* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:01:07]
          UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          UM, 
          [Roll Call]
WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY 20TH, 2024, UH, MEETING OF THE GLAND COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          UM, WE WILL BEGIN WITH AN INVOCATION FROM, UH, SUPERVISOR NEIL SPOONER. 
          [I.	Call to Order]
I'LL STAND PLEASE 
          [II.	Invocation]
THIS MANY FIREFIGHTERS AND DEPUTIES. 
          IS THERE A SOFTBALL GAME IN THE BREAKOUT? , LET'S PRAY. 
          DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. 
          LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR, UH, THIS TIME OF YEAR WHERE WE GET TO, UH, MAKE DECISIONS WITH THE FUNDS THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US. 
          GOD, WE KNOW THAT, UH, WHAT YOU'VE PROVIDED COMES FROM YOU, LORD. 
          UH, WE JUST ASK YOU TO BE HERE TODAY WITH US AS WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT THE COUNTY. 
          GOD, JUST GIVE US THE WISDOM SO THAT WE CAN BE THE COUNTY, UM, THAT YOU WOULD BE PROUD OF. 
          IN YOUR SINS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. 
          AND, UH, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, 
          [III.	Pledge]
A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION AND NEVER GOT IN INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FRAUD. 
          OKAY, 
          [IV.	Request to Postpone Agenda Items and Additions, Deletions or Changes in the Order of Presentation]
AND NOW, OKAY. 
          UM, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS OR POSTPONEMENTS TO THE AGENDA? SEEING NONE, UH, MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS. 
          I TURNED THE FLOOR OVER TO MR. CARPENTER 
          [V.	New Business:]
FOR HIS PRESENTATION OF 
          [1.	Presentation of FY2025 County Administrator's Proposed Budget]
THE 20 24, 20 25 DRAFT BUDGET. 
          MR. CARPENTER WILL THEN TURN OVER TO THE SHERIFF, UH, STEVEN CREASEY, AND THEN, UH, CH FIRE AND RESCUE CHIEF FERGUSON FOR THEIR PRESENTATIONS. 
          MR. CARPENTER. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          UH, TODAY I'M GONNA BE PRESENTING TO YOU THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 25 PROPOSED BUDGET FOR GLAND COUNTY. 
          UH, AS, AS A, UH, SUMMARY, INTRODUCTION, AGAIN, THIS IS THE DRAFT BUDGET. 
          STAFF STARTS WORKING ON THIS IN NOVEMBER. 
          UH, WE START PUTTING HARD NUMBERS DOWN ON PAPER IN DECEMBER. 
          IN JANUARY, WE START GOING THROUGH PROJECTIONS OF WHERE WE FEEL WE'RE GOING TO BE IN IN FEBRUARY. 
          WE START TRYING TO FINALIZE THOSE TILL WE GET TO TODAY. 
          UM, AS A DRAFT BUDGET, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IT IS NOT THE FINAL BUDGET. 
          FINAL BUDGET WILL BE IN APRIL WHEN THE BOARD WILL APPROVE A BUDGET AT THAT TIME. 
          UH, SOME NUMBERS WILL CHANGE. 
          THEY ALWAYS DO. 
          UH, IN FACT, WE ALREADY KNOW SEVERAL LINE ITEMS THAT HAVE CHANGED SINCE THIS WAS PREPARED, AND THAT'S NORMAL. 
          BUT THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THE, THE BASIC BUDGET FOR GOON COUNTY. 
          AND, UH, SO WE'RE GONNA START BY GOING OVER. 
          YOU CAN ALSO FIND THIS ONLINE. 
          AND THEN, AS I SAID, THIS IS KIND OF HOW WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF MEETING WITH ALL EVERYBODY. 
          WE MEET WITH BOARD MEMBERS, WE MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY. 
          WE LISTEN. 
          WE TRY TO LISTEN TO LAST YEAR AS WELL, WHAT DID AND DIDN'T WORK. 
          WE THEN START AND WE FORECAST. 
          WE FORECAST OUR REVENUE SOURCES FIRST BECAUSE RATHER THAN DECIDING WHAT WE WANNA SPEND, WE DECIDE WHAT IS GONNA BE AVAILABLE TO THIS COUNTY IN THE TERM OF REVENUE. 
          SO WE LOOK AT THE REVENUES COMES IN FROM PROPERTY TAXES, OTHER LOCAL TAXES, UH, STATE AND FEDERAL AID AND FEES. 
          SO THEN WE SEE WHERE HAVE WE'VE BEEN. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE START LOOKING WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE'VE GONE BECAUSE WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SOME AMAZING THINGS IN GOON COUNTY IN THESE LAST FEW YEARS. 
          AND IT'S GOOD TO LOOK BACK AND SEE WHERE WE WERE AND WHERE WE ARE AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO GOING. 
          LET'S SEE WHERE WE STARTED. 
          AND WE STARTED THIS IN 2018 WITH A GENERAL FUND. 
          AS YOU SEE ABOUT 60 MILLION, THE BUDGET I PRESENT TODAY IS ALMOST $90 MILLION. 
          SO A SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN OUR GENERAL FUND. 
          AND THESE ARE ACTUALS FROM THE, UH, FROM OUR AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, UH, THAT YOU HAVE AND YOU'LL BE SEEING. 
          SO WHERE ARE WE GOING? WELL, LET'S START. 
          FIRST THING IS WE WANNA UNDERSTAND, AGAIN, WHAT THE BOARD HAS SAID. 
          SO WE LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND WE STARTED 
          [00:05:01]
REWRITING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THIS YEAR. 
          AND WE'LL BE ULTIMATELY HAVE A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT WE STILL USE THE CURRENT ONE. 
          IT'S A GOOD ONE. 
          UH, WE ALWAYS TAKE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO HOW WE PROJECT OUR REVENUES AND OUR EXPENDITURES. 
          WE TRY TO LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE WE DON'T WANT TO ASSUME THE BEST. 
          AND SOMETIMES WE TEND TO MAYBE ASSUME THE WORST. 
          IN LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE, WE DO SEEK EFFICIENCIES IN COST SAVINGS WHEREVER POSSIBLE. 
          WE, WE LOOK AT EXPENSES, WE LOOK AT THINGS THAT WE COULD DO BETTER AND DIFFERENT. 
          THIS IS AN ONGOING PROCESS. 
          UH, ONE OF THE STRONG COMMITMENTS WE KNOW IS TO EXPAND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE LEVELS. 
          SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES. 
          UH, WE ALSO HAVE IN FRONT OF US POLICIES THAT THE BOARD HAS SET THAT WE ARE TO LOOK AT POLICIES FOR FUND BALANCES, POLICIES FOR LEVEL OF DEBT. 
          UH, SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET OR EXCEED ALL OF THOSE. 
          UH, WE ALSO LOOK TO MAINTAIN COMPETITIVE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION. 
          GLAND IS A DESTINATION TO LIVE AND WORK, AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO WANT TO WORK HERE. 
          SO THIS BUDGET IS ONE OF THE TOOLS WE USE, AND WE SUPPORT OPERATIONS THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN, AS, AS WE TRY TO, TO LOOK AT WHERE THE COUNTY NEEDS TO BE, BE LOOKING TO BETTER EXPAND ITS POSITIONS WHEN POSSIBLE. 
          AND WE LOOK AT OUR UTILITIES. 
          AS YOU KNOW, OUR UTILITIES ARE A SELF-SUSTAINING PART OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 
          IT'S AN ENTERPRISE FUND. 
          IT'S A BUSINESS UNIT. 
          IT HAS TO STAND ON ITS OWN TWO FEET. 
          SO WE MAKE SURE THAT THE RATES FOR UTILITIES ARE SELF-SUSTAINING, AND CAN COVER ALL THEIR FUTURE AND CURRENT COSTS. 
          SO WHAT DO WE LOOK AT LONG TERM? WELL, INFLATION FIRST, WE KNOW INFLATION HAS BEEN A BIG THING THESE LAST FEW YEARS, AND IT'S STILL HIGH COMPARED TO WHERE IT HAS BEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS. 
          IT'S COME DOWN DRAMATICALLY, THANK GOODNESS, BUT IT'S STILL OVER 3%. 
          A POTENTIAL RECESSION IS SOMETHING WE STILL KEEP IN FRONT OF US. 
          WE KNOW THAT THAT IS THE VERY REAL POTENTIAL AT ANY POINT IN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 MONTHS. 
          WE ALSO KNOW WHAT THE COMMUNITY KEEPS WANTING. 
          THE COMMUNITY WANTS INCREASED PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITY'S GROWING, BUT IT'S AGING AS WELL. 
          WE HAVE AN OLDER AND OLDER COMMUNITY OF, ESPECIALLY IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY, WITH INCREASED CALLS FOR SERVICE. 
          OUR STRONG DESIRE TO HAVE A VERY HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS. 
          WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN FRONT OF US THE FACT THAT HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS EVERY, MORE COSTS MORE EVERY YEAR. 
          AND AGAIN, THE NEED TO MAINTAIN COMPETITIVE SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR THE TEAM THAT WORKS FOR US. 
          AND FINALLY, YOU KNOW, THE WOR  WORST THING OF ALL THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT COME DOWN TO US, UH, FROM RICHMOND AND TELLING US THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT THEY DON'T GIVE US ANY MONEY TO DO. 
          SO LET'S START AT THE VERY HIGHEST LEVEL, OUR PROPOSED BUDGET. 
          THE PROPOSED BUDGET, THE FULL BUDGET FOR, UH, 2025 IS 134 MILLION, $56,574. 
          AND YOU'LL SEE THE GROWTH OF THE GENERAL FUND, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, UTILITY FUNDS, SCHOOL FUNDS, AND CIP. 
          NOW, THIS BUDGET IS ACTUALLY LESS THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET BY ABOUT 5%, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE WE WERE BUILDING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LAST YEAR. 
          SO THOSE FUNDS ARE NOT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. 
          YOU DO SEE AN INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND OF 13%, AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT. 
          THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY DRIVEN BY PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING, AS WELL AS INCREASE IN COMPENSATION COSTS AND BENEFIT COSTS GOING ON DOWN SCHOOL FUNDS. 
          SO WE'VE TRIED TO MEET THEIR NEEDS AND REQUESTS AS BEST WE CAN. 
          AND OUR CIP, AGAIN, IT DROPS A LOT, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMING OUT OF OUR CIP GENERAL ALL FUND REVENUES, WELL, OF COURSE, BALANCED BUDGET. 
          SO $134 MILLION IN REVENUE COMING IN. 
          THE BIGGEST PART OF THAT IS GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES. 
          SO THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR REAL ESTATE, UH, YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY, UH, ALL THOSE GO UP ABOUT 11% WHEN YOU ADD ALL THE DIFFERENT TAXES TOGETHER. 
          OTHER AREAS AND ITEMS GO UP AND DOWN. 
          UH, THAT'S OUR SINGLE LARGEST LINE ITEM FOR REVENUE. 
          UM, WHEN YOU TAKE TAXES AWAY, UH, CHARGES FOR SERVICES, OUR NEXT LARGEST LINE ITEM, AND THAT GOES UP AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WELL. 
          UH, BUT ESSENTIALLY, UH, WE, WE SHOW A DECREASE, IF YOU NOTICE, FROM BOND PROCEEDS. 
          THAT'S, AGAIN, BACK TO THE SCHOOL, UH, THAT WE'RE NOT USING BOND PROCEEDS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR. 
          SO WE START WITH OUR REAL ESTATE VALUES. 
          AS YOU HEARD, THE LAST MEETING, UM, REAL ESTATE VALUES COUNTYWIDE WENT UP 9.9%. 
          THAT'S AN AVERAGE. 
          SOME WENT UP MORE, SOME WENT UP LESS. 
          SOME MIGHT HAVE DROPPED. 
          I DON'T KNOW ANY WHO DID, BUT IT'S AN AVERAGE. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE START. 
          OUR BUDGET IS BASED ON THAT. 
          SO ABOUT A $4.2 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE COME IN IN THAT RESPECT. 
          SO THEN WE BREAK IT DOWN. 
          HOW DOES IT COME IN GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES AMOUNT FOR ABOUT 58% OF THE REVENUE THAT COMES INTO GLAND COUNTY. 
          AND YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER AREAS THAT THEY BREAK DOWN. 
          BUT THAT'S, AGAIN, WHEN I, WHEN WE TALKED ON THE SATURDAY RETREAT, I I TALKED ABOUT THE LEGS OF OUR STOOL. 
          AND OUR STOOL IS VERY UNGAINLY BECAUSE SO MUCH OF OUR REVENUE COMES FROM ONE SOURCE GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES. 
          AND THERE YOU SEE IT AS YOU LOOK, THE GENERAL FUND KIND OF NARROWING IT DOWN A LITTLE MORE. 
          WELL, THE GENERAL FUND IS EVEN MORE BASED ON PROPERTY TAXES. 
          71% OF OUR GENERAL FUND COMES FROM PROPERTY TAXES. 
          THE SCHOOLS BREAKING THAT DOWN. 
          UH, YOU SEE WHERE THEIR REVENUE COMES FROM. 
          68% 
          [00:10:01]
COMES FROM COUNTY SOURCES. 
          THE REST COMES FROM STATE, FEDERAL, AND OTHER LOCAL REVENUES THAT THEY GENERATE THEMSELVES. 
          UH, THEIR BUDGET, 43 MILLION, THEY'LL BE PRESENTING THAT TO THE BOARD AT A LATER DATE. 
          SO THE ACTUAL EXPENSES THEMSELVES, AS WE LOOK AT THE EXPENSES FOR THE GENERAL FUND, WE SEE BROKEN DOWN, AGAIN, A DECREASE OF ABOUT 5.2% OVERALL. 
          UH, GENERAL GOVERNMENT GOES UP 21%, AND WE'LL GET INTO WHERE THAT COMES FROM. 
          UH, PUBLIC SAFETY GOES UP, UH, 16%. 
          AND THEN THROUGH THE BOARD, YOU SEE, UM, PROBABLY THE LARGEST SINGLE GROWTH THOUGH IS GONNA BE IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND EDUCATION. 
          UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AND EDUCATION AMOUNTS FOR ALMOST, UH, OVER $6 MILLION OF THE GROWTH OF 7.3 MILLION IN OUR BUDGET. 
          SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE PUTTING THE BULK OF OUR MONEY. 
          SO EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE BUDGETS WENT UP BY A HIGHER PERCENTAGE, WE'RE PUTTING OUR ACTUAL MONEY INTO PUBLIC SAFETY AND EDUCATION. 
          WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS BUDGET, AND THEN WE BREAK IT DOWN AGAIN, WE SHOW PUBLIC SA UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, GETTING 20%, UH, JUDICIAL GETTING, UM, ANOTHER 2%, UH, EDUCATION GETTING 33%. 
          SO OVER 50% OF THE TOTAL FUND. 
          NOW, THAT INCLUDES OUR UTILITIES BUDGET AS WELL. 
          UH, WHEN YOU GET INTO THE GENERAL FUND THOUGH, IT, IT KIND OF CHANGES. 
          THAT'S THE GENERAL FUND IS REALLY THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT THAT EVERYBODY SEES ON A DAILY BASIS. 
          IN THAT CASE, THEN, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY IS 48%. 
          JUDICIAL IS 5%, AND I NORMALLY PUT THOSE TOGETHER. 
          SO OVER 50% OF OUR BUDGET GOES TO PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          AND OUR COURTS DENTAL SERVICES, GENERAL GOVERNMENT DEBT, THOSE ITEMS TAKE UP THE REST OF IT. 
          THE SCHOOL'S EXPENSES, AGAIN, THERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF THEIRS. 
          65% OF THEIRS GOES TO INSTRUCTION AND TEXTBOOKS. 
          BUT AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA REALLY GET INTO THEIR BUDGET TODAY. 
          THEY'LL BE DOING THAT LATER. 
          SO NOW WE START RIGHT HERE WITH GENERAL GOVERNMENT ITSELF AND THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
          WE START OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, THAT JUST HAS SOME GENERAL INCREASE OF THE LAST BOARD DID CHANGE THE SALARIES, UM, A MODEST AMOUNT. 
          AND YOU REFLECT THAT THERE. 
          YOU'LL SEE ACROSS THE BOARD THOUGH, THAT, UH, WE'RE DOING A COUPLE THINGS. 
          FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE PUTTING A 5% COST OF LIVING FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES IN HERE. 
          SO YOU'LL NOTICE THAT, UM, ALL THE PERSONNEL EXPENSES WILL HAVE A 5% COLA BENEFITS GOING UP AT LEAST 5%. 
          WE KNOW INSURANCE IS GOING UP MORE THAN THAT. 
          UM, SO, UH, THAT'S DRIVING A SIGNIFICANT PART OF OUR GROWTH AND EXPENSES. 
          ADDITIONAL, UH, BIG PARTY. 
          YOU SEE, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S BUDGET GOES UP A LOT. 
          UH, THE REASON FOR THAT IS, UH, STUDIES. 
          UH, WE PUT IN MONEY ABOUT $300,000 FOR POSSIBLE FUTURE STUDIES. 
          UH, IF WE DON'T DO THE STUDIES, IT DOESN'T GET SPENT. 
          UH, BUT THE MONEY'S AVAILABLE SHOULD WE DECIDE TO DO SOME STUDIES AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP SOME OF THE AREAS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. 
          COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GOES UP A LOT. 
          LAST YEAR WAS A PART-TIME PERSON. 
          UH, THIS YEAR, IT'S A FULL-TIME BUDGET WITH TWO PEOPLE IN IT. 
          THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES UP AS MUCH AS IT DOES. 
          UH, YOU'LL SEE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SHOWS A NEW EMPLOYEE COMING IN AS WELL. 
          AS WE'VE GOTTEN MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY THESE LAST COUPLE YEARS, THEIR ABILITY TO WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS BECOMES, UH, MORE AND MORE STRAINED AND STRUGGLE FOR THEM TO KEEP UP WITH THE WORKFLOW COMING IN. 
          SO, UH, THAT, UH, DOES SHOW A POSITION FOR THEM, UH, POSITION FOR THE TREASURER AS WELL. 
          UH, THE TREASURER, UH, WITH THE GROWTH OF THE COUNTY, HAS REQUESTED THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER CLERK AVAILABLE IN HER OFFICE, UH, TO COME IN. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, TWO NEW EMPLOYEES FOR IT. 
          AND WE'LL BE DOING A WORK SESSION WITH THE BOARD ON OUR IT. 
          UM, WE DID A MASTER PLAN, UH, AN ANALYSIS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND THE RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS, BUT WE'VE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, UH, THE CONCLUSIONS FROM THIS STUDY. 
          SO TWO NEW EMPLOYEES THAT ARE FOCUSING ON, ON SECURITY, ESSENTIALLY, UH, FOR THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, STRUCTURED IN SUCH A WAY FOR INTERNET SECURITY AND OUR, OUR WEB PROCESSES, AS WELL AS JUST OUR HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, UM, IN ORDER TO, UH, HANDLE THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WHAT WE CAN SEE COMING DOWN THE ROAD. 
          UM, NOW SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU'LL NOTICE AS I GO THROUGH THE BUDGET, UM, THIS WAS AN ELECTION YEAR, AND ALL OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS AS THEY COME IN, UM, THEY CAME IN WITH A MANDATE. 
          THEY WENT TO THE VOTERS. 
          THEY TOLD THE VOTERS WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO. 
          THE VOTERS SENT THEM TO OFFICE. 
          SO MY BUDGET WILL, WILL, AS A RULE, REFLECT WHAT THEY FELT THEIR MANDATE IS IN THIS FIRST YEAR. 
          SO YOU'LL SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE TREASURER, AND WE GET INTO, UH, THE SHERIFF, WE GET INTO THE CON, UH, COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY IS THEY FELT THAT THE VOTERS WANTED THEM TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS. 
          I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO SUPPORT THEIR REQUESTS. 
          AND SO, AGAIN, YOU SEE, UH, THAT'S ONE, ONE REASON WHY. 
          UM, AND YOU'LL SEE IN SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE, UH, CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, YOU'LL SEE THAT REFLECTED. 
          WE GET INTO THE, IN TO THE JUDICIAL SIDE. 
          AND AGAIN, THERE YOU SEE AGAIN, THE, UH, 5% COST OF LIVING IN THERE. 
          UM, GENERAL DISTRICT COURT OR SMALL AMOUNTS PER SE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE EMPLOYEES. 
          SO IT'S JUST DUE TO THE COST OF CONTRACTED SERVICES. 
          UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, FOR THE SHERIFF'S COURT RELATED AN ADDITIONAL 5%. 
          UH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, UH, DEPARTMENTS OF THE COUNTY HAVE, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THEIR COMPETITIVENESS, HAVE REQUESTED AN ADDITIONAL 5%. 
          UM, THEY ACTUALLY HAD REQUESTED, UH, MORE THAN THAT, 
          [00:15:01]
BUT I FELT THAT, UH, UH, 5% ADDITIONAL ON TOP OF THE 5% WAS WHAT I COULD JUSTIFY. 
          SO YOU SEE A TOTAL OF 10% IN THOSE PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGETS, UH, FOR, UH, THOSE PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES. 
          UH, THERE ARE NEW EMPLOYEES FOR THE SHERIFF COURT RELATED. 
          HE'S ASKED FOR ANOTHER BAILIFF, ESSENTIALLY, AND THEN A NEW EMPLOYEE FOR THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING THOSE COSTS. 
          THEN WE GET INTO PUBLIC SAFETY ITSELF. 
          YOU SEE THE BREAKDOWN FOR SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AGAIN, THE 5% COST OF LIVING, AND THEN THE 5% BENCHMARKING, UH, IS REFLECTED IN THERE. 
          THEREFORE, THAT'S DRIVING A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE INCREASE, UH, IN THOSE BUDGETS. 
          UH, YOU'LL NOTICE, UM, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL OFFICERS, UM, IN OUR FIRE AND RESCUE, AND THOSE POSITIONS THAT ARE 12 FULL-TIME POSITIONS THAT ARE REQUESTED IN THIS BUDGET. 
          SIX OF THEM ARE TO TAKE THE PART-TIME STATION IN SANDY HOOK, AND TURN INTO A FULL-TIME, 24 7 STATION. 
          THAT IS AN AMBULANCE STATION. 
          IT'S THE FUTURE STATION EIGHT RIGHT NOW. 
          RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE WORKING 12 HOURS SHIFT EACH DAY. 
          THIS WILL PUT IN, UH, UH, A FULL SHIFT EVERY DAY, 24 HOURS, UH, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, AND THEN SIX ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES THAT RIGHT NOW ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM. 
          BUT THESE ARE FUTURE EMPLOYEES FOR STATION SEVEN WHEN IT IS FINISHED. 
          SO AS WE START, WE KNOW WE'LL HAVE TO FULLY STAFF STATION SEVEN WHEN IT OPENS UP. 
          SO I'M PUTTING MONEY IN THE BUDGET AS A REQUEST TO START STAFFING STATION SEVEN. 
          NOW, THAT GIVES THEM THE BENEFIT OF HAVING SOME OFFICERS AVAILABLE TO THEM NOW, BUT IT ALSO KEEPS UP FROM HAVING TO FIND A SIGNIFICANT BIG HIT ALL AT ONCE AND ADDING THAT MANY, UH, STATIONS OR THAT MANY POSITIONS. 
          WHEN STATION SEVEN COMES ONLINE, YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE CORRECTION DETENTION GOES UP QUITE A BIT. 
          UH, THE REASON BEING THAT, UH, HENRICO, WHO WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH FOR THE JAIL, HAS LOOKED AT THE RATES THAT ARE CHARGED, AND THEY'VE DETERMINED THAT THE RATES WERE NOT WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE. 
          AND SO THOSE ARE THE RATES THAT, UH, WE WERE BEING CHARGED TO, UH, SEND OUR INMATES TO THERE. 
          SO THERE'S A BIG, UH, BIG INCREASE THERE FOR THAT. 
          UH, ANIMAL PROTECTION HAS AN INCREASE AS WELL. 
          UH, ONE OF THOSE IS FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION. 
          A A LOT OF THE, UH, QUESTIONS I GET FROM OUR COMMUNITY ARE WHEN PHONE CALLS ARE MADE AND THEY GO TO VOICEMAIL, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE THERE, UH, TO ANSWER CALLS. 
          AND ALSO, A LOT OF THE PAPERWORK THAT'S DONE IS FAIRLY ROUTINE. 
          AND SO IF THERE'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE PERSON THERE, THEY CAN HANDLE THE PAPERWORK AND THE PHONE CALLS AND FREE UP THE DEPUTY OR THE OFFICERS TO, UH, BE OUT IN THE FIELD MORE. 
          AND THE SECOND POSITION IS A VET TECH. 
          THE VET TECH POSITION, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT HAS, UH, AS A RESULT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, GUCH AND PET LOVERS, UM, FEEL STRONGLY NEEDED FOR WHAT WE DO THERE AT THE, UH, ANIMAL SHELTER. 
          UM, AND IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, THEY'VE AGREED TO CONSIDER FUNDING HALF OF IT, BUT, UH, WE PUT THE FULL AMOUNT IN, UH, REGARDLESS, BECAUSE IT IS A POSITION THAT EVERYBODY WHO IS INVOLVED WITH THAT OPERATION CONCURS, UH, WILL MAKE IT A BETTER OPERATION FOR US. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, THREE NEW EMPLOYEES FOR EMERGENCY DISPATCH. 
          UH, THIS WILL FILL ALL OUR STATIONS THERE. 
          YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE, UH, TIP OF THE SPEAR. 
          THEY'RE THE FIRST FIRST RESPONDER. 
          UH, IF SOMEONE CALLS AND NO ONE PICKS UP THE PHONE, UM, THAT'S NOT GOOD. 
          SO THE SHERIFF HAS REQUESTED THAT WE ADD, UH, THAT FINAL CHAIR IN THERE. 
          SO, UH, THOSE ARE THREE NEW EMPLOYEES, WHICH WOULD BE, UH, UH, THE FINAL POSITION FILLED IN, UH, OUR 9 1 1 OPERATION. 
          UH, GENERAL SERVICES, AGAIN, YOU SEE, UH, DRIVING THE COST, AGAIN, THE 5% COST OF LIVING. 
          UM, ALSO, WE TOOK IN A POSITION, UH, THAT WAS A PART-TIME CONVERTED TO FULL-TIME, MID-YEAR. 
          AND THEN WE'VE GOT A LARGE INCREASE IN ELECTRICAL SERVICES THAT WE'VE GONE BACK. 
          AND JUST THE RATES FOR ELECTRICITY ARE WHAT THEY ARE. 
          WE HAD, UH, FOR SOME, UH, WE EITHER UNDER BUDGETED IN SOME PREVIOUS YEARS. 
          WE'VE ALSO GOT IN THERE A FACTOR FOR FUTURE RATE INCREASES. 
          SO IF THE RATES DON'T GO UP, THEN WE DON'T SPEND THE MONEY. 
          SO, SO WE HAVE PUT MONEY IN THERE TO, UH, TO COVER ANY POSSIBLE RATE INCREASES THAT MAY COME DOWN IN THE NEXT 18 MONTHS FOR US. 
          SO THAT'S ONE REASON WHY IT JUMPS UP AS MUCH AS IT DOES. 
          AND THEN GROUNDS MANAGEMENT'S AN INCREASE IN THE COST OF CONTRACTED SERVICES. 
          UM, MOWING SNOW REMOVAL, YOU CAN SEE, UH, WHICH WE DO FOR THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO FOR ALL SCHOOL FACILITIES AS WELL. 
          SO THAT DRIVES A LOT OF THEIR COSTS IN THERE. 
          HEALTH AND WELFARE, MOST OF THIS ARE NOT, MOST OF THESE ARE NOT REALLY COUNTY OPERATIONS. 
          THEY'RE, THEY'RE STATE, THEY'RE HOUSED IN OUR BUILDINGS, BUT WE, WE HAVE A OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO THEM. 
          SO, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DSS, UM, THESE ARE ENTITIES THAT, UH, YOU SEE THERE. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE BASICALLY GIVEN, UH, THE FORMULA, UH, IN WHICH WE, UH, WHICH WE MEET EVERY YEAR. 
          UH, WE DO HAVE IN THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, UH, THE CONTRIBUTIONS. 
          YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE ENTITIES THAT RECEIVE, UH, FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY. 
          AND THEN UCHIN CARES IS A STANDALONE FOR US. 
          IT'S IN THERE IN THE MIDDLE. 
          UM, UH, IT'S NOT A FULL AMOUNT. 
          I KNOW IT'S BEEN REQUESTED THAT WE RECONSIDER MY, MY RECOMMENDATION AND, AND FULLY FUND THEIR REQUEST, UH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, COULD BE DONE AS THE BOARD DIRECTS. 
          UH, BUT THAT'S AN INCREASE TO THEM AS WELL. 
          UH, WHEN YOU SEE THROUGH THAT. 
          SO, MOST OF THOSE, AGAIN, DSS, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT SERVICES, UH, THAT THE COUNTY AND OUR CITIZENS RECEIVE 
          [00:20:01]
THAT OPERATE OUT OF THIS BUILDING. 
          PARKS AND REC AND CULTURE, AGAIN, PRIMARILY THAT'S BEING DRIVEN BY THE 5%, UH, COST OF LIVING, UM, THAT GOES WITH THAT. 
          SO MOSTLY JUST A, A STANDALONE BUDGET, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. 
          SO, AGAIN, DRIVEN BY THE 5%. 
          UH, ONE THING THAT THIS BUDGET, AS I SAID, THIS IS A DRAFT BUDGET, WE REALIZED AFTER WE GOT A, ALONG THAT WE DIDN'T INCLUDE A CURRENT POSITION IN THERE. 
          P UH, SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT WHY DID THE, UH, BUDGET FOR PLANNING DROP, BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T INCLUDE ONE OF OUR CURRENT POSITIONS, UH, THAT WAS VACANT. 
          SO THAT WAS A MISTAKE ON OUR PART. 
          SO, UM, THAT WILL BE ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THE PERSON WHO, UH, IS CURRENTLY APPROVED IN THERE. 
          UM, WE DO SHOW A NEW EMPLOYEE FOR OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UH, SOMEBODY TO GET OUT THERE AND, AGAIN, DO THE FIELD WORK, UH, THAT, THAT THEY NEED TO DO. 
          UM, WE ALSO SHOW UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR STUDIES AND AVAILABLE FUNDS THAT THEY CAN DO FOR PROJECTS TO HELP GIVE THEM SOME MORE TOOLS IN, IN WORKING WITH, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES. 
          AND THE PAYMENT TO THE EDA, UH, THAT MONEY BASICALLY ALL IS PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT, TAX INCENTIVES, UH, TO ENTITIES LIKE HARDYWOOD, UM, CAPITAL ONE, UH, HOTEL, UM, AND, UM, GREENSVILLE GROWERS. 
          SO THOSE ARE PASSED THROUGH INCENTIVES THAT THE PREVIOUS BOARDS HAVE APPROVED FOR THOSE THAT THOSE, UH, BUSINESSES, THOSE ADDED THE GENERAL FUND INTO UTILITIES. 
          AND AGAIN, UTILITIES IS BALANCE. 
          IT HAS TO BE, IT CANNOT RELY ON SUBSIDIES FROM THE GENERAL FUND. 
          SO THE UTILITIES INCLUDE SEVERAL THINGS THAT INCLUDE INCREASES IN OUR RATES BASED ON, UH, THE, THE RATE STUDY WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ABOUT, UM, SOME CHANGES TO THAT. 
          WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS AN INCREASE FOR RESIDENTIAL OF 3%, UH, INCREASE FOR A NON-RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL OF 1%. 
          UH, AND, UH, PREVIOUS, THE RATE STUDY THAT WAS LAST APPROVED ACTUALLY HAD HIGHER RATE INCREASES. 
          SO THIS IS A LOWER INCREASE THAN WE HAD PREVIOUSLY DETERMINED WAS NEEDED. 
          SO WE'RE LOWERING WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING AS THE INCREASES IN THE RATES. 
          AGAIN, THEY HAVE TO BREAK EVEN. 
          SO THESE ARE ONE OF THESE THINGS THAT DRIVE US WHERE, WHERE WE NEED TO GENERATE THE REVENUE INTERNALLY. 
          UM, ALSO THEY DO HAVE AN OPERATING POSITION. 
          AS THAT SYSTEM HAS GROWN, THEY HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THE FIELD FIXING AND CHECKING THINGS. 
          UM, DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU THAT TCSD SEEN HIGH LEVEL OF GROWTH, AND SO WE'RE HAVING TO BUDGET FOR A DEPRECIATION AS WELL. 
          UH, THESE ARE NON-CASH EXPENSES, BUT, UH, SOME OF THEM SHOW UP IN THESE BUDGETS AS WELL. 
          MOVING INTO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, THIS IS THE FIVE YEAR, UH, 25 YEAR PLAN IN FRONT OF YOU. 
          AGAIN, IT'S A HUGE $643 MILLION 25 YEAR PLAN. 
          INCLUDES MULTIPLE SCHOOLS. 
          IT INCLUDES FIRE STATIONS, IT INCLUDES COURTHOUSE. 
          UH, THE FIVE YEAR PLAN HERE IS ONE THAT I'M MOSTLY FOCUSING ON. 
          IT'S STILL A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ONE, 104 MILLION. 
          THE COURTHOUSE IS THE BIGGEST PART OF THAT. 
          UH, WE'VE NOW BEGUN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER THE TEAM THAT'LL START LOOKING FOR THE DESIGNER FOR THE COURTHOUSE. 
          UH, AS YOU KNOW, THE, UH, TOM'S GARAGE WAS ACQUIRED AND HAS BEEN REMOVED. 
          UH, WE'VE, UH, DONE THE, UH, SITE ANALYSIS STUDY FOR WHERE THE BEST LOCATION ON THE PROPERTY WOULD BE FOR IT. 
          SO THAT'S GOING WELL ALONG, UH, FIRE AND RESCUE STATION. 
          UH, UH, THAT ALSO REFLECTS, UH, WORK TO BE DONE TO, UM, FIRE STATIONS AND FIRE TRUCKS AS WELL, UH, THE SCHOOLS, ET CETERA. 
          SO, UM, AGAIN, FIVE YEARS, ABOUT 104 MILLION. 
          WE'VE ONLY GOT FUNDED, UH, THE CURRENT YEAR. 
          UH, THE CURRENT YEAR IS FUNDED. 
          AND, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE HAD OUR SATURDAY RETREAT, WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IS GOING DOWN THE ROAD. 
          HOW ARE WE GONNA FUND OUR FUTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS? AND WHERE'S THE MONEY GONNA COME FROM SO WE CAN START IDENTIFYING THOSE, THOSE RESOURCES, UM, IN ADVANCE THE PROJECTS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. 
          UM, OUR ASSESSORS PICTOMETRY SERVICE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED, UH, BY, BY FIRE RESCUE, BY PUBLIC SAFETY, BY, UM, BASICALLY EVERYBODY. 
          UH, IT'S BEEN IN THE BUDGET FOR A COUPLE YEARS AND CUT EACH TIME. 
          UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED. 
          UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, AGAIN, IS, UH, A SIGNIFICANT PART OF IT. 
          UH, YOU'LL NOTICE, UH, FIRE ENGINE AND AMBULANCE. 
          I WILL AGAIN TELL YOU THAT, UH, PRETTY MUCH EVERY YEAR WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU BUYING AT LEAST ONE FIRE TRUCK AND AT LEAST ONE AMBULANCE SOME YEARS, TOO. 
          UH, FIRE TRUCKS HAVE A 20 YEAR LIFESPAN. 
          WE HAVE OVER 30 TRUCKS, UM, YOU KNOW, AMBULANCES, MAYBE A FIVE YEAR LIFESPAN. 
          WE'VE GOT 10. 
          SO WE CAN DO THE MATH AS WE ADD STATIONS. 
          SO WE CAN JUST ANTICIPATE HAVING AT LEAST ONE TO TWO AMBULANCES AND ENGINES EVERY YEAR, UH, CARDIAC AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, SIGNIFICANT COSTS TO UPGRADE THOSE AND REPLACE THEM AS NEEDED. 
          UH, THE PHARMACY, MEDICAL SUPPLY, STORAGE. 
          UH, ONE OF THE, UH, UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT VIRGINIA IS THAT WE REALLY DON'T OWN THE DRUGS THAT WE USE IN OUR, OUR VEHICLES. 
          UH, WE HAVE A BOX THAT, UH, ESSENTIALLY, AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, JUST KINDA GIVING YOU A SYNOPSIS, BUT WHEN IT'S USED, WE TRADE IT IN FOR A NEW ONE AT THE HOSPITAL AND DRIVE OUT. 
          AND THE, AND THE VEHICLES THEMSELVES ARE LICENSED WITH THE STATE, SO EVERYTHING'S GOOD. 
          UH, WE'RE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE STATE'S MOVING AWAY FROM THAT SYSTEM TO ASSIST WHERE WE WOULD 
          [00:25:01]
MANAGE OUR OWN DRUG INVENTORY AND SUPPLIES, WHICH MEANS EVERY ONE OF OUR STATIONS WILL HAVE TO BE UPGRADED IN ORDER TO HAVE SECURE SAFE STORAGE, WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE CHAIN OF CUSTODY PROCESSES ESTABLISHED, AND WE'LL HAVE TO BUY OUR OWN DRUGS. 
          SO WE'VE GOT MONEY IN THIS BUDGET, UM, TO START ALLOWING US TO DO THAT. 
          UH, STATION TWO, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT THE STATION TWO LOCATION IS ONE THAT IS NOT ABLE TO GROW. 
          IT'S NOT ABLE TO REALLY SERVE THE CURRENT DISTRICT. 
          IT SERVES VERY WELL. 
          IT'S LANDLOCKED. 
          IT'S, UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING SEVERAL YEARS BACK. 
          IN FACT, THE PREVIOUS BOARD APPROVED MONEY TO START LOOKING FOR LAND FOR STATION TWO. 
          THAT MONEY IS CARRIED FORWARD AND PUT INTO THE BUDGET THIS YEAR WITH THE INTENTION TO TRY AND FIND THE LAND. 
          THERE'S NO PLAN TO START BUILDING STATION TWO. 
          THAT'S STILL DOWN THE ROAD, BUT LAND'S NOT GETTING ANY CHEAPER. 
          AND WE PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED FUNDS. 
          SO WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND START TRYING TO FIND THE LAND FOR THAT. 
          UH, THE SHERIFF'S VEHICLE REPLACEMENT PLAN, AGAIN, UH, ONE OF MY COMMITMENTS TO YOU AND, AND OUR, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY IS TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES MUST BE REPLACED ON A REGULAR BASIS. 
          UH, SHERIFF VEHICLES GOT A LOT OF WEAR AND TEAR, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. 
          THEY'RE ALWAYS RUNNING. 
          UH, THEY RUN IN UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES. 
          SO, UH, THIS INCLUDES VEHICLES FOR HIM AS WELL. 
          UM, AS WELL AS A COUPLE FOR, UM, UM, OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AS WE'LL GET TO, WHEN WE GET INTO FACILITIES, AGAIN, WE, WE PUT SOME EXTRA MONEY ASIDE FOR THE NEW COURTHOUSE. 
          UH, WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD UP. 
          WE KNOW THAT, UH, THE ODDS OF US BUILDING A COURTHOUSE FOR THE 28 MILLION ARE PROBABLY NOT GREAT. 
          SO WE'RE TRYING TO SET ASIDE MONEY AS WE CAN NOW, UH, TO, TO HELP US BE ABLE TO BUILD THE COURTHOUSE THAT WE WANT TO BUILD. 
          UH, LIFECYCLE REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE ARE JUST THAT. 
          UM, HVAC SYSTEMS, PLUMBING THINGS THAT BREAK WITHIN OUR BUILDINGS. 
          WE'VE GOT ABOUT 20 DIFFERENT BUILDINGS IN THE COUNTY. 
          AGAIN, THE COUNTY VEHICLE REPLACEMENT, UH, IT'S ABOUT THREE VEHICLES. 
          YOU KNOW, WE, WE GENERALLY RUN OUR VEHICLES ABOUT 10 YEARS ON THE COUNTY SIDE OF OPERATIONS. 
          SO EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TWO TO THREE VEHICLES THAT FINALLY HIT THAT POINT. 
          BACKHOE FOR THE WESTERN CONVENIENCE CENTER. 
          UM, THE COST FOR MAINTENANCE FOR THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, SO GREAT, UH, THAT IT'S JUST TIME FOR NEW BACKHOE FOR THEM. 
          SO WE PUT THAT IN. 
          AGAIN, THE IT UPGRADES, UH, THIS, UH, MOST OF THAT ACTUALLY IS FOR THE BROADBAND THAT THIS BOARD APPROVED US APPLYING FOR THE GRANT. 
          UH, THE 250,000 MATCH, UH, IF THE GRANT IS RECEIVED. 
          AND THE REST OF IT IS JUST FOR OUR, OUR ANNUAL, UM, UM, UPGRADING OF OUR PCS, BUYING NEW EQUIPMENT. 
          UM, WE, WE HAVE TO REFRESH VARIOUS OF OUR SERVERS AND VARIOUS PIECES OF EQUIPMENT. 
          SO, UH, AND THAT COMES AS WELL FROM IT STUDY. 
          AND THEN THE SCHOOLS, UM, THIS IS, UH, ROUGHLY 1.2 MILLION, UM, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD BEST KNOW HOW TO USE IT. 
          UM, BUT THAT, UH, WE'VE SET ASIDE, UH, IN THIS REQUEST FOR THEM, TOTAL OF ALMOST $8 MILLION FOR CIP PROJECTS. 
          SO LET ME SUMMARIZE WHAT I'VE JUST PRESENTED TO YOU. 
          THIS IS THE BUDGET THAT MEETS AND EXCEEDS EVERY FINANCIAL POLICY. 
          THE BOARD IS SET IN FRONT OF US. 
          IT INCLUDES A 5% COST OF LIVING SALARY INCREASE FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL 5% SALARY INCREASE FOR SHERIFFS, FIRE RESCUE, PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES. 
          EDUCATION IS A PRIORITY. 
          UH, $2 MILLION INCREASE IN LOCAL CONTRIBUTION, $1 MILLION PLUS FOR CIP PROJECTS FOR OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL. 
          IT INCLUDES FUNDING FOR CONTINUED NECESSARY STUDIES AND UPCOMING PROJECTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE PREPARED AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO DEAL WITH THE GROWTH IS HITTING US. 
          AND IT IS NOT AN INCREASE IN THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE, THE TCSD TAX RATE OR THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE. 
          THE SCHEDULE AHEAD OF US. 
          AGAIN TODAY. 
          I'M TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THIS BUDGET. 
          THE SHERIFF AND THE CHIEF WILL PRESENT THERE SHORTLY. 
          UH, FROM HERE WE GO TO TOWN HALLS. 
          UH, MARCH 18TH, WE'LL HAVE A JOINT WORK SESSION WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ALSO DISCUSS RCIP MORE IN THAT DETAIL. 
          UH, SOME MORE TOWN HALLS THROUGH THE MONTH OF MARCH, APRIL, WE'LL HAVE THE TAX RATE PUBLIC HEARING, FOLLOWED BY THE TCSD AND THEN THE BUDGET TAX, UH, PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN APRIL 16TH AT A UNDETERMINED TIME. 
          WE WILL ADOPT THE BUDGET ITSELF WITHOUT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          UH, AS MY PRESENTATION, YOU CAN, UH, MS. CHAIR, WOULD YOU LIKE QUESTION NOW OR LATER? HOW WOULD YOU PREFER TURN OF THE SHERIFF, OR LET'S DO 'EM NOW FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          TOP OF MIND, UH, BOARD. 
          ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? NO. 
          MR. SMITH. 
          PROCEED NOW. 
          THANK YOU, MR. ROBERT. 
          MUCH APPRECIATED. 
          UH, SHERIFF CHRISY. 
          TOO MANY UNIFORMS. 
          [2.	Agency Presentations for FY2025 County Budget: Sheriff's Office, Fire-Rescue Department]
ALL RIGHT. 
          I WILL WAIT FOR MR. BALDERS TO COME BACK. 
          [00:30:06]
ALL RIGHT. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, BOARD MR. CARPENTER. 
          UH, MS. MCGEE AND LISA, UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. 
          I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. 
          UH, TODAY I'M GOING OVER, UH, PARTS OF MY REQUEST. 
          IT'S GONNA BE A, UH, SORT OF ON THE HIGH LEVEL. 
          MR. CARPENTER. 
          HIT SOME OF 'EM ALREADY. 
          I'M GONNA REPEAT AND MAYBE ADD A LITTLE BIT OF STUFF TO IT, UH, AS WE GO. 
          ALRIGHT, THIS IS JUST FOR, AS A REMINDER TO SOME, BUT, UH, SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ACTUALLY DO AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 
          UM, WE ARE THE PRIMARY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR GLAND COUNTY. 
          UH, WE RESPOND TO ALL CALLS FOR SERVICE. 
          UH, WE ARE ALSO HAVE THE EMERGENCY 9 1 1 CENTER UNDERNEATH THE SHERIFF. 
          WE HANDLE CIVIL PROCESS, UH, WHICH COULD BE ANYWHERE IN THE AVERAGE ABOUT 5,000, UH, PAPERS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH EVERY DAY. 
          UH, SOME OF THOSE PAPERS ARE A VERY QUICK SERVICE. 
          OTHER ONES COULD TAKE DAYS. 
          UM, WE ALSO ARE, HAVE THE COURT SECURITY. 
          I'M IN CHARGE OF THE SECURITY AND THE SAFETY OF THE COURTHOUSE AND THE COURTHOUSE PROPERTY. 
          AND WE ALSO, UH, TRANSPORT ALL OF OUR PRISONERS. 
          UH, JUST THE OTHER DAY WE HAD ONE IN VIRGINIA BEACH THAT WE TRANSPORTED, UH, WHICH COULD BE, UM, A VERY LONG, LONG TRANSPORT FOR TWO DEPUTIES. 
          IT SOMETIMES TAKES PATROL DEPUTIES OFF THE ROAD. 
          ALRIGHT, HERE, I I USUALLY START EVERY, UH, PRESENTATION I DO WITH OUR MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES. 
          AND INSTEAD OF ME READING THEM TO YOU AND LETTING YOU READ 'EM TO 'EM, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR SOME OF YOU WHO MAY HAVE SEEN THIS VIDEO BEFORE, BUT I'M GONNA SHARE IT IN THE VIDEO. 
          THE UCHIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS A MULTIFACETED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, WHICH PROVIDES A WIDE ARRAY OF PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES FOR THE CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES OF UCHIN COUNTY TO INCLUDE PATROL, INVESTIGATIONS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, AND OUR NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER. 
          I AM ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SECURITY OF THE THREE COURTROOMS, THE MOVEMENT OF PRISONERS AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF COURT ORDERS. 
          THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE GLAND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL ALWAYS STRIVE TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES TO ALL RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND VISITORS TO GLAND COUNTY, WHILE EXHIBITING EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER, CONFIDENCE AND OPEN COMMUNICATION. 
          THE VISION OF THE GUCCI COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS TO BE AN EXTRAORDINARY PROBLEM SOLVING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY BY WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH ALL GUC AND RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE THE SAFEST AND MOST SECURE COMMUNITY IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. 
          WE VALUE OUR SWORN OATH TO PROTECT AND SERVE ALL RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND VISITORS TO GLAND COUNTY. 
          WE VALUE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT CODE OF ETHICS. 
          WE VALUE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, AS WELL AS THE SYSTEM OF LAWS THAT GOVERNS US. 
          WE VALUE THE ENTIRE GLAND COMMUNITY AND THE DIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE. 
          WE VALUE TREATING OTHERS AS WE WANT OUR OWN FAMILY TO BE TREATED, WHICH DRIVES OUR INTERACTION WITH ALL RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND VISITORS TO UCHIN COUNTY. 
          WE VALUE ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE. 
          WE VALUE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS STRIVE AS A TEAM TO SUPERIOR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE OUR ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION AND OBJECTIVE. 
          READY TO PROTECT. 
          READY TO PROTECT. 
          READY TO PROTECT. 
          READY TO PROTECT. 
          PROUD TO SERVE. 
          PROUD TO SERVE. 
          PROUD TO SERVE. 
          WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE THE GIIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 
          SO I THINK THAT SUMS IT UP. 
          BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE ABOUT WITH OUR MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES. 
          AND, UM, I WILL GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE SCHOOLS. 
          I SAW DR. 
          KUMAR IN HERE, UM, FOR US DOING THAT VIDEO WITH THEM. 
          SO THAT WAS, UH, A VERY GREAT, UM, UH, WE HAVE A VERY GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOLS AND THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE. 
          ALRIGHT, IF I CAN GET IT OFF HERE NOW. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          SOME OF OUR GOALS, AND THIS IS ONLY FOR EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE MANY, MANY MORE, IS, UH, MAINTAIN OUR SAFE COMMUNITY THROUGH DELIVERANCE OF HIGH QUALITY LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, SERVICES WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND PARTNERS, UM, BUT ALSO RECRUIT AND RETAIN HIGHLY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. 
          AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT, UM, RIGHT HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO EXPLAIN HOW LONG, AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE ON ANOTHER SLIDE ON PERSONNEL THAT IS GONNA EVEN GO INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. 
          UM, BUT I WANTED TO EXPLAIN HOW, WHEN WE, THE HIRING PROCESS, WHEN WE GET SOMEBODY HIRED AND HOW LONG IT TAKES TO HAVE THEM BE A CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME TIME TO APPRECIATE HOW LONG IT TAKES IF WE HIRE SOMEONE TODAY, HOW LONG IT COULD BE, EVEN UNTIL THEY'RE ON THE ROAD BY THEMSELVES. 
          SO, EXCUSE ME. 
          SO IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, WE HIRED A, UH, DEPUTY. 
          UM, AND THIS DEPUTY STARTED THE ACADEMY JANUARY 8TH OF THIS YEAR. 
          [00:35:02]
UH, THE DEPUTY WILL GRADUATE MAY 30TH, 2024, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO ATTEND THE UCHIN ACADEMY IN JUNE OF 2024, WHICH IS ANOTHER TWO TO THREE WEEKS. 
          THEN THEY WILL GO INTO FIELD TRAINING, WHICH IS US USUALLY A MINIMUM OF 16 WEEKS, UP TO 20 WEEKS. 
          THEN THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER WEEK OF TRAINING FOR A CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM TRAINING FOR 40 HOURS. 
          AFTER THAT, THEY GO THROUGH A PANEL TO BE CERTIFIED. 
          ONCE THEY, UH, COMPLETE THE PANEL, THEY COULD GO TO REMEDIAL TRAINING, WHICH COULD BE THREE TO FIVE WEEKS ADDITIONAL TRAINING. 
          UH, THEN THE APPROXIMATE CERTIFICATION DATE WILL BE DECEMBER 24 THROUGH FEBRUARY 25. 
          AND THEN ONCE THEY'RE CERTIFIED, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE APPROXIMATELY AT LEAST ANOTHER 40 TO 60 HOURS MORE OF TRAINING TIME. 
          SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, JUST SO EVERYONE IS CAN UNDERSTAND IT, IT TAKES FROM DATE OF HIRE 12 TO 18 MONTHS FOR A DEPUTY TO FINISH THEIR TRAINING AND TO BE CERTIFIED TO GO OUT THERE AND ANSWER CALLS BY THEMSELVES. 
          THAT'S WHY WE PLAN. 
          AND IN SOME OF MY REQUESTS WE ASK FOR 'EM SOMETIMES EARLY 'CAUSE WE'RE PLANNING FOR TWO, THREE YEARS DOWN THE LINE. 
          SO, DAMN, I'M GONNA BREAK THIS THING. 
          ALRIGHT, SO BACK ONTO OUR GOALS. 
          UH, WE DO WANT TO PRESERVE OUR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY PRACTICE AT, AT UCHIN SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 
          AND WE ALSO WANT TO KEEP UP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT IS OUT THERE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT IS BIG AND HAS BEEN PROVEN TO HELP US OUT TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO SOLVE CASES. 
          ALL RIGHT, I BELIEVE THAT Y'ALL HAVE PROBABLY SEEN THIS IN YOUR PACKET. 
          UH, THIS IS JUST THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET. 
          I'M GONNA GO THROUGH, UH, THESE RIGHT NOW AND, UM, THE MAIN BUDGET, SINCE I HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT BUDGETS THAT I OVERSEE. 
          THEN WE HAVE THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER BUDGET, WHICH WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT COMBINING THAT WITH THE LAST BUDGET SLIDE THAT YOU SAW. 
          JUST COMBINING IT, IT ALL TOGETHER 'CAUSE THIS ONLY REPRESENTS TWO. 
          UH, THEN WE HAVE, UH, THE COURT RELATED BUDGET. 
          THEN WE HAVE THE CIP AND THEN WE HAVE CORRECTION DETENTION, UH, THERE AS WELL, WHICH IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE. 
          UM, GOING ON THE PERSONNEL ON, ON WHY OUR INCREASES IS THIS YEAR WE REQUESTED, UH, OR LAST YEAR, THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, THE BOARD FOR APPROVING. 
          UH, THE, WHAT WE GOT LAST YEAR IS DEFINITELY HELPING. 
          UH, THIS YEAR I WAS VERY CONSERVATIVE IN MY ASKED FOR, FOR EMPLOYEES, UH, MAINLY BECAUSE WE HAVE FIVE POSITIONS OPEN RIGHT NOW. 
          SO WE ARE HIRING, IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY, UH, AND YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER VIDEO ABOUT THAT. 
          UM, SO THIS YEAR I ASKED FOR ONE ADDITIONAL DEPUTY. 
          IT'LL BE A ASSIGNED TO COURT. 
          IT WILL NOT BE JUST A DE UH, BAILIFF. 
          IT WILL BE A DEPUTY THAT CAN STILL GO OUT. 
          'CAUSE WE WANT 'EM CROSS-TRAINED. 
          SO IF WE DON'T HAVE COURT ONE DAY, THEY CAN BE OUT THERE WORKING ROAD WORKING CRASHES, WORKING CASES, WORKING BURGLARIES, OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. 
          WE ALSO ASK FOR THREE FULL-TIME DISPATCHERS. 
          AND THOSE DISPATCH POSITIONS WILL, WILL DEFINITELY HELP THE DISPATCH CENTER. 
          I CAN TELL YOU, AND I'VE SHARED THIS, UH, WITH MR. CARPENTER WHEN THEY HAD THE UTILITY MAIN BREAK ON THE PIPE ON RIVER ROAD, IT WAS A DISASTER IN DISPATCH. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW IT, BUT WE'RE THE SECONDARY PHONE LINE. 
          PHONE CALL FOR UTILITIES. 
          SO THEY CALL US IN DISPATCH FOR ANY PROBLEMS WITH FACILIT OR UTILITIES WHEN THEY ARE NOT WORKING OR THEY'RE JUST GETTING, 'CAUSE THEY WERE GETTING HAMMERED THAT DAY TOO. 
          IF WE DID NOT, IF, IF WE DID NOT HAVE THREE DISPATCHERS IN THERE, AND EVERY SINGLE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT THAT I HAVE THERE, WE COULDN'T HAVE HANDLED IT. 
          WE BARELY HANDLED IT. 
          UH, IF 9 1 1 CALLS COME IN DURING THAT TIME, IT, THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ANSWERED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE THE STAFF. 
          SO THAT REALLY OPENED MY EYES. 
          I THINK IT OPENED A LOT OF PEOPLE'S EYES. 
          YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER IN THERE THAT CAN HANDLE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          AND WE'VE GOTTA HAVE THAT. 
          IT'S, IT IS NOT A WANT. 
          THAT IS A NEED AND HAS TO HAPPEN IF WE WANT TO MAINTAIN AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS THAT THEY DESERVE. 
          MY BIG REQUEST IS GONNA BE COMING NEXT YEAR FOR PERSONNEL. 
          AND THAT'S GONNA BE EIGHT ADDITIONAL PATROL DEPUTIES, THREE DETECTIVES, ONE ADDITIONAL SROA TRAINING AND DESK SERGEANT. 
          AND I CAN TELL YOU WHO HANDLES THE TRAINING, UH, OVERSEEING THE TRAINING AND STUFF NOW IS MYSELF AND CAPTAIN BEAR WHO OVERSEES IT. 
          UH, MAJORITY OF AGENCIES HAVE A SERGEANT WHO, WHO RUNS IT. 
          AND THEN ALSO TWO MORE FULL-TIME COURT DEPUTIES. 
          AND THAT'S ALSO PLANNING FOR THE NEW COURTHOUSE. 
          YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ONCE THAT'S OPEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE ARMED DEPUTIES IN THERE RUNNING THE SCANNER THE ENTIRE TIME WHILE IT'S OPEN. 
          YOU JUST HAVE TO DO THAT. 
          ALRIGHT? AND THAT'S JUST A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE SO Y'ALL CAN, 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT I'M GONNA BE ASKING MAYBE NEXT YEAR FOR THIS YEAR AS WELL. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          OUR PLAN WITH ALL THE 
          [00:40:01]
DEPUTIES, AND SOME OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE, I'VE SHOWED THIS EVERY YEAR, IS THIS IS GOON COUNTY. 
          UM, THE LAST CENSUS POPULATION IS 26 1 0 9. 
          WE ALL KNOW THAT IS A LOT MORE THAN THAT. 
          NOW, JUST WITH THE AVERY POINT, UM, OUR GOAL, AND I KNOW WHY THE FIREFIGHTERS ALLOWED , OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A DEPUTY IN EVERY SINGLE SECTOR OF THAT COUNTY, WHICH IS SIX. 
          AND HAVING TWO SUPERVISORS, ONE IN ONE PART OF THE COUNTY, ONE IN THE OTHER PART OF THE COUNTY. 
          AND THEN THAT WILL GIVE US TWO EXTRAS IF SOMEONE'S SICK, SOMEONE'S ON VACATION, SOMEONE'S IN TRAINING. 
          'CAUSE WHEN YOU'RE IN TRAINING, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE TO FILL IN FOR YOU. 
          WE GOT A GREAT START LINEUP. 
          WE DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A BENCH. 
          UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS THAT OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WHICH HAS REALLY IMPROVED. 
          UM, BUT THAT IS, THAT IS OUR GOAL FOR WHERE WE'RE AT. 
          AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE IN SOME NUMBERS, UH, THAT WE HAVE FOR CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT THE EAST END IS POPPING AND, UH, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA END UP HAVING TO PUT SOME MORE PEOPLE IN THE EAST END. 
          ALRIGHT, FEW THINGS ON, UH, UH, AGAIN, FOR THE INCREASES IS, UH, YOU HEARD ABOUT THE 5% START AND PAY ADJUSTMENT. 
          ALRIGHT, I DID WHEN I CAME, WHEN I CAME AND WE WORKED BEFORE THIS, I WAS ASKING FOR 10%. 
          HAD A CONVERSATION WITH VIC ON OR MR. CARPENTER ON FRIDAY JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AGREEING TWO TO FIVE, UH, 5%, BUT WITH THE CAVEAT THAT IF HIM, IF OUR FRIENDS TO OUR EAST BLOW US OUT OF THE WATER, I PLAN ON COMING BACK. 
          BUT I WANTED TO BE A WAIT AND SEE WHAT THEY DO. 
          UM, ALSO A FEW OTHER THINGS. 
          JUST UPGRADING OUR SEARCH AND RESCUE EQUIPMENT. 
          UM, OUR AMMO STORAGE, UH, FACILITY THAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR, WELL DOUBLED IN PRICE. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA DO PART OF IT THIS YEAR AND THEN FINISH IT OFF NEXT, UH, FISCAL YEAR. 
          WE'RE ALSO DOING UPGRADES TO OUR INVESTIGATIVE EQUIPMENT DRONE, WHICH WE USE THE DRONE TEAM ALL THE TIME. 
          NOW. 
          IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN OUR DRONE TEAM AND WHAT WE HAVE, STOP BY THE OFFICE. 
          I CAN MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO BRING 'EM HERE. 
          UH, YOU'D BE VERY AMAZED. 
          I KNOW, UH, MR. WINFREY AND MR. LA HAVE SEEN, SEEN IT. 
          UM, ALSO MANDATORY, MANDATORY TRAINING. 
          UH, WE'RE CONTINUING WITH THE PROCESS OF ADDING MORE CAMERAS TO OUR FLEET, TO OUR CAGES, UH, IN OUR CARS. 
          WE'RE STEADILY TRYING TO DO FOUR A YEAR UNTIL WE HAVE ALL OF THEM, UH, OUTFITTED. 
          BUT I WILL SAY AXON HAS BEEN VERY SLOW. 
          UH, BUT WE'RE SLOWLY GETTING, GETTING MORE AND MORE. 
          UH, WE'RE ALSO DOING ANOTHER RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN, UH, AND UH, JUST ACROSS THE BOARD, JUST PRICES GOING UP. 
          AND THEN THE BIG HIT IS THE JAIL COST. 
          THAT IS A, UH, SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF THOUSAND DOLLARS JAIL COSTS. 
          I HAVE OPENLY SHARED WITH OUR JAIL AND THE SHERIFF THERE THAT I AM LOOKING, UH, AT OPTIONS FOR THAT, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE OF IT. 
          ALRIGHT, ONE THING ABOUT HAVING PEOPLE AND BUDGET IS YOU GOTTA HAVE PEOPLE TO TRAIN. 
          YOU HAD TO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE FUNDS TO, TO DO THE TRAINING. 
          THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR FOR TRAINING AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHICH I CAN TELL YOU OUR PAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE TRIPLED THE AMOUNT OF REQUIRED TRAINING THROUGH DCJS. 
          IF WE DON'T DO QUALITY TRAINING, WE'RE WE'RE GONNA FAIL. 
          YOU GOT TO TRAIN. 
          UM, AND THEN HERE'S JUST WHY WE TRAIN. 
          UM, AND, AND IT BOILS DOWN TO, AND THIS IS MY BELIEF, AND I THINK IT'S THE CITIZEN'S BELIEF AS WELL, IS THAT, THAT THEY DESERVE THE BEST AND WE GOTTA PROVIDE THE BEST. 
          AND THAT IS BY TRAINING OUR DEPUTIES AND DISPATCHERS, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO GET 'EM THAT ADVANCED TRAINING TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT OUR CITIZENS DEMAND AND, UH, REQUEST. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          CALLS FOR SERVICE. 
          UM, WE ACTUALLY HAD DROPPED, UM, JUST OVER A THOUSAND LAST YEAR. 
          UH, THERE I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA BE WELL ABOVE. 
          I MEAN, THE WAY THE YEAR'S STARTING, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD TWO SHOOTINGS. 
          UH, THIS WEEKEND WE HAD A ARSON. 
          UH, WE ALSO HAD A, A SEX OFFENSE WITH AN ARREST. 
          AND WE ALSO HAD, UM, A, UH, A DRUG BUST, UH, WHICH COST A LOT OF TIME. 
          EACH ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE HAD TO CALL IN DEPUTIES TO HANDLE THE CALLS. 
          UH, 'CAUSE WE JUST HAVE SO MANY. 
          UM, THERE'S BEEN TIMES THIS YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING IN UA, WHICH IS NO UNITS AVAILABLE. 
          UM, AND KEEP IN MIND, THAT IS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER A CALL. 
          UM, AS I WAS SAYING, THESE ARE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE CALLS FOR THE DIFFERENT SECTORS THAT YOU SAW EARLIER ON THE MAP. 
          UH, WHICH YOU SEE THE EAST END IS DEFINITELY THE HIGH POINT OF CALLS FOR SERVICE BY FAR. 
          AND THEN I WILL SAY YOU GOT A LOT HERE, CENTRAL WEST, AND THAT'S MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS WHERE PEOPLE COME TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR THINGS. 
          ALRIGHT? THIS IS ANOTHER BUDGET I MANAGE IS THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, THE 9 1 1 CENTER. 
          [00:45:02]
AND THIS WAS THE, LIKE I SAID, THE BIG ASK FOR THE THREE DISPATCH PHYSICIANS. 
          I ALWAYS, I ALSO ASK FOR A, UH, 5% PAY INCREASE IN BY, I LIKE TO CALL IT ADJUSTMENT. 
          UM, WHICH THERE, WHICH REMOVED THEIR STARTING PAY TO 46 300, UH, RIGHT NOW IS 44 1 90. 
          AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO WORK ON, UH, AFTER THIS BUDGET PROCESS IS OVER. 
          UM, BECAUSE I GOT THE NUMBERS, UM, FROM ALL THE, OUR COMPETITORS AND FOR OUR COMPETITORS TO THE EAST, WE ARE DEAD LAST EVEN WITH THAT 5%. 
          SO THAT NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED, I THINK, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS. 
          BUT SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, INCREASES IS THE NORMAL MANDATORY TRAINING AND ADVANCED TRAINING THAT WE GO TO. 
          UH, AND THEN THE, ALSO THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH OPERATING EVERYONE, OR A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW WE HAVE A A HUNDRED FOOT PORTABLE RADIO TOWER, UH, THAT WE HAVE AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 
          WE'RE PUTTING IN MONEY FOR THAT, FOR SOME UPGRADES TO THAT NEEDED, UPGRADES FOR THAT. 
          AND THEN ALSO THE OTHER TRAINING THAT WE DO WITH THEM. 
          UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TO CONTINUE, CONTINUE USE OF LANGUAGE LINE AND OTHER TRANSLATED SERVICES THAT WE USE ALMOST DAILY NOW. 
          ALRIGHT, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE, WE'RE DOING, UH, THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR AND, AND MOVING ON. 
          UM, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS COMING UP. 
          I GOT THE DATES ON ANOTHER SLIDE FOR YOU. 
          BUT THIS IS JUST A LIST OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROGRAM EVENTS THAT WE DO. 
          A FEW NEW THINGS THAT ARE COMING TO GUCCI SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 
          UM, WE DID OUR FIRST, UH, GCSO CAR FIT, WHICH, UH, WE DO SORT OF LIKE A CHECK IN DETAIL, BUT YOU GET ELDERLY DRIVERS, THEY COME IN, THEY PULL IN AND WE ACTUALLY TRY TO HELP OUTFIT THE CAR, MAKE SURE THAT THE SEAT'S MOVED UP RIGHT. 
          MAKE SURE THAT THAT THEY'RE WEARING THEIR SEATBELT CORRECTLY. 
          UH, MAKE SURE THAT THE MIRRORS ARE LINED UP. 
          AND THAT WAS A, A VERY, VERY GOOD SUCCESS AND WE GOT A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK. 
          UH, I THINK THAT, UM, UH, MARK, OUR COMMUNITY OFFICER IS WORKING WITH, UH, AVERY POINT AND, UM, TUCKO PINES TO TRY TO DO ANOTHER ONE. 
          THEN WE ALSO HAVE A CHAPLAIN PROGRAM. 
          UH, AND IN THAT PICTURE IN THE BOTTOM THAT ARE, THAT IS OUR CHAPLAINS, UH, WE HAVE FOUR, UH, PASTORS FROM LOCAL CHURCHES AND THEN WE HAVE A DEACON FROM ANOTHER LOCAL CHURCH. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, FIRST SERGEANT STRONG, WHO'S ACTUALLY A TEACHER OVER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. 
          SO A VERY, VERY GOOD PROGRAM SO FAR. 
          ALRIGHT, JUST A FEW THINGS FOR THE AWARDS. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, IF I WAS ELECTED AS TREASURER FOR THE VIRGINIA SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION. 
          UM, THIS YEAR I'M GONNA BE RUNNING FOR A SECRETARY, UH, FOR THAT, UH, FOR THAT POSITION, WE HAVE CAPTAIN JOE WARREN, WHO WAS REWARDED THE BLUE FRIDAY AWARD, UH, FROM JEFF KATZ. 
          AND WE HAVE DEPUTY HENKEL AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER LEIGHTON, WHO RECEIVED THE DEPUTY AND DISPATCHER OF THE AWARD AT THE MASONIC UH, LODGE. 
          WE JUST HAS, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD OUR AWARD CEREMONY WHERE SERGEANT LEBO WAS GIVEN THE DEPUTY, UH, SHERIFF, DEPUTY SHERIFF AWARD. 
          AND THEN WE HAD TAMMY WITT FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS, THE 9 1 1 DISPATCHER AWARD AMONG OTHER WARDS AS WELL. 
          ALRIGHT, HOPEFULLY EVERYONE HAS OUR APP BY NOW ON THE BOARD. 
          IF YOU DON'T, PLEASE, UH, PLEASE, UH, DOWNLOAD IT. 
          IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE DOWNLOAD IT. 
          THIS WILL HELP YOU GET TO YOUR WORK OR, UH, ON TIME. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE A CAR CRASH, IF WE HAVE A CAR CRASH SOMEWHERE AND WE'RE BLOCKING THE ROAD, WE'LL SEND AN ALERT, LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, TO AVOID THE AREA AND OTHER POLICE ACTIVITY AS WELL. 
          ALRIGHT, A FEW THINGS COMING TO, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ALSO IS THIS YEAR WE'RE HOSTING A FBI COMMAND LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE. 
          UH, IN DECEMBER, WE'VE ALREADY HOSTED A SUPERVISOR LEADERSHIP, UH, INSTITUTE TRAINING. 
          UH, IN JANUARY WE HAD A, UH, STATEWIDE TRAINING FOR DARE TO BE, UM, DARE TO BE GREAT AND EXCELLENCE IN TRAINING. 
          AND THE PICTURE AT THE VERY BOTTOM IS ACTUALLY A SRO BASIC COURSE WHERE WE HAD 44 OFFICERS FROM, GOSH, I CAN'T REMEMBER, IT WAS A BOATLOAD OF AGENCIES ACROSS THE STATE. 
          UH, CAME HERE HAVING, HOSTING ALL THIS TYPE OF TRAINING THAT WE'RE DOING NOW THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE FOUR YEARS AGO. 
          SO IF YOU WANNA STOP IN ON THAT DATE AND SEE EVERYONE, YOU THE FBI CLASS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE NATION THERE. 
          ALRIGHT, THE EVENT DATES, UH, COME ON OUT. 
          MARCH 16TH IS THE COPS AND COFFEE WE'RE HAVING AT DUNKING DONUTS. 
          UH, THE KIDS' FISHING DAY IS APRIL 27TH AT THE BOY SCOUTS, UH, JUNIOR DEPUTY CAMP. 
          UM, I, I'M PRETTY SURE Y'ALL ARE TOO OLD TO, TO JOIN THAT CAMP, BUT PLEASE STOP BY AND CHECK IT OUT. 
          I'LL TELL YOU. 
          IT IS, IT IS AMA IT IS AN AMAZING THING. 
          IT, IF YOU SEE THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING BETWEEN THE KIDS AND THE DEPUTIES, YOU 
          [00:50:01]
WILL BE IMPRESSED. 
          I'M HERE TO TELL YOU. 
          SO IF YOU GOT FIVE MINUTES, STOP BY AND CHECK IT OUT. 
          UH, THEN YOU GOT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. 
          I'M HOPING THAT THE BOARD WILL CHANGE THE TIME OF THE MEETING. 
          Y'ALL MAY HAVE ALREADY DONE IT FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. 
          UH, SO YOU CAN BE THERE AND ATTEND THIS, THIS GO ROUND. 
          UH, YOU WERE LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS GREAT. 
          UH, THEN WE'RE DOING ANOTHER COFFIN OR COPS AND COFFEE AND WE'RE DOING THAT. 
          MY, ONE OF MY FAVORITES, CHICK-FIL-A THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT HERE. 
          UH, FROM NINE, FROM 9:00 AM TO 10:30 AM SO COME ON OUT TO THAT. 
          AND THEN OUR MOTOR SHOW WHERE WE HAD A, GOSH, OVER FIVE, AT LEAST 500 PEOPLE, UH, AT OUR MOTOR SHOW, WHICH WAS A HUGE HIT. 
          UH, SO PLEASE COME ON OUT TO THAT. 
          ALRIGHT, THIS IS JUST A, I, I THINK I DO THIS EVERY YEAR, BUT THIS TIME I PUT THIS SLIDE IN THERE SO I CAN TAKE THE, UM, A MOMENT TO THANK ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 
          DISPATCHERS, DEPUTIES TO MY STAFF, UH, FOR GOING OUT THERE EVERY DAY. 
          UM, WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE DISPATCH CENTER, TAKING THE 9 1 1 CALLS WHERE PEOPLE FIGHTING AND PEOPLE TRYING TO SHOOT, SHOOT AT ONE ANOTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DO A LOT. 
          THAT'S WHERE THE, THAT'S WHERE THE CALL STARTS. 
          ALL THE WAY TO THE DEPUTIES WHO ARE GETTING UP AND LEAVING THEIR, UM, WIVES, THEIR HUSBANDS, THEIR KIDS STRAPPING ON A BULLETPROOF VEST, PUT IT ON THE BADGE, PUT IT ON THE GUN, AND GO IN THERE AND RUN INTO, UH, SOMETIMES SHOTS. 
          FIRE CALL. 
          AS WE'VE SEEN, WE'VE HAD TO, UH, ALREADY THIS YEAR. 
          UH, SO JUST I CAN TELL YOU THAT OUR DEPUTIES AND DISPATCHERS ALL THE TOP OF THE LINE, HOLD 'EM A SECOND TO NONE. 
          UH, THEY ARE THE, IN MY MIND, THEY ARE THE BEST, UH, BEST DEPUTIES, BEST DISPATCHERS IN THIS STATE, IF NOT THE NATION. 
          UH, I TRAVEL, UH, ALL ACROSS THE STATE. 
          UM, TALKED TO SHERIFFS AND ALL THAT AND WHAT I HEAR SOME, SOME STORIES. 
          UM, MAN, WE'RE BLESSED. 
          WE ARE SUPER BLESSED HERE IN UCHIN. 
          I'M HERE TO TELL YOU. 
          SO THANK Y'ALL. 
          EXCEPT FOR JOE WHO'S NOT LOOKING AT ME. 
          . 
          ALRIGHT, AS YOU AS, UM, AS I SAID, WE'RE HIRING AND THIS IS JUST A LITTLE HIRING VIDEO. 
          YOU NOTICE RYAN LEVO IS IN ALL OF THESE RIGHT? . 
          UM, BUT THIS IS JUST A RECRUITMENT VIDEO THAT WE DID AS WELL. 
          AND ONCE AGAIN, I KNOW, UH, , YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN IT. 
          AND FIREFIGHTERS, I HAVE APPLICATIONS AFTER THIS IF YOU'RE INTERESTED. 
          MUTUAL 9 1 1, WHAT IS THE ADDRESS OF YOUR EMERGENCY READY TO PROTECT, PROUD TO SERVE, APPLY TO THE GUC COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TODAY SO Y'ALL CAN APPLY ONLINE. 
          . 
          IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO WANTS TO GET IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, PLEASE, UH, PLEASE SEND 'EM OUR WAY. 
          UH, I WON'T HIT THE FIREFIGHTERS UP AGAIN. 
          I SAW EDDIE. 
          UH, I THINK IF LOOKS YOU KID, I THINK I DROP RIGHT NOW, . 
          UM, BUT THAT IS JUST ANOTHER VIDEO THAT, NOT JUST A RECRUITMENT VIDEO, BUT IT, I THINK IT TELLS A STORY ON WHAT WE DO BESIDES FOR WHAT PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DO AND THAT JUST, UH, SHOWS MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO. 
          AND THEN THERE'S SO MUCH MORE. 
          BUT ANYWAY, I'M GONNA END WITH THAT. 
          SORRY FOR, UM, RUNNING ALONG. 
          AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN, UH, OVER THE YEARS BEING ON THE BOARD BEFORE, UH, THIS NEW BOARD AND ALSO TO SUPPORT OUTSIDE OF THE BOARD THAT, THAT Y'ALL HAVE 
          [00:55:01]
SHOWN, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT, YOU KNOW, SINCE I'VE KNOWN Y'ALL. 
          SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I'LL TAKE ANY KIND OF QUESTIONS YOU HAVE BOARD MEMBERS. 
          ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, SHERIFF. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU CHIEF FERGUSON. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          EXCELLENT JOB. 
          SHERIFF CREASEY AND THE MEMBERS OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 
          I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UM, WE'RE FORTUNATE IN GLAND THAT WE HAVE THE PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM THAT WE DO. 
          AND THE PROJECTS THAT SHERIFF CRE CREASEY REPRESENTING HIS BUDGET, UH, CERTAINLY ARE SUPPORTED BY FIRE RESCUE AS WELL. 
          WE KNOW THEY NEED WHAT THEY ASK FOR AND WE CERTAINLY, UM, BENEFIT FROM MANY OF THEIR PROGRAMS. THEIR OUR 9 1 1 SYSTEM, THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO SYSTEM. 
          THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM IS ALL HANDLED THROUGH THE GLAND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 
          SO, GOOD AFTERNOON MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          UH, EDDIE FERGUSON, FIRE RESCUE CHIEF. 
          IT'S A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AND PRESENT THE FY 25 FIRE RESCUE BUDGET REQUEST AND REPRESENT ALL OF THE, UM, THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE GLAND COUNTY FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT THAT, UH, SERVE THE COUNTY ON A DAILY BASIS. 
          2023 WAS A BUSY YEAR FOR, FOR FIRE RESCUE. 
          UH, WHEN YOU START TO LOOK AT SOME OF OUR NUMBERS FOR OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE. 
          THE NUMBERS COMPARED TO 2023 ARE RELATIVELY FLAT, UH, 2022. 
          UH, WHAT I'LL TELL YOU IS THEY ARE A LITTLE BIT, UH, DECEIVING. 
          AND WHAT I MEAN BY SAYING THAT IS THAT IN 2022, WE HAD SEVERAL WEATHER EVENTS THAT GENERATED OVER A HUNDRED CALLS EACH. 
          AND SO THE ENTIRE YEAR OF, UH, 2023, THANK GOODNESS, WE DID NOT HAVE THOSE SAME WEATHER EVENTS REPEAT ITSELF LIKE A CRIPPLING SNOWSTORM OR A TORNADO COMING THROUGH THE COURTHOUSE AND OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY, UH, OR THAT REALLY COLD HARD FREEZE THAT WE HAD AROUND CHRISTMAS IN 2022. 
          BUT WHAT'S DECEIVING ABOUT THAT IS THAT, THAT OUR NUMBERS, OUR CALL FOR SERVICES ACTUALLY, UH, CAUGHT UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS. 
          AND WHAT REALLY TELLS THE, UH, THE STORY IS, IS THAT, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE TO DATE THIS YEAR IN 2024, COMPARED TO THE SAME TIME IN 2023, WE ARE 30% AHEAD ON OUR CALL FOR SERVICES. 
          UH, AND IF THAT TREND CONTINUES FORWARD, THEN 2024 WILL BE A RECORD, UH, RECORD NUMBER OF FIRE RESCUE RESPONSES. 
          THE OTHER THING THAT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT ABOUT OUR FIRE RESCUE RESPONSES ARE AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS. 
          WE ARE NOTICING THAT OUR AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS, UH, WHILE THE OVERALL CALL TOTALS, WERE JUST A, A FEW SHORT OF, UH, OF BREAKING, UH, THE SAME AMOUNT WITH 2022, OUR AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS ARE UP BY ALMOST 200 COMPARED TO THE SAME TIME THE LAST YEAR. 
          IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS THAT TAKES THE VEHICLES OUT OF THE COUNTY, GO TO THE RICHMOND AND CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA HOSPITALS, AND WE LOSE THOSE RESOURCES FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME BECAUSE OF WHAT WE REFER TO AS WALL TIME IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR JUST THE, THE EFFICIENT, UH, HANDLING OF A PATIENT TAKES THOSE RESOURCES OUT OF THE COUNTY. 
          AND THAT GIVES US, UH, LOTS OF CAUSE FOR CONCERN BECAUSE THEY ARE THE SAME RESOURCES THAT ARE ACTUALLY PROVIDING, UH, COVERAGE IN THE COUNTY FOR OTHER CALLS, BUT ALSO OUR FIRE SUPPRESSION, UH, RESOURCES. 
          SO SOMETHING, UM, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT THERE. 
          OUR FIRE RESPONSES LAST YEAR, UH, OUR COUNTY AVERAGE, UH, FIRE RESPONSE TIMES FROM THE TIME OF THE CALL, THE TIME IT TAKES TO PROCESS THE CALL AND THE ECC DISPATCH IT, GET IT OUT, WHEELS TURNING, GET ON THE SCENE. 
          AVERAGE IS ABOUT 12 MINUTES AND 19 SECONDS. 
          THAT WAS A LITTLE, UH, LOWER THAN WHAT IT WAS. 
          UH, THE YEAR BEFORE WAS, WAS 1234. 
          AND WE ARE ALWAYS, UM, WORKING ON THAT TO TRY TO GET, GET ON THE STREET AND GET TO CALLS AND EMERGENCIES, UH, QUICKER. 
          AS WE START TO SEE OUR NUMBERS, UH, CLIMB, THEN IT CHALLENGES US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT. 
          YOU NOTICE OUR, UH, OUR CREW BREAKDOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE. 
          THIS REPRESENTS THE, THE CALLS OF THE UNITS THAT RESPONDED AND THE MAKEUP OF THOSE CREWS. 
          I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, WE ARE VERY PROUD AND GLAND TO BE A COMBINATION DEPARTMENT WHERE WE WORK TOGETHER AS ONE TEAM OF VOLUNTEER AND CAREER MEMBERS WORKING ON THE SAME TEAM. 
          YOU NOTICE THAT THAT COMBINATION CREW IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, UH, WHERE WE HAVE A CREW ON A UNIT THAT IS ASSEMBLED OF BOTH VOLUNTEER AND CREW MEMBERS WORKING TOGETHER. 
          AND THEN YOU HAVE CALLS WHERE WE HAVE UNITS THAT ARE STAFFED INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH, EACH TYPE AS WELL. 
          SO WE CERTAINLY WANT TO KEEP THAT COMBINATION, UM, DEPARTMENT, UH, ALIVE GOING 
          [01:00:01]
FORWARD. 
          LOOKING AT, UH, SOME OF OUR FIRE PROPERTY LOSS AND MUTUAL AID IN 2023, PROPERTY LOSS WAS, UH, A QUITE A BIT HIGHER THAN WHAT WE SAW IN 2022, OVER $3 MILLION IN, UH, PROPERTY LOSS COMPARED TO 2.2 MILLION IN 2022. 
          I'LL TELL YOU THAT THIS IS, UM, CERTAINLY IN PART TO THE NUMBER OF, UH, INCIDENTS THAT WE RESPONDED TO, THOSE THAT WERE CLASSIFIED AS STRUCTURE FIRES, THOSE HIGH DOLLAR VALUE LOSS. 
          UH, BUT WE ALSO HAD, UM, A COUPLE OF COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE FIRES, UH, THAT OCCURRED THAT HAD HIGH INCIDENT, UH, LOSS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. 
          UH, IF YOU RECALL, WE HAD THE, UH, THE BUSINESS IN, IN THE, THE GLAND, UH, INDUSTRIAL PARK, UH, THAT ACT THAT WAS, UH, DAMAGED, UH, HEAVILY IN FIRE BACK IN MAY. 
          AND THEN WE HAD, WE SAW THE SAME THING HAPPENED OVER AT LANIER. 
          WELL, THEY LOST A, A VERY EXPENSIVE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, UH, RELATED TO THE MULCH, UH, GRINDING, UH, UH, BUSINESS. 
          BUT CERTAINLY, UM, IT'S MORE THAN JUST THOSE TWO INCIDENTS. 
          UH, EVERYONE WHO HAS A FIRE HAS A SIGNIFICANT LOSS, AND YOU CAN'T UNDERESTIMATE WHAT, HOW THAT IMPACTS SOMEONE'S LIFE OR THEIR BUSINESS OR ABILITY TO, TO, TO BE ABLE TO, TO GO IN DAY IN, DAY OUT. 
          MUTUAL AID, UM, NUMBERS, UH, WE HAVE THE NUMBERS THAT WE GAVE AND THE NUMBERS THAT WE RECEIVED. 
          WE GIVE ABOUT TWO TIMES MORE MUTUAL AID THAN WHAT WE RECEIVE. 
          THIS IS A REALLY GOOD POSITION TO BE IN. 
          UH, IT REPRESENTS THAT, UH, WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS HERE IN THE COUNTY TO GROW AIR, FIRE AND, AND RESCUE SERVICES SO THAT WE CAN HANDLE AIR INCIDENTS AND ALSO TO, UH, BE ABLE TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORS WHEN THEY CALL FOR IT. 
          UM, MANY OF THOSE RESPONSES ARE ALONG INTERSTATE 64 WITH LOUISA COUNTY AND BROAD STREET. 
          AND CERTAINLY, UM, YOU ALL KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD US SAY BEFORE THAT MANY OF OUR STATIONS ARE POSITIONED A LITTLE BIT BETTER TO HANDLE SOME OF THOSE RESPONSES BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY THEY ARE TO THE INTERSTATE AS WELL AS BROAD STREET. 
          AND OF COURSE, WE'VE JUST ADDED ANOTHER RESOURCE, UH, THERE IN SANDY HOOK. 
          UM, BEFORE I LEAVE THIS SLIDE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, I'M THANKFUL THAT THERE WERE NO, UH, NO, UH, CIVILIAN LOSS OF LIFE ASSOCIATED WITH ANY OF OUR, UH, STRUCTURE FIRES. 
          UH, IN 2023. 
          WE DID HAVE A CIVILIAN THAT LOST THEIR LIFE, UH, IN 2022, AND I'M GLAD TO SAY THAT, UH, HAPPY TO REPORT AND FEEL BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO REPORT THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THAT REPEAT ITSELF IN 2023. 
          CERTAINLY THERE WERE SOME, UH, INJURIES AND THERE WERE SOME WHO LOST THEIR LIVES AND, UH, UH, FIERY CAR CRASHES. 
          BUT LOOKING AT STRUCTURE FIRES AND BUILDING FIRES, UM, IS WHAT, UH, THAT COMMENT IS, IS, UH, MEANT TO REPRESENT OUR EMS RESPONSES. 
          UH, WE WATCH OUR EMS RESPONSE TIMES, UH, VERY CAREFULLY. 
          UH, WE HAVE ALMOST, UH, 70% OF OUR CALLS ARE EMS IN NATURE WHERE AMBULANCES AND SOMETIMES FIRE ENGINES ARE ALSO RESPONDING BECAUSE OF ADDITIONAL HELP THAT'S NEEDED. 
          ON THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL INSTANCE SCENE, UH, WE NOTICED THAT, UM, WE HAD A SLIGHT DECREASE, WHICH IS GOOD, UH, IN OUR EMS RESPONSE TIMES, UH, COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR. 
          AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT I'LL ATTRIBUTE THE SANDY HOOK AMBULANCE, UH, IS MAKING A BIG IMPACT IN THAT. 
          AND CERTAINLY, UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE A FULL YEAR OF A, OF ACCOUNTING TO LOOK AT, AND WE ONLY COVERED HALF THE HOURS TO BE COVERED BECAUSE IT'S A DAYTIME SERVICE. 
          SO THE SANDY HOOK AMBULANCE IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE. 
          UH, IT WAS DISPATCHED ON THE CALL WHILE WE WERE SITTING, JUST SITTING HERE, UH, WHILE THE SHERIFF WAS PRESENTING. 
          AND, UH, CERTAINLY THAT'S, UH, HELPING WITH THEIR OVERALL EMS RESPONSE TIMES, BUT IT'S ALSO GIVEN US MORE BENCH DEPTH, MORE RESOURCE AVAILABILITY WHEN THE OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY ARE GETTING BUSY. 
          WE ALL KNOW, YOU HEARD THE SHERIFF SAY, YOU'VE HEARD US SAY BEFORE THAT THE ACTIVITY IS PRIMARILY IN THE EAST END OF THE COUNTY, IS WHERE A LOT OF THAT ACTIVITY IS. 
          UH, AND THE CENTRAL PART AND CERTAINLY, UM, THAT EASTERLY ACTIVITY DRAWS OUR RESOURCES FROM THE WEST TO THE EAST. 
          THEY MIGRATE TO THE EAST TO COVER THOSE CALLS. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALLOWING US TO HAVE THE SANDY HOOK AMBULANCE, WHICH HAS MADE A, A HUGE DIFFERENCE, UH, IN ALL THOSE AREAS. 
          RESPONSE TIMES AS WELL. 
          JUST LIKE THE FIRE SLIDE, WE HAVE THE BREAKDOWN OF, UM, OF WHO'S ANSWERING THE CALLS OR OUR PERSONNEL. 
          UH, AGAIN, THE COMBINATION SYSTEM. 
          UH, WE VALUE EVERYONE'S, UH, COMMITMENT THAT GIVE WHAT THEY CAN GIVE. 
          AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT WE ARE RECEIVING TO STAY IN TIME, IT'S REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT FOR OUR VOLUNTEER MEMBERS TO LEAVE THEIR JOBS AND TO ANSWER THE, THE NUMEROUS CALLS THAT WE'RE GETTING AT OUR FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND SO FORTH AND SO ON. 
          BUT, UH, WE DO APPRECIATE, UM, EVERYONE'S COMMITMENT TO WHAT, UH, WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP THOSE CALLS ANSWERED. 
          THIS IS A NEW SLIDE THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY SHOWN BEFORE, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT HOW MANY CALLS OCCURRED IN EACH DISTRICT, EACH GEOGRAPHIC AREA, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT HOW MANY CALLS DID THAT STATION ACTUALLY ANSWER. 
          AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY TIMES MANNEQUIN, FOR EXAMPLE, ANSWERED CALLS IN THEIR AREA, 
          [01:05:01]
BUT WENT TO OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY AND SOMETIMES OUT OF THE COUNTY IF MUTUAL EIGHT. 
          AND SO THAT NUMBER IS, UH, IS WAY MORE IMPRESSIVE WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THAT STANDPOINT. 
          CENTERVILLE IS, UM, BY FAR THE BUSIEST DISTRICT IN THE COUNTY YOU WOULD EXPECT. 
          SO BASED ON THE PRIME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT OF THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS ALL THE RESIDENTIAL POPULATION, CONGREGATE CARE FACILITIES AND SO FORTH, FOLLOWED BY COMPANY FIVE. 
          AND THEN YOU CAN SEE, UH, HOW THAT MOVES AROUND. 
          I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UH, CROZIER COMPANY TWO, MR. CARPENTER REPRESENTED, UH, IN HIS EARLIER PRESENTATION, AND WE APPRECIATED IT, THAT, UH, WE ARE LOOKING TO PURCHASE PROPERTY SOMEWHERE ALONG CARDWELL ROAD SO THAT WE CAN REBUILD COMPANY TWO, CROZIER, COMPANY TWO, UH, IN THE FUTURE YEARS, AND WE NEED TO GET THAT LAND, BUT THAT'S NOT JUST A SLEEPY LITTLE VILLAGE. 
          LOOK HOW MANY RESPONSES WENT OUT OF THAT SMALL FIRE STATION 817 RESPONSES, AND FEW OF THOSE WERE ACTUALLY IN THE CROZIER FOOTPRINT, BUT THEY GO ALL OVER THE COUNTY TO BACK UP. 
          THE OTHER COMPANIES, UH, ACROSS THE COUNTY. 
          YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE PULLED INTO MANNEQUIN AND CVILLE DISTRICTS, UH, YOU KNOW, QUITE, QUITE OFTEN. 
          SO JUST A NEW, UH, METRIC THAT, UH, REALLY KIND OF TELLS THE TALE OF, OF HOW BUSY WE'RE GETTING IN WITH SOME OF OUR, UH, STATIONS. 
          AND AGAIN, THIS REPRESENTS A UNIT RESPONSES OUTTA THE STATION, BUT I DO WANT TO TELL YOU THAT SOME CALLS REQUIRE MULTIPLE UNITS TO RESPOND. 
          WE DID NOT INFLATE THAT NUMBER WITH THAT. 
          IT'S STILL ONLY COUNTED ONCE, JUST SO THAT, UH, THAT'S CLEAR. 
          WE CERTAINLY PRIDE OUR CELL ON ALL SERVICES THAT WE DELIVER. 
          UH, WE ARE A COMPREHENSIVE ALL HAZARD DEPARTMENT, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IS, IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS THAT, THAT WE DO QUITE WELL IN. 
          VERY PROUD OF THE SERVICES THAT WE DELIVER IN THIS AREA. 
          UM, WE WERE RECEIVED IN 2023, THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION GOLD PLUS, UH, MISSION, UH, LIFELINE AWARD. 
          UH, ACTUALLY THIS YEAR IT REFERRED TO ITSELF AS A HEART ATTACK HONOR ROLL AWARD. 
          AND WHAT THE, UH, THIS AWARD IS, IS THEIR ABILITY TO DELIVER CARDIAC AND STROKE CARE, VASCULAR TYPE CARE, UH, TO PATIENTS WHO SUFFER WITH, UH, HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES. 
          UH, WE PROCESS THE CALL QUICKLY IN THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER. 
          THEY DELIVER EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH. 
          THE PATIENT IS INSTRUCTED SOMETIMES IF THEY'RE HAVING A HEART ATTACK AND THEY DON'T HAVE ALLERGIES TO TAKE AN ASPIRIN, AND THEN AIR CREWS SHOW UP IN A TIMELY MANNER, GET A 12 LEAD EKG THERE AT THE HOME. 
          AND IF WE'RE SEEING SIGNS ON THAT 12 LEAD EKG THAT THE PERSON IS HAVING A HEART ATTACK OR AN MI AS WE PUT IT, THEN WE CAN CALL AHEAD TO THE HOSPITAL AND ACTIVATE THAT CATH LAB. 
          THEY WILL TAKE OUR WORD FROM IT FOR IT, AND WE CAN TRANSMIT THAT ELECTROCARDIOGRAM OVER TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE MOST OF THE HOSPITALS, UM, YOU KNOW THAT THAT TEAM IS NOT ALWAYS THERE. 
          UH, PARTICULARLY IF IT'S NIGHT AND WEEKENDS, THEY HAVE, THEY RESPOND IN FROM HOME. 
          AND SO IT'S ALWAYS NICE THAT WHEN WE'RE RESPONDING FROM GLAND COUNTY IN AND WE'VE ALERTED FOR A, UH, A STROKE OR WE CALL IT A STEMI, WHICH IS A HEART ATTACK, AND GET THERE, AND THAT CREW IS ALREADY ASSEMBLED AND CAN TAKE THAT PATIENT DIRECTLY TO THE CATH LAB, IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WARD, THIS AWARD IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF. 
          UH, THERE ARE OTHER CONTINUOUS ADVANCEMENTS, UM, CERTAINLY IN OUR SYSTEM. 
          WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT, UH, NEW PROTOCOLS. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME NEW INITIATIVES, AND I WON'T SAY WHAT THEY ARE TODAY BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S MORE TO BE LEARNED ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO. 
          BUT CONSIDERING, UH, MANY OF US HAVE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS A LONG TIME, I THINK CHIEF WATKINS AND CHIEF GORDON AND CHIEF MARK WOULD AGREE, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO WHEN WE STARTED IN THIS BASED ON WHAT CARE IS AVAILABLE NOW, IS JUST PHENOMENAL. 
          AND SO WE WANT TO KEEP THAT, UH, ADVANCEMENT GOING HERE IN GLAND COUNTY AS WELL. 
          OUR FIRE MARSHAL HAS BEEN BUSY. 
          UH, THERE ARE MORE BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY, WHICH IS A, A GOOD THING FOR OUR TAX BASE AND SO FORTH. 
          UH, FIRE MARSHAL HAS BEEN VERY BUSY, YOU CAN SEE BY THE SLIDE. 
          UH, HE'S OUT HERE, HE AND HIS ASSISTANT. 
          UH, WE WE'RE LUCKY THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE SHARE A POSITION NOW WITH GLAND COUNTY BUILDING INSPECTIONS. 
          UH, WE HAVE A POSITION THERE THAT WE SHARE THAT CAN ALSO ASSIST WITH FIRE MARSHAL ACTIVITY BUILDING, UH, BUSINESS INSPECTIONS, AS WELL AS AS PLANS, UH, REVIEW. 
          BUT YOU CAN SEE OVER, UH, 615 BUSINESS INSPECTIONS, UH, AT PUBLIC EDUCATION CLASSES, ATTENDANCE. 
          THERE WERE SOME, UH, SOME PARKING, MORE PARKING TICKETS, UH, WRITTEN. 
          BUT FOR EVERY PARKING TICKET THAT WAS WRITTEN, UH, WE PROBABLY GAVE, UH, 10 TIMES AS MANY WARNINGS TO TRY TO EDUCATE FOLKS. 
          THAT FIRE MARSHAL FOCUSES ON ENGINEERING, EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT AS ALWAYS AT THE VERY LAST, BECAUSE ENFORCEMENT SOUNDS HEAVY HANDED. 
          AND THAT'S NOT OUR GOAL. 
          WE CERTAINLY WANT TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, UH, AND OUR CITIZENS TO BE MORE FIRE SAFETY CONSCIOUS. 
          AND SO THEY DO A GOOD JOB. 
          UM, AND WHAT'S HARD TO MEASURE, YOU KNOW, YOU FOR, FOR ALL OF THIS, UH, COMBINED, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO MEASURE A FIRE THAT'S GETS YOU PREVENTED, BUT, BUT WE JUST KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING, UH, GOOD PROGRESS. 
          THE FIRE MARSHAL ALSO, UH, ENFORCES THE VIRGINIA STATEWIDE FIRE PREVENTION CODE, WHICH IS A DOC DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE ADOPTED AND WE FOLLOW, UH, 
          [01:10:01]
HERE IN THE COUNTY COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION WAYS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER. 
          UH, I WE'RE VERY PROUD THIS YEAR THAT WE'VE INSTITUTED A FOURTH GRADE FIRE SAFETY, UH, CURRICULUM IN THE GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          AND THIS HAS BEEN, UH, WELL RECEIVED. 
          WE'VE COMPLETED IT ALREADY AT RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY, UH, ON SCHEDULE TO DELIVER THE SAME PROGRAMS AT, UH, GES AND, AND BYRD, UH, COMING UP. 
          UM, BUT IT'S A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM, AND IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN WE HAVE BEEN DOING. 
          IT ACTUALLY HAS A, A BOOKLET WHERE WE TEACH FIRE SAFETY AND THE KIDS TAKE, STUDENTS TAKE THAT BOOKLET HOME AND THEY COMPLETE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS WITH THEIR PARENTS AND BRING THE, GET IT SIGNED OFF AND BRING IT BACK. 
          IT'S DELIVERED OVER SEVERAL DAYS OF OUR FIRE LIFE SAFETY EDUCATOR VISITING THE SCHOOL. 
          EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. 
          UM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. 
          THE GOAL IS TO PROTECT AND MAKE GLAND A SAFE COMMUNITY THE MOST RESILIENT IT CAN BE. 
          UH, AND BY THAT, IT CERTAINLY, UH, FOLLOWS WHAT WE CALL THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH. 
          UH, PREPARE THE COMMUNITY TO RESPOND, TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO NATURAL AND MAN MANMADE TYPE DISASTERS THROUGH A PROCESS, UH, THAT INVOLVES MITIGATION, PREPAREDNESS, RECOVER, AND RESPONSE. 
          I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, SHE'S BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB. 
          UH, THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT OCCURS WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO TRY TO GET TO THE POINT TO BUILD THESE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS THE PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, SHELTERS AS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. 
          AND SOME OF THE, UM, THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN DELIVERING, UH, TRAINING IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT ON EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS. 
          WE'VE BEEN UPDATING OUR EMERGENCY OPERATION PLANS, MANAGING V DM GRANTS AND SO FORTH AND SO ON. 
          LOTS OF TIME, UH, BEING DEVOTED TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, HERE IN GLAND COUNTY. 
          JUST A FEW PICTURES OF, UH, SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES. 
          UH, THE BUILDINGS INSPECTION DEPARTMENT IS, IS INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BECAUSE IF WE START TO HAVE, UH, DAMAGE IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY GO OUT THE BUILDING INSPECTORS GO OUT AND DO DAMAGE ASSESSMENT. 
          AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A DRILL IN ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE, UH, THEY ACTUALLY WENT OUT AND USED SOME NEW SOFTWARE, A NEW APP ON THEIR PHONE, MADE POSSIBLE BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND DID SOME PRACTICE, UH, DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS WITH THE SOFTWARE. 
          WE HAD A CERT, UH, CLASS THIS PAST YEAR, AS WELL AS, UH, OPENED UP THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER FOR SOME TRAINING FOR THE STAFF THAT WORKS IN THERE. 
          FIRE RESCUE TRAINING. 
          EDUCATION'S BEEN BUSY. 
          WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL SUPPORTING THAT WITH THE ENHANCEMENTS WE'VE MADE AT THE TRAINING CENTER, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE IN A LATER SLIDE. 
          BUT WE COMPLETED A FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY. 
          UH, WE COMPLETED OUR FIRST, UM, 2023 RECRUIT SCHOOL. 
          THAT WAS DURING THE DAY WHERE WE HAD CAREER EMPLOYEES, AND WE DID HAVE ONE VOLUNTEER MEMBER WHO WAS IN A PORTION OF THAT PROGRAM. 
          BUT IT'S ALWAYS OPEN TO VOLUNTEERS IF WE DO IT DURING THE DAY. 
          WE GRADUATED JUST FINISHING UP AN EMT CLASS WITH 13 STUDENTS IN, AND THAT'S A CLASS THAT'S BEEN MEETING IN THE EVENINGS AT THE HENLEY FIRE RESCUE TRAINING CENTER. 
          WE HAVE 17 GLAND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT ARE STILL GOING FORWARD AND STRONG IN THE HIGH SCHOOL EMT PROGRAM MET THIS MORNING, MATTER OF FACT. 
          AND IT'S, UH, DUE TO SCHEDULE TO FINISH AT THE END OF THE, UH, SCHOOL YEAR. 
          AND WE HOPE TO HAVE, UH, ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE, UH, NEXT YEAR. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF IT, JUST LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, ALL OF OUR INITIAL TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR THOSE OF US WHO'VE COMPLETED THOSE SOME CASES MANY YEARS AGO, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP OUR SKILLS UP. 
          AND SO WE HAVE TO OFFER THE CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES THAT GO ALONG WITH OUR CERTIFICATION TO BE ABLE TO RENEW THOSE. 
          SOME ARE NATIONALLY REGISTERED CERTIFICATIONS, AND SOME ARE LOCAL STATE CERTIFICATIONS, AND SOME ARE REQUIRED, HONESTLY, BY THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR BECAUSE WE WANNA HIGH OFFER A HIGHER LEVEL OF, OF CARE. 
          RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS, I SOLY WON'T READ YOU ALL ON THIS, UH, SLIDE, BUT I'LL JUST POINT OUT SOME HIGHLIGHTS. 
          UM, WE WERE ABLE TO IMPROVE OUR ISO PROTECTION CLASS THIS YEAR. 
          THAT MEANS THAT OUR HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A BETTER INSURANCE PREMIUM. 
          BUT REALLY WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT BETWEEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, AND ALSO OUR PUB DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES, THAT WE'RE DOING BETTER, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, GET THAT SCORE, UM, INCREASED LOWERED IS ACTUALLY WHAT IT, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS AN ENHANCEMENT, AND THAT TOOK EFFECT, UH, ON MAY 1ST. 
          AND IF ANYBODY'S LISTENING, THEN IT'S UP TO THAT HOMEOWNER OR BUSINESS OWNER TO CHECK WITH THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY TO SEE IF THEY WILL HONOR THAT SCORE, THAT DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE. 
          UM, WE MADE PROGRESS IN SANDY HOOK. 
          AS WE HAD SAID EARLIER, WE IN INSTITUTED THE DAYTIME AMBULANCE. 
          THAT'S CONTINUED EVEN AFTER THE ROUNDABOUT CONSTRUCTION HAS FINISHED. 
          WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THE WEST CREEK, UH, FIRE RESCUE STATION. 
          WE'VE SECURED AN A AND E FIRM, AND WE'RE IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE, UH, THE BUILDING THERE AT THE WEST CREEK, UH, SITE ON HOCKET 
          [01:15:01]
ROAD AT TUCK HILL CREEK PARKWAY. 
          35 NEW VOLUNTEERS WE'RE RECRUITED INTO THE, UH, DEPARTMENT, AND I'LL EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER. 
          AND WE WERE ABLE TO PROMOTE, UH, SIX CAREER OFFICERS, UH, THREE CAPTAINS AND THREE LIEUTENANTS, AND ALSO PROMOTED, UH, SEVERAL VOLUNTEER OFFICERS. 
          BRAND NEW FIRE ENGINE WENT INTO EFFECT. 
          UH, WE'VE ORDERED MORE EQUIPMENT. 
          MR. CARPENTER HAD MENTIONED THAT. 
          AND WE HAVE A MASTER PLAN, AND I WON'T TALK A LOT ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN IN THIS BUDGET PRESENTATION. 
          YOU ALL HAVE IT. 
          YOU'VE SEEN IT. 
          AND WE HAVE A, A OPPORTUNITY ON MARCH THE FIFTH TO HAVE THE CONSULTANTS COME IN AND PRESENT THAT MASTER PLAN TO YOU. 
          AND YOU CAN ASK, UH, YOUR QUESTIONS, UH, FOR THAT. 
          WE BELIEVE THAT OUR MEMBERS, UM, ARE THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS. 
          UH, YOU CAN HAVE ALL OF THE, UH, EQUIPMENT, THE APPARATUS, THE FACILITIES, AND BY GOSH, WE NEED ALL THOSE TWO. 
          UH, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE THAT CAN, UH, TAKE THAT EQUIPMENT AND PUT IT TO GOOD USE AND DEPLOY IT TO FOLKS OR CALLING 9 1 1, UH, YOU JUST CAN'T FULFILL YOUR MISSION. 
          AND SO THIS SLIDE IS JUST REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL THE GREAT PEOPLE, AND THERE ARE MANY MORE. 
          UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FOLKS WHO HAVE COME HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S BUDGET AND ALL THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGETS. 
          UH, AND THEY SUPPORT YOU TOO. 
          THEY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO FOR, FOR US AND AS A PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, DEPARTMENT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. 
          WE COULDN'T DO IT ALONE, AND WE DON'T DO IT ALONE BECAUSE, UH, WE GET OUT AND WE, UH, GET BUSY WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. 
          AND WE ARE MEMBERS OF, UH, SEVERAL STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS. 
          UH, WE SERVE ON, UH, GOVERNOR BOARDS, WE SERVE ON COMMITTEES, UH, BOTH THERE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF FIRE PROGRAMS AND THE VIRGINIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, AS WELL AS, UH, THE REGIONAL TYPE THING. 
          SO WE TRY TO MAKE IT OUR BUSINESS TO GET OUT AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND US. 
          AND, UH, VERY ACTIVE IN THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION. 
          AND THAT COMES BACK TO GLAND COUNTY IN A GREAT WAY, BECAUSE WHEN WE NEED SOMETHING, WE USUALLY CAN GET IT FROM OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS AND STATE PARTNERS. 
          EXTREMELY PROUD OF, UH, WHAT OUR VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH OVER THE LAST, UH, YEAR. 
          BUT REALLY, I'LL JUST TAKE YOU BACK THREE YEARS AGO. 
          WE ALL PUT OUR MINDS TOGETHER AND OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UM, THE VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, WE KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FIRE STATIONS. 
          IF YOU ALL REMEMBER, FIVE OF THE SIX FIRE STATIONS, IF YOU TAKE OUT SANDY HOOK, 'CAUSE IT'S NOT QUITE A FIRE STATION YET. 
          THERE'S NO FIRE ENGINE THERE. 
          UM, IT'S OWNED BY, THEY'RE OWNED BY THE VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION. 
          AND SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF WHAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED. 
          UH, THESE BUILDINGS BACK IN IT, THEIR THEIR DAY, UH, WERE BUILT NEW IN THE 1950S, AND I THINK THE LAST ONE WAS THE 1960S. 
          KEEP IN MIND THOUGH, COMPANY FIVE WAS REBUILT AND REOPENED IN 1984, BUT WE'RE RENOVATING THAT ONE AGAIN TODAY. 
          AND THEY ALL WERE JUST PRETTY MUCH, UH, WHAT WE NEEDED AT THAT TIME. 
          THEY WERE PLACES TO PARK THE FIRE ENGINES. 
          WE HAD COMMUNITY ROOMS AND VOLUNTEER MEMBERS RESPONDED FROM HOME. 
          BUT NOWADAYS WE HAVE, UM, CAREER STAFF AND VOLUNTEER MEMBERS THAT ARE STAFFING THESE STATIONS, 24 HOURS, 24 7. 
          AND SO WE JUST, THE MISSION IS, IS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT, IS WHAT THE NEEDS ARE. 
          WE NEED MORE INTERIOR LIVING SPACE. 
          UH, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE, AS WELL AS WE'VE GOTTA CONTROL SOME OF THE CONTAMINATION THAT WE BRING BACK TO THE FIRE STATION FROM THE FIRE SCENE. 
          WE KNOW THAT, UH, CANCER, UH, RUNS HIGH IN OUR BUSINESS AND WE ALSO KNOW WE HAVE, UM, ISSUES WE NEED TO ADDRESS WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS MENTAL HEALTH. 
          AND SO THIS HAS JUST BEEN, UM, A GREAT, UH, PROJECT THAT THE VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION HAS DONE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ERIC, FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. 
          UH, CAPTAIN MARTIN DEAN JUST DID A FABULOUS JOB WITH THIS. 
          HE'S STILL LEADING OUR PROJECTS, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, PUT NEW BEOS ON COMPANY FOUR TOTALLY RE RENOVATE COMPANY ONE IN MANNEQUIN COMPANY THREE, AND COMPANY FIVE IS TAKEN ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BONES, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT. 
          I WANNA THANK YOU FOR MAKING AVAILABLE THE INTEREST FREE LOANS THAT YOU DID, BUT ALSO, UM, ALL THE EFFORT THAT, THAT WE'LL PUT FORTH TO TRY TO REPAY THOSE THROUGH RAISING, UH, MONEY AND DONATIONS AND JUST AN, UH, EXAMPLE OF OUR FACILITIES THAT YOU ALL KNOW VERY WELL. 
          AND ONE OF THE SIX IS, UH, COMPANY SIX, WHICH IS THE, UH, ONLY COUNTY OWNED FIRE STATION. 
          OKAY, SO HERE WE GO. 
          UM, OUR BUDGET REQUEST, UH, THIS YEAR, WELL, OUR TOTAL BUDGET REQUEST IS, UH, $12,411,317, AND THAT'S ABOUT A 19.3% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR. 
          WHERE, WHERE ARE THE, IN, WHERE'S THE INCREASE IN THE BUDGET? WELL, IT'S BASICALLY OUR POSITIONS. 
          IT'S SALARIES, WAGES, AND BENEFITS. 
          UM, WE ARE PROPOSING, UH, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HAVE WORKED WITH US AND WE'RE PROPOSING, UH, 1212 FULLTIME FIRE RESCUE POSITIONS AS WELL AS, UH, THREE PART-TIME. 
          AND I'LL EXPLAIN, 
          [01:20:01]
UM, MORE OF WHAT THAT IS. 
          I DO WANNA POINT OUT THOUGH, THAT IF YOU TOOK THE SALARIES AND WAGES OUT OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS THE BIGGEST PART OF OUR BUDGET, THEN OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS RELATIVELY THE SAME AS IT WAS LAST YEAR OR MAYBE JUST A LITTLE BIT LESS, JUST A SMIDGET LESS. 
          AND SO WHY IS THAT? WE HAVE SOME THINGS IN OUR BUDGET. 
          WHEN I SAY LAST YEAR, IT'S REALLY THE PRESENT BUDGET I'M TALKING ABOUT. 
          WE HAVE SOME THINGS IN THE BUDGET. 
          THIS, THIS CURRENT BUDGET THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE STATION RENOVATIONS. 
          WE'RE DOING VOICEOVER INTERNET PHONES, SECURITY CAMERAS, CARD READER ACCESS, ALL OF THAT COMBINED WAS ABOUT $215,000. 
          WE DID NOT NEED TO PUT THAT INTO THE NEXT BUDGET REQUEST. 
          THAT'S THE CURRENT BUDGET. 
          SO IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THAT STANDPOINT, A LOT OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS RELATIVELY THE SAME WITH THE, UM, THEN YOU ADD THE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT WE'RE REQUESTING, AS WELL AS THE SALARY, UM, ADJUSTMENTS AND SO FORTH. 
          WE'LL GIVE YOU THAT 19.3%, UH, REQUEST AS AN INCREASE. 
          I DO WANNA MENTION TO YOU THAT, UM, THE, THE GRANT BUDGET, UH, FIRE, FIRE EMERGENCY PLANNING GRANT BUDGET IS REALLY COMPOSED OF, OF FOUR GRANTS. 
          AND WE'VE ADDED A GRANT THIS YEAR. 
          IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S BEEN A HUGE INCREASE IN THAT, AND IT HAS BEEN. 
          BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHY. 
          TRADITIONALLY THAT HISTORICALLY, THAT BUDGET HAS BEEN COMPOSED OF A TO LOCALITIES. 
          IT COMES FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF FIRE PROGRAMS. IT'S FUNDED BY THE INSURANCE IN INDUSTRY FOR HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE. 
          AND THAT USUALLY, UH, ENDS UP BEING APPROXIMATELY, UH, $87,000. 
          WE HAVE FOUR FOR LIFE, WHICH COMES FROM THE VIRGINIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, AND THAT'S ABOUT $29,000. 
          AND THAT IS, UH, MONEY THAT COMES BACK TO THE LOCALITY, 26% RETURN TO LOCALITY FOR VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS. 
          THERE'S A FEE CHARGED TO VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS THAT FUNDS VIRGINIA'S EMS SYSTEM. 
          AND THEN WE GET INTO A LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING GRANT THAT COMES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, ULTIMATELY FEMA. 
          AND THAT'S ABOUT $33,000. 
          THAT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT YOU HAVE TO MATCH. 
          IF YOU ACCEPT THE 16,000 FROM VM AND FEMA, YOU HAVE TO MATCH IT WITH 16. 
          THE OTHERS ARE TRUE 100% GRANTS. 
          WHAT WE ADDED THIS YEAR IS A SAFER GRANT. 
          WE RECEIVED A SAFER GRANT, UM, STAFF AND ASSISTANCE FOR FIRE EMERGENCY RESPONSE FOR VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. 
          AND IT'S ROUGHLY, UM, $107,000 OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. 
          AND SO THAT WE LUMPED INTO THE GRANT BUDGET, WHICH MAKES THE GRANT BUDGET LOOK LIKE IT INCREASED IN ALL THE ACTUALITY IT ACTUALLY DID. 
          AND SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ON THE BUDGET REQUEST. 
          FURTHER, UH, EXPLANATION OF CHANGES. 
          UM, WE DO HAVE THE, THE 12, THE 12 FULL-TIME, UH, FIREFIGHTER, UH, EMTS IN THE BUDGET. 
          WE ALSO HAVE THREE PART-TIME POSITIONS. 
          THESE ARE ALL SUPPORT POSITIONS. 
          WE HAVE A PART-TIME DEPUTY FIRE RESCUE CHIEF. 
          WE HAVE A PART-TIME LOGISTICS TECHNICIAN AND A PART-TIME FIRE LIFE SAFETY EDUCATOR. 
          WHAT I'LL TELL YOU IS, IS THAT WE HAVE GROWN THE, UH, FIELD, UH, EXPONENTIALLY OVER THE, THE COURSE OF, OF THE TIME SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE CAREER FIREFIGHTERS, WHICH WAS 2009. 
          WHAT WE HAVEN'T GROWN IS OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT THE FIELD. 
          AND WE HAVE REACHED A POINT WHERE FIRE RESCUE ADMINISTRATION IS HAVING DIFFICULTY KEEPING UP WITH WHAT THE NEEDS IN THE FIELD ARE. 
          AND SO WE JUST WANNA BRING SOME OF THIS, UH, SOME OF THIS INTO, UH, OUR BUDGET. 
          UH, WE HAVE A LARGE FLEET THAT HAS TO BE MANAGED. 
          UM, WE HAVE LOGISTICAL NEEDS AND SUPPORT NEEDS, AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE. 
          ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S A PERSONAL PROTECTIVE, UH, CLOTHING. 
          THERE'S SOME OFFICER UPGRADES, THERE'S A NEW MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATING OR, OR I GUESS NEGOTIATING IS NOT THE RIGHT TERM. 
          UH, EXPLAINING AND WORKING TOGETHER ON WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION. 
          AND FROM THAT STANDPOINT, UH, WE, WE CERTAINLY, UM, HAVE THOSE ITEMS IN THERE. 
          WE HAVE MONEY IN THERE FOR A STRATEGIC PLAN TO FOLLOW UP THE MASTER PLAN, IF THAT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD. 
          UH, WE HAVE TRIED TO BUILD IN INFLATION COSTS AS WELL AS SOME SOFTWARE AND ALSO AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SECTION OF THE BUDGET THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE. 
          AND THAT'S, UH, ROUGHLY THE EM SECTION IS, IS ROUGHLY $5,000. 
          OF COURSE, VEHICLE REPAIRS HAVE GONE UP AND WE'RE LOOKING AT AN INCREASE IN DIESEL FUEL AND, AND FUEL COSTS. 
          SO WHY DO WE NEED MORE CAREER FIREFIGHTER EMTS ON DUTY? WHY DO WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS? IT'S, UH, IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. 
          UH, THE SERVICE DEMAND IS INCREASING. 
          UH, WE'RE SEEING AN AGING POPULATION IN THE COUNTY, RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL GROWTH OR SPREADING. 
          UH, WE HAVE AGE RESTRICTED COMMUNITIES, MULTI-FAMILY DWELLINGS. 
          WE HAVE OVER A THOUSAND APARTMENT UNITS TODAY. 
          IN FACT, I THINK TO BE EXACT, UM, IT MIGHT BE LIKE 1,044 APARTMENTS BETWEEN THE THREE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT ARE IN THE EAST END OF THE COUNTY TODAY. 
          UM, THEY'RE MORE BUS BUSINESSES, MORE VISITORS. 
          THE LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAYS BRING LOTS OF POPULATION 
          [01:25:01]
TRAVELING THROUGH THE COUNTY. 
          AND ALL OF THE, UH, THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE ON THIS LIST. 
          AND CERTAINLY, UH, THE CHIEF, I'M SORRY, THE SHERIFF HAD INDICATED, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, AVERY POINT, FOR EXAMPLE. 
          UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A HUGE, UH, ASSISTED LIVING COMPLEX AND WE'RE STARTING TO RUN QUITE A FEW CALLS THERE. 
          AND WE'RE JUST REALIZING THAT THAT'S GONNA BE A HIGH CALL GENERATOR FACILITY. 
          UH, WE'VE ESTIMATED IT'S GONNA GENERATE AS MANY AS, UH, 500 CALLS A YEAR. 
          SOME OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS IN MARYLAND ARE TELLING US IT'S 80 CALLS A MONTH. 
          UM, SO IF YOU'RE IN THE CENTERVILLE DISTRICT AND YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SERVICES FROM COMPANY THREE, IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO COMPETE TO GET THAT AMBULANCE IF IT'S NOT ALREADY ON A CALL DOWN ON WILS RIDGE PARKWAY AT AVERY POINT, SHELTER IN ARMS, THE N APARTMENTS OR ANY ONE OF THE MEDICAL FACILITIES THAT ARE DOWN THERE. 
          AND IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS. 
          WE HAVE TO PROVIDE, UH, SERVICE TO THOSE PLACES JUST LIKE WE DO THE RESIDENCES ALONG SHALLOW WELL AND MANNEQUIN ROAD. 
          WE'VE WORKED HARD OVER THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE KNOW, UH, ONE WAY TO ADDRESS THIS GROWTH IS BY RECRUITING MORE VOLUNTEERS. 
          UH, WE DID GET A SAFER GRANT I MENTIONED, UH, AND WE DID RECRUIT LAST YEAR, A RECORD NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS. 
          WE HAVE A RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION COORDINATOR, UH, AND SHE IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB, IMPROVING OUR NUMBERS, BRINGING IT IN. 
          WE ARE STREAMLINING OUR PROCESSES, GETTING THE VOLUNTEER MEMBER, THE APPLICATIONS THROUGH THE SYSTEM QUICKER, AND WE'RE OUT THERE DOING MORE. 
          AND SO 30, WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN 35, UM, VOLUNTEERS. 
          AND I EXPECT TO SEE THAT NUMBER CLIMB OVER THE NEXT, OVER THE NEXT YEAR. 
          ALONG THE SAME LINES, UH, THE VOLUNTEERS THAT WE HAVE WHO PARTICIPATE TODAY, WE SAW AN INCREASE IN HOURS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE PANDEMIC, OR REALLY FAR BEYOND BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. 
          YOU KNOW, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE OUR DUTY HOURS GO UP. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, WE TRACK, UH, A VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY BY COUNTING THE NUMBER OF CALLS THEY ANSWER AS WELL AS, UM, THE HOURS THEY LOG AND THEY PULL IN THE FIRE STATION AS PART OF A DUTY CREW. 
          AND WE SAW AN INCREASE, UH, THIS PAST YEAR, THOSE HOURS, UH, BOTH FIRE AND RESCUE DUTY HOURS. 
          AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING TO SEE THAT TREND, UH, CONTINUE TO GO UP, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR CAREER FIREFIGHTER STAFFING PLAN, UM, THE POSITIONS, THE 12 POSITIONS THAT WE, WE HAVE IN THIS BUDGET. 
          AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THOSE 12 POSITIONS. 
          SIX OF THOSE ARE GONNA GO TO SANDY HOOK TO GIVE FULL-TIME STAFF INTO SANDY HOOK, AND WE HOPE TO COVER FULL-TIME HOURS ONCE WE GET, GET THAT, UH, TEMPORARY BUILDING ERECTED ON THE PROPERTY. 
          AND THEN THE OTHER SIX ARE GONNA BE MIXED IN, UM, TO OUR, OUR OTHER FIRE STATIONS. 
          UH, MR. CARPENTER HAD INDICATED THAT, UH, SOME OF THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE USED FOR THE WEST CREEK STATION WHEN IT OPENS. 
          HONESTLY, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL AS A FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT IS WE NEED TO GET INDEPENDENT STAFFING ALL OF OUR UNITS SO THAT WE CAN STAFF THE FIRE ENGINE AND THE AMBULANCE WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE. 
          BECAUSE HONESTLY, THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES, UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW. 
          BUT THIS, BUT INFUSING 12 PEOPLE IS HUGE FOR US, AND WE, WE ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THAT AND IT WILL HELP WITH ALL OF OUR RESPONSE TIMES AS WELL AS OVERALL, UM, YOU KNOW, RESOURCE AVAILABILITY. 
          AND LOOKING AT THAT, I HAD MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEEDED TO GET EACH EACH STATION UP TO AT LEAST FIVE FIREFIGHTER EMTS ON DUTY A DAY. 
          AND WHAT THIS, WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IS, IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE THREE OF THOSE PEOPLE ASSIGNED TO A FIRE ENGINE AND TWO ASSIGNED TO THE AMBULANCE. 
          AND WE USE A CONCEPT TODAY, WE REFER TO AS CROSS STAFFING, WHERE WE HAVE TWO OR THREE PEOPLE THERE AND THEY HANDLE WHATEVER CALL COMES IN FIRST AND THEY SWITCH THEIR EQUIPMENT BETWEEN THE VEHICLES AND THEY HANDLE THAT CALL. 
          BUT THERE MAY NOT BE ANYONE THERE LEFT TO HANDLE THE SECOND CALL OR PUT THE NUMBERS ON THE SCENE THAT WE ACTUALLY NEED BASED ON SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING THERE TODAY. 
          I'LL TELL YOU, UM, KINDA LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, UM, MY BUDGET REQUEST ACTUALLY HAD 37 FULL-TIME FIREFIGHTERS IN IT. 
          IT, AND CERTAINLY I TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THIS CHART ON HOW WE GOT TO THAT NUMBER. 
          AND WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS TRYING TO GET EVERY FIRE STATION UP TO FIVE PEOPLE. 
          BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE A VERY LARGE, UH, WORKFORCE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CAREER MEMBERS. 
          AND EACH ONE OF OUR CAREER MEMBERS EARNS ANNUAL LEAVE, SICK LEAVE, FAMILY SICK LEAVE, SOME ARE IN THE MILITARY, UH, THEN WE HAVE WORKER COMP THINGS THAT COME IN. 
          WE HAVE LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS, UH, AND SO FORTH AND SO ON. 
          AND SO PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE OFF. 
          AND SO WHEN WE BUILD OUR NUMBERS VERY CONSERVATIVELY AND WE DON'T BUILD ANY TYPE OF RELIEF FACTOR IN THERE, WHEN WE START TO LET PEOPLE OFF ON LEAVE, OR IF SOMEBODY GOES OUT ON AN INJURY, THEN AT THAT POINT OUR NUMBERS GO DOWN. 
          AND SO WE CERTAINLY, UM, CERTAINLY NEED TO BUILD SOME OF THAT IN, INTO THERE. 
          AND THEN OF COURSE, THE, THE WEST CREEK STATION STAFFING, UH, THERE IS NO VOLUNTEER BASE THERE AROUND THE WEST CREEK AREA. 
          IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE WOULDN'T TRY TO BRING SOME VOLUNTEERS IN, 
          [01:30:01]
BUT REALISTICALLY WE NEED TO PLAN TO STAFF THAT WEST CREEK STATION WITH, WITH CAREER STAFF. 
          SO WHY DO WE NEED ALL THESE FOLKS ON DUTY? WELL, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A LOT OF FOLKS TO, TO HANDLE, UM, HANDLE THE, THE EMERGENCIES. 
          WHEN YOU LOOK AT NFPA, UH, HOW MANY PEOPLE IT TAKES TO HANDLE THE FIRES, ONE THING IS DIFFERENT IN GLAND COUNTY THOUGH. 
          IF WE NEED 15 PEOPLE TO HANDLE A HOUSE FIRE, HALF OF THESE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE DOING RURAL WATER SUPPLY. 
          IF IT'S AN AREA WHERE THERE'S NO FIRE HYDRANT. 
          THE, UH, WE HAD A STRUCTURE FIRE OVER THE WEEKEND AND WE HAD 18 PEOPLE THERE, AND WE FIGURED OUT THAT, UH, AT LEAST EIGHT AND MAYBE NINE WERE, WERE NOT THERE TO FIGHT THE FIRE. 
          THEY WERE DRIVING THE TANKERS BRINGING WATER TO AND FROM THE FIRE SCENE. 
          'CAUSE THERE WERE NO FIRE HYDRANTS. 
          AND SO WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT. 
          AND THEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IN THE TARGET HAZARDS THAT WE'RE FACING, UH, LIKE THE CONGREGATE CARE FACILITIES AND THE LARGE BUSINESSES, THE FIVE STORY HOTEL, UH, THE THREE APARTMENT COMPLEXES. 
          WE'VE GOTTA HAVE MORE PEOPLE TO HANDLE, HANDLE THESE, UH, THESE INCIDENTS. 
          EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH REQUIRES, UH, ADDITIONAL HELP ON CERTAIN HIGH ACUITY TYPE EMS CALLS. 
          AND THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE ALSO WATCH. 
          UM, AND THAT SOFTWARE, BASED ON WHAT THAT CALLER IS TELLING US, DECIDES WHETHER WE NEED ADDITIONAL HELP OR WHETHER TWO PEOPLE ON AN AMBULANCE CAN HANDLE IT. 
          SO BACK TO CROSS STAFFING, WE CAN ONLY HANDLE ONE CALL AT A TIME. 
          THE CREWS KIND OF HAVE TO CHOOSE WHETHER THEY TAKE A FIRE ENGINE ON AN AMBULANCE. 
          I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. 
          IF YOU'RE AT COMPANY SIX WORKING AND YOU HAVE A, UH, ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE AND YOU MAKE THE ACCIDENT MAY BE ONE CAR OR TWO CAR, IT COULD BE WITH A SERIOUS INJURY, IT COULD BE ON FIRE OR IT COULD BE A PERSON TRAPPED, OR IT COULD BE ALL THREE OF THOSE AND MORE, THAT CREW HAS TO DECIDE, AM I GONNA TAKE THE FIRE ENGINE OR AM I GONNA TAKE THE AMBULANCE? AND THEN THE OTHER STATIONS, COMPANY FOUR FROM EIGHT MILES AWAY COMES ACROSS WITH THE OTHER TYPE OF UNIT. 
          AND THANK GOODNESS WE HAVE SANDY HOOK. 
          UH, CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY THEY CAN BRING AN AMBULANCE UP, BUT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CHOOSE THAT BECAUSE OUR CITIZENS ON THE OTHER END OF THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY NEED BOTH. 
          YOU KNOW, THEY MAY, MAY NEED THE FIRE ENGINE BECAUSE THE CAR IS ON FIRE, BUT THEY MAY GET THERE AND THE PATIENT IS EJECTED LAYING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE FIRE ENGINE IS WHAT THEY BROUGHT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY HAD TO TAKE CARE OF FIRST, BUT NOW THEY'RE WAITING 10 MINUTES FOR AN AMBULANCE TO GET THERE FROM, FROM SANDY HOOK OR, OR MAYBE COMING OVER EIGHT MILES FROM, UH, FIFE THERE. 
          GEORGIA'S TAVERN. 
          SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CONFRONTED WITH. 
          UH, ADDITIONALLY, WHEN WE GET INDEPENDENT STAFFING ON THE UNITS, UH, THE RESPONSE TIMES WILL IMPROVE. 
          THERE'LL BE LESS SWITCHING BETWEEN VEHICLES, AND THEN WE GET INTO JUST, UH, HOW DANGEROUS THE JOB IS THAT WE DO. 
          UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS A DANGEROUS JOB, AND WE DO TOO. 
          AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, THERE ARE OSHA REQUIREMENTS. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, IF THAT HOUSE IS ON FIRE, WE CANNOT MAKE ENTRY INTO THAT HOUSE IF THERE'S NO LIFE TO BE SAVED UNTIL WE HAVE A CREW IN THE FRONT YARD, A RAPID INTERVENTION CREW TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND RESCUE THE FIRST CREW, IF THEY GET IN TROUBLE, THE RULE OF THUMB IS IT TAKES 12 FIREFIGHTERS TO RESCUE ONE FIREFIGHTER THAT'S TRAPPED OR IT'S DECLARED WHAT WE CALL A MAYDAY SITUATION. 
          AND SO WE HAVE, WE'RE NOT EXEMPT FROM THE LAW AND WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT LAW. 
          WE ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE ENTRY INTO THAT HOME. 
          IF THERE'S CLEAR EVIDENCE OF SOMEONE BEING INSIDE OF THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU RISK A LOT TO SAVE A LIFE. 
          YOU RISK LITTLE TO SAVE LITTLE AND YOU RISK NOTHING TO SAVE NOTHING, UH, AS, AS A GUIDE TO TRY TO HELP WITH SOME OF THAT RISK-BASED ASSESSMENT. 
          THE OTHER THING, UM, I WOULD SAY IS THAT ADDITIONAL HELP WILL HELP WITH OUR ISO RATING. 
          IT'LL HELP US MOVE INTO THAT NEXT CATEGORY. 
          UM, AND THEN OVER THE LAST YEAR I'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY CITIZENS WHO SAY I PULLED UP AT THE FIRE STATION AND THERE WAS NO ONE THERE, BUT I HAD SOMEONE THAT WAS SICK IN THE CAR. 
          AND I EXPLAINED, WELL, YOU KNOW, COMPANY THREE WAS ALREADY ON A CALL. 
          THERE WERE TWO CALLS GOING ON AT CAPITAL ONE. 
          THERE WAS ANOTHER CALL GOING ON SOMEWHERE ELSE. 
          AND SO IT DOES GIVE US THE ABILITY TO HANDLE, UH, MORE CALL AT A TIME. 
          I WORRY AS THE FIRE CHIEF, WHEN ALL OF OUR AMBULANCES ARE OUT OF THE COUNTY AT THE HOSPITALS, WHAT IF WE HAVE A, ANOTHER LARGE EMERGENCY IN THE COUNTY? WHAT IF WE HAVE A HOUSE CATCH ON FIRE OR A BUSINESS FIRE AND WE'VE GOT THREE OR FOUR AMBULANCES, UH, SPREAD BETWEEN VCU ST. 
          MARY'S AND RIKER DOCTORS AND MAYBE CHARLOTTESVILLE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS ALL THEY, THOSE SAME FOLKS ARE ALSO OUR FIRE STAFF AND OUR FIRST WAVE OF FIRE STAFFING. 
          AND SO THIS IS WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT, UH, WORRYING ABOUT THAT. 
          NOT TO MENTION THE SAFETY OF OUR PERSONNEL BECAUSE OF THE HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOB. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, UM, THIS IS ALL EXPENSIVE AND I, AND I GET THAT BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE COUNTY TOO AND HAVE ALL MY LIFE. 
          I'LL TELL YOU THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS OUT HERE ON HOW TO DO THIS. 
          AND THIS, UH, SAFER GRANT WE GOT FOR VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS, IS ADMINISTERED BY FEMA AND IT'S, 
          [01:35:01]
UH, STANDS FOR STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE. 
          AND THERE'S ALSO A GRANT HERE FOR, FOR THE HIRING OF CAREER FIREFIGHTERS. 
          AND THE WAY THE SAFER IS STRUCTURED AT THE PRESENT TIME IS THAT IF WE WERE TO APPLY FOR A SAFER GRANT FOR X AMOUNT OF POSITIONS, SAFER CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE FULL FUNDING FOR THOSE POSITIONS, SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS. 
          AT THE END OF THE THREE YEARS, THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE TO PICK UP THOSE SALARIES, AND AT THE END OF THREE YEARS, THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY GRANT STRINGS ATTACHED TO THOSE POSITIONS THAT COULD BE MOVED AND PLACED WHEREVER WE THOUGHT WE NEEDED THEM. 
          I THINK THE FIRE ALARM'S GOING OFF, EVERYONE SHOULD, UH, EVACUATE. 
          YES, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          E-A-A-A-A, A A A A. 
          [01:42:04]
SO , BUT IT ABSOLUTELY WILL GET YOUR ATTENTION AND EVERYBODY DID A GREAT JOB EVACUATING THE BUILDING. 
          SO I'M GONNA WRAP IT UP, UM, AT THE LAST PART OF THE PRESENTATION. 
          IS THIS THE, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM? MR. CARPENTER, UH, MOSTLY COVERED THAT IN HIS PRESENTATION. 
          WE APPRECIATE, UM, THE SUPPORT THEY HAVE, THE VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, BLESS YOU THAT, UM, THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO OUR JOB. 
          THE FLEET'S ALWAYS CHALLENGING. 
          UH, YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD THAT BEFORE. 
          UH, WE HAVE HIGH MILEAGE ON SOME OF OUR VEHICLES AND THE AGE OF THE FLEET, UH, BUT WE DO INVEST A LOT IN IT AND WE TAKE, UM, TAKE REALLY GOOD CARE OF IT. 
          REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE TWO, UH, TWO ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS THAT WE HAVE COMING UP IN THE NEXT, UH, TWO TO THREE YEARS AT WEST CREEK STATION, AS WELL AS THE, UH, SANDY HOOK STATION. 
          WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD FOR THAT. 
          HENLEY FIRE RESCUE TRAINING CENTER IS, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, COMING ALONG, UH, NICELY. 
          UH, WE ARE, WE'VE MADE MANY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SITE. 
          TWO BRAND NEW CLASSROOMS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE SITE IN THE LAST YEAR, AS WELL AS, UM, AT BURN BUILDING. 
          A LIVE FIRE TRAINING STRUCTURE IS IS STILL ON ORDER, AND WE'RE HOPING TO RECEIVE THAT, UH, THIS SPRING. 
          LOOKING AHEAD, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE SEE, WE CERTAINLY ARE GONNA SEE AN INCREASE IN MOST OF THE AREAS OF OUR OPERATION, JUST BASED ON THE DEMAND FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, OUR FACILITIES, UH, NOT OUR FIRE RESCUE STATION FACILITIES, BUT FACILITIES TO HOLD, UH, OUR LOGISTICAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES AS WELL AS, UH, FIRE RESCUE, UM, ADMINISTRATION STAFF. 
          AND WITH THAT, UM, LIKE THE SHERIFF, UH, I WOULD JUST WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE FOLKS, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE IN THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT, UH, AND WHAT THEY DO EVERY, UH, DAY OF THE WEEK, UH, TO PROTECT, UH, THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. 
          UH, WE COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU. 
          BOARD. 
          ANY QUESTIONS OF THE CHIEF, MR. CHRISTIE? YEAH, UH, CHIEF. 
          SO FOR THE MUTUAL AID, YES, SIR, IS THERE ANY COMPENSATION FROM THE OTHER COUNTIES OR LOCALITIES IF WE PROVIDE THERE? THERE IS NOT ANY, UH, THERE'S NO COMPENSATION WITH THAT. 
          WE DO HAVE MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS WITH ALL CONTINUOUS, UH, LOCALITIES. 
          PLUS WE HAVE A CENTRAL VIRGINIA MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT, AND IT BASICALLY, UH, OUTLINES THE FRAMEWORK OF HOW WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER. 
          BUT THERE IS NO, UH, TO DATE, THERE IS NO COST. 
          WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT, UH, IF WE RUN A AMBULANCE CALL IN LOUISA OR INTERSTATE 64 IN LOUISA, WE CAN, UH, GENERATE A BILL FOR THAT PATIENT WHEN WE TRANSPORT THEM TO THE HOSPITAL, OR IF WE RUN IN ANY JURISDICTION, AND NOT JUST LOUISA, WE, WE CAN ALWAYS TRY TO RECOVER, UH, A PORTION OF THE AMBULANCE TRANSPORT COST. 
          SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT, UH, I WOULD SAY THAT THAT KIND OF HELPS TO, TO BALANCE THAT. 
          BUT WE, WE DO HELP EACH OTHER, UH, IN EQUAL FASHION. 
          I KNOW IT, SOME OF THE NUMBERS WOULD INDICATE THAT WE GIVE MORE 
          [01:45:01]
THAN WE RECEIVE, BUT, UM, THAT'S THE BEST POSITION TO BE IN BASED ON WHAT OUR CAPABILITIES ARE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? THANK YOU, CHIEF. 
          UM, I JUST HOPE I DON'T SEE THAT ONE SECOND RESPONSE TIME OF BRINGING YOUR 2024 NUMBERS DOWN, . 
          I HOPE NOT. 
          AND TODAY'S DAY'S CALL HERE AT THE ADMIN BUILDING WILL HELP OUR NUMBERS. 
          SO, , I I, ALMOST A VERY SERIOUS NOTE. 
          UM, I DO WANT JUST TO SAY THAT, UM, WE ALL ARE WEARING, UM, MORNING BANDS ON OUR BADGES AND OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND DEEPEST CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO, UH, LOUDOUN COUNTY COMBINED FIRE RESCUE SYSTEM, THE STERLING VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THE FAMILY OF, UH, FALLEN FIREFIGHTER, UH, TREVOR JONES, WHO WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY FRIDAY NIGHT IN A, UH, HOME GAS EXPLOSION IN LOUDOUN COUNTY. 
          SO, UM, I JUST WANT TO END ON THAT. 
          UM, CHIEF JOHNSON, UH, IS SOMEONE THAT WE WORK WITH ON THE STATE LEVELS ON A REGULAR BASIS. 
          UH, HE'S BEEN THE, UH, CHAIR OF THE VIRGINIA FIRE CHIEF'S ASSOCIATION AND OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES AND SYMPATHY, AS WELL AS THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS IN ADDITION TO, UH, FIREFIGHTER JONES WHO WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY. 
          THERE WERE 13 OTHERS WHO WERE INJURED TO, UH, CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AND THE OTHER ARE FIREFIGHTERS. 
          SOME HAVE SERIOUS INJURIES THAT ARE IN BURN CENTERS, UH, THERE IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. 
          SO I DO WANNA SAY THAT. 
          SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND OUR CONDOLENCES AS WELL. 
          THANK, THANK YOU TO CHIEF FERGUSON AND TO, UH, SHERIFF CREASEY AND ALL OUR DEPARTMENTS, UH, FOR BRINGING TOGETHER THIS DRAFT BUDGET. 
          IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK AND, UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD THROUGH WORK SESSIONS AND OTHERS, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE OUR COUNTY STAFF, UM, AND ALL OUR DEPARTMENTS WORKING HARD TO, UH, BRING SOMETHING LIKE THIS TOGETHER. 
          IT'S A HUGE TASK, SO THANK YOU. 
          UM, MOVING ON, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL AUTHORIZATIONS AND REQUESTS FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS, 
          [3.	Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearing the Proposed 2024 Real Estate Tax Rate]
AND SO I'LL TURN THE MIC OVER TO MS. GAFE. 
          HI . 
          THIS IS JUST THE FORMAL PART OF GETTING OUR, UM, ADVERTISEMENTS OUT THERE TO CITIZENS TO LET, LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE WILL BE EVENTUALLY LOOKING AT ADOPTING. 
          UM, WE'LL START WITH THE NOTICE OF THE PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. 
          UM, SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR, BUT THERE'S A STATE CODE THAT STATES EVERY YEAR THERE'S A REASSESSMENT ON REAL ESTATE. 
          A COUNTY IS NOT ALLOWED TO, UM, COLLECT MORE THAN 101% OF THE PRIOR YEAR TAX. 
          AND THIS IS LOOKING AT, UM, CURRENT CONSTRUCT OR CURRENT VALUES, NO NEW CONSTRUCTION. 
          SO WE HAD AN INCREASE IN EXISTING VALUES IN 4.9%. 
          UM, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT OUR EFFECTIVE TAX RATE WOULD BE TO BRING INTO MORE THAN 101% OF LAST YEAR, I GUESS, CURRENT YEAR'S REVENUE, THAT WOULD'VE GIVEN US A EFFECTIVE TAX RATE OF 51 CENT. 
          HOWEVER, UM, WE ARE PROPOSING TO KEEP IT AT 53 CENT, WHICH IS A 2 CENT INCREASE, OR A 4.9% INCREASE. 
          SO WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE THAT EVERY YEAR, AND WE'RE SCHEDULED TO HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS AS WELL AS ALL OUR OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS ON APRIL 2ND. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION, UH, MR. CHAIR? I MOVE THE BOARD APPROVE ADVERTISING THE ATTACHED NOTICE AND SETTING THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 2ND, 2024 TO CONSIDER THE 2024 REAL ESTATE TAX RATE. 
          SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          OPPOSED? THANK YOU. 
          MOVING ON. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          AND THE ONLY OTHER ONE TO DISCUSS IS ALSO ON APRIL 2ND. 
          [4.	Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearing the County Administrator's Proposed Fiscal Year 2025 County Budget and Proposed Calendar Year 2024 Tax Rates]
UM, UH, PUBLIC HEARING CAN BE HELD ON THE ENTIRE $134 MILLION BUDGET OR WHATEVER THAT ENDS UP BEING, UM, AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL'S PROPOSED BUDGET AND THE 25 YEAR CIP PROGRAM AND ALL TAX RATES, WHICH WE HAVE NO CHANGES TO CURRENTLY. 
          DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD, MR. CHAIRMAN? I MOVE TO THE BOARD APPROVE ADVERTISING THE ATTACHED NOTICE AND SETTING PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 2ND, 2024, CONSIDERED 25 5 BUDGET. 
          2024 TAX RATES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SECOND. 
          SECOND. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          OPPOSED? THANK YOU. 
          OH, I'M SORRY. 
          I SAID THAT WAS THE LAST ONE. 
          THERE'S ONE MORE. 
          UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS LOOKING TO 
          [5.	Request to set public hearing for April 2, 2024, to consider an ordinance amending the County fee schedule, Appendix C to the County Code, to increase the utilities water and sewer volume and service charges, and to increase the animal protection pet adoption fees]
INCREASE THEIR FEES AND THE BOARD HAS TO ADOPT THAT THROUGH, UM, ADJUST OR AMENDING THEIR APPENDIX C TO THE COUNTY CODE. 
          UM, THE FEES THAT ARE GONNA BE CHANGED OR WE'RE PROPOSING TO CHANGE INCLUDE THE WATER AND SEWER VOLUME AND SERVICE FEES INCREASING BY 3% TO RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS ONLY. 
          UM, AND THEN THOSE SAME FEES WILL INCREASE FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS BY 1%. 
          UM, 
          [01:50:01]
AND THEN UTILITIES IS LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT A TWO TIER WATER AND SEWER RATE STRUCTURE. 
          UM, ONCE PEOPLE HIT A CERTAIN THRESHOLD, THEY WOULD PAY ONE RATE AND ABOVE THAT THRESHOLD. 
          ANOTHER, UM, AND THIS ALL COMES THROUGH THEIR TWO OR THREE, EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS, THEY DO AN OFFICIAL RATE STUDY, BUT THEN OUR UTILITIES DEPARTMENT LOOKS AT THIS ANNUALLY AS WELL. 
          SO THAT'S, UM, THE RATE STRUCTURE THEY'RE LOOKING AT. 
          AND THEN BESIDES THAT, THERE'S JUST A OVERALL ADOPTION RATE INCREASE. 
          RIGHT NOW, FEMALES AND MALES ARE CHARGED A DIFFERENT ADOPTION RATE. 
          HE'S LOOKING TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE SIMPLER, SO THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THOSE FEE CHANGES AS WELL. 
          UM, ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD? YOU WANT TO THE MOTION FIRST DISCUSSION? UH OH. 
          UH, IT, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION? UH, SURE. 
          MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THE BOARD APPROVE SIT IN PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 2ND, 2024 TO CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE COUNTY FEE SCHEDULES PRESENTED. 
          SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, ALL IN FAVOR? ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. 
          ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD? MSAU? MR. I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, UH, SINCE SOME OF US ARE NEW TO THIS AND THERE'S NEW FOLKS, THIS ISN'T, WE'RE NOT ADOPTING ANYTHING TODAY OTHER THAN THE MEETINGS THEMSELVES. 
          SO THIS MEETING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN THAT WE HAVE PUT OUT OUR DRAFT BUDGET, AND THIS IS WHERE WE LOOK FOR PUBLIC INPUT. 
          THIS IS THE BIGGEST DELTA I'VE EVER SEEN IN WHAT WE'RE BRINGING IN AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING. 
          UM, IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD. 
          SO PUBLIC INPUT'S GONNA BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHERE, LIKE, LIKE I SAID IN MY PRAYER, WE'RE STEWARDING THE MONEY. 
          SO PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE BOARD AND, UM, ATTEND THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS SO THAT WE CAN, UH, GET YOUR, YOUR INPUT. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          MR. SPOON. 
          HOUR. 
          UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY, WITH THAT, THANK, THANK YOU, MS. K. 
          UH, WITH THAT WE WILL, UH, OKAY. 
          ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION MADE SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          OPPOSED? OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY. 
          UM, WITH THAT I WILL MOVE, UH, TO ADJOURN. 
          UH, UH, MEETING IS ADJOURNED TO, UH, MARCH 5TH, 2024. 
          [VI.	Adjournment]
WE HAVE A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WORK SESSION AT 1230 ON THE FIRE AND RESCUE MASTER PLAN, FOLLOWED BY A 3:00 PM UH, REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND A 6:00 PM UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS SESSION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          WITH THAT, WE'LL ADJOURN.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.