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UH, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, IF YOU[Board of Supervisors on August 20, 2025.]
DO HAVE A CELL PHONE, IF YOU DON'T MIND PUTTING IT ON SILENT OR VIBRATE FOR THE, UM, DURATION OF THE MEETING, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, THEN YOU'RE ABLE TO STAND.
UH, WHAT STANDS FOR THE INVOCATION? OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
MEETING, ALLOW US TO DO OUR WORK THROUGH YOUR WILL.
PLEDGES TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UH, WE DO HAVE TWO, UH, SUPERVISOR, UM, WITH US, GONNA BE WITH US REMOTELY TONIGHT.
SO SUPERVISORS, TARA AND PARKS NOTIFIED ME EARLY TODAY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE THIS EVENING'S MEETING REMOTELY BECAUSE SUPERVISOR, UH, TARA HAS A FAMILY ILLNESS AND SUPERVISOR PARKS IS OUTTA TOWN ON BUSINESS.
OUR ADOPTED, UM, REMOTE PARTICIPATION POLICY REQUIRES THAT ALL REQUESTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS TO REMOTE PARTICIPATION IN A PUBLIC MEETING MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE CHAIR IN WRITING ON OR BEFORE THE DAY OF THE MEETING.
AND SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THIS BOARD, I CAN ATTEST THAT THE REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY RECEIVED WAS RECEIVED BY ME IN WRITING ON 8 20 25.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, SUPERVISOR TAR AND SUPERVISOR PARKS ARE CURRENTLY CONNECTED VIA ZOOM TO THIS MEETING.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR, I CAN.
UH, FOR THE RECORD, SUPERVISOR TAR, WOULD YOU STATE THE REASON YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY AND THE EXACT LOCATION FROM WHERE YOU'RE PARTICIPATING? I'M AT 7 0 7 9 WAYNE ROAD ON SUGAR CREEK, VIRGINIA.
AND I'M UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE DUE TO A FAMILY ILLNESS.
UH, WOULD YOU STATE THE REASON YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY IN THE EXACT LOCATION FROM WHERE YOU'RE PARTICIPATING? YES, MR. CHAIR.
I AM, UH, ON A, UH, BUSINESS TRIP IN SUPPORT OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
I'M CURRENTLY LOCATED AT THE STATE MEGA SHELTER, UH, AT LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY OF ALEXANDRIA IN ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA.
SUPERVISOR PARKS, MEMBERS OF BOARD.
SINCE WE HAVE A QUORUM, UH, LY ASSEMBLED HERE TONIGHT WITH SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, TO ALLOW SUPERVISOR CALL AND PARKS TO REMOTELY PARTICIPATE IN THE NINTH'S MEETING.
ALL OPPOSED? MOTION TO CARRIED.
ALRIGHT, ITEM ONE FOUR, ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY, UH, SECONDED, UH, TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED CARRIES.
UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS? ANYBODY SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? THANK YOU.
UM, UH, THREE, ONE CONSIDERING MINUTES MOVE.
SECOND TO, UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UH, WE ARE GONNA MOVE, WE ARE HOLDING THAT.
WE'RE MOVING THAT TILL NEXT MONTH.
WE HAVE ANOTHER STAFF RECOGNITION.
DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AS SOME OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO BRING CERTAIN STORIES OR EVENTS TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT INVOLVE HIGHLIGHTING A MEMBER OF THE COUNTY STAFF.
I'VE HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO DO JUST THAT.
OVER THE PAST NINE YEARS, I'VE SHARED CERTIFICATIONS THAT STAFF HAVE ACHIEVED RECOGNITION AND THANK YOU NOTES FROM THE PUBLIC, ACKNOWLEDGING A STAFF MEMBER WHO PROVIDED EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXAMPLES OF THE MANY VOLUNTEER HOURS OUR STAFF PROVIDES BACK OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE LIVE.
BUT TONIGHT'S RECOGNITION IS TRULY SPECIAL BECAUSE IT HIGHLIGHTS ONE OF OUR STAFF LOOKING OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE BOTH THE BOARD AND OUR STAFF SHOULD FEEL VERY PROUD OF ONE OF THEIR OWN.
ON THURSDAY, JULY 3RD, THE CUSP OF A HOLIDAY WEEKEND, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OFFICE RECEIVED A CALL.
GINGER HARMON HAD NOTICED THAT ONE OF HER COLLEAGUES DID NOT APPEAR TO BE THEMSELVES.
IT WASN'T ANYTHING EXTREME OR NOTICEABLE, JUST SOME MINOR INDICATION OF A LOST TRAIN OF THOUGHT OR SEARCHING FOR A WORD.
BUT IT WAS SUFFICIENT ENOUGH THAT MS. HARMAN ACTED QUICKLY AND CALMLY.
SHE ENSURED THAT HER COLLEAGUE TOOK A SEAT WHILE USING HER CELL PHONE TO CALL ME.
SHE DESCRIBED THE SITUATION SUCCINCTLY.
HER COLLEAGUE WAS STRUGGLING TO SPEAK, BUT
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NOT EXACTLY MAKING SENSE.9 1 1 WAS CALLED AS WELL AS DIRECTOR PRUITT TO LET HIM KNOW THAT IT WAS A COUNTY EMPLOYEE AND ALL THE ASSORTED RESPONSES AND PROCESSES HAPPENED.
WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE COLLEAGUE SEATED RELATIVELY CALM WHILE WAITING.
THE ARRIVAL OF OUR DPS FIRST RESPONDERS.
MS. HARMON HAS BEEN WITH THE COUNTY STARTING IN PARKS AND RECREATION IN THE SUMMER PROGRAM BACK IN 2015.
MUCH OF HER EARLY TRAINING CAME THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, AS WELL AS WORKING FOR THE YAKIMA COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM AS A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER COMING BACK TO THE COUNTY THE SPRING OF 2020.
AND SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN OUR PLAN TO PIVOT AND PROVIDE THE SUMMER USDA FOOD PROGRAM IN THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC WITH DRIVE-THROUGH PICKUP MEALS AND ACTIVITY BAGS AND BOXES SO THAT THE PROGRAM COULD STILL BE DELIVERED EVEN THOUGH CAMPS, PARKS, ET CETERA WERE STILL CLOSED.
MS. HARMON WAS HIRED AS A FULL-TIME MEMBER OF THE STAFF IN JANUARY OF 2021.
THROUGH HER ASSORTED TRAININGS AND CPR FIRST AID, MANAGING STRESSFUL SITUATIONS, ET CETERA, SHE WAS THE PERFECT PERSON TO SPOT THAT HER COLLEAGUE WAS EXPERIENCING A LACK OF BLOOD FLOW TO THE BRAIN.
AND HER SIF SWIFT RESPONSE TRULY MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE FROM THE TIME SHE NOTICED THAT INITIAL UNUSUAL LOST TRAIN OF THOUGHT TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TRANSPORTING THE STAFF MEMBER TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL WAS 20 MINUTES.
YOU HAVE NO DOUBT HEARD OF THE GOLDEN HOUR IN STROKE CARE AS IT RELATES TO THOSE CRUCIAL MINUTES WHERE PROMPT RECEIPT OF CLOT BUSTING DRUGS CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE OUTCOME AND MAXIMIZE THE CHANCE OF RECOVERY.
MS. HARMON'S COLLEAGUE RETURNED TO WORK THE FOLLOWING WEEK PRIVATELY.
I HAVE CALLED HER OUR GOLD STAR, AND TONIGHT I AM SO DELIGHTED TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE HER ACTIONS AND SHARE THEM WITH YOU.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU WILL BE AS PROUD OF HER AND AS GRATEFUL AS I'M THANK ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND THE REST OF THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, YOUR THANK YOU, ANDREW.
NEXT WOULD BE, UM, CONSENT AGENDA.
I HOPE EVERYONE'S HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK IT OVER.
WOULD YOUR PLEASURE MOVE SECOND.
SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL IN FAVOR? A ALL OPPOSED AYE.
UH, NEXT THING, THE REPORT FROM PUBLIC, UH, FROM PUBLIC OFFICES.
WE'LL HAVE A, A BRIEFING FROM DAVID PIERCE, DIRECTOR OF NASAS WALLETS FLIGHT FACILITY.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE THIS EVENING AND TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT OF NASA WALLETS AND ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON NASA WALLOPS.
IT'S A TIME OF GREAT TRANSITION AS WE WORK TOWARD IMPLEMENTING, UH, THE PRESIDENT'S VISION TO RETURN TO THE MOON AND GO ON TO MARS.
UH, PLEASE RECALL THAT, UH, WALLOPS JUST CELEBRATED ITS 80TH BIRTHDAY AT THE END OF JUNE, UH, THIS YEAR, AND THE WORK OF WALLOPS IN THOSE EARLY DAYS.
AS THE FACILITY BEGAN DEVELOPING THE ABILITY FOR OUR COUNTRY TO HELP, UH, NASA PUT PEOPLE ON INTO ORBIT AND THEN TO SEND PEOPLE TO THE MOON BACK IN THE SIXTIES, WE HAVE A RICH HISTORY, A STORIED FACILITY.
CURRENTLY, WALLOPS IS AT AN ACTIVE LAUNCH SITE AND OPERATES NUMEROUS LAUNCHES EVERY YEAR.
AS A RESULT, MAINTAINING CONTINUITY OF WALLOPS OPERATIONS.
TODAY IS AT THE VERY CORE OF NASA'S MISSION.
WE ARE PROUD TO BE ADVANCING INNOVATION IN SPACE EXPLORATION, COMMERCIAL AEROSPACE INDUSTRY WITH VIRGINIA SPACE, INCLUDING SPACE, AERONAUTICS AND AVIATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH.
AND RIGHT HERE AT WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
NASA'S WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY CONTINUES TO PROVIDE NASA'S ONLY GOVERNMENT OWNED LAUNCH RANGE, ENABLING COST EFFECTIVE SUBORBITAL,
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SMALL SATELLITE, AND MEDIUM CLASS ORBITAL MISSIONS, AND SUPPORTS RAPID RESPONSE CAPABILITIES FOR OUR COUNTRY, FOR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, FOR EXPLORATION, AND FOR NATIONAL SECURITY.WALLOPS IS ONE OF ONLY FOUR ORBITAL LAUNCH SITES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND NASA'S ONLY OWNED LAUNCH RANGE SPECIALIZING IN SUBORBITAL AND ORBITAL MISSIONS.
IT OFFERS FLEXIBLE COST-EFFECTIVE LAUNCH SERVICES FOR BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND FOR THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR.
YOU WELL KNOW THAT WALLOPS IS WELL ALIGNED TO ENABLE, TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE PRESIDENT'S VISION OF RETURNING TO THE MOON AND GOING TO MARS.
I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF A MISSION UPDATE.
WE ARE BUSY ON WALLOPS ISLAND BUILDING.
WE'RE BUILDING NEW LAUNCH CAPABILITIES SUCH AS ROCKET LABS, NEW NEUTRON LAUNCH PAD.
THE GOVERNOR WILL BE HERE AT THE END OF THE MONTH TO CUT THE RIBBON ON THAT LAUNCH PATH.
AND WHILE NASA AND WALLOPS ARE IN TRANSITION, WALLOPS CONTINUES TO BE A VITAL NATIONAL CAPABILITY.
GODDARD WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY CONTINUES TO PROVIDE RESPONSIVE, ASSURED ACCESS TO SPACE FOR NASA FOR DOD AND FOR COMMERCIAL PARTNERS.
I'LL POINT OUT THAT, UH, HERE BY THAT, UNDERNEATH THE BLACKWATER TOWER IS WHERE THE NEW NEUTRON LAUNCH PAD IS BEING BUILT.
FOR INSTANCE, ROCKET LAB IS WORKING TO BRING COMPONENTS FROM THEIR MIDDLE RIVER FACILITY, EAST BALTIMORE.
THE, THE ROCKET'S 23 FEET IN DIAMETER.
THEY'RE GONNA PUT IT ON A BARGE IN EAST BALTIMORE AT THE MIDDLE RIVER FACILITY, FLOAT IT BY, BARGE DOWN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, GO OUT THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE TUNNEL AREA, COME UP ON THE OUTSIDE ON THE OCEAN, GO IN TIGA INLET, COME DOWN SLOOP GUT, AND THEN PUT THOSE COMPONENTS UP ON OUR, OUR BOAT DOCK, UH, ON WA ON THE BACKSIDE OF WALLOPS ISLAND ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF, OF, OF WALLOPS ISLAND.
AND THEN CARRY IT OVER TO THEIR INTEGRATION FACILITY ACROSS OUR BRIDGE AND JUST OUTSIDE THE GATES AT WALLOPS ISLAND, WHERE THEY'LL CONSTRUCT THIS ROCKET AND THEN THEY'LL BRING IT BACK ONTO WALLOPS ISLAND TO LAUNCH IT.
IT'LL BE THE LARGEST ROCKET WE'VE EVER LAUNCHED AT WALLOPS.
NEUTRON LAUNCH VEHICLE MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA OF COMMERCIAL SPACE FLIGHT AT WALLETS.
THIS IS NOT JUST ANOTHER, ROCKET NEUTRON IS A NEXT GENERATION MEDIUM LIFT, REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE DESIGNED FOR RAPID HIGH CADENCE OF LAUNCH.
YOU'VE SEEN, UH, ELON MUSK AND, AND SPACEX WHERE THEY'LL LAUNCH, THEY'LL RECOVER THAT FIRST STAGE.
IT'LL FLY BACK TO A BARGE OR ON LAND.
WE'RE GONNA DO THAT WITH NEUTRON.
THE FIRST LAUNCH WILL GO IN THE WATER.
AFTER THAT, THEY'LL LAUNCH AND THEY'LL, WE'LL, THEY WILL RECOVER IT ON A BARGE.
EVENTUALLY WE'LL GET GOOD ENOUGH TO WHERE WE'LL ALLOW IT TO LAND ON THE SOUTH END OF WALLOPS ISLAND.
IT REDUCES THE COST AND IT SPEEDS UP THE RECOVERY SO THAT THEY CAN REFURBISH IT AND FLY IT.
AGAIN, ALWAYS LOOKING TO BE SAFE.
WALLOPS IS BECOMING ALSO A HUB FOR HYPERSONICS RESEARCH AND TESTING.
HYPERSONICS IS WHEN A ROCKET CAN FLY GREATER THAN MACH EIGHT, AND IT CAN MANEUVER UTILIZING BOTH OUR SUBORBITAL AND LARGER VEHICLE CAPABILITIES.
WALLOPS HAS ALSO EXPANDED OUR UAS OR DRONE CAPABILITIES AT WALLOPS AND ALONG WITH THE HYPERSONIC PORTFOLIO.
AND WE HAVE NOW EXECUTED NEW AGREEMENTS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IN SUPPORT OF HYPERSONIC RESEARCH.
WE SIGNED A 10 YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THE DOD TO LAUNCH 200 HYPERSONIC ROCKETS TO SUPPORT THE RESEARCH OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
THAT'S A STEADY AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE WALLOPS HAS TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
FURTHER WALLOPS IS EXPANDING ITS LAUNCH CAPABILITIES TO ACCOMMODATE A GREATER NUMBER OF LAUNCHES.
YOU'VE SEEN ME TALK ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST.
OUR CURRENT PLANS ARE TO INCREASE FROM ABOUT 18 LAUNCHES A YEAR AT WALLOPS TO ABOUT 52 LAUNCHES A YEAR AT WALLOPS BY 2033.
THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT FOR WALLOPS.
THIS INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION OF NEW LAUNCH PADS.
WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE OVER 10 NEW LAUNCH PADS OR 10 LAUNCH PADS
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IN A COUPLE YEARS, INCLUDING THIS NEUTRON PAD INTEGRATION OF NEW LAUNCH TECHNOLOGIES LIKE THE AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT TERMINATION SOFTWARE THAT I'VE COME HERE AND TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE SOMEBODY TO SIT ON A RED BUTTON TO, UH, TO, UH, TERMINATE THE LAUNCH AND IT RECEIVES A GPS SIGNAL TO THE ROCKET.
AND IF THE ROCKET'S NOT FLYING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, IT AUTOMATICALLY TAKES ITSELF OUT.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T NEED ALL THESE RADARS AND, AND YOU DON'T NEED ALL THESE PEOPLE TO DO THAT PARTICULAR LAUNCH.
SO IT LOWERS THE COST FOR COMPANIES LIKE ROCKET LAB, NASA'S ONGOING SUPPORT AND INVESTMENT IN WALLOPS, FOR INSTANCE, FOR OUR NEW BRIDGE.
UM, THE BRIDGE IS OUTTA SIGHT ON THIS PICTURE, BUT AS YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL BRIDGE WAS BUILT ACROSS THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY IN THE MID, UM, UH, AND THERE'S A PICTURE.
I JUST SPEAK IT INTO EXISTENCE.
SO THAT WAS, UH, THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY, UH, BACK IN THE LATE FIFTIES WHEN THAT BRIDGE WAS BUILT, THAT BODE BRIDGE.
AND SO IT WAS BODE LIKE THAT SO SHIPS COULD GO UNDERNEATH IT.
UM, OF COURSE, THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY DOES NOT RUN THERE ANY LONGER, AND, UH, YOU'D NEED TO DREDGE IT, UH, TO DO SOMETHING.
BUT YOU SEE THAT BECAUSE OF THE CONGRESS WORKING WITH NASA, THEY FUNDED $103 MILLION.
UH, AND, AND, AND, UH, UH, STARTED THE PROJECT WITH THE, UM, UH, THE, UH, FEDERAL HIGHWAYS ADMINISTRATION.
AND WE'RE BUILDING A NEW BRIDGE ON THE NORTH SIDE, OR LOOKING AT THAT PICTURE TO THE RIGHT OF THE EXISTING BRIDGE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S TWO FIELD GOAL POSTS AND THERE'S TWO CRANES ON EITHER SIDE.
AND THEY'RE GONNA BE BUILDING THIS FLATTER BRIDGE FROM EACH SIDE.
AND I PRAY EVERY NIGHT THAT THAT BRIDGE WILL BE LINED UP WHEN IT, IT GETS TOGETHER
IT SHOULD BE DONE BY APRIL OF, UH, 2028.
AND THAT WILL ALLOW OF COURSE FOR US TO BRING OVER THE ROCKET LAB ROCKETS THAT ARE BEING INTEGRATED JUST ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE, UH, THE GATE.
A AS YOU KNOW, VIRGINIA SPACE HAS WORKED TO BUY OTHER PROPERTY OVER THERE.
THERE'LL BE OTHER LAUNCH COMPANIES, UH, OUT THERE IN THAT FARM FIELD ACROSS FROM ROCKET LAB, AND THEY TOO WILL USE THAT BRIDGE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WORKING WITH NASA.
NASA HAS ALSO INVESTED IN BEACH REPLENISHMENT, FUNDING NEARLY $48 MILLION TO PROVIDE FOR, UM, THE PROTECTION OF OUR $1.5 BILLION IN LAUNCH ASSETS OUT ON WALLOPS ISLAND.
THAT WORKS UNDERWAY NOW WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND NASA GODDARD CONTINUES TO WORK OTHER PROJECTS, UM, FIBER OPTIC CABLE RUNNING FROM THE BASE TO THE ISLAND.
UM, ALSO TO BRING HIGH DATA TO ROCKET LAB AND TO BRING NEUTRON ONTO WALLOPS ISLAND.
JUST NEXT MONTH, UM, WALLOPS IS SEEING AN EXPANSION IN ITS LAUNCH SERVICES TO COMMERCIAL AND DOD LAUNCH SECTOR.
AND IT OFFERS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL FOR JOBS ON THE EASTERN SHORE IN THIS AEROSPACE ECOSYSTEM.
ROCKET LAB PLANS TO EXPAND ITS NUMBER OF HIRES.
WE HAVE NEW COMPANIES SUCH AS SPACE CENTER AUSTRALIA.
THEY'RE, UH, GONNA LAUNCH, UH, USING C ONE 30 THAT ARE GONNA LAUNCH ROCKETS.
THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE, UH, AN EXPANSION OF EMPLOYEES HERE, BUILDING ROCKETS AS WELL AS, UM, ROCKET LAB MANY, AND, AND, AND, AND ALSO FIREFLY FROM TEXAS.
MANY OF OUR NEW LAUNCH PARTNERS HAVE MENTIONED PUBLICLY THAT THEY PLAN TO INCREASE THEIR WORKFORCE IN THE WALLOPS REGION.
SO LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR WORKFORCE AND OUR BUDGET UPDATE THROUGH THE END OF JULY.
AS YOU KNOW, NASA OFFERED A LIMITED WINDOW FOR VOLUNTARY WORKFORCE SHAPING TOOLS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS, SUCH AS A DEFERRED RESIGNATION PROGRAM, SIMILAR TO LIKE A BUYOUT WHERE CIVIL SERVANTS WERE ABLE TO TAKE, UH, THE, UH, UH, DEFERRED RESIGNATION PROGRAM CONTINUE TO GET PAID WHILE THEY WERE ON, UM, UH, NOT WORKING AT WALLOPS UNTIL THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR OR THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
WITH OUR BUDGET TRENDING DOWNWARD AND A REORGANIZATION AHEAD, THESE VOLUNTARY OPTIONS OFFERED AN OFF RAMP FOR THOSE WHO WANTED TO TAKE IT.
APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD OF OUR CIVIL SERVANT WORKFORCE AT WALLOPS AVAILED THEMSELVES OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
IN, IN ADDITION, CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE GODDARD PROCUREMENT REGARDING THEIR COMPANY'S ACTIONS TO NOTIFY STAFF OF POTENTIAL LAYOFFS IF WE DON'T RECEIVE OUR BUDGET.
AND THAT IS CALLED OUT BY LAW IN THE WARREN ACT.
SO THE COMMERCIAL COMPANIES HAVE TO LET THEIR EMPLOYEES KNOW THAT IT'S POSSIBLE IF THAT NASA DOESN'T RECEIVE ITS BUDGET, THAT THERE MAY BE LAYOFFS.
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THIS IS ALL PREDECISIONAL.THE PRESIDENT'S 2026 BUDGET REQUEST FOR NASA IS NASA'S BUDGET REQUEST.
AND WHILE IT'S STILL WORKING ITS WAY THROUGH CONGRESS, WE HAVE TO BEGIN TO PREPARE OURSELVES TO ALIGN OUR WORKFORCE AND RESOURCES NOW TO MEET THE MISSION PRIORITIES THAT IT OUTLINES.
NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER AND WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY ARE RESI, ARE REVIEWING FUNCTIONS AND CAPABILITIES AS THE CENTER WORKS TO CLOSE OUT OUR FISCAL YEAR AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER OF 2025.
WHILE WE ARE EXPLORING A NUMBER OF ACTIONS, INCLUDING SOME THAT MAY INVOLVE CLOSURE OF SOME OF OUR FACILITIES ON WALLOPS, NO DECISIONS HAVE BEEN YET MADE.
ANY CHANGES AS A RESULT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS WILL BE COMMUNICATED AS APPROPRIATE TO THE WORKFORCE, TO THE CONTRACTORS, TO YOU, AND TO THE PUBLIC IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW.
IN MY CLOSING REMARKS, I'D LIKE TO SAY WALLOPS IS EVOLVING AND TO AN EVEN MORE VERSATILE AND COMMERCIALLY DRIVEN FACILITY, BOTH PLAYING A NATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL ROLE.
WALLOPS IS ACTIVELY FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS IN PRI PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH PRIVATE COMPANIES AND ACADEMIA TO PROMOTE COMMERCIAL SPACE DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION OF WALLOPS CAPABILITIES TO HELP NASA GET BACK TO THE MOON.
FOR INSTANCE, WE SIGNED A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE THAT ALLOWS FOR US TO HAVE INTERNS AT WALLOPS.
THIS WILL CONTINUE BECAUSE THAT'S OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE.
WE SEE IT AS OUR WORKFORCE PIPELINE AT WALLOPS.
WALLOPS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUBORBITAL CAPABILITIES, SOUNDING ROCKETS, SCIENTIFIC BALLOONS TO CONDUCT SPACE, WEATHER RESEARCH AND INSTRUMENT DEVELOPMENT TO ONE DAY DEPLOY THESE SYSTEMS IN SPACE TO PROTECT OUR ASTRONAUTS FROM THE DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF SOLAR WINDS IN DEEP SPACE.
AGAIN, WE GO BACK TO OUR PAST WHERE WE WILL SUPPORT ASTRONAUTS GOING TO THE MOON AND THEN GOING ON TO MARS, HOPEFULLY USING OUR ROCKETS TO SEND CARGO TO THE MOON AND TO MARS.
SO WITH THAT, I WANTED TO SHARE JUST A COUPLE PICTURES.
OF COURSE, THIS IS THE ISLAND, AND YOU SEE THE CONSTRUCTION.
WE BUILT THIS HYPERSONICS PAD DOWN AT THE DOCK.
LEMME SEE IF I CAN THIS, THIS WAS BUILT IN JUST EIGHT MONTHS, UH, FROM THE TIME THE DOD CAME TO VISIT US AND SAID, WE NEED TO LAUNCH HYPERSONIC ROCKETS AT WALLOPS.
THEY WERE SO THRILLED WITH THE SUPPORT.
THEY SIGNED THIS LONG-TERM AGREEMENT.
HERE'S WHERE THE NEUTRON PAD IS CURRENTLY BEING CONSTRUCTED, AND WE HOPE TO LAUNCH NEUTRON BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
THIS IS A, UM, UH, A, A SOLID ROCKET PAD, OF COURSE.
AND THEN THIS IS THE PAD THAT WE LAUNCHED AN TERRY'S ON FOR OVER, UH, 12 YEARS.
AND THAT'S BEING MODIFIED TO LAUNCH THE NEW ANTER THAT'LL COME BACK TO WALLOPS, UM, BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND WE'LL LAUNCH BY THE END OF 26.
SO A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION IS GOING ON HERE IN THE WATER.
YOU SEE THESE BREAKWATERS LIKE AN ARTIFICIAL REEF THAT'S BEING CONSTRUCTED.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IS IT NATURALLY ACCRETE SPEECH.
WHEN SAND COMES DOWN FROM THE NORTH END OF WALLOPS ISLAND, IT SLOWS DOWN AND THESE THINGS KIND OF GRAB EACH PARTICLE AS IT COMES BY.
SO WE'RE GONNA, IN ADDITION TO DOING BEACH REPLENISHMENT WHERE WE DREDGE, UH, SAND 11 MILES OFF THE COAST AND WE PUMP IT BACK ON THE BEACH HERE, WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE THESE, AND THEY'RE GONNA LOCK IN THAT SAND TO PREVENT ANY KIND OF BEACH EROSION AROUND THIS $1.5 BILLION IN LAUNCH ASSETS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
WE'RE BUILDING UP THE BEACH WHERE WE BUILD STRUCTURES 11 FEET ABOVE THE MEAN SCENE LEVEL TO ALSO PROTECT.
SO THAT JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE DOING ON WALLOPS ISLAND.
HERE YOU SEE SUPERVISOR PARKS AND THE WALLOPS RESEARCH PARK TEAM WITH MR. VID, AND THEY VISITED WALLOPS AS PART OF THE, OUR MOST RECENT MEETING.
SO WE ARE REALLY, UM, GOING INTO, UH, OVERDRIVE, WE'RE LASER FOCUSED IN THE RESEARCH PARK TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE CAPABILITIES IN THE RESEARCH PARK WITH THESE PRIVATE COMPANIES TO GET FOLKS TO COME INTO THE RESEARCH PARK.
SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR AKIMA COUNTY DOING THAT.
JUST LAST THURSDAY, WE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE KIGGINS COME TO WALLOPS AND SHE HAD A COMPLETE TOUR OF THE FACILITY.
SHE'S GONNA COME BACK ON THE 27TH AS WELL.
UM, THE IDEA IS FOR HER TO UNDERSTAND BOTH WHAT'S GOING ON OVER AT THE SPACEPORT AS WELL AS WHAT'S GOING ON OVER AT THE NASA SIDE.
UM, WE HAD THE AEROSPACE STATE SCHOLARS THAT WAS, UM, CHAIRED BY THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA.
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OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AND THEY CAME TO WALLOPS TO RECEIVE A TOUR OF THE FACILITIES.AND, UM, JUST REALLY PROUD OF ALL OF THE CAPABILITIES AND BEING ABLE TO SHOW THEM OFF TO FOLKS BOTH IN THE COMMONWEALTH AS WELL AS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
HERE YOU SEE STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH COME INTO WALLOPS TO DESIGN, BUILD, TEST, AND FLY THEIR EXPERIMENT ON A SOUNDING ROCKET.
KIDS LEAVE WALLOPS AND THEY REALIZE, I WANT TO BE AN ENGINEER.
I WANT TO WORK IN A TECHNICAL FIELD, WHETHER THEY COME BACK TO WALLOPS OR NOT, WE'RE DOING OUR JOB, WORKING WITH ALL 23 COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN THE COMMONWEALTH WHERE WE BRING THEIR, THEIR TEACHERS AND THEM HERE TO LEARN HOW TO DESIGN, BUILD, AND TEST AND ROCKETRY.
SO WITH THAT, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO CUT A RIBBON, UH, CELEBRATION WITH OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY WHO PROPOSED THE AEROSPACE ACADEMY OF THE EASTERN SHORE, AND IT WAS FUNDED BY THE COMMONWEALTH.
AND, UH, THE GOVERNOR WILL BE HERE ON THE 28TH AND THE STUDENTS WILL BE LAUNCHING MODEL ROCKETS, BUT YOU SEE WHERE WE'LL HAVE 'EM IN CLASSES, WALLOPS PARTICIPATES BY PROVIDING TECHNICAL EXPERTISE TO THESE STUDENTS.
THE IDEA IS A STEM MAGNET SCHOOL FROM ACROSS THE EASTERN SHORE THAT, UH, THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENGINEERS AND GREAT PEOPLE, UH, THAT ARE COMING FROM THE EASTERN SHORE THAT ARE GONNA TAKE UP THESE JOBS AND, AND WANNA WORK AT A PLACE CALLED WALLOPS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
UM, MR. MR. CHAIRMAN? YES, MR. CROCKETT.
MR. PIERCE, I WANNA APPRECIATE, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR YOU BEING HERE TODAY TO GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT WALLOPS AND ALSO WHAT THE, WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR, FOR WALLOPS.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, RUMORS WERE GOING AROUND THAT WALLOPS IS GONNA CLOSE ON OCTOBER THE FIRST OR WHATEVER.
THAT SHOWS ME WALLOPS IS NOT CLOSED, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
BUT I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT YOU CAN ONLY SHARE WITH US CONCERNING THE CHANGES AS FAR AS PERSONNEL AT WALLOPS.
YOU CAN ONLY SHARE WITH US WHAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO SHARE WITH US.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU, MR. BROWN.
UH, I HEARD YOU SAY, UH, THAT YOU BRINGING NEW JOBS ALSO HEARD YOU SAY ABOUT LAYOFFS.
SO HOW DID THAT WORK IN BRINGING IN NEW AND LAND, OR HOW'D THAT WORK? MM-HMM
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ALSO SEE IN ANY ECONOMY IS A TRANSITION OF SOMEBODY FROM ONE JOB TO THE NEXT JOB.
WE'VE, UH, AS PART OF THE REDUCTION IN STAFFING OF THE, OF THE CIVIL SERVANTS ON THE WALLOP SIDE, THEY'RE BEING PICKED UP BY ROCKET LAB AND FIREFLY.
SO AS THEY LEAVE, THEY'RE TAKING THE DEFERRED RESIGNATION, BUT THEY ALSO ARE PICKING UP A JOB WITH THE NAVY AT SURFACE COMBAT SYSTEM CENTER.
SO YOU SEE THIS TRANSITION, UM, WHAT I THINK YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE IS, IS THAT THERE MAY BE A REDUCTION IN WORKFORCE ON THE NASA SIDE, BUT AN INCREASE IN JOBS ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE AS WALLOPS BECOMES MORE COMMERCIAL.
UM, THAT'S THE HIGH LEVEL PART OF IT.
UM, IT ALSO, IT COULD BE THAT, UM, UH, A CONTRACTOR IS RIGHT SIZING BECOMING MORE EFFICIENT IN THEIR WORKFORCE.
THEY MAY LAY PEOPLE OFF, BUT THOSE SKILLED PEOPLE ARE BEING PICKED UP BY ANOTHER CONTRACTOR WHOSE WORK IS GROWING.
UM, AND SO THOSE NEW JOBS ARE COME, WHAT TYPE OF JOBS AND WILL THOSE JOBS BE POSTED? THE, THE ANSWER TO YOUR SECOND PART IS YES.
AND THEY'RE TYPICALLY ON THE COMPANY'S WEBSITES WHEN THEY DO THAT.
UM, THE, TO THE FIRST PART, IT, YOU KNOW, WE, WHEN WE TALK TO SPACE NIGHT AT EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WE ALWAYS TITLE IT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO WORK AT WALLOPS MM-HMM
BECAUSE IT TAKES ALL KINDS OF SKILLS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROVIDES US ARE CAREER READY TRADES POSITIONS.
UH, WELDERS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING ROCKETS TOGETHER.
ELECTRONIC TECHNICIANS, REALLY IMPORTANT MECHANICAL TECHNICIANS.
WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT ACROSS THE SHORE WE HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES.
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, EASTERN SHORE, OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY, HOWARD, UM, UH, HAMPTON, WHERE WE CAN GET, UH, ENGINEERING DEGREES FOR STUDENTS TO COME BACK HERE, VIRGINIA TECH, VIRGINIA.
BUT WE ALSO HAD THE CAPABILITY TO HAVE, UM, A FINANCE PERSON BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE OUR BOOKS WHILE WE'RE BUILDING ALL THESE ROCKETS AND DOING THIS WORK.
IT'S GONNA BE A BROAD RANGE OF SKILLS.
AND OUR, OUR COMPANIES I KNOW ARE, ARE POSTING JOBS.
LIKE YOU CAN GO TO THE ROCKET LAB PAGE AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE ADVERTISING FOR POSITIONS ALL THE TIME.
THAT'S HOW OUR PEOPLE ARE FINDING OUT ABOUT 'EM.
HOPEFULLY I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
[00:30:01]
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.MR. UM, IF ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEARD WAS THAT THE, UM, VISITOR CENTER WAS GONNA CLOSE OCTOBER ONE.
IS THAT TRUE OR HAVE YOU HAD THAT DECISION BEEN MADE YET? I CAN REPORT THAT THE VISITOR CENTER WILL BE OPEN.
SO IT WILL NOT BE CLOSING AS ABOUT COVER ONE.
UM, AND YOU SAID YOU WERE MENTIONING TRANSITION.
IS IT JUST THE THINGS YOU'VE TOLD US OR IS THERE OTHER TRANSITIONS GOING ON THAT YOU CAN'T, THAT YOU CAN TELL US? I REALIZE SOME OF 'EM YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TELL US ABOUT.
UH, MR. HART, UH, SUPERVISOR HART, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT I CAN SAY, UM, WE, WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO IS BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE PEOPLE'S MONEY, RIGHT.
UM, WE'RE NOT CLOSING OUR, OUR CAFETERIA FOR INSTANCE, BUT WE MAY, WE MAY MAKE IT MORE OF A, A GRAB AND GO KIND OF, UM, CAFE.
IT'S THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO DO TO WHERE IF WE DON'T HAVE A NEED FOR IT, UM, WHY HOLD ONTO IT VERSUS, UM, IF IT'S A CAPABILITY, UH, FOR THE SIZE OF THE WORKFORCE WE HAVE, UH, WHY NOT? IF, IF, IF THERE'S FIVE PEOPLE IN THIS BUILDING OVER HERE, 10 PEOPLE OVER IN THIS BUILDING OVER HERE, WHY AREN'T WE COMING TOGETHER IN ONE BUILDING AND REDUCING THE ELECTRICITY COSTS AND THE COST OF OPERATIONS? RIGHT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE BRING IN MORE BUSINESS, BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT SAFELY TOO.
WE CAN'T GO OUT AND CATCH ALL THIS FISH AND HAVE NOBODY TO CLEAN IT.
SO, UM, WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE EVERYTHING WE DO IS WE'RE GONNA BE SAFE.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE BASE.
I UNDERSTAND THE ROCKETS WILL CONTINUE THE BASE.
AND THE PRIVATE COMPANIES WILL CONTINUE.
BUT PUBLIC EMPLOYEES ON WALLETS WILL CONTINUE.
INCLUDING YOU, YOU'RE A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE TOO.
I'M A, I'M A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE AS WELL.
UM, WHAT I WILL SAY THERE IS, IS THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS, RIGHT.
IN OCTOBER 1ST, NONE OF US DO, AND ALL I KNOW IS, IS THAT WE ARE WORKING, WE'RE LASER FOCUSED ON DOING THE MISSION AT HAND RIGHT NOW.
UM, GOING, MOVING TO NINE ONE, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO, UH, EXECUTE, UH, AMENDMENTS TO THE PREVIOUSLY EXECUTED 2022 AGREEMENTS REGARDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HANGAR AT OUR COUNTY'S MALFA AIRPORT, MR. MASON.
UH, CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MIKE MASON, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, THE COUNTY OF VIRGINIA SPACE AUTHORITY AND THE VIRGINIA PUBLIC BUILDING AUTHORITY ENTERED INTO A NUMBER OF AGREEMENTS IN 2022 TO NECESSITATE CONSTRUCTION OF A HANGAR AT THE COUNTY'S MALFA AIRPORT.
AS THE BOARD WILL RECALL, COMMENCEMENT OF THE PROJECT WAS DELAYED DUE TO INADEQUATE COMMONWEALTH FUNDING, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN RECTIFIED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
FUNDING IS NOW SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW FOR THIS PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE SEVERAL AMENDMENTS NEEDED TO OUR PRIOR AGREEMENTS BEFORE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT CAN BE AWARDED.
VIRGINIA SPACE IS READY TO CONDUCT PRE-BID MEETINGS ONCE THESE AGREEMENTS ARE APPROVED.
SO THE ASK OF THE BOARD TONIGHT IS TO AUTHORIZE, UH, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THOSE THREE AGREEMENTS.
UM, THEY CONSIST OF AMENDMENT TO OUR 2022 FACILITIES AGREEMENT, UH, A MANAGING AGENT CER, UH, CERTIFICATE, AND, UH, AN AGREEMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THE HANGAR AT THE AIRPORT.
UH, 10, UH, TEN ONE APPOINTMENTS.
SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A FEW APPOINTMENTS HERE TODAY.
UM, WE DO HAVE ONE FOR THE, UH, AKIMA COUNTY PARKS AND REC.
UM, THAT WAS COMING FROM, UH, I THINK MR. PARKS.
WE GONNA TABLE THAT UNTIL NEXT MONTH? SUPERVISOR PARKS? YES, SIR.
MR. CHAIR, I NEED TO ASK FOR BE TABLED AGAIN, PLEASE.
EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD.
I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND SHAW MATTHEWS SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED, OR FOR, UH, WHAT WAS THE NAME? I'M SORRY.
SHAW MATTHEWS FOR THE EAST EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADVISORY BOARD.
AOUN COUNTY, UH, AUDIT COMMITTEE.
THAT'S A REAPPOINTMENT OF, UH, MR. STEVEN BLO CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, REAPPOINT MR. STEVEN BLO.
WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED FOR, UH, TO REAPPOINT STEVEN BLOAT TO THE AOUN COUNTY AUDIT COMMITTEE.
OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES GREENBACK HARBOR COMMITTEE.
UH, WE DO HAVE A NEW APPOINTMENT THAT IS NEEDED.
AND I THINK WE DO HAVE A, UH, NOMINEE YES.
[00:35:01]
OKAY.WE HAVE A NOMINATION OF KATHY FLEMING FOR THE, UH, GREENBACK VALLEY HARBOR COMMITTEE ON FAVOR.
COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICE.
WE HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS, BUT WE ARE NOT THERE YET.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS.
UH, RECEIVE A GENERAL OVER, UH, OVERVIEW OF LOCAL PLANNING IN PLACE OF GOD, UH, GOD COUNTY EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND THE COUNTY'S ESTABLISHED OF, UH, AND UTILIZATION OF COMMUNITY TOOLS.
IT USED TO PROVIDE TIMELY ALERTS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE SAFETY THREATS THAT MR. UH, SEARAY PUT, OR MR. MASON, YOU GONNA YEAH, I WAS GONNA THANK YOU CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS UHHUH.
JUST INTRODUCE C RAY PRIVILEGE, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUST ADVISE THE BOARD.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO SORT OF SQUEEZE IN A NUMBER OF TOPICS UNDER THIS EMERGENCY, UH, GENERAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS BRIEFING.
AND SO SEA RAY'S GONNA START OFF BY GIVING THE BOARD AN UPDATE ON HER HURRICANE ERIN AND, AND PREPAREDNESS.
AND THEN SARAH, UH, MCQUISTON WILL BE, UH, TAKING OVER AFTER C RAY AND SHE HAS A PRESENTATION TO GO THROUGH OUR PREPAREDNESS, SOME OF OUR PLANS, HOW THEY WORK AND, AND OUR, UM, EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES, HOW WE, HOW DO WE NOTIFY THE PUBLIC AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO SEE, RAY WILL SORT OF KICK IT OFF AND THEN IT WILL TRANSITION, UM, TO, TO SARAH TO GIVE THE REST OF THEIR PRESENTATION.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS, I'M MEMBER OF THE BOARD.
CHARLES, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFE MIMA COUNTY, ALSO OF THE EMERGENCY COMMANDMENT COORDINATOR FOR ACK COUNTY.
AND AS MR. MASON SAID, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF, UH, HURRICANE AARON.
UH, I'LL SAY WE HAD, UM, AIMA COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PARTICIPATED IN A, UH, 11:00 AM UH, CONFERENCE CALL, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED BY THE, UH, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND ALSO V DOWN.
UM, THE PROJECTED PATH OF AARON IS STILL ON TRACK TO TRAVEL TO SEE, BUT IT DOES NOT MEAN WE, UM, IN AKIMA COUNTY OR EASTERN SHORE WILL, UH, SEE THE EFFECTS OF THIS, UH, STORM.
SO AT 11:00 AM TODAY, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PLACED AKIMA COUNTY OR THE EASTERN SHORE UNDER A TROPICAL STORM WARNING.
BASICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS AROUND 8:00 PM TONIGHT OR MAYBE BETWEEN 8:00 PM AND, AND, UM, MIDNIGHT, 8:00 PM AT MIDNIGHT, UH, WE SHOULD START EXPERIENCING, UH, TROPICAL FORCE GUSTS OR, OR WINDS UP GUSTS UP TO 45 MILE PER HOUR ALONG THE COAST.
UM, THEY EXPECT THAT TO LAST UP TO 72 HOURS.
AND AS YOU KNOW, AND HOW WE HAVE THAT MIGHT GUST, WE'RE GONNA BE EXPECTING TIDAL SURGE, UM, AND ALSO COASTAL EROSION, UH, PREDOMINANTLY ALONG THE OCEAN SIDE.
AS FAR AS THE, UM, THE TIDE LEVELS, THEY'RE EXPECTING MINOR TO MODERATE FLOODING.
UM, QUITE HONESTLY, THEY, THEY EXPECT MOST OF THE FLOODING TO BE BETWEEN THE LOWER END PORTION OF EASTERN SHORE AND THE, UH, NORTHAMPTON COUNTY AREA.
THERE IS A SLIGHT WINDOW, UM, IN SATURDAY, WE MAY SEE SOME BAYSIDE FLOODING.
UM, WE ALSO MAY SEE SOME FLOODING IN CHITE.
UM, AS OF TODAY, THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT DECLARED AN STATE OF EMERGENCY.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN ASSURED BY THE STATE AND EVENT WE NEED ANYTHING, WHICH WE DO NOT RIGHT NOW.
UH, JUST DO OUR SIT REP, THAT'S HOW WE COMMUNICATE THE STATE AND ASK RESOURCES.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH
UM, THEY'VE EXPERIENCED SOME MINOR FLOOD ONLY AND HAVE NO UNMET NEEDS.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, MR. CHAIRMAN AND OH, I'M SORRY, MS. HAR, GO.
YES, MS. HAR, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY I WANTED TO THANK C RAY.
I'VE BEEN KEEPING THE BOARD AND BOARD INFORMED OF THINGS THAT ARE TOLD ME SO THAT YOU ALL WOULD KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
BUT, UH, I WANNA THANK SEARAY FOR GIVING THIS REPORT AND WATCHING EVERYTHING REALLY CLOSE TO KEEPING MIKE ALL OF US UP TO UP TO DATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND WE JUST HOPE AARON DOES WHAT IT'S PREDICTED TO DO AND DOESN'T JOG THIS WAY IN ANY WAY.
AND AND IT'S VERY CLOSE TO US.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO GET THESE CONFERENCE CALLS OR WHETHER UPDATES, I'LL BE SHARING WITH, UH, MR. MR. MASON, OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
AND YOU, WHAT C RAY SAID IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
YOU SAW HIM LOOK AT ME WHEN HE SAID IT BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE HAVE ONE COME BY, I ALWAYS TELL HIM WHEN AFTER HE PASSES BY, IT KICKS IN FROM THE NORTHWEST AND WE GET THE FLOODING ON THE BAY SIDE.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU GOTTA WATCH IN TANG YEAR TOO.
SO THAT'S, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO WATCH THAT WHENEVER IT GOES BY.
THANK YOU, MR. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU, SUE.
IT IS A, A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO INTRODUCE, UH, SARAH MCWE.
SHE'S OUR DEPUTY A, UH, COORDINATOR FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
AND THEN, UM, SHE HAS GIVEN YOU A PRESENTATION OF HOW MACK COUNTY CONDUCTS BUSINESS AND THEN OF AN EMERGENCY, UM, FROM OUR EOC AND ALSO HOW WE NOTIFY OUR, UM, CITIZENS.
SO WITH THAT, AM I GOOD JUST TO STEP AWAY? TELL HER, GO AHEAD AND SHARE.
[00:40:01]
CAN YOU HEAR ME? SARAH, YOU GOT ME SCREEN? I CAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOU GOOD WITH THAT SOUND? OKAY? YEP.I'M SHARING MY SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
UM, AS DIRECTOR PRUITT SAID, I AM SARAH MCQUISTON, DEPUTY COORDINATOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR AKIMA COUNTY.
I WAS ASKED TO COME TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN AKIMA COUNTY.
AND I'LL JUST START OFF BY OUTLINING WHO HAS RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLES IN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, MR. DONALD HART, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, MR. MIKE MASON, COORDINATOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR CHARLES PRUITT, AND THEN THERE'S ME.
SO TO UNDERSTAND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE BEFORE AND AFTER PLANS THAT AFFECT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
WE HAVE THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.
IT'S UPDATED BY A AND PDC, AND THIS IS WHAT GIVES US PRIORITIES FOR WHERE WE'RE THE MOST VULNERABLE TO THE REGION AND WHAT DISASTERS WE NEED TO PLAN AND MAKE PLANS FOR.
TO ADDRESS THE TEAM GIVING UPDATE INTO THIS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
THEY ARE UPDATING IT NOW IS NOT ONLY MULTIDISCIPLINARY, BUT IS MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL.
SO WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM NORTH HAMPTON, TIG MACK, AND THE TOWNS IN THE REGION.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN.
AND THAT IS WHAT DEFINES HOW WE WOULD OPERATE IF AN EVENT IMPACTS STAFFING OR WORKSPACES.
AND THIS IS PART OF THE RECOVERY PIECE.
IT IS BASICALLY OUR PLAN OF BACKUP PLAN.
AND THIS BRINGS ME TO OUR PIECE OF THE PUZZLE, THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.
IT'S WHAT WE USE TO GUIDE OUR RESPONSE TO AN EVENT.
IT TELLS US WHAT TO DO AND WHO'S GONNA DO IT.
AND WE HAVE EN XS FOR SPECIFIC OPERATIONS, SUCH AS SHELTERING AND EVACUATION, RADIOLOGICAL RESPONSE, DEBRIS REMOVAL, AND COMMODITY DISTRIBUTION POINTS.
NOW, KOTE AND NORTH HAMPTON DO HAVE THEIR OWN EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER AND PROGRAM, ALTHOUGH WE DO SHELTER SIG RESIDENTS AS ALL OF SHTE FALLS WITHIN ZONE A, WHICH IS THE FIRST ZONE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR EVACUATION.
NORTH HAMPTON RECENTLY DESIGNATED THEIR OWN SHELTER WITH A LIMITED CAPACITY.
SO WE MAY NO LONGER NEED TO SHELTER NORTHAMPTON RESIDENTS, BUT WE'RE PREPARED FOR THE OVERFLOW IF NEEDED.
IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION METHODS.
COMMUNICATION IS SOMETHING THAT IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE DURING EVERY SINGLE EVENT, EVEN WITH THE MOST THOROUGH AND REDUNDANT COMMUNICATION PLANS.
WHEN A WEATHER THREAT IS IDENTIFIED, THE FIRST COMMUNICATION TO THE PUBLIC WOULD NOT BE FROM US.
IT WOULD BE FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, THROUGH CELL PHONE ALERTS AND RESIDENTS WITH A PROGRAM TO KNOW.
A WEATHER RADIO WOULD ALSO GET THE AUDITORY WARNING, SO WE WOULD NOT BE THE ONES MAKING THE INITIAL INITIAL ALERT, AND WE WOULD BE GETTING THE ALERT THE SAME WAY FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I REACHED OUT TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD, AND THEY ARE A HUGE HELP, NOT ONLY DURING DISASTERS AND EVENTS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE DURING BLUE SKY DAYS FOR THINGS LIKE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND EXERCISE CONTENT.
UM, BUT THEY WERE BETTER ABLE TO BREAK DOWN EXACTLY WHEN THESE ALERTS ARE SENT OUT BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETIMES SOME CONFUSION ABOUT IT.
WE, AS OUR WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS ARE AUTOMATICALLY SENT OUT FOR MANY THREATS SUCH AS TORNADO, HURRICANE WARNINGS, EXTREME WIND.
THOSE ARE OUTLINED ON THE LEFT SIDE.
ON THE RIGHT, WE HAVE HOW TO CHECK YOUR PHONE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN GET THEM, MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE OPTED IN ON YOUR PHONE.
WE, AS FOR EVENTS SUCH AS HURRICANE WARNINGS AND TORNADOES ARE ALWAYS SENT OUT, BUT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND FLASH FLOODS HAVE IMPACT BASED ALERTS.
AND THAT KIND OF MAKES IT CONFUSING SOMETIMES THE CATEGORIZATION REQUIREMENT TO SEND OUT OE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS CONSIDERED DESTRUCTIVE, AND A FLASH FLOOD HAS TO BE CATEGORIZED AS CONSIDERABLE TO CATASTROPHIC.
AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS VERY SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT THEY USE TO MAKE THESE CATEGORIZATION.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT CODE, RED IS A COUNTY'S EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.
SO DIRECTOR PRUIT OR I WOULD HAVE TO LOG INTO A COMPUTER, PULL UP THE WEBSITE, LOG IN, CREATE THE CONTENT OF THE MESSAGE, AND CHOOSE OUR AUDIENCE.
AND YOU CHOOSE YOUR AUDIENCE THROUGH TWO WAYS.
ONE IS BY SELECTING A, UM, PRE-MADE GROUP SUCH AS COUNTY EMPLOYEES OR BY DESIGNATING A GEOGRAPHICAL AREA ON A MAP.
THIS IS PRETTY PERFECT FOR COMMUNICATIONS TO THE PUBLIC DURING AN EMERGENCY WE KNOW ABOUT BEFOREHAND, UM, SUCH
[00:45:01]
AS SENDING OUT SHELTER INFORMATION FOR A HURRICANE THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPECTING OR EVACUATION INSTRUCTIONS.ONE FLAW IN THIS METHOD IS THAT IT ONLY INCLUDES THE MONTHLY UPLOADED REVERSE 9 1 1 DATA AND THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP.
SO THIS IS MY FIRST, I CAN'T PROMISE THIS MY LAST, BUT IT'S MY FIRST SHAMELESS FLOOD TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND SIGN UP TO RECEIVE ALERTS.
THE OTHER THING TO NOTE IS THAT EVEN IF WE HAVE VISITORS IN THE AREA WHO HAVE NOT SIGNED UP WITH CODE RED IN AKIMA COUNTY, THEY WILL STILL SEE, RECEIVE AN ALERT ON THEIR PHONE IF THEY HAVE THE APP DOWNLOADED ON THEIR PHONE AND HAVE CELL SIGNAL NON IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION METHODS.
ANOTHER COMMUNICATION METHOD WITH THE PUBLIC INCLUDES SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND THIS TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT WE TRY TO GET MESSAGES OUT ON THE COUNTY'S FACEBOOK AND WEBPAGE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO GET CLEAR AND ACCURATE INFORMATION OUT AND TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT WE'RE DOING DURING AN INCIDENT.
AND WE UTILIZE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS ALSO.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH WESR FOR THE PROVISION OF A GENERATOR AT THEIR LOCATION SO THAT THEY CAN HELP US TO GET GOOD INFORMATION OUT DURING AN EVENT, EVEN IF THEY LOSE PRIMARY POWER.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE EASTERN SHORE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, AND THEY ASSIST WITH INTERNAL OPERATIONS, ESPECIALLY DURING SHELTERING EVENTS.
THEY SEND A REPRESENTATIVE TO EACH OF THE SHELTERS AND INTO OUR EOC.
AND SO IF WE LOSE SELF SERVICE, THEY ARE THERE AS OUR BACKUP COMMUNICATION METHODS DURING AN EVENT.
OUR EOC IS ACTIVATED OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, SORRY, AND IT INVOLVES A UNIFIED COMMAND AND WE INCLUDE OTHER AGENCIES WHO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES IN OUR PLAN.
SO IT'S NOT JUST EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AS AGENCIES SUCH AS SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHEN WE'RE DOING SHELTERING OR A AND N DURING, UH, AN EVENT THAT WE THINK THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN OUTAGE.
RED CROSS PUBLIC WORKS, REALLY ANY OTHERS WHO MIGHT BE CRITICALLY INVOLVED.
THESE RESOURCES ARE EVERYTHING FROM HIGH WHEELED VEHICLES THAT WE OWN LOCALLY, AS WELL AS ANYTHING WE MAY REQUEST THROUGH THE STATE PRIOR TO AN EVENT.
AND THAT'S DONE THROUGH WEB EOC SITUATION REPORTS, UH, CRAY MENTIONED THOSE.
DIRECTOR PRO MENTIONED THOSE EARLIER.
AND, UM, THOSE ARE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE STATE THROUGH WEB EOC, AND THEY GIVE THE STATE AN IDEA OF OUR CURRENT NEEDS AND ACTIONS.
COMMUNICATION DURING AN EVENT IS HIGHLY COORDINATED WITH THE OTHER EASTERN SHORE.
WE OFTEN DECLARE LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCIES AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE WHAT AFFECTS ONE OF US IS PROBABLY AFFECTING ALL THREE OF US, AND WE'RE REALLY GOOD ABOUT COMMUNICATING AND GETTING THAT OUT AT THE SAME TIME.
SHELTERING AND EVACUATION IS OBVIOUSLY A BIG UNDERTAKING.
WE HAVE SIX DESIGNATED SHELTERS IN THE COUNTY AND WE OPENED THEM AS NEEDS DICTATE.
SO WE MAY ONLY OPEN ONE OR WE MAY REQUEST ADDITIONAL STAFF AND OPEN SEVERAL.
ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WOULD BE SENT OUT IN REAL TIME TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT THEY KNOW WHERE THEY CAN GO.
DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS ARE ALSO A CRITICAL PIECE OF THE RECOVERY.
OUR BUILDING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT IS IN CHARGE OF THIS PROCESS, AND THEY HAD ANOTHER TRAINING A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND THEY ARE KEY IN THE DOCUMENTATION OF DAMAGE COSTS SO THAT WE AND OUR RESIDENTS CAN POTENTIALLY RECEIVE FEMA ASSISTANCE AFTERWARDS.
NOW, THESE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE CAN REQUEST THROUGH WEB EOC, THE TYPES OF THINGS.
IF WE THINK THE SCOPE OF AN INCIDENT IS GOING TO REQUIRE US TO OPEN MORE SHELTERS THAN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO STAFF, WE MAY REQUEST MORE STAFF FROM THE STATE.
INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAMS ARE TRAINED FROM ALL OVER THE NATION WHILE THERE IS ONE ACROSS THE BAY IN HAMPTON ROADS.
UM, IF WE'RE GETTING A HURRICANE, THEN THEY PROBABLY ARE GOING TO BE BUSY, BUT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PULL FROM OUTSIDE OF THE IMPACTED AREA, AND THEY MAY ASSIST WITH RELIEVING THE THOSE STAFFING.
THE EOC, WE HAVE SEVERAL HIGH WHEELED VEHICLES LOCATED LOCALLY, BUT WE ARE OFTEN SUPPLEMENTED BY TEAMS FROM THE NATIONAL GUARD, SOMETIMES EVEN BEFORE WE REQUEST THEM SUPPLIES.
WE ARE UNIQUELY ISOLATED ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
SO PRESAGING THESE THINGS BEFORE AN EVENT ALLOWS US TO ACCESS SUPPLIES EVEN IF THE MAIN TRANSPORTATION ROUTES HAVE BEEN INTERRUPTED.
CUT AND TOSS CREWS, I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.
DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS OR DRCS ARE CRITICAL IN GETTING SUPPORT OUT TO THE RESIDENTS AND HELPING THEM TO NAVIGATE THEIR LOSSES AND WHAT TO DO NEXT.
AND IF WE THINK WE MAY NEED MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND FOR A MORE TIMELY DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, WE COULD REQUEST THAT.
BUT NONE OF THESE RESOURCES ARE PROMISED AS WE KNOW.
WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE THE ONLY ONES NEEDING THINGS, UM, AND ASKING FOR SUPPORT.
BUT OUR STATE, EOC IS VERY GOOD ABOUT POSITIONING THE RESOURCES FAIRLY AND WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED AND BEING CREATIVE ON HOW TO FULFILL THE ONES THAT THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO, TO FILL IN THE NORMAL WAYS.
ON THE LEFT IS ANOTHER OF MY SHAMELESS PLUGS.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ZONE YOU LIVE IN, PLEASE FIND OUT WE PUT THE PUSH THIS MESSAGE OUT TO THE PUBLIC A LOT.
IF THERE'S AN EVACUATION ORDER FOR A CERTAIN ZONE AND WE ARE MESS
[00:50:01]
SENDING MESSAGING OUT FOR IT, WE WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW IF WE ARE TALKING TO THEM OR NOT.SO THIS IS THE WEBSITE AND I POSTED EVERY SO OFTEN ON FACEBOOK AS WELL, AND I THINK IT WAS A RECENT POST THAT I DID.
SO FEEL FREE TO GO ON, TYPE IN YOUR ADDRESS AND SEE IF YOU SEE WHAT ZONE YOU LIVE IN EXERCISES.
SO WE HAVE REGULAR EXERCISES FOR DIFFERENT HAZARDS, AND THE IMAGES ON THE LEFT ILLUSTRATE SOME OF OUR PAST ONES.
THE GRAPHIC ON THE TOP WAS A FICTIONAL CUR HURRICANE CREATED BY OUR FRIENDS AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FOR ONE OF OUR EXERCISES.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHETHER TO BE OFFENDED OR FEEL COMPLIMENTED, BUT
AND THEN THIS PAST JULY, WE HAD A REGIONAL EXERCISE WITH NORTH HAMPTON AND SHTE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT LOGISTICS DIVISION.
AND THIS IS WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THEIR NEW PLAN FOR THE PRE-STAGING OF RESOURCES ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
SO WE NOW HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF CON X BOXES STAGED WITH THE ABILITY TO FILL ANY OF THE EMPTY ONES WITH THE RESOURCES WE ARE REQUESTING THROUGH E WEB, EOC.
THERE'S ALSO A PLAN FOR RESPONDERS BEING STAGED, KEPT IN THE A SAFE AREA, AND THEN, UM, MOBILIZED AFTER IT IS SAFE TO CONTINUE.
I HAD MENTIONED TO THE TAKE AND TO CREWS, AND THOSE ARE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
WHILE VDOT IS BUSY CLEARING THE KEY ROADS BASED ON A PREDEFINED PRIORITY LIST, WE FOR OUR OPERATIONS MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES FOR OUR OPERATIONS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE ROADS THAT GET TO THE SUPPLIES, THE ROAD TO OUR EOC, THESE CUT AND COST TEAMS HAVE THAT PRIORITY LIST AND WILL CLEAR THE ROADS WE NEED TO BEST SERVE OUR RESPONSE EFFORTS.
NEXT YEAR'S EXERCISE IS NOT DEFINITE YET.
WHILE WE ARE INTERESTED IN JUST GOING FURTHER WITH THIS, WE HAVE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE OTHER AREAS THAT WE NEED TO PRACTICE AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING A POTENTIAL FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE ON THE DEPLOYMENT AND SET UP OF OUR EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REALLY IS A FLUID EVER CHANGING ENVIRONMENT, AND IT DEFINITELY TAKES A VILLAGE.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY BLESSED TO HAVE WONDERFUL COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND STATE AND FEDERAL SUPPORT, AND THAT IS WHAT ALLOWS US TO BEST RESPOND AND ADAPT TO CHANGING NEEDS DURING A DISASTER.
LET'S JUST HOPE WE DON'T NEED TO.
AND THAT NO, YOU CAN'T SEE ME, BUT I'M KNOCKING ON WOOD RIGHT NOW.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIR? YEAH.
UH, MR. SARAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, MR. PRUITT.
THINK, I THINK JEFF WAS TRYING TO GET IN THAT, UH, MR. PARKS SUPERVISOR PARKS, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION? YES, I DO.
SO, OR AM I UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE EVENT OF EMERGENCY, WAS THAT DECLARED IN THE COUNTY THAT MR. HART IS THE INCIDENT COMMANDER? UH, YES.
UM, OH NO, HE WOULD BE, HE WOULD BE MAKING THE, HE WOULD NOT BE IN THE EOC, BUT HE WOULD BE MAKING HIGH LEVEL DECISIONS AND BE INCLUDED IN THE, IN THE RESPONSE.
SO WHO, I MEAN WOULD THE, THE IC WOULD BE DETERMINED AT THE TIME OF THE DECLARATION? YES, SIR.
IT'S A UNIFIED COMMAND IN THE EOC.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S A UNIFIED COMMAND, BUT I'M TRYING, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET IT AT THE IC.
I, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO READING THE EOP.
IS IT AVAILABLE WHERE I CAN READ IT? YES, IT, IT IS, IT IS ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, AND FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME IF YOU HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING IT.
YOU MIGHT WANNA GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
UH, ONE OTHER QUESTION REAL QUICK, MR. CHAIR IN THE, THE COUNTY SHELTERS, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR WE, WE, NOW WE HAVE SIX.
IS THAT INFORMATION ANYWHERE ON ONE OF THE COUNTY WEBPAGE? LIKE YES, WHERE THE SHELTERS ARE? IT IS, YEAH.
IF YOU GO TO THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PAGE, THERE'S INFORMATION ON ALL THE SHELTERS.
AND WE'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER HEARD ANYONE BRIEF BEFORE THAT AT OUR LEVEL THAT THE PRIMARY METHOD OF ALERTING IS THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
AND, AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB AND THEY BRING GREAT TOOLS TO THE TABLE.
BUT, UH, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE.
AND I'LL THROW OUT THAT WE HAD ANOTHER RFI, UH, REGARDING OUR ABILITY TO DO LOCALIZED ALERTS, FOR INSTANCE, FOR OUR CAMPGROUNDS OR AREAS THAT MAY BE MORE EXPOSED.
SO I, I, I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT I DO, I, I THINK THAT THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE DEFINITELY WANNA LOOK MORE INTO, BUT, UH, VERY GOOD REPORT AND THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
12 TWO CONSERVATIVE RESOLUTION REFERRING PUBLIC,
[00:55:01]
UH, DEDICATION OF TWO STREETS AND EAGLES SIGN SUBDIVISION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, CONSISTENCY REVIEW.MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, ONCE AGAIN, STEWART HALL PUBLIC WORKS AND FACILITIES.
THIS ITEM PERTAINS TO TWO STREETS IN EAGLE SOUND SUBDIVISION NEAR ATLANTIC.
AT THE END OF, UH, KNOX LANDING ROAD, UM, COUNTY STAFF WAS NOTIFIED BY VDOT THAT THE EAGLE SOUND PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION DESIRES TO HAVE TWO ROADS BECOME PART OF VDOT SECONDARY SYSTEM.
UM, YOU MAY RECALL THAT THE OTHER TWO ROADS IN THAT SUBDIVISION WERE BROUGHT INTO THE SYSTEM IN 2021, UM, BY ACTION, BY THE COUNTY AND VDOT.
UM, THERE'S FOUR ROADS TOTAL, TWO ARE ALREADY IN, AND, AND THESE TWO ARE BEING, UH, PROPOSED BY THE HOMER OR PROPERTY OWNER ASSOCIATION TO BE ADDED.
THE, UH, TO CONSIDER THIS REQUEST A, UM, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CONSISTENCY REVIEW BY THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS REQUIRED.
AND, UM, THAT'S PURSUANT TO CODE OF VIRGINIA SECTION 15 2 22 32.
UH, SO THE ONLY ACTION THAT'S BEING REQUESTED TONIGHT IS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER REFERRING THIS, UH, TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THAT CONSISTENCY.
SO MOVE, MR. THANK YOU, MR. ALRIGHT.
UH, WE'VE HAD A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED TO, UH, MOVE THIS ON TO THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION.
HOW LONG WILL THAT TAKE, MR. MASON? CONSIDER SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING.
ALRIGHT THEN, WE'LL, WE'LL HANG TIGHT THEN ON THAT.
UM, WE'LL JUST TAKE A FOUR MINUTE RECESS IF YOU WILL, UH, AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO THE PUBLIC, GET THE BACK TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, WE HAVE ACTUALLY A THREE DIFFERENT PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT.
I UNDERSTAND NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT EITHER ONE.
SO WE WILL, UH, WE WILL GO, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, WITH THE FIRST ONE.
THE FIRST ONE'S, 11 THREE ON THE AGENDA, CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION'S GRANT TO MACK COUNTY, UM, AIRPORT IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $1,461,100.
UH, SO YOU MAY RECALL AT THE JULY MEETING, I SHARED THAT THE COUNTY WAS TENTATIVELY AWARDED THIS GRANT, 1.4 MILLION.
UM, THAT IS SUCH A HIGH DOLLAR VALUE ON THIS GRANT, WHICH AGAIN, IT'S FOR THE RUNWAY TWO ONE TURNAROUND ON THE, UH, NORTH END OF THE, UM, THE RUNWAY.
BUT IT'S SUCH A HIGH DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT, UM, IT REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, PER ANOTHER CODE OF VIRGINIA SECTION, UH, 15.2 DASH 25 0 7.
AND I WILL SPARE THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC LISTENING TO ME READ THAT CODE SECTION
BUT BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, PERTAINING TO THE PROJECT BEFORE THE CHAIRMAN OPENS THE MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. ARE WE REQUIRED TO DO A MATCHING MONEY OR IS THIS STRAIGHT FEDERAL? OH, THIS IS A 1% MATCH ON THIS GRANT.
SO IT'S, IT'S PRETTY OUTSTANDING.
SO THE UM, COUNTY CONTRIBUTION FOR A $1.4 MILLION PROJECT IS $15,380.
THE $15,000 WAS APPROVED IN THE, UH, CURRENT, UH, FISCAL YEAR BUDGET BY THE BOARD.
AND I THINK WE CAN FIND THE $380 IN THE AIRPORT BUDGET.
YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE ORDER AS MANY POST-ITS AS WE DID LAST YEAR.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE BOARD? ALRIGHT, OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
UH, NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP, SO I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
UM, WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, MR. CHAIRMAN? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
SECOND, I HAVE MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED TO APPROVE THE 2026 BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT APPROPRIATED THE GRANT FUNDING AS PRESENTED BY OUR STAFF.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY.
SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO MACK COUNTY CODE, UH, CHAPTER 1 0 6 ENTITLED ZONING, UH, TO CLARIFY THE DEFINITION OF BUILDING HEIGHT AND TO, UH, PROVIDE CONSISTENCY AND REGULATION OF HEIGHT THROUGHOUT ALL ZONING DISTRICTS.
MR. PBIT? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
MADAM VICE CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LEE PBIT, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, ACTUALLY HAVE THE OTHER TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THEM, UH, ONE AT A TIME AS YOU OPEN AND CLOSE THEM.
BUT, UH, THE, THE FIRST, UH, THE, THE ONES THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PRESENTING TONIGHT ARE REGARDING THE DEFINITION OF THE, UM, HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS GOING TO BE WITH REGARDS TO SIGN AREA IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
SO THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, AGAIN ON THE, UM, DEFINITION
[01:00:01]
OF A, OF A HEIGHT OF A BUILDING.SO BASICALLY OUR ZONING ORDINANCE, UM, SPECIFIES WHERE WE CAN START TO MEASURE HEIGHT, BUT IT DOES NOT SAY WHERE WE MEASURE TO.
SO WE HAVE BEEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, HAS BEEN MEASURING TO THE OVERALL HEIGHT.
NOW WE'VE ALSO RUN INTO SOME SITUATIONS WHERE, UH, WHERE A POTENTIAL CHANGE IN THE DEFINITION OF HEIGHT WHERE WE MEASURE TWO, UH, COULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VARIANCES AND CLARIFY, UH, UH, CLARIFY EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE MEASURING.
TWO, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARDS TO A-FRAMES.
SO, UM, THE, UH, THE IMPACT CURRENT OF THE CURRENT ORDINANCES, INCONSISTENT INTERPRETATION AND PROJECT DELAYS.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO REDUCE THOSE VARIANCE REQUESTS AND TO PROVIDE CLARITY AND CONSISTENT MEASUREMENTS.
NOW, UM, THESE RIGHT HERE ARE JUST SOME IMAGES OF WHERE WE GENERALLY MEASURE TO.
UM, UH, RIGHT NOW WE ARE MEASURING TO THE OVERALL THIS IS A SHED ROOF.
SO WE MEASURE TO THE HIGHEST POINT THERE.
SO CURRENTLY WE MEASURE HERE, UH, TO THE VERY TOP OF THE RIDGE, BUT WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THAT WE MEASURE TO THE MEAN BETWEEN THE EVE AND THE RIDGE.
AND WHAT THAT'S GONNA DO IS PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY WHEN SOMEONE IS BUILDING A TALLER HOUSE AND THEY'RE BUMPING UP AGAINST THAT 35 FOOT MAXIMUM.
THIS IS AN ACCEPTED PRACTICE IN OTHER LOCALITIES.
I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE IN THE ADMINISTERING THIS PARTICULAR PROVISION, SO I HOPE TO INTRODUCE IT HERE.
AND AGAIN, THE DECK LINE IS WHERE WE MEASURE TWO ON MANSARD ROOFS, AND THAT'S NOT VERY COMMON HERE ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
SO, UM, WITHOUT READING THE, THE, UH, THE DEFINITIONS, UH, AGAIN, BASICALLY THIS IS THE MAIN CHANGE HERE, OR TO THE MEAN LEVEL BETWEEN THE EVEN RIDGE OF A GABLE HIP, K OR GA GAMBLE, OR SHED ROOF.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS, AS IT CURRENTLY IS IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
WE'RE JUST CHANGING THIS LAST PART HERE.
WE ARE ADDING A DEFINITION OF OVERALL HEIGHT OF A BUILDING BECAUSE IN ANY CASE, WE WANT TO, UH, WE WANT TO CAP THE HEIGHT, ESPECIALLY IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS AT 45 FEET.
UM, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO EXCEED 45 FEET OF OVERALL HEIGHT, THEN THEY'D HAVE TO GET A VARIANCE.
WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN TOO MANY OF THOSE SITUATIONS, BUT THIS RIGHT HERE, THE LAST, UH, CHANGE, THE LAST SENTENCE CHANGE IN THE, UH, IN THE CURRENT DEFINITION OF, UH, BUILDING HEIGHT IS, IS WHAT'S REALLY DRIVING THIS.
SOME OTHER ISSUES, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE WANNA CLEAN UP IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
UH, IN THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, THERE'S AN EITHER OR THAT PROVIDES A LOT OF CONFUSION.
SO THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF AN ACCESSORY STRUCTURE IS 12 FEET, OR ONE STORY, AS WE ALL KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE AN 18 FOOT STRUCTURE, THAT MIGHT STILL BE ONE STORY ON THE INSIDE.
SO WE ARE, UM, WHAT, UH, THE, WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS RECOMMENDED IS CAPPING THAT AT 18 FEET TO ELIMINATE UNCERTAINTY.
UH, SAME THING IN, UH, IN THE AG DISTRICT.
NOW WE ARE PROPOSING SOME EXCEPTIONS IN THE AG DISTRICT TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE THINGS LIKE, UM, GRAIN ELEVATORS AND OTHER, OTHER TOWERS OF THAT, UH, OF THAT NATURE.
NOW, IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, THERE IS A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 35 FEET WITH ADDITIONAL HEIGHT SUBJECT TO ZONING, ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL.
AND THAT IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL.
THEY WOULDN'T NEED TO GO TO THE BOARD OF SUPER, UH, THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS.
BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO PROVIDE AN ACTUAL MAXIMUM OF 100 FEET.
IF YOU'RE OVER 35 FEET IN HEIGHT, PROVIDED THAT YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL FOOT OF SETBACK FOR EACH ADDITIONAL FOOT OF HEIGHT OVER 35, THAT'S GOING TO PERTAIN MOSTLY TO THE AREAS OF, UM, OF AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE BUILDINGS AND POSSIBLY SOME, UH, SOME OTHER, UH, SOME OTHER, UH, MANUFACTURING TYPE STRUCTURES, BUT ESPECIALLY AS IT PERTAINS TO, UH, AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO PROCESS AND ASSEMBLE ROCKETS AT A, AT A GREATER HEIGHT THAN OUR ZONING ORDINANCE MIGHT TYPICALLY ALLOW.
SO, AS I HAD MENTIONED, CURRENT EXCEPTIONS WITH REGARDS TO, UH, PUBLIC, UH, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS FOR DIFFERENT, UM, DIFFERENT STRUCTURES, BUT ADDITIONAL EXCEPTIONS.
AGAIN, I MENTIONED THE SILOS, THE GRAIN ELEVATORS, FEED, STORAGE AND MIXING STRUCTURES, UH, MECHANICAL AND ROOF MOUNTED EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER NON DWELLING FARM BUILDINGS TO EXCEED, EXCEED, UH, 35 FEET, BUT UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 45.
IN CLOSING, FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING, WE WANT TO IMPROVE CONSISTENCY.
WE WANNA REDUCE THE NEED FOR VARIANCES.
WE ALSO WANNA SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS, PROMOTE FAIRNESS
[01:05:01]
AND FLEXIBILITY AND CONSISTENCY.THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I CAN FIELD ANY, UM, QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS AT THIS TIME.
YES, CHAIRMAN, SUPERVISOR CROCKER.
ALL OF THIS HELPS THE PUBLIC, CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR NOW? ALRIGHT, OPEN TO PUBLIC.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP.
IS THAT CORRECT? AGAIN, FOR THIS, THIS ONE AS WELL.
SO I WILL CLOSE THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
UM, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE FOR, UH, APPROVE? WE APPROVE, MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE A MOTION.
SECOND, SECOND PRO PROPERLY SECONDED TO, UM, TO APPROVE THE, UH, THE AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 1 0 6 OF MACK COUNTY CODE TITLING ZONING TO CLARIFY, UM, THE, UH, DEFINITION OF BUILDING HEIGHT THAT IS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON, MR. PAM TO THE 11 FIVE, THE PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS FOR ACK COUNTY CODE CHAPTER 1 0 6 AND TILING ZONE FOR SIGN REGULATIONS INDUSTRIAL, UH, DISTRICT.
UM, THIS REGARDS, SIGN AREA ONLY IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
SO WE HAVE, UM, RECEIVED SOME INQUIRIES ABOUT SIGNAGE IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, AND WE, AND THE STAFF HAS FOUND THOSE, UH, CURRENT REGULATIONS LACKING AND UNABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE, THE REQUEST.
SO WE'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT, UM, AT HOW WE CALCULATE SIGN AREA.
WE WERE TRYING TO BUILD IN SOME ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY THERE.
AND, UM, AS IT, AS IT SAYS HERE, CURRENT ORDINANCE DOESN'T ADEQUATELY ADDRESS LARGER BUILDINGS OR MULTI STRUCTURE PROPERTIES IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE, UH, PROPOSING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SIGN LIMITATION IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
UM, AND WE WANT TO BASE THOSE OFF OF BUILDING SIZE AND LOT SIZE AND THE NUMBER OF STRUCTURES ON SITE.
UM, CURRENTLY THERE IS A VERY, UH, A VERY LOW AMOUNT OF SIGNAGE THAT SOMEONE COULD, UH, LEGALLY ASK FOR.
AND, UH, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE CAPPED AT FOUR SIGNS FOR THE ENTIRE SITE.
AND, UH, THE CHALLENGE IS IT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR MULTISTRUCTURED PROPERTIES.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT SEVERAL STRUCTURES AND YOU'RE ONLY ONLY ALLOWED TO HAVE FOUR SIGNS ON A SITE, THEN SOME, SOME BUILDINGS MIGHT NOT GET ASSIGNED.
THE MAXIMUM TOTAL AREA IN ANY DISTRICT IS 160 SQUARE FEET, AND THAT IS WOEFULLY LOW, EVEN, EVEN BY MACK COUNTY STANDARDS.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE, UM, NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT IS INADEQUATE FOR LARGER BUILDINGS WITH CONSIDERABLE HEIGHTENED MASS, AND THAT IS REALLY THE, THE, THE ISSUE HERE.
SO WITH THE LARGER INDUSTRIAL SIZED BUILDINGS, UH, ONE, 160 SQUARE FOOT SIGN, OR EVEN FOUR 40 SQUARE FOOT SIGNS, IF YOU'VE GOT FOUR BUILDINGS, THOSE SIGNS ARE NOT GONNA BE VISIBLE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ACCOMPLISH, UH, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFICATION OF THE BUSINESS AND, UH, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT PEOPLE WANT SIGNS FOR.
NOW, THE CALCULATION METHOD IS WHAT IS, WHAT'S REALLY DRIVING THIS NOW, OKAY, LENGTH TIMES WIDTH.
IF WE'VE, IF WE DRAW A BOUNDING BOX AROUND A SIGN, WE JUST DO A STANDARD LENGTH TIMES WIDTH, AND THAT, AND THAT'S YOUR SIGN AREA.
NOW, NOT ALL SIGNS ARE RECTANGULAR IN SHAPE, SO YOU MAY END UP CAPTURING SOME VOIDED SPACE IN THERE, WHICH ACTUALLY COUNTS AGAINST THE APPLICANT.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO IS TO ALLOW, UM, IS TO ALLOW THE, UH, UH, THE APPLICANT TO NUMBER ONE, USE 10% OF THE WALL ELEVATION WHERE THE SIGN IS GONNA BE PLACED, AS OPPOSED TO BASING THAT OFF OF ROAD FRONTAGE, UH, WHICH IS TYPICAL OF A, OF A SIGN ORDINANCE.
WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO USE FOUR BASIC, UH, OR FOUR GEOMETRIC SHAPES, UM, EITHER A RECTANGLE, A SQUARE, A, A RECTANGLE, A CIRCLE, OR A TRIANGLE, AND A MAXIMUM OF FOUR SIGNS PER BUILDING.
SO IF THERE IS A CAMPUS OF MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE BUILDINGS, THEN THEY COULD HAVE UP TO FOUR SIGNS FOR EACH BUILDING.
NOW THESE ARE THE THREE SHAPES THAT, UH, THAT WE, UH, THAT WE PROPOSE USING FOR CALCULATING SIGN AREA, RECTILINEAR, YOU KNOW, RECTANGLE AND A SQUARE IS A RECTANGLE, UH, CIRCLE AND TRIANGLE.
AND IF THE APPLICANT CAN USE ANY OF THE, ANY OF THESE THREE, UH, UH, BASIC MATHEMATICAL FORMULAS OR GEOMETRIC FORMULAS, BUT THEY, THEY CAN USE FOUR.
SO MAYBE THEY NEED TWO, YOU KNOW, UH, TWO RECTANGLES, A CIRCLE AND A TRIANGLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
AND, AND THAT WAY WE CAN NOT PENALIZE THEM FOR THE VOIDED SPACE IF WE WERE JUST USING A BASIC RECTANGLE.
SO WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS FOR THIS SIGN RIGHT HERE,
[01:10:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DRAW THAT BOUNDING BOX AROUND THE, UH, AROUND THE SIGN, AND WE'RE CAPTURING ALL OF THIS VOIDED SPACE.SO THAT PENALIZES THE APPLICANT THIS, IF, IF WE, UH, UH, IF WE APPROVE THE NEW METHOD, THEN THEY CAN USE 1, 2, 3 SHAPES TO, TO GET RID OF A LOT OF THAT, UH, A LOT OF THAT VOIDED AREA.
AGAIN, THAT BENEFITS THE, THE BUSINESS, IT BENEFITS THE APPLICANTS.
IT DOES END THE ONE SIZE FITS ALL, SO PEOPLE CAN COME AND THEY CAN USE THEIR FOUR SHAPES TO TRY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO, UH, GET THAT, UM, SIGN AREA DOWN.
THEY MIGHT NEED A BIGGER SIGN.
SO THE LARGER THE BUILDING, THE LARGER THE SIGN THAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED IN ORDER FOR IT TO LOOK RIGHT IN OR, AND ALSO TO BE VISIBLE.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE STRICTLY TALKING ABOUT, UH, SIGNS IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, AND WE DO WANT TO PROVIDE A CONSISTENT MATHEMATICAL BASIS FOR CALCULATING SIGN AREA SIGNS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING.
UH, WE HOPE TO REDUCE THE VARIANCES AND ALSO PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY.
THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, AND I CAN TRY TO FIELD ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES.
JUST THE POINT, BOTH CROOK, IT'S AN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
NUMBER ONE, IT'S A BUSINESS DISTRICT.
AND NUMBER TWO, UH, MR. HART, AS WE GET OLDER, WE, UH, WE HAVE MORE APPOINTMENTS.
YES, WE DO ON THE DOCTORS WE NEED TO SEE BETTER AND MO AND A LOT OF TIMES WE GO TO THESE MEDICAL COMPLEXES, NUMEROUS BUILDINGS.
YES, YOU'D BE LOST AND YOU CAN'T READ 'EM EITHER IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE SIGNS, RIGHT? SO, UH, SO THE SIGNS ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW WERE, YOU KNOW, FIRST TIME VISITORS, AND I THINK, UH, THE PLAN COMMISSION AND YOUR, YOUR, UH, PEOPLE DID A GOOD JOB WITH THIS.
AND I MOVE, WE APPROVED SECOND I PUBLIC OPINION.
ANY OTHER, ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? I OPENED THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP, SO I CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD.
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE? MAY WE APPROVE THIS CHAIR? SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED, UH, TO APPROVE THE PUBLIC, UH, THE APPROVED, UH, AMENDMENT OF THE CHAPTER 1 0 6, I COME BACK.
COUNTY CODE, TITLE IS ZONE TO ADD DEFINITION AND THE METHOD OF CALCULATING SIGN AREAS WHILE ALSO UPDATING CERTAIN SIGN PROVISIONS SPECIFIC TO THE INDUSTRIAL I DISTRICT AND RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
PROBABLY, UH, MADE A MOTION, PROBABLY SECOND.
ALRIGHT, I THINK WE CAN MOVE BACK TO 12.3, IF I'M CORRECT.
CONSIDER SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BORDER, UH, BOUNDARY LAWS ADJUSTED REQUESTED BY THE TOWN OF AN C**K.
MIKE MASON, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, THE TOWN OF, UH, C**K HAS REQUESTED A BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT THAT SEEKS TO EXPAND THE TOWN'S INCORPORATED AREA TO INCLUDE 84.45 ACRES OF LARGELY UNDEVELOPED LAND LOCATED ALONG LIBERTY AND HILL STREETS AND LYING ADJACENT TO THE TOWN'S CURRENT BOUNDARY.
SO THIS IS A, A PLAT, THE PROPOSED BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT, AND I'LL JUST TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SORT OF ORIENT, UH, ORIENTATE YOU ON THIS.
UH, AGAIN, IT IS 84.45 ACRES THAT ARE PROPOSED TO BECOME PART OF THE TOWNS INCORPORATED AREA.
SO THE, THE CEMETERY THAT YOU PROBABLY KNOW IS RIGHT HERE.
UM, THIS IS HILL STREET HEADING TOWARDS CVILLE.
AND THEN THE BOUNDARY LINE, UH, AT THIS END OF THE PROPOSED AREA IS TOWER ROAD, WHICH IS A ROAD YOU DON'T OFTEN NOTICE WHEN YOU'RE GOING BY, BUT, UM, IT DOES EXIST.
SO THIS CROSS HATCHED AREA RIGHT HERE IS THE AREA THAT, UH, THE TOWN WOULD LIKE TO BRING INTO ITS INCORPORATED AREA.
IT'S, IT'S MOSTLY UNDEVELOPED, BUT THERE ARE ABOUT SIX RESIDE POTENTIAL HOMES IN THIS AREA, GIVE OR TAKE ONE.
UM, BASED ON, ON THIS PLANT, EXCUSE ME, UH, THE CURRENT COUNTY ZONING OF THE ENTIRE BLA IS RESIDENTIAL AND THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP, UM, DESIGNATES IT AS VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT AREA.
UH, AND OF COURSE, IF IT BECOMES PART OF THE TOWN, IT'S MY EXPECTATION THAT TOWN ZONE WILL CONTROL, UM, THE AREA IF, IF THE BLA IS APPROVED.
SO, UM, SO THIS IS THE AREA THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS ON, ON THE AREA? SO, UH, I'LL MOVE ALONG THEN.
UH, A BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT OR A BLA IS A VERY PRESCRIBED PROCESS THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT BOTH, BOTH THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY TO NOTIFY IMPACTED PROPERTY OWNERS HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS AND TO ENTER INTO, UM, A BLA AGREEMENT THAT IS
[01:15:01]
SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE CIRCUIT COURT.IT IS DIFFERENT FROM AN ANNEXATION.
UH, ANNEXATION NOT, NOT SO MUCH.
UM, I'VE ALREADY GONE OVER WHAT THE CURRENT ZONING IS.
UH, THE PROPOSED BLA WILL ENABLE THE TOWN TO EXTEND WATER AND SEWER SERVICE TO THE IMPACT AREA IF THEY CHOOSE, WHICH WILL ALLOW HIGHER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
THE COUNTY WILL NOT LOSE ANY MATERIAL AMOUNT OF REVENUE IF THE BLA IS APPROVED.
HOWEVER, UH, THE IMPACTED PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO TOWN PROPERTY TAXES AND OTHER TOWN FEES.
UH, THE ONLY INITIAL COUNTY, UH, STAFF CONCERN PERTAINED TO HRDS RECENTLY ALLOCATED SEWER TREATMENT CAPACITY, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE C**K SEWER PLANT.
UH, THE BOARD WILL WOULD CALL THAT BECAUSE THE C**K SEWER PLANT'S FINITE MAXIMUM DAILY TREATMENT CAPACITY.
HRSD HAS ALLOCATED THE PLANT PLANTS REMAINING CAPACITY, UH, TO THOSE LOCALITIES WHO, WHO WERE PART OF THE EASTERN SHORE SANITARY SEWER FORCE MAIN PROJECT, AND THAT HAVE OPTED INTO THAT SYSTEM DURING ITS CONSTRUCTION.
THE COUNTY REQUESTED THAT IF THE BLA AREA BECAME PART OF THE INCORPORATED AREA OF THE TOWN, THAT THE SEWER TREATMENT NEEDS WOULD BE COUNTED TOWARDS THE TOWN'S ALLOCATION AND NOT THE COUNTY.
AND THE TOWN HAS AGREED TO THAT STIPULATION AND JAN HAS ADDED IT TO THE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR YOU TONIGHT.
UM, SO WHERE WE GO FROM HERE IS IF, IF THE BOARD WANTS, UM, TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS.
YOU WOULD BE SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR YOUR SEPTEMBER 17TH MEETING.
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH THE TOWN ON NOTICES AND ADVERTISEMENTS TO TRY TO CUT THE COST DOWN OF, OF THIS ACTION, SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
UH, I, I WOULD, I PLAN ON TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS OTHER THAN, UH, THERE IS AN OPTION FOR A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING.
I DON'T PLAN ON, UM, DOING THAT.
WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE EACH, EACH GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING, AND AGAIN, YOURS WOULD BE, UH, SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 17TH.
SO THE, UH, RECOMMENDED ACTION IS, IS TO SEND THIS TO PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH IS, IS SIGNIFYING YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT, OF THIS BLA.
ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANY COMMENTS? WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED TO, UH, MOVE THIS TO A PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR NEXT, UM, MEETING, WHICH OUR NEXT, UH, BOARD MEETING, WHICH WILL BE 17TH, THE SEPTEMBER 17TH.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION? ABSOLUTELY.
WILL WE HAVE TO HAVE OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS, OR IS THIS IN THIS PROCESS OR IS THIS ONE? IT THAT'S, THIS, IS IT JUST, JUST ONE.
AND THEN AFTER, AND YOU, YOU ARE OKAY WITH THIS? YES.
IT'S IN YOUR DISTRICT, RIGHT? MM-HMM
THIS IS WHY I WAS KIND OF HESITANT TO SAY SECOND 'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW.
NO, NO, BUT THAT'S NOT THE END.
THERE'S A PETITION TO CIRCUIT COURT INVOLVED HERE.
WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED, UH, TO MOVE IT TO PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, MR. MASON, YOU CAN STAY RIGHT THERE.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MODEL AGREEMENT, SETTING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, DIDN'T KNOW FOR THE ES, UM, PUBLIC LIBRARY.
E-S-A-A-C-A-A-A AND PDC AND EASTERN SHORE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT TO SAY TO PART, YEAH, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNTY SELF-FUNDED HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN.
UM, ONE THING BEFORE I FORGET, I, I DO WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO YOUR RECOMMENDED ACTION AT THE END, SO I'LL I'LL COME BACK AND COVER THAT.
BUT FIRST I'LL START WITH JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW AS I, AS I NORMALLY DO.
SO FOUR SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN ALLOWED TO RIDE THE COUNTY OR, OR PIGGYBACK THE COUNTY'S EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN, UH, WHICH INCLUDES MEDICAL AND DENTAL BENEFITS.
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE THE A AND PDC, THE, UH, ESAA, UH, SLASH CAA, THE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, AND THE EASTERN SHORE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
WITH THE COUNTY'S TRANSITION TO A SELF-INSURED PLAN LAST YEAR, IT IS NECESSARY TO NOW FORMALIZE BY WRITTEN AGREEMENT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS GOVERNING PARTICIPATION OF THESE FOUR ENTITIES IN THE COUNTY'S PLAN.
PRINCIPALLY BECAUSE THERE IS A LEVEL OF FINANCIAL RISK ASSOCIATED WITH SELF-INSURED PLANS THAT NEEDS TO BE, UM, RECOGNIZED, ACKNOWLEDGED, AND SPREAD AMONG ALL THE, THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT PARTICIPATE.
UH, THE FOUR ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WOULD, AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE WHAT, THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, THE, THE MAJOR POINTS THEY WOULD BE, UM, SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING, UH, STIPULATIONS.
UH, ONE, IT WOULD STIPULATE THE AGREEMENT STIPULATES WHICH OF THEIR EMPLOYEE TYPES MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE PLAN.
NUMBER TWO, IT DICTATES, UM, ALL CHANGES IN THEIR EMPLOYEE ENROLLMENT BE PROMPTLY FURNISHED TO THE COUNTY, ALONG WITH DOCUMENTATION THAT SUPPORTS IT.
IT, UH, THREE REQUIRES INSURANCE PREMIUMS ESTABLISHED BY THE COUNTY BE PROMPTLY PAID.
FOUR, REQUIRES EACH PARTICIPATING EMPLOYER TO SHARE IN THE
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FINANCIAL RISK OF THE INSUR, UH, SELF-INSURED PLAN BY REQUIRING ADDITIONAL PRO RATA CONTRIBUTION TO BE MADE IN THE EVENT CLAIMS OR OTHER COSTS ARE MORE THAN PROJECTED.SO THAT'S REALLY THE ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE MAJOR, UH, PROVISIONS IN THE AGREEMENT.
'CAUSE UH, AGAIN, IT'S A SELF-INSURED PLAN AND THERE'S RISKS THAT COMES WITH THAT.
AND THEN IT, IT, IT STIPULATES 30 DAYS WRITTEN NOTICE TO BE GIVEN.
AND SHOULD ANY ORGANIZATION WAS THE WISH TO WITHDRAW FROM THE P PLAN.
SO THE RECOMMENDED ACTION THAT I HAD PUT ON YOUR AGENDA NEEDS A BIT OF ADDITION.
UM, WHAT IT SAYS, UH, PRIOR TO, WELL, IT STILL SAYS THIS, UM, APPROVE THE DRAFT AGREEMENT AS PRESENTED BY STAFF AND AUTHORIZE THIS DISSEMINATION TO THE FOUR SEPARATE EMPLOYERS WHO CURRENTLY PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNTY SELF-INSURED PLAN.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS TODAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD AND AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO SIGN IT ONCE IT COMES BACK.
SO AGAIN, UM, THIS IS, UM, RIGHT FOR THE BOARD'S, UH, CONSIDERATION TONIGHT.
MAY WE APPROVE MR. CHAIRMAN AGAIN? I HAVE A QUESTION.
WITH THE FOUR GROUPS THAT YOU WANT TO PUT IN, I, MY UNDERSTANDING WITH THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, WE DO SOME MATCHING TO HELP OFFSET THE COST OF THEIR INSURANCE WITH THESE FOUR GROUPS, ARE WE PROVIDING OFFSET FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES? NO.
AT THESE, JUST LET ME CLARIFY.
ALL THESE FOUR EMPLOYERS ARE ALREADY IN OUR PLAN, BUT WE DO NOT PROVIDE ANY DIRECT CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THEIR EMPLOYEES HEALTH INSURANCE.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED, UH, TO APPROVE THIS DRAFT.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.
I GOT ONE MORE AT 12.50, I'M SORRY.
CONSIDER, UH, PROPOSED 9 1 1 ORDINANCE AMENDMENT DESIGNED TO CREATE, UH, PARITY, UH, ENTITY LEVEL EMPLOYEE DISPATCH SALARIES BETWEEN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY AND THE 9 1 1 COMMISSION STAFF.
UH, CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS, UH, THE DRAFT ORDINANCE AMENDING THE JOINT RESOLUTION THAT CREATED THE 9 1 1 COMMISSION THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR AGENDA HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY THE 9 1 1 COMMISSION AND SENT TO MACK AND AND COUNTIES FOR CONSIDERATION.
THE, THE CATALYST FOR THIS AMENDMENT WAS A PROVISION INCLUDED IN AKIMA COUNTY'S ADOPTED, UH, FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET RESOLUTION THAT MADE A PORTION OF THE FUNDING APPROPRIATED TO THE COMMISSION FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, CONTINGENT ON APPROVALS OF REVISION TO THE JOINT RESOLUTION DESIGNED TO CREATE PARODY BETWEEN THE COMPENSATION PROVIDED DISPATCH STAFF OF THE COMMISSION, AND THAT PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYEES OF NORTH HAMPTON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAVING SIMILAR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE DRAFT ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF YOU INCORPORATES PARODY RELATED PROVISIONS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY GRANTS THE COMMISSION THE AUTHORITY TO CONTINUE CERTAIN EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION INITIATIVES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.
AS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, UH, NO CURRENT EMPLOYEE SALARY SHALL BE REDUCED AS A RESULT OF APPROVAL OF, OF THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.
IN ADDITION TO THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION RELATED AMENDMENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS DRAFT AMENDMENT, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL TERMS, UH, PROVISIONS THAT MEMORIALIZE THE FINANCIAL AND NON-FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS PROVIDED TO THE COMMISSION BY THE AC BY MACK COUNTY, NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, AND, AND THE TOWN OF SHIN.
UM, ONE THING I WILL OFFER IS THAT YOU MAY ASK WHY, WHY IS THE PARITY BEING, UH, DESIGNED TO EQUATE THE NORTHAMPTON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UM, DISPATCHERS, IF YOU WILL, AND THE 9 1 1 DISPATCH STAFF.
AND I MEAN, IT'S A JOINT RESOLUTION.
WE HAD TO PICK ALIGNMENT WITH SOMEONE IF WE WERE GONNA, ONE OF THE GROUPS WHO PARTICIPATE.
AND NORTH HAMPTON IS THE FISCAL AGENT AND PROVIDES THE MAJORITY OF SERVICES, INDIRECT SERVICES TO THE COMMISSION, UM, RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT WAS SORT OF THE LINE OF THINKING, UM, WHEN, WHEN IT, THE DECISION CAME ON, WHO TO TRY TO ALIGN WITH.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FOR MR. MASON ON THAT? I, IF WE APPROVE THE REQUEST SECOND, I HAVE MOTION TO, UH, MOTION PROPERLY SECOND TO APPROVE THE REQUEST.
ALL IN FAVOR? A ALL OPPOSED MOTION, CARRIE.
IF I MAY, CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS CLARIFYING, THIS HAS GOTTA BE APPROVED BY NORTHAMPTON AS WELL, SO IT WILL HEAD TO THEM IF, IF THEY DON'T APPROVE IT, BUT PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, THEN I'M GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND HAVE SOME OTHER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW WE PROCEED.
UM, YOU CAN GO WITH THE, UH, YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT.
I'LL START WITH 13 ONE, WHICH IS, UH, THE AGENDA ITEM TITLED VIRGINIA'S BROADBAND EQUITY ACCESS AND DEPLOYMENT.
THE B PROGRAM, UH, PROPOSAL RELEASED, UH, THE VIRGINIA OFFICE OF BROAD OF BROADBAND ON AUGUST 6TH, 2025,
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RELEASED VIRGINIA'S BEAD FINAL PROPOSAL FOR A SEVEN DAY PUBLIC COMMENT WINDOW WHEN I WROTE THIS, THAT WINDOW WAS OPEN, IS NOW CLOSED.THIS PROPOSAL OUTLINES WHAT'S, UH, UNSERVED LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH, NOT JUST MACK, BUT THE COMMONWEALTH WILL GAIN BROADBAND, BROADBAND ACCESS AT THE PROPOSALS ULTIMATELY ADOPTED BY, BY THE MTIA.
UH, THE B PROGRAM IS VIRGINIA'S OPPORTUNITY TO FINISH THE JOB OF THE EXTENDING BROADBAND ACCESS, AND ALSO TO MAKE LONG TERM TRANSFORM TRANSFORMATIONAL INVESTMENTS INTO BROADBAND AFFORDABILITY AND ADOPTION.
THE COMMONWEALTH HAS AT ITS HAD, AT ITS DISPOSAL, 1.48 BILLION, UM, IN FEDERAL V FUNDS THAT CAN BE USED TO EXTEND BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, TO THE REMAINING US OR LOCATIONS WITHOUT A FUNDED SOLUTION FOR CONNECTIVITY AND DESIGNING PROGRAMS TO MEANINGFULLY ADDRESS BROADBAND AFFORDABILITY AND ADOPTION.
SO HERE, HERE'S THE NUMBERS FOR YOU.
AS PROPOSED, THERE ARE 3,370 UNSERVED LOCATIONS IN AKIMA COUNTY THAT STAND TO BENEFIT FROM ALMOST 7 MILLION IN GRANTS TO THREE DIFFERENT PROVIDERS WHO WILL BE CHARGED WITH EXTENDED SERVICE IN ACK COUNTY.
THESE PROVIDERS ARE, UH, AMAZON, UH, THAT WAS ONLY A $6,000 AWARD.
SPACEX WAS ONLY A $1,500 AWARD.
AND THEN EASTERN SHORE, VIRGINIA BROADBAND AUTHORITY, WHICH FULL DISCLOSURE, I'M ON THE, UH, AUTHORITY AS, AS BY, UH, AS AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER.
BUT, UM, $6.9 MILLION FOR THE, FOR THE BROADBAND AUTHORITY TO, TO SERVE THE UNSERVED AREAS THAT IT WAS, UH, SELECTED BY THE STATE TO DO.
UH, SO THIS IS EXTREMELY GOOD NEWS.
UH, WBOC CAME TODAY AND WANTED TO INTERVIEW SOME FOLKS, UM, TO, TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS.
AND I MEAN, IT MEANS FROM, FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE, FROM AN EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, FROM A TELEHEALTH PERSPECTIVE, BROADBAND MEANS EVERYTHING.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I CAN THINK BACK YEARS AGO WHERE THE DEFINITION OF BROADBAND AT FEDERAL LEVEL WAS, UH, 25 MEGS DOWN.
AND, AND THEY'VE, SINCE WE ALL KNOW THAT DOESN'T CUT IT ANYMORE, AND WHAT, WHAT DEMANDS ARE NEEDED NOW.
SO THIS UTILIZES, THE SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED HERE, HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE, UH, FEDERAL DEFINITION OF BROADBAND AS IT STANDS TODAY, WHICH IS A HUNDRED DOWN AND, AND 20 UP.
UM, BUT, UM, YEAH, EXTREMELY GOOD NEWS FOR AKIMA COUNTY.
AND THIS IS GOING TO ALLOW, UH, IN PARTICULAR TO BROAD THE EASTERN SHORE BROADBAND'S INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH CURRENTLY PASSES ABOUT 72% OF, OF RESIDENCES IN IN ACK COUNTY, UH, TO, TO GO TO ESSENTIALLY A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UBIQUITOUS COVERAGE HERE, ESSENTIALLY.
AND, AND EXCELLENT WORK FROM THE BROADBAND AUTHORITY.
AND THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE CAN REMEMBER WHEN, WHEN THIS PUSH WAS FIRST STARTED TO GET TO GIVE ACCESS OR A ACCESS TO EVERY AREA IN AKIMA COUNTY, PEOPLE WERE SAYING, NO, IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN.
AND IT HA AND IT HAS HAPPENED ONCE THEY FINISH THIS PROJECT.
SO, GREAT WORK FOR THE, UH, FOR THE BROADBAND AUTHORITY, MIKE.
YEAH, I, I GOTTA SAY I THINK THEY'VE DONE THAT, HAVE DONE ADMIRABLY ON THIS, AND I THINK THEY LEVERAGE REALLY THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE BATTY GRANT, UH, WHICH TRANSLATED WELL ON THIS APPLICATION MM-HMM
AND I THINK IT SHOWS GREAT WORK.
THANK, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, IN FACT, ALL THESE ARE, ARE INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. 13 TWO, HE MAKE A MOVE.
NO, HE WANTS TO MAKE, HE MAKE MOTIONS, MAKE MOTION.
SO, UH, WE'RE TEASING ROBERT, WE'RE I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW.
13.2 IS JUST TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE COUNTY'S CHILDCARE, OUR CHILD DAY CENTER INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.
SO THAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE AND ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED THAT CAN GO OUT AND DOWNLOAD AN APPLICATION AND READ A SORT OF AN FAQ OF, UH, WHAT THE GRANT'S ALL ABOUT.
UH, 13 THREE IS THE STATUS OF THE PLANNING GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR ADDITIONAL FOOD BANK FACILITY IN LEY.
UH, JUST WANTED TO LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT WE HAD SORT OF A, A, WE, WE PREVIOUSLY HAD A, AN INTRO MEETING.
THIS MEETING, UM, THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK WAS MORE ABOUT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND TRYING TO CLARIFY HOW THIS WAS GONNA WORK AS THE COUNTY AS A PASS THROUGH ENTITY FOR THESE FUNDS THAT THE FOOD BANK WILL BENEFIT.
UM, SO WE GOT THAT ALL OUT OF THE WAY, UH, AND, AND CLARIFIED THAT THE COUNTY WILL, AND YOU ALL KNOW THIS, THIS IS THE SAME PROCESS WE ALWAYS USE, BUT, UH, THE FOOD BANK SORT OF KNEW AND WORKING WITH US ON, ON THESE PLANNING GRANTS AND, AND WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT PROCUREMENT, UM, ALL THINGS LIKE PROCUREMENT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE COUNTY HAS TO, TO, UH,
[01:30:01]
ALIGN WITH THE COUNTY'S PROCUREMENT POLICY.AND SO THEY, THEY, WE, WE EXPLAINED HOW THAT WAS GONNA WORK.
UM, WE ARE, UH, WORKING RIGHT NOW ON AN RFP FOR A AND E SERVICES FOR THE NEW FACILITY.
WE HAVE SUPPLIED THE FOOD BANK FOLKS WITH A, WITH A A, BASICALLY A MODEL RFP THAT WE'VE USED, AND THEY WILL BE PROVIDING SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE NEED AND WE WILL ISSUE IT.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE POSED TO DO IS ISSUE THE RFP IF NO QUESTIONS, I'LL JUST KEEP MOVING.
UM, STATUS OF REQUEST FOR CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING FUNDS.
SO, UH, THE FIRST ITEM UNDER MY REPORT WAS GOOD NEWS.
UM, THIS ONE, UH, THE REQUEST THAT WE PUT IN, UM, FOR WHAT I WILL REFER TO IS JUST FOR, FOR PURPOSE OF THIS ME JUST FEDERAL EARMARK PROGRAMS. UH, THAT'S THE CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING AND THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING.
UH, THEY DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE FINAL ROUND OF CONSIDERATION.
SO, UH, THOSE PROJECTS FROM, FROM THIS, FROM AN APPLICATION PERSPECTIVE OR ARE, ARE, ARE DEAD.
UM, THE, THE TWO, THE TWO PROJECTS WERE, UM, TO GET SOME MORE FUNDING FOR NATURAL GAS EXPANSION INTO AAC.
WE ALREADY HAD THE ALLOCATION FROM THE STATE THAT, UH, DELEGATE BLOCKS AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN, UH, SECURING FOR, FOR US.
BUT THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF REDUCTION THE FUNDING OF WHAT WE ASKED.
SO WE TRIED TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS APPLICATION, AND, AND WE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL FOR THAT.
WE ALSO ASKED FOR FUNDS TO, UM, CONSTRUCT A, AN ACCESS ROAD TO THE REAR OF THE, UH, S RESEARCH PARK OR, OR THE, THE, THE NORTHERN END OF THE PARK.
AND, UM, AGAIN, NEITHER ONE OF THESE WERE SUCCESSFUL MOVING FORWARD.
SO THAT, UM, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT TONIGHT.
CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION? ABSOLUTELY.
ON THE MONEY WE'RE TRYING TO GET FOR THE GAS LINE AS A COUNTY AGENCY, ARE WE ALLOWED TO APPROACH THE END USERS TO SEE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO DONATE TO THE CALLS OR BECOME MATERIAL PROVIDERS OF FUNDING FOR A GAS LINE THAT MIGHT BE IN THEIR BEST INTEREST? REALLY, I THINK ALL THE SORT OF BEHIND THE SCENES STEPS THAT YOU CAN DO HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKEN, HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKEN, HAS TAKEN PLACE BY OUR DELEGATE AND SECURING THESE FUNDS.
SO, UM, REALLY NOW IT'S ABOUT TRYING JUST TO SECURE, JUST TO GET, UM, SOME MORE STATE SUPPORT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
I JUST, JUST THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.
UH, LET ME ASK MR. MASON, WOULD UH, THIS BE SOMETHING WHERE MUNICIPAL BONDS MIGHT BE AN OPTION? IT, IT, IT COULD, BUT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD IMPLY THAT THE, THE COUNTY WAS GOING TO PAY FOR THIS INITIATIVE.
AND RIGHT NOW, THE, THE, UH, THE FOCUS HAS BEEN ON TRYING TO GET THE COMMONWEALTH TO, UH, PAY FOR, FOR THIS INITIATIVE AND USING THE COUNTY AS A CONDUIT FOR IT.
WE, IN ALL, IN ALL THE DIFFERENT IDEAS OF HOW TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, WE HAVE ALWAYS SORT OF BEEN THE, THE CONDUIT FOR WHICH ALL THE FUNDING HAS TO, TO COME INTO.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO TAKE, UH, CARE OF HOW WE ADMINISTER THIS WHOLE PROJECT UNDER THE SAME, UH, STIPULATIONS THAT WE WOULD UNDERGO ANY TYPE OF LARGE PROJECT OF THIS SIZE.
UH, ANY OTHER, ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COMMENT PERIOD.
ANY COMMENTS? SENATOR? YES, I HAVE TWO IF I'M IN ORDER, UH, CHAIRMAN.
UM, I HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, CONSTITUENTS OR OR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAD SOME CONCERNS.
UH, ONE OF THEM WAS DURING THE TIME THAT THE GRASS WAS REALLY HIGH, UM, SINCE THEN THEY'VE CUT THE GRASS BUT IT WAS REALLY HIGH.
AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE INTERSECTIONS BECAUSE OF THE TALL GRASS.
AND A LOT OF THE INTERSECTIONS DON'T HAVE MARKINGS IDENTIFYING THE INTERSECTIONS TO BE ABLE TO TURN AROUND.
AND SOME OF THE CONCERNS WERE, YOU KNOW, IF ANIMALS OR SOMETHING WAS CROSSING THROUGH THE HIGH GRASS, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE REACTION TIME.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ANYTHING THAT THE COUNTY COULD DO ABOUT THAT.
AS FAR AS GETTING INTERSECTION MARKERS ARE AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A LOT OF RAIN, SO WE HAD THE GRASS GROWING MORE RAPIDLY THIS YEAR.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER CONCERNS WAS ON THE MURRAY MOUNT HAVE SMITH ROAD, THERE IS NO SPEED LIMIT THERE, BUT CARS GO THERE PRETTY FAST AND YOU GOT BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB THERE, YOU GOT CHILDREN ARE PLAYING.
IS IT ANYTHING THAT THE COUNTY CAN DO AS FAR AS PUT, MADE UP SOME, SOME SIGNS THAT SAY WATCH FOR CHILDREN PLAN OR SOMETHING IN THAT, ON THAT ROAD? IT CAN REDUCE THE SPEED.
ACTUALLY, AND I'LL GO BACK, JUST REFERENCE THE GRASS MM-HMM
BECAUSE I TALKED TO, AND I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR VDOT, BUT I DID TALK TO CHRIS ISLE AND HE SAID THAT THEY HAD
[01:35:01]
A NEW CONTRACTOR HERE THIS YEAR MM-HMMAND THEY WERE STILL LEARNING SOME OF THE ROPES.
SO IF THAT WAS PART OF THE ISSUE WITH SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE GRASS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD, THEY, I THINK THEY'VE GOTTEN BETTER WITH IT MM-HMM
UM, BUT UH, BUT IN THE BEGINNING THEY HAD A NEW CONTRACTOR.
I KNEW THAT WAS A PART OF AN ISSUE 'CAUSE I DID TALK TO HER ABOUT SOME OF THE SAME THING.
BUT WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, BUT YES, THE BUT THE MARKING THOSE, ALL THOSE MARKING SIGNAGE WOULD ALL BE, THAT WOULD BE A VDOT.
COULD I SPEAK MR. WA? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WHAT YOU MIGHT WANNA DO, JUST, JUST WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST, IS REQUEST VDOT TO DO A SPEED STUDY YEAH.
AND YOU COULD DO THAT IF YOU WANNA DO IT.
WE, WE COULD DO THAT TONIGHT AND JUST GET, REQUEST THEM TO DO A SPEED STUDY ABSOLUTELY.
WELL IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION SECOND THAT WE DO THAT SPEED STUDY ON THE ME THEN WE ASK VDO ASK V NOW IS THAT THE ENTIRE, THE ENTIRE ROAD OR IS THAT HAVE IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S IT'S PARAMETERS FROM, FROM THE, FROM 13 ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BE TO WHERE YOU GET TO THE CHICKEN HOUSES.
THERE'S SOME CHICKEN HOUSES IN THAT AREA.
UH, THEY HAVE SOME CONCERN WITH THAT, THAT, THAT AREA THERE.
UH, SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON PROPERLY SECONDED, UH, TO DO THE SPEED STUDY ON, UH, ON THE ROAD.
MR. CHAIRMAN ALSO MR. WHITE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO TOUCH BASE WITH, UH, MR. HALL CONCERNING THE CHILDREN AT PLAY.
HE MAY BEEN ABLE TO WORK SO OUT FOR YOU.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS, BECAUSE I KNOW SOME AREAS GO THROUGH, THEY HAVE SIGNS THERE THAT SAYS WATCH THE CHILDREN PLAN OR SOMETHING LIKE, I THINK HE MAY ABLE WATCH MM-HMM
OH, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR INFORMING US ABOUT MR. PAUL MUNIS PASSING.
I JUST WANT TO SAY TO US IF WE WOULD CONTINUE TO KEEP HIS FAMILY IN PRAYER.
SUPER GEORGE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE SAME SENTIMENT.
PAUL MULEY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST SUPERVISORS HERE THAT REALLY TAUGHT ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS JOB WORKS.
GOOD FRIEND, HE WILL BE MISSED.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, GIVE SOME KUDOS TO MIKE MASON.
I WAS, UH, I CAN'T BELIEVE, UH, AT A EIGHT 30 MEETING AT WALLOPS THAT I WAS THERE BEFORE HE WAS
BUT I WAS GLAD TO BE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE SPACEPORT, UM, THE RURAL CENTER, UH, CENTER FOR RURAL VIRGINIA, I BELIEVE IT IS.
HAD THEIR BOARD MEETING THERE AND I THINK IT'S FIRST TIME THEY EVER HAD A BOARD MEETING THERE.
AND THEY HAD, UM, MIKE SPOKE FOR MACK COUNTY AND I THINK, AND OR DID FOR NORTH HAMPTON COUNTY.
BUT, UM, MIKE HAD THIS LITTLE, UH, FLY SHOW, BUT HE WAS, I WAS PROUD TO SAY THAT I WAS FROM MACK COUNTY AND THAT HE WAS MY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
I THOUGHT HE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB AND HE'S WELL RESPECTED, UH, BY OTHER COLLEAGUES.
AND THAT SHOWS THAT, UM, WE HAVE A JEWEL IN MIKE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT PUBLICLY YOU ARE A JEWEL.
WHAT KIND OF JEWEL IS THAT? DO A RUBY
UM, I'VE HAD REQUESTS FROM CITIZENS, UH, FOR A SPEED STUDY OR TO CHECK THE SPEED ON REDWOOD.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION SECOND, IF WE JUST ASK VDOT TO DO A SPEED STUDY ON REDWOOD ROAD FROM THE BEGINNING ALL THE WAY TO THE END.
SEEMS LIKE HE'S THE MOTION ON.
SO WE, WE HAVE A MOTION PROPER SECOND TO DO A ALSO DO A SPEED STUDY ON REDWOOD.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO, UH, UH, TALK ABOUT MR. MULLEY.
UM, AGAIN, MR. MULE, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON BOARD, PROBABLY MY SECOND MEETING, HE PULLED ME ASIDE AND HE SAID, YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, JACKIE, YOU KNOW THIS IS PRETTY WELL A FULL-TIME JOB, RIGHT? MM-HMM
AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, PAUL MADE IT A FULL-TIME JOB.
UM, HE DID, HE HE, HE EVEN TOLD ME, HE SAID HE WOULD RIDE HIS DISTRICT WEEKLY.
I SAID, PAUL, I DON'T IF I'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
HE WOULD DO THAT AND ANYBODY ELSE.
HE DID, HE HEARD YOU HEARD YOU.
AND, AND, AND HE STILL WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR IN POLITICS TILL THE DAY YOU DIE.
AND ACTUALLY, AND HONESTLY, UM, THE, WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE GENTLEMAN THAT, UH, THE GENTLEMAN, HE DID NOT SHOW UP THE NIGHT BEFORE FOR A, FOR A EVENT.
AND SOMEONE SAID THAT'S, THAT SOMETHING'S WRONG.
'CAUSE PAUL WOULD'VE BEEN HERE.
AND THEN THE NEXT DAY HE WENT AND HE WENT TO, TO PAUL'S HOUSE.
SO YES, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST GIVE A YES AND HIS FAMILY.
UM, AND, UH, SO JUST, UH, YEAH, KEEP THEM IN YOUR PRAYERS AND WE'LL, WE'LL, AS SOON AS WE FIND OUT ANY TYPE OF, UH,
[01:40:01]
ARRANGEMENTS, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE PASSING THAT ON TO EVERYBODY.MOVING RIGHT ON TO, UH, BUDGET APPROPRIATION.
CONSIDER APPROVING, UH, RESOLUTION.
SO OUR FOR INTERRUPT YOU, UM, WE DIDN'T ASK, UM, I'M SORRY.
YOU DIDN'T ASK YOU, UH, JEFF AND BILLY JOE, IF THEY HAD ANY COMMENT.
I WENT AROUND THE TABLE, BUT I DIDN'T THANK, I'M SORRY.
I, FOR I, WHEN I HEARD HIM RUN HIS KNIFE, I, THEY WERE OUTTA SIGHT, OUTTA MINE.
SO, SUPERVISOR TAR, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS FOR YOUR, FOR THESE SUPERVISORS COMMENT, PERIOD? UH, WELL THANK YOU DONALD FOR REMEMBERING ME.
IS THAT YOUR COMMENT? UH, MR. CHAIR.
I JUST, I ALSO, UH, OF COURSE MR. BELY WAS, WAS FROM MY DISTRICT.
UH, HE, HE SERVED TWO TERMS ON THE BOARD, UH, WAS A VERY DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT.
UM, AND, UH, AND JUST, AND HE WAS VERY PROUD OF HIS WORK THERE WITH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE HERITAGE CENTER.
UH, AND, AND, AND WAS ACTIVE UNTIL THE, I THINK I SAW HIM THE DAY BEFORE HE PASSED, UH, AT AN EVENT.
AND, UH, WE'LL BE SOLELY MISSED IN, IN THE, IN RE DISTRICT COURT.
AND AGAIN, APOLOGIZE FOR FORGETTING YOU GUYS OUT THERE.
UH, CONSIDER APPROVING RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE 25 26 BUDGET.
AND WE HAVE A, DID WE HAVE A MOTION? WE DID AND PROPERLY SECOND.
WE EVEN HAD A, OKAY, WE ALONG THEN.
CAN WE PAY OUR BILLS? MR. MASON? WE CAN PAY A MOVE.
POPULAR SECONDED, UH, TO PAY THE BILLS.
ALL IN FAVOR? A ALL OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES.
UH, WE HAVE NO NE WE DO NOT HAVE A NECESSITY TONIGHT FOR A CLOSED MEETING.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED.