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AT FIVE 30[Board of Supervisors on January 21, 2026.]
I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE A COUPLE PEOPLE.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE MY NIECE WHO'S HERE.
I APPRECIATE HER COMING TONIGHT.
AND, AND ALSO MY RESIDENT THEOLOGIAN IS HERE, AND THE PERSON OF MY PASTOR, THE REVEREND, DR. JESSE THOMAS.
I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE, PASTOR, ALONG WITH OTHER CLERGY MEMBERS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL FOR ATTENDING.
IT LETS ME KNOW THAT YOU DO CARE ABOUT ACK COUNTY.
WE'RE GONNA ASK THAT YOU STAND.
AND FOR OUR INVOCATION AND FOR OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, OUR INVOCATION THIS EVENING WILL BE COMING FROM DOCTOR TINA THOMAS, WHO HAS A BS IN KINESIOLOGY.
UH, HER MASTER'S IN HEALTH PHYSIOLOGY HAS EARNED HER DOCTOR FOR HEALTHCARE.
SHE'S THE COORDINATOR OF SPECIAL, UH, PRO PROGRAMS WITH THE WICOMICO COUNTY.
BUT MOST OF ALL, SHE'S MY PASTOR'S WIFE,
TINA THOMAS, GIVE US THAT INVOCATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BRING THE INVOCATION.
GRACIOUS GOD, WE GATHERED IN THIS PLACE WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS REMIND, REMINDED OF THE RESPONSIBILITY AND TRUSTED TO US.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT WISDOM, PURPOSE, AND THE CALL TO SERVE EXTENDS BEYOND OURSELVES AND OUR GROUNDED IN SOMETHING GREATER.
AS WE BEGIN THIS MEETING, WE INVITE YOUR PRESENCE TO STUDY OUR MINDS AND GUIDE OUR HEARTS, GRANT WISDOM TO THOSE WHO LEAD CLARITY TO THOSE WHO SPEAK AND OPENNESS TO HEARTS, TO ALL WHO ARE LISTENING.
HELP US TO ENGAGE ONE ANOTHER WITH HUMILITY, WITH PATIENCE AND RESPECT, ESPECIALLY WHEN PERSPECTIVES DIFFER.
REMIND US THAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS A SOLEMN TRUST AND THAT THE DECISIONS WE MAKE REACH FAR BEYOND THIS ROOM.
MAY OUR WORK BE SHAPED BY FAIRNESS AND COMPASSION, GUIDED BY TRUTH, AND CARRIED OUT WITH INTEGRITY.
GIVE US THE COURAGE TO SEEK THE COMMON GOOD, TO SAFEGUARD THE VULNERABLE, AND TO CHOOSE COLLABORATION OVER DIVISION.
BLESS THIS GATHERING WITH ORDER, THOUGHTFUL DIALOGUE AND SHARED UNDERSTANDING.
MARITIME TOGETHER REFLECT ACCOUNTABILITY, SERVICE, AND GENUINE COMMITMENT TO THE WELLBEING OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE.
WE ENTRUST THIS TIME TO YOU, TRUSTING THAT WHEN OUR STEPS ARE GUIDED, OUR WORK WILL BE MEANINGFUL AND OUR OUTCOMES HONORABLE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
OUR AGENDA IS TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
SECOND, THAT WE ADOPT OUR AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED ANY TYPE OF REMOTE.
UH, MAY I ASSUME THAT THAT ADOPTION INCLUDED THE AMENDED AGENDA ITEM THAT WAS ADDED TO THE AGENDA? YES.
PUBLIC COMMENT RULES OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND HONORABLE 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 THE AGENDA ITEMS PROVIDED.
DOING SO DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THE TIMELY AND ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS ON THE AGENDA.
THREE, NO INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER SHALL BE PERMITTED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR MORE THAN FOUR MINUTES.
THE CHAIR SHALL ALLOCATE THE TIME AMONG 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 PERIOD.
SPECIFIC QUESTION 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
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24 HOURS IN ADVANCE FOR REVIEW BY STAFF FOR APPROPRIATENESS.QUESTION SHALL BE DIRECTED TO THE CHAIR WHO WILL AT HER 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.
OUR FIRST PERSON THAT HAS SIGNED TO SPEAK IS DAVID SABATINO.
MR. SINO, WOULD YOU STATE, UH, YOUR NAME AGAIN AND YOUR, UM, PHYSICAL, UH, RESIDENCE? YES.
2 4 3 3 2 FISHER ROAD, PARKSVILLE, VIRGINIA.
I'M COMING THIS EVENING AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE AKIMA COUNTY BRANCH OF THE NAACP.
UH, JUST TO THANK THOSE OF YOU WHO SUPPORTED THE MLK MEMORIAL SERVICE THAT WAS HELD JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO.
I BELIEVE THERE WERE AT LEAST FIVE OR SIX OF YOU THERE.
AND IT WAS TRULY MEANT A LOT TO US TO HAVE SUCH A CROSS SECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY TO SHOW UP.
SO I CAME HERE SPECIFICALLY TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
ALSO, TOO, I CAME TO CONGRATULATE THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR FOR THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, CERTAINLY WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, GOD IS GOING TO USE YOU ALL TO DO GREAT THINGS.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SELECTED HER, THEM, UH, JUST COMMEND YOU FOR, UH, HAVING CONFIDENCE, UH, IN THEIR ABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO, UH, TO OFFICIATE ON THE BOARD.
AND THEN MY LAST, UH, STATEMENT IS AN INVITATION TO YOU, TO OUR FREEDOM FUND BANQUET, FEBRUARY THE 28TH AT MARIAN SMITH, UH, CULTURAL CENTER.
THE SPEAKER WILL BE, UH, THE HONORABLE CAMERON DREW, WHO WAS JUST ELECTED AT 19 YEARS OLD TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN SRE COUNTY.
HE ACTUALLY RAN AGAINST HIS GOVERNMENT TEACHER FOR THE SEAT AND HE WON BY EIGHT VOTES.
SO I WAS ABLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HIM AND SECURE HIM AS OUR SPEAKER TO COME OVER.
AND HOPEFULLY, UH, HE WILL INSPIRE, UH, OTHERS TO, UH, TO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS AND GET IT AND GET INVOLVED IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND WE WOULD JUST LOVE TO SEE YOU ALL COME THERE TO, UH, GREET A FELLOW BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEMBER IN A FELLOW COUNTY HERE IN VIRGINIA.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS.
THE NEXT PERSON HAS A SIGN IS DEBORAH MCCORMICK.
I'M SORRY IF I MISSED MCCORMICK.
MAY MA'AM, IF YOU COULD JUST STATE YOUR NAME ONE MORE TIME AND TELL US YOUR PHYSICAL ADDRESS PLEASE.
UH, DEBORAH MCCORMICK, AND I'M AT FIVE CENTER STREET CREEK.
AND I SPOKE TO YOU ALL NOT THE LAST MEETING, WITH THE MEETING BEFORE ABOUT THE CELL TOWER ISSUE IN W CREEK.
AND I HAVEN'T GIVEN UP ON THAT YET.
UH, I DID, UM, I DID NOTICE AFTER I WAS HERE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF, IF YOU WERE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING OR WHATEVER, BUT I GOT A CALL AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE GENTLEMAN'S NAME.
UH, HE WAS IN RICHMOND WITH VERIZON.
UH, AND HE WAS WITH CONGRESSIONAL LIAISON.
SO I'M NOT, NOT REALLY SURE WHO CALLED HIM.
UH, ONE OF MY REPS MUST HAVE, BUT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER MY PHONE STARTED WORKING
UH, SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL.
MAYBE GOD JUST DID SOMETHING UP THERE,
UH, BUT THE OTHER ISSUE, UM, AND MR. HART, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
UM, I HAD TO CALL THE RESCUE SQUAD TWO WEEKS AGO, UH, BECAUSE I ENDED UP HAVING TO HAVE MY GALLBLADDER TAKEN OUT.
UH, IT WAS INFECTED, INFLAMED, AND I HAD TO HAVE EMERGENCY KIND OF SURGERY.
AND WHEN THEY TOOK ME OUT, I WALKED OUT TO THE AMBULANCE, BUT THEY COULD NOT MAKE A PHONE CALL.
UH, THEY CALLED I AND I, BECAUSE I WAS IN THE STRETCHER FACING THE REAR, I COULDN'T SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON BEHIND ME.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY USED A PHONE OR IF THEY WERE USING A RADIO.
THEY CALLED FOUR TIMES TO THE HOSPITAL UP THERE.
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AND, UH, THEY GOT DISCONNECTED FOUR TIMES.SO THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET MY, MY VITAL SIGNS OUT.
UH, 'CAUSE I HEARD 'EM SAYING 'EM, BUT THEN THEY GET DISCONNECTED.
'CAUSE THEY WANTED TO SEE IF I NEEDED, UM, NITROGLYCERIN, WHAT IS IT? NITROGLYCERIN? YES.
BECAUSE SEE, I THOUGHT I WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK, BUT IT WASN'T, THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN EASIER.
BUT ANYWAY, UH,
BUT, UH, SO THEN I JUST SAID TO 'EM, JUST GO, JUST GO
YOU KNOW? AND WHEN WE GOT OUT ON 13, I THINK THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS PRETTY DIFFICULT.
SO AGAIN, UH, EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, SOMETIMES LIKE THAT.
YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T GET ANY RESPONSE.
AND SOME PEOPLE ARE STILL COMPLAINING THEY HAVE NO CONNECTION ON WITH THE CELL IN W CREEK.
ARE THEY STILL PLANNING ON TRYING TO GET ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS PEOPLE TOGETHER? YOU HAD, THEY HAD MENTIONED THAT LAST TIME.
I SAID, WE'RE WORKING ON IT, MA'AM.
'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A MEETING LIKE THAT.
AND MAYBE THE NEW TOWER THEY'RE PUTTING IN FOR THE RESCUE SQUADS.
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE NEWSPAPERS.
AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IS DEFINITELY DOING IT.
AND I'M, I HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER.
I'M SORRY YOU'VE HAD YOUR SITUATION, BUT I HOPE YOU'RE BETTER, RIGHT? YEAH.
NOW THE THING IS, MY LUNGS STRAIGHTEN MY LUNGS OUT, PUT A LOT OF FLUID IN MY LUNGS.
AND WHEN YOU GET A SIGNAL, WHEN YOU DO HAVE A SIGNAL, CALL ME
OKAY? I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN.
I'LL DO, AND MA'AM, JUST, YOU AND I SPOKE AND I LET, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I DID REACH OUT TO THE 9 1 1 COMMISSION, UH, OR THE 9 1 1 DIRECTOR TO TALK ABOUT YOUR PARTICULAR INCIDENT, UH, TO, TO LOOK INTO THAT SO WE CAN HOPEFULLY KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, RIGHT? YEAH.
'CAUSE NEXT TIME IT COULD BE SOMEBODY WHO'S REALLY HAVING A HEART ATTACK AND, AND, AND THEY CAN'T, THEY CAN'T CONNECT WITH ANYBODY.
SECOND THAT WE APPROVE OUR MINUTES.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THE MOTION HAS CARRIED.
UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, A RECOGNITION THAT WE NEED TO POSTPONE.
UH, AND AT THIS TIME, SHE'S NOT ABLE TO ATTEND, UH, TONIGHT'S MEETING.
BUT WE WILL ON A FIR UH, ANOTHER MONTH, WE WILL HAVE HER ON THE AGENDA AGAIN.
ALSO, ON FOUR TWO, WE RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE OF, OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING.
CHAIR MIKE MASON, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
SO, UH, A FEW MONTHS AGO, YOU'LL REMEMBER YOU RECEIVED, UH, A CERTIFICATE, AN AWARD, UM, FROM THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICER ASSOCIATION.
AND THAT WAS BECAUSE, UH, THE COUNTY'S, UH, ANNUAL BUDGET DOCUMENT WAS, UH, RECOGNIZED BY THAT GROUP FOR, UH, ITS EXCELLENCE AND, AND, AND BUDGETARY REPORTING.
THIS, THIS, UH, MONTH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S FROM THE SAME GROUP.
AND IT RECOGNIZES THE EFFORTS OF THE COUNTY'S FINANCE DEPARTMENT IN PARTICULAR.
BUT THE, UH, GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT AND EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF RECOGNITION IN GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL REPORTING.
AND ITS ATTAINMENT REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT BY AKIMA COUNTY AND ITS MANAGEMENT.
UH, OBTAINING THEIR CERTIFICATE MEANS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS PUBLISHED AN ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT THAT IS EASILY READABLE, EFFICIENTLY ORGANIZED, AND MEETS OR EXCEEDS GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
ALSO DEMONSTRATING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF TRANSPARENCY AND FULL DISCLOSURE.
SO, UH, THE WAY THIS WORKS IS IT INVOLVES THE COUNTY SUBMITTING ITS REPORT, UH, TO THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION FOR RE FOR REVIEW BY AN IMPARTIAL PANEL WHO GRADES THAT BASED ON ESTABLISHED CRITERIA.
SO IT IS AN INDEPENDENT, UM, PANEL THAT JUDGES THESE THINGS.
AND, AND WE'RE HAPPY THAT WE'VE RECEIVED ONCE AGAIN, UH, THE, THE, UH, CERTIFICATE.
SO JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE, UH, MS. LEWIS, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, AND, UM, ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE FINANCE STAFF FOR, FOR ONCE AGAIN, UH, ACHIEVING THIS VERY, UH, PRESTIGIOUS AWARD IN THE, UM, UH, GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING PROFESSION.
OUR AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SECOND THAT WE APPROVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
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AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.ALRIGHT, WE'RE DOWN TO THE REPORT OF A PUBLIC OFFICIALS.
WE HAVE OUR EASTERN SHO IO EASTERN SHORE, A COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT HERE, AND, AND THE PERSON OF DR.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA ASK HIM TO COME FORWARD.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST SAY HELLO.
AND I WANT TO JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR THE INVITATION JUST TO COME INTRODUCE MYSELF.
IT HAS BEEN A WHIRLWIND SIX MONTHS FOR ME, BUT I HAVE BEEN WARMLY WELCOMED, WARMLY RECEIVED.
AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD TOLD, IF YOU HAD TOLD ME BACK IN THE EARLY NINETIES THAT, UH, I WAS A STUDENT AT HAMPTON UNIVERSITY DOING, WHO KNOWS WHAT
UH, I WOULD'VE LAUGHED AT YOU THEN, BUT SOMEONE TALKED ABOUT DESTINY AND, AND DIVINE INTERVENTION.
I BELIEVE THAT WE END UP AT WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
SO I'M JUST THRILLED TO BE IN THIS, IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, I HAVE BEEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR 30 YEARS.
