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GOOD.[Wallops Research Park Leadership Council Meeting on November 18, 2025.]
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.WE'RE GONNA START HERE AT, UH, FIVE AFTER ONE.
UH, AND I WILL CALL THIS MEETING OF THE WALLACE RESEARCH PARK LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO ORDER.
UH, THIS IS OUR QUARTERLY REGULAR MEETING.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, MR. ALVIN CHESTERFIELD AND MYSELF IN ATTENDANCE, AND DR.
MINUS WILL BE JOINING REMOTELY.
UM, SO AT THIS, I BELIEVE I HAVE TO, UH, READ IN DR.
SO WE'VE GOT YOUR SCRIPT THERE.
UM, I CAN ATTEST THAT THE REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY WAS RECEIVED BY ME IN WRITING ON, UH, TODAY, UH, WHICH IS 11 17 20 25.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, UNDERSTANDING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MINUS MINUS, YES.
UM, CURRENTLY IS CONNECTED VIA ZOOM OR TELEPHONE FOR THIS MEETING.
COUNCIL MEMBER MINUS, CAN YOU HEAR ME? DR.
COUNCIL MEMBER MINE, WOULD YOU STATE THE REASON YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY IN THE EXACT LOCATION FROM WHERE YOU'RE PARTICIPATING? YES.
I HAVE A CAMPUS COMMITMENT THIS AFTERNOON, AND I AM CALLING FROM MY OFFICE IN MALFA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, SINCE WE HAVE A QUORUM PHYSICALLY ASSEMBLED HERE TODAY, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ALLOW COUNCIL MEMBER MINUS TO REMOTELY PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S MEETING? IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR COUNCIL ADOPTED REMOTE PARTICIPATION POLICY MOTION? MR. PIERCE HAS MADE A MOTION, CHET HAS SECONDED.
I MOVE THAT WE ALLOW COUNCIL MEMBER MINE TO REMOTELY PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR COUNCIL ADOPTED REMOTE PARTICIPATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE A.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA, PLEASE? SO MOVED PRO.
SO MOVED AND SECONDED VIA PHYSICAL NOD FROM MR. PIERCE.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? DO WE ADOPT THE AGENDA? PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS FOR THE MINUTES.
UH, THE MINUTES WERE PUSHED OUT IN THE STAFF PACKET.
UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST WEEK.
MY DAYS HAVE ALL RUN TOGETHER, SO IF I'M WRONG, PLEASE DON'T HOLD ME TO THE DATE.
UM, BUT THE MINUTES WERE FOR THE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2025, UH, REGULAR MEETING.
UH, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES? SO MOVED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WE ADOPT THE MINUTES FROM MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP.
DO I NEED TO OPEN AND CLOSE THAT JAN? GOOD.
MOVING ON TO OUR OLD BUSINESS ITEM FIVE ON THE AGENDA.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY, THE ONLY OLD BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAD INTRODUCED LAST, UH, LAST MEETING, OR LAST QUARTER I SHOULD SAY.
UH, WE, THE STAFF HAD, UH, SUBMITTED SOME SUGGESTED PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC ACTIONS, AND THEN AT THAT SAME MEETING, YOU HAD ALSO BROUGHT, UM, SOME MORE GENERAL, UH, PRIORITIES.
WE HAVE BOTH OF THOSE DOCUMENTS HERE.
AND, UH, IT, IT'S WORTHWHILE TO CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT THAT, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THIS IS KINDA STRATEGIC PRIORITY SEASON, BOTH FOR THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AND ALSO FOR THE, UH, FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
WE HAVE LAST YEAR'S, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN SLIDE DECK, JUST FOR REFERENCE.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS THE STAFF HAS BEEN HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT, MARY MES, AND BY THE WAY, THAT CONTRACT IS NOW OVER, UH, WE HOPE TO WORK WITH HER AGAIN AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.
AND WE HAVE TALKED WITH HER ABOUT PRIORITIES.
AS YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS ALSO PUT FORTH
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A MARKETING PLAN.SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF, SHALL WE SAY, NEW INFORMATION AS IT PERTAINS TO PRIORITIES.
UH, AND OF COURSE, THE BOARD IS GONNA GET, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS GONNA GET A BRIEFING TONIGHT ON, ON OTHER PRIORITIES.
BUT THIS IS JUST, UH, UM, A RECAP OF SOME BASIC, UH, OF, OF THOSE BASIC PRIORITIES THAT THE STAFF HAD SUGGESTED OR BROUGHT FORTH LAST MONTH.
AND WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A, A, A BIG OR, OR A LONG ENOUGH OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHAT YOU HAD BROUGHT.
SO WE'RE JUST BRINGING THIS BACK.
THIS IS REALLY THE MAIN AGENDA ITEM FOR TODAY.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF OTHER HOUSEKEEPING THINGS, BUT, UH, THE, THE, THE BULK OF TODAY'S TIME COULD BE DEDICATED TO, UH, TO TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIES.
GRACE, WOULD YOU MIND BRINGING UP, UM, UH, CHAIRMAN PARK'S PRIORITIES THAT, UH, WERE FROM LAST TIME? SO WE SCAN THOSE AND WE'VE GOT, UH, WE'VE GOT THESE HERE FOR, YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF, UH, GUIDE THAT DISCUSSION.
BUT I WOULD JUST, UH, TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU TO SEE, UH, WHAT, UM, WHAT SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS WERE WHEN YOU HAD SUGGESTED THESE LAST MONTH.
AND WE, WE WOULD JUST WANNA GET INTO IT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO START WITH THE STAFF AND YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT, BUT, UH, AND THEN WHEN YOU SUGGESTED THIS LAST MONTH, YOU PROBABLY HAD SOME THOUGHTS THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T GET.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY AN INTERESTING STUDY, AND IT STILL IS, BECAUSE MINE WERE MORE, I THINK, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, I THINK THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE REGULATORY SIDE OR LOOKING AT THAT BUSINESS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO FROM A REGULATORY BASIS.
AND SO WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT A BALANCE OR, OR HOW DO WE PROCEED? UM, GRACE, IS THERE ANY WAY YOU COULD PUT THEM SIDE BY SIDE? AM I GOING TO, YEAH, IF NOT, JUST LET'S PULL UP, LET'S GO THROUGH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FIRST, BECAUSE MY, MY MEMORY COULD BE WRONG TOO.
SO THE KEY ITEMS HERE, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND 'CAUSE WE'VE TALKED STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
I MEAN, I, THAT'S PROBABLY THE RIGHT LEVEL IS JUST TO LEAVE IT AT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.
UH, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT MULTIPLE THINGS UNDER THERE.
UM, SO, UH, SO THE, THE, THE STAFF'S PRIORITIES WERE MORE ACTION ORIENTED.
I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T CLASSIFY THEM OR CHARACTERIZE THEM AS REGULATORY PER SE.
THAT WAS A QUESTION, BUT THESE ARE MORE ACTION, THESE ARE MORE ACTION ORIENTED.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, GRACE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SCROLLING DOWN.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TWO INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, UH, UH, PRIORITIES.
WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT CONCEPT PLAN REFRESH.
OF COURSE, THAT CONCEPT PLAN IS, UH, 11 YEARS OLD AT THIS POINT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, GRANTS AND FINANCING.
THE, THE STAFF WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT A, UH, A SITE CHARACTERIZATION GRANT APPLICATION.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION LAST WEEK ABOUT THE VIRGINIA BUSINESS READY SITES PROGRAM THROUGH THE, THROUGH VEDP, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD THIS QUEUED UP FOR A WHILE.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, NUMBER FIVE, WITH THE MARKETING, UH, WITH THE MARKETING PROGRAM, AS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WAS MOVING FORWARD WITH THEIR EXERCISE WITH THE PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION, AS WELL AS, UM, AS WELL AS THEIR CONSULTANT, WE FELT THAT IT WAS A GOOD TIME FOR US TO ALSO BRING THIS UP.
SO, IN TERMS OF THESE ACTION ITEMS, STAFF FEELS LIKE THAT A LOT OF THESE ACTION ITEMS CAN FIT INTO, UH, INTO SOME OF THOSE, UH, MORE OVERARCHING OR GENERAL PRIORITIES THAT YOU ARE LISTING.
BUT THIS IS THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL'S FIRST STAB AT AS FAR AS I CAN TELL THROUGH ALL THE MINUTES AND THROUGH THE EXISTENCE OF THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.
AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT PRIORITIES FOR THE, FOR THE COUNCIL ITSELF AS WELL AS FOR THE RESEARCH PARK.
SO AGAIN, WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS TO OFFER SOME, SOME CONCRETE AND ACTIONABLE TASKS, ACHIEVABLE TASKS THAT, UH, THAT REALLY COULD FIT INTO, I WOULD SAY, THE, UH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
AND WE COULD, WE COULD EVEN SHOEHORN THEM INTO SOME OF THOSE MORE GENERAL PRIORITIES THAT YOU WERE, THAT YOU WERE LISTING.
BUT IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, WE MAYBE SPENT ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINUTES AT THE LAST MEETING AND, UH, UH, THAT, THAT, UM, UH, SUGGESTS ADDITIONAL TIME IS NEEDED TO TALK ABOUT.
YEAH, NO, I THINK IT'S A GOOD, I THINK IT'S A GOOD EFFORT.
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AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT IT'S THE FIRST, WELL, THIS WILL BE THE SECOND MEETING, RIGHT? WHERE IT'S BEEN DONE IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNCIL.SO, UM, I WILL WARN EVERYONE WHEN I READ THE, THE MINUTES OR NOT WARN, I'LL LET YOU GIVE YOU A HEADS UP.
WHEN I READ THE LAST MEETING'S MINUTES, I MADE A POINT OF NOT PONTIFICATING OFF SCRIPT AS MUCH AS I DIDN'T PREVIOUSLY, AND I'M TEMPTED RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT, UM, SO GRACE, THANK YOU.
AND NOW WOULD YOU GO BACK TO MY, MY SIDE? SO I, I'M GOING TO PONTIFICATE A LITTLE BIT, UM, FROM MY EXPERIENCE WHEN, AND, AND, AND AGAIN GENTLEMEN, PLEASE, UH, AND DR.
MINAS, WE KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE, SO WE VALUE YOUR INPUT GREATLY.
I THINK THAT, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE STRATEGIC, UM, PRIORITIES, THOSE ARE TYPICALLY HIGHER LEVEL.
UH, SO WE WANT STRATEGIC PRIORITIES TO SAY, HEY, WE WANT TO GO IN THIS DIRECTION.
AND, AND, UH, ALTHOUGH I MISSPOKE EARLIER, I THINK STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS, AS LEE SAID, DO SEEM TO FALL WITHIN THOSE AS THE TASK TO HELP ENABLE OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
UH, SO I, I DO THINK WE HAVE TO, WHATEVER, WHATEVER IT IS, WHETHER IT'S ON ONE OF THESE TWO DOCUMENTS OR NOT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE STRATEGIC, UM, WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION THAT BEST HELPS PROMOTE, UH, THE PARK AND SUPPORTS OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR SPACE CUSTOMERS, AND THE EXPANSION OF THE SPACE INDUSTRY FOR THE COUNTY.
UM, AND SO THIS MAY NOT BE THEM, BUT I, I, I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP THE DISCUSSION.
MINDER, DO YOU, WOULD IT HELP YOU IF I READ THESE, WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW? IT, IT REALLY WOULD.
IF YOU COULD MINE, I, I APOLOGIZE FOR MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME.
SO THIS WAS THE, THIS WAS THE, UM, THE, THE SLIDE I THREW TOGETHER KIND OF QUICKLY.
I THINK GRACE MAY HAVE FIXED SOME OF MY GRAMMAR.
UH, BUT IT WAS FOR THE PRIORITY.
AND THIS WAS KIND OF A DISCUSSION DOCUMENT.
UM, AND I'D LISTED FOUR ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE WAS, TAKE CARE OF THE CURRENT CUSTOMERS, UH, INCREASED FUNDING, LOOKING AT STATE AND FEDERAL, GROWING THE PARK, AND DEVELOPING NAME RECOGNITION AND MARKETING.
UM, NOW THOSE WERE THE ONES I HAD LAID OUT.
UH, UM, YEAH, I'M GONNA FLIP BACK.
AND, AND THAT FIRST ONE WAS, TAKE CARE OF THE CUSTOMER.
TAKE CARE OF THE CURRENT CUSTOMERS ON IN THE PARK.
YOU WANNA FLIP OVER GRACE? THANK YOU.
AND THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, ITEM ONE, UM, UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PADS FOR TEMPORARY STRUCTURES USES, UH, ITEM TWO, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, NASA LEASE ACCESS ROAD NUMBER THREE WOULD BE A, THE CONCEPT PLAN, REFRESH, AN UPDATE FOR EXISTING CONDITIONS.
AND NUMBER FOUR, WHICH WE'RE, WE'RE, WELL ALMOST WHAT GRANTS AND FINANCING AND NUMBER FIVE, UH, MARKETING, UH,
SO, UH, THE TWO DOCUMENTS PRETTY MUCH ALIGN ON FOUR AND FIVE.
IT'S INTERESTING, MR. MASON'S WITH US, AND WE WERE AT VACO LAST WEEK, I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEK, WHENEVER IT WAS RECENTLY.
AND, AND THE WALLOPS RESEARCH PARK PLAN WAS ON DISPLAY BY, UH, AS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT, ALTHOUGH IT WAS IN A STAGE THAT WENT FROM ITS ORIGINAL INCEPTION AND NOT WHERE IT IS TODAY.
WHO, WHO WAS THAT? THAT WAS, UH, VIRGINIA RESOURCES AUTHORITY.
UM, AND, AND I KNOW MIKE DID, AND I HAD A COUPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM TOO, ABOUT, UM, HELPING US IN THE FUTURE AND EXPANDING.
SO, UM, I DO THINK, AGAIN, DISCUSSION, WHERE DO WE, WHAT DO WE LOOK AT THAT HELPS US PRIORITIZE AND GROW THE PARK IS THE QUESTION.
I, FROM, FROM NASA'S PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT EFFORT TO UNDERTAKE.
UM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE GROUND IT IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE MANDATE AND THE PURPOSE, THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE PARK IS.
AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO REITERATE FROM NASA'S PERSPECTIVE THAT THE WALLOPS RESEARCH PARK AND ITS PROXIMITY TO WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY, UH, IS ESSENTIAL TO THE GROWTH OF THE COMPLEX AND ALL OF ITS PARTNERS, NOT, UH, JUST THE REGIONAL SPACE BOARD.
AND IT MAY BE SUBTLE, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IT SERVE AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ALL OF THE PARTNERS OF
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THE WALLOP SWAY FACILITY.WE'RE ALL GROWING, UH, AS YOU BROUGHT UP, UH, CHAIRMAN PARKS, UH, A CURRENT RFI THAT'S OUT THERE, THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY AND WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR US TO STAY TRUE TO WHAT THAT ORIGINAL MANDATE WAS OR CHARTER FOR BOTH SETS OF PROPERTY, FEDERAL AND COUNTY, AND HOW WE CAN BEST MAXIMIZE ITS UTILIZATION TO ADVANCE THIS RAPIDLY GROWING COMMERCIAL SPACE INDUSTRY.
AND, AND TO HELP NURTURE THIS, UH, AEROSPACE ECOSYSTEM ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA AND DEL MARVA BROADER OUR REGION.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S, UH, IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHAT IS, WHAT'S THE CHARTER, WHAT'S OUR MANDATE AND THE, OUR GROUNDING, UH, OR, OR OUR DRIVING DOCUMENTS AS YOU YES.
LED, UM, I THINK UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR, OUR INDEPENDENT FUNCTIONS SHOULD BE IN ROLES AND HOW WE CAN BEST PLAY OFF OF EACH OTHER, SUCH AS WE WERE JUST TALKING WITH SECRETARY OF COMMERCE ABOUT, UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT.
THAT'S A, THAT'S AN ACTIVITY, THAT'S A THRUST, THAT'S A GOAL, BUT IT'S PART OF A, A GREATER THING THAT THE COUNTY HAS HAD A LOT OF LEADERSHIP RECENTLY ABOUT BROADBAND AND, UH, NATURAL GAS AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE HELPING THE, UH, AREA GROW.
AND I THINK THAT THE PARK PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THAT, IN BRINGING IN NEW AEROSPACE COMPANIES THAT CAN HELP ADVANCE ALL THOSE OTHER COUNTY GOALS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND, AND, AND IT'S ALMOST THE, THE CONCEPT THAT I DEFINITELY SEE IT AS IS IT'S NOT JUST, WE'RE NOT JUST A REAL ESTATE BOARD.
WE'RE DEALING WITH, WITH A MUCH BROADER SCOPE.
WE'RE TRYING SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMUNITY, THE AEROSPACE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS ARE.
UM, THEY'RE SO IMPRESSED WHEN THEY COME TO THE BAYFIELD STATION, THEY DON'T KNOW THAT IT EXISTS.
WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT MARKETING THAT RIGHT.
WHEN WE GO TO CONFERENCES, RIGHT.
UM, IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE'RE A PARTNER WITH EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND OUR OTHER REGIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA GET OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE FROM IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S, IT'S TELLING THAT WHOLE STORY WHEN WE GO SOMEWHERE.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK WITH WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, THE MARKETING PROGRAM, I THINK THINK WE COULD LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES TO DEVELOP PRODUCTS TOGETHER THAT WHETHER WE'RE IN THE SAME ROOM OR NOT, OR AT THE SAME CONFERENCE, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A MARKETING STRATEGY FOR THE COMMONWEALTH, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
ANY THOUGHTS? SO MAYBE THAT ONE OF THOSE FIRST ONES I WOULD PROPOSE, UH, ASSUMING WE'RE GONNA DO THIS NOW, WHICH I MEAN, THIS IS WHEN WE'RE TOGETHER, PROMOTE THE EXPANSION, EXPANSION OF THE SPACE INDUSTRY IN THE COUNTY AND IN THE REGION.
DO WE NEED TO SEE STATE, IF WE SAY REGION, I THINK REGION IS APPROPRIATE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT LIMITING OURSELVES.
IS SPACE INDUSTRY, THE, IS THE, THE CATCHY, IS THAT THE RIGHT TERM THAT YOU'RE HEARING? THE, THE AEROSPACE.
AND, AND, AND SPECIFIC TO THE COMMONWEALTH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SPEAK A LOT ABOUT AVIATION AND AEROSPACE BECAUSE AVIATION WAS STARTED ESSENTIALLY FROM, YOU KNOW, VIRGINIA.
UM, IT IS THE SECOND LARGEST, UM, UH, ECONOMIC SECTOR IN THE STATE.
WE WERE, UH, VIRGINIA WAS NUMBER ONE IN, UH, UAS, UH, BUSINESS IN THE COUNTRY A FEW YEARS AGO.
UAS OF COURSE, IS JUST, JUST GOING CRAZY.
UM, BETWEEN MALFA AND WALLOPS, WE HAVE TWO AIRPORTS THAT ARE, ARE GREAT ASSETS TO THE USE OF, UH, UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS, FOR INSTANCE.
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LIKE THE EXPANSION OF AEROSPACE IN TERMS OF REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE.SO I CONCUR WITH THAT PERSPECTIVE.
AND, AND I THINK IN UAS, WE, WE MIGHT STILL BE CLOSE TO NUMBER ONE IF, IF NOT NUMBER ONE NOW MM-HMM
AND OF COURSE, EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS HELPING TRAIN THAT FUTURE UAS WORKFORCE, RIGHT? UM, YES.
TALENT DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS IN THAT ARENA.
I THINK THAT'S, I, I, I WOULD RECOMMEND, THAT'S PROBABLY FROM A STRATEGIC POSITION, THAT'S PROBABLY THE TOP ONE.
THE, THE TACTICAL SUGGESTION I HAVE IS WHAT YOU BROUGHT UP BEFORE, WHEN WE WENT TO GO LOOK AT THE RESEARCH PARK, WE COULD PRODUCE A UP TO DATE, REALLY GREAT GIS RELATED MAP THAT COULD TURN INTO HOW WE CAN MARKET.
UM, WELL, YOU GOTTA KNOW YOURSELF, RIGHT? IF WE'RE GONNA MARKET, I MEAN, IT'S, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S, UM, SOMEONE THAT COULD TAKE, YOU KNOW, ON THE, UH, BOARD, WE CAN TAKE AN ACTION TO COME UP WITH PRODUCTS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST READILY AVAILABLE TO, TO PROVIDE TO THE COUNTY, UM, ABOUT WHAT OUR PLOTS ARE AND HOW YOU CAN GET IN THERE, OR IF THAT'S NEEDED.
I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY POTENTIALLY IF WE ACT QUICKLY WITH THE VEDP, UH, TO MAYBE FIND SOME FUNDING THAT WOULD HELP FACILITATE THAT.
WE'VE GOT GREAT CONTACTS WITH VEDP.
OF COURSE, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OF THEM, UH, IN OUR BACKYARD ON FRIDAY.
THAT'S WHAT I'M, AND THEY ARE, UH, AND, AND THE RESEARCH PART IS DEFINITELY FRESH IN THEIR MIND.
UM, UH, WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT SHY ABOUT ASKING OUR CONSULTANTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHER THINGS SHOULD WE BE CONSIDERING TO LEVEL UP GREAT.
YOU KNOW, NOT JUST FROM THE LEADERSHIP COUNSELOR, THE RESEARCH PART, BUT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHY ON, WELL, LIKE NUMBER FIVE, ESSENTIALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT MARKETING PROGRAM.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE MATERIALS, EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, SWAG ALL THE WAY UP TO MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, THE OFFERING MEMO THAT WE PRODUCED, UH, AND DISTRIBUTED LAST WEEK.
UM, WE'RE REDOING THE WEBSITE FOR NOT JUST, UH MM-HMM
NOT JUST THE, THE STAFF OR THE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SIDE, BUT ALSO FOR THE, FOR THE RESEARCH PARK.
SO WE ARE ALREADY WORKING ON A LOT OF THINGS MM-HMM
THAT COULD FALL INTO THIS BUCKET OR UNDER THIS ITEM.
UM, UH, WHAT I SEE LEVELING UP, WHAT I, WHAT I, WHAT I THINK THAT MEANS, OR WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME IS ACTUALLY TAKING THAT NEXT STEP AND THINKING ABOUT THOSE PRODUCTS THAT WE CAN, UH, THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH.
AND THEN JUST COMING UP WITH THE PRODUCTS IS, IS, IS ONE PART OF THAT, BUT THEN THE DISTRIBUTION, AND HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE GAIN THAT NAME RECOGNITION AND HOW DO WE MM-HMM
UH, HOW DO WE EXPAND THAT, UH, THAT VISIBILITY AND GET THAT HIGHER PROFILE.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF PARTNERS SUCH AS VIRGINIA SPACE AND NASA THAT GO TO CONFERENCES AND THEY GO TO TRADE SHOWS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, ACK COUNTY IS STILL TAKING BABY STEPS TOWARDS GETTING THAT, UH, GETTING THAT NAME RECOGNITION OUT THERE.
BUT ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS IS THAT WE, THAT WE START GOING TO TRADE SHOWS AND WE'D BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, INTENTIONAL.
I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS KNOW, UH, KNOW VIRGINIA SPACE, ACK COUNTY, AND THE WALLACE RESEARCH PARK.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DEFINITELY LEVEL UP ON, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS MORE FOCUSED ON, ON ACTION ITEMS, BECAUSE STAFF KNOWS THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
IF THAT IS A, A RECURRING PRIORITY TO JUST KIND OF KEEP THAT, UH, IN EVERYBODY'S MIND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUALLY WORK AT AND GET BETTER AT, THEN I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A, UH, A WORTHY PRIORITY OF, OF SETTING MM-HMM
AND KEEPING ON THAT LIST, I COMPLETELY AGREE.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IF, IF WE MIGHT TAKE AN ACTION TO, LIKE, IF, IF WE LISTED FROM NASA'S SIDE OR FROM VIRGINIA SPACE SIDE, FROM THE COUNTY SIDE, WHAT CONFERENCES THAT WE NORMALLY GO TO OR ARE ON OUR CALENDAR ALREADY, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE THE SAME IN SOME CASES.
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UH, PRODUCT THAT WE CAN DISTRIBUTE, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT AT, SAY, THE SPACE, UH, CONFERENCE IN, IN COLORADO IN APRIL, AKIMA COUNTY'S PRODUCTS ARE THERE.AND WE HAVE, AS YOU WERE POINTING OUT, WE HAVE ALL THIS VIDEO THAT WE COLLECT TO MUTUALLY CREATE A PRODUCT.
IT'S SELLING MIMA COUNTY, IT'S SELLING THIS, UH, THE RESEARCH PARK, AND IT'S, AND IT'S SHOWING ROCKET LAB, NORTHROP GRUMMAN, OUR NEW, OUR NEW PARTNERS FIREFLY.
AND, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY POWERFUL, LEE, AND I AGREE.
AND THEN MAYBE THERE'S STRATEGY WHERE WE GO TO SOME OF THEM TOGETHER, BUT WE'LL COVER MORE SEPARATELY.
DIVIDE AND CONQUER A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF THE, THE, THE, THE CLASSIC STRATEGIC VERSUS TACTICAL DISCUSSION MM-HMM
BUT I THINK GETTING BACK TO THE STRATEGIC PIECE, I THINK BY SETTING THE PRO AND, AND LEE ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF THESE HIGH LEVELS, 'CAUSE TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOU'RE SAYING, HEY, WE'RE ALREADY THERE, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
BUT WHO KNOWS THAT, RIGHT? SO THIS STRATEGIC LOOK IS SOMETHING WE CAN PUT ON THE WEBSITE THAT SAYS, HEY, THIS IS WHAT THIS BOARD'S DOING.
AND SO THAT LEADS ME TO, I THINK, BACK TO A SECOND ONE IN MY MIND THAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS TO SUSTAIN OR SUPPORT CURRENT AEROSPACE ACTIVITIES IN THE REGION.
IN THE COUNTY AND IN THE REGION.
AND I BELIEVE WE'VE ESTABLISHED THAT ACTUALLY THE, OH, I WANT TO GO CIRCLE BACK THOUGH.
UM, AND WE MAY HAVE LOOKED AT THIS BEFORE MR. PBR, BUT I THOUGHT OF IT THE OTHER DAY TOO, AND MR. PIERCE JUST BROUGHT IT UP.
UM, WE DO WANT TO, BEFORE WE ADOPT THESE AS A FINAL OR ANYTHING, WE DO NEED TO LOOK BACK ON THAT ORIGINAL FORMATION DOCUMENT, WHETHER IT'S A CHARTER OR LEGISLATION.
I, I, UM, I THINK WE HAD IT IN A PACKET.
WE, WE'VE GOT THAT IN THE PACKET.
UM, GRACE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GOING BACK TO BOARD DOCS, AND IF YOU COULD GO TO THE FIRST ITEM ALL THE WAY UP AT MEMBERS', ABSTINENCE MEMBERS, ABSENT MEMBERS PRESENT IN ABSENT, UH, 24, 0 3 0.2 IS THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT FORMS THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AND ESSENTIALLY ESTABLISHES.
I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A CODE SECTION AFTER THAT THAT ESTABLISHES THE RESEARCH PARK AS A, UM, AS A, UH, UH, UM, A TAX DISTRICT OF SOME SORT.
CAN WE OPEN IT? BUT IF YOU, IF YOU SCROLL SO AT, AT THE TOP, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT, THAT FIRST PROVISION IS USUALLY A STATEMENT OF INTENT.
AND THEN AS, AS YOU SCROLL DOWN, THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS IN HERE.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU KEEP SCROLLING DOWN, GRACE, UH, G WHAT THE, WHAT THE COUNCIL SHALL DO, UH, THERE ARE SOME BAR, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'LL TAKE NUMBER FOUR, FOR EXAMPLE, VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM IN THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS A, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE TO MEET WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION NEEDS.
SO THAT'S A REALLY GENERAL, THAT'S A REALLY GENERAL, UH, ITEM THAT, OR PIECE OF LEGISLATION OR, OR PROVISION IN THAT LEGISLATION THAT TALKS ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE, ABOUT THE FUNDING ASPECTS, THIS CODE SECTION RIGHT HERE COULD ALSO BE THE BASIS FOR SOME OF YOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
WELL, WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO ADOPT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT IN, DOESN'T IN CONFLICT.
THAT WOULD BE IN CONFLICT WITH HIM.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO STAY GROUNDED IN AND AGREED.
UM, AND IF WE SEE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE AMENDED, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
WHAT, WHAT SPEAKS TO ME, MR. PAM, WHEN I LOOK AT NUMBER FOUR, IS THAT THE, THE CONCEIVERS OF THIS RECOGNIZE THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY WRIT LARGE, TO BE ABLE TO ADVANCE THEIR EDUCATIONAL TRAINING, UH, AND THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, IN THE PARK, LIKE REMOTE LEARNING, UM, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CLASSES, UH, THROUGH EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR WITH THE BROADER OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY AND THAT, THAT WHOLE SYSTEM.
UM, SO IT'S, IT SPEAKS TO ME THAT
[00:30:02]
WALLOPS DOESN'T GROW.THEY RECOGNIZE THAT WALLOPS DOESN'T GROW IF IT DOESN'T GROW, IF IT GROWS WITHOUT THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
THAT, THAT THE COLLEGE IS ESSENTIAL TO THE NEEDS OF THE EMPLOYEES.
AND I THOUGHT IT, I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT THEY TIE IT TO THE BAYFIELD STATION ABOVE AS WELL.
THAT'S, THAT'S, TO ME, THAT'S REALLY AFFIRMING THAT THEY, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE FUTURE WORKFORCE.
I, I'M JUST GONNA IGNORE NUMBER TWO PART OF IT UNTIL I, THAT, THAT'S INTERESTING LANGUAGE TO ME.
UM, CAN YOU SCROLL UP, GRACE, SO I DON'T KEEP LOOKING AT IT AND CIRCLE BACK TO IT? 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT WE SHOULD BE UNDERTAKING STUDIES AND GATHERING INFORMATION.
I THINK THAT'S ANALYZE TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY RIGHT.
TO, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S OUR STATE LINE ITEM, RIGHT.
TO FUND THAT
YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD ALL BE FEEDING YOU IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT, THAT DATA, THAT DATA ANALYTICS OF WHERE THIS INDUSTRY IS GOING, WHERE THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, A LIVING, BREATHING THING RIGHT.
THAT SUPPORTS, UH, THOSE ENTITIES.
AND I REALLY LIKE IT, UH, CHAIRMAN PARKS THAT IT, IT, IT SPECIFICALLY WAS, WAS TALKING ABOUT ALL THE PARTNERS, RIGHT? AND LIKE THIS MARKETING DOCUMENT RIGHT HERE BASICALLY SAYS IT'S, IT'S TO SUPPORT THE MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL SPACEPORT THAT'S NOT ENTIRELY INCONTINENCE.
IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S NOT THE WHOLE THING.
AND THE GOVERNOR IS GONNA BE ADVISED BY US.
THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, FUNCTION.
SO, UH, MR. PAM, WHEN WE SAY THAT WE ADVISE THE GOVERNOR, WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO THE COUNTY? DO WE, LIKE, DO WE REPORT OUT TO SENATOR DEEF OR DO WE, HOW, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE DO THAT? I THINK THAT IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, AND THIS IS GOING BACK TO EIGHTH GRADE CIVICS, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH,
AND HE'S GOT, HE'S GOT SECRETARIATS, HE'S GOT A CABINET UNDER HIM.
HE'S GOT SECRETARIATS THAT WORK FOR HIM.
UH, CERTAINLY, UH, COMMERCE AND TRADE IS AN ENORMOUS ONE, IS A BIG ONE THERE, BECAUSE VEDP IS, IS A, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALWAYS IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH US, INFORMING US OF, UH, YOU KNOW, OF, UH, UH, POTENTIAL PROSPECTS.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT FUNDING AND, AND GRANT OPPORTUNITIES MM-HMM
AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER, UH, UH, MECHANISMS FOR FUNDING, UM, AS, AS WE ALL KNOW, THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION IS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN, OR IS VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT'S GOING ON HERE WITH THE SPACE BOARD.
I DON'T THINK THAT TOO MANY STATE SECRETARIES OF TRANSPORTATION YET TO SAY THAT SPACE, PART OF THEIR, UH, PART OF THEIR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDES A SPACE PORT.
UM, CERTAINLY WE WOULD WANT TO KEEP OUR, UH, OUR LEGISLATIVE, UH MM-HMM
FOLKS IN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DELEGATE BLOCKS, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SENATOR TO STAFF MM-HMM
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCESS, QUOTE UNQUOTE, UH, WELL, I WAS GONNA SAY ACCESS TO THE GOVERNOR, BUT ADVICE TO THE GOVERNOR, UH, THAT WOULD PROBABLY GO THROUGH HIS SECRETARIES AND WE WOULD WORK WITH MM-HMM
WITH THE STAFFS IN THOSE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, LIKE VEDP, UH, UM, AND, AND THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PRIMARILY.
I'M SURE THAT THERE WAS SOME OTHERS OUT THERE MM-HMM
THAT, UH, THAT WE WOULD INTERFACE WITH.
AND THEN THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, UH, SET THAT UP THE FLAGPOLE, AS THEY SAY.
BUT DOESN'T THE GOVERNOR HAVE A SPACE ADVISORY PANELS? HE'S GETTING ME TO MEET UP.
I'M, I'M A, UH, A BOARD MEMBER OF THE GOVERNOR'S AVIATION AND AEROSPACE ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND IT'S CHAIRED, IT'S CO-CHAIRED BY SENATOR DETE.
AND THAT WAS WHY I BROUGHT IT UP.
UH, DOES IT, I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, MR. PT, I'VE NEVER REPORTED OUT FROM THE RESEARCH PARK TO THE GOVERNOR'S, UH, ADVISORY, ADVISORY AVIATION, AEROSPACE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE? AT SOME POINT IN TIME THAT WE BRIEF THEM AT ONE OF THEIR REGULAR MEETINGS, THEY HELD QUARTERLY MEETINGS AS WELL.
UH, BUT I DON'T, I AM NOT AWARE IN MY TENURE, IT, IT, THE, THE COUNCIL INCLUDES THE CENTER DIRECTOR OF, UH,
[00:35:01]
LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER, AND IT INCLUDES THE DIRECTOR OF WALLOPS.IT INCLUDES, UM, THE CEO AND DIRECTOR OF, UH, THE VIRGINIA, UH, SPACEPORT AUTHORITY.
SO GENERAL MERCER SITS ON IT CURRENTLY.
UM, BUT WE, THERE'S, WE'VE NEVER BRIEFED, UH, LIKE THERE'S NOT A, THERE'S NOT A FEEDER.
THAT'S THE REASON I ASK THAT QUESTION, RIGHT.
IT SO ON IS, IS, IS THERE A NAVY NAVY REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT? THEN THERE'S ANOTHER ENTITY WHERE THAT'S, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GREAT TOPIC, AND WITH A NEW ADMINISTRATION COMING IN, IT MIGHT BE THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE THAT.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A CHARTER THAT BASICALLY SAYS THAT WE SHOULD BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION, BECAUSE IT'S NOT, I TOTALLY FINE WITH YOU DOING IT, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S FAIR.
AND, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT LIKE VOLUNTEERING TO SAY I SHOULD DO IT, BUT AT A MINIMUM WE HAVE THAT WE'RE GONNA TASK YOU UNTIL WE CAN.
AS, AS FAR AS THIS CHARTER GOES, IT'S CLEAR HOW IMPORTANT THIS COUNCIL IS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF THE COUNTY TO, UM, REINVIGORATE IT RECENTLY.
AND, UH, REALLY AM GRATEFUL TO, UH, CHAIRMAN PARKS AND THE COUNCIL FOR THE WORK AND, UM, UH, WORKING WITH YOU.
UM, AND GRACE, I THINK THAT WE'RE, WE'RE OFF TO A REALLY GOOD START HERE.
SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP MOVE THIS FORWARD? WELL, PART OF PART OF PROVIDING A REPORT IS HAVING SOMETHING TO REPORT.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING TO THAT.
SO WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS THIS YEAR AFTER, AFTER A BRIEF HIATUS OF, I WANNA SAY MAYBE TWO OR THREE YEARS MM-HMM
UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF HAS RECOGNIZED THAT THIS IS A KEY, THIS IS A KEY FACILITY AND, AND A KEY ORGANIZATION IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT APPARATUS OF CROMACK COUNTY.
BUT WHAT WE'VE ALSO BEEN TALKING ABOUT ON THE STAFF SIDE FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, IS AN ANNUAL REPORT, UH, THAT, UH, THAT ANNUAL REPORT OUR CONSULTANT FELT IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
THAT CONCEPT OR NOTION IS REFLECTED IN THE STATE CODE PROVISION FOR THE LEADERSHIP, FOR THE, FOR THE RESEARCH PARK AND THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL ITSELF.
SO IT'S NOT THAT MUCH OF A STRETCH TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO REPORT OUT WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE PAST YEAR, WHICH IS GETTING THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL STARTED BACK UP.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF, UH, WE, WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
FOR INSTANCE, WE SUBMITTED A FUNDING APPLICATION FOR, UH, UM, FOR CONGRESSIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT ACCESS ROAD, WHICH WAS UNFORTUNATELY, UH, DEBT APPLICATION WAS NOT ADVANCED.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF THINGS FROM A MARKETING STANDPOINT WITH THE OFFERING MEMO.
UH, AND WITH THE, WITH THE SIGN THAT WE'VE GOT OUT THERE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE WERE TRYING TO DO SOME OF THESE LOGICAL THINGS THAT, UM, THAT, THAT WE KNEW WE COULD ACCOMPLISH IN, IN SHORT ORDER.
BUT YOUR, YOUR, UH, UM, YOUR PRIORITIES WILL DEFINITELY INFORM WHAT WE WORK ON OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, HASN'T EVER OFFICIALLY BEEN ESTABLISHED OR PUT ON PAPER.
EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW, AGAIN, THAT THE RESEARCH PARK AND THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL ARE, ARE, ARE KEY PARTS OF THAT, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PUSH.
WELL, AND THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR UNDERSTANDING YOUR POINT ABOUT HAVING SOMETHING TO REPORT, BUT THERE'S JUST SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR PRESENCE AND, AND FACETIME.
AND IT MAY BE JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE UP AND FUNCTIONING AND EXPECT TO SEE MORE FROM US INITIALLY UNTIL WE DO THAT, TO ROLL THOSE THINGS UP.
UM, BUT IT COULD ALSO INCLUDE CONFERENCES ATTENDED, UH, COMPANIES THAT WE ARE MARKETING TO AND HAVE MET WITH, AND, UM, COMPANIES THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT ARE DOING STUDIES TO LOOK AT THIS, THE, THIS, UH, THE RESEARCH PARK AS PART OF THE BUSINESS AT WALLOPS.
BUT BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO, TO GET SOME VISIBILITY AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL.
UM, AND IT, IT HELPS BALANCE THE PLAYING FIELD SO THAT POTENTIALLY ONE ENTITY ISN'T OVERSTRETCHING OR OVERREACHING OR SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OTHERS.
UH, SO I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS AN, EVEN THIS DISCUSSION'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, UH, THAT WE, WE GET SEEN AND GET UP THERE AS WE WORK ON THE REPORT AND CONSOLIDATING ALL THESE THINGS.
AND CLEARLY AS LEE OUTLINED, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LIST OF THINGS TO REPORT THANKS TO STAFF'S EFFORTS AND, AND EVERYONE ELSE, UM, THAT'S COMING, BUT SOONER IS BETTER THAN
[00:40:01]
LATER, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.AND MAYBE WE DO NEED TO REACH OUT TO SENATOR STEPH, BUT I GUESS THAT'S AN APPOINTED POSITION.
SO WE HAVE A, A WALL OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT MEETS QUARTERLY.
UM, WHAT I THINK WE SHOULD DO IS TALK ABOUT IT OUR NEXT MEETING, HOW WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT THE FUNCTION OF THE RESEARCH PARK AND SERVE AS A, UH, LIKE PROVIDE THE RE THE RIGHT RESOURCES AND THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO, UM, BETTER THESE PRODUCTS.
AND WITH THAT REPORT COULD LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD, REALLY PARTNER TOGETHER TO DO SOME OF THIS.
AND, AND, AND THE REPORT IS ONE PIECE OF TELLING OUR STORY, RIGHT? MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, AND IT'S, IT'S AN OFFICIAL PIECE OF TELLING THE STORY, AND EVIDENTLY IT'S A MANDATED PIECE.
UM, SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY WANT TO DO AND, AND, AND, AND CONTINUE TO DO.
LET, LET'S, WELL, YOU ALL, I WOULD JUST ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M WILLING FROM, FROM MY FEET TO BE A, A STRONG PARTNER IN HELPING TO DEFINE THAT MESSAGE AND GET IT OUT THERE.
I MEAN, EVEN RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING STRATEGICALLY LONG TERM TO POSITION AEROSPACE FROM A WORKFORCE AND A PROGRAMMATIC STANDPOINT IN TERMS OF, WE RECENTLY SUBMITTED THE GO VIRGINIA GRANT, UH, TO EXPAND OUR UAS PROGRAMMING IN WORKFORCE.
WE'VE GOT PROGRAMS IN MACHINING AND MANUFACTURING AND 3D PRINTING ON THE HORIZON.
WE'RE LOOKING AT AN AEROSPACE TECHNICIAN PATHWAY AS WELL.
SO, I, I, I THINK THE MORE, I'M JUST GLAD I'M HERE BECAUSE I THINK THE TIMING IS PERFECT FOR US TO ALSO BE A, A PRETTY PROMINENT VOICE IN HELPING TO CARVE OUT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT NICHE AND THAT FOCUS FOR AEROSPACE AND TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION FOR THE END REPORTING, AND THERE ARE OTHER REPORTING IS NECESSARY TO MAKE OUR MESSAGES CLEAR AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU ON THAT.
SO, AS WE CIRCLE BACK TO OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, I THINK THAT IN MY MIND, LOOKING AT ALL THIS, IT'S, IT'S THE, THE, WE'VE GOT PROMOTE, SUPPORT AND SUSTAIN OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS, OUR CURRENT CLIENTS IS, IS, YOU KNOW, OR THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND AROUND THE PARK.
AND TO ME, THAT LEADS US TO A LOGICAL THIRD, WHICH IS TO EXPAND, EXPAND THE CAPABILITIES OF THE COUNCIL AND THE PARK TO BETTER DO, PROMOTE AND SUSTAIN.
UM, AND THEN WE END UP WITH SOME NEAT AND LITTLE CATCHY WHERE WE GOT PROMOTE, SUPPORT AND EXPAND MM-HMM
AND I THINK ONCE WE HAVE THAT HIERARCHY THERE, WHICH WOULD, UNDER THAT PRETTY MUCH ALL THE TACTICAL THINGS THAT, THAT STAFF AND AS WELL AS MYSELF HAD LAID OUT, WE CAN PUT INTO THOSE BUCKETS MM-HMM
UM, AND, AND GIVE THE STAFF SOME TOP COVER TO SAY, HEY, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? WELL, IT'S GONNA SUPPORT THOSE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES MM-HMM
UH, IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO, FROM OUR MARKETING, FROM EVERYTHING ELSE TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND AS WELL AS WHEN WE GO TO THE STATE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT AN INCOMING GOVERNOR, MAYBE IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND STAFF.
SO THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE COULD PITCH THE PARK MM-HMM
VERY QUICKLY, UH, IN ONE OF THESE VARIOUS MEETINGS.
UH, SO I, I WOULD ACTUALLY MOVE AT THIS POINT THAT, UM, WITH THAT SKELETON, IF, IF, I MEAN, I DON'T WANNA LOCK US IN BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE IS NOT CLEAR, BUT AT LEAST CAN WE FLESH THOSE OUT OR FLESH THOSE OUT AND, AND THEN REENGAGE ON THOSE TO BE ABLE TO ADOPT THIS STRATEGIC PRIORITIES? I WOULD, UM, I WOULD CERTAINLY AGREE AND SUPPORT THAT.
UH, I, I HAD ONE ADDITION OKAY.
THAT I'D LIKE TO REQUEST, UH, THAT, UH, STAFF CONSIDER US STARTING A SWAT, A STRENGTH, WEAKNESS, OPPORTUNITY, AND THREATS, UH, LIKE A QUADRANT, LEE MM-HMM
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL TO GROUNDING AGAIN YEAH.
WHAT OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ARE.
IT'S JUST SOME OF THE HOMEWORK.
AND WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT, SO IT MAY BE A KNIT, BUT I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH YOU, CHAIRMAN PARKS.
UM, I'M DEBATING WHETHER WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE NEED A MOTION OR WE, WE NEED TO DO SOME MORE WORK ON THAT.
MR. BA I WOULD SUGGEST A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, WE'RE SPIT BALLING.
WELL, I THINK WE'RE, I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING SOME, UH, SOME REALLY GOOD WORK IN TERMS OF, UH,
[00:45:01]
YOU KNOW, DEFINING WHAT THE COUNCIL'S VISION IS IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, IN TERMS OF STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD MODEL WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND WHAT, UM, UH, MR. MASON HAS DONE.
UH, WHEN, WHEN I FIRST THOUGHT AND, AND WAS HEARING, UH, STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR THE, FOR THE RESEARCH PARK, THAT WAS MY FIRST KIND OF GO-TO IN TERMS OF, UH, A MODEL TO USE.
BUT BECAUSE THIS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL HAD NEVER, NEVER TALKED ABOUT STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, WE JUST WANTED TO GET SOMETHING OUT THERE TO, UH, TO START THE DISCUSSION AND TO ENGAGE.
SO I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE, UM, HELPFUL FOR THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU WANTED TO FORMALIZE THAT IN A MOTION TO, TO, UH, DIRECT US TO FLESH OUT, YOU KNOW, UH, TO, TO FLESH OUT THE MATERIAL THAT, IN THE NOTES THAT WE'VE GATHERED TODAY AND THE TWO DOCUMENTS THAT WE'VE PRESENTED, AS WELL AS THE OVERARCHING FRAMEWORK OF, I BELIEVE YOU SAID, UH, SUPPORT, UH, PROMOTE SUPPORT AND EXPAND, PROMOTE, SUPPORT, AND EXPAND, UH, THAT IS A VERY EASY FORMULA TO REMEMBER.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE BASIS OF TELLING THAT STORY.
SO, UH, WE DID NOT COME TO THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL WITH A SPECIFIC ASK, BUT A, A, A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT WOULD CERTAINLY MEMORIALIZE THAT AND SEND US ON OUR WAY.
WE WOULD'VE DONE THAT ANYWAYS.
BUT I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A, A MOTION FROM THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO THAT EFFECT.
UH, I GUESS I, CAN I MAKE THAT MOTION? I GUESS I CAN MM-HMM
UH, I WOULD, I WOULD MOVE, UM, AS MR. PBR JUST STATED, THAT WE ADOPT OR WE TASK STAFF, UH, TO FURTHER EXPLORE AND FLESH OUT, UM, THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND EVEN THE TACTICAL PRIORITIES IN THE DOCUMENTS PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED, UH, BUILT AROUND THE PROMOTE, SUPPORT, AND EXPAND, UH, UM, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES.
CAN I GET A SECOND? SO, MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING A, AYE.
AND CERTAINLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK THAT AND WORK IT OUT.
WE'LL WORK WITH STAFF TO COME BACK, HOPEFULLY AT THE NEXT MEETING, UH, WITH A FINALIZED PRODUCT THAT WE CAN, THAT WE CAN ADOPT, OR, AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I HAD REACHED OUT TO MS. PROCTOR ABOUT IS OUR ABILITY TO CONVENE, UH, MEETINGS, WHETHER IN PERSON OR REMOTE, UH, AS WORKING GROUPS IN BETWEEN SINCE WE'RE SCHEDULED FOR QUARTERLY MEETINGS.
SO THAT MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE A WORKING GROUP SESSION WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE REMOTELY.
'CAUSE THE TIMELINES ON THIS TIME IS MONEY IN THIS BUSINESS, AND WE REALLY NEED TO MOVE THESE ITEMS ALONG.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, ANY MORE OLD BUSINESS, MR. PAMPER? YES.
MOVING FORWARD TO NEW BUSINESS.
YOUR, UM, YOUR LAST COMMENT ABOUT SCHEDULING AND WHAT THE QUARTER QUARTERLY MEETINGS ARE GONNA BE IS A NICE SEGUE INTO THIS AGENDA ITEM WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S, UH, LEADERSHIP COUNCIL SCHEDULE.
AND, UM, GRACE HAS DRAFTED THIS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RESTARTING THIS.
WE HAVE ONE YEAR UNDER OUR BELT AS OF TODAY.
WE'VE GOT FOUR, FOUR MEETINGS UNDER OUR BELT AS OF TODAY.
SO THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL'S MET FOUR TIMES THIS YEAR, UH, QUARTERLY.
AND THIS IS, THESE ARE GONNA BE YOUR DATES FOR NEXT YEAR.
THE HIGHLIGHTED DATE IS THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING.
IT IS ALWAYS A LITTLE TOUGH ON THE, ON MEETINGS.
UH, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THAT MEETING IS FOR.
SO WHAT SHE PUT HERE WAS, THAT'S JUST THE DATE THAT THE NEXT, THAT, THAT QUARTER, THE QUARTERLY MEETING WOULD FALL ON.
AND, UH, WE CAN PULL THAT BACK THE WEEK BEFORE, UH, AS, AS NEEDED.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
I, I, I KNOW THAT THE, THAT THE TIME OF THE MEETING IS ALSO A CONSIDERATION.
UH, WE WERE, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED HAVING MEETINGS, WE HAD JUST PUT THREE O'CLOCK OUT THERE BASED OFF OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THIS ROOM AND THE AVAILABILITY OF THE STAFF.
NOW THAT WE'RE INTO A NEW YEAR AND WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, SOME, UH, DISCUSSION AND SOME GUIDANCE FROM THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL ITSELF, THEN WE CAN START TO TALK ABOUT THE TIMING OR THE ACTUAL TIME OF THE MEETING.
AND THE REASON WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT LIFE HAPPENS.
UH, UH, WE ALSO HAVE SOME MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY, UH,
[00:50:01]
MR. UH, GRIFFITH, WHO WOULD BE COMING FROM ACROSS THE BAY.HIS OFFICE IS IN NEWPORT NEWS.
HE'S TECHNICALLY BASED IN RICHMOND.
THAT COULD GET A LITTLE BIT DUMP COMPLICATED FOR SOMEONE COMING FROM ACROSS THE BAY, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A ONE, YOU KNOW, EVEN A ONE O'CLOCK MEETING, BUT PARTICULARLY A THREE O'CLOCK MEETING.
I KNOW THAT, UH, UH, MR. CHESTERFIELD HAS HAD TO, UH, EXCUSE HIMSELF FOR OTHER PRIOR COMMITMENTS.
BUT, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE JUST PUTTING BACK OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FOUR, FOR THE FOUR DATES.
WE'LL PULL THE ONE WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH, 2026, MEETING BACK A WEEK.
BUT, UH, IT WAS LAST TIME THAT THE, UH, THAT THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL HAD MENTIONED ONE O'CLOCK AS A STARTING TIME.
OF COURSE, WE ARE AT YOUR, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE AT YOUR DISPOSAL WHEN IT COMES TO THESE MEETING TIMES.
AND IF LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FEELS THAT A DIFFERENT TIME WOULD BE MORE, UH, WOULD BE MORE SATISFACTORY IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO, UH, GET TO THE THINGS THAT FOLKS NEED TO GET TO EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THAT MEETING, THEN LET US KNOW.
BUT THAT'S UP, THAT'S UP TO THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO DISCUSS.
THE LAST TIME IT PRESENTED A CHALLENGE FOR ME, ESPECIALLY WITH THE RULES AND STUFF, I DIDN'T MAKE IT IN TIME TO DO WHAT I NEEDED TO.
WELL, UH, ONE O'CLOCK I CAN ADJUST MY SCHEDULE.
ONE O'CLOCK WORKS FOR US BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO COVER MEETINGS IN THE MORNING AND, AND GET HERE DURING THE LUNCH TRAVEL DURING THE LUNCH BREAK.
AND MAYBE WE ALL PROVIDE LUNCH TOO.
OH, HEY, THAT'S, I, I STOPPED TO GET LUNCH AND HAD TO GET ALL THE LUNCH
THE, THERE ARE FOUR DATES BEING PRESENTED.
IT'S WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH, WEDNESDAY, MAY 27TH, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26TH.
AND THEN IT'S CURRENTLY SHOWING IS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH.
BUT THE DISCUSSION WOULD BE TO BACK THAT UP, UH, A WEEK, AND THEN ONE O'CLOCK BEING THE SET TIME OR DESIGNATED TIME FOR THE MEETINGS.
DOES, DOES THAT SOUND ACCEPTABLE TO YOU? YES, THAT DOES SOUND GOOD TO ME.
ACTUALLY, ONE O'CLOCK FITS ME REALLY WELL, HONESTLY, SO.
AND THE WEDNESDAY FIT ME WELL, BECAUSE THE TUESDAY, SAME TIME OF EVERY MONTH, I'M ACROSS THE BRIDGE BECAUSE I'M ON THE STATE BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
STATE BOARD OF, UH, EDUCATION.
SO I COME BACK THAT TUESDAY NIGHT, THEN COME DOWN ON WEDNESDAY.
UH, MEMBERS, THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, THAT WE ADOPT THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE BY STAFF.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF EXCI, UH, ADOPTING THE DATES AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
UM, I HAVE ONE OTHER ASK UNDER NEW BUSINESS, UH, AND, AND I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD NEED A MOTION, MR. PAMPER, BUT IF IT DOES, THAT'S FINE TOO.
UH, I, I WOULD LIKE STAFF TO ENGAGE OR EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES OF, UM, ENTERING INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH A REAL ESTATE SLASH MARKETING FIRM ON THE POTENTIAL OF, UH, ON PROMOTING, UM, THE, THE PROPERTY IN THE EXISTING REAL ESTATE PARK.
I THINK THAT, UM, WE MAY HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE, UH, TO, UM, GET SOME PROFESSIONAL HELP, UH, IN PROMOTING SOME OF THAT, WHICH, IF WE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, WHICH WOULD FUEL SOME OF OUR OTHER ACTIVITIES AS WELL, WE COULD GET SOME MORE CLIENTS IN, AT LEAST GIVE US SOME VISIBILITY.
UM, AND I'LL, WE CAN DO SOME RESEARCH ON, ON SOME, UH, ON SOME FIRMS AND BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU.
AND I, I HAD BOUNCED THAT IDEA OFF MS. PROCTOR PREVIOUSLY, SO WE FOUND NO REASON THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT.
UH, GENTLEMEN, ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS, MR. PAMPER? OKAY.
FROM NEW BUSINESS STAFF REPORT, MR. PAMPER.
SO WE'VE GOT, UM, THE, UH, USUAL SLATE OF ITEMS AS FAR AS THE RESEARCH PART IS CONCERNED.
I THINK THAT, UM, WELL, UH, UH, WE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF ACTIVITY, ESPECIALLY LAST WEEK WITH THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND TRADE BEING HERE.
THAT'S SECRETARY JUAN URA, AND HE SPENT ALL DAY FRIDAY,
[00:55:01]
UH, JUST LOOKING AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SITES, YOU, WE SHOWED HIM, UM, THE, THE, UH, THE FIELD STATION, THE TI BAY FIELD STATION, THAT WAS WHERE THE, UH, THE DAY STARTED.WE SHOWED HIM ROCKET LAB AND THE RESEARCH PARK.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DID NOT GET TO GO TO MARS COM.
UH, BUT THEN THERE WAS ALSO A STOP AT, UH, PURDUE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
AND THEN FROM THERE WE WENT TO THE, UM, UH, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR A ROUND TABLE AND ENDED THERE AT THE INDUSTRIAL PARK, AT THE AIRPORT.
IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, AND I WOULD ADD JUST TO THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN, HOPEFULLY HE IS PLANNING ON COMING BACK, BUT WE DIDN'T GET HIM ONTO THE ISLAND AS WELL, WHICH REALLY IS THE HEART OF THE OPERATION.
SO IT'S SOMETHING ELSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE HAPPENS.
AS I HAD MENTIONED, WE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME WITH OUR, UH, WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT ON THE, UH, ON THE RESEARCH PART.
AND WHAT WE CAME UP AND, AND WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING AS AN ACTION ITEM WAS COMING UP WITH THAT, UH, THAT OFFERING MEMORANDUM THAT WE DISTRIBUTED ON FRIDAY.
IF I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT IT, I WOULD'VE ASKED, UH, I WOULD'VE ASKED, OH, ACTUALLY, WE DO HAVE SOME RIGHT HERE.
MR. CHESTER, HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE, UH, WHAT WE PRODUCED.
AND THAT IS, UM, THERE ARE SOME CHANGES THAT WE WANT TO MAKE TO THAT.
AND NOT MAJOR CHANGES, BUT JUST SOME CHANGES TO THE TEXT ITSELF.
UM, BUT, UH, UH, MR. PARKS AND THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANTED TO HAVE SOMETHING TO HAND OUT FOR THAT SECRETARY'S VISIT.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THE IDA OR THE EDA HAD ALSO PUT ONE OUT FOR THE INDUSTRIAL PARK.
UH, I THINK THAT OURS HAS PROVIDES SOME, SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION AND SOME CONTEXT WITHIN THE OVERALL, UH, AEROSPACE ECOSYSTEM.
I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF A BUZZWORD, BUT ON THE BACK PAGE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SHOW SOME OF THE OTHER AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE RELATED, UH, UH, UH, FACILITIES IN THE AREA.
SO IT SHOWS THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THAT, UH, AND THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THOSE OTHER, UH, OTHER ENTITIES LIKE NASA AND VIRGINIA SPACE.
SO THE OFFERING MEMO IS BASICALLY SET IN TERMS OF ITS DESIGN.
WE WILL BE MAKING JUST SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THE, UH, TO THE TEXT, BUT AS YOU SEE IT NOW IS PRETTY MUCH HOW IT'S GONNA LOOK.
WE CAN ALWAYS AMEND THAT IF WE GET A BETTER PICTURE OR A BETTER IMAGE OF, OF, OF SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANNA MAKE A SPLASH WITH, OR IF THERE'S SOME SOMETHING NEW THAT COMES OUT.
WE DIDN'T RUN OFF A BUNCH OF COPIES OF THIS.
WE RAN OFF ENOUGH TO DISTRIBUTE ON FRIDAY, AND THIS IS ALSO A LIVING DOCUMENT.
SO IT IS, IT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
WE THINK IT'S GOT ALL THE RELEVANT INFORMATION, BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT'S, UH, IT'S PRETTY MUCH SET AND, AND READY FOR DISTRIBUTION.
THE OTHER MARKETING THING THAT WE'VE BEEN, OR MARKETING PIECE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS THE, UH, IS THE WEBSITE.
SO FOR, FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF, UH, UH, TALKING AND CHATTING AGAIN WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT WITH MACK COUNTY.
IT, UH, GRACE HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF KEEPING THAT BALL ROLLING.
AND, UM, WE, WE EXPECT TO HAVE, TO HAVE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PAGE UP AND RUNNING BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO, UH, THAT KIND OF DOVETAILS WITH WHAT THE EDA IS DOING.
AGAIN, THEY HAVE THEIR MARKETING CONSULTANT THROUGH THE PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION, UH, UM, SUGGEST SOME WEBSITE CONTENT.
THAT WEBSITE CONTENT WILL BE HOSTED BY AKIMA COUNTY.
SO THAT WILL RESIDE ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE.
UM, BUT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT IS BEING WORKED ON AND THAT THERE IS A, THAT THERE IS A CONCRETE DATE FOR GOING LIVE ON THAT.
FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE WALLACE RESEARCH PARK.
THE, THE EDA WEBSITE WILL BE GOING LIVE SOONER IF IT HASN'T ALREADY GONE LIVE.
IT'LL BE GOING LIVE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
I'M GONNA PAUSE THERE AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE, UH, RESEARCH PARK UPDATES.
ONE OF THE THINGS WITH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE WEBSITES AND THE WEB PRESENCE.
[01:00:01]
UH, MR. PAMPER'S CORRECT THAT THEY, THEY'VE, UH, WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE EDA TO, TO DEVELOP A WEBSITE, BUT WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO, THERE'S CONSTRAINTS, CERTAINLY ANYTIME YOU'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE AN ECO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRESENCE ON A GOVERNMENT PAGE MM-HMMAND YOU'VE GOTTA BE 5 0 3 C COMPLIANT AND ALL THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS.
BUT, SO ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE, THE, UM, APPROACHES THAT, THAT WAS DEVELOPED WAS ALSO TO START HIGHLIGHTING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE EDA.
AND I HOPE AS WE GET THROUGH THIS AND WE DEVELOP THIS CONTENT, WE CAN GET TO THE POINT OF GETTING A PRESENCES OUT THERE ON LINKEDIN AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, UH, AS A REFERENCE AS WELL.
'CAUSE WHAT I FIND TODAY IS THAT'S MORE COMMON THAN ACTUALLY THAT'S, THAT'S THE FRONT PAGE REALLY.
AND PEOPLE GO TO A WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAIL AND FOR MORE INFORMATION.
SO, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND, AND THIS, THIS ORGANIZATION, THIS PARK HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE EDA.
IS THAT FIBER BEING RAN THERE AT THIS POINT? I NOTICED THEY HAVE SOME WORK GOING ON AROUND THE, UH, RESEARCH PARK.
IS THAT FIBER THE RUNNING THERE? I HAVE NO IDEA.
I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT, SIR.
WELL, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY, IS, IS IT FI YOU SAID FIBER OPTIC? YEAH, I NOTICED THAT DOING SOME FRONT CENTER STUFF IN FRONT OF THE FIELD STATION, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WAS FIBER OR SOMETHING AROUND FIBERS ALREADY, OBVIOUSLY IN THE RESEARCH PART.
WHO'S DOING THE WORK? WHO, WHO, WHOSE VEHICLES WERE OUT FRONT? I AIN'T SEEN THE VEHICLE.
I SEE A LOT OF FLAGS AND ORANGE, THE LITTLE ORANGE FIBER STUFF, BUT I'M NOT, I WAS JUST WONDERING, I DON'T KNOW.
WE'LL GET SOME MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S IN PLACE IN THE PARK, AND I ASSUME THAT INCLUDES FIBER.
AND I JUST WONDER, SO ANYTHING ELSE ON THE STAFF REPORTS? NOT ON THE, NOT ON THE STAFF.
WE ALSO HAVE, OH, UH, STAFF REPORT THAT, THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF'S REPORT.
AND WE CAN TRY TO FIELD ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
WE JUST HAVE THE QUESTION FROM MR. CHESTERFIELD.
UM, AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, JUST LET US KNOW.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE STAFF REPORT STANDPOINT.
NO, I WOULD, UM, WELL, PERHAPS IT'S UNDER OTHER MATTERS.
SO, UM, SO MOVING AHEAD, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM WOULD BE OTHER MATTERS AND ROCKET LAB UPDATE.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA READ IT INTO THE RECORD.
BUT IT'S THERE, IT'S THERE FOR YOUR, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR CONSUMPTION AND FOR YOUR STUDY.
UH, WE DID GET, YOU KNOW, WE DO ASK FOR, UH, WE DO ASK FOR UPDATES.
UH, WE DID GET ONE FROM ROCKET LAB.
THEY DIDN'T OFFER ONE, BUT I CAN, I CAN SAY THAT, UH, VIRGINIA SPACE HAS INDEED BEEN BUSY OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
UH, OF NOTE, FROM A COUNTY STANDPOINT ARE THE TWO REZONING APPLICATIONS THAT THEY'VE SUBMITTED FOR THE, WHAT THEY CALL, WHAT, WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY CALLED THE DARBY FARM, WHAT EVERYBODY KNOWS IS THE DARBY FARM.
BUT WHAT THEY ARE NOW CALLING THE MARS INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT NAME, AND IT'S A GREAT LOCATION, OBVIOUSLY IT'S RIGHT OUTSIDE THE MAIN GATE TO THE ISLAND.
UM, AND THAT IS NOW STARTING TO APPEAR IN A LOT OF THEIR SLIDE DECKS AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS.
THEY RECENTLY HELD AN INDUSTRY DAY WHERE, UH, WHERE I WAS INVITED TO SPEAK ON WHAT AIMA COUNTY WAS UP TO.
AND, UH, THAT WAS WHEN WAS THAT? THAT WAS LAST MONTH, SOMETIME IN OCTOBER.
PROBABLY TOWARDS THE, TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH.
BUT THEY HOLD AN INDUSTRY DATE ANNUALLY.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS ON THE SAME WEEK.
THIS INDUSTRY DAY WAS ALMOST TWO YEARS AFTER THE LAST ONE, WHICH WAS DONE IN JANUARY OF 2024.
AND THEN YOU FAST FORWARD ALL THE WAY TO OCTOBER OF 2025.
IT WAS A BIT OF, A BIT OF A, OF A GAP THERE BETWEEN INDUSTRY DAYS, BUT IT WAS WELL ATTENDED.
AND, UM, AND, UH, UH, VIRGINIA SPACE HAD A LOT OF, UH, ATTENDEES THERE.
THEY ALSO HAD THEIR 30TH ANNIVERSARY GALA.
I UNFORTUNATELY WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT 'CAUSE WE HAD PLANNING COMMISSION THAT NIGHT.
BUT THE, UH, 30TH ANNIVERSARY GALA WAS ALSO AT THE SHE TEA, UH, AT THE SHE T COMMUNITY CENTER.
THEY'RE, THEY ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE LAUNCH TEAM MAINTENANCE FACILITY, WHICH WE ALL KNOW AS THE FORMER SEAFOOD OR CLAMP PLANT ON ROUTE 13 ACROSS FROM, UH,
[01:05:01]
UH, KETE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.SO, I, I HAVE TO INTERRUPT YOU.
I JUST WONDER IF ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY THERE'S ANY, THERE'S A CONVERSATION LIKE THAT TO LAUNCH COMPLEX SLASH SEAFOOD PLANT.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE REZONINGS GO, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL HOLD ONE PUBLIC HEARING TOMORROW, AND THAT IS GONNA BE FOR THE DERBY FARM SITE, THE, THE SEAFOOD PLANT OR THE LAUNCH TEAM, MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
THAT WILL BE HEARD NEXT MONTH.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF'S UPDATE ALL FROM A VIRGINIA SPACE STANDPOINT.
ANY QUESTIONS, MR. PAMPER? I WOULD ASK STAFF TO SEE IF WE CAN DO A FOLLOW UP AND WE COULD POSSIBLY DO THIS VIA EMAIL ON ANY OTHER, UH, ONGOING ACTIVITIES OR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT NEW BUSINESS OR, OR, OR OTHER BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVEN'T LISTED HERE, FOR INSTANCE, I KNOW FIREFLY IS ONE, BUT DEVELOPMENTS WITH THOSE, UM, WHAT'S GOING ON AS FAR AS BRINGING IN NEW CUSTOMERS OR, OR CUSTOMERS EXPANDING.
THAT WAS ITEM EIGHT ON THE AGENDA.
MOVING AHEAD TO NUMBER NINE, REMARKS STILL, WE STILL HAVE ONE LEFT UNDER NUMBER, EXCUSE ME, EIGHT.
AND THIS MAY ACTUALLY KIND OF COINCIDE WHERE DID HE GO WITH, UM, WITH, UM, MR. PIERCE'S REMARKS, BUT WE DO HAVE A, UH, WE DO HAVE AN ITEM C FOR NASA IN WHILE FLIGHT FACILITY UPDATES.
UM, SO WHILE FLIGHT FACILITY, UH, IS COMING OUT OF A RECENT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, 43 DAYS, AND THE TEAMS HAVE BEEN, UH, MOVING BACK INTO FULL OPERATIONS THIS WEEK, UH, NASA WALLOPS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE SHUTDOWN, UH, WORKED ON, UH, 22, UH, NASA ACCEPTED PROJECTS.
SO THEY WERE PROJECTS THAT NASA SPECIFICALLY APPROVED, UH, WALLOPS EMPLOYEES TO WORK.
SO, UH, BROADLY SPEAKING, THE WALLOPS WORKFORCE WAS FULLY, FULLY ENGAGED DURING THE, THE SHUTDOWN, UH, CARRYING ON THE, THE WORK OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
UM, SO DESPITE THE PAUSE IN MANY ACTIVITIES, OUR CRITICAL MISSION, SAFETY, OPERATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE REMAIN SECURE, UH, DURING THE SHUTDOWN.
UM, SPECIAL THANKS TO, UH, THE PEOPLE OF AKIMA COUNTY, UH, CIVIL SERVANTS CONTRACTORS, FELLOW EMPLOYEES FROM OUR PARTNERS WHO, UH, AIDED US DURING THE SHUTDOWN.
UM, AND FOR OUR EMPLOYEES WHO PROVIDED, UH, ESSENTIAL SAFETY FUNCTIONS TO PROTECT THE FACILITY, UM, THE BROADER WORKFORCE, BOTH PAID AND UNPAID DURING THAT PERIOD, UM, SHOWED GREAT, UH, RESILIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE.
UM, WE HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND IT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE COME BACK, UH, IN A VERY, I THINK, HIGH MORALE AND POSITIVE POINT OF VIEW ABOUT OUR MISSION.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, THE BUDGET AND FACILITY CLOSURES AND FACILITIES.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO, UH, CARRY ON, UH, OUR MANDATE FOR WORK.
OUR WORK, UH, FOR THIS YEAR LOOKS TO BE, UM, STABLE AND WE DO CONTINUE TO, UM, CONSOLIDATE IN FACILITIES AROUND THE, THE CENTER THAT WERE UNDERUTILIZED SO THAT WE ARE IN THE BEST FINANCIAL SHAPE POSSIBLE.
UM, SOME OF OUR CURRENT MISSION OPERATIONS, UM, WE HAVE A SOUNDING ROCKET CAMPAIGN ONGOING IN NORWAY THAT OUR EMPLOYEES UNDERTOOK DURING THE SHUTDOWN.
THEY JUST LAUNCHED TODAY ONE OF THE TWO ROCKETS.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, OUR EMPLOYEES SUPPORTING A LAUNCH CAMPAIGN, UH, BALLOON LAUNCH CAMPAIGN IN ANTARCTICA.
AND SO THEY'RE ESTABLISHING, UH, THE LAUNCH SITE AND PREPARING TO LAUNCH DOWN THERE.
UM, BEYOND THAT, WE'RE PREPARING TO GO BACK TO ALASKA, TO POKER FLATS RESEARCH RANGE AND LAUNCH, UH, BY THE SPRING.
AND, UM, SO WE CONTINUE A LOT OF DIFFERENT MISSION WORK.
UM, IN TERMS OF NEW BUSINESS COMING TO, UH, WALLOPS, UM, WE JUST SECURED OUR NEWEST PARTNER, UM, AT WALLOPS, UH,
[01:10:01]
AND TENANT, UH, SPACE CENTER AUSTRALIA.SPACE CENTER AUSTRALIA IS A HORIZONTAL LAUNCH COMPANY.
THEY, UM, HAVE PURCHASED FROM, UH, THE UNITED KINGDOM THREE C ONE 30 J MODEL AIRCRAFT THAT WILL PERMIT THEM TO ROLL A ROCKET OUT THE BACK OF THE AIRPLANE SIMILAR TO PEGASUS.
UH, SO IN ADDITION TO VERTICAL LIFT CAPABILITY, WE HAVE A HOR HORIZONTAL LIFT CAPABILITY.
THIS, THESE AIRPLANES OBVIOUSLY WILL BE BASED AT THE WALLOPS AIRFIELD, AND WE JUST SIGNED AN ENHANCED USE LEASE AGREEMENT, UH, WITH SPACE CENTER AUSTRALIA FOR TWO YEARS TO OCCUPY, UM, ONE OF OUR TWO LARGE, UH, AIRCRAFT HANGERS.
THEY WILL BRING IN MANUFACTURING WITH THEM BOTH FOR THE ROCKET AND FOR THE AIRPLANES.
SO THIS WILL BRING IN MORE JOBS TO AKIMA COUNTY.
UM, THEY EXPECT TO INVEST, UH, CLOSE TO $80 MILLION AND CONDUCT, UH, ON THE ORDER OF SIX LAUNCHES A YEAR.
UM, SO THAT'S JUST BEEN COMPLETED.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, THIS MORNING, MR. PAMELA, WE, UH, WE LAUNCHED A, UH, ROCKET LAB ROCKET IN SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR, UH, TO CONDUCT VERY IMPORTANT HYPERSONIC RESEARCH.
AND, UM, THE, UH, MISSION, UH, IS, IS IN, IN SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM, MOCK TV.
AND, UM, MOCK TV SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH WALLOPS TO LAUNCH 200 ROCKETS OVER THE NEXT DECADE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, UAS OPERATIONS CONTINUE ON ABATED THROUGH THROUGHOUT THE, UM, UH, SHUTDOWN.
UM, WE ARE SUPPORTING, UH, RESEARCH AND COUNTER UAS RESEARCH FROM WALLOPS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, UM, THE NAVY, UM, OUR SURFACE COMBAT SYSTEM CENTER AND THE, UM, SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND.
UM, OUR BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD AND REMAINS ON SCHEDULE.
UM, THE, UH, BEACH REPLENISHMENT ACTIVITIES WORKING WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEER CONTINUES ALSO IN THE DESIGN PHASE.
UM, SO AS WE CLOSE OUT THE YEAR, UM, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE STATE AND THE COUNTY.
UM, WE ANTICIPATE A VERY BUSY 2026.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, OUR INDUSTRY DAY THAT WE WERE PARTNERING WITH YOU TO HAVE AT SALISBURY UNIVERSITY HAD TO BE POSTPONED DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
AND SO WE HAVE, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT RESCHEDULING IN FEBRUARY OF 26.
SO, UM, LIKE, UH, MARS, WE WILL HAVE A, ANOTHER INDUSTRY DAY WHERE WE'RE BRINGING IN ALL OF LOCAL INDUSTRY IN OUR REGION TO SEE HOW THEY CAN WORK AT WALLOPS.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP OF THE, UH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE COUNTY, AND THE, UM, RESEARCH PARK, UH, LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING, UM, NASA.
AS WE MOVE THROUGH, UH, THIS HIGH TEMPO, EXCUSE ME, IT'S A LOT GOING ON ON NASA.
MR. PIERCE, UM, THE AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING, IS THAT EXPECTED TO BE ON THE INSTALLATION AS WELL, OR ARE THEY LOOKING OUT? THEY'RE LOOKING AT BOTH.
UM, PART OF THE DARBY FARM I UNDERSTOOD AS WELL AS ON THE FACILITY.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THEY HAD ALSO LOOKED AT BEING IN THE RESEARCH PART, RIGHT.
SO IT REMAINS, I THINK, AN OPTION FOR THEM IN TERMS OF HOW THEY GROW, BUT THAT, THAT, THAT EFFORT HAS GROWN SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE FIRST TIME THEY COUNTED THAT THEY CONTACTED THE COUNTY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO.
ULTIMATELY, I THINK THEY WANNA BRING SIX AIRPLANES POTENTIALLY TO LOG.
SO IT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF PLANS.
DO YOU HAVE THAT MANY VACANT HANGERS? UM, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO IS BUILD THREE NEW HANGERS.
AND AS YOU KNOW, A UUA S OPERATIONS, UM, THEY HAD AN ARTICLE ON, UH, 60 MINUTES ON SUNDAY ABOUT COUNTER UUA MM-HMM
UM, IT, IT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION GOING INTO UAS.
IT'LL BE A GREAT THING FOR THE RESEARCH PART, PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
[01:15:03]
ANYTHING ELSE FOR, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I'VE GOT FOR THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL IS TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT MEETING.UM, YOU WILL HAVE TO ELECT OFFICERS AT THAT NEXT MEETING.
UH, I, I HAVE PLAYED AROUND, UH, WITH SUGGESTING THAT YOU DO IT AT THE END OF THIS MEETING, BUT YOU'VE GOT THREE PLUS ONE.
UM, BUT WE, WE WILL BE PUTTING THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR, UH, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN FEBRUARY.
I THINK NEXT MEETING WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE.
GIVEN ALL THE CHANGE, UM, THE STAFF DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
MOVING ON TO, TO, UH, REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR AND COUNCIL.
'CAUSE, UH, THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT UPDATE, MR. PIERCE, AND, AND REALLY APPRECIATED.
'CAUSE I, IT'S, I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US IN THE COUNTY TO KEEP UP WITH THE VETS THAT ARE GOING ON IN AND AROUND WALLOPS IN AROUND THE NASA BASE.
YOU, YOU HIT ON SOMETHING, THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PARK THAT CAME UP LATE IN THE VISIT WITH THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, UH, WHEN THEY WERE AT THE INDUSTRIAL PARK AND THEY WERE TALKING, THEY SAW HOW OUR INDUSTRIAL PARK IN MALFA IS CURRENTLY SUBDIVIDED AND BASED ON OBSERVATIONS FROM OTHER PARKS AROUND THE STATE, THEY WERE BASICALLY SAYING, DON'T SUBDIVIDE, OR AT LEAST DON'T PROMOTE IT AS SUBDIVISION.
YOU KNOW, PROMOTE IT AS THE SPACE IS AVAILABLE INTO WHAT THE TENANT NEEDS IT TO BE, IS THE WAY I HEARD IT.
UH, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN WE LOOK AT, AT THE WALLACE RESEARCH PARK AS WELL.
AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT, THAT ONE DISCUSSION WE RECENTLY HAD WAS SOMEONE WAS LOOKING AT THE WHOLE AREA MM-HMM
UH, AND SO AS WE TALK ABOUT MARKETING, AS WE TALK ABOUT OUTREACH AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE NOT STUCK ON ANY OF THOSE CURRENT LINES ON A MAP OR ON CHART, WHICH WE WE'RE GONNA WORK VERY HARD TO GET THAT UPDATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, I'LL ALSO ADD THAT, UH, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, UH, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO ATTEND THE VACO VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, UM, AND WAS SURPRISED HOW MANY VIRGINIA LEADERS DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA THAT WE LAUNCH ROCKETS IN VIRGINIA.
THEY ALL KNOW MR. MASON TO HIS CREDIT.
SO I THINK HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB REPRESENTING US.
BUT, UH, I JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HOPING FOR AS WE LOOK AT VACO NEXT YEAR IS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A SESSION AND TALK ABOUT, UM, SUPPORT SPACE INDUSTRY IN, IN VIRGINIA, UH, AT THAT CONFERENCE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, NO, I DON'T EXPECT FAIRFAX COUNTY TO COME BUY A ROCKET, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF ENTITIES USING THEM.
AS AN EXAMPLE, YOU HAVE THE FOUR RICHEST COUNTIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES IN THOSE AREAS WHERE ANYTIME WE CAN GET A TIE COULD HELP FACILITATE BETTER GROWTH FOR US.
SO IT'S PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING, AND IT'S JUST GOOD OUTREACH.
SO, UH, CHET, ANY UPDATES? UM, COMMENTS? UM, NO.
WE BASICALLY, UM, CLOSING OUT FOR THE SEASON.
UM, AND, UH, THIS IS THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE BEGIN AGAIN SOMETIME IN MARCH IS WHEN, UH, WE DO, WE BE DOING PREP.
IN THE MEANTIME, AS I SIT DOWN, I LISTEN THIS AFTERNOON, I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHERE THE FIELD STATION FIT INTO ALL OF THIS.
UM, UH, HEARING A LOT ABOUT SPACE, I'M HEARING A LOT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
UM, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING EXACTLY HOW WE GOING TO FIT IN AS A MARINE, AS, AS WE USED TO BE KNOWN AS A MARINE SCIENCE CUSTODIAN NOW MM-HMM
AS WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS.
I KNOW, UM, I HAD A MEETING WITH MY BOARD PRESIDENTS TODAY, AND MY EMPHASIS RIGHT NOW IS TO TRY TO DO SOME UPGRADE, UH, WITHIN THE FIELD STATION.
UH, IT WAS A PASS ME DOWN TYPE OF SITUATION.
AND, UH, MY THING IS THAT WE GOTTA START, IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO BRING FOLKS TO THE FIELD STATION, WE HAVE TO BEGIN TO PUT MONEY INTO THE FIELD STATION AND ENHANCING SOME OF, UH, UH, SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS AND, AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, UH, AND TRYING TO GET MONEY TO DO THAT IS NOT THE EASIEST THING AT THIS POINT.
YOU KNOW, SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE AT.
AND, UM, I, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHERE BEING A PART OF THIS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, WHERE DO THE FIELD STATION FIT IN? WELL, WE VALUE YOUR ATTENDANCE AND YOUR INPUT
[01:20:01]
WAS A DRIVING FACTOR THAT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS ON THE RESEARCH PART WILL, SHOULD INVOLVE YOU GUYS AND YOU HAVE A VOTE.BUT THERE'S GOTTA BE PROBABLY BETTER WAYS TO, TO SUPPORT THE OVERALL APPROACH THAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER OF EXPANDING AEROSPACE IN THE REGION.
AND, AND ACTUALLY IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I WAS GONNA ASK YOU, IS IT AN OPTION FOR, UM, SHORT TERM HOUSING ON ANY OF THE FACILITIES IN THE FIELD STATION, UM, TO SUPPORT OTHER ENTITIES IN THE AREA? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT.
UM, WE GOT COUPLE BILLINGS THAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT TRYING TO DO SOME WORK TO SO THAT WE COULD DO SOME SHORT TERM HOUSING AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
UH, BUT DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, WE ARE SO BUSY AND EVERYTHING IS FILLED UP MM-HMM
SO IT IS, IT IS JUST A MATTER OF US LOOKING AND, AND DOING SOME ENHANCEMENT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO YOU CONTINUE, LOOK AT THAT.
I MEAN, IT'S OUTSIDE OF THIS, BUT IT'S A CONSTANT REFRAIN WE HAVE IN THE AREA IS HOUSING.
AND I THINK, I THINK A LOT OF THAT WOULD BE SHORT TERM.
RIGHT? UH, SO THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR, FOR YOU GUYS TO SORT THAT OUT.
MR. PIERCE, UH, IF I MAY, CHAIRMAN PARKS THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE TOP THREE PRIORITIES, ONE OF THE TOP THREE PRIORITIES IN NASA IS PROTECTING OUR PLANET.
WE SEE THAT AS AN INEXTRICABLE LINKAGE TO THE BAYFIELD STATION.
UM, IT'S BEEN STATED TIME AND AGAIN, UM, WE ARE A SCIENCE ARENA IN OUR REGION WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER WITH EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, UH, BUT ALSO WITH NASA RESEARCHERS.
I THINK THAT, UM, WHAT YOU BROUGHT UP, I THINK IS THE NEED FOR US TO STRENGTHEN THAT CONNECTIVE TISSUE BETWEEN, UH, THE RESEARCH THAT WE CAN DO FROM WALLOPS IN SUPPORTING OUR, OUR PLANET AND PROTECTING OUR PLANET.
SO I, I DO SEE A, A REALLY IMPORTANT LINKAGE THERE.
UM, BUT, UH, AS WE COME OUT OF THE SHUTDOWN, UM, I'LL TAKE THAT BACK, UM, AS HOW DO WE, HOW, HOW CAN WE BETTER SHOW THAT? RIGHT.
SO I, I DO SEE, YEAH, I, I I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
ANOTHER POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR, TO GET SOMEBODY IN THE PARK THAT, YOU KNOW, IS LOOKING AT THE CONS.
THE, I CALL IT THE CONSORTIUM TOO.
'CAUSE I USED TO GO THERE AS A KID.
UH, BUT THEIR SERVICES AND ALL AND, AND ALL THEY BRING TO THE TABLE.
THAT BEING SAID, NO MORE COMMENTS.
I WILL ENTERTAIN, UH, NEXT MEETING.
UM, FEBRUARY 25TH, CORRECT? MM-HMM
JUST LOOKING AT EVERYBODY, MAKING SURE.
AND AGAIN, I, I'LL REITERATE THE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN DO SOME VIRTUAL WORK GROUP, UM, UH, COLLABORATION, UH, ON THOSE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES SO WE CAN GET THINGS ROLLING.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, EVERYONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ATTENDING TODAY.
UH, AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
'CAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE A CLOSED SESSION, CORRECT? NO.