[00:01:17]
I'D LIKE TO NOW CALL THE MEETING, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING OF APRIL 1ST, 2025 TO ORDER.
UM, SHOULD WE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL.
DON'T NEED A ROLL CALL? YES, SIR.
[I. 2:00 PM - Call to Order]
ALL RIGHT.UH, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME TO THE PODIUM, UH, REVEREND NOAH MORGAN, WHO'S WITH HE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ON SHALLOW WHALE ROAD.
[II. Invocation]
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.ALMIGHTY GOD, THERE IS NO AUTHORITY EXCEPT FROM YOU.
AND ALL EARTHLY AUTHORITIES ARE INSTITUTED BY YOUR SOVEREIGN POWER TO EXECUTE JUSTICE AND PROTECT THE VULNERABLE.
WE PRAY THIS BOARD AS THEY SET OUT TO DO THE WORK YOU HAVE GIVEN.
GRANT THEM WISDOM AND INSIGHT TO DISCERN WHAT IS RIGHT.
GIVE THEM HUMILITY AND VIRTUE TO WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD AND IN ALL THINGS, OH LORD, MAY THEY WORK ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL.
FOR WE PRAY IN YOUR HOLY NAME, AMEN.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE,
[III. Pledge of Allegiance]
THE PLEDGE OF ALL, ALL TO THE FLAG FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING APRIL AS HUNGER AWARENESS MONTH.
WOULD REPRESENTATIVES FOR THIS PROCLAMATION PLEASE COME FORWARD IF WE HAVE ANY? NO.
UM, SO WHAT WE HAVE IS A RESOLUTION.
GIVE 'EM A CHANCE TO COME IF I DON'T THINK WORKS, MAYBE THEY'RE NOT COMING.
BUT WE DO HAVE A RESOLUTION, WHICH, UM, I GUESS THE THING FOR US TO DO WOULD BE TO, TO APPROVE IT.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING APRIL 6TH THROUGH 12TH
[V. Presentation of Proclamation Recognizing April 6th-12th as Crime Victims’ Rights Week]
AS CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK WOULD REPRESENTATIVES FOR THIS PROCLAMATION PLEASE COME FORWARD.MS. SITZ WILL READ THE PROCLAMATION, THEN WE WILL VOTE ON THE PROCLAMATION AND TAKE A PHOTO.
WHEREAS THE TERM VICTIM IS MORE THAN JUST A LABEL AND HAS LEGAL STANDING AND PROTECTIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT.
WHEREAS CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS ACTS PASSED HERE IN VIRGINIA AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, GUARANTEE VICTIMS THE RIGHT TO MEANINGFULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS.
WHEREAS VICTIMS SERVICE PROVIDERS, ADVOCATES, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, ATTORNEYS, AND OTHER ALLIED PROFESSIONALS CAN HELP SURVIVORS FIND THEIR JUSTICE BY ENFORCING THESE RIGHTS.
WHEREAS THE RIGHT TO PROVIDE AN IMPACT STATEMENT ENSURES THAT VICTIMS' VOICES ARE CONSIDERED IN COURT DURING THE SENTENCING AND WHEN APPLICABLE RESTITUTION
[00:05:01]
PROCESSES.WHEREAS, INCLUDING IN ELEVATING THE VOICES OF SURVIVORS MAKES CERTAIN THEY ARE HEARD AND SEEN AND CREATES A PATH TO FORGING AND SUSTAINING COMMUNITY TRUST.
WHEREAS IN ENGAGING VICTIMS CREATES RESPONSES AND SERVICES THAT ARE CREDIBLE, MEANINGFUL, AND CENTERED ON INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
WHEREAS VICTIMS EXPERIENCES SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR IMPLEMENTING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS, SHIFTING EXISTING PROGRAMS IN NEW DIRECTIONS, AND CHANGING POLICIES OR PRACTICES THAT IMPROVE ACCESSING SERVICES OR PURSUING JUSTICE.
WHEREAS NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOMMIT LISTENING TO CRIME VICTIMS IN EVERY SPACE WHERE DECISIONS ARE MADE THAT COULD IMPACT THEM.
AND IN PARTICULAR, THIS YEAR SERVES AS TIME TO REFLECT ON HOW EACH OF US SHOULD RESPOND TO VICTIMS. WHEREAS THE GLAND VICTIM WITNESS PROGRAM IS DEDICATED TO AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF VICTIMS AND CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE VICTIMS WILL BE HEARD AND SUPPORTED.
NOW THEREFORE, THE GLAND COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL SIX THROUGH 12 20 25 IS CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK REAFFIRMING THIS COUNTY'S COMMITMENT, SUPPORTING VICTIM SERVICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESPONSES THAT ASSIST ALL VICTIMS OF CRIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND EXPRESSING OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING OUR RESPONSE TO ALL VICTIMS OF CRIME SO THAT THEY RECEIVE RELEVANT ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT, JUSTICE AND PEACE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION? MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THE BOARD APPROVE PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING APRIL 6TH THROUGH 12TH IS CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? EXCUSE ME.
AND THEN WE VOTE WHO? SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.
JONATHAN, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WE HAVE, UH, ROBIN LIN, PRESIDENT OF THE OSELAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND JOHN WORLEY, THE COUNTY'S
[VI. Presentation on Historical Map Viewer]
GIS COORDINATOR FOR THE COUNTY'S GEOGRAPHIC GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM, GIS DEPARTMENT.THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS TO DEVELOP A HISTORIC MAP MAP VIEWER TO ENHANCE THE COUNTY'S GIS SERVICES.
THIS MAP VIEWER ENABLES COUNTY RESIDENTS TO OVERLAY ON TODAY'S CURRENT ONLINE DIGITAL MAPPING SYSTEM, HISTORIC MAPS FROM 18 20 18 63, 18 80, 19 19, AND 1932 WHEN COUNTY ROADS WERE TAKEN OVER BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THIS NEW HISTORICAL SEARCH FEATURE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, WE APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THIS FOR YOU TODAY.
UM, I'M GONNA HAVE TO MOVE THIS.
UM, FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS VERY, UM, QUIETLY AND WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS.
WE'RE GLAD TO BE BACK WITH THE, UH, ACTING COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WE WORKED WITH ON THIS IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
UH, WE ARE, UM, I HAVE TO SAY THE, WE, THE IMPETUS FOR MAKING THIS PUBLIC NOW IS THE EXHIBIT AT THE STATE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA CALLED MAPPING THE COMMONWEALTH, WHICH, UM, IF YOU CAN SEE ON YOUR SCREENS NOW, IN 1816, GOVERNOR, UM, NICHOLAS CONTRACTED WITH SURVEYOR JOHN WOOD TO DO A SURVEY OF THE ENTIRE STATE,
[00:10:01]
ALL 146 COUNTIES.AND THAT WAS BEFORE WEST VIRGINIA WAS SEVERED FROM US.
SO YOU SEE THAT MAP IS A GREAT DEAL LARGER THAN VIRGINIA TODAY, BUT EVERY SINGLE COUNTY WAS SURVEYED.
NOW, JOHN WOOD, WHO WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THIS SURVEY PROJECT, UM, DIED IN 1822 AND THE PROJECT WAS CONTINUED BY HIS ASSISTANT HERMAN BOYER.
IN 1826, IT WAS PRINTED AND THE PRINTED COPY WAS ALMOST 44 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE.
THE, THE ROOM HAD TO HAVE AT LEAST A 14 FOOT CEILING IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ERECT THE MAP.
BUT THE, THE JOHN WOOD MAP OF GLAND COUNTY FEATURES, UM, VERY MUCH AT THE STATE LIBRARY EXHIBIT, UM, WHICH IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW THROUGH JUNE.
AND THAT MAP, UM, IS, IT SHOWS THE WATER SYSTEMS, ISLANDS, GEOLOGICAL FEATURES, ROADS, FERRIES, BRIDGES, MILLS, TOWNS, CHURCHES, TAVERNS, CERTAIN PUBLIC BUILDINGS, FACTORIES, AND SOME HOUSES AND THEIR OWNERS.
IT IS AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE FOR STUDYING AND VERIFYING HISTORIC FEATURES IN GLAND COUNTY IN THE 18TH AND EARLY 19TH CENTURIES.
NOW, IF WE CAN GO INTO THE CLOSEUP, IT EVEN INCLUDES IN VERY FAINT HANDWRITING ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE COUNTY, THE NOTATION OUTBREAK OF GRANITE.
NOW THIS IS WHERE L STONE HAS SO SUCCESSFULLY OPERATED FOR THE PAST CENTURY, QUARRYING MORE THAN 500 MILLION TONS OF GRANITE FROM THAT SITE.
NOW THIS HAS A LOT OF DETAILS THAT WE LOOK AT TODAY, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO LOOK AT WHERE YOU LIVE AND SEE WHAT'S ON THE JOHN WOOD MAP.
WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT MAP, WHICH IS THE GILMER MAP FROM 1863.
THIS WA MAP WAS COMPLETED BY GENERAL, UH, JAMES GILMER, WHO IS WITH THE CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
THE MAP IS HIGHLY DETAILED AND INCLUDES NOT ONLY RIVERS AND CREEKS, BUT ROADS, MILLS, TAVERNS, AND CHURCHES.
ALSO TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURES AND INDICATIONS OF WHICH ARE OPEN AND WHICH ARE FORESTED, INCLUDING THE NAMES OF MANY OF THE PROMINENT LANDOWNERS IN THE COUNTY OF SPECIAL INTEREST.
LEMME GO TO A CLOSE UP HERE OF IS THE FAINT RED LINES THAT SHOW SOME OF THE ROADS THAT WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ABANDONED.
FOR INSTANCE, NEAR CROSIER, WHERE THE CURRENT OLD MILL ROAD HAS BECOME A PRIVATE LANE.
IT SHOWS AS PART OF THE MIDDLE ROAD CROSSING GENITAL CREEK AND RUNNING NORTH TO WHAT'S CALLED BEAVER DAM ROAD, WHICH WE NOW KNOW AS SHALLOW WELL ROAD, WHICH IS VERY NEAR HE CHURCH WHERE, UH, REVEREND MORGAN IS NOW THE NEW RECTOR.
AFTER THIS MAP, WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON YOUR SCREEN, I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU THE GEORGE MAP.
NOW, THIS WAS PRODUCED BY A TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEER JOHN GEORGE, WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE NOTABLE GLAND FAMILY THAT GAVE THEIR NAME TO GEORGE'S TAVERN.
HE, UM, IN THIS MAP, HE SHOWS THE MAJOR GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS IDENTIFYING THE COAL, UH, BAND IN THE EAST, THE GOLD BAND IN THE WEST, AND IN THE, THE IRON AND PLUMBEGO IN THE MIDDLE.
THE LEGEND ESTIMATED THE COUNTY AT 320 SQUARE MILES, WHICH IS A LITTLE LARGER THAN THE 290 SQUARE MILES THAT WE FIGURED IT IS TODAY.
BUT WORTHY OF NOTE IS THAT IT MARKED 160 SQUARE MILES OF CLEARED LAND, 80 SQUARE MILES OF ORIGINAL FOREST, AND 80 SQUARE MILES OF SECONDARY GROWTH.
IT ALSO LISTS A SCHOOL POPULATION OF 3,581 STUDENTS IN 35 PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH 24 CHURCHES AND 19 MILLS.
NOW THE NEXT MAP I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU IS ONE OF THE MORE MODERN MAPS.
AND THIS IS, UM, ONE OF A NUMBER OF MAPS THAT ARE IN THE VIEWER, BUT THIS IS ILLUSTRATIVE OF, UM, MODERN HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT MAPS IS FROM 1932 WHEN THE DE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS, THE VDH, NOW KNOWN AS VDOT,
[00:15:01]
TOOK OVER THE COUNTY ROADS AND FOLLOWS THE PASSAGE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BIRD ROAD ACT, WHICH ESTABLISHED THE SECONDARY ROAD SYSTEM.YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE GET CLOSE UP HERE THAT IT SHOWS ROUTE 41 COMPLETED FROM THE HENRICO COUNTY LINE WESTWARD AS FAR AS EAST LEAK WITH A DOTTED LINE SHOWING THE PROJECTED CONSTRUCTION IN THE FUTURE.
NOW, ROUTE 41 WAS LATER NAMED ROUTE TWO 50 WHEN THE VDH ADOPTED THE PROTOCOL OF EVEN NUMBERS FOR EAST, WEST AND ODD NUMBERS FOR NORTH SOUTH.
BUT IT'S OUR EXPECTATION THAT THE ADDITION OF THE HISTORIC MAP VIEWER TO GTIN COUNTY GIS SYSTEMS, WILL PROVE INVALUABLE TO RESIDENTS, PLANNERS, AS WELL AS HISTORIANS WHO ARE STUDYING THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COUNTY AS IT ACCELERATES IN ITS GROWTH.
NOW WE HAVE THE NEXT THING, UM, GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING HERE.
WHEN YOU SEE THE HISTORIC MAP VIEWER ON YOUR SCREEN AND THERE'S A PULL DOWN SCREEN, WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO CHOOSE WHICH OF THE HISTORIC MAPS YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE OVERLAID ON THE CURRENT MAP, ONE OR MORE, OR ALL OF THEM, THAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE, I THINK.
BUT YOU CAN THEN SEE HOW THE ROADS HAVE MOVED, CHANGED, BEEN ADDED, HAVE, UH, DISAPPEARED IN MANY CASES.
UM, AS WE WERE DEVELOPING THIS.
SO ESPECIALLY OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND MUCH MORE OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE ROADS HAVE MOVED A GREAT DEAL.
SOMETIMES ONLY 20 OR 30 FEET, SOMETIMES A QUARTER OF A MILE OR MORE.
AND IT TAKES LOOKING AT ONE MAP AND LOOKING AT THE NEXT MAP AND THEN GOING TO THE FIELD AND FINDING OUT WHERE THEY ARE, WHICH IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE.
WE EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS TO THE HISTORIC MAP VIEWER FROM THE GLAND COUNTY AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY WEBSITES.
HOWEVER, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE OUT YOUR CELL PHONES NOW AND THERE'S A QR CODE THAT YOU COULD FOCUS YOUR CELL PHONE ON RIGHT NOW, AND YOU CAN THEN GET THE IMMEDIATE, UM, CONNECTION TO THE HISTORIC MAP VIEWER AND SAVE IT AS A BOOKMARK FOR THE FUTURE.
AND I'M SURE THAT MR. WARLEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, UM, OF WHICH I'M ENTIRELY INCAPABLE OF ANSWERING.
UM, BUT HE CAN, UM, TELL YOU HOW THIS, UM, WORKS AND ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE HISTORIC MAP VIEW, WE'D BE HAPPY TO YES, ENTERTAIN.
MR. ANY QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIR? THANK YOU, SIR.
HOW HAVE WE ADJUSTED IN ASKING ON BEHALF OF MY COUNSEL, UH, WITH THE ADJUSTED LINE WITH LOUISA? UM, IS THAT A POLITICAL QUESTION OR A TECHNICAL QUESTION? TECHNICAL I'M SURE.
SO, UM, YOU WILL SEE IN MANY CASES, I'M THINKING, UM, ON THE, UM, THE LEGEND FOR THE, UM, GEORGE MAP IN 1880 LISTS THE CHURCHES THAT ARE IN THE COUNTY, AND THEN IT LISTS CHURCHES OVER THE LINE THAT JUST ACROSS THE LINE IT LISTS PROVIDENCE CHURCH AS BEING IN THE COUNTY.
SO AT THAT TIME, PROVIDENCE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, WHERE THE LEWIS LINE IS VERY CLOSE, WAS THOUGHT TO BE IN GLAND.
SO IT'S MOVED BACK AND FORTH OVER TIME, BUT I'M SURE YOUR COUNSEL WILL TELL YOU THAT THE COURT HAS ORDERED AT OUR REQUEST WHERE THE LINE IS AND THERE'S NO MORE QUESTION ABOUT IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK GETTING THERE.
A LOT OF JOHN'S WORK ESPECIALLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE DONE IT.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
[VII. Chair's Comments]
THANK EVERYONE WHO EITHER ATTENDED IN PERSON.THERE ARE THREE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, WHICH WERE HELD RECENTLY OR VIEWED THEM ONLINE.
UM, THEY WERE HELD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS.
UH, THE LAST ONE OCCURRED LAST NIGHT.
UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATION TOPICS INCLUDED REGIONAL TAX RATES, THE BUDGET PROCESS, BUDGET PRIORITIES, LONG-TERM BUDGET IMPACTS, REAL ESTATE VALUES, THE COUNTY'S PROPOSED BUDGET, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN,
[00:20:01]
BUDGET ACCOMPLISHMENTS, COUNTYWIDE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UTILITIES PROJECTS, UTILITIES, MASTER PLAN UPDATE, FIREFLY CONNECTIONS, NEW BUSINESS INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS AND PRO PROJECTS.UPCOMING, UM, MAY EVENTS SUCH AS GLAND BUSINESS APPRECIATION MONTH AND GLAND DAY, PARKS AND REC MASTER PLAN, UPDATE PARKS AND RECREATION UPCOMING AND CURRENT EVENTS AND PROGRAMS, AND OUR UPCOMING DOCUMENT, SHREDDING AND HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION EVENT.
AND IN MANY WAYS, CITIZENS CAN TAKE, CAN STAY CONNECTED TO GLAND SCHOOLS, COVERED THEIR ADOPTED BUDGET FOR FISCAL 26.
IF YOU MISSED IT, LIVE STREAMS OF ALL THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE.
NOW, GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UH, I HAVE SOME OB OBSERVATIONS.
UM, THE PROCESS STARTED LAST FALL.
VERY DELIBERATE, VERY, UH, DETAILED INVOLVING EVERY, ALMOST EVERY EMPLOYEE, CERTAINLY EVERY DEPARTMENT, UH, AND CULMINATING, UH, I GUESS WELL NOT CULMINATED YET 'CAUSE WE WE NEED TO HAVE AN OFFICIAL VOTE, UH, ON THE 15TH OF THIS MONTH.
BUT IT'LL BE PRESENTED AGAIN TODAY, UH, THE BUDGET.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I BECAME AWARE, UH, DURING THIS PROCESS, I BECAME AWARE THAT WE HAVE THE VERY BEST PUBLIC SAFETY THAT COULD BE IMAGINED.
AND I WOULD PUT US UP AGAINST ANYBODY.
AIR, AIR, FIRE AND RESCUE AND OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, OF THE VERY BEST.
OUR SCHOOLS RANK IN THE TOP ECHELON OF ALL SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
AND WE ARE NATIONALLY RANKED WITH SOME OF OUR ACHIE ACHIEVEMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE A ABOVE 98% ON TIME GRADUATION RATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL MAKES US ALL VERY, VERY PROUD.
ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU, AS YOU LISTEN TO THE BUDGET, YOU REALIZE THAT WE ARE FISCALLY SOUND, WE'RE AAA RATED, THAT SENDS A MESSAGE TO ALL THE CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTY THAT, THAT WE, WE ARE SOUND ECONOMICALLY AND WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO OUR FIDUCIARY FISCAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO I'M VERY PROUD, I'LL TELL YOU.
AND, UH, AND I'M PROUD TO BE LIVING HERE AND PROUD TO SERVE.
SO THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
NOW ASK INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MR. ALVAREZ TO BRING US UP TO SPEED ON A FEW THINGS.
I ACTUALLY WANNA FOLLOW UP 'CAUSE I WANT TO THANK ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT HELPED.
IT'S NOT EASY PUTTING THE, UH, TOWN HALL
[VIII. County Administrator's Comments]
MEETINGS TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE DOING TWO BY TWOS.FINALIZING THE BUDGET WAS, THAT WAS KIND OF INCOMPLETE WHEN I CAME ON BOARD AND, UM, MEETING WITH ALL OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND, AND, AND TWO BY TWOS TO DISCUSS WHERE WE SHOULD ALLOCATE THE MONEY.
UM, I WANNA START WITH LISA BECAUSE LISA PUTS A SCHEDULE TOGETHER EVERY YEAR, AND SHE HAS TO MANAGE FOR THE TOWN HALL.
SHE HAS TO MANAGE NOT ONLY US, BUT THE SCHOOLS, THE LOCATION, UH, AND THAT WORKED VERY WELL.
UM, SO, SO THEN I ALSO LIKE TO THANK PAUL DRUMRIGHT AND JESSICA KRONBERG KIND OF PUT THE SLIDES TOGETHER, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT PROVIDED INPUT.
CARLA CA, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, KATHLEEN SMITH, WHO WORKS WITH CARLA.
UH, JAMIE SHERRY IN IN PLANNING, UH, THE, UH, FIRE CHIEF WHO HAD A LOT OF MEETINGS WITH ME TO, TO GO OVER HIS NEEDS.
ROBIN HILLMAN EMERGENCY SERVICES, UH, THE, THE FIRE MARSHAL, THE SHERIFF, UH, AND SEAN CHRISY, UH, THE SERGEANT CHRISY, SARAH WORLEY, WHOM I ACTUALLY DRAGGED INTO THE PRESENTATIONS BY SURPRISE A COUPLE OF TIMES.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU'RE THINKING OF A, OF A PUPPY, I MEAN A KITTY CAT, GO GET HIM.
UH, MARIANNE DAVIS, OUR ASSESSOR WHO PUT TOGETHER A LOT OF THE DATA FOR US, UH, JOSH GILLESPIE, OUR DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, WAYNE STEVENS WITH, UM, PUBLIC UTILITIES WHO, UH, GAVE US ALL THE SLIDES ON THE WATER ISSUES AND DAN STOWERS AND WAYNE WARREN WHITE, WHO KIND OF MANAGE ALL OF OUR, UM, BROADBAND AND STREAMING AND EVERYTHING.
AND THEY HERE TILL WHENEVER WE FINISHED, A COUPLE OF THOSE MEETINGS WENT TILL EIGHT O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
KUMAR, WHO FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD WHO PUT
[00:25:01]
TOGETHER THEIR PRESENTATION AND PRESENTED AT THE FIRST MEETING, STEPHANIE, WE, THEIR FINANCE DIRECTOR AND THEN, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, UH, CHAIR MEREDITH MOSES AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ANGELA ALLEN FOR DOING THE PRESENTATION KIND OF ON AT THE LAST MINUTE.WE HAD, UM, A TOTAL OF 33 CITIZENS ATTENDED THE DISTRICT ONE MEETING.
58 ATTENDED THE DISTRICT FOUR AND FIVE MEETING, AND 44 AND, UH, LAST NIGHT IN DISTRICTS TWO AND THREE, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WERE RECORDS, BUT I KNOW FOR TWO AND THREE IT'S PROBABLY VERY HIGH, ISN'T IT? SO THAT'S ALL I HAD, MR. CHAIRMAN.
WELL, LET ME JUST ADD, MR. ALVAREZ CONDUCTED MOST OF THESE MEETINGS AND HE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, NOW WE DO WE HAVE BOARD, ARE THERE ANY REQUESTS TO
[IX. Requests to Postpone Agenda Items and Additions, Deletions or Changes in the Order of Presentation]
POSTPONE OR ADD TO DELETE OR CHANGE THE ORDER OF PRESENTATION? MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST FOR THE RECORD, IF YES, IF A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THAT'S GONNA BE RECEIVING THE PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING APRIL'S HUNGER AWARENESS MONTH, THAT WE CAN PAUSE TO MAKE THAT PROCLAMATION OR IF THEY DON'T COME THAT WE MAKE IT BEFORE WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION? YES.UM, NOW WE'LL MOVE INTO THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.
[X. Citizen Comment]
THIS IS AN 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 CALLED.
EACH PERSON MAY SPEAK ONCE FOR UP TO THREE MINUTES.
PLEASE COME TO THE PO 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 CITIZENS COME UP, GIVE THEIR NAME AND, AND ADDRESS AND SEE THEIR TIME TO YOU.
YOUR TIME IS INCREASED BY TWO MINUTES FOR EACH PERSON WHO DOES SO UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 10 MINUTES TOTAL.
THE BOARD IS OFFERING A CITIZEN COMMENTS PERIOD, BUT IT IS NOT INTENDED TO LAST MORE THAN AN HOUR.
NOW, JUST AS A FURTHER REMINDER, UH, WE HAVE, UH, INDICATOR LIGHTS HERE WHEN THEY TURN GREEN.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES OR THE BEGINNING OF YOUR TIME WHEN THE FIRST YELLOW LIGHT, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT TO SPEAK.
THE SECOND YELLOW LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY BLINKS, BLINKS.
30 SECONDS LEFT TO SPEAK RED LIGHT SPEAKERS TIME UP.
AND WE APPRECIATE IF YOU WOULD HONOR THOSE, UH, LIGHTS.
I'LL NOW OPEN THE MEETING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MS. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS STAFF KEITH BURGESS WITH MONICA AND SOIL WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT.
AS I BEGIN COMMENTS, I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT MANY THINGS THE PAST FEW MONTHS, INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
WHAT VALUE DO YOU PLACE ON INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SUCCESS OF AN ORGANIZATION? HOW MANY YEARS DOES IT TAKE TO ESTABLISH INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE? 5, 10, 15 YEARS OR MORE? AND WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO TRANSFER INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE FROM STAFF TO LEADERSHIP OR FROM LEADERSHIP TO STAFF? THIS TRANSFER TO KNOWLEDGE TAKES MANY CONVERSATION AND YEARS OF TEAMWORK.
WE ARE ALL FORTUNATE TO HAVE MR. ALVAREZ AS INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AS AN INTERIM CEO OF UCHIN COUNTY.
OVER THE PAST MONTH, MONICA'S BEEN BUSY WITH ROUTINE AND NON-ROUTINE ACTIVITIES.
MONICA AND STAFF PARTICIPATED IN THE VIRGINIA FLOOD PROTECTION MASTER PLANNING PROCESS.
STAFF'S BEEN BUSY CERTIFYING AGRICULTURAL BMPS FOR WHICH PAYMENTS WILL BE ISSUED LATER IN COMING MONTHS.
AS PRACTICES ARE COMPLETED, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONDUCTED OUR ANNUAL PLANNING MEETING.
OUR STAFF AND BOARD CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE BUDGET AS LOCAL, STATE AND GRANT SOURCES AND CONTRACTS ARE IN FLUX.
SOME OF YOU ALL CONTINUE TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VIRGINIA AGRICULTURAL BMP PROGRAM.
UH, THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY TODAY, I SENT MR. ALVAREZ AND STAFF SOME CURRENT INFORMATION WITH OUR PRO PROGRESS ON THAT.
AS PART OF A CURRENT AND REGIONAL GRANT PROJECT, WE RECENTLY ANALYZED SOME OF THE GS DATA RELATED TO LAND USE.
AT THE TIME, THERE WAS 16,000 PARCELS OF LAND IN UCHIN COUNTY, 11,000 PARCELS OF AGRICULTURAL, WHICH IS 89% OF THE ACRES IN UCHIN COUNTY.
OF THE 11,000 AG PARCELS, ONLY 3,300 OF THOSE PARCELS OF ZONE ARE, EXCUSE ME, ARE GREATER THAN FIVE ACRES IN SIZE.
1700 PARCELS WERE ENROLLED IN THE LAND USE VALUATION PROGRAM.
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 155 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN UCHIN COUNTY.
SOME OF THOSE ACRES UNDER EASEMENTS HAVE AN ASSESSED VALUE OF $0.
[00:30:02]
IS AGRICULTURAL ZONING AND APPROPRIATE ZONING FOR PARCELS LESS THAN FIVE ACRES IN SIZE.HOW DOES ZONING RELATE TO PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS? BACK TO MY ORIGINAL, UH, INTRODUCTION COMMENTS.
AS AN INSTITUTIONAL STAFF MEMBER OF MORE THAN 30 YEARS WITH MONICA AND SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, I'VE PROBABLY FORGOTTEN MANY OF THE SERVICES AND PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED WITHIN AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF UCHIN COUNTY.
WE ONCE SERVED AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTOR FOR GUCCI COUNTY.
WE REVIEWED PODS FOR GUCCI COUNTY AND PROVIDED ENVIRONMENTAL COMMENTS ON A NON-BIASED BASIS.
WE CONDUCTED LAND DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS.
WE ALSO PROVIDED A CONSERVATION AND AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT RENTAL PROGRAM AT ONE TIME.
WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR MULTIPLE PROJECTS OVER MY CAREER.
AND SOME OF OUR INNOVATIVE IDEAS HAVE BEEN ADVANCED TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS, WHETHER YOU ALL KNOW THAT OR NOT.
AND IT TAKES INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST 30 YEARS.
WE ALSO OFTEN DO THINGS AS TEAM MEMBERS NOT RECOGNIZE, NOT FOR RECOGNITION, BUT AS TEAM MEMBERS WITHOUT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
MANY OF THESE THINGS ARE UNACKNOWLEDGED BY UPPER MANAGEMENT.
LAST YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS A WATER LEAK OUT AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.
STAFF COULDN'T FIND IT, COUNTY STAFF COULDN'T FIND, AND IT WAS READY TO HIRE A CONTRACTOR.
WE FIND THAT LEAK AND STAFF WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF IT, AND IT SAVED THE COUNTY STAFF TIME CONTRACT MONEY TO THE BENEFIT OF GUCCI COUNTY BECAUSE WE ARE TRUE TEAM PLAYERS.
ALONG THOSE LINES, SOME OF YOU'ALL CONTINUE TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR RESERVE FUNDS.
AS I'VE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE FUNDS ARE RESTRICTED USE BASED ON CURRENT CONTRACT DELIVERABLES AND FOR NON-ROUTINE EXPENSES SUCH AS VEHICLE REPLACEMENT AND EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT.
WITH THE EXCLUSION OF CURRENT CONTRACTS AND DELIVERABLES, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THOSE RESERVE BALANCES WERE GENERATED 10 30 YEARS AGO BECAUSE OF SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT.
WE BELIEVE IN PHYSICAL RESPONSIBILITY TODAY AND FOR FUTURE CONSERVATION OF SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES WITHIN THIS COUNTY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING THE SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES OF UCHIN COUNTY FOR THE SUCCESS OF UCHIN COUNTY AND FOR PROTECTION OF OUR RESOURCES.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME FORWARD DURING THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD? GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M A RESIDENT OF GLAND COUNTY.
ON MARCH 25TH, 1775, PATRICK HENRY ADDRESSED THE SECOND VIRGINIA CONVENTION AT ST.
JOHN'S CHURCH IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY 250 YEARS AGO LAST MONTH.
HE AIMED TO CONVINCE THE AUDIENCE THAT AN ACTION WOULD HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
HE LATER SPOKE AGAINST THE STAMP ACT, WHICH WAS TAXATION.
RESIDENTS HAVE LIMITED TIME TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOCUMENTS AND PROVIDE INPUT TO THE BOARD.
SO FOR THAT REASON, ON MARCH 21ST, I REACHED OUT TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS BY EMAIL, PROVIDING A FOUNDATION FOR DISCUSSION REGARDING THE BUDGET AND A POSSIBLE TAX RATE REDUCTION.
I ASKED TO MEET WITH EACH BOARD MEMBER INDIVIDUALLY WITH ONLY ONE ACCOMMODATING MY REQUEST, AND I THANK THAT INDIVIDUAL FOR DOING SO.
AS A RESULT, I ATTENDED AND PARTICIPATED IN ALL THREE TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT I ONLY HAVE LIMITED TIME TO PROVIDE PUBLIC INPUT TODAY AND THIS EVENING REGARDING CRITICAL BUDGET ISSUES.
MR. KAUFMAN, I WAS GONNA SAY, LET ME LET YOU FIGURE OUT WHERE THIS IS GOING, BUT COMMENTS ABOUT THE COUNTY BUDGET SHOULD ONLY BE MADE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET ITEM.
I'M NOT GONNA MAKE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE BUDGET.
NOW THAT I'VE LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT, I'M HERE TODAY TO PARTICIPATE IN A COMM IN A COMMUNITY THAT I'VE EMBRACED AND CARE ABOUT, NOT ONLY REPRESENTING MY INTERESTS BUT THE INTEREST OF OTHERS.
SOUND GOVERNMENT CAN ONLY EXIST WHEN IT IS A, WHEN IT ADEQUATELY SERVES THE PUBLIC GOOD.
AND I'LL DO MY BEST TO STAY WITHIN TIME RESTRAINTS NOW.
AND THIS EVENING, I WAS TOLD IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN REGARDING TAX RATE REDUCTIONS, I CAN ONLY TRY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION
[00:35:01]
THAT'LL GIVE YOU A BROADER PERSPECTIVE REGARDING WHAT THE COUNTY CAN DO FOR ITS CITIZENS.I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS IN TAX RELIEF TO PROPERTY OWNERS ISN'T GONNA HELP THOSE PEOPLE.
I REALLY NEED THE BOARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S OKAY FOR RESIDENTS TO ASK QUESTIONS.
IT HELPS FOR THE BOARD TO PLAN, ORGANIZE, AND IMPLEMENT AND REVISE IN ORDER TO BE PROACTIVE REGARDING PROPER MANAGEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT.
I JUST WANNA SAY I APPRECIATE THE ATTEMPTS TO BUILD A BUDGET BASED ON A CONSERVATIVE RATIONALE, WHICH IS ONLY PROVIDED A SURPLUS A YEAR END TO FUND SURPLUS CASH, THE SURPLUS CASH FUND.
SECONDLY, I WANT TO THANK MANNY ALVAREZ FOR ASSISTING THE COMMUNITY AND FOR TALKING TO ME WHILE SERVING AS AN INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT THESE ISSUES.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK CARLA CAVE FOR THE WORK SHE HAS DONE PUTTING TOGETHER THIS COMPLEX BUDGET.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARD, AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO ASK THE QUESTIONS IN PREPARATION FOR THIS EVENING.
AND HENCE THE PROBLEM WITH PUBLIC INPUT.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME FORWARD DURING THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD? SEEING NONE.
I'M CLOSING THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD AND I SEE THAT, UH, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM GLAND CARES, UH, TO COME IF YOU WOULD COME FORWARD, ANDREA.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING APRIL AS HUNGER AWARENESS MONTH.
[IV. Presentation of Proclamation Recognizing April as Hunger Awareness Month]
UH, AND, UH, MS. BECO WILL READ THE PROCLAMATION, NICE TO MEET YOU.WHEREAS FOOD IS A BASIC HUMAN NEED.
AND IN FOOD INSECURE HOUSEHOLDS, THE NEED FOR FOOD COMPETES WITH THE NEED FOR OTHER BASIC HUMAN NECESSITIES, SUCH AS MEDICATION, HOUSING, UTILITIES, AND TRANSPORTATION.
AND WHEREAS THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DEFINES FOOD INSECURITY AS A LIMITED OR UNCERTAIN AVAILABILITY OF NUTRITIONALLY ADEQUATE AND SAFE FOODS, OR LIMITED OR UNCERTAIN ABILITY TO ACQUIRE ACCEPTABLE FOODS IN SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE WAYS.
AND WHEREAS PL AT L 2012, SORRY FOR MIS MISPRONUNCIATION THERE, FINDS A FOOD DESERT AS AN AREA WHERE POPULATIONS LIVE MORE THAN 10 MILES FROM A SUPERMARKET OR LARGE GROCERY STORE IF IN A RURAL AREA.
AND WHEREAS WESTERN GLAND HAS BEEN DECLARED A FOOD DESERT BY THE VIRGINIA FOOD DESERT TASK FORCE.
AND WHEREAS AN ESTIMATED 5.8% OR ABOUT 1,650 OF GLAND'S, 28,000 RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE FOOD INSECURITY IN 2024.
AND WHEREAS WITH ECONOMIC INSTABILITY EXPECTED TO FLUCTUATE AS THE NATION STATE AND COUNTY EXPERIENCE IN INFLATION, AND WE AS GLAND'S LOW INCOME CITIZENS DEPEND ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FOOD RESOURCES TO MEET THEIR NUTRITIONAL NEEDS.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED IN RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT OF THE IMPORTANT WORK BEING DONE BY GLAND COUNTY FOOD PANTRIES.
THE GLAND COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF APRIL IS HUNGER AWARENESS MONTH IN GLAND AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO ACTIVELY DONATE FOOD OR OTHER RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE NUMEROUS OPEN FOOD PANTRIES THROUGHOUT GLAND AND TO WORK TOWARDS THE VISION OF FOOD SECURITY FOR ALL GLAND COUNTY RESIDENTS.
MR. BOERS HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION.
MR. BOERS HAD HIS LIGHT ON FIRST.
UM, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZED IN APRIL AS HUNGER AWARENESS MONTH.
SO THERE, MOTION AND SECOND THERE.
ANY, ANYONE LIKE TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER ON FAVOR SAY AYE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I APPRECIATE YOU'RE QUICK ON THE DRAW, BUT I WAS GOING TO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT UCHIN CARES DOES.
UM, AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THE WORK YOU DO.
[00:40:12]
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU STOLE A LITTLE BIT OF MY THUNDER.I WAS GONNA THANK 'EM AS WELL.
YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT A TREMENDOUS ASSET GLAND CARES IS TO OUR COUNTY.
UM, ONE OF THOSE THINGS I SHOULD HAVE ADDED TO MY LIST WHEN I SPOKE EARLIER.
THAT MAKES US ALL VERY, VERY PROUD.
UH, ALL RIGHT, NOW GETTING BACK HERE.
WE HAVE APPROVAL OF ACTION ITEMS, I BELIEVE ACTION
[XI. Approval of Action Minutes]
MINUTES.UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, WELL, FIRST OFF, ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE MINUTES? DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF, UH, MARCH 4TH? SO MOVED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UH, NEXT, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
[1. Minutes of Mar 4, 2025 2:30 PM]
PROVISIONS OF VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 37 11[XII. Reports]
A ONE, MR. CHAIRMAN, ON MY WAY AHEAD.OH, WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF REPORTS THERE.
[1. VDOT -March 2025]
MR. WYNN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, MR. ALVAREZ, MARSHALL WIND WITH VDOT.UH, THIS PAST MONTH WE HAD 171 WORK ORDERS COMPLETED 181 AND HAD SIX AFTER HOUR CALL OUTS.
UH, BEEN DOING POTHOLE PATCHING.
WE'VE PATCHED SOME 1100 POTHOLES THIS PAST MONTH.
BEEN DOING DITCHING AND SHOULDER REPAIRS AND, AND CLEANING TREE AND DEBRIS REMOVAL AND CLEAN UP, UH, SIGN REPLACEMENT AND REPAIRS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON HOCKET ROAD.
WE'RE REPLACING A DOUBLE LINE OF 24 INCH PIPE RIGHT THERE AT SOMBERG DEVELOPMENT.
UH, SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THIS AFTERNOON AND THE ROAD SHOULD BE OPEN LATER TODAY.
OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
NOT UNLESS Y'ALL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? MR. UH, NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION, BUT AS, UH, AN APPRECIATION.
UH, PHILIP FRAZIER WITH VDOT HAS BEEN VERY GENEROUS WITH THIS TIME EXPLORING TWO SOLUTIONS.
ONE AT, UH, HT AND, UH, ROUTE SIX, AND THEN ALSO AT ROUTE SIX AND RIVER ROAD, COBBLESTONE, MONON.
I'M NOT SURE I'M MISSING ONE THERE, BUT RIGHT AT THE GOLF COURSE, I KNOW.
AND, AND, UH, HE WAS THERE AT O DARK HUNDRED SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING HELPING TO OBSERVE THOSE, UH, TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.
AND THEN, UH, WITH THE ZOOM MEETING, MAY HAVE COME UP WITH A LOW COST SOLUTION TO WHAT WE HAVE AT HOCKET AND, UH, ROUTE SIX.
BUT IF YOU TELL 'EM THANKS, THAT MIGHT MEAN MORE.
SO I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN THAT WE'VE ERADICATED THE, UH, PAVEMENT MARKING AT RIVER ROAD IN SIX.
I CALLED IT THE RO SHOT BLOCK TEST, BUT YES.
SO, SO ONCE WE GET IT DEVELOPED, THAT INFORMATION WILL BE COMING BACK TO MR. MR. GILLESPIE TO PASS ALONG.
THANK ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH, JUST ONE THING.
UM, I KNOW I'VE ASKED FOR THIS IN THE PAST AND WE'VE HAD A HARD TIME COORDINATING IT.
MAYBE THIS YEAR WE'LL GET LUCK HERE, BUT AS WE MOVE INTO THE MOWING CYCLES, WHICH I'M SURE ARE A MONTH OR TWO AHEAD.
NO, THEY'RE NOT THAT FAR OUT, BUT
WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS THE WEATHER CHANGES AND WIND KICKS UP, YOU, THERE'S A A TON OF LITTER OUT THERE AND I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY TO ORGANIZE THE LITTER PICKUPS IN COORDINATION WITH THE, THE, THE MOWING SCHEDULE.
SO ANY ASSISTANCE THAT WE CAN GET DOING THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE SUPER BENEFICIAL FOR EVERYBODY.
I KNOW WE HAVE CITIZENS OUT THERE THAT ARE WILLING TO, TO STEP UP AND DO THAT.
UM, UH, SO LOVE TO SEE IF WE CAN COORDINATE THAT THIS YEAR.
NOW, GREAT PRIVILEGE TO AND PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE MR. CLIFF
[2. Introduction of New County Staff]
HALLER, HEAD OF OUR HUMAN RESOURCES.WHO'S GONNA INTRODUCE SOME NEW COUNTY EMPLOYEES? THERE WE GO.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. EZ, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
TOP ONE THERE, IF I CAN GET IT.
CLICK HERE FROM BEGINNING ALL THE WAY DOWN.
[00:45:01]
NEW, HIGHER INTRODUCTIONS.UM, SO, UH, WANT TO JUST FULLY, UH, SAY THANK YOU TO FIRE RESCUE FOR ALL THEIR WORK TO HELPING FILL SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT HAVE COME UP.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, SIX NEW PEOPLE THAT WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE IN, UH, FIRE RESCUE.
THEY'RE ALL REPLACEMENTS, UH, FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE MOVED ON TO OTHER, UH, JOBS.
BUT, UM, IF EVERYBODY COULD STAND, WE'LL JUST CYCLE THROUGH SOME NAMES FOR THE FIRE RESCUE TEAM.
UH, STARTING WITH, UH, CASEY TRIAN.
SHE'S OUR NEW FIRE LOGISTICS OFFICER.
UM, THEN WE HAVE MICHAEL LEONARD, UH, FIREFIGHTER, EMS GAVIN WILLIAMS, FIREFIGHTER EMS, TYLER BI FIREFIGHTER EMS, JONATHAN MORRISON, FIREFIGHTER EMS. AND ROBERT MAHAN, FIREFIGHTER EMS. UH, MANY COUNTIES REALLY STRUGGLE WITH, UH, GETTING QUALITY EMPLOYEES TO COME TO WORK FOR THEM IN FIRE RESCUE.
AND, UH, OUR FIRE RESCUE TEAM DOES AN AMAZING JOB OF BRINGING THEM IN AND GETTING TRAINED.
AND WE WERE A LITTLE DELAYED IN MOVING FORWARD.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S DOING THAT.
SO, UM, OUR NEXT ONE IS KIMBERLY CAR.
KIMBERLY, IF YOU COULD STAND, SHE'S PART-TIME FOR US IN, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE'S OFFICE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ANN EI DON'T THINK SHE WAS ABLE TO COME TODAY.
SHE IS NEW FOR US IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
AND THEN LASTLY, I KNOW HE COULDN'T MAKE IT.
HE WAS, HE'S OUT IN THE FIELD, UH, DYLAN CLARK FOR UTILITIES TECHNICIAN.
SO, UH, VERY EXCITED TO HAVE ALL THEM.
UH, JUST ONE QUESTION FOR THE FIRE RESCUE.
THEY'RE ALL SMILING IN THEIR PICTURES, BUT THEY'RE NOT SMILING HERE.
I HOPE WE'RE NOT THAT, UH, INTIMIDATING.
[3. Fire Rescue Report]
MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS AND MR. ALVAREZ.UM, I AM NOT EDDIE FERGUSON, IF YOU WILL CAN TELL.
SO, UM, CHIEF FERGUSON IS ACTUALLY ON VACATION THIS WEEK.
UH, WELL DESERVED VACATION WITH HIS FAMILY.
AND I'LL BE FILLING IN TODAY FOR HIM.
I BELIEVE HIS REPORT'S ALREADY BEEN SENT TO YOU.
I'M GOING TO SKIM, UH, SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT HE ASKED ME TO SKIM FOR Y'ALL.
UM, HE PUT IT IN MICRO PRINT, BUT BECAUSE OF MY AGE, I HAD TO PUT IT IN BIGGER PRINT.
SO IF I FLIP PAGES, IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S LONG, IT'S JUST BECAUSE I NEED TO HAVE IT A LITTLE BIT BIGGER.
SO, SO AS YOU SAW IN HIS REPORT, UH, CALL VOLUMES FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY REACHED 808 CALLS THAT WE RESPONDED TO.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE MONTH OF MARCH, WE RESPONDED TO OVER 400 CALLS AS WELL.
UM, THE BREAKDOWN, IN INSTANCE, HAS ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED TO Y'ALL FOR 2024, AND Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE THAT IN YOUR BOARD REPORT.
UH, WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT A STATEWIDE, UH, BURN LAW IS IN EFFECT CURRENTLY, UH, IN EFFECT THROUGH APRIL 30TH.
SO THAT'S, UH, NO OPEN BURNING, UH, PRIOR TO 4:00 PM UM, THIS INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM, UM, CAMPFIRES, BRUSH PILES, LEAVES, HOUSEHOLD TRASH DUMP, UH, STUMPS, FIELDS, BROOM STRAW, AND NOTHING CAN BE BURNT.
UM, PRIOR TO 4:00 PM DUE TO THE WEATHER.
YOU CAN'T ADD FUEL TO YOUR FIRE IF YOU'RE BURNING A, DOING A CONTROLLED BURN.
YOU CAN'T ADD FUEL AFTER MIDNIGHT.
UM, AND YOU NEED TO STAY WITH YOUR FIRE AT ALL TIMES.
UH, THE PENALTY FOR THAT IS UP TO $500.
SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, UM, FOLLOWING THE LAW ON THAT SANDY HOOK FIRE STATION UPDATE.
UM, OUR AMBULANCE HAS BEEN STAFFED NOW FOR 24 HOURS TODAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
THE ON-DUTY CREWS ARE USING A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING ON THE PROPERTY, UM, AS TEMPORARY QUARTERS AND HAVE RECENTLY MOVED OVER TO THE HOUSE JUST BEHIND WHERE THEY WERE LOCATED.
UH, SO THEY ARE NOW AT, UH, 29 13 DOGTOWN ROAD.
UH, THIS AMBULANCE IS MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT TO THIS AREA, UH, REDUCING RESPONSE TIMES TO THE RESIDENCE OF SANDY HOOK AND ALSO THE GUM SPRINGS AREA, BUT ALSO SUPPORTING OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY, UH, WITH MULTIPLE UNITS WHEN MULTIPLE UNITS ARE ACTUALLY BUSY ON OTHER CALLS.
DEPARTMENT AND THE COUNTY OF GOOCHLAND ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN PHASE OF THE NEW SANDY HOOK FIRE STATION.
AND CONSTRUCTION IS HOPEFULLY WILL BE BEGINNING IN THE FALL OF THIS YEAR.
DRY HYDRANT ANNUAL TESTING AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE WILL BEGIN, UH, THIS MONTH.
DRY HYDRANTS ARE PA ARE LOCATED IN PONDS, LAKES AND STREAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO ASSIST US WITH FIRE SUPPRESSION SUPPORT BECAUSE MANY OF THE COUNT PARTS OF THE COUNTY DIDN'T HAVE A HYDRANT SYSTEM.
SO TRIDENT MOBILE SERVICE LLC WILL BE PERFORMING ITS TESTING AND PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE FOR US.
AND THE INSPECTIONS, UH, THE PUBLIC WILL SEE THEM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AND WE ANTICIPATE DRAW HYDRANT TESTING, UH, TO BE COMPLETED BY EARLY SUMMER.
UH, WE RECENTLY, UH, COMPLETE OUR ANNUAL HOSE AND GROUND LADDER TESTING, ANNUAL TESTING OF BOTH HOSE AND LADDER.
IT REQUIRED FOR OUR ISO INSURANCE SERVICES, UM, OFFICE EVALUATION PROCESS, BUT IT'S ALSO IDENTIFIED BY THE NFPA AS A STANDARD THAT ALL FIRE DEPARTMENTS
[00:50:01]
SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN THIS YEAR.WE, UH, TESTED OVER 47,000 FEET OF HOSE, UM, OVER A THREE DAY PERIOD.
IT USED TO TAKE US WEEKS AND WEEKS TO DO THIS.
SO WE'VE HIRED A COMPANY THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
IT'S MADE IT A LOT EASIER FOR US AND IT'S ALSO SAFER FOR US AS WELL.
OUR PHARMACEUTICAL PROJECT, THE PHARMACEUTICAL PROJECT THAT Y'ALL ARE, UH, FULLY AWARE OF IS ACTUALLY UNDERWAY.
UH, THE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES, UH, WITH OUR EMS MEDICATIONS.
WE'RE NO LONGER BECAUSE OF THE, UM, A DEADLINE THAT'S BEEN SET BY THE FDA AND ALSO THE VIRGINIA BOARD OF PHARMACY, WHICH IS APRIL THE 15TH OF THIS YEAR.
WE NEED TO TRANSITION AWAY FROM OUR TYPICAL CARDIAC BOXES OR MEDICATION BOXES THAT WE USED TO TRANSFER OUT AND EXCHANGE IT TO HOSPITALS, TO OUR OWN PHARMACY SYSTEM WITHIN OUR OWN DEPARTMENT.
UH, CHIEF WATKINS, UM, CASEY REON AND CAPTAIN RANSOM HAD BEEN WORKING HARD TO GET THAT UP AND RUNNING.
AND WE WILL ACTUALLY BE LIVE WITH THAT PRIOR TO THE 18, UH, APRIL 15TH DEADLINE TO ENSURE THAT OUR MEDICATIONS AVAILABILITY TO OUR, UM, PATIENTS ARE ALWAYS OUT THERE AND AVAILABLE TO 'EM.
UM, PREPARATION'S ALSO BEING MADE TO HAVE THIS UNDERWAY.
AND A FEW, UM, IT'S BEEN UNDERWAY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND, UM, MANY STAFF HOURS AND REGIONAL COLLABORATION AMONG FIRE AND EMS DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE REGION AND ACROSS THE STATE HAVE ACTUALLY HELPED WITH THIS PROGRAM.
THERE'S TWO CLASSES GOING ON AT DUKE GLAND HIGH SCHOOL, CURRENTLY THROUGH THEIR CTE PROGRAM.
THERE'S 23 STUDENTS STILL ACTIVELY, UH, GOING STRONG IN THAT CLASS.
AND SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS HAVE ACTUALLY STARTED APPLYING FOR MEMBERSHIP WITH OUR DEPARTMENT.
OUR FIRE RESCUE SPRINGS IN SERVICE WAS JUST COMPLETED THANKS TO CAPTAIN PROFIT BEHIND ME.
AND, UH, LIEUTENANT, I GUESS THEY'RE STILL BACK HERE.
UH, CAPTAIN PROFIT AND LIEUTENANT, UH, COUGHLIN, UH, ARRANGED FOR THAT TO HAPPEN AND GOT ALL OUR FIREFIGHTERS THROUGH OUR IN-SERVICE TRAINING.
SOME OF THAT IN TRAINING INCLUDED EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATOR SAFETY, FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS, FIRE DEPARTMENT CONNECTION, STANDPIPES, AND WE DID SEVERAL LIVE FIRE TRAINING EVOLUTIONS AT THE NEW FIRE, UH, LIVE FIRE TRAINING, UH, STRUCTURE, WHICH, UH, MR. ALVAREZ WAS ABLE TO SEE YESTERDAY.
AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, WE'VE HIRED, UH, FIVE NEW FIREFIGHTER EMTS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT TO FILL, UH, VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE, UH, HAD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
UM, WE'RE, UM, GETTING READY TO HOPEFULLY START, DEPENDING ON HOW THE BUDGET GOES, START A NEW PROCESS FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR.
ALL OF THESE, UM, FIVE BEHIND ME, NOT CASEY REON, SHE'S THE PART-TIME LOGISTICS PERSON, BUT THE FIVE GENTLEMEN THERE, THE FIREFIGHTER EMTS, THEY'RE EXPECTED TO GRADUATE ON APRIL 16TH AND WILL BE SHIPPED OUT TO THE STATIONS FOR FURTHER TRAINING IN THE FIELD.
UM, SINCE JANUARY 1ST, WE'VE HAD NINE NEW VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER EMTS.
OUR FIRE AND EMS PEOPLE ACTUALLY APPLY TO THE DEPARTMENT AND BECOME MEMBERS.
OUR VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION COORDINATOR IS ALSO DEVELOPING NEW PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS THAT SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE AREA ON DIFFERENT PLATFORMS TO HOPEFULLY ATTRACT MORE APPLICANTS AS THOUGH I'VE TOLD THE BOARD MEMBERS IN PREVIOUS TIMES BEFORE THE BOARD, WE'RE ALWAYS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.
AND IF WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, JUST LET ME KNOW AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET AN APPLICATION.
UM, THIS MONTH, UH, THE MONTH OF MARCH, THAT IS, UH, WE ACTUALLY INTRODUCED, UM, SEVERAL NEW APPARATUS TO OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, FLEET, UH, TWO NEW FORD F 5 54 WHEEL DRIVE.
UM, HORTON AMBULANCES WERE DELIVERED TO US BACK IN JANUARY.
THEY WERE OUTFITTED AND BOTH OF 'EM WERE PLACED IN SERVICE IN THE MONTH OF MARCH.
ONE WENT TO STATION TWO EN CROZIER, THE OTHER ONE IS AT STATION FOUR.
AND, UH, FIFE, UH, A NEW TANKER THAT WAS OUT ON DISPLAY OUT FRONT HERE FOR Y'ALL BEFORE YOU WALKED IN TONIGHT.
UH, TODAY, UM, IS ACTUALLY A NEW, UH, ADDITION TO OUR, THAT'S A STOCK TANKER.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE STOCK TANKER TO WHO WAS QUICKER THAN WE CAN BUILD A CUSTOM TANKER.
AND IT ACTUALLY IS BENEFITING THE RESIDENTS OF FIFE, BUT ALSO ALL OF RESIDENTS OF GLAND COUNTY.
UH, THE NEW, UH, LADDER TRUCK, UM, THAT WE ORDERED, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, ARRIVED IN DECEMBER.
IT TOOK US, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS TO GET IT BUILT OUT WITH THE EQUIPMENT, ADDING EQUIPMENT, GETTING THINGS CERTIFIED ON IT.
AND THAT TRUCK ALSO WENT INTO SERVICE IN THE MONTH OF MARCH AND IS REPLACING A 1992 MODEL LADDER TRUCK THAT WE'RE, UM, DISPOSING OF IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, HOPEFULLY THIS WEEK.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT UPDATES FROM ROBIN HILLMAN.
SHE'S NOT HERE TODAY 'CAUSE SHE'S, UM, PARTICIPATING IN A, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DRILL.
UM, BUT SHE'S, UH, CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON PROMOTING EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESILIENCY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UH, VIRGINIA, SEVERE SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK WAS MARCH, UH, 10TH THROUGH THE 14TH AND GLAND COUNTY, UM, GOVERNMENT AND FIRE RESCUE PARTICIPATED IN A STATEWIDE TORNADO DRILL ON MARCH 11TH.
GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH WILL BE HOSTING COMMUNITY RESPONDER CLASS ON APRIL 26TH FROM 8:00 AM TO 12:00 PM THIS IS FREE TRAINING THAT IS PROVIDED TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO ACTIVATE THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM COMPRESSION ONLY C-P-R-A-E-D TRAINING, RESPONDING TO CHOKING BLEEDING CONTROL, WHICH HAS STOPPED THE BLEED PROGRAM AND ALSO, UH, THE NARCAN ADMINISTRATION, UH, PROTOCOLS.
THE COUNTY'S EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN WAS RECENTLY ADOPTED BY YOU, THE BOARD ON MARCH THE FOURTH AT YOUR MEETING ON THAT DAY.
VIRGINIA CODE REQUIRES THAT ALL LOCALITIES HAVE A CURRENT EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN AND THAT COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW, UH, OF THE EOP OCCURS EVERY FOUR YEARS, AND IT HAS TO BE ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNING BODY.
AS YOU WELL KNOW, FIRE RESCUE, WE'RE ALWAYS IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS WHILE WE'VE COME TO YOU AND ASK FOR ADDITIONAL, UH, PAID STAFF, WE ARE STILL
[00:55:01]
ACTIVELY SEEKING VOLUNTEERS TO HELP OFFSET THOSE, UM, COSTS AND SO FORTH.SO ANYONE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING SHOULD CONTACT FIRE AND RESCUE ADMINISTRATION AT, UM, THE PHONE NUMBER, OUR OFFICE NUMBER FIVE FIVE SIX FIVE THREE ZERO FOUR OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
AND ALL TRAINING IS PROVIDED FREE OF COST BECAUSE OF THE EXCELLENT INSTRUCTURES WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY.
UM, AS YOU'VE HEARD CHIEF FERGUSON, UH, SAY MANY TIMES BEFORE, SMOKE ALARMS DO SAVE LIVES.
SO IF YOU OR YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY IN YOUR DISTRICTS THAT NEED A SMOKE ALARM, WE GIVE THEM AWAY FREE.
WE'LL EVEN COME HELP INSTALL 'EM.
SO ALL THEY GOTTA DO IS CALL THE FIRE RESCUE STATION CLOSE TO THEM, OR EITHER CALL FIRE RESCUE OFFICE AND WE'LL MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
UM, WE'VE HAD THE USUAL TYPICAL CALLS OVER THE LAST, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS.
UH, WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL HIGH ACUITY, UH, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE CALLS OVER THE, DURING THAT TIME, BUT WE'VE ALSO HAD SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES IN THE COUNTY AS WELL.
ON FEBRUARY 14TH, FIRE RESCUE RESPONDENT TO THE 4,600 BLOCK OF RIVER ROAD WEST FOR A TRACK AND TRAILER CRASH WITH INJURY AND ENTRAPMENT.
ONE OF THOSE PATIENTS HAD TO BE FLOWN OUT BY VIRGINIA, UH, STATE POLICE EMS MEDFLIGHT, ONE TO AN AREA TRAUMA CENTER TO BE TREATED ON APRIL, UH, EXCUSE ME, FEBRUARY 16TH, FIRE RESCUE ALSO RESPONDED TO A SINGLE VEHICLE FATALITY CRASH ON HAYVILLE FIGHT ROAD WITH MULTIPLE INJURIES.
UH, WE ALSO ALL THOSE OCCUPANTS TO THE HOSPITAL.
AND IN OF COURSE, UH, VIRGINIA STATE POLICE EMS MED FLIGHT ONE RESPONDED TO THAT AND ASSISTED US.
UH, MARCH 1ST, FEDERAL FIRE AND RESCUE ALSO RESPONDED AT FOUR OH BLOCK OF THREE CHOP ROAD FOR A UTILITY SHED ON FIRE, THREATENING OTHER STRUCTURES, INCLUDING A HOME.
I BELIEVE CHIEF ERICKSON ALREADY SENT THOSE REPORTS TO YOU AS WELL.
FIRE RESCUE ALSO DURING THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS OF THE RESPONDENT TO NUMEROUS BRUSH FIRES, UM, WE JUST ASK CITIZENS TO BE AS CAREFUL AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN BE AND WHEN THEY'RE BURNING, AND ALSO DURING THIS TIME, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE BURN LAW REGULATIONS THAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.
UH, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, SIR.
ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT'S THE MINIMUM AGE FOR THE VOLUNTEER RESCUE FIREFIGHTERS? SO VOLUNTEERS CAN JOIN TO AGE OF 16 AND WE'LL PUT 'EM THROUGH TRAINING JUST LIKE WE DO ANY OTHER FIREFIGHTERS.
SO THEY'LL COME OUT WITH A STATE, UH, CERTIFICATION, BOTH EMS AND ALSO FIREFIGHTING.
WHAT'S THE AGE LIMIT? THERE IS NO AGE LIMIT.
I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 43 YEARS AND I'M STILL YOUNG AND ENERGETIC.
AND I'VE SEEN MARTIN DEAN THAT'S, YEAH, MARTIN'S A MEMBER AT COMPANY ONE.
UM, HE'S BEEN DOWN THERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HE'S, I THINK HESS ABOUT A YEAR OLDER THAN I AM.
SO, UM, HE'S STILL DOING IT AND IS VERY ACTIVE THERE, SO, SO IF I CALL YOUR BLUFF AND SAY, I WANT AN APPLICATION, I'D HAND YOU ONE, SIR.
I'M LOOKING, I'M, UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, SIR? YES INDEED.
I UNDERSTAND THAT ON IT WAS, UH, BLUE GOOSE.
I UNDERSTAND WE HAD A MED, UM, HELICOPTER EVACUATION THERE.
IS THERE ANY SOMEWHAT OF A FARMING ACCIDENT? IT WAS A, UH, TREE CUTTING INCIDENT.
UM, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, CHIEF FESS DIDN'T HAVE IT IN HIS NOTES, BUT FROM MY RECOLLECTION, 'CAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THAT CALL, UM, THEY HAD A TREE CUTTING ACCIDENT WHERE, UM, SUBJECT WAS TRAPPED UNDER THE TREE AND HE WAS MED FLIGHTED OUT TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL, LOCAL TRAUMA CENTER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? YEAH.
UM, THIS PROBABLY ISN'T IN CHIEF APPLICATION.
UM, I GOT A, I GOT INTO A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEBODY THE OTHER DAY.
IT'S, I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION SEVERAL TIMES AND I'M HOPING YOU CAN HELP ME OUT.
UM, THEY ARE EMPHATIC THAT WE NEED MORE MUTUAL AID THAN WE PROVIDE.
UM, BUT YET WHEN I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, LIKE LAST MONTH WE HAD A TOTAL OF FOUR MUTUAL AID CALLS THAT WE RECEIVED.
YET WE PROVIDED MUTUAL AID TO 35 CALLS.
AND IF I LOOK AT THE YEAR OVER YEAR, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE, THE, THE TREND IS THAT WE OFFER DOUBLE, IF NOT MORE TYPICALLY THAN WHAT WE RECEIVED.
WOULD THAT SOUND ACCURATE TO YOU? I WOULD SAY THAT WE'RE PROBABLY MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT THAN A LOT OF JURISDICTIONS.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UH, A LOT OF THOSE MUTUAL AID CALLS, YOU'RE PROBABLY SEEING WHERE WE'RE GIVING MUTUAL AID OR AUTOMATIC MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS THAT'S ALREADY SET FORTH IN A COUNTY, UM, SYSTEM WHERE, LIKE LOUISA FOR EXAMPLE, WHENEVER THEY HAVE AN ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE, THEY IMMEDIATELY REQUEST SCOOCH TO ASSIST SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO TIE UP THEIR UNITS 'CAUSE THEY'VE GOT SUCH, SO MANY A CALL VOLUME AS WELL.
UM, SO, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SO THAT'S, SO THE DATA IS ACCURATE.
I CAN SAY THAT THERE ARE NUMBERS OF SUPPORT.
UM, AND THEN SECOND IN THE TOTALS, NOW THAT WE HAVE STATION, UM, EIGHT, UH, 24 7 WITH RESCUE, ARE WE GONNA START SEEING THOSE NUMBERS REPORTED OUT IN THE ACTIVE IN THE REPORT FOR THE, UH, RESCUE HOURS? UM, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE TABLES.
SO THEY'RE NOT SHOWING UP YET? YES, I BELIEVE THEY WILL BE.
I'LL DOUBLE CHECK WITH MY COUNTERPART.
YOU TALKING ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER HOURS? UM, BOTH.
IS THIS RESCUE DUTY HOURS, FIRE DUTY HOURS AND THEN I'M GUESSING THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANY VOLUNTEERS YET VOLUNTEER BASE RIGHT NOW? CURRENTLY WE'RE TRYING TO RECRUIT THAT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ONE.
SO THERE REALLY AREN'T ANY HOURS TO REPORT, BUT WE CAN ADD THAT.
AT WHAT TIME, WHAT DO WE KNOW WHEN VOLUNTEERS CAN START WORKING IN STATION EIGHT? ANYTIME THEY VOLUNTEER.
IF THEY REQUEST STATION EIGHT, THEY CAN GO THERE.
AND CHIEF MARKY TAKE CARE OF ALL OF OUR STAFFING TOO.
[01:00:01]
SO IF WE'RE SHORTHANDED SOMEWHERE, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS.WHILE THEY MAY BE ASSIGNED TO A CENTERVILLE STATION OR A FIVE STATION, THEY DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SERVE AT OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY AND THEY KNOW THAT WHEN HE JOINS.
COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU, SIR.
WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL REPORTS IN OUR PACKET.
UH, THE BOARD BEEN IN YOUR BOARD PACKET, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, BROADBAND REPORT, AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
UH, ARE THERE ANY BOARD REPORTS ANY BOARD MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'LL JUST NOTE THAT THURSDAY, UH, THAT IS THE THIRD.
UH, THE R-R-T-P-O IS MEETING, UH, AND I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY AT OUR 15TH MEETING ON THE MEETING ON THE 15TH TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE IF THAT'S SURE APPROPRIATE OR I CAN HOLD IT UNTIL MAY.
ALL RIGHT, MR. ALVAREZ, WILL YOU NOW REVIEW THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE BOARD? YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE ONLY ITEM WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA
[XIII. Consent Agenda]
TODAY IS A, UM,[1. Authorization for County Administrator to execute Second Amendment to Memorandum of Understanding with Kalyan Hospitality, LLC for emergency shelter services at the Residence Inn by Marriott at the Notch]
YOU ALLOWING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH CALLEN HOSPITALITY.THAT IS A RESIDENCE IN BY MARRIOTT IN THE NOTCH.
WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WE'RE ABOUT TO REVIEW AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM, UM, FOR SERVICES, UM, EMERGENCY SERVICE OR, OR SOCIAL SERVICES NEEDS.
UH, WE'VE, UH, PARTNERED WITH THEM TO PROVIDE, UM, SOME TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR FOLKS THAT LOSE THEIR HOME IN A FIRE OR HAVE OTHER ISSUES.
AND WE, OUR, UH, RATE, THE, THE RATE THEY GIVE US IS 10% OF RETAIL RATE.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S THE ONLY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TODAY.
AND THIS IS A SECOND, UM, AMENDMENT TO THE, TO THE AGREEMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT BOARD? DO WE HAVE A MOTION? WELL, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, I JUST, IS IT 10% OFF OR IS IT 10% UP 10%? THE PRICE IS 10% OF THE RETAIL COST, SO IT'S PRETTY GOOD DEAL.
I WOULD 10% DISCOUNT LAST OR 10% OF THE RETAIL, 10% OF THAT WAS MY QUESTION AGREEMENT.
SO IF IT'S, I'M GONNA DO THIS IN MY HEAD.
IF IT'S $50, THEY WOULD PAY FIVE.
UM, MR. AM I WRONG? YOU MIGHT WANNA CHECK WITH MS. JEFFERSON ON THAT.
UM, I MAY HAVE TO REVIEW THE CONTRACT BECAUSE MS. JEFFERSON, GOOD AFTERNOON MR. EZ, FLORIDA SUPERVISORS 10% OFF.
UM, I DO WANNA ASSURE YOU THAT WHAT WE DO IS IF WE HAVE AN INSTANCE WHERE WE NEED TO USE A HOTEL, WE WILL CHECK OTHER FACILITIES AROUND THE AREA AND MAKE SURE WE GET THE BEST RATE.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES IF THERE'S A STORM, UM, DOMINION IN THE PAST HAS HAD PRIORITY WITH USING THAT FACILITY.
SO WE WILL CHECK HOTELS IN THE AREA AND SEE WHERE WE CAN GET THE BEST RATE.
SORRY, I MISREAD THE AGREEMENT, UH, JUST BEFORE THE MEETING.
THAT, AND WE USUALLY ASK FOR GOVERNMENT RATE, WHICH COULD BE LESS THAN RIGHT WHAT THEY HAVE LISTED.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
ALRIGHT, MR. CHAIR, DO WE HAVE A, I I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM AS PRESENTED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
NOW, DO WE HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS?
[XIV. New Business: None]
SO IN ACCORDANCE,[XV. 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]
SORRY, SAY AGAIN.SO WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO A CLOSED MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF VIRGINIA CODE FIVE 2.2 DASH 37 11 A ONE.
I MOVE THAT THE, THAT THE GOIN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING RECRUITMENT FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, ADMINISTRATOR POSITION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[01:05:01]
WINFREY? YES.[03:02:38]
READY?[03:02:47]
LET'S[03:02:47]
GO.[03:02:51]
OKAY.[03:02:52]
WE[03:02:52]
ARE[03:02:52]
GONNA[03:02:53]
RECONVENE[03:02:53]
AND[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.]
[03:02:54]
CERTIFY.[03:02:56]
UH,[03:02:56]
I[03:02:56]
MOVE[03:02:57]
THAT[03:02:57]
THE[03:02:57]
BOARD[03:02:57]
MEMBERS[03:02:58]
HEREBY[03:02:59]
CERTIFY[03:02:59]
THAT[03:03:00]
TO[03:03:00]
THE[03:03:00]
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.
DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? WE'RE GONNA DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.
[2. Certification: 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.]
MRS. YES.AND WE WILL, UH, ADJOURN UNTIL OUR SIX O'CLOCK BUSINESS SESSION THIS EVENING.
[XVI. Dinner Break/Recess]
[03:59:59]
SOME[04:00:00]
CREATIVE[04:00:00]
PEOPLE[04:00:00]
HERE.[04:00:01]
OKAY.[04:00:01]
READY?[04:00:02]
I'M[04:00:03]
READY.[04:00:03]
IF[04:00:03]
YOU'RE[04:00:03]
READY.[04:00:08]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING[XVII. 6:00 PM - Chair Calls Meeting Back to Order]
BACK TO ORDER.THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WOULD BE SIT OPEN CITIZEN COMMENT.
[XVIII. Citizen Comment]
FOR RESIDENTS TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUE INVOLVING THE COUNTY, JUST THAT IS NOT, UH, TO BE, UH, ON AN ISSUE THAT'S ALREADY ON THE AGENDA FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS ABOUT AN ISSUE, SCHEDULE FOR PUBLIC HEARING, YOU NEED TO SPEAK WHEN THAT MATTER IS CALLED.
EACH PERSON MAY SPEAK UP TO THREE MINUTES.
PLEASE COME TO THE PLATFORM AND PROVIDE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS BEFORE PROVIDING YOUR COMMENTS.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES, YOU MAY EXTEND YOUR TIME BY HAVING OTHER 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 10 MINUTES TOTAL.
THE BOARD IS OFFERING A CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD, BUT IS NOT INTENDED TO LAST MORE THAN AN HOUR.
AND JUST TO REITERATE, UH, WE HAVE TIMER WHEN THE LIGHT IS GREEN, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THAT POINT.
THE FIRST YELLOW LIGHT, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT TO SPEAK.
THE SECOND YELLOW LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY BLINKS 30 SECONDS LEFT TO SPEAK.
AND ONCE THE RED LIGHT IS ON, THE SPEAKER SHOULD STOP AND WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
PUBLIC COMMENT, MR. CHAIRMAN VINCE SLOAN, 2 0 5 2, MAINTENANCE ROAD MAINTENANCE, VIRGINIA.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MADAM COUNCIL, MADAM SECRETARY, IS THERE UH, IS THIS PART OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION FOR THE BUDGET, OR IS IT A BUDGET LATER? THE BUDGET'S LATER.
SO THIS IS ANYTHING YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT.
SO THERE WILL BE A COMMENT SESSION, UH, COMMENT, OPPORTUNITY ON THE BUDGET ITSELF.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS, UH, I, I KNOW FIRST OF ALL, YOU DON'T GET A LOT OF, UH, UH, ACCOLADES FOR ALL THE WORK, ALL THE TIME YOU PUT IN.
AND I KNOW YOU PUT IN A LOT MORE TIME THAN WHAT THE COMPENSATION IS FROM YOUR SALARIES AND FROM YOUR BENEFITS.
AND IN PARTICULAR, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SAY A, UH, VERY GRACIOUS THANK YOU TO ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, MR. SPOON, HOWER SUPERVISOR SPOON HOWER FOR ALL THE WORK HE'S DONE WITH REGARDS TO THE REGIONAL, UH, TRANSPORTATION EFFORTS, AND IN PARTICULAR, THE INTERFACE WITH VDOT.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE OUR WORK DONE AT ASHLAND ROAD, LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT DONE.
WE'D NOT HAVE OTHER PROJECTS DONE WITHIN THE COUNTY.
AND I THINK, UH, MR. SPOON, HOWER DESERVES A, A, A GREAT GRATITUDE FROM THE CITIZENS AND AND ELECTED MEMBERS IN THIS COUNTY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD? SEEING NONE, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, SOME PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UM, CARLA KAY, FINANCE DIRECTOR WILL PRESENT THE BUDGET.
[XIX. Budget Public Hearings: Budget public hearings will be opened for public comment then closed with no action taken, vote will occur on April 15, 2025]
HEARINGS.THE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL BE OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, THEN CLOSED WITH NO ACTION TAKEN.
BUDGET VOTES WILL OCCUR ON APRIL 15TH, 2025, PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED 2025 REAL ESTATE TAX.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BUDGET THAT IS NEXT.
SO WE HAVE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS COMING UP.
WE'LL HAVE THREE AND WE'LL JUST TAKE IT ONE BY ONE.
I'LL JUST GIVE A SHORT SUMMARY OF WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON AND THEN BREAK FOR A PUBLIC HEARING GO THREE IN A ROW LIKE THAT.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS GONNA BE TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED 2025 REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.
[1. Public Hearing to Consider the Proposed 2025 Real Estate Tax Rate, 6:00 PM]
BUDGET, WE ARE PROPOSING TO, UM, INCREASE PROPERTY TAX LEVIES WHILE KEEPING THE TAX RATE UNCHANGED AT 53 CENTS.UM, WITHOUT INCLUDING NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THE COUNTY, OUR ASSESSMENTS HAVE INCREASED THIS YEAR, 8.6% FROM JANUARY 25 OVER JANUARY OF 24, WHICH IS WHAT WE BASE OUR ASSESSMENT ON.
UM, I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE THAT PER STATE CODE, EVERY COUNTY HAS TO ADVERTISE WHAT THE LIKE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE WOULD BE, WHICH IS WHAT RATE WOULD WE BRING IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE AS LAST YEAR.
SO THAT RATE FOR FY 26 IS BUDGET WOULD BE 49 CENTS.
AND WE'RE ELECTING TO KEEP IT AT 53 CENTS.
SO IT'S AN EFFECTIVE TAX RATE INCREASE OF 4 CENTS OR 8.2%
[04:05:02]
INCREASE.UM, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE SUMMARY OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
WE'LL EXCEED LAST YEAR'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET BY 9.6%.
THAT ALL MOSTLY COMES FROM THESE REAL ESTATE PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS.
SO 53 CENT IS WHAT OUR PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ON.
DOES IT NOW OPEN UP A PUBLIC HEARING? IT'S NOW OPEN FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
HONORABLE CHAIRMAN, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MADAM COUNCIL, MADAM SECRETARY, I RISE.
BEN SLOAN, 2 0 5 2 MAINTENANCE ROAD MAINTENANCE, VIRGINIA TO YIELD MY TIME TO MR. TODD KAUFMAN.
I LIVE AT 1475 AMBER LAKE ROAD AND I OFFER MY TIME TO TODD KAUFMAN.
I LIVE IN, UH, MANNEQUIN SABOT AND I'M GONNA CONTINUE WHERE I LEFT OFF THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, I PROVIDED WOULD, WOULD YOU PROVIDE YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE? OH, I'M SORRY.
1475 AMBER LAKE ROAD, MANNEQUIN, SABOT SI PROVIDED EACH ONE OF YOU A, UM, PACKET THIS AFTERNOON.
I WAS ASKED TO KEEP, UM, THE SUMMARY TO ONE PAGE BY ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
SO I WILL TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SURPLUS CASH FUND OF THE 60 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS IN THE SURPLUS CASH FUND, APPROXIMATELY $30 MILLION IS UNASSIGNED.
I'VE LEARNED THERE IS A LACK OF PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE SURPLUS CASH FUND.
THE PURPOSE OF PURPOSE AND BALANCE, I ASK THAT THE FUND BE EXPLAINED TO THE PUBLIC OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS OR DURING THE BUDGET SESSION AT SOME POINT SO THE PUBLIC HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE WHAT THAT FUND IS ACTUALLY FOR.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHY IS THERE A SURPLUS CAN CASH FUND? WHY IS IT NECESSARY? WHY HAS THE BALANCE REACHED 60 PLUS OR MINUS MILLION DOLLARS OR APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THE GENERAL FUND? WHY IS IT NOT BEING DRAWN DOWN PRESENTLY TO THE 35% POLICY LEVEL? AND FINALLY, IF THE RATIONALE IS TO BOOST THE BOND RATING, WHY DOES THE SURPLUS CASH FUND EXCEED THE 30%? THE THREE BOND RATING FIRMS RECOMMEND AS AN ACCEPTABLE LIMIT, AND THAT'S MOODY'S FITCH AND STANDARD AND POOR.
THE PURPOSE OF A HIGH BOND RATING IS TO PROVIDE BORROWING POWER FOR LOCALITY.
SECONDLY, I AM A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED IS THERE A REASON WHY THE BOARD HAS NOT CONSIDERED REDUCING THE REAL PROPERTY TAX RATE WHEN ASSESSMENTS HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY YEAR AFTER YEAR? I'M AWARE OF ONLY ONE BOARD MEMBER PUBLICLY ADVOCATING FOR A REAL PROPERTY TAX RATE REDUCTION WHILE OTHERS HAVE STATED MAYBE NEXT YEAR THIS IS THE TIME ASSESSMENTS HAVE GONE UP DRAMATICALLY.
THE TAX RATE HASN'T CHANGED IN 10 PLUS YEARS.
IT'S TIME TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY SOME TAX RELIEF.
SO WITH CONSIDERATION TO THE DOCUMENT THAT I GAVE YOU THIS AFTERNOON, UM, I WENT TO ALL THREE, UM, TOWN HALL MEETINGS DURING THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
I ASKED IF I PROVIDE SOME OPTIONS REGARDING TAX RELIEF, WOULD THE BOARD AT LEAST LISTEN TO WHAT THOSE OPTIONS ARE? AND I WAS ENCOURAGED BY MANNY TO DO SO.
SO I'VE REVIEWED THE BUDGET IN DETAIL AND HAVE TWO IMMEDIATE RECOMMENDATIONS TO REDUCE THE TAX RATE FOR 2025 AND ONE LONG-TERM RECOMMENDATION THAT CAN BE USED MOVING FORWARD JUST FOR MANAGEMENT PURPOSES.
A LOWER TAX RATE WILL, WILL PROVIDE RELIEF TO TAXPAYERS INCREASING DISPOSABLE INCOME, WHICH CAN INCREASE LOCAL PURCHASE POWER AND STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
THAT'S THE GENERAL RULE OF THUMB.
LET THE TAXPAYERS KEEP THEIR OWN MONEY.
SO FIRST, FUND THE CURRENT F-Y-C-I-P THROUGH THE SURPLUS
[04:10:01]
CASH FUND, REDUCE THE CIP LINE ITEM EXPOSURE EXPENDITURE TO $4 MILLION.IT'S CURRENTLY APPROXIMATELY $6 MILLION.
THIS ACTION PROVIDES A REDUCTION OF 4 CENTS TO THE TAX RATE, THEN UTILIZE THE 4 MILLION, THEN UTILIZE $4 MILLION OF UNASSIGNED SURPLUS CASH FUNDS.
'CAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO REDUCE THE BALANCE ANYWAY AFTER 1 1 26 TO PAY FOR THE CIP PROJECTS THAT WERE THE THE PREVIOUS LINE ITEMS. THIS COURSE OF ACTION WILL IMMEDIATELY BENEFIT THE, THE RESIDENTS OF GUIN COUNTY BY COMPLETING PROJECTS AND ALSO REDUCING TAXES.
IT'S A WIN-WIN AND IT DOES NOT AFFECT ANY LINE ITEMS. OTHER REVENUE ADJUST.
THE ESTIMATED 3% FORECASTED REAL PROPERTY GROWTH FOR FY 2026 TO 4%.
THE AVERAGE REAL PROPERTY PORTFOLIO GROWTH FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS IS APPROXIMATELY 11% ON AVERAGE, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATING THE PRE THIRD QUARTER PROJECTION OF REAL PROPERTY COLLECTIONS FOR JUNE, 2025 TO BE $4,800,000.
THAT'S WHAT THE 3% INCREASE IN THE TAXABLE REAL PROPERTY PORTFOLIO IS TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT 53 CENT RATE.
EACH PERCENT INCREASE OVER 3%.
REP REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY ONE PENNY IN THE TAX RATE.
FOR EXAMPLE, 4% ESTIMATE WOULD BE 64 6 $0.4 MILLION INSTEAD OF THE 4.8.
THESE ARE JUST ROUNDED NUMBERS.
THREE, EFFICIENCY IN GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
THIS IS A LONG-TERM RECOMMENDATION.
COMPLETED DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT AUDIT TO DETERMINE IF FINANCIAL INEFFICIENCIES EXIST TO REDUCE THE REAL PROPERTY TAX RATE.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, CONSULTING EXPENSES, IRREGULAR LEVELS OF ABSENTEEISM, UNUSED AND ANTIQUATED TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE AND REDUNDANCY IN SERVICES.
THESE ARE ALL TYPICAL BUSINESS, ALL TYPICAL BUSINESSES.
LOOK AT THESE TYPE OF LINE ITEM EXPENDITURES FOR REDUCTION.
ON THE FLIP SIDE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT EXAMPLES OF REVENUE DEVELOPMENT.
I'VE GOT FOUR, FOUR RELATIVES LIVING AT AVERY POINT RIGHT NOW.
WE MOVED THEM TO THIS COMMUNITY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YELLOW MEANS, BUT MY, IF I'M RUNNING OUTTA TIME, LET ME KNOW.
I'VE GOT FOUR RELATIVES LEAVING, LIVING IN AVERY POINT RIGHT NOW.
NOW I RELOCATED ALL OF THEM HERE FROM OUTTA STATE.
THE DEVELOPMENT COSTS OF EVERY POINT ARE EXPECTED TO EXCEED $500 MILLION.
THE COMPLETED CAMPUS WILL SUPPORT OVER 500 JOBS WITH CURRENT EMPLOYMENT AT 150 TO 175 EVERY POINT FORECAST AND ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF $80 MILLION A YEAR WITH TAX REVENUES TO EXCEED $2 MILLION A YEAR.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY IN CLOSING, IF I MAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WANT TO TRY, I WANT TO HELP.
I'VE OFFERED TO HELP FOR OVER A MONTH.
MR. LYLE IS THE ONLY PERSON THAT SPOKE TO ME IN ANY DETAIL REGARDING THESE ISSUES.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO ACTUALLY BENEFIT THE TAXPAYERS.
THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME FINANCIAL ISSUES ON HORIZON THAT WILL BEGIN TOMORROW THAT ARE GONNA IMPACT PEOPLE'S WALLETS.
AND I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO BE SENSITIVE WHAT IS GOING TO OCCUR IN 2025 AND 26 REGARDING DISPOSABLE INCOME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME? ALL CLOSE THAT COMMENT PERIOD.
NEXT, UM, WE ARE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 COUNTY BUDGET WITH PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
UM, THE PROPOSAL PROPOSED FISCAL 2026
[2. Public Hearing to Consider the Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 County Budget, with proposed amendments, the Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 School Board Budget, with proposed amendments, the Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 - Fiscal Year 2050 Capital Improvement Program, and the Proposed 2025 Tax Rates, 6:05 PM]
SCHOOL BUDGET WITH PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, THE PROPOSED FISCAL 2026 FISCAL YEAR 2050 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, AND THE PROPOSED 2025 TAX RATES.[04:15:01]
AND I'LL ASK MS. CARLA CAVE TO PRESENT.SO WE ARE LOOKING AT AN FISCAL YEAR 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET.
AFTER ALL THE AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE OF $148,597,906.
UM, I'VE LAID OUT HERE THE DIFFERENCES IN THE, UM, DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS FROM FY 25 TO 26.
YOU CAN SEE THE BIGGEST CHANGES ARE, UM, GENERAL GOVERNMENT AT A 10% INCREASE.
THE, I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
UM, FOR THE FEW LARGE ONES, WE'VE ADDED A THIRD ATTORNEY FOR OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND WE HAVE, UM, HAD A MAJOR INCREASE IN ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT SOFTWARES GOING ON TO OUR IT DEPARTMENT.
UM, CURRENT CONTRACTS INCREASE YEAR TO YEAR, SOMETIMES BY 10%.
UM, AND THERE'S SO MUCH SOFTWARE GOING ON WITHIN THE COUNTY.
ANOTHER THING TO POINT OUT IS OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THE VERY BOTTOM LINE IS DECREASING $1.7 MILLION, WHICH IS A 23% DECREASE.
A LOT OF THAT IS COSTS THAT HAVE MOVED UP WITHIN THE OPERATING BUDGETS.
AND A LOT, A LOT OF THAT IS IT RELATED AS WELL.
SO THAT'S A 10% INCREASE THERE.
AND THEN OUR OTHER LARGE INCREASES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND AS YOU KNOW, UM, WE HAVE ADDED 11 FULL-TIME POSITIONS TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THE STATE HAS, UM, PUT OUT A A COUPLE REQUIREMENTS FOR SALARY INCREASES AS WELL THAT WE'LL TOUCH ON ON ANOTHER SLIDE.
SO THOSE ARE THE LARGEST CHANGES GOING ON.
UM, UTILITIES IS ALSO SHOWING A 29% INCREASE.
THAT'S MOSTLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE WEREN'T MUCH, THERE WASN'T MUCH CIP GOING ON IN FISCAL YEAR 25, BUT, UM, JUST 'CAUSE OF PROJECTS ALREADY IN THE WORKS.
UM, SO THAT'S BEEN ADDED FOR FY 26.
ALL RIGHT, HERE'S A LOOK AT, THIS SAYS FISCAL YEAR 2025.
OUR PROPOSED CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR, UM, FAIRLY SMALL, $5.9 MILLION, 2.441 MILLION IN FIRE RESCUE.
HALF OF THAT IS A, UM, FIRETRUCK AND A LARGE PORTION OF IT IS AN AMBULANCE.
BOTH OF THOSE ARE FUNDED AND A FEW SMALL LEATHER THINGS, UH, CHILLER FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL AND EDUCATION.
UM, I WON'T LIST ALL OF IT, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT $6 MILLION FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
NOTHING'S CHANGED THERE FROM THE PROPOSED TO THE AMENDED.
UM, AS YOU SAID EARLIER, THIS IS GONNA BE PRESENTED TODAY AND ADOPTED APRIL 15TH.
UM, IN FEBRUARY, THIS PROPOSED BUDGET WAS PUT IN FRONT OF YOU WITH A SURPLUS.
SO $1.4 MILLION IN REVENUE COMING IN OVER EXPENSES.
SO WHEN MR. ALVAREZ GOT HERE, OUR, OUR GOAL WAS TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, SO MAKE OUR REVENUES EXPENDITURES EQUAL.
THE OPTIONS ARE LOWER THE REVENUES OR INCREASE THE EXPENDITURES.
SO WE HAVE BETWEEN TALKS WITH THE BOARD AND TALKS WITH EACH OTHER, RE-LOOKING AT ALL THE REVENUE.
THESE ARE THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE'VE ALLOCATED THAT $1.4 MILLION.
UM, WE HAVE ADDED SIX NEW FIREFIGHTERS FOR SIX TOTAL.
UM, WE ARE PROVIDING AN A LS, UM, STIPEND INCREASE.
OUR A LS PROVIDERS WITH FIRE RESCUE CURRENTLY RECEIVE $7,000 STIPENDS AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES ARE INCREASING THERE.
SO TO STAY COMPETITIVE, WE'RE INCREASING THAT TO 11,000.
UM, WITH GROWTH OF FIREFIGHTERS, THEY NEED A LITTLE MORE, UM, LEADERSHIP.
THE STATE HAS PUT OUT A MANDATED 1.5% EMPLOYEE BONUS TO CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES.
SO BECAUSE THEY ONLY PROVIDE THAT FOR STATE SUPPORTED POSITIONS, WE'RE PROVIDING IT TO ALL EMPLOYEES.
UM, AT 356,000, WHICH DOESN'T EVEN, THE STATE DOESN'T COVER EVEN A PORTION OF, YOU KNOW, 20, LESS THAN 20% OF THAT.
UM, THE STATE HAS ALSO MANDATED A 6% INCREASE IN DISPATCHER SALARIES.
AND WHEN LOOKING AT OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE STARTING PAY FOR DISPATCHERS, IT WAS STILL UNDER 50,000.
AND A LOT OF SURROUNDING COUNTIES, UM, ARE RIGHT AT 50 OR ABOVE.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT INSTEAD OF SIX, AN 8% INCREASE THE DISPATCHER SALARIES, WHICH GETS THEM RIGHT ABOVE THE $50,000 ENTRY LEVEL.
UM, THE SHERIFF BECAUSE OF THAT, UH, HAS GIVEN UP TWO DEPUTY VEHICLES, WHICH SAVED $150,000.
OUR BUILDING INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT IS ROCKING AND ROLLING AND NEEDS ANOTHER PLANS EXAMINER
SO WE ARE HIRING A RESIDENTIAL PLANS EXAMINER THAT WAS REQUESTED IN THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET AS WELL, BUT WAS NEVER FUNDED.
SO HE'S GONNA GET THAT IN FY 26.
[04:20:01]
AND THEN LASTLY, WE AGREED TO GIVE THE SCHOOLS ANOTHER $300,000 TO MEET SOME OF THEIR TIER ONE AND POSSIBLY TIER TWO NEEDS.SO THOSE ARE ALL THE AMENDMENTS FROM WHAT YOU ORIGINALLY SAW.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE RATE, BUT WE'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING NO CHANGES TO OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY OR OTHER RATES.
AND THOSE ARE LISTED IN FRONT OF YOU AS WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NO.
I'LL, I'LL NOW OPEN THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK? GOOD EVENING.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS MICHELLE KAUFMAN AT 1475 AMBER LAKE ROAD IN MANNEQUIN SABOT, AND I OFFER MY TIME TO TODD KAUFMAN.
TODD KAUFMAN, 1475 AMBER LAKE ROAD, MANNEQUIN SABOT.
JUST GOING TO FINISH WHAT I STARTED.
AVERY POINT HAS A LIMITED IMPACT ON RESOURCES.
IT'S BEEN STATED THIS AGING POPULATION IS A STRAIN ON COUNTY RESOURCES.
FIRE AND RESCUE RESOURCES ARE BEING USED ON A REGULAR BASIS AT EVERY POINT TO TRANSPORT RESIDENTS BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL.
EACH TRANSPORT COST THE COUNTY APPROXIMATELY $400 EVERY POINT.
RESIDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE MEDICAL INSURANCE IN ORDER TO LIVE THERE.
FIRE AND RESCUE POLICY IS TO ACQUIRE THE PATIENT'S INSURANCE INFORMATION DURING A RESPONSE TO THE INSUR SO THE INSURANCE COMPANY CAN BE DIRECT BILLED FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
ALSO, WE NEED TO EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS FOR TRANSPORT, SUCH AS BON SECOR IS PROVIDING DIRECT AMBULANCE SERVICE FROM AVERY POINT TO THE BROAD STREET LOCATION.
IT'S, THEY'RE THE END, THEY'RE THE END PROVIDER, THEY'RE THE END SERVICE.
I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT THEY'LL HAVE A PROBLEM PROVIDING AN AMBULANCE TO BRING CUSTOMERS TO THEIR HOSPITAL.
BUT WE NEED TO ASK REAL PROPERTY PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT.
THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE PROVIDES CRITICAL INFORMATION DIRECTLY IMPACTING THE COUNTY'S LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THIS OFFICE FUNCTIONS AT ITS OPTIMUM AND EFFICIENT LEVEL.
PROPERTIES MUST BE INSPECTED BASED ON REGULAR SCHEDULE, WHICH THEY'RE NOT BEING, WHICH IS NOT BEING DONE.
THIS IS, THIS STANDARD IS PROVIDED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ASSESSING OFFICERS THAT IT BE DONE ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS MINIMALLY AND, AND A DRIVE BY INSPECTION BE DONE ANNUALLY.
THEREFORE, THE CANVAS SYSTEM, WHICH IS THEIR COMPUTER SYSTEM TO USE TO, TO PROVIDE VALUATION, LIKELY CONTAINS DATED OR INACCURATE INFORMATION.
ALSO, STAFFING LEVELS NEED TO BE AT AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL BASED ON, AGAIN, INTERNATIONAL ASSESSING OFFICER STANDARDS.
SO THE, SO THE PORTFOLIO CAN BE MADE ACCURATELY, THE REVENUE STREAM CAN BE DETRIMENTALLY IMPACTED IF THIS CRITICAL FUNCTION IS NOT PROPERLY MANAGED.
THE ASSESSOR'S DATA, THE ASSESSMENT PORTFOLIO IS THE BUS THAT WE'RE DRIVING TO PROVIDE REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY.
IF THAT IS NOT COMPLETED PROPERLY, IT IMPACTS EVERY ASPECT OF THE COUNTY REGARDING REVENUE AND IMPACTS EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST CRITICAL DEPARTMENT THAT THE COUNTY HAS AND IT NEEDS TO BE PROPERLY FUNDED AND MANAGED EFFECTIVELY.
BASED ON THIS, IT IS MY RECOMMENDATION UNDER THE CURRENT CURRENT MANAGEMENT SITUATION FOR THE COUNTY, THAT THE ASSESSOR'S FUNCTION BE TEMPORARILY PLACED UNDER THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
AND I'M RECOMMENDING THIS UNTIL THE COUNTY HIRES A PERMANENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AND IT'S NO OFFENSE TO MR. ALVAREZ, HE DOES A GREAT JOB.
BUT THIS IS A FINANCIAL FUNCTION AND IT SHOULD BE MANAGED UNDER A FINANCIAL OFFICER.
AND BASED ON MY CONVERSATIONS WITH MS. CAVE, SHE HAS THE EXPERTISE IN FINANCE TO DO SO.
AGAIN, I OFFER MY TIME, I OFFER MY ASSISTANCE TO THE COUNTY AS REQUESTED.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME FORWARD? OKAY, I'LL CLOSE THE COMMENT PERIOD.
NEXT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
[04:25:02]
NEXT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSAL FOR FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, UH, FOR[3. Ordinance amending the County Fee Schedule, Appendix C to the County Code, to increase the utilities' water and sewer volume, service, and connection fees; and to increase the building inspection's commercial plan re-review fee and expand it to include residential plans]
THE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FEE SCHEDULE, APPENDIX C TO THE COUNTY CODE TO INCREASE UTILITIES, WATER AND SEWER VOLUME SERVICE AND CONNECTION FEES.AND TO INCREASE THE BUILDING INSPECTIONS, COMMERCIAL PLAN REVIEW FEE AND EXPAND IT TO INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL PLANS.
UM, WATER AND SEWER USER FEES AND CONNECTION FEES FOR ALL USERS TO INCREASE 2.5% AND INCREASE THE RE-REVIEW FEE FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDING PLANS FROM $100 TO $250.
AND LASTLY, IMPLEMENT A NEW RE-REVIEW FEE FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PLANS.
THAT'S ALL WE'VE GOT ON THIS ONE.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, MR. CHAIRMAN? I DO.
UH, I, I HAVE JUST RARELY WITHIN THE LAST MONTH BECOME AWARE THAT IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY THAT IS NOT PART OF THE TUCKAHOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT, BUT DOES HAVE PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER, THAT WE, WE HAVE SOME UPCOMING REPLACE AND REPAIR ISSUES.
HAVE THAT BEEN FACTORED INTO THIS AT ALL? BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN, IT'S GONNA BE MORE THAN A NICKEL AS FAR AS THE FEES GO.
AND I DON'T SUPPOSE THIS, THIS DOES NOT TALK ABOUT RATES, SO I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO JUST STICK WITH FEES.
WELL, IT DOES, IT DOES TALK ABOUT RATES.
WE'RE MOVING TO INCREASE THE RATES, BUT I'LL WAYNE, CAN YOU COME UP HERE AND SPEAK TO THAT? WAYNE RECOMMENDED THESE RATES.
WHAT WAS THE QUESTION, SIR? EXCUSE ME? WHAT WAS YOUR NAME? POSITION? OH, WAYNE STEVENS, UH, ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC UTILITIES AND COUNTY ENGINEER.
UM, LOWER TUCKAHOE IS, IS SPECIFICALLY MM-HMM
IT WAS NEVER PART OF TCSD AND IT'S GETTING ITS WATER FROM HENRICO.
AND IF WE DO THE MATH, WE GOT PRETTY MUCH 50-YEAR-OLD INFRASTRUCTURE THERE.
AND SO AS THAT CONTINUES TO AGE, THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE SOME AMOUNT OF REPLACEMENT AND THE FEES COLLECTED FOR TUCKAHOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT AREN'T GONNA DO THAT.
UH, MAYBE NOT IN THIS FEE SCHEDULE HERE OR RATE SCHEDULE, BUT DO WE HAVE A CONCEPT OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET ENOUGH REPAIR AND REPLACE FUNDING SO THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? UH, FIRST OF ALL, THE LOWER THE, THE FEES RELATED TO THE LOWER TUCKAHOE, I MEAN TO THE TUCKER CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT GO SOLELY TO THE DEBT SERVICE.
THEY'RE NOT USED FOR ANY OPERATING.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR TIRE SYSTEMS ARE ALL ON THE SAME FOOTING FROM AN OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE STANDPOINT AND A REPLACEMENT AND RENEWAL STANDPOINT.
SO WHILE I HAVE NOT SPECIFICALLY SAT DOWN AND SAID THESE TUCKAHOE LOWER TUCKAHOE IMPROVEMENTS NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS RATE INCREASE, WE HAVE AN AN ANNUAL OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET THAT WE USE TO REPLACE AND REPAIR THINGS.
WE ALSO HAVE A REPLACEMENT AND RENEWAL BUDGET AND A REPLACEMENT AND RENEWAL FUND, WHICH IS USED FOR SPECIFICS.
ALL OF THIS GOES INTO OUR RATE STUDIES, WHICH ARE UPDATED EVERY TWO YEARS.
AND THE RATE INCREASES ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NUMBERS IN THE RATE STUDY, WHICH WAS LAST UPDATED LAST YEAR.
IT PROJECTS OUT FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS BY EVERY, EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE TWEAK IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL STILL ON TRACK AND STILL NEED TO DO THE RATE INCREASES THAT ARE PROPOSED IN IT.
SO, SO, MR. LYLE, THE ANSWER IS WE PLAN FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OPERATIONS, UH, IN OUR REGULAR BUDGET.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE JUST REPAIR THE WATER MAIN THAT, UH, BROKEN ROUTE SIX AND THOSE THINGS HAPPEN AS, AS AS THEY GO AND WE REPAIR THEM.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE ANSWER.
THANK YOU MR. ALVAREZ AND MR. STEVENS.
THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR BECAUSE THOSE PIPES ARE OLD AND UH, THEY ARE GONNA NEED TO BE REPLACED.
AND I WANTED TO JUST GET CONFIRMATION THAT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT FEES AND RATES, THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETHING A WHOLE LOT BIGGER THAN JUST A ONE-OFF HOUSE HOOKUP IS, IS, IS ON THE HORIZON.
UM, I, I'M STILL RELATIVELY NEW IN THE POSITION AND I AM BEGINNING TO TACKLE AND COME UP WITH A R AND R PLAN THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING THE FUNDS THAT YOU USE, WE USE, WE USE, UH, CONNECTION FEES TO PAY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WE USE USER FEES TO PAY FOR R AND R PROJECTS.
[04:30:01]
FOR NEXT YEAR WILL BE PROBABLY A WHOLE LOT MORE DETAILED THAN THIS YEAR'S WAS, THIS WAS MY FIRST YEAR BUDGETING AND IT KIND OF FELL IN MY LAP.UH, IT'S FUN, HUH? UNEXPECTEDLY.
SO, UM, I AM WORKING ON A MORE DETAILED R AND R PLAN AND WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES.
ONE MORE, MR. STEVEN? MORE QUESTION, MR. OH, SORRY.
DOES THIS, DOES THIS RATE INCREASE, KEEP US, UH, I GUESS ON PAR WITH, UM, TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES AND WILL THIS PREVENT OUR SYSTEM FROM BECOMING OBSOLETE AND US GETTING HIT WITH A, A GIGANTIC BILL OF EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT? UM, THE WAY THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW, I CAN'T PROMISE YOU THAT, AS I SAID, I GET, AS I GET DEEPER INTO THE, THE, UH, WELL, I HAVE SPECIFIC METHODS THAT I USE FROM PAST EXPERIENCE RUNNING UTILITIES TO, UH, TO TRY TO PREDICT THE EXPECTED LIFESPAN AND THE ULTIMATE DEATH OF GIVEN PARTS OF THE SYSTEM.
UM, I TEND TO BE CONSERVATIVE, SO YOU MAY SEE SOME OF THE COSTS GO UP, BUT FOR THIS YEAR, WE'RE KEEPING THE RATE INCREASE BASICALLY IN, IN, UH, THE SAME RANGE AS PREDICTED BASED ON OUR, ON OUR PAST FUNDING.
UM, BUT WE ARE LOOKING VERY CAREFULLY AT SOME OF THE OLDER PARTS OF OUR SYSTEM.
AND ONCE AGAIN, EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME FOOTING.
WELL, SOME PEOPLE LIVE ON OLDER PORTIONS OF THE SYSTEM, BUT THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE IS ALL ON THE SAME FOOTING FROM AN OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE STANDPOINT.
IT'S ONLY THE, THE TCSD WAS ONLY SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE SYSTEM.
AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT SOME OF THE OLDER PARTS AREN'T NOW BENEFITING FROM THE STUFF THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED, BUT THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE ENTIRELY THAT I'D REALLY RATHER NOT GET INTO TONIGHT.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING? THOSE ARE JUST QUESTIONS YOU HAVEN'T OPENED PUBLIC HEARING.
OH, WE HAVEN'T OPENED IT YET FOR THAT PART.
WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL ADJOURN ION OH, YOU WANT A DIS DISCUSSION FOR THIS? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
I, I WOULD JUST STRESS ONCE AGAIN, I THINK I STRESSED IT AT OUR LAST MEETING, IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COUNTY'S TAXES, WE ARE DEALING WITH A PROBLEM THAT IS EMERGING BECAUSE OF ACTIONS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND WE MUST OFFER THE SERVICES TO OUR, UH, LARGELY TO OUR STUDENTS AND LARGELY TO PUBLIC SAFETY THAT MAINTAIN A LIFESTYLE IN GLAND COUNTY THAT OUR CITIZENS DESERVE.
UM, I KNOW IT'S VERY EASY TO LOOK AT THE ASSESSMENT INCREASES AND WHAT THOSE DO TO THE TAXES PAID.
I STRESS TAXES PAID NOT TAX RATE, WHICH IS NOT INCREASING.
AND SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, GLAND UH, CITIZENS ARE GETTING, UM, AN UNFAIR SHAKE.
THE REALITY IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING WRONG BY THE CITIZENS OF GLAND COUNTY, NOT THE GLAND COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
AND WE ARE DEALING WITH THE ISSUES THAT ARE CREATED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL COMING DOWN, TRICKLING DOWN TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, ON TOP OF THAT, WE DO NOT GET THE SUPPORT THAT MANY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES GET, UM, BECAUSE OF FACTORS THAT THE STATE HAS PUT IN PLACE, WHICH SAY WE NEED TO FUND THE BULK OF OUR SERVICES TO OUR CITIZENS, UM, FOR SCHOOLS.
WE PAY 80% OF THAT FROM OUR GLAND COUNTY BUDGET.
SO WE ARE, UM, DOING INCREDIBLY WELL, MAKING SURE THESE, UH, NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS ARE MET.
WE ARE DOING IT WITH A BALANCED BUDGET.
AND WE HOPE OUR, I HOPE OUR CITIZENS REALIZE THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH A BAD SITUATION FALLING DOWN UPON US THAT OUT OF WASHINGTON DC AND OUT OF OUR STATE HOUSE, UM, DUE TO FISCAL ILL RESPONSIBILITY.
UM, SO THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS NEED TO KNOW THE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT THAT HAVE IMPACTS ON THEM.
YES, WE WANT TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO DIRECTLY BENEFIT OUR CITIZENS, BUT PLEASE DON'T FORGET THAT YOU HAVE STATE REPRESENTATIVES, YOU HAVE FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE FAILING CITIZENS IN MANY WAYS.
[04:35:01]
MY HOPE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING MUCH NEEDED LONG OVERDUE REFORM AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.AND I KNOW THAT, UM, WHILE I HAVE MY LEANINGS ON THE STATE LEVEL, UM, IT IS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THERE ARE, UM, PARTISAN ISSUES THAT ARE SIMPLY NOT GETTING THINGS DONE.
UM, AND I THINK WE'RE DOING AN ADMIRAL JOB AT THE COUNTY LEVEL TO DEAL WITH THOSE SITUATIONS AND THE REPERCUSSIONS THAT THEY HAVE COMING RIGHT INTO PLAY IN OUR COUNTY BUDGETS.
AND OVERALL, UM, MS. CAVE, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE, I THINK IT WAS THE SECOND, UH, PUBLIC HEARING, UH, REGARDING THE STATE SUPPORTED BONUS, UM, WHICH TOTALED I THINK 356,000 AND CHANGE.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT ONE A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE STATE MANDATE WAS, UH, CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES, WHICH WE HAVE FIVE OF, SHALL I, SHOULD I NAME 'EM PLEASE? I'LL NAME 'EM FOR PLEASE.
SO OUR SHERIFF, OUR CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, OUR TREASURER, OUR COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE, AND OUR, UM, COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THEY ALL HAVE, THEY HAVE THEMSELVES AND THEY HAVE THEIR EMPLOYEES.
SO THE STATE HAS PUT OUT A MANDATE THAT EACH STATE SUPPORTED OFFICE, UM, NEEDS TO RECEIVE A 1.5% EMPLOYEE BONUS, UM, WHICH ONLY EQUALED 180,000 POSSIBLY NET OF THE STATE AMOUNT.
UM, SO THE REASON THIS HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO ALL EMPLOYEES IS TYPICALLY IN, AND IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE, THIS WAS DISCUSSED WITH BOARD MEMBERS AND, UM, WE LOOKED AT VARIOUS OPTIONS.
BUT, UM, IN THE PAST, ANYTIME OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR FIRE RESCUE HAS RECEIVED ANY KIND OF, UM, EXTRA, UM, SALARY INCREASE OR BONUS, IT'S BEEN GIVEN TO THE OTHER DEPARTMENT.
SO WE THEN LOOKED AT WHAT WOULD IT COST TO PROVIDE THIS TO FIRE RESCUE, AND THAT WAS OUR LARGEST EXPENSE.
AND AT THAT POINT, WE DECIDED TO PUT ONE POINT A HALF PERCENT ON ALL EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND WHEN WAS THIS DECISION, UM, BY THE STATE? THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS? YEAH, IT WAS AFTER THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS PUT IN FRONT OF YOU IN FEBRUARY.
THAT WE GOT THE LETTER FROM THE STATE.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE, BUT OKAY.
WE HAD TO INCORPORATE THAT AFTER.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU.
SO THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, WE AS A, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE SAT DOWN AND WORKED WITH STAFF SINCE OCTOBER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE FELT WAS FAIR.
COMPENSATION STATE COMES IN AND OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES WANT TO SUPPOSEDLY DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT WITH OUR MONEY.
UH, SO WE'D ALREADY CONTRIBUTED.
WE ALREADY AGREED TO A 3% INCREASE.
AND THE STATE'S COMING IN AND, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, FORCING OUR HAND TO ONE POINT A HALF PERCENT.
I, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN PAY OUR PEOPLE TOO MUCH, BUT I I AM ALSO FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE.
SO IT DOES KIND THIS, THIS IS A, THE FRUSTRATING PART OF, I THINK WHAT MR. VADERS WAS TALKING ABOUT OF THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
IT'S GREAT WHEN YOU ARE SUCH A WELL-MANAGED, UH, COUNTY, NO MATTER WHAT SOME PEOPLE MAY THINK, UM, THAT WE GET, WE GET PENALIZED, UH, BASED ON THIS RATIO.
SO I, I I THINK THAT IS UNFORTUNATE.
SO I DID WANT TO, UM, JUST BRING THAT UP AS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT MR. VAERS WAS SPEAKING OF.
IT'S, WE'RE LITERALLY SEEING IN REAL TIME, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN THIS, SO, UM, AND IT WAS, I THINK IT, I HAD, UH, LONG STORY, BUT, UM, REGARDING SOME OF THE THINGS I HEARD, YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING, IT'S INTERESTING, THE QUES THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE BEEN HAVING HAVE BEEN IN REGARDS TO DEVELOPMENT BEING CURTAILED IN THE COUNTY, UM, AND THEN TO INCREASE SERVICES.
SO THE TYPICAL COMMUNICATION GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
WE DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, REDUCE THE TAXES, UM, PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND DON'T APPROVE ANY RESIDENTIAL, UM, IS TYPICALLY WHAT I GET.
UM, SO I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT, AND I, I'VE HAD THREE CONVERSATIONS THIS WEEK THROUGH EMAIL OR TWO THROUGH ONE THROUGH EMAIL.
UM, BUT IT'S VERY RARE THAT SOMEBODY ACTUALLY BRINGS OPTIONS.
SO I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE CITIZENS THAT ARE LISTENING THAT BRING OPTIONS FOR US TO REVIEW.
UH, BUT, UH, I DO APPRECIATE, UM, FOLKS LEANING IN AND, AND WANTING TO UNDERSTAND.
'CAUSE IT DOESN'T, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT WE'VE, OUR COUNTY'S GROWN 20% YET.
WE'VE DONE A HUNDRED PERCENT INVESTMENT IN BOTH FIRE RESCUE AND, AND, UM, AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, SO A HUNDRED PERCENT IS A LOT MORE THAN 20%.
UH, AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO DO.
UH, WE DID NOT, WE HAVE NOT HAD OUR CIP MEETING THIS YET, WHICH I THINK, I THINK IF FOLKS LOOKED AT THE NUMBER THAT I'M LOOKING AT, THAT HAS BEEN SCARING ME FOR THREE YEARS, UM, ON TOP OF COVID, ON TOP OF MULTIPLE ADMINISTRATIONS, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, OVER A HUNDRED MILLION
[04:40:01]
DOLLARS OF PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO FUND IN THE NEXT, I'D SAY FIVE, SIX YEARS THAT WE, WE DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YET.SO I'M REMISS TO, UH, LOOK AT, UH, ANY SORT OF TAX RELIEF.
AND WE, WE LOWERED OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF LAST YEAR, AND WE, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE SAW THAT WE DID NOT MEET OUR REVENUES, UM, THAT YEAR.
SO, UM, WE LOOK AT THIS VERY CLOSELY.
'CAUSE I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT MONEY IS BEST KEPT IN THE CITIZEN'S POCKETS, UM, ALL THE TIME.
UH, WITHOUT, WITHOUT, UM, UH, WITHOUT, UH, ANY SORT OF, UH, WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR, ANY EXCEPTIONS.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK GOING THROUGH THIS AND, AND THE IDEAS TO, TO POUR OVER.
AND, AND, UM, THIS BUDGET AS EVERY BUDGET HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR ME AND, AND I WANT TO THANK STAFF, UH, AND MY COLLEAGUES.
UH, I HAVE REALLY BENEFITED CHARLIE, YOU, FOR GIVING ME SOME GREAT INSIGHTS ON CIP AND HOW WE MIGHT ADDRESS THAT GOING FORWARD.
UH, THERE'S JUST BEEN A ROBUST AND DYNAMIC CONVERSATION, I BELIEVE, AND, AND THE CITIZENS, UH, YES, MR. KAUFMAN, WE'VE SPENT QUALITY TIME FOR ME ON THE PHONE.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU THOUGHT IT WAS, BUT I'VE LEARNED SOME THINGS AND I'VE, I'VE LOOKED AT MY PERSPECTIVES AND, AND I HAVE TO OWN, UH, MAYBE OPENING UP PANDORA'S BOX BECAUSE I DID VOTE OR VOCALIZE, UH, WHEN WE ADVERTISED THE RATE THAT I'D LIKE TO EXPLORE ONE PENNY DECREASE IN THE, IN THE RATE, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN ABOUT $990,000 IN DIMINISHED REVENUES TO THE COUNTY.
UH, AND I WAS THINKING THAT IF WE DID IT 53 OR DID 52, THAT WOULD BE A MILLION DOLLARS OR SO IN THE CITIZENS' POCKET AND THE COUNTY WOULD STILL BE GENERATING ADDITIONAL $3 MILLION IN, IN INCOME DUE TO THE INCREASE IN APPRAISALS.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN INCREASE IN COSTS.
UH, OUR SALARIES ARE GOING UP.
UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT CITIZENS ARE SAYING WE WOULD LIKE MORE OF.
UH, AND SO BASED ON THE INFORMATION I'VE GOTTEN, AND AS I PROCESSED IT, I EXPECT I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE 53 CENT TAX RATE, UH, WHEN IT COMES UP FOR A VOTE ON THE 15TH.
UH, AND, AND THAT GOES AGAINST MY REFLEXIVE DESIRE TO CUT TAXES WHEREVER POSSIBLE, UH, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF NEEDED SERVICES.
UH, AND I DID THE MATH, UM, IF, IF YOUR HOUSE IS APPRAISED AT $300,000, MY SUPPORT FOR THE 52 CENT TAX RATE, OH, I'M SORRY FOR THE 53 CENT TAX RATE, YOUR TAXES ARE GONNA GO UP 120 BUCKS.
I'M GOING TO BE VOTING FOR A TAX INCREASE.
AND I DO NOT LIKE HEARING MYSELF SAY THAT, BUT THAT IS, THAT IS WHAT I WILL BE DOING.
IF I VOTE FOR 53% TAX RATE, IF YOUR HOUSE IS 400,000, I'M GONNA BE VOTING TO INCREASE YOUR TAXES BY 160 HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, $200, A MILLION DOLLARS BY 400 BUCKS.
I DON'T WANT TO DO IT, BUT I HAVE REALLY LOOKED AT THE BUDGET AND I'M LOOKING AT HOW COULD WE AVOID THAT.
AND I ALSO LOOKED AT, WHAT IF I CUT, OR WE DID CUT IT BY A PENNY.
WELL, IF YOU HAVE A $400,000 HOME, YOUR TAXES WOULD GO DOWN, I BELIEVE.
IT'D GO DOWN 50 BUCKS, 300,000, GO DOWN 30.
UH, AND THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S, UH, TWO TANKS OF GAS NOW.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S REAL MONEY AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT STAY IN THE, UH, TAXPAYER'S POCKET.
SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA GET FOR THAT ADDITIONAL 4 CENTS? WHAT ARE WE GONNA GET BY KEEPING THE RATE AT, UH, 53 CENTS? WELL, UH, OUR GENERATING OPERATING COSTS HAVE GONE UP.
UM, WE'RE GONNA SEE AN INCREASE IN SALARIES.
I USED 178 EMPLOYEES BECAUSE I DO LOOK AT FIRST RESPONDERS, FIRE RESCUE AND, AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT A BIT DIFFERENTLY.
OUR TECHNOLOGY COST HAS BEEN OBSERVED.
UH, THE LICENSING COSTS ON SOFTWARE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING EXCEPT GO DOWN.
UH, EVERYTHING COSTS MORE THAN IT DID LAST YEAR.
AND WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO TALK ABOUT EGGS BECAUSE THE COUNTY, I DON'T BELIEVE BUYS 'EM.
BUT, UH, SO WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND SCHOOLS, UH, INCREASING, THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING.
TO THE SHERIFF'S GETTING 400,000 OR MORE, UH, FOR STAFF AND EQUIPMENT.
UH, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE, UH, IN FIRE RESCUE THAT WE'RE INCREASING STAFF COUNT THERE.
UH, WE GOT A NEW PHARMACEUTICAL SYSTEM THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY FOR, AND THAT WAS MANDATED BY THE STATE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE AN OPTION ON THAT.
WE WERE TOLD THIS IS HOW YOU'RE GONNA HANDLE PHARMACEUTICALS NOW.
SO WE'RE INCREASING SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOLS.
AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO STIR A HOR, ITS NEST SAY, OH, WE'RE GONNA CUT THE SCHOOL BUDGET.
I MEAN, I PROMISE YOU THAT WE WILL BE, UH, JUST COMMITTING HERESY.
UH, WE'RE ADDING A THIRD ATTORNEY IN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND I DEFINITELY CHEWED ON THAT ONE FOR A WHILE.
UH, SO COULD WE CUT THE BUDGET BY A PENNY? YES, WE COULD.
[04:45:01]
UH, AND HOW WOULD WE DO IT? WELL, AS WAS SUGGESTED, WE COULD INCREASE OUR PROJECTION ON REVENUE GOING TO THREE, THREE AND HALF PERCENT.FROM THREE TO THREE AND HALF PERCENT.
UH, THAT COULD GIVE US ANOTHER HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE.
UH, WE COULD DELAY SOME OF THESE NEW EMPLOYEE POSITIONS FOR SIX MONTHS INSTEAD OF STARTING, UH, NEW FIREFIGHTERS IN JULY.
BUT THAT'S A RISK REWARD, UH, EQUATION THERE.
AND MR. CARPENTER STATED WHEN HE PRESENTED THE BUDGET THAT HE OVERESTIMATED EXPENSES BY 3%, HE SAID THAT WAS HIS PROCESS, THAT IF SOMETHING COST A DOLLAR, HE WAS GONNA EXPECT IT COST A DOLLAR THREE.
WELL, PERHAPS WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE TIGHTER, A LITTLE SHARPER WITH A PENCIL, AND, UH, LOOKED AT WHERE WE COULD HAVE SAVED $300,000 BY NOT OVERESTIMATING, UH, FOR EVERY MILLION DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET.
BUT THE OTHER THING THAT HAS BEEN TOUCHED ON IS THE RESERVE FUNDS.
UH, AND IT WAS TALKED ABOUT, WELL, THE THREE RATING AGENCIES LOOK AT THE RESERVE FUNDS AT 35%.
WELL, THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING.
THEY LOOK AT OUR SIZE AT 27,000 IS ALMOST AN AUTOMATIC B CLASSIFICATION ON A BOND.
JUST WE'RE WE'RE TOO SMALL TO REALLY QUALIFY FOR AN A RATING.
SO HOW DO WE COMPENSATE FOR THAT? AND HOW WE'VE COMPENSATED IS WE'VE INCREASED OUR RESERVES.
UH, AND I HAVE DONE THE MATH, AND I BELIEVE THAT IF WE HAD A $50 MILLION BOND RATING FOR 20 YEARS, UH, EVERY 1% DECREASE IN OUR INTEREST RATE IS GONNA SAVE THE COUNTY $6 MILLION.
SO I'M, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING US DECREASE OUR FUTURE BOND COSTS BY $6 MILLION IF STAYING TRIPLE, TRIPLE GIVES US A 1% OR BETTER DECREASE IN OUR BOND RATES.
SO DO I WANT TO CUT THE TAXES? YES, I DO.
DO I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO DO IT? PROBABLY DO.
I THINK WE CAN DO IT THIS YEAR.
SO BASED ON WHAT I'VE SEEN, WHAT I'VE HEARD, AND AS NUMBERS HAVE BEEN COMING TOGETHER, I EXPECT THAT WHEN THE VOTE COMES UP ON THE 15TH AT 53 CENTS, I WILL BE VOTING YES.
BUT I ALSO GIVE MYSELF THE OPTION OF CHANGING MY MIND IF I HAVE MORE INFORMATION PRESENTED TO ME.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, I APPRECIATE THE TIME.
ANYONE ELSE? HEARING NONE? UH, WE'LL ADJOURN AS FOLLOWS, THE BOARD WILL, UH, RECONVENE ON APRIL 15TH, 2025
[XX. Adjournment:]
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AFTERNOON, REGULAR MEETING.IT'S, AND ALSO AT 6:00 PM FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AND TUESDAY, MAY 6TH, 2025, BOARD OF SUPERVISOR AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING TO BE DETERMINED.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING CONFERENCE ROOM TWO 70.
MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THEN TUESDAY, MAY 6TH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING TO BE DETERMINED.
AND THEN THE 6:00 PM PUBLIC HEARINGS MEETING ADJOURNED, I GUESS.
[04:51:13]
IF WE COULD JUST GET.