I KNOW I DON'T LOOK IT
UM, I LOVE THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND THE MAIN REASON WHY I DO AND WHY I'VE COME TO LOVE IT SO MUCH, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS MM-HMM
TO BE ABLE TO ADVANCE THE IDEALS OF WHAT THAT COMMUNITY REPRESENTS AND THE HOPE OF THE CITIZENS THAT RESIDE, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH US.
SO, I'M GONNA BE MINDFUL OF MY TIME, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND KIND OF WHO I AM AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED AS AN INSTITUTION.
I INHERITED A WONDERFUL SITUATION.
JIM SCHAEFFER, HE DID A WONDERFUL JOB OVER, OVER THE FIVE YEAR TENURE THAT HE HAD TO POSITION THE COLLEGE TO ITS NEXT POINT OF, OF FOCUS.
I'VE GOT THREE THINGS THAT, THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS THAT HAVE REALLY JUST GOT ME TO FOCUS ON WHERE THE NEXT STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF THE COLLEGE IS GOING TO BE.
ONE OF THEM IS SUSTAINABILITY.
THE SECOND IS RECALIBRATING OUR HIGH DEMAND WORKFORCE AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. NOT JUST TO MEET THE TALENT SHORTAGES, BUT TO DO SO IN A, IN THE SMARTEST WAY POSSIBLE.
AND TO ME, THAT SMARTEST WAY POSSIBLE IS LEVERAGING REGIONAL, LOCAL, AND STATEWIDE PARTNERSHIPS.
AND THE THIRD THING IS DESIGNING OUR INSTITUTION TO FIT TODAY'S AND TOMORROW'S LEARNERS.
THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF COMING AT US FROM AI TO VIRTUAL REALITY, TO ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT INDUSTRY IS GONNA NEED US TO BE UP ON.
SO, UM, THAT'S, THOSE ARE MY THREE AREAS THAT HAVE COME INTO FOCUS.
LASTLY, WE ARE A COLLEGE ON THE MOVE.
AND SO I HOPE YOU WILL SEE ME AGAIN AFTER TODAY BECAUSE WE ARE STARTING A NEW ENGINEERING PROGRAM IN NEXT FALL.
WE'RE ON THE CUSP RIGHT NOW OF LAUNCHING SOME NEW WORKFORCE PROGRAMS AND CNC MACHINING AND ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING.
WE'VE SUBMITTED OVER $2 MILLION IN, IN GRANTS TO REALLY BOLSTER OUR STEM CAPABILITIES AND TO WORK WITH THE DUAL ENROLLMENT POPULATIONS THAT OUR K 12 PARTNERS SCHOOLS, UM, PARTNERSHIPS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE, UH, AEROSPACE ACADEMY TO DIRECTLY CREATE SOME TALENT PIPELINES IN AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH ARE ON THE HORIZON.
UH, WE'RE THE FIRST COLLEGE IN VIRGINIA IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO HAVE A STACKABLE, UM, CYBERSECURITY CERTIFICATE ONLINE PROGRAM WHERE WE'VE GOT NOT JUST FOLKS FROM OUR LOCAL AREA, PART OF IT, BUT WE ARE ENGAGING FOLKS FROM ACROSS, ACROSS THE STATE.
UM, RAMPED UP CAREER SERVICES.
UH, WE'VE GOT A SOCCER TEAM THAT I THINK YOU ALL WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN LAUNCHING.
I'M PROUD TO SAY THIS PAST YEAR, OUR COACH, KATE, COACH BAXA, REALLY GAVE US A FOUNDATION FOR THE NEXT STEP TO GET INTO THE N-J-C-A-A.
SO, LOTS OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING AT THE COLLEGE.
SO, AGAIN, I, I'M JUST THANKFUL TO BE IN THIS ROLE.
AND IF YOU KNOW ME AND GET TO KNOW ME, MY LAST NAME MIGHT BE MINUS, BUT I CONSIDER MYSELF A PLUS FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
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I COULDN'T RESIST.YOU KNOW, YOU LEFT OUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN YOUR PAST HISTORY.
YOU ARE, IF MY MEMORY IS CORRECT, A GRADUATE OF BLAIR HIGH SCHOOL FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
AND FOR YOU HAVE COME A LONG WAY FROM THERE TO HEAR INDEED.
I THINK YOU CAN YOU DO IT A 10 MINUTES, DR.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR ACK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
WELL, I DON'T CHANGE YOUR WHOLE NAME.
IT'S
UM, MY NAME IS DR. JENNIFER MILLER.
I HAVE BEEN A PRINCIPAL AT ALL THREE LEVELS, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL.
WORKED IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE AS A DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.
WENT TO CENTRAL OFFICE, UM, THEN AGAIN AS AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT.
AND I COME TO YOU AS YOUR SUPERINTENDENT.
SO I AM JUST AS HAPPY TO BE HERE AS COULD BE.
UM, WANTED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK RUNDOWN OF OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
AND THIS, THESE RATINGS ARE BASED ON OUR SCORES FROM LAST YEAR.
SO THIS YEAR, OUR ACCREDITATION SYSTEM, OUR ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.
IT USED TO BE THAT WHEN YOU WOULD HEAR WE'RE ACCREDITED AND WE'RE ACCREDITED WITH CONDITIONS, OR WE'RE NOT ACCREDITED, THOUGH THAT STANDARD HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCREDITATION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU GOT YOUR, UM, FIRE DRILLS IN ON TIME.
YOU HAVE A CURRICULUM THAT'S APPROVED BY THE STATE, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
SO WHEN I SAY THAT WE ARE, ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE ACCREDITED, THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS.
SO ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE ACCREDITED.
UM, WHEN WE GO TO ACCOUNTABILITY, HOWEVER, UM, WE HAVE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, DISTINGUISHED ON TRACK, OFF TRACK, AND NEEDS INTENSIVE SUPPORT.
SO THAT HAS TAKEN THE PLACE OF WHAT WE KNEW AS ACCREDITED AND NOT ACCREDITED.
UM, I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT BASED ON THE SCORES FROM LAST YEAR, AND I CANNOT TAKE CREDIT FOR THESE, UM, ALL THREE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE DISTINGUISHED.
SO THAT IS QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND WE WILL TAKE THAT AND RUN WITH IT AND CONTINUE THAT EXCELLENCE.
UM, WE HAVE NANDU MIDDLE AND ARCADIA MIDDLE, ALONG WITH SHATI ELEMENTARY ARE ON TRACK.
WE HAVE PUNTI ELEMENTARY AND MAT TOMKIN ELEMENTARY THAT ARE OFF TRACK.
AND AKAMAK AND KEA TANK NEED INTENSIVE SUPPORT.
SO, AND TANGER WAS TOO SMALL FOR THEM TO GIVE US A RATING ON THAT.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR US IN ELEMENTARY.
WE HAVE BEEN SEEING SOME GAINS IN ACADEMICS.
WE'VE PUT SOME THINGS IN PLACE TO HELP 'EM BRING THOSE RATINGS UP.
SO WE ARE HOPING FOR GOOD THINGS.
I WILL SAY THAT JLAC DID A STUDY ON THE NEW ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
WE, THEY'RE FINDING OUT THAT IT'S IN THE 70% THAT OF HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE ARE DISTINGUISHED.
AND AS WE KNOW THAT FOR 78% TO BE DISTINGUISHED, THERE'S A, THE, THE TOP OF THE SCALE SHOULD BE A HUNDRED.
AND WE HAVE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT ARE MAKING OVER A HUNDRED POINTS.
SO THEY'RE WORKING ON ADJUSTING THE SCALE A LITTLE BIT AND, AND MAKING SOME TWEAKS TO THAT ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
IT WAS A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO GET TO EARN THOSE HIGHER RATINGS BECAUSE MUCH OF THAT RATING IS BASED ON THE, UM, UPPER LEVEL CLASSES.
AND SO, UM, FOR THE ELEMENTARIES, IT WAS A LITTLE HARDER TO, TO REACH THAT ON TRACK OR DISTINGUISHED, UM, DIS UM, SETTING.
AND SO WE ARE GONNA WORK ON THAT FOR NEXT YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS ON THE BOARD OBJECT? SURE.
POPULATION SCHOOL, UH, SCHOOL ENROLLMENT, UH, WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS NOW? WE ARE RIGHT AT 45 60.
HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO LAST YEAR? WE ARE DOWN.
SO WHEN WE DID OUR BUDGET, WE ARE DOING OUR BUDGET BASED ON 42 60.
I THINK SOMEWHERE IN THERE WE HAVE SEEN A STEADY DECLINE.
THAT IS A STATE TREND, NOT AN AKAMAK TREND.
WE HAVE SEEN A STEADY DECLINE IN AD WHAT WE CALL AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP A DM.
UM, BUT THAT IS A STATEWIDE TREND.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOSING CHILDREN TO HOMESCHOOL TO PRIVATE SCHOOL, CHARTER SCHOOLS.
AND THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME BILLS AND DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE, UM, IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD EVEN INCREASE THAT TOLL ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THAT AND WHAT IT WOULD DO TO BUDGET IMPLICATIONS.
ANY OTHER, ANYBODY ELSE? WELL, THANK YOU DR. MILLER.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO, I KNOW WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO OLD BUSINESS, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND THE DEED OF TRUST BETWEEN
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THE COUNTY.UH, WHO'S THE NOTE HOLDER AND MACK MANOR.
CAN YOU DO THAT IN FIVE MINUTES? UH, GUESS YOU CAN.
CHAIR, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU WHAT MY TIME WAS
SO FIVE MINUTES DOWN TO FOUR NOW, RIGHT? YEAH.
UM, THIS IS A, IT'S UNDER OLD BUSINESS FOR A REASON.
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL UPDATES ON, ON THIS ISSUE, UM, REGARDING, UM, UH, A, A DEED OF TRUST BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND AKAMAK MANOR.
I'M NOT GONNA, UH, REHASH ALL THE HISTORY, WHICH WAS IN YOUR AGENDA.
I'LL JUST GIVE YOU THE, THE MOST RECENT.
AND SO, UH, AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OCTOBER 15TH, 2025, MEETING THE BOARD APPROVED, EXTENDING THE EXISTING DEED OF TRUST NOTE BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND ACK MANOR LLC, UNTIL JANUARY 31ST, 2026.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHY THIS IS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
UH, THIS, THAT EXTENSION UNTIL THE END OF THIS MONTH WAS APPROVED TO ALLOW STAFF ADDITIONAL TIME TO EXAMINE REPAYMENT OPTIONS AND TO DETERMINE DHC D'S POSITION ON FORGIVENESS, UH, UH, UH, POSSIBLE FORGIVENESS OF THAT LOAN.
DHCD HAS SINCE PROVIDED GUIDANCE ON THE MATTER IN A LETTER DATED 12 FOUR 2025.
UH, THE, THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY HERE IS NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN AK AAC MATTER LLC AND THE COUNTY CONTINUING.
HOWEVER, FINAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN REACHED.
THEREFORE, IT'S NECESSARY TO CONSIDER AUTHORIZING A SECOND AMENDMENT.
WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED THE FIRST THAT GOT US TO THE END OF THIS MONTH.
THAT'S IN TERMS OF AN EXTENSION.
UM, BUT, UH, IT'S NECESSARY TO APPROVE, UH, A SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE DEED OF TRUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXTENDING THE MATURITY DATE OF THE NOTE UNTIL MAY 31ST, 2026.
UM, SO WHAT, WHAT STAFF IS ASKING THE BOARD TO CONSIDER TONIGHT IS TO AUTHORIZE THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE DEED OF TRUST BETWEEN THE COUNTY, WHO'S THE NOTE HOLDER? AND MACK MA MACK MATTER, WHO'S THE MAKER, EXTENDING THAT MATURITY DATE OF THE, OF THE NOTE TO MAY 31ST, 2026 AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE IT.
AND AGAIN, THAT WILL GIVE US MORE TIME TO FLUSH OUT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF ANY AGREEMENTS WE MAY NEED.
UM, AND, AND SHOULD GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLETE THAT TASK.
SECOND, THAT WE, UH, GIVE, UH, AUTHORITY TO THE SECOND AMENDMENT, UH, AUTHORIZE FOR THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
I'M GONNA STOP RIGHT HERE FOR A MINUTE OR TWO.
UH, TINA, COULD YOU CHECK TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO SIGNED UP CONTINUING RIGHT.
SO WE DON'T, DO WE HAVE, WE, WE NEED A MOVE.
DO WE HAVE TO HAVE, UH, DO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE RULES AND WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT? NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE RULES AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL WE NEED A MOTION THEN? YES.
MOVE A PROPERLY SECOND THAT WE DO A CONTINUANCE OF, UH, THE PORT OF LAND THAT'S STATED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? LETTER BE KNOWN BY AYE A.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
I WILL GO BACK UP TO APPOINTMENTS AS SOON AS I CAN GET MY COMPUTER BACK UP.
FIRST THING, APPOINTMENT APPOINTMENTS.
AKON COUNTY WETLANDS BOARD, UH, DAVID MONTGOMERY HAS RESIGNED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A, A DISTRICT APPOINTMENT OR MAGISTERIAL OR WHAT? SAYS ALTERNATE.
SO IT'S ANY CITIZEN FROM ANYWHERE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY, UH, NOMINATIONS OR BY TO OKAY.
WE'RE MOVING ON THE AGRICULTURE AND FORESTER DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMISSION.
SO AT LARGE, KENNETH MILES, UH, RESIGNED.
UH, THE AGRICULTURE AND FORESTER DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMISSION, UH, MR. ONLY PASSED AWAY.
ANYBODY? ANOTHER AGRICULTURE AND FORESTER DISTRICT? RANDY MERRICK RESIGNED.
UH, MACK COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION.
I THINK YOU, MR. PARKS, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY? UH, NOT YET.
WE'RE STILL CONTINUING THAT AS WELL.
UM, AND THE MACK COUNTY, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVI, CROMACK COUNTY.
I DO THAT AT THE SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD MEETING TOO.
AT THE CROMACK COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD.
WE HAVE, I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL A, A BOARD BANK.
IF WE HAVE, UH, IF YOU HAVE, UH, INTEREST OF SERVING ON ANY ADVISORY BOARD, ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD, PLEASE.
[00:30:01]
WE SOLICIT, UH, FOLK, THIS PERSON THAT, UM, THAT'S DESIRING TO BE ON THE, UM, SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD.HER NAME IS, UH, CASSANDRA SMITH, AND I THINK SHE'S A PART-TIME, UH, UH, EMPLOYEE OF, UH, PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, I THINK SHE WORKS AT PARCEL RECREATION AND I'VE HAD CONVERSATION WITH HER AND I THINK SHE'S GONNA BE AN ASSET.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, MME. TURNER TO MAKE A MOTION TO BE, UH, SECOND
I ADD HER TO THE, UH, SOCIAL SERVICE BOARD.
