* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 
          [00:00:01]
BUDGET, UH, TO ORDER. 
          AND PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE, 
          [Board of Supervisors Budget Presentations on February 5, 2025.]
IF YOU PLEASE, PLEASE PLACE IT ON SILENT OR TURN IT OFF FOR THE DURATION OF MEETING, WE'D CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT. 
          AND IF YOU'RE ABLE TO, IF YOU'LL PLEASE STAND WITH US FOR AN INVOCATION AND OUR PLEDGE TO THE LEAD OF LEAD. 
          LET'S PRAY. 
          DEAR GOD, BLESS THIS MEETING AND ALLOW US THROUGH OUR WORK, THROUGH YOUR WILL. 
          AMEN. 
          AMEN. 
          AMEN. 
          PLEASURE. 
          TO THE FLAG, THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. 
          ONE, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WHY WON'T THIS THING WORK? UH, SUPERVISOR PARKS WILL NOT BE WITH US TONIGHT. 
          HE WILL NOT BE ON ZOOM OR BY PHONE EITHER TONIGHT, SO JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT. 
          SO, UH, ITEM ONE FIVE, ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA. 
          MOVE, MOVE. 
          SECOND, THEY HAVE A MOTION AND PROPERLY. 
          SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. 
          ALL OPPOSED? AND A MOTION CARRIES. 
          ITEM TWO, ONE. 
          OVERVIEW OF MEETING FORMATTED HAND AID. 
          MS. LEWIS. 
          IT'S NOT DONE. 
          GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LESLIE LEWIS, FINANCE DIRECTOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. 
          AS WE GATHERED HERE FROM AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENT HEADS REGARDING THEIR BUDGET REQUESTS FOR THE FY 2 20 26. 
          AS A REMINDER, TYPICALLY THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS NOT TO MAKE MOTIONS OR DECISIONS, BUT TO ASK QUESTIONS AND GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF EACH REQUEST. 
          EACH PRESENTER WILL BE GIVEN 10 MINUTES TO PRESENT. 
          BOARD MEMBERS. 
          PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTION AS THEY ARISE, IS IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS AND PRIORITIES BEING PRESENTED, SO WELL-INFORMED DECISIONS WILL BE MADE MOVING FORWARD FOR YOUR REFERENCE, THE FIRST TWO HANDOUTS YOU RECEIVED THIS EVENING INCLUDE A SCHEDULE OF THE PRESENTERS, LOOKS LIKE THIS, AND THEN A SUMMARY OF THE NEW BUDGET REQUEST. 
          AND WITH THAT, I NOW TURN IT OVER TO CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU MS. LEWIS. 
          THANK, UM, AND BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, I'D LIKE TO ADD, ADD TO THIS A LITTLE BIT ACTUALLY, IF WE WOULD. 
          UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF PRESENTERS TONIGHT, SO IF WE WOULD, IF WE COULD HOLD OUR QUESTIONS, KIND OF JOT 'EM DOWN OR COMMENTS AND LET'S GET ALL THE PRESENTERS THROUGH. 
          AND AT THE END IF WE HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT AT THAT TIME, WE'LL CALL 'EM BACK UP IF WE NEED TO DO THAT. 
          IS THAT A GOOD WITH EVERYBODY? SURE. 
          SO WE CAN GET, GO AHEAD AND GET THROUGH WITH EVERYTHING. 
          SO FIRST PRESENTER OF THE NIGHT WOULD BE, UH, GENERAL DISTRICT COURT, UH, JUVENILE, UH, UH, DISTRICT, UH, COURT. 
          WHY YOU GETTING THIS LIST FROM? AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND WHO YOU'RE HERE TO REPRESENT. 
          I WILL. 
          GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          MY NAME IS CILA BURGE. 
          I AM THE GENERAL, UH, JUVENILE DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT JUDGE HERE FOR DISTRICT TWO A. 
          WITH ME THIS EVENING IS JUDGE PATRICK ROBBINS. 
          JUDGE ROBBINS IS OVER HERE. 
          JUDGE ROBBINS IS CURRENTLY CHIEF JUDGE AT, OF OUR GENERAL DISTRICT COURT IN DISTRICT TWO A. 
          UM, AND HE ASSUMED THAT JUST WITH THE RETIREMENT OF JUDGE GORDON VINCENT AT THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS REQUEST TO YOU. 
          I DON'T THINK THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED BEFORE. 
          UM, IN TALKING WITH JUDGE VINCENT OVER THE YEARS AND WITH JUDGE GORDON, MY PREDECESSOR, UM, WE HAVE NEVER REALLY SEEN THE NEED TO DO THAT. 
          WE HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS OFFERED TO THE COURT SYSTEM AND TO COURT SECURITY AND COURTHOUSE MAINTENANCE AND ALL THOSE SORT OF THINGS. 
          AND I WOULD ADD, EVEN WITH OUR BOILER RIGHT NOW, LIKE THEY'VE DONE, THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING. 
          SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. 
          OUR REQUEST THIS EVENING ARE FOR TWO ITEMS, $18,000 FOR EACH THE GENERAL DISTRICT COURT AND THE JUVENILE DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT FOR CLERK SALARY SUPPLEMENTS WE LIKE YOU ARE CHALLENGED TO RETAIN AND TO ATTRACT STAFF AND THOSE THAT WE CAN TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO STAY AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AND TO DEVELOP THEIR A CAREER PATH WITH US. 
          WE ARE IN NEED OF EQUALIZING SALARIES HERE WITH COMPARABLE GOVERNMENT POSITIONS AS WELL. 
          THE INTENSITY OF THE CLERK AND DEPUTY CLERK TRAINING REQUIREMENTS IN THE CRITICAL JOB DUTIES FUNDAMENTALLY REQUIRES A PRETTY INTELLIGENT INDIVIDUAL WITH A HIGH PACED ENVIRONMENT EXPERIENCE FOR A SKILLSET. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, THEIR WORK INCLUDES ISSUING AND PROCESSING WARRANTS AND SUMMONSES AND BAIL AND BOND RELEASE AND JAIL COMMITMENTS AND SUBPOENAS AND PROTECTIVE ORDERS AND CHILD REMOVAL ORDERS AND PROCESSES, CUSTODY AND SUPPORT KINDS OF ORDERS AND CRIMINAL CASE PROCESSING, INCLUDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. 
          AND IT INCLUDES AN AWFUL LOT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. 
          THEIR WORK AFFECTS SOME OF THE MYSTERIOUS ASPECTS OF OUR CITIZENS' LIVES. 
          [00:05:01]
IT'S EMOTIONALLY CHARGED WORK AND IT'S PRECISE WORK. 
          IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE MAINTAIN A SKILLED WORKFORCE AND TO PROVIDE AN INDEPENDENT, ACCESSIBLE AND A RESPONSIVE SERVICE TO THE COUNTY CITIZENS, AGENCIES AND ATTORNEYS WHO INTERACT WITH OUR COURT SYSTEM. 
          OUR GOAL OF COURT SYSTEM, AND I'LL SPEAK FOR J AND DR AND I, I KNOW THAT I SPEAK FOR JUDGE ROBBINS IN TERMS OF GENERAL DISTRICT COURT ALSO IS ALIGNED WITH YOURS. 
          AND, AND I NOTICED IN MIKE'S PRESENTATION OF YOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES OF COUNTY WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. 
          WE NEED TO EQUALIZE PAY. 
          WE EVEN HAVE STAFF WORKING TWO JOBS. 
          SOME OF OURS WORK AT, UM, DISPATCHING, SOMETIMES THEY WORK AT OUR, UM, EOC, UH, AS WELL AS WORK IN OUR COURT SYSTEM IN OUR PARTICULAR COURT. 
          MY PARTICULAR COURT IN JDRI HAD A HUNDRED PERCENT TURNOVER IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. 
          THAT'S ONLY TWO OF THE THREE. 
          OKAY. 
          THE CLERK. 
          BUT BOTH DEPUTY CLERKS HAVE TURNED OVER RECRUITMENT OF QUALIFIED PEOPLE. 
          OKAY. 
          SOMETIMES GET A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT'LL THROW A RESUME IN, BUT OF QUALIFIED PEOPLE IS REALLY CHALLENGING IN OUR AREA AND IT'S MORE EFFICIENT AND ECONOMICAL FOR ALL OF US TO RETAIN GOOD STAFF. 
          WE CERTAINLY HAVE GOOD STAFF NOW AND I WANNA KEEP THEM WITH THE HELP OF OUR SUPREME COURT STAFF. 
          THEY HAVE SOME, UH, FOLKS WHO DO UH, ANALYSIS THERE. 
          I WAS ABLE TO ANALYZE LIKE SIZE LOCALITIES THROUGHOUT VIRGINIA AND COMPARE THE TYPES AND SIZES OF SUPPLEMENTS THAT WERE BEING OFFERED TO THEIR COURT SYSTEMS. THE AVERAGE IS $3,000 PER YEAR PER STAFF MEMBER. 
          I NOTED FROM MIKE'S BUDGET PRESENTATION ALSO IN HIS SLIDES THAT JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION IS ABOUT, UH, 1.8% OF EVERY TAX DOLLAR. 
          AND WE ARE REALLY, AGAIN, REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF OUR, WHAT OUR COURTHOUSE RECEIVES. 
          I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT MIKE OR ANDY AND ALL THE STAFF. 
          THEY ARE THERE IN A MOMENT'S NOTICE FOR ANYTHING. 
          AND BY WAY OF SUPPORT, I HAD TALKED WITH JUDGE VINCENT BEFORE HIS RETIREMENT ABOUT WHAT THE GENERAL DISTRICT COURT PROVIDES BACK THROUGH THE CIRCUIT COURT AND THE COUNTY SYSTEMS. I DIDN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THAT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BUT I WANNA SHARE THAT WITH YOU IN CASE YOU DON'T EITHER. 
          AVERAGE FINDS AN INTEREST HAVE BEEN ABOUT $7,200 A MONTH OF THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND COURT COSTS DESIGNATED FOR PARTICULAR FUNDS AND PURPOSES. 
          AND SO THIS IS NOT LIKE MONEY THAT JUST GOES INTO A GENERAL FUND, BUT FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES HAS IS ABOUT 16,600. 
          THESE ARE FOR THING PER MONTH. 
          THAT'S ABOUT SHERIFF'S FEES, LAW, LIBRARY COURTHOUSE MAINTENANCE, AND COURTHOUSE SECURITY. 
          SO, UM, THERE ARE SOME MONIES THAT ARE GENERATED BACK THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM. 
          NOT SO MUCH FRANKLY, IN GEN IN OUR COURT, IN JUVENILE DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT. 
          WE DO HAVE SOME COURT COSTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT, BUT NOT LIKE YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF, UH, FINES AND INTEREST. 
          WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MANY, MANY UNFUNDED REQUESTS BEFORE YOU, AND I KNOW THAT ALL OF THEM HAVE MERIT. 
          I SAT IN HERE WITH YOU ALL AND HEARD A NUMBER OF THESE FOUR GOING ON FIVE YEARS OF FOLKS WHO WOULD BRING REALLY GOOD AND SINCERE REQUESTS BEFORE THE BOARD. 
          AND I KNOW TOO FROM JUST FROM READING THAT YOU ARE STRESSED WITH EMERGENCY OPERATION SERVICES THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COUNTY AS WELL AS INCREASING COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. 
          THAT'S TRUE FOR ALL OF US. 
          UM, JUDGE BINS AND I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION OF OUR FUNDING REQUEST FROM ANY FUNDS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. 
          AND IT APPEARED AGAIN FROM WHAT I DID REVIEW, THAT THERE WAS SOME AMOUNT LEFT IN UNALLOCATED FUNDING THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE. 
          SO I THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          I DON'T NEED TO TAKE 10 WHOLE MINUTES. 
          I AM GLAD TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND I HAVE MORE PARTICULAR DATA IF THERE'S ANY THAT YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, BUT I COULD TELL YOU AGAIN, OUR REQUEST IS FOR $18,000 FOR GENERAL DISTRICT COURT AND 18,000 FOR JUVENILE DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU JUDGE. 
          BUR GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN TOO. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          IT IS A JOY TO BE HERE, BILL . 
          ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT PRESENTER WILL BE, UH, SHIG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 
          SORRY, GOOD EVENING. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING. 
          MY NAME IS JOANNE MOORE AND I AM THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND CERTIFIED VISITOR CENTER. 
          ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OVER 300 MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THE CHAMBER. 
          YOUR 
          [00:10:01]
SUPPORT HAS ENABLED US TO HIRE QUALIFIED TEAM MEMBERS TO FULFILL OUR MISSION OF GENERATING AN INCREASING TOURISM TO TI ISLAND, UH, THIS EVENING. 
          WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU OUR, OUR 2024 ANNUAL REPORT. 
          I, I, IS IT GONNA BE UP ON THE, I HAD SENT IT AS A PRESENTATION SCREEN. 
          I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL, UH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. 
          , , SORRY ABOUT THAT. 
          THEN I WILL, UH, I'LL TALK FROM MY, MY, UM, I, I HAVE A FEW PAPER VERSIONS, BUT NOT, NOT ENOUGH. 
          SO I, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. 
          I HAD SENT IT TO YOU. 
          UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT THEN ABOUT OUR 2024 ANNUAL REPORT, UH, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS ECONOMIC IMPACT NUMBERS ALONG WITH OUR ACHIEVEMENTS, MARKETING EFFORTS MARKET, UH, MARKETING ENGAGEMENT, MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT, AND UPCOMING INITIATIVES. 
          AS THE OFFICIAL TOURIST AND ENTITY FOR THE TOWN OF SHTE AND A DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION AS THE DETERMINED BY VIRGINIA TOURISMS AND CORPORATION, OUR MISSION REMAINS STEADFAST AND PROMOTING SHIG ISLAND IS A PREMIER TRAVEL DESTINATION. 
          WE ARE HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR 70 YEARS, PROVIDING DEDICATED SERVICES TO OUR BUSINESSES AND HELPING VISITORS CREATE LASTING MEMORIES, UH, WITH ECONOMIC IMPACT NUMBERS PROVIDED BY VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION FOR AKIMA COUNTY, THERE WAS $179.6 MILLION OF VISITOR SPENDING IN 2023. 
          THAT IS A 33.3% INCREASE OVER 2019 AND AN 8% INCREASE OVER 2022. 
          THAT INCLUDED $11.2 MILLION IN VISITOR GENERATED SALES AND LOCAL TAXES, AND SUPPORTED 1,420 JOBS IN THE COUNTY. 
          UH, FOR THE EASTERN SHORE AS A WHOLE, VISITOR SPENDING WAS UP 35% OVER 2019 AND 6.7% OVER 2022. 
          THE CHAMBER, UH, SPENT A LOT OF OUR MARKETING DOLLARS PROMOTING OBVIOUSLY SHATI ISLAND AND, AND THEN BEAUTY OF THE EASTERN SHORE. 
          UH, WE SPENT OVER $78,000, UH, IN MARKETING MONEY, UH, LAST YEAR. 
          BUT THE VALUE OF THAT, INCLUDING EARNED MEDIA, UH, WAS OVER 328,000. 
          UH, FOR, SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE SPENT, WE RECEIVED $4 IN ADVERTISING REACH, UM, THAT BROUGHT PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE TO THE EASTERN SHORE AND TOTI ISLAND, UH, WHICH IN TURN GENERATES REVENUE FOR THE TOWN, THE COUNTY, AND THE COMMONWEALTH. 
          UM, THAT EARNED MEDIA PORTION, UH, WAS RECEIVED THROUGH 300 OUTLETS THAT, UH, FEATURED CHIN PIG AND AZTEC ISLANDS. 
          UH, THAT COMES FROM OUR MARKETING EFFORTS, UH, OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS OF TRAVEL WRITERS WHO CAME, UM, YOU KNOW, AND WROTE ARTICLES ABOUT US PREVIOUSLY OR THAT WE WORKED WITH TO BRING CHENKO TAKE ISLAND, UH, BUT WHO HAVE NOW CHOSEN TO WRITE CONTINUALLY THROUGH OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS, UM, TVS, YOU KNOW, TV PROMOS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, ALL HELP CONTRIBUTE TO OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS SEEING WHAT SHIG IS DOING AND WANTING TO, UH, TALK ABOUT IT IN, IN THEIR OWN EFFORTS. 
          WE ALSO DISTRIBUTED 80,000 COPIES OF OUR VISITORS GUIDE LAST YEAR, UM, WHICH GETS SHIPPED TO, UH, VIRGINIA WELCOME CENTERS AND VISITOR CENTERS, AAA OFFICES, UH, IN NEW JERSEY, UH, MARYLAND, NORTHERN VIRGINIA. 
          UH, WE'RE IN THE DELAWARE TURNPIKE, PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKES, UM, AND THROUGH VISITOR INQUIRIES, UM, AND WE WORKED REALLY HARD TO FIND NEW WAYS OF DISTRIBUTING THAT VISITOR'S GUIDE TO REDUCE OUR FREIGHT COSTS BY OVER 30%, UM, SINCE 2022. 
          AGAIN, THAT MONEY THEN BEING REINVESTED INTO OTHER MARKETING EFFORTS TO BRING PEOPLE TO THE SHORE. 
          THE CHAMBER LAST YEAR WAS STAFFED BY TWO PEOPLE. 
          UM, WE ARE SMALL AND MIGHTY, UM, BUT THROUGH YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR SUPPORT, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE THAT. 
          UM, I STEPPED FROM THE MARKETING AND EVENT COORDINATOR POSITION INTO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROLE IN JANUARY, AND I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE TWO STAFF. 
          UM, OUR REQUESTS WAS, UH, TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE, UM, SALARIES AS WELL AS, UM, BEING ABLE TO OFFER OUR EMPLOYEES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER HEALTH BENEFITS. 
          UM, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS CRITICAL IN FINDING QUALIFIED STAFF. 
          WE LOST STAFF BECAUSE OF HEALTH BENEFITS. 
          WE, UH, WEREN'T ABLE TO HIRE STAFF BECAUSE 
          [00:15:01]
THEY NEEDED HEALTH BENEFITS. 
          THAT HAS BEEN A CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH. 
          UM, AND THAT WAS PART OF OUR REQUEST THIS YEAR. 
           THE CHAMBER, UH, REACHED OVER 5.5 MILLION PEOPLE LAST YEAR, UM, BE IT THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, WHICH HAD OVER 300,000 USERS OR CLOSE TO 300,000 USERS, UH, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST THAT WE HAVE EVER SEEN. 
          IT WAS AN 8% INCREASE OVER 2023, UH, THROUGH OUR WEBCAM, WHICH HAS 40,000 USERS A YEAR. 
          UM, WHO, WHO JUST LIKE TO TUNE IN AND SEE WHAT'S FLYING BY OR SAILING BY AND WATCHING THE SUNRISES AND THE SUNSETS. 
          UM, OUR ONLINE VISITORS GUIDE RECEIVES A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT, UH, AS WELL AS NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT ON BOARD, UH, THROUGH A VISIT WIDGET, WHICH LIVES ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH HELPS WITH ITINERARY PLANNING. 
          UM, IT ALSO, UH, CORRELATES TO THE SHT APP AS WELL AS AN OUTDOOR KIOSK THAT WE HAVE, SO THAT WHEN WE ARE NOT THERE PHYSICALLY IN THE OFFICE, FOLKS ARE STILL ABLE TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, SHIG AND, AND ENJOY THEIR VISIT WHILE THEY'RE THERE. 
          UH, WE ALSO REACHED, UM, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 5 MILLION PEOPLE ON FACEBOOK ALONE LAST YEAR JUST THROUGH OUR, OUR TARGETING AND, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS. 
          WE HAVE 313 MEMBERS, UM, AS OF LAST YEAR, UH, 24 NEW MEMBERS, AND WE HAVE A RETENTION RATE OF 87.2%. 
          THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 76. 
          SO WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT OUR MEMBERS SEE THE VALUE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THAT, UH, OUR RETENTION RATES ARE, ARE HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. 
          WE HELD 34 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, PROGRAMS BE A JOB FAIRS, PARTNERSHIPS, COLLABORATIONS HELD 17 NETWORKING EVENTS AND HELD FIVE RIBBON CUTTINGS FOR NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS AND NEW BUSINESSES ON THE ISLAND. 
          OUR OFF SEASON TOURISM DRIVERS ARE OBVIOUSLY OUR CHAMBER SPONSORED EVENTS. 
          UH, EASTER DECOY FESTIVAL, SH SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, OYSTER FESTIVAL, AND THE CHRISTMAS PARADE. 
          UH, THEY BRING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO THE ISLAND AND TO THE SHORE IN THE OFF SEASON. 
          UH, AGAIN, PROMOTING THOSE SHOULDER SEASONS AND, AND HELPING OUR RESTAURANTS AND OUR, OUR, OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, IN THOSE SMALLER QUIETER TIMES OF YEAR. 
          AND LAST YEAR WE HAD LOTS OF ACHIEVEMENTS. 
          WE HELD THE 2024 VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION VISITOR CENTER SEMINAR, WHICH WELCOMED 70 PLUS, UM, VISITOR CENTER AND, UH, WELCOME CENTER EXECUTIVES AND AND STAFF TO SHT. 
          WE GAVE THEM A THREE DAY FAM TOUR. 
          THEY HAD, UH, CONTINUING EDUCATION, UM, AND JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE THEM GO BACK TO THEIR LOCALITIES. 
          AND WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HEADED, WE'RE HEADED EAST, WHAT SHOULD WE DO? THEY CAN SAY, OH, THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO GO. 
          THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED, NEED TO BE. 
          THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE ENJOYED WHILE WE WERE THERE. 
          WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH THE TOWN AND THE MUSEUM OF CHIN, KATI ISLAND ON VA TWO 50 INITIATIVES. 
          UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE FIRE COMPANY ON THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF PONY PENDING THIS SUMMER. 
          WE COMPLETED A, A SPRING GRANT THAT HELPED US BUILD OUT OUR PHOTO GALLERY, UH, SO THAT WE CAN USE THAT INFORMATION IN OUR MARKETING MATERIAL. 
          AND WE ALSO SHARED IT WITH OUR MEMBERSHIP SO THAT THEY CAN USE IT IN THEIRS AS WELL. 
          UM, AND WE FINISHED THE 2025 VISITORS GUIDE, WHICH WE'LL BE ARRIVING TOMORROW IN THE RAIN. 
          SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING 260 CASES TO, TO GET DELIVERED TO THE CHAMBER THAT WE CAN START DISTRIBUTING TOMORROW. 
          AND FOR 2025, UM, WE ARE EXCITED THAT THE HUNDREDTH PONY SWIM WAS FEATURED ON THE COVER OF THE VIRGINIA TRAVEL GUIDE FOR THE SUMMER SERIES. 
          UM, VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION DOES NOT PUT EVENTS ON THE COVER OF THEIR VISITOR GUIDE, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS TO BRING THAT TO FRUITION, UH, TO CELEBRATE SUCH A BIG MILESTONE. 
          UM, WE'RE ALSO, UM, LOOKING AT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND DEVELOPING THAT, UH, GROWING OUR CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP AND, UM, MEMBERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. 
          WE'RE WORKING ON DEVELOPING OUR WEBSITES SOME MORE AND MAKING IT MORE USER FRIENDLY. 
          AND I'M SENDING THE STAFF FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THE CHAMBER AND, UM, LEARN FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR A LONG TIME, NOT JUST FROM LISTENING TO ME TALK AND  SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO. 
          UM, SO I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS EVENING. 
          UM, AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO 2025, THE CHAMBER REMAINS COMMITTED TO FOSTERING ECONOMIC GROWTH, SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND ENHANCING VISITOR EXPERIENCES WITH EXCITING MILESTONES AS THE ANNIVERSARY OF PONY SWIM, CONTINUING ENGAGEMENT IN STRATEGIC PLANNING AND A NEW STAFF THAT IS INSIGHTFUL, EAGER TO LEARN AND EXCITED TO DEVELOP NEW INITIATIVES TO BENEFIT OUR MEMBERSHIP. 
          WE ARE POISED FOR ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR. 
          THROUGH COLLABORATION, INNOVATION, AND DEDICATION, WE WILL ENSURE THAT SHIITE ISLAND REMAINS VIBRANT AND THRIVING DESTINATION, NOT ONLY FOR THIS YEAR, BUT FOR THE GENERATIONS 
          [00:20:01]
TO COME. 
          I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND INVESTMENT IN THE CHAMBER, UM, AND THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE FORGED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. 
          AND, UM, WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE, UH, ARE ABLE TO FULFILL OUR MISSION AND FOSTER ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR THE TOWN OF SHTE, MACK COUNTY AND FOR THE COMMONWEALTH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          NEXT ON LIST WILL BE THE TIME OF SHTE. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          EVENING, MIKE. 
          UH, MY NAME IS MIKE TOLBERT. 
          I'M THE TOWN MANAGER FOR THE TOWN OF SHATI, AND I DO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON. 
          UM, IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT WE, UH, TRY TO, UH, ASK A REQUEST OF THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY A BUDGET REQUEST, BUT THIS IS A RATHER UNUSUAL SITUATION. 
          UH, I WANT TO DISCUSS SROS AND, UH, SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AND FUNDING FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. 
          UM, THERE'S NOTHING MORE, I DON'T THINK WE ALL WOULD AGREE. 
          THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT, UH, TO PARENTS THAN SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF THEIR CHILDREN, UH, AT SCHOOL AND FOR THIS REASON. 
          UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, ACK COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, ESTABLISHED AN SRO PROGRAM IN WHICH THEY PUT A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER IN ALL THREE HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY THAT INCLUDED ARCADIA HIGH AND NANDU HIGH AND SHTE COMBINED SCHOOL AT THE TIME, UM, FOR VARIOUS REASONS. 
          A FEW YEARS INTO THE PROGRAM, A SCHOOL OFFICIAL REQUESTED THAT THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER AT SHTE COMBINED SCHOOL BE REMOVED, WHICH HE, THAT POSITION WAS, AND IT WAS NEVER REPLACED. 
          UH, THE TOWN OF SHTE, WHERE I SHOULD SAY THE, UH, SHINTECH COMBINED SCHOOL WENT FOR OVER A DECADE WITH NO RESOURCE OFFICER IN THAT SCHOOL. 
          AND UNTIL 2021, UH, THERE WAS NO RESOURCE OFFICER IN THAT SCHOOL. 
          IN 2021, THE UH, TOWN OF SHINTECH FOUND A GRANT FROM DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES FOR RESOURCE OFFICERS APPLIED FOR THE GRANT AND OBTAINED A GRANT. 
          AND THEN THEY, UH, FOUND A GENTLEMAN, UH, AN OFFICER TRAINED THE OFFICER, EQUIPPED THE OFFICER, AND PUT THE OFFICER IN THE SCHOOL WITH A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FROM AKIMA COUNTY SCHOOLS. 
          AND THAT OFFICER HAS BEEN IN THAT SCHOOL SINCE 2021. 
          THE GRANT FUNDING, HOWEVER, WAS ONLY GOOD FOR FOUR YEARS, AND IT RUNS AT, AT THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR. 
          UM, THEREIN LIES OUR REQUEST. 
          UH, THE TOWN WOULD LIKE THE COUNTY TO FUND AN SRO FOR SHTE HIGH SCHOOL OR SHTE KA COMBINE SCHOOL AS THEY DO THE OTHER TWO HIGH SCHOOLS ON THE IN ACK COUNTY. 
          UH, AND, UH, RECOGNIZING THAT THAT IS AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION. 
          THE TOWN WILL STEP UP AND, AND, UH, DO WHAT WE THINK WE SHOULD DO. 
          AND THAT, UM, WE WOULD, UH, AND, AND LET ME BACK UP AND SAY THAT WE'VE HAD A, AN SRO IN THIS BUILDING FOR FOUR YEARS NOW THAT SRO AND THAT, UH, OFFICER HAS DEVELOPED A RAPPORT WITH THE STUDENTS AND STAFF. 
          UH, HE'S DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB. 
          AND I WILL ALSO SAY THAT IN 2022, A YEAR AFTER WE ESTABLISHED THE SRO IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, WE OBTAINED, UH, FUNDING FOR AN SRO AND PUT ONE IN THE A ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          UH, AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT IS THE ONLY SRO IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN AKIMA COUNTY AT THIS TIME. 
          UH, HOWEVER, UH, WE WOULD ASK OR WE WOULD PROPOSE THAT THE COUNTY FUND THE SRO OR CONTINUE TO FUND THE SRO AFTER THE DCGS GRANT RUNS OUT, UM, AS THEY DO THE ONES IN END INTO AN ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL. 
          UM, FOR THE TOWNS PART, UH, THE TOWN WOULD, IF THE COUNTY WOULD ELECT TO LEAVE CHENKO TANK'S OFFICER IN THE BUILDING, THE TOWN OF CHENKO TANK WOULD STEP UP AND PROVIDE ALL TRAINING, ALL COST OF ALL TRAINING, ALL EQUIPMENT, A VEHICLE FOR THAT OFFICER AND SUPPORT FOR THAT OFFICER AS ARE PART OF, UH, THIS PROPOSAL. 
          UH, AND IN ADDITION, WE WOULD ONLY ASK THAT THE COUNTY FUND THE 80, UH, THE 180 SCHOOL DAYS, UH, THE COST FOR THE SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR THE 180 SCHOOL DAYS, THE OTHER 80 DAYS OF THE YEAR, UH, THE TOWN WOULD, UH, WOULD PAY ALL COSTS FOR THE SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR THAT OFFICER AND CONTINUE TO PAY THE VEHICLE EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING FOR THAT OFFICER. 
          UM, THIS SHOULD, UH, SAVE THE COUNTY ABOUT 30% OVERALL ON PUTTING A BRAND NEW SHERIFF'S DEPUTY IN THERE. 
          UM, AND THE TOWN GLADLY ASSUMES THAT RESPONSIBILITY. 
          UH, WE THINK IT WOULD BE A WIN-WIN, A WIN FOR THE COUNTY, AND SAVING SOME DOLLARS A WIN FOR THE TOWN, AND THAT WE KEEP THE SAME OFFICER AND A WIN FOR THE STUDENTS AND STAFF AT SHTE COMMAND SCHOOL WOULD KEEP THE SAME OFFICER IN THAT BUILDING. 
          UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, WHILE WE WOULD LOVE FOR THE COUNTY TO ASSUME THE COST OF THE SRO AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS WELL, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT SETTING 
          [00:25:01]
A PRECEDENT. 
          UH, AND MAYBE THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER TIME, BUT, UH, I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, UH, CONCERNING OUR PROPOSAL. 
          AND RIGHT NOW, MAYOR BOWDEN WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING OR AFTERNOON. 
          IT MIGHT BE STILL AFTERNOON, . 
          UM, MY NAME IS DENISE BOW AND I AM THE MAYOR OF SHT. 
          AND YES, I'M STILL GETTING USED TO SAYING THOSE WORDS. 
          UM, UH, WANNA THANK YOU ALL, UM, FOR LETTING US SPEAK ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT, UH, MATTER. 
          UM, MIKE HAS GIVEN YOU SOME FINANCIALS. 
          UM, I'M HERE TO REALLY, TO APPEAL TO YOU AS A ONE HUMAN BEING TO ANOTHER. 
          UM, BETWEEN 2020 22, THERE WERE 1,375 SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES, RESULTING IN 515 DEATHS AND 1,161 INJURIES. 
          IN 2019, GUN INJURY BECAME THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO 19 YEARS OLD. 
          COLUMBINE, SANDY HOOK, VALDI, MARJORIE STONE DOUGLAS ARE WORDS WE UNDERSTAND JUST BY HEARING THEM, NOT BECAUSE THOSE SCHOOLS ARE FAMOUS FOR THEIR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS OR FOR TURNING OUT THE HIGHEST GPAS IN THE COUNTRY. 
          WE KNOW THOSE NAMES BECAUSE THEY'RE WHERE SOME OF THE DEADLIEST SCHOOL SHOOTINGS TOOK PLACE. 
          AS YOU HEARD MIKE SAY, FOR WHATEVER REASON, UM, SHTE HIGH SCHOOL WAS LEFT WITHOUT AN SRO FOR SOME TIME. 
          AND THEN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, STEPPED UP, FOUND GRANTS TO FUND TWO POSITIONS, UH, FOR BOTH THE HIGH SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          AND YES, THESE GRANTS DO RUN OUT AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THIS BOARD PICK UP FUNDING FOR BOTH OF THEM. 
          I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME TALK OF HAVING THE YAKIMA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TAKE OVER THESE ROLES AT SHTE. 
          IF WE WERE IN A PERFECT WORLD, AND OF COURSE WE ARE NOT, UM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. 
          UM, BUT IT IS NO SECRET THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS NOT FULLY STAFFED AS IT IS. 
          IN FACT, THE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS HAD AN ADVERTISEMENT, UH, FOR AT LEAST A YEAR SEEKING SHERIFF'S, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SEEKING APPLICATIONS. 
          MY QUESTION IS, HOW CAN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DEDICATE DEPUTIES TO THE ISLAND SCHOOLS WHEN THEY CAN'T FILL POSITIONS NOW AND IT'S THROUGH NEW FAULT OF THEIR OWN NEW, NEW FAULT FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 
          IT'S JUST HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT IS TODAY, AS THAT TYPE OF WORK IS NOT AS ENTICING AS IT USED TO BE. 
          FOR MANY REASONS, POLICE OFFICERS, ANY KIND OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IS SCRUTINIZED EVERY SINGLE DAY IN THE WORLD WE LIVE IN. 
          UH, GOD BLESS 'EM FOR WHAT THEY DO. 
          UM, AND IF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WERE TRYING TO FILL THESE POSITIONS, CAN WE BE GUARANTEED THAT THE DEPUTY WILL REMAIN AT THE SCHOOL ALL DAY, NEVER HAVING TO LEAVE TO ANSWER OTHER CALLS IN THE COUNTY? I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE CAN MAKE THAT PROMISE. 
          SHT POLICE DEPARTMENT IS FULLY STAFFED WITH OFFICERS AND THE SROS THAT WE HAVE NOW WOULD NOT HAVE TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL TO ANSWER ANY CALLS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY UNLESS THERE IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK EVENT. 
          AND GOD FORBID, WE HOPE WE DON'T HAVE ONE OF THOSE EITHER. 
          UM, THE TWO SROS THAT WE HAVE NOW ARE ALREADY TRAINED, ALREADY HAVE ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES IN THEIR CURRENT ROLES, AND THEY HAVE BUILT TRUST WITH THE STUDENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS VALUABLE, TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS THAT DO NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. 
          AND A LITTLE BIT FOR THE NITTY GRITTY, I FEEL I MUST REMIND THIS BOARD THAT SHING TAG, ISLAND TAXPAYERS CONTRIBUTE, UM, ALMOST A THIRD OF THE COUNTY'S REVENUE WITH WHAT SOMETIMES, JUST SPEAKING FOR ME PERSONALLY, SEEMS LIKE VERY LITTLE IN RETURN. 
          WE ARE ASKING YOU TO FUND TWO SROS FOR OUR SCHOOLS AT THE COST OF 125,000 IN SOME CHANGE, MERE PENNIES WHEN COMPARED TO THE SAFETY OF OUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCES. 
          AND THAT IS OUR CHILDREN AND OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF. 
          I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO MAKE HISTORY HERE IN AKIMA COUNTY BY NOT ONLY FUNDING THESE TWO POSITIONS FOR US, BUT TO FIND FUNDS TO PUT AN SRL IN EVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY. 
          ARE THOSE KIDS NOT DESERVING OF THE SAME LEVEL OF PROTECTION AND SECURITY? LET US NEVER BE SO COMPLACENT THAT WE THINK IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE BECAUSE IT CAN'T. 
          I'M SURE THE PARENTS, TEACHERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE COMMUNITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS IN UVALDE AND SANDY HOOK DIDN'T THINK IT COULD HAPPEN THERE EITHER. 
          A SCHOOL SHOOTING DOES NOT JUST AFFECT THOSE SHOT AND KILLED OR INJURED. 
          IT AFFECTS EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THAT COMMUNITY. 
          I WANT PEOPLE TO ASSOCIATE OUR ISLAND AND THE EASTERN SHORE WITH PONIES, WILDLIFE FISHING, AND A BEACH OR TILL NOT FOR A TRAGIC SCHOOL INCIDENT. 
          AND WHILE NOTHING IS GUARANTEED, YOU ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT MATTERS IN PLACE FOR, AGAIN, MERE PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR TO KEEP ON PROTECTING AND SECURING THE LIVES OF OUR KIDS WHO ARE ONLY TRYING TO GET AN EDUCATION. 
          I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE KIDS AND GRANDKIDS IN OUR SCHOOLS. 
          SOME OF YOU MAY EVEN HAVE A CHILD THAT IS A TEACHER OR A STAFF MEMBER. 
          CAN YOU LOOK THEM IN THE EYE AND TELL THEM THAT YOU'RE WORKING 
          [00:30:01]
HARD TO PROTECT THEM AT EVERY LEVEL POSSIBLE AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEACE OF MIND? I IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE FUND OUR REQUEST AND KEEP OUR TWO SROS, WHICH ACTUALLY WOULD SAVE THE COUNTY MONEY. 
          AND I IMPLORE YOU TO SEARCH YOUR HEARTS AND THINK OF LOOKING INTO YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN'S EYES WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION ON THIS MATTER. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, NEXT ON THE AGENDA WOULD BE, UH, C**K MAIN STREET. 
          HI, I AM CINDY MACKEY ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF O C**K MAIN STREET. 
          AND HERE WITH ME TONIGHT IS KAREN RUSHMAN ROW, ALSO ON THE BOARD. 
          THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE COME BEFORE YOU AND WE'RE COMING BEFORE YOU WITH A SPECIFIC REQUEST AND A SPECIFIC NEED ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS TOLD US THAT THEY NEED. 
          UM, ONANCOCK MAIN STREET IS ACCREDITED BY MAIN STREET AMERICA AND VIRGINIA MAIN STREET. 
          WE RECEIVE GRANT FUNDING AND DONATIONS. 
          SO WE'RE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. 
          WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE DONE A COMMUNITY SURVEY JUST TO HELP US FORMULATE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE COMING YEAR. 
          AND SO WE HAD 404 RESPONSES. 
          95% OF THEM WERE FROM THE EASTERN SHORE, MOSTLY FROM ONANCOCK. 
          AND IN AKIMA COUNTY, ONLY 5% WERE VISITORS. 
          OVERWHELMINGLY, EVERYONE SAID WHAT THEY REALLY WANNA SEE ARE THE EMPTY STOREFRONTS FILLED. 
          AND SO WE ARE TAKING THAT AS OUR TOP PRIORITY, AND WE'VE DEVELOPED A BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PLAN THAT WE'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT THIS YEAR. 
          THE GOALS OF THAT PLAN ARE TO RECRUIT NEW BUSINESSES TO AN C**K, TO RETAIN AND GROW EXISTING BUSINESSES THERE, SO THERE'S NO FURTHER LOSS. 
          AND ALSO TO INCREASE CAPITAL AND JOB GROWTH IN THE CITY, IN THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY. 
          THE MAIN STREET AMERICA RESEARCH SHOWS US THAT COUNTIES OR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE LESS THAN 5,000 PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO RELY ON BRINGING PEOPLE IN TO START BUSINESSES RATHER THAN GROWING UP THROUGH ENTREPRENEURS AND ESPECIALLY IN OOC WHERE OUR DEMOGRAPHIC, OUR HIGHEST LEVEL OF DEMOGRAPHIC IS BETWEEN 45 AND 65. 
          WE HAVE A VERY HIGH RATE OF RETIRED PEOPLE. 
          SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS MOVE OUT AND, AND BRING PEOPLE HERE. 
          SO OUR TARGET AUDIENCE WILL BE BUSINESSES WITHIN A HUNDRED MILES OF, UH, ONANCOCK. 
          AND, UM, ALSO PEOPLE THAT ARE MOVING INTO THE AREA. 
          THESE BUSINESSES COULD BE STARTUP BUSINESSES OR SECOND OR THIRD LOCATIONS FOR EXISTING BUSINESSES. 
          SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WORK WITH THE LANDLORDS AND DEVELOP INFORMATION ABOUT ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE AVAILABLE. 
          WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED 10 THAT ARE RIGHT ON MARKET STREET, WHICH IS THE HUB OF OUR DOWNTOWN. 
          WE WILL, UM, IDENTIFY OUR APPROPRIATE PARTNERS. 
          WE'VE ALREADY GONE TO EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND I MET WITH SCOTT HALL, WHO DOES THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THERE. 
          HE AND I WORKED TOGETHER FOR 10 YEARS WHEN HE WAS RUNNING THE, UH, VIRGINIA BEACH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE. 
          AND I SHOWED HIM OUR PLAN AND HE SAID, WE'RE ON BOARD. 
          WE WILL HELP YOU ANY WAY WE CAN WITH EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND, UH, ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO MOVE THIS PROGRAM FORWARD. 
          SO THAT WAS GREAT. 
          WE HAD OUR FIRST PARTNER, THEN WE WENT TO THE TOWN OF AN C**K AND PRESENTED, UH, LAST WEEK TO THEM. 
          AND THEY ARE ON BOARD ALSO AS A PARTNER, SEEING THAT THIS IS A VERY VITAL PROGRAM. 
          UNLIKE OTHER PLACES WE DON'T HAVE COMMERCIAL REALTORS. 
          I I WORKED WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST COMMERCIAL REALTORS IN THE COUNTRY. 
          COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL, AMADA, HOFFLER, DEVAR REAL ESTATE. 
          AND THESE ARE THE COMPANIES THAT THEIR JOB IS REALLY TO BRING BUSINESSES IN AND, AND FIND THE RIGHT SPACES FOR THE RIGHT BUSINESSES. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE, IF ANY, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INTEREST. 
          AND I'VE TALKED TO ALL OF THE, UH, REAL ESTATE COMPANIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR MARKET. 
          SO WHAT ONANCOCK MAIN STREET WANTS TO DO IS BE THE CONDUIT. 
          WE'RE GONNA BUILD A WEBSITE ON OUR ONANCOCK MAIN STREET.ORG SITE AND HAVE ALL OF THE COMMERCIAL, UH, SPACES THAT ARE AVAILABLE WITH FLOOR PLANS, CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE LANDLORDS, ANY INCENTIVES THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT FROM THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN AND HELP PEOPLE FIND THIS. 
          THEN WE'LL DO A MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE AND TO INVITE THEM TO COME TO A C**K AND SEE WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN SPACE THIS IS TO RETAIN BUSINESSES. 
          WE'RE GOING TO DO A, A BUNCH OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WITH EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BUT WE'RE ALSO GONNA INVITE SOME OF THE OTHER LOCAL MERCHANT ORGANIZATIONS IN LIKE CAPE CHARLES AND X MORE AND 
          [00:35:01]
SHIITE, AND BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER AND LET THEM KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN A SECOND LOCATION, WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT SPOTS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER WORKING WITH VIRGINIA BEACH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DOWNTOWN NORFOLK COUNCIL. 
          I KNOW THESE KIND OF PROGRAMS WORK. 
          WE FOR DOWNTOWN NORFOLK COUNCIL, WE DID A PROGRAM CALLED VIBRANT SPACES AND WE IDENTIFIED SIX SPACES IN DOWNTOWN NORFOLK. 
          WE HAD 94 APPLICANTS FOR THOSE SPACES WHEN THE, WHEN WE FIRST ROLLED OUT THE PROGRAM, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IF WE COULD FILL A FEW SPACES IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, IT WOULD BE A TOTAL SUCCESS. 
          UM, SO WHAT WE'RE COMING TO YOU TONIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, IS TO ASK YOU TO BE A PARTNER ON THIS ESSENTIAL PROGRAM. 
          THE TOWN APPROVED $15,750 AND WE'RE ASKING THE COUNTY TO MATCH $15,000. 
          THIS WILL BE A ONE TIME REQUEST SO THAT WE CAN JUMPSTART THIS WEBSITE, GET ALL THE INFORMATION FROM THE LANDLORDS, AND BEGIN A MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO BRING BUSINESSES TO ONANCOCK. 
          THERE ARE SO MANY ASSETS THAT WE HAVE, IT'S GONNA BE A EASY SELL ONCE WE CAN GET THIS INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE. 
          SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, NEXT ON THE AGENDA WOULD BE, UH, ESVA HOUSING MISSION. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          I'M DON TAYLOR. 
          I'M ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE EASTERN SHORE VIRGINIA HOUSING MISSION. 
          WE'RE A BRAND NEW NONPROFIT. 
          WE, UH, GOT CERTIFIED 5 0 1 C3 IN MAY OF THIS PAST YEAR. 
          I ALSO HAVE SOME DISTINGUISHED BOARD MEMBERS. 
          ONE OF THEM IS VANESSA ON ON THE, THE, UH, BOARD SUPERVISORS RICK KING. 
          THANK YOU AND BILL STERLING, WHICH YOU MAY KNOW. 
          SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO START WITH, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MY HANDOUT HERE. 
          I WANTED TO PUT SOME PICTURES IN FRONT OF YOU TO SHOW THE IMPACT OF, OF SOME OF THE SITUATIONS AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. 
          SO THEY ARE NUMBERED. 
          I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE AWARE, BUT ACCORDING TO THE LATEST CENSUS, THERE ARE OVER 2000, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL IN YOUR COUNTY. 
          AND YOU CAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO FAR TO SEE IT. 
          AND THAT'S REALLY OUR FOCUS. 
          THOSE ARE OUR CLIENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HELPING. 
          THE OTHER THING ON, ON PAGE THREE AT THE BOTTOM THERE, OUR GOAL IS TO REDUCE UNSAFE HOUSING, THE LEADING CAUSE OF INJURY AND SOMETIMES DEATH IN PEOPLE OVER 65, WHICH A LOT OF US ARE HERE. 
          THIS FALLS WHEN YOU FALL, YOU SLIP, TRIP OR FALL, YOU'RE IN THE ER AND A LOT OF OTHER DAMAGE OCCURS. 
          AND THAT'S EASY TO RECTIFY. 
          AND WE'RE DOING THIS THROUGH OUR HEALTHY HOMES INITIATIVE, MAKING THEM WARMER, SAFER AND DRIER. 
          WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE THEM PRETTY, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO, WE'RE NOT GONNA PAINT PEOPLE'S HOUSES. 
          WE'RE GONNA FIX DANGEROUS SITUATIONS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. 
          IF YOU GO TO NUMBER FOUR, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HEALTHY HOMES, NEWER REPAIRED FLOORS, STEPS OR HANDRAILS, BATHROOM GRAB BARS, THESE ARE BASIC THINGS. 
          STOPPING ROOFS FROM LEAKING. 
          AND A LOT OF IT'S IS WRAPPED AROUND EDUCATION. 
          HOW CAN WE HELP OUR CLIENTS AND HOW CAN WE EDUCATE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, CAN SUPPORT THEM? WE HAVE A, A GREAT WORKING BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT'S ON PAGE FIVE. 
          YOU HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM. 
          UM, WE'VE HAD, UM, WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED FIVE PROJECTS IN OUR FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF OPERATION. 
          AND ON SIX, THERE WAS A STUDY THAT I, I CAME FROM, UM, RUNNING CHESAPEAKE HOUSING MISSION IN MARYLAND. 
          WE DID A FOUR YEAR STUDY. 
          THE PROGRAM THAT WE ARE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT HERE, REDUCED FALLS BY 87%, WHICH IS A STAGGERING NUMBER. 
          AND I'VE GOT A, THE FULL REPORT IS IN THE BACK THAT YOU CAN TAKE HOME WITH YOU IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT BOTH MONETARILY REDUCING HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS, UM, AND REDUCING FALLS. 
          NUMBER SEVEN, WHY SHOULD IT MATTER TO YOU? WE'RE GONNA REDUCE THE MEDICAL COST. 
          WE'RE GONNA REDUCE EMT COST WHEN PEOPLE DON'T NEED AMBULANCES TO GET THEM OUT OF THE HOUSE TO GET THEM TO, UM, DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS. 
          'CAUSE THEY WILL DO THAT. 
          IF THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO DO IT, THEY'LL BE USING YOUR EMTS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. 
          UM, I HAD HAD EXPERIENCE ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO WITH A PARTNERSHIP WITH SALISBURY FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT HAPPENED TO THEM A LOT. 
          AND WE TRIED TO COME IN BEHIND AND, AND BUILD RAMPS AND HELP THEM GET THOSE, UH, PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THEIR HOMES ON A, UH, SAFE WAY. 
          THIS WILL LEAD TO REDUCE COST, UH, BOTH MEDICALLY AND IN, UH, IN YOUR SAFETY SYSTEMS. 
          [00:40:01]
SO WHAT HAVE WE SEEN SO FAR? PAGE EIGHT. 
          IT'S ON SAXES ISLAND. 
          YOU THINK HE'S GONNA FALL COMING DOWN THAT RAMP? NUMBER NINE BLOCKS HIM. 
          BAD. 
          SITUATION NUMBER 10 IS WHAT WE DID ABOUT IT. 
          THAT'S RIVERSIDE HOSPITAL. 
          WE HAD ABOUT 20 PEOPLE THERE THAT DAY. 
          WE BUILT IT RAMP IN ONE DAY. 
          AND IF YOU LOOK AT NUMBER 11, YOU CAN SEE IT WORKS. 
          THAT COST US ABOUT $3,000 ON PROJECT, BUT WE PROBABLY WILL PROBABLY KEEP HIM OUTTA THE HOSPITAL NUMEROUS TIMES IN DOING THAT. 
          NUMBER 12, ABOUT THREE MILES OUTSIDE OF, IN C**K SAVAGE ROAD. 
          HE WAS A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER FOR OVER 40 YEARS. 
          HE STILL IS A REALLY, REALLY MR. DRUMMOND AND NUMBER 13 DOWN THERE. 
          YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE DID IN HIS WORLD. 
          AND I'M NOT GONNA, I'M, I'M NOT TELLING YOU THIS, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN VANESSA WORKING ON THAT PROJECT. 
          , I SEE THAT PINK CAT, I SEE THAT , SHE BROUGHT, SHE NOT ONLY BROUGHT THE WORK TEAM FROM JERUSALEM BAPTIST, IT IT, IT'S A GREAT DAY TO COME TOGETHER AND GIVE A DAY. 
          YOU KNOW, OUR TIME IS VERY PRECIOUS TO US AND JUST GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY YOU DON'T KNOW. 
          AND WE DO IT BY LEVERAGING VOLUNTEERS AND KEEPING OUR COSTS LOW. 
          OUR GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN OVERHEAD UNDER 10% AND THERE AREN'T MANY NONPROFITS THAT DO THAT. 
          THE LAST ONE IS A MAP. 
          THIS HIGHLIGHTS BY ZIP CODE, THE MORE EXTREME LEVELS OF POVERTY. 
          AND VANESSA HAS THE MORE EXTREME LEVEL IN CROMAC, BUT WE HAVE IT ALL OVER. 
          IT'S AT EVERY TURN IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN THE VERY BACK. 
          THERE'S A HEALTHY OM STUDY. 
          IT'S A FOUR YEAR STUDY. 
          UM, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, IF I'M, IF I'M NOT OVER TIME, BUT THIS WORKS. 
          WE'RE LEVERAGING YOUR CITIZENS TO HELP EACH OTHER AND, AND TO BRING THE GIFT OF LOVING THY NEIGHBOR IS SO POWERFUL. 
          AND WHAT YOU LEAVE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES IS A BONDING THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER AND A COMMON CAUSE. 
          SO I THANK YOU IF I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ASKING $999,000 BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN AUDIT YET, AND THAT WAS OUR MAXIMUM. 
          SO, UM, I THINK YOU MADE A TYPO WITH THAT. 
          . 
          WELL, NOT $999,000. 
          WELL, I WAS TRYING TO GET A LITTLE MORE . 
          I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT I COULD I COUPLE NUMBERS FOR YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. 
          YOU'RE NOT, THAT'S NOT GETTING MY HAND. 
          I THOUGHT I COULD SLIP IT IN BEFORE I GOT OUTTA HERE. 
          UM, WE WILL BE BACK FOR MORE NEXT YEAR AND WE WILL GROW. 
          OUR GOAL IS 20, OR EXCUSE ME, 30 THIS YEAR. 
          SO ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. 
          THANKS. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          NEXT ON THE AGENDA WOULD BE OMA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. 
          GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          I WILL BE SHORT AND SWEET. 
          UM, JOHN RICHARDSON COULD NOT JOIN US THIS EVENING. 
          HE UNDERSTANDS THE ASSIGNMENT WHEN YOU'RE SICK DAY HOME . 
          UM, AND HE IS OUR GREATEST ADVOCATE FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE DO IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          I HAVE, UM, A A LOT OF CONTEXTUAL KNOWLEDGE OF THAT, BUT LET'S BE REAL. 
          I COUNT BEANS. 
          UH, I HANDLE THE MONEY AND THE WAY THE BUSINESS FUNCTIONS. 
          UH, I AM PROUD OF THE GOOD THAT WE DO. 
          SO I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UM, THE ADDITIONAL AEDS WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WAS GRANT FUNDED. 
          UM, TOTAL NOW 22 LOCATIONS IN AAC INCLUDING ALL THE BALL FIELDS, HIGH SCHOOLS, AND TANGIER ISLAND. 
          I'M NOT SURE IF THAT ONE IS INSTALLED. 
          IT MAY STILL BE IN MY WAITING ROOM. 
          WE ARE WAITING FOR THE AEDS TO COME TO GO INTO THE SAFE STATIONS FOR THE ISLAND AND GET THEM, UM, VOTED OVER, UH, NATURALLY STATE PROCUREMENT ISSUES WITH A CONTRACT AND STRIKER. 
          SO AEDS ARE A HARD THING TO GET FOR THE STATE RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, OUR MOBILE MEDICAL UNIT WAS ABLE TO GO OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          WE HAD SIX MOBILE CLINICS OVER THE, UH, OVER THE SUMMER, UH, IN BOTH COUNTIES SERVING OVER 153 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WOULD NOT HAVE RECEIVED HEALTHCARE SERVICES. 
          MOSTLY THAT'S DUE TO WHETHER IT'S A MIGRANT LABOR CAMP OR PEOPLE, UH, EMPLOYEES AT PURDUE AND THEY HAVE THAT SET WORK SCHEDULE, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO COME OUT DURING WHAT OUR NORMAL OPERATING BUSINESSES ARE. 
          SO WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE THAT MOBILE CLINIC, WHICH WAS ALSO GRANT FUNDED OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITY, UM, IN NON-NORMAL WORK 
          [00:45:01]
HOURS OR DAYS ON WEEKENDS TO HELP SERVE THAT, THOSE, THOSE MEMBERS. 
          UM, WE HAVE CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT OF TWO GRANT FUNDED MEDICAL INTERPRETERS, UM, FULL-TIME. 
          ONE HAITIAN CREOLE, ONE, UH, SPANISH SPEAKING. 
          UM, JUST RUNNING THE FRONT DESK TODAY FOR 20 MINUTES. 
          90% OF OUR PHONE CALLS ARE NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING PEOPLE WHO COME IN. 
          SO THOSE GIRLS ARE HUGE RESOURCE, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO WANNA SEE SOMEBODY THAT LOOKS LIKE THEM AND TALKS LIKE THAT, UH, ESPECIALLY IN A MEDICAL SITUATION WHERE THEY MIGHT NOT BE COMFORTABLE. 
          SO THOSE ARE SOME REALLY, REALLY WONDERFUL THINGS. 
          AND I WANNA ADD, WE WERE THE FIRST OUT OF ALL 35 HEALTH DISTRICTS IN THE STATE TO REACH FULL. 
          UH, WE HAD 98 OF OUR VACANT EMPLOYEE, UH, OF OUR 98% OF OUR VACANCIES WERE FILLED AT THE TIME OF BUDGET SUBMISSION. 
          WE WERE A HUNDRED PERCENT LAST MONTH, AND I JUST GOT A LETTER OF RESIGNATION , SO WE'RE BACK DOWN TO ONE. 
          BUT THAT IS USUALLY, UM, DUE TO, UM, WHAT THE JUDGE WAS SAYING, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO FIND AND RETAIN QUALIFIED CANDIDATES. 
          WE CAN GET A WHOLE, A WHOLE BOATLOAD OF, OF APPLICATIONS. 
          SO, UM, WE ARE REALLY PROUD OF THAT. 
          WE'RE STILL, WE'RE OKAY. 
          WE'RE STILL NUMBER ONE AT 99% GOOD. 
          UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          OUR ADDITIONAL REQUEST IS SIMPLY FOR THE 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE THAT'S GONNA HIT FROM THE GA. 
          SO WE DON'T WANNA HAVE TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR MORE MONEY LATER. 
          UM, SORRY. 
          IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I HAVE TO RUN, UM, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME AND DR. RICH, UH, MR. RICHARDSON. 
          UM, WE'LL GET BACK WITH ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO HAVE. 
          ALRIGHT, GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT UP WOULD BE, UH, MOUNTAIN NORTH ANNUAL PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION. 
          GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR. 
          BOARD MEMBERS. 
          EVENING. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          UH, MY NAME IS RUSS WILLIAMS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A-M-P-D-C MILL COULDN'T COME TONIGHT, SO SHE ASKED ME TO STAND IN FOR HER. 
          UM, AS CONCERNING FUNDING FOR, UH, EASTERN SHORE GROUNDWATER COMMITTEE. 
          WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR LEVEL FUNDING FROM THIS YEAR, UM, FOR THE NEXT YEAR. 
          AND, UH, ALSO FOR THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA HOUSING ALLIANCE. 
          WE'RE REQUESTING LEVEL FUNDING, UM, FROM THE SAME AS THIS YEAR. 
          UH, CONCERNING A-M-P-D-C. 
          UH, THE NAVIGABLE WATERWAYS COMMITTEE, UH, IS ASKING FOR AN INCREASE, UH, TO COVER FEE AND MILEAGE. 
          UM, THE, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THAT COMMITTEE, UH, NOTED THAT EACH COUNTY APPOINTS TWO SUPERVISORS AND THREE CITIZEN MEMBERS. 
          THE JOINT RESOLUTION ADOPTED INCLUDED PROVISION THAT ALL EXPENSES WOULD BE SHARED AS A PROPORTION FOR THE EASTERN SHORE POPULATION. 
          UM, ACK COUNTY, UH, WOULD BE, UH, 73% OF THE, WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR AN INCREASE. 
          NORTHAMPTON COUNTY WOULD ONLY BE 27 BASED ON THE CURRENT CENSUS NUMBERS. 
          UH, THE INCREASE THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR FOR THAT COMMITTEE IS $2,350. 
          I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          I ALSO HAVE TO RUN, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO EMAIL MYSELF OR OR A MISS MEAL, WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO FILL IN THE BLANKS. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, NEXT ON THE DOCKET WILL BE EAST SHORE AREA ON AGING. 
          WE HAVE ANYONE HERE, ANYONE OUTSIDE? I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S HERE. 
          I THINK DIRECTORS TABLE. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, NEXT ON THE BOARD, UH, NEXT WOULD BE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD. 
          I GO AHEAD AND GIVE Y'ALL A FEW OF THE SHORES AND MY CARDS FOR THOSE WHO DIDN'T GET A LAST YEAR. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          I AM MIMI SAJE. 
          I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD, UM, HERE ON THE BEAUTIFUL EASTERN SHORE. 
          SO, UM, THIS YEAR WE ARE ASKING A 10% INCREASE OVER THE FISCAL YEAR 25. 
          THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF 21,852 AND AN INCREASE. 
          AND JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA, UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 24, UM, WE SERVED, UM, UH, 1,788 INDIVIDUALS IN AKIMA COUNTY FOR THE ENTIRE FISCAL YEAR OF 24 SO FAR IN THE FIRST HALF. 
          SO I CUT OFF MY NUMBERS THE END OF DECEMBER. 
          WE'VE ALREADY SERVED 1,788 FOR THE FIRST HALF, UM, OF THE YEAR. 
          SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS TO HELP US COVER, UM, THE, THE, OF COURSE THE INCREASED AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS WE SERVE. 
          THE END OF YEAR REPORT THAT WE HAVE TO REPORT TO OUR REGULATORY ENTITY, DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES, UM, SHOWS AN ACTUAL LOCAL MATCH PERCENT OF 5.06% WHEN 10% IS REQUIRED BY OUR PERFORMANCE CONTRACT WITH THE STATE. 
          UM, SO 
          [00:50:01]
WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE WOULD LITERALLY HAVE TO RECEIVE DOUBLE THE CURRENT AMOUNT OF LOCAL FUNDING TO COMPLY WITH THE STANDARDS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL SELF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES. 
          UM, DUE TO US BEING CONSIDERED OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH D-B-H-D-S, WE AS THE CSP ARE REQUIRED TO WRITE A VARIANCE AND TO LET THEM KNOW WHY WE DIDN'T GET THE LOCAL MATCH. 
          UM, SO WE HAVE HAD TO BE DOING THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS. 
          BUT ANY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE 21,000 IS WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING THIS YEAR AND MAYBE IN FUTURE YEARS WE CAN KEEP INCREASING A LITTLE BIT UNTIL WE DON'T HAVE TO, UM, WRITE THE VARIANCE. 
          ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT WOULD BE EASTERN SHORE VIRGINIA TOURISM COMMISSION. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          MY NAME IS ROBERT SABATINI. 
          I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA TOURISM COMMISSION. 
          I TOO WILL KEEP THIS SHORT AND HOPEFULLY SWEET. 
          UH, I FIRST WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ALL THE SUPPORT YOU'VE GIVEN THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA TOURISM COMMISSION OVER THE YEARS. 
          IT'S NO SECRET THAT WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST INCREDIBLE BEACHES IN VIRGINIA. 
          WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL SUNRISES, SUNSETS, PRISTINE NATURE. 
          THAT LIST COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT PLEASE KNOW, I BELIEVE OUR BEST AND STRONGEST ASSET HERE ON THE EASTERN SHORE IS OUR PEOPLE. 
          AND SPEAKING OF PEOPLE WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE WITH THE TOURISM COMMISSION, AN EXTRAORDINARY, VERSATILE TEAM COMPOSED OF EILEEN YEAKEL AND EMILY MACHEN. 
          MEMBERS OF OUR TOURISM COMMISSION BOARD ALSO HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE IN A VARIETY OF FIELDS ACROSS THE EASTERN SHORE. 
          WHEN YOU PUT THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER, EXTRAORDINARY OUTCOMES OCCUR. 
          AND I'VE ALWAYS HELD FIRM IN THE BELIEF THAT BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF RESOURCES AND MONEY, ESPECIALLY TAXPAYER MONEY IS ESSENTIAL. 
          AND SINCE WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS BUDGETS, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A FEW, UM, ITEMS, HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS PAST YEAR WHERE OUR BUDGET BUDGET DOLLARS WERE PUT TO GOOD USE FOR THE BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES HERE ON THE SHORE. 
          SO OUR 2024 EASTERN SHORE TRAVEL GUIDE CONTINUES TO BE A GO-TO FOR THE VISITORS HERE ON THE EASTERN SHORE. 
          OVER 120,000 COPIES WERE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AND THE EAST COAST. 
          OUR MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR HAS CONTINUED TO MAKE STEADY AND MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS. 
          OUR WEBSITE IS A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO VISITORS TO HELP THEM DISCOVER OUR COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES HERE ON THE SHORE. 
          OUR VISIT ESVA.COM WEBSITE HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OVER THE LAST YEAR WITH OVER 107,000 UNIQUE USERS VISITING THE SITE. 
          THE MONTH OF JULY, SAW THE BIGGEST USERS WITH OVER 25,000 VISITING OUR SITE. 
          OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE CONTINUES TO HAVE A HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL, UH, OUTCOME. 
          FEBRUARY, THIS IS INTERESTING, FEBRUARY OF 2024 SAW A PEAK NUMBER OF OVER 302,000 INDIVIDUALS VISITING OUR FACEBOOK PAGE IN FEBRUARY. 
          WE ALSO HAVE A PRESENCE ON INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE. 
          OUR VIDEOS ARE VERY POPULAR. 
          CHECK THEM OUT, TWITTER, PINTEREST, YOU CAN. 
          AND WE TRY TO CAPTURE AS MANY SOCIAL MEDIA USERS AND ONLINE USERS AS POSSIBLE THROUGH ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE AVENUES. 
          WE CONTINUE TO USE OUR NEW TAGLINE, VIRGINIA IS FOR SURE LOVERS AND I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK MIKE MASON, HIS STAFF, THE FINANCIAL STAFF HERE IN THE COUNTY OF MACK AND THE TOWN LEADERSHIP FOR ALL OF THEIR HELP WITH THE VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION ARPA FUNDS. 
          THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLE ENDEAVOR AND A JUST A HUGE THANK YOU MIKE. 
          UH, WE ALSO OVERSEE THE TOURISM COMMISSION, ALSO OVERSEES THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY WELCOME CENTER RIGHT NEXT TO THE BRIDGE. 
          UM, THE WELCOME CENTER HELPED OVER 75,000 VISITORS THIS PAST YEAR. 
          AND HERE'S AN INTERESTING STATISTIC FOR YOU. 
          OVER THE LAST 16 YEARS THAT WE HAVE OVERSEEN THAT WELCOME CENTER, ONE POINT OVER 1.5 MILLION VISITORS HAVE COME THROUGH THERE. 
          [00:55:01]
OUR WELCOME CENTER CONSISTENTLY RECEIVES FIVE STAR REVIEWS ON GOOGLE FROM VISITORS, OUR STAFF THAT IS THERE, OUR BEST ASSET, OUR STAFF, AND THE HOSPITALITY THAT THEY GIVE IS A TRUE REFLECTION OF OUR PEOPLE AND THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA. 
          AND FOR NUMBERS PURPOSES, WE HAVE EIGHT PART-TIME STAFF THERE AND 10 VOLUNTEERS RUN BY THE ONE AND ONLY SAL SALLY WILLIAMS, WHO DOES JUST AN INCREDIBLE JOB. 
          WE ORGANIZED OUR FIFTH ESVA LOCALS CHOICE AWARDS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES BY CREATING AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          WE'RE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT AND MEMBER IN THE RAILS TO TRAILS WORKING GROUP. 
          OUR TOURISM SUMMIT LAST YEAR WAS, WAS A HUGE SUCCESS THIS YEAR'S SUMMIT. 
          IF YOU'VE NOT SIGNED UP FOR IT, PLEASE DO. 
          IT IS SLOTTED FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH AT THE SHIN CENTER. 
          CHRISTINE TRIPPY, TRIPPY IS OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND SHE IS NATIONALLY KNOWN IN THE HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM WORLD. 
          WE ALSO HAVE THE CEO OF THE VIRGINIA TWO 50 INITIATIVE. 
          SHE WILSON WILL BE ATTENDING AND PRESENTING AS WELL. 
          OUR OUTREACH TO THE TOWNS CONTINUES TO GROW, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR TOWNS KNOW THE RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT THE TOURISM COMMISSION PROVIDES. 
          JOANNE POINTED OUT AN INCREDIBLE STATISTIC FROM 2023. 
          UH, MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS, BUT THE EASTERN SHORE, OUT OF ALL THE REGIONS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, HAD THE FASTEST AND QUICKEST ECONOMIC RECOVERY OUT OF THE WHOLE COMMONWEALTH. 
          OVER 160 MILLION TO ACK COUNTY THE ENTIRE SHORE. 
          $249.9 MILLION CAME BACK TO THE SHORE. 
          QUICKEST RECOVERY AFTER COVID FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. 
          LIKE MANY YOU'VE HEARD, I'VE GOT AN EXTRAORDINARY STAFF. 
          I'VE GOTTA KEEP 'EM THOSE CHALLENGES. 
          HEALTHCARE COSTS CONTINUE TO RISE. 
          UM, DENTAL, VISION, RETIREMENT. 
          I WANNA MAKE SURE I KEEP THESE FINE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE. 
          UM, WE'RE GONNA PURSUE ANOTHER NATIONAL LISTING OR EXPOSURE INITIATIVE, UH, EXPAND OUR OUTREACH OF COURSE INTO MORE REGIONS IN VIRGINIA AND OUTSIDE OF THE COMMONWEALTH. 
          UH, STILL HAVE ASPIRATIONS TO TURN THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INTO A MIDDLE SHORE WELCOME CENTER. 
          AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE ONE ONGOING GOAL AND BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TOURISM COMMISSION AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS UNBREAKABLE AT THIS POINT IN MY MIND. 
          LASTLY, AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO 2025, I ASK THAT YOU KEEP THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA TOURISM COMMISSION'S EFFORTS AT THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR MINDS AND KNOW THAT OUR BUDGETARY REQUEST OF $234,438 IS REASONABLE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN GOOD HANDS. 
          I, AGAIN, GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR TIME, AND IF ANY OF YOU ALL OR ANYONE IN THIS ROOM NEEDS ANYTHING FROM THE TOURISM COMMISSION OR CHAMBER, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO REACH OUT. 
          I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO ASSIST. 
          THANK Y'ALL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT UP WILL BE EASTER SHORE PUBLIC LIBRARY. 
          I, YES SIR. 
          THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER POTE AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE EASTERN SHORE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM. 
          AND LIKE MANY OF MY PREVIOUS PRESENTERS, I WILL TRY TO KEEP THIS AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE. 
          AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE FIRST PAGE OF THE HANDOUT BEFORE YOU, EASTERN SHORE PUBLIC LIBRARY IS REQUESTING A 5% INCREASE, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, WHICH WOULD CONSTITUTE $39,901 FOR A TOTAL OF 800 JUST SHY OF $838,000. 
          THESE FUNDS WILL GO TOWARDS A 3% COLA FOR ALL STAFF. 
          AS THE PREVIOUS, UH, PRESENTERS HAVE MENTIONED. 
          UM, MAINTAINING AND RETAINING STAFF IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO OUR ORGANIZATION. 
          UM, THE REMAINING FUNDS WILL GO TO CRITICAL COLLECTION MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE FOR THE HERITAGE CENTER AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL HOURS OF STAFFING FOR TI ISLAND LIBRARY. 
          UM, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST TAKE THIS SECOND THOUGH TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN ABOUT, UH, RISING HEALTHCARE COSTS AS MR. MASON INDICATED ON MONDAY. 
          UM, WHICH MAY AFFECT THE ACCOUNTING. 
          UM, GOING FORWARD, TURNING YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE TWO, YOU WILL SEE A SYNOPSIS OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY, UH, PROVIDED AT THE REGIONAL LIBRARY AND HERITAGE CENTER, UH, IN PARSLEY AND HOW IT COMPARES THE PREVIOUS YEAR. 
          UM, THIS CAN ALL BE SUMMARIZED WITH ONE WORD AND THAT IS SUCCESS. 
          UM, LOOKING AT 
          [01:00:01]
THAT FIRST BULLET VISITATION, UM, WHICH IS DEFINED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAME THROUGH OUR DOORS, UH, THE REGIONAL LIBRARY AND HERITAGE CENTER SAW 285% GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR. 
          WE SAW 207% INCREASE IN PROGRAM ATTENDANCE IN THAT SAME TIME, IN THAT SAME TIMEFRAME, UH, WE ISSUED 264 MORE, UH, LIBRARY CARDS, UH, FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR. 
          TO ME, THESE STATISTICS ALONE ATTEST TO THE SUCCESS AND WORTH OF YOUR INVESTMENT. 
          ADDITIONALLY, ALL OTHER LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM HAVE EITHER MAINTAINED OR GROWN SLIGHTLY IN THESE SAME CATEGORIES YEAR OVER YEAR. 
          UM, THE PICTURES ON THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE ARE A GLIMPSE OF THE VARIETY OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE HOLD JUST IN OUR LECTURE HALL. 
          UM, WE RENT IT OUT FOR LARGE GROUPS IN SYMPOSIA. 
          WE PRESENT HISTORICAL LECTURES AND WE EVEN HOST, UH, LIVE ANIMAL DEMONSTRATIONS, WHICH WE ARE LEARNING ARE JUST AS MUCH FUN FOR THE ADULTS AS THEY ARE FOR THE KIDS. 
          UM, THAT PICTURE IN THE MIDDLE IS OUR FABULOUS, UM, PROGRAMMING AND OUTREACH LIBRARY AND TIFFANY FLORES, UM, AND RODNEY, THE RAPTOR GUY AND ONE OF THE BIRDS ON PAGE THREE, EXCUSE ME. 
          UM, YOU'LL FIND SIMPLE PROJECTIONS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, UM, FOR THE DATA I HAD AVAILABLE TO ME AT THIS TIME. 
          UM, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT AS SIGNIFICANT AS LAST YEAR, BUT THEY ARE NOTEWORTHY NONETHELESS, IF NOT IMPRESSIVE, CONSIDERING THE STAFF. 
          UM, WE'RE STILL GETTING SETTLED INTO THE NEW BUILDING AND DEALING WITH YET AGAIN ANOTHER DIRECTOR. 
          UM, CHANGE AS AN ASIDE, IT'S NOT LOST ON ME THAT I AM THE FOURTH DIRECTOR, UM, OF THE LIBRARY TO STAND BEFORE THE BUDGET REQUEST, UM, THE LAST FOUR YEARS. 
          UM, AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU GET USED TO SEEING MY MUG UP HERE FOR THE YEARS TO COME BACK TO THE STATISTICS. 
          UM, EVERYTHING IS PROJECTING UP AGAIN FOR ALL ESPL LIBRARIES, AND WE STILL HAVE SOME NEW INITIATIVES, UM, FOR, FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT WE HAVE YET TO IMPLEMENT. 
          UM, ONE QUICK FINAL STAT THAT YOU CAN SEE ON PAGE THREE AT THE BOTTOM. 
          UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF OVERALL COMMUNITY USE, AT LEAST 24% OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE ACTIVE LIBRARY USERS. 
          THE PICTURES, UM, ON THIS PAGE ARE JUST SAMPLES OF OUR TEEN AND YOUTH PROGRAMMING. 
          AND THE LAST PAGE IN THIS ATTEMPT TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL, WE DO, UH, TEEN CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS, KIDS STEM PROGRAMMING, HISTORICAL LECTURES, EXHIBITIONS, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASS, MEMORY CARE CRAFT CLASSES, CONFERENCES, SHOW MOVIES, VIDEO GAME TOURNAMENTS, AUTHOR TALKS, STORY TIME, INTERACTIVE NATURE PROGRAMMING, HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH OUTREACH, LOCAL HERO TALKS, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND SO MUCH MORE. 
          ESPO PROVIDES ACCESS TO FREE DATABASES AND DIGITAL RESOURCES, SUCH AS JOB NOW VET NOW HELP NOW CHILDREN'S AUDIO BOOK, PICTURES, GREAT COURSES, ANCESTRY.COM, FAMILY SEARCH, AND THE MILES FILES. 
          AND FINALLY, GETTING BACK TO YOUR MORE TRADITIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES. 
          PATRONS HAVE ACCESS TO OVER 115 VOLUMES IN PRINT, 300,000 TITLES, UM, IN EBOOKS AND AUDIO VISUAL FORMATS, 34,000 VIDEO STREAMING TITLES IN ENGLISH. 
          WE ARE NOW PROVIDING SPANISH LANGUAGE STREAM, SPANISH LANGUAGE STREAMING SERVICES, UM, CHILDREN'S MATERIAL IN HAITIAN CREOLE, AND A VERY POPULAR RECENT EDITION. 
          WE HAVE NOW BEGUN LENDING VIDEO GAMES. 
          ALL OF THIS IS AVAILABLE TO EACH MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, FREE OF CHARGE WITH YOUR LIBRARY CARD. 
          NONE OF THIS IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE REQUISITE RESOURCES, UM, WHICH OF COURSE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IS STAFF AND HAVING GOOD PEOPLE AROUND YOU. 
          THE EASTERN SHORE PUBLIC LIBRARY IS IN A VERY STRONG POSITION WHERE WE'RE AT, UM, TO SERVE THE, TO BEST SERVE THE COMMUNITIES OF THE SHORE. 
          OUR STAFF IS AMAZING AND WE'VE HAD VERY LITTLE TURNOVER, UM, OTHER THAN THE DIRECTOR POSITION . 
          UM, AND THAT IS WHY THE BULK OF MY REQUEST IS FOR THEM, . 
          UM, IF MY GIFT TO YOU THIS MONTH IS BECAUSE I'M STANDING BEFORE YOU, I WILL SPARE YOU HAVING MY HAVING TO READ MY MONTHLY LETTER IN YOUR BOARD PACKET. 
          UM, FINALLY, BEFORE I YIELD MY TIME, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK, UM, AIMA COUNTY STAFF FOR WELCOMING AND ASSISTING ME IN OVER THE LAST 10 MONTHS. 
          THAT INCLUDES THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, MR. MASON, UH, MS. MES, AND OF COURSE MR. HALL AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. 
          EXCUSE ME, ANDY, JEREMY, UM, RUBEN, DANNY THE BEST. 
          UH, DANNY, THEY ARE THE BEST AND WE APPRECIATE IT. 
          SO UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, THANK YOU FOR TAKING, FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF EASTERN SHORE PUBLIC LIBRARY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GREAT, THANK YOU. 
          NEXT UP, UM, AND, UH, AS, UH, MISS SUPERVISOR HART WOULD SAY OUR BEAUTIFUL STAR, STAR TRANSIT. 
          GOOD EVENING, UH, CHAIRPERSON AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. 
          MY NAME IS PHIL THOMPSON, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR VIRGINIA REGIONAL TRANSIT. 
          AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN, IN MANY YEARS, OUR STAR TRANSIT MANAGER, MR. BILL MOORE, IS NOT HERE WITH ME TONIGHT, BUT HE SENDS YOU HIS VERY KINDEST REGARDS. 
          UH, THIS EVENING I WILL ATTEMPT TO QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT THE EFFORTS OF STAR TRANSIT OVER THE PAST YEAR AND PROVIDE SEVERAL INITIATIVES FOR THE FUTURE. 
          BEFORE THE BOARD, YOU HAVE STAR TRANSIT'S ANNUAL 32% LOCAL MATCH REQUEST. 
          STAR TRANSIT IS A 53 11 FUNDED, 
          [01:05:01]
UH, TRANSIT SYSTEM RECEIVING FEDERAL AND STATE OPERATING ASSISTANCE AND CAPITAL AND OPERATING. 
          TO RECEIVE THIS OPERATIONAL FUNDING, A 32% LOCAL MATCH IS REQUIRED. 
          UH, THE TOTAL COST SPLIT WITH F-T-A-F-T-A PROVIDES 50%. 
          THE STATE PROVIDES 18%, AND THEN LOCALITIES HAVE TO BRING 32% TO THE TABLE. 
          UM, WE ARE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT IN FY 24 BEING OCTOBER 23 THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 24 STAR TRANSIT PROVIDED ANOTHER RECORD SETTING PASSENGER RIDERSHIP YEAR, THE SINGLE HIGHEST TOTAL PASSENGER COUNT IN THE HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION, BREAKING THE 100,000 RIDE MARK WITH A TOTAL OF 104,354 RIDES PROVIDED. 
          AND THOSE LAST FOUR REALLY IMPORTANT MM-HMM . 
          SO EVERY RIDE THAT WE PROVIDED WAS LIFE CHANGING TO PEOPLE ON THE SHORE. 
          WE ARE PLEASED. 
          UH, THIS REPRESENTS A 9,900 RIDE INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE NEED FOR TRANSIT ACCESS ON THE EASTERN SHORE. 
          THIS IMPRESSIVE RESULT ALSO SPEAKS WELL OF THE STAR TRANSIT ROUTES, VEHICLES, VEHICLE OPERATORS, AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SYSTEM. 
          IT SPEAKS TO THE NEED FOR TRANSIT AND THE QUALITY OF TRANSIT, UH, THAT YOUR COUNTY STEADFASTLY SUPPORTS. 
          DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, STAR TRANSIT RECEIVED FIVE NEW BUSES INTO THE FLEET, ALL BEING A DA ACCESSIBLE 20 PASSENGER STARCRAFT ALL STAR TRANSIT BUSES. 
          STAR TRANSIT EVALUATES ALL ROUTES IN OPERATION ANNUALLY TO ENSURE SAFE PATHS OF TRAVEL AND ACCURATE BOARDING AND ARRIVAL TIMES. 
          IN ADDITION TO THE IN-HOUSE EVALUATION, ONCE COMPLETED AND UPDATED MAP AND TIMETABLE IS PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE SERVICE AREA FOR PASSENGERS TO USE AND ENJOY MARKETING MATERIALS SUCH AS THIS ARE PROVIDED IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND THIS YEAR HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED TO CREOLE. 
          A REVIEW OF MIMA SPECIFIC ROUTES FOR FY 24 INDICATE GAINS FOR ALL FIXED ROUTE AND DEMAND RESPONSIVE SERVICES IN THIS COUNTY. 
          THE SILVER ROUTE SERVING ATLANTIC HORN TOWN AND THE MARYLAND STATE LINE PROVIDED 80, PROVIDED 8,108 RIDES AN INCREASE OF 956 FROM FY 23, YOUR BLUE GOLD ROUTE PROVIDED OVER 40,287 RIDES IN FY 24, AN INCREASE OF 6,041 RIDES FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. 
          YOUR DEMAND RESPONSIVE SYSTEM PROVIDED 6,625 RIDES COMPARED TO 6,289 THE PREVIOUS YEAR. 
          THE STAR TRANSIT SYSTEM IS SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF OUR DEDICATED VEHICLE OPERATORS, THE NEEDS-BASED SERVICE DESIGN, AND THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL MATCH CONTRIBUTORS SUCH AS AKIMA COUNTY. 
          LAST YEAR, STAR TRANSIT PROPOSED AN EXPANSION ROUTE TO SERVE THE TOWNS OF ONANCOCK ONLY IN DOHERTY, VIRGINIA. 
          THANKS TO THIS BOARD. 
          THE ORANGE ROUTE LAUNCHED IN OCTOBER OF 24, WHICH WAS THE BEGINNING OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, AND IN ITS FIRST MONTH OF SERVICE PROVIDED 690 RIDES. 
          THIS ROUTE DOUBLED SERVICE TO THE ONLY AREA MEDICAL FACILITIES AND SHOPPING AREAS. 
          IT LINKED PASSENGERS TO THE BLUE GOLD AND RED PURPLE ROUTES AND PROVIDED ADDITIONAL TRANSIT ACCESS WHERE NONE WERE PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE. 
          OUR BUDGET REQUEST OF THE COUNTY OF MACK FOR FY 26 INDICATES A 3% INCREASE ABOVE THAT OF FY 25, AND IT IS IN LINE AND DIRECTLY RELATED TO CURRENT ECONOMIC INDICATORS, SUCH AS INCREASED COST OF MAINTENANCE, INSURANCE, AND LABOR. 
          SPECIFICALLY, INSURANCE INCREASED BY 25% FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR OF $23,000. 
          ACK COUNTY CONTRIBUTES TOWARDS 16,510 HOURS OF STAR TRANSIT'S, 23,000 HOUR PER YEAR TRANSIT SERVICE WITHOUT STAR TRANSIT. 
          MANY RESIDENTS AND GUESTS IN THE EASTERN SHORE AND IN AKIMA COUNTY COULD NOT REACH MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, GROCERY STORES, EMPLOYMENT EDUCATION PHARMACIES, OR LIVE THEIR LIVES MORE FULLY THROUGH RECREATION LOCATIONS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. 
          WE APPRECIATE THE TRUST YOU HAVE PLACED IN STAR TRANSIT AND YOUR FUNDING CONSIDERATION FOR FY 26. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          AND IF YOU'RE GOING BACK HOME TONIGHT, SAFE TRAVEL. 
          I AM. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          TRAVEL. 
          UH, NEXT ON THE DOCKET WOULD BE, UH, 9 1 1 COMMISSION. 
          EXCUSE ME. 
          BLESS YOU. 
          EVENING BOARD MEMBERS. 
          EVENING. 
          EVENING. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          JEFF FLOOR LONO NINE ONE DIRECTOR FOR THE REGIONAL EMERGENCY 9 1 1 CENTER. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS EVENING. 
          REGARDING THE FY 26 BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE NINE ONE COMMISSION. 
          I EXPECT TO ALSO ADDRESS THE NORTHAMPTON BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REGARDING 
          [01:10:01]
THESE BUDGET REQUESTS NEXT YEAR, LATER THIS MONTH, WITH TWO EXCEPTIONS, WHICH ARE TWO AKIMA COUNTY SPECIFIC ITEMS RELATED TO OUR BUILDING. 
          THE FY 26 BUDGET REQUESTS INCLUDE THE TRADITIONAL ONE THIRD REQUEST TO NORTHAMPTON COUNTY AND TWO THIRD REQUESTS TO ACK COUNTY. 
          SEVERAL FY 26 FUNDING REQUESTS. 
          ALL AS ONGOING OR REOCCURRING REQUESTS WERE SUBMITTED TO AKIMA COUNTY AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTY FROM THE 9 1 1 COMMISSION. 
          THEY'RE REALLY DIVIDED INTO TWO TYPES OF REQUESTS THIS YEAR. 
          TRADITIONAL FUNDING FOR NORMAL, MORE ROUTINE 9 1 1 CENTER NEEDS OR INITIATIVES. 
          AND THE OTHER WOULD BE EXPECTED FUNDING NEEDS RELATED TO THE NEW REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM, THE ONGOING COSTS, THE ONGOING LOCAL COSTS SUCH AS FOR ELECTRICITY, FIBER LEASES, INSURANCE EXPENSES FOR THE SITES AND THE RADIO SYSTEM. 
          IT IS UNDERSTOOD. 
          AFTER REVIEWING THE RECOMMENDED FY 26 BUDGET, SEVERAL ITEMS ARE BEING RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING AS WELL AS SEVERAL ITEMS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING. 
          AND ACK COUNTY'S NEXT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE ITEMS RECOMMENDED FUNDING FOR THE NINE ONE CENTER, AS WELL AS THE ITEM THAT HAS BEEN FUNDED OR RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING FOR OUR FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET. 
          IT'S UNDERSTOOD ALL REQUESTS CANNOT BE FUNDED AS PRIORITIES MUST BE ESTABLISHED AND DECISIONS MADE WITH THE LIMITED FUNDS AVAILABLE. 
          MY INTENT FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING IS TO OVERALL THANK YOU FOR THE ONGOING SUPPORT AND ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. 
          I'LL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE BUDGET REQUEST OR ANYTHING RELATED TO OUR NINE ONE CENTER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YES. 
          ALRIGHT, NEXT UP WOULD BE, UH, COOPERATIVE EXTENSION. 
          DO WE HAVE ONE IN ANYONE IN THE HALLWAY? COOPERATIVE EXTENSION. 
          ALL RIGHT, I'M LEAVING RIGHT ALONG. 
          NEXT, ON THE NEXT ON THE DOCKET WOULD BE, UH, COURT SERVICES TWO, A DIRECTOR. 
          OKAY. 
          GOING ONCE . 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UH, SEE HIM IN THE HALLWAY. 
          SO HOW ABOUT A COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY? , HE'S ALWAYS . 
          GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          EVENING MEMBERS. 
          THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. 
          UM, THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. 
          I'M HERE BOTH ON THE, FOR THE, ON BEHALF OF THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND, UH, OUR VICTIM WITNESS DIRECTOR WHO IS UNABLE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING. 
          UM, THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY'S BUDGET REQUESTS OF, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE ASKED FOR, UH, SOME SALARY SUPPLEMENTS. 
          UM, THIS CONTINUES TO BE, UH, A DISCUSSION THAT, UH, TAKES PLACE IN OUR, UM, ASSOCIATION. 
          UH, WE LIKE TO SAY VIRGINIA LIKES TO DO PROSECUTION ON THE CHEAP. 
          UM, AND, UH, WE ARE HAVE BEEN VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THE BOARD HAS, UH, GIVEN US. 
          BUT WE ARE ASKING FOR A SMALL SUPPLEMENT THERE. 
          UM, THE BIG REQUESTS IN THIS BUDGET, UH, ASIDE FROM THOSE ARE THE, UH, SOFTWARE REQUESTS AND, UH, OUR PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP COSTS HAVE ALL GONE UP. 
          UM, OUR SOFTWARE, WHICH WE HAVE ONBOARDED ON, IS THE AXON JUSTICE SYSTEM. 
          IT IS A CLOUD-BASED DATA, UM, STORAGE SYSTEM. 
          IT ALLOWS VIEWING, IT ALLOWS, UH, CREATION OF TRANSCRIPTS FROM INTERVIEW VIDEOS, WHICH HAS FREED UP THE INVESTIGATORS FROM HAVING TO, UM, TRANSCRIBE THEIR INTERVIEWS WITH SUSPECTS. 
          UH, SO IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL AND WE ARE ASKING TO CONTINUE THAT. 
          WE HAVE A, UH, 10, I BELIEVE A 10 YEAR CONTRACT WITH 'EM, BUT, UM, WE WORKED WITH, UH, IT WHO DID A PHENOMENAL JOB OF GETTING US ON BOARD. 
          AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE NO LONGER KEEPING THEM AT NIGHT WITH OUR, UH, DATA, UH, MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, WHICH WAS A BIG, BIG PART OF THAT. 
          UM, SO THOSE ARE THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY BUDGET REQUESTS. 
          UM, I'M ALSO HERE ON BEHALF OF MS. MOORE, WHO IS, UH, AND I'M JOINING HER IN THIS REQUEST TO MAKE OUR, UH, PART-TIME VICTIM WITNESS POSITION, A FULL-TIME POSITION. 
          UM, THE GRANT COVERS, UH, ROUGHLY, UH, SORT OF TWO THIRDS OF THAT POSITION. 
          WE'RE ASKING THE COUNTY TO CONSIDER MAKING IT A FULL-TIME POSITION. 
          UM, I HAVE IN MY OFFICE AN OPEN POSITION AS A RESULT OF THE BUDGET LANGUAGE, UH, REGARDING BODY CAMERAS. 
          UM, WE'VE HAD THREE APPLICATIONS IN ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF NOW. 
          UM, THE APPLICANT POOL, FOR WHATEVER REASON ACROSS THE STATE FOR PEOPLE INTERESTED IN BEING PROSECUTORS, HAS, UH, WITHERED AND DIED. 
          UM, AND WE'RE JUST NOT SEEING THE VOLUME OF A APPLICANTS WE HAVE IN THE PAST YEARS. 
          UH, AND FRANKLY, SOME OF THOSE APPLICANTS WEREN'T QUALIFIED. 
          UM, SO IF WE CAN, UH, BRING MORE STAFF ON, AND PARTICULARLY VICTIM WITNESS, UH, STAFF TO HELP, UH, WITH, UH, GETTING OUR WITNESSES NOTICE, UM, HELPING THEM, UH, UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT'S NEEDED OF THEM AND OUR VICTIMS, SHEPHERDING THEM THROUGH AN INCREASINGLY MORE COMPLICATED AND TRAUMATIC SYSTEM, UM, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO US. 
          SO WE ARE MAKING THAT REQUEST AND WE HOPE THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER DOING 
          [01:15:01]
THAT. 
          UM, THE TOTAL COST OF THAT, I BELIEVE WAS ABOUT $25,000 TO CONVERT THAT FROM A PART-TIME POSITION TO A FULL-TIME POSITION, WHICH I WOULD SHOW WOULD SUGGEST, WOULD CREATE SOME VALUE SAVING. 
          UH, IT ALSO TAKES IT OFF. 
          THE OFFICERS ARE ABLE TO REFER, UH, VICTIMS AND CRIME VICTIMS AND WITNESSES TO OUR OFFICE AND NOT GET FOLLOW-UP CALLS FROM THEM, WHICH TIE UP THEIR DAY AS WELL. 
          SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL, UH, THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THE BOARD CONTINUE CONSIDERS AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYONE HAS THEM. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, NEXT UP WILL BE CLERK OF COURT. 
          I BELIEVE I SAW, OH, THERE SHE IS. 
          PEEKING. 
          RANDY, DON'T PEEK. 
          RANDY CORNER'S. 
          COME ON, REMEMBER THIS. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          CHAIRMAN BOARD. 
          UM, I COME TONIGHT WITH ONE MAIN REQUEST AND THAT IS TO BE ABLE TO KEEP MY TEMPORARY PART-TIME PERSON ANOTHER YEAR. 
          UM, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF STRIDES IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND WE'VE COME A LONG WAY, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. 
          UM, NOW THAT WE HAVE MOST OF OUR CASES THANKS TO Y'ALL, UM, SCANNED IN THE SYSTEM, WE HOPE TO HAVE THOSE INDEXED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND HAVE THEM IN OUR SYSTEM SO WE CAN START PROCESSING ALL OF THAT OLD EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE THAT'S IN THE COURTHOUSE THAT'S UPSTAIRS. 
          UM, THAT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF TIME. 
          MY STAFF, SOME OF THEM ARE A NEW STAFF AND WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO EVEN GET OUR STUFF DONE, MUCH LESS BE ABLE TO GET THE BACK STUFF THAT WE GOT LEFT BEHIND TO BE DONE. 
          HAVING HER WILL ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND GET THAT IN THE RIGHT PLACES THAT IT NEEDS TO BE. 
          UM, PLUS MANY OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE STILL HAVE TO GO IN THERE. 
          UM, SO I DO ASK FOR HER FOR ONE MORE YEAR. 
          UM, HOPEFULLY BY THEN WE'LL BE IN A DIFFERENT POSITION THAN WE ARE RIGHT NOW. 
          SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU THINK THAT'S MY ONLY REQUEST. 
          OH, YOU'RE GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK Y'ALL. 
          HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YOU TOO. 
          ALRIGHT, NEXT. 
          THAT WOULD BE A REGISTRAR. 
          ANYONE IN THE HALLWAY? ALRIGHT. 
          UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, I SPOKE WITH SHERIFF WESS. 
          UM, HE HAS A FAMILY MEDICAL, UH, YES, UH, CONDITION AND HE WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND. 
          HE DOES. 
          OKAY, GOOD REASON THAT BE HERE. 
          LOOK, WE HAVE YOU GONNA, YOU HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE THOUGH? YEAH. 
          YEP. 
          THERE YOU GO. 
          . 
          YOU NEED THE CHAIR AND BOARD. 
          UM, SHERIFF WESS DOES APOLOGIZE ABOUT BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT. 
          I WISH HE COULD HAVE BEEN HERE. 
          UM, MY NAME'S CAPTAIN CARL WRIGHT. 
          I'VE BEEN SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UM, SINCE 1994. 
          LONG TIME. 
          A LONG TIME. 
          SO I'M GONNA TOUCH ON A COUPLE THINGS THAT THE SHERIFF HAS A QUESTION EXTRA AND THEN I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT NEED. 
          UM, FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUDGET, AS YOU ALL KNOW, TECHNOLOGY DRIVES EVERYTHING. 
          OUR INVESTIGATORS AND PATROL GUYS HAVE SO MUCH MORE THINGS THEY CAN USE TO HELP SOLVE CRIMES THAT MAKE CITIZENS OF AKIMA COUNTY SAFER. 
          SO THERE ARE, I WON'T GO OVER EACH ONE. 
          THERE ARE QUITE A FEW THINGS IN THERE THAT WE NEED FOR THAT. 
          UM, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE ARE ASKING FOR A VEHICLE FOR THEM. 
          UM, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ONE SINCE 2012 AND IS NEEDS HIGH MILEAGE AND CERTAINLY CAN USE A NEW ONE. 
          UM, FAR AS OUR COURT SERVICES OFFICE OFFICE ASKED OUR, WE ARE ALSO ASKING FOR A VEHICLE FOR THAT. 
          THEY DO A LOT OF TRAVELING, SERVING PAPERS AND TRANSPORTS ACROSS THE BRIDGE. 
          UM, AND CORRECTIONS. 
          THE ONLY THING CORRECTIONS, MAINLY MAINTENANCE AND CORRECTIONS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, FOR UPDATES FOR THE JAIL. 
          AND THEN OUR ANIMAL PATROL OFFICE, WE ARE REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL OFFICER FOR ANIMAL PATROL. 
          UM, THEY ARE EXTREMELY HARD WORK. 
          THOSE LADIES THAT ARE WORKING THERE DO A LOT, THEY JUST DON'T DO ANIMAL CONTROL. 
          WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A FACILITY ATTENDANT THAT'S OFF ON WEEKENDS OR OFFER REGULAR DAYS WEEK, THEY HAVE TO COVER THEIR FACILITY. 
          SO THEY HAVE TO DO BOTH JOBS AND THAT TAKES A DAY OFF THE ROAD THAT THEY'RE NOT WORKING IN ANIMAL CONTROL. 
          IF WE HAVE AN EXTRA OFFICER THERE, THEY CAN DEFINITELY COVER MORE THINGS THAN THE FACILITY ITSELF AND THE FACILITY. 
          WE ARE NOT REQUESTING ANYTHING EXTRA ON THE FACILITY BUDGET. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HERE TO ANSWER ANYTHING IF YOU NEED ANYTHING. 
          OKAY? ALRIGHT. 
          THANKS SIR. 
          APPRECIATE IT. 
          UM, HR, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND ACTUALLY I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT MY OTHER HAT. 
          UM, I WANNA TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RISK MANAGEMENT AND PARTICULARLY TELL YOU OR GIVE YOU A BIT MORE BACKGROUND ON WHAT MR. MASON MENTIONED IN TERMS OF OUR RISING HEALTHCARE COST. 
          SO FIRST OFF, JUST, IT'S HARD TO MAKE INSURANCE SOUND ENTERTAINING, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE IT MY BEST SHOT. 
          UM, IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY AWARE, 
          [01:20:01]
THE COUNTY HAS 18 DIFFERENT POLICIES THAT EVERY YEAR COME UP FOR RENEWAL. 
          SO THOSE INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM OBVIOUSLY PROPERTY LIABILITY, EQUIPMENT, DRONES, CYBERSECURITY, TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR THE BOARD WHEN IT TRAVELS, VOLUNTEERS, AND ONE THAT WE TALK A GREAT DEAL ABOUT, WHICH IS KNOWN AS LODA, WHICH IS THE LINE OF DUTY INSURANCE THAT WE CARRY NOT ONLY FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, MEANING SHERIFF EMPLOYEES AND FIRE MEDICS, BUT ALSO FOR VOLUNTEERS ON, IN, UP AND DOWN THE SHORE FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES. 
          THE TOP THREE POLICIES AND PREMIUMS, OBVIOUSLY WORKERS' COMP. 
          THAT SAID OVER $2,000 A YEAR, THAT RATE IS DETERMINED BY OUR, WHAT THEY CALL THE LOOKBACK PERIOD. 
          SO NOT ONLY IS IT BASED ON OUR OVERALL PAYROLL AND NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND CLASSIFICATIONS OF THE ASSORTED INJURIES FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF JOBS, BUT IT ALSO IS BASED ON WHAT THEY AFFECTIONATELY CALL THE EXPERIENCE MODIFIER, MEANING THEY USE THREE YEARS OF LOOK BACK OF HOW MANY CLAIMS HAVE WE HAD, WHAT KINDS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          AND THAT DETERMINES OUR RATES AND OUR INCREASES FOR LODA, WE PAY AT THIS POINT ABOUT $97,000 A YEAR. 
          THAT'S USED TO PROTECT, AS I SAID, BOTH STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS IF THEY WERE TO BE INJURED, DISABLED, OR DEATH THROUGH LINE OF DUTY. 
          CURRENTLY WE HAVE A TOTAL OF FOUR RECIPIENTS IN AKIMA COUNTY. 
          SO THOSE ARE EITHER PREVIOUS MEMBERS WHO WERE INJURED OR IN SOME CASES DEATH. 
          AND WHAT THAT COVERAGE INVOLVES IS THAT FOR THE FAMILY, SPOUSE, AND CHILDREN, UNTIL CHILDREN TURN 26, THE INSURANCE COVERAGE IS PROVIDED OR PAID FOR BY THE COUNTY. 
          BUT THROUGH THE STATE INSURANCE, THAT TRANSLATES INTO ABOUT $11,241 EVERY MONTH FOR THOSE FI FOUR RECIPIENTS. 
          THAT'S THREE FAMILY PLANS AND ONE THAT IS BASICALLY KNOWN AS DUAL MINORS. 
          NOW I WANNA TALK ABOUT KIND OF THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, WHICH IS THE HEALTH INSURANCE. 
          YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT WE, IF FOR JUNE OF 2023, WE WERE LOOKING AT A 40% INCREASE FROM ANTHEM IF WE CONTINUED TO BE FULLY FUNDED THROUGH THEM AND THE DECISION WAS MADE THAT WE WOULD INSTEAD BRING IT IN-HOUSE, BE SELF-FUNDED LIKE WE HAVE DONE WITH OUR DENTAL PLAN. 
          AND WE HAD AN AN EXCELLENT FIRST YEAR FOR 2324. 
          BUT WE HAVE ENDED UP WITH A REALLY TOUGH AND CHALLENGING OF HAVING HAD SOME VERY LARGE CLAIMS. NOW, THESE ARE NOT WORKERS' COMP CLAIMS, THESE ARE KINDS OF THINGS FOR EITHER OUR FAMILIES, DEPENDENTS OR OUR WORKERS. 
          I DO WANNA REMIND YOU THAT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT MAKE US REALLY UNIQUE IS OUR LOCATION. 
          SO MANY HEALTH PLANS WILL NOT CONSIDER ANOTHER STATE TO BE PART OF IN-NETWORK PROVIDING WHAT WE HAVE THROUGH ANTHEM. 
          AND IN OUR SELF-FUNDED PLAN. 
          OUR FOLKS CAN GO UP TO MARYLAND AND HAVE IT NOT BE CONSIDERED OUT OF NETWORK OR THEY CAN GO SOUTH AND ACROSS THE BRIDGE, WHICH REALLY IS THE SAME STATE, BUT SOMETIMES DOESN'T QUITE FEEL LIKE IT. 
          I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AS WE'RE HOW THIS WORKS BASICALLY IS EVERY WEEK CLAIMS ARE PROCESSED AND PAID FOR. 
          SO WE ARE DOING A, A REVIEW OF CLAIMS AND BASICALLY AN AVERAGE OF CLAIM PROCESSING IS BETWEEN 45 AND $55,000 EVERY WEEK. 
          THERE ARE TIMES THAT IT HAS BEEN AS HIGH AS $196,000 WORTH OF CLAIMS. AND MIND YOU, ALL OF THIS IS WHAT MR. MASON WAS DESCRIBING KNOWN AS STOP-LOSS. 
          AND THE STOP-LOSS INSURANCE IN PLAIN ENGLISH MEANS IF ANY ONE PARTICULAR SUBSCRIBER OR CLAIM GOES OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, THEN THE KIND OF INSURANCE THAT WE'RE CARRYING PROTECTS THE COUNTY SO THAT WE ARE REIMBURSED ANYTHING OVER THAT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT STOP LOSS AS A TYPE OF INSURANCE FOR US. 
          THAT'S REALLY 
          [01:25:01]
WHAT IT PAYS FOR. 
          WE ALSO HAVE DONE SOME THINGS IN TERMS OF NEGOTIATING WITH THE HELP OF OUR CONSULTANT, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ALL OF THE PHARMACY OR PRESCRIPTION REBATES COME BACK TO THE COUNTY TO HELP OFFSET THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT WE PAY TO ANTHEM, AS WELL AS TO OFFSET SOME OF THE OTHER COSTS THAT ARE RELATED WITH THE JOYS OF INSURANCE AND HEALTH INSURANCE. 
          I ALSO WANTED TO TELL YOU JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE TO, TO TRY TO HELP. 
          OUR OVERALL GOAL, OBVIOUSLY IS TO HAVE IT BE AS LITTLE OUT OF POCKET FOR OUR STAFF AS POSSIBLE. 
          SO ONE OF THE THINGS, AND SOME OF YOU ARE ACTUALLY ON OUR PLAN, SO YOU MAY KNOW THIS, BUT WE HAVE A PLAN WHERE YOU ARE ABLE, IF YOU'RE DOING ASSORTED THINGS TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH MANAGING YOUR OWN CARE. 
          SO IF SOMEONE HAS AN ANNUAL PHYSICAL ANTHEM, WE'LL DO A REBATE DIRECTLY TO THE STAFF MEMBER. 
          IT'S LIKE 20 OR $25 FOR THOSE OF US. 
          IF WE HAVE A MAMMOGRAM ANNUALLY, THEN THAT'S ANOTHER FEE THAT YOU CAN HAVE IT COME BACK EITHER AS A GIFT CARD OR WHAT HAVE YOU. 
          SO THE MAXIMUM THAT EACH EMPLOYEE IS ABLE TO EARN IS UP TO $200 THROUGH THOSE WELLNESS ACTIVITIES. 
          WE ALSO, THANKS TO THE BOARD A COUPLE YEARS AGO, INSTITUTED WHAT WE CALL THE WELLNESS CREDIT. 
          SO FOR ANY STAFF MEMBER WHO SHOWS PROOF OF HAVING HAD AN ANNUAL PHYSICAL, WE DON'T WANNA KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS ARE. 
          BUT IN ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO HAVE A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN AND TO DO AN ANNUAL CHECKUP AS A THANK YOU, WE GIVE YOU TWO HOURS OF PAID LEAVE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF. 
          THIS MAY SOUND LIKE A SMALL THING, BUT WHAT IT HAS HELPED US DO IS CONVERT SO THAT OUR STAFF WHO DO HAVE COVERAGE ARE IN FACT ALSO HAVING PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS. 
          SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE'VE DONE WORKING WITH RIVERSIDE AND RURAL HEALTH IS, IF ANYBODY, AND THIS IS TRUE OF ALL OF OUR CITIZENS, NOT JUST OUR STAFF, BUT IF YOU GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT RIVERSIDE AND YOU DO NOT HAVE A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN ON RECORD, THE NEXT DAY YOU'LL RECEIVE A FOLLOW-UP CALL FROM RURAL HEALTH IN HOPES OF HELPING TO CONVERT AND BE ABLE TO GET SOMEONE TO HAVE A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN. 
          THE REASON WE'RE ALL INTERESTED IN THIS IS THAT OVERALL, PEOPLE WHO HAVE A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN ALSO HAVE LOWER HEALTHCARE COSTS. 
          ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP ON MONDAY NIGHT, AND I KNOW MR. MASON SHARED THE ANSWER, WHICH WAS SPECIFICALLY HOW MANY STAFF MEMBERS DO WE HAVE WHO ARE ON THE FAMILY PLAN? I WANTED TO ACTUALLY GIVE YOU EVERYTHING. 
          SO WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 338 SUBSCRIBERS, MEANING STAFF MEMBERS THAT PARTICIPATE IN OUR HEALTHCARE WITH THEIR DEPENDENTS. 
          THAT PUTS US UP TO 510 MEMBERS WHO ARE ON OUR PLAN. 
          THE BREAKDOWN IS THERE ARE 239 OF US THAT DO EMPLOYEE ONLY. 
          THERE ARE 23 THAT DO EMPLOYEE AND SPOUSE. 
          THERE ARE 43 SUBSCRIBERS THAT ARE EMPLOYEE AND EITHER ONE CHILD OR TWO. 
          AND THEN THE FAMILY PLAN BY DEFINITION IS IF YOU HAVE BOTH SPOUSE AND CHILDREN ON THE PLAN, THAT TRANSLATES INTO A FAMILY PLAN. 
          I ALSO WANNA REMIND YOU JUST 'CAUSE IT'S A LITTLE TRICKY, THAT THAT CENSUS THAT I'M QUOTING ARE NOT ONLY THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, IT INCLUDES OUR SOCIAL SERVICES STAFF, IT INCLUDES FOUR OTHER AGENCIES, THE LIBRARY, A NPC AREA AGENCY ON AGING, AND I HOPE I GOT IT RIGHT, IT'S EITHER WATER, SOIL OR SOIL WATER CONSERVATION . 
          YOU GOT IT. 
          AND THAT TOO IS SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL. 
          I MEAN, NORMALLY AN EMPLOYER SPONSORED HEALTH PLAN ONLY HAS THE EMPLOYEES OF THE ORGANIZATION. 
          SO REALLY IN, IN TERMS OF THE DIRECT IMPACT ON A 20% INCREASE, IF YOU ARE, UGH, I'M OUTTA TIME. 
          OKAY. 
          IF YOU'LL JUST TAKE A LOOK REAL QUICKLY, BASICALLY THE MAJORITY OF OUR STAFF WILL END UP PAYING $7 AND 50 CENTS MORE A WEEK FOR THE INCREASE. 
          AND THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME, I LIKE TO ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE SOME COMPARISONS. 
          THAT WOULD BE ONE HAPPY MEAL 
          [01:30:01]
FROM MCDONALD'S OR AT THIS RATE, 18 EGGS, ONE AND A HALF DOZEN FOR THE DIFFERENCE WITH, UM, EMPLOYEE AND CHILDREN, WHICH IS OUR SECOND LARGEST GROUP IN THE TIERS. 
          IT'S A LITTLE, IT'S A LITTLE MORE THAN, OR BASICALLY PER PAYCHECK, ABOUT $19 A WEEK OR $38 A PAYCHECK. 
          AGAIN, JUST TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU WENT TO ROSELAND THEATER AS ONE ADULT AND ONE CHILD, THAT WOULD BE $20 IN TICKETS. 
          AND THAT'S IF YOU SNUCK IN YOUR OWN SNACKS . 
          SO IT'S NOT A SURPRISE, I KNOW I'M OUT OF TIME, BUT BASICALLY WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HEALTHCARE COSTS RISING. 
          WHAT WE HAVE DONE, AND IT'S A VERY STRATEGIC AND IMPORTANT DECISION, IS WE HAVE PLANS THAT GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES AS MUCH CHOICE AS WE CAN. 
          THEY DO NOT HAVE TO DO AN UPFRONT DEDUCTIBLE LIKE SO MANY OTHER PLANS, THEY ARE ABLE TO PAY AS THEY GO ALONG. 
          AND THEN WE'VE ALSO USED THE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN HELP STRETCH THOSE COPAY DOLLARS BY DOING A TAX, PRE-TAX IN THEIR PAYCHECK, WHICH REALLY TAX WISE MEANS YOUR DOLLAR GOES MORE LIKE A DOLLAR 30 WORTH OF SPENDING POWER. 
          IT'S NOT GREAT NEWS ANYTIME IT, IT AN INCREASE, BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO HAVE SOME CONTEXT AND WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT CHANGING PLANS OR RAISING, LOOKING AT PLANS WITH DEDUCTIBLES. 
          BUT AGAIN, WE DON'T EVER WANNA PUT OUR STAFF IN A POSITION WHERE THEY ARE PUTTING OFF OUR POSTPONING CARE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO MEET THOSE LARGE DEDUCTIBLES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND THANKS FOR IN INDULGING THIS IS IT'S IMPORTANT STUFF WE NEED TO WELL, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY WHO'S AN FTE SPECIFICALLY FOR RISK MANAGEMENT. 
          THERE'S NO, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT RISK MANAGEMENT , SO THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, MR. FOX. 
          GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. BOARD. 
          I'M BEN FOX, THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE COUNTY, AND TONIGHT I'LL REVIEW THE NEW BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT. 
          SO OUR FIRST REQUEST IS ONE THAT YOU SEE EVERY YEAR, AND THIS IS AN INCREASE IN SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE CONTRACT COSTS, UH, FOR VARIOUS APPLICATIONS THAT ARE USED, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. 
          OUR NEXT REQUEST IS TO REPLACE THE COUNTY'S IT INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          UH, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE, UH, CIP AND THE, THE, THE IT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS UTILIZED TO STORE COUNTY DATA AND HIS APPLICATIONS WILL REACH END OF LIFE AND FY 26. 
          UH, AND THE VENDOR DOES NOT OFFER, UH, ANY MAINTENANCE OR ANY LEVEL OF SUPPORT AFTER THE, UH, INITIAL FIVE YEAR SERVICE PERIOD. 
          SO IT FORCES US TO REPLACE IT IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO GET SUPPORT FOR IT AND UPDATES. 
          ALRIGHT, SO OUR NEXT REQUEST IS TO REDESIGN THE, THE, UH, COUNTY'S WEBSITE. 
          AND, UH, A MAIN, UH, DRIVING FACTOR FOR THIS. 
          IT'S ON APRIL 24TH, UH, 2024. 
          THE DOJ ISSUED A FINAL RULE REVISING TITLE TWO OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. 
          AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT REQUIRES STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE THEIR WEBSITES AND MOBILE APPLICATIONS ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. 
          UM, AND SO WITH THIS, THE AGENCY ADOPTED TECHNICAL STANDARDS, UH, THAT WE HAVE TO MEET. 
          AND, UM, THE COMPLIANCE DEADLINE FOR A LOCALITY OF OUR SIZE IS APRIL 26TH, 2027. 
          UM, SO IF WE WERE ACTUALLY OVER 50,000 IN POPULATION, IT WOULD BE A YEAR EARLIER IN APRIL OF, UH, 26. 
          SO THESE FUNDS WILL, WILL BE USED TO FULLY REDESIGN THE, THE, UH, COUNTY WEBSITE AND PROCURE ACCESSIBILITY TOOLS TO BRING THE COUNTY WEBSITE AND OTHER DIGITAL CONTENT INTO COMPLIANCE. 
          UM, SO JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE HISTORY HERE, THE LAST WEBSITE REDESIGN WAS OR OCCURRED IN, IN 2018 AND WAS INCLUDED AS PART OF THE CONTRACT, UH, FROM 
          [01:35:01]
THE ORIGINAL WEBSITE REDESIGN THAT OCCURRED IN 2013. 
          SO IT'S BEEN A A GOOD WHILE SINCE WE'VE DONE ANY SORT OF, UH, REDESIGN TO THE, TO THE WEBSITE. 
          UH, SO THE REDESIGN INCLUDES A CHAT BOT THAT WILL USE THE WEBSITE CONTENT TO ANSWER CITIZEN QUESTIONS AND ALSO A SEPARATE DEPARTMENTAL WEBSITE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
          OUR NEXT REQUEST IS FOR A SOCIAL MEDIA ARCHIVING SOLUTION. 
          SO A, A COMPREHENSIVE, SO SOCIAL MEDIA ARCHIVING SOLUTION IS, IS NEEDED FOR THE COUNTY. 
          UH, WE CURRENTLY USE FACEBOOK, UH, AND WE'LL LIKELY EXPAND THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE FUTURE, UH, FOR OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC. 
          UH, AND IT'S CRUCIAL TO ENSURE THAT ALL SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT IS ARCHIVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VIRGINIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT. 
          UM, SO THE REQUESTED BUDGET WILL COVER, UH, THE COST OF, OF THIS ARCHIVING SOLUTION AND ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING ON, UH, THE CURRENT FACEBOOK ACCOUNTS AND ANY FUTURE ACCOUNTS ARE, ARE RETAINED, UH, ACCORDING TO TO THE ACT. 
          OUR NEXT REQUEST IS TO REPLACE, UH, SOME END OF LIFE HARDWARE. 
          UH, THE, THIS IS AT TWO LOCATIONS. 
          UH, THE FIRST LOCATION IS AT THE FIRE TRAINING CENTER. 
          UH, THERE'S, UH, SOME BATTERY BACKUP UNITS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. 
          AND THEN THE, AT ALL OF OUR CON CONVENIENCE CENTERS, THERE'S, UH, EQUIPMENT THAT'S USED TO PROVIDE INTERNET ACCESS THERE. 
          THAT'S END OF LIFE AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. 
          OUR NEXT REQUEST IS FOR DEDICATED INTERNET SERVICE. 
          UH, THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS BEEN PROVIDING INTERNET SERVICE TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION FOR, FOR MANY YEARS. 
          AND, UM, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S NETWORK EQUIPMENT AND INTERNET SERVICE, UH, THAT HAS BEEN LOCATED ACTUALLY UPSTAIRS IN THIS BUILDING IS BEING MOVED TO A, A, A RECENTLY, UH, RENOVATED BUILDING NEAR ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL. 
          SO THAT IS THE DRIVING FACTOR FOR US TO PROCURE, UH, SEPARATE SERVICE. 
          UM, AND, AND THIS FUNDING WILL ALLOW US TO DO SO. 
          NEXT REQUEST IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR OUR IT SERVICE DESK. 
          SO THE COUNTY HAS BEEN USING THE SAME VENDOR TO PROVIDE 24 BY SEVEN BY 365 TIER ONE AND TIER TWO IT SERVICE DESK, UH, SUPPORT FOR MANY YEARS. 
          AND THE VENDOR ABRUPTLY INCREASED THE COST ON US FROM AROUND 4,000 TO ALMOST 10,000, UH, PER MONTH, UH, BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 24, RIGHT BEFORE OUR CONTRACT RENEWAL, UM, ON, ON DECEMBER 1ST OF 24. 
          SO THEY GAVE US A FEW WEEKS NOTICE. 
          UM, THANKFULLY WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE ANOTHER SIX MONTH OF, OF SERVICE, UH, AT A COST OF $5,000 TO GIVE US SOME TIME TO, TO FIGURE THINGS OUT. 
          SO SINCE THEN WE'VE MET WITH OVER 25 VENDORS AND, UM, FOUND THAT THE COST RANGE FROM AT THE BOTTOM 8,000 ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP AT 33,000 PER MONTH. 
          SO, UH, THEIR PRICING IS, IS NOT SO FAR, NOT TOO FAR OFF, UH, AND IS ACTUALLY ON ON THE LOWER END. 
          UH, SO, UM, WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT, WHAT THE SOLUTION IS, WHETHER WE STAY WITH THE CURRENT VENDOR OR GO WITH ONE OF THE OTHER VENDORS, UH, WE LOOKED AT. 
          BUT, UH, THIS FUNDING WILL ALLOW US TO MAINTAIN THIS SERVICE. 
          OUR NEXT REQUEST IS FOR, UH, PREPARES PARIS SOFTWARE, WHICH IS, IS CONTINUITY, UH, SOFTWARE. 
          UM, SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR A SOFTWARE SOLUTION TO ASSIST WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COUNTY'S CONTINUITY PROGRAM. 
          AND, UM, THE BENEFITS OF, OF PARIS IS IT INTEGRATES ALL COUNTY OR ALL CONTINUITY RELATED PLANS INTO A SINGLE PLATFORM. 
          IT ALLOWS DEPARTMENT HEADS TO ASSESS AND MAINTAIN THEIR PLANS WITH EASE. 
          AND, UM, WE CAN EASILY COMMUNICATE WITH LEADERSHIP ON PLAN MAINTENANCE ITEMS AND MONITOR TASKS. 
          AND IT PROVIDES DECISION MAKERS WITH INSTANT ACCESS TO THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND, UM, CONTINUITY PLANS. 
          AND SOME OF THE KEY FEATURES ARE IT HAS A DASHBOARD, UH, WHEREVER YOU CAN VIEW, UM, SUMMARIES OF, OF 
          [01:40:01]
EVERYTHING. 
          AND THEN IT, IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO EASILY COLLECT DATA AND THEN ALSO GENERATE REPORTS AND ALSO HAS TRAINING RESOURCES THAT, UH, HAS DIFFERENT DISRUPTION SCENARIOS FOR EXERCISING THESE PLANS AND, UH, PERFORMING, UH, LEADERSHIP TRAINING. 
          SO OUR LAST REQUEST HERE IS TO REPLACE BOARD DOCS, WHICH ALL OF YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH. 
          UM, SO THAT IS, UH, BOARD DOCS IS THE COUNTY'S AGENDA AND MEETING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. 
          AND, UM, THE, THE VENDOR, UH, WHICH IS DILIGENT STATED, THEY ARE, UH, NO LONGER GONNA BE SUPPORTING THAT SYSTEM. 
          THEY'RE REPLACING IT WITH A NEW PRODUCT AND THEY, THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE ALL CUSTOMERS OFF OF IT, OFF OF BOARD DOCKS BY THE END OF, UH, 2025. 
          SO THE END UP THIS YEAR, AND THE COUNTY'S BEEN USING BOARD DOCS SINCE 2011, UM, WHEN WE SWITCHED FROM, UH, PAPER AGENDAS, I BELIEVE. 
          SO, UH, STAFF HAS BEEN LOOKING AT REPLACEMENT OPTIONS FROM DILIGENT AND, UH, OTHER VENDORS THAT OFFER SIMILAR SOLUTIONS. 
          AND, UH, THE REQUESTED FUNDS WILL BE USED TO REPLACE THE SYSTEM WITH A, A MORE MODERN BOARD MANAGEMENT SOLUTION. 
          YOU KNOW, UH, BOARD DOCS HASN'T CHANGED A WHOLE LOT SINCE, SINCE, UM, WE PROCURED IT IN 2011. 
          IT'S, IT'S STAYED PRETTY THE SAME AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF NEW THINGS AND THAT ARE AVAILABLE. 
          AND, UM, ALSO THIS WILL HELP WITH, UH, WHAT I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT, UH, THE, THE NEW RULE UNDER TITLE TWO OF THE, OF A DA. 
          SO, AND THAT WAS ALL I HAD FOR TONIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MR. ALRIGHT, NEXT UP WOULD BE OUR DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OF BUILDING PLANNING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
          I SAW HIM THERE. 
          HE IS . 
          UH, THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, LEE PAM, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
          UM, I'LL BE BRIEF, BUT, UH, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS YOUR AGENCY THAT DEALS WITH A VARIETY OF REGULATORY AND STRATEGIC ITEMS. WE'RE DIVIDED INTO, UH, THREE DIVISIONS, WHICH ESSENTIALLY INCLUDE, UH, CODE ADMINISTRATION, AND THAT'S YOUR BUILDING AND ZONING, UM, UH, PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM. 
          UH, THE THREE ITEMS THAT ARE IN YOUR HANDOUT THERE ON PAGE TWO ARE THE DERELICT REMOVAL, UH, DERELICT BUILDING REMOVAL PROGRAM. 
          AND, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN PILOTED WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE FUNDING THAT SO THAT, UH, WE CAN COUPLE THAT WITH, UH, WITH OTHER, UH, STATE AND FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS. THE SECOND ITEM IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO BY THE STATE, UH, UH, BY STATE CODE EVERY FIVE YEARS. 
          AND THAT'S THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE. 
          UM, WE HAVE, UH, DRAFTED A SCOPING PARAGRAPH AND WE WANT TO TRY TO TURN THAT INTO AN RFP IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS SO THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TURN TWO ON THAT ACTIVITY, UH, BEFORE THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. 
          AND, UM, AND THEN, AND THEN WE WOULD CONTINUE THAT ON INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. 
          AND THE THIRD ITEM, WHICH IS ACTUALLY FUNDING FROM THE, UH, FROM THE, UH, UH, FROM THE REGIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEM IS NEW FURNITURE FOR THE OLD LIBRARY LOCATION. 
          AND THAT PROJECT WILL BE, UH, VITAL FOR MY DEPARTMENT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE SPLIT BETWEEN TWO BUILDINGS, THIS BUILDING HERE, AND THE ADMIN BUILDING AND THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR, UM, VIA THE, THE FORMER LAW OFFICE. 
          SO WHEN WE, UM, WHEN WE GO INTO THAT, UH, THE, UH, THE OLD LIBRARY, WHICH WILL BE THE NEW, UH, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, WE WILL CONSOLIDATE ALL OF OUR, UH, ALL OF OUR FUNCTIONS UNDER ONE ROOF. 
          AND THAT WILL ENHANCE THE, UH, UH, THE, UH, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS COMMUNICATION AND, UH, BEING ABLE TO SERVE THE, UM, THE, UH, UH, THE CITIZENS A LITTLE BIT BETTER. 
          SO AS PART OF THAT, WE WILL BE NEEDING, UH, UH, NEW FURNISHINGS AND, UH, AND, UH, NEW TECH AS WELL. 
          SO, UM, THE, THE, THE TOTAL IN YOUR HANDOUT THERE, UH, IS, UH, $240,000. 
          THE REST OF THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY NOT REQUESTING A WHOLE LOT MORE AND NEITHER ARE WE REQUESTING ANY NEW POSITIONS. 
          THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS, AND I'LL TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. 
          AWESOME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU MR. PAMA. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR, MR. PRUITT. 
          WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DID 
          [01:45:01]
WE HEAR? I ALL HIS MONEY . 
          OH, GOOD EVENING. 
          CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CHARLES BREW, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFE, RACKMAN COUNTY, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE YOU A REQUEST FUNDS THAT ALSO PROVIDES HIS INFORMATION, AND ALSO MOST FORWARD TO THANK OUR COUNTY, MR. MR. MASON, FOR THOSE FUNDS HE HAS GRANTED. 
          SO I'M JUST, I'M JUST GOING TO GO DOWN. 
          I'M PRETTY SURE YOU HAVE A LIST IN FRONT OF YOU. 
          I'LL START OFF WITH THOSE ITEMS THAT, UH, REQUESTING, UM, A PUBLIC SAFETY LOGISTICS FACILITY. 
          AS, AS WE ARE, WE ARE FACING SPACE NEEDS PROBLEMS. THIS IS MANY AGENTS IN THE COUNTY, UM, THE EASTERN SHORE REGION TRAINING CENTER. 
          UH, IF GRANTED WHERE THIS WOULD BE LOCATED, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT'S NOT JUST A FIRE TRAINING CENTER, IT'S ALSO A LOCATION OF YOUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. 
          UM, THE FACILITIES USED BY A LOT OF AGENCIES, UH, YES, BY A VOLUNTEER PRIOR TO FOR TRAINING, A RECRUIT ACADEMY, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE STATE POLICE, AMATEUR RADIO, UM, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. 
          OBVIOUSLY, WITH THAT BEING SAID, INCREASES, UH, IT, IT CAUSES A PROBLEM WITH, UH, STORAGE. 
          UH, AS YOU KNOW, MAY REMEMBER, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST YEAR, C**K VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS VERY GRACIOUS TO DONATE AN AMBULANCE TO THE TRAINING CENTER, WHICH IS USED FOR OUR RECRUIT SCHOOLS AND HAS TO SIT SIDE IN THE ELEMENTS. 
          UH, WE HAVE BEEN, UH, ACTUALLY HAD OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PAST TO BE GIVEN A FIRE TRUCK, UM, TO DO USE AT THE TRAINING CENTER, UM, WITH NO SPACE TO PUT IT, WE'VE HAD TO TURN THAT OUT. 
          SO IF WE WERE GRANTED THIS, WE ALLOW US TO PUT EVERYTHING IN WHEN A CLIMATE CONTROL AREA TO PUT EVERYTHING FOR GOOD ACCOUNT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND MEET OUR SPACE NEEDS. 
          THE NEXT ITEM ON THE LIST, UM, IS, THAT'S UNIQUE. 
          UM, GRAIN BIN, EXTRICATION CONTROL, UH, CONFINED SPACE EQUIPMENT. 
          UM, I'M NOT GONNA STEAL A LOT OF OUR ANYONE ELSE'S THUNDER, BUT IT'S BEEN RECOGNIZED BY MYSELF AND SEVERAL OF OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY FIRE CHIEFS, UH, BARRY ADAM WITH GREEN MAP, BILL DAVID GRAHAMWOOD ATLANTIC, UH, DARREN FUSSEL, THE PRESIDENT OF PARKLEY AND MIKE RYER WITH C**K. 
          UH, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS ABOUT THIS. 
          OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE A, AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY. 
          UM, WITH THAT, I BELIEVE EVERY ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS HAVE GRAIN BINS OTHER THAN MAYBE MR. TAR. 
          WE HAVE GRAIN BINS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY OPPOSE AN INHERENT DANGER, UH, ON THEIR WORKERS AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. 
          UM, IF WE WERE TO GET AN, UH, INCIDENT WHERE A WORKER WAS TO FALL OR HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY OR A OXYGEN DEFICIENCY, AND WHEN THOSE FACILITIES, QUITE HONESTLY, WE DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT HERE. 
          UM, WE DO HAVE SOME TRUCKS LIKE ON C**K AND GREEN MOUNTVILLE HAVE LADDER TRUCKS AND PARSLEY HAS A TRAILER, A AIR TRAILER, AND THEN WE HAVE RESCUE TRUCKS, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT. 
          WE DO HAVE THE TRAINING, WE DO GET THE TRAINING HERE. 
          THE DIFFICULT PART ABOUT THAT, JUST LIKE THIS WEEKEND OR LAST WEEKEND, THIS WEEKEND, WE HAVE A, A, A CONFINED SPACE CLASS. 
          UM, BUT WE'RE USING STATE EQUIPMENT. 
          AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS YOU WANT TO TRAIN ON WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE. 
          SO IF THIS WAS GRANTED IT ALLOW US TO PURCHASE THIS EQUIPMENT, WE WOULD DISTRIBUTE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, SAY WE WOULD USE THAT AS A REGIONAL APPROACH. 
          SOME OF YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW WE HAVE THE EASTERN SHORE REGIONAL HAZMAT TEAM, UM, THAT'S RUN BY THE COUNTY, BUT THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO PARTS OF VOLUNTEER FIRE CABINET. 
          THAT'S WHERE THE EQUIPMENT IS HOUSED. 
          SO JUST BE VERY SIMILAR TO THAT EQUIPMENT BE DISTRIBUTED, UM, BETWEEN THE AGENCIES. 
          WE WOULD DEVELOP A, UM, TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM, POSE A CAREER AND VOLUNTEERS, UH, IN THIS TRAINING AND WORK WITH OUR, UH, OTHER AGENTS TO, UM, MITIGATE AN EMERGENCY. 
          I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW, THOUGH, EVEN IF WE GOT THAT EQUIPMENT, AND EVEN IF WE'RE FULLY TRAINED, WE WILL BE MITIGATING IT. 
          SOMETHING REALLY BAD WOULD HAPPEN. 
          UH, WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO RELY ON OTHER AGENTS THAT MAYBE VIRGINIA'S FIRE DEPARTMENT OR SOLVE THE FIRE, BUT COMING DOWN TO HELP US. 
          BUT IT WOULD DEFINITELY GET US TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE. 
          UM, NEXT WAS ACTUALLY BEEN GRANTED A DRONE. 
          UH, THANK YOU MR. MAYES FOR THAT IS A, A DRONE OF A SUM OF $12,000, UM, THAT WILL BE MANAGED AS OUR CURRENT DRONE. 
          IT IS THROUGH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UM, GETS WHAT USED QUITE FREQUENTLY WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 
          UH, LUCKILY WE HAVE NOT HAD A SIGNIFICANT STORM, BUT IF WE EVER DID, WE WOULD DEFINITELY USE THAT TO, UH, LOOK USE FOR CRISIS TRACK, UM, AND, AND OF COURSE DRONE MAINTENANCE WITH THAT, THAT WAS NOT FUNDED ON THE ELLIS SIDE THERE. 
          I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THE COST OF LIVING AND PAY EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE. 
          MR. MASON HAS COVERED THAT. 
          UM, YOU DO NOTE ONE THERE AT AN ADDITIONAL FTE FOR EMS DROPBOX PROGRAM. 
          I BELIEVE IT WAS BACK IN APRIL, I CAME TO THE BOARD WITH A FEDERAL MANDATE THAT ALL AGENCIES HAD TO HAVE A EMS DROPBOX PROGRAM. 
          PUBLIC SAFETY HAS, UH, TAKEN ON THAT FOR OUR CAREER STAFF AND ALSO VOLUNTEERS EXCLUDING SHAKE TICK, SHAKE DIG AT SHAKE TICK DOES HAVE THEIR OWN EMS DROP OFF PROGRAM, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE THEIR EMS AGENCY. 
          UM, BUT WE WILL BE MANAGING ALL THE OTHER VOLUNTEERS AND THE CAREER STAFF, UH, WHICH BOTTOM LINE, IT REQUIRES A POSITION. 
          SO THAT'S ALREADY BEEN GRANTED. 
          THANK YOU, MR. MASON. 
          UH, NEXT ITEM THAT ACTUALLY WAS GRANTED IS A, AN INCREASE IN PPE COSTS. 
          AS YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS GOING UP. 
          UM, THE AVERAGE COST, AND I HAVE ONE OF THE FIRE CHIEFS IN THE ROOM WITH 
          [01:50:01]
ME, BUT I ATTEST AS THE AVERAGE COST RIGHT NOW IS JUST TO PUT A HELMET THAT DECLARED 90 BOOTS TO A FIRST RESPONDER IN EXCESS OF A THOUSAND, $5,000 PER SET, PER PERSON. 
          UM, SO INCREASE OF THAT WAS WARRANTED. 
          THE NEXT ITEM IS THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR. 
          WE DO HAVE TWO. 
          DR. 
          HEMLEY AND DR. HARRISON, WHO HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY BENEFICIAL WAS THROUGH THIS MS DROVE ROBOT PROGRAM. 
          UM, AND QUITE HONESTLY, THEY DESERVE THAT PAY, THAT PAY INCREASE TO MANAGE NOT JUST THE MS DRUG PROGRAM, BUT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR CAREER STAFF AND FOR THE VOLUNTEERS. 
          UM, BELOW THAT, WE GO DOWN TO, UH, TO PROJECT THE EMS SAVINGS. 
          I'LL LEAVE THAT TO MR. MASON. 
          UH, THE EMS, UH, TRAIN, UH, PATIENT SIMULATOR MANNEQUIN. 
          UM, PROUD TO SAY ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE, UH, PROUD OF OUR RECRUIT PROGRAM. 
          UH, WE ARE IN A HIRING PROCESS, UH, US AND HR IN A HIRING PROCESS TO PICK UP ANOTHER RECRUIT CLASS, HOPEFULLY START IN APRIL. 
          UH, WITH THAT WE TEACH E-M-T-E-M-T ADVANCE AND ALL OUR FIREFIGHTING TRAINING AT THE TRAINING CENTER. 
          UM, THIS MANNEQUIN, IT WAS GRANTED A SUM OF $34,000, BUT QUITE HONESTLY, IT LAYS ON THE, WE PUT IT ON THE STRETCHER, AND YOU CAN ASSIMILATE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDICAL EMERGENCIES. 
          UM, I DON'T WANNA LAY DOWN THERE AND THEY STICK A NEEDLE ON ME. 
          UM, I CAN SHOW YOU THAT. 
          UH, THE IMAGE TREND, UH, REAL TIME DASHBOARD. 
          AS YOU KNOW, WE USE THE IMAGE TREND FOR PATIENT DOCUMENTATION. 
          UH, WITNESS DIAL IS MORE, ALLOWS TO COLLECT MORE DATA, UM, TO SHOW YOU, YOU KNOW, HOW NOT ONLY HOW MANY CALLS WE RUN, WHAT TYPE OF CALLS, WHERE THE CALLS ARE, AND QUICKER DATA COLLECTION. 
          THE OTHER ITEM THAT MR. MASON DID A A GRANT IS ACTUALLY, UH, UNIQUE TOO. 
          UM, IF WE GET, WHEN WE DO GET THIS, IF YOU DON'T TAKE IT OUTTA BUDGET, UM, WE WILL, UH, BE, UH, ONE OF THE ONLY AGENCIES OR ON THE EASTERN SHORE, THE ONLY ONE EASTERN SHORE. 
          SO WE DO HAVE IN SOME FIRE STATIONS. 
          AND THAT TRAINING CENTER, PPE, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WORKS MACHINE THAT WORKS RIGHT, GEAR AND DRY, UM, WOOD, SCBA IS SELF-CONTAINED, BREATHE APPARAT. 
          SO IN ALL THE FIRE TRUCKS AND SOME OF THE EM MACHINES, THEY HAVE AIR, AIR PACKS AS YOU SEE 'EM, WHERE, UM, QUITE HONESTLY, WHEN WE HAVE A CALL, WHAT WE DO IS TO GROSS DECOM. 
          WE WASH 'EM OFF WITH A GARDEN HOSE AND A LITTLE SOAP AND WATER AND LET 'EM DRIP DRY. 
          THAT'S REALLY NOT EXTRACTING CHEMICALS. 
          UM, SO THEY DO MAKE THESE MACHINES THAT YOU PUT THE ENTIRE PACK IN AND WASH THE BOTTLE, WASH THE HARNESS, AND IT ACTUALLY WORS HELMETS AND BOOTS AND SO FORTH. 
          SO IT'S, IT'S ALL ABOUT CANCER PREVENTION. 
          UM, GRANTED THIS, I WOULD LOOK AT PLACING IT CENTRAL LOCATED. 
          EVERYONE'S LEFT PERMITTED TO USE IT JUST LIKE OUR PPE, OUR GEAR WORKS MACHINE. 
          THEY WOULD BRING THEIR FIRE TRUCK THERE, THEY COULD TAKE THEIR AIR PACKS OFF, PUT IT IN THE MACHINE, WASH 'EM AND PUT 'EM BACK IN TRUCK, PUT 'EM BACK IN SERVICE, UH, THE SIMULATION SOFTWARE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. 
          WHAT WE LOOKED AT IS A SOFTWARE THAT WE WOULD, UM, PUT AT THE TRAINING CENTER AND QUITE HONESTLY USE TO ASSIST OUR COMPANY OFFICERS AT THE VOLUNTEER AND CAREER LEVEL. 
          AND WHAT THAT WOULD BE IS, UH, PUT A, A HOUSE UP ON OUR SCREEN AND HAVE A FIRE ON THE SCREEN AND WALK THROUGH A STEP BY STEP OF HOW YOU MITIGATE THAT EMERGENCY. 
          AND THE NEXT ITEM LAST IS OUR WA UH, REQUEST FOR WATER RESCUE SUITS. 
          AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WATER ALL AROUND US, AND QUITE HONESTLY, WE'VE BEEN ON SEVERAL CALLS AND WE HAVE ASSISTED DMA VMRC AND THE COAST GUARD. 
          UM, AND WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN PUBLIC SAFETY THAT ARE TRAINED WATER RESCUE, BUT WE LACK SUITS TO HELP HELP US. 
          SO, UH, THAT'S IT. 
          UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          I, I'VE JUST GOT ONE COMMENT REAL QUICK. 
          UM, I WOULD ARGUE WITH MR. MASON ON THE, UH, PROJECTED VACANCY SAVINGS. 
          I WOULD LET, I, YOU SHOULD HAVE, YOU SHOULD USE THAT ONE. 
          AND ANYTIME YOU COME UP HERE AND TELL US, YOU, YOU COULD SAVE US MONEY, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T WANNA LET HIM DO THAT. 
          YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT . 
          WELL, IF I TREAT HIM BETTER, GIVE IT OFF TO ME. 
          , THAT'S SAVINGS. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE  AS LONG AS I GET MR. TRABERT MY ALL MATTER. 
          NO, NO, THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          SO, UH, BEFORE WE GO FORWARD, I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE NOW FROM THE, UH, EASTERN SHORE AREA ON AGING. 
          IF YOU WOULD LIKE, COME UP AND DO A PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          I DO WISH TO APOLOGIZE TO THE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          I AM JUST COMING BACK FROM RICHMOND, IN WHICH I DO HAVE A BILL ON THE FLOOR THERE IN REFERENCE TO THE REPAIRS OF OUR ROOF. 
          SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME. 
          I DID SEE A NOTE FROM MY MADAM CHAIR THAT SAID CALL. 
          SO I WAS LIKE, I NEED TO SEE HER, BUT NOT KNOWING THAT I WAS ON THE AGENDA. 
          SO AGAIN, I DO WISH TO APOLOGIZE. 
          I AM DONNA SMITH AND I AM THE CEO FOR THE EASTERN SHORE AREA AGENCY ON AGING COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY. 
          AND I COME BEFORE YOU REQUESTING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. 
          AS YOU HAVE HEARD BEFORE, IN REFERENCE TO PRICES GOING UP AND SERVICE COSTS IS GOING UP. 
          THE EASTERN SHORE AREA AGENCY ON THE AGING IS VERY UNIQUE. 
          WE ARE ONE IN THE STATE THAT PROVIDES SERVICES UNDER ONE UMBRELLA, NOT JUST TO 
          [01:55:01]
CHILDREN, NOT JUST TO SENIORS, BUT TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITIES OF BOTH AKIM, MAC AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTY OF PERSONS WITH EVEN LOW INCOME. 
          SOME OF OUR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE ARE UNIQUE, WHERE ARE SENIORS THAT DO NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OR MAYBE OVER INCOME THAT COME TO OUR BUILDING LOOKING FOR HELP. 
          AND THAT IS WITH THE MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. 
          WE ALSO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH THE VOLUNTEERS TO DO TAX PREPARATIONS THAT SERVICES HAD JUST BEGUN. 
          WE HAVE REFERENCED RIGHT NOW IN OUR AAC FACILITY HIT START PROGRAM HERE LOCALLY. 
          UM, WE ARE SERVICING 94 KIDS RIGHT HERE IN THE TOWN OF MACK. 
          AND IN HARWOOD, WE ARE AVERAGING ABOUT 74. 
          SO WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE OVERALL 218 FAMILIES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING SERVICES FOR, IT MEANS A GREAT DIFFERENCE. 
          FOLKS COME TO OUR OFFICE WHEN THERE'S NO OTHER WAY OR NO OTHER PLACE TO TURN TO. 
          JUST DURING THE HORRIFIC WEATHER. 
          WE HAD SENIORS WHO LOST WATER BECAUSE OF FROZEN PIPES. 
          WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO MY OFFICE AT FIVE O'CLOCK NEEDING HELP, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO FIND THOSE RESOURCES. 
          AND I RELY ON THIS COMMUNITY, I RELY ON THIS BOARD TO ASSIST US TO MEET IN THAT QUALITY OF NEED, THE QUALITY OF CARE, AND THE QUALITY OF SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE HERE. 
          SO I COME TO YOU BEFORE SAYING THANK YOU, BUT I'M ALSO ASKING THAT YOU TAKE A VERY GOOD LOOK AT ALL THAT WE DO. 
          THE OLDER AMERICANS HERE IN THIS COUNTY MAKES UP ABOUT 33% IF NOT MORE. 
          AND WE NEED TO HELP THEM. 
          MOST OF THEM ARE ON A FIXED INCOME. 
          I AM NOT PUTTING ASIDE THOSE THAT HAVE RELOCATED HERE. 
          I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE WHO MAKE THIS PLACE THEIR HOME, ALL OF THEM. 
          AND WE REALLY NEED TO SUPPORT THEM IN THE WAY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO LIVE AS WELL. 
          AGAIN, I COME BEFORE YOU ASKING TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE REQUESTED. 
          I, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT SENIORS MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 
          I ALSO WOULD LIKE FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE A LOOK AT A TASK FORCE ON AGING. 
          THESE ARE THINGS THAT REALLY MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S YOU THAT HELP MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE. 
          SO AGAIN, I THANK YOU. 
          I I DON'T HAVE BEFORE ME ALL OF MY PAPERWORK, BUT I DO SAY TO YOU THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE, THE DOLLARS THAT WE ARE ASKING AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MEET AND PROVIDE THESE SERVICES, THEY DON'T MATCH. 
          YOU DIDN'T NEED PAPERWORK. 
          YOU DID FINE. 
          . 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I DIDN'T SEE HIM SITTING NEXT TO ME. 
           AGAIN. 
          I'D SAY THANK YOU. 
          THAT'S ALL SHE QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WHERE DID I, OKAY. 
          NO. 
          OKAY, . 
          THAT'S, THAT'S IT. 
          I KNOW, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO COME. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, NEXT UP IS, UH, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. HALL. 
          GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, STEWART HALL, PUBLIC WORKS AND FACILITIES. 
          OUT OF RESPECT OF THE BOARD'S TIME, I PLAN TO JUST COVER SELECT GROUP OF PROJECTS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS PROPOSED BUDGET. 
          BUT PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED, UH, ON THE, UM, THE SHEET OF REQUEST. 
          SO, JUMPING RIGHT IN. 
          THE FIRST ITEM IS, UH, FOR WASTEWATER NEEDS FOR NORTHERN AKIMA COUNTY. 
          THAT'S ONE OF THE LARGER DOLLAR VALUES IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, OVER THREE AND A HALF MILLION. 
          THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT THESE FUNDS WOULD BE ADDED TO THE EXISTING TWO AND A HALF MILLION THAT WAS APPROPRIATE LAST FISCAL YEAR TO DEVELOP CENTRALIZED WASTEWATER TREATMENT. 
          ONLY PART OF AKIMA COUNTY INTENDS TO PROVIDE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO MEET CURRENT AND ANTICIPATED, UH, NEEDS AND FUTURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
          AND, UM, COURTESY OF MR. PAM'S DEPARTMENT, THIS IS THE, UH, FUTURE LAND USE MAP FOR NORTHERN SEASIDE. 
          SO THE, THE TARGET AREA WOULD BE, UM, LET'S SEE, IS THIS THE POINTER? I'M PROBABLY GONNA TURN THIS OFF, UM, BY ACCIDENT, BUT, UM, MAYBE NO. 
          OH, WELL, SO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, BASICALLY WALLOPS ROAD, WHICH LEADS OVER TO THE, THE ISLAND AND THE LAUNCH PADS AND SO FORTH FROM THAT AREA UP TO THE STATE LINE, UH, HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AN AREA THAT COULD USE, UM, CENTRALIZED WASTEWATER TREATMENT TO SUPPORT COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL. 
          OKAY, NEXT ITEM. 
          UM, AGAIN, UM, UTILITIES, BUT CLOSER TO HOME. 
          I JUST STARTED RIGHT . 
          UM, UH, THIS IS THE, UM, INTERIOR EXTERIOR PAINTING OF THE WATER STORAGE TANKS, WHICH SERVES THE DOWNTOWN AREA HERE, THE COUNTY BUILDINGS COMPLEX AND ALSO SERVES THIS BUILDING WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, 
          [02:00:01]
I, HALF OF MY PRESENTATION IS PICTURES. 
          THEY, YOU KNOW, A THOUSAND WORDS, RIGHT? SO THIS IS THE TANKS YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED, UH, BEHIND THE WATER BUILDING AT THE DISTRICT COURTHOUSE. 
          BUT AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE EXTERIOR, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED SOME WORK. 
          IT'S TIME TO ADDRESS THAT AND THE INSIDES WOULD BE, UH, UH, CLEANED AND COATED AS WELL. 
          THE NEXT ITEM IS THE AIRCRAFT FUELING SYSTEM AT MALFA COUNTY AIRPORT. 
          UH, WE ALSO HAVE A SEPARATE REQUEST IN THERE FOR THE, UM, THE COATING OF THE FUEL TANKS. 
          BUT THIS IS FOR THE, UH, THE FILTERS, PIPING VALVES, OTHER APPARATUS, UM, THAT WE FUEL THE AIRPLANES WITH. 
          THIS IS A, A SNAPSHOT OF PART OF THAT EQUIPMENT. 
          AND AS YOU CAN SEE IT, IT'S, IT'S TIME TO, UH, GIVE IT SOME ATTENTION. 
          AND WE'RE FUELING, YOU KNOW, MULTIMILLION DOLLAR AIRCRAFT AT TIMES WITH THIS EQUIPMENT. 
          SO IT'S TIME, IT'S TIME TO UPDATE IT. 
          I THINK. 
          THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, A BUILDING ASSESSMENT AND DESIGN FOR THE CLERK'S OFFICE. 
          IF YOU'VE BEEN IN THERE RECENTLY, YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF INTERIOR WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE. 
          AND, UH, THIS REQUEST IS FOR THE, UM, DESIGN WORK. 
          AND THE, UH, THE NEXT REQUEST YOU'LL SEE IS FOR THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL WORK TO BE DONE. 
          THE MASONRY, UM, HAS ISSUES CRACKING THE MORTAR HAS COME LOOSE, UH, SLATE ROOF NEEDS REPAIR, GOT GUTTERS THAT NEED WORK. 
          SO, UH, THIS WOULD BE KIND OF THE SOFT COST OF THE UPFRONT TO, UH, GET THE SPECIFICATIONS AND BIG PACKAGE TOGETHER. 
          UH, FOR, FOR THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL WORK. 
          UM, PICTURE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW WHAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE LOOKS LIKE, AND, UH, THIS WOULD BE FOR THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL WORK, 250,000 NOW INTO SOME DOCKS AND RAMPS, AS MR. MASON MENTIONED ON MONDAY. 
          UH, WE TRY TO INCLUDE TWO OR THREE OF THESE A YEAR. 
          WE HAVE 27 SITES AND WE, WE TRY TO KEEP THEM IN THE, IN THE BEST SHAPE THAT WE CAN. 
          SO THIS IS FOR PARKER CREEK ON THE SEASIDE NEAR FOX GROVE. 
          IT'S TO REPLACE THE WOODEN DOCK BULKHEADS CONCRETE RAMP REPAIR THE ASPHALT, WHERE IT MEETS THE CONCRETE RAMP. 
          AND IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING, THIS IS ONE OF THE, THE PROJECTS, UH, THE DREDGING PROJECTS THAT'S ON THE CORE OF ENGINEERS PLATE. 
          THEY'RE ACTUALLY, UH, PLANNING TO RE-SAMPLE SEDIMENTS THIS SPRING. 
          AND, UM, ALREADY TALKING ABOUT POTENTIAL PLACEMENT SITES FOR THE SPOIL. 
          UH, THIS IS ONE PICTURE OF IT. 
          YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE LEFT OF THE SHOT, THE UPLIFT, HOW THE DOCK'S OUT OF ALIGNMENT. 
          WE'VE HAD SOME ICE DAMAGE, WE'VE HAD SOME STORMS AND TIDE DAMAGE. 
          WE, WE'VE REPLACED THE DECK BOARD SO MANY TIMES WE'RE LOSING A GOOD SURFACE TO NAIL THE BOARDS TO OR SCREW THE BOARDS TO. 
          SO I THINK IT'S TIME. 
          THIS, THIS IS PROBABLY, UH, OVER 20 YEARS OLD AT THIS POINT. 
          THE WOODEN STRUCTURE. 
          THE NEXT ONE IS DEEP CREEK BULKHEAD, UH, WHICH IS ON THE BAY SIDE ON DEEP CREEK, OF COURSE, UH, IT'S, IT'S A COMMERCIAL, UM, DOCK AND BULKHEAD THERE. 
          AND WE'VE HAD TO DO SOME EMERGENCY REPAIRS WHERE WE HAD SOME TIE RODS FAIL AND WE HAD TO EXCAVATE AND, AND REPLACE SOME TIE RODS. 
          AND, UH, IT'S GETTING TO THAT POINT AS WELL THAT IT, IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. 
          AND TYPICALLY WHAT YOU DO HERE IS YOU INSTALL A NEW VINYL BULKHEAD IN FRONT OF THE OLD AND JUST BACKFILL. 
          SO YOU BASICALLY GOT A, A DOUBLE LAYER, IF YOU WILL. 
          AND HERE'S A PICTURE. 
          YOU CAN SEE THE DOG LEG AND THE FIRST, THE, THE LOWER PART THERE. 
          AND THEN PASS THAT STACK OF CRAB POTS. 
          YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER BOW WHERE IT'S OUT OF ALIGNMENT. 
          SO THE IDEA WOULD BE TO PUT A NEW WALL, UH, ALONG WHERE, IN FRONT OF THOSE PILINGS THERE AND, UM, AND TIE EVERYTHING TOGETHER. 
          THE NEXT ONE IS FOR GLADING LANDING ON THE BAY SIDE ON MUDDY CREEK. 
          AND UM, THIS ONE ALSO IS 20 PLUS. 
          YEARS OF SERVICE. 
          THE TOP OF THE RAMP IS, IS BREAKING UP AND SHIFTING. 
          UH, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF COAL PATCH AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT, UM, THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN, MORE WE CAN DO WITH THAT. 
          SO THIS IS, UM, TO REPLACE THE, UH, ALL THE CONCRETE RAMP. 
          AND YOU MAY RECALL JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, THE ADJOINING LANDOWNERS DONATE ABOUT A HALF ACRE FOR PARKING, UH, FOR PUBLIC PARKING THERE. 
          UM, WE COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, MAKE ANY, UM, UH, OBLIGATIONS, BUT WE, BUT THE, CERTAINLY THE LANDOWNER'S INTENT WHEN THEY DID THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COUNTY WOULD MAINTAIN AND MAYBE GIVE A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION IN THE FUTURE. 
          AND THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE CONCRETE ON, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE NEXT TO THE DOCK. 
          YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE COAL PATCH THAT'S LEFT. 
          YOU CAN SEE THE CRACKS RUNNING UP. 
          AND THE UPPER RIGHT BY THE LAST PILING, YOU CAN SEE A YELLOW WHEEL STOP. 
          WE KIND OF PUT THAT THERE. 
          DIRECT PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE EDGE WHERE THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE CONCRETE RAMP. 
          THE NEXT ONE IS A DEBTOR'S PRISON. 
          AND AS, AS YOU'VE HEARD, UH, WE WERE FORTUNATE, UH, TO BE AWARDED A VA TWO 50 GRANT FROM THE COMMONWEALTH IN THE AMOUNT OF 350,000 TO GO TOWARDS, UH, REPAIRS, RENOVATIONS OF THAT. 
          AND, UH, THE COUNTY MATCHED FOR THAT GRANT IS APPROXIMATELY 117,000. 
          SO IT WOULD BE KIND OF A TOP TO BOTTOM RENOVATION WITH, UH, UH, THE MASONRY OF COURSE, SLATE ROOF, CHIMNEY DOOR SEALS, AND ALSO SOME EQUIPMENT TO STORE SELECT AND EXHIBIT SELECT ARTIFACTS. 
          YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NUMBER OF, OF ARTIFACTS, UH, THAT WERE DISPLAYED THERE PREVIOUSLY, UH, BEFORE THE MOST RECENT DAMAGE, UH, TO THE PLASTER. 
          [02:05:01]
BUT THIS WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, A, A PROFESSIONAL DISPLAY CASES FOR THESE ITEMS. AND HERE'S A PICTURE OF ONE SIDE OF THE DEBTOR'S PRISM. 
          UH, NOW WE GET INTO SOME LANDFILL EQUIPMENT. 
          UH, THIS IS THE TWO 10 EXCAVATOR, THE NORTH LANDFILL. 
          IT'S, IT'S A, UH, WORKHORSE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. 
          IT'S USED TO LOAD SOIL. 
          IT'S EXCAVATED FROM THE BAR PITS. 
          WE'RE REQUIRED TO PUT DAILY, UH, SOIL COVER OVER THE TRASH EVERY DAY AT, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE DAY. 
          THIS IS A 2007 MODEL, SO IT'S COMING UP ON ITS 18TH BIRTHDAY. 
          YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE LEGAL TO DRINK PRETTY SOON, . 
          AND, UH, SO, UH, HERE'S, HERE'S A PICTURE OF IT. 
          I THINK IT'S BEEN PRETTY WELL MAINTAINED FOR ITS AGE, BUT IT IS, IT IS TIME TO REPLACE IT. 
          'CAUSE IF THAT EQUIPMENT WERE TO GO DOWN, WE'D, WE'D BE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD TRY TO GET A RENTAL, BUT IT, UH, IT GETS A LOT OF HEAVY USE. 
          THE NEXT ONE'S MOBILE 58, WHICH, WHICH IS A ROAD TRACTOR SEMI. 
          UH, IT IS ONE OF THE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WE USED TO HAUL WASTES FROM BOB TOWN AND MALFA UP TO THE NORTH LANDFILL FOR FINAL DISPOSAL. 
          AND, UH, THIS ONE'S A LITTLE YOUNGER, BUT STILL IN 2014. 
          SO IT'S COMING UP ON 11 YEARS AND IT'S ON THE HIGHWAY EVERY, EVERY WORKING DAY WEEKDAY. 
          SO THIS IS, UH, FOR REPLACEMENT. 
          THERE'S A PICTURE OF IT IN FRONT OF THE COUNTY GARAGE, AND WE'VE BEEN HAVING PRETTY GOOD LUCK SELLING SURPLUS, THE OLD EQUIPMENT ON, UH, AUCTION SITE GOV, DEALS.COM. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE WOULD GET SOME SALVAGE VALUE OUT OF THAT IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET A NEW REPLACEMENT. 
          THE NEXT ONE IS FOR, UM, AN EXTENSION OF THE S RESEARCH PARK, EXCUSE ME, UH, ACCESS ROAD. 
          AND, UM, WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC ROUTE IN MIND, BUT I'LL SKIP RIGHT TO THE PICTURE. 
          UH, ON THE LEFT THERE, THAT'S 7 3 9 6 AEROSPACE GATEWAY. 
          THAT'S ROCKET LAB, WHICH IS KIND OF IN THE BACK OF OPS RESEARCH PARK. 
          AND IF YOU CAN SEE THAT BLUE LINE RUNNING LEFT TO RIGHT, UM, THAT'S ONE SCENARIO OF HOW, HOW THE ROAD MIGHT ROUTE. 
          BUT IT MIGHT EVEN GO UP, YOU KNOW, TO THE LEFT PORTION OF THE SCREEN THERE. 
          BUT THE IDEA IS WE HAVE ALL THAT LAND THERE THAT'S PART OF THE RESEARCH PARK, WHICH IS NEXT TO OR SURROUNDS THE, UM, THE TAXI WAY. 
          IT'S PRIME REAL ESTATE FOR A COMPANY TO COME IN. 
          AND, UH, THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE MONEY AVAILABLE TO, UH, EXTEND THAT ROAD, WHICH BY THE WAY, THE AGREEMENTS AND COVENANTS OF WALLACE RESEARCH PARK WERE ON THE HOOK, UH, FOR, FOR THE ROAD AND, AND DRAINAGE. 
          BUT, UH, OTHER THINGS LIKE UTILITIES WOULD BE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE, UH, THE BUSINESS THAT WOULD SETTLE IN THERE. 
          AND THIS IS A MARINE SCIENCE, UH, CONSORTIUM ON THE LOWER RIGHT THERE. 
          OH, HERE'S A FUN ONE. 
          UM, PARKS AND REC, UH, WE'RE CALLING IT AMPHITHEATER. 
          IT'S REALLY A, UH, BANDSHELL FOR AN OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER. 
          UH, BUT WE THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD, WOULD BE OF, OF INTEREST TO A LOT OF CITIZENS IN THE COUNTY WHO MAY NOT BE INVOLVED IN TRADITIONAL SPORTS LIKE SOFTBALL OR, UM, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          SO, UH, HERE'S, HERE'S A PICTURE TELLS A THOUSAND WORDS. 
          HERE'S, HERE'S, UM, A PICTURE OF ONE WE FOUND ON THE INTERNET, WHICH MIGHT FIT NICELY WITH THE SAW MILL PARK THEME. 
          YOU'VE GOT THE, THE TREE TRUNKS THERE, BUT IT'S BASICALLY AN AREA THAT WOULD, WOULD BE SHELTERED. 
          AND IF WE HAD A BAND COME IN FOR A SMALL OUTDOOR CONCERT WHERE WE WANT TO DO AN OUT OUTDOOR MOVIE OR, UH, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE A, A CRAFTS DEMONSTRATION OR IT COULD BE A FOUR H, UM, PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, TO, TO A GROUP. 
          BUT IT WOULD BE A, A PLACE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO SET UP IN CASE WE HAVE SOME WEATHER ISSUES OR, YOU KNOW, THE SUN IS, IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT SAW MILL PARK IN THE SUMMERTIME. 
          WE STARTED PLANTING SOME TREES, BUT IT'S STILL, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, IT CAN BE PRETTY BRUTAL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER. 
          SO THIS WOULD BE AN AREA TO SET UP SOME EQUIPMENT, HAVE A POWER SUPPLY READILY AVAILABLE, AND WE COULD, UH, ADD SOME EVENTS THAT MIGHT ATTRACT PEOPLE WHO, UM, WHO HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY SAW MILL PARK TO DATE. 
          SO, AND THAT'S IT. 
          UM, ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE OR ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE, UH, LIST? I THINK WE'RE GOOD. 
          THANK YOU, MR. HALL. 
          VERY WELCOME. 
          NICE LITTLE. 
          I LIKE IT. 
          I'LL LIKE TO EMPATHY. 
          I DO. 
          UH, AND I'LL, I'LL WE'LL BACK UP AGAIN 'CAUSE I BELIEVE WE NOW HAVE A, UH, REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE RESTAURANT REGISTRAR'S OFFICE, SO YOU CAN COME RIGHT ON UP. 
          . 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRPERSON AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. 
          I'M HERE BEFORE YOU ALL TONIGHT TO ASK THAT YOU GRANT OUR BUDGET REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026. 
          THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING WILL ALLOW THE ELECTORAL BOARD AND REGISTRAR TO CONTINUE TO MEET DEPARTMENTAL GOALS. 
          OVER THE PAST FOUR TO SIX YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME MAJOR CHANGES IN ELECTIONS. 
          WE NOW HAVE 45 DAYS OF NO EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING, BOTH EARLY IN PERSON AND VOTE BY MAIL. 
          WE NOW HAVE TO REPORT THE CENTRAL ABSENTEE PRECINCT TOTALS BY EACH PRECINCT. 
          WE HAVE THE PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTER LIST, THE ABSENTEE BALLOT DROPBOX ON THE 24 HOUR SURVEILLANCE IN OUR OFFICE PARKING LOT. 
          AND THE PRECINCTS ARE USED AS ABSENTEE DROP OFFS. 
          [02:10:03]
WE HAVE, UM, THE MAYTOWN ELECTIONS HAVE NOW BEEN ELIMINATED AND MOVED TO NOVEMBER. 
          WE'RE NOW REQUIRED TO OPEN TWO SATURDAYS BEFORE EVERY ELECTION. 
          WE HAVE MANDATORY PRE-PROCESSING OF VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS TWO DAYS PRIOR TO EACH ELECTION DAY. 
          CURBSIDE VOTING REQUIRED DURING EARLY VOTING AND ON ELECTION DAY, AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH DMV, WHICH INTERFACES WITH OUR ELECTIONS DATABASE, MANDATORY CYBERSECURITY MEASURES, MANDATORY ANNUAL POLLING PLACE, ACCESSIBILITY AUDITS, SAME DAY REGISTRATION, PRE-REGISTRATION, AND NOW TWO ADDITIONAL HOLIDAYS WITH JUNETEENTH AND ELECTION DAY. 
          SINCE BECOMING THE REGISTRAR IN 2021, WE HIRED ADDITIONAL PART-TIME STAFF TO ASSIST US IN THE OFFICE. 
          DURING EACH NOVEMBER ELECTION, WE'VE HAD OUR VENDOR ELECTION SERVICES ONLINE ADMINISTER LOGIC AND ACCURACY TESTING OF OUR VOTING EQUIPMENT FOR EACH ELECTION. 
          WE HAVE TRIED SUNDAY VOTING FOR ONE YEAR. 
          WE'VE UPGRADED THE ELECTRONIC POLL BOOKS THAT WERE AT THE END OF LIFE IN 2023, AND WE'VE HAD SECURITY CAMERAS INSTALLED IN THE OFFICE AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE CHANGES ABOVE. 
          THE WORKLOAD IN OUR OFFICE HAS INCREASED MORE SPECIFICALLY DURING THE 45 DAY EARLY VOTING PERIOD. 
          CENTRAL ABSENTEE PRECINCT IS THE LARGEST PRECINCT IN THE COUNTY BECAUSE IT ACCOMMODATES ALL VOTERS. 
          BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD THE PROPER STAFF TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF PROVIDING THE SERVICE. 
          IT, IT ENCOMPASSES EARLY, ENCOMPASSES, EARLY VOTING, VOTE BY MAIL, EMAIL, VOTING TO OUR UNIFORMED AND OVERSEAS VOTERS AND CURB CURBSIDE VOTING HAS BECOME VERY POPULAR AT TIMES. 
          WE HAVE HAD TWO AND THREE VOTERS IN ONE VEHICLE REQUIRING CURBSIDE SERVICES, MANY OF THEM ELDERLY AND DISABLED VOTERS. 
          THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN CURBSIDE SERVICES HAVE REQUIRED TWO STAFF MEMBERS GOING OUT TO ONE CAR TO ACCOMMODATE OUR VOTERS. 
          NO EXCUSE. 
          ABSENTEE VOTE BY MAIL HAS INCREASED. 
          AND OUR PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTER LIST CONTINUES TO GROW THE VOTE BY MAIL. 
          VOTERS HAVE RANGED BETWEEN 600 AND 1500 VOTERS DURING THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS. 
          DEPENDING ON THE ELECTION TYPE. 
          WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN THE MAIL BY THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EARLY VOTING FOR OUR ABSENTEE VOTERS AND, UM, AB AND WE CONTINUE TO MAIL ABSENTEE BALLOTS UP THROUGH THE SEVENTH DAY BEFORE ELECTION DAY WITH CAP REPORTING RESULTS BACK BY PRECINCT. 
          THIS HAS INCREASED OUR BALLOTS FROM ONE BALLOT STYLE TO A RANGE OF 16 BALLOTS TO ACCOMMODATE EACH PRECINCT OR AS MANY AS 62 BALLOT STYLES, DEPENDING ON THE ELECTION TYPE. 
          DAILY RECONCILIATION OF BALLOTS KEEPS OUR OFFICE STAFF WORKING 10 TO 12 HOUR SHIFTS DAILY DURING THE 45 DAYS OF EARLY VOTING. 
          IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR ALL OF THESE SERVICES AND CONTINUE TO MAKE THEM ACCESSIBLE TO OUR VOTERS, WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ADEQUATE OFFICE STAFF REPEATEDLY. 
          I HAVE HAD TO FILL THE ROLES OF ABSENTEE COORDINATOR AND PROCEDURAL SPECIALISTS FOR THE SAME DAY REGISTRATIONS FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. 
          IN ADDITION TO MY ROLE AS GENERAL REGISTRAR LAST YEAR, I WAS GRANTED A TOTAL OF 10,000 DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET FOR PART-TIME AND OVERTIME WAGES FOR MY EARLY VOTING STAFF TO ASSIST WITH ADMINISTERING THE PRESIDENTIAL AND TOWN ELECTIONS. 
          WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE MULTIPLE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES. 
          WE HAD A STAFF PERSON IN THE LOBBY TO ASSIST THE VOTERS, A STAFF PERSON FOR CURBSIDE AND ABSENTEE BALLOT ASSISTANCE, TWO OFFICE STAFF TO CHECK VOTERS INTO THE COMPUTER AND RESEARCH VOTER INFORMATION AND TWO STAFF MEMBERS TO SERVE AS BALLOT OFFICERS. 
          WE HAD OUR CENTRAL ABSENTEE PRECINCT STAFF, LIKE THE PRECINCTS ON ELECTION DAY FOR THE FIRST TIME, FOR THE NOVEMBER 20, 24TH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. 
          I HAVE ASKED FOR THE FUNDING THAT WAS GIVEN TO US TEMPORARILY FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TO BE PART OF OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET PERMANENTLY INSTEAD OF A ONE-TIME OPERATIONAL REQUEST. 
          MACK COUNTY ELECTIONS ARE ADVERTISED ON THE REGISTRAR'S WEBSITE, THE COUNTY CALENDAR, WITH PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT I POST THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND ON THE RADIO. 
          THE FEES FOR THESE SERVICES CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN 2021. 
          A QUARTER PAGE AD WAS $200 AND THAT INCREASED TO TWO 50 AND 2022 TO TWO 60 IN 2023 AND THREE 30 IN 2024. 
          AN ADVERTISEMENT ON WSR FOR EACH ELECTION HAS GROWN FROM $71 IN 2021 TO $350 IN 2024. 
          WOW. 
          I HAVE REQUESTED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO COVER THE INCREASE ADVERTISEMENT COSTS FOR THREE ELECTIONS PER CALENDAR YEAR. 
          POST IS FOR THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS CONTINUE TO RISE AS WELL. 
          THE AVERAGE COST OF ONE VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT IS $9 EACH. 
          WE UTILIZE THE POSTAGE METER IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE FOR EACH PIECE OF MAIL THAT WE 
          [02:15:01]
SEND OUT. 
          THE TREASURER SENDS THE MONTHLY INVOICE TO US WITH THE NUMBER OF PIECES OF MAIL AND THE POSTAGE FEES. 
          FOR THE 2024 CALENDAR YEAR. 
          WE MAILED 7,617 PIECES TOTALING $5,848 AND 30 CENTS IN POSTAGE FEES. 
          THE FEES AND SERVICES FOR PAPER POLL BOOKS, FIRMWARE AND HARDWARE FOR THE OVO SCANNERS. 
          MILEAGE FOR THE ELECTION OFFICIALS POST THIS COSTS FOR THE CORRESPONDENCE TO VOTERS, CANDIDATES, STAFFING, ELECTION OFFICIALS IN THE PRECINCT AND MAINTENANCE SERVICE CONTRACTS HAVE ALSO INCREASED SAME DAY REGISTRATION AND OTHER PROVISIONALS HAVE REQUIRED ADDITIONAL OFFICE SUPPLIES. 
          WE HAVE HAD TO HAVE SEVERAL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE TO OUR MACHINES DUE TO PROCESSING HIGH VOLUMES OF ABSENTEE LABELS. 
          WE USE A CANON COPY MACHINE FOR THAT. 
          EACH ELECTION WE'VE HAD TO HAVE OUR COPIER SERVICE, AND NOW WE'LL BE ADDING A CONTRACT FOR THE MACHINE. 
          I HAVE ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO LEASE A NEW MACHINE AND HAVE IT SERVICED IN BETWEEN THE ELECTIONS. 
          IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE INCREASED COSTS AND STAFFING SHORTAGES, WE ARE COMING TO THE END OF LIFE OF OUR OVO SCANNERS. 
          OUR VENDOR ESO HAS SUBMITTED A THREE YEAR QUOTE FOR THE UPGRADES, WHICH I HAVE SUBMITTED IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THIS YEAR. 
          CURRENTLY WE USE THREE TO FOUR MACHINES DURING EARLY VOTING. 
          ONE FOR EARLY VOTING, A SECOND ONE IF WE REACH 4,600 VOTERS AND HAVE TO SWAP IN A SECOND MACHINE, ONE FOR ABSENTEE VOTE BY MAIL, AND ONE FOR POST-ELECTION LATE ARRIVING ABSENTEE BALLOTS. 
          THE PROVISIONAL BALLOTS, WE HAVE BEEN HAND COUNTING, WHICH HAS PROVEN VERY TEDIOUS TO OUR ELECTORAL BOARD, PARTICULARLY WITH HAVING TO COUNT WRITE-INS FOR THE 14 MACK TOWNS THAT ARE NOW ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT EVERY TWO YEARS WITH SAME DAY REGISTRATION. 
          OUR PROVISIONAL BALLOTS HAVE GROWN FROM 29 IN 2020 TO 2 83 IN 20 20 24, WE HAVE ASKED THE VENDOR TO SUPPLY US WITH AN OVO SCANNER TO REPLACE THE HAND COUNTING OF PROVISIONAL BALLOTS. 
          THE ELECTORAL BOARD, GENERAL REGISTRAR AND ELECTION OFFICIALS IN ACK COUNTY HAVE HAD TO ADMINISTER FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL ELECTIONS IN THE MOST ACCESSIBLE AND EFFICIENT WAY ALLOWED BY LAW. 
          AND WE HAVE DONE SO EVEN THROUGH A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IN 2020, THE EARLY VOTING AND VOTE BY MAIL, THE EMAIL, AND SAME DAY REGISTRATION OPTIONS. 
          WERE ALL A BIG PART OF THE SUCCESS OF EVERY ELECTION THAT WE HAVE ADMINISTERED. 
          OUR VOTER REGISTRATION HAS GROWN FROM 24,862 REGISTERED VOTERS IN DECEMBER OF 2021 TO TWENTY SIX, THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN REGISTERED VOTERS IN DECEMBER OF 2024. 
          AS OF TODAY'S DATE, WE HAVE 25,576 VOTERS. 
          WE HAVE HAD SO MANY CHANGES AND UNFORESEEN EVENTS THAT HAVE IMPACTED THE ABILITY TO ADMINISTER THE ELECTION PROCESSES. 
          AND THOSE CHANGES HAVE CREATED UNANTICIPATED EXPENSES THAT HAVE HAD TO BE ABSORBED EACH FISCAL YEAR BUDGET CYCLE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. 
          WE THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO ASSIST US WITH ACCOMMODATING THESE CHANGES AND MEETING OUR DEPARTMENTAL GOALS. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          ANY QUESTIONS? GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, NEXT UP, UH, FINANCE. 
          MS. LEWIS, WE CAN RETURN TO THE PODIUM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING AGAIN. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          I'M HERE. 
          LET'S SEE. 
          TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SOFTWARE, BETTER KNOWN AS ERP, THE ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANS IS A SOFTWARE SOLUTION USED BY GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE COMPANIES, NONPROFITS TO STREAMLINE AND MANAGE DAILY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING ACCOUNTING, BUDGETING, BUDGET, PROCUREMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, FIXED ASSET GRANT, GRANT MANAGEMENT, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, AND MORE. 
          EERP SYSTEMS INTEGRATE DIFFERENT BUSINESS PROCESSES, ALLOWING US TO STREAMLINE DATA FLOW ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AND FUNCTIONS. 
          EXISTING APPLIC, WELL, THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE NEED AN ERP SYSTEM. 
          EXISTING APPLICATION AND UNDERLYING TECHNOLOGY IS OUTDATED AND IT NO LONGER MEETS THE COUNTY'S NEED. 
          I THINK THIS NEXT LINE SAYS IT ALL. 
          THE COUNTY HAS BEEN USING ESSENTIALLY THE SAME APPLICATION SINCE 1989. 
          IT THAN THAT SOFTWARE HERE AS ME  BEST OF YEAR, I BECAME SHERIFF. 
          OH, SO YOU DON'T TELL YOU HOW OLDER. 
          SO IT, IT LACKS THE CAPABILITY OF BOTTOM SOFTWARE. 
          NOT, UM, REAL TIME ACCESS, NOT AVAILABLE TO ALL END USERS, NO ABILITY FOR MANAGERS TO TIMELY REVIEW BUDGET. 
          MANY TASKS HAVE PERFORM MANUALLY. 
          UM, SPECIALIZED SKILLS ARE REQUIRED TO EXTRACT DATA THAT SHOULD 
          [02:20:01]
OTHERWISE BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE. 
          PROBLEM IS THE LIFESPAN OF THE CURRENT SOFTWARE IS VERY UNCERTAIN AND LIMITED. 
          THE COUNTY CAN RECEIVE NOTICE AT ANY TIME THAT THE SYSTEM IS BEING PHASED OUT, LEAVING US WITH A LIMITED WINDOW TO FIND AND IMPLEMENT A REPLACEMENT. 
          THE PROJECT HAS ALREADY BEEN BUDGETED AND APPROPRIATE, WHICH IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. 
          HOWEVER, DUE TO THE RISING COST AND THE FACT THAT WE NO LONGER GONNA SHARE THE COST WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, ADDITIONAL FUND IS NOW BEING REQUESTED. 
          NOW, I THINK THE NEXT SCREEN IS GONNA SAY IT ALL. 
          THIS IS CURRENTLY WHAT WE LOOK AT. 
          THIS IS OUR SYSTEM TODAY. 
          THAT'S THE LANDING PAGE. 
          SO THE GREEN SCREEN, A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT A GREEN SCREEN IS. 
          THIS IS WHAT IT'LL LOOK LIKE WHEN WE'RE, WE HAVE THE UPDATED SOFTWARE. 
          THIS, I MEAN, JUST HOW WE'LL EVERY DEPARTMENT HERE WILL BE ABLE TO MANAGE THEIR DEPARTMENT. 
          IT'S GONNA BE PHENOMENAL. 
          AND HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A LANDING PAGE. 
          WONDERFUL. 
          WELL, I SEE THE LEARNING CURVE. 
          OH YEAH. 
          IT'S INCREDIBLE. 
          I'VE WORKED WITH THEM BEFORE. 
          IT'S DAY NIGHT. 
          SO ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. 
          NO, THANK YOU. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          SO LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. 
          SO HE'S, LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS HE  MIKE? GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS. 
          MIKE MASON, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. 
          UH, REALLY, I FEEL LIKE I HAD MY BITE OF THE APPLE TWO NIGHTS AGO. 
          AND YOU GOT TO, UH, HERE, UH, ALMOST AN HOUR AND A HALF OF, OF AN OVERVIEW OF YOU GOT 10 MINUTES. 
          . 
          I'M NOT EVEN GONNA TAKE FIVE. 
          . 
          I LIKE YOUR, I DO. 
          I GIVE IT. 
          THANK YOU SUPER'S HEART. 
          I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T JUST AT, AS I DID WHEN I OPENED ON MONDAY, IS, IS TO TELL YOU WHAT A REMARKABLE STAFF YOU HAVE HERE IN AKIMA COUNTY. 
          VERY MUCH SO. 
          VERY MUCH SO, YEAH. 
          NOT ONLY ARE THEY TALENTED, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO RISE TO THE OCCASION AND TAKE ON ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN FRANKLY, I, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DO IT SOMETIMES. 
          UM, SO I I JUST WANT TO COMMEND ALL THE FOLKS, UM, FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT, NO MATTER WHAT POSITION I I'M CONTINUOUSLY IMPRESSED WITH THEIR, THEIR DILIGENCE, THEIR DEDICATION TO MACK AND, AND JUST FROM, FROM TOP TO BIDEN. 
          UH, WHAT A, WHAT A WONDERFUL STAFF YOU HAVE. 
          UM, ONE THING I DID AGREE TO DO, THERE WAS A, A A FEW DEPARTMENTS WHO HAD SOME VERY SIMPLISTIC REQUESTS. 
          UM, FOR INSTANCE, THE, THE COUNTY TREASURER, TREASURER LITTLETON, UH, WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT. 
          AND, AND I TOLD HIM I WOULD JUST HANDLE IT FOR HIM. 
          UH, HE, HE'S ASKING FOR AN INCREASE FOR A POSTAGE. 
          AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE POSTAGE, UH, HAS A SCHEDULED RATE INCREASE COMING UP. 
          JAN IS HERE, BUT I TOLD HER I WOULD NOT ALLOW HER TO COME TO THE PODIUM TO RISK REQUEST $300 . 
          UM, ARE YOU SURE THERE ANOTHER BOO? WE'LL PASS THE HAT  THAT THE, THE C COMMISSIONER REVENUE. 
          I, I SAID I WAS, UH, OKAY WITH, UH, REMINDING THE BOARD THAT YOU HAVE VARIOUS TAX RELIEF PROGRAMS AND PERIODICALLY AS, AS WE CONTINUE TO MARKET THEM, AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE, UH, MANDATES COMING FROM RICHMOND THAT EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THOSE TAX RELIEF PRO UH, PROGRAMS THAT WE, WE HAVE TO INVEST MORE MONEY IN IT. 
          UM, AND SO THERE'S SOME REQUESTS IN, IN YOUR, YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET THAT COVERS THOSE PROJECTED INCREASES. 
          UH, I, I ALSO INFORMED DSS THAT THEY DID NOT NEED TO COME. 
          THEIR ONLY REQUEST WAS BASICALLY TO BE INCLUDED IN THE COMPENSATION, UH, THE, THE LOCAL MATCH FOR THE PLAN 3% COMPENSATION INCREASE. 
          THAT IS, UH, AGAIN, UH, INCLUDED IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET. 
          AND WE'RE TRYING TO TAG ALONG FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. 
          UH, AGAIN, I, I DO WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR ALL THEY DO. 
          UH, THERE'S NO ONE IN MACK DOESN'T HAVE MUD ON THEIR BOOTS. 
          THEY, THEY RISE TO THE OCCASION EVERY TIME THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRESENTED WITH A CHALLENGE. 
          SO, UH, AGAIN, THANK THANK, THANK YOU ALL, ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO, WHO MAKE MAKE UP MIMA COUNTY'S WORKFORCE, UH, I'M CERTAINLY, UH, READY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY PART OF THE BUDGET, ANYTHING I WENT OVER ON MONDAY, OR, UH, YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT. 
          UH, YOU DID ASK THREE QUESTIONS AT THE LAST MEETING. 
          I'VE RESPONDED TO TWO OF THOSE BY EMAIL. 
          ONE OF 'EM WAS WHAT THE DATES LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS HOW LONG DID IT TAKE THE BOARD TO, UH, A ADOPT A BUDGET LAST YEAR. 
          UH, YOU ALSO ASKED, UH, FOR SOME INFORMATION, UH, REGARDING THE, UH, FROM OUR, FOR OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN, WHICH YOU, YOU GOT TONIGHT THROUGH, UH, MS. CARNEY'S PRESENTATION. 
          YOU ALSO GOT SOME LIMITED INFORMATION FROM ME. 
          YOU ALSO ASKED FOR SOME INFORMATION ON VOLUNTEER FIRE 
          [02:25:01]
AND RESCUE FUNDING, WHICH WE ARE COMPILING AND WILL PRESENT PROBABLY AT YOUR FIRST WORK SESSION. 
          WHICH BRINGS ME TO THAT QUESTION. 
          YES. 
          UM, AS FAR AS SETTING DATES, THIS IS THE LAST SCHEDULED SPECIAL MEETING YOU HAD FOR, FOR BUDGET DELIBERATIONS. 
          UH, YOUR NEXT MEETING IS, IS YOUR REGULAR MEETING UNLESS YOU, UM, DECIDE TO SET SOME MORE MEETINGS TO, TO GET INTO THE, THE WEEDS OF THE BUDGET. 
          NOTE THAT YOUR REGULAR MEETING WILL BE THE, THE, UH, DATE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL COME FORWARD WITH THEIR REQUEST. 
          I DID TALK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT TODAY AND, UH, UH, THAT IS, THAT IS STILL THE PLAN. 
          WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? UH, ANYTHING NEXT WEEK OR 11TH? UH, I KNEW, I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DAYS THAT ARE NOT AVAILABLE NEXT WEEK. 
          UH, THE 10TH AND THE 12TH ARE NOT AVAILABLE. 
          I WOULD HOPE WE WOULD START TO WORK ON STUFF. 
          SO HOW ABOUT IS, HOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT IF WE CAN, HOW ABOUT, HOW ABOUT THE 11TH, TUESDAY, THE 11TH? IS THAT I'M, I'M GOOD. 
          WHAT'S THAT? TUESDAY? TUESDAY 11TH. 
          WHAT'S LOOK LIKE FOR EVERYBODY? I'M FINE WITH THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          HOW'S EVERYONE ELSE? THE TUESDAY? IS THAT THE OKAY. 
          I'M TUESDAY THE 11TH. 
          YEAH, YOU'RE MM-HMM . 
          THE 11TH. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          WHAT'S, WHAT'S THAT LOOK LIKE? EVERYBODY? GOOD. 
          GOOD. 
          WELL, I UNAVAILABLE FROM THE 10TH TO PROBABLY THE 24TH CRUISE OPERATION. 
          YOU OKAY. 
          DO THAT WITH YOU. 
          YEAH. 
          THAT FIVE, FIVE O'CLOCK. 
          SO FIVE O'CLOCK. 
          CAN YOU DO IT VIRTUAL? YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO EVEN DO IT VIRTUAL. 
          NO. 
          1111 AT FIVE O'CLOCK. 
          WE GOOD WITH THAT? ALRIGHT, LET'S, LET'S GO WITH THAT. 
          ARE WE DOING ANYMORE OR JUST THAT ONE? UM, DO YOU WANT GO WITH THAT ONE AND SEE WHAT WE NEED? DO THE NEXT ONE AFTER THIS. 
          UM, BEFORE, I JUST WANT ONE QUESTION FROM MY, UM, HR PERSON. 
          SURE, SURE. 
          MR. CAR , I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT. 
          MM-HMM . 
          DO YOU ALSO, DO YOU ALSO OFFER THE HR ACCOUNT THE HELP? UH, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHAT THE ACRONYM STANDS FOR. 
          UH, IT'S THE HRA HEALTH. 
          HEALTH SAVINGS. 
          HEALTH SOMETHING. 
          ANOTHER HSA. 
          YEAH. 
          HUH? H-S-A-H-S. 
          OKAY. 
          IT'S DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE S-H-A-S-S-A. 
          UH, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT ONE. 
          IT'S A FSA, I MEAN, THE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT. 
          WHY THAT? 'CAUSE NORTHAMPTON HAS IT, IT HA IT ALSO THEY HAVE A HR, IT'S HR I BELIEVE IT IS. 
          I THINK WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS A TIGHT, IT HAS DIFFERENT ACRONYMS, BUT IT USUALLY REFERS TO A SAVINGS ACCOUNT THAT IS TIED TO A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH INSURANCE. 
          THAT'S WHAT IT IS. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE IN ORDER TO QUALIFY IN ORDER TO EVEN BE ABLE TO OFFER THE HEALTH SAVINGS OR THE HEALTH REIMBURSEMENT. 
          OKAY. 
          I, I KNOW THE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT. 
          I KNOW ONE TIME AKAMAI DIDN'T OFFER THAT. 
          AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT ASSET. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION ON THAT. 
          AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, WITH THE RISING COST OF, OF, UH, OF THE HELP CALL, YOU KNOW, THE HELP RATES AND EVERYTHING, I WAS JUST TRYING TO LOOK FOR OTHER AVENUES. 
          SO IF I, THAT COULD HELP OUR EMPLOYEES, IF I MAY, A FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT. 
          THEY HAVE RAISED EACH YEAR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE. 
          SO NOW IT'S UP TO $3,200 A YEAR. 
          THAT COULD BE TAX FREE. 
          DOES IT STILL ROLL OVER? IT DOES ROLL OVER, BUT ONLY 660 IS ALLOWED IN A ROLLOVER, BUT IT USED TO BE ZERO. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE DO OFFER THE FLEXIBLE SPENDING THROUGH PAYROLL DEDUCTION. 
          YOU CAN USE THAT FOR COPAYS. 
          RIGHT? WHAT PRESCRIPTIONS AND DEPENDENT, THE BEAUTY OF THE, OF THE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT, I'VE DONE IT BEFORE MM-HMM . 
          UM, IS THAT THEY GIVE YOU ALL THE MONEY UP FRONT EVEN THOUGH YOU DO IT. 
          YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. 
          THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY. 
          I TRY NOT TO ADVERTISE THAT TOO MUCH, BUT THAT'S, BUT I'M SAYING NEED, YOU'RE RIGHT. 
          NEED TO FIND ALL THE PERKS YOU CAN. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU, WHEN HEALTHCARE, I MEAN, IS RAISING, YOU KNOW, IS RISING RATHER. 
          SO I'M JUST THINKING, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD THAT ACKMAN COUNTY NOW HAS THE FSA ME TOO. 
          AND, AND WE TRY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO AT LEAST DO 300 BECAUSE THAT WILL PRETTY MUCH COVER ANY DEDUCTIBLE FOR AN EMERGENCY ROOM. 
          EXACTLY. 
          VISIT. 
          AND, AND YOU GET IT RIGHT UP FRONT AND OUT THAT WAY IT REALLY IS NOT AN OUT-OF-POCKET IMMEDIATELY FOR STAFF. 
          EXACTLY. 
          BUT THANK YOU FOR ASKING. 
          NO PROBLEM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          TO SAY HR I, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE'S NO HR ACCOUNT. 
          . 
          THANK YOU. 
          THAT'S ALL. 
          NO, YOU'RE GOOD. 
          AGAIN. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          SO, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE WANT TO THANK ALL EVERYONE THAT PRESENTED, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE VALUE, YOU KNOW, VALUED, UH, REQUESTS. 
          BUT, AND WE'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT RIGHT NOW. 
          BUT, SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL RUN THIS LIKE WE DO OUR SUPER, UH, SUPERVISOR'S COMMENTS. 
          I'LL CALL EACH ONE IF YOU'VE GOT A COMMENT. 
          IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE STILL HERE, 
          [02:30:01]
IF YOU'VE GOT A COMMENT OR A QUESTION, WE'LL CALL 'EM UP. 
          IF THEY'RE NOT, THEN, UH, YOU CAN, YOU CAN SAVE IT FOR LATER OR, OR MAKE CONTACT, UH, SUPER SUPERVISOR WASHINGTON. 
          YES. 
          I WOULD JUST MORE THAN A COMMENT, NOT A QUESTION. 
          SURE. 
          UM, JUST, THIS IS LIKE MY SECOND YEAR ON THE BOARD AND I JUST GOT A WOW FACTOR ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE IN MACK COUNTY. 
          AND I WANNA SAY TO EVERYBODY THAT CAME IN TO PRESENT, UH, THEIR BUDGETS TONIGHT. 
          VERY WELL DONE. 
          UM, YOU, YOU GUYS EXPLAINED IT VERY WELL. 
          UM, YOU EXPLAINED WHY YOU NEED THE MONEY AND UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE YOU SAID, WE GOT TO PRIORITIZE. 
          BUT YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND EVERYBODY, UM, THAT WORKS HERE AT ACK COUNTY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR, SUPERVISOR JOHNSON. 
          NO PROBLEM. 
          NO COMMENT. 
          SUPERVISOR HART, NO COMMENT. 
          COMMENT, UH, VICE I'VE JUDGE GUN AND ALL TO MADE THE COMMENT. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          GOOD DAY. 
          GOOD DEAL. 
          UH, SUPERVISOR GEORGE, ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS WE ALL HAVE BEEN GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR MONEY AND REPRESENT OUR CITIZENS VERY WELL. 
          I'M VERY PROUD OF EVERYONE THAT WORKS FOR THE COUNTY AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR TAR. 
          I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON HAND. 
          OKAY. 
          SUPERVISOR CROCKETT. 
          MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          YES, SIR. 
          I NEED TO, UH, MAKE A, UH, POINT OF CLARIFICATION ON SURE. 
          ON ONE ISSUE. 
          AND THAT'S THE REQUEST FROM, FROM, UH, FROM . 
          FIRST A PUSHBACK ON A COMMENT THAT THE MAYOR MADE ABOUT THEY GET LITTLE RETURN ON THEIR TAXES. 
          THEY HAVE TWO SCHOOLS OVER THERE. 
          SO THAT'S TOP OF MY HEAD. 
          THAT'S A, I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T DEFINE THAT AS A LITTLE RETURN. 
          SO THAT'S, THAT NEEDS TO BE POINTED OUT. 
          AND, UM, AND SECOND, UH, THERE'S BEEN A QUESTION OF WHETHER THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND SOMEONE TO ASSIGN, UH, TO SHTE HIGH SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER. 
          I TALKED WITH HIM TODAY. 
          I TALKED WITH HIM YESTERDAY. 
          I'VE TALKED WITH HIM SEVERAL TIMES AND I ASKED HIM POINT BLANK, IF SHIG DECIDED TO PULL OUT OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, COULD HE ASSIGN, WOULD HE BE ABLE TO ASSIGN A DEPUTY AS A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER ON THE FIRST DAY OF NEXT YEAR'S SCHOOL YEAR? HE SAID DEFINITELY. 
          HE SAID, I WILL HAVE A DE I'LL HAVE CARL, DEPUTY CARL RIGHT THERE AT YOUR MEETING IF YOU NEED TO CONFIRM THAT THROUGH HIM. 
          FINE. 
          SO HE'S, HE'S CONFIRMED THAT HE CAN HAVE A DEPUTY THERE. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, I FIRST LEARNED OF THIS FROM THE SHERIFF. 
          HE HAD RECEIVED A LETTER FROM, UM, FROM THE, UH, TOWN MANAGER ABOUT THE REQUEST THAT HE WAS GONNA TO MAKE FOR THE, FOR THE BOARD TO FUND, UH, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER. 
          AND, AND, AND HE HAS A MAJOR CONCERN WITH, WITH THAT REQUEST. 
          AND, AND SO DO I GO BACK IN HISTORY? I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. 
          I WAS THE SHERIFF WHEN IT WAS CREATED AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CREATED SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. 
          WE ASSIGNED HIM ON THE SHTE ARCADIA AND, UM, AND THEN DO IT. 
          AND AS A TOWN MANAGER, MR. BERT SAID THAT SHTE SCHOOL DECIDED AFTER A FEW YEARS, THEY NO LONGER WANTED A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER. 
          WE WOULD'VE STILL HAD A DEPUTY THERE HAD THEY NOT CHOSEN TO PULL THAT, TO PULL THAT DEPUTY OUT. 
          SO, UH, I THINK IT WAS 20 OR 21, 20 OR 21 THAT MR. TOPER SAID THAT, THAT APPARENTLY THEY MET WITH THE, UM, UH, WITH THE SCHOOLS AND CAME UP WITH A, WITH AN MOU. 
          AND THAT'S THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE SCHOOLS AND SHTE. 
          THE COUNTY WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN THAT DISCUSSION. 
          WHEN I PUT TOGETHER A, UM, A PLAN AND A GRANT FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, IT WAS UNDER THE COPS PROGRAM, THE FEDERAL COPS PROGRAM FOR THREE YEARS. 
          ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I HAD TO DETERMINE WAS HOW AM I GONNA FUND THESE PO POSITIONS AT THE END OF THE GRANT, WHEN THE GRANT EXPIRES IN THREE YEARS? WHERE AM I GONNA GET THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THESE THREE DEPUTIES? I ABSORBED IT IN MY CURRENT BUDGET. 
          I TOOK PATROL POSITIONS AND PUT THOSE DEPUTIES IN PATROL POSITIONS. 
          IF YOU'LL COME, MIKE, MR. MASON WAS FINANCE DIRECTOR. 
          EVER SINCE THAT TIME, EVERY SCHOOL POSITION, UH, THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS, THEY HAVE FOUR. 
          OUT OF THOSE FOUR POSITIONS, ONLY ONE HALF OF ONE POSITION IS, IS FUNDED BY THE COUNTY. 
          HE HAS ABSORBED IT THROUGH HIS BUDGET. 
          MATTER OF FACT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE SAID WHEN HE CALLED ME ABOUT, UH, SHEIK'S REQUEST. 
          HE SAID, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DONE THIS EVER SINCE YOU WERE SHERIFF. 
          WE HAVE ABSORBED THE COST OF THOSE POSITIONS WITHIN OUR BUDGET, WITHIN OUR CURRENT POSITIONS. 
          HE SAID, NOW IF YOU, IF YOU FUND SH TEA'S SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS POSITION WITH COUNTY FUNDS, WILL YOU DO THE SAME FOR ME? CAN I COME BACK AND ASK YOU, YOU KNOW, I NEED MY PATROL POSITIONS ALSO. 
          SO, UH, MR. TOPPER IS CORRECT IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT WOULD TAKE THAT THEY'RE ASKING FROM, FROM THE BOARD. 
          BUT HIS AND IS IS CORRECT IN SAVING MONEY ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE. 
          BUT IT IS NOT, IT IS NOT SAVING MONEY ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE. 
          BECAUSE IF WE OPEN THAT DOOR, THE SHERIFF'S GONNA COME BACK AND I'M GONNA SUPPORT HIM 100% AND 
          [02:35:01]
ASK FOR THE SAME THING. 
          HE'S GONNA ASK FOR THE COUNTY TO FUND THOSE POSITIONS. 
          THE SHERIFF, SHERIFF WESSEL SAVES THIS COUNTY OVER $300,000 A YEAR BY THE COUNTY NOT HAVING TO PROVIDE THOSE POSITIONS. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, SO THAT, THAT IS MY CONCERN. 
          AND NO ONE HAS TO TELL ME HOW IMPORTANT SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS POSITION, UH, ARE. 
          I WAS THERE, I WAS A SHERIFF WHEN IT WAS CREATED. 
          THEY ARE VALUABLE. 
          AND, AND, AND IF SHING TEA DECIDES NOT TO PUT A, A POLICE, UH, OFFICER AT THE SCHOOL, AT THE SHAKE LAKE HIGH SCHOOL, THERE WILL BE A DEPUTY THERE. 
          A COMMENT WAS MADE THAT, THAT THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER COULD BE CALLED, COULD BE CALLED OUT ON A CALL. 
          IT DOESN'T HAPPEN NOW IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, LIKE EITHER MR. UH, EITHER THE MAYOR OR THE OR THE TOWN MANAGER SAID IF THERE'S A, IF THERE'S IS A MAJOR INCIDENT WHERE ALL HANDS HAVE TO BE ON DEBT, THEY MAY BE BE CALLED OFF. 
          BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER ONE BEING CALLED OFF WHEN I WAS THERE. 
          SO THAT DEPUTY WILL BE THERE AND THAT DEPUTY WILL BE, UM, WILL BE DEDICATED THERE. 
          SO, UH, I AM, I AM IN TOTAL SUPPORT OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. 
          BUT, BUT TO BUT TO FUND ANOTHER DEPARTMENT THAT'S NOT A PART OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND NOT FUND A, A SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT'S PART OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT WOULD BE A PR BAD PRECEDENT. 
          AND, AND IF WE DO THAT, WE HAVE TO CALL THE SHERIFF BACK IN HERE AND OPEN THIS BUDGET UP, OPEN THIS BUDGET UP, FUND HIS POSITIONS IF WE'RE GONNA FUND A, UH, A PD, UH, PD POSITION. 
          AND, UH, THERE'S NO DOUBT, AND THIS IS FOR THE MEDIA, THERE WILL BE A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER AT SHTE HIGH SCHOOL, WHETHER IT'S A PATROL DEPUTY OR WHETHER IT'S A, UM, A, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, OFFICER. 
          SO, BUT I HAVE TO CLEAR THAT UP BECAUSE IT'S UM, IT IS CONFUSING AND, UH, AND THE NEED IS THERE. 
          IT ALL DEPENDS ON, ON HOW IT'S FUNDED. 
          I JUST WISH, I WISH THE TOWN HAD COME TO THE COUNTY AND BROUGHT US INTO THE CONVERSATION AS TO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AFTER THOSE POSITIONS, AFTER THE, UH, THE GRANT FUNDS EXPIRE. 
          BECAUSE IF I HAD KNOWN ABOUT IT, I WOULD'VE GIVEN 'EM THE HISTORY OF WHAT WE DID AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BEFORE WE APPLIED FOR THAT, THAT GRANT. 
          AND, UH, BUT THAT'S JUST FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES. 
          I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE THE MEETING HERE, I WANNA MAKE SURE THE WHOLE STORY IS, UH, IS, UH, IS COVERED. 
          AND, AND AGAIN, THEY'RE CORRECT AS FAR AS SCHOOL RESOURCE REPOSITIONS, THEY ARE NEEDED AND I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THEM. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          UH, THANK YOU MR. KRACKER. 
          UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, I WILL ENTERTAIN, UH, 3.1 ON THE AGENDA. 
          SO MOVED. 
          SO MOVED. 
          THAT IS, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, TO ADJOURN. 
          AND THAT IS NON-NEGOTIABLE. 
          WE ARE ADJOURNED. 
          GOOD MEETING.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.