[00:00:09]
DO.ALRIGHT, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF GLAND COUNTY ON MARCH 4TH, 2025.
[I. 2:30 PM - Call to Order]
UM, JUST LIKE TO REMIND, UH, FOLKS THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED IN MARCH THIS MONTH, UH, THREE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE MONDAY, MARCH 24TH AT 6:00 PM BYRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 27 0 4 HAYDENVILLE FIFE ROAD IN GLAND.
AND THAT WOULD BE FOR DISTRICT ONE.
DISTRICTS FOUR AND FIVE WILL COMBINE THEIR MEETING ON THURSDAY, MARCH 27TH, THE SIX O'CLOCK AT THE RESIDENCE INN AT THE NOTCH 2,800 WILKES RIDGE CIRCLE.
AND DISTRICTS TWO AND THREE WILL BE RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM ON MARCH 31ST AT 6:00 PM AND, OH, EXCUSE ME.
UM, AND SO ANYWAY, I JUMPED THE GUN.
I'D LIKE
NOBLE OFF WITH A PRAYER, UH, PASTOR JEFF DIXON, SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
AND I'M SORRY I JUMPED AHEAD OF YOU.
[II. Invocation: Pastor Jeff Dickson, Salem Baptist Church]
FATHER, GOD, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR THE BEAUTY OF THIS DAY AND FOR THE BEAUTY OF THIS COUNTY.AND LORD, WE PRAY YOUR BLESSING OVER THIS BODY OF BOARD MEMBERS AS THEY HANDLE YOUR BUSINESS.
AND GOD, WE CONFESS TO YOU BOTH AS CITIZENS AND AS LEADERS, THAT WE ARE SO DEPENDENT ON YOU FOR WISDOM.
AND LORD, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE THE WISE KING AND THAT YOUR WORD TELLS US WE NEED WISDOM.
WE CAN CRY OUT TO YOU ASKING FOR IT.
AND SO WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US REAL TIME WISDOM FOR WE DO NOT EVEN KNOW.
AND LORD, WE NEED YOU TO SUPPLY IN OUR LACK.
AND SO, LORD, WOULD YOU DO THAT? EVIDENCE YOUR FAVOR AND BLESSING UPON THIS MEETING.
AND LORD, THE GREAT CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY, AND LORD, MAY EVERYTHING THAT TRANSPIRES IN THIS MEETING TODAY BE A BLESSING TO EACH ONE OF US AND GLORIFYING ULTIMATELY TO YOU.
AND WE PRAY THIS IN JESUS' NAME.
PLEASE REMAIN STANDING AND JOIN ALLEGIANCE
[III. Pledge of Allegiance: Vice-Chair Jonathan Christy]
P TO FLAG IN THE UNITED STATES, AMERICA, AND TO THE BODY FOR WHICH SAINTS, FOR ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.[IV. Chair's Comments]
WE ALSO HAVE WITH US, UH, VIA ELECTRONIC MEANS, OR, UH, SUPERVISOR NEIL SPOON.AND, UH, NEIL, CAN YOU HEAR US? YES.
MRAM CHAIR CAN HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
DO WE NEED TO, UH, APPROVE HIS, UH, REMOTENESS AS A BOARD WOULDN'T HURT, WOULD IT? UM, YOU'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO DO THAT THOUGH, BECAUSE THE CHAIR IS ALLOWED TO, AS LONG AS MR. SPOON HOWER STANDS ON THE RECORD THAT HE HAS A PERSONAL REASON THAT PREVENTS HIM FROM BEING ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.
THE BOARD CHAIRMAN'S ALLOWED TO SIMPLY ALLOW THAT TO, AND, AND, AND HIS LOCATION SIMPLY ALLOW THAT CONTINUE.
AND IF ANY BOARD, THE PROCESS SAYS, IF ANY BOARD MEMBER OBJECTED, THEY WOULD RAISE A MOTION TO OBJECT.
UM, AND WE'VE ALREADY, UH, VERIFIED THE FACT THAT MR. SPOON HOUR CAN HEAR US, AND IT SOUNDS TO ME AS IF HE'S RIGHT HERE IN THE ROOM WITH US.
AND, UH, SO, UH, AND I BELIEVE, UH, MR. SPOON HOUR IS OUTTA THE COUNTRY.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. SAUER? YES, MR. WINFREY.
UH, I APPRECIATE THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I AND I, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET FOLKS KNOW, UM, IN MY ABSENCE, I, I HAVE PERFECT ATTENDANCE AT ALL MEETINGS, BOTH COUNTYWIDE AND REGIONAL.
SO ALL MY CBTA MEETINGS, I ACTUALLY CHAIRED THE CBTA FINANCE, UM, REMOTELY.
UM, I ALSO HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT REPLY RATE TO ALL OF MY EMAILS, PHONES, AND TEXTS.
SO I AM ABSOLUTELY AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE THAT NEEDS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME AND HAPPY TO DO THAT AND APPRECIATE THE ACCOMMODATION.
AND I CAN ATTEST TO THAT BECAUSE I'VE TALKED WITH YOU SEVERAL TIMES AND LIKE I MENTIONED TO YOU, I THINK THE LAST TIME IT WAS LIKE YOU IN THE NEXT ROOM.
AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, UH, OH, LET ME JUST SAY SOMETHING.
I WANT TO TURN THIS OVER TO OUR INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, BUT I WANNA TAKE THIS TIME, MR. ALVAREZ, TO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP INTO THIS POSITION.
UH, YOU'VE PROVEN, UH, YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE.
YOU DID A REALLY GOOD JOB LAST TIME YOU WERE ASKED
[00:05:01]
TO DO THIS AND, AND I'VE NOTICED THE EMPLOYEES ARE WELCOMING YOU AND SMILING AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.AND, UH, WE THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP.
UM, THE, THE, THE REAL THING HERE, THE IMPORTANT THING, AND ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN, IN ADDITION TO KEEP THING KEEPING THINGS TOGETHER, IS IT GIVES US, IT TAKES SOME HEAT OFF OF US.
IT GIVES US TIME TO VERY DELIBERATELY GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME ON, UH, ON FILLING THE, THE POSITION ON A PERMANENT BASIS.
AFTER HEARING ALL THE COMMENTS I'VE HEARD TODAY, I'M WONDERING IF I MADE THE RIGHT
[V. Interim Administrator's Comments]
DECISION.BUT ANYWAY, I, I, UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR TRUSTING ME TO DO THIS JOB AGAIN.
UM, AND I WANT TO THANK THE EMPLOYEES 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN RECEIVED VERY WELL.
IT'S BEEN LAST WEEK SEEMED LIKE IT WAS ONE DAY, BUT ON WEDNESDAY I THOUGHT, I TALKED TO PEOPLE TWO WEEKS AGO AND I WASN'T ON THE JOB TWO WEEKS AGO,
SO THAT'S HOW, THAT'S HOW I WENT.
UH, LAST TIME, I, I WAS INTERIM, WE HAD A LOT OF BIG THINGS ON THE AGENDA.
WE DID THE REFERENDUM FOR THE SCHOOLS REDISTRICTING, UH, THE LOUISA BORDER.
UH, WE HAD, WE WENT AFTER OUR THIRD AAA RATING FROM FITCH.
UM, WE ISSUED THE BONDS FOR THE SCHOOL, THEN WE STARTED THE PROCESS OF THE SCHOOL.
SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THOSE HUGE THINGS GOING, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THEY'RE JUST AS IMPORTANT.
AND, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE MY, MY GOAL IS GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THE NEXT ADMINISTRATOR HAS A COUNTY THAT'S RUNNING MAYBE BETTER THAN IT IS TODAY.
I, I WOULD, UM, THERE WAS ONE MORE THING I WANTED TO ANNOUNCE AND, AND, UH, JESSICA SENT OUT A NOTE TODAY ABOUT IT.
UH, OUR, UH, FIRE RESCUE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE RECOGNIZED BY THE GOVERNOR FOR, UH, WITH AN EXCELLENCE AWARD.
UM, THE GOVERNOR JUST ANNOUNCED IT.
WE ANNOUNCED IT TODAY THROUGH, VIA A MESSAGE, UH, GLAND COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND RESCUE EMERGENCY SERVICES, RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE IN VIRGINIA FIRE SERVICES FOR ITS NEW LIVE FIRE STRUCTURE LOCATED AT HENLEY FIRE TRAINING CENTER.
AND, UH, IT OPENED IN AUGUST OF 2024.
UH, THE 1.2 MILLION FACILITY UTILIZES GAS TO SIMULATE A FIRE, WHICH ALLOWS TRAINING CREWS TO BE MET WITH REAL FLAME, HEAT AND RESTRICTIVE VISIBILITY, JUST LIKE THE WOOD IN A REAL LIFE FI FIRE EVENT.
UM, AND THE STRUCTURE CAN BE MOVED.
SO IF WE EVER WANTED TO MOVE IT ELSEWHERE, WE CAN DO THAT.
AND I WAS LUCKY LAST TIME, UH, BECAUSE WHEN I RAN FOR OFFICE IN 2011, I PROMISED BROADBAND FOR, UH, BROADBAND IN EVERY HOUSE, RIGHT? WAS, AND LAST TIME I GOT TO SIGN SOME OF THE AGREEMENTS WITH, UH, FIREFLY AND OTHERS TO BRING BROADBAND TO GLAND.
AND THIS FACILITY, WE PLACED THE ORDER BACK WHEN I WAS INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR.
SO MAYBE, UM, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET 'CAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO GO TO, WELL, I'VE SEEN IT, BUT DIDN'T SEE IT IN ACTION BECAUSE I WAS BUSY WHEN IT WAS FIRST DEDICATED.
BUT, UH, I FEEL LIKE IT'S ALL COMING, COMING BACK AROUND.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FIRE FOLKS.
UM, AND EDDIE COULDN'T BE HERE 'CAUSE HE'S IN A, IN A MANDATORY CLASS.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR PUSHING IT THROUGH AND CONVINCING US THAT WAS, IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT TRAINING FACILITY NOW AND WE HAVE A, A GREAT FIRE AND RESCUE DIVISION.
[VI. Requests to Postpone Agenda Items and Additions, Deletions or Changes in the Order of Presentation]
SIR.UM, REQUEST TO POSTPONE AGENDA ITEMS AND ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, OR CHANGES IN THE ORDER OF PRESENTATION BOARD.
ARE THERE ANY REQUESTS TO POSTPONE, ADD, DELETE, OR CHANGE THE ORDER OF PRESENTATION? ALL RIGHT.
HEARING NONE, I'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF ACTION MINUTES FEBRUARY 4TH AND FEBRUARY 18TH, 2025.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE FEBRUARY 4TH AND FEBRUARY 18TH MEETINGS AS PRESENTED OR AMENDED? MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE EXTRA MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 4TH AND FEBRUARY 18TH, 2025 MEETINGS.
[VIII. Approval of Action Minutes]
OKAY.ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT ALL MR. CHAIRMAN? YES.
DID, DID WE MOVE CITIZEN COMMENT? IT'S COMING UP NEXT.
UM, DO WE NEED A ROLL CALL ON THAT? NO, IT'S A VOICE CALL.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[00:10:01]
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.NEXT WE'LL HAVE THE CITIZEN COMMENT, PERIOD.
[VII. Citizen Comment]
FOR RESIDENTS TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUE INVOLVING THE COUNTY THAT IS NOT ON THE MEETING.IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS ABOUT AN ISSUE SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING, YOU NEED TO SPEAK WHEN THAT MATTER IS CALLED.
EACH PERSON MAY SPEAK ONCE FOR UP TO THREE MINUTES.
PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM AND PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS BEFORE PROVIDING YOUR COMMENTS.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES, YOU MAY EXTEND YOUR TIME BY HAVING OTHER RES RESIDENTS COME UP, GIVE THEIR NAME AND SEE THEIR TIME TO YOU.
YOUR TIME IS INCREASED BY TWO MINUTES FOR EACH PERSON WHO DOES SO UP TO A TOTAL OR A LIMIT OF 10 MINUTES TOTAL.
THE BOARD IS OFFERING A CITIZEN COMMENTS PERIOD, BUT IS NOT INTENDED TO LAST MORE THAN AN HOUR.
AT THIS POINT, I'LL OPEN UP THE PERIOD FOR CITIZEN COMMENT.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO STEP FORWARD? GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
IT'S NICE TO SEE EVERYONE AGAIN.
I LIVE ON PIPING ROCK ROAD IN IN THE KINLOCK VILLAS IN MANNEQUIN SABBATH.
THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE I'LL ADDRESS IS INDEED NOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY, BUT I'VE ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO THIS GROUP BEFORE, UH, ABOUT THIS TOPIC NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO WHEN THE KID LOCK VILLA'S WORKING GROUP THAT I AM REPRESENTING TODAY, UH, WE OUTLINED OUR CONCERNS IN A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ABOUT THE SITE OF THE PLANT FIRE STATION NUMBER SEVEN THAT WOULD ENTER AND EXIT ON HOCKET ROAD NEAR THE TUCKAHOE CREEK PARKWAY INTERSECTION.
OUR PRIMARY OBJECTION AT THAT TIME FOCUSED ON SAFETY AND THE RISK IS THAT WE'RE INVOLVED WITH ERECTING OF FIRE AND RESCUE FACILITY ON A HEAVILY TRAFFICKED TWO LANE COUNTRY ROAD WITH A 55 MILE PER HOUR SPEED LIMIT AND NO PLANS FOR EXPANSION.
NOW SINCE THAT PRESENTATION, SITE PREPARATION HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR THE NEW SONGBIRD HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON HOCKET ROAD, WHERE 65 HOMES ARE TO BE BUILT, WHICH WILL NOTICEABLY INCREASE TRAFFIC.
ADDITIONALLY, ANOTHER NEW DEVELOPMENT ADJACENT TO THE PARK AT CENTERVILLE ACROSS FROM READER'S BRANCH WILL ADD ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC IN THE FUTURE.
NOW, I REALIZE THAT SPEED LIMITS ARE A VDOT ISSUE AND I'M, I'M GLAD THAT THIS IS PLACED ON THE AGENDA WHERE IT IS 'CAUSE I WANTED MR. WIND TO HEAR THIS AS WELL.
UH, SO IT'S NOT A COUNTY ISSUE, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT SINCE THERE ARE NO DOCUMENTED PLANS TO WIDEN HOCKET ROAD, UH, BEYOND ADDING ENTRANCE LANES INTO THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS, WE BELIEVE THAT THE TIME IS RIGHT TO PETITION VDOT TO LOWER THE SPEED LIMIT ON HOCKET ROAD TO 45 MILES PER HOUR.
THE MODELS ALREADY EXIST THAT PROJECT THAT, UH, THE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC ALONG THAT CORRIDOR SIMPLY PUT TOO MANY CARS, NOT ENOUGH ASPHALT.
OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO DO THE RIGHT THING SOONER RATHER THAN LATER AND BEGIN THE PROCESS TO LOWERING THE SPEED LIMIT TO 45 MILES PER HOUR.
NOW, THE BOARD IS ALSO AWARE THAT THERE ARE NO WALKING TRAILS IN KINLOCK.
I KNOW A FIRST WORLD PROBLEM, I'M SORRY, BUT WITH NO WALKING TRAILS, RESIDENTS ARE PARTICULARLY IN THE VILLAGES, ARE FORCED ALONG TO WALK ALONG THE SIDE OF TUCKO CREEK PARKWAY, UH, AND RISK THEIR LIVES BASICALLY.
AND, UH, GOD FORBID, RIDE A BIKE ON TUCKER CREEK PARKWAY.
THE SPEED LIMIT ON THAT STRETCH OF TCP FROM HAKE TO HERMITAGE IS 45 MILES PER HOUR SLOWING TO 35 WHEN MAKING A TURN.
THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR PEDESTRIANS OR CYCLISTS.
WE PROPOSE AGAIN THAT VO CONSIDER LOWERING THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF TUCK CREEK PARKWAY TO 35 MILES PER HOUR FROM HOCKET TO HERMITAGE.
WE THINK IT'S PRUDENT TO DO THE RIGHT THING THERE TO LOWER THE SPEED LIMIT BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS HURT.
NOW, MARK KENNY, ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS WOULD'VE BEEN HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
HE IS ILL, BUT I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS QUOTE FROM HIM THAT HE TOLD ME LAST NIGHT.
I'M SO VERY THANKFUL YOU INCLUDED TCP SINCE I WALK ON IT EVERY DAY.
AARON AND I, AARON IS HIS WIFE AARON, AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE WALKING ALONG 2 88.
[00:15:02]
GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, UH, MR. ALVAREZ, GOOD TO SEE YOU SITTING UP THERE AGAIN.AND, AND WE, UH, APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU ALL TODAY.
AND I GENERALLY READ MY COMMENTS SO I CAN COVER INFORMATION INSTEAD OF GETTING BOGGED DOWN IN JUST CONVERSATION TYPE, UH, PRESENTATION.
UM, AS I'VE PREVIOUSLY COMMENTED, PORTIONS OF DOVER CREEK WATERSHED ARE UNDERGOING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A-D-D-Q-T-M-D-O PLAN.
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IS WRAPPING UP THE TMDL LOAD PLAN, AND WE'LL BE MOVING INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN LATER THIS YEAR.
MONICA HAS BEEN ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS, PROVIDING MORE, MORE ACCURATE LAND USE AND LAND MANAGEMENT DATA THAN THE MODEL ORIGINALLY USED.
WE'VE ATTENDED ALL THE MEETINGS AND CONTINUED TO PROVIDING INPUT.
AS THIS PROCESS MOVES FORWARD.
THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WILL FOCUS ON WHAT BMP'S BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES WOULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING THE SEDIMENT OF PHOSPHORUS LOADING IN THE WATERSHED.
WE'RE REVIEWING THE DATA AND DISCUSSING THOSE ITEMS. NOW.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE UCHIN COUNTY TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS AS IT WILL IMPACT LANDOWNERS RANGING FROM AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS, HORSE OPERATIONS, FORESTED LAND MANAGEMENT, AND RESIDENTIAL LOT OWNERS AS RELATED TO SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT.
IN RELATION TO OUR CURRENT BUDGET, AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 2025, WE HAD AVAILABLE AT APPROXIMATELY $110,000 FOR NON-RESTRICTED FUNDS FOR GENERAL OPERATIONS.
GENERAL OPERATIONS INCLUDE NORMAL OFFICE OPERATIONAL EXPENSES AND SALARIES FOR TWO STAFF MEMBERS.
TWO OF OUR FULL POSITIONS ARE MOSTLY COVERED BY STATE ALLOCATED FUNDS, RESTRICTED FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT THE VIRGINIA AGRICULTURAL COST SHIP PROGRAM.
WE DO HAVE RESERVE FUNDS FOR NON-ROUTINE EXPENSES SUCH AS VEHICLE REPLACEMENT AND EMPLOYEE LEAVE PAYOUT.
ALONG WITH THE CONTINGENCY FUND, WE ADHERE TO RESERVE POLICIES AS SET FORTH BY THE VIRGINIA SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION BOARD AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION.
IN LOOKING AT OUR MONTHLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, ONE MUST UNDERSTAND DCR ROUTINELY CHANGES PRACTICES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE FUNDS.
SO A SIMPLE REVIEW OF OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENT DOES NOT PROVIDE AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF OUR FINANCIAL POSITION.
IT WOULD BE LIKE LOOKING AT THE COUNTY'S FINANCES RIGHT AFTER THE TAX PAYMENT DEADLINES.
IN LOOKING AT OVER, OVER LAST YEAR'S ANNUAL REPORT, I THOUGHT I'D PULL SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE VIRGINIA AGRICULTURAL COST SHIP PROGRAM.
MONICA HAS LONG TERM, LONG-TERM CONTRACTS WITH 38 INDIVIDUAL FARMERS IN GUCCI COUNTY.
THESE LONG-TERM CONTRACTS SPAN FROM FIVE TO 15 YEARS.
SOME OF THOSE PRACTICES INCLUDE LIVESTOCK EXCLUSION FROM PONDS AND STREAMS, TREE PLANTING, CONVERSION OF CROP LAND TO PERMANENT GRASS MANURE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE, A CONTINUOUS NO-TILL CROPPING PRODUCTION.
UH, TO LIST A FEW OF THOSE PRACTICES, MOST OF THE FARMERS GROWING CORN AND SOYBEANS PARTICIPATE IN OUR COVER CROP PROGRAM, FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT AND OR PRECISION FARMING PRACTICES.
AS YOU RIDE THROUGHOUT GUCCI COUNTY, YOU MAY SEE THESE CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND NOT EVEN REALIZE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
IF YOU'VE SEEN A WATER TROUGH IN A PASTURE, THEN WE MOST LIKELY PROVIDED FINANCIAL OR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO INSTALL THAT.
YOU CAN SEE THEM AS YOU RIDE DOWN, WRITE SIX OR TWO 50.
YOU MIGHT EVEN SEE A SIGN POSTED ALONG THE ROAD INDICATING THESE PRACTICES.
THE MAJORITY OF CROP LAND, WHICH WAS PLANTED, NOT PLANTED IN WHEAT LAST FALL HARVEST LATER THIS SUMMER, IS ENROLLED IN OUR COVER CROP PROGRAM.
HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE EAST SIDE OF TUCKER PARK LATELY? THERE'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF ONE OF COVER CROPS THERE.
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO RIDE DOWN TWO 50 OR GET OFF THE BEATEN PATH TO REALLY GET AN IDEA OF ALL THE CROP LAND PLANTED AND COVER CROPS.
AND WE DO MULTIPLE INSPECTIONS ON THOSE COVER CROP BMPS AS WELL.
THE QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED, WHY DON'T ALL FARMING OPERATIONS PARTICIPATING OUR COST SHARE PROGRAM? MY INITIAL RESPONSE IS, SOME FARMERS DON'T WANT TO BE IN CONTRACT WITH THE GOVERNMENT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
PARTICIPATION IN THE VAX PROGRAM ALLOWS AND REQUIRES US TO DO ROUTINE INSPECTIONS OF THESE PRACTICES.
DO YOU HAVE THE FIRE MARSHAL TO COME BY YOUR HOUSE AND DO AN INSPECTION OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE USING, UH, EXTENSION CORDS PROPERLY OR STORING PROP FLAMMABLE PRODUCTS PROPERLY? THERE COULD ALSO BE ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR FARMERS IN FOLLOWING OUR STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS VERSUS DOING IT THEIR WAY.
THE SAME WATER QUALITY STANDARDS CAN BE MET THROUGH VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION PRACTICES.
HOWEVER, WE CAN'T VOLUNTARILY REPORT THOSE BMPS WITHOUT A SIGNED CONTRACT.
MONICA BELIEVES IN DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR PRODUCERS, AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES TWO OR THREE YEARS OR MORE TO DEVELOP THOSE CONTRACTS.
MONICA IS COMMITTED TO CONSERVING AGRICULTURAL LAND IN UCHIN BY HELPING FARMERS AND LANDOWNERS WITH OUR RESOURCES.
WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH MULTIPLE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AS WE TRY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND GLAND'S AGRICULTURAL FUTURE
[00:20:01]
AS WE WORK ON OUR FOUR YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME FORWARD?
I'M GONNA CLOSE THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.
UM, NOW WE HAVE SEVERAL REPORTS,
[IX. Reports]
UM, THE P**N REGIONAL LIBRARY BOARD REPORT.[1. Pamunkey Regional Library Board Report to BOS]
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR.UM, THIS IS BARB YOUNG, OUR CHAIR.
I'M BARBARA SLOAN, THE OTHER LACKEY FROM GLAND, AND WE'VE GOT OUR ACTING DIRECTOR HERE, JAMIE STOOPS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST GIVE A FEW COMMENTS ON SOME FINANCIALS GOING ON WITH THE BOARD AND WITH THE PRL AND OUR 2026 BUDGET, OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THE PLANNED, UH, DEPARTURE OF KING WILLIAM, UPON WHICH YOU WILL BE VOTING TODAY.
UH, WE WILL NOT BE REQUESTING ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM HANOVER OR GLAND, DESPITE THE FACT THAT OUR SHARED SERVICES AND STATE AID WILL BE DECREASED BY $272,000.
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH TIGHTENING OUR BELTS A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE THAT WORK.
UM, OUR AUDIT FOR 2025, WHICH WE FULLY INTEND TO, UH, COMPLETE ON TIME.
UH, THE PREPARATION WILL BEGIN WITH PB MAYORS IN MAY.
AND OUR BUSINESS OPERATION MANAGER HAS ALREADY BEGUN HIS PLANNING.
AND WE HAVE A CPA ON RETAINER TO ASSIST US LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR.
OUR RESERVE FUND, UH, WE ARE THAT SOME MONIES HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED FOR BRANCH IMPROVEMENTS, AND THAT WAS MONEY THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR A ADMINISTRATION BUILDING THAT NEVER WAS GOING TO BE BUILT.
SO WE ARE NOW PUTTING IT INTO THE BRANCHES AND, UH, PRIORITIZING IMPROVEMENTS AND ENHANCEMENTS.
AND 10 TO 12 DIFFERENT PROJECTS HAVE BEEN, UM, BEGUN AND IMPLEMENTED.
AND MY LAST COMMENT IS ABOUT OUR VERY WONDERFUL FRIENDS OF THE GLAND LIBRARY GROUP.
UH, EACH LIBRARY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A FRIENDS GROUP.
NOT EVERYONE TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THIS, BUT GLAND DOES.
AND IT IS A VERY ACTIVE AND WONDERFUL GROUP.
AND THEY CAN GO TO THE BRANCH MANAGER, OR THE BRANCH MANAGER CAN GO TO THE FRIENDS AND REQUEST, UH, FINANCIAL HELP, VOLUNTEER HELP, AND, UH, ALSO HELP WITH FUNDRAISING, WHICH IS KIND OF FUN.
AND UPON WHICH I'D LIKE TO MENTION THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A BOOK SALE AT THE J SARGE PLANT SALE ON SATURDAY APRIL 26TH.
SO NOW I HAND IT OVER TO THE OTHER BARB
YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE NAME BARBER TO BE ON OUR BOARD.
UM, I DID WANNA TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT KING WILLIAM AND THE PART DID THE DEPARTURE OF KING WILLIAM FROM THE UHON REGIONAL LIBRARY.
KING WILLIAM MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT, UM, IN JUNE OF 2024 THAT THEY WOULD, UH, THAT THEY WANTED TO LEAVE.
UM, AON, THERE'S, IT'S BEEN AN UP AND DOWN AND UP AND DOWN.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NEGOTIATIONS THAT HAVE GONE ON, BUT THEY DID FINALLY MAKE THEIR FINAL DECISION, UM, JUST A WEEK AGO THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE AND THEY ARE ASKING TO LEAVE, UM, ON JUNE 30TH, WHICH CREATES A VERY, VERY TIGHT TIMELINE FOR US.
UM, WITH THE LIBRARY, ESPECIALLY THE STAFF.
THE STAFF HAS GOT, UM, AN ENTIRE, UM, UH, AMOUNT OF ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY'VE GOT TO GET DONE IN THAT SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL ARE GONNA BE ADDRESSING THIS TODAY.
UH, I ALSO WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAD SAID, UM, WHEN WE FIRST, UH, WHEN OUR, UM, FORMER DIRECTOR RESIGNED, UH, LAST SUMMER, THAT WE WOULD START THE PROCESS OF, UH, LOOKING FOR A NEW DIRECTOR IN JANUARY.
UM, I, WE ARE STARTING, WE HAVE STARTED THAT PROCESS, BUT I ALSO WANNA TELL YOU THAT IN THE MEANTIME, WE GOT SOME VERY SAD NEWS FOR US AND VERY SURPRISING NEWS.
UM, JAMIE HAS MADE THE DECISION AND YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS HER CHOICE, BUT SHE HAS MADE THE DECISION THAT, UH, WHEN WE DO HIRE SOMEBODY NEW, THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR POSITION AND NOT BE CONSIDERED AS, UM, UH, FOR THE DIRECTOR POSITION AT THIS POINT.
UM, WE WERE SADDENED BY THAT, BUT WE UNDERSTAND WE HAD MADE AN AGREEMENT WITH HER THAT IF SHE WANTED TO DO THAT, WE WOULD CERTAINLY LET HER DO THAT.
SO WE ARE, UM, I WANTED TO ALSO TALK ABOUT,
[00:25:01]
UM, HOTSPOTS.UH, THESE ARE SOME SMALL DEVICES THAT YOU CAN CHECK OUT FROM THE LIBRARY OR YOU CAN PURCHASE 'EM ON YOUR OWN.
BUT, UM, THERE ARE, THE LIBRARY DOES PROVIDE THEM AND, UM, THEY WILL, UM, OFFER INTERNET ACCESS IF YOU, UM, DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS, OBVIOUSLY AT THIS POINT IN A RURAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND ACTUALLY EVEN IN OUR EAST END, THERE'S STILL AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE, UM, INTERNET ACCESS YET.
I KNOW IT'S ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
I SAW THAT AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT.
BUT I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, WE DO OFFER THOSE AND WE HAVE A LONG WAITING LIST OF PEOPLE TO CHECK THEM OUT.
YOU CAN CHECK 'EM OUT, UM, FOR TWO WEEKS WHEN WE, UM, ARE, WHEN WE VACATE KING WILLIAM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING BACK WITH US ARE THE HOTSPOTS FROM KING WILLIAM.
SO WE WILL HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL ONES THAT WE CAN HAVE, UM, IN THE SMALLER, UM, GROUP OF LIBRARIES.
NOW, I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION A LITTLE BIT ABOUT POLICY WORK.
WE STARTED, UM, SOME REAL SERIOUS, UM, UH, WORK ON, ON THE IMPROVEMENTS AND REVISIONS ON OUR, UM, POLICIES.
WE, WE PUT IT ON HOLD FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BECAUSE OF ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LIBRARY.
WE ARE BACK TO WORKING ON POLICIES AGAIN.
AND I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UM, WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE WORKING ON THOSE.
THE LAST THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, UH, THE, WHAT SOME, ONE OF, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN GLAND COUNTY AT OUR LIBRARY.
UM, THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS HAPPENING IS WE DO HAVE A LOCKER NOW, AND IT IS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE LIBRARY.
UM, FOLKS CAN CHECK OUT THINGS.
UM, AND WHAT THEY CAN DO IS IF THEY CHECK IT OUT ONLINE AND THEY CAN'T GET BY DURING, UM, THE LIBRARY HOURS, THEN THEY CAN COME BY.
THEY'RE GIVEN A CODE AND I THINK IT'S THE END OF THEIR LIBRARY CARD NUMBER, BUT THEY HAVE A CODE THAT THEY CAN OPEN UP THAT LOCKER AND GET OUT WHAT THEY HAVE CHECKED OUT.
AND THEY CAN DO THAT AT ANY POINT.
SO IT'S, IT MAKES THINGS MUCH MORE AVAILABLE TO FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING AT THE TIME THAT THE LIBRARY IS OPEN.
I ALSO WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT WE NOW HAVE DIGITAL TIMES DISPATCH ACCESS.
SO IF, UM, SOMEONE WHO HAS A LIBRARY CARD WANTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE TIMES DISPATCH AT ANY POINT YOU CAN USE THE, UM, DIGITAL TIMES, TIMES DISPATCH.
AND THAT'S PROVIDED OBVIOUSLY AT NO COST TO OUR OUR PATRONS.
UM, ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT, UM, HAS BEEN USED QUITE FREQUENTLY NOW IS ONE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
AND IN THIS PROGRAM, A CHILD CAN, UM, CAN LOOK AT A VIDEO OR WHATEVER, BUT THE NICE THING WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM IS THAT PARENTS CAN GO IN AND THEY CAN DESIGNATE SEVERAL DIFFERENT VIDEOS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE THEIR CHILD TO HAVE ACCESS TO.
AND THEY CAN SET IT UP SO THAT IT GOES FROM ONE VIDEO TO THE NEXT VIDEO WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO GO BACK OUT AND GET THE PARENT TO, UM, LOG INTO THE NEXT ONE.
SO IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM AND IT'S GETTING A LOT OF USE.
AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, AND I THINK I SAID THIS THE LAST TIME, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT GLAND COUNTY HAS, UM, UH, TAKEN ON, UM, ADDING AN EXTRA HOUR TO OUR, UM, TIMELINE, UH, OR TO OUR DAILY TIMELINE FOR PEOPLE TO USE THE LIBRARY, WHICH MEANS OUR LIBRARY IS OPEN UNTIL NINE INSTEAD OF EIGHT.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE MEETING ROOM AT GLAND LIBRARY IS USED EXTENSIVELY.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE A RECORD.
WE, UM, USE OUR LIBRARY, OUR MEETING ROOM, UM, MORE THAN MOST OF THE OTHER LIBRARIES.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE ARE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, ANY, ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.
WE WILL TRY
MR. CHAIR? YES, I HAVE A CO A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UM, SOMETIMES DISRUPTIONS LIKE THIS CAN BE HEALTHY.
THEY ALLOW US TO GO IN AND, AND AUDIT OURSELVES AND SEE WHERE PROCESSES ARE NOT, UH, GOING TO THE BEST.
IN REGARDS TO THE, THE TIGHTENING OF THE BELT COMMENT, ARE THERE SERVICES THAT YOU, THAT ARE HAVING TO POTENTIALLY BE TAKEN AWAY IN THIS TIGHTENING OR WE STILL FEEL LIKE THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES IS GONNA BE WHERE WE WANT TO SEE IT AS A BOARD AND WHERE WE WANNA SEE IT WITH LEADERSHIP.
I WILL MAKE A COMMENT AND THEN I'LL SEE IF EITHER THE OTHER TWO WOULD LIKE TO TOO.
[00:30:01]
SHOULD NOT BE ANY CHANGE IN THE SERVICES AT ALL.WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT STAFFING.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, THE, BEING ABLE TO COMBINE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE BRINGING FROM THE OTHER LI BRINGING BACK FROM THE OTHER LIBRARIES AND SO FORTH.
BUT NO, WE DO NOT LOOK, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT CHANGING ANY OF THE PROGRAMMING.
THAT'S SO WE'VE GOT HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS INSTEAD OF CUTTING OFF OF LIMBS, YOU'RE SAYING.
UM, AND JAMIE, DO YOU WANNA MAKE A COMMENT? OKAY, GOOD.
I I, I HAD ADDITIONALLY ASKED, UH, THIS HOTSPOT WAIT LIST.
HOW, HOW LONG IS THAT? JUST TO GIVE A GENERAL IDEA.
I'LL LET JAMIE TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT.
I, I, THE LAST TIME THAT WE HAD LOOKED AT THAT, THERE WERE OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE WAITING FOR OVER 175 HOTSPOTS.
SO, UM, IT'S A TWO WEEK CHECKOUT PERIOD.
WE ARE LOOKING AT REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF HOTSPOTS THAT WE ARE OFFERING IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
UM, HOWEVER, KING WILLIAM RESIDENTS WERE USING, UM, THOSE HOTSPOTS AT AROUND 30, 34% OF, OF THE USAGE OF THOSE.
SO IT'S, IT'S COMING DOWN WITH THE AMOUNT OF USAGE THAT WE'RE SEEING AND, AND LIN AND HANOVER AND AS THOSE R TWO COUNTIES CONTINUE TO GET, UH, FIBER AND BROADBAND WILL EXPECT, UM, THOSE NUMBERS TO GO DOWN.
UM, WHAT WOULD IT COST JUST TO, YOU KNOW, CUT THAT WAIT LIST IN HALF, JUST A GENERAL RANGE? WELL, I, THE GOOD NEWS IN FY 26 IS THAT, UM, HOTSPOTS ARE CURRENTLY ON SCHEDULED TO BE COVERED BY E-RATE.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET SOME REIMBURSEMENT BACK FOR THOSE.
UM, AND, AND WE'RE SEEING THE BIDS COME IN RIGHT NOW, UM, PER HOTSPOT IT'S ABOUT $30 A A MONTH FOR US TO, I, I, I JUST, I TO OPERATE AS, AS WE LOOK AT BUDGETS, I, I DON'T SEE THAT ACCESSIBILITY IS NECESSARILY A BAD THING, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DO SEE THAT TYPE OF DEMAND MM-HMM
SO, UM, I WOULD, UH, IF, IF, IF THERE'S A WAY TO PUT THAT TO THE BOARD SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, I, UM, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING THAT YOU'RE SEEING REAL TIME THAT WE COULD ADDRESS.
AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A RIDICULOUS, UH, EXPENDITURE GIVEN THE COUNTY DEMAND.
SO TAKE THAT TO HANOVER AS WELL.
ANYTHING ELSE? WELL, THANK YOU ALL.
THAT'S, UH, I'M SORRY,
I SO APPRECIATE THE, UH, TRANSPARENCY IN THE SHARING BECAUSE, UH, THIS, THIS IS IT, IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT.
UM, I WOULD ASK AND, AND PUT MR. ALVAREZ ON THE SPOT.
I KNOW THAT IN LAST BUDGET CYCLE THERE WAS $75,000 IN DEDICATED PROFFER MONEY THAT GLAND HAD, THAT WAS DIRECTED TOWARDS BRANCH IMPROVEMENTS.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF THAT MONEY HAS EVER BEEN INVESTED.
WE CAN ONLY USE IT FOR THE LIBRARY 'CAUSE IT WAS DEDICATED PROFFER MONEY AND IT HAS TO BE USED FOR THE LIBRARY.
AND, UH, DID WE, I THINK IT'S, DID WE DO ANYTHING NEW CARPETING? MAYBE.
UM, I'M GONNA LET YOU, I I DON'T KNOW IF THE PROFFER MONEY WENT TOWARDS THIS EFFORT, BUT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING NEW CARPETING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE, UM, BUILDING.
LOOKS LIKE THAT IS PROBABLY GONNA HAPPEN AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
WELL, I, I, AND AT SOME POINT PROFFER MONEY EXPIRES AND WE HAVE TO USE IT WITHIN A SET PERIOD.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE BUMPED UP AGAINST THAT YET, BUT IT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE TO LET IF WE DID NOT UTILIZE THAT AND, UH, MADE IMPROVEMENTS HOWEVER NEEDED AT THE, UH, AT THE GOON LIBRARY.
I NOTICED MR. ALVAREZ TAKING NOTE OF THAT AND WE'LL LOOK INTO IT.
I'LL LOOK INTO WHERE THAT WENT.
I BELIEVE I HEARD THAT SOME OF IT WAS GOING TO THE CARPET REPLACEMENT, BUT I'LL DOUBLE CHECK AND MAKE SURE.
IF THERE'S ANY OTHER MONEY LEFT, WE'LL CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T EXPIRE, UM, BEFORE WE CAN USE IT.
IMPROVE, UH, I DON'T KNOW, AN EXPANSION TO THE MEETING ROOM SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE IN HIGH DEMAND.
MAYBE IT GOES, MAYBE IT CAN GO TOWARDS THE HOTSPOT.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT IF WE CAN MAKE THE PART OF THE CAPITAL HAVE TO GO TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
I, MR. CHAIR, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
UM, THIS LOCKER SYSTEM SEEMS EXCEPTIONAL DELIVERY, NO ISSUES THAT Y'ALL ARE SEEING SO FAR.
HAVE WE LOOKED AT, HAVE WE LOOKED AT THE, AN EASTERN END SITE? HAVE WE LOOKED AT A WESTERN END OF THE COUNTY SITE? UH, I KNOW THERE IS A DELIVERY COMPONENT TO THAT, BUT IF WE'RE ACCESSING A, A DATABASE THAT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR OUR RESIDENTS, UM, I KNOW IT,
[00:35:01]
WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, VERY CONCENTRATED COMMUNITIES ON THE EAST IN MY DISTRICT THAT, UM, THEY WOULD CERTAINLY MEET THE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS YOU WANNA SEE WITH COUNTY ASSETS.UM, AND, UM, I THINK WE COULD GET GREAT OUTREACH AND USAGE INCREASE IF THAT TECHNOLOGY IS READILY AVAILABLE AND IT'S ALREADY WORKING SUCCESSFULLY.
SO, UM, I THINK, I KNOW, I KNOW BRICKS AND MORTAR IS DIFFICULT, BUT THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO DO THAT OUTREACH WITH MINIMAL BRICKS AND MORTAR, UM, UH, ASSET INVESTMENT.
IT WOULD HAVE TO, ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR WITH THAT IS WEATHER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOTTA BE PLACED SOMEPLACE WHERE IT'S NOT GONNA BE, IT IS OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S, IT'S UNDERCOVER.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT.
OR IT MIGHT BE SOMEPLACE LIKE A BUSINESS, LIKE THE GROCERY STORE OR SOMEPLACE LIKE THAT.
WE, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT AT THAT POINT YET.
THE BEAUTY OF THAT IS IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
THE BEAUTY OF THAT IS VISIBILITY AS WELL IN OUR ABSOLUTELY PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, OUR PUBLIC PLACES.
SO, UM, JUST, JUST SOMETHING THAT, IT'S A GREAT WAY TO BRIDGE THE GAP FROM A BRICK AND MORTAR NEW LOCATION, UM, TO STILL OFFER SERVICES.
UM, THE, THE LOCKER SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY AT THE GLAND BRANCH IS A LOWER TECH, UM, SYSTEM, BUT THERE ARE, UM, ONES THAT ARE MORE KIND OF A VENDING MACHINE.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF PICK AND CHOOSE AND BROWSE AS WELL AS HOLD, PICK UP, UH, FOR, FOR PEOPLE.
SO THAT DEFINITELY WOULD BE AN OPTION.
I MEAN, IF AMAZON'S USING IN IT EVERY DAY THAT'S RIGHT.
PIGGYBACK ON THEIR TECHNOLOGY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I BELIEVE THAT WOULD QUALIFY AS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
JUST AS AN ASIDE, UH, IF IT'S NOT TRESPASSING UNDULY, I I DID WANT TO ASK JUST, YOU SAID POLICY WORK IS CONTINUING.
CAN YOU MAYBE EXPAND ON THAT? ABBREVIATED, JUST EXPLAIN WHAT POLICY WORK IS SPECIFICALLY? WHAT WE REALIZED, UM, PROBABLY TWO YEARS AGO IS WE REALLY TOOK A GOOD HARD LOOK AT THE POLICIES AND THE BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POLICIES.
UM, IS THAT THEY HAD NOT MANY OF THEM, MOST OF THEM HAVE NOT BEEN REVISED FOR YEARS AND ARE, UM, FAIRLY OUTDATE NOW.
WE'VE HAD SOME THAT HAVE COME IN IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS THAT ARE NEWER.
BUT, UM, WE STARTED, UH, WE STARTED WITH, IT SAID, THIS SOUNDS REALLY BASIC, BUT WE STARTED WITH, UM, HOW DO WE WANNA FORMAT THEM? RIGHT NOW OUR POLICIES ARE, HOW DO I PUT IT? THEY'RE KIND OF RANDOM AT BEST.
WE HAVE, THEY ARE ALL POSTED ON THE WEBSITE, UM, WHICH THE STAFF DOES A WONDERFUL JOB OF MAINTAINING, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN A CONSISTENT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ONE BOOK OF ALL OF OUR POLICIES WITH DIFFERENT CHAPTERS BASED ON WHAT THEY'RE NO PO THE POLICIES ARE ABOUT, IT'S, WE HAVE A POLICY HERE THAT'S ALL BY ITSELF.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME PERSONNEL POLICIES HERE AND WE HAVE SOME PERSONAL POLICIES HERE.
YOU KNOW, SO THINGS ARE, UM, IT, IT'S BEEN FAIRLY RANDOM.
SO WE WERE TRYING TO FIRST OF ALL WORK ON ORGANIZATION AND FORMATTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE START, UM, MAKING THEM LOOK MUCH MORE PROFESSIONAL AND, UM, MORE PERMANENT, I GUESS IS THE WAY TO SAY.
UM, WE STARTED WITH, UM, SOME OF THE VERY FIRST ONES WERE, UH, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE TITLE.
SO PRIVACY, PRIVACY COLLECTION AND THE COL COLLECT.
UM, AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO START WORKING ON SOME OF THE COLLECTION ONES, UM, UH, HOW THE COLLECTION IS BUILT.
YOU KNOW, HOW DOES SOMEBODY, UH, SUBMIT A REQUEST TO HAVE A BOOK LOOKED AT TO SEE IF IT'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE? UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UM, AND IT'S A LOT MORE WORK THAN WE THOUGHT
AND WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL THAT IS FROM HANOVER WHO'S HELPING US WITH THIS TOO.
SO DOES THAT HELP? OR IT IT DOES, IT'S JUST, YOU MENTIONED THE, JUST FOR KIDS HAS PARENTAL MANAGEMENT, RIGHT.
AND YOU MAY OR NOT REMEMBER, BUT THERE WAS SOME DUST UP AS TO ACCESSIBILITY TO CERTAIN, UH, PUBLICATIONS.
AND WHETHER OR NOT PARENTS WOULD HAVE AN ABILITY TO MANAGE OR BE PARTICIPATE IN, IN THAT POLICY.
AND WE ARE WORKING AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
WE ARE WORKING ON THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LIBRARY CARDS.
UM, WE, IN FACT, THEY, UM, OUR STAFF JUST GAVE US A PRESENTATION THIS LAST, UM, MEETING ABOUT A POSSIBILITY OF A REVISED LIBRARY CARD WHERE PARENTS WOULD, COULD COME IN AND THEY COULD CHOOSE THAT THEIR CHILD COULD ONLY CHECK OUT FROM THE JUVENILE SECTION, OR THEY COULD ONLY CHECK OUT FROM THE JUVENILE AND THE YOUNG ADULT SECTION, OR, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THEY HAVE SOME MORE OPTIONS AS
[00:40:01]
TO WHAT PLACES THEIR CHILD COULD FIND, UM, COULD FIND INFORMATION.SO THAT YES, WE ARE, WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT AND WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE, THAT'S THE NEXT STEP, UM, AS FAR AS REVISIONS GO.
SO ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN.
I DO WANT TO TELL YOU THAT LATER ON IN THE MEETING, WE DO HAVE THE, UH, WITHDRAWAL OF KING WILLIAM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO WE'LL ADDRESS THAT IN A FEW MOMENTS.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE? UM, NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS A REPORT
[2. VDOT -February 2025C]
FROM VDOT, MR. WYNN.GOOD TO SEE YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, MR. ALVAREZ, MARSHALL WYNN WITH VDOT.
UH, THIS PAST MONTH WE HAD 151 WORK ORDERS COMPLETED.
A HUNDRED FORTY THREE, A HUNDRED THIRTY FOUR, EXCUSE ME.
HAD 25 CALLOUTS, UM, AFTER HOUR.
CALLOUTS BEEN DOING POTHOLE PATCH AND WE'RE IN A POTHOLE BLITCH RIGHT NOW.
LAST WEEK WE PATCHED BETTER THAN 500 POTHOLES AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THIS WEEK, NEXT WEEK AND HAVE LONG IT TAKES TO FILL THE POTHOLE IN GLAND COUNTY.
UH, I'VE BEEN DOING DITCH AND SHOULDER WORK, UH, SOME TREE AND BRUSH REMOVAL, UH, SIGN WORK.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD THREE EVENTS IN FEBRUARY.
SNOW EVENTS, UH, STATE FORCES AND CONTRACTORS ARE GETTING A LITTLE TIRED OF IT.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE OUT OF THE WOODS, BUT WE STILL GOT AT LEAST TWO OR THREE WEEKS IN MARCH WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
SO WITH THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO, UH, REPORT.
NOT UNLESS Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST AS, AS IT RELATES TO SNOW REMOVAL.
IS THERE, I MEAN, THAT GR GRIND THAT FRICTION ON THE ROAD FROM A SNOWPLOW, IS THAT, IS THERE STATE REPAIR BASED ON NUMBER OF EVENTS WE HAVE IN A GIVEN YEAR? UH, OR THINGS YOU KNOW ABOUT? 'CAUSE THAT, THAT REALLY IS HURTING THE TOP COAT THE MOST, RIGHT? OH YEAH.
THE PLOWS REALLY PUT A A ARE HURTING ON THE SURFACE MM-HMM
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT ROAD SURFACES, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN NOW AND SUMMER.
UH, WE DO HAVE SCHEDULED WORK COMING UP WHERE WE HAVE RESURFACING, UM, DIFFERENT ROUTES IN THE COUNTY AND I CAN MAKE THAT AVAILABLE IF YOU, IF YOU WANT THAT, BUT ROUTE, YEAH.
ROUTE SIX LOOKS LIKE IT'S SLOPING OFF THAT END DOWN PRETTY BADLY EAST.
I THINK THAT SECTION'S ON THIS YEAR'S SCHEDULE, BUT I'D HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, VERIFY THAT.
'CAUSE IT WAS, IT WAS, THEY PUT A LATEX ON IT.
LATEX MODIFIED SEAL ON IT YEARS AGO.
IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING JUST THE TOP, TOP PIECES POPPING OFF.
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT, WHAT IS FOR, FOR TREES DOWN AND FOR OTHER THINGS, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THAT IN A STORM? AND A, I MEAN, THE, THE THREE PLUS INCHES OF RAIN WE HAD YEAH.
IMMEDIATELY IMPACTS PEOPLE AND, AND CITIZENS WANNA BE GOOD SAMARITANS.
BUT IS IT, IS IT A CALL TO VDOT OR IS IT A CALL TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE? I MEAN, WE JUST, WE HAVE ISSUES WHERE IN THE COUNTY WHERE YOU, YOU REALIZE SIX HOURS MIGHT NOT, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE TOO LONG.
IT'S NOT 'CAUSE OF ANYBODY'S FAULT, IT'S JUST WHAT SHOULD CITIZENS DO FIRST? WELL, THE BEST THING, I, WE GET CALLS FROM FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, IF SOME OF 'EM LINGER, IT'S GETTING RELAYED.
IF SOME OF 'EM LINGER ON, THE BEST THING IS TO PUT IN A WORK ORDER THAT'S THE 1-800-367-ROAD YOU SEE ON THE REPORT.
IF Y'ALL GET THAT OUT, THEY CAN SEND THAT TO US AND IT'S TRACKED, HAS A TRACKING NUMBER AND WE CONTACT THE CITIZEN, THEN WE'LL CLOSE IT OUT WHEN IT'S COMPLETE.
SO, BUT WHAT I, WHAT I, WHAT I'M TAKING FROM YOUR COMMENTS IS CITIZENS SHOULD REST ASSURED THAT FIRE RESCUE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND VDOT ARE COORDINATING OH, YEAH.
SO IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE JUST GETTING IN ONE SILO.
AND I THINK THAT CITIZENS HAVE THAT CONCERN IS I CALLED VDOT, BUT I DIDN'T LET CHAIRS.
WE, WE HAVE A, DURING, DURING THESE EVENTS, WE HAVE A TRACKER THAT WE KEEP UP WITH AND, AND IT, AND IT SHOWS THE, THE ROUTE, THE ADDRESS WHERE IT IS.
IF IT'S A, UH, TREE ON A POWER LINE, WE, WE HAVE A PER PERSON AT THE DISTRICT THAT DEALS DIRECTLY WITH, UH, DOMINION POWER.
SO WE CAN GET TO THOSE SITES AS FAST AS POSSIBLE TO GET POWER GOING.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T TOUCH A TREE WHEN IT'S ON A POWER LINE.
SO THAT'S HOW WE, THAT'S HOW WE DO THINGS WITH, YOU KNOW, IN THE DISTRICT.
SO IT MAKES IT A WHOLE LOT EASIER WHEN YOU HAVE ONE
[00:45:01]
POINT OF CONTACT A DAY GUY AND A NIGHT GUY.UM, I, I, I WANT TO ITERATE AND SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE, UH, WE DID HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF FALLEN TIMBER AND, UH, THE ROADS WERE PRE, THEY WERE PASSABLE.
AND SO I APPRECIATE, UH, GOOD JOB, YOU OR THE CONTRACTORS GETTING OUT AND DOING THAT.
UH, I WILL SAY MY WIFE, WHO'S MUCH MORE AESTHETIC THAN I WANTS TO KNOW WHEN ALL OF THE FLOATS AND AND BRANCHES ARE GONNA BE REMOVED FROM THE SIDE.
AND I SAID, SWEETHEART, MOTHER NATURE WILL DECOMPOSE THOSE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.
NO, WE, WE, WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW TREES WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND CLEAN UP.
I, I ASSURED HER THAT THEY WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, MR. FRAZIER IS GOING TO, UH, MEET WITH COUNTY STAFF AND MYSELF REGARDING THE SPAGHETTI JUNCTION THAT'S THERE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT OTHER THAN SPAGHETTI JUNCTION.
THE BLO TEST THAT Y'ALL PUT DOWN THERE IS, IS, UH, ENTERTAINING AT BEST, BUT NOT REALLY DOING MUCH.
SO, YEAH, I TOOK, I TOOK MR. FRAZIER DOWN THERE AFTER THE, OUR LAST MEETING, SO YES, SIR.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR HELP IN US FIXING THAT IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER.
UH, MR. WYNN, YOU HEARD THE CITIZENS TALK ABOUT THE SPEED ON HOCK ROAD.
DO YOU NEED ANYTHING FORMAL FROM ME REQUESTING A SPEED STUDY? NO.
MR. EICHLER SAID HE'S GONNA SEND ME AN EMAIL.
I, I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS, SO
UH, NOW WE HAVE SEVERAL REPORTS IN OUR PACKET, UH, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, BROADBAND REPORT, AGRICULTURAL REPORT, AND BOARD REPORTS.
UH, DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY REPORTS THEY WISH TO MAKE? MR. UH, YEAH, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, OUR, OUR TPO WAS MEETING ON THURSDAY ON MARCH 6TH.
UM, WE DID HAVE OUR FEBRUARY MEETING, AND
[7. Board Reports]
I BELIEVE I SHARED THAT, UH, THE, THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY, UH, FOLKS REQUIRE THAT WE SET A FATALITY GOAL, WHICH IS, I I THOUGHT A BIT ODD.I THOUGHT ZERO WOULD BE A GOOD NUMBER, BUT WE WERE ADVISED THAT IF WE SET AN UN, WE ARE PENALIZED IF WE HAVE AN EXCESSIVE MARGIN.
SO IF WE SAID ZERO AND THERE WILL BE TRAFFIC FATALITIES, AND IF IT'S EXCESSIVE, THEN WE GET DEMERITS FOR THAT.
SO, UH, THE R-R-T-P-O HAS 107 PROJECTED OR TARGETED HIGHWAY FATALITIES, WHICH IS BECAUSE, AND THAT'S LOWER THAN WHAT IT HAD BEEN IN THE PAST.
SO WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS ZERO.
BUT, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS, UH, SUGGESTED THAT WE CAN'T SAY ZERO, EVEN THOUGH THAT WOULD BE A REASON, I BELIEVE A APPROPRIATE GOAL.
WE, WE CAN'T SAY ZERO BECAUSE THE FACT IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE FATALITIES.
SO HOW DO WE WORK TOWARDS ZERO IS THE OTHER.
UH, I ALSO WOULD MENTION THAT, UH, ON THE 14TH, THERE IS GOING TO BE A PATHWAYS TO THE FUTURE SYMPOSIUM DOWN AT THE RICHMOND CONVENTION CENTER.
STARTS AT 9 45 GOES TO TWO 30, THEY'RE PROVIDING LUNCH.
AND IT IS, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE AND SAY WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SO FAR AS TRANSPORTATION IN THE REGION, NOT JUST GOOCHLAND, BUT REGIONALLY.
SO THAT, THAT IS COMING UP, UH, AS I SAID ON THE 14TH.
AND THAT IS THE R-R-T-P-O REPORT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE WITH US REGARDING CVTA? UM, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
I, WELL, I DO CVTA IS PRETTY MUCH GOING ALONG.
UM, AS CHAIR OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, UH, DIVING INTO SOME OF OUR POLICIES AS IN REGARDS TO RESERVES AND WHAT ARE IS APPROPRIATE IN THAT.
BUT WHAT I REALLY DO WANT TO SHARE IS MY, AN UPDATE FOR PLAN RVA.
UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND.
THE DIRECTOR, UH, GAVE US AN UPDATE REGARDING, UM, THE NEW, UH, ADMINISTRATION AND THE DOGE, UM, IMPACT THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY FACE.
80% OF THE MONIES OF THE PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED BY FEDERAL DOLLARS.
SO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS LOOKING AT THAT VERY CLOSELY.
A VERY, UM, SPIRITED DEBATE, UM, SPRUNG OUT IN THE EXECUTIVE, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING REGARDING A LETTER RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ANY POTENTIAL DEI, UH, UH, PROGRAMS THAT EXIST, UM, AND THE IMPACTS TO FUNDING.
[00:50:01]
CLOSELY WATCHING THAT.I HAVE A MEETING WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THIS THURSDAY, UH, TO DISCUSS AS IT RELATES TO GLIN.
I DON'T FORESEE ANY SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, BUT I WILL BE LEARNING MORE SPECIFICALLY ON THURSDAY.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSENT ITEMS AND I'M GONNA ASK MR. ALVAREZ TO GIVE US A BRIEF
[X. Consent Agenda]
OVERVIEW OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. UM, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU HEARD FROM THE LIBRARY BOARD, UH, THE FIRST ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS TO APPROVE THE WITHDRAWAL FROM KING WILLIAM FROM THE, UH, PUBLIC P**N LIBRARY SYSTEM.UH, THEY'VE REQUESTED TO WITHDRAW, HANOVER ALREADY APPROVED THEIR WITHDRAWAL.
AND, UM, SO THIS RESOLUTION, UM, DOES THE SAME FOR KUSHMAN.
SO YOU'RE BASICALLY ARE PROVING THAT THEY LEAVE AT THIS POINT.
WE DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY FINANCIAL IMPACT, UH, TO, UH, US.
UM, SO, UH, AT THE NEXT TWO BY TWOS WE'LL PROBABLY BRING THE AGREEMENT.
WE ALREADY HAVE THE, A COPY OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT FOR BASICALLY IT'LL BE A TWO LIBRARY SYSTEM THAT LEAVES US AT HANOVER, HANOVER AND GLAND.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE THAT AGREEMENT TO YOU IN TWO BY TWOS AND MAYBE HAVE IT AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING FOR APPROVAL.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA YOU'VE HAD ON THE AGENDA BEFORE AND, UH, DEFERRED IT IS TO CHANGE OUR, UH, FUNDING GOALS TO, FOR OUR RES, OUR RESERVE POLICY TO CHANGE
[2. Consideration of Amendments to the Financial Management Policies]
IT FROM 60% TO 35%.UH, THIS AMENDMENT WAS RE REVIEWED IN AT THE FEBRUARY 4TH MEETING OF THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE, WHICH AGREED TO THE CHANGE AND RECOMMENDED THAT WE MAKE THE CHANGE.
UH, AND THIS AMENDMENT WAS ADVISED BY OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, UH, AND IT, IT COMPLIES OR SUPPORTS OUR KEEPING OUR AAA RATINGS.
UH, SO WHAT IS HAPPENING IS WE'RE CHANGING THE CURRENT TARGET, WHICH WAS 55, UH, TO 65% WITH A TARGET OF 60% TO BETWEEN 30 AND 40% WITH A TARGET OF 35%.
THIS DOES NOT FREE UP ANY MONEY.
I'VE HEARD THAT QUESTION FROM A FEW, FEW PEOPLE.
IT JUST GETS US CLOSER TO COMPLIANCE.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE, UH,
[3. Authorization for County Administrator to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Goochland Day Foundation to memorialize relationship for the 2025 Goochland Day events]
MOU THAT WE HAVE WITH GUSH AND, UH, DAY FOUNDATION.IT JUST MEMORIALIZES OUR AGREEMENT WITH GLAND DAY TO PROVIDE IN KIND SERVICES, UM, TO GLAND DAY FOUNDATION FOR, UH, GLAND DAY ACTIVITIES.
UM, THE, IT'S THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.
THOSE ARE THE THREE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, BOARD, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT? WELL, I, I, EXCUSE ME.
IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT AND THAT IS ON THE, UH, CHANGE IN THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT POLICIES.
THIS IS NOT A FOREVER AND ALWAYS THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK.
UM, AND I, I, I THINK THAT THERE IS A STRONG CASE TO BE MADE.
LET'S BE REALISTIC AS WE ARE SETTING OUR, UH, UH, OBJECTIVES.
I DON'T BELIEVE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE IN THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, BUT PRUDENT RESERVES ARE, ARE CERTAINLY PRUDENT.
AND, AND SO, UM, UH, I HAVE, UH, STUDIED THIS AS BEST I CAN AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, WE'RE NOT DOING OURSELVES ANY HARM, THAT WE ARE GOING TO STILL BE WELL POSITIONED FOR AAA BOND RATING WITH ALL THREE OF THE RATING AGENCIES.
UH, BUT THAT WAS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FROM 30 OR 60 TO 35.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REALLY DIGGING INTO IT AND SPENDING TIME ON THIS.
JUST TO REITERATE A LITTLE BIT, UM, THAT WAS, UH, ADDRESSED IN AT LEAST TWO OF THE, UH, AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
UH, AND AT THE FIRST ONE WE HAD OUR OUTSIDE CONSULTANT PRESENT WHO WAS IN ESSENCE RECOMMENDING THIS.
AND, UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WAS DELIBERATED PRETTY THOROUGHLY I THOUGHT.
AND, UH, AND, AND I THINK WE ARE PRETTY MUCH ASSURED THAT WE WILL ATTAIN OUR AAA RATING, OR AT AT LEAST THIS WILL NOT JEOPARDIZE THAT RATING.
UH, THAT THERE ARE MANY FACTORS THAT GO INTO A AAA RATING AS THIS WOULD BE JUST ONE OF THEM.
THIS DOES NOT JEOPARDIZE THAT.
I WOULD JUST ALSO ADD, WE DID NOT LOWER IT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE THRESHOLD.
[00:55:01]
A VERY CONSERVATIVE AREA RELATIVE TO PEERS, RELATIVE TO AAA RATED FIRMS. SO WE DID NOT SIMPLY GO AND SAY WE WANNA MAKE IT AS AGGRESSIVE AS POSSIBLE BY ANY MEANS.WE, WE REALLY WERE UPDATING IT AND ALSO KEEPING IN MIND A DESIRE TO HAVE THAT RESERVES BE AT, YOU KNOW, THAT RESERVE MINDSET BE ADEQUATE, BUT ALSO, UH, IN LINE.
AND SO IT JUST SO PUBLIC IS ASSURED WE DID NOT GO TO A BOTTOM OF THE THRESHOLD IN ANY MEANS.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE WELL JUSTIFIED TO MAINTAIN AAA RATING BEING IN THE TWENTIES.
SO 35%, WHILE A BIG CHANGE IS NOT DRASTIC BY ANY MEANS.
IF YOU RECALL WHEN THIS CAME UP BEFORE THE BOARD LAST TIME I WROTE TO YOU GUYS OPPOSING THE CHANGE, BUT NOT REALLY OPPOSING THE CHANGE, I WAS OPPOSING THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT HAD BEEN COMMUNICATED TO THE PUBLIC CLEARLY ENOUGH.
I, I THINK IT IS A GOOD CHANGE, UM, UH, TO MR. LYLE'S POINT.
WE SHOULDN'T BE HOLDING MONEY THAT WE'RE NOT USING, UM, BECAUSE IT BELONGS TO THE CITIZENS, SO.
MR. CHRISTIE ALSO KEEP IN MIND WHAT WE'RE CHANGING IT FROM.
CHARLIE MENTIONED WHAT WE'RE CHANGING IT TO, BUT WHAT WE'RE CHANGING IT FROM, WE WERE THE OUTLIER TO OUR PEERS.
THE, SOME OF THE PEERS DON'T HAVE THIS AT ALL, WEREN'T GETTING IT.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU MR. ALVAREZ FOR GIVING US AN OVERVIEW OF THE ITEMS. UM, BOARD.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS PRESENTED OR PULL OFF ANYTHING FOR DISCUSSION? MR. CHAIR? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH THREE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? DO WE HAVE A MOTION? A SECOND? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UM, I JUST KIND OF WANNA WEIGH IN HERE.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA NOT BE VOTING, I'M GONNA BE VOTING AGAINST THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, BUT I JUST WANT IT ON RECORD AS TO WHY, UM, I, I BELIEVE I'M FULLY IN SUPPORTIVE OF THE REMOVAL OF, OF KING WILLIAM.
IF, IF THEY WANT TO MOVE OUT OF THE MUNK LIBRARY SYSTEM, THAT'S, THAT'S THEIR, I THINK THAT'S THEIR PREROGATIVE AND I SUPPORT THEIR DECISION, UM, REGARDING THE MOU FOR GLAND DAY.
UM, I'M, I'M VOTING AGAINST THAT BECAUSE I CAN, AND MR. AL, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO, UH, SPLITTING HAIRS WITH MR. ALVAREZ, BUT I DO THINK THAT SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT HAS CHANGED IN THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE A SHIFT OF MORE AND MORE COUNTY INVOLVEMENT, UM, IN THE, IN, UM, IN REGARDS TO STAFF TIME, UM, THE, THE, THE ROLE THAT WE'RE PLAYING AND WE CONTINUED FROM THE BEGINNING OF GLAND DAY.
IT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A DESIRE FOR THE COUNTY TO TAKE THIS OVER.
AND I, WHILE I BELIEVE IT IS AN OUTSTANDING EVENT, I DON'T BELIEVE IT, IT'S THE ROLE OF THE COUNTY TO PUT THIS EVENT ON.
UM, SO I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THE CHANGES OF THE FOU, UM, AND REGARDING THE FINANCE, UM, DECISION, I, I AM, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT.
AND I, I'VE SAID THIS SEVERAL TIMES, I'M JUST FOR, SO IT'S ON RECORD AGAIN, I, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY EVIDENCE THAT WE'VE DONE ANYTHING AT ALL TO TRY TO MEET THAT, THAT, UM, RESERVE THRESHOLD.
SO I WOULD PREFER, I WOULD'VE PREFERRED THAT WE HAD TRIED TO ATTAIN THAT BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN MAKING IT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND NOW WE ARE LOOKING AND, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS MONEY JUST SITS THERE.
WE HAVE OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS WE HAVE TO FUND.
SO I THINK WE COULD ALLOCATE THAT MONEY VERY QUICKLY, UM, TO, TO MEET THAT THRESHOLD.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO GET ON RECORD FOR WHY I, I'LL BE CASTING THE VOTE I THE WAY I WILL.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UM, NEW BUSINESS PRESENTATION BY FIREFLY FIBER BROADBAND
[XI. New Business]
AND REGIONAL INTERNET SERVICES RISE PROJECT.GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE
[1. Presentation by Firefly Fiber Broadband on the Regional Internet Service Expansion (RISE) Project and 2024 Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) Broadband Grant Update]
BOARD, PAUL DRUM, WRIGHT COMMUNITY AFFAIRS MANAGER, AND JUST WANNA INVITE OUR PARTNERS FROM FIREFLY, GARY WOOD AND, UH, GALEN CREEKMORE TO COME UP TO GIVE A PRESENTATION UPDATE ON THE EXISTING, UH, RISE PROJECT.AS WELL AS THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, UH, A RECENT GRANT THAT WE GOT LAST YEAR AND WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE GOING FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND SO WITH FURTHER ADO, I'LL LET THEM COME TAKE OVER FORWARD BACKWARDS.
WELL, WELL THANK YOU FOR GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO COME GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK ALL AROUND GOODSON COUNTY.
WE'LL CONTINUE DOING WORK FOR THE NEXT, UH, OVER A YEAR WITH THE NEW GRANT.
[01:00:01]
GRANT.UH, THE GOAL IS TO FINISH BY AUGUST.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT JUST IN A, A LITTLE BIT.
BUT, UH, WE'VE BEEN, UH, WORKING A LOT IN, IN GLAND THE, UM, BLUE AREAS HERE.
YOU CAN SEE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, IN SERVICE THAT MEANS THE FIBERS IN PLACE, THE SPLICING IS COMPLETE ON THE BACKBONE, AND WE CAN PUT IN SERVICE DROPS.
THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN EVERYBODY WHO'S WAITING FOR A CONNECTION HAS BEEN CONNECTED IN THOSE AREAS.
IN PARTICULAR IN THE TAB SCOTT AIR AND CALEDONIA AREA, UM, AND SLIPPERY ROCK PAIN ROAD.
UH, WE STILL HAVE A FEW THAT WE'RE CONNECTING.
CALEDONIA, WE JUST RECENTLY STARTED CONNECTING.
UM, SO WE STILL HAVE A, UM, A, A GOOD NUMBER TO CATCH UP THERE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE MAIN LINE SPLICING IN THREE SQUARE, UH, IS A LARGE AREA IN, IN KIND OF THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY AND IN THE RECONNECT AREAS, THEY'RE THE OTHER ONES THAT ARE THAT TAN COLOR.
UM, ALL OF THAT FIBER IS IN PLACE.
THE RECONNECT IS BEING, UH, SPLICED AND IN FACT, WE, WE HOPE TO HAVE OUR FIRST, UH, CONNECTIONS ON THAT.
WE'VE GOT OUR HUT, UM, LIT UP AS WE SAY.
SO WE'VE GOT THE FIBER SPLICED ON THE WAY INTO OUR NEW COMMUNICATIONS HUT ON 5 22.
AND, UM, THE FIRST CIRCUITS OUT OF THAT, UH, WE'LL START CONNECTING ON WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
UM, WE STILL HAVE SOME MAINLINE SPLICING TO DO ON RECONNECT IN THREE SQUARE.
UM, WE WERE READY TO START SPLICING BACK IN ABOUT JANUARY OR EARLY FEBRUARY.
UM, BUT THE WEATHER HAS HELD A SUB SUM.
WHEN WE GOT BACK TO, UH, SPLICING, WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE ON THE, UM, CABLE THAT COMES IN, WHICH COMES FROM ACROSS IN CARTERSVILLE.
UM, SO WE HAD TO GO BACK AND REPLACE A SECTION OF, UH, 96 COUNT CABLE THAT, UH, DURING THE ICE, UM, AND SNOW DOWN HERE, A TREE HAD FALLEN.
AND, UM, WHEN IT CAME ACROSS THE LINE, IT ARCED ON THE ELECTRIC LINES AND BURNT THE FIBER LINE.
SO IT ACTUALLY CREATED DAMAGE.
UH, WE HAD TESTED THE FIBER BEFORE THAT HAPPENED.
WE WERE READY TO START SPLICING.
WE LEFT IT UNTIL THE WEATHER CLEARED, WENT BACK, AND WE HAD PROBLEMS. SO THEY'VE REPLACED THAT THIS WEEK.
UH, THURSDAY NIGHT, THEY'LL, UM, UH, PUT THAT IN SERVICE.
THEY HAVE TO DO SOME SWAP OVER, SO WE'LL DO IT AT NIGHT SO WE DON'T INTERRUPT TOO MANY PEOPLE SERVICE.
AND THEN WE'LL BE READY TO START SPLICING IN THREE SQUARE.
UM, THAT MAY BE MORE DETAILED THAN YOU CARE TO, TO HAVE.
BUT, UH, THAT, AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, ENGINEERING GOING ON IN CROZIER, CROSIER AND, UH, UH, OUTTA GEORGIA TAVERN.
WE'RE, WE'RE DOING FIELD DATA COLLECTION TO FINISH SOME THINGS UP.
BOTH OF THOSE, UH, SERVICE AREAS HAD SLIGHT CHANGES.
UM, ENCOURAGER IN PARTICULAR, UH, WILL BE FEEDING PART OF THE NEW GRANT FROM IT.
SO WE HAD TO GO BACK AND REDESIGN, UH, SOME OF THE CABLE.
SO WE HAD TO UPSIZE 'EM SO WE COULD CARRY THE NEW, UH, FOLKS IN THE NEW GRANT SO THAT THAT'S IN, UH, ENGINEERING FOR THAT REDESIGN.
AND THEN IT'LL BE RELEASED TO CONTRACTORS FOR CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THE FIELD DATA COLLECTION AND THE, UH, GEORGIA'S TAVERN.
UH, WE TURNED AROUND AND DECIDED INSTEAD OF FEEDING THAT OUT OF OUR GOLAND HUT, WHICH IS WHAT OUR PLAN WAS, UH, WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY FEED IT FROM A HUT UP AT COLUMBIA AND COME BACK INTO, UM, INTO GOLAND FROM THERE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
PART OF THE, THE LOAD WITH THE NUMBER OF FOLKS, PARTICULARLY WITH THE NEW GRANT COMING IN ON THAT ONE, UM, COMMUNICATION HUT.
UM, WE'RE BUILDING OUR SYSTEM SO THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER TWO AND A HALF GIGABIT SERVICE.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE OFFERING GIGABIT, BUT EV THE ELECTRONICS AND THE HUTS ARE BEING DESIGNED FOR THAT UPGRADE.
UM, THAT LIMITS THE LENGTH OF FIBER YOU CAN CARRY THE LIGHT ON AND STILL HAVING ENOUGH LIGHT.
SO BY REFEEDING IT FROM THE, UH, THE WEST, THAT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT MORE ROOM.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN ALL OF THOSE LOCATIONS, UH, HERE, PROJECTED TIMELINES THAT, UH, ARE ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, WE ARE CONNECTING NOW IN CALEDONIA AND, UH, TAB SCOTT AND, AND, UH, PAIN ROAD, SLIPPERY LIGHT, UH, ROCK, AS I MENTIONED, UH, WE HAD PLANNED TO HAVE CONNECTIONS AND RECONNECT IN THREE SQUARE, UH, START IN WINTER.
WE REALIZED THAT WINTER STOPS IN ABOUT A WEEK, UH, OR MAYBE TWO WEEKS, UH, I THINK MARCH THE 20TH OR SOMETHING, THE OFFICIAL END OF WINTER.
UM, WE MAY HAVE A, THE FIRST FEW CONNECTIONS IN THERE WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY CLOSE.
UH, THE WEATHER HIT US REALLY HARD IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, MORE THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED.
[01:05:01]
WE'RE CLEARLY RUNNING BEHIND, UM, IN THOSE AREAS.BUT, UH, WE WILL BE CONNECTING SOON.
WE DO HAVE THE FIBER IN THE GROUND.
IT'S JUST HELD US UP FROM GETTING THE SPLICING, UH, DONE SO THAT WE CAN START PUTTING SERVICE DROPS IN.
UH, THE OTHER AREAS YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR, UH, SPRING AND SUMMER THIS YEAR.
UM, AND, AND THEN IN, UH, FALL.
SO HAVING SAID THAT, I ANTICIPATE THAT IN MAY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO COMPLETE EVERYTHING THAT WE, UH, UH, COMMITTED TO FOR THE 2022 VATI GRANT BY AUGUST, WHICH IS OUR DEADLINE, WE HAVE TO GIVE 'EM AT LEAST, UH, 30 OR 90 DAYS NOTICE IF WE NEED AN EXTENSION.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL OF THE BACKBONE COMPLETE.
I THINK WE'LL BE DOING CONNECTIONS ON INTO THE END OF THIS YEAR AND, AND PROBABLY EARLY NEXT YEAR IN SOME OF THOSE LAST AREAS.
UM, BUT WE'LL LET YOU KNOW AS SOON AS WE KNOW.
ONCE WE GET A GOOD FEEL, WE GET GOOD WEATHER AND WE CAN GET A COUPLE MONTHS AND SEE HOW MUCH WE CAN CATCH UP.
UM, HERE'S OUR NEW HUT THAT'S LOCATED ON 5 22.
UH, WE BOUGHT A LITTLE PIECE OF PROPERTY, AND WE APPRECIATE THE COUNTY'S WORK TO GET THAT, UH, REVIEWED AND PERMITTED.
UM, IT IS IN SERVICE AND, UH, WE HAVE IT CONNECTED COMING FROM, UH, A HUD AT SHANNON HILL AND OUR, UH, CONNECTING IT DOWN TO PEAN.
SO IT'LL BE ON OUR LOOP, UM, FOR RELIABILITY THAT WAY.
UM, IF WE LOSE, UH, A MAIN FEED IN ONE DIRECTION, WE'LL HAVE IT FROM THE OTHER AND KEEP IT ONLINE.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE A GENERATOR BEHIND IT.
UM, ALL OF THE HUTS ARE BACKED UP BY GENERATOR, AND IF WE HAVE POWER OUTAGES, MOST OF THE TIME, MOST OF THE INTERNET SERVICES ARE STILL AVAILABLE.
IF AT YOUR HOME YOU HAVE A BACKUP PLAN, UH, A GENERATOR OR A BATTERY BACKUP, UM, THE ELECTRICITY'S OUT, BUT USUALLY THE DATA IS STILL FLOWING.
UM, HERE'S A SNAPSHOT, UH, REAL QUICKLY OF THE, THAT NEW GRANT THAT WE HAVE, THE LITTLE RED DOTS, UH, INSTEAD OF THE LARGE AREAS LIKE WE'D COVERED BEFORE, AND THOSE ALL THE BLUE AREAS WE'RE JUST COVERING EVERYTHING IN THE AREA.
UM, THE NEWEST GRANT HAD A LOT OF INTERMINGLED, UH, UNSERVED LOCATIONS RIGHT NEXT TO A SERIES OF SERVED AREAS.
SO WE HAD TO GO IN AND PICK ALONG THE ROADWAYS AND FIND EVERY INDIVIDUAL, UH, LOCATION THAT WAS DEEMED UNSERVED.
UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, LITTLE OVER 900 LOCATIONS, UM, THAT WILL, WILL PICK UP WITH THAT, AND THAT WILL GET TO JUST ABOUT EVERY UNSERVED AREA.
UH, I'M SURE THAT PAUL HAS KEPT YOU UP TO DATE.
UH, THERE'S A NEW BEAD PROGRAM TO GET TO SOME OTHER AREAS.
UM, THERE MAY BE SOME FOLKS WHO ARE BIDDING, WHO ARE INCUMBENTS THAT ALREADY HAVE A SERVICE NEARBY.
SO IF YOU'RE IN A SUBDIVISION AND LET'S SAY COMCAST SERVICE SUBDIVISION, BUT A COUPLE OF PLACES AT THE BACK HEADLONG EXTENSIONS AND NEVER BEEN SERVED, UM, WE, UH, DID NOT GO AFTER BEAD FUNDING FOR THOSE, BUT I THINK THERE WERE ONLY 15 OR 20 OR 25 LEFT IN THE, THE COUNTY.
UH, WE DID A LOT OF THE, THOSE SAME TYPES OF, UH, AREAS.
ANYTHING THAT MADE SENSE FOR US WHEN WE WERE DOING THE, THE, UH, 2024 PROJECTION.
WE'RE RUN, WE'RE RUNNING DOWN TWO 50.
EVEN IF, UH, COMCAST IS SERVING ALONG THE ROAD, IF THERE'S SOME LONG EXTENSIONS, THEY'RE NOT SERVING, THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THIS MAP.
SO THEY, THEY WILL GET SERVICE.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE HERE THE GREEN HOMES, THE LITTLE DOTS THERE ARE GREEN.
UM, THEY INDICATE HOMES THAT HAVE BROADBAND SERVICE AVAILABLE ONTO THE BROADBAND DEFINITION, WHICH IS AT LEAST A HUNDRED MEGABIT PER SECOND, UM, DOWNLOAD.
UM, AND 20 MEGABIT PER SECOND UPLOAD, WHICH IS BASICALLY CABLE.
UH, THE RED DOTS ARE THE EXAMPLES OF THE ONES THAT WE INCLUDED IN DIVIDED 2024.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE, ARE ROADWAYS WHERE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF 'EM, UH, NUMBER OF THE HOMES THAT'LL HAVE AN INCUMBENT SERVICE.
UM, BUT THOSE ONES A LITTLE FURTHER OFF THE ROAD OR SOME INDIVIDUALS HAD BEEN LEFT OUT DIVIDED 2024 GRANT WILL PROVIDE SERVICE AVAILABILITY TO EACH ONE OF THOSE UNDER THE SAME TERMS, UM, AS OUR OTHER GRANT.
SO, UH, THAT WAS JUST A QUICK SNAPSHOT TO SHOW YOU A LITTLE PIECE OF THE COUNTY.
UM, ANY, UH, ANY COUNTY RESIDENT WHO WONDERS IF THEY ARE IN THAT SERVICE AREA CAN GO BACK, OH, GO, GO ONTO OUR WEBSITE.
UM, IN FACT, I THINK THAT WAS ON MY NEXT SLIDE THERE AT THE END.
AND, UH, BE ABLE TO CHECK THEM WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE SERVICE AVAILABLE.
UH, TOTAL PASSINGS WITH THE NEW GRANT.
[01:10:01]
OF FIBER, AND IT'S A $10 MILLION, UH, PROJECT IN THE COUNTY'S GIVING US 250,000.WE APPRECIATE THE MATCH TOWARD THAT.
WE'RE GETTING SOME STATE FUNDING AND THE REST THAT'LL COME FROM PRIVATE FUNDING.
UM, ALL TOTAL, UH, THERE'S FOUR DIFFERENT PIECES THAT SERVE, UM, THAT, THAT BRING OUR PROJECT ABOUT TOGETHER INTO GLAND.
WE HAVE THIS CENTRAL VIRGINIA ELECTRIC SERVICE AREA, WHICH WE BUILT WITHOUT ANY SIGNIFICANT GRANT FUNDING.
NOTHING FROM THE, THE COUNTY OR LOCALITY.
UM, THAT HAD ABOUT, UH, 900 PASSINGS, A LITTLE UNDER 900.
UM, WHO, WHO WANTS SERVICE AND WOULD CONNECT 'EM EVERY DAY.
IF SOMEBODY, UH, ON THE COOP SIDE, IF ANYBODY APPLIES FOR SERVICE, WE GET TO 'EM WITHIN 10 DAYS, 10 BUSINESS DAYS, AND GET 'EM CONNECTED.
UM, IN THE VADI 2022 AREA, WE HAD ABOUT 3,200 LOCATIONS.
AND THEN WE HAD A FEDERAL GRANT FROM USDA THAT WAS A RECONNECT, UH, GRANT, AND THAT SERVED ABOUT ANOTHER 500.
SO THOSE TWO TOGETHER, ABOUT 3,700.
WITH THIS, THERE'S ANOTHER ALMOST A THOUSAND.
AND THEN WITH 900 FROM THE, UM, COOP SIDE, I THINK WE'LL BE IN FRONT OF ABOUT 5,500 TOTAL LOCATIONS.
UH, TODAY WE HAVE ABOUT 1100 ACTIVE CONNECTIONS, AND, UH, WE'RE A LITTLE BETWEEN 50 AND 60% TAKE RATE.
UM, WHICH MEANS IF WE HAVE 1100 CONNECTIONS, YOU CAN ASSUME WE'RE A LITTLE OVER 2200 SERVICE AVAILABILITY LOCATIONS.
UM, IT'S, UH, WE RUN A LITTLE CLOSER TO, UH, THE 60% IN MOST AREAS.
SO, UM, WE MAY HAVE SOME AREAS WHERE SERVICES AVAILABLE, WE JUST HAVEN'T GOT TO PUT THE SERVICES IN YET.
UM, SO THAT'S A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE, UM, WITH SOME NUMBERS.
AND, UH, THIS, JUST A REMINDER, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE OR ANY OF YOUR RESIDENTS CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE, UH, LOOK UNDER, UM, THE PROJECTS, UH, TAB AND, UH, YOU CAN GO DOWN AND, AND GET THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT IN YOUR AREA.
UH, IF YOU CHECK FOR SERVICE AVAILABILITY, YOU CAN FIND OUT WHETHER YOU'RE IN ANY OF THOSE GRANT AREAS.
AND, UM, ANY QUESTIONS? I RAN THROUGH THAT FAIRLY QUICKLY.
YOUR QUESTION, IS THERE A THRESHOLD FOR DISTANCE FROM THE ROAD TO HOOK UP? UM, WE GO UP TO 2,500 FEET.
AT NO COST IF THEY SIGN UP WHILE WE ARE IN THE AREA, AND IF IT'S OVER 2,500 FEET, UM, IF THEY'RE LOW AND MODERATE INCOME, WE'LL GO AS FAR AS WE NEED.
IF WE, UM, IF THEY CAN AFFORD, UH, THE EXTENSION, IT'S ABOUT A DOLLAR AND 10 CENTS A FOOT AFTER THAT FOR THE SERVICE DROP.
UH, WE HAVE NOT HAD A HANDFUL THAT WE'VE CHARGED ANYTHING TO.
AND, AND THAT'S IN 14 COUNTIES, SO.
DID I STEP ON YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN? OKAY.
UM, UH, I, UH, I, I APPRECIATE THIS, UH, QUITE A BIT.
UM, MR. CREEKMORE, I THINK DID A GREAT JOB.
UM, I, I TOLD YOU EARLIER, I'M PRETTY SIMPLE.
HOW MANY ADDRESSES ARE THERE IN THESE AREAS, RIGHT? HOW MANY HAVE BEEN PASSED, AND THEN YOU CALL IT CONNECTIONS OR TAKE RATE.
AND THOSE ARE THE THREE NUMBERS THAT I RIGHT.
UH, I AM SURPRISED YOU'RE ONLY GETTING A 60% TAKE RATE BECAUSE FOR DECADES MM-HMM
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FUSSING ABOUT WE DON'T HAVE BROADBAND.
AND, UH, I WOULD'VE THOUGHT IT WOULD'VE BEEN, UH, 80 TO 90%.
WELL, THAT, YEAH, THAT'S INTERESTING.
SO, UH, IN OUR INDUSTRY WITH FIBER CONSTRUCTION, GENERALLY THE TAKE RATES RUN 35 TO 45% WHEN IT'S FIRST OFFERED.
UM, WE ARE ONE OF THE HIGHER END ONES AND THE NEWER LOCATIONS NOW WE'RE GETTING ABOUT 60%.
UM, WHAT WE FIND IS THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EITHER CELL PHONE CONTRACTS, SATELLITE CONTRACTS, UM, AND THOSE ADD UP OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.
SO WHEN WE'RE IN THE AREA, UH, WE GET 60% WHO TAKE IT RIGHT THEN, BUT THEN WE'LL SEE ANOTHER FIVE OR 10% GROWTH FROM THAT.
AND THEN, UH, THERE ARE A FEW FOLKS LIKE, UH, MY PARENTS ARE BLESSED THEM, UH, LIVING ALONE, AND THEY'RE 87 AND 93.
AND THE ONLY REASON THEY HAVE BROADBAND SERVICE IS BECAUSE I BOUGHT IT
[01:15:01]
PUT IT THERE.UH, MY FATHER HAS A PACEMAKER NOW THAT USES IT, AND THE GRANDKIDS USE IT, AND, UM, OTHERWISE THEY, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE A NEED FOR INTERNET SERVICE.
AND THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF THOSE, BUT THERE'S A FEW HERE AND THERE.
THE OTHER THING IS, UM, NOT ALL HOMES ARE, UM, ARE, ARE LIVED IN FULL-TIME.
UM, SO SOME OF THOSE WILL TAKE SERVICE, PARTICULARLY IF THEY'RE IN THE SHORT TERM RENTAL MARKET OR THOSE TYPE THINGS.
SOME DON'T, UM, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SEASONAL AND THEY JUST BRING THEIR SELF ON WHEN THEY COME.
UM, BUT WE WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE 60%.
WE'LL BE GLAD TO GET TO 80 OR 90, UM, AND WE THINK IT'LL, IT'LL GO THERE.
UH, I'M FROM THE ELECTRIC SIDE, UM, AND, AND WORKED AT THE CO-OP SINCE 1991.
I WASN'T AROUND WHEN IT STARTED, BUT WE HAVE RECORDS FROM 1937 WHEN WE BUILT THAT.
AND THE TAKE RATE FOR ELECTRICITY WHEN WE BUILT IT WAS ABOUT 40% WHEN WE FIRST WENT THROUGH MM-HMM
AND BECAUSE PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE ELECTRICITY AND DIDN'T HAVE DEVICES READY TO USE.
AND SOME OF THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVEN'T HAD INTERNET SERVICE.
YOU SOMETIMES YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE THINGS, AND THEN AS YOU SEE IT AND AS THE NEIGHBORS FIND IT, IT, IT BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT.
ALRIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN? MM-HMM
UH, ARE YOU FINDING YOURSELF IN ANY COMPETITIVE SCENARIO WHERE YOU'RE PASSING, UH, HOMES ALREADY SERVICED, SAY BY COMCAST? UH, WE, WE ARE, AND WE'RE NOT INTENTIONALLY DOING THAT.
SO, UH, THE, THE ONE COMMITMENT WE MADE WHEN WE STARTED WITH THE CO-OP SIDE WAS WE BELIEVED ALL CO-OP MEMBERS WHO WERE HELPING FOOT THE DEBT SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE SERVICE.
SO WE HAD ABOUT 10% OVERLAP IN THE CO-OP SERVICE TERRITORY WITH INCUMBENT PROVIDERS.
EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE OUTSIDE HAS BEEN, UM, WITH THE INTENT TO GO TO UNSERVED LOCATIONS.
SO AT THE TIME WE PUT IN THE APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS, THEY WERE DEEMED UNSERVED.
AND, UM, WHAT WE FIND IS SOMETIMES THE GRANT PROCESS TAKES A WHILE AND INCUMBENTS EXTEND SERVICE, AND WE END UP GETTING THERE AFTER THEY'VE EXTENDED THEIR SERVICE.
BUT, UM, THE ATTEMPT IS TO GO TO UNSERVED LOCATIONS.
OF COURSE, UH, ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO HAVE THE SERVICE TO EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY THAT CHOOSES TO, TO WANT IT AND NEED IT.
AND, UH, YEAH, MAKING PROGRESS.
WE ARE, AND WE, WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR PRICE SHEET UP HERE WHEN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY, UM, AND NORMALLY WE INCLUDE THAT BECAUSE, UH, WE, WE DON'T CHARGE WHEN WE, UM, CONNECT AND IT'S 49.99 FOR OUR, OUR CHEAPEST PACKAGE, WHICH IS A HUNDRED MEGABIT SERVICE, AND THAT INCLUDES A ROUTER, IT INCLUDES EVERYTHING.
THERE AREN'T ANY EXTRA CHARGES WHEN YOU GET A BILL.
A LOT OF OUR SUBSCRIBERS ARE SURPRISED.
THE FIRST MONTH THEY SAY, THE BILL JUST SAYS 49.99.
THAT'S WHAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR
THAT'S WHAT IT'LL SAY EVERY MONTH UNLESS YOU CHOOSE SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, AND THE MORE EXPENSIVE SERVICES, UH, IS REASONABLE.
SO WE WORK REALLY HARD TO KEEP THOSE PRICES AS AFFORDABLE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF MAKING IT AVAILABLE AND THEN MAKING IT AFFORDABLE.
ALRIGHT, MR. SPOON, NOW DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING QUESTION? NO, SIR.
I, I APPRECIATE, UM, YOU COMING MR. WOODS, AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE MEETING WE HAD, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO WITH STAFF TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE.
WE ARE AND JUST, UH, CONTINUE WITH THE PARTNERSHIP.
WELL, WELL THANK YOU AND I, I'M SORRY I MISSED THAT MEETING.
I UNDERSTAND, UH, UH, GALEN AND A FEW FOLKS FROM FIREFLY CAME DOWN.
UM, AND WE'LL BE GLAD ANYTIME YOU HAVE QUESTIONS TO, UH, MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE, UM, WE ARE, UM, WORKING VERY HARD TO CATCH UP SOME AFTER A TOUGH WINTER.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE HERE UNTIL WE GET IT DONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP.
UM, NEXT GIVES ME PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR, OH, YOU WANT TO, UM, AND SUPERINTENDENT OF OUR WONDERFUL SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE ALL PROUD OF, I, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU THAT LITTLE LEAD IN.
CMAR WILL COME FORWARD AND, UH, GIVE US A, UH, PRESENTATION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 SCHOOL BUDGET.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. ALVAREZ, UM, HAPPY TODAY TO PRESENT WHAT HAS BECOME THE SCHOOL BOARD'S ADOPTED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
BUT BEFORE I DO, I'D LIKE TO SHARE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR, MS. MEREDITH MOSES, IS IN ATTENDANCE WITH US TODAY, ALONG WITH SCHOOL
[01:20:01]
BOARD MEMBER MS. ZELLEN ROBINSON, I VAN, TO MAKE SURE THAT I'VE NOT MISSED ANYONE.I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECONNECT ANNUALLY TO THE PURPOSE OF, OF PUBLIC SCHOOLING HERE IN THE COUNTY.
WE AIM TO MAXIMIZE EACH STUDENT'S ACADEMIC POTENTIAL TO MAXIMIZE RESOURCES FOR INSTRUCTION, AND TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL CLIMATE AND HEALTH OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
OUR VISION PERSISTS TO BE, TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT, AND THAT'S SUPPORTED BY OUR MISSION, MISSION TO MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY SINGLE LEARNER.
SO HERE'S MY COMPASS FOR THIS AFTERNOON.
I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR DIVISION SUCCESSES, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, CHAIRMAN WINFREY FOR TEEING THAT UP FOR ME.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR NEEDS RELATIVE TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
ENGAGE 2026, EVERYTHING WILL BE CONNECTED TO ONE OF THREE GOALS, WHICH
[2. Goochland County Public Schools FY2026 Budget Presentation]
I'LL IDENTIFY ON EACH PERTAINING SLIDE.THEN I'LL TALK ABOUT STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT AND PROJECTED FUNDING SOURCES.
NATURALLY, ALL OF OUR DECISIONS, FISCAL AND OTHERWISE, ARE MADE WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS IN MIND.
SO THIS SHOWS YOU, UH, OUR ENROLLMENT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AND IT'S PRETTY STANDARD.
THERE'S ONE ANOMALY THAT I WANT TO EXPLAIN.
IT'S GOT A VERY EASY EXPLANATION.
WE OPENED A BRAND NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH A 650 TO 700 PUPIL CAPACITY, AND IN DOING SO, WE INCREASED THE ENROLLMENT AT THAT SCHOOL.
AS YOU CAN SEE THERE FOR GLIN ELEMENTARY EXPONENTIALLY OVER LAST YEAR.
A BYPRODUCT OF THAT IS A REDUCTION IN ENROLLMENT AT RANDOLPH AND BYRD, WHERE THROUGH A REDISTRICTING PROCESS WE REDREW THE LINES OF FOR ATTENDANCE.
SO THAT EXPLAINS THE ANOMALY THERE FOR, UH, THOSE THREE SCHOOLS, PRETTY MUCH STANDARD, PRETTY STEADY OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT HERE ON THIS NEXT SLIDE.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL ENROLLMENT FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND YOU COMPARE SCHOOL YEAR 2324 WITH SCHOOL YEAR 24, 25, YOU DO REALIZE THAT WE HAD AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT OF ABOUT 71 STUDENTS, WHICH IS FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION, THE SIZE OF OURS.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE SUCCESSES.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL SCHOOL DIVISION OF WHICH WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD.
I STOOD HERE A YEAR AGO AND TOUTED THE FACT THAT WE HAD FIVE APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS AND THAT THERE ARE ONLY 457 OF THOSE IN THE COUNTRY.
AND YET WE WERE FIVE FOR FIVE HERE IN GLAND 979 WORLDWIDE, FIVE RIGHT HERE IN OUR COUNTY.
I'M BACK A YEAR LATER TO PROUDLY SAY THAT.
NOW WE ARE AN APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL DIVISION OR AN APPLE DISTINGUISHED DISTRICT, AND THERE'S ONLY 18 OF THOSE WE SHOULD BE PROUD.
UM, I WANTED TO DISPEL ANY CONCEPTION THAT THIS IS A DISTINCTION THAT CAN BE PURCHASED BECAUSE WE ARE SUBSCRIBERS TO APPLE PRODUCTS.
IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, WE'RE VERY SMALL PLAYERS TO APPLE.
SO WE'VE NOT BOUGHT THIS DISTINCTION.
IT COMES EXCLUSIVELY FROM OUR COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY AND INSTRUCTION NICHE, WHICH REALTORS RELY HEAVILY ON RATE GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS THE BEST IN THE METRO RICHMOND AREA.
THIS IS A DISTINCTION THAT WE'VE ENJOYED FOR SEVEN CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
THEY RATE US THE 12TH BEST SCHOOL DIVISION OUT OF A HUNDRED AND THIRTY, A HUNDRED THIRTY ONE IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE HIGHEST THAT WE'VE EVER BEEN RATED BY NICHE.
WE ARE A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SPECIAL OLYMPICS UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOL DIVISION, AND FOR SEVERAL YEARS RUNNING, WE'VE RECEIVED THE DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION FROM THE GOVERNOR'S FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION ON THE STATE ACCREDITATION.
FRONT GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS ONE OF 10 SCHOOL DIVISIONS ACROSS THE ENTIRETY OF THE COMMONWEALTH THAT HAS HAD 100% OF ITS SCHOOLS ACCREDITED FOR OVER A DECADE.
GLAND'S BEEN A LEADER PAST THAT TIME IN MEASURING STUDENT GROWTH.
WE'RE IN YEAR 12, GRADES TWO THROUGH EIGHT AND YEAR SIX IN MEASURING ACADEMIC GROWTH, INDIVIDUAL ACADEMIC GROWTH FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES NINE THROUGH 11.
AND THE RESULTS OF THAT ARE AMAZING.
THAT PINK LINE THAT YOU SEE GOING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THAT CHART IS THE NORMED PERCENTAGE.
YOU SEE THAT MOST OF OUR STUDENTS AND MOST OF THE COHORTS EXCEED THEIR INDIVIDUAL STUDENT GROWTH GOALS.
THIS IS FOR READING BASED ON LAST YEAR'S DATA.
THE CHART THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW REFLECTS THE SAME FOR MATHEMATICS
[01:25:03]
WITH REGARD TO SOL TEST RESULTS.LAST YEAR'S TEST RESULTS INDICATE THAT WE HAD A YIELD OF 82% IN LITERACY PROFICIENCY READING IN ENGLISH.
THAT WAS FIRST IN THE REGION OUT OF 10 SCHOOL DIVISIONS AND 14TH IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
WITH REGARD TO MATHEMATICS, WE HAD A YIELD OF 83% SECOND IN THE REGION, EIGHTH IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
CONVERSELY, OUR PER PUPIL FUNDING OUT OF 131 SCHOOL DIVISIONS RANKS 72ND, VERY PROUD OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES.
98% OF LAST YEAR'S COHORT LEFT US WITH A HIGH SCHOOL CREDENTIAL OF SOME KIND, AND YOU'D HAVE TO GO BACK SEVERAL YEARS TO FIND A TIME WHEN THAT YIELD IS BELOW 95%.
THIS IS OTHERWORLDLY OUTCOMES IN GETTING STUDENTS TO MATRICULATE THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL IN THE DESIGNATED PERIOD OF TIME TO DO IT.
AND WITH THAT, I TRANSITION TO TALKING ABOUT OUR NEEDS GOAL ONE, INSTRUCTION AND LIFELONG LEARNING.
AND I WON'T READ ALL OF THESE.
I WILL READ THE STRATEGIC GOAL, BUT NOT THE SUBSET.
TO MAXIMIZE EACH STUDENT'S POTENTIAL IN PREPARATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL LIFE.
THIS BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS $95,425 IN TOTAL INVESTMENT SUPPORT IN GOAL ONE.
THERE ARE SOME CREATIVE THINGS THAT WE'VE TAKEN ON TO SOLVE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BUDGET INCLUDED A FULL TIME EQUIVALENT FOR AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE HIGHER ENROLLMENT.
REALIZING THAT WE WERE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT AT A FULL FTE, WE FOUND CREATIVE WAYS TO ABSORB USING EXISTING STAFF.
SO THAT NUMBER THAT YOU SEE AT THE TOP, THE $73,686, REPRESENTS THE CHANGE IN A POSITION FOR A PERSON TO BECOME THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AN INCREASE OF OUR ESL TEACHER FROM A 0.75 TO A FULL FTE AND AN INCREASE OF AN EMT INSTRUCTOR TO A 0.5 FTE PREVIOUSLY THAT HAD BEEN A 0.25.
WE'VE GOT SOME ADDITIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION EXPENSES THAT ARE GONNA TOTAL A LITTLE UNDER $15,000 TEXTBOOK ADOPTIONS FOR HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES TO MATCH THE NEW STANDARDS COMES IN AT A LITTLE UNDER $100,000.
AND WE'VE GOT SOME ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM INVESTMENTS TO ACCOUNT FOR SUPPLIES AND SOFTWARE.
THAT $106,000 THAT YOU SEE THERE IS REPRESENTED AS A CARRY OVER FUNDING FOR SOME, UH, FEDERAL TITLE DOLLARS.
ALL TOLD TOTAL INVESTMENTS UNDER GOLD, ONE $95,424.
GOAL TWO, INCLUSIVE AND ENGAGING CULTURE.
OUR AIM IS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING AND RESPONSIVE EXPERIENCE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS INFORMED, INCLUDED, VALUED AND EMPOWERED.
I'M PROUD TO REPORT THAT THIS BUDGET INCLUDES A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
ALL EMPLOYEES WHO RECEIVE A SATISFACTORY EVALUATION RATING.
TOTAL INVESTMENTS UNDER GOAL TWO $713,534.
IT TAKES $995,839 TO PROVIDE THAT 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ALSO, UM, FILLING POSITIONS THAT THE SALARY'S COVERED THROUGH FEDERAL DOLLARS.
WE REALIZE THE SAVINGS AND SALARY POSITION CHANGES OVER LAST YEAR'S FISCAL BECAUSE WE HAD PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEFT US THAT WE'VE NOT REPLACED OR WE'VE NOT REPLACED AT FULL VALUE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY MIGHT HAVE LEFT, BUT WE MIGHT HAVE DOWNGRADED THE POSITION OR HIRED SOMEONE WHO WASN'T EARNING WHAT THE DEPARTING PARTY WAS EARNING AT THE TIME OF THEIR DEPARTURE.
WE'RE ANTICIPATING ABOUT $87,000 IN, UH, KNOWN RETIREMENTS AND ADDITIONAL STIPENDS.
THAT TINY AMOUNT THERE REPRESENTED BY $3,000 IS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF OFFSET MONEY FOR TRAINING ADMINISTRATION AND MARKET EQUITY POOLS.
AND AGAIN, THOSE INVESTMENTS TOTAL $713,534 SUPPORTING GOAL TWO.
WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FACILITIES, RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY, OUR GOAL WILL BE AND IS TO ENHANCE AND SUPPORT THE INSTRUCTIONAL AND LEARNING NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF.
WE ANTICIPATE HIGHER UTILITY COSTS, PARTICULARLY WITH WATER AND SEWER TO THE TUNE OF $10,350
[01:30:01]
IN INCREASE OVER THE LAST FISCAL INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS FOR OUR FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION.WE'VE GOT $247,718 FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WE LISTED THEIR VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS THAT WERE MOVED FROM THE CIP.
UM, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC VEHICLES IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT NUMBER BASICALLY ACCOUNTS FOR SOME CAPITAL NEEDS AS PART OF THAT $500,000 THAT WE WERE TASKED TO MOVE FROM THE CIP TO THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET, THINGS LIKE SERVING LINES AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, RESURFACING A PARKING LOTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS RELATED TO TECHNOLOGY, A SCOTIA UNDER $75,000.
AND THEN WE'VE TAKEN ON THE RESTORATION OF $270,000 IN PROCUREMENT THAT WE HAD TO DO IN FISCAL YEAR 24 LAST YEAR TO MAKE THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR 246 SCHOOL TEACHERS.
A REALITY WITH REGARD TO THE CAFETERIA.
THE CAFETERIA IS IN FACT SELF SUSTAINING, BUT THESE ARE INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS FOR STAFF INCREASES TO CAFETERIA STAFF.
TOTAL INVESTMENTS FOR GOAL 3 740 $6,581.
NOW I WANT TO TALK ABOUT STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT.
WE'VE HAD A FEW PEOPLE TALK ABOUT BELT TIGHTENING TODAY, AND THIS IS OUR BEST EFFORT TO DO JUST THAT.
THIS BUDGET REPRESENTS A TOTAL OF $662,558 IN INITIATIVES THAT WE WILL ABANDON FROM THE EXISTING FISCAL YEAR INTO THE NEXT.
THEY'RE ITEMIZED THERE, $61,000 IN SUBSCRIPTIONS AND REPAIR COSTS FOR TECHNOLOGY.
WE'VE REDUCED SOME OVERHEAD FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, CHANGED OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS LINE A BIT PRINTING AND OUR BOARD MEETING PLATFORM.
WE ARE ACTUALLY TAKING A LOOK AT OUR MAINTENANCE LEASES AND GROUNDS CONTRACTS AND SAVINGS OF $25,330.
AND YOU ALL SEE THE CHART THERE THAT THOSE SAVINGS ARE REAL SAVINGS.
I WILL HIGHLIGHT THE INDIRECT COST AND CONTINGENCY FROM FEDERAL GRANTS.
THOSE ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT HAVE EXPIRED AND WILL NOT BE RENEWABLE OR REPRESENTED IN ANY FUTURE BUDGETS FOR FISCAL YEARS.
BUT WE DO CONSIDER THOSE AS ABANDONMENTS BECAUSE THE THINGS THAT THEY FINANCED ARE STILL VERY REAL THINGS AND WE'VE GOTTA ACCOUNT FOR ENSURING THAT THOSE THINGS PREVAIL OR ENDURE.
WHEN YOU ADD THE TOTAL INVESTMENTS FOR GOALS ONE, TWO, AND THREE MINUS OUR STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT INITIATIVES, YOU GET A TOTAL OF $892,981 OF NEW INVESTMENTS.
THIS BRINGS OUR TOTAL NEW INVESTMENTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR TO $45,467,414, REPRESENTING AN OVERALL 2% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR'S BUDGETED INVESTMENTS.
THIS CHART ILLUSTRATES OUR INVESTMENTS BY STATE CATEGORY.
THE STATE BASICALLY IDENTIFIES FIVE CATEGORIES, INSTRUCTION, ADMINISTRATION AND HEALTH, TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
AND I'M VERY PROUD TO STAND HERE TODAY AND SAY THAT OVER 77% OF ALL OF OUR FISCAL RESOURCES ARE GEARED TO ADVANCE INSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPPORT OUR INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS.
WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT OUR BUDGETED INVESTMENTS BY TYPE OF EXPENSE, 84% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET IS AN INVESTMENT IN PEOPLE DIRECT SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR, UH, FUNDING SOURCES, THOSE NUMBERS ARE BASED ON AN AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP.
AND WE ALWAYS PICK THAT NUMBER VERY CONSERVATIVELY BECAUSE THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO HAVE IS AN AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP THAT'S LARGE THAT EXCEEDS THE NUMBER OF YOUR TOTAL ENROLLMENT.
SO EARLIER I SHOWED YOU IN OUR SLIDES THAT OUR SEPTEMBER 30TH ENROLLMENT IS WHAT WE CAN REPORT.
RIGHT NOW, OUR AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP, WHICH IS THE REIMBURSABLE NUMBER FROM THE STATE, WILL BE WHAT OUR ENROLLMENT IS ON THE LAST BUSINESS DAY OF THIS MONTH.
SO WE WILL KNOW THAT NUMBER PRETTY SOON.
WE BUDGETED CONSERVATIVELY FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR JUST LIKE WE ARE FOR THE NEXT.
WE ANTICIPATE THERE TO BE SOME EXCESS IN, UM, STATE REIMBURSEMENT FOR A DM.
THE STATE FUNDING REFLECTS THE DECEMBER 24TH GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY HOUSE OR SENATE PROPOSED BUDGET CHANGES OF WHICH THERE ARE QUITE A
[01:35:01]
FEW THAT COULD BE BENEFICIAL TO US IN THE LONG RUN IF PASSED.FEDERAL FUNDING IS THE SAME AS IT WAS PROJECTED TO BE IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, PLUS ANY ANTICIPATED CARRYOVER OF $124,000 REGULAR TITLE AND IDEA FUNDS.
SO THE CHART AT THE BOTTOM BASICALLY SHOWS YOU THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR ANTICIPATED FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 AND OUR APPROPRIATED FUNDING FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 2025.
YOU SEE THAT WITH REGARD TO SALES TAX.
AND AGAIN, THAT NUMBER IS OUR STATE NUMBER RELATIVE TO A DM.
WE ANTICIPATE A NEAR 6% INCREASE ALL OTHER STATE AID NEAR FLAT, BUT IS REPRESENTING A 0.2% REDUCTION YEAR OVER YEAR FROM 2025 TO 2026.
AND OUR FEDERAL AID IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED BY ABOUT 11% IN THE SAME TIME SPAN.
THIS GRAPH REPRESENTS A 10 YEAR TREND OF STATE REVENUE.
I WILL NOT OPINE ON THAT OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT IT APPEARS TO HAVE GROWN EXPONENTIALLY SINCE 2023.
UM, THERE AREN'T MANY THINGS THAT WE DO FOR THE SAME COST FOR 10 YEARS STRAIGHT.
SO YOU ALWAYS WANNA SEE THOSE NUMBERS TRENDING NORTH AS TIME PASSES.
AND THIS CHART REPRESENTS OUR OVERALL PROJECTED REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026.
THE COUNTY TRANSFER RECOMMENDED INCREASE OF 1.384 MILLION OVER THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION OR TRANSFER IN FISCAL YEAR 2025.
THAT REPRESENTS A 4.7% INCREASE.
NOW, I WILL GO BACK TO A MINUTE AGO WHEN I TALKED ABOUT AN OVERALL 2% INCREASE IN OPERATING REVENUE, BUT THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE DEDUCTIONS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALONG THE WAY.
SO THE COUNTY TRANSFER WILL BE 31 OR ANTICIPATED TO BE 31,129,804 $4 FROM OUR STATE MONIES, WE'LL GET A LITTLE BIT UNDER $7 MILLION.
I FEEL LIKE I'M AT AN EYE EXAM HERE NOW.
AND OUR STATE SALES TAX WILL BE $4.3 MILLION IN REVENUE PROJECTED FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL.
THIS CHART REPRESENTS A 10 YEAR TREND OF ALL REVENUE SOURCES.
I WILL MAKE THE DISTINCTION HERE BETWEEN LOCAL AND COUNTY TRANSFER.
LOCAL DOLLARS TAKES INTO ACCOUNT, UM, MONIES THAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION GENERATES THROUGH TUITIONS.
WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN OTHER LOCALES AND ENROLL HERE AND PAY TUITION.
WE ALSO COLLECT MONEY FOR, UH, RENTALS.
UH, SOMETIMES ENTITIES WILL USE OUR FACILITIES AND THERE'S A RENTAL FEE FOR THAT.
SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF, UH, REVENUE SOURCES THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED UNDER LOCAL AND NATURALLY COUNTY TRANSFER WOULD BE THE MONEY THAT THE COUNTY OR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ALLOCATES TO US.
SO THIS CHART ATE, ILLUSTRATES THAT OUR TOTAL INVESTMENTS OF $892,981 MATCH OUR TOTAL REVENUE OF THE SAME AMOUNT, $892,981.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, YOU HAVE THE MAGIC OF A BALANCED BUDGET.
AGAIN, THIS BUDGET HAS GROWN BY 2% OVER THE PREVIOUS FISCAL.
THIS BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE EVERYTHING THAT I AS A SUPERINTENDENT WOULD'VE HOPED, OR THAT A LOT OF OUR SENIOR STAFF AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WOULD'VE HOPED.
THERE ARE SACRIFICES AND THINGS THAT WE CAME INTO THE PROCESS ANTICIPATING SUCCESS WITH THAT WE'VE HAD TO PRIORITIZE NOW AS UNFUNDED NEEDS INTERVENTIONIST.
ONE AT EACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, RECEIVING AN EQUITABLE SHARE BASED ON ITS TITLE ONE STATUS, NOT NECESSARILY BASED ON A NEED DUE TO ITS ENROLLMENT, AN ADDITIONAL FULL FTE FOR AN ESL TEACHER.
AND THAT MAY AT SOME POINT BECOME AN SOQ MANDATE.
AND I'VE MENTIONED HOW WE'VE WORKED TO RESOLVE THE CHALLENGES AROUND THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT GOLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE HAD, UH, WORKED WITH A COUNTY OFFICE TO SHARE A WORK-BASED LEARNING COORDINATOR.
UM, I FEEL WE FEEL AND STILL DO FEEL TODAY THAT THIS WOULD AID US TREMENDOUSLY BECAUSE WE HAVE BUSINESS OWNERS IN OUR COUNTY WHO ARE CONSTANTLY COMMUNICATING THE TYPES OF SKILLS THAT THEY NEED OUR KIDS TO HAVE WHEN THEY LEAVE US, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE PLANNING TO IMMEDIATELY JOIN THE WORLD OF WORK.
UM, IT ALSO WOULD HAVE BENEFITS FOR YOUR OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, PERCENTAGE
[01:40:01]
BASED STIPENDS FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES.JUST TO GIVE YOU A SYNOPSIS OF THAT FLAVOR, OUR HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ARE PAID ON A PERCENTAGE OF THEIR TOTAL SALARY.
OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES ARE PAID INCONSISTENTLY WITH A FLAT STIPEND.
THE TIME COMMITMENT IS COMPARABLE, AND WE HAD HOPED TO BUILD SOME INTERNAL EQUITY BY FIXING THAT CHALLENGE.
OUR ROBOTICS PROGRAMS ARE GROWING.
KIDS ARE INTERESTED IN ROBOTICS.
IF YOU'VE WATCHED OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, WE FLOODED THIS AUDITORIUM WITH STUDENTS FROM ALL THREE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THEIR FAMILIES EXCITED ABOUT ROBOTICS AND THEY'VE WON DISTINCTIONS.
BUT AS YOU GROW PROGRAMS, YOU HAVE TO GROW COACHING TO SUPPORT THOSE KIDS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THEN AN AGRICULTURE TEACHER AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SO THAT WE MIGHT EXPAND OUR, UH, CTE OFFERINGS ALONG THE LINES OF AGRICULTURE AND EXPOSE KIDS TO THOSE CONTENT AREAS AT A YOUNGER AGE.
TIER THREE, A LIBRARY ASSISTANT AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AN ADDITIONAL ELEMENTARY, ITRT.
THIS IS AN INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCE TEACHER.
IF WE HAD ONE MORE THAT WOULD GIVE US A TOTAL OF FIVE AND EVERY SCHOOL WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN DESIGNATED ONE.
THERE'S RECENTLY BEEN A DEMAND FROM OUR PUBLIC FOR AN INCREASED FTE FOR BAN BY A 0.5 THAT WOULD GIVE US TWO FULL-TIME BAN DIRECTORS, ONE FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ONE FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL, TWO BUS DRIVERS AND EMAIL SECURITY SOFTWARE TO AID OUR CYBERSECURITY INITIATIVES.
I WILL AGAIN REITERATE THAT NONE OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED TODAY AS PRIORITY UNFUNDED NEEDS ARE REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED.
AND THEN THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE, UH, MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT UNLESS THERE'S END OF YEAR SURPLUS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO WITHOUT.
AND ONE OF THEM IS A 65 PASSENGER SCHOOL BUS, AND IT DOES COST A LITTLE UNDER $150 TO BUY A SCHOOL BUS THESE DAYS.
AND TWO REPLACEMENT MAINTENANCE VEHICLES ESTIMATED DEVALUE $108,000.
WE'VE GOT SOME NEEDS WITH OUR CTE PROGRAM ALONG THE LINES OF EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGICAL NEEDS.
SO SHOULD WE HAVE END OF YEAR SURPLUS, THESE WILL BE OUR PRIORITIES TO TACKLE WITH THOSE DOLLARS.
RIGHT NOW THEY ARE, UM, UNFUNDED ITEMS AND NOT REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION OF THE SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTED BUDGET.
I'LL GLADLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY, MR. KAMAR, UH, THE ON THE UNFUNDED ITEMS HAVE YOU BEEN TRACKING? UM, I HAVE NOT.
JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, THE, UH, STATE LEGISLATURES ARE, DO YOU POTENTIALLY SEE ANY OF THOSE BEING COVERED IN ANY KIND OF GRANTS UPCOMING? YEAH, I'LL TALK ABOUT, UM, TWO IN PARTICULAR.
ONE IS RELATIVE TO THE VIRGINIA PRESCHOOL INITIATIVE OR VPI.
UM, RIGHT NOW OUR BUDGET REFLECTS THAT FUNDING TO BE AT A 0.8, WHICH IS OUR LOCAL COMPOSITE INDEX, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS THAT WE AS A LOCALE WILL ASSUME 80% OF THE COST FOR THAT PROGRAM.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL BIENNIUM CYCLES.
SO IT'S BEEN AN EQUITABLE SHARE BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE LOCALE TO RUN THE VIRGINIA TO RUN OUR PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS. IF THAT HAPPENS, AND I'M OPTIMISTIC, HOPEFUL THAT IT WILL, THAT COULD PUT $150,000 BACK INTO OUR OPERATIONAL REALITY, WHICH COULD TAKE A SCHOOL BUS OFF THE BOARD OR ANOTHER PRIORITY AS IDENTIFIED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD.
UM, ANOTHER DEALS WITH, UH, HEAD START, WHICH IS A VERY, VERY SIMILAR THING.
UM, WE ARE WAITING TO GET SOME FINALITY ON WHETHER A TOPIC IS GONNA GO RIGHT OR LEFT, AND IF IT GOES A CERTAIN WAY, IT COULD BE $70,000 BACK IN OUR OPERATIONAL REALITY.
AT WHICH POINT IN TIME WE COULD MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO HOW TO BEST UTILIZE THOSE DOLLARS.
THAT'S A GOOD BIT RIGHT NOW THAT'S STILL OUT THERE, THAT'S UNDECIDED THAT IF IT SWINGS AWAY, THAT'S FAVORABLE TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS WOULD HELP US A LITTLE BIT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.
UH, AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO DR.
GEIER AND, UH, UH, SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
THEY SPENT THREE HOURS WITH ME, UM, HELPING ME UNDERSTAND THE INTERVENTIONS.
UM, AND I'M STILL NOT SURE I COULD PASS THE TEST, BUT, UH, THEY, THEY MADE A GOOD TRY AT IT.
UM, BUT ON THE STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT ON SLIDE 36, YOU USED SOME PHRASING THAT I, I'M NOT SURE I'M CLEAR ON.
YOU SAID THAT $265,000 IS A SAVINGS, BUT WE'RE GONNA SPEND IT ANYWAY.
[01:45:01]
WHAT, WHAT I SAID WAS, IS THAT THAT NUMBER REPRESENTS EXPIRED FEDERAL GRANTS.SO THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT WON'T BE REPRESENTED IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO BASICALLY THEY'RE SACRIFICE BECAUSE THEY WERE REAL, REAL DOLLARS ACTUAL DOLLARS IN 2025, BUT WON'T BE IN 2026.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE AIDED OR ADVANCED THROUGH THOSE DOLLARS, THOSE THINGS ENDURE.
AND WE'VE HAD TO FIGURE OUT THOSE THINGS.
AND WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET THAT WAS JUST PRESENTED.
SO THOSE ARE ONE TIME OR TEMPORARY GRANTS NOT SUSTAINING.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'VE NEVER BEEN USED TO, UH, SUPPORT POSITIONS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE, THAT'S NOT THE MOST RESPONSIBLE USE OF GRANT DOLLARS.
MOST OF THESE DOLLARS WERE COVID RELATED GRANT DOLLARS.
UM, THAT, THAT WE, IF I MIGHT ADD THAT WE USED TO FIDELITY AND FILED ALL REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE FACT IS THAT NOW THEY'RE NO LONGER A PART OF OUR REALITY REAL FISCAL LANDSCAPE.
I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE, THE 71 ENROLLMENT INCREASE, I WAS, UM, LOOKING, I GUESS AT SLIDE 10 YES.
WHERE YOU WERE SHOWING CHANGES IN EACH SCHOOL, BUT IT WASN'T BROKEN OUT BY GRADE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE I HEARD IT FROM YOU.
THAT'S YEAH, YOU HEARD IT FROM ME.
AND TO BE FAIR, THAT NUMBER IS VERY HARD TO PROJECT BECAUSE WE START KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENTS.
WE WILL AGAIN THIS YEAR RIGHT AFTER SPRING BREAK.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THOSE ARE 58 KINDERGARTNERS.
WE HAD 58 KINDERGARTEN, 58 OVER PROJECTED KINDERGARTNERS.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, WE WERE ANTICIPATING A NUMBER AND WE HAD A NUMBER THAT WAS 58 HIGHER THAN WHAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING.
SO, SO ONE MIGHT INFER THAT YOUNG FAMILIES ARE MOVING TO GOLAND, THE DATA WOULD TREND THAT WAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL, UM, ARE AWARE, BUT THE, UM, WELDON COOPER CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA RELEASED ITS POPULATION GROWTH STATISTICS A FEW MONTHS BACK AND GLIN SECOND IN THE COMMONWEALTH WITH A POPULATION GROWTH OF 11.2% OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT THAT IS GONNA AT SOME POINT, HAVE AN IMPACT ON ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SERVICES, PARTICULARLY OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO, SO IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME JUST CONNECTING A DO.
SO SHOULD THIS BOARD BE APPROVING ADDITIONAL SUBDIVISIONS, CATERING TO THAT? WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON THE SCHOOLS.
AND IF I'M WORKING FROM MEMORY, YOU SAID IT'S $15,000 FOR EACH STUDENT AND ON A MILLION DOLLAR HOME, WE GET ABOUT 5,300 IN TAXES.
I FIRST, I'M NEVER GONNA COME HERE AS A SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT AND PRESCRIBE ACTION THAT YOU ALL TAKE AS SUPERVISORS, BUT I WILL SHARE INFORMATION.
UM, AND, AND IT WON'T BE INFORMATION THAT, THAT IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU'VE HEARD IT.
UM, IN TERMS OF CAPACITY AND FACILITIES, WE'VE GOT ROOM FOR GROWTH.
WE'VE GOT ROOM FOR GROWTH BECAUSE WE JUST OPENED AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT'S GOT A 675 PUPIL CAPACITY, AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE 520 STUDENTS THERE.
SO THEY'RE TWO ROOM TO GROW BY 240, 250 STUDENTS IN THAT SCHOOL ALONE.
NOT TO MENTION THAT WE PULLED FROM THE POLAR ENDS OF THE COUNTY.
SO BY DOING THAT, WE CREATED SPACE AT RANDOLPH IN THE SOUTHEAST AND BYRD IN THE NORTHWEST.
WHAT WE HAVE TO BE READY TO BE FACED WITH, SHOULD THAT BECOME OUR REALITY, INCREASED ENROLLMENT REQUIRES AN INCREASE IN FULL-TIME TEACHER EQUIVALENCE.
SO WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE IN A PLACE WHERE, OH MY GOD, WE'VE GOT MORE KIDS THAN WE'VE GOT SPACE TO PUT 'EM.
THE QUESTION WILL BE, OR MY ASK WILL BE, ONCE WE REALIZE THOSE ACTUALIZATIONS IN ENROLLMENT INCREASES, THEY'RE GONNA REQUIRE BODIES, THEY'RE GONNA REQUIRE HUMAN CAPITAL TO TEACH, AND THEN I'LL HAVE TO COME BACK AND MAKE A APPEAL TO ADDRESS THAT O OKAY.
UM, THE RETIREMENTS, THOSE ARE NOT PEOPLE DEPARTING, BUT THESE ARE ACTUALLY PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND THEY'VE DONE THEIR YES SIR.
TOUR OF DUTY AND, AND, UH, YES SIR, WE'VE GOT $87,000 IN ANTICIPATED RETIREMENT SAVINGS.
NOW YOU MAY SAY THAT, WELL, AREN'T YOU GONNA FILL THOSE POSITIONS? YEAH, WE WILL, BUT WE WON'T LIKELY WON'T FILL THOSE POSITIONS WITH SOMEONE WHO'S AT STEP 30 OF THE SCALE, WHICH IS WHERE RETIREES TYPICALLY ARE.
UH, AND, AND THAT DOES, AND FOLLOW ON MY THINKING HERE IS THAT LAST YEAR I THINK YOU DID A MAGICAL JOB IN FINDING RESOURCES TO ALLOW FOR THOSE BAND ADJUSTMENTS.
AND I HAVE RECALLED THAT I WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE BECAUSE YES, SIR.
THAT'S GOING TO LEAD TO HIGHER RETENTION RATES WHEN CONTRACTS ARE ISSUED.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PREMONITION? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
WE'RE GONNA SEE, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS JUST THIS MORNING AMONGST SENIOR STAFF AND PRINCIPALS.
WE, WE ARE IN A VERY SOLID PLACE WITH REGARD TO RETAINING FOLKS.
WE DON'T HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE OPTING TO LEAVE, AT LEAST NOT FROM THE TEACHER RANKS.
[01:50:01]
THAT'S NOT TO IMPLY THAT WE DON'T HAVE OTHER FOLKS WHO'VE NOT LEFT US FOR PROMOTIONS.BUT FROM OUR TEACHER RANKS, WE'VE DONE A REMARKABLE JOB IN, IN RETAINING.
AND I THINK THAT'S DUE IN GREAT PART TO THAT ADJUSTMENT LAST YEAR.
AND, AND SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE THINKING WE WILL HAVE, UH, BETTER THAN PASS RETENTION RATE ON THE TEACHING STAFF? WITHOUT QUESTION.
