[Wallops Research Park Leadership Council Meeting on July 15, 2025.]
[00:00:06]
HERE, DID YOU, YOU STARTED? YES, SIR.
SEE, GOOD TABLE CALL THE ORDER.
UM, UH, I NEED TO CALL THIS ORDER, I GUESS CALL TO ORDER THIS, UH, MEETING OF THE WALLACE RESEARCH PARK LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.
UH, WE'RE GETTING STARTED A FEW MINUTES LATE.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE ALL MEMBERS PRESENT, IS THAT CORRECT? WE'RE ACTUALLY MISSING TWO.
WE'RE MISSING, UM, CASEY, UH, OR KRISTEN COLLINS WITH THE, UH, SESE.
AND THEN GRAHAM GRIFFITH WITH BE DP OH YES.
SO, UH, BY THE BAR BYLAWS, DO WE HAVE A FORM? YOU DO HAVE A QUO.
UM, WE HAVE NO ONE APPLIED FOR REMOTE PARTICIPATION.
UM, AND I'LL JUST RECOGNIZE THE STAFF BEING PRESENT.
SO, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? DO WE, UM, THE ONLY THING THAT I WANTED TO DO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING WAS TO INTRODUCE MARY MES, WHO IS, UH, WHO IS ON CONTRACT WITH MY DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSULTING SERVICES.
THIS IS A SIX MONTH CONTRACT, AND WE'RE ONLY ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF INTO THAT.
BUT WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH HER, UH, WEEKLY ON COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE HER HERE AT THIS, UH, AT THIS MEETING, NUMBER ONE, TO, UH, INTRODUCE HER TO, TO YOU ALL AND VICE VERSA, BUT ALSO TO, UH, REFRESH HER ON THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AS WELL AS TO GET HER ON THE TOUR AS WELL.
AND I GUESS AT THIS POINT TOO, IT WOULD, WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO RECOGNIZE YOU, SIR, AS OUR NEW MEMBER? THAT'D BE A GOOD IDEA.
WOULD YOU MIND TELLING US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF? I KNOW WE'VE ALL SEEN YOU IN THE PAPER, BUT SURE, SURE.
GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL THIS MORNING.
I AM THE BRAND NEW PRESIDENT OF THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
HE GAVE ME THE GAVEL AND I'VE TAKEN IT, UH, I, HE GOT A GAVEL.
UH, I COME TO YOU ALL FROM SOUTH SIDE VIRGINIA, WHERE I WAS, UH, A VP THERE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
SOUTH SIDE VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR 30 YEARS, MOST OF THOSE YEARS AS AN EXECUTIVE AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
SO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART, UH, AND INNOVATION IN THOSE AREAS AS WELL.
SO I JUST THRILLED TO BE HERE AND READY TO WORK.
VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD.
SCHAFER, HE WAS A GREAT, GREAT, GREAT ADVOCATE.
UM, BUT, UH, I HOPE HE HAS A GREAT RETIREMENT.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING YOU ON NUMEROUS, UH, UPCOMING ISSUES COMING IN.
THAT SOUNDS GOOD, JEFF, REAL QUICK.
UM, AND, UH, DAVE ALSO HAS G WITH HIM, SO MAYBE, UH, UH, YOU COULD DO SOME INTRO THERE TOO.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE GIOVANNI ANOVA, WHO HAS BEEN, UH, GRACIOUS ENOUGH, UH, TO SERVE AS MY ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF WHILE LIFE FACILITY GIOVAN.
UH, BEEN LIVING IN AKIMA COUNTY SINCE 1999.
CAME HERE TO WORK ON THE SOUND ROCKETS PROGRAM AND NOW, UH, HELPING DAVE IN THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE.
I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT RECOGNIZING YOU.
WE'VE TALKED SEVERAL TIMES, AND MY WIFE AND MY OLDEST SON ARE ESCC GRADS.
I THINK THAT GRACE, DO WE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW COMMENTS SINCE WE RECOGNIZE EVERYONE IN THE ROOM? MY NAME'S GRACE WOODWORTH.
I'M THE ADMIN, ADMIN ASSISTANT.
UM, I BOTHER YOU GUYS A LOT WITH ALL THE EMAILS.
AND THEN ALSO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY EMAILS AS WELL,
AND THANKS TO GRACE AND LEE AND EVERYONE FOR PUTTING ALL, PUTTING US TOGETHER TODAY.
I, I THINK I MAY BE OUT OF SYNC WITH THE AGENDA, BUT I THINK THIS IS REALLY THE REAL KICKOFF FOR GETTING THIS, THIS ORGANIZATION STRUCTURED AND MOVING FORWARD AGAIN AND ESTABLISHING A BASELINE OF INFORMATION, UH, WHICH I THINK IS KEY.
'CAUSE THERE'S SUCH A LACK OF IT, UH, OR SO MANY MOVING PARTS, MIGHT WE SAY.
SO, UH, THAT BEING SAID, I THINK WE'VE RECOGNIZED, MOVING TO ITEM TWO ON THE AGENDA, ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
[00:05:01]
OKAY.SO, SKIPPING THREE, UH, WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, HAVE WE ANY OLD BUSINESS ITEM FIVE? NONE HEARD ANY NEW BUSINESS, MR. PAMPER? NO.
WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OLD OR NEW BUSINESS.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING, WE, WE CALLED IT AT, UH, AT, AT THE, THE BOARD'S RECORD, OR THE ACCOUNTS AS REQUEST FROM THE LAST MEETING.
AND, UM, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NEW FOR YOU ALL TO ACTUALLY VOTE ON AT THIS POINT.
SO, UH, AGAIN, NO OLD BUSINESS OR NEW BUSINESS.
I APPRECIATE, AGAIN, APPRECIATE EVERYONE PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
UM, SO MOVING TO ITEM SEVEN, STAFF REPORT AGAIN, UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, UH, ANYTHING ELSE TO OFFER.
UH, WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS TO AT LEAST ORGANIZE THE MEETING.
UM, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, WHILST RESEARCH PARK RELATED, UH, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RELATED IN GENERAL, MAYBE IT IS KIND OF FLIPPANT OF ME TO, UH, TO INCLUDE THIS, BUT WE DID NOTICE THAT THE W ON THE SIGN OUT FRONT HAS FALLEN OFF AND WE'RE GONNA GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF.
SO WHEN, WHEN WE, WHEN, WHEN WE TAKE THAT TOUR AND WE GO TO ROCKET LAB, YOU SEE THAT W UH, RIGHT THERE AT THE BASE OF THE SIDE.
PUBLIC WORKS IS AWARE OF IT, AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THAT.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR YOU.
UH, AND WE ALSO DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER UPDATES FROM ANY OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES AS WELL.
UM, ITEM EIGHT REMARKS FROM CHAIR AND COUNCIL.
UM, AGAIN, THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR COMING TODAY.
I LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO A GREAT TOUR.
HOPEFULLY THE RAIN'S GONNA HOLD OFF.
UM, AND A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT.
SO I THINK, UH, AS I SAID EARLIER, I REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET A BASELINE SET TO REESTABLISH THIS COUNCIL AND ITS ROLE.
AND FOR ME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'D SPOKEN ABOUT BEFORE IS WE WANT TO ESTABLISH OUR PRIORITIES.
AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE THREE MONTHS IN.
WE'VE NOT ESTABLISHED OUR PRIORITIES, BUT WE'RE STILL, I BELIEVE IN THAT INFORMATION GATHERING STAGE.
I KNOW I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS AND MEETINGS IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS THAT REALLY, LIKE, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, I WAS WRONG ABOUT THAT.
OR MAYBE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I THINK THAT WE, AFTER THIS MEETING, I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR NEXT MEETING AND, AND I WILL SEND SOMETHING OUT WHERE WE CAN HOPEFULLY ESTABLISH THE PRIORITIES GOING FORWARD FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
UM, A COUPLE THOUGHTS HAVE COME TO MIND AT THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME WAS, UM, PRIORITIZING OUR CURRENT CUSTOMERS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S ESSENTIAL.
UM, BUT I ALSO NOW COME TO REALIZATION THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DEFINE IN MY MIND WHAT THE RESEARCH PARK'S CAPABILITIES ARE.
WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO OFFER? UH, AND THEN LOOKING AT OUTREACH AND PRIORITIES AND HOW WE DO THAT.
BUT I, I DO THINK THAT IT'S, THERE'S A, THERE'S, I DON'T WANNA SAY IT'S AMBIGUOUS.
I'M NOT SURE IT'S EVER BEEN REALLY DEFINED.
WE WENT OUT AND GOT A RESEARCH PARK SAY, HEY, WE GOT A RESEARCH PARK.
AND I, I'LL SHARE WITH YOU THAT I KNOW PEOPLE WHO WERE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS THAT DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS.
UM, AND, AND KIND OF LEFT ME SPEECHLESS A COUPLE TIMES, TO BE HONEST.
BUT I MEAN, IT'S A FAIR QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THIS? WHAT CAN WE DO WITH IT? WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO OFFER THE COMMUNITIES? WHAT ARE THOSE TARGET MARKETS THAT WE WANT TO GO FOR? UM, AND, AND, AND, AND MAYBE WHAT'S THE LOW HANGING FRUIT? RIGHT? WHAT'S AVAILABLE NOW THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET SOME OF, BECAUSE FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE, IN MY MIND AND, AND I REPRESENT THE COUNTY, UM, WE NEED TO GENERATE SOME, SOME REVENUE, UH, TO HELP PAY FOR THE PARK, TO EXPAND THE PARK, TO BE ABLE TO DO OTHER THINGS, TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUR CLIENTS.
UH, I THINK THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND MARYLAND AND, AND HERE WITH THE RESEARCH STATION AND NASA, I THINK THAT, THAT WE HAVE A LOT TO OFFER, BUT WE DO, WE WILL NEED TO DO SOME WORK TO DEFINE THAT.
SO THAT'S ALL THE WISDOM I HAVE TODAY.
SO, UH, I'M GONNA GO TO MY RIGHT, MR. PIERCE.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PARKS.
UH, I THINK SUMMARY OF WHY WE'RE HERE AND WHAT NASA WANTS OUT OF THE RESEARCH PARK.
UM, I CAN GIVE, UH, UPDATES, BUT I THINK I'LL, I'LL WAIT UNTIL UPDATES.
SO, TO, WELL, OFFICER COMMENTS.
[00:10:01]
UH, AS YOU'ALL ARE AWARE, THIS IS THE P TIME OF THE YEAR,AND, UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY I WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THE TOUR TODAY.
UH, I HAVE MY BOARD MEETING TOMORROW,
WITH MY BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND I'M WORKING ON SOME BUDGET FIGURES AND STUFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL DO.
BUT WELCOME TO, UH, THE FIELD STATION.
YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO COME BACK ANYTIME AND DON'T BE ALARM.
IF YOU HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF KIDS RUNNING AROUND AND STUFF, THAT'S A GOOD THING, RIGHT? THEY'RE ALL AROUND ON DIFFERENT FIELD TRIPS TODAY.
WELL, I, I HAVE NO ADDITIONAL COMICS TO ADD TO WHAT'S ALREADY ALREADY BEEN SAID.
JUST I GUESS A POINT OF INTEREST, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING GONE TO HAMPTON UNIVERSITY, UH, FOR UNDERGRAD, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN KIND OF IN THIS REGION, UH, FOR A LONG TIME, AND TO NOW BE PRESIDENT IN EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY SURREAL KIND OF MOMENT.
BUT TO YOUR POINT ABOUT CAPABILITIES AT THE RESEARCH PARK, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THAT THAT'S VERY TRUE BECAUSE COMING HERE AS PRESIDENT TO NOW KNOW THAT THIS IS EVEN HERE, I, I, I FIND THAT I'M, I'M SURPRISED A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THERE, I MEAN, I KNEW THAT IT EXISTED, BUT I, I DIDN'T KNOW THE DEPTHS IN WHICH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS INGRAINED AND IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL THAT THAT'S HERE.
SO I THINK YOUR PRIORITIES ARE, ARE RIGHT, ARE RIGHT ON TARGET, AND I'M EXCITED TO NOW BE A PART OF BEING ABLE TO HELP, HELP MOVE THAT TRAIN FORWARD.
I WAS TELLING MR. PIERCE ON THE WAY UP IN G.
SO AS A KID, I CAME HERE TO THE RESEARCH OH, WOW.
AND I ALSO WAS SHARING SOME OBSERVATIONS BEING AN AKIMA COUNTY KID OF THE, THE BIOLOGIST FROM UP NORTH COMING DOWN TO TELL US, UH, THINGS.
BUT IT WAS REALLY A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND A LOT OF LOCAL KIDS WOULD COME AND, AND I, SLOOP GUT AND ALL THAT WENT OUT, BOATS OUT THERE.
I MEAN, THE WHOLE, THAT'S REGION.
IT'S STILL VERY, VERY REAL TO ME, INCLUDING BEING BACK IN THESE ROOMS. SO, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HOSTING.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW THAT THE RESEARCH, UH, THE FIELD STATION IS PART OF THE PAI SCHOOLS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
SO I, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE, ARE THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITIES IN, IN PENNSYLVANIA.
SO THAT'S WHO I REPORT DIRECTLY TO.
SO, YOU KNOW HOW THESE BOARD, THESE PRESIDENTS OF UNIVERSITIES COULD BE SOMETIMES
UH, MY PRESIDENT IS GONNA BE COMING DOWN.
UH, THE PRESIDENT OF BOARD IS GONNA BE PRESIDENT IN NEXT COUPLE WEEKS, BUT MY MEETING IS VIRTUAL WHILE THEY ARE UP IN, UH, PENNSYLVANIA, ONE OF THEM MEETINGS.
SO THEY, IF AN OPPORTUNITY AROSE TO JUST COME AND SAY HI, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND YOU, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS OR NOT, SIR, BUT THIS USED TO BE THE EASTER SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
I DID NOT KNOW THAT 40 YEARS AGO.
THE, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WAS HERE IN THESE BARRACKS JUST OUTSIDE THE GATE.
WELL, WHAT
I'M GLAD THAT MARY'S HERE, 'CAUSE MAYBE SHE COULD BACK ME UP ON THIS A LITTLE BIT.
BUT AS I HAD MENTIONED, AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING, THE THREE OF US HAVE, HAVE BEEN HAVING, UH, WEEKLY OR BIWEEKLY MEETINGS, AGAIN, JUST TO WORK ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PART OF MY DEPARTMENT, WHICH OF COURSE, UH, UH, HAS TIES TO THE WA RESEARCH DEPART LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.
OF COURSE, WE'RE STAFFING THAT AS WELL.
SO WE SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE SEE THAT AS A NICE FIT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
BUT WHAT WE HAVEN'T HAD IN THE PAST IS, UM, IS ANY KIND OF PROCEDURE PROCESS, ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL FOR HOW TO CONDUCT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE IN MACK COUNTY.
IT'S BEEN INHERITED FROM ONE PLANNING DIRECTOR OR DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ANOTHER.
WE EVEN HAD AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST, I WOULD SAY, LIKE IN THE EARLY, IN THE EARLY 2010S.
BUT NO ONE HAD WRITTEN ANYTHING DOWN TO
[00:15:01]
SAY, THIS IS HOW WE DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE AT MACK.AND THAT'S WHY, UH, AND THIS IS OUR, UH, OUR SECOND CONTRACT WITH MARY.
SHE WAS HERE, UH, IN THAT INTERIM BETWEEN RICH MORRISON'S DEPARTURE AND MY ARRIVAL.