I HAVE, SHE'S ALREADY, IT'S BEEN MOVING PROPERLY.
SECOND THAT WE ASK CASSANDRA SMITH AS A MEMBER OF THE ACK COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED, UH, MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY, TO HELP THE BOARD FILLING THESE, UH, REMAINING VACANCIES ON, ON THE AKIMA COUNTY WETLANDS BOARD.
IT WAS NOTED THAT THIS IS THE ALTERNATE MEMBER.
IT'S UNUSUAL FOR YOU TO HAVE ALTERNATES ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, BUT IN THIS CASE, THE CODE VIRGINIA SPECIFIES THAT YOU MUST HAVE AN ALTERNATE.
UM, REALIZE THAT THAT IS, UH, UH, DIFFERENT FROM YOUR TYPICAL APPOINTMENTS.
ALSO AS YOU, UH, SEARCH FOR REPLACEMENTS ON THE AG AND FORESTAL DISTRICT COMMISSION THAT, UM, MEMBERS OF THAT COMMISSION HAVE TO FALL WITHIN TWO CATEGORIES.
AND WE CAN TALK MORE SPECIFICS ABOUT HOW MANY, HOW MANY OF EACH OF THESE POSITIONS, UM, YOU HAVE OCCUPIED.
BUT YOU EITHER HAVE TO BE A LANDOWNER, JUST A GENERAL LANDOWNER.
TO BE ON THAT COMMISSION OR, UM, THE OTHER CATEGORIES ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURAL FORESTRY PRODUCTION.
UM, SO YOU TYPICALLY HAVE FOUR OF EACH.
AND THEN THE ASSESSOR IS, COUNTY ASSESSOR IS ALSO ON THERE ALONG WITH THE BOARD MEMBER.
BUT THAT'S THE MAKEUP OF YOUR AG AND FORESTRY.
SO IT'S DOESN'T, IS IT IN THE BAREN? WHAT DISTRICT, WHAT MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT? NO.
IT'S, IT'S JUST THEY HAVE TO MEET, MEET THOSE CRITERIA OF THOSE CRITERIA.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS.
AND I'M GOING TO TAKE, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, I'M GONNA GO DOWN TO 12 THREE BECAUSE I KNOW THOSE LADIES NEED TO BE ON THE ROAD,
AND I'M GOING TO HEAR FROM, UM, RECEIVE A BRIEF, A RECENT FEDERAL CHANGE TO THE SNAP PROGRAM, WHICH STANDS FOR SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, FORMERLY KNOWN AS FOOD STAMPS.
SHE ACT LIKE SHE MUST KNOWN SURVIVAL.
SO WE'RE GONNA ASK THAT, UH, THE, UM, PERSON TO COME FORTH.
UH, VICKI WHEATLEY, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF MACK COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO DO FOR A PRESENTATION.
SO I GUESS I DON'T HAVE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF 'CAUSE YOU ALREADY TOOK CARE OF THAT
UM, SO JUST FYI, UM, I'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES HERE IN MT FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS.
UM, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN A CHANGE LIKE THIS.
I'M LETTING THE COUNTY KNOW WHAT THE CHANGE IS AND HOW IT'S LIKELY TO AFFECT THE COUNTY.
UM, SO THE CHANGES ARE, UM, THESE ARE ANTICIPATED CHANGES WITH HR ONE, ALSO KNOWN AS THAT BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.
UM, IT INCLUDES A NEW FEDERAL PARTICIPATION FORMULA, AND PART OF THAT INCLUDES A 25% REDUCTION IN FEDERAL SNAP.
UM, THE PART THAT THE FEDS ARE SUPPLYING.
UM, AT THIS TIME, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE LOCAL PORTION OF THE SNAP MATCH ITSELF WILL BE ABSORBED BY THE STATE GENERAL FUND.
OF COURSE, WE WON'T KNOW IF THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS UNTIL THE FINAL APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET IN APRIL OR MAY.
UNFORTUNATELY, ADDITIONAL CUTS WILL BE MADE BASED ON VIRGINIA'S SNAP ERROR RATE.
THAT MEANS THE MISTAKES THAT WORKERS ARE MAKING IN ADMINISTERING THE SNAP PROGRAM.
UH, THE CURRENT SNAP ERROR RATE IN VIRGINIA IS 11.5%.
THE FEDERAL PARTICIPATION FORMULA INCREASES THE AMOUNT THAT LOCALITIES HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SNAP PROGRAM TO ANY STATE WITH AN ERROR RATE THAT IS 6% OR ABOVE.
THERE ARE ONLY SEVEN STATES THAT ARE ABLE TO MEET THAT CRITERIA.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN US A TIMELINE TO SEE IF WE CAN IMPROVE OUR SNAP RATE.
SO MUCH OF WHAT I'M GONNA TELL YOU IS TENTATIVE, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FINAL RATE WILL BE.
UM, SO WITH THE CURRENT SNAP ERROR RATE, VIRGINIA WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR $270 MILLION TO CONTINUE ADMINISTERING SNAP FOR
[00:35:01]
ACK COUNTY.ONE IS WHAT THEY CALL PASS THROUGH.
PASS THROUGH IS AN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT MY AGENCY COULD REQUEST FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR PROGRAMS RUNNING.
THAT COMES WITH A COST TO THE COUNTY OF A 60% MATCH.
ACK COUNTY, I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY, IS ONLY ONE OF TWO LOCALITIES IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA THAT HAS NEVER REQUESTED PASS THROUGH MONEY.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, SO WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THAT, UM, ADDITIONAL COST HAVING ANY EFFECT ON THE COUNTY.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN KEEP IT THAT WAY.
THE OTHER IMPACT IS IN REFERENCE TO STAFF AND OPERATIONS.
SO BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026, THE ESTIMATED MAXIMUM COST TO ACK COUNTY.
IF THE STATE CAN'T BRING DOWN THE ERROR RATE, AND IF THE EFFORTS TO GET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND CHANGE THE TIMELINES THAT STATE TO THE, THAT AMOUNT, THAT ESTIMATED MAXIMUM AMOUNT FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR IS $57,800 FOR BUDGET YEAR.
THE FOLLOWING BUDGET YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 28, THAT AMOUNT WOULD BE $77,231.
SO I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT ATTEMPTS ARE BEING MADE BY SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATION AND THE VIRGINIA LEAGUE OF SOCIAL SERVICES EXECUTIVES, OF WHICH I AM A PART TO GET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER, TO CHANGE THE TIMELINES.
ONE, FOR ONE REASON BEING THE GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN THROUGH EVERYTHING OUT OF RACK WHACK, AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO WORK ON THE ERROR RATE DURING THAT TIME.
THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT, UM, ARE ATTEMPTING TO BE PASSED THROUGH THE FEDS.
UH, WE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA HAVE DONE SEVERAL THINGS.
WE HAVE RETRAINED ALL OF OUR STAFF ON SNAP ADMINISTRATION.
WE HAD A STATE REVIEWER COME TO AKIMA COUNTY AND REVIEW HOW WE RUN THE PROGRAM.
BUT THEY DID GIVE US A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS, WHICH WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED.
WE MEET WITH STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ONCE A MONTH PLUS ADDITIONAL TIMES DURING THE MONTH TO DO EXTRA TRAINING.
WE HAVE A DEDICATED SENIOR WORKER THAT REVIEWS CASES THREE DAYS A WEEK EVERY WEEK, AND THEN TRAINS OUR STAFF ON ANYTHING THAT SHE NOTICES IN.
THE MISTAKES THAT WE'RE MAKING STATE POLICIES HAVE CHANGED.
SO PREVIOUSLY WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO ASK FOR VERIFICATION OF CERTAIN FACTS, AND THEN WE WERE HELD ACCOUNTABLE WHEN WE WERE LIED TO BY THE CUSTOMER, THAT THOSE STATE POLICIES WERE CHANGED UNDER GOVERNOR YOUNGEN.
UM, WE HAVE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORK REQUIREMENT NOW WITH SNAP, WHICH HAS DROPPED OUR ROLES BY ABOUT 10%, WHICH WILL HELP IMPROVE THE ERROR RATE.
BUT OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THE COMPUTER SYSTEM, WHICH WE ARE USING, WHICH HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR WELL OVER 10 YEARS.
WE HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING WE BEING THE VIRGINIA LEAGUE OF SOCIAL SERVICES EXECUTIVES HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO GET THAT COMPUTER SYSTEM REPLACED FOR THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
IT IS SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS.
UH, WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THE COMPUTER SYSTEM MAKES CALCULATION ERRORS AND EXPERIENCED WORKERS ARE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND ADJUST FOR THAT.
BUT IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY KEEPING STAFF.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE AS MANY EXPERIENCED STAFF AND NEWER WORKERS DON'T PICK UP ON THE ERRORS.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL CATCH MANY OF THOSE WITH OUR STAFF READINGS, BUT THAT IS A PROBLEM ACROSS THE STATE.
AND AGAIN, THE, THE PENALTIES OR THE ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION IS BASED ON THE STATE'S ERROR RATE, NOT ACK COUNTY'S ERROR RATE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THEM.
SOME STATES, UH, ARE INCLUDING FUNDING THROUGH THE RURAL HEALTH TRANSFORMATION FOR THEIR SNAP PROGRAMS. I DIDN'T KNOW IF VIRGINIA DID THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD
[00:40:01]
POTENTIALLY HAVE BEEN A WAY TO ADDRESS THE, THE COMPUTER ISSUE.MINAS IS AWARE OF RHTI AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT IF THAT WAS IN VIRGINIAS OR NOT, BUT IT MAY BE SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO.
RURAL HEALTH TRANSFORMATION, WHICH WAS ALSO IN HR ONE UHHUH.
SO THAT'S THE $50 BILLION THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S PUTTING OUT THAT THE STATES.
WE JUST GOT A NEW OLD COMMISSIONER AND I'M ON MY WAY WHEN I LEAVE HERE TO MEET WITH HIM.
THE CORRELATION WITH RURAL HEALTH AND SNAP, YOU KNOW, FROM A DIETARY PERSPECTIVE, SURE.
THERE MAY BE AN OPTION, MA'AM.
UH, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY.
UH, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE HOW THOROUGH YOUR DEPARTMENT IS.
YOU CAN BE A, YOU CAN PASS WITH FLYING COLORS AS FAR AS ERRORS.
VIRGINIA OVERALL, IF THEY'RE DOWN, WE GET HIT.
YOU DO A GOOD JOB AND YOU GET HIT ANYWAY.
I'LL GO BACK UP TO 12 ONE, RECEIVE THE COUNTY'S FFY 20, UH, FIVE ANNUAL CONFERENCE PENSION FINANCIAL REPORT FROM THE COUNTY'S EXTERNAL AUDITORS.
ROBERTSON, FORMER COX ASSOCIATION.
YOU GONNA INTRODUCE? YES, I AM.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
LESLIE LEWIS, FINANCE DIRECTOR.
I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE MR. DAVE FOLEY.
HE'S THE MEMBER WITH ROBERTSON FARMERS AND COX, WHO DROVE ALL THE WAY FROM CHARLOTTESVILLE TO PRESENT OUR FY 25 ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT.
AND HE ALSO HAS BROUGHT YOU A NICE HARD COPY IF YOU WOULD LIKE AS WELL AS YOU HAVE ONE THAT WAS ON THE BOARD DOC MEMBER.
IF YOU COULD PROVIDE A COPY FOR EACH OF US.
UH, MADAM CHAIR, UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, AGAIN, UH, MY NAME IS DAVID FOLEY, PARTNER WITH ROBINSON FARMER COX ASSOCIATES.
AND WE DID PERFORM, UH, THE AUDIT, UH, FOR THE COUNTY'S, UH, FISCAL YEAR END AT FY 25.
UM, SO HERE TO, UH, PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THAT TO YOU ALL.
UM, BEFORE, UM, I GO OVER THE, THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT, JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT, UH, THAT WE DO FOR THE COUNTY, UM, WHEN WE'RE AUDITING THE, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
SO THERE'S REALLY, UH, THREE MAIN PIECES OF THE AUDIT THAT WE DO, UM, WHEN WE'RE DOING THE AUDIT OF THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
UM, ONE IS, OF COURSE WE AUDIT THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, UH, HAVE BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, UH, GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
UM, AND THE OTHER TWO PIECES OF THE, OF THE AUDIT WE DO IN ACCORDANCE WITH, UH, GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS.
UM, ONE OF WHICH IS IN ADDITION TO JUST LOOKING AT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT NUMBERS THEMSELVES AS PART OF THE AUDIT, WE REVIEW AND GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERNAL CONTROLS THAT THE COUNTY HAS OVER ITS, UH, FINANCIAL REPORTING.
SO WHEN WE'RE OUT DOING OUR FIELD WORK, WE'LL, UH, AGAIN, REVIEW THOSE CONTROLS, GAINING AN UNDERSTANDING.
WE DO THIS FOR THE PURPOSES OF, UH, DESIGNING OUR, UH, AUDIT PROCEDURES.
AND IN, UH, CERTAIN CASES WE MAY, UH, PERFORM THE TEST OF CONTROLS TO SEE IF, IF THEY'RE OPERATING AS THEY SHOULD.
AND THEN THE, UH, THIRD PIECE OF THE AUDIT IS THE, UH, FEDERAL COMPLIANCE AUDIT, UH, WHICH IS DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH UNIFORM GUIDANCE.
SO WHENEVER A, A LOCALITY EXPENDS OVER 750,000 IN FEDERAL GRANT FUND GRANT FUNDS, UH, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO UNDERGO, UH, A SINGLE AUDIT, THE FEDERAL COMPLIANCE AUDIT, ALONG WITH YOUR, UH, FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT.
SO WHEN WE'RE OUT, UH, DOING THE AUDIT, UH, FOR THE MAJOR, UH, FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS FOR THE COUNTY AND SCHOOLS, UM, OMB PROVIDES A COMPLIANCE SUPPLEMENT, WHICH LISTS THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT, UH, COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS, UH, THAT THE COUNTY AND SCHOOLS HAVE TO COMPLY WITH WHEN THEY'RE EXPENDING THE FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS. SO, AS PART OF THE AUDIT, WE GO THROUGH THAT CHECKLIST TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT THE COUNTY AND SCHOOL OR SCHOOLS ARE, UH, COMPLIANT WITH THOSE, UM, GRANT REQUIREMENTS.
SO THOSE ARE THE, THE THREE MAIN PIECES OF THE AUDIT, UH, THAT WE DO.
