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UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR JANUARY 3RD, 2023.
AND, AND, UH, FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY NEW YEAR AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME OUTTA YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES TO JOIN US TODAY.
UM, IF YOU WERE HERE LAST TIME, YOU REMEMBER WE, UH, COVERED THE, UH, FINANCIAL AUDIT THAT ENDED SIX 30 OF LAST YEAR, AND WE RECEIVED A CLEAN AUDIT FROM THE AUDITORS.
AND THAT'S ABOUT AS GOOD AS YOU CAN GET, UH, NO FINDINGS.
UH, OUR NEXT MEETING WILL PROBABLY START TO TAKE UP THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, SINCE THAT PROCESS TAKES PLACE FROM JANUARY TO APRIL.
BUT FOR THIS MEETING, AND THIS IS A SPECIAL CALL MEETING, IS REALLY TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, UH, GRU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE FUNDING THERE OATH.
AND WHAT I'M GONNA DO TODAY IS I'M GONNA SERVE MORE AS A, A REFEREE AND MAYBE ASK SOME QUESTIONS AND MAYBE PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE AND TRY TO STIMULATE SOME CONVERSATION.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THIS MEETING, I'D LIKE TO ARRIVE ON A CONSENSUS AROUND A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, ONE IS, SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD? IF SO, WHEN? ONE IS HOW MUCH SHOULD WE SPEND? IF SO, HOW MUCH AND HOW WILL WE PAY FOR IT WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE OTHER COUNTY ACTIVITIES LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY? SO, I'D LIKE TO READ SOME CONSENSUS.
THERE'LL NOT BE A VOTE TAKEN OFFICIALLY.
UM, WE CAN'T MAKE ANY DECISIONS AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL ANYWAY.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WOULD'VE TO MAKE THAT, UH, THIS FINANCE COMMITTEE DOES, HOWEVER, THAT SOME OF THE LARGER FINANCIAL ISSUES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD FOR AT LEAST PROVIDE SOME ADVICE AND COUNSEL ON FINANCIAL MATTERS.
SO WE'VE ASSEMBLED THE ENTIRE OF GSON COUNTY FINANCIAL BRAIN TRUST HERE TODAY.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA DO SOME BRAINSTORMING, OR AT LEAST MAYBE SOME BRAIN MISSING OR GET SOME FOG GOING AT LEAST.
I WILL NOT ADVOCATE FOR ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER, BUT I WILL TRY TO STIMULATE SOME DISCUSSION AROUND THESE.
UM, ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THIS MEETING IS, UM, WE'VE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS RECEIVED A FORMAL REQUEST FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD, UH, IN WRITING, UM, FOR AN INCREASED FUNDING AMOUNT, WHICH IS NOT AN INCONSEQUENTIAL AMOUNT, IT'S A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT.
UM, THE NEW PRICE OF THE SCHOOL IS APPROACHING A FULL YEAR'S REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, SO WE'RE BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER A SIGN PROBABLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE PROJECT IN THE HISTORY OF GSON COUNTY.
AND, UH, SO WE SHOULD DO THAT WITH, WITH GREAT DELIBERATION.
AND, AND, AND, UM, AND, AND SOME CAUTION.
SO IN THIS GAME THAT WE'RE GONNA PLAY ABROAD, THE REFEREE, UM, I'M GONNA SHARE THE RULES WITH YOU BEFORE WE START.
ONE IS, I'D RATHER NOT WAIT FOR SUSAN TO ARRIVE.
UM, SO SOME OF THE RULES, I'D RATHER NOT MOW LAWN THAN WE'VE ALREADY MOWED.
I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK AND REHASH.
UM, SO FOR INSTANCE, WHICH OF THE THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS SHOULD WE START WITH, THAT DECISION'S BEEN MADE? UM, WHERE SHOULD THE LOCATION OF THIS POTENTIAL NEW SCHOOL BE THAT DECISION'S BEEN MADE? IS IT TIME TO START REPLACING OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SYSTEM? UH, I THINK WE'VE GOT UNANIMOUS CONSENSUS AMONG BOTH BOARDS, THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SUPERVISORS THAT WE DO NEED TO START THAT PROCESS.
AND IN FACT, WE'VE GOT A, A STRONG, UH, WAY IN FROM THE CITIZENS ON THAT AS WELL AROUND A 40 ISH MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.
UH, WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT MAYBE SOMETHING 40% MORE THAN THAT.
AND THAT'S THE REASON FOR THIS MEETING AND DELIBERATION HERE.
BUT SOME OF THE RULES ARE, LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THE LOCATION.
LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT SHOULD WE OR SHOULDN'T WE? WE ALL KIND OF KNOW THAT WE'RE ALREADY THERE, RIGHT? UM, AGAIN, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE, I'D LIKE TO DEBATE OR, OR AT LEAST DISCUSS ARE QUESTIONS AROUND SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEW NUMBER? IF SO, WHEN, UM, WHAT EXPENSE, UH, NUMBER SHOULD WE BE LOOKING AT? AND THEN HOW WILL WE FUND THAT WITHOUT COMPROMISING PUBLIC SAFETY? UM, WE DON'T, WE CAN'T PRINT MONEY HERE IN GOLAND.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE A $10 GOON BILL WITH A PICTURE OF THE COURTHOUSE ON IT, ALTHOUGH THAT'D BE KIND OF NICE TO SEE.
WHO KNOWS? UM, BUT WE CAN'T PRINT MONEY.
SO WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF ALLOCATING WHAT I CONSIDER A SCARCE RESOURCE.
WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH TO GO AROUND.
AND WE KNOW THAT IF WE TAKE IT FROM ONE PLACE AND GIVE IT TO ANOTHER, IT'S A ZERO SUM GAME.
SO MORE TO THE SCHOOLS MEANS LESS TO PUBLIC SAFETY, SHERIFF, FIRE RESCUE, LONGER RESPONSE TIMES IF HE HOUSE IS ON FIRE, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
UM, ALL OF WHICH ARE IMPORTANT.
AND THEN IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, UH, ALLOCATING THAT SCARCE RESOURCE.
SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT THIS PROCESS IS, IS TO DEBATE THAT, DISCUSS THAT.
UM, WE'RE ALL HERE TO SERVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COUNTY AND ITS CITIZENS.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER RULES IS WE CAN TRY AND KEEP THE EMOTION DOWN TO A MINIMUM.
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I KNOW THIS IS A VERY EMOTIONAL TOPIC, UM, BUT A EMOTION SOMETIMES CAN OVERWHELM LOGIC, AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING.SO, UM, IF WE CAN HAVE THIS DISCUSSION IN A REASONABLY DISPASSIONATE FASHION, LOGICAL FASHION, AND NOT RELOAD, REHASH DECISIONS IN A ALREADY MADE, BUT, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO THE WINDSHIELD AND DISCUSS, SHOULD WE, SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD? IF SO, HOW MUCH AND HOW WE FUND IT, UH, AND WHAT AND WHAT COST.
SO IS EVERYBODY CLEAR ON WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING IS TODAY AND WHAT OUR OBJECTIVE IS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THERE? AND ANY QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATION ON ANY OF THAT? FAIRLY GOOD JOB EXPLAINING THE RULES OF THE GAME.
UH, WELL, AS A REFEREE, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND TAKE THIS THING OFF OF THE QUESTION.
JUST UPON OF ORDER, SINCE IT IS A COMMITTEE, DO WE NEED TO DO ROLL CALL CERTIFIED WITH FORM? UM, WE HAVE VIDEO RECORDING, WE HAVE NOTES BEING TAKEN, AND WE CAN, FOR THE RECORD, WE CAN STATE THAT THERE IS A, A QUORUM, UH, PRESENT.
UM, THERE IS A FIVE MEMBER COMMITTEE, UH, CONSISTING OF THREE BOARD MEMBERS, WHICH ARE HERE.
UM, THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, WHICH IS HERE, AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WHO IS HERE.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PERFECT LIEUTENANT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
MR. CHAIR OF THE OTHER, THE OTHER BOARD
UM, SOMEBODY GOT THAT ONE TOO.
SO SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD OR NOT? YES.
DID YOU WANNA EXPLAIN THAT
DO YOU HAVE A JUSTIFICATION BEHIND THAT OR IS IT JUST AN ASSERTION? IS THAT, THAT WAS JUST AN ASSERTION.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE WANNA MAKE AN ASSERTION WEIGH IN AND DISCUSSION? SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD OR NOT? UM, IF SO, WHEN I, I'LL JUST GIVE A LITTLE CONTEXT ON THIS CAUSE I'M GONNA PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE HERE.
CITIZENS MAY COME TO ME AND SAY, YOU WENT OUT FOR A BID LAST YEAR WHEN INFLATION WAS AT A 40 YEAR HIGH.
WHY'D YOU DO THAT? NEXT YEAR IS GONNA BE A RECESSION.
WHY ARE YOU LAUNCHING A HUGE CAPITAL PROJECT JUST BEFORE RECESSION? I MEAN, I'M JUST THROWN OUT WHAT I MIGHT HEAR.
SO IF I CAN STIMULATE SOME THOUGHTS AND IDEAS ON WHY THE TIMING, WHY NOW SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD? ANYBODY WANNA WEIGH IN ON EITHER ONE OF THOSE AND HELP ME ANSWER CITIZENS WHEN THEY ASK THOSE QUESTIONS? SO IT'S A TWO FAR QUESTION.
SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD AND SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD NOW? IF SO WHEN? SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S, THAT IS THE QUESTION.
UM, I THINK YOU SAID EARLY ON, WHAT I HEAR FROM EVERYONE IS IT'S NEEDED.
UM, BUT IS IT NEEDED NOW? AND IF SO, WHY? UH, AND THEN WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM? SO I, I, I FEEL LIKE, I FEEL LIKE WE DO NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND I, THE PATH, THAT PATH IS, WHAT IS THE QUESTION IN MY MIND? SO IT'S, IF WE ARE MOVING FORWARD, HOW, HOW I THINK ABOUT, ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE, RIGHT? WE GOT HERE BECAUSE SINCE THEN WE NEED THIS SCHOOL.
WE PUT COMMITTEES TOGETHER TO BUILD THE IDEAL ISH SCHOOL.
WE ASKED THE BOARD TO COME BACK WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN.
AND THEN EVEN THAT PRICE ESCALATED FROM THE, THE DECREASED DESIGN.
WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS WHAT, WHAT DO, WHAT DOES THE COMMERCIAL AND SPECIFICALLY THE INSTITUTIONAL CONSTRUCTION LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD? SO THERE'S, IF YOU LOOK AT DIFFERENT MARKETS, EVERYBODY'S LIKE, WELL, REAL ESTATE PRICES ARE GONNA COME DOWN.
YES, THEY ARE COMING DOWN, BUT THAT IS A VERY DIFFERENT SECTOR THAN EVEN COMMERCIAL, WHICH CAN HAS, UH, DIFFERENT, I'VE LEARNED, LEARNED ALL THIS IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
UM, BUT EVEN IN THE COMMERCIAL, THERE'S SUBCATEGORIES OF INSTITUTIONAL AND THERE SEEMS TO BE GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT THERE WILL NOT BE THE DECREASE THAT WE THINK WE WERE GONNA SEE ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE.
PRESSURES OF INCREASED INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS, THE AGING, THE AGE OF ALL THE SCHOOLS IN THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
SO THERE'S ARGUMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE, THERE'S COMPETITIVENESS THAT'S GOING TO EXIST FOR BUILDING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OR REDOING THEM.
SO IN CERTAIN INDUSTRIES WHERE YOU MAY HAVE A HOME, BUNCH OF HOME BUILDERS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR WORK AND LOOKING FOR PROJECTS, IT PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT MAY NOT BE THE CASE.
SO THIS MIGHT BE THE EXACT PERFECT TIME TO BUILD THIS DOWN.
UM, BUT IT ALSO MIGHT NOT, UH, SOME OTHER FACTORS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT A, A, A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS JUST PRINTING MONEY WITH PRESIDENT'S FACES ON IT AND THAT, AND JUST KEEPS INJECTING IT INTO THE SYSTEM, WHICH INDICATES THAT IT'S GOING TO KEEP THOSE PRICES.
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AND MOST THINGS I'VE, I'VE READ OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS ARE A FIVE TO 6% INCREASE NEXT YEAR.SO IS IT BETTER TO WAIT A YEAR POTENTIALLY FOR A FIVE AND STILL INCUR 5%, FIVE TO 6% INCREASE WHILE WE'RE OCCURRING INTEREST ON THE BONDS? UM, THAT TO ME DOESN'T, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH FOR ME TO, THAT THAT RISK OF THE POTENTIAL SAVINGS I DON'T THINK IS WORTH PAUSING OR STOPPING THIS.
ANYTHING TO GO WITH THAT? YES.
I I WILL SAY THIS, PREFACE THIS WITH, I HAVE TWO MONTHS ON THE JOB TO, YOU KNOW, DISSECT ALL THIS.
I THINK WE HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD, A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS DOING MORE WITH LESS.
I WANT US TO DO THE MOST WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCE, THE RESOURCES WE HAVE.
UM, I THINK THIS PROJECT IS VERY MUCH THE SAME AS, UM, LET'S PUT A GREAT ASSET INTO THE TILL AND LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
CAUSE WE'RE DOING A HECK OF A LOT OF GOOD STUFF WITH, UM, THE CURRENT GOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND I, I CAN ONLY THINK OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT ADDITIONAL FUEL WE COULD ADD BY GIVING THEM A NEW RESOURCE LIKE THIS.
SO I, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE SHORTCHANGED.
I WANT IT TO BE A JEWEL THAT WE LOOK AT AS A COMMUNITY AND UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M SUPPORTING.
BUT WHAT I'M HEARING IS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, ONE IS IF WE DIFFERENTIATE THE MARKETS, THERE MAY BE CONTINUED AND RENEWED RENOVATION AND BUILDING, BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION OF, OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS SINCE OVER HALF THE SCHOOLS IN VIRGINIA ARE OVER 50 YEARS OLD AND THERE'S BEEN SOME FEDERAL AND STATE GRANT MONIES ALLOCATED SO THAT IF YOU TAKE THAT SECTOR BUILDING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE SOME FOLLOW THROUGH AND UPSIDE ON THAT DIFFERENT FROM THE RESIDENTIAL MARKET, WHICH INTEREST RATES ARE GOING UP AND HAVE BEEN GOING UP.
AND AT THE DECEMBER MEETING, THE FEDERAL RESERVE SAID THEY'RE GONNA RAISE RATES HIGHER THAN THEY PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED, UH, IN THE COMING YEAR.
UH, AND THEY'RE GONNA STAY UP LONGER THAN THEY PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED.
SO THERE WON'T BE A LOT OF RELIEF ON MORTGAGE INTEREST RATES ANYTIME SOON.
SO, SO THE HOUSING RESIDENTIAL MARKET NOW THAT HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR ON BUDGET ITEMS. SO WHILE IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT TIME ON THE ONE SIDE, IF YOU DIFFERENTIATE THE TWO, IS IT THE RIGHT TIME ON THE OTHER SIDE TO, TO FUND IT? SO I SEE THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING SO FAR IS THAT LET'S LOOK AT EACH OF THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND THE IMPLICATIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE.
IS THAT FAIR? UM, CONTINUE TO GO AROUND EARLIER THOUGHTS OR, SURE.
UM, I THINK THE 15.7 MILLION SHORTAGE IS A HUGE AMOUNT TO JUST COME UP WITH.
I KNOW THE SCHOOLS THIS HAS BEEN CIRCULATING AROUND, BUT, UM, THE SCHOOLS HAVE COME UP WITH SEVERAL, WHICH WAS PRESENTED ORIGINALLY SEVERAL WAYS UPON THAT, THROUGH THE ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION OF THE BOND ISSUANCE.
IF I COULD, UM, PERHAPS WE CAN TIE A BOW AROUND THE, SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD BEFORE WE SHIFT IT? YES, I BELIEVE WE'RE TOO FAR IN TO NOT MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'D BE ANOTHER THREE LETTER ANSWER.
UH, MAKE SURE WE MOVE FORWARD.
IF SO, WHEN YEAH, IT, IT'S IF SO, WHEN PART, UH, MOVING FORWARD, I, I WOULD, UH, COMPLETELY AGREE.
UM, IT'S CRITICAL WE HAVE THE SCHOOL ON ROAD OF ONE.
UH, THE IF SO, WHEN PART, UM, I THINK THAT THERE, UH, IS REASON, UM, POTENTIAL FOR, FOR, WOULD WE DO BETTER IF WE WAITED? UM, IN THE SENSE THAT AS INTEREST RATES GO UP, ANY, ANY BOND DRIVEN PROJECTS WILL BE LOOKING AT INTEREST RATES AND UH, AND MUNICIPALITIES THAT CAN WAIT THAT ARE NOT FORCED TO WILL.
UM, I THINK IF WE HAD KNOWN THAT INTEREST RATES WERE GONNA BE WHERE THEY ARE NOW, UM, WE, AND WE HAD NOT ISSUED A BOND YET, WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE ISSUED A BOND KNOWING THAT INSTEAD WE WOULD'VE WAITED.
UM, THE CONSTRUCTION MARKET IT IS, IS VERY DIFFERENT.
UM, WHEN YOU BUILD THESE KIND OF BUILDINGS, YOU'RE NOT USING THE SAME CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE THAT BUILD HOUSES AND THESE ARE, ARE, ARE VERY LARGE INDUSTRIAL ENTITIES THAT HAVE A LOT OF EQUIPMENT.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF MANPOWER AND GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRUCTION IS WHAT KEEPS THEM AFLOAT.
THEY, THEY, THEY BUILD THEIR BUSINESS MODEL OFF GOVERNMENT CONSTRUCTION.
THEY MAKE MONEY WHEN THEY CAN, BUT IN DOWN TIMES, THAT'S WHAT WHAT KEEPS THEM BEING ABLE TO PAY THE BILLS.
AND SO WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS THAT YOU TEND TO START GETTING THEM BEING MORE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU ON
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PRICE IN ORDER TO KEEP SOMETHING IN THEIR CONDUIT.CUZ THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO GO TWO YEARS WITHOUT PROJECTS BACK AND BACK TO BACK.
SO THAT'S WHEN THEY START NEGOTIATING MORE OF THE PRICES.
SO THE QUESTION OF WHEN IS COMES DOWN TO IF YOU WERE TO WAIT, COULD YOU GET BETTER THAN YOU WERE DOING NOW AND IS THE COST OF MONEY WORTH WAITING THAT TIME TO DO IT? AND NO, YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO CRYSTAL BALL.
YOU COULD PUT IT OUT AND IT MAY COME BACK IN AT 48 MILLION.
UM, BUT THAT'S NOT A GIVEN AND IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY WOULD ALWAYS BE A CRAPSHOOT IF YOU DO THAT.
I THINK THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE THAT IN THE MIDST OF RECESSION IS THE TIME YOU PUT BIG PROJECTS OUT FOR BID.
UM, THAT'S JUST WHAT HISTORY SHOWS US.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE SMART AND YOU'RE ABLE TO MANAGE YOUR MONEY TO DO THAT.
HAVING SAID THAT, WE HAVE WALKED DOWN THIS ROAD AS FAR AS WE HAVE PRIOR TO THAT WAS A DECISION THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE SOME MONTHS BACK, NOT TODAY.
SO GIVEN ALL THAT, I WOULD SAY YES AND THE, THE POTENTIAL SAVINGS BY WAITING ARE OFFSET BY THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE BY WAITING AND HAVING SAID THAT OFTEN BEEN EQUAL, THEN WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE TODAY THAT'S GIVEN.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, WHAT I'M HEARING THERE IS, UM, IF WE WAIT NEXT YEAR, PUT IT OUT FOR BID AGAIN, THERE'S SOME RISK AROUND THAT.
YOU MAKE THEM IN HIGHER, MAKE THEM IN LOWER, RIGHT.
IF WE PULL THE TRIGGER NOW AND GO FORWARD, THERE'S CONSTRUCTION RISK AND OTHER RISKS AROUND THAT.
UM, SO IT'S KIND OF WEIGHING AND BALANCING THESE RISKS AND, AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE A GOOD JUDGMENT CALL HERE, WHICH WILL BE, UH, WE CAN PREDICT HISTORY WITH REASONABLY CERTAINTY, BUT, BUT PREDICT IN THE FUTURE SO LESSER.
I JUST NEED TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
I'D LOVE TO JUST COMMENT ON SOMETHING THAT WE KIND OF HEARD THE THEME THAT I'M, THAT DISTURBS ME AND I WANNA MAKE SURE FOLKS UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM AND I, I'LL NEVER VOTE FOR SOMETHING BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TOO FAR DOWN THE PATH IF IT'S THE WRONG THING.
SO THE FACT THAT WE ARE DOWN THIS FAR, UM, IS CONCERNING.
AND HOW WE GOT HERE, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER DR.
RAYLEY AND I EXCHANGED, UH, DR.
RAYLEY EMAILED, UM, MR. ALVAREZ AND MYSELF WHEN THEY WERE GOING OUT TO DESIGN.
AND MY REPLY WAS, IT SEEMS AWFUL RISKY TO BE GOING OUT TO DESIGN FOR PROJECT.
WE DON'T, AND THIS WAS BEFORE IT CAME BACK AT 47 MILLION.
SO WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE FUNDING FOR, SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A FEELING OF A FORCED HAND.
AND I JUST WANT FOLKS TO KNOW THAT PERSONALLY, AND I'M ONLY SPEAKING FOR MYSELF.
I'M, I'M NOT, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE THE DECISION A WRONG DECISION BECAUSE MY HAND HAS BEEN FORCED.
IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION MOVING FORWARD.
UM, I THINK, I THINK TYING TWO COMMENTS TOGETHER, MR. PETERSON'S COMMENT OF THIS IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST PROJECT LU'S EVER DONE AND MOST OFFENSIVE TO, WE'RE GONNA LEARN A LOT ABOUT THIS.
AND I WAS IN A CONVERSATION THIS MORNING WITH SOMEONE THAT SAID, YES, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DO THIS FOR THE COURTHOUSE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DO THIS FOR THE FIRE STATION.
SO, UM, YES, WE WILL LEARN ABOUT BETTER PATHS TO GET TO THIS POINT, BUT I JUST, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT COMPOUNDING A BAD DECISION IS NEVER A GOOD DECISION.
SO I, YOU KNOW, THE FACT OF WHERE WE ARE IS INCONSEQUENTIAL TO ME, IT'S, IS THIS THE RIGHT THING TO DO NOW? OKAY, THAT'S A A VERY GOOD POINT THAT, UH, EVERYTHING DONE PRIOR TO TODAY IS ALL SOME COST.
WHAT YOU DO IS YOU START TODAY AND YOU SAY, WHAT'S MY COST AND BENEFIT GOING FORWARD? WHAT'S MY RETURN ON INVESTMENT GOING FORWARD? AM I BETTER OFF DOING THIS OR THAT GOING FORWARD? AND NOT SO MUCH BE TIED BY, BY HISTORY.
SO I I DO THINK WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON SOME COSTS IS, IS WE HAVE CONSIDERABLE SUB COST RESOURCES OF INDIVIDUALS AND THE COUNTY AND WE JUST GOTTA UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS WITH SILENCE, IT'S NOT THAT, THAT ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, EXOGENOUS.
AND WE'VE GOTTA REALIZE WE'VE GOT A NEED AND HOW CAN WE GET THERE? AND I THINK WE HAVE A, A PATH THERE.
AND SO I, I JUST, I HATE WASTE.
BUT, BUT THE SUM COSTS ARE WASTE IF WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD.
IF, IF, IF WE SHIFT PATHS, WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT THE SUM COSTS ARE MOSTLY GONNA BE WASTED.
AND I, I DO NOT WANT, I WOULD RATHER TAKE THE LEARNING PATH AND WHAT HAPPENED HERE, HOW DO WE NOT HAVE ISSUES WITH THE COURTHOUSE THAT WE NOT HAVE ISSUES WITH OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE, WE KNOW ARE COMING ONLINE AND, AND MAKE SURE WE DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ON THAT IN THE, IN THE, BY VIEWING IT ALL AS SOME CAUSE AND SAYING WHERE, WHERE ARE WE TODAY AND LET'S LOOK FORWARD.
IF WE CONTINUE, IT'S A LESS EXPENSIVE OLD ALTERN BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT THOSE COSTS.
I THINK WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
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IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND WE LOOKING GOING FORWARD, BUT GOING FORWARD OR PAST HAVE DIFFERENT COSTS AND BENEFIT YEAH.BASED ON, BASED ON OUR HISTORY.
BUT IT'S THE GOING FORWARD IF YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON, SO, UM, SO I THINK WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT FACTORS IN, JUST FACTORS IN IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
THE, THE, THE PIVOT HAS MATERIAL COSTS.
AND THAT COMES INTO PLAY AS WE LOOK FORWARD.
ONE THING I TALK ABOUT, AND THIS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE WHEN IS WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT JUST THE REST OF THE COUNTY AND THE POTENTIAL WHO WE'RE MOVING INTO.
YOU KNOW, MY FIRST, MY FIRST YEAR REPEATING MYSELF A LITTLE BIT FROM MAYBE LAST MEETING, BUT MY FIRST YEAR ON THE BOARD WE HAD TO DO TWO BUDGETS AND WE, WE PREPARED CONSERVATIVELY AND WEATHERED STORM REALLY, REALLY WELL.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT CLOSE TO HISTORIC RESIDENTIAL REVENUES GOING DOWN, WE'RE LOOKING AT PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATES THAT ARE GOING DOWN.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY SPENDING A LOT MORE ON ONE SEGMENT OF WHAT WE FUND THE ONE OF THE LARGEST METAL ARTISTS IN A TIME WHEN WE, WE DON'T KNOW.
THERE, THERE IS VERY, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL THAT WE COULD BE IN REALLY BAD REVENUE SITUATION COME YEARS FROM NOW OR WE MAY NOT.
RIGHT? WHEN, WHEN WE CAME THROUGH COVID, I, I, I THINK THE, IF MY MEMORY SERVES IS, WAS THAT WE DIDN'T, WE STOPPED ALL FUNDING A NEW, AND WHEN THE REVENUES WERE COMING IN AND THEY SAY STRONG, WE WENT BACK AND WE FUNDED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS, BUT WE DIDN'T PUT OURSELVES IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE WOUND UP HAVING TO OR FURLOUGHING PEOPLE.
SO AS WE MOVED WHEN, WHEN WE MOVED TO THE HOW AND HOW MUCH, I JUST WANT FOLKS TO, TO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE COULD BE IN, AGAIN ANOTHER UN A VERY UNKNOWN REVENUE POSITION MOVING FORWARD DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS GO.
THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, THAT UNCERTAINTY WILL COME INTO PLAY AS WE TALK ABOUT, UH, WE'RE ALMOST HALFWAY THROUGH THE FIRST, THE FIRST QUESTION, WHAT SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD? SECOND ONE IS GONNA BE HOW DO WE FUND IT AND HOW MUCH WE SPEND THAT KINDA THING.
SO WE'RE GONNA SHIFT, THEY'RE VERY, VERY PATIENT ON WAITING AND I KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET TO THAT NEXT PIECE.
UH, BUT, BUT MR. JARED, UH, I THINK YOU HAD ONE OTHER POINT THAT YOU MADE IN THE PAST THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT WANNA MAKE AGAIN, WHICH IS THAT THE TRUST THAT WE BUILT UP WITH THE CITIZENS ON OUR FISCAL RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR, WHICH IS US TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE NOW, I MEAN, IT, IT, I I SPENT A LOT OF TIME FOR, YOU KNOW, OTHER REASONS VISITING A LOT OF CITIZENS THIS LAST TWO WEEKS AND EVERYBODY SAYS THE SAME THING THAN WE NEED A SCHOOL.
BUT GOSH, THIS IS A LOT MORE THAN YOU SAID.
AND IT COMES DOWN TO BASICALLY, IF I'M JUST BEING FRANK, ARE GONNA RAISE MY TAXES NOW.
AND I, I'M, I REALLY CAN'T SEE THAT HAPPENING.
I DON'T, THAT'S NOT WHAT ANY OF US AGREED TO.
UM, BUT THEN IN THAT THEY, THEY, I I HAVE, I HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE TRUST THAT WE HAVE BUILT AND YOU KNOW, THE EMAILS I'M GETTING FROM A LOT OF TEACHERS, UH, THIS, THIS MORNING AND YESTERDAY, YOU KNOW, SEEM TO ALSO HAVE, WE GOT TO, WE GOT TO, WE GOT TO ONE.
AND I ASKED, WELL, WHERE'S IT COMING FROM? THERE'S, THERE'S SILENCE.
SO, UM, AND THAT TRUST IS ALWAYS BROUGHT UP AND I, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE IN THE POSITION WE ARE IS BECAUSE OF THE TRUST WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO SECURE THAT AND WE HAVE TO HONOR THAT TRUST.
AND THIS SCHOOL, UH, PROJECT WAS SOLVE BASIS THEN IT WOULDN'T RAISE TAXES.
SO IF IT DOES PUT PRESSURE ON RAISING TAXES, THAT MAY BE A LITTLE, LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT REPRESENTATIVE AND THAT TRUST IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
WE DON'T WANNA BREACH THAT TRUST.
I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING A LITTLE ATYPICAL HERE.
UH, WE'VE GOT ABOUT FIVE OR SIX MINUTES LEFT ON THAT SHOULD BE MOVE FORWARD OR NOT.
UM, THIS IS A COUNTY MEETING AND THIS, THE COMMITTEE IS MADE UP ENTIRELY OF COUNTY UH, FOLKS, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND STAFF.
BUT I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR THE NEXT FIVE OR SIX MINUTES TO, UM, SCHOOL, UH, STAFF OR EMPLOYEES.
UM, CAUSE I KNOW THEY'VE PROBABLY GOT SOME THOUGHTS ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, WE'LL HAVE CITIZEN COMMENT AT THE END, BUT FOR COUNTY, FOR SCHOOL STAFF OR ANYBODY FROM THE SCHOOLS LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON, ON THIS DISCUSSION, I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HAVE SOME THOUGHTS, MR. CHAIRMAN MAY JOIN YOU AT THE TABLE.
PLEASE DO, PLEASE DO GET ON CAMERA IF YOU'D LIKE.
OH, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I, I HAVE TREMENDOUS RESPECT FOR YOUR APPROACH TO BUSINESS AND THE THOUGHT AND EFFORT THAT IS GOING INTO, UH, SIGNIFICANT DECISION.
I CAN TELL IF THIS IS, THIS IS WEIGH HEAVY AND I RESPECT THAT GREATLY.
AND WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT YOU HAVE DEDICATED TO THIS DELIBERATION.
CAUSE THIS IS A CERTAINLY VERY SIGNIFICANT DECISION.
[00:25:01]
AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO, TO REASSURE YOU THAT PENDING WHATEVER DECISION HAPPENS IN THE COMING HOURS, UM, IF, IF THIS PROJECT IS APPROVED, WE ASSURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING AS A SCHOOL DIVISION AND AS STAFF THAT THIS WILL COME IN UNDER BUDGET.THIS, THIS PROJECT WILL NOT EXCEED WHAT IS APPROPRIATED.
WE WILL MICROMANAGE THIS PROJECT TO THE, TO THE END TO ENSURE THAT EVERY RESOURCE THAT IS APPROPRIATED TO THE SCHOOL DIVISION WILL BE USED WISELY AND APPROPRIATELY FOR, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THIS PROJECT.
WHEN WE DO THAT, UH, ANY AMOUNT OF CONTINGENCY OR ANY AMOUNT OF DEDUCTIONS THAT ARE MADE AS A RESULT OF CHANGE ORDERS WILL ULTIMATELY BE RETURNED BACK TO THE COUNTY FOR COUNTY USAGE.
AND IT'S A COMMITMENT, THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND THE STAFF THAT WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER WITH COUNTY STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROJECT IS DONE WELL.
SO, UH, THERE ARE CONTINGENCY LINES IN THE OVERALL BUDGET, UH, WITH VERY STRONG MANAGEMENT.
I BELIEVE WE CAN RETURN A PORTION OF THAT CONTINGENCY AT THE END.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN RETURN THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THOSE DOLLARS DO IN FACT, UH, RETURN TO THE COUNTY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE COMMITTED TO MICROMANAGING THIS PROJECT SO IT COMES UNDER BUDGET AND ULTIMATELY ON TIME IF IT'S APPROVED.
SO THAT WOULD BE YES, MOVE FORWARD.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
I APPRECIATE THAT, UM, PERHAPS TAKE ADDRESSED OR PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION ON THE SHOULD LOOK FORWARD PLAN.
PERHAPS YOU COULD JUST TOUCH ON IF YOU MOVE FORWARD NOW VERSUS IF YOU MOVE FORWARD A YEAR FROM JUST, JUST IF YOU DON'T MIND.
YEAH, I MEAN ULTIMATELY THE SCHOOL DIVISION HAS FELT THAT THIS IS A NEED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
IT'S BEEN ONE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN DURING MY TENURE SINCE 2016.
IT IS A NEED AS EVERYBODY HAS IDENTIFIED, WE HAVE, THE STUDENTS ARE REVERSING A PARKING LOT FOR MUSIC IN PE AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE INADEQUATE SPACES IN THE BUILDING.
THE BUILDING WAS BUILT FOR A DIFFERENT TIME.
SO CERTAINLY YES, WHEN WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND I RESPECT THE CHALLENGES OF THE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY AS WELL.
NONE OF US DO HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL.
WE DO, WE MAY NOT BE SITTING HERE, MIGHT BE GOING SOMETHING ELSE, BUT, UH, IT, IT IS A RISK.
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S CERTAINLY RISK MANAGEMENT.
WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT OF DELAYING THE PROJECT? WE GET BETTER PRICING.
WE KNOW THAT IF THE DECISION'S NOT MADE IN THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS, THAT ULTIMATELY WE WON'T HAVE THE SAME PRICING THAT WE HAVE IN THE CURRENT BID DOCUMENT.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S A, A RISK OF INCREASE PRICING AS AS WELL.
UM, IF YOU HAD TO GUESS WHETHER WOULD INCREASE OR DECREASE PROBABLY IS FIVE YEARS THE REST OF OURS.
BUT, UH, YEAH, WE, WE KINDA HAVE TO GUESS, RIGHT? SO YEAH, I, I, BEING AN EDUCATOR, I DON'T HAVE THE SKILL AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARKETS LIKE YOU, BUT I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE INFLATION.
THE MILKS WANT TO COST MORE NEXT YEAR THAN IT IS THIS YEAR.
AND I WOULD ANTICIPATE THE SAME IN CONSTRUCTION MARKETS.
AND ULTIMATELY, I RESPECT THE DECISIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE AND WHATEVER DECISION YOU MAKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTY.
UNDERSTAND, UH, ALL THE MULTITUDE OF ISSUES THAT ARE IMPACTING YOUR DECISION, MAY OR NOT BE THE RIGHT TIME TO THANK YOU AND THE ENTIRE SCHOOL STAFF FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK TO GET TO WHERE WE'RE NOW COUNTLESS HOURS OF EFFORT, ENERGY, AND, AND TIME.
MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT AND THAT DOESN'T GO ED.
AND WE HAVE A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP.
UM, PART OF THAT IS YOU HAVE OPTIMIZED THE TIGHT BUDGET WITH NO FAT IN IT.
THE COUNTY IS UNDERTAKEN TO DO EXACTLY THE SAME AND HAVE A DRUM TIGHT BUDGET WITH NO FAT.
IT, SO THIS LARGE SURPRISE HAS DONE A LOT OF WIGGLE ROOM, UM, SINCE WE RUN SUCH A TIGHT.
BUT SOMEONE SAY IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND THAT KIND MONEY AND DRUG TYPE BUDGETS, BUT WHO SOME SPECIALIZED, I SAID I POSSIBLE.
SO WE'LL SEE WHERE WE GO WITH IT.
BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
UH, MR IS ANYONE ELSE REAL QUICK, WANNA WEIGH IN? I THOUGHT YOU DID EXCELLENT JOB.
WE GOT A COUPLE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HERE.
HAVE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? JUST NOTHING YET.
I DO JUST HAVE A COMMENT IS, OKAY TO DR.
RILEY'S COMMENTS, A DELAY IS NOT NECESSARILY
[00:30:01]
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 56,075,009 $4 AND WHAT IT COULD BE A DELAY IS A CONSIDERABLE LOSS.I MEAN A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR LOSS THAT IS TIME, RESOURCES, EXPENSES OF THE COUNTY.
AND SO I I I WOR I, WHAT I DON'T WANT IS PEOPLE TO WALK AWAY AND GO, OH, THE BUDGET CHANGED AND, AND WE GOT A 55 MILLION SCHOOL.
WELL, NO, WE DIDN'T, WE WASTED A LOT OF RESOURCES AND TIME AND ENERGY ON THE FRONT END AND DELAYED.
AND WE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN THAT ABSOLUTE NUMBER DOWN, BUT WE'VE STILL LOST IN THE NET SCHEME OF THINGS.
AND I JUST, I I I I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY RESOURCES ALLOCATED TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW THAT WILL BE LOST IF WE DON'T ACCEPT THESE BIDS OR ONE OF THESE BIDS BY THE DATE THAT IS DECIDED.
WHAT, SORRY, I DON'T KNOW IF I AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK YOU CAN SAY IF WE WERE TO GO UP TO REBID AND IT COMES IN SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN IT WAS THEN I, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S, THAT'S THE CRYSTAL BALL PIECE, RIGHT? LIKE YES, THERE'S, THERE'S A NET AND IT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, IF IT SHOWS UP THAT IT'S COST 2 MILLION LESS THAN THAT WASN'T A 2 MILLION, SURE.
BUT IF YOU'RE COMING 4 MILLION, BUT THAT TO ME IS THE, THAT IS THE QUESTION.
SO IF WE WAITED A YEAR AND WENT OUT TO REBID, WOULD THOSE BIDS COME IN LOW ENOUGH THAT THEY'RE BELOW THE CROSSOVER POINT LINE GOING FORWARD AS FAR AS THERE HAS TO BE AT LEAST A MINIMUM SIGN OF SNIFF IN, IN DISTANCE TO EVEN COVER THE COST IN SUPPORTING MR. VADER'S POSITION.
THERE'S ALSO, I ALS I I I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IF WE SAY NO, THERE ARE OTHER COSTS IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE ON THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT HAVE BEEN DELAYED, DIDN'T.
SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL.
THAT WE'VE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SAID, OKAY, WE'RE, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT NEED TO BE MADE THAT, THAT THERE'S SOME PARTS OF THAT THAT CAN'T WAIT ANOTHER YEAR.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A PIECE EXHIBIT SAYS I WANNA BE BALANCED.
UM, LET'S MAYBE TIE ABOVE OFF ON THE FIRST QUESTION THEN.
WHAT I'M HEARING IS THE GENERAL CONSENSUS TO PROCEED.
AND WHAT I'M HEARING ALSO IS A GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT AT LEAST WITH RESPECT TO CONSTRUCTION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, THERE WILL LIKELY BE A FOLLOW THROUGH ON INFLATION AND NOT A NECESSARILY A DECLINE IN INFLATION SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO OFFSET THE COST THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID AND THE COST OF CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN.
IS THAT A FAIR, FAIR ASSESSMENT DIRECTION? BUT IT'S AN OPINION
I MEAN THAT'S THE HARD PART OF WHAT WE DO.
SO, SO YEAH, THE GUESS IS THAT THE CRYSTAL BALL SAYS INFLATION'S NOT NECESSARILY GOING AWAY IN THIS SEGMENT.
THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT YOU'RE BETTING ON IF YOU GO FORWARD NOW.
UM, AT LEAST THE, THE DECLINE IN INFLATION WON'T BE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO OFFSET THE COSTS, THE DUPLICATIVE COSTS AND THE REDUNDANT COSTS OF THE MAINTENANCE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE MADE.
SO THAT WOULD BE A JUSTIFICATION, I GUESS.
UM, IS THAT GENERALLY WHERE FOLKS ARE ON THE FIRST QUESTION? UH, I MEAN, TRYING TO NAIL DOWN THE FINAL COST OF THIS SCHOOL HAS BEEN LIKE TRYING TO NAIL JELLO TO A WALL.
IT'S JUST REALLY HARD TO NAIL IT DOWN.
AND AS WE SHIFT TO THE FUNDING, UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THERE'S THIS THING CALLED A BOB BRINGHAM IS THE BOARD REALLY DIDN'T TRUST THIS NUMBER AS A HARD NUMBER.
THAT HAS BEEN A MOVING NUMBER.
AND THE, THE BOARD SAID WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT CONTINGENCY IN CASE THIS NUMBER CONTINUES TO DRIFT HIGHER, WHICH HAS BEEN SINCE DAY ONE.
AND SO THERE WAS A FIVE PERIOD EVEN TALKED ABOUT, WE HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS LARGE, THAT PREMIUM WAS, THE NUMBERS BECOME EVEN HIGHER.
SO THIS SHIFT GEARS NOW, WE'LL TALK ABOUT, UM, IF WE'RE GONNA GO FORWARD, WHEN WE GO FORWARD THIS YEAR, KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S COMING FORWARD, UM, WITH THE ECONOMY AND OUR TAX RECEIPTS AND WHATNOT, UH, HOW MUCH CAN WE AFFORD? IS THERE A LIMIT 25 MILLION, 50 MILLION, 75 MILLION, A HUNDRED MILLION, 200 MILLION? IS THERE A LIMIT? LIKE HOW MUCH CAN WE AFFORD? AND THEN HOW WOULD WE FUND THAT? AND HOW WOULD WE FUND THAT IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T COMPROMISE PUBLIC SAFETY, FIRE RESCUE RESPONSE TIME TO THE SHERIFF IF THERE'S A BURDEN IN YOUR HOUSE, HOW DO WE,
[00:35:01]
HOW MUCH CAN, CAN THIS COUNTY AFFORD TO SPEND WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY'S ACTIVITIES, UH, THAT WE ARE CHARGED WITH, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AND GENERAL OPERATIONS BEING GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS BEING TO A LARGER ONE? UH, THOUGHTS ON THAT? I THINK THE QUESTION BECOMES, IF, IF THE GENERAL FUND DOESN'T TAKE 15, NO, WELL, IT'D BE 15 MILLION MINUS THE SIX THAT WE'VE EASILY IDENTIFIED, BUT THE REMAINDER COMING FROM GENERAL FUND BALANCE, CAN WE BE ASSURED THAT WE'RE GONNA GET THAT MONEY BACK THROUGH INTEREST, WHICH WE CAN ASSUME WE'RE GONNA GET SOME, BUT, UM, THROUGH PROFFERS, THROUGH, UM, ANYTHING THAT WE'RE COUNTING ON COMING IN, KNOWING THE WAY THE ECONOMY'S GONNA BE.SO THE QUESTION BECOMES IF THE COUNTY DOESN'T FULLY FUND THE 15.7 MILLION DIFFERENCE, CAN THE SCHOOLS STILL BE BUILT? I MEAN, I KNOW YOU HAVE A CONTRACT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU WITH A NUMBER THAT YOU ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, I GUESS NEED TO SIGN TODAY, BUT, OR WHEN THIS IS APPROVED, BUT I DON'T, I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK THE COUNTY CAN AFFORD TO FUND THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
I MEAN, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM GENERAL FUND BALANCE, WHICH WOULD DEPLETE IT IN A MAJOR WAY.
SO I THINK THE PROJECT DOES NEED TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT, UM, WE'LL HAVE TO, WE'LL HAVE TO COME UP WITH SACRIFICES.
WHAT OTHER PROJECTS ARE GONNA, WHAT OTHER PROJECTS ARE GONNA NOT HAPPEN THAT, THAT GETS US BACK TO ALLOCATION RESOURCES.
AND UM, UH, THE HIGHER THE PRICE TAG ON THIS, THE MORT ABSORBS FINANCIAL STRENGTH FROM THE COUNTY, THE MORE PRESSURE IT PUTS ON EITHER COMPROMISING OTHER AREAS IN THE COUNTY AND OR UPWARD PRESSURE ON THE TAXES.
UM, SO, SO WITHIN THAT, SOMEWHERE THERE IS A, A LIMIT WHERE YOU SAY, NOW WE'RE STARTING TO, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY FAT TO BEGIN WITH, NOW WE'RE CUTTING MUSCLE.
SO, SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS BECOMES WHERE ARE THOSE LIMITS? WHAT IS SO, SO, SO FAR WHAT WE'RE HEARING PROJECT COST OF 56, WE'VE ALREADY APPROPRIATED 40, SO DELTA'S 15.
SO HOW MUCH THAT 15 CAN THE COUNTY ABSORB BEFORE IT STARTS TO PUT IT STARTS TO COMPROMISE INTO OUR FINANCIAL CREDIT RATING AND TRIPLE A, WHICH WE DON'T WANT TO COMPROMISE FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, UM, COMPROMISE PUBLIC SAFETY, LENGTH OF RESPONSE TIMES, PUT HOUSES ON FIRE OR IN YOUR HOUSE, UM, HOW FAR, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THOSE LIMITS WHERE IT STARTS TO PUT PRESSURE ON THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, UM, THAT MAY BECOME KIND RED LINES IN THE SAND.
SO, SO ON THIS MATRIX, UM, WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO IDENTIFY ARE KIND OF SPOOL RELATED OR DEDICATED OR SCHOOLS TYPE FUNDING RESOURCES THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE THAT WOULD NOT BE DRAWING ON THOSE OTHER SECTORS, UH, FIRE RESCUER SHERIFF OR GENERAL OPERATIONS, OR THAT THEY'RE MORE DEDICATED TOWARDS SCHOOLS TO BEGIN WITH.
AND YOU SEE A LIST OF KIND OF SCHOOL RELATED RESOURCES OR SOURCES OF FUNDING TO TRY TO HELP CLOSE THAT GAP.
UM, ONE IS THE INAPPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF 1 MILLION, LITTLE OVER 1 MILLION THAT WAS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE ORIGINAL DEAL.
AND THAT'S, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR SCHOOLS TO BEGIN WITH.
UM, WE TALK ABOUT A PORTION OF THE PREMIUM.
UM, THE 9 MILLION PREMIUM IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND SCHOOL PROJECTS, EITHER ONE.
AND WHAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT YET IS THERE'S ANOTHER PROJECT THAT'S PART OF THAT 15 MILLION OF FUNDING, WHICH WAS A, A FIREHOUSE FOR 8 MILLION OR AT LEAST PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, UH, EXPENDITURES OF 8 MILLION.
THOSE BIDS HAVEN'T COME IN YET.
AND IF WE GET THE SAME KIND OF 40% INCREASE IN BIDS, UH, YOU MAY BE LOOKING AT AS MUCH AS 3 MILLION ARE REQUIRED, UM, TO JUST HAVE A SIMILAR, YOU KNOW, PRICE INCREASE AS WE'VE SEEN TO THE SCHOOL SIDE.
AND SO OUT OF THAT NINE YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, IF THERE'S THREE OVER HERE, THERE'S SIX AVAILABLE OVER HERE, BUT YOU HIT TO FIVE PRETTY EASILY.
SO YOU SEE 5 MILLION THERE AS A, AS AN INITIAL THOUGHT OF, OF THE BOND PREMIUM THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATELY VIEWED AS SCHOOLS RELATED, IF YOU WILL.
UH, POTENTIAL EARNINGS, UH, ON THE BONDS, THAT MILLION TWO 50, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THAT IS THE POTENTIAL INTEREST EARNINGS ON THE SCHOOL'S PORTION OF THAT 50 MILLION BOND ISSUE.
SO IT'S NOT TAKING INTEREST OR ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY BONDS, BUT ON SCHOOLS BONDS.
SO THAT COULD PROB PROBABLY BE VIEWED AS AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOLS, UH, SINCE IT'S FRUIT FROM THE, THE SCHOOLS' FUNDING TREE, UH, SCHOOLS PROFFERS, OTHER DEDICATED TOWARDS SCHOOLS ANYWAY, AS PROFFERS COME IN WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN THE POTENTIAL VALUE ENGINEERING, WHICH I GUESS HAS BEEN, UH, ARRIVED AT THROUGH DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SCHOOLS OF, THERE'S POTENTIALLY ANOTHER 611,000
[00:40:01]
OR SO THERE COULD BE POTENTIALLY ACHIEVED THROUGH VALUE ENGINEERING THE PROJECT.SO, SO AGAIN, I COME AT THOSE AS MOSTLY GENERALLY SCHOOL DEDICATED OR RELATED RESOURCES THAT WOULDN'T IMPACT NECESSARILY OR DRAW ON POTENTIAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
SO THAT CLOSES, UH, A PORTION OF, OF THE FUNDING GAP.
UH, THEN THAT KIND OF EXHAUSTS ALL THE SCHOOL RELATED DEDICATED RESOURCES.
SO NOW WE START TO BEGIN TO WANDER INTO PULLING SHARED RESOURCES THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE FOR OTHER AREAS IN THE COUNTY.
AND A LIST OF FEW OF THOSE HERE, UH, THERE'S INITIAL 4 MILLION REMAINING ON THE BOTTOM PREMIUM.
UH, THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE FOR EITHER PUBLIC SAFETY OR SCHOOLS.
AND IF IT'S PULLED INTO THE SCHOOLS PROJECT, IT'S PULLED AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COST OVERRUNS OR POTENTIAL COST OVERRUNS.
BUT THAT'D BE A SHARED RESOURCE, IF YOU WILL, THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE.
UH, CBTA TRANSPORTATION FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR TRANSPORTATION ROADS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UM, OF WHICH THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE SCHOOLS WOULD BE A ROAD IMPROVEMENT IN THE COUNTY.
SO IT WOULD BE PROPERLY AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOLS OR OTHER PROJECTS.
AND TO EXTENT IT'S SPENT ON SCHOOLS THAT IT'S NOT FILLING POTHOLES AND DOING ROAD CONSTRUCTION ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTY.
UM, AND THERE'D BE LIST 2 MILLION HERE AS, AS A PORTION OF THAT CBTA FUNDS.
THE NEXT ONE IS A, UH, A PORTION OF THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE.
AND THIS IS OUR, OUR RESERVES.
UM, WE'VE DEDICATED, UM, A SMALL PART OF THOSE RESERVES TOWARD INFLATION EFFECTS ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, CMB PROJECTS.
AND SO THIS, THIS IS AN INFLATION IMPACT ON A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, BUT IT COULD GO TO ANY INFLATION ON ANY CAPITAL PROJECT FOR THE COUNTY.
SO TO EXTENT IT'S PULLED TOWARDS SCHOOLS THAT'S PULLED AWAY FROM THE GENERAL USE.
SO IT'S A SHARED RESOURCE, BUT IT COULD BE PROPERLY VIEWED AS AVAILABLE IF WE NEEDED TO.
IF YOU WENT WITH ALL OF THOSE SHARED RESOURCES BEING PULLED AWAY FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY, YOU BASICALLY COVERED THE ENTIRE SHORTFALL OF 15 MILLION WITH ABOUT A 30,000 OR SO SHORTFALL REMAINING.
THAT'S WHAT THIS MATRIX KIND OF WAS ATTEMPTING TO SHOW, UM, THE EASY PULL AS MONEY IS DEDICATED TOWARDS SCHOOLS ANYWAY, PROFFERS AND SUCH, UH, A LITTLE MORE CONTROVERSIAL PULLS, SHARED RESOURCES THEY COULD BE USED ELSEWHERE THAN BEING TOWARDS THE SCHOOL PROJECT.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE KIND OF DRAW THE LINE OF DEPLETING THE PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES AND, AND COMPROMISING PUBLIC SAFETY CAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY NOT APPROPRIATE.
UM, IF, IF WE DID THIS, IT, IT BASICALLY PULLS ALMOST ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES.
RILEY'S COMMENTS THAT WE WILL DEFINITELY STICK TO THIS NUMBER, UM, IN ALL DUE RESPECT TO HAVEN'T HEARD THAT BEFORE, BUT IF WE DID, IF WE DID NOT FOR WHATEVER REASON STICK TO THIS NUMBER, IT'S NOT A LOT OF, UH, OTHER GO TO HERE.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'VE PULLED ALL THE DEBT, THE SCHOOL RESOURCES, A LOT OF THE SHARED RESOURCES, THERE'S NOTHING LEFT ON COMPROMISING SOME OF THE COUNTY ACTIVITIES.
SO THE CONSTRUCTION RISK AND THE GO FORWARD RISK IF WE PULL THE TRIGGER IS MORE PRONOUNCED BECAUSE WE HAVE LESS OF A SHOCK AND CONTROL BURN SYSTEM HERE, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
UM, SO NOW THAT I'VE KIND OF FRAMED WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US, UH, THE, THE DEBATE AND DIALOGUE AND DISCUSSION IS AROUND WHICH, IF ANY OF THESE, UH, RESOURCES ARE APPROPRIATE TO, TO LOOK AT TO, TO FUND THE SHORTFALL ON THE SCHOOLS.
UM, AND WITH THAT AS A SETUP AND A FRAME, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 15 OR 16 MINUTES LEFT.
SO, UM, I'M JUST PLAYING REFEREE HERE AND I'VE KIND FRAMED THE ISSUES NOW HAVE SOME DISCUSSION.
IF, UM, IF WE BEGAN IMMEDIATELY, WHEN WOULD WE BE EXPECTED TO OPEN? CURRENTLY WE'RE ON TRACK TO OPEN AUGUST, 2024 WITH A NOTICE TO PROCEED, UH, NO LATER THAN JANUARY THE 13TH.
I MEAN, I, I STRESS THAT BECAUSE WE WE'RE DEALING WITH TWO YEARS OF BUDGET CYCLES HERE.
AND, AND THAT IS SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND IS IT'S, I I'D LOVE TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT SOLVE IT IMMEDIATELY.
SOMETIMES GROWNUPS PUT ON THE BIG BOY PANTS AND THEY SAY, WE'RE GONNA FIGURE THIS OUT OVER THE COURSE OF TWO MORE BUDGET CYCLES.
CAUSE WE HAVEN'T EVEN ENTERED IN 2023.
AND SO I, I JUST THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND.
I I WISH IT WERE A POINT IN TIME AND WE COULD, COULD SAY TODAY IS THE DAY THAT WE SOLVE THIS, BUT, UM, THIS, THIS MATRIX IS, GIVES ME HOPE AS, AS WE'VE GOT A POTENTIAL SOLUTION TODAY.
BUT WE'RE GONNA SEE, WE'RE GONNA SEE EMPLOYERS, WE'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF DATA IN THE NEXT QUARTER.
EMPLOYERS ADJUSTING IN, UH, UH, PAY NUMBERS, THAT'S TAX REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY.
[00:45:01]
TO CONSIDER ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE UNKNOWNS RIGHT NOW THAT WE, THAT CAN SH WE CAN HAVE A LIGHT SHINED UPON THEM IN THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AND SAY, OH WOW, THAT IT COVERED A GAP.I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S GONNA COVER THE ENTIRE GAP, BUT I I I HATE TO GO BLIND INTO THIS AND, AND ALSO I DON'T WANT TO CONSIDER THIS AS A A ONE YEAR THING CAUSE IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST NOT, I MEAN COSTS ARE GONNA GO ACROSS MULTIPLE YEARS AND UH, AND WE HAVE TIME AS A BOARD TO FIGURE THOSE OUT.
UM, JUST CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
UM, CLARIFICATION, THIS CONSTRUCTION CYCLE WILL BEGIN VIRTUALLY IMMEDIATELY.
WHICH WE DO THE SECOND HALF OF THE CURRENT BUDGET AND THEN, OKAY, THAT'S, I'M GETTING EDUCATED EVERY DAY.
SO CONSTRUCTION STARTS IN JANUARY.
WE DON'T START THE NEXT BUDGET UNTIL JUNE.
SO WE'RE SIX MONTHS IN, THEN THERE'S BASICALLY 12 MONTHS FROM SIX 30 AND THEN YOU'RE AT AUGUST OF 24TH.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST ONE BUDGET SITE.
JUST, UM, A COUPLE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
SO WHEN WE SAY THE ADDITIONAL PREMIUM FUNDS, THAT WILL TAKE UP ALL OF THE PREMIUM FUNDS, IS THAT CORRECT OR, UH, LET ME JUST CLARIFICATION.
IF WE LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS CHART, UM, IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T COMPLETELY COMPLETE THE SHARED RESOURCES.
IT COMPLETELY DEPLETES THE SCHOOL DEDICATED RESOURCES.
BUT AT THE BOTTOM YOU SEE REMAINING PREMIUM BOND FUNDS 9 65 F BE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY PROJECT.
THE INITIAL REMAINDER OF THE GENERAL FUND BALANCED RESERVES THAT FOR, FOR CIP INFLATION THAT ALSO WOULD BE AVAILABLE POTENTIALLY FOR THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO YOU'VE GOT MAYBE 1,000,000,005 IF YOU ADD THOSE TWO TOGETHER OUT OF WHAT COULD BE A $3 MILLION, UH, COST INCREASE IF YOU LOSE THE SAME PERCENTAGE AS SCHOOLS.
SO IT'S NOT AS MUCH AS YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE SET ASIDE, BUT IT DOESN'T COMPLETELY COMPLETE THEM.
THE LAST ONE, THE CBTA FUNDS ARE OUR SOME REMAINING FUNDS BECAUSE, UH, UH, THE AMOUNT OF ABOVE THE 2 MILLION IS FULLY FUNDS THE TRANSPORTATION ROADS RELATED PART OF THE PROJECT ONLY PORTION.
SO THERE IS SOME REMAINING CBTA FUNDS.
SO BOTTOM LINE IS AT THE BOTTOM THERE YOU SEE THE REMAINING SHARED RESOURCES TO COVER PUBLIC SAFETY COST OVER, WE DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO COMPLETE THE COMPLETE AND SHARE RESOURCES EITHER SINCE THE BEING CROSSED OVER AND WE DO NEED THE FIREHOUSE IN CASE PEOPLE'S HOUSES ARE ON FIRE.
SO, AND THAT'S SO JUST AGAIN, I I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND JUST FOR, SO I'M CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT 965,000, THAT'S THE REST OF THE BOND, BUT, SO THERE'S NOT ANOTHER SET ASIDE FROM PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS BECAUSE THERE'S A, I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE ARE, ARE AWARE CAUSE IT'S FUNNY HOW SUDDEN OUR TENURE HAS RISEN THROUGH STAFF CHANGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE REASON THE COURTHOUSE IS ON THE LIST, IT'S CAUSE THAT'S EVEN OLD THAN THE SCHOOL.
AND THE JUDGE HAS SAID IF HE DOESN'T BUILD IT, IF WE DON'T BUILD A COURTHOUSE, HE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO COME IN AND MANDATE THAT WE BUILD A COURTHOUSE.
AND OUR JUDGE HAS BEEN VERY PATIENT WITH US.
UM, IF YOU TALK TO FOLKS, UM, WILL BE RECOGNIZING ONE OF THEM IN A LATER MEETING AND YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO PROTECT THEMSELVES SO THAT THERE IS A NEED THERE.
AND SO I STRUGGLE WITH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA RUN INTO A SIMILAR SITUATION, SO, AND IF, IF WE WERE TO DEPLETE THESE FUNDS, WHAT DOES THAT MESSAGE THAT SEND TO THE JUDGE THAT WE WE CONTINUE TO KICK THAT CAN DOWN THE ROAD UNTIL HE'S NOT GONNA LET US KICK THAT CAN ANYMORE.
THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO, UM, THE FIRST GOD REFERENDUM WAS FOR 96 MILLION LEVEL LESS THAN A HUNDRED OF THAT WE ISSUED 50 MILLION.
BUT NONE OF THAT WAS, UH, INTENDED TO BE USED FOR THE NEW COURTHOUSE.
THE SECOND ROUND OF ISSUING BOMBS, THE OTHER 46 MILLION WOULD BE THE ROUND TO FUND THE NEW COURTHOUSE.
THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE BO PREMIUM ASSOCIATED WITH THAT 46 FOR COST OVERRUNS.
IT MAY NEED TO ISSUE A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF BOND TO GO BACK WITH ANOTHER REFERENDUM FOR INCREASED FUNDING.
BUT, BUT THIS FIRST ROUND OF THIS BOND PREVIOUSLY HERE WAS REALLY TOWARD, TOWARD THE S NOW IT, IT, IT COULD BE USED TOWARD COURTHOUSE BUT IT REALLY WASN'T.
THAT'S, AND THAT'S HE'S EVEN MORE OF, I'LL MOVE ON FROM THE COURTHOUSE.
SO WHY DO WE HAVE A FIREHOUSE? IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE SAID THAT WE IS OUR GOAL.
[00:50:01]
THIS BOARD WANTS TO KEEP GO IN THE WORLD AND WE KEEP GO IN THE WORLD BY FOCUSING OUR RESOURCES WHERE WE HAVE UTILITIES WITH THAT.SO WE HAVE SEEN TREMENDOUS PRESSURE ON WHAT YOU SAID.
WE SEE TREMENDOUS PRESSURE ON, ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, I LOOK AT AVERY POINT AND IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A MARVEL.
WHAT THAT'S, AND THAT THE PRESSURE THAT'S GONNA PUT ON.
AGAIN, WE ARE, THIS IS LOOKING MUCH, MUCH, MUCH BETTER.
CUZ TO ME THIS IS, THIS IS MORE THAN JUST MAYBE AN EXTRA SHERIFF DEPUTY OR AN EXTRA FULL-TIME, UH, PERSON.
THIS IS, THIS IS PART OF, THIS IS NOT JUST ADDITIONAL PEOPLE, THIS IS PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO.
SO CLOSING WELL, AND IT'S GOOD COMMENT.
WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M HEARING IS OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A DRIFT HIGHER IN THE, UM, ADMS WHATEVER THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THERE'S BEEN A DRIFT HIGHER, BUT THERE'S BEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF AMBULANCE RUNS, FIRE RESCUE RUNS, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY DEMANDS HAVE GONE, YOU KNOW, SKYROCKETED WITH INCREASED POPULATION.
AND WE'VE MANAGED TO KEEP PACE FOR THAT AND KEPT OUR RESPONSE TIMES DOWN BY ADDING RESOURCES, UH, IN PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, TO ACCOMMODATE THAT INCREASE IN DEMAND.
SO THERE HASN'T BEEN A, A FALL OFF IN QUALITY OF SERVICE.
THERE'S BEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR SERVICES.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING THIS, THIS OTHER, UH, UH, FIREHOUSE.
UM, SO YEAH, NO, WE CAN'T LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THERE IS A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN DEMAND AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A GAP OF COVERAGE OR QUALITY DETERIORATION.
AND THAT'S WHY THE DEDICATION RESOURCES, SO WE CAN'T COMPROMISE THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
THAT'S, AND AND I THINK THAT THE POINT, UM, AGAIN, THAT YOU WERE MAKING IS THAT UPON ISSUANCE OF THE SECOND BOND, WE WOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL, IF NOT THE REALITY OF GETTING A PREMIUM WITH IT AS WELL, WHICH COULD THEN BE USED TOWARDS ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT BOND ISSUING.
SO, SO BACK TO THE COURTHOUSE ISSUE, I THINK THAT THE COURTHOUSE IS, IS MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE SET OF PROBLEMS THAT WE WILL BE DEALING WITH, UH, IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY AFFECT, UH, THE FIRE ITSELF.
UM, AS, AS WE LOOKED AT THE FUNDS THAT WE CAME UP WITH AS POSSIBLE SOURCES AND, AND CARL'S CONCERN IS, IS VERY WELL NOTED.
UM, HAVING SAID THAT, THESE ARE ALL FUNDS THAT WERE INTENDED TO BE SPENT ON PROJECTS.
SO, SO THESE ARE NOT FUNDS THAT WERE INTENDED AND, AND, BUT THEY'RE NOT DEDICATED TO ANY SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
SO WE'RE NOT TAKING AWAY IN THE 7 MILLION FUNDING FROM AN EXISTING PROJECT THAT WILL NOT BE FUNDED, BUT WE ARE IDENTIFYING FUNDS THAT WE INTENDED TO SPEND AS OPPOSED TO FUNDS IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT WE USE AS OUR CASH RESERVE OR AS WE USE AS THE NECESSARY CUSHION IN BAD DOWN TIMES.
WE, WE INTENDED TO, WE HAVE TO SPEND PREMIUM FUNDS ON SOMETHING.
UM, THE CVT IF WE'RE NOT SPENDING IT ON SOMETHING THAT'S BAD ON US, AND WE SET ASIDE THE 1.6 MILLION TO SPEND ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
SO THE, THE, THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS WILL NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO, TO OPERATE THE COUNTY AS AN ORGANIZATION.
NOW THAT'S A WHOLE SEPARATE DISCUSSION IS WHAT THE NEW BUDGET'S GONNA LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THE ECONOMY'S GONNA DO TO THAT.
BUT THESE ARE NOT FUNDS THAT WE WOULD NECESSARILY IDENTIFY TO RUN THE COUNTY OPERATIONALLY.
AGAIN, THESE WERE CONSTRUCTION IN TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS, CONSTRUCTION MONEY, HARD ONE TIME DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE SPENT THERE.
UM, SO AS, AS IF, IF YOU WANT A SENSE OF BY IF, IF YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND THOSE FUNDS, WILL IT NEGATIVELY AFFECT US SPENDING THESE FUNDS IN AND OF THEMSELVES WOULD NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT US? THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION OVER WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE IN JULY 1ST WITH THE BUDGET, WITH THE ECONOMY AND WITH WHATEVER HAPPENS, IT COMES DOWN FROM WASHINGTON AND FROM RICHMOND TO US AND, AND THE ESCALATING COSTS.
WE JUST FOUND OUT TODAY THAT INSURANCE COSTS WENT UP ANOTHER 30% ON US, UM, AS WE, AS WE TRY TO GET THIS BUDGET FULL, BUT WE WOULDN'T USE THESE FUNDS TO BALANCE THAT PART OF THE BUDGET ANYWAY.
UM, IT GETS SO, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THE DISCUSSION ON WHEN AND IF YOU KNOW NOW YOU NOW YOU LOOK AT HOW, UM, I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT, THAT THESE ARE FUNDS THAT THOUGH THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO BE SPENT, IT STILL GOES BACK TO WHAT IS ACTUALLY SPENT.
AND IF A COST IS NOT INCURRED, THEN THE MONEY IS NOT SPENT.
THEREFORE, I THINK THERE'D BE AN EXPECTATION THAT THESE ARE THE LAST DOLLARS SPENT ON A PROJECT.
UH, AND SO THAT IF THE COST, IF THE BUDGET DOES COME IN UNDER BUDGET, THAT THESE FUNDS ARE NEVER TAPPED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR OTHER PROJECTS THAT THE CANDIDATE WOULD IDENTIFY.
[00:55:01]
WITH, UH, DR.RELEY, I, I HAVE, HAVE ASKED AND, AND INDICATED MY DESIRE TO BE PART OF AND MY STAFF BE PART OF, UM, THEIR ONGOING PROCESS, UM, TO, TO BE REPRESENTED AT THE, THE MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS, ESPECIALLY WHERE IT COMES INTO THE FINANCE TO ENSURE THAT THAT THERE IS, UM, THAT LEVEL OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ENSURE THAT THAT, THAT OUR KEEN INTEREST IN ENSURING THAT THIS BUDGET IS BROUGHT IN AS TIGHT AS IT CAN IS IS ALWAYS PART THERE, PART OF THE PROCESS BECAUSE WE ARE A TEAM, WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO I WILL SAY THAT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY TO, TO ASSURE THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY THAT, UH, THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, IF THIS EVENT, IF THIS PROJECT GOES FORWARD, WE'LL BE WORKING TOGETHER AS ONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT WASTING MONEY AND, AND I DON'T USE THAT WORD IMPLY CRITICISM, BUT THE MONEY IS NOT SPENT THAT COULD BE SOME OTHER WAY FOUND TO AVOID SPENT IN THE MONEY.
UM, SO I SAY ALL THAT IN THE SENSE THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH I I I THINK THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY SAVE MONEY IF WE PUT IT BACK OUT BID.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'D SAVED ENOUGH MONEY TO JUSTIFY DELAYING IT THE YEAR IF WE GO FORWARD WITH, WITH THIS, THESE ARE NOT FUNDS THAT I BELIEVE WOULD NEGATIVELY AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO OPERATE AS AN ORGANIZATION.
I THINK OF THAT SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT YOU COULD HAVE THIS WATERFALL USE SCHOOL DEDICATED FUNDS FIRST OBVIOUSLY BEFORE YOU PULL SHARE RESOURCES.
AND THEN IF, IF FOR SOME REASON WE GET ALL THE WAY DOWN AND EXHAUST ALL OF THIS, UM, UH, IF THERE'S CONSTRUCTION RISK INVOLVED WITH THE CONTRACTOR DOESN'T COMPLETE THE PROJECT AND WALKS AWAY, OR IF WE RUN INTO BEDROCK AND WE NEED TO DYNAMITE AND WE, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SURPRISES IF YOU WILL IN THIS NUMBER.
TURNS OUT NOT TO BE TRUSTWORTHY.
UM, THERE'S JUST NOT A LOT OF BUFFER HERE BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE, WE'RE DRAWING ALL THE SCHOOL'S RESOURCES AND PULLING SHARED RESOURCES AND THEN YOU KIND OF RUN OUT BEFORE THE KNIFE HITS THE BONE.
SO THAT'S A CONCERN IS THAT, UH, IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT'S, IF MURPHY'S LAW HASN'T BEEN REPEALED, WHATEVER CAN'T GO WRONG, WILL, UM, AND THAT NUMBER TURNS OUT NOT TO BE TRUSTWORTHY.
WE'RE TRYING TO NAIL GEL TO THE WALL.
UM, WHAT'S OUR PLAN B OR WHAT'S OUR CONTINUENCY PLAN? WHAT IF, AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO HAVE WHAT WE WANT THIS THEN THAT IF THIS AND THAT HAVE SOME LAYERS OF, UM, AND, AND I WOULD LIKE TO PUT ONE MORE CAVEAT TO THAT.
UM, IF THE BOARD APPROVES ANY DOLLAR AMOUNT, THAT DOES NOT STOP US PARALLEL TRYING TO FIND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
FOR EXAMPLE, COULD WE MAYBE GET PRIVATE SECTOR TO HELP BUILD THE PLAYGROUND AND DO ALL THAT.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT STOPS US IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO FIND OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE THAT, THAT MAY COME OUR WAY, THAT THAT WOULD REDUCE OUR OUT OF, IT MAY NOT REDUCE THE COST, BUT IT WOULD REDUCE OUR OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WHICH I BELIEVE WOULD ALSO BE A VENTURE CERTAINLY TO, TO MYSELF AND I THINK THE BOARD AND TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO SEE OTHER, OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE IN ADDITION TO WHATEVER WE'RE IDENTIFIED COULD BE.
IT COULD BE AGAIN, A PRIVATE SECTOR, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? PRIVATE SECTOR.
MAY, MAY WANT TO BUILD A PLAYGROUND, PUT THEIR NAME ON IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN HAVE ENDING RIGHTS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WELL THERE IS THAT CTE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY KEEP BRINGING UP.
UM, ANYWAY, UM, THOSE ARE VERY, VERY GOOD COMMENTS.
UM, WE'RE RUNNING ALMOST OUT OF TIME UNLESS WE GO INTO EXTRA INNINGS HERE AND I'M REALLY TRYING TO RESIST THAT.
UM, COMMENTS FROM SCHOOLS AND THEN WE'LL TAKE SOME CITIZEN COMMENTS AND THEN WE'LL TRY TO WRAP IT UP WITH THE CONSENSUS.
ANYTHING, UH, REBUTTAL OR ANYTHING FROM SCHOOLS THAT, UH, CAME UP IN THE FUNDING SIDE OF THIS? A COUPLE THINGS.
REAFFIRMING OUR COMMITMENT TO MICROMANAGING THE PROJECT AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH COUNTY STAFF.
THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE CHOOSE TO GO.
CAUSE THIS IS CERTAINLY SIGNIFICANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND WE'VE DONE THAT TO DATE AND WANNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UM, DEVELOPMENT SINCE THE LAST TIME WE WERE TOGETHER ON THE 29TH OF NOVEMBER, IS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT, $2,100 IN VALUE ENGINEERING AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
AND IF WE CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD, THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL REDUCTION IN THE CONTRACT PRICE.
SO WE ARE NOW NEARLY $700,000 IN VALUE ENGINEERING SINCE WE RECEIVED THE BID ON NOVEMBER THE 17TH.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES, UH, SHOULD THIS PROJECT MOVE FORWARD.
WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT FLOORING RIGHT NOW.
I FEEL THAT THERE MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
WE JUST WANT TO TOUCH AND FIELD THE FLOORING.
WE WANT TO HAVE CONVERSATION WITH THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY USING THE FLOORING BEFORE WE MAKE A A DECISION THERE.
WE DON'T WANNA MAKE A SHORTSIGHTED DECISION THERE AS WELL.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, DIRECT PURCHASE PROGRAM AND SEE IF THAT WOULD BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST AS WELL.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO FIND WAYS TO ULTIMATELY REDUCE THE OVERALL COST OF THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
[01:00:01]
ON A COUPLE THINGS REAL QUICK.FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST REITERATE THE GENERAL SUPPORT THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.
UM, WHEN THIS, IF AND WHEN THIS SCHOOL DOES GET DONE, WE HAVE A, WE WANT IT TO BE SOMETHING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY CAN BE PROUD OF.
WE DON'T WANT TO CUT COURTS TO THE POINT WE'RE USING CORRUGATED AND WE, WE WANT IT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL ENDURE AND LAST AND SOMETHING THAT IS QUALITY.
SO LET'S NOT LOSE THAT IN THIS PROCESS.
THE SECOND THING IS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED NOT ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK HERE, IS THAT THREE AND A HALF MILLION FOR THE H V A C.
WE DIDN'T GO THERE, ALSO NOT ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.
IS ANY OF YOUR FUTURE PROJECTS FOR CTE MOVING THE TECH CENTER, THE, THE WING FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL? NONE OF THAT'S ON THIS JOB BLOCK EITHER.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO FIND A WAY SOMEHOW TO GET EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT AND NEED TO EDUCATE OUR NEXT GENERATION.
SO THE GENERAL SUPPORT IS THERE AND THIS UNFORTUNATE REALITY OF AFFORDABILITY AND THINGS KIND OF, KIND OF CREEPS IN AND LIMITS WHAT, WHAT WE CAN DO AS FIDUCIARIES FOR THE COUNTY.
BUT JUST WANTED TO GENERALLY LET YOU KNOW IN HOPE SO THAT THAT WASN'T LOST ON YOU, THAT WE'RE, WE WOULD LIKE TO TRY AND GET THERE TO GET THE YES, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME CONSTRAINTS AND LIMITATIONS.
CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, I THINK CARLA ASKED A QUESTION.
I DIDN'T HEAR AN ANSWER WITH THE CONTRACT.
DOES IT REQUIRE THE FULL, YOU KNOW, 56 TIME COMMITMENT TODAY? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO ABLE MOVE FORWARD? YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S ULTIMATELY A DECISION THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL HAVE TO MAKE.
UH, I, I CERTAINLY CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT I WOULD THINK IT'D BE DIFFICULT TO SIGN A CONTRACT WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PROJECT WOULD BE COMPLETED WITH THE FULL, FULL AMOUNT OF DOING THE PROJECT.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME, ULTIMATELY SOME RISKS THERE.
UM, THAT'S A DECISION THAT THEY WOULD'VE TO MAKE AND ULTIMATELY PENDING WHAT HAPPENS THIS EVENING, WE'LL CONSIDER THAT AT THEIR BOARD MEETING NEXT TUESDAY.
BUT I THINK THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME RISKS SIGNING THE CONTRACT WITHOUT KNOWING THAT THE FULL APPROPRIATION WOULD BE THERE TO, SO ALL OR NOTHING, AGAIN, IT'S RISK MANAGEMENT.
I WOULD, I WOULD THINK THEY WOULD BE VERY HESITANT.
SO GIVE ME APPROVAL TO SIGN A CONTRACT WITHOUT FULL FUNDING.
APPRECIATE THAT THE CONTRACT HAS, YOU KNOW, 45, 5, 99, WHATEVER FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND, AND THAT'S, AND THEN THERE'S ONLY ABOUT, WHAT IS IT, 5%, UH, KIND GUARANTEE ON THAT.
SO FOR INTERRUPTION OR, BUT WE WON'T GET INTO DETAILS OF THE CONTRACT.
THAT'S UP TO YOU GUYS TO HANDLE THAT.
UM, WE, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT LITTLE TIME WE ALREADY USED UP IN OVERTIME.
UH, I WANTED TO GIVE THE CITIZENS A, A CHANCE TO, TO WEIGH IN.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT THESE ONE OR TWO.
UM, CITIZENS LIKE TO WEIGH IN OR COMMENT ON ANY OF WHAT YOU'VE HEARD.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK I'M SEEING DONE HERE.
I MEAN THIS, I I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER COUNTIES DO AND THEY MAY WORK THROUGH THESE PROCESSES AND MAYBE THEY DON'T, BUT, BUT JUST AS A CITIZEN, UM, I I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE WHAT I'M SEEING THAT SAID, UM, MY MOTHER SAID, WE, I WAS YOUNG, SHE SAID SHE'D RATHER HAVE ONE GOOD DRESS IN HER CLOSET THAN THREE SHODDY ONES.
SHE THOUGHT QUALITY WAS IMPORTANT.
MY QUESTION THOUGH IS CAN YOU BUILD A SCHOOL FOR 40 MILLION THAT WOULD HOUSE 600 STUDENTS? YES, YES OR NO QUESTION.
CAN YOU BUILD A SCHOOL FOR 40 MILLION THAT WOULD HOUSE 600 CITIES? AND IF YOU CAN, THEN WE GO TO THOSE EXTERIOR RESOURCES.
MY OLDEST SON WANTED TO GO TO COLLEGE.
HE DID, GOT ACCEPTED TO WILLIAM MARY GOOD SCHOOL.
HE HAD HIS HEART SET ON A SCHOOL UP IN NEW JERSEY CALLED DREW, $20,000 A YEAR DIFFERENCE.
YOU'RE MY FOURTH BORN, WILLIAM AND MARY IS IN YOUR FUTURE IF YOU, IF YOU CAN'T COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVE FUNDING, HE WAS A FREE MARKET AGENT AND HE GOT SCHOLARSHIPS AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
HE IS A GRADUATE OF DREW UNIVERSITY, BUT THE BUDGET WAS OUR 5 29 PLAN.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED TO EDUCATE HIM.
WILLIAM, WHEN MARY'S A GOOD SCHOOL, HE'D HAVE GOTTEN A GOOD EDUCATION THERE.
HE WENT AND FOUND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PAY $20,000 A YEAR MORE, NOT OUTTA HIS POCKET, NOT OF A BARGE.
SO CAN WE BUILD A SCHOOL FOR $40 MILLION AND HOW 600 STUDENTS? YES, AND NO QUESTION.
I'M NOT LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER, BUT I CAN THINK THE ANSWER IS YES.
SO NOW HOW DO WE GET THAT EXTRA 15,000 BECAUSE 15 MILLION THANK YOU CITIZEN COM
UM, BECAUSE I DO THINK WE HAVE TRUST WITH THE CITIZENS OUT THERE.
[01:05:01]
PASSAGE OF THE BONDS AND WE SAID, THIS ISN'T GOING TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE.THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY NEEDS.
AND IF IT'S PERCEIVED AS A SLIGHT OF HAND, I, I DON'T THINK THAT BODES WELL FOR THE FUTURE.
I DON'T SEE A LIGHT FLASHING, BUT I DON'T WANNA STOP.
ANYWAY, ANY UH, ANY THOUGHTS? JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND I'M GLAD I DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION.
ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FORBEARANCE AND GOING OVER A LITTLE BIT IN TIME, BUT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND I THOUGHT IT WAS, UH, WORTHY OF THE TIME WE SPENT.
AND, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING TIME IN YOUR SCHEDULES TO BE HERE TODAY FOR DELIVERY.
UM, I KNOW THIS IS GROUPS COUNTY AND WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE SPECIALIZE IN HERE, BUT, UH, IT'S NOT AN EASY ASK.
UH, I DON'T THINK IT WAS EASY FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO COME BACK AND DO THAT ASK, UM, AND HAVE REVISED NUMBERS.
UM, IT'S NOT EASY FOR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO TRY TO FIGURE THIS OUT, BUT WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER WITH OPEN MINDS AND, AND OPEN HEARTS AND WORKING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTY AND ITS CITIZENS AND, UH, WHATEVER THE ANSWER IS.
AND THERE MAY BE MULTIPLE OPINIONS AS WE LEAVE THE ROOM, BUT, UH, I APPRECIATE THE WAY THE DIALOGUE AND THE FREE MARKET OF IDEAS WAS EXCHANGED AND WHAT I'LL CONSIDER TO BE A SAFE SPACE.
IT DIDN'T BECOME EMOTIONAL, PERSONAL AND SOMETIMES IT CAN GO THAT WAY.
UH, BUT THE TWO BOARDS CONTINUE TO WORK REALLY WELL TOGETHER.
AND CITIZEN SAID, I'M NOT SURE HOW IT DOES IN OTHER COUNTIES.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT OTHER COUNTIES DON'T WORK MAYBE QUITE AS WELL.
SO MAYBE DO SOME, MAYBE YOU DON'T.
BUT I JUST FEEL BLESSED WE'RE IN THIS COUNTY WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS BRONX WITH, UH, THAT SAID, I WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THIS MEETING AND THANK EVERYBODY.