HOW ABOUT, HOW ABOUT RECRUITMENT ON THAT NOTE? UM, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S HELPED US WITH RECRUITMENT TOO.
WE, WE WERE ALWAYS VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE AT STEP ZERO BECAUSE IT'S A NON-STARTER IF YOU'RE NOT.
SO OUR STARTING TEACHER PAY HAS ALWAYS BEEN COMPETITIVE WITH THE REGION.
THE CHALLENGE FOR US HAS BEEN THREE YEARS, THREE THROUGH FIVE, AND ULTIMATELY FIVE THROUGH 10 AND SO ON AND SO ON.
SO WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING WAS A DYNAMIC WHERE WE WERE WORRIED THAT WE WERE HIRING TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO COME AND WORK IN GLAND.
AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN START AND SALARY MIGHT HAVE BEEN TWO OR $300.
THEY COME HERE, COMMIT TO US, WE BUILT THEIR CRAFT, AND THEN THEY GET TO YEAR SIX AND REALIZE, WOW, I COULD, I COULD DRIVE ANOTHER 10 MINUTES AND PROBABLY MAKE ANOTHER SIX, SEVEN, $8,000 A YEAR.
AND THAT WAS THE CRITICAL POINT IN TIME WHERE PEOPLE WERE DECIDING TO LEAVE US BASED ON NUMBERS THAT I PRESENTED TO THIS BOARD IN OUR COMMUNITY LAST SPRING.
UM, AND I APOLOGIZE, NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW MUCH SALES TAXED.
I MEAN, FOR EACH DOLLAR SPENT IN GOLIN, THERE'S, I'LL SAY 5%.
SALES TAX GOSLIN'S, PERCENT OF THAT IS A PENNY.
I WOULD HAVE TO RELY ON MS. WEISS TO HELP ME WITH THAT EXACT NUMBER.
I DON'T KNOW THAT NUMBER RIGHT OFF.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR PORTION OF THAT WOULD BE.
OR IS ONE, ONE PENNY FROM EVERY DOLLAR SPENT IS FOR THE SCHOOLS? YEAH.
SO AS WE ENCOURAGE MORE RETAIL SALES, THEN THAT NUMBER SHOULD GO UP.
I KNOW THE COUNTY IS PRETTY CONSERVATIVE IN SALES TAX REVENUES, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WELL, I MEAN, MY FINAL IS THAT WHEN YOU AND I SPOKE THE, UH, AG TEACHER WAS NUMBER FOUR ON THE LIST.
IT'S DROPPED A COUPLE SPOTS AND, UH,
WE HAVE STRONG AGRICULTURE ROOTS HERE IN THE COUNTY AND, UH, AS CTE IS, UH, CONTINUING TO RECEIVE, UH, GOLLY.
WHAT HE TALKS ABOUT MARIA, THE RESCUE WHILE YOU'RE SIPPING YOUR WATER, I WILL TELL YOU HOW IT DIDN'T, IT'S NOT THAT IT DROPPED IN THE, THE RANKINGS.
WHEN YOU AND I TALKED, I HAD A GENERAL LIST AND THEY WEREN'T PRIORITIZED.
ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS TASKED US TO PUT THEM IN A PRIORITIZATION.
AND SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, THE VERY NEXT PRESENTATION THEY WERE, THEY WERE RANK ORDERED BY NUMBER.
SO IT APPEARED FORTH ON THE LIST, BUT THE LIST WAS AN UNP PRIORITIZED LIST.
AND, AND I DEFER TO YOUR BOARD.
'CAUSE CLEARLY THEY, UH, DO THIS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
BUT, UH, MY, MY COMMENT IS, UH, WITH THE STRONG AND ENDURING AGRICULTURAL ROOTS, UM, AND THE FACT THAT AGRICULTURE I SUBMIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INDUSTRY, A COUNTRY THAT CAN'T FEED ITSELF WILL NOT BE A COUNTRY FOR LONG.
UH, THERE IS A, A STRATEGIC OVERALL NEED FOR AGRICULTURAL TO BE PROMOTED AS WELL AS A BONAFIDE, THAT'S AN INDUSTRY THAT, UH, DOES PROVIDE ABSOLUTELY VIABLE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
THAT DON'T, WELL SOMETIMES DO REQUIRE A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE, BUT I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AND AS THIS SAUSAGE MAKING PROCESS CONTINUES, UH, ANTICIPATE, I WILL BE ASKING HOW DO WE, UH, MAKE THIS A REALITY AFTER THREE, FOUR YEARS OF ADVOCACY ON MY PART AND AS WELL AS THE FARM BUREAU AND, AND OTHER CITIZENS HERE IN THE COUNTY.
I, I WILL SAY THAT THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS BEING HAD THIS WEEK ABOUT EXPANDING OUR OFFERINGS, UM, WITH CURRENT STAFF.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT WE DO CURRENTLY OFFER AN AGRICULTURE OFFERING TO EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS.
IT'S TAUGHT BY MR. ALLEN, WHO IS, UH, BY ASSIGNMENT A TEACHER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT, UM, ROLLING SOME OF THOSE OFFERINGS DOWN AND MAYBE SEEING IF WE CAN GET SOMETHING THAT'S FOR SIXTH AND OR SEVENTH GRADE.
THE, THE CHALLENGE IS IF, IF WE WANT TO BUILD A PROGRAM, IT'S WISEST TO APPROACH IT STRATEGICALLY AND SEE WHAT YOUR SUBSCRIBERSHIP IS GOING TO BE BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY OUTFIT IT AND HIRE SOMEONE.
I WOULD, I WOULD REALLY HATE TO INVEST $94,000,
[01:55:01]
WHICH IS SALARY AND BENEFITS, ASSUMING WE FIND SOMEBODY THAT WE CAN PLACE IN, IN THAT FORMULA, UM, FOR A COURSE.THEY'VE GOT ALL THE TOOLS AND WHISTLES, THEY'VE GOT INSTRUCTIONAL SPACE AND MATERIALS, AND KIDS ARE LIKE, OH, I REALLY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS COURSE.
IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT TAKING IT OUTTA DISINTEREST, IT'S MORE THAT I'M NOT TAKING IT BECAUSE WE JUST HAVE NEVER HAD IT AND DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.
SO OUR APPROACH NOW, GOOD SIR, WOULD BE TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE DRUM UP INTEREST IN SUCH A COURSE, ENGAGE WHETHER OR NOT THE SUBSCRIBERSHIP WOULD BE ADEQUATE FOR THE INVESTMENT.
AND IF KIDS WANT IT AND WE'RE SURE THAT WE CAN OUTFIT IT THAT WAY, WE'LL WORK TO GET IT.
THAT PUTS US ON A MORE REALISTIC FOOTING TO MAKE THE INVESTMENT FOR IT.
I, I'VE ALREADY TIPPED MY HEAD.
I WILL BE CONTINUING TO, UH, APPLICANT.
I WOULDN'T ANTICIPATE ANYTHING DIFFERENT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, HAVE YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, UM, JUST A COUPLE THINGS 'CAUSE WE KNOW, I KNOW WE WILL HAVE IN THE TOWN HALLS ANOTHER PRESENTATION OF THIS.
YOUR FIRST SLIDE SAYING ADOPTED BUDGET IS NOT NECESSARILY CORRECT.
IT IS THE PROPOSED ADOPTED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD? NO, IT'S ADOPTED BY SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTED, ADOPTED BY THE, OKAY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE CLEAR ON THAT.
IT'S THE SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTED BUDGET.
UM, WOULD YOU MIND GOING TO THAT CENSUS SLIDE REAL QUICK TO WHICH ONE IS THAT? THE, THE ENROLLMENT, THE TOTAL ENROLLMENT SLIDE AROUND TOWN.
I'LL SCROLL THROUGH IT AND, SORRY.
I, I JUST, I WANNA COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR STRATEGIC ABANDON.
ABANDONMENT THANK YOU PROGRAM.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY
BELIEVE ME, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT.
MR. V ENROLLMENT, IS THIS THE ONE YOU'RE REFERRING TO? UH, NO, THE NEXT ONE.
THIS IS THE POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS JUST, THIS IS YEAR OVER YEAR.
WE, WE SAW A 71 INCREASE, BUT WE ALSO SAW A 71 DECREASE THE EXACT SAME NUMBER THE YEAR BEFORE.
AND IN FIVE YEARS WE'VE SEEN POPULATION GROWTH, BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN IT SURE.
NECESSARILY HIT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, WE, WE DO HAVE DISCUSSION OF THAT WITHOUT DEMOGRAPHICS AS A, UH, MISCONCEPTION.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST PROMOTING A MISCONCEPTION.
SO I WOULD, UH, SO I HIGHLIGHT THAT JUST THE CITIZENS NO, AND AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT TO MAKE THEM AWARE.
UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE ALWAYS MINDFUL WITH THE GROWTH WE DO SEE AT THE IMPACTS IT HAS ON THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE WANNA SEE THE ACTUAL FACTS BEAR, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
UH, UH, FLESH SHOW WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING VERSUS THESE NOTIONS THAT, OH, THESE HOUSES POP UP.
BUT PEOPLE DO HOMESCHOOL, PEOPLE DO PRIVATE SCHOOL.
THEY DO, PEOPLE DO A LOT OF OPTIONS.
AND OUR GOAL IS TO DO THE BEST WE CAN AT GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND WE DO THAT WITH THE DATA THAT WE HAVE.
WITHOUT QUESTION, AND I WILL, I WILL POINT THIS OUT, THAT FLUCTUATION AND IT CERTAINLY WAS NO, UM, ATTEMPT TO DECEIVE WITH THOSE NUMBERS, BUT THAT I, I'M NOT SAYING YOU I UNDERSTAND.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT.
BUT, BUT THOSE NUMBERS CAN CHANGE WHEN YOU HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY COHORT SIZE.
FOR EXAMPLE, OUR CURRENT 11TH GRADE COHORT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, THAT'S A VERY, VERY LARGE CLASS.
SO WHEN WE'RE TYPICALLY GRADUATING 200, 220 STUDENTS AND THEN YOU HAVE A COHORT COME ALONG AND IT'S 260 STUDENTS AND THEY GRADUATE, WELL THAT'S GONNA SHOW 40, THAT'S GONNA SHOW A 40 STUDENT REGRESSION.
UNLESS, OF COURSE YOUR ENROLLMENT IN KINDERGARTEN AND NEW STUDENTS CAN OFFSET THAT.
I THINK THE KEY HERE THAT, THAT WE SHOULD TAKE AWAY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENROLLMENT IS THAT LARGE NUMBER LARGER THAN PREDICTED NUMBER OF KINDERGARTNERS WHO HAVE ENROLLED IN OUR SCHOOLS, WHO WILL BE FIRST GRADERS NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN ALSO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT THERE MAY VERY WELL BE ANOTHER LARGE COHORT OF FIVE YEAR OLDS WHO ENROLLED FOR KINDERGARTEN THIS YEAR.
THAT'S NOT CONFIRMED BECAUSE THE ENROLLMENT WINDOW'S NOT OPEN.
BUT IF THE ENROLLMENT WINDOW RIVALS THAT OF LAST YEAR, IT'S LIKELY THAT I PROBABLE EVEN THAT, I'M GONNA BE BACK HERE HAT IN HAND SAYING ENROLLMENT'S GROWN.
IF I, IF I MIGHT ASK, UM, IF YOU COULD JUST CHANGE THIS SLIDE SPECIFICALLY TO SHOW BUILDUP OF ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL, SO WE COULD SEE THIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER BECAUSE IT, IT DOES HELP US, UM, THINK WITH GROWTH, YOU KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO, OH, OKAY.
SO I, AND I JUST PUT THIS UP TO ASK IF THIS WOULD DO THE TRICK IF YOU COULD STACK IT YEAH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
YES, THAT WOULD, THOSE COMBINED IN THAT WAY WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
SO WE CAN, UH, SEE IF THAT, UH, GRAPHICALLY FLESHES OUT.
UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH THERE.
[02:00:01]
DO APPRECIATE THAT.TO ADDRESS NEEDS, WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS, ARE WE SEEING THE ABILITY TO TRACK DIRECTLY, UM, INTERVI THE USE OF INTERVENTIONISTS WITH DIRECT RESULTS AND, UM, WHERE ARE WE SEEING THE SUCCESS STORIES AND WHERE, WHERE IS IT JUST WE'RE UNABLE TO TRACK IT.
SO I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN TWO WAYS.
UM, THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT HAS DONE TWO THINGS THAT HAVE REALLY CHANGED THE DYNAMICS OF HOW WE PROVIDE LITERACY INSTRUCTION.
ONE, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THIS IS GOOD OR BAD, I'M STATING IT AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT HAS, UM, IDENTIFIED MORE KIDS FOR TARGETED LITERACY ASSISTANCE THAN WOULD'VE BEEN TARGETED FOR EXTRA HELP IN YEARS PRIOR.
WHEN YOU TARGET OR IDENTIFY MORE KIDS IN NEED OF TARGETED ASSISTANCE, THEN THAT REQUIRES PROFESSIONAL ATTENTION TO GET THEM THE TARGETED INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE THAT THEY NEED.
SO OUR, OUR SPECIALISTS, OUR COACHES, THEY'RE SORT OF BEING EXHAUSTED IN THAT WAY DUE TO THE INCREASED VOLUME OF KIDS WHO'VE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING ASSISTANCE.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS YEAR, THOSE POPULATIONS ARE ONLY INCLUSIVE OF GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THREE.
SO NEXT YEAR, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE COHORTS WILL ALSO BE IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING TARGETED ASSISTANCE.
AND WE EXPECT THAT THOSE NUMBERS WILL ONLY GROW FOR KIDS WHO, WHO ACTUALLY NEED IT.
OUR WORRY IS THAT IF WE INVEST ALL OF OUR CURRENT HUMAN CAPITAL IN LITERACY ADVANCEMENT, THAT WE MAY, AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF THAT MAY BE THAT WE FALTER ON THE NUMERACY SIDE OF SHOP.
SO THESE THREE INTERVENTIONISTS WERE BASICALLY THEORIZED TO HELP US MAINTAIN OUR MOMENTUM IN MATHEMATICS AND NUMERACY.
THE SECOND POINT IS, AND I'VE BEEN ASKED THIS BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND, AND IT'S A VERY VALID QUESTION.
WELL, YOU'RE SAYING THAT OUR LITERACY YIELDS ARE EIGHTH IN THE STATE AND OUR MATH YIELDS ARE 14TH IN THE STATE.
WHY DO WE NEED THE EXTRA SUPPORT? BECAUSE THEY'RE 82 AND 83% RESPECTIVELY.
THAT MEANS WE'VE GOT 18 AND 17% OF KIDS WHO AREN'T MEETING STANDARDS, AND THAT SHOULD WARRANT ATTENTION.
SO THESE POSITIONS BY DESIGN WOULD HELP US CATER TWOFOLD.
ONE, TO OFFSET THE ATTENTION THAT WE'RE GIVEN TO LITERACY, BE IT GOOD OR BAD DUE TO VLA, AND ALSO HELP US MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T GROW A DEFICIT IN ACHIEVEMENT PERFORMANCE IN NUMERACY.
WELL, SO I'M, I'M GLAD YOU POINT THAT OUT.
SO IT WOULD BE A FAIR ASK FROM OUR PART TO SAY WE'RE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING A NEED, WHICH IS, WE DON'T WANT TO SAY 82 TO 83% IS GOOD ENOUGH.
WE WANT TO BE THAT ABSOLUTELY.
THAT, THAT WE ARE SEEING REAL TIME ADVANCEMENT TOWARDS A HUNDRED PERCENT GOALS.
AND, AND WE COULD GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT CHART YEAR OVER YEAR AND, AND HOPE FOR THAT.
UM, I, I ADDITIONALLY, I, ONE THING ABOUT EDUCATION THAT IS CHALLENGING AND, AND WE SEE THIS WITH, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH A BUDGET THAT'S 84%, I BELIEVE YOU SAID WAS PEOPLE YEAH.
IS PAYING FOR PEOPLE, IS WE SEE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL THE EFFECTS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INFLATION AND YOU PRINT MONEY AND YOU GET INFLATION.
AND THAT HITS US LOCALLY FAR WORSE IN MANY WAYS THAN IT DOES THE POLICYMAKERS IN DC.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT GOES TOO, FOR SOME THINGS LIKE ESL, WE, WE DO HAVE A SITUATION IN OUR COUNTRY LEADING INDIVIDUALS WHERE ENGLISH IS NOT THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE TO BE HERE.
THERE ARE REMEDIES TO THAT AT A FEDERAL LEVEL.
BUT IF WE HAVE STUDENTS, WE WANT TO BE DRESSING THEIR NEEDS AS BEST WE CAN.
WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT THE ARBITRATORS OF WHETHER ONE KID GETS RIGHT, THE HELP THEY NEED OR OTHERS.
WE SHOULD BE DOING IT FOR EACH ONE OF 'EM.
UM, I ADMIT, I, I WOULD JUST STRESS THAT FOR THE ESL PRIORITIZATION BECAUSE, UM, IF YOU'RE LEARNING IN GLAND SCHOOLS AND LEARNING IN AMERICA, YOU SHOULD BE LEARNING IN ENGLISH.
AND I THINK THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
YOU SHOULD BE LEARNING IN ENGLISH AND IF ESL GETS YOU THERE, THAT'S, THANK YOU.
I'M GLAD, I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE TO LEARN ENGLISH, YOU HAVE TO FIRST, BUT, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THAT NOTE IS, IS WE WANT CHILDREN TO BE GETTING THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO THAT THEY DO HAVE, UH, ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, IF NOT, UM, EXCELLENCE.
AND SO YOU MARRY THAT WITH THE, UM, READING PROFICIENCY AND IT'S CRI I WOULD SAY THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
ONE AREA, I, I HIGHLY AGREE WITH YOU ON ROBOTICS
[02:05:01]
IS ONE THING THAT WAS NOT TOUCHED ON WAS AI.I, I WANT EVERY SINGLE GLAND STUDENT TO BE COMING OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH THE ABILITY TO SPEAK PROFICIENTLY ON AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY.
YES, IT DOES NOT, WE AREN'T ASKING FOR EXPERTISE, BUT WE ARE ASKING FOR SOMETHING RELATIVE TO MEDICINE, RELATIVE TO OTHER AREAS THAT ARE VERY SPECIFIC.
WE'RE STILL LEARNING AS A CULTURE, WE ARE NO BETTER WAY FOR OUR YOUNGER GENERATIONS TO GET TO AHEAD THAN BY DOING IT EARLIER.
AND, UM, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I, WHERE WOULD YOU, I'D, I'D, I'D ASK YOU TO SPEAK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WOULD YOU SEE THAT COMING INTO THE CURRICULUM? YEAH.
SO, AND THAT'S A, THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
IN A VERY SHORT TIME, AI HAS GONE, HAS EVOLVED FROM BEING A POTENTIAL ENEMY, THE PUBLIC EDUCATION TO BEING SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HAD TO EMBRACE AS A TOOL BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA GO AWAY.
AND SO I WOULD ARGUE NOW THAT THERE ARE FACETS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTEGRATION IN OUR CONTENT OR IN CURRICULUM TODAY BECAUSE OF THAT REALIZATION, TEACHERS AND, UM, UM, CURRICULUM DESIGNERS UNDERSTANDING THAT O OKAY, THIS IS A NEW WAY OF ARRIVING AT A PRODUCT, PARTICULARLY IN COMPOSITION.
I'M A FORMER ENGLISH TEACHER, AND WHEN THIS THING FIRST STARTED TO EVOLVE, MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, LORD, I GUESS NOW IT'S NO LONGER IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO ORGANIZE THOUGHTS AND, AND COMPOSE.
BUT AS TIME HAS GONE BY, I'VE SOFTENED TO REALIZE THAT, OKAY, THIS IS HERE TO STAY.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THERE'S A, THERE'S A HUGE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
SO WE CAN CONSIDER OURSELVES IN RESISTANCE AND NO, WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA EVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE A TEAM OF TEACHERS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SOME, UM, VAST SUPPORTED VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT SUPPORTED, UM, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TRAINING.
THEY HAVE IN TURN BROUGHT BACK SOME OF THE DOCTRINES OF THAT TRAINING TO THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
I'D SAY WE'RE ABOUT AS WELL UNDERWAY AS ANYBODY ELSE RIGHT NOW AS MAKING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PART OF OUR CURRENT INSTRUCTIONAL LANDSCAPE.
NOW, AS TIME GOES ON, TO DO IT WITH GREATER AND GREATER FIDELITY MAY REQUIRE RESOURCES ON A TECHNOLOGICAL FRONT.
AND WHEN THAT TIME HAPPENS,
I JUST DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE YET.
UH, AND I, I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED ENGLISH, I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT AI DOES.
IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU DON'T, IT, I WOULD HOPE WE'RE TEACHING INDIVIDUALS OR STUDENTS TO BE BETTER READERS YEAH.
JUST BECAUSE YOUR FIRST DRAFT IS SO MUCH EASIER TO CREATE DOES NOT MEAN THE STANDARD SHOULD LOWER BY ANY MEANS.
IT JUST COULDN AGREE MORE GIVES YOU OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND DO THAT.
UM, I THINK A LOT OF KIDS SEE IT AS AN EASIER WAY TO GET HOMEWORK DONE.
UH, BUT, UH, THE STANDARD'S GOING UP BECAUSE OF THIS GREAT TECHNOLOGY CAN BE, UM, WELL, AMAZING.
IF YOU GO TO CHAT GPT AND PUT IN WHAT YOU WANT IT TO BE AND IT SPIT SOMETHING OUT AND YOU READ IT AND ARE COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH IT, I, I WORRY ABOUT YOU.
SO I, I JUST, YOU KNOW, CTE IS, IS COMING IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND I, I, I FULLY SUPPORT MR. LYLE'S POSITION ON THE AG TEACHER, BUT ADDITIONALLY, I, I SEE IT IN AREAS LIKE THAT AS WELL.
UM, FINALLY, OH, TWO MORE POINTS.
EMAIL SECURITY YOU HAD ON YOUR UNFUNDED LIST.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THAT'S NOT BEEN ADDRESSED, BECAUSE I KNOW SOME VERY ESSENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING YEAH.
WITH THE UPCOMING IT BUDGET ARE GOING TO BENEFIT THE SCHOOLS.
WE ARE MAKING CONTRACTS SUCH THAT WE'RE ADDING HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS.
IF I, I DIDN'T WANNA SAY THOU, I DON'T THINK IT'S THOUSANDS, BUT HUNDREDS OF LICENSES THAT ARE GOING DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOLS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE VERY LA I'M LASER FOCUSED ON NOT HAVING ANY, IT EMAIL SECURITY AND INTERNET SECURITY COMPROMISES.
WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THAT ACROSS OUR GOVERNMENT.
AND THE FACT THAT SCHOOLS CAN, UH, PIGGYBACK ON WHAT WE'RE AT, WHAT WE'RE BRINGING TO THE ADMINISTRATION IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE.
SO THAT, UH, IS IS GOOD SAVINGS, I KNOW IS BENEFITING THE SCHOOLS.
AND THEN THE LAST POINT I WOULD MAKE IS IF YOU COULD, UH, JUST BEFORE THE TOWN HALLS GIVE US DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR THOSE UNFUNDED TIERS, I APPRECIATE THE TIERING.
BUT IT DOES, WE HAVE THEM, DOES ALLOW US THE ABILITY TO COMPARE, UH, MUCH BETTER.
AND, UM, I'M A, WHEN WE SEE THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS, IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO ALSO FACTOR IN WHAT'S
[02:10:01]
EXECUTABLE YEAH.VERSUS WHAT MIGHT, MIGHT NOT BE, UM, AND WHAT'S EXECUTABLE IN A ONE YEAR TIMEFRAME VERSUS A THREE YEAR TIMEFRAME.
SO, UM, I REALLY DO LIKE THAT FROM PRIORITIZATION OF THESE DOLLARS BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO MEET ALL THESE UNFUNDED NEEDS.
UM, BUT IF, UH, IF ONE IS LOWER HANGING FRUIT, THAT'S, UH, ALWAYS GOOD.
SO, UM, IF YOU, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND ENHANCING THIS PRESENTATION, UM, LET'S TAKE, TAKE A GOOD TO GRADE.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK I'M NO, NO.
A PREVIOUS VERSION OF IT DID INCLUDE THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR THE, UM, THAT THIS WAS DURING A TIME WHEN THEY WEREN'T PRIORITIZED, BUT WE ACTUALLY DID ATTACH A NUMBER, SO IT'S EASY TO HAVE.
UM, WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT, AND THIS WON'T PERTAIN TO THE TOWN HALLS BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT STYLE OF PRESENTATION WITH A DIFFERENT ANTICIPATED OUTCOME, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT AS PART OF LAST WEEK'S BUDGET PRESENTATION OR THIS WEEK, BECAUSE IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME TO REITERATE TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY REFLECTED.
THERE WERE SOME WHO, UM, HELD THE QUESTION THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAD IDENTIFIED THEM WITH PRICE TAGS BECAUSE THEY SAW A DOLLAR AMOUNT, THEY AUTOMATICALLY THOUGHT, OKAY, THAT MUST BE REPRESENTED SOMEWHERE IN THE BUDGET.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT IF WE COULD HAVE, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE, BUT I GET YOUR POINT.
AND CAN MAKE THAT MODIFICATION.
AND THEN I, SORRY, LAST POINT.
UM, I WOULD, I WOULD JUST STRESS, AND I THINK THIS DOES, THIS MESSAGE DOES GET OUT THERE, BUT, UM, I THINK GLAND AS A WHOLE, AND THIS BEING SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR BUDGET, UH, IT CAN'T BE STRESSED ENOUGH.
WE DO MORE WITH LESS, BETTER THAN ALMOST ANYONE.
AND WHEN I SEE A 2%, UH, INCREASE IN THE BUDGET YEAR OVER YEAR, BUT SEE US OPERATING AT THOSE REGIONAL AND STATE RANKS, UM, I WOULD JUST IMPRESS UPON YOU TO REALLY MAKE THAT A HUGE ATTABOY IN, UH, OH.
QUESTION WITH YOUR STEP QUESTION.
I THINK YOU DO, BUT I JUST CAN'T HIGHLIGHT THAT.
I THINK THAT REALLY GETS TO THE HEART OF THE SUCCESS STORIES OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT A SCHOOL DIVISION THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HERE TODAY, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND THAT'S IN SPITE OF, THERE'S ONE SLIDE IN THERE THAT SHOWS WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF YIELDS FOR LITERACY AND NUMERACY, AND THEN WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF RANK OUT OF 130 FOR PER PUPIL EXPENDITURE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A CLEARER WAY TO SHOW THAT WE GET MORE FOR LESS THAN THAT.
NOW THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS ENTERPRISE REQUIRES FUNDING AND RESOURCES.
IF, IF IT WERE FREE, MORE PEOPLE WOULD DO IT.
WELL, TRUST ME, I IMAGINE, CAN I ADDRESS ON A LONG, I THINK OF PROMOTING A, INCLUDING A HEADER? YEAH.
MORE, MORE OR LESS OR SOMETHING.
NOT NECESSARILY CHANGING THE DYNAMIC, BUT YES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? YEAH, I HAVE, UH, TWO LINES OF THOUGHT THAT I'D LIKE TO GO DOWN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MR. CHAIR.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, DR.
KMAR, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
HAD A QUESTION, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE FLAT BUDGET, ET CETERA.
WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS INCREASED 2%.
WE KNOW WE HAVE SOME DECISIONS TO MAKE.
WELL, JUST FOR CLARITY'S SAKE, WHAT IS THE ACTUAL INCREASES THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR OUR TEACHERS WITH THIS BUDGET? THAT'S A GOOD QUE 3%.
THE, THE, IT, IT IS A FLAT BUDGET.
THE ONLY INCREASES ARE REPRESENTED IN A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR ALL STAFF, WHICH I BELIEVE WILL MATCH THE COUNTY'S EFFORTS FOR ITS EMPLOYEES AND $500,000 THAT WE WERE TASKED TO MOVE FROM OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO OUR, UM, GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET.
THOSE TWO NUMBERS TO COMBINE REPRESENT THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE INCREASED TRANSFER FROM THE COUNTY.
SO THAT I THINK YOU, I, I THINK YOU JUMPED RIGHT WHERE I WAS HOPING TO GO, YOU KNOW, READING SOME OF THE ARTICLES ON THE STATE BUDGET, THEY'RE CALLING FOR THE 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE IN JULY, AND THEN THE 1% OR THE $1,000 BONUS, ARE THEY INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET OR ARE THEY, WILL THAT BE ADDITIONAL TO WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING? NO, SIR.
THE $1,000 BONUS WOULD HAVE TO OCCUR THIS FISCAL, BECAUSE THEY'VE IDENTIFIED A JUNE 1ST DISTRIBUTION OF THAT BONUS.
SO IT'LL BE THE TASK AND WORK OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'LL ABSORB THAT.
THIS FISCAL, IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET, THAT'LL HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED HERE TODAY.
THE $1,000 BONUS, THE 3% WILL.
THE, THE SECOND, UM, ITEM I SAID IS MORE OF A, I MAYBE MORE OF AN EDITORIAL PHIL PHILOSOPHICAL PIECE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE FIND OURSELVES IN EACH YEAR AS A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS VERSUS A SCHOOL BOARD.
I, I JUST WANT TO CAUTION US, MY PEERS AND MR. ALVAREZ, MAYBE YOU, YOU CAN TAKE NOTE.
YOU KNOW, I, I GET WORRIED WHEN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STARTS TALKING ABOUT SPECIFIC POSITIONS OF, YOU KNOW, A BAND TEACHER VERSUS AN AG TEACHER VERSUS
[02:15:01]
A READING SPECIALIST.I FEEL LIKE IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE BOARD TO SAY, HERE ARE THE DOLLARS THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAD OUR FIRST BEST.
AFTER EVERYTHING SHAKES OUT, HERE'S WHAT WE THINK WE COULD DO.
AND THEN THE, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THEN DECIDE, OKAY, IF WE GOT AN EXTRA $250,000 A YEAR FOR POSITIONS, THEN IT'S UP TO THEM TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THOSE.
I JUST, I DON'T THINK I'M IN THE BUSINESS OR WAS ELECTED TO MAKE THOSE GRANULAR DECISIONS.
AND I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE AS MY PHILOSOPHY FOR THE BOARD.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF ANY EVERYBODY ELSE, UH, AGREES OR NOT, BUT THAT'S SORT OF WHERE I, I, UH, I STAND ON THAT.
YOU, YOU AND I ARE ABOUT TO HAVE A HISTORICAL MOMENT HERE.
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT,
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
ANYTHING ELSE? UH, WE HAVE ONE MORE.
ANY ANYTHING? I DON'T WANT CUT EVERYBODY.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK ONE QUESTION.
I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED IT, AND I THINK, UH, CHARLIE ASKED THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD, BUT THESE, UH, UNFUNDED ITEMS ARE IN PRIORITY ORDER.
AND IF YOU CAN GET US THE ESTIMATE COST.
WE WILL WORK IT IN AND DISCUSS IT AT OUR NEXT TWO BY TWO MEETINGS SO THAT WE CAN YEAH.
FIGURE OUT WHETHER WE CAN HANDLE IT OR NOT.
SO WOULD IT, WOULD IT BE, I GUESS IT PROBABLY WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
WE HAVE A MEETING ON THE BOOKS NEXT TUESDAY.
SO WHEN, WHEN WE COME ON THE 11TH, WE'LL HAVE THAT PREPARED.
WE DO HAVE ONE MORE PRESENTATION, BUT, UH, BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF TIME AND EVERYTHING, I'D LIKE TO, UH, ASK THAT WE, YOU INDULGE US IN A FIVE MINUTE BREAK, IF WE COULD DO THAT.
AND WE'LL COME BACK, UH, IN FIVE MINUTES.
[02:25:08]
NOW[02:25:08]
HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM GLAND'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, ROBIN HILLMAN ON THE NEW EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN AND APPROVAL RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE 2025 ADDITION OF THE GOLAND COUNTY OPERATION PLAN.MS. HILLMAN, THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
SO AS YOU SAID, I'M HERE, UM, MIKE, THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, AS YOU SAID, I'M HERE TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IN PREPARATION FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE NEW EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.
SO, UM, THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN IS IMPORTANT FROM A, UH, DRIVER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW THE ACTIONS AND STEPS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE WHEN WE'RE PREPARING, RESPONDING, AND RECOVERING FROM DISASTERS IN OUR COUNTY OR SIGNIFICANT EMERGENCIES THAT IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE UTILIZING THE NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO ACTUALLY DO THAT IN A ORGANIZED AND STRUCTURED, UH, APPROACH.
UM, WHEN WE TAKE THOSE ACTIONS AND IT'S COMPRISED OF NON DOCUMENTS, THEY'RE ALL ONLINE.
UM, UNDER GLAND FIRE AND RESCUES WEBSITE, THE STATE DOES REQUIRE EACH LOCALITY TO HAVE
[3. PRESENTATION BY GOOCHLAND’S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR ON THE NEW EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN AND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE 2025 EDITION OF THE GOOCHLAND COUNTY OPERATIONS PLAN]
AN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.AND IT'S REQUIRED TO BE ADOPTED EVERY FOUR YEARS, WHICH IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY.
AND IT'S ALSO REQUIRED TO BE MADE OF PUBLIC, UM, FOR THE CITIZENS TO HAVE ACCESS TO IT AS WELL.
WHILE IT IS A PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH EVERY FOUR YEARS TO DO THE ADOPTION, IT IS ACTUALLY A, THEY ARE LIVING DOCUMENTS.
SO WE DO MAINTAIN THEM ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THROUGH, UM, TESTING THAT WE DO THROUGH TRAINING WITH THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER STAFF.
AND ALL OF THIS CHANGES, UH, YEAR OVER YEAR.
WE HAVE A FORMAL PROCESS WHERE THEY'RE, UH, RECORDED AND TRACKED.
THE KEY DRIVERS THAT WENT INTO CHANGING OUR EOP THIS YEAR INCLUDED ADDING ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES THAT WE HAVE SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT WE ADOPTED IT, UH, LOOKING AT REAL EVENTS AND THE LESSONS THAT WE LEARNED, PARTICULARLY HURRICANE DEBBIE, HURRICANE HELENE, AND THE WINTER STORM THAT WE JUST EXPERIENCED WITH THE PUBLIC WATER ISSUE.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT NEW RESOURCES THAT NEEDED TO BE INCLUDED, RESPONSIBILITIES AND UPDATING OUTDATED DATA STATISTICS ABOUT OUR COUNTY.
AND THEN WE DID SEVERAL EXERCISES LAST YEAR THAT PROVIDED US SOME INPUT INTO THE SYSTEM AS WELL INTO THE, UM, DOCUMENTS, WHICH INCLUDES THE EMERGENCY SHELTER EXERCISE THAT WE DID IN MAY, AND VALIDATING, UM, OUR FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND FAMILY REUNIFICATION EXERCISE THAT WE DID WITH GLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
IN PARTICULAR, THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THOSE PROCEDURES WERE WRITTEN FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE LAST TIME THAT WE ADOPTED THE EMERGENCY OPERATING PLAN.
AND THEN IN DECEMBER, WE PARTICIPATED IN A REGIONAL EXERCISE, UM, THAT WAS A RADIOLOGICAL EXERCISE.
SO WE VALIDATED THOSE PROCEDURES THROUGH THAT.
UM, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO THANK THE BOARD FOR CONTINUING TO, UM, SUPPORT AND ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW MYSELF AND MEMBERS OF GOODLAND FIRE AND RESCUE TO ACTUALLY GO OUT AND HELP, UM, THE COMMUNITIES, UH, AS FOLLOWING HURRICANE HELENA AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.
UM, IT'S NOT ONLY JUST HELPING THOSE CITIZENS WHEN THEY HAVE A NEED, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO, UM, LEARN FROM THAT, UM, THOSE EVENTS AND BE ABLE TO BRING THINGS BACK TO OUR OWN COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO HELP OUR OWN CITIZENS AND TIME OF EMERGENCY.
AND I'VE JUST LISTED A FEW OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, IT REALLY EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF FOCUSING ON EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, WE CAN'T RELY JUST ON TECHNOLOGY.
WE NEED TO HAVE OTHER ABILITIES TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR CITIZENS, THE IMPORTANCE OF DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS AND HOW QUICKLY WE HAVE TO DO THOSE.
WE HAVE 72 HOURS AFTER THE EVENT HAS HAPPENED TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THOSE TO THE STATE.
SO WHAT WE DO, UM, EVERY YEAR IN PRACTICING WITH, UM, BUILDING INSPECTIONS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THAT PROCESS THROUGH, UM, GOING TO PULASKI, WE WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY, UH, IDENTIFY A REALLY GOOD PROCESS FOR WORKING WITH CITIZENS THAT HAVE NEEDS AND MATCHING THE VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE RESOURCES TO HELP THOSE CITIZENS.
AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT WAS IMPORTANT WAS THE DISASTER RECOVERY LOCATIONS, IDENTIFYING THEM IN ADVANCE.
SO THE DISASTER RECOVERY LOCATION IS WHERE FEMA COMES IN AFTER THE DISASTER IS HAPPENED AND ALLOWS THE CITIZENS TO HAVE A WAY TO REQUEST FUNDING.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED THAT, UH, LOCATION EARLY ON,
[02:30:01]
THEN IT SLOWS DOWN THE PROCESS OF BEING ABLE TO GET THE FUNDS TO OUR CITIZENS.SO IN THIS REVIEW PROCESS, WE ACTUALLY, UH, KICKED OFF A MEETING IN DECEMBER WITH ALL OF OUR KEY STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, THERE'S A LIST HERE THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE SLIDE THERE.
UM, AND THESE ARE ALL STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE, HAVE A ROLE IN ACTUALLY EXECUTING THESE ACTIONS WHEN WE HAVE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
UM, AND WE ALSO INVOLVE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARTNERS.
SO LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WAS INVOLVED IN THE REVIEW REVIEW PROCESS, UM, COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARDS, SO IT WASN'T JUST OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS.
SO WE, WE LOOKED AT ALL OF THAT INPUT AS WE IDENTIFIED CHANGES.
SO THIS PROVIDES YOU KIND OF AN, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE KEY CHANGES THAT WE MADE.
BASED ON WHAT I SAID, THE KEY DRIVERS WERE CODE RED, UM, IS THE TOOL THAT WE USE FOR MASS COMMUNICATIONS.
IT ACTUALLY WASN'T, UM, DESCRIBED IN OUR EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN, ALTHOUGH WE'VE BEEN USING IT FOR YEARS.
UM, WE NOW ARE ABLE TO, UM, WORK WITH THE STATE EOC TO SEND WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS IF WE NEEDED TO.
AND CRISIS TRACK IS THE TOOL THAT WE HAVE ADOPTED, BUT IS REQUIRED BY THE STATE FOR US TO USE THAT TOOL FOR DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS.
UM, THE OUTDATED DATA WAS RELATED TO INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE, AND OUR NEW SCHOOL THAT WE HAVE WITH GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE NEW RESOURCES THAT WE INCLUDED WERE FOR THE FEMA FLOOD MAPS THAT WERE JUST RECENTLY UPDATED.
AND WE ALSO RELY ON OTHER, UM, DOCUMENTATION, OTHER PLANS AS RESOURCES.
SO WE'VE, UM, HIGHLIGHTED THOSE IN OUR PLAN.
WE ALSO INCLUDED FOR OUR, UM, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF, UM, HAVING A JOINT INFORMATION CENTER, UM, INITIATING THAT AS A RESPONSIBILITY OR PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
UM, THAT WAS A DIRECT OUTCOME OF THE PUBLIC, UM, WATER ISSUE, UM, FROM RICHMOND, UM, THAT WE INCLUDED IN OUR PLAN.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN TRAINED, BUT IT WASN'T ACTUALLY, UM, NOTED OR THE PROCEDURE WASN'T IN THE PLAN.
UM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE TAKE, UM, ACTIONS ON TO MITIGATE, UM, UM, UM, PROBLEMS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE WITH THE DAMS AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, WE UPDATED THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD.
UH, I MENTIONED ABOUT THE REAL EVENTS, WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE, UM, IN REGARDS TO THAT AND FROM THE EXERCISES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO VALIDATE THE PROCEDURES THAT WE ALREADY HAD IN THE PLAN.
SO THE NEXT STEPS FOR US ARE TO, UM, UPON YOUR APPROVAL, I'LL GET THE NECESSARY SIGNATURES THAT HAVE TO BE INCLUDED WITH THE PLAN WHEN IT'S PUBLISHED TO THE WEBSITE.
AND THEN AFTER I'VE GOTTEN THOSE, THEN I WILL PUBLISH THE, UM, NEW ADOPTED, UM, PLANS OUT ON THE GOODLAND FIRE AND RESCUE WEBSITE FOR EVERYBODY.
YEAH, I WAS, I WAS KIND OF TAKEN BACK AND I KNOW IT'S NOT ON YOU GUYS, BUT YOU GUYS ONLY HAVE 72 HOURS TO SUBMIT TO MAKE THAT INITIAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT.
I MEAN, AND THAT'S, UH, THAT, THAT'S LOCALLY, THAT'S NATIONWIDE, RIGHT? YEAH.
I MEAN, JUST THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NORTH CAROLINA AND, AND HOW THAT WAS DISASTROUS, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE MAYBE, YEAH, WE COULD GET SOME OF OUR STATE LEGISLATORS TO MAYBE PUT SOME PRESSURE ON WASHINGTON TO MAYBE PUSH THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT TO GET A BETTER ASSESSMENT.
WELL, IT IS CONSIDERED INITIAL ASSESSMENT.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS WE DO THAT INITIAL ASSESSMENT, WE PUT THE INFORMATION IN, AND THEN A SECOND ASSESSMENT HAPPENS WHERE THE STATE ACTUALLY RESPONDS TO THE SITE AND ACTUALLY DOES THAT SECOND ASSESSMENT.
SO IT'S JUST REALLY THAT INITIAL ASSESSMENT.
SO WE STILL HAVE TIME TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE UPDATES AND CHANGES.
SO IT'S AWESOME THAT GLAND FIRE AND RESCUE WAS ABLE TO BE DEPLOYED TO DAMASCUS AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, PARTS OF NORTH CAROLINA.
ONE THING THAT I WOULD, UM, SAY IS IT, IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S A PUBLIC DISTRUST OF THE FEDERAL ABILITY TO RESPOND.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN LIGHT OF HELENE, BECAUSE YOU CAN GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO KATRINA AND WHAT'S BEEN IMPROVED, UM, IS THERE A, YOU SAID YOU BROUGHT BACK SOME, YOU KNOW, UM, THINGS WELL DONE, A LIST, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE CAN BUILD UPON.
I'M WONDERING THOUGH, THAT LIST OF THINGS DONE POORLY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND NOT WORKING FROM THE FEDERAL SIDE, IF WE COULD GENERATE THAT, HAVE THAT AVAILABLE, AND THEN SHOW WHERE WE AS A FIRE AND RESCUE HAVE GONE TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, BY
[02:35:01]
QUESTIONING, BY ASKING HOW ARE WE ENSURING THAT THIS IS NOT HAPPENING AGAIN? BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT ASSURED, THEN I THINK THAT PROMPTS INVESTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING IT FOR OUR OWN CITIZENS.IF, IF THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE A WORTHWHILE EXERCISE TO SAY, LOOK PUBLIC, WE KNOW PUBLIC HAS A DISTRUST, OR, YOU KNOW, A, A A PERCEPTION OF WHERE THESE RESOURCES ARE AND THE RESPONSES ARE GONNA, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY'RE GONNA FALL.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LOOKED INTO THAT.
WE'VE SEEN WHAT FAILED AND WE'VE EITHER CONFIRMED THAT THAT FAILURE'S NOT GONNA BE REPEATED BY THIS, THIS, AND THIS, OR WE'VE JUST GONE IN AND SAID, FOR X DOLLARS IT WAS WORTH IT, US TO HAVE REDUNDANCY, YOU KNOW, OR, OR DO THIS FASTER OR DO HOWEVER WE CAN.
I JUST, I THINK THAT, UM, IF THE, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A BIG GAP IN TIME BETWEEN KATRINA AND HELENE, AND, UH, IF THE FEDERAL, UM, AGENCIES ARE NOT DOING IT APPROPRIATELY, MAYBE AT LEAST WE CAN REASSURE GLAND CITIZENS THAT THAT WE ARE.
UM, I, I, I SEE THAT THE, UH, FIRE RESCUE HAS THEIR WEBSITE.
I KNOW THE COUNTY HAS ITS WEBSITE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN A CURIOSITY TO ME IS HOW MANY DIFFERENT WEBSITES ARE OUT THERE? I KNOW WITH THE WATER SITUATION, I WAS GETTING CALLS FROM, UH, CITIZENS ASKING, ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BOIL OUR WATER OR NOT? 'CAUSE NOTHING WAS ON THE WEBSITE, AND NOW I'M NOT SURE WHICH WEBSITE I SHOULD BE SENDING THEM TO.
SO HOW INTEGRATED ARE WE WITH, I MEAN, EACH FIRE STATION HAS ITS OWN WEBSITE, DON'T THEY? SO, SO, SO IT IS INTEGRATED.
SO ON THE GLIN, I MEAN, ON THE COUNTY, UH, WEBSITE, YOU CAN GO TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FROM THE DROP DOWN.
AND, AND WHEN YOU GO TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, IT TAKES YOU TO OUR GLIN SITE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THIS PLAN, OR YOU CAN SEE THE REST OF GLAND'S FIRE AND RESCUE WEBSITE.
SO THEY DO TALK TO EACH OTHER.
SO, SO IF THE COUNTY WERE TO PUT INFORMATION, IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY LOAD ONTO YOURS, OR IF YOU PUT INFORMATION, IT WOULD LOAD ONTO THE COUNTY? NO, IT LIVES, THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT LIVES ON THE GOOCHLAND FIRE AND RESCUE SITE.
AND THEN, WELL, THIS DOCUMENT, BUT YES.
AND THEN THEY, UM, WHEN YOU SELECT, OR IF YOU SELECT GLAND FIRE AND RESCUE FROM THE COUNTY WEBSITE, THEN IT'LL TAKE YOU TO GOOCHLAND FIRE AND RESCUES WEBSITE, AND YOU CAN GO TO THE DIFFERENT PLACES BASED ON WHAT YOU SELECTED FROM THE COUNTY WEBSITE.
SO, SO I, I GUESS I'LL DUMB IT DOWN FOR ME.
WHERE SHOULD I TELL A CITIZEN TO GO WHEN I GET A CALL SAYING MY WATER PRESSURE'S LOW, OR AM I SUPPOSED TO BOIL MY WATER, SEND IT TO THE COUNTY? SO IT'S GONNA BE THE, IT'S GONNA BE THE COUNTY WEBSITE.
AND WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH, UM, THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH THE RIGHT MESSAGING TO PUT ON.
SO IT'LL BE THE NEWSFLASH, AND THEN THE NEWSFLASH WILL TAKE THEM TO WHATEVER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THEY NEED THAT'S GREATER THAN WHAT YOU CAN PUT IN THE NEWSFLASH.
IS THAT A GOOD EXPLANATION? ANY FURTHER? I, UM, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD TO, UH, ADOPT A RESOLUTION, UH, APPROVING THIS PLAN? MR. CHAIR? UM, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE RESOLUTION FORMALLY ADOPTING THE NEW 2025 GLAND COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
NOW, UM, I'D LIKE TO NOW GO, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YES, SIR.
UH, YEAH, PLEASE, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UH, THIS ALL STARTS AS A GOOD PLAN, UH, TO MR. VADER'S QUESTION.
UH, AND ONE THING THAT THIS COUNTY HAS DONE SINCE WE ADOPTED THE PLAN LAST TIME IS WE BROUGHT ON A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE OF FIRE RESCUE AS AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR.
AND THE PLAN IS A GOOD SOLID DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY TO BUILD OFF OF.
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE LESSONS LEARNED AND THINGS TO BE SHARED FROM EVERY INCIDENT YOU GO TO, NO MATTER HOW LARGE OR HOW SMALL.
BUT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF, UH, THIS BOARD DOING THE RIGHT THINGS, I THINK YOU'VE GOT THE RIGHT FRAMEWORK IN PLACE, AND SHE DOES A FANTASTIC JOB DOING A GREAT JOB.
UM, NOW I'D LIKE TO, UH, GO INTO A CLOSE SET CLOSED MEETING TO VOTE.
YOU NEED A MOTION? DO YOU NEED A MOTION? YEAH, I WANT A MOTION.
[02:40:01]
WELL, TALKING ABOUT, UH, MR. WE NEED TO VOTE TO GO INTO A CLOSED[XII. Closed Meeting: In accordance with the provisions of Virginia Code § 2.2-3711(A)(1), I move that the Goochland County Board of Supervisors convene in Closed Meeting for the purpose of discussing recruitment for the County Administrator position.]
MEETING.UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH 37 11 A ONE, I MOVE THAT, THAT THE UCHIN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONVENE AND CLOSED MEETING FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING RECRUITMENT FOR THE INTERIM COUNTY.
WELL, FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR POSITION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? I GUESS WE'LL CALL FOR ROLL CALL.
[03:02:51]
ALRIGHT.[03:02:51]
UM,[03:02:52]
WHAT[03:02:52]
WE NEED TO DO IS CERTIFY THE BOTTOM.MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS HEREBY CERTIFY THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS, LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, AND ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION CONVENING.
THE CLOSED MEETING WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
SECOND, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? AND A SECOND? UH, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? MR. ALVAREZ? WOULD YOU DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? UH, MR. CHRISTIE? YES.
[Certification: Pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.2-3712(D), I move that the Board members hereby certify that, to the best of each member’s knowledge, (i) only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements under the Freedom of Information Act, and (ii) only such public business matters identified in the motion convening the Closed Meeting were heard, discussed, or considered in the Closed Meeting.]
AYE.[1. Motion to enter a Closed Meeting for the purpose of discussing recruitment for the County Administrator position, as permitted by Virginia Code § 2.2-3711(A)(1). Certification at the conclusion of the Closed Meeting.]
MR. WATERS? YES.I GUESS I BETTER KEEP THIS WITH ME, LIKE, UH,
[03:30:17]
IT[03:30:17]
LOOKED[03:30:17]
GOOD.[03:30:18]
HEY,[03:30:18]
SIR.[03:30:18]
WHERE SOMETHING, IF I START, HEY, JUST, UH, ASK A QUESTION.UH, SEVEN 30 IN THE MORNING, UH, RIGHT THERE.
AND, UH, I'LL TRY TO GET YOU A FEW MINUTES EARLY.
UH, YOU CAN, WE CAN GET BREAKFAST IF YOU WANT.
I'LL CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER,
[XIV. 6:00 PM - Chair Calls Meeting Back to Order]
UH, THE MARCH 4TH, SIX O'CLOCK SESSION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS NOW IN SESSION.UH, AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE THE AGENDA A LITTLE BIT HERE AND, UH, ASK THE CHIEF, CHIEF FERGUSON TO COME FORWARD AND, UH, GIVE US A CITIZEN COMMENT.
UH, YEAH, LET'S OPEN UP FOR A CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.
ANY, ANY CITIZENS WANT TO COME IN, TALK ABOUT ANYTHING, CINDY? ACTUALLY, HE'S HERE.
I'LL, UH, I'LL CLOSE THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.
SO WE'LL ASK THEM CHIEF FERGUSON TO, AND WE'LL STICK WITH, STICK WITH THE AGENDA.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS SEAN DAVIS AND I, UH, I DO SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE.
SORRY, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS SEAN DAVIS AND I DO SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
AND, UH, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A NUMBER OF THINGS, UH, THIS EVENING.
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A LOT OF DATA THAT COMES THROUGH, UH, THE CVTA.
UH, BUT I DID WANNA OPEN UP WITH ONE, UH, NOTE.
THERE HAS BEEN A STUDY THAT WAS COMPLETED YEARS AGO.
I BELIEVE IT IS EMPIRICAL DATA, UH, AS I LOOK AT MY NOTES THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD.
AND WHAT MY DATA SAYS IS YOU EITHER HAVE UNITED STATES MARINES, OR THOSE WHO WISH THEY WERE UNITED STATES MARINES.
SO I SEE MR. CHRISTIE IS HERE.
AND MR. SPOON, HOW WAS OUT DOING, DOING INTERNATIONAL WORK.
UH, THAT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CVTA, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD.
SOME, SOME OF WAS A NAVY SIMPLIFY.
THANK YOU FOR THE RIDE, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, AND MANY OTHERS ON THIS ESTEEM BOARD KNOW, THE CVTA WAS CREATED BY AN ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
AND I, FOR ONE, WAS NOT VERY HAPPY WHEN CVTA WAS FIRST, FIRST ADOPTED AND PLACED IN AS A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT.
UH, AND I'VE CHANGED THAT OPINION AT THIS TIME.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, THE SUCCESS OF THE CVTA IS SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WAS TURNED OVER TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
GOVERNMENT IS BEST UNDERSTOOD BY THOSE WHO ARE IN LOCAL AUTHORITY.
MR. LYLE AND I HAVE WORKED AND TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR A NUMBER, A NUMBER OF MEETINGS, AND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AS WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER AS COLLEAGUES.
AND SO WHEN IT WAS TURNED OVER TO LOCAL AUTHORITY, THE CVTA DECIDED TO GET TO WORK ON SOME VERY IMPORTANT MATTERS.
THE CVTA DOES NOT WORK ON AMBIGUOUS PROJECTS.
INSTEAD, THE CVTA DELIVERS REAL RESULTS TO LOCALITIES THAT ARE SEEN AND RECOGNIZED BY YOUR CITIZENS.
AND I THINK IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT I WOULD REALLY WANT TO IMPRESS UPON THE CITIZENS HERE IN GLAND IS IT IS THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS BOARD THAT MAKES SURE THE CVTA DOES WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO.
WE DO NOT GO OUT THERE AND DECIDE IN HENRICO OR IN HANOVER WHAT'S BEST FOR GLAND.
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE DIRECT INPUT OF THE ELECTED LEADERSHIP HERE IN GLAND THAT PROJECTS GET DONE IN GLAND.
UH, I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH MR. ALVAREZ, UH, WHEN HE WAS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
AND, UH, WE SAW MANY THINGS AS WE SAT ON THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION.
THAT LEADERSHIP FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CONVENING IN A REGIONAL BODY IS WHAT'S BEEN SO IMPORTANT.
AND I WANNA BE CLEAR, THE CVTA IS NOT A REGIONAL GOVERNMENT.
THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT FROM CITIZENS.
IT IS THE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT COME TOGETHER TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
IT IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT GREATLY ADVANTAGES EACH COUNTY BY LEVERAGING YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO BRING PROJECTS HOME THAT ARE NEEDED TO, THAT ARE NEEDED AND IMPORTANT TO YOUR CITIZENS.
AND YOUR CITIZENS CERTAINLY BENEFIT
[03:35:01]
FROM YOUR LEADERSHIP.THESE PROJECTS ARE DELIVERED BECAUSE OF THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RIGHT HERE.
THEIR VOICES HEARD THROUGH THEIR REPRESENTATION, WHICH IS YOU.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE FROM GLAND COUNTY ON THE CVTA.
I KNOW IN MY HOME COUNTY OF HANOVER WHERE I SERVE ON THE BOARD, THERE, THERE ARE MANY PROJECTS THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DONE IF IT WASN'T FOR THE LEVERAGING OF LOCAL DOLLARS TO THEN EXPONENTIALLY CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PROJECTS TO BE DONE BACK HOME.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MR. CHET PARSONS.
MR. PARSONS, GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR.
MR. ALVAREZ? UH, MY NAME'S CHAD PARSONS.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HAVE A, A CONVERSATION WITH YOU TONIGHT.
UM, I WANT TO GO THROUGH SOME DETAILS OF THE, THE CBTA AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON, ON WHERE WE STAND MM-HMM
ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO GLAND COUNTY.
BUT I WANTED TO START WITH A VIDEO THAT WAS, UH, PRODUCED, UH, THIS PAST YEAR THAT KIND OF GIVES A, A GOOD BROAD OVERVIEW.
AND I THINK IT'LL BE HOPEFULLY HELPFUL FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY TO, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CBTA IS AND, AND WHAT THE IMPACT IS, UH, AROUND THE REGION.
SO I'M GONNA CROSS MY FINGERS AND, AND HOPE THIS WORKS.
HI, I'M SEAN DAVIS OF THE HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND CURRENT CHAIR OF THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY AND SHARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH HEADING INTO 2025.
SINCE ITS CREATION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN 2020, THE CVTA HAS CONTINUALLY SOUGHT TO FULFILL ITS MISSION OF IDENTIFYING AND FUNDING PRIORITY TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS ACROSS THE NINE CENTRAL VIRGINIA LOCALITIES THAT ENCOMPASSED PLANNING DISTRICT 15.
I'M VERY PROUD TO SEE THESE PROJECTS COMING ONLINE AND WATCHING AS THE CVTA CONTINUES TO ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH FOR THE REGION.
THANKS TO THE STEWARDSHIP OF THIS GROUP, A NUMBER OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE PIPELINE.
AND REAL RESULTS HAVE COME ABOUT FOR PROJECTS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT WAITING FOR FEDERAL OR STATE FUNDS.
INSTEAD, THEY WERE MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CBTA THROUGH THREE REGIONAL ROUNDS OF FUNDING.
THE CBTA HAS CONTRIBUTED TO 64 PROJECTS TOTALING 720 MILLION IN ALLOCATIONS THROUGH THE YEAR 2031, INCLUDING CBTA, DISTRIBUTIONS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE GRTC, WE MADE OVER 1.2 BILLION IN TRANSPORTATION FUNDING AVAILABLE TO OUR REGION.
WE CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPORTANT LONG-TERM CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR AREA.
WE'RE ALSO SETTING THE STANDARD FOR HOW COOPERATION HELPS GET THINGS DONE IN THIS REGION.
BEFORE WE GET TO SOME OF OUR NEW PROJECTS, I WANT TO UPDATE YOU ON A PAIR OF PROJECTS THAT WAS APPROVED IN EARLIER ROUNDS OF FUNDING IN NEW KENTON JAMES CITY COUNTY.
THE INTERSTATE 64 GAP PROJECT, WHICH THE CVTA CONTRIBUTED 100 MILLION TO HELP COMPLETE, HAS PROCEEDED ON TIME AND ON BUDGET.
TRAVELERS IN THIS 29 MILE CONSTRUCTION CORRIDOR CAN SEE PROGRESS BEING MADE AS A THIRD LANE IS ADDED IN EACH DIRECTION.
CONSTRUCTION IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE SUMMER OF 2027 FOR THE FIRST SECTION AND 2029 FOR THE SECOND.
AND IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, CBTA FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 37.5 MILLION ARE HELPING TO COMPLETE A PROJECT THAT WILL EXTEND WOOLRIDGE ROAD FROM OLD HUNDRED ROAD TO ROUTE 2 88, INCLUDING A ROUNDABOUT AT OLD HUNDRED ROAD RIGHT OF WAY.
ACQUISITION IS NEARING COMPLETION WITH THE SCHEDULED START OF CONSTRUCTION COMING IN SPRING 2025.
NOW, AS FAR AS OUR NEW PROJECTS, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PIECES ON OUR LIST IS IN HENRICO COUNTY, WHERE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING PLANNED AROUND THE SHORT PUMP AREA.
THE CVTA BACKED SUITE OF PROJECTS WILL INCLUDE A NEWLY DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED INTERCHANGE OF INTERSTATE 64 AT NORTHGATE ROAD, A RECONSTRUCTED INTERCHANGE AT WEST BROAD STREET AND I 64, IMPROVEMENTS ON WEST BROAD STREET, AND IMPROVEMENTS TO A SECTION OF INTERSTATE 2 95, SOME 60 MILLION IN CVTA REGIONAL FUNDS WILL ALLOW FOR CONSTRUCTION ON THIS VITAL LONG RANGE PLAN TO BEGIN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
THE OTHER BIG PROJECT ON OUR LIST IS IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, WHICH IS PHASE ONE OF THE LONG DISCUSS PO WHITE PARKWAY EXTENSION.
THIS PHASE ONE EXTEND PO WHITE PARKWAY IS A FOUR LANE ROAD TO WOOLRIDGE ROAD WITH A PARTIAL CLOVER LEAF INTERCHANGE PLANNED AT CHARTER COLONY PARKWAY AND OVERPASSES AT BRANDER MILL PARKWAY AND WATER MILL
[03:40:01]
PARKWAY.CVTA FUNDING HAS HELPED PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AND DESIGN WORK TO BEGIN AHEAD OF CONSTRUCTION THAT IS ON TRACK TO START IN 2027 ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION.
WE'RE LOOKING TO HELP FUND A PROJECT ON I 64 IN NEW KEN COUNTY TO IMPROVE THE INTERCHANGE AT EXIT TWO 11, WHICH WILL BE THE LOCATION OF THE NEW BUCKYS TRAVEL CENTER.
THE INSTALLATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF A ROUNDABOUT AND NEW SIGNAL CONFIGURATION REQUIRES A NEW TWO LANE SOUTHBOUND BRIDGE ALONG ROUTE 1 0 6 WITH THE EXISTING TWO LANE BRIDGE USED FOR NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC IN THE FUTURE.
PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING BEGAN EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH CONSTRUCTION EXPECTED TO START NEXT SPRING IN THE CITY OF RICHMOND.
A NEW BUS RAPID TRANSIT LINE IS PLANNED THAT CONNECTS NORTH SIDE AND SOUTH SIDE VIA HIGH CAPACITY, HIGH FREQUENCY SERVICE.
THE NORTH SOUTH VRT, WHICH WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE TRAVEL TIMES, INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION OF STOPS AND OTHER ROADWAY SIGNAL AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ALONG A TWO AND A HALF MILE SECTION OF CHAMBERLAIN AVENUE.
FROM THE HENRICO COUNTY LINE TO LOMBARDI STREET, INCLUDING UP TO 14 STATIONS.
CONSTRUCTION IS SLATED TO START IN 2028 AND IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS, TWO PROJECTS IN ASHLAND AND IN HANOVER COUNTY WILL BRING IMPORTANT UPDATES TO THE ROAD NETWORK.
THE FIRST IS HERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE ONE AND ASH CAKE ROAD, WHERE SIGNAL AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS WILL PROVIDE A CONNECTION FROM THE INTERSECTION TO THE PROPOSED ROUTE ONE WIDENING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NORTH.
THESE HIGH VISIBILITY CROSSWALKS AND PUSH BUTTONS ON ALL LEGS WILL ALSO INCLUDE A DA RAMPS ON ALL CORNERS WITH PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING SET FOR THIS PROJECT IN SUMMER OF 2025 AND COMPLETION IN 2029, AND THEN OVER AT ROUTE 360 IN WALNUT GROVE ROAD, AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE INTERSECTION THERE WILL INCLUDE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING RIGHT OF WAY AND CONSTRUCTION THAT LOOKS TO BE ALL WRAPPED UP BY LATE SUMMER 2033.
IN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS SINCE ITS FORMATION, THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY IS BRINGING MUCH NEEDED RELIEF TO AREAS WHERE CONGESTION, SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY MORE PROBLEMATIC.
IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO SERVE OUR REGION, AND WE ARE DEVOTED TO DOING THIS IMPORTANT WORK MAKING PLAN SOLUTIONS OF REALITY TO PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR NINE LOCALITIES.
WHAT IS HAPPENING THANKS TO THE CDTA AND ITS EFFECTIVE USE OF TAX DOLLARS HAS CONTINUED TO MAKE OUR REGION BETTER BY FUNDING THESE PROJECTS.
WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO FIX TRANSPORTATION ISSUES IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA.
UH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR, UH, INDULGING ME WITH THAT.
UH, I I DO WANNA GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF DETAILS.
I KNOW IN THE INTEREST OF TIME WE WANT TO KEEP THIS MOVING, BUT, UM, HOPEFULLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS, THAT IS HELPFUL TO, TO HELP UNDERSTAND THE, THE MECHANISMS THAT THE CBTA OPERATES UNDER.
SO THE, THE, THE INTERESTING, UM, DETAILS OF THE CBTA IS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE FULLY FUNDED WITH, WITH TAX REVENUES.
UH, THE TAXES THAT THAT FUND THE CBTA ARE A SALES AND USE TAX OF 0.7%, AND THEN A WHOLESALE GAS TAX THAT IS BOTH ON GASOLINE AND DIESEL.
UM, THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2020 WHEN THE, WHEN THE, UH, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CREATED THE AUTHORITY AND THOSE REVENUES, UM, CONTINUE TO RISE, UH, IN, IN, UH, UH, REALLY EXCITING WAYS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE SALES AND USE TAX IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE, WE ARE SEEING, UH, ESCALATE, UH, A LOT QUICKER THAN THE FUELS TAX.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT FLUCTUATES FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT, BUT STILL, BOTH ARE, ARE INCREASING OVER TIME.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THE CBTA IS, IS SOLELY TO FUND TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR REGION.
SO THE NINE JURISDICTIONS THAT MAKE UP THE PLANNING DISTRICT, THE THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION, UH, THEY ARE ALSO, UH, THE, THE, THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE CBTA.
AND WHAT WE DO IS, IS WORK WITH THE TPO, THE, THE FOLKS OVER THERE WHO ARE PUTTING TOGETHER THE LONG RANGE PLAN, UM, TO IDENTIFY MAJOR PROJECTS THAT MAY NEED, UH, FUNDING SUPPORT.
WE WORK TO PRIORITIZE THOSE PROJECTS IN TERMS OF IMPACT, UH, SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DOLLARS THAT ARE, THAT ARE PUT FORWARD BY THE CBTA HAVE THE MOST MAXIMUM IMPACT POSSIBLE IN MAKING THOSE PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD AND THEN MAKE THOSE FUNDING COMMITMENTS.
UH, YOU HEARD THE VIDEO, UH, OVER 1.2 BILLION, UM, OUT TO THE YEAR 2031, UH, ALREADY JUST IN FIVE YEARS.
SO, UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT CONTINUING THAT WORK IN THE REGION IN THE FUTURE YEAR OVER YEAR.
UH, WE WE'RE SEEING TAX COLLECTIONS OVER $200 MILLION BETWEEN THE TWO SOURCES.
UH, AND THOSE, THOSE FUNDS ARE, ARE RISING, AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN.
UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE SPLITS THERE IN THE, IN THE DARK GREEN BOXES.
THE SALES TAX IS ABOUT THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS THE FUELS TAX.
UH, BUT WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH VDOT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE PROJECTIONS ARE GOING TO BE AND HOW THEY'LL EVOLVE, UH, OVER
[03:45:01]
THE, THE COMING YEARS.UM, SO WE REALLY DO HAVE A GOOD, GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR STATE PARTNERS TO UNDERSTAND, UH, ALL THOSE TAXES AND, AND WHAT THE, UM, SO WE'RE NOT SURPRISED WHEN, WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER PROJECTIONS AND PLANS FOR FUTURE YEARS, JUST IN FISCAL YEAR 24, UH, WE BROUGHT IN, UH, A, A SIZABLE, UH, AMOUNT OF FUNDS, UH, THROUGH THOSE, THOSE TAX REVENUES.
AND THEN THE WAY THAT THE CBTA IS ORGANIZED, UH, THE FUNDING IS, IS DIVIDED THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.
HALF OF ALL REVENUES THAT COME IN FROM THOSE TAX REVENUE SOURCES GO DIRECTLY BACK OUT TO THE JURISDICTIONS WHERE THE, WHERE THE REVENUES WERE WERE RAISED.
UH, 15% GOES TO GRTC TO HELP FUND REGIONAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
AND I SAID IT EXACTLY LIKE THAT FOR A REASON.
IT'S NOT TO FUND FIXED DROUGHT BUS SERVICE, UM, BECAUSE NOT ALL NINE JURISDICTIONS HAVE FIXED DROUGHT BUS SERVICE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GRTC DOES NOW, UH, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS SINCE C-B-T-A-C-B-T-A WAS CREATED IS LOOK AT WAYS TO IMPROVE ACCESS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, WHATEVER THAT MAY MEAN FOR ALL NINE JURISDICTIONS, IF YOU'VE SEEN THE LINK, UH, MICRO TRANSIT SERVICE, IT'S, IT'S MORE OF AN ON DEMAND, UM, POINT TO POINT, LAST MILE SERVICE, SOME PEOPLE CALL IT, THAT'S IN PLACE NOW IN, IN MOST OF THE JURISDICTIONS IN THE REGION.
AND, UH, WE'RE SEEING SOME REALLY GOOD BENEFITS, UH, AS THAT, UH, CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE, THE LAST 35% STAYS WITH THE CBTA, UH, FOR A, AN APPLICATION DRIVEN, UH, COMPETITIVE FUNDING PROCESS TO HELP GET SOME OF THOSE BIG PROJECTS LIKE THE I 64 WIDENING OR POWAY PARKWAY OR 2 88, UH, IMPROVEMENTS, UH, SHORT PUMP IMPROVEMENTS.
THOSE ARE ALL THE, IN THE REGIONAL CATEGORY.
AND, UM, WE'RE SEEING SOME REAL SUCCESS.
UH, WE'RE NOW GETTING READY TO START OUR FOURTH ROUND OF REGIONAL FUNDING THIS COMING SUMMER.
SO, UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE, THE PROJECTS THAT WE MAY SEE AND HOW THOSE, THOSE MAY HELP THE REGION TO, TO EVOLVE IN TERMS OF, UH, REVENUES BY FISCAL YEAR.
UM, THE BOX ON THE, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN SHOWS THE, THE GROWTH IN THOSE TAX REVENUE SOURCES YEAR OVER YEAR SINCE THE CBTA WAS CREATED.
UM, WHERE, UH, WE ARE NOW AT A TOTAL DISTRIBUTION TO THOSE THREE DIFFERENT, UH, RECIPIENTS, UM, POTS OF JUST UNDER, UH, THREE QUARTERS OF A BILLION DOLLARS, UM, JUST IN THE REVENUE DISTRIBUTIONS, UH, AS OF MAY, 2024.
AND THEN THE SPLIT AMONG THE JURISDICTIONS.
THIS IS, UH, REALLY BASED ON THE, THE, THAT APPLICATION PROCESS, THE COMPETITIVE APPLICATION PROCESS.
GLAND COUNTY HAS RECEIVED OVER $54 MILLION SINCE 2021, UM, FOR A HANDFUL OF PROJECTS.
UM, I'M SEEING, UH, FIVE OF THOSE REGIONAL, UH, COMPETITIVE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN FUNDED IN GLAND COUNTY.
AND THEN WE'VE ALSO INCREASED, UH, CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ONE BASED ON, UM, UH, ESCALATIONS IN, IN, UH, IN, UH, FUELS COSTS AND, AND, AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THE REGIONAL PROJECT FUNDING IS ALSO, WE, WE, WE DIVIDE IT, UH, MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF MODE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE HIGHWAY FUND, UH, TYPES OF, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE FUNDED IN THE HIGHWAY CATEGORY ARE THE MAJORITY OF THE, THE FUNDS THAT HAVE GONE OUT, UH, JUST UNDER $540 MILLION.
UH, WE ALSO FUNDED SOME PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, UM, SOME PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AND PLANNING.
UH, THE NAME OF THE GAME THESE DAYS IS TO GET PROJECTS THAT ARE SHOVEL READY.
UH, READINESS IS A BIG FACTOR THAT, THAT ARE CONSIDERED BY VDOT AND FEDERAL PARTNERS.
SO HAVING THOSE PLANS AND, AND, AND PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING IN PLACE IS, IS REALLY CRITICAL.
AND I SEE THAT GROWING IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
UM, WE'VE ALSO FUNDED, UH, YOU CAN SEE ALMOST $140 MILLION IN BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN PROJECTS.
THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS FROM THE FALL LINE AND THE FALL LINE, UH, TRAIL IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE, UH, VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
AND I DO HAVE A, A COUPLE SLIDES COMING UP, UH, REGARDING THAT TRAIL.
IN TERMS OF GLAND COUNTY, UH, THE LAST ROUND OF REGIONAL FUNDING ROUND THREE WAS APPROVED IN MARCH OF 2024.
UM, AND TWO OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN WERE APPROVED IN THAT REGIONAL ROUND, UH, THE ROUTE 2 88 SOUTHBOUND AUXILIARY LANE, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $7.5 MILLION IN LEVERAGE FUNDS, I BELIEVE.
AND THEN THE ROUTE TWO 50 AT 2 88 INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO UP AT, AT BROAD STREET ROAD, UH, ANOTHER 7.5 MILLION.
THOSE PROJECTS ARE COMBINED WITH, WITH, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED IN RE PREVIOUS ROUNDS, THE I 64 AT ASHLAND ROAD, UM, INTERCHANGE THE I 64 AT OILVILLE INTERCHANGE.
AND THEN, UM, UH, 2 88, UH, SOUTHBOUND CONTINUOUS HARD SHOULDER RUNNING LANE FROM WEST CREEK PARKWAY
[03:50:01]
TO ROUTE SEVEN 11.UM, THOSE ARE ALL PROJECTS THAT ARE, ARE MOVING FORWARD IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
AND, UH, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT, THAT, UH, THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO SUBMIT THOSE, THOSE REALLY COMPETITIVE APPLICATIONS AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEXT ROUND OF FUNDING.
JUST REALLY QUICKLY, SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM SOME OF THESE BIG, UH, REGIONAL PROJECTS.
THE FALL ON TRAIL, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD OF IT, IS A 43 MILE NORTH SOUTH CORRIDOR THAT EXTENDS FROM ASHLAND ALL THE WAY SOUTH TO PETERSBURG.
UM, IT'S GONNA HAVE TIE-INS TO, TO MANY OF THE MAJOR DESTINATIONS, UH, IN THAT, IN THAT, UH, FIVE JURISDICTION REGION.
UM, WE DO HOPE THAT EVENTUALLY IT CONNECTS TO A, A POSSIBLE, UH, EAST WEST TRAIL, UM, FROM THE, THE CENTER OF THE REGION WEST TO CHARLOTTESVILLE, UH, STANTON, YOU NAME IT.
UM, THAT THAT'LL ALSO COMPLIMENT THE CAPITAL TRAIL, WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN EXISTENCE FROM RICH RICHMOND EAST.
UM, SO BUILDING THAT, THAT REGIONAL TRAIL NETWORK IS, IS A, IS AN IMPORTANT THING.
AND, UM, YOU SEE A LOT OF THESE DAYS WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF, UM, ADVOCACY GROUPS TALKING ABOUT THE FALL ON TRAIL AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FINISHING THE FUNDING PROJECT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, UH, THE CBTA IS THE MAJOR FUNDER OF THE FALL LINE AND HAS COMMITTED TO 105 MILLION, UH, SINCE ITS INCEPTION TO, TO MAKING THAT PROJECT A REALITY.
SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF, OF THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE AND THE, THE PROGRESS THAT'S TO COME.
SOME OF THE, UH, IN PROGRESS PICTURES FROM, FROM OUT ON THE TRAIL.
UH, THE MOST OF THESE ARE, ARE IN MR. DAVIS'S BACKYARD, UH, IN HANOVER.
UM, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, UH, A MAJOR BRIDGE, UH, TRAIL BRIDGE ACROSS THE CHICHO RIVER, UM, THAT LEADS INTO HENRICO COUNTY.
UM, THE ASHLAND PORTION IS ALREADY FINISHED, SO, UH, THEY GET THE BLUE RIBBON FOR, FOR, UH, PUTTING THEIR, UH, CUTTING THEIR RIBBON FIRST.
AND THEN, UH, SOME HIGHLIGHTS ON THE, THE I 64 GAP WIDENING PROJECT.
THE, THE VIDEO MENTIONED TWO DIFFERENT PHASES.
ONE IS OPENING IN 2027 AND THE OTHER IN 2029.
UM, I WAS, I I WAS IN WILLIAMSBURG TWICE LAST WEEKEND, UH, FOR A SOCCER TOURNAMENT AND, AND EXPERIENCED THIS FIRSTHAND.
UM, SO, UH, I THINK THE NEAT THING TO SEE HERE IS THAT CBTA PUT IN A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, BUT THE PROJECT WOULD NOT HAVE STARTED WITHOUT THAT LEVERAGE FUNDING FROM THE CBTA.
UH, IT'S A, IT'S A COMPONENT OF A LOT BIGGER, UH, FUNDING PACKAGE, UH, WHICH INCLUDES STATE, FEDERAL AS WELL AS THE, THE SMART SCALE PROGRAM, UH, TOTALING THE $750 MILLION, BUT THAT WITHOUT THE CBTA FUNDING AND THAT COMMITMENT FROM OUR REGION, THIS PROJECT WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN OFF THE GROUND.
SO WHAT'S NEXT? UH, WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR, OUR LOCALITIES TO UNDERSTAND PROJECT NEEDS.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE NOW, WE'RE WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT, UM, ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE MADE.
UH, WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST, UH, FUNDING LEVELS WHEN SURPRISES HAPPEN.
SO, UH, WE DO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY THAT WE'RE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON AND FINE TUNE, I I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE STARTING OUR NEXT REGIONAL FUNDING ROUND IN 2026, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
THAT'LL OPEN UP IN JULY OF THIS COMING OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY THROUGH, UH, THE STATUTORY ABILITY TO ISSUE BONDS.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE CBT HAS NOT DONE YET, UH, IN, ITS IN ITS FIVE YEARS OF EXISTENCE.
BUT WE DO HAVE THAT CAPABILITY AND WE'RE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH A VERY DELIBERATE, UH, UM, INCREMENTAL PROCESS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN.
UH, WE WANT TO BE, UH, BE SECURE AND SAFE AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL NINE JURISDICTIONS ARE ON BOARD WITH THAT BEFORE THE, THE DECISIONS ARE MADE, BUT IT'S ANOTHER WAY TO GREATLY INCREASE OUR, OUR FUNDING CAPABILITY AND, AND PROVIDE MORE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
SO, MR. CHAIR, I APOLOGIZE IF IT WENT OVER, UH, THAT IS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
MR. DAVIS? ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MR. CHAIRMAN? I, YEAH.
UM, NOT BEING PART OF THE CYCLING COMMUNITY, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE ADVERTISING OR MARKETING IN THE FALL LINE TRAIL.
COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, FOR GLAND IT MATTERS BECAUSE WE SEE A LOT OF CYCLISTS ON MAJOR ROAD, YOU KNOW, ON ROADS THAT CREATE POTENTIAL DANGERS.
UM, SO THE IDEA BEHIND THAT IS, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
MANY OF THESE PROJECTS WERE PUT IN PLACE BEFORE, UH, SOME OF US EVEN SAT ON THE BOARD.
AND THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO MOVE SOME OF THE, UM, SOME OF THE CYCLISTS FROM THE MAJOR ROADWAYS ONTO SOME OF THESE MORE SCENIC ROUTES THAT ARE SAFER, THAT, THAT HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO, TO MOVE OFF OF THE, THE MOTORIZED PATHS, UM, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT CAUSES, UM, ISSUES WITH, WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC FAR SAFER, AND PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITY
[03:55:01]
TO BE BOLSTERED BY SOME OF OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS AS IT RELATES TO TOURISM AND, AND THOSE TYPE OF ECONOMIC DRIVERS.SO THAT HAS PUSHED OUT A LOT THROUGH THE, UM, UH, REGIONAL TOURISM BUREAUS, UH, RRT, THOSE TYPES OF PLACES, AS WELL AS A LASER LAKE FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITIES THAT RECEIVE THOSE TYPES OF, OF DISTRIBUTIONS IN, IN INFORMATION SUCH AS THE CYCLING COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
UH, IS IT EXCLUSIVELY FOR BICYCLISTS OR IS PEDESTRIANS CAN USE IT.
YOU, YOU CAN, YOU CAN RIDE, YOU CAN WALK, YOU CAN DO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE HAVE FOLKS THAT SOMETIMES TAKE SHORT TRIPS AND, YOU KNOW, TAKE A MILE OR TWO, UH, STOP AND THEN WALK A DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND NO, IT'S, UH, IT'S PEDESTRIAN AS WELL AS, UH, UH, CYCLIST.
IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY A 12 FOOT WIDE, UH, PAVED TRAIL.
THERE'S PLENTY OF WIDTH FOR, FOR ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT USERS TO EXPERIENCE AT THE SAME TIME.
SO IF YOU GET EMERGENCY VEHICLES THROUGH IT AND IN, UH, IT'S NECESSARY.
AND, AND IT IS BUILT FOR, IT IS BUILT TO, TO ACCOMMODATE EMERGENCY VEHICLES, UH, PARTICULARLY, UH, RESCUE SQUAD TYPE RESPONSES.
UH, SO AMBULANCES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO, WELL, MY FINAL COMMENT IS, UH, WHILE WE, UH, WHILE WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL LOCALLY OVER HOW THIS ORGANIZATION WAS FORMED, WE DO HAVE CONTROL ON HOW WELL IT'S RUN.
AND DUE TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FOLKS IN THIS ROOM AND THROUGHOUT THE REGION, LOCAL CONTROL IS ALWAYS BETTER.
AND, UH, I BELIEVE THAT THE NUMBERS SHOW THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD STEWARDS WITH THE STATE MANDATES THAT WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH IN ORDER TO LEVERAGE THESE FUNDS AND BRING THESE PROJECTS HOME TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
MR. CHAIRMAN, ONE LAST QUESTION.
UM, I, I'M NOT EVER ONE TO PROMOTE A, A TAX OR AN INCREASE IN ONE, BUT ELECTRIC VEHICLES SEEM TO NOT BE PAYING ANY FREIGHT ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S ALL EITHER SALES TAX OR FUELS.
IS THERE ANY MOVE AFOOT TO, UH, ADDRESS THE, UH, UH, PARTICULARLY SINCE WE'RE SORT OF MAYBE GONNA BE MANDATED TO HAVE A LOT MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES? YES, SIR.
MR. LY? SO, UH, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW I THINK WE'RE SAFE, HOPEFULLY UNTIL, UH, NEXT YEAR.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S NOT IN SESSION, AND THAT'S ALWAYS A GREAT THING FOR US.
UM, AND THAT'S MY OFFICIAL POSITION.
UM, THERE'S ALWAYS TALK IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, KEEP IN MIND, AND, AND YOU BRING UP A VERY GOOD POINT, AND, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THIS WAS CREATED BY AN ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
SO THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE SUBJECT TO ANY CHANGES THAT COME THROUGH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
UH, AND JUST LIKE MOST THINGS HAPPEN AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, UH, WHEN THEY, IN THEIR INFINITE WISDOM DECIDE TO CHANGE SOMETHING, UH, THEY'LL LET US KNOW AFTER THEY'VE MADE THAT DECISION AND THEN WE'LL ADJUST ON HOW WE'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT THAT.
SO, YES, MR. SPOON, HOW, UM, DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING, BUT, UH, SORRY I MISSED YOU, UH, MR. DAVIS AND, UH, MR. PARSONS, BUT, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING BACK TO WORK WITH YOU SOON.
HOW I, I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING.
I, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU, YOU STOLE SOME OF MY THUNDER 'CAUSE UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TEAM AND HAS WORKING TOGETHER AND, UH, I KNOW, UH, MR. SPOON, I WAS TAKING A LEADERSHIP ROLE THERE AND, AND BEEN MADE TO FEEL WELCOME.
AND I'VE BEEN ATTENDING IN MEETINGS AND ONE, THE ONE THING I'VE NOTICED IS REGARDLESS OF OUR SIZE THROWN UP AGAINST CHESTERFIELD AND HENRICO, WE HAVE A VOICE.
UM, AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE BENEFITED FROM THIS.
SO, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU.
