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THIS IS A GOSO COUNTY EASTERN TOWN HALL MEETING FOR OCTOBER 26TH, 2022.
AND IF YOU'VE BOARDED THE WRONG PLANE, YOU NEED TO DEEP ART THE PLANE AND HEAD BACK TO THE, UH, TERMINAL.
UM, I WAS ASKED IF I BELIEVE IN FREE SPEECH, AND THE ANSWER IS YES.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE TONIGHT'S SPEECH FOR FREE.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT TONIGHT.
AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING AT HOME, UH, WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, TUNING IN.
WE, UH, GOT AN INTERESTING PRESENTATION FOR YOU TONIGHT.
WE'RE GONNA RUN ABOUT 20 TO 30 MINUTES OR SO ON THE COUNTY, AND ABOUT ANOTHER 20 OR 30 ON SCHOOLS, AND ANOTHER 20 OR 30 ON Q AND A.
WHO'S HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME? FIRST EVER TOWN HALL.
IF YOU'RE NEW TO GSU, WELCOME TO GO HIM UP IN THE GSON
UM, FOR THOSE THAT ARE GRISLED VETERANS, YOU KNOW THIS, WE DO THREE TOWN HALLS IN THE FALL, ONE IN THE WEST, ONE IN THE CENTRAL, ONE IN THE EAST.
THIS IS THE EAST AND IN THE SPRING WE DO ANOTHER THREE SAME DEAL.
ALL OF 'EM ARE OPEN, THAT ARE PUBLIC.
YOU CAN ATTEND ANY OR ALL OF THEM.
AND THERE IS NO POLITICKING ALLOWED.
YOU WON'T BE ASKED FOR YOUR VOTE, YOU WON'T BE ASKED FOR MONEY.
THESE ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WHERE THE COUNTY BRINGS THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT OUT INTO EACH OF THE DISTRICTS.
AND TOTAL TRANSPARENCY SHARES.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE FALL, OUR AGENDA IS ON GENERAL TOPICS OF INTEREST TO THE CITIZENS, LIKE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, LIKE TRANSPORTATION, LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND IN THE SPRING, OUR PRIMARY TOPIC IS THE, UH, THE BUDGET.
WE BRING THE BUDGET OUT TO THE CITIZENS BEFORE ADOPTION SO THAT THEY CAN TELL US IT'S OUR COUNTY, IT'S OUR TAX DOLLARS, THIS IS HOW WE WANT IT SPENT.
AND THEN WE REACT AND DO WHAT THE CITIZENS, UH, ASK OF US.
NOW, COULD YOU IMAGINE IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAME IN TONIGHT AND SAID, HERE'S THE FEDERAL BUDGET.
IS THIS THE WAY YOU WANT YOUR MONEY SPENT? UH, THEY MIGHT GET SOME MORE FEEDBACK THAN WE DO, BUT, BUT WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT CITIZENS HAVE SOME SAY.
CUZ AGAIN, IT IS YOUR CANDIDATE, IT'S YOUR TAX DOLLARS.
NOW, WHEN I WAS A CAPTAIN IN THE ARMY, WE HAD A THING THAT WE DID, UH, CALL A HAILING FAREWELL.
AND THE HAIL WAS TO WELCOME NEW PEOPLE WHO WERE TRANSFERRED IN.
AND A FAREWELL WAS FOR THOSE THAT THAT TRANSFERRED OUT GOT REASSIGNED.
SO TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA DO A VERY BRIEF HAIL ON FAREWELL.
UM, FIRST WE'RE GONNA SAY FAREWELL TO THE DISTRICT FOREST SUPERVISOR, MR. DON SHARP, WHO UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
AND, UH, WHEN HE PASSED, THE COUNTY LOST A TRUE LEADER AND THE BORDER SUPERVISORS.
WE LOST A VALUED COLLEAGUE, AND I PERSONALLY LOST A CLOSE PERSONAL FRIEND.
AND SO WE SAY GOODBYE TO DON TONIGHT.
PLEASE KEEP HIS FAMILY IN YOUR PLOTS AND PRAYERS AS YOU GO FORWARD.
ON A LITTLE BIT OF A LIGHTER NOTE, WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE TO HAIL, IF YOU WILL, WILL, OR WELCOME, UH, OUR FAIRLY NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WHO'S BEEN HERE A LITTLE OVER THREE MONTHS, ALMOST FOUR MONTHS NOW.
AND, UH, AND A NEW DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I'M SORRY, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, VIC CARPENTER, IF YOU HAVEN'T MET HIM YET, HE'LL BE SPEAKING THIS.
AND A DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S CRYSTAL AS WELL.
AND, UH, NOT QUITE THREE MONTHS, THREE WEEKS MAYBE IN HERE.
SO SHE'S GONNA DRAW VERY HEAVILY ON HER 10 DAYS OF EXTERIOR HITS AND SHARE AROUND WITH YOU TONIGHT.
UM, BUT WILL YOU PLEASE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND SHOW SOME LOVE? SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
UM, TONIGHT YOU'RE GONNA, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT GSON IS A SPECIAL PLACE.
I HAPPEN TO THINK IT IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE.
AND TONIGHT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY, WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR TONIGHT ABOUT THINGS LIKE OUR INVESTMENT IN ROADS.
WE ARE GOING TO, YOU'RE GONNA SEE TONIGHT, UM, PROJECTS THAT TOTAL SOMEWHERE AROUND A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, WHICH EXCEEDS OUR ENTIRE ANNUAL BUDGET.
THAT'S HOW MUCH IS BEING PUT INTO THE ROADS TO IMPROVE THE ROADS.
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT A NEW, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT WE'RE GONNA BUILD AND A NEW COURTHOUSE WE'RE GONNA BUILD, AND TO A NEW FIREHOUSES WE'RE GONNA BUILD AND HEAVILY REINVEST IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND, UH, SOME OTHER THINGS THAT MAKE US SPECIAL.
I, THE SCHOOLS ARE ALWAYS IN THE TOP 10% IN GRADUATION RATE IN THE STATE.
UM, AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, EVERY ONE OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE FULLY ACCREDITED AND HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS OR MORE, WHICH PUTS US AGAIN IN RAREFIED COMPANY.
ABOUT 10% OF THE FOLKS IN THE, UH, OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN VIRGINIA HAVE THAT.
I, IT'S EIGHT OUTTA 132, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE AAA RATING ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, THE NEXT SMALLEST COUNTY WITH A AAA ACROSS THE BOARD IS THREE TIMES OUR SIZE, THAT 75,000 POPULATIONS.
SO WE ARE VERIFIED ATMOSPHERE THERE AS WELL.
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AND AAA ACROSS THE BOARD, THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 1% OF THE COUNTIES IN THIS COUNTRY THAT HAVE THAT.THERE'S 32, 33 COUNTIES OUT OF 4,000 THAT HAVE A AAA ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO, AGAIN, VERIFIED ATMOSPHERE AND GUC IS KIND OF SETTING THE GOLD STANDARD THAT WAY.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE US SPECIAL.
WE ALSO, I KNOW YOU WATCH ON TV, YOU SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT EVERY YEAR, ADDED STAFF EVERY YEAR, ADDED VEHICLES EVERY YEAR.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, SHERIFF, BUT WE'VE BEEN HEAVILY INVESTING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE BEEN HEAVILY INVESTING IN FIRE RESCUE, PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE'VE BEEN ADDING PEOPLE EVERY YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN ADDING EQUIPMENT EVERY YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN INCREASING THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR TO SHORTEN THOSE RESPONSE TIMES.
SO WHEN YOU CALL 9 1 1, SOMEONE SHOWS UP RIGHT AWAY.
NOW, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITIZENS HAVE TOLD US THEY WANT A HEAVY INVESTMENT IN.
AND, AND SO WE'VE GONE AHEAD AND DONE THAT AND PLACED THE MONEY WHERE THE CITIZENS HAVE TOLD US THEY'D LIKE THE MONEY TO GO.
SO I'M GONNA GET OFF MY SOAPBOX AND TURN THIS OVER TO DICK CARPENTER, OUR NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
HE'S GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH A SET OF SLIDES, AGAIN, ABOUT 20 MINUTES ON THE COUNTY, ANOTHER 20 OR SO OFF THE SCHOOLS.
AND THEN THERE'LL BE Q AND A PLENTY OF TIME FOR Q AND A.
IF WE DON'T GET TO ALL THE QUESTIONS, THE STAFF WILL BE, UH, STAYING AROUND AFTERWARDS, UM, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
IF THEY CAN'T ANSWER 'EM HERE ON THE SPOT, THEY'LL TAKE YOUR QUESTION AND GET BACK TO YOU WITH YOUR ANSWER.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, VIC CARPENTER, THANK NEWS PETERSON.
I'D ALSO LIKE INTRODUCING TO SUSAN LASETTE, UH, DISTRICT ONE BOARD SUPERVISOR FOR BISHOP COUNTY.
THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE INTRODUCING HIS BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.
UH, WE HAVE TONIGHT WITH US A NUMBER OF COUNTY STAFF AS WELL.
UH, THE SHERIFF WILL BE INTRODUCING HIS STAFF, BUT I HAVE WITH ME, UH, MR. RANDY BUZZARD AND MR. WARREN WHITE ON OUR IT DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE MS. JAMIE SHERRY, I HAVE, UM, CHIEF EDDIE FERGUSON.
UH, I HAVE, UH, MATT LONGSHORE, AND YOU'VE ALREADY MET OUR, UM, MATT'S OUR UTILITIES DIRECTOR.
AND, UH, YOU MET MISS CRYSTAL AITS, WHO IS OUR NEW DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR.
YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA TELL YOU SOME GOOD STORIES TONIGHT.
THAT'S MY JOB, IS TO TELL YOU THE GOOD STUFF BECAUSE KUCHEN COUNTY'S AN AMAZING PLACE.
I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST FOUR MONTHS AND, AND IT IS AN AMAZING PLACE, AND I'VE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA START WITH, WITH GOING OVER THE PROCESSES.
AS MR. PETERSON MENTIONED, UM, WE DID UNFORTUNATELY LOSE MR. UH, SHARP NOT TOO LONG AGO.
SO THERE IS A PROCESS THAT WE'LL BE FOLLOWING IN REPLACING.
AND THAT PROCESS REALLY STARTED UNFORTUNATELY WHEN IT, AS SOON AS IT HAPPENED BY LAW, WE HAD 45 DAYS TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
UH, SO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS NOTIFIED THE COMMUNITY THAT APPLICATIONS WOULD BE ACCEPTED.
UH, THE APPLICATIONS WERE ACCEPTED UNTIL THIS PAST FRIDAY.
UH, TODAY, UH, INTERVIEWS WERE DONE, UH, CANDIDATES.
AND ON NOVEMBER 1ST, THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER AN APPOINTMENT, UH, TO A REPLACE FOR THE REST OF MR. SHARP'S TERM.
SO, MOVING ON FROM THERE, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR YOU.
YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR, YOUR COUNTY IS SIGNIFICANTLY SAFER, UH, THAN SO MANY PLACES THAT VIRGINIA IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND IT'S IN PART BECAUSE OF OUR SHERIFF.
IT'S IN PART CAUSE OF OUR, OUR FIRE EMERGENCY.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH, WITH OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE INFORMATION UP THERE THAT, UH, THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING.
UH, FIRE AND RESCUE IN GUCCI COUNTY IS AN ORGANIZATION OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS AND CAREER OFFICERS.
AND THESE INDIVIDUALS, THEIR JOB IS TO KEEP US SAFE.
SO THE, UH, FIRE RESCUE HAS GOT SIX STATIONS IN GUHA COUNTY.
AND, UH, LATER ON WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE, THE, UH, ENHANCEMENTS OR TWO STATION.
BUT MOST RECENTLY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE MIDDLE OF CELEBRATING NATURAL FIRE PREVENTION MONTH.
AND WE HAD OUR FIRST FIRE SHOW, UM, IN A LONG TIME.
OVER 800 PEOPLE SHOWED UP FOR OUR FIRE PREVENTION SHOW, WHICH IS THEIR GUCCI COURTHOUSE.
CURRENTLY, THEY'RE DOING, UM, A AN ACADEMY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE YOUR VOLUNTEERS AND YOU HAVE TO REPLACE YOUR CAREER EMPLOYEES.
THEY HAVE 15 PEOPLE IN THE ACADEMY.
THE ACADEMY'S VERY IN DEPTH PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO GO WITH ABOUT A HUNDRED HOURS JUST TO BE ENVIRONMENT ONE OF TRAINING, AND THEN ONGOING CERTIFICATION.
SO CURRENTLY THERE ARE 15 STUDENTS, MEN AND WOMEN TAKING PART OF THAT PROGRAM.
ALL OF US LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS.
I SEE A ROOM FULL OF POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS.
I CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHARE THE WORD, UH, WITH YOUR, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS, AND YOUR NEIGHBORS, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN OCTOBER IS WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S SAFE.
AND PART OF FIRE PREVENTION MONTH IS THEY GIVE AWAY FREE SMOKE ALARMS. EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A SMOKE ALARM.
IF YOU DON'T, UH, THEY'RE FREE.
AND, AND, AND THEY'LL COME AND THEY'LL INSTALL IT FOR YOU AS WELL.
SO IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO NEEDS ONE, PLEASE BE AWARE OF THAT.
AND, UH, AND LET US KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF DOING SOME, SOME, SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR FACILITIES.
I'M GONNA SHARE THAT WITH YOU IN A LITTLE BIT.
BUT MOVING ON FOR FIRE AND RESCUE, WE'RE GONNA TO THE SHERIFF'S, WE'LL LET THE SHERIFF TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT ALL THEY'RE DOING, SOME OF THE GREATEST THINGS THAT YOU'VE SEEN AND WE'LL SEE FROM THEM.
BEFORE I GET STARTED, I, I KNOW I ONLY HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES, BUT I DO WANT TO EXPLAIN
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WHY WE HAVE BEARDS.CAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS OUT IN THE HALLWAY.
WHY DO YOU HAVE BEARDS? AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING IS WE ACTUALLY STARTED NO SHAPE NOVEMBER A LITTLE EARLY.
UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE RAISING MONEY FOR A YOUNG MAN NAMED MATTHEW, WHO'S NO LONGER WITH US.
AND IT'S WORKED, UH, RAISING MONEY FOR HIS FOUNDATION CALLED MATTHEW SMILES.
AND AS OF TODAY, WE'VE RAISED $1,400, AND THAT'S ALL GOING TO THAT.
AND WHAT IT'S FOR TO HELP WITH YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH IS WHAT IT IS.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE PRESENTED TO THEM THAT MONEY IS SHORT.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A BUNCH OF DEPUTIES WITH THE STUFF THAT I'M READY TO SHAVE
FIRST, I'M JUST GONNA START OFF AT THE TOP LEFT IS VACATION WATCH.
IF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW IT, WHEN Y'ALL ARE ON VACATION, IF YOU WISH, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE.
YOU CAN CALL THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
YOU CAN FILL OUT A FORM FOR A VACATION LUNCH WHEN YOU'RE OUT ON VACATION AT THE BEACH OR WHATEVER, WE WILL HAVE A DEPUTY DRIVE BY YOUR HOUSE, GET OUT OF THE CAR, WALK AROUND YOUR HOUSE, CHECK THE DOORS, CHECK THE WINDOWS, AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS OKAY.
SO YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD TIME ON VACATION AND NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR HOME WHERE YOU'RE GONE.
THAT'S JUST ONE THING THAT WE PROVIDED, SO PLEASE USE IT.
ALSO, BUSINESS WATCH, PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING, BUT IT'S JUST FOR BUSINESSES.
UH, WE WILL GET OUT OF THE BAR CARD, SAME THING WHEN THERE'S CLOTHES, WALK AROUND THE BUSINESS, CHECK ON THEIR BUSINESS, OR EVEN STOP IT WHILE THE IT CHECK ON AND SAY HELLO.
THEN EVERYONE, A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE, UH, HAVE A SMARTPHONE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A APP THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD ON YOUR DROID OR YOUR IPHONE.
WE HAVE A, UM, LITTLE SIGN OUT THERE THAT YOU CAN USE THE QR CODE AND DOWNLOAD IT TO YOUR PHONE.
DOES ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
I COULD TALK ABOUT IT FOR PROBABLY ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
BUT A COUPLE IMPORTANT THINGS IS IT'LL GIVE YOU, IF A CAR CRASH IS ON BROAD STREET AND THE ROAD IS SHUT DOWN, IT'LL GIVE YOU NOTIFICATION ABOUT THAT.
IT ALSO HAS CALENDAR ON IT, AND YOU HIT THE CALENDAR, IT TELLS YOU WHAT'S COMING UP.
FOR EXAMPLE, DRUG TAKE BACK IS THIS SATURDAY AND COMPANY ONE FIREHOUSE AND COMPANY FIVE FIREHOUSE, WHERE YOU CAN DROP OFF ALL YOUR, UH, EXTRA PRESCRIPTION DRUGS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AND NOT GONNA USE.
UH, IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ON IT.
ALSO, WE DO A JUNIOR DEPUTY CAMP DURING THE SUMMERTIME WHERE WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF KIDS THAT COME OUT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, IT'S MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, IT IS A BLAST.
IT IS SO MUCH FUN AS YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF KIDS THERE.
AND AT THE END OF IT ALL, WE HAVE A HUGE BALLOON FIGHT.
AND I'M USUALLY COMPLETELY SO WET, UH, AFTERWARDS, BUT IT IS REAL FUN.
ANOTHER THING WE DO TO GUCCI, THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, CITIZENS ACADEMY, AND THERE'S A COUPLE GRADUATES IN THE CLASS IN HERE TONIGHT, A COUPLE RIGHT HERE AND A COUPLE ONE IN THE BACK, BUT WE'RE STARTING ONE IN FEBRUARY.
IT'S THE LAST WEEK IN FEBRUARY.
IT'S GONNA BE A DAYTIME CLASS ON WEDNESDAYS AND A EVENING CLASS ON THURSDAYS, IT'S 11 WEEKS.
YOU LEARN EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND YOU'LL END UP DOING A RIDE ALONG WITH A DEPUTY FOR A 12 HOUR SHIFT.
IT'S GONNA, WE'RE GONNA ADVERTISE IT IN THE GAZETTE AND OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND ALSO IN AN APP.
SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET THOSE DATES THEN.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR BEACH, UH, COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, KIDS FISHING DAY THAT IS GONNA BE COMING UP IN APRIL THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN WE ACTUALLY STARTED A CAR SHOW, WHICH WE DID FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND THAT WAS A VERY, UH, INTERESTING EVENT, BUT IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.
WE HAD PROBABLY ABOUT WHO? YOU SAY SERGEANT LEVO ABOUT 1 75, SIR.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA PLAN ANOTHER ONE FOR MEMORIAL DAY, AND THEN AGAIN SEPTEMBER OF NEXT YEAR.
UM, IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO HAS DEMENTIA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WE DO PROJECT LIFESAVER, COMPLETELY FREE, FREE OF CHARGE FOR ANY OF THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ALSO, IN THE BACK, WE HAVE SERGEANT LIBO, WHO'S OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER IN THE BACK, AND WE HAVE MAJOR MIKE EAST IN THE BACK AS WELL.
I'M GONNA JUMP OFF HERE, BUT WE'LL BE AROUND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHERIFF, I DIDN'T MENTION IS JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED A GRANT TO PUT MORE SROS IN OUR SCHOOLS IN THIS COUNTY, UM, IS A COMMITMENT THIS COUNTY HAS MADE THAT OUR, OUR, OUR KIDS WILL BE SAFE.
THIS IS A SAFE COUNTY, AND OUR CHILDREN WILL BE SAFE.
AND THE BOARD IS EVIDENCED BY THAT, THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, WE'LL HAVE DEPUTIES, I THINK ULTIMATELY GOALS.
EVERY SCHOOL WILL HAVE AN SRO IN IT.
ALSO, BACK TO FIRE AND RESCUE.
UH, ONE OF THE, UM, REALLY VERY TELLING STATISTICS ABOUT JUST HOW GOOD A FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE YOU HAVE IS LAST YEAR THE NUMBER OF CALLS INCREASED BY 15% IN
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THIS COUNTY, YET THE AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME COUNTYWIDE DECREASED.AND, AND THAT TELLS YOU THEY'RE GETTING MORE CALLS, BUT THEY'RE DOING A BETTER JOB.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALWAYS TRAINING.
JUST YESTERDAY WE WERE IN, UM, UH, FOR MOST OF THE DAY WITH ISO RAIDERS THAT COME DOWN, UH, FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
EVERY FIVE YEARS THEY REVIEW ISO.
AND ISO IS, IS THE RATING THEY USE TO TERM FIRE CODES, SIMPLIFY INSURANCE.
AND THAT AFFECTS EVERYONE IN HERE, OWNS A HOUSE OR RENTS A HOUSE.
AND, UH, SO AFTER FIVE YEARS THAT BACK DOWN, THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT, UH, WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT RESULTS OF IT, BUT MADE IT CLEAR THAT, THAT WE HAVE IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY IN SOME AREAS FROM WHERE WE WERE FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND ACROSS THE BOARD, WE'VE IMPROVED.
SO THE, THE HOPE AND THE GOAL IS THAT OUR, OUR ISO RATING WILL DROP.
AND IF THAT DROPS, THEN, THEN THAT SHOULD START SHOWING AND, AND REFLECTING YOUR INSURANCE AS WELL, WHAT YOU PAY FOR YOUR, YOUR PREMIUM.
SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE EXAMPLES OF KIND OF THINGS WE'RE DOING.
ALSO, UM, JUST AS PAST WEEK, UH, IF, IF ANY OF Y'ALL AND MASONS, UM, THE MASON LODGE AT GUCCI COURTHOUSE RECOGNIZED NOT JUST OUR, UH, REPRESENTATIVES OF EACH ONE OF OUR STATIONS, BUT ALSO OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND OUR STATE PATROL, UM, FOR THE EXCELLENCE AND THE QUALITY OF SERVICE THAT THEY DELIVERED.
SO WE JUST HAVE GOOD MEN AND WOMEN THAT REPRESENT US, THAT WORKING FOR US.
ANOTHER ONE OF THE AREAS ARE ANIMAL CONTROL.
AND IF YOU'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BY OUR SHELTER, YOU KNOW, THE SHELTER IS ONE OF THOSE REALLY NEAT THINGS THAT MAKES GSON SUCH A GREAT PLACE BECAUSE THE SHELTER IS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
IT'S COLLABORATION BETWEEN GUC AND PET LOVER, GPL AND GUCCI COUNTY AND GTL, WORKING WITH THE COUNTY.
SEVEN YEARS BACK, A PREVIOUS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE SPEC DIXON HAD A VISION AND, AND A DREAM OF WHAT IT COULD BE.
UH, BUT THE COUNTY DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO EVERYTHING BECAUSE THE COUNTY'S, YOU KNOW, IT IS A LIMITED GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND CORE SERVICES.
SO KU PET LOVER STEPPED IN AND BETWEEN THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS, YOUR COUNTY AND AND GPL, WE BUILT AN AMAZING FACILITY THAT GOT AN ADOPTION CENTER.
AND, UH, SO THE COUNTY PROVIDES US SERVICES AND THEY PROVIDE, UH, THEY PROVIDED A LOT OF MONEY THAT THEY RAISED.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY SOME OF Y'ALL ARE, ARE, ARE PART OF THAT ORGANIZATION.
IF YOU EVER HAVE A CHANCE TO GO BY, YOU SEE OUR HOURS OF OPERATION, KITTENS AND PUPPIES, WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR, RIGHT? THEY HAVE GOT SOME, SOME, JUST SOME REALLY NEAT ANIMALS, VERY ADOPTABLE AND ENCOURAGE YOU.
BUT ALSO THOSE GUYS WHO DARE TO PROTECT US BECAUSE THEY ARE PART OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATION.
AND JUST AN EXAMPLE, JUST A FEW WEEKS BACK, WE HAD A RABBIT RACCOON, THE WEST FARM OF THE COUNTY, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, RABBIT RACCOON, WELL RACCOON DID SOME ANIMALS, THOSE ANIMALS BIT, SOME PEOPLE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS THING, BUT THEY'RE ON TOP OF IT VERY QUICKLY.
THEY'RE ABLE TO ISOLATE THE ANIMAL, THEY'RE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT IT WAS IN FACT RAPID AND THEY HANDLED EVERYTHING CORRECTLY.
SO IT DID NOT BECOME AN ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, HA HAVING PEOPLE LIKE THAT, THAT ARE PROFESSIONAL, THEY'RE ON CALL 24 7, 365 OR 360 6 DAYS A YEAR.
I ALSO WANNA SHOUT OUT TO OUR, UM, OUR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER, WHENEVER YOU CALL SOMEONE, THEY'RE THE FIRST FIRST RESPONDER.
THEY'RE THE ONES YOU CALL AND, UH, THE SHERIFF AND HIS TEAM, THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WHEN SOMEONE ANSWERS THAT PHONE, THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET THAT SERVICE IMMEDIATELY.
AND PART OF ISO WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT'S CRITICAL, MAKING SURE THAT, THAT THE CALLS ARE SENT OUT AS QUICKLY AS, SO MOVING ON, GONNA TALK ABOUT FACILITIES.
I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER AND, AND GUC COUNTY HAS WENT TO THIS, UH, COMMUNITY LAST YEAR AND A REFERENDUM WAS HELD.
THERE WERE SOME MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UH, THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL TALK ABOUT THE FIRE STATION AT THIS PART OF THE COUNTY.
AND RENOVATIONS TO, UH, THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE AS WELL.
NOT 90 MILLION, BUT THERE'S MORE THAN THAT AS WELL THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN UC COUNTY.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN, UH, THE COURTHOUSE AREA, UH, THERE'S, UH, THE OLD, THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL BALL FIELDS ARE, ARE NOW THE RECREATION FIELDS.
AND WE'RE PUTTING IN NEW, NEW LIGHTING.
AND, UH, NEW LIGHTING IS FIRST OF ALL BEEN STATE OF THE ART.
UH, IT'S THE NEW LIGHTS, POLES, NEW WIRING.
UM, IT GIVES YOU A MUCH SAFER PLAYING FIELD.
IF YOU EVER PLAYED ON OLD BALL FIELD LIKES, YOU KNOW HOW YOU HAVE DARK SPOTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE DARK SKY COMPLIANCE, YOU CAN GO A HUNDRED FEET AWAY AND BE IN THE DARK.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE INVESTMENTS YOU COUNT IS MAKING, UH, THE SKATE PARK.
UH, THE SKATE PARK WAS AGAIN, ONE OF THOSE PUBLIC PR PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'RE SO GOOD AT.
SO COMMUNITY CITIZENS WANTED TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
SO THEY STARTED WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO RAISE SOME MONEY.
AND PHASE ONE IS UNDERWAY NOW.
SO PHASE ONE, YOU SEE, IT'S HARD.
THE FRONT HALF OF THE RINK, IF YOU DROVE BY, YOU'D SEE IT.
IT'S GONNA BE DONE IN NOVEMBER AND PHASE ONE BATTLE, THEN OPEN THE DOOR FOR PHASE TWO AND PHASE THREE AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY WILL WORK WITH US, UH, FUNDRAISING IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE.
AND THEN IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE COUNTY GOLD CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, THAT'S AGAIN, ONE OF THE COUNTY'S PARKS AND REC FACILITIES.
WE'RE PUTTING GENERATORS IN THERE.
UM, THIS PAST JANUARY, YOU MAY RECALL, WE HAD, OH, THIS IS A LITTLE ICE ON.
AND IN THAT PART OF CANADA I DID PRETTY BAD.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT'S CRITICAL THAT A COUNTY HAVE A PLACE YOU CAN GO FOR SAFETY, FOR SECURITY, FOR SHELTER.
THESE GENERATORS WILL ALLOW US TO OPEN THAT AS AN EMERGENCY SHELTER, BUT PEOPLE NEED IT.
SO IT'S THERE WHEN YOU NEED IT.
IF YOU DON'T NEED IT, IT'S STILL GOOD TO HAVE IT.
SO THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THROUGH DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
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TELL YOU SOME MORE THINGS WE'RE DOING, I JUST TOLD YOU ABOUT THE FIRE STATION.SO COMPANY ONE AND MANNEQUIN NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE.
UH, THEY'RE IN MOSTLY INTERIOR WORK.
SO YOU DRIVE BY THE OUTSIDE AND LOOKS LIKE THIS NICE BUILDING WITH THE INSIDE.
AND SO THEY'RE UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW WITH THAT, A COMPANY THREE IN CENTERVILLE.
AGAIN, THEY'RE DOING, YOU SEE SOME INTERIOR RENOVATION, THE PLANNING AND EXTERIOR DOING SOME WORK ON ALL THAT AS WELL.
THEN YOU GET INTO COMPANY FOUR, IF YOU EVER MADE IT TO THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WAS JUST TAKEN DOWN AND THEY HAD TO EXTEND IT ABOUT EIGHT FEET OUT.
THEY HAD TO GO FROM FOUR BAYS TO TWO BECAUSE THE WIDTH OF THE BAYS WERE SO SMALL, WE COULDN'T GET APPARATUS IN AND OUT EASILY ANYMORE.
SO THEY'VE RECREATED A WHOLE NEW, UM, ENTRYWAY SO WE CAN GET THE VEHICLES IN.
NOW THIS GOES BACK TO YET AGAIN, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
PRETTY MUCH ALL THE FIRE STATIONS IN THE GOOSE COUNTY ACTUALLY OWNED BY, NOT THE COUNTY, BUT BY THE FIRES.
UM, AND, AND SO THEY OWN AND THEY HAVE MAINTAINED AND MANAGE THESE, THESE FACILITIES FOR YEARS FOR GOON COUNTY.
SO THEY HAVE RAISED MONEY SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY GET EVERY YEAR A, A LETTER FROM THEM, EVEN ASK TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS.
UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE VOLUNTEERS.
THEY'RE, THAT'S HOW WE STARTED MANY YEARS AGO BEFORE WE HAD ANY CAREER EMPLOYEES.
AND SO THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE BEHIND THIS.
THE COUNTY IS, AGAIN, A VERY WILLING AND SUPPORTIVE PARTNER TO IT.
BUT YOU SEE THESE PROJECTS UNDERWAY CUZ OF THEM AND THE JOB THAT THEY'RE DOING.
NOW, LET'S GO TO SOMETHING THAT IN THE CENTRAL AND THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY IS VERY CRITICAL, AND THAT'S BROADB.
UH, THE BROADBAND EXPANSION STARTED WITH A COMMITMENT OF A VERY LARGE GRANT THAT WE'RE PART OF, UM, THAT, UH, THROUGH THE C DTA AND THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FIREFLY BROADBAND AND TO DATE, OVER 82 MILES OF FIBER HAVE BEEN LAID, AND OVER 890 PEOPLE ARE NOW ABLE TO TIE IN THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO DO IT.
THE PORT EIGHTIES, MORE THE CENTER PART CROZIER IN THERE, 28 MILES TO DATE OF FIBER LAKE AND ABOUT ALMOST 370 LOCATIONS CAN NOW TIE IN THAT HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO IT AS WELL.
UH, IT WAS A $79 MILLION GRANT, AND YOUR COUNTY IS PART OF THAT TOO.
KUSHA COUNTY'S PUTTING OVER THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS INTO THAT AS WELL TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
I PROBABLY DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU HOW CRITICAL BROADBAND IS ANYMORE.
I HAVE THREE KIDS THAT ARE ALL IN THEIR TWENTIES AND YOU KNOW, WHERE I'M GONNA BE LIVING, WHERE I'M LIVING DOESN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY THAT THEY WANT IN NEED.
I WAS TALKING TO A GENTLEMAN THE OTHER DAY WHO WORKS.
I MEAN, LITERALLY, HE HAS TO WORK HERE.
HE DOESN'T HAVE AN OFFICE, SO YOU DON'T HAVE BROADBAND AND YOU WORK ONLINE.
AND SO OUR FUTURE IS VERY STRONGLY TIED TO THAT.
THIS COUNTY IS COMMITTED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, AND IT'S STARTING TO HAPPEN NOW.
WE'VE STILL GOT ABOUT TWO YEARS.
THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A THREE TO FIVE YEAR PROCESS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH, UH, DOMINION ENERGY.
WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, THE, UH, VARIOUS, UH, PROVIDERS OF THE, UH, UM, ELECTRIC UTILITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
BUT YOU SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH IT.
AND THEN MOVING ON, LET'S GET INTO SOMETHING THAT THIS PART OF THE COUNTY IS OF, OF GREAT INTEREST, AND THAT'S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOUR COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY.
SO OUR OUR COUNTY IS DOING A GREAT JOB PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES.
GONNA TELL YOU ABOUT SOME OF THEM RECENTLY, OF COURSE, YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH, UM, GREENWELL GROWERS OPEN NOT TOO LONG AGO.
UH, THEY'RE AN INDOOR HYDROPONIC CENTER.
UM, UH, NO, UH, IT, IT'S TOTALLY CLEAN.
UM, THEY, UH, IT'S ALL AUTOMATED.
AND, UH, THEY'VE BEEN ON IN BUSINESS FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND THEY'VE ALREADY SOLD OUT THEIR ENTIRE PRODUCTION, SHOWING UP IN FOOD LINES, SHOWING UP IN HARRIS TEETERS.
AND SO NOW THEY'RE EXPANDING BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO SELL EVERYTHING THEY HAVE BECAUSE IT'S A BUSINESS THAT MAKES SENSE.
ALL OF OUR LETTUCES WOULD COME FROM ARIZONA OR CALIFORNIA, MEXICO OR MEXICO.
UM, NOW THEY GROW HERE AND THEY CAN SHIP IT MUCH CHEAPER THAN IT WOULD TAKE TO COME.
SO, UH, GRANTSVILLE GROWERS IS A GRANT SUCCESS FOR US.
WT CURTIS HAS BUILT THEIR HEADQUARTERS HERE.
THEY'RE IN HVAC, UM, COURTHOUSE CREEK CI AND THE PORTHOUSE ARE EXPANDED, UH, NEED PLACE.
SO THAT AUDIT, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENS THAT A SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE.
NOT EVERY, EVERY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IS SOME BIG SHINING FACTORY OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE NEED TO HAVE DOCTOR'S OFFICES, WE NEED TO HAVE AUTO REPAIR PLACES.
WE NEED TO HAVE SERVICES AS WELL, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE 30, 40 MILES TO GET THEM.
SO YOU CAN SEE MEDICAL OFFICES, DOLLAR GENERAL, ADVANCE AUTO, THOSE ARE JUST AS CRITICAL PEOPLE WHERE WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
EVERY POINT IS GETTING NEAR COMPLETION.
THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING TO START HAVING PEOPLE MOVE IN ONE OF THEIR BUILDINGS FAIRLY SOON.
UH, TOMMY'S CAR, WASHINGTON AVENUE, AGAIN, OVER IN SENSIBLE AREA, NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE.
YOU'LL SEE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, UH, MEDICAL OFFICE CLINIC, APARTMENTS, UH, VETERINARY CARE AND MACHINERY OFFICES.
AND THEN WE'RE REVIEWING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK IS, WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET A CHICK-FIL-A? WELL, WE'RE GONNA GET A CHICK-FIL-A.
UH, THERE'S AN INDOOR TENNIS FACILITY THAT'S GONNA BE COMING IN FRONT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND, UH, THE BOARD EVENTUALLY, UH, THE NEAR FUTURE AND HG MEETS.
THAT'S, THAT'S A REALLY NEAT PROJECT THAT I'M, I'M REALLY PROUD OF.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY AND WE PRIDE OURSELF AND OUR COMMITMENT IS TO REMAIN RURAL AND
[00:25:01]
AGRI AGRICULTURE, 85% RURAL AGRICULTURAL, 15% DEVELOP.SO WE HAVE FARMS. SO WE HAVE RAILROADS.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE RAISING CATTLE THAT RAISING, YOU KNOW, A VARIETY OF LIFESTYLE, BUT THEY HAD NOWHERE TO TAKE THOSE ANIMALS.
SO HG MEETS IS GONNA BE A SMALL PROCESSOR GONNA LOCATE IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
SO OUR, SO OUR LOCAL RANCHERS, UM, BACK 10 BIG DEBATE ON THAT.
RANCHERS OR, OR WHAT DO YOU CALL EM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT FARMERS, BUT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME THE LOCAL, RIGHT NOW YOU GOTTA GO ABOUT 60 MILES AND WAIT ABOUT 18 MONTHS IN ORDER TO GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH, WITH SOMEONE.
SO HG MEETS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT KEEPS US WORLD, IT GIVES OUR LOCAL, UM, INDUSTRY A CHANCE, OUR LOCAL AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY, A CHANCE TO STAY AND, AND, AND KEEP RAISING.
UM, AGAIN, CATTLE, UH, AND, UH, PORK IS, IS WHAT THEY'RE GONNA FOCUS ON.
AND THEN LET'S TALK PROJECT ROCK.
ROCKY IS, UH, A LARGE E-COMMERCE FACILITY.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE, UH, BUILT UP ON, UM, ASHER ROAD, NEAR THE INTERSEX FASHION ROAD I 64.
IT'S ABOUT A 500 MILLION INVESTMENT.
IT'S A MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN, IN THIS COMMUNITY, ABOUT A HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND, UH, 650,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING, ABOUT A THOUSAND JOBS.
AND IT'S GONNA BE OPERATIONAL.
THEY, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING IN 2025 IS THEIR GOAL.
UM, SO THE COUNTY IS COMMITTED TO EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR THEM.
I'M GONNA TALK IN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, UH, ROAD IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY ARE GONNA GO WITH IT, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS PEOPLE HAVE IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS FACILITY, HOW'S IT GONNA AFFECT YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE? SO I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.
BUT, UH, THE COUNTY HAS MADE COMMITMENT THAT WE'LL BE DOING SOME SIGNIFICANT, UM, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AREA THAT WILL BENEFIT EVERYBODY AS WELL.
SO IN TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THIS, YOU GOT A PLAN FOR WHERE YOU'RE GOING, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COUNTY'S TAKING GREAT PRIDE IN.
THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED, AND I SUSPECT MOST OF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, OUR COMP PLAN, AND YOU KNOW, ABOUT OUR SMALL AREA VILLAGE OR OUR SMALL AREA PLAN, VILLAGE PLAN THAT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT AS WELL.
THOSE ARE EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE PLANNING PROCESSES THAT WE'RE INVOLVED.
I GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
OUR SMALL AREA PLANS ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
WE KICKED THEM OFF IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, UH, WITH COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
UH, WENT ON MARCH WITH ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS, COLLECTING DATA.
APRIL OR JUNE, WE DID SURVEYS.
YOU SEE, WE HAD REALLY HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY PROCESS.
UM, JUNE AND JULY, WE HAD MORE MEETINGS, UH, MORE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
AND, UH, THEN USING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY STARTED COMING UP WITH DRAFT PLANS.
WELL, ABOUT THAT TIME THEN, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD, UH, DISCUSSED AND SAID, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S MAKE SURE WE DO THIS RIGHT.
SO, SO THE BOARD SAID WE WERE ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO BE DONE BY DECEMBER, BUT THEY SAID, LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE WHATEVER TIME IT TAKES.
LET'S EXTEND IT IF YOU WANT MONTHS.
WELL, SO OUR DRAFT PLAN IS EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE IN, IN NOVEMBER, IS WHEN THE CONSULTANTS SHOULD RETURN THE DRAFT.
AT THAT POINT, WE'LL AGAIN, HAVE MORE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UH, OR, UH, THEY'LL BE FACILITATED BY OTHER CONSULTANTS.
AND THESE ARE OPEN TOWN HALL KINDS OF MEETINGS.
SO THERE'LL BE A LOT OF GIVE AND TAKE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, SO PEOPLE WON'T BE LIMITED IN TIME OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THEY'LL, THEY'LL GET UP AND, AND TALK TO THE CONSULTANTS ABOUT THAT.
UM, WE'LL HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING AFTER THAT AT NOVEMBER 28TH FOR CENTERVILLE AND NOVEMBER 29TH IN, UH, THE PORTHOUSE AFTER THAT, AS IT KEEPS DEVELOPING, AS INPUT IS RECEIVED THERE, THERE'LL BE A WORK SESSION WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SHOOT FOR SOME TIME, YOU KNOW, UM, LATE WINTER, UM, IT'S SPRING TIMEFRAME WHEN THEY'LL MEET ON THAT.
AND THAT'S JUST A WORK SESSION THAT'S NO VOTES TAKEN.
THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE HEARD, WHAT THEY'VE HEARD FROM Y'ALL, WHAT THEY'VE HEARD FROM THE CITIZENS THAT OUR COMMUNITY OUT THERE ABOUT TO PLAN AND WHERE IT'S GOING, WHERE THEY WANT IT TO GO.
UH, AFTER THAT, THEN THERE'LL BE A PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE PLAN COMMISSION, AND THEN THERE'LL BE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE COMMITMENT OF THE BOARD IS THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA RUSH THIS.
THEY'RE GONNA DO IT RIGHT AND THEY'RE GONNA LISTEN TO YOU AND, UH, AND THEY WANT YOU TO BE AS INVOLVED AS YOU WANT TO BE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE CENTERVILLE AREA, THE GO PORTHOUSE FOR BOTH OF THEM, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY CAN BE PART OF THIS IS ALL OF OUR COUNTY, NOT JUST PART OF THE COUNTY.
SO YOU CAN BE INVOLVED IN BOTH OF THEM IF YOU WANT.
YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM WHERE YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO GET MORE INFORMATION AS WELL.
SOMETHING ELSE WE'RE DOING IS PRETTY IMPORTANT IS, UM, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING INTO, UM, AN ONLINE PROCESS FOR, FOR BUILDING PERMITS AND REVIEW.
AND, AND THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WHEN YOU'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THESE THINGS ON PAPER AND PENCIL FOR REALLY AS LONG AS YOU'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THESE THINGS.
UH, EVERYTHING IS, IS SUBMITTED TO US.
IT'S GOTTA BE IN A PAPER FORMAT.
AND SO WE'LL BE MOVING IN NOVEMBER TO A NEW PROGRAM CALLED UFF.
UM, AND IT'S A NEW PERMIT PROCESS THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO TAKE THE WHOLE PERMA PROCESS ONLINE.
THEY CAN DO EVERYTHING FROM SUBMITTALS, UM, TO APPROVALS, TO, TO PAYING THEIR FEES WILL BE THE LINE.
I'LL TELL YOU WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU TO CITIZENS.
THIS WILL NOW OPEN THE DOOR FOR A CITIZEN TO CHECK ON THE STATUS OF ANY SINGLE PROJECT THAT'S OUT THERE.
THERE'S A PROJECT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO LOG IN AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PULL UP AND SEE WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE NOT TRANSPARENT.
[00:30:01]
IF NEEDS PAPER.AND SO THIS WILL, WILL MOVE US.
SO ANY OF, IF THERE'S ANY PROJECTS YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO ONLINE AND SEE THAT.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FOR US IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS IT JUST FURTHER OPENS THE TRANSPARENCY, UH, OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
SOMETHING WE'RE VERY PROUD ABOUT.
NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE THAT JUST RECENTLY MIGHT HAPPENED, AND THEN OF Y'ALL ARE ON COUNTY WATER SYSTEM.
YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED THAT AT ONE POINT.
AND, UH, WHAT HAPPENED, AS YOU CAN SEE IS ABOUT OCTOBER 6TH, UH, WE HAD A RUPTURE OF OUR MAIN WATERLINE, RIGHT WHERE IT ENTERS THE COUNTY JUST NORTH OF WEST STREET PARKWAY.
I'M TELLING YOU, IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT WATER MAIN RUPTURE.
WITHIN 30 MINUTES, OUR STAFF WERE ON SITE AND THEY, TO ISOLATE IT AND START CLOSING IT OFF AND REPRESSURIZE THE WATER SYSTEM, UH, BY FIVE O'CLOCK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE CUSTOMERS HAD WATER AGAIN.
AND BY MIDNIGHT THE PIPELINE WAS FULL OF REPAIR.
OKAY? NOW THAT'S, IF YOU DO THE MATH, YOU KNOW, FROM 9:00 AM TO MIDNIGHT, A MASSIVE RUPTURE OF THE MAIN WATER LINE LEADING INTO THIS COUNTY WAS DISCOVERED.
UH, WE STILL HAD TO TAKE A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE WE COULD GET TO, UH, OFF OF BOIL WATER.
AND THEN THAT WAS, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S EPA, THAT'S DEQ REQUIREMENTS.
IF YOU EVER GET BELOW A CERTAIN PRESSURE IN A WATER SYSTEM, YOU HAVE TO GO A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME AND TESTING TO MAKE SURE THAT BACTERIA, YOU'RE NOT GETTING INTO THE WATER.
SO WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, IT WAS LIFTED CUZ THE WATER SYSTEM WAS IN GOOD SHAPE.
AND SO NOW WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A LITTLE BIT WHAT HAPPENED TO MAKE IT RUPTURE.
UM, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS, UH, IT WASN'T HUMAN ERROR.
UM, IT WASN'T, UH, RUSSIAN SPIES.
YOU, IT JUST, SOMETHING HAPPENED.
AND I SAY THAT CAUSE THAT WAS ONLINE.
PEOPLE WERE WONDERING FOR THAT.
I MENTIONED THAT FOR, FOR A REASON.
UM, SOMETIMES THINGS JUST HAPPEN.
UH, BUT AGAIN, THE GOOD NEWS I WANNA POINT TO YOU IS, ONCE AGAIN, YOU'RE CHRIS IN 30 MINUTES, THEY'D ALREADY BEEN ON TOP OF IT AND COULD HAVE BEEN A CRITICAL SITUATION AND HAD TO FIX VERY QUICKLY.
SO THAT'S THE KIND OF PEOPLE WE HAVE WORKING FOR.
WE'RE ALSO A FIX IT GO OUT BID FOR THE, UH, FORCE MAN REPLACEMENT.
YOU MAY REMEMBER YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WE, UH, SEWER LINE HAD A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE.
A CONTRACT'S GONNA BE AWARDED, AND WE'RE GONNA START CONSTRUCTION THE SPRING OF 23, AND IT'LL GO THROUGH MOST OF THE REST OF THE YEAR.
THAT'S REPLACING ABOUT 20, UH, 22 YEAR OLD FORCE MAINS, UM, THE MAIN SEWER LINES THAT CARRY THE WAYS BACK INTO, UH, HENRICO COUNTY WHERE IT GETS TREATED.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH ALL THAT BIDS ANYMORE.
IF YOU FOLLOW SUPPLY CHAINS AND WHATNOT, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE BIDS COME IN LIKE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.
BUT, UH, THAT'S GOING OUT AND THAT'LL BE FIXED, REPAIRED.
AGAIN, IT'S BEEN FIXED, BUT WE'RE REPAIRING AND REPLACING 20 PLUS YEAR OLD LINES WITH A UP TO DATE, BRAND NEW SYSTEM FOR YOU.
NOW, TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE EVERYONE'S GOTTA DRIVE.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT'S A CRITICAL PART OF WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SO FIRST I'M GONNA TELL YOU ABOUT IF YOU'VE BEEN INTO THE COURTHOUSE AREA, UH, CURRENTLY UNDERWAY IS THAT THE FAIRGROUNDS ROAD AND 5 22 INTERSECTION.
UH, THEY'RE PUTTING IN A ROUNDABOUT, AND THAT ROUNDABOUT IS, UH, IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
THEY SHOULD BE FINISHED SOMETIME IN OCTOBER OF NEXT YEAR, SO ABOUT ANOTHER YEAR.
THE GOOD NEWS ON THAT PROJECT IS THAT 5 22 WILL NOT BE CLOSED AT ANY POINT IN TIME.
WE, UH, WERE LOOKING AT MAYBE HAVING TO CLOSE 5 22 AND DETOUR AROUND IT.
UH, VDO HAS TOOK OUT A WAY TO AVOID THAT.
UH, THERE WILL BE FOR ABOUT 30 DAYS ON FAIRGROUND ROAD WILL BE CLOSED AND DETOUR SOME PEOPLE EITHER THROUGH REYNOLDS OR DOWN ON BULLDOG WAY IN ORDER TO GET AROUND THAT WHILE THEY FIX IT.
UH, THE EXTENSION, UH, FAIR ROAD EXTENSION WILL KEEP GOING FROM THAT ROUNDABOUT OVER TO HIGHWAY SIX AND TAKE PEOPLE OUT OF THAT INTERSECTION.
THAT'S SO CONGESTED RIGHT THERE AT FAIRGROUNDS AND HIGHWAY SIX NOW.
SO THAT EXTENSION, WE'RE LOOKING RIGHT NOW FOR, UH, TO BE IN FEBRUARY OF 25.
BUT ALL THAT TIES TOGETHER INTO, AGAIN, TRAFFIC.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING IS A CORRIDOR STUDY.
DDOT HAS COMMITTED TO US TO DO A STUDY FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE FAIRGROUND DRUG WORLD AND TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION NOT JUST WHERE WE ARE, BUT WHERE WE'RE GOING AND THE DEVELOPMENT, THE ANTICIPATED GROWTH OF THAT AREA, AND COMING UP WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW IN ORDER TO BETTER MANAGE GROWTH IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTY.
SO THE CORRIDOR STUDY IS UNDERWAY.
IT SHOULD BE DONE IN DECEMBER, AND IT'LL, IT'LL GIVE US SOME VERY GOOD OPTIONS OF, OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE SAFE ON THE DRIVE ON THAT ROAD.
ANOTHER ONE THAT WOULD, UH, BE OF INTEREST TO Y'ALL IS THE 2 88 INTERCHANGE STUDY.
UH, MANY YEARS AGO, UH, YOU MAY RECALL IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE A WHILE, THERE WAS A TALK ABOUT, UM, UH, BUILDING A, A CONNECTOR THAT WOULD GO ALONG ROUTE 2 88 AND TIE IN REALLY RIGHT THROUGH HERE, ALMOST BACK INTO, UH, UM, TWO 50.
THIS IS DETERMINING IF THAT INTERCHANGE IS NEEDED AND WHAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THAT.
SO THE WIL RIDGE PARKWAY WOULD BE CONNECTED TO 2 88 AND IT WOULD TAKE EVERYBODY OFF THAT REAL MESSY INTERSECTION RIGHT NOW OF BROAD STREET AND A 2 88 AND CREATE A NEW EXIT, AN ENTRANCE, UH, FOR PEOPLE TO GET THERE FURTHER TO
[00:35:01]
THE WEST.THE I 64 OIL BILL, UH, THAT IS A, UH, UM, A ROUNDABOUT BUILT ON THE WEST SIDE OF IT.
YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM THE WHERE, UH, HOW IT SHOWS WHERE THAT WOULD LOOK.
UM, WE'VE RECEIVED, UH, SOME SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR THAT.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW, UM, TO, UH, PUT THE FINAL PIECES TOGETHER TO, IN ORDER TO BUILD THAT AGAIN, IF YOU, UH, HAVE EVER HAD TO USE THAT AT RUSH HOUR, YOU SEE HOW FAR BACK TRAFFIC CAN BACK UP ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ROAD.
SO THAT WOULD ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THOSE PROBLEMS IN THIS AREA.
THE DDI, THE DIVERGENT DIAMOND.
LATER ON, YOU MAY WANT TO GO LOOK THE BACK OF ROOM.
WE'VE GOT A BLOW UP OF THE MAP OF WHAT IT'LL LOOK LIKE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, RIGHT HERE IS IT, BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT CLOSER.
UM, WITH PROJECT ROCKY ARRIVING ONE OF THE, THAT ASHTON ROAD INTERSECTION, IT'S ALREADY FAILING.
UH, IT'S BEEN FAILING FOR A WHILE.
WE DON'T NEED TO TELL ANYBODY.
IT'S A FAILING ROAD AND INTERSECTION.
UM, THE LONG TERM SOLUTION WILL BE JUST THAT TO BUILD A FOUR-LANE DDI.
IF YOU'VE BEEN DESIGNS CROSSROAD, UH, YOU'VE SEEN WHAT A FOUR-LANE DDI LOOKS LIKE, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE SOLUTION.
UM, THAT'S GONNA BE A NUMBER OF YEARS BEFORE THAT CAN BE ACTUALLY FINISHED.
UM, THE, UH, UM, THE STATE OF, UH, THE COMMONWEALTH VIRGINIA HAS BEEN A WORKING WITH THE COUNTY.
UH, THE COUNTY HAS PUT IN ABOUT, UH, 38 MILLION ALREADY OF FUNDING TOWARDS IT, UM, FROM OTHER PROJECTS.
AND THEN THE COMMONWEALTH WILL BE WORKING WITH THE SOUND.
BUT IN THE INTERIM, WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE INTERIM? WELL, ONE OF ROCKY'S COMMITMENTS ARE FOLLOWED.
UH, THEY'RE GOING TO, FIRST OF ALL, FOR THE IN, UM, TO GET IN AND OUT OF THEIR, SO THEY'RE GONNA BE BUILDING, UH, TWO TURN LANES, UM, OFF OF ASHTON ROAD.
SO TRAFFIC WILL TOTALLY PULLED OFF OF ASHLAND, UM, THROUGH FAR IN ORDER TO PULL INTO THE PARKING.
UH, THEY'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING A STOPLIGHT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF I 64 SO THAT AS TRAFFIC GETS OFF, THERE'LL BE A STOPLIGHT.
THERE'S NOT ONE THERE CURRENTLY AS WELL.
NOW, THE, UH, VDOT IS A SEPARATE PROJECT, IS LOOKING TO RELOCATE THE PARKING AND RIDE LOT.
UM, YOU SEE THAT'S, UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT ON THE MAP.
YOU CAN SEE THAT'S GONNA GO, UM, THAT'LL BE HAPPENING AT THAT SAME INTERSECTION.
SO WE'LL HAVE NEW TURN LANES, WE'LL HAVE STOP LIGHT IN THE INTERIM.
AND THEN AGAIN, A FOUR LANE DDI.
UH, IN A FEW YEARS WE'RE TRYING TO SPEED BEAT OUT UP, NOT VERY FAST, I, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO SPEED IT UP.
SEE IF WE CAN MOVE THAT FORWARD A YEAR OR TWO YEARS, UH, IN GETTING IT DONE QUICKER.
THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT AFFECTS MANY Y'ALL HERE.
UH, OF COURSE, HOCKET ROAD GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO US, UM, UP TO THE, UP TO, UH, TWO 50 RIGHT THERE.
UH, BUT THE PLAN IS, IS TO BUILD A NEW CONNECTOR THAT WOULD GO HERE INSTEAD AND TIE INTO, UM, IS IT THE SAME AS YES.
SO IT, IT WOULD, UM, CREATE A, IT WOULD CREATE SO THAT YOU COULD GO FROM HIGHWAY SIX ALL THE WAY TO I 64, UM, JUST AS A STRAIGHT SHOT.
AND, UH, IT WOULD, UH, IT WOULD REALIGN THEE ROAD.
IT WOULD STILL HAVE THE EXISTING STRETCHES TO REMAIN THERE, BUT IT WOULD CREATE A NEW, NEW CONNECTOR.
YOU SEE, THERE'S A, UH, UM, TRAFFIC CIRCLE ANTICIPATED.
OF COURSE ALL THAT COULD CHANGE BASED WITH DESIGN, BUT TRAFFIC CIRCLE THAT PUTS YOU UP THERE AND YOU KEEP GOING ALL THE WAY UP TO, UM, I 64 AND THE DDI THERE.
SO THOSE ARE ALL LIKE, YOU KNOW, DETAILS.
THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT APPEAL TO US.
BUT ANOTHER THING THAT CAN DOES IS, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR PARKS REC IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS FOCUSED.
I GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME STUFF THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING AND THEY'RE DOING, UH, RECENTLY WE STARTED A CONCERT SERIES AT TUCKER PARK.
TUCKER PARK IS ON THE JAMES RIVER, RIGHT THERE IN THE FORT HOUSE AREA.
AUGUST 26TH WAS THE FIRST NIGHT CONCERT WE DID.
WE HAD OVER 400 PEOPLE, ABOUT 200 MIKE CHOKE FOR THE VERY FIRST ONE.
THERE'S GONNA BE ANOTHER ONE COMING UP.
UM, NOT THIS WEEKEND, BUT NEXT WEEKEND.
IT'S, UH, LOCAL BANDS, UM, SOME LIVE MUSIC, FOOD TRUCKS, A LOCAL ORGANIZATION, ROTARY CLUB IS THERE PART OF IT.
UM, ENCOURAGE YOU TO AGAIN, COME OUT AND JUST, JUST HAVE A GREAT EVENING FOR DOING IT.
UM, OF COURSE IF YOU HAD OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE CENTRAL HEIGHT, I'M EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL COMPLEX RIGHT THERE.
UH, SO MANY ORG WE HAVE, UM, STATE SERVICES AS WELL AS COUNTY SERVICES OUTTA THAT.
YOU'RE CERTAINLY FAMILIAR WITH THAT BUILDING FOR THE, UH, PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVIDED THROUGH IT COMING UP THIS WEEKEND.
UM, OUR FALL FESTIVAL AND THE FALL FESTIVALS, IT A FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT.
YOU SEE IT RUN FROM 12 TO FOUR AT THE SPORTS COMPLEX BEHIND THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AT THE FORT HOUSE AREA.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING TO BRING YOUR KIDS OUT TO YOUR GRANDKIDS OUT OR JUST YOURSELF AND COME OUT? UH, I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN IT BECAUSE THEY'VE ASKED ME TO HELP JUDGE CONTEST.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME OUT AND APPARENTLY ANY PLACE IS STOP PIE HAS GOTTA FIT.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE A FUN EVENT.
UM, ALSO THE NEXT THING YOU SEE OVER THE RUN IS CALLED, UM, COMIC FEST.
AND EST IS A, A, A MORE MODERN POP CULTURAL KIND OF, UH, OF AN EVENT THAT FOCUSES ON ANIME, FOCUSES ON, UH, COMICS, ON, UM, COSPLAY, UH, JUST, JUST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GETTING INTO COSTUMES AND HAVING A GOOD TIME.
UH, WE DID LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME AT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COME OUT FOR YOU SEE SOME OF THE ONES THAT ARE IN THEIR COSTUMES, COSTUME COMPETITIONS.
[00:40:01]
IN THEIR TWENTIES AND THIS IS, THIS IS THEM.THIS IS THE KIND OF STUFF WHICH THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALL INTO.
YOU KNOW, THE SUPERHERO MOVIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THEIR FIFTIES AND SIXTIES THERE TOO.
CAUSE WE GREW UP IN COMIC BOOKS TOO.
IF YOU GOT THE TIME TO GONNA BE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, AND AGAIN, IT'S COMING UP IN NOVEMBER ON NOVEMBER 12TH, THEN PICKLE BALL.
THE PICKLE BALL TOURNAMENT IS SOMETHING WE DO FOR SIX YEARS NOW.
UH, PICKLEBALL, IT'S, UH, IT'S APPARENTLY TENNIS FOR, FOR PEOPLE OF, UH, MORE, UH, TENDER YEARS.
UM, IT'S BETTER ON THEIR KNEES.
I HERE, UM, THIS SELLS OUT QUICKLY.
I ENCOURAGE IF YOU'VE GOT AN INTERESTING PICKLE BALL, BE PART OF THE $15 A PLAYER.
UM, IT IS, UH, AN EVENT WE'VE BEEN DOING, LIKE I SAID, OUR SIXTH YEAR AND THEY SOLD OUT EVERY YEAR.
IT'S GONNA BE, UM, OVER AT THE, UH, AGAIN, PARKS AND RECREATION COMPLEX AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.
SO AS WE FINISH ALL THAT, JUST KINDA WANNA END UP WITH, WITH A MINOR'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT AN ELECTION COMING UP AND, UH, UCH COUNTY REGISTRAR IS INVOLVED RIGHT NOW.
IT IS A HOLIDAY, BUT EARLY VOTING IS OPEN.
OUR SATELLITE, UH, OFFICE IS BEHIND THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AGAIN, IN THE SPORTS COMPLEX, THE OLD GYM FOR THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, AND YOU SEE THE, THE HOURS AND THE DAYS THAT THEY'LL BE ON, UH, IT'S GONNA BE OPEN.
UM, IT'S COMING SATURDAY IN THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY AND THEN IT'LL BE OPENS, OPENS COMING SUNDAY AS WELL AS DURING THE WEEK.
UM, YOU KNOW, PLEASE, UH, ABSENTEE VOTING DID BEGIN THE LAST DAY TO REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT.
SO IF YOU'RE GONNA REQUEST ONE, PLEASE REQUEST IT BY FRIDAY.
AND THE LAST DAY TO VOTE EARLY IS SATURDAY, UH, NOVEMBER 5TH.
ELECTION DAY IS NOT GONNA BREAK.
SO, UM, STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH, UM, UH, CENSUS AND REDISTRICTING.
WE HAVE THE NEW MAPS THAT ARE OVER THERE IN THE CORNER AS WELL.
ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THEM TO SEE, MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO VOTE.
UH, WE, UH, WE HAVE GOT ANY QUESTIONS YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GIVE THE BEST ANSWERS FOR THAT.
BUT, UH, BY AND LARGE, IF, UH, YOU NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GO.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU STRONGLY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WEREN'T AFFECTED BY ANY OF THE CHANGES THERE.
YOU SEE WHERE SOME OF THE CHANGES TO THE POLLING STATIONS, SO SOME OF THE POLLING STATIONS HAD TO MOVE.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE, UM, MOST OF THEM ARE OVER THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY OUT HERE.
UM, AND FINALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE INVOLVED IN WHAT WE DO.
ALL THE THINGS I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, ALL THE RESOURCES AND STAFF IN THIS ROOM BRINGS TO YOU BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU COMMUNICATE.
THIS, YOU GOT YOUR BOARD MEMBERS, YOUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS RESPONSIVE AS YOU CALL 'EM, THEY'LL CALL YOU BACK.
AND THIS IS US A ENGAGED BOARD.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, BUT SKATEBOARD I'VE EVER SEEN.
AND WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THAT.
BUT WE ALSO WANT, YOU'VE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, THE COUNTY WEBSITE.
IF YOU NOT SIGNED UP, CODE RED DO SO, BECAUSE WHEN WATER MAIN BROKE, THAT WAS HOW SO MANY PEOPLE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
UM, CODE RED WILL KEEP YOU ABREAST OF THOSE SERIOUS CHANGES IS NOT A A WEEKLY THING.
IT DOESN'T SEND OUT EVERY TIME SOMETHING WITH INTEREST HAPPENS, IT'S ONLY WHEN SOMETHING OF VERY SIGNIFICANT NATURE HAPPENS.
SO I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO SIGN UP TO CODE RED.
WE'RE ON TWITTER AS WELL OR OUR, OUR MAIN NUMBER TO CALL, UM, THE SHERIFF HAS SHARED ABOUT HIS APP.
YOU KNOW, I TELL PEOPLE I LOVE THE CFO HOUSE.
CAUSE WE'RE HERE, THE BOARD IS IS RUN AND THEN THEY DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN AND THEN THEY LOOK OUT, THEY DON'T SEE ANYBODY IN THE ROOM.
I MEAN, THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT YOU TRUST THEM, BUT IT'S STILL GOOD TO COME.
SO ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE INVOLVED IN BOARD MEETINGS.
UM, YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO SEE THE SLIDES THAT I'VE BEEN SHOWING AND SHARON.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO GET A SURVEY, IF YOU WILL, TAKE THE TIME.
THERE'S A QR CODE IN THE CORNER OF THAT.
AND THE SURVEY IS JUST TELLING US HOW YOU LIKE TO GET YOUR INFORMATION.
IT'S A SURVEY THAT HELPS US BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA BE DOING SOMETHING SO I NEVER HEAR ABOUT IT AND, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T YOU AND, AND, AND SO TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY DON'T DO THIS OR THEY DON'T DO THAT, OR THEY PREFER IT THIS WAY.
SO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY PLEASE TO TAKE THE SURVEY AND GO ON.
SO WITH THAT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I APPRECIATE IT.
WE'RE JUST GONNA MOVE ON TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS, UM, AT THE END OF IT.
BUT AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE.
IT'S BEEN GIVEN TO ME TO SERVE YOU, UH, YOUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND AGAIN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, SIR.
GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I'M MIKE NEWMAN, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
AND WITH US TONIGHT IS KAREN WARREN, WHO'S DISTRICT TWO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND I DON'T SEE ANY OTHERS BEFORE.
WE HAVE 3 0 3, SORRY, LOST COUNT.
UM, BEFORE I TURN THIS OVER TO DR.
GRAYLEY, WHO WILL SHARE THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH OUR SCHOOLS, I DO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT AND EXPRESS THANKS TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THEIR REPRESENTATION OF DISTRICT FOUR, UH, IN THE LAST MONTH FOR THE LOSS OF MR. SHARP.
UM, SO TONIGHT THE MORE EXCITING NEWS THAT WE HAVE IS ALL ABOUT THE SCHOOLS IN GOOD COUNTY.
I WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR A WHILE AND NOW
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SERVING ON THE BOARD, I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER OR THINKING THE BETTER PLACE TO BE.SO GRAYLEY OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE WITH US THIS EVENING.
I HAVE MR. DR AND ARMSTRONG, WHO'S OUR SCHOOL DIVISION'S ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR ADMINISTRATION.
AND MR. BRUCE WATSON, WHO IS OUR SCHOOL DIVISION'S DIRECTOR OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.
UH, MR. JOHN WRIGHT REPRESENTS YOU ON DISTRICT FIVE ON GLAND COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE'S NOT FEELING WELL THIS EVENING, SO HE DECIDED, UH, PROBABLY BEST FOR EVERYBODY IF HE WASN'T HERE.
SO HE SENDS HIS REGRETS AND APOLOGIES.
UH, MR. WRIGHT CERTAINLY IS A VERY STRONG SUPPORTER OF, OF SCHOOLS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MR. CARPENTER SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE MANY POSITIVE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PUBLIC UTILITIES, TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF AS GOLAND COUNTY RESIDENTS.
AND I WANT TO CONTINUE THAT THEME THIS EVENING FOR YOU.
WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I'M PROUD TO SERVE AS YOUR SUPERINTENDENT.
I'M THANKFUL THIS COMMUNITY HAS GIVEN YOUR TRUST TO ME TO LEAD OUR SCHOOLS OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST SIX YEARS.
I'M NOW ENTERING YEAR SEVEN, AND I'LL TELL YOU, I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE LEADING ANY OTHER SCHOOL DIVISION IN THIS COMMONWEALTH.
I'M QUITE THANKFUL TO BE HERE.
SO BY THE TIME THAT I LEAVE WITH YOU THIS EVENING, I'M HOPING THAT YOU HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UH, GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY CERTAINLY TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE A REALLY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE INVESTMENT THAT THIS COMMUNITY MAKES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.
HOW THAT INVESTMENT IS RETURNING DIVIDENDS TIME AND TIME AGAIN INTO VERY WELL EDUCATED YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE FULLY PREPARED TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE AND BE QUITE SUCCESSFUL AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.
WE ARE NOW ENTERING OUR SECOND QUARTER OF THE YEAR.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT FIRST NINE WEEKS ARE OVER.
UH, BUT WE JUST STARTED THE SECOND QUARTER TODAY, AND I'LL TELL YOU BY ALL ACCOUNTS, WE ARE OFF TO AN AMAZING START.
ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST ARE BEHIND US.
AND SO WE'RE RUNNING SCHOOL AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE DO AND WE'RE DOING IT WELL.
AND SO REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO GET THIS YEAR STARTED OFF ON A VERY POSITIVE NOTE.
SO LET ME SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND SOME RECOGNITIONS THAT OUR SCHOOL DIVISION HAS RECEIVED.
AND ULTIMATELY, WE DON'T DO THIS TO PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK.
ULTIMATELY, IT'S A WAY OF TALKING ABOUT HOW THAT INVESTMENT OUR COMMUNITY IS MAKING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS IN, IN, IS IN FACT RETURNING DIVIDENDS.
AND SO YOUR SCHOOL DIVISION, OUR SCHOOL DIVISION IS RECOGNIZED ON A REGIONAL BASIS A STATEWIDE BASIS, A NATIONAL BASIS, AND ON A WORLDWIDE STAGE.
AND THIS IS RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE FIVE SCHOOLS IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
ALL FIVE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY APPLE FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING TO PROVIDE REALLY AMAZING EXPERIENCES FOR KIDS INSIDE THE CLASSROOM.
UH, THIS COMMUNITY HAS INVESTED SIGNIFICANTLY IN TECHNOLOGY FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND IF YOU WANT STUDENTS TO DO THE WORK OF THE WORLD, THEY NEED THE TOOLS OF THE WORLD.
AND THIS COMMUNITY PROVIDES THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND IT'S BEEN RECOGNIZED BY APPLE.
THERE ARE LESS THAN 700 SCHOOLS WORLDWIDE THAT HAVE RECEIVED THIS DESIGNATION, AND ALL FIVE HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED HERE IN GOON.
SO SOMETHING THAT WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF, NICHE.COM IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES WHERE YOU GO WHEN YOU ARE DECIDING WHERE YOU WANNA LIVE, WHAT SCHOOL YOU WANT TO GO TO, WHAT COLLEGE YOU MAY WANT TO GO TO.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE PLACES WHERE PLACES ANALYZE DATA.
YOU ALSO GET FEEDBACK FROM ANECDOTAL CUSTOMERS AND SAY, HERE'S MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS, UH, FROM A CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDPOINT.
AND SO NOW, FOR THE FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW, FIVE YEARS IN A ROW, NICHE.COM IS RATED GOON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE PREMIER SCHOOL DIVISION IN THE RICHMOND REGION.
AND SO WITH ALL BIG BOYS AND GIRLS TO THE NORTH, SOUTHEAST, AND WEST BUS, WE SIT RIGHT HERE AS NUMBER ONE AND FULLY RECOGNIZED FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT OUR ENTIRE TEAM DOES ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND I'M CERTAINLY VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT OUR TEAM DOES TO GET THAT RECOGNITION ON A NATIONAL BASIS.
WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, WE HAVE A UNIFIED SPORTS PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES COMPETING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEIR NON-DISABLED PEERS.
AND TO EARN THIS RECOGNITION, IT'S PRETTY RIGOROUS.
AND I'M PROUD OF OUR TEAM FOR DOING THIS BECAUSE, UH, WE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF, QUITE HONESTLY, BEING A PUBLIC EDUCATOR IS WE SERVE EACH AND EVERY CHILD THAT WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR, REGARDLESS OF THAT CHILD'S BACKGROUND AND THEIR EXPERIENCES.
WE PROVIDE AN EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION FOR EACH AND EVERY CHILD.
SO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CERTAINLY ARE GETTING A VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO PUT ON THE BULLDOG UNIFORM, BE ITS BULLDOGS, JUST LIKE OUR VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAM DOES IN A VARIETY OF ATHLETICS.
AND SO WE'RE REAL EXCITED ABOUT THIS NATIONAL RECOGNITION.
THIS COMMUNITY INVESTS 40 MILLION OF TAXPAYER RESOURCES IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION FROM LOCAL FUNDS, FEDERAL FUNDS, AND STATE FUNDS, REGARDLESS OF THE SOURCE.
THEY ARE ALL GENERATED HERE IN GLAND
[00:50:01]
BY THE HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN IN THIS COMMUNITY.AND SO WE'RE PROUD OF WHAT WE ARE DOING TO BE STRONG STEWARD OF THAT TAXPAYER DOLLAR.
AND WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE GOVERNOR, GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION FOR OUR BUDGET AND WHAT WE ARE DOING TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH OUR BUDGET, HOW WE OUTLINE EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO DO WITH THOSE FUNDS, AND CERTAINLY PROUD OF THAT RECOGNITION.
AND ANOTHER SIGN OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION'S SUCCESS.
AS MR. PETERSON SAID, WE ARE A PREMIER COMPANY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
OUR SCHOOL DIVISION HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS FOR ITS SUCCESS ON THE STANDARDS OF LEARNING ASSESSMENTS AND OUR PERFORMANCE ON THAT ACHIEVEMENT MEASURE.
THERE ARE JUST A HANDFUL OF SCHOOL DIVISIONS OUTTA 132, AND THAT ALL OF THEIR SCHOOLS FULLY ACCREDITED FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
AGAIN, VERY ELITE AND PREMIER COMPANY THAT WE'RE PROUD TO BE A PART OF.
SO IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AS WHERE WE ARE COMPETITIVE IN OUR REGION, UH, WE ARE NOT ONLY COMPETITIVE ON A STATEWIDE BASIS, BUT WITHIN OUR REGION, WE HAVE REALLY STRONG RESULTS ON A VARIETY OF CONTENT RANGING FROM READING TO SCIENCE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE REALLY IN THE UP ECHELON THERE COMPARING OURSELVES TO OUR PEERS AND OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS AROUND US.
AND THEN IF YOU COULD ZOOM BACK OUT ON A STATEWIDE BASIS, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT ALL CONTENT AREAS, OUR PERFORMANCE ON THE SPRING 2022 STANDARDS OF LEARNING PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS, WHERE THOSE ACHIEVEMENT MEASURES, WE ARE EXCEEDING THE STATE AVERAGE IN EVERY CONTENT AREA.
SO STATEWIDE, REGIONALLY, WE'RE REALLY COMPETITIVE IN DOING AN AMAZING JOB OF PERFORMING AT A VERY, VERY HIGH LEVEL WHEN IT COMES TO THAT ACHIEVEMENT MEASURE.
HERE'S ANOTHER MEASURE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TOO, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE FINISH LINE FOR OUR STUDENTS IS ARE THEY GONNA GRADUATE? YEAH, THEY'RE GOING PAST THE TEST.
THEY'RE GOING GROW, THEY'RE GONNA GO GET A LOT OF GREAT EXPERIENCES, BUT ULTIMATELY THE END GAME FOR US IS GETTING THEM TO GRADUATE.
AND SO WE'RE GRADUATING OUR STUDENTS AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH RATE.
WHEN YOU WALK IN AT HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL AS A FRESHMAN, FOUR YEARS LATER, YOU'RE GONNA GRADUATE.
WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE A LOT OF SUPPORT AROUND YOU TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO WE ARE NOW ONE OR TWO STUDENTS AWAY, QUITE HONESTLY, AND SOMETIMES THOSE ONE OR TWO STUDENTS MOVE FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY IT'S HELD AGAINST US CUZ JUST CAN'T FUND THEM IN ANOTHER COMMUNITY.
OR THEY MAY LEAVE THE COUNTRY, BUT 97% ON TIME GRADUATION IS SOMETHING WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD OF.
WE ARE ADMITTED TO A HUNDRED PERCENT, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL GET THERE IN TIME.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR NEW YEAR.
AND IT'S BEEN A VERY POSITIVE START TO THE YEAR.
A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPEN ACADEMICALLY IN OUR CLASSROOMS. I GET THE PLEASURE OF SEEING THAT ON A MUCH BREAK ON A REGULAR BASIS AND HAVE ONE OF OUR TEACHERS WITH US TONIGHT.
AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR TEACHERS THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE DOING AMAZING THINGS FOR KIDS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
YOU WALK INTO OUR CLASSROOMS, KIDS ARE ENGAGED, THEY'RE HAVING A GOOD EXPERIENCE, THEY'RE HAVING FUN, LEAVE IT OR NOT, AND THEY'RE LEARNING.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MIND MEASURES THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE SUCCESSFUL TOO.
AND SO OUR PARENTS ARE SATISFIED WITH THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE HAVING.
AND, UH, WE'RE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IN SO MANY WAYS.
I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT ULTIMATELY, WE WANT TO TAKE THIS ALREADY STRONG AND SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL DIVISION THAT IS AND MAKE IT STRONGER.
UH, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SATISFIED.
WE'RE NOT JUST GOING KICK OUR FEET UP ON OUR DESK AND SAY, LOOK, WE'VE ARRIVED.
WE, WE ALWAYS WANNA IMPROVE AND GET BETTER.
AND ULTIMATELY OUR THEME FOR THIS YEAR IS MAKING THE STRONG SCHOOL DIVISION EVEN STRONGER.
SO STRONG ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.
BUT THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE PROVIDE TO STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM ARE EQUALLY AS HIGH.
AND SO OUR VOLLEYBALL TEAM THIS YEAR IS HAVING A REALLY STRONG YEAR AND I'M, I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE PROVIDE TO STUDENTS FOR A SMALL RURAL SCHOOL DIVISION.
THE EXPERIENCES WE PROVIDE TO OUR KIDS AT GOODLAND HIGH SCHOOL RIVAL WHAT YOU MAY SEE IN A SCHOOL DIVISION THAT'S MAYBE FIVE, SIX TIMES LARGER THAN US.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE OFFER A VARIETY OF SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES FROM VOLLEYBALL TO FOOTBALL, GOLF, CROSS COUNTRY, CHEERLEADING.
THIS IS OUR UNIFIED SPORTS TEAM I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT.
REALLY PROUD OF THESE YOUNGSTERS.
THEY'RE GONNA COMPETE ON FRIDAY IN A FIELD DAY AGAINST OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS WITH THEIR NON-DISABLED PEERS.
SO PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT STRONG FINE ARTS PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY OUR BAND, THE MARCHING BULLDOGS.
AND THEN MR. WATSON, UM, HAS LED US SO WELL IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS TO HAVE A PREMIER CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR COMMONWEALTH.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT GUC COUNTY IS THE HOST OF THE ONLY TWO YEAR HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATING PROGRAM IN COMMONWEALTH, THE ONLY ONE.
AND THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN ARE GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL ABLE TO REALLY PICK WHERE THEY WANT TO GO TO GET A JOB, MAKING GREAT MONEY WITH NO COLLEGE DEBT.
AND THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF JUST ONE OF THE MANY PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER FOR HEALTHCARE SCIENCES, CULINARY ARTS TO SPORTS MEDICINE.
[00:55:01]
WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF EVERY CHILD THAT WANTS TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT RELATED TO A COLLEGE EXPERIENCE.SO OUR STUDENTS ARE VERY WELL TRAINED AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO GREAT THINGS WHEN THEY LEAVE, EVEN FROM COMPUTER SCIENCE AND VIRTUAL REALITY.
AND THIS IS JUST A SMATTERING OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WE OFFER OUR STUDENTS.
VERY PROUD OF OUR CTE PROGRAM.
YOU HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS COMMUNITY TRULY INVESTS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND WE ARE A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND WE ARE JUST ONE PART OF THE MANY, MANY ASPECTS OF WHAT HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASIS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE FIRST RESPONDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, SHERIFF CREE AND CHIEF FERGUSON.
UH, WE'VE DONE JOINT TRAININGS THIS SUMMER AND UH, AS WE KNOW THERE WAS A TRAGIC SHOOTING HOME IN IN OUR, IN OUR NATION JUST THIS WEEK.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU, WE'RE VERY WELL PREPARED.
UH, AND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH FIRE RESCUE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IS EXTREMELY STRONG.
WE TRAIN SIDE BY SIDE, WE WORK TOGETHER.
IT'S NOT YOU VERSUS US VERSUS THEM.
ALL OF US ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR VISITORS, OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE.
OUR COMMUNITY ALSO HAS A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY AGENCIES LIKE THE Y M C A OTHER BUSINESS PARTNERS LIKE, UH, VIRGINIA FAMILY DENTISTRY.
THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE WE HAD STUDENTS AT RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHO ARE, UH, MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO FREE DENTAL CARE.
UH, THEY WERE ABLE TO COME TO OUR SCHOOLS AND GET ACCESS TO FREE DENTAL CARE BY, THROUGH A SCREENINGS THAT WAS REALLY POSITIVE THERE.
AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO TOUT OUR MARINE CORPS JUNIOR ROTC PROGRAM.
WHAT WE DO IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS MORE THAN JUST READING, WRITING, ETIC, WE ARE PREPARING YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TO BE STRONG CITIZENS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR CHILDREN UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR NATION AND OUR WORLD.
SO HERE'S A PICTURE OF OUR ROTC LEADERSHIP THAT WAS AT THE NINE 11 CEREMONY THAT TOOK PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY RECENTLY.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE INDIVIDUALS AND OUR STUDENTS HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES AND PROUD WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO TO TEACH BEYOND FOUR WALLS OF THE CLASSROOM.
AND THEN WE ALSO RECOGNIZE WE ARE JUST A SMALL PART OF WHAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT PARTNERSHIP THIS YEAR WITH VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED AND MADE THE SACRIFICE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND IN OUR NATION.
SO WE HAVE OUR STUDENTS, GTU HIGH SCHOOL, WHO ARE PAIRED WITH VETERANS.
SO THEY BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WHERE THEY'RE SPENDING TIME WITH THESE VETERANS, UNDERSTANDING THEIR STORY, LEARNING ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO SERVE OUR NATION AND THE ARM SERVICES.
WE SPENT TIME INTERVIEWING THEM, TALKING TO THEM.
OUR VETERANS HAVE BEEN ON THE SIDELINES FOR OUR FOOTBALL GAMES.
THEY HAVE DONE THE COIN TOSS AND BEEN A PART OF WHAT WE'VE DONE ON FRIDAY NIGHTS.
OUR STUDENTS AND OUR VETERANS ARE GONNA SPEND TIME TOGETHER IN WASHINGTON, DC MAKING THOSE INTERVIEWS COME TO LIFE AND MAKING MORE REAL THAN THEY ARE ON PAPER.
SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT PARTNERSHIP FIRST YEAR.
THAT THANKFUL FOR THE TEACHER, MS. RACHEL TATE, WHO HAS MADE THAT POSSIBLE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I GET ASKED OFTEN IS HOW MANY STUDENTS WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND SO WE ARE A GROWING SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UH, WE REBOUNDED FROM WHAT HAPPENED IN 2020 AND 2021 REALLY? WELL, WE EXPERIENCED A MINOR DROP IN ENROLLMENT DURING THAT TIME.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS, FOUR OF OUR FIVE SCHOOLS HAVE MORE STUDENTS NOW THAN THEY HAVE OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT GUCCI AND HIGH SCHOOL AND OUR COMMUNITY HAS NEARLY 900 STUDENTS.
ISN'T THAT CRAZY? UM, BUT ALL OF OUR OTHER SCHOOLS ARE GROWING AS WELL.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA OVERALL COMPARED TO WHERE WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PUSHING 25 50, UH, THIS IS OUR K12 SO YOU CAN ADD A HUNDRED PRESCHOOL STUDENTS ONTO THAT.
AND ULTIMATELY THAT'S THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR FEEDING, TRANSPORTING, AND TEACHING AS WELL.
SO OVER 2,600 STUDENTS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AS A SCHOOL DIVISION.
SO MR. PETERSON TALKED ABOUT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS INVESTED IN.
IF YOU GO BACK TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE WERE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME EDUCATING ABOUT WHAT THE BOND REFERENDUM WAS AND WHAT IT WAS NOT.
AND, AND AGAIN, I'M QUITE THANKFUL FOR THE INVESTMENT THAT THIS COMMUNITY MADE AND THE TRUST THAT THEY PUT INTO US AS, AS LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY, AN 85% APPROVAL RATING ON A BOND IS UNHEARD OF QUITE HONESTLY.
AND SO IT SPEAKS TO THE VALUES THAT THIS COMMUNITY AND HOW THIS COMMUNITY WANTS TO INVEST IN WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND SO CERTAINLY IN SCHOOL DIVISION OF INVESTMENT, SOMETHING THAT, UH, OUR VOTERS VOTED FOR AS WELL.
SO LET ME SHARE WITH YOU HOW ALL OF THAT HAS HAPPENED.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES YOU CAN IMAGINE, I DON'T GET SOME NICE EMAILS
THIS IS THE PARKING LOT EXPANSION IN FRONT
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OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND OUR HIGH SCHOOL.AND PRIOR TO THIS PROJECT WE HAD BUSES AND CARS COMING IN THE SAME ENTRANCE.
IT WAS A BOTTLE THAT TRULY WE HAD CARS OUT ON BOTH OF THE ROADS AND EVERYBODY HAD TO COME IN AND SAFE DAY ON A REGULAR BASIS.
BUT IT IS A MUCH SAFER EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS, SAFER EXPERIENCE FOR OUR FAMILIES.
AND IT WAS VERY, VERY POSITIVE.
THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT, Y'ALL $4 MILLION, THIS MAN YOU MADE.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU IT'S A 25 OR 30 YEAR INVESTMENT CUZ THIS IS GOING TO BE LONG LASTING AND IT'S GOING TO CERTAINLY PAY DIVIDENDS TIME TO TIME EVENT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT AND JUST ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE OF HOW BENEFICIAL IT'S TO HAVE A LOT MORE SPACE AND A LOT MORE SAFER EXPERIENCE FOR OCCUPANTS.
SO THE BIG PROJECT THAT WAS A PART OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION'S BOND REFERENDUM IS THE NEW GUC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND SO THIS PROJECT HAS COME ALONG VERY NICELY OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST 12 MONTHS.
AND ON OCTOBER THE 17TH, BIDS HIT THE STREET WHILE WE SENT THE BID DOCUMENTATION TO A PRE-QUALIFIED BIDDERS.
AND SO WE HAVE PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING ACTUALLY TOMORROW WHERE THE BIDDERS GET A CHANCE TO COME IN AND ASK US QUESTIONS AND SEEK CLARITY ON SOME THINGS.
BUT, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST 12 MONTHS, WE REALLY HAVE WORKED HARD TO TRY TO CONTAIN COSTS.
AND UH, IT'S BEEN CHALLENGE, UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'RE ALL EXPERIENCING INFLATION IN OUR OWN PERSONAL LIVES.
AND SO WE'VE REALLY HAVE TRIED TO MAKE THIS A PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO REPRESENT THIS COMMUNITY WELL FOR 50 OR MORE YEARS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME AS SPENDING OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS WISELY.
SO, UH, ULTIMATELY WE WILL SEE WHAT THE BIDS COME IN ON NOVEMBER THE 17TH.
WE WILL KNOW THEN TRULY WHAT THE COST OF THIS PROJECT'S GOING TO BE.
BUT WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO SIMPLIFY THE DESIGN IN A WHOLE LOT OF WAYS.
THIS IS JUST A FLOOR PLAYING SKETCH.
THE BLUE SECTIONS OF THE BUILDING ARE WHERE THE ACADEMIC WINGS ARE, SO CLASSROOMS ON TOP OF CLASSROOMS. AND THEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME YOUR CORE SERVICES LIKE, UH, GYMNASIUM AND KITCHEN AND AND ADMIN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
SO WE WENT VERTICAL TO SAVE US SOME CONCRETE AND TO SAVE US SOME FOOT FOOTPRINT.
SO, UM, WE'LL HOPEFULLY REVEAL SOME DIVIDEND, UH, SOME POSITIVE CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO JUST AN EXTERIOR VIEW OF WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
A VERY CONSERVATIVE LOOK ON THE OUTSIDE.
UH, IT WILL BE A BRICK STRUCTURE THAT WILL BE LONGLASTING FOR THIS COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
CAR TRAFFIC, A BUS TRAFFIC SEPARATED WITH A COMMON PLAZA WHERE STUDENTS WILL ENTER TOGETHER REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY GET TO SCHOOL.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF SYMBOLISM ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, WHICH IS KIND OF COOL.
JUST A SIMPLE OFFICE COMPLEX ON THE INSIDE.
UH, THIS IS WHERE STUDENTS WOULD DIE DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY.
SO WE WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME NATURAL LIGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS THERE.
CERTAINLY THAT'S PART OF THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE.
UH, SO THIS IS A DEPICTION OF WHAT DINING AREA WOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO WE TRIED TO, RATHER THAN JUST HAVING STEPS THAT WENT UPSTAIRS, WE WANTED TO HAVE STEPS THAT WERE FUNCTIONAL AS WELL.
SO ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE STEPS, WHAT WE CALL A LEARNING STAIR.
SO YOU COULD HAVE A TEACHER WITH ABOUT FIVE OR SIX STUDENTS ON THE LEARNING STAIRS, GOING TO SOME SMALL GROUP WORK WHILE STUDENTS ARE ALSO PASSING UP TO THE SECOND FLOOR PICTURE OF PERFORMANCE AREA.
THIS, THIS PLACE WILL NOT HAVE AN AUDITORY AS WE WERE VALUE ENGINEERING, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET AUDITORIUM THAT IS USED THREE OR FOUR TIMES DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR AND $345 PER SQUARE FOOT.
UH, AND FEEL THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH OUR OBJECTIVES AND HAVE A NICE PLACE FOR A GREAT LEVEL TO BE.
HAVE SOME PERFORMANCES IN PLACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, 50 OR 60 STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS.
SO WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS A REALLY NICE COMPROMISE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND WE TRY TO BUILD A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY INTO THE DESIGN AS WELL.
UH, THE LIBRARY BEING IMPORTANT IN LITERACY WHEN IT COMES TO THE EARLY EDUCATION OF, OF OUR, OF OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.
SO THIS IS KIND OF THE CENTER OF THE SCHOOL.
UH, THE LIBRARY IS THERE IN THE MIDDLE AND STUDENTS AS THEY'RE WALKING TO AND FROM CLASS, THEY CAN PEEK DOWN AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE LIBRARY.
SO PRETTY GOOD EXPERIENCE THAT WE'RE EXPECTING TO HAVE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANTED SOME FLEXIBLE COLLABORATION SPACES.
WHEN I'VE GIVEN TOURS TO OUR SCHOOLS, I SAY, LOOK AT THESE STUDENTS HERE ON THE FLOOR.
I SAID, THEY'RE WORKING, THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF GREAT WORK, BUT MAYBE NOT AS COMFORTABLE AS WE WANT IT TO BE.
OFTENTIMES WHAT WE SEE IN OUR CLASSROOMS IS IT WORKS SKILLS OUT OF THE TRADITIONAL FOUR WALLS WHERE WE HAVE STUDENTS WORKING TOGETHER, COMMUNICATING, COLLABORATING, AND DOING THOSE CORE SKILLS THAT WE NEED, BUT TRYING TO BUILD SOME OF THE SPACES IN FOR THIS DESIGN TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN FOR PURPOSE.
AND THEN THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE BACKSIDE OF THE SCHOOL PLAYGROUND ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, UM, CAFETERIA ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, JUST THE OPPOSITE SIDE WHERE ONE WOULD ENTER.
SO ULTIMATELY WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT TURNS OUT.
UM, WE'LL WORK TOGETHER, UH, WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO DETERMINE THE NEXT STEPS FROM HERE.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, THANKFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY HAS GIVEN US TO THIS POINT IN TIME.
WE'LL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU INFORMED
[01:05:01]
AS TO GO AHEAD.SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU THINK HAVE.
I'M APPLAUSE FOR FANTASTIC JOB.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY ALL OF OUR CHILDREN GO INTO THOSE BUILDINGS AND OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE.
THAT MEANS THESE FOLKS LITERALLY HAVE GUSTON'S FUTURE IN THEIR HANDS EVERY DAY ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB WITH IT.
NOW WHY ELSE DO WE CARE ABOUT GOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS? YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HIGH CORRELATION BETWEEN THE VALUE OF YOUR HOUSE AND THE QUALITY OF YOUR SCHOOLS.
AND FOR MOST PEOPLE IN THE SINGLE LARGEST INVESTMENT IS THEIR HOME.
AND ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME IS TO HAVE EXCELLENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND YOU'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF THAT.
NOW THERE'S OTHER BENEFITS AS WELL.
YOU MENTIONED MR. BRUCE WANSON RUNS OUR CTE PROGRAM, CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION, AND I THINK THERE'S ABOUT 16 DIFFERENT TRACKS OR SO IN 17.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS CULINARY ARTS.
AND IN CULINARY ARTS THEY BAKE AND THEY COOK.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY BAKE AND COOK IS COOKIES.
AND ARE THESE COOKIES BAKED BY THE STUDENTS? YES SIR.
FROM THE CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM AND THE CTE.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE SIDE BENEFITS OF HAVING EXCELLENT, UH, CTE PROGRAM.
PLEASE BE SURE TO PICK ONE UP ON A WAY OUT SINCE IT WAS DONE BY OUR STUDENTS.
CAUSE IF YOU'VE EVER HAD THEIR FOOD, THOSE GUYS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
YOU HEAR MENTION THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO THERE WAS A FELLOW THAT CAME OUTTA THAT HORSE.
THEY COME OUT CERTIFIED TO GO IN THE CAB OF THIS EQUIPMENT DAY ONE THAT SAVES THE, THE BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS ALL THAT MONEY OF CERTIFYING THEM.
AND SO ONE OF THE KIDS GOT AN OFFER AT 16 OR $60,000 A YEAR, $60,000 A YEAR.
SO FOR FOUR YEARS, THAT'S ABOUT 240,000.
ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILLION INSTEAD OF GOING TO UVA OR VTECH AND SPENDING $60,000 A YEAR, WHICH IS ABOUT A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS.
SO FOR A KID THAT IS NOT COLLEGE READY, THAT'S A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS SWING IN THEIR BOTTOM LINE.
THAT'S WHAT THESE GUYS CAN DO FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S NOT GOING TO SCHOOL, COLLEGE, COME OUT WITHOUT DEBT, COME OUT WITH ALL THAT OTHER STUFF THAT THEY LEARN AT COLLEGE.
UM, SO AGAIN, FANTASTIC AND CAKES.
SO GREAT, THANK REALLY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DOES A GREAT JOB AS WELL.
THE SHERIFF'S STILL HERE AND NEEDS SNEAK DOWN.
THE SHERIFF DOES A GREAT JOB AND WE, YOU KNOW, HE COMES IN ONCE A YEAR AND GOES, I NEED MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
SO I SAID, OKAY, FINE, HERE'S SOME MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
AND THEN HE CAME BACK LATER AND HE SAID, WHERE'S THE VEHICLES? I SAID, YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR STEERING WHEELS, WE GOT BOOTS ON THE GROUND, SO WHY DON'T WE GET YOU SEGUES OR SOMETHING.
WE'LL GET PEOPLE TO GET AROUND.
UM, AND SO THEY'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
AND THEN OF COURSE, CHIEF EDDIE AND THEY JUST, THEY SAVE LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS WHEN IT'S ACCIDENT ON 64 OR A WATER RESCUE ON JAMES RIVER.
ONE IS, UM, CHIEF, NOT TOO LONG AGO WE WENT TO FULL-TIME STAFFING AT EVERY ONE OF OUR FIREHOUSES.
THAT MEANS WHEN A CALL COMES IN, THEY DON'T NEED TO CALL A VOLUNTEER FIRE TO TRASH, GET IN THEIR CAR, GO DOWN TO THE FIREHOUSE, GET IN THE VEHICLE, AND THEN RESPOND.
WE HAVE FULL TIME IN THE FIREHOUSES IN EVERY FIREHOUSE 24 7.
THAT MEANS SOMEBODY'S READY TO GO AS SOON AS THAT CALL COMES IN.
AND THEN OUR 9 1 1 DISPATCHERS, UM, WE GOT THEM QUALIFIED AS EMDS EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCHERS.
SO THAT MEANS IN THE OLD DAYS THAT YOU CALL 9 1 1 AND SAY, UH, I HAVE CHEST PAINS, HE'D SAY, WELL, ROLL AN AMBULANCE, HANG IN THERE, GOODBYE.
CAUSE YOU'RE NOT QUALIFIED TO GIVE MEDICAL ADVICE.
BUT WITH EMDS, NOW THEY'RE QUALIFIED.
THEY CAN SAY, WE'RE GONNA ROLL IN AMBULANCE, THEY'LL GET THROUGH AS SOON AS THEY CAN, HANG ON.
AND BY THE WAY, WHILE THAT AMBULANCE IS OUR ROUTE, DID YOU LOOSEN YOUR COLLAR? DID YOU TAKE AN AS? BUT DID YOU PUT YOUR FEET UP? THEY WERE QUALIFIED TO GIVE THAT ADVICE, BUT THEY WERE BEFORE.
SO THAT'S MATERIAL, UM, INCREASES IN OUR RESPONSE TIMES AND OUR ADVICE ON THE WAY SAVING LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO.
I STARTED OUT BY SAYING THIS COUNTY IS VERY SPECIAL AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THAT.
ONE OF THE OTHER WAYS YOU CAN MEASURE THAT IS YOU'VE GOT MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN THE SAME ROOM,
DO YOU SEE THAT ON WORKING IN HARMONY AND OF COURSE, COUNTY STAFF, PUBLIC SAFETY, CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, CITIZENS, ALL IN THE SAME ROOM, ALL WORKING IN HARMONY, ALL FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COUNTY.
IF THAT DOESN'T SPEAK VOLUMES ABOUT WHAT A SPECIAL PLACE IS, I DUNNO WHAT IT'S, SO WITH THAT, LET GET OFF MY SOAPBOX AND PAUSE AND OPEN IT UP FOR Q AND A AND WE'LL STAY HERE AS LONG AS YOU NEED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
SO WHO HAS THE FIRST QUESTION? YES MA'AM.
UM, GOLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE FINE ARTS PROGRAM IS, IS STRONG WITH MARCH.
JUST FOR THE FOLKS' HOMES, THAT PARTY.
WILL GOLIN BE PROVIDING AN ORCHESTRA PROGRAM IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE THEIR FINE ARTS PROGRAM SUPER STRONG? AND ALSO WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DESIGN FOR THE AUDITORIUM LONG TERM, IS THAT SUPPORTING FINE ARTS? IF THEY DO A SCHOOL PLAY, IS THERE ENOUGH
[01:10:01]
ROOM FOR EVERYBODY TO ATTEND? YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.SO SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO PERFORMANCE AREA ON QUESTION ELEMENT SCHOOL, IT'S LARGE ENOUGH FOR ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN STUDENTS TO BE THERE.
LARGER THAN THAT WE NEED TO USE THE HIGH SCHOOL SPACE FOR THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW OUR PRIORITIES MOVE FORWARD WITH FINE ARTS IS ADEQUATELY STATU.
WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT'S RUNNING OUR ORAL PROGRAM AND OUR'S TOO MUCH FOR THAT.
SO WE NEED TO INVEST IN ADDITIONAL, AN ADDITIONAL TEACHER FOR THAT POSITION.
THERE HAS BEEN AN INTEREST IN ORCHESTRA IN THE PAST THAT WE HAVEN'T GOT TO THAT LEVEL WHERE THAT'S BEEN FUNDED.
IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING FOR TO CONSIDER.
HEY, WE DO HAVE QUESTIONS FROM ONLINE.
THE QUESTION WAS WITH ALL THE NEW BUILDING, UH, MOSAIC READERS BRANCH, UH, BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, WHEN WILL WE SEE REDUCTION OR EVEN BETTER THE ELIMINATION, THE AB IMPACTS? AND I WILL START AND THEN MR. PETERSON CAN JUMP IN.
CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD MADE A COMMITMENT YEARS AGO THAT THEY WON'T RAISE TAXES.
SO FOR THEM, THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL THING IS ENSURING THAT THE TAXES DON'T GO UP.
UH, GROWTH IS GOOD IN THE RESPECT OF WHEN IT'S ABLE TO PAY FOR ITSELF AND PROVIDE A BETTER LIFE FOR CITIZENS.
AND SO CERTAINLY AS GROWTH HAPPENS, UH, AT SOME POINT IT COULD BE CONSIDERED AS AN EFFECT WHAT THE ACTUAL A IS.
UH, BUT I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT IN THIS COUNTY, THE ONLY DIRECTION TAX IS GONNA GO IS DOWN.
SO THEY'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE FINANCE OF THIS COUNTY, AS YOU HEARD EARLIER ABOUT OUR TRIPLE, TRIPLE, UM, FINANCE, THIS COUNTY WILL ALWAYS BE STRONG AND SOUND AND THEN THEY WON'T MAKE ANY, ANY HASTY DECISIONS ON IT, BUT THEIR TAXES WILL NOT GO UP AND AS, AS, AS GROWTH HAPPENS.
BUT AGAIN, THE CHIEF, YOU KNOW, UH, HE NEEDS PEOPLE.
THE SHERIFF NEEDS PEOPLE, SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, ORCHESTRA PROGRAMS. SO AS TAXES GO UP, THAT'S WHAT PAYS FOR THOSE PROGRAMS TOO.
SO AS REVENUE COMES IN, UH, TAXES WILL NOT GO UP, BUT AS PROGRAMS ARE ADDED, AS SERVICES ARE EXPANDED, THAT'S WHY WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.
NO, I MEAN, I, UM, THE QUESTION'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THE QUESTION IS, UM, WHEN WILL THE AOR, UH, GO AWAY OR WHEN WILL IT REDUCE THE PAYMENTS? UM, THE AMOUNT OF, UH, DEVELOPMENT DOES AFFECT, UM, UH, THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE AVAILABLE FOR THAT DEBT SERVICE.
UM, WHAT SOMETIMES IS LOST IS THE DEBT SERVICE THE WAY WAS STRUCTURED 20 YEARS AGO IN 2002, WHICH PREDATES A LOT OF US.
UM, THERE WAS ACTUALLY AN ESCALATION IN THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS BUILT IN ON THE THEORY THAT BORROW THE MONEY, BURY THE PIPES, WAIT FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR, AND THEN START TO PAY THE DEBT BACK.
AND THERE'S AN ESCALATION IN THERE WHERE THE DEBT SERVICE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN GOING UP EVERY YEAR.
SO WHILE THERE HAS BEEN DEVELOPMENT AND IT HAS BROUGHT IN EXTRA DOLLARS, THERE'S EXTRA DOLLARS GOING OUT FOR DEBT SERVICE AS WELL.
SO THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVEN'T HAD TO RAISE THE 32 CENT A TAX BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN ENOUGH DEVELOPMENT TO ACCOMMODATE AND PAY FOR THAT INCREASED ESCALATION IN THE PAYMENTS.
UM, SO THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SERVICE THAT WITHOUT RAISING THE 32.
AND THE MORE THE DEVELOPMENT COMES, THE SOONER THAT DEBT WILL BE ABLE TO BE PAID OFF, THERE'LL BE MORE AND MORE MONEY TO PAY THAT.
SO AT SOME POINT, IF IT GROWTH EXCEEDS THE ESCALATION OF DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS, THERE'S EXTRA THAT CAN MAYBE TAKE THAT, THOSE BONDS OUT A LITTLE EARLIER THAN THE FINAL MATURITY.
AND I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE ON A TRACK THAT MAY GET US IN THAT POSITION WHERE WE MAY BE ABLE TO RETIRE THOSE PRIOR TO MATURITY IN 2043, I THINK IT IS.
UM, SO THAT'S THE ANSWER ON THE, ON THE AVA ALARM TAX.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? OH GOOD.
YOU HAVE AN ONLINE ONE AS WELL.
WHY DON'T WE ALTERNATE ONLINE AND THEN, SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GETTING ONLINE.
SO REAL QUICK, THIS ABOUT CTE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, ARE THOSE PROGRAMS FULLY, UH, ATTENDED BY STUDENTS OR DO YOU HAVE OPENINGS IN THERE BECAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU, UH, THE CONTRACTORS IN AREA WILL HIRE EVERYBODY GET IN THERE.
SO HOW DO WE GET MORE INTO THOSE PROGRAMS? YEAH, UH, I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO LEARN HOW TO BAKE COOKIES.
NO, HE DID, BUT BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THEY'RE FULL.
THEY'RE FULL BECAUSE THEY ARE EXTREMELY POPULAR AND OUR STUDENTS KNOW THE BENEFIT OF THAT EDUCATION, OUR FAMILIES DO AS WELL.
AND ULTIMATELY, I EXPECT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN FUND A CAREER IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION TEACHER IN OUR FUTURE BUDGET.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A YOUNG LADY WHO'S ADVOCATING FOR AN EXPANSION OF OUR AGRICULTURAL PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE MORE AND MORE FAMILIES THAT SORT OF ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I WANT FOR MY, FOR MY CHILD, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S ALL THE COMPETING DEMANDS WE ALL HAVE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS WITH.
BUT THEY ARE FULL AND THERE IS AN INCREASED NEED FOR THAT IN THE FUTURE.
AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, DR.
[01:15:01]
I THINK SOME OF THAT EQUIPMENT FOR THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS WAS ACTUALLY DONATED ROD LOAN FROM, FROM, UH, ROCKS AND BUILDERS THAT NEED THE, UH, THE TRAINING.YEAH, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE AND UH, YEAH, A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN DONATED.
SO WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S A, IT'S A WIN-WIN.
THE COMMUNITY WINS AND, UH, AND THE KIDS WIN.
UM, UH, OTHER QUESTIONS? WE DO HAVE ONE ONLINE AND ALTERNATE.
HI, THIS IS DEBBIE ARNOLD CALLING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION FROM EVERYBODY.
BUT I DID WANNA ASK ONE QUESTION.
IS THERE ANY WIGGLE ROOM IN THOSE DATES FOR THE CENTERVILLE AND COURTHOUSE, UM, MEETINGS, UH, BECAUSE THAT IS RIGHT AFTER THE HOLIDAY.
LITERALLY PEOPLE WILL, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE WILL BE COMING BACK THAT MONDAY FROM FROM THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY OR ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE STREAM IT WITH QUESTIONS? THANKS FOR THE QUESTION AND YES, FIRST OF ALL, TO THE SECOND PART, WE'LL BE LIVE STREAMING.
UH, WE TRY TO LIVE STREAM EVERYTHING WE DO ANYMORE AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, THE ISSUE YOU ALREADY POINTED OUT IN THE FIRST PART IS THE HOLIDAYS AND GETTING PEOPLE'S SCHEDULES, GETTING BUILDINGS.
UH, ONE OF THE MEETINGS WILL BE AT CHURCH GRACE CHURCH, I'M SORRY, THE GRACE, UM, CHINESE BAPTIST CHURCH.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, GETTING FACILITIES DURING THE HOLIDAYS IS TOUGH.
AND THEN GETTING THE SCHEDULES OF THE CONSULTANTS AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST SO WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN, IN THE ACTUAL DATE TO THE MEETINGS, BUT THERE WILL BE LIVE STREAMED.
UM, I MIGHT BE THE ONLY CITIZEN THAT THOUGHT THIS, BUT I HAD THE IMPRESSION THAT THE FAIRGROUND ROUNDABOUT AND THE FAIRGROUND ROAD EXTENSION WERE ONE PROJECT THAT WOULD BE COMPLETED AT THE SAME TIME.
I NOTICED THERE WAS A YEAR AND FOUR MONTHS LAG BETWEEN COMPLETION OF THE CIRCLE AND THE AWARD FOR THE EXTENSION.
WHAT'S THE ESTIMATE ON COMPLETION OF THAT EXTENSION? HOW LONG BETWEEN THAT TRAFFIC CIRCLE BEING FINISHED AND THE FAIR GROUND EXTENSION BEING FINISHED? YEAH, AND THAT'S AGAIN, GOOD QUESTION.
AND THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS LIKE ANY PROJECT AND ANYMORE COSTS, AND SO AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD TO MAKE A DECISION COSTING WHERE IT WAS ESCALATING.
UM, THE, UH, D OTS A D O T PROJECTS, NOT A COUNTY PROJECT, SO THEY DECIDED TO SEPARATE THE PROJECT INTO TWO.
SO THE, THE ROUNDABOUT IS FUNDED, UH, THE EXTENSION IS NOT.
SO THAT'S WHY THERE'S NOT A DATE ON IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A FUNDED PROJECT YET.
WHEN IT GETS FUNDED, THEN, THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO IT.
IT'S NOT A COMPLICATED PROJECT.
WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT OF WAY, OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW WHAT WE WANNA DO, BUT IT CAME DOWN TO PAYING FOR IT JUST TO, YEAH, YEAH.
UH, VNET PLANS OUT IN ADVANCE.
AND SO THEY'VE GOT A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WHEN THEY AGREED TO THEM, WERE FULLY FUNDED TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO.
SO THAT WAS A COMBINED PROJECT AT TIME.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT THERE ARE PROJECTS THEY HAD THAT WERE FULLY FUNDED THAT TODAY THERE'S A FUNDING GAP AND SO THEY CAN'T EVEN NECESSARILY FOLLOW THROUGH ON ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY HAD IN THEIR BOOKS THAT WERE FULLY FUNDED, UM, WITHOUT FIGHTING SOME MORE FUNDING.
I HAVE, UH, TWO QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, THE NATIONAL ROAD WORK, UH, IN RELATIONSHIP TO PROJECT ROCKY.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS IN THE HANDOUT THAT YOU HAVE IS SHOWING IF A TENTATIVE DATE FOR THE DIVERSION DIAMOND TO BE DONE IN 2028, UH, WITH OCCUPANCY OF THE FACILITY IN 2023, WHICH IS A FIVE YEAR DIFFERENCE.
UM, IS THAT 2028 A COMPLETION DATE OR A START DATE FOR THE WORK? AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS, IS THE COUNTY, UH, GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUT YOUR MUCH PRESSURE AS POSSIBLE ON THE STATE AND ON VDO TO EXPEDITE GETTING THAT, UH, DIVERGENT DIAMOND WORK DONE? BECAUSE WHEN PROJECT ROCKY OPENS, IT'S GONNA HAVE A HIGHLY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON TRAFFIC ON COOL.
UM, THE PROJECT ROCKY IS ANTICIPATING NOT 2023.
THAT'S CAUSE IT'S ALREADY ON THE THREE, IT'LL, IT'LL BE THE END OF 20, 24, 25 BEFORE WE COME OPEN.
UH, B IS ANTICIPATING NOW 2028.
SO IT'S ABOUT A THREE YEAR GAP WHERE THE CURRENT ESTIMATE IS FOR ONE PROJECT BEING FINISHED AND THE OTHER PROJECT BEING FINISHED, THE COUNTY IS WORKING CLOSELY.
AGAIN, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IS VERY COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THIS PROJECT HAPPENS IN A TIMELY FASHION.
SO NOW WE ARE PUTTING PRESSURE ON MEET OUTS, CAN MOVE IT UP A YEAR, TWO YEARS, MOVE IT UP TO PRIORITY FOR, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T AFFECT US, IT AFFECTS HANOVER COUNTY, IT AFFECTS AND RIGHT, BUT IT AFFECTS THE WHOLE REGION.
THIS IS A REGIONAL ISSUE, NOT JUST THE GUC ISSUE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE FORTUNATE BECAUSE, UH, CURRENTLY OUR BOARD MEMBERS CHAIR MAJOR REGIONAL COMMITTEES ON TRANSPORTATION, WHICH GIVES US THE ABILITY TO CARRY THESE FORWARD
[01:20:01]
IN A FASHION THAT MAYBE WE DIDN'T HAVE IN THE PAST.BECAUSE WHEN YOU CHAIR THESE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEES, YOU'RE ABLE TO KIND OF OF CONTROL PART OF THE MESSAGE.
SO THE COUNTY'S COMMITTED TO PUSHING THE STATE AGENCIES.
SO WE DON'T, WE CAN'T MAKE THEM, BUT WE'VE GOT THE BENEFIT OF THE GOVERNOR OFFICE, THE, THE, UH, SECRETARY OF COMMERCE TRANSPORTATION ARE VERY COMMITTED TO SEEING THIS IS A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT.
SO, UM, IT, IT'S NOT A FIVE YEAR GAP, ABOUT A THREE YEAR GAP AND WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH IT TO TWO OR EVEN ONE, UM, IF WE'RE EVER TO GET ALL OF OUR CARSS LINED UP.
BUT ARE WORKING VERY HARD ON THAT.
TIM, I'LL JUST FOLLOW ON JUST A LITTLE BIT.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE BUSINESS THAT ROCKY'S IN, IT'S TIMELINESS EVERY SECOND COUNTS.
SO THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THANKS MOVING AS QUICKLY.
THEN THE OTHER THING IS ON, UH, BEING ON STANDPOINT, UM, YOU MENTIONED THEY FUND ABOUT FIVE YEARS OUT.
SO IT'S THAT THREE YEAR GAP WITHOUT LOCK, THE CHANCES OF GETTING THAT DIVERTED DIAMOND, AS YOU KNOW, VNA GOES BY TRAFFIC COUNTERS TO JUSTIFY WARRANTS TO DO THE INVESTMENT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK GOTTEN THEIR ATTENTION.
CALLS FOR SPECULATION, BUT I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT,
I APPRECIATE, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU ALL'S.
UM, JUST TO CAN BACKGROUND MY HUSBAND AND I TO
WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN EVERY PROJECT THAT AFFECTS OUR INTERNET AND WE HAVE TRIED TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND OTHERWISE.
SO, UM, WHEN WE ATTENDED, ATTENDED THIS TOWN HALL MEETING IN THE FALL OF 2016, UH, WE SPOKE WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AT THAT TIME, JOHN
FOR, FOR ME IT WAS ABOUT WATER AND SEWER.
SO HE THEN SAID, WELL, LET ME TELL YOU HOW COME YOUR COMMUNITY IS HERE AND HOW IT GOT APPROVED.
AND WE WERE APPROVED BECAUSE YOU NEEDED A WAY TO FUND THE BOND FOR THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE FOR UNDERWORLD.
SO WE WERE HERE FOR THE, TO PAY THE ACT MORE AND WE'RE 55 AND OLDER COMMUNITY, SO WE WOULD NOT USE THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. SO I HEAR TONIGHT THAT THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION IS WHEN IS EACH GONNA GET CHICK-FIL-A MOST IMPORTANT FOR OUR RESIDENTS IN PARKSIDE VILLAGE HAS TO DO WITH SERVICES.
WE DO NEED EMS, WE DO NEED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
THEY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB, NOTHING AGAINST THEM, BUT IF THEY CAN'T GET TO US, SO WE'RE TOLD THAT WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, YOU'RE GONNA WORK IT OUT WITH HANNAH.
WE PAY, WE PAY TAXES TO GOLAND.
SO WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE HERE TO PAY BILLS AND IT'S TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
YOU, YOU TALK ABOUT THIS TRANSPORTATION, IT'S NOT EVEN WORKED OUT.
IT SAYS SO ON YOUR BOARD BACK THERE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO APPROVE A PROJECT LIKE THIS, RESIDENTS OF
WE CAME UP WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS THAT WERE NOT EVEN CONSIDERED THAT WILL NOT JUST AFFECT THAT EASTER ENGAGEMENT THAT WOULD AFFECT THE WHOLE COUNTY, THE WHOLE REGION.
ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW I HEAR US TALKING ABOUT HOW BEING, YOU KNOW, THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES ARE A REGIONAL ISSUE.
WELL, AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, MEETING, UM, MR. SHARP MAY, PRESTON PEACE SAID HE, HE HAS NO WAY OF FACILITATING A REGIONAL APPROACH.
SO YOU, YOU CAN'T TELL THESE THINGS AND NOT FOLLOW THROUGH.
BUT IF IT'S DISCOURAGING TO ME, THE PROCESS, OKAY, THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, NOT KNOWING WHO IT IS THAT IS WRONG, THAT IS WRONG IN PART GOVERNMENT, IF THIS IS A PROJECT THAT YOU CAN ONLY SUPPORT, FEELS GOOD FOR THE COUNTY, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED DIFFERENTLY.
THE PROTOCOLS THAT WERE NOT FOLLOWED, PARTICULARLY IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING WHERE THE CHAIR DID NOT EVEN ASK FOR DAYS OR DISCUSSION, THAT IS
[01:25:01]
DIRTY POOL AND IT'S A BLACK EYE ON THE COUNTY.AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT PAINS ME TO BE HERE AND TO BE NEGATIVE AFTER GARY.
ALL THIS STUFF THAT'S GOING ON IN BEACHLAND THAT WE WANNA BE A PART OF, I PARTICIPATED FIRE AND RESCUE SPONSOR THE, THE SCAMS AND CYBER SECURITY DISCUSSION.
SO I GO DOWN TO WESTERN BEACHLAND, I GO TO EARLY BOAT, I DELIVER CANDY FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO GET OUT IN THEIR TRUCK OR TREAT BED THAT MY, MY COMMUNITY COLLECTED.
WE HAVE COLLECTED FOR GLAND CARES, YET WE ARE NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH FOR GLAND TO RESPOND TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THIS COMES THROUGH AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE WILL NOT BE IN PLACE.
WE ARE VERY REALISTIC ABOUT THIS.
SO I GUESS I'M JUST GETTING REAL WITH YOU ALL ABOUT WHAT WE FACE AS A COMMUNITY AND IT'S NOT GOOD.
AND, AND WE DO NOT HAVE REPRESENTATION AND THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO HEAR TONIGHT.
SO I GUESS, NO, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT SHE TRULY, AND I, I COME FROM A VERY SINCERE PLACE.
AGAIN, IT PAINS ME TO HAVE TO BE SO NEGATIVE IN THIS MEETING, BUT IT'S NOT JUST HOW I FEEL.
OUR, YOU COME FROM A GENUINE PLACE HAD A TRUE PASSION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR SHARING ALL THOSE COMMENTS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, I'M GONNA HAVE COURT FOR EVERYONE ELSE.
WE WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO STAY AFTER ANYTHING, SHARE EVERYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO WITNESS US AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
YES, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF GREAT THINGS IN, IN GLAND COUNTY AND I'VE NOTICED THERE'S A GENTLEMAN BEHIND YOU, MR. PETE WILLIAMS, WHO, UH, ANY OF THOSE, UH, ANY OF US WHO ARE LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE ALSO STUDENTS.
AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF A PROGRAM CALLED GLAND LEADERSHIP ENTERPRISE.
AND I, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR SO MANY YEARS, SIR.
AND I THINK THAT IF, UH, YOU ARE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW AS WELL, GET STARTED LAST WEEK.
SORRY, LAST WEEK, AND HOW MANY STUDENTS? 25.
SO WHAT A GREAT PROGRAM LEADERS.
GOON LEADERSHIP ENTERPRISE GME.
IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST AT ALL, THE REST OF GLAND, CP WILLIAMS THAT GET SIGNED UP.
I'VE TALKED TO PE, I'M A GRADUATE MYSELF.
I'VE TALKED TO FOLKS THAT GRADUATE AND SAID, I'VE LIVED IN THE STANDING FOR 30 YEARS AND I LEARNED MORE ABOUT GOON D ACT COURSE THAN I DID INTO 30 YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE.
SO I HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, UH, THE SHERIFF'S ACADEMY AS WELL.
UH, I'M A GRADUATE OF THAT AS WELL.
AND THAT'S A FANTASTIC PROGRAM.
AND IF YOU SIGN UP FOR THAT ONE AND YOU GO THROUGH THAT, I WAS SHARING WITH THE SHERIFF A LITTLE BEFORE THIS MEETING, UH, THEY'LL TAKE YOU DOWN AND SHOW YOU EVERYTHING THEY DO, INCLUDING THE JAIL.
YOU GET A CHANCE TO WALK IN THE JAIL.
AND AS A POLITICIAN, WE LIKE TO STAY MILES AWAY FROM JAILS, BUT, UH, WALKED INTO THE JAIL.
WHEN YOU DO THAT, THE RIGHT ANSWER IS, OH, SO THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE,
OF COURSE SHOW DEPUTY LOVE TO HAVE PEOPLE RIDE ALONG.
SOMETHING TO DO FOR THOSE LONG HOURS IN THE EVENING, IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.
NEXT QUESTION, LINDA, WE'RE COMING BACK TO YOU, LINDA.
UH, WHEN MOTOROLA WAS SCHEDULED TO COME HERE AND NEEDED MORE ORDER, YOU TOOK OUT A BOND TO HELP FUND IT.
MOTOROLA, THE CHIP MARKET CRASHED.
MOTOROLA PULLED OUT, LEFT GOLAND THE PAYMENT OF THAT BOND.
THE, THE BENEFIT OF MOTOROLA WOULD'VE BENEFITED.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE PROJECT ROCKY I GUESS WOULD'VE BENEFITED THE ENTIRE TOWN.
BUT THE COUNTY TOOK ON DEBT AND THEN SADDLED THE PAYMENT WITH ONLY A HANDFUL OF OTHER CITIZENS.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAVE SEGMENTS OF THIS, OF THE, OF, OF THE POPULATION THAT, OR ALL US SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS.
EVERYBODY PAYS TAX AND PAYS FOR THE STUDENTS.
THE 55 AND OLDER DON'T HAVE CHILDREN GOING TO SCHOOL, BUT EVERYBODY COULD HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE BOND OR FROM FROM MOTOROLA.
SO WHY ONLY A HANDFUL OF OF POPULATION? WHY IS IT SPREAD OUT AND LET'S PAY IT DOWN FASTER? THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
AND LET ME, UH, ROLL BACK THE TAPE.
[01:30:01]
QUESTION, IF EVERYBODY HEARD IS, UH, TCSD TYPE OF GREEK SERVICE DISTRICT RESPONSE THAT WERE BORROWED, UH, ISSUED TO, UM, BURY THE PIPES AND BUILD OUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND, UH, AND ONLY THE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT PAID THE TAX.COUPLE THINGS ON THAT WAS DONE IN 2002 IS I MENTIONED ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.
SO I CAN SPECULATE WHAT WAS CIRCLING AROUND THE TIME.
BUT THE REASON, UM, FOR THE DISTRICT WAS THEY CREATED THIS DISTRICT THROUGH A MAP.
IT'S A PHYSICAL BOUNDARY AND EVERYONE INSIDE THAT DISTRICT HAD THE OPTION, BUT NOT THE REQUIREMENT TO JOIN THE DISTRICT.
SO YOU HAD AN EXTERIOR BOUNDARY, EVERYONE'S ELIGIBLE AND EVERYONE WAS GIVEN IT A CHOICE.
DO YOU WANT IN OR NOT? IF YOU OPT IN, YOU PAY THE ALARM TAX AND YOU HAVE THE OPTION, BUT NOT THE REQUIREMENT TO BE ABLE TO HOOK UP TO PUBLIC ORDER OR THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE PRESS DUE PROPERLY.
SOME FOLKS OPT IT IN, SOME FOLKS OPT IT OUT, THE ONES OPTED IN, SAID PAY THE UNTIL THE DEBT'S PAID OFF.
ALL THE ALARM TAX GOES TO PAY THE DEBT.
THAT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE ELSE.
AND THE, THE TCSD WAS SET UP SO THAT ONLY THOSE THAT WOULD RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER WOULD BE THE ONES TO PAY FOR THE PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER.
AND THEN FOLKS THAT HAD THEIR OWN WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT CALLED IT WELL OR SEP AND PAY FOR THEIR OWN SERVICE DISTRICT WOULD ALSO PAY FOR THIS OTHER SERVICE DISTRICT.
SO THE FOLKS THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE SERVICE WOULD BEAR THE COST.
AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS SET UP THAT WAY AS OPPOSED TO THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND WOULD SPREAD THE COST OF THE BONDS OUT THROUGH THE ENTIRE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY AT THE TIME DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS FAIR FOR FOLKS THAT DIDN'T BENEFIT FROM IT OR RECEIVED THE SERVICE OR COULDN'T SEE THEIR PROPERTY MEDIC GO FROM HOOKING UP THAT THEY ARE PAYING FOR THEIR OWN SERVICE DISTRICT AND DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD PAY FOR BOTH SERVICES.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION OR IS IT, I I UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE, BUT I'VE DONE AGREE WITH THE BOND WAS THE COUNTY TOOK ON THE BOND, THE COUNTY'S RESIGN SHOULD PAY IT OFF.
UH, THE COUNTY'S DONE SO FAR TO TRY AND HELP THAT LOAN IS WE'VE DONE TWO COMPREHENSIVE DEBT RESTRUCTURING TO THAT DEBT.
IT WAS A VERY, VERY COMPLICATED DEBT TO BEGIN WITH, WITH A HANDFUL OF A COUPLE OF CAPITAL APPRECIATION BONDS AND ZERO BOND BONDS AND APPRECIATION BONDS.
AND WE RESTRUCTURED COMPREHENSIVE BASIS TWICE THAT DEBT AND HAVE LOWERED THE AMOUNT OF TOTAL DEBT SERVICE ON REMAINING LIFE OF THOSE LOANS BY ABOUT 35 TO 40 MILLION.
THAT'S 35 TO 40 MILLION LESS THAT THE PEOPLE INSIDE THAT DISTRICT WILL HAVE TO PAY OVER THE REMAINING LIFE OF THOSE LOANS.
SO WE'VE TRIED TO LIGHTEN THE BY AND WE LOWERED THE BLENDED COSTS OF CAPITAL FOR THOSE VARIETY OF LOOKS.
WE LOWERED THE COST TO CAPITAL INTEREST RATE FROM FIVE AND THREE EIGHTS DOWN TO ABOUT TWO AND A HALF.
SO BY CUTTING THE INTEREST RATE, SAVING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, WE TRIED TO LIGHTEN LOAD THAT WAY.
UM, AND THEN EVENTUALLY ONCE IT'S UH, THERE'S ENOUGH EITHER DEVELOPMENT OR ENOUGH PAYMENT OVER TIME, THOSE BONDS WOULD PAID OFF.
AND THEN, AND AT THAT POINT, WHEN A 32 CENTS, IF IT DOES GO AWAY, THAT'LL BE A 30% REDUCTION IN YOUR TAXES AND THAT WOULD BE A NICE DAY WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
SO WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DAY AT SOME POINT.
UM, I HOPE IT LEAST GIVES YOU THE INFORMATION.
IT MAY NOT, YOU MAY NOT MAKE YOU HAPPY.
I MY JOB AS ELECTED OF TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY ALL THE TIME AND SOMETIMES I FALL A LITTLE SHORT OF THAT AND APOLOGIZE.
BUT WE DO OWE EVERYBODY AT LEAST AN EXPLANATION.
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION AND THAT'S ABOUT ALL WE CAN PUT OUT.
OKAY, THIS IS A NICE TIGHT THREE DOOR PRESENTATION YOU HAVE HERE.
JOANNE HUNTER DID A WONDERFUL WORKSHOP IN 2019 THAT ADDRESSED EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL'S CONCERNS ABOUT ZONING, ABOUT, UH, THE, THE TCS D UM, IT AND IT ALSO IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, UH, AT THE COUNTY WEBSITE.
SHE SPENT HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS OVER VALUABLE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A, A IDEA OF WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
THIS IS ALL A PROCESS IN AMERICA, OKAY? AND THEN WE ALL NEED TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS, WHAT IS REZONING, WHAT IS THE TC S D WHAT IS THE AERIUM TAX? BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE AND AND SHE PRINTED IT OUT FOR, FOR ME SO THAT I COULD SEE IT.
I'M SORRY, I'M, I'M NOT LOUD ENOUGH.
IF YOU GO ONLINE ALL THE QUESTIONS, THERE'S LIKE 40 QUESTIONS THAT ARE ONLINE ABOUT THE TACO CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT.
IT'S IN A QUESTION BY QUESTION.
YOU PUT PUSH ON THE QUESTION AND IT WILL GIVE YOU THE ANSWER.
[01:35:01]
NOT HARD TO MANEUVER.YOU ALL HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB, YOU, IT PEOPLE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN NOW FIND WHAT THE ZONING, UH, UH, UH, LEVEL IS.
IF IT'S AN M TWO, WE CAN CLICK ON THAT AND FIND AN M TWO.
WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT A, UH, 81 IS.
AND THEY'VE ALL BEEN REDONE SINCE 2019, THANKS TO THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO SPENT QUALITY TIME ONCE A MONTH TO HEAR US AGONIZE OVER WHAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR GROUPS STAMP, MAKE TOO MUCH TREMENDOUS JOB.
LINDA, YOU READ INTEREST? THE, YOU WROTE IT
BUT LINDA DOES RAISE A GOOD POINT.
UM, AT EACH OF THE TOWN HALLS IN INEVITABLY THERE'S AT LEAST ONE OR TWO QUESTIONS, ONCS, IT'S A VERY CONFUSING AND I GET IT.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS EVERY TIME THERE'S A QUESTION, WE ADD THAT TO THE WEBSITE UNDER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE UP WELL OVER 50, 60, 70 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT TOWN HALL TO GET AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
YOU JUST GO INTO THE WEBSITE, PULL IT UP, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET MOST OF THE ANSWERS.
AND IF, IF THE ANSWER'S NOT THERE AND YOU RAISE IT THE NEXT TIME AT ALL, THEN WE'LL PUT IT THERE THE NEXT TIME AND IT'LL BE UP THERE.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'VE GOTTEN THAT LIST.
ANY OTHER, UH, WE, WE PURPOSELY SCHEDULED THIS ON A WEDNESDAY, SO THERE'S NO MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL OR NO THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.
AND I DON'T THINK THE WORLD SERIOUS STARTS TILL TOMORROW.
IS THAT THE FRIDAY? THE FRIDAY? THAT'S, UH, FRIDAY.
SO, BUT HAVING SAID ALL THAT, YOU'VE BEEN VERY GENEROUS WITH YOUR TIME AND WE DON'T WANNA ABUSE THAT PRIVILEGE.
SO THE STAFF WILL STAY AROUND, I WILL STAY AROUND.
SCHOOLS WILL STAY AROUND THE SHERIFF.
I'M SURE EVERYBODY HERE WILL STAY AROUND, ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
BUT AT THIS POINT I WANTED TO BE COURTEOUS AND, UH, TO THOSE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE GENEROUSLY WAITING AND, AND SHOW TONIGHT AND PARTICIPATE.
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU THINK THESE THINGS ARE WORTH IT.
SHOULD WE CONTINUE TO DO TOWN HALLS? SHOULD WE, THESE ARE A GOOD THING.
IS THIS VENUE OKAY? RAISE YOUR HAND IF THE VENUE'S OKAY.
ARE THE COOKIES OKAY? ARE WE, WELL, I WANNA EVERYBODY AGAIN, TIME PLEASE TRAVEL HOME SAFELY TONIGHT AND, UH, THANK GOD AND BLESS.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TAXES, YOU ARE RAISING, YOU'RE NOT RAISING THE NOMINAL TAX RATE, BUT YOU ARE RAISING TAXES.