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OF SUPERVISORS MONTHLY MEETING FOR JULY TO ORDER.I'M GLAD TO SEE SO MANY OF YOU OUT TONIGHT.
I JUST ASKED IF YOU HAVE YOUR CELL PHONES, WOULD YOU PUT IT ON MUTE OR OFF? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND AT THIS TIME, IF YOU WOULD JOIN US, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE REVEREND WING JOHNSON TO DO OUR VOCATION.
HE'S FROM THE CALVARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, REVEREND JOHNSON.
HOLY AND GRACIOUS GOD, WE, WE SEEK YOUR FAITH THIS EVENING.
FATHER, WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSINGS UPON THIS MEETING, LORD.
AND WE, WE GIVE YOU THANKS THAT YOU ARE OUR CREATOR, OUR SUSTAINER, AND OUR REDEEMER, THAT ALL GRACE FLOWS FROM YOU, FATHER.
SO WE ASK THAT, DID THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING THIS AFTERNOON, FATHER, THAT YOU WOULD GRANT THEM WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING AS THEY, UH, DO THE BUSINESS OF WE, THE PEOPLE, AND ALL THINGS.
FATHER, WE GIVE YOU THANKS AND WE ASK YOU TO BLESS US THAT WE MIGHT LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR ALWAYS.
AND WE'LL PRAISE YOU AND GIVE YOU ALL THANKS, HONOR AND GLORY IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR SALVATION.
YOU REMAIN STANDING FOR OUR P PLEASURE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEASURE ALLEGIANCE TO THE BLACK 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.
THANK YOU AGAIN, REVEREND JOHNSON.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO ADD, LOOK FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
SECOND THAT WE ARE ADOPT OUR AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOT HEARING ANY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED, UH, WE DON'T NEED REMOTE PARTICIPATION.
ALL RIGHT,
UH, AND BEFORE, UH, THE PUBLIC COMES BEFORE, I'M GONNA ASK MR. HART IF HE WOULD, UH, DO A STATEMENT AT THIS TIME.
UM, MADAM CHAIRMAN, BECAUSE OF THE BOARD'S ACTIONS LAST MONTH, I WOULD LIKE, UH, AT THIS TIME TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, THAT, UH, THE BOARD, UH, I MOVE AND MAKE A MOTION.
THE BOARD REFER THE CHESAPEAKE BAY ACT PRESERVATION ACT AMENDMENT ADOPTED LAST MONTH TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO REVIEW ITS EFFECTS ON THE SEASIDE WATERSHED AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING THE SAME.
UH, AFTER THEY HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, ASK 'EM TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, INCLUDING THE APPLICATION OF THE STATE MANDATED RESILIENCY STANDARDS, AND THEN TO COME BACK TO THIS BOARD, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON WHAT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE.
AND SECOND, YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED AS WELL.
UH, WE ARE DOWN AT THE PUBLIC COMMENT RULES.
UM, THERE HAVE ARE PERSONS WHO HAVE SIGNED IN LIEU OF WHAT YOU'VE HEARD.
ARE THOSE PERSONS STILL WANTED TO SPEAK? DO THEY YES.
AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA HAVE OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, MIKE MASON TO READ THE RULES.
CHAIR, UH, FULL DISCLOSURE, I'M NOT YOUR NORMAL, UH, PERSON WHO GIVES YOU THE PUBLIC COMMENT RULES.
THAT'S YOUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, BUT SHE'S, HER VOICE IS A LITTLE TIRED.
SO I, I DECIDE TO STEP UP AND DO THESE FOR HER, UH, TONIGHT.
UM, THESE ARE THE BOARD'S PUBLIC COMMENT RULES.
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 AUTHORITY TO ALLOW COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS PROVIDED.
DOING SO DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THE TIMELY AND ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS ON THE AGENDA.
NO INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS SHALL BE PERMITTED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR MORE THAN FOUR MINUTES.
THE CHAIR SHALL ALLOCATE THE TIME AMONG THE SPEAKERS IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER.
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN ON A SUBJECT AT A PUBLIC HEARING SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED TO READDRESS THE BOARD ON THE SAME SUBJECT DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS SHOULD BE RESOLVED PRIOR TO THE MEETING BY CONTACTING A BOARD MEMBER OR THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER.
ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FOR A PUBLIC MEETING MUST PRESENT THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE FOR REVIEW BY STAFF FOR APPROPRIATENESS.
QUESTIONS 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 HAVE, I'M SORRY, THE CHAIR SHALL DIRECT
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ANY PERSON WHOSE BEHAVIOR IS VIOLENT OR DISRUPTED TO LEAVE THE MEETING ROOM.AND FINALLY, THE CHAIR HAS A RIGHT AND DUTY TO MAINTAIN PROPER ORDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE RULES.
WE HAVE, UH, OUR FIRST SPEAKER.
WE'RE GONNA ASK HER TO COME STATE HER NAME AGAIN AND, UH, HER RESIDENCE.
LET ME GIVE YOU A COPY OF THIS.
HI, UM, SUE ASTILL FROM HARTON.
I'M HERE SPEAKING TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF CITIZENS FOR BETTER EASTERN SHORE, OF WHICH I'M A BOARD MEMBER.
AND I THANK, UH, SUPERVISOR HART FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS MOTION.
BUT I STILL WANTED TO GET MY THOUGHTS ON THE RECORD ON THIS ISSUE.
SO AT LAST MONTH'S MEETING, THE BOARD VOTED EIGHT TO ONE TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE TO REFLECT STATE CHANGES TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY PRESERVATION ACT.
BASICALLY TO ADD RESILIENCY STANDARDS TO ADDRESS SEA LEVEL RISE.
AS PART OF THESE CHANGES, THE COUNTY CHOSE TO REMOVE, REMOVE THE SEASIDE FROM THESE PROTECTIONS.
ALTHOUGH THE STATE CHANGES DID NOT MANDATE THIS, THE SEASIDE HAD BEEN ADDED, AS YOU KNOW, TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY ACT PROTECTIONS.
IN 2009, I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THIS ALL THE PUBLIC NOTICES IN THE EASTERN SHORE POST, WHICH EVERYBODY WILL TELL YOU I READ RELIGIOUSLY REFERRED TO CHANGES TO ALIGN WITH NEW STATE LAWS, NONE OF WHICH REQUIRED OR EVEN MENTIONED RESTRICTING IT TO THE BAYSIDE.
I FAILED TO SEE THE LOGIC IN THIS UNLESS IT'S TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT WHERE IT SHOULDN'T BE.
THE CHESAPEAKE BAY ACT PROTECTIONS ARE INTENDED TO PROTECT OUR SHORELINES, OUR WETLANDS, OUR WATERWAYS, AND THE LIVELIHOODS OF AQUA AGRICULTURISTS AND WATERMEN WHO DEPEND ON CLEAN WATER.
SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE ALONE GENERATED APPROXIMATELY $9 MILLION IN MARKET VALUE IN AKIMA COUNTY IN 2022, AND HELP SUSTAIN WORKING WATERFRONTS AND MARINE BUSINESSES IN SHANTI, WA CREEK AND QUIMBEE.
THE STATE IS PROJECTED TO LOSE 61% OF ITS WET TID WETLANDS IN THE NEXT THREE DECADES.
AND 78% BY 2100 REMOVING PROTECTIONS WITHIN 50 AND 100 FEET OF THE SHORELINE ON THE SEASIDE WILL ONLY ACCELERATE THIS LOSS, ESPECIALLY AS WE BEGIN TO SEE MORE EFFECTS FROM SEA LEVEL RISE.
THE SEASIDE DESERVES THE SAME PROTECTIONS AS THE BAYSIDE AS WE WORK TO OFFSET THESE PROCESSES.
WHEN THE COUNTY ADDED THE SEASIDE TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY ACT IN 2009, IT DID SO AFTER EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION AND A WELL-ATTENDED PUBLIC HEARING REVERSING THAT DECISION SHOULD WARRANT THE SAME CAREFUL DELIBERATION RATHER THAN BEING TREATED AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE.
IN FACT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE CHANGES PASSED AT THE MARCH 11TH PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DID NOT INCLUDE REMOVAL OF THE SEASIDE.
AFTER THE BOARD'S DISCUSSION AT THE MAY 20TH MEETING.
I URGE THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER THIS DECISION BY CONFERRING WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO DEVELOP A DETAILED RATIONALE FOR THE CHANGE IF IT IS WARRANTED AND SCHEDULING A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE MAKING ANY FINAL DECISION ON THIS.
THE FUTURE PROTECTIONS FOR THE SEASIDE DESERVE NO LESS.
I ASKED HIM TO RESTATE HIS NAME AND WHERE HE'S FROM.
I GAVE, UM, A COPY TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND I MADE COPIES FOR YOU.
SO, OKAY, MR. HARD, I'M SORRY, I WASN'T GONNA SPEAK, BUT AFTER SUE MATO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY 2 CENTS.
I LIVE IN AN C**K DISTRICT SEVEN.
MR. PHILLIPS IS MY REPRESENTATIVE.
I WROTE TO HIM YESTERDAY, UM, SPEAKING TODAY REGARDING THE YAKIMA COUNTY SUPERVISOR'S VOTE LAST MONTH TO UPDATE THE COUNTY ORDINANCES TO REFLECT STATE CHANGES TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY PRESERVATION ACT.
THESE CHANGES ADD RESILIENCY STANDARDS TO ADDRESS SEA LEVEL RISE.
HOWEVER, WHEN VOTING TO ADOPT THESE AMENDMENTS, I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THE BOARD ADDED ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE TO THEIR MOTION TO REMOVE THE AKIMA COUNTY SEASIDE FROM THE CHESAPEAKE ATLANTIC PROTECTION AREA.
THE MACK BOARD ADDED THE SEASIDE TO THE CHESAPEAKE ATLANTIC PROTECTION AREA IN 2009 AFTER A LENGTHY TECHNICAL REVIEW AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS.
AS THE CHESAPEAKE ATLANTIC PROTECTION AREA IS PART OF THE AKIMA COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE AND ZONING MAP CHANGES CANNOT BE MADE TO IT UNLESS THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY ADVERTISED AND CONSIDERED DURING PUBLIC HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
ACCORDINGLY, I REQUEST AKIMA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND PLANNING COMMISSION TO PROPERLY ADVERTISE AND CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARINGS OR HOLD A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED REMOVAL OF THE SEASIDE FROM THE CHESAPEAKE ATLANTIC PROTECTION AREA.
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I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT TO KEEP THE CHESAPEAKE ATLANTIC PROTECTION AREA ORDINANCE AND MAP AS IT WAS ADOPTED IN 2009 BECAUSE THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION MEASURES IN THE ORDINANCE ARE CRITICAL TO AKIMA COUNTY'S RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL FISHERIES, INCLUDING AQUACULTURE, THE 100 FOOT VEGETATED BUFFER REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE FILTERS STORM WATER SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENT POLLUTION BEFORE THEY FLOW INTO THE SEASIDE CREEKS AND BAYS.BEFORE ADOPTION IN 2009, DEVELOPERS WERE BULLDOZING SHORELINE VEGETATION RIGHT UP TO THE MARSHES, AND THEY WILL START DOING IT.
SO AGAIN, WITHOUT REQUIRED PROTECTION, THE REQUIRED VEGETATIVE BUFFER ALSO PROVIDES PRIVACY FOR RESIDENTIAL LANDOWNERS AND SCENIC VALUE FOR NEIGHBORS AND THOSE OUT ON THE WATER, AS WELL AS IMPROVED WILDLIFE HABITAT AFTER NEARLY 17 YEARS ON THE BOOKS.
PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT PROMPTED THIS CHANGE.
DO YOU REALLY WANT THE AKIMA COUNTY SEASIDE TO BECOME LIKE COASTAL DELAWARE AND NEW JERSEY WITH WALL-TO-WALL WATERFRONT HOMES? NO SHORELINE VEGETATION AND POLLUTED WATERS? I CERTAINLY HOPE NOT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THIS MATTER.
I REQUEST THAT THIS LETTER BE ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT RECORD FOR TODAY'S AKIMA COUNTY BORDER SUPERVISORS MEETING.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, WHEN I WORKED FOR AKIMA COUNTY FROM 2005 TO 2010, I WOULD GET PHONE CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVED ON THE SEASIDE.
MY NEIGHBORS ARE CUTTING DOWN THEIR TREES, COME AND STOP THEM.
I SAID, I CAN'T, WE HAVE NO, NO PROVISIONS.
TALK TO YOUR COUNTY SUPERVISOR.
EVENTUALLY WE HAD ENOUGH PEOPLE INTERESTED IN GETTING THOSE PROVISIONS ON THE SEASIDE AND WE GOT IT ADOPTED.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE LOOK CLOSELY AT THIS AND CONSIDER NOT TAKING THE ACTION TO REMOVE IT.
THE NEXT SPEAKER'S, MERIWEATHER PAYNE.
STATE, YOUR NAME IS PAYNE AND YOUR RESIDENCE AND I LIVE FOR THE RECORD IN THE SOUTHWEST SUBURBS OF LOCUST.