SO, AS SUCH, INCLUDED IN THE, UM, COUNTY'S,
[00:45:01]
UH, ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT.UM, THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT REPORTS, UH, FROM US THAT COMMUNICATE THE RESULTS OF, OF THE AUDIT.
AND THE FIRST IS, UM, TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE REPORT IS IN THE, UH, FINANCIAL SECTION OF THE, THE REPORT, UH, ON NUMBERED PAGE 22.
AND THIS IS OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT.
UM, AND, UM, IN THIS REPORT IS WHERE WE STATE, WE DID, UH, PERFORM AN AUDIT ON THE, UH, COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AND IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OF THIS REPORT IS WHERE WE, UH, ISSUE OUR OPINION ON THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AND, UH, WE HAVE ISSUED, UH, UNMODIFIED OPINION ON THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, UH, WHICH IS THE CLEANEST OPINION AN AUDITOR CAN GIVE ON THE SET OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
UM, BASICALLY AN UNMODIFIED OPINION MEANS THAT THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN PREPARED, UM, IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED, UM, ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
UM, THE OTHER TWO, UH, REPORTS FROM US ARE IN THE BACK OF THE REPORT, IN THE COMPLIANCE SECTION.
UM, THE FIRST, UH, REPORT, UH, BACK THERE IS ON PAGE 237.
UH, THIS IS OUR, UM, REPORT OVER THE, UH, COUNTY'S INTERNAL CONTROL, UM, OVER ITS, UH, FINANCIAL REPORTING.
UM, SO THIS REPORT, UH, WAS CLEAN AS WELL.
UM, WE NOTED NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES OR MATERIAL WEAKNESSES IN THE COUNTY'S, UM, INTERNAL CONTROL OVER ITS, UH, FINANCIAL REPORTING.
UM, OVERALL, WE FEEL THAT THE, THE COUNTY, UM, HAS STRONG INTERNAL CONTROLS IN PLACE OVER ITS FINANCIAL REPORTING.
UM, JUST IN, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS, UM, IS GOING THROUGH THE AUDIT AND AUDITING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, UM, WE REALLY HAD TO PROPOSE VERY FEW AUDIT ADJUSTMENTS, UH, AS PART OF THE AUDIT.
UH, MEANING THAT THE, UH, COUNTY'S RECORDS WERE ALREADY, UM, ADJUSTED, UM, AS THEY, AS THEY NEEDED TO BE, TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED, UM, ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
SO TO GO THROUGH AN AUDIT AND, UH, HAVE, UM, AS FEW ADJUSTMENTS, UM, PROPOSED.
ALL THOSE ADJUSTMENTS, AGAIN, I THINK SPEAKS TO THE STRENGTH OF THE, THE FINANCE TEAM.
UM, SO AGAIN, THE, THE REPORT OVER INTERNAL CONTROLS WAS CLEAN.
UM, WE DID, UM, ISSUE A, A SEPARATE, UH, MANAGEMENT LETTER WITH, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS TO MANAGEMENT, UM, THAT, UH, IT'S INCLUDED, NOT INCLUDED IN THE REPORT, BUT A SEPARATE LETTER, UH, JUST RECOMMENDATION OVER THE, UH, TIMELINESS OF THE, UM, UH, BANK RECONCILIATIONS FOR THE, UH, SCHOOL BOARD ACCOUNTS.
UM, AND THE, THE ACCOUNTS WERE RECONCILED.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, BIG COMPONENT OF INTERNAL CONTROL IS BANK ACCOUNT SHOULD BE DONE AND THEY SHOULD ALSO BE DONE TIMELY.
SO JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, THOSE, UH, PERFORMED A LITTLE MORE TIMELY.
CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT THE, UM, SCHOOL BOARD WENT THROUGH A, A ACCOUNTING SYSTEM CHANGE.
SO THAT CERTAINLY, UH, ADDED AN EXTRA, EXTRA CHALLENGE, UH, FOR THE SCHOOLS.
UM, THE, UH, THIRD AND FINAL REPORT FROM US IS TWO PAGES OVER ON PAGE 2 39.
UH, THIS IS OUR REPORT OVER THE, UH, COUNTY'S COMPLIANCE WITH ITS, UH, MAJOR FEDERAL PROGRAMS. UH, THIS REPORT WAS CLEAN AS WELL.
UM, THERE WERE, WE NOTED NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES OR MATERIAL WEAKNESSES IN THE, UH, COUNTY OR SCHOOLS, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH ITS, UH, MAJOR FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS. UM, ALSO, UM, NO OTHER ITEMS OF, UM, NOT NON-COMPLIANCE WERE, UH, NOTED AS PART OF THE AUDIT.
UM, SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE, UH, THREE REPORT REPORTS FROM US.
UM, JUST WOULD LIKE TO, UM, FINISH WITH, UM, REALLY COMMENDING THE, THE COUNTY STAFF AND SCHOOL BOARD STAFF, UM, FOR THEIR WORK ON GETTING THE AUDIT, UH, COMPLETED THIS YEAR.
UM, IT TAKES, AS, AS THEY ALL CAN TELL YOU, IT TAKES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK, UM, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND YEAR IN TO, TO, UH, GET READY FOR AN AUDIT AND, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN AUDIT COMPLETED.
AND EVERYONE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF PROVIDING US INFORMATION.
UM, HAD A BUNCH OF INFORMATION READY FOR US WHEN WE CAME ON SITE, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD, UM, AND PULLING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE HAD AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH GOING THROUGH THE AUDIT DAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT BOTH COUNTY
[00:50:01]
AND SCHOOL BOARD STAFF HAVE THEIR, UM, NORMAL JOBS, THEIR DAY-TO-DAY JOBS THEY'RE HAVING TO DO.AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT FOUR OR FIVE AUDITORS WALKING IN AND OUTTA YOUR OFFICE FOR A TWO WEEK PERIOD, UM, I KNOW THAT CAN BE CHALLENGING, BUT EVERYONE DOES A EXCELLENT JOB IN WORKING WITH US, UM, FOR THE AUDIT.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW, UM, IT WAS EVERYONE'S GOAL.
EVERYONE WAS, WORKED TOWARD BOTH COUNTY AND SCHOOLS TO GET THE AUDIT DONE, UM, IN A TIMELY MANNER THIS YEAR.
SO EVERYONE WORKED HARD STAYING ON TRACK.
UM, WE WORKED, UH, WE MET WITH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, UH, MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE AUDIT PROCESS, I THINK BASICALLY MONTHLY, UM, JUST TO GO OVER THE STATUS, UM, OF THE AUDIT, WHERE WE WERE, WHAT WAS LEFT TO DO WHAT WE STILL NEEDED.
UM, WHICH I THINK WAS, WAS VERY HELPFUL TO TRY AND KEEP EVERYONE ON TRACK TO GET THE AUDIT COMPLETED.
UM, BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE, BUT YOU HAVE ANY ANSWER? ANY QUESTIONS? YOU SURE.
MR. CROCKETT? JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
SO YOU WOULD SAY THAT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IS FAIRLY NEW, NOT PLACE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS, YOU THINK.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT WAS A MAJOR HELP AS FAR AS GETTING THIS AUDIT? UH, WHERE WE ARE TODAY? I, I BELIEVE IT WAS.
I MEAN, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERYONE TO, TO GET TOGETHER AND, AND COMMUNICATE, YOU KNOW, HOW THE PROGRESS IS GOING, WHAT ARE THE BIG OUTSTANDING ITEMS, WHAT REALLY DO WE NEED TO FOCUS ON? SO, GOOD.
I I I THOUGHT IT WAS HELPFUL STAFF.
I ASSUME PROBABLY DID AS WELL.
AND THE SECOND QUESTION IS, JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR, WOULD YOU CONSIDER THIS A VERY CLEAN AUDIT? I WOULD, YES.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
SEE YOU GUYS ALL THE TIME IN VACO AND RICHMOND AND WHATEVER.
'CAUSE TOO MANY PEOPLE HIRE YOU, SO YOU HAVE TO BE DOING GOOD WORK.
THEY WON'T HIRE, UH, ROBINSON FARMER COX.
BUT IN ANY CASE, UM, DO WE NEED, DON'T WE NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE AUDIT REPORT YOU WOULD LIKE? YES, EXACTLY.
WE ACCEPT THE AUDIT REPORT PROUDLY THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH, NO PROBLEMS AND EVERYTHING.
SECOND THAT WE RECEIVE OUR, OUR AUDIT REPORT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
AND I JUST WANT TO, UH, PIGGYBACK ON WHAT, UH, MR. CROCKETT HAS SAID ABOUT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
I DO SERVE ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AND, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY HELPFUL.
UM, SOMETIMES I DON'T ALWAYS KNOW ALL THE LINGO, BUT I'VE, I'VE LEARNED A LOT JUST BY BEING ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, I THINK IT'S BEEN FUL, UH, I, YOU KNOW, UH, JAMES, UH, SORRY.
OUR TREASURER'S A PART OF IT AS WELL, AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND HER STAFF, AND ALONG WITH OUR OWN, UM, FINANCE DIRECTOR, UM, I DON'T WANNA CALL YOU, UH, MARTIN AGAIN.
LOUIS, MS. LEWIS
AND I JUST THINK IT'S VERY FRUITFUL.
UH, WHOEVER I I IN OUR ACCOUNT ADMINISTRATOR, UH, IF HE'S THE ONE, THE KUDOS NEED TO GO TO AS FAR AS ESTABLISHING THAT THAT WAS NEEDED.
I THINK THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IS, IS, IS ON POINT.
I JUST THINK IT HELPS EVERYBODY.
WE'RE DOWN TO 12 TWO, DISCUSS, UH, REQUIREMENTS TO DISTRIBUTE OF COUNTY PPE GRANTS TO VOLUNTEER FIRE AND RESCUE ORGANIZATION.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CHARLES PRT DIRECT AT PUBLIC SAFE FOR AKIMA COUNTY.
I WILL BE PROVIDING YOU SOME INFORMATION TONIGHT ON ITEM 12.2.
AND ALSO YOUR PACKET IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE AKIMA COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE COMMISSION.
UM, MEETING THAT WAS HELD IN, UH, THE MEETING THAT THEY RECOMMENDED THIS AS THE NOVEMBER, BUT, SO LEMME FOLLOW UP.
AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, ONE OF A, THERE WAS A LINE ITEM PLACED IN PUBLIC SAFETY'S BUDGET LAST YEAR OF $250,000 FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING A PPE GRANT PROGRAM WITH PPE IS THE ENSEMBLE THAT WE WEAR, UH, TO PROTECT THOSE.
I ON FIRE AND, UM, ACCIDENT CALLED, UH, MOSTLY, UH, HOPE HELPS US PREVENT CANCER.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE GO TO A FIRE, OUR GEAR GETS CONTAMINATED.
SO I, UM, ACTUALLY HAD AN IDEA, A VETTED IDEA TO THE FIRE RESCUE COMMISSION RATHER DEVELOP A GRANT PROGRAM.
HOW ABOUT THE COUNTY PURCHASE WASHER AND DRYERS OR THE FIRE STATIONS? UM, WE KNOW THAT IF OBVIOUS WE DECONTAMINATE OUR GEAR EXTRACT IS WHAT THEY CALL A EXTRACT A GEAR PROPERLY.
IT LESSES A CANCER OF CANCER AND MOST IMPORTANTLY EXTENDS THE LIFE OF THE GEAR.
SO THE FIRE RESCUE COMMISSION LIKED THE IDEA.
AN IMPORTANT NOTE THAT IS A WASHER AND DRYER FOR PPE IS AROUND $16,800 TO 17,000.
SO I BROUGHT THE IDEA IDEA UP.
[00:55:01]
ALSO WITH THAT, THOSE STATIONS THAT HAVE PPE WORKS AND DRYERS, UH, LOOKING AT THIS MAJOR PAINTER, PAINTER AS THE WORKS AND DRYER, UH, WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS THEY WOULD PURCHASE 17, I'M GONNA USE THE NUMBER OF 17,000, $17,000 WORTH OF FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT WE, THE COUNTY WOULD RENT, WOULD BASICALLY PAY THE INVOICE ALSO.CAN I ASK, CAN I ASK QUESTION? OH, SURE.
JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT AN ORDINARY WASHER AND DRYER.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A WEHER AND DRYER THAT NOT A COMMERCIAL ONE, NOT ONE YOU HAVE AT YOUR HOME.
IT'S A WEISER THAT WILL, THAT WILL A COMMERCIAL.
WELL, IT IS A COMMERCIAL ONE, A FIREMAN'S GEAR.
I JUST WANTED, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT SURE, SURE.
IT'S, IT'S RATTLE LARGE, RIGHT? UM, IT HANDLES THAT GEAR.
YOU CAN IMAGINE A GEAR EVERY WEEK.
IT'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, A FULL SET, 25 POUNDS.
ONCE YOU WET IT, IT'S GOING BE, YOU KNOW, TUMBLING RIGHT IN THERE.
THEY ACTUALLY RECOMMEND NOW, INSTEAD OF HAVING TUB AND DRYERS THAT SAID MANNEQUIN, YOU HANG THE GEAR ON BLOW AIR THROUGH IT.
SO, UM, ALSO WITH THAT, UH, WE WOULD, THE COUNTY, WE PURCHASED THE GEAR, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, THE GEAR WASHER, UH, THE COUNTY.
WELL, SO WOULD TELL YOU THE INVOICE, UH, THE FIRE STATION WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOOKUP.
SO WHETHER IT BE, THIS IS BASICALLY ONE 10 OPERATION LOOKS UP TO THE SAME THING YOU USE IN YOUR, YOUR HOME A THE DRAIN LINE.
WE WILL GO THROUGH A PROCUREMENT PROCESS, PURCHASED EQUIPMENT.
UH, THE EQUIPMENT WILL BE ARRIVE IN, IN THE COUNTY.
WE'D HOLD IT UP TO SIX MONTHS.
SO THE ENSURE THEY GOT THEIR, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, THE INSTALLATION READY AND WE WOULD DELIVER IT.
ANOTHER ITEM IN THERE WAS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE FIRE COMMISSION, UH, ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT IF YOU, UH, THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT COMPLIANT WITH YOUR FUNDING AGREEMENT, THEN THAT STAGE IT WOULD NOT RECEIVE ANY OF THIS EQUIPMENT.
SO I BELIEVE FROM THERE, I BELIEVE MR. MASON WANTS TO, UNLESS YOU HAVE SOME QUESTION ABOUT THE PROGRAM, I BELIEVE MR. MASON WANTS TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT FUNDING.
DO I KNOW YOU WANT TALK TO HIM ABOUT SOME FUN? DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE FUNDING BEFORE THEY ASK QUESTIONS? OR MAYBE YOU YEAH, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL LET Y'ALL SPEAK.
