[00:00:01]
[Wallops Research Park Leadership Council Meeting on September 8, 2025.]
I WOULD LIKE AT THREE 15 TO CALL THIS MEETING OF THE WALLACE RESEARCH PARK LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO ORDER.UM, WE HAVE TO DO THE, I'M MISSING, I HAVEN'T DONE IT SO LONG.
WHERE WE NEXT? UM, RIGHT HERE.
SO THE NEXT TITLE IS LIKE, MEMBER ABSENT? YEAH.
SO WE'RE GOING DOWN THE LIST OF MEMBERS.
DO WE NEED TO, THAT'S WHAT, DO WE NEED TO DO A ROLL, BASICALLY WHERE I, WE CAN DO IT THAT WAY.
SO, UM, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND GO DOWN THE LIST.
SO THIS IS THE ROLL CALL FOR THE, UH, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH WALTZ RESEARCH PARK LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEETING.
I'M LEE PAM, I'M THE DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND FOR STAFF, WE'VE GOT GRACE WOODWORTH, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ONE, AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT, MARY MES, WHO WILL HAVE, UM, WHO WILL BE ASSISTING TODAY AS WELL AS FAR AS MEMBERS PRESENT AND ABSENT.
UM, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND, UH, AND READ OFF THE NAMES AND THEN, UH, YOU CAN, YOU CAN RESPOND PRESENT IF YOU'RE HERE.
SO, UH, FOR OMA COUNTY, UH, JEFF PARKS REPRESENTING MR. MIKE MASON, PRESENT FOR, UH, SHAKE SHIITE BAY FIELD STATION IN MARINE SCIENCE CONSORTIUM.
UM, CHE CHESTERFIELD PRESENT FOR THE VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM ON BEHALF OF DOC DR. DAVID, UH, DORY, DR.
DARRYL MINAS, PRESENT AND FOR THE VIRGINIA SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND TRADE SECRETARY JUAN PABLO SEGORA.
GRAHAM GRIFFIN PRESENT GRIFF, EXCUSE ME.
AND THEN FOR, UM, NASA WALL'S, FLIGHT FACILITY DIRECTOR MR. DAVID PIERCE, UH, IS NOT HERE.
AND THEN FOR THE US NAVY SURFACE COMBAT SYSTEM CENTER OR THE SCSC, MR. KRISTEN COLLINS IS NOT HERE.
SO WE HAVE FOUR OUT OF SIX AND WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
UM, NO ONE HAS REQUESTED REMOTE PARTICIPATION.
AND THEN FOR D OTHERS PRESENT, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, MR. ROBERT SINI, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
DID YOU WANT HIM? YEAH, I WANTED TO GIVE ROBERT AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF AND HE AND I SPOKE BRIEFLY THIS MORNING ABOUT GETTING THEM INVOLVED, UH, MORE SO WITH THE RESEARCH PARK AND, AND THINGS GOING ON ON WALLOPS IN GENERAL.
FIRST OFF, APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME AGAIN, ROBERT SAINI.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM COMMISSION.
AND JUST SIMPLY WANT TO SAY, IF I CAN EVER BE OF ASSISTANCE TO Y'ALL, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
OUR CHAMBER CURRENTLY HOUSES ABOUT 550 MEMBERS.
VERY STRONG CHAMBER, VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY TOURISM COMMISSION.
SAME, UH, VERY ENGAGED WITH BOTH COUNTIES.
REALLY TRY TO BRING FOLKS TOGETHER.
AND AGAIN, JUST WANNA OFFER MY SERVICES TO Y'ALL.
ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO, CHAMBER OR TOURISM, PLEASE LEMME KNOW.
AND I, I WAS AT THE, THE ROCKET LAB DEDICATION AND I HAPPENED TO BE SITTING WITH, I CAN'T THINK OF HER NAME, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CHIN TAKE CHAMBER.
AND REALIZED THAT ROBERT PROBABLY DIDN'T, DIDN'T GET AN INVITE.
SO, WE'LL, WE'RE GOING TO, HOPEFULLY WITH THIS ORGANIZATION, DO WHAT WE CAN TO, TO, TO GET A CONSOLIDATED EFFORT, SHALL WE SAY.
OKAY, SO, UH, NEXT ITEM LEE, I THINK WOULD BE THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
SO,
UH, THE MINUTES WERE PROVIDED.
ITEM THREE, THE MINUTES WERE PROVIDED, UH, IN THE EMAIL PACKET.
I HOPE EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT.
UH, WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OR SO MOVED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
SO THAT'LL BE FOR ALL THREE SETS OF MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 18TH, MAY 20TH, AND JULY 15TH.
AND ANYONE SIGN UP FOR A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD? NO.
UM, LEAD PAM, A DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WE PUT THIS ON THERE JUST AS A, AS A POINT OF DISCUSSION STRICTLY FOR YOU ALL,
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UH, A REVIEW OF THE MEETING STARTING TIME.SO, AS I HAD MENTIONED, OR A STAFF HAD MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, UM, WE WANTED TO PUT THAT FORTH TO YOU ALL TO DISCUSS WHEN A A, WHEN AN APPROPRIATE MEETING TIME WOULD BE.
THE REASON WHY THE STAFF PICKED THREE O'CLOCK WAS AT THE VERY FIRST MEETING BACK IN FEBRUARY WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT RESTARTING THE SUPPORT AND, AND GETTING THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO MEET ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS.
QUITE FRANKLY, IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF THE ROOM, AND WE JUST WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND, AND GET THAT STARTED.
BUT AS WE'VE LEARNED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF ITERATIONS OF PLANNING THE MEETING AND REACHING OUT TO YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S AVAILABILITY, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, LIFE HAPPENS AS THEY SAY.
AND FOR INSTANCE, UH, MR. GRIFFITH IS COMING FROM RICHMOND AND, UH, AND MR. CHESTERFIELD HAS GOT, UM, UH, HAS GOT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, ERRANDS AND, UH, THINGS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOTTA PICK UP, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN FOR CHILDCARE AND, AND THAT KIND OF THING.
AND I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER, A LOT OF OTHER ITEMS TO FACTOR INTO THAT.
BUT WE DID NOT WANT, AS THE STAFF, WE DID NOT WANT TO, I GUESS, IMPOSE THAT TIME ON YOU ALL.
BUT WE PICKED THAT TIME AT THE VERY BEGINNING JUST BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING AT THE AVAILABILITY OF STAFF AND THE AVAILABILITY OF THE ROOM ITSELF.
BUT GIVEN THE OTHER, UH, CIRCUMSTANCES, CONDITIONS, CONSTRAINTS, I JUST WANTED TO, AGAIN, PUT THIS ON THE, ON THE AGENDA FOR Y'ALL'S DISCUSSION.
THE LAST TIME THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A, A QUORUM PRESENT.
SO I BELIEVE WE HAD THREE PRESENT, AND THEN, AND THEN GRAHAM, UH, MR. GRIFFITH WAS ON THE PHONE UNDER SUCH A, UNDER SUCH A COMPOSITION, UM, OF FOLKS WHO WERE HERE THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY MAKE ANY DECISIONS.
YOU CAN'T PASS MOTIONS WITH ONLY THREE.
YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE AT LEAST FOUR PRESENT.
SO THAT'S WHY THIS IS ON YOUR AGENDA.
AND, AND YEAH, I, I AGREE THAT I THINK THERE'S GOTTA BE A BETTER TIME AND I, I MEAN, I GUESS EVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE.
I THINK WE HAD A LITTLE PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION EARLIER.
YOU WEREN'T HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, I WAS LEANING TOWARDS LATER.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD SET.
I MEAN, UH, TIME AND, AND I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE A TIME THAT WE CAN STANDARDIZE, AT LEAST FOR THIS MEETING, UH, WE MAY START DOING SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT FOR THIS MEETING, SO, I MEAN, AND I, MAYBE THE WAY TO START, YOU'VE GOT THE LONGEST POLE.
YOU'VE GOT THE LONGEST COMMUTE.
YEAH, HE DOES THE LONGEST COMMUTE.
IS THERE, I MEAN, WHAT'S OFF THE TABLE FOR YOU GUYS? UM, MONDAY MORNINGS
BUT I MEAN, OTHER THAN THAT, I MEAN, I'M EVEN OPEN TO EVENING MEETINGS.
BUT AGAIN, I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE CONFLICTS WITH THAT.
I MEAN, FRANKLY, MY DRIVE'S THREE HOURS, SO, BUT I, I, WHAT I WAS SAYING TO LEE, I MEAN, WHATEVER GETS THE MOST OF US HERE, I THINK IS WHAT WE SHOULD, IS WHAT WE SHOULD COAL ON.
UM, MID, YOU KNOW, EARLIER AFTERNOON IS, WOULD BE EASIER FOR ME, BUT IF THAT'S, IF THAT CUTS OTHER PEOPLE OUT, THEN THAT DOESN'T SOLVE ANY PROBLEMS. SO, BUT EARLIER AFTERNOON IN GENERAL, ONE, TWO, YOU KNOW, ONE, EVEN TWO WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE MANAGEABLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, LATER MORNINGS WOULD BE FINE.
UM, YEAH, KIND OF MIDDLE OF THE DAY WOULD BE BEST FOR ME PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S JUST ONE OF SIX MEMBERS.
WELL, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MERIT TO YOUR POINT OF WHAT GETS THE MOST FOLKS HERE.
WELL, IT, AS LONG AS IT'S SET FOR ME, I CAN PROBABLY WORK AROUND WHAT MANY OF YOU AROUND THE TABLE HAVE GOING ON.
SO EVEN IF IT'S INTO THE EVENING, I CAN WORK WITH THAT MORNING AS LONG AS I CAN GET IT SCHEDULED.
AND ON THE CALENDAR I CAN PROTECT IT.
OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO THAT.
SO, WELL, EVENINGS ARE OUT FOR ME,
UM, A COUPLE THINGS I, LIKE I SAY, I HAVE TO TRAVEL, LIKE RIGHT WHEN I LEAVE, I HAVE TO TRAVEL UP TO FRUITLAND, MARYLAND, WHICH IS ALMOST OUR HOUR THING BEFORE FIVE O'CLOCK TRYING TO GET THERE BEFORE FIVE.
AND I ALSO JUST BROUGHT MY MOTHER UP FROM THE VI BECAUSE SHE'S NOT DOING WELL.
SO I GOTTA GO HOME AND MAKE PROVISION.
IF WE COULD DO IT SOMETIME EARLY, EVEN TWO O'CLOCK IS A LITTLE BIT PUSHING IT, BECAUSE YOU STILL GOTTA, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH STUFF WE GOTTA GO THROUGH, MAYBE AT ONE O'CLOCK OR WHATEVER, I CAN DO THAT AS LONG AS IT'S NOT THE LAST WEEK IN ANY MONTH THERE, MONDAY OR TUESDAY, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE DAYS THAT I TRAVEL FOR THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, WHICH I'M A, A MEMBER OF.
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SO, FOR POINT OF DISCUSSION, WHAT IF WE WERE TO, TO TARGET, LET'S SAY ONE O'CLOCK ON WEDNESDAYS? AND I MEAN, I GUESS WE WOULD SEND THAT OUT, WE TO GET INPUT FROM, UH, FROM OUR OTHER TWO MEMBERS WHO AREN'T HERE.THAT WHEN I WAS MAKING THE DRIVE TO RICHMOND, ONE O'CLOCK, YOU KNOW, GIVES YOU SOME FLEXIBILITY.
NO, THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT FOR ME, JEFF TO MM-HMM
HOW ABOUT, DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU? THAT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD GIVE, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE MEETINGS ARE GOING TO LAST.
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO DO, SAY ONE O'CLOCK WOULD MAKE IT COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO GET UP AND LEAVE.
LIKE TODAY, LIKE YOU SAID, ONCE YOU LEAVE FROM HERE, WE RUN INTO THE BACKUP TRAFFIC RIGHT HERE THAT I DIDN'T EXPECT WHERE THEY WORKING ON THE ROAD AS WELL.
SO, UH, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE THAT, UH, ONE, 1:00 PM ON WEDNESDAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE TAKING A LOOK AT IS WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON ON WE WEDNESDAYS, RIGHT? UM, A BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS MEETS DURING THE DAY ON THE FIRST WEDNESDAY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETS ON THE SECOND WEDNESDAY, BUT THAT'S IN THE EVENING.
AND THEN ON THE THIRD WEDNESDAY, OBVIOUSLY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETS.
SO, UH, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE NEXT MEETING, WE'RE GONNA BE GIVING YOU YOUR QUARTERLY MEETING SCHEDULE FOR 26 AND, UM, AND, UH, UH, THAT MAY ALSO FACTOR INTO THAT, BUT WE COULD ALWAYS SAY THE, THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.
BUT OF COURSE YOU WERE SAYING THAT THE LAST WIN, NO, THE LAST WEEK OF THE MONTH IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU.
THE MONDAY AND THE TUESDAY IS WHEN I, I LEAVE MONDAY TO GO TO MY BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS ALL DAY TUESDAY,
SO, UM, I, I'M BACK ON TUESDAY EVENING.
WEDNESDAY MIGHT BE TOUGH YOUR LAST WEEK 'CAUSE I HAVE TO GO BACK TO WORK AND MAKE UP THOSE DAYS, BUT I'LL MAKE IT WORK IF I HAVE TO.
I, MY WORLD DOESN'T LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, I'M KIND OF JEALOUS OF YOU GUYS.
THE LAST WEDNESDAY, I DON'T HAVE THAT
IT'S LIKE, OH, THIS DAY, THIS DAY FROM MY CALENDAR, AND I JUST LIVE OFF MY CALENDAR.
SO, BUT I, I, I, YOU KNOW, THE LAST WEDNESDAY AT ONE SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD OPTION.
IF WE COULD, STAFF COULD TAKE THAT AND, AND SEE IF THAT WOULD, UH, WORK FOR EVERYONE, UH, LOOKING AT THE OVERALL COUNTY SCHEDULE.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT ANOTHER THING TO LOOK AT AS BEST YOU CAN IS ANY OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION MEETINGS THAT MAYBE AS WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO GROW, YOU KNOW, OUR PRESENCE AND BRING IN OTHER ENTITIES.
SO, UH, DOES IT OPEN ANY OPPORTUNITIES OR DOES IT CAUSE A CONFLICT AS SOMETHING ELSE? WE'RE
ANY OTHER OLD BUSINESS, MR. PAN STAFF? DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR YOU? ONE OLD UNDER OLD BUSINESS, UH, I GUESS I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE OLD BUSINESS, BUT I'M GONNA TRY SINCE IT HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
IT WASN'T BROUGHT UP TO EVERYONE, BUT IF EVERYONE DOESN'T KNOW, UM, I HAD A BLIND BLINDING FLASH TO THE OBVIOUS AS THEY'RE CALLED A FEW DAYS AGO BEFORE THE WALLOPS, UH, BEFORE THE ROCKET LAB LC THREE DEDICATION AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A WALLOPS RESEARCH PARK, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND CAN WE GET A SIGN OUT THERE THAT HAS CONTACT INFORMATION, IT SAYS AVAILABLE AND JUMPING AHEAD, BUT STAFF WAS THERE.
WE WERE ABLE TO, TO PULL THAT OFF AND CERTAINLY NOT.
I THINK MIKE SAID 36, BUT I, I, I THINK THAT'S BEING OVERLY GRACIOUS.
AND IT LOOKS GREAT AND YOU CAN READ IT FROM THE ROAD.
IT'S GOT APPROPRIATE INFORMATION, SO, YOU KNOW, BABY STEPS, RIGHT? AND THAT WAS, UH, BUT JUST, UH, I JUST CAN'T THANK STAFF ENOUGH FOR PULLING IT OFF.
I DIDN'T HEAR BACK AND I WAS KIND LIKE, YOU KNOW, DISAPPOINTED
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT ON SHORT NOTICES.
YOU CAN GET THE STATEMENT CONTROL THAT ONE, BUT I THINK THAT WAS GREAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD ANY HITS, BUT YOU WON'T KNOW RIGHT AWAY.
THE KEYO IS BETTER TO HAVE IT OUT THERE THAN NOT.
SO YEAH, THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA.
CHAIRMAN PARKS, AND WE WERE HAPPY TO PUT THAT TOGETHER FOR YOU, UM, OR FOR THE RESEARCH PARK.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE OBVIOUS, AS HE SAID, LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THE, WE GOT THE GENERAL DIRECTION AND STAFF EXECUTED.
OKAY, SO MOVING NEXT TO NEW BUSINESS, MR. PAMPER.
AND THEN UNDER NEW BUSINESS A IS THE ONLY ITEM THAT, OR THE ONLY AGENDA ITEM THAT WE'VE GOT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
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THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL HAS BEEN, UH, HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIES.AND WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IN YOUR, UH, IN YOUR PACKET IS JUST A REALLY QUICK STAFF REPORT ON, ON, UH, WHAT SOME SUGGESTED PRIORITIES COULD BE.
AND THEN ALSO AS A SUPPLEMENT, UH, AS A SU THE SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENT, UH, CHAIRMAN PARTS.
YOU HAVE SOME BULLET POINT LISTS, UH, OR BULLET POINT LIST THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO OFFER TO HELP FRAME THAT DISCUSSION AS WELL.
SO BASICALLY WHAT WE, AS THE STAFF HAVE BEEN DOING IS, UH, IS JUST KIND OF TALKING OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, GRACE MARY AND MYSELF, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, WHAT WOULD BE SOME REASONABLE, MANAGEABLE, QUICK, EASY WINS THAT WE COULD, UM, THAT WE COULD OFFER, AND THINGS THAT ACTUALLY MAKE SENSE IN OUR BUILDING BLOCKS FOR, UM, WE'LL SAY ADVANCEMENT IN THE FUTURE.
WHETHER THAT BE, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, SMALLER ADMINISTRATIVE THINGS.
LIKE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, FOR INSTANCE, WE'RE, WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES THAT GO INTO SETTING UP THIS MEETING OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO, UH, TO MONITOR, UH, TRENDS IN, UM, IN, IN EMPLOYMENT OR, UH, REAL ESTATE FIGURES AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO, UH, THE THREE OF US, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON PUTTING SPREADSHEETS TOGETHER FOR MONITORING, UH, AND, AND, UH, AND PUTTING TOGETHER SOME STATS, UH, THAT WOULD BE, FOR INSTANCE, THAT COULD BE IN THE, UM, IN THE, UH, MONTHLY REPORT FOR, FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
BUT, BUT WE PUT TOGETHER, UM, FIVE PRIORITIES JUST AS A STARTING POINT.
AND AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT AN ADDITIONAL DOCUMENT FROM, UH, FROM MR. PARKS TO, TO HELP FRAME SOME OF THIS.
AND I THINK THAT THE TWO DOCUMENTS, JUST HAVING SEEN THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME 15 MINUTES AGO, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR BULLET POINT LIST, MR. PARKS THAT I SEE A LOT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF INTERTWINING, A LOT OF INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE ACTUAL ACTIVITIES VERSUS THE, UM, THE GENERAL DIRECTION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
SO, UM, SINCE WE BOTH HAVE DOCUMENTS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO JUST MAYBE KICK OFF THIS DISCUSSION AND FRAME IT WITH YOUR BULLET POINTS, OR HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO APPROACH THIS? I, I'M GOOD WITH YOU.
SO, UM, AGAIN, FIVE SUGGESTED PRIORITIES FOR 2026.
WE'RE ALREADY HERE IN SEPTEMBER.
WE'RE ENTERING THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2025.
AND I CAN ALREADY TELL YOU THAT STAFF IS ALREADY WORKING TOWARDS SOME OF THIS.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION, I'LL GET RIGHT INTO IT.
UH, FIVE SUGGESTED PRIORITIES FOR 2026.
YOU'VE GOT A STAFF REPORT IN YOUR PACKET.
AND, UM, AND, UH, AND THAT'S GOT A FEW MORE, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE DESCRIPTION AS TO WHAT THESE FIVE ARE.
THIS CHART RIGHT HERE, THIS TAILOR RIGHT HERE, WE'VE GOT, UH, TWO INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES, UH, CONCEPT PLAN REFRESH AS A THIRD.
AND THEN, UM, FOR GRANTS AND FINANCING, WE'VE GOT, UH, WE'VE GOT ONE SUGGESTION IN FOR OUR MARKETING PROGRAM, WHICH IS A, WHICH IS A DIRECT, UH, CORRELATION WITH YOUR BULLET POINT LIST.
MR. PARKS, WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR, UM, ADV FOR STARTING AND ADVANCING A MARKETING PROGRAM.
SO JUST GOING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, UH, PRIORITY.
AND, AND BY THE WAY, THESE ARE NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR RANKED ORDER FROM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT EVEN ALPHABETIZED.
THIS NUMBER ONE DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.
THIS IS JUST TO, THIS IS JUST TO GIVE YOU WHAT THOSE FIVE ARE.
SO, NUMBER ONE, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GET OCCASIONALLY ARE SOME, UM, ARE SOME INQUIRIES ABOUT HOW DO WE GET STARTED IN THE RESEARCH PARK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD INQUIRIES ON THIS IN THE PAST AND RECENTLY, BUT CONSTRUCTING TEMPORARY PADS OR, UH, PADS FOR, UH, TEMPORARY STRUCTURES AND OR USES JUST TO GET A PROSPECT HERE AND OPERATING WHILE MAYBE THEY'VE GOT A DIFFERENT SITE THAT THEY WANT TO, THAT THEY WANT TO BUILD ON.
BUT, UM, I WOULD SAY THAT IN THE, IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THREE OR FOUR INQUIRIES HAVE ASKED ABOUT THIS MOST RECENTLY, WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT IN CLOSE SESSION, BUT CONSTRUCTING A SITE THAT WOULD INCLUDE GRADED PADS AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE AND AMENITIES FOR TEMPORARY USES.
AND, UM, AND, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE, UH, THESE PADS, THEY WOULD NEED TO BE SERVED BY WATER AND SEWER COMMUNICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE OBVIOUSLY WITH EASTERN SHORE VIRGINIA BROADBAND AUTHORITY,
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UM, UH, STORMWATER FACILITIES, WHICH THE NORTHERN PART OF THE, OF THE, UH, OF THE RESEARCH PARK ALREADY HAS SOME STORMWATER FACILITIES, AND IT'S GOT WATER AND SEWER.BUT FOR, UH, FOR TEMPORARY PADS, I THINK THAT THE, THAT THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE RESEARCH PARK WOULD BE, UM, WOULD BE A LOGICAL CHOICE FOR THAT IF THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL BELIEVES THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, THAT SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED.
AGAIN, JUST A SUGGESTION FOR THE SECOND, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE STAFF HAS, HAS ALREADY, UH, HAS ALREADY PURSUED WITH, UM, UH, WITH, UH, UH, CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING FUNDING REQUEST FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
THE NASA LEASE ACCESS ROAD IS, UH, IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT BETTER ACCESS JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT FENCE FROM ROCKET LAB.
SO THAT PART OF THE, OF THE, UM, RESEARCH PART, AS WE'VE EXPLAINED IN THE PAST, UH, THERE'S ABOUT, UM, UH, THERE'S SEVERAL ACRES BEHIND THE FENCE THAT THE COUNTY LEASES FROM NASA.
AND WE'VE ALSO, UM, WE'VE ALSO CONSTRUCTED A TAXIWAY THERE, BUT THERE'S NO REAL EASY WAY TO GET BACK THERE.
UM, YOU DO HAVE TO CURRENTLY HAVE A TRUCK OR SOME SORT OF SUV TO GET BACK THERE.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A DIRT PATH.
BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE ACCESS EASIER, AS WE ALL KNOW, PROSPECTS DON'T WANT TO, DON'T WANT TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE IF THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
WITH REGARDS TO ACCESS THOUGH, IN TERMS OF WHO IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE, WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE THE COUNTY WOULD ACT IS ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE, THE ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, WATER AND SEWER, STORM WATER, THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL PROSPECT SHOULD THEY DECIDE TO LOCATE IN THE RESEARCH PARK.
SO THIS ACCESS ROAD, AGAIN, ONE HAS BEEN, UM, ONE WE'VE ALREADY TRIED TO GET FUNDING FOR, UH, FOR, UH, FROM CONGRESSIONAL SPENDING THAT AS YOU KNOW, IS, WAS NOT A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION.
AND THEN TWO, THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT ACCESS ANYWAYS.
SO WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING IS THAT THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL OFFICIALLY PRIORITIZE AND CONTINUE EXPLORING FUNDING OPTIONS FOR THAT ROAD, AGAIN, TO FACILITATE ACCESS TO THE, TO THE, UH, WE'LL CALL IT THE BACK END OF THE TAXIWAY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY CLOSER TO ROCKET LAB AND, UH, TAXIWAY BOULEVARD IN LEE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IF YOU DRIVE INTO THE PARK ON THE CURRENT ROADS, YOU DON'T SEE THAT, YOU CAN'T REALLY TELL THAT TAXIWAY IS THERE.
SO IF SOMEONE, IF WE, WE, WE CATCH A, WE GET A BIKE FROM OUR SIGN AND THEY DRIVE IN, THEY DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT THAT ACCESS TO THE, TO THE RUNWAY.
SO JUST THROW THAT, 'CAUSE THIS IS ACTUALLY AN EXCELLENT EXERCISE.
'CAUSE I'M THINKING MORE ABOUT THE VISUALLY, WHAT DO WE DO, UH, TO, TO GET NEW CLIENTS AND, AND THIS IS DEALING WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE ASPECTS AS WELL, SO, RIGHT.
UM, CHANCES ARE THEY'RE GOING TO BE CHECKING THE WEBSITE BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY DRIVE OUT TO THE SITE.
AND WHEN WE GET TO NUMBER FIVE, WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT MM-HMM
GETTING THE, GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT THERE, TELLING THE RESEARCH PARKS STORY, THE COUNTY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STORY, AND JUST REALLY, UM, AND JUST REALLY TRY TO NAIL IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
SO THAT'S THE POINT BEHIND NUMBER TWO.
NUMBER THREE, THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL SINCE MEETING, UM, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FEBRUARY AND AGAIN IN, UM, IN MAY AND JU JULY, HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE CONCEPT PLAN.
AND THE CONCEPT PLAN WAS FIRST, UM, WAS FIRST PUT TOGETHER IN 2009, AND THEN THERE WAS A SUBSEQUENT VERSION THAT WAS DRAFTED IN 2014 BY THE TIMMINS GROUP.
WE DON'T KNOW WHO DID THE ORIGINAL UNDATED CONCEPT PLAN, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THAT 2014 DATE, IT'S BEEN ABOUT 11 YEARS SINCE WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT.
AND THE CONCEPT PLAN IS JUST THAT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A, A SUGGESTION OR, OR ONE POSSIBILITY OF HOW THE LEADER, UH, UH, HOW THE, UM, HOW A SITE COULD BE DEVELOPED.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON HOW STRICTLY YOU STICK TO THAT CONCEPT PLAN, OR IF YOU COME IN AND GET, UH, A, UH, A PROSPECT WHO NEEDS TWO PARCELS INSTEAD OF ONE OR TWO PADS INSTEAD OF ONE, THEN THAT CONCEPT PLAN IS REALLY NON-BINDING.
BUT IT DOES PROVIDE, UH, IT DOES PROVIDE, UH, PROSPECTS AND THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH A VISUAL OF WHAT THAT COULD BE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING, OR WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL CONSIDER A CONCEPT PLAN TO REFRESH TO ACCURATELY SHOW EXISTING CONDITIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE AFTER THE FIRST PHASE DEVELOPMENT.
SO EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED OUT THERE, I'M KIND OF CALLING THAT FIRST PHASE.
[00:25:01]
ARE ROADS, CURB GUTTER, THERE'S STORM WATER OUT THERE, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S WATER AND SEWER THAT'S BEING PROVIDED BY, BY NASA.AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE ONE EXISTING TENANT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, WHILE I DON'T HAVE THE CONCEPT PLANS HERE, REALLY WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE PRIORITIES, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STAFF WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IN THIS LIST THAT THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL IN ITS PAST THREE MEETINGS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, HAS DISCUSSED OR HAS MENTIONED THAT THE CONCEPT PLANNED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
WHO WOULD DO THAT WORK, LUKE? SO WE WOULD HAVE TO, UM, UH, WE, FOR PUTTING THE GRAPHIC TOGETHER, WE WOULD PROBABLY ENGAGE WITH A, UH, THIRD PARTY ENGINEER.
WE CURRENTLY USE, UM, WE CURRENTLY USE, UH, KIMLEY HORN FOR OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND STORM STORMWATER REVIEWS, BUT THEY ARE MUCH MORE CAPABLE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE CAPABLE OF DOING MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
SO, UH, WE COULD PROBABLY FIT IT INTO OUR EXISTING, UM, UH, UH, CONTRACT TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
BUT THE BEGINNING OF IT, YOU KNOW, UH, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH WE WOULD WANT KIMLEY HORN TO BE INVOLVED, OR A THIRD PARTY ENGINEER TO BE INVOLVED, THERE ARE OTHER, UH, PARTICIPATION EXERCISES LIKE CHARETTES AND, YOU KNOW, WE'D BRING IN AN OUTLINE OF, OF HOW TO GO THROUGH THAT EXERCISE TO YOU AND, OR WE COULD JUST HAVE THE THIRD PARTY ENGINEER, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO SOME SORT OF TURNKEY EXERCISE WHERE THEY JUST DO EVERYTHING.
SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF POSSIBILITIES THERE.
HOW DOES THE ACCESS ROAD TIE INTO THE CONCEPT PLAN? SO WOULD IT BE PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE TO GO AFTER THE ACCESS PLAN AND THEN LATER CHANGE THE CONCEPT? I, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO PUT, UM, THE ACCESS ROAD IN THE CONCEPT PLAN.
UM, THERE HAS BEEN A DEMONSTRATED NEED FOR THAT ROAD, AND, UM, AND, UH, CERTAINLY WE NEED AN ACCESS ROAD, BUT EXACTLY THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT GOES.
I, I TOTALLY TIES INTO THE, I MEAN, WHAT I'VE SEEN ON A LOT OF OF SITES, I THINK AS A MASTER PLAN.
AND IT'S KIND LIKE THE, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS DO WE KNOW ENOUGH WHAT THE CONCEPT WOULD BE WITH WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW VERSUS WHAT WE THINK MAY BE COMING IN A COUPLE YEARS? AND SO THAT'S, I THINK, THE, THE ARMY GUY, SORRY, TASK AND PURPOSE OF THE CONCEPT PLAN.
WE DEFINITELY NEED TO, WE NEED, WE'VE GOT A VERY STALE DOCUMENT RIGHT NOW IF WE HAVE TO PRESENT IT, SOMEBODY THAT LOOKS BAD IN IT AMONGST ITSELF.
SO WE NEED A REFRESHED DOCUMENT, IN MY OPINION.
AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S GOTTA BE VAGUE ENOUGH TO NOT PRECLUDE SOMETHING, TO PRECLUDE SOMETHING.
MOVING ON TO NUMBER FOUR, AS FAR AS GRANTS AND FINANCING IS CONCERNED, ARE CONCERNED, UM, SO THE VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP HAS A, UM, UH, VIRGINIA BUSINESS READY SITES PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S BEEN, THAT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, THERE'S MONEY AVAILABLE FOR NUMBER ONE SITE CHARACTERIZATION.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, ACTUAL, UM, SITE DEVELOPMENT OR CONSTRUCTION.
IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SITE DEVELOPMENT OR CONSTRUCTION GRANT, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE A CHARACTERIZATION DONE FIRST.
AND, UH, IN YOUR PACKET, YOU'VE GOT EXPLANATIONS OF WHAT THOSE FIVE TIERS ARE.
SO A SITE CHARACTERIZATION GOES FROM TIER ONE TO TIER FIVE, TIER ONE BEING THE LEAST READY SITE, AND TIER FIVE BEING ESSENTIALLY SHOVEL READY WITH PLANS ALREADY APPROVED.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO, UH, I'M NOT GOING TO READ THIS WHOLE DOCUMENT TO YOU, BUT YOU GET AN IDEA OF THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF, UM, OF SITE READINESS.
AND I THINK THAT IN ORDER TO, UH, IN ORDER TO REALLY PUT THE, UH, PUT THE RESEARCH PARK ON THE MAP, WHICH IT ALREADY IS IN VIRGINIA SCAN, WHICH IS BP'S, UM, UH, UH, INVENTORY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SITES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMONWEALTH, UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, THE RESEARCH PARK IN ITS PROXIMITY TO, UM, TO, UH, WALLOPS ISLAND AND TO MARS, THE, UH, THE SPACEPORT, IT'S NOT LIKE ANY, UH, IT'S NOT LIKE ANY ECONOMIC, ANY OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SITE IN VIRGINIA.
OUR COMPETITION ARE PLACES LIKE FLORIDA, CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, GEORGIA.
SO IF WE'RE LOOKING TO, UH, TO PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO, UM, UH, CUT OUT AS MUCH OF THE, UM, THE PRELIMINARIES OF SITE DEVELOPMENT AS POSSIBLE, THEN WE SHOULD GET A SITE CHARACTERIZATION DONE FIRST.
[00:30:01]
THEN WE CAN, UH, THEN WE CAN APPLY FOR A, UH, SITE DEVELOPMENT GRANT.YOU SAID THAT WAS IN THE PACKET LEAVE? THAT WAS IN THE EMAIL PACKET.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF US, CORRECT? OR DO WE IT WAS IN THE EMAIL.
RIGHT NOW WE DO HAVE, WE DO HAVE A PDF OF THE PACKET.
IF YOU WANT ME TO CALL UP THE STAFF REPORT THAT'S GOT ALL OF THESE FIVE TIERS, I CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
LEE, REAL QUICK, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THAT ONE, HAVE WE EVER GONE FROM ONE OF THESE BEFORE IN THE PAST? HAVE WE EVER? NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO.
WHAT'S REALLY COOL ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE RESEARCH PARK, THOUGH, IT ALREADY HAS WATER AND SEWER.
AND, UM, AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT GETTING FROM MAYBE A TIER THREE SITE TO A TIER FOUR SITE, CLEARING SOME TREES, DOING SOME ROUGH RATING, UH, AND, AND GETTING SOME ADVANCED, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME PROGRESS MADE ON, ON THAT FRONT.
BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT'S QUOTE, SHOVEL READY.
AND THAT WOULD BE YOUR TIER FIVE.
UH, TIER FOUR IS PRETTY CLOSE, BUT TIER FIVE, OF COURSE, DEVELOPERS ARE REALLY, OR, OR BUILDERS AND, AND PROSPECTS ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR THOSE SITES THAT ARE, THAT ARE MORE READY MM-HMM
AND THEN FINALLY, NUMBER FIVE, PRIORITY NUMBER FIVE, SUGGESTED PRIORITY NUMBER FIVE IS THE, IS THE MARKETING PROGRAM, WHICH, UH, UH, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE DID GET A HEADSTART ON THAT WITH THE SIGN.
BUT, UM, UH, A MARKETING PROGRAM IS MORE THAN JUST PUTTING SUB PUTTING UP SIGNS, AS WE ALL KNOW.
UH, WE DO WANT TO EMPLOY VARIOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, UM, UPDATING THE WEBSITE, WHICH WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS.
ON THE STAFF SIDE, UM, WE DON'T HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE.
AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO MATERIALS LIKE BROCHURES AND AN OFFERING MEMO.
AND WE'VE GOT AN EXAMPLE OF AN OFFERING MEMO IN THE SLIDE DECK, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.
UM, MAYBE TRYING TO GET OUT TO A TRADE SHOW OR TWO ANNUALLY.
AND THEN ALSO A, UH, LOSS RESEARCH PARK DEVELOPMENT PRIMER.
SO BASICALLY WHAT THAT WOULD BE IS THIS IS HOW YOU, THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD NEED TO, UM, TO GIVE TO US IN ORDER TO GET TO A SITE OR TO BUILD A SITE ON THE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE RESEARCH PART.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO PAUSE NOW AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
AND IF YOU WANTED TO GO INTO YOUR, UM, YOUR BULLET POINT AT THIS TIME.
I WOULD, JUST LOOKING AT THIS, I THINK, YOU KNOW, FUNDING, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A, A FUNDING POOL RIGHT NOW, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, REALLY, UH, YOUR, THE FUNDING IS WHATEVER THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, ALLOCATES OR, OR, UH, OR PUTS IN THE BUDGET FOR THE RESEARCH PART.
SO, SO IT'S VERY LIMITED AT THIS POINT.
AND, AND THERE WAS THE HOPE THAT THE, UH, THE FEDERAL FUNDING WOULD COME THROUGH, UH, ON THE ACCESS ROAD, BUT I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, THE LIST THAT YOU'VE GOT THERE, YOU DEFINITELY CAN PRIORITIZE.
AND YOU'VE ALMOST GOTTA PUT THE GRANTS OF FINANCING.
WE WANT TO DO INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT.
UM, UH, CONCEPT PLAN REFRESH, PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO, BUT STILL, THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT'S PROBABLY KEY.
SO THOSE STEPS THAT WOULD ENABLE, THAT SEEMS TO ME, IF WE RANKED THEM, IT'S GOTTA BE HIGH THAT LIST.
UM, I AGREE, BUT WITHOUT A STRONG PLAN, IT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT TO GET THOSE GRANTS APPROVED.
MOST OF THE GRANTS THAT I'VE SEEN COME THROUGH ON SITES FOR READINESS OR BECAUSE THE GRANTOR SEES THAT THERE'S A GOOD EXECUTABLE PLAN IN PLACE AND, AND ARE, AND ARE HAPPY WITH, OKAY, LOOK, YOU GUYS HAVE A PLAN, YOU CAN GO EXECUTE IT.
WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS NOT A RISKY GRANT.
SO, SO ADDING THAT COMMENT TO YOUR SIR, JUST FOR A POINT, UM, I AGREE.
YOU, WE'VE GOTTA GET THE SITE READY.
I, I BELIEVE IN UNDERSTANDING THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT FIRST.
AND, AND THAT KIND OF ALL GOES INTO THE PLANNING PART.
AND, AND V IS VEDP, THE GRANTOR, THE STATE IS, IT'S ADMIT THE GRANT IS ADMINISTERED, ADMINISTERED BY VEDP.
SO ALL THE, ALL THE GRANTS ARE APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR'S ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTERED BY BEDP, UPON BASED ON VEDP RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THE ONES I'VE SAT THROUGH, THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, WITH THE OTHER, WITH THE EDA OR EDA, UM, THEY WERE VERY AMICABLE, AS LONG AS YOU COULD REALLY DEMONSTRATE THAT WE HAD THE PIECES, IT WASN'T, THEY WEREN'T MAKING IT ANY HARDER THAN IT NEEDED TO BE, AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY PUSHING MONEY.
UM, BUT THERE WERE THE GATES THAT NEEDED
[00:35:01]
WE NEEDED TO HIT.ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? SO LET ME FOLLOW UP THEN AND SAY, WHEN YOU, I THINK WE, IT'S, IT'S AN INTERESTING THING.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE WORLDS HERE.
SO I TAKE THE WHAT YOU JUST, YOUR, YOUR INPUT AND SIT BACK AND YOU GO, OKAY, WELL, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO OFFER? THE THING THAT'S KIND OF GOT ME MOTIVATED THE LAST FEW WEEKS IS THAT WE'RE SITTING, WE'RE MORE UNIQUE THAN LEE EVEN ARTICULATED, JUST IN, IN THAT WE'VE GOT A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR CLIENT SITTING ON OUR LOT ON OUR, IN OUR PARK ALONE.
AND THAT BROUGHT IN PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD FOR AN EVENT.
UM, AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TOURING THE FACILITY WITH PETER BECK, WHICH IS A REALLY NICE GUY, SHOCKINGLY NICE GUY.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE.
AND, AND BEFORE THAT EVENT, I'D COME INTO THIS LOOKING AT BOTH OF THE PARKS AND SAYING, LOOK, AS WE TALK ABOUT, TIME IS MONEY, BUT LAND IS MONEY.
THESE THINGS SITTING HERE FOR YEARS VACANT AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TURN.
THAT IS MONEY THAT WE'VE LOST.
IT MAY NOT BE COSTING US, BUT FROM THE COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE COMMUNITY'S PERSPECTIVE, FROM EVERYBODY'S PERSPECTIVE, FROM BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
AND WE'VE GOT TO START MOVING TO TRY TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS.
AND WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO THROW IN AN APPLICATION TO SAY, WE'VE GOT ROCKET LAB, WE'VE GOT VIRGINIA SPACE, WE'VE GOT INFRASTRUCTURE TO THIS DEGREE.
AND OH, BY THE WAY, IF WE GOTTA TAKE A BULLDOZER OUT THERE AND TURN THE DIRT ON ONE LOT TO, TO GET US A RATING, OKAY, I'LL, I'LL BRING A BULLDOZER, WE'LL DO IT
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AND, AND IT MAY BE THAT SIMPLE.
I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY IS THE POINT THAT WE'VE GOTTA MOVE ON.
SO YEAH, THINK OF THE SITE CHARACTERIZATION GRANT AS A QUOTE UNQUOTE PLANNING GRANT.
SO IF YOU'RE TALKING IN TERMS OF LIKE CDBG, YOU USUALLY GO FOR A PLANNING GRANT FIRST, AND THEN, AND THEN THAT PLANNING GRANT ENABLES A, UH, A LOCALITY OR AN APPLICANT TO, UH, TO APPLY FOR A FULL CDBG GRANT.
BUT, UH, UH, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A TWO STEP PROCESS TO GET THE STATE FUNDING THROUGH VEDP THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
UH, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SITE CHARACTERIZATION, THEN YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET SITE DEVELOPMENT MONEY.
YOU'VE GOTTA GET THAT CHARACTERIZATION DONE FIRST, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
SO TO DO THE GRANT THEN, WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP? WE TALK WITH VEDP ALL THE TIME.
UH, WE OCCASIONALLY GET ASKED, ARE YOU CONSIDERING SUBMITTING A GRANT? UM, UH, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT FINDING BANDWIDTH BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THAT ON THE STAFF, IT'S JUST WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE GOTTA DO, THEN THE ONES THAT ARE NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, IF IT, IF IT'S NOT A FIRE, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE, WE DO WHAT'S MOST URGENT FIRST.
AND THIS IS MORE OF A STRATEGIC ITEM.
AND, UH, AND, UH, GETTING THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO PRIORITIZE THIS WOULD CERTAINLY, UH, RAISE THAT OR ELEVATE THAT IN THE STAFF'S MIND IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY DO NEED TO TURN TO.
AND WE KNOW THAT, UM, INTUITIVELY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, UH, THROW THIS OUT THERE AS A POTENTIAL, UH, TOPIC TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING IN 26.
WE'D PROBABLY, AND THE STAFF WOULD PROBABLY HAVE DONE THAT ANYWAYS, BUT AGAIN, LOW HANGING FOR, UH, AND I'D LIKE FOR THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO ESTABLISH WHAT WE SEE AS THE PRIORITIES.
AND IT MAY BE TWO SETS OF PRIORITIES.
IT MAY BE FOR THE STAFF, AND IT MAY BE FOR THE PARK OR FOR THE, UH, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I MEAN, IF, IF IT TAKES A MOTION TO GET THE PROCESS GOING RIGHT NOW TO GET THOSE GRANTS MOVING, I, I, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE A QUORUM AND WE WOULD ENTERTAIN DOING THAT.
AND IF THAT'S NOT NECESSARY, I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY.
WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND START TURNING TO IT AND WE'LL START EXPLORING IT RIGHT NOW.
I, I WOULD, I WOULD ADD THAT, UM, IT'D BE HELPFUL TO GET THE REAL ESTATE TEAM OUT HERE TO BP'S REAL ESTATE TEAM OUT HERE.
THEY, THEY WERE OUT HERE, UM, EARLY, EARLY THIS YEAR ON THE EASTERN SHORE, OR MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY HERE, UM, BUT THAT THEY WILL, THEY'RE VERY HELPFUL.
SO THEY, THEY CAN PROVIDE A CONSULTATIVE APPROACH AS WELL TO WHAT, WHAT THEY SEE AS THE DUE DILIGENCE NEEDS FOR THE PARK.
SO I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION.
THAT WOULD, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD NEXT STEP.
ACTUALLY, I MET WITH TWO THE DP STAFF MEMBERS EARLIER THIS YEAR.
[00:40:01]
LAST NAME PATTERSON, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS NAME.THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT I MET WITH.
WERE, WAS THAT THE REAL ESTATE TEAM? THAT'S THE, THE VP AND THE, AND HIS, UH, NUMBER TWO.
SO I, I'D RECOMMEND GETTING THEM OUT HERE OR AT LEAST GETTING THEM ON A CALL TO KIND OF JUST LET THEM WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROGRAM RIGHT.
'CAUSE THEY'RE THE, ESSENTIALLY THE DECISION MAKERS.
YOU HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP OR A RELATIONSHIP WITH.
SO MAYBE THAT'S A CALL THAT WE COULD HAVE MULTIPLE ATTENDEES TO.
WE'LL START TURNING TWO ON THAT.
THAT MAY BE THE REAL NEXT STEP ACTUALLY.
I, I THINK THE MARKETING IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I WAS GONNA SAY MARKETING WOULD BE NUMBER TOO.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE TO SITE A PLAN FOR THE SITE.
SO LEE, ALL THESE ARE REALLY GOOD.
SO LET ME JUST SAY THAT ALL THESE ARE, ARE IMPORTANT.
I THINK THE MARKETING'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THAT WAS, I THAT'S, I WAS GONNA TALK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT IN MINE TOO, AND, UH, IN MY COMMENTS OR MY IDEAS.
'CAUSE I AGREE WITH YOU AND I MEAN, LOOK, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A MASERATI FOR THE MARKETING AT THIS POINT.
WE JUST NEED TO START MARKETING.
AND, AND I JUST TOLD, UH, AND DOLE THIS THE OTHER MEETING.
WE, WE GET TO CHEAT TO WIN HERE.
WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY AND MOMENTUM TO, UH, ARMY GUY, RIGHT?
AND I, I, ONE OF THE, SINCE WE'RE TALKING REAL ESTATE, YOU KNOW, I REACHED OUT TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND SAID, CAN WE CONTRACT A COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FIRM TO LIST THE LOTS? SHE SAID, THERE'S NO REASON WE CAN'T.
SO IT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD WORK WITH THE, THE COMMONWEALTH'S REAL ESTATE TEAM, BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING I'D LIKE WANTED TO GIVE STAFF TO CONSIDER IS, DO WE, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF SOLICITING, UM, RELATIONSHIPS WITH REALTORS WITH A REALTOR OR MULTIPLE REALTORS TO LIST THIS SLOTS IT, AT LEAST AS AN INTERIM CLAUSE TO SAY, HEY, THIS PROPERTIES ARE HERE AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE AND THEY'RE COMMERCIALLY VIABLE.
AND THEY WILL DO A LOT OF THIS WORK FOR US FOR THE COMMERCIAL BENEFIT, BUT THERE IS A PROFIT MARGIN INVOLVED IN THAT.
SO, UM, THAT WOULD TAKE SOME STAFF WORK TO MAKE SURE WE WERE DOING IT LEGALLY, OF COURSE, BUT, BUT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SAW NO ISSUE WITH MOVING FORWARD.
AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE, WHY HAVEN'T WE DONE THAT BEFORE? NOW WE GET THE SETTLE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IM, I'M HAVE TO EXCUSE MYSELF.
AND, UH, START HITTING THIS ROAD.
DO WE NEED TO VOTE LEE BEFORE HE GOES FOR THE CLOSE? OH, WE NEED TO VOTE TO GET INTO CLOSED SESSION.
WELL, LET'S, WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
SO WE CAN GET INTO CLOSED SESSION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THESE PRIORITIES? I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO PURSUE THOSE AND WE'LL COME BACK AND DISCUSS.
SO REAL QUICK, MAKE THE VOTE TO GET OUTTA CLOSED SESSION TOO, BUT IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL VOTE.
SO, UH, SO MOVING HEAD TO ITEM, WHICH IS IT? LEAVE, LET'S SEE.
MOVING HEAD TO ITEM NUMBER 11, CLOSED SESSION NUMBER.
UM, THAT'S IN PAPER OVER THERE.
THERE IT'S, I DON'T THINK I'M SUPPOSED TO.
SO I THINK THAT WE CAN JUST ALL, MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO MOVE.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, CAN WE CALL UP THE CLOSED SESSION? THERE'S ACTUALLY, THERE'S A FULL MOTION THAT YOU HAVE TO READ OUT.
BUT MAKE SURE WE'RE READING THAT INTO THE, UH, TO THE RECORD.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2, TAC 3 7 11 ALPHA FIVE FOR DISCUSSION CONCERNING A PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY, OR THE EXPANSION OF AN EXISTING BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY WHERE NO PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MADE OF THE BUSINESSES OR INDUSTRY'S INTEREST IN LOCATING OR EXPANDING ITS FACILITIES IN NORTHERN AKIMA COUNTY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
OKAY, SO WE'RE, NOW IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN TOO.
DOES IT REQUIRE A MOTION OR WE JUST GO AHEAD AND READ IT? DO YOU RECALL? JUST GO AHEAD AND READ IT.
I CERTIFY THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS, LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS UNDER VIRGINIA LAW AND ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION BY WHICH A CLOSED SESSION WAS CONVENED, WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED IN THE MEETING.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GRIFFITH, IS THAT A YES OR A NO? YES.
[00:45:01]
YES.AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, MINUS, YES.
SO THOSE THREE TO ZERO AGAINST, AGAIN, WE DID HAVE, UM, MR. CHESTERFIELD, UH, LEAVE RIGHT AT THE RIGHT BEFORE WE WENT INTO CLOSED SESSION.
AND, UH, JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, WE, WE DO NO LONGER HAVE A QUORUM, SO, UM, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO DO THINGS BY CONSENSUS, ESPECIALLY WRAPPING UP THE END OF THE MEETING.
NOW, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, LEMME JUST FIND MY, MY PLACE BACK TO SEVEN IN THE STAFF REPORT, I BELIEVE.
WE ARE NOW, THE NEW BUSINESS WAS PRIMARILY THE, THE, UH, PRIORITIES AND, UM, NOW WE'RE BACK UNDER THAT'S CORRECT.
SO SEVEN A RESEARCH PARK UPDATES.
UM, EARLIER WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE, UM, THE, THE ACCESS, THE REAR ACCESS ROAD AS ONE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, AS ONE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITIES AND, UH, CHAIRMAN PARTS, YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS.
AND, UH, AND I'D ALSO MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, THAT THE COUNTY HAD RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT THE FEDERAL FUNDING HAD REQUESTED TO PAY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A REAR ACCESS ROAD AT THE, AT THE RESEARCH PARK UNDER THE CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING PROGRAM.
IT DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE SECOND ROUND OF FEDERAL APPROVALS NEEDED TO ADVANCE THE PROJECT.
SO ESSENTIALLY THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN DENIED AT THAT POINT.
UH, THE, UH, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MIKE MASON, HE BROUGHT THIS, UM, TO THE BOARD AT THEIR MOST RECENT, REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20TH.
AND, UM, JUST AS A RECOMMENDATION, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE, THAT THE RESEARCH PARK AND THE COUNTY OVERALL, UM, CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY.
WITH REGARDS TO THE MARKETING SIGN, WE WON'T, UH, WE WON'T TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT THE MARKETING SIGN SINCE WE'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THAT, UH, UNDER THE, THE, THE, THE PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM FOR THE PRIORITIES.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DID, UM, WE DID GET THAT DONE WITHIN, UH, WITHIN A DAY.
AND THAT SIGN IS OUT THERE FOR FOLKS TO SEE AND, AND TO, AND TO CONTACT US AFTER WE DESIGNED THE SIGN AND WE HAD IT PUT UP, IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A GOOD LOOKING SIGN.
BUT THERE ARE ALREADY A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I, I WOULD CHANGE ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE MORE, UH, SUBSTANTIVE INFORMATION, UH, BEHIND ALL OF THOSE ITEMS. BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE COULD PUT THE NEXT ONE'S GOT A QR CODE THAT WILL SEND FOLKS TO THE, TO SOME DOCUMENTS OR TO THE WEBSITE.
AND, UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WAS JUST A FIRST STAB AND, UH, JUST TRYING TO REACT AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, AND TO GET SOME VISIBILITY TO ANY POTENTIAL FOLKS FOR THE, UH, FOR THE ROCKET LAB, UH, LC THREE RIBBON CUTTING.
SO AGAIN, UH, CHAIRMAN PARKS GREAT IDEA.
AND, UM, WE'RE ALSO PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS.
I THINK IT LOOKS GOOD AND IT, BUT I THINK IT IS TEMPORARY.
RIGHT? IS THE, IS THAT A, IS THAT A BANNER ON THE SIGN ON THE BOARD OR IS IT, I THINK IT'S A, I THINK IT'S A METAL OVERLAY.
I DON'T, I'M NOT QUITE SURE OF, OF THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT, UH, UM, WHEN I TALKED WITH, WHEN I TALKED WITH STUART HALL, WHO WAS MY COUNTERPART, THE OTHER DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IN PUBLIC WORKS, HE MENTIONED THAT THAT'S PROBABLY HOW THEY WOULD DO IT.
UM, I DIDN'T ASK WHAT THE, WHAT THE, WHAT THE MATERIALS WERE THAT WENT INTO IT.
IT WAS, IT, IT'S GREAT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO REFINE CONCEPTS.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT I WOULD TAKE MY NAME OFF OF IT, BUT WE HAD TO
BUT, UM, I'LL SHARE WITH YOU THOUGH ON THAT REGARD, THE MARKETING SURVEY THAT THE INDUSTRIAL PARK EDA, THAT WAS A BIG FIGHT THAT THEY WANTED SOMEONE'S NAME ON ALL THE MARKETING MATERIALS.
AND I'M THE GUY GOING, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT FOR GOVERNMENT, BUT, SO, SO AT LEAST YOU SHOULD LOOK GOOD IN THEIR EYES IF NOTHING ELSE,
SO THE, UM, SO AGAIN, WITH REGARDS TO THIS MARKETING, UH, THIS, THIS, THIS MARKETING ENTRY OR, UH, OR DISCUSSION POINT UNDER STAFF REPORT, GRACE MARY AND I, WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR, UM, REALLY FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF MARKETING MATERIALS WE NEED.
THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE OFFERING MEMO.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY, UM, WE ACTUALLY SHOWED THAT TO YOU, BUT WHY DON'T I GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE, UM, TO THE MAIN PRESENTATION NOW.
'CAUSE I THINK THE, THERE YOU GO.
[00:50:01]
SO, UM, SO YEAH.UH, AFTER THE FIVE VEDB TIERS, UH, AN OFFERING MEMO IS ESSENTIALLY A BROCHURE THAT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UH, STATISTICS, UH, SO BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION ON A NICE GLOSSY THAT WE COULD, UM, THAT WE COULD DISTRIBUTE TO FOLKS.
AND, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PRICE FOR THIS, AND WE'RE JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND START TURNING TO, WE DON'T HAVE TO PROCURE THIS, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, MARY HAD PROVIDED US WITH THIS EXAMPLE FROM, UH, CAROLINE COUNTY, MARYLAND, AND THEY'VE GOT THE MIDSHORE REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS PARK.
AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S BEEN DEVELOPED.
THEY'VE GOT THE BUFFERS IN PLACE PARKING, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL PAD READY.
I'M ASSUMING THAT THERE'S WATER AND SEWER AVAILABLE ALREADY, BUT IT'S COMPLETELY EMPTY.
SO, UH, WE WOULD LOVE TO DEVELOP ONE OF THESE FOR THE S RESEARCH PARK, AND WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF HOW TO PROCEED WITH THAT.
WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED A POTENTIAL, UH, GRAPHIC DESIGNER AS WELL AS PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO DOES DRONE SHOTS AS WELL AS GROUND SHOTS.
SO WE'RE, SO THE STAFF IS READY TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS LITTLE MARKETING PIECE.
AND AGAIN, UM, WE'RE JUST GONNA START, UM, WE'RE JUST GONNA START, UH, FITTING ALL THOSE PIECES TOGETHER.
SO NOT JUST, NOT JUST FOR THE OUTWARD FACING STUFF LIKE, UH, LIKE THESE OFFERING MEMOS OR GETTING THE WEBSITE IN, UH, IN PRESENTABLE SHAPE WITH, WITH, UH, WITH UPDATED INFORMATION, BUT ALSO ALL THE PROCESSES THAT GO INTO SUPPORTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NOT JUST THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, BUT THE WHOLE KIT AND CABOODLE.
SO THE IDEA WOULD BE, WOULD, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING YOU COULD CIRCULATE BY EMAIL WHEN WE GET A DRAFT AND, AND SOLICIT INPUT? SO IS THIS A, I I DO CAPABILITY STATEMENTS A LOT, RIGHT? SO ONE OR TWO PAGER FOR CAPABILITY STATEMENTS IS THAT TWO PAGES? OKAY.
YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, WE, WE GRABBED THIS OFF OF THE, UH, CAROLINE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE, RIGHT? YEAH.
M THREE CREATED THIS FOR THEM.
UM, AND M THREE IS HER COMPANY THAT, THAT, YEP.
UM, BUT SO, YOU KNOW, OFTEN COUNTIES, UH, MUNICIPAL BODIES WILL HAVE THESE PARKS, JUST LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE ALL THAT RESEARCH PARK.
UM, AND WE HAVE THE COMMERCIAL BROKERAGE ANGLE, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DEVELOPING IN THE BROKERAGE WORLD OFFERING MEMORANDUMS ALL THE TIME.
UM, BUT THIS IS A OFFERING MEMORANDUM THAT CAN BE BRANDED TO YOUR COUNTY FOR THE PART THAT IS SIMILAR TO A COMMERCIAL BROKERAGE OFFERING MEMORANDUM.
YOU GET AN INQUIRY, HAVE THE CALL, SEND IT OUT, THAT'S ON YOUR WEBSITE.
AND, AND ARE THESE ACTUAL PICTURES OR GRAPHIC DESIGNS? NO, THESE ARE ACTUAL PHOTOS.
CAN WE ZOOM IN ON, UH, I HAVEN'T SPENT ALL THAT ONE
YEAH, SO, SO THESE ARE DRONE SHOTS AND, UH, IT GIVES A REALLY NICE OVERVIEW OF THE, UH, UH, OF THE SITE'S EXTENT.
AND WE COULD DO THIS FOR OTHER SITES TOO.
IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE RESEARCH PART, BUT, UH, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, JUST KEEPING IN MIND THAT, UH, UM, I'LL JUST ROUND UP THAT THE FIGURE COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 1500 TO $2,000 PER OFFERING MEMO, BUT FOR ONE OFFERING MEMO, I THINK THAT'S MONEY WELL SPENT TO JUST GO AHEAD AND START GETTING SOME MARKETING MATERIALS TOGETHER.
AND, UM, AND THAT IS IN THE BUDGET.
WE'RE JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND START TURNING TWO ON THIS.
BUT, UH, JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE MARKETING, UH, ONE OF THE MARKETING PIECES THAT THE STAFF IS CONSIDERING TO DO.
I, I SEE A LOT OF THESE NOT RELATED TO REAL ESTATE, BUT FOR IT'S CAPABILITIES.
BUT, BUT PLEASE, THAT'S ALL I ASK IS LET'S, LET'S BE COLLABORATIVE.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD INSIGHT, SO THAT THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO, UM, THE STAFF THAT, UH, DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE UNDER ITEM NUMBER SEVEN STAFF REPORT, SO IT'S JUST THOSE TWO ABOUT THE ACCESS ROAD FUNDING, AND THEN THE MARKET IS ANY ACTION ON THE ACCESS ROAD.
I MEAN, IS THERE ANY, ANY, IS HAVE WE STARTED LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE FUNDING FOR THAT AT THIS, AT THIS STAGE? I THINK BECAUSE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF OUR DENIAL IS SO RECENT THAT WE REALLY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WITH IT, TO BE FAIR.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND, UH, AND, AND STAFF STILL RECOMMENDS IT BE, YOU KNOW, THAT IT BE CARRIED FORWARD IN THE PRIORITIES.
ARE YOU LOOKING AT OTHER FUNDING SOURCES OTHER THAN THE GRANT? YOU, I'M SURE WE WILL BE LOOKING AT OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.
[00:55:01]
I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ANY OTHER ONES SINCE WE WERE, SINCE WE WERE, UM, FOCUSING SO MUCH ON CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING.I THINK WE REALLY THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA GO.
SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT PROGRAMS OUT THERE FOR RHODES.
THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT ONES.
UH, MOVING FORWARD TO ITEM NINE.
SO, UM, WE SKIPPED ITEM EIGHT REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR AND COUNCIL, AND THEN WE CAN GO TO OTHER MATTERS UNLESS YOU WANNA DO OTHER MATTERS.
AND THEN, UH, UNLESS YOU WANNA FLIP THOSE, I, LET'S FLIP THOSE.
I THINK, UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
SO, UH, NUMBER NINE, OTHER MATTERS.
UM, NINE, A ROCKET LAB UPDATES.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THIS INTO THE RECORD, IT'S ON THE INTERNET ALREADY.
BUT, UH, THE, THIS, UM, THIS UPDATE COMES FROM JENNIFER, GOOD ROOM.
UH, SHE'S VERY COMMUNICATIVE AND VERY RESPONSIVE, AND WHEN WE ASK HER, WELL, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ROCKET LAB? WE WANT TO REPORT THAT OUT TO OUR PUBLIC.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT THE BIGGEST THING HERE IS THE, UH, WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYTHING IS BIG BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, THE LC THREE, UH, RIBBON CUTTING WAS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
AND THEN, UH, THAT BULLET POINT NEXT IS THAT THE NEUTRON FLIGHT HARDWARE IS ON ITS WAY TO THE LAUNCH SITE.
SO, UH, THE PIECES, AGAIN, SEEM TO BE FALLING INTO PLACE FOR ROCKET LAB'S FIRST NEUTRON LAUNCH WORK ON YOUR VERNACULAR PIECES AND FALLING ON A ROCKET ARE BAD.
HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH JENNIFER AND, AND, UH, PETER BECK AND, I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE CLEARLY MOVING FORWARD.
THEY INTEND TO LAUNCH NEUTRON THIS YEAR, AND THEY'RE HIGHLY ADAPTIVE, UH, TO THE CHALLENGES.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE SLOOP GUT SITUATION AND THE, AND THE DREDGING, BUT, UM, THEY'RE NOT GONNA LET THAT HOLD 'EM UP TO GET THIS FIRST LAUNCH IN.
AND THEY REALLY EXPECT, I THINK, TO GET THAT LAUNCH IN AND, AND THAT CAPABILITY, THERE WERE CUSTOMERS LINING UP TO UTILIZE IT.
AND THEN WHEN YOU THINK PAST THAT TO THAT BECOMING OPERATIONAL AND IN HIS REMARKS AT THE LC THREE DEDICATION, AND MR. BECK SAID, WE'RE GONNA LAUNCH FROM HERE TO GO TO MARS.
SO THE UPSIDE POTENTIAL IS, IS INCREDIBLE.
UH, AND I WAS VERY HAPPY AND VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND.
AND WE NEED TO GET YOU OVER THERE FIRST OPPORTUNITY IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO, TO MEET WITH THEM.
UM, AND I, I, I JUST ADD, YOU MENTIONED COMMUNITY OUTREACH IF SO, UM, WSR AND THEIR DID ACTUALLY DID A STORY ON THEIR DAILY, I, I CAN NEVER REMEMBER THE NUMBER OF THE PAPERS, BUT THE DAILY ONE THAT COMES OUT, AND THEY KIND OF DID IT ON THEIR OWN ON THE LC THREE DEDICATION.
THEY ACTUALLY USED THE PICTURE OF THE OLD LAUNCH FACILITY, THE, THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT DRAWING.
BUT IF YOU SAW THE COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK, IT WAS INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE FROM FOLKS ON THE SHORE THAT THEY'RE LIKE, FINALLY SOMETHING IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
AND I THINK WE, WE, WE HAVE A, A, A DUTY TO TAP INTO THAT ENERGY AS WELL AND SUPPORT THAT MOVING FORWARD AND, AND, AND GIVE THE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE ALL THE TALK OF NASA CLOSING AND LAYOFFS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS STORY AND IT'S, IT'S A GREAT NEWS STORY, SO.
SO, UM, THAT WAS NINE A ROCKET LAB UPDATES NINE B VIRGINIA SPACE.
VIRGINIA SPACE DIDN'T OFFER ANYTHING.
BUT, UH, ALL THROUGHOUT THIS MEETING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UM, ABOUT, UH, OUR INTERACTIONS WITH VIRGINIA SPACE.
I WOULD SAY THAT OF, OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE AND NOTE IS THERE ARE TWO REZONING APPLICATIONS THAT THEY SUBMITTED TO, UM, TO MY DEPARTMENT.
UM, ROCKET, NOT ROCKET LAB, BUT UH, VIRGINIA SPACE.
UH, THEY WANT TO REZONE THESE FOUR PARCELS OF PROPERTY TOTALING AROUND 167 ACRES TO GO FROM AG TO INDUSTRIAL TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, MANUFACTURING AND OTHER SUPPORT, UH, OTHER SUPPORT FACILITIES FOR THE, UH, AIRSPACE AND DEFENSE CLUSTER.
WHAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE IS ALL OF THIS.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE MADE SOME COMMENTS ON, ON THE APPLICATION, SEE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH, WITH THIS, UH, AROUND THIS TIME.
BUT, UH, FOR NOW, THIS IS WHAT THEY HAVE.
UH, THIS IS WHAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED FOR.
I WOULD SAY TOTAL, UH, UH, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PROPERTY THAT THEY HOLD
[01:00:01]
IS CLOSER TO 500 ACRES.SO, UH, THAT IS ONE APPLICATION.
UH, THE, THE NASA SECURITY GATE TO GET ONTO THE ISLAND IS RIGHT HERE.
AND THEN THE NEUTRON COMPLEX IS HERE, WHERE THESE, UM, POULTRY HOUSES USED TO BE.
SO THE BIG TENT AND THEN THE, AND THEN THE TALL BLACK BUILDING WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE ASSEMBLING THE NEUTRON ROCKETS IS, IS HERE, UH, UM, WATTS, WHERE THE ROYAL FARMS IS UP THIS ROAD HERE, PROBABLY FIVE MILES OR SO, OR FOUR MILES OR SO.
AND THEN THE OTHER SITE IS THE FORMER SEAFOOD CLAM PLANT.
AND THAT'S A 55 ACRE SITE THAT'S HERE.
THIS IS KEATON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THIS IS ROUTE 13, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS JOHN TAYLOR ROAD RIGHT HERE.
SO IF THAT BEING SAID, THE, UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN INSIDE OF THE CLAN PLANT, THAT IS A DECEPTIVELY LARGE BUILDING FROM THE INSIDE THE OUTSIDE, IT REALLY DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH.
BUT WHEN YOU GO INSIDE THE BUILDING JUST KEEPS GOING AND GOING AND GOING.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A LARGE BUILDING THAT THEY'VE GOT REALLY GOOD IDEAS FOR, AND THERE'S A LOT OF SPACE IN THERE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR STORAGE FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY FOR TEMPORARY, UH, TEMPORARY OPERATIONS FOR PROSPECTS TO COME IN AND LOCATE THERE.
BUT, UM, BUT THEY WANT, THIS IS CURRENTLY ZONED AG AND THEY WANT TO REZONE THAT TO INDUSTRIAL BOTH SITES THEY HAVE SUBMITTED PROFFERS FOR.
UM, WE ANTICIPATE GOING TO PLANNING COMMISSION WITH THAT IN OCTOBER.
AND, UH, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HOLD A WORK SESSION ON THESE TWO ITEMS AT THE END OF THIS MONTH IN SEPTEMBER.
THAT CONCLUDES THE, UM, THE STAFF'S REMARKS ON, ON UPDATES.
AND I CAN FEEL ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? NO.
UH, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS MAP, UH, THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I HEARD VIRGINIA SPACE SAY, AND THEY'RE, AT THIS TIME, THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE REMAINING LAND, CONTINUE TO BE FARMLAND.
UM, SO WE'RE IN CONTACT AND, AND, AND THEIR LOCAL ATTORNEY IS JOHN
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH JOHN, UH, JOHN IS WORKING WITH, UM, WITH THE VIRGINIA SPACE COUNCIL, NAMELY DEBORAH, UH, DEBBIE BRYANT.
AND, UM, AND, UH, UH, WE JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY WANTED TO GO WITH BECAUSE IF THEY, IF THEY WANTED TO EXPAND, THEN THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE US FOR ANOTHER REASON.
AND IT'S STRICTLY UP TO THEM HOW MUCH THEY WANT TO REELL.
THAT'S, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM WITH THEM.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THEY ARE.
UH, WE'RE SKIPPING C BECAUSE, UM, UH, MR. PIERCE ISN'T HERE, BUT C IS ENTITLED NASA LAW'S, FLIGHT FACILITY UPDATES.
IF YOU'VE BEEN KEEPING, IF YOU'VE BEEN KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH WHAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS BEEN DOING, UH, DAVE PIERCE ACTUALLY CAME TO THE LAST, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING AND GAVE THAT BRIEFING.
STAFF HAD ASKED DAVE TO GIVE THAT SAME BRIEFING TO THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO CATCH HIM NEXT TIME.
SO, UH, THAT GOES INTO, UH, THE REST OF THE AGENDA ITEMS 10, 11, AND 12.
ACTUALLY I HAVE 10 AND 12 'CAUSE WE'VE ALREADY DONE 11.
SO, UH, FOR THE NEXT MEETING, IT IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 18TH.
UM, UH, WE WERE LOOKING AT A WEDNESDAY AT ONE O'CLOCK WHEN WE PRESENTED THE QUARTERLY, UH, THE QUARTERLY MEETING SCHEDULE BACK IN FEBRUARY, NOVEMBER 18TH WAS THE MEETING.
NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, WOULD, AND WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO DO THIS BY CONSENSUS SINCE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, BUT, UM, WOULD YOU LIKE US TO IDENTIFY A, A DIFFERENT DATE? NOW, ONE OF THE CAVEATS TO THAT IS THAT THIS IS NOVEMBER AND THE END OF THE MONTH IS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY MUCH TAKEN UP BY THANKSGIVING.
AND MY THOUGHTS WERE THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH IS TAKEN UP BY THE ELECTION.
SO YOU'VE GOT, SO YOU'VE GOT THE ELECTION ON, ON THAT TUESDAY.
THE NEXT TUESDAY IS VETERAN'S DAY.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER THANKSGIVING.
SO NOVEMBER IS JUST, UH, ALL, AS THEY SAY, IT IS ALL ATE UP BY, UH, THE DAY'S BEEN ON THE, FOR MONTHS.
I THINK THE CONSENSUS IS TO KEEP IT.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE US TO DO THAT? WOULD YOU LIKE US TO SCHEDULE THAT FOR ONE O'CLOCK IF WE CAN? I THINK THAT'S BEEN THE CONSENSUS.
PRETTY MUCH THE, IT MAY MAKE THAT A LITTLE BETTER FOR THE 18TH.
SO NOVEMBER 18TH, THAT'S THE THIRD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH.
AND WE'RE, WE'LL LOOK AT 1:00 PM AND WE'LL SEND OUT THE, THE, THE USUAL DOODLE.
[01:05:01]
ACTUALLY, WE WON'T DO A DOODLE POLL SINCE, UH, SINCE WE'RE NOT POSTPONING THAT MEETING.BUT, UH, WE'LL SEND YOU THE, UH, THE INFORMATION AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO INCLUDE ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE LET US KNOW AND WE CAN GET THAT.
I, I THINK FOR ALL THESE MEETINGS, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF WE COULD, AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH CALENDAR TO COME OFF OF, BUT PUSH OUT CALENDAR INVITES TO GET 'EM ALL SCHEDULED AND ADJUST OFF OF THAT.
WHETHER IT'S GRACE'S WHERE YOU CAN USE MY CALENDAR, OR IF WE'RE USING TEAMS, YOU KNOW, YOU'D BE ABLE TO HAVE A TEAM EVENT AND YOU COULD DO IT OFF OF THERE, BUT THE COUNTY DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THERE YET.
SO, UM, AND WE, WE USE MICROSOFT, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE TEAMS, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND, UH, YEAH, THERE'S EVIDENTLY TWO SLIDES TO THAT DISCUSSION.
BE ON TEAMS, BUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S AN IT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND PUSH OUT TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH, MODULE THREE, BUT ONE, AND, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
I THINK WE NEED, UH, THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE GO BACK TO, I THINK IT WAS ITEM EIGHT FOR THE COMMENT SESSION.
SO NOW THAT WE'RE THERE, ITEM EIGHT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU, MR. CHAIR FOR, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR AND COUNCIL.
AND MY REMAINING MEMBERS, ANY COMMENTS OR NO, SIR, NO COMMENTS? NO.
WELL, I'VE TALKED ALL DAY, BUT, UM, I, I GET PRETTY EXCITED THIS TIME OF YEAR.
IT'S BEEN THE, FOR ME IT'S HURRICANE SEASON.
IT'S THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF KATRINA, AS YOU KNOW.
AND A LOT OF THINGS COME BACK TO ME FOR THAT LINE.
BUT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS IS, I, I WAS, I'M AT KATRINA THE WHOLE TIME, BUT MY BOSS AT KATRINA, WHO I'M STILL CLOSE WITH, LIEUTENANT GENERAL HONORING, HAD A SAYING DOWN THERE THAT I THINK IS VERY, UH, RELEVANT TO THIS GROUP AND THE OTHER STATE AND COUNTY LOCAL ENTITIES WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE MAKING THIS PARK AND MAKING THE COUNTY A SUCCESSES.
YOU KNOW, WE'LL ALL GET A LOT DONE IF WE DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHO GETS CREDIT.
AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A PERFECT ANALOGY FOR THIS.
AND, AND WE DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT WHO'S GETTING CREDIT OR WHAT, WHAT LETTERS BEHIND THEIR NAME, WHATEVER.
IT'S, WE JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET STUFF DONE AND MOVE.
AND WE WE'RE NOT IN A SITUATION BECAUSE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE SHOULD WAIT.
WE NEED TO MOVE ON ANYTHING WE CAN, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, IF SOMETIMES WE MAKE A PHONE CALL, IT DOESN'T GO WELL, OKAY, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
BUT DOING NOTHING IS A DECISION AND CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THAT.
SO I ALSO JUST WANT, THANK YOU FOR COMING SO FAR, YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT.
UH, I, NO DOUBT MR. PIERCE IS, IS VERY BUSY.
UM, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS FROM THE LAST COMMENTS I HEARD FROM HIM, AND I WAS AT THAT SESSION, THAT THE, THE RISK OF THE CLOSURES AT WALLOPS AT THIS POINT REGARDING THE, UH, SOME OF THE SUPPORTING FACILITIES IN THE VISITOR CENTER.
I THINK THAT THAT'S, THEY THINK THAT THAT'S REMEDIATED, OR AT LEAST IT'S IN THE BUDGET, WHO KNOWS? BUT, UH, THE, THE PRESSURE SEEMS TO BE OFF THERE.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK MR. PAMPER, UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE, WE CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
DO THAT BY CONSENSUS, JUST SO THAT UH, WE DON'T WELL SAID YES.
WELL, WE WOULD ENTERTAIN ADJOURNMENT.
SO WE'RE ADJOURNING AT FIVE 10.