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WELL, IF Y'ALL COULDN'T MAKE YOUR WAY TO YOUR SEATS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO COME OUT TONIGHT.
UH, TO BE PART OF OUR, UM, OUR ANNUAL, UH, SPRING TOWN HALL.
UH, WE HAVE WITH US TONIGHT FROM THE COUNTY, THREE OF OUR SUPERVISORS, UH, MR. TOM WINFREY, WHOSE DISTRICT WE'RE IN.
MR. NEIL SPOON, HOWER, WHOSE DISTRICT WE'RE ALSO SERVING TONIGHT.
AND MR. JONATHAN LYLE FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
KUMAR, IF YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE THE SCHOOL BOARD.
THIS TOWN HALL IS ESPECIALLY, UM, IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I LITERALLY LIVE THREE FOOTBALL FIELDS THAT DIRECTION.
BUT WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE WITH US, OUR CHAIR FROM DISTRICT THREE, MS. ANGELA ALLEN.
WE ALSO HAVE WITH US FROM DISTRICT TWO, MS. KAREN WORSENING, AND I SEE FROM DISTRICT FIVE, MS. ELLEN ROBINSON.
ALSO, JOINING US TONIGHT IS OUR SHERIFF, SHERIFF KREY AND OUR CLERK OF COURT, MS. AMANDA, ADAM.
WE HAVE, UM, NUMBER OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES HERE, AND I KNOW THAT IF I START GOING OFF, I'LL MISS SEVERAL, BUT THEY'RE HERE TO, TO LISTEN TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND TO BE RESOURCES AS WE GO ON THROUGH THE NIGHT.
UH, WE'LL START, I'LL BE GIVING YOU, UH, THE, UH, UM, COUNTIES AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE DOING, THE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN GUCCI COUNTY.
MARTY WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THEN MS. ADAMS WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE CLERK OF COURT'S OFFICE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS GOTTA START THESE THINGS BY SAYING THE SAME THING.
IT'S A GREAT DAY IN UCHIN COUNTY 'CAUSE IT IS, IT'S AN AMAZING PLACE TO BE.
AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE TONIGHT AS WE GO THROUGH WHAT A NEAT PLACE IT IS.
SO WE START BY THE FACT THAT WE DO THINGS LIKE THIS.
THIS IS THE THIRD TOWN HALL MEETING.
WE'LL HAVE FOUR OF THEM, UH, THIS YEAR.
YOU SEE, THERE'S ONE MORE COMING UP.
IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH, WE'D LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE AS WELL.
NOW, I LIKE TO TELL MYSELF THAT PEOPLE COME OUT IN ORDER TO HEAR ME SPEAK, BUT IN REALITY, I KNOW IT'S BECAUSE OF THE COOKIES THAT ARE OUT IN THE HALL.
SO WE WANT TO THANK OUR CTE PROGRAM, OUR CULINARY ARTS STUDENTS FOR MAKING THOSE COOKIES.
UH, THOSE COOKIES ARE, ARE ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS, ONE OF THE NEAT, UH, ASPECTS OF GUCCI COUNTY AND OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, OUR HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEY DARNT GOOD.
SO, WE'RE GONNA START TONIGHT THOUGH, BY TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET ITSELF.
THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE MAIN PURPOSES WHY WE'RE HERE, IS TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE COUNTY'S BUDGET AND OH, YEAH, LOOK, A PUPPY, I ALWAYS LIKE TO PUT PUPPIES AND KITTENS IN THESE THINGS.
IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE, CODA, WHO'S, UH, ONE OF OUR DOGS AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER, UH, WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO AND SEE BEFORE CODA IS GOING HOME WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
IF YOU'D LIKE, YOU'LL SEE A COUPLE MORE THROUGH THE NIGHT.
BUT WE'RE GONNA GO BY AS FIRST OF ALL LOOKING BACKWARDS, WHERE WERE WE A FEW YEARS AGO? AND WE START BY LOOKING AT OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENSES.
YOU SEE ABOUT 2018, THE COUNTY'S OVERALL GENERAL FUND WAS ABOUT $50 MILLION.
TODAY, THE BUDGET BEING PRESENTED IS 89, ALMOST $90 MILLION.
THAT'S A BIG GROWTH IN THOSE MANY YEARS, SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TO THE COMMITMENT THAT THE BOARD MADE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
AND YOU SEE WHERE IT REALLY STARTS JUMPING UP.
WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT TONIGHT, BUT THAT'S THE VISUAL EXAMPLE OF THE GROWTH THAT WE HAVE HAD IN THIS COUNTY, IN THIS COMMUNITY, TRYING TO MAKE THIS THE COMMUNITY OF CHOICE.
A PLACE PEOPLE WANNA LIVE AND COME TO.
SO WHERE DOES THE BUDGET TAKE US? WELL, WE START BY WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
WE REALLY START WRITING THE BUDGET IN OCTOBER, AND I POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE WE'RE WRITING A BUDGET IN OCTOBER OF 23 THAT HAS TO RUN ALL THE WAY TO JUNE OF 25.
SO WE'VE GOTTA ANTICIPATE AND DO OUR BEST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN ALMOST 24 MONTHS FROM NOW.
WHEN THE BUDGET ACTUALLY WRAPS UP FROM NOVEMBER THROUGH JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE MET WITH COUNTY DEPARTMENT, WE MET WITH OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, WE MET WITH SCHOOLS, WE HELD WORK SESSIONS WITH, WITH THE SCHOOLS AND COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND, AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS MET WITH BOARD MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES WERE.
AND WE BUILT A BUDGET THAT IS BASED ON THE PRIORITIES THAT ARE SET.
NUMBER ONE, IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE COUNTY STRATEGIC PLAN.
IT'S A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND EXPENDITURE GROWTH.
THIS IS A VERY CONSERVATIVE COUNTY, AND OUR BUDGETS ALWAYS REFLECT THAT.
WE SEEK EFFICIENCIES AND COST SAVINGS.
WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SPENDING MONEY ON UNNECESSARY OR DUPLICATIVE SERVICES.
UH, WE TRY TO SEEK AS WELL, AGAIN, AT THE, THE EXPANDED PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE LEVELS, OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AS WE GO ON, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
SO WE MEET OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES.
YOU KNOW, UCHIN COUNTY HAS GOT, WELL, YOU'LL HEAR THE TERM TRIPLE TRIPLE, AND THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE THREE TRIPLE A CREDIT RATINGS.
BUT YOU NOTICE IT'S EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE.
WE ARE THE SMALLEST COUNTY IN AMERICA TO HAVE THREE TRIPLE A CREDIT RATINGS AND NOT JUST BY A LITTLE BIT.
THE NEXT COUNTY UP IS OVER 10 TIMES OUR SIZE.
SO THAT TELLS YOU SOME OF THE NEAT THINGS, SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS WE'RE DOING.
AND FOLLOWING THESE POLICY REQUIREMENTS, WE ALSO WANNA
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MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUDGETS MAINTAINED COMPETITIVE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING EVERY DAY WITH THE FACT THAT HENRICO AND HANOVER AND CHESTERFIELD ARE HUGE COUNTY.IT'S A BILLION DOLLAR BUDGETS.
AND WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE ABLE TO AFFORD TO WORK HERE.
WE WANNA SUPPORT OUR OPERATIONS AS WE GROW OURS, A COUNTY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE MOVING IN THAT REQUIRES ADDITIONAL DEMANDS ON OUR SERVICES AND OUR UTILITIES.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY'RE SELF-SUSTAINING.
YOU KNOW, OUR UTILITIES ARE WHAT WE CALL AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
IT'S A BUSINESS UNIT OF THE COUNTY.
IT CAN'T, NOT SUPPOSED TO MAKE MONEY, BUT IT CAN'T LOSE MONEY.
AND 'CAUSE THE TAXPAYERS DO NOT SUBSIDIZE UTILITIES.
SO ANYONE WHO'S NOT ON THE COUNTY UTILITY IS A CUSTOMER.
IN, IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY YOUR TAXES DON'T GO TO SUPPORT THE UTILITIES.
THEY, THEY SUPPORT THEMSELVES OFF OF THE REVENUE GENERATOR FROM SERVICE ITSELF.
SO OUR SELF-SUSTAINING RATES FOR OUR UTILITIES.
SO THEN WE START WITH THE REVENUE ITSELF.
ANY BUDGET, RATHER THAN FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH YOU WANNA SPEND, START WITH FIGURING, FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH YOU HAVE TO SPEND.
SO WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR REVENUES ARE GONNA BE FOR THE NEXT ALMOST 24 MONTHS.
WE LOOK AT PROPERTY TAXES AND OTHER LOCAL TAXES.
THE REALITY IS, AS THE GOVERNMENT, THAT'S WHAT SUSTAINS US.
WE DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, INCOME OFF OF STOCKS AND BONDS.
SO, SO WE ARE GENERATING MOST OF OUR REVENUE THROUGH TAXES, BUT ALSO STATE AID.
SOME FEDERAL AID CHARGES FOR SERVICES OR FEES THAT YOU MAY PAY AND GRANTS THAT WE MAY RECEIVE.
WE'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF ONE VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR, THOUGH.
MONEY, WHETHER WE CALL IT A FEE, WHETHER WE CALL IT, UH, A WHATEVER, IT'S TAX.
YOU WRITE A CHECK, YOU PAY FOR IT.
WE'RE VERY AWARE OF THAT ASPECT WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS.
THIS IS YOUR MONEY AND THIS IS MONEY THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
YOU'VE WORKED HARD TO EARN IT.
SO ONCE WE DO THAT, WE START LOOKING AT THE SPENDING SIDE.
WHAT'S GONNA AFFECT US? WELL, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT INFLATION.
DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU ALL HOW INFLATION HAS HIT US THESE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
MEDICAL INSURANCE GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
UH, THE COST OF BUYING ANY KIND OF SUPPLIES AND RESOURCES, UH, GOES UP AS WELL.
UH, CONTINUED DESIRE FROM OUR COMMUNITY, UH, FOR INCREASED PUBLIC SAFETY.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE STRONG MESSAGES WE'VE HEARD.
ALSO, THE POTENTIAL FOR RECESSION COMING UP.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT SOMETHING MAY GO WRONG IN THIS ECONOMY, AND WE DON'T WANNA BE CAUGHT ON THE WRONG SIDE OF IT.
WE'RE ALSO HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE REALITY THAT WE ARE AN AGING COUNTY.
THE AVERAGE AGE IN THIS COUNTY IS NOW JUST OVER 60 YEARS OF AGE.
SO THAT'S AFFECTING US ON CALLS FOR SERVICES FROM AMBULANCE MS SERVICES, UH, 9 1 1 CALLS.
SO WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN FRONT OF US.
OF COURSE, PUBLIC FUNDING FOR EDUCATION.
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT THIS COUNTY IS OUR EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
KUMAR'S GONNA TELL YOU MORE ABOUT IT.
SO I'M NOT GONNA DELVE INTO THAT PART OF IT OTHER THAN TO JUST STRESS HOW IMPORTANT IT'S TO US TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INCLUDE THAT IN THERE.
ALSO, AS I SAID, WE TRY TO MAINTAIN OUR, OUR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION.
AND FINALLY, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
OUR FRIENDS IN RICHMOND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SO GOOD ABOUT PASSING LEGISLATION, ABOUT COMING UP WITH LAWS THAT AFFECT US NEGATIVELY.
WE CALL THAT AN UNFUNDED MANDATE.
THEY COME UP WITH A GREAT IDEA, THEN THEY WANT US TO PAY FOR IT.
SO OUR BUDGET HAS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
SCHOOLS ARE THE ONES REALLY MOST AFFECTED BY THAT.
MARTY WILL SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THOSE STORIES, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE STUCK WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF EXPENSES THAT WE DIDN'T ASK FOR, BUT THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA THAT WE DO IT.
SO WE HAVE TO INCLUDE ALL OF THAT IN OUR BUDGET AND THE BUDGET IMPACTS.
NOW WE HAVE TANK, FIVE YEARS OLD NEUTER CHIP TESTED, AND UP TO DATE ON HIS VETTING.
SO LET'S LOOK AT OUR REVENUES.
WELL, THE MONEY COMING IN THIS YEAR, WE ENDED ABOUT $134 MILLION ROUGHLY IN, UH, IN, UH, IN REVENUE COMING IN.
AND BECAUSE IT'S A BALANCED BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE OUR EXPENSES WILL ALSO EQUAL THAT.
NOW, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT LAST YEAR THE ADOPTED BUDGET WAS 141 MILLION.
SO IT LOOKS ON PAPER LIKE WE DROPPED ABOUT 5% FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR.
I WISH I COULD SAY THAT, THAT WE HAD CUT SPENDING THAT MUCH.
BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS, IF YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR, WE WERE DEALING WITH TRYING TO BUILD AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN, IN, IN THE HIGH, UM, HIGH INFLATIONARY TIMES OF THAT.
AND WE, AND WE HAD TO FIND ABOUT ANOTHER $15 MILLION IN THE BUDGET IN ORDER TO GET THAT APPROVED.
SO LAST YEAR'S BUDGET REFLECTS THE ADDITIONAL COST FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THIS YEAR, THEY'RE NOT IN THE BUDGET, SO THAT'S WHY IT ACTUALLY DROPS IN OVERALL SPENDING.
BUT YOU SEE, PROPERTY TAXES ARE BY FAR THE BIGGEST PART OF THE REVENUE THAT COMES IN FOR US AFTER THAT, FOLLOWED BY FEES OR CHARGES FOR SERVICE, AND THEN OTHER CATEGORICAL ITEMS THAT GO DOWN.
NOW, AS I SAID, TAXES ARE IMPORTANT TO US.
UH, PROPERTY TAXES ARE ONE OF, IN GUCCI COUNTY, IT'S ABOUT $8.6 BILLION OF REAL ESTATE VALUES.
AND THE ASSESSED VALUE WENT UP IN 9.9% THIS YEAR.
NOW, OF THAT 9.9%, MORE THAN HALF OF THAT ACTUALLY CAME FROM NEW GROWTH.
SO NEW, NEW HOUSES, NEW BUILDINGS BEING BUILT, BEING ADDED TO THE TAX ROLLS, THE AVERAGE ASSESSMENT IN THIS COUNTY WENT UP ABOUT 4.9%
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ON THE EXISTING HOUSES.BUT THAT'S WHAT HELPED DRIVES OUR BUDGET.
THAT'S WHAT HELPS, MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO SOME OF THE GREAT AND AMAZING THINGS THAT WE DO.
AND HERE YOU CAN SEE AS WE BREAK DOWN, ONCE AGAIN, A BALANCED BUDGET, $134 MILLION GOING IN, COMING IN AND GOING OUT.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST PART OF THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND.
OF COURSE, EDUCATION IS THE BIGGEST PART OF THE OVERALL, UH, GENERAL FUND THAT WE HAVE.
UTILITIES IS THE THIRD BIGGEST PART, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
NOW, I ALWAYS PUT JUDICIAL, UH, OUR, OUR JUDGES, OUR COURT SYSTEM.
IN MY MIND, THAT'S PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO I ALWAYS IN, IN MY MIND, PUT THOSE TOGETHER.
AND SPEAKING OF THAT, I SAW THAT OUR COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY, MR. LUMPKIN, IS HERE AS WELL.
SO I APPRECIATE HIM MAKING THAT TONIGHT.
SO YOU SEE, THAT'S WHERE THE SPENDING BREAKS DOWN.
TO GET A LITTLE MORE INTO DETAIL, THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND ITSELF, THAT'S THE PART THAT YOU REALLY SEE WHEN THE COUNTY'S OPERATING.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THE ANIMAL SHELTER, WHEN YOU SEE, UH, ONE OF THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS, UH, EITHER THE CENTRAL OR THE WESTERN CONVENIENCE CENTER, WHEN YOU'RE IN THIS BUILDING, UH, THE TREASURER, THE AUDITOR, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE FINANCE, THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND, OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
THOSE ARE GONNA BE, UH, MAYBE YOUR, UM, UM, DHS OR, OR, UH, SOME, SOME OF THOSE, UH, UM, STATE AGENCIES THAT ARE HERE.
THE UTILITY FUNDS, ONCE AGAIN, UH, THAT'S OUR WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENTS.
THEY'RE PART OF THE OVERALL FUND.
AGAIN, OUR SCHOOL FUNDS ABOUT $43.4 MILLION.
AND THEN OUR CIP, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT CIP IS CONSTRUCTION AND PROCESS.
AND THAT IS OUR CAPITAL ACCOUNTS.
EVERYTHING FROM CARS AND VEHICLES, ALL THE WAY UP TO BUILDINGS AND BRICK AND MORTAR.
SO AGAIN, THE OVERALL SPENDING IN THE COUNTY DECREASES LAST, UH, THIS YEAR FROM LAST YEAR.
BUT IT'S AN INCREASE OF ABOUT FIVE, 6% ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, IN THOSE CATEGORIES.
NOW, I'LL SHOW YOU ONYX, 3-YEAR-OLD BULLY MIX.
SO LET'S LOOK AT THE CIP FOR THE COUNTY.
SO WE HAVE A 25 YEAR CIP PLAN.
THAT'S PRETTY, ACTUALLY, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU AS A CITIZEN TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THIS PLAN, BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE SAT DOWN AS A STAFF AND WE HAVE LOOKED AT AND TRIED TO ANTICIPATE THOSE CRITICAL THINGS THAT ARE COMING DOWN THE ROAD.
WHY? BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPENSIVE.
25 YEAR CIP PLAN RIGHT NOW IS $643 MILLION.
IF WE WERE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD IT ALL AT ONCE, WELL, WE CAN'T.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PLAN FOR THESE EXPENSES SO WE CAN, CAN HANDLE THEM APPROPRIATELY.
WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO BUILD THEM.
WELL, NO SURPRISE, EDUCATION IS THE BIGGEST PART OF IT.
SCHOOLS ARE EXPENSIVE, VERY EXPENSIVE.
IT'S NOT CHEAP TO BUILD, UM, A A, A BUILDING OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SQUARE FEET OF SPACE THAT HUNDREDS OF KIDS ARE GOING THROUGH IN A SAFE FASHION EVERY DAY.
SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART OF OUR EXPENSE.
FIRE AND RESCUE, UH, IS THE NEXT BIGGEST PART.
FIRE STATIONS ARE NOT INEXPENSIVE EITHER.
WE'RE BUILDING ONE RIGHT NOW, STATION SEVEN OVER IN THE, UH, EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
UH, WE'RE STARTING WORK ON ONE OVER ON, UH, GUM SPRINGS, SANDY HOOK, UH, STATION EIGHT.
SO IN THE NEXT 25 YEARS, THE MONEY WILL TAKE FOR FIRE STATIONS, BUT THAT'S ALSO FIRE TRUCKS, AMBULANCES, YOU KNOW, FIRETRUCK ANYMORE.
UM, ONE FIRETRUCK MAY COST YOU A MILLION TO $1.5 MILLION FOR A SINGLE TRUCK.
AMBULANCES ARE NOW COSTING US CLOSE TO 400,000 PER AMBULANCE.
WE'VE GOT A FIRE FLEET OF OVER 20 VEHICLES.
FIRE TRUCKS HAVE A LIFE OF ABOUT 20 YEARS.
SO YOU DO THE MATH, THAT MEANS ABOUT EVERY YEAR YOU'VE GOTTA REPLACE A FIRETRUCK.
SO YOU'RE SPENDING ONE TO ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR JUST TO KEEP YOUR FLEET CURRENT WITHOUT GROWING IT.
AMBULANCES MIGHT HAVE A FIVE YEAR LIFESPAN.
WE GOT, WE TRY TO HAVE 10 AMBULANCES IN OUR FLEET.
SO IF YOU DO THE MATH, THAT'S ABOUT TWO AMBULANCES A YEAR THAT WE SHOULD BE REPLACING AS WELL.
THE SHERIFF'S VEHICLES, THEY PUT
AND ONE THING, WHICH, UH, WE COMMIT TO DO IS THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE IN SAFE VEHICLES.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN SAFE ENVIRONMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO WE'VE GOTTA REPLACE ALL THOSE VEHICLES.
SO ALL THAT ADDS UP TO ABOUT $643 MILLION OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS.
BUT LET'S KIND OF FOCUS IN ON THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
'CAUSE THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IS KIND OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE REAL WORLD THAT, THAT WE'RE LIVING IN FOR THESE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AGAIN, SCHOOLS THAT ARE STILL THE LARGEST PART, NOT AS MUCH.
WE'VE GOT ONE MAJOR PROJECT COMING UP FOR THE SCHOOLS, UH, THE NEW CTE UH, BUILDING THAT, UH, WHEN, UH, THE REFERENDUM WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS, UH, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG COMPONENTS TO IT.
BUT THE BIGGEST PART HERE FOR US, FOR THE COUNTY IS THE COURTHOUSE.
THE $28 MILLION FOR OUR NEW COURTHOUSE.
THAT'S ABOUT A QUARTER OF OUR SPENDING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
WELL, THOSE TWO MAIN EXPENDITURE ITEMS WERE APPROVED BY VOTERS.
A BOND REFERENDUM THAT WAS HELD THREE YEARS AGO.
AND WE'LL BE BUILDING THOSE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UH, WE'VE GOT A FIRE STATION UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND MORE PLUS THAT'S MOSTLY GONNA BE VEHICLES.
AND THEN GENERAL SERVICES, THINGS LIKE AIR CONDITIONING UNITS, UM, CARPET REPLACEMENT DOORS, WINDOWS, UH, EVEN CHAIRS WE'RE SITTING IN.
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INTO OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.SO IT'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE BREAKDOWN OF IT.
YOU KNOW, WE START GONNA FOCUS ON THE, ON BIG ITEMS, PUBLIC SAFETY, A FIRE ENGINE, AMBULANCE, UM, CARDIAC EMERGENCY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, UH, EMS PHARMACY, UM, BUYING LAND FOR OUR STATION, TWO EN CROZIER, UH, SHERIFF'S VEHICLES AND OTHERS.
AGAIN, THE FUNDING FOR THE NEW COURTHOUSE STARTS SETTING ASIDE MONEY FOR THERE.
UM, IT, UH, BIGGEST PART OF THAT IS, UH, MATCHING FUNDS FOR A GRANT TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND HIGH SPEED INTERNET IN THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
AND THEN SCHOOLS, AGAIN, ABOUT 1.2 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF ALMOST $8 MILLION.
SO THIS YEAR'S INVESTMENT IN OUR CAPITAL, IT'S ABOUT $8 MILLION IN UCHIN COUNTY.
SO WHAT HAVE WE DONE? WHAT DOES THIS BUDGET DO? WELL, AS I STARTED BY SAYING, WE MEET ALL FINANCIAL POLICIES.
WE'VE GOT A 5% COST OF LIVING FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND INCLUDING SCHOOL EMPLOYEES.
BUT PUBLIC SAFETY IS STILL A PRIORITY.
WE COMPETE, AS I SAID, EVERY DAY WITH HENRICO, EVERY DAY WITH CHESTERFIELD AND MAKING SURE THAT, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR US ARE ABLE TO, TO ABLE TO WORK HERE AND AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
UH, WE'RE DOING AN ADDITIONAL 5% FOR SHERIFF AND FIRE RESCUE PERSONNEL.
WE'RE ALSO ADDING 16 NEW FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
UH, MOSTLY IN FIRE, BUT ALSO IN 9 1 1.
YOU KNOW, 9 1 1 IS THE TIP OF THE TIP.
IF YOU CALL FOR SOMETHING, THEY'RE GONNA GET SOMEONE AT NINE ONE.
IF THAT PHONE GETS A BUSY SIGNAL OR IT GOES TO VOICEMAIL.
NO GOOD TO HAVE 500 FIRE TRUCKS IF YOU CAN'T GET TO 'EM.
SO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF OUR SEATS FILLED IN 9 1 1, UH, THIS BUDGET.
AGAIN, EDUCATION, UH, WE INCREASE THAT.
UH, WE'VE ALSO DOING STUDIES AS THIS COUNTY IS GROWING, WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS OF GROWTH.
SO WE'VE INCLUDED MONEY IN THIS, UH, UPCOMING BUDGET TO FUND OUR GROWTH STUDIES.
AND AGAIN, NO INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.
NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT PROPERTY VALUES GO UP, SO THAT'S STILL A TAX INCREASE 'CAUSE YOU'RE WRITING MORE.
BUT THE TAX RATE HAS STAYED STEADY FOR OVER 17 YEARS.
53 CENTS FOR EVERY A HUNDRED DOLLARS, THE LOWEST IN THIS ENTIRE REGION.
I SAW A CHESTERFIELD COUNTY CUT ONE PENNY OFF THEIRS AND THEY CUT IT TO A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED PENNIES, UH, OR A DOLLAR FOR EVERY A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
WE'RE AT 53 CENTS FOR EVERY A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
SO WE DO A LOT IN THIS COUNTY WITH NOT AS MUCH.
IF WE HAD THE SAME TAX RATE THEY HAD, IT'D BE AMAZING WHAT WOULD BE DONE.
SO, SO WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE TAXES, YES, THEY DID GO UP, BUT WE DO SO MUCH WITH SO LITTLE COMPARED TO EVERYONE ELSE AROUND US.
SO THE SCHEDULE FOR THE BUDGET, WELL, WE'RE ALREADY ON THE MARCH 18TH, UH, TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
WE GOT ONE MORE TOWN HALL COMING UP ON MARCH 25TH, THEN APRIL 2ND TO THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BUDGET.
NOW, THIS IS REALLY A PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU CAN TALK TO US AND LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS OR GRAB US ON THE SIDE.
BUT THE FORMAL PUBLIC HEARING'S GONNA BE APRIL 2ND IN THIS ROOM.
AND, UH, THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITIZENS, AGAIN, TO SAY WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THE BUDGET.
THEN THE BUDGET ITSELF WOULD BE ADOPTED ON APRIL 16TH.
GOTTA SEE THE KITTY GALA, 1-YEAR-OLD.
NOW, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT IF SOMETHING'S GOING ON THAT MAKE THIS SUCH A GREAT COUNTY.
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A NUMBER OF, OF, OF ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, AND I'M GONNA TALK FIRST ONE IS, UH, WHAT WE CALL OUR SOUTHERN INFRASTRUCTURE STUDY.
AND WHAT THIS IS, AND YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IT, CALL IT AT SOME POINT, SPEEDA.
ESSENTIALLY IT'S A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF GROWTH ON THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
THAT'S BASICALLY BORDERED BY THE JAMES RIVER, UH, BY HOCKETT ROAD, TUCKAHOE CREEK PARKWAY, AND THE COUNTY LINE WITH HENRICO.
THAT'S ABOUT 4,000 ACRES OF LAND THAT RIGHT NOW IT SHOWS UP IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS FUTURE GROWTH.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR DESIGNATED GROWTH AREAS, BUT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED OF ANY SIGNIFICANCE THERE YET.
SO MAKING SURE WE UNDERSTAND THE, THE IMPACT ON ROADS, ON, ON WATER LINES, SEWER LINES, UH, SCHOOLS, THE SHERIFF, FIRE, RESCUE, EVEN ELECTRICITY.
LOOK INTO ALL THOSE ASPECTS THAT PART OF THIS COUNTY SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND BEST WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN GROWTH COMES.
WILL THE ROADS BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT? WILL THE SCHOOLS BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT? IN THAT VEIN, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING COMING UP ON THIS AT THE HOPE CHURCH ON MARCH 26TH.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS STUDY, PLEASE COME OUT TO THAT.
OUR UTILITIES, AGAIN, IF YOU LIVE IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY, YOU, YOU'VE SEEN THIS, YOU'VE DRIVEN DOWN PATTERSON AVENUE MAJOR WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON REPLACING RIGHT NOW BATTERS NOW ABOUT 75% OF OUR FORCE MAIN REPLACEMENT.
THAT'S THE MAIN LINE THAT CARRIES THE SEWAGE FROM GLAND COUNTY INTO THE TREATMENT PLANT OVER IN HENRICO.
UH, THAT LINE CARRIES NOT JUST GLAND, BUT ALSO HENRICO WASTE COMES IN FROM THEIR PART, MOVES TO THAT LINE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT PICTURE, YOU CAN SEE THE SIZE OF THE MAN NEXT TO THE PIPE.
THESE ARE BIG PIPES, THEY'RE FAR UNDERGROUND, AND IT'S KIND OF PROJECT THAT HAPPENS EVERY 20 TO 40 YEARS.
YOU SEE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
BUT ALSO ON A SMALLER SCALE, IF YOU LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU, UH, HUEN HILLS, BRINGING THEM WATER AND SEWER.
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PART OF THE TUCKAHOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT.UH, AND THEY'RE GETTING WATER LINES TO THEIR HOUSE.
NOW, UM, IT'S TAKEN YEARS IN SOME CASES TO GET, UH, TO SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES.
UH, BUT HUON HILLS IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AS WELL.
THEY'RE OVER 50% COMPLETE IN THAT PROJECT.
THE ROAD PROJECTS, WELL, YOU'RE HERE IN, IN, UH, THE CENTRAL AREA.
SO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE.
AND THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE KIND OF STARTED OUT AND PEOPLE WERE KIND OF HAVING FUN WITH IT.
UH, BUT NOW THAT IT'S OPEN, PEOPLE LIKE IT, UH, IT'S, IT'S TRAFFIC MOVES SO MUCH SMOOTHER.
UH, YOU COME BY AT FIVE 30 ON AN AFTERNOON, YOU DON'T SEE TRAFFIC BACKED UP ALL THE WAY PAST, UH, DOWN TO THE, UH, ANIMAL SHELTER.
UH, BUT THE NEXT PART OF THAT IS GONNA BE THE FAIRGROUNDS ROAD EXTENSION.
THE ORIGINAL PLAN, IF YOU REMEMBER, HAD THAT, THAT, UH, TRAFFIC CIRCLE GOING ALL, ALL THE WAY TO HIGHWAY SIX.
UNFORTUNATELY, INFLATION, THE COST OF THE PROJECT WAS SO MUCH THAT THEY HAD TO CUT OUT THE EXTRA ROAD PART, BUT NOW IT'S UNDERWAY, IT'S FUNDED, IT'S UNDER ENGINEERING, AND IT'S, RIGHT NOW, THE TENTATIVE COMPLETION DATE FOR IT IS FEBRUARY OF 28.
AND IMPORTANT WORDS I'LL POINT OUT IS ENGINEERING UNDERWAY.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE BIG PART OF IT.
'CAUSE ONCE ENGINEERING STARTS, THAT MEANS A PROJECT IS FUNDED AND THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN WITH IT.
SO YOU'LL SEE A NUMBER OF THESE PROJECTS WHERE THE ENGINEERING IS UNDERWAY, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WANNA SEE ON A ROAD PROJECT.
THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GO FORWARD AND MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
IF YOU LIVE OVER THE ASTON ROAD OR COMMUTE THERE, YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S A MESS.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S A, UH, FULLY FUNDED PROJECT ABOUT A $64 MILLION PROJECT.
UH, THAT'S GONNA BE BUILDING A, A DIVERGENT DIAMOND INTERCHANGE.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN DESIGNED CROSSROADS, THAT'S WHAT A DDI IS.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE BUILDING ONE OF THOSE HERE.
UM, IT TAKES A WHILE BECAUSE THAT'S OVER AN INTERSTATE.
TWO BRIDGES HAVE TO BE BUILT OVER THE INTERSTATE AS WELL AS TYING INTO THE EXISTING ROADWAYS.
SO THAT WON'T BE COMPLETED TILL ABOUT 2031, ABOUT SEVEN YEARS.
UM, SOMETHING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AS THEY TAKE FOREVER.
SO, UH, ONCE THEY START, YOU'LL BE SEEING A LOT OF ORANGE CONES AROUND THESE, BUT IT MEANS GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE WE'RE FIXING PROBLEMS. UH, PART OF THAT IS THE, UM, RELOCATION OF THE PARK AND RIDE LOT, UH, WHERE THE PARK AND RIDE LOT CURRENTLY IS.
THEY, THEY NEED THAT FOR THE EXPANSION.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE MOVING THAT THAT'LL BE DONE IN ABOUT 28 AGAIN, ON THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
UH, THE HOCKET ROAD, IF YOU EVER DRIVE THAT AREA RIGHT NOW, IF YOU'RE COMING UP FROM PATTERSON AVENUE, HIGHWAY SIX, UH, TO HOCKETT ROAD, AND YOU WOULD COME ALL THE WAY TO THE END, THERE'S A STOPLIGHT THERE AT THE FOOD LINE ON TWO 50.
UH, YOU WOULD THEN HANG A RIGHT IF YOU'RE GOING THE INTERSTATE AND HANG A QUICK LEFT.
SO YOU GOT THIS LITTLE ZIGZAG THAT GETS YOU TO THE INTERSTATE AND IT'S NOT VERY SAFE.
SO, UH, THE REAL REALIGNMENT OF THAT ROAD'S GONNA PUT A NEW CONNECTOR, UH, STRAIGHT THROUGH.
SO WHEN YOU LEAVE, UH, PATTERSON AVENUE ON HOCKETT, YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT AND TAKE A STRAIGHT SHOT ALL THE WAY TO GET TO THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT, UH, STOPLIGHT BY THE FOOD LINE.
