[00:00:02]
[Board of Supervisors Budget Meeting on February 9, 2026.]
AND GOING FORWARD, THE BUDGET IS BALANCED AS REQUIRED BY THE CODE VIRGINIA 15.2 25 0 3.SO, UH, THE BUDGET AT A GLANCE, AGAIN HERE, THIS IS A, UM, UH, A GRAPHIC OF OF WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM.
AND, AND I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY BUDGET.
WHAT ARE THE FUNDING SOURCES FOR IT? AND THAT, THAT BLUE AREA, THAT'S, THAT'S PROPERTY TAXES, UH, ACK COUNTY IS, IS SIMILAR TO OTHER LOCALITIES WHERE IT'S, IT'S PROPERTY TAX THAT DRIVES THE REVENUE SIDE.
UNLIKE IN SOME OTHER STATES, WE DON'T HAVE AN INCOME TAX OR, OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
BUT 55% IS, IS, UH, UH, OF SERVICES ARE FUNDED BY PROPERTY TAXES ON, ON THE SPENDING SIDE.
AGAIN, WHEN YOU TAKE THE, THE COUNTY BUDGET AS A WHOLE, YOUR TWO LARGEST, UM, AREAS, UH, THE EXPENDITURES ARE, UM, YOUR FUNDING THAT YOU PROVIDE THE LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND COMING IN.
AND WHEN I SAY PUBLIC SAFETY, I DON'T, DON'T MEAN DPS AND EMS, I MEAN PUBLIC SAFETY AS IN OUR EMS SERVICES, LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES, CORRECTIONAL, UH, RUNNING A JAIL, ANIMAL CONTROL, ALL THOSE THINGS ARE CONSIDERED, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, EXPENDITURES.
I HAVE A QUESTION, MADAM CHAIR.
MR. MASON, IS THAT THE OVERALL, THAT'S COMING FROM THE, THE ENTIRE REVENUE SOURCE, NOT JUST, NOT JUST LOCAL FUNDING, CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT.
THIS IS AN ENTIRE REVENUE SOURCE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING, WE'RE BRINGING IN STATE FUNDS AND EVERYTHING OKAY.
BUT WE DO GO, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, WE GET INTO JUST LOCAL TAX DOLLARS, WHERE DO THEY GO? SO THIS IS THE, THE ULTIMATE BIG PICTURE HERE.
BUT NOW TO GET, TO GET TO YOUR QUESTION, WHEN WE DRILL DOWN IN, WHERE DO LOCAL TAX SCHOLARS GO AND BY LOCAL TAX DOLLARS TO USE SORT OF A, A, A TYPICAL EXAMPLE, WHEN SOMEONE PAYS THEIR REAL ESTATE TAX BILL, THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX BILL, UM, WHERE DO THOSE FUNDS GO? SO, UM, THE LARGEST COMPONENT IS EDUCATION AT 36, UH, 37.6%.
UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, AGAIN, COMBINING ALL THOSE AREAS THAT I JUST REMARKED ON, UM, COMES IN AT ABOUT 29.
ALL THE OTHER, UH, GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS, GENERAL GOVERNMENT, JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION, ALL THOSE THINGS, LUMPED ALL TOGETHER IS, IS A 29.5%.
AND THEN DEBT SERVICE IS, IS PRETTY LOW IN MACK.
UM, WHAT, BEFORE WE GO ON, UH, ON THIS, JUST A LOT OF YOU WILL REFERENCE HOW MUCH MACK COUNTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND IT'S 52% IS A NUMBER THAT'S THROWN OUT.
THAT IS, THAT IS CERTAINLY CORRECT.
BUT JUST, JUST TO DIFFERENTIATE THAT FROM THIS, THIS DOLLAR BILL CHART THAT IS 52% OF GENERAL FUNDS SELECT REVENUE.
SO IT'S BASICALLY 52% OF ALL YOUR GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES THAT COME INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
52% OF ALL THE OTHER LOCAL TAXES LIKE SALES AND USED TAX, WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS, RIGHT? SOME OF YOUR, SOME OF YOUR CIGARETTE TAXES CARVED OUT FOR DIFFERENT THINGS OTHER THAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
LAST YEAR THERE WAS A MOTION MADE AND IT PASSED FOR SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO GO TO VOLUNTEER FIRE AND RESCUE.
THERE'S ALSO SUM UP COMMUNICATION TAXES THAT ARE AUTOMATICALLY BY AGREEMENT EARMARKED FOR THE 9 1 1 CENTER.
SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO ACCOUNT, BUT IN THE END, WHEN WE DO THAT, WE'RE LEFT WITH 52% OF THE REMAINDER GOING TO THE, TO THE SCHOOLS.
SO, UM, BUDGET PRIORITIES AND HIGHLIGHTS.
SO THESE ARE SORT OF THE, UM, THE, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET PRIORITIES.
ONE, THE TOP ONE IS FUND STRATEGIC PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED BY THE BOARD.
THERE ARE VERY FEW INITIATIVES IN THIS BUDGET THAT I CAN CHARACTERIZE, UM, AS THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM ANY OF THE THINGS YOU'VE FUNDED IN THE PAST AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON, BUT NOT A WHOLE LOT OF FUNDING AVAILABLE TO START NEW INITIATIVES OF, OF ANY TYPE, UH, RETAIN AND RECRUIT A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE.
OBVIOUSLY, UH, I RECOGNIZE AND, AND I BELIEVE THE BOARD RECOGNIZES THAT NONE OF THE SERVICES CAN BE PERFORMED, BUT WITHOUT A QUALITY, UH, WORKFORCE.
AND SO WE, UH, OF COURSE WANNA MAKE THAT A PRIORITY WITH EVERY ONE OF THESE BUDGET DOCUMENTS.
WE NEED TO HONOR OUR CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS, OUR AGREEMENTS, AND OUR MANDATES.
'CAUSE WE BASICALLY CAN'T, UM, UH, RUN AWAY FROM THOSE WE'RE, WE ARE OBLIGATED IN SOME MANNER ON MOST OF THOSE, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE A LITTLE BIT LATER.
IMPROVE, UM, EMPLOYEE AND CUSTOMERS, UH, SAFETY, THERE'S A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES IN THIS BUDGET DESIGNED TO DO THAT.
UM, I WAS ABLE TO PUT ASIDE ENOUGH FUNDING TO MAKE THE NEXT SCHEDULED, UH, RANDY DAY FUND DEPOSIT, UM, WITH THE BOARD BOARD'S GOAL OF OBTAINING A CERTAIN LEVEL BY 2031, UM, THAT WOULD BE FRANKLY CLASSIFIED AS, UH, UH, BASICALLY A,
[00:05:01]
A BEST PRACTICE, UM, MAINTAINING THE COUNTY'S INVESTMENT IN ITS BUILDINGS IS EQUIPMENT IN ITS INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, ADDRESSING ANY INFLATIONARY DEMANDS ON PUBLIC, UH, SERVICE COST.UH, THOSE ARE ALL THE PRIORITIES THAT I'VE TRIED TO, UM, UH, FUND AND, AND REALLY CONCENTRATE ON THOSE NEW INITIATIVES OR, OR OLD INITIATIVES FOR THAT MATTER, MAKING SURE THEY FIT WITHIN ONE OF THESE BUDGET PRIORITIES.
SO WITH THE GENERAL FUND, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A $2.2 MILLION INCREASE IN REVENUE.
UH, THE WARNING SIGN OR WARNING COMMENT HERE IS THAT'S NOT ALL DISCRETIONARY, THAT'S JUST STRAIGHT, STRAIGHT OUT.
EXPECTED REVENUE IS, IS, UH, PROJECTED TO BE 2.2 MILLION MORE THAN LAST YEAR.
AND, UM, WHEN I SAY IT'S NOT DISCRETIONARY, I MEAN, NOT ALL THOSE FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR JUST ANY INITIATIVE.
THE BOARD WOULD WANT TO, TO USE THEM FOR.
A PERFECT EXAMPLE WOULD BE THIS, THIS BUDGET IS, IS, UM, IN INCLUDE INCLUDES ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM THE STATE COMPENSATION BOARD BECAUSE THE STATE HAS SAID THAT, UM, IT WILL PROVIDE FUNDING FOR A 2% PAY INCREASE FOR STATE, UM, SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEES.
AND SO WE'VE BASED, WE PUT THAT ON THE REVENUE SIDE, AND THAT'S IN THE 2.2 MILLION.
BUT OBVIOUSLY IT CAN ONLY BE SPENT ON, ON THAT INITIATIVE.
LOOKING AT A LOT OF OUR FOCUS, PARTICULARLY DURING THE YEAR WHEN THE FINANCE DIRECTOR COMES UP IN FRONT OF YOU AND TALKS ABOUT, UH, REVENUE PERFORMANCE.
UH, THEY'RE FOCUSED ON OUR MAJOR REVENUES.
WELL, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THIS CHART IS, AND IT SORT OF SAYS WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW, REAL ESTATE ARE THE LARGEST COMPONENT OF, OF OUR REVENUE FILED BY PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
THEN LOCAL, THE 1% LOCAL SALES AND USE TAX THAT COMES BACK TO THE LOCALITY, IS THIS SORT OF YELLOWISH COLOR.
ONE, ONE BAR ON THIS CHART IS, I, I FIND SOMEWHAT INTERESTING IS THIS ONE, IF YOU GO BACK HERE, UM, IT'S IT'S PRETTY SMALL.
IN FACT, IT'S NOT EVEN SHOWING IT'S SO SMALL AND, AND THEN YOU SEE IT RISE AND THAT'S STARTING TO COME DOWN.
WHAT THAT IS, IS INVESTMENT INCOME.
AND SO AS THE FED RATE HAS COME DOWN, THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT EARNINGS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE, UH, UH, PARTICULARLY THE SHOULD, I SHOULD SAY, THE TREASURER HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE, UM, HAS, HAS STARTED TO COME DOWN.
AND, AND THAT'S JUST NATURAL, UH, BECAUSE OUR, OUR INVESTMENTS HAVE TO BE WHAT I WOULD TERM AS JUST, JUST GENERALLY SAFE.
UM, THEY, THE CODE OF VIRGINIA PRESCRIBES WHAT KIND OF INVESTMENTS WE CAN PUT FUNDING IN, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE RELATIVELY, UM, UH, CONSERVATIVE SO, SO ANTI TO THAT FEDERAL RATE.
SO AS THAT FEDERAL RATE COMES DOWN, IT'S, IT'S IMPACTING THAT REVENUE STREAM AND, AND THIS BUDGET HAD TO, TO INCORPORATE THAT REVENUE LOSS.
SO LET'S GET TO SOME OF THE KEY PIECES HERE.
SO WHAT'S IN HERE? UM, THE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET LOWERS A REAL ESTATE TAX RATE TO 0.486.
AND BECAUSE THIS IS A RE, UH, A REASSESSMENT YEAR, UM, WE NEED TO DISSECT THAT NUMBER A BIT MORE.
BUT FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SLIDE, UM, IT LOWERS THE RATE DOWN TO, UM, 0.486.
UM, RIGHT NOW OUR RATE IS 0.534.
IT INCREASES THE LANDFILL TIPPING FEE BY $5 OR 6%.
IT RAISES ALL BUILDING AND ZONING FEES BY 10%.
AND, AND THESE TWO FEES HAVE NOT BEEN RAISED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND I'LL TELL YOU HOW MANY AS WE GET FURTHER INTO THIS PRESENTATION.
AND THEN IT RESPONDS, AND I SORT OF ALLUDED ON THIS A FEW SECONDS AGO, UH, TO THEIR, TO THE SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN NOT ONLY INVESTMENT INCOME, BUT ALSO PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION, UH, REVENUE AS WELL.
AND WE'VE BRIEFED THE BOARD ON, ON THE REVENUE LOSS WE'VE BEEN SEEING THERE, AND WE DO EXPECT THAT TO TURN AROUND SOMEWHAT WITH A REASSESSMENT, BUT IT LAGS BEHIND.
WE WON'T SEE, AND WE, I, I'M NOT PROJECTING TO SEE THAT, UH, THAT REVENUE STREAM JUMP BACK UP UNTIL PROBABLY IN THE FY 28 RANGE.
SO, UM, I'VE SORT OF HIGHLIGHTED THE BIG DIFFERENCES.
THESE ARE OUR TYPICAL, UM, UH, MAJOR REVENUE FEES, EVERYTHING FROM MEALS, TAXES, CIGARETTE TAX, UM, BUT AGAIN, THE, THE ONES THAT I'M, I'M FOCUSED ON PROPOSING AN INCREASE TO ARE RIGHT HERE.
SO THE, UM, RATE PROPOSAL IS, UM, TO TAKE THE TAX RATE TO 0.4 8, 6 48 0.60 CENTS PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUE.
THAT IS 1.30 CENTS OVER THE CALCULATED LOWER TAX RATE.
AND WHAT IS THE LOWER TAX RATE? THAT IS THE TAX RATE THAT WHEN YOU TAKE THESE NEW ASSESSMENTS, AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU THE PER OVERALL PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN, IN THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS IN A
[00:10:01]
SECOND.BUT WHEN YOU TAKE THE NEW ASSESSED VALUES AND YOU, UM, CALCULATE THE RATE THAT WOULD BASICALLY GENERATE THE SAME TAX LEVY AS A PRIOR YEAR TAKEN INTO, TAKEN OUT OF THAT EQUATION AS NEW CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER, UM, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, IT COMES OUT TO BE 0.473.
SO AGAIN, WHEN I SAY 1.3, UM, SENT TAX INCREASES BEING, UH, PROPOSED, I'M SAYING IT'S 1.30 CENTS OVER THAT LOWER RATE, EVEN THOUGH TECHNICALLY THE RATE IS IS DOWN, UH, WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO LAST YEAR.
UM, SOMETIMES, UH, FOLKS ASK WHAT DOES 1 CENT IN, IN COUNTY REAL ESTATE TAX GENERATE? AND THAT, THAT NUMBER IS RIGHT THERE.
IT'S, IT'S $594,000, UH, IN REVENUE ANNUALLY.
THE PROPOSED REAL ESTATE TAX, UM, OF 40, LEMME GET BACK TO THAT 47, I'M SORRY, 48.6 RANKS 15TH OUT OF NINE.
UH, THE COUNTY'S 19 MEMBER PEER GROUP, THE AVERAGE REAL ESTATE RE UM, TAX RATE IN, IN THAT PEER GROUP IS, IS ABOUT 60 CENTS.
OUR NEIGHBOR TAX RATES, NORTH HAMPTON IS 70.5.
WORCESTER COUNTY, UM, IS MARYLAND, OF COURSE, BUT, UH, THEIR RATE IS, UH, 0.927, AND THAT INCLUDES A, A STATE ADDER TAX THAT'S DONE IN, IN, IN MARYLAND.
IT'S ADDED TO THE REAL ESTATE TAX.
SO AGAIN, OUR, OUR, THE PROPOSED RATE IN AKAMAK IS, IS, UH, 48, 48 0.6.
AND, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT RANKS WITH THESE OTHER, THESE OTHER RATES.
UH, NO CHANGE IN THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE IS, IS PROPOSED.
UH, THERE IS A CHANGE IN THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT RELIEF RATE, UM, DECREASING THAT, AND, AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT IN MORE DETAIL IN A SECOND.
UH, AGAIN, THE LANDFILL TIPPING FEE FROM $80 PER TON TO 85 PER TON.
THIS FEE WAS LAST INCREASED IN JULY OF 2019.
SO IT'S BEEN, UM, OVER SIX YEARS SINCE THIS IN THIS FEE WAS LAST INCREASED.
AND, AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THAT LANDFILL FUNDS NOT SUBSIDIZED BY GENERAL TAX TAX DOLLARS.
THAT FEE GOES TOWARDS PAYING ROUTINE OPERATIONS AND FUTURE LANDFILL SALE CONSTRUCTION AND SALE CLOSURE, WHICH IS MILLIONS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
AND, UM, SOME OF THE NEW INITIATIVES FUNDED IN THIS BUDGET THIS YEAR INCLUDE SOME PRELIMINARY COSTS, PLANNING COSTS TO BUILD THE, THE NEXT CELL, UM, AT THE NORTH LANDFILL, WHICH IS, BUT ACCORDING TO THE LAST AERIAL STUDY THAT WE HAD PERFORMED, WE NEED TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON THAT BY JUNE OF 2028.
AND IT RAISES ALL BUILDING AND ZONING FEES, UH, AGAIN AS PART OF THIS BUDGET BY 10%.
AND THAT RATE HEIGHT, A LAST SORT OF CROSS THE BOARD RATE HEIGHT FOR BUILDING AND ZONING FEES WAS LAST DONE IN JULY OF 2018.
AGAIN, PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION, THE REVENUE, UH, THE REVENUE ESTIMATES PROJECT A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN THOSE.
UM, AND THAT'S BASED ON, UH, DECLINING PROPERTY VALUES BY THE SEC, WHICH IS TIED TO OUR ASSESSMENT RATIO AND INVESTMENT INCOME TO QUANTIFY IT ALREADY TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT.
AND WE ANTICIPATE MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLAR DROP IN INVESTMENT INCOME FROM THE ACTUAL AMOUNT EARNED IN FY 25 DUE TO DECREASES IN THE FED RATE.
AND THAT HURTS OUR ABILITY TO DO SOME ONE-TIME ISSUES.
WE'VE BEEN ENJOYING VERY, UH, VERY SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT RETURNS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AT LEAST COMPARED TO WHAT WE USED TO, UM, USED TO RECEIVE.
AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE THOSE THINGS TOWARDS SOME ONE TIME PROJECTS AND, AND THAT, THAT, THAT REVENUE SOURCE IS DRYING UP ON THE SPENDING SIDE, UH, PROVIDES THIS, THIS BUDGET PROVIDES A LITTLE FUNDING TO ADVANCE BOARD STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
IT, IT CERTAINLY MAINTAINS WHAT'S BEEN APPROPRIATED, UM, IN THE PAST TWO BUDGET CYCLES, PARTICULARLY.
SOME SIGNIFICANT MONEY HAS BEEN PUT INTO NORTHERN MACK WASTEWATER CHILDCARE COMP PLAN, UPDATE, ERP APPLICATION, INSTALLATION, WILD RESEARCH PARK ROAD.
ALL THOSE THINGS ARE STILL THERE AND THEY'RE STILL BEING FOCUSED AND WORKED ON BY STAFF.
BUT AS FAR AS PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO ANY OF THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, IT'S, IT'S REALLY NOT HAPPENING IN, IN THIS BUDGET.
THE ONLY TWO THINGS THAT, UH, ARE SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, AS FAR AS STRATEGIC PRIORITIES IS CONTINUING OUR DE BUILDING REMOVAL, UM, PROGRAM.
IT PUTS ANOTHER INSTALLMENT INTO THOSE FUNDS AND, UM, SOME INITIATIVES TO MAKE SURE WE RETAIN AND RECRUIT A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE.
SO, ON THAT NOTE, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUDGET PRIORITIES AND, AND KEEPING THE RIGHT PEOPLE HERE AND FINDING, UM,
[00:15:01]
THE RIGHT PEOPLE WHEN WE CAN'T GROW THEM HERE IN THE COUNTY, THIS, THIS BUDGET PROVIDES A COMPENSATION INCREASE THAT ALIGNS WITH WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED BY THE OUT THAT WAS PROPOSED BY THE OUTGOING GOVERNOR, UM, OF VIRGINIA.THAT WAS A 2% INCREASE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2026 FOR FULL AND PART-TIME POSITIONS THAT, UM, THE SCOPE INCLUDES, UH, STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL POSITIONS, WHICH IS YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, YOUR RESTAURANT, AND SOCIAL SERVICES.
UM, THIS IS CERTAINLY, AS WE ALL, WHEN WE'RE ALWAYS PLANNING ON, ON ANY TYPE OF INCREASE, IT REQUIRES MATCHING FUNDS FOR THE STATE.
WE'LL ALWAYS PUT THE STATEMENT OUT THERE THAT THIS, UM, UH, NUMBER ONE, IT'S CONDITIONAL ON RECEIVING THOSE FUNDS.
AND NUMBER TWO, WE MAY NEED TO REEVALUATE THIS BY THE TIME THE STATE FINISHES UP ITS BUDGETING BECAUSE IT MAY NOT BE, UM, THE SAME AS WHAT WE CERTAINLY, WHAT THE, THE OUTGOING GOVERNOR PROPOSED.
UM, IN ADDITION, THE OUTGOING GOVERNOR PROPOSED A 2% BONUS, UM, IN JUNE OF 2026.
UM, AND WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO AGAIN, FOLLOW THE LEAD, UH, OF THE GOVERNOR AND WHAT FUNDING WAS, UH, PUT ASIDE FOR STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEES.
AGAIN, WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION A NUMBER OF TIME.
WE HAVE MANY LOCAL EMPLOYEES AND STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL POSITIONS THAT ARE IN THAT HAD THE SAME POSITION TITLE, RIGHT? AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EACH ONE IS GETTING, UH, EQUAL TREATMENT WHEN IT COMES TO GENERAL, UH, PAY INCREASES.
THIS, THIS BUDGET DOES INCLUDE SOME TARGETED SERVICE LEVELS, UH, REDUCTIONS.
AND, UH, TOWARDS THE BACK END OF, OF THIS PROPOSAL, I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT MORE ABOUT WHAT THESE TWO THINGS MEAN AND GET INTO THEM IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
BUT AT THIS POINT, THOSE TWO, UH, TARGETED SERVICE LEVEL REDUCTIONS ARE TO APPLY THE COUNTY'S OBSERVED HOLIDAYS TO ALL SOLID WASTE CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
UM, AND WHAT, WHAT THAT MEANS ESSENTIALLY IS RIGHT NOW THE, WE, THE COUNTY IN GENERAL FOLLOWS THE STATE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE, BUT THAT SAME STATE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE IS NOT APPLIED TO A CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
THEY ARE OPEN MORE DAYS OF THE YEAR THAN THAT.
AND THIS WOULD SORT OF, UM, LEVEL THAT PLAYING FIELD, BUT I'LL EXPLAIN IT AGAIN IN THE, IN SOME MORE DETAIL A LITTLE BIT LATER AT SUNSET'S TR UH, TRANSLATOR TELEVISION SERVICES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2027.
AND I'LL, I'LL QUANTIFY THAT A BIT MORE AGAIN A LITTLE LATER.
UM, IT, THIS BUDGET MAINTAINS THE EXISTING EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE MATCH RATES.
UH, THEY RIGHT NOW WE PAY 80% OF EMPLOYEE ONLY COVERAGE ON THOSE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS. AND THEN, UM, WE PAY 55% OF THE PREMIUM FOR THE ADDITIONAL COST IF YOU HAVE A SPOUSE OR SOME DEPENDENCES ON THE PLAN.
THIS BUDGET, AND THIS IS GONNA BE A, A, A KEY PIECE THAT WE'RE GONNA DIVE INTO, BUT IT REDUCES AN EXPECTED 28 PLUS PERCENT INCREASE IN EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS TO 20% BY TRANSITIONING FROM THE CURRENT ANTHEM KEY CARE PLANS TO ANTHEM HEALTH KEEPERS.
UM, QUALITY EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE IS PRESERVED AT A MORE AFFORDABLE PRICE.
UH, THE REASON QUALITY IS IN RED AND UNDERLINE IS I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND, UM, TO YOU TO DRASTICALLY CHANGE OUR HEALTHCARE PLAN.
WE NEED TO MAKE, WE NEED TO PIVOT, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO THROW OUT THE QUALITY HEALTHCARE THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE COME, UM, TO RELY ON AND IS A, UH, SIGNIFICANT RECRUITING TOOL FOR US.
BUT WE DO NEED TO EVALUATE OTHER OPTIONS IN ORDER TO TRY TO MAKE THIS MORE MANAGEABLE.
THIS BUDGET INCREASES FUNDING FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION BY $632,000, OR A 2.7% INCREASE THAT TAKES THE LOCAL SHARE UP TO 23,956 AND 23 MILLION.
I, YEAH, I'M SORRY, WHAT DID
AND THIS CHART SHOWS YOU SORT OF THE, UH, THE LOCAL SHARE BUDGETS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THAT 52% NUMBER THAT I REMARKED ABOUT EARLY, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS BASED ON.
WE TOOK 52% OF THOSE REVENUES THAT WE SHARE WITH THE SCHOOLS, AND THAT RESULTED IN THAT $632,000 GAIN.
UH, WHAT, WHAT SURPLUS WE DID HAVE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, WE HAVE PUT INTO, UH, CAPITAL ONE TIME OPERATING SPENDING OF ABOUT 3.3 MILLION.
IT'S MOSTLY FUNDED FROM THE, THE GENERAL FUND UNASSIGNED FUND FUND BALANCE, AKA SURPLUS, UM, EXCEPT FOR ANY TYPE OF OF CAPITAL INITIATIVES IN OUR ENTERPRISE FUND, LIKE THE LANDFILL FUND OR, OR OUR EMS FUND, UM, WHICH IS A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
BUT THE MAJOR COST CENTERS FOR WHERE THAT 3.3 MILLION'S GOING
[00:20:01]
IS, UM, THINGS LIKE OBSTRUCTION REMOVAL, WHICH I CLASSIFY AS A PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, INITIATIVE AT THESE TWO, UM, DOCK AND RAMP FACILITIES.UM, WE ARE BEING MANDATED TO, UM, DO SOME KENNEL REPLACEMENTS AT THE ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY.
OUR BUILDING ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT.
THAT'S A SYSTEM THAT CONTROLS ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR FACILITIES, AND THAT'S BECOME A ONGOING CONCERN ISSUE.
UM, WE HAVE SOME GENERAL JUST ROOFS OUT THERE THAT HAVE TO BE REPLACED, BUT THERE'S SOME LAW ENFORCEMENT EQUIPMENT AND, AND COURT SECURITY EQUIPMENT IN THERE.
UM, UH, A FEW FUNDS SET ASIDE FOR PROPERTY ACQUISITION AND, AND I'LL GO INTO THAT A A LITTLE LATER, SCHEDULED IT INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT, UH, AIRPORT OBSTRUCTION, REMOVAL AND FUELING FACILITIES, PART OF WHICH IS GONNA BE PARTICULARLY WITH THE OBSTRUCTION REMOVAL IS AN FAA REQUIREMENT, LANDFILL EQUIPMENT.
AND THAT BONUS FOR STATE AND, UH, COUNTY, UH, STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL POSITIONS AND COUNTY POSITIONS, WHICH WAS 2%.
WILL WE BE LOOKING AT THOSE IN MORE DETAIL LATER? YES.
UM, THE, UH, BUDGET DOES NOT ADVOCATE ANY ADDITIONAL DEBT.
IT DOES COVER, UH, MOST OF THE INFLATION COSTS THAT ARE PRESENTING THEMSELVES TO ALL OF OUR SERVICES.
IT DOES ADDRESS ALL NEW MANDATED COSTS AND THOSE CONTRACTUAL IN NATURE.
AND, AND JUST NOTE, THESE COSTS HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE COUNTY'S OPERATING COSTS.
I HAVE RARELY SEEN A YEAR WHERE THERE'S BEEN SO MANY MANDATES AND, AND BASICALLY JUST CONTRACTUAL INCREASES THAT IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET AWAY FROM.
AND SO THEY HAVE SEVERELY, OR I SHOULD SAY, SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE TAX RATE PROPOSAL THAT I, I'M, I'M ADVOCATING FOR NO NEW POSITIONS IN THIS, IN THIS BUDGET.
UM, WE DID HAVE ONE POSITION THAT WAS ELIMINATED, THAT EMPLOYEE WAS TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER OPEN POSITION WITHIN THE COUNTY.
THERE'S CERTAINLY NEEDS OUT THERE, BUT, UM, GIVEN THE FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE, ADDING POSITION IS JUST NOT A REALITY AT, AT THE, AT THE MOMENT.
IT DOES INCORPORATE VACANCY SAVING PROJECTIONS INTO THE BASE BUDGET, UM, TO, TO BE QUITE LITERAL.
I'M PROJECTING A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VACANT POSITIONS IN EMS AND, AND THE GENERAL FUND.
AND I'M SUBTRACTING THAT OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE AREAS.
UM, AND THAT'S BASED ON PAST, UM, TRENDS I'VE ALREADY SAID THAT INCLUDES THE NEXT RAINY, UH, A RAINY DAY DEPOSIT TO KEEP US MARCHING TOWARDS, UM, OBTAINING, UH, BEST PRACTICE GOAL BY 2031, WHICH WOULD HAVE 16.7% OF OUR, OF OUR REVENUE SET ASIDE, UH, ONE YEAR'S REVENUE SET ASIDE AND, AND A RAINY DAY FUND.
ALRIGHT, SO, AGAIN, THAT THE, THE WHOLE THEME OF CONTINUING TO DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, WE'RE GONNA DRILL INTO SOME OF THE GENERAL FUND INITIATIVES.
SO LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT, I SAID $2.2 MILLION IS WHAT WE HAD TO WORK WITH.
1.3 OF THAT IS COMING FROM EXISTING REVENUE GROWTH, 785,000 IS COMING FROM THAT 1.30 CENT TAX INCREASE THAT I'M PROPOSING, AND THEN ANOTHER 35,000 FROM, UM, AN INCREASE IN THE BUILDING AND ZONING FEES.
THAT'S HOW WE GET TO THAT $2.2 MILLION IN REVENUE THAT ARE, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.
ON THE ONE TIME SPENDING SIDE, UH, WE FINISHED LAST YEAR WITH A 3.9 MILLION, OR CALL IT 4 MILLION, UH, $4 MILLION UNSIGNED FUND AMOUNTS OR SURPLUS.
UM, THERE'S 123,000 THAT'S PROJECTED OF THAT TO BE USED THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH LEAVES US 3.8 MILLION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, SOME, UH, CAPITAL NEEDS AND OTHER ONE TIME INITIATIVES.
UM, AGAIN, DRILLING INTO THAT SAME NUMBER HERE, THAT 2.2 MILLION, YOU SEE THAT THE PROJECTIONS FOR REAL PROPERTY TAXES TO GO UP BY 6.9%, UH, 6.93%, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S INCLUDING A 1.30 CENT TAX INCREASE, UM, THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE GENERAL FUND SOLELY.
UH, WE'RE PROJECTING A $223,000 DECREASE IN PUBLIC SURFACE TAXES, UH, WHICH TRANSLATES TO ABOUT 16%.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A, UH, JUST THIS CATEGORY HERE IS RENT AND INVESTMENT INCOME, BUT, UM, A MINOR CHANGE OF 81%, UM, POINT 81%.
BUT THAT'S BECAUSE TYPICALLY WE HAVE NOT BEEN BUDGETING FOR, UM, SOME OF THESE HIGHER INVESTMENT RETURNS, KNOWING THAT THE RATE WAS GONNA COME DOWN AT SOME POINT, AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO LOCK INTO THIS BUDGET A CERTAIN LEVEL OF REVENUE THAT WE COULDN'T COUNT ON GOING FORWARD.
UH, WE ARE AS CERTAINLY EXPERIENCING A REVENUE LOSS, BUT IT'S NOT HIP, HIP HITTING YOUR BUDGET
[00:25:01]
AS, AS IMPACTFULLY AS IT WOULD HAVE HAD.WE STARTED TO BUDGET FOR THAT TYPE OF INCREASE IN THE PRIOR YEARS.
ALL RIGHT, SO YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT THIS BUDGET WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT REASSESSMENT.
AND THIS IS MY, UH, WORD CLOUD OR WORD COLLAGE OF EVERYTHING THAT ANYONE HAS TO DO ANYTHING WITH A REASSESSMENT, UNDERSTANDS AND, AND, AND KNOWS THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IN SOME MANNER, EVERYTHING FROM THE CODE OF VIRGINIA REQUIREMENTS TO, UH, WHAT, HOW TO CALCULATE THE LOWER RATE TO WHAT THAT, THAT NOTICE IS GONNA LOOK LIKE WHEN IT'S DELIVERED TO ALL OF OUR, OF OUR PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE COUNTY.
SO, A A MONTH OR SO AGO, I REPORTED OUT THE RESULTS OF THE SALES STUDY.
UM, NOW WE HAVE FINAL NUMBERS ON THE REASSESSMENT.
THOSE, THE, THE ACTUAL CHANGE IN, UM, I SAY FINAL, FINAL, UH, IS RELATIVE IN THIS POINT.
TH THIS IS THE NUMBERS THAT ARE GOING OUT IN THOSE REASSESSMENT NOTICE.
CERTAINLY, UH, YOU KNOW, THE REASSESSMENT PROCESS INCLUDES AN APPEALS PROCESS WHERE SOMEONE CAN APPEAL THEIR, THEIR ASSESSMENT TO THE, THE COUNTY ASSESSOR OR EVEN THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
UM, BUT AT THE MOMENT, THE VALUES ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY 13.43%.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S BASED ON THE FORTHCOMING REASSESSMENT NOTICE.
AND IT'S NOT THE FINAL ASSESSMENTS FOR THE YEAR, BUT OVERALL, A 13.4% INCREASE IN VALUE FROM THE LAST, FROM, FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, IF YOU WANNA SEE IT BY WHERE IT KIND OF BREAKS OUT BY TOWNS OR, OR, OR THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.
THE DISTRICTS, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS, UM, THAT TABLE THAT DOES THAT, UM, SHOWS YOU THE NUMBER OF PARCELS IN EACH, UM, IN EACH DISTRICT OR, OR THE TOWN, AND THEN GIVES YOU THE PROJECTED INCREASE IN VALUE, BOTH PERCENTAGE WISE AND SHOWS YOU THE CERTIFIED VALUE, WHICH IS THE LAST YEAR'S VALUE AND, AND THE PROJECTED VALUE THIS YEAR.
AND THIS IS WHY THE RATE WAS BROUGHT DOWN, RIGHT? UM, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT RIGHT HERE.
SO LET'S JUST DRILL INTO THESE DIFFERENT RATES AND WHAT THEY'RE CALLED.
SO I'M GONNA FOCUS ON THIS ROW RIGHT HERE, 'CAUSE THIS IS EVERYWHERE, BUT SHETI, UM, CURRENT TAX RATE IN AKIMA COUNTY IS, IS 53.40 CENTS PER 100 OF ASSESSED VALUE.
THE LOWERED RATE BASED ON THAT 13.4 PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN ASSESSMENTS MEANS THAT RATE HAS TO DROP.
THE LOWER RATE IS CALCULATED OUT TO 0.4730.
SO IT COMES DOWN TO OFFSET THAT 13.4% INCREASE.
AND THEN I HAVE PROPOSED A 1.3 INCREASE ONTO THAT LOWER RATE, WHICH TAKES IT TO 48 60.
UM, REASON I'M FOCUSED ON, ON THIS AREA IS 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT MOST, UH, UH, OF THE TAX BILLS ARE GONNA REFLECT.
THAT TAX RATE SHTICK HAS A LOWER RATE BECAUSE THE EMS TAX IS NOT LEVIED WITHIN THE, THE INCORPORATED TOWN LIMITS BECAUSE THEY, THEY PROVIDE AND PAY FOR THEIR OWN SERVICES EMS SERVICES.
THERE DON'T NEED TO, UH, IF YOU WANNA COME BACK AND, AND DOUBLE CHECK HOW I GOT TO THAT LOWER RATE, YOU CAN DO IT WITH THIS TABLE.
BUT THIS IS SORT OF MY PROOF THAT WE'RE COMPLYING WITH THE CODE OF VIRGINIA'S, UH, REQUIREMENT THAT WHEN WE COMPUTE THE LOWER RATE, THAT WE NOT COME UP WITH A, A RATE VALUE THAT IS MORE THAN 1% OVER THE PRIOR YEAR LEVY.
UH, THIS IS JUST SOME INFORMATION THAT GETS INCORPORATED INTO THE REASSESSMENT NOTICE, BUT AGAIN, IT ONLY, IT'S ONLY REFLECTING ALL, WHAT I JUST WENT OVER WITH YOU, A 13.4% INCREASE OVERALL LOWER RATES AT 47, I'M PROPOSING 0.48 60.
UM, AND THAT'S A, A A 2.7, UM, INCREASE.
AND, UM, AND A PUBLIC HEARING'S GONNA HAPPEN AT A LATER DATE.
THE ENTIRE INCREASE IN REAL ESTATE TAXES I'M PROPOSING IS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
IT'S NOT FOR DEBT SERVICE, IT'S NOT FOR EMS. UM, THE BOARD ADDRESSED THE EMS COSTS, UM, LAST YEAR, BUT IT'S THE GENERAL FUND THAT, THAT I'M ADVOCATING FOR, UM, WITH IN THIS THIS TAX YEAR.
SO WHAT YOU MIGHT ASK, HOW MUCH DOES A 1.30 CENT TAX RATE INCREASE COST A HOMEOWNER WITH A PROPERTY VALUED AT $300,000? SO THE ANSWER IS $39, $39 ANNUALLY.
UM, WE JUST, I JUST PICKED A RAN, I DIDN'T EVEN, IN SOME YEARS I'VE DONE, UM, A MEDIAN, UH, VALUE.
AND THIS, I JUST PICKED A RANDOM NUMBER AND SORT OF QUANTIFIED IT.
BUT THAT'S, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, TO ANSWER A QUESTION.
IF SOMEONE'S ASKING YOU ON THE STREET, YOU, THIS IS IS A GOOD NUMBER TO THROW OUT THERE.
COLLECTION RATES, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TICK UP A LITTLE BIT.
UM, UH, THE COLLECTION RATE IS NOW AT 96 POINT 15%
[00:30:01]
OF ALL REAL ESTATE TAX, UH, LEVIED.THAT'S, THAT'S THE CURRENT COLLECTION RATE.
THAT'S HOW MUCH OF THE TAX LEVIES COLLECTED IN THE YEAR OF LEVY.
UM, AND SO WE'VE AGAIN SEEN GRADUAL INCREASES IN THAT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
NO CHANGE IN PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE.
UM, WE ARE FORECASTING A 3% INCREASE IN THAT REVENUE, BUT IT'S NOT FROM A TAX RATE INCREASE.
IT'S JUST FROM, UM, THAT, UH, VEHICLE VALUES AND, AND REPLACEMENT COLLECTION RATE ON PERSONAL PROPERTY IS 87.2%, SO CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN REAL ESTATE TAXES.
UM, HARDER TO COLLECT, UH, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
SO AS A REMINDER, THE COUNTY RECEIVES A LITTLE OVER 3 MILLION IN STATE FUNDING EVERY YEAR, UM, FOR WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS A WELL IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT, WHICH WAS ENACTED DECADES AGO.
BUT THIS IS, IS WHAT ENABLES PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION ON PERSONAL USE VEHICLES.
AND SO WHAT I DID HERE IS I KIND OF JUST SNIPPED WHAT OUR TAX BILL LOOKS LIKE.
SO PEOPLE WILL SEE THAT, UH, WHAT THEIR ASSESSED TAX IS CALCULATED AT, AND THEN THEY'LL SEE SOME TAX RELIEF THAT IS DEDUCTED OFF THAT TO GET TO THE TOTAL TAXES TO PAY.
THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AT FUNDING WE GET FROM THE STATE.
UM, THE, THE PROBLEM IS THE STATE CAPPED THAT AMOUNT DEC AGAIN, DECADES AGO.
WE ONLY GET $3 MILLION A YEAR NO MATTER HOW MANY VEHICLES WE HAVE OR WHAT THE VALUES ARE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO BASICALLY CALCULATE HOW TO SPREAD THAT 3 MILLION OUT TO ALL THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX, OUR PERSONAL VEHICLE OWNERS IN THE COUNTY WITHOUT GOING OVER.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE GONE OVER IN 2025, AND THAT'S ONLY GONNA GET WORSE IN, IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
SO IT IS PROPOSED THAT THIS RATE BE ADJUSTED FROM 31%, WHICH IS WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW, TO 29%.
AND THAT, AND GET THAT RATE IS ON THE FIRST $20,000 OF VALUE IF YOU OWN A VEHICLE THAT'S VALUED OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO IT BASICALLY TAKES 31% OF THAT TAX AND, AND REDUCES, UM, THAT OFF THE TOTAL BILL.
AND WE'RE SAYING GO TO 29 BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STATE FUNDS TO KEEP IT AT 31%.
UH, PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH SALES AND USE TAX MODEST INCREASE, UH, OF JUST 1% PROJECTED FOR FY 27.
UM, AND AS A REMINDER, WE DO SHARE THAT REVENUE WITH THE TOWNS.
WE GIVE BACK TO EACH TOWN A CERTAIN PROPORTION OF THAT REVENUE STREAM, WHICH IS BASED ON SCHOOL AGE, POPULATION, FOOD AND BEVERAGE TAX.
WE, WE'VE SEEN A GENERAL FLATTENING.
UM, WHEN WE GO BACK AND WE TREND THESE THINGS OUT, OUR CURRENT FOOD AND BEVERAGE TAX IS 5%, UM, WAS ENACTED BACK IN FY 22.
AND IT'S JUST A, A, A MINOR INCREASE OVER, UH, WHAT OUR, I'M SORRY, WHAT OUR ADOPTED BUDGET WAS RIGHT HERE.
SO 0.7% TRANS AND OCCUPANCY TAX, UM, HAS, HAS BEEN ONE OF THE LARGER, UH, REVENUE INCREASES IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE.
UH, WE, AS A REMINDER, WE DO HAVE A 5% TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX OUT THERE.
THAT APPLIES GENERALLY EVERYWHERE UNLESS, UM, EXCEPT IN, UM, THE LIMITS OF AN INCORPORATED TOWNS.
THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION TO THAT.
AND THAT WAS A, AN AGREEMENT REACHED AS PART OF ANNEXATION BACK IN 1989.
UM, THAT WE DON'T APPLY THE WHOLE 5% WITHIN THE TOWN OFT, BUT JUST 2%.
AND WE'RE SEEING, UH, ABOUT, WE'RE PROJECTING ABOUT A 3% INCREASE IN THAT REVENUE STREAM, CIGARETTE TAX.
UM, WE ARE BY CODE, WE ARE LOCKED AT THE MAXIMUM THAT THAT RATE CAN BE RIGHT NOW.
THAT IS BY CODE IT'S POINT, IT'S 40 CENTS PER PACK OR $4 PER CAR.
AND THAT THAT REVENUE, THAT RATE WAS RAISED LAST YEAR TO THE MAX.
UM, AND WE'RE NOT EXPECTING TO SEE ANY INCREASE IN REVENUE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UM, $492,000 LESS IN, AGAIN, INVESTMENT INCOME.
AND THIS IS JUST A CHART, A SNIP, IF YOU WILL, AT THE FED RATE OVER THE LAST YEAR, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE PROJECTING THE DECREASE ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.
WE KIND OF SHIFT NOW OVER TO LOOK AT WHERE I'M PROPOSING THE FUNDING GO.
UH, AGAIN, I, I MENTIONED THE BOARD'S PRIORITIES, 240,000, UM, BETWEEN THE, UH, DELIT BUILDING REMOVAL PROGRAM AND THE ADDITIONAL COSTS EXPECTED TO IMP IMPLEMENT AN ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING APPLICATION TO, TO REPLACE OUR, OUR
[00:35:01]
ARCHAIC, UM, FINANCIAL SOFTWARE THAT WE HAVE NOW.UM, IMPROVE EFFORTS TO RETAIN, UM, THE QUALIFIED WORKFORCE AND, AND RECRUIT.
AGAIN, THESE ARE TAKING THOSE INITIATIVES AND PUTTING SOME NUMBERS ON THAT I I REMARKED ABOUT EARLIER.
IT COSTS THE COUNTY, UM, JUST THE GENERAL FUND 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE FOCUSED NOW, 244,000 FOR A 2% COST OF LIVING INCREASE.
UM, IT ALSO COSTS US ANOTHER 125,000, UM, TO FUND RELATED COMPENSATION INCREASES FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE AFFILIATED WITH US.
AND SOMEHOW EITHER WE CREATED THEM, UM, WELL, OR WE, WE HAVE AGREED TO SUPPORT THEM AT A CERTAIN LEVEL.
AND EXAMPLES ARE THE LIBRARY, UH, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, SOCIAL SERVICES TOURISM COMMISSION, STAR TRANSIT 9 1 1.
UH, PROVIDE THIS, THIS BUDGET ALSO, UH, PROVIDES THAT, THAT BONUS I WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED, UM, BY THE STATE.
THAT WOULD COST $219,000, UM, FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
ALL, ALL EMPLOYEES WOULD BE, UM, WOULD RECEIVE THAT COVER EMPLOYEE SHARE, PROJECTED INCREASE IN EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE.
AND THIS IS THIS 447,000 IS JUST A GENERAL FUND, AND THAT IS ASSUMING A 20% INCREASE IN PREMIUMS. AND TO ACHIEVE A 20% INCREASE IN PREMIUMS, IT REQUIRES AN INSURANCE PLAN CHANGE.
UM, AND I HAVE NUMBER ONE, YOU HAVE A HANDOUT IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT I HAVE SOME SLIDES TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS.
AND THEN, UH, IT PROVIDES JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF $50,000 IN SEED FUNDING TO RECOGNIZE SUPERIOR EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE.
UH, THE COUNTY'S PERSONNEL COMMITTEE, UH, AUTHORIZED ISSUANCE OF AN RFP TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THE COUNTY, UM, REVISING ITS POLICIES AND COMING UP WITH NEW, UM, POLICIES AND, AND PROCEDURES TO HELP US RECOGNIZE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AND TO HELP US WITH, UH, CAREER ADVANCEMENT AND PLANNING ON THAT END.
AND SO THE RFP IS GONNA COME BACK.
WE'RE GONNA CHOOSE A, A, A VENDOR TO HELP US, UM, WITH, WITH COMING UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FIRST PERSONNEL COMMITTEE AND THEN HOPEFULLY THE BOARD.
AND THIS $50,000 IS TO HELP AT LEAST JUST START TRYING TO, TO, UM, IMPLEMENT SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, ALTOGETHER, AS FAR AS COMPENSATION RELATED, UM, AND, AND BENEFIT RELATED, WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE POINT A LITTLE OVER A MILLION, ALMOST $1.1 MILLION IN, IN NEW FUNDING NEEDING TO DO THESE THINGS.
UM, AND SO THE NEXT TWO OR THREE SLIDES ARE, WE'RE DRILLING INTO THIS HEALTH INSURANCE ISSUE.
SO, UM, FOR THE LAST TWO INSURANCE PLAN YEARS, THE COUNTY'S EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN HAS EXPERIENCED HISTORICAL INCREASES IN LARGE CLAIMS. UM, OUR CLAIM HISTORY IS CAUSING SOME EXTREME INCREASES IN BOTH INDIVIDUAL STOP LOSS AND AGGREGATE STOP LOSS LOSS INSURANCE COSTS ON TOP OF GENERAL MEDICAL INFLATION, WHICH IS PRETTY HIGH RIGHT NOW.
SO IT, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A SITUATION WHERE YOU CAN SAY, WELL, LET'S JUST GO OUT AND DO AN RFP FOR COMPLETE NEW PLAN, UM, AND EXPECT SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WE ARE VICTIMS OF OUR OWN CLAIM HISTORY.
UM, AND TO PUT THAT, I DIDN'T UPDATE THIS, THIS WAS ACTUALLY ONE I HAD FROM LAST YEAR, BUT, UM, WW IN, IN FY 24, THIS, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 13 CLAIMS OVER $50,000.
THIS IS HOW MANY, I HAVEN'T EVEN ADDED THAT NUMBER UP, BUT IT'S A LOT MORE THAN WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST.
UM, TO PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE, THE ACTUARIAL TABLE USED FOR PREDICTING CLAIMS ESTIMATED THAT THERE IS BETWEEN A ONE AND 3% CHANCE EVERY A HUNDRED YEARS OF HAVING THE INCREASES THE COUNTY IS EXPECT IS EXPERIENCING, UH, EXPECTED PREMIUM INCREASE IS LIKELY AT 28% THIS YEAR IF WE JUST STAY THE COURSE WITH THEIR EXISTING PLAN.
BUT IT COULD BE MORE, THAT'S THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW.
IF THAT, IF THAT COMES TO FRUITION, A 28% COST IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY, LET'S GET OUT TALKING ABOUT FUNDS.
BUT 28% ON OUR INSURANCE PLAN IS A $900,000 COST.
THAT'S BASICALLY 2 CENTS ON THE TAX RATE, UM, ADDRESSING, UM, UH, THESE HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS.
THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE TABLES TO SHOW YOU WHAT A 28% RATE INCREASE DOES ON, UM, SOME OF OUR DIFFERENT TIERS OF INSURANCE.
SO, UM, THIS IS WHAT OUR CURRENT RATES ARE.
AND I HAVE ANOTHER SLIDE THAT'S GONNA SHOW YOU WHAT, 20%, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT OPTIONS.
BUT, UM, UM, LET'S JUST GO TO THE EXTREME HERE.
THIS MEANS THAT AN EMPLOYEE WITH A FAMILY PLAN IS
[00:40:01]
GONNA PAY ANOTHER $253 PER MONTH.UM, THEN WHAT THEY'RE PAYING CURRENTLY, IF WE HAVE A 28% RATE INCREASE, UM, THE, THE, THE BOTTOM LINE FOR ME REALLY IS I, I DON'T BELIEVE THE EMPLOYER OR THE EMPLOYEE CAN SUSTAIN THESE TYPE OF PREMIUM INCREASES.
UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT THEY WERE LAST YEAR, WHICH ARE IN THE 20% RANGE, AND WE LOOK AT WHAT'S PROJECTED THIS YEAR, WE'RE BASICALLY AT 50% INCREASE OVER THE SPAN OF TWO YEARS.
UM, I BELIEVE THE TIME HAS COME TO CONSIDER CHANGING THE CURRENT ANTHEM KEY CARE PPO PRODUCTS TO ANOTHER OPTION.
AND, UM, SO, BUT A QUALITY OPTION, I WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT, UH, EXTENSIVE RESEARCH HAS DONE, UH, HAS BEEN DONE TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN THAT PRESERVES THE HIGH QUALITY OF INSURANCE COVERAGE OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE COME, UH, TO RELY ON, BUT COMES AT A LESSER COST.
UM, WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH, WITH HELP OF OUR CONSULTANT, AND, AND, AND WE ARE STILL ANALYZING THIS, THIS IS NOT, UM, THAT ANALYSIS IS NOT COMPLETE YET, BUT IT'S PRETTY FAR ALONG.
AND WHAT I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT ANTHEM HEALTH KEEPERS, WHICH BY THE WAY, I'LL CUT TO THE POINT HERE, IT WILL ONLY DROP THAT 28% INCREASE DOWN TO 20%.
AND, AND I BELIEVE MOST OF THAT IS BECAUSE IT'S NOT A HUGE CHANGE FROM THE CURRENT COVERAGE.
UM, SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS A COMPARABLE PLAN, AND WE PUT BASICALLY A, UH, A REVIEW OF THAT PLAN AND A COMPARISON TO OUR CURRENT PRODUCT.
IT'S ON YOUR, ON THE TABLE THERE.
IT'S ALSO THE SAME INFORMATION I, UM, SHARED WITH THE COUNTY'S LEADERSHIP TEAM AND ALSO, UH, ATTENDED THE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, UM, COMMITTEE, UM, THE OTHER DAY AND, UM, SHARED THIS INFORMATION WITH THEM AS WELL.
UM, AND, AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT, UH, AND I SHARED THAT GROUP THAT I WOULD NEVER, UM, PRESENT, UM, TO THE BOARD AS A RECOMMENDATION OF MIND TO COMPLETELY OVERALL OUR, OUR COVERAGE TO SOMETHING THAT, UM, WOULD BE SUCH A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE THAT IT, IT, IT WOULD, UH, KILL MORALE AND, AND HURT OUR ABILITY TO, UH, RECRUIT PEOPLE AND, AND RETAIN THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE.
BUT, UM, SO PART OF THAT ANALYSIS WAS WE DID WHAT'S CALLED A DISRUPTION ANALYSIS.
AND, AND WHAT THAT IS, IS WE'RE BASICALLY, LOOK, WE TAKE WHAT PHYSICIANS, WHAT MEDICAL PROVIDERS OUR EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY USED LAST YEAR, AND WE SEE IF IT FITS WHERE THEY FIT AND WHAT THE NEW PLAN THAT'S BEING PROPOSED, IS IT PART OF THEIR NETWORK OR NOT.
AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT 98% OF THE PROVIDERS US UTILIZED BY COUNTY EMPLOYEES LAST YEAR ARE IN THE ANTHEM HEALTH KEEPERS NETWORK.
SO WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS JUST ABOUT ALL THE PHYSICIANS THAT, UM, WE WERE USING LAST YEAR, WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO USE, UH, UH, IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE THEY'RE PART OF THE NETWORK.
AND THESE ARE TWO, AGAIN, TWO ANTHEM PRODUCTS, I MAY SAY HEALTH KEEPERS, BUT IT'S AN ANTHEM.
UM, KEY PIECE HERE, HEALTH KEEP MEM HEALTH KEEPERS MEMBERS CAN ACCESS SPECIALISTS DIRECTLY WITHOUT OBTAINING A REFERRAL UNDER THIS PLAN, SIMILAR TO THE CURRENT PLAN.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE AN HMO WHERE YOU HAVE TO GO TO YOUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN TO GET A REFERRAL TO A SPECIALIST.
UM, AS LONG AS THAT SPECIALIST IS IN THE NETWORK, YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT TO 'EM.
UH, YOU CAN, UH, YEARS AGO WE LOOKED AT CHANGING PLANS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS HEALTH KEEPERS AT THE TIME, BUT THE PLAN, UM, PLANS AREN'T, WEREN'T THEN AS PORTABLE AS THEY ARE NOW, THEY DID NOT REACH OVER STATE LINES.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND, UM, PROBLEMATIC WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THEM IS BECAUSE OF WHERE WE'RE AT ON THE STATE LINE AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE WORKING HERE THAT LIVE IN MARYLAND, THE PLAN HAD TO EXTEND INTO MARYLAND.
YOU HAD TO BE ABLE TO GET IN-NETWORK BENEFITS IN MARYLAND, YOU COULDN'T BACK THEN, BUT UNDER, UNDER THE HEALTH KEEPERS, UH, NETWORK, YOU CAN ACCESS OUT-OF-STATE CARE THROUGH PARTICIPATING BLUE CARD PPO PROVIDERS.
SO THAT'S LIKE, UM, LIKE A BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF TENNESSEE, AS LONG AS IT'S IN THAT NETWORK, THAT ANTHEM NETWORK, IT'S IN THE BLUE CARD NETWORK, AND IT'S CONSIDERED IN NETWORK FROM TERMS OF, OF PROVIDING, UM, MADAM CHAIR THE CARE.
MR. FETT, MR. MASON, BLUE CARD.
I, I DON'T RECALL SEEING THAT ANYWHERE, UH, WITH OUR OLD, UH, INSURANCE.
WHAT'S BLUE CARD? THAT'S, THAT'S THE OUT-OF-STATE NETWORK THAT WOULD BE LIKE, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS LIKE IF BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MARYLAND WOULD BE PART OF THE BLUE CARD NETWORK.
SO IF YOU SEE THE WORD BLUE UHHUH ON ANYTHING, OKAY.
IT'S, IT'S GONNA PROBABLY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY POP PROBABLY BE PART OF THE BLUE CARD NETWORK.
[00:45:01]
CURRENTLY, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU HAVE COUNTY HEALTH INSURANCE, YOU ARE A PART OF THE BLUE CARD NETWORK NOW.BUT YEAH, BUT THIS, YOU'D BE IN THE HEALTH KEEPER'S NETWORK IN VIRGINIA AND ONCE YOU WENT OUT, YOU'D BE IN THAT BLUE CARD NETWORK FOR EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND ALL OF IT IS CONSIDERED IN NETWORK.
UM, OUR PRESCRIPTION FORMULARY DOESN'T CHANGE WITH THIS.
OUR WELLNESS PROGRAM DOESN'T CHANGE WITH THIS.
UM, SO AGAIN, UM, BECAUSE OF THE MINIMAL CHANGES, WE DON'T SEE A HUGE DECREASE IN THAT COST, BUT WE DO SEE 8%, WHICH, AND, AND GIVEN THE LIMITED TO RESOURCES WE HAVE IS, IS, IS SOME RELIEF TO THIS BUDGET.
AND AGAIN, JUST LIKE I TOLD, UM, THE FOLKS AT THE TABLE AT THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING THE OTHER DAY, I, I WON'T RECOMMEND A PLAN THAT COMPLETELY OVERHAULS WHAT WE HAVE AND, AND PUTS IN SOME TYPE OF INFERIOR PROJECT.
WELL PRODUCT, UM, UH, I, I JUST WANT, SO WHAT, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE THEN? OKAY, LET'S TAKE AWAY THE 28% AND LET'S SAY WE COME IN AT 20 FROM SHIFTING TO HEALTH KEEPERS.
I MEAN, THAT'S STILL JUST A DEVASTATING INCREASE FOR SOMEONE WHO'S GOT A FAMILY PLAN, BUT IT DOES REDUCE IT TO SOME EXTENT, BOTH THE EMPLOYER AND THE EMPLOYER ENJOYING A DECREASE, UM, IN WHAT WE WERE PROJECTING INITIALLY OF, OF OUT-OF-POCKET COST IF WE STAYED WITH THE, THE EXISTING PPO PLAN, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
UH, SO THIS ACTION, IF, IF, IF THE BOARD, UM, AND I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT.
UH, WE, WE HAVE STILL MORE RESEARCH, BUT I HAVE TO PROPOSE SOMETHING INTO THIS BUDGET.
AND WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS WE, UH, WE CHOOSE HEALTH KEEPERS UNLESS THERE'S SOME KIND OF SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION THAT COMES TO LIGHT IN OUR CONTINUED RESEARCH ON THIS PRODUCT THAT INDICATES IT'S JUST NOT THE RIGHT FIT FOR US.
UM, BUT, UH, MR. MASON, SO THE EMPLOYEE CHILD AND EMPLOYEE CHILDREN IS AT THE SAME COST.
THAT'S PROBABLY MORE THAN ONE CHILD.
NO, UNDER WHERE WE WOULD BE AT RIGHT HERE.
OH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CURRENT, WON'T WE GO, RIGHT? YEAH, IT IF IF IT'S EMPLOYEE AND SPOUSE OR EMPLOYEE AND, UM, AND CHILD, IT'S THE SAME.
IF IT'S EMPLOYEE CHILD AND EMPLOYEE CHILDREN, THE SAME RATE.
WITH THE NEW AND WITH THE OLD ONE TOO, IF YOU GO BACK, OH, SO THE O ONE WAS LIKE THAT AS WELL? YEAH.
SEE, EMPLOYEE CHILD, EMPLOYEE CHILDREN, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT.
HUNDRED $34, GUESS I DON'T HAVE ANY CHILDREN.
I, BUT HERE, HERE ARE THE, WHAT THE RATES WOULD BE AT A 20% INCREASE.
SO AGAIN, UH, NOT TO BELABOR THE POINTS A BIG ISSUE IN THIS BUDGET, BOTH IN TERMS OF BENEFITS THAT EMPLOYEES RECEIVE AND THEN ALSO IN TERMS OF OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS FOR THEM AND COST TO THE COUNTY AND VEST THE CITIZENS.
UM, AGAIN, $900,000 IF WE HOLD COURSE AND ADDITIONAL COSTS.
SO, UH, CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS, AGREEMENTS, MANDATES, ALL THOSE THINGS.
UM, 600 ALREADY MENTIONED $632,000.
I PUT THAT IN THIS CATEGORY BECAUSE THAT IS AN AGREEMENT WE HAVE HAD FOR YEARS THAT DOES THE REVENUE SHARING OF 52% OF SELECT REVENUE.
WE, UH, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME MANDATES.
COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES ACT, UH, COST ARE, ARE SPIRALING.
UM, WITH THAT, THAT IS A MANDATED PROGRAM.
WE DON'T PAY THE FULL COST OF IT, BUT GENERALLY WE'RE IN THE 20 SOME PERCENT MATCH FOR ANY OF THE COSTS THAT ARE INCURRED FROM THAT, FROM THAT PROGRAM.
THE COMMUNITY SERVICES, UM, BOARD HAS A, A LOCAL MATCH.
UM, LAST YEAR THEY ASKED FOR FUNDING.
UM, I, I TRIED TO GET TO THE REQUIRED AMOUNT AND, AND, BUT MY RATIONALE WAS WE COULD REQUEST A WAIVER, WHICH WE DID, AND IT'S BEEN DENIED.
SO, UM, BACK TO TRYING TO, TO FUND THIS AT THE, UH, LEVEL THAT'S PRESCRIBED, UM, BY THE, BY THE STATE JUVENILE DETENTION COSTS ARE UP.
AND SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE NOT JUST, THEY'RE NOT BEING UTILIZED MORE, IT'S JUST THE COST IS, IS SKYROCKETED.
UM, HEALTH DEPO, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, LOCAL MATCH INCREASE, THAT IS, THERE'S ALWAYS A SLIGHT INCREASE, USUALLY IN OUR SHARE OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT COST.
BUT THE STATE CODE CHANGED, AND NOW A GREATER PERCENTAGE HAS BEEN SHIFTED TO THE LOCALITY.
SO THAT IS CAUSING THAT INCREASE TO BE, UH, MORE SUBSTANTIAL THAN IN, UH, PRIOR YEARS.
UH, JUST GENERAL CONTRACT ESCALATORS, WE HAVE, UM, A LOT OF WHAT COMES TO MIND IS SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE A CERTAIN ESCALATOR IN 'EM THAT GOES UP, UM, AS,
[00:50:01]
AS YOU AS IT SOUNDS EVERY YEAR, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE PRICE OF THAT SERVICE.WE HAVE, UM, BEEN TOLD THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE THE, UH, ANIMAL, UH, KENNELS AT THE, UM, ANIMAL, UH, REGIONAL ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY.
AND, AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH NORTH HAMDEN WOULD HAVE THEM CONTRIBUTING TO THAT.
BUT THAT IS A COST, UH, OBSTRUCTION REMOVAL AT THE AIRPORT.
UH, THERE IS, UM, QUITE A BIT OF GENERAL ELECTION RELATED, UM, VOTING EQUIPMENT, UM, THAT IS BEING REPLACED OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS.
THESE ARE MANDATES, UM, BASED ON SOME LANGUAGE THAT'S OUT THERE NOW, SOME BILLS, THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ASSOCIATED WITH GENERAL ELECTIONS COULD INCREASE AND CERTAIN THINGS PLAY OUT.
BUT THIS WAS, UM, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT NOW WITH $130,000 FOR THOSE THINGS.
AND, UH, UH, VICKI WEEKLY, YOUR, UH, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, OF MATIC SOCIAL SERVICES BRIEFED YOU ON SNAP, SNAP PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES, UH, STATE NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UM, AT YOUR LAST MEETING AND SUPPLEMENTAL, I'M SORRY, THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME.
UM, 57,800 AND YOU DEFINITELY KNOW
SO, BUT THE, THE NUMBER HERE IS PRETTY STAGGERING.
IT'S $1.2 MILLION AND JUST COST IS HARD TO GET AWAY FROM MR. MR. HO, UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ME MANY TIMES.
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND HERE, WE HAVE TO KEEP FIGHTING THE STATE.
YOU SEE THAT 3 CENTS OF OUR RATE IS GOING JUST FOR MANDATE MANDATES 3 CENT JUST FOR MANDATES THAT THE STATE IS FORCING ON US INSTEAD OF PAYING FOR ON THEMSELVES.
THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT US TO DO.
AND THEY'RE PROPOSING EVEN MORE THIS YEAR AND IT'S GETTING BAD.
AND THERE'S SOME PROPOSALS, I HOPE JAN IS FILING IT, BUT THERE ARE SOME PROPOSALS, LIKE EVEN WITH THE BZA WHERE THE BOARD PASSES A RULE, YOU PASS THE ZONING, WE PASS ZONING, SOMETHING, UH, A DEVELOPER WANTS TO DO IS TURNED DOWN.
THEY GO TO THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS AND THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS CAN OVERRULE THIS BOARD.
THAT'S WHAT GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS PROPOSING.
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT JUST FOR A SECOND.
SHE CAN PULL IT UP AND SHE CAN SHOW 'CAUSE VACO IS FIGHTING THIS, BUT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE.
UNELECTED PEOPLE APPOINTED BY A JUDGE CAN OVERRULE THIS BOARD AND ALLOW A ZONING THING TO HAPPEN, EVEN THOUGH THIS BOARD DOESN'T WANT IT.
SO I'M SAYING WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE STATE AND THAT THAT JUST SHOWS YOU RIGHT THERE, THE UNFUNDED MANDATES AND THE THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT, AND THE STATE'S EVEN PROPOSING MORE, MORE THINGS ARE COMING DOWN.
SOME, SOME OF THEM ARE GOING CRAZY UP THERE.
SO WE'VE BEEN, I WENT THERE LAST WEEK AND THERE'S SOME OF 'EM GOING CRAZY, SO WE'RE VACO'S FIGHTING IT.
BUT JAN, IF YOU CAN PULL IT UP AND LOOK AT THE, THERE'S VACO HAS IDENTIFIED SOME THAT WE REALLY NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR, BUT, UM, MADAM CHAIR, UH, MR. CLARK, CAN I PIGGYBACK ON ON SURE.
MR. HART'S COMMENT, AND HE'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
ANOTHER THING WE NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON, AND IT KEEPS RAISING, IT SAID EVERY GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION DO AWAY WITH THE CAR TAX.
YES, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN SOONER OR LATER.
AND AND YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL WITH THAT BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER, THOSE THINGS, THOSE THINGS TURN OUT THAT WE HAVE TO FUND EVERYTHING.
I'LL GIVE YOU, GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
OUR TWO BIGGEST, UH, REVENUE SOURCES IS REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES CONSIST MOSTLY OF THE CAR TAX.
LAST THING, IT WAS LAST YEAR, WE BROUGHT IN $14 MILLION FROM PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX.
AND AS THE NUMBERS SHOWED UP THERE, OUR BIGGEST EXPENDITURES FROM, FROM LOCAL REVENUE IS EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND JUST FOR ROUGH NUMBERS, IT'S PUSHING 70%.
SO IF THEY DID AWAY WITH THE CAR TAX AND THEY DIDN'T FUND THAT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE A BUDGET HOLE OF $10 MILLION.
AND WHAT I TRY TO EXPLAIN, UH, TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY BRING UP, WHY DON'T YOU DO AWAY WITH CAR TAX? MY, MY RESPONSE IS, OKAY, WE CAN DO THAT EASILY WITH A VOTE.
HOWEVER, DO YOU THINK WE'RE GOING TO CUT PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY BY $10 MILLION BECAUSE, OR RAISE YOUR TAXES BY 40 40? NO, THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD TAKE.
AND THEN I FOLLOW THAT UP WITH, THERE IS NO WAY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS GOING TO CUT EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY BY $10 MILLION.
WE'RE JUST GONNA INCREASE YOUR, UH, YOUR REAL ESTATE TAXES.
SO KEEP AN EYE ON THAT BECAUSE EVERY GENERAL SET ASSEMBLY SESSION AND IT'S POPULAR, IT'S A POPULAR 30 MINUTE SOUNDBITE.
SO BE BE CAREFUL WITH THAT EVERY YEAR.
BUT TO PIGGYBACK ON YOU, THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS YEAR, THOSE THAT ARE PROPOSING TO HIM WAIVE THE CAR TAX.
SOME ARE NOT PROPOSING THAT THE STATE MAKE US WHOLE, CORRECT.
THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING, OH, WE'RE GOING GO AWAY WITH IT, BUT WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU THE MONEY.
[00:55:01]
NO, THEY'RE PROPOSING WE JUST DO AWAY WITH IT.
AND WHICH MEANS WE WOULD HAVE THE WHOLE ROBERT IS DESTROYED ABOUT $10 MILLION.
NOT, NOT TO BELABOR THE POINT, BUT THE REASON I SAID THAT $3 MILLION IN PPTR AID IS CAPPED.
IT'S CAPPED BECAUSE OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY TOOK THAT ACTION YEARS AGO AFTER THEY CREATED THE PROGRAM.
AND IT WAS COSTING THE STATE MORE THAN WHAT THEY EXPECTED.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS.
AND THE STATE ALSO RESTRICTS US ON WHAT WE CAN CHARGE AND WHAT WE CAN DO.
UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, WE COULDN'T EVEN DO WHAT COUNT WHAT, UH, TOWNS COULD DO.
WE GOT AROUND HERE, 250 PEOPLE, WHATEVER THEY COULD DO, THEY HAVE MORE POWER THAN THE COUNTY WITH 35,000 PEOPLE.
AND WE HAD TO FIGHT TO GET THAT.
BUT THE STATE RESTRICTS WHAT WE CAN CHARGE, UH, JUST PERSONAL PROPERTY AND REAL.
Y'ALL NEED TO START FOLLOWING THIS.
AND, UH, I KNOW THEY ALERT YOU.
THEY COULD ALERT YOU, AND I KNOW THEY ALERT YOU, JAN, JUST LET YOU KNOW, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON? BUT LET THE BOARD KNOW TOO, IF YOU GET ONE, SHOOT IT TO US.
OF COURSE, WE ONLY HAVE TWO REPS, SO WE CAN STILL CONTACT THEM.
I'M SORRY MADAM CHAIR, BUT I JUST WANTED TO NO GOOD INFORMATION.
WANT BOARD TO SEE THAT? THAT'S 3 CENT RIGHT THERE.
YEAH, WE NEEDED TO KNOW THAT JUST FOR THE MANDATES THREE SENT JUST FOR THOSE QUESTION.
SO MOVING ON TO PRIORITY FOUR.
THIS IS, UM, THE BUCKET THAT I'VE, UH, THAT GOOD POINT.
UM, THE CURRENT SWIPE CARD ACCESS SYSTEM TO ALL, ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS, UM, IS, IS BASICALLY PROPRIETARY.
AND, UM, IT, IT'S A SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE, WE, THERE'S ONLY A, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT GO INTO ANY MORE DETAIL
UM, UH, WE HAVE, UH, UNDER A SAFETY REMOVED DERELICT STRUCTURES THAT THE OLD NASA FERRY DOCK AND WISHERS POINT, THOSE AREAS ARE POPULAR, UM, DURING ROCKET LAUNCHES AND PARTICULARLY THE OLD NASA FERRY DOCK WHERE YOU HAVE A LOT OF STRUCTURE AND OLD GANTRY GANTRY THAT ARE BEING SU UH, SUPPORTED.
UM, WE, WE NEED TO GET RID OF THOSE STRUCTURES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT DOWN THERE.
UH, COURT FACILITIES ACCESS CONTROL, THIS IS REPLACEMENT OF THE METAL DETECTOR AND USE AND, AND EMPLOYING A NEW X-RAY BAG SCANNER FOR THE COURTS.
AND THEN, UM, ADDITIONAL, UH, FACILITY VIDEO MONITORING EQUIPMENT AND CAMERAS.
SOME OF THAT IS REPLACING SOME OF OUR, UM, CAMERAS, WHICH ARE AT END OF LIFE.
AND, AND SOME OF IT IS ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL ONES, UM, IN, IN AREAS THAT NEED, UH, SOME, SOME SURVEILLANCE OR, OR VIDEO COVERAGE.
ME GATHER
SO NOW WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH ENOUGH FUNDS TO GET IT DONE.
I, I'LL JUST EXPRESS MY OPINION.
I, IT'S BEEN THERE FOR 80 YEARS AND, AND THIS MAY NOT BE THE TIME TO LET THAT CONTRACT, BUT THANK YOU.
1, 1, 1 THING, NOT TO TO DISAGREE WITH YOU, BUT, UM, WE HAD EXAMPLES OF, OF SPECTATORS DOING SOME REALLY NOT SO SMART THINGS OFF THIS EQUIPMENT AT ONE OF OUR RECENT ROCKET LAUNCHES.
SO, UM, THAT THAT IS PART OF THIS DECISION.
IT MIGHT BE MORE, IT MIGHT BE MORE COST ADVANTAGEOUS TO HAVE A, A DEPUTY THERE FOR A ROCKET LAUNCH THAN TO, TO GO THROUGH THIS CONTRACT AT THIS TIME, BUT UNDERSTANDING THE RISK AND THE POTENTIAL LIABILITY.
YEAH, THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.
MORE LIABLE FOR ANYTHING HAPPENS HERE.
WELL, CAREFUL RAINY DAY DEPOSIT, A MILLION DOLLARS.
UH, AGAIN, WE, THIS IS SORT OF THE PLAN IS TO GET IT TO SIX, THE RAINY DAY FUND BALANCE TO 16.7%.
UM, AND WE, WE HAVE SORT OF A TABLE OF, OF, OF DEPOSITS THAT ARE OUTLINED BASED ON, ON BUDGET GROWTH.
AND, UH, WE'RE, THIS WOULD BE RIGHT HERE AND WE WILL GET TO, UM, 13.7%, HOPEFULLY IF WE MAKE THIS DEPOSIT WITH A GOAL OF GETTING THERE IN 2031, UH, INVESTMENT IN BUILDINGS, EQUIPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO, UH, 185,000 TOWARDS AIRPORT FUELING FACILITY.
UM, THAT, THAT FACILITY IS OVER 40 YEARS OLD.
IT'S GOT ITS SUBSTANTIAL CORROSION.
UH, THE MAIN PUMP IS DOWN AND IT'S GONNA BE RIGHT WITHIN EYESIGHT OF A BRAND NEW HANGAR.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S NUMBER ONE, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
IT'S OUTDATED AND OBSOLETE, BUT TWO, IT'S GONNA BE A TERRIBLE EYESORE IF YOU'RE TRYING TO FILL THE HANGAR WITH, UM, WITH, UH, SOME CORPORATE AIR AIRCRAFT IN THE FUTURE.
UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ROOF REPLACEMENTS, 130, WE NEED A FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AT THE COUNTY GARAGE.
[01:00:01]
UM, JAIL DOOR REPLACEMENT, PAINTING AND PLUMBING.UH, WE'VE DETERMINED THAT THE, UH, ACK LIBRARY, THE OLD LIBRARY, UM, WHERE WE'RE GONNA MOVE, UH, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT SEPTIC SYSTEM IS NOT CAPABLE OF AND, AND IS FAILING.
UM, THE MALFA INDUSTRIAL WATER PARK TANK MAINTENANCE THAT FRANKLY, I COULD HAVE DUMPED THIS INTO THE MANDATE COLUMN BECAUSE, UH, WE, WE'VE BEEN ASKED BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OFFICE OF DRINKING WATER, UM, NOT, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANNA SAY DIRECTIVE, BUT WE'VE CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN TOLD WE NEED TO PAINT THE DIANE CAN CLEAN IT.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, SPACE ACQUISITION.
SO THERE, I, I REMARKED EARLIER THAT THERE WAS SOME FUNDING IN HERE FOR LAND AND FACILITY ACQUISITION.
THERE'S, UM, SOME PROPERTIES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT ARE COMING UP FOR SALE.
AND WE MAKE, UM, PERFECT, UH, PLACE TO, FOR SOME OF THE STAFF THAT, THAT THEY'VE GOT GROWING PAINS OVER THERE.
AND SO WE NEED TO FIND A HOME FOR SOME OF THE STAFF.
AND, AND THIS WOULD BE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY.
IT, CERTAINLY WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN APPRAISAL PROCESS AND NEGOTIATIONS, BUT IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
THERE'S ALSO SOME FUNDING, UM, FOR, FOR, FOR LAND ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ACQUIRE IT.
UM, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, THE LAND NEXT TO YOU IS THE MOST VALUABLE LAND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DARN RIGHT.
YOU DON'T LET IT GET OUTTA YOUR HANDS.
SO WE HAVE END OF LIFE HARDWARE REPLACEMENT NEEDED IN, IN IT.
UM, WE HAVE, I I'VE ASKED FOR SEED FUNDS FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING, MINOR INTERIOR.
SO THE SCHOOLS ARE PROJECTED TO MOVE OUT OF, OF THIS BUILDING OVER TO THE NEWLY RENOVATED, UM, MACK PRIMARY, UM, IN, IN, IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.
AND THAT'S GONNA LEAVE THAT AREA OF THE BUILDING UNINHABITED TEMPORARILY.
WE WANT TO DO SOME MINOR RENOVATIONS AND TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO, AND THEN START MOVING SOME OF OUR FOLKS WHO ARE OUT AND SOME OTHER, UH, SEPARATE BUILDINGS BACK IN.
UM, ADDITIONAL CONTINGENCY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UH, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PROJECTS COME IN OVER THIS YEAR.
UH, WHAT THIS IS, IS JUST ADDING TO YOUR BUDGET CONTINGENCY, BASICALLY TO HELP GIVE US SOME FUNDING, UM, SOME SOLUTIONS IN CASE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS COME IN OVER WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING AND BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AT WITHOUT CANNIBALIZING OTHER EXISTING PROJECTS.
UH, 49,000 IN INFL, JUST, I JUST CHARACTERIZES INFLATION, UH, DRIVEN COSTS, ELECTRICITY, UM, POSTAGE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
FUEL NOT, NOT FUEL, UM, SINCE WE SEE THAT GOING DOWN.
THERE ARE TWO OF THOSE IN, IN THIS BUDGET.
ONE, THE FIRST ONE AGAIN, IS PROPOSING APPLYING THE COUNTY'S OBSERVED STATE HOLIDAYS TO ALL SOLID WASTE CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
SO CURRENTLY THOSE, THOSE CENTERS ARE CLOSED ONLY ON TWO DAYS A YEAR, OTHER THAN THEIR SCHEDULED DAY OFF DURING THE WEEK.
'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE ALL, THEY SHUT THEIR DOORS ONE DAY.
BUT, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THEY ONLY CLOSE ON THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS DAY.
THE PROPOSAL IS TO OBSERVE ALL CO COUNTY HOLIDAYS AT THESE FACILITIES THAT REDUCES THE LABOR COST, INCLUDING HOLIDAY PAY.
'CAUSE IF, IF YOU WORK ON A HOLIDAY, YOU GET AN ENHANCED HOURLY RATE.
UM, THE TONNAGE DATA INDICATES THAT THESE, UH, DATES ARE LOW VOLUME DATES AT THE CENTERS, PROBABLY BECAUSE CITIZENS ALREADY ASSUME THEY'RE CLOSED.
UM, PEOPLE, MOST FOLKS ARE JUST GONNA ASSUME WE'RE NOT OPEN THAT DAY.
AND, AND HISTORICALLY WE HAVE BEEN.
SO THAT, THAT I, I THINK IS, IS A REDUCTION THE BOARD SHOULD CONSIDER.
SERIOUSLY, IT SAVES APPROXIMATELY $33,000 ANNUALLY IF, IF WE DO THAT.
UM, SUNSET'S TRANS OVER TELEVISION SERVICES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2027.
PICK THAT DATE TO GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO TRANSITION.
NUMBER ONE, IF YOU ASK ME HOW MANY CITIZENS UTILIZE IT, I CAN'T TELL YOU 'CAUSE NO DATA EXISTS ON THAT.
BUT THE EXPECTATION IS A LOW NUMBER.
UM, TRANSFER TV WAS PUT IN PLACE DECADES AND DECADES AND DECADES AGO.
BEFORE, BEFORE THERE WERE THINGS LIKE, UM, WHY WERE WE STILL ON ANTENNA STARLINK AND, AND DIRECTV AND EVEN, EVEN CHARTER AT THAT POINT, UH, CHARTER SPECTRUM.
BUT DISCONTINUING T UH, TTV WERE SAVED 20,750, UH, 744 HOURS ANNUALLY.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S THIS UPCOMING EQUIPMENT UPGRADE THAT'S GONNA BE NEEDED.
IF WE DON'T, UM, CONSIDER, UH, WE'RE GONNA INCUR THAT IF WE DON'T CONSIDER DISCONTINUING THE SERVICE.
[01:05:01]
UM, MADAM CHAIRMAN, MR. HUT, I CAN TELL YOU, I'D FIND OUT, TURN IT OFF FOR A FEW DAYS.THAT WAS DONE A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND IT WENT THE, WE MORE PEOPLE CALLED THAN WE THOUGHT.
BUT RIGHT NOW YOU COULD DO THAT AND SEE HOW MANY COMPLAINTS COME INTO THE COUNTY.
THAT WOULD GIVE YOU AN IDEA RIGHT THERE.
WHO'S USING HOW MANY'S USING IT.
I, I THINK EITHER WAY, I MEAN, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT MIGHT HELP US KNOW HOW MANY, BUT THE KEY IS TO WE NEED TO MOVE ON FROM IT AND WE NEED TO OH, I AGREE.
A ROBUST OUTREACH PROGRAM TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WITH THE TECHNOLOGY.
ISN'T, YEAH, I THINK PROBABLY MY, I SUSPECT MY DISTRICT'S GOT THE MOST PEOPLE THAT ARE ON IT, HONESTLY.
BUT NO OURS DOWN IN THE SOUTHERN END, MIGHT I I WAS GONNA SAY, UM, MR. HART IN THE SOUTHERN END, I KNOW IN FACT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY, MOST OF THE TIME YOU PUT POOP IN CLASSES, YOU KNOW, ELDERLY OR WHATEVER, OR, AND, BUT I KNOW OF AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE OFF HAND.
I KNOW IN
IT'S, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A TOUGH BUDGET YEAR.
SO, UM, LOOKING AT A LOT OF OPTIONS HERE, MA'AM.
CHAIRMAN, COULD I HAVE HIM GO BACK? GO AHEAD, MR. HUNT.
GO BACK TO THE ONE WHERE YOU HAD THE, THE TOWER EXPENSE.
OH, FOR A TRANSLATOR? NO, THE, UH, WATER TOWER AND THE INDUSTRIAL PARK.
IS IT THERE? THERE IT'S, THERE IT IS.
IS IT POSSIBLE, SINCE WE'RE GONNA BE DOING WORK ON THAT WATER TOWER, IS IT POSSIBLE WE COULD EVALUATE, UH, WHETHER THAT WATER, THAT WATER TOWER COULD BE USED WITH ANTENNAS OR SOMETHING TO HELP, UM, UH, SOME KIND OF SER UH, CELL SERVICE, UM, SOME KIND OF SERVICE, 9 1 1 SERVICE, SOMETHING ON? IS THERE ANY WAY TO EVALUATE THAT? IF THERE'S ANY WAY, BECAUSE I KNOW SOME LOCALITIES USE THEIR WATER TOWERS.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO DO THAT WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON IT? JUST EVALUATE IT.
I WOULD SAY WE COULD HAVE THAT EVALUATED WHEN WE WEREN'T WORKING ON IT.
IF IT TURNED OUT TO BE AN OPTION AND, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK AT TO IMPROVE SERVICE IN THAT AREA, I THINK THAT'D BE GOOD.
OR WHY I'M ASKING THAT IS, UM, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FROM VILLE SOUTH ON THE SEASIDE ALL THE WAY DOWN MM-HMM
THROUGH QUIMBEE, WATCH CREEK, ALL OF IT.
THERE IS 9 1 1 CANNOT, THE FIRE COMPANIES CANNOT GET, UH, ANY CALLS ON THEIR RADIOS.
THE, I MEAN, NOT JUST ONE LITTLE POCKETS, BUT THE ENTIRE AREA.
IF YOU GO TO LOCUST AND YOU GO DOWN SEASIDE ALL THE WAY DOWN THROUGH WATCH CREEK QUI THAT'S TRUE.
AND EVEN INTO, UM, MAPS, BELL'S, NECK AND THAT AREA DOWN THERE, IT'S DEAD.
I, I SEEM TO REMEMBER, WE GET ME THINK MAYBE DIRECT SOMETHING THAT WAY ON TOP OF THE TOWER, I SEEM TO REMEMBER SOME DISCUSSION ON THIS.
I LOOKED AT STEWART STUART'S GONNA OFFER OH, GOOD, STUART.
SO WAS EVALUATED SOME YEARS AGO BACK WHEN
AND, AND THE ISSUE IS, EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS REALLY HUGE, IT'S ONLY LIKE 130 FEET TALL.
AND THE CELL TOWERS WERE MUCH TALLER.
AND, UH, WE USED TO HAVE SOME, SOME LEASED EQUIPMENT ON THERE, AND IT SLOWLY CAME OFF THROUGH THE YEARS THAT THEY FOUND BETTER SOLUTIONS FOR WHAT?
LEMME TELL YOU THIS, THIS IS STRANGE.
BUT, UH, OVER IN WATCH CREEK, IN THAT AREA, THERE IS BETTER SERVICE ON THE BARRIER ISLANDS THAN OUT IN THE ATLANTIC COAST.
THEY ON THE, THEY GET FIRE CALLS.
THEY CAN, THEY CAN, THEY'RE RADIOS AND STUFF WORK WHEN THEY'RE ON BOATS OR THE COAST GUARD AND THEY'RE OUT IN THE OCEAN.
OR EVEN ON THE BARRIER ISLANDS, YOU COME IN NO, NO RECEPTION.
IT'S JUST STRANGE THAT, THAT, YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULDN'T BE, BUT IT IS CEDAR ISLAND AND EVEN DOWN TO HOG AND ALL THOSE, THEY'RE ALL GETTING RECEPTION, BUT THE MAINLAND ISN'T GETTING THAT MANY.
SO IT JUST WORRIES ME, BECAUSE YOU ALL KNOW THIS IS PERSONAL, BUT I DRIVE A SCHOOL BUS EVERY MORNING AND NO RECEPTION.
I CAN'T, IF, IF I HAD AN EMERGENCY, I CAN'T GET, I CAN'T MAKE A PHONE CALL.
AND I'VE HAD A SITUATION, AS I TOLD YOU BEFORE, WHERE I HAD TO WALK TWO MILES JUST TO GET ONE BAR TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY PHONE CALL ON MY PHONE.
BUT THAT'S, THAT HAPPENS EVERY DAY.
SO I JUST HOPE AND PRAY THAT EVERY DAY THAT I DON'T HAVE SOMETHING HAPPEN TO THE BUS.
ONCE I GET PAST JUANITA MAJOR'S CONVENIENCE CENTER.
AND, AND I AT GRANGEVILLE AND I, ONCE I PASS HER, I CAN'T GET ANY STUFF.
SHE CUTS IT OFF IN HER DISTRICT.
I GUESS SHE DON'T LET ANYTHING PASS THERE.
SO ONCE I'M TEASING, I'M TEASING.
BUT SERIOUSLY, THAT'S HOW IT GOES DOWN 180.
AND ONCE I GET THERE, THAT'S IT.
[01:10:01]
UNTIL I FINISH MY RUN AT HER DISTRICT AGAIN.SO SHE CUTS IT OFF THERE AND CUTS IT BACK ON AT PAINTER.
SO I GET, I DON'T GET ANYTHING IN BETWEEN, BUT SHE LETS ME HAVE IT AT PAINTER IN GREENSVILLE,
SO ANYWAY, BUT THAT IS THE GOD'S HONEST TRUTH.
AND THEN I, I DIDN'T REALIZE IT UNTIL TWO DAYS AGO THAT JACKIE'S DISTRICT, THAT IT EXTENDS ALL THE WAY UP IN, INTO VILLE EVEN TOWARD THAT, UH, NEY UP IN THAT AREA ON THAT, ON THE SEASIDE, THAT WHOLE AREA UP IN THERE.
SO IT, IT WAS JUST, I'M SORRY.
I AGREE, TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU, MR. HART.
AND IT ACTUALLY ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE, BUT IT'S STILL A HUGE PROBLEM.
BUT I DO WANNA CLARIFY BECAUSE IT'S COME UP LATELY ABOUT THE RADIO SERVICE AND THE CELL SERVICE.
THEY'RE NOT THE SAME JUST FOR PUBLIC, BUT, BUT BOTH OF THEM ARE HAVING TROUBLE.
YOU GOTTA REMEMBER, THERE IS A TOWER NOW ON BRICK HALL'S FARM ACROSS FROM THE COLLEGE ERA ON THAT TOWER'S ERA ALREADY.
AND IT'S TOO SHORT IF YOU GO OUT THERE AND LOOK AT IT, BUT I'M SURE IF SOMEBODY DID IT SITTING IN WASHINGTON AT THEIR DESK, THEY THOUGHT, OH, THAT'D BE GREAT.
'CAUSE THEY ASSUME WE'RE FLAT AND THEY UNDERESTIMATE THE HILLS.
WE DO HAVE IN VEGETATION, MY OPINION, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ONE, UM, ON RICK HILLS FARM RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE COLLEGE, RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE COLLEGE.
UH, IT PROBABLY SAME RIGHT BY HIS HEAD.
WE GET OUT ANOTHER 50 FEET OR SOMETHING.
UH, I'M SORRY I WENT OFF THAT TANGENT.
IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
SO WE JUST FINISHED TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND, SOME OF THE, THE REVENUES AND, AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
NOW WE'RE JUMPING INTO THE EMS FUND AND YOU ALL KNOW, UM, WHAT, WHAT THAT IS.
UH, IT'S USED TO PAY FOR ALL EXPENDITURES ASSOCIATED WITH EMS CAREER STAFF.
AND YOU HAVE A SEPARATE RATE FOR THAT PAYS FOR SIX, UH, 65 FULL-TIME CAREER STAFF, PLUS SOME ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS.
AND OVER 90% ARE, IS PERSONNEL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT FUND.
REMEMBER YOU'VE SEEN THIS TABLE BEFORE.
THIS IS OUR TOTAL RATE, BOTH THE LOWER TAX RATE AND THE PROPOSED.
AND YOU CAN SAY, I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR ANY INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE FOR EMS. UM, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER HERE.
UM, THIS IS THE FUND BALANCE OF THAT FUND.
AND YOU CAN SEE I WAS DRAMATICALLY COMING DOWN.
AND THEN FOR FY 26, THE RATE WAS INCREASED.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT DIP HAS BEEN SLOWED.
BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE COSTS, LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE HAVING A PRETTY BIG IMPACT ON THERE.
UM, SO WE'RE PROJECTED TO HAVE A SMALL FUND BALANCE IN THE FUND NEXT YEAR, AND LET ME COME BACK.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK OUT AND THAT'S THAT 137,000, WE'RE GOING INTO A DEFICIT SITUATION IN THE YEARS AFTER THAT.
SO, UM, NOT THIS YEAR, BUT NEXT YEAR IT, IT LOOKS LIKE A, A TAX INCREASE WILL BE NEEDED TO KEEP THAT PROGRAM GOING.
AND, AND SO IT, IT'S ONE, THE DISCUSSION IS A 1 CENT INCREASE IN THE EMS TAX INCREASE THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR WE'LL AVOID AM TAX INCREASE OF 2 CENTS NEXT YEAR.
SO IF YOU GO ONE PENNY, WE, MS MAJOR AND, UH, MS. YOUR MOTHER AND I USED TO DO THAT, WE'D RAISE IT A PENNY A YEAR AHEAD AND THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO RAISE IT TWO PENNIES THE NEXT YEAR.
IT'LL GIVE YOU SOME BREATHING ROOM AND IT'LL AVOID HAVING TO TAKE ANY ACTION NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
BUT TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, GOING BACK, WE'RE PROJECTING IT WON'T BE IN THE RED.
IT'LL BE GETTING CLOSE TO IT IN FY 27.
SO THE ONLY THINGS AS FAR AS, UM, INVESTMENTS OR INITIATIVES THAT I'M RECOMMENDED IN THIS FUND, OR IT'S, IT'S SHARED COST OF THE INSURANCE.
THE CALL, THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE, UM, UH, OPERATING SUPPLIES ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, THE AMBULANCE THAT WE OWN AND ARE OPERATING OUT OF PAINTER.
UH, AS I SAID EARLIER, I DO BUDGET FOR VACANCY SAVINGS IN THIS FUND.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO NET IS IT'S GOING DOWN, BUT THAT'S, I I'VE BEEN BUDGETING FOR VACANCY SAVINGS FOR YEARS IN THIS FUND.
SO THAT REALLY, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GO ANY FURTHER INTO THIS OTHER THAN JUST SAYING THAT'S WORTH CONSIDERING.
I THINK, UH, DEBT SERVICE FUND, UH, NO CHANGES TO THAT COMPONENT OF THE OVERALL RATE.
UM, WE'RE EXPECTING TO, BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA GO DOWN A LITTLE BELOW ZERO IN FY 26, BUT BECAUSE OUR DEBT SERVICE, UM, WE HAVE A BOND THAT'S BEING PAID.
IT MAY BE TWO, BUT AT LEAST ONE THAT WAS FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.
WE WON'T HAVE TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE ON THAT, UM, IN, IN THE FUTURE.
SO THAT'S GONNA ALLOW THIS FUND TO REBOUND.
AND THIS IS JUST A CHART SHOWING THE DEBT, UM, COUNTY DEBT SERVICE BY FISCAL YEAR.
AND NOW YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT DIP IN DEBT SERVICE COSTS THAT WE'RE GONNA EXPERIENCE IN FY 27, I JUST REMARKED ABOUT
[01:15:02]
AND THERE, AND THERE'S THE FUND BALANCE STARTING TO, TO REBOUND.AND THAT WILL CREATE SOME OPPORTUNITIES IN FY 28 FOR YOU TO SHIFT SOME, UM, A PORTION OF THAT, THAT, THAT AMOUNT, UM, TO SOMETHING ELSE COULD BE LIKE EMS. UM, UH, THE COUNTY DOES HAVE SIGNIFICANT DEBT CAPACITY SHOULD IT NEED TO ISSUE ANY DEBT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S SEVERAL CALCULATIONS THAT WE USE TO DETERMINE, UH, THERE BASICALLY PARAMETERS OF HOW MUCH DEBT WE CAN ISSUE AND WE'RE WELL UNDER ALL THOSE THRESHOLDS AND CAPS.
UM, IT SHOULD, WE NEED TO USE IT GOING OVER TO THE LANDFILL FUND.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THIS FUND IS OBVIOUSLY TO TO PAY FOR THE OPERATING AND, UH, UH, CAPITAL AND INCLUDING CLOSURE AND FUTURE EXPANSION, UM, BY BUILDING NEW CELLS AT, AT, AT OUR, AT OUR LANDFILL.
UH, AND THE, THE SOUTH TRANSFER STATION OPERATIONS, UH, THE, THE LANDFILL'S NOT SUBSIDIZED BY GENERAL TAX DOLLARS.
SO THAT TIPPING FEE IS WHAT WE USE TO PAY FOR OUR COST.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY I'M ADVOCATING FOR AN INCREASE IN THAT FEE OF EIGHT, UH, $5 TO 85 BECAUSE WE HAVE, UH, COST ESCALATING.
AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T INCREASED THAT FEE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND WE HAVE CELLS TO CONSTRUCT AND CELLS TO CLOSE.
UH, IN FACT, PART OF THE, WHAT I'M RECOMMENDED THAT YOU, UH, APPROVE IS, IS FUNDING FOR THE NEXT LANDFILL CELL DESIGN, WHICH WOULD BE CELL EIGHT.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, JUST DIFFERENT REGULATORY COMPLIANCE THINGS.
WE'RE, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO PUT MORE, UM, MONITORING WELLS IN THAT'S GONNA HAVE A COST.
AND THEN THE EMPLOYEE COSTS THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, WITH OTHER FUNDS IS HERE TOO.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK IDEA, WHEN SOME OF THESE CELLS ARE, ARE GOING TO EITHER HAVE TO BE CLOSED OR CONSTRUCT, WE, WE, EVERY YEAR, UM, MAXIMUM EVERY TWO YEARS, WE GET AN AERIAL SURVEY DONE TO TELL US HOW MUCH CAPACITY WE HAVE AT THE NORTH LANDFILL.
AND WE, AND THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS, THAT AERIAL SURVEY IS USED TO, TO PROJECT OUT WHEN WE NEED TO CLOSE A CELL.
'CAUSE IT'S COMING TOWARDS, UM, MAXING OUT AND, AND HOW, UH, WHEN WE NEED TO CONSTRUCT ANOTHER ONE.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, CELL SEVEN IS GONNA NEED TO CLOSE IN IN 2029, BUT WELL BEFORE THAT, IN FACT, IN NOVEMBER OF 2027, WE NEED TO BE WORKING ON THE DESIGN FOR THE NEXT SALE, WHICH IS WHY THAT $300,000 IS, IS IN THERE.
UM, AND SO WE DESIGNED IT IN NOVEMBER OF 27.
WE START CONSTRUCTION IN JUNE OF 28, AND THEN IT'S READY TO OPEN BY DECEMBER OF 28TH, A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THAT CELL CLOSES.
YOU DON'T EVER WANNA DEFER THESE EXPENDITURES.
'CAUSE IF YOU DO, YOU GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE HAVING TO MOVE YOUR TRASH SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR A DISPOSAL.
ZERO
BUT, BUT IN, IN THIS BUDGET, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE.
I WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING TO THE END HERE.
SO HERE'S YOUR, UH, SCHEDULE, WHICH WAS BASICALLY SUMMARIZED AND LIFTED OUT OF, OF PAST ACTIONS BY THE BOARD TO SET YOUR, YOUR BUDGET CALENDAR.
SO THIS WEEK, THURSDAY, YOU HAVE YOUR DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES COMING BEFORE YOU AND, UM, JUSTIFYING THEIR, THEIR REQUEST.
UM, AFTER THAT, WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEDICATED DATES SET YET, OTHER THAN, AS I SAID EARLIER AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PRESENTATION, THE SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO COME OUT AND PRESENT THEIR BUDGET AT YOUR REGULAR MEETING.
ON THE 18TH, THAT'S THE SCHOOL BOARD, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
SO I WOULD ASK THE BOARD TO LOOK AT THEIR CALENDARS AND START THINKING ABOUT SOME DATES, UH, PREFERABLY NEXT WEEK.
UM, MAYBE AS, AS YOU, AS YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR REGULAR MEETING, IF WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE ANOTHER BUDGET WORK SESSION THAT WEEK SOMETIME THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD AND THEN ANY OTHER FUTURE MEETINGS YOU WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SET NOW WOULD BE, UH, PREFERABLE FOR STAFF.
AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR OUR NEXT MEETING, CORRECT? YEAH.
SO PREFERABLY NEXT AFTER 12TH.
SO THE 16TH IS A HOLIDAY, RIGHT? DO YOU HAVE THE 17TH? THE 17TH? SO WOULD'VE BEEN THE 18TH.
19TH, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE AND THE 19TH.
[01:20:02]
SO 17TH OR 19TH WOULD BE EITHER ONE.ANYBODY HAVE A PREFERENCE? 17TH, 19TH.
AND THAT'S OUR NEXT MEETING, CORRECT? AFTER THE 12TH.
AFTER, AFTER WEDNESDAY'S MEETING.
THURSDAY? NO, THURSDAY'S MEETING.
BUT, BUT THE, THE 18TH AT A REGULAR BOARD MEETING, RIGHT? THE 18TH IS REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
THEN YOU COME BACK THE NEXT DAY.
FIVE 30 AT FIVE 30, RIGHT? EVERYTHING AT FIVE 30.
DO YOU WANT TO CONSIDER ANY WEEKS THE FOLLOWING? ANY MEETING DATES?
MAYBE WE'LL BE LUCKY WE GET IT DONE.
THE DEPARTMENTS COME ON THURSDAY, CORRECT? RIGHT.
WE CAN SAY, UM, MADAM CHAIR, MR. TALL.
LORD, I, UH, I WILL NOT BE HERE ON THE 18TH.
UH, YOU WILL NOT BE VERY ON THE 18TH.
ARE YOU GONNA BE DOING REMOTE? I'LL BE YOU.
CAN YOU BE HERE ON THE 19TH OF CAN YOU GO THE 19TH? OKAY.
MY WIFE HAS A APPOINTMENT AT JOHN.
SHE'S MORE IMPORTANT, RIGHT? YOU DON'T HAVE TO FAMILY'S MORE IMPORTANT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN MS. MASON.
MR. MASON, ARE YOU DONE WITH I HAVE A QUESTION.
THE QUESTION CONCERNING THE SCHEDULE? NO, THE THE BUDGET ITSELF.
LET ME LET HIM, I LET LET MR. UM, MR. GEORGE GO THEN I'LL LET YOU GO.
WELL, PAUL MULEY, THIS IS FOR YOU.
UM, I HAVE A PIECE OF PAPER CALLED PHYSICAL POLICY SCHOOL BUDGET CONTINGENCY AND UNENDED SCHOOL LOCAL APPROPRIATIONS POLICY FP 1 0 0 5, EFFECTIVE 6 20 20 18.
AND IN HERE IT STATES THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT IS A SHARED, UH, 50 50 WEIRD TO GET HALF THE MONEY.
THAT'S THE SCHOOL BOARD DOES NOT SPEND REALLOCATED TO US.
I'M NOW, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE'VE SUSPENDED THAT POLICY FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR NOT, BUT AS OF THE END OF THIS YEAR, I WAS TOLD THERE'S $30 MILLION IN THE SCHOOL FUND THAT THEORETICALLY HALF OF IT SHOULD HAVE GONE TO THE BOARD FOR THE COUNTY EXPENDITURES AND COUNTY USE.
UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR JAN IS, MISS ATTORNEY, IT SAYS THAT ALL UN UH, APPROPRIATED OR WHERE THE, THERE ARE NO OPEN PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION, THAT THOSE FUNDS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PAID, THAT WE CAN ASK FOR THE MONEY BACK EVEN TODAY.
WELL, YEAH, WELL I CAN, I CAN TELL.
SHE JUST, I MEAN THIS IS THIS, I MEAN, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS ANY UNSPENT MONEY AT THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU HAVE TO REAPPROPRIATE THAT'S WITHIN YOUR AUTHORITY.
AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE 50% IS WHAT THAT POLICY SAYS.
I REMEMBERING WAS DEVELOPED, IT WAS DEVELOPED SORT OF AS AN IN A SHARING POLICY.
BUT, BUT LEGALLY YOU HAVE, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO REAPPROPRIATE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT IS LEFT OVER FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS FROM TALKING TO OTHER SOURCES, AND I COULD BE WRONG, THAT'S WHY I ASKED JAN THAT BASICALLY, EVEN THOUGH WE NEVER ASKED IT BACK, THAT MONEY SITTING IN THAT ACCOUNT IS STILL LEGALLY VALID.
AND WE COULD REAPPROPRIATE IT TODAY FOR THE UNSPENT AND UN OBLIGATED MONIES THAT WE COULD, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S $20 MILLION LEFT AT THE END OF 2025, YOU USED THE TERM LEGALLY
THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU CAN GO BACK THE PRIOR YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN GO BACK FOR YEARS BEFORE LAST YEAR WHEN WE COULD HAVE, WE SHOULD HAVE REAPPROPRIATED.
SO IF THAT MAKES SENSE, WE CAN GO BACK ONE YEAR.
I MEAN THE BUDGET IS SO TIGHT AND, AND YOU KNOW, I'M ALL FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND FOR SCHOOLS, BUT I HAVE, I HAVE AN ISSUE 'CAUSE MY MOTHER TAUGHT SCHOOL FOR 40 YEARS AND BRICKS DON'T TEACH
AND ANYWAY, UH, I, MY QUESTION IS THEN DO I NEED TO MAKE A, A MOTION TO START IN THE FUTURE ASKING FOR UNSPENT MONIES TO BE SENT TO US AND THAT WE NEED TO START ENFORCING THIS FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, I GUESS
[01:25:01]
WE'LL CALL IT.DO I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION ON THAT OR IS THAT PART I ASK ONE QUESTION.
COULD I ASK ONE QUESTION? SO, SO MY QUESTION IS, IF WE KNEW THIS WAS IN PLACE, WHY WOULDN'T WE DOING THAT? I CAN ANSWER THAT COVID.
COVID, COVID COVID BECAUSE OF COVID AND NOW WE'RE THROUGH COVID.
AND, AND, AND HE BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT.
SO PRIOR TO COVID, WERE WE DOING THAT? I THINK WE ESTABLISHED IN 18, COVID STARTED IN 2020.
HAVE WE EVER, DID WE EVER IMPLEMENT IT? UH, MIKE IN UH, MANY YEARS BEFORE THIS STARTED TO BE BUILT UP? THERE WASN'T MUCH FUNDS THAT OKAY.
WASN'T ANYTHING DO I, I DON'T RECALL.
I I WOULD RECOMMEND, SINCE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BASICALLY, UM, DOING THIS ON A, A, A A FUTURE BASIS, BE BEFORE YOU VOTE ON IT.
'CAUSE YOU, YOU'VE GOT A SPECIFIC POLICY YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
LET'S GET THAT TO THE FULL BOARD.
LET YOU ALL SEE THE ENTIRE POLICY, MAKE SURE YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT, THEN TAKE A, A VOTE ON IT AT A LATER MEETING.
THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
YEAH, I JUST THINK IT JUST, JUST, AND I GUESS I'M TAKING CHAIRMAN'S PREROGATIVE HERE, BUT I'M MISTAKEN.
IT'S, IT'S JUST A LOT TO ABSORB RIGHT NOW.
AND I'M NOT SAYING I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU MR. DE GEORGE, I JUST THINK IT NEEDS TO BE FURTHER LOOKED AT.
NOT, UH, DO SOMETHING HASTE AS A BOARD.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT, YOU KNOW, BRING A GOOD POINT UP.
BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT COLLECT, YOU KNOW, AT OUR OWN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW AT WHAT POINT YOU WANNA BRING IT BACK, BUT, UM, I THINK, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT, UH, CLOSELY.
GO AHEAD MR. ARE YOU SAYING THAT, WERE THEY AWARE OF THAT AS WELL IN THE SCHOOL BOARD? WERE THEY AWARE OF THAT? YEAH, THEY KNOW.
YEAH, THEY, MA'AM CHAIR, I WOULD ADD THAT GO AHEAD MR. THE SCHOOL BOARDS COMING TO US WITH THEIR BUDGET.
SO THAT MIGHT BE A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE, MA'AM.
CHAIR, JUST, JUST ONE COMMENT.
I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN NOT DOING ANYTHING IN SHOCK.
IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD GO IN EFFECT THIS BUDGET CALENDAR.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING, IF WE'RE GONNA DO IT, IT GIVES US A PLENTY OF TIME TO DISCUSS IT.
IT GIVES US A PLENTY OF TIME TO DISCUSS IT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND DO IT AND, AND PUT IT IN FACT AND LET THEM KNOW NEXT, NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET THIS POLICY IS GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND, AND ALSO WE HAVE A NEW, WE HAVE A NEW SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE A, THAT'D BE, THAT'D BE A SHOCKER.
IT WOULD BE A SHOCKER TO, FOR THEM TO HAVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THIS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION.
AND, AND I CAN I MAKE ONE COMMENT? OKAY.
I I SEE THAT THE, THE SCHOOL BOARD JUST BOUGHT, UH, THE BB AND T BANK BUILDING FOR $900,000.
NO, I THINK YOU SHOULD CHECK YOUR BOX.
300 WHATEVER THE NUMBER WAS, 300,000.
THEY, THEY BOUGHT, IT'S A GOOD DISCUSSION.
I JUST THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE, COULD WE ALL GET A COPY OF IT? YEAH, WELL, I'M SAYING THAT THAT'S MY, THAT WAS MY ASK.
THAT THE, UH, STAFF WOULD GIVE US MORE, UH, INFORMATION.
YOU CAN'T, I JUST DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING OFF THE CUFF THAT WE MIGHT, YOU KNOW, NOT TAKING ANYTHING FROM IS THIS TO ME? BUT I JUST, I JUST THINK WE NEED HAVE, I, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE, THAT THE STAFF WOULD GIVE, UH, THE BOARD MORE INFORMATION ON IT OR SOMETHING.
THE ONLY THE FINAL SLIDE IS JUST, YOU HAVE A, A BIG BOOK IN FRONT OF YOU.
THERE'S, THIS IS, GO AHEAD MR. MASON.
THESE ARE, UM, THE, THE SECTIONS OF IT.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, UM, UH, THIS, THE BUDGET REQUEST SUMMARY, THAT'S THAT WORKSHEET THAT YOU'RE ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING WITH ALL THE REQUESTS AND WHAT I'VE INCLUDED AS, AS PART OF THE, UH, WHAT I'VE GONE OVER WITH YOU TONIGHT.
BUT IN A VERY DETAILED ORIENTED FASHION, IT'S LISTED OUT ALL THOSE INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THOSE THAT DIDN'T GET FUNDED.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THIS IT RED AREA RIGHT HERE.
AND SO, UM, THIS PRESENTATION IS IN THAT BOOK AS WELL.
UH, SO IF YOU WANNA REFER BACK TO THAT, OF COURSE, ALL THE INFORMATION'S ON BOARD DOCS AS WELL.
MADAM CHAIR, MY BUDGET QUESTION YES.
FOR MR. MASON IS WE HAVE SEEN YOUR, YOUR PROPOSAL.
UH, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF REQUEST THAT WAS, UH, BROUGHT INTO YOUR OFFICE FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS AND ALSO OUTSIDE ENTITIES? 26.6 MILLION.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT PART OF THAT, UM, CAME FROM A, THAT WAS NOT MANDATORY.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT, IT WASN'T FROM AN, UH, AN ENTITY
[01:30:01]
THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR.I, I DO NOT KNOW THAT NUMBER OFF HAND.
AND, AND THE REASON I ASK, UH, MEMBERS, IF, IF WE HAVE, IF WE HAVE, UM, ENTITIES THAT WE'RE NOT MANDATED OR, OR WE DON'T HAVE A HISTORICAL TRAP OF PROVIDING FUNDS, WE NEED TO THINK TWICE ABOUT GIVING THEM EXTRA MONEY AT THIS BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH THE ONES THAT WE ARE, THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
BUT IF WE'VE HELPED ENTITIES IN THE PAST AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO HELP 'EM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY HAVE A BASE AMOUNT NOW BECAUSE WE'VE DONE IT FOR, FOR YEARS.
BUT I, UH, I QUESTIONED GIVING THEM EXTRA MONEY ON TOP OF WHAT THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN BEFORE.
MR. HART, UM, ARE YOU GOING TO BRING, ARE YOU GONNA BRING US THAT OUR, UH, STARTING ON THURSDAY, THE SHEETS THAT YOU DO, THE, THE LITTLE, THE LITTLE PACKET WE GET THAT HAVE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ON IT? EACH DEPARTMENT AND ALL THAT ON THE YES.
I WILL ONE SIX, BUT HE WANTS THE I KNOW WHAT ONE.
OH, WHAT? SIX I SMALLER VERSION.
I GOTTA GET SOMETHING LIKE THIS SIZE AND WE CAN GO THROUGH, UM, ONE, SIX.
IF, IF, IF TINA, IF I COULD ASK STAFF IF YOU COULD BRING THOSE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? YEAH.
WE'VE BEEN GETTING LAST COUPLE.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
WE'LL HAVE YOU THE, THE PAGE NUMBER, RIGHT.
WHEN THE, WHEN THE PRESENTERS COME UP, YOU'LL GO WHAT EXACT PAGE? WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO.
WOULD YOU SAY SHE BROUGHT THE, BROUGHT THE BIBLE BILLY JOE, WHAT'D YOU SAY? INSTEAD OF A PAMPHLET AND BROUGHT THE BIBLE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
WHAT'S THAT? MR. UH, MR. MASON.
YOU MIGHT WANNA GIVE THE SUPERINTENDENT THE SCHOOLS A HEADS UP, LET HER KNOW THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING, UH, FUTURE DRAWBACKS ON, UH, ON CARRYOVER MONEY.
I WANTED TO BE PREPARED WITH I YEAH, EXACTLY.
YOU DON'T WANT, YOU DON'T SPRING THINGS ON PEOPLE.
THE MOVING, PROPER SECOND FOR ADJOURNMENT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR THAT, YOU KNOW, BY AYE, ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURN.
THERE IS, UM, FOOD TINA, GOOD FOOD UPSTAIRS.