[00:00:07]
TWO MINUTES BEHIND, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME, AND I HOPE THE WEATHER HOLDS OFF FOR US TO GET IN, GET OUTTA HERE WITHOUT, UH, ENDANGERING OURSELVES.
THEY'RE STILL PROMISING, AS FAR AS I KNOW, SOME VERY BAD WEATHER.
SO, ANYWAY, UH, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THIS IS OUR LAST AND THIRD AND FINAL, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING, OR, UH, TOWN HALL, I GUESS WE CALL IT.
AND IT'S DESIGNED, WE, WE'VE DONE THESE SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET, AND I KNOW THERE'S A GREAT CONCERN ABOUT, UH, BATTERIES AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
BUT THIS, THIS PARTICULAR FORUM IS FOR OUR BUDGET.
AND SO LET ME INTRODUCE OUR INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR.
AND I WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK HIM FOR STEPPING IN ON AN INTERIM BASIS AND, UH, FILLING THE SLOT WHILE WE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, SEARCH FOR A NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AND, UH, THAT PROCESS IS GOING WELL.
IT'S, UH, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE GOT 32 OR MORE APPLICANTS FOR THE POSITION, AND WE WERE VERY PLEASED WITH, UH, WITH THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS.
AND WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WEEDING THEM OUT AND NARROWING THEM DOWN AND SO FORTH.
SO, MR. MANUEL ALVAREZ, TAKE IT OVER.
SO, AS TOM, UH, SAID, THIS IS OUR THIRD AND FINAL TELL TOWN HALL OF THE SPRING, UH, SESSION.
AND OUR GOAL IS TO KINDA SHOW YOU WHERE, UH, WE'RE PROPOSING TO SPEND OUR MONEY OVER THE NEXT, UH, OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
SEE IF I CAN MAKE THIS THING WORK.
UH, BEFORE I GO, I'D LIKE TO ALSO INTRODUCE TO YOU, MR. SPOON HOWER, WHO IS THE DISTRICT TWO SUPERVISOR, MR. JONATHAN LYLE, WHO IS THE DISTRICT FIVE SUPERVISOR.
UH, WE HAVE A FEW EMPLOYEES HERE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM BECAUSE THEY DO A LOT OF WORK TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
UH, BUT IF I START NAMING THEM, I'LL FORGET ONE, AND THEN I'LL BE IN TROUBLE THE REST OF MY CAREER AS INTERIM
SO ANYWAY, SO THIS IS OUR THIRD AND LAST TOWN HALL MEETING.
AND SO LET'S LOOK BACK, UH, BETWEEN 2018 AND NOW WHERE OUR BUDGET HAS GROWN.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT'S A PRETTY, UH, STEEP, UH, CHART.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR GROWTH HAS BEEN IN PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS WHAT THE CITIZENS HAVE ASKED US TO FOCUS ON.
BUT OF COURSE, AS THE COUNTY HAS GROWN, UM, OUR GROWTH BETWEEN 2018 AND 2023, OUR POPULATION GROWTH WAS ABOUT 14%, AND WE'RE THE SECOND HIGHEST IN THE STATE.
ONLY NEW KENT HAS, UH, OUTGROWN US.
I WANTED TO USE THIS CHART TO SHOW YOU OUR TAX RATE IS THE THICKER BLUE LINE.
WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD AT KIND OF KEEPING IT STEADY, AND I THINK THAT SHOWS IN OUR, UM, THREE AAA RATINGS.
UH, WE'VE KIND OF KEPT THE, THE COUNTY RUNNING, UM, SMOOTHLY.
UM, IT DOESN'T MEAN THE TAXES HAVEN'T INCREASED, BECAUSE OVER THE YEARS WE'VE HAD ASSESSMENT INCREASES THAT RAISED THE TAXES, BUT AS A GROWING COUNTY, WE'VE REINVESTED THAT MONEY ON, ON WHAT I CONSIDER IMPORTANT THINGS.
SO HERE'S THE, UM, PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO THE BOARD, UM, APPROVES THE, UH, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS EVERY YEAR OF REVIEWING THE ASSESSMENTS.
AND, UM, THEN WITH THE FORECAST OF THE MONEY, WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE SET BUDGET PRIORITIES.
THEY GATHER FEEDBACK FROM CITIZENS.
THIS IS NOT THE ONLY WAY WE GATHER FEEDBACK.
AND THEN AT THE END OF IT ALL, THEY APPROVE THE TAX RATES.
THEY TUCK CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT AT VALIUM RATE, AND THE, UH, THE BUDGET AND OTHER RELATED ITEMS, INCLUDING FEES FOR SERVICES.
SO AGAIN, THE, UH, THE BUDGET IS CONSISTENT WITH ITS STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE TAKE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH, UM, TO REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES SO THAT MOST OF THE YEARS, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT, UH, OF, OF A SURPLUS THAT WE CAN THEN INVEST IN
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CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.UH, WE SEEK EFFICIENCIES WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
UM, WE EXPAND PUBLICS SAFETY LEVELS.
AS I SAID, WE'VE DONE THAT EVERY YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD OR AS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN EMPLOYEE, UH, COMPENSATION.
WE HAVE A VERY RICH COUNTY TO OUR EAST AND ANOTHER ONE TO OUR SOUTH.
AND, UH, WE CAN'T MATCH THEM PERCENT FOR PERCENT, BUT WE TRY TO KEEP IT SO THAT OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, FEEL HAPPY HERE IN GLAND.
UM, AND WE OBVIOUSLY, AS WE GROW, WE HAVE TO SUPPORT, UM, OR INCREASE THE SIZE OF OUR ORGANIZATION IN CERTAIN AREAS.
UM, AND WE DO HAVE A STILL SUSTAINING RATE FOR UTILITIES.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THIS BUDGET, UTILITIES IS INCLUDED, BUT THEY, THEY WORK OUT OF THEIR OWN, UM, SER UH, THEIR OWN FUNDS FOR FEES AND CONNECTION FEES AND SO ON.
UM, SO HOW DO WE GATHER INFORMATION? WE LISTENED TO CITIZENS.
UH, THE PROCESS REALLY STARTED IN EARLY OCTOBER.
I WASN'T HERE THEN, BUT I DONE IT BEFORE IN OTHER YEARS.
UH, THEN THE ADMINISTRATOR MEETS WITH ALL THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, UM, CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.
UH, WE HAVE TO TALK TO THE SHERIFF AND FIRE AND RESCUE TO SEE, TO ASSESS THEIR NEEDS.
UM, WE MEET WITH THE SCHOOLS AND TALK ABOUT THEIR NEEDS, UM, AND PRETTY MUCH ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WE ALSO TALK ABOUT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT OPERATIONAL NEEDS, BUT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS, BUILDINGS, CARS, TRUCKS, UM, AND THEN THE ADMINISTRATOR MEETS WITH THE BOARD TO, TO FINALIZE THE PRIORITIES.
UM, SO THESE ARE THE FUNDS THAT WE LOOK AT THAT WE CAN USE FOR OUR EXPENSES.
UH, GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES IS THE BIGGEST BUCKET.
UH, OTHER LOCAL TAXES, STATE AID, WE DON'T GET A LOT OF STATE AID, BUT WE STILL USE SOME FEDERAL AID.
AND THEN CHARGES FOR SERVICES AND FEES AND GRANTS.
THERE ARE SOME GRANTS THAT WE USE, UH, ESPECIALLY THE SCHOOLS.
UM, WHAT ELSE DO WE LOOK AT? OBVIOUSLY, THE IMPACT OF INFLATION, ANY POTENTIAL RECESSIONS THAT WE HAVE TO PREPARE.
UH, WE HAVE POLICIES ON ESTABLISHING, UH, SOME RESERVES.
UH, THE CONTINUED DESIRE FROM THE COMMUNITY TO, UM, FOR INCREASED PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEGISLATION.
A LOT OF TIMES WE GET SURPRISED AT THE LAST MINUTE BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVING SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS US.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY GIVE US MANDATES WITHOUT FUNDING.
SO WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THAT.
WE HAVE A GROWING COMMUNITY AND AN AGING POPULATION, SO THAT, THAT IT INCREASES COST FOR SERVICE, ESPECIALLY, I MEAN, FOR FIRE AND RESCUE, ESPECIALLY PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING FROM THE COMMONWEALTH.
AS I MENTIONED, WE DON'T GET A LOT, UH, FOR WHEN THE COMMONWEALTH SAYS, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE, THE COUNTIES TO SPEND THIS MUCH, OR WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A 6% RAISE.
UH, WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY TWO COUNTIES, I THINK FIVE NOW THAT ARE AT THE 0.8 LEVEL, WHICH MEANS THAT ONLY, WE ONLY GET 20% OF ANY FUNDING THE STATE PROVIDES.
SO WE BASICALLY FUND OUR SCHOOLS OUT OF OUR OWN, UH, TAXES.
UH, TYPICALLY EVERY YEAR WE HAVE INCREASING, UH, HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS.
THIS YEAR THAT CHANGED, SO WE ARE ACTUALLY FLAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT WAS GREAT NEWS FOR US.
AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE NEED TO MAINTAIN COMPETITIVE SALARIES SO THAT WE CAN HOLD ON TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
I KNOW THIS IS VERY HARD TO READ, AND I HAD, SOMEBODY JUST TOLD ME YESTERDAY THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE A SLIDE THAT PEOPLE CAN'T READ
SO THE, THE FIRST BUCKET UP THERE IS THE GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES, AND THEY INCREASED BY, UH, 12% THIS YEAR.
SOME OF THAT IS FROM REASSESSMENTS.
A LOT OF THAT IS ALSO FROM NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THERE'S OTHER LOCAL TAXES, THEY'RE DOWN, OR WE'RE BUDGETING THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE DOWN.
UM, STATE REVENUE, UH, WE'RE PREDICTING THAT TO, TO BE UP A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE ESTABLISH THIS, UM, REVENUE ESTIMATES, AND THEN WE WORK FROM THERE.
ASSESS VALUES, AS I MENTIONED, OVERALL, WE'RE UP BY 11.4%, AND THAT INCLUDES NEW CONSTRUCTION.
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THE MONEY.SO AS I MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE, WE SHOW, UH, REVENUES, UM, AS A LOWER ESTIMATE, WE, WE ESTIMATE EXPENDITURES TO BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, UM, SO THAT IN THE END, WE END UP WITH A BALANCED BUDGET OR A BALANCED, UM, END OF YEAR, UM, BUDGET.
SO, UM, THE MAJORITY OF OUR MONEY OBVIOUSLY GOES TO GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, PUBLIC SAFETY GETS ABOUT 21 PER $21 MILLION.
THE SCHOOLS, UH, GET ABOUT $43 MILLION.
SO ABOUT HALF OF OUR, UH, REVENUES GO TO SCHOOLS.
UM, OUR GENERAL FUND, AGAIN, IT'S UP ABOUT 9.6% IN OUR PROPOSED BUDGET.
UH, UTILITIES FUNDS ARE UP 29%.
AND CIP FUNDS, THIS IS THE MONEY THAT'S GOING TOWARDS BUILDINGS.
IT'S DOWN 23% BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY BIG PROJECTS LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THIS IS GONNA BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO READ LA LAST AT THE LAST TOWN HALL MEETING.
I SAID I ADDED THIS UP AND, UH, FORGOT THE NUMBER.
THAT IS ACTUALLY ON THE TOP OF THE SLIDE, IF YOU CAN READ IT.
WE, IT'S, THIS IS ABOUT $6 MILLION IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR.
UH, SOME OF THAT IS GOING TO FIRE AND RESCUE NEW EQUIPMENT.
OH,
SO, UM, FIRE AND RESCUE IS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
THEY HAVE SOME NEW RESPIRATORY EQUIPMENT THAT THEY, THEY NEED TO BUY INFORMATION SERVICES.
WE HAVE SOME PROJECT UPDATES, UH, I MEAN, SYSTEM UPDATES THAT WE NEED TO DO THE SCHOOLS IS ONE, 1.7 MILLION.
AND A BIG CHUNK OF THAT GOES TO A NEW CHILLER FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS NOW, UH, 21 YEARS OLD.
UH, AND THEN SOME EMERGENCY TECHNOLOGY THAT WE NEED TO UPGRADE AS WELL.
THE FIVE YEAR PLAN IS ABOUT 79 MILLION.
SO WE ALWAYS ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS.
SO IT IS, WE'RE NOT JUST THINKING OF WHAT'S COMING UP THIS YEAR OR THE NEXT YEAR, BUT WE, WE LOOK AT FIVE YEARS AND WE HAVE A, A 25 YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UH, PLAN THAT WE HAVE TO CONSULT REGULARLY TO SEE, SEE WHAT'S COMING UP.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS ON THE PLAN THIS YEAR, EMERGENCY TECHNOLOGY, UH, WE HAVE A NEW RECORDING SYSTEM FOR 9 1 1.
UM, AGAIN, I MENTIONED THIS, THE CHILDREN FOR THE SCHOOL FIRE AND RESCUE CAR, UH, CARDI, CARDIAC AND RESPIRATORY EQUIPMENT, UH, WE'RE, WE NEED A NEW GENERATOR FOR THE FIRE RESCUE ADMINISTRATION AND SOME PROJECTS FOR, UM, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
AND AS I SAID, IT'S ABOUT $6 MILLION.
SO IN SUMMARY, AND I DIDN'T MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, WE, WE ARE INCLUDING IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, COUNTY AND SCHOOL.
UH, PUBLIC SAFETY REMAINS A PRIORITY FOR US, AND WE ARE ADDING FIVE NEW DEPUTIES AND SIX NEW FIREFIGHTERS, UM, EDUCATION.
WE ARE INCREASING THAT BUDGET BY ABOUT 6%.
AND WE'RE DOING ALL THIS WITHOUT INCREASING THE, UH, REAL ESTATE OR THE HOE CREEK, UH, TAX RATE OR THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE.
OUR SCHEDULE, UH, WE ALREADY KNOW, WE, WE HAD A WORK SESSION WITH THE SCHOOLS ON MARCH 11TH, UH, UH, TO DISCUSS THEIR NEEDS.
UH, THEN WE HAVE THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS TODAY AS OUR LAST ONE.
AND THEN ON APRIL 1ST IN THIS ROOM, WE WILL BE PRESENTING THE, UM, BUDGET PROPOSAL.
AND WE'LL DO THAT IN THREE SEPARATE HEARINGS.
AND, UH, CARLA CAVE, WHO'S OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, SITTING, HIDING IN THE BACK, UH, SHE'LL BE PRESENTING AND WE'LL HAVE A HEARING FOR EACH ITEM.
AND THEN ON THE 15TH, WE ADOPT THE BUDGET.
SO IF YOU SEE ANYTHING, UH, COME ON THE FIRST TO SPEAK DURING THE, DURING THE HEARING.
AND THEN, UM, YOU CAN COME BACK, UM, YOU CAN CONTACT YOUR BOARD REPRESENTATIVE OR ME IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGES.
AND, BUT ON THE 15TH, IT'S JUST THE FINAL VOTE.
SO THE BOARD WILL HAVE THE HEARINGS ON, UM, ON, UH, APRIL 1ST, BUT NO ACTION UNTIL THE 15TH.
AND THAT'S NEXT WEEK, BY THE WAY.
SO COMMUNITY UPDATES, UM, I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BETTER.
I'M GONNA ASK, UH, SARAH LEY, WHO'S OUR
[00:15:01]
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, TO COME UP AND TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROJECTS WE HAVE GOING ON.UM, WE ACTUALLY HAD A STUDY THAT STARTED WHEN I WAS INTERIM THREE YEARS AGO, AND IT'S ACTUALLY ALMOST FINISHED NOW.
IT'S A, UH, NEW INTERCHANGE, A PROPOSED INTERCHANGE ON ROUTE 2 88 AT THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE NOTCHES IN WEST CREEK.
UM, THE STUDY IS ALMOST COMPLETE, NOT THE PROJECT, BUT THE STUDY, UH, THAT WOULD REALLY ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE TRAFFIC ON, ON BROAD STREET AT, AT THE OVER BY THE WAWA.
WE HAVE, UM, PROJECT ROCKY IS GONNA CREATE A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON ASHLAND ROAD.
AND SO WE HAVE, UM, A PROJECT, UH, THAT'S GONNA CREATE A DUAL, UH, OR DIVERGENT DIAMOND.
UH, IF YOU, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO SCIENCE CROSSROADS VIEW? SO THEY HAVE ONE OF THESE THERE.
AND BASICALLY WHAT FOR PART OF THE DIAMOND AS YOU COME INTO IT, YOU ACTUALLY DRIVE ON THE OPPOSITE, UH, ON THE OPPOSITE LANE.
SO YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING AGAINST THE TRAFFIC.
IT'S ALL MANAGED BY TRAFFIC LIGHTS, SO THERE'S NO ISSUE.
BUT, UM, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON ASHLAND ROAD OVER THE INTERSTATE.
SO THEY'RE GONNA ADD A NEW BRIDGE OVER THE INTERSTATE.
IF YOU EVER TAKE, IF YOU GET OFF AT ROCKVILLE AND YOU WANT TO COME DOWN TO HACKETT ROAD, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A RIGHT ON TWO 50 AND MAKE A LEFT BY THE SUNSET GRILL.
THE PLAN IS TO CONNECT FROM BROAD STREET ALL THE WAY TO HACKETT ROAD.
AND THAT'S, UH, THIS, UH, SLIDE THERE.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO, THERE'S A PARK AND RIDE ON ASHLAND ROAD JUST NORTH OF, UH, 64.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE THAT TO SOUTH OF 64, JUST SO THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH SPACE TO DO, UH, THE, UM, DUAL DIAMOND OF THE DIAMOND INTERCHANGE, UH, IN THIS AREA.
IF YOU EVER COME ON 64 WESTBOUND IN THE EVENING WHEN THE PEOPLE ARE GETTING HOME, THE TRAFFIC AT THE OILVILLE MEXICAN BACKUP ALL THE WAY TO THE REST AREA, UM, I NEAR NEARLY REAR ENDED SOMEBODY, BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET OUTTA THE WAY A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, SO WE'RE ADDING A ROUNDABOUT OR THE, THE, UH, RIDER THAT DIDN'T CHANGE TO MAKE SURE THE TRAFFIC KEEPS MOVING.
HOW MANY OF YOU LIKE ROUNDABOUTS?
AND THE ROUNDABOUT HAS MADE IT A LOT EASIER AND NO ACCIDENTS, AS FAR AS I KNOW,
UM, SO THE OTHER THING WE'RE GONNA DO THERE IS WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND FAIRGROUNDS ROAD ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ROUTE SIX, AND THAT'LL OPEN UP SOME AREA IN THAT, IN THAT RED CIRCLE, WE'LL OPEN UP SOME AREA FOR COM FOR DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
ANOTHER THING THAT I WANNA REMIND YOU OF, AND, UM, NEIL SAUER IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA TAXING AUTHORITY.
WHEN YOU BUY GAS IN GLAND, THERE'S, UH, ATTACKS ON THAT GAS.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY, 7 CENTS THAT COMES RIGHT BACK TO US.
SO I REMEMBER THE, THE FIRST YEAR THAT I WAS ON THE BOARD, UH, THERE'S A BRIDGE THAT GOES FROM GLAND ACROSS TO ELK ISLAND.
IT'S A LITTLE, UH, IT'S A NARROW ONE LANE BRIDGE WITH NO RAILINGS.
A LITTLE SCARY, BUT, UM, IT GOT WASHED OUT ONE YEAR AND IT COST OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAIR IT.
AND OUR BUDGET, OUR, OUR VDOT BUDGET FOR THE YEAR WAS 80,000.
SO WE HAVE TO SCRAMBLE TO FIND OR VDOT SCRAMBLE TO FIND MONEY TO REPAIR THE BRIDGE.
UM, BUT I THINK OVER THE LAST, UH, UH, SINCE 2020, WE HAVE RECEIVED $9.2 MILLION.
AND THAT'S WHAT ENABLES US TO DO THINGS LIKE THE DIAMOND INTERCHANGE AND A LOT OF OTHER, UH, PROJECTS AROUND THE AREA.
UM, THIS IS PROBABLY NOT IMPORTANT TO MOST OF YOU, BUT WE, UH, THEY HAVE TO REPLACE OUR, UH, FOREST MAIN.
AND THIS IS IN THE EAST END OF THE COUNTY.
UH, THERE'S A NEIGHBORHOOD THERE CALLED HU HILLS, AND WE'RE, UH, RUNNING WATER AND SEWER TO THAT, AND IT'S ALMOST COMPLETED.
AND THEN WE ARE WORKING ON A PUBLIC UTILITIES MASTER PLAN.
AGAIN, THAT IMPACTS MOSTLY THE AREA IN THE EAST END OF THE COUNTY, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES THE, THE COURTHOUSE AREA.
[00:20:03]
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, DO YOU GUYS, UH, WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE WATER ISSUE THAT STARTED IN THE CITY? IF YOU DO, I'LL BRING MY, I'LL CALL, I'LL CALL A FRIEND,UM, SO THE CITY AS, AS YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD, HAD AN ISSUE WITH WATER FLOODING THE SEWER PLANT, WHICH KIND OF MIXED, UH, DRINKING WATER WITH NOT DRINKING WATER.
AND, UM, IT TOOK A WHILE FOR THE CITY TO LET THE HENRICO COUNTY KNOW THE WATER IN OUR EAST END.
IN THE EAST END OF OUR COUNTY, WE BUY FROM HENRICO.
SO FIRST A DELAY IN THE CITY TO HENRICO.
THEN HENRICO DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS ANY ISSUE WITH THEIR WATER BECAUSE THEY SHUT OFF THE VALVES TO THE CITY.
BUT EVENTUALLY, I THINK THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TOLD THEM, YOU, YOU NEED TO BOIL.
AND SO IT WAS A, A BIT OF AN EFFORT, BUT WE CREATED A WEBSITE TO LET OUR CITIZENS KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES WITH THE WATER, UH, AND WHAT TO DO.
UM, WE PROVIDED OVER 850 CASES OF WATER TO CITIZENS IN THE EAST END, SO THEY WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T HAVE TO BOIL THEIR DRINKING WATER BROADBAND.
WHO WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT BROADBAND? UH, WHERE'S PAUL? PAUL COMING UP, AND I'LL LET YOU COVER THIS, UM, THIS SLIDE, AND I KNOW IT'S, I KNOW IT'S HARD TO SEE, HARD FOR ME TO SEE, BUT THE, GO AHEAD.
I, I'VE BEEN DISCONNECTED FOR A LITTLE BIT.
MY NAME'S PAUL DRUMRIGHT, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS MANAGER FOR THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, HAPPY TO GIVE A UPDATE ON, UH, BROADBAND.
AND I'M GONNA USE A COOL TOOL.
SO RIGHT NOW, SO WE, WE HAVE A PROJECT, WE'VE HAD TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
WE HAD ONE WITH, UH, PORT 80 INTERNET THAT DID A PORTION OF THE CROZER AREA.
AND THEN WE HAVE A ONGOING PROJECT WITH FIREFLY FIBER BROADBAND TO EXTEND OUT FIBER TO THE WESTERN END, AND PORTIONS OF THE CROZIER AREA AS WELL.
BROADBAND, UM, IN ANOTHER SLIDE, I'LL SHOW YOU ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE HAVE GOING ON WITH THEM RIGHT NOW.
BUT, SO OUR PROJECT WITH FIREFLY IS ONGOING.
THEY ARE WRAPPING UP FIBER ON THIS MAP.
SO THIS MAP IS BACK FROM THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, AND THESE AREAS HAVE CHANGED.
SO THE BLUE THAT YOU CAN SEE IN HERE IS SAYS IN SERVICE.
UM, THESE AREAS RIGHT HERE WHERE IT SAYS MAINLINE SPLICING, THIS AREA IS ACTUALLY NOW IN THE PART OF, THEY'RE STARTING TO MAKE CONNECTIONS AS WELL AS ALL THIS AREA UP HERE, AS WELL AS THIS RECONNECT AREA.
SO THERE'S A LOT MORE CONNECTIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE HAPPENING OVER THE COMING MONTHS AS THEY MOVE THESE AREAS.
AND SO THESE AREAS ARE THE THREE SQUARE AREA, THE TABCO AREA, THE CALEDONIA AREA, AS WELL AS THEN THE RECONNECT AREA.
THEY'VE ALL MOVED INTO, CONNECTIONS ARE ONGOING RIGHT NOW.
SO DROP, UH, THEY'VE HAD TOWN HALL MEETINGS FOR THOSE AREAS, AND THEY ARE GONNA BEGIN DROPS TO EACH HOME.
IT WILL TAKE THEM A COUPLE MONTHS, AS I SAID, TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND AS THEY DO A DROP, THEN THEY WILL COME BACK AND DO CONNECTIONS TO THAT HOUSE.
THEY ARE ON TRACK TO FINISH RIGHT NOW, THOSE AREAS IN, IN AIMING TO FINISH EVERYTHING BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, THE OTHER AREAS THAT, UH, WOULD BE OF INTEREST ARE AS THE CROZIER AREA, AS WELL AS THEN OUT TOWARDS THE RILES BRIDGE.
AND SO THE CROSIER AREA IS DOWN HERE, RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN THE RIDDLE'S BRIDGE IS RIGHT HERE, THIS GREEN PART RIGHT IN THERE.
SO THEY ARE MOVING TOWARDS THOSE AREAS.
NEXT, UM, DOMINION HAS FINISHED UP ALL THEIR WORK.
THEY'RE FINISHING UP SPLICING IN THE LAST PINK AREA THERE.
AND THEN FIREFLY WILL BE DOING THEIR, THEY'RE DOING ENGINEERING RIGHT NOW, AND WE'LL BE MOVING INTO DOING DROP CONSTRUCTION FOR THOSE AREAS.
THEY'RE WORKING AS FAST AS THEY CAN, UH, TO GET ALL THOSE DONE.
UM, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO THIS KIND OF WILL SHOW YOU ONCE ALL THIS IS DONE, ALL THIS IN BLUE WILL BE CONNECTED, AND THIS OTHER AREA ALREADY HAS A LARGE MAJORITY OF SERVICE THROUGH COMCAST, BUT EACH OF THESE RED DOTS IS A NEW LOCATION THROUGH A GRANT THAT WE JUST GOT LAST YEAR.
SO BACK IN, UH, JULY OF 2024 WAS AWARDED, AND THEY ARE BEGINNING TO, YOU'RE GONNA START WORK ON THAT IN THE BEGINNING OF 2026.
THEY GOTTA FINISH UP THE GRANTS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO BY THE END OF 2025,
[00:25:01]
AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA MOVE INTO THE NEXT AREA.AND SO WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS EVERYBODY WHO WANTS SERVICE TO MAKE SURE YOU REGISTER WITH FIREFLY AT THEIR WEBSITE, BECAUSE THEY WILL THEN EXTEND A CONNECTION TO FOLKS WHO ARE REGISTERED.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET A CONNECTION.
UM, BUT THEY'RE GONNA OFFER IT TO EVERYBODY IN THOSE AREAS THAT WERE ON THE PREVIOUS MAP.
SO THEY'LL BE IT ALONG THE STREET IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO GET IT RIGHT AWAY, BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND GETTING IT RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE THEY'LL WAIVE THE A HUNDRED DOLLARS CONNECTION FEE IF YOU DO IT WHEN THEY'RE, UH, IN THE AREA.
AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS AFTER THE, UH, MEETING.
SO A LOT OF THOSE RED DOTS, THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE IN COMCAST, UH, COVERAGE AREA, BUT THEY WERE TOO FAR FROM THE ROAD.
SO COMCAST WOULD NOT CONNECT THEM WITHOUT PAYING A LOT OF MONEY.
SO, UH, BUT I WANNA TELL YOU, WHEN I RAN FOR OFFICE, I PROMISED BROADBAND FOR EVERYONE, AND 14 YEARS LATER, IT'S NOW HAPPENING.
UM, SO THERE, SO SARAH, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING UP, UM, THESE ARE SOME OF THE NEW BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY, AND I'LL TELL YOU, I I WENT TO RIDGEBORN GASTROENTEROLOGY THE OTHER DAY TO, TO HELP ME WITH MY HEARTBURN PROBLEM, AND THEY WERE TERRIFIC.
SO, SO I CAN, AND, AND OF COURSE THE HEARTBURN WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY DUNKING DONUTS.
SO BOTH OF THOSE I'VE, I'VE TAKEN
UH, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS SARAH WORLEY.
I'M THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR HERE AT GLAND COUNTY.
AND, UH, IF YOU GO BACK A COUPLE SLIDES, WHAT MR. ALVAREZ WAS TALKING ABOUT, THE REVENUE THAT'S COMING INTO THE COUNTY THAT SUPPORTS OUR BUDGET, A LOT OF THAT TAX REVENUE IS BASED OFF OF COMMERCIAL TAX BASE.
AND THE WORK THAT I DO TO RE UH, ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES AND MAKE SURE OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES ARE RETAINED IN THE COUNTY HELPS TO EXPAND THAT COMMERCIAL TAX BASE, WHICH TAKES THE TAX BURDEN OFF OF THE RESIDENTS.
UM, SO A COUPLE OF THE NEW BUSINESSES THAT HAVE, UH, UH, RECENTLY COME INTO THE COUNTY, WE HAVE A NEW MEDICAL THAT IS A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN'S OFFICE, AND HERE IN THE COURTHOUSE, UM, UH, AREA, SO THEY TOOK DOWN THE SPOT THAT USED TO BE, UM, THE DIALYSIS.
SO BEHIND BA CECILIA ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR THERE, BANDITS RIDGE WINERY, UH, BANDITS RIDGE WAS A, A EXISTING EVENT VENUE.
AND NOW THEY'VE OPENED UP A, A NEW WINERY THERE.
UM, NEURO SURGICAL ASSOCIATIONS IN RICHMOND, GASTROENTEROLOGY, THEY ARE DOWN TOWARDS THE EAST END OF THE COUNTY OFF OF WILKES RIDGE PARKWAY AND SOME OF THOSE MEDICAL BUILDINGS.
YELLOW CLUB IS IN CENTERVILLE.
SO, UH, THINK TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL AND ALL THOSE FUN THINGS.
AND THEN YOUTHFUL BEGINNINGS IS A, UM, AS IAN AND, UH, WAXING SERVICE HERE IN THE COURTHOUSE AREA.
UH, SO WE HAVE SOME GOOD INFORMATION HERE.
UM, AND THEN HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE WHAT WE ARE CALLING THE ROCKVILLE OPPORTUNITY CORRIDOR OR ROCK.
THIS IS THE ASHLAND ROAD CORRIDOR, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT A LOT OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING ALONG THAT CORRIDOR, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING THE CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES INFORMED OF EVERYTHING GOING ON, UM, INCLUDING SOME OF THE ROAD CLOSURES OR, UM, TRANSPORTATION, UH, THINGS THAT'LL BE HAPPENING IN THAT AREA.
SO WE'VE CREATED A WEBSITE, GLAND VA US SLASH OC.
YOU CAN GO THERE, YOU CAN GET INFORMATION ON THE PROJECTS AND TIMELINES AND ASSOCIATED TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING ALONG THAT CORRIDOR.
UM, SPEAKING OF WHICH, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE NEW INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE COMING, UM, ON ASHLAND ROAD.
THESE ARE TWO BUILDINGS, A TOTAL 335,000 SQUARE FEET OF DISTRIBUTION FOR NEW BUSINESSES, UH, THAT CAN COME IN OR FOR EXISTING BUSINESSES TO HAVE SPACE TO EXPAND INTO.
UH, PROJECT ROCKY AGAIN ON ASHLAND ROAD CORRIDOR.
UM, MULTI-STORY E-COMMERCE, UH, FULFILLMENT CENTER.
THEY HOPE TO BE OPERATIONAL IN 2026.
IF YOU'VE BEEN BY THE SITE, YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY ARE FAST UNDERWAY AND, UM, THEY ARE PROVIDING TEMPORARY INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS TO HELP DURING THEIR CONSTRUCTION.
THERE'S GONNA BE A TEMPORARY LIGHT AT THE INTERCHANGE, AND THEY'RE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL RAMP LANE, UH, TO HELP MOVE SOME OF THAT TRAFFIC THROUGH.
UH, TWO OTHER NEW KIND OF SMALLER, UH, UNITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR SOME OF OUR SMALLER BUSINESSES.
WE HAVE ONE OUT AT MIDPOINT INDUSTRIAL THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW.
AND THEN THE I 64 INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT IS LOCATED AT, UH, THE OILVILLE INTERCHANGE.
THESE ARE KIND OF SMALLER LOT, UM, SMALL CONTRACTOR.
SO IF YOU THINK, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESSES
[00:30:01]
THAT WORK OUT OF THEIR HOME NOW AND THEY'VE JUST GOTTEN TOO BIG, AND SO THEY NEED, UM, SOME OF THESE SMALLER SPACES TO MOVE INTO AS THEY GROW IN GLAND COUNTY.UM, HG MEETS NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROJECT, BUT IT IS A, UM, SMALL LOCAL USDA REGULATED FACILITY THAT ALLOWS GLAND FARMERS TO TAKE THEIR, UH, MEATS TO BE PROCESSED AND THEN, UM, PICKED UP AND THEN THEY CAN RESELL THEIR PRODUCT.
UM, HOWEVER THEY DO, SOME OF THAT'S ONLINE.
SOME OF 'EM TAKE IT TO FARMER'S MARKETS.
UM, SO HG MEATS WILL NOT BE OPEN FOR INDIVIDUAL RETAIL SALES.
UH, BUT THEY DO SUPPORT THE SUPPORT THE FARMING COMMUNITY HERE IN GLAND COUNTY.
AND, UM, IT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND HOPES TO BE OPEN, UH, IN THE NEXT THREE TO SIX MONTHS.
OUR CAPITAL INVESTMENT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY STABLE.
WE DID SEE A GREAT, UH, KIND OF INCREASE IN 2021 THAT WAS DUE TO SOME PENT UP DEMAND THAT HAPPENED DURING COVID.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE KIND OF LEVELED OFF AND THEN HOPE TO SEE SOME OTHER GREAT, UH, CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN 2025 COME THROUGH.
UH, EXPLORE LIN TOURISM WEBSITE.
WE ARE ALSO HANDLE TOURISM AND OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ON THIS WEBSITE, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK OUT SOME OF THE REALLY COOL THINGS HAPPENING IN GLAND COUNTY.
SO THAT'S EXPLORE GLAND.COM, OR, UM, YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE GLANDS GUIDE TO FOOD BEVERAGE AND FUN.
THAT'S A LISTING OF ALL OF OUR RESTAURANTS, ALL OF OUR CRAFT BEVERAGE MAKERS, ALL OF OUR HISTORICAL SITES, PARKS, ALL THE FUN THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO IN GLAND COUNTY.
AND, UH, WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR OPEN REWARDS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
THIS IS A PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN SIGN UP AND AT CERTAIN GLAND RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS, IF YOU SHOP THERE, YOU GET A PERCENTAGE BACK, 5% BACK THAT YOU CAN USE TO SHOP AT OTHER LOCAL GLAND BUSINESSES.
AND THEN LASTLY, WRAPPING UP, UM, MAY IS GOING TO BE GLAND'S APPRECIATION MONTH.
WE, THIS WILL BE OUR THIRD YEAR IN DOING IT.
AND, UM, WE LIKE TO TAKE THE WHOLE MONTH OF CELEBRATE GLAND BUSINESSES.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN EVENT AT KINDRED SPIRIT BREWING TO SHOW, UH, BUSINESSES APPRECIATION.
THEY'RE GONNA COME AND NETWORK.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE HOSTING A GLAND BUSINESS CENTER OPEN HOUSE ON MAY 16TH.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE DO, UH, FEEL FREE TO STOP BY THAT DAY AND WE'LL BE AVAILABLE TO, UH, TALK AND TO LEARN MORE.
AND I WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER, UM, THE PRESENTATION FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
SARAH'S BEEN DOING A, A GREAT JOB.
UM, SO SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP NOW, MOST OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF GLAND DAY, AND THAT'S GONNA BE ON MAY 16TH.
THERE'S GONNA BE A CONCERT AT, UM, THE FIELD OVER HERE,
AND THEN ON MARCH, ON MAY 17TH IS THE PARADE AND THE FESTIVAL AFTER THE PARADE, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION IS ACTUALLY, IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON A MASTER PLAN.
AND THEY'VE ALREADY HAD A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
AND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS FIGURE OUT WHAT THE CITIZENS WANT AND HOW MUCH DO WE ALREADY HAVE AND WHAT DO WE NEED GOING FORWARD.
UH, WE EXPECT TO COMPLETE IT BY THE FALL OF 2025.
TOM C**K IS OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTORIES SITTING OVER THERE ON THE, ON THE SIDE.
UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND IF YOU GET THE SURVEY, WE'RE GONNA SEND OUT A SURVEY TO SELECTED FOLKS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
IF YOU GET IT, PLEASE RESPOND.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF UPCOMING EVENTS.
I PROBABLY WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE, BUT, UM, THERE'S A EXTREME EGG STREAM, UH, EVENT COMING UP FOR EASTER.
AND THEN, UH, NIGHT AT, THERE'S A CONCERT SERIES AT TUCKER PARK, UH, WHAT WE CALL NIGHT AT TUCKER.
THERE ARE SEVERAL GROUPS COMING.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS THE, UH, LATE RIVER BAND, THE NEXT EXIT, 38 PERMANENT VACATION.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD BAND TO LISTEN TO ANYWAY.
UM, IF YOU GOT ONE OF OUR PRINTOUTS, UH, CHECK IT OUT.
THOSE ARE REALLY GREAT EVENTS AT, UH, TUCKER TUCKER PARK.
WE ALSO HAVE UPCOMING A RECYCLING EVENT.
WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR HERE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, UH, AREA.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY REMEMBERS WHAT, WHERE THE FAIRGROUNDS BUILDING WAS OR IF YOU MOVED TO THE COUNTY.
IT'S RIGHT THERE AT 5 22 AND FAIRGROUNDS ROAD IN THAT EMPTY LOT.
AND WE WILL COLLECT, UM, UH, PAPER, UH, BOXES OF, UH, PAPER, UH, AS WELL AS SOME CHEMICALS, UM, FLUORESCENT BULBS AND SO ON.
[00:35:01]
UH, SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVING THE COUNTY IS OBVIOUSLY PROVIDE FEEDBACK.YOU'VE HEARD THIS PRESENTATION.
WE KIND OF MOVE THROUGH A FAIRLY QUICK, UH, PROVIDE FEEDBACK YOU CAN SUBMIT INTEREST IN TO SERVE ON BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS.
WE HAVE LOTS OF BOARDS, UH, OR COMMISSIONS THAT HELP US MAKE DECISIONS IN THE COUNTY.
UH, YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY OFFER TO VOLUNTEERS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENTS OF INTEREST.
UM, SERVE, NOT NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.
I'M ON THE BOARD OF, I'M ON TWO BOARDS NOW.
GLAND CARES AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY DO THAT AS WELL.
UM, COME TO MEETINGS, TELL HOME MEETINGS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY WELL ATTENDED MEETING FOR OUR DISTRICT.
UH, WE HAD A, MAYBE A SLIGHTLY BIGGER CROWD IN, IN THE EASTERN, BUT WE DON'T ALWAYS GET PARTICIPATION AND YOU SHOULDN'T GET COMPLACENT.
COME TO THE MEETINGS AND LISTEN, THAT'S THE SAME FOR THE BOARD MEETINGS.
UM, PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNTY SPONSORED EVENTS LIKE THE EVENTS OF TUCKER PARK.
UH, DONATE TIME, EXPERTISE OR FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO SOME OF OUR NONPROFITS VOTE.
AND IF YOU, UM, FEEL THAT YOU WANT TO HANDLE PEOPLE LIKE YOU RUN FOR OFFICE
UM, AND THEN THESE ARE SOME WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE GOLAND COUNTY APP, UH, GOLAND THE GLANCE, I KNOW, UM, GIVES YOU WEEKLY UPDATES ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTY.
YOU CAN SIGN UP ON OUR WEBSITE FOR ALERTS AND NOTIFICATIONS AND, UH, ALL THOSE THINGS ARE GONNA KEEP YOU CONNECTED AND THEY WON'T, WILL NOT BOMBARD YOU WITH, WITH, UH, BAD INFORMATION.
THE SHERIFF HAS A REALLY GOOD, UM, PAGE NOW, YOU OR, UH, APP THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD TO YOUR PHONE AND IT TELLS YOU IF THERE'S A, A ROAD CLOSED OR AN ASK FOR AN ACCIDENT OR OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND, AND IT'S REALLY A, A, A GOOD WORKING WEBSITE, I MEAN, OR APP FOR YOUR PHONE.
AND THEN CODE RED, UH, HOW MANY OF YOU ARE NOT ON CODE RED
UH, WHEN WE DID THE EVENT, UH, LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE THE TORNADO DRILL, UH, EVERY PHONE IN MY HOUSE RANG BECAUSE I'VE GOT 'EM ALL, ALL CONNECTED.
BUT, UH, THE WATER ISSUE IN THE EAST END OF THE COUNTY, WE IMMEDIATELY SENT OUT A NOTIFICATION THROUGH CODE RED.
SO IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT DOWNLOADED, UH, YOU CAN DO IT FROM OUR WEBSITE.
THERE'S A LINK THERE TO DO IT, AND YOU'LL GET ANY EMERGENCY ALERTS, TORNADO, WATER, OUTAGE, AND SO ON.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, AND THOSE OF YOU WHO LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO OR, UM, NOT SO MUCH THREE, BUT DISTRICT TWO, WE HAVE A NEW FIRE STATION, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE BUILT.
YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN IT ON, UH, WHITEHALL ROAD, RIGHT AT SANDY HOOK ROAD.
UH, WE BOUGHT THAT PROPERTY A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND, UM, IT'S GONNA BE OUR NEXT FIRE, OUR NEXT FIRE STATION.
UH, THAT DESIGN, I LIKED IT A LOT, SO THE CHIEF DIDN'T WANT TO COMMIT TO IT, SO HE MADE ME PUT POTENTIAL DESIGN ON THERE.
SO OTHERWISE I WAS CONSIDERING FINAL.
BUT, UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE GREAT FOR US.
IT'S ALREADY, WE ALREADY HAVE AN AMBULANCE AT THAT LOCATION AND IT'S ALREADY RUN A LOT OF GREAT OR IMPORTANT CALLS.
UM, I KNOW THEY'VE RESCUED SEVERAL OF PEOPLE IN, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS NOT, NOT FAR FROM THERE.
SO THIS WILL BE GLAND COUNTY, SANDY HOOK FIRE STATION, OR COMPANY EIGHT.
SO BY THIS FALL WE'LL BE REVIEWING THE, THE, UH, BIDS FOR THAT.
SO, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM THE GOVERNOR FOR, UM, FIRE EMERGENCY SERVICES, UH, EXCELLENCE IN VIRGINIA, FIRE PROTECTION.
THEY CAN DO FIRE TRAINING WITH REAL FIRE, BUT IT'S NOT, UM, IT USED TO BE THAT YOU JUST TOOK A BUILDING AND BURNED IT AND PEOPLE WENT IN AND TRIED TO PUT IT OUT.
THAT CREATED A LOT OF HAZARDS FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
'CAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS BURNING.
THIS IS GAS FIRES AND THEY'RE CONTROLLED BY THE TRAINERS.
IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BY THERE, UM, TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
THEY HAD A, AN OPEN HOUSE BACK WHEN IT OPENED.
UM, BUT IT, IT REALLY WORKS GREAT AND IT HELPS US TRAIN OUR FIREFIGHTERS WITH REAL FIRE INSTEAD OF, I THINK THEY USED TO HAVE SOME TELEVISED.
[00:40:01]
UH, UH, THEY HAVE THIS ALSO PROVIDES SMOKE.SO IT'S BASICALLY THEA THEATRICAL SMOKE SO THAT THEY CAN A SENSE OF WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT MIGHT BE LIKE.
THE ANIMAL SHELTER CONTINUES TO DO GREAT THINGS.
AND, UM, I'VE DONE THIS PRESENTATION NOW THREE TIMES, AND WE'VE HAD TO HAVE A NEW DOG EACH TIME BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING ADOPTED.
UH, SO WE'VE HAD, OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE HAD 2,369 CALLS FOR SERVICE, 574 ADOPTIONS, AND THE SAFE RATE IS 96.6%, WHICH THE ONLY ANIMALS THAT DON'T COME OUT OF THERE ALIVE IS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY SICK OR VERY DANGEROUS.
UM, AGAIN, FOR ENGAGEMENT, WE WE'RE TRYING TO REMIND YOU TO STAY ENGAGED.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETINGS ARE THE FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, AND THE TIMES ARE SET.
SOMETIMES THEY VARY FROM TWO O'CLOCK TO THREE O'CLOCK, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH WE WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA.
AND THEN THE EVENING MEETING, IT'S EITHER IT'S AT SIX OR SEVEN, BUT WE ANNOUNCE IT AT LEAST A WEEK IN ADVANCE.
IF YOU SIGN UP FOR NOTIFICATIONS, YOU CAN SIGN UP TO RECEIVE THE AGENDA FOR THE UPCOMING MEETING IN EMAIL, AND THEN YOU CAN CHECK, UH, THE TIME.
SO WITH THAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO HOLD QUESTIONS TILL THE END OF THE SCHOOL'S PRESENTATION.
YOU ALSO SHOULD HAVE A, DID WE DO THE SURVEY? SO WE, OH, OKAY.
SO WE HAVE A SURVEY OUT THERE.
FILL IT OUT, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS OR ANY OTHER ISSUES YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, MARY MOSES, OUR, THE CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS GOING TO KICK OFF THE SCHOOL PRESENTATION.
WHAT I WANT IS THE SPECIAL TOOL.
YEAH, YOU DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE, UM, UM, SCHOOL BOARD.
ARI CAN'T BE HERE TODAY, SO I'M GONNA COVER FOR HIM.
UM, LET ME GET THESE SLIDES GOING.
THIS IS HIS, UM, HIS, HE, HE CAME UP WITH THE BUDGET AND WE, WE, WE APPROVED IT, OF COURSE.
OKAY, SO OUR CORE, I'M GONNA DO THE FIRST PART, AND THEN MS. ALLEN IS GONNA COME UP AND DO THE NUMBER STUFF.
SO, OUR CORE VALUES, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD OF THE ECHO AWARDS, UM, THEY'RE E-C-C-H-O, EXCELLENCE, CREATIVITY, COURAGE, HONOR AND OPTIMISM.
AND THOSE ARE THE, OUR CORE VALUES.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UM, CORE, CORE GOALS, OKAY? UM, THEY ARE TO MAXIMIZE EACH STUDENT'S ACADEMIC POTENTIAL TO MAXIMIZE RESOURCES FOR INSTRUCTION, AND TO IMPROVE THE CLIMATE OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
NOW, THE WAY THAT WE DO THIS IS THROUGH OUR VISION, OKAY? UM, WE WANT TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT, OKAY? WE ALSO HAVE A MISSION.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE WANNA MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY LEARNER.
NOW, THE WAY THAT WE DO THIS IS WE HAVE GOOD, GOOD, UM, INSTRUCTORS, WE HAVE GOOD STAFF.
WE HAVE, WELL, ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY.
WE HAVE EXCELLENT INSTRUCTORS, EXCELLENT STAFF, AND, UM, WE CARE.
SO THEREFORE IT'S, WE NEED A BUDGET, OKAY? WHICH IS WHAT MS. ALLEN'S GONNA TALK ABOUT.
OKAY? UM, BUT WE DO, OKAY, GOING BACK A COUPLE OF SLIDES, OKAY.
TO MAXIMIZE EACH STUDENT'S ACADEMIC POTENTIAL, WE DON'T JUST WANT THEM TO, TO GET A GRAD, UM, A A DIPLOMA.
WE WANT THEM TO LEARN, WE WANT THEM TO KNOW STUFF.
WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET A JOB, OKAY? AND MS. ALLEN'S GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CTE.
SO WE HAVE THAT INSTEAD OF JUST, JUST THE ACADEMICS.
AND IT'S A GREAT THING, ESPECIALLY FOR HERE, IF YOU WANT A GOOD JOB, GO TO SEE CTE AND YOU CAN HAVE A JOB THAT, I'M SORRY, I'M TAKING YOUR THING.
THE MONDAY AFTER GRADUATION, YOU CAN HAVE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD JOB, OKAY? OKAY.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS. UM, SORRY.
SO I, I CAN TELL YOU IT'S NOT A CHEMISTRY LAB.
IF IT WAS A CHEMISTRY LAB, THERE WOULD BE STUFF EVERYWHERE.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE FOOD IN THERE.
UM, AND IT, THERE WOULD BE CRUST ALL OVER THE PLACE.
OKAY? ANOTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO NOTICE ON THIS IS THE, UH,
[00:45:01]
THIS IS WHAT I WANT.WHAT WORRIES ME IS THAT THERE ISN'T A VIRGINIA FLAG THERE.
OKAY? NOW, WHEN I SAID THAT, UM, THE OTHER DAY, I, I, I GOT SOME BOOZE MM-HMM
AND WELL, I THOUGHT I GOT BOOZE, THEN I REALIZED, NO, THEY WERE JUST AGREEING WITH ME SAYING, WHOS, WHO'S WORK WITH MI HERE?
THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SORT OF HARD TO READ.
UM, THEY DO GO FROM, OH, WELL, OKAY.
IT'S, IT'S THE FIVE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND THEY GO FROM, UM, 2020 TO 21, 20 20, 21 TO 20, 24, 25.
NOW, THE FIRST THREE ARE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
THE FOURTH ONE IS THE MIDDLE IN CA.
'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S VERY HARD TO SEE THAT.
AND THE FIFTH ONE IS THE HIGH SCHOOL.
NOW YOU'LL, YOU'LL LOOK AT THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE, WHICH IS UCHIN EL, I'M SORRY, THE SECOND ONE, WHICH IS UCHIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS YEAR WE HAVE QUITE AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT, OKAY? IT'S NOT THAT MUCH OF AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT, BUT WHAT WE DID WAS WE OPENED UP THE, THE NEW GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE STUDENTS FROM, DO IT THIS WAY, RANDOLPH RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY AND BIRD ELEMENTARY, AND PUT THEM INTO GLAND ELEMENTARY.
SO WE HAVE A BIG SPIKE HERE FOR, FOR THIS YEAR, BUT WE DO HAVE A DECREASE IN RANDOLPH AND A DECREASE IN BIRD.
OKAY? SO WE REALLY HAVEN'T, WE JUST, JUST MOVED THEM AROUND.
AS FAR AS THE ENROLLMENT'S CONCERNED, THE OVERALL ENROLLMENT, IT'S, IT'S SOMEWHAT STEADY.
OKAY? UM, IN 2020 TO 21, IT WAS 25 82, 21 TO 22, IT WAS 25 96 STUDENTS, 2022 TO 23, 26, 43.
THEN WE HAD A 71 NUMBER DECREASE TO 20 23, 24.
BUT THEN WE HAD A 71 IN, UM, STUDENT INCREASE IN 2024 TO 25.
OKAY? SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH STEADY.
IT'S NOT TOO UP AND DOWN THIS YEAR, HOWEVER, IT'S THE COVID YEAR.
IT'S THE COVID BABIES, OKAY? UM, THERE, THERE, THERE WERE BABIES BORN DURING, WELL, COVID COVID YEAR, AND THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS OLD NOW, SO THEY'RE COMING TO SCHOOL.
SO WE DON'T REALLY KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY KINDERGARTNERS WE'RE GONNA HAVE, BUT IT'S, UM, GONNA BE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT.
OKAY? WE SHOULD GET A SPIKE IN THAT.
OKAY? SOME OF OUR SUCCESSES, OKAY, WE ARE IN FACT AN APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL SYSTEM, RIGHT? UM, NOW THE APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL, LET ME READ IT FROM HERE.
THEY'RE CENTERS OF LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE THAT DEMONSTRATES APPLE'S VISION FOR LEARNING WITH TECHNOLOGY.
UM, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE SOME OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD.
THEY INSPIRE, THEY IMAGINE, AND THERE'S IMPACT.
OKAY? THERE ARE 457 APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS IN THE US AND 115,000 171 K 12 SCHOOLS IN THE US.
I WOULD'VE THOUGHT THERE WERE MORE, BUT YEAH.
UM, THERE ARE 979 K, 12 A DS OR APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS WORLDWIDE.
OKAY? UM, WE ARE ONE OF THE 18 APPLE DISTINGUISHED DISTRICTS.
OKAY? SO WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD.
NOW, THAT DOESN'T JUST MEAN THAT WE BUY APPLES, YOU KNOW, APPLE TECHNOLOGY, IPADS, CHROMEBOOKS, WHATEVER.
UM, WE DO, I'M SORRY, IPAD I MAX, SORRY.
UM, WE, WE, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITH THEM.
YOU HAVE TO, TO INNOVATE, YOU HAVE TO INSPIRE OR YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN IMPACT, OKAY? UM, AS FAR AS HOW WE ARE SEEN BY PARENTS AND STUDENTS, THE NICHE SCORES, WERE NUMBER 12 IN OF 130 OF THE BEST.
OF THE 130 BEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN VIRGINIA, WE'RE NUMBER 12.
AS FAR AS, UM, SPECIAL OLYMPICS, WE HAVE THE UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER GONE TO ONE OF THE, UM,
[00:50:01]
UNIFIED COMPETITIONS, BUT THESE KIDS JUST, THEY PLAY THEIR HEARTS OUT.OKAY? WE ALSO HAVE A DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD.
THIS IS THE, WHAT YEAR IS IT? HOW MANY? A LOT.
YEAH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF 'EM.
WELL, ANYHOW, SHE, UM, EVERY BUNCH OF PEOPLE DO A GREAT JOB.
WE'RE ONE OF 10 SCHOOL DIVISIONS IN VIRGINIA WITH 100% OF OUR SCHOOLS FULLY ACCREDITED FOR MORE THAN 10 CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
SOME PEOPLE LIKE SOLS, SOME PEOPLE DON'T.
BUT WE HAVE GOOD, GOOD RESULTS THERE.
UM, IN READING ENGLISH AND IN MATH, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PASS RATES FOR READING IN ENGLISH, IT'S 82%.
THAT MAKES, UM, OUT OF THE REGIONAL AREA.
WE ARE FIRST IN READING IN ENGLISH, THAT'S 10 DIFFERENT, UM, DISTRICTS.
AND, UM, SECOND IN MATH, STATE RANK, OOPS, SORRY, STATE RANK WITH 14TH AND EIGHTH IN THOSE TWO CATEGORIES.
IT'S 82 AND 83%, AS MY MOTHER ONCE SAID, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER 17%? WELL, SO WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON IT, AND THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
AS FAR AS VALUE'S CONCERNED, WE ARE PRETTY GOOD ABOUT, ABOUT, UM, THE MONEY
UM, SORRY, GOT ONE MORE THE VALUE.
IN READING IN ENGLISH, IN THE STATE, READING IT AND READING IN ENGLISH IN THE STATE, WE ARE 14TH, BUT WE'RE 72ND IN THE STATE AS FAR AS THE, THE MONEY.
OKAY? SO WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE, UM, SYSTEMS IN THE SCHOOL, IN THE, IN THE STATE.
OUR GRADUATION RATE, ONE MORE.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T SEE IT UP HERE.
WE HAD A 90, I CAN'T SEE IT EITHER.
WE HAD A 98%, UM, GRADUATION RATE, UM, ON TIME GRADUATION RATE.
THAT DOESN'T, THAT, THAT'S A FOUR YEAR OKAY.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT 2% DID NOT GRADUATE, IT JUST MEANS THAT 2% DID NOT GRADUATE IN THE REQUISITE FOUR YEARS.
SOME OF 'EM MAY HAVE TAKEN FIVE YEARS, OR SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE HAD TO GO TO SUMMER SCHOOL, BUT WE DO GET THOSE KIDS OUT IN FOUR YEARS-ISH.
OKAY, MS. ALLEN, THANK YOU MS. MOSES.
I AM THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT THREE, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YET.
KUMAR COULDN'T BE WITH US THIS EVENING, SO I'LL DO MY BEST TO COVER THE BUDGET PRESENTATION FOR YOU.
UH, I WANNA BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE SUPPORT WE FROM OUR SUPERVISORS.
UM, MR. ALVAREZ COVERED THE FACT THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE BENEFITING FROM A 6% YEAR OVER YEAR BUDGET ALLOCATION INCREASE.
AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE AS MS. MOSES ALLUDED TO, WE'RE IN THE PEOPLE BUSINESS AND IT TAKES SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS TO HIRE TALENTED PROFESSIONALS TO EDUCATE CHILDREN.
AND THESE, UH, CHALLENGES ARE EVER INCREASING.
WE'RE GONNA UNPACK THE THREE STRATEGIC GOALS THAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION HAS, AND TALK ABOUT THE DOLLARS THAT ARE TIED TO THOSE.
FIRST ONE, TO MAXIMIZE THE STUDENT POTENTIAL, TO PREPARE THEM FOR SUCCESSFUL LIFE.
MS. MOSES, UH, TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER.
UM, WE WANNA MEASURE GROWTH AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE MEETING STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE.
ONE THING YOU'LL QUICKLY LEARN ABOUT EDUCATION, IT'S NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION, AND EVERY CHILD HAS UNIQUE NEEDS, SO WE NEED TO BE PREPARED TO SUPPORT THOSE.
UM, ALSO, WE DON'T JUST WANT THEM TO WALK ACROSS THE STAGE AND THEN TURN THEIR TASSEL.
WE WANT THEM READY FOR COLLEGE, MILITARY SERVICE, CAREER AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, OR STRAIGHT TO THE WORKFORCE, WHATEVER IS BEST FOR THEIR NEEDS.
SO PROVIDING OPTIONS IS IMPORTANT.
SO IN STRATEGIC GOAL AREA ONE, AND I'M GONNA TALK VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT THE NUMBERS, BUT THERE'S SOME OPTICS HERE AT PLAY THAT I DON'T WANT IT TO DECEIVE YOU.
GOAL AREA ONE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, BUT IT WILL LOOK LIKE WE'RE ALLOCATING THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY TO IT.
PLEASE DO NOT BE MISLED ABOUT THAT.
[00:55:01]
WITH CHANGES RELATED TO THE A CA TUITION.AND YOU CAN SEE THAT KIND OF TOOK $315,000, AGAIN, PERCEIVABLY AWAY FROM THIS GOAL.
IT'S JUST CHANGING ABOUT HOW THOSE, UM, MONIES ARE PAID TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO SUPPORT OUR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WHO PURSUE THAT AS PART OF THEIR CURRICULUM.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO SEE WE DID SOME CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING.
YOU CAN'T JUST KEEP PILING ON EVERY YEAR.
YOU'VE GOTTA SOLVE PROBLEMS IN NEW AND UNIQUE WAYS.
AND ONE OF THOSE WAS, UH, TRANSFERRING A CURRENT EMPLOYEE TO CREATE AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPALSHIP ROLE AT THE NEW UCHIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE REASON THAT'S SO IMPORTANT, AS MS. MOSES SHOWED YOU THE GROWTH THAT THAT SCHOOL HAS EXPERIENCED, IT'S NOW ON PAR FROM A STUDENT POPULATION POINT OF VIEW WITH ALMOST OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SUPPORTING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MAKING SURE ADMINISTRATION GOES SMOOTHLY, AND MEETING PARENTS AND STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE, REALLY CAN'T FALL TO THE SHOULDERS OF JUST ONE PRINCIPAL.
WE NEED AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL TO COME ALONGSIDE MS. MCKAY FOR THAT.
AND WE HAVE ALSO HAVE INCREASED NEEDS IN ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, UM, AND THAT AGAIN, WE HAVE A CURRENT PART-TIME EMPLOYEE.
WE'RE MOVING THOSE, THAT EMPLOYEE TO FULL-TIME.
AND I'M EXCITED BASED ON STUDENT INTEREST AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT, WHERE IS HE'S NOT HERE.
UM, OUR EMT PROGRAM, WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT AS PART OF OUR CTE OFFERINGS.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S LOOK AT STRATEGIC GOAL AREA NUMBER TWO, TO CREATE AN ENGAGING AND RESPONSIVE EXPERIENCE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS INFORMED, INCLUDED, VALUED AND EMPOWERED.
UM, AND SO THIS IS REALLY TALKING ABOUT HOW WE MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK WITH POTENTIAL HIRES ABOUT HAS TO DO WITH THE CULTURE IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
SMALL CLASS SIZES, A GREAT DEAL OF AUTONOMY, UM, AND REALLY GIVING OUR PROFESSIONALS THE ROOM TO GROW AND TO CONTRIBUTE.
SO HOW DOES THAT SHOW UP IN TERMS OF DOLLARS? 3%, NOTHING SAYS, I VALUE YOU MORE THAN MAKING SURE YOU ARE WELL COMPENSATED FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
NOW, THAT MAY SEEM TRIVIAL, BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU.
WHEN I HAVE TO BUY EGGS, THAT 3% CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND SO THIS IS BEING AWARDED TO ALL EMPLOYEES, UM, FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION, AS MR. ALVAREZ SPOKE TO EARLIER IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL.
BEYOND THE COST OF THAT 3%, BY THE WAY, IS $995,000 IN CHANGE BECAUSE WE ARE THE LARGEST, UH, DEPARTMENT FOR THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WE HAVE.
UM, WE ALSO HAD SOME SAVINGS WE WERE ABLE TO REALIZE WITH CHANGES, UM, IN SOME POSITIONS AND ALSO KNOWN RETIREMENTS, SO THAT HELPS OFFSET SOME OF THAT COST.
UM, AND THEN WE HAD SOME ADDITIONAL STIPENDS, UM, TO ALLOCATE FOR TEACHERS THAT WERE DOING WORK ABOVE AND BEYOND THEIR CURRENT ROLE.
UM, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO WHAT'S CALLED AN IEP, UM, FOR MEETING STUDENTS', UM, NEEDS IN ADDITIONAL WAYS OUTSIDE OF THEIR TYPICAL CLASSROOM RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE HERE, OF COURSE, OTHER STUFF COST.
I CALLED OUT BEFORE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE $95,000 FOR STRATEGIC GOAL ONE WAS GONNA BE MISLEADING BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE SEEING A $713,000 NUMBER FOR GOAL TWO.
BUT REMEMBER, THAT'S VERY TOP HEAVY WITH THAT 3% RAISE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S LOOK AT GOAL THREE TO ENHANCE AND SUPPORT THE INSTRUCTIONAL AND LEARNING NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF.
SO THIS IS GONNA INVOLVE OUR FACILITIES, OUR OPERATION, FACILITIES, OPERATIONS, TECHNOLOGY, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, AND THE LIKE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING UP TO DATE RESOURCES AND MAKING THOSE AVAILABLE TO OUR TEACHING PROFESSIONALS.
SO HERE'S WHAT THAT BREAKS DOWN TO IN TERMS OF BUDGET PRIORITIES.
SOME OF IT IS JUST HAVE TO DOS HIGHER UTILITY COST.
UM, SOME OF IT IS REALLY OPPORTUNISTIC.
UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FACT THAT $247,000 TO REPLACE SOME OF OUR VEHICLES, IT COMES OUT OF OUR CIP BUDGET.
BUT OFTENTIMES THE BUDGET CYCLES HAVE TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHEN THOSE MONIES ARE ALLOCATED.
SO THE LAST THING I WANNA CALL OUT HERE ALSO HAS TO DO WITH THE RESTORING THE FISCAL YEAR 25 TECHNOLOGY CONTRACTS.
I MENTIONED, I'M GONNA SAY IT FOR A THIRD TIME, THIS
[01:00:01]
IS GONNA FEEL LOPSIDED.THAT $270,000 WAS MAKING THE SCHOOL BUDGET WHOLE FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR WHERE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STEPPED UP AND SUPPORTED THE SCHOOL BOARD IN ALLOCATING A 5% MARKET INCREASE FOR ALL OF OUR TEACHING PROFESSIONALS.
WE DEFERRED THE TECHNOLOGY CONTRACTS AND NOW WE'RE COMING BACK AROUND AND BRINGING THOSE IN OUR BUDGET.
SO WE'RE REALLY NOT, UH, SPENDING $746,000 IN THE OPERATIONAL COMPONENT.
IT'S A LITTLE LOPSIDED BASED ON CARRYOVER FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
WE REALLY CHALLENGED OUR ADMINISTRATION TEAM TO FIND COST SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES AND THEY HAVE, UM, DONE A GOOD JOB WITH THIS.
YOU CAN SEE TOTALLY MORE THAN $662,000 OF SAVINGS OF YOUR MONEY.
IT'S TAXPAYER MONEY AND WE NEED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF IT.
AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN THE, UH, SAVINGS TO BE REALIZED HERE.
UM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR SPENDING THROUGH A VERY JUDICIAL AND PRUDENT LENS.
OKAY, LET'S BREAK ALL THIS DATA DOWN INTO SOME FUN HIGH CATEGORIES.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT GOALS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT.
THE NET INVESTMENT IS $892,000.
THESE SLIDES ARE A LITTLE OUTDATED BECAUSE JUST LAST WEEK OUR SUPERVISORS ADVISED THAT THEY WILL ALLOCATE AN ADDITIONAL $300,000 TO SUPPORT SOME OF OUR UNFUNDED PRIORITIES.
AND AGAIN, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT SUPPORT.
WHEN YOU PUT IT ON A PIE CHART, UM, IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE EASIER TO CONSUME, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT MORE THAN 77% OF THE SCHOOL BUDGET IS ALLOCATED TOWARDS INSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY THAT GOES RIGHT TO LEARNING GOALS.
AND SOMETHING THAT WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH ON TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING IT IN THE CLASSROOM FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE STUDENTS.
WE'RE IN THE WHAT BUSINESS? THE PEOPLE BUSINESS.
84% OF OUR BUDGET IS ALLOCATED FOR SALARY AND BENEFITS OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND LIKE THE COUNTY, WE ARE ON THE SHARED HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN.
WE DID NOT EXPERIENCE A PREMIUM INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR.
WHERE DO WE GET THE MONEY? WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE FACT THAT REALLY GLIN PAYS TO EDUCATE GLIN STUDENTS.
UM, WITHOUT GOING INTO A FULL
ONE OF THOSE COMPONENTS HAS TO DO WITH AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP FROM HOW THE STATE APPROPRIATES FUNDING.
AND WHEN WE REPORTED, MOST RECENTLY, OUR NUMBER WAS 2,520 STUDENTS.
UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE LCI, WHICH MR. ALVAREZ TALKED ABOUT WAS A 0.8.
THAT MEANS THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR, THE STATE'S ONLY GIVEN US 20 CENTS.
SO THAT MEANS 80 CENT OF EVERY DOLLAR HAS TO COME OUT OF THE LOCAL POCKET, WHICH IS CHALLENGING WHEN THERE ARE UNFUNDED MANDATES COMING FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY EVERY YEAR.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT IN A GRAPHICAL FORMAT, YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT THE COUNTY IS MORE THAN 70% OF THE SCHOOL'S BUDGET, THE COUNTY AKA, THE GLAND, CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES AND FEE REVENUE AND ALL OF THE THINGS FOR THOSE OF US WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE, UM, A MUCH SMALLER PORTION HAS TO COME FROM VARIOUS, UH, STATE GRANTS.
AND THEN WE ALSO BENEFIT FROM STATE SALES TAXES LIKE THE SUPERVISORS.
WE TAKE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO BUDGETING BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCURATELY PREDICT HOW MUCH CONSUMERS ARE GOING TO SPEND AND THEREFORE HOW MUCH YOU WILL EXPECT TO RECEIVE FROM THE SALES TAX.
AND THEN IF WE GET THE ADDITIONAL TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT, THAT'S A WINDFALL FOR US.
AND I WANNA CALL OUT, THERE'S A REALLY SMALL SLIVER IN THERE.
UM, THOSE WERE THINGS THAT WE SAW IN MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGES IN THE YEARS COMING, UM, OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.
UM, THOSE ARE FEWER AND FEWER AND MANY TIMES, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT AN ECONOMICALLY NEED-BASED COMMUNITY, WE ARE CONSIDERED AFFLUENT AND WEALTHY.
THANK YOU FOR THE TRIPLE, TRIPLE CREDIT BOND RATINGS.
UM, WE MAY NOT ALWAYS QUALIFY FOR SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE DO CHARGE A
[01:05:01]
LITTLE BIT OF RENT AND A LITTLE BIT OF TUITION FOR OUT OF, OUT OF COUNTY, UH, STUDENTS.AS MR. ALVAREZ SAYS, JUST LIKE THE SUPERVISORS, WE MUST PRESENT A BALANCE BUDGET.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT OUR CHANGES ON THE EXPENSES SIDE AND WE HAD TO MATCH IT TO THE REVENUE SIDE SO THAT WE CAN GET A BUDGET ADOPTED.
THIS SHOWS THAT THE SCHOOL BUDGET GREW BY 2% IF WE PUT THAT EXTRA 3% IN OR $300,000 IN THERE, IT'S CLOSER TO 2.7%.
UM, BUT WHO'S COUNTING? UM, SO THAT'S DR.
UM, WHEN MR. ALVAREZ IS READY, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT IT.
DO ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD OR ME OR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS? OH, WE HAVE A QUESTION HERE.
UM, ON THE, ON THE MATTER OF RISK, THE, UH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, HOWIE'S OLD ACCIDENTS AND TRAFFIC INCIDENTS, AND THE TIE THIS YEAR FOR THE WORST INTERSECTIONS WERE BROAD STREET ROAD 2 88 AND FAIRGROUNDS MAIDENS, AND DIDN'T SEE ANY UPDATE ON THE FAIRGROUNDS, MAIDENS ROUNDABOUT, OR ANY OTHER WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATE ON THAT? GREAT QUESTION.
IN FACT, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE LONG.
I DIDN'T HAVE THE SLIDE ON THAT.
YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T KNOW, UH, NEIL.
UH, GREAT QUESTION, MR. SLOAN.
UH, WE JUST FOUND OUT TWO MONTHS AGO THAT GUCCI WAS AWARDED PRIMARILY, UM, MONIES THROUGH A SMART, UM, SCALE PROGRAM TO FUND THAT ROUNDABOUT.
SO THE R WE SHOULD BE GETTING THE, ASSUMING THE, THE STAFF HAS GIVEN THEIR PROPOSAL FOR THE SMART SCALE, WHICH IS EVERY TWO YEARS YOU APPLY FOR MONEY, UH, UH, FOR PROJECTS.
AND, UM, THIS ONE WAS ACTUALLY THE HIGHEST RATED IN THE REGION BASED ON SAFETY NEEDS, COSTS, ET CETERA.
SO I'M FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THAT.
SO ONCE WE GET THE FUNDING, THEN I'LL GO INTO THE SCHEDULE.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THAT BOTH.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE, THE TIME IS PASSED TO, UH, COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENT, BUT I FEEL THE NEED TO COME HERE BECAUSE MY ASSESSMENTS HAVE GONE UP DOUBLE DIGITS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND IT IS A BACKDOOR TAX INCREASE.
YOU GUYS KEEP THE TAX RATE LOW, BUT YOU JACK UP PEOPLE'S ASSESSMENTS TO GET MORE MONEY.
I MEAN, YOU SAID IT EARLIER IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, WELL, WHAT I SAID WAS THAT WE DON'T, WE HAVEN'T ADJUSTED OUR TAX RATE DOWN TO MAKE UP FOR THE HIGHER ASSESSMENT.
WE, THE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS NOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ASSESSMENTS.
BUT I FEEL THE NEED TO COME HERE AND SAY MY PIECE, I'M NOT HAPPY.
I CANNOT SELL MY HOUSE FOR WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ASSESSING IT FOR.
I, I THINK YOU'D BE SURPRISED.
OH, YOU ARE MR. STAYING IN CLAND.
UM, I'LL TELL, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND INTERESTING, AND IT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN WE WERE IN GLE TOGETHER, I THINK, WHAT, FIVE YEARS AGO, I THINK YOU HAD THE SAME QUESTION.
UM, WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT, UM, BY STATE CODE, OUR ASSESSOR HAS TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE SALES THAT HAVE OCCURRED WITHIN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND THEY HAVE TO LOOK TO SEE HOW THOSE SALES COMPARE TO WHAT THE HOUSES WERE ASSESSED AT.
AND WE ARE AT 97.5%, MEANING WE ASSESS TWO AND A HALF PERCENT LESS THAN THOSE HOUSES ACTUALLY SOLD FOR.
SO WE HAVE TO DO THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN LINE.
AND, AND WE, WE HAVE BEEN, AND IT'S BEEN, UM, I MEAN EVERY YEAR WE LOOK AT THIS BUDGET, WE, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENTS.
AND WE, WE KEEP SAYING THEY CAN'T CONTINUE TO KEEP GOING UP, BUT THEY ARE CONTINUING TO KEEP GOING UP.
AND, AND IF YOU COME TOMORROW TO THE MEETING, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT OUR TAX RATE IN ORDER TO STAY EVEN WITH LA WITH, WITH LAST YEAR WOULD'VE BEEN 49 CENTS FOR A HUNDRED.
I KNOW THAT DOESN'T MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER, BUT, UH, THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR, WE ARE BARELY MEETING THEM WITH THE CURRENT TAX RATE.
PART OF THAT IS THE GROWTH IN THE COUNTY.
UM, BUT IT'S THE HIGHER COST FOR EVERYTHING.
SO, DID DID YOU HAVE A COMPANY? YOU JUST SAID WHAT? I WAS GETTING READY TO SAY
YOU KNOW, WE AIR UH, FIRE AND RESCUE FOR INSTANCE OVER THE LAST, I BELIEVE THREE YEARS, MAYBE FOUR, BUT I THINK THREE, THE BUDGET FOR THAT HAS DOUBLED.
[01:10:01]
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, A FIRE ENGINE TWO YEARS AGO WOULD COST $800,000.THAT'S A MILLION AND A HALF, 2 MILLION AND A HALF.
UM, AND WAITING FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE STILL WE'RE GIVING RAISES EVERY YEAR TO THE EMPLOYEES.
SO THE COSTS HAVE GONE UP, REVENUE'S GONE UP, TAX RATES STAY THE SAME.
BUT WE'VE USED USED THAT TO JENNIFER.
TO MEET THE GROWTH IN THE, UH, AND THE COST.
IT'S JUST THAT, UM, WHEN YOU COMPARE TO OTHER COUNTIES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT CODE IT'S THAT SAYS, DOES IT SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SELL YOUR HOUSE WITHIN A POINT OF THE OTHER HOUSES, BUT IF YOU GO OVER TO CUMBERLAND FOR INSTANCE, THEIR RATE MIGHT BE HIGHER.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR ASSESSMENTS, THEY'RE WAY BELOW WHAT THEY IN, IN OUR CERAMIC, THERE'S NO YEAH.
AND I'M NOT SURE, I'M NOT SURE HOW CUMBERLAND DOES THEIRS.
A LOT OF COUNTIES SURROUNDING US DO THEIR ASSESSMENTS EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS AND THEY HIRE A CONTRACTOR TO COME TO COME IN AND DO IT.
BUT THEY'RE SO FAR BELOW MARKET VALUE DONE FIVE YEARS, FIVE YEARS, EVERY FIVE YEARS.
THE PROBLEM FOR SOME OF THOSE LOCALITIES IS THAT WHEN THEY REASSESS, IT'S HUGE.
AND I KNOW A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS INTERN, IT'S NOT THOUGH, IT'S NOT, IT'S CONSISTENTLY WAY BELOW MARKET VALUE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE SOURCES, WHEN I WAS ENTERING THE LAST TIME IN 21, UH, THERE WAS A LAWSUIT INCOME BILLING BECAUSE OF PEOPLE STAYING, SEEING THEIR TAX RATES GO SKY HIGH.
UH, MAYBE IT'S NOT ALL HOMES, BUT, UM, IT WAS A, UH, IT WAS A BIG, UM, BIG INCREASE BECAUSE THEY HADN'T DONE IT IN FIVE YEARS.
SO I DON'T, YOU KNOW, THE, THE THING THERE, IF WE WERE TO, WE, WE WOULD HAVE TO INCREASE THE, THE RATE BECAUSE THE COST OF GOVERNMENT HAS GONE UP.
IF WE WERE AT A PERCENTAGE, IF WE SEE THAT IT'S THIS KIND OF GAME OF, UM, OF MAKING IT LOOK LIKE THE RATE IS VERY LOW WHEN THE, WHEN THE ASSESSED VALUE IS VERY HIGH.
SO YOU GET WHAT THE MONEY THAT YOU NEED NO MATTER WHAT.
BUT IT'S KIND OF FALSE TO SAY THAT IT'S, WELL, YOU KNOW, HERE'S THE DEAL.
IT IS NOT JUST ASSESSED VALUES.
THE TRUE VALUE OF OUR REAL ESTATE IN GLAND COUNTY HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND THE TRUE VALUE, LIKE I SAID, WE DO NOT, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ASSESSMENT.
WE CANNOT TELL HER HOW TO DO OR HOW TO CHANGE A PROCESS.
CAN I HELP YOU OUT HERE A LITTLE BIT? YOU CAN.
YOU CAN BACKGROUND REAL ESTATE.
I'M RETIRED NOW, BUT I WAS A GENERAL CERTIFIED OPERAT.
SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEING CONVEYED BACK AND FORTH IS NOT ACCURATE.
WHICH PART? I NEED TO CLARIFY.
WELL, THE TAX, THE ASSESSMENTS ARE GOING UP DRAMATICALLY.
THE RATIOS THAT MR. SPOONFLOWER IS TALKING ABOUT ARE JUST, IT'S JUST FOR RATIOS.
THEY DON'T REALLY MEASURE ACCURACIES AND ASSESSMENT.
IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY AN AUDIT THAT DOES, AND IT LAGS TWO YEARS IN VALUES.
IT'S NOT AN ACCURATE FOUNDATION FOR MED.
YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T USE BOTH SIDES OF THAT COIN.
BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT LOCALITY DOES HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN THEIR ASSESSMENT.
THEY ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT ASSESSMENTS ARE UNIFORM.
MEANING THAT IF TOM HAS A KID, A RANCH HOUSE, AND NOT A RANCH HOUSE, AND THEY'RE EXACTLY THE SAME, THAT THEY'RE BOTH ASSESSED FOR THE SAME VALUE.
MINE'S ASSESSED AT 80% AND HIS IS ASSESSED AT A HUNDRED PERCENT, HIS NEEDS TO GET LOWER THAN 80%.
BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT YOUR TAX BURDEN THAT DIVERSIFIED.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE NO, NO, NO.
I I'M TALKING ABOUT A SEPARATE COUNTY.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
THE, THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IS, IS THAT THE TAX RATE IS A VARIABLE FACTOR.
AND AS MANNY SAID, IT STAYED THE SAME FOR 10 PLUS YEARS.
BUT THE ASSESSMENT FOR PORTFOLIO HAS TREMENDOUSLY INCREASED.
I, I'M NOT GONNA SAY WHETHER IT'S ACCURATE OR NOT, IT'S NOT RELEVANT.
THE MATTERS IS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAVE A SUMMATION OF YOUR ASSESSMENT PORTFOLIO AND IT'S MULTIPLIED BY TAX RATE.
I GET THAT THE TAX RATE CAN BE CHANGED.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT Y'ALL AREN'T CHANGING.
THE ASSESSMENTS ARE GOING UP, TAX RATES STAYING AS A CONSTANT, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY PART AND THE THREE PARTS OF THE BUDGET THAT CAN BE ADJUSTED.
THE BUDGET IS WHAT'S GONNA BE, THE ASSESSMENTS ARE WHAT THEY ARE.
[01:15:01]
AND IT'S PROVIDED TO THE LOCALITY TO BE ADJUSTED.THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR TOOL FOR ADJUSTING TAXES THAT YOU'RE RAISING EVERY YEAR.
THE COUNTY HAS RESPONSIBILITY TO RAISE TAXES, PAY FOR, TO PAY FOR EXPENSES.
I'M GONNA MAKE A PRESENTATION TOMORROW AND GIVE YOU THREE OPTIONS TO LOWER THE TAX RATE WHEREVER YOU GUYS WANT TO LOWER IT TO.
BUT YOU CAN EASILY GET IT DOWN TO 49 CENTS.
WHY, WHY THIS IS NOT OCCURRING? 'CAUSE I'VE LOOKED AT YOUR BUDGETS FOR 10 YEARS.
WHY? WHY THE TAX RATE HASN'T CHANGED.
I'VE NOT GOTTEN A GOOD ANSWER.
WHAT, WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS MAYBE NEXT YEAR.
I'VE GONE INTO ALL THREE TOWN HALLS.
WE'VE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA GET TOMORROW.
ALSO, PROBABLY GONNA NO, IT'S, IT IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT.
WE'RE STILL GONNA GET A PRESENTATION.
BUT SEE, WE AS A RESIDENT AND TAXPAYER, I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT RIGHT.
TO, TO, TO MAKE THIS A MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS.
I GET TOMORROW I'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES 'CAUSE MY WIFE'S GONNA GIMME HER THREE MINUTES.
I'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES TO PRESENT MY ARGUMENT.
IT'S GONNA, I'M GONNA ACTUALLY GIVE YOU SOME OPTIONS.
WHETHER YOU DO IT OR NOT, IT'S UP TO YOU.
BUT THERE ARE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU.
I'M EMPATHETIC TO, OUR TAXES HAVE GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
YEAH, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE COST FOR LIVING IN UC COUNTY ALSO GO UP.
YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S WAYS TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT REGARDING YEAH, I I I'D LOVE TO HEAR IT AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL, YOU'LL PLEASE.
YEAH, I JUST GONNA, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT JUMP IN INTO THE
I HAVE 24 7 SURVEILLANCE ON NO STRANGE CARS.
WE HAVE GHOSTS THAT COME IN AND
YEAH, NO, WE, BUT YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY ARE, MAYBE THEY'RE NOT.
THE CONDITION OF ONE HOUSE OVER THE OTHER AND ALL IS PRETTY HARD.
MY GUESS IS THAT THEY'RE EVALUATING, HERE'S A HOUSE BASED ON DATA.
IT'S, YEAH, WE'RE JUST GUESSING THAT IT'S AN EQUAL SHAPE TO THE NEIGHBORS HOUSE.
I, I DON'T REMEMBER, I DON'T REMEMBER RIGHT NOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF HOUSES THEY VISIT.
MY MOTHER'S HOUSE NEXT TO ME HAS BEEN THERE 47.
SHE PAID MORE MONEY IN TAXES PER YEAR THAN HER HOUSE COST.
AND, UH, AND I HAVE FAR EXCEEDED WHAT I'VE PAID FOR MY HOUSE TAXES.
I'M UNDERSTAND THAT I'M, BUT I'M AT A, I'M RETIRED NOW.
I GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY ALL THE TIME.
I'VE HAD A 20% INCREASE IN INSURANCE THIS YEAR, AND I HAVE A 20% HOME THIS YEAR.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD MY HOUSE IS WORKING.
ME WIFE, IF I WAS SELLING THEM BE FANTASTIC.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AS IMMUNITY TO MAKE SENSE.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE FROM A 97-YEAR-OLD MOTHER TO, TO HAVE TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF HER BANK ACCOUNT TAX? I GONNA GO ANY FURTHER.
WE, I THINK WE HEAR THAT FROM A LOT, A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, IT'S, UH, IT'S AN INTERESTING ENVIRONMENT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DRAMATICALLY INCREASED COST OF GOVERNMENT.
AND I CAN, I CAN TELL YOU, I KNOW THAT WE HAD, UM, UM, WE, WHEN I FIRST CAME IN THIS TIME, UM, MR. CARPENTER HAD ONLY PRE HAD PRESENTED THE BUDGET WITH, HE HAD LEFT $1.4 MILLION UNALLOCATED.
AND SO I, SO MY JOB AND CARLOS WAS TO GO THROUGH THAT, MEET WITH THE BOARD, MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO ALLOCATE IT.
THIS THE, UH, FIRE AND RESCUE WANTED 12 PEOPLE THIS YEAR AND 12 NEXT YEAR WE HAVE TWO FIRE STATIONS COMING.
FIRE COMPANY SEVEN IN THE EAST END AND COMPANY EIGHT IN SANDY HOOK.
UM, IT TAKES, UH, DEPENDING ON WHAT NUMBER YOU SEE, IS EITHER FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE PER SHIFT.
UM, SO HE WANTED TO BRING IN 12, TAKE 'EM THROUGH THE TRAINING, DEPART TRAINING WORK.
BUT WITH THE MONEY THAT I HAD, WE WERE ABLE TO ADD SIX AND THEN HOPEFULLY ANOTHER SIX NEXT YEAR.
BUT, UH, THE, THE NEEDS, UH, THE SCHOOL, WHEN THEY PRESENTED, WHEN WE MET WITH THEM ON THE 11TH, AND WE WENT THROUGH THEIR, THEIR WISHES, THEIR WISHLIST, THEY HAD OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN UNFUNDED
[01:20:01]
WISHES, UH, OR NEEDS, UH, THAT WE COULDN'T FILL.SO WE ENDED UP COMING UP WITH 300,000 FROM THE 1.4 MILLION.
UM, FIRE AND RESCUE, WE ADDED, WELL, THE STATE IN OTHER WAYS SAID YOU MUST INCREASE THE PAY OF ALL YOUR DISPATCHERS BY 6%.
THEY GIVE US 2 CENTS OF THAT
SO, SO WE HAD TO DO THAT AS WELL.
SO WE, AND IN DOING ALL OF THAT, WE CAME DOWN TO WHERE WE, WE COULD, THE SHERIFF ACTUALLY GAVE UP TWO CARS, UM, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE ENOUGH TO GIVE THE SCHOOLS 300,000.
SO IT'S A, IT'S NOT AN EASY SOLUTION.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A, A LOT OF WORK TO JUST KIND OF DO IT WITH THE MONEY WE HAVE.
I'M SORRY, THIS GENTLEMAN ASKED A REALLY GOOD QUESTION AND I REALLY DON'T THINK IT WAS ANSWERING.
SO THE ASSESSMENT PORTFOLIO, WHICH IS 9 BILLION PLUS DOLLARS, THAT IS THE MOST CRITICAL COMPONENT FOR THE COUNTY FOR RAISING REVENUE.
IF, IF THAT PORTFOLIO IS NOT MANAGED PROPERLY AND IT'S NOT ACCURATE, THEN YOUR REVENUE STREAM'S NOT GONNA BE ACCURATE.
I MEAN, THIS IS LITERALLY THE MOST CRITICAL PART OF GOVERNMENT RAISING REVENUES.
NOW, I, I'M GONNA ANSWER THIS QUESTION 'CAUSE I'VE RESEARCHED THIS.
THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE IS NOT DOING REGULAR INSPECTIONS.
I'VE DONE SAMPLE STUDIES OF THE ASSESSMENT PORTFOLIO.
THE DATA IN THE SYSTEM IS NOT BEING MAINTAINED BY, IT'S AN ISSUE I'VE RAISED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE 2022.
IAAO, THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ASSESSING OFFICERS HAS STANDARDS.
AND IF YOU'RE LICENSED APPRAISER, WHICH OUR ASSESSOR IS, SHE'S A GENERAL CERTIFIED APPRAISER, YOU HAVE TO ADHERE TO THOSE STANDARDS OR ELSE YOU LOSE YOUR LICENSE.
BUT THESE ARE STANDARDS THAT ARE SET FOR UNITED STATES AND BEYOND.
IT SAYS IN THOSE STANDARDS THAT A PHYSICAL INSPECTION, MEANING THAT THE PROPERTY NEEDS TO BE MEASURED AND THE DATA HAS TO BE PROPERLY COLLECTED AND NEEDS TO OCCUR AT LEAST EVERY FOUR YEARS.
I CAN GUARANTEE TO YOU THAT'S NOT, IT ALSO SAYS THAT A PHYSICAL DRIVE BY NEEDS TO BE CONDUCTED MINIMALLY, ANNUALLY.
SO THE POINT IS, IS IF THE DATA THAT'S IN THE SYSTEM THAT'S, THAT'S PRODUCING THE ASSESSED VALUE IS NOT CORRECT, THEN IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE ASSESSED VALUE TO BE CORRECT.
SOME OF THEM ARE GONNA BE TOO HIGH, SOME OF 'EM ARE GONNA BE TOO LOW.
IF, IF THEY'RE TOO LOW, THE COUNTY'S LOSING REVENUE.
THEY'RE NOT COLLECTING CHARACTERISTICS FROM THOSE PROPERTIES.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, THERE'S A LOT OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE WAY TOO LOW.
WE, YOU AND I ARE GONNA HAVE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS TOO, BECAUSE I I DO THINK WE NEED A, UH, NEED TO INVESTIGATE SOME OF THAT, SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS.
I THINK YOU BRING UP A VERY GOOD POINT.
HE SAID THE ASSESS DOESN'T REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR.
CESAR REPORTS TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
WE DON'T HAVE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AND I LOVE YOU,
YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT ANY HEAT ON YOU RIGHT NOW.
I'M ACTUALLY, I, I'M TRYING TO HELP THE COUNTY, BUT SEEING THE RECOMMENDATIONS I'M MAKING, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, NOBODY'S LISTENING.
I SENT THE BOARD MEMBERS, ALL OF 'EM AN EMAIL ON MARCH 21ST RAISING THESE ISSUES AND INVITING EACH BOARD MEMBER TO SPEAK WITH ME INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT THESE ISSUES WE'RE DISCUSSING.
RIGHT NOW, ONLY ONE BOARD MEMBER RESPONDED.
NOW WE'RE GETTING INTO A CRITICAL ARENA OF THE BUDGET'S GOTTA BE SET BY APRIL 15TH.
AND THIS IS WHY PEOPLE ARE SAYING MAYBE NEXT YEAR.
YEAH, WELL, REALLY NOT NEXT YEAR.
I, I JUST, I MEAN, I KNOW, UM, I COMING IN AT, WHEN I CAME IN, AND IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
I, FROM MARCH 21ST TO NOW, IT'S TOO HARD TO CHANGE IT THIS YEAR.
UH, IF WE HAVE TO CHANGE ALL, GO, GO OUT AND DO ALL THE INSPECTIONS, BUT I PROMISE YOU THAT WE WILL LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW OFTEN WE'RE DOING IT AND, UM, GOING FORWARD.
AND IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN BETWEEN THEN AND THE 15TH OF APRIL.
UH, AND I THINK WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP IS INEQUITIES, POTENTIAL INEQUITIES.
IF WE ARE UNDERCHARGING SOME FOLKS, IT COULD BE THAT WE ARE OVERCHARGING OTHERS.
SO THERE'S THE INEQUITY ON IT.
YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE FAITH IN OUR SYSTEM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.
ONE OTHER THING IS, AS SARAH MENTIONED, WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD AND A A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT,
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UH, NEIGHBORHOODS.THE ONLY THING THAT SARAH GOES AFTER IS BUSINESSES.
SO OUR, OUR GOAL, WE ARE RIGHT NOW, 80% OF OUR, UH, REVENUES COMES FROM HOME FROM REAL ESTATE PRICES.
WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS HAVE MAYBE CLOSER TO A 70 30 SO THAT WE ARE GETTING MORE REVENUE FROM BUSINESSES THAT FROM, FROM THE HOME.
'CAUSE IT PUTS A, PUTS A A, A LOAD ON THE CITIZENS.
I'M ASSISTANT COACH AT, UM, RUSSELL COACH, HIGH SCHOOL PARENT HERE.
THIS IS, UH, OWEN, UH, I HAVE ELLA HERE THAT, UH, FIRST YEAR WRESTLER, UH, AND SHE FIRST YEAR WRESTLER CAME FOURTH IN THE STATE.
THIS YEAR, UH, WE'VE BEEN CONGRATULATIONS SPEAKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DO SOME WRESTLING.
WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH THIS YEAR TO BE ABLE TO USE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND YOUTH CLUB, THE OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN ASSISTANT COACH FOR FIVE YEARS.
COACH ER HAS BEEN HEAD COACH FOR FIVE YEARS.
AND I THINK WE MADE A REALLY BIG IMPROVEMENT IN THE SPORT.
YOU KNOW, MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK WE'RE MAKE A BIG IMPACT ON THE STUDENTS WE COACH AS FAR AS MENTORS, UH, JUST BEING COMMUNITY PEOPLE AND, UH, PRACTICE FACILITY IS LIKE FOOTBALL FIELD, GUYS HAVING TO PRACTICE ON A HALF A FIELD ON THAT ALL TEAM WITH A HALF COURT.
WE JUST CANNOT DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO SAFELY WITH FACILITIES WE HAVE.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE APPRECIATIVE.
THE, I USE AT CAFETERIA, HOPEFULLY WE HAVE OUR FINGERS CROSSED, MAYBE WE CAN STILL HAVE THE OLD, THE OLD ELEMENTARY PLACE.
IT A SAFE, GREAT PLACE TO PRACTICE.
AN ONLY GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS WITH THE COUNTY.
IT'S, I REALIZE IT'S VERY SMALL PART TO US IS HUGE.
AND
WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF YOUNG ATHLETES THAT, UH, BECOME PART OF OUR PROGRAM AND IT, IT'S, IT'S COMMUNITY WITH ALL VOLUNTEER COACHES WITH EVERY SPORT.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES GO FROM WHO THEY ARE.
WE'RE NEW OR AS A YOUTH WRESTLING, BUT HOPEFULLY IN THE YEARS TO COME, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE EVEN BIGGER.
YOU KNOW, YOU JUST CONTINUE OMMUNITY.
HAVE YOU BEEN WHAT YOU DO, HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH TOM WITH PARKS AND RECREATIONS? IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY I KNOW THERE'S A GRAND PLAN AND WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS.
I GUESS I'D LIKE TO HAVE RIGHT THIS MOMENT.
WE'LL BE IMPATIENT AND WE APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR BOYS.
BRINGING THAT BACK TO
WE REALLY, UH, WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DO, I DUNNO, THERE'S A MODEL, UM, IN NELSON COUNTY.
THEY, WHEN THEY BUILT THEIR NEW SCHOOL, THEY USED THEIR OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, A COMMUNITY CENTER.
THEY OPEN UP DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS FOR BUSINESSES, COFFEE SHOP.
SO IT STILL GAVE BACK FUNDS FOR THE COUNTY TO CONTINUE TO USE THAT.
WELL, WE HAVE, UH, WE JUST KICKED OFF A, UH, SPACE STUDY, UH, LAST WEEK.
AND WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT, WE HAVE, WE'RE BUSTING OUT OF THIS BUILDING, ESPECIALLY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THEY'RE CRAMPED IN THERE, THEY'RE IN THE HALLWAYS.
SO WE'RE, WE JUST STARTED A STUDY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
I SAW YOUR WRESTLING MAT AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT THAT WE'RE STILL USING IT.
ANY ISSUES WITH IT? I KNOW THE, SOME OF THE HEATING AND STUFF IS NOT WORKING RIGHT.
HEATING
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GONNA BE IN THE SUMMER.
WE'VE GOT A TORNADO COMING, SO GO AHEAD.
FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO ONE OF YOUR MATCHES, UH, YOU REALLY NEED TO EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE INDIVIDUAL SPORT, BUT THESE GENTLEMEN, THE WAY THEY BRING THOSE STUDENTS TOGETHER, EVEN THE OTHER TEAMS COME AND JOIN THE WAY THAT THEY LIFT EVERY ONE OF THOSE CHILDREN UP.
AND WHEN YOU'RE LIFTING CHILDREN UP
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THERE, YOU'RE ALSO LIFTING THEM UP IN THEIR ACADEMIC AND HOW THEY APPROACH OTHER PEOPLE.THAT SELF-RESPECT ABSOLUTELY LEADS OVER INTO RESPECT FOR OTHERS.
SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO CONTINUE WORK TOWARDS PROTECTING, IS THAT A CODE RED? THAT'S WHAT IS, I THOUGHT IT WAS, BUT ALSO, UM, MANNY MENTIONED A SURVEY THAT WAS GOING OUT TO SELECT PEOPLE.
LET'S MAKE SURE EVERY PERSON GETS IT.
WE'RE ALSO STILL, I THINK EVENTUALLY THAT'LL HAPPEN.
WE'RE STILL SITTING ON OUR 2018 STRATEGIC PLAN.
IF YOU HAD A MORE CURRENT PLAN, SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS COULD BE BETTER UNDERSTOOD.
BECAUSE YOU WOULD TRULY HAVE A, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR NEEDS.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL WORK ON THAT COUNTYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN.
THE SCHOOL MAINTAINS THEIRS, KEEP IT UP TO DATE, AND THAT HELPS THEM TO PROVIDE WHAT IS NEEDED FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WELL, AND I JUST GOT A, I THOUGHT IT WAS CODE RED, BUT IT WAS A TREE DOWN ON HAYDEN FIELD FIVE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WASN'T 'CAUSE OF BLUE ONE.
IF NOBODY'S GOT ANY OTHER, I, I'LL BACK TO RISK AGAIN, AND I'M GONNA BRING UP THE BESS, THE BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM.
UH, I THINK THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MM-HMM
AND THE CONCEPT THAT IT'S JUST AN WRONG LOCATION AND SHOULD BE MOVED TO ONE OF THE IN ONE, IN TWO AREAS WITHIN THE COUNTY.
THE ISSUE IS THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO PROBABILISTIC RISK ASSESSMENT ON THIS TYPE OF FACILITY AT 400 MEGAWATTS.
AND UNTIL THAT'S RESOLVED, I THINK IT'S INAPPROPRIATE.
YOU GO THE, UH, ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE DATABASE AND LOOK AT ALL THE ACCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED.
EVEN THE MOST RECENT ONES, THE ONLY ONE THAT'S, UH, I'LL SAY ABOVE, UH, 400 IS THE ONE OUT AT, UH, MOSSI TILL BERNIE.
SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO CONSIDER.
WELL, AND LET ME CLARIFY SOMETHING, BECAUSE I'VE, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE EVER GOTTEN MORE, UH, LETTERS IN OPPOSITION TO ANYTHING.
AS WE HAVE OVER THE MELROSE PROPOSED MELROSE.
THE COUNTY HAS SEEN VERY LITTLE OF WHAT'S, WHAT'S PROPOSED.
SO THE, THERE'S BEEN NO COMMUNITY MEETING OTHER THAN A ROGUE MEETING THAT THEY, THAT THEY HAD, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ATTENDED THAT MEETING.
IT'S LIKE READY, FIRE, AIM, NO APPLICATION HAS BEEN FILED.
YEAH, THERE'S NO APPLICATION YET.
UM, SO WE ARE WORKING TO KIND OF PUSH IT OUT AND LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.
UH, HOPEFULLY GET IT TO A DIFFERENT PLACE IF NOTHING ELSE.
BUT, BUT THERE'S A PROCESS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD AN APPLICATION, YOU, YOU WOULD WANT THAT PROCESS.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU DON'T WANT US TO OPINE ON THAT, PARTICULARLY IF WE SAY NO
YOU, YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? SO THE CITIZENS, EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH IT AND WE NEED TO GET THAT DONE.
UM, AND I COMPLETELY HEAR, WE ARE LISTENING.
WE ARE LISTENING, YOU KNOW, TO EVERYONE'S, I MEAN, WE'RE GETTING SIX AND EIGHT EMAILS A DAY AND, AND SEVERAL PHONE CALLS A DAY.
YEAH, I THINK IT'LL BE A WHILE BEFORE WE, PROBABLY, BEFORE WE GET THE APPLICATION, BUT, UH, WHILE WE DIDN'T GO AFTER THAT BUSINESS, SARAH HAS BEEN KIND OF FOLLOWING UP TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT IT FITS OUR, OUR NEEDS AND LOWER THE RISK.
WELL, I KNOW YOU WOULD PREFER A LITTLE SMALL NUCLEAR REACTOR THERE.
WE MIGHT GET SOME OPPOSITION TO THAT.
WE CAN GO IN THE DARK AND THEY CAN
I MEAN, I, FORGIVE ME, BUT I, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THE STAFF THAT HELPED BRING THIS IS, IS AS MANNY SAID, THIS STARTED LAST FALL.
UH, AND I, YOU KNOW, QUITE HONESTLY, I'M IMPRESSED WITH WHAT, WHAT YOU ALL DO, WHAT THE, WHAT THE STAFF DOES.
IT'S VERY METICULOUS AND TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
THE OTHER THING, THESE LADIES OVER HERE, THEY PICKED UP, DR.
CMAR IS SICK, HE PREPARED ALL THIS.
HE GAVE THE FIRST PRESENTATION, WHICH WAS DISTRICT ONE AND I THINK ON THE SECOND ONE, Y'ALL PROBABLY KNEW ABOUT IT.
THE AFTERNOON OF, UH, OF THE EVENT OF THE, OF OUR SECOND, UH, TOWN HALL.
AND THEY STEPPED IN AND DID IT.
AND THEN HERE AGAIN, THEY WERE STEPPING UP AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU MANNY, FOR EVERYTHING TOO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? FEEDBACK? IF YOU, UH, SCAN THAT BARCODE ON THE
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SCREEN, UH, YOU CAN, UM, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET TO OUR SURVEY AND, AND TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THE TOWN HALL OR I THINK THERE'S SOME OPEN QUESTIONS IN THERE SO YOU CAN TELL US WHAT YOU THINK OF EVERYTHING INCLUDING OUR ASSESSMENTS