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OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.[Board of Supervisors on November 19, 2025.]
YOU WOULD PLEASE, IF YOU WOULD STAND FOR OUR INVOCATION AND PLEASURE ALLEGIANCE.DEAR GOD BLESS THIS MEETING AND ALLOW US TO DO OUR WORK THROUGH YOUR WILL.
I PLEASURE ALLEGIANCE THE, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, AN INVINCIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UH, ONE FOR ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
UM, MR. CHAIR, DID YOU NEED TO DO AN ADDENDUM? 'CAUSE WE HAVE HIM FOR PUBLIC OFFICIAL REMOVING.
YOU DON'T WANNA, UM, WE COULD DO THAT IF YOU WANT.
UM, WE ARE MOVING ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
ITEM 12 TWO WILL BE MOVED TO ITEM SEVEN ONE.
I'LL INCLUDE THAT IN MY MOTION.
UH, SO WE HAVE A, UM, MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED, UH, WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA, WITH THE, UH, WITH THE AMENDED.
UM, MR. PROCTOR, MS. PROCTOR, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT RULES ARE AS FOLLOWS, PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL NOT ADDRESS MATTERS ON THE PUBLIC HEARING CALENDAR FOR THE DAY.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL ADDRESS MATTERS ON THE CURRENT MEETING AGENDA.
HOWEVER, THE CHAIR SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ALLOW COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS, PROVIDED THAT DOING SO DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THE TIMELY AND ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS ON THE AGENDA.
NO INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER SHALL BE PERMITTED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR MORE THAN FOUR MINUTES.
THE CHAIR SHALL ALLOCATE THE TIME AMONG THE SPEAKERS IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER.
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN ON A SUBJECT AT A PUBLIC HEARING SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED TO READDRESS THE BOARD ON THE SAME SUBJECT DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS SHOULD BE RESOLVED PRIOR TO THE MEETING BY CONTACTING A BOARD MEMBER OR THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER.
ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FOR A PUBLIC MEETING MUST PRESENT THE PRESENTATION 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE FOR REVIEW BY STAFF FOR APPROPRIATENESS.
QUESTION SHALL BE DIRECTED TO THE CHAIR WHO WILL IN HIS DISCRETION SOLICIT THE RESPONSE FROM THE APPROPRIATE PERSON.
PERSONS ADDRESSING THE BOARD SHALL NOT USE INAPPROPRIATE OR THREATENING LANGUAGE OR VERBALLY ATTACK ANY BOARD MEMBER OR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
THE CHAIR SHALL DIRECT ANY PERSON WHOSE BEHAVIOR IS VIOLENT OR DISRUPTIVE TO LEAVE THE MEETING ROOM.
THE CHAIR HAS THE RIGHT AND DUTY TO MAINTAIN PROPER ORDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE RULES.
UH, WOULD YOU, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE, UH, FOR THE RECORD? THANK YOU.
I LIVE AT 1 3 5 2 8 INDIAN TRAIL ROAD IN PAINTER.
AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 37 YEARS NOW.
UM, I AM PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR STARTING OYSTER AQUACULTURE.
I HAVE THE FIRST LICENSE PERMIT FROM VMRC IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, THE FIRST, AND RIGHT HERE IN, ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
UH, I'VE BEEN, UH, I ALSO HAVE JUST RETIRED RECENTLY AS A CABINET MAKER, WHICH I'VE WORKED IN FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
UH, AND I HAVE MY OWN SHOP ON MY PROPERTY, WHICH USED TO BE THE HARRY TAYLOR, UH, NURSERY HOME OF HARRY TAYLOR.
SO, UH, ANYWAY, THE REASON I'M HERE WITH TWO THINGS.
ONE IS TO COMPLIMENT YOU ALL AND THE GOOD JOB THAT YOU'RE ALL DOING WITH ALL THE DIFFICULTIES THAT COME BY YOUR WAY.
UH, AND, UH, THE MAIN REASON THOUGH, FOR BEING HERE IS I'D LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT A GREAT JOB THE ANIMAL CONTROL PEOPLE ARE DOING.
IT'S REGIONAL, SO I KNOW IT'S, THEY'RE TAKING ANIMALS FROM NORTHAMPTON AND MACK AS WELL AS OFF THE SHORE WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY WITH ANOTHER ANIMAL SHELTER.
AND WHAT I'VE OBSERVED RECENTLY DROPPING OFF A FERAL KITTY CAT THAT WANDERED INTO MY SHED WAS THEY ARE OVERWORKED AND UNDERFUNDED.
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UH, COUNTY, UH, AGENCIES ARE, BUT THEY ARE WORKING SO HARD THERE AND HAPPY.AND I THINK THE REASON THEY, THEY ARE HAPPY AND THE MORALE IS HIGH AND SHOULD NOT BE JEOPARDIZED, IS THAT THEY ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO BEING QUALIFIED AS A NO KILL SHELTER.
AND THEY HAVE GONE FROM A KILL RATE OF 80% JUST WITHIN THE LAST 10 YEARS DOWN TO 25.
AND WHAT A, WHAT A WHAT A WONDERFUL THING THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS.
UM, I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU BOARD MEMBERS HERE HAVE ACTUALLY ADOPTED ANIMALS FROM REGIONAL CONTROL.
SO PLEASE, IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR ANIMAL CONTROL, PLEASE DO IT.
I'LL BE PRESENTING A SIMILAR PLEA TO NORTHAMPTON COUNTY AT NEXT MONTH'S BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.
AND I'M CERTAIN THAT, THAT THERE WILL BE ALLIES ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM NORTHAMPTON THAT ALSO REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE'VE KEEP THIS FUNDED.
NOT ONLY FUNDED AT THE CURRENT RATE, BUT INCREASE ITS FUNDING.
THE WOMAN WHO IS RUNNING THAT OPERATION IS FIRST CLASS, AND SHE HAS INSTILLED IN HER, IN HER COHORTS WHO WORK WITH HER AN UNBELIEVABLE DRIVE TO SUCCEED.
AND THAT IS WHY I'M CERTAIN THE MORALE IS HIGH.
NOW, IMAGINE IF THEY WERE NOT STRIVING TOWARDS BEING A NO KILL SHELTER, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THE MORALE OF THE PEOPLE WORKING THERE WOULD BE AWFULLY LOW AND WOULD PROBABLY NOT LAST VERY LONG.
HOW LONG COULD YOU WORK IN A KILL SHELTER LIKE THAT BEFORE YOU'RE SO, UH, UH, DEPRESSED THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE? AND I, I, I AM THINK THAT, UH, THAT MORALE IS WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN FUNDING.
SO PLEASE, IF YOU WOULD KEEP IT UP.
DID YOU, WAS THAT THE ONLY SPEAKER OR DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER YES, THERE'S A LADY HERE FROM
YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP? I SIGNED UP BACK HERE.
THIS IS FOR THE, THIS IS THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER SHEET OUT THERE.
NOW, DID YOU SIGN UP ON THE PUBLIC HEARING? I THINK SHE SIGNED UP ON THE WRONG ONE.
BUT SHE, I KNOW SHE WAS GONNA SPEAK FOR, FOR THE, AND THAT WOULD BE FOR THE, SHE'S THE WATCH FOR THE PUBLIC YES.
FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
THAT'S WHAT SHE WANTED TO SPEAK.
YEAH, IT'S ON THE PUBLIC HEARING.
BUT IT WAS, SHE PUT IT ON THE WRONG ONE.
I, I MOVE THAT WE ALLOW HER TO SPEAK SINCE SHE SIGNED UP ON THE WRONG, I DON'T THINK THEY NEED A MOTION.
WOULD YOU READ HER? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT'S WHAT MY, YOU CAN APPROACH.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND COME SPEAK
AND IT'S, UH, FIVE CENTER STREET BOX 4 5 4 WATCH CREEK, VIRGINIA 2 3 4 8 0.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WAS, I JUST SAW THE ONE SIGN UP.
UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT A VERY SENSITIVE SUBJECT.
UH, I MOVED HERE IN MAY FROM CVILLE VALLEY OF VIRGINIA.
I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE BY THE WATER.
AND, UH, WHEN I MOVED IN, I DIDN'T REALIZE THE LACK OF CELL PHONE COVERAGE AND WATCH ARICK.
IT'S BECOME A MAJOR ISSUE WITH ME.
UM, I HAVE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND I LIVE ALONE, AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
I HAVE SPENT, I'VE GONE FOR WEEKS AT A TIME WHERE MY CELL PHONE DOES NOT WORK.
I HAVE TO LITERALLY GET IN MY CAR AND DRIVE TO GO DOWN IN FRONT OF THE POST OFFICE OR ISLAND HOUSE TO MAKE A PHONE CALL.
UH, AND PEOPLE DRIVE BY, OR THEY SEE ME SITTING IN MY GOLF CART TRYING TO MAKE A PHONE CALL.
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UH, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT GETTING A CELL TOWER THAT DOWN IN THAT AREA.NOW, I UNDERSTAND FROM EVERYBODY THAT LIVES IN WA CREEK THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFERED TO GIVE THE BOARD AT ONE POINT, UH, THE LAND TO PUT THE TOWER ON.
WHY IT WAS NEVER DONE IS BEYOND ME.
UM, YOU, AS YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN WPR ARE MUCH OLDER THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON HERE ON THE PENINSULA.
YOU KNOW, WITNESS THE WHITE HAIR.
WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE PEOPLE HERE WITH WHITE HAIR, BUT ANYWAY, SOME OF US WITH NO HAIR.
UM, BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE DOWN THERE AND A LOT OF THEM HAVE, HAVE ADDRESSED THE SAME, SAME GRIEVANCE.
THEY'RE UPSET BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET A PHONE.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN EMERGENCY? IF YOU HAVE TO MAKE A PHONE CALL AND YOU HIT THE, YOU KNOW, YOU HIT THE PHONE AND IT SAYS, NO SERVICE.
AND THIS GOES ON FOR HOURS AT A TIME.
I TRIED CALLING MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE ONE DAY 11 TIMES, AND I COULDN'T GET A, I COULDN'T GET THROUGH.
AND I FINALLY GOT THROUGH AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENED? I SAID, HELLO, THIS IS DEBORAH MCCORMICK.
WE NEED BETTER COMMUNICATIONS IN THAT AREA OF THE, OF THE COUNTY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO TO, TO FURTHER THIS ALONG, OR IF YOU ALL CAN SUPPORT ME, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? DO I NEED TO CALL A CONGRESSWOMAN? UH, I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THE TOWN OF W PREG AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF WE NEEDED TO GET A PETITION TOGETHER, WE COULD PROBABLY DO IT.
BUT I NEED FOR SOMEBODY TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO.
WELL, WHO'S YOUR PROVIDER? WHO'S YOUR PROVIDER? MY PROVIDER IS, UH, TOTAL WIRELESS VERIZON.
AND AS SOON AS I GET OUT TO 13, I CAN MAKE A CALL.
BUT, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE GO OUT THERE ON THAT LITTLE CIRCLE AND THEY MAKE CALLS, BUT YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GET IN YOUR CAR TO MAKE A PHONE CALL.
SUPERVISOR PARKS, WATCHA PRICK IS IN THE ONLY AREA ON THE SHORE, SO I DO HAVE TO DO IT ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND I WORK FROM HOME, BUT CALL VERIZON TOTAL WIRELESS EVERY DAY BECAUSE IT'S THEM.
IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A STATE FUNCTION OR A COUNTY FUNCTION.
AND I DO THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS WE'LL DO, AND I'LL CERTAINLY TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PUSH THAT.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS I KEEP A, YOU CAN STILL GET LANDLINE SERVICES AS WELL, IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT YOUR SAFETY.
I KEEP A LANDLINE IN MY HOUSE JUST FOR THAT INSTANCE, BUT I CALLED VERIZON.
YOU KNOW, I CALL DIFFERENT LANDLINE COMPANIES.
PROBLEM IS IS THEY'RE, THEY'RE LIKE $50 A MONTH.
AND NOW BEING RETIRED AND LIVING ON MY STATE PENSION AND MY SOCIAL SECURITY, THAT'S, THAT'S A BIT MUCH.
UH, BUT, UM, NO, I FORGOT WHERE I WAS GOING.
BUT IT, IT, I UNDERSTAND IT'S EXPENSE.
AND TALK TO YOUR CELL PHONE COMPANY 'CAUSE THEY CAN FIX IT.
WELL, I CALL THEM ALL THE TIME.
SO ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, I'LL TRY IT.
UH, MA'AM, YOUR TIMER WENT OFF
HE BROUGHT THIS ISSUE UP AT THAT MEETING AND ASKED FOR THAT STAFF TO, TO CHECK INTO IT TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO INCREASE THE, UH, INCREASE THE, UH, THE USAGE USAGE DOWN IN W CREEK AND ANOTHER AREA.
'CAUSE IT THIS JUST KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED.
MS. MCCORMICK IS VERY SINCERE AND SHE, UH, CALLED ME AND WE'VE BEEN WORK WORKING ON IT, BUT I JUST WANT THE BOARD TO KNOW THAT EVERYTHING MR. PARKS, UM, SAID WAS CORRECT, EVERYTHING ROBERT SAID, BUT, UH, THE SITUATION DOWN THERE IS VERY DIRE.
AND I BROUGHT THIS UP AT THE PDC BECAUSE, UM, NOT ONLY DO CITIZENS HAVE TO GO LEAVE THE TOWN TO MAKE A CALL, I DRIVE A SCHOOL BUS, UH, DOWN THERE IN
AND YOU HAVE NO CELL SERVICE AT ALL.
IF I HAD AN EMERGENCY, I COULD NOT EVEN GET NINE ONE ONE RIGHT ON THE PHONE.
AND IT, IT SCARES ME EVERY MORNING.
I HOPE, I JUST HOPE AND PRAY I DON'T HAVE IT.