AND WHAT I TOLD MARY SEVERAL WEEKS AGO WAS THAT IF I HAD, IF I HAD USED OUR TIME BETTER THE FIRST TIME AROUND THEN, THEN WE MIGHT HAVE ALREADY HAD SOME OF THIS.
BUT NOW THAT I'VE GOT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAY OF THE LAND, UM, WE ARE DEFINITELY LEANING INTO THE BUSINESS PROCESSES OF, REGARDLESS OF WHO THE STAFF IS, WE HAND 'EM A, WE HAND 'EM A, BASICALLY A MANUAL THAT SAY, MAKE SURE THAT THESE THINGS ARE BEING DONE ON A DAILY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY, SEMI-ANNUAL, ANNUAL WHATEVER BASIS.
FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT.
A BIG PART OF THAT IS ALSO MARKETING.
SO AS YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR TIME ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND SITTING ON THAT, UH, AND SITTING ON THAT, UH, BODY AS WELL AS THIS, OR RATHER DEALING WITH THE, UH, WITH THE, UH, UH, WITH THE, UH, COUNTY STAFF ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MATTERS, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, UH, THE MARKETING ASPECT OF IT.
I KNOW THAT THE PDC IS WORKING WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ON THEIR MARKETING PROGRAM.
AND, UH, AND MARY HAS BROUGHT SOME REALLY GOOD INSIGHT, UM, JUST FROM A GENERAL STANDPOINT, BUT AS WELL AS SOME DETAILS THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.
AND WHEN WE START MARKETING, OF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO GENERATE MORE INTEREST, MORE ACTIVITY, MORE OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION WITH ANY NUMBER OF PARTNERS OR STAKEHOLDERS.
BUT, UM, UH, ONCE WE DO THAT ONCE, ONCE WE, UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE MAGNIFY OR MULTIPLY THE, THE MARKETING EFFORTS, UH, I WILL SAY THAT YESTERDAY WE DID HAVE A CONFIDENTIAL PHONE CALL WITH ONE POTENTIAL, UH, WITH ONE POTENTIAL DEVELOPER.
JUST VERY GENERAL, WHAT'S THE RESEARCH PARK? UH, YOU KNOW, JUST AN EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AT A VERY, VERY BASIC LEVEL.
NO END USERS WERE DISCUSSED, NOTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT, UM, WE, AS THE COUNTY STAFF ARE THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE WALTS RESEARCH PARK IN ANY POTENTIAL, ANY POTENTIAL, UH, UH, APPLICANTS.
BUT I MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE, UH, WHEN OUR, WHEN OUR, UM, OUR, OUR PROSPECTS ARE TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE GOING TO CONFERENCES AND GOING TO TRADE SHOWS AND THAT KIND OF THING, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I SEE THE STAFF DOING EVENTUALLY, ONCE WE, ONCE WE GET THE BASICS DOWN AND WE START TO INTRODUCE NEW ACTIVITIES INTO OUR BUSINESS PROCESSES, LIKE THOSE VISITS, LIKE THOSE COLD CALLS LIKE THOSE, UH, GOING TO THOSE DIFFERENT, UM, EVENTS THAT, UH, YOU, YOU'LL START TO SEE MORE ABOUT THE MARKETING ASPECT OF IT.
BUT THEN YOU'LL ALSO SEE, YOU'LL ALSO HAVE A LIST OF THINGS TO ACTUALLY PRIORITIZE AT THAT POINT IN TERMS OF, UH, THE TYPES OF BUSINESSES AND THE TYPES OF INDUSTRIES OR END USERS FOR THE PARK.
MARY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO FILL IN THERE FROM YOUR, YEAH, THANK YOU.
UM, IT'S REALLY NICE TO BE HERE.
IT'S NICE TO MEET ALL OF YOU AND SEE SOME OF YOU AGAIN.
I'VE MET SOME OF YOU IN THE PAST.
UM, SO I'M AN OLD WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAT WHO EVENTUALLY GOT INTO REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO IT REALLY RUNS THE GAMUT.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS MY PASSION, MY LOVE.
AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO ENGAGE WITH AKIMA COUNTY A FEW TIMES TO DO THAT WORK.
UM, I WAS, I'VE DONE SOME WORK ON THE DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE PARK TO HELP THEM BE MORE DEVELOPER FRIENDLY, SPEAK THAT LANGUAGE TO THEIR PRIVATE INVESTORS.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE IS TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY IN THE PARK.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST POSITIONING IT, GETTING IT OUT THROUGH THE RIGHT CHANNELS AND STAYING CONSISTENT WITH IT.
THAT CONSISTENCY IS WHAT COMPOUNDS AND THAT, AND, AND MY ESTIMATION IS WHAT HAS NOT BEEN HERE.
SO I COMMEND LEE FOR SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE NEED TO GET SOME OF THIS STUFF OFF PAPER.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONSISTENTLY OPERATING AT THIS LEVEL TO DEVELOP THE OFFICE AND THE PARK.
UM, ONCE A PROSPECT IS ON THE HOOK FOR THE PARK, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO STAY ON TO HELP WITH THE DEVELOPMENT ASPECT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DO WITH REAL ESTATE.
BUT RIGHT NOW, PUTTING THOSE WHEELS IN, IN PLACE FOR THE VERY BASIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNCTIONS THAT WE DID, RENT TO THE PARK IS, IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF I ASK, WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF YOUR CONTRACT? WOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE QUESTION? I THINK, YEAH.
[00:20:01]
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.RIGHT NOW, IT'S BASIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE CONTRACT DOESN'T MAKE SPECIFIC MENTION OF QUOTE UNQUOTE STANDING UP IN OFFICE.
BUT THAT IS OUR MISSION OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IS TO, UH, IS TO, UM, SHE'S BASICALLY TAKING US TO SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, UH, NOT ARE THEY GOOD STUDENTS FROM A PROCESS STANDPOINT, LET US KNOW IF THEY'RE NOT GOOD STUDENTS.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HOPE TO DEVELOP A LOT OF THOSE INSTINCTS AND, AND THAT MUSCLE MEMORY, UH, WHAT WE DO REALLY WELL IN THE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE.
UH, WE DO REGULATION REALLY WELL.
UH, WE ALSO DO STRATEGY FAIRLY WELL, ESPECIALLY WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
BUT THE OTHER HALF OF THAT STRATEGIC PART OF MY DEPARTMENT'S MISSION IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S NOT SO MUCH REGULATION AS IT IS, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, GETTING THOSE, UH, THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS IN, IN PLACE, MAINTAINING 'EM AND, UH, AND DOING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING TO HIGHLIGHT BUSINESS.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, SHE'S WORKING WITH US ON ESTABLISHING A, UH, A BUSINESS APPRECIATION OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WEEK.
WE PLAN ON DOING THAT IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, UH, IT'LL BE BASICALLY THREE DAYS OUTTA ONE WEEK.
AND WE'RE GONNA END UP VISITING SEVERAL, UH, SEVERAL BUSINESSES JUST TO, YOU KNOW, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THEM.
UH, WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO SELECT THEM.
WE'RE USING, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE USING, UH, A COMBINATION OF, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST INSTITUTIONAL PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE ALONG WITH AI TO RANDOMLY SELECT SIC CODES, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO IF WE, IF WE ASK CHAT GPT TO, UH, TO SELECT 12 SIC CODES, AND WE GET THAT, AND THEN WE ASK CHAT GPT OR AI TO MATCH THOSE 12 SIC CODES WITH BUSINESSES IN AKIMA COUNTY, THAT'S HOW WE, THAT'S HOW WE PLAN ON KIND OF RANDOMLY SELECTING THOSE BUSINESSES SO THAT, UH, AND WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, THAT WE'RE, UH, GEOGRAPHICALLY DISTRIBUTING THOSE AS WELL.
BUT IT'S, IT'S STUFF LIKE THAT, THE SMALL BUSINESS OR, OR THE BUSINESS APPRECIATION, WE, THAT, UH, THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, UH, ELEVATE THE VISIBILITY OF THAT ASPECT OF WHAT WE DO OR WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE BIG SEXY NO, THAT'S LARGE PROJECTS OR, OR PROSPECTS.
BUT, UM, BUSINESS RETENTION IS, IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, THAT, UH, WE, WE WANT TO FOCUS ON AS WELL AS INTERFACING WITH THE LARGER PROSPECTS, STATE AGENCIES THAT BRING THEM TO US.
OR SOMETIMES WE RECEIVE THE COLD CALLS FROM DEVELOPERS LIKE WE DID EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND I THINK KEY TO THAT IS HAVING A CONSISTENT PROCESS AND THAT SOMEONE CAN GO TO AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT'S MY STARTING POINT? WHERE AM I LOOKING AT? I MEAN, THAT'S, BECAUSE THAT'S A COMPLAINT I GET FREQUENTLY, UH, FROM DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE COUNTY, NOT JUST RELATED TO THIS.
AND THIS IS SOMEONE WHO'S A BIT OF A, UH, I'M SITTING NEXT TO THE NASA GUY, BUT, BUT I FOLLOW THE SPACE SECTOR AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR VERY, VERY CLOSELY.
SO THERE, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF WORK TO FIGURE OUT WHO THAT GROUP IS.
WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED TO TELL 'EM TO GET 'EM TO COME.
'CAUSE THEY'RE OUT THERE, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PLACES TO DO INTEGRATION, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PLACES TO LAUNCH.
WHAT DO THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT? SO IT'S KIND OF A SUBSET.
AND I THINK THE TWO PARTS TOGETHER WITH OUR AEROSPACE, UH, BACKGROUND AND THE, THE SCHOOL, THAT'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THERE.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT IT IN A BUBBLE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN A BUBBLE.
IT, IT'S JUST GOTTA BE IN A DIRECTION.
WE, AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, TO BE FAIR, I'M, I'M A CONTRACTOR.
I'M IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UM, FORMER MILITARY GUY.
BUT, SO I HAVE A LONG BACKGROUND WITH CONVENTIONS AND SHOWS.
IT'S SOMETHING I USUALLY SCORE.
AND NOW I'M ALL ABOUT, BECAUSE I THINK FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE OURSELVES KNOWN AROUND THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
SO, GOOD DISCUSSION, AND THANK YOU AGAIN.
SO, UM, SO MOVING ON TO ITEM NINE.
THE OTHER MATTERS, WHICH WE HAVE THE ROCKET LAB UPDATES, UH, WE TOUCHED BASE WITH, UM, JENNIFER GOOD.
WHO INDICATED THAT, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FROM THE LAST TIME THAT WE MET.
OF COURSE, IT'S JUST BEEN, UH, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS SINCE WE LAST MET.
BUT, UH, UM, WE REACHED OUT SPECIFICALLY TO JENNIFER TO FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING.
[00:25:01]
UM, IS THE IC THE ICF IS ON THE TOUR? IT IS, IT IS.SO WE MAY HAVE THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO INTERFACE WITH ROCKET LAB STAFF AT THAT POINT, BUT IN TERMS OF, UH, IN TERMS OF AN UPDATE, UH, THERE WAS NOT, BUT WE ARE GOING OVER THERE.
UH, HOW ABOUT, BUT, AND IF THEY DON'T GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, I'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT CAN DO, UH,
SO ANYTIME THIS MONTH, I GUESS, YEAH, WE'LL BE LAUNCHING BASICALLY EVERY WEEKEND FOR THE NEXT, WOW.
WE DEFINITELY GOTTA CATCH YOUR BUDGET THEN.
UM, VIRGINIA SPACE UPDATES, UH, LIKEWISE, VIRGINIA SPACE DIDN'T OFFER ANY UPDATES.
WHAT I WILL MENTION IS THAT I HAVE BEEN IN TALKS WITH THEM ABOUT THE DARBY FARM AND THE, UH, AND THE, UM, UH, THE FORMER SEAFOOD PLANT.
THE PLANT PLANT, AS WE ALL KNOW, THEY'VE ACQUIRED THOSE TWO SITES.
AND, UH, THEY WILL BE, THEY'LL, AT SOME POINT, THERE WILL BE A REZONING APPLICATION TO, UH, TO ADDRESS THE USES OF THOSE TWO SITES.
I'VE TALKED WITH THE, WITH THEIR, UH, LOCAL ATTORNEY.
THEY'VE GOT JOHN
BUT, UH, UH, EXPECT TO HEAR MORE ON, ON THAT FRONT.
SO, UH, FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR, DR.
MINAS, UH, WHEN WE HAVE OUR TOUR TODAY, YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE THE, THE DARBY FARM.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE, UH, THAT THE, UH, UH, THE SEAFOOD PLANT IS ON THE TOUR.
OF COURSE, THAT'S NOT A NASA FACILITY, THAT'S VIRGINIA SPACE.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF NEED BE, WE CAN ALWAYS, WE CAN ALWAYS APPROACH VIRGINIA SPACE ABOUT GETTING IN THAT BUILDING.
IT'S VERY DECEPTIVE HOW, JUST HOW LARGE THAT BUILDING IS FROM THAT OUTSIDE WHEN YOU GET INSIDE, IT'S ENORMOUS.
SO THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF SPACE TO, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR STORAGE OFFICES AND, UH, AND, UH, MAYBE EVEN TEMPORARY SPACE FOR SOME, UH, FOR SOME POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS LOOKING TO AT LEAST GET ON THE SHORE.
UH, THEY'VE GOT SOME SPACE THAT COULD, MAYBE THEY COULD DO SOME SMALL SCALE, UH, UH, PAYLOAD PROCESSING AS WELL.
BUT AGAIN, MORE TO COME WITH THEIR RESING APPLICATIONS.
SO THEY HAVE, THAT'S NOT BEEN RESETTED YET? NOT YET.
AND LITERALLY LOCALLY, IT'S CALLED THE CLA PLANT.
'CAUSE IT WAS A PLACE, AND ACTUALLY BEFORE THAT, AGAIN, ANOTHER HISTORY CLASS, IT WAS, UH, CONQUEST FARMS, GREATER PLANT WHO BUILT THE ORIGINAL FRONT BUILDING BECAUSE HE WAS BEST FRIENDS WITH MY FATHER.
SO I WAS THE LITTLE KID RUNNING AROUND IN THERE.
AND THEN THEY BUILT THIS MASSIVE CLAN PROCESSING PLANT IN THE BACK.
UM, WHICH I MEAN, I, I, YEAH, I'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THEY DO ON ZONING, BECAUSE I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THEY WERE LOOKING AT POTENTIAL INTEGRATION FACILITY, GIVEN THEM THE AMOUNT OF SPACE.
BUT YEAH, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I MEAN, WE DON'T WANNA PUT ANY PRESSURE ON 'EM.
SO, AND THAT'S ALL WE'VE GOT FROM REGINA SPACE.
AND NASA WALLACE FACILITY UPDATES.
MR. PIERCE, I THANK YOU, MR. PARK.
I'LL BE GLAD YOU GIVE SOME UPDATES, UH, TO THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL HERE, WALL RESEARCH PRODUCT, FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE POINT OF VIEW, OUR CAUSEWAY BRIDGE REPLACEMENT, THAT WORK IS GOING ALONG VERY WELL.
UH, CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN, UH, APRIL.
UH, THE, UH, FEDERAL, UH, GOVERNMENT HAS FUNDED $103 MILLION FOR THE BRIDGE, UH, REPLACING THE OLD 1959, UH, STRUCTURE THAT WILL STAY IN PLACE UNTIL THE NEW BRIDGE IS IN PLACE.
AND THEN WE'LL DEMOLISH THE OLD BRIDGE.
UM, CO COSEN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IS, UH, LEADING THE DESIGN, UH, WITH, UH, FEDERAL HIGHWAYS.
UH, THEY EXPECT TO HAVE IT COMPLETED BY APRIL OF 2028.
UM, AND OF COURSE, IT'S A FLATTER BRIDGE DESIGNED TO TAKE HEAVIER CARGO.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE ESSENTIAL FOR BEING ABLE TO TAKE THESE LARGE ROCKETS FROM ROCKET LAB AND TERRIES FOR, UH, NORTHROP GRUMMAN TO CARRY THOSE COMPONENTS ACROSS THE CAUSEWAY OVER TO THE ISLAND FOR LAUNCH.
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE EXPANDING CAPABILITY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD.
AS WE GO TOWARD THE, UM, THE MAIN GATE TO THE ISLAND, UM, WE'VE EXPANDED THAT ISLAND MAN GATE TO ACCOUNT FOR THESE LARGE ROCKET MOTORS.
UM, THE MOTOR, UH, FOR ROCKET LAB IS BEING FABRICATED UP, UH, NEAR, UH, ESSEX,
[00:30:01]
UM, BALTIMORE COUNTY.WE'LL COME DOWN BY BARGE ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, GO OUTSIDE AT THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE TUNNEL, COME UP ON THE OUTSIDE, AND THEN COME AROUND ON SLUG GUT AND COME UP ON OUR BOAT DOCK, AND THEN GO BY LAND OVER TO THE PROCESS AND FACILITY.
SO THAT'S ALL BEING WORKED OUT.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SUPPORTING ROCKET LAB WITH THE WORK THAT THEY NEED TO DO ON THE PAD TO, UH, FINISH CONSTRUCTION SO THAT THEY CAN LAUNCH, UH, THE VERY FIRST NEUTRON ROCKET, WHICH IS A GARGAN.
IT'S GONNA BE THE LARGEST ROCKET EVER LAUNCHED FROM WALLACE.
SO, UH, REALLY AMAZING STUFF, UH, ON THE SHORELINE PROTECTION.
WE HAVE A MEETING THIS WEEK WITH, UH, THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO CONTINUE TO DESIGN AND PREPARATION FOR BOTH, UH, DREDGING, UH, TO BUILD UP OUR BEACH, TO FORTIFY OUR BEACH, AS WELL AS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF, UH, BREAKWATERS, WHICH ARE BASICALLY A, A, A FAUX, UM, REEF STRUCTURE THAT ACTUALLY HELPS A CREEK BEACH AS THE SAND COMES NORTH, THE SOUTH ALONG THE SHORELINE, THIS ROCK STRUCTURE GRABS THAT GREEN OF SAND AND OVER TIME BUILDS UP BEACH.
UH, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SITUATION GOING ON THERE.
UH, BUT OF COURSE, THIS IS ALL TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF, UH, EROSION AND SEA LEVEL RISE WHEN WE HAVE, UM, UH, ABOUT $2 BILLION IN LAUNCH ASSETS AT, ON WALLOP ISLAND.
AND, UH, THIS NEXT SERIES WILL BE IN FRONT OF, UM, OUR LAUNCH PADS.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE FOCUSING THIS WORK.
UH, WE HAD, UH, ABOUT 250 TO 300 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS AT WALLOPS THIS SUMMER, PARTICIPATING IN WHAT WE CALL STUDENT, UH, LAUNCH WEEK.
UH, WHERE, UH, STUDENTS STAY ON BASE, UM, THEY ARE BUILDING, TESTING, AND THEN FLYING THEIR, THEIR SCIENTIFIC PAYLOAD, THEIR EXPERIMENT.
THEY GET IT BACK, AND THEN THEY REDUCE THE DATA.
SO ALL IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO, UH, EXPERIENCE VERY AUTHENTICALLY THE ENTIRE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS.
UM, WE HAD, UM, ON JUNE 26TH, WE LAUNCHED A ROCK ON STUDENT, UH, ROCKET MISSION.
AND THEN, UH, JUNE 13TH, UM, AND THROUGH JULY 3RD, WE, UM, LAUNCHED ROCKETS FOR SCIENTISTS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACIFIC AT QUADIN ATAL.
UH, WE LAUNCHED TWO ROCKETS VERY SUCCESSFULLY, UM, FOR EMBRY RIDDLE, UH, AND THAT SCIENCE DATA WAS OVER THE TOP.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SOUNDING ROCKET TEAM THAT GIOVANNI ALSO OVERSEES UPCOMING LAUNCHES.
WE HAVE ANOTHER STUDENT MISSION, UH, IT'S CALLED ROCKS AT X.
UH, AND IT WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST THE 12TH.
SO, UH, ANYONE THAT WOULD, WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT AND SEE THAT LAUNCH, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO.
WE HAVE ONGOING, UH, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WORK.
UM, WE HAD, UH, THE MARINES HERE FROM CAMP LEJEUNE, AND FROM CHERRY POINT, THEY WERE FLYING THE V 22 OSPREY FROM OUR MAIN BASE, AS WELL AS WE HAD MARINES BIG WHACKED OUT ON WALLOPS ISLAND IN TENTS.
AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS GOING THROUGH WAR GAME EXERCISES.
WE HAD, UH, THE ROYAL DUTCH NAVY OFFSHORE.
WE HAD MARINES GOING IN EVERY WHICH WAY DIRECTION.
WE WERE VISITED BY THE VICE, UH, ADMIRAL OF, UH, THE SECOND, UH, THE NAVY SECOND FLEET OUT OF NORFOLK.
AND HE PROVIDED A OVER, UH, TOUR, UH, WITH HIS FOLKS.
UM, AND MET WITH THE MARINES FROM CAMP LEJEUNE.
AND FROM CHERRY POINT, IT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, UM, AND, UH, TO SHOW HOW WALLOPS AS A NATIONAL ASSET IS SUPPORTING OUR COUNTRY TO BE READY, UH, TO, UH, PROTECT, UM, UNITED STATES, AS WELL AS THE WORK THAT THEY DO IN HARM'S WAY, UH, THAT THESE FOLKS WERE IN THE PROCESS OF GOING NORTH.
UM, AND, UH, REALLY PROUD OF THE SUPPORT THAT WE ALL PROVIDE HERE AT WALLOPS FOR, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IN OUR COUNTRY AND THE WAR FIGHTER.
UM, ON, UM, OTHER STUDENT, UH, ACTIVITIES, WE HAD A STUDENT AIRBORNE SCIENCE RESEARCH PROJECT.
THIS IS WHERE 30 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, UH, WORKING TO DEVELOP INSTRUMENTATION IN AIRBORNE SCIENCE, UH, TO LOOK AT THE ATMOSPHERE, UH, IN THE, UH, UPPER TROPO HAD INSTRUMENTS INSTALLED ON AN AIRPLANE, A WALLOPS AIRPLANE.
[00:35:01]
WE FLEW LOCALLY HERE, SAMPLING AIR, AND THEN THEY REDUCED THAT TO, UH, SCIENTIFIC PAPER, AS WELL AS GOING OUT TO CALIFORNIA.SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT POLLUTION, THEY'RE LOOKING AT AEROSOLS, AND THEY'RE GOING AGAIN.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE LEARNING THE ENTIRE, UH, UH, SCIENTIFIC PROCESS WHILE THEY DO THAT.
UM, WE'RE FINISHING UP OUR FINAL SCIENCE CAMPAIGN.
IT'S CALLED MAGIC ON OUR WALLOPS AIRPLANE.
AFTER THAT IN MID-AUGUST, UH, THE P THREE, UH, AIRCRAFT THAT HAS BEEN AT WALLOPS SINCE 1992.
BUT THE PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN HERE SINCE 1969 WILL BE NO MORE.
AND WE WILL TRANSITION OUR P THREE DOWN TO NASA LANGLEY, WHERE IT WILL CONTINUE ITS MISSION DOWN IN LANGLEY.
UM, WE HAVE A PROUD HISTORY OF SUPPORTING HAMPTON UNIVERSITY, UH, DR.
AND, UH, WE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IN OTHER WAYS BETWEEN SOUND ROCKETS AND BALLOONS.
WE HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM FLIGHTS FROM OUR UAS RUNWAY WITH VIRGINIA SPACE.
UM, WE ARE SUPPORTING THIS YEAR, 30 WEEKS OF, UH, UAS OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
A LOT OF THAT IS FOR, UM, SOCOM AND, UM, ALSO, UH, UH, THREE LETTER AGENCIES THAT ARE UTILIZING, UH, UAS, UH, TO SUPPORT OUR COUNTRY.
WE SUPPORTED THE OCEAN CITY AIRSHED.
UH, WE ARE GLAD TO SUPPORT THE, UH, UM, UH, THE, THE EVENT ON IN, IN THE END OF, UH, MIDDLE OF JUNE, UH, AND ENABLING NAVY WITH THE BLUE ANGELS TO TAKE OFF AS WELL AS OTHER AIRPLANES TO BE HERE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE WEATHER DIDN'T COOPERATE, AND THEY CANCELED THE, THE BLUE ANGEL SUPPORT, UH, BECAUSE OF A LOW CLOUD DECK.
AND, UM, ALSO WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE NAVY WITH FIELD CARRIER LANDING PRACTICE WHERE, UH, SAILORS ARE IN HERE, UH, NAVAL AVIATORS DOING TOUCH AND GOES BEFORE THEY GO OUT TO THE FLEET AND TAKE THEIR FIRST HOOK OUT ON A CARRIER.
WE HAD SIGNED OUR SECOND 10 YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THE NAVY, UH, IN 2023.
IT'LL GO TILL 2033 IN EXCHANGE FOR THEM BEING HERE.
THEY, THEY STAY IN OUR DORM, UH, BUT, UH, THEY ALSO PAY US SO THAT WE CAN RESURFACE THE RUNWAYS OUT THERE.
SO IT'S A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WORKING WITH THE NAVY.
WE ALSO SUPPORT THE NAVY AT PAX RIVER, THE NAVY AT DWIN, AND OF COURSE, HOME TO THE SURFACE COMBAT SYSTEM CENTER.
AND WE MEET WITH ALL OF THOSE FOLKS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
LOOKING TO, AS YOU WERE POINTING OUT EARLIER, MARY, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPANDING OUR SUPPORT TO DOD AND HOW THAT CAN TURN INTO REIMBURSABLE DOLLARS THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT OUR FACILITY.
UM, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT ENTREPRENEURIAL WORK THAT WE DO STRATEGICALLY, UH, LOOKING OUT AS, UH, MR. PARKS MENTIONED, UM, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF, UM, BUDGET TIME AT NASA AS PART OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET.
UH, THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET REQUEST IN 2026, UM, IS FOCUSED ON PRIORITIES OF GOING TO THE MOON AND ON TO MARS.
SO THE FOCUS IS FOR THE FACILITIES IN FLORIDA AND TEXAS AND IN ALABAMA TO SUPPORT THAT WORK.
AND ACCORDINGLY, UM, OUR BUDGET HAS BEEN, UH, DRASTICALLY REDUCED.
UH, SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS WORKING TO, UH, SHOW THE IMPACTS AS WELL AS THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO, UM, UH, SUPPORT, UH, THE, UH, MAN SPACE PROGRAM HERE.
UM, WE, WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT TARGETING A LAUNCH CADENCE OF 50 PLUS MISSIONS A YEAR BY 2030.
THAT IS IN SUPPORT OF NASA COMMERCIAL LAUNCH AND DOD.
SO THE COMMERCIAL AND DOD WORK CONTINUES TO EXPAND AT WALLOPS.
THAT REQUIREMENT, UH, ON THE NASA SIDE IS, IS GOING TO BE, UM, UH, MORE CONSTRAINED.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO BE AS AGILE AS WE CAN ON THE NASA SIDE TO HELP FACILITATE WHERE THE AGENCY WANTS TO GO.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DRAFTING A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR THE WALLOPS AIRFIELD, UH, LOOKING TO OFFER IT FOR OUTSIDE, UH, ENTITY TO COME OPERATE IT FOR PROFIT AND TO SUPPORT THESE OTHER ENTITIES.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR NEW PARTNER, UH, SPACE CENTER AUSTRALIA.
UH, IT'S A US COMPANY HEADQUARTERED OUT OF VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, WITH GREAT SUPPORT FROM VIRGINIA'S, UH, SPACE.
UM, THEY ARE GOING TO RESIDE IN OUR HANGAR.
THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING AT DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE RESEARCH PARK.
THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING AT DEVELOPMENT ON THE AIR FIELD.
UH, BUT THEY HAVE JUST TAKEN POSSESSION OF THREE STRETCH MODEL C ONE 30 JS,
[00:40:01]
AND THEY WILL INTEND TO LAUNCH ROCKETS OUT THE BACK OF THE AIRPLANE, UH, SIMILAR TO OUR KIN, TO THE PEGASUS ROCKET THAT'LL CARRY ON THE ORDER OF 200 TO 300 KILOGRAM SATELLITES INTO LOW EARTH ORBIT.WE DON'T HAVE A C ONE 30 ANYMORE.
IT CAN ALSO DO OVER THE HORIZON TO TELEMETRY, UH, FROM BERMUDA BACK TO WALLETS FOR LAUNCHES.
IT'S A VERY VERSATILE CAPABILITY.
UM, THE CEO IS JAMES PALMER, UH, SUGGESTED, UH, WE BRING HIM TO THE RESEARCH PARK SO HE CAN TELL YOU ABOUT THE PROGRAM IN A FUTURE MEETING.
AND HE IS, UM, SUPPORTED BY THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA, SCOTT MORRISON.
AND, UH, SCOTT MORRISON IS, UM, VERY CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH AND, UH, FRIENDS WITH, UH, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.
AND, UH, THEY HAVE A VERY STRONG PERSONAL WORKING RELATIONSHIP.
SO ALL OF THIS TOGETHER, UH, WE WENT TO NASA HEADQUARTERS YESTERDAY, AND, UM, MR. PALMER PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW TO NASA.
UH, AND EVERYONE IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS CAPABILITY OF BEING A WALL.
AND, UH, SO WE HAVE FIREFLY AS A NEW PARTNER LOOKING TO START LAUNCHING NEXT YEAR.
UH, AND TERRY'S, UH, THE VEHICLE WITH NORTH GRUMMAN LOOKING TO LAUNCH BY THE END OF 26.
UM, AND NEUTRON LOOKING TO LAUNCH BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND AS MR. PARKS WAS ASKING, WE ARE GONNA BE LAUNCHING, UH, A LOT OF SOUNDING ROCKET AND, UH, ELECTRON, UH, ROCKETS DOING SUBORBITAL FLIGHT BETWEEN NOW AND DECEMBER.
UH, WE PLAN TO LAUNCH SEVEN, UH, ROCKET LAB ELECTRON LAUNCHES BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT MARCH.
WE'RE GONNA BE QUITE BUSY, UH, EVEN WITH THE, UM, THE, THE, UM, THE, THE ACTIVITIES GOING ON WITH THE BUDGET.
UM, WE, UH, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S ALL.
BUT ANYWAY, WE'RE, WE'RE PROVIDING, UH, LEADERSHIP COUNSELING.
WE HELD A JOB FAIR FOR EMPLOYEES THAT MIGHT BE TRANSITIONING OFF OF NASA ROLES AND LOOKING FOR OTHER WORK.
AND WE, UM, CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S ROLE IN DEVELOPING A WORKFORCE PIPELINE TO OUR CONTRACTORS AND OUR COMMERCIAL PARTNERS.
UM, THERE, UH, IS GONNA BE A MEETING THIS WEEK AT PLANNING THE NEXT, WE HELD A, UM, UH, UH, A MARYLAND, UH, INDUSTRY DAY LAST YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE.
WE HELD A LUNCHEON WITH DEVELOPERS FROM DELAWARE, MARYLAND, AND VIRGINIA, UH, AT THE ROAD WALK THIS SUMMER.
AND, UH, THE NEXT, UH, WE PLAN TO HOST IN OCTOBER, THE NEXT INDUSTRY DAY AT SALISBURY UNIVERSITY.
UM, AGAIN, UM, THE, UH, MARYLAND, UH, SALISBURY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS INVITED THE WALLOPS LEADERSHIP TO PRESENT ON ITS OUTLOOK AT THE, UM, SOUTHERN DEL MARVA ECONOMIC FORECAST, THE FIRST FRIDAY IN DECEMBER AT SALISBURY UNIVERSITY.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
SO WE CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT THE CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACADEMIA AND WALLOPS IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING THAT WITH THAT.
SO THOSE OUTREACH EVENTS, DO YOU HAVE A TEAM THAT GOES, OR DO YOU HAVE TO GO? YEAH, WE, IT'S A TEAM EFFORT.
MINUS DOWN HERE, HOW WE CAN GET THEM ALL THAT AGENDA AS WELL.
GUESS THAT'S OUTSIDE THE ROOM.
UM, CUR JUST QUESTION ON AUS, WHAT IS THE NAME? AUSTRALIA, WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE COMPANY? SPACE CENTER AUSTRALIA.
AND, AND THE CENTER IS SPELLED C-E-N-T-R-E.
THEY, THEY WORK TO A SCHEDULE, SCHEDULE
AND WE'RE MADE AND WE'RE MATES, WE'RE MATES MATES.
VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SPENT SOME TIME WITH THE AUSTRALIAN MILITARY, UH, WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING.
DO THESE GUYS OWN THOSE ONE S? YES.
AND, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING TO HAVE A TOTAL OF SIX.
THEY'RE TAKING POSSESSION OF THE THREE THIS COMING WEEKEND AT, UH, THE ROYAL FROM THE ROYAL AIR FORCE IN CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND.
AND, UH, THEY WILL TRANSITION THOSE AIRPLANES TO WALLOPS IN 2026.
[00:45:01]
WILL BE OUTFITTED WITH, UH, NEW AVIONICS PACKAGES IN, UH, ENGLAND PRIOR TO COMING OVER.AND IT'S A, UM, IT'S A VERY INTERESTING SCENARIO WHERE THE ROCKET ITSELF WILL SIT ON A SLED.
THE SLED, BECAUSE OF ARMS CONTROL, HAS TO BE CONTROLLED.
IT'S LIKE A, A LOCKING KEY MECHANISM TO THE AIRPLANE.
SO IT'S A PART OF THE AIRPLANE.
AND SO NO ONE COULD TAKE THAT WITH A ROCKET AND GO DO SOMETHING NEFARIOUS AND IT JETTISONS THAT OUT THE AIRPLANE AND THEN SEPARATES, AND THEN THE ROCKET GOES AND DOES ITS THING.
UM, THEY, UH, BUT THEY HAVE A BIG VISION.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT CONTRACTS ALREADY IN PLACE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN MILITARY.
UM, THEY ALSO ARE PLANNING FOR A, UH, LAUNCH RANGE IN, UM, QUEENSLAND, WHICH IS IN ONE OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORIES, NORTHEASTERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA.
AND, UM, THEY HAVE JUST SIGNED A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT FOR, UH, IT'S LIKE 70,000 HECK ACRES.
IT'S THE SIZE OF MANHATTAN IS THE LAND THAT THEY, UH, THEY HAVE JUST SIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO CREATE A ROCKET LAUNCHING FACILITY ALSO.
IT IS A, IT IS A VERY LARGE UNDERTAKING.
THEY HAVE TOLD NASA THAT WALLOPS IS THE ONLY PLACE THEY INTEND TO DO THIS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THAT THEY CAME HERE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED IN THE ECOSYSTEM THAT WALLOPS PROVIDES IN THE REGION.
THEY'RE KEEN ON BUILDING UP 200 EMPLOYEES HERE, AND THEY, THEY SEE, UH, LIKE ROCKET LAB, LIKE VIRGINIA SPACE, LIKE NASA, WALLOPS, THAT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR LOCAL UNIVERSITIES IS ESSENTIAL TO DEVELOPING THAT WORKFORCE PIPELINE.
UM, CLEANEST C ONE THIRTIES I'VE EVER SEEN BRITISH C ONE THIRTIES.
SO IF YOU WERE GONNA BUY C ONE THIRTIES, BUT I CAN'T PASS UP THAT YOU POINTED OUT THAT THE NAVY STAYED IN YOUR BARRACKS AND THE MARINES CHOSE TO STAY IN PROBABLY A TENT OUT ON THE ISLAND.
I GUARANTEE YOU THOSE MARINES DIDN'T CHOOSE TO STAY IN THE
THEY WERE, WELL, I WILL SAY THIS FOR THE MARINES, THAT THEY, UH, IT WAS A GENTLE ONSHORE BREEZE WITH, UH, LIGHT WINDS, UM, UH, LIGHT RAIN AND OVERCAST SKIES WHILE THEY WERE HERE FOR MOST OF THAT TIME.
IT WASN'T THIS UNMERCIFULLY HOT AND IT WASN'T A BREEZE OFF OF THE MARSH PUSHING BUGS.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE, UH, OF THE WEATHER WHILE THEY WERE HERE.
I SAW THE OSPREYS, SO I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE EVER MM-HMM
YEAH, THEY WERE FROM, UH, MARINE CORPS AIR STATION.
SO, UH, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING THE UPDATES? AND I THINK WE'LL DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE REACHING OUT TO SPACE CENTER AUSTRALIA FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET.
I, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THERE AND MEET WITH 'EM.
UH, ESPECIALLY THE VIRGINIA SPACE, THE, AS MUCH ACTIVITY AS YOU'RE DOING TO SUPPORT VIRGINIA SPACE, THEY CAN COME HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID THAT I WANTED TO MENTION, JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE'RE ALREADY DOING A LITTLE BIT OUTREACH.
YOU KNOW, UH, UH, MR. PIERCE HAD MENTIONED THE, UM, SALISBURY AREA, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SOUTHERN DEL MARVA ECONOMIC FORECAST.
I'VE BEEN, UH, I'VE BEEN HONORED TO, UH, TO BRIEF, AND THAT'S AN, THAT'S AN ALL DAY AFFAIR, BY THE WAY, SO RIGHT.
BUT FOR, BUT FOR OUR PART OF IT WITH ALL THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS IN THE, IN THE, UH, ON THE DEL MARVA PENINSULA, OR AT LEAST THE SOUTHERN PART OF IT, WE'VE GOT, UH, ONE FROM, UH, FROM DELAWARE, THREE OR FOUR FROM, UH, FROM MARYLAND AND THEN, AND THEN, UH, AKIMA COUNTY.
SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THOSE UPDATES.
AND, UH, THEY'D ACTUALLY INVITED, UH, UH, I THINK IT'S THEIR PRACTICE TO, TO REACH OUT TO MACK TO HAVE SOME SORT OF REPRESENTATION THERE.
SO MY PREDECESSOR HAD DONE THAT.
ROBERT SINI, WHO WAS THE, UH, UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EASTERN SHORE, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS ALSO DONE THAT IN THE PAST.
BUT WE'VE BEEN SUPPORTING THAT EVENT FOR, UH, FOR A FEW, FOR A FEW YEARS NOW.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING MARY, YOUR, YOUR INSIGHT INTO HOW WE SHOULD PRESENT RESULTS WHEN WE, WE GO TO THIS.
I THINK IT'LL BE, IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
[00:50:01]
THIS YEAR.UM, SOMETHING I FORGOT TO MENTION, MR. PARKS, MY UPDATE WAS THAT WE'VE BEEN VISITED BY ASEC ASEC, UH, HAS BUILT AND OPERATES HALO PROCESSING FACILITIES.
THEY BOTH CAPE CANAL AND DANBURG, AND THEY PAID US A COURTESY VISIT.
AND GIOVANNI AND I HAD SUGGESTED THAT THEY WORK TO BE ON THE AGENDA AT A FUTURE RESEARCH PARTNER BECAUSE IT'S, I, IT'S IS THE IDEAL KIND OF BUSINESS TO BE IN THE RESEARCH PARK.
IT'S THE KIND OF WORK THAT THEY ALWAYS ENVISION.
THE RESEARCH PARK WOULD SUPPORT CUSTOMERS.
UH, COMMERCIAL SATELLITES COME IN, THEY PROCESS, THEN THEY GO OUT TO THE ISLAND TO BE ENCAPSULATED AND LAUNCHED.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ROOM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, TO, UH, PROCESS ALL THE, DO THE FINAL PROCESSING FOR ALL THE SATELLITES THAT ARE GONNA COME THROUGH HERE IN THE YEARS.
UH, ON TOP OF ALL THOSE ROCKETS, IS, IS SPACE CENTER'S MARKET, IS THAT SMALL SAT, OR IS THAT MEDIUM? SO I WOULD CALL IT A SUITCASE SIZE.
SO IT'S, IT IS ON THE ORDER OF SMALL TO MEDIUM.
UM, IT'S NOT GONNA LAUNCH A 400 KILOGRAM SATELLITE, BUT IT COULD LAUNCH SIX CUBE SETS AND IT COULD LAUNCH ONE 300 KILOGRAM SATELLITE.
IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THE SIZE OF THAT, UH, PEDESTAL OVER THERE, UM, THAT LECTERN, UH, YOU COULD EASILY HAVE A SATELLITE THAT BIG.
AND THE, THE BEAUTY OF WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH MICROELECTRONICS IS SATELLITES ARE GETTING SMALL AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING WHAT THAT ONE SATELLITE THAT YOU WOULD'VE DONE YEARS AGO, YOU'RE DOING IT WITH FIVE OR SIX SMALLER SATELLITES THAT ARE ALL TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND COMING DOWN, GIOVANNI'S TEAM INVENTED THINGS THAT LOOK LIKE A FOSTERS BEER CAN STAY IN THE, THE AUSTRALIAN THEME HERE.
AND THEY GET GENESISED OUT FROM THE SOUNDING ROCKET.
AND IT'S A MOTHER DAUGHTER THING WHERE ONE CAN GO 35 KILOMETERS THIS WAY, ONE CAN GO 35 KILOMETERS THAT WAY.
ALL PROVIDING SIGNAL OF THE DATA THAT THEY'RE COLLECTING BACK TO THE MOTHERSHIP AND THEN DOWN TO HER.
ON THE MARKETING THING, I I, I, I HAD AN EXPERIENCE YESTERDAY THAT REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING, A LESSON I LEARNED FROM A MENTOR A LONG TIME AGO.
BUT I THINK, AND I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE, THESE ARE GREAT INITIATIVES AND WE'RE TALKING TO LOCAL, BUT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.
WE SHOULDN'T CUT OURSELVES SHORT BY NOT THINKING BIGGER.
AND REALLY, THIS ISN'T, AS YOU'RE POINTING OUT, THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL CAPABILITY.
THERE'S AN INTERNATIONAL MARKET.
AND I'LL BE HONEST, I FIND THAT IN THE COUNTY, A LOT OF TIMES WE TEND TO LOOK LIKE THIS BECAUSE WE'RE THIS LITTLE COUNTY THAT GETS KICKED AROUND.
AND, AND MAYBE WE DESERVE IT WHEN I CAN'T USE MY CELL PHONE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTY.
BUT OVER HERE AT THE RESEARCH PARK, AND OF COURSE WITH NASA AND, AND, AND EVEN THE, UH, THE RESEARCH STATION, THE SCHOOL, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN OUTSIDE.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, DON'T LIMIT YOURSELF BY THINKING, OH, WE, WE ARE ONLY LOCAL.
UH, WHAT GIOVANNI AND I SAY TO OUR EMPLOYEES ALL THE TIME IS THAT RECOGNIZE THAT YOUR WORK HAS AN IMPACT FAR BEYOND
AND WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT.
AND IT'S, IT SHOULD BE LOST ON US THAT A NEW ZEALAND COMPANY IS HERE, AN AUSTRALIAN COMPANY IS NOW HERE, UH, A COMPANY FROM TEXAS IS HERE.
UH, AND OF COURSE, A COMPANY THAT'S BEEN ON BOTH COASTS AND IS HEADQUARTERED IN VIRGINIA, RUMAN IS HERE.
SO WE NEED TO LEVERAGE AND WE, UH, AT LEAST ON STAFF, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT COMPILING AND TELLING THAT STORY.
IT REALLY HAS TO BE JUST AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
WE'VE GOT A STORY, WE DON'T TELL IT AS EFFECTIVELY AS WE COULD.
AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO BE WORKING ON OVER THE NEXT YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, UH, AS WE DO THAT OUTREACH.
AND TO BE FAIR, I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT AN ENTIRE COUNTY WITH WHICH THIS COUNTY'S VERY UNIQUE, I THINK.
I MEAN, I'VE BEEN IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES AND OF COURSE EVERY COUNTY THEY SAY IT'S UNIQUE.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT, WE HAVE NINE DISTRICTS, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE NINE SUPERVISORS RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S A HEAD SCRATCHER IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN EFFICIENT ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT.
BUT EACH ONE OF THOSE DISTRICT IS VERY, UM, I CAN'T COME UP WITH A BETTER WORD THAN UNIQUE.
[00:55:01]
I MEAN, I, AND I DON'T GIVE ME ONE.'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THE STORY CAME OUT THE OTHER DAY.
THERE WAS A THREAT OF A DOLLAR GENERAL CLOSE, A DOLLAR GENERAL CLOSING STORES.
FORTUNATELY IT WAS A TERRIBLE MEDIA ARTICLE AND IT DIDN'T IMPACT US, BUT I SAW IT AND I FREAKED OUT.
'CAUSE I'M IN PARKLEY AND THERE'S ONLY ONE STORE THAT'S REALLY SELLING ANYTHING AND IT'S DOLLAR GENERAL, BUT YOU GO 10 MILES SOUTH AND THEY DON'T CARE.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES IN NUMEROUS STORES.
AND THAT, AND IT REALLY STRUCK A CHORD WITH ME WHEN I, I TALKED TO SOME OF MY FELLOW SUPERVISORS, THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, WELL, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THEY DIDN'T WANT THE STORE TO CLOSE, BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE THE IMPACT IT DOES IN A DIFFERENT AREA.
AND SO IT, IT REALLY IS A CHALLENGE.
BUT THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK I, I HOPE, I THINK I WE'RE SEEING A VISION FOR THE RESEARCH PARK TO DO MORE THAT CAN BENEFIT ALL THE DOGS.
AND LIKE NASA HAS DONE OVER THE YEARS, THERE'S A STRONG TRADITION OF BACKING FOR THE WALLOPS, UH, FOR WHAT WE JUST CALL IT WALLETS, RIGHT.
AND, AND, AND ACROSS THE SHORE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FIGURES OUT ITS DIRECTIONS.
SO, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW IF I MADE MY POINT.
MY POINT IS TO, FOR THE COUNTY STAFF THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOWN TO TAKE CARE OF THE COUNTY.
AND SO IT'S HARD BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GETTING DIRECT REVENUE RIGHT NOW REALLY FROM A LOT OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE WANT TO GROW THIS CAPABILITY TO TRY TO OFFSET THOSE COSTS TOO, FROM THE COUNTY TO GIVE THE COUNTY MORE CAPABILITY TO, TO RESPOND.
SO, I, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, NOT TO RUSH, BUT OUR RIGHT IS HERE.
WE'RE ALMOST HERE AT THE END OF THE AGENDA, BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU.
JUST, UH, UH, GET US BACK ON THE, ON THE CLOCK ON THAT.
DO WE HAVE ANY NEED FOR A CLOSED SESSION? NO NEED FOR A CLOSED SESSION.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURN.