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LET'S GET OUR SEATS AND, UH, IT IS SIX 30.
UH, I'M TOM WINFREY, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND, UH, AGAIN, I WANT TO WELCOME YOU ALL.
THIS IS OUR COMBINED, UM, I GUESS ALL FIVE DISTRICTS WILL BE TALKED ABOUT, REPRESENTED.
THIS IS, UH, A TOWN HALL THAT, UH, IS, IS HERE TO INFORM YOU OF THE, SORT OF THE STATE OF THE COUNTY.
IN A FEW MOMENTS, WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR LEADERSHIP, BUT AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT, WHAT TO SAY, I, I, I HAVE TO SAY THAT, UH, WE ARE AT A TIME IN GLAND COUNTY WHERE WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE GREAT LEADERSHIP.
AND ALONG WITH THAT GREAT STAFF, UH, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR IN A FEW MOMENTS ABOUT SOME OF THIS.
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT OUR GREAT SCHOOL SYSTEM WE'RE ALL PROUD OF.
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT OUR WONDERFUL, UH, FIRE AND RESCUE, UM, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND IN PARTICULAR, I WANT TO JUST TELL YOU ALL HOW PLEASED WE ARE, UH, TO REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COUNTY, UM, AND THE STAFF THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT.
UM, I THINK IT'S KIND OF THE YOU GENERATION, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT IT, THE ME GENERATION, BUT THE, YOU, WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.
WE ARE HERE FOR THE, ALL OF THE COUNTY.
AND I DON'T KNOW OF A SOUL THAT, UH, THAT DOESN'T TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND GENUINELY, UH, WORKS TOWARDS THAT, CONSIDERING EVERYONE.
SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM SOME OF THE LEADERSHIP, AS I'VE SAID, AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR CLERK OF COURT, AMANDA ADAMS. YES.
SEE? OH, YEAH, LET'S, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
WHY, WHY DON'T I THINK OF THAT? THANK YOU.
LET'S, LET'S ALL STAND AND HAVE A PLEASURE, ALLEGIANCE, AND HONOR OUR COUNTRY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
MS. ADAMS, CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY.
I'M AMANDA ADAMS. I AM YOUR CLERK OF COURT, AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE EVERYONE AN UPDATE FOR A FEW MINUTES ON WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE COURT SYSTEM.
SO FIRST, I JUST WANNA LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT I WILL BE HOSTING A PROBATE SEMINAR ON FEBRUARY 27TH AT ONE O'CLOCK IN THE BOARDROOM AT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
UM, THIS IS AVAILABLE TO ALL GLAND RESIDENTS, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO NEEDS ANY KIND OF PROBATE INFORMATION TO PLEASE COME.
UM, THIS IS FOR ANYONE WHO HAS ANY KIND OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROBATE, UM, PROCESS.
UM, WE WILL BE DISCUSSING WHAT I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR THIS, THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY OF PROBATE.
SECOND, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SENT OUT JURY QUESTIONNAIRES.
UM, THIS WAS SENT OUT IN AUGUST.
WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF, UM, PHONE CALLS.
UM, THESE ARE ACTUALLY LEGITIMATE.
UM, THEY DO HAVE, THIS IS THE ACTUAL JURY QUESTIONNAIRE.
THEY DO HAVE, UM, THE MAILING ADDRESS OF MARYLAND, UM, ON 'EM.
THIS IS OUR PARTNER THAT WE WORK WITH.
UM, I WOULD HIGHLY SUGGEST THAT YOU PLEASE SEND THESE BACK IN BECAUSE IF YOU DO NOT, AND YOU WERE SUMMONED FOR A JURY QUESTIONNAIRE, YOU WILL BE CALLED FOR JURY DUTY.
UM, THERE ARE SOME EXEMPTIONS FOR JURY DUTY, BUT IF YOU FILL OUT THE JURY QUESTIONNAIRES, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE, WHAT THE EXEMPTIONS ARE.
UM, AND YOU CAN EITHER MAIL THEM IN OR YOU CAN, THERE IS A JURY PORTAL THAT YOU CAN FILL OUT AND, UM, SEND THAT IN TO US OR YOU CAN BRING 'EM INTO THE OFFICE AS WELL.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF JURIES THAT ARE COMING UP IN CIRCUIT COURT.
I KNOW THAT NOBODY WANTS TO DO JURY DUTY, BUT IT IS YOUR CIVIC DUTY TO DO JURY DUTY IF YOU HAVE
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A CONFLICT.IF YOU ARE CALLED FOR JURY DUTY, PLEASE GIVE US A CALL AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT STEPS THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO TAKE TO POSSIBLY BE EXEMPT FROM JURY DUTY.
THE ONLY PERSON THAT CAN EXEMPT YOU IS THE JUDGE.
MY DEPUTY CLERKS CANNOT EXEMPT YOU.
THE JUDGE IS THE ONLY PERSON THAT CAN EXEMPT YOU.
IF YOU DO NOT SHOW UP TO JURY DUTY, YOU CAN BE SHOW CAUSED AS TO WHY YOU ARE NOT THERE FOR JURY DUTY.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT SHERIFF CREASEY HAS HIS DEPUTIES GIVING OUT JURY SUMMONS TO YOUR DOOR NOW, SO YOU WILL NOT BE GETTING THEM IN THE MAIL.
WE ALSO HAVE A NOW HAVE OUR ONLINE CONCEALED HANDGUN PERMITS THAT YOU CAN DO, UM, AT YOUR OWN CONVENIENCE.
YOU CAN STILL MAIL THEM IN, YOU CAN STILL BRING THEM INTO THE OFFICE, BUT THIS JUST ADDS A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA HELP FOR ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO FILL OUT THEIR CONCEALED HANDGUN PERMITS ANYTIME THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO.
ALSO, OUR RECORD ROOM IS OPEN ANYTIME FROM EIGHT 30 TO FIVE.
YOU CAN COME GET COPIES OF YOUR DEED, OF YOUR PLAT, UM, OF ANY OF OUR CIVIL CASES.
IF YOU NEED A COPY OF A DIVORCE, ANYTHING, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME TO OUR RECORD ROOM AND GET A COPY.
AND WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COME IN AND JUST SEE ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL RECORDS THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE HAVE BEEN KEEPING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF GOOCHLAND.
WE HAVE SOME REALLY COOL RECORDS IN THERE AS WELL.
AND I WOULD JUST ALSO LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT IN 2026, IT MARKS OUR COURT HOUSES 200 YEAR BIRTHDAY.
SO WE WILL BE CELEBRATING IT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO JOIN US IN THAT, AND WE'LL BE SENDING OUT SOME INFORMATION SOON.
YOU CAN ALWAYS, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, IF YOU GET SUMMONED FOR JURY, UM, IF YOU HAVE A COURT CASE OR ANYTHING, YOU CAN ALWAYS LOOK US UP ON FACEBOOK TO SEE IF, UM, WE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON WHAT'S GOING ON THAT DAY, OR YOU CAN ALWAYS GIVE US A CALL AS WELL.
THANK YOU, MS. ADAMS, AND THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR THE WONDERFUL JOB YOU ALL DO.
UM, MS. MOSES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL DEAN? MY NAME IS MEREDITH MOSES AND I'M THE, UM, CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD THIS YEAR.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AFTER DR.
ARMSTRONG'S PRESENTATION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK THEM.
AND, UM, THAT LEADS ME INTO DR. ARMSTRONG OR, OR, UM, CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT.
WELCOME TO GLAND HIGH SCHOOL HOME WITH THE BULLDOGS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
I'M ANDY ARMSTRONG, SUPERINTENDENT OF GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND I WANNA THANK, UH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR JOINING US HERE TONIGHT.
I, I THINK IT'S SYMBOLIC RIGHT OFF THE TOP THAT WE'RE HERE TOGETHER.
THERE ARE PLACES IN THIS STATE WHERE YOU DON'T SEE THIS LEVEL OF COLLABORATION, THIS LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND IT MAKES ME PROUD TO BE HERE AS YOUR SUPERINTENDENT.
CAN I GET A QUICK SHOW OF HANDS? HOW MANY PARENTS OF GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS DO WE HAVE? OKAY, HANDFUL.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT, I'M STILL GONNA GIVE THIS PRESENTATION IN ITS ENTIRETY BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, UM, EVERY CITIZEN'S THIS COUNTY IS AN INVESTOR IN THIS PRODUCT.
AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THIS FACILITY THAT WE DO IN OUR SCHOOLS IS A RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT.
AND AS TAXPAYERS AND CITIZENS WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT AHEAD OF TIME.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR SCHOOL BOARD.
YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM OUR CHAIR, MS. MEREDITH MOSES FROM DISTRICT ONE.
ALSO HERE WITH US THIS EVENING IS OUR VICE CHAIR FROM DISTRICT TWO, MS. KAREN WORLEY FROM DISTRICT THREE, MS. ANGELA ALLEN FROM DISTRICT FOUR, MS. MICHELLE MAXWELL.
AND FROM DISTRICT FIVE, WE HAVE MS. ELLEN ROBINSON.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
OUR GRON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, UH, EXCEPT ADOPTS POLICY APPROVES OUR ANNUAL BUDGET, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, KEEPS ME ON TASK AS I CONTINUE OUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY HAVE THE VERY BEST EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE AS WE RESPONSIBLY STEWARD EVERY PENNY OF THE INVESTMENT THIS COMMUNITY HAS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
SO I WANT TO, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND THANK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS WELL, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
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OUR DIVISION CURRENTLY SERVES ABOUT 2,600 STUDENTS IN PRE-K THROUGH 12TH GRADE.WE ARE CURRENTLY AWAITING FINAL REPORTED DATA FROM THE VDOE RELATED TO OUR ACCOUNTABILITY RESULTS FOR THE LAST YEAR'S SPRING, UH, TESTING CYCLE.
BUT ALL SIGNS POINT TO ALL FIVE OF OUR SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS DISTINGUISHED OR ON TRACK.
AND THOSE NEW CATEGORIES WOULD TRANSLATE TO WHAT YOU PREVIOUSLY HEARD AS BEING FULLY ACCREDITED.
WE SHOULD BE GETTING FINAL RESULTS ON ALL OF OUR PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE BEEN AN APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL DIVISION AND RECOGNIZED AS A TOP DIVISION HERE IN THE METRO RICHMOND AREA.
BUT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY IS THAT WE ARE BLESSED, AS MR. WINFREY SAID ABOUT OUR STAFF WITH JUST AN AMAZING TEAM OF TEACHERS AND STAFF HERE IN GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND THAT'S EVERYONE FROM OUR DRIVERS WHO, WHO GREET OUR STUDENTS EVERY MORNING TO OUR FOOD SERVICE WORKERS, OUR CUSTODIAL AND MAINTENANCE STAFF, OUR BUILDING LEVEL LEADERS, AND OUR, UH, TREMENDOUS GROUP OF, OF TEACHERS, OUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.
I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THEM THAT IS, UH, MS. RACHEL TATE, WHO IS A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER RIGHT HERE IN GLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SHE WAS ONE OF EIGHT FINALISTS FROM THE ENTIRE STATE OF ALL THE TEACHERS IN VIRGINIA, UH, FOR THE VIRGINIA TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD.
SO SHE WAS THE REGION ONE FINALIST, WHICH MEANS SHE WAS SELECTED FROM AMONG TEACHERS FROM SURREY EAST TO GLAND WEST TO HANOVER NORTH TO SUSSEX SOUTH, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, UM, INCLUDING A LOT OF BIGGER DIVISIONS.
MS. TATE HAS DONE SOME TREMENDOUS WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO WITH OUR VETERANS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SOME OF YOU HAVE TAKEN PART IN THAT, AND THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF THE EXCELLENCE THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
WE CELEBRATE SO MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF AT EVERY LEVEL, UH, FROM IN OUR CLASSROOM ON THE FIELD, AND ON THE STAGE RIGHT HERE AT UCHIN HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD OF THAT FACT.
YOU SEE IN THAT SLIDE THAT OF THE 200 STUDENTS WHO WALKED ACROSS THE STAGE IN MAY OF 2025 AND GRADUATED FROM THIS HIGH SCHOOL, 74 OF THEM GRADUATED WITH AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE FROM J SERGEANT REYNOLDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN HAND WHEN THEY GRADUATED.
AND STUDIES AND RESEARCH SHOW THAT HAVING THAT EXPOSURE TO TRANSFERABLE POST-SECONDARY CREDIT BEFORE YOU GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL IS PUTTING THEM ON A PATH TO SUSTAINABLE CAREERS.
IT'S SAVING THEM TIME AND MONEY WHEN THEY GO TO A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE, AND IT'S EXPOSING THEM EARLY TO THE ACADEMIC RIGOR OF WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT WHEN THEY GET THERE.
AND WE'RE GONNA TALK MORE ABOUT THE WORK WE'RE DOING THIS SCHOOL DIVISION TO MAKE CAREER PATHWAYS A PRIORITY.
UM, IN A FEW SLIDES DOWN AMONG THE IMPORTANT INITIATIVES, UH, WE WILL UNDERTAKE IN THE MONTHS AHEAD, UH, ARE THE UPDATE TO OUR GCPS STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION OF MY SUPERINTENDENT'S ENTRY PLAN AND OUR CRITICAL BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.
AND I'M GONNA EXPAND THOSE ITEMS IN MORE DETAIL IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR COUNTY COUNTERPARTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME IMPORTANT AND EXCITING WORK IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR DIVISION.
THIS COMMUNITY VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY BACK IN 2021 THROUGH A BOND REFERENDUM TO SUPPORT FUNDING FOR NOT ONLY THE NOW OPERATIONAL, UH, NEW UCHIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BUT ALSO IMPROVEMENTS HERE AT OUR SECONDARY COMPLEX WHERE WE SIT TODAY, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A SIGNIFICANT CAREER IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION EDITION THAT WILL TRANSITION OUR AWARD-WINNING EXISTING CTE PROGRAMMING.
FROM WHAT YOU ALL SEE ON, UH, ROUTE SIX ADJACENT TO THE OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT WE CALL GTECH, OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CENTER, THAT WILL BRING US ALL HERE TOGETHER.
THAT'S GONNA CREATE EFFICIENCIES IN TRANSPORTATION.
IT'S GOING TO HELP THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF STUDENTS WHO CAN REALLY BE HERE ALL DAY AT OUR SECONDARY COMPLEX.
UH, THIS ALSO WILL INCLUDE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR FINE ARTS, UH, FACILITIES AS WELL.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO GETTING INTO THAT IN EARNEST IN THE MONTHS AHEAD.
I'LL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THAT CT WORK IN ANOTHER SLIDE.
AND WE DO HOPE TO BEGIN SOME OF THE INITIAL WORK IN THAT, UH, IN THE MONTHS AHEAD.
WE HAD A GREAT WORK SESSION WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND STAFF IN EARLY SEPTEMBER AND ALSO DISCUSSED OUR SHORT AND LONG TERM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS, WHICH INCLUDES SAFETY UPGRADES, UH, SYSTEMS UPGRADES FOR HVAC, ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR WRESTLING AND FIELD IMPROVEMENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH PARKS AND RECREATION AND SOME BROADER COMMUNITY NEEDS.
WE KNOW THAT THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR IS PERHAPS THE ITEM THAT GETS THE MOST ATTENTION YEAR IN, YEAR OUT FROM OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
WHEN WE ALL HAVE BUSY LIVES WITH KIDS.
I ANTICIPATE WORKING WITH OUR BOARD TO HAVE A THREE YEAR CALENDAR APPROVED, UH, EARLY THIS WINTER THAT PROVIDES SOME CONTINUITY FOR FAMILIES, SOME ADVANCED NOTICE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WHILE MAXIMIZING EVERY MINUTE OF INSTRUCTION THAT WE HAVE ON WE HAVE OF OUR STUDENTS.
NOW, I'LL WORK WITH THE BOARD TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK IN THAT PROCESS AND KEEP OUR COMMUNITY UPDATED ALONG THE WAY.
AS A NOTE, OUR BOARD MEETS ON THE SECOND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH, BEGINNING AT FIVE 30 IN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING THERE IN THE BOARDROOM.
WE WILL GO INTO CLOSED SESSION AT FIVE 30 AND RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION AT SIX O'CLOCK.
WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, PARENT OR NOT TO COME OUT AND
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HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND TO SEE THE DELIBERATIONS OF OUR BOARD.SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND THE WORK THE BOARD AND OUR STAFF UNDERTAKE ANNUALLY.
UM, TO DEVELOP OUR BUDGET IS, IS VERY THOUGHTFUL, INTENTIONAL, AND, AND LABOR INTENSIVE WORK, BOTH FROM THE OPERATIONAL AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET THAT, THAT WE SCRUTINIZE YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE ARE STEWARDS OF A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF TAXPAYER MONEY HERE IN THIS COUNTY ON BEHALF OF EVERY CITIZEN.
AND OUR BUDGET IS A NEEDS-BASED BUDGET THAT WILL ALWAYS PRIORITIZE WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS.
AND AS I ALSO MENTIONED BEFORE, OUR STAFF AND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WEAR THAT GCPS BADGE MAKE THIS DIVISION GREAT, THEREFORE, IS LIKELY NOT A SURPRISE, AS YOU'LL SEE THERE IN THAT, THAT FAR RIGHT BOX, THAT SALARY AND BENEFITS COMPRISES THE LARGEST EXPENSE GROUP WITHIN OUR $46 MILLION ANNUAL OPERATIONAL BUDGET.
AND WE RUN OUR DIVISION WITH A LEAN CENTRAL OFFICE TEAM.
I DO WANNA TAKE A MINUTE AND RECOGNIZE A FEW OF THOSE TEAM MEMBERS.
STEVE GUY, OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF INSTRUCTION OVER THERE, DR.
JEN WAGNER IN THE BACK, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF ADMINISTRATION, MR. BRUCE WATSON, OUR DIRECTOR OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, AND WAY BACK IN THE CORNER, MR. MIKE SANI, WHO IS OUR TRANSPORTATION FOREMAN, WHO IS OVER ON TRIPLET ROAD, KEEPING OUR BUSES RUNNING.
AND I'M SORRY IF I MISSED ANYONE ELSE, BUT THESE ARE THE FOLKS WHO, WHO MAKE THE MAGIC HAPPEN, UH, DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THAT, THAT BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE IT.
WE PUT MOST OF OUR EFFORTS INTO INSTRUCTION WHEN WE LOOK AT EVERY DOLLAR AND EVERY CENT THAT WE GET.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT HERE IN VIRGINIA, UH, THE COMMONWEALTH ADMINISTERS STATE FUNDING TO SCHOOLS USING WHAT'S CALLED A LOCAL COMPOSITE INDEX.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE, OR LCI AND THAT FORMULA IS USED TO ADJUST, UH, THE STATE FUNDING THAT SCHOOL DIVISIONS RECEIVE VERSUS MORE OR LESS THE, THE WEALTH OF THAT LOCALITY BASED ON REAL PROPERTY VALUES.