UM, I AM NOT GOING TO READ YOU MY LETTER THAT I, I EMAILED IT TO DONALD HART AND MR. CROCKETT.
I'M ALSO NOT SURE WHO MY SUPERVISOR IS ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THE MAPS.
I AM ON THE NORTH SIDE OF NICK CRUISE.
SO, UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT THIS, WHICH IS RIGHT FROM THE AKIMA COUNTY WEBSITE.
AND I STUMBLED ACROSS IT WHEN I WAS DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THIS.
UM, IT'S THE, IT'S JUST A SECTION ON THE CHESAPEAKE ATLANTIC PRESERVATION AREA AND IT TALKS ABOUT, UM, WHY THE, THE CS A WAS INCLUDED AND IT GOES INTO DETAIL ABOUT WHY I ACTUALLY HAVE A TREMOR, UM, WHY WE NEED THIS SCIENTIFICALLY.
YOU GUYS ALREADY DESCRIBED THE REASONS WHY WE NEED IT, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU COULD TAKE SOME TIME TO READ THROUGH THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY ALL THERE, UH, AS TO WHY IT SHOULDN'T BE TAKEN AWAY AT ALL AND WHY WE'VE PUT IT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THEY'RE ALL THE PERSONS WHO HAVE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
I WILL GIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY ELSE.
ALRIGHT, CONSIDER THE MINUTES MOVE.
SECOND THAT WE, UH, MOVE OUR MINUTES.
ALL THOSE ARE FAVOR THAT BE KNOWN BY AYE, THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY RECOGNITIONS.
IT'S BEEN MOVED TO, UH, MOVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR LETTER BE KNOWN BY AYE A.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
RECEIVE AN UPDATE FROM A C**K BAYSIDE REVITALIZATION ON PROGRESS MADE TO DATE, REMOVING DERELICT STRUCTURES IN THE BAYSIDE COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE MRS. TAYLOR, MRS. MARA TAYLOR, MRS. MARA, RILEY, TAYLOR
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YOU TO THE CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND TO THE BOARD MEMBERS.I'M THE PRESIDENT OF NCO, BAYSIDE REVITALIZATION.
AFTER I ASKED THE PUMP, I THOUGHT I DID IT.
MAKE SURE SHE GETS EXTRA TIME.
PUT IN LET'S TELL, PUT 'EM IN A BASKET.
I THOUGHT I HAD TURNED IT OFF.
AND I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE TWO MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE FROM OUR TEAM.
THAT IS SHELENE RE WHO IS OUR SECRETARY REED.
CLE GUNTER, WHO IS OUR COMMUNITY MANAGER.
SO IT IS BEEN A QUARTER PLUS ANOTHER MONTH AS WE DID LAST TIME.
SINCE WE'VE GIVEN YOU AN UPDATE, WE'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT CHANGES SINCE THE LAST TIME.
I'M GONNA BE PROVIDING YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD, AND ALSO GIVE YOU OUR FINANCIAL STATUS AS OF TODAY.
SO AS YOU'RE AWARE, THE PROJECT STARTED WITH THE INITIATION OF A SUBMISSION TO THE COUNTY TO REMOVE UP TO 22 LIC STRUCTURES IN THE OX BAYSIDE COMMUNITY.
WE WERE GRANTED THAT, UM, WE WERE AWARDED THAT GRANT AND WITH THAT WE HAVE UP TO $150,000 TO EXECUTE FOR THIS PROJECT.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE, WE HAD 22 TITLE SEARCHES TO DO.
AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE ANOTHER REWORK BASED ON A INCORRECT PARCEL NUMBER.
SO THAT REWORK IS UNDERWAY FROM THE OWNERS.
WE HAVE OBTAINED 14 OF THE CONSENT FORMS AND EIGHT ARE IN PROGRESS.
AND BASED ON THOSE WE HAVE FIVE, WHICH WE ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH.
THOSE HOMEOWNERS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN VARIOUS STATUSES, UH, ONE THINKING THAT THERE'S STILL A DEED ON THE PROPERTY, SO THEY DON'T WANNA REMOVE IT.
UM, A COUPLE OF OTHERS ARE, WELL, ONE OTHER THAT JUST RECENTLY HAD A DEATH, SO THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE WHEEL TO DETERMINE WHO ACTUALLY OWNS THE STRUCTURE.
AND WE HAVE PROBABLY TWO THAT WE HAVE NOT MADE CONTACT WITH THE OWNERS YET.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT WE ARE PROCEEDING AHEAD WITH THOSE CONSENT FORMS FOR THE ASBESTOS ASSESSMENT.
ON THOSE 22 STRUCTURES, WE HAVE COMPLETED ALL 12.
WE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FOR THE TWO YESTERDAY.
THERE IS NO ASBESTOS FOR THOSE TWO STRUCTURES.
AND THEN WE HAVE ACTUALLY REMOVED, UM, EIGHT OF THE 22 ALREADY.
SO YOU'LL HAVE PICTURES OR GRAPHICS OF THOSE AS WELL.
AND THEN, UH, WE'VE COMPLETED THE EIGHT AND THEN WE'VE ALSO NOTIFIED THE COMMUNITY AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS EFFORT, UH, AS TO WHAT WE WERE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THESE ARE FOUR OF THE EIGHT THAT WE HAVE REMOVED.
YOU HAVE THE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES OF THOSE.
AND THEN FOR THIS PARTICULAR ONE, AND FOR NUMBER 10, THEY WERE CONTROLLED BURNS.
SO THE LAST TIME WE BRIEFED YOU, WE HAD JUST BASICALLY DID A CONTROLLED BURN ON THIS ONE.
AND THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY STARTED TO DATE.
THESE FOUR ARE TOTALLY COMPLETED, AND THESE ARE THE NEXT FOUR THAT WERE COMPLETED.
SO THOSE CROSSES UP CLEAR LOOKS VERY NICE.
THESE ARE THE UPCOMING ONES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING.
UH, WE'VE RECEIVED THE ASBESTOS CHECK FOR THIS ONE AS WELL AS, LEMME SEE, 13.
SO THOSE TWO HAVE HAD THE ASBESTOS CHECK DONE ON THOSE.
THIS ONE ACTUALLY HAS ASBESTOS, UH, IN THE SIDING.
SO WE HAVE EFFORTS TO DO ON THERE.
AND THAT'S ALSO MENTIONED IN THE BRIEFING.
I'LL JUST KIND OF MENTION THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT THOSE ARE THE FOUR THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING TODAY.
WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE OTHER CONSENT FORMS TO BE PROVIDED BACK TO US.
AS FAR AS THE FINANCIAL STATUS, WE HAVE CURRENTLY EXPENDED A TOTAL OF THE 76.
AT THE VERY BOTTOM, THE SEVENTY SIX THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY $9 PAID TO DATE IS AT THE VERY TOP.
WE HAVE, WE DID RECEIVE AN ADVANCE FOR 4,500 AND WE HAVE CURRENT CONTINUE SIT DOWN.
SO FOR THE EIGHT, THIS IS THE TOTAL.
THAT ALSO INCLUDES, UM, ALL THE TITLE SEARCHES THAT WE'VE DONE WITH THIS EXCEPTION OF THE ONE THAT'S ACTUALLY PENDING.
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AS FAR AS CONCERNS, THE FIRST THREE WE BRIEFED YOU PREVIOUSLY, WHICH WAS THE DELAY, DELAY IN TITLE SEARCHES, WHICH WAS FOR FIVE MONTHS IN WHICH WE DID ABSOLUTELY, I'LL SAY NOT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, BUT WE WORKED WHAT WE COULD WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR THOSE TO COME IN.AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE ISSUE WITH ACTUALLY FINDING THE ERRORS.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE TWO IN WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING THAT IS IN THAT CURRENT STATUS.
AND THEN WE DID NOT RECEIVE FUNDING, OF COURSE, FOR THE STAFFING.
THE CURRENT TWO THAT WE'VE ADDED AT THE VERY BOTTOM IS WITH THE ASBESTOS THAT WE HAVE.
SO THAT PARTICULAR, UM, PARCEL IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT MORE COSTLY THAN WHAT WE HAD ANTICIPATED, BUT WE'RE GONNA PROCEED TO GET THAT ONE DONE.
AND BASICALLY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS IN THE AREA WITH THE NOT KNOWING IF IT'S AIRBORNE BECAUSE IT HAS STARTED TO COLLAPSE, BUT WE HAVE HONESTLY HAD IN THAT VICINITY, WE'VE HAD, UH, SIX CASES OF CANCER WITH ONE TO A DEATH.
SO THAT KIND OF CONCERNS US SOMEWHAT AS WELL.
SO WE WILL BE WORKING TO GET THAT ASBESTOS REMOVED FROM A CERTIFIED COMPANY AND THEN PROCEED TO REMOVE THAT STRUCTURE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, BASED ON THAT, WE ARE LOOKING AT FUNDING AND IF WE WILL INDEED HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING TO, UH, EXECUTE ALL THAT, WE WANNA EXECUTE UP TO THE 22 IF WE GET APPROVAL TO REMOVE ALL 22 OF THOSE.
SO NEXT STEPS IS, AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE GONNA PROCEED WITH GETTING THE REMAINDER OF THE CONSENT FORMS BACK.
WE'RE GONNA PRESS FORWARD WITH GETTING THOSE SIGNATURES ON THOSE AND, UM, JUST MOVE FORWARD THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT TO GET TO THE POINT THAT THE STRUCTURE IS ACTUALLY REMOVED.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE REQUEST FOR THE BOARD.
SO BASED ON THE FACT WE SIGNED THE MOU ON MARCH 12TH, 2024, WE HAD THE FIVE MONTH DELAY AND THE EXECUTION HAS GONE FORTH AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
SO THE MOU IS ACTUALLY SCHEDULED TO EXPIRE ON SEPTEMBER THE 12TH, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN AN EIGHT MONTH PERIOD THAT WE HAD TO DO THE 22 STRUCTURES.
SO WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING OF THE BOARD IS THAT WE ARE GIVEN, UM, 24 MONTHS FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
AND SO WE'RE REQUESTING AN EXTENSION UP UNTIL MARCH, 2027.
SINCE THE BAY SAW COMMUNITY IS IN MY, UH, DISTRICT, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOR THE EXTENSION.
YOU HEARD THE MOTION THE SECOND? I SECOND? YEAH, IT'S BEEN MOVING PROPERLY.
ANY DISCUSSION MIKE HAS MR. MASON, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM HAS THE, I KNOW IT HAS THAT.
THE AMENDMENT TO THE CURRENT, UH, MOU THAT WOULD EXTEND THIS, UH, THE MOU TO THE DATE THAT, UH, MYRA'S ASKED FOR.
SO IF YOU NO, WHAT? I'LL, YOU CAN STILL DO IT.
NO, WHAT I'LL DO IS MY MOTION IS IN REFERENCE TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER 9.2.
CONSIDER EXTENDING THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE TO REMOVE THE AIR STRUCTURE SPECIFIED IN MOU BETWEEN ACK COUNTY AND C**K BAYSIDE REVITALIZATION TO MARCH 12TH, 2027.
AND WE GOT TWO MOTIONS ON THIS FLOOR.
SO ARE YOU, I THE, SO YOU'RE SAYING I REMOVED THE FIRST, YOU REMOVED THE FIRST ONE AND YOU'RE INSERTING THIS ONE SECOND.
IS THE SECOND AGREED WITH THE YES MA'AM.
THAT WE EXTEND THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE TO REMOVE THE DELIC STRUCTURES SPECIFIED IN THE MOU BETWEEN CROMACK COUNTY AND THE NCO BAY NCO BAY SIDE REVITALIZATION TO MARCH THE 12TH.
IT'S BEEN RUDE AND PROPER SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION IS CARRIED.
BAR, ANY QUESTIONS? ANYTHING FOR ME? GOOD REPORT.
UPDATE ON EASTERN SHORE VIRGINIA RE, REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM PROJECT.
GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, JEFF LONO, DIRECTOR FOR THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA REGIONAL NINE ONE CENTER.
TAKING A FEW MINUTES TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM KNOWN AS THE EASTERN SHORE VIRGINIA REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM, OR AS VARS.
AFTER NUMEROUS YEARS OF PLANNING, CUT OVER TO USING THE NEW L THREE HARRIS REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM OCCURRED FOR FIRE EMS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN MID-JANUARY 2026.
SO WE'VE NOW BEEN USING THE VAR SYSTEM FOR ABOUT THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR THE NEW RADIO SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTATION WAS JUST OVER $10 MILLION.
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FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES.A FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE GRANT, THE LOCAL FUNDS PROVIDED FROM ACK AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES FUNDS FROM THE FUND BALANCE OF THE 9 1 1 COMMISSION.
ANOTHER FEDERAL GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FUNDS FROM AGENCIES OR STATIONS THAT PURCHASED ADDITIONAL RADIOS AND RADIO EQUIPMENT.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM IS NOW TRANSITIONED TO SYSTEM MAINTENANCE, MAINTAINING IT FOR THE NEXT 15 PLUS YEARS.
OVERALL, THE TRANSITION TO VAR SYSTEM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL, BUT THERE ARE CHALLENGES NOTED DAILY SINCE JANUARY FIRE, EMS AGENCIES, STATIONS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HAVE BEEN USING THE NEW RADIO SYSTEM FOR THEIR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOUR DISPATCH CENTERS HERE ON THE EASTERN SHORE, ACK, SHERIFF NORTHAMPTON, SHERIFF SHATI POLICE, AND THE REGIONAL NINE ONE CENTER.
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS LARGE SCALE FIRES, CRITICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT INCIDENTS, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS, EXTREMELY BUSY PERIODS, INCLUDING A NOTEWORTHY BLIZZARD BACK IN LATE FEBRUARY THAT IMPACTED OUR REGION WHERE THE RADIO SYSTEM PROVIDED RELIABLE, STABLE COVERAGE AND SERVICE FOR THE RESPONDERS.
THE VAR SYSTEM HAS BROUGHT ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR RADIO INTEROPERABILITY.
THIS INCLUDES THE CAPABILITY FOR FIRE AND EMS TO BE ABLE TO EASILY COMMUNICATE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT ON THE RADIOS IN THE RADIO SYSTEM.
AND FOR STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT UNITS SUCH AS THE STATE POLICE, TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT UNITS ON THE NEW SYSTEM FIRE AND EMS UNITS FROM AKIMA COUNTY AND WASHINGTON COUNTY, WHO MUTUAL AID ALL THE TIME AT EACH OTHER'S COUNTIES.
THEY CAN NOW OPERATE DIRECTLY ON EITHER JURISDICTIONS RADIO SYSTEM WHILE GOING TO AN INCIDENT IN EITHER COUNTY.
AND THERE ARE ADDITIONAL EFFORTS TOWARDS IMPROVING INTEROPERABILITY.
AND WHILE I KNOW IT'S TO OUR SOUTH, INCLUDING WITH VIRGINIA BEACH RESPONDERS THAT MAY COME OVER TO MUTUAL AID AND TO NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, THE NEW RADIO SYSTEM PROVIDES NUMEROUS CHANNELS THAT ARE NOW CALLED TALK GROUPS FOR THE VARYING NEEDS THAT PRESENT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL.
WITH THESE TALK GROUPS HAVING COVERAGE SHORE WIDE, THE CAPABILITY TO ENCRYPT SENSITIVE RADIO COMMUNICATIONS IS ALSO A FEATURE THAT'S BEEN BUILT INTO THE NEW RADIO SYSTEM.
WHILE NO RADIO SYSTEM PROVIDES 100% COVERAGE IN ALL AREAS AND 100% COVERAGE WAS NEVER PROJECTED OR GUARANTEED.
CHALLENGES RELATED TO SYSTEM COVERAGE HAVE PRESENTED SEVERAL AREAS IN OUR TWO COUNTIES HAVE LIMITED TO MARGINAL COVERAGE USING PORTABLE RADIOS.
MOST OF THESE OCCURRING INSIDE STRUCTURES, BUT SOME OCCURRING OUTSIDE.
A PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO FIRE AND EMS AGENCIES IS ALERTING PAGER COVERAGE WHILE OVERALL PAGER COVERAGE HAS BEEN ADEQUATE.
THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE SYSTEMS SIGNAL TO REACH PAGERS INSIDE RESPONDERS HOMES OR OTHER BUILDINGS IS WEAK OR MARGINAL EFFORT TO ADDRESS.
THIS HAS INCLUDED RESPONDERS USING AMPLIFIED CHARGERS FOR THEIR PAGERS TO GIVE THEM BETTER COVERAGE IN THE WATCH BIG AREA.
THERE HAVE BEEN NOTABLE COVERAGE CHALLENGES, AN EFFORT TO INSTALL AN OUTDOOR DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEM TO IMPROVE COVERAGE.
WE CONTINUING TO USE THE LEGACY OR OLDER FIRE MS SYSTEM TO CONTINUE ALERTING WATCH OF PRAIRIE ALONG WITH ALERTING THEM AND USING THE NEW RADIO SYSTEM AS WE CONTINUE TO USE THE NEW RADIO SYSTEM EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE TOWARDS IMPROVING COVERAGE WHERE NEEDED AND WHERE WE CAN EXPANDING THE USE OF ADDITIONAL FEATURES AVAILABLE WITH THE NEW RADIO SYSTEM AND MANAGING THE MANY ASPECTS OF THIS NEW SYSTEM.
SO TO SUMMARIZE, AFTER MANY YEARS OF PLANNING A NEW REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM, WE'VE NOW BEEN USING FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS, SERVING THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONAL NEEDS FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONDERS AND DISPATCH CENTERS.
WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN A CON THERE HAVE BEEN AND CONTINUE TO BE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE MANAGING AND WORKING OUR BEST TO ADDRESS MY INTENT THIS EVENING TO BE HERE A FEW MINUTES TO JUST GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE OF THE TRANSITION TO THE NEW RADIO SYSTEM.
I'LL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, I SERVE AS THE BOARD'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE YAKIMA COUNTY FARM RESCUE COMMISSION.
UH, JEFF AND HIS STAFF HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH THIS.
HE HAS REPORTED TO THE COMMISSION ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, LENGTHY REPORTS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, BUT HE AND HIS STAFF HAVE DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB WITH THAT.
THANK YOU JUDGE, MR. MR FOR THAT COMMENTATE.
JEFF, ARE YOU FINISHED? SORRY, I'M FINISHED UNLESS ONE QUICK QUESTION.
DO I UNDERSTAND VM RC ALSO HAS THE CAPABILITY TO COMMUNICATE NOW WITH THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT OR OTHER AGENCIES? THAT IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
THAT'S FAIRLY RECENT AND IT SHOULD, SHOULD ALSO TRANSITION TO OTHER STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
BUT RIGHT NOW THE STATE POLICE OF EMRC ON THEIR RADIOS CAN COME DIRECTLY ON OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CHANNELS.
YOU SAID IT SHOULD TRANSLATE TO, EXCUSE ME, TO OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT EXCUSE.
COULD YOU ADJUST YOUR CHAIR, MA'AM? NO, I DID NOT.
AND I SHOULD HAVE
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT OFTEN THAT HAPPENS.
UM, WHAT OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE YOU, ARE YOU THE
[00:30:01]
ONES THAT COME TO MIND? MR. PARKS ARE THE, THEY USED TO BE THE VGI, BUT I BELIEVE THEY'RE THE DMR, THE GAME WARDENS, GAMELAND AND FISHERIES.THOSE I WOULD HOPE HAPPEN AS WELL AS LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLKS THAT THE PARKS THAT ARE FEDERAL ANDEE BEACH AREA TO HAVE THEIR RADIANCE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY AT THIS TIME TO ACCEPT THOUGH.
IS THAT A FAIR QUES STATEMENT? YEAH.
IF OUR SYSTEM IS ON THEIR RADIOS, THAT THEY COULD TALK ON OUR SYSTEM.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? NO, BUT I THOUGHT YOU SAID SOMETHING NEW THAT I HADN'T HEARD.
AND I'LL, I'LL GET WITH YOU OFFLINE.
WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO, TO GRADUALLY AND PROVIDE MORE INTEROPERABILITY FOR SO FOLKS CAN TALK THE NEED TO.
IT WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN ON DAY ONE, BUT IT'S A GOAL WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
AND AND TO YOUR POINT, MR. CROCKETT, MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY CONTINUE, I'M SORRY.
AND MR. HARTS, THAT JEFF AND THE TEAM HAVE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB AND WITH THE HELP OF OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES YES.
I I MEAN, IT'S REALLY BEEN A, I THINK A MUCH BIGGER EFFORT THAN ANYONE ANTICIPATED.
THAT MOVES US DOWN TO RECEIVE THE NORTHERN OMA WATER WASTES.
PUBLIC HEARING RULES ARE WHO'S GONNA READ THOSE? MR. MASON? THANK YOU MR. HART.
UH, LET'S SEE IF WE NEED PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'LL GO DOWN TO 11.2 WHERE IT SAYS PUBLIC HEARING ON SECTION TWO DASH TWO OF THE COUNTY CODE TO INCREASE COUNTY FEES OR BAD CHECKS TO $35.
OKAY, MR. TREASURER, MR. LILLISTON, GOOD EVENING.
EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MADAM VICE-CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, JAMES LILLISTON, ACKERMAN COUNTY TREASURER.
UM, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT, UH, THIS ORDINANCE WILL AMEND SECTION TWO DASH TWO OF THE AKIMA COUNTY CODE TO INCREASE THE BAD CHECK FEE FROM $25 TO $35.
UH, THIS AMENDMENT ALSO INCORPORATES NEW AUTHORITY GIVEN BY THE 2026 GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO ASSESS THE FEE ON ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS, PAYMENT ORDERS THAT ARE DISHONORED.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY KIND OF QUESTIONS.
UH, I'M GOING TO, I THINK I HEARD YOU RIGHT.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'D YOU ASK FROM 25 TO 35? 25 TO 35? YES MA'AM.
UH, YOU'RE MAKING YOUR PRESENTATION.
I NEED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, OR SECTION 2.2 COUNTER CODE TO INCREASE COUNTER FEES TO BAD CHECKS.
FROM 25 TO 35, THERE HAS BEEN NO ONE TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK.
I WILL GIVE PEOPLE OPPORTUNITY.
ONCE, TWICE THEN NOW THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN CLOSED.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE, MADAM CHAIRMAN? YES.
MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSAL AMENDMENT TO ACK COUNTY SECTION 2.2, INCREASING THE FEE TO $35 CHARGED BY THE COUNTY ON BAD CHECKS AND EXPANDED, EXPANDING SET, UH, SET FEES TO COVER DISHONORED ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS.
MOVE PROPER SECOND THAT WE DO INCREASE THE FEE FROM 25 TO 35.
ANY DISCUSSION? I DON'T HEAR ANY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? LET IT BE NONE BY AYE A.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
OUR NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS TO AMEND THE, UH, COUNTY FY 27 BUDGET FOR ACKERMAN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL FY 26 CARRY FORWARD REQUEST.
YOU GOING, OH, I FORGOT HER LAST NAME.
AT LEAST YOU DIDN'T SAY THE WRONG ONE.
GO AHEAD MS. UH, GOOD EVENING.
SO WE ORIGINALLY CAME IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD IN FEBRUARY AND WE ASKED FOR CARRY FORWARD.
AND THAT TOTAL WAS THE, THE 29,000,698.
AND THEN WE WERE ASKED TO REDUCE IT BY 2 MILLION.
SO WE CAME BACK A MONTH LATER AND PRESENTED PROJECTS TOTALING 27,000,698.
SO BOTH TIMES, I THINK WHEN WE WERE HERE, WE KNEW THAT WE WOULD NOT COMPLETE THOSE PROJECTS BY JUNE 30TH.
SO THIS REQUEST TONIGHT ARE THE REMAINING BALANCES OF THOSE
[00:35:01]
PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PROJECTS THAT WE STILL NEED TO CARRY OVER INTO FY 27.SO, AND ALSO I DID WANNA POINT OUT, UM, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A CONTRACT FOR STORAGE BUILDING.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY THE ARCHITECT AND ENGINEER FOR THE STORAGE BUILDING IS OUT ON RFP RIGHT NOW.
AND ALSO WE DON'T HAVE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR THE SIG ELEMENTARY GYM, EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE AN ARCHITECT.
SO THOSE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE NOT STARTED YET.
WE'VE STARTED THEM, BUT WE'RE NOT AT THE POINT OF HAVING AN AMOUNT.
SO THOSE ARE THE ESTIMATED AMOUNTS.
SO WE JUST WANNA CONTINUE ON WITH THOSE PROJECTS IN FY 27, WHERE HOPEFULLY THEY WILL, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CHIN TAKE GYM WILL MAKE IT IN THAT YEAR, UH, CONSIDERING THE PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD WITH TWO GYMS WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE WITH THESE PROJECTS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS, MS. SEAN? OKAY.
I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING OF THE COUNTY'S, UH, FFY 27TH BUDGET FOR AKIMA COUNTY FY 26 CARRY FORWARD REQUEST.
ANYONE IN THIS AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK ONCE TWICE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED.
MADAM CHAIR, PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE, UH, 27 BUDGET FOR AKIMA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE FY 26 CARRYOVER FUND REQUEST SECOND.
OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVING PROPERLY.
SECOND, THAT WE DO AMEND THE, UH, COUNTY FY 20 BUDGET FOR ACK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED? THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
THAT TAKES US BACK TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA.
ALRIGHT, UH, RECEIVE NORTHERN CROMAC WATER WASTE MASTER PLANNING UPDATE.
IS THAT WHO I DON'T SEE? STEWART STUART'S BACK THERE.
IS HE BACK THERE? OH, STEWART, I DIDN'T SEE YOU.
WE HAVE, UH, PROFESSIONALS HERE.
GOOD EVENING, VICE CHAIR BOARD.
I'M A PROJECT MANAGER WITH KIMLEY HORN.
HE'S ALSO A PRACTICE LEADER WITH, UH, KIMLEY HORN.
BEEN ASKED TO COME IN AND PROVIDE A UPDATE ABOUT THE WATER WASTEWATER MASTER PLANNING WORK THAT WE'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH STAFF AND, UH, MACK COUNTY, UH, THAT WE'RE PREPARING FOR THE COUNTY.
