A BIT BETTER.
I MEAN, THIS PERSON WAS QUITE UPSET.
AND I CAN UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE I WOULDN'T WANT TO GO THROUGH, WAS IT TAKES SIX MONTHS OR MORE TO GO THROUGH THAT COURSE.
AND AT THE VERY END SAY YOU CAN'T GRADUATE UNLESS YOU LISTEN TO OUR VIDEO.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WELL, WE, WE, WE, WE DO THE CIVIL RIGHTS PORTION OF IT DOES TAKE A MATTER OF MONTHS AND IT IS, UM, IT IS FAIRLY INTENSIVE, BUT YEAH, THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM THAT NOT ALL VOLUNTEERS ARE VERY THRILLED ABOUT.
THEY HAVE TO DO A PROJECT, THEY HAVE TO TAKE A TEST.
THEY HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
BUT, UM, YEAH, UP UNTIL VERY, VERY RECENTLY.
AND WE CAN BLAME, I'M SURE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS WE COULD BLAME FOR THAT UP UNTIL VERY, VERY RECENTLY WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ISSUE WITH THAT PORTION OF OUR TRAINING.
AND SO WE ARE BEING, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE DELIBERATE MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
I'M LOOKING AROUND AND MAKE SURE I DON'T HAVE ANY REAL, I'VE BEEN MISSING SOMETHING.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, I THINK OUR LAST GROUP OF, UH, THE DEPARTMENT PRESENTATIONS, SO LAST FOR THIS MONTH, WE'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME DOING THIS SO YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH IT TAKES TO MAKE THIS COUNTY RUN.
[02:40:01]
ALL OF IT.SO I'M PUTTING A LITTLE, UH, HINT OUT THERE OF SOMETHING SPECIAL TO COME IN APRIL BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE FOLKS THAT, UH, HELP MAKE THIS COUNTY RUN.
BUT AT THIS MOMENT, WE, UH, THIS BOARD WILL STAND ADJOURNED UNTIL THURSDAY, MARCH 10, AT 1:00 PM FOR A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WHICH WOULD BE, BE A CLOSED MEET.
WE WILL GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
AND THEN, UH, WE WILL BE ADJOURNED TILL THURSDAY, MARCH 15TH, AT 2:00 PM FOR THE SUPERVISOR CIP WORK SESSION.
AND THAT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.