WE HAVE A 0.8 LCI, WHICH MEANS THAT WE GET THE VERY LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THE STATE THAT YOU CAN POSSIBLY GET.
I SEE STEPHANIE WHITE, OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE IS ALSO HERE.
SHE'S SHAKING HER HEAD AND SHE KNOWS THAT VERY WELL.
SO I SAY THAT TO UNDERSCORE THE FACT THAT, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THAT FAR LEFT BOX, THE VERY VAST MAJORITY, THREE QUARTERS OF OUR BUDGET, COMES FROM THE LOCAL TRANSFER THAT WE GET FROM OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
SO, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, UM, WE SCRUTINIZE EVERY PENNY.
WE KNOW HOW MUCH THAT MATTERS, WE KNOW HOW SIGNIFICANT THAT IS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT.
WE WILL BE RELEASING OUR BUDGET SURVEY TO THE COMMUNITY ON NOVEMBER 6TH THAT WILL GO TO ALL OF OUR FAMILIES AND BE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
SO WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE'S FEEDBACK AS WE IDENTIFY OUR PRIORITIES MOVING FORWARD INTO FY 27.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF EXCITING WORK ACROSS THE DIVISION IN OUR COMMUNITY, HIGHLIGHTED BY OUR UPDATE TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WAS ORIGINALLY, UH, DESIGNED IN 2014 WITH THE SUPPORT OF INNER WILL, WHICH IS A SUBSIDIARY OF THE LUCK COMPANIES.
AND THEY'VE DONE AMAZING WORK TO SUPPORT US.
IT'S GREAT HAVING A LOCAL PARTNER WHO'S BEEN ABLE TO REALLY, UH, STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH US AND, AND OUR STRATEGIC PLAN'S BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR ITS EFFECTIVENESS.
IT IS NOT JUST A DOCUMENT THAT SITS ON A DESK GATHERING DUST.
IT'S NOT A POSTER ON THE WALL.
OUR TEACHERS KNOW OUR MISSION, OUR VISION, OUR CORE VALUES, EXCELLENCE, CREATIVITY, COURAGE, HONOR, OPTIMISM.
WE RECOGNIZE STAFF MEMBERS FOR THOSE ITEMS. WE CONNECT WHAT WE DO TO THAT STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING NOW TO CREATE WHAT IS REALLY VERSION 3.0 OF THAT STRATEGIC PLAN, THAT SIX YEAR PLAN, UM, IS IN PROGRESS NOW.
AND WE HAVE BEEN MEETING ON A REGULAR CADENCE WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD, UH, WITH OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
AND WE'RE IN THE PHASE NOW WHERE WE'RE GATHERING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
YOU SEE UP THERE, THERE'S A QR CODE, I HAVE A STACK OF FLYERS THAT I MEANT TO LEAVE OUT THERE.
I WILL PUT THEM OUT THERE WHEN I'M DONE THAT ANYONE CAN TAKE WITH THEM.
THAT SURVEY WILL BE OPEN UNTIL THE END OF THE WEEK.
UH, WE ORIGINALLY HAD IT CLOSING A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT WHEN THE TOWN HALL GOT MOVED, I, I ESPECIALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET THAT IN FRONT OF OUR COMMUNITY TONIGHT.
SO PLEASE GRAB A FLOWER IN YOUR WAY OUT, GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK ON OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND THIS IS, OF ALL THE SLIDES, THE ONE THAT I, I I'M PROBABLY THE MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND THOSE OF WHO HAVE HEARD ME SPEAK KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN PUBLIC EDUCATION UNIVERSALLY, UH, SOMETIMES WE, WE MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON, ON NOSTALGIA RATHER THAN WHAT THE REALITIES ARE OF THE WORLD WE'RE LIVING IN.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I SAY THAT BECAUSE IT, IT'S MY PASSION THAT HERE IN GUTMAN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE THE, THE MANY OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES TO MAKE SURE, AS I SAID BEFORE, THAT EVERY STUDENT WHO GRADUATES FROM THE SCHOOL DIVISION LEAVES ON A PATHWAY, EITHER TO A SUSTAINABLE WAGE CAREER THROUGH FOUR YEAR COLLEGE, TWO YEAR COLLEGE, STRAIGHT INTO THE WORKFORCE WITH A CREDENTIAL THEY HAVE EARNED WITH ASSOCIATED WORK-BASED LEARNING OR GOING INTO THE MILITARY.
THAT THAT IS, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT, WHAT ARE THE MAIN THINGS? IT'S LITERACY, IT'S STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS, MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS LEAVE PREPARED WHEN THEY WALK ACROSS THAT STAGE WHEN THEY GRADUATE.
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UM, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE GREAT NEWS WE'VE HAD IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S THE AMAZON FACILITY, WHETHER IT'S THE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT ELI LILLY, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO ADJUST OUR PROGRAMMING TO MEET THE REAL TIME NEEDS OF THE WORKFORCE IN THIS AREA.SO STUDENTS HERE IN GLAND SHOULD BE THE FIRST PEOPLE IN LINE TO GET THOSE SIX FIGURE JOBS AT ELI LILLY WHEN THAT COMES ONLINE.
UM, AND THESE ARE SUSTAINABLE WAGE JOBS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE THAT A PRIORITY MOVING FORWARD.
UM, GLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND, AND THIS EXPERIENCE HERE IN GCPS SHOULD NOT BE THE END OF THE ROAD FOR ANY STUDENT.
THIS IS AN ACCELERATOR ON THE PATH TO A MEANINGFUL CAREER.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE RAPID TRANSFORMATION OF, OF THIS ECONOMY, BOTH NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY, SKILL REQUIREMENTS DEMAND THAT WE STOP SEPARATING CAREER PREPARATION FROM COLLEGE PREPARATION.
BECAUSE COLLEGE PREPARATION IS CAREER PREPARATION.
CAREER PREPARATION IS COLLEGE PREPARATION.
WE'VE GOTTA GET AWAY FROM THE STIGMA ABOUT STUDENTS WHO TAKE CAREER IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSES VERSUS THOSE WHO TAKE AP.
AND I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH STUDENTS AND MY STUDENT ADVISORIES, UM, FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
AND I, I MET WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL LAST WEEK, AND I JUST LEFT SMILING.
AND I TALKED TO THE LIBRARIAN WHEN I WAS DONE.
AND, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, DR. ARMSTRONG, WE JUST LOVE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SO, SO MANY DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
I HAD ONE STUDENT, JOHN, HE PLAYS FOOTBALL, HE TAKES A GTECH CLASS IN CTE, AND HE TAKES AP COURSES AND HE DOES ADVANCED COLLEGE ACADEMY.
SO THE MORE WE CAN DO TO CONNECT STUDENTS AND CONNECT THEIR INTERESTS TO THESE PATHWAYS, THE BETTER WORK WE'RE DOING.
AND WE'RE GONNA SEE THE RESULTS FROM THAT.
SO I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AS I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR IN MY VOICE.
UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SINCE I, I CAME IN IN APRIL.
UM, I ALSO MENTIONED ALREADY OUR, OUR DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMMING.
UM, AND HOW MANY STUDENTS WE HAVE WHO LEAVE GLAND HIGH SCHOOL WITH THAT ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE, AND HOW MUCH THAT MEANS.
WE HAVE RECORD NUMBERS OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ENROLLED IN M-C-J-R-T-C, AND WE HAVE KIDS EVERY YEAR WHO GET M-C-J-R-T SCHOLARSHIPS AND THEN GO TO A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE AND THEN GET COMMISSIONED AS OFFICERS.
I MEAN, I CAN NAME AT LEAST ONE STUDENT EVERY YEAR, AND THEN SOME WHO ENLIST DIRECTLY INTO THE MILITARY FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
THESE ARE SUSTAINABLE PATHWAYS.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR KIDS.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE WITH THIS, UM, WE ARE RIGHT NOW GAUGING STUDENT INTEREST AND, AND HOPING TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION TEACHER, UH, IN THE YEAR AHEAD.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE DO ALL THIS BASED ON STUDENT REQUESTS, BUT WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT AGRICULTURE IS IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITY AND HOW THAT CAN TRANSLATE TO CAREERS.
MR. WATSON IS ALREADY WORKING TO LAUNCH OUR ACADEMY OF ROBOTICS MECHATRONICS AND LOGISTICS, WHICH WILL HELP TO MEET THAT NEED THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE IN SOME OF THE FACILITIES LIKE AMAZON AND ELI LILLY.
AND WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO WORKING WITH POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS AND OUR WORKFORCE TO REALLY PARTNER WITH THEM AND BREAK DOWN THESE SILOS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING STUDENTS THAT THAT REAL TIME EXPERIENCE IS GONNA MAKE THEM PREPARED AND GIVE THEM ADVANTAGE THE DAY THEY GRADUATE.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHERE WE'RE HEADING IN THAT AREA.
AND AS A NOTE TOO, I WANNA SAY THAT OUR GLAND HIGH SCHOOL, JUNKYARD DOGS ROBOTICS TEAM WENT TO THE WORLD COMPETITION, THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION, UH, THIS PAST SPRING IN SAN ANTONIO, WHERE THEY, THEY DID SOME GREAT WORK AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL, UH, GETTING READY NOW.
THEY'VE HAD TO INTERVIEW FOR, FOR OUR ROBOTICS TEAMS 'CAUSE IT'S THAT POPULAR.
UM, AND I, AND I'LL ALSO MENTION TOO, AND I HAD IT ON MY LAST SLIDE, UM, AI I KNOW IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT EVERYWHERE RIGHT NOW.
AND I WANT THIS COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT JUST LIKE EVERYTHING WE DO IN GLAND, WE DO IT DELIBERATELY.
AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH OUR DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP WITH OUR STUDENTS.
WE'RE PREPARING OUR TEACHERS AND BEING VERY, UH, CAREFUL TO ENSURE THAT THE WAY WE USE AI IN OUR SCHOOLS AND THE WAY WE TEACH THAT IS TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS NOT REPLACING INDEPENDENT THOUGHT.
THIS SHOULD BE SUPPORTING STUDENT SUCCESS.
CO ACHE, I DON'T THINK'S HERE TONIGHT HAS BEEN LEADING THAT EFFORT.
WE'VE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH NEIGHBORING DIVISIONS AND, UH, LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AS WELL TO REALLY PREPARE FOR THAT ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND WE KNOW THAT'S A HOT TOPIC, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU ALL WERE AWARE OF, OF THE WORK THAT WENT ON THERE.
FINALLY, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT I AM IN THE MIDST OF MY SUPERINTENDENT'S ENTRY PLAN AND ASSOCIATED LISTENING TOURS.
UH, I PRESENTED THIS ORIGINALLY TO THE BOARD IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR AND TALK THROUGH MY PLAN.
AND DESPITE HAVING SERVED IN GLAND FOR SEVERAL YEARS BETWEEN 2016 AND AND 2023 AS AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, I KNOW HOW MUCH THE COMMUNITY'S CHANGED.
YOU, YOU CAN'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED TWO WEEKS AGO, MUCH LESS FIVE YEARS AGO.
SO IT'S, IT'S MY MISSION IN CONDUCTING THIS LISTENING TOURS TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M GETTING FEEDBACK FROM EVERY STAKEHOLDER IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT I CAN POSSIBLY HEAR FROM.
AND, AND I'M, I'VE ALREADY HAD TWO SESSIONS, UH, ONE AT BIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LAST WEEK WE WERE AT GUCH AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION.
TOMORROW NIGHT I'LL BE BACK HERE AT OUR LIBRARY AT GHS AND THEN MOVING INTO LATER
[00:25:01]
IN OCTOBER, RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND JERUSALEM BAPTIST CHURCH.INVITE ANYONE TO COME AND ATTEND.
LIKE I SAID, WHETHER YOU HAVE STUDENTS OR NOT, UH, YOUR FEEDBACK'S VALUED.
SO WE, WE WILL APPRECIATE ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COME OUT AND, AND ENGAGE WITH US AND COLLABORATING AND, AND REALLY WORKING TO GET SOME QUALITY FEEDBACK.
I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR EVERY SINGLE POINT IN MY ENTRY PLAN, BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SLIDE HERE ABOUT MY PRIORITIES AS A SUPERINTENDENT THAT I'VE DEVELOPED COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR BOARD.
AND, UH, ONE IS TO ESTABLISH THAT CULTURE OF TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST HERE IN OUR DIVISION.
WE WANNA FOCUS ON BUILDING COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS, STRENGTHENING COMMUNICATION WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW WITH MY LISTENING TOURS AND JUST MAINTAINING A, A REGULAR CADENCE OF COMMUNICATION, WHICH I'VE GOTTEN POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT SO FAR.
BUT, BUT WE KNOW, UH, YOU CAN'T DO IT ENOUGH.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT WORK.
ALSO, SAFETY, UH, WE CAN'T, STUDENTS CAN'T LEARN UNLESS YOU'RE IN A FACILITY THAT'S SAFE AND COMFORTABLE.
AND, AND THAT REQUIRES, UM, A LOT OF WORK ON OUR BEHALF AS A SCHOOL DIVISION TO, TO STAY ON AHEAD OF THAT.
DR. WAGNER LEADS OUR, OUR WORK IN SCHOOL SAFETY AND AS LONG AS WELL AS WITH OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
AND I SAW SHERIFF KREY BACK THERE.
WE HAVE AN AMAZING PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FIRE RESCUE AND SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, AGAIN, JUST LIKE TONIGHT WITH OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISOR AND SCHOOL BOARD, NOT EVERY PLACE IN VIRGINIA HAS THAT QUALITY RELATIONSHIP.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THAT COOPERATION AND THAT WE, WE SHARE IDEAS AND, AND WE WORK TOGETHER ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS.
IT REALLY IS ANOTHER ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THIS PLACE SPECIAL.
AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY DO ON OUR BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.
I'VE ALREADY TALKED A GOOD DEAL ABOUT THAT.
BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING.
UM, MAKING DATA FORMED, DATA INFORMED DECISIONS.
NOT JUST THROWING SOMETHING AT A WALL AND THINKING IT'S GONNA WORK.
YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE WILL TAKE RISK INSTRUCTIONALLY, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL ONLY TAKE THAT SO FAR.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DO IS GONNA PAY OFF OUR STUDENTS, UH, IN THEIR ULTIMATE OUTCOMES HERE IN SCHOOL.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT PIECE THAT I WANNA MENTION IS OUR EFFICIENCY AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE RETAINING THE VERY BEST IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND RECRUITING THE VERY BEST.
I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY SECRET THAT THERE IS NOT A HUGE MARKET RIGHT NOW OF, OF TEACHERS WHO ARE JUST FALLING OUTTA THE SKY WHO WANT TO GET INTO THIS BUSINESS.
AND, AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL GROUP OF TEACHERS HERE THAT OUR FIRST MISSION IS TO KEEP THEM HERE IN OUR DIVISION.
A LOT OF THEM COME FROM OUTSIDE OF GLAND COUNTY.
THEY, THEY DRIVE PAST OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS TO COME HERE AND WORK.
'CAUSE THEY APPRECIATE THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
THEY APPRECIATE THE SMALL CLASS SIZES, THEY APPRECIATE THE VISIBILITY OF OUR TEAM.
UM, BUT WE KNOW WE'VE GOTTA STAY COMPETITIVE WHEN IT COMES TO SALARIES, WHEN IT COMES TO BENEFITS.
SO AS WE START TO GET INTO THAT BUDGET WORK HERE IN THE WEEKS AHEAD, THAT'S GONNA BE A MAJOR PRIORITY FOR US.
THAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR THIS SUPERINTENDENT'S ENTRY PLAN.
I'LL BE PRESENTING MY FIRST 100 DAYS REPORT TO THE BOARD IN FEBRUARY AND RELEASING THAT PUBLICLY.
I'LL INCLUDE A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE GATHERED IN MY LISTENING SESSIONS TO GUIDE THAT REPORT.
AND WE WILL, UH, AGAIN, CHECK IN ON THAT AT REGULAR INTERVALS ALONG THE WAY.
AND, UH, THIS IS A, THIS IS A HUMAN BUSINESS.
RAIL ALWAYS USED TO USE THE TERM, IT'S A FRAGILE ECOSYSTEM.
AND WE KNOW THAT WE'RE IN A WORLD THAT THAT CAN BE SCARY AT TIMES.
WE'RE IN A WORLD THAT, UH, THAT CHANGES A LOT.
AND EVERY STUDENT HAS ITS OWN, HAS HIS OR HER OWN STORY.
AND THAT STORY CHANGES EVERY DAY.
WE HAVE KIDS IN GOOCHLAND WHO COME FROM HOMES OF POVERTY WITH LIMITED INDOOR PLUMBING, AND WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO COME FROM MILLION DOLLAR HOMES, BUT THEY'RE ALL COMING TO THIS HIGH SCHOOL AND TO OUR SCHOOLS.
AND WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR EVERY SINGLE STUDENT TO MAKE SURE THEY GET EVERYTHING THEY NEED, UH, ON THEIR WAY TO GRADUATION.
JUST A, A QUICK, UH, FEW PICTURES OF, OF SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING HERE.
WE HAD OUR MOCK INTERVIEW DAY, OUR, UM, OUR UNIFIED OLYMPICS FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND IN OUR GRADUATION, THAT'S CONNOR RIGHT THERE, UH, ONE OF OUR SUPERSTAR STUDENTS HERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND, UM, AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING AND LISTENING TO ME.
I HOPE YOU CAN, YOU CAN FEEL MY PASSION FOR THE WORK HERE IN GOLAND AND, AND HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE BEING HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
REALLY, I, AT THIS POINT, SHOULD I OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS? YES.
I, I'VE GOT A LITTLE, OH, WE HAVE A QUESTION.
OH, I GOT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.
UM, A FRIEND OF MINE, JESS MCLAUGHLIN, WHO HAPPENS TO BE A PLANNING COMMISSIONER, IS A LEADER WITH YOUNG LIFE.
AND, UM, I HAVE A LITTLE FARM ON JUST OFF OF SHALLOW WELL, AND I NEEDED FENCE PAINTING.
AND I, INSTEAD OF HIRING SOMEONE, I SAID, JESS, HE'S, HE'S A LEADER OF YOUNG LIFE.
I SAID, WHAT IF I MAKE A SUBSTANTIAL DONATION TO YOUNG LIFE? COULD YOU GET SOME YOUNG FELLOWS TO VOLUNTEER TO PAINT THAT FENCE? WELL, THIS PAST SATURDAY,
[00:30:02]
SEVERAL OF 'EM, WE WERE, UH, SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOLS.IT, IT WAS, WAS IT A SPECIAL DAY ON SATURDAY IN THE AFTERNOON? KIND OF, YEAH, WE HAD OUR HOMECOMING WEEKEND.
SO THEY WENT FROM PLAYING FRIDAY NIGHT TO GETTING READY FOR A DAY AT SATURDAY.
THESE FELLOWS SHOWED UP AT EIGHT O'CLOCK, PAINTED SOME BLACK FENCE, AND I'M SURE THEY SHOWED UP AT HOMECOMING WITH SOME BLACK ON THEIR HANDS.
BUT ANYWAY, I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH 'EM.
AND, UH, THEY DID A GREAT JOB.
YEAH, WE, WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE AMAZING STUDENTS AND AMAZING FAMILIES IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, I'M GONNA LEAVE THESE HANDOUTS OUT THERE AND, UH, WE HAVE, YEAH, NO MORE QUE NO QUESTIONS.
DOES THAT MAKE US PROUD OR WHAT? UM, NOW I, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, IF I MAY.
UH, ON MY RIGHT FAR IS JONATHAN CHRISTIE REPRESENTS DISTRICT ONE NEIL SPOON, HOUR DISTRICT TWO, AND I'M DISTRICT THREE, CHARLIE VARS, DISTRICT FOUR, AND JONATHAN LYLE, DISTRICT FIVE.
WOULD ANY OF YOU ALL LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS? YEP.
IT IS, UH, DISTRICT FIVE HAD A TWO WIRE TOWN HALL MEETING.
I THINK PEOPLE HAVE PROBABLY HEARD ALL THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM ME, BUT I, I WILL MENTION, YEAH, I WILL MENTION IN PASSING, I WAS AT THE BANK IN THE COURTHOUSE EARLIER TODAY AND I SAW BILLY NORMAN FROM, UH, NORMAN FUNERAL HOME.
AND, UH, WE GOT TO CHATTING AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID, WELL, HOW DO YOU LIKE BEING A SUPERVISOR? IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE LOST SOME WEIGHT.
AND I SAID, WELL, BILLY, WHAT IS THE IDEAL WEIGHT FOR A SUPERVISOR HERE IN GLAND? AND HE LOOKED AT ME UP AND DOWN AND HE SAYS, OH, ABOUT FOUR POUNDS, INCLUDING THE CREMATION URN.
WOULD ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER LIKE TO SAY
DID Y'ALL HAVE ANY, DID YOU WANT TO HIM? I'M SORRY.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT ON OUR PLATES RIGHT NOW, AND, UH, STAFF DOES AS WELL.
AND WHAT I WILL SAY IS, UM, ONE THING THAT WE ARE DILIGENTLY DOING ACROSS THE BOARD IS DIVING IN, RESEARCHING, GETTING AS MUCH VERY STRONG EXPERT OPINIONS AND, UH, INFORMATION AS WE CAN TO MAKE THE BEST INFORMED DECISION FOR THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
UM, I KNOW IN SOMETIMES THAT FEELS LIKE DISTRICTS ARE IN DIFFERENT, UH, FACTIONS AND AS, AS OPPOSED TO ACROSS THE COUNTY.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHAT IS, UH, MY EFFORT IS LISTENING TO CONSTITUENTS, TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND SEE WHERE WE CAN MAKE CHANGES THAT WORK WITH EVERYONE.
ONE THING WE CAN DO IS TALK TO EACH OTHER, WORK THINGS OUT, AND REACH A, UH, CONSENSUS THAT GETS THE MOST ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, AS IT RELATES TO THIS ISSUE, THERE'S I AM, BUT ONE VOTE.
BUT THE KEY IS TO TRY AND FIND WAYS THAT, UM, TAKE THIS WHOLE SITUATION INTO ACCOUNT AND SEE WHERE WE CAN GET THE MOST FOR EACH ONE OF OUR DISTRICTS AND OUR CONSTITUENTS.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS I'VE GOTTEN, UH, AS ALL THE OTHER SUP ALL MY COLLEAGUES HAVE GOTTEN AS WELL.
AND, UM, I COULD TELL YOU, I, I DO WANT TO TAKE, I THINK MR. WINFREY HAS DONE THIS, BUT I DO WANT TO PRAISE STAFF FOR THE HARD WORK THAT THEY HAVE PUT INTO THIS, UH, AND EVERYTHING THAT IS ON THEIR PLATES.
UM, GOOCHLAND, I ALWAYS WANT US ACROSS THE BOARD TO PUNCH ABOVE OUR WEIGHT CLASS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU ON THE PEOPLE SIDE, WE ARE DOING THAT AND IT COMES THROUGH, UM, IN THE WORK THAT WE TRY AND DO FOR ALL OUR CITIZENS.
I, I, I'M PROUD TO SERVE WITH ALL OF YOU ALL.
UH, NOW IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THAT WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE AND VERY PLEASED TO HAVE WITH US, DR.
WELL, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU THIS EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SHARE THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THE CELEBRATIONS OF OUR COUNTY.
AND SO WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT TONIGHT, THERE ARE SO MANY POSITIVES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SETTING, IS THAT WE ARE ALL HERE TONIGHT AS ONE, AS ONE GLAND AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTY.
[00:35:01]
AND IT'S MY GOAL THAT BY THE TIME YOU LEAVE HERE THIS EVENING, THERE ARE SOME THINGS ABOUT OUR COUNTY THAT MAYBE YOU DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE YOU WALKED IN THE DOOR.SO THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, AND ULTIMATELY, I'M HOPING THAT YOU HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND ALSO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED IN SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU AS CITIZENS BECOME MORE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF, OF, OF OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
I DO WANNA THANK GLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND THE STAFF OF THE UCHIN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHO HAVE BEEN GRACIOUS HOSTS OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS.
WE STARTED HERE ON SEPTEMBER THE EIGHTH, AND WE HAD A FULL HOUSE.
AND WE HAVE A GREAT CROWD HERE TONIGHT.
WE WERE HERE FOR TWO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS.
WE'LL BE BACK HERE ON NOVEMBER THE SIXTH.
AND SO I KNOW THAT IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT FOR STAFF TO, TO PREPARE THIS SPACE.
WE HAVE STUDENTS UP HERE AND MR. BIRCH, AND SO THEY'RE GIVING UP THEIR TIME TO BE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL HAVE A SAFE VENUE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS FACILITY.
SO HUGE THANKS TO MY SCHOOL DIVISION FRIENDS FOR PROVIDING THIS SPACE FOR US.
IF YOU DID NOT GET COOKIES WHEN YOU CAME IN, MAKE SURE YOU GRAB SOME COOKIES.
THEY WERE PREPARED BY THE HANDS OF OUR STUDENTS, OUR GLAND, CTE STUDENTS AND OUR CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM THERE ARE FANTASTIC.
SO IF THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE LEFT, PLEASE TAKE THEM WITH YOU.
WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA TAKE THOSE HOME, ENJOY THEM.
THEY WERE MADE WITH CARE BY OUR VERY OWN STUDENTS.
UM, YOU HAD A CHANCE TO HEAR FROM OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND, AND GET A CHANCE TO BE INTRODUCED, BUT I WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF THE STAFF THAT MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW, SOME THAT MAYBE YOU DO KNOW.
BUT AS MR. WINFREY AND MR. VADER SAID, I'M BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH SOME AMAZING PROFESSIONALS WHO SERVE SELFLESSLY EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COUNTY CONTINUES TO BE AS STRONG AS IT IS AND TO TAKE A STRONG AND SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY AND TO MAKE IT EVEN STRONGER IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
SO JUST WANNA PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND INTRODUCE SOME OF THE STAFF THAT ARE WITH US HERE TODAY.
SO WE HAVE OUR DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, SARAH WORLEY.
WE HAVE OUR DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR OPERATIONS, JOSH GILLESPIE.
WE HAVE JESSICA KRONBERG, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS.
AND JESSICA MADE ALL OF MY CRAZY IDEAS LOOK BEAUTIFUL ON THE SCREEN HERE TONIGHT.
SO THANK YOU, JESSICA, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
WE HAVE PAUL DRUMRIGHT, WHO SERVES AS OUR MANAGER FOR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, WHO DOES AMAZING WORK TO CONNECT US WITH A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, TARA MCGEE, RIGHT HERE, OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC UTILITIES, ELIZABETH MCDONALD.
WE ALSO HAVE CHIEF EDDIE FERGUSON.
IN THE BACK WE HAVE OUR DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION, TOM CO.
RIGHT HERE WE HAVE ONE OF HIS TEAMMATES, ANGELINA MILLER, WHO IS BACK HERE.
WE HAVE DOUG DAVIES, WHO'S OUR FIRE MARSHAL, KEEPING US SAFE HERE TODAY, AS WELL AS BATTALION CHIEF BLAKE MARKEY, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF TONY GORDON, DEPUTY CHIEF MIKE WATKINS, ALL IN THE BACK.
AND DEPUTY CHIEF CHRIS BROOKS.
YOU'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET AMANDA ADAMS, OUR CLERK OF THE COURT.
WE HAVE SHERIFF STEVEN CREASEY HERE IN THE BACK, AS WELL AS MAJOR MIKE EAST.
WE ALSO HAVE SERGEANT RYAN LIBO AND COMMUNICATIONS SUPERVISOR, TAMMY WITT.
OTHER FOLKS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO MEET TONIGHT ARE THE CHAIRMAN OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, MR. BEN SLOAN, AS WELL AS VICE CHAIR JENNY SLADE.
SO, UH, WELCOME AND HOPEFULLY YOU GET A CHANCE TO, TO TALK WITH SOME OF THOSE FOLKS AND GET TO KNOW THEM.
HOW MANY OF YOU IN OUR ROOM TONIGHT? THIS IS YOUR VERY FIRST TOWN HALL.
OKAY, SO WE DO HAVE SOME NEW FACES AND SOME FOLKS THAT YOU HAVE.
THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TOWN HALL.
SO I WANTED TO GO BACK AND PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY.
AND SO THESE TOWN HALLS STARTED WITH SEVERAL BOARDS AGO DATING BACK TO APPROXIMATELY 2011 WHEN BOTH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHO ARE ALL NEW AT THE TIME, OUT OF THE 10 SEATS, NINE OF THE 10 SEATS WERE BRAND NEW.
AND THOSE BOARDS BOTH SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'RE GOING TO MEET REGULARLY WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TOWN HALLS IN BOTH THE FALL AND THE SPRING OF THE YEAR, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH OUR, OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT HAS CONTINUED, UH, AS YOU SEE TONIGHT WHEN WE'RE HERE TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH YOU AND SHARE IDEAS AND, AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
TYPICALLY, THE FALL IS AN UPDATE FROM BOTH THE SCHOOLS AND THE COUNTY.
AND THE SPRING MEETING, WHICH WE WILL HAVE LATER ON IN THE YEAR, IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE BUDGET.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN JOIN US FOR ALL OF THOSE SETTINGS.
SO LIKE DR. ARMSTRONG, I TOO AM NEW TO MY POSITION.
UH, STARTED A MONTH OR TWO AFTER HE STARTED IN JUNE, AND I'M COMING UP ON MY FOUR MONTH ANNIVERSARY.
I'VE ENJOYED EVERY MOMENT, MOMENT OF HAVING THE CHANCE TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY FOR YOU ALONGSIDE SOME AMAZING PROFESSIONALS.
IT'S BEEN A WILD RIDE, BUT I WOULDN'T CHANGE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY FOR ONE SECOND.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED AND A LOT OF MEETINGS THAT I'VE HAD, AND I'VE MET WITH ALL OF MY INTERNAL LEADERSHIP TEAM AS WELL AS SEVERAL MEMBERS OF STAFF TO HELP GAIN A BETTER GAIN, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITHIN COUNTY GOVERNMENT, WHAT ARE WE DOING WELL THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE? WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING THAT ARE NOT NEARLY
[00:40:01]
AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE WANT? AND WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE SHOULD CHANGE AND ADAPT OVER TIME? AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT.UH, I'VE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH OVER 125 EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, MEETING WITH FOLKS FROM THE CLERGY, FROM BUSINESS, UH, TO FOLKS WHO ARE CITIZENS IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ROLES.
UH, LOCAL LEADERS, I MEAN A VARIETY OF FOLKS FROM OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE PROVIDED FANTASTIC PERSPECTIVE TO ME ON A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES.
AND SO THROUGH THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THERE'VE BEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF THEMES THAT HAVE RISEN TO THE TOP.
BUT THE THREE MAJOR THEMES THAT I WANTED TO JUST SHARE PUBLICLY ARE THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE DEDICATED AND TALENTED EMPLOYEES, FOLKS WHO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAXIMIZING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDING EXCELLENT SERVICE TO THOSE WHOM WE SERVE EVERY DAY.
UH, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE AN ENGAGED, PROUD AND VERY SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY.
THE FACT THAT YOU ARE HERE TONIGHT, THAT YOU HAVE ATTENDED MULTIPLE SETTINGS, AND THAT ULTIMATELY YOU CARE ABOUT COUNTY GOVERNMENT CERTAINLY GOES A LONG WAY.
AND THAT ULTIMATELY MAKES US STRONGER.
MANY OF YOU ARE VERY PROUD TO CALL GUCCI IN YOUR HOME.
YOU'VE MOVED HERE FOR A REASON, YOU WANT TO BE HERE.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY THIS IS A PLACE THAT YOU HAVE CALLED HOME.
AND CERTAINLY I NEVER TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED BECAUSE THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT MAKES THIS COMMUNITY STRONG.
AND THEN WE ULTIMATELY AS A TEAM ARE COMMITTED TO SERVICE DELIVERY TO OUR PUBLIC, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THAT EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT SERVICE.
SO LIKE DR. ARMSTRONG, I'M, I TOO AM LOOKING BEYOND THIS INITIAL TRANSITION TIME AND WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE AS THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND CONTINUALLY LOOKING AT PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CROSS TRAINING SO THAT ULTIMATELY AS A COUNTY GOVERNMENT, WE CAN AVOID A SINGLE, SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE AND HAVE CROSS TRAINING AND REDUNDANCIES BUILT IN.
AND THEN RECOGNIZING THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS.
AND DR. ARMSTRONG MENTIONED THAT A LITTLE BIT, AND YOU'LL SEE LATER ON IN THIS PRESENTATION, WE DO HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL NEEDS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY IN TIME WORKING SIDE BY SIDE AND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, YOU AS A COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPING A COMMON STRATEGIC VISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE? WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO? HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE IN THE COMING YEARS? AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED, UH, IN MY FOUR MONTHS IS OPPORTUNITIES TO RESTRUCTURE SO THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THE TALENTS OF OUR TEAM TO A MUCH, MUCH STRONGER EXTENT.
AND SO ULTIMATELY WE'VE MADE A TRANSITION TO WHERE I HAVE A SEPARATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES WITH MY TWO DEPUTIES WHO I INTRODUCED EARLIER, BUT RECOGNIZING THAT ULTIMATELY THE WORK OF OUR COUNTY IS MUCH MORE THAN CAN BE DONE WITH, UH, THE STRUCTURE THAT WE HAD IN THE PAST.
AND SO WE HAVE SPECIFIC JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED TO ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS THE OPERATIONS.
AND SO FEEL THAT THIS IS A REALLY STRONG STRUCTURE THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE GREATER SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, BE RESPONSIVE, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW, UH, UH, IN A POSITIVE WAY TO SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME IS UNDERSTANDING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND HOW THINGS ARE GOING FOR YOU AS A CITIZEN, AS YOU EXPERIENCE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND INTERACT WITH OUR FOLKS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ELEVATED IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM YOU HOW ARE THINGS GOING? WHAT ARE THINGS THAT WE AS A COUNTY GOVERNMENT NEED TO DO BETTER? UH, ULTIMATELY, WHERE ARE THINGS GOING EXTREMELY WELL AND HOW CAN WE CELEBRATE THAT? WHO ARE THE TEAMMATES WHO ARE DOING AMAZING THINGS AND HOW CAN WE RECOGNIZE THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO DOING AWESOME WORK FOR OUR COMMUNITY? SO ULTIMATELY, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
IF YOU GET A MOMENT, TAKE A PICTURE OF THIS, PROVIDE US WITH SOME FEEDBACK BECAUSE ULTIMATELY YOUR VOICE MATTERS.
AND ULTIMATELY WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE IS LIKE SO THAT WE CAN ADJUST AS NEED BE FROM A COUNTY GOVERNMENT STANDPOINT.
YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS THAT DO WORK FOR OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
AND SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THOSE FOLKS FOR YOU TODAY AND RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK OF OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER STAFF.
AND SO WE HAVE SEVERAL FOLKS IN THAT STAFF WHO ARE ALL CERTIFIED INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL PERMIT TECHNICIANS, AND THESE LADIES ARE AMAZING.
AND I HEAR TREMENDOUS FEEDBACK ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THEY DO TO NAVIGATE THE COMPLEX AND CONVOLUTED SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE WITH PLANS OF DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING INSPECTIONS AND ALL THE INTRICACIES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PROCESS.
AND SO HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THOSE LADIES WHO DO AMAZING WORK.
WE HAVE SOME BUILDING OFFICIALS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE CREATION OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODES.
ALL RIGHT, HERE IN GLAND COUNTY, BOTH GARY FISHER AND CASEY LITTLEFIELD ARE LEADING THE WAY WHEN IT COMES TO CO COMPLIANCE AND THE PROFESSIONALISM THEY DISPLAY ON A NATIONAL AND AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.
AND YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT GLAND DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES, MILLS JONES SITS ON THE STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND GREG PETERS IS IN HERE, A COLLEAGUE OF MINE FROM BACK IN MY PREVIOUS, UH, SCHOOL DIVISIONS.
AND GREG HAD THE CHANCE TO WORK WITH MILLS.
AND WE KNOW THAT MILLS IS A TREMENDOUS TALENT.
[00:45:01]
OUT TO OUR STAFF WHO DO GREAT WORK EVERY DAY, INCLUDING VOLUNTEERING WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT, IN OUR ANIMAL CARE AND PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE TWO PART-TIME VETERINARIANS.
WE HAVE A FULL-TIME VET TECHNICIAN AND WE ALSO HAVE A FULLY OPERATIONAL VETERINARY WING.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENS AT HIDDEN ROCK ON FAIRGROUNDS ROAD? MY FOURTH DAY ON THE JOB, I WALK IN THERE AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEY'RE OPERATING ON A CAT THAT WAS GIVING BIRTH AND HAVING A HARD TIME.
IT WAS LIKE Y'ALL WERE DOING THAT AND IT WAS REALLY COOL COLLABORATION WITH INTERNS FROM VIRGINIA TECH.
SO HERE WE ARE DEVELOPING THE POTENTIAL OF FUTURE PROFESSIONALS IN GLAND AND DOING GREAT WORK FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO SOME OF THE RESPONDENTS THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM OUR SURVEY, DID YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE RECEIVED EXCELLENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST 90 DAYS WITH OUR SURVEYS.
AND SO REALLY PROUD AGAIN OF OUR TEAM AND SO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE US WITH THAT FEEDBACK.
AND HERE'S SOMETHING THAT I BET YOU NOBODY IN THIS ROOM KNOWS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, WE HAVE DMV SERVICES THAT OUR COMMISSIONER REVENUE DOES.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT HOW THE NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS THAT OUR COMMISSIONER REVENUE AND OUR DMV STAFF DO OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR AND THE COURSE OF THE MONTH, WE HAVE THE MOST TRANSACTIONS PROCESSED IN THE STATE OUT OF THE 62 DMV SELECT LOCATIONS.
THEY'RE PROCESSING OVER 600 TRANSACTIONS A MONTH RIGHT HERE IN GLAND.
SO HUGE SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF OUR FOLKS DOING AMAZING WORK.
PUBLIC UTILITIES, THAT'S A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION IN A LOT OF PLACES ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT 85% OF OUR COMMUNITY, MOST OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE WELL IN SEPTIC, BUT WE DO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CUSTOMERS WHO ARE SERVED BY MUNICIPAL WATER EITHER WITH US OR AQUA VIRGINIA.
AND SO YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT IN THE TUCKAHOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT, THERE ARE OVER 122 MILES OF WATER MAINE AND 120 MILES OF SEWER MAINE BURIED IN THE GROUND PROVIDING SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS EVERY DAY.
SO HUGE SHOUT OUT TO OUR UTILITIES TEAM AND ELIZABETH WHO PROVIDES THAT LEADERSHIP.
SO LITTLE THINGS ABOUT COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAT MAYBE YOU DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE YOU GOT HERE TODAY.
THE TUCKAHOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT IS SOMETHING THAT GETS SOME ATTENTION AND CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING MOST RECENTLY.
AND SO AS WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE TOPICS LATER ON TONIGHT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO NOTE THAT WE ARE SLATED TO PAY OFF THAT DEBT.
THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT LIFT BY OUR COMMUNITY BACK IN THE DAY.
BUT WITH SOME STRONG LEADERSHIP, WE ARE ABLE TO RESTRUCTURE THAT DEBT AND WE ARE FULLY POISED AND READY TO PAY OFF THAT DEBT BY 2030.
AND WITH CONTINUED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES TO PAY OFF THAT DEBT SOONER, WHICH ULTIMATELY WOULD RESULT IN A TAX SAVINGS OF 32 CENTS ON THE HUNDRED FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE PART OF THE TUCKAHOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT.
OUR FIRE AND RESCUE AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, BOTH IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND IN OUR FIRE RESCUE TEAM, JUST DO EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY ON THE FRONT LINES AND RUN INTO THE FACE OF DANGER WHEN NOBODY ELSE WOULD DO THAT NEED TO BE APPLAUDED AND RECOGNIZED, HELD ON HIGH AND CELEBRATED.
AND SO WE CONTINUE TO SEE AN INCREASE IN NEED FOR THESE SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND YEAR OVER YEAR, THERE WAS A 6% INCREASE OVER CALL VOLUME WITH A 54% INCREASE IN THE TOTAL FIRE RESCUE CALL VOLUME OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
SO OUR COMMUNITY IS CHANGING, BUT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF FIRE AND RESCUE ARE RISING TO THE CHALLENGE, RISING TO THE OCCASION AND PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT OUR FIRE RESCUE TEAM WILL PROVIDE AND INSTALL FREE SMOKE ALARMS. SO IF YOU NEED A SMOKE ALARM OR KNOW A NEIGHBOR WHO NEEDS A SMOKE ALARM, REACH OUT TO OUR TEAM AND WE'RE HAPPY TO COME AND INSTALL THOSE FOR YOU.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR CALLS OVER THE 2025 CALENDAR YEAR ARE RELATED TO EMS RESPONSE.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME FIRE RESPONSES, BUT THEY ARE NOT JUST HOUSE FIRES, THEY ARE LARGELY HAZMAT TRAFFIC INCIDENTS OR FIRE ALARMS. SO IT'S A VARIETY OF CALLS THAT FALL INTO THAT GREEN BUCKET.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GOT SOME ATTENTION RECENTLY IN THE, UH, IN THE NEWS MEDIA.
AND SO I CAN REMEMBER EARLY ON IN JUNE, CHIEF FERGUSON CAME TO ME AND SAID, DR.
RAILEY, WE HAVE AN IDEA ON HOW WE CAN PROVIDE SOME LIFESAVING BLOOD TO FAMILIES AND PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM IN THE TIME OF THEIR THEIR GREATEST NEED.
AND WE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT A BUDGET INCREASE.
WE CAN USE CURRENT RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT IF SOMEONE REALLY NEEDS BLOOD SERVICES, THEY CAN GET THEM.
AND SO HUGE SHOUT OUT TO OUR TEAM WHO'S PROVIDING THE GIFT OF LIFE TO SOMEONE IN A TIME OF NEED AND PROVIDING BLOOD.
IT'S A COLLABORATION WITH A MULTITUDE OF ENTITIES INCLUDING CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE AND INOVA HOSPITAL.
SO CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU TO THE TEAM WHO'S MAKING THIS HAPPEN AND PROVIDING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOMEONE SHOULD THEY EVER NEED THEM.
SO HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE LEADERSHIP THAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW WE AS A SMALL RURAL COMMUNITY ARE LEADING THE WAY.
SO FROM A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT STANDPOINT, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT WHEN IT
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COMES TO PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR OUR FIRE RESCUE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES.THAT BEING A STATION THAT'S BEING BUILT ON, UH, SANDY HOOK ROAD AND WHITEHALL, WHICH IS TO THE NORTH OF HERE.
WE HAVE, UH, COMPLETED THE ARCHITECTURE IN THE DESIGN PROCESS OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE REALLY CLOSE TO GETTING THIS THING OUT TO BID HERE IN ANOTHER COUPLE WEEKS OR, OR MAYBE A MONTH OR TWO.
AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO DO BEFORE WE PUT THIS OUT TO BID, BUT ULTIMATELY WE'RE EXPECTING TO START CONSTRUCTION, UH, SOON ON THAT PROJECT AND HAVE THAT OPEN IN SUMMER OF 2027.
SO THAT'S A NEW STATION EIGHT.
AND THEN ALSO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A NEW STATION SEVEN, WHICH IS ON HOCKET ROAD AGAIN AND BEING A THREE BAY STATION, WE ARE CURRENTLY SOLICITING BIDS FOR ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THAT.
AND WE EXPECT TO AWARD THAT CONTRACT IN LATE 2025 AND THEN ULTIMATELY MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROCESS OF CREATING THE DESIGN DOCUMENTS TO GO OUT TO BID IN THE FUTURE.
SO A LOT OF WORK HAPPENING ON BOTH STATION SEVEN AND STATION EIGHT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AMANDA MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE A 200 YEAR OLD COURTHOUSE.
I THINK IT'S THE SECOND ACTIVE COURTHOUSE IN USE HERE IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
AND IT HAS SERVED US AND SERVED US WELL.
BUT ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WITH THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE FOR SECURITY SERVICES AND OTHER COURT SERVICES, THERE'S A NEED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, UH, BUILD A NEW COURTHOUSE.
THIS WAS A PART OF THE BOND REFERENDUM THAT DR. ARMSTRONG MENTIONED.
AND SO ULTIMATELY WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME WORK, UH, IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS OUT TO BID AND START TO BE TO DO THE DESIGN PROCESS.
THE BOARD WILL HEAR A PRESENTATION TOMORROW AT THEIR BOARD MEETING ON THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND ULTIMATELY GET THIS BALL ROLLING DOWN THE ROAD SO THAT WE CAN PROGRESS AND, AND HAVE THAT PROJECT UNDERWAY.
UH, OLD GUC AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS NEXT DOOR TO US HERE, RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD.
THAT IS A SCHOOL THAT WAS ABANDONED WHENEVER WE BUILT A NEW GES.
AND SO ULTIMATELY, WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO DECIDE WHAT THE NEXT BEST STEPS AND USAGE OF THAT IS AND SOME OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS I WANTED TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR AWARENESS.
TONIGHT IS THE BOOSTER PUMP STATION THAT'S GONNA PROVIDE INCREASED SERVICES TO OUR EAST END, AS WELL AS THE ACQUISITION OF FUTURE FIRE RESCUE APPARATUS OF COMMUNICATIONS TOWER IN EASTERN, EASTERN GOOCHLAND, FUTURE LAND ACQUISITION FOR BEST USES IN THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS PARKS AND RECREATION NEEDS AND ONGOING TRANSPORTATION NEEDS.
I DO WANNA PROVIDE SOME AWARENESS TO YOU ABOUT THE PUBLIC UTILITIES MASTER PLAN THAT IS UNDERWAY.
AND SO ULTIMATELY WE'RE REVIEWING THAT REPORT RIGHT NOW AND EXPECTING TO PRESENT THAT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.
THAT'S GONNA BE A LONG-TERM PLAN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF GLAND'S UTILITY NEEDS THAT IS EXPECTED TO BE PRESENTED PUBLICLY IN EARLY 2026, AS WELL AS SOME WORK THAT'S ONGOING RIGHT NOW WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN.
WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER COMMUNITY MEETING THAT WILL TAKE PLACE SOON HERE IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR WITH A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD IN LATE 2025.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SHOUT OUT WAS CARL LACEY AND HIS TEAM.
WHENEVER WE DID A SURVEY OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAD SOME PRETTY STRONG RESPONSES AND OVER 300 PEOPLE SAID THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE FOLKS WHO COMPLETED THAT SURVEY SAID THAT OUR PARKS, OUR GOLAND COUNTY PARKS, ARE VERY WELL MAINTAINED.
SO THANK YOU, CARL, AND YOUR TEAM FOR WHAT YOU DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SAFE SPACE FOR FOLKS TO UTILIZE IN OUR COMMUNITY NOT KNOWING THE COMPOSITION OF OUR AUDIENCE TONIGHT.
UH, MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE BROADBAND, BUT SOME OF YOU MAY NOT HAVE BROADBAND INTERNET.
AND SO THIS COUNTY MADE A SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENT LONG AGO TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE WHO WANTED BROADBAND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET BROADBAND INTERNET.
AND SO PAUL DRUMRIGHT, WHO'S IN OUR AUDIENCE TONIGHT, HAS LED THE WAY IN COLLABORATION WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO REALLY DO SOME AMAZING THINGS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE GREATER ACCESS TO BROADBAND.
AND SO I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT A PROJECT THAT STARTED IN PHASE ONE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE CONSTRUCTION AND GETTING ALL THE FIBER IN THE GROUND FOR THAT PHASE, AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE AREAS IN BLUE AND PURPLE AND GREEN WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF 2025.
AND SO FROM THERE, WE'RE CONNECTING HOUSE AFTER HOUSE AFTER HOUSE.
SO A LOT OF THE REALLY HEAVY LIFTING WILL BE COMPLETED WITH THESE AREAS AT THE END OF 2025.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER AREA AS NOTED BY THESE RED DOTS THAT STILL DO NOT HAVE BROADBAND SERVICE.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE DATES ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF WHEN WE'RE EXPECTING TO START TO MAKE CONNECTIONS TO THOSE AREAS.
AND WHEN CONSTRUCTION'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE, YOU HAVE ON THIS SLIDE, PAUL DRUMRIGHT, WHO'S YOUR CONTACT.
SO IF YOU'RE HAVING A CHALLENGE GETTING BROADBAND ACCESS OR YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, PAUL'S YOUR GUY, REACH OUT TO THEM AND HE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP YOU.
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ON ASHLAND ROAD IN A WHILE, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ORANGE BARRELS AND A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION THAT'S TAKEN PLACE.
SO THE ROCKVILLE OPPORTUNITY CORRIDOR AND THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE TO PREPARE FOR THE DIVERGENT DIAMOND IS HAPPENING.
AND A LOT OF PROGRESS HAS HAPPENED HERE WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS.
SPECIFICALLY THE COMPLETION OF A TURN LANE TO THE WESTBOUND INTERSTATE 64
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RAMP THAT IS DONE, AND WE'RE HOPING VERY, VERY SOON THAT WE GET THAT TEMPORARY TRAFFIC LIGHT.AS YOU COME OFF THE EASTBOUND RAMP, YOU COME OFF THE EASTBOUND RAMP, YOU COME UP TO THE BRIDGE, YOU TURN LEFT TO RIGHT, REALLY HARD TO TURN LEFT.
SOMETIMES THAT LIGHT'S GONNA BE REALLY BENEFICIAL.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT'S GONNA BE TURNED ON BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
SO SOME TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT DIVERGENT DIAMOND IS A SIGNI SIGNIFICANT PROJECT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE THE CURRENT STATUS.
WE HAVE, UH, SOME EXPECTED START DATES OF 27 WITH THE COMPLETION OF EARLY SPRING OF 2029 FOR THAT MAJOR PROJECT.
THIS IS A LIST OF ALL THE PROJECTS TAKING PLACE IN THE ROCKVILLE OPPORTUNITY CORRIDOR.
YOU CAN SEE A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, NOT JUST AT THE AMAZON FACILITY, BUT ALSO UP THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT WITH SOME IMPROVEMENTS AT AXIAL ROCKVILLE 64.
AND SO THAT'S A CONTINUED PROCESS WHERE WE WILL MAKE ENHANCEMENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS FOR OUR MOTORISTS WHO ARE IN THAT AREA.
ANOTHER PROJECT HERE IN THE COURTHOUSE AREA THAT SOME OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT IS, IS THE EXTENSION OF FAIRGROUND ROAD.
THAT'S GONNA BE A SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT FOR TRAFFIC AS WELL AS SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT PROJECT RIGHT NOW IS IN DESIGN, EXPECTING TO START A COUPLE YEARS OUT WITH A PRETTY LONG HORIZON OF COMPLETION IN WINTER 2030.
UH, BUT THAT'S GONNA BE A PRETTY EXCITING PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED HERE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
H ROAD ALIGNMENT, WHICH IS IN MANY OF YOUR BACKYARDS AND CLOSE BY, UH, IS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN ON THE BOOKS IN MANY FOR MANY YEARS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S CURRENTLY IN DESIGN, AND SO EXPECTED TO START IN 27 WITH AN ESTIMATED COMPLETION IN THE EARLY SPRING OF 2029.
UH, SOME COURTHOUSE SIDEWALK WORK THAT'S TAKEN PLACE CURRENTLY IN DESIGN WITH A 2027 START DATE WITH A FALL OF 2028 COMPLETION DATE FAIRGROUNDS, MAIDEN ROAD.
MANY OF YOU BROUGHT THAT IN, I'M SURE TODAY WHEN YOU CAME HERE.
AND SO THAT'S A FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION THAT, UH, CERTAINLY NEEDS IMPROVEMENTS AND THAT IS SLATED TO BE IMPROVED IN TIME.
ULTIMATELY, THAT'S REALLY EARLY.
I THINK WE JUST GOT FUNDING FOR THAT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
SO, UH, THAT TAKES A WHILE, WHILE TO BE ABLE TO DO THE DESIGN.
AND SO WE'LL KEEP THIS GROUP UPDATED ALONG THE WAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING WHERE YOU WANT TO BUY GASOLINE, I ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN A HENRICO GAS STATION AND A GOLAND GAS STATION TO BUY GAS AND GOOCHLAND, BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT, THAT SOME OF THAT MONEY COMES BACK TO US AND WE CAN USE FOR THESE PROJECTS THAT I SHARED, AS WELL AS OTHER PROJECTS THAT ULTIMATELY WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IN TIME.
SO SINCE 2020, WE'VE REALIZED A TOTAL OF $13.7 MILLION THAT WE CAN UTILIZE FOR LOCAL ROAD PROJECTS AS A RESULT OF THIS REVENUE STREAM.
SO ULTIMATELY, UH, THIS CERTAINLY HELPS US.
SO YOU THINK ABOUT BUYING LOCAL, BUYING LOCAL FOR MANY REASONS, INCLUDING GASOLINE.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT THERE IS AN ELECTION COMING UP.
AND SO ULTIMATELY WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR VOTING THAT TAKES PLACE HERE LOCALLY RIGHT NOW, PRIOR TO THE ELECTION ON THAT TUESDAY.
UH, IT TAKES PLACE AT THE GLAND SPORTS COMPLEX, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THE GLAND COUNTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
YOU CAN SEE THE HOURS LISTED ON THIS SLIDE, AND YOU CAN VOTE EARLY ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST.
HERE'S AN INTERESTING STAT FOR YOU.
AS OF THE MORNING OF OCTOBER THE SIXTH, WHICH WAS THIS MORNING, WE HAVE HAD ALMOST 2,421 VOTERS HAD BEEN SERVED FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
SO WE HAD, I THINK IT'S KICKED OFF ON THE 19TH OF SEPTEMBER IS WHEN IT STARTED.
SO JUST OVER A FEW SHORT WEEKS, WE'VE HAD OVER 2000 FOLKS WHO HAVE VOTED EARLY.
SO THAT'S AN OPTION FOR YOU IN CASE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THAT.
OUR PARKS AND RECREATION TEAM DOES AN AMAZING JOB PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND BE ONE.
UH, IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING TO DO ON A SATURDAY AND YOU'RE UNCERTAIN, COME TO THE COURTHOUSE AND DO SOME, UH, AMAZING FALL ACTIVITIES.
YOU HAVE A LIST HERE OF A CONCERT THAT WE'RE GONNA HOLD ON OCTOBER THE 24TH.
THAT'S GOING TO BE NEARBY HERE AT THE OLD GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TRACK FIELD, AS WELL AS A TRICK OR TREAT, AND A COUNTY FALL FESTIVAL.
SO STOP BY AND PARTICIPATE IN THOSE ACTIVITIES.
AN ANIME CONVENTION, A TUCKER TURKEY TROT.
IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO TUCKER PARK, CHECK IT OUT.
SO THAT'S RIGHT HERE IN OUR BACKYARD.
ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO, A HOLIDAY MARKET AS WELL AS OUR TREE LIGHTING, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER THE FIFTH AT SIX 30.
AND THAT'S AT THE ROUNDABOUT, ALSO KNOWN AS NAPA FIELD.
SOME SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IS WE HAVE, UH, SOME RECYCLING OPPORTUNITIES FOR A TIRE AMNESTY, SPECIFICALLY
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A VARIETY OF TIRES.BUT IF YOU'RE IN THE AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY AND YOU HAVE OLD TRACTOR TIRES, YOU CAN DROP THEM OFF.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW, GETTING RID OF TRACTOR TIRES IS REALLY, REALLY HARD 'CAUSE THEY'RE EXTREMELY DURABLE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO TAKE 'EM.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO ACCEPT OUR AGRICULTURE AND OUR TRACTOR TIRES, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR DOCUMENT SHREDDING.
AND ALL OF THIS IS, IS PART OF THE TAXES THAT YOU PAY AND THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO YOU AS COUNTY RESIDENTS.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE HERE IN THE CENTER OF OUR COUNTY.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO OFFER A BAGGED LEAF AMNESTY.
THEY HAVEN'T TURNED EVERYWHERE, BUT BY THE, THEY'RE FALLING.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA OFFER SOME AMNESTY FOR YOU.
IF YOU WANNA BAG UP YOUR LEAVES AND BRING 'EM TO THE LANDFILL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR 'EM.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE DATES THERE ON NOVEMBER THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH, AS WELL AS DECEMBER 6TH AND SEVENTH.
SO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU'RE CLEANING UP YOUR YARD.
I WANNA TRANSITION FOR A MOMENT AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND AS WE KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME RECENT ENGAGEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY RELATED TO THE LOCATION, THE TYPE AND THE DETAILS ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT WE ARE DOING AS A COUNTY WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, ONE MAY ASK, WELL, WHY, WHY? WHY IS THIS SUCH A TOPIC? WELL, IT'S A TOPIC FOR MANY, MANY REASONS, MANY REASONS.
AND SO ULTIMATELY, IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO QUALITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY, QUALITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN THE DESIGNATED GROWTH AREAS, IN THE AREAS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IT ALLOWS US AS A COMMUNITY TO HAVE DIVERSITY IN THE REVENUE THAT WE GENERATE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT HERE THIS EVENING.
AND SO, ULTIMATELY, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT REVENUE AND HOW YOU THINK ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY, THE SERVICES NEEDED FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ARE MORE, TAKE MORE THAN IT TAKES FOR A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO ULTIMATELY, IF WE CAN DISTRIBUTE OUR REVENUE PORTFOLIO IN A BETTER WAY, WHERE WE HAVE GREATER COMMERCIAL REVENUE IN COMPARISON TO RESIDENTIAL REVENUE, THAT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES BY KEEPING TAX RATES LOW AND KEEPING THE WAY OF LIFE THAT WE'VE COME TO KNOW HERE AND LOVE AS GLANDS.
SO RIGHT NOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT DISTRIBUTION, WE'RE CURRENTLY RECEIVING 82% OF OUR TAX REVENUE FROM RESIDENTIAL SOURCES WHILE 18% IS COMING FROM COMMERCIAL.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, THE THINGS THAT WE DO AS COUNTY GOVERNMENT, IS LARGELY BORN ON THE BACKS OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE PAYING THEIR PROPERTY TAXES.
AND SO IF WE CAN SHIFT SOME OF THAT TO COMMERCIALS, AND THAT ALLOWS THAT BURDEN TO BE SHARED MORE RATHER THAN ON THE BACKS OF US AS HOMEOWNERS.
AND SO ULTIMATELY, THE GOAL OF THE SUPERVISORS HAS BEEN A 70 30 SPLIT WITH 70% OF REVENUE COMING FROM RESIDENTIAL AND 30% COMING FROM COMMERCIAL.
WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL THAT ELI LILLY HAS CHOSEN GLAND COUNTY.
YOU THINK OF A HIGH QUALITY, WELL-KNOWN AND RESPECTED, UH, COMPANY, ELI LILLY, IS IT.
AND SO WHEN WE ATTENDED THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, THE CEO SAID THAT THERE WERE OVER 400 REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION OVER 40 STATES, AND THEY CHOSE GLIN.
AND WE'RE CERTAINLY THANKFUL FOR THAT.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO BE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, AN OPPORTUNITY THAT'S A $5 BILLION INVESTMENT IN GLAND COUNTY THAT'S GOING TO BRING 650 PERMANENT JOBS.
AS DR. ARMSTRONG MENTIONED, HIGH PAYING PROFESSIONAL JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND SOME TEMPORARY JOBS IN THE 1800 RANGE.
THERE'S ALSO SOME OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT'S TAKING PLACE THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT.
THIS IS A WEST CREEK COMMERCE CENTER.
AND SO THIS IS WAREHOUSE SPACE.
IT'S AVAILABLE IN WEST CREEK WITH EXPECTED COMPLETION IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2026.
AND THIS IS THE MOST RECENT PICTURE THAT WE HAVE OF THE AMAZON FACILITY THAT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON ASHLAND ROAD.
THAT'S A 3.1 MILLION SQUARE FOOT FULFILLMENT CENTER IN THE ROCKVILLE OPPORTUNITY COORDINATOR, ANOTHER STRONG CORPORATE PARTNER OF OURS HERE IN GLAND, WHICH IS GOING TO BRING 1000 FULL-TIME IN PART-TIME JOBS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S SOME OTHER DEVELOPMENT THAT'S TAKING PLACE THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN AS YOU HEAD NORTH ON ASHLAND ROAD.
AND SO THIS IS THE AXIAL ROCKVILLE 64 PROJECT.
UH, YOU HAVE SOME RENDERINGS HERE OF WHAT THOSE BUILDINGS WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN FULLY BUILT OUT.
AND SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOME SIGNIFICANT SQUARE FOOTAGE IN BOTH BUILDINGS, ONE AND TWO.
AND SO WE ARE DIVERSE FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT IN SOME WAYS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE JUST ANNOUNCED RECENTLY WAS COMPANY DELTA CITATION, WHO'S BUILDING TWO NEW WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE BUILDINGS IN MIDPOINT INDUSTRIAL PARK.
AND THAT'S AN INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT WE HAVE IN THE WESTERN PART OF GLAND OUT IN HAYDENVILLE.
SO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN A PART OF OUR CONVERSATIONS IN THIS COMMUNITY LONG BEFORE I ARRIVED HERE, AND LONG BEFORE MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM ARRIVED
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HERE IN GLAND DATING BACK TO 1975.AND SO IN 1975, THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A PLANNED SERVICE AREA FOR EASTERN GLAND.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN 50 YEARS.
AND SO AFTER THAT, THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS IN 1987 ABOUT REZONING SOME INDUSTRIAL LAND TO CREATE THE WEST CREEK BUSINESS PARK.
AND SO IN 1995, AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, THERE WAS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MOTOROLA COMING TO GLAND, WHICH DID NOT HAPPEN.
BUT THAT PROMPTED THE CREATION OF THE TUCKAHOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE EARLIER TONIGHT.
AND SO IN 2015, MOST RECENTLY, THE COUNTY ADOPTED ITS 2035 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WAS A FORECAST AND A FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACH TO WHAT WE WANTED GROWTH TO BE IN GLAND COUNTY.
AND THAT PLAN DESIGNATED THE EASTERN AREA AS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR GLAND COUNTY.
AND SO, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS, AND MANY OF YOU HERE ARE HERE TONIGHT, I'M SURE, TO TALK ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY OVERLAY DISTRICT AND THE CONCEPT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY BACK IN JULY.
AND SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY BE SEEING THIS SLIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME, OR MAYBE HEARING ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY OVERLAY DISTRICT FOR THE FIRST TIME, UH, CONCEPTUALLY, THE TECHNOLOGY OVERLAY DISTRICT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS FOR RESIDENTIAL ZONING BEYOND CURRENT BUYRIGHT ZONING THAT'S TAKING PLACE CURRENTLY IN THE AREAS THAT YOU SEE ON THIS MAP IN WHITE.
UH, IT IS LOCATED IN AREAS THAT CAN SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO, AS I NOTED EARLIER, PRIME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DONE THE RIGHT WAY IN THE RIGHT AREAS OF GLIN, UH, HELP TO MAINTAIN THE RURAL NATURE OF OUR COMMUNITY, DIVERSIFY THE TAX BASE, INCREASE COMPETITIVENESS FOR SITES, AND, AND ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAND IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SHARED WITH OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT THE TOD ALLOWS FOR BALANCED PROTECTIONS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME BRINGING INVESTMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE WORKING ON HARD AS A STAFF, AS WE PREPARE FOR NOVEMBER THE SIXTH, IS CREATING BEST IN CLASS SAFEGUARDS FOR NEARBY RESIDENTS, UH, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME CREATING A BALANCE FOR, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
CONCENTRATING THAT GROWTH IN WEST CREEK, IN THE EASTERN CORRIDOR, WHICH HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION DATING BACK TO 1975, OPPORTUNITIES TO PAY DOWN THE TCSD DEBT, PROTECT THE RURAL NATURE OF GLAND WITH 85% REMAINING RURAL, DIVERSIFYING THE TAX BASE, STAYING COMPETITIVE AND SUSTAINING REVENUE SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WERE OUTLINED EARLIER TONIGHT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE RESCUE SCHOOLS, AND A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT TONIGHT.
ULTIMATELY, WE BELIEVE THAT BALANCE IS IMPORTANT IN STRIKING THAT BALANCE BY CREATING THE GOLD STANDARD WHEN IT COMES TO SAFEGUARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS AND ZONING REQUIREMENTS THAT WILL DRIVE QUALITY INVESTMENT TO DESIGNATED GROWTH AREAS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PRESERVING, UM, THE, THE NATURE THAT WE HAVE IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE NEARBY.
SO THERE'S BEEN A PROCESS THAT'S HAPPENED RELATED TO THIS TOPIC, DATING BACK TO JULY THE 17TH, WHICH IS THE FIRST COMMUNITY MEETING THAT HAPPENED.
UH, FROM THERE WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING IN THIS ROOM ON SEPTEMBER THE EIGHTH, PLANNING COMMISSION MEET, HAD TWO MEETINGS ON BOTH THE 18TH AND THE 25TH, AND THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR PERSPECTIVE FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT ULTIMATELY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ARE GOING TO CONSIDER ON NOVEMBER THE SIXTH.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF OUTREACH, AS WE KNOW WITH COMMUNITY MEETINGS, INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, UH, WE'VE DONE SOME ASSESSMENTS AND RESEARCH.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AS STAFF TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT ITERATION OF THE WORK.
UH, BUT ULTIMATELY WE'VE HAD A VERY ENGAGED COMMUNITY AND THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MEET SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS THAT WE WOULD'VE NEVER MET HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AT THE SEPTEMBER 8TH MEETING, IF YOU REMEMBER, MANY OF YOU WERE IN THIS ROOM AND WE HAD CARDS, AND WE WALKED THROUGH THE CARDS AND I ANSWERED QUESTIONS.
AND SO WE COLLECTED ALL THOSE CARDS, ANALYZED THOSE THEMES, AND SO YOU SEE ON THIS SCREEN HERE THE DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE THEMES BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT WE HEARD FROM SEPTEMBER THE EIGHTH.
AND I WILL SAY THAT GIVEN, UM, THE CO CORRESPONDENCE THAT WE'VE HAD IN MANY WAYS THROUGH EMAIL AND PHONE CALLS AND OTHER WAYS, THE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE COMMENTS REALLY REMAINS THE SAME.
UH, THERE ARE, THESE ARE THE MAJOR BUCKETS OF ISSUES THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM, FROM OUR COMMUNITY RELATED TO TO NOISE, UH, BUYRIGHT DEVELOPMENT, UTILITIES, BUFFERS, HEIGHTS, PROPERTY VALUES, RURAL CHARACTER, AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE COME TO THE FOREFRONT, SPECIFICALLY AROUND ENERGY GENERATION.
SO THESE ARE THE THEMES THAT WE ARE HEARING FROM YOU, AND ULTIMATELY WHAT WE AS A STAFF ARE INTERNALIZING AS WE CONTINUE TO DO OUR WORK.
SO IN THIS ROOM, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED THREE TO TWO.
[01:10:01]
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WHILE WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, RECOMMENDATION AS AN ADVISORY NATURE, ULTIMATELY WHAT WAS IN THAT, THAT ACTION, BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF YOUR NEIGHBORS AND, UM, HAVE SHARED WHAT THAT PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION WAS, AND SOME, SOME WERE, WERE THANKFUL TO HAVE THAT, THAT UNDERSTANDING.AND SO ULTIMATELY THE RECOMMENDATION WAS FOR THE TECHNOLOGY OVERLY DISTRICT TO, TO BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
HOWEVER, THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED FOUR THINGS.
ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THAT ENERGY GENERATING FACILITIES BE ALLOWED ONLY THROUGH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, BOTH FOR PRIMARY AND ACCESSORY USES.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT IN AREAS OF THE TECHNOLOGY OVERLAY DISTRICT WITH A CURRENT BASE ZONING OF A TWO, WHICH ARE SOME AREAS IN THE NORTHERN TECHNOLOGY OVERLAY DISTRICT AND ALSO SOUTH OF MOSAIC, THAT THOSE TWO AREAS IMPOSE A 500 FOOT SETBACK FROM RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
AND SO, UH, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY, THEY RECOMMENDED AS WELL AS LIMITING THE MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT OF 80 FEET FOR STRUCTURES LOCATED A ADJACENT TO A RESIDENTIAL ZONE PROPERTY.
AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONSIDER REDUCING THE DECIBEL LIMITS LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUSLY ADVERTISED 65 DBA AND 60 DBA.
SO THAT WAS OUR RECOMMENDATION.
AND SO ULTIMATELY NOW AS WE TRANSITION INTO THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, THE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, WILL CONSIDER THAT RECOMMENDATION.
THEY'LL CONSIDER THE FEEDBACK THAT THEY HAVE HEARD TO DATE, THEY'LL CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE AS STAFF WILL BE PREPARING FOR THEM AND ANY SORT OF, UM, UH, INFORMATION THAT THEY GET BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER THE SIXTH.
THAT WILL BE A MEETING THAT WILL BE HELD HERE IN THIS ROOM.
THEY WILL HAVE A DAY MEETING WHERE THEY'LL CONDUCT BUSINESS ON THE AGENDA THAT IS NOT THE TECHNOLOGY OVERLAY DISTRICT, AND THEY'LL COME BACK HERE, UH, FOR AN EVENING MEETING.
THE BOARD IS HOLDING A MEETING TOMORROW.
THE TECHNOLOGY OVERLAY DISTRICT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR TOMORROW.
HOWEVER, LIKE ANY MEETING THAT THE BOARD HAS, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU CAN MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE DAY MEETING.
UM, THERE IS SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA TOMORROW NIGHT WHERE STAFF IS REQUESTING THE DEFERRAL OF THE TECHNOLOGY ZONE.
AND SO THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD SO THAT THEY COULD CONSIDER THE TECHNOLOGY ZONE AND THE OVERLAY DISTRICT AT THE SAME TIME ON NOVEMBER THE SIXTH.
UH, IF YOU WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THAT TOMORROW NIGHT, YOU WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AGAIN THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO WE'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT WILL BE AT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO STAY INFORMED.
UH, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GLAND COUNTY APP.
WE ALL HAVE A LOT OF APPS ON OUR PHONES, BUT ULTIMATELY WE HAVE A GLAND COUNTY APP.
AND SO YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER NOTIFICATIONS AND ALERTS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WE SHARE, A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION.
THIS QR CODE TAKES YOU DIRECTLY TO OUR STAFF DIRECTORY.
SO IF YOU WANNA FOLLOW UP WITH THE STAFF, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AS WELL.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS A VACATION WATCH PROGRAM.
THERE ARE A LOT OF TREMENDOUS PROGRAMS THAT OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DOES.
I'VE NEVER BEEN, BUT I'VE HEARD AMAZING THINGS ABOUT IT.
IT'S A CHANCE FOR YOU TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS THAT OUR PARTNERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE DOING.
IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT ROADS ARE CLOSED, YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS GLAND COUNTY, CHECK IT OUT AND DOWNLOAD THAT APP.
UH, FIRE RESCUE ALSO HAS A WEBSITE.
IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO STAY INFORMED.
AND THEN IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO ALREADY, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SIGN UP FOR CODE RED.
THAT'S A WAY FOR US TO SEND NOTIFICATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR CRISIS SITUATIONS THAT MAY HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S A WAY FOR YOU TO STAY INFORMED RIGHT AWAY.
SO PLEASE CHECK THAT OUT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.
SO AS I SHARED, WE DO HAVE A VERY ENGAGED COMMUNITY.
THAT IS ONE OF THE MANY, MANY THINGS THAT MAKES THIS COMMUNITY GREAT AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ENGAGED CITIZENS.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN CONTINUALLY BEING ENGAGED, WE ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM.
SO IF YOU WANT TO HELP OUT DURING A CRISIS SITUATION, VOLUNTEER SUPPORT YOUR NEIGHBORS AND BE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S SOME TRAINING RELATED TO SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM, ORGANIZATION, FIRE SAFETY, DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS.
YOU CAN SEE THE INFORMATION ON THIS SLIDE AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU BE A PART OF OUR CERT TEAM.
WE ARE ALSO OFFERING BASIC FIRST AID COURSES, COMMUNITY RESPONDER FOUR HOUR COURSE.
THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THIS SATURDAY.
YOU CAN SEE THE TOPICS LISTED THERE ON THE SCREEN.
AGAIN, ANOTHER SERVICE THAT'S PROVIDED TO OUR COMMUNITY ON BEHALF OF OUR CITIZENS.
I TALKED TO SOMEONE EARLIER TODAY WHO SAID THAT HE'S INTERESTED IN BECOMING MORE ENGAGED AND MORE INVOLVED.
WELL, WE HAVE OPENINGS ON SOME OF OUR BOARDS AND SOME OF OUR COMMISSIONS, SPECIFICALLY THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION, OUR BUILDING CODE APPEALS BOARD, AS WELL AS THE RECREATION
[01:15:01]
ADVISORY COMMISSION.YOU ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER ANYWHERE ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY IF YOU WANT.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT WE HAVE 70 PEOPLE, 70 PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER AT OUR ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL CENTER, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF OUR ANIMALS.
SO WE DO HAVE AN AMAZING COMMUNITY THAT IS EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETINGS, OUR PUBLICIZED AT THIS WEBSITE SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO OUR MEETING.
SO IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT, CHECK OUT THAT WEBSITE, DOWNLOAD THE APP.
THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF WAYS TO STAY ENGAGED.
SO AS I CLOSE, WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT.
AND, UH, OUR TEAM IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ON ANY OF THE TOPICS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD THIS EVENING.
SO YOU CAN I, CAN I INTERRUPT YOU JUST BEFORE YOU START QUESTIONING? PLEASE, PLEASE.
UM, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE DELEGATE DAVID OWEN, WHO'S WITH US TONIGHT, AND, UM, ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE A GOOD JOB YOU'VE DONE FOR US AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
AND THERE'S OTHER CONCERN THAT I HAVE.
I NOTICED THAT A LOT OF YOU HAVE BEEN SLIPPING OUT AND GETTING A COOKIE AND COMING BACK.
AND I'M GONNA ASK RAY CASH IF HE'LL SAVE ME ONE
UH, SO WE, WE DO WANT TO HEAR IT FROM YOU.
WE PRESENTED A LOT OF INFORMATION.
YOU HAVE BEEN SITTING, UH, FOR A LONG WHILE.
SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE THIS EVENING OR QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, SCHOOL STAFF, COUNTY STAFF, WE DO HAVE A VARIETY OF FOLKS HERE.
PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
AND THANK YOU, UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR YOUR SERVICE.
LAURA PLI, 1746 FISHERS POND DRIVE, DISTRICT THREE BREEZE HILL SUBDIVISION.
I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING, UH, FUTURE PLANS FOR THE WIDENING A FAIRGROUND ROAD, UH, FROM THE TWO LANES THAT IT IS TO THE FOUR LANES.
AND, UM, JUST LIKE YOU GUYS TO, UM, BE COGNITIVE OF PEOPLE TAKING LEFT HAND TURNS OUT OF THE VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE BUSES.
UM, KUSAN ROAD, FOR EXAMPLE, IN HENRICO HAS LIKE THIS FIFTH LANE IN THE MIDDLE.
SO YOU, UM, IF YOU GET STUCK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE RIDING UP BEHIND YOU WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO TAKE A LEFT HAND TURN THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, REAR END YOU.
UH, THIS COUNTY'S ALREADY, UM, DESIGNATED, I BELIEVE FAIRGROUND ROAD AS MEDIUM TO HIGH DENSITY CRASH, UM, SITUATIONS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THERE.
AND THEN SECONDLY, JUST LOOKING AT ON SLIDE NINE, EXCUSE ME, SLIDE 11 TODAY FOR YOUR UPCOMING PROJECTS ON, UH, FAIRGROUND ROAD AND MAIDEN'S ROAD.
FOR THAT ROUNDABOUT, I NOTICED THAT IT LOOKS AS THOUGH IT'S ONE LANE AROUND.
SO MY QUESTION TO THE BOARDS ARE, WILL YOU BE, IS THIS A TWO STAGE STEP WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO DO A SINGLE LANE, BUT THEN WHEN YOU WIDEN FAIRGROUND ROUTE TO FOUR LANES, ARE YOU GOING TO, IS EVERYONE GOING TO NARROW INTO ONE OR IS IT GONNA BE A DOUBLE ROUNDABOUT, UH, FROM THAT SITUATION? SO I'D LIKE TO, AS YOU THINK ABOUT PLANNING FOR THAT PLAN FOR THE WIDENING INTO FOUR LANES, NOT JUST DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATE AND THEN HAVE TO GO BACK AND THEN COST MORE MONEY TO WIDEN THAT.
UM, YOU ALSO HAVE A POTENTIAL STORMWATER MAN, UM, MANAGEMENT FACILITY THERE TOO.
SO PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION IF YOU DO THE ONE LANE AND THEN YOU GOTTA WIDEN AGAIN.
AND WE HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS TO REPORT ON.
NOT AWARE OF ANY PLANS TO WIDEN FROM TWO LANES OF FOUR LANES.
IT MAY BE IN A FUTURE DOCUMENT, BUT NOTHING ON THE NEAR, NEAR TERM, BUT OKAY.
WHAT YOU SEE ON THE DOCUMENT IS CONCEPTUAL IN NATURE JUST FOR VISUALIZATION.
SO AS WE WORK WITH VDOT, WE'LL CERTAINLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT PREPARES FOR THE FUTURE.
ACCORDING TO YOUR COMPREHENSIVE, UH, 20, UH, 35 PLAN, THERE IS, UH, THE WIDENING OF FAIRGROUND ROAD TO THE FOUR LANES IS IN ONE OF YOUR TOP SEVEN.
THANK YOU FOR THE CONSIDERATION.
UM, SO WE HAD JUST DONE A FEW YEARS AGO, UH, WE DID A STUDY ON, ON FAIRGROUNDS ROAD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE COULD DO.
UM, AS IF YOU'VE HEARD ME AND ALL TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, THE COUNTY RELIES ON DEVELOPMENT TO DO OUR PROJECTS RIGHT.
TO WIDEN FAIRGROUNDS, YOU'RE TALKING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH A 7 CENTS ON A GALLON TAX AND GASOLINE.
UM, SOME GOOD NEWS THOUGH, UM, VDOT HAS, UH, THEY ALERTED US ABOUT A MONTH AGO THAT THEY HAVE FOUND SOME, SOME EXTRA DOLLARS MM-HMM
THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING SOME, UM, SOME, UH, SOME SAFETY FEATURES ON SOME DIFFERENT STRIPING, SOME RUMBLE STRIPS.
THE ONE LANE ROUNDABOUT IS WHAT WAS PROPOSED BASED ON, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS OF GROWTH, RIGHT? SO, LIKE
[01:20:01]
DR.REALLY SAID, WE, WE DO HAVE PLANS AND UH, YOU'LL SEE WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING IN THERE, ADDING ADDITIONAL TURN LANES, THE SAFEST PARTS OF GOOD OF THAT ROAD ARE WHERE WE'VE HAD THE DEVELOPMENT AND ASKED FOR THE TURN LANES TO BE BUILT.
BUT THAT REQUIRES DEVELOPMENT, WHICH REQUIRES MORE HOUSES, WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO EASE BACK ON THE RESIDENTIAL.
SO WE, IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING AND LOOKING 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE TOP TWO MOST DANGEROUS ROADS THAT WE HAVE.
AND IT, IT WILL BE A DAUNTING TASK.
JUST DO THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE LAND THERE,
MY NAME'S STEVE DOWDY, 6 3 9 MONON DRIVE.
UH, I JOINED THE, UM, THE TOD DIRECTLY ON MY PROPERTY.
I LIVE RIGHT AT RICHMOND COUNTRY CLUB.
UH, IT WAS MY IMPRESSION THAT THERE WERE THREE CHANGES RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEY WERE COVERED TONIGHT.
BUT I HAD BEEN LOOKING AT THE DETAILS OF THE TOD ONLINE AND I SEE THAT MUCH OF THE VERBIAGE THERE HAS BEEN EDITED AND CHANGED.
AND ONE THAT PARTICULARLY JUMPED OUT OUT AT ME WAS A STATEMENT THAT SAID THAT EXISTING TREES WOULD BE LEFT INTACT.
THAT THE 500, THE THE SETBACK MAY BE INCREASED TO 500 FEET.
AN EXISTING TREE LINE WOULD BE LEFT INTACT.
BUT THERE WERE LOTS OF CHANGES THERE.
I THOUGHT WE WERE MOVING FORWARD WITH WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH THREE CHANGES THEY RECOMMENDED.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT MUCH OF THE DETAIL OF THE PLAN HAS BEEN EDITED AND MODIFIED.
I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE THE GOALPOSTS BEING MOVED AS WE ARE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS? YEAH.
THANK YOU MR. DOWDY FOR YOUR QUESTION.
AND SO, YES, IT IS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION MADE THEIR RECOMMENDATION AND THERE WERE FOUR THINGS REFERENCED IN THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
AND SO OUR TASK NOW AS STAFF IS TO WORK TO PROVIDE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.
UH, AND SO THERE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDED REVISIONS AND WHEN THEY ARE READY, WE WILL POST THOSE PUBLICLY SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THE CHANGES RECOMMENDED WOULD BE BETWEEN CURRENT VERSION AND NEW VERSION.
AND DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE VERY CLEAR AND EXPLICIT AND SHOW WHERE THE RECOMMENDATION WAS IN JULY, SEPTEMBER AND ULTIMATELY WHERE IT IS IN NOVEMBER.
AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS THAT HAVE BEEN FORMED BY YOUR COMMENTS.
THE INTENT YES, IS TO INCLUDE A 250 FOOT VEGETATIVE BUFFER.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE LEAVING THE EXISTING TREES THAT ARE THERE.
UH, SO, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE DISTURBED.
THANKS FOR, UH, HAVING, HAVING THIS FORMAT.
AND, UH, I I JUST WANNA START WITH SAYING THAT THE ELI LILLY IS A TEAM WIN FOR EV FOR EVERYBODY, IN MY OPINION.
AND AS FAR AS THE TOD GOES, JUST IN, IN LIGHT OF THE PLANNINGS COMMISSION, THEIR VOTE AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY HAVE MADE, WHAT I WANT TO, UH, ASK, AND, AND MY QUESTION IS, ARE THE PROVISIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY GONNA GO BEFORE THE BOARD ROBUST ENOUGH IF A FOR THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL LAND USE OF DATA CENTER WAS GONNA BE IN ANY OF THE FOUR, ANY OF THE FIVE DISTRICTS, IS IT ROBUST ENOUGH? IS IT 500 FOOT SETBACK ENOUGH? I SAW A BILLBOARD TODAY THAT 600 FEET IS THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF A TRACTOR TRAILER ON THE INTERSTATE AT INTERSTATE SPEED.
SO DOES THAT TRANSLATE TO THE PROPER SETBACK FOR A DATA CENTER? SO JUST SOMETHING TO COMPARE IT TO.
THE 65 60, IS THAT ENOUGH OF A NOISE LIMIT IF YOU HAD A FARM NEXT TO HIGH VOLTAGE LINES IN YOUR DISTRICT? AND THEN WHEN YOU'VE ESTABLISHED THE TOD AND I WAS IN FAVOR OF THE TOD WHEN I, I HEARD ABOUT IT AND STARTED TO GET, SAY, OKAY, WHAT IS THIS GONNA LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, RIGHT.
SO PART OF MY FEEDBACK, AND THEN I'LL GET TO MY QUESTION IS THE REST OF MY QUESTION IS YOU'RE ESTABLISHING A TOD, YOU'RE ESTABLISHING SEVERAL PRECEDENTS.
YOU CAN UP UPGRADE, YOU CAN UP ZONE A TWO PROPERTY.
OKAY, THAT'S A TWO PROPERTY ANYWHERE OR JUST IN THE TOD.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS ALL YOU NEED IS TWO THINGS.
YOU NEED A FUTURE BOARD THAT'S MORE IN THE 70 30 AS A PRIORITY RATHER THAN THE 85 15 AND THEY DECIDE TO EXPAND THE TOD.
AND THERE ARE NO PROVISIONS OR
[01:25:01]
ANY INSIGHTS GIVEN TO THE COMMUNITY WHAT IS POSSIBLE EXPANSION BECAUSE PLANS CHANGE, ECONOMIC CONDITIONS CHANGE.SO WE CAN LIVE BY OUR 85 15 TODAY, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IN FIVE YEARS THAT THAT'S GONNA STILL TO CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY.
AND I MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE DATA CENTERS TODAY DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON PUBLIC WATER.
THE MA, THE MAJOR PLAYERS META, GOOGLE, ET CETERA, THEY HAVE EFFICIENCIES IN CLOSED LOOP COOLING.
THEY CAN SINK WELLS AND PROVIDE THE WATER THAT THEY NEED.
SO THE OTHER SCENARIO IS A DATA CENTER COMES IN, THEY DON'T LIKE THE FOOTPRINT IN THE CURRENT TOD AND THE DESIGNATED GROWTH AREA, AND THEY'RE GONNA MAKE AN OFFER IN OILVILLE.
THEY'RE WILLING TO RUN WATER UP THE NORTH SIDE OF 64 OUT OF THE TUCKAHOE CREEK SERVICE DISTRICT TO OILVILLE FOR A DATA CENTER.
AND THEN THEY REQUEST, WELL, WE WANT THE INCENTIVES TOO.
SO AT THAT TIME IS THAT FUTURE BOARD COULD HAVE THEN AMEND THE COMP PLAN, AMEND THE AME, UH, THE TOD OVERLAY DISTRICT FOR EXPANSION, AND THAT OPENS UP THE CALDWELL ROAD CORRIDOR AND IF THEY RUN WATER DOWN IT, THEY CAN CROSS TIE WITH THE, THE PRISON WATER SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY.
SO TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KEEPING IT ENCOMPASSED IN DISTRICTS FOUR AND FIVE.
BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK BEYOND THAT, THE DYNAMICS OF WHAT YOU SET UP, THE PRECEDENTS, YOU SET, THE EXPOSURE THEN GOES TO DISTRICTS ONE, TWO, AND THREE IN ADDITION TO FOUR AND FIVE.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU LOOK AT IF A DATA CENTER WAS COMING TO YOUR DISTRICT, ARE THESE PROVISIONS ROBUST ENOUGH AND THE CITIZENS IN DISTRICT FOUR AND FIVE DON'T BELIEVE THEY ARE? SO I THINK THAT SENTIMENT WOULD TRANSLATE INTO YOUR, YOUR CONSTITUENTS ALSO.
SO KEEPING THAT IN MIND, WE NEED THE TOD, BUT WE NEED IT WITH THE RIGHT SET OF RULES, REGULATIONS, THE RIGHT SETBACKS, THE RIGHT THE NOISE LIMITS.
I LOOK AT THOSE AND THEY LOOK MORE LIKE NOISE TARGETS.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO REAL TIME MEASURING, NO REAL TIME, UH, ENFORCEMENT.
THERE'S, THERE ARE NO PROVISIONS.
IT'S JUST A DESIGN CRITERIA THAT THE, THE DEVELOPERS ARE GONNA SHOOT FOR.
AND IT EXCLUDES THE EMERGENCY GENERATORS, WHICH ARE THE HIGHEST NOISE SOURCES.
AND THAT'S THE LESSONS LEARNED THAT OTHER LOCALITIES HAVE IS THEY NEED ENFORCEMENT AND THAT DIESELS ARE A PROBLEM.
MR. WILLIAMSON, DID YOU GET YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED? ROB, DID YOU GET YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED? WELL, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER IT.
YEAH, NO, I, I'LL, I'LL SPEAK AND ROB, THANK YOU.
YOU'VE BEEN ENGAGED FOR A, FOR A WHILE ON THIS AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
AND UH, ULTIMATELY THAT'S THE TASK IN FRONT OF US RIGHT NOW IS DEVELOPING THAT, THOSE STANDARDS, THOSE DESIGN STANDARDS THAT ULTIMATELY WE CAN, UH, ENSURE THAT WE'RE GAINING THE QUALITY DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE SEEKING AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE IN FACT, BEST IN CLASS, THAT THEY ARE BETTER THAN OTHER LOCALITIES.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY ARE THEY'RE ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN CREATE THE BALANCE THAT WE'RE SEEKING.
NONE OF US CAN SPEAK FOR WHAT A FUTURE BOARD'S GOING TO DO.
UH, THAT'S CERTAINLY ALL SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
RIGHT NOW WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US ARE THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE TOD BUT CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN.
THAT COULD BE AN EVENTUALITY, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A FUTURE BOARD WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER.
COULD WE, UH, GO BACK TO SLIDE 61? WOULD THAT BE TOO MUCH TROUBLE? WHOEVER THIS SLIDE DRIVER IS AND WHILE THEY'RE TEEING THAT UP, I'M LARRY LANE, I LIVE AT 4 0 9 REGINA LANE.
I LIVE RIGHT ON THE GOLF COURSE.
SO I ENCOURAGE ALL OF Y'ALL TO PUT YOUR BUSINESS ACUMEN HAT ON AND LET'S THINK ABOUT THE MACRO ECONOMICS OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
SOME OF YOU MAY NOT BE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THE DATA.COM BUST, BUT EVERYBODY, WHEN THE INTERNET GOT STARTED UP, THEY STARTED THROWING MONEY AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN CHARGE OF THAT WENT BROKE.
SO AI SEEMS TO BE THE SHINY BRIGHT OBJECT IN THE ROOM IN DATA CENTERS OR THE SHINY BRIGHT OBJECT IN THE ROOM AND EVERYBODY'S CHASING THAT STAR.
AND ALL THESE COUNTIES ARE LINING UP AND COMPETING FOR IT.
SO I ASK YOU, MY FIRST QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU DONE A PROBABILITY RISK ASSESSMENT? AN EVALUATION OF WHAT IF WE'RE WRONG, WE'RE GONNA GO CLEAR CUT 1200 ACRES OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TIMBER IN GLAND COUNTY THAT'S BEING ANNEXED.
IF, IF WE COULD GET SLIDE 61 UP UP, IT'D BE GREAT.
[01:30:01]
BE ANNEXED AND MADE PART OF WEST CREEK AND BE IN THIS TOD, WE'RE GONNA GO CLEAR.WHAT HAPPENS IF IT'S AI DATA CENTER BUS DOESN'T WORK.
THE STUFF GOES OBSOLETE EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
THEY GOTTA REPLACE ALL THE CHIPS.
WHAT IF, WHAT IF THESE BUSINESSES, WE BUILD IT AND SAY THEY'RE GONNA COME, BUT IT GETS SHUTTERED.
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND DO A WHAT IF SO THERE SHOULD BE SOME FORMAL ECONOMIC REVIEW OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
'CAUSE YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK.
IF WE HAD SLIDE 61, WE COULD SEE THIS.
WHAT'S SLIDE ARE YOU REFERENCING? WHAT'S THE PICTURE, MR. LANE? IT'S THE PICTURE OF THE TOD OVERLAY.
AND IT'S OKAY IF WE DON'T, BUT WHAT I WANNA SPEAK TO, AND ROB WAS SPEAKING TO HIM, IS I WANNA SPEAK TO THE FOLKS IN DISTRICTS ONE, TWO, AND THREE.
'CAUSE I THINK DISTRICTS FOUR AND FIVE ARE IN GRADE BECAUSE IT'S THIS, THIS IS BIGGER THAN, THIS IS NOT JUST AN ENVY THING.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL IT, ALL IT IS.
IF YOU CAN TAKE 1200 ACRES, THERE'S 1200 ACRES THAT ARE NOT PARTS OF WEST CREEK, WEST CREEK.
THIS PROJECT'S GONNA BE WHAT? 4,400 ACRES.
IF YOU CAN TAKE 1200 ACRES, THAT'S CURRENTLY ZONED AGRICULTURE TWO, WHICH I REVIEWED 10 YEARS AGO WHEN I MOVED TO THIS COUNTY.
AND I SAID, I ACCEPT WEST CREEK, I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WEST CREEK.
I'M GONNA PUT MY MONEY IN MY FOREVER HOME HERE IN GLAND.
AND I WAS DAMN PROUD TO BE A RESIDENT IN GLAND UNTIL I GOT THE MAIL AND STARTED STUDYING THIS TOD.
IF THIS WOULD'VE BEEN IN PLACE IN 2015 WHEN I MOVED TO GLAND, I WOULD NOT HAVE MOVED HERE.
SO HERE, HERE'S THE BIGGEST THING.
SO, SO THAT'S WHERE ROB WAS GOING.
IF IT STARTS HERE, IT CAN CASCADE UP TO OILVILLE, IT CAN CASCADE TO GUM SPRINGS.
THERE'S 500 KV LINES THAT RUN THROUGH GUM SPRINGS DOWN CALDWELL ROAD.
THERE'S LINES THAT RUN FROM, FROM, UH, OILVILLE OVER ALL AGE OF SAVANNAH LAVANA.
SO THAT'S ALL YOU NEED IS A HIGH POWER LINE.
THESE EVERYBODY FREAKS OUT ABOUT THE WATER WITH THESE NEW SYSTEMS, THESE NEW PLANTS, THESE DATA CENTERS.
I CAN DIG A COUPLE WELLS AND COME OFF A AQUIFER IN THE GROUND.
I DON'T NEED TO HAVE 20 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER PUMPING THROUGH HERE.
IT CAN DO CLOSED LOOP COOLING.
WE CAN PUT 400 FOOT COOLING TOWERS IN AND DO CLOSED LOOP COOLING SO YOU CAN SEE 'EM WHEN YOU RIDE THROUGH OILVILLE GOING TO 64.
SO I'M PLEADING WITH ALL OF YOU THAT REPRESENT DISTRICTS ONE, TWO, AND THREE AND ALL OF YOU THAT LIVE IN DISTRICTS ONE, TWO, AND THREE.
GET IN THE, GET INTO THE DISCUSSION.
THIS IS NOT A DISTRICT FIVE ISSUE.
THERE'S SOME INTERESTING STATISTICS OUT THERE.
SO, SO WE GOT, WE GOT ABOUT, UH, 27.3% OF THIS.
IT'S A BASICALLY A LAND GRAB FOR WEST CREEK.
OKAY? THE POPULATION OF GLAND IS THIR IS, UH, Y'ALL KNOW WHAT IT IS.
THIS IS 2020 DATA LIVE IN DISTRICTS FOUR AND FIVE.
OKAY? LIVE IN DISTRICTS FOUR AND FIVE.
YOU PUT THE SLIDE UP THAT SAID THAT WE'RE BEST IN CLASS.
WE ARE NOT APPROACHING THIS BEST IN CLASS IF CITIZENS CAN GO ONLINE AND DO RESEARCH AND FIND ALL THESE GAPS IN FATAL FLAWS IN THE PLAN, SUCH AS WHAT LOUDOUN COUNTY DISCOVERED, WHAT HENRICO DISCOVERED.
EVERYBODY'S PIVOTING AND BACKING OFF.
TWO MAJOR STUDIES ARE OUT THERE.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A-A-J-L-R REPORT THAT WAS DONE IN DECEMBER OF 24.
IT SAYS THAT BASICALLY IT IS ABOUT THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
IT BASICALLY SAYS DATA CENTERS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE NEAR RESIDENTS.
THERE'S A SIERRA CLUB REPORT THAT SAYS FOR LOCALITIES AND YOU'RE GONNA BUILD A DATA CENTER.
I DON'T AGREE WITH ALL OF THEM, BUT I AGREE WITH MOST OF THEM.
THERE'S GAPS IN OUR ASSESSMENTS WITH WHAT'S IN THE TOD LESSONS LEARNED FROM ALL THE COUNTIES IN VIRGINIA HAVE NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN THIS PLAN.
AND THE CITIZENS CAN GO ONLINE AND READ ALL THIS.
ALRIGHT? WE, SO WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
I, I MEAN, DON'T GET ME WRONG.
I KNOW THE STAFF IS BUSTING THEIR BUTT AND THEY'RE WORKING HARD.
[01:35:01]
GREAT STAFF.I LIKE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE FIRST RESPONDERS.
I'VE LIKED THE LEADERSHIP UP UNTIL I GOT THE LITTLE CARD IN THE MAIL THAT SAID WE'RE DOING THIS.
BUT THE, THE WORK'S NOT DONE YET.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE EITHER NEED TO PAUSE AND, AND GET THESE GAPS CLOSED OR, OR DO IT PROPERLY.
SO THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I'M SPEAKING TO.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE GIVE OTHER FOLKS A CHANCE TO SPEAK TOO.
I'VE SENT ALL OF YOU VARIOUS EMAILS.
I'VE ONLY GOT THREE RE FOUR RESPONSES.
SARAH, NEIL, JONATHAN, AND YOUR AND YOUR ADMIN FOLKS HAVE RESPONDED.
I'M NOT BEARING YOU ANY EMAILS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO SEND YOU SOME STUFF TO CONSIDER.
OKAY? SO THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE GOTTA WORK ON.
SO THAT'S MY SOAPBOX PROBABILITY RISK ASSESSMENT.
THINK BIGGER PICTURE, THINK LONG TERM.
DON'T THINK ABOUT THIS BRIGHT, SHINY OBJECT.
AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH THE MONEY? YOU PUT THE PROJECTS UP THERE.
BUT WHAT ARE WE REALLY GONNA DO WITH THE MONEY? MONEY? THAT'S MY OPEN END.
I LIVE AT 1 2 4 8 2 NORTH CROSSING DRIVE IN READERS BRANCH.
THANKS STEVE FOR HOLDING MY PHONE FOR ME SO I CAN READ CLEARLY TONIGHT.
UM, I THINK THERE ARE GAPS AND I WANT TO PICK OUT ONE OF THOSE AS A MOTHER IN PARTICULAR.
I HOPE THERE ARE A LOT OF PARENTS HERE WHO ARE LISTENING.
NIH IS A VERY RESPECTED INSTITUTION IN OUR NATION.
THEY PUT OUT A STUDY WHEREAS THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH HAS STATED FOSSIL FUELED POWER PLANTS AND DIESEL BACKUP GENERATORS THAT POWER DATA CENTERS EMIT HAZARDOUS POLLUTANTS SUCH AS NITROGEN OXIDE AND FIND PARTICULATE MATTER PM 2.5.
FOR EXAMPLE, INCREASING RATES OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES, CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS, AND ELEVATING CANCER OR RISK IN NEARBY COMMUNITIES.
HOW DO YOU PROVE TO GLIN PARENTS THAT THEIR CHILDREN WILL NOT SUCCUMB TO ILLNESSES LIKE ASTHMA, ALLERGIES AND OR LEARNING DISABILITIES DUE TO THESE EXPOSURES, EVEN THOUGH GLIN HIGH SCHOOL IS LIKE STILL ON? CAN YOU HEAR ME? EVEN THOUGH GULA HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ALL THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE LOCATED, I'M NEAR NINE TO 25 MILES FROM THE TECHNOLOGY OVERLAY DISTRICT, WELL WITHIN THE RANGE FOR INHALING THESE HAZARDOUS POLLUTANTS.
WHY HAS NO INDEPENDENT STUDY BEEN UNDERTAKEN TO EVALUATE THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED DATA CENTER ON OUR CHILDREN? POLLUTION DOESN'T KNOW A DISTRICT LINE.
IT WILL CROSS FROM DISTRICTS FOUR AND FIVE ACROSS THE COUNTY.
AND THERE ARE STUDIES SHOWING THAT THERE ARE SERIOUS PARTICULATE MATTER FOR AN AREA OF 30 MILES.
AND THE NITROUS OXIDES AND OTHER POLLUTANTS GO FOR HUNDREDS OF MILES.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN HAVING A SUSTAINED EXPOSURE NOT JUST FROM DISTRICTS FOUR AND FIVE, BUT ONE, TWO, AND THREE OVER THE COURSE OF A LIFETIME.
THAT CAN GET TO A TOXIC TIPPING POINT.
I CAN MENTION THE ELDERLY TWO, BEING A SENIOR CITIZEN MYSELF, LIVING IN READER'S RANCH WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF RETIREES.
YOU GOT RETIREES WITH ASTHMA, EMPHYSEMA, COPD AND OTHER CONDITIONS OF BREATHING THAT NEED TO HAVE A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT.
THAT'S TRULY ONE OF THE REASONS MANY PEOPLE MOVED HERE.
AND SOMETIMES YOU SEE ADVOCATES THAT ARE VERY STRONG IN THEIR ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE TOD.
SOME OF THEM IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS I KNOW HAVE STAES WHO SUFFER THESE AILMENTS.
AND YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE FIGHTING SO HARD IN THE TOD ORDINANCE.
THERE'S VERY LITTLE, IF ANY, MENTION OF OMISSIONS REALLY APPRECIATED.
SUPERVISOR VOS, WHO CAME TO READERS BRANCH TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE NEEDED.
AND IT WAS IN THAT MEETING, I STARTED SAYING, WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT BUFFERS AND SETBACKS AND HEIGHTS AND NOT DEALING WITH EMISSIONS? WE DON'T WANNA A LOW BAR ON EMISSIONS 'CAUSE THAT AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY OF GLAND.
SO I AGREE WITH LARRY AND IT'S REALLY NICE TO PUT A FACE WITH THE NAME THERE.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE LOOKED AT THE HEALTH IMPACTS FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR ELDERLY, AND WE NEED TO DO THAT TO BE FAITHFUL LEADERS IN THIS COUNTY.
LIVE AT 70 36 BEN HALL CIRCLE.
THERE ARE SO MANY UNRESOLVED ISSUES AND THE COUNTY HAS LISTENED
[01:40:01]
AND MADE CHANGES AT ONE MEETING EARLY ON, YOU, YOU HAD A, A SMALL COUNTY MEETING.UH, IT WAS A FOCUS GROUP OF SORTS AND YOU PRESENTED YOUR MATERIAL, YOUR, YOUR PROPOSAL, AND THE THE PARTICIPANTS MADE SUGGESTIONS.
SOME OF 'EM WERE, WERE, UH, TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, SOME OF 'EM NOT, BUT MORE DISCUSSION WAS, WAS NEEDED.
RAILEY SAID, WE CANNOT CHANGE IT ANYMORE BECAUSE IT'S GOTTA BE PUBLISHED FOR IN, IN TIME FOR THE THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
YOU HAD A TOWN HALL MEETING WHICH PACKED THIS AUDITORIUM, AND YOU HEARD ALL TYPES OF, OF SUGGESTIONS AND QUESTIONS AND, AND NO CHANGES WERE MADE.
THE, IT WENT ON TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
THE, YOU HAD ONE REVISION, ONE REVISION ONLY, AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION TRIED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.
WHO KNOWS WHETHER THOSE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED OR NOT, BUT YOU NEED MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
AND SETTING THE BAR ON NOVEMBER 6TH IS ABSOLUTELY NOT ENOUGH TIME.
WE NEED MORE MONTHS TO INVOLVE THIS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA CHANGE EVERY LIFE IN GLAND COUNTY AND YOU'RE NOT PREPARED TO MAKE A DECISION.
YOU'RE GETTING, I KNOW YOU'RE GETTING INUNDATED WITH EMAILS AND CALLS AND, AND PEOPLE STOPPING YOU ON THE STREET AND YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO RESPOND TO IT ALL.
BUT YOU'RE NOT HEARING WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING.
UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY, YOU, YOU'VE GOT A DEAF EAR TO THIS RIGHT NOW.
THE COUNTY'S GONNA DO WHAT THE COUNTY'S GONNA DO, AND IT'S NOT RIGHT.
NOT NECESSARILY AGAINST EVERYTHING, BUT WHY CAN'T YOU TAKE THE M1 AND PUT RESTRICTIONS ON IT WHERE A DATA CENTER WHO WANTS TO LOCATE ON M1 REQUIRES A CUP AND DON'T SAY IT CAN'T BE DONE BECAUSE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE DONE IT.
LOUDOUN COUNTY OR, OR EXCUSE ME, STAFFORD COUNTY HAS MADE ADJUSTMENTS ON THEIR M1 SETBACKS AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS THAT THEY SAW AS NECESSARY.
AND THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2023.
WHY ARE YOU AFRAID TO CHANGE IT? IT TAKES TIME AND YOU'RE NOT READY TO MAKE A DECISION.
YOU ALL THE QUESTIONS, THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE ARE BRINGING UP, YOU'RE NOT READY.
GO INTO YOUR MEETING TOMORROW INSTEAD OF SAYING NOVEMBER 6TH.
HOW ABOUT JANUARY OR FEBRUARY OR MARCH? GET MORE INFORMATION, GET MORE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
THIS IS A BIG DECISION AND YOU'RE NOT READY TO MAKE IT.
I LIVE AT 4 21 REGINA LANE IN CREEKMORE PARK.
UH, IT'S ONE OF THE AREAS THAT'S IMPACTED BY THIS PROPOSED TOD.
UM, I WANNA MAKE A QUICK COMMENT.
SHOUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES AND THE FIRE CHIEF.
UH, I'VE SEEN THEM OUT THERE CHECKING HYDRANTS IN THE DISTRICT WHERE WE LIVE.
UH, THE FIRE CREW THAT CAME OUT WAS, OPENED IT UP AND DID A VERY QUICK AND EFFICIENT MOVING FROM HYDRANT TO HYDRANT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, SAW THE PUBLIC UTILITIES GENTLEMEN ON HACKETT ROAD CHECKING THOSE HYDRANTS.
SO JUST WANT TO A SHOUT OUT TO THE GOOD WORK DOING THAT.
UH, MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT, WAS THERE AN EMAIL ADDRESS WHERE P PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T ATTEND A MEETING TONIGHT SEND QUESTIONS THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED IN THE ANSWER TONIGHT? WE DO HAVE A LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THEM PUBLICLY, BUT WE C CERTAINLY CAN RESPOND TO THEM AFTER THE MEETING, BUT THEY WILL BE RESPONDED TO.
HOW MANY RESPONSES DID YOU RECEIVE? UH, LET'S SEE.
I PRINTED THIS AT AROUND FOUR O'CLOCK, UH, NINE QUESTIONS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING ONE CAME IN AFTER I PRINTED IT.
YEAH, WE'LL RESPOND TO ALL OF 'EM.
ALRIGHT, UH, JUST ONE COMMENT.
UM, THERE'S A GAS PEAKING PLANT LOCATED UP IN LADYSMITH TO OPERATE BY DOMINION POWER.
IT'S GOT FIVE UNITS THAT OPERATE, DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THAT.
UH, ONE OF THOSE UNITS WENT IN OPERATION BY ITSELF, GENERATES 360 TONS OF METRIC, TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE AN HOUR.
NOW, HOW CAN THAT BE HEALTHY FOR THE TUIN? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
I THINK THE IMPACT IN THIS COMMUNITY IS GREATER THAN WE ALL SEE.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ACTIVATED BY THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, AND IT DOES NEED MORE TIME.
IT NEEDS CONSIDERATION, IT NEEDS TO BE BETTER
[01:45:01]
CRAFTED, UH, BECAUSE WHAT YOU'VE GOT NOW IS WHOLLY INADEQUATE.OH, I'M DAVID LEARY, UH, 1 7 7 WOODFORD, UH, IN THE WEST OAK SUBDIVISION OF DISTRICT FIVE.
I'VE WRITTEN DOWN THINGS JUST SO I COULD BE QUICKER.
I, I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE PASSIONATELY OPPOSED TO A DATA CENTER.
I WONDER IF THERE ARE AS MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE PASSIONATELY FOR IT.
I ASSUME THAT VIRTUALLY ALL, UH, COUNTY RESIDENTS WOULD AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR WEST CREEK BUSINESS PARK TO ATTRACT MORE BUSINESSES SO THAT GWIN CAN HAVE MORE TAX INCOME.
I WONDER, HOWEVER, THAT IF NEARBY CITIZENS DON'T WANT A DATA CENTER IN THEIR BACKYARD, WOULD PROSPECTIVE BUSINESSES WANT TO HAVE A DATA CENTER DOWN THE BLOCK FOR THEM, THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES? I DOUBT IT.
WE ALREADY RECEIVE NOTICES EVERY YEAR ABOUT CONSERVING ELECTRICITY AND, AND CONSERVING WATER, ESPECIALLY AS IT GETS HOTTER AND DRIER.
NOW, I'VE HEARD CERTAIN THINGS ABOUT RECIRCULATING WATER, BUT STILL THIS IS A BIG ISSUE.
I COULD EV, I COULD, UH, I WONDER WHEN THE WATER GETS TIED AGAIN, WILL THE DATA CENTER GET PRIORITY OR WILL THE CITIZENS GET PRIORITY TO GET THAT WATER WHEN THERE'S RESTRICTIONS? ALTHOUGH THE COUNTY WOULD GET ADDITIONAL INCOME, AND I'M SURE SOME LANDOWNERS WILL MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, UH, WHEN TO SELL PROPERTY AND, AND THAT'S ALL TO THE GOOD.
BUT MY CONCERN IS MORE FOR THE ORDINARY CITIZENS.
UH, THEY STAND TO GAIN LITTLE OR NOTHING FROM A DATA CENTER EXCEPT PERHAPS SOME TAX REFUND MONEY.
OKAY? BUT THEY STAND TO LOSE A LOT FROM THIS IN TERMS OF QUALITY OF LIFE, THE HEALTH OF BODY, PEACE OF MIND, AND VALUE OF PROPERTY.
MY OWN BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I WOULD RATHER PAY HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES THAN HAVE LOWER PROPERTY VALUES.
AND I, AND I WOULD RATHER ASSURE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF MY FELLOW CITIZENS THAT THEY ARE PROTECTED THAN PLAY ROULETTE WITH THEIR LIVES, THEIR HOMES, AND ESPECIALLY THEIR CHILDREN.
DATA CENTERS ARE INEVITABLE PART OF OUR FUTURE.
BUT VIRGINIA NOW HOUSES 35% OF THE WORLD'S MEGA DATA CENTERS, 35% OF THE WORLD'S ME MEGA DATA CENTERS, AND IT PRODUCES 15 TO 17% OF THE WORLDWIDE MEGA DATA.
I THINK WE VIRGINIANS HAVE A RIGHT TO FEEL THAT WE'VE DONE OUR FAIR SHARE OF PROVIDING FOR THE FUTURE.
FINALLY, IF YOU, ON THE, AND I SYMPATHIZE WITH YOUR, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL DO.
I'M JUST HERE REPRESENTING SOMETHING I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT, AND I KNOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE CAUGHT HERE, BUT IF YOU ON THE BOARD BELIEVE THAT A DATA CENTER MIGHT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTY CITIZENS, I RECOGNIZE SOME, YOU MAY FEEL THAT.
BUT IF YOU ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S STRONG OPPOSITION TO SUCH A DATA CENTER IN GLAND, I SUGGEST THAT YOU GET A BUS, FILL IT WITH CITIZENS FROM ALL PERSUASIONS ON ALL SIDES OF THE ISSUE, AND GO WITH THEM UP TO LOUDOUN COUNTY AND VISIT A DATA CENTER AND GO AROUND FOR A MILE OR TWO AND ASK CITIZENS AND ASK THEM WHAT'S THE GOOD, WHAT'S THE BAD AND WHAT'S THE NEUTRAL IMPACT OF HAVING A DATA CENTER NEARBY? I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY INFORM YOU INTO WHAT'S, WHAT'S REALLY, WHAT MIGHT BE, UH, VALUABLE INFORMATION.
THE OTHER THING IS, I WAS DISTURBED WHEN I SAW THAT, THAT THIS, THIS, UH, THE PROJECT WOULD ABIDE BY ALL EPA STANDARDS.
WELL, I MAY NOT BE THE ONLY ONE WHO FEELS THAT EPA STANDARDS ARE NOT WHAT THEY USED TO BE.
I THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF IN FACT, I, MAYBE IT'S BEEN DONE AND I'M SORRY I'M COMING LATE TO THIS.
I HEARD ABOUT REZONING AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON UNTIL LAST WEEK.
UH, I, I REGRET THAT MY, MY OWN HOUSING DISTRICT SAID THERE'S A REZONING THING.
I THOUGHT IT HAD TO DO WITH BUSINESSES GOING DOWN TWO 50 AND IF THEY WOULD'VE SAID, THIS HAS TO DO WITH REZONING.
SO WE'D HAVE A DATA CENTER, I WOULD'VE BEEN AT EVERY MEETING.
SO I THINK A LOT OF STUDENTS LIKE ME, I'M PRETTY WELL INFORMED, I THOUGHT, BUT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW UNTIL LAST WEEK THAT THIS WAS IN THE OFFING.
UM, AND I'M VERY CONCERNED, UH, ABOUT THAT.
UH, ANYWAY, I DON'T, I, SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF AN ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, STUDY HAS BEEN DONE BY PROFESSIONALS, BUT I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT IF IT HASN'T BEEN DONE.
[01:50:01]
MY NAME IS SUSAN WILLIS.I'M AT 1 2 3 8 4, UH, SOUTH READERS CIRCLE AND READERS BRANCH.
AND I'M GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WAS SUBMITTED YOU DON'T HAVE TO RESPOND TO.
UH, AND I'M GONNA CONTINUE THE LINE OF THINKING FROM THE PREVIOUS GENTLEMAN AND BRING THIS TO A DIFFERENT ANGLE.
YOU ARE HEARING PROBABLY MORE THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT YOU WOULD OR WANTED TO FROM THE CITIZENS LIKE ME AND OTHERS WHO ARE IMPACTED THAT ARE IN NEIGHBORHOODS APPRECIATE, UM, REPRESENT, UH, SUPERVISOR VOS AND OTHERS OF YOU THAT ARE DOING ALL YOU CAN TO HEAR US.
WE HOPE THAT WILL COME TO FRUITION.
BUT MY QUESTION REALLY DEALS WITH, UM, THE CORPORATE CITIZENS THAT ARE IN WEST CREEK CURRENT AND FUTURE, AND WHAT CONVERSATIONS HAS GLAND COUNTY HAD WITH CURRENT AND PROPOSED BUSINESSES LIKE LILLY REGARDING THE TOD AND ATTRACTING CENTERS TO AND ATTRACTING DATA CENTERS TO WEST CREEK.
HAS THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THEM BEEN DISCUSSED AS IT PERTAINS TO THE WATER AND POWER DEMANDS OF THESE DATA CENTERS, AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTION DISRUPTIONS AND TRAFFIC DISRUPTIONS, AND GENERALLY CHANGING THE CULTURAL PROFILE OF WEST CREEK THAT THEY BOUGHT INTO AND BUILT INTO? THANK YOU.
HEY, MR. HALVORSON, I'M LEE HALVORSON.
UH, 1, 2, 2 5, 3 READERS IN RE, UH, MAN BREMNER RIDGE CIRCLE IN MANNEQUIN SABOT.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND, AND, UH, SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR HAVING AN OUTSTANDING, UH, PROGRAM.
I'M HERE TO TALK, UH, SORT OF ABOUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, UH, FOR THE TOD.
AND THAT'S BY, RIGHT? AND I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO CHANGE THAT BECAUSE YOU CONSIDER THAT A DOWN ZONING TAKING.
UH, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE COMPONENTS.
WHAT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN IS THE PARKING RATIO.
BY CHANGING THE PARKING RATIO, YOU ESSENTIALLY GIVE UP ANY KIND OF CONTROLS THAT THE COUNTY MIGHT HAVE ON BUY, RIGHT? 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW THE DATA CENTERS ARE REQUIRED TO, UH, PUT IN ONE PARKING PLACE FOR EVERY 300 SQUARE FEET OF BUILDING SPACE.
SO FOR A 2 MILLION SQUARE FOOT, I'M NOT REALLY GOOD AT MATH, BUT THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S 40, 50 ACRES WORTH OF WORTH OF PARKING.
SO BY APPROVING THAT, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY MAKING AN UP UP-ZONING GRANT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
JUST THE OPPOSITE OF A DOWN ZONING TAKING.
SO I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER WHAT THE PARKING RATIO MEANS BY APPROVING THE PARKING RATIO.
YOU'RE MAKING THE TOD AND THE TECHNOLOGY ZONE IRRELEVANT BECAUSE THEY'RE OPTIONAL.
NOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT A, UH, LANDOWNER CAN SELL TO A DATA CENTER AND THEY CAN BRING IT IN AND DEVELOP IT ON, ON UNDER THE BUY RIGHT RULES WITHOUT ANY PERMISSIONS OTHER THAN THE STANDARD FOR THE COUNTY.
THE ONLY RESTRICTION IS THAT PARKING, THAT IS A, THAT'S A NEGATIVE FOR A DEVELOP OR FOR A BUILDER THAT'S GONNA COME IN BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT A LOT OF SPACE INTO PARKING.
THEY COULD TRADE THAT SPACE AT MAYBE A BUFFER ZONE AND PUT THAT 20 ACRES OF PARKING AROUND THE FACILITY.
BUT THAT'S THE ONLY, IF YOU GIVE THAT UP, YOU'VE ESSENTIALLY TURNED BY, IT'S COMPLETELY BY RIGHT THEN COMPLETELY.
AND THE, AND THE TOD IS ABSOLUTELY IRRELEVANT.
THEY CAN GET THEIR INVESTMENT, IF NOT FROM THE COUNTY OF THE TECHNOLOGY ZONE, I KNOW IS A, IS A, UH, A VEHICLE, A FUNDING VEHICLE, UH, APPROPRIATION METHOD TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES IF THEY'RE IN THE TECHNOLOGY ZONE AND THEY COMPLY WITH THE TOD.
BUT YOU'VE HEARD THE TOD RESTRICTIONS AREN'T, AREN'T VERY SAFE.
SO I URGE YOU, DO NOT CHANGE THE PARKING RATIO.
MAKE THAT A PART OF A WHOLE PACKAGE OF BRINGING BUSINESS IN.
IF YOU'RE SLIDING IT IN TO BE SEPARATE, YOU'RE BETRAYING THE TRUST THAT WE HAVE IN YOU.
CYNTHIA HAASS, I LIVE AT 1 2 3 1 3 BEACH HALL CIRCLE.
WE GET THAT THE LANDOWNERS IN WEST CREEK ARE PUSHING THE TOD THAT'S BEEN PRETTY WELL CONSIDERED BY THE RESIDENTS.
DO THE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN WEST CREEK LIVE IN GOOCHLAND? ARE THEY GONNA FEEL THE EFFECTS FROM A DATA CENTER? DO LANDOWNERS IN WEST CREEK WANT A DATA CENTER?
[01:55:01]
DOES ANYONE WANNA ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR ME? OKAY, WHO ELECTS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS? DO THE LANDOWNERS DO IT OR DO THE RESIDENTS? BECAUSE IF DATA CENTERS COME TO GLAND, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NEW BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THE NEXT ELECTION.AND IF WE CANNOT GET RID OF DATA CENTERS, THEN WE WANT THAT TOD TO BE AS STRONG AS POSSIBLE TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTS.
THE COUNTY HAS MADE THE RESIDENTS DO THE RESEARCH.
WE SHOW YOU HOW BAD 65 DECIBELS IS, BUT YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO US.
YOU KEEP SAYING, WE LISTENED, WE HEARD, BUT YOU IGNORED AND BLATANTLY DISREGARDED EVERYTHING WE'VE TOLD YOU.
WE'VE HAD NUCLEAR EXPERTS TESTIFY HERE AS TO HOW DANGEROUS AN SMR IS.
THERE'S NO NUCLEAR DISASTER PLAN.
GOLIN DOESN'T EVEN WANNA DO ONE UNTIL THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY AN SMR COMING.
THE COUNTY IS NOT LISTENING TO THE EXPERTS THAT HAVE TALKED.
IF ELECTRICITY CAN'T COME TO WEST CREEK FOR A DATA CENTER FOR FOUR TO SEVEN YEARS PER DOMINION POWER, WHY ARE WE WASTING OUR TIME TALKING ABOUT DATA CENTERS? WHY AREN'T WE SPENDING THIS AMOUNT OF TIME TRYING TO BRING IN OTHER TECHNOLOGIES? HOW MUCH WORK HAS BEEN DONE TO BRING IN OTHER TECHNOLOGIES? WHY IS THAT NOT BEING CONSIDERED? DATA CENTER IS NOT THE END ALL AND BE ALL.
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO GET THE TAX REVENUE, BUT YOU HAVE GOT CITIZENS THAT ARE TELLING YOU, LEFT, RIGHT, AND CENTER, YOU'RE NOT PROTECTING US ENOUGH.
AND YET, I HEAR THE COUNTY HIRED THEIR OWN SOUND EXPERT.
SO THE, THE SOUND EXPERT THAT HAS A 40 YEAR CAREER IN SOUND THAT DID HIS DEMONSTRATION IS BEING IGNORED.
SO Y'ALL, YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO US.
LIKE I SAY, WE KEEP SENDING YOU EXPERTS.
WE KEEP COMING TO THE MEETINGS, WE KEEP DOING OUR BEST, AND YET WE'RE NOT BEING HEARD.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR IMPOSSIBLE THINGS.
WE ARE ASKING FOR THE TOD TO BE MODIFIED, TO GIVE RESIDENTS THE BEST SAFETY AS POSSIBLE.
AND UNDERSTAND THIS, IF YOU ALL LET DATA CENTERS INTO WEST CREEK, IT'S GONNA COME IN DISTRICT 1, 2, 3, AND FIVE.
IT'S NOT JUST GONNA BE DISTRICT FOUR.
DATA CENTERS DON'T COME IN JUST ONE.
SO DISTRICT ONE, YOU MAY THINK YOU'RE UNTOUCHABLE, YOU'RE NOT.
NEITHER IS DISTRICT TWO OR THREE META AND GOOGLE.
AND THESE BILLION AND TRILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES DON'T NEED INCENTIVES.
BUT YET GLIN WANTS TO GIVE AWAY OUR TAXPAYER MONEY TO THESE BILLION AND TRILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES.
WHY? PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT RESIDENTS ARE TELLING YOU.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER.
IT IS EIGHT 30 AND, UH, CERTAINLY WE WANNA RESPECT THE TIME OF OUR STAFF WHO IS, UH, OPERATING THIS SPACE THIS TONIGHT.
SO MS. LEVITTS, WE'RE GOING GO FOR YOU FOR THE VERY LAST QUESTION OF THE NIGHT.
AND THEN WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, CERTAINLY PUBLIC COMMENT TOMORROW AT THE BOARD'S MEETING.
AND THEN NOVEMBER THE SIXTH, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CONTINUED COMMENT PLUS ALL THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED IS CERTAINLY EXTREMELY WELCOME.
SO, BUT ARE YOU ON? NO, THERE WILL BE NO VOTES ON THE CHANGES TO THE COMP COMP PLAN OR ANY SORT OF TOD.
UH, THE BOARD IS ASKED TO CONSIDER A DEFERRAL OF THE TECHNOLOGY ZONE TOMORROW.
UH, BUT THAT WILL BE IN THEIR EVENING MEETING.
BUT THERE WILL BE NO VOTES CONSIDERED ON THE TECHNOLOGY OVERLAY DISTRICT WHERE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TOMORROW NIGHT, MS. LEVITTS.
OKAY, MARGARET LEVITT, 70 36 BEN HALL CIRCLE.
SO I HEARD A QUESTION ASKED AT A PREVIOUS TOWN HALL, WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER? THAT QUESTION, UM, IS EITHER A BLATANT MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT, AT WHAT IS AT STAKE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT CONSIDERING THE DBAS AND ARE YOU NOT CONSIDERING OR PUTTING THAT FORTH
[02:00:01]
IN ANY DOCUMENTATION BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEM? EITHER WAY YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION.WHETHER YOU ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW OR WHETHER YOU KNOW, IS, IS A SCARY PROPOSITION.
IF YOU KNOW, AND YOU'RE IGNORING THAT, THAT THAT'S NOT TRANSPARENCY, THAT'S NOT WHAT'S DOING BEST FOR YOUR CITIZENS.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT'S MIND BLOWING.
SO WE TALK ABOUT ENVIRONMENT AND, UH, POISONING THE AIR.
UM, MY HUSBAND AND I, WHEN WE PRESENTED TO ALL OF YOU ABOUT PROJECT ROCKY AND THE EMISSIONS, AND WE PUT TOGETHER, UH, A PRESENTATION THAT I I WILL SAY VERY HUMBLY THAT WE WORKED SO HARD ON, WE, WE DUG DEEP, WE GOT EXPERTS, WE HAD THE BACKUP.
IT'S NOTHING THAT STAFF PRESENTED AND IT WAS TOTALLY IGNORED.
YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE AIR THAT WE BREATHE.
THOSE OF US IN DISTRICT FOUR AND FIVE
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT CUMULATIVE EFFECTS.
ARE WE IGNORING WHAT'S COMING FROM AMAZON AND AAL TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN WEST CREEK? AND YOU THINK IT'S NOT GONNA FLOAT OVER TO THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY? THAT'S NOT REASONABLE.
SO WHY DO WE HAVE THESE CONCERNS? BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THE RESEARCH AND WE'VE TRIED TO COMMUNICATE IT, AND IT'S LIKE YOU ALL ARE STILL LIKE IN FORWARD MOTION THAT NOTHING IS GONNA STOP THIS.
AND I JUST DON'T COMPREHEND HOW A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN PROCEED WITHOUT DOING THEIR HOMEWORK.
OR IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU'VE IGNORED IT, THAT THAT'S A PROBLEM.
AND YOU, YOU SAY YOU'RE GONNA DO IT THE GLAND WAY.
THERE'S NO MAGIC TO THIS IF YOU DON'T CONSIDER WHAT'S HAPPENED IN SURROUNDING COUNTIES AND LOCALITIES AND UNDERSTAND THAT'S HOW IT WILL AFFECT OUR ENVIRONMENT TOO.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT DOLLARS AND CENTS.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT, WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY CORRIDOR BECAUSE WE DESERVE QUALITY OF LIFE TOO.
AND I JUST SO EMPHATICALLY WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THAT, THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SOME, IT'S ABOUT BALANCE AND, AND THE HEALTH OF ALL OF US WE'RE, IF WE'RE GONNA BE A COMMUNITY, IT HAS TO BE ABOUT ALL OF US.
WE'RE GONNA FINISH RIGHT HERE.
I'M IN THE CREEKMORE PARK SUBDIVISION.
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY THE ADDITIONAL LAND PARCELS APPROXIMATELY 900 ACRES PLUS MINUS SURROUNDING THE RICHMOND COUNTRY CLUB WERE ADDED TO THE TOD WHEN THEY ARE PRIMARILY ZONED A TWO? THE AUGUST 26TH SUMMARY CHANGES SIMPLY STATES, THE TOD MAP WAS UPDATED TO REFLECT THE ADDITION OF PARCELS.
THE PRESENTATION FROM THE SEPTEMBER 8TH COMMUNITY MEETING ONLY STATES, INCREASED AREA OF TD SLASH TZ PER CITIZEN REQUEST.
WHICH CITIZENS MADE THAT REQUEST? THE OWNERS OF THE PARCELS THAT MAKE UP THE ADDITIONAL AREA, AND ARE THEY CITIZENS OF GLAND AND THE, UM, ARE THEY EVEN CITIZENS HERE IN THE STATE? IN OTHER WORDS, WHERE ARE THEY FROM? THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THE ADDITION OF THIS 900 ACRES CONCERNS ME AS WELL AS ALL OF US.
SO CAN SOMEONE A ANSWER THAT? 'CAUSE NO ONE SEEMS TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
AND SO THERE WAS A REQUEST BY THE LANDOWNERS, UH, AND WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED OTHER, UH, REQUESTS FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND SO ULTIMATELY THE BOARD IS GOING TO CONSIDER THE MAP, WHICH IS WHETHER OR NOT THAT ADDITIONAL PARCEL OR THOSE PARCELS COME INTO THE TOD.
THAT'S A CONSIDERATION, THAT'S A DECISION POINT AS WELL AS ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD HERE THIS EVENING.
AS FAR AS THE REQUIREMENTS, THE ZONING EXPECTATION, SPECIFICATIONS, SETBACKS, LIKE ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD ON
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NOVEMBER THE SIXTH AS A PART OF THE PROPOSAL.SO THE MAP, AND WHETHER OR NOT THOSE LANDOWNERS WHO REQUESTED TO COME IN, UH, THAT'S ULTIMATELY A DECISION IN FRONT OF THE BOARD ON NOVEMBER THE SIXTH.
BUT THEY WERE NEVER A PART OF WEST CREEK.
YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS A REQUEST.
AND, AND ULTIMATELY THE CRITERIA THAT WAS USED BY STAFF IS, IS THAT AREA A PART OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? AND SO THOSE PARCELS ARE CURRENTLY DESIGNATED AS COMMERCIAL GROWTH AREAS AND THERE'S WATER INFRASTRUCTURE THERE.
SO THOSE VARIABLES IMPACTED THE POTENTIAL FOR THEM TO BE A PART OF THAT.
BUT ULTIMATELY THAT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION AT THIS POINT IN TIME FOR DISCUSSION.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THEY ARE ZONED A TWO.
SO THIS BACKDOOR REZONING OF IT TO THROW 'EM IN THE TOD YEAH.
I'M SORRY, BUT THAT'S NOT FAIR THAT THAT'S A FACTOR THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
WELL, A AGAIN, I DO THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS EVENING AND THANK YOU.
ALL I NEED IS 60 SECONDS AND SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO ADD.
UM, I'M A MECHANICAL ENGINEER.
I'M A PROUD GRADUATE OF GLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
I'VE MOVED BACK TO THE COUNTY WITH MY FAMILY AND I LIVE IN SABO HILL.
I PROBABLY WON'T HEAR THE DATA CENTERS, BUT I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO TAKE A TOUR LAST WEEK, A GUIDED TOUR OF DATA CENTER ALLEY.
I'VE BEEN TO MANASSAS WHERE THEY'RE BUILDING RIGHT NEXT, A 22 MILLION SQUARE FOOT DATA CENTER NEXT TO MANASSAS BATTLEFIELD.
I'VE SEEN THEM BUILT ON TOP OF PROPERTIES THAT WERE STARTED OUT AS A TOWNHOUSE COMMUNITY.
THEY BUILT A LARGE DATA CENTER, ONE OF FOUR THAT IS STILL BEING BUILT OUT IN PHASES.
AND I HAVE PICTURES I WOULD LOVE TO SHARE WITH YOU, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU, I'D LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU AND SHOW YOU WHAT I'VE LEARNED BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, DOMINION IS OVER LEVERAGED IN THE POWER THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE.
IF ALL OF THE CONTRACTS OF FUTURE BUILDS ARE ALREADY BUILT BY A FACTOR OF, UM, VIRGINIA USES ABOUT 23 GIGAWATTS.
CURRENTLY SIX GIGAWATTS GOES TO THE DATA CENTER IS IN PLACE NOW OPERATIONAL.
IF ALL COME ON BOARD THAT ARE CONTRACTED RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 47 GIGAWATTS MORE THAN DOUBLE THE STATE'S USE RIGHT NOW.
SO I JUST WONDER WHERE THAT'S GONNA COME FROM.
I'D LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU ANN BRIDGES.
SO THE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW AT 3:00 PM THEY HAVE AN AGENDA THAT IS POSTED ONLINE.
THEY'LL MEET LATER ON IN THE EVENING AT 6:00 PM THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THAT MEETING.
AND THEN, UH, THE ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED HERE AT THE END OF THE MEETING WILL BE UNDER CONSIDERATION ON NOVEMBER THE SIXTH AND THEIR EVENING MEETING.
AND THAT WILL BE PUBLIC HERE IN THIS ROOM.