COME ON, MR. YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
SO, UM, DIRECTOR P'S CORRECT, YOU, YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET THE ACTUAL MOTION, UM, RECOMMENDING, UH, THIS PROGRAM FROM THE FIRE COMMISSION THAT'S, THAT'S WAS INCLUDED AS PART OF YOUR AGENDA.
UM, THE, THE MOTION, UM, THE, THE ACTUAL RECOMMENDATION FROM THE FIRE COMMISSION HAD A NUMBER OF POINTS.
UM, THERE WAS A POINT NUMBER SEVEN THAT SAID ANY VOLUNTEER FIRE STATION NOT COMPLIANT WITH AKIMA COUNTY FUNDING AGREEMENT PAPERWORK WE'RE VOID ANY PURCHASE ITEMS. SO, GETTING INTO WHAT SEAWAY WAS SAYING, THAT PIECE WAS INCLUDED IN THERE.
UM, I FIND MYSELF, UM, IN A STRANGE SITUATION WHERE I'M PROPOSING SOMETHING THAT'S MORE LIBERAL.
UM, THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MYSELF, RECOMMENDS THE BOARD ACCEPT THE FIRE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION, RECOMMENDATION, AUTHORIZE THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR TO BEGIN THE SUGGESTED PROGRAM WITH THE EXCEPTION, UH, PARAMETER SEVEN.
THE REASON MOST OF THE VOLUNTEER FOR IRON RESCUE COMPANIES ARE NOT COMPLIANT WITH ACK COUNTY'S FUNDING AGREEMENT IS BECAUSE, AS RA SAID, THEY'RE NOT COMPLIANT WITH, UH, COUNTY POLICY FP 1200, WHICH IS, UH, KNOWN AS THE AUDIT POLICY.
BUT IT, IT IS A POLICY THAT APPLIES TO ALL ORGANIZATIONS WHO RECEIVE, UM, FUNDING FROM MACK COUNTY FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS IN EXCESS OF A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
UM, UH, AGAIN, THIS POLICY PERTAINS SOLELY TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND I EMPHASIZE THOSE WORDS FROM THE COUNTY.
THE SUGGESTED PPE WASHER AND DRYER PROGRAM THAT MR. PRUITT, UM, BROUGHT FORTH, DOES NOT INVOLVE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER THIS PROGRAM.
THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY IS BUYING THE EQUIPMENT AND DELIVERING IT TO EACH STATION FOR THE INSTALLATION AND PAYMENT OF, OF THAT EQUIPMENT DIRECTLY.
UM, FOR THIS REASON, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BELIEVES THAT THE PPE PROGRAM SHOULD BE OPEN TO ALL VOLUNTEER COMPANIES ALLOWING ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES, AND I, I WANNA COME BACK TO THAT COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS UTILIZE THIS IMPORTANT EQUIPMENT.
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS EQUIPMENT THAT IS BASICALLY WASHING CONTAMINANTS THAT ARE KNOWN TO CAUSE CANCER, IF NOT PROPERLY TREATED.
UM, SO, SO, UM, AGAIN, THIS EQUIPMENT NOT ONLY BENEFITS VOLUNTEERS ALSO BENEFITS COUNTY STAFF BECAUSE OUT OF ALL OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE AND RESCUE STATIONS, THERE ARE FOUR RIGHT NOW THAT DON'T MEET THE COUNTY'S, UM, UH, THE SHORE NAME, THE AUDIT POLICY.
UM, TWO OF THOSE STATIONS ACTUALLY HOUSE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
THEY'RE LOCATIONS THAT WE STAFF.
AND SO NOT HAVING THAT EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD, WOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A, A HARDSHIP ON, ON THAT GROUP BECAUSE
[01:00:01]
THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIND, UH, ANOTHER STATION TO, TO TAKE CARE OF THAT EQUIPMENT AND HAVE IT PROPERLY HANDLED.SO FOR THOSE REASONS, UM, IT WAS MY RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD, AGAIN, ACCEPT THE FIRE, UH, COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PARAMETER SEVEN AND ALLOWING ALL STATIONS TO HAVE THE EQUIPMENT IF THEY DESIRE IT.
OKAY, MR. TYLER, ON NUMBER SEVEN ON THE CHAIRMAN'S LETTER, ANY VOLUNTEER FIRE STATIONS NOT COMPLIANT WITH OUN COUNTY FUNDING AGREEMENT PAPERWORK WILL VOID ANY PURCHASE ITEM.
SO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BAR COMMISSION SAYS THAT, AND YOU, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE TRUMPING HIM.
I MEAN, I'M, I'M ASKING THAT YOU, YOU ASKED US TO TRUMP HIM.
YEAH, HE DOESN'T LOSE ANYTHING.
AND IN FACT, UM, HE WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, MORE COMPANIES GAIN ACCESS TO THIS EQUIPMENT.
IF YOU FOLLOW MY RECOMMENDATION.
UH, I WASN'T PRESENT AT THAT FIRE COMMISSION.
I REPRESENT THE BOARD AND FIRE COMMISSION.
I, UH, WAS NOT FEELING VERY WELL THAT, UH, THAT NIGHT, AND THEY WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED ME AT THAT MEETING, UH, WITH THE CONDITION I WAS IN.
UH, I'LL GO BACK TO THE, UH, FIRST THE AUDIT, THE AUDIT POLICY.
I WAS A VERY STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE AUDIT POLICY AND I STILL AM VERY, VERY STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE AUDIT POLICY.
AND I'M A VERY, UH, I LOOK AT A, AT A POLICY, I LOOK AT A WRITTEN POLICY AND WHAT IT GOVERNS.
THE AUDIT POLICY DOESN'T GOVERN EQUIPMENT THAT IS PAID FOR BY THE COUNTY AND DISTRIBUTED TO THE COUNTY.
IN THIS CASE, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE EQUIPMENT BEING DISTRIBUTED, NOT MONEY.
SO I DON'T THINK THE, THE AUDIT POLICY, UH, WOULD, WOULD APPLY.
AND SECONDLY, WOULD WE NOT PUT OURSELVES IN A LIABILITY SITUATION? YES.
IF WE GONNA SIGN THESE WEERS AND DRYERS TO SOME STATIONS AND A COUPLE STATIONS WHERE WE HAVE STAFF THERE, SUPPOSE SOMEBODY AT THAT STAFF DEVELOPED CANCER.
AND, UH, AND, AND I AGREE WITH MR. MASON'S, UM, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FIRE COMMISSION EXCEPT FOR, UH, ITEM SEVEN.
SECOND THAT WE GO WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FIRE COMMISSION, EXCEPT FOR, UH, IT'D BE NUMBER SEVEN.
AND THAT WE WILL, UH, UH, THIS, THAT IT'D BE OPEN TO ALL FIRE COMPANIES? YES, MA'AM.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? OKAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED MADAM CHAIRMAN.
YES, MR. SINCE, UH, CRAY IS STILL HERE, I JUST WANT TO LET THE BOARD KNOW.
UM, ON BEHALF OF MIKE C. RAY AND MYSELF, WE'RE MONITORING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE SNOW STORM AND EVERYTHING.
AND IF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, IF THE STATE DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY, WE'RE GONNA DO THE SAME THING.
SO WE JUST WANT THE BOARD TO KNOW, BUT I'LL BE, I'LL BE CONTACTING YOU ALL THROUGH TEXT OR WHATEVER, BUT THAT'S OUR PLAN.
IF THE STATE DOES IT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE AWARE WE'VE ALREADY DONE IT.
UH, WE'RE DOWN TO 12 FOUR, DISCUSS SCHEDULE FOR MAILING THE 2026 REASSESSMENT NOTICES AND RECEIVE RESULTS OF ANALYSIS OF COUNTY PROPERTY SALES FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2024 AND 25.
THIS IS JUST AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM, NOT ASKING FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER ANY ACTION HERE.
UM, BUT IT'S THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, REASSESSMENT NOTE IS, REASSESSMENT NOTICES IS RIGHT BECAUSE WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE GETTING READY TO HIT THE STREET HERE SOON.
SO, JUST TO RECAP OF, OF WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO HERE, UM, SECTION 82 96 OF AKIMA COUNTY CODE REQUIRES REASSESSMENT OF ALL REAL ESTATE IN THE COUNTY BI ANNUALLY.
AND 2026 IS A PROPERTY REASSESSMENT YEAR.
UM, AND, AND WE DO THIS, UM, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, BUT WE HAVE SOME MANDATES WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH WHEN IT COMES TO REASSESSMENTS.
WE HAD THE CONSTITUTION OF VIRGINIA ARTICLE 10, SECTION TWO THAT MANDATES OUR ASSESSMENTS HAVE TO BE AT FAIR MARKET VALUE.
AND THE CODE VIRGINIA SECTION 58.1 DASH 32 0 1, WHICH SAYS REASSESSMENTS SHALL BE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT FAIR MARKET VALUE WITH CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS, WHICH GENERALLY APPLY TO PUBLIC S SERVICE CORPORATIONS.
BUT, UM, THE, THE KEY POINT HERE IS REASSESSMENT.
NOTICE THAT EXPECTED TO BE MAILED TO PROPERTY PROPERTY OWNERS AROUND FEBRUARY 1ST.
UM, THAT COULD VARY A FEW DAYS, BUT THAT'S, UH, ABOUT THE TIME WE EXPECT THE NOTICE TO START HITTING, UM, UH, THE MAIL, HITTING THE MAIL.
SO, A A COUPLE MORE THINGS JUST ABOUT THIS YEAR'S ASSESSMENTS, THE ACTUAL CHANGE IN TOTAL ASSESSED VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY FROM THE PRIOR CALENDAR YEAR, EXCLUDING NEW CONSTRUCTION IMPROVEMENTS TO PROPERTY STILL
[01:05:01]
BEING FINALIZED.I WROTE THIS, UM, ACTUALLY THIS MORNING, AND SINCE THEN I'VE GOT, UM, AN ESTIMATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENT OF EXACTLY WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY EXPECT, UM, THE ASSESSMENT CHANGE TO BE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
AND I, I DON'T WANT TO YOU TO LOCK THIS IN 'CAUSE IT'S PROBABLY GONNA CHANGE A LITTLE BIT AS WE CONTINUE TO FINE TUNE THE DATA.
UM, SO THE WHOLE THING SHOULD BE AVAILABLE BEFORE NEXT REGULAR MEETING.
BUT I'M, I ABLE TO GIVE YOU THAT, THAT NUMBER TONIGHT, WHICH IS SEVEN 17.3%, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY SIGNIFICANT.
SO LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHY THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING.
UM, NUMBER ONE, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE INFORMATION THAT YOU JUST RECEIVED ABOUT THE REASSESSMENT, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENT ALSO CONDUCTS, UM, A PROPERTY SALES STUDY.
AND THAT PROPERTY SALES STUDY, UM, SPAN, UH, TWO, ALMOST TWO YEARS OF 2024 IN THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF 2025.
AND WHAT THAT SALES STUDY LOOKS AT, IT LOOKS AT THE SELLING PRICE OF AN ARM'S LENGTH TRANSACTION AS COMPARED TO WHAT THE TAXABLE VALUE ON THE BOOKS WAS.
AND, UM, UH, THE STAFF LOOKED AT, UH, THE, THE STUDY ENCOMPASSED 1,714 TRANSACTIONS DURING THAT PERIOD.
AND, UH, WHAT IT YIELDED WAS THAT ON AVERAGE, UH, PROPERTIES WERE SELLING AT 21% OVER THEIR TAXABLE VALUE, WHICH SAYS THAT OUR VALUES ARE, ARE SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER FAIR MARKET VALUE.
AND I THINK, UM, SEEING THAT THE 17.3% KIND OF CONFIRMS THAT.
UM, BUT, UM, THE ONCE, ONCE THE ASSESSMENT NOTICES ARE MAILED, UM, THEY CERTAINLY WILL PROVIDE PROPERTY AREAS WITH THE CHANGE IN PROPERTY VALUE AND EXPLAIN ABOUT, UH, HOW YOU CAN, UM, GO ABOUT APPEALING SUCH AN ASSESSMENT IF, IF THAT'S YOUR DESIRE.
UH, ONE THING THAT'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT FROM THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS A COUPLE YEARS AGO IS THE NOTICE YOU ALSO NOW, AND THIS IS A NEW CODE OF REQUIREMENT THAT CAME INTO PLAY IN 2024, BUT THE NOTICE YOU ALSO SET FORTH THE TAX RATE THAT WOULD LEVY THE SAME AMOUNT OF REAL ESTATE TAXES AS THE PREVIOUS YEAR WHEN MULTIPLIED BY THE NEW ASSESSED VALUE.
UM, SO WE, WE TYPICALLY WORK WITH THAT, THAT RATE, BUT WE HISTORICALLY HAVE NOT HAD AT LEAST MANDATED TO PUT IT IN THE REASSESSMENT NOTICE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A BIT DIFFERENT FOR THIS YEAR.
AND OF COURSE, AND THE BOARD KNOWS WHAT, UH, WE COMMONLY REFER TO AS 101% RULE.
IF NEW PROPERTY VALUES WILL PRODUCE, UM, MORE THAN 101% OF THE PRIOR YEAR TAX LEVY, THEN THE BOARD AND THE BOARD DOES NOT LOWER THE RATE TO OFFSET THIS INCREASE IN THEIR SPECIAL NOTICE REQUIRED.
UM, WHICH GENERALLY ADVERTISES, UM, THAT AS A TAX INCREASE.
BUT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE HISTORICALLY, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS LOWERED THE COUNTY'S REAL ESTATE TAX RATES SUBSTANTIALLY IN ORDER TO OFFSET MUCH, IF NOT ALL, OF THE INCREASE IN THE TAX LEVY THAT WOULD OTHERWISE OCCUR.
AND I EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR.
SO A AGAIN, USUALLY HOW THIS WORKS IS YOU HAVE A LAR WHEN WE HAVE, UM, ASSESSMENT CHANGES, UH, POSSIBLY IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, THE BOARD ACTS TO SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE THE RATE TO OFFSET IT CHAIR.
MR. THANK YOU, UH, MR. MASON, I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS EXACT NOW, BUT I KNOW YOU HAVE A FEEL AS TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN PUTTING THIS BUDGET TOGETHER.
WHAT'S YOUR, UH, WHAT'S YOUR FEEL? WE'RE NOT GONNA HOLD YOU TO THESE NUMBERS.
IT'S GIVING US SOME, SOME IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE PREPARED FOR, WHAT WE SHOULD PREPARE AS FAR AS THIS IMPACT ON THE RATE? NO, THE, THE BUDGET, UH, IT'S, UM, A, A VERY, UH, IT, WELL, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT.
UM, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT BUDGET.
THE COUNTY'S NOT IMMUNE TO INFLATION.
