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UH, IF YOU DO HAVE A CELL PHONE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU PLEASE PLACE[Board of Supervisors on May 21, 2025.]
IT ON, TURN IT OFF, OR PLACE IT ON SILENCE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE MEETING, WE'LL CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.AND IF YOU'RE ABLE, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND, STAND WITH US FOR OUR INVOCATION AND OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ALLOW US TO OUR WORK THROUGH YOUR WILL.
I
UH, ONE FOUR, ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA MOVE.
WE HAVE A MOTIONS, UH, PROPERLY SECONDED.
JIGG, UH, PUBLIC, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT RULES WE DO HAVE ONE HAS SIGNED UP.
SO MS. PROCTOR, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT RULES FOR 2025 ARE AS FOLLOWS, PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL NOT ADDRESS MATTERS ON THE PUBLIC HEARING CALENDAR FOR THE DAY.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL ADDRESS MATTERS ON THE CURRENT MEETING AGENDA.
HOWEVER, THE CHAIR SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ALLOW COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS PROVIDED.
DOING SO DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THE TIMELY AND ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS ON THE AGENDA.
THE INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER SHALL BE PERMITTED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR NO INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER SHALL BE PERMITTED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR MORE THAN FOUR MINUTES.
THE CHAIR SHALL ALLOCATE THE TIME AMONG THE SPEAKERS IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER.
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN OUT ON A SUBJECT AT A PUBLIC HEARING SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED TO READDRESS THE BOARD ON THE SAME SUBJECT DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS SHOULD BE RESOLVED PRIOR TO THE MEETING BY CONTACTING A BOARD MEMBER OR THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER.
ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FOR A PUBLIC MEETING MUST PRESENT THE PRESENTATION 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE FOR REVIEW BY STAFF FOR APPROPRIATENESS.
QUESTIONS SHALL BE DIRECTED TO THE CHAIR, WHO IN HIS DISCRETION SH SHALL SOLICIT THE RESPONSE FROM THE APPROPRIATE PERSON.
PERSONS ADDRESSING THE BOARD SHALL NOT USE INAPPROPRIATE OR THREATENING LANGUAGE OR VERBALLY ATTACK ANY BOARD MEMBER OR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
THE CHAIR SHALL DIRECT ANY PERSON WHOSE BEHAVIOR IS VIOLENT OR DISRUPTIVE TO LEAVE THE ROOM.
THE CHAIR HAS THE RIGHT AND THE DUTY TO MAINTAIN PROPER ORDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE RULES.
SO, MR. ROGERS, YOU SIGNED UP.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? I'M BE ROGERS, UM, ADDRESS IS PO BOX 6 0 7 PAINER, VIRGINIA.
AND I WANT TO BRIEFLY SPEAK TO YOU FROM TWO ANGLES.
ONE IS, UH, A PORTABLE HOUSING IN THE OVEN, PARKS AND RECREATION.
UH, I WAS THE ONE WHO PUT OUT THE PACKAGES FOR YOU IN VANILLA ENVELOPES EARLIER THIS EVENING.
UM, WHAT HAPPENED LAST FALL? WAYNE BURTON FROM PARKS AND RECREATION, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, WHO IS NOW RETIRED, WE WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE HOUSING CONFERENCE OVER IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.
IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR PACKAGE, THE FIRST TWO PAGES ARE COPIES OF THOSE CERTIFICATES FROM LIST VIRGINIA.
WE ARE NOW A PORTABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COORDINATORS HERE ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, BELIEVE ME, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS AND THAT IT REALLY PUTS US ON THE GOAL.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, I DO KNOW THIS MUCH.
MACK COUNTY, UH, BOARD, I THINK APPROPRIATED AROUND $250,000 TO PURCHASE A AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITE AND ALSO TO, UH, CURE THE SERVICES OF A DEVELOPER.
NOW, UM, SOME TIME AGO, MACK COUNTY WANTED TO PUT A PARK AND BALL FIELD BEHIND THE FARM OF CENTRAL HIGH MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPLEX.
AND FOR SOME REASON IT HAS NOT MATERIALIZED.
I KNOW YOU WERE SUCCESSFUL IN DOING THE CENTRAL PARK AND YOU'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB, A CONVENIENT FOR THAT.
UM, WE ARE HOPING THAT YOU WILL NOW DIVERT YOUR ATTENTION TO WHAT'S ON THE SOUTHERN END.
ALSO, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ELSE.
THERE'S ROUGHLY 60 ACRES IN THE AREA THAT WAS CONSIDERED EARLIER BY SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE PRESENT AT THAT TIME.
AND I REALIZED THAT ONLY MAYBE THREE WERE AT THE, AT THAT BOARD ON THAT BOARD, AND THE REST OF YOU PROBABLY WERE SELECTED IN THE SUCCEEDING YEARS.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED ROUGHLY AROUND 16 OR 17 YEARS AGO IN THE EARLY PART OF THIS, UH, UH, CENTURY, MAYBE AROUND
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2009 OR WHATEVER.AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW IS TO SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE COUNTY WOULD TAKE UNDER CONSIDERATION OR MAYBE USING THAT AREA FOR BOTH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT AND ALSO FOR PARKS OF RECREATION COMPLEX.
IT'S ALMOST 60 ACRES, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT IN YOUR DIAG.
YOU WILL SEE THAT IN YOUR PACKAGE.
I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH PAGE BY PAGE, WHICH PACKAGE WILL TAKE WAY TOO MUCH TIME.
BUT WITH THE LOCATION OF THAT PROPOSED SITE, YOU ARE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF, UH, MACK COUNTY AND THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY.
THIS IS A MAP THAT I GOT FROM THE MACK COUNTY PLANNING, UH, COMMISSION SOME YEARS AGO.
AND RED INDICATES THE LARGEST POCKET OF CONCENTRATION ON THE ENTIRE EASTERN SHORE.
NOW, NORMALLY WE LOOK AT NORTH HAMPTON AS BEING THE POOR OF THE TWO COUNTIES, AND IT KIND OF SURPRISED ME THAT MACK COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF PROPERTY ON THE OLD EASTERN SHORE.
SO IF YOU WERE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE AND YOU GOT FOUR TIRES, AND IF THE RIGHT TIRE ON THE BACK ON THE REAR IS FLAT, THAT'S THE ONE YOU NEED TO TACKLE OR TO ADDRESS.
WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU IS THIS, IF THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY IS THE WORST PART ECONOMICALLY, THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR MOST PROBLEM.
THIS IS THE PROBLEM YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH, AND THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM BY HAVING PARKS AND RECREATION AND HOUSING TO BRING UP THE ECONOMIC STANDARDS.
WHAT'S THE OLD SAYING? A RISING TIDE.
WHAT LIFTS ALL SHIPS ABOUT? SO IF YOU WANT TO TAKE AND LIFT UP YOUR ECONOMIC STATUS, YOU NEED TO GO TO THE WEAKEST PARK.
AND THAT'S WHERE THIS IS ALSO, YOU WILL SEE IN YOUR PACKAGE ANOTHER COPY THAT I GOT FROM THE COUNTY.
THIS IS THE AREA WHERE YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT PUTTING THAT PARK AND RECREATION.
IT'S IN THE EXTREME NORTHERN PART OF WHAT'S CALLED THE POTENTIAL GROWTH AREA IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF AKIMA COUNTY.
SO IF YOU PUT YOUR HOUSING PROJECT THERE, AND IF YOU PUT YOUR PARKS OF RECREATION, YOU'LL BE KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.
AS THE OLD SAYING GOES, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO.
OKAY? THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS.
IT'S INVESTED WITH EACH ONE OF YOU, OKAY? I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO MAKE A DECISION HERE TONIGHT, OKAY? BUT I PRAY AND TRUST THAT BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME THAT YOU MEET NEXT MONTH IN JUNE, THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE A WELL-INFORMED DECISION BASED ON THE MATERIAL THAT'S AT YOUR DISPOSAL.
I HAVE A LOT MORE TO SAY, BUT BECAUSE OF TIME CONSTRAINT, I WILL SIT DOWN AND YELL.
AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOD BLESS YOU.
UM, ARE YOU GONNA SAY, UH, MINUTES CONSIDERATION, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
I, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK, UM, MR. ROGERS FOR COMING AND FOR GIVING US HIS REPORT.
I THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. ROGERS.
MR. ROGERS IS A MEMBER OF, OF ELECTION DISTRICT NINE, THE DISTRICT THAT I DO REPRESENT.
AND WHEN HE BROUGHT THAT, THAT TO MY ATTENTION, UM, I DO REMEMBER SOME YEARS AGO WE DID TALK ABOUT HAVING A, UH, PARK IN, IN HOUSING AND ALL THAT IN THE SOUTHERN PART.
AND I KNOW THE PART OF ELECTION DISTRICT NINE ON, I GUESS, NEAR PAINTER OR NEAR THE CENTRAL HIGH IS PART OF THE ENTERPRISE ZONE AND ALL OF THAT.
WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.
UH, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE HAS BROUGHT OUT IS FOOD FOR THOUGHT, AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T, SOMEONE I DON'T KNOW IF HE NEEDS TO MAKE THAT SAME PRESENTATION.
HE TALKED ABOUT PARKS AND REC.
WE DO HAVE A PARKS AND REC COMMISSION, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NEEDS TO BE BOUGHT BEFORE THEM.
ARE THEY? I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE, ARE THEY OPERABLE? I MEAN, ARE THEY STILL OKAY? WELL THEN WHEN DO THEY MEET MR. STEWART? OH, GOSH, IT'S, UH, EVERY OTHER MONTH.
YEAH, FOURTH TUESDAY ON WEBSITE.
BUT YEAH, THE COMMITTEE'S ACTIVE NOW.
WELL THEN I WOULD EMPLOY, UH, MR. UH, ROGERS AS FAR AS THE, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION PART OF, OF YOUR PRESENTATION.
I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WILL GO TO THEM AS WELL.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE FINAL SAY, THE BUDGET'S ALREADY DONE, BUT WE HAVE TO STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS AND ALL OF THAT.
YOU HAVE SAID, UH, IT, IT WON'T GO LIVE DORMANT, BUT I WILL HAVE IT IN, UH, IN THE FOREFRONT OF MY MIND.
NOW, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
SO WE HAVE A, UH, WE HAVE A, UH, MOTION AND A SECOND ON CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES.
ALL OPPOSED? AND MOTION CARRIES.
UH, NEXT WOULD BE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
YOU'VE EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT? WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? MOVE.
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APPROVE.SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A PROPERLY SECOND ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, NEXT WOULD BE UNDER APPOINTMENTS.
SO WE, WE DO HAVE SOME, UH, AREAS THERE THAT NEED ATTENTION.
THE FIRST ONE I'M GONNA TALK TO, UH, TALK ABOUT IS THE, UH, MACK PARKS AND REC, UH, ELECTION DISTRICT 4K LEWIS HAS RESIGNED.
AND, UH, WE NEED A REPLACEMENT THERE.
UH, SO, UM, YES, THAT I WANT TO CONTINUE THAT, BUT I WILL HAVE, I'LL HAVE A RECOMMENDATION NEXT, NEXT MEETING.
UH, AND I'M GONNA DO THE SAME, AND I KNOW I'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A COUPLE TIMES ALREADY.
I'VE, UM, ON THAT, IF ANYBODY KNOWS ANYBODY IN MY, IN MY DISTRICT, UH, IF, IF THEY ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT EITHER THE OFFICE, UM, OR MYSELF.
UM, AND WE WILL, WE WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
EASTERN SHORE AREA AGING, UM, COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY.
I GUESS THAT'S FOR REAPPOINTMENT, IS THAT CORRECT FOR YOU? OKAY.
COULD YOU, UM, MR. CHAIR? I'M SORRY.
