[I. Call to Order, 5:30 P.M.]
[00:00:05]
IT'S WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST.
THIS IS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING OF GLAND COUNTY.
MS. WORK, DO WE HAVE A FORM? UH, ALL
[II. Determination of a Quorum]
PRESENT, SIR, YOU DO HAVE A QUO.[III. Citizen Comment]
WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ONLINE FOR THIS.AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE THAT, UM, APPROVAL OF MINUTES, MR. CHAIRMAN.
[IV. Approval of Minutes: Economic Development Authority - Regular Meeting - Jul 20,]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES AS PRESENTED ALL SECOND, UH, MOTION AND SECOND.THAT'S PASS SCHEDULED MATTER IS TREASURER REPORT.
[V. Scheduled Matters]
MR. KAYER, UH, EVERYTHING LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS THAT OUTSTANDING CHECK.
DO YOU KNOW IF IT'S BEEN CLEARED IN SEPTEMBER? UH, I DON'T THINK IT HAS, SO I NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM TO SEE IF THEY RECEIVED IT AND IF NOT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PROBABLY STOP HIM AND RECU IT.
SO, AND THEN IS THERE ANOTHER CHECKOUT TO BE APPROVED? THERE IS NOT, NOT.
LET'S CHRISTIAN LEGAL FEES? YES.
THEY DIDN'T CASH A CHECK AWAY SOMETHING OR LOST IT.
I'M THINKING IT'S PROBABLY THE POST OFFICE.
UM, MS. WORLEY? YES, DEPARTMENT
[B. Department Update]
UPDATE.SO, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WILL JUST ROLL THROUGH THE NEXT KIND OF THREE, FOUR ITEMS. OKAY.
AND STOP ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, UH, I THINK EVERYONE HAS HEARD THAT, UM, I'VE BEEN PROMOTED TO THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND THE, UM, COORDINATOR POSITION, UH, WENT ON THE STREETS TODAY.
SO THAT'S GONE OUT TO SOME FOLKS, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOME GOOD APPLICANTS THEN.
UM, THE SMALL AREA STUDIES, UM, THE CONSULTANT IS WORKING ON THE FINAL PLANS AND REVISIONS FOR THOSE.
UM, THEY WILL BE PRESENTED IN PUBLIC SESSIONS TOWARDS THE END OF NOVEMBER, BEGINNING OF DECEMBER-ISH.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE FINAL HEARINGS BEFORE THE BOARD IN THE SPRING.
SO, UM, WE WILL DEFINITELY WANT YOUR INPUT ON WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE, ESPECIALLY CENTERVILLE AND COURTHOUSE VILLAGE ALSO HAS SOME COMMERCIAL ASPECTS TO IT THAT I BE ABLE PROBABLY WANNA TAKE A LOOK AT AND MAKE SURE THAT, IS THERE ANY MOVEMENT ON GETTING ANY FUNDING TO ADD TO THAT PLAN? I DON'T KNOW.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF THE PLAN MAKES LIKE A RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF FUNDING THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT, WE HAD, I HAD TALKED TO THE CONSULTANTS AND SAID, THAT WOULD BE A, A WONDERFUL IDEA.
IF YOU RECOMMEND SOMETHING ALSO RECOMMEND MAYBE A BRAND
UM, SOMETHING LIKE, LIKE A MAIN STREET BRAND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHICH WE DON'T QUALIFY FOR.
UM, UH, I HAVE BROUGHT UP IN THE PAST, THE VIRGINIA, MARYLAND AGRICULTURE DEVELOPER CONFERENCE.
SO THAT IS COMING UP FIRST WEEK IN OCTOBER.
SO WHAT THAT IS IS IT BRINGS IN, UM, AG ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS FROM MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA.
AND WE GO ON TOURS OF AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES AND SEEING HOW THEY ARE INNOVATING IN HELPING OUT OUR BUSINESSES.
SO WE'LL BE TOURING AND GIN GREENSVILLE GROWERS WILL BE VISITING VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU COURTHOUSE CREATES SI IN THE GIN AG CENTER.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO SEVERAL LOCATIONS IN P TAN AS WELL.
AND WE WILL ALSO BE HEARING A PRESENTATION FROM OUR VERY OWN LISA DEARIN ON OPERATING FARMERS' MARKETS IN THE REGION.
UM, SO, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT COOL.
AND THE REALLY GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE DOING A FARM TO TABLE DINNER ON OCTOBER 4TH AT FINE CREEK.
AND I HAVE ONE SPOT AVAILABLE IF ANYBODY WANTS TO TAKE IT.
UNFORTUNATELY IT IS BOARD DAY.
SO OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND NONE OF OUR BOARD SUPERVISORS COULD ATTEND.
SO I WAS THINKING, IT MIGHT BE GREAT.
WONDER IF WE COULD GET AN ED MEMBER, BUT THAT WOULD BE TUESDAY THE FOURTH AT 6:00 PM WHERE IT'S AT FINE CREEK.
AND, UM, WE HAVE, WE ARE USING LOCALLY SOURCED FOODS FROM GIN AND PTAN AND THE CHEF THERE IS KIND OF, SHE'S AN AMAZING CHEF YEAH.
I'D LOVE TO GO FAMILY ELSE HOUSE.
SO YOUR FIRST UP, I MEAN, I WILL GIVE THAT IF YOU COULD.
[00:05:01]
TIME WE MET, I HAD BROUGHT TO YOU THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT DISCUSSION THAT WE KIND OF WENT THROUGH.LAST TIME THAT PROPERTY WAS ABLE TO CLOSE IN TIME AND THEY WERE SUPER APPRECIATIVE.
IT WAS WELL, THE, THE, ALL THE BUSINESS PART.
UM, SO I WILL BE ADDING THAT WORK ITEM TO OUR WORK PLAN LIST.
UM, I KNOW I, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT MAYBE DOING SOMETHING WITH REMOVING THOSE RESTRICTIVE S OR AMENDING THEM OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, BUT, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE ADDED TO OUR DEPARTMENT'S WORK PLAN AND WE WILL GET TO IT, UH, IN THE NEAR FUTURE AT SOME POINT
SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, I'LL BE LEADING SOME TRAINING SESSIONS ON THAT FROM OCTOBER 24TH TO NOVEMBER 10TH.
SO I WILL BE OUT OF POCKET MOST DAYS.
LIKE, SO IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING AND YOU NEED TO EMAIL ME AND I'M NOT IMMEDIATELY RESPONSIVE, IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE I'M TRAINING.
IS, IS THIS YOUR WORK WITH YOUR SOFTWARE FOR PERMITTINGS OR THAT'S SPEED THINGS UP JUST THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THAT LAUNCHED AND OFF MY PLATE BECAUSE I LITERALLY CAN'T DEAL WITH THAT.
IT ALLOWS FOR ONLINE PERMITTING, ONLINE PAYMENTS, SCHEDULING OF INSPECTIONS, CITIZENS, AND CONTRACTORS CAN LOOK AT THE PERMITS AND SEE WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS.
THAT'S GONNA BE A GAME CHANGERS.
UM, WE JUST GOTTA, SO I CAN FIND MY 10 PERMIT ONLINE MM-HMM
WHERE IN THE 21ST CENTURY WHAT'S IS IT, UM, IT'S CALLED WELL, THEY'VE RECENTLY CHANGED THEIR NAMES BY TYLER TECHNOLOGIES AND IT'S CALLED ENTERPRISE PERMITTING AND LAND.
SO IT USED TO BE CALLED INTER GOV NOW IT'S ENTERPRISE PERMITTING AND LAND.
I'VE GOT FRIENDS IN CHARLESTON.
PERMITTINGS HAVE BEEN A NIGHTMARE FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF IT WITH MY DEPARTMENT GENERAL UPDATES.
SO I'LL MOVE INTO NEW BUSINESS UPDATES.
[C. New Business Update]
UM, WE, UH, I'M CURRENTLY WORKING 14 ACTIVE PROJECTS, TOTALS 876 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS THAT DOES INCLUDE PROJECT ROCKY, WHICH, UM, IS STILL MOVING FORWARD.AND I'LL GET TO THAT IN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, IT ALSO INCLUDES ONE DISTRIBUTION PROJECT, ANOTHER DISTRIBUTION PROJECT.
AND, UM, AN INDOOR VERTICAL FARMING PROJECT.
NOT THE MOST RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WENT TO PLENTY IN CHESTERFIELD.
UM, AND SO KIND OF AN UPDATE ON THE PLENTY ANNOUNCEMENT.
SO I, I CALLED THE STATE AND I WAS LIKE, WOULD'VE LEFT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMPETE FOR THAT PROJECT.
HE SAID, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS WAS THAT, UM, THEY GO WITH PUBLICLY OWNED LAND.
SO WHEN IT CAME IN THROUGH THE STATE, THEY SAID, WE ONLY WANNA DEAL WITH SITES THAT ARE PUBLICLY OWNED.
SO UNFORTUNATELY WAS AUTOMATICALLY REMOVED.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE SITE WAS UNDER LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR EBA CONTROL.
SO THE PRICE WAS SAID, AND IT WAS PROBABLY ALREADY LOW.
AND THERE WAS PROBABLY, IT WAS PROBABLY PAD READY AND INFRASTRUCTURE ALREADY ON THE SITE READY TO ROCK AND ROLL.
SO I'M GONNA GET INTO A LITTLE BIT, I WENT TO A SITE SELECTOR'S GUILD YESTERDAY, UM, SPENT THE DAY WITH A BUNCH OF SITE SELECTORS.
SO I'M GONNA GET INTO SOME OF THEIR STUFF IN JUST A MINUTE.
UM, PROJECT PROJECT ROCKY HAS FILED THEIR P D.
SO WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE FIRST ROUND OF THAT REVIEW.
UM, WE'VE GOTTEN COMMENTS BACK TO THEM AND THEY ARE REVISING.
AND SO IT'S GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO IN THE NEWS, WE'VE ALL HEARD THAT SOME AMAZON IS CLOSING OR PAUSING SOME CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ARE WE IN ANY DANGER OF THAT FOR OUR, SO, SO I WILL SAY THAT PROJECT ROCKY IS NOT NECESSARILY AMAZON.
IT IS A E-COMMERCE DISTRIBUTION FACILITY, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AMAZON.
HOWEVER, IF YOU KNOW, PERHAPS AMAZON IS MAKING THOSE BUSINESS DECISIONS, IT COULD AFFECT OTHER E-COMMERCE FACILITIES.
UM, PROJECT ROCKY IS STILL ROCKING AND ROLLING.
PUN INTENDED
PARDON ME? SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
[00:10:02]
UH, THE OTHER ONE THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP TO YOU GUYS, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING IS AN AGRICULTURAL PROJECT.AND WHAT IT IS IS A SMALL MEAT PROCESSING FACILITY, LIKE A LOCAL MEAT PROCESSING, RIGHT? YES.
SO OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, I'VE BEEN GOING OUT MEETING WITH OUR FARMERS AND OUR PRODUCERS.
AND ONE THING THAT I'VE KEPT HEARING IS I'VE GOT NOWHERE TO PROCESS MY CATTLE AND IT'S, IT'S AFFECTING MY HER SIZE.
I'M NOT ABLE TO GET THE MEAT OUT TO CONSUMERS AS I WANT TO.
AND SO, UM, WHEN THIS, UH, PROJECT CAME TO ME, I SAID, WELL, THIS, I KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE.
AND HE HAS A REALLY UNIQUE SYSTEM.
IT IS A PATENTED U S D A APPROVED MODULAR SYSTEM.
I SAY MODULAR BECAUSE IT'S BUILT ELSEWHERE, BROUGHT IN AND ANCHORED DOWN, UM, ON A PERMANENT FOUNDATION.
UM, BUT THERE'S NO RENDERING THAT'S ON SITE.
SO THE RENDERING IS WHEN YOU TAKE ALL THE BYPRODUCTS AND YOU BREAK THEM DOWN AND MAKE THEM INTO OTHER THINGS, THAT'S WHERE LIKE THE SMELLS GET ASSOCIATED WITH PROCESSING FACILITIES.
I KIND OF WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIKE, I DON'T WANT THAT.
MM-HMM
SO THEY COME IN, THEY GET PROCESSED THE RENDERINGS AND ALL THE, THE BYPRODUCTS ARE TAKEN OFF SITE TO A RENDERING PLANT.
UM, THE MEAT IS THEN PROCESSED, PACKAGED, AND THEN THE FARMER COMES BACK AND PICKS UP HIS MEAT AND THEN HE CAN TAKE IT TO RETAIL.
HOWEVER, THE FARMER DOES THAT.
SO WHERE IS THE RENDERING IMPLANT? UH, HARRISONBURG.
SO THEY HAVE TO, SOME SOMEBODY TAKES IT MM-HMM,
THEY DON'T IT'S VALLEY PROTEIN.
UM, SO WHEN HE EXPLAINED THIS TO ME, I SAID, THIS MIGHT BE INAPPROPRIATE USE IN GOLAND COUNTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DIDN'T THINK THAT A TYSON YEAH.
OR SMITH, SMITHFIELD, SOMETHING ON THAT SIZE WOULD BE APPROPRIATE HERE, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, SO WE HAVE A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO ALLOW THIS USE SPECIFICALLY LESS THAN 10,000 SQUARE FOOT PROCESSING FACILITY ON CERTAIN AREAS IN THE COUNTY AS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
SO HE IS FILED, HE WAS ALREADY, UM, PART OF, I THOUGHT THAT WAS ALREADY IN THE CODE.
UM, IT WAS NOT THERE THAT YOU, YOU CAN DO A LARGER FACILITY AND AN A THREE.
AND YOU DIDN'T WANNA GO THAT ROUTE.
BECAUSE THEN IT WOULD OPEN IT UP TO LARGE FACILITIES.
UM, SO HE HE'S FILED HIS PRE APPLICATION.
UM, AND THERE'S A COMMUNITY MEETING ON OCTOBER 3RD, UM, UP AT COMPANY SIX.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN IS, IS OKAY.
WHEN I THINK AND GET BEHIND BECAUSE, AND WHERE IS IT GONNA BE? UM, IN HAYDENVILLE ACROSS FROM MIDPOINT INDUSTRIAL PARK, THIS DISTRICT TWO DISTRICT ONE, ONE, YEAH.
THAT'S A GOOD PLACE CUZ IT'S CONVENIENT AND IT'S HALFWAY BETWEEN RICHMOND AND CHARLOTTESVILLE AND YEAH.
AND IT'S ACROSS FROM AN INDUSTRIAL PARK AND IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE EXIT.
I MEAN, THERE'S THIS A GOOD FLU VAN P TAN LISA.
SO, UM, ORANGE, IT'LL BE 2.3 MILLION INVESTMENT IN ROUGHLY ABOUT SIX JOBS.
THAT'S REALLY, REALLY, THAT'S A VERY EXCITING THING.
UM, SO, UH, AND WE'RE GONNA DO A LITTLE SESSION ON IT, ON OUR, IN OUR CONFERENCE, BUT THEIR AGRICULTURE DEVELOPERS.
SO WE'LL BE BRINGING HIM IN AND TALKING ABOUT IT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A CO-OP THAT ESSENTIALLY THE PREMISE IT'S A, IT'S NOT A CO-OP UM, IT'LL BE A BUSINESS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GONNA BE INCORPORATED OR LLC OR HOW'S GONNA SET IT UP, BUT IT'LL BE SO WHOEVER THAT IS, WHETHER THE ND IS, ARE GONNA BE DEPENDENT ON FARMERS, RAISING LIVESTOCK, BRINGING IT IN MM-HMM
I MEAN, WILL YOU BE ABLE TO DO THAT OR IS IT JUST LIKE U S D A PROCESS LIKE CATTLE AND IT'S CATTLE, GOATS AND HOGS, PIGS, PIGS MM-HMM
AND IT'S ALL U S D A THERE'S A U S D INSPECTOR THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE ON SITE, UM, CERTIFIED INSPECTED FACILITY.
SO THE MEAT THAT COMES OUT OF THERE IS GROCERY STORE BREED, ABLE TO, SO NOW OUR FARMERS CAN SELL THAT MEAT.
[00:15:01]
SO, OH, ONE MORE QUESTION.DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE PROPOSED OPEN DATE? I DON'T KNOW.
UM, IS IT LIKE A COUPLE YEARS DOWN THE LINE? I WOULD SAY SO PROBABLY, PROBABLY AT LEAST A YEAR AND A HALF.
UM, SO LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE YESTERDAY, I WENT TO THE SITE SELECTOR GUILD, WHICH WAS HELD IN RICHMOND.
UM, I MET WITH 22 SITE SELECT, WELL, 22 SITES ELECTORS WERE IN ATTENDANCE.
I GOT TO PERSONALLY MEET WITH 10 OF THEM AND KIND OF TALK UP GLIN IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE.
CAUSE I COULD SAY YOU'RE IN THE RICHMOND REGION AND WE ARE ABOUT 20 MINUTES WEST OF HERE.
SO YOU SEE ALL THIS WORKFORCE AND YOU SEE ALL THIS, WE HAD COMPLETE ACCESS TO ALL THAT.
SO BECAUSE THEY WERE DOING A LOT WITH, UM, G P AND SO I GOT TO KIND OF GREATER RICHMOND PARTNERSHIP.
SO I GOT TO, TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT PART OF G P BUT WE ARE IN THE RICHMOND REGION.
AND UM, WE DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY OUT HERE.
I THOUGHT THAT YOU ALL MIGHT FIND THIS INTERESTING, LET ME CHANGE MY SCREEN HERE.
SO IF ANYBODY IS WATCHING, THEY CAN SEE, OKAY.
SO THEY MOSTLY TALKED ABOUT OFFICE AND INDUSTRIAL USES.
UM, SO BASICALLY SOME OF THE TOP FACTORS IMPACTING SITE SELECTION FOR OFFICE USERS, UM, WORKFORCE SUPPLY CHAIN, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE REMOTE HYBRID WORKPLACE MODEL.
AND I'M GONNA GET INTO SPECIFICALLY WHAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS MEAN IN A MINUTE, UM, INDUSTRIAL USERS, WORKFORCE SUPPLY CHAIN, AVAILABILITY OF REAL ESTATE, AND THEN, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES.
I KNOW THAT'S REALLY HARD FOR YOU TO SAY, UM, SO WORKFORCE, I KIND OF PUT STARS BESIDE TWO OF THE ONES OR THREE OF THE ONES THAT I THOUGHT WERE TAKEAWAYS FROM GIN, BASICALLY.
UM, ACCESS TO TALENT REMAINS THE MOST IMPORTANT GLOBAL FACTOR IN LOCATION DECISIONS, BUT IT'S MORE OF A FACTOR FOR OFFICE USERS, THINGS LIKE TECHNOLOGY R AND D HEADQUARTERS AND DATA CENTERS.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WHERE THE TALENT IS.
SO WHEN SITE SELECTORS GO OUT, THEY'RE LIKE WHERE'S TALENT AND THEY NARROW IT DOWN TO THE REGION.
AT THAT POINT, UM, REMOTE AND HYBRID WORK MODELS ARE NOT GOING AWAY
SO A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, AND YOU'LL SEE IT AGAIN, LIKE, UM, HEADQUARTERS ARE, IF THEY'RE LOCATED IN LIKE A TIER ONE CITY, THEY'RE LIKE WE CAN REDUCE OUR FOOTPRINT HERE AND MAYBE GO TO A SECONDARY CITY OR A ARY CITY AND GET MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK.
UM, COMPANIES BELIEVE THAT DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES POSITIVELY IMPACT THEIR ABILITY TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT.
SO THEREFORE LOCATIONS WITH LOW RATES OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY MAY BE AT A GREATER RISK OF DISQUALIFICATION DURING THEIR INITIAL SCREENING DAYS.
SO A SITE SELECT SAYS, OKAY, THIS REGION HAS GOOD WORKFORCE.
AND LET ME LOOK AT THE DEI OF THAT WORKFORCE.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DIVERSITY THERE.
THAT'S NOT GONNA MEET THE COMPANY'S DIVERSITY GOALS OFF THE LIST.
SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT.
SO WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, A LOT OF COMPANIES ARE LIKE, DO NOT PUT ME ANYWHERE WHERE IT'S GONNA FLOOD, DO NOT PUT ME ANYWHERE WHERE THERE'S TORNADOES DO NOT PUT ME ANYWHERE, UM, WITH EXTREME HEAT, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO WHAT I TOOK AWAY FROM THAT, UM, IS THAT COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR REDUNDANCY IN THEIR OPERATIONS.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING SO THEY WILL BE SETTING UP MORE LOCATIONS.
SO WHILE MAYBE NOW THEY ONLY HAVE THREE LOCATIONS, MAYBE THEY'RE IN AREAS THAT COULD BE QUESTIONABLE FROM A MITIGATION, UH, RISK STANDPOINT.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT, UH, OTHER LOCATIONS TO ADD FACILITIES.
AND LUCKILY CENTRAL VIRGINIA, WE HAVE REALLY LOW NATURAL DISASTER.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT AT A HIGH RISK FOR HURRICANES AND TORNADOES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S HELPFUL FOR US, UM, REAL ESTATE
[00:20:01]
STATES AND, UH, SITES AND BUILDINGS.UM, THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF INDUSTRIAL SITES THAT HAVE DESIRED UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND AN AVAILABLE WORKFORCE.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US IS IF WE CAN GET OUR SITES WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND GET THEM PAD READY, THEY WILL BE TAKEN UP FAIRLY QUICKLY.
UM, AND THEN NEW WORKPLACE MODELS HAVE RESULTED IN A SURPLUS OF OFFICE SPACE IN TIER ONE AND MID-SIZE CITIES.
SO LIKE I JUST SAID, SINCE THERE'S HYBRID, UM, WORK ENVIRONMENTS, NOW COMPANIES ARE LOOKING AT IT SAYING, I DON'T NEED ALL THIS SQUARE FOOTAGE.
I ONLY NEED HALF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
I CAN GO TO A SMALLER CITY WHERE I CAN GET MORE BANG FOR MY BUCK FROM AN OFFICE STANDPOINT.
AND THEN LASTLY, THEY TALKED A LOT ABOUT ESG INITIATIVES.
SO COMPANIES ARE REALLY LOOKING TOWARDS THESE, UM, NET NEUTRAL CARBON, UM, FOOTPRINTS AND THAT KIND OF THING FOR THEIR FUTURE.
SO COMPANY'S PERSPECTIVE ON ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE FACTORS ARE MORE LIKELY TO PLAY A ROLE IN WHERE THEY CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS.
UM, AND THEN A MAJOR PART OF THE ESG GROWTH HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PORTION AND RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO A COMPANY WILL LOCATE SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY CAN GET RENEWABLE ENERGY.
SO, UM, IT, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT FACTOR THAT HAS PREVIOUSLY NOT REALLY BEEN THAT IMPORTANT TO COMPANIES IT'S NOW BECOMING VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, SO KIND OF A KEY TAKEAWAY FUTURE OF THE OFFICE HYBRID IS HERE TO STAY, UM, IT'S COMPANY DEPENDENT AND THE, THERE HAS BEEN AN INFLUX OF NEW PROJECTS FROM SITE SELECTORS.
THEY SAID IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, A LOT OF HEADQUARTERS IN MOVING OUT OF TIER ONE CITIES DUE TO HIGH COST AND UNUSED OFFICE SPACE.
SO I JUST KIND OF THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING KIND OF BROAD OVERVIEW TAKEAWAY, UM, FROM WHAT I LEARNED YESTERDAY.
UM, SO WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO BE SETTING UP MEETING WITH DOMINION TO TALK ABOUT OUR POWER INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, IN WEST CREEK AND ALONG OUR ASHLAND ROAD CORRIDOR, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN A POSITION THAT WE HAVE SOME OF THIS RENEWABLE ENERGY AVAILABLE TO US.
UM, AND, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED TO ATTRACT SOME OF THESE USERS IN OUR AREAS.
SO QUESTION YES, FOR THE FIRST ONE YOU HAD, UM, WORKFORCE ACCESS TO TALENT UHHUH
SO SCIENCE S HAVE SOFT SOFTWARE, UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE SOFTWARE, UM, THAT BASICALLY BREAKS DOWN YOUR EDUCATIONAL LEVELS AND, UM, CURRENT JOBS IN THE COUNTY AND IN THE REGION.
SO IF IT'S A TECH COMPANY AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC DEGREES OR OTHER COMPANIES THAT THEY CAN STEAL FROM, UM, THEY CAN GO IN THERE AND THEY CAN SAY, OKAY, THERE'S 10,000 EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE X DEGREES.
OR, YOU KNOW, THIS COMPANY'S ALREADY THERE.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THEIR TALENT IS THERE.
AND SO THAT KIND OF DRIVES THEM.
I THOUGHT MAYBE JUST A PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION OR SOMETHING, OR YEAH.
SO, UM, ANY, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY DID NOT TALK ABOUT CHIP MANUFACTURING AT ALL? HMM.
THEY SAID, YEAH, WE'VE SEEN SOME PROJECTS, BUT NOT ON THE SCALE OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, IS IT STILL TOO EARLY? MAYBE IT COULD BE MM-HMM
I THINK THERE'S A LOT GOING ON.
AND I WAS KIND OF AMAZED THAT, UH, THERE WAS A MEETING IN RICHMOND, RIGHT.
WE WERE NOT INVITED TO, NO, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT TO BEGIN INVITED TO INVITE MYSELF
I WAS, I WAS KIND OF AMAZED BY THAT BECAUSE LOOKING AT THE PROSPECTS OF SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT WERE TALKING ABOUT DIDN'T MAKE ANY MORE SENSE THAN MUCH BETTER.
AND, AND I'LL JUST THROW OUT ALSO DOMINION, JUST NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE HAS TWO, WHAT ARE THEY? I DON'T REMEMBER NOW.
SO THAT'S, MM-HMM,
[00:25:01]
AND THAT'S NOT COUNTY SUR, SO I THINK THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, FROM A LOOKING AT DSG STANDPOINT.FIRST THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE, UM, THE ABILITY TO HAVE A THIRD REACTOR AT, AT NORTH MM-HMM.
THEY, THEY, THEY ORIGINAL EXPANSION, UH, PERMEATED FOR FOUR UP THERE AND HAD, I THINK IT LONG TERM EIGHT, BUT, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THAT DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THEY, THEY, THEY STILL DO HAVE A CONTRACT FOR THE, UH, NEW GENERATION VWR, BUT THAT'S LITTLE FURTHER OUT THERE.
UM, SO MOVING INTO OUR EXISTING BUSINESS UPDATE,
[D. Existing Business Update]
WORKING SIX EXISTING BUSINESS PROJECTS RIGHT NOW, UM, TOTAL OF 127 MILLION INVESTMENT.NOW THAT DOES INCLUDE AVERY POINT AT 115 MILLION.
I HAVE KIND OF REVAMPED WHAT OUR PROJECT LIST LOOKS LIKE AND THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT, AND I'VE ADDED A BROKEN ENTRY POINT AND A HALF.
ONE HAS ONE HALF OF THEIR INVESTMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE.
AND THEN THEY ARE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL MAKE A DECISION WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE THE OTHER HALF OF THE INVESTMENT, UM, AS THE MARKET DEEMS IT'S NECESSARY.
SO THEY'RE STILL, IN MY OPINION PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO MAKE THIS INVESTMENT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, SO I'M TRACKING THAT AS A FUTURE INVESTMENT TO THE COUNTY.
UM, WE HAD GIN BUSINESS HOURS WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
WE HAD SIX GIN BUSINESSES COME OUT HERE AND MEET WITH THE SBDC.
AND SO I WAS REALLY HAPPY WITH THAT AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HOLD THOSE QUARTERLY.
UM, SO THAT'S FREE RESOURCES TO OUR BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, THEY CAN COME OUT AND I THINK ONE OF 'EM, UM, CAME OUT AND GOT SOME LIKE FINANCIAL AWARENESS KIND OF TRAINING.
UM, THERE'S THEY HAVE A QUICKBOOK PERSON ON STAFF NOW, SO YOU CAN GO AND TALK WITH HER, LIKE IF YOU'RE NEED SOME REFRESHMENT OR YOU'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH YOUR QUICKBOOKS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, VERY GOOD, UM, RESOURCE FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
I'VE HAD THREE BRE MEETINGS, UM, WORKFORCE CONCERNS, PERMITTING, AND, UM, MARKETING OF THEIR PRODUCTS WITH THE LARGER KIND OF THEMES TO THOSE MEETINGS.
UM, I'VE ALSO TRACKED 11 TOUCHES.
I KNOW I'VE HAD MORE, BUT I JUST SIMPLY HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO GO INTO THE SYSTEM TO PUT IN THE, THE TOUCH TRACKING THAT I NEED TO DO.
SO WE'LL BE GETTING THOSE ON THE BOOKS SO HE CAN GET TO KNOW THAT.
UM, SO MOVING INTO KIND OF TOURISM, UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE APA FUNDS.
WE'RE GONNA GET FOUR TRAVEL ITINERARIES, UM, AND THEY, THE FIRST ONE SHOULD BE OUT SOON IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS FOR A DRAFT, CUZ WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO A FALL PUSH.
UM, AND WE'RE TALKING IT'S THINGS LIKE, UM, UH, LIKE BACHELOR'S WEEKEND OR MOM AND DAUGHTER WEEKEND AND GIN OR THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THEY'RE THEMED, UM, WE'RE GONNA DO A FALL THEME AND WE'RE GONNA DO A SPRING THEME AND UH, GET THOSE OUT AND GET 'EM OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, SO WE'RE USING THE, THE, A MONEY THAT WAS A GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GET THAT DONE.
UM, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN THE TOURISM STRATEGIC PLAN WE HAVE, UM, REQUESTED THE BOARD TO DEFER THAT UNTIL JANUARY ADOPTION.
SO I CAN JUST HAVE TIME TO FOCUS ON IT AND MAKE SURE THAT I CAN PUT THE TIME TO IT.
SO I'M HOPING THAT ONCE ENERGO GOES AND WE GET SOME OF THAT, WE CAN GET SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE POSITION WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, START WORKING ON THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO THAT'S ALL THE UPDATES THAT I HAD.
UM, THE NEXT THING ON THE AGENDA, I THINK MR. PITEK HAD REQUESTED MAYBE A ACTUALLY LET ME SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT IT'S MR. SLOAN, WHO BROUGHT IT UP TO ME.
SO, UM, IT'S HIS BABY, SO I'LL LET HIM PRESENT IT TO YOU.
I, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT AND I I'VE DONE IT KIND OF ON MY OWN IS JUST GOING INTO ASHLAND ROAD AND SOME OF THE DRIVEWAYS AND SO FORTH, BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT VIOLATING.
AND I, I THINK IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING.
I, I KNOW I FIND IT INTERESTING TO
[00:30:01]
GO AND VISIT THE SITES AND LOCATIONS AND UNDERSTAND ALL THE PARTICULARS BECAUSE, UM, I THINK IT IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT WHEN WE STRESS TRANSPORTATION TO VDOT INTO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.AND AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS A, I'LL SAY A NEED THERE TO LOOK OUT FOR SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE EXISTING THERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE LEFT HAND TURN FOR LEEVILLE I THINK IS PARAMOUNT.
UH, I THINK THERE'S OTHER THINGS IN TERMS OF PROTECTION OF THE, UH, BUSINESS PARKS THERE TO KEEP, UH, LET'S SAY ACCESS PROPER FOR THEM AND THE ROAD, UH, BACK TO THE ROAD AGAIN.
UM, AND, AND THE GROWTH THAT'S NATURALLY GONNA HAPPEN ALONG THAT QUARTER.
AND REALLY, I THINK THAT REALIZATION OF WHAT'S TRULY THERE.
AND I, I KNOW, I BELIEVE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
THE BOARD HAS BEEN THERE TO LOOK AT THE BUSINESSES AND, AND I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL FOR US AND PROBABLY NOT JUST ASHLAND ROAD, BUT OTHER LOCATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HAVE BEEN TO CAMP ONE AND I'VE NEVER BEEN TO CARMAX FOR EXAMPLE.
YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WOULD HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN PLACE AND WHAT, AND TO A CERTAIN EXTENT WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE'S IN PLACE.
SO WE HAVE TO GO TO AT A TIME.
SO, UM, IF YOU WANTED TO DO ONESITE VISITS OR RIDE AROUNDS, THAT KIND OF THING, IT WOULD BE TWO AT A TIME, OR IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A OFFICIAL CALL MEETING.
AND, AND I, I WOULDN'T HAVE PROBLEMS WITH AN OFFICIAL CALL MEETING, YOU KNOW, CAN EVEN HAVE ONLINE STARLING GET UPLINK FOR NO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SOMETHING LIVESTREAM.
BUT NO, I THINK ITD BE VALUABLE FOR US ALL BE BECAUSE JUST A THOUGHT YOU WANNA DO A LITTLE, A EXTRA DRAWING AT THE END.
WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS COMMENTED THAT THEY SPEND TIME AT THE, UH, BREWERY, SO THAT'S UP THE ROAD THERE.
SO WHY NOT HAVE THAT IS AN, ANY PLACE WITH THE AX.
IT IS A LOT GOING ON IN THERE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE YOU CAN'T SEE, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, TRY TO YOU GET INTO A DRIVEWAY AND PICK, I DON'T REALLY WANT GO DOWN THIS PRIVATE DRIVEWAY.
SO, UM, IT'D BE COOL TO KIND OF KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT AND, AND SEE IT AND JUST KNOW THAT THAT ROAD IS, YOU KNOW, APPROACHING FAILURE, ACCORDING TO THE DONE AND GETTING ON TOP OF THAT, MAL CAN LOOK YOU DOWN ALL VULCAN AND EVERYBODY ELSE I THINK WOULD BE A PHENOMENAL UNDERSTANDING OF, UH, WHAT, WHAT THAT AREA, BUT YOU'RE AFRAID OF HEIGHTS.
I'D BE FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY IF WE DO THE EXPERT.
CAUSE THEY'RE PRIMARILY WHO'S THAT COMMERCIAL, UH, NOT PEYTON, UH, FOOTBALL.
OH, IT IT'S UH, KANSAS CITY AND UH, GREEN BAY QUARTERBACKS ACCESS.
THEY, YOU KNOW, BOUNCE OFF
SO WHAT I CAN DO IS PUT TOGETHER SOME, SOME DATES I'LL HAVE TO DO A LITTLE COORDINATION WITH CAPITAL ONE, CAUSE WE'LL NEED HAVE TO COORDINATE ACCESS TO GET ONTO THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, YOU CAN'T JUST SHOW UP AT THEIR GATES AND THEY LET ME ON, THEY SAY, NO,
AND, UH, 6 23 ALSO, UM, ESPECIALLY IF WE, IF YOU DO WANT TO GO UP ON, ON THE TOP THERE, UM, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS PRETTY MUCH ACCESSIBLE AND WE CAN DRIVE IN AND TAKE A LOOK AND, YOU KNOW, POINT OUT BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE COUNTY FOR A LONG TIME AND THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, SO I WILL TRY TO GET TOGETHER SOME DATES, UM, AND THEN SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
TRANSPORTATION, US ALL, GETTING A ONE VEHICLE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM.
THE COUNTY DOES HAVE A BAND, BUT IT'S THEY SAY, IT'S NOT LIKE IT CARRIES AROUND SWEATY KIDS.
I'M NOT SURE IT'S WE RENT FOR YES.
WE MIGHT HAVE TO WRITE SOMETHING.
SO, AND THEN AT THAT POINT WE MIGHT EVEN HAVE THE PARTY BUS.
WE'LL JUST TURN INTO A BIG PARTY.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SET THAT UP FOR YOU GUYS.
UM, SO GIVE ME, GIMME SOME TIME TO, TO WORK ON THAT.
I MIGHT WAIT UNTIL WE GET OUR, UM, NEW HIRE IN CUZ I ABSOLUTELY.
UM, BUT YEAH, I THINK IT'S AN AWESOME IDEA.
CAUSE UM, I THINK HE COULD GET A GOOD PERSPECTIVE TOO AT THAT POINT.
[00:35:01]
OTHER BUSINESS EMILY, ONE THING TO ADD IS[VI. Other Business]
JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOW, UH, UH, IF YOU DON'T KNOW ALREADY THE PASSING OF OUR DISTRICT FOUR SUPERVISOR LAST SATURDAY, DONALD SHOWER.SO JUST KEEP, KEEP THEM IN YOUR PRAYERS.
UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE AND WE DO NOT KNOW, UM, SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS YET, SO NO.
WE'LL GET THOSE OUT SOON AS WE KNOW, I'LL MAKE SURE GET IT BACK TO YOUR TIME.
ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION OR ANY IF I MEAN MR. CHAIR? YES.
DID I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY THEN THE REVISIONS TO THE, UM, I'LL SAY THE EXISTING, UH, OR WAS IT EXISTING AGREEMENTS WE HAVE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME WILL COME UP LATER? IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING WITH, WITH THE, THE, YEAH, SO THE, UM, RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I'M GONNA, I'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UM, TO SEE WHAT THEIR WORK PLAN LOOKS LIKE AND TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN TAKE ON.
UM, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA BE JUST LIKE A FULL REVERSAL OF THOSE OR WHETHER IT'S GONNA BE LIKE A STRIKE OUT OF CERTAIN OF 'EM.
AND I KNOW WE KIND OF GOT INTO IT LAST LAST MONTH, A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY STILL ON MY RADAR.
I WANTED YOU TO GUYS KNOW THAT IT'S STILL ON MY RADAR, BUT IT'S JUST NOT TOP OF THE LIST RIGHT NOW.
THINGS ARE THERE, ARE THERE PLANS TO REPLACE DON LIKE IN A TEMPORARY? YEAH, SO I THINK, I THINK THE RULE IS THEY HAVE, THEY NEED TO APPOINT SOMEONE AND THEN THEY WILL HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION.
THEY CODE VIRGINIA SPECIFIES WITHIN 15 DAYS THEY HAVE TO APPOINT SOMEONE AND THEN THEY HAVE TO MAKE SUBMITTAL TO THE JUDGE, UH, EITHER WITHIN 15 OR 30 DAYS, THE HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION.
AND THE JUDGE THEN DETERMINES WHEN THE SPECIAL ELECTION IS, IT CAN BE THIS NOVEMBER.
IT CAN BE BEFORE IT CAN BE AFTER IT CAN BE ALL WAY NEXT YEAR, JUST DEFENSE UPON THE JUDGE ASCERTAINS IS APPROPRIATE THING TO DO.
AND THE DAY IS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THEY ARE, IS BOARD OF SUPERVISOR.
THEY ACTUALLY, UM, ASKED FOR SOME KNOWS BY CITIZENS WITHIN THE DISTRICT TO DO THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW, THEY, IT IS REALLY BY THE CODE.
THEY CAN DO ANYTHING THEY WANT TO, SO WE'LL SEE HOW THEY DO.
YOU HAVE ANY OTHER THINGS NOW I'M JUST OBSERVING, BUT THIS, THIS IS HELPFUL.
UH, IF THAT'S IT, I MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, CLOSE
[VIII. Adjournment: Next Regular Meeting of the Authority is October 19, 2022]
THIS MEETING ONE SECOND OR SHOULD SECOND.