AND I WAS STRANDED ONE TIME BETWEEN QUI, WAA PRICK AND QUIMBEE, AND I HAD TO WALK TWO MILES JUST TO GET ONE BAR SO THAT I COULD MAKE A PHONE CALL, UM, ON MY
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CELL.SO IT IS ANYTHING WE CAN DO, BUT THERE'S OTHER AREAS TOO.
I MEAN, WE HAVE SA IN OUR AREA, SAVAGE AND BOB TOWN, AND WE HAVE, UH, RIGHT ON 13 IN MALFA.
SO WE HAVE OTHERS, BUT MAYBE STAFF CAN WORK WITH THE PDC.
MAYBE WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING, OR MAYBE THROUGH BROADBAND, OR MAYBE THROUGH SOME OF THE OTHER CARRIERS THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING.
BECAUSE IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE GOT BUSES, CHILDREN, AND YOU CAN'T, EVEN IF I HAD AN EMERGENCY OR A CHILD, I, I COULDN'T EVEN GET ANYBODY TO CALL 9 1 1.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, MS. MCCORMICK, WHEN SHE ASKED ME, I SAID, YES, PLEASE COME, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, MR. CHAIR.
I'M, I'M NOT GONNA BELIEVE THE POINT, BUT EVEN AT MY HOUSE, EVEN AT HOME, I HAVE TO USE WIFI CALLING.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN USE MY CELL PHONE AT MY HOUSE.
I HAVE TO USE WIFI CALLING WIFI.
YEAH, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I'LL BE ABLE TO USE MY CELL PHONE.
AND IT IS FRUSTRATING THAT YOU CAN'T.
AND I HAVE THE WIFI CALLING ON, BUT IT DOESN'T WORK.
WIFI CALLING DOESN'T EVEN WORK.
REALLY NEED TO CALL YOUR SERVICE COMPANY AND TELL THEM YOU REALLY DO.
I HAD TO WORK THROUGH, THROUGH MR. CHAIR.
I, I RECOMMEND OR TO THE BOARD, CONSIDER, UH, HAVING STAFF INVITE OUR MAJOR CELLULAR COMPANIES TO COME TO THE BOARD AND TELL US WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO IMPROVE SERVICE AND ACCOUNT.
WE DON'T NEED A MOTION FOR THAT.
UH, THAT WILL BE END OF THE PUBLIC HERE.
I'M, YOU NEED TO PUT THAT ONE BACK RIGHT THERE.
AND THE BOARD FOR ENTERTAINING THAT.
UH, THREE, ONE CONSIDER, UH, MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 15TH.
RECEIVE THE, UH, GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL OFFICER'S ASSOCIATION BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD FOR THE COUNTY'S ANNUAL BUDGET DOCUMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
MIKE MASON, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
IN LATE OCTOBER, THE COUNTY RECEIVED NOTICE FROM THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION THAT HAD, THAT IT HAD RECEIVED GFO A'S DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD FOR ITS BUDGET DOCUMENT.
THE AWARD REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT REFLECTING THE COMMITMENT OF THE GOVERNING BODY AND STAFF TO MEETING THE HIGHEST PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENTAL BUDGETING.
IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE BUDGET AWARD, THE ENTITY HAS TO SATISFIED NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE BUDGET PRESENTATION.
THESE GUIDELINES ARE DESIGNED TO ASSESS HOW WELL AN ENTITY'S BUDGET SERVES AS BOTH A, A POLICY DOCUMENT, A FINANCIAL PLAN, AN OPERATIONS GUIDE, AND A COMMUNICATION DEVICE.
UM, AND THEN ONCE IT'S GRADED BUDGET DOCUMENTS THAT ARE RATED AS PROFICIENT IN ALL FOUR CATEGORIES AND IN 14 MANDATORY CRITERIA WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES, UH, RECEIVE THE AWARD.
UH, THE COUNTY HAS RECEIVED THIS AWARD FOR A NUMBER OF CONSECUTIVE YEARS, BUT IS STILL WORTHY OF FORMALLY RECOGNIZING THE HARD WORK OF STAFF, PARTICULARLY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UH, UNDER, UH, MS. LEWIS'S, UH, TUTELAGE AND THE BOARD, WHICH HAS LED TO RECEIVING THIS ACCOLADE ONCE AGAIN.
SO, UM, THANK YOU, UH, FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER COUNTY STAFF WHO PARTICIPATE ON THAT, AND JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT, UH, TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION.
BACK IN THE DAY, WE USED TO GET A BIG PLAQUE AND WE WOULD SHARE IT WITH THE BOARD, BUT THAT, UH, NOW WE GET A BUTTON TO STICK ON A MASTER PLAQUE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS THE PLAQUE, BUT, UM, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A GOOD TO RECOGNIZE THE HARD EFFORT OF STAFF TO, TO MAYBE DO THESE WELL, MAYBE DODGE CUT THAT BACK.
WELL, IT IS ONE THING I WANTED TO ADD TO THAT TOO, IF EVERYONE REMEMBERS.
WE WERE, UH, WE HAD JUST LOST OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AT THAT TIME, SO IT WAS A, IT WAS A LOT GOING ON AT THAT TIME.
SO DEFINITELY KUDOS TO, TO MR. MASON AND TO FINANCE DEPARTMENT, EVERYONE AND STAFF.
SO, UM, UH, FIVE, A CONSENT AGENDA.
EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK IT OVER.
A MOTION, UH, PROPERLY SECONDED, UH, TO, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, AGAIN, SEVEN ONE I AM WE'RE GONNA MOVE THAT TO 12.
SO WE'LL RECEIVE A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL LOCAL, UH, FUNDING FROM THE E-S-A-A-A AND C-A-A-C-E-O MS. SMITH, UH, TO ADDRESS, UH, LOSS FOR DELAYS IN RECEIVING, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CHAIRMAN, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HERE, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ON BEHALF OF THE EASTERN SHORE AREA AGENCY ON AGING COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY.
I AM THE CEO, BUT UNDER THAT UMBRELLA IS ONE OF OUR LARGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT AND MOST EFFECTIVE PROGRAM
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HEAD START.AND DUE TO THE CLOSURE AND AS IT STARTED STATED, WE HAVE BEEN IN CLOSURE FOR 45 DAYS WAITING FOR FUNDING.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, YES, THE DOORS DID OPEN, BUT BECAUSE OF THE BACKLOGS, WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT OUR FUNDING IS IN THE QUEUE, BUT WILL TAKE SOME TIME.
I'VE BEEN ON MANY CALLS, MANY AS OF THIS MORNING, WITH OUR LOCAL DELEGATES, ALSO WITH OUR HEAD START NATIONALLY ONLY TO BE INFORMED THAT DUE TO THAT THE INTERRUPTIONS MAY CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE RIGHT HERE AT HOME IF WE DON'T GET THE ASSISTANCE THAT'S NEEDED.
SO, ON THAT BEHALF, I AM HERE REQUESTING YOUR SUPPORT.
WE ARE EXPERIENCING THAT FEDERAL DELAY AND IT WILL AFFECT US.
OUR PROGRAM DEADLINE AND CONTRACTS ENDS ON NOVEMBER THE 30TH.
OUR START DATE IS DECEMBER ONE.
WITHOUT THE SUPPORT AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, OUR PAYROLL WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROCEED, NOR WILL OUR PROGRAM FOR HEAD START.
WE ARE PRESENTLY SERVING 218 FAMILIES HERE ON THE SHORE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE EMPLOYED 64 OF OUR OWN FOLKS HERE AS EMPLOYEES.
THAT COVERS A PAY PERIOD OF A PAYROLL PERIOD, WHICH I CALL FOR THE ENTIRE DECEMBER, WHICH WILL INCLUDE TWO PAYROLLS OF $180,000 TOTAL.
ALONG WITH THAT IS AN $80,000 MAINTENANCE CENTRAL PROGRAM FUNDING SUPPORT THAT WE NORMALLY PUT INTO IT.
THAT GIVES US A TOTAL OF $260,000.
AND NORMALLY ONCE WE GET THAT GRANT, WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT WE USUALLY RECEIVE OVER $2 MILLION.
SO WE ARE WAITING FOR THAT TO FILTER DOWN TO US.
SO I STAND BEFORE YOU ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP US TO BRIDGE THAT GAP WHILE WE WAITING.
IN WHICH WAY WOULD THAT HAPPEN? I'M ASKING FOR A LOAN.
I KNOW THAT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT WE DO HERE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE FURLOUGHS THAT TOOK PLACE, THE CLOSURES, WE REALLY NEED THAT SUPPORT IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR SERVICES GOING.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, FAMILIES THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING HAVE TO GO TO WORK.
AND IF WE CLOSED DOWN AND SHUT DOWN, THEY TOO WOULD HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN.
OF THOSE 218 FAMILIES, OUR CHILDREN REALLY RECEIVING EARLY LEARNING AND SCHOOL OF READINESS INSTRUCTIONS, THEY ALSO RECEIVE MEALS PER DAY WHILE THEY'RE THERE IN THE SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
SO I AM AGAIN ASKING YOU ON BEHALF OF A BRIEF PERIOD, A BRIDGE OF SUPPORT, IF YOU CAN THINK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN AID US WHILE WE GO THROUGH THESE CHALLENGES.
I, AGAIN, HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT WE ARE IN THE QUEUE.
WE ARE STATED TO BE DECEMBER ONE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE OF THE CLOSURES AND HOLIDAYS, IT COULD BE THREE WEEKS AFTER DECEMBER.
AND IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM THEM BY NEXT WEDNESDAY, I WOULD HAVE TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY AND THE STAFF THAT WE DO NEED TO SHUT DOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE, TO ME, I HAVE TO SEE IT IN WRITING.
AND SO I STAND BEFORE YOU ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HELPING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES ARE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING THEM AS THEY RETURN TO WORK.
ANY, ANY QUESTION, COMMENTS? I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT ONE COMMENT YOU THAT YOU ALREADY ANSWERED.
UM, AND I WAS, I WAS GONNA ASK WOULD A LOAN BE A BE POSSIBLE IF, IF THAT WAS THE DIRECTION WE WENT? THAT'S, SO YOU'VE ANSWERED THAT.
SO I I CAN, I I, I DID A LITTLE BIT OF CHECKING IN THIS, UH, YOU'RE FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS, CORRECT? YES.
FROM EXPERIENCE WHEN I WAS WORKING, UH, GRANTS ARE VERY SPECIFIC AS FAR AS WHAT YOU CAN USE 'EM FOR.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PAY BACK A LOAN PAY THAT.
THEY SAID WITHOUT INTEREST, WE CANNOT PAY A FEDERAL LOAN BACK WITH INTEREST.
WE CAN PAY IT BACK, BUT NOT WITH AN INTEREST.
THAT'S WHAT THEY DID SHARE WITH US.
LET ME EMPHASIZE, I'M NOT QUESTIONING YOU WHATSOEVER, BUT WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE HIGHER UPS, YOU BETTER HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING BEFORE YOU, BEFORE YOU GO, BEFORE YOU GO WITH IT.
UH, ALSO, UH, WHEN, WHEN DO YOU THINK, ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, AND YOU THINK THIS THING WILL COME THROUGH IN ON DECEMBER THE FIRST? WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED NUMEROUS OF TIMES OF AS OF TODAY, DECEMBER.
DECEMBER, WE SHOULD HEAR FOR OUR GRANT ON DECEMBER ONE, ON NEXT WEDNESDAY BEFORE WE GO HOME FOR THANKSGIVING.
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AT IT TO, TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR FUNDING THROUGH A PERIOD OF TIME? NOT THROUGH THE REST OF THE, OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, BUT MAYBE BREAK IT DOWN BECAUSE, AND THE REASON I SAY THAT, SUPPOSE SUPPOSE WE WERE TO FUND YOU $50,000 TONIGHT AND, AND YOU GET YOUR GRANT ON DECEMBER THE FIRST, WHICH IS A COUPLE WEEKS FROM NOW.AND, AND THEY DON'T ALLOW YOU TO DO WHAT YOU, WHAT THEY TOLD YOU THEY WOULD DO AS FAR AS PAYING BACK A LOAN, THEN, THEN THAT LOAN WOULD NOT BE, BE PAID BACK.
SO THE REASON I'M ASKING THAT IS, OR THE REASON I'M SUGGESTING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THEY DO NOT ALLOW YOU TO PAY BACK THAT LOAN, THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, OUR LOSS WOULD BE, WOULD BE LESS AS OPPOSED TO ALL OF THE MONEY.
SO, SO WHAT, WHAT WOULD IT SAY, BREAK IT DOWN UNTIL LIKE THE FIRST WEEK OR SECOND YOUR NEXT PAYROLL WOULD BE? OTHER THAN THE END OF THE MONTH WOULD BE, UH, JANUARY 15TH, I GUESS DECEMBER THE 15TH.
I'M SORRY, WHAT WOULD THAT AMOUNT BE? HALF OF THAT, OF THE ONE 60.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE 80, 80,000 JUST FOR PAYROLL AND, AND YOUR INITIAL, YOUR REQUEST, YOUR INITIAL REQUEST IS, IS HOW MUCH BEFORE, BEFORE WE FACTOR THIS IN 200.
MY INITIAL REQUEST IS 260,000.
BUT THAT'S THE TOTAL, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT FOR, IS THAT THE 200? WHAT DID YOU QUOTE MS. SMITH? THIS IS 260,000.
IS THAT FOR ALL, IS THAT FOR MACK COUNTY? I KNOW THAT'S CORRECT.
THIS IS FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITIES.
SO WHEN I NEED, SO WE WOULD NOT BE, WE NOT ASKING 240 FROM US, TWO 60, I WOULD'VE ASKED CONSIDER AT LEAST HALF OF IT.
WHEN I LEAVE FROM HERE, I'M GOING TO NORTH HAMPTON COUNTY TO DO THE SAME REQUEST.
SO I DO WISH TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PUTTING ME SO, SO
ALRIGHT, SO IT'S TWO 60 THEN IT'S HALF OF THAT WOULD BE 180.
AND THEN HALF OF THAT, IF IT, IF IT'LL GET YOU THROUGH DECEMBER THE 15TH.