SOME OF THE SAME COSTS YOU ARE DEALING WITH, YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE DEALING WITH, UH, THE COUNTY IS ALSO DEALING WITH.
UM, SO OUR COSTS ARE GOING UP, BUT YET WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, UH, THE SERVICES, UM, IN MOST CASES, WHICH ARE MANDATED.
WE'RE NOT A COUNTY WHO HAS A LOT OF NON-MANDATED SERVICES.
SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING.
UH, MS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTED A FEW OF THOSE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF MANDATES COMING YOUR WAY AND, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA DRIVE OUR COST UP.
AND SO IT'S, IT, IT, IT'S PROVING TO BE A DIFFICULT BUDGET SO FAR.
AND, AND YOUR FEEL WITH, WITH WHAT MAJOR INCREASES ARE YOU, YOU LOOKING AT REFERENCE? YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, UM, HOSPITALIZATION FOR, UH, UH, LARGE INCREASES IN EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE COST.
UH, AND THAT'S, WE ARE FRANKLY A PRODUCT OF OUR OWN, UM, THAT, THAT INCREASE IS A PRODUCT OF OUR CLAIM HISTORY.
WE, WE HAVE OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS HAD A LOT OF CLAIMS. OUR CLAIM
[01:10:01]
HISTORY IS LARGE AND, AND OUR PREMIUMS ARE GONNA REFLECT THAT WE HAVE, UM, INCREASES IN PAY THAT'S BEING DICTATED BY THE STATE.WE, WE WILL SEE WHAT THEY ACTUALLY COME OUT AT, BUT AT LEAST THE OUTGOING GOVERNOR'S BUDGET REQUIRES, UM, OR AT LEAST CALLS FOR BONUSES.
AND, UH, A 2% PAY INCREASE IN EACH YEAR.
THE, THE BIENNIUM, YOU HAVE, UM, SEVERAL FEDERAL MANDATES THAT ARE KICKING IN AT DSS.
YOU HAVE, UM, INCREASES AND SOME OTHER EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, UM, AND JUST GENERAL INCREASES, UM, IN, IN A LOT OF AREAS.
I MEAN, I COULD GO ON ABOUT SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT AGAIN, THE, THE RE UH, REVENUE IS FAIRLY FLAT.
UH, I WOULD RATHER TO GRADUALLY FIND THIS OUT THAN TO FUND IT ALL AT ONE TIME.
UH, CAN YOU GIVE US A BALLPARK FIGURE AS FAR AS THE, THE AMOUNT OF, UH, REVENUE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO WORK WITH ABOVE WHAT WE, UH, WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE, BUT STRICTLY BALLPARK? SO I'M PREPARED TO OFFER, UH, OFFER SOME SURFACE REDUCTIONS AND SOME OTHER NON-PROPERTY TAX REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS.
SO IT'S KIND OF HARD TO, TO SAY THAT.
UM, WITH, WITH, WITH SOME OF THOSE INCREASES, YOU WOULD BE LOOKING AT, UM, ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS, ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING THAT COULD GO OUTSIDE THE AKIMA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT'S ABOUT 1,000,006 WITH THEM INCLUDED, BUT THEY BY PERCENTAGE, UM, RECEIVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF OUR REVENUE GROWTH, 53% I THINK IT IS.
AND SO THEY'RE, THE WAY IT'S, AGAIN, THIS IS ALL VERY TENTATIVE, UM, THEY WOULD HAVE A ALLOCATION, BUT ADDITIONAL $600,000 LEADING THE COUNTY, UM, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF A MILLION.
BUT TO GIVE YOU A SORT OF AN IDEA OF SOME OF THE COSTS, I'M TALKING ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE INCREASES WE'RE LOOKING AT AT, AT IN HEALTH INSURANCE AND TRYING, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA PROPOSE SOME ALTERNATIVES TO THAT, UM, ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF OVER $400,000 BY THEMSELVES.
UM, 2% COST OF LIVING AND, AND BONUSES.
THERE'S PROBABLY ANOTHER THREE TO 400,000.
NOW, MIND YOU, WE ONLY HAVE $1 MILLION TO DO THIS WITH AND 1 MILLION.
SO IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO SORT OF, UM, UTILIZE ALL THE, THE REVENUE GROWTH, WHICH IS WHY THIS BUDGET IS, IS, IS A CHALLENGE THIS YEAR.
SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK, I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR THE, WELL, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T HOLD ANY OF THIS AGAINST ME,
I HOPE YOU COME BACK SPEAKING THE MICROPHONE.
I HOPE YOU COME BACK AND THE NUMBERS ARE MUCH HIGHER.
UM, MR. THE GEORGE, I I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
MY ONE QUESTION WAS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT WHEN WE RAISE THE ASSESSMENT TO THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF BY RAISING IT 21% OR WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS ESSENTIALLY TO COUNTER SET THAT WE REDUCE THE MILL RATE HISTORICALLY.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S
SO HISTORICALLY, THIS BOARD HAS, HAS REDUCED IT DOWN, UM, TO THE 101%.
THERE HAVE BEEN OCCASIONS WHERE YOU HAVE LEFT A FEW EXTRA PENNIES TO FUND SOME NEW PROGRAMS, BUT, BUT THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.
SECOND QUESTION IS, THIS IS AN OFF THE WALL QUESTION.
HAVE WE EVER ANALYZED THE 53% THAT WE GIVE THE SCHOOL BOARD? IS THAT ENOUGH? IS THAT TOO MUCH? DO WE HAVE ANY FEELING ON THAT? UH, SO I, I WOULD, THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR A, FOR YEARS, FOR YEARS, A YEAR.
BUT IS THAT, AND, AND SOME OF THE BEAUTY OF IT, LET ME TALK ABOUT THINGS IT DOES DO.
ONE IS IT DOES, UM, TAKE SOME OF THE POLITICS OUT AND IT SHARES REVENUE BASED ON, ON THIS PERCENTAGE.
UM, THE, THE SCHOOLS HA HAVE CERTAINLY BENEFITED AND THE SCHOOLS, UM, HAVE, UH, QUITE A BIT OF UNSPENT MONEY AVAILABLE TO THEM FROM PRIOR YEARS THAT THEY HAVE NOT SPENT.
UM, BUT, UH, BUT IT, IT, IT HAS, UM, ACCOMPLISHED A NUMBER OF GOALS, UM, THAT WERE ESTABLISHED WHEN IT WAS CREATED.
AND IT IS VERY SIMILAR TO OTHER FUNDING AGREEMENTS THAT I HAVE SEEN IN OTHER LOCALITIES ACROSS THE STATE.
SO BASICALLY THEY HAVE EXCESS MONEY COMING IN EVERY YEAR
[01:15:01]
THAT THEY PUT ASIDE, BUT THAT ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL, THEIR ENDEAVORS.IT HAS BEEN CERTAINLY COVERING THEIR COST OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND ALLOWED THEM TO ACCUMULATE SOME EXTRA FUNDS, WHICH THEY'RE TRYING TO SPEND DOWN RIGHT NOW ON THINGS LIKE A $10 MILLION PROJECT AT AKAMAI PRIMARY OR SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'RE SEEING WITH GYMNASIUMS AND THINGS.
SO THERE, THERE ARE SOME, UH, LARGE PLANS ON THE HORIZON FOR USES OF A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THOSE FUNDS.
I JUST, I WANNA GO TO MY CONSTITUENTS AND HEY, WE'RE GONNA RAISE YOUR TAXES EVEN BY 1%.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE GOOD FAITH THAT THE MONEY THAT WE ARE SPENDING NOW IS BEING SPENT.
WELL, YOU CAN CERTAINLY SAY FOR, FOR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE AND OTHER LOW TAX, OTHER LOCAL TAXES, THE REVENUE GROWTH THAT THE COUNTY'S RECEIVING, THE MAJORITY IS GOING TOWARDS ACK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
'CAUSE 52%, THAT'S THE MAJORITY.
THAT'S MAKE SURE OUR MONEY'S BEING SPENT.
I MEAN, THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE ON IT.
SOME OTHER FOLKS MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT ONE, BUT I I ALWAYS B YOUR WISDOM.
THERE WAS AN INFORMATIONAL 12 FIVE REPORT ON PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR AQUA CULTURE AS REQUESTED BY SUPERVISOR TAR.
A MOTION WAS MADE THOUGHT IT WAS OFF.
UH, PREVIOUSLY NOTHING ABOUT SPAM, ANYTHING.
A MOTION WAS MADE PREVIOUSLY BY THE BOARD TO HAVE STAFF LOOK AT AND SEE, UH, ABOUT ADDING AQUACULTURAL AQUACULTURE, WHETHER IT WOULD QUALIFY FOR TAX OR RELIEF FOR THE LAND USE ASSESSMENT IN LOOKING AT, UM, A LOT OF DOCUMENTS, OH, I CAN JUST TURN THIS ONE ON IT.
THIS ONE, BRENT, IF I WAS UP THERE, I'LL BE DOING THE SAME THING.
SO DON'T
IN LOOKING AT THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AQUACULTURE IS REALLY CONSIDERED A TYPE OF AGRICULTURAL USE.
AND PRIOR TO THE ASSESSMENT OF ANY PARCEL OF REAL ESTATE UNDER ORDINANCE ADOPTED, PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE, THE LOCAL ASSESSING OFFICER SHALL DETERMINE FURTHER THAT REAL ESTATE DEVOTED SOLELY TO AGRICULTURAL OR HORTICULTURAL USE CONSISTS OF A MINIMUM OF FIVE ACRES EXCEPT FOR REAL ESTATE USE FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES.
FOR PURPOSES OF ENGAGING IN AGRICUL IS DEFINED IN VIRGINIA CODE SECTION OR STATE CODE SECTION, OR FOR PURPOSES OF RAISING SPECIALTY CROPS, IS DEFINED IN LOCAL ORDINANCE.
THE GOVERNING BODY MADE BY ORDINANCE PRESCRIBED THAT THESE USES CONSIST OF A MINIMUM OF LESS THAN FIVE ACRES.
IF YOU WERE LOOKING AT, UM, JUST AGRICULTURE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST FIVE ACRES IN AC, AC, AGRICULTURAL, AGRICULTURAL, UH, USE.
AND THAT SAME NUMBER OF ACRES APPLIES TO AGRICULTURE.
UM, SO THE ONLY, YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE FIVE ACRES OR MORE TO QUALIFY FOR THAT.
HOWEVER, THE BOARD DOES HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF IN THAT HAND OR ORDINANCE THAT COULD CHANGE THAT AMOUNT OF ACREAGE.
UM, SO SECTION 58.13236 PROVIDES THAT THE ASSESSOR MAY USE HIS PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE, JUDGMENT AND EXPERIENCE AS TO THE VALUE OF REAL ESTATE IN AGRICULTURAL USE, AND MAY CONSIDER AVAILABLE EVIDENCE AS WELL AS THE RECOMMENDATIONS PREPARED BY THE STATE LAND EVALUATION ADVISORY COUNCIL.
THE ASSESSOR CAN ALSO CONSULT WITH EXPERTS AND OTHER LOCALITIES THAT PROVIDE FOR SPECIAL LAND USE ASSESSMENTS FOR LAND DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE USE.
[01:20:01]
ADVISORY COUNCIL DOES NOT, DOES NOT PROVIDE VALUE SPECIFICALLY FOR AGRICULTURE, BUT HAS PRODUCED THE ATTACHED WORKSHEET, WHICH I FAILED TO GIVE EACH ONE OF YOU, UM, FOR ESTIMATING USE VALUE OF AGRICULTURAL LAND IN ACK COUNTY.AND WHAT THAT IS, IF YOU, WITH YOUR APPROVAL, THIS WOULD BE THE DOCUMENTS THANK YOU THAT THEY'RE REFERRING TO.
SO THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE THERE SHOW SLI I VALUES STATE LAND EVALUATION.
UH, AND THEY, WHAT IS ON THERE JUST APPLIES TO, UH, ACTUAL AGRICULTURAL VALUES, BUT, UM, THAT IS MARKET VALUE.
WHERE LAND VALUATION BASED ON, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT AGRICULTURAL PARCELS BASED ON MARKET VALUE, WE WOULD BE BASED ON THE INCOME APPROACH TO VALUE AN ESTIMATE OF THE REVENUE, IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL PARCEL VALUE COMPARED TO MARKET VALUE REQUIRE RESEARCH AND REVIEW.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW MANY AQUACULTURAL PARCELS THERE ARE IN AKIMA COUNTY.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST, FIRST THING WE HAVE TO FIND OUT.
AND THIS INITIATIVE WILL BE PLACED ON THE LIST OF NEW INITIATIVES THE BOARD SUPERVISOR WILL CONSIDER AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN CURRENTLY DO, BUT WE WILL START ON IT.
SO, SO BRENT, SO, SO WE CAN DO IT.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT CAN BE DONE, BUT IT WOULD YOU, YOU'VE GOT, IT'D BE PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
YOU NEED TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE.
UH, MR. TALL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, SO YOU'VE GOTTA INVESTIGATE EACH ONE THAT'S SAYING THEY'RE DOING AQUACULTURE TO SEE IF THEY QUALIFY.
BUT REALLY, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY THAT WE HAVE AQUACULTURAL LAND USE VALUE ON CURRENTLY.
I MEAN, THE MAIN THING, UH, FOR US IS AGRICULTURAL ITSELF, YOU KNOW, AND MM-HMM
THOSE SHEETS SHOW, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE VALUES THAT WE WOULD'VE USED, BUT THOSE MAINLY AGRICULTURE'S MAINLY BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THE TYPE OF SOILS THAT A PROPERTY HAS.
AGRICULTURAL OR EXCUSE AGRICULTURAL, EXCUSE ME, HOLD ON.
YES, BECAUSE AQUACULTURE, SOME OF IT'S GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY WETLANDS.
AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE GROWING, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY HAVE STRUCTURES THERE WHERE THE INITIAL START OF THE CLAMS OYSTERS, THAT SORT OF, UH, OKAY.
WOULD, WOULD BE IN THAT AS OPPOSED TO GOT A QUESTION.
AGRICULTURE ALSO TO QUALIFY HAS TO HAVE FIVE ACRES.
GO AHEAD, MR. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
SO, SO BRENT, YEAH, I GUESS WHERE I'M LOST, IS THERE A CLEAR DEFINITION OF WHAT AN AQUACULTURE, UH, OR, UH, THEY USAGE IS, THEY JUST CONSIDER IT, UM, ON THERE AS, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER FORM OF AGRICULTURE.
IT'S, SO WOULD CRAB FLOATS BE AQUACULTURE, IS WHAT I WAS THINKING? POTENTIALLY, YEAH.
WELL, I, I LEARNED, YOU KNOW, THIS MINE IS SIMILAR TO WHAT MR. PARKS WAS SAYING THAT I WAS THINKING OF CRAB MAKING FOR SOFT CRABS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THE WATERMAN DO.
BUT HOW ARE THEY ASSESSED NOW? ARE THEY ASSESSED AS AGRICULTURE? ARE THEY ASSESSED JUST AS REGULAR PROPERTY? HOW ARE THEY ASSESSED NOW? WELL, THEY, THEY'RE
[01:25:01]
ASSESSED NOW AS, UH, SOME TYPE OF BY MARKET VALUE IS.BUT IS THAT, SO THERE'S NO, IT'S NOT, NO.
FOR US, WE, IT'S NOT BY AGRICULTURE, BUT, AND THEY CONSIDER CRABS AND LANS AND OYSTERS, AGRICULTURE, AQUACULTURE.
THAT'S WHAT NO, IT'S AQUACULTURE.
BUT THEY, I'M SAYING THAT'S WHAT THEY CONSIDERED THEY HAVE IN YEAH.
AQUACULTURE HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO AGRICULTURE, OR AGRICULTURE IS INCLUDING AGRICULTURE AGRICUL.
SO LIKE, JUST GOING WAY UP TO, UH, THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY HERE IS, THIS IS ANOTHER FORM OF, UH, TAX RELIEF.
I MEAN, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN THE, THE BOARD ESTABLISHED A LAND USE PROGRAM YEARS AGO WHEN THE LAND USE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED BY ORDINANCE HAS A NUMBER OF SPECIFIC THINGS THAT REQUIREMENTS.
UM, BUT ONCE YOU MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS, IT REALLY COMES DOWN.
THERE IS A GROUP CALLED THE STATE AND LOCAL, UH, IT'S, I CALL IT SAC, WHICH IS AN ACRONYM.
BUT STATE LAND EVALUATION ADVISORY COUNCIL,
AND EVERY YEAR THIS GROUP COMES OUT WITH TABLES THAT SAYS AGRICULTURE AND FORESTAL LANDS ARE VALUED ACCORDING TO THESE USE VALUES BY ACRE, DEPENDING ON AMONG OTHER THINGS, SOIL TYPE.
AND BRENT TAKES THAT IF YOU QUALIFY FOR LAND USE, HE DOES THE MATH.
GENERALLY IT'S BELOW FAIR MARKET VALUE SO THAT HOME, THE PROPERTY OWNER GETS SOME TAX RELIEF.
THAT'S HOW IT WOULD SORT OF WORK IN THIS CASE, EXCEPT NOW WE'RE TALKING AQUACULTURE.
AND, AND THIS HAS BEEN A RELATIVELY RECENT CHANGE TO THE CODE THAT ALLOWS US, UM, I ASKED BRENT TO KIND OF PUT FORTH WHAT THE CODE IS AND THERE'S A LOT OF NUTS AND BOLTS THAT HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO IS PUT A NUMBER ON THIS BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT THE 2027 BUDGET IS STARTING TO SHAPE UP.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'LL BE ON THAT LIST, THAT LONG LIST OF THINGS, UM, PROGRAMS, INITIATIVES, AND EVERYTHING FOR THE BOARD CONSIDER, BUT IT WILL CARRY A COST.
AND IF THE BOARD WANTS TO IMPLEMENT IT, THAT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT IS, IS SUITED FOR YOUR DELIBERATIONS DURING THE BUDGET.
AND, AND OF COURSE THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE, UM, UH, IT, IT WOULDN'T BE IMMEDIATE BECAUSE LIKE WE'RE TALKING VALUES IN HERE, WE'D HAVE TO HAVE A, AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S OUT THERE.
BRENDA'S GIVING YOU SOME OF THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE CODE AND HOW IT READS.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES, UM, TIME FOR YOU TO MAKE BUDGET DECISIONS, IT'LL BE IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU'LL HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN ORDER TO KNOW THE COST.
SO THE NUTS AND BOLTS WILL BE TOGETHER FOR THE 27.
WE'RE GONNA, IF, IF IF WE ONLY HAVE ONE BOLT AND ONE WASHER, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING BECAUSE WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S A NEW PROGRAM OR THE RENT, WE CAN TURN ANY, IS THERE ANY OTHER LOCALITY THAT'S HAS ENFORCED THE AQUA AGRICULTURAL? UH, I, THERE ARE OTHERS, OTHER COUNTIES THAT DO HAVE AQUA AGRICULTURE.
AND, UM, YEAH, AND AS A QUICK QUESTION, YOU KNOW, AS STATED, SOME HAVE MADE IT, YOU KNOW, CHANGED IT FROM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE FIVE ACRES BY ORDINANCES.
UM, MR. PARKS, JUST ONE LAST QUESTION, I HOPE.
UM, BUT OYSTER GROUNDS ARE CURRENTLY TAXED? YES.
A LOT OF THE OYSTER GRINDS ARE REALLY LEASES RIGHT FROM THE STATE, AND THAT'S, UH, CAN'T TAX.
I'M SCRATCHING MY HEAD NOW AND NOT THAT I'M ADVOCATING FOR ANY OF OUR WATERMEN I ATTACHED TO OYSTERS.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT, BUT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
WELL, FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING WE LOOKED AT WHEN IT WAS AGRICULTURE WAS CROP PRODUCTION AND, YOU KNOW, DEPENDENT UPON THOSE EIGHT SOIL PLACE CLASSES.
AND, BUT NOW THAT THEY'VE MADE AGRICULTURE THEY'S SEPARATE, YOU HAVE AQUA AGRICULTURAL FARM AND YOU HAVE AN AGRICULTURAL FARM, BUT, OR TIDE AND CHAIR.
YOU WANT, YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? GO AHEAD, MS. BLACKETT, MAYBE YOU WON'T HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL MAYBE WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU CONTACT THESE OTHER LOCALES.
WHEN WE STARTED ALL THIS OFF, IF MY MEMORY WAS RIGHT, WE WERE REALLY LOOKING TO PRODUCE THE SIZE FROM FIVE ACRES OF ONE ACRES FOR ONE YEAR.
SO DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACTUALLY DO THAT? THAT'S GONNA BE IN THE BUDGET.
[01:30:01]
IN THE BUDGET.WE COULD DO IT BUDGET DELIBERATION.
THAT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT NOW.
JUST GIVE, GIVE US A BRIEF TOWEL.
JUST ONE FINAL THING, ONE FINAL THING.
I TRIED, JUST A SUGGESTION TO YOU.
CONTACT, UH, VACO, UM, WHERE THIS IS LEGISLATION.
VACO MIGHT HAVE A LISTING OF ALL THE CA LOCALITIES THAT HAVE THIS AND WHERE IT'S, WHERE IT'S BEING WORKED, AND ALSO MODEL MM-HMM
THEY MIGHT HAVE MODEL, UM, ORDINANCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I WOULD JUST SAY YOU CONTACT VACO AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN, THEY'LL PROBABLY HELP YOU FIND IT.
THANK YOU, BRETT, BEFORE WE THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE,
NO, I'M, THAT'S GONNA BE IT FOR TONIGHT ON THAT 12 SIX, GOING TO 12 SIX ON OUR AMENDED AGENDA, CONSIDER RESOLUTION EXPRESSED IN AKRON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OPPOSITION TO INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF INJECTION WELLS ON EASTERN SHORE.
UM, THIS 12 SIX IS THE AMENDMENT THAT I WAS REFERENCING EARLY ON IN THE AGENDA WAS AN AD AFTER THE AGENDA WENT LIVE.
UM, BUT THE, UH, AGENDA ITEM IS, IS JUST AS MADAM CHAIR JUST READ IT, IT IS CONSIDERED A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE COUNTY'S OPPOSITION TO INSTALLATION OPERATION OF THE INJECTION WELLS ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
UM, YOUR COUNTY ATTORNEY DRAFTED THIS, UM, AND, UH, WE PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA AFTER CONTACTING THE CHAIR.
AND JUST TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR WITH WHAT THE RESOLUTION SAYS, I'M PREPARED TO READ THAT RESOLUTION INTO THE RECORD AND I'LL, IT'S, IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO DO IT, I, I I WON'T, BUT I, IT WOULD, I UNDER ADVISEMENT, I THINK IT SHOULD, MA'AM.
CHAIRMAN, DO YOU WANT IT READ OR DO YOU WANT A MOTION AND THEN LET HIM READ IT.
I THINK I SHOULD READ, I THINK WE NEED DELETE IT.
SO THE, THE, THE TITLE HERE IS A RESOLUTION EXPRESS IN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OPPOSITION TO THE INSTALLATION OPERATION OF INJECTION WELLS ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA FOR PURPOSES OF INJECTING WASTE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION AND JUST INDUSTRIAL WASTE, ORGANIC WASTE, HAZARDOUS WASTE, ANIMAL WASTE, AND POULTRY LITTER, AND OTHER MATERIALS THAT CA COULD ADVERSELY IMPACT WATER QUALITY INTO THE GROUNDWATER.
UM, SO WHEN, WHEN I READ THIS, I'LL OMIT ANY LIKE, SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO THE VIRGINIA CODE SECTION AND FOR PURPOSES OF GETTING THROUGH HERE OR ADMINISTRATIVE CODE.
UM, AND THIS IS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO, UM, UH, RESOLUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED, UM, BY NORTH HAMPTON COUNTY AS WELL AS RECENTLY BY THE EASTERN SHORE GROUNDWATER, UM, COMMITTEE, UM, WHICH JUST DID A SIMILAR MOTION, UM, JUST THE OTHER DAY.
SO, UH, WHEREAS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF AKIMA COUNTY HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF AN APPLICATION PENDING WITH THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY FOR MULTIPLE CLASS V BIO SLURRY INJECTION WELLS IN ACK COUNTY, BY WHICH THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO INJECT ORGANIC WASTE CONSISTING OF ANIMAL WASTE AND POULTRY LITTLE LITTER AND POSSIBLY PAPER SLUDGE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER INTO THE GROUND.
AND WHEREAS THE COUNTIES OF MACK AND NORTH HAMPTON RELY EXCLUSIVELY ON GROUNDWATER, INCLUDING THE YORKTOWN EAST OVER AQUIFER SYSTEM FOR THEIR DRINKING WATER SUPPLY, AND HAVE A COMPELLING GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST IN PROTECTING, PRESERVING, AND ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF ALL GROUND WATER LINED BETWEEN THE LAND SURFACE AND THE BASEMENT ROCK.
WHEREAS THE YORKTOWN EAST OVER AQUIFER SYSTEM HAS BEEN DESIGNATED BY THE EPA AS A SOLE SOURCE AQUIFER, WHICH MEANS THAT IT SERVES AS A PRINCIPLE SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER FOR A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION THAT HAS NO REASONABLY AVAILABLE SURFACE DRINKING WATER SOURCE.
AND WHEREAS GROUNDWATER QUALITY IS OF SUCH CRITICAL IMPORTANCE ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA, THAT ON APRIL 17TH, 2002, THE AKIMA AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTY ESTABLISHED THE EASTERN SHORE GROUNDWATER COMMITTEE TO ASSIST IN UNDERSTANDING, PROTECTING AND MANAGING GROUNDWATER RESOURCES.
AND WHEREAS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMONWEALTH, VIRGINIA ALSO RECOGNIZES THE ESSENTIAL PUBLIC NEED TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE QUANT QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF GROUNDWATER, AND HAS ACCORDINGLY ENACTED THE STATE WATER CONTROL ACT AND THE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT, WHICH REC, WHICH RECOGNIZE, WHICH INCLUDES RECOGNITION OF THE EASTERN SHORE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT AREA AND AUTHORIZE A PROMULGATION OF STATE REGULATIONS ESTABLISHING GROUNDWATER QUALITY STANDARDS AND REQUIRING A POLLUTION ABATEMENT PERMIT FOR CERTAIN DISCHARGES INTO VIRGINIA WATERS.
GOT A COUPLE MORE PAGES HERE, BUT I'LL JUST KEEP GOING.
WHEREAS PURSUANT TO THESE LAWS AND REGULATIONS TO VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY HAS CONDUCTED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF THE APPLICATION FILED WITH THE EPA AND PROVIDED WRITTEN COMMENTS ANTICIPATING THAT THE CONSTITUENTS OF PROPOSED INJECTED, PARTICULARLY NITROGEN,
[01:35:01]
WILL EXCEED REGULATORY LIMITS AND REQUIRE VARIANCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH VIRGINIA'S ANTI DEGRADATION POLICY FOR GROUNDWATER SET OUT IN ADMINISTRATIVE CODE.WHEREAS DEQ FURTHER EXPRESSED CONCERNS REGARDING THE POSSIBLE WITHDRAWAL OF SALINE WATER SALINE WARRANT FROM DEEP WELLS IN THE EASTERN SHORE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT AREA, WHEREAS THE AKIMA COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE DOES NOT PERMIT INJECTION WELLS SUCH AS THOSE PROPOSED ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY, EITHER AS A PERMITTED USE OR AS A USE ALLOWED BY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT OR SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
AND WHEREAS THE COUNTY'S DISALLOWANCE OF INJECTION WELLS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ZONING AUTHORITY BESTOWED UPON LOCALITIES TO PROTECT SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER.
AND WHEREAS THE COUNTY'S DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, SLASH ZONING ADMINISTRATOR HAS ISSUED AN OFFICIAL OPINION TO THE APPLICANT THAT INJECTION WELLS, DEEP INJECTION WELLS AND SIMILAR TECHNIQUES OF STORING WASTE OR PROCESS PRODUCTS AND SUBTER RATING VOIDS ARE NOT PERMITTED UNDER THE AKIMA COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE.
AND WHEREAS THE APPLICANT HAS APPEALED THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR'S DETERMINATION TO THE AKIMA COUNTY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, WHICH SHALL REVIEW THE DETERMINATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS, ORDINANCES, AND REGULATIONS TO DECIDE WHETHER THE ZONING ADMINISTER ADMINISTRATOR WAS CORRECT, WHEREAS THE BOARD RECOGNIZES FROM THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE ZONING BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS PRO PROCEEDINGS FROM THE BOARD'S LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS AND HAS NO INTENTIONS OF INFLUENCING THE DECISION OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS AND ITS APPLICATION OF THE LAW TO THE FACTS AT HAND, WE'RE GETTING THERE.
WHEREAS SEPARATE AND APART FROM THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS PROCEEDINGS, THE BOARD WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF INJECTION WELLS ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE PURPOSE OF INJECTING WASTE OF ANY TYPE INTO THE GROUNDWATER.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE AKIMA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT THE INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF INJECTION WELLS ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE PURPOSES OF INJECTING WASTE OF ANY TYPE INTO THE GROUNDWATER IS DEEMED CONTRARY TO, TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE.