NOW THAT FOOD LINE STOPLIGHT'S GONNA STAY THERE IF YOU LIVE IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTY, BECAUSE THAT'S AN IMPORTANT WAY TO GET TO THE SHOPPING CENTER.
BUT WHEN THAT ROAD IS COMPLETED, ABOUT 29, IT'LL MAKE A STRAIGHT SHOT FOR ANYBODY GOING 2 64 OR FROM 64 TO THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
SOME OTHER STUFF THAT IS GOING ON.
UM, A STUDY ON HIGHWAY 2 88, UH, FOR FUTURE INTERCHANGE WORK THAT WOULD BE DONE THERE.
THIS IS LIKE A 20 YEAR KIND OF A THING.
YOU START WITH A STUDY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND WHAT THE NEEDS ARE GONNA BE.
AND THIS IS HOW MOST OF THESE PROJECTS STARTED.
SO THAT'S LOOKING FAR INTO THE FUTURE OVER WHAT'S GONNA BE NEEDED, UH, IN 2 88.
ALSO, IF YOU GET OFF OILVILLE ROAD COMING HOME HERE OR GOING, YOU KNOW, THE TRAFFIC AND BACK UP THERE AS WELL.
THIS IS A PROJECT THAT'S, THAT'S ABOUT HALFWAY FUNDED.
WE'RE WORKING TO GET THE REST OF THE FUNDING WHEN IT'S DONE.
IT'LL PUT A ROUNDABOUT RIGHT THERE WHERE YOU GET OFF THE INTERSTATE SO TRAFFIC CAN FLOW SMOOTHLY.
AND, UH, THE IDEA IS THAT IF WE CAN GET THE FUNDING SECURED, THERE WOULD BE UNDER A WAY, AND WE'D BE COMPLETED IN ABOUT FOUR YEARS.
SO IF ALL THIS HAPPENS, WE'LL GO FROM HAVING, UH, NO ROUNDABOUTS TO HAVING THREE ROUNDABOUTS IN THE COUNTY AS THE VIA AS VDOT REALLY, UH, LOOKS AT THAT AS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO MOVE TRAFFIC SAFELY AND QUICKLY.
NOW, FIREFLY, AGAIN, THE BROADBAND FIBER IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTY.
UH, IT'S, IT'S MOSTLY DONE PORT 80, IF YOU'RE ON PORT 80, I KNOW, UH, THAT, THAT THEY'VE GOT MOST OF THEIRS BUILT OUT.
UH, EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY IS SIGNIFICANTLY DONE.
SO YOU'LL SEE THIS MAP UP THERE SHOWS MOST OF THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY THAT'S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
UH, DOMINION ENERGY IS RUNNING MOST OF THE LINES ON WHAT THEY CALL THE MIDDLE MILE, WHERE DOMINION HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S BEING USED BY FIREFLY.
ONCE THEY FINISH STRINGING THAT UP, WHICH SHOULD BE DONE BY, UH, BY THE MIDDLE OF THIS YEAR, THEN THEY'LL START DOING THE CONNECTS TO HOUSES.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, WHERE I MOVED, I, I LIVE OUT IN FIFE, AND WHEN I MOVED THERE, UH, MY KIDS TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, IS, UH, DAD, I HOPE YOU LOVE IT THERE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA VISIT YOU TILL YOU HAVE INTERNET FOR US TO COME.
SO I'M EXCITED BECAUSE I SAW THE INTERNET COMING IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
NOT HOOKED UP YET, BUT I KNOW IT'S CLOSER.
I SAW THE, I SAW THE, UH, WIRES BEING STRONG, SO I KNOW THAT IT'S COMING.
[00:25:01]
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE STATS UP THERE.AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS COUNTIES IS GROWING AND, AND CONTINUING TO DEVELOP.
ANOTHER WAY IS OUR BUSINESSES, UH, AS WE TALK ABOUT TAXES AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OUR TAXES HAVE ON YOU, THE CITIZENS, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE HAVE IS THAT THE MORE WE BECOME A BEDROOM COMMUNITY WITH NOTHING BUT HOUSES AND SUBDIVISIONS, THE MORE THE COST OF GOVERNMENT GOES ON.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON TRYING TO GROW OUR COMMERCIAL SECTOR IN THIS COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, THE VISION OF THE BOARD HAS BEEN THAT WE BE 85% RURAL AND AGRICULTURE AND 15% DEVELOPED IN COMMERCIAL.
SO FOCUSING ON THAT 15% IS GONNA BE CRITICAL TO ENSURE THAT, THAT THE, THE IMPACT OF GOVERNMENT IS NOT ONLY FELT BY CITIZENS.
SO BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN, BEEN, UH, RECRUITED TO THIS COUNTY ON THE LAST 12, 18 MONTHS, OF COURSE EVERYONE ALWAYS SAY, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU WANT? WANT A CHICK-FIL-A BOOM, WE GOT A CHICK-FIL-A UH, THE NEXT THING THAT THEY WANT THEN IS ALWAYS A CRACKER BARREL.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA GET A CRACKER BARREL, BUT YOU CAN SEE THINGS THAT HAVE COME.
INDUSTRIAL TAPHOUSE IS GONNA BE, UH, DOING THEIR RIBBON CUTTING THIS WEEK.
THEY'RE, I THINK THEY'RE ALREADY OPEN, BUT THEY'RE HAVING THEIR FORMAL OPENING ON WEDNESDAY.
UM, UH, SOME VETERINARY CLINICS AND OTHERS.
UH, BUT I THINK WHAT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO SEE IS THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, OVER $540 MILLION HAS BEEN INVESTED IN CAPITAL IN, IN BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL IN THIS COUNTY.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE DOLLARS IS ESSENTIALLY TAKING A SLIGHT BURDEN OFF OF A CITIZEN OF A HOMEOWNER.
UH, BECAUSE THAT $546 MILLION IS WHAT'S ALLOWED US TO NOT RAISE TAX RATES AND TO GROW OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HEAR AND KEEP HEARING FROM US TALKING ABOUT WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT AND GROW OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THIS COUNTY.
BUT ANOTHER PART OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IS TOURISM.
THERE'S SO MANY GREAT THINGS GOING ON.
SO THE BOARD ADOPTED A STRATEGIC PLAN IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR, AND YOU CAN SEE NOW THERE'S A WEBSITE, EXPLORE GLAND.COM.
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, GO TO IT.
AND LOOK, IT'S GOT A LOT OF NEAT THINGS THAT ARE SET UP, UH, DAY TRIPS TO GET AWAY AND GO TO, UH, AS YOU SEE EVERYTHING FROM THE GUYS' DAYS OUT, UH, YOU KNOW, GIRLS DAYS OUT, UM, YOU DOG FRIENDLY, DAY OUT.
LOT OF NEAT WAYS TO SPEND A DAY.
WELL, WHY ARE WE DOING THAT? WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO SPEND A DAY IN GOOCHLAND, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE ALSO GONNA DO? THEY'RE GONNA SHOP, THEY'RE GOING TO EAT, THEY'RE GONNA DRINK, THEY'RE GONNA BUY GAS FOR THEIR CARS.
THEY MAY STAY IN OUR HOTEL OR SOME OF OUR AIRBNBS.
UH, SO THEY WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ALSO DO? THEY GO HOME
AND THEY DON'T CALL OUR, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THEY GO, THEY DON'T GO TO OUR SCHOOLS.
THEY DON'T IMPACT OUR SERVICES, BUT THEY HELP US.
SO IT, IT'S GOOD TO GET PEOPLE TO COME VISIT TO US.
PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, OF COURSE THERE'S AN APP FOR YOUR PHONE GUIDE TO FOOD BEVERAGE AND FUN.
AND I CAN TELL YOU A LOT OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE PLACES PEOPLE LIKE TO GO TO FROM RESTAURANTS, RUNNING SPECIALS TO UH, CRAFT BREWERIES, UH, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WHAT, WHAT BANDS ARE PLAYING THERE.
SO I CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UH, PUT THAT ON YOUR PHONE.
ANOTHER THING WE'RE DOING TO ENCOURAGE IS OUR, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IS REALLY WANTING US TO SHOP LOCAL AND SHOP LOCAL FROM BUYING YOUR GASOLINE HERE.
SO IF YOU DOWNLOAD THIS APP AND YOU GO AND SHOP AT ANY ONE OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE PARTICIPATING, ALL YOU'VE GOTTA DO IS SCAN THAT RECEIPT AND YOU'LL GET A 5% CASH BACK PUT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT TO SPEND SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTY.
YOU SPEND A HUNDRED BUCKS, THEY PUT FIVE BUCKS IN YOUR ACCOUNT.
YOU GOTTA USE IT AS SOMEWHERE ELSE IN GOWIN COUNTY.
SO IN ORDER TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT, WE'VE GOT COMING UP BUSINESS APPRECIATION MONTH IN MAY.
THOSE OF YOU WITH SMALL BUSINESSES STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO PARTICIPATE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE MAY 10TH OF THE BUSINESS CENTER WHERE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE AND CHAMBER LOCATED, AND ALSO A SPECIAL EVENT AT KINDRED SPIRITS BREWING, UH, FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
NOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT, WHAT A GREAT PLACE THIS IS.
HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE NEAT THINGS WE DO.
OF COURSE, WE START WITH GLAND DAY.
YOU KNOW, G DAY EXISTS BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF THE GLAND DAY FOUNDATION AND THE COUNTY SUPPORTS THEM THIS YEAR.
IT'S GROWN TO THE POINT WHERE THERE'S TWO DAYS.
SO FRIDAY THEY'LL START WITH A FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT AND THEN SATURDAY THE PARADE AND THE ALL DAY EVENT AS WELL.
UH, GLAND DAY IS ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THIS COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I GOT HERE, I TOLD PEOPLE, I SAID, YOU KNOW, AFTER, AFTER SEEING THE FALL FESTIVAL AND THE FIREWORKS FESTIVAL AND THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING AND THE GOIN DAY PARADE, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, GOIN COUNTY IS A SET FOR A HALLMARK MOVIE.
AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COME HERE AND, AND, AND, AND IT JUST, EVERYTHING WORKS THAT WAY.
AND YOU LOOK AT IT, A CROWD OF PEOPLE AND SOMEWHERE OUT THERE, SOME, SOME UCHIN GIRL WHO WENT TO NEW YORK FOR THE BIG CITY LIFE CAME HOME TO TAKE CARE OF HER MOTHER AND SHE JUST MET HER OLD BOYFRIEND FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, PARKS AND REC, AGAIN, SOME OF THE NEAT THINGS WE'RE DOING.
LEAKS MILL WAS ADDED TO THE BIRD AND WILDLIFE, UH, GREEN SPRINGS LOOP THIS YEAR.
BIRDING, RIGHT? PEOPLE WILL DRIVE HUNDREDS OF MILES TO IF, IF THERE IS A BIRD WITNESS THAT THEY HAVEN'T SEEN.
AND SO, SO BIRD WATCHING IS ONE OF THE GROWTH SPORTS THAT WE, WE ARE WELL
[00:30:01]
EQUIPPED TO HANDLE BIRD WATCHING HERE 'CAUSE WE GOT A LOT OF BIRDS HERE AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THOSE NATURAL ASSETS WE HAVE THE JAMES RIVER, THE WILDLIFE, THE NATURE.SO THAT'S ONE OF THE EXAMPLES HOW WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
THERE YOU SEE JUST SOME OF THE, UH, BIRDS THAT ARE RECENTLY SEEN THERE.
ALSO, WE GOT OVER NINE MILES OF TRAILS IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN OUT TO UH, LEE'S MILL ON A SATURDAY, ESPECIALLY WITH GOOD WEATHER PARKING LOT'S FULL AND IT'S FULL OF PEOPLE FROM OUT OF THIS COUNTY WITH MOUNTAIN BIKES BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS IN THE STATE.
SO PEOPLE AGAIN DRIVE 50 70 MILES TO GOOCHLAND TO RIDE THEIR MOUNTAIN BIKES.
WELL THEN THEY'RE DEFINITELY THIRSTY WHEN THEY'RE DONE.
SO THEY GO AND EAT AND DRINK, PUT CASH IN THE CAR, THEN THEY GO HOME.
OTHER THINGS, PARKS AND REC ARE DOING OUR PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT COMING UP ENCOURAGE YOU, IT'S PROBABLY FILLED BY NOW, IT'S IN APRIL, BUT IF NOT, YOU KNOW, UH, TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
OUR FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH OF JULY, ONE OF THE LAST PLACES IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA THAT DOES THE BIG FIREWORKS SHOW AND PEOPLE NOW ARE COMING TO SEE OUR FIREWORK SHOW 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T SEE IT ANYWHERE ELSE.
THE KNIGHTS AT TUCKER CONCERTS OF THE PARK ON THE RIVER IN THE SUMMER.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOT LIVE MUSIC, GOT FAMILY FRIENDLY, YOU GOT A GORGEOUS SETTING.
YOU GOT FOOD TRUCKS, YOU GOT BEER AND WINE.
IT'S A NEAT PLACE TO SPEND A SUMMER EVENING.
AND THEN OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO FOR YOU THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY FUN, BUT THEY'RE IMPORTANT DOCUMENT SHREDDING AND HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.
THE KIND OF SERVICES THE COUNTY DOES.
YOU'LL SEE COMING UP IN JUNE IS OUR NEXT EVENT.
IT'S GONNA BE AT THE OLD FAIRGROUNDS PROPERTY.
UH, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF VEHICLES THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS YEAR.
WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COME OUT THAT WE RAN OUT OF TRUCK SPACE, WE HAD TO SEND IT BACK AND BRING A NEW TRUCK IN BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE BROUGHT THEIR STUFF.
SO I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS YEAR WE'LL DO THAT.
BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE ANYWHERE AND WE'LL BE TAKING THAT FOR YOU.
SO I'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT AND TALKING FAST, BUT HERE'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WHICH I WANNA STRESS.
HOW CAN YOU BE INVOLVED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING? WELL, YOU TALK TO US, YOU COME TO, UH, EVENTS LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HAS NUMEROUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UH, YOU CAN GO ONLINE, THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE AND GET AN APPLICATION TO SERVE ON ANY OF THEM.
A NUMBER OF OUR DEPARTMENTS NEED VOLUNTEERS.
THE ANIMAL SHELTER, PARKS AND REC ARE SCHOOLS NEED VOLUNTEERS, UM, OR GET INVOLVED WITH SOME OF OUR NONPROFITS COME TO THESE EVENTS.
YOU SEE VOTE RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
OTHERWISE, WE ARE RIGHT NOW LOOKING FOR PEOPLE ON A VARIETY OF THE BOARDS.
YOU SEE THOSE, YOU CAN GO TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION ON THE WEBSITE CLOSING UP.
I MENTIONED TO YOU ABOUT APPS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF APPS THAT I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE IF YOU GET THE GOIN COUNTY APP.
UH, WHAT THAT IS HELPFUL FOR IS, UH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, ALERTS AND NOTIFICATIONS.
SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT, UH, LAND USE OR PLANNING AND ZONING THAT'S HAPPENING, IT'LL LET YOU KNOW, UH, BASED ON WHAT YOU TELL IT.
IT WILL ALSO GIVE YOU UPDATES AND EVENT CALENDARS FROM THE COUNTY APP.
OF COURSE, THE SHERIFF'S APP IS CRITICAL TO HAVE.
IF, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE THE SHERIFF'S APP, I CAN TELL YOU ALREADY TODAY WE'VE HAD SEVERAL ROADS THAT WERE CLOSED AND REOPENED.
IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT.
PLUS ALL THE OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY INFORMATION THAT HAPPENS.
FIRE AND RESCUE HAS, UH, GOT THEIR NEW WEBSITE UP AND RUNNING AGAIN.
ANIMAL CARE AND PROTECTION, YOU KNOW, THEY DO SO MUCH.
96% SAV RATE IF YOU CAN'T TELL, I GOT A LITTLE SPOT IN MY HEART FOR THE ANIMALS THERE.
THAT'S AN IMPRESSIVE BECAUSE THOSE ARE REAL NUMBERS.
THEY AREN'T FUDGING NUMBERS OR SMOKING MIRRORS, REAL NUMBERS OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM.
SO CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT, THE COUNTY WEBSITE, FACEBOOK CODE, RED.
AGAIN, THAT'S A CRITICAL THING TO SIGN UP FOR.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHEN THINGS ARE ARE HAPPENING.
BAD WEATHER, SEVERE WEATHER, UH, AMBER ALERTS, THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT, THAT AFFECT YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
UH, THE TWITTER OF COURSE, UM, YOU CAN CALL THE COUNTY OR THE SHERIFF'S APP AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL, ARE THERE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANYONE RIGHT NOW? IF NOT, WE'LL BE AROUND FOR MORE, RIGHT? WELL THEN DR.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL ARDI AND MY PASSION IS OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOMEONE THAT WE HAVE WITH US TONIGHT? MS. GRACE CREE IS HERE.
SHE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE COMMONWEALTH VIRGINIA AND ALSO A GLAND RESIDENT.
SO MRS. CREE, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
PART OF WHAT I LIKE TO DO WHEN I GO AROUND DOING THESE TOWN HALLS IS TO SORT OF MAKE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO OUR SCHOOLS, TO THE COMMUNITY, AND ALL THE SUCCESSES THAT WE HAVE THERE.
I WANNA START BY SHARING THE CORE VALUES OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
OUR CORE VALUES ARE EXCELLENCE, CREATIVITY, COURAGE, HONOR AND OPTIMISM.
DRIVEN BY THOSE VALUES ARE OUR CORE GOALS TO MAXIMIZE EACH STUDENT'S ACADEMIC POTENTIAL, TO MAXIMIZE RESOURCES FOR INSTRUCTION.
AND LASTLY, TO IMPROVE THE CLIMATE OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
[00:35:02]
OUR VISION IS TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT.OUR MISSION IS MAXIMIZING THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY LEARNER EVERY DAY.
OUR COMPASS IS TO MAKE DECISIONS ALL THE TIME THAT ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS, ALL OF THEM.
SO I WANNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A SNAPSHOT TO OUR ENROLLMENT.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LAST YEAR, OUR ENROLLMENT HAS TYPICALLY HOVERED AROUND 2,600 STUDENTS.
LAST YEAR WAS AN OUTLYING YEAR.
AND THE BEST ATTRIBUTION I CAN GIVE TO EXPLAIN WHY WE WENT FROM 26 43 TO 25 72 MAY IN FACT BE THAT THE GRADUATING COHORT WAS CONSIDERABLY LARGER THAN THE ENTERING CLASS OF KINDERGARTNERS.
ALONG THOSE NOTES, ENROLLMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS PROJECTED TO INCREASE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, ALBEIT A SLOW INCREASE, IT'S A STEADY INCREASE PROJECTED FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS OR SO.
WHAT DO OUR SCHOOLS DO FOR THE HOUSING MARKET? IN GLAND, THE REPUTATION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOLS HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON HOME VALUES IN THAT COMMUNITY.
NATIONAL STATISTICS SHOW THAT THE AVERAGE DIFFERENCE IN HOME PRICES BETWEEN HIGH PERFORMING AND LOW PERFORMING DISTRICTS IS ABOUT $205,000 PER HOME.
HOMES IN THE TOP PERFORMING DISTRICTS SELL AN AVERAGE OF EIGHT DAYS FASTER AND RECEIVE 26% MORE VIEWS THAN THE AVERAGE LISTING IN PLACES WITH SCHOOLS THAT ARE LOWER.
PERFORMING OUR SCHOOLS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY FUND AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT STRATEGY.
EVEN FOR STUDENTS WITHOUT SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN, QUALITY SCHOOLS TEND TO MAINTAIN STABILITY EVEN IN THE CHA, IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGING ECONOMIC TIMES AND HOMES IN WELL PERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE RESILIENT TO MARKET FLUCTUATIONS.
INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION PAVES THE WAY FOR A HIGHLY SKILLED AND INNOVATIVE WORKFORCE THAT DRIVES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, REPUTABLE, REPUTABLE SCHOOLS ATTRACT ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT MR. CARPENTER JUST ALLUDED TO.
SO I'M GONNA TAKE A SECOND TO BRAG ON SOME OF OUR SUCCESSES NOT LISTED HERE.
GOLAND COUNTY HAS FIVE APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL DIVISIONS.
FOR CONTEXT, THERE ARE FEWER THAN 400 SUCH SCHOOL DIVISIONS OR A LITTLE OVER 400 SUCH SCHOOL DIVISIONS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE FIVE OF THEM RIGHT HERE IN THIS COUNTY.
ALL FIVE OF OUR SCHOOLS WE'RE RECOGNIZED FOR MEANINGFULLY INTEGRATING VIRTUAL REALITY INTO TEACHING AND LEARNING.
FOR SIX YEARS RUNNING, WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY NICHE AS HAVING THE BEST SCHOOL DIVISION IN THE METRO RICHMOND AREA.
THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT OUR LARGER NEIGHBORS IN HENRICO, CHESTERFIELD AND THE CITY OF RICHMOND.
AND IT IS MY HOPE THAT NEXT YEAR I'M ENGAGING YOU TO SAY THAT FOR SEVEN YEARS RUNNING, WE'VE BEEN RATED NUMBER ONE IN THE GREATER METRO RICHMOND AREA BY NIET.
WE ARE A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SPECIAL OLYMPICS UNIFIED CHAMPIONS SCHOOL DIVISION FOR MANY YEARS RUNNING.
WE'VE RECEIVED THE DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD AWARDED BY THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
WE'RE ALL REALLY PROUD OF THIS.
GLAND COUNTY IS ONE OF 10 SCHOOL DIVISIONS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH THAT HAS HAD ALL OF ITS SCHOOLS ACCREDITED FOR 10 CONSECUTIVE YEARS OR LONGER.
132 SCHOOL DIVISIONS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
GLIN IS ONE OF 10 THAT'S HAD ALL OF ITS SCHOOLS ACCREDITED FOR OVER THE PAST DECADE WHEN IT COMES TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, GLIN LEADS THE WAY.
GLIN IS A LEADER IN ASSESSING STUDENT GROWTH.
WE'VE ASSESSED STUDENT GROWTH IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOR THE LAST 11 TO 12 YEARS.
THIS CHART BEHIND ME REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS OR THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WE HAVE WHO MEET THEIR INDIVIDUAL GROWTH GOAL.
THE PINK LINE IS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR READING.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE EXCEED THE NATIONAL AVERAGE WELL EXCEEDED IN MOST GRADES, BUT CERTAINLY EXCEEDED IN ALL GRADES TWO THROUGH 11.
A VERY SIMILAR STORY CAN BE TOLD ABOUT MATHEMATICS.
WE'RE COMING FOR THAT SIXTH GRADE THIS YEAR.
IT'LL BE WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR GRADUATION RATES AMONG THE BEST IN THE STATE FOR THE LAST SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS RUNNING, WE'VE HAD GRADUATION RATES TO EXCEED 95% FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
THEY'VE BEEN AT AT LEAST 97%, PEAKING AT 98% IN 2020.
AND I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT A 97% GRADUATION RATE EQUALS THE 3% DROPOUT RATE.
MOST OF OUR KIDS WHO START WITH US COMPLETE WITH A CREDENTIAL.
[00:40:01]
NEEDS AND IN EARNEST, THE CHART THAT'S ON THE SCREEN BEHIND ME TELLS A STORY OF THE LAST SEVEN YEARS AS FAR AS TEACHER COMPENSATION GOES WITH GLIN AND HOW WE RATE IN THE REST OF THE REGION IN 2017.THOSE BOXES, SHADED GREEN, INDICATE THAT WE ARE ABOVE THE REGIONAL AVERAGE IN THOSE COMPENSATION AREAS.
THE NUMBER TELLS HOW WE RANK OUT OF SEVEN SCHOOL DIVISIONS IN THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
IF YOU'RE YELLOW, YOU'RE RIGHT AT THE MEDIAN.
YOU'RE FOUR OF SEVEN, THEY'RE THREE ABOVE THREE BELOW.
AND IF YOU'RE RED, YOU'RE IN THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE REGION.
IN 2017, GLAND COUNTY WAS GREEN.
WE RANKED THIRD IN AVERAGE TEACHER COMPENSATION FOR SALARIES AT 0 5, 10, AND 15 YEARS.
FAST FORWARD SEVEN YEARS, WE'RE AT THE MEDIAN FOR THE START AND SALARY AND THERE'S A GOOD REASON FOR THAT.
IF WE WEREN'T, WE COULDN'T RECRUIT TEACHERS RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.
SO OUR SALARY'S COMPETITIVE THERE REGIONALLY.
BUT AS YOU SEE, WE'VE LOST GROUND IN THE OTHER CATEGORIES AT YEAR FIVE, 10 AND ON THROUGH 25 MIDYEAR RESIGNATIONS ARE UP 120% THIS YEAR.
FOLKS, THAT IS NOT BECAUSE OF ME.
SOMETIMES I DO WISH THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF ME BECAUSE IF IT WAS, I COULD CHANGE THAT.
BUT SOMETIMES I WISH THAT IT WAS JUST ABOUT THAT, A PERSONALITY ISSUE.
BECAUSE I CAN MOLD A PERSONALITY, I CAN CHANGE MYSELF.
BUT OUR TEACHERS ARE LEAVING US FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
MOST OF THEM PERTAIN TO COMPENSATION AND THEY'RE LEAVING US TO GO TO PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS.
IN SOME INSTANCES, THEIR REALITY AND THE REALITY, THEIR FAMILY CHANGES 25 TO $35,000.
SOME OF THEM ARE LEAVING US TO GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH USED TO NEVER BE THE CASE.
IT'S THE CASE NOW, WE RECENTLY HAD A SPANISH TEACHER DEPART FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL TO GO TEACH AT ONE OF OUR LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT A COMPENSATION INCREASE, I'M SORRY, PRIVATE SCHOOL.
LEFT OUR HIGH SCHOOL TO GO TEACH AT A PRIVATE SCHOOL.
THIS IMPACTS ME NOT ONLY AS A SUPERINTENDENT BUT AS A DAD.
HE WAS MY DAUGHTER'S SPANISH TEACHER.
WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A REPLACEMENT SPANISH FOR THOSE KIDS WHO WERE ASSIGNED TO THAT TEACHER.
INSTRUCTIONS NOW BEING COVERED THROUGH A PROGRAM FOR A TEACHER.
PIPES IN VIRTUALLY THROUGH PROXIMITY LEARNING AND OFFERS SPANISH INSTRUCTION.
AND WE PAY AN INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT TO MONITOR THE LAB.
I SHARE THAT NOT TO PRESENT A PICTURE OF DOOM AND GLOOM.
BUT TO SHOW YOU THE CHALLENGES OF REPLACING A TEACHER THAT LEAVES YOU MIDYEAR, WE'VE HAD SUCH LEAVE DEPARTURES AT A CLIP OF UH, INCREASE OF 120% ONCE UPON A TIME.
THE THINGS ON MY LEFT HAND SIDE, THESE VARIABLES COULD OUTWEIGH THE VARIABLES ON MY RIGHT HAND SIDE.
TEACHERS WOULD SAY THAT THEY COME TO GLAND BECAUSE OF OUR COMFORTABLE CLASS SIZES.
BECAUSE WE EXTEND AUTONOMY TO OUR TEACHERS.
WE GIVE THEM FREEDOM TO PRACTICE THEIR CRAFT BECAUSE WE HAVE SUPPORTIVE LEADERSHIP AT THE SCHOOL AND DIVISIONAL LEVELS.
AND BECAUSE WE HAVE LESS BUREAUCRACY THAN A LOT OF OUR LARGER NEIGHBORS, 52% OF OUR WORKFORCE RESIDES OUTSIDE OF OUR COUNTY.
52% OF OUR EMPLOYEES LIVE IN LOCALES OTHER THAN GOOCHLAND.
AND MORE INCREASINGLY AS WE INTERVIEW PEOPLE WHEN THEY LEAVE US, THEY CITE THEIR COMMUTE, THEIR SALARY INSTRUCTIONAL CALENDAR, WHICH WE'VE WORKED VERY, VERY HARD TO FIX AND ALIGN INFLATION OVER, WHICH WE HAVE NO CONTROL.
BUT WE HAVE TO ALWAYS BE IN A POSITION TO RESPOND TO HOUSING.
AND IN MANY CASES A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE.
LEARNING TEACHER SALARIES, HIRING INCENTIVES.
AND AS I'VE MENTIONED, PRIVATE SECTOR PAY.
MOST OF OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE IN THAT 52% WHO COMMUTE HERE EVERY DAY COME FROM WHERE MIGHT YOU GUESS.
LAST WEEK, HENRICO COUNTY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE GONNA DO A 4.8% ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL SCHOOL DIVISION EMPLOYEES.
WHEN I FIRST READ THAT, MY HEART WAS OVERWHELMED 'CAUSE WE'RE DOING A 5%.
AND I THOUGHT THAT 0.2% IS GONNA HELP US NARROW THAT GAP.
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AND DETERMINED THAT THE 4.8 IS FOR ALL SCHOOL DIVISION EMPLOYEES.THEY'RE DOING AN ADDITIONAL 2.4 FOR THEIR TEACHER CORE.
SO THE TEACHERS IN HENRICO COUNTY WILL ACTUALIZE A 7.2% PAY INCREASE.
THIS IS IMPORTANT 'CAUSE A GOOD CHUNK OF OUR WORKFORCE.
THEY COME TO US FROM THAT COUNTY, THAT COUNTY'S GONNA HAVE OPENINGS AND WE'VE GOTTA BE IN A POSITION TO RETAIN OUR TALENTED TEACHER CORPS.
AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, OUR BUDGET DOES INCLUDE A 5% PAY INCREASE OR COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT IT DOES INCLUDE THAT.
I WANNA OFFER A LITTLE BIT OF A SUMMARY OF OUR INVESTMENTS.
THE MONIES THAT WE RECEIVED DURING THE UH, COVID SITUATION EXPIRE IN SEPTEMBER AND THEY'LL NO LONGER BE A PART OF OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGETS REALITY.
I'VE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED FROM OUR COUNTY, THANKFULLY UNDER GOAL ONE INSTRUCTION AND LIFELONG LEARNING ADDITIONAL FTES OF 0.63, ADDITIONAL LOCAL MONEY OF $542,444.
IF YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES AND YOU TOTAL 'EM UP, YOU SEE THAT ALL OF THESE FUNDS TOTAL A LITTLE OVER $2.3 MILLION AND REPRESENT NEARLY A 6% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR'S TOTAL BUDGETED INVESTMENTS.
BRINGING OUR NEW TOTAL BUDGETED INVESTMENTS TO $43,497,804.
WE TOO ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
OVER 77% OF OUR FUNDINGS DEDICATED TO INSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPPORTS INSTRUCTION.
AND ADDITIONAL 9% GOES TO OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, 7% TO TRANSPORTATION, MAINTAINING THE SAFETY AND INTEGRITY OF OUR BUS FLEET AND ABOUT 7% TO HEALTH ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED IN THIS NEXT BUDGET.
SALARY AND BENEFITS WILL ACCOUNT FOR 83% OF OUR BUDGET BUDGET.
23% OF OUR BUDGET WILL BE BENEFITS.
ABOUT 60% TO INCLUDE SALARY, 4% FOR PURCHASE SERVICES, 5% FOR MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES AND UTILITIES, AND 8% FOR SUPPLIES AND TEXTBOOKS.
OUR FUNDING SOURCES, I'M VERY HAPPY TO SHARE THAT THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY.
OUR COUNTY TRANSFERS RECOMMENDED AN INCREASE OF $2.122 MILLION OVER THE 2024 FISCAL AMOUNTS.
THE TOTAL COUNTY TRANSFER INCREASES FROM 68% OF OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET TO 70% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET.
AND YOU SEE THAT NUMBER REPRESENTS 29,000,373 $150.
QUICK LESSON, WHO KNOWS? THE LOCAL COMPOSITE INDEX OF GLAND COUNTY.
SOMEONE WHO'S NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
POINT EIGHT 0.8, THAT IS THE HIGHEST CALCULATED LOCAL COMPOSITE INDEX IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
SO WHEN YOU HEAR NEWS STORIES ABOUT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLIES TAKING ACTION, IT'S GONNA HAVE A GREAT MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON PUBLIC EDUCATION.
IT HAS A GREAT IMPACT IN SOME PLACES, A GREATER IMPACT IN MOST, BUT NOT SO MUCH A GREAT IMPACT HERE IN GLAND WHERE WE ARE SEEN TO BE A COUNTY THAT HAS THE WEALTH TO SUPPORT 80% OF THE COST FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND THE REMAINING 20% SUPPLEMENTED ROUGHLY BY STATE AND FEDERAL MONIES IN ADDITION TO GRANTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE OVER $460 MILLION OF UH, MONIES WERE RELEASED TO LOCALES FOR THE ALL IN INITIATIVE, THAT TRANSLATED TO ABOUT $236,000 FOR GLAND COUNTY COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING, AND NOT TO PICK ON OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE SOUTHEAST HENRICO COUNTY'S SHARE OF THAT SAME POT OF MONEY WAS $17 MILLION.
SO THE STATE PERCEIVES THERE TO BE A HIGH ABILITY TO FUND LOCAL SCHOOLS IN OUR LOCALE AND THANKFULLY WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THIS GRAPH INDICATES A 10 YEAR TREND OF ALL REVENUE STREAMS, LOCAL, FEDERAL, STATE, AND COUNTY TRANSFER.
AND IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, YOU'RE WATCHING THIS GRAPH OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS AND YOU'RE SAYING, WOW, THERE'S BEEN RECORD CONTRIBUTION TO
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PUBLIC EDUCATION YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.MY ARGUMENT IS THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SAY THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
EVERY SINGLE YEAR, WE SHOULD INVEST MORE IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAN WE DID THE YEAR PRIOR.
WE'RE BLESSED TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE OUR TOTAL ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS MATCH OUR TOTAL ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
AND THAT SWEET SPOT IS CALLED A BALANCED BUDGET, WHICH WE HAVE PUT FORTH.
AND AGAIN, OUR BUDGET HAS GROWN BY ABOUT 5.7%.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I SHARED WITH YOU THAT THIS BUDGET REPRESENTS EVERYTHING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS AS YOUR SUPERINTENDENT, IT DOES NOT.
WE, LIKE EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY HAD TO MAKE SOME SACRIFICES AND HAD TO PRIORITIZE OUR REQUEST.
BUT IF THIS BUDGET COULD INCLUDE EVERYTHING THAT I'D LOVE TO HAVE, IT WOULD INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL $120,000 TO COVER THE 11% HEALTH INSURANCE RATE INCREASE.
WHEN WE BUDGETED, THE BEST PROJECTION WE HAD WAS 9% HAD IT HELD AT 9%, OUR CALCULATED TOTAL WOULD'VE BEEN ENOUGH FOR US TO ABSORB THE COMPLETE INCREASE ON BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES PASSING ON NONE OF THOSE COSTS.
INCREASE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO PERCENTAGE POINTS, $120,000.
I'D LOVE TO HAVE A MARKET ADJUSTMENT POOL FOR OUR TEACHERS SO THAT OUR MOST IMPORTANT EMPLOYEES CAN BE AT THE MEDIAN OR TOP HALF OF THE REGION THAT COMES AT A PRICE TAG OF $1.4 MILLION.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE FUNDING FOR NEW TEXTBOOKS AND THE MATERIALS THAT ARE GONNA BE REQUIRED FOR US TO, WITH FIDELITY ADVANCE THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT, ALONG WITH NEW SOQ MATERIALS FOR OUR MATH STANDARDS.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD HAVE THREE ADDITIONAL INTERVENTIONISTS FOR READING ONE PER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO ALSO HELP US WITH THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT AND ITS PROMISE.
WE COULD USE A SECONDARY SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT BOTH THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.
ONE ADDITIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION FTE AT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL COULD CHANGE AVERAGE COURSE LOADS FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE LEARNERS BY ABOUT FOUR STUDENTS PER TEACHER.
AND FILLING IN THE GAP ON DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS.
BECAUSE OF LESS CIP FUNDING THIS YEAR, THIS COULD COME IN AT A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THIS IS FACILITIES MAINTENANCE AND TRANSPORTATION NEEDS ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FRONT, WE'RE CLOSING A SCHOOL THAT WAS BUILT IN 1957.
I WON'T TALK ABOUT THAT ONE, BUT I WILL TALK ABOUT THE TWO THAT WERE BUILT A YEAR LATER IN 1958 AND HAD ADDITIONS IN 19 70, 19 97, AND BOTH HAD GYMNASIUMS BUILT IN 2006.
BYRD HAS A CAPACITY OF 313 STUDENTS.
THAT NUMBER'S GONNA BECOME IMPORTANT HERE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
RANDOLPH CURRENTLY HOLDS A CAPACITY IN THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF 409 STUDENTS.
THERE ARE FIVE MOBILE CLASSROOMS ON THAT CAMPUS.
GLAND HIGH SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN 2001 AND HAS A CAPACITY OF 988 STUDENTS.
WE CURRENTLY ENROLL AROUND 825, A LITTLE ROOM FOR GROWTH GLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUILT IN 2008 695 PUPIL CAPACITY.
WE HAVE A CAREER IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CENTER THAT WAS BUILT IN 1997 AND A FLEET OF 59 BUSES AND 64 VEHICLES, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE FULLY DEPRECIATED.
THIS A COUNTY OWNED, UM, BUILDING THAT WE USE AS OUR TRANSPORTATION GARAGE WAS BUILT IN 1989.
SO WITH THE OPENING OF THE NEW GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE HAVE REDISTRICTED OR REZONED FOR THAT PROJECT.
THAT NEW SCHOOL IS GONNA HOLD A STUDENT CAPACITY OF 650 STUDENTS AND A LITTLE BIT OVER 105,000 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE.
THE REZONE IMPACTS THE NORTHWESTERN CORRIDOR AS WELL AS THE SOUTHEASTERN CORRIDOR OF THE COUNTY, AS WE WILL PULL APPROXIMATELY 40 STUDENTS FROM BYRD TO GLAND AND APPROXIMATELY 80 TO A HUNDRED STUDENTS FROM RANDOLPH UP TO GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I HOPE THAT YOU SEE THAT AS WE DO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THAT SLOW GROWTH, THE ADDITION OF THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS GONNA HELP US ABSORB THAT, ASSUMING THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE KIDS ARE ELEMENTARY AGED, SO THE NEW GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, EXCUSE ME, WE'VE GOT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES TO REPLACE OBVIOUSLY GES.
THIS IS A $55 MILLION CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT'S GONNA BE THE EQUIVALENT OF A $45 MILLION EDUCATIONAL
[00:55:01]
FACILITY.IF YOU'RE WONDERING ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION, THOSE MONIES WERE INVESTED INTO SITE READINESS, BASICALLY GETTING THE LAND WHERE THE SCHOOL SITS, READY FOR A SCHOOL TO BE THERE OCCUPYING THAT LAND.
SO THE TOTAL INVESTMENT IS IN FACT $55 MILLION.
BUT I WANNA BE CLEAR, WE'RE OPENING A $45 MILLION SCHOOL, OF WHICH WE SHOULD STILL BE VERY, VERY PROUD.
THE NEW SCHOOL OPENED FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF THIS FALL, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THE PROJECT, AS THEY TELL ME, IS CURRENTLY UNDER BUDGET AND HAS ALLOWED THE COUNTY TO IMPROVE RELATED WATER, ROADS, AND STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PONDS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE SCHOOL.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN US AT A RIBBON CUTTING AND OPEN HOUSE FOR THE SCHOOL.
THAT'S GONNA BE ON JULY THE 18TH FROM FOUR TO 7:00 PM WE DO HAVE OTHER FUNDED CIP PROJECTS.
RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS HAVING A INSTALLATION OF A WHOLE SCHOOL GENERATOR THAT HAPPENED THIS WINTER, $540,000.
AND THAT IS NOT AN EXPENDITURE THAT ANY OF US SHOULD BALK AT.
SOME MAY BE THINKING A WHOLE SCHOOL GENERATOR THAT'S AN EXORBITANT COST.
BUT THE REALITY IS, IF THE POWER GOES OUT AND IT HAS FREQUENTLY AT RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE ESTIMATED TIME OF RESTORATION, LET'S SAY IT GOES OUT IN THE MORNING AT NINE O'CLOCK AND THE ESTIMATED TIME FOR RESTORATION IS THREE HOURS, THEN THAT PROHIBITS OUR ABILITY TO FEED CHILDREN.
WE'VE NOW GOTTA MAKE A DECISION TO CLOSE SCHOOL FOR THAT DAY.
BUT HERE'S HOW IT HAS FURTHER IMPACT.
THESE ARE ELEMENTARY AGE CHILDREN.
WE HAVE TO GENERATE A ROBO CALL THAT MORNING FROM MOMS AND DADS AND GRANDPARENTS, MANY OF WHOM ARE WORKING TO LEAVE THEIR JOBS SO THAT NOW THEY CAN BE HOME TO ATTEND THE STUDENTS WHO AREN'T IN SCHOOL BECAUSE ELECTRICITY HAS FAILED.
THAT SHOULD NEVER BE THE CASE, AND MOVING FORWARD WON'T BE THE CASE AT RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY.
THE WHOLE SCHOOL GENERATOR AT THAT BUILDING IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WE'VE INSTALLED AT BYRD PREVIOUSLY AND CAN SUSTAIN ENERGY IN THAT SCHOOL.
IN THE EVENT OF, UM, LENGTHY POWER OUTAGES, WE FUNDED HVAC REPLACEMENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL ARE SET TO DO SO THIS SUMMER AT A COST OF $4.6 MILLION.
AND KEEP IN MIND THAT THAT FACILITY'S NEARING 20 YEARS OLD.
SO IT'S TIME FOR HVAC UPGRADES.
WE'RE LUCKY TO RECEIVE, UH, MONIES TO DO PHASE ONE OF A ROOF REPLACEMENT ON THE 1958 AND 1977 WINGS AT BIRD THIS SUMMER.
THAT'LL BE AN EIGHT WEEK PROJECT THAT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $400,000 ON THE BUS AND VEHICLE REPLACEMENT FRONT.
THEY'LL DELIVER THIS SUMMER AT A COST OF $200,000.
I SAT AMAZED LISTENING TO THE COST OF A FIRE TRUCK.
I THAT IS REALLY, WOW, THAT'S A LOT.
SCHOOL BUSES AVERAGE ABOUT $136,000 PER SCHOOL BUS.
ELECTRIC BUSES NOW ARE ALL THE RAVE THAT WE'RE GETTING THROUGH.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE ELECTRIC BUSES.
WE'LL HAVE CHARGERS CHARGING STATIONS AT THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND AT THE GARAGE BY MAY OF THIS YEAR, FUNDED THROUGH AN EPA GRANT, TOTALING $1.1 MILLION REQUESTED.
CIP NEEDS LIGHTING UPGRADES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, A MAINTENANCE POOL WITH CARPET AND CEILING REPLACEMENTS, CAFETERIA EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENTS.
THIS IS WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT.
MANY OF OUR CAFETERIAS HAVE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS PURCHASED IN THE EARLY 1990S.
I COULD HAVE USED IT AS A STUDENT.
MY 50TH BIRTHDAY WILL BE MONTH AFTER NEXT.
AND IF YOU'RE THINKING, WELL, IT SURELY STILL WORKS IF IT'S A REFRIGERATOR, IT KEEPS THE FOOD COLD.
THAT'S WHAT A REFRIGERATOR'S SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO WE'VE GOTTEN GREAT ON THAT INVESTMENT AND THAT IS TRUE.
BUT IF IT FAILS TOMORROW, IT'S GONNA NEED TO BE REPLACED.
AND AS THESE THINGS APPROACH 35 YEARS OF BEING IN USE, INEVITABLY THEY'RE GOING TO FAIL.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE A REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE AND A REPLACEMENT PLAN.
SCHOOL BUSES AND FOUR VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS, $431,000.
THESE ITEMS ARE GONNA BE TAKEN CARE OF AS PRIORITY ITEMS IN OUR $1.2 MILLION PRIORITY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL PARKING LOT REPAIRS AT BIRD PHASE TWO OF THE ROOF REPLACEMENT AT BIRD FIELD.
IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR ATHLETES AND UPGRADE OF, UH, THE 1958 BATHROOMS AT RANDOLPH.
AND THIS TO MEET, THIS IS TO MEET A DA STANDARDS IN ENGINEERING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR THE CTE EDITION.
THE TOTAL ASK WAS $4.9 MILLION.
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE 1.2 MILLION TO TAKE CARE OF THE PRIORITY ITEMS THAT I JUST WENT OVER.
WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING
[01:00:01]
BRIGHTER FUTURES.I HOPE THAT YOU ALL HAVE FOUND THIS INFORMATIVE, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL GLADLY TAKE THOSE NOW.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THE OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE EXISTING GES.
UH, THERE'S BEEN NO FINAL DETERMINATION ON WHAT THAT TRANSFER IS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
I KNOW THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CTE, UM, WING, UH, SOME TODAY AT YOUR MEETING.
AND CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT? WE KNOW THAT CURRENTLY OUR STUDENTS ARE IN A SEPARATE BUILDING.
UM, AND THAT BY ADDING THAT WEEK TO THE HIGH SCHOOL AS IT WAS PLANNED, YOU CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO MEASURE WHAT AN IMPACT THAT WILL HAVE ON EVERY STUDENT.
'CAUSE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN A TRADE AND MATH OR A TRADE IN SCIENCE OR THE COMMUNICATION YOU GET FROM LANGUAGE ARTS WILL REALLY, UM, HELP EVERY STUDENT.
AND IT, IT REALLY IS GONNA COME DOWN TO INCREASED ACCESSIBILITY.
UM, A A LOT OF TIMES OUR STUDENTS WILL WANT TO DABBLE IN A COURSE.
MAYBE THEY WON'T TAKE THE SUBSEQUENT COURSE IN THE SERIES, BUT THEY'LL WANT TO TRY A COURSE TO SEE IF THEY LIKE IT.
AND A DETERRENT FROM THAT IS HAVING TO GET ON A BUS AND LEAVE CAMPUS AND COME UP HERE NEAR THE COURTHOUSE TO THE CTE CENTER, NOT TO MENTION THE BETTERMENT OF OUR PROGRAMS. THROUGH INNOVATION AND, AND BETTER, MORE RECENT, MORE CURRENT INSTRUCTIONAL SPACE, THIS COULD REALLY BE A GAME CHANGER FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL WERE WATCHING, BUT A MONTH BEFORE LAST, WE RECEIVED A VERY GENEROUS DONATION FROM SERGEANT OF A PIECE OF A HEAVY MACHINERY AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT THAT IS RESTED AT THE CURRENT SITE.
MY DAUGHTER TAKES CULINARY ARTS AT THAT CURRENT SITE WHERE THE KITCHEN IS OUTSTANDING.
BUT IMAGINE THAT IN A MORE UPDATED SPACE WITH MORE UPDATED EQUIPMENT, IMAGINE WHERE WE COULD TAKE OUR KIDS FROM A CTE STANDPOINT.
IT HAS BEEN IMPRESSED UPON ME THAT IT IS A PRIORITY OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR US TO TRAIN, RECOGNIZING THAT NOT EVERY KID DESIRES, AT LEAST NOT INITIALLY TO ENROLL AT A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY TO GIVE OUR KIDS LIFE SKILLS SO THAT THEY CAN GO OUT AND BE CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, TO HELP PLAY A ROLE IN A MUCH NEEDED WORKFORCE.
THAT OUR PARTNERS TELL US EVERY TIME WE'RE WITH THEM.
THEY CAN'T FIND ENOUGH PEOPLE TO HIRE FOR SOME OF THESE SKILL TRADES.
WE HAVE PEOPLE, WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO WILL GRADUATE ON JUNE THE EIGHTH AND GO TO WORK ON JUNE THE 10TH AND MAKE $70,000.
THAT'S AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU BOTH MR. CARPENTER AND DR.
MARTY FOR EMPHASIZING THE NEED OF OUR PEOPLE.
ALL OF OUR SERVICES, IT IS A WIN-WIN.
WHEN WE INVEST IN THE QUALITY PEOPLE THAT COME AND PROVIDE SERVICES ACROSS ALL OF THESE DEPARTMENTS AND NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE, WE ALL, NO MATTER WHAT AGE YOU ARE, WE ALL, WE ALL WIN.
'CAUSE OUR COMMUNITY WILL THRIVE.
OUR, OUR CHILDREN WILL THRIVE.
IT IS THE ONLY PATH TO SUSTAINING THE SUCCESSES THAT WE'VE HAD, NOT ONLY IN THE SCHOOLS, BUT IN THE COUNTY WITH PUBLIC SERVICES AND ALL OF THAT.
ALL THE, UH, NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHAT IS THE MARGIN OF CAPACITY CURRENTLY? AND THEN WHAT WILL IT BE WHEN YOU HAVE THE NEW ELEMENTARY? YES, SIR.
SO THE, THE, THE CURRENT GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS ABOUT 360, PROBABLY COULD MAX OUT 380 STUDENTS.
THE NEW SCHOOL WILL HAVE A CAPACITY OF SIX 50.
SO WE'LL GROW CAPACITY BY MY QUICK MATH 270 STUDENTS.
THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IS THE DIFFERENCE.
THE CURRENT GES IS LITTLE OVER 35,000 SQUARE FEET.
THE NEW FACILITY WILL BE OVER 105,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU ALL TO COME TO THAT RIBBON.
CUT AND SHARE THAT EXPERIENCE WITH US ON THE 18TH.
I JUST WANNA SHARE WITH Y'ALL JUST A QUICK FEW THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AT THE CLERK'S OFFICE, UM, THAT WILL IMPACT Y'ALL.
SO, UM, JUST GIMME A FEW MINUTES AND THEN Y'ALL CAN BE ON YOUR WAY AND GO HOME.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M AMANDA ADAMS. I AM YOUR CLERK OF COURT.
FIRST THING IS, UM, WE HAVE PURCHASED AN
[01:05:01]
OVERSIZED PLAT SCANNER.UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS COME IN RECENTLY AND WANTED TO GET A COPY OF THEIR PLAT.
AND WHEN YOU GET A COPY OF YOUR PLAT, IT'S JUST ON YOUR NORMAL STANDARD, UM, LEGAL SIZED PAPER.
BUT NOW YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET A COPY OF THE PLAT ON THE OVERSIZED, UM, PLATS, JUST LIKE YOU WOULD IF YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE PARISH'S OFFICE AND, AND GETTING A COPY OF THE PLAT.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO GET THE ACTUAL COPY OF A PLAT.
ALSO, WITH THAT, WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO SCAN THE PLATS IN AT OUR OFFICE NOW.
SO NOW, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GIVE US THREE COPIES OF THE PLAT, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SAVE MONEY NOW AND JUST GET THE ACTUAL TWO COPIES OF THE PLAT.
WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE OFFERING WHERE YOU CAN DO ONLINE CONCEALED HANDGUN PERMITS APPLICATIONS NOW.
UM, SO JUST GIVE ME A FEW MONTHS.
WE'RE WORKING ON THE, THE ACTUAL TWEAKS IN IT.
UM, YOU CAN STILL DO THE PERMITS THE OLD FASHIONED WAY WHERE YOU BRING THEM IN TO US OR YOU CAN ALSO MAIL THEM IN.
BUT WE WILL HAVE THIS UP AND WORKING SOON, AND WE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN IT IS AVAILABLE.
AND ALSO, I'M GOING TO BE DOING AN ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR HERE IN THIS ROOM, UM, ON APRIL 26TH AT THREE O'CLOCK.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GONNA BENEFIT EVERYBODY WHO NEEDS TO UPDATE THEIR ESTATE PLANNING.
UM, THIS CAN BENEFIT YOUR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS YOURSELVES.
I SEE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO WORK ON.
SO PLEASE PUT THIS ON YOUR CALENDAR AND BE HERE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? OKAY.
I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MR. CARPENTER.
THANKS, MS. ADAMS. YOU'RE WELCOME.
NOW, UM, MR. WINFREY, THIS IS YOUR DISTRICT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UH, SAY ANYTHING TO OUR CITIZENS HERE? I JUST NEED TO TELL EVERYBODY.
UH, TODAY I HAVE A TOUR OF THE SCHOOL, WHICH IS WHAT, 85% COMPLETE MAN THAT BELIEVE JUNE.
AND I'M TELLING YOU, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALL GONNA BE PROUD OF.
FIRST CLASS, STATE OF THE ART.
IT'S A GREAT GIFT TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY.
UM, I'M HERE TO SERVE THIS DISTRICT AND, UH, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES.
AND, UH, I'M HERE TO TRY TO DO SOME GOOD.
I, I WANT TO BRING COMMON SENSE TO THE BOARD AND, UH, JUST DO WHATEVER I CAN TO HELP.
YOU'RE ACTUALLY IN MY DISTRICT, BUT, UH, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERY EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT.
UM, YOU SEE THESE BUDGETS, THIS IS THE PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT THING.
PART OF THIS, THIS ROLE IS DOING THE BUDGETS BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS NEEDS AND WE CAN'T MEET THEM ALL.
AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE.
WE'RE ALSO PROUD OF HOW OUR STAFF, UM, WORKS WITH WHAT THEY HAVE.
IT IS, IT IS A TRUE TESTAMENT COMING FROM, UM, A FORTUNE 100 COMPANY TO THE PRIVATE, TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR TO SEE HOW HARD PEOPLE WORK.
UM, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS AN EIGHT TO FIVE JOB HERE.
I MEAN, THIS IS NOT PARKS FROM REC LIKE YOU SEE ON TV.
THIS IS, THIS IS DIFFICULT STUFF.
BUT WE'RE ALSO PROUD OF OUR CITIZENS.
IF OUR TREASURER WAS HERE, SHE WOULD TALK ABOUT OUR COLLECTION RATES AND HOW PEOPLE PAY THEIR TAXES ON TIME, AND THEY PAY THEIR BILLS AND THEY, THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOCIETY.
WE HAD AN APPRECIATION, UH, OF, UH, EVENT LAST YEAR, UM, WHERE WE ASKED EVERYBODY TO VOLUNTEER.
WE HAD MORE PEOPLE THAT VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME THAN WE PAY.
UM, AND THAT'S HOW THIS COMMUNITY RUNS.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CITIZENS OF, UH, OF GLAND COUNTY FOR MAKING THIS THE GREAT COMMUNITY THAT IT'S, THANK YOU.
SHERIFF, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? I TALK TO YOU AFTERWARDS.
WELL, GUYS, I SAID WE HAVE STAFF HERE FROM SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE OUR PARK DIRECT DIRECTOR.
WE, WE HAVE OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES AND FIRE, OF COURSE, OUR SHERIFF, OUR COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY, OUR PARK RECREATION, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, OUR PLANNING AND ZONING STAFF, OUR IT STAFF.
WE GOT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS A GREAT COUNTY HERE TONIGHT, UH, WORKING FOR YOU.
SO WITH THAT THEN, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.
YOU SAID YOU WERE BUILDING ANOTHER FIRE STATION? YES, MA'AM.
WHERE'S THAT? STATION SEVEN RIGHT NOW IS UNDER DESIGN.
[01:10:01]
IT'S ON HOCKETT ROAD IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY.AFTER THAT, THE NEXT STATION WOULD BE UP IN, UM, SANDY HOOK, UM, JUST ON WHITEHALL ROAD AND DOCK.