UH, THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT I WOULD BE LOOKING AT TO TRY TO, TO TRY TO NARROW THE, UH, THE, THE POTENTIAL LOSS.
THE PAYROLL IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PERSONNEL.
SO THAT, SO THAT'S THE ONE THAT I REALLY, REALLY WANT US TO CONSIDER WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
WE DO CAN FIND WAYS TO MEET THAT AS WELL.
BUT AGAIN, I AM ASKING, UH, FOR THE, I PUT IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT BOTH COUNTIES AND THAT'S HOW MY PAYROLL RUNS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M GONNA BE GOING TO BOTH COUNTIES ASKING FOR SUPPORT IN EQUAL AMOUNTS.
HOW ABOUT, HOW ABOUT THIS 1, 180 WOULD BE 90.
THEN, THEN THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD GET YOU THROUGH TO ABOUT DECEMBER YES.
AND CONTINGENT ON NORTHAMPTON COUNTY DOING THE SAME.
AND INCLUDED IN THAT, IF YOU GET YOUR, IF YOU GET YOUR FUNDING ON DECEMBER THE FIRST, YOU, YOU WOULD RETURN THE BALANCE TO, UH, TO THE COUNTY.
THE, THE BALANCE THAT WE ARE PUTTING UP FRONT, THE CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT STARTS DECEMBER ONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE WAITING FOR THEM TO TELL US BASED ON THAT DATE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO FILTER DOWN.
SO THE FUNDS WILL NOT GO IN OUR ACCOUNT ON THAT TIME.
WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY PROCESS IT BECAUSE THOSE HAVE COME BACK TO WORK.
UM, AND SOME OF, SOME OF THE FOLKS HAVE NOT COME BACK.
BUT I'LL, SO THAT WOULD BE 65, 30.
THAT, THAT WOULD BE 65,000 FROM, UH, CORRECT.
FROM US AND 65 FROM, UH, NORTHAMPTON COUNTY.
IF, IF WE CUT THE TOTAL IN HALF TO, TO GO TO THE DECEMBER 15, DECEMBER THE 15TH, YEAH.
FOR TWO WEEK PERIOD, THAT WOULD BE ONE 30.
AND THEN IN NORTHAMPTON WOULD PAY 65.
SO, SO I'M, I'LL MAKE A, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, $65,000 TO COVER THE PAYROLL UP TO THROUGH DECEMBER THE 15TH.
AND THAT, UH, THAT IS BASED ON A CON CONTINGENT ON NORTHAMPTON COUNTY DOING THE SAME.
AND ALSO, IF YOU RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS PRIOR TO THAT, THAT YOU REIMBURSE THE COUNTY, THE BALANCE OF THOSE FUNDS.
WELL, YOU, YOU REIMBURSE THE COUNTY ALL OF IT.
IF YOU'RE ALASKA, THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT IF YOU CAN'T, THEN THE BALANCE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE, YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD, UH, YOU WOULD RETURN TO THE COUNTY.
SECOND IF I COULD ASK FOR A CLARIFICATION.
DOES YOUR MOTION INCLUDE PAYBACK PAYBACK THE ENTIRE AMOUNT NO MATTER WHEN THE FEDERAL MONEY COMES IN? DEFINITELY.
IF, IF THAT'S ALLOWED EXACTLY.
IF THAT'S ALLOWED FROM THE GRANT IN, IN OTHER, WELL IT, IT SHOULD BE PAID BACK.
WITHOUT SAYING IF IT'S ALLOWED HOWEVER YOU, HOWEVER YOU THINK IS THE BEST TO WORD IT, IT THAT'S WHAT I'LL GO WITH.
SO THAT THE LOAN WILL BE REPAID AND AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE FUNDS, YOU WILL RETURN ANY UNUSED BALANCE TO THE COUNTY AND THEN PAY BACK THE REST THAT THEY'VE USED.
AND I'LL SECOND MOTION AND THAT, MR. YOU GOOD WITH A SECOND ON THAT, MR. CHAIR? AND REAL QUICK, DO, DO WE NEED TO MAKE
[00:30:01]
THAT CONTINGENT UPON THEM GETTING IN WRITING THE APPROVAL THAT THEY CAN REIMBURSE THAT LOAN? NO, BECAUSE I, I DON'T THINK SO.BECAUSE THEY ARE IN A JAM IF RIGHT.
IF THEY, IF IF THEY DON'T GET IT, WE CAN'T LET KIDS GO OUT HERE AND, AND HAVE I TOTALLY AGREE.
SO MY MOTION, MY, MY, MY MOTION IS TO TAKE STEPS THE BEST WE CAN TO FUND TO SAFEGUARD THE FUNDING.
ABSOLUTE BUT WORST CASE SCENARIO, EITHER WAY.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED.
AND I KNOW I, I DON'T WANNA BELABOR THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M THINKING ABOUT HEAD START AND HOW IT IS NEEDED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, HEAD START HAS PROVEN ITSELF, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LOT OF STIGMA IN THE PAST WHEN IT COMES TO HEAD START, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, HEAD START IS ACCREDITED HEAD START HAS CAPABLE TEACHERS LIKE THAT, LIKE THE PUBLIC SYSTEM OR PRIVATE SYSTEM.
SO, UM, IF YOU GO THERE AND, AND VOLUNTEER SOMETIMES MAYBE, OR GO WALK THROUGH.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES WE SIT IN THE SEAT OF, OF JUDGMENT AND WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT.
SO I'M DEFINITELY A PROPONENT THAT WE HELP HEAD START OR ANY, UH, UH, THE ENTITIES THAT, I MEAN, I JUST GET, I GUESS I PUT MYSELF IN PEOPLE'S PLACE, UH, TIMES OR THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED TIMES THAT WE'RE LIVING IN.
NEVER BEFORE HAVE THE SNAP PROGRAM BEEN CUT.
SO WE ARE LIVING IN TIMES WHERE WE HAVE TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
SO I THANK YOU, UH, SUPERVISOR CROCKETT FOR DOING THAT OR DOING THE, OR CRAFTING THAT MOTION AND HAVING OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, UH, CRAFT.
YOU JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THIS REALLY MEANS TO ME AS WELL AS THOSE THAT I SERVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA, UH, IS RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE.
MR. UH, THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT COMMITTEE IS MR. UH, CROCKETT, SUPERVISOR CROCKETT.
NOW I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
UH, AND YOU DON'T WE'LL WE, WE WILL LET YOU SIT THERE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE PODIUM.
I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, AT OUR OCTOBER THE 15TH BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING, THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE WAS ASKED TO MEET AND ADDRESS COMMENTS MADE BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY EMS EMPLOYEES CONCERN AND PAY INEQUITIES THAT EXIST AMONGST SOME OTHER MEMBERS.
AND THE MEMBERS OF OUR PERSONNEL COMMITTEE IS MR. WASHINGTON, MR. DE GEORGE, AND MYSELF.
I, I AM THE CHAIR AND I HAVE, UH, I HAVE BROUGHT OVER THIS REPORT WITH MR. WASHINGTON AND MR. GEORGE.
AND THE VOTE ADDED COMMITTEE WAS UNANIMOUS, UH, TO MAKE THIS, UH, REPORT TO THE BOARD.
UH, ON OCTOBER THE 23RD, THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MET IN CLOSED SESSION AND WAS PRESENTED BY STAFF.
A LIST OF, A LIST OF ALL D-P-S-M-S EMPLOYEES LISTENED, THEIR NAMES, SALARIES, POSITION HELD, AND DATE OF HIRE.
THE COMMITTEE GAVE A THOROUGH REVIEW OF THE INFORMATION, AND IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE DIFFERENCES IN SALARIES WAS DUE TO TIME AND SERVICE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE EMPLOYEE REPRESENTED THE EMS EMPLOYEES STATED THAT AN EMPLOYEE WAS MAKING ABOUT $18,000 LESS THAN ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WITH THE SAME QUALIFICATIONS.
HOWEVER, UH, THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO, THE ONE WITH THE LOWER SALARY HAD ONE YEAR SERVICE AND THE ONE WITH THE HIGHEST YEAR SERVICE HAD 21 YEARS OF SERVICE THAT WAS CLEARLY DUE TO THE DIFFERENCE IN TIME AND SERVICE.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE WAS THE MOST RECENT GRADUATES FROM THE ACADEMY ON JULY THE FIRST OF 2025, THEY ARE MAKING LESS THAN THOSE WHO GRADUATED LIKE A YEAR OR SO BEFORE, BEFORE THEM.
AND THAT'S DUE TO LENGTH IN TIME.
AND WITH THOSE SALARIES FOR THE ONES WHO JUST GRADUATED IN JULY, THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS NOW OF RECEIVING, UH, RAISES.
SO, SO THE, UH, THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE, UH, WAS UNANIMOUS IN, IN OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT NO FURTHER ACTION IS NEEDED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
AND, UH, AND ALSO ASIDE FROM THAT, UH, THE, UH, THE STAFF CURRENTLY IS WORKING ON A, A PROGRAM TO, UH, TO REWARD EMPLOYEES WHO GO STEP ABOVE THOSE WHO GO THE OVERACHIEVERS.
AND THEY ARE GONNA BRING THAT, THE STAFF WILL BRING THAT TO THE, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OR BACK TO THE, THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE AND, UH, IN A FEW MONTHS.
AND WE'LL BE ADDRESSING THAT AND THEN BRING THAT TO THE BOARD.
BUT, BUT THE, UH, THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE WAS UNANIMOUS IN, IN OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD THAT NO FURTHER ACTION IS NEEDED CONCERNING THE, UH,
[00:35:01]
THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEE.ANY, UH, ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? IF NOT, THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT.
UM, NINE ONE, CONSIDER ACCEPTING A HAZARD MITIGATION A MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM GRANT AWARDED, UH, TO THE MACK COUNTY FOR ELEVATION OF EIGHT HOUSES.
MR. MASON, ARE YOU GONNA START THAT OFF? YES.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS, MEMBER OF THE BOARD, MIKE MASON, AGAIN, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
I, AS YOU SUGGESTED, I'M GONNA KICK THIS OFF.
AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE A-M-P-D-C HERE TO TONIGHT, UM, TO, TO ANSWER ANY DETAILED QUESTIONS.
BUT, UM, A BRIEF HISTORY ON THIS MATTER.
UM, BACK IN MAY, THE COUNTY WAS AWARDED SUBJECT TO ACCEPTANCE, A, A HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT BY V DM IN THE AMOUNT OF, UH, LET'S JUST CALL IT 1.7 MILLION TO BE USED TO ELEVATE EIGHT HOMES OUT OF THE FLOOD PLAIN IN AKIMA COUNTY.
AND, AND IN YOUR WRITEUP, WE PROVIDED YOU THE ADDRESSES OF, OF THOSE EIGHT FACILITIES.
UH, THE INITIAL GRANT AWARD LETTER SPECIFIED THAT ALL ELEVATIONS HAD TO BE COMPLETED BY AUGUST 15, AUGUST 5TH, 2025.
SO AGAIN, WE GET THE AWARD IN MAY OF 2025 WITH A CONDITION WE HAVE TO DO ALL THIS, UM, IN A MATTER OF MONTHS, UM, WHICH WAS NOT FEASIBLE AND WAS REPORTED OUT TO THE BOARD BACK THEN.
UM, ON AUGUST 7TH, UH, OF 2025, THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE OF THE GRANT WAS EXTENDED, UM, BY 12 MONTHS TO AUGUST 5TH, 2026.
SO NOW WE, WE RECEIVED AN EXTRA YEAR ONTO, UH, THE GRANT PERIOD.
UM, AND AS OF THE LAST COUPLE DAYS, THERE'S BEEN ANOTHER EXTENSION OF THAT PERIOD OUT TO AUGUST 5TH, 2027.
SO BECAUSE OF THESE SERIES OF EXTE, UH, EXTENSIONS, UH, STAFF BELIEVES THAT ALL NECESSARY WORK CAN BE COMPLETED, UH, WITHIN THE STIPULATED TIMEFRAME, WHICH AGAIN, NOW HAS BEEN EXTENDED OUT TO 2027.
UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AUTHORIZED THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ACCEPT THE GRANT.
THE PROJECT IS FUNDED THROUGH FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES WITH 90% OF THE FUNDING COMING FROM FEMA AND 10% COMING FROM VE.
SO THERE'S NO, NO LOCAL MATCH HERE.
THE, UH, A-M-P-D-C WHO WILL BE CONTRACTED TO MINISTER THIS GRANT ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY, IS IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING ALL THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTIES TO ASCERTAIN IF THEY'RE STILL INTERESTED IN HAVING THEIR, IN, HAVING THEIR HOMES ELEVATED.
THREE OF THE OWN HOMEOWNERS HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST ON ONE OWNER, UH, BELIEVES THE HOUSE MAY BE TOO DAMAGED.
UM, AND, AND SOME OF THE OTHER MEMBERS, UH, HAVE YET TO BE CONTACTED, BUT WE'RE SENDING OUT, UH, LETTERS TO THEM, UM, RIGHT NOW GIVEN THAT WE HAVE THIS NEW EXTENDED PERIOD.
SO THAT'S SORT OF THE, THE HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THESE, UM, THESE HAZARD MITIGATION GRANTS.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST HAZARD HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT THE COUNTY'S EVER ENTERED INTO.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, WITH A PC'S HELP HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, ELEVATE A NUMBER OF STRUCTURES, UH, IN AKIMA COUNTY OVER THE YEARS.
AND THIS IS THE LATEST ITERATION OF HAZARD MITIGATION BANK, UH, UH, HA HAZARD MITIGATION GRANTS THAT HAVE, UH, BEEN AWARDED TO US THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CAPITALIZE ON.
AND WITH THAT, UM, ERIC RITO, UM, WITH, UM, WITH A AND PDC IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE DETAILED QUESTIONS.
HE'S BEEN, UH, THE, THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND ON THIS GROUND AND JUST PREPPING IN AND THE EXTENSIONS AND CONTACTING THE OWNERS.
ANY QUESTIONS, MS. CHAIRMAN? CHAIRMAN, WE, WE ACCEPT THE GRANT.
I JUST WANT TO THANK A MPD FOR THE SUPPORT SINCE SO MANY OF THOSE WERE IN MY DISTRICT.
IT'S, UH, NEXT UP WOULD BE APPOINTMENTS, UH, NOVEMBER APPOINTMENTS.
WHAT'D I DO? WELL, I GO OVER NINE TWO.
SORRY, MR. THAT
UM, I'M MYRA ROWLEY TAYLOR, CHAIR PHILLIPS AND VICE CHAIR MAJOR.
I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE C**K BAYSIDE REVITALIZATION EFFORTS WITH THE DELIC STRUCTURE REMOVAL.
AND I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE A COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD AS WELL AS THE VOLUNTEERS.
AND THAT IS SHELENE RE WHO IS OUR SECRETARY, AS WELL AS VERNON GUNNER, WHO IS OUR COMMUNITY MANAGER.
AND THE LAST TIME WE BRIEFED, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN, YOU CAN FLIP NEXT OTHER ONE.
[00:40:02]
THE LAST TIME WE BRIEFED WAS IN JUNE.UH, WE'VE HAD SOME UPDATES SINCE THEN.
UM, WE DIDN'T BRIEF IN OCTOBER BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF SIGNIFICANT UPDATES, BUT THINGS HAVE BEEN MOVING OVER THE LAST MONTH.
SO, ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, I'M GONNA PROVIDE YOU WITH THE PROJECT OVERVIEW AS WELL AS THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD.
UM, ALSO THERE'S A TWO SLIDES THAT ARE CHARGED, WHICH SHOW THE DETAILED PROJECT STATUS AS WELL AS OUR CHALLENGES AND CONCERNS.
AND THEN OUR NEXT STEPS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.
AS FAR AS THE SCOPE, JUST BRIEFLY, UM, WE WERE AWARDED A CONTRACT BY THE COUNTY TO REMOVE UP TO 22 DELIC STRUCTURES IN ON C**K BAYSIDE.
UH, WITH THAT, WE WERE ALSO GIVEN THE TASK TO COMPLETE, UM, SEVERAL EFFORTS, WHICH INCLUDES TITLE SEARCHES, WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THE HOMEOWNERS, AS WELL AS ASBESTOS ASSESSMENTS, ALSO OBTAINING COUNTY PERMITS.
AND THEN THE REMOVAL OF THOSE STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE A EIGHT MONTH, 18 MONTH PERIOD TO COVER THAT.
AND ALSO WE REQUESTED A SIX MONTH EXTENSION JUST IN CASE THAT'S NEEDED.
AND THEN THE AWARD IS IN THE AMOUNT OF UP TO $150,000.
I'M SORRY, THAT WAS THE BRIEF PRIOR TO THIS ONE IN JUNE.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD IT IS LOOKING, NOT ME.
UM, AND SO AS FAR AS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE STARTED WITH THE TITLE SEARCHES.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE 22 OF THOSE TO DO TWO OF THOSE, UM, SEARCHES HAVE TWO PROPERTIES, SO IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A TOTAL OF 20 TO COVER THAT.
UH, WITH THAT, WE HAVE COMPLETED SIX OF THE TITLE SEARCHES, AND YOU'LL SEE LATER IN THE BRIEF THAT THAT HAS BEEN A TRUE CHALLENGE FOR US.
UH, AS FAR AS THE OBTAINING THE WRITTEN CONSENTS FROM HOMEOWNERS, WE HAVE THREE COMPLETED OF THE SIX TITLE SEARCHES THAT WE RECEIVED, AND THREE OF THEM ARE IN PROGRESS WITH THE THREE THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED.
AGAIN, THESE ARE PRIMARILY AIRED PROPERTIES.
SO FOR ONE OF 'EM, JUST ONE, WE HAD TO GET EIGHT CONSENT FORMS FOR THAT ONE PROPERTY.
AND THE PEOPLE SPAN FROM NEW JERSEY, VIRGINIA, ARIZONA, AND WASHINGTON STATE.
SO WE'RE HAVING TO MAIL THE CONSENT FORMS. A LOT OF THEM ARE NOT IT SAVVY, SO WE'RE HAVING TO MAIL THE FORMS AND HAVE THEM MAIL BACK IN ORDER TO GET THE CONSENT TO HAVE THOSE PROPERTIES REMOVED.
ALSO, WE'VE COMPLETED THREE ASBESTOS TESTING, UH, TESTS.
UH, WE RECEIVED THOSE BACK LAST WEEK, SO THEY ALL CAME BACK WITHOUT ASBESTOS.
SO THAT'S A GOOD REPORT AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE.
WE HAVE GOTTEN, WE'VE MET WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IF YOU REMEMBER FROM THE LAST BRIEF, WE HAD THE FIRE CHIEF FROM A C**K COME OUT AND VIEW EACH ONE OF THE 22 PROPERTIES, AND THEY HAD INFORMED US AS TO WHICH ONES THEY COULD ACTUALLY DO TRAINING EXERCISES OR A CONTROLLED BURN.
SO OF THOSE, WE HAVE, UM, OBTAINED A PERMIT FOR ONE OF THOSE, WHICH WILL BE A TRAINING EXERCISE.
AND THEN WE'VE ALSO, WE HAVE TWO THAT ARE READY TO GO.
AND THE OTHER ONE WILL BE A CONTAINED BURN.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THAT PERMIT, UH, ACTUALLY BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
UH, WE HAVEN'T REMOVED ANY YET.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A DRAFT NOTIFICATION READY FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
[00:45:01]
JUST TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE THIS WILL SPAN OVER PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR TIME, UH, TO LET 'EM KNOW THAT WE WILL BE DOING, UH, THE, THE CONTROLLED BURNS AS WELL AS THE DEMOLITIONS OF THOSE PROPERTIES.AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A DETAILED SLIDE, UH, CHART, BASICALLY SHOWING WHERE WE ARE, WHAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED BY PROPERTY.
THIS IS THE FIRST, UH, ONE, FIRST 11.
UH, AND ALSO YOU CAN SEE JUST THE VARIOUS STATUS FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE.
UH, THE VERY FIRST ONE, NUMBER ONE, AS WELL AS NUMBER ONE, AS WELL AS, LET'S SEE, WHICH ONE IS IT? NUMBER 10 ARE THE TWO THAT ARE READY FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ENGAGEMENT.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS PROPERTY 12 THROUGH 22.
THERE ARE TWO STRUCTURES ON THAT FOR THAT PARTICULAR ONE AS WELL AS 19 AND 20.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST THE OVERALL STATUS AS TO WHERE WE ARE, WHAT HAS TO BE SCHEDULED, AND WHAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED THUS FAR.
AND THEN THIS IS JUST THE GRAPHIC OF THE ACTUAL PROPERTIES PROPERTY, NUMBER ONE.
THE FIRST ONE AS WELL AS THE THIRD ONE.
THEY'RE THE TWO IN WHICH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL START TO ENGAGE.
AND THEN THE OTHERS ARE AT VARIOUS STATUS.
UH, NUMBER, THE SECOND ONE, THE THIRD AND SECOND.
THIRD AND FOURTH ARE WAITING FOR CONSENT AS WELL AS THE FIFTH AS WELL AS THE SIXTH ONE.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE CHALLENGES, WE WERE DELAYED WITH GETTING THE TITLE SEARCHES DONE.
WE EMPLOYED A COMPANY BACK WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THIS EFFORT, PROVIDED THEM WITH, UM, THE LIST OF PROPERTIES THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
WE WERE UNTIL OCTOBER FINDING OUT THAT THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE SIXTH THAT THEY HAD PROVIDED.
AND SO WE HAD TO EMPLOY ANOTHER COMPANY.
SO WE WASTED, WELL, WE DIDN'T WASTE, BUT WE WERE AWAITING THOSE SEARCHES BACK.
SO THAT HAS BEEN A FIVE MONTH PERIOD IN WHICH WE COULDN'T EVEN GET STARTED WITH THE CONSENT FORMS. UM, SO WE HAVE EMPLOYED A NEW COMPANY, TITLE COMPANY.
THEY HAVE IN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO, WELL LAST SIX WEEKS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE US ALL THAT WE HAVE SUBMITTED TO THEM.
AND WE ARE WAITING TO SUBMIT THE LAST SIX THAT WE NEED TO GET THE TITLE SEARCHES DONE.
AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, MOST OF THESE ARE AIRED PROPERTIES.
SO WE ARE HAVING TO GET THE CONSENT OF MORE THAN JUST ONE INDIVIDUAL OR TWO INDIVIDUALS.
AND WE'RE HAVING, WE WORK WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE JUST TO GO THROUGH WHAT NEEDS TO BE SIGNED AS FAR AS WHO NEEDS TO SIGN THESE CONSENT FORMS. IF THE PERSON IS DECEASED, IS IT THE, UM, SPOUSE? IF THEY'RE DECEASED, THEN IT BECOMES, OF COURSE THE SIBLINGS OR THE CHILDREN.
SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT FOR EACH ONE OF THESE AS THEY ARISE.
UH, ALSO, AND THEN THAT ALSO COVERS AS FAR AS THE HEIR PROPERTY.
AND AGAIN, JUST FOR FUNDING, ALL OF THIS BASICALLY IS BEING DONE THROUGH OUR VOLUNTEERS.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE MONEY FOR STAFFING, AND WE DID, EVEN THOUGH WE DID RECEIVE, UH, FUNDING FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORT OF THIS.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE NEXT STEPS, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN, UH, IDENTIFIED IN THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND ON C**K BAYSIDE.
WE'LL CONTINUE THE TITLE SEARCHES.
I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT SIX OF THOSE THAT ARE REMAINING.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TO GET THOSE SIGNATURES FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE TITLE SEARCHES.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE AS ASBESTOS TESTING, WHICH TAKES ABOUT A 10 DAY.
THE LAST THREE THAT WE SUBMITTED, IT TOOK ABOUT 10 DAYS TO GET THAT REPORT BACK.
AS WELL AS, UM, THE CONTRACTORS, WE'VE IDENTIFIED ABOUT THREE THAT CAN WORK WITH US.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE TAKING BIDS ON HAVING THEM REMOVED THAT THE PRIOR DEPARTMENT DOES NOT DO THE CONTROL BURNS OR TO REMOVE THE DEBRIS FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S, CONTROL BURNS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE COUNTY PERMITS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AS WE DO THE DEMOLITION PHASE OF THIS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY BRIEF, BARRING ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ADDITIONAL COMMENT? MR. CHAIR, LISTEN.
I WANNA TELL YOU GUYS, Y'ALL DOING A GREAT JOB.
UM, WE DO HAVE FOUR ON THE DOCKET.
EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD.
UM, LOOKS LIKE WE DO HAVE A NOMINEE.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, NOMINATE CHRISTIE FINNEY
[00:50:01]
FOR THAT POSITION.AND IT CARRIES THAT NOMINEE CARRIES AIMA COUNTY, UM, WETLANDS BOARD.
ANYBODY WENT TO TAKE CARE OF THAT? MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A, A MOTION PROBABLY SECONDED.
AND THAT CARRIES, UH, BOARD, UM, PARKS AND REC WILL, WILL, WILL DEFER TO THAT.
AND ALSO THE SOCIAL SERVICE WILL DEFER, DEFER THAT TO THANK YOU.
WE GOT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE, BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO LET'S, UH, MR. MASON, WE HAVE THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, CONSIDER THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE, UH, AMENDED CHAPTER 18.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU TAKE CARE OF THAT IN NINE MINUTES? YES, SIR.
THIS IS A, A RELATIVELY SIMPLE REQUEST, A REQUEST THAT ALIGNS WITH THE BOARD'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT IT DEFINED LAST YEAR.
UM, TH THIS IS ABOUT, UM, CONSIDERING AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 18 OF THE AKIMA COUNTY CODE ENTITLED BUILDINGS AND BUILDING REGULATIONS TO ALLOW FOR A WAIVER OF BUILDING PERMIT FEES AND OTHER COUNTY FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION AND REHABILITATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, AGAIN, THIS WAS ONE OF YOUR KEY STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT YOU, UH, AGREED TO LAST YEAR.
UM, THE CODE OF VIRGINIA 15.29 58.4 AUTHORIZES A LOCALITY TO PROVIDE BY ORDINANCE THE WAIVER OF BUILDING AND OTHER FEES ASSOCIATED WITH CONSTRUCTION RENOVATION AND, UM, REHABILITATION BY A 5 0 1 C3 ORGANIZATION WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE, UH, IS ASSISTING WITH THE PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR A PRIVATE SECTOR ENTITY THAT IS PURSUING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
UH, THE ATTACHED DRAFT ORDINANCE WAS CRAFTED TO THIS END.
UM, THE COUNTY REVENUE IMPACT IS EXPECTED TO BE, UH, MINIMAL, UH, INITIATIVES SUCH AS THIS NOT ONLY INCENTIVIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STARTS, BUT ALSO DEMONSTRATE THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH CAN THEN BE LEVERAGED BY THOSE SEEKING GRANT FUNDS AND TAX CREDITS TO REDUCE CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
UH, THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT REQUIRE ENTITIES SEEKING PERMIT FEE RELIEF TO DEMONSTRATE SUCH RELIEF.
WILL FAC DOES REQUIRE, UM, IT WILL, THEY HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE SUCH RELIEF WILL FACILITATE CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION OR REHAB OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS DEFINED AS HOUSING THAT IS AFFORDABLE TO HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOMES AT OR BELOW THE MEDIAN INCOME.
PROVIDED THAT THE OCCUPANT PAYS NO MORE THAN 30% OF HIS GROSS INCOME, HIS OR HER GROSS INCOME FOR GROSS HOUSING CO COSTS, INCLUDING UTILITIES, WHICH THAT'S THE STANDARD DEFINITION OF, OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
ENTITIES MAY DEMONSTRATE THIS EITHER BEFORE THE WORK COMMENCES, UM, THEREBY CREATING A WAIVER OF THE FEES OR AFTER CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN COMPLETED, WHICH THEN RESULT IN A REFUND OF FEES PREVIOUSLY PAID.
AND THIS, THIS, THIS AMENDMENT HAS BEEN CRAFTED, SO IT'S FOCUSED ON MAJOR CONSTRUCTION, MAJOR AMENDMENTS, MAJOR RENOVATIONS.
UM, THE IDEA IS NOT TO HAVE, UM, A, A STEP FIXED OR ANYTHING THAT'S NOT REALLY PROMOTING THE PROLIFERATION AND AND OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'RE LOOKING TO PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION STARTS FOR MAJOR RENOVATIONS, UM, TO, TO CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE COUNTY.
SO THAT, THAT WAS THE IDEA, UH, BEHIND THIS.
I THINK THIS ALIGNS WITH THE BOARD'S PRIORITY.
UH, YOUR NEXT STEP IF, IF YOU WANT TO ADVANCE THIS IS TO SEND IT TO, TO, UH, TO PUBLIC HEARING NEXT MONTH.
UH, PROBABLY SECOND TO TAKE THAT TO, UH, PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR DECEMBER MEETING.
YOU WOULD BE NEXT UP ON YOUR QUARTERLY, UH, FIRST QUAR, UH, FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY.
YOU, YOU WANT TO? I LIKE THE BEST.
LESLIE LEWIS, FINANCE DIRECTOR.
I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE SUMMARY FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 2026.
AND WHEN I SAY THIS, I SAY THIS IS PROBABLY THE LEAST IMPORTANT QUARTER.
AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE MODIFIED ACCRUAL BASIS OF ACCOUNTING WHERE THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OR THE 60 DAYS IN THE FISCAL YEAR, THAT'S JULY AND AUGUST IS CARRIED BACK TO THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR.
[00:55:01]
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS REPORT, YOU'RE BASICALLY LOOKING AT ONE MONTH'S REVENUE.AND THAT HAPPENS YEAR AFTER YEAR.
SO THE, FOR COMPARATIVE PURPOSES FOR THIS THING, AND TONIGHT I'M GONNA TALK THE MAJOR, UM, REVENUE.
I'M GONNA JUST DISCUSS SUMMARY 'CAUSE I'M GONNA BE FAST.
AND OF COURSE, AS ALWAYS, THE MAJOR REVENUES ARE REAL ESTATE TAX, PERSONAL PROPERTY AND LOCAL SALES TAX.
AND THE MAJOR REVENUE FISCAL YEAR TO DATE OVER FEW FOR THE FISCAL YEAR TO DATE, MAJOR REVENUE HAS INCREASED BY 3%.
AND WHEN WE COMPARE THAT TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, UM, GO BACK IN THE CORNER, YOU CAN SEE 3% AND THE ANNUAL GROWTH THAT WE REQUIRED WAS 1.9%.
SO WE ARE ABOVE WHERE WE SHOULD BE AT THIS TIME.
BUT AGAIN, REMEMBER FIRST QUARTER IS ONLY BASICALLY ONE MONTH OF REVENUE.
ANOTHER THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT AGAIN IS THAT INVESTMENT EARNINGS IS NOW A PART OF OUR MAJOR REVENUE.
UM, INVESTMENT EARNINGS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER REACHED ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS AND IT'S PROJECTED TO DO 2 MILLION FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
SO WE'RE STILL IN GOOD SHAPE WITH WHAT WE HEAR IS COMING UP WITH THE FEDS REDUCING THE RATE.
I THINK I MISSED, AND FOR THE LISTING PUBLIC, THIS IS ON BOARD DOCS, SO IF ANYBODY NEEDS SOMETHING TO DO,
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MAY HAVE.
THE IMPORTANT TAKE IS WE ARE ABOVE, UH, BUDGET EXPECTATIONS AS FAR AS REVENUE GOES.
THAT WE ARE, THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE FOR THE FIRST QUARTER.
AND I HOPE IT CONTINUES, BUT I DO LIKE TO SAY IT IS THE FIRST QUARTER.
WE WILL TAKE ABOUT A THREE MINUTE BREAK IF YOU WOULD, UH, BEFORE WE START OUR PUBLIC HEARING AT SIX O'CLOCK.
UM, MS. PROCTOR, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME SIGNS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO IF YOU WOULD GIVE US OUR RULES, PLEASE.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THE RULES FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ARE AS FOLLOWS.
ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD SIGN AND THE REGISTER PERSONS ADDRESSING THE BOARD SHOULD STAND BEHIND THE LECTERN PERSONS ADDRESSING.
THE BOARD SHALL BE LIMITED TO FOUR MINUTES.
PERSONS ADDRESSING THE BOARD SHALL NOT USE INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE OR VERBALLY ATTACK.
ANY BOARD MEMBER OR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SIGNS AND PLACARDS ARE NOT ALLOWED INSIDE THE MEETING ROOM.
ANY PERSON WHOSE BEHAVIOR IS DISRUPTIVE SHALL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING ROOM.
PERSONS MAY NOT ASK QUESTIONS OF INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISORS OR STAFF MEMBERS WITHOUT THE UNANIMOUS CONSENT OF THE BOARD.
YES, PERSONS ADDRESSING THE BOARD SHALL LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO THE ISSUE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I HAVE ONE A SPEAK A SPEAKER MAY RESERVE THEIR TIME, THANK YOU, BUT SHALL NOT DELEGATE THAT TIME TO ANOTHER SPEAKER AND ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING CLIENTS WILL BE LIMITED TO 10 MINUTES.
AND IF ANY ATTORNEY SPEAKS UNDER THIS PROVISION, A REPRESENTATIVE HOLDING AN OPPOSING VIEW SHALL BE PROVIDED 10 MINUTES TO PRESENT THEIR VIEW.
THE CHAIR HAS THE RIGHT AND DUTY TO REMAIN PROPER ORDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE RULES.
UH, AND THIS IS FOR 11 THREE ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE REZONE OF 0 0 0 1 4 1 DASH 2 0 2 5.
UH, REZONING OF PART OF THE DARBY FARM FROM AG TO INDUSTRIAL.
MEMBERS OF THE, UH, BOARD LEE PBA, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND THIS IS, UM, THIS IS THE REZONING CASE FOR VIRGINIA SPACE, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE DARBY FARM, BUT THEY ARE NOW REFERRING TO IT AS THE MARS INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.
SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO PREFACE THAT I, THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SLIDES, A LOT OF 'EM ARE, ARE JUST FOR REFERENCE.
SO IT'S NOT AS LONG AS YOU MAY THINK.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INCLUDE IS THAT, UM, AT 369 ACRES, THIS IS, THIS IS A LANDMARK CASE FOR MACK.
UH, THIS WOULD BE A LANDMARK CASE FOR ANY LOCALITY THAT IS LOOKING TO REZONE ALMOST 369 ACRES FOR AEROSPACE.
AND THEY'RE DOING IT RIGHT HERE IN MACK.
SO WE'LL JUST GET INTO THE, UM, VITAL STATS AS, AS CUSTOMARY FOR THESE BRIEFINGS.
UH, THE APPLICANT IS JOHN CUUS ON BEHALF OF DEBORAH BRYAN, WHO IS GE WHO IS GENERAL COUNSEL FOR VIRGINIA SPACE.
MR. KUTA IS HERE TONIGHT, THE PROPERTY OWNERS OUR VIRGINIA SPACE.
AND THE, UH, THE SITE IS COMPRISED OF EIGHT TAX PARCELS, ROUGHLY AT 32 AT THE 32 100 BLOCK OF WALLACE ISLAND ROAD IN ASMAN.
THIS IS IN, UH, SUPERVISOR DE GEORGE'S DISTRICT, AS IS THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR ANGELA WINGFIELD.
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AS MENTIONED BEFORE, 369 ACRES.THE ZONE, THE, UH, ZONING IS AGRICULTURAL AND THE FUTURE LAND USE RECOMMENDATION IS AG.
THE REQUEST IS TO REZONE THE SITE, UH, FROM AG TO INDUSTRIAL WITH FOUR PROFFERS.
AND THIS IS JUST A, UH, AN AERIAL TO, UM, ORIENT YOU TO THE, UH, LOCATION.
UM, THIS IS THE SITE OF THE 369 ACRES.
HOWEVER, VIRGINIA SPACE OWNS, UH, MOST OF THE REST OF THIS BETWEEN, UM, UH, I KEEP FORGETTING THE NAME OF THIS ROAD BETWEEN THIS ROAD AND WILDS ISLAND ROAD.
THIS IS THE NASA MAIN GATE RIGHT HERE.
UM, THE NEUTRON COMPLEX IS DIRECTED ACROSS THE STREET, AND WE'VE GOT THE SURVEY IF WE NEED TO REFER TO IT.
AND, UH, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE STATUS OF THE REVIEWS.
THESE ARE THE AGENCIES THAT THE, UH, APPLICATION WAS SENT TO.
THEY ALL RESPONDED AND NONE OF THEM HAD ANY, UM, ANY UH, UH, FATAL COMMENTS, IF YOU WILL, THAT WOULD PREVENT US FROM RECOMMENDING APPROVAL.
THIS SLIDE WILL, UH, THESE NEXT FEW SLIDES WILL ACTUALLY MAKE, UH, THE OTHER PUBLIC HEARING THAT WAS POSTPONED FROM TONIGHT TO NEXT MONTH.
A LITTLE BIT SHORTER, I'LL BE COVERING PROFFERS GENERALLY, THE STATEMENT OF INTENTS FOR THE VARIOUS, UM, FOR THE VARIOUS, UH, UH, DESIGNATIONS OF ZONING AND FUTURE LAND USE.
PART OF THE, UH, UH, SITE IS DESIGNATED AG ENFORCEABLE DISTRICT, AND, UH, OF COURSE, GOING THROUGH SOME OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ELEMENTS THAT, UH, BUILD A CASE FOR APPROVAL.
AS I HAD MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE ARE FOUR PROFFERS, UM, VIRGINIA CODE, UH, SECTION 15.2 2302.
GOVERNANCE PROFFERS PROFFERS ARE VOLUNTARY AND THEY ARE BINDING CONDITIONS THAT BECOME PART OF THE ZONING OF THE PROP, UH, OF THE PROPERTY.
AND IF, UH, PROFFERS ARE TO BE AMENDED, THEY FOLLOW THE SAME PROCESS AS THE ORIGINAL APPROVAL.
PUBLIC HEARINGS, AS WE KNOW, ARE REQUIRED BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S ALREADY HELD THEIR HEARING.
TONIGHT IS THE HEARING FOR THE, UH, FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
UM, THE, UH, STATEMENT OF INTENT FOR ZONING.
IT'S, UH, IT IS, UH, A VERY BEEFY STATEMENT HERE, BUT I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT AT THE, AT THE VERY END OF THAT STATEMENT OF INTENT FOR THE ZONING DISTRICT THAT THEY WANT TO GO TO ACTUALLY DOES INCLUDE AIRSPACE MANUFACTURING, REPAIR, AND MAINTENANCE.
THIS IS A SLIDE THAT SHOWS THE AG AND FORESTAL DISTRICT.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THE, UH, RED OUTLINES, UH, INDICATES THE SITE.
WHAT YOU SEE IN GREEN ARE THE PARTS OF THE PROPERTY THAT ARE DESIGNATED A FD.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WITH THE REZONING THAT A FD DESIGNATION IS, UH, IS REMOVED, THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION IS, UH, IS CURRENTLY AGRICULTURE.
AND WE WON'T GO INTO WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT, BUT THE, UH, DESIGNATION FOR INDUSTRIAL AREAS, UH, HAVE SEVERAL, UH, UH, SEVERAL REFERENCES TO THE PROPOSED USE INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES WITH MINIMIZED INTERFERENCE FROM IMPACT TO ADJACENT LAND USES.
THIS SITE IS FAIRLY REMOVED FROM, UH, FROM ADJACENT RESIDENCES, SO THERE AREN'T ANY, ANY, UM, UH, UH, AREAS OF HOUSING DENSITY TO BE CONCERNED WITH.
ALTHOUGH ALONG, UM, ALONG THE, UH, UH, UH, THE EAST, OR I SHOULD SAY THE SOUTHERN ROAD, THERE ARE A FEW RESIDENCES.
UH, WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO DOES INCLUDE INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION OF GOODS.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UH, ABOUT SPACE FLIGHT HERE, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO, IS THAT THEY TRANSPORT TO SPACE.
UH, INDUSTRIAL AREAS SHOULD BE LOCATED NEAR ADEQUATE TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, INCLUDING HIGHWAY RAILROAD AND WATERWAY ACCESS POINTS.
AND THEN ONE GLARING OMISSION.
SPACE PORTS ARE NOT MENTIONED, BUT CERTAINLY APPLICABLE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.
THE COUNTY'S TARGET OUTCOME, LARGE SCALE INTENSIVE INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES MANAGED WITH MANAGED ACCESS AND BUFFERS, AND, UH, THEY CERTAINLY INTEND TO DO, UH, SOME, UH, LARGE SCALE INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CONSIDERATIONS FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, I JUST WILL MAKE THIS GENERAL COMMENT ABOUT COMP PLANS IN GENERAL IN THAT, UH, GOALS, OBJECTIVES, POLICIES, AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHETHER YOU'RE AN AKAMAK OR SAN FRANCISCO OR HONOLULU, UH, COMP PLAN BALANCES.
OUR COMP PLAN CERTAINLY BALANCES GROWTH WITH RURAL CHARACTER.
BOTH ARE CONSIDERATION, PARTICULARLY FOR THE DERBY FARM CASE AS IT IS CURRENTLY CULTIVATED LAND FOR AG.
UM, GOING BACK TO THE OBJECTIVES, GENERALLY ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, COMPATIBLE WITH THE COUNTY'S ADOPTED OBJECTIVES.
CERTAINLY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
[01:05:01]
ALSO FACTOR INTO OBJECTIVE SEVEN AND, UH, MUCH OF WHAT THE COMP PLAN HAS TO SAY.POLICY SEVEN EIGHT SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO MARS OR THE MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL SPACEPORT.
THEN THE COMP PLAN IS REFERRED TO THE WALLACE ISLAND REGIONAL SPACEPORT, BUT IT'S THE SAME FACILITY.
UM, UH, SEVEN EIGHT SPECIFICALLY READS, AS AS FOLLOWS, JUST READING THIS INTO THE RECORD, PROTECTING THE DESIGNATED IM, UH, POTENTIAL IMPACT AREAS IN THE VICINITY OF WALLOPS ISLAND REGIONAL SPACEPORT FACILITY FROM INTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARLY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THEY MAY CAUSE UNDUE RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY OR IMPEDED DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF THE SPACEPORT AS A MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCE.
YOU'LL HEAR, UH, SEVERAL BRIEFINGS, UH, IF, IF YOU ARE IN BRIEFINGS WITH, UH, GENERAL MERCER, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF VIRGINIA SPACE.
THE INITIAL, UH, PURPOSE OF PURCHASING THIS PROPERTY AND ACQUIRING THIS PROPERTY IS TO PROTECT IT FROM DEVELOPMENT THAT, UH, THAT SHOULD THE NEED FOR AN EVACUATION, UH, OCCUR, THAT DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY CONTROL, THEY CAN CONTROL THOSE TENANTS AND ASK THEM TO LEAVE.
IT WOULD BE A LOT MORE DIFFICULT TO DO.
SO IF THAT WAS DEVELOPED, UH, AS A RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION WITH HUNDREDS OF UNITS, UM, RECOMMENDED ACTION.
SEVEN E TALKS ABOUT, UH, TALKS ABOUT, UH, DESIGNATING ADDITIONAL, UH, AREAS FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, SPECIFICALLY BUSINESSES SERVING THE NASA WS ISLAND FACILITY.
SO OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, UH, CALLS FOR THAT OBJECTIVE EIGHT, UH, ACHIEVING A, UH, AND, AND THIS IS ON THE OTHER END OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECTRUM.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPACE FLIGHT AND HIGH TECH.
ON THE OTHER END, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AG AND AQUACULTURE AND FORESTRY.
SO, UH, THE, THE CURRENT LAND USE DESIGNATION AND ZONING ARE BOTH AG, WHICH WOULD, UH, WHICH WOULD FIT IN WITH THIS.
UH, 11 MAJOR PLANNING ISSUES ARE DESCRIBED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THE FISCAL IMPACTS AND GROWTH ARE TWO OF THOSE.
SO, UH, UH, THIS CERTAINLY, UH, FACTORS INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF, OF, OF A, UM, UH, A LARGER ECONOMIC TAX BASE.
AND, UH, IT ALSO INCLUDES, UM, AEROSPACE AS PART OF THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THERE IS A GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY STRATEGY IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND IT STATES TO PROMOTE COMPATIBLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOB GROWTH, INCLUDING AG, SEAFOOD AND TOURISM INDUSTRIES.
HERE WE TALK ABOUT THE PROFFERS.
THEY ARE PROFFERING FOUR ELEMENTS HERE IN ANNUAL TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEER FIRE AND RESCUE COMPANIES, BECAUSE THE TYPE OF, UH, THE TYPE OF, UH, UH, EMERGENCY THAT COULD OCCUR WITH AEROSPACE, UH, MAY ENTAIL SOME SPECIALIZED TRAINING OR RESPONSE.
PROFFERED USES INCLUDE THE, UH, USES THAT ARE TYPICAL TO AEROSPACE, MANUFACTURING, PRODUCTION, FABRICATION SUPPORT, AND ACCESSORY USES.
NUMBER THREE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY ARE PROFFERING EVERYTHING ELSE OUT THAT IS LISTED IN THE INDUSTRIAL, UH, THAT IS LISTED IN THE, UH, UH, USES OF, IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT ZONING DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, HOT TEST FIRING IS NOT PROFFERED OUT.
PROFFERED NUMBER FOUR INCLUDES A SURVEY OF THE 86 ACRE TRACT TWO, WHICH THE, UH, WHICH THE STAFF HAD ASKED VIRGINIA SPACE TO PROFFER, UM, OR REQUESTED, BECAUSE, UH, THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY NEEDS TO BE, UH, SET ASIDE FOR THE ENTERPRISE ZONE.
IF ONE PORTION OF A PROPERTY IS IN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE, THEN DHCD, UH, RULES AND REGULATIONS STATE THAT THE ENTIRE PROPERTY HAS TO BE IN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE, AND WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH, UH, ACREAGE, UH, RESERVE ACREAGE IN OUR ENTERPRISE ZONE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
SO WE'RE SPECIFICALLY ASKING THEM TO SPLIT OUT 86 ACRES SO THAT THE ENTIRE PARCEL IS NOT INCLUDED.
AND THESE ARE THE, UM, THE MOST RECENT PROFFERS THAT WE RECEIVED JUST YESTERDAY, IN CASE WE NEED TO REFER TO THOSE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY GENERAL MERCER AND NOTARIZED FUTURE LAND USE.
AGAIN, EVERYTHING IS INDICATED AS, UH, AS AGRICULTURE, BUT THERE IS A CASE TO, UH, REZONE THIS FOR INDUSTRIAL BECAUSE OF THE ADJACENT USES NEXT TO OPS ISLAND.
THIS IS THE CAUSEWAY TO OPS ISLAND HERE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU'VE GOT SOME AEROSPACE THAT'S OCCURRING DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET.
THIS IS A, UH, SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA OR A FLOODPLAIN.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT'S IMPACTED FROM A FLOODPLAIN STANDPOINT RIGHT HERE.
AND WE'VE GOT A BREAKOUT OF THAT IN THE STAFF REPORT.
THIS IS YOUR RPA AND HERE IN THE FAR SOUTHERN CORNER OF THE PROPERTY OR OF THE SITE, THERE IS SOME RPA.
THESE, UH, THESE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS CANNOT
[01:10:01]
BE DEVELOPED, BY THE WAY.SO HERE'S THE BREAKDOWN THAT'S IN YOUR REPORT.
WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT, UH, 16 ACRES OUT OF THE 369.
THAT'S ENCUMBERED, AND THAT CANNOT BE, UH, DEVELOPED ON.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT IN THE OVERALL SCHEME OF THINGS.
UTILITIES, UM, THERE ARE NO UTILITIES OUT THERE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE, UH, NASA SEWER FORCE, MAINE, BUT, UH, UH, VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH INDICATED THEY HAVE NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER REZONINGS.
HOWEVER, THEY DO ANTICIPATE THAT THE VIRGINIA, UH, THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF DRINKING WATER WILL NEED TO BE CONSULTED ON THEIR WATER SUPPLY AS THEY LOOK TO SERVE, UH, MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE BUILDINGS AND MULTIPLE CUSTOMERS.
EVENTUALLY, THE, UH, THE POWER COMPANY WAS ALSO, UH, WAS ALSO CONSULTED.
THEY ONLY INDICATED THAT THEIR ROLE WAS TO PROVIDE SAFE AND RELIABLE SERVICE WHERE AND WHEN IT IS REQUESTED, THEY WILL NEED ADDITIONAL LOAD INFORMATION AS SITE PLANS COME IN.
AND AS THEY KNOW WHO THOSE EVENTUAL CUSTOMERS ARE GONNA BE, AS FAR AS VDOT IS CONCERNED, THERE WERE NO TECHNICAL COMMENTS.
UM, ANY TECHNICAL COMMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN THE SITE PLANS, UH, COME IN.
AND, UH, WE KNOW THAT THE, UH, PRIMARY VEHICULAR ACCESS IS, IS EXPECTED TO BE ON WA ISLAND ROAD.
THE MIDPOINT OF THE WALLACE ISLAND FRONTAGE FOR THIS SITE IS ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MILES TO THE LAUNCHPAD.
SO IT'S VERY, UH, UH, UH, VERY AMENABLE AND ACCOMMODATING TO ANY POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT.
THERE WERE NO TECHNICAL COMMENTS.
HOWEVER, WE WILL REQUEST THAT THE APPLICANT, UM, UH, HAVE SOME ROBUST COORDINATION ON THAT PROFFERED TRAINING PROGRAM WITH THE MACK DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, FROM A, FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, THIS MAP RIGHT HERE IS YOUR, UH, NASA HAZARD ZONE.
THIS FIRST ONE RIGHT HERE IS 10,000 FEET FROM THE, UH, FROM THE LAUNCH PADS AND JUST A SMALL PORTION.
AND AS ALL WE, AS WE RECALL, THIS PORTION OF THE PROPERTY IS ENCUMBERED WITH RPA AND CAN'T BE BUILT ON.
SO, UH, I EXPECT THAT WHEN SITE PLANS COME IN, THAT THIS, UH, THAT THIS PORTION OF THE PROPERTY WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN, IN DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN HERE IS YOUR, UH, HERE IS YOUR OVERALL MAP.
THAT IN INDICATES THE 10,000 FOOT HAZARD ZONE AND THE 20,000 FOOT HAZARD ZONE, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE.
AND ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT, THIS CASE, THE 20 FOOT HAZARD ZONE DOES IMPACT THE SEAFOOD PLANT JUST A LITTLE BIT, AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE NEXT MONTH.
REGARDING PUBLIC COMMENTS, ONE PUBLIC COMMENT WAS RECEIVED BY PHONE REGARDING SPACE TOURISM, AND NO OTHER COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED BY THE STAFF.
ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ENGAGED WITH SOME OTHERS.
THESE ARE THE FINDINGS, UH, THAT SUPPORT THE, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL.
IT IS IN KEEPING WITH MULTIPLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FACETS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
NUMBER TWO, UH, ESPECIALLY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SPECIFICALLY CONTEMPLATES THAT DEVELOPMENT OF THAT SITE ON WA ISLAND ROAD, NO SPOT ZONING IMPLICATIONS.
AGAIN, OUR PARTNER AGENCIES THAT WE SENT THIS OUT TO HAVE NO TECHNICAL COMMENTS, AND THE PROFFERS WERE FOUND TO BE LEGALLY SUFFICIENT IN ADDRESSING THE IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT ARISING FROM THE REZONING, THE STAFF, AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BOTH RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
THE, UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, UH, HEARD THIS LAST MONTH, AND THEY VOTED UNANIMOUSLY NINE TO ZERO TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO THE, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
UH, HERE, YOUR RECOMMENDED MOTIONS.
I CAN LEAVE THIS UP HERE, BUT THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I CAN FIELD OF ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, MR. CHAIR? YES, QUICK QUESTION.
AND, AND, AND MAY IT BE TO MR. CUSAS, THE NOT HAVING A HOT FIRE, THE CAPABILITY FOR HOT FIRE.
IS THAT 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PROPERTY, OR IS THAT A DECISION SPACE HAS MADE? JUST CURIOUS.
I THINK IT'S A DECISION THAT SPACE HAS MADE, BUT I WILL LET, UH, MR. TI EXPOUND ON THAT.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND YIELD THE PODIUM TO HIM AT THIS TIME.
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I KNOW THAT IT'S A THANKLESS JOB A LOT, AND YOU ARE APPRECIATED.
UM, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JOHN CUSAS.
I'M A LOCAL ATTORNEY REPRESENTING VIRGINIA SPACE.
UH, WITH ME TONIGHT IS GLENN VY, THE SPACEPORT MANAGER OF VIRGINIA SPACE, AS WELL AS JESSICA HARGIS, WHO IS THE PROJECT ADMINISTRATOR, UM, HERE TONIGHT.
UH, BEFORE I BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. HAMID
[01:15:01]
AS WELL AS SHAUNTICE RIDLEY IN HIS OFFICE FOR DOING A WONDERFUL JOB THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.UM, MY JOB TENDS TO BE TO POUND ON STAFF AND TO TELL THEM HOW BAD THEY'RE DOING AND TELL THEM THEY'RE NOT DOING IT FAST ENOUGH.
UM, THEY DID A WONDERFUL JOB AND, AND I DID APPRECIATE, UH, WORKING WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE HERE TONIGHT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO DESCRIBE THIS APPLICATION.
I LIKED MR. HAMID'S DESCRIPTION AS LANDMARK.
UH, THIS IS A LANDMARK OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COUNTY.
WE ARE A COUNTY THAT IS TOUGH TO ATTRACT CAPITAL.
UM, YOU KNOW THAT FROM MULTIPLE, UM, THINGS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BEING NUMBER ONE, HOUSING BEING ANOTHER ONE THAT IS AT TOP OF THAT LIST, IT IS TOUGH TO FIND INVESTORS AND FOLKS TO COME TO THIS COUNTY AND SPEND THEIR MONEY BEYOND WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO TIP OUR CAP AND BE GRATEFUL FOR VIRGINIA SPACE TO COME AND TO EXPAND HERE.
UM, THEY ARE A PARTNER OF THIS COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST DECADE.
THEY HAVE SPENT OVER $100 MILLION ON MARS AND SPACE FOR, UH, HERE IN AKIMA COUNTY ALONE.
SO, UM, IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF WE COULD CONTINUE THAT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES.
UH, THE APPLICATION TONIGHT, REALLY, AS MR. PAM HAD SAID, IS TWOFOLD.
NUMBER ONE IS VIRGINIA SPACE DOES WANT TO PROTECT THE LANDS THAT ARE AROUND THE LAUNCH FACILITY NOW, BUILDING HOUSING, BUILDING, ANYTHING ELSE THERE THAT COULD JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS NOT IN ANYBODY'S BEST INTEREST.
SO OBVIOUSLY PROTECTING IS ONE BIG THING, BUT ALSO BEING READY AND AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, FOR ECONOMIC, UH, FOR, FOR THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS OBVIOUSLY THE TOP OF LIST AS WELL.
I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS THAT MOST OF THE TIME REZONINGS COME THROUGH, WHETHER WE ARE IN A MAJOR CITY, WHETHER WE ARE IN A COUNTY LIKE MACK, WHETHER WE ARE IN ANOTHER STATE.
MOST OF THE TIME, REZONINGS COULD BE CONTENTIOUS BECAUSE THE USES VERY OFTEN CONFLICT.
I WOULD OFFER TONIGHT THAT THE USES OF INDUSTRIAL AEROSPACE AND AGRICULTURE ACTUALLY MAY BE SYMBIOTIC HERE.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS IF THE, I'M NOT QUITE SURE IF WE CAN GET THE MAP BACK UP, BUT THE MAP THAT WOULD SHOW, UM, THAT'S PERFECT.
THE MAP'S GONNA SHOW YOU THAT WE OBVIOUSLY ARE DEALING WITH A VERY LARGE TRACK OF LAND.
IF YOU PUT ALL THE PARCELS TOGETHER, YOU'RE AROUND 500 ACRES.
IF YOU TAKE THE OUTLINED AREA IN RED, THAT IS OBVIOUSLY WHAT THE REZONING APPLICATION IS, IS BEFORE YOU, THE PREVIOUS OWNER IN VIRGINIA SPACE, ENTERED INTO A LONG-TERM FARMING LEASE.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE APPLICATION THAT'S BEFORE YOU, I THINK ONE THING WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS IS YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SEE THAT PAVED IN THE NEXT MONTH OR IN THE NEXT YEAR.
THIS IS MACK COUNTY WAVING THE FLAGS, TELLING THE WORLD THAT WE ARE READY FOR AEROSPACE, BUT WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF AN, IF A COMPANY WERE TO CALL MR. PAMED AS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INDIVIDUAL HERE IN AKIMA COUNTY AND SAY, WE NEED TO BE HERE, WE NEED TO GET GOING, AND ACK COUNTY IS NOT TAKING ANY AFFIRMATIVE STEPS TO BE READY FOR THEM, IT COULD TAKE MONTHS, YEARS FOR US TO PAVE THE WAY AND BE READY.
THE ACT TONIGHT, I WOULD TELL YOU IS THREEFOLD.
PHASE NUMBER ONE IS THE IMMEDIACY.
ONE THING THAT MR. PAYMAN DID NOT SHARE THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU IS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS, IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL THIS EVENING, OR IF YOU ARE SO GRACIOUS TO GRANT APPROVAL, THERE IS ALREADY A TENANT THAT IS READY TO SIGN A LEASE AND, AND UTILIZE THIS PROPERTY FOR TWO ACRES.
REMEMBER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 380 SOME, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO ACRES OVER BY THE GATE.
IN THE NEAR TERM, THEY'RE PLANNING FOR MAYBE 10 OR 20 OR 30 MORE ACRES AS WE MARKET TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO TURN AROUND AND BUILD AN INDUSTRIAL SPACE COMPLEX WITHIN THE NEXT VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE THIRD PHASE, WHICH IS THE FUTURE, AND BEING READY, HAVING THE ZONING IN PLACE SO THAT THE NEXT TIME SOMEBODY CALLS, WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE QUICKLY WITH A SITE PLAN AND MOVING THROUGH ZONING AT A QUICKER PACE THAN WE WOULD BE STARTING FROM SCRATCH.
SO REALLY, THE, THE, THE SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE TWO USES IS, YES, WE WANT TO BE RIGHT DIRECTLY BY WALLETS.
WE WANT TO BE READY WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS.
BUT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S GONNA BE FARMED FOR A WHILE AND A LEASE IS ALREADY IN PLACE THERE FOR THAT TO CONTINUE.
AND I SUSPECT, UM, THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE FOR QUITE A WHILE, ESPECIALLY ON THE SOUTHERN END.
AS YOU LOOK AT THAT MAP, YOU CAN EASILY TELL WHERE THE, THE LOGICAL PLACE FOR DEVELOPMENT TO HAPPEN, THAT IT'S GONNA BE IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE BY THE GATE OF WALLOPS.
THERE WILL NOT BE THE, THE REALLY, THE ONLY REASON THAT THE PARCELS TO THE SOUTH WERE INCLUDED IN THIS APPLICATION IS MORE TELEMETRY
[01:20:01]
PURPOSES, TALKING TO THE LAUNCH VEHICLES MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT ALMOST ALL OF YOUR IMMEDIATE, THE NEAR THE IMMEDIATE OR THE NEAR TERM DEVELOPMENT IS ALL GONNA HAPPEN AT THE NORTH PART UP BY WALLOP ISLAND ROAD, NOT OFF ARBUCKLE ROAD.I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA TO TALK ABOUT OUR PROCESS AND HOW WE'VE GOTTEN HERE AT THE SCHEDULE.
UM, VIRGINIA SPACE PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IN AUGUST.
THIS APPLICATION WAS FILED IN SEPTEMBER.
A PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION WAS HELD.
A LOT OF QUESTIONS, A LOT OF DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE AT THAT POINT.
FOLLOWING THAT SEPTEMBER MEETING, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD THE PLANNING COMMISSION ASKED FOR WAS OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY, VIRGINIA SPACE MYSELF HELD ON OCTOBER 6TH, A PUBLIC OUTREACH SESSION TO ALL OF THE NEIGHBORS OF BOTH THE DERBY FARM AS WELL AS THE MAPS FILL, UH, COMPLEX THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT NEXT MONTH.
UM, WE HAD A GOOD NUMBER OF FOLKS SHOW UP ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 6TH.
WE GOT TO ANSWER A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND TALK TO A LOT OF FOLKS, UM, ABOUT ANY OF THE SMALL CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD AT THAT POINT.
ON OCTOBER, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD THEIR PUBLIC HEARING, UM, WHICH OBVIOUSLY REFERRED US TO TONIGHT.
THE THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT ARE, NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WE HAVE HAD NO MAJOR OR NO ADVERSE COMMENTS WHATSOEVER AT ANY OF THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
NUMBER TWO, THERE HAVE BEEN NOTICE TO ADJACENT NEIGHBORS AND TO ANYBODY THAT HAS IMPACTED PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE THAT HAS BEEN SENT BY THE COUNTY.
AGAIN, I HAVE RECEIVED NO COMMENTS WHATSOEVER.
MAYBE SOME OF YOU HAVE, BUT WHAT I'M HEARING FROM MR. PAMED, BUT NOBODY HAS SPOKEN OUT IN THE PUBLIC ABOUT ANY OF THAT.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WOULD SAY ARE TWO THINGS THAT MR. PBIT ENDED HIS PRESENTATION WITH, WHICH IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO ASK YOU TO APPROVE THIS, TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL HERE.
I WOULD OBVIOUSLY HOPE THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO THOSE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
SO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WILL REINFORCE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A LANDMARK CASE.
I THINK AS A INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO BE FROM HERE, BORN IN AN C**K MOVE AWAY, BUT I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO COME BACK, I WILL TELL YOU THAT A LOT OF MY CLASSMATES, A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS, A LOT OF OUR FAMILY ARE NOT ABLE TO, AS I'M SURE A LOT OF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED AS WELL, WE NEED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A FUTURE AND PROVIDE JOBS FOR OUR FOLKS.
THE TRICKLE EFFECT OF THAT IS IMMENSE.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE CAN DIRECTLY BRING COMPANIES AND JOBS, BUT IT'S ALSO THE RESTAURANTS AND OUR HOTELS AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN IS REALLY THAT RIPPLE EFFECT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO I WILL REMAIN AT THE PODIUM AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT LANDMARK CASE.
THANK, GO BACK TO MY QUESTION REGARDING THE HOT FIRE.
I MEAN, ARE WE BEING LIMITED BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT CAPABILITY? SO, SO MR. BARKS, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE HERE.
MR. PAYMENT WAS SAYING WE ARE NOT PROFFERING THAT OUT.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE ARE STILL ABLE TO DO THAT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE NOT NOW, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY AT THIS HERE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING, HERES, AND WE MADE THIS POINT AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN ORDER TO DO HOT TEST FIRING, WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
WE CAN'T JUST GO AND START HOT TEST FIRING.
AND BY THE WAY, NASA AS WELL AS VIRGINIA SPACE ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE THAT THE BEST PLACE TO DO HOT TEST FIRING IS ON THE ISLAND, NOT ON THE MAINLAND.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT POINT VERY, VERY CLEAR.
THERE ARE NO IMMEDIATE PLANS FOR THAT.
MR. COSTAS, I SENT THROUGH A LOT OF THESE, UM, HEARINGS, AND THEY DON'T MEAN MUCH TO ME ON SHAKY TABLE.
AND THIS ONE DON'T EITHER, REALLY EXCEPT THE GUY'S DISTRICT.
SO I NEED TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE TAYLOR CEMETERY ON THAT PROPERTY.
IS THAT GOING TO BE PROTECTED FROM ANY KIND OF DEVELOPMENT? ANY KIND OF, ANY
SO, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CEMETERY IS, IT CANNOT HAPPEN, NUMBER ONE.
SO, UM, VIRGINIA LAW REQUIRES A COURT ORDER TO REMOVE ANY TYPE OF BODIES OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO ABSOLUTELY NO DEVELOPMENT WHATSOEVER IS PERMITTED ON ONE.
UM, I JUST LEARNED ABOUT A CONCERN ABOUT ONE OF THE CEMETERIES, UM, AS I WAS WALKING IN TONIGHT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, VIRGINIA SPACE HAS COMMITTED TO FENCING THAT CEMETERY TO PROTECT IT.
VIRGINIA SPACE HAS ALSO COMMITTED TO COMMUNICATING WITH ANY FAMILY MEMBERS OR ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE ACCESS TO THAT, UM, CEMETERY AT ALL REASONABLE TIMES.
AND I'LL TELL YOU ALSO, THAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT THE VIRGINIA LAW REQUIRES UNDER SECTION 57, 27 0.1.
SO YES, VIRGINIA SPACE IS 100% COMMITTED TO, UH, PROTECTING IT TO ABIDING BY THE LAW AND TO MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS TAKEN CARE OF.
[01:25:01]
THANK YOU.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NOTHING.
UM, I WILL, AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
WE DO HAVE ONE SIGNED UP TO HIS SPEAK, AND THAT IS MR. GRAYSON CHESSER.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.
AND MY NAME IS GRAYSON CHESSER.
I LIVE AT, UH, ON SAXES ROAD AND JENKINS BRIDGE.
UH, UH, I SEE SUPERVISOR WASHINGTON OVER THERE.
WHO, SIR, I TELL YOU WHAT, HE IS A WHOLE LOT SHARPER WRESTLER THAN I WAS.
AND I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT YOU ALL.
AND, UH, I THINK YOU'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB.
AND, UH, ONE PART OF MY EGO WOULD LIKE TO SAY, WELL, THEY WENT DOWNHILL WHILE DRIVING
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I SERVED ON THE J LU COMMITTEE, THE JOINT LAND USE COMMITTEE, AND UH, AT THAT TIME, THE SPOKESMAN FOR NASA KEPT SAYING, YOU KNOW, OH, NO, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
DO I PERSONALLY LIKE IT? NO, I DON'T
I LOVE GOING DOWN THERE, BUT IF I WERE IN YOUR POSITION, I WOULD VOTE FOR IT.
I WOULD HAVE TO, BECAUSE IT'S WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE COUNTY.
THIS MAKES SO MUCH MORE SENSE THAN THE RESEARCH PART THAT DID.
'CAUSE THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO GO.
AND, UM, UH, BUT IT, IT DID DID ME REAL GOOD TO HEAR WHAT JOHN SAID AND WHAT JESSICA SAID WHEN I TALKED WITH HER.
'CAUSE IN 16 18, 1 OF MY ANCESTOR, TOMS TAYLOR, HE CAME OVER IN OUR SHIP.
THEY WERE LOOKING FOR, UH, THE LOST COLONY, AND THEY PUT IN THE JAMESTOWN AND HE STAYED.
AND SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, HE FERNE A LAND GRANT.
AND HE OWNED MOST, MOST OF THIS.
AND THIS IS MY FAMILY'S S UH, CEMETERY.
AND NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO TELL HOW MANY DESCENDANTS OF OF THOMAS TAYLOR LIVE HERE ON SHORE.
I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING 17, 18 GENERATIONS BACK.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE GRAVES ARE THE PEOPLE WERE BORN IN THE 16 HUNDREDS.
AND MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT, UH, UM, MAYBE A A A NICE WROUGHT ARM FENCE WILL BE PUT AROUND.
UH, SOME OF THE TOMBSTONES OF HERB WERE ACTUALLY STOLEN YEARS AGO 'CAUSE THEY WERE SO OLD.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, A YOU KNOW, SO A LOT OF 'EM ARE SINE FORTIES, 1709.
AND IT'S, IT'S A PLACE OF HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE, WHEN THEY GOT THERE, THEY WERE PIONEERS.
AND I THINK IT, IT, WE SHOULD PRESERVE THEIR MEMORY.
AND I DO WANT TO SEE REASONABLE ACCESS TO DESCENDANTS AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING RESEARCH, BECAUSE YOU GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE DOING GENEALOGY STUFF NOW ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
AND I HOPE YOU ALL WILL DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CONCERNS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND AS, AS MUCH AS I HATE TO SEE ALMAN NECK, UH, YOU KNOW, BECOME AN INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX, IT DOES MAKE SENSE.
AND IF I WERE IN YOUR POSITION, I WOULD'VE TO VOTE FOR IT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT WHAT I LIKE, IT'S WHAT WE NEED.
AND, UM, SO JUST KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND, UM, YEAH, I THINK Y'ALL DOING REALLY GOOD.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL AGAIN AND, UH, ALWAYS A PLEASURE RESIDENT.
WELL, I ENJOYED MY TIME ON THE BOARD AND I'VE ENJOYED MY TIME OFF THE BOARD
AND APPRECIATE Y'ALL LISTENING TO ME.
[01:30:01]
CHAIRMAN PHE, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, JUST FOR THE RECORD, I DID WANT TO STATE THAT WE DID RECEIVE ONE, UH, ADDITIONAL COMMENT, UM, THROUGH EMAIL.I HAD DISTRIBUTED THAT TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS.
THAT WAS FROM, UH, SUE BOGGS AND THE, UH, FOCUS WAS ON THE, UH, CEMETERY AS WELL.
I CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
MR. CHAIRMAN, WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, MR. CHAIRMAN? FIRST, UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT AND I THINK MR. CUSAS WILL REMEMBER THESE WORDS.
UH, HE WAS REPRESENTING THE PARTY YEARS AGO UP HERE.
AND I, UH, MY COMMENT BEFORE I MADE A MOTION WAS GOING AGAINST THIS WOULD BE LIKE GOING AGAINST BASEBALL AND APPLE PIE
SO, UH, SO I'LL, I'LL USE THAT AGAIN, MR. CHAIRMAN, I, I MOVE THAT, UH, WE APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL CONDITIONALLY APPROVED RE ZONING AND APPLICATION REZ DASH 0 0 0 1 4 1 DASH 2 2 5 VIRGINIA SPACE DARBY FARM SITE CONTAINED IN APPROXIMATELY 368, 360 0.98 ACRES, REZONING THE SITE FROM AGRICULTURAL AID DISTRICT TO INDUSTRIAL I DISTRICT WITH A PROFFER STATEMENT DATED SEPTEMBER THE 29TH.
IT'S A NEW ONE, SAYS SEPTEMBER, WELL, NOVEMBER, I SAY NOVEMBER 18TH.
WHERE IS IT? RIGHT THERE? 18TH.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I SPEAK REAL QUICK? THAT NIGHT FROM MR. CROCKETT WAS REALLY ROUGH FOR ME.
MY CLIENT WANTS TO PUT YOU GUYS ON THE RECORD.
THIS, I WASN'T GONNA MENTION THAT, BUT I'M GLAD YOU DID.
WE NEED TO GET A PLANE
UH, 13 ONE OR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.
MR. MASON, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
UH, ALL THESE ITEMS UNDER MY REPORT ARE JUST INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. UM, THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, CONCERNING, UH, A DETERMINATION LETTER.
THE, THE TITLE IS VAULTED DEEP ZONING DETERMINATION.
LETTER ISSUED OCTOBER 10TH, 2025 BY THE COUNTY AND APPEAL FILE, FILE APPEAL FILED, I'M SORRY, BY VAULTED DEEP NOVEMBER 10TH, 2025.
SO, UH, JUST TO RESET THIS, ON OCTOBER 10TH, THE COUNTY ISSUED A ZONING DETERMINATION LETTER TO REPRESENTATIVE OF VAULTED DEEP.
UH, THIS LETTER CONVEYED THAT THE AKIMA COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE DOES NOT LIST INJECTION WELLS, DEEP INJECTION WELLS, OR SIMILAR TECHNIQUES OF STORING SUBTER IN SUBTERRANEAN VOIDS, EITHER PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY WASTE OR PROCESS PRODUCTS OF ANY KIND AS A PREVENTED OR CONDITIONAL USE.
THUS, A, THE INJECTION WELL IS NOT ALLOWED BECAUSE AKIMA COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE CONTAINS NO LANGUAGE THAT PERMITS IT.
THIS INFORMATION WAS PREVIOUSLY SENT TO YOU BY EMAIL AND, AND YOU ALL HAVE, UH, SEEN A NUMBER OF THE ARTICLES OUT THERE ABOUT, UH, BTA DEEPS, UM, DESIRE TO USE A, A PROPERTY, UH, IN, IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY, UM, AS A DEEP INJECTION WELL TO DISPOSE OF CERTAIN WASTE.
UM, MR. MASON, ONE THING, ONE THING TO ADD TO THAT.
IN, IN ADDITION TO THE COUNTY ISSUING THE OCTOBER 10TH, UH, ZONING DETERMINATION LETTER, WE DID RECEIVE, UM, UH, A LETTER, UH, STATING THAT VAULTED DEEP, UH, WAS GOING TO APPEAL THE DECISION.
AND, AND AS INCLUDED IN THE LETTER THAT WE SENT, UM, TO VAULT TOE, THEY DO HAVE THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT UNDER VIRGINIA CODE TO APPEAL THE DECISION IN 30 DAYS, WHICH THEY DID DO, UM, APPEALS JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A, A, AT LEAST THE IMMEDIATE PROCESS APPEALS ARE HEARD BY THE BZA BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, WHICH CAN AFFIRM, MODIFY OR REVERSE THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR'S DECISION.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S JUST INFORMATION PURPOSES.
UM, PREVIOUSLY HAD COMMUNICATED THAT WE HAD ISSUED A DETERMINATION LETTER.
I GUESS A NEW NEWS FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED AN APPEAL, MR. MASON.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S OUT OF OUR HANDS AT THIS TIME, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, RECEIVED VACO 2026 PRELIMINARY LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
THIS AGENDA WAS DISTRIBUTED AT THE, UH, VACO CONFERENCE, UH, A WEEK OR SO AGO, AND IT'S, IT'S PRELIMINARY, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE WITH YOU, UM, UH, JUST, UH, SOME
[01:35:01]
OF THE LEGISLATIVE ISSUES THAT VACO IS, IS PURSUING AND LOBBYING FOR COUNTIES ON.CERTAINLY, IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR, UM, INFORMATION YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH VACO, I'LL BE GLAD TO DO THAT FOR YOU.
UH, NEXT, NEXT ITEM, UH, NATURAL GAS EXPANSION PROJECT UPDATE.
UH, SO A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST MONTH ON THIS.
UH, THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE COUNTY REGARDING NATURAL GAS EXPANSION IS NOW FULLY EXECUTED, AND THE COUNTY RECENTLY RECEIVED THE ENTIRE 6 5, 6 0.5 MILLION AWARD FROM THE STATE.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT IN THE COUNTY COFFERS.
UH, THE COUNTY IS NOW IN THE PRO PROCESS OF CRAFTING AN RFP, WHICH WILL SEEK PROPOSALS FROM QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED UTILITY COMPANIES TO CONSTRUCT, OWN AND OPERATE A PIPE NATURAL GAS SYSTEM THAT WILL MAKE CLEAN AND RELIABLE NATURAL GAS AVAILABLE TO INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS WITHIN AKIMA COUNTY.
UM, AND, AND THAT RFP WILL STATE THE COUNTY'S WILLING TO PROVIDE UP TO 6.5 MILLION THE MONEY THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE TO THE SUCCESSFUL PROPOSER TO REIMBURSE ENGINEERING LAND ACQUISITION RIGHT AWAY, PERMITTING PLANNING AND OTHER RELATED COSTS NECESSARY TO MAKE PIPE NATURAL GAS AVAILABLE LOCALLY.
AND THOSE, THOSE CATEGORIES, IF YOU WILL, THOSE CLASSIFICATIONS, THAT'S WHAT'S SPECIFIED BY THE STATE AND IT'S INCLUDED IN OUR AGREEMENT.
UH, I DO WANNA STRESS JUST FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE WILLING TO, TO PROPOSE THAT FOR, FOR THIS, UM, THIS FUNDING IN THE FUTURE, ALL FUTURE ONGOING OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED NATURAL GAS SYSTEM WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SELECTED UTILITY COMPANY.
IN OTHER WORDS, NOT THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
SO THAT'S JUST A BRIEF, UM, WHERE WE'RE AT ON, ON THAT PROJECT, UM, WHICH IS, IS GAINING STEAM NOW, UH, NEXT PROJECT, UH, UPDATE IS FOR THE EASTERN SHORE VIRGINIA REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM.
UM, AND THAT, THAT SYSTEM FALLS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE 9 1 1 COMMISSION AND BOTH SUPERVISOR HART AND SUPERVISOR PARKS ARE ON THAT COMMISSION.
BUT WE DID RECEIVE INFORMATION AT OUR LAST MEETING THAT, UM, UH, AND THAT MEETING WAS HELD ON OCTOBER 30 30TH OF, OF THIS YEAR THAT THE COMMISSION, THE, THE GO LIVE FOR THE NEW REGIONAL RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM IS SLATED FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 11TH, 2026.
SO NOT FAR FROM HERE, UH, INITIAL GO LIVE WILL IMPACT ALL FIRE EMS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING TOWN POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
UH, NORTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL ALSO BE PART OF THE COMMUNICATION NETWORK.
HOWEVER, THEIR GO, THEIR GO LIVE WILL BE A FEW WEEKS LATER AFTER ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS ARE UP AND RUNNING.
SO, UM, THAT PROJECT IS, HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A NUMBER OF, UH, A, A COUPLE YEARS NOW, AND IT'S PROGRESSING TO THE POINT WHERE GO LIVE SEEMS TO BE IMMINENT.
UH, THAT, UH, CONCLUDES, UM, THE ITEMS UNDER MY REPORT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN FIELD? ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. MASON.
UH, SUPERVISOR'S COMMENTS, SUPERVISOR WASHINGTON, YOU WANT NO COMMENT, NO COMMENT.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY THANKS TO STAFF FOR THE, UM, WHAT WAS IT? THE STAFF, UH, WHEN WE DID THE RE UM, STABILIZING THE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROGRAM, THEY DID A WONDERFUL JOB.
AND AFTER HEARING SO MANY COMMENTS, UM, FROM STAFF ABOUT IT THAT, UM, ALL WERE VERY POSITIVE, THAT DAY WAS SO, UH, MUCH FUN.
I'VE NEVER SEEN KATHY AND DAWN AND ETHAN AND STEWART WORKED SO HARD.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY I COMMEND YOU ALL FOR AND EMPLOYEES WERE JUST SO GRATEFUL.
JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE AND I HOPE EVERYONE HAVE A NICE THANKSGIVING.
UM, I'VE BEEN A BUSY FEW WEEKS FOR ME, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE, UH, TO, TO ATTEND VACO, UM, UH, WHERE MR. HART WAS DULY MISSED AND, AND MANY FOLKS ASKED ABOUT HIM, BUT, UH, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND, UM, REMINDED ME THAT, YOU KNOW, VIRGINIA SOMETIMES FORGETS.
WE'RE OUT HERE AND MR. MASON HAS DONE A GREAT JOB, AS I WAS TOLD BY VACO STAFF OR FOLKS MANY TIMES OF REPRESENTING US.
BUT, UH, HOPING WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF REPRESENTING OURSELVES NEXT YEAR.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DISCUSSED IS DOING A PRESENTATION REGARDING OUR, OUR CURRENT, OUR SPACE BOARD AND OUR AEROSPACE INDUSTRY.
UH, I THINK THERE'LL BE A LOT OF INTEREST, UH, BUT THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT AND I, I THANKS TO EVERYONE.
SECOND PART WAS, I HAD THE, UM, HONOR OF BEING PART OF THE PARTY ESCORTING SECRETARY, SECURE THE STATE'S, UH, SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND TRADE LAST FRIDAY.
I BELIEVE ALL MY DAYS HAVE RUN TOGETHER.
UM, WE HAD A, A AMAZING VISIT.
UM, WE DID ROCKET LAB, UH, THE WA RESEARCH PARK, UH,
[01:40:01]
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, PURDUE, AND THE AIRPORT AND INDUSTRIAL PARK.AND THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST, A LOT OF EFFORT.
I JUST THINK IN THE FUTURE AS WE SEE THIS INCOMING ADMINISTRATION, WE'VE GOTTA TAKE STEPS TO GET THESE KEY LEADERS FROM THE STATE OVER HERE SOONER.
UM, SECRETARY OF SECURE WAS SAYING, WE'VE GOT SO MANY DAYS LEFT, WE'RE, AND I KNOW MR. MASON'S WORKING ON SOME PRIORITIES FOR FUNDING, BUT THERE'S FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE AND WE'VE JUST GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET IN FRONT OF 'EM.
WELL, THANK YOU SUPERVISOR HART.
MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST ONE COMMENT.
UH, MR. GEORGE COULD NOT MAKE THE MEETING TONIGHT BECAUSE HIS DAUGHTER IS HAVING A BABY TODAY.
HIS FIRST GRANDCHILD, AND THAT'S WHERE HE SHOULD BE WITH HIS DAUGHTER HAVING HIS FIRST GRANDCHILD.
AND, UH, HOPE EVERYONE HAS A HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND, UH, THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, SAME THING, JUST ECHOING, UH, PLEASE.
EVERYONE HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING.
I HOPE THEY GET SOME QUALITY TIME WITH THEIR FAMILY.
AND I'M GONNA PUT MY SAFETY HAT ON IF ANYBODY IS DEEP FRYING TURKEYS.
ALRIGHT, UH, 15 ONE, CONSIDER APPROVING RESOLUTION TO COME AMEND THE 26 BUDGET.
UM, PROBABLY SECOND TO AMEND THE 26 BUDGET.
UM, MR. MASON, CAN WE PAY OUR BILLS? AYE.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE MOTION PROBABLY SECOND TO, UH, CONSIDER PAYABLES.
ALRIGHT, SO WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A CLOSED SESSION TONIGHT.
SO AGAIN, UM, THOSE THAT ARE LEAVING DRIVE CAREFUL AND, UH, TAKE CARE.
MS. JOHNSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE US INTO, UH, GO AHEAD AND TAKE US INTO YES.
I MAKE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION PURSUIT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 A ONE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF PERSONNEL MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND COUNTY ATTORNEY.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECOND TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
ALL OPPOSED? WE ARE NOW IN CLOSED SESSION.
I CERTIFY THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE.
I ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY EXHIBITED FROM, UM, OPEN MEETING REQUIRES UNDER VIRGINIA LAW AND I ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN A MOTION BY WHICH THE CLOSED SESSION WAS CONVENED, WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED IN THE MEETING.
AND THAT IS, THAT IS CONFIRMED BY A ROLL CALL VOTE.
I DECLARE WE'RE BACK IN OPEN SESSION.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM LEFT ON THAT.
ON THAT IS WE ADJOURN SOME AND THAT IS NON-NEGOTIABLE.