AND THAT IT POSES A THREAT TO THE QUALITY OF THE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY OF AKIMA COUNTY AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTY AND MAY BE INCONSISTENT WITH VIRGINIA'S ANTI DEGRADATION POLICY AND WATER CONTROL LAWS AND REGULATIONS BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT BASED ON THE COMPELLING GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST IN PROTECTING, PRESERVING, ENHANCING GROUNDWATER QUALITY, THE BOARD WOULD NOT FAVOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE AKIMA COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ALLOW WASTE INJECTION WELLS AS A PERMITTED USE, CONDITIONAL USE FOR SPECIAL USE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT WOULD RESPECT TO THE PENDING APPLICATION TO THE EPA FOR MULTIPLE CLASS FIVE BIO OCI INJECTION WELLS IN AKIMA COUNTY.
THE BOARD HEREBY DIRECTS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND COUNTY ATTORNEY TO TAKE NECESSARY ACTION TO OPPOSE SID APPLICATION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, PROVIDING COMMENTS AND OPPOSITION TO THE A EPA AND TO ANY STATE AGENCY WITH INVOLVEMENT IN THE APPLICATION SUCH AS DEQ AND THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IS DIRECTED TO EXPRESS THE COUNTY'S SUPPORT OF PENDING STATE OR FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT WILL PROHIBIT THE OPERATION OF THE EJECTION WELLS USED TO INJECT WASTE INTO THE GROUNDWATER AND LOCALITY SUCH AS AKIMA COUNTY AND NORTH HAMPTON COUNTY THAT RELY ON SOLE SOURCE AQUIFERS, A SOLE SOURCE, AQUIFER, OR OTHER SINGLE GROUNDWATER SOURCE FOR ITS DRINKING WATER SUPPLY.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS DIRECTED TO SEND A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA, ALL MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY REPRESENTING THE EASTERN SHORE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY NORTH HAMPTON COUNTY AND THE EASTERN SHORE GROUNDWATER COMMITTEE.
WELL, UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH, MR. PARKS, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION WE ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION SINCE I ADDED HIM.
MA'AM, I AIN'T GONNA LET YOU GO FIRST NO MORE.
IT'S, LET THIS THING, UH, MR. HART, YOU OUTTA ORDER.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND THAT WE, UH, GO ON RECORD ACT, MY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISOR WITH THE OPPOSITION TO INSTALL AN OPERATION OF INJECTION WELLS ON EASTERN SHORE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM CHAIR? I GO AHEAD.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A POINT PUBLICLY THAT AND, AND, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE COUNTY STAFF, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND THE BOARD.
WE HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF THIS SINCE DAY ONE BEFORE ANYONE ELSE WAS TALKING ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE MONITORED THIS SITUATION, BEEN AWARE OF IT.
AND, AND, AND I THINK WE ARE BY FAR THE MOST WELL-INFORMED ENTITY THAT'S BEEN DEALING WITH THIS.
UM, AND WE'VE ALLOWED DUE PROCESS TO OCCUR.
IT WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR, BUT THIS BOARD IN THIS COUNTY DESERVE A CREDIT FOR BEING THOROUGH
[01:40:01]
AND, AND ALLOWING SPEECH.AND ALSO YOU GOTTA ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMMUNITY.
THIS HAS BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER MORE THAN ANYTHING I HAVE EVER SEEN.
WE APPRECIATE IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS RESOLUTION PASSING MADAM CHAIRMAN.
NOW CAN I SAY SOMETHING? YES, MA'AM.
I WANT TO COMMEND WHAT HE JUST SAID AND I FORGIVE IT.
WE ARE ON TOP OF THIS AND WE'VE BEEN ON TOP OF IT AT LEAST TWO MONTHS AGO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR LET BE KNOWN BY AYE.
WE ARE DOWN, OUT TO OUR COUNTER ADMINISTRATIVES REPORT.
FOR THE MOST PART, THESE ARE INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, BUT, UM, I'LL START WITH A FEW MONTHS AGO I ATTENDED, YOU'RE BEING GOOD MORNING.
THE VIRGINIA SPACE 30TH ANNIVERSARY, UM, EVENT AT THAT WAS HELD OVER ON SIG AND, UH, TO, TO MY SURPRISE, UM, I WAS CALLED TO THE STAGE, UM, DURING, UM, THAT EVENT AND PRESENTED WITH, UH, THIS COMMUNITY IMPACT WARD, WHICH HAS MY NAME ON IT, BUT IT, IT, AND IT HAS YOUR, THE COUNTY OF MACK TOO.
AND THAT'S WHO I ACCEPTED IT ON BEHALF.
BUT, UM, I WANTED TO, TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION, UM, SO THAT YOU COULD SEE IT'S A VERY NICE PLAQUE.
AND IT IS IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE, UH, SPACEPORT AND THE REGION.
AND I'M READING, UM, THE, THE, THE WORDING HERE.
YOUR EFFORTS HAVE MADE A LASTING IMPACT AND HAVE STRENGTHENED THE FABRIC OF THE EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITY WITH DEEP APPRECIATION FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO VIRGINIA SPACEPORT AUTHORITY.
SO WHAT'S THAT WHEN THEY ON YOUR BIRTHDAY DATE PRESENT? YES.
WE, WE HAD TO TAKE THAT OFF THE WALL TO BRING IT DOWN.
UH, THE OTHER, UM, ITEMS, UH, WE, WE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED SOME OF THE COMPLEXITIES AND THE CHALLENGES WITH THE FY 27, UH, BUDGET.
WHICH LEADS ME TO, I, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD FOR SOME ADDITIONAL TIME, UM, THE ORIGINAL CALENDAR THAT WAS, UM, PRESENTED TO THE BOARD A NUMBER OF MONTHS AGO AND YOU APPROVED, HAD THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS, UM, I DON'T REMEMBER, UH, PRESENTATION BEING DELIVERED TO YOU ON FEBRUARY 2ND.
THAT'S CUSTOMARILY, UH, ABOUT AN HOUR AND 15 HOUR AND A HALF MEETING WHERE I UNVEIL THE, THE BUDGET THAT I'M PROPOSING.
UM, FOR YOU, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SHIFT THAT TO PUSH IT OUT SOME FROM FEBRUARY 2ND, THAT'S A MONDAY MM-HMM
AND THAT WILL HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT ON, ON THAT CALENDAR.
SO THAT WILL MEAN LIKE THE, THE DATE THAT WAS INITIALLY SCHEDULED TO HAVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES COME AND PRESENT YOU WITH THEIR BUDGET REQUESTS.
THAT WAS SHIFT AS, UM, AS WELL, I HAVE LOOKED AT THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THIS ON THE BUDGET SCHEDULE.
IT DOES NOT MAKE, UM, A, A MATERIAL DIFFERENCE.
THERE USED TO BE SOME RULES, UM, REGARDING ADVERTISING IN YEARS THAT REASSESSMENTS WERE, UM, ON THE STREETS.
AND, UM, SOME OF THOSE, THOSE ADVERTISING OF, UH, RULES THAT WERE IN THE CODE HAVE BEEN RELAXED.
SO BY DEFAULT, YOU'RE GAINING A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME INTO THE SCHEDULE THAN YOU HAVE TRADITIONALLY HAD.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, IN SUMMARY, IT WOULD, IT WOULD HELP
MR. CROCKETT? THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
WOULD THIS EXTRA WEEK, UH, LOWER OUR EXPENSES AND INCREASE OUR REVENUE?
WE ALLOW IT IF YOU NEED A DO MOTION, IS THAT AT FIVE OR FIVE 30? FIVE 30.
SECOND THAT WE, UH, CHANGE THE DATE FROM THE SECOND TO THE NINTH AT FIVE 30.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE? NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET TO BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED THE, THE ONLY OTHER I WOULD, UM, LIKE TO BRING, UH, TO THE FLOOR IS, UM, DISCLOSURE FORMS. UM, AS THE, AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, DISCLOSURE FORMS ARE DUE, UM, BACK TO MY OFFICE BY FEBRUARY 1ST.
SO, UH, PLEASE IF YOU CAN TRY TO GET THOSE TO US, UM, BEFORE THAT DATE.
UM, AND THE SAME GOES FOR SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO MAY BE SITTING OUT HERE WHO HAVE OTHER ROLES AND OTHER COMMITTEES OR, OR ARE IN POSITIONS THAT REQUIRE CERTAIN DISCLOSURE FORMS TO BE FILED.
SO AGAIN, ALL THAT IS DUE BY FEBRUARY 1ST AND, AND TINA HAS THE, THE CHALLENGE OF TRYING TO CORRAL THAT AND, AND GET AHOLD OF EVERYONE AND REMINDING AND EVERYONE.
SO, UH, IIII REQUEST THAT YOU MAKE IT AS EASY ON HER AND ME AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO TRACK YOU DOWN
[01:45:01]
ON FIRST.MADAM CHAIRMAN, MAY I ASK QUESTION? SURE, GO AHEAD.
UM, ARE YOU GONNA READJUST THE OTHER DATES IN THE, UH, BUDGET CALENDAR? I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE I DUNNO IF YOU'RE GONNA SEND US OUT NEW SUGGESTED DATES OR ANYTHING.
ARE YOU GONNA LEAVE THE REST OF 'EM AS THEY ARE? WE, WE CAN.
WHAT I SEE HAPPENING IS JUST THE FRONT END'S GONNA SHORTEN UP, BUT I THINK THE, THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE FOR DELIBERATIONS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROCESS IS STILL GONNA BE THE SAME FINE.
THE PUBLIC HEARING DATES AND EVERYTHING.
I THINK YOU CAN STILL KEEP, CAN YOU SEND THAT, CAN WE GET THAT SENT OUT TO US AGAIN, PLEASE? WE'LL, WE'LL SEND YOU OUT THE CALENDAR AND ANY NOTES ON IT THAT YOU, ANY CHANGES YOU MAKE OR ANYTHING.
AND, AND THAT, UH, CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
UH, WE'RE DOWN TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, COMMENT PERIOD.
MADAM CHAIR, UH, TANGIER TOWN COUNCIL HAD BEEN HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH THREE, THREE ROADS OVER ON TANGIER.
AND I BELIEVE ON FRIDAY WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR MONTHLY MEETING, THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, UH, ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO VDOT TO STUDY THE SAFETY, UH, OF THOSE, UH, THREE ROADS AND A WOODEN BRIDGE OVER THERE.
SO IF THEY DO, UH, ADOPT THAT, UH, RESOLUTION AND SEND IT TO VDOT, I WOULD JUST LIKE CONSENSUS FROM THE BOARD FOR US TO SEND UP.
WHY DON'T YOU MAKE A RESOLUTION FOR A LETTER? IT WOULD BE A LETTER.
WHY DON'T YOU MAKE A MOTION SECOND.
CONT CONT RIGHT CONTINGENT ON THEM.
I MAKE A MOTION CONTINGENT ON THE, ON TANGER TOWN COUNCIL.
ADOPTING RESOLUTION TO MAKE A REQUEST, UH, THE STUDY, UM, UH, FACTORY ROAD, WALLACE ROAD AND LONG BRIDGE ROAD AND THE BRIDGE ON LONG BRIDGE ROAD.
UH, SHOULD THEY ADOPT A RESOLUTION REQUEST IN THAT STUDY FROM
YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION AND IT HAS BEEN SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION, SIR? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR MAY BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
IS THAT ALL MR. CROCKETT? YES, MA'AM.
THAT YOU HAVE MR. TAR? NO, I HAVE NOTHING.
WELL, I'D JUST LIKE TO STATE THAT, UH, THIS PAST MONDAY I WAS AT THE MACEDONIA A ME CHURCH, CELEBRATING THE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY.
UH, I WAS MOVED BY THE SPIRIT OF THE CROWD AND, UH, I APPRECIATED THE INVITATION TO COME VISIT.
AND, UH, THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN.
IT WAS A VERY SPIRITUAL THING AND I I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
I ATTENDED THIS SERVICE AS WELL AND IT WAS VERY NICE.
I WAS GLAD TO SEE SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT DID ATTEND, UH, SCHOOL BOARD SUPERINTENDENT, UH, DR. JENNIFER MILLER.
SHE WAS THERE AS WELL, AND OUR TREASURER WAS THERE.
I DIDN'T NOTICE SEEING HIM, SO IT WAS GOOD.
AND THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING.
UH, MR.
WE DID HAVE A VERY HIGH SPIRIT TIME AND IT WAS GOOD TO SEE ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE AVAILABLE THERE.
I LEFT ONE DAY OUT, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UH, AT OUR, UH, MACK NORTH HAM, THE PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION, UH, LAST NIGHT, UH, THE COMMISSION VOTED TO HAVE, UH, STAFF TO CHECK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF GRANTS FOR OUR WORKING WATERMEN.
UH, THE OYSTER BUSINESS ON THE, ON THE EASTERN SHORE IS, IS PRETTY WELL SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF THERE'S NO MARKET THEY THERE.
THEY CAN'T GO OUT TO WORK BECAUSE THERE NO MARKET TO, UH, TO SELL.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S A GLUT OF OYSTERS COMING OUT OF, UH, LOUISIANA.
AND, UM, AND THEY WON'T START CRABBING UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF MARCH OR THE LATTER PART OF, UH, MARCH.
SO THAT THAT'S TWO MONTHS THAT, THAT THEY WILL BE OUTTA WORK.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT THE, UH, PC'S GONNA LOOK INTO THAT AND HOPEFULLY THEY CAN FIND A GRANT TO HELP THE, HELP THE WATERMAN.
AND I DON'T, I GUESS I'M GONNA BE REDUNDANT.
AND, UM, I ALSO WAS AT THE MLK, UH, AND I THOUGHT IT, I DID TELL MR. THE GEORGE'S COMMENTS, IT WAS VERY SPIRITUAL AND IT, IT MOVED ME TOO.
AND, UH, I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST GOOD TO SEE COMRADERY, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S WHAT HIS MESSAGE WAS AND THAT'S WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS IS LOVE.
AND A VERY NICE PRAYER FROM ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
PRAYER COME FROM MR. WASHINGTON.
OKAY, WE'RE DOWN TO THE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATION ITEMS SECOND.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING
[01:50:01]
NONE.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO BE KNOWN BY? AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSING AND MOTION HAS CARRIED.
UM, MR. MASON, DO YOU CERTIFY? I CERTIFY I AM.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE? NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LETTER BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEED FOR CLOSED SESSION.
OKAY, WELL I'LL DEFINITELY, UH, ENTERTAIN 18.
MAD CHAIRMAN, IT'S BEEN MOVING PROPERLY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED AND THE MODE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.