COULD YOU CHAIR, UM, CHAIR THAT, COULD YOU TABLE THAT? I HAD TO HAND THE CHANCE TO MAKE SURE MR. UH, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, SEAT IS REPRESENTED AND I HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE TO CALL MS. GREENLAKE.
IN FACT, I THINK SHE'S ON THE SEVEN CS.
SHE HAS NOT CONTACTED THE OFFICE, IS THAT CORRECT? HAS SHE CONTACTED THE OFFICE? OKAY.
UH, THEN ON THE IAC COUNTY SOIL WASTE COMMITTEE, WE NEED A, UH, UM, I, I MUST MS. JORGENSEN, IS THAT, UH, TO REPLACE THE EXISTING, OKAY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DISTRICT THAT'S FROM.
UH, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, TO, TO THAT EFFECT? MOVE WE A POINT? OKAY.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, PROPERLY SECONDED.
SECOND TO, UH, MOVE JORGEN, UH, MS. HEATHER J JORGENSEN, JORGENSEN, EXCUSE ME, TO AKIMA COUNTY SOIL AND WASTE COMMITTEE.
ALL OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION CARRIES.
WE ARE NOT READY FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO, UNDER NEW BUSINESS, UM, MR. HALL, YOU'VE GOT QUITE A AGENDA THERE TONIGHT FOR YOU
UH, THE FIRST ONE, OF COURSE, YOU CAN ANNOUNCE, UH, RECEIVE THE UPDATE ON THE DITCH MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE DITCH MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND ALSO RECOMMEND SOME REVISIONS TO THE POLICY.
UH, JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, THE OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY TRANSFERRED FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS TO PUBLIC WORKS AND FACILITIES AT, UM, LATE LAST YEAR.
AND THE FOCUS IS NOW ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT BY COUNTY STAFF, UM, OBTAINING PERMITS, LANDOWNER, EASEMENTS, UH, SCOUTING PROJECTS, PRIORITIZING THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND WITH THE, UM, FIELD WORK, THE EXCAVATION, BRUSH CLEARING, BEING DONE BY PRIVATE CONTRACTORS, BILL SAVAGE, WHO'S WITH US TONIGHT.
UH, BILL WAS HIRED AS STORM DRAINAGE PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND BEGAN WORK IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
UH, BILL REPORTS TO JEREMY SHIFFLET, WHO'S, UM, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS. UNFORTUNATELY, JEREMY HAD A PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED COMMITMENT, NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT.
AT THE TIME I PUT THIS AGENDA ITEM TOGETHER, UH, BILL HAD RESEARCHED, UH, 17, UH, POTENTIAL PROJECTS AND, UH, TWO HAVE BEEN FULLY COMPLETED.
EIGHT OR IN Q AWAITING RECEIPT OF RIGHT OF ENTRY FROM 33 LANDOWNERS.
SO A LOT OF LANDOWNER COORDINATION GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
SO, ONTO THE POLICY STATEMENT AND GENERAL OPERATING GUIDELINES, UH, I'M NOT GONNA GO LINE BY LINE THROUGH THOSE, UH, PROPOSED REVISIONS UNLESS THERE ARE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT I'VE TRIED TO SUMMARIZE THE IMPORTANT PARTS HERE.
THE, UH, REVISIONS INCLUDE HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS SUCH AS SPELLING, GRAMMAR, CORRECTIONS, DEPARTMENT NAME CHANGES BEING, IT WENT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS TO, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND FACILITIES AND POSITION TITLE UPDATES.
THE MORE IMPORTANT PARTS ARE THERE'S AN ADDITION OF LANGUAGE RELATED TO LANDOWNER INSTALLED FEATURES SUCH AS BRIDGES, FENCING, AND LANDSCAPING, UH, WHICH MUST BE REMOVED BEFORE EXCAVATION CAN TAKE PLACE.
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE A SECTION OF DITCH AND YOU'RE BRINGING IN AN EXCAVATOR TO DO SOME CLEANING THERE, YOU'VE GOT 10 UH, FOOT BRIDGES THERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE, UM, CONVENIENCE OF THE LANDOWNER.
AND FOR US TO DO ANY REAL WORK THERE, THOSE NEED TO BE REMOVED.
UH, AND SOMETIMES FENCES ARE RIGHT UP TO THE DITCH LINE.
THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE CLEARED OUTTA THE WAY.
SO THAT COULD AFFECT THE PRIORITIZATION OF THE PROJECT.
SO WE INCLUDED JUST A, A LINE OR TWO ABOUT THAT.
AND, UM, WE ALSO HAVE PROPOSED LANGUAGE THERE THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ALLOW TEMPORARY EASEMENTS, UM, IN PLACE OF PERPETUAL FOR HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS.
SO BASICALLY ON AN EXCEPTION BASIS, AND FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS POLICY,
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A HIGH PRIORITY IS, UH, PROJECT IS DEFINED AS ONE THAT ADDRESSES HAZARDOUS OR POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS FLOODING CONDITIONS THAT THREATEN BUILDING STRUCTURES, AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS OR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ANY PERSON.SO IT COULD BE A ROAD FLOODING SITUATION, IT COULD BE, UM, A SECTION OF A FIELD THAT'S BEING FLOODED AND UNABLE TO BE FARMED.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE A STRUCTURE IN DANGER OR A, UM, WHERE, WHERE PEOPLE STORE, UM, MATERIALS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO, UM, AGAIN, EXCEPTION BASIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THERE.
BUT WE HAVE RUN INTO CASES IN THE PAST WHERE A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT, MULTIPLE LANDOWNERS INVOLVED, AND THE MAJORITY, IF NOT JUST ONE, ARE ON BOARD WITH IT AND WE'LL SIGN THE EASEMENT, BUT ONE WILL NOT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THE WORK.
GREEN HYPOTHE, GET THAT ALL THE TIME.
HYPOTHETICALLY, IF, IF CONCERNING A, A MAJOR ISSUE, SUPPOSE AN AREA WAS BEING FLOODED AND YOU HAD FIVE PROPERTY OWNERS, AND TO CORRECT THAT YOU NEEDED TO CLEAR THE DITCH AND EVERYONE SIGNED AN EASEMENT, BE IT TEMPORARY OR PERPETUAL, BUT I DIDN'T, YEAH.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE COUNTY CAN DO TO, TO IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION TO, UH, WELL, I MAY WANT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SPEAK TO THAT SHORT OF EMINENT DOMAIN.
UNLESS WE WANNA TRY TO BARGAIN AND PURCHASE THE EASEMENT, BUT, BUT IF THEY KEEP PUSHING BACK AND SAY NO, THEN, THEN WE'D HAVE TO DOMAIN.
UM, ANOTHER SECTION THAT WAS, UM, ADDED, AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY ADDED, UM, AFTER THE AGENDA WENT LIVE.
UM, SO IT'S ONLY BEEN IN THERE A COUPLE DAYS, UM, BUT, UH, PAYMENTS TO INCORPORATED TOWNS AS, AS PROBABLY ALL OF YOU KNOW, WE FOR MANY YEARS NOW, UM, FOR A, A PROJECT THAT'S BEING MANAGED BY THE TOWN, IF WE HAD THE BUDGET AVAILABLE, WE DID A ASSIST WITH FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT.
AND, UM, SOME OF THIS GOES WAY BACK TO WHEN WE HAD THE DISTRICT FUNDS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO, UM, THE EXISTING POLICY DOESN'T REALLY LAY OUT THE STEPS FOR THAT.
SO WITH JAN'S HELP, WE'VE ADDED LANGUAGE THAT SPELLS OUT.
SO THE TOWNS BASICALLY HAVE A SCRIPT, A PROCESS TO FOLLOW OF HOW THIS WORKS.
UM, AND THE IMPORTANT PARTS WITH THAT.
UM, IT EMPHASIZES THAT THE REQUESTS GO THROUGH THE, UH, STORM DRAINAGE PROGRAM COORDINATOR.
AS BILL'S CURRENTLY SERVING, EMPHASIZE THAT FUNDING IS BUDGET CONTINGENT AND THAT THE COUNTY IS NOT OBLIGATED, UH, WHATSOEVER TO PROVIDE ANY FUNDS.
IT STATES THAT TOWNS ARE WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE AND SOLELY LIABLE FOR PROJECTS, WHICH INCLUDES OBTAINING EASEMENTS AND PERMITS AND HIRING ANY CONTRACTORS THAT ARE NEEDED.
IT REQUIRES THE TOWNS TO SUBMIT INVOICES TO THE COUNTY, WHICH IS A, A TOWN INVOICE TO THE COUNTY.
BUT WE ALSO, UM, REQUIRE COPIES OF ANY INVOICES THEY MAY HAVE.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UM, BASICALLY KEEPS EVERYONE HONEST, RIGHT? WE MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDS ARE USED FOR THE INTENDED PURPOSES AND, UH, IT PROVIDES FOR THE STORM DRAINAGE PROGRAM COORDINATOR TO INSPECT THE WORK BEFORE APPROVING PAYMENTS TO TOWNS, AGAIN, TO MAKE SURE THE MONEY IS BEING FUNNELED, UH, FOR THE RIGHT PURPOSES.
I THINK SUPERVISOR JOHNSON, IS IT? YES.
I HAVE A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO, I BELIEVE IT WAS CHRIS ATOR MM-HMM
WHEN HE HAD, UM, DIDN'T HE HAVE A HARD TIME HAVING LANDOWNERS TO ASSIGN A PERPETUAL EASEMENT? SO OUT OF THE 30 SOME LANDOWNERS THAT YOU DO HAVE MM-HMM
ARE THEY OKAY WITH SIGNING THAT PERPETUAL OR JUST THE TEMPORARY, UH, IT'S KIND OF KIND OF UP AND DOWN WITH THE RESPONSE, I THINK, BUT BILL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT AT ALL.
YOU GETTING SOME THAT ARE FINE WITH IT, SOME THAT HAVING SOME RESISTANCE TO IT.
I JUST HAVE A CONCERN THAT I FEEL THAT THE LAND, UH, OWNER SHOULD HAVE THAT CHOICE OF CHOOSING RATHER, THEY WANT PERPETUAL OR THEY WANT TEMPORARY INSTEAD OF HAVING, BEING MADE TO SAY, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS PERPETUAL, IF IT WAS MY LAND, I WOULD NOT WANT TO SIGN AN EASEMENT FOR SOMEONE TO COME ON MY PROPERTY AT ANY TIME.
I WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHEN THE TIME THAT THEY'RE COMING ON MY PROPERTY AND AS WELL AS, UM, HAVING THAT RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, TEMPORARILY YOU CAN COME AND DO THE WORK, YOU'RE GONNA LEAVE PERPETUAL, YOU CAN COME IN ANY TIME.
UH, WE DO HAVE, UM, UH, LANGUAGE, UM, IN, IN, IN THE POLICY, AND I BELIEVE MAYBE EVEN BE IN THE EASEMENTS THEMSELVES THAT ARE RECORDED.
WE, WE GIVE NOTICE, WE ALL KINDS OF NOTICE, UM, IN ADVANCE AND THEN EVEN A DAY OR TWO BEFORE, YOU KNOW, BY PHONE OR, OR, UM, BY, UH, VISITING THE RESIDENTS.
BUT I THINK I, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT ABOUT, UH, PERPETUAL IS PERPETUAL AT ANY TIME
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IN THE FUTURE, UM, IF WORK IS NEEDED TO BE DONE, UH, THAT THE COUNTY FORCES COULD COME ON, AND, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, SOME LANDOWNERS ARE VERY HESITANT AND CONCERNED ABOUT GRANTING THAT.SO WITH THE PERPETUAL, UM, EASEMENT, HOW, HOW, UM, WOULD WE, UH, HOW WOULD THE, HOW THEY PRO, WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF THE LANDOWNER KNOWING? DO YOU CALL THEM OR DO YOU MAIL THEM? WHAT IF THEY'RE OUT OF TOWN? WHAT IF THEY'RE ON VACATION? THEY DON'T GET THE RE THEY DON'T KNOW THAT, OKAY, SOMEONE'S ON MY PROPERTY.
SO HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT? WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF YOU LETTING THAT LANDOWNERS KNOW? SO YEAH, WHEN WE'RE FIRST RESEARCHING A PROJECT, UM, BILL WILL PULL UP, YOU KNOW, STARTING WITH AKA MAP OR JUST LAND RECORDS AND, AND, AND FIND WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UH, WHITE PAGES, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR LANDOWNERS, UM, UH, PHONE NUMBERS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND AS FAR AS GOING ON THE PROPERTY, LEMME PULL UP THE PROCEDURE.
DO YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING BEFORE I PULL UP THE PROCEDURE OR WHEN WE CAN CIRCLE BACK TO PERPETUAL? OKAY.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A DITCH MAINTENANCE CITIZENS GUIDE, WHICH WAS ADDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES, UM, ALONG WITH THE POLICY STATEMENT.
AND IT ACTUALLY HAS A SECTION, I THINK ABOUT BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS.
UM, SO LANDOWNERS WHAT THEY, THEY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
SO, UM, YEAH, THIS IS A SECTION HERE.
UM, HOW DOES THE COUNTY LET ME KNOW THEY ARE RETURNING TO THE PROPERTY? SO IT SAYS IN GENERAL, AFTER A DITCH SYSTEM HAS BEEN CLEANED OUT ONE TIME WITH AN EXCAVATOR, IT'LL BE REINSPECTED EVERY FEW YEARS TO DETERMINE WHAT CONDITION IT'S IN.
UM, THE COUNTY, I'M SKIPPING A FEW SENTENCES.
THE COUNTY WILL COORDINATE RETURN TO YOUR DITCH SEGMENT AS FOLLOWS, RE-INSPECTION, 30 DAY ADVANCE WRITTEN NOTICE OF PLANS TO WALK THE DITCH SYSTEM ON YOUR PROPERTY, FOLLOWED BY SEVEN DAY PHONE NOTICE PRIOR TO SCHEDULED DATE OF INSPECTION.
AND IN-PERSON CONTACT FOR PROPERTY RESIDENTS WHO ARE IN THE, YOU KNOW, ON THE PROPERTY ON THE DAY OF THE INSPECTION.
SO BASICALLY WE EVEN GO TO THE DOOR AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE PLANNING TO LOOK AT THE DITCH TODAY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES? AND SO FORTH.
UM, AND THEN IT GOES ON TO BRUSH CLEARING.
UM, HOW MUCH NOTICE IS THERE AND DEBRIS EXCAVATION.
UM, SO THERE'S SOME INFORMATION THERE.
MIKE, DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING ABOUT PERPETUAL VERSUS TEMPORARY? MIKE MASON, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, STEWART PRETTY MUCH COVERED ONE.
ONE POINT HE JUST HAMMERED HOME RIGHT THERE.
AND THAT IS, UH, WE DO NOT TRESPASS OR ENTER ON SOMEONE'S PROPERTY WITHOUT ADVANCE NOTICE.
AND WE ALWAYS WORK WITH THEM TO ALLOW US TO, TO, TO ENTER THAT PROPERTY.
UM, REGARDING PERPETUAL EASEMENTS, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY, UM, WE PREFER PERPETUAL EASEMENTS, AND THE POLICY IS WRITTEN TO THAT EXTENT.
BUT ONE OF THE PRIMARY ONES IS THAT WHEN, WHEN WE'RE IMPROVING A DITCH ON ANYONE'S PROPERTY, WHEN WE'RE INVESTING TAXPAYER MONEY INTO THAT DITCH TO MAKE THAT IMPROVEMENT.
AND, AND BY DOING THAT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IN THE FUTURE WE CAN KEEP THAT DE DITCH CLEAN AND, AND GO IN AND AGAIN, WITH ADVANCE NOTICE TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, UM, MAINTAIN THAT DITCH TO THE LEVEL THAT IT, IT, IT, THAT WE, WE THINK IT OR WE, THAT WE BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS.
UH, AND AGAIN, JUST TO REITERATE, REITERATE ONE MORE TIME THAT, UH, NO COUNTY EMPLOYEES OR, OR CONTRACTORS, UH, FOR THAT MATTER ARE ENTERING ON TO ANY PRIVATE LANDOWNER'S PROPERTY WITHOUT, UH, THEIR CONSENT, WHETHER IT BE PERPETUAL OR A TEMPORARY EASEMENT.
UM, SO IS THAT EASEMENT, I ASSUME IS TRANSFERABLE? SO IF THE PROPERTY SAYS PERPETUAL, YES, IT IS TRULY PERPETUAL, YES.
IS THERE, IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A LIMITED PERPETUAL EASEMENT? BECAUSE I DO THINK TO MS. JOHNSON'S POINT, THIS, THIS DOES DETER A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM USING THE PROGRAM.
AND IN THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO, I I, I TOTALLY GET MR. MASON'S POINT, NOT ONLY FOR THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY, BUT ALSO FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL DRAINAGE OF THE, OF THE COUNTY.
UH, SO WE WANT TO LOOK AT THESE CHOKE POINTS AND TRY TO KEEP 'EM OPEN.
AND THIS IS A VEHICLE TO DO IT, AS YOU DESCRIBED, THE EASEMENT, I THINK IT'S, IT, UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF PEOPLE WON'T READ THAT, HOPEFULLY WITH A GUIDE THAT'LL IMPROVE.
BUT IS THERE ANY, ANY, DO WE HAVE ANY LEEWAY IN THE, IN THE LANGUAGE THAT MIGHT MAKE IT SEEM LESS, UH, LESS OVERBEARING? WELL, I THINK THE TEMPORARY IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE PERPETUAL, UM, BUT I BELIEVE WE WERE TALKING ONE OR TWO YEAR TIME PERIOD THAT THE TWO YEARS THAT THE, UH, COUNTY WOULD BE ABLE TO COME THROUGH AND THEN BASICALLY IT'S NULL AND VOID UNLESS WE GET ANOTHER TEMPORARY OR PERPETUAL FOLLOWING THAT ONE.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S NOT LIKE A 30 DAY THING.
IT WAS, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LONGER TIME IS TIMEFRAME.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, AS FAR AS THE DEFINITION OF TEMPORARY THAT WE SET AS THE BOARD?
[00:25:02]
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY THE BOARD'S PLEASURE.I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO WITH THIS MR. CHAIR, BUT I MEAN, I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE LOOK AT A, FOR INSTANCE, A FOUR YEAR TEMPORARY OPTION.
AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD BE MUCH MORE PRONE TO DO THAT.
AND I QUITE HONESTLY WONDER HOW MUCH, HOW WELL, HOW FAR BACK WE'RE ABLE TO GO WITH OUR RECORDS ANYWAY.
SO IT MIGHT BE MORE, MORE OPERATIONALLY FEASIBLE.
SO IF, IF WE OFFERED OR SAID IT HAD A TEMPORARY, UH, FOUR YEAR OPTION, OKAY, WELL LET'S DO THIS THEN.
LET'S, WE, WE WERE GONNA HAVE ACTION ON IT.
LET'S WANNA WANNA TABLE THAT UNTIL NEXT MONTH, THEN WE WILL GIVE US, LET'S DO THAT.
AND ARE, ARE YOU THINKING THAT IS, IS THAT WOULD BE THE EASEMENT OR WE WOULD, UH, ASK FOR PERPETUAL, BUT AS A FALLBACK IT WOULD BE A, UM, LIKE A FOUR YEAR TEMPORARY, IS THAT THINK A LOT TO THINK ABOUT? BE OPEN TO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION? I, YOU KNOW YEAH.
MY FIRST THOUGHT IS TO SAY, HEY, IF, IF THEY WANNA SIGN THE PERPETUAL, THAT'S GREAT, OR WE HAVE THIS OPTION.
BUT, BUT, BUT THAT'S MORE DIFFICULT FOR STAFF TO MANAGE AND, AND, AND DON'T WANNA MAKE IT DIFFICULT.
I THINK EITHER WAY WE GO WITH IT, THERE'S LAND RESEARCH AND THAT INVOLVED AND, AND DOCUMENTS AND SO YEAH.
QUESTION IF IT'S THAT IMPORTANT THAT WE GET EASEMENTS FOR ALL THIS, UH, WE ARE LOOKING TO TAKE AWAY THEIR RIGHTS.
DO WE HAVE MONEY OR IS MONEY, COULD BE MONEY USED AS AN INCENTIVE TO GET PERMANENT EASEMENTS AWARDED? OR IS THAT I WE, WE, WE HAVEN'T HAD, WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN THE PAST, BUT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY AN OPTION.
YOU CAN DO IT FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, BUILDING RIGHTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I ASSUME IT'S ECONOMICALLY YOU, YOU CAN PURCHASE AN EASEMENT, BUT IF THE LANDOWNER WILLINGLY GIVES IT OVER TO THE COUNTY, THEN OF COURSE WE WANT TO ACCEPT IT WITHOUT COMPENSATION.
BUT IF YOU HAVE SOMEPLACE THAT'S A MAJOR CHOKE POINT THAT BASICALLY YOU WIPE OUT HALF THE COUNTY FOR FLOODS AND HE'S BEING STUBBORN.
I MEAN, ECONOMIC INCENTIVES ARE ALWAYS NOT MY FIRST CHOICE.
MY LAST CHOICE, IT IS AN OPTION WAS, WELL, I'M IN A DOMAIN THAT TAKES FOREVER.
IT WOULD BE UP TO THE BOARD WHETHER YOU WANT TO FUND THAT TYPE OF PURCHASE.
THAT WOULD BE A LEGAL OPTION WE HAD.
JUST ONE PUSHBACK ON, ON, UH, JUST ONE PUSH BACK ON, ON THAT MR. DE GEORGE.
IF, IF WE PAID FOR ONE, WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR ALL.
THERE, IT, IT IS NOT GONNA BE A PIECEMEAL BECAUSE IF, IF I OWN PROPERTY AND YOU WANT TO GET ON MY PROPERTY AND JACK YOU OWN PROPERTY AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE PAID HIM, YOU'RE GONNA PAY ME.
I MEAN, IF, IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN 80% OF THE PEOPLE SIGNED OFF FOR FREE AND YOU HAVE THE 2% WHO ARE COMPLETELY IRRATIONAL, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? LET 'EM, LET 'EM FLOOD THE COUNTY? OR IS IT WORTH GIVING IT A SHOT TO GIVE HIM A THOUSAND, THOUSAND DOLLARS AND SAY THANK YOU? YEAH, I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT ANSWER.
I'M ASKING THE QUESTION AND WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT, THE CASE, CASE, CASE BY CASE.
BUT I, THAT WOULD, I WOULD NOT WANNA GO DOWN THAT ROAD WITH PAYING.
I, I WOULDN'T PERSONALLY, SO ANYWAY.
WE'LL CONTINUE DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
UH, TEN TWO ON THE CONSIDER DONATING, UH, THREE ARTIFACTS TO THE EASTERN SHORE, VIRGINIA HERITAGE CENTER, OPERATING UNDER THE EASTERN SHORE VIRGINIA PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM.
SO, UH, AS, AS THE BOARD'S AWARE, WE RECEIVED OR WERE AWARD AWARDED A VA TWO 50 GRANT TO, UM, MAKE RENOVATIONS TO THE DEBTOR'S PRISON IN MACK.
AND, UH, THERE ARE SOME 78 ARTIFACTS IN THAT BUILDING, AND OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T RENOVATE THE BUILDING WITH THOSE ARTIFACTS IN THERE.
UH, WE'VE ALSO HAD DISCUSSIONS AMONG STAFF OF, UM, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATE, UM, LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS HERE.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT MUSEUM CURATORS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS FOLKS AND THERE ARE SOME, UM, UM, ENTITIES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN, UH, IN, UM, TAKING POSSESSION OF THOSE, PRESERVING THOSE, HAVING 'EM AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND SO FORTH.
SO WE REACHED OUT TO THE, UM, EASTERN SHORE, VIRGINIA HERITAGE CENTER, UM, AS YOU KNOW, AFFILIATED WITH THE, UH, PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND THEY TOOK A LOOK AT THE INVENTORY AND, UH, THERE ARE SOME OF THE FLAT ITEMS WHICH THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.
AND IN PARTICULAR, UH, THERE ARE THREE ITEMS. A, UH, 1756 PORCH, UH, PICTURE OF MACK COURTHOUSE IN A FRAME, AN ORDER BOOK CHA, UH, PAGE SIGNED BY THOMAS BAILEY, WHICH IS FRAMED AND A PAINTING OF OLD ST.
UM, THEY ARE, UH, INTERESTED IN, IN, UM, IF, IF THE COUNTY'S WILLING TO, UM, TRANSFER POSSESSION OF THOSE ITEMS AND TO, UH, KEEP THOSE IN SAFEKEEPING HUMIDITY CONTROL AND SO FORTH AT THE HERITAGE CENTER.
AND, UH, THEY WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PARTNER WHEN THE BUILDING'S RENOVATED TO COME IN SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR AT A MINIMUM.
[00:30:01]
GIVE INTERPRETIVE EVENTS TO THE PUBLIC AND TO HAVE POSSIBLY THESE ITEMS, POSSIBLY OTHER ITEMS ON DISPLAY AND TO HAVE, UH, ROTATING EXHIBITS TO KEEP IT FRESH.AND, UM, AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, A NUMBER OF THE ITEMS IN THE DEBTOR'S PRISON NOW AREN'T RELEVANT AT ALL TO A DEBTOR'S PRISON OR A JAILER'S RESIDENCE.
IT'S BASICALLY A HODGEPODGE OF OLD STUFF THAT WAS DONATED AND, AND KIND OF GOT STORED IN THERE.
SO, UM, WE ALSO PLAN TO TALK WITH SHORE HISTORY.
WE'VE ALREADY SPOKE WITH TOWN OF AKAMAK.
UH, THEY'RE NOT REALLY SET UP TO CURATE ITEMS, BUT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN STAFFING AND, UM, OPENING THE BUILDING ON CERTAIN DAYS FOR OCCASIONS.
WHAT'S THEIR THOUGHT ON GREEN? WHAT'S, WHAT'S THEIR THOUGHT ON, UH, ON TAKING IT OUTTA THE DEBTOR'S PRISON AND MOVING IT TO THE LIBRARY? I'M TALKING ABOUT THE TOWN OF AKON, RIGHT? I, I DIDN'T HEAR ANY OBJECTIONS.
WE MET JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT IN GENERAL, AND I ASKED IF THEY, YOU KNOW, AT ONE POINT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SETTING UP A FOUNDATION AND DOING THIS TYPE OF THING.
THEY'RE, THEY HAVEN'T REALLY GOT GOING WITH THAT YET.
AND, UM, PEOPLE AND RESOURCES, UM, AND PLACES TO STORE THINGS AND THAT THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN HELPING WITH OPENING IT TO THE PUBLIC.
BUT, UH, THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO REALLY BE SET UP YET TO, UM, TO MANAGE ARTIFACTS.
DID THEY, DID THEY OFFER ANY OBJECTION AS FAR AS TO REMOVING THE AUDIENCE? NO, NO.
I, I, UH, I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS, UM, UH, THINKING ABOUT TALKING WITH SHORE HISTORY, TALKING WITH THE HERITAGE CENTER AND SO FORTH AND THESE ITEMS, AND THEY WERE OKAY WITH THAT.
YEAH, I DIDN'T GET ANY KICKBACK.
WE, UM, WERE TALKING ABOUT THE RENOVATIONS OF GRANT, JUST THE WHOLE PROJECT REALLY.
AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, THEY WANT TO BE A PARTNER, BUT, UM, THEY AGREED THAT IT SEEMED LIKE, UH, SHORE HISTORY AT CAR PLACE.
AND ALSO, UM, THE HERITAGE CENTER, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE HUMIDITY CONTROL.
THEY, THEY HAVE, UM, PEOPLE, UH, FULL-TIME STAFF.
THE REASON I ASK IS YOU WELL KNOW THIS TOWN HAS BEEN REAL ACTIVE WITH THAT, UH, YES.
ANY, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MOVE? WE APPROVE.
WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECOND THAT WE, UM, MOVE THOSE ITEMS TO THE, UH, EASTERN SHORE VIRGINIA HERITAGE CENTER.
ALL OPPOSED? AND MOTION CARRIES.
MR. HALL, YOU CAN CONTINUE WITH TEN THREE.
UH, CONSIDER USE OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, UH, CONTINGENCY TO RECOVER TEMPORARY EQUIPMENT, RENTAL, UH, EXPENSES FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDINGS HVAC SYSTEM.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE REALLY GETTING TO THE IMPORTANT HERE AND NOW.
ITEMS, UH, YEAH, AT THE END OF LAST MONTH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, UH, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY IN, UH, TO BE IN THE, UM, COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, BUT, UM, OUR CHILLER, CONDENSER EVAPORATOR UNIT WENT DOWN, WE'RE NO LONGER FUNCTIONING.
UM, IT WAS, IT WAS WARM AND HUMID IN THERE, BUT THANK GOODNESS IT WASN'T, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE OF SUMMER.
AND, UH, SO THE STAFF DID A GOOD JOB OF GETTING, UH, PORTABLE WINDOW UNITS AND SO FORTH.
THEY WERE ALSO OPENING UP THE BUILDING AT NIGHT TO LET IT COOL DOWN, UH, TO TRY TO MANAGE, UM, THE TEMPERATURE OF THE BUILDING.
UH, WE HAD A NUMBER OF EXPERTS COME IN FROM OUTTA TOWN TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE SYSTEM.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE, UM, SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT'S VERY DATED AND, UM, THEY JUST COULD NOT COME UP WITH A FIX FOR THE SYSTEM.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, A LARGE RENTAL UNIT THAT TAKES UP ONE OF THE PARKING SPACES THERE NOW, AND WE'VE GOT IT TIED IN AND IT'S KEEPING THE BUILDING PRETTY GOOD RIGHT NOW.
UH, IT IS A RENTAL UNIT AND, UM, FOR THE, UH, LEAD TIME FOR A NEW SYSTEM IS QUITE LONG.
UH, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A, UH, FIRM DATE OR, UH, QUOTE ON THAT YET.
BUT THE, UH, PURPOSE OF THIS BUDGET ITEM ONE IS TO ADVISE THE BOARD, AND THE SECOND IS TO ASK CONSIDERATION OF USING THE, UH, BOARD'S CONTINGENCY FUND TO FUND THAT, UH, FIVE MONTH RENTAL PERIOD.
AND IT COMES TO AROUND $50,000 FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
I UNDERSTAND THAT A NEWS ISLAND ACTUALLY PUT OUT THE, THAT'S THE REASON WE WERE MEETING HERE TONIGHT, WHICH WAS NOT THE NO, WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE.
I JUST WANTED PUT COINCIDENTAL, I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT TOPIC? NO.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS HERE? WHAT'S THE YES? NO, I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.
I WAS JUST READY FOR A MOTION.
I'LL MOVE THAT WE, UH, USE THE FUNDS OF THE GENERAL FUNDS AND USE THE CONTINGENCY TO COVER THE TEMPORARY EQUIPMENT.
THANK YOU, MS. DO SO YOU CAN CONTINUE, CONSIDER, UM, INCREASING THE ENTIRE DISPOSAL FEES.
SO OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE FEES THAT THE COUNTY PAYS, UM, TO PRIVATE, UH, RECYCLING CONTRACTORS TO REMOVE THE TIRES FROM OUR SITES HAVE INCREASED FROM $175 PER TON TO $275 PER TON.
UH, WE ARE REQUESTING CONSIDERATION OF INCREASING THE USER FEES, UM, FOR, FOR THOSE WHO BRING TIRES TO OUR FACILITIES, UH, TO AVOID MAJOR IMPACTS TO THE NORTHERN LANDFILL AND SOUTHERN TRANSFER STATION OPERATING BUDGETS, IT'D BE TO THE TUNE OF $26,000 ANNUALLY.
[00:35:01]
THE IMPACT, UM, AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF JULY OF THIS YEAR, THE FISCAL YEAR IS BEING REQUESTED.NO INCREASE IS BEING RECOMMENDED AT THIS TIME FOR OFFROAD OR, UM, SEMI, UH, TRACTOR TRAILER TIRES.
AND THE COUNTY'S, UH, TIRE DISPOSAL FEES HAVE NOT BEEN INCREASED SINCE 2018.
AND AS A REMINDER, AKIMA COUNTY CITIZENS AND NON-RESIDENT LANDOWNERS MAY BRING UP TO FOUR TIRES PER PERSON, PER DAY FREE OF CHARGE.
AKIMA COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS, WHICH WE HAVE SEVEN LOCATIONS, THE NORTHERN LANDFILL NEAR ATLANTIC, OR THE SOUTHERN TRANSFER STATION NEAR MALFA.
UH, AND TO, UM, GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR A DOLLAR INCREASE ON THE CAR AND SMALL TRUCK TRUCK TIRES FROM $2 TO $3 FOR A TRUCK.
WE'RE ASKING FOR $1 INCREASE FROM $5 TO $6 AND NO CHANGES IN THE, IN THE OFF-ROAD AND SEMI TIRES.
AND FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES, UH, WORCESTER, OUR COUNTY TO THE NORTH, THEY'RE ALREADY AT $3 FOR THE CAR TIRES.
AND OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH NORTH HAMPTON, THEY'RE STILL AT $2 FOR CARS, BUT THEY ARE ALREADY AT $6 FOR TRUCK TIRES AT NORTH HAMPTON.
AND, UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY SUMMARY.
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MR. JOHN? SUPER JOHNSON, I WANT, I GOT ONE QUESTION.
WHY ARE WE EXEMPTING THE SEMI AND THE OFF-ROAD TIRES? BECAUSE OUR FEE, OUR, OUR USER FEES ARE LARGE ENOUGH TO MORE THAN COVER IT.
ANYBODY ELSE? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? I MAKE, I MAKE A, UM, APPROPRIATE TO ATTACH THE RESOLUTION, MOVE TO APPROVE THE, THE, UH, RESOLUTION, INCREASING THE TIRE DISPOSAL FEES FROM $2 PER TIRE TO $3 PER TIRE FOR CAR, SMALL TRUCK TIRES FROM $5 TO $6 PER TIRE.
THANK YOU MR. UH, NEXT IS TEN FIVE.
CONSIDER, UH, RE REESTABLISHED AS SOCIAL SERVICE BOARD MEMBERS, INCLUDING INCREASE, UH, INCREASING IT FROM, UH, FIVE MEMBERS TO SEVEN MEMBERS.
UH, THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS.
MIKE MASON, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, THIS IS A RELATIVELY, UH, SIMPLE MATTER THAT, UH, VICE CHAIR PERSON RENITA MAJOR ASKED BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S BEFORE YOU IS A RESOLUTION THAT INCREASES THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD FROM FIVE TO SEVEN.
AND I BELIEVE SHE WANTS TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
UH, WE, AS IT STANDS, UH, WE HAD TO REGRESS AT THE TIME BECAUSE OF LEGISLATION, BUT LEGISLATION HAS BEEN RESOLVED AND, UH, WE'LL FIND IT DIFFICULT.
WE'VE HAD TO COUNCIL MEETINGS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD A QUORUM.
SO, UM, HOPEFULLY INCREASING IT TO SEVEN MEMBERS.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FIVE MEMBER BOARD, WHICH MEANS ALL FIVE MAGISTERIAL DISTRICTS ARE REPRESENTED.
UH, AND, AND I GUESS WE'RE GONNA SAY, WELL, HOW WELL ARE THE OTHER TWO GONNA COME FROM? UH, FIRST, I GUESS FIRST THINGS FIRST, WE NEED TO VOTE TO MAKE IT FROM FIVE TO SEVEN.
UH, AND ONCE WE DO THAT, UM, I THINK I, IF, I THINK IF I, I'LL BE STAYING CORRECTED, BUT I THINK I REPRESENT THE SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD, UH, AS A REP, AS A APPOINTEE FROM THE BOARD.
AND SO THAT MEANS, UM, REALLY MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT, UM, FIVE, WHICH WILL BE ELECTION DISTRICTS EIGHT AND NINE ARE NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENTED.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MAYBE THE OTHER ONE COULD BE AT LARGE.
BUT FIRST OF ALL, I'D JUST LIKE TO OFFER A MOTION AND THE RESOLUTION, UH, THAT WE, UH, GO ON TASK FROM SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD.
COME, WE GO TO A SEVEN MEMBER BOARD AS OPPOSED TO A SECOND.
OKAY? ANY DISCUSSION? WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED ON THE FLOOR.
NOW SINCE MS. MAJOR BROUGHT THAT UP, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THAT BOARD BE CONSTITUTED, UH, ONE FROM EACH MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND ONE FROM AT LARGE, JUST ONE AT LARGE FROM THE COUNTY ANYWHERE.
SECOND, I THINK THAT'D BE FAIR TO EVERYBODY.
SO WE DO HAVE ANOTHER MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
RECEIVE A COUNTY THIRD QUARTER SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL REPORT.
PHIL PHILLIPS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
LESLIE LEWIS, FINANCE DIRECTOR TONIGHT.
I, UM, AND IN YOUR BOARD PACKAGE, I HOPE EVERYBODY FOUND THE THIRD QUARTER, FISCAL YEAR 2025 REPORT.
OH, MS. LEWIS, IS THAT, IS IT MIKE? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YEAH.
I'M GONNA BRIEFLY GO OVER THIS REPORT.
[00:40:01]
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, I'M GONNA DISCUSS THE MAJOR REVENUES.AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE LEFT HAND COLUMN, THAT LIST MAKES UP THE MAJOR REVENUES OF AKIMA COUNTY.
AND IF YOU LOOK, OH, YEAR TO DATE, WE ARE AT 36,027,202.
SO WE ARE ABOVE LAST YEAR, THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR AT BY 598,800 598,800 $961.
MR. MASON, UH, UNDER THE REAL ESTATE TAXES PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION, I SEE THAT IT'S A, UM, SIZEABLE INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR.
IS THAT BECAUSE WE CHANGED THE, THE ASSESSMENTS? REMEMBER WE WERE, WE WERE TOO LOW WITH OUR COUNTY, UH, ASSESSMENTS FOR, FOR REAL ESTATE AND WE WERE BEING PENALIZED FOR THAT, RIGHT? THROUGH THE PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION? YEAH.
THE, THE ASSESSMENTS WERE INCREASED DUE TO THE, UH, RATIO STUDY, UM, THAT THE SEC DETERMINES THAT AND THAT INCREASE IS, AND, AND THATS WHAT THE CATALYST FOR THE INCREASE WAS.
WELL, THE MAJOR REVENUES, I CAN GIVE YOU A QUICK SUMMARY.
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR TO DATE, MAJOR REVENUES ARE UP 1.7% AS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR FOR THE FY 25 REVENUE FORECAST, IT COSTS FOR A 3.5% INCREASE IN MAJOR REVENUES AS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO BE, I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS DUE TO THE TAX BILLS GOING OUT LATE, WHICH WAS NO ONE'S FAULT.
IT WAS BECAUSE WE HAD TO HAVE THE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS AND YOU HAD TO ADOPT A NEW RATE.
SO I THINK THAT WILL SELF-CORRECT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER WHEN I GET THAT PRESENTATION.
ANOTHER THING TO NOTE IS, UM, NOT INCLUDED IN MAJOR REVENUES IS THE INVESTMENT EARNINGS.
AND THAT IS UP BY 1,838,000 AS COMPARED TO THE BUDGET OF JUST 1 MILLION.
SO WHEN I DO PREPARE THE FOURTH QUARTER REPORT, BECAUSE INVESTMENT EARNING IS BECOMING SO LARGE, IT WILL BE A PART OF OUR MAJOR REVENUE.
SO THAT TOO, I THINK WILL BRING IT CLOSER TO THE 3.5%.
IF I HAD ADD THAT IN THIS REPORT, I THINK WE WOULD'VE BEEN WHERE WE SHOULD BE.
AND, UM, LAST, FOR THE PEOPLE LISTENING, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW THE FULL REPORT, YOU CAN FIND IT IF IT'S AVAILABLE ON OUR BOARD DOCS ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE.
ANY QUESTIONS, MS. LEWIS? ALRIGHT.
UH, SO TEN SEVEN, UH, PROVISIONS FOR A RECENT FINALIZED, UH, 25 26 COMMONWEALTH BUDGET, HAVING TO, UH, ANY IMPACT IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON THE COUNTY'S FINANCES.
YES, TONIGHT I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT THERE ARE TWO IMPACTS ON THE COUNTY FINANCE.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS, WAS THE REDUCTION IN NATURAL GAS FUNDING.
THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AIMED TO REDUCE NET GENERAL FUND SPENDING BY NEARLY 1.5 MILLION IN THE BIENNIAL BUDGET BEGINNING JULY 1ST, 2024.
AS A RESULT OF THIS REDUCTION, AS MACK COUNTY WILL FACE A $900,000 SHORTFALL FOR A PROJECT ORIGINALLY EARMARKED TO EXPAND ENERGY DELIVERY INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THE COUNTY.
AND THIS IS THE TYSON AND PURDUE NASA WALLACE, UM, FLIGHT FACILITY AND NEARBY ENTERPRISES WERE THE ONES THAT WERE GONNA BE THE POTENTIAL ANCHOR CUSTOMERS OF THIS PROJECT.
NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS, AT THE MOST RECENT BOARD MEETING, UM, YOU ALL GAVE THE AUTHORIZATION FOR OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO APPLY FOR THE FEDERAL GRANT COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING TO HELP THE NATURAL GAS EXPANSION.
SO IF THAT IS AWARDED, THAT FUNDING WOULD COVER THE $900,000 SHORTFALL.
AND THE NEXT ITEM I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IS THE 1.5% BONUS FOR STATE AND STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEES.
THE REVISED FY 2025 BUDGET INCLUDES $83 MILLION TO FUND A ONE-TIME BONUS EQUAL TO 1.5% OF BASE SALARY FOR STATE EMPLOYEES AND STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEES BASED ON THEIR SALARY AS OF JULY 1ST, 2025.
SO EXAMPLES OF WHO THIS ALREADY INCLUDES IS THE LOCALLY ELECTED CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, THE LOCAL ELECTORAL BOARD MEMBERS, THE FULL-TIME CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, THE SOCIAL SERVICE BOARD.
UM, SO STATE EMPLOYEES WILL RECEIVE THE BONUS ON JULY 6TH, EXCUSE ME, JUNE 6TH, 2025.
AND STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEES ON JULY 1ST, 2025.
AND HISTORICALLY, THE COUNTY HAS ALIGNED WITH STATE COMPENSATION INITIATIVES.
[00:45:01]
HAS ALREADY BUDGETED FOR THIS 1.5% BONUS IN THE FY 26 FISCAL, UM, BUDGET.SOME COUNTY EMPLOYEES WORK ALONGSIDE STATE SUPPORTED STAFF AND OFFICES LED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS WITHOUT BOARD'S APPROVAL TO EXTEND THE BONUS TO ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
ONLY STATE SUPPORTED STAFF WILL RECEIVE IT.
AND THIS COULD CREATE DISPARITY AMONG EMPLOYEES WORKING IN THE SAME OFFICE.
I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OF THE 371.5 COUNTY EMPLOYEES, 56 ARE SOCIAL SERVICE EMPLOYEES AND 161.5 ARE COMPENSATION BOARD EMPLOYEES.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS ALREADY 217.5 EMPLOYEES HAVE ALREADY BEEN AWARDED THIS 1.5% BONUS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES.
EITHER TO MS. LEWIS OR MR. MASON.
ARE WE PREPARED TO, TO ACT ON THAT? IF SO, WE WE COULD ACT ON IT TONIGHT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING, WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING BACK SOME INFORMATION ON THE COST OF THAT ACTION AND WHERE THOSE FUNDS COULD BE, UM, SOURCED FROM.
AND, AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, AND WE ACT ON THIS IN JUNE AT OUR JUNE MEETING, WILL YOU HAVE TIME TO WE WILL HAVE TIME.
YES, MR. UH, ONE FOLLOW UP ON THAT IS THIS COUNTY EMPLOYEE THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE THE, HE'S YOU'RE GONNA WRITE THE NUMBERS ON EVERYBODY, RIGHT? NOT INCLUDING SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEES OR ARE YES.
INCLUDING SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEES TOO? YEAH.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN, YEAH, THEY HAVE THEIR, YEAH, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN WHAT? WELL, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INCENTIVES, BUT YEAH, THAT, THAT, I KNOW THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INCENTIVES, BUT I I WHAT'S IN YEAH, YOU DON'T CONSIDER THEM COUNTY EMPLOYEES THEN? I, I THINK WHAT HAPPENED? CAN I, CAN I RESPOND? I'M JUST ASKING.
I THINK WHAT WHAT HAPPENS IS IF YOU RECALL, SOMETIMES THE SCHOOL BOARD OF EMPLOYEES WILL GET FUNDS FROM THE STATE RIGHT.
AND WE HAVE TO ACT SEPARATELY.
SO IT'S, I'M JUST SAYING IT'S SEPARATE.
WE'RE NOT INCLUDING, WE'RE NOT ANYTHING WITH THAT.
NOT IN WHAT I'M DISCUSSING TONIGHT.
SO THIS WOULD INCLUDE, I KNOW WHAT THE 1.5 SAYS, STATE AND STATE SUPPORTED.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT COMPARABLE, THE 1.5 TO OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
BECAUSE YOU'RE WE'RE SAYING IT'S 371 AND ALREADY 217.
SO THAT'S EXACTLY, SO IT'D BE EQUITABLE SO THAT IT DOESN'T, BECAUSE IN SOME OFFICES, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE STATE, THEY COULD BE WORKING ALONGSIDE SOMEBODY THAT'S COUNTY.
SO THAT WOULDN'T BE A GOOD LOOK.
SAME LIKE YOU SITTING BESIDE EACH OTHER.
YOU WOULD RECEIVE IT AND YOU WOULD NOT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. LEWIS? IF NOT, THANK YOU, MS. LEWIS.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS, UH, REPORT YOU CAN'T LEAVE MIKE
I HAVE, UH, SEVEN DIFFERENT ITEMS TO COVER UNDER THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.
UH, ONLY ONE REQUIRES AN ACTION, AND IT'S A, A LATE AD, AND I'LL GO OVER THAT LAST, BUT, UM, THE, THE FIRST ITEM, UH, 1.1 WAS, UH, THE VACO FIRE AND EMS NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY, UH, STATEWIDE RESULTS.
THIS WAS A, A SURVEY THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY, UM, THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES AT THE REQUEST OF SOME OF ITS MEMBERSHIP.
UH, THE COUNTY PART OVERTOOK OF THAT STUDY.
AND HENCE THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE GETTING THE SURVEY RESULTS.
BUT I, I THOUGHT THERE WERE A LOT OF TAKEAWAYS AND A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION IN, IN, IN THE RESULTS THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED.
SO I ATTACHED THEM TO THE AGENDA.
UH, I DID OFFER A FEW TAKEAWAYS IN THAT MANY OF THE FIRE AND EMS CHALLENGES WE FIND HERE IN ACK ARE NOT UNIQUE TO US.
THEY ARE, THEY ARE CHALLENGES THAT THE ENTIRE COMMONWEALTH IS EXPERIENCED.
UM, THERE WAS CONSENSUS IN, IN THE RESULTS THAT MORE FINANCIAL INTERVENTION, INTERVENTION BY THE STATE IS NEEDED IF, IF SOME OF THESE OBSTACLES ARE GOING TO BE, UM, UH, REMEDIED.
UH, MANY OF THE STRATEGIES, I THOUGHT THAT, UH, THIS WAS AN INTERESTING, UM, POINT FROM THE STUDY.
MAINLY THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE BEING SUGGESTED HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED BY AKAMAK.
AGAIN, TH THIS IS JUST FOR YOUR, UH, READING
[00:50:01]
PLEASURE AND, AND TO PUT SOME MORE INFORMATION OUT THERE.BUT THINGS LIKE TALENT PIPELINES, VOLUNTEER INCENTIVES, DEDICATED TAX LEVIES, POOL, BILLING SERVICES, FINANCIAL SUBSIDIES, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT THE BOARD HAS APPROVED IN THE PAST.
AND THEY'RE ALL THINGS THAT ARE, ARE TOUCHED UPON AS AS POSSIBLE STRATEGIES TO, TO ASSISTING WITH FIRE AND EMS SERVICE DELIVERY AT COST OF COMMONWEALTH.
BUT AGAIN, THE, IT'S NOT A VERY LONG STUDY, UH, BUT IT IS A WORTHY READ, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT IN YOUR, IN YOUR FREE TIME.
UH, MIKE, DID YOU BRING THE MAP? IS THAT PARTY THIS, DID YOU BRING A, UH, SO THEY COULD SEE THE MAP OF, OF, OF THOSE, OF THOSE LOCALITIES THAT PARTICIPATED? IT'S, IT'S ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA ITEM, THAT INCIDENT.
DO YOU HAVE IT HERE? I, I CANNOT, NO, I CAN'T SHARE HERE.
WHY I WAS ASKING MEMBERS IS I WAS VERY PROUD OF MIKE, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS COUNTY FOR PARTICIPATING.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT, UH, VACO STUDY, IT HAS, UH, COUNTIES ALL THE WAY TO THE SOUTHWEST, NORTH WEST MOUNTAINS, EVERY REGION WAS REPRESENTED.
AND IT WAS VERY NICE TO SEE AKAMAK AS PARTICIPATING IN THIS AS PART OF THE STUDY.
I APPRECIATE MIKE SAYING WHAT HE SAID TOO, BECAUSE, UM, THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAD, AND I'VE TOLD YOU ALL THIS BEFORE, THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE ARE NOT JUST HERE, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE IN THE STATE, AND WE'RE JUST, ALL WE ARE IS JUST ONE COUNTY THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS EVERYONE ELSE.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
UH, MOVING ON 11.2 CHILDCARE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION TO BE HELD JUNE 5TH AT THE SHINTECH BAY FIELD STATION.
UH, I PREVIOUSLY REMARKED ABOUT, UM, MY PLAN TO, UH, ARRANGE FOR A CHILDCARE ROUNDTABLE, UH, DISCUSSION AT THE NORTHERN END OF THE, OF THE COUNTY.
NOW WE HAVE OFFICIALLY PUT A DATE ON THAT AND SENT OUT INVITES.
UM, AS A REMINDER, THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS TO PROVIDE AN OPEN FORUM FOR EMPLOYERS, UH, AT THE NORTHERN END OF AKA ACT TO DISCUSS THEIR WORKFORCES, CHILDCARE NEEDS WITH COUNTY REPS, UH, LOCAL CHAIR, UH, LOCAL CHILDCARE PROVIDERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDER STAKEHOLDERS WITH A GOAL OF IDENTIFYING SOLUTIONS FOR IMPROVING CHILDCARE AVAIL AVAILABILITY IN THAT AREA.
SO, UH, AGAIN, THE MEETINGS INTENDED FOR MAJOR EMPLOYERS AND, AND WE'VE DONE OUR BEST TO TRY TO IDENTIFY THOSE, UM, EXISTING CHILDCARE PROVIDERS ON THE SHORE ARE BEING ASKED TO ATTEND AND, AND GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL.
UH, THE MEETING INVITES HAVE GONE OUT.
IT'S OUR SVP AND SPACES, OF COURSE, UM, LIMITED.
ONE OF THE MAIN, UH, GOALS OF, OF THIS MEETING.
YOU KNOW, AT, AT AS MANY MEETINGS AS I ATTEND DOWN IN THE COMMUNITY, A LOT OF TIMES I HEAR STORIES ABOUT WHAT BARRIERS CHILDCARE HAS CAUSED, UM, EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYERS.
AND, UH, WHEN YOU HEAR SOME OF THESE STORIES FROM ENTITIES THAT MAY BE NOT READILY ACCESSIBLE, OBSERVABLE BY THE PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY, UM, MAYBE, UH, SCSE COMMAND BEHIND THE FENCE AT, AT WALLOPS, UH, YOU WONDER IF, IF, IF THE COMMUNITY TRULY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE, TO THE TOTALITY OF THE NEED IS.
UM, AND SO HOPEFULLY THAT, THAT KIND OF INFORMATION WILL BE SHARED DURING THIS MEETING.
I KNOW THAT, UH, WE DID, UH, CRAFT WITH THE HELP OF VIRGINIA SPACE HAS BEEN A CLOSE PARTNER ON THIS GROUND, ON THIS, UM, ON THIS MEETING WITH ITS FORMULATION.
UM, AND, AND TINA CERTAINLY HAVE TO, HATS OFF TO HER FOR ARRANGING, UM, AND DOING ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING, LIFTING ON THIS.
BUT, UH, WE WERE ASSISTED WITH A SURVEY, UH, THAT WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED TO EMPLOYERS TO TRY TO GET SOME DATA TO SHARE BY THE TIME THIS MEETING COMES AROUND, THAT, THAT SURVEY WILL HELP QUANTIFY THE NEEDS, UH, OF, IN PARTICULAR THE NORTHERN AREA.
UH, THE AGENDA NOT ONLY WILL INCLUDE THE SURVEY, BUT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE RECENTLY OPEN WILD CHILDCARE DEVELOPMENT CENTER AND THE ELIGIBILITY FOR THAT.
UM, PAST AND PRESENT CHILDCARE EXPANSION GRANTS.
UH, YOU, YOU ALL WILL REMEMBER BACK WITH ARPA, WE DID PROVIDE SOME CHILDCARE EXPANSION GRANTS AND WERE SUCCESSFUL IN CREATING A NUMBER OF NEW SLOTS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THOSE SLOTS WERE SORT OF CENTRALIZED IN, IN THE MID SHORE AREA.
AND WITH THIS MEETING AND THIS ROUND TABLE, WE'RE SORT OF FOCUSED AT THE NORTHERN END, WHICH STILL DOESN'T HAVE, UM, UH, VERY MANY PROVIDERS, OR AT LEAST NOT ENOUGH TO MEET THE NEED IN, IN THAT AREA.
SO AGAIN, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN SET FOR JUNE 5TH, AND, UM, UH, BY THE TIME YOUR NEXT MEETING, YOUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING ROLLS AROUND, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE SOME OF THE RESULTS WITH YOU.
YEAH, I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT.
UM, THAT'S IN MY, MY OTHER WORK AREA.
I DO CHILDCARE AND KEEPING UP WITH CHILDCARE NEEDS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
CHILDCARE HERE ON THE SHORE, WE'RE KNOWN AS A DESERT.
[00:55:01]
THAT MEANS ESPECIALLY, UH, OF COURSE, I, I WORK IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, BUT EVEN IN ACK COUNTY THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS AND WHERE HE'S, UM, TARGETING IS RIGHT ON, RIGHT ON THE SPOT BECAUSE THAT'S ONE AREA THEY HAVE TARGET AS A DESERT FOR CHILDCARE.SO, UH, I DO APPLAUD, UH, THE COUNTY FOR BEING PROACTIVE WITH CHILDCARE.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT'S ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY IMPERATIVE THAT WE, UM, YOU KNOW, GET BEHIND CHILDCARE NEEDS WHEN OTHER THINGS ARE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK, LIKE HEAD START.
SO, UM, WE ARE GOING TO NEED ALL THE FACILITIES THAT WE CAN.
SO I JUST WANTED TO APPLAUD, UH, ACROBAT US AS WELL AS MIKE AS BEING, UH, THE SPEAR AND TINA AS WELL, WORKING ALONGSIDE HIM.
THANK YOU VICE CHAIR MR. MAYS TO CONTINUE.
UH, CAN YOU DO THIS IN ABOUT FOUR MINUTES? UH, YEAH.
SO THIS IS JUST AN INFORMATION UPDATE I'VE REMARKED ABOUT THE SLEEP GUT DREDGING PROJECT, BUT THIS IS, UH, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON WHERE THAT'S AT.
UH, THAT THIS PROJECT IS A PORT AUTHORITY AND ROCKET LAB.
UH, THEY'RE BASICALLY CO APPLICANTS THAT SUBMITTED A JOINT PERMIT APPLICATION, A JPA FOR DR.
SLOOP GUT, UM, TO THE EXISTING OLD NORTH DOCK ON, ON THE BACKSIDE OF WALLOPS.
UH, THE COUNTY WETLANDS BOARD HAS SOME PURVIEW IN THIS APPLICATION.
WE'RE NOT THE ONLY REGULATORY ENTITY THAT IS CHARGED WITH REVIEWING AND APPROVING THIS, BUT WE ARE THE ONLY ONE, AT LEAST TO MY KNOWLEDGE AS OF TODAY, THAT HAVE ALREADY MET.
AND I SAY US, I'M REFERRING TO THE WETLANDS BOARD HAS ALREADY MET AND APPROVED THIS APPLICATION.
SO THE COUNTY'S APPROVAL, OUR ROLE IN THAT PROCESS HAS, HAS BEEN, UM, SATISFIED.
AND THE REST OF THIS IS JUST SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, WHO, WHO HAS TO REVIEW IT, HOW MUCH CIC YARDS BEING DREDGED.
UH, AND I INCLUDED THIS PICTURE AS WELL, UM, TO SHOW YOU THE INTENDED AREA THAT'S GONNA BE DREDGED.
AND BY THE WAY, THIS, THIS CHANNEL WAS, HAS BEEN DREDGED AT AT LEAST WE BELIEVE TWICE IN THE PAST, UH, IN THE 1930S AND THE 1950S.
SO IT'S NOT A NEW UNDERTAKING AS FAR AS DREDGING THIS CHANNEL.
YOU WANT ME TO KEEP GOING AS FAST AS I CAN FOR FOUR MINUTES? YEAH, GO ROLL.
THESE ARE PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS BY NASA, UH, TO PROTECT OPS ISLANDS BEACH.
UM, THEY, UH, INCLUDE BASICALLY, UH, A RE NOURISHING, UH, RENOURISHING PROJECT OF 15,000 FEET FROM, UH, FROM THE EXISTING NORTHWARD, UH, SIDE OF THE BEACH TO THE SOUTHERN WILD FLIGHT FACILITY.
UM, I, I'M SORRY, FROM SOUTHERN WILD FLIGHT FACILITY, UH, PROPERTY LINE TO THE HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION FACILITY.
AND, AND PART OF THAT PROJECT, THERE'S SOME BREAK ORDERS THAT ARE TO BE CONSTRUCTED AND POSSIBLY AN EXTENSION TO THE EXISTING SEAWALL.
AND THEN THERE'S A LINK IN YOUR PACKAGE THAT TAKES YOU TO A, A, A SUMMARY OF, OF THAT, THAT PROJECT.
UM, THIS IS PRETTY SIMPLE TOO.
THE GROUNDWATER COMMITTEE, UM, WOULD, HAS REQUESTED BY LETTER FOR ITS MEMBER TERMS TO BE CONCURRENT, UM, SOMEHOW DOWN THE ROAD.
BOTH, I BELIEVE BOTH, BOTH NORTH NORTHAMPTON AND MACK TERM OF SOME OF ITS MEMBERS HAVE, HAVE NOT OBSERVED WHAT THE, UM, JOINT RESOLUTION ACTUALLY INCLUDES.
SO BASICALLY WHAT THE GROUNDWATER COMMITTEE IS ASKING FOR YOU TO DO IS, IS APPOINT BASED ON WHAT THE JOINT RESOLUTION ALREADY SAYS.
SO AS, AS LONG AS YOU'RE, UH, GOOD WITH THAT, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
AND AGAIN, THEY'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE CURRENT JOINT RESOLUTION TO BE FOLLOWED.
UH, FEDERAL EARMARK APPLICATION SUBMITTED, UM, MS. LEWIS REMARKED ABOUT THE NATURAL GAS EXPANSION, UM, EARMARKED THAT MACK IS, IS AT LEAST REQUESTED.
UM, BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS WERE SUBMITTED.
THE APPLICATION FOR, FOR BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS, RATHER WERE SUBMITTED BACK IN APRIL.
UM, AGAIN, THERE THEY ARE ONE FOR 900 FOR THE NATURAL GAS EXPANSION BUDGET GAP, AND ONE FOR, UH, THE WATTS RESEARCH PARK REAR ACCESS ROAD.
AGAIN, BOTH OF THOSE WE SUBMITTED EITHER IN BOTH CONDUITS OR AT LEAST ONE OF THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, WHICH IS THE HOUSE SIDE OR THE CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTED SPENDING, WHICH IS THE CENTERED SIDE.
UM, AND OTHER, UH, I JUST GOT A PLANNING AGREEMENT, UM, FROM DHCD ON THE FOOD BANK EXPANSION PROJECT, WHICH THE BOARD HAS BEEN BRIEFED UPON, UH, PREVIOUSLY.
I DID NOT WANNA WAIT, EVEN THOUGH I JUST GOT IT YESTERDAY FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS FOR THE BOARD TO AUTHORIZE APPROVAL OF THAT, OF THAT AGREEMENT.
SO, UM, I'M ASKING TONIGHT, AND THIS IS THE ONE ACTION ITEM FOR YOU TO, UM, PERMIT ME TO EXECUTE THAT AGREEMENT UPON THE SATISFACTORY REVIEW BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
[01:00:01]
VERY GOOD.IT IS SIX O'CLOCK THE BEWITCHING HOUR.
UM, WE DO HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT.
UM, OF COURSE WE'RE GONNA OPEN, I'M GONNA OPEN UP SEPARATELY.
THE FIRST ONE WILL BE HEARING ON, UH, CHANGES FROM RUE DISTRICT, POLLING PLACE FROM TONKIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW TO NORTHAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I'M TRYING TO GET IN A HURRY NOW I SLOW DOWN.
I DON'T THINK WE WANNA MOVE IT THERE.
OUR FIRST HEARING WILL BE, UH, CHANGING, UH, FROM RU DISTRICT.
POLLING PLACE FROM MA TOMPKIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO MARY NOTTINGHAM SMITH CULTURAL ENRICHMENT CENTER.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THE RULES OF THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS.
ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD SIGN THE REGISTER PERSONS ADDRESSING.
THE BOARD SHOULD STAND BEHIND THE LECTERN.
PERS ADDRESSING THE BOARD SHALL BE LIMITED TO FOUR MINUTES.
PERS ADDRESSING THE BOARD SHALL NOT USE INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE OR VERBALLY ATTACK.
ANY BOARD MEMBER OR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
SIGNS AND PLACARDS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE MEETING ROOM.
ANY PERSON WHOSE BEHAVIOR IS DISRUPTIVE SHALL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING ROOM.
PERSONS MAY NOT QUESTION INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISORS OR STAFF MEMBERS WITHOUT UNANIMOUS CONSENT OF THE BOARD.
A SPEAKER MAY RESERVE THEIR TIME, BUT SHALL NOT DELEGATE THEIR TIME TO ANOTHER.
SPEAKER AND ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING CLIENTS WILL BE LIMITED TO 10 MINUTES.
AND IF ANY ATTORNEY SPEAKS UNDER THIS PROVISION, A REPRESENTATIVE HOLDING AN OPPOSING VIEW SHALL ALSO BE GIVEN 10 MINUTES TO PRESENT THEIR VIEW.
THE CHAIR HAS THE RIGHT AND DUTY TO MAIN PROPER ORDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE RULES.
UM, NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
UH, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, UM, YES.
SAY AGAIN? ANYTHING? MIKE, YOU HAD ANYTHING TO ADD? AGAIN, I I HAVE A BRIEF ONE PAGE STAFF REPORT IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT NOW, PLEASE.
UH, SO, UH, MUCH OF THIS SLIDE IS JUST REHASHING HOW WE GOT HERE.
BUT, UM, UH, AGAIN, UH, MIKE MASON, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
SO, UH, ON MARCH NINE, MARCH 19TH, 2025, THE ELECTORAL BOARD APPEARED BEFORE THE BOARD AND REQUESTED, UH, THE BOARD TAKE ACTION TO CHANGE THE RU DISTRICT NUMBER 5 0 2 POLLING PLACE FROM AN TOMPKIN ELEMENTARY TO MAYOR NON SMITH CULTURAL ENRICH ENRICHMENT CENTER.
UH, THE ELECTORAL BOARD NOTED A NUMBER OF DEFICIENCIES, UM, AND YOU ALL RECALL THEM WITH THE, WITH THE SCHOOL LOCATE MARY, I'M SORRY, WITH THE MA TOMPKIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOCATION, INCLUDING, UM, INADEQUATE MOBILE PHONE SERVICE.
UH, IN RESPONSE, THE COUNTY, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AGREED TO ESTABLISH A 30 DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON THE PROPOSED CHANGE.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A CODE REQUIREMENT.
THAT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BEGAN ON APRIL 22ND, AND IT ENDS TODAY.
UH, AS OF THIS MORNING, WE HAD RECEIVED SIX COMMENTS DURING THAT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AND THEY WERE ATTACHED TO YOUR AGENDA.
ALL SIX, I BELIEVE, WERE IN FAVOR OF THIS MOVE.
UH, IN ADDITION, THE BOARD ALSO AGREED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS, THIS HEARING AND, AND THAT PUBLIC HEARING IS ALSO A CODE REQUIREMENT.
UH, JUST FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE, SHOULD THE BOARD VOTE TO APPROVE THIS MEASURE, THE NEW POLLING PLACE MUST BE PUBLISHED ALONG WITH ANY OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION REGARDING IT.
THE NOTICE MUST STATE THE POLLING PLACE CHANGE WILL TAKE EFFECT IN 30 DAYS.
AND DURING THIS 30 DAY PERIOD, UM, ANY PERSON WHO IS, UH, SUBJECT TO OR AFFECTED BY IT MAY TAKE ACTION, UM, AND CHALLENGE THE, UH, THIS IN, IN ACK CIRCUIT COURT.
BUT, UH, THAT, THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF REPORT ON, ON THIS ISSUE.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, OFFER MOTION, UM, THAT WE CHANGE THE RUE DISTRICT, UH, DISTRICT FIVE POLLING PLACE FROM A TOMPKIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO THE MARY NINE HAM SMITH CULTURE RICHMOND CENTER.
ALL OPPOSED? AND MOTION CARRIES.
SO I WILL CLOSE NINE THREE, UH, AND I WILL OPEN NINE FOUR HEARING TO ESTABLISH AMBULANCE SERVICE RATES FOR, UH, FISCAL YEAR 26.
UM, MS. PROCTOR, CAN WE USE THE SAME,
[01:05:01]
UH, WE CAN USE THE SAME FOR BOTH.CAN WE, YOU, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT YOURSELF? NO, SIR.
UM, IN APRIL, THE COUNTY JOINED THE EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICES REVENUE RECOVERY BOARD.
UH, THAT BOARD PROVIDES BILLING SERVICES TO MULTIPLE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND IS STAFFED BY THE NORTHERN NECK PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION.
UH, WE'RE HERE TONIGHT, UH, TO, UH, FOR, FOR THE BOARD TO ENTERTAIN ESTABLISHING RATES FOR THOSE SERVICES.
UH, THE RATES THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR AGENDA AND THAT ARE SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE ARE THE RATES THAT ARE USED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE, UH, EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICES REVENUE RECOVERY BOARD.
UH, IMPOSITION OF THESE RATES IS A PRECURSOR TO THE COUNTY'S PLAN PURCHASE OF AMBULANCE AMBULANCES TO BE STATIONED AT THE PAINTER VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND AGAIN, THIS ALL KIND OF COMES BACK TO, UM, THE COUNTY WORKING, UM, JOINTLY WITH WATCH P TO TRANSITION, UH, SERVICES THAT THEIR VEHICLES WERE RUNNING, UM, BEFORE INTO, UH, THE HANDS OF, OF THE COUNTY GOING FORWARD.
AND AGAIN, THOSE, THOSE APPARATUS, UH, THE VEHICLES WILL BE STATIONED IN PAINTER.
SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ALL, ALL THIS IS SORT OF TARGETING A JULY ONE IMPLEMENTATION DATE FOR ALL THAT.
I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN.
THIS IS NOT UNLIKE WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEFORE IN THAT DISTRICT WHEN, UM, RIEG AND PAINTER COMBINED WERE PROVIDING THE SERVICES.
UM, BUT YOU, THE COUNTY, UM, HAS TO SET BILLING RATES BY, BECAUSE WE'RE IN CONTROL OF IT NOW, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE, WE, AS OF JULY ONE, WE WILL BE, AND WE, OUR STAFF WILL BE RUNNING THE CALLS ON OUR OWN EQUIPMENT AND WE WILL BE BILLING AND ALL THE OTHER AMBULANCE SERVICES IN THE COUNTY ARE ALSO BILLING.
WILL THIS, ARE WE SETTING RATES FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY AND FOR THE VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS? YOU'RE NOW, YOU'RE JUST SETTING RATES FOR THE ONES THAT OUR STAFF RUNS ON OUR EQUIPMENT.
YES, MR. DO, UM, MIKE, DO YOU ANTICIPATE, UH, WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE COUNTY PURCHASING THOSE TWO AMBULANCES AND SEALING THE DEAL WITH WATCHER PAY? THAT, I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE ANXIOUS TO GO AHEAD AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IT'S GONNA, ARE WE GONNA WAIT, WAIT TILL JULY ONE? ARE WE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO IT AHEAD OF TIME AND HAVE 'EM IN OUR HANDS? WE'RE, ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS WE'RE DEFINITELY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE BY JULY ONE.
UM, AND SO THAT INCLUDES THE PURCHASE OF THE EQUIPMENT.
THAT INCLUDES AN AGREEMENT WITH, UM, THE PAINTER VOLUNTEER FIRE AND RESCUE.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR LOCATION.
BUT THE, THE GOAL IS TO HAVE EVERYTHING RUNNING.
SO JULY ONE, WHEN THESE RATES TAKE EFFECT, WE CAN RUN THOSE CALLS.
DO YOU THINK WE'LL HAVE THAT SOLIDIFIED SOMETIME IN JUNE THEN? I THINK WE WILL BE, I'M TALKING JUST ABOUT THE PURCHASE.
I REALIZE THE OTHER THINGS, BUT WELL, WE, WE'VE OBVIOUSLY GOTTA GET THEM PURCHASED IN TIME TO START RUNNING.
SO I, I WOULD SAY THAT SOMETIME IN JUNE IS A, A FAIR ASSESSMENT OF WHEN IT COULD HAPPEN.
SO THESE RATES ARE, THEY'RE IN LINE WITH THE OTHER RATES THAT, UH, BEING BUILT.
I DIDN'T WANNA BE ALRIGHT THAT THEY'RE IN LINE WITH THE OTHER PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE PART OF THE, UM, E-A-S-R-R-B.
THAT'S, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE.
I OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
GLEN SMITH, IF YOU PLEASE, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
AND I JUST WANNA GO ON THE RECORD THAT I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS.
THE COUNTY CURRENTLY STAFFS VOLUNTEER OWNED AMBULANCES, AND THEY DON'T CHARGE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE COUNTY WILL BE CHARGING FOR MEDICAL SERVICE.
OKAY? EVEN THOUGH THE COUNTY CURRENTLY STAFFS VOLUNTEER OWNED AMBULANCES IN THE COUNTY.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING NEW, OKAY? COUNTY RESIDENTS ALREADY PAY FOR THIS SERVICE WITH THEIR TAXES.
WHY ARE WE BEING TAXED AGAIN? UH, YOU MIGHT SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT BEING TAXED PERSONALLY, WE'RE CHARGING YOUR INSURANCE COMPANIES, BUT WE ALL PAY INSURANCE RATES.
WE'VE ALL PAID PAYROLL TAXES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MEDICARE, MEDICAID, ALL THAT WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE NO LONGER HAVE OUR HEALTH INSURANCE.
SO PEOPLE HAVE PAID FOR THIS, ARE PAYING FOR THIS CURRENTLY WITH THEIR TAXES.
[01:10:02]
WHY DO THEY NEED TO BE BUILT? OKAY.YOU JUST RAISED THE EMS TAX 5 CENTS TO THE RATE.
WHY COULDN'T YOU DO IT A LITTLE BIT MORE TO AVOID THIS? OKAY.
THIS, THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS.
WE'RE BEING TAXED ALREADY FOR THIS SERVICE.
IF YOU GET INTO A, IF YOU'RE UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT ON ROUTE 13 FROM NORTH HAMPTON TO THE VIRGINIA STATE LINE, YOU'LL GET A BILL FROM WHATEVER AMBULANCE SHOWS UP, YOU'LL GET A BILL FROM WHATEVER VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY SHOWS UP BECAUSE THEY'RE NOW BILLING FOR CAR ACCIDENTS THAT THEY ARE RESPONDING TO.
OKAY? THOSE FIRE COMPANIES ARE ALSO GIVEN MONEY TAX DOLLARS EVERY YEAR.
OKAY? IF THESE, IF THESE COMPANIES CAN'T AFFORD TO STAY IN BUSINESS, THEN THE TAX RATES NEED TO GO UP.
I CLOSE THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
UM, ANY, MR. CHAIRMAN, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? YES, I HAVE A, I HAVE A COMMENT FOR POINT OF CLARIFICATION FOR MR. SMITH'S COMMENTS.
THE REASON WE ARE PURCHASING THOSE TWO AMBULANCES IN THE SOUTH END OF THE COUNTY IS BECAUSE WPR, AFTER PROVIDING GREAT SERVICE FOR THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY, TEAMED UP WITH PAINTER.
THEY DID IT FOR YEARS AND WAS WORKING VERY, VERY WELL.
WAT CREEK DECIDED IT WAS BEST IN THEIR INTEREST TO NO LONGER BE IN THE AMBULANCE BUSINESS.
SO WE HAD A VOID, WE HAD NO AMBULANCES, WE WOULD HAVE NO AMBULANCES, UH, AMBULANCE SERVICE DOWN AT THE SOUTH END OF THE COUNTY.
SO THE COUNTY STEPPED UP TO PURCHASE BOTH AMBULANCES THAT WAT CREEK HAD TO PROVIDE THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY.
THE SAME SERVICE THAT I HAVE IN THE C**K, THE SAME SERVICE THAT MR. TAR HAS IN SHTE, THE SAME SERVICE THAT THEY HAVE IN THE NORTHERN END OF THE COUNTY.
IF WE HAD NOT DONE THAT, THERE WOULD BE NO SERVICE DOWN THERE.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE ARE INVENTING THIS BILLING.
IF YOU RECEIVE A CALL, MR. SMITH LIVES IN THE C**K.
IF YOU RECEIVE A, IF, IF I GET AN AMBULANCE CALL THE NIGHT AT MY HOME COUNTY STAFF IS GONNA LEAVE THE C**K, VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT COME TO MY HOME, PROVIDE ME SERVICE, THE C**K VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT'S GONNA BILL ME, THEY'RE GONNA BILL ME FOR THAT SERVICE.
WHAT WE'RE DOING DOWN IN, WHAT, WHAT THE COUNTY'S GONNA BE DOING DOWN IN, IN PAINTER IS WHAT'S BEING DONE IN A OXX BEING DONE IN MALFA, BEING DONE IN PARKLEY, BEING DONE IN, UH, OAK CALL BEING DONE ON SHTE.
SO WHAT HE'S ASKING IS, IS FOR THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY, FOR THE COUNTY NOT TO TREAT THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY, LIKE THE OTHER AREAS OF BEING TREATED, WE ARE BEING CONSISTENT HERE.
NOW, MAYBE WHAT HE'S SAYING IS THAT NO FIRE DEPARTMENTS SHOULD BE CHARGING, UH, FOR AMBULANCES.
I WISH HE HAD MADE THAT MORE CLEAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, DON'T PICK OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE PAINTER WHEN WE, WHEN WE STEPPED UP TO FILL A VOID DOWN THERE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY POINT OF CLA CLARIFICATION.
MR. ANY MORE COMMENTS? UH, I GUESS I, ONE TO GO.
UH, MR. CHAIR, I, THE SOUTHERN AREA WHEN I, I APPLAUD AND I DO THANK WATCHER CREEK FOR ALL THEY'VE DONE AS FAR AS HOUSING, UM, THEIR VEHICLE IN PAINTER.
UH, IT, IT WAS A MAP ONE TIME AS FAR AS THE EMS, UH, SITUATION WAS CONCERNED.
WHERE THOSE, UH, THE NORTHERN PART OF, I THINK ELECTION DISTRICT NINE, YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE THAT WATCH ARICK AND MOUTHFUL USED TO SERVICE, AND THEN THE SOUTHERN PORT, ANOTHER COUNTY EXMORE WAS LIKE THEIR FIRST RESPONDERS WHILE WE HAVING TO, UH, USE OUR TAX, UH, DOLLARS FOR, YOU KNOW, IF I, IF IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE MY TAX DOLLARS, THEN MY SERVICES SHOULD BE IN ACK COUNTY, NOT NEGATING THANKING X MORE.
AND THOSE OTHER FIRE COMPANIES, THEY HAVE THAT BUDDY SYSTEM WHERE THEY DO ASSIST OTHER, AND THAT'S GREAT, BUT THERE SHOULD NOT BE THE SOLE RESPONDER FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I WANNA GO ON RECORD SAYING I APPLAUD AND I THANK THE BOARD BECAUSE IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT, WE DO NEED A AMBULANCE.
WE DO FOR THOSE, UH, THOSE WE HAVE, UH, IN ELECTION DISTRICT, NOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF DAVIS WOLF, THOSE NECKS WHERE IN, UH, THOSE PEOPLE ARE JUST IMPORTANT TO ME OR TO ACK COUNTY AS ANYBODY WHO LIVES ON MAINSTREAM.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THOSE SERVICES, THEY PLAY TAX DOLLARS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
SO I JUST THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS BEING SAID, THAT IF EVERY OTHER, UH, AMBULANCE IS CHARGING THE THESE RATES, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? SO WITH THAT SAID, ARE YOU READY FOR A MOTION? YES, SIR.
[01:15:01]
OKAY.I, I DO, I I I GOTTA COME BACK.
UM, TO MR. SMITH'S POINT, THOUGH, I, I DO THINK IT'S RELEVANT FOR US JUST TO STATE THAT THIS IS NOT AN EFFORT FOR THE COUNTY TO COMPETE WITH THE VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES EITHER.
THIS IS ONE, ONE REGION THAT WE'RE COVERING.
WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE GETTING COVERAGE AND A METHOD TO OFFSET THOSE COSTS.
BUT I THINK IT'S A RELEVANT POINT AS WE GO DOWN THIS ROAD TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT A COMPETITOR TO, BUT A SUPPORTER OF OUR VOLUNTEER COMPANIES.
WE ALSO, I'M GONNA MAKE A POINT TOO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THE, IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS CHOOSE TO, UH, TO CHARGE OTHER FEES OTHER THAN THE AMBULANCE SERVICE, WE HAVE ZERO CONTROL OF THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
THAT'S COMPLETELY UP TO THEM IF THEY DO THAT AS WELL.
SO, UM, SO WITH THAT, I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MR. UH, MR. CHAIR? I MOVE THAT, UH, THE FEES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED, UH, BE IMPLEMENTED SECOND J JULY.
THEN WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECOND ON THE TABLE.
SO WITH THAT, LET'S GO BACK TO, UM, 13.
ONE, CONSIDER APPROV AND RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE 25 26 BUDGET.
UH, FOR 13, ONE, UH, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
UM, 14 ONE, CONSIDER PAYABLES.
MR. MASON, DO YOU CONFIRM THAT WE CAN, DO YOU CERTIFY? WE CAN.
WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED.
UH, SO LAST, NEXT THING WOULD BE CLOSE.
SO, SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE MS. JOHNSON, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GO INTO CLOSE SESSION.
PURSU TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.371 DASH A DASH SEVEN DASH FOUR, CONSTELLATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL PERTAINING TO ACTUAL OR PROBABLE LITIGATION CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMICAL DEVELOPMENT ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, AND WATER STREET, WHERE SUCH CONSOLATION OR BRIEFING IN OPEN MEETING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE NEGO NEGOTIATION OR LITIGATION PROSPER OF THE PUBLIC BODY.
SECOND, WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
ALL OPPOSED? WE ARE NOW ENCLO SESSION.
I CERTIFY THAT THE, TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS, LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS UNDER VIRGINIA LAW AND I ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION BY WHICH CLOSED SESSION WAS CONVENED, WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED IN THE MEETING.
SECOND PROP, UH, MOTION PROPERLY.
UM, AND I DID, UM, I DID SKIP.
SO WE'LL GO BACK TO BOARD OF SUPERVISOR COMMENT, PERIOD.
I, SUPERVISOR CROCKETT, NO COMMENT.
GEORGE, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR WELCOMING BACK AND I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
FOR, UM, ATTENDING A S UH, SENIOR AT SC GANZA TI ON LAST WEEK, IT WAS, UM, VERY, I THINK THE SENIORS REALLY ENJOYED IT.
AND THANKS TO PUBLIC WORKS AND PARK AND RECREATION.
THANK YOU SUPERVISOR WASHINGTON.
I JUST WANT THANK THE BOARD FOR YOUR SUPPORT TONIGHT ON THE MOVEMENT OF THE ROO DISTRICT.
UH, SO I'LL ENTERTAIN ONE MORE ITEM ON THE AGENDA ITEM ON 16 UR.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A PROPERLY SECONDED TO ADJOURN THAT IS NON-NEGOTIABLE.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, EVERYBODY, UH, ANYBODY