[00:01:08]
[I. 2:00 PM - Call to Order]
IS MY HONOR TO CALL TO ORDER THE FEBRUARY 21ST 2:00 PM SESSION OF THE GIN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.WE'LL BEGIN OUR SESSION WITH AN INVOCATION BY OUR OWN LISA BIZ AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY VICE CHAIR OF OTTERS.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS
[II. Invocation]
TIME TO GATHER TODAY.LORD, YOU SAY WE ARE TWO OR MORE ARE GATHERED.
SO WE KNOW YOU ARE HERE TODAY IN THIS PLACE AS WE PREPARE FOR THE BUSINESS AT HAND.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND TEAM HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO PREPARE A BUDGET THAT MEETS THE PURPOSE AND PLAN FOR THE BETTERMENT AND GROWTH OF OUR GUC COUNTY.
LORD, WE PRAY ESPECIALLY FOR THE CREASY FAMILY TODAY, WE ARE REMINDED AT DIFFICULT TIMES THAT BREATH OF LIFE IS GOLDEN.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THE CREASY FAMILY SAFE FROM HARM AND TO ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONDERS.
I ASK THAT YOU WOULD REST YOUR HAND UPON ALL HERE TODAY, GUIDE, DIRECT, AND PROTECT US.
[III. Pledge of Allegiance]
PLEASE BE SEATED.[IV. New Business]
OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW HOW, UM, HOW WELL MS. BIZ IN HER ROLE AS CLERK OF THE BOARD, UH, TAKES CARE OF US AND TO, TO START US OFF WITH, UH, PRAYER IS JUST AN EXTENSION OF THAT.UH, WE'RE GONNA GET RIGHT INTO THIS.
WE GOT A LOT OF BUSINESS TO DO IN GUTZON COUNTY.
SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, MR. CARPENTER AND HIS PRESENTATION OF THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2024 COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS PROPOSED BUDGET.
[1. 5646: Presentation of FY2024 County Administrator's Proposed Budget]
OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD STAFF, CITIZENS OF GUEN COUNTY.TODAY, I HAVE THE, THE HONOR OF THE PRIVILEGE OF PRESENTING TO YOU, UH, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
I WOULD TELL EVERYBODY, UH, AT HOME AND ALL CITIZENS THAT, UH, THIS BUDGET IS CURRENTLY POSTED ONLINE.
UH, IT IS ON THE GUCCI COUNTY WEBSITE, WWW DOT GLAND VA DO US.
SO YOU CAN FIND ALL THE DETAILS.
AND THIS PRESENTATION THAT I'LL BE GOING OVER TODAY AS WELL, I WANNA START BY GOING OVER THE PROCESS ITSELF.
AND THE PROCESS FOR A BUDGET IS AN ONGOING YEAR ROUND PROCESS.
WE START BY LISTENING, LISTENING TO OUR CITIZENS, LISTENING TO OUR BOARD, LISTENING TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
WE ACTUALLY BEGAN THE FORMAL PROCESS OF THIS BUDGET IN OCTOBER OF 2022.
AND FROM NOVEMBER THROUGH JANUARY, WE MET WITH ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
WE MET WITH OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, WE MET WITH OUR SCHOOLS.
WE HAD WORK SESSIONS WITH SCHOOLS, COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
WE DISCUSSED OUR C I P PROJECTS IN DETAIL.
WE'LL BE HAVING ANOTHER WORK SESSION WITH THIS BOARD ON THE C I P IN MARCH.
AND WE MET WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR PRIORITIES AND GOALS AS WELL.
BECAUSE WHEN ALL SAID AND DONE, A BUDGET IS A
[00:05:01]
TOOL.IT IS A TOOL TO CREATE CHANGE.
AND THE CHANGE IS THE CHANGE OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS ELECTED BY THE CITIZENS TO IMPLEMENT.
SO THIS BOARD IS A TOOL, I'M SORRY, THIS BUDGET IS A TOOL,
I'M NOT CALLING Y'ALL TOOLS,
SO WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES? THE, THE PRIORITIES THAT WE USE ARE CONSISTENT, FIRST OF ALL, WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO THE BOARD.
UH, WE USE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND EXPENDITURE GROWTH.
WE TRY TO SEEK EFFICIENCIES IN THE COST SAVINGS, BUT ONE OF THE STRONG THINGS THAT WE DO IS EXPAND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE LEVELS.
IN DOING SO, WE TRY TO MEET AND EXCEED ALL FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT THE BOARD IS SET.
ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO BE COMPETITIVE IN OUR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND TO SUPPORT OUR OPERATIONS THROUGH EXPANDED POSITIONS WHEN POSSIBLE, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR UTILITY IS SELF-SUSTAINING AND NOT AN ADDITIONAL DRAIN ON OUR CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS.
SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS WE LOOKED AT IN BUILDING THIS BUDGET? WELL, CLEARLY THE IMPACT OF INFLATION, THAT'S NOT A STOR TO ANYBODY ANYMORE.
HOW INFLATION HAS HIT US, UH, THE POTENTIAL FOR RECESSION, UH, IT'S, IT'S COMING.
UH, EVERYBODY WHO HAS ANY ABILITY TO HAVE INPUT INTO IT IS ASSURING US IT'S COMING.
SO WE'VE TRIED TO KEEP THAT IN FRONT OF US.
UH, THE CONTINUED DESIRE FROM OUR COMMUNITY FOR INCREASED PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH LEADS TO INCREAS CALLS FOR SERVICE, UH, THE PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING FROM THE COMMONWEALTH AND LOCAL NEEDS, ESPECIALLY ANY OF THE LOCAL NEWS STORIES THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM, FROM RICHMOND, IS HOW THAT AFFECTS FUNDING.
UH, THE FACT THAT INSURANCE COSTS CONSTANTLY GO UP, AND ONE OF THE, UH, BIGGEST BUGABOOS THAT YOU HAVE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS, UH, LOCAL MANDATES, ESPECIALLY THE UNFUNDED ONES THAT, UH, WASHINGTON AND RICHMOND LOVE TO SEND DOWN OUR WAY.
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE KEEP IN FRONT OF US WHEN WE START PUTTING TOGETHER THE BUDGET.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET IN, IN BROAD TERMS FOR IT, UH, THE BUDGET IN 2023 WAS 124 MILLION, ROUGHLY, UH, TWENTY TWENTY FOUR, A HUNDRED THIRTY 8 MILLION, A GROWTH OF 14 MILLION, ABOUT 11.5% INCREASE.
UH, EXPLAIN WHERE THAT CAME FROM THOUGH, BUT AS YOU SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF IT, YOU SEE THAT, UH, IN MOST CASES, CIP P IS THE BIGGEST PART OF IT, UH, FOLLOWED BY SPECIAL REVENUE.
THE GENERAL FUND ITSELF GOES UP 9.5%.
THE SCHOOL FUNDS GO UP THREE TENTHS OF 1%.
AS WE SAID, PUBLIC SAFETY IS A CRITICAL THING IN FRONT OF US.
SO WE WANTED TO SHOW THAT OUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY CONTINUES OUR LOCAL FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY INCREASED 18.1% OF THIS BUDGET, ALL $3.4 MILLION INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.
ALL OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS IN THE GENERAL FUND INCREASE 3.4% FOR A LITTLE LESS THAN A MILLION DOLLARS.
OUR LOCAL CONTRIBUTION TO SCHOOL OPERATING FUNDS, AGAIN, YOU HAVE OUR CONTRIBUTION, WHICH RUN ROUGHLY 4.9% INCREASE TO THEM, UH, THAT WAS SOMEWHAT OFFSET BY OTHER SCHOOL REVENUES FOR A TOTAL INCREASE TO THEIR BUDGET, A THREE TENTHS 1%, THEY'LL BE PRESENTING THEIR BUDGET AT A LATER DATE.
SO, I'M NOT HERE TO PRESENT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BUDGET TO YOU, BUT IT DOES IMPACT OURS.
AND SO I'VE INCLUDED A FEW SLIDES IN HERE THAT DOES REFLECT OR SHOW THEIR BUDGET THE TOTAL ASSESSED REAL ESTATE.
WELL, THAT'S KIND OF THE BASIS FOR OUR TAXING ABILITY IS OUR REAL ESTATE.
UM, WE, WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY A ONE-LEGGED STOOL FOR THE WAY WE FUND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS PROPERTY TAXES.
SO THE ASSESSED VALUE IN GUCCI COUNTY WENT UP 895 MILLION ON OUR REAL ESTATE VALUES AND 53.9 MILLION ON OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY.
THAT GROWTH IN OUR LOCAL ESTABLISHED REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY DOES ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO REVIVE THE SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS.
NOW, AS WE'LL SEE LATER ON, I'LL POINT OUT, POINT OUT IS THAT THIS BUDGET DOES INCLUDE SOME PROPOSED RELIEF TO OUR CITIZENS, UM, ON THE P P T R A OF $5,000 PER VEHICLE.
SO WE'LL EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ENTIRE BUDGET FOR THE REVENUE, 138 MILLION OF IT, 50% OF IT COMES FROM PROPERTY TAXES.
THE REST IS DIVIDED AMONG OTHER LOCAL TAXES.
STATE FUNDS, FEDERAL AID CHARGES THAT WE, UH, UM, CHARGE THE CITIZENS FOR SERVICES, UH, MONEY FROM DEBT AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS KIND OF MIXED IN THERE FOR A TOTAL OF 138.8 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND, 86.5 MILLION.
IT'S ALMOST 71% FUNDED BY OUR PROPERTY TAXES.
WITH THE REST BROKEN DOWN, AS YOU SEE NOW, THIS IS EVERY DIME THAT COMES INTO THE COUNTY RIGHT THERE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SCHOOLS AND PULL THEM OUT OF THE 40.7 MILLION, ROUGHLY 66% OR 26.8 COMES FROM THE COUNTY.
THE REST IS THE FEDERAL, STATE, STATE, NON CATEGORICAL, AND A FEW OTHER SOURCES.
SO GIN COUNTY PAYS THE LINE SHARE OF OUR SCHOOL OPERATING EXPENSES.
[00:10:02]
SO WE BREAK DOWN THE REVENUES THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR THE GENERAL FUND.YOU SEE THE MAIN CATEGORIES, AGAIN, BROKEN DOWN IN THOSE AREAS.
UM, I WON'T GO THE LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM, YOU CAN SEE THEM.
BUT AGAIN, IT SHOWS AN INCREASE FROM 24, UH, FROM 23,224 OF ABOUT EIGHT 7.7 MILLION OR 9.7% INCREASE IN THE REVENUES COMING INTO THE COUNTY.
SO WHERE DOES IT GO? AS WE LOOK, AGAIN AT THE TOTAL FUNDS BUDGET OF 138 MILLION, THERE'S FOUR CATEGORIES THAT TAKE UP THE LINE SHARE OF WHERE THE MONEY GOES.
THE LARGEST CATEGORY BY FAR IS GONNA BE EDUCATION, ALMOST 30%, FOLLOWED BY OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF 18%.
PUBLIC SAFETY OF EIGHT TO 16% IN OUR UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.
THOSE CATEGORIES ALONE ACCOUNT FOR OVER 70% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET OF GUCCI COUNTY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL FUND.
AGAIN, THE $51.4 MILLION GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET, PUBLIC SAFETY COMPRISES 44 POINT WELL, 44% OF THE BUDGET.
UH, OUR GENERAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES ABOUT 15% HEALTH AND WELFARE, 10%.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER CATEGORIES THERE.
BUT AGAIN, OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR CITIZENS THROUGH PUBLIC SAFETY IS STRONG AND REMAIN STRONG.
THIS DOES NOT BECAUSE IT'S JUST OPERATING.
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE C I P SCHOOL OR DEBT.
AGAIN, JUST A BREAKDOWN OF THE PROPOSED SCHOOL BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE A BULK OF IT IS INSTRUCTION AND TEXTBOOK 65%, AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE REST GOES.
SO NOW LET'S LOOK A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THE COUNTY'S BUDGET ITSELF THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY.
THE FIRST THING THAT I WANNA POINT OUT TO YOU IS THAT YOU'LL NOTICE WHEN WE GET INTO DEPARTMENTS THAT SOME OF THE BUDGETS LOOK LIKE THEY JUMP A GOOD BIT FROM LAST YEAR.
THE REASON FOR THAT WAS THE BENCHMARK STUDY THAT CIN COUNTY ENTERED INTO IN LAST FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET.
THAT STUDY WAS MADE THE EFFORT TO DETERMINE WHERE OUR SALARIES AND COMPENSATION SHOULD BE.
SO THE BENCHMARK STUDY, THIS BUDGET IMPLEMENTS THOSE CHANGES.
SO LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AUTHORIZED IT, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IMPLEMENTS IT.
SO WE, WE PULLED OUT TO SHOW YOU WHERE THE ACTUAL MONEY WENT.
BREAKDOWN OF $753,000 THAT WAS SPREAD THROUGH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO BRING CURRENT SALARIES, CURRENT EMPLOYEES, UP TO A COMPETITIVE LEVEL WITH OUR REGIONAL PEERS.
AS YOU LOOK INTO THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT ITSELF, THE BREAKDOWN OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE ADMINISTRATOR'S, OFFICE, COUNTY ATTORNEY, UH, THE TREASURER OF FINANCE PURCHASING, THE TOTAL FOR THAT IS $6.9 MILLION.
AN INCREASE OF $600,000, ABOUT 9.5%.
THE REASONS FOR THESE INCREASES PRIMARILY DUE, FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE PROPOSING A 5% INCREASE TO ALL EMPLOYEES.
UM, THE BENCHMARK RAISES ARE SHOWING UP IN THIS AS WELL.
AND AN 11% INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE THAT WAS DEALT TO US BY OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PROVIDER.
SO THE INCREASE IN OUR, OUR BUDGET AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS DRIVEN ALMOST TOTALLY BY EMPLOYEES.
THE NEED TO COMPENSATE THEM AND TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL WHERE THEY ARE.
CURRENTLY, WHEN YOU GET INTO OUR JUDICIAL SERVICES, ABOUT $2.6 MILLION, ABOUT A 15% INCREASE FOR THEM.
AGAIN, THE 5% INCREASE, UH, THE BENCHMARK RAISES WERE NOT INCLUDED LAST YEAR AND THE HEALTH INSURANCE RATE AS WELL.
NOW, GENERAL DISTRICT COURT DOES NOT HAVE EMPLOYEES, AS YOU CAN SEE.
SO THIS IS THEIR INCREASE IS MOSTLY DUE TO CONTRACTED SERVICES.
UH, SHERIFF'S COURT EMPLOYEES RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 2%, UM, IN ADDITION 5% THAT ALL OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.
SO, AS WE MOVE INTO PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY SHOWS US WITH A BUDGET PROPOSED OF 22.7 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF 18.1%.
WHAT IS DRIVING THIS, AGAIN, IS THE 5% ALL EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING, BUT WE'RE ALSO PUTTING IN, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE COMPETITIVE POSITION OF OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WITH OTHER REGIONAL PEERS, AND ADDITIONAL 2%, UH, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FIRE RESCUE.
YOU, YOU WOULD ALSO THOUGH NOTICE THAT EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS ARE RECEIVING INSTEAD OF 2%, 8% ADDITIONAL PAY RAISE.
UH, OUR, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS ARE PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST STRESSFUL, IF NOT THE MOST STRESSFUL PUBLIC SAFETY JOB WE HAVE.
EVERY, EVERY FIRST RESPONDER STARTS WITH THEM.
THEY ARE THE TRUE FIRST, FIRST RESPONDERS.
AND WHAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED IS OUR WELL-TRAINED AND COMPETENT EMPLOYEES ARE DESIRED BY OTHER COMMUNITIES.
SO WE WANNA KEEP THEM OURSELF.
SO WE PROPOSE AN INCREASE FOR THEIR SALARIES IN ORDER TO MAKE IT COMPETITIVE AND TO GIVE THEM A REASON NOT TO HAVE TO CONSIDER GOING TO ADJACENT COUNTIES, UM, IF THEY'RE GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THE COUNTY'S GENERAL SERVICES BUDGET, AGAIN, UM, YOU'LL SEE THE GROUNDS HAS GOT AN INCREASE OF 35%
[00:15:01]
IN CONTRACTED SERVICES.AND WHAT THAT REFLECTS IS RECYCLING, UM, OIL FILTERS, ANTIFREEZE, UM, CATEGORY ONE MATERIAL THAT'S PULLED OFF FROM THE SITES FREE ON REMOVAL.
UM, PLUS WE HAD TO SEAL THE DRIVEWAY AT THE WESTERN CONVENIENCE CENTER AND AN OVERALL INCREASE IN JUST SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING AT THESE CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
PLUS BRUSH, YEAH, BRUSH MULCHING, $37,500 INCREASE JUST IN THAT.
UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAD TO TAKE ANYTHING FROM THE ICE STORM OR THE TORNADOES, UM, KNOW THAT, UH, THAT WAS A SERVICE THAT WAS GREATLY APPRECIATED BY OUR CITIZEN, BUT IT, IT COSTS MORE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS.
AS WE LOOK AT OUR HEALTH AND WELFARE, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, TOTAL, AGAIN, AN INCREASE ABOUT 11.3%.
UM, BUT THESE INCLUDE, UH, MONEY, UM, CONTRIBUTIONS TO FEED MORE, UH, GUCCI CASAA, UH, J SARS REYNOLDS COLLEGE, SENIOR CONNECTIONS AND SENIOR NAVIGATORS.
UH, THE DSS INCREASE PRIMARILY IS DUE TO INCREASE IN SALARY AND NORMAL BENEFITS.
UM, THE BENCHMARK RAISES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THERE NOW.
TAX RELIEF FOR THE ELDERLY AND VETERANS RECEIVING AN ADDITIONAL $100,000 DUE JUST THE TREND OF THE ACTUAL RELIEF IN PRIOR YEARS.
SO THIS IS MONEY WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN SPENDING IN PRIOR YEARS FOR TAX RELIEF FOR OUR ELDERLY CITIZENS AND OUR VETERANS.
SO TOTAL INCREASE IN THEIR BUDGETS OF $521,000.
THE PARKS, REC AND CULTURAL, AN INCREASE OF $43,000 OR 2.6%.
AGAIN, THEY'RE PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY THE 5% INCREASE IN SALARIES WE'RE PROPOSING, AS WELL AS 11% INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE RATES.
UM, SOME OF THEIR COSTS HAVE SHIFTED TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WHICH IS WHY IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE LESS THAN THE 5%, UH, BECAUSE SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS PICKED UP SOME OF THEIR COSTS.
SO GETTING THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANNING SERVICES SHOWS A SLIGHT INCREASE.
UM, THIS IS, UH, BASICALLY $150,000 INCREASE IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, BUT IS OFFSET BY A DECREASE IN SALARIES BECAUSE WE DID SOME REORGANIZATION OF EMPLOYEE POSITIONS.
SO THE NET OVERALL CHANGE OF 257,000, ABOUT A 10.6% INCREASE.
SO, MOVING TO OUR UTILITIES, WANNA POINT OUT SOME THINGS TO YOU.
UM, UTILITIES EXPENSES DO SHOW A DECREASE THIS YEAR, UH, IN GREAT PART THROUGH C I P, UH, THROUGH SOME REORGANIZATION.
THEIR CIP P PROJECTS AND PLANS, UH, THAT'S RESULTED IN A DECREASE THERE FOR THEM.
AS WELL AS, UM, UM, YOU WOULD SEE THAT, UH, THEIR CIP P EXPENSES DUE TO NO ADDITIONAL PROJECTS STARTING THIS YEAR.
I WOULD POINT OUT TO YOU THAT, UM, THEIR INCREASES AGAIN, UM, DO REFLECT ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
THE, UH, NEED TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT.
SO THERE IS A WATER INCREASE OF 3%, SOONER INCREASE OF 4%, AND A CONNECTION FEE INCREASE OF 5.5%.
THIS IS PART OF THE ONGOING RATE STUDY THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T FALL BEHIND IN OUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THE SERVICES AND TO PAY THIS FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE RECEIVE.
SO THEN AS WE LOOK INTO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AGAIN, THERE'LL BE A WORK SESSION WITH THE BOARD IN MARCH ON THIS.
UH, THE TOTAL 25 YEAR PLAN, THOUGH, IS A 600 MILLION PLAN.
UH, THIS IS AMBITIOUS, UH, BY ANY CONDITION, BY ANY STANDARD.
VERY FEW COUNTIES IN THIS STATE OR ANY STATE HAVE A 25 YEAR PLAN.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF AND BE COMMENDED FOR, FOR MAKING THIS EFFORT.
THIS IS A PLAN THAT IS REVIEWED BY STAFF ANNUALLY UPDATED, THE BOARD REVIEWS IT, AND THE COMMUNITY HAS THEN PUT INTO IT AS WELL.
THE LINE SHARE OF IT, AS YOU SEE, GOES TO EDUCATION.
65% OF IT ARE FOR SCHOOLS, SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS, UH, SCHOOL REPAIRS, FIRE AND RESCUE 18%, SHERIFF 6%.
SO THE LINE SHARE OF OUR C I P PLAN GOES DISTURBING OUR, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR CHILDREN.
THAT'S WHERE THE BULK OF OUR MONEY GOES FOR OUR CIP P PLAN.
UM, WE'LL HAVE A BREAKDOWN AT THE MARCH MEETING WHEN WE GO INTO THE FULL PLAN IN DETAIL.
SO I'M NOT HERE TO GO OVER ALL THOSE YEARS WITH YOU, BUT JUST TO SHOW THAT WE CONTINUE WITH THE PLAN THAT THE BOARD HAS APPROVED, UM, TO A GREAT DEGREE.
UM, THE BIGGEST PART OF THAT C I P PLAN, AS YOU, UH, RECALL, IS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THIS YEAR, UH, FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE, UM, ACCOMMODATIONS THAT THIS BUDGET DOES REFLECT IS IN ORDER TO, UM, MAKE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FUNDING WORK OUR C I P PLAN FOR THIS YEAR.
WE'LL SHOW SOME, SOME ADJUSTMENTS AND SOME OF THE PROJECTS AND PRIORITIES TO FUTURE YEARS AS WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD FUND THOSE YEARS, UM, DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT WE COULD FUND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROJECT THIS YEAR AS IT NEEDED TO BE FUNDED.
SO THE SUMMARY OF THIS BUDGET PRESENTING TO YOU IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO MEET OR EXCEED ALL THE FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT THIS BOARD HAS SET.
WE'RE INCLUDING A 5% COST OF LIVING SALARY INCREASE FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND
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MARKET COMPARISON INCREASES.PUBLIC SAFETY REMAINS A PRIORITY.
WE'VE ADDED NINE NEW POSITIONS IN THIS BUDGET.
SIX IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THREE IN THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
TWO, TWO DEPUTIES AND ONE TELECOMMUNICATOR FOR 9 1 1.
AN ADDITIONAL 2% SALARY INCREASE FOR ALL SHERIFF AND FIRE RESCUE PERSONNEL.
8% SALARY FOR ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS PERSONNEL.
EDUCATION REMAINS A PRIORITY IN THIS BUDGET.
125 MILLION INCREASE IN OUR LOCAL CONTRIBUTION, PLUS 19 MILLION IN C I P PROJECTS, WHICH INCLUDES THE 15 MILLION FOR THE GUCCI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THIS INCLUDES FUNDING FOR NECESSARY STUDIES FOR UPCOMING PROJECTS IN OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
IT DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INCREASE IN OUR REAL ESTATE TAX RATE, OUR T C S D TAX RATE OR OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY, PROPERTY TAX RATE.
BUT IT DOES INCLUDE A HUNDRED PERCENT TAX RELIEF FOR ALL PERSONAL VEHICLES VALUED UP TO $5,000, SAVING CITIZENS FROM THOSE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES ON APPROXIMATELY 9,000 VEHICLES IN THIS COUNTY.
SO AS WE PRESENT THIS TO THE BOARD TODAY, THE SCHEDULE AS WE GO FORWARD IS THIS, UM, TODAY WE SET THIS OUT AND WE AUTHORIZE, UH, THROUGH THE BOARD THE TAX RATE.
UH, MARCH 8TH, WE'LL HAVE DISTRICT FOUR AND FIVE TOWN HALLS.
THE RESIDENTS IN AT THE KNOTS MARCH 14TH WILL BE THE C I P WORK SESSION, THE 23RD, THE DISTRICT ONE TOWN HALL, BIRD ELEMENTARY, MARCH 30TH, UH, THE DISTRICT TWO AND THREE AT THE CENTRAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL CENTER.
APRIL 4TH, WE WOULD HAVE THE TAX RATE PUBLIC HEARING, THE AD VALOREM TAX RATE FOR TC S D AND BUDGET AND RELATED ISLANDS PUBLIC HEARING WITH AN ADOPTION ON APRIL 18TH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO WANNA STRESS TO THE BOARD AS WE PRESENT THIS BUDGET IS THAT BUDGETS ARE ALWAYS A WORK IN PROGRESS UNTIL THEY'RE FINALLY APPROVED.
UH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA COME OUTTA RICHMOND.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HIT US IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.
SO THIS BUDGET IS PRESENTED IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL LISTEN AND STILL BE ABLE TO ADJUST AS NEEDED AS WE GO FORWARD.
THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF A BUDGET, IS IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S A TOOL.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN USE TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO AS WE GO FORWARD IN THE NEXT WEEKS AND MONTHS, UH, THIS BUDGET MAY CHANGE A LITTLE.
IF WE, UH, DISCOVER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE DON'T KNOW, THEN WE INCORPORATE THAT AND INCLUDE THAT AS WELL.
SO, HAVING SAID THAT, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD HAS OF OF ME? WELL, FIRST THANK YOU MR. CARPENTER, FOR YOU, YOUR STAFF, AND TO OUR PARTNERS, OUR, OUR OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS AND THEIR STAFF, UH, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS, MR. WILKINS? YEP.
ON SLIDE 18 AT THE BOTTOM, YOU SAID YOU DON'T NEED TO GO TO IT, BUT IT'S JUST, IT WAS A LITTLE LINE THAT SAID 11% HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASE.
ARE WE AB, ARE WE, IS THIS BUDGET ABSORB ALL OF THAT VIS-A-VIS THE EMPLOYEES CONTRIBUTION? YES, SIR.
THERE WAS A TIME, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE NOW, AND I'M NOT EXPRESSING AN OPINION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT I'M WONDERING, ARE WE IN SYNC WITH THE SCHOOLS ON, ON THE, THE STRUCTURE OF THE, THE PACKAGE? UM, I KNOW THERE WAS A TIME WE WERE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WE'VE TRIED TO STAY IN SYNC.
AGAIN, I'M NOT EXPRESSING AN OPINION OF IT, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, OR JUST TRYING TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE STRUCTURE OF OUR HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS PACKAGE.
ELLIOT AND I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET, AS YOU'D IMAGINE.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS AND A DESIRE TO, TO MAYBE LOOK AT GOING FORWARD, WHAT WE DO AS, AS BOTH ORGANIZATIONS FOR OUR INSURANCE TO SEE IF, IF WE ARE WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ADD, UH, BOTH SCHOOL AND COUNTY EMPLOYEES TOGETHER, YOU, YOU HAVE A MUCH DIFFERENT, UM, POOL TO PULL FROM THAN YOU DO.
SO, SO THERE'S AN INTEREST ON BOTH OF OUR PARTS TO, TO ACTUALLY WORK TO SEE THAT WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN WITH OUR HEALTH INSURANCE.
UM, OUR HEALTH INSURANCE IS BASED ON THE NEEDS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO IT WASN'T NECESSARILY BASED ON WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
SO, SO OUR, OUR NUMBER, OUR INCREASES HAVE BEEN GREAT IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.
WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN CONCERNED THAT WE'RE GONNA GET, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF REALLY DIFFICULT INCREASE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THIS YEAR'S FINALLY CATCHING UP WITH US.
IS THAT 11% NUMBER A FINAL NUMBER? NO, NO, SIR.
AND, AND IN THE FINAL BUDGET, UM, WE KNOW GETTING INDICATION NOW THAT IT MAY COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
SO, SO THAT 11% MAY END UP BEING MORE IN THE 9% RANGE.
WHEN, WHEN, WHEN DOES, WHEN DO OUR, UH, INSURANCE COMPANY AND OUR ADVISORS TELL, UH, GIVE US A FINAL NUMBER, THEY'VE GIVEN US SOME PRELIMINARY NUMBERS IN THE LAST WEEK OR SO THAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY BE DROPPING.
SO, SO THAT'LL GIVE US, LIKE, AS I SAID, WE'VE GOT THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THIS BUDGET GOING FORWARD.
SO IF THAT DROPS A LITTLE BIT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THIS BUDGET PRIOR TO ANY VOTES BY THE BOARD.
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UP REAL QUICK CUZ I, I THINK I HEARD TWO DIFFERENT THINGS AND I'M NOT SURE WHICH I HEARD.UM, SO THE 11% INCREASE, MR. WON HAS ASKED IF THE COUNTY WAS COVERING IT, YOU SAID YES.
AND THEN YOU SAID THROUGH EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS.
SO DOES THAT, DOES THAT MEAN THE EMPLOYEE'S BENEFIT IS GOING UP 11% OR THE COUNTY IS PITCHING IN TO COVER THOSE COSTS? THE COUNTY'S PAYING NO INCREASE TO THE YES SIR, NO INCREASE IN EMPLOYEES.
AND, AND THAT'S ACROSS ALL PLANS, WHETHER THEY'RE THE TOP, MIDDLE, OR THE HSA? YES, SIR.
UM, MR. CARPENTER, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS, NOT ONLY ON YOUR PART, BUT EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE COUNTY, IT'S A TEAM EVENT.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT WORK AND VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS REAL QUICK.
UM, ON THE P P T A, YOU MENTIONED, UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT THROUGH THE FIRST, UH, 5,000.
IS THAT THE FIRST 5,000 OF ALL VEHICLES OR ONLY VEHICLES? 5,000 AND UNDER, YES, SIR.
THAT EVERY VEHICLE, THE FIRST 5,000 WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM PAYING ANY PROPERTY, ANY P P T A.
SO IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE FIRST FIVE AS OPPOSED TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF ANYTHING.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, SECOND THING IS, UM, SO, SO CAN I JUST MAKE THAT EVEN CLEAR? YES.
SO IF MY CAR IS WORTH $4,999, WHAT'S MY PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX BILL GONNA BE? SURE.
MS. MAGUE, YOU, YOU, ARE YOU OKAY? IS THE CAR WORTH THAT MUCH? OKAY.
SO EVERY YEAR, BASICALLY, AS THE STATE GROWS, WE GET A PROPORTIONALLY UNDERSTOOD WHATEVER OUR SHARE IS.
UM, IT'S, THEY'RE EFFECTIVELY RAISING THE CAR TAX EACH YEAR.
CURRENTLY THE COUNTY HAS BEEN FUNDING ROUGHLY 30%.
THE STATE NO LONGER GIVES US EVEN 30% OF THE VALUE.
UM, BUT THE COUNTY HAS FUNDED 30% FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND, AND I SEE MS CA HERE AS WELL IF YOU NEED TO REACH OUT TO A FRIEND.
BUT, UM, SO IN THE PAST WHAT WE'VE DONE IS TAKEN THAT FIXED DOLLAR AMOUNT MM-HMM.
AND WHEN YOU GET MORE VEHICLES, IT PROVIDES LESS RELIEF PER VEHICLE.
SO IT'S BASICALLY AN EFFECTIVE RAISING OF THE TAX.
BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THAT FIXED DOLLAR AMOUNT IS SPREAD IT ACROSS, UM, WITH A PERCENTAGE RELIEF UP TO 20, NOT FIVE.
SO AS YOU TAKE THAT AND APPLY IT JUST TO THE FIVE, I'M WONDERING HOW MUCH THAT IS COUNTY CONTRIBUTION VERSUS HOW MUCH, IN OTHER WORDS, DOES THAT FIXED DOLLAR AMOUNT COVER THAT FIRST FIVE OR IS THAT AGAIN, MS. CAVES HERE? I KNOW IF YOU NEED TO REACH OUT TO A FRIEND, I MEAN, IF, IF, UH, I DON'T NEED TO KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT YOU SEE WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.
IS THIS THE IMPACT TO THE REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY DOING THE FIRST 5,000 IS ABOUT, UM, 970 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS OF IMPACT TO THE REVENUE DECREASE GREAT.
THAT'S REALLY KIND OF WHERE I WAS.
AND THAT WAS ON ONE OF YOUR SLIDES AS WELL.
SO THAT IS THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION ALONG WITH THE STATE.
REBATE TO GET TO THAT ZERO TAX ON THE, UP TO THE FIRST 5,000 OF EACH VEHICLE? YES, SIR.
CAN JUST FOLLOW UP ON YOU WANNA FOLLOW UP? SURE, GO AHEAD.
SO THIS $5,000 PROPOSED, IS THAT IN, IN PER IN FOREVER OR JUST THIS, THIS BUDGET? WELL, IT'S IN THIS BUDGET.
OBVIOUSLY THE BOARD WOULD MAKE THE FINAL DECISION EACH YEAR.
UM, SO, SO MY ASSUMPTION IS, IS THAT THAT WOULD BE A, A NEW STARTING POINT GOING FORWARD.
UH, CERTAINLY THE BOARD COULD, COULD LOWER IT, RAISE IT, ELIMINATE IT, BUT, UH, IT'S FOR THIS YEAR ONLY THAT WE CAN, CAN ACTUALLY PUT IN.
I CAN'T PUT IN YEAR'S BUDGET YET.
AND MR. CHAIR, AS FAR AS THAT GOES, THERE ARE KIND OF RULES OF THUMB OR GUIDELINES ON TAX POLICY AND TEMPORARY RELIEF DOES VERY LITTLE TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR.
PERMANENT RELIEF IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE TEND TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR ON.
SO IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO DO A A ONE TIME OR IF YOU'RE TRYING TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR.
SO, UM, ALRIGHT, WELL I HAD ONE OTHER THING ON PT R IF I COULD.
UM, AND I MAY BE MISUNDERSTANDING THAT COMMUNICATION, WE WERE ALLOWED TO SET DIFFERENT TAX RATES WITHIN THE P P T R A CLASSIFICATION.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN THAT FOR VEHICLES VALUED UP TO 5,000, THEY WILL PAY NO TAX.
BUT FOR ANY OTHER VEHICLE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET THE 30% P P T R A REDUCTION ON THE FIRST 20,000, WHICH HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY WITH THE COUNTY'S DONE IN THE PAST.
NOW, I, I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THAT, BUT I, I THINK THAT'S BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR.
SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT TAX RATES.
ONE IS IF YOUR CAR IS 5,000 OR LESS, MR YOU KNOW, UM, SPOONER'S EXAMPLE, YOU'LL ACTUALLY PAY NO PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX BECAUSE THE COUNTY'S
[00:30:01]
FUNDING YOUR, YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX THROUGH THE NUMBER MR. CARPENTER GAVE.IF YOU HAVE A VEHICLE THAT COSTS SAY 20,000, YOU WILL GET THE TYPICAL P P T R A DISCOUNT OF 30% AND DISCOUNTS PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT WORD, BUT PROBABLY HELPS PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THEIR TAX BILLS WOULD LOOK SIMILAR TO THE PAST WITH A 30%, YOU KNOW, DECREASE BECAUSE OF P PT A.
SO HOW WOULD A $5,001 CAR B TAXED 30% DISCOUNT? SO 70%? NO, NO, NO, NO.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S OUR, SO I
SO IT'S A THOUSAND DOLLARS CAR YOU WOULD TAKE AND GET RELIEF ON THE FIRST 5,000 AND THEN 30% ON 5,001 TO 20,000? EXACTLY.
SO THE FIRST FIVE OF ALL VEHICLES WOULD HAVE, UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT, HUNDRED PERCENT RELIEF, NOT JUST VEHICLES VALUED AT 5,000 OR LESS.
AND YOUR NAME AGAIN AND YOUR TITLE IS
SORRY,
JENNIFER BROWN, COMMISSIONER REVENUE.
DID YOU HAVE, UM, AND THIS, I'M GLAD WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS CAUSE THIS IS BEEN SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT EVER SINCE LAST YEAR WITH THE, WITH THE DIFFICULT ASSESSMENTS, UM MM-HMM.
SO WITH THE NEW CHIPS AND MORE OF THE NEW CARS, THEY'RE, THE VALUES ARE HOLDING STEADY OR GOING UP A LITTLE BIT.
WOULD YOU SAY THE USED CAR VALUES, AND I KNOW IT'S PRELIMINARY AND, AND, AND WOULD YOU SAY THE USED CAR VALUES HAVE DROPPED TO THE POINT OF, OF TWO YEARS AGO? NO, THEY'VE DROPPED ABOUT 12 TO 13%, BUT WE'RE NOT AT THE 2020 VALUES YET.
AND, AND IMPORTANT NOTE THAT THAT'S, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT'S CATEGORICALLY TWO CERTAIN VEHICLES HAVE MAINTAINED A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THEIR VALUE THIS YEAR WHERE OTHERS ARE, ARE DROPPING FURTHER.
LIKE TRUCKS EXAMPLE, WHICH YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF TRUCKS IN GOLAND.
SO THOSE HOPING TO SEE DRASTIC REDUCTIONS IN THEIR ASSESSMENTS MAY NOT SEE THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE EXPLORING IS LOOKING AT ALL THE OPTIONS.
UM, THE, UH, HANOVER COUNTY I THINK DOES IT AN ASSESSMENT RATIO.
THEY USE IT UNDER THE, UNDER THE STATE CODE, THERE'S AN ASSESSMENT RATIO OPTION.
YOU, THE BOARD HAS TO SET IT AND I HAVE TO FOLLOW IT.
SO I ASSESS AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
BUT IF THE BOARD ADOPTS TO ASSESS AT 80 OR 75, THEN THAT'S WHAT THE TAX BILLS WILL REFLECT.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS IN YOUR HISTORICAL IN GLAND, NO.
AND MOST LOCALITIES, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL LAST YEAR WHEN THE VALUES WENT UP.
THING THAT I BELIEVE, SO A LOT OF THOSE NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS WERE TEMPORARY ONE-TIME RELIEF AND NOT A, A CONTEMPLATING A MORE OR LESS PERMANENT KIND OF SUBJECT TO FUTURE BOARDS BEING APPROVED, BUT WITH A VIEW TOWARD THIS IS A ONE TIME THING AS OPPOSED TO A MORE OR LESS, YOU KNOW, STABLE PLATFORM TO WORK FROM GOING FORWARD.
BUT, UH, AND THEN I, THE OTHER THING I JUST ANECDOTAL HEADLINE OF, I THINK IT WAS FORD MOTOR, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE BIG THREE AUTOS ANNOUNCED THAT THEY, THEY WERE ABOUT $1 BILLION BEHIND ON PASSING THROUGH THEIR COST INCREASE TO THE STICKERS.
AND THAT THEY EVENTUALLY, OVER TIME THEY WERE GONNA TRY AND CATCH THAT UP OBVIOUSLY.
SO THE PRESSURE ON NEW VEHICLE STICKERS MM-HMM.
AND OF COURSE THE SHIFT TO EVS, EVS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ICS INTERNAL COMBUSTION.
SO WE'RE SEEING UPWARD PRESSURE ON THE NEW MSPS IS THE NEW STICKERS.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'LL ABATE ANY TIME SOON, BUT THERE WILL BE SOME NORMALIZATION OF THE, THE, THE USED VEHICLES, PARTICULARLY THE ONES THAT ARE, UH, THE OLDER VEHICLES THAT'LL SETTLE BACK.
SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF, AND I GUESS THE LAST, ANY OTHER QUESTION, EITHER ONE OF, EITHER ONE OF YOU IS, UM, WHAT DID WE, WHAT DOES THIS FY 24 BUDGET ASSUME IN TERMS OF, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD BREAK THIS OUT BETWEEN VOLUME OF VEHICLES, NUMBER OF VEHICLES VERSUS ASSESSED VALUE VEHICLES ARE, IS IT ASSESSED VALUES IN THE BUDGET UP 3%, 2%, 4%? WHAT, WHAT HAVE WE DONE THERE? WHAT WE, UH, HAVE DONE IN DETERMINING THAT VALUE? LET'S SEE IF I CAN GO BACK TO,
[00:35:07]
OKAY.SO AS WE LOOK AT AVENUE FOR, UM, THAT'S GENERAL.
THAT'S, UH, WELL BASICALLY, UM, 24% DECREASE IN EXISTING VALUES FOR VEHICLES IS A FIGURE THAT WE USE IN COMING UP WITH THE STARTING POINT FOR OUR P P T, UM, WAS FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE, BUT THEN WE ADDED IN THE NEW VEHICLES THAT HAD BEEN ADDED INTO THE COUNTY FROM THERE AS WELL.
SO WHEN WE ENDED UP, WE ENDED UP WITH A GROWTH IN THAT LINE ITEM, EVEN WITH A 24% REDUCTION IN ASSESSED VALUES OF EXISTING VEHICLES BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME OF NEW VEHICLES OR ADDITIONAL VEHICLES BROUGHT INTO THE COUNTY.
BUT WE DID REFLECT A DECREASE IN VALUES IN PREDICTING THE BUDGET FOR THIS, UH, COMING YEAR.
SO THE BUDGET ASSUMES A 24% DECLINE IN THE ASSESSED VALUE OF EXISTING VEHICLE BASE.
BUT, BUT THAT WOULD NOT INCLUDE, UM, TRAILERS, YOU KNOW, RVS, THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL AS NEW VEHICLES COMING IN.
BUT YES SIR, THAT WAS THE FIGURE WE USED.
AND WHERE ARE WE GETTING THAT? UM, AN OUTSIDE THIRD PARTY FIRM? IS THAT US IN, I THINK YOU GOT A LIFELINE COMING HERE AGAIN,
BUT, SO THE PRELIMINARY VALUES THAT WE RAN, THE AVERAGE GOING DOWN WAS 24%.
SO SOME WENT UP, SOME CAME WAY DOWN, BUT THE AVERAGE IS 24%.
I'M SORRY, FOR JANUARY 1ST OF 23 VALUES.
SO THE ASSESSMENT WELL, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW THAT ASSESSMENT, YES.
AND THEN HOW OFTEN DO YOU ASSESS VEHICLES AND GOAN? WE ASSESS THEM AS OF JANUARY 1ST FOR TW EACH EACH YEAR? YES.
SO WHATEVER VALUES WE HAVE NOW, THEY WON'T BE REVISITED FOR ANOTHER YEAR UNTIL JANUARY 1ST OF 24.
SO IF NEXT MONTH OR THE MONTH AFTER PRICES DRIFT LOWER, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE REFLECTED IN OUR TAX RECEIPTS.
THAT AGAIN, DEVIL'S UNDER DETAILS.
SO THE IS A 24% DECLINE AND WE GET THAT FROM THE TAKING THE AVERAGE OF WHAT WENT UP WENT, WENT DOWN.
THAT'S THE AVERAGE WENT DOWN ABOUT 24% OF JANUARY, FIRST OF OF 20 23, 23.
NOW THIS IS THE F I 24 AND JD POWER IS STATING, NOW AGAIN, THEY'RE LOOKING INTO A CRYSTAL BALL, UNDERSTAND THAT VALUES ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO GO DOWN.
SO THAT THEY WILL BE AROUND 2020 VALUES IN 2024.
BUT AGAIN, THEY'RE TAKEN, I GUESS, RIGHT.
AND STAY ON THE LINE CUZ I'M GETTING READY TO GO INTO THE DEEP END HERE AND ASK A QUESTION ABOUT AVERAGE
BUT BUT WHEN YOU SAY, WHEN YOU SAY AVERAGE TO 24%, IS THAT AVERAGE OF OUR BOOK OF VEHICLES OR IS THAT JUST AVERAGE ACROSS THE BOARD? THAT IS AVERAGE OF THE FILE THAT I SENT, THE FIRST FILE I SENT IN JANUARY, WHICH IS NOT EVERYBODY'S VEHICLE, IT'S NOT NEW VEHICLES THAT HAVE COME IN CUZ WE GET DOWNLOADS EVERY WEEK.
AND SO WE HAVE VEHICLES GOING OUT AND IN EVERY WEEK.
SO, SO THAT'S JUST TAKING THE ASSESSED VALUE AND LOOKING AT THE NUMBER ON AVERAGE THEY WENT DOWN 24%.
THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SPREAD THAT WEIGHTS THEM, THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT.
IN OTHER WORDS, THAT 24% DECLINE NOT NECESSARILY AT ALL EQUAL TO 24% DECLINE, CORRECT.
MATTER OF FACT, THAT'S WHY OUR, THAT'S WHY WE'RE ACTUALLY SHOWING A, AN INCREASE IN THE OVERALL REVENUE COLLECTION IN P P R T R A BECAUSE OTHER CATEGORIES DO GO UP.
SO OUR USED CAR VALUES DECREASE AS WE PROJECT 24%, BUT OTHER OF NEW CARS BEING ADDED TO IT GO UP.
SO THE ACTUAL REVENUE STILL INCREASES, UH, FOR NEXT YEAR.
WOULD IT BE A BIG, WOULD IT BE, I MEAN YOU, DO YOU HAVE THE DATA THAT WOULD TELL YOU, OKAY, WE KNOW THE ASSESSMENT DECLINES BY 24%, BUT WHAT DOES THAT, IF YOU'RE USING THE DATA OF OUR, OUR VEHICLES, THAT'S YOU WANT TAX VERSUS TAX, WHY NOT? YEAH, I CAN RUN THAT AND GET THAT TOO, BUT, BUT I'M, I MEAN, WOULDN'T THAT BE MORE RELEVANT TO MM-HMM.
SO, WHICH IS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO STAY THE SAME, AS LONG AS THE 30% STAYS AND THE TAX RATE STAYS THE SAME, THEN YES, WE CAN RUN THAT.
I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A MORE MEANINGFUL NUMBER.
AND I'D REALLY BE CURIOUS HOW FAR APART IT IS FROM THE 24% DECLINE.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN THERE'S SEVERAL MOVING PARTS HERE.
ONE IS THE PERCENT DECLINE, 24, 23, 22,
[00:40:01]
WHO KNOWS? BUT THERE'S THAT 24%, THAT'S ONE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES COMING INTO THE COUNTY WITH THESE NEW REEF IS A SECOND.A THIRD IS, UH, IN THE TURNOVER, TURNING IN A USED CAR TO GET A NEW CAR.
THE NEW CAR STICKER PRICES ARE HIGHER, TEND TO BE DRIFTING HIGHER.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS HERE AND IT'S, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO NAIL THIS DOWN A DEGREE OF SPECIFICITY, BUT I'M JUST ASKING THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS SO WE CAN KIND OF THINK THROUGH ARE THEY CONSERVATIVE, ARE THEY AGGRESSIVE? AND, AND THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
IF WE GET HALFWAY THROUGH THE BUDGET YEAR AND THINGS ARE TRENDING MUCH DIFFERENTLY, THEN WE THOUGHT WE COULD ALWAYS MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
BUT GOING IN, WE HAVE TO FIND SOME REASONABLENESS BASED ON SOME THOUGHT THROUGH PROCESS THAT SAYS THIS IS OUR BEST GUESS.
AND SO YOU'RE COMMENTING THAT VERY HELPFUL.
AND ANOTHER THING TO, WHEN Y'ALL, WHEN Y'ALL ARE THINKING ABOUT IT, IS THE, THE P P T R A UP TO 5,000, THAT'S ONLY VEHICLES THAT QUALIFY FOR THE P P T R A.
SO YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT BUSINESS VEHICLES, YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ALL VEHICLES.
SO PERSONAL, IT'S PERSONAL VEHICLES, NO BOATS, UH, AIRPLANES, NO BOATS, NO AIRPLANES, NO BUSINESS EQUIPMENT.
NOT, NOT BUSINESS AND CORRECT.
SO IT'S ABOUT 9,000 VEHICLES, UH, THAT ARE, THAT THAT'LL BE AFFECTED BY THAT.
AND, AND UH, JUST TO CIRCLE BACK ON MR. LUMPKIN'S, COMMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT METHOD ARE WE USING TO ADJUST THE TAX REVENUES FROM THIS SOURCE? THERE'S THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT METHODS WE COULD USE.
ONE BEING THE ASSESSED VALUE, WHICH WE HAVE LEFT AT A HUNDRED PERCENT GENERALLY.
UM, ONE IS TO DO A PERMANENT VERSUS A TEMPORARY CHANGE.
AND I THINK WE, I WOULD ARGUE IN FAVOR OF WHATEVER WE DO TO DO IT WITH A VIEW TOWARD NOT JUST CHANGING AGAIN NEXT YEAR EACH TIME YOU DO THIS, ALTHOUGH FUTURE BOARDS CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT.
BUT THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD BE GENERALLY, UM, UNDERSTOOD TO BE MORE, LESS A PERMANENT RATHER THAN TEMPORARY.
WE COULD CHANGE THE RATE, WHICH WE HAVE CHANGED IN THE PAST.
WE'VE LOWERED THAT FROM 4% DOWN TO I THINK 3 75.
SO WE COULD CHANGE THE RATE AS WELL.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TAX FREE UP TO A LEVEL OF 5,000.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT LEVEL IS ANOTHER WAY TO APPROACH THIS.
AND, AND ANOTHER ONE IS, UM, THE REBATE.
WE TALKED ABOUT 30% OF THE FIRST 20, THAT COULD BE 25, IT COULD BE 35.
SO WE COULD ADJUST THE, THE, THE PERCENTAGE.
SO THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT METHODS TO TRY AND ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE'RE GENERALLY TRYING TO DO, WHICH IS, WE GOT AN AWFUL LOT OF PHONE CALLS LAST YEAR ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS GOT THE SAME PHONE CALLS I DID, BUT THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF PHONE CALLS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT AND A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS HAVE GOTTEN THE SAME PHONE CALLS AND I'VE CHOSEN TO DO, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS AND DIFFERENT APPROACHES WITH DIFFERENT METHODS, BUT, UM, ALL WITH KIND OF A VIEW TOWARD ADDRESSING THE ISSUE.
SO, UM, LET ME, LET ME JUST RESPOND TO THAT.
SO I GUESS THE ISSUE IS, CUZ THE CALLS I WAS GETTING WERE, WERE CURIOUS.
THEY WERE SAYING, I, MY, THE, MY ASSESSMENT IS OFF THERE WAS, I DIDN'T GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TAX.
IN FACT, A LOT OF 'EM WERE, I'VE PAID THE TAX, I JUST CAN'T SELL MY CAR FOR THAT NUMBER.
SO, SO I, I WOULD JUST, WE WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, UM, AT SOME TIME, BUT I, I'M INTERESTED IN YOUR PHIL PHILOSOPHY BEHIND PERMANENT RELIEF WHEN IT, WHEN I THINK LAST YEAR WAS A TEMPORARY PHENOMENON.
UH, BUT THAT'S SORT OF PHILOSOPHICAL.
THOSE WEREN'T THE KIND OF PHONE CALLS I WAS GETTING AND I DON'T KNOW, UM, IF ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WERE GETTING DIFFERENT ONES.
THERE'S A, THERE'S AN APPEAL PROCESS TO APPEAL YOUR ASSESSMENTS IF YOU THINK YOU'VE BEEN ASSESSED IMPROPERLY.
UM, THE OTHER ONES WERE, UM, ALONG DIFFERENT VEINS AND DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, I MEAN I CAN JUST, ONE, THIS IS ANECDOTAL, BUT ONE CALL WAS, UM, MY TAX WENT UP SO MUCH I HAVE TO SELL MY VEHICLE TO PAY THE TAX.
AND YOU CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT KIND OF PRESSURE ON SOMEBODY TO SAY, I CAN'T GO TO WORK CUZ I HAVE TO PAY MY TAXES.
BUT IT, IT'S ANECDOTAL IS A, IT WAS A ONE OFF, BUT I'VE GOT ANOTHER PHONE CALLS THAT SAID I CAN AFFORD THIS, BUT WHY ARE WE GROWING TAX REVENUES IN GOVERNMENT THIS QUICKLY? I CAN AFFORD IT AND I'LL PAY IT, BUT JUST WONDERING WHAT IT'S GONNA BE USED FOR.
AND OF COURSE, WITH DIESEL FUEL GOING UP A HUNDRED PERCENT, THERE'S PLENTY OF USES FOR IT.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, SO WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.
BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT PHONE CALLS THAT WE ALL GOT GOT FROM CITIZENS.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR, UH, OUR COUNTY MINISTER? I, I DO HAVE ONE MORE.
UM, ACTUALLY PROBABLY FOR MS. BROWN, UM, THE 24% DECREASE THAT IS ON OUR, OUR BOOK.
RIGHT? THAT'S NOT, THAT'S WHAT I HEARD HER SAY.
UM, WE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME DOING A DEEP DIVE ON THE VEHICLES AND THE ASSUMPTIONS IN THE BUDGET.
[00:45:01]
MAYBE EVEN A SHORTER CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WENT INTO THE REAL ESTATE VALUES? ABSOLUTELY.BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE NEW ROOFTOPS COMING, BUT THEN THERE'S THE AGING STOCK AND THEN THERE'S PERCENT CHANGES AND ASSUMPTIONS AND INFLATION.
AND HOW DID WE KIND OF, I GUESS, WHAT'S THE UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS IN THIS BUDGET ALONG FOR THE REAL ESTATE, UH, VALUES? WELL, YOU KNOW, THE UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS ARE BASED ON A COUPLE THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, UH, PROPERTY VALUES IN GUCCI COUNTY CONTINUE TO RISE ON AVERAGE.
ANYONE WHO'S HAD TO BUY A HOUSE RECENTLY, UH, IS SEEING THAT.
SO THE ACTUAL ASSESSED VALUES ON THE BOOKS WENT UP FROM 6.9 TO 7.8 BILLION ON REAL ESTATE.
UM, AS WE SIT HERE AND, AND CALCULATE WHERE WE THINK WE'RE GONNA BE IN 18 MONTHS WITH THE REVENUES COMING IN, UH, FROM REAL ESTATE, UH, WE LOOK AT THAT OBVIOUSLY.
WE ALSO LOOK AT WHAT WE KNOW IS GONNA COME ON THE BOOKS COMMERCIAL, UM, UH, HOMES.
IF YOU AVERAGE ROUGHLY 200, UH, HOMES A YEAR BEING BUILT, UM, WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF BUILDING PERMITS, THEREFORE WHAT THE AVERAGE COST OF A HOME IS.
SO SAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT, UM, DON'T WANT ME THE EXACT NUMBER WE USE, BUT YOU KNOW, SAY 200 HOMES THAT ARE BEING BUILT WITH AVERAGE HOME VALUE OF $500,000 A HOUSE, THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT GIVES US A A POINT TO ADD TO OUR STARTING POINT.
SAME THING WITH COMMERCIAL PROPERTY COMING OUT.
WE KNOW FROM THE ACTUAL BUILDING PERMITS WHAT THE VALUE IS THEY'RE PLACING ON IT.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT AVERY POINT, WHICH IS COMING IN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WHICH ARE COMING IN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, THEY'RE ON BROAD STREET, WHICH IS COMING IN, ALL THAT GETS ADDED TO THE EQUATION BASED ON THE ACTUAL NUMBER THAT IS, IS THERE THE REAL NUMBER IF ANYTHING IS GONNA GO UP.
UH, BECAUSE ONCE THE PROP, BECAUSE THE PROPERTY IS BUILT FOR GENERALLY A DIFFERENT VALUE THAN IT'S SUCCESSFUL, THEY GENERALLY BUILD IT ON, ON A PERMANENT VALUE THAT IS LESS THAN THE ASSESSED VALUE.
AND SO ONCE THESE PROPERTIES ACTUALLY HIT THE BOOKS, UM, MANY OF THEM WILL PROBABLY COME IN EVEN HIGHER.
THEN, UH, WE USE AS AN, GOES BACK TO THE SELF-REPORTED FIGURES FROM THE PEOPLE BUILDING THESE THEMSELVES ON THE PERMITS.
AGAIN, THIS IS, UM, A MIXTURE OF A NUMBER OF MOVING PARTS AND IT'S HARD TO GET 'EM ALL RIGHT.
UM, THIS 8 95 INCREASE IS WHAT, ROUGHLY 11% INCREASE ON THE 7.8 BILLION, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT DOESN'T SHOW A PERCENTAGE HERE, BUT IT'S RIGHT AROUND 11.
AND THAT 11% IS A COM AN AMALGAMATION OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
THE ASSUMPTION ON EXISTING HOMES IS THERE WE'RE ASSUMING A DRIFT, HIGHER DRIFT LOWER, I KNOW THERE'S MORE ROOFTOPS, SO YOU HAVE ANOTHER NEW, UH, STOCK COMING IN, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE PRICE OF THE NEW VERSUS THE PRICE OF EXISTING.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF MOVING PARTS, BUT WHAT DID WE ASSUME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE EXISTING HOME? IS IT YEAH, BASICALLY USING, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, LOOKING AT WHAT, UM, WHAT THE REALTORS ASSOCIATION REALTORS PROVIDES, UM, TO THIS INFORMATION LIKE THAT ON WHAT AVERAGE VALUES OF HOSTS ARE, ARE LOOKING LIKE, OR ARE THEY GOING UP OR GOING DOWN IN GLAND AGAIN? THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GOING DOWN.
UM, SO, SO USING KIND OF A FLAT RATE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS NOW, UM, UM, GENERALLY WHEN, WHEN WE USE ANY KIND OF A PERCENT INCREASE IN LOOKING AT WHERE WE ESTIMATE GOING, WE EITHER USE FLAT NO INCREASES OR ONE TO 2% INCREASES.
AND MOST OF THESE VALUES, UNLESS WE KNEW LIKE WITH P PTA THAT IT WAS DROPPING 24%, THEN, THEN WE'D PUT THAT KIND OF FIGURE INTO REAL NUMBERS.
BUT FOR GROWTH, WE GENERALLY USE VERY LOW RATES OF GROWTH, UH, WHICH IF NOT, WHICH ARE LOWER THAN, THAN HISTORY HAS SHOWN US RECENT AND, AND ESTABLISHED HISTORY AND ALSO WHERE THE FORECAST ARE SHOWN IS GONNA HAPPEN IN THIS AREA AS WELL.
THAT'S, UM, KINDA THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR, WHICH IS, UM, VERY MODEST.
IT'S SERVED US WELL IN THE PAST AND I, I THINK YOU'D CHARACTERIZE THAT AS EITHER REASONABLE OR SLIGHTLY CONSERVATIVE GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTIES GOING FORWARD.
AND, UM, SO THAT'S THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR, IS WHAT THE UNDERLYING ASSUMPTION IS ON THIS, ON THIS BUDGET.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, SIR.
ONE FINAL COMMENT, THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE SHERIFF.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I, YOU'D STATED, AND I IT SHOULDN'T BE UNDERSTATED, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOMEBODY SAID IT UP HERE, AND WHEN WE, OUR COSTS ON EVERYTHING HAVE GONE UP, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WILL YOU JUST KEEP GROWING THE GOVERNMENT TO THOSE COSTS? IF I LOOKED AT YOUR NUMBERS CORRECTLY, OUR GENERAL FUND INCREASE WAS 3.4% ON, ON THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE, AND SCHOOLS WAS ONLY 0.3.
SO THAT'S TELLING ME, AND YOU HAVE INFLATION NUMBERS THAT ARE IN THE SIX, 8% YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO WE ARE, YOU WOULD EXPECT OUR GENERAL FUNDS INCREASE TO GO UP, BUT YOU, THE WAY YOU REORGANIZE THE STAFF, THE WAY THAT YOU'RE CUTTING DOWN ON COSTS, LOOKING AT MORE EFFICIENT WAYS TO DO THINGS, WE ARE BELOW THE INFLATION RATES.
SO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND THE SCHOOLS AND THEIR TEAMS FOR THAT.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP WE HAVE WHO'S GOING? DID YOU GUYS FLIP A COIN TO SEE
[2. 5647: Agency Presentations for FY2024 County Budget: Sheriff's Office, Fire-]
WHO'S GOING FIRST? IS IT SHERIFF? SHERIFF.ALL RIGHT, SHERIFF CREASY TO GIVE YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL HAVE CHIEF FERGUSON.
[00:50:01]
GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD.HOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE THIS THING AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS AFTERNOON.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OVER THE BUDGET FOR THIS COMING UP, UH, FY YEAR.
I'M SURE Y'ALL PROBABLY HAVE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE, UM, BUT THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A BRIEF OF WHAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES.
UH, PRIMARY FUNCTIONS, UH, GUCCI COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICES, THE PRIMARY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN THE COUNTY.
UH, WE ANSWER ALL CALLS FOR SERVICE.
UH, WE DO HAVE THE STATE POLICE THAT ASSIST OUT ON THE INTERSTATE, AND EVERY NOW AND THEN A CALL INSIDE THE COUNTY, BUT IS FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.
UH, WE HANDLE THE
WE HANDLE ALL CIVIL PROCESS, EXCEPT IF IT'S COMING FROM A PRIVATE SERVER.
OUR DEPUTIES GO OUT AND SERVE EVERY DAY, UH, ANYWHERE.
SUMMONS IS EVICTIONS, UM, NOTICES, UH, SUBPOENAS FOR COURT, UH, EVERY EVERY DAY.
UM, WE HAVE COURT SECURITY, UH, WHICH INVOLVES TRANSPORTS, UH, TO AND FROM DIFFERENT JAILS.
WE ACTUALLY HAD TWO DEPUTIES, UH, DOWN IN NEWPORT NEWS, UH, TODAY, PICKING UP SOMEONE FOR COURT.
SO THEY ACTUALLY TRAVEL ALL OVER THE STATE.
UH, THEY GO TO BRISTOL, UH, ONE DAY, WHICH IS A GOOD RIDE, UH, BACK AND FORTH WHEN WE HAVE TO GO PICK SOMEBODY UP, BRING 'EM TO COURT, AND THEN BRING 'EM BACK, UH, TO THERE.
OUR MAIN JAIL IS HENRICO REGIONAL JAIL, UH, WHERE WE HOUSE OUR MAIN PRISONERS, OUR, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, OUR OPERATION, OUR DAILY OPERATIONS IS DRIVEN BY OUR MISSION, VISION AND VALUES, WHICH WE ADOPTED IN JANUARY, 2020.
AND THEN WE HAVE FOUR MAIN GOALS, UH, THAT DRIVE OUR WORK AND FOR, UH, BEING ABLE TO FULFILL THE MISSION.
I'M GONNA POINT OUT JUST A COUPLE, UH, TO YOU, BUT ONE IS RECRUIT AND RETAIN HIGHLY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS, COMMITTED TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I THINK THAT IS, UH, VERY IMPORTANT AS IN GOING OUT AND RECRUITING THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND HAVING A HIGHLY QUALIFIED PERSON.
I'D MUCH RATHER HAVE QUALITY OVER QUANTITY ANY DAY.
UM, MOVING ON TO, TO THE BUDGET.
THIS IS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT BUDGET AREAS, UH, BUT THIS SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET, UM, WHEN LAST YEAR, UH, WE ASKED FOR SIX, UH, DEPUTIES, UH, PART-TIME DEPUTY DISPATCHER AND A PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, UH, THANKS TO THE BOARD.
UH, THIS YEAR WE'RE ASKING FOR TWO ADDITIONAL DEPUTIES, UH, ONE FULL-TIME DISPATCHER AND A PART-TIME NON-SWORN COMMUNITY OFFICER.
AND THEN YOU SEE THE, UH, REQUEST FOR 2025, WHICH WE'LL DIVE IN, UH, NEXT YEAR GOING INTO COURT RELATED.
UH, AND I'M GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA SEE LATER ON IN THE SLIDES, REASONS FOR INCREASES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THIS IS A SHERIFF'S COURT RELATED, UH, BUDGET WHERE YOU SEE THE INCREASES THERE.
SO JUST A FEW, UH, REASONS FOR OUR INCREASE, AS MR. CARPENTER SAID, UH, 2% FOR SWORN, UM, FOR A STARTING PAY INCREASE, UH, WHICH WILL KEEP US, US IN A COMPETITIVE RANGE, UH, FOR OUR FRIENDS TO THE EAST, EVEN THOUGH THAT THEY ARE GOING TO, UM, BLOW THAT 2% OUT OF WATER FROM WHAT I'M HERE.
UM, I JUST, UH, FOUND THIS OUT JUST ON SATURDAY, UH, THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE GOING UP, BUT THEY'RE STARTING PAY INCREASE, UM, QUITE SUBSTANTIALLY.
UM, WE HAVE END OF BUDGET AS A CAREER DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS, UH, IS GONNA BE OUTSTANDING, UH, FOR OUR GUYS, AND THAT'S GUYS AND GALS.
UM, SO WE CAN RETAIN EVERYONE THAT WE RECRUIT.
SO THAT'S A OPPORTUNITY WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE CHANGE IN THE POCKET.
SO, UH, THEY CAN HAVE SPEND ON FAMILIES AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT BILLS AND STUFF WHILE THEY'RE OUT THERE ON THE ROAD.
ALSO, UM, FOR A RE REASON FOR THE INCREASE IS WE'RE MOVING A TRAINING LINE.
UH, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THAT INCREASE, BUT WE'RE MOVING A TRAINING BUDGET LINE FROM COURTS, UM, I'M SORRY, CORRECTIONS, DETENTION AND TRAINING.
WE'RE MOVING IT ALL INTO THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET UNDER THAT LINE, SO IT'S LIKE $43,000 THAT WE'RE JUST COMBINING, UH, FROM IT.
THEN ALSO WITH IT, UH, WITH HIS BUDGET, IF IT'S APPROVED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, KEEP SROS IN EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL IN GUCCI COUNTY.
UH, WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE OUR LAST SCHOOL FIELD, UH, GUCCI ELEMENTARY, UH, WITH DEPUTY CARTER, UH, WHERE HE'S GONNA BE THE FULL-TIME SRO THERE, AND WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THAT SHORTLY AFTER SPRING BREAK THAT HE'S GONNA BE STEPPING INTO THAT ROLE.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING AN SRO IN EVERY SCHOOL IN GUEN COUNTY.
UM, ALSO REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE, THAT'S IS JUST GOING
[00:55:01]
UP INTO MORE VEHICLES.WE HAVE TO MORE REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, ALSO MANDATORY TRAINING THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN FUEL COSTS, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IS PAYING MORE MONEY FOR THE FUEL WE HAVE TO PAY IT TO.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, WE HAVE BODY CAMERAS, AS YOU KNOW, BUT WE HAVE FOUR CARS RIGHT NOW THAT HAD, UH, DASH CAMS AND CAGE CAMS. WE HAVE FOUR GOING INTO FOUR MORE CARS, SO WE'LL HAVE A TOTAL OF EIGHT.
AND WITH THIS BUDGET, SO WE CAN PUT MORE OF THE DASH CAMS AND, UH, CAGE CAMS INTO A CAR.
A HUNDRED PERCENT BELIEVE IN CAMERAS, UH, WITHOUT A DOUBT, BODY CAMERAS, DASH CAMS, CAGE CAMERAS.
ONE INCIDENT, YOU KNOW, COULD SAVE THE COUNTY SAVED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, UH, BECAUSE OF A, UH, A CAMERA.
WHEN SOMEONE, IF SOMEONE CLAIMS SOMETHING FALSELY, WHICH THEY TEND TO DO, AND, AND THEY HAVE A CAMERA PROVES OTHERWISE.
SO A HUNDRED PERCENT BELIEVE IN CAMERAS.
UH, THEN ALSO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN SO WE CAN FILL SOME OF OUR POSITIONS.
ALL RIGHT, AND, UH, Y'ALL HAVE SEEN THIS MAP EVERY, EVERY YEAR EXCEPT FOR MR. WALDERS, UH, FOR IT.
BUT I ALWAYS WANT TO COME BACK TO IT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, WHICH TRY, AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT COUNT, GIN COUNTY IS A VERY LONG COUNTY.
UM, SO WE HAVE SIX DIFFERENT BEATS, SECTORS, WHATEVER YOU MAY CALL IT, WHERE WE WANT TO HAVE A DEPUTY IN EVERY SINGLE SECTOR.
THEN ONCE WE HAVE A DEPUTY IN THOSE SIX SECTORS, THEN WE, WE NEED PEOPLE WHO CAN FILL IN FOR 'EM WHEN THEY'RE IN TRAINING, WHEN THEY'RE SICK, WHEN THEY'RE ON VACATION, ALONG WITH ALSO HAVING SUPERVISION WHERE YOU HAVE A CORPORAL AND A SERGEANT WORKING AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, WE ARE, WE EVENTUALLY ARE WORKING TO SIX DEPUTIES WORKING THE COUNTY ON ONE SHIFT, WHICH WILL GIVE US APPROXIMATELY SIX TO SEVEN MANDATORY, UH, MINIMUM STAFFING FOR THE COUNTY.
I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE, UH, IF THE NEW FACILITY COMES OFF OF ASHTON ROAD BY THE, UH, CHIEFS AND SHERIFFS WHO HAVE THAT FACILITY IN THEIR JURISDICTIONS, THEY SAY, BE PREPARED.
YOU NEED TO SIGN JUST ONE PERSON EXTRA 24 7 FOR THAT AREA.
THEY SAY THAT IS A CALL GENERATOR FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND FOR FUTURE, AND THIS IS A BIG JUMP.
UM, AND I'M NOT EVEN REFERRING TO ANY MY NOTES.
UM, THIS IS A, UH, BIG JUMP AS YOU CAN SEE FOR OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE.
UM, I MEAN, JUST OVER 10,000, UH, CALLS FOR SERVICE FOR INCREASE, WHICH MEANS THAT FOR THE DEPUTIES WE HAVE, IT'S 785 CALLS THAT EACH DEPUTY HAS TAKEN, WHICH IS QUITE A BIT, UH, NOT JUST, UH, THE DE OUR DEPUTIES ARE OUT THERE NOT JUST ANSWERING CALLS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO IN TRAINING.
THIS IS OUR NUMBER OF HOURS FOR TRAINING IN 2022, WHICH I CAN TELL YOU IN LAW ENFORCE ENFORCEMENT WORLD, THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE WITH THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING THAT WE, THAT WE DO.
UH, 6,632 LAST YEAR WAS JUST OVER 4,000.
THAT RIGHT THERE TRIPLES IN ONE YEAR WHAT DCGS REQUIRES.
AND TWO, AND WE ARE COMPLETELY, WE BELIEVE IN TRAINING, UM, IS A HUNDRED PERCENT.
YOU, YOU FIGHT HOW YOU TRAIN, YOU TRAIN HOW YOU FIGHT, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, THAT IS ONE THING WHICH SOME OF THIS MONEY AND PHYSICIANS WERE ABLE TO, WITH MORE PHYSICIANS, WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO GO TO MORE TRAINING BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE OF A BENCH THAT CAN FILL IN WHY THE DEPUTIES AND DISPATCHERS ARE INTRAINING.
SO, A LITTLE BIT ON WHY WE TRAIN WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT.
UH, OUR CITIZENS, THEY EXPECTED THE BEST AND FRANKLY, THEY DESERVE THE BEST.
THEY DESERVE THE BEST TRAINED, UH, DEPUTIES AND DISPATCHERS, UH, FOR THEM.
UM, Y'ALL HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
I'M NOT, Y'ALL CAN READ IT YOURSELVES.
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AS, UH, MR. CARPENTER MENTIONED, UH, BEFORE AN 8% COMPETITIVE PAY INCREASE, UH, WHICH WILL GET OUR START AND PAY FOR DISPATCH UP TO 44,190.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT'S NOT THE TOP.
THAT'S NOT WHERE SOME OF OUR, UM, OUR FRIENDS TO THE EAST ARE, BUT THAT IS GETTING CLOSE TO IT.
I, I, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IS A COMPETITIVE PAY.
WE DON'T WANT TO, UM, HAVE PROBLEMS WHERE WE HAVE SOME JURISDICTIONS RIGHT NOW HAVE 'EM WHERE THEY HAVE 70 PLUS POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR DISPATCH AND THEY ONLY HAVE 20 SOME BUILT.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR DEPUTIES WHO LIVES IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION ACTUALLY CALLED 9 1 1 AND THEY GOT A RECORDING DO NOT HANG UP.
SO WE WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT IN GURIN COUNTY FOR OUR CITIZENS.
UM, SO THIS IS A PREVENTATIVE STEP AS WELL TO KEEP WHO WE HAVE TO GREAT DISPATCHERS THAT WE DO HAVE, AND, UH, ALSO RECRUIT SOME GOOD, GOOD QUALITY PEOPLE TO
[01:00:01]
BE THE ONES WHEN YOU CALL 9 1 1 YOUR FAMILY CALLS 9 1 1 TO HAVE THAT WELL-TRAINED GOOD PERSON.AND THEY'RE ANSWERING THE PHONE ALSO FOR DISPATCH ONE DISPATCH FULL-TIME POSITION.
UM, THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO GO THROUGH TRAINING, UH, WHETHER IT'S EMD, C I T FOR DISPATCH.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GONNA UPGRADE TO RADIO TOWERS.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UH, IT'S A YEARLY THING.
WE ALWAYS HAVE TO REPLACE HEADSETS, UH, CHAIRS CUZ THEY'RE IN CHAIRS 24 7.
UM, ALL THE NORMAL REPLACEMENTS.
AND THEN ALSO CONTINUE WITH THE LANGUAGE LINE.
THEN THIS IS WHAT I SPOKE OF EARLIER WITH THE CORRECTIONS, DETENTION AND TRAINING, WHERE WE ARE MOVING, UM, SOME FUNDS OUT OF THIS LINE AND JUST COMBINING THEM WITH THE SHERIFF LINE.
I WILL SAY OUR, UM, ADULT, UH, SPACE HAS NOT INCREASED AT ALL.
I HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SHERIFF AND HENRICO, AND THEY'RE KEEPING IT THE SAME.
UM, JUST OUR JUVENILE HAS INCREASED JUST A LITTLE BIT AS FAR AS C I P FOR OUR VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS FOR EIGHT VEHICLES.
FOR THIS C I P WE ARE, UH, AS LONG AS PRICES OF VEHICLES STAY THE SAME, WE'RE HOPING THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET EIGHT.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS LAST YEAR, C I P WE DID NOT GET EIGHT.
THEY, UH, OUR ORDERS WERE CANCELED.
UH, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, WAS CANCELED AND WHEN WE'RE REORDERED, UH, THE PRICES WENT UP ABOUT 10,000 AND THEN THE EQUIPMENT ALL WENT UP AS WELL.
SO WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO GET SEVEN OUT OF LAST YEAR'S.
CIP P THAT'S WHY, AS YOU SEE THE INCREASE OF 20%, UH, AND THEN THE 5% EACH YEAR.
AND WE WERE GOING, WE DID THAT ON A RECOMMENDATION FROM ONE OF OUR VENDORS, UM, AS IN WHERE THEY BELIEVE WHERE IT'S GONNA BE, UH, EACH TIME.
NOT JUST A VEHICLE WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, BUT ALL THE EQUIPMENT THAT GOES INTO THE VEHICLE WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON.
SO, UH, WE LOOKED INTO THAT QUITE A BIT.
WE, UH, CALLED OTHER VENDORS, BUT OUR MAIN ONE THAT WE USED, THIS WAS A SUGGESTION FROM HIM THAT, UH, HE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, DEAD ON, YOU KNOW, QUITE OFTEN.
AND SO WE WANTED TO GO WITH THE PERSON WHO REALLY KNOWS ABOUT VEHICLE PURCHASING.
ALRIGHT, A FEW THINGS THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE SPENDING FROM THE, THE BUDGET, UH, MONEY, WHICH, WHICH ARE GETTING OUT OF IT AND CITIZENS ARE GETTING OUT OF IT.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT I'M JUST GONNA HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THEM.
AND ONE IS THE CITIZENS ACADEMY, WHICH STARTS WEDNESDAY, UH, FOR THE DAYTIME CLASS AND THURSDAY FOR THE EVENING CLASS.
THERE ARE STILL A COUPLE SPOTS, I BELIEVE THERE'S A COUPLE SPOTS, RIGHT? DEPUTY ROBBINS THAT, UH, THAT IF ANYONE FROM THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN TAKING IT, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT MYSELF OR DEPUTY ROBBINS.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ANY OF Y'ALL.
ANY, ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THE CITIZENS ACADEMY AND LEARN EVERYTHING THERE IS ABOUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, PLEASE DO SO.
UH, WE ALSO, UM, ARE STARTING OUR CHAPLAIN PROGRAM.
WE HAVE SIX CHAPLAINS COMING IN ON FRIDAY, SIX, MAYBE SEVEN COMING IN ON FRIDAY JUST FOR OUR FIRST CHAPLAIN MEETING.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO ROLLING OUT A WORSHIP WATCH.
Y'ALL HEARD OF VACATION WATCH, BUSINESS WATCH.
NOW WE'RE ROLLING OUT A WORSHIP WATCH SO WE CAN KEEP AN EXTRA EYE ON THE RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND CHURCHES IN OUR COUNTY.
COUPLE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR.
THIS WAS THE, UH, FIRST ANNUAL GUCCI SHERIFF'S OFFICE MOTOR SHOW WITH THE TWO PICTURES UP FRONT.
WE HAD A VERY, VERY, UH, UH, LARGE CROWD FOR OUR FIRST EVENT, UH, MR. LUMBER CAUSE I KNOW YOU WERE THERE.
UM, AND IT WAS, IT WAS JUST A GREAT, GREAT EVENT.
AND THEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE IS, UH, DARE, UH, RIGHT THERE IS, UH, MYSELF AND DEPUTY LIBO WITH THE GRADUATION OF BYRD ELEMENTARY.
RANDOLPH AND BYRD HAVE ALREADY GRADUATED.
GUT ELEMENTARY IS, UH, DOING THEIR DARE PROGRAM RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IS DARE I WILL TELL YOU A FEW AWARDS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, UH, THIS PAST YEAR IS, AS YOU REMEMBER, THE FBI LEADER TRILOGY AWARD, WHICH, UH, WE'RE STILL BRAGGING ABOUT THAT.
UH, NUMBER 64, I BELIEVE, UH, IN THE NATION, UH, WHO HAS RECEIVED THAT AWARD, WHICH IS AWESOME.
UM, ALSO, DEPUTY ROBBINS, UH, RECEIVING THE W R V A BLUE FRIDAY AWARD FROM, UH, OUR FRIEND JEFF KATZ.
UH, DEPUTY GREGORY, WHO RECEIVED A 2022 MAD AWARD, UH, FOR HIM JUST BEING PROACTIVE IN HIS ENFORCEMENT AND GETTING DRUNK DRIVERS OFF THE ROAD.
AND THEN YOU GOT SERGEANT LANCASTER AND, AND KATIE, UH, FOR DISPATCHER AND DEPUTY OF THE YEAR FROM THE D WICK CLINTON MASON LODGE.
SO WE DO, WE HAVE SOME EXCELLENT PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, DISPATCHERS, DEPUTIES, ADMIN STAFF WHO, UH, AND THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF AWARDS THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED.
WE GET OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UH, JUST A REMINDER OF OUR GUCCI SHERIFF'S OFFICE APP.
I HOPE EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD HAS THE APP, UH, WITH US.
BUT IF, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE IT, PLEASE DOWNLOAD IT.
IT CAN HELP YOU OUT IF, UH, IF THE ROAD'S CLOSED AND YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY UP HERE TO A MEETING.
ALSO, A FEW THINGS COMING TO GUCCI IS, UH, WE'RE HOSTING
[01:05:01]
A FBI LEADER SUPERVISOR LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE TRAINING IN, IN JUNE, WHICH IS A NATIONWIDE CLASS.UH, PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME TO, UH, THESE CLASSES ARE USUALLY CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL OVER THE NATION OR EVEN FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.
UM, THEN WE'RE STARTING, UH, GIVING THIS A SHOT, DOING THE SUMMER LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
UH, WE HAVE OUR JUNIOR DEPUTY ACADEMY NOW.
WE'RE DOING A LEADERSHIP ACADEMY FOR SOME OF THE OLDER KIDS.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE, UM, JOINING WITH THE SCHOOLS.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE SCHOOLS FOR LETTING US USE OUR RTC BUILDING.
UM, HERE ARE THE DATES, UH, FOR THOSE AND A COUPLE OTHERS THAT ARE COMING UP.
I ENCOURAGE ANY OF Y'ALL, IF YOU'VE, I KNOW YOU HAVE BUSY SCHEDULES, BUT IF YOU HAVE TIME, PLEASE DROP BY.
PLEASE DROP BY ONE OF THESE CAMPS.
COME TO THE FISHING DAY, UH, THIS YEAR, I THINK, UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR, UH, UH, CHANGING THE TIME OF YOUR MEETING.
NOW YOU CAN BE ABLE TO JOIN US FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
WE'RE REALLY, WE'RE REALLY, UM, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT Y'ALL BEING THERE FOR THAT.
UH, BUT PLEASE COME TO ONE OF THESE, UH, ESPECIALLY THE KIDS CAMP.
I THINK Y'ALL WOULD BE AMAZED ON, ON THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDINGS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THESE KIDS.
IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY OUTSTANDING.
ALSO, THIS IS JUST THE TIME I WANTED TO PUT IN HERE.
JUST SAY SPECIAL THINGS TO THE MEN AND WOMEN, WOMEN OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
I CAN TELL YOU, THEY TRULY LIVE OUR MISSION.
AND VAL VALUES EVERY DAY ON DUTY OR OFF DUTY.
I'M SUPER PROUD OF ALL OF THEM.
UH, ADMIN DISPATCH, CRIME ANALYSTS, DEPUTIES, UH, COMMAND STAFF.
UH, I CAN TELL YOU I HOLD 'EM.
UM, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO.
UM, THEY'RE OUT THERE EVERY DAY, UM, PUT IN THEIR BULLETPROOF VEST ON EVERY DAY KNOWING YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT TIME'S GONNA COME, WHEN YOU WON'T GO HOME.
AND IT MEANS A LOT TO MYSELF, UH, TO CITIZENS THAT THEY DO THIS EVERY DAY.
AND THAT PICTURE JUST SHOWS THAT IS A, UH, FOLDER I HAVE IN MY OFFICE OF THANK YOU NOTES FROM CITIZENS OF GURIN COUNTY.
I CAN TELL YOU THERE ARE HUNDREDS, IF NOT EVEN CLOSE TO A THOUSAND IF NOT MORE.
THESE DEPUTIES GOT OUT HERE EVERY DAY.
AND I WOULD SAY ON AN AVERAGE, THEY MAKE A CONTACT WITH A CITIZEN OR A VISITOR AT LEAST FIVE TO 10 TIMES EVERY GIVEN DAY THAT THEY HAVE.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST GOING INTO WAWA OR SOMEWHERE AND GETTING A CUP OF COFFEE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THEY MAKE CONTACTS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY AND THE VISIT VISITORS SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION.
THEY SEND LETTERS, THEY SEND CARDS, THEY SEND EMAILS.
WE HAD A LADY STOP OFF TODAY, LEFT A BIG BOX OF SNACKS AND STUFF SO I CAN, UH, GAIN SOME OF THE WEIGHT BACK I LOST.
UM, BUT THEY DO, THEY REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, WITH THE DEPUTIES DO.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, SAID, WE CAN'T DO WITHOUT Y'ALL, PERIOD.
WE CAN'T DO WITHOUT Y'ALL AS A BOARD AND WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE CITIZENS OF GUAM COUNTY.
SO JUST A THANK YOU FOR SHOWING THE INTEREST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE COUNTY.
PUBLIC SAFETY REALLY AS A WHOLE.
UH, WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR TIME THAT YOU DO, UH, COMING IN, UH, TALKING AT OUR ALL HANDS MEETING.
UH, SITTING IN THE DISPATCH DOING RIDE ALONGS AND ALL THAT.
UH, MR. VAERS, I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO TAKE THE CITIZENS ACADEMY, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, MS. LASETTE PULLING, DOING A TRAFFIC STOP UP THERE ON THE TOP RIGHT
AND IT MEAN IT MEANS A LOT WHEN Y'ALL ARE OUT THERE COMING TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND TALKING TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
IT, IT REALLY FEELS GOOD THAT, THAT, THAT WE KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE OUR BACK.
I KNOW IT'S, IT'S, UH, EASY TO HAVE, UH, OUR BACK WHEN YOU ALWAYS HAVE OURS.
OKAY, SHERIFF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, I WAS MAKING SOME NOTES WHILE YOU WERE TALKING AND YOU DID GREAT.
YOU ANSWERED EVERYTHING BUT ONE, SO YOU, IT'S GOOD.
UM, MY QUESTION IS THE, THE GROWTH, THE INCREASE IN THE COST IF FAR EXCEEDS OUR POPULATION INCREASE.
SO WE'VE DONE SOME ANALYSIS, SOME, WHAT THE HECK? YES.
WHAT, UH, SOME OF IT IS, WHAT IT IS, IS ONE, I BELIEVE THAT ONE, WE'RE COLLECTING DATA BETTER THEN WHAT WE ARE DOING.
WE ALSO HAVE ONE, A LITTLE BIT OF THE POPULATION.
WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE TRAFFIC CRASHES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A LOT MORE COMMUNITY STUFF THAT WE'RE DOING.
PEOPLE CALLING IN FOR THE VACATION WATCH.
LIKE WE DID, WE DID A THOUSAND VACATION WATCHES, YOU KNOW, LAST, LAST YEAR.
SO A LOT OF IT IS SOME OF THOSE EVENTS AND ALSO US COLLECTING THE DATA MUCH BETTER THAN WE ACTUALLY WERE DOING.
SO YOU, YOU'RE SAYING MAYBE SOME OF THAT 39,000 IS NOT LIKE CALL FOR SERVICE, I NEED HELP, IT'S JUST LIKE A VACATION CALL MAYBE OR SOMETHING? SOME OF IT IS, YES.
CUZ WE, WE WILL GET CALLS FOR PEOPLE TO NOT JUST THAT, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, HEY, I AM OUT OF TOWN OR I'M IN, I'M IN TOWN RIGHT NOW AND YOU KNOW, MY RING WENT OFF AND THERE'S A SUSPICIOUS PERSON.
SO THEY'LL ASK, THEY'LL, THEY'LL ASK TO GO DO
[01:10:01]
A SECURITY OR A PROPERTY CHECK RIGHT AT THEIR HOUSE.IT'S KIND OF A SCARY NUMBER WHEN YOU SEE IT JUMP THAT MUCH.
MR. PETERSON, RIGHT? YES, MR. CHAIRMAN.
SO I GUESS THAT'S THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN EMERGENCY AND NON-EMERGENCY CALLS, BUT THE VOLUME CLEARLY IS HIGHER.
RIGHT? UH, YOU, YOU SHOWED US THAT MAP.
DO YOU ADJUST THOSE BOUNDARIES BASED ON A, THE, THE NEW LEVEL OF CALLS AND THE INCREASE SO THAT IF YOU'RE GETTING A LOT OF CALLS OVER HERE, YOU DEDICATE RESOURCES? TO ME, WE DON'T, WE DON'T ADJUST THE BOUNDARIES.
WE ADJUST THE PEOPLE, THE DEPUTIES OKAY.
IN THERE BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE.
WE DO THE BOUNDARIES FROM A DISTANCE.
UH, BUT LIKE FOR THE NORTHEAST SECTOR, UM, WHICH I'LL TRY TO FIND IT HERE FOR YOU WHERE IT WAS, BUT THE NORTHEAST SECTOR, WHICH IS, UH, BASICALLY THE CENTERVILLE AREA AS WELL.
OLIVIA COMES, WE WILL PROBABLY NEED TWO DEPUTIES ASSIGNED TO THAT AREA WHEN IT DOES COME OR IF HE DOES COME.
SO RATHER THAN ADJUST THE BOUNDARIES, YOU DEDICATE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED.
YEAH, OUR, OUR SERGEANTS AND SUPERVISORS ARE PATROLS, UH, WITH IT WHEN THINGS ARE GOING ON, AS IN SHIFTING PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THE CHALLENGES IN THE VEHICLE, C I P.
ARE WE ABLE TO KEEP THE APPROPRIATE STAFFING OR SERVICE PROVIDERS WE NEED FOR MAINTENANCE WHEN WE DO HAVE CHALLENGES IN PROCURING NEW, UH, VEHICLE STOCK? YES.
WE, AS, AS IN FOR REPAIRS, REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE, ALL THE, YEAH.
WE USE, UH, WE USE DIFFERENT, UM, SERVICE STATIONS IN THE COUNTY, PARISH, FORD, MANNEQUIN AUTO, UM, UH, DUKE, DUKE'S UP IN THE WEST END, ALL THEM.
AND THEY'RE, WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO PRETTY MUCH GET IT IN AND GET IT OUT.
NOT MUCH OF A WAIT TIME UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING MAJOR.
WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF THAT? AND THIS MIGHT BE MORE A, A QUESTION FOR A FINANCE OR, OR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, BUT WE GOT A GRANT FOR SOME OF THAT STARTING OUT.
BUT THAT'S GONNA TRAIL OFF IS A, IS THE PLAN TO TRAIL OFF THE GRANT MONEY.
THE, THE GRANT IS A, IS APPROXIMATELY 180 K THAT WE RECEIVED FOR TWO PHYSICIANS.
AND WHAT IT IS IS, UM, ONCE THIS, IT'S A YEARLY GRANT WITH EXPECTING FOR US TO GET IN AN APPROVAL FOR ANOTHER GRANT NEXT YEAR.
SO WE HAVEN'T APPLIED FOR IT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GONNA GET, WE'RE GONNA GET AWARDED ANOTHER GRANT FOR NEXT YEAR WITH THE SAME WITH THE INCREASE.
UH, BUT RIGHT AROUND THE SAME AMOUNT.
SO ROUGHLY PERCENTAGE OF THE, OF THE COST FOR SROS IS, IS COVERED BY THE GRANT IS, UH, IT'S CLOSE TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
IT'S, THERE'S SOME INCIDENTAL COSTS THAT WE PICK UP.
UM, A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS MAYBE, BUT, OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP ON THE, THE VEHICLE.
SO YET, SHERIFF, YOU SAID SIX VEHICLES YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO ORDER THE FUND, THE FUNDING FOR THOSE, DID THEY REMAIN IN THE CIP P AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL COST? WAS THAT DUE TO READJUSTING WHAT YOU THINK THE COST IS GONNA BE? NO.
UM, UNDER LAST YEAR'S CIP P WE WERE ABLE TO ORDER A SEVEN.
SUPPOSED TO HAVE ORDERED, ORDERED EIGHT, THE VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE VEHICLES, BUT THE PRICE WENT UP SO MUCH IT WASN'T COVERING IT.
AND THEN JUST AN OBSERVATION, YOU KNOW, UM, AND CUZ THE NUMBER OF CALLS IS, IS BIG AND THEN, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S LIKE A 24% INCREASE IN CALLS MM-HMM.
I THINK SINCE YOU'VE BEEN THE SHERIFF, WE'VE INCREASED THAT ABOUT 30%, UM, OF, OF AT LEAST 30% MORE DEPUTIES ON THE ROAD FOR 24% INCREASE IN CALLS.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE, AND YOUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT HAS INCREASED AS WELL.
SO NOW WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY APPROVING POSITIONS CUZ YOU CAN FILL 'EM AND, AND GET THEM THERE.
AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS A LOT TO THE TRAINING AND THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY AND, AND LEADERSHIP.
IT'S A GOOD STORY THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THERE TO ANSWER, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
HAVE MS. ROGERS, UM, I, I LOVE THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH THE WATCH PROGRAMS, THE VACATION WATCH, THE CHURCH WATCH, UH, OR WORSHIP WATCH.
ARE THOSE STAFFED BY YOUR STAFF OR ARE THOSE MORE COMMUNITY OUTREACH? YOU KNOW, IN THE OLD TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH TYPE STYLE, THERE'S A STAFF BY US.
WHAT HAVE SAY THAT YOU GO ON VACATION AND YOU'RE DOWN AT THE BEACH, UH, YOU DO JUST FILL OUT A FORM FOR VACATION, WATCH WHILE YOU'RE GONE.
A DEPUTY, WHEN THEY'RE WORKING, IF THERE ARE NO CALLS OR ANYTHING GOING ON, THEY'LL SWING BY YOUR HOUSE.
THEY'LL, UH, WALK AROUND YOUR HOUSE, CHECK YOUR DOORS, CHECK
[01:15:01]
YOUR WINDOWS, MAKE SURE IT'S LOCKED UP.IF THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT, THEY ARE GONNA CALL YOU AND, UH, SAY, HEY, WE SAW THIS, A WINDOW WAS OPEN, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU LEFT IT OPEN.
SO, AND IT'S, IT'LL BE THE SAME WAY WITH A, A CHURCH AND THE SAME WAY WITH BUSINESS.
THANKS AGAIN TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
DID, DO WE WANNA TAKE A BREAK BEFORE WE GO INTO, UH, CHIEF FERGUSON'S AND THEN THE REST OF OUR HEARINGS? UH, LET'S DO, UH, LET'S DO BIG HAND ON THE SIX.
UH, ON THE FIVE BIG HAND, ON THE FIVE, 10 MINUTES.
GOSH, I JUST WANNA WORK, WORK, WORK.
[01:26:20]
ALL[01:26:20]
RIGHT, THANKS EVERYBODY.UM, NOW, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM CHIEF FERGUSON.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, ALL THE, THE GUESTS AND STAFF IN THE AUDIENCE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR FIRE RESCUE.
I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE BOARD MEETING AND JUST, UH, ECHO WHAT MS. BISQUE, WHICH HAD SAID IN REFERENCE TO KEEPING THE CREASES AND THEIR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
UH, CERTAINLY, UM, MS. DIANA CREASE, HE'S A 40 YEAR MEMBER OF THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT, AND, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR HEART, UH, GOES OUT TO HER AND HER FAMILY WITH THE, UH, SIGNIFICANT FIRE LOSS THAT THEY HAD, UH, OVER THE WEEKEND AND ARE THANKFUL THERE WAS NO LOSS OF LIFE.
AND HAVING SAID THAT, UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING FIRE RESCUE TO PRESENT THE BUDGET PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR DEPARTMENT TO REFLECT OVER THE LAST YEAR AND GIVE YOU SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS WELL AS, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, DO MOVING FORWARD.
OUR OPENING SLIDE, UH, WE, WE RARELY WE REFER TO IT, BUT WE RARELY ACTUALLY COVER THE INFORMATION ON IT.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO, BECAUSE THERE ARE A FEW KEY THINGS IN OUR MISSION, VISION, AND CORE VALUES THAT DRIVE THIS BUDGET PRESENTATION AND DRIVES WHAT FIRE RESCUE DOES.
AND OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY, COMPREHENSIVE FIRE, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN AN EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE, ACCOUNTABLE, AND COMPASSIONATE MANNER.
OUR VISION IS TO DEMONSTRATE EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE, SAFETY, PREVENTION, AND EDUCATION THROUGH AN INTEGRATED VOLUNTEER AND CAREER DEPARTMENT HONORING OUR PAST, PROTECTING THEIR PRESENT AND BUILDING RESILIENCY.
AND OUR CORE VALUES ARE ACCOUNTABILITY, COMMUNITY, COMPASSION, INTEGRITY, AND DEDICATION.
AND IT'S GOOD FOR US TO REFLECT BACK TO THAT, UH, PERIODICALLY AS WELL.
FIRE RESCUE, UM, HAD A VERY BUSY YEAR.
IN 2022, WE SAW A 14% INCREASE IN OUR CALL VOLUME, UH, THE MOST, UH, CALLS THAT WE HAVE EVER RUN, UH, IN A, A YEAR BEFORE 4,397 TO BE EXACT.
AND OF COURSE, THAT WAS, UH, COMPOSED OF ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT, UH, CALL TYPES, BOTH FIRE, EMS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, AS WELL AS OUR PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, TYPE INCIDENTS.
OUR FIRE RESPONSES, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR ARE OUR COUNTY AVERAGE FIRE RESPONSE TIME.
FROM THE TIME OF THE DISPATCH TO THE UNITS ARRIVE ON THE SCENE IS 12 MINUTES AND 34 SECONDS.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S MANY TIMES THAT WE DO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT.
AND THEN TO GET AN AVERAGE, THERE WOULD BE TIMES THAT IT'S LONGER.
UH, WE ARE NOTICING THOUGH, THAT OUR RESPONSE TIMES ARE BEGINNING TO CREEP BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.
FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR FIRE RESPONSE TIME WAS 12 MINUTES AND THREE SECONDS.
AND WE ATTRIBUTE SOME OF THIS TO THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE INCREASE IN CALLS, UH, UNITS BEING OUT OF POSITION AND ALREADY ON OTHER CALLS, IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, UH, WE BREAK IT DOWN, UH, PER THE DISTRICTS AND MUCH LIKE, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, HIS, UH, DEPARTMENT HAS BROKEN DOWN IN THE SECTORS.
AIR FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT IS BROKEN DOWN INTO DISTRICTS, AND YOU CERTAINLY CAN SEE THAT IN SOME CASES, UH, THE WESTERN AREAS BECAUSE OF THE LARGE GEOGRAPHIC, UH, DISTRICTS THAT THEY ARE.
THE RESPONSE TIME IS A LITTLE BIT, UH, HIGHER AIR CREW BREAKDOWN, UH, CAREER HANDLES, 64% OF THE FIRE CALLS COMBINATION CREWS, UH, 19% BOTH VOLUNTEERING CREW MEMBERS, UH, WORKING TOGETHER.
AND THEN 17% ARE HANDLED, UH, BY OUR VOLUNTEERS.
BUT THE POINT OF THIS IS TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT TAKES EVERYONE WE HAVE TO GET THE JOB DONE.
PROPERTY LOSSES, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR, UH, THEY WERE ACTUALLY, UH, DOWN A LITTLE BIT COMPARED TO,
[01:30:01]
UM, 2 MILLION 740, 70 4,000 IN 2021.UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, WE WERE SAD TO REPORT THAT WE DID HAVE, UH, ONE PERSON WHO LOST THEIR LIFE, UH, IN A HOUSE FIRE IN THE COUNTY IN 2022.
THAT WAS IN JANUARY OF 2022, UH, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE, UH, THE SNOW AND ICE STORM THAT WE HAD ON JANUARY 3RD AND JANUARY, UH, FOURTH.
THERE WERE OTHER FIRE FATALITIES AND VEHICLE ACCIDENTS, BUT, UH, THANKFULLY THERE WAS ONLY ONE, UH, WHO LOST THEIR LIFE, UH, IN A HOUSE FIRE.
IT'S THE FIRST, UH, FIRE FATALITY THAT WE HAD SEEN IN, UH, IN, IN MANY YEARS.
LOOKING AT, UM, SOME OF THE, UH, MUTUAL AID IN THE COUNTY, UH, MUTUAL AID GIVEN, YOU CAN CERTAINLY, UH, SEE THAT.
AND I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE ALSO RECEIVED MUTUAL AID AND THERE WERE, UH, 52 TIMES IN 2022 THAT WE RECEIVED, UH, MUTUAL AID FROM OUR, OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, UH, COUNTS FOR, UM, ABOUT 75 PLUS PERCENT OF, OF ALL OF OUR CALLS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT EMS RESPONSE TIMES LIKE FIRE, THEY'VE, THEY'VE ACTUALLY INCREASED A LITTLE BIT, UH, GOING FROM 9 39 TO 10 MINUTES AND ONE SECOND.
BUT WE'RE STILL MEETING OUR EMS RESPONSE TIME STANDARDS, UH, 90% OF THE TIME.
AND IF YOU RECALL, WE HAVE TWO MEASURES IN THE COUNTY, AN AREA FROM JACKSON SHOP ROAD ON 5 22 WEST, THAT'S A 20 MINUTE ZONE.
AND THEN EAST OF THAT IS A 15 MINUTE ZONE.
AND WE'RE STILL MEETING ALL OF THOSE, UH, AT LEAST 90% OF THE TIME REQUIRED TO DO THAT BY REGULATION, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE REGULATIONS.
AND CERTAINLY WE ARE REQUIRED TO REVIEW THOSE OUTLIERS WHERE WE DON'T MEET THOSE CREWS ARE TRAVEL ON AVERAGE OF 45 MILES ROUND TRIP TO HANDLE THE EMS CALLS.
UH, OUR TOP THREE HOSPITAL DESTINATIONS AND RECO DOCTORS, FOREST ST.
MARY'S IN RICHMOND, SAKURA, AND SHORT PUMP.
AND FOURTH WOULD BE VCU, UH, MEDICAL CENTER OR MCV.
EMS CALLS ARE, UH, HANDLED 90% BY OUR CAREER STAFF.
ABOUT 9% OF THE EMS CALLS ARE HANDLED BY VOLUNTEERS, I'M SORRY, COMBINATION CREWS.
AND ABOUT 1% ARE HANDLED, UH, BY VOLUNTEERS.
AND SO TRULY, UM, EVERYONE WORKS TOGETHER TO, TO KEEP ALL THESE CALLS ANSWERED.
FIRE MARSHALL HAS BEEN VERY BUSY IN, UH, 2022 WITH 630, UH, BUSINESS INSPECTIONS.
AND I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO, UM, THE ATTENDANCE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS. FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION PROGRAMS WAS REALLY UP THIS YEAR.
UH, WE ESTIMATE THAT WE CONTACTED OVER 15,000, UH, CITIZENS, AND THAT INCLUDES, UH, THE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS AS WELL AS THE FOLKS, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY WITH OUR, UH, PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, THAT WE WERE DOING, UH, BOTH, UH, IN PERSON AS WELL AS, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR FIRE RESCUE SHOW.
AND SPEAKING OF OUR FIRE RESCUE SHOW, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO PRESENT A FIRE RESCUE SHOW IN OCTOBER, OCTOBER THE EIGHTH AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR MAKING THE HIGH SCHOOL AVAILABLE TO US.
AND WE DREW OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT NIGHT.
IT WAS THE FIRST FIRE RESCUE SHOW THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY HAD, UH, SINCE 1989, OVER 30 YEARS.
AND SO WE WERE REALLY, UH, EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
UM, IT ACTUALLY BROUGHT TOGETHER ALL FACETS OF AIR OPERATION.
WE HAD OVER 104 MEMBERS PARTICIPATING IN OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.
AND WE'LL CERTAINLY, UH, DO TRY TO DO THIS AGAIN.
UH, THIS YEAR WE HAVE THE DATE ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER THE 14TH, BUT THIS IS A GREAT COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION IN PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENT THAT, UH, WORKED OUT VERY WELL.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS AN AREA THAT WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES OF PROGRESS.
UH, THERE WERE 49 WEATHER EVENTS ENTERED IN INTO OUR FIRE REPORTING SYSTEM FROM LAST YEAR.
AND CERTAINLY YOU ALL KNOW, UH, WHAT THE TWO STORMS THAT GENERATED THOSE.
THE SNOWSTORM IN JANUARY THAT I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED ONCE, AS WELL AS THE TORNADO THAT CAME THROUGH IN JUNE.
UM, SOME OF OUR POTENTIAL RISK AND THREATS ARE SEVERE WEATHER, HURRICANE, TORNADOES, UH, WILDFIRES, HAZMAT INCIDENTS ON THE HIGHWAYS, THE PANDEMIC, OF COURSE, CYBERSECURITY, WORKPLACE VIOLENCE, FLOODING, FLASH FLOODING, POWER OUTAGES, AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
WE'RE LUCKY, UH, THIS YEAR THAT WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT ON BOARD A FULL-TIME EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR.
UH, ROBIN HILLMAN, UH, JOINED THE TEAM AS A FULL-TIME MEMBER AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HER.
AND OF COURSE, SHE WAS DOING THAT JOB AS A VOLUNTEER.
ALL THESE, UH, PAST 20 PLUS YEARS, SOME OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED, UM, A COUP PLAN HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED FOR THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN, AS WELL AS, UH, EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN FOR THIS BUILDING IS, UH, HAS BEEN UPDATED AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING UPDATED.
UH, WE DID A, A RADIOLOGICAL, A RADIOLOGICAL PLAN WAS UPDATED.
WE'RE WITHIN THE 50 MILE ZONE INGESTION
[01:35:01]
PATHWAY OF NORTH ANNA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.AND THEN WE HAD A CERT CLASS INVOLVED ON SIX NEW CERT TEAM MEMBERS, WHICH IS, UH, A REALLY ACTIVE YEAR FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS, UH, A PROCESS THAT, UH, DOESN'T START WHEN THE EMERGENCY HAPPENS.
UH, MITIGATION SUCH AS ZONING AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE BUILDING HOUSES AND THINGS IN THE RIGHT PLACES SO THAT THEY DON'T BUILD IN FLOOD PLAINS AS AN EXAMPLE OF MITIGATION.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, BEING PREPARED, THINGS THAT I ALREADY MENTIONED ON THE OTHER SLIDE IN RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.
AND IT IS A WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH.
IT REQUIRES A LOT OF TRAINING IN EDUCATION.
WE'RE LUCKY BECAUSE WE DO RECEIVE GRANTS FROM VM, THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND WE GET WITH SUPPORT FROM OUR REGIONAL, UM, PARTNERS.
AIR, UH, PLAN THIS YEAR IS TO TRY TO ENHANCE GLAND'S, UH, DAMAGE ASSESSMENT CAPABILITIES WITH A PHONE APP CALLED CRISIS TRACK.
WE USE THAT SUM DURING THE TORNADO, BUT MORE TRAINING IS YET TO COME ON THAT.
AND WE WANNA ROLL OUT NEW EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS, NOT ONLY FOR THIS BUILDING, BUT FOR ALL THE GOVERNMENT, UH, FACILITIES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UH, ONE THING WE WANNA DO FOR COUNTY STAFF AS WELL AS, UH, THE ELECTED LEADERS IS TO PROVI PROVIDE THE NIMS TRAINING, THE NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TRAINING, THE ICS, UH, TRAINING TO OUR WORKFORCE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO SOME OF THOSE, UH, INITIATIVES.
OF COURSE, UH, I SPOKE A A GOOD AMOUNT AT THE BOARD MEETING EARLIER IN THE MONTH ABOUT OUR ISO CLASSIFICATION UPGRADE.
WE MOVED FROM A FIVE AND A FIVE Y TO A FOUR AND A FOUR X AND THIS WAS A HEAVY LIFT FOR THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
UH, WE ARE HOPING THAT THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY WILL RECOGNIZE IT AND CATCH UP AND CERTAINLY, UH, OFFER SOME SAVINGS TO SOME OF THE, UH, HOMEOWNERS IN GOLAND WITH HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE.
UH, BUT AS I HAD MENTIONED, UH, THIS GOES INTO EFFECT ON MAY 1ST, AND IT TAKES ABOUT SIX MONTHS OR SO FOR THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY TO TAKE ALL THIS INTO ACCOUNT AND CONSIDERATION.
BUT PROBABLY, HONESTLY, MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S A MEASUREMENT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS, UH, RATED, UH, WITH THE MOST POINTS TO BE HAD IN AN ISO ASSESSMENT, THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, UH, CENTER, AS WELL AS THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES AND WATER SUPPLIES.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED, UH, TO HAVE, UH, BEEN ABLE TO MOVE UP A CLASS IN ISO LAKE FIRE ACHIEVEMENTS, UH, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
WE WERE ABLE TO BE AWARDED WITH A AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION 2022 MISSION LIFELINE AWARD, A A SILVER PLUS, UH, MISSION LIFELINE, UH, RATES, AIR ABILITIES TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY, CARDIAC AND STROKE CARE, UH, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE, THE NECESSARY CARE, GET TO THOSE PATIENTS QUICKLY.
12 LEAD EKGS, UH, SEND THOSE, TRANSMIT THOSE INTO THE RECEIVING FACILITY SO ALL THE STAFF IS READY AND AWAITING FOR A PERSON HAVING A HEART ATTACK.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
TWO NEW AMBULANCES WERE PLACED INTO SERVICE.
UH, COMPANY TWO RECEIVED A AMBULANCE, A NEW AMBULANCE, UH, AS WELL AS COMPANY FIVE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, WE OPERATE TYPICALLY A FLEET OF, UH, 10 AMBULANCES, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE OPERATING WITH, UH, WITH NINE.
AND EVEN WITH OUR NEW EQUIPMENT THAT WE'VE INTEGRATED, WHICH WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR, THE AVERAGE MILES PER VEHICLE IS STILL ABOUT 90,000 MILES ON AN AMBULANCE.
AND THE AVERAGE AGE OF AN AMBULANCE IS JUST UNDER FIVE YEARS OR CIVIL OLD.
SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE, UH, CONTINUE TO INTEGRATE NEW AMBULANCES INTO THE FLEET.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO ORDER ONE, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, AND IT, OF COURSE, HAS TAKEN A WHILE TO, TO BUILD THOSE.
CERTAINLY THERE WERE OTHER ADVANCEMENTS IN EMERGENCY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, AND I ALWAYS WANNA MENTION, UH, THE GREAT WORK THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER DOES AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DELIVERED EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH TO OUR 9 1 1 CALLERS.
OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS, UH, LOOKING AHEAD FOR NEW FUTURE FIRE STATION LOCATIONS, STATIONS THAT ARE NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE CONTINUED GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTY.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY FINALLY GET, UH, LAND, UH, DEEDED TO THE COUNTY FINALIZED, UH, FOR THE WEST CREEK FIRE STATION, AS WELL AS THE, UH, THE FUTURE SANDY HOOK FIRE STATION.
AND SO ALL OF THIS ARE GREAT THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO, TO BE ABLE TO GROW THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT FROM SIX LOCATIONS TO EIGHT LOCATIONS TO BETTER SERVE THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY.
TRAINING AND EDUCATION, UH, WAS BUSY THIS, THIS PAST YEAR.
THE ANNUAL EMT CLASS WAS COMPLETED, THE FIRE ACADEMY, WE HAD SEVERAL, UH, NEW HIRE ORIENTATION, MANY RECRUIT SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS, UM, ALL OF THE CONTINUED EDUCATION TRAINING THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR CERTIFICATIONS UP TO DATE, AS WELL AS SENDING OUR PERSONNEL OUTSIDE THE COUNTY TO CONFERENCES AND OTHER, OTHER FIRE SCHOOLS.
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE LAST YEAR, 33 NEW VOLUNTEERS WERE RECRUITED IN.
WE HIRED FIVE CAREER FIREFIGHTER EMTS, PROMOTED FOUR CA LIEUTENANTS.
THE FIRE MARSHAL POSITION WAS UPGRADED TO A FULL-TIME, UH, POSITION.
AND I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, THE
[01:40:01]
FIRE MARSHAL SLIDE THAT I HAD.I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE FIRE MARSHAL ENFORCES THE VIRGINIA STATEWIDE FIRE PREVENTION CODE, AND THAT ALLOWS US TO KEEP OUR BUSINESSES, UH, AND OUR NEW DEVELOPMENT SAFE.
WE KEEP ALL OF THAT IN MIND GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE PROVIDING SAFETY FOR OUR CITIZENS, EMPLOYEES AND SO FORTH.
WE HAVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR.
WE WERE ABLE TO PUT, UM, ON 10 PIECES OF APPARATUS, WAR DIESEL EXHAUST FILTERS.
AND THESE FILTERS, HOPE, HOPEFULLY, WILL MITIGATE THE DIESEL FUEL HAZARD.
THE DIESEL EXHAUST IS A KNOWN CARCINOGEN.
WE KNOW THAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE, ARE MORE PRONE TO DEVELOP CANCER THAN THE GENERAL US US POPULATION.
AND SO 10 OF OUR VEHICLES NOW HAVE THE WAR DIESEL FILTERS ON IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS TO GO WITH THIS.
UH, SOME ORGANIZATIONS WILL, WILL PUT THE DIESEL EXHAUST EXTRACTION SYSTEMS IN THE FIRE STATIONS, AND WE DO HAVE THAT IN FIRE STATION SIX, OUR NEWEST STATION OWNED BY THE COUNTY.
BUT HONESTLY, WITH, UM, THE AGE OF SOME OF THE VOLUNTEERS OWNED STATIONS, THE FILTERS ON THE APPARATUS JUST SEEM LIKE A MORE LOGICAL WAY TO GO.
AND WHEREVER THE APPARATUS GOES, THAT FILTER GOES.
AND IF YOU'RE STANDING NEXT TO THE APPARATUS, UH, WHILE YOU'RE DRAFTING WATER OUTTA A POND OR IN THE ER DRIVEWAY, YOU GET THE BENEFIT OF THE FILTER.
SPEAKING OF DRY HYDRANTS, OUR DRY HYDRANTS WERE, UH, INSPECTED THIS PAST YEAR.
WE PLACED A NEW BOAT IN SERVICE, THE FIRE RESCUE SHOW, AND EM, MS. AGENCY INSPECTION, AND THEN NEW YOUR EQUIPMENT WAS INTER INTEGRATED INTO THE, UH, DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT THE, UH, GLAND COUNTY VOLUNTEER FIRE RESCUE ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO, UM, WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARTIN DEAN, UH, WE HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES OF PROGRESS, UH, GOING FORWARD WITH RENOVATIONS OF THE FIVE, UM, VOLUNTEER FIRE RESCUE ON STATIONS.
I'LL JUST TELL YOU A A FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, COMPANY ONE IN MANNEQUIN ACHIEVED A NEW SEPTIC FIELD, AND THEY ARE JUST ABOUT DONE WITH INTERIOR RENOVATIONS, AND THAT'S A BIG PROJECT THAT'S BEEN DONE THERE AT COMPANY ONE.
COMPANY TWO, UH, IS A SMALL FACILITY, OBVIOUSLY, AND, AND A LITTLE BIT LIMITED IN PROPERTY SIZE, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH, UH, WITH WHAT THEY HAVE TO, TO MAYBE MAKE THE LIVING AREAS A A LITTLE, LITTLE NICER INSIDE OF COMPANY TWO.
COMPANY THREE IS GETTING READY TO START WITH AN INTERIOR RENOVATION.
WE WERE ABLE TO WIDEN THE BAY DOORS AT FIRE STATION FOUR AND FIFE, AND COMPANY FIVE IS, UH, JUST LIKE COMPANY THREE READY TO, TO ROLL FORWARD GETTING READY FOR INTERIOR RENOVATIONS.
AND COMPANY SIX IS THE, UH, THE COUNTY OWNED STATION, BUT CERTAINLY, UH, WANT TO GIVE THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS THAT COMPANY SIX, ALL THE CREDIT THEY DESERVE, BECAUSE THEY STILL FUNDRAISE AND THEY PUT MONEY BACK INTO EQUIPMENT, AS WELL AS THINGS THAT MAKE THE STATION, UM, A LITTLE BIT NICER.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THAT.
AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE HERE IS SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THAT, UH, PROGRESS THAT YOU'VE, UM, THAT YOU'VE HEARD ME SPEAK ABOUT.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE, UH, ASSOCIATION, YOU LOOK AT THE FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE, UM, THEY MANAGE ABOUT JUST UNDER 2 MILLION AND, UH, IN ASSETS.
AND THEY PUT THE, THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE FACILITIES AND THE THINGS THAT, UH, ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THE FIRE RESCUE FACILITIES, UH, UP TO DATE AND, AND MODERN.
UM, THEY WERE ALSO HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL COUNTYWIDE FUND DRIVE IN THE SPRING.
AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE THEM, UH, REPEAT THAT AS A COUNTYWIDE INITIATIVE, UH, HERE REALLY SOON.
BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WITH ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION, UM, THE SHERIFF SAID IT, OUR MEMBERS ARE THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS.
ALL THE MATERIALISTIC THINGS ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, BUT IF HE DIDN'T HAVE THE PEOPLE TO DEPLOY THAT AND THE SKILL AND THE TALENT, I COULD, I COULD GO ON AND ON.
YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR MEMBERS, UH, BRING SO MUCH TO THE TABLE.
UH, MANY OF THEM HAVE A, A TRADE OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM FIRE RESCUE THAT THEY DO, UH, OUTSIDE OF FIRE RESCUE.
AND ALL OF THAT ADDS UP TO BE GOOD SERVICE WHEN YOU'RE IN SOMEONE'S HOME OR YOU'RE HAVING TO PROBLEM SOLVE FOR A SITUATION THAT YOU'RE RESPONDING TO.
AND OF COURSE, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE HAD MEMBERS WHO'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED WITH VALOR AWARDS.
UM, CHIEF WATKINS GRADUATED FROM THE NATIONAL FIRE ACADEMY, UH, EXECUTIVE FIRE OFFICER PROGRAM.
UM, AS WELL AS, UH, ALL THE OTHER GREAT WORK THAT OUR AND MEN AND WOMEN DO WITH FIRE RESCUE.
WE'RE ACTIVE WITH THE REGION AND THE STATE.
UH, WE MAKE IT OUR BUSINESS TO BE INVOLVED IN AS MANY ASSOCIATIONS AS WE, AS WE CAN BE INVOLVED IN.
UM, WE THINK THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE IT NOT ONLY KEEPS US, UH, FRESH AND UP TO DATE, BUT IT BRINGS OPPORTUNITIES BACK TO GLAND, UH, COUNTY.
UM, AND SO WE'RE IN THE POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP AND MANY OF THESE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVE ON, UH, GOVERNOR'S BOARDS AND, AND SO FORTH AROUND THE STATE.
ALWAYS LIKE TO GIVE YOU A QUICK REPORT ON HOW WE'RE DOING WITH VOLUNTEER MEMBERS.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, VOLUNTEER MEMBERS, UH, CONTINUE TO MAKE A, A SIGNIFICANT
[01:45:01]
CONTRIBUTION, UH, TO THE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES IN GLAND COUNTY.UH, OUR MEMBERS ARE UP A LITTLE BIT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE RECRUITED, UH, 33 VOLUNTEERS IN 2022.
AND I'LL NORMALLY, CHIEF GORDON WOULD, UH, MAYBE HAVE A FEW WORDS TO SAY ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW HE TRIED TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT HIS, UH, FULL-TIME JOB IN FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, CALLED HIM BACK TO THE OFFICE.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UM, THIS IS GOOD.
THIS IS GOOD TO SEE 33 VOLUNTEER MEMBERS COME IN IN 2022.
AND THE, THE CALL VOLUME THOUGH IS, UH, IS CERTAINLY, IS CERTAINLY OUTRUNNING THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS THAT WE HAVE.
BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO, TO KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I THINK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING TODAY, THE CALL CALLS ARE GOING UP AND THE VOLUNTEER NUMBERS ARE GOING UP, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF, UM, VOLUNTEER HOURS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING DOWN.
WELL, THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT VOLUNTEERS CAN ANSWER, POSSIBLY YOU'RE GOING DOWN.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU THAT, UH, YOU HAVE TO THINK WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A VOLUNTEER IN 2023.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS, UH, IN A PERSON'S LIFE THAT COMPETES FOR THEIR TIME, THEIR FAMILY, UH, OTHER THINGS THAT, THAT GO ON OUTSIDE OF, UH, FIRE RESCUE.
BUT I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THIS AS THE GLASS IS, UH, IS IS HALF FULL BECAUSE, UM, EVERY CALL THAT A VOLUNTEER MEMBER ANSWERS IS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION IN GOLAND COUNTY.
AND MANY OF OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE VERY TALENTED, UM, AND ARE ABLE TO, TO BRING OTHER THINGS TO THE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
SO, WHILE WE LOOK AT THIS SLIDE HERE, AND WE DO SEE A DECREASE IN, IN, UH, IN OURS, UM, I JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT WE'RE GETTING IN THE COUNTY TODAY FOR SOME OF THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE SEEING, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY CALLS THAT VOLUNTEER MEMBERS CAN AFFORD TO LEAVE THEIR JOB AND GO TO AS OFTEN AS THEY OCCUR.
FIRE ALARMS, UM, MORE TYPES OF SUPPORT TYPE CALLS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, CAUSE OUR NUMBERS TO INCREASE.
AND HERE WE ARE AT THE BUDGET REQUEST.
UH,
UM, YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE THE BUDGET THAT, THAT WE OPERATE WITH TODAY IN THIS BUDGET YEAR.
AND LOOKING AHEAD, UM, OUR BUDGET REQUEST IS, IS, IS 10, IS OVER 10 MILLION.
AND I WANNA SAY THAT, THAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ABOUT A 19.49% INCREASE, AND WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE RECEIVING, UH, ABOUT SIX NEW FIREFIGHTER EMTS, UH, IN THIS BUDGET, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE BUDGET, UH, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE THESE CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED AT IN A, IN A SLIDE OR TWO AHEAD.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, SALARIES AND BENEFITS, UH, CERTAINLY HAVE GONE UP AS WELL AS OPERATING EXPENSES.
IT'S JUST LIKE, UH, DIESEL FUEL, FOR EXAMPLE, IS ONE OF THE LINES THAT WE HAD TO ADJUST UP THAT WE'VE BEEN RUNNING IN, IN THE RED IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE A BOTTOM LINE BUDGET, SO WE DIDN'T GO OVER BUDGET WITH SOME OF THIS, BUT WE MADE THESE ADJUSTMENTS.
AND THEN OUR GRANTS, UH, WE HAVE THREE GRANTS THAT ARE PRETTY MUCH REVOLVING GRANTS THAT WE RES ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE EVERY YEAR.
IT'S ABOUT $87,000, JUST UNDER 88,000.
IT COMES FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF FIRE PROGRAMS AND IS FUNDED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANIES.
AND THE PORTION GUC RECEIVES IS JUST UNDER 88,000.
AND WE CAN SPEND THAT GRANT ON FIRE SUPPRESSION, UH, RELATED EXPENSES, OR FOUR FULL LIFE GRANT IS AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES GRANT THAT'S, THAT'S GIVEN, UH, BY THE OFFICE OF EMS AS WELL AS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND IS RATE AT $27,000.
AND THAT IS PRETTY MUCH, UH, PREDICATED ON THE NUMBER OF VEHICLE LICENSES OR REGISTRATIONS THAT ARE SOLD IN THE LOCALITY.
26% OF THAT MONEY COMES BACK TO THE LOCALITY.
IT CAN BE SPENT FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES RELATED ACTIVITIES OR SUPPLIES.
AND THEN WE HAVE FROM V EAM IS A MATCHING GRANT.
LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING GRANT.
IT'S ABOUT 16, $16,000 COMES FROM VM AND THEN 16,000 COMES FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
AND IF YOU ACCEPT THE VM, THEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE MATCH.
UH, BUT THAT IS OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT GRANT THAT WE USE TO TRY TO OFFSET EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
THE ONE THING THAT'S NOT, UH, REALLY SHOWN ON THE SLIDE IS WE DO HAVE A REVENUE STREAM IN FIRE RESCUE, AND THAT'S GONNA BE OUR AMBULANCE, UH, COST RECOVERY PROGRAM, OR REVENUE RECOVERY AS SOME PEOPLE CALL IT.
AND BASICALLY, UH, THAT IS REVENUE GENERATED FROM LOADED, UH, MILES WHERE WE TRANSPORT PATIENTS TO THE HOSPITAL.
MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY COMES FROM, UH, INSURANCE, MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND THEN THERE ARE SOME, UH, OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES FOR COPAYS.
AND THAT GENERATES ROUGHLY A A, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A CONSERVATIVE NUMBER OF ABOUT $800,000 A YEAR BASED ON OUR CALL VOLUME AND OUR COLLECTION RATE.
[01:50:01]
ALWAYS LACKS BEHIND BY ABOUT SIX MONTHS BECAUSE IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THAT BILLING MECHANISM TO OCCUR TO KNOW WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO COLLECT.BUT I WILL NEVER MENTION THAT UNLESS I SAY THAT WE HAVE A SOFT BILLING, COMPASSIONATE BILLING, UH, POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND THAT SHOULD NEVER INTERFERE WITH A PERSON'S DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY, UH, WERE TO CALL 9 1 1 BECAUSE QUITE A BIT OF, UH, OF THAT IS, IS WHAT WE REFER TO.
WE RELIEVE THAT DEBT, OR WE CALL IT RIGHT OFF DEBT.
AND WE ARE, WE'RE PROUD OF THAT BECAUSE THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT WE ARE COMPASSIONATE, SOFT BILLER.
LOOKING AT, UH, SOME OF OUR FIRE STATION, UH, STAFFING, UM, THIS YEAR, I HAD MENTIONED THAT, THAT WE WERE HOPE, WE'RE HOPING TO, TO GET THE SIX POSITIONS, UH, ADDED, UM, FOR FY FY 24.
AND THAT WILL ACTUALLY, UH, BRING UP OUR, OUR FIRE STATION STAFFING TO 64 POSITIONS ASSIGNED TO THE FIRE STATIONS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, UM, AND THEY KEEP IN MIND THAT IF EVERYONE IS AT WORK AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT PEOPLE ON LEAVE, ANNUAL LEAVE, SICK LEAVE, MILITARY LEAVE, WORKERS' COMP, LIGHT DUTY, ALL THE THINGS THAT, THAT ANY EMPLOYER HAS TO PRETTY MUCH CONTEND WITH, THEN IF EVERYONE IS AT WORK, WE WOULD HAVE AS MANY AS 64 PEOPLE ASSIGNED TO THE FIRE STATIONS.
AND THE GOAL HERE IS TO TRY TO GET EVERY FIRE STATION UP TO ABOUT 15 CAREER MEMBERS, WHETHER IT WOULD BE FIVE WORKING, FIVE WORKING A DAY.
THAT'S OUR GOAL WAS TO GET TO THAT POINT PLUS OUR VOLUNTEERS SO THAT ALL TOGETHER WE WOULD HAVE STAFFING THAT IS INDEPENDENT, DIFFERENT STAFFING ON THE FIRE ENGINE, DIFFERENT STAFFING ON THE AMBULANCE SO THAT WHEN THOSE CALLS OCCUR, THAT WE WOULD HAVE MORE PEOPLE FOR THE EMERGENCY SCENE.
BUT WE ALSO WORRY ABOUT, BECAUSE EMS ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 75% OF OUR CALL VOLUME, YOU KNOW, OUR EMS STAFFING IS ALSO OUR FIRE STAFFING.
AND IF WE HAVE A HEAVY CALL LOW DAY FOR EMS, AND WE HAVE TWO OR THREE AMBULANCES TIED UP IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AT ANY HOSPITAL WE TRANSPORT TO, THEN IF THAT FIRE CALL COMES IN NEXT, THEN WE MAY BE, UH, WE MAY, WE MAY NOT HAVE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO HANDLE THOSE EMERGENCIES.
LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE WOULD ADD, UM, HAVE INDEPENDENT STAFFING ON ALL THE VEHICLES.
BUT THE SHORT, SHORT TERM GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE WORKING TODAY.
AND WE ACTUALLY DO CROSS STAFFING TODAY WHERE WE, THE STAFF MOVES BETWEEN VEHICLES BASED ON WHAT THE, UM, THE CALL, THE CALL TYPE IS.
AND THIS WILL HOPEFULLY, UH, HELP TO REDUCE RESPONSE TIMES AS WELL AS JUST GENERALIZED INCREASED RESOURCE AVAILABILITY.
UM, AND ALSO HELPS TO COVER PEOPLE THAT ARE OFF ON ANNUAL LEAVE AND SICK LEAVE AND UNABLE TO BE AT WORK FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, OUR STAFFING NUMBERS OVER THE YEARS ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE.
WE HAVE NEVER, UH, BUILT IN EXTRA PERSONNEL TO COVER LEAVE.
UH, MOST OF OUR REGIONAL, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENTS AROUND US, THE, PARTICULARLY THE LARGER ONES, THEY, THEY HAVE A MULTIPLIER WHERE WHEN THEY NEED SO MANY POSITIONS, THEY USE THAT MULTIPLIER TO ARRIVE AT HOW MANY THEY REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN MAINTAIN THAT NUMBER ON DUTY.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN VERY, UH, CONSERVATIVE WITH OUR NUMBERS ALL THESE YEARS.
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIRING PROCESS.
UM, WE HAVE 75 APPLICATIONS, UH, AS OF THE DAY, AND THAT IS WAY MORE THAN WE'VE HAD IN RECENT YEARS.
WE DO HAVE FOUR VACANCIES TODAY.
UH, WE HAD ONE, UH, FIREFIGHTER WHO WENT TO ANOTHER FIRE DEPARTMENT, ONE'S GOING BACK TO PRIVATE BUSINESS.
WE HAD A RETIREMENT AND WE ALSO HAD, UM, HAD A RECRUIT THAT, UM, WENT TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION.
SO ALL THOSE, UH, COMBINED, WE HAVE, UH, FOUR, FOUR VACANCIES TODAY.
AND I FEEL CERTAIN THAT OTHER 75 APPLICATIONS WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND, UH, SOME REALLY GOOD PEOPLE TO BRING ON BOARD.
UM, HOWEVER, UH, THIS SAME PROCESS, THIS HIRING PROCESS WILL LIKELY FEED, UH, ANY NEW POSITIONS THAT WE RECEIVE, UH, IN THE FY 24 BUDGET REQUEST.
SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT ONE.
UH, WITH THE IS THE MOST RECENT ISO UH, STUDY AND ASSESSMENT.
ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE, WE WERE, UM, WE DIDN'T RECEIVE FULL CREDIT IN WAS OUR DEPLOYMENT MODEL.
AND THAT'S THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, TO PUT ON THE FIRE SCENE.
AND CERTAINLY, UM, I JUST WANT TO COVER WHAT I KNOW LAST, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST BUDGET.
UH, MR. SPOONER ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU SAY YOU WANT TO HAVE THREE FIREFIGHTERS ON A FIRE ENGINE GOING TO A, A FIRE, AND CERTAINLY WE KNOW SAFETY IS ONE OF THE REASONS AND THEN BE ABLE TO OPERATE, UH, EFFICIENTLY ONCE WE GET ON SCENE, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS REALLY LOOK LIKE? AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT, GATHER SOME OF THAT DATA OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND SO AN ENGINE, UH, AVERAGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE CAN, UH, STAFF AN ENGINE WITH TODAY IS ABOUT 2.4 FIREFIGHTERS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, THE NUMBER OF ENGINE RESPONSES, ABOUT 772 OF, OF THAT 1700 INTER
[01:55:01]
RESPONSES ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY DID ACHIEVE, WE HAD MORE THAN TWO FIREFIGHTERS ON IT.AND SO THAT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT, UH, 44.7% OF THE TIME.
AND SO WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS IN THAT AREA.
AND WHEN WE ADD STAFF AND WE ADD PERSONNEL, AND WE RECRUIT 33 VOLUNTEERS, ALL THAT ADDS TO BE GETTING CLOSER TO GET THREE PEOPLE ON THAT FIRE ENGINE TO ROLL OUT THE DOOR.
OF COURSE FOUR WOULD BE BETTER, BUT WE, WE KNOW WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO WORK TOWARDS THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UH, WHAT N F P A TALKS ABOUT, IT TAKES TO HANDLE A, A FIRE, UH, SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY, A, A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING RESIDENTIAL 14 MEMBERS, BUT 15, IF YOU OPERATE A LADDER TRUCK, A STRIP MALL IS 27 A GARDEN, APARTMENTS 27, AND A HIGHRISE, UH, WOULD BE 43.
AND THERE WAS SOME MENTION MADE EARLIER OF THE, THE PROJECT THAT THAT MAY BE GOING OVER ONTO ASHLAND ROAD, AND CERTAINLY, UH, IT COULD QUALIFY AS A HIGHRISE BASED ON THE, THE BUILDING HEIGHT.
AND WE'VE TALKED IN ANOTHER BOARD MEETING ABOUT THAT.
SO WE NEED PERSONNEL TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE, HANDLE THESE, UH, THESE EMERGENCIES.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT THIS DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IS RURAL WATER SUPPLY.
IF WE HAVE, UH, A RURAL WATER SUPPLY SITUATION, YOU COULD HAVE ALMOST JUST AS MANY FIREFIGHTERS HANDLING THAT TANKER SHUTTLE.
AND SO THIS IS ASSUMING THAT YOU HAVE A FIRE HYDRANT, UH, CLOSE BY AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY WATER SUPPLY CHALLENGES.
OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH, UM, RANKS INCIDENTS AND ORDERS OF PRIORITY.
OUR PRIORITY ONE INCIDENT ALWAYS REQUIRES MORE PERSONNEL.
AND JUST TO, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME, SOME INDICATION OF THIS, UM, THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE FOR PRIORITY ONE INCIDENTS, WE'RE NOT ALWAYS ACHIEVING ADDITIONAL HELP ON THE SCENE.
UH, WE GET THAT CALL HANDLED TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, BUT A PRIORITY ONE CALL GETS THE CLOSEST AMBULANCE, AN ELLIS PROVIDER AND A FIRE ENGINE FOR ADDITIONAL STAFFING.
SO MANY TIMES WE MAKE UP FOR THAT ADDITIONAL STAFFING BECAUSE WE HAVE RESPONSE CARS THAT GO OR AND COMMAND STAFF AND, AND THAT PEOPLE THAT WILL MAKE UP THE DEFICIENCIES IN THAT WAY.
BUT ALL OF THIS JUST KIND OF ADDS UP TO BE, UM, LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL IT TAKES TO OPERATE.
SO SOME OF OUR EXPLANATION OF CHANGES, TRYING TO PICK UP THE PACE A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WE, IN THIS BUDGET REQUEST, WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER MEMBER ANNUAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS.
WE OFFER ANNUAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS TO THE CAREER STAFF.
AND WE'VE DONE THAT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND WE'D LIKE TO DO THE SAME FOR OUR VOLUNTEER MEMBERS.
UH, PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THE FOLKS, UM, AND MAKE SURE WE MONITOR THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY BASED ON THE EXPOSURES THEY GET BY PERFORMING THIS SERVICE.
WE CONTINUE FORWARD WITH OUR LEXIPOL POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND ONE OF THE AREAS, UM, I'LL TELL YOU THAT HAS ADDED SOME MONEY TO THE BUDGET OR WITH OUR ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERING ON FIRE STATIONS.
OF COURSE, THE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE ASSOCIATION WHERE THE COUNTY PROVIDES FOR CERTAIN THINGS AND THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO UPGRADE IN THE STATIONS ARE VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL PHONES, FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS STATION ALERTING, SECURITY CAMERAS.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE DOOR AT EVERY FIRE STATION ON A CARD READER SYSTEM, MUCH LIKE YOU WOULD ENCOUNTER IF YOU WENT TO A COUNTY BUILDING.
AND THEN FUEL TANKS FOR COMPANIES TWO AND FOUR.
UH, WE'VE SEEN THAT WE NEED TO INCREASE AIR, FUEL RESERVES, UM, AND CERTAINLY, UM, IT'S REASONABLE TO EXPECT EVERY FIRE RESCUE STATION TO HAVE A FUEL TANK.
WE HAVE A BOAT, NEW BOAT MOTOR IN THERE FOR BOAT 6 0 5.
UM, AND THEN WE ARE SUBMITTING ANOTHER SAFER GRANT, UH, FOR MORE VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
FROM ALL INDICATIONS, WE WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL.
WE DIDN'T RECEIVE THE LAST SAFER GRANT.
IT'S BEING REFRESHED AND CHIEF WATKINS IS WORKING WITH THE GRANT WRITER TO RESUBMIT THAT.
AND WE JUST HOPE THE REASON WE DIDN'T RECEIVE IT WAS JUST BAD TIMING IS ALL I CAN REALLY SAY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE ADJUSTED THOSE BUDGET LINES, UH, TO MATCH THE ACTUALS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
AND WE DO HAVE CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN AIR BUDGET, BUT I KNOW THAT'S NOT ONLY CARRIED IN AIR BUDGET, THAT'S IN MR. CARPENTER'S BUDGET AS WELL AS, UH, MRS. DYSON'S BUDGET WITH HR, OUR C I P, UM, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR FY 24.
UH, WE HAVE A, I THINK IT'S A VERY EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO GET A NEW FIRE ENGINE ON ORDER.
WE'RE REPLACING FIRE ENGINES THAT WERE PURCHASED WHEN, UH, NEW IN 2006 AND 2000 AND, WELL, 2006 MAINLY.
AND GETTING A UNIT ON ORDER IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S TAKEN UP TO 24 MONTHS TO BUILD A FIRE ENGINE.
WE ALSO HAVE TURNOUT GEAR, TURNOUT GEAR, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS.
WE CONSTANTLY HAVE TO REPLACE AIR TURNOUT GEAR.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A BRUSH TRUCK REPLACEMENT FOR A BRUSH TRUCK THAT WAS BOUGHT BACK IN THE EARLY NINETIES, UH, FOR FIRE STATION THREE IN CENTERVILLE.
JUST REAL QUICKLY, UM, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE FIRE RESCUE TRAINING CENTER IS STILL A, A MAIN POINT OF FOCUS.
[02:00:01]
YEARS OLD.WE'VE MADE, UH, SOME PROGRESS THERE.
UH, THE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN, UM, REPLACED.
UH, WELL THE, THE OLD TRAINING BUILDING THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN UPDATED AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET A REPLACEMENT, UH, BURN BUILDING.
AND YOU'LL SEE BY THIS, UH, THIS SLIDE HERE, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE LIVE FIRE TRAINING CLASS B BUILDING, AND WE'RE HOPING TO GO TO THE VIRGINIA FIRE SERVICES BOARD ON FRIDAY TO GET FINAL APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PROCUREMENT ON THIS.
YOU MAY RECALL WE RECEIVED A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $480,000 LAST FEBRUARY, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING THAT ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS WITH THIS GRANT, UH, EVER SINCE THEN.
UH, WE'RE MAKING DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS THERE AT THE FIRE TRAINING CENTER AND WE'RE HOPING TO, UH, TO HAVE IT SQUARED AWAY, READY TO RECEIVE A BUILDING OF THIS SORT, A CONTAINER STYLE BUILDING TO PRO PROMOTE OUR FIRE TRAINING, UH, CAPABILITIES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE'VE ALSO DONE IS WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE OUT AN OLD CLASSROOM.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN A NEW MODERN, UH, SPACIOUS, MODULAR OFFICE, UH, STYLE CLASSROOM TRAILER, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF APRIL.
AND SO, UH, THE TRAILER THAT WE TOOK OUT HAD BEEN USED EXTENSIVELY ALL THOSE YEARS AND WAS NO LONGER IN A STATE THAT IT COULD BE REPAIRED.
AND SO THINGS ARE, THINGS THAT ARE GOOD ARE HAPPENING AT THE, UH, FIRE RESCUE TRAINING CENTER.
LOOKING AHEAD, UH, THE CHALLENGES, PLUS THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, TO RESPOND TO THE INCREASED DEMANDS, UH, STAFFING, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
VOLUNTEERS AND CAREER MEMBERS HAD MENTIONED EARLIER THE INDEPENDENT STAFFING, GETTING TO THE POINT THAT WE AREN'T CROSS STAFFING VEHICLES, THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT STAFFING ASSIGNED TO THE, THE FIRE ENGINE AND AMBULANCE SO THAT WE CAN HANDLE THOSE CALLS WHEN ONE UNIT IS ALREADY ON A CALL.
AS WELL AS, UH, INCORPORATE MORE, UH, LEADERSHIP INTO THE, UH, THE SYSTEM.
MORE, MORE MID-LEVEL CHIEF OFFICERS OR BATTALION CHIEFS.
WE'RE EXPECTING INCREASED FIRE MARSHAL ACTIVITY, EXPANDING THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, CONTINUATION OF THE EXISTING FIRE STATION FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL NEW FIRE STATIONS.
OF COURSE, OUR, UH, APPARATUS FLEET IS ALWAYS A, A CHALLENGE.
UH, WE HAVE A LARGE FLEET, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UM, THE MAINTENANCE COSTS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST MAINTENANCE COSTS.
WHEN WE HAVE VEHICLES THAT ARE TIED UP FOR SO LONG IN THE SHOP, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT WHEN YOU HAVE A, AN INCIDENT, A WORKING INCIDENT, YOU DON'T HAVE VEHICLES BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN THE SHOP AND OF COURSE, THE FIRE RESCUE TRAINING CENTER.
AND I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY A LOT LONGER THAN I PROMISED, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER, UH, ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
CHIEF MR. ROGERS, UM, CHIEF ROSE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, IN LIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS, MAINLY IN OHIO, UM, AND GIVEN OUR PROXIMITY TO A MAJOR WATER SUPPLY WITH OUR RAIL, UM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION GIVEN OUR COUNTY'S LOCATION? WELL, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION, AND THAT, THAT FALLS RIGHT INTO THE, UH, NOT ONLY FIRE RESCUE, BUT THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, ARENA.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UM, THE JAMES RIVER, YOU KNOW, PROVIDES WATER FOR, FOR MANY JURISDICTIONS, AND WE HAVE THE, UH, THE LONGEST SECTION OF CSX TRACKS OF ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE.
UM, AND SO WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN, UM, MINDFUL OF THAT IN OUR EMERGENCY PLANNING AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE TRANSPORTATION INCIDENTS THAT, THAT WE COULD BE CONFRONTED WITH.
UH, I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, IN LYNCHBURG A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME THAT A FEW YEARS AGO THERE WAS A, UH, BACH AND CRUDE, UH, TRAINED DERAILMENT WHERE THERE WAS FIRE AND OIL WENT INTO THE RIVER AND SO FORTH, AND WE MONITORED THE RIVER DOWN IN THEIR AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DRINKING WATER AND SO FORTH WAS SAFE AS WELL AS WHAT WAS COMING DOWNSTREAM.
AND SO I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING WE ALWAYS, UH, TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND WITH THE RAIL BEING SO CLOSE TO THE RIVER, UH, THAT POSSIBILITY, UM, DOES EXIST AND IT'S ONE OF THE THREATS, UH, THAT HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN MITIGATE WITH GOOD PLANNING.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HOLD A, A REGIONAL RESOURCE IN THE COUNTY.
UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FOAM TRAILER, AND THE FOAM TRAILER IS, UH, ALCOHOL BASED FOAM THAT WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY NEEDED FOR THAT, THE BACH AND CRUDE OIL OR ANYTHING OF THAT TYPE THAT WOULD CATCH FIRE, UH, ON THE TRAIN TRACKS REGIONAL SYSTEM.
AND WE HOLD, UH, ONE OF THE, THE TRAILERS HERE IN THE COUNTY FOR THAT VERY REASON.
BUT THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ON THE WATCH FOR BOARD.
ANYBODY ELSE? MR. PETERSON? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
UM, IN LOOKING AT YOUR CALLS THAT YOU RUN, YES, SIR.
I NOTICED YOU RUN A, A, A NUMBER TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM JUST ACROSS THE BORDER OUTSIDE OF GSON, AND WE HAD AN EMERGENCY ROOM INSIDE OUR BORDER.
UM, IS THERE ANY UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON THERE WITH, WITH THE HCA FACILITY? UM, IT SEEMS THAT THE NUMBER OF ROOFTOPS,
[02:05:01]
THE NUMBER OF CALLS WERE RUNNING IN THAT AREA SPECIFICALLY IS INCREASING, RIGHT? UH, FAIRLY DRAMATICALLY.YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, I'VE SEEN A RECENT, UH, NEWS HEADLINE, UH, SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF, IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS SINCE, UH, THE HCA WEST CREEK EMERGENCY CENTER HAD CLOSED.
UH, BUT WHAT I'LL TELL YOU I THINK I KNOW IS THAT THERE PROBABLY AREN'T ANY PLANS TO REOPEN THAT AS AN EMERGENCY CENTER.
UM, THE PROPERTY IS THERE AND THERE COULD BE OTHER USES FOR THAT.
AND I, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HCA A'S LONG-TERM PLANS ARE FOR THAT, FOR THAT PROPERTY.
UH, BUT AS YOU, AS YOU INDICATED, THE, UM, THE BON SAKURAS FACILITY JUST ACROSS THE COUNTY LINE ON BROAD STREET, WE FREQUENT, UH, QUITE OFTEN.
YEAH, JUST I KNOW WHEN, UH, WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SHOULD WE KEEP IT OPEN OR NOT, UH, A LOT OF THAT ANALYSIS WAS BACKWARD LOOKING AND THAT FORWARD LOOKING.
AND SO I THINK WE'VE APPEALED TO SAY, LOOK, LOOKING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE THAN, THAN LOOKING BACKWARDS, ESPECIALLY DURING A PANDEMIC.
I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA REOPEN, BUT I, I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE IT IS.
IT'S A SHAME NOT SPEAKING FOR HCA.
NO, I APPRECIATE YOUR HONESTY.
I MEAN, WE NEED TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES, BUT, UH, IT'S A SHAME.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, UM, UM, I NOTICED PEEKING AHEAD INTO 25 AND SIX WITH THE ADDITION OF NUMBER SEVEN AND POSSIBLY NUMBER EIGHT AT SOME POINT, UM, THERE'LL BE KINDA A STEP FUNCTION IN STAFFING AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER THERE'S A, UM, YOU KNOW, PHILOSOPHY THAT SAYS MAYBE WE SHOULD RAMP UP THE PERSONNEL BEFORE WE ADD BRICK AND MORTAR AND MAYBE OVERHIRE AND THEN CUT THE STAFFING DOWN AND MOVE ASSETS OVER.
OR IF YOU'RE JUST PLANNING TO USE ASSETS, HOWEVER YOU HAVE THEM AND WHEREVER YOU NEED THEM.
UM, SO MAYBE THAT'S LOOKING TOO FAR IN THE FUTURE, BUT, UH, IT MAY HAVE IMPACT OUR CURRENT BUDGET IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT RIGHT, THAT STEP FUNCTION.
SO THAT'S A GOOD, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION AND CERTAINLY ANOTHER WAY TO DO THAT, TO ACCOMPLISH THE, THE NUMBERS THAT WE NEED TO ANSWER THE CALLS.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SAID WHEN WE LOOKED AT, LET'S SAY FIRE STATION SEVEN IN WEST CREEK, LET'S JUST LOOK AT THAT, YOU KNOW, FIVE PEOPLE WORKING A DAY, 15 PEOPLE, YOU USE A MULTIPLIER, YOU NEED AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE IF YOU WANNA MAINTAIN THAT KIND OF STAFF INTO ACCOUNT.
FOR SOME, FOR FOLKS BEING OFF ON THE ANNUAL LEAVE AND OTHER REASONS PEOPLE WOULD BE OFF DUTY.
UM, SOME OF OUR FIRE STATIONS CAN ACCOMMODATE, UH, THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU THAT MANY OF OUR FIRE STATIONS, THE ACTUAL FOOTPRINT OF SOME OF OUR FIRE STATIONS, ALL THE OTHER FIRE FIRE STATIONS WERE BUILT BACK IN THE FIFTIES AND AND EARLY SIXTIES BEEN UPDATED, RENOVATED, ADDED ONTO MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT COMPANY TWO, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS WE HAVE AT COMPANY TWO, UH, BESIDES SQUARE FOOTAGE IS ALSO THE SEPTIC FIELD WON'T SUPPORT THE ADDITIONAL USE.
SO WHILE WE COULD RAMP UP STAFFING AND ADD SOME NUMBERS TO OUR OTHER STATIONS TO TRY TO GET UP TO FIVE ON DUTY, THE TYPES OF, UM, PERSONNEL, THE NUMBERS THAT WE LOOK AT, UH, PARTICULARLY IN, IN FY 25 OR SO IN 26 FOR, FOR WEST CREEK, UM, WE NEED THAT ADDITIONAL STATION, THE BRICK AND MORTAR, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE.
BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE DO WANT TO GET ALL SIX OF OUR FIRE STATIONS UP TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE INDEPENDENT STAFFING, UH, ON THE UNITS, SO THAT IF ALL THE AMBULANCES ARE BUSY OUT OF THE COUNTY AND A FIRE CALL COMES IN, WE STILL HAVE OTHER FOLKS AND THEIR VOLUNTEERS WHO CAN ANSWER THE FIRE CALLS.
UH, THANK YOU CHIEF, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
THAT GO INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE IS CORRECT CONSTRAINED IN SOME, SOME AREAS.
I JUST DID WANNA MENTION TWO OTHER AREAS I THOUGHT WERE WERE VERY GOOD.
UM, BY THE WAY, YOU GOT A LOT GOING ON AND I GIVE US A LENGTHY PRESENTATION JUST CUZ YOU GOT A LOT GOING ON THAT'S, AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT, UM, THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS INCHING UP YES.
NOW THAT THE PANDEMIC IS BEHIND US AND SOME OF THE COVID FEARS MAY BE REDUCED JUST A BIT THAT THAT'S ENCOURAGING.
THE OTHER THING YOU MENTIONED ABOUT HAVING FUEL SUPPLY AT EACH OF THE STATIONS, I THINK WE SAW WITH SIR, THE COLONIAL PIPELINE SHUTTING DOWN THERE SOME VULNERABILITIES HERE, SIR.
SO I, UH, I I'D APPLAUD YOU AT LEAST IN THOSE COUPLE OF AREAS TO BE PREPARED, UM, IN ADVANCE WITH ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS, ADDITIONAL, UH, FUEL RESOURCES AS WELL.
WELL, FOUR OF OUR SIX FIRE STATIONS HAVE, UH, FUEL ON SITE.
COUNTY FIVE HAS THE COUNTY FUEL PUMPS, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO STATIONS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY FUEL ON SITE.
AND SO IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS WORKING TOWARDS MAKING SURE WE CAN ADD TWO 1000 GALLON FUEL TANKS TO THIS TWO LOCATIONS THAT DON'T.
AND I CERTAINLY, UH, OUR PARTNERS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ACTUALLY MAKE THEIR FUEL AVAILABLE TO US AT, AT SOME OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, WHICH WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR.
UH, BUT WHEN YOU GO INTO A LOCAL EMERGENCY, YOU HAVE WHAT YOU HAVE AND THAT'S ALL YOU CAN REALLY COUNT ON BECAUSE THEIR EXPERIENCES HAS BEEN THAT WHILE WHEN YOU WRITE THESE CONTRACTS WITH FUEL VENDORS, THEY SAY THEY'LL GIVE YOU PRIORITY SERVICE, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE AND WE ACTUALLY FOUND OURSELF A
[02:10:01]
YEAR AGO ACTUALLY HAVING TO CARRY FUEL TO THE MEADOWS NURSING CENTER TO BE CERTAIN THAT THEIR GENERATOR DIDN'T STOP WORKING THERE AT THE NURSING CENTER, UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF THOSE LARGE POWER OUTAGES THAT WE HAD ACROSS THE COUNTY.SO HAVING, UM, FUEL AT, AT EACH FIRE STATION UP TO A THOUSAND GALLONS OF DIESEL FUEL, UM, IS A NORMAL THING AND ALSO PROBABLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
THE LAST THING REALLY QUICKLY, UM, THE NUMBER SEVEN, YOU'RE COORDINATING WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE EAST END, IS THAT THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
UH, I'VE TALKED TO SHERIFF CREASY AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE WEST CREEK FIRE STATION WOULD, WOULD HAVE SPACE INCLUDED FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, A PLACE THAT THE, UH, DEPUTIES COULD COME IN AND, UH, USE THE COMPUTERS IN A SECURE ENVIRONMENT AND POSSIBLY HAVE SOME STORAGE.
AND IN TALKING TO SHERIFF CREASY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT HE NEEDS TO OPERATE WITH TODAY.
BUT ANYTHING WE CAN DO WITH FIRE STATION SEVEN TO MAKE IT, UH, POSSIBLE TO ADD ON, UH, AND PLAN FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE, UH, MAYBE NEEDED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN FUTURE YEARS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CHIEF? GREAT PRESENTATION.
I, OUR HAREL, THANKS FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAMS. WELL, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THE CREDIT GOES TO THE MEN AND WOMEN, UH, TO MAKE UP THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE, UH, IN THE POSITION AS THEIR FIRE CHIEF.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL AS THE SUPPORT OF ALL THE CITIZENS IN THE COUNTY.
WE'RE MOVING INTO OUR THIRD ITEM ON NEW BUSINESS, WHICH IS, UH, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, CARLY CAVE, IS GONNA TALK TO US ABOUT AUTHORIZATION TO ADVERTISE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.
MS. CAVE, HOW DID YOU WANNA DO THIS? DID YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM WITH, WITH, YES.
SO, UM, WE'VE GOT COVERED ON THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
THAT'S JUST HOW I'VE GOT THE SLIDES LAID OUT.
UM, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING DATE SET FOR APRIL 4TH.
SO THESE ARE THE, THE AUTHORIZATION TO ADVERTISE FOR THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE, THE AUTHORIZATION, THE COUNTY BUDGET AS A WHOLE, WHICH INCLUDES THE C I P PROGRAM, THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET, AND ALL OTHER TAX RATES ASIDE FROM REAL ESTATE.
AND TONIGHT, OR TODAY WE'RE GOING TO ALSO, UM, DO THE REQUEST TO SET THE ACTUAL PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FEE SCHEDULE.
SO, UM, FIRST UP, WE HAVE THE REAL
[3. 5643: Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearing the Proposed 2023 Real Estate]
PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.UM, EVERY YEAR THAT THERE IS AN ASSESSMENT DONE, UM, COUNTIES ARE REQUIRED TO FIND THE EFFECTIVE RATE INCREASE.
AND I'M JUST, MOST OF, YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE OF THIS, BUT I'M JUST STATING THIS FOR ANYBODY IN THE ROOM THAT'S NOT, UM, STATE CODE SAYS THAT COUNTIES NEED TO COME UP WITH THE EFFECTIVE RATE THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW YOU TO COLLECT MORE THAN 1% OF THE REVENUE GENERATED IN THE CURRENT YEAR ON YOUR CURRENT VALUES.
SO, UM, THIS IS WHAT THIS REAL ESTATE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, UM, ADVERTISEMENT IS SAYING IS THAT OUR EFFECTIVE TAX RATE WOULD ACTUALLY BE, UM, 47 CENTS, WHICH IS 6 CENTS HIGHER, OR 6 CENTS LOWER THAN OUR 53 CENT.
BUT OUR BOARD IS CHOOSING TO GO REMAINING AT 53 CENTS.
UM, THIS IS A 12.8% INCREASE THAN WHAT THE EFFECTIVE RATE WOULD BE.
UM, AND WE WILL ADVERTISE THIS IN TIME FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL, APRIL 4TH.
SO HERE'S OUR INFORMATION THAT WE JUST STATED, BUT WE JUST NEED A MOTION FROM YOU TO ADVERTISE THE ATTACHED NOTICE.
SO YOU SAID IT WAS A 9.6% YES.
WHICH IS A 12% INCREASE IN RATE.
I MOVED THAT THE
I'M SORRY, I MOVED AT THE BOARD.
I'M LOOKING WHAT, LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS HERE.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVE ADVERTISING THE ATTACHED NOTICE AND SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 4TH, 2023 TO CONSIDER THE 2023 REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.
AND, UM, THAT IS THE ADVERTISEMENT THAT'S ATTACHED.
AND THEN OUR PACKAGE HAS THE RATE UNCHANGED AT 53 CENTS PER HUNDRED.
CAN I GET A SECOND? UH, SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ONE, ONE COMMENT? YES, MA'AM.
UH, JUST AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, WE KNOW THIS, BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD, IF, UH, WE DO, UH, ADVERTISE THIS TAX RATE, WE CAN ALWAYS GO DOWN, BUT WE CAN'T GO UP.
SO THIS WOULD BE THAT THIS IS WHAT WE AGREE TO DO.
THIS WOULD BE OUR MAXIMUM, UH, REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.
[02:15:01]
A SET OF HEARING FOR IT.ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR CLARIFICATIONS? ROLL CALL, VOTE PLEASE.
HOW DO OUR FOURTH ITEM? ALL RIGHT.
NEXT IS THE AUTHORIZATION TO ADVERTISE FOR PUBLIC HEARING
[4. 5644: Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearing the County Administrator's]
FOR THE BUDGET IN GENERAL, WHICH INCLUDES THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET, AND THE PROPOSED TAX RATES.AND THE MOTION IS BEFORE YOU MUCH MORE EXPEDIENT THAN THAT ONE
LIKE, OH, I GOTTA GO TO WORK PETERSON.
AND MR. CHAIR, IF YOU, IF YOU'RE READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, I, UM, I MOVE THE UCCI COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, APPROVE ADVERTISING THE ATTACHED NOTICE AND SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 4TH, 2023 TO CONSIDER THE FY 2024 BUDGET AND THE 2023 TAX RATES.
ANY PHOTO DISCUSSION? COMMENTS, CLARIFICATIONS? OKAY.
AND I'LL ADD BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UM, WE WILL ADVERTISE THE FULL BUDGET AND THE PAPER AS USUAL, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE DETAILED BUDGET ON THE WEBSITE CURRENTLY FOR CITIZENS TO GO OUT AND LOOK LINE BY LINE AT EVERY DEPARTMENT, EVERY FUND.
SO OUR NEXT AND LAST MOTION WILL BE FOR, UM, A FEW CHANGES TO OUR FEE SCHEDULE.
[5. 5642: Request to set public hearing for April 4, 2023, to consider an ordinance]
WE HAVE THE ANNUAL, UM, UTILITY FEE CHANGES THAT ARE KEEPING UP WITH THE RATE STUDIES THAT THEY'VE IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.SO WE ARE INCREASING WATER AND, UM, OUR WATER VOLUME AND SERVICE FEES BY 3%.
SEWER VOLUME AND SERVICE FEES BY 4%, AND WATER AND SEWER CONNECTION FEES BY FIVE AND A 5%.
AND I THINK MATT LONGSHORE IS HERE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY OUR COMMISSIONER YES.
THEY'RE, UM, CHOOSING TO CHANGE THREE.
THEY'RE GONNA DECREASE A RATE, ADD A RATE, AND REMOVE, UM, A FEE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WITH OUR ITINERANT MERCHANT, WHICH IS JUST SETTING UP BOOTHS AT CERTAIN EVENTS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE FEE CHANGES? NO.
SO THE LAST MOTION WE NEED IS JUST TO CO TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE FEE SCHEDULE AS PRESENTED JUST TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, YES, MR. VICE CHAIRMAN, I MOVED THAT THE BOARD APPROVED SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 4TH, 2023 TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE COUNTY FEE SCHEDULE AS PRESENTED.
YOU HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL VOTE.
MS. CAVE, THAT'S, I'VE GOT WORK.
YOU KICK US OFF HERE TODAY WITH ALL THIS WORK.
MR. CARPENTER, MIGHT AS WELL BRING US HOME, BRINGING YOU HOME, SIR.
UH, THE BOARD, MAY I RECALL, UM, UH, THEY REQUESTED
[6. 5557: Resolution amending the FY23 Schools Budget and appropriating a]
A DEFERRAL OF, UH, THE, UM, RESOLUTION, UH, 55 57 THAT AMENDED THE SCHOOL'S BUDGET AND APPROPRIATED $1.185 MILLION OF FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT REBATE IN ORDER TO GET SOME CLARIFY, UH, SOME CLARIFICATION AND SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED.UH, WE PRESENT BACK TO YOU AGAIN TODAY, UH, THAT SAME, UM, RESOLUTION AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD ARE IN ATTENDANCE.
BOARD, I KNOW THIS WAS, UM, HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION, UM, GOING FORWARD.
ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR FURTHER DISCUSSION? MS. LAS COLETTE? UM, I, UH, DR.
RELEY DID PROVIDE US WITH A GREAT DEAL OF INFORMATION YEP.
UM, IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD AND OTHERS HAD, BUT I STILL HAVE TWO REMAINING QUESTIONS IF WE COULD POSSIBLY ASK THEM.
COULD WE GET SOME MONEY FROM THE SCHOOLS? THANK YOU, MR. OKAY.
SO I UNDERSTAND THIS MUCH BETTER THAN I DID, YOU KNOW, A MONTH OR TWO MONTHS AGO, CUZ IT JUST MAKES MORE SENSE TO ME.
UM, THE 3 89, 3 83 PER BUS, THAT IS WITH THE UPGRADES PER BUS, THAT IS WITH THE FEATURES THAT WE HAVE ON BUSES WHEN WE PURCHASE
[02:20:01]
THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS.THAT IS RIGHT TO MATCH WHAT WE HAVE NOW, LIKE AIR, AIR CONDITIONING OR WHATEVER.
ALL, ALL THE FEATURES THAT WE TYPICALLY PURCHASE ARE INCLUDED IN THAT PRICE.
NOW, UH, THE SECOND QUESTION IS, ONCE WE'VE GONE THROUGH ALL THIS, WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND SHORTFALL MM-HMM.
SO, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE ORDERING THEM NOW, THEY WON'T COME IN FOR LIKE A YEAR AND A HALF OR SO, RIGHT? UH, SO THAT MONEY DOESN'T REALLY HAVE TO BE SPENT RIGHT NOW.
UH, BUT WHERE WILL THAT COME FROM? THAT 1 0 5 3 49 WOULD COME FROM THE SCHOOL DIVISIONS CURRENTLY APPROPRIATED OPERATIONAL BUDGET COMMAND OPERATIONS.
CURRENTLY THERE ARE TWO SCHOOL BUSES THAT ARE IN OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET, SO THAT WOULD BE A PLACEHOLDER FOR ONE OF THOSE BUSES.
SO THAT WOULD BE BASICALLY OUT OF, UH, REPLACEMENT BUS? YES, MA'AM.
THOSE ARE THE TWO OUTSTANDING I WASN'T SURE ABOUT.
BOARD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. PETERSON? YEAH, MR. JEFF.
UM, DID WE, UM, I, I KNOW YOU PROVIDED AN AWFUL LOT OF INFORMATION.
AND, UH, I KNOW MORE THAN I EVER THOUGHT I'D EVER WANNA KNOW ABOUT THIS EXACTLY.
UM, DID WE EVER RESOLVE WHICH SIDE OF THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, COUNTY VERSUS SCHOOL BUDGETING THAT THESE BUSES WOULD FALL SOME ON EACH SIDE? SOME OF ALL ON ONE SIDE.
DID WE EVER RESOLVE THAT PART OF IT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM A FIXED ASSET STANDPOINT OR FROM A FUNDING STANDPOINT? YEAH.
UM, IF IT, THIS 1,000,185, WOULD THAT ALL GO TO OFFSET OR REDUCE THE SCHOOL'S COST OR REPLACEMENT? OR WILL YOU REPLACE ONE BU BECAUSE WE, WE AT THIS POINT REPLACE ONE OF THE BUSES ON THE COUNTY SIDE OF THE BUDGET, AND I THINK THERE'S TWO ON YOUR SIDE OF THE BUDGET.
IS THAT YEAH, THE, THE CURRENT BUDGET AS APPROPRIATED BY THE SUPERVISORS INCLUDES TWO BUSES AND OPERATIONS AND ONE BUDGET, ONE BUS IN, IN CAPITAL.
SO THE, THE BUDGET THAT I PRESENTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION INCLUDES THE SAME.
TWO BUSES AND OPERATIONS AND ONE IN CAPITAL.
UM, SO NO RE SO DOES THIS MONEY, MONEY GO TO REPLACE ANY OF THAT IN ADDITION TO THAT? UH, IT'S NOT, IN ADDITION, THE, THE BUDGET FY 23 TO FY 24 WITH REGARDS TO BUS REPLACEMENT WOULD REMAIN THE CON THE SAME.
NO CHANGE, NO INCREASE OR DECREASE.
SO WOULD THESE REPLACE ANY OF THOSE OR WOULD THESE BE INCREMENTAL IN ADDITION TO THE C I P? SO FOR EXAMPLE, TO ANSWER MS LASS COLETTE'S QUESTION, WE'RE LOOKING AT $105,000 IN DIFFERENTIAL THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD COME FROM ONE OF THOSE TWO BUSES.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE WOULD PURCHASE ONE DIESEL BUS AND THEN PAY FOR THE COST OF THESE THREE WITH THE, WITH THE DIFFERENTIAL.
UM, YOU SHARE WHAT YOU SEE WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.
I MEAN, WE, WE HAVE THE CIP P AND THERE'S YEAH.
TWO IN ONE AND THEN THERE'S THREE MONEY COME, YOU KNOW, GRANT MONEY COME IN FOR THREE MM-HMM.
IT, IT, IT COULD COME FROM EITHER THE CAPITAL BUDGET OR THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET AT ALL.
IT'S ALL PART OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION'S APPROPRIATION.
I DON'T FAIR ENOUGH ENOUGH IF IT MATTERS IF IT COMES FROM CAPITAL OR OPERATION, IT'S STILL PART OF THE OVERALL UNDERSTAND APPROPRIATION GIVEN TO US.
WE'RE ALL THIS TOGETHER AT THE BOTTOM LINE ANYWAY, SO FINE.
THE OTHER, THE OTHER THING I'M PROBABLY WAY OUTTA BOUNDS ON DOING THIS, BUT UH, I'VE TALKED TO SOME OTHER FOLKS THAT HAVE, UM, EVS BATTERY OPERATED AND THEY EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN THE RANGE DURING THE COLDER SEASON.
AND I KNOW, I THINK THEY, WHAT I HEARD WAS THE CONTEMPLATION WAS TO USE THESE FOR SOME OF THE SHORTER RANGE RUNS, BUT, BUT I THINK IN THE PLANNING PURPOSES WE OUGHT MAKE, TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
THE OTHER THING IS, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE RANGE NUMBERS THEY GIVE YOU, WHETHER THAT INCLUDES A FULLY LOADED BUS OR AN EMPTY BUS.
AND SO JUST AS YOU PLAN, JUST AGAIN, I'M WAY OUTTA BOUNDS ON THIS, BUT SURE.
JUST TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION IS ALL SUGGESTION.
WE, WE PLAN ON OPERATING THE BUS AT NO LESS THAN 20% OF CHARGING CAPACITY TO GIVE US SOME FLEXIBILITY THERE.
DO YOU HAVE A RANGE? PROBABLY WANNA OPERATE WITHIN THE 20% TO THE 80% CHARGE RANGE.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA MICROMANAGE, UH, THE ROUTE MANAGEMENT SO THAT THESE BUSES ARE ON OUR SHORTER ROUTES AND THERE'S NO NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OPERATIONS.
SOUNDS LIKE YOU THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING WE TRIED.
I'LL YIELD BACK THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM.
SO THE ONLY, UM, WE KIND OF THROUGH EMAIL DISCUSSED THE STAFFING CUZ I THINK I MISUNDERSTOOD THAT.
WE, WE, WE WEREN'T, THE THREE BUSES THAT THIS WAS REPLACING WERE OLDER BUSES THAT WE WERE WEREN'T USING CURRENTLY ANYWAY.
WE'RE GONNA, THEY'RE, WE'RE GONNA SCRAP THOSE PER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM.
I THINK I JUST MADE AN IMPROPER JUMP THAT THAT MEANT WE WERE ADDING THREE ROUTES OR THREE BUSES.
[02:25:01]
YOU TALK ABOUT ARE THESE GOING TO RE BE REPLACING CURRENT ROUTES OR NEW ROUTES BECAUSE THAT, THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE SHORTER? YEAH.SO WHAT ARE THE STAFFING IMPLICATIONS OF THE FOR BUS DRIVERS? YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.
THERE IS NO NEED TO INCREASE OUR STAFFING AS A RESULT OF THIS.
IT'S A REDISTRIBUTION OF OUR FLEET.
AND SO ULTIMATELY IF WE ARE APPROVED AND WE RECEIVE THREE NEW BUSES, WE DISPOSE THREE NEW BUSES.
THE OVERALL NUMBER OF BUSES IN OUR FLEET REMAINS THE SAME.
THEN THE LAST QUESTION, WHICH I STILL AM HAVING A HARD TIME WRAPPING MY HEAD AROUND AND I THOUGHT MAYBE, MAYBE WE'LL BE ABLE TO NAIL IT DOWN TODAY, WAS, SO THIS ONE POINT CALL AT 1.2 MILLION HAS TO SIT APPROPRIATED AND JUST SIT THERE AND I'VE GOT ROADS I NEED TO BUILD.
WE'VE JUST GIVEN A WHOLE BOAT, BUNCH OF MONEY TO THE SCHOOL.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS THAT WE'VE HAD TO SHIFT MONEY FROM, REVENUES FROM C V T A TO GIVE TO THE SCHOOLS TO MAKE UP FOR THAT.
AND NOW WE'RE GONNA BE EARMARKING 1.2 MILLION THAT WE HAVE TO HOLD ONTO UNTIL THAT WHOLE LIKE FAKE WIRE TRANSFER THING COMES THROUGH OR WHATEVER.
SO WHAT MR. CARPENTER, WHAT DOES THIS DO TO OUR C I P AND OUR PLANS? I MEAN, THAT GETS ME A FIRE STATION IN DISTRICT TWO.
SO I'M SAYING IF I'M DOING THIS, I'M TYING UP CAUSE I CAN'T DO MY FIRE STATION NOW TO GET THESE RESPONSE TIMES.
I THINK CHIEF YOU SAID IN DISTRICT FROM JACKSON SHOP IS WEST IS 20 MINUTES, SO 20 MINUTES.
SO I'M NOT REDUCING THE PEOPLE TIME AND I'M HELPING SAVE LIVES BECAUSE I'M PUTTING THIS MONEY ASIDE, MS. CHAIRMAN.
AND, UH, MS. CAVE CAN COME UP IF, IF I, UH, MISSPEAK ON THIS.
BUT, UM, WE WOULD NOT BE TAKING MONEY THAT IS CURRENTLY APPROPRIATED FOR ANOTHER PROJECT AND, AND USING IT FOR THIS INSTEAD.
INSTEAD THIS WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY THE BOARD, UM, TAKING PART OF OUR FUND BALANCE AND THE GENERAL FUND AND, UM, ALLOCATING IT, UM, FOR THIS PURPOSE.
UM, SO THERE WOULD OUT OF OUR, UM, OUR, OUR OUR FUND BALANCE THAT WE ARE NOT USING, IT WOULD TAKE MONEY FROM THERE AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD USE THERE WOULD THEN BE REPLACED UPON RECEIVING THE REIMBURSEMENT CHECK.
SO IT WOULD NOT AFFECT ANY CURRENT PROJECTS OR ANY CURRENTLY FUNDED OR ANTICIPATED FUNDED IN THE CURRENT BUDGET OR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
AND THAT KEEPS US WITHIN OUR TARGETS OF OUR FUND BUDGETS.
SO, UH, NOT TO PUT TOO FINE A POINT ON THIS, BUT, UH, WE'RE TAKING UNASSIGNED AND ASSIGNING IT WITH THE EXPECTATION OF NOT NECESSARILY HAVING TO USE IT AND WHEN WE GET REIMBURSED, THE ASSIGNMENT WOULD BE UNWOUND AND BE RETURNED TO UNASSIGNED SO THAT OUR ASSIGNED AND UNASSIGNED COMBINED WOULD NOT CHANGE THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS AS THE CONTEMPLATION.
THAT BEING SAID, AND WORDS MATTER.
SO WE ONCE TOBY ON A MONTHLY BASIS, UM, WE HAVE APPROPRIATED IN HERE AND WE'RE, AND THAT'S OKAY.
IN FACT, UM, IF IT MAKES IT EASIER, THE, THE CHIEF TALKED ABOUT AN AMBULANCE THAT'S BEEN ORDERED AND YOU'VE APPROPRIATED THE FUNDS FOR THAT AS WELL AND WHEN YOU ORDER SOMETHING, YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.
UH, I'M SURE WE'RE DOING IT ON BEHALF OF THE, THE FIRE AND, AND WE'D BE DOING THAT FOR THE SCHOOL BUSES.
UM, THE APPROPRIATION IS THE ACT THAT SAYS WE'RE HOLDING THIS MONEY TO PAY FOR WHAT'S IDENTIFIED.
SO I THOUGHT IT WAS THROUGH WITH THE QUESTIONS UNTIL MR. SPOON HOWER, UH, STARTED TALKING
SO NOW, NOW I'M CONFUSED NOW AGAIN ABOUT SOMETHING I THOUGHT I KNEW TODAY.
HOW MANY TOTAL SCHOOL BUSES DO WE HAVE OUR CURRENT FLEET? I'M GONNA ASK MS. HOLMAN TO ANSWER THAT FOR ME.
55 OF THOSE THREE OF 'EM WE'RE GOING TO SALVAGE.
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE 52 BUSES LITERALLY ON THE ROAD RIGHT NOW.
OUT OF 55 BECAUSE THREE ARE KIND OF GONNA GO AWAY WITH THIS PROGRAM.
AND THEY'RE NOT BEING USED ANYWAY.
LIKE YOU SAID, THEY OLDER, IT WOULD NOT IMPACT OPERATIONS AT ALL.
SO IF TODAY WE HAVE 52 ACTIVE BUSES, NOW WE'RE GONNA ADD THREE.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA BE BACK UP TO 55 ACTUAL USE BUSE.
HOW DOES THAT NOT CHANGE DRIVERS? YEAH, WE'RE, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL ROUTES.
SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE 55 BUSES AND KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE 55 BUSES, BUT THERE ARE SOME WRITTEN SPARES RIGHT.
JUST FOR FIELD TRIPS AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO, UM, THESE BUSES THAT WOULD BE DISPO ARE IN OUR SPARE FLEET.
SO WE, WE GET THE NEW BUSES, WE DISPO THE ONES THAT ARE IN THE SPARE FLEET.
THE NUMBER OF BUSES THAT ARE ACTIVE ON THE ROAD IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE AND THAT'S NOT 50.
SO IT SOUNDS, SO WHAT I GATHERED FROM THE CONVERSATION IS WE WERE THE THREE THAT ARE SPARES NOW, THEY WILL NO LONGER BE SPARES.
WE'RE UPGRADING OUR SPARES WITH THE THREE THAT WE'RE TAKING OFF THE
[02:30:01]
ROOTS.SO WE'RE NOT TAKING 'EM OFF THE ROADS, WE'RE TAKING 'EM OFF THE ROOTS.
SO I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA CONCEIVABLY GET 2024 BUSES THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT ACTIVELY ON THE ROUTES.
THEN WE'RE GOING TAKE, LET'S SAY HYPOTHETICALLY A 1999 BUS AND WE'RE GONNA PUT IT IN INTO OUR SPARE FLEET, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE THREE OUT THE SPARE FLEET AND SALVAGE THEM.
SO THE NUMBER OF OVERALL BUSES, ONCE WE SALVAGE THE NUMBER OF OVERALL BUSES THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND OUR FLEET IS NOT GOING TO INCREASE.
SO I MAY HAVE ASKED THE, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
NO, I'M PLEASE, UH, UH, I MAY HAVE ASKED THE QUESTION, UM, INCORRECTLY.
SO HAVING IN EFFECT 52 BUSES, BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING THREE AWAY THAT WE HAVE TO DESTROY OF THE 52, HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE ACTUALLY BEING USED BY THE SCHOOL DIVISION? CAN I, CAN I PILE ON AND ASK A QUESTION THAT MIGHT HELP THIS? HOW MANY ROUTES DO YOU RUN EVERY DAY TAKING KID? 45 ROUTES TO RUN EVERY DAY.
SO I MEAN, IT'S BEST PRACTICE TO HAVE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 10 SCHOOL BUSES IN YOUR SPARE FLEET FOR FIELD TRIPS, BREAKDOWNS, ALL THOSE KIND OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE'RE WE'RE RUNNING WITH 10, SPARES 45 ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO POTENTIALLY INCREASE THREE, SALVAGE THREE, THE OVERALL NET CHANGES IS ZERO.
UH, SO THE, UH, WITH THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, YOU'RE GONNA BE RE REDISTRICTING.
DOES THAT CHANGE THE NUMBER OF ROUTES YOU'RE GONNA BE RUNNING? WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING ANY SORT OF CHANGES IN ROUTES AS A RESULT OF REDISTRICTING.
UH, YOU KNOW, AT THE POINT IN TIME WHEN STUDENT ENROLLMENT ULTIMATELY INCREASES, WE MAY NEED TO ADD MORE ROUTES IN THE FUTURE, BUT IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, WE DON'T SEE ANY NEED TO ADD ROUTES.
SO MOVING, UH, STUDENTS FROM LET'S SAY BIRD OR RANDOLPH IN WON'T CAUSE A ROUTE CHANGE.
WE'LL JUST REDISTRIBUTE OUR PERSONNEL.
AND POTENTIALLY IF YOU'RE A BIRD DRIVER NOW, YOU MAY BE A GES DRIVER IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE JUST, WE'LL JUST REALLOCATE RESOURCES.
SO, SO THE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE RESPONSES.
MR. UH, CHAIRMAN, BASED ON WHAT YOU ASK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EXPRESSING A LITTLE CONSTERNATION ABOUT MONIES AND, AND HAVING THIS MONEY SET ASIDE AND BEING, HAVING IT APPRO APPROPRIATED, THIS IS YOUR, THIS IS YOUR ANSWER TO THIS.
QUE THERE WAS A QUESTION, IF THE 1.2 IS APPROPRIATED, WHERE WILL THE MONEY COME FROM? AND HERE'S THE ANSWER THAT YOU GAVE US.
IF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, SUPERVISORS APPROPRIATE THIS REBATE, OUR SCHOOL DIVISION WILL ISSUE A PO TO SUNNY MERRIMAN, THE BUS VENDOR.
THE PO IS SIMPLY A COMMITMENT TO PAY.
NO MONEY WILL EXCHANGE HANDS WHEN THE PURCHASE ORDER IS ISSUED IN 60 DAYS, FUNDS WILL BE SENT TO THE GLAND COUNTY TREASURER FROM THE EPA.
THESE FUNDS WILL SIT IN THE COUNTY'S ACCOUNTS UNTIL THE BUSES AND INVOICE ARE RECEIVED IN APPROXIMATELY 12 TO 18 MONTHS.
AT THAT TIME, THE BILL WOULD BE PAID WITH THE FUNDS LEAVING THE COUNTY'S TREASURY.
IS THAT INCORRECT? BASED ON WHAT YOUR ANSWER TO MR. SPOONER WAS, MR. CARPENTER IS THAT ANSWER? UH, IT IT, IT SEEMS LIKE MONEY IS, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE NOT HAVING TO, WE'RE HAVING TO APPROPRIATE, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE'RE DOING ON PAPER THAT WE'RE NEVER GONNA HAVE OUR OWN FUNDS, LEAVE OUR, LEAVE OUR ACCOUNT, RIGHT? CORRECT.
I MEAN, IF, IF EVERYTHING HAPPENS THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO, IT WOULD NEVER AFFECT US AT ALL.
BUT WE STILL HAVE TO SOMEWHERE IDENTIFY WHERE THE MONEY WOULD BE.
AND SO MR. PETERSON SAID, WE, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD WOULD GO AHEAD AND DESIGNATE PART OF OUR GENERAL FUND IS THE PLACE IT WOULD COME FROM.
SO THAT'S ALL WE'RE ESSENTIALLY DOING IS DESIGNATING THE FUNDS.
THIS SAYS IN 60 DAYS, FUNDS ARE GONNA COME FROM THE EPA.
SO WE REALLY ARE JUST LIKE EARMARKING FOR 60 DAYS, UH, UH, UH, SOME MONEY.
AND THEN ONCE THOSE EPA MONEY COMES IN, IN TWO MONTHS, WE'RE BACK TO WHERE WE ARE BEFORE THIS WHOLE PROCESS STARTED.
IS THAT CORRECT? AS I UNDERSTAND? YES, SIR.
TO CLARIFY WHERE I, MY CONCERN OR WHAT I WANTED TO ENSURE WAS THAT WE WEREN'T UNKNOWINGLY TYING UP FUNDS FOR OUR C A P OR FOR PROJECTS.
BUT INSTEAD, BUT INSTEAD OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING FUNDS FROM THE RESERVES THAT WE WEREN'T PLANNING ON USING AT THE TIME.
SO IT'S NOT AS MUCH OF A CONCERN.
MY CONCERN AS IS HAS BEEN, UM, TAKING ADDRESSED.
SO, SO ABOUT THE INTEREST, THE INTEREST, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR TREASURERS EARNING INTEREST ON THESE FUNDS, IS THERE A PROVISION, DO WE KNOW THE INTEREST? WE HAVE 12 TO 18 MONTHS OF 1.2 MILLION SITTING IN THE BANK.
DO WE GET, IS THE INTEREST INURE TO OUR BENEFIT? I DON'T KNOW THAT ANSWER.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT IF, IF THE TREASURER'S ABLE TO INVEST THE MONEY, I'D ASSUME THAT IT'S OURS TO, TO USE.
[02:35:01]
WOULD BE MY GUESS.UH, AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE A HUNDRED PERCENT ON THE, ON THE ACCOUNTING HERE, BUT IF WE, IF WE DO TAKE MONEY FROM THE UNASSIGNED GENERAL FUND BALANCE, ASSIGN IT TO THIS IN 60 DAYS WHEN THAT REIMBURSEMENT COMES BACK IN, UM, I, I'M GUESSING THE ASSIGNMENT, UH, THAT WE, THE FUNDS THAT WE ASSIGNED WOULD GO BACK INTO UNASSIGNED AND THAT THE REIMBURSED MONIES THAT CAME FROM THE EPA WOULD BE ASSIGNED AND THEY WOULD REPLACE THAT ASSIGNMENT.
SO WE WOULD STILL HAVE THE MILLION ONE OF ASSIGNMENT IS JUST NO LONGER THE GENERAL FUND MONIES THAT ARE ASSIGNED AS THE REIMBURSEMENT MONIES THAT ARE ASSIGNED.
SO IT WOULD INCREASE OUR OVERALL FUND BALANCE BY THAT AMOUNT WITH THAT INCREASING THE ASSIGNED AND THAT OVERALL FUND BALANCE IS WHAT WE TYPICALLY INVEST FROM TIME TO TIME.
I'M NOT AWARE THAT ANY INTEREST WOULD CHANGE THE PURCHASE ORDER.
SO I THINK OUR FINANCIAL LIABILITY OR OBLIGATION WOULD BE THE SAME WITHOUT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT INTEREST.
SO IT WOULD PRESUMABLY AUR TO OUR BENEFIT, BUT NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT ON THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT'S THE WAY IT WOULD GENERALLY GO.
UH, SO, SO THAT PROMPTS, THAT PROMPTS A QUESTION WHEN WE APPROPRIATE MONEY, AND THIS GOES BACK TO WORDS MATTER WHEN WE APPROPRIATE MONEY, DOES THAT STAY IN THE ASSIGNED BUCKET FOR ALL OF OUR YEAH, ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR CALCULATIONS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUCKET OF ASSIGNED AND UNASSIGNED EVEN AFTER WE APPROPRIATE IT STAYS UNASSIGNED.
UN UNTIL IT'S DISPERSED AND, UH, TREASURER IS HERE AND, UH, CAN SPEAK TO THE CO-MINGLING AND, AND INVESTMENT OF THE ASSIGNED AND UNASSIGNED AND NOT BEING SEGREGATED AT WITH DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF PULLED RESOURCE AND THEN INVESTED IN THE, IN THE JOINT POOL, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT POOL.
UM, SO IT'S, YEAH, GOOD QUESTION.
MR. SPOONER, IF I MAY, YES SIR.
I'LL SAY THIS PUBLICLY AND PUT THIS ON THE RECORD, THAT IF FOR WHATEVER REASON THE EPA WOULD NOT FULFILL THEIR END OF THE BARGAIN, WE FULLY EXPECT THAT THEY WILL.
BUT IF THEY DO NOT, UH, WE WILL CANCEL THAT PURCHASE ORDER SO THAT THE COUNTY IS NOT ON THE HOOK FOR 1.2 MILLION WORTH OF SCHOOL BUSES.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU.
AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CANCEL THAT ORDER.
WE DO, WE HAVE CONFIRMED THAT WITH THE VENDOR.
SHOULD THE FUNDS NOT COME FROM THE EPA THAT WE WILL CANCEL, CANCEL THE PURCHASE ORDER? WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST.
FOR EXAMPLE, DURING COVID WHEN WE DIDN'T GET THE APPROPRIATION, WE CANCELED PREVIOUS PURCHASE ORDERS AND ULTIMATELY THEY WOULD SELL THOSE BUSES TO ANOTHER SCHOOL DIVISION.
BUT WE HAVE THAT COMMITMENT FROM THE VENDOR.
SO IT'S EFFECTIVELY A CONTIN CONDITION ON US RECEIVING THOSE FUNDS, WHICH IT, YOU KNOW, HELPS A LOT IN, IN SANTA COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A SCENARIO WHERE THE COUNTY ENDS UP BUYING THESE THINGS AT A GENERAL FUND ASSETS AS OPPOSED TO THE REIMBURSEMENT.
YOU HAVE OUR COMMITMENT ON THAT TODAY.
ANY OTHER MS, LAST CLIP? YEAH.
UM, AGAIN, LET ME FOLLOW UP ON MR. PETERSON'S.
SO THE EMAIL THAT YOU SENT US IS THAT, UM, THAT WE DID, UH, CHECK, UM, MS. MS. HALLMAN DID CHECK WITH, UM, I GUESS IT'S THE, UM, THE BUS MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE CANCELLATION.
UM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PHONE CALL.
DO WE, DO WE HAVE THAT IN WRITING? AND WHAT IS OUR CUTOFF DATE? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM THE DAY WE ORDER IT TO THE DAY THAT WE GET THE EPA MONEY IS ABOUT 60 DAYS.
H HOW, HOW FAR DOWN THE LINE CAN WE CANCEL AND DO WE HAVE THAT IN WRITING? IS THAT IN THE CONTRACT? COME FORWARD, DON'T MIND.
$1.2 MILLION ON THE LINE FOR A PHONE CALL.
UM, I'D LIKE YOU TO GET THAT LITTLE STRONGER.
NOT THAT I'D SAY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
NO, WE DO NOT HAVE IT IN WRITING, BUT I CAN GET IT IN WRITING.
HERE'S WHAT WE'LL DO BOARD MEMBERS IS WE WILL WRITE THE PURCHASE ORDER WITH THE CONTINGENCY THAT SHOULD EPA FUNDING NOT ARRIVE WITHIN 90 DAYS OF PURCHASE ORDER SUBMISSION, THAT THE GUCCI COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL CANCEL THIS PURCHASE ORDER.
WE'LL PUT THAT ON THE PURCHASE ORDER.
THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT THOUGH IS I BELIEVE THERE WAS A, UH, PUT IN, PUT IN AN OPERATION DATE AS WELL, THAT THAT MONIES MAY OR MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED IF WE DON'T PUT THINGS, OR WE MAY HAVE TO GIVE IT BACK IF WE DON'T PUT, SO CAN WE WRITE THIS AS IF, YOU KNOW, THE PUS AREN'T DELIVERED UNTIL AFTER THAT DATE, THAT WE CAN CANCEL THIS AS WELL AND AVOID THE POTENTIAL WHERE WE DON'T PUT 'EM IN OPERATION BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T DELIVER 'EM, AND THEN THE EPA WANTS THEIR MONEY BACK.
CAN WE CLOSE THAT LOOPHOLE AS WELL? BECAUSE THAT'S, WE WILL WORK WITH THE VENDORS TO PROTECT OUR SCHOOL DIVISION AND THE COUNTY'S BEST INTEREST TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.
YOU, YOU UNDERSTOOD MY CONCERN.
I MEAN, IT SHOULD THE BUSES NOT COME BACK AND THE TIMEFRAMES IDENTIFIED.
THERE ARE PROVISIONS IN THE, THE PROGRAM FOR US TO REQUEST EXTENSIONS, BUT ULTIMATELY WE WANT PROTECTIONS BECAUSE WE MAY NOT HAVE A GUARANTEE OF THOSE PROTECTIONS.
SO CERTAINLY WE WILL WRITE THOSE PROTECTIONS INTO THE PURCHASE ORDER SO THAT, UH, SCHOOL DIVISION IN
[02:40:01]
THE COUNTY IS PROTECTED.SO CAN WE AMEND THE MOTION TO INCORPORATE THESE THINGS? MS. UH, MCGEE, CAN YOU HELP US CRAFT THAT?
RAYLEY'S, UH, LANGUAGE, UH, THAT HE PROVIDED ABOUT THE 90 DAYS IS PERFECT.
AND I, I THINK, AGAIN, HE'S GOT TO LOOK TO THE SPECIFICS OF, YOU KNOW, THE TIMING, BUT, BUT HE'S MAKING THE COMMITMENT TO, TO DO THAT AND, UM, I'D JUST LIKE IT TO BE IN THE MOTION, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO WE INCLUDE IT IN THE MOTION, PLEASE.
I, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AMEND THE RESOLUTION, UM, AMENDING THE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATING THE REBATE AWARD CONTINGENT UPON A, AN ABILITY TO CANCEL THE ORDER WITHIN 90 DAYS, UM, AND APPROVE WITH THAT SINGLE CONTINGENCY THERE.
THERE'S SECOND PART THAT MR. PETERSON, THERE'S A SECOND PART.
THAT'S ONE I WAS STRUGGLING WITH.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU, WILL YOU ACCEPT A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT IF MR. PETERSON CAN ARTICULATE WHAT HE'S SAYING?
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE SECOND PART OF THAT.
IF YOU WOULD EITHER REPEAT THAT OR ACCEPT IT, I ACCEPT THAT.
WE HAVE A INTERESTING MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
I'LL, I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION, BUT WOULD ASK THAT WE JUST REPEAT IT BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT.
LET ME, I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.
AS I UNDERSTAND THE MOTION IS TO ACCEPT THE RESOLUTION THAT'S BEFORE US WITH THE AMENDMENT.
THAT THE SCHOOLS WILL SUBMIT A PURCHASE ORDER THAT HAS A PROVISION IN IT, THAT IF THE BUSES, THAT IF THE FUNDS ARE NOT DELIVERED FROM THE EPA WITHIN 90 DAYS, THAT THE ORDER CAN BE CANCELED.
AND SECOND, THAT THE PURCHASE ORDER WILL BE ALSO AMEND, AMEND, OR WILL INCLUDE A PROVISION THAT THE ORDER CAN BE CANCELED IF THE, IF THE, UM, BUSES ARE NOT DELIVERED IN THE TIMEFRAME UNDER THE EPA PROGRAM.
DO YOU ACCEPT THE AMENDED, THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? YES, I ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
WE'RE, WE'RE THANKFUL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THAT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A LOT OF DELIBERATION IN THIS AND FEEL CONFIDENT THAT, UH, WE CAN SECURE THESE BUSES GIVEN THOSE PARAMETERS.
I, LET ME, I GOTTA JUST POINT ON ORDER.
UH, IT'S 90 DAYS FROM WHEN TODAY, 90 DAYS FROM APPROVAL OR APPROPRIATION BY THE GOON COUNTY.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR.
IS THAT THE DAY THAT, OR, OR IT COULD BE FROM 90 DAYS, FROM 90 DAYS FROM THE ISSUANCE OF PURCHASE ORDER, WHICH WOULD BE LIKELY TOMORROW IF APPROVED.
SO WHAT IS THE MOTION? N N N 90 DAYS FROM TODAY.
SO YOU'RE ADMIT DIDN'T BECAUSE WE'RE APPROVED IF, IF THIS VOTE PASSES 90 DAYS FROM, FROM TODAY, IS WHAT I WOULD ASK.
ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'S, UH, 89 DAYS FROM TOMORROW.
CHARLIE, ACCEPT THAT I HAVE APPROVED THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
UM, THE ONE THING I JUST WANT TO CALL OUT, SOME PEOPLE COULD BE LOOKING AND GO, WHAT, WHY, WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT TURNING DOWN THREE FREE BUSES? AND THAT, I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I'M BE GROWING MY PEERS.
I HAVE JUST AS A PERSONAL BUSINESS OWNER WATCHING EVERYTHING GOING ON WITH THE PPP PROGRAMS AND THE, ALL THESE THINGS WHERE PEOPLE RUSH, ARE RUSHING TO GET THINGS IN BEFORE WHATEVER REASON, UM, IT JUST TYPICALLY DOESN'T GO AS WELL AS YOU'D LIKE IT TO.
SO, UM, I THINK THIS BOARD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
AND THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SCHOOLS OR, OR YOUR, CAUSE I THINK YOU, YOU ALL HAVE DONE INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF LIFTING AND IT'S JUST MAKING SURE AS A TEAM WE CAN HAVE ALL OUR DI IS DO AND TS CROSSED.
WE HAVE BUSES THAT WORK AND THAT DOESN'T IMPACT A FUTURE BOARD SOMEWHERE AND SAY THAT'S, THAT BOARD AND 2023, YOU KNOW, HAMPERED US WITH.
NOW WE GOTTA GO TO A WHOLE NEW FLEET.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE INTENDING YOU TO DO, BUT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
SO WITH THAT, UH, MR. CARPENTER, PLEASE, UH, DO THE ROLL CALL VOTE.
UM, I WILL CALL THIS BOARD ADJOURNED UNTIL OUR TUESDAY, MARCH 7TH, 2023 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 2:00 PM REGULAR MEETINGS, 6:00 PM PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AND HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY WILL ALSO MARK THE CALENDARS FOR OUR UPCOMING TOWN HALLS.