ALL FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE COOPERATIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU CREATE, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU TREAT US ALL.
THANK YOU, MR. APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
[XVI. Presentation by Fire-Rescue for FY2026 County Budget]
ALRIGHT, NEXT, THANK YOU FOR WAITING CHIEF.UH, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF MR. FERGUSON, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, FIRE RESCUE CHIEF EDDIE FERGUSON.
UH, IT'S AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO, UH, ONCE AGAIN PRESENT THE FIRE RESCUE FY 26, UH, BUDGET REQUEST.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU RIGHT UP FRONT FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT, UH, ALL THESE YEARS.
AND CERTAINLY I KNOW YOU, UH, HAVE SUPPORTED US THROUGH THIS PROCESS AS WELL.
UH, I'D LIKE TO JUST, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
I HAVE OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND SOME OF OUR MEMBERS, UM, HERE WITH US FROM THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT.
[04:00:01]
ABSOLUTELY TEAMWORK, AND THERE IS NO WAY THAT, UH, WE COULD BEGIN TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE DO WITHOUT ALL THEIR SUPPORT AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT, BOTH CAREER VOLUNTEER, UH, THAT STAFF OUR STATIONS AND RESPOND TO OUR EMERGENCIES.SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, AND GET STARTED.
UH, CERTAINLY, UM, STOP ME AT ANY TIME.
UH, CERTAINLY, UH, WOULD LIKE, UH, ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS.
SO WE ALWAYS START WITH OUR MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES WHEN WE MAKE A PRESENTATION.
AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT WE ARE A COMPREHENSIVE DEPARTMENT AND WE OFFER FIRE, RESCUE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AS WELL AS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, IN AN EFFECTIVE, ACCOUNTABLE AND COMPASSIONATE MANNER.
LOOKING, UM, LOOKING BACK AT THE LAST YEAR, WE ALWAYS GIVE YOU A, A SHORT LOOK BACK OF THE LAST YEAR.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, 2024 WAS THE BUSIEST YEAR ON RECORD FOR FIRE RESCUE, UH, SERVICES, UH, IN GLAND COUNTY.
UH, WE HAD 4,867 INCIDENTS THAT WE RESPONDED TO IN THE COUNTY, WHICH REPRESENTED ROUGHLY, UH, AN 11% INCREASE OVER WHAT WE, UH, RESPONDED TO IN 2023.
AND IF YOU WANNA DO A, LIKE A FIVE YEAR LOOK BACK, UH, WHERE WE, WE ALWAYS DO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE POPULATION IN THE COUNTY IN 2020 BASED ON THE WELDON COOPERS, UH, DEPARTMENT IS, WAS ROUGHLY 24,727, AND NOW IT'S UP TO 27,486.
CTI'S, UH, PRESENTATION THAT THAT REPRESENTS, UH, AN 11.2% INCREASE IN POPULATION AS WELL AS, UM, WE'RE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTIES, UH, IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
AND WITH HAVING SAID THAT, I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT OUR, UH, OUR CALL VOLUME BETWEEN YEARS INCREASED BY ABOUT THAT MUCH.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU THAT IT'S MUCH MORE THAN OUR CITIZENS ARE 27,000 CITIZENS WHO ARE TAXPAYERS WHO LIVE IN THE COUNTY, UH, THAT REQUIRE OUR SERVICES.
IT'S OUR BUSINESSES, OUR VISITORS, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL, THE, THE ROADWAYS, THE INTERSTATES, UH, ROUTE 2 88, UM, AND ALL OF THIS OTHER TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT'S OCCURRING OUR COUNTY THAT, UH, REQUIRE OUR SERVICES.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT OUR CALL VOLUME IS MORE REFLECTIVE OF ALL THAT THAN JUST OUR 27,000 CITIZENS.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, WE ARE, UH, DEFINITELY COMMITTED TO OUR CITIZENS AND THEY'RE SUPER IMPORTANT AND WE BUILD ALL OF OUR FIRE RESCUE, UH, PRACTICES AROUND THEM.
UH, I WOULD ALSO JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, THERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF, UH, WHAT SOME OF THESE, UH, CALLS ARE, UH, THAT YOU CAN, UH, JUST TAKE A LOOK AT.
AND I KNOW YOU'LL GET A COPY OF THIS, UH, THIS PRESENTATION.
FIRE RESPONSES, UH, ACROSS THE COUNTY, UH, THEIR AVERAGE TIME FROM THE CALL IS DISPATCHED UNTIL WE CAN GET A FIRE ENGINE ON THE SCENE.
AND THIS IS NOT JUST, UH, THE WEST END OR THE EAST END.
IT'S THE ENTIRE COUNTY IS, UH, ROUGHLY 11, UH, MINUTES AND 19 SECONDS.
AND YOU CAN LOOK AT SOME OF THE, UH, AVERAGE RESPONSE TIMES BASED ON THE DISTRICT.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WESTERN GLAND IS A LARGE GEOGRAPHIC AREA, AND WE HAVE, UH, LARGE, UM, AREAS AND LANDSCAPES THAT ARE COVERED BY, UH, OUR WESTERN COMPANIES.
AND THEN IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CORNER, YOU CAN SEE OUR FIRE CREW UNIT BREAKDOWN.
AND THAT PRETTY MUCH, UH, ILLUSTRATES TO YOU, UM, THE PERSONNEL MAKEUP OF THE RESPONDERS THAT ARE GOING TO THOSE, UH, INCIDENTS.
UH, PROPERTY LOSS WAS DOWN A, UH, A LITTLE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
UM, AND THAT'S ALWAYS A, UH, GOOD THING.
BUT, UH, ANY PROPERTY LOSS IS, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, YOU KNOW, TOO MUCH.
AND I AM, UH, REALLY, REALLY, UH, GRATEFUL TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DID NOT HAVE A, A LOSS OF LIFE FROM A STRUCTURE FIRE IN THE COUNTY IN, UH, 2024.
THERE WERE OBVIOUSLY SOME TRAFFIC INCIDENTS THAT, UH, THAT DID OCCUR, BUT, UH, NOT, NOT IN A STRUCTURE FIRE MUTUAL AID.
UM, I KNOW YOU ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN MUTUAL AID AS AS TO HOW THAT'S GOING ACROSS THE COUNTY.
AND WE GAVE MUTUAL AID 154 TIMES IN 2024, AND WE RECEIVED IT 47 TIMES
AND I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE COIN TO BE ON BECAUSE, UH, IT DEMONSTRATES THAT, UH, WE ARE ABLE TO, TO COVER, UH, THE MAJORITY OF OUR CALLS AND WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT TO BE ABLE TO, UH, HELP OTHER JURISDICTIONS WHEN THEY NEED IT.
AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THAT DID NOT START JUST RECENTLY.
ALL THESE, UH, 30, 40, 50 YEARS OF, UH, THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT AND THE WAY THAT, UM, ARAB COUNTY, UH, SUPPORTS FIRE RESCUE TO HAVE WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE RESPONSES.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BROKEN DOWN BY DISTRICTS.
UH, WE DO HAVE AN ADOPTED RESPONSE TIME.
IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO LOOK AT THAT TOO.
UH, BASICALLY IT'S 15 MINUTES, UH, FROM THE TIME OF DISPATCH TO ARRIVAL ON THE SCENE IN THE EAST END.
AND THERE'S A 20 MINUTE ZONE, UH, IN THE WEST END, PRETTY MUCH WEST OF JACKSON SHOP ROAD, ALL THE WAY UP TO THE, UH, FNA COUNTY LINE.
AND SO WE DO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT.
AND WE MET, WERE ABLE TO MEET THAT 93% OF THE TIME.
UH, ONE THING THAT IS DEFINITELY, UH, WORTH
[04:05:01]
NOTING MANY OF, MANY THINGS OF THINGS IS THAT, UH, 2024 WAS THE BUSIEST YEAR ON RECORD FOR AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS INCREASING BY 238, UH, AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS FROM THE, UH, PREVIOUS YEAR.UH, THIS TIES OUR CREWS UP FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME.
UH, THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THE JURISDICTION TO THE HOSPITALS, UH, AND SOMETIMES WE'VE, SINCE THE PANDEMIC THAT WE FIND OURSELVES, UH, IN THE HOSPITALS LONGER WAITING FOR A BED, THE PATIENT STAYS ON THEIR STRETCHER.
AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH THE HOSPITAL STAFF TO GET THEM A BED.
UH, WHEN THOSE AMBULANCE CREWS ARE OUT OF THE JURISDICTION, UH, THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE AS RESOURCES FOR OTHER CALLS IN THE COUNTY.
THAT COULD BE, UH, EMS, OTHER EMS CALLS, OR IT COULD BE A STRUCTURE FIRE.
YOU, YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF CALL THAT, UH, YOU WOULD SEE NEXT AND A FIVE YEAR LOOK BACK ON AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UM, FROM 2020 TO WHERE WE ARE NOW, UH, AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS HAVE INCREASED BY 56%.
UH, SO, UH, WE'VE REALLY SEEN AN UPTICK, UH, IN AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS.
WE FREQUENT, UH, HENRICO DOCTORS FOREST THE MOST.
UM, IT, IT IS BECAUSE OF, UH, OUR PATIENTS WANT TO GO THERE AS WELL AS, UH, PROTOCOL, UH, HENRICO DOCTORS FOREST IS A, A LEVEL TWO, UH, TRAUMA CENTER.
THEY HAVE, UM, THEY ALSO HAVE, UH, CARDIAC CAPABILITIES AND STROKE CAPABILITIES AS WELL.
MARY'S BON COURSE, SHORT PUMP EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND VCU.
AND IN THE BOTTOM CORNER OF THE SLIDE IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE, OF THE MEMBERSHIP TYPE THAT, UH, ANSWERS, UH, THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES CALLS.
UH, AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT THAT IS.
THIS IS A PRETTY, UH, IMPORTANT NUMBER THAT WE, UH, STARTED LOOKING AT, UH, IN RECENT YEARS.
AND THIS IS STATION RESPONSES.
IN 2024, THERE WERE 7,134 STATION RESPONSES.
NOW, THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM INCIDENT NUMBERS.
INCIDENT INCIDENTS OBVIOUSLY REQUIRE STATION RESPONSES.
THESE ARE VEHICLES THAT ARE GOING OUTTA THAT STATION FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, TO RESPOND TO CALLS, NOT ONLY IN THE DISTRICT THAT THAT STATION COVERS, BUT OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTY.
AND SO, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE SCRUBBED THIS, AND THEY, THESE ARE NOT DUPLICATES.
THESE ARE UNIT RESPONSES, UH, OUT OF THE STATION.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, CENTERVILLE STATION THREE, UH, IN OUR PRIME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREA OF THE COUNTY, I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING CLOSE TO 2000 UNIT RESPONSES OUT OF THAT STATION.
AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SEEING INCREASE.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION, UH, TO SANDY HOOK.
UH, SANDY HOOK, UH, 495 UNIT RESPONSES OUTTA SANDY HOOK LAST YEAR, STATION EIGHT.
AND YOU GUYS KNOW THAT WE ARE RUNNING A, UM, AN AMBULANCE THERE, UH, IN A REDUCED OPERATION COMPARATIVELY TO OUR OTHER LOCATIONS, BUT WE HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND GOOD FOR SANDY HOOK.
UH, COMING UP 2024 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, UH, WE WERE, UH, FORTUNATE TO BE AWARDED ANOTHER, UH, AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION MISSION LIFELINE AWARD.
WE RECEIVED A GOLD STATUS AWARD.
AND THIS AWARD BASICALLY IS A, AN AWARD THAT RECOGNIZES THEIR ABILITY TO DELIVER CARDIAC AND STROKE CARE TO OUR PATIENTS.
IT, UH, GOES INTO WHAT HAPPENS, UH, IN WHICH HOSPITAL WE GO TO, HOW WE NOTIFY THE HOSPITALS IN ADVANCE OF ARRIVING THERE, AS WELL AS THE CARE THE PATIENTS RECEIVE IN THE HOSPITAL IF THEY'RE HAVING A HEART ATTACK OR A STROKE.
UH, WE DID RECEIVE TWO NEW AMBULANCES.
UH, THEY ARE STILL, UH, NOT IN SERVICE, WE JUST GOT 'EM, UH, BUT THEY'RE, UH, AT OUR FIRE TRAINING CENTER, AND WE HOPE TO PUT THOSE IN SERVICE SOON.
ONE SIGNIFICANT THING THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST YEAR, UH, WITH, UM, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IS THE FDA AND THE DEA, UH, CAME DOWN WITH THE DRUG CHAIN SECURITY ACT.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THIS HAS DONE IS, UH, IT HAS DISRUPTED THE EMERGENCY MEDICATION DRUG BOX EXCHANGE PROGRAM WITH THE HOSPITALS THAT VIRGINIA HAS, UH, ENJOYED FOR ALMOST 50 DECADES.
AND UP TO THIS POINT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, MEDICATION BOX DRUG BOXES ON OUR AMBULANCES.
THEY'RE SEALED, AND WE HAVE AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM THAT, UH, ALLOWS US TO EXCHANGE THOSE AT THE HOSPITAL.
AND THE HOSPITALS ABSORBS THEIR EXPENSE FOR THAT.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT THAT'S ENDING, UH, APRIL 15TH.
UH, AND EVERY MS AGENCY IN VIRGINIA THAT IS ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT OR WISHES TO MAINTAIN MEDICATIONS THAT WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE THEM THEMSELVES, STORE THEM, BE ACCOUNTABLE, AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
AND THE FDA AND DEA FILTERS DOWN TO THE VIRGINIA BOARD OF PHARMACY, AND WE ARE NO DIFFERENT.
UH, WE ARE, UH, STARTING TO, UH, TRANSITION AWAY FROM THE, THE REGIONAL, UM, DRUG BOX PROGRAM MARCH 15TH, TRYING TO GET A FEW DAYS UNDER AIR BELTS SO THAT WE CAN SEE HOW THE TRANSITION IS GONNA OCCUR.
BUT THAT'S RESULTED IN, UH, MONEY THAT'S, UH, IN THE CIP THAT WE'VE HAD TO BUY FOR, UH, MEDICATION SECURE STORAGE, AS WELL AS, UH,
[04:10:01]
JUST HAVING WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO CARRY THE MEDICATIONS THAT OUR PATIENTS NEED.NOW, WE'LL TELL YOU, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
UM, WE DO COLLECT REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY.
UH, WE DO CHARGE FOR AMBULANCE TRANSPORT, AND IN 2024, WE ACTUALLY SECURED A NEW VENDOR, A NEW THIRD PARTY BILLING VENDOR WHO SENDS THE INVOICES OUT TO PATIENTS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES, UH, FOR AMBULANCE TRANSPORT.
UH, WE DO SOFT BILLING, COMPASSIONATE BILLING.
THERE'S NEVER A CASE THAT GOES TO COLLECTIONS.
IT DOESN'T GO AGAINST ONE'S CREDIT.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, CASES THAT WE RELIEVE THE, THE BURDEN BY JUST MAKING IT RIGHT OFF DEBT.
BUT HAVING SAID THAT, IN 2024, UH, GOLAND COUNTY FIRE RESCUE COLLECTED, UH, JUST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE, UH, THAT GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND HERE IN THE COUNTY.
AND CERTAINLY, UM, WE'RE ON TRACK, UH, TO DO THAT WELL OR BETTER IN 2025.
UH, BUT AGAIN, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE IF ANY CITIZENS ARE LISTENING THAT, UH, WE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT, UH, THE ONE'S ABILITY TO PAY.
WE, WE NEVER WANT THAT TO BECOME A DETERMINING FACTOR, WHETHER SOMEONE CALLS 9 1 1 AND WE FORGIVE, UH, A LOT OF DEBT BECAUSE OF THEIR COMPASSIONATE AND SOFT BILLING, UH, PRACTICES.
FIRE MARSHAL IS, UH, BUSY IN THE COUNTY, AS YOU MAY IMAGINE, ALL THE TRADITIONAL DUTIES OF THE FIRE MARSHAL.
AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THE FIRE MARSHAL, UH, AND OUR PLAN REVIEW EXAMINER, AND EVEN MYSELF, WE'RE SPENDING, UH, QUITE A BIT OF OUR TIME, UH, WITH, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING IN TRYING TO GIVE FAIR OBJECTIVE REVIEWS FOR THOSE.
AND THEY'RE JUST, UH, JUST MORE OF THOSE PROJECTS, UH, COMING OUR WAY.
AND SO IT REQUIRES A LOT OF TIME.
UH, WE DO, UH, ADMINISTER THE VIRGINIA STATE WILDFIRE PREVENTION CODE, UH, A DOCUMENT AND A, A COUNTY ORDINANCE THAT, UH, THAT MAKES IT SAFER FOR, UH, BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY, THE WORKERS, THE PATRONS WHO VISIT THOSE BUSINESSES, UH, AS WELL.
AS WE LOOK AT THAT DOCUMENT WHEN WE LOOK AT, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UM, I WILL ALSO MENTION THAT WE'VE STARTED A FOURTH GRADE EDUCATION PROGRAM.
ALL FOURTH GRADERS IN ALL THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY, UH, GET A, A CURRICULUM, A VETTED CURRICULUM ON FIRE SAFETY.
AND THAT'S DELIVERED, UM, IN ALL THE SCHOOLS, UH, ONCE A YEAR.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT.
AND YOU CAN SEE BY SOME OF THE NUMBERS OF, UH, OF WHAT WE HAVE.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE, UH, SMOKE DETECTORS.
IF, UH, A CITIZEN NEEDS A SMOKE DETECTOR, UH, THEN WE HAVE THOSE AT NO COST, AND WE'LL BE GLAD TO BRING THOSE AND PUT THOSE UP IN SOMEONE'S HOUSE.
ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS CALL US COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION.
THERE ARE LOTS OF FORMS OF COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION, REDUCING THAT RISK IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAD A FIRE RESCUE SHOW IN OCTOBER.
WANNA THANK EVERYBODY WHO SUPPORTED THAT, YOU ALL AS WELL AS THE CITIZENS WHO CAME OUT AND MADE THAT, UM, A POSSIBILITY FOR US.
WE HAD, WE ESTIMATED OVER 1500 PEOPLE THERE, 40 EXHIBITORS.
UH, WE HAD MULTIPLE FIRE AND EMS DEMONSTRATIONS.
UM, AND IT WAS A GOOD EVENING, UH, HAD BY ALL, WE'VE DECIDED THAT WE PROBABLY WILL DO THE FIRE RESCUE SHOW EVERY OTHER YEAR.
UH, SO WE'LL DO THE FIRE RESCUE SHOW AGAIN IN OCTOBER OF 2020.
YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM CHIEF HILLMAN THIS AFTERNOON, UM, THIS EVENING, AND YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT.
UM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH.
UH, IT PUTS US IN A JURISDICTION, IN A POSITION TO BE MORE RESILIENT, UH, FOR BOUNCING BACK FROM NATURAL AND MANMADE DISASTERS.
AND, UH, CHIEF HILLMAN IN THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE WITHIN FIRE, UH, RESCUE IS BUSY AND THERE'S A LOT GOING ON, AND WE'RE REALLY GL GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT SHE'S DOING TO, TO KEEP THAT AREA OF AIR OPERATION VIBRANT.
SOME OF THOSE, UH, ARE, ARE THE DRILLS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST YEAR.
WE'VE HAD EMERGENCY SHELTERING EXERCISES, AS WELL AS, UH, WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS.
UH, WE'VE PROVIDED SOME EMERGENCY ALERTING EQUIPMENT TO THE CITIZENS FOR WEATHER, UM, WEATHER ALERTING.
AND I KNOW CHIEF HILLMAN INDICATED WHEN SHE SPOKE EARLIER THAT, UH, BY TRYING TO GO AND, AND HELP THE, UH, THE FOLKS IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA DURING HURRICANE ALENE, UH, THIS PAST FALL WAS, WAS BENEFICIAL HOPEFULLY TO THEM.
BUT ALSO, WE LEARNED A LOT IN THESE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED.
WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THOSE BACK, UH, AND MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN, AS WELL AS THEIR, UH, OPERATIONS, GOD FORBID, THAT TYPE OF THING EVER, EVER HAPPENED HERE.
SO, UM, WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN.
I KNOW SHE DID EARLIER FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR US TO BE A REGIONAL AND STATE, UH, PARTNER.
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS, IT'S BUSY.
UM, LAST, LAST YEAR WE RECRUITED, UH, NEW MEMBERS.
STATION RENOVATIONS WERE COMPLETED, THERE WERE PROMOTIONS, NEW EQUIPMENT ARRIVED, UH, OUR PROCESSES WERE CHANGED.
THE DRUG BOX PROGRAM, I SPOKE ABOUT, UH, THE NEW FIRE TRAINING STRUCTURE THAT COMES UP LATER IN THE PRESENTATION.
WE INSPECTED, UH, AND DID MAINTENANCE ON ALL OF OUR DRY HYDRANTS ACROSS
[04:15:01]
THE COUNTY.KEEP IN MIND, DRY HYDRANTS ARE IN THE LAKES AND PONDS, AND, AND WE, UM, WE CHECK THOSE EVERY SPRING THAT'LL BE COMING UP, UH, IN THE NEXT, NEXT, UH, MONTH OR TWO WHERE WE GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION.
85% OF GLAND IS WITHOUT FIRE HYDRANTS, COUNTY FIRE HYDRANTS.
AND SO WE RELY ON THESE, THESE DRY HYDRANTS IN PONDS, UH, ALL OVER THE COUNTY.
WE ALSO DID COUNTY FIRE HYDRANT INSPECTIONS, AND WE INSPECTED APPROXIMATELY 800 COUNTY FIRE HYDRANTS.
UH, WHEN I SAY COUNTY FIRE HYDRANTS, I MEAN FIRE HYDRANTS THAT ACTUALLY GET THEIR WATER OFF THE COUNTY WATER SYSTEM.
WE ORDERED AN AMBULANCE, UM, ANOTHER ENGINE.
AND TODAY WE HAD, UM, COMPLETION TO MORE WARD DIESEL EXHAUST FILTERS PUT ON THEIR APPARATUS, WHICH HELPS WITH, UM, CANCER PREVENTION.
DIESEL EXHAUST WE KNOW IS, UH, CARCINOGEN.
AND WE, OUR APPROACH TO THAT IS WE'RE PUTTING SPECIAL FILTERS ON OUR VEHICLES TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT, UH, SAFER FOR OUR MEMBERS OPERATING THEM.
THE FIRE RESCUE MASTER PLAN, UH, WAS DELIVERED.
AND WE'VE ALSO, UM, COMPLETED, UH, THE FIRST PHASE OF THE LEXIPOL POLICY DEVELOPMENT.
NOW, I'LL TELL YOU, THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN DO THIS.
OUR MEMBERS ARE ABSOLUTELY OUR KEY TO OUR SUCCESS.
AND I COULD HAVE HAD THE WHOLE PRESENTATION WITH NOTHING BUT PICTURES OF OUR FOLKS DOING SPECTACULAR AND, AND GOOD THINGS, UH, FOR FIRE RESCUE AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND ULTIMATELY, THE PEOPLE WHO NEED US, THE 9 1 1 CALLERS.
YOU GOTTA HAVE TRAINING THOUGH, BECAUSE OUR MEMBERS, UH, NEED TRAINING.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY WITH YOUR SUPPORT, UH, THAT WE HAVE A ROBUST, UH, FIRE RESCUE TRAINING CENTER.
UM, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE CLASSES THAT WERE DELIVERED AT THE FIRE RESCUE TRAINING CENTER.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON AT THE FIRE RESCUE TRAINING CENTER.
DAYTIME, UH, EVENING, SOMETIMES THERE ARE TWO THINGS.
WE HAVE THREE CLASSROOMS THERE, AND IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR ALL THREE OF THOSE CLASSROOMS TO BE, UH, IN USE.
UH, MR. LO, I KNOW YOU WERE INTERESTED THAT WE, WE DID THE, UH, FARM MACHINERY CLASS LAST SPRING WITH, FROM THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTEER RESCUE SQUADS.
AND ALL US FARM PITCHED IN, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO PRACTICALS WITH, UH, SIMULATED ENTRAPMENTS IN FARM MACHINERY FOR A WEEKEND THERE AT THE ALVIS FARM.
AND SO, UM, ONE OF MANY EXAMPLES OF THE TRAINING THAT WE DO, UM, WE COMPLETED A REGIONAL, UH, VOLUNTEER FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY.
WE PARTNERED WITH HANOVER AND LOUISA, UH, AND WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL ACADEMY FOR VOLUNTEER MEMBERS.
WE GRADUATED OUR CAREER RECRUIT SCHOOL FOR, UH, FOR OUR MEMBERS, AND WE HAD THESE OTHER CLASSES AS WELL.
NOW, WE'RE SUPER PROUD ABOUT THIS.
AND MR. ALVARAZ, I MISSED IT, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU GAVE US A SHOUT OUT EARLIER IN THE, UH, OPENING OF THE, THE TWO 30, UH, PM BOARD MEETING.
UM, I, I'LL JUST SAY I'D RECOGNIZE CAPTAIN PROFIT AND DEPUTY CHIEF WATKINS, WHO, WHO LEAD THE TRAINING AND, UH, SAFETY DIVISION, UH, FOR THEIR, UH, PERSISTENCE TO GET THIS BUILDING IN PLACE.
UH, WE WERE, UH, FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE A GOVERNOR'S AWARD, GOVERNOR'S FIRE SERVICE AWARD AND FIRE SERVICE EXCELLENCE.
AND THERE'S A QUOTE THERE THAT, UH, CAME FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ABOUT, UM, THE WAY THAT GLAND REVOLUTIONIZED THIS, UH, PROCESS.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UM, THEY DID.
AND SO WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT IF IT WASN'T FOR THE OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, UH, JUMPING IN AND SUPPORTING US.
AND AT THE RISK OF LEAVING SOMEONE OUT, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO HAVE THE BUILDING.
WE CAN NOW TRAIN AT HOME, AND WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE TO LOOK AT BECAUSE THEY WANT ONE.
UH, SO THAT SPEAKS, UH, VOLUMES.
THERE IS SOME, UH, UNFINISHED WORK AT THE HENLEY FIRE RESCUE TRAINING CENTER.
UH, AT THE BOTTOM, WE ARE PROPOSING A, UH, SHOWER, RESTROOM, AND SHOWER TRAILER.
UH, THE FIRE TRAINING THAT WE DO, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS, UH, HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE A SHOWER, CLEAN UP.
WE REFER TO IT AS PERSONAL HYGIENE AT THE COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING.
AND SO, UH, WE DO HAVE THAT IN OUR CIP AND THAT WE HOPE THAT WE CAN ADD ANOTHER, UH, MODULAR TRAILER THAT WOULD, UH, FILL THAT VOID.
SO THE FIRE RESCUE ASSOCIATION, UH, THE VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION IN CORPORATE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UM, THIS IS, IT IS UNBELIEVABLE WHAT THE FIRE RESCUE ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH YOUR SUPPORT, UH, TO RENOVATE THE FIRE STATIONS.
AND THIS PAST, UH, YEAR, WE HAD A GRAND OPENING OF, OF CENTERVILLE STATION THREE.
IT WAS DEDICATED TO, UH, FIRE RESCUE CHIEF, UH, FRANK WISE.
AND THEN IN THE FALL, WE HAD THE GRAND OPENING OF, UH, FIRE STATION FIVE HERE IN THE COURTHOUSE WAS DEDICATED, UH, TO, UH, THE HARD WORK OF, UH, CHIEF TOMMY, UH, CARTER.
AND, UH, THESE, UH, FACILITIES, UH, WERE EXTENSIVELY RENOVATED, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE US FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE, UM, SUPPORT, THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT YOU MADE AVAILABLE INTEREST FREE LOANS, UH, TO THE ASSOCIATION.
AND THE ASSOCIATION IS COMMITTED TO PAYING THOSE BACK.
AND THEY WORK HARD WITH FUNDRAISING, UH, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE WELL ON THEIR WAY TO DOING THAT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MODERNIZE THESE, UH, FIRE STATIONS.
[04:20:03]
CERTAINLY.UM, GLAND FIRE RESCUE IS A COMBINATION DEPARTMENT, BUT I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE, UH, WE PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS OR EQUAL EMPHASIS ON TRYING TO, UH, RECRUIT NEW VOLUNTEER MEMBERS.
AND WE HAVE A SAFER GRANT FROM FEMA THAT WE GOT A YEAR OR TWO AGO, UH, THAT HELPS FUND THE VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT PROCESS.
IT ALSO FUNDS THE SALARY OF OUR PART-TIME RECRUITER.
AND OVER THE, UH, THE PAST YEAR, WE RECRUITED 32 NEW VOLUNTEERS.
AND IF YOU DO A FIVE YEAR LOOK BACK, THEN YOU PRETTY MUCH, UM, YOU KNOW, 148 VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN RECRUITED INTO THE ORGANIZATION.
NOW, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, SOME OF THE VOLUNTEERS, UH, AREN'T ABLE TO SERVE THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT SOME OF THE OR OTHERS HAVE SERVED.
UH, SO THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE IN AND SOME OUT, UH, BUT BEING ABLE TO RECRUIT 32 VOLUNTEERS IN 2024, BUT 148 VOLUNTEERS OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD IS PRETTY, UH, PRETTY GOOD.
UM, I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UM, ANY CALL OF VOLUNTEER MEMBER ANSWERS IS A TRUE BENEFIT.
UH, I'M TELLING YOU THAT, UH, OUR VOLUNTEER MEMBERS, UH, DO ANSWER CALLS.
UH, THEY, UH, ARE ROUTINELY PART OF COMBINATION CREWS WITH THEIR CAREER STAFF IN THE STATION AND WHOEVER'S IN THE STATION, UH, IS THAT FIRST WAVE OF RESPONSE.
THAT'S THE KIND OF THE WAY IT'S CHANGED IN GOOCHLAND YOU BACK THE CLOCK UP, UH, 5, 6, 7, MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO.
WE WERE REALLY, UH, DEPENDENT ON THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS RESPONDING FROM HOME.
AND SOME OF THAT STILL DOES OCCUR, THANKFULLY, HOWEVER, THAT FIRST WAVE OF RESPONSE TODAY IS THE FOLKS THAT ARE ON DUTY IN THE FIRE STATION, VOLUNTEER AND CAREER MEMBERS, CAREER AND VOLUNTEER MEMBERS ON DUTY, AND THE FIRE STATION.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HOURS, UM, AT THE BOTTOM, THERE HAS BEEN A, A DECREASE IN, UH, VOLUNTEER HOURS, UH, OVER THE, THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
BUT, UH, EVERY HOUR THAT'S GIVEN BY A VOLUNTEER MEMBER IS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION.
OKAY, SO HERE WE ARE, UH, THE FINANCIAL PAGE.
UM, I I WANNA TELL YOU THAT, UH, LOOKING AT THE FIRE RESCUE BUDGET, UM, IT DOES, UM, OUR OPERATING BUDGET DOES REPRESENT AN 11.7% INCREASE.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, IT'S JUST UNDER, UH, $14 MILLION.
NOW, I WILL TELL YOU ALSO THAT, THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED, UH, WITH THE BUDGET.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE, THERE'S BEEN FINANCIAL POLICY, UH, CHANGES, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL CIP PROJECTS THAT WERE ONCE LIVED IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM THAT NOW HAVE BEEN SHIFTED OVER TO THE OPERATIONS BUDGET.
UH, ALSO, THERE'S, UH, A NEW MOU WITH THE ASSOCIATION, AND, UH, WE ARE ARE ASSUMING, UM, OTHER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH FIRE STATION MAINTENANCE AND FIRE STATION UPKEEP.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A PARKING LOT IN THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR $364,000 FOR CENTERVILLE STATION THREE.
AND THAT'S NOT TO MEAN THAT THE ASSOCIATION IS PAYING ANY LESS.
REMEMBER, THEY'RE PAYING BACK, UH, OVER $2 MILLION IN THOSE INTEREST FREE LOANS, UH, FOR THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY'VE DONE TO THE STATIONS.
SO THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED.
IT'S JUST A SHIFT OF A FEW ITEMS FROM, FROM ONE TO THE OTHER.
UM, OUR BUDGET, UH, DOES NOT, THIS BUDGET OR THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF YOU DO NOT INCLUDE ANY NEW POSITIONS.
AND CERTAINLY, UH, THIS IS WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU ON FEBRUARY THE 18TH BY MR. CARPENTER.
UM, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO, UH, TO MAYBE, UH, MAKE AN ASK FOR SOME ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, UH, LOOKING DOWN THE PAGE.
UM, I JUST WANNA, UH, POINT OUT THAT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR GRANTS NOW, THIS IS WHAT COMPOSES THE FIRE RESCUE GRANTS.
UH, IT, A GRANT WOULD, WOULD ALMOST LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE THAT, UH, IT'S SOMETHING WE GET PERIODICALLY.
BUT THESE GRANTS ARE ANNUAL AND THEY REVOLVE, UH, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
FOUR FOR LIFE GRANTS, ABOUT 30,000, UH, A TILL LOCALITIES COMES FROM THE JUNIOR DEPARTMENT OF FIRE PROGRAMS IS ABOUT 126,000.
AND THE EMERGENCY, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING GRANT COMES FROM VM THROUGH FEMA.
NOW, THE ONLY ONE OF THESE GRANTS IS THAT YOU HAVE TO MATCH IS THE EMPG GRANT THROUGH VM THROUGH FEMA.
AND SO BASICALLY, IF YOU ACCEPT THE $16,000, THEN YOU HAVE TO MATCH.
THAT'S PART OF THE TERMS OF THE GRANT, AND WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT, UH, CHIEF HILLMAN USES TO OPERATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OUT OF THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO THERE'S BEEN A STEADY INCREASE IN, UH, FOUR FOR LIFE, WHICH IS PREDICATED ON THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION SOLD IN THE COUNTY.
SOMETIMES IT'S 26% RETURN TO LOCALITY, AND A TL GOES UP FROM THE HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE INDUSTRY THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF FIRE PROGRAMS. BUT IT SHOWS THAT OUR GRANT IS DOWN, UH, REDUCED BY 26.1%.
AND WHAT THAT IS, IS OUR SAFER GRANT, OUR SAFER GRANT FOR VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
UH, IT, WE'RE STARTING TO GET REIMBURSEMENTS FROM THAT, UH, FROM FEMA.
AND SO THERE WAS MONEY IN THIS GRANT LINE, UH, PREVIOUSLY THAT, UH, HAS BEEN BACKED OUT.
AND SO IT WOULD APPEAR THERE'S A REDUCTION IN GRANT FUNDS.
[04:25:01]
BUT IT'S THE WAY, UM, THE, THE NUMBERS SHOW, UH, PRESENTLY, FIRE RESCUE HAS 84 FULL-TIME POSITIONS.WE HAVE EIGHT PART-TIME, AND THERE ARE NOT, UH, ANY, UH, NEW POSITIONS INCLUDED IN THE FIGURES THAT ARE BEFORE YOU LOOKING AT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
UH, I HAD MENTIONED THAT SOME PROJECTS WERE MOVED TO OPERATING BUDGET.
UH, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR FUNDING, UH, FOR NEW CARDIAC, UH, MONITORS, UH, THE RESTROOM AND SHOWER TRAILER AT THE FIRE TRAINING CENTER, A NEW BRUSH TRUCK FOR COMPANY FIVE, UM, AND A NEW FIRE ENGINE AND AN AMBULANCE.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR, UH, FOR THIS YEAR.
SO THE EXPLANATION OF CHANGES, I'VE SORT OF HIT ON SOME OF THESE ALREADY.
I WON'T REPEAT MYSELF, BUT THOSE ARE THOSE CIP PROJECTS AT THE TOP OF THAT SLIDE THAT SHIFTED FROM THE, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN OVER TO THE FIRE RESCUE BUDGET.
IF YOU BACK THOSE OUT, AND IF YOU BACK OUT THE, UH, THE, THE CHANGES IN THE MOU AND SO FORTH, OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS ACTUALLY A LITTLE LESS THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR.
AND THEN YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE COST OF LIVING, UH, PROPOSED COST OF LIVING INCREASES FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THAT BRINGS IT BACK UP.
SO THAT 11, 11%, UH, BUDGET, UM, INCREASE IS REALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW THAT GOT THERE, IT REALLY ISN'T THAT WHEN YOU, UH, LOOK AT THESE PROJECTS MOVING OVER INTO OUR BUDGET.
UM, BUT IT'S ALL MONEY FOR FIRE RESCUE.
YOU MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR IT.
UM, WE DID TAKE OUT SOME, UH, SO YOU MAY SAY, WELL, HOW COULD WE GET LESS THAN LAST YEAR? WELL, WE, WE DID TAKE OUT SOME PROJECTS.
THERE WERE SOME ONE-TIME PROJECTS THAT WERE DONE LAST YEAR THAT WON'T BE NEED OR DONE THIS YEAR.
THAT WON'T BE NEED IN THE FUTURE.
AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE ON HERE THAT THE, UH, THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE FIRE RESCUE ASSOCIATION, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE, UH, WHAT SHIFTED, UH, AND WHO'S, UM, WHO'S SHARING THESE COSTS AND THE WAY THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE SHARED.
I WANNA BE CLEAR, I DID STAY THE COURSE, UH, LAST YEAR.
UH, WE CAN, WE CAN SEE THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OCCURRING IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I DID MAKE A REQUEST LAST YEAR FOR 36 FIREFIGHTERS BECAUSE WE REALIZED THAT IF WE DON'T GET STARTED NOW, THEN UH, WE'RE GONNA BE BEHIND.
AND WE WERE GRANTED 12 POSITIONS, AND WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
AND ALL 12 OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE, ARE IN USE IN THE STATION.
SO WE STAYED THE COURSE WITH THAT REQUEST BECAUSE, UH, AND WE ASKED, UH, FOR 24 THIS YEAR.
WE WERE HOPING THAT, UH, POSSIBLY 12 COULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND THEN MAYBE WE COULD GET PERMISSION TO ASK FOR THE OTHER 12, UH, FROM FEMA ON ANOTHER SAFER GRANT.
WE APPLIED LAST YEAR FOR A SAFER GRANT FOR 24.
MAYBE OUR CHANCES WILL BE BETTER BY ASKING FOR 12, OR MAYBE THINGS ARE DIFFERENT IN WASHINGTON AND IT WON'T BE THE SAME GRANT PROCESS.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO REQUESTED, UM, SOME OFFICER UPGRADES, SOME INTERNAL PROMOTIONS.
THESE ARE NOT NEW POSITIONS, BUT THESE ARE PROMOTING EXISTING PEOPLE, UH, ONE BATTALION CHIEF AND TWO LIEUTENANTS.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE GET MORE PERSONNEL THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE THE SUPERVISION IN PLACE, UH, FOR, FOR MULTIPLE REASONS, THE REASONS YOU ALREADY KNOW, BUT ALSO FOR AIR SAFETY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN OFFICER WITH, WITH EVERY CREW.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE CLOSE TO THAT.
UH, THANK THANKFULLY FOR YOUR, YOUR HELP AND ASSISTANCE.
SO I DID JUST WANNA MENTION THE FLEET BECAUSE THE FLEET IS, UM, IS A SOURCE OF A, A LARGE EXPENSE.
AND YOU CAN LOOK AT SOME OF OUR MILEAGES, ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AND, AND YOU'VE DONE TO SUPPORT NEW VEHICLES COMING IN.
UH, THIS YEAR, THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN ON ORDER FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS.
WE'VE GOTTEN, UH, TWO TANKERS, A NEW LADDER TRUCK, UH, TWO NEW AMBULANCES THAT HAVE ROLLED IN HERE ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
BASICALLY WITHIN ABOUT SIX MONTHS OF EACH OTHER HAVE BEEN ON ORDER, UH, FOR A GOOD WHILE.
AND SO EVEN WITH THAT, UM, THE MILEAGE IS, IS STEADILY CREEPING UP ON OUR UNITS BECAUSE OUR UNITS ARE ON THE ROAD MORE OFTEN AND THEY'RE BUSIER.
AND THOSE 56% INCREASE IN AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS SINCE 2020 RACKS UP THE MILEAGE.
AND SO OUR AMBULANCES, UH, THAT JUST ARE JUST TWO OR THREE YEARS OLD, HAVE 121,000 MILES ON IT.
AND SOME OF OUR FIRE ENGINES, UH, HAVE HIGHER, MUCH HIGHER MILEAGE THAN, THAN, THAN IT USED TO.
THE OTHER THING I'LL JUST MENTION, BESIDES THE PRICE OF THE FIRE APPARATUS, MY GOODNESS, UH, YOU KNOW, 2020, YOU COULD HAVE BOUGHT AN ENGINE, AND WE DID BUY AN ENGINE FOR ROUGHLY 750,000.
THAT SAME ENGINE TODAY WOULD BE 1.2 MILLION.
AND WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT AND TOOK ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT.
AND WE'RE GONNA BUY STOCK FIRE ENGINES, UH, AS LONG AS WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT MANUFACTURER AND THE RIGHT DEALER IN MIND, AND THE QUALITY IS STILL
[04:30:01]
THERE.AND WE CAN BRING A FIRE ENGINE UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, BY BUYING A STOCK UNIT, AND WE CAN GET IT QUICKER.
BECAUSE THE, THE OTHER THING THAT'S KIND OF PLAGUED OUR INDUSTRY OR THIS INDUSTRY, A FIRE, A RESCUE APPARATUS, IS THAT IT TAKES ANYWHERE FROM 24 TO 48 MONTHS FROM THE DAY YOU ORDER A FIRE ENGINE, UH, OR TILL YOU RECEIVE IT.
AND THAT IS, UH, THAT'S JUST NEVER BEEN THAT WAY.
AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S GETTING ANY BETTER.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT IT TRYING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYERS MONEY.
IF WE CAN BUY STOCK UNITS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PRODUCTION, UH, THEY HAVE THE FUTURES ON 'EM, WE'RE INTERESTED IN.
THEY'RE NO LESS QUALITY, NO LESS SAFE, UH, BUT WE CAN GET 'EM QUICKER, AND THEY DO COME IN A LITTLE BIT LESS MONEY.
THE OTHER INCREASE, UH, OR THE OTHER REQUEST IN THE BUDGET IS TO, UM, CONSIDERATION PLEAS FOR OUR ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT PROVIDERS.
UH, WE HAVE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL, WE HAVE EMTS, BASIC LIFE SUPPORT PROVIDERS, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR INTERMEDIATE AND PARAMEDICS.
AND WE HAVE NOT, UH, ASKED FOR AN INCREASE IN A LS ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT STIPENDS FOR PARAMEDICS AND INTERMEDIATES, UH, SINCE 2021, I BELIEVE IT WAS.
AND WE'VE FALLEN BEHIND AND A PARAMEDIC OR AN EMT INTERMEDIATE.
UM, WHEN YOU LOSE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION BECAUSE THEY'RE PAYING MORE, THEN THAT'S A BIG LOSS BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE A, A FIREFIGHTER THAT, OR, OR AN EMT THAT IS, HAS HAD ALL OF THE OTHER TRAINING FROM THE START TO FINISH.
THEY'VE GONE ON TO GET THIS ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT TRAINING, AND IT'S A THOUSAND MORE HOURS IN THE BETTER PART OF A FULL YEAR.
UH, AS WELL AS, UH, IN SOME CASES, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PAYING THEIR SALARY THE ENTIRE TIME THEY'RE GETTING THAT TOO, IF IT'S A CAREER MEMBER.
AND SO, WE'RE LOOKED AT, LOOKED AROUND THE REGION, AND, UH, AND I WON'T CALL THE LOCALITIES BY NAME BECAUSE I'VE GOT 'EM ON THE SLIDE, UM, BUT EVEN TO OUR NORTH, UH, JUST TO OUR NORTH, THEY'RE PAYING MORE.
THEY'RE PAYING THEIR PARAMEDICS MORE.
I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT, UM, OUR PARAMEDICS AND OUR INTERMEDIATES, UH, THEY OPERATE WITH THE MOST ADVANCED PATIENT CARE PROTOCOLS MADE POSSIBLE BY DR. ANDERSON AND DR. LLOYD.
UH, WE HAVE ADVANCED PROTOCOLS.
UH, WE HAVE AN AIRWAY, ADVANCED AIRWAY PROTOCOL THAT SOME OF THESE OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE PAYING MORE, UH, CALL US TO PERFORM.
UM, SO I JUST, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN RETAIN OUR INTERMEDIATES AND OUR PARAMEDICS BECAUSE, UH, THERE IS NO OTHER, UH, SPECIALTY SERVICE, IF YOU WANNA CALL THAT, THAT WE OFFER THAT IS MORE IN DEMAND THAN ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT.
AND YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDES AND SEE, SEE THOSE NUMBERS.
SO OUR CAREER FIREFIGHTER, EMT STAFFING PLAN.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE FIVE FIREFIGHTER EMTS ON DUTY AT EVERY STATION EXCEPT CROSIER COMPANY TWO AND COMPANY EIGHT.
AND WHY NOT THOSE TWO PLACES? THE FACILITIES WON'T ACCOMMODATE THAT MANY PEOPLE.
STATION TWO IS A SMALL, UH, SQUARE FOOTAGE FOOTPRINT.
UH, WE HAVE ISSUES THERE WITH THE SEPTIC FIELD.
UH, WE JUST DON'T, WE HAVE A, A, A GOOD ASSORTMENT OF FIRE RESCUE APPARATUS, BUT WE REALLY CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN TWO, TWO CAREER FIREFIGHTERS ON DUTY THERE AT ANY, ANY GIVEN TIME BECAUSE OF SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES.
BUT THE OTHER STATIONS, UH, AND STATION EIGHT EVENTUALLY WILL HAVE A, A FULL SCALE FACILITY, AND THAT WILL BE, UH, A MOOT POINT FOR THEM.
BUT TO HAVE FIRE FIVE FIREFIGHTERS ON DUTY, UH, AT A STATION WOULD, WOULD ACTUALLY BE A, A GAME CHANGER FOR US FROM THE STANDPOINT OF BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE, MAYBE GO TO MORE THAN ONE CALL AT A TIME, OR SEND TWO UNITS FROM ONE STATION TO A CALL THAT NEEDS BOTH A FIRE ENGINE AND AN AMBULANCE, IEA TRAFFIC CRASH.
AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE, WE STRUGGLE WITH THAT.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE HAVE, UM, 84 EMPLOYEES, 84 EMPLOYEES ALSO EARN ANNUAL LEAVE, SICK LEAVE, THERE'S MILITARY LEAVE, THERE'S WORKERS' COMP, UH, THERE'S ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEAVE, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER EMPLOYEE THAT WORKS FOR THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
AND SO WE HAVE TO BUILD IN A VERY CONSERVATIVE, WHAT WE CALL A RELIEF FACTOR, SO THAT IF WE WANNA MAINTAIN X AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES ON DUTY, THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE X AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES TO COVER LEAVE SPOTS AND ALL OF THAT.
UH, IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU RESTRICT LEAVE, AND RIGHT NOW WE CAN HAVE UP TO THREE, THREE EMPLOYEES OFF A DAY ON LEAVE, AND NOW WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO TO FOUR BECAUSE YOU CAN'T RESTRICT LEAVE LIKE THAT BECAUSE YOU GET TO THE END OF THE YEAR AND THOSE EMPLOYEES WERE DENIED.
AND THERE ARE CAPS ON HOW MUCH LEAVE YOU CAN CARRY OVER.
AND SO PLUS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, IT'S A BENEFIT, UH, THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE TO ADDRESS, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT WE NEED AT LEAST 33 PEOPLE WORKING, UM, ON A SHIFT, B SHIFT AND C SHIFT IN ORDER TO HAVE A CONSERVATIVE LEAVE FACTOR AND ENOUGH FOLKS TO MAINTAIN FIVE PEOPLE ON DUTY AT EVERY, EVERY FIRE STATION EXCEPT COMPANIES.
UM, TWO ENRO AND AID IN SANDY HOOK.
NOW, I DO WANNA MENTION, UH, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE BECAUSE, UM, THIS IS, UH, DEFINITELY A DEVIL IN THE DETAIL, BUT IT'S THE REALITY
[04:35:01]
OF IT.IF YOU OPEN A NEW FIRE STATION, YOU NEED 18 PEOPLE WHEN YOU OPEN A NEW FIRE STATION.
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GONNA STAFF AN AMBULANCE AND A FIRE ENGINE, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN EXTRA PERSON IN THE SYSTEM TO COVER THE LEAVE WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT, YOU GOTTA HAVE THE PEOPLE.
AND SO AT SOME POINT, THERE ARE SIX FULL-TIME FIREFIGHTERS ASSIGNED TO SANDY HOOK RIGHT NOW, TWO WORK A DAY, TWO SHIFTS ARE OFF, ONE SHIFT IS WORKING.
WE HAVE THREE PLATOONS, A, B, AND C SHIFT THAT'S VERY TRADITIONAL IN CO COMPARISON TO OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS.
AND SO SANDY HOOK'S GONNA NEED, UM, 12 MORE FIREFIGHTERS WHEN IT OPENS THE DOORS AND IT'S FULLY BUILT OUT, AND IT HAS, UH, FIRE ENGINE AMBULANCE, AND HOPEFULLY IT'LL HAVE A TANKER IN OUR BRUSH TRUCK.
SO, JUST SOMETHING, UH, TO THINK ABOUT.
SO OUR REQUEST CONSIDERATION, PLEASE, IS TO CONSIDER 12 FIREFIGHTERS.
UM, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE 12 LAST YEAR.
UH, WE CAN SEE THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT COMING.
UH, LIKE YOU, I GET CALLS FROM CITIZENS, UH, ASKING FIRE CHIEF, YOU KNOW, WHY WAS IT WHEN, YOU KNOW, MY LOVED ONE WENT TO THE FIRE STATION, HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, THERE WAS NO ONE THERE.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, MA'AM, OR SIR, IT'S BECAUSE THAT STATION WAS ALREADY ON ANOTHER CALL AND THERE WAS ANOTHER CALL IN THAT DISTRICT AND ANOTHER UNIT WAS THERE.
AND FINALLY THE UNIT FROM CROZIER, OR THE UNIT FROM THE COURTHOUSE ARRIVED, UH, TO HANDLE THAT EMERGENCY, WE DO THE BEST WE CAN.
WE ARE VERY RESOURCEFUL WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.
AND, AND I THINK WE'RE THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF, OF BEING ABLE TO DO MORE WITH LESS.
UH, ANOTHER COMMON, UH, THREAD THAT WE HEARD TODAY FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, FIRE RESCUE IS THE SAME WAY.
BUT LOOKING AT 12, UH, FIREFIGHTER EMTS, THIS, THIS WOULD HELP US AND CONTINUE THE REDUCTION OF RESPONSE TIMES, BUT ALSO IT WOULD GET OUR STATIONS CLOSER TO THOSE FIVE PEOPLE ON DUTY.
NOW, SO I MENTIONED WE ASKED FOR 24, BUT FIRE RESCUE, WE HAVE LIMITS TOO.
AND WE HAVE LEARNED THAT HONESTLY, ABOUT THE MOST WE CAN HANDLE AND DO A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH TRAINING IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR IS ABOUT 12.
IT WOULD REALLY TAX US IF, IF IT WERE MORE THAN THAT.
HOWEVER, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COST OF TRAINING, IT COST NEARLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY TO TRAIN 12 FIREFIGHTERS AS IT DOES SIX.
YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE THE SAME INSTRUCTORS THE SAME.
IT'S ABOUT A $5,000 DIFFERENCE IN THE COST OF A TRAINING ACADEMY.
AND IF YOU START A TRAINING ACADEMY WITH SIX PEOPLE, AND A COUPLE OF THOSE SIX PEOPLE DECIDE THIS ISN'T FROM THEM AND THEY DON'T CONTINUE TO TRAINING ACADEMY, YOU CAN'T BACK THAT UP AND BRING TWO MORE PEOPLE IN.
AT THAT POINT, YOU'RE RUNNING A TRAINING ACADEMY FOR FOUR PEOPLE AND YOU'VE GOT THE SAME EXPENSE.
AND SO I THINK, UM, 12, 12 POSITIONS FROM OUR STANDPOINT WOULD HELP US, UH, MEET THAT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE STRAIN THAT WE'RE SEEING ON OUR DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS WOULD PROBABLY, UH, BE THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TRAINING PROGRAM.
NOW, CERTAINLY, I MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE SALARIES THAT GO ALONG WITH, WITH THE, THAT ASK, AND, AND I, I DO SAY, PLEASE FOR CONSIDERATION, SO THE NEED FOR FIRE FIREFIGHTERS ON DUTY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I THINK WE'VE COVERED THIS, BUT, AND I THINK I PROBABLY CAN MAKE SOME OF THESE, UM, POINTS A WHOLE LOT BETTER RATHER THAN READ YOU THE, THE SLIDE.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THERE ARE SOME, SOME INDUSTRY STANDARDS, UH, SUCH AS OSHA.
UH, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN TWO PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING IF IT'S ON FIRE AND TWO PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, UH, IF IT'S, UM, NO RESCUE TO BE MADE.
AND SO SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO WAIT A A FEW MINUTES, UH, FOR MORE UNITS TO ARRIVE UNTIL WE CAN DEPLOY A CREW ON THE INTERIOR OF A BUILDING FOR A STRUCTURE FIRE.
NOW, IF THERE IS A RESCUE TO BE MADE, THEN CERTAINLY WE CAN GO IN QUICKER.
OSHA ALLOWS US TO GO IN QUICKER.
IT'S CALLED THE TWO AND TWO OUT RULE.
BUT ALSO IF THERE IS A RESCUE TO BE MADE, THAT IS A LABOR INTENSIVE OPERATION TO RESCUE SOMEONE.
AND SO THESE ARE THINGS, UH, IN ADDITION TO OUR FIRE RESCUE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS DELIVERED, UH, IN 2024, AS WELL AS, UH, IT'S ALL BROKEN OUT IN OUR ISO REPORT.
WE HAD AN ISO EVALUATION AND WE GOT A NEW ISO RATING IN 2023.
AND ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE MISSED, UH, POINTS ON WAS, WAS FOR CREW DEPLOYMENT OR UNIT DEPLOYMENT.
AND BASICALLY, UM, IT'S, WE WEREN'T GETTING PRODUCING AND TURNING OUT ENOUGH PEOPLE ON THE SCENE.
UH, AND SO OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE HAD FIVE PEOPLE ON DUTY, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY WE COULD HANDLE MORE THAN ONE CALL AT A TIME.
SO KIND OF CARRYING WITH THAT THEME, UM, LOOKING AT THE WAY IT OPERATES TO DATE, YOU KNOW, ENGINE, IF THE AVERAGE STAFFING ON AIR ENGINES, THEY GO OUT THE DOOR OVER THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN ABOUT 2.6 PEOPLE.
[04:40:01]
UM, AND SO 53% OF THE TIME OUR ENGINES DO GO OUT THE DOOR WITH AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE ON 'EM.WHAT THIS SLIDE DOESN'T SHOW YOU IS THERE ARE STILL TIMES OUR ENGINES GO OUT THE DOOR WITH ONE PERSON DRIVING ONLY.
AND WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR WHERE THE AMBULANCE AT CENTERVILLE HAS ALREADY BEEN ON A CALL AND THERE'D BE A FIRE ALARM OR A FIRE INCIDENT AT EVERY POINT.
AND THAT FIRE ENGINE PULL UP AT EVERY POINT WITH ONE PERSON IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, MET WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE EVACUATED IN A BUILDING.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN DO GOOD THINGS AND THEY DO EXCELLENT WORK, BUT YOU ARE LIMITED WHEN YOU SHOW UP, UH, AS ONE PERSON ON A FIRE ENGINE AND PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW COULD THAT HAPPEN? BUT THE AMBULANCE WAS JUST THERE OR ACROSS THE STREET ALREADY ON A CALL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT, UH, N-F-P-A-N-F-P-A RECOMMENDS FOUR PEOPLE ON A FIRE ENGINE, BUT, BUT WE THINK IT'S REALISTIC FOR GOODLAND TO TRY TO ACHIEVE FOR THREE.
WE WANT TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE ON A FIRE ENGINE AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERN WHETHER THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS OR WHETHER THEY'RE CAREER MEMBERS.
AND WE'D ACTUALLY LIKE A MIXTURE OF PEOPLE, THE COMBINATION CREWS, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S THE BEST FOR THE, FOR THE WHOLE SITUATION.
UM, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT NFPA 1710, AND YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDED NUMBERS THAT IT TAKES TO HANDLE SOME OF THESE FIRES, A SINGLE FAMILY DWELL IN RESIDENTIAL FIRE.
THEY TALK ABOUT 14 MEMBERS AND 15 IF YOU OPERATE AN AERIAL DEVICE.
BUT, AND YOU CAN LOOK DOWN THIS LIST AND SEE IT GETS, THE NUMBERS GET LARGER WITH THE SIZES OF BUILDINGS THAT ARE ON FIRE.
BUT ONE THING I WANNA POINT OUT THAT'S IN RED ON THIS SLIDE IS, IS THAT NONE OF THESE NUMBERS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH FIRE HYDRANT AVAILABLE.
UH, THOSE NUMBERS DO NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IF WE HAVE TO DO RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND RUN TANKER SHUTTLES, UH, THEN IT'S EASILY TAKES SEVEN TO 10 MORE PEOPLE TO OPERATE TANKERS.
YOU GOTTA GO TO A POND, YOU GOTTA DRAFT, YOU GOTTA DUMP.
AND SO A LOT OF THE TIMES, UH, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT.
OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH, UH, PROGRAM, UH, ADDS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR, FOR HIGHER ACUITY, UH, PRIORITY ONE TYPE CALLS.
AND OVER THE LAST YEAR THERE WERE 600 1600 TIMES THAT PRIORITY ONE CALLS WERE DISPATCHED.
AND SO PRIORITY ONE CALLS GETS AN AMBULANCE, IT GETS AN A LS PROVIDER, A PARAMEDIC, OR INTERMEDIATE, AND IT GETS A FIRE RESPONSE BECAUSE TYPICALLY THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE ON THE AMBULANCE.
AND A PRIORITY ONE CALL COULD BE A CARDIAC ARREST, IT COULD BE AN UNCONSCIOUS PATIENT, IT COULD BE A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WITH A CRITICAL PATIENT.
AND THESE CRITICAL PATIENTS NEED MORE THAN TWO CAREGIVERS BECAUSE ONE OF THOSE TWO'S GOTTA DRIVE THE AMBULANCE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST.
SO 1200 OF THE 1600 TIMES WE WERE ABLE TO GET A FIRE RESPONSE, BUT 400 OF THOSE CALLS WENT WITH WITHOUT THE STAFFING THAT'S BEING RECOMMENDED BY THE PRIORITY DISPATCH PROGRAM, PRO QA THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER USES.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE WALK AROUND THE COUNTY.
OKAY? THIS WAS, UH, THIS WAS LAST FRIDAY.
WE WENT AROUND THE COUNTY AND TOOK SOME PICTURES.
AND THIS IS, UH, KIND OF WHAT WE HAD AT COMPANY ONE.
WE HAD THREE PEOPLE ON DUTY COMPANY, UH, TWO, WE HAD THREE PEOPLE ON DUTY BECAUSE WE HAD A VOLUNTEER MEMBER WHO WAS, WAS PART OF THAT CREW AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
THREE, WE HAD FIVE PEOPLE ON DUTY AND WE HAD A VOLUNTEER MEMBER, UH, PART OF THAT CREW GIVING US THE ABILITY TO STAFF A FIRE ENGINE AND AN AMBULANCE AT THE SAME TIME.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT COMPANY, UH, ONE AND TWO, THOSE, THOSE, UH, FIREFIGHTERS, THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE WHETHER, WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA TAKE A FIRE ENGINE TO A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT OR AN AMBULANCE.
AND SO IT REQUIRES, UM, A LOT OF DECISION MAKING.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS, WHO CAN OPERATE, UH, WHICH VEHICLE.
AND THEN YOU GET TO THE WEST END OF THE COUNTY WITH COMPANY FOUR.
UH, COMPANY, COMPANY FOUR HAD THREE PEOPLE ON DUTY, UH, FRIDAY, AND THIS IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.
AND COMPANY FIVE HAD TWO PEOPLE ON DUTY BECAUSE TWO OF THEIR PEOPLE THAT ARE NORMALLY ASSIGNED, THEY'RE AT SANDY HOOK NOW.
AND THEN COMPANY SIX HAD THREE PEOPLE ON DUTY.
AND SO IT KINDA GIVES YOU AN IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, UNLESS YOU'VE GOT ADEQUATE STAFFING, YOU CAN'T STAFF THOSE TWO PRIMARY, UH, BASIC FUNDAMENTAL VEHICLES.
AND SO THE COMPANY SIX PICTURE SHOWS A CREW MOVING THEIR TURNOUT GEAR FROM THE AMBULANCE OVER TO THE FIRE ENGINE.
THIS IS A CONCEPT THAT WE REFER TO AS CROSS STAFFING OR FIRST POOL.
UH, SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT.
AND WHEN THESE STATIONS EMPTY OR SOME OF THESE STATIONS EMPTY, AND MOST OFTEN NOW IT'S THE EAST END STATIONS THAT ARE EMPTYING, THESE OTHER STATIONS HAVE TO SHIFT AND COME AND COVER THOSE AREAS.
SO IT LEAVES OTHER AREAS WITHOUT, WITHOUT THE COVERAGE AS FAR AS NEW FIRE STATIONS GO.
UM, THE WEST CREEK FIRE STATION, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, YES, WE STILL OWN PROPERTY ON HOCKETT ROAD, UM, HOWEVER, WE'RE LOOKING FOR POTENTIALLY ANOTHER SUITABLE SITE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY.
UH, AND THEN SANDY HOOK STATION EIGHT, UH, WE ARE NOW COVERING
[04:45:01]
THAT, UH, 24 HOURS A DAY WITH TWO FIREFIGHTERS ON AN AMBULANCE.UH, AND THAT AMBULANCE IS RESPONDING TO QUITE A FEW CALLS.
UM, AND YOU SAW THIS 400 AND SOME UNIT RESPONSES, UH, I'LL TELL YOU THAT SINCE WE STARTED AN AMBULANCE IN SANDY HOOK, UH, AND KEEP IN MIND, WE ONLY COVER DAY HOURS MOST OF THE TIME.
YOU KNOW, THAT AMBULANCE HAS ANSWERED, UH, ON THE UPS OF 700 PLUS CALLS.
SO IT'S, UH, THERE'S A NEED FOR THAT THERE AND IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
THE OTHER, UH, PART OF THIS IS TRYING TO GET THE, UH, OTHER 12 FIREFIGHTERS ON A SAFER GRANT.
AND WE'D LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD PERMISSION IF WE COULD ONCE AGAIN APPLY IF IT, IF THE GRANT PROCESS OPENS AND IT'S IN ITS TRADITIONAL SENSE, UH, THAT POTENTIALLY WE COULD GET A SAFER GRANT THAT WOULD COVER THREE YEARS OF, UH, SALARIES FOR ANOTHER 12.
UH, SO THAT'S, UM, THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF, UM, OF WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, FOR YOU TO CONSIDER, PLEASE.
SO WE KNOW THE COMMUNITY IS GROWING.
UH, IT IS GROWING FASTER THAN WE CAN, CAN THINK.
WE HAVE THE 27,000 CITIZENS, AND WE HAVE ALL OF THIS ECONOMIC, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH THAT'S OCCURRING AROUND THE COUNTY TODAY.
AVERY POINT HAS SIX BUILDINGS OCCUPIED.
THEY'RE GONNA OPEN ANOTHER BUILDING IN OCTOBER, THAT'S ANOTHER 130 PEOPLE.
AND WHEN THEY GET FULLY BUILT OUT, THAT'S 13 BUILDINGS AT 1400 PEOPLE.
AND SOME OF THOSE, UH, SOME OF THAT BUILD OUT IS GOING TO BE, UH, SKILLED NURSING BEDS.
AND THAT IS NOT THERE NOW, BUT IT, IT WILL BE THERE.
AND I WANNA SAY IT WAS A HUNDRED PLUS SKILLED NURSING BEDS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE, BE THERE ON SITE AT EVERY POINT.
AND FOR EVERY SKILLED NURSING BED, YOU CAN COUNT ON AT LEAST ONE CALL A YEAR FOR THAT.
BUT WE THINK EVERY POINT WE'RE PROBABLY BE RUNNING A ANYWHERE BETWEEN 80 TO A HUNDRED CALLS A YEAR.
UH, JUST BASED ON, UM, WHAT OUR OTHER PARTNERS TELL US THAT HAVE THESE FACILITIES.
UM, THE DEMANDS ARE INCREASING.
UH, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT, UM, RESIDENTIAL GROWTH.
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENT POPULATION, MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGS, WHO WOULD'VE EVER THOUGHT THAT GOLAND WOULD HAVE THREE SETS OF APARTMENTS.
WE HAVE THREE SETS OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN THE COUNTY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE GO TO CALLS THERE, WE GO TO CALLS THERE.
UM, IT REQUIRES SERVICE, MULTI-FAMILY DWELLINGS, LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAYS, AGE RESTRICTED COMMUNITIES, AND MEDICAL OFFICE, UH, COMPLEX.
AND THIS IS JUST A, UH, A LITTLE CHART THAT SHOWS YOU THE NUMBER OF AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS THAT WE'RE RUNNING AT AVERY POINT.
SHELTER IN ARMS, TACHO PINES, AND WE PUT IN, UH, CHELSEA REHAB ON DOGTOWN ROAD.
'CAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS, IT'S BEEN BEEN AROUND FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.
AND WE JUST WANNA SHOW YOU WHAT THESE AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS LOOK LIKE OUTTA THESE FACILITIES.
NOW WE ARE ABLE TO, UH, COLLECT REVENUE FOR THAT.
SO THAT MILLION DOLLARS THAT, UH, WE GENERATED IN 2024, AND SOME OF OF THAT ARE THESE AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS.
AND SO WE ARE ABLE TO, TO COLLECT, UH, SOME MONEY FOR THAT.
UM, BUT IT TIES OUR UNITS UP AND THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE TIED UP THAT HAVE TO GO TO THE FIRE CALLS.
AND IF THERE'S ANOTHER CALL, WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE CALL'S GONNA BE, UM, YOU KNOW, A SICK CALL OR WHETHER IT'S GONNA BE A HEAD-ON COLLISION OR A HEART ATTACK OR A STRUCTURE FIRE.
WE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NEXT CALL IS GONNA BE.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE BENCH DEPTH RESOURCE, UH, THE WAY WE OPERATE TODAY TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO ALL OF THIS DEVELOPMENT AND SO FORTH THAT'S OCCURRING.
AND AMAZON, UH, AMAZON IS, UH, IS MASSIVE.
UH, OUR, OUR AMAZON FACILITY IS, UH, WELL, AT LEAST THE SITE IS BEING CLEARED.
UM, I'M TOLD IT'S GONNA OPEN IN THE SUMMER OF 2026.
UH, WE'VE, UH, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, MRS. SHERRY AND, UM, MRS. WORLEY HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT, FOR LETTING US GO TO, UH, OTHER ARRANGING WHERE WE WENT AND TOURED THE HENRICO, AMAZON.
WE WENT TO VIRGINIA BEACH AND LOOKED AT THEIR AMAZON FACILITY THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
AND IT'S, UH, IT'S A LOT TO TAKE IN.
YOU KNOW, YOU FIGURE, UM, OF A TOTAL ROBOTIC FULFILLMENT CENTER.
ROBOTS OPERATE OFF OF LITHIUM ION BATTERIES.
UH, AIR FACILITIES PROJECTED TO BE 3.1 MILLION SQUARE FEET, 105 FOOT TALL BUILDING WITH FIVE FLOORS IN IT, A THOUSAND WORKERS AND 400 TRUCKS THAT GO IN AND OUT OF THAT PLACE, UH, ON A, ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, SO WE NEED TO BE READY FOR THAT.
AND WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO OUR FIRE RESCUE PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE WHO HAVE THESE FACILITIES.
UH, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO ENRICO, CHESTERFIELD, HANOVER, LOUDOUN COUNTY FOR STERLING SITE.
UH, WE'VE TALKED TO VIRGINIA BEACH, WE'VE TALKED TO, UH, CHESAPEAKE ALFO.
UM, AND, AND, AND WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS THAT, THAT WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US IS THAT WE SHOULD BE READY FOR AMAZON.
WE THINK BASED ON WHAT THEY TOLD US, WE CAN EXPECT ANOTHER A HUNDRED CALLS A YEAR BECAUSE OF AMAZON.
UH, BUT THIS IS, WELL, AND LET ME FINISH THAT.
OF THOSE A HUNDRED CALLS, PROBABLY 75,
[04:50:01]
80% OF 'EM ARE GONNA BE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE CALLS.HOWEVER, THAT ONE OR ONE FIRE CALL FIRE CHIEFS TELL ME, CHIEF FERGUSON, YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THIS.
YOU NEED TO CATCH THESE FIRES WHILE IT'S EARLY BECAUSE THESE ARE HUGE FACILITIES.
THERE ARE LOTS OF WORKERS IN IT.
AND SO IN, IN CHECKING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, UM, I COULD NOT FIND A DEPARTMENT THAT SENDS LESS THAN 29 FIREFIGHTERS ON THE FIRST ALARM STRUCTURE, FIRE RESPONSE TO AN AMAZON FACILITY.
NOW, I DID FIND SOME THAT SEND AS MANY AS 35, BUT IT WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20, UM, LET ME REPHRASE THAT, 25 TO, TO 30 TO UH, 35 PEOPLE.
AND ONE JURISDICTION THAT WAS SENDING 25 WAS GETTING MUTUAL AID FROM ANOTHER JURISDICTION.
UH, SO I THINK IT'S, UM, THAT'S MORE THAN WE'VE GOT ON DUTY.
THAT IS MORE PEOPLE THAT COULD HAVE TO GO TO AMAZON THAN WE'VE GOT ON DUTY COUNTYWIDE.
AND SOME OF THEIR 25 OR 20 PEOPLE ON DUTY MAY ALREADY BE ON ANOTHER CALL.
UH, SO THIS IS A HUGE CONCERN OF OURS, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE CHALLENGED TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THIS DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS, UH, OTHER DEVELOPMENTS THAT, THAT ARE OCCURRING IN THE COUNTY BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS, IS COMING UP.
SO I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT MAY NOT BE A POPULAR STANCE AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE OTHER FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE STATE, AND THIS IS WHAT WE FOUND OUT.
ALL WE CAN DO TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE NOW WILL TELL YOU ONLY THREE OF THE EIGHT JURISDICTIONS HAVE ANYTHING COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE GETTING.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS MUCH SMALLER IN SIZE.
THE VIRGINIA BEACH, UH, SITE IS CERTAINLY AN AIR LEAGUE OF, UH, AMAZON SIZE AS WELL AS, UM, I BELIEVE THE ONE IN, UH, LOUDOUN IS, IS THAT THAT BIG AS WELL.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.
AND THIS IS THE REASON THAT WE ARE MAKING THE ASK BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE BEHIND.
WE ALREADY FEEL LIKE WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND.
UH, THERE'S TIME TO CATCH UP AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE, UH, TO THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND OUR CITIZENS THAT'S COMING IN THE COUNTY.
LOOKING AHEAD, UH, I'M NOT GONNA COVER THAT LIST WITH YOU, IT'S IN THE SLIDE DECK.
UM, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY THE INCREASE IN UM, IN CALL ACTIVITY.
PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE, UH, WE'VE SAID TO THIS POINT, I WILL SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK ON THE FIVE YEAR LOOK BACK, THAT'S BEEN, UH, SOMETHING THAT I'VE REFERRED TO A TIME OR TWO, AND I HAVE TO ASK MYSELF, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S CHANGED IN FIVE YEARS? WELL, OUR BUDGET HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED IN FIVE YEARS.
UH, FIVE YEARS AGO WE HAD 41, UH, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE 84 TODAY, SO IT'S MORE THAN DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WE'VE RECRUITED.
UM, I FORGET WHAT I SAID, 130 SOME VOLUNTEERS IN FIVE YEARS, BUT WE HAD SOME WHO LEFT.
CALL VOLUME HAS GONE UP BY, UH, 54%.
UM, VOLUNTEER AIR HOURS HAVE GONE DOWN.
SOME TRANSPORTS ARE UP BY 56%.
UH, WALL TIMES IN THE HOSPITAL WE SPEND, CAN THEY SPEND AN HOUR IN THE HOSPITAL WAITING FOR A BED? THE PATIENT'S ON AIR STRETCHER, THAT AMBULANCE IS OUT OF PLAY THAT LONG BECAUSE OF THAT SITUATION OCCURRING.
UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND ECONOMIC PROJECTS ARE UP.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TIME SPENT ON INCIDENTS ARE TAKING LONGER.
WE SPEND 11 AND A HALF HOURS ON INTERSTATE 64, UM, A MONTH OR AND A HALF AGO ON A GASOLINE TANKER OVERTURNED FULL OF GASOLINE.
AND THAT WAS MIRACULOUS THAT WE, ONE, IT DIDN'T LEAK, AND TWO, IT DIDN'T CATCH FIRE.
UM, SO THIS IS WHAT'S DIFFERENT IN LOOKING BACK AND WHERE, WHERE WE WERE FIVE YEARS AGO AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN LONG-WINDED, UM, BUT I'M CERTAINLY HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR IF I CAN'T ANSWER IT, I'VE GOT MY TEAM HERE WHO CAN, AND WE CAN, UH, TRY TO GET YOU AN ANSWER.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HEARING THEIR REQUESTS.
NEIL, DO YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS? NO, ALL ANYONE ELSE.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA TRY AND GET ALL OF THEM.
UM, ONE THING I NOTED IS I CALCULATED JUST VERY QUICKLY A 12,000 HOUR DECLINE IN VOLUNTEER HOURS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
JUST, WELL, I DON'T NEED THESE SPECIFICS.
BUT I MEAN, THAT IS ROUGHLY SIX FTES.
UM, AND THAT'S IN A PERFECT SCENARIO, NOT TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, SO THAT IS A MARKED CONSIDERATION BEYOND JUST
[04:55:02]
COSTCO UP AND, AND THE LIKE.UM, SO, UM, AND THEN AMBULANCE NEEDS SKYROCKET DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE GONE.
SORRY, AMBULANCE NEEDS INCREASING DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE GOING DOWN ANYTIME SOON.
UM, YOU DID TALK TO THE EXPENSES SHIFTING TO THE OPERATING BUDGET.
UM, I, I THINK OF, YOU KNOW, NOTHING THAT WE NEED MORE THAN THAT.
A LS STIPEND TO BE INCREASED, GIVEN THAT WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT WITH THE AMBULANCE NEEDS, UM, THAT SEEMS LIKE AN ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE RIGHT, UM, PAYMENT FOR IN OUR, THE RIGHT COMPENSATION FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS ON THERE.
UM, AND WE HAVE INCREASING OSHA REQUIREMENTS, AND I WILL JUST POINT THIS OUT.
THEY'RE FIRST RESPONDERS, BECAUSE THEY GO IN FIRST, THAT IS A MARK OF BRAVERY AND, YOU KNOW, HEROISM, BUT THEY'RE ALSO FIRST RESPONDERS IN HOW OUR COUNTY LOOKS.
AND I'M GLAD YOU TOUCHED ON THAT POINT IS WHEN WE GO TO A CALL AND WE HAVE ONE PERSON ON A APPARATUS, IT DOES RAISE THE QUESTION OF DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES IN GLAND COUNTY? I I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT US TO DOLL THINGS UP, SO TO SPEAK, BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION THAT IS A LOOK TO OUR CITIZENS THAT, UM, I DON'T THINK CAN GO UNNOTICED.
I MEAN, I THINK WE DO HAVE TO CONSIDER WHAT PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM SOME A SITUATION LIKE THAT, EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS NOTHING TO, YOU KNOW, HOW WELL THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE ABLE TO MEET THE DEMANDS.
BUT IT IS A, UH, CONSIDERATION.
WE HAVE TO PUT, UM, THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT, UM, IF WE GET THE 12, UM, THAT, OR SORRY, I GUESS THE 12 TO GET TO THE 24 THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING.
IF WE DON'T RECEIVE THE SAFER GRANTS FROM A FUNDING STANDPOINT, YOU'LL JUST HAVE 12.
YOU'LL JUST BE GOING FOR 12, OR YOU'LL TRY AND HIRE 24.
THAT WOULD BE TOTALLY UP TO YOU.
BUT WE'RE ONLY ASKING YOU TO FUND 12 OUT OF, UH, COUNTY FUNDS.
UM, WE CANNOT, UH, EFFECTIVELY WE HAVE THOSE LIMITATIONS TO THE SIZE OF OUR DEPARTMENT, THE TRAINING CENTER, THE TRAINING DIVISION.
WE KNOW BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE'VE DONE IT, WE CAN TRAIN 12 FIREFIGHTERS A YEAR.
THAT TRAINING TAKES SIX PLUS MONTHS A YEAR TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE FIELD INTERNSHIP THAT FOLLOWS THE TRAINING.
SO IF WE DON'T GET THE 12, IF, IF YOU DO FUND 12, IF YOU DO DO FUND 12, AND THEN IF WE ARE ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR A SAFER GRANT FOR 12 MORE AND WE DON'T GET THAT, OR IF FOR SOME REASON THE FEDS DON'T ANNOUNCE THE SAFER GRANT BECAUSE OF THINGS THAT ARE OCCURRING, THEN UM, THAT'S WHERE WE'LL STAND 12 FOR THIS BUDGET.
AND THEN WE'LL, NEXT BUDGET CYCLE FOR FY 27, WE'LL, WE'LL REGROUP AND WE'LL REEVALUATE AND COME FORWARD WITH, WITH THE OTHER, OTHER REQUESTS AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
WHEN, WHEN DO WE FIND OUT ABOUT SAFER GRANTS GENERALLY? WELL, THE SAFER GRANTS, UH, USUALLY OPEN ABOUT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, AND THEY HAVEN'T, SO FAR.
WE ALREADY HAVE A SAFER GRANT, BUT IT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
AND SO, UH, LAST YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD APPLIED FOR OUR SAFER GRANT AND WE HAD FOUND OUT, UM, SUMMER, OCTOBER.
WE FOUND OUT THAT WE, WE DID NOT GET THAT.
UM, AND THERE WERE VERY FEW DEPARTMENTS IN VIRGINIA THAT DID GET ONE AND WELL, OUR COLLEAGUES, UM, WE COULDN'T QUITE FIGURE THAT OUT.
UH, BUT, BUT ANYWAY, THE, THE, THE SAFER GRANT IS NOT GUARANTEED, BUT IT IS, IT IS ABSOLUTELY WORTH TRYING FOR.
UH, IF IN FACT IT COMES OUT AND ANNOUNCED IN THE SAME FASHION WITH THREE YEARS OF SALARY NOW IT COULD, WHEN IT'S ANNOUNCED, IT COULD BE, IT COULD BE DIFFERENT.
THE TERMS OF THE GRANT COULD BE DIFFERENT.
UH, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, BUT IT MIGHT BE THIS YEAR.
BUT YES, IF WE APPLIED FOR THE, UH, THE 12 AND THE SAFER, AND WE DIDN'T GET THAT, I'M NOT EXPECTING YOU TO, TO FUND, UH, 24 PEOPLE OUT OF FY 26, UH, YOU KNOW, SAFER GRANTS, SAFER GRANT, AND THEN THE, THE REQUEST FOR FOR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE FOR 12 FULL-TIME NEW FIREFIGHTER EMTS IS SEPARATE FROM THAT.
BUT IT DOES ADD UP TO BE THE 24 PART OF THE BIGGER PLAN THAT WE STARTED WITH LAST BUDGET PROCESS.
AND IS THAT ALL OR NOTHING? IF, IF YOU APPLY FOR 12, CAN YOU GET EIGHT CAN IS OR IS IT ALL OR NOTHING? AS FAR AS I KNOW, UM, JURISDICTIONS, UH, HAVE RECEIVED SAFER.
CHIEF WATKINS, YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT? I KNOW IT, IT CAN BE DIFFERENT.
YOU, YOU MAY NOT GET WHAT YOU ASKED FOR, BUT YEAH.
LITTLE ABOUT CHIEF WATKINS SPEAK TO THE SAFER GRANT A LITTLE BIT, UH, UH, COULD EVEN SAFER, A SAFER GRANT STANDS, UH, FOR STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE
[05:00:01]
FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE.UM, IT IS A FEDERAL FUNDED PROGRAM.
IT COVERS 100% OF THE COST OF SALARIES FOR THREE YEARS FOR THE A FIXED DOLLAR AMOUNT.
SO IT'S BASED ON THE SALARIES OF THE EMPLOYEES.
SO BA WE WOULD CALCULATE OUR CURRENT SALARY RATE AND WE WOULD MULTIPLY BY 12, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND THE FEDERAL GRANT, THE FEDERAL WOULD COVER THAT FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
THAT DOES NOT COUNT TRAINING, UM, PAYING THEM, PAYING THEIR EQUIPMENT OR TRAINING COSTS.
AND THEN AT THE END OF THREE YEARS, THE JURISDICTION ASSUMES THE COST OF IT.
IN PAST YEARS, SAFER WAS A FIVE YEAR PROGRAM WHERE IT BASICALLY STARTED AT A HUNDRED PERCENT FUNDING AND TAPERED LIKE 8100, 80, 60 SO ON.
AND THEY HAVE SWITCHED IT TO WHAT THE CURRENT MODEL IS, AGAIN, TO CHIEF FERGUSON'S POINT, THAT MAY CHANGE THAT, THAT MODEL COULD CHANGE YOU VERY EASILY, BUT IT IS, UH, IT, AFTER THE END OF THE GRANT PER TERM, THE, THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO MAKE A DECISION ON, ON THOSE POSITIONS.
BUT WHAT, WHAT I'M HEARING IS YOU COULD DO, YOU COULD DO 12 THROUGH YOUR ACADEMY.
IF YOU KNEW WE HAD, AND, AND THEN WE'D FIND OUT NOVEMBER TIMEFRAME, WHETHER YOU WOULD THEN KICK IN THE NEXT 12 FOR YOUR ACADEMY IN THE SECOND HALF NEXT ACADEMY FISCAL YEAR.
SO THAT IS A POSSIBILITY FOR THAT SITUATION.
UM, I, THIS MIGHT BE THE SAME JURISDICTION, THE JURISDICTION, BUT MAYBE YOU COULD SPEAK TO THIS.
I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE THE STORIES I HEAR ARE THE INDIVIDUALS RE THE FIRE AND RESCUE STAFF THAT WE TRAIN AND THAT ARE IN-HOUSE, THE RETENTION IS EXTREMELY HIGH FOR A LOT OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT THEY GET FROM GLAND COUNTY.
UM, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT IN ABSOLUTELY.
UH, OUR TRAINING ACADEMY IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE.
UH, WE START WITH THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN CLASS AND WE ROLL INTO THE, UH, FIRE CERTIFICATIONS.
AND ALONG THAT WAY, UH, WE FOUND THAT WHEN WE PROVIDE ALL THE TRAINING AND EVERYONE IS IN TRAINING FOR TOGETHER, THEN AS YOU SAY, THE RETENTION IS BETTER BECAUSE ALL THOSE FIREFIGHTERS ARE, ARE NOT ONLY RECEIVING THE, THE TYPES OF TRAINING THAT THEY NEED, THE CERTIFICATIONS, THEY ALSO ARE LEARNING ABOUT GOLAND COUNTY, AND THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT THE CULTURE WITHIN OUR FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY HAVE A EASIER TRANSITION INTO THE FIRE STATION.
AND WE HEAR THIS, UH, WE'VE SEEN THIS, AND KEEP IN MIND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T HAD, UH, BUT A COUPLE OF, UH, CAREER FIRE TRAINING ACADEMIES FROM START TO FINISH.
UH, BUT WE'VE BEEN HAVING, UM, VOLUNTEER TRAINING IN ACADEMIES, UH, FOR 40 YEARS.
SO WE UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS ABOUT EACH THAT, THAT DO CARRY FORWARD.
UH, SO YES, UM, BEING ABLE TO, TO TRAIN 'EM FROM START TO FINISH MAKES, MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
UM, CAN YOU ALSO SPEAK TO WHY WOULD WE NOT BE DOING THE A LS STIPEND ON AN ANNUAL BASIS? AND I MEAN, THIS, THIS SITUATION AROSE AND THINK, WELL, THE A LS STIPEND, I'LL, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS EXTRA PAY, LET'S CALL IT EXTRA PAY BUILT INTO ONE SALARY OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS BEEN SO GENEROUS TO US PUBLIC SAFETY WITH, UH, SALARY, UH, ADJUSTMENTS, SALARY MARKET BENCHMARKING ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE NEVER, UM, WE DIDN'T BRING THE A LS STIPEND FORWARD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HONESTLY SAW WHAT YOU WERE DOING, AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO ASK TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
AND SO NOW, UH, WE THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMPETITIVE IN THE MARKETPLACE AND OUR PARAMEDICS AND, AND INTERMEDIATES THAT PERFORM THE PATIENT CARE AND HAVE THE ADVANCED, UH, PROTOCOLS ARE COMPENSATED.
SO WE DON'T LOSE THOSE FOLKS TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS BECAUSE LOSING A FIREFIGHTER IS A HUGE LOSS.
BUT THEN THERE'S A WHOLE NOTHER, UH, ARENA OUT THERE WHERE YOU LOSE A PARAMEDIC TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT'S EVEN, UM, THAT'S EVEN A, A LARGER LOSS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, PARTICULARLY IF YOU HAD A HAND IN PROVIDING THAT PERSON'S TRAINING, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE'RE LUCKY AND WE'RE ABLE TO HIRE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE THAT ALREADY HAVE THE TRAINING, AND THEY CAN GET STARTED IN THE STATIONS MUCH SOONER.
BUT YES, WE, WE NEED TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH THEIR ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT PROVIDERS AND THEIR PAY.
AND I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
DO WE HAVE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LITHIUM BATTERY SITUATION AT THE AMAZON FACILITY, DO WE HAVE, I KNOW JUST THEY'RE EXPENSIVE.
DO WE HAVE ADEQUATE BLANKET SUPPLY? WE, WE HAVE, UM, THE, THE BLANKETS ARE ROUGHLY $3,500 A PIECE, AND WE HAVE TWO OF THOSE.
THAT'S LESS THAN I THOUGHT, TWO OF THOSE RIGHT NOW.
NOW, KEEP IN MIND THE BLANKETS WE HAVE, THERE'S ONE AT CENTERVILLE AND THERE'S ONE AT HAYDENVILLE ALONG 64, AND THEY'RE LARGE ENOUGH TO COVER UP A CAR.
UM, CAPITAL ONE HAS PUT SOME BLANKETS ON THEIR PARKING DECKS BECAUSE OF, UH, THEY BECAME AWARE THAT WE HAD THE BLANKETS.
IF YOU HAVE A CAR ON FIRE AND A PARKING DECK AND YOU CAN COVER THAT CAR UP, YOU CAN PROBABLY SAVE A LOT MORE CARS.
SO, UH, I THINK, UH, WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM AMAZON IS THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE ABSOLUTE BEST FIRE PROTECTION FEATURES BUILT INTO IT.
[05:05:01]
IT TOO.AND THEY WILL CATCH MOST OF WHAT OCCURS THERE AS FIRE.
BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THAT CHANCE OF, OF SOMETHING GETTING PAST ONE OF THOSE FIRE PROTECTION FEATURES.
AND WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THESE LITHIUM ION BATTERIES IS A PROCESS CALLED THERMAL RUNAWAY.
AND ONCE THAT STARTS, UH, THESE, THESE BATTERIES BURN, UH, EXTREMELY HOT AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT YOU'D BE ABLE TO CONTROL THOSE.
SO I'M SURE THE AMAZON WILL PROBABLY HAVE SOME FIRE BLANKETS, UH, THROUGHOUT THEIR FACILITY.
THEY'RE VERY SAFETY MINDED, UH, WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR, VERY SAFETY, CONSCIOUS MINDED GROUP THAT'S, UM, THAT'S OPEN TO ALL THE LATEST, UH, FIRE PROTECTION FEATURES BUILT INTO THEIR PROPERTY.
I DO WANNA GO BACK TO ONE THING YOU SAID ABOUT OUR VOLUNTEER HOURS DECREASING.
AND ONE SIDE OF THAT COIN I HAVEN'T REPRESENTED TONIGHT IS THAT WE DO HAVE SOME VOLUNTEERS WHO DON'T, UH, TRACK THEIR DUTY HOURS.
THEY SIMPLY LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY RESPOND FROM HOME.
AND ALL OF THE HOURS THAT VOLUNTEERS GIVE, UH, MAKES A A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE, THE CALL ALONG ALONG WITH ALL THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNITY COMES A LOT OF CALLS THAT ARE PUBLIC ASSISTANT TYPE CALLS, UM, FIRE ALARMS. YOU KNOW, A VOLUNTEER MEMBER CAN'T LEAVE THEIR JOB REPEATEDLY THREE OR FOUR TIMES IN A DAY TO GO TO FIRE ALARMS OR EVEN A WEEK WHERE YEARS AGO IT WAS JUST TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
THERE WERE FEWER CALLS, BUT, UM, THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT WERE COMING IN AND THOSE, UH, YEARS WERE, WERE, WERE CALLS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, JUSTIFIED VOLUNTEER MEMBERS BEING ABLE TO LEAVE THEIR JOBS.
SO I DON'T WANNA MINIMIZE, UH, AND I KNOW YOU DIDN'T, BUT I ALWAYS, UH, TRY TO BE AN ADVOCATE AND A CHAMPION FOR OUR CAREER MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEER MEMBERS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO EQUAL THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT.
SO I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE SAFER GRANTS.
UH, I KNOW WE TALKED LAST YEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
I MEAN, SO YOU COULDN'T AT THE END OF THREE YEARS SAY, LOOK, WE STILL NEED THE ASSISTANCE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET TO KEEP THESE PEOPLE ON.
WILL THEY, CAN YOU APPLY TO RENEW? ITS A BRAND NEW SITUATION EVERY TIME.
IT, IT, IT BECOMES A, YOU BASICALLY APPLY AGAIN.
UM, AS LONG AS YOU'RE JUSTIFYING, I THINK THE, THE ONUS ON A SECOND STAFFING SAFER GRANT WOULD BE PROVING THAT THE NEED CONTINUES TO EXIST BASED ON GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND CALL VOLUME.
UM, I DO KNOW FOR THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION SAFER GRANT THAT WE'VE CURRENTLY GOT, UM, OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE SOUTH HAVE RENEWED THAT SAME GRANT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
IT'S A RELATIVELY FIXED GRANT, UM, WITH A VERY, VERY SPECIFIC FOCUS FOR BUYING PPE FOR VOLUNTEERS, TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEERS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
THE SAFER GRANT, THE STAFFING GRANT, UM, I KNOW JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE GOTTEN MULTIPLE STAFF SAFER GRANTS OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, THEY'LL ABSORB THOSE PERSONNEL INTO THEIR REGULAR STAFFING MODEL AND THEN REAPPLY AS THEY IDENTIFY ANOTHER NEED.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS WITH THE STAFFING GRANT IS USUALLY PROVIDING A VERY SPECIFIC SET OF CRITERIA THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO, TO MEET.
SO, UM, SO WE MISSED, WE MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY IN OCTOBER.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE CRITERIA OF THIS? WHY DID WE DID, OBVIOUSLY WE APPLIED FOR IT.
WE THOUGHT WE WERE, UH, IT WAS JUSTIFIED FOR US TO GET IT.
WELL, HOW DID THEY DOLE IT OUT? IN OTHER WORDS, HOW DID THEY DOLE IT OUT? AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UH, CHIEF WATKINS, UM, HAS BEEN TO, UH, SEVERAL OF THE SAFER TRAINING, THE WEBINARS AND SO FORTH.
AND WE'RE, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, DISTRICT CHIEF BROWN, LISA BROWN, WHO'S OUR RECRUIT AND RETENTION COORDINATOR.
SHE'S A, A SAFER GRANT RA FOR, FOR THAT, FOR THE SAFER PROGRAM.
WE HAD A PROFESSIONAL GRANT WRITER WHO, UH, WROTE THE GRANT FOR US.
HE WAS THE SAME PROFESSIONAL GRANT WRITER WHO WROTE THE FIRST GRANT FOR VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION THAT WE DID RECEIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, I'LL HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU HAVE TO LIST OUT ALL OF YOUR COUNTY, UM, YOUR COUNTY ECONOMIC SITUATION, AND THEY LOOK AT EVERYTHING FROM YOUR PHYSICAL STRESS INDEX AND ALL THIS TYPE OF THING IN YOUR JURISDICTION, UH, SOMETIMES WE'VE, UH, FOUND OURSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE, UH, WE CAN'T MAKE AS STRONG AS OF A CASE AS ANOTHER COUNTY THAT MAY HAVE, UH, LESS, UH, LESS FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT THE STATE AS THE GRANTS WERE COMING OUT ACROSS THE STATE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SO MUCH MONEY FOR EACH STATE, YOU WOULD TEND TO BELIEVE IT COULD BE.
UM, BUT I GUESS THEY JUST DIDN'T GET TO OUR GRANT.
OUR GRANT JUST DIDN'T RISE TO THE PRIORITY THAT, UM, WOULD YOU AGREE WITH WHAT I'VE SAID? Y YES, SIR.
I, I THINK THAT THERE'S, IT, IT IS A, HOW YOU PHRASE IT TERM AND TERM DETERMINE YOUR NEED FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
UM, IT IS A FINANCIAL STRESS INDEX.
UH, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S FY PREVIOUS FY UM, ONE, WE DIDN'T GET OUR RECRUITMENT GRANT UNTIL VERY LATE IN THE CYCLE, ALMOST BEYOND THE CYCLE.
UM, LAST YEAR, UM, WE HAD A VERY SPECIFIC END DATE.
[05:10:01]
BE AWARDED BY THIS POINT WHEN THAT DATE CAME.THAT WE KNEW AT THAT POINT THAT, THAT OUR PROSPECT WAS, WAS PRETTY LIMITED THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AND IN PRE, IN PREVIOUS HISTORIES THAT THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT, THAT ROCK THAT SOLID STOCK POINT.
I GUESS THE POINT I'M GETTING TO, AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW WHERE I'M COMING FROM,
I MEAN, WE DON'T WANT TO ANYWAY, SO, WELL, THE, THE WAY, THE WAY WE LOOKED AT IT WITH, UH, THE GROWTH DEVELOPMENT AND BEING ABLE TO DELIVER SERVICE, UH, COULD SLACK OFF ON THE OTHER KNEES AND WELL, BUT YOU'RE GONNA GET THERE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
YOU'RE GONNA GET THERE BY PAYING ALL OF IT, OR YOU'RE GONNA GET THERE.
MAYBE THERE'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THERE IN A WAY TO SAVE THE TAXPAYERS SOME MONEY.
SO WE FEEL COMPELLED TO GO AFTER THAT GRANT.
UH, THAT'S A FEDERAL GRANT, BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING, UH, ANYTHING REALLY DIFFERENT ON THE STATE LEVEL.
THE RESCUE SQUAD ASSISTANT FUND GRANTS, UH, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ONE OF THOSE IN A NUMBER OF YEARS BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, OUR FINANCIAL, UM, PORTFOLIO, WHEN YOU PUT ALL THAT INFORMATION INTO THAT GRANT, IT DOESN'T RISE TO THE SAME LEVEL OF NEED AS A COUNTY OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA OR OTHER PART OF THE STATE.
AND SO THERE WAS A TIME THAT GLAND WAS VERY, UM, VERY RESOURCEFUL TO BE ABLE TO GET THE RESCUE SQUAD ASSISTANT FUND GRANTS THAT ARE, UH, ADMINISTERED BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF EMS. AND THEY GET, UM, THERE'S ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF, HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO GO AROUND.
IN FACT, THAT GRANT I'M SPEAKING OF, YOU CAN GET AN AMBULANCE OR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, UH, AND A LOT OF OUR EQUIPMENT I COULD POINT TO SAY, WAS FUNDED ON THOSE GRANTS, BUT THOSE GRANT REQUESTS NOW IS $13 MILLION AND THERE'S ONLY 4 MILLION TO GO AROUND, AND YOU JUST DON'T, WE DON'T STAND A CHANCE WHEN WE PUT THAT FINANCIAL PORTFOLIO TOGETHER, UH, WE DON'T COMPARE.
AND SO THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE DIFFICULT TO RELY ON GRANT FUNDING.
'CAUSE I THINK MAYBE SOME CONFUSION, THE 12 THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR NOW ARE REGARDLESS OF A GRANT YES, SIR.
SIR, JUST TO FUND IT, THEN APPLY FOR THE GRANT, AND IF WE GET THE GRANT, WE HIRE 12 MORE.
MR. ALVAREZ, UH, I AM, UH, TO BE CLEAR, I AM ASKING THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FUND 12 CAREER FIREFIGHTER EMTS, UH, I'LL JUST SAY STRAIGHT OUTRIGHT AND THEN ALLOW US PERMISSION TO APPLY FOR 12 MORE ON THE SAFER GRANT.
AND TO BE CLEAR ON THAT, IF WE DON'T GET THE SAFER GRANT TO MR. VADER'S POINT, WE'RE NOT EXPECTING YOU TO, UM, TO HIRE THOSE 12 AND FY 26.
UH, THERE'LL BE ANOTHER BUDGET PROCESS AND THEN MORE AFTER THAT.
AND SO IT, IT, IT ALLOWS US TO, TO START TO ADDRESS THESE NEEDS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A WHILE TO TRAIN 'EM, YOU KNOW, FROM THE TIME THEY, THEY COME IN THE DOOR, IT TAKES A YEAR.
IF THEY COME IN WITH NO TRAINING, THEN IT TAKES, UH, THE BETTER PART OF A WHOLE YEAR TO GET 'EM TRAINED AND HAVE FIELD EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE ON THEIR OWN.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST.
UH, AND WE GOT AMAZON OPENING IN SPRING OF 2026.
THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING BECAUSE AMAZON IS, YOU KNOW, IT, THE NUMBERS, UM, WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR A STRUCTURE FIRE IS ABSOLUTELY, UH, ATTENTION, ATTENTION GETTING.
UM, BUT IT'S GONNA BE AS MUCH ABOUT THE, UH, AMBULANCE CALLS AND THE OTHER THINGS LIKE AVERY POINT AND OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE STARTING THAT ARE CONTINUING TO BUILD OUT THAT WE CAN, UH, EXPECT CALLS TO CONTINUE TO GO UP, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
MR. SAU? YEAH, JUST, JUST SOME, UH, COMMENTARY ON THE SAFER GRANTS.
JUST FOR OUR CONSIDERATION AND LOOKING AT THE REQUIREMENTS ON, THERE ARE THREE SUBCATEGORIES FOR HIRING OF FIREFIGHTERS.
FIRST PRIORITY IS REHIRING LAID OFF FIREFIGHTERS.
SECOND PRIORITY IS RETENTION OF FIREFIGHTERS WHO FACE IMMINENT LAYOFF.
AND THIRD IS HIRING NEW FIREFIGHTERS.
SO I WOULD IMAGINE THE CHANCES OF US GETTING ANYTHING FROM THOSE SAFER GRANT IS PRETTY LOW.
UM, WE DID GET THAT ONE SAFER GRANT THOUGH, TWO YEARS AGO FOR VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, BUT I THINK MR. SPOON, HOWER, YOU AND I BOTH WILL AGREE THAT THAT'S A KNOWN NATIONWIDE PROBLEM THAT'S, UH, TRYING TO BE ADDRESSED.
RIGHT? THERE IS ANOTHER CATEGORY.
SO THE SAFER GRANT IS BROKEN OUT OF TWO CATEGORIES.
IT SAYS HIRING A FIREFIGHTERS AND RECRUITMENT OR RETENTION OF VOLUNTEERS.
SO WE PROBABLY WOULD BE, ESPECIALLY BASED ON OUR NUMBERS, UM, BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PORTION OF IT.
BUT JUST WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NEW HIRING OF FIREFIGHTERS, WHICH I THINK WE'D, WE'D PROBABLY NOT BE VERY ELIGIBLE FOR.
THEY, UH, SAFER GRANT FOR RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, UH, PROVIDED, UH, ROUGHLY 556,000 TO GLAND COUNTY OVER THE COURSE OF, UH, FOUR YEARS.
IT COVERS THE COST TO RECRUIT FIREFIGHTERS, VOLUNTEER
[05:15:01]
FIREFIGHTERS, UH, ADVERTISEMENT CAMPAIGNS.IT PAYS, PAYS FOR THEIR TURNOUT GEAR, IT PAYS FOR THEIR PHYSICALS COMING IN THE DOOR AND A RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION COORDINATOR'S SALARY THAT MANAGES THAT PROGRAM FOR US.
AND, AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, MONEY HAS BEEN SLOW COMING IN FROM FEMA AND THE, THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THAT.
BUT WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF INSTALLMENTS AND HOPING THAT IT'S GONNA,
UH, WE LOOK AT THAT WEBSITE PRETTY OFTEN AND WE STILL SEE OUR REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST PENDING.
AND I THINK IT'S A, A NORMAL THING WITH SAFER, BUT THE MONEY'S THERE AND WAS AWARDED.
UM, JUST JUST TO STRESS THIS POINT, YOU SHOWED WHERE PE ADDITIONAL 24 STAFF WOULD GO INTO EXISTING COUNTY, UM, STATIONS, BUT WE, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS, WE KNOW IN THE NEAR TERM, LET'S NOT SAY EXACTLY WHEN WE KNOW IN THE NEAR TERM WE HAVE STATION SEVEN RIGHT.
COMING INTO PLAY, AND WE KNOW STATION EIGHT IS GONNA BE PROVIDING MORE OVER TIME.
CORRECT? SO, SO STATION, OR DID YOU, DID YOU FACTOR IN THE 24 AND EIGHT? I I'M NOT SURE IF HOW YOU DID THAT.
I NOT HAVING THE TABLE IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO THE WAY WE, WE DO IT FOR EIGHT, UH, UP UNTIL, UH, THIS YEAR, THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT WERE WORKING, UH, THERE AT SANDY HOOK, IT, IT WAS ON THE OVERTIME RATE THAT'S CHANGED.
SIX OF THOSE ARE ASSIGNED TO SANDY HOOK AND THEY, THEY'RE REGULAR, THEY'RE ON REGULAR TIME AND ASSIGNED TO SANDY HOOK.
UH, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, UH, WE BUILD X AMOUNT OF OVERTIME HOURS INTO A BUDGET.
WE HAVE A FORMULA CHIEF, UH, MARKEY, UH, IS VERY GOOD AT THE FINANCIALS ON PERSONNEL THAT WE BUILT INTO OUR BUDGET FOR ENOUGH, UH, OVERTIME TO COVER LEAVE AND SO FORTH.
I GUESS WHAT I WAS GOING TOWARDS IS IF WE HAVE 24 BETWEEN THINGS WE KNOW ARE ON THE HORIZON AND WHAT WE HAVE EXISTING, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YOU'RE GONNA, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WE ARE GONNA PAY STRAIGHT TIME OR OVERTIME.
'CAUSE WE GOTTA HAVE THE PEOPLE.
YEAH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO, UM, IT'D BE BETTER TO PAY REGULAR TIME.
THE NEED IS GOING TO BE THERE.
IT'S GOING TO BE THERE BASED ON WHAT'S WHAT'S ALREADY HERE AND WHAT'S BEING, WHAT'S COMING.
AND WE NOT, WE DON'T JUST NEED BODIES.
WELL, WE NEED, WE NEED GOOD PEOPLE THAT WE CAN TRAIN.
AND OCCASIONALLY, AND SOMETIMES WE CAN HIRE PEOPLE THAT ALREADY HAVE THE TRAINING.
I IMAGINE THAT GETTING RECOGNIZED BY THE GOVERNOR PROBABLY DOESN'T HELP US IN GETTING THE SAFETY GRANTS.
IS THAT CORRECT? I, I DON'T, I THINK THE GOVERNOR COULD MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS.
UM, CHIEF, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND ALSO APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME RIDE ALONG WITH YOU GUYS AND, AND SEE BEHIND THE CURTAIN, SO TO SPEAK.
UH, 'CAUSE THERE IS A LOT GOING ON AND, AND, UH, I, I'M JUST ITERATING WHAT I HAVE SAID TO YOU AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO WILL LISTEN.
AND THAT IS PUBLIC SAFETY, I THINK IS PRIMARY GOAL OF WHAT GOVERNMENT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
SO THIS IS WHERE, FOR ME, THE BUDGETING PROCESS STARTS, UH, WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ON THIS AND I JUST MAY BE SLOW ON THE UPTAKE, BUT GIVEN 80% OF THE CALLS ARE MAYBE NOT TRANSPORT, BUT EMT FOCUSED, IS THERE A PARTIAL SOLUTION WHERE WE FOCUS ON THAT 80%? I KNOW YOU HAVE, AND MAYBE THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH ME AGAIN AS TO WHY WE WANT DUAL TRAINED, EXCLUSIVELY DUAL TRAINED, UH, EMT FIREFIGHTERS AND NOT JUST, UH, LOOK AT WHERE THE VOLUME OF THE CALLS ARE, WHICH TEND TO BE EMT OR, OR MEDICAL, UH, BASED.
WELL, AND THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, FI FIRE, GOODLAND FIRE RESCUE IS A COMBINATION DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE MADE UP OF VOLUNTEERS AND WE ALSO MADE UP A CAREER MEMBERS, AND WE'VE ALWAYS DONE FIRE AND RESCUE.
AND THAT STARTED BACK IN THE, UH, THE, THE 1960S.
UH, CHIEF EARL HENLEY SET IT UP THAT WAY.
WE WERE AHEAD OF OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS.
AND, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, A LOT OF OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS HAVE STARTED, UH, DOING FIRE AND RESCUE.
THERE WAS A TIME THAT THERE WOULD BE A, A RESCUE SQUAD BUILDING ACROSS ONE SIDE OF THE STREET AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET, A FIRE STATION.
AND SO, UH, THAT DIDN'T WORK WELL FOR US ALL THESE YEARS BECAUSE IT'S TWICE AS EXPENSIVE TO START WITH.
UH, WE'RE COMPETING FOR THE SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE, UM, AND NEITHER HAS ENOUGH HELP TO GET THE JOB DONE.
SO FROM OUR STANDPOINT, UM, DUAL ROLE EMPLOYEES, UH, CAREER EMPLOYEES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW, AND I WILL JUST SAY MOST OF THE VOLUNTEERS ARE ALSO CROSS TRAINED TO BE FIRE AND AND RESCUE.
UH, BUT LOOKING AT OUR NEED IN THE COUNTY, AND WE NOT ONLY HAVE, UM, AN EMS NEED, WE HAVE A FIRE NEED.
UM, WE CAN HAVE ONE A PERSON WHO CAN DO BOTH JOBS AND BE WAY MORE EFFICIENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN TAKE A FIRE ENGINE IF THERE'S A SITUATION WHERE THE CALL TO
[05:20:01]
BE ANSWERED IS A, IS AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE CALL, AND THE CREW'S ON THE FIRE ENGINE, I CAN MARK THE FIRE ENGINE DOWN AND SHIFT THE CREW TO ANOTHER AMBULANCE TO, TO BUILD UP, UH, AMBULANCE STAFFING.SO IT'S A BETTER WAY TO DO BUSINESS.
UM, I THINK IT'S, UM, IT, IT SERVES THE MAJORITY OF OUR AIR, AIR, UH, CITIZENS BETTER THAT WAY.
AND WHEN YOU ARE AT THE, A BUSY DAY AND THEIR, THEIR CALLS PENDING, UM, I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IS THIS PERSON QUALIFIED TO DO THIS? CAN THEY DO THAT? IT'S JUST A MORE EFFICIENT WAY OF, OF, UH, OPERATING.
AND IF, UH, ANY OF MY COMMAND STAFF WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT WAY, I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE 'EM, UH, SAY A WORD OR TWO TO THAT.
DEPUTY CHIEF WATKINS, UM, WE HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL OF OUR PARTNERS HAVE IN INSTITUTED AN EMS ONLY UNIT, BUT ALMOST ALL OF THOSE JURISDICTIONS HAVE ADEQUATE FIRE SUPPRESSION STAFFING.
AND THEY STARTED BY HAVING CROSS-TRAINED AND DUAL ROLE PERSONNEL.
UM, SPECIFICALLY THE CITY OF NORFOLK AND HANOVER COUNTY ARE BOTH DOING THAT EMS ROLE.
HOWEVER, UM, THAT COMES AFTER YEARS OF USING THE AMBULANCE AS A FIRE SCENE MULTIPLIER, MEANING THAT THE AMBULANCE ARRIVES WITH TWO ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS.
AND ON A STRUCTURE FIRE, IF YOU HAVE ONLY TWO PEOPLE ON THE FIRE ENGINE, YOU NOW HAVE BASICALLY ONE FULLY STAFFED UNIT TO, TO MANAGE THE PROBLEM.
SO THE CROSS-TRAINED ROUTE IS ALMOST A NECESSITY BECAUSE WHAT WE CAN'T HAVE THESE DAYS IS AN AMBULANCE SHOWING UP ON A FIRE SCENE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE IN SOME FORM OF SUPPRESSION ACTIVITY.
AND IT MAY NOT BE GOING IN THE HOSE LINE.
IT COULD LITERALLY BE TAKING OVER THE FIRE, UH, FIRE PUMP PANEL COULD BE TAKING COMMAND OF THE INCIDENT.
THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF, UH, THINGS.
AS I SAID, I'M A LITTLE SLOW SOMETIMES GETTING THE, UH, LESSON, BUT IT, IT, IT MAKES SENSE.
BUT I, I, AGAIN, JUST LIKING NUMBERS AND I SEE 80% OF THE CALLS ARE, ARE MEDICALLY FOCUSED.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE AT THIS POINT THERE ISN'T A WAY FOR US TO ADDRESS THE, THE SALIENT NEED AND, AND YET STILL MAKE SURE THAT THE FIRE SERVICES ARE THERE WITH, WITH, WITH, AND I'M SATISFIED WITH THAT ANSWER.
THIS IS NOT TO BE HUMOROUS, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT I WANNA BRING UP BECAUSE WE INSTITUTED, UM, AN EXPANDED OPPORTUNITY FOR FIREWORKS AND, UH, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WHERE WE WERE GONNA STRETCH STAFF WAY TOO THIN.
UM, AND IT WAS ALSO, AT LEAST MY IMPRESSION IS THAT WE HAVE AN INADEQUATE PERMITTING FEE THAT IF WE TIME TRACK WHAT THE FIRE MARSHAL, THE BRUSH TRUCK, THE FIREFIGHTER, ALL OF THAT, THAT GOES INTO, UH, SOME OF THESE FIREWORK DISPLAYS THAT ARE FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES, THAT WE, WE MIGHT BE SUBSIDIZING SOMEBODY SETTING OFF TWO MINUTES WORTH OF FIREWORKS.
IS THERE ANY CONVERSATION GOING ON WHERE WE'RE GONNA ADJUST THAT PERMITTING FEE SO THAT WE AT LEAST COVER COSTS? WE HAD INTENSE CONVERSATION WITH, UH, MR. CARPENTER ABOUT THAT, UH, BUT NOT RECENTLY.
UH, SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN, UH, REVISIT.
UH, I'LL SAY THAT, UH, TO THIS POINT, UH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE HAD SOME FIREWORKS STANDBYS THAT, UM, WE HAD TO BE CREATIVE AT THE LAST MINUTE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE STAFFING, BUT THE STAFFING CAME THROUGH IN SOME CASES.
UH, VOLUNTEER MEMBERS, UH, STEPPED UP TO A, A SPECIAL REQUEST FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING ON IN THE COUNTY AND SOME OF THE, UH, FIREWORKS, UH, SOME OF THE VENUES THAT NOW DO FIREWORKS HAVE PROVEN TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE, UH, VERY RESPONSIBLY AND SAFELY.
UH, AND WE'VE NOT HAD ANY, UH, ANY ISSUES WITH THAT.
UM, BUT BACK TO THE FEE WE COULD WORK WITH MR. ALVAREZ, UH, WE WERE, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SETTLE ON A NUMBER, UH, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
UH, SO, UH, WE DID, WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE HEAVY HANDED WITH IT.
UH, WE, WE KNOW THAT THE BOARD LIKES TO, WELL, I THINK, I KNOW THAT THE BOARD WANTS TO BE FAIR TO ALL CITIZENS INVOLVED AND MAKE SURE THAT GOVERNMENT DOESN'T HAVE THAT HEAVY HAND.
AND SO WE JUST DIDN'T REALLY KNOW, UH, WHAT THAT FEE SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO WE NEED YOUR INPUT AS TO WHAT, UH, BECAUSE IT COULD GENERATE SOME QUESTIONS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE COIN IF WE RAISE THAT FEE.
AND I'M TRYING TO THINK, UH, MAYBE MS. MCGEE WOULD, COULD HELP ME.
NUMBERS ARE, ARE ALL OVER MY MIND TONIGHT AND THAT IS NOT ONE THAT I, UH, HAD REHEARSED TO COME HERE.
BUT YEAH, SO, UM, YEAH, IT DOESN'T QUITE COVER ALL THE EXPENSE OF IT, BUT, UM, SO FAR WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OVERWHELMING, UH, AMOUNT OF REQUESTS FOR FIREWORK SHOWS.
THE, THE LAST QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, I BECOME AWARE THERE'S A PRELIMINARY APPLICATION FOR A UTILITY, UH, LITHIUM BATTERY STORAGE FACILITY HERE.
AND HAVING JUST HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT A TESLA COULD POSSIBLY DO, IS THERE A NEED OR ARE YOU PART OF THE CONVERSATION AS TO WHAT MIGHT BE REQUIRED SHOULD
[05:25:02]
AN AN INDUSTRIAL, UH, SIZE LITHIUM BATTERY STORAGE WERE TO COME TO THE COUNTY, UH, WHAT OUR REQUIREMENTS MIGHT BE? SHOULD ONE OF THOSE, I THINK YOU USED THE TERM MELTDOWN.UH, WELL, THERMAL RUNAWAY, UH, THE BATTERIES.
UM, YEAH, SO I'M AWARE OF THE, UH, THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OR THE POTENTIAL, UH, PROPOSAL FOR DEVELOPMENT.
UH, WE'VE, UH, ATTENDED A COUPLE OF, UH, PRE-APPLICATION MEETINGS SO FAR.
UH, AS THE FIRE CHIEF, I HAVE, UH, VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS, UH, WITH THE FACILITY.
I THINK THE SHERIFF WOULD SHARE HIS SAME CONCERNS ABOUT IT.
UH, WE HAD A MEETING, UH, THIS JUST THIS WEEK ABOUT IT.
UM, NOTHING AGAINST THE, THE BUSINESS OR THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPER.
UM, BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I WOULD JUST SAY, UH, THAT I HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S IN THE RIGHT AREA.
I THINK IT'S BEING PUT IN AN AGRICULTURAL AREA AND, UH, THERE'S NO WATER THERE.
AND SO I THINK IT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO, UM, LOOK AT CLOSER AND WEIGH IN.
BUT, UH, WE MADE IT KNOWN TO THE DEVELOPER, UH, JUST RECENTLY THAT, UH, FIRE RESCUE HAS, UH, SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THAT AND MORE TO BE LEARNED BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE POPPING UP IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GO AND VISIT ONE OF THOSE, UH, UH, TOO.
BUT I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT, SO THANK YOU.
DON'T YOU PUT A BIG OLD BLANKET OVER THAT RASCAL
UM, WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S MY, MY INTEREST IS, IS IF IF THE UNFORTUNATE HAPPENS, YEAH.
WHAT, WHAT, WELL, YOU KNOW, AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS IS JUST LIKE WE'VE BENCHMARK WITH, UH, DEPARTMENTS OF AMAZON, WE HAVEN'T DONE QUITE THAT EXTENSIVE, UH, BENCHMARKING WITH THIS, AND THESE ARE NOT AS COMMON.
SO, BUT WHAT WE, WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED ABOUT LITHIUM ION BATTERIES AND WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THESE FACILITIES, NOT ONLY THROUGH, UM, TRAINING THAT WE'VE DONE THROUGH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF FIRE PROGRAMS, THERE WAS A GOVERNOR MANDATE THAT ALL FIREFIGHTERS IN THE STATE, UH, I'M SORRY, GENERAL ASSEMBLY MANDATE, THAT WE ALL HAD TO COMPLETE TRAINING, UH, ON LITHIUM IRON BATTERY FIRES.
UM, AND THEN NFPA HAS A SECTION IN IT THAT ADDRESSES, UH, BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE, UH, SYSTEMS AS WELL AS, UM, THE VIRGINIA FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION PROVIDED SOME, UH, TRAINING ON THAT AT ONE OF THE FIRE CHIEF'S SEMINARS.
AND SO WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THAT IS, UH, WHEN YOU GET THESE CONTAINERS OF BATTERIES, IF THEY WERE TO CATCH ON FIRE, UH, IT MAY BE BEST NOT TO TRY TO PUT THOSE OUT, BUT THEY CAN BURN FOR EXTENDED PAIRS OF TIME.
UH, WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD IS THEY CAN BURN, YOU KNOW, IF ANYWHERE FROM HOURS TO DAYS TO WEEKS, AND YOU'D HAVE TO BE THERE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT FIRE DOESN'T GO FURTHER.
AND LOOKING AT THE LANDSCAPE AROUND THE PROPOSED AREA, UH, IT'S AGRICULTURAL AND, UH, NOT TOO FAR FROM THERE.
WE HAD A HUNDRED ACRE BRUSH FIRE IN 2011 THAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.
UH, WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE JUST RIGHT THAT DAY FOR FIRE SPREAD.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, UM, I'M GONNA RESERVE THE RIGHT TO WEIGH IN LATER, BUT AS OF, UH, THIS DAY, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROJECT.
I WOULD THINK IF IT BURNS FOR A WEEK, THERE'D BE SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS THERE TOO.
AND YOU KNOW, UH, THE SMOKE THAT COMES OFF OF THAT, UH, LIKE ANY SMOKE HAS GOT TOXIC, UH, FUMES AND GASES IN IT.
AND, AND HONESTLY, THAT'S PART OF THE, BESIDES THE FACT IS HIGH VOLTAGE, UM, AND THE BATTERIES ARE REALLY DIFFICULT TO EXTINGUISH.
I MEAN, IT, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE, UM, PUBLICATIONS I WAS READING COMPARED TO A FACILITY LIKE THAT, TO HUNDREDS OF TESLAS IF THEY CATCH FIRE.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THAT STANDPOINT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TRY TO PUT IT OUT, THEN IT, IT COULD BE, UH, THE, THE WATER RUNNING OFF FIRE SUPPRESSION RUN OFF COULD BE MORE DAMAGE INTO THE ENVIRONMENT THEN LETTING IT BURN.
UH, BUT EITHER WAY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE CONTAMINATION IF IT CATCHES ON FIRE.
AND I DON'T THINK THEY CATCH ON FIRE OFTEN.
I DON'T WANNA MISLEAD ANYBODY.
I DON'T WANT TO ALARM YOU, BUT I WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS TRUTHFULLY.
AND I DO HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THAT SINCE YOU ASK.
AND, AND MR. LAU, TO YOUR QUESTION, I WILL, THE, THE CHIEF WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION, I MEAN IN THE REVIEW, IT'LL BE YOUR DECISION IN THE END.
IF IT COMES, IT COMES FORWARD, BUT THEY'LL BE INVOLVED IN OUR REVIEW.
CHIEF, BE ASSURED, I'M NOT GONNA ASK ABOUT A NUCLEAR, UH, STATION.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE, I'M REFERRED TO MR. CHRISTIE, IF YOU DO SO,
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? AND, AND MR. LYLE, GOING BACK TO THE QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, EMS VERSUS FIRE, I JUST WANNA SUM IT UP BY SAYING THAT WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE DO TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EMS WORKLOAD ALSO, AND WE'RE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE 84 EMPLOYEES, MOST OUR FIREFIGHTER EMTS, UM, THAT CAN HANDLE BOTH TYPES OF JOBS.
[05:30:01]
LOOK AROUND, UH, FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENTS THAT DON'T DO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, THEY TYPICALLY DON'T DO VERY WELL.THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF FUNDING BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT, UH, WE DO HAVE A FORCE THAT CAN GO TO FIRE CALLS BECAUSE OF THEIR EMS WORKLOAD.
AND SO, UM, I DON'T SEE DEPARTMENTS THAT, UH, RESIST EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WHO DON'T HAVE AMBULANCES.
UH, I, I DON'T SEE PARTICULARLY THE ONES THAT HAVE EMPLOYEES, I DON'T SEE THEM, UH, DOING AS WELL.
THEY, THEIR FUNDING ISN'T AS EASY OBTAINED.
I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY WE'RE PROUD OF ALL OF OUR SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY, INCLUDING YOU ALL FOR SURE.
BUT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS, UH, IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT BY OUR SIDE WITH THE, AS A EQUAL, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNER.
SO IT, IT TAKES, UH, BOTH THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, I'M PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE HELPED OUR NEIGHBORS WITH THE HURRICANE DAMAGE AND SO FORTH.
AND, UH, TUESDAY NIGHT WE WERE MADE AWARE THAT THE SHERIFF'S FOUNDATION DONATED A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO EACH OF THE FAMILIES OF THE FOREIGN, UH, FALLEN VIRGINIA BEACH.
UH, POLICEMEN HORRIBLE THING THAT HAPPENED.
WE JUST, UH, WE'RE GOOD HEARTED PEOPLE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.
AND I WANNA THANK ALL THE, UH, MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE PART OF THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE JOB THEY DO EVERY DAY.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE THEIR FIRE CHIEF.
ALRIGHT, NOW, UH, WE HAVE THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.
[XVII. Citizen Comment]
OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUE INVOLVING THE COUNTY THAT IS NOT ON THE MEETING.IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS ABOUT AN ISSUE SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING, YOU NEED TO SPEAK WHEN THAT MATTER IS BROUGHT FORTH.
EACH PERSON MAY SPEAK ONCE UP TO THREE MINUTES.
PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM AND PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS BEFORE PROVIDING YOUR COMMENTS.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK FOR MORE THAN THREE MINUTES, YOU MAY EXTEND YOUR TIME BY HAVING OTHER RESIDENTS COME UP, GIVE THEIR NAME AND C THEIR TIME TO YOU.
YOUR TIME IS INCREASED BY TWO MINUTES FOR EACH PERSON WHO DOES.
SO UP TO 10 MINUTES TOTAL, THE BOARD IS OFFERING A CITIZEN COMMENTS PERIOD, BUT IT IS NOT INTENDED TO LAST MORE THAN AN HOUR.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK? I DIDN'T OPEN IT, BUT I'LL I WILL NOW CLOSE IT.
[XVIII. Public Hearing:]
I DON'T MEAN TO BE FACETIOUS.IT'S BEEN A LONG CAN NEVER GET A PUBLIC GO SPEAK.
CAN, CAN YOU WANT GO SPEAK
UH, WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC HEARING TO, UH, TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT.
AND, UH, JAMIE SHERRY WILL PRESENT.
[1. District 4 - CU-2024-00020 Application by Rogel and Marta Venson requesting to amend conditional use permit (CUP) case CU-2018-00011 to add home-based business and to increase the permitted square footage for the detached accessory family housing unit on 11.38 acres at 375 Songbird Lane on Tax Map No. 58-8-0-2-C. The property is zoned Agricultural, Limited (A-2). The CUP is required by County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 15-112 in accordance with Sec. 15-285.A. The Comprehensive Plan designates this area as Single Family Residential, Low Density. The applicant has requested deferral of this public hearing application to the April 15, 2025 Board of Supervisors meeting.]
UH, THERE IS A DEFERRAL REQUEST.UH, THIS IS FOR APPLICATION CU 24, UH, 20.
IT'S AN APPLICATION BY MARTA AND ROGEL BENSON.
UM, THEY'RE MAKING THIS REQUEST BECAUSE, UM, MR. BENSON IS ILL AND UNABLE TO ATTEND THIS EVENING.
HE'S REQUESTING A 30 DAY, UM, DEFERRAL, BUT SINCE, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL BE HELD ON APRIL 15TH, THIS WOULD BE, UM, THE REQUEST IS TO GO TO APRIL 15TH.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO DEFER APPLICANT CU DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 20 BY ROGEL AND MARTA VINCENT ON AP TWO APRIL 15TH, MR. CHAIR, UM, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD DEFER CONSIDERATION OF CUP 2024 DASH 20 TO APRIL 15TH, 2025.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND WE HAVE A SEC.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL.
UH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL NOW ADJOURN AS FOLLOWS TILL TUESDAY, MARCH 11TH,
[XIX. Adjournment]
3:30 PM WHERE THERE'LL BE A JOINT WORK SESSION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD IN CONFERENCE ROOM 2 51.THAT'S HERE, ISN'T IT? IT'S OUT HERE.
UH, AND ALSO TO TUESDAY, APRIL 1ST, 2025.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AFTERNOON, REGULAR MEETING AND A SIX, SIX O'CLOCK BUDGET.
AND TUESDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2025.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AFTERNOON, REGULAR
[05:35:01]
MEETING AND 6:00 PM PUBLIC HEARINGS.