SO, UH, THIS IS FOR THE NORTHERN PORTION OF MACK COUNTY.
OUR SCOPE OF SERVICES, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LAID OUT.
IT'S, UH, WE DEVELOP A MASTER PLANNING FRAMEWORK WITH, WITH STAFF, UH, INVENTORY, EXISTING FACILITIES, UH, PROJECT, WHAT SERVICE NEEDS FOR THE PLANNING AREA MAY BE, UH, EVALUATE, UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND WELL SITE ALTERNATIVES WHERE WE COULD DEVELOP SUCH THINGS, UM, ASSESS THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE ALTERNATIVES.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, THIS NEXT STEP, AND THAT IS IDENTIFY IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND THEN DOCUMENT THE WHOLE THING IN A MASTER PLAN, YOU KNOW, SETTING THE COURSE FORWARD.
UM, WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, UH, WHAT THE STUDY AREA, THE PLANNING AREA, UH, LOOKS LIKE.
UH, IT'S NORTHERN MACK COUNTY, UH, BASICALLY EXTENDING FROM TO THE WEST.
ROUTE 13 A LITTLE BIT WIDER, UH, ALONG SOME COMMERCIAL AREAS, YOU KNOW, EASTWARD TO THE, YOU KNOW, TO THE, UH, TO THE WATERFRONT.
AND THEN FROM THE SOUTH, REALLY FROM THE SPACE BOARD PROPERTY OR JOHN TAYLOR.
UH, ROAD NORTH TO, UH, ABOUT HORN TOWN IS, IS OUR, UM, OUR STUDY AREA.
I GUESS NOT TO CONTINUE STUDY AREA WITH SERVICE AREA.
STUDY AREA IS JUST, THIS IS THE AREA THAT WE'RE ASSESSING WHAT THE NEEDS OF SERVICES, UH, MIGHT BE.
NEXT THING THAT TO DO IS TO, TO IDENTIFY WHAT THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE IS, THE WATER AND, AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, NOTABLY WITH WASTEWATER IS THERE'S A TREATMENT PLANT, 300,000 GALLON PER DAY DESIGN TREATMENT PLANT AT THE NASA WALLETS FLIGHT FACILITY THAT NASA OWNS AND OPERATES.
IT, UH, CONNECTS TO SOME PUMPING STATIONS OUT AT, UH, THE LAUNCH SITE WALL'S ISLAND ITSELF WITH, UH, A LONG PIPELINE, YOU KNOW, SEWER FORCE MAIN ABOUT EIGHT MILES OF, OF PIPE.
AND THAT'S SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, THAT IS I IMPORTANT TO OUR MASTER PLANNING EFFORT.
THERE'S ANOTHER RED DOT THERE AROUND WATTS FIELD.
THAT'S JUST OVER THE, UM, UM, THE INDUSTRIAL PARK, UH, THE COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK.
'CAUSE IT IS SERVED BY, BY NASA.
AND IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO TO TO NOTE THAT, UH, THE BLUE DOTS ARE EXISTING PERMITTED WELL SITES.
SO THESE ARE WELL SITES THAT WERE, UH, PERMITTED EITHER BECAUSE OF THE DEPTHS
[00:40:01]
OR BECAUSE OF THE TIME THAT THEY WERE BUILT.UH, THEY INCLUDE COMMUNITY, WELL SITES LIKE THE CHITE WELLS, UH, THE NASA WELLS, UH, RIGHT NEAR THE FLIGHT FACILITY.
AND THEN A LOT OF SMALLER, UH, PERMITTED WELLS.
UH, THERE IS NO SEPARATE, UH, COMMUNITY WELLS SYSTEM, UH, AVAILABLE, UH, AT THIS TIME.
A COUPLE OF KEY AREAS, DEVELOPMENT AREAS THAT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, PLAY A BIG PART IN THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS.
START WITH, UH, THE PEAK PROPERTIES.
THOSE ARE THE VIRGINIA SPACE, UH, PORT AUTHORITY PROPERTIES.
UM, NEXT ONE IS, UH, A DEVELOPMENT SITE CALLED QUEENS HIVE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, FURTHER TO THE NORTH IS, UH, POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SITE, ATLANTIC TOWN CENTER AND BRIDGE HILL.
UM, WE IDENTIFY THOSE BECAUSE, UM, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WATER AND SEWER, THEY WOULD BE INITIAL CUSTOMERS TO, TO SERVE, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPING A A WATER AND SEWER, UH, PROJECT.
INTERESTINGLY, THAT FORCE MAIN, YOU KNOW, IS WELL LOCATED, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF IT WERE AVAILABLE FOR USE TO, YOU KNOW, CONNECT THE DOTS FOR SEWER SERVICE, UH, TO SOME OF SOME OF THESE, UH, LOCATIONS.
UM, IN WORKING WITH STAFF, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT BACKBONE THAT THE INITIAL SERVICE AREA WOULD BE, UH, PRIORITIZED IN THE AREA OF WATTS.
UH, IT INCLUDES A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR RIGHT BETWEEN, UH, ROUTE 13 AND, AND CHITE INCLUDES A MAJOR POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SITE, ATLANTIC TOWN CENTER, CLOSE TO THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MIGHT BECOME AVAILABLE.
ALSO CLOSE TO PROPERTIES THAT COULD OTHERWISE BE USED TO POTENTIALLY DEVELOP WATER AND WASTEWATER, UH, FACILITIES.
SO, UH, THAT BRINGS US TO A A ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE, IN THE PROJECT.
AND THAT IS, UH, IMPLEMENTATION.
WE WEREN'T SAYING ENGAGE, BUT IT'S REALLY CONTINUED TO ENGAGE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING WITH NASA.
UM, AND, UH, HRSD ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT, UM, ASSET DIVESTMENT.
SO THAT'S NASA, UH, PRIVATIZING WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND CONVEYANCE FACILITIES, UH, INVOLVING FOR, FOR USE BY, UM, THE SPACE AUTHORITY FOR THE SPACE AUTHORITY, UM, AND OTHER, OTHER DEVELOPMENT, OTHER PROPERTIES IN AKIMA COUNTY.
AND, UM, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT HOW AKIMA COUNTY, AKIMA COUNTY CAN SUPPORT THAT DIVESTMENT.
AND, UM, TED'S GONNA MENTION AN IDEA OR TWO ABOUT THAT.
UH, SO THE, UM, UH, DIVESTMENT OF, OF WATER AND SEWER FACILITIES ON, UH, BASES, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S BEEN DONE, UM, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW.
UH, THIS, UH, FACILITY, THE NASA FACILITY IS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, EXPLORING OR, OR, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR, UH, SOLUTIONS.
THIS COULD BE, UM, ONE OF THEM WORK WORKING WITH, UM, UH, COMMUNITY IN ALABAMA RIGHT NOW, THE REDSTONE ARSENAL.
UH, IT'S GOING THROUGH ITS OWN, UM, UH, DIVESTMENT PROCESS TO WHERE THE, THE ARMY BASE IS LOOKING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALLOW, UH, OTHER, UH, ENTITIES TO TAKE OVER OWNERSHIP, UH, OPERATIONS, UH, OF THAT.
AND SO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE PARALLELS, UH, HERE, BUT, UH, THE POINT BEING IS, UM, WITH THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS IS WHAT THE, WHAT DO THE NASA, UM, FACILITIES, UH, WATER WASTE OR WHAT WASTEWATER FACILITIES, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT POTENTIAL COULD THEY, UM, UH, PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
UM, IF, UM, THOSE, UH, EITHER PATHWAYS OR PERMISSIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, COULD BE THROUGH COLLABORATION OR OUTRIGHT OWNERSHIP, UM, WHERE TO TAKE PLACE.
UH, AND SO THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REASONING FOR THIS, UH, INTERJECTION IS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THOSE POSSIBILITIES ARE THERE.
UH, IT WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING INVOLVING, UH, MORE THAN THE COMMUNITY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, MASS NASA FACILITY ITSELF.
UH, BUT, UH, BUT THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSIONS, UM, ARE ARE TAKING PLACE.
AND IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, OTHER AREAS, AGAIN, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GREATER COMMUNITY, MORE UTILIZATION OF THOSE ASSETS THEMSELVES.
YOU BUILD WATER FACILITIES OR WASTEWATER FACILITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY CAN, UM, ALLOW SERVICE TO, UH, TO OTHERS, NOT JUST THE INTENDED OR THE, THE INITIALLY INTENDED, UM, UH, FACILITIES.
IN THIS CASE, NASA, AS THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, CONTINUE, UH, OF IMPORTANCE IS, UM, REQUESTING RESERVING CAPACITY, RIGHT, FOR THE COUNTY IN RETURN FOR OUR, FOR OUR EFFORTS.
AND THEN, UM, GOING A STEPS FURTHER IS PURSUING ADDITIONAL CAPACITY AND WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, UH, ONCE THEY'RE, ONCE THE, UM, FACILITIES ARE PRIVATIZED AND THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, UM, THAT COULD INVOLVE RELOCATING AN OUTFALL THAT COULD INVOLVE MORE ADVANCED WASTEWATER TREATMENT.
[00:45:01]
THESE ARE THE TYPES OF DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH, WITH HRSD AS, AS THE PRIMARY POTENTIAL PARTNER.BUT CERTAINLY WE'RE GONNA WANT TO REACH OUT TO OTHER POTENTIAL PARTNERS.
PRIVATE, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT COULD, YOU KNOW, DO THE SAME THING.
UH, NEXT THING IS TO, UH, CONTINUE TO ENGAGE, UH, THE SPACE AUTHORITY AND ATLANTIC DEVELOPMENT, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS FOR PROPERTY FOR AT LEAST FOR DRINKING WATER WELL SITES.
UH, SO WE'LL CONTINUE THOSE DIAL DIALOGUES.
AND THEN I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING WITH OTHER POTENTIAL WATER AND SEWER, UH, PARTNERS.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE UPDATE.
UH, WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR, FOR QUESTIONS.
BEEN WORKING WITH MIKE AND, UH, SEWER AND LEAD T DEFENSE PRIMARILY, SIR.
HELP ME, CAN WE GO BACK TO THE SCOPE SLIDE, PLEASE? MM-HMM
AND, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT KNOWING THIS IN ADVANCE, BUT, SO YOU'RE TO ESTABLISH A MASTER PLANNING FRAMEWORK.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR DELIVERABLES? IS IT ACTUALLY A MASTER PLAN? YES.
AT THE END OF THIS THAT'S RELATED TO WASTEWATER AND FRESH AND WATER SERVICES.
FOR HOW MUCH OF THE COUNTY? JUST THE, JUST THE SERVICE AREA IDENTIFIED NORTHERN MACK COUNTY.
WELL, I, I KIND OF TAKE OFFENSE TO THAT 'CAUSE I'M IN NORTHERN MACK COUNTY AND I'M NOT ON THERE, SO, OKAY.
AND A LOT OF FOLKS, SO THAT'S, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE INFAMOUS SEASIDE, IF I'M READING IT CORRECTLY.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? I MEAN, IT'S NORTHERN ON THE EAST OF THE ROUTE 13.
YEAH, BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE FROM HERE, SO I'M SORRY.
SO IT IS, IT IS EAST OF ROUTE 13, UH, A LITTLE BIT WIDER AT A COUPLE OF THE COMMERCIAL AREAS OF, OF ROUTE 13.
BUT HOW FAR SOUTH ARE WE GOING? UH, IT GOES JOHN TAYLOR ROAD.
CAN SOMEBODY GIMME A LOCAL REFERENCE TO JOHN TAYLOR ROAD SEA? WHERE ARE THEY GOING? OLD SEAFOOD PLANT.
OKAY, SO HOW FAR ALONG ARE WE AS FAR AS YOUR PLAN? WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE? UH, ABOUT HALF.
IF YOU'VE, SINCE I, I'VE GOT CONCERNS BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT HAVE BEEN TALKING TO HRSD AND NASA, INCLUDING MYSELF FOR YEARS AT THIS POINT.
AND IF THAT'S WHERE WE'RE BANKING THE SOLUTION, I WAS HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS ALTERNATE SOLUTIONS AND NOT CONTINGENT ON WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAS OR WHAT WE HAVE TO BEG FOR.
AND, AND, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE ADDRESSING WHAT IS, IN MY OPINION, THE KEY FACTOR TO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTY.
AND WE HAVE SHOVEL READY LOTS IN THIS COUNTY THAT ARE CONTINGENT ON WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND IT'S A GUY WITH A LOT OF FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE EXPERIENCE ON THE OTHER SIDE, OR NOT A LOT.
'CAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY WHO'S GOT MORE, BUT SOME, IT'S NOT THAT EASY TO PLUG INTO SOMETHING THE FEDS OWN.
AND THE NASA HRSD THING WAS AT A MEETING RECENTLY WHERE HRSD SAYS, WE'RE READY TO GO.
WE'VE TALKED TO NASA, WE'RE READY TO GO.
AND WE'RE STILL IN THE SAME PLACE.
SO I WOULD SAY IF YOU GOT 50% LEFT LOOKING, WHAT I'M HOPING TO HEAR IS GIVE US SOME ALTERNATIVES AND SOMETHING WE CAN DO THAT'S NOT CONTINGENT ON SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND IF THAT PLANT'S NOT AN OPTION, BUT GIVE US AT LEAST COURSES OF ACTION.
AND, AND AS YOU CAN TELL, ALSO, A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THIS.
SO TAKE THAT HOME WITH YOU AS WELL AS YOU SAID IN YOUR PLANNING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS WITH, CAN PROVIDE INPUT OR CONCERNS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY.
AND IT IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE I WOULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT WE FACE AS FAR AS EXISTING RESIDENTS, FUTURE RESIDENTS, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AND WHAT WE DO.
WE'VE RECENTLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO TRY TO GET SOME, AN ADDITIONAL FEDERAL ENTITY HERE.
AND I'M CONVINCED THAT IT WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN DOING THAT BECAUSE, UH, THE, THE WASTEWATER AND WATER SITUATION, AND OF COURSE WE WANNA PROTECT OUR AQUIFERS AS WELL, WHICH IS ANOTHER TOPIC.
SO PLEASE TAKE MY COMMENTS IN A POSITIVE LIGHT.
BUT, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR HELP.
I'M A CONTRACTOR TOO, AND YOU'RE AT 50% AND I'M, AS A CUSTOMER, I'M NOT HEARING WHAT I NEED TO HEAR HERE.
UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, WELL UNDERSTOOD, UM, CAN ANSWER SOME NOW OR WE GO BACK.
I LEAVE THAT FEEL FREE DAYS LATER, BUT NO, IF YOU CAN ANSWER 'EM NOW, ANSWER 'EM.
SO WE, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, UH, OTHER SITES WITHIN THE SERVICE AREA.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE, WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, INDEPENDENTLY, UM, PURSUING AN OUTFALL, UM, AND AS, AS A MEANS TO, UM, HELP, UM, MOVE THAT PROCESS ALONG.
SO WHILE WE, WHILE WE BELIEVE,
[00:50:01]
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT OUTFALL? SO, UM, NASA HAS AN OUTFALL TO MOSQUITO CREEK.IT DOESN'T, I MEAN IT DOESN'T MIX.
UM, IT'S ALSO LOCATED ACROSS FROM A HIGHLY DEVELOPED, UM, AREA.
UM, SO IF THAT OUTFALL WAS, UH, A NEW OUTFALL WAS CONSTRUCTED OUT IN, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS CLEAN SOUND, UH, WHERE A WHOLE LOT OF WATER COMES IN AND A WHOLE LOT OF OF WATER COMES OUT, IT'S ALSO, UH, BEYOND, UM, MOST OF THE SHELLFISH HARVESTING AREAS.
UM, WE WANT TO, WE WANNA TALK TO HRSD ABOUT THAT, NASA ABOUT THAT, BUT ALSO PURSUE IT ON OUR OWN.
SO IF, IF, IF NASA NHRC CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO DIVEST ASSETS, AKIMA COUNTY CAN HAVE ITS OWN PATH FORWARD SEPARATELY.
AND, AND PART OF THE PLANNING IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY JUST THAT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO THAT WELL NOT MENTION IS PART OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THAT HOPEFULLY RELIEVES YOUR CONCERNS SOME MR. I'LL BE HONEST.
IT DOESN'T, I MEAN, I I WOULD, I'D BE, I'M NOT, I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I WANT YOU TO BE HONEST WITH ME THAT THAT DOESN'T RELIEVE MY CONCERNS AT ALL.
SO THEN THERE'S ALSO, UH, THERE'S TWO OTHER NON DISCHARGE TYPE TREATMENT DISPOSAL METHODS, WHETHER THAT'S LAND APPLICATION, BUT YOU'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT LARGE SCALE WASTEWATER PLANTS AS YOUR PRIMARY SOLUTION.
I MEAN, IS THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION? SO WE'VE GOT DEVELOPMENTS IN AND AROUND THE, THE ROUTE 1 75 AREA THAT, THAT WANT TO COME IN, YOU KNOW, FROM A COUNTY PERSPECTIVE, IF THERE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS WE COULD BE LOOKING OR WE EXPLORED SMALLER SITES THAT MAYBE COULD BE CONNECTED LATER OR EVEN SOMETHING IN ANOTHER PART OF THE COUNTY TO ESTABLISH A, A TREATMENT FACILITY.
UH, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A HALF A DOZEN LOCATIONS.
WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT LIKE A, UM, DECENTRALIZED, LIKE ALL THESE LITTLE DIS DECENTRALIZED PLANTS AS, AS A SOLUTION.
UM, AND, AND I THROW THAT OUT BECAUSE THE REALITY OF THE SHO TODAY, IF YOU COME, YOU KNOW, NOT IN WHAT YOU CALL NORTHERN AKIMA COUNTY THERE, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 13 IN AKIMA COUNTY, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL INDIVIDUAL PLANTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME TOWNS WITH SMALLER FACILITIES AND YOU KNOW, HRC AND THE EFFORT, A GREAT EFFORT TO, TO CONNECT SOME OF THOSE.
BUT I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
SO HOW DO WE GET FROM WHERE WE ARE TODAY THAT WOULD ENABLE PEOPLE TO, IN A SAFE MANNER CONSTRUCT NEW, UH, NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO BRING IN WORKERS TO SUPPORT OUR AEROSPACE INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER THINGS, IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO THINK OUT OF THE BOX AND PLEASE HELP US.
MR. HART, YOU JUST, YOU JUST COMPLIMENTED HIM.
UM, MADAM CHAIRMAN, I'M GONNA YIELD IF, UH, WHERE MR. DE GEORGE, THIS IS NEAR HIS DISTRICT, MOSQUITO CREEK AND ALSO QUEEN SOUND IF BILLY JOE OR THEM HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
PRETTY MUCH YOU ALREADY ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY YOUR ALTERNATIVE PLANT IS LARGE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS.
WE HAVE A VERY SMALL CENTRALIZED THAT HANDLES 2000 UNITS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING? I THINK THAT'S WHAT MR. PARSON ONLY PLACES LIKE THAT WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN MOUNTAIN COUNTY FUNDED OR DEVELOPER FUNDED.
HAVE YOU, DO YOU GET INTO THAT SORT OF DETAIL OR IS THAT SORT OF, YOU PAINT A BROAD PICTURE AND THEN WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAYBE BROAD PICTURE? UH, I THINK THAT IT DOES RECOGNIZE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IT COULD, THERE COULD CERTAINLY BE MORE THAN ONE LOCATION FOR A TREATMENT FACILITY IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE STUDY AREA OR THE SERVICE AREA.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MASTER PLANNING REALLY WE SHOW AN INITIAL SERVICE AREA.
UM, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY WOULDN'T ENVISION MORE THAN ONE TREATMENT PLAN IN THE INITIAL SERVICE AREA OR SOMETHING? NO, THAT WAS, THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
I THINK THAT WAS, YOU WERE GETTING, YOU DON'T WANT ONE MASS.
YEAH, BECAUSE I MEAN, I'LL TAKE SOMETHING THAT WORKS AT THIS POINT, BUT, BUT, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
THAT SEEMS TO BE THAT IS TRUE.
AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME RESTRICTIONS AND I, I MEAN THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES, BUT, BUT JUST LOOKING AT HELP US, WE NEED SOME COURSES OF ACTION AND EXPERIENCE TELLS US THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE HOOKED NECESSARILY TO THE HORSES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY RIDING WITH IF THEY CAN'T PERFORM.
MR. HART, JUST A COUPLE THINGS.
I'M GONNA GET YOU TO PULL UP THE MAP IN A MINUTE AGAIN, BUT SINCE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, QUEEN SOUND, QUEEN SOUND HAS A, THAT JUST STRUCK, UH, IN MY HEAD.
QUEEN SOUND HAS A LOT OF, UH, SEAFOOD BEDS, OYSTER BEDS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
ROUNDED, UH, QUEEN SOUND IS ALSO, THAT'S THE TOWN LIMIT OF SHT COMES RIGHT UP TO QUEEN SOUND.
[00:55:01]
JUST THINKING THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE SAYING QUEEN SOUND, THAT I KNOW WHERE MOSQUITO CREEK IS.MOSQUITO CREEK IS, AND YOU SAID DEVELOPED, WHICH WOULD BE, I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRAILS IN CORRECT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE.
BUT WHEN YOU, I THINK THAT RAISES RED FLAGS WHEN YOU'RE THINKING, WHEN YOU GO OVER QUEEN SOUND ON LOW TIDE, YOU CAN JUST SEE OYSTER BEDS EVERYWHERE, UH, THERE.
AND I'M JUST SAYING ALSO THE COUNTY BOAT RAMP IS AT QUEEN SOUND.
SO I'M JUST SAYING WHEN YOU'RE DOING THAT AND JUST TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, OR I DON'T, I MEAN I DON'T REPRESENT THAT AREA, BUT, AND THE TOWN OF SHIG IS RIGHT THERE, RIGHT ON THE RIGHT IT GOES RIGHT TO THE MIDDLE OF QUEEN SOUND IS WHERE THE TOWN LIMIT GOES.
SO ANYWAY, I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT.
COULD YOU PULL UP THE MAP, UH, THE WHOLE THING WHERE IT SHOWS EVERYTHING? UH, I'M TRYING TO GET MY BEARINGS.
WHERE, UH, WHERE IS THE SEAFOOD PLANT? UH, THE, THE PINK, THE LITTLE PINK SQUARE, LOWER LEFT CORNER.
DO YOU HAVE A POINTER OR ANYTHING, MIKE? AT THAT LITTLE RIGHT THERE.
AND UM, WHAT I WAS GONNA ASK YOU WAS IF WE'RE DEVELOP AT, THIS IS CROSSING NEAR 13, IS IT POSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE THAT IF IT NEED BE OR THAT THE COUNTY COULD MAKE SOME ARRANGEMENTS? YOU'VE GOT KEKA TANK RIGHT THERE, RIGHT WHERE YOU JUST POINTED, OKAY.
A SCHOOL, IF THEY COULD TIE IN, I'M JUST SAYING THE FUTURE THAT IT MAY HELP THE COUNTY IN SOME WAY.
IF, IF THE KE TANK COULD TIE INTO A, A SYSTEM ALSO.
WHERE'S ARCADIA UP THERE? ARCADIA, MIDDLE AND HIGH.
I THINK IT'S RIGHT THERE, RIGHT? THIS ONE MAYBE.
IS THAT, OR IS IT ONE NORTH OF THAT? WHAT, GO NORTH? YEAH, RIGHT.
THAT, WHAT'S THAT? WELL, THAT'S T QUARTER T, BUT WHERE IS KATA? I MEAN, UM, T UM, OKAY.
YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE WHAT, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, UM, THAT MAY HELP, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING FOR YOU TO LOOK AT FOR THE COUNTY TO LOOK AT FOR FUTURE, TO TIE THOSE SCHOOLS INTO A PUBLIC, TO A SYSTEM INSTEAD OF LETTING THEM GO INTO THE AQUIFERS.
JUST SAYING IT MAY BE A GOOD THING, UH, FOR US TO LOOK AT.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT Y'ALL THINK ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
I THINK SHOULD BE CAREFUL FOR SAYING IT'S GOING INTO THE AQUIFERS.
BUT I AGREE WITH YOUR POINT THAT WE, WE WANT TO TIE THEM IN.
WELL, THAT'S WHERE IT GOES NOW.
WELL, THAT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR, THAT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR SEWAGE GOES IN THE AQUIFERS, THEN THE UPPER ONE.
THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S WHY WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO DRINK FROM THE UPPER FROM THE COLUMBIA, BUT IN ANY CASE, OH BOY.
WHAT? SORRY, I'M NOT OF ORDER.
DON'T SAY WHAT? DON'T SAY THAT WE CAN'T DRINK FROM THE SURFACE.
IN ANY CASE, NOT TO TRY TO START A WAR
I WAS JUST WONDERING, I WAS NOTICING THE LINES AND IF, IF ARCADIA'S CAMPUS, IF KEKA TANK'S CAMPUS, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT IF Y'ALL WOULD LOOK AT THAT FOR THE FUTURE.
IF THEY WANTED TO TIE INTO A PUBLIC SYSTEM UP THERE, IT MIGHT HELP THE COUNTY IN THE LONG RUN INSTEAD OF DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
SO I'LL ADD THAT, UH, THE FORMER SEAFOOD PROCESSING FACILITY, THERE'S SOME REMAINING INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE, AT LEAST LAGOONS LIKE STORAGE, RIGHT? YOU GET INTO DECENTRALIZED LAND-BASED NON DISCHARGE PERMITS, THEY REQUIRE STORAGE.
SO THERE'S SOME INFRASTRUCTURE, SOME VALUE THERE.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT IS NOTED AND PART OF, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROCESS THAT IS A POTENTIAL SITE, CERTAINLY NOT A SITE FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, THE INITIAL SERVICE AREA, BUT IT IS A, A SITE FOR THAT VERY PURPOSE.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU, WOULD YOU PLEASE LOOK AT THOSE? AND I THINK MR. CROCKETT, MADAM CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.
UH, GOING BACK TO, UH, TO NASA, WHAT IS THE CAPACITY OF THEIR, THEIR UNUSED CAPACITY OF THEIR PLANT? UH, SO THE PLANT DESIGN CAP CAPACITY IS 300,000 GALLONS PER DAY.
UM, NASA REPORTS, THEY'RE DOING SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR SYSTEM, UM, WET WEATHER RELATED, UM, FIXED AND LEAKS, SO TO SPEAK.
AND SO THEY PROBABLY USE ABOUT, UH, ONE THIRD OF THAT CAPACITY.
WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE HOLD UP WITH NASA? UH, BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON A LONG TIME WITH TRYING TO GET NASA TO, TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY.
WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE HOLD UP SEEMS, UH, SORRY, IT'S NOT A CAPACITY, IT'S NOT A CAPACITY ISSUE.
THERE HAVE BEEN IMPROVEMENTS RELATIVELY, UH, LATELY.
UH, DIFFERENT, MORE NASA RESOURCES ARE BEING, UH, PUT ON THIS IDEA.
[01:00:01]
IS PROGRESSED PAST JUST, UM, WHAT I REFER TO AS LIKE LOCAL ASSETS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THESE DISCUSSIONS.AND, UH, THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME MOMENTUM.
YOU FINISH, YOU BE ASKING, I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
THIS SORT OF MAY NOT BE IN YOUR BAYWOOD.
EVIDENTLY PUMPING OUT ALL THE WATER FROM THE AQUIFER IS ADDING TO THE DROP OF THE SGFI KNOW IS, IS CAUSING THE LAND TO SINK, WHICH IS ADDING THE PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH RISE WITH THE RACING SEA LEVELS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FACT FICTION OR FANTASY, THAT'S JUST WHAT'S OUT THERE IN MY READING.
DO YOU LOOK AT THAT AT ALL SAYING IF WE'RE TAKING OUT A MILLION GALLONS, WE'RE WE'RE GONNA RETURN A MILLION GALLONS OF CLEAN WATER LATER ON, OR DO WE JUST LET IT GO? OR DO YOU ADDRESS THAT AT ALL IN YOUR STUDIES? THE EFFECTS, UH, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST SAY NO.
UM, BUT RETURNING WATER TO THE AQUIFER IN VIRGINIA'S A PRETTY NEW CONCEPT.
UM, I MEAN, JUST, JUST NEWLY BEING IMPLEMENTED.
THAT'S THE SWIFT PROGRAM I'VE HEARD ABOUT RIGHT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING THAT QUESTION, LIKE YOU'RE NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO ASK THAT QUESTION.
I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, I, I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS EVEN FULLY.
I DON'T HAVE A LIFETIME OF UNDERSTANDING.
AND, UH, WHEN I READ IT, YOU GO, OH, INTERESTING IDEA.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU, YOU DON'T CROSS THAT BOUNDARY AT THIS POINT.
IT WOULDN'T BE PART OF THIS MR. I'M GONNA ADD THAT.
IT'S JUST, THEY PROBABLY WANTED TO SAY IT AND DIDN'T, IT'S NOT PART OF THE SCOPE.
IT'S NOT PART OF THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT.
I, I JUST, I, AND LETS WATCH YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU AGAIN IN REFERENCE, MR. CROCKETT'S COMMENT.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY, THIS IS YOUR LAST TIME, SIR.
UH, CONGRESSWOMAN'S KIGGINS OFFICE IS DIRECTLY INVOLVED TRYING TO ENGAGE THIS.
BUT EVEN THEN, IF YOU, IF THEY'RE USING ONE THIRD OF THAT CAPACITY, YOU KNOW, MY, MY QUESTION TO THESE GENTLEMEN IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE NUMBERS ARE YOU USING TO LOOK AT WHAT'S THE REQUIREMENTS TO PROCESS? AND EVERYTHING WE'VE LOOKED AT TO THIS POINT INDICATES WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AREA AND THE POTENTIAL INDUSTRIAL, UH, UH, DEVELOPMENTS, THAT, THAT ONE THIRD, EVEN IF YOU WERE ABLE TO TAP INTO THE REMAINING TWO THIRDS, DOESN'T GET US WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
IT IS NOT A DROP IN A BUCKET, BUT IT'S ABOUT A BUCKET, YOU KNOW? AND YES, I'M A HUGE ADVOCATE FOR IT.
UM, BUT THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VIABILITY OF IT.
SO THERE'S MORE TO DO FROM THERE.
AND, AND SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MASTER PLAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIVE TO 10 YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
YOU NORMALLY WITH THE LIFE LIFESPAN OF A MASTER PLAN.
SO EVEN IF YOU GOT THAT TOMORROW, WHERE WOULD WE BE IN THREE YEARS? YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT, THAT, THAT WE REALLY NEED HELP ON.
NOW, IF YOU HAVE AN ANSWER, I'D BE THRILLED TO HEAR IT, BUT, AND THAT WILL BE MY LAST QUESTION, DON'T YOU? THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE FOR THE LAST TIME? A LOT OF MONEY.
SO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? UH, OKAY.
CONSIDER PASSIVE RESOLUTIONS OF SUPPORT FOR FOUR, UH, VDOT SMART SCALE APPLICATIONS.
MR. I GUESS MIKE'S GONNA DO THAT.
THESE RESOLUTIONS ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR MIKE MASON, COUNTY MINISTER.
UM, THESE RESOLUTIONS ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMITTING FOUR DIFFERENT SMART SCALE APPLICATIONS, UM, THAT ARE DUE ON AUGUST 3RD.
UM, ONE OF THEM IS A SUBMISSION ON BEHALF OF THE A-M-P-D-C AND THE RAIL TRAIL.
UM, AND IT, AND WE HAVE IN, IN THE, UH, AGENDA A TABLE THAT HIGHLIGHTS, UM, WHAT EACH ONE OF THESE AREAS ARE.
UH, THE OTHER THREE AREAS OTHER THAN THE RAIL TRAIL ARE, UH, INTERSECTIONS ALONG 13, ONE BEING COURTHOUSE AVENUE, MACK ROAD, ANOTHER BEING MARY, NINE SMITH ROAD AND PARKLEY ROAD.
AND THESE, UM, AREAS WERE CHOSEN, UH, BASED ON SAFETY STATS THAT WERE SHARED BY VDOT WITH COUNTY STAFF.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR RESOLUTIONS OF SUPPORT TO INCLUDE WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE TO MEET AUGUST 3RD.
OKAY, MR. CROCKETT? I MOVE SUPPORT.
OKAY, MR. MOVING PROPER SECOND THAT WE SUPPORT, UH, THE RESOLUTION OF, UH, FOR THE FOUR VDOT SMART SCALE APPS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I DON'T HEAR ANY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? LET IT BE NUMBERED BY.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
[01:05:01]
THANK YOU SO MUCH.I'M ANTICIPATING ANOTHER ITEM.
WE'RE DOWN TO, UH, 10.1 APPOINTMENTS.
UM, ACKERMAN COUNTY WETLANDS BOARD CARRIED OVER.
OKAY, MADAM CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE CONTINUE THE TWO, UH, UH, POSTS THERE FOR AGRA AG AND FOSTER DISTRICT.
OKAY, THOSE TWO WILL BE CONTINUED.
I CAN ACCOUNT SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD.
YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT, MR. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT.
UM, THERE'S A LADY WHO'S VERY WELL QUALIFIED.
SHE'S A RESIDENT OF CAPTAINS COVE, AND SHE HAS FILLED OUT ALL THE PAPERWORK AND I THINK SHE'D MAKE A WONDERFUL, UH, APPOINTMENT.
IT'S, UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
WE ARE DOWN TO, OKAY, UH, 12.1 WHERE IT'S CONSIDERED ADDRESSING UNANTICIPATED PROVISIONS CONTAINING IN THE COMMONWEALTH FY 28 FY 27 28 BIANNUAL BUDGET APPROVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON JUNE THE 29TH.
2026, NAMELY INCREASING THE LOCAL MATCH APPROPRIATED FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE CSA PROGRAM, AND ALSO PROVIDING ADDITIONAL LOCAL FUNDING TO RAISE THE PREVIOUS AUTHORIZED 2% COUNTY AND STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION INCREASE FOR FY 27 2 3 0.5.
EFFECTIVE AUGUST ONE, MS. UH, VICE CHAIR? YES.
BECAUSE I WORK FOR ACK COUNTY AND I HAVE A PERSONAL INTEREST IN ANY DECISION RELATING TO THE INFORMANT COMPENSATION, I UNDERSTAND THAT I'M ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE MATTERS UNDER VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 1 1 2 BI.
BECAUSE I'M A MEMBER OF A PROFESSION, OCCUPATION, OR GROUP OF THREE OR MORE PERSONS AFFECTED BY THESE TRANSACTIONS, I'M ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE TRANSACTIONS FAIRLY OBJECTIVELY AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
OKAY, MR. MASON? THANK YOU MA'AM.
CHAIR, MIKE MASON, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
THERE IS A, UM, FAIRLY SHORT POWERPOINT ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA.
I DON'T THINK I NEED TO PULL THAT UP.
IF I, IF, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME ON THAT.
IF, IF WE GET TO A POINT AND WHERE WE'RE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAVEN'T EXPLAINED, I'LL BE GLAD TO PULL THAT UP.
THIS BOARD ADOPTED TO COUNTY BUDGET BACK IN APRIL.
UM, AT THAT TIME, UH, THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA HAD STILL NOT DECIDED ON ITS BUDGET, AND IN FACT DID NOT, UM, ULTIMATELY ADOPT THE BUDGET, UH, UNTIL A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE START OF JULY.
UH, WHEN THAT, THERE WERE A SET OF ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN, IN THE COUNTY'S BUDGET.
UH, ONE OF THOSE WAS THAT, UM, FUNDING FOR THE STATE WOULD BE PROVIDED, UH, FOR STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEES, UH, FOR A 2% PAY INCREASE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST.
UM, THAT STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL POSITIONS ARE POSITIONS THAT ARE CONTROLLED LARGELY BY THE, THE COMP, UH, THE, UH, CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, YOUR SHERIFF, YOUR CLERK OF COURT, UH, AND THE REST OF THEM.
SO YOUR, YOUR BUDGET HAS AN ASSUMPTION THAT THE STATE WILL PROVIDE 2% FUNDING FOR THOSE POSITIONS.
YOUR BUDGET ALSO IS PREDICATED ON, UM, EQUATING THE ENTIRE WORKFORCE WITH THE SAME RAISE.
MEANING THAT THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO DON'T REPORT TO A CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER THAT ARE 100% LOCALLY FUNDED WOULD'VE GOTTEN BASED ON THIS BUDGET.
UM, ALSO, AGAIN, EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, ALSO EMBEDDED IN YOUR, UH, BUDGET ARE THE SAME PARAMETERS AND QUALIFICATIONS THAT WE'VE USED FOR YEARS FOR DETERMINING LOCAL MATCH REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CSA PROGRAM.
SO, AGAIN, YOUR BUDGET WAS APPROVED IN APRIL.
BY THE TIME THE CON FREEZE CAME OUT, THERE WERE SOME SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO WHAT THE BUDGET, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ULTIMATELY ADOPTED.
AND WE DIDN'T JUST ASSUME THESE PERCENTAGES ON RAISES OR CSA PROGRAM PARAMETERS OUT OF THE AIR.
THESE, THESE WERE BASICS IN THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET BILL AND THE SENATE BUDGET BILL THAT THE CON FORRES TOOK WITH THEM WHEN THEY WENT INTO CONFERENCE.
UH, AGAIN, THERE WAS A, AND YOU ALL KNOW THE STORY, THERE WAS A DEADLOCK.
DATA CENTERS WERE AT THE HEART OF IT.
UH, THE GOVERNOR ORDERED A REFORECAST.
UM, IN THE END THERE WERE MORE RESOURCES FOR THE RES TO PUT INTO THE STATE BUDGET, AND THEY DID.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID WAS
[01:10:01]
THEY, UH, CHANGED THE, UH, PERCENTAGE RAISE FOR STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEES FROM 2% TO 3.5%.AND, AND MERELY BECAUSE OF HOW LATE THIS WAS DONE, THEY CHANGED THE EFFECTIVE DATE FROM JULY 1ST TO AUGUST 1ST.
THE COUNTY'S BUDGET, UH, AGAIN, DID NOT HAVE, UH, THAT PROVISION IN THERE.
AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPENSATION PARITY AMONG ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
WE GET INTO SITUATIONS WHERE IF WE DON'T ADJUST AND FOLLOW WHAT THE STATE'S DOING, WE END UP WITH MY, MY EXAMPLE IS ALWAYS, UH, DEPUTY SHERIFFS.
'CAUSE WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE LOCALLY FUNDED AND SOME THAT ARE STATE SUPPORTED.
YOU COULD HAVE THE SITUATION WHERE ONE'S GETTING ONE PERCENTAGE RANGE AND ONE'S GETTING ANOTHER.
SO, UM, SO WE, WE HAVE THAT ISSUE TO DEAL WITH.
WE ALSO HAD THE ISSUE ON THE CSA SIDE, UH, WHAT THE CAME, WHAT THE RES CAME OUT WITH AND WHAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ULTIMATELY, UM, APPROVED WAS THE STATE IS NOW, UH, APPLYING A CAP TO PRIVATE DAY PLACEMENTS, UM, WITHIN THE CSA PROGRAM.
AND IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT PRIVATE DAY PLACEMENTS ARE, THEY REFER TO STATE FUNDED TUITIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES WHO REQUIRE SPECIALIZED PRIVATE SPECIAL EDUCATION.
AND THESE PLACEMENTS ARE, ARE MANDATED WHEN A, UH, SCHOOL DIVISION'S, UH, IEP, THEIR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION, UH, UH, EDUC IN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM TEAM DETERMINES THAT THEY CANNOT ADEQUATELY SERVICE STUDENTS' BEHAVIORAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL SETTING.
SO THESE COSTS HAVE BEEN INCREASING DRAMATICALLY.
THE CSA PROGRAM, UH, IN, IN AKA ACT LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S PROBABLY PLAYING AROUND 22% OF COST AS A LOCAL MATCH ON THAT PROGRAM.
UH, THOSE COSTS HAVE INCREASING, PARTICULARLY THE PRIVATE, UH, PLACEMENT COSTS.
SO THE STATE DECIDED TO CAP, UM, THE AMOUNT THAT THEY WOULD PAY AS THEIR MATCH TO, THEY WOULDN'T PAY ANYTHING MORE THAN A 2.5% INCREASE IN A GIVEN YEAR.
MEANING IF THESE COSTS CONTINUE TO INCREASE AT THE RATE THEY'RE GOING, MORE AND MORE COSTS ARE GOING TO MIGRATE OVER TO THE LOCAL SIDE OF THE EQUATION.
SO THOSE WERE THE TWO BIG ISSUES WE HAVE TO SOLVE IN SOME MANNER.
UM, THAT, UH, THE, THE CURRENT COUNTY BUDGET NEEDS TO AMEND, NEEDS TO BE AMENDED TO, TO ADDRESS.
SO, UH, THERE'S SOME COST, UM, THAT ARE DETAILED OUT IN THE WRITEUP OF THIS AGENDA ITEM.
BUT THE TOTAL NEEDED TO ADDRESS A CSA PROGRAM SHORTFALL AND TO BE ABLE TO TAKE AND CHANGE THE, UH, RAISE FOR OUR ALL EMPLOYEES IN AKA ACT FROM THE 2% TO 3.5.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE NEED $318,000 IN TOTAL.
SO WE BORROWED A, A, A PLAY FROM THE C FROM THE, FROM THE STATE'S PLAYBOOK.
AND, AND I ASKED FOR A, UH, REFORECAST OF COUNTY REVENUES, MAJOR REVENUES, AND THEN WE WENT, UM, LOOKING FOR OTHER COST SAVINGS.
UH, WE COULD DO, UH, IN, IN ORDER TO COME UP WITH $318,000, WHICH IS THE MAGIC NUMBER.
AND SO WE, WE DID THE REFORECAST, UM, AS YOU KNOW, OUR PROJECT ON THE OLD LIBRARY FOR RETROFITTING IT FOR THE BUILDING PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
FUTURE HOME IS BEHIND SCHEDULE.
SO WE HAD SOME COST SAVINGS THERE.
AND THEN THE TOWN OF SHETI, UM, CALLED ME THE OTHER DAY AND INFORMED ME THAT THE FUNDING THAT WE WERE PROVIDING FOR, UM, SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OVER ON, ON, ON SHETI, THEY WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN, UH, THROUGH A, A GRANT, UH, A COPS GRANT.
UM, SO, SO AFTER RE-FORECASTING AND IDENTIFYING THESE EXPENDITURE SAVINGS, YOUR AGENDA ITEM SHOWS $318,000 IN RESOURCES THAT THE BOARD CAN USE TO INCREASE THE PREVIOUSLY, UM, ADOPTED 2%, RAISE TO 3.5 ROYAL COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND PLUG THE GAP ON THE CSA SIDE, UM, THAT WERE, UH, DESTINED TO INCUR.
UH, MR. MASON, JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS.
UH, WE ARE REQUIRED BY JULY THE FIRST TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
I BELIEVE THE STATE DID NOT PASS THEIR FINAL NUMBERS UNTIL LIKE JUNE THE 28TH.
IT WAS JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE.
SO WE HAD, WE HAD TO HAVE THAT, THAT, UH, THAT BUDGET BALANCE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS NOW, NOT BECAUSE THAT WE WERE LATE OR WE WERE TIRED BECAUSE THE STATE WAS.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE HARD WORK, UH, WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND THE COUNTY STAFF TO COME UP WITH THESE NUMBERS.
ALSO, UM, WHEN, WHEN A MOTION IS PUT ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THIS, SHOULD WE WANT TO ADDRESS YOUR, IN YOUR SALARY INCREASE GOING FROM THREE, TWO TO 3.5 AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, DO WE HAVE TO DO THAT SEPARATELY?
[01:15:01]
YOU, YOU DO.AND THERE'S A CLOSED SESSION WHERE YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IT AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT.
IT'S UP TO THE BOARD, BUT I'M GONNA PUT THE MOTION OUT THERE ANYWAY.
SO FOR THE PUBLIC'S CONSUMPTION, UH, THE CONTRACTS FOR THE ATTORNEY AND MYSELF REQUIRE THE BOARD TO APPROVE ANY PAY INCREASES BY SEPARATE MOTION.
MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE TWO MOTIONS.
MY FIRST MOTION WOULD BE, UH, TO APPROVE THE, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S NUMBERS OF $318,000 TO PROVIDE A, UH, A SALARY INCREASE THAT'S CURRENTLY AT 2.0% FOR THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO INCREASE THAT TO 3.5% SECOND, AND ALSO THE INCREASE FUNDING REQUIRED FOR CSA TOTALING $318,000.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET THIS, THE CSA, WHAT NOW? THE, THE INCREASE IN THE COST OF, UH, CSA.
YOU HAVE THE MOTION COMING FROM, UM, MR. CROCKETT, I THINK MR. HART SECOND THE MOTION.
ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? HEARING NONE.
ALTHOUGH IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
AND MY SECOND MOTION, MA'AM, CHAIR, IS FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO RECEIVE THE SAME SALARY BOOST FROM 2.0 TO 3.5.
SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVING PROPERLY.
SECOND THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE, UH, COUNTY ATTORNEY, UH, RECEIVED THE SAME 3.5 AS THE REST OF THE COUNTY AND STATE EMPLOYEES.
YOU HEARD THE MOTION? YOU GOT THE SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? LET ME ON BY.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
UH, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY WORKFORCE, I CERTAINLY THANK THE BOARD FOR, FOR DOING THAT.
I'M SORRY, MR. MO ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY WORKFORCE.
OKAY, YOU ALL, I'M HAVING TO GO FILE HEARING TONIGHT.
I, I'M, I'M SORRY I WASN'T SPEAKING DIRECTLY INTO, INTO THE MIC.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU ALL RECEIVED THE EMAIL BLAST I SENT OUT? OKAY.
THIS IS YOUR, UM, COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE'S REPORT.
SO I'LL LET YOU MA'AM, CHAIR UNDER NEW BUSINESS.
I WANTED TO, UH, IF, IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THAT, I FELT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO INTRODUCE THIS TO NEW BUSINESS.
I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU AND THE BOARD TO HAVE STAFF, UH, EXPLORE, UM, ADDITIONAL FEE IN THE TYPE OF TAXES FOR DERELICT PROPERTIES IN THE COUNTY SIMILAR TO THAT RECENTLY INTRODUCED IN PORTSMOUTH, UH, WHICH THEY PA THEIR, THEIR COMMISSIONERS PASSED.
AND THIS WOULD GIVE US A WAY TO SERVE AS A DETERRENT TO PROPERTIES SITTING DERELICT ACROSS THE COUNTY, WHICH IS A MAJOR, A MAJOR PROBLEM, WHICH WE APPRECIATE OUR, THE BAYSIDE GROUP FOR TRYING TO ADDRESS IN THEIR REGION.
THIS WOULD GIVE THE BOARD AND THE COUNTY A METHODOLOGY TO APPROACH IT IN MY, I HOPE, UH, COUNTYWIDE AND HOPEFULLY GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF FOR MR. MASON AND THE STAFF TO CONDUCT ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES, UM, AND, AND BRING IN THOSE REVENUES.
SO I'M ASKING THAT WE ASK STAFF TO, UH, EXPLORE THOSE OPTIONS AND COME BACK TO US WITH THE CONVICTIONS CONSENSUS, RIGHT? YOU WANT CONSENSUS? CONSENSUS? YES.
Y'ALL HAVET, I'M JUST GONNA DO CONSENSUS.
WOULD YOU STAFF, HAVE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT MR. FARS WE UNDERSTAND? THANK YOU.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT 13.1, UH, CONSIDER ACCEPTING A RESCUE SQUAD ASSISTANCE GRANT FUNDING AWARD OF $193,000.
SO, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SUBMITTED A GRANT APPLICATION.
IT, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY FOR A NEW AMBULANCE TO, UH, EVENTUALLY REPLACE ONE OF THE ONES THAT IS COUNTY OWNED.
BUT THEN AT THE, UM, SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY, THE LEAD TIME ON A NEW AMBULANCE IS ABOUT TWO YEARS
SO, UM, UNLESS, UNLESS YOU'RE JUST LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND A DEMO, UM, ONE THAT, THAT AIN'T HAPPENING, UH, THAT IS OUT THERE.
BUT IN ANY CASE, DON'T THINK THAT THERE WILL BE, UM, ONE IN THE, UH, IN THE FIREHOUSE TOMORROW IF YOU APPROVE THIS.
UH, BUT ANYWAY, THIS WILL PAY, UH, DON'T RECALL THE EXACT COST, BUT IT'S ROUGHLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 50% OF THE COST.
UM, IF THE BOARD, UM, WANTS TO ACCEPT, WE APPROVE.
LET'S BE MOVING FIVE A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? LET BE KNOWN BY, AYE.
UH, THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION MIS CARRIED.
SO, MOVING ON, SORT OF THE SAME FLAVOR ON ITEM 13.2, REGIONAL FY 27 GRANT APPLICATION FOR CONTINUATION OF THE REGIONAL OPIOID ABUSE REMEDIATION PROGRAM'S BEEN APPROVED BY THE VIRGINIA OPIOID ABATEMENT AUTHORITY.
SO THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM, A GRANT FOR THE THIRD YEAR.
IT, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE $127,000 FROM THE, UM, FROM THE, WHAT WE REFER TO BY THE ACRONYM VOAA TO HELP FUND THE PROGRAM.
THIS IS THE, A REGIONAL PROGRAM.
[01:20:01]
AKAMAK AND CSB ARE SORT OF THE PARTNERS ON THIS.UM, SO, UH, BRIEF THE BOARD A WHILE BACK THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR IT.
YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED ALL THE APPROVALS.
IT'S JUST REALLY NOTICE THAT WE DID GET THE GRANT.
UM, MOVING ON TO 13.3, AND THIS IS GONNA REQUIRE A VISUAL AID, UH, ALL MINING.
SO 13.3 IS RECEIVED INFORMATION REGARDING PROPOSED OFFSHORE MINERAL MINING LEASE IN AN AREA OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN ADJACENT TO THE EASTERN SHORE, AND CONSIDER OFFERING COMMENT.
SO ON, ON NOVEMBER 13TH, UH, 2025, THE BUREAU OF THE OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT RECEIVED AN UNSOLICITED REQUEST TO LEASE HARD MINERALS IN THE AREA ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF OFFSHORE OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AND DIRECTLY OFFSHORE OF THE, UH, OF THE EASTERN SHORE.
AFTER REVIEWING THE UH, REQUESTS, UM, BOEM DECIDED TO INITIATE THE FIRST STEP THAT COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO A LEASE SALE BY PUBLISHING THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION AND INTEREST ON AN RFI.
THIS RFI IS NOT A FINAL DECISION TO LEASE THE MINERALS AND DOES NOT PREJUDGE ANY FUTURE SECRETARIAL DECISIONS CONCERNING LEASING OFFSHORE.
THE RFI REQUESTS INFORMATION AND COMMENTS ON AND INDICATIONS OF INTEREST IN THE LEASING OF THE MINERALS IN AND AROUND THE IDENTIFIED AREA.
COMMENTS ARE DUE BY JULY 23RD, 2026.
AND, UH, THE, UH, BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT WILL CONSIDER INFORMATION AND INTEREST RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THE RFI WHEN CONSIDERING WHETHER TO PROCEED WITH ADDITIONAL STEPS LEADING TO THE OFFERING OF THE MINERALS RELEASE.
SO, UH, GIVEN WHERE THIS IS AND GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMERCIAL FISHING, RECREATIONAL FISHING, AQUACULTURE, MANY THINGS THAT MAKE THE EASTERN SHORE WHAT IT IS, UM, I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA AND, AND THAT'S JUST THOSE PIECES.
WE ALSO HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT THIS COULD HINDER UP IN THE NORTHERN AREA, PARTICULARLY SINCE SOME OF THESE AREAS ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO, UH, THE MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL SPACE AUTHORITY, UM, OF SPACEPORT RATHER.
AND WHERE, UM, NASSAU WILD'S FLIGHT FACILITY IS, UH, THIS AT A MINIMUM IN, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO EXTEND, ASK FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE TIME.
'CAUSE TOO MANY PEOPLE, TOO MANY STAKEHOLDERS DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS.
I'VE SENT, UM, I SENT AN EMAIL TODAY TO VIRGINIA SPACE AUTHORITY.
THIS WASN'T ON THEIR RADAR, NO PUN INTENDED.
UM, THAT'S A GOOD CHOICE OF WORDS, THAT THAT'S A GOOD CHOICE.
UM, AND, AND I THINK IT, THAT, THAT SAME CIRCUMSTANCE IS IN, IN A LOT OF, UH, AREAS WHERE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS.
UH, I, I BELIEVE IT'S MY BELIEF THAT YOU'LL WANT TO OPPOSE THIS, BUT I THINK THERE ARE A VARIETY OF, OF COMMENTS THAT WE SHOULD PUT IN.
AND I, UH, PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA IN CASE THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT ME TO EXPRESS THEIR OPPOSITION TO THIS, UM, POTENTIAL LEASE.
AND, AND TO ALSO, I WOULD ADD, REQUEST AN EXTENSION OF THE COMMENT PERIOD.
UH, MR. MASON, I FORWARD YOU A, UM, LETTER THAT SHAKET HAS GOT TOGETHER TO SEND ON THIS OPPOSING THIS HITTING ALL THE HIGH POINTS YOU DID.
I CAN'T, I I READ IT REAL FAST.
I, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THEY ASKED FOR AN EXTENSION OR NOT, BUT I WOULD, I'M SURE THE BOARD CERTAINLY GO ALONG WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON THAT.
UH, BUT I JUST SENT IT TO YOU PROBABLY ABOUT AN HOUR AGO.
SEE? CAN LOOK, THEY, SHE THINK WAS HOLDING OFF SENDING THEIR LETTER UNTIL THEY HEARD US AT MEETING TONIGHT.
ARE YOU MAKING A MOTION? I'M MAKING A MOTION TO SECOND.
EXTENSION FOR EXTENSION IN A 50 YEAR EXTENSION.
NOW,
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES, MA'AM.
UM, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO OPPOSE OR SUPPORT AND THAT'S ONE OF MY, I MEAN, I, I TOTALLY SUPPORT THE COMMENT PERIOD, BUT I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE, UH, WHO WOULD SEEM TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT OFFSHORE MINERAL MINING LIKE THIS LOOKS LIKE OR WHAT IT INVOLVES.
AND THAT'S A ANOTHER GOOD REASON
[01:25:01]
FOR AN EXTENSION TO ALLOW PEOPLE I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE EXTENSION, ALLOW PEOPLE TO, UM, FORMULATE THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND, UH, RENDER, UM, THEIR POSITION ON THE MATTER.THANK MA'AM CHAIRMAN MR. CLACKER.
AND I THINK THE IMPORT IMPORTANCE OF US HAVING AN OBJECTION TO IT NOW, WE DON'T WANT THE, WE DON'T WANT THEM TO COME BACK AND SAY, WE'RE NOT GONNA GIVE YOU AN EXTENSION, AND THEN WE MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO OBJECT.
SO WE HAVE TO GET IT IN, IN CASE, IN CASE WE DON'T GET THE EXTENSION.
MR. TAR, WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE LANGUAGE TO SAY THAT, UM, WE, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO OPPOSE OR SUPPORT OR TO SUPPORT, THEREFORE WE OPPOSE AND REQUEST AN EXTENSION? I THINK WE BETTER, I THINK I BETTER GO WITH, I FEEL BETTER WITH JUST OPPOSING I AGREE.
OPPOSING, UH, IF THEY WANT TO PLAY ON THE COASTLINE, GO UP SOMEWHERE ELSE IN PLAY.
WELL, OF COURSE THAT'S THE BACKYARD SITUATION.
EVERYBODY'S GONNA SAY SOMETHING.
THIS IS VERY VITAL, VERY VITAL PROPERTY FOR US FOR, FOR SURE.
AND I, I AGREE WITH MR. BEN CHAIR.
I AGREE WITH MR. TIRE BECAUSE IF WE SEND IT THAT WAY, IT'S GONNA SHOW WEAKNESS.
WE DON'T WANNA SHOW ANY WEAKNESS HERE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET TO BE KNOWN BY AYE AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED SILENCES AGREEMENT.
CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION, MR. MASON? SURE.
MR. UM, GEORGE, I, I CAN'T TELL BY YOUR SCALE HERE.
ARE WE TALKING THREE MILES OFF THE COAST? OH, NO.
OR ARE WE TALKING OH NO, WE WE'RE ON THE EDGE OF THE, WE'RE ON THE EDGE OF THE CANYONS THERE.
TO AT LEAST TO THAT EDGE, TO THAT RED LINE, TO THAT.
OH NO, NOT TO THE RED LINE IS THE THREE MILE.
BUT WHERE ARE ALL THE, THE FURTHEREST ONE OUT? IF YOU SLIDE, IF YOU SLIDE THAT OVER, I'M SORRY.
THAT, UH, THAT IS ON THE EDGE OF THE, THE CANYON.
NO, DON'T MESS UP ICE STATION.
UM, SO YOU CAN CONTINUE, THERE'S ALSO A LINK IN THIS AGENDA ITEM WHERE YOU CAN GO GET THE FULL A LOT MORE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PUBLISHED OUT THERE.
WHAT DID YOU ASK? 13? I CONTINUE, CONTINUE.
UH, 13 FORWARDS, ESTABLISHED 2020 GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
THIS IS CARRY OVER FROM LAST MONTH.
WE HAVE ONE MORE PUBLIC MEETING.
THE BOARD HAS ONE MORE PUBLIC MEETING BEFORE THE, UH, MEETING DATE WHERE COUNTY, UH, THE, THE CHAIR, UM, AND, UH, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, FROM MACK AND SAME THING FOR NORTH HAMPTON IS GOING TO SIT DOWN WITH THE A-M-P-D-C AND OUR STATE LEGISLATORS TO TALK ABOUT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLIES, UH, LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR NEXT YEAR.
UH, SUPERVISOR HART, I, I DO HAVE VACO'S PRIORITIES, UM, SO FAR AND SO I'M USING THOSE.
UM, THIS IS A CHANCE AGAIN FOR NONE, CHAIRMAN.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO MAKE SURE WE SHARE TOO.
ANYTHING WE COME UP WITH THAT WE AGREE WITH THEM OR DISAGREE WITH, OR SOMETHING WE WANT TO ADD TO IT, PLEASE SHARE WITH VACO AND LET THEM KNOW.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL ADD IT TO THEIR LIST TOO.
SO WE DID IN, IN THE PACKET INCLUDE LAST YEAR'S PRIORITIES, SO THEY'RE THERE FOR REFERENCE.
UM, WE'VE ALSO, UH, I'VE ALSO, UH, WRITTEN UP A COUPLE OF JUST TWO GENERAL ONES AND ONE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT AFDS AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST FORESTAL DISTRICTS, UM, THAT WE'RE TRYING, UM, TO TRY TO REMOVE THE BURDENS OF AFDS, UM, WHEN SOMEONE WANTS TO, UM, REMOVE A PROPERTY OUT OF THERE SINCE IT, IT SEEMS TO BE USED A CONSENSUS TO ALLOW THAT.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, YOU DON'T, IF, IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC ONES YOU WOULD LIKE, UH, US TO INCLUDE, TO ADD ON TO THAT GENERAL ASSEMBLY, UH, PRIORITIES LISTING.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE EXACT WORDING.
YOU CAN JUST CALL ME AND LET ME KNOW, AND WE WILL RESEARCH IT AND, AND SHARE PROBABLY AT YOUR NEXT MEETING, UM, SOME LESS, SOME LANGUAGE THAT WOULD AMEND THE CODE TO DO WHAT YOUR, I WOULD ANTICIPATE YOU WOULD WANT TO DO.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT WITH THE AFDS, UM, AS WELL.
UH, TWO JUST GENERAL THINGS I THINK EVERY LOCALITY SHOULD BE SAYING.
UH, I DON'T EXPECT MUCH, UM, TRACTION WITH THESE, BUT CERTAINLY REVERSAL OF ALL NEW STATE, UM, TWO LOCALITY CALL SHIFTS AND BIDDING, AND THE COMMONWEALTH'S RECENTLY ADOPTED BIENNIAL BUDGET.
UM, THERE WERE QUITE A FEW SURPRISES FOR ALL OF US WITH THAT ONE.
AND, UH, THE BOARD JUST ADDRESSED, UM, SOME, UH, WITH, WITH THE, THE PAY INCREASE ISSUE IN CSA THAT EVERY LOCAL IS DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW.
UM, ALSO JUST A GENERAL STATEMENT TO RESIST ANY STATE INITIATIVE
[01:30:01]
EFFORT TO ERODE A LOCALITY'S LAND USE AUTHORITY.UH, RECENT STATE CODE CHANGES PERTAINING TO THE SIGHTING OF SOLAR FACILITIES AND BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS ARE PERFECT EX EXTENT EXAMPLES OF THE STATE INTERVENING AND LOCAL LAND USE MATTERS.
UM, SO, UM, THAT SAID, I'LL, I'LL MOVE ON IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS OR, OR ADDITIONAL PRIORITIES AT TIME TO 13.5.
UM, I NEED ANOTHER VISUAL ON THIS ONE, UH, 2026 OPPORTUNITY ZONE DESIGNATION PROCESS.
SO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND VEDP ARE GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT LOCAL PRIORITIES ON ELIGIBLE CENSUS TRACKS TO INFORM REC TO MAKE INFORMED RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNOR ON, ON AN UPDATED SET OF OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
SO WE, OPPORTUNITY ZONES ARE A, A MECHANISM TO ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN AN AREA.
IT INVOLVES CAPITAL GAINS DEFERRAL FOR THOSE WHO ARE INVESTING IN THOSE, UM, AREAS.
BUT, UM, YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW AND TWO, AND IT GOES BY CENSUS TRACKS RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE TWO OPPORTUNITY ZONES IN ACK COUNTY THAT MEET THEIR CRITERIA AND THAT ARE, UM, THE, THE PREVIOUS, I GUESS IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO FOR SET ASIDE AS, AS THE PRIORITY AR AREAS IN AKIMA.
IT'S THIS, UM, CENSUS TRACK, WHICH INCLUDES, UM, SHIG AND THIS ONE, WHICH INCLUDES, UM, UP, UP AROUND NASA AND, UH, UM, THE, THE OPS, UM, WILDS ISLAND AND VIRGINIA SPACES, MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL SPACEPORT.
SO, UM, WHAT LOCALITIES HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO DO IS, IS, IS BASICALLY, UM, GO OUT AND TAKE A SURVEY AND PROVIDE EVENTUALLY WHAT WILL GO TO THE GOVERNOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT YOU WANT YOUR OPPORTUNITY ZONES TO BE GOING FORWARD.
AND, UM, THEN THE GOVERNOR WILL USE THAT INFORMATION TO ULTIMATELY DECIDE WHICH ONE SHE'S GONNA RECOMMEND.
THE ISSUE THIS YEAR IS THE NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITY ZONES IS GOING TO BE DECREASED.
SO THE CHANCES OF GETTING ANY ADDITIONAL AREAS INTO AN OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTUNITY ZONE, IN MY OPINION, ARE, ARE FAIRLY SLIM.
I THINK WHAT I SAW WAS ABOUT, UM, AND I THINK THAT NUMBER WAS, I CAN'T REMEMBER IT, IT, I THINK IT WAS FOR THE STATE, IT WAS 8,000, UM, OPPORTUNITY ZONES, UM, THAT WERE IN THE PAST APPROVED.
NOW IT'S, IT'S MOVING DOWN TO SIX, BUT THERE WAS QUITE A REDUCTION IN THE OPPOR, THE NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITY ZONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE EVENTUALLY APPROVED, UM, IN, IN, IN, IN THIS, IN THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
BUT, UM, SO AGAIN, OPPORTUNITY ZONES ARE FEDERAL TAX INCENTIVES, WHICH ENCOURAGED INVESTMENT IN THE LOW INCOME CENSUS TRACKS FEDERAL LEGISLATION, UM, IN 2025, UPDATED AND MAY PERMANENT.
THE PROGRAM WHICH ENABLES GOVERNORS TO NOMINATE AN UPDATED LIST OF CENSUS TRACKS TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER, 2026, BASED ON ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ISSUED BY THE TREASURY, ONE QUARTER OF ELIGIBLE CENSUS TRACKS IN VIRGINIA CAN BECOME AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE.
THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION TIGHTENED ELIGIBILITY THRESHOLDS, SO NOT ALL PREVIOUSLY ELIGIBLE TRACKS WILL BE ELIGIBLE IN 2026 AND VIRGINIA WILL HAVE FEWER OPPORTUNITY ZONES THAN IN PREVIOUS OPPORTUNITY PRO, UM, PROCESSES, WHICH IS WHAT I