[00:02:36]
GOOD EVENING, PLEASE TRY AND FIND A SCENE.
UM, THEY'RE ALL THE SAME PRICE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, WELCOME, WELCOME TO THE, UH, SPRING DISTRICT FOUR AND FIVE TOWN HALL MEETING.
AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AT HOME, THANK YOU FOR TURNING IN.
UH, AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS IN THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY GENEROUS FOR LETTING US USE IT.
UM, HAS ANYBODY STAYED HERE OR HAD SOMEBODY STAY HERE THAT THEY KNOW? OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN HERE BEFORE? JUST A GORGEOUS FACILITY.
UM, SO ABOUT THE AGENDA TONIGHT, UM, THIS IS A JOINT TOWN HALL BETWEEN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD.
THERE'S NO CHARGE TONIGHT OUT HERE.
YOUR TICKETS, I HOPE, UM, IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, THERE'S NO POLITICING HERE TONIGHT.
NO ONE WILL HAVE YOU FOR ENDORSEMENT OR MONEY OR CONTRIBUTION.
THIS IS AN INFORMATION SESSION, NOT A POLITICAL ROUTE.
UM, THIS IS AN EFFORT BY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO BRING THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AND OUT INTO THE DISTRICTS.
AND WE HAVE THESE THROUGHOUT THE, THE COUNTY.
THIS IS THE EASTERN END TOWN HALL.
WE HAVE ONE IN THE CENTRAL, ONE IN THE WEST.
THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PUBLIC AND THEY'RE ALL OVER TO ALL DISTRICTS.
SO YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO ATTEND ONE OR MORE IF YOU WANNA ATTEND ALL THREE.
WE HAVE THE PERFECT ATTENDANCE.
UM, I'M GONNA FIRST INTRODUCE A FEW PEOPLE HERE THAT YOU MAY, MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW ALREADY.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED, YOUR NAME, UH, CAN RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE HERE.
IF YOU'RE NOT, DON'T RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM,
AND HE'S CURRENTLY THE CHAIR, UH, DISTRICT THREE, JOHN JOHNS, DISTRICT FOUR CHARLIE MOTORS.
NOW, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE MET CHARLIE MYERS BEFORE.
UM, HE WAS APPOINTED, UH, TO FILL OUT THE REMAINING TERM FOR, UH, SUPERVISOR SHARP, WHO UNFORTUNATELY HAD PASSED AWAY.
BUT WE ARE RESIGNING RIGHT NOW IN DISTRICT FOUR.
SO HE IS TECHNICALLY THE HOST TONIGHT.
SO THANK YOU CHARLIE, FOR HOSTING THIS.
UH, BEN DISTRICT FOUR, UM, ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, UH, DISTRICT ONE, SANDRA BEFORD REED.
UH, DISTRICT TWO, ANGELA ALLEN, DISTRICT THREE.
UH, DISTRICT FOUR, MIKE NEWMAN.
UH, AND DISTRICT FIVE, MR. JOHN JD BRIGHT.
[00:05:01]
UH, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, DR.WE HERE, WE GOTTA
UH, THEN YOU'LL HEAR MORE FROM DR.
RAIL LATER ON, UH, FROM THE COUNTY SIDE.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MR. VIC CARPENTER HERE AS WELL.
AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE FROM HIM, HIM AS WELL AS HE PRESENTS THE BUDGET AS WE GO FORWARD.
WE ALSO HAVE THE, UH, ELECTED SHERIFF, UH, STEVEN KREK IS HERE.
UM, THIS IS LIKE GONNA BE THE SAFEST PLACE IN THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, UH, DEPUTIES WITH YOU.
AND THE FIRE CHIEF, CHIEF EDDIE FERGUSON IS HERE AS WELL.
CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, BEHALF OF THE MEMBERS OF STAFF HERE AS WELL THAT HELP PUT THIS ON TONIGHT.
UH, THE EVENT PLANNING GOES, THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT.
UH, IF YOU'RE HERE FOR THE COUNTY STAFF AND I HAVEN'T CALLED YOUR NAME, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND REAL QUICK.
SO LOOK AT ALL THE COUNTY STAFF YOU GOT HERE.
NOW FOLKS, THESE GUYS WORKED ALL DAY LONG IN THE OFFICE AND NOW THEY HERE ON TONIGHT.
AN OVERTIME EXTRA INNING IS WORKING REALLY HARD.
LET'S GIVE THEM A RAFFLE PLUG.
AND I THINK THERE'S A THING CALLED THE MO AND SOIL AND WATER DISTRICT.
WHERE'S JONATHAN? HE HERE TONIGHT.
DID I GET THAT RIGHT MONICA? SOIL AND WATER.
WELL THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WELL THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR FOOD, SOIL, WATER, CUZ WE ALL CONSUME THOSE THINGS.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING THOSE NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO TONIGHT, UM, WE SCHEDULED THIS EVENT BEFORE THE MARCH MAN IS STARTED.
SO YOU DON'T NEED TO CHECK YOUR CELL PHONES FOR THE STORES.
UM, I DON'T NEED TO CHECK BECAUSE I WENT TO THE MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT AND I THINK OUR BASKETBALL TEAM IS PLAYING GOLF RIGHT NOW.
UM, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THERE'S A HEIGHT RESTRICTION WE CAN'T GET IN AT OVER SIX SIX AND WITH PURDUE HAVING A CENTER SEVEN FOOT FOUR, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DISADVANTAGE THERE.
WE END UP WITH A FIVE PERSON, EVERYBODY'S SIX FOOT, SIX BASKETBALL TEAM.
UH, BUT ANYWAY, MARCH HERNANDEZ HAS START.
ALL YOUR TEAMS ARE STILL IN ELIMINATED YET.
UH, SO TONIGHT WHAT WE DO IS WE BRING OUT, IN THE SPRING, WE BRING OUT THE BUDGET, THE COUNTY BUDGET.
THIS IS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, BELIEVE OR NOT, IT STARTS ON THE 1ST OF JULY OF THIS YEAR AND GOES THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF 24.
BUT WE BRING IT OUT WHILE IT'S STILL IN DRAFT FORM AND WE PRESENT IT AND SAY, THIS IS YOUR COUNTY.
THIS IS YOUR TAX DOLLARS, THIS IS THE WAY WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SPENDING IT.
TELL US IF WE'RE DOING OKAY AND IF WE'RE NOT, TELL US WHETHER WE'RE NOT.
AND THEN WE CAN MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS BEFORE IT'S ADOPTED AND NOT BRING IT OUT AFTER AND SAY, THIS IS WHERE WE JUST SPENT YOUR MONEY.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF WE EXPECT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM DOWN HERE AND SAY, HERE'S HOW THEY PLAN TO SPEND YOUR MONEY.
IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU? UM, I DON'T THINK THEY DO THAT, BUT WE DO THAT AS ER COUNTY.
WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY WHEN LISTENING CITIZENS.
NOW MANY OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THAT I'VE CHOSEN NOT TO SEEK A FOURTH TERM.
SO THAT SAID, THIS WILL BE MY LAST TOWN HALL BUDGET MEETING WITH YOU.
SO I'M GONNA TAKE ABOUT TWO SECONDS AND DO A LITTLE BIT OF A RETROSPECTIVE AND LOOK BACK ON SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, JUST TWO OR THREE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, WE DON'T TAKE VOWS FOR THE THINGS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IN THE ORDINARY COURTS OF THE DAY, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE ORDINARY COURSE.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, WE, UH, HAVE A COURTHOUSE BOOTS.
IF YOU'VE BEEN DOWN THERE, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING, BUT WE THINK YOU SHOULD REPLACE THE COURTHOUSE AND BUILD A NEW ONE ABOUT EVERY 200 YEARS.
AND WE'RE RUNNING UP AGAINST THAT 200 YEARS.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA BUILD A NEW COURTHOUSE AND WE'VE ALREADY PASSED THE REFERENDUM, UH, ON THE, ON THE BALLOT, UH, FOR THE FUNDING.
UH, WE ALSO HAD A BORDER DISPUTE WITH LOUISA THAT DATES BACK TO THE CIVIL WAR DAYS, ABOUT 150 YEARS.
AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO SELL THAT DISPUTE AND THAT'S BEEN SETTLED AND PUT TO REST.
SO THAT'S BEEN, UH, UH, ACCOMPLISHED AS WELL.
UH, WE ALSO THINK YOU SHOULD BUILD A NEW ELEMENTARY ABOUT EVERY 50 OR 60 YEARS, AND WE'RE PUSHING UP AGAINST THOSE TIMEFRAMES.
AND SO WE DID JUST BREAK GROUND ON THE WOODLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.
BUT THE FIRST NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN OVER 50 YEARS, UH, WE ALSO TAKE THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER AND EMERGENCY, THE CALL CENTER IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY OF THIS COUNTY.
AND SO WE BUILT A NUDE CALL CENTER IN
AND WE ALSO HAD EMERGENCY DISPATCH CAPABILITY.
SO DISPATCHERS CAN DISPENSED HEALTHCARE ADVICE WHILE THE AMBULANCE IS ON THE WAY.
WE THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT AS WELL.
UH, SOME OF US HAVE DOGS AND CATS AND UH, THEY SEEM LIKE THEY'RE MORE MEMBER OF THE FAMILY THAN THEY ARE A PET.
AND SO WE BUILT A NEW ANIMAL SHELTER, UH, WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
UM, SOME GUARDS AND CATS KIND OF JOIN YOU AT THE DINNER TABLE, EITHER AT THE TABLE OR BELOW THE TABLE AND SOME JOIN YOU IN AT BED AT NIGHT TO GO TO SLEEP OR AT LEAST AT THE FOOT OF THE BED.
SO WE WANTED TO TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS IN THIS, UH, UH, IN THIS COUNTY AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE A BRAND NEW BEAUTIFUL SHELTER.
UH, WE'VE ALSO TRIPLED THE NUMBER OF CAREER FIREFIGHTERS IN THIS MY TERM.
[00:10:01]
THAT HAS SHORTENED THE RESPONSE TIMES QUITE A BIT AND ALLOWED THEM TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND IN A MUCH QUICKER WAY IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY OF THAT NATURE.AND, UH, OF COURSE THE BEST FIRE IS THE ONE THAT NEVER STARTS.
AND THEN ON THE UH, SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES SIDE, WE'VE UH, DOUBLED THE NUMBER.
ALMOST DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF SHERIFF DEPUTIES.
WELL, AGAIN, TO SHORTEN THE RESPONSE TIME TO PROVIDE BETTER PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THE COUNTY, WE, UH, FIREHOUSES AGAIN BACK TO THE FIRE STATIONS.
WE, UH, ARE PLANNING FOUR NEW FIRE STATIONS FOR THE COUNTY.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED ONE COMPANY NUMBER SIX.
WE'VE GOT ONE IN PROCESS IN THE EASTERN END OF THE COUNTY.
AND WE'VE GOT TWO MORE PLANNED, ONE IN DISTRICT TWO AND ONE TO REPLACE FIRE STATION TWO.
SO WE'VE GOT A TOTAL OF FOUR PLANNED, EITHER PLANNED OR IN PROGRESS.
NOW WE'VE MANAGED TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT WITH NO TAX INCREASE ON THE REAL ESTATE RATE.
THE REAL ESTATE RATE IS STILL 53 CENTS AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS THE DAY I WAS ELECTED.
WE'VE ALSO INCREASED OUR RESERVE FUNDS AND OUR RATE DATE FUNDS THROUGH THAT PROCESS RATHER THAN DIPPING INTO THEM AND EMPTY.
AND THEN LIKE SOME, UH, GOVERNMENTS DO.
AND DURING THAT TIME WE'VE ALSO CUT TAXES.
WE'VE CUT TAXES ON THE DISABLED VETERANS.
WE'VE CUT TAXES ON SMALL BUSINESSES, ALL OF THEM.
WE'VE CUT THE CAR TAX IN THE PAST FROM 4 CENTS TO 3 75 AND WE MAY TAKE THAT EVEN FURTHER, UH, IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET.
THERE MAY BE MORE TO COME THERE.
AND DESPITE ALL THIS CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDING STAFF, WE DIDN'T RAISE TAXES.
WE ALSO WENT FOR A CREDIT RATING.
COUNTY WHEN I WAS ELECTED, DID NOT HAVE ONE.
NO ONE KNEW WHAT THE CREDIT QUALITY OF THE COUNTY WAS.
SO AFTER A COUPLE OF TRIPS TO NEW YORK, UH, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL AND GOT, WENT FROM NO RATING, RIGHT STRAIGHT TO AAA, THE HIGHEST RATING POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL THREE MAJOR RADI AGENCIES, MOODY'S, SMP AND FISH.
THAT TOOK SEVERAL HOURS OF PENETRATING QUESTIONS IN FRONT OF THOSE FOLKS AND THEY ASKED EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERYTHING AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU GUYS GET A TRIPLE EIGHT.
NOW THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THAT IS WE HAVE THE SMALLEST ONE IN THE COUNTRY TO GET THAT.
NO ONE ELSE ON OUR SIDE BEEN EVER PULL THAT OFF.
THE NEXT SMALLEST COUNTY IS THREE TIMES OUR SIZE.
IN FACT, THEY TOLD ME, DON'T EVEN BOTHER COMING UP CUZ YOU DON'T STAND A CHANCE.
AND SAID, I'M COMING UP ANYWAY AND LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
AND WHEN I LEFT, THEY SAID, YOU'RE READY.
SO WE MANAGED TO PULL THAT OFF.
NOW THAT DOES A LOT OF THINGS.
ONE IS IT SAVES US A LOT OF INTEREST WHEN WE ISSUE BONDS.
UM, ALSO TELLS THE WOULDBE BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT MOVE HERE THAT WE ARE ON STABLE FINANCIAL GROUND NOW.
AND WE ALSO, THE COUNTY ALSO RECEIVED AN AWARD DURING MY TENURE FROM THE A C C E AMERICAN CITY COUNTY EXCHANGE TO BEING THE BEST RUN COUNTY IN THE COUNTRY, MANHATTAN.
TO GET THAT AWARD, I HAD TO GO OUT TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE AND GIVE HER THAT, UH, PRESENTATION AT A NATIONAL POLICY SUMMIT ON BEST PRACTICES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AND WHEN I CAME OFF STAGE, THEY GAVE US THE AWARD AND SAID, YOU GUYS ARE THE GOLDEN STANDARD.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YESTERDAY, WE BROKE AROUND ON A CHICK-FIL-A
REALLY, THE TRIPLE EIGHT GETS NOTHING FIL
GO AHEAD, GIVE YOURSELVES A ROUND APPLAUSE.
CHICK-FIL-A, COME AND SAY THANK YOU.
UM, SO I, IN CLOSING, IT'S BEEN MY EXTREME HIGH HONOR TO SERVE, UH, THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY AND SERVE ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUES.
AND I WON'T TAKE ANY MORE OF YOUR PRECIOUS TIME THIS EVENING.
WHY? BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE, THE CITIZENS IN THIS COUNTY ARE EXTREMELY ENGAGED.
THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY VOLUNTEER LIKE CRAZY AND DONATE MONEY LIKE CRAZY AND GOON TAKES CARE OF ITS OWN.
AND IT'S A REAL SPECIAL PLACE WITH A SPECIAL SAUCE.
AND WHEN I WENT AND GAVE THAT PRESENTATION, THEY SAID, HOW DID GOON CATCH LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE? AND I SAID, IT'S REALLY THE PEOPLE.
AND IT DOESN'T GO MUCH FURTHER THAN THAT.
SO OUR GOAL TONIGHT IS TO CONCLUDE IN A REASONABLE HOUR BEFORE ANYBODY DOSES OFF, UH, THERE ARE RESTROOMS OUTSIDE, THERE'S SOME COOKIES AND REFRESHMENTS OVER TO THE SIDE.
IF YOU FEEL MOVED TO DO EITHER, FEEL FREE TO DO THAT.
IN THE MEANTIME, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND INVITE OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MR. VIC CARPENTER, TO COME UP AND PRESENT THAT DRAFT BUDGET THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
MR. PETERSON MENTIONED THE COOKIES.
HE DIDN'T TELL YOU THAT THESE ARE THE PRODUCTS OF OUR ELEMENTARY, OUR HIGH SCHOOL, UM, CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM.
AND THESE COOKIES ARE AMAZING.
SO LEMME JUST SAY THAT IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD THE COOKIES, YOU NEED TO GET SOME.
AND THANKS AGAIN TO THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT THAT ARE, UM, HIGH SCHOOL IS RUNNING OVER THERE.
IF YOU EVER HAVE A CHANCE TO GO THERE AND SEE 'EM, I THINK THEY'LL REALLY BE IMPRESSED WITH WHAT THEY DO.
TONIGHT I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT GOSHEN COUNTY AND IT'S A GREAT STORY TO TELL AND I'M GONNA BE GIVING YOU ABOUT A 30 TO 20,000 FOOT VIEW OF THIS BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S A DRAFT BUDGET STILL.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR FROM YOU, FOR YOUR SUPERVISOR, TO HEAR FROM YOU.
THE DETAILS THAT WE HAVE TONIGHT.
SO AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS, YOU JUST GOTTA BE THINKING ABOUT THE KIND OF A COMMUNITY WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE WHEN WE ARE IN
NOW, YOU KNOW, TO BEGIN WITH IN GUGEN COUNTY, UM,
[00:15:02]
WHEN YOU'RE AN ORGANIZATION THAT EMBRACES TRANSPARENCY, EVENTS LIKE THIS, THEY'RE FUN, THEY'RE ENJOYABLE, AND SO NOT, I'M GONNA PAINT YOU A PICTURE AND IT'S A PICTURE OF NUMBERS AND STATISTICS STORY ABOUT COMMITMENTS MADE AND PROMISES KEPT.STORY ABOUT PEOPLE'S VALUES DRIVE DETERMINATION.
SO WHERE DOES THE STORY START? WELL, IT STARTS WITH WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND THAT'S OUR PRIORITIES.
A BUDGET HAS TO HAVE A FRAMEWORK, BOUNDARIES THAT STAYS WITHIN THOSE GUIDE YOU WHEN YOU BUILD A BUDGET.
NOW, THIS BUDGET YOU'RE GONNA SEE TONIGHT STAYS TRUE TO OUR VALUES, OUR POLICIES, OUR GOALS, AND OUR OBJECTIVES.
IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE BOARD'S STRATEGIC PLAN THAT MEET EXCEEDS ALL THE FINANCIAL POLICIES SET BY THE BOARD AND IT MAINTAINS A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO BUDGETING THIS.
THIS BUDGET WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE LEVELS.
IT'LL MAINTAIN COMPETITIVE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION LEVELS.
IT'LL KEEP OUR UTILITIES SELF-SUFFICIENT AND SUPPORT OUR GENERAL OPERATIONS BY PROVIDING THE NECESSARY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO THOSE AREAS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY GROWTH.
SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH HIS BUDDY? WELL, LET'S START WITH VERY BASIC FUNDAMENTALS.
GUSTON'S ECONOMY DOES REMAIN STRONG.
HOUSING PERMITS CONTINUE TO STAY STRONG? COMMERCIAL RETAIL BUILDINGS PICKED UP AND SIGNED.
AREN'T WE SLOWING DOWN AT THIS POINT? SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE DO IN FACT CONTINUE TO MEET ALL THESE ESTABLISHED POLICIES IN THE BOARD THAT MR. PETERSON WAS TALKING ABOUT.
IN THIS BUDGET, WE PROPOSE THERE'LL BE NO INCREASES IN REAL ESTATE TAX RATES, AND IN FACT, WE'RE WORKING TO LOWER SOME.
THIS BUDGET WILL KEEP PUBLIC SAFETY AND EDUCATION AND PRIORITY.
IN FACT, PUBLIC SAFETY AND EDUCATION ACCOUNT.
NOW FOR ALMOST 50% OF EVERY DOLLAR, WE SPEND GOOD ACCOUNT IN THIS BUDGET.
WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR FUTURE WITH EDUCATIONALLY THE WAY.
NOW BECAUSE OF THIS BUDGET, WE REMAIN COMPETITIVE AS WELL WITH OUR REGIONAL PEERS.
THE COSTS OF LIVING AND MARKET ADJUSTMENTS ARE EMPLOYEE SALARIES.
SO START TALKING ONE, START TALKING NUMBERS THERE WE START AT THE VERY HIGHEST LEVELS AND OKAY, WE START WITH RED.
SO THE ASSESS VALUE OF OUR COUNTY CONTINUES TO GROW.
AS YOU HEARD MR. PETERSON SAYING WE ARE A GROAN COUNTY.
THIS IS BECAUSE A COMBINATION OF NEW DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH AND OUR EXISTING PROPERTY VALUES.
NOW, WHEN ALL OF OUR FUNDS ARE INCLUDED, GUCCI COUNTY WILL OPERATE ON 140 MILLION THIS YEAR TOTAL ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.
BUT THAT MONEY COMES FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES.
BUT TAXES ARE BY FAR THE LARGEST SOURCE WE JUST SAW A SECOND AGO WHERE THAT COMES FROM OUR ASSESSED VALUES.
WHEN YOU TAKE OUT THE FUNDS, NOT PART OF THE GENERAL FUND OF THE COUNTY.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR UTILITIES, UH, YOUR SCHOOLS, YOUR CIP P AND YOUR SPECIAL FUNDS.
YOU END UP WITH A GENERAL FUND OF ABOUT 86 MILLION.
NOW IT HELPS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THESE NUMBERS COME FROM THAT I'M SHOWING YOU.
WE START IN DECEMBER AND WE START LOOKING AT ALL THE KNOWN DATA THAT WE HAVE THAT'S GONNA BE BUILDING PERMITS, ASSESSMENT VALUES, GROWTH RATES.
IT'S GONNA BE PROJECTED FUTURE EVENTS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE GONNA HAPPEN, RECESSIONS, INFLATIONS, ECONOMIC BOOMS OR BUSTS.
TAKING ALL THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER, WE THEN HAVE TO PROJECT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN 18 MONTHS FROM NOW.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY DON'T SELL CRYSTAL BALLS, AT LEAST ANOTHER WORK.
SO WE HAVE TO PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER AND THEN DO OUR BEST TO COME UP WITH A GOOD SOUND ESTIMATE OF WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE IN 18 MONTHS.
SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND DELIBERATE WHEN WE ESTIMATE THESE REVENUES AND FIGURES.
THAT'S ONE REASON WHY WE'RE SO CONSERVATIVE IN WHAT WE DO IN TRYING TO ESTIMATE REVENUES.
SO LET'S TALK NUMBERS AND WE'RE GONNA START AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.
TOTAL SPENDING FOR ALL GOVERNMENT FUNDS IN GUCCI COUNTY IS 140 MILLION.
HOWEVER, MOST OF THAT DOESN'T GO TO WHAT YOUR AVERAGE PERSON WOULD THINK IS ACTUAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
WITH AC COUNTY GOVERNMENT, MOST OF THAT MONEY GOES TO SCHOOLS.
DEBT, UTILITIES AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND ARE OPERATING EXPENDITURES TO AMOUNTS ABOUT 51 MILLION OF THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR COURTS EQUAL ALMOST 50% OF THE TOTAL.
NOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHERE THE GROWTH IN OUR BUDGET IS COMING FROM, THE OVERALL ALL FUNDS BUDGET INCREASES BY ABOUT 11.5% THE LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR.
BUT AS YOU'RE GONNA SEE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT GROWTH IS HAPPENING IN TWO AREAS.
IT'S HAPPENING IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND IT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOL RELATED CONSTRUCTION AND PROGRESS CIP P ACCOUNT.
SO I SAID THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS A PRIORITY TO US AND GROWTH WAS A WHERE A LOT OF OUR GROWTH IS OCCURRING.
SO LET'S LOOK AT THIS RIGHT HERE AND GET A LITTLE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.
ALL ALL COUNTY FUNDS GREW BY A TOTAL OF 11.5%.
THE GENERAL FUND THAT PART'S NOT SCHOOLS AND
[00:20:01]
DEBT AND AND UTILITIES, IT GREW BY 9.5%, NOT 4.4 MILLION.BUT OF THAT 4.4 MILLION GROWTH, 3.4 MILLION IS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND 900 FITCHES FOR EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO IN THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND, OUR SUPPORT OF PUBLIC SAFETY GREW BY 18.1%.
ALL OTHER GENERAL FUNDS GREW BY A COMBINED TOTAL OF 3.4%.
SO WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING WITH THIS GROWTH IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SUPPORT? WE'RE GONNA BE FUNDING NINE NEW POSITIONS IN PUBLIC SAFETY THIS YEAR, SIX IN OUR FIRE RESCUE, TWO SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES AND ONE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATOR.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE FUNDING REGIONALLY COMPETITIVE INCREASES IN THE PAY SCALES TO SHARES, DEPUTIES, BUYER AND RESCUE EMPLOYEES.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE HAVING AN ADDITIONAL COMPETITIVE ADJUSTMENT FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATORS ON TOP OF THAT, IN ORDER TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN THOSE CRITICAL FIRST FIRST RESPONDERS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE, WE'RE ALSO ADDING A NEW FIRETRUCK, ADDING A NEW BRUSH TRUCK, EIGHT NEW SHERIFF'S FIELDS, VEHICLES, AND THE INITIAL FUNDING FOR THE WEST STREET FIRE STATION UPON APPROVAL.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS FOR A SECOND.
THIS OVERALL BUDGET OF 140 MILLION ALLOCATES A TOTAL OF ABOUT 60 MILLION SCHOOLS.
THE SCHOOL'S GENERAL FUND IS ABOUT 40.7 MILLION WITH AN ADDITIONAL 19 MILLION IN C I P PROJECTS.
OF THAT 40.7 MILLION GIN COUNTY'S LOCAL CONTRIBUTION EQUALS ABOUT 26.7 MILLION.
THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 4.9% FROM LAST YEAR.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER OVERALL REDUCTIONS THEY'VE HAD TO TAKE IN OTHER AREAS OF THEIR, OF THEIR FUNDS AND REVENUES, THEIR TOTAL BUDGET ONLY GROWS BY THREE TENTHS 1% LAST YEAR.
RES GONNA DISCUSS THEIR BUDGET IN GREAT DETAIL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHOW AND SHARE HOW, UH, RESPONSIBLE THEY HAD BEEN IN PUTTING THEIR BUDGET TOGETHER FOR THE COUNTY.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT LARGEST FUND.
THE COUNTY HAS OUR UTILITIES FUND IN GUCI COUNTY.
UTILITIES ARE AN ENTERPRISE FUND FOR THE COUNTY.
SO AN ENTERPRISE FUND IS ESSENTIALLY STANDALONE BUSINESS UNIT OF THE COUNTY.
IT CANNOT HAVE A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE TAXPAYERS REVENUES MUST SEEK EXPENSES.
SO THIS YEAR'S REVENUE PROJECTIONS INCLUDE A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED INCREASE OF 3% FOR WATER OR PERCENT FOR SEWER, AND 5.5% FOR CONNECTION FEES.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEIR EXPENSES GO TO PAY THE DEBT INCURRED BY THE TUCKAHOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT AND TO KEEP THEIR ONGOING CIP P PROJECTS ON TRACK, THE REMAINING GROWTH IN THEIR OPERATIONAL COSTS REALLY JUST RELATED TO THE GROWTH THAT HEALTH INSURANCE, SALARY ADJUSTMENTS AND INFLATIONARY PRESSURES ON THEM.
AND LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR C I P.
SO THE GUCCI COUNTY ABOUT, UH, SOME YEARS AGO, GJA COUNTY ADOPTED A 25 YEAR C I P PARTNER THAT'S CONSTRUCTION OF PROFIT.
THAT'S OUR MAJOR CAPITAL EXPENSES.
IT'S ABOUT A 612 MILLION PLAN THAT THEY'VE ADOPTED.
THAT INCLUDES FIRE STATIONS, SCHOOLS, COURTHOUSES AND AND NECESSARY EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE TO INCUR IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR CITIZENS.
THIS C I P IS UPDATED AND REVISED EVERY YEAR, THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND ADVANCED WORK, AND IT'S INTENDED TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP FIGHTING OUR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS, COURT SERVICES, AND GENERAL COUNTY FUNCTIONS.
SO THIS YEAR SPENDING ABOUT 25 MILLION IS AN INCREASE OF 53% FROM LAST YEAR OF 8 MILLION GROWTH.
THE VAST MAJORITY GOING EDUCATION, THE NEW GUGEN ELEMENTARY IS GONNA BE RECEIVING 15 MILLION IN HVAC WORK OF THE HIGH SCHOOL RECEIVING 4 MILLION FOR ABOUT 19 MILLION.
GOING TO SUPPORT THE PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AT THE, UM, SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO WHAT DOES THIS BUDGET ACCOMPLISH? WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY SAID THE TRUE MEASURE OF COMMUNITY'S VALUE IS HOW WE SPEND YOUR MONEY.
SO THIS BUDGET, HERE'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE AS SPENDING OUR MONEY ON NUMBER ONE.
IT CONTINUES TO MEET THE EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH FINANCIAL STANDARDS WE SET FOR OURSELF.
AND BY DOING SO, WE'RE ENSURING THE GUCCI REMAINS AMERICA'S SMALLEST AAA RATED COMMUNITY.
THIS BUDGET PROVIDES THE MARKET-BASED SALARY ADJUSTMENTS TO STAFF TO REFLECT THE COMPETITIVE AND CHALLENGING MARKET.
WE FIND OURSELVES IN THIS BUDGET KEEPS PUBLIC SAFETY AND TOP PRIORITY WITH NINE NEW POSITIONS, NEW VEHICLES TO SAFETY GEAR BEING ADDED, ALSO GIVING THEM MARKET COMPETITIVE SALARY ADJUSTMENTS THAT ALLOW US TO RETRAIN, TO RETAIN AND RECRUIT AND ATTRACT THE KIND OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT WE NEED TO HAVE SERVING US AND PROTECTING US.
THIS BUDGET ENSURES THAT EDUCATION REMAINS A HIGH PRIORITY WITH A 1.2 MILLION
[00:25:01]
INCREASE IN OUR LOCAL FUNDING AND A 19 MILLION INVESTMENT IN SCHOOL RELATED C I P PROJECTS.THIS BUDGET INCLUDES FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT NECESSARY STUDIES RELATED TO UNDERSTANDING, GUIDING AND MANAGING THE GROWTH THAT IS COMING TO US OR UNDERTAKEN.
AND THIS BUDGET MAINTAINS A LINE ON PROPERTY TAX RATES, CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON WAYS TO ACTUALLY REDUCE SOME OF THOSE TAXES.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE STILL HAVE AHEAD OF US THAT WE STILL HAVE TO BE AWARE OF? WELL, COUNTY STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE ECONOMY.
I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU THAT IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD WE'RE IN THAN WE WERE SOME YEARS AGO.
ECONOMIC WINS ARE CHANGING, SO WE WANNA ASSURE OUR COMMUNITY OF OUR CONSTANT FOCUS ON THE CHANGES THAT COULD AFFECT US.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TO UNDERSTAND HOW PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS TO BE POSITIONED IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE BLESSED WITH.
CURRENTLY, THERE'S A FIRE SURVEY GOING OUT THAT YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN AND IT'S GONNA BE MENTIONED LATER ON IN THIS, UH, PRESENTATION.
WE'RE GONNA REMAIN FOCUSED ON GROWTH IN OUR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS.
WE'RE GONNA STAY STRONG ALLIES, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TEAM.
WE'RE GONNA ALSO, WE'RE GONNA BE FORCED TO DEAL WITH THE MANDATES THAT ARE DELIVERED TO US FROM WASHINGTON AND RICHMOND MAN, TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF OUR CITIZEN'S POCKETS TO GO TO DIRECTIONS THAT WE MAYBE DIDN'T CHOOSE TO, BUT WE HAVE TO BE.
YOU KNOW, JEWISH COUNTY'S IN AN
IT'S BECAUSE WE REMAIN VIGILANT TO THE THREATS FROWNING US THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REMAIN CIVIL.
SO OUR PROMISE, OUR CITIZENS, IS THAT WE WILL ALWAYS TAKE SERIOUSLY THE SACRED TRUST THAT WE GUARD WILL REMAIN EVER BEFORE OVER.
SO THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE THE EVENTS THAT ARE, WE HAVE THREE EVENTS IN MARCH, TWO MORE TOWN HALLS, AND WE HAVE A CIP P WORKSHOP, A TRANSPORTATION WORKSHOP IN MARCH AS WELL.
WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THESE.
AND THEN APRIL 18TH, THE ACTUAL ADOPTION IS BUDGETED BY THE WARNER SUPERVISORS.
SO CITIZENS HAVE FIVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO VISIT HERE AND LEARN ABOUT THIS BUDGET ON WHAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING.
SO THAT'S THE 10,000, 20,000 FOOT VIEW OF WHAT THIS BUDGET DOES AND WHAT IT ACCOMPLISHES.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON IN GOON COUNTY? WELL, FIRST WANNA HAVE SOME ALWAYS LIKE, COULD PUT IN PICTURES OF DOGS AND CATS AND KITS.
SO ALWAYS GOTTA STICK THEM IN.
GUCCI COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER IS OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
GO BY SOME TIME AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIND A NEW FRIEND.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON HERE? WELL, I WANNA START OUR REMIND ABOUT THE BOND REVEREND IN 2021, OUR CITIZENS APPROVED THIS BOND REFEREND BY 85%.
WHAT THAT WILL DO IS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO BUILD THAT COURTHOUSE.
MR. PETERSON WILL TALK ABOUT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ALLOW US TO BUILD A NEW FIRE STATION, UH, WORK AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND OTHER PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTY.
CURRENTLY, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'S ALREADY UNDERWAY HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT BULLDOG WAY TO BE COMPLETED.
WEST STREET FIRE STATION IS ALMOST IN THE FINAL STAGES OF APPROVAL.
ALSO COMING UP WE HAVE OUR, UM, FIRE, I'M SORRY, ALSO COMING UP IS OUR, UH, UH, BROADBAND EXPANSION.
IT'S ONLY ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO THAT BROADBAND EXPANSION IN CHE COUNTY WAS REALLY ROLLED OUT.
BUT ALREADY FIREFLY HAS BUILT 82 MILES OF FIBER ON THE CEX SYSTEM.
OVER 890 DIFFERENT ADDRESSES NOW HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH SPEED CABLE THAT THEY COULD NOT HAVE TWO YEARS AGO.
TORNADO IS COMPLETED AS EXPANSION, THE CROZIER AREA AND IS WRAPPING UP ITS FINAL INSTALLATIONS.
ULTIMATELY, OVER 320 MILES OF FIBER WILL BE INSTALLED BY FIREFLY WITH OVER 3,500 NEW CONNECTIONS POSSIBLE.
ALSO, OUR VILLAS PLANS UPDATED.
THESE SMALLER AREA OF PLANS ARE STARTING TO WRAP UP THE FINAL STAGES OF IT.
COMMUNITY UPDATES WILL BE HELD IN MARCH.
TO PRESENT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PLANS, THE TIM GROUP IS ON BOARD TO BRING THESE PLANS.
HOME PLANNING COMMISSION BOARD WILL HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND LATE SPRINGTIME.
AND THIS PLANS WILL PROVIDE REGULATING PRINCIPLES THAT'LL HELP IDENTIFY WHAT'S APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT IN THESE AREAS AND ALSO WILL BOUNCE UNIQUE CHARACTER IN NATURE AND PRESERVE THE PARTS OF GUCCI THAT MAKE US SPECIAL, MAKE US SO IMPORTANT.
OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, UPDATES FOR SOME OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
OUR UTILITIES FORCE MAN REPLACEMENT.
UH, IT'S AN EIGHT PLUS MILLION PROJECT.
EFFECTIVE HOME EFFECTIVE HOMEOWNERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED WITH DETAILED EXPLANATION OF HOW THE PROJECT'S GOING TO AFFECT THEM.
WE ANTICIPATE THE FINAL STAGE BEING FINISHED IN MARCH OF 2024, WHERE SUPPLY CHAINS CAN ALWAYS AFFECT ANY CAPITAL PROJECT, AS YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S WELL UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
ALSO WANNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE ON FAIRGROUNDS WERE RIGHT IN THE COURTHOUSE AREA.
IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THAT AREA, YOU KNOW IT'S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
OCTOBER OF 23, THE EXTENSION OF FAIRGROUNDS ROAD EXTENSION.
PRELIMINARY WORK IS UNDERWAY TO COST OF AVERAGE AND BASIC DESIGN GUIDELINES.
WE HOPE THAT WE CAN ADVERTISE CONSTRUCTION SOMETIME IN THE SPRING OF 2025 AND THE FAIRGROUNDS ROAD SAFETY STUDY IS COMPLETED AND THE BOARD HAD IT, UH, PRESENTED TO THEM LAST NIGHT.
[00:30:01]
TWO 80 BROAD STREET INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT STUDY.THIS IS A PROJECT THAT AGAIN, WILL, WILL HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AT THAT INTERSECTION TO CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT IT'S A SAFE INTERSECTION FOR PEOPLE TO USE.
AND THE OILVILLE I 64 ROUNDABOUT FOR MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ALL THAT WORKING.
UH, WE'RE WORKING CURRENTLY TO TRY TO FIND THE REST OF FUNDING NECESSARY AS WELL AS DO SOME OF THE UH, UH, DESIGN WORK THAT'LL BE POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN START AS SOON AS WE CAN SECURE THAT END OF THE ASHTON ROAD.
D I THE DIVERGENT DIAMOND INTERSECTION, UH, GUCCI COUNTY IS EXCEPTIONALLY COMMITTED.
THIS PROJECT WE'VE ALREADY SECURED SIGNIFICANT FUNDING FOR AND WE WORK TO CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY AND SECURE THE REST.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE ON SCHEDULE FOR CONSTRUCTION TO BE BEGINNING WITH BEFORE OR BUYER 2028.
THE PARK AND RIDE ON NATIONAL ROAD, IF YOU USE IT, CONSTRUCTION SHOULD BEGIN IN 2025 TO, UH, REALIGN AND REPLACE IT.
THE ROAD REALIGNMENT, THE FUNDING HAS BEEN SECURED.
23 AND CONSTRUCTION SHOULD BEGIN IN 26.
COUNTYWIDE LITERAL CLEANUP DAY.
ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY WITH AN INTEREST AND A PASSION IN, IN KEEPING THIS CAN BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
PLEASE PARTICIPATE AND TAKE PART IN THAT YOU SEE THE DETAILS ON IT.
SAME THING I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE FIRE ENGAGEMENT STUDY.
IF YOU CAN GO ONLINE OR IF YOU WANT TO GRAB THE QR CODE LATER, TALK TO SOME OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES OR FIRE SAFETY.
BUT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE PUBLIC'S INPUT INTO WHERE WE NEED TO BE AS THE FIRE RESCUE SERVICE AS WE GO FORWARD IN TIME.
AND THEN REALLY VERY IMPORTANT TOO IS ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT WITH YOU, OUR CITIZENS.
YOU KNOW, YOUR COUNTY STAFF UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE THAT'S PLACED ON EACH ONE OF THEM AND ENSURING THAT OUR DREAMS OF GREAT LUCHA COUNTY REALIZE.
SO WHAT YOU GIVE US IS A TRUST AS A GIFT AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
THOSE ARE VARIOUS WAYS THAT WE CAN HEAR FROM YOU.
YOU CAN GO ONLINE, THE COUNTY WEBSITE AND SIGN UP FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS AND, AND, UH, THAT'LL BE SENT TO YOUR PHONE OR YOUR, UH, EMAIL ON FACEBOOK.
UH, THE CODE RED, IF YOU'RE NOT A MEMBER OF CODE RED STRONG ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO.
WHEN, WHEN DISASTERS OR LARGE EVENTS CURRENTLY, WE NEED TO NOTIFY PEOPLE.
OUR TWITTER ACCOUNT, OF COURSE, THE SHERIFF'S APP, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, YOU'RE, YOU REALLY NEED TO HAVE THE APP ON YOUR PHONE.
THE SHERIFF'S APP IS RIGHT THERE AS WELL.
YOU CAN PARTICIPATE ON OUR MONTHLY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETINGS.
UH, YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND SEE EVERYTHING.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS COUNTY THAT BELIEVES THE TRANSPARENCY, BELIEVES IN INVOLVEMENT OF OUR CITIZENS.
WE ARE WHO WE ARE AND YOU ARE CITIZENS.
AND WITH THAT, I APPRECIATE YOUR OPPORTUNITY AND YOU GIVEN ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, DR.
IT'S, UH, GOOD TO SEE YOU THIS EVENING.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND BEING HERE.
UH, IT'S REALLY A PLEASURE TO SERVE AS YOUR SUPERINTENDENT.
I'M FINISHING SEVEN YEARS AS THE PROUD SUPERINTENDENT HERE IN GOLAND COUNTY.
AND MY GOAL FOR TONIGHT IS TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR SCHOOL DIVISION THAT MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW.
UH, ANY GOOD TEACHER SETS AN OBJECTIVE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LESSON.
SO I'M HOPING BY THE TIME WE LEAVE HERE TODAY, UH, YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT GUC COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAN MAYBE YOU DID WHEN YOU WALKED IN THE DOOR.
UH, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS A LITTLE BIT ON BUDGET TONIGHT.
UH, AND BEFORE I GET INTO THAT PROCESS, DO WANT TO THANK OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE STRONG SUPPORT THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR US.
AS MR. CARPENTER MENTIONED, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND 68% OF EVERY SOURCE OF REVENUE THAT WE GET TO FUND THE OPERATIONS OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION COME DIRECTLY FROM THE TAXPAYERS OF PEACHLAND COUNTY.
SO THIS COMMUNITY HAS REALLY HAD A STRONG HISTORY AND TRADITION OF STRONG SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.
OUR SUPERVISORS HAVE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT AND DO WANT TO PROVIDE SOME PUBLIC ACCOLADES AND THANKS FOR THAT THIS EVENING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO STANDARD SET JUST FOR A MOMENT AND LET THE VISITORS HERE TONIGHT WHO MAYBE DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT US, UH, SOME THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US AS A SCHOOL DIVISION.
AND JUST LIKE ANY ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE A VISION, A MISSION AND CORE VALUES THAT WE HOLD NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEART.
SO OUR SCHOOL DIVISION FOR AN OVER 10 YEARS NOW ESTABLISH A VISION AND THAT'S TO INSPIRE OUR NEXT GENERATION, OUR CURRENT STUDENTS, TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE WORLD AROUND US.
STUDENTS THAT WE ARE EDUCATING NOW ARE THE FUTURE LEADERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, THIS STATE, THIS NATION, AND THIS WORLD.
SO ULTIMATELY WE HAVE A PRETTY IMPORTANT JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR STATE AND OUR NATION.
AND THEN WE'RE DRIVEN EVERY DAY BY MAXIMIZING THE POTENTIAL OF EACH AND EVERY STUDENT THAT WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE ARE A PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION AND WE TAKE IN EVERY STUDENT WHO COMES FROM 26 DIFFERENT HOMES, WE PROVIDE AN EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION FOR THEM AND MAXIMIZE THEIR POTENTIAL EVERY DAY.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE SOME CORE NON-NEGOTIABLE BELIEFS, EXCELLENCE, COURAGE, HONOR, OPTIMISM, AND CREATIVITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE BELIEVE IN, AND THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE WORK THAT WE DO EVERY DAY.
AND THEN THE SCHOOL DIVISION REVISED THE STRATEGIC GOALS OF 2019 RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT
[00:35:01]
WE WANNA CREATE AS A SCHOOL DIVISION.IMPORTANT METRICS TO HOLD US ALL ACCOUNTABLE.
SO I'M PROUD TO SAY TONIGHT THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION HAS A LOT THAT WE HAVE DONE AND WE ARE CERTAINLY PROUD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE METRICS THAT MEASURE SUCCESS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN GUC COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS SET THE BAR AND CONTINUES TO STRIVE FOR CONTINUED EXCELLENCE.
WE'RE NEVER SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO DO EVEN BETTER THAN WE ALREADY ARE.
SO WE ARE A PROUD SCHOOL DIVISION WITH FIVE APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS, LESS THAN 700 WORLDWIDE.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION AND HOW PROVIDING TECHNOLOGY TOOLS TO STUDENTS SUPPORT REALLY STRONG INSTRUCTION TAKING PLACE IN THE CLASSROOMS, THE NUMBER ONE SCHOOL DIVISION IN THE RICHMOND METRO REGION FOR FIVE YEARS IN A ROW, FEEDING CHESTERFIELD AND HANOVER AND ALL THOSE BIG BOYS AND GIRLS TO THE EAST AND THE SOUTH.
WE CONTINUE TO SHOW SUCCESS ON A VARIETY OF METRICS FIVE YEARS IN A ROW.
AND IT'S ALL DONE WITH THE AMAZING STAFF THAT WE HAVE.
WE ARE STRONG STEWARDS OF YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY AN EXTERNAL THIRD PARTY, THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION FOR OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION AND OUR TRANSPARENCY AND HOW WE ARTICULATE OUR SCHOOL DIVISION'S NEEDS TO OUR COMMUNITY IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY.
AND SO THANKS TO THE STAFF AND MAKE ALL OF THAT POSSIBLE.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY YOU ASK YOURSELF, OKAY, WELL THAT'S WELL AND GOOD, BUT ARE STUDENTS LEARNING? OH YEAH, THEY ARE.
AND SO WE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR A VARIETY OF MENTORS.
AND SO WE ARE ONE OF 10 SCHOOL DIVISIONS FOR OVER 10 YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN FULLY ACCREDITED.
AND KEEP IN MIND THERE ARE 132 SCHOOL DIVISIONS IN THE COMMONWEALTH AND WE ARE IN THE ELITE COMPANY.
WE ALWAYS LIKE TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND SO ON.
A VARIETY OF METRICS INCLUDING S SO L RESULTS, WE CONTINUE TO BE IN THE UPPER ECHELON HERE IN THE REGION AND ACROSS THE STATE.
AND SO WE EXCEED THE STATE AVERAGE IN ALL FOUR CORE CONTENT AREAS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'LL DO THE SAME AGAIN THIS YEAR.
SO ULTIMATELY WE WANT STUDENTS GRADUATE.
ALL OF THIS IS WELL AND GOOD IF KIDS, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA GET THEM ACROSS THE STAGE AS BULLDOGS AND GET HOME TO THE NEXT STAGE AS WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THEIR LIFE.
AND SO WE HAVE AN EXTREMELY HIGH ON TIME GRADUATION RATE.
WE'RE TALKING ONE OR TWO KIDS TO GET US THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT LEVEL.
AND SO WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING THAT.
THAT'S CERTAINLY A PRIORITY OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
BUT ANOTHER METRIC SHOWS THE STRONG SUCCESS OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH YOUR TAX DOLLARS.
I SHARED THIS WITH THE SUPERVISORS YESTERDAY AND I HAVEN'T DONE THIS IN THE PAST BECAUSE WE KIND OF TAKE FOR GRANTED WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING.
STUDENTS AT GOSSLAND HIGH SCHOOL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO ANY COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IN THIS STATE OR IN THIS NATION AND MAYBE EVEN WORLDWIDE.
AND SO THIS IS A PICTURE OF WHERE OUR CURRENT SENIORS ARE GOING.
YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE GOING EVERYWHERE IN THE STATE, GOING ACROSS THE NATION AND GOING TO THE BEST COLLEGES IN THE UNIVERSITIES, IN THE LAND.
WERE REALLY PROUD OF OUR GRADUATES AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AHEAD OF THEM.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, STUDENTS, ONE STUDENT WHO IS GOING TO THE COAST GUARD ACADEMY.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF OUR JUNIOR R O T C PROGRAM, BUT WE HAVE HAD A CADET THAT HAS RECEIVED A DIRECT UPON APPOINTMENT TO ONE OF THE SERVICE ACADEMIES.
AND SO ANOTHER ACCOMPLISHMENT TOO IS IN ATHLETICS.
WE HAVE STATE CHAMPIONS, WE HAVE ALL STATE PERFORMERS IN VOLLEYBALL AND FOOTBALL, AND WE HAVE TWO YOUNG MEN WHO HAVE RECEIVED A DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THEIR ATHLETIC CAREER AT THE NEXT LEVEL.
SO ALL THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE STRONG AND SUCCESSFUL.
WE'RE GETTING RESULTS, WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB IN THE CLASSROOM.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IF WE DON'T CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND IMPROVE AND GROW, WE'RE GOING TO GET, CONTINUE TO GET THE SAME RESULTS.
WE WANT TO CONTINUALLY GROW AND STRIVE FOR CONTINUED EXCELLENCE.
AND SO THERE ARE NEEDS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION'S BUDGET.
WHAT I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT IS THE SCHOOL BOARD'S APPROVED BUDGET NOW IN CONSIDERATION BY THE GUCCI COUNTY SUPERVISORS FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS VIDEO WILL SHOW.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IN THIS VIDEO IS UNPACK AND GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR CLASSROOMS ON A DAILY BASIS.
AS I SAID, WE HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A LEADER IN INSTRUCTION IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
AND SO I'M HOPING THAT YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOM.
THIS ONE DAILY BASIS IS UNIQUE AND SPECIAL IN SO MANY WAYS.
[00:40:07]
STUDENT TO HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE.COURSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS EVERYONE'S WELCOME, EXCITED, SEE YOU IN YOUR CLASSROOM, YOUR TEACHER WALK WITH A SMILE.
WE MAKE SURE THAT WE FIRST FIND EXPERIENCES FOR EVERYONE.
SO TEACHING AND LEARNING ATOL IS REALLY BASED ON STUDENT EXPERIENCE.
SO WHEN WE SIT DOWN TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT CAN LOOK LIKE, WE START WITH THE NEEDS OF STUDENT.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE START BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.
OBVIOUSLY I THINK THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING SHOULD START FOR OUR FOUNDATION.
SO OUR, OUR TEACHERS STARTED THE YEAR BY TEAMBUILDING ACROSS DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS. SO THEY STARTED DOING ALL OF KIND PROJECTS JUST TO KIND OF SHOW THEM THAT THEY'RE, SO YOU MIGHT HAVE ONE ASSIGNED TEACHER, BUT ALRIGHT, WELL THAT'S THE DANGER OF GOING OFFSITE WHERE YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE BEST INTERNET.
I THINK YOU, YOU SAW ENOUGH IN THAT VIDEO THAT KIND OF SHOWS THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
AND SO WE RANDOMLY WENT AND JUST CAPTURED VIDEO ONE DAY AND WHAT DID YOU SEE IN THAT VIDEO? YOU SAW STUDENTS WHO ARE COLLABORATING.
YOU SAW STUDENTS WHO ARE ENGAGED.
YOU SAW STUDENTS WHO ARE CODING USING ROBOTS.
YOU SAW TECHNOLOGY AND USE IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS.
AND SO ULTIMATELY THIS SCHOOL DIVISION BUDGET IS BASED ON THE PEOPLE WHO WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT EVERY DAY IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
SO AGAIN, THERE ARE AMAZING THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND I'M HOPE THAT YOU GOT A CHANCE TO SEE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, THIS BUDGET OF PRESENTATION IS ORGANIZED IN THOSE SEVERAL COUPLE DIFFERENT AREAS AND THIS IS THE SECOND GOAL AREA IDENTIFIED BY OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
AND IT DOES DIRECTLY RELATE TO THE PEOPLE OUR ORGANIZATION AND AS THE COUNTY HAS REFERENCE, WE NEED TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN OUR SALARIES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP THE GREAT FOLKS DOING THE WORKFORCE SCHOOL DIVISION AND ATTRACT OTHERS.
THIS IS A GROWTH OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR SCHOOL DIVISION AND WE CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCE SOME CHALLENGES FROM A MARKET COMPETITIVENESS STANDPOINT.
UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM AND, UH, WE HAVE SOME CONTINUED WORK TO DO, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE'RE EXPERIENCING SOME TENSIONS WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ABLE TO, TO RETAIN A WORKFORCE AND ATTRACTIVE WORKFORCE.
AND, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC EDUCATION GETS A LOT OF ATTENTION IN 2023 AND WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL HAVE THE BEST TEACHERS WHO ARE IN THE CLASSROOM DOING GREAT THINGS.
MANY OF OUR TEACHERS DRIVE A LONG DISTANCE TO COME AND WORK FOR US.
AND SO IF GAS PRICES THAT ARE RISING AND INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT ENVIRONMENT WHERE FOLKS WANNA BE A PART OF.
SO OUR SCHOOL DIVISION BUDGET DOES INCLUDE A RAISE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, JUST LIKE THE COUNTY.
IT IS A MARKET COMPETITIVE RAISE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE THE GREAT FOLKS DOING THE WORK OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
HERE'S A SUMMARY OF GOAL TWO IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION BUDGET.
UH, THIS IS THE GREATEST EXPENDITURE IN OUR BUDGET BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO DO THE WORK.
IT IS A PEOPLE HEAVY ORGANIZATION.
AND SO 1.8 MILLION IN NEW MONEY GOING TO SUPPORT OUR INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES.
GOAL THREE IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION STRATEGIC PLAN IS RELATED TO OUR FACILITIES AND OUR OPERATIONS.
AND SO WE HAVE SOME DOLLARS DEDICATED TOWARDS THAT IN THE BUDGET.
MOST OF THAT RELATED TO INFLATIONARY PRESSURES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING JUST BASED ON THE ECONOMY.
UH, AS I SHARED WITH THE SUPERVISORS YESTERDAY, WE DON'T BUILD A BUDGET AND JUST SAY, HERE'S OUR BASELINE, WE NEED ALL THIS.
IN ADDITION, WE SCRUBB EACH AND EVERY BUDGET LINE AND WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR BUDGET WHERE WE'VE REDUCED SOME THINGS THAT WE FEEL THAT WE CAN USE THOSE DOLLARS DIFFERENTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE RESOURCES TO ACCOMPLISH OUR STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES.
WE CALL IT STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT.
AND SO THIS BUDGET DOES INCLUDE OVER 400, $400,000 IN REDUCTIONS AND CURRENT EXPENDITURES THAT WE CAN USE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION BUDGET MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO IN SUMMARY, THE SCHOOL BUDGET AS REFERENCED BY MR. CARPENTER, IS ONLY $104,451 GREATER NEXT YEAR THAN IT IS THIS YEAR.
A LOT OF THAT IS ATTRIBUTED TO WHAT YOU SEE IN THE RED AT THE TOP.
WE HAVE COME UP TO THE FUNDING CLIFF FROM FEDERAL REVENUE AND WE HAVEN'T FALLEN OVER.
UM, A LOT OF GRANT FUNDS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN THE PAST.
THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TO EXPIRE, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SOME REALLY SMART
[00:45:01]
STRATEGIC DECISIONS AND REDUCING ALMOST 14 INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE GRANT FUNDED THAT WILL NOT BE GRANT FUNDED IN THE FUTURE AND OVERALL REDUCING 9.5 POSITIONS AS A RESULT.SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIC DECISIONS THAT WE'VE MADE IN THE BUDGET IS JUST A NEGLIGIBLE PRETENSE OF A PERCENT HIGHER NEXT YEAR THAN IT IS THIS YEAR, AND THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY ATTRIBUTED TO THAT LOSS IN FEDERAL REVENUE.
BUT OUR GUEN COUNTY COMMUNITY HAS PICKED UP THE TAB FOR US AND CONTINUES TO SUPPORT US GREATLY.
UH, OVERALL IN THIS BUDGET, 78% OF EVERY DOLLAR IS DEDICATED TO THE CLASSROOM, GOES DIRECTLY TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTION IN THE CLASSROOM WITH OUR TEACHERS TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO SUPPORT OUR INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES.
IF YOU SLICE AND DICE OUR EXPENDITURES IN DIFFERENT WAY, SALARY AND BENEFITS CONTRIBUTE TO 84% OF THE OVERALL BUDGET.
AGAIN, IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT DO THE WORK AND THE DOLLARS DEDICATED TO OUR STAFF.
UM, AND SO ULTIMATELY WE RELY HEAVILY, AS I SAID ON THE LOCALITY FOR OUR SUPPORT.
SO THE COUNTY TRANSFER, AS MR. CARPENTER REFERENCED, IS PROPOSED TO BE 1.251 MILLION IN ADDITION TO WHAT IT CURRENTLY IS, WHICH IS 68% OF OUR OVERALL REVENUE STREAM.
AND SO THIS IS A BALANCED BUDGET.
SCHOOL BOARD TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN PRESENTING A BALANCED BUDGET TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.
AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL DIFFERENT FUNDING STREAMS, FEDERAL REVENUE, STATE REVENUE, AND LOCAL REVENUE, IT IS JUST A NEGLIGIBLE INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR TO JUST SLIGHTLY OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT OUR CAPITAL PLAN.
AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, THE COUNTY IS DEDICATING A LOT OF MONEY TO SUPPORT OUR ONGOING FACILITY AND CAPITAL NEEDS.
SO THIS IS A PICTURE OF OUR RECENT GROUNDBREAKING AT TO NEW MUTUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS SLATED TO OPEN IN AUGUST OF 2024.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, THEY'RE WORKING LIKE GANGBUSTERS EVERY TIME I DRIVE BY THAT SITE, THERE IS SOMETHING NEW THAT IS HAPPENING.
THEY HAVE A PORTION OF THE BUILDING THAT IS ALREADY PREPARED, THE DIRT AND THE SITE IS PREPARED.
THEY'RE READY TO START BRINGING IN CONCRETE AND, YOU KNOW, DIGGING FOOTERS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO IT IS COMING ALONG EXTREMELY NICELY.
WE FULLY EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO OPEN THIS ONE TIME READY TO GO FOR DUE STUDENTS IN THE 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR.
THIS IS JUST ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AGO.
AND IF YOU DRIVE BY THE SITE NOW, YOU'RE NOT NOT GONNA SEE ANY TREES ON SITE.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE ANY BRUSH LAYING AROUND.
AND SO THE SITE IS REALLY WELL CRAFTED AND PREPARED.
AND SO WE WANNA START TO SEE SOME CONCRETE AND I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO GET STEEL ERECTED PROBABLY IN MAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND THIS THING'S GONNA COME OUT OF THE GROUND IN POUR TOO LONG.
SO JUST A FEW THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT SEE AS YOU DRIVE BY THAT IS AN AERIAL.
SO WE HAVE A CAMERA THAT WE'VE INSTALLED ON SITE AND WE WANNA TRY TO PROVIDE SOME ONGOING PICTURES TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT HAPPEN IN REAL TIME OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
SO JUST A FEW MORE PICTURES OF THE SITE AND HOW IT'S REALLY EVOLVED OVER TIME.
SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU TO THE SUPERVISORS FOR BRINGING IT HOME FOR US IN JANUARY AND MAKING IT ALL HAPPEN.
SO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN OUR SUPERVISION.
UH, AGAIN, I'M PROUD TO SERVE ALONGSIDE SOME REALLY DEDICATED AND TALENTED PROFESSIONALS.
WE HAVE, UH, AT LEAST ONE TEACHER IN THE ROOM TODAY.
OUR STAFF DOES AMAZING WORK FOR OUR STUDENTS AND, UH, REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAY HAVE.
AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION I'D ASK YOU, COME UP AND SPEAK TO MIKE SO THAT ANYBODY AT HOME CAN SEE WHO'S ASKING THE QUESTIONS AND SO THEY CAN HEAR IT AS WELL.
UH, LOOK, THE, THE BUDGET SEASON CAN BE FRAUGHT WITH PARALLEL DEPENDING ON HOW WELL THE TWO BOARDS GET ALONG THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN HOW OTHER COUNTIES DO IT IN THIS STATE OR OTHER STATES, BUT IT CAN BE A REAL TREPIDATION TO GO THROUGH A REAL MINEFIELD TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
HOPEFULLY ONE OF YOUR TAKEAWAYS TONIGHT IS THAT YOU'VE SEEN HOW WELL THE TWO BOARDS WORK TOGETHER TO COOPERATE AND THE COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH BECAUSE THE BENEFICIARIES ARE THE STUDENTS AND THE CITIZENS OF COUNTY.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD.
AND WE HAVE AN OPEN AND HONEST DIALOGUE AND WHATEVER THEY NEED, THEY ASK.
EVIDENTLY THEY HAVEN'T ASKED FOR ENOUGH MONEY FOR THEIR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THERE'S EASIER WAYS TO ASK FOR IT THAN TO COME OUT HERE TONIGHT AND GO, OOPS,
BUT, UH, NO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO IN THE SCHOOLS.
UM, THE NEXT THING I WANNA DO REAL QUICK, SOME AS THE, UM, SHADOWS GROW LONGER ON MY CAREER, SOME FOLKS ASK, WELL, HOW'D YOU GET STARTED? AND ONE OF THE
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THINGS THAT GOT ME STARTED IN THIS WHOLE THING YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AGO WAS THE THING CALLED THE GUC LEADERSHIP ENTERPRISE.DO WE HAVE ANY GRADUATES HERE TONIGHT? OR THE GLE? LOOK AT THIS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE, UH, FELLOW WHO IS CAN TAKE ALL THE CREDIT FOR THE GLE IS MR. PETE WILLIAMS. PETE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO EITHER STAND OR COME UP AND LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE GLE THESE DAYS? THANK YOU.
UM, WE START OUR 25TH YEAR OF NEXT OCTOBER.
GLE IS A PROGRAM FOR CITIZENS.
GLE IS A PROGRAM FOR CITIZENS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COUNTY.
AND I DO SEE AN AWFUL LOT OF FACES HERE THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE EARLIER CLASSES.
WE'LL END WITH A, A GRADUATION EVENT IN APRIL.
YOU'LL MEET THE SUPERVISORS, YOU'LL MEET, UH, SCHOOL FOLKS, UH, FIRE RESCUE, UM, WITH THE, UH, EXPLANATION OF THE, THE BUDGET, MORE BUDGET PROCESS RATHER THAN NUMBERS.
NUMBERS ALWAYS CHANGING, BUT IT'S AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM.
UM, A LOT OF FOLKS PUT A LOT OF TIME IN IT.
YOU WILL MEET A A LOT OF FOLKS AND I'LL BE AROUND, UH, IN THE BACK IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN GETTING A BROCHURE.
UM, IT'S AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM.
YOU SAW THE HANDS THAT WENT UP.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU FOR NEXT YEAR.
HE'S DONE A WONDERFUL JOB FOR A VERY LONG TIME DOING THAT.
UM, BE CAREFUL WHAT, WHAT THE PROGRAM IS, IS IT GIVES YOU EXPOSURE TO VIRTUALLY EVERY AREA OF THE COUNTY.
YOU CAN DO A SHERIFF'S RIGHT ALONG, YOU CAN DOWN TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SEE HOW THEY DO IT.
BUT YOU GOTTA BE A LITTLE BIT CAREFUL CAUSE YOU MIGHT FIND SOMETHING YOU'RE INTERESTED IN AND THEN 12 YEARS LATER YOU'LL SAY, HOW DID I GET HERE? WELL, THAT'S HOW YOU GET STARTED.
SO, UM, BUT FEEL FREE TO SAY EXCELLENT COURSE.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT IN, IN ADDITION TO THE G WE HAVE ANOTHER GREAT PROGRAM IN THE COUNTY, UM, CALLED THE SHERIFF'S ACADEMY.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST AT ALL IN PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND GOING THROUGH THAT.
UM, IT IS A GREAT PROGRAM AND UH, I WENT THROUGH THAT ONE AS WELL AND UH, KIND OF GOT TRICKED A LITTLE BIT CUZ WHEN I WAS CONSIDERING RUNNING FOR OFFICE, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WANNA KNOW WHO I WAS.
THEY SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU SHOULD DO THE SHERIFF'S ACADEMY.
I SAID, OKAY, FINE, I'LL DO THE SHERIFF'S ACADEMY.
I SHOWED UP FOR THE FIRST DAY.
I SAID, I AM HERE TO SERVICE DEPUTY.
OKAY, GO OVER THERE AND GET FINGERPRINTED.
WE NEED TO GO A BACKGROUND CHECK.
ALL RIGHT, SOMEBODY GOT ME
SO, BUT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.
BOTH OF THEM ARE GREAT PROGRAMS. SO AT THIS POINT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TONIGHT? WE WANTED, YOU'VE BEEN VERY GENEROUS WITH YOUR TIME AND, AND PAID ATTENTION.
WE'VE GOT COOKIES WAITING FOR YOU AT THE END IS A REWARD.
SORRY, I'M NOT GETTING ON CAMERA.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE EAST END TRAIL SYSTEM.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY FUNDED, DESIGNED AND WAS GONNA BE BUILT YEAR AFTER NEXT BEFORE COVID? IS IT STILL THERE? IS IT GONE? UM, JUST A QUESTION.
THE END TRAIL IS VERY DEFINITELY STILL THERE.
FUNDING HAS BEEN SECURED TO BE PART OF IT.
IT'S, AND IT DESIGN STAYS FOR, BUT IT IS DEFINITELY STILL THERE AND IT WILL HAPPEN.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD AN UPDATE TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND WHEN CAN WE EXPECT ANOTHER UPDATE? OKAY.
UH, SO IT'S TIME FOR A REVISED ONE.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS MADE THAT ONE OF THEIR PRIORITIES SINCE THAT WE START WORKING ON UPDATING THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WELL, WE CURRENTLY ARE OPERATING UNDER THAT STRATEGIC PLAN STILL.
IT'S STILL VALID, IT'S STILL GOOD.
I I REPRESENT SQUARE THIS EVENING.
CAN I ASK WHAT'S BEEN THE TOTAL COST OF THAT SURGE? UH, THREE, UH, ATTEMPT, UM, LINE, WHICH RUNS ON LONG RIVER ROAD.
AND CAN I ALSO ASK, NOW WE'RE HAVING A THIRD GUIDE IT.
WHAT KIND OF WARRANTY, UH, ARE THE CONTRACTORS PROVIDING? SO YOU DON'T HAVE A FOURTH GUIDE.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO TAKE THAT QUESTION? I'VE GOT THE MICROPHONE.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M MATT SHORE, I'M DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC UTILITIES.
UH, I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.
THE TOTAL COST OF THAT CONTRACT IS JUST UNDER
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8 MILLION.SO THE 7.997 I BELIEVE IS, IS WHAT WE AWARDED BACK IN DECEMBER.
UM, AS FAR AS TODAY, I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THE THE SECOND QUESTION.
UH, OUR STANDARD CONTRACTS, UH, FOR OUR PROJECTS, UH, CARRY A YEAR, UH, PAST FINAL COMPLETION.
SO, UH, IF, IF THE PROJECT'S COMPLETE IN MARCH NEXT YEAR, I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE IT IN FOR COMPLETION.
UM, IT WILL GO TO MARCH, UH, 2025.
UH, AND SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, UH, THIS PIPELINE WILL BE, UH, A 42 INCH HD P E PIPELINE.
IT'S GONNA BE, UH, THREE INCHES THICK AS THE WALL OF THE PIPE.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE PUSHED THROUGH THE EXISTING PIPE AND THE ANNUAL SPACE AROUND THAT PIPE WILL BE GROUNDED IN PLACE.
SO THIS WILL BE A PIPELINE WITHIN A PIPELINE, WITHIN A PIPELINE.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANY, UH, FURTHER ISSUES WITH THIS PIPELINE, UH, FOR, FOR MANY, MANY DECADES TO COME.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT, UH, THAT GETS YOUR REST AND EASY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE SENATE SMALL PLAN.
A LOT OF US HAVE SPENT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME, UM, WITH PROVIDING IN, UH, INFORMATION TO THE COUNTY ABOUT WHERE WE THINK, UM, IT SHOULD GO, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DENSITY, UH, ISSUE THAT THAT SEEMS TO BE, UM, OUTTA LINE WITH WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING IN A VILLAGE PLAN.
WHEN CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE THE KIND OF, UM, OF THAT APPRECIATE AND THE VILLAGE PLAN'S BEEN GOING ON NOW FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND A LOT OF CITIES INVOLVEMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVED, A LOT OF OF INPUT HAS BEEN RECEIVED AS WE BRING IT HOME.
UM, THAT INPUT IS, IS IN FRONT OF THE CONSULTANTS.
WHAT, WHAT THE COMMENTS WERE, WHAT THE WRITTEN COMMENTS, THE SPOKEN COMMENTS THEY REVIEWED EVERYONE AT THE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND FORMS THAT WE'VE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE DO NOT LOSE THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, AS THE PLAN GETS TO A STAGE WHERE IT, IT'S ABOUT READY TO START GOING FOR A BOARDS PLANNING COMMISSION.
IT WILL BE SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY TO SEE IT.
SO YOU'LL HAVE IT, IT, IT WILL BE OUT THERE AGAIN IN, IN MARCH, APRIL, UM, TIMEFRAME.
UM, EARLY SPRINGTIME, IT, IT, IT WILL BE OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE THEM AND THEN IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND THE PLANNING CONDITION AS WELL IN, UH, LATE SPRING.
UM, SO CRYSTAL, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED.
AND FOR CLARIFICATION, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WELL AWARE OF FACT THAT WE MISSED THE MARK WITH HOW CITIZEN INPUT WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN OUR CURRENT PROPOSED PLANS FOR BOTH AREAS.
IT WAS MUCH MORE GLARING IN THE CENTERVILLE AREA.
ONE THING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED THAT WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON A REGULATING PLAN THAT IS FLEXIBLE AND A FRAMEWORK THAT FOCUSES ON BUILDING HEIGHT IN RELATION TO SPACE AND PLACE, NOT FOCUSING SOLELY ON DENSITY, UM, MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON PARK PLACES, NOT JUST THE CONCEPT OF A GREEN SPACE, PUBLIC AMENITIES, THINGS THAT ARE ALSO NEEDED FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, WE ARE PLANNING THAT THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY UPDATE AND AS MR. CARPENTER SAID, TIM'S GROUP HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH THE MANY HOURS OF VIDEO FOOTAGE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THE EXISTING DRAFTS.
THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING TO PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER.
THEY WILL BE HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BOARD, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THERE WILL ALSO BE THE COMMUNITY UPDATE PRIOR TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
BUT AGAIN, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE THE HARD LINE FOCUS ON DENSITY AND IT WILL BE GO AND CENTRIC WHERE WHEN YOU LOOK AT VISUALS, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT INTERSECTION THAT IS.
UH, AT THIS POINT I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CONCLUDE THE FORMAL PORTION OF THIS PRESENTATION FOR THIS EVENING.
BUT ALL THE MEMBERS OF STAFF, UH, WILL STAY AROUND AND BE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AND ON YOUR WAY OUT, FEEL FREE TO HELP YOURSELF FOR SOME COOKIES.
I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU COMING OUT TONIGHT.
HOPEFULLY EVERYONE LEARN SOMETHING.
UH, ISN'T THE GOOD VENUE IS THIS, ISN'T IT? THE GOOD VENUE? GOOD.
SHOULD WE CONTINUE TO HAVE TOWN HOMES? IS THIS A GOOD THING? YES.
ALRIGHT EVERYBODY, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
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I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS DEAR SEAT OR NOT, BUT JUST BE CAREFUL.UH, OTHERWISE TRAVEL HOME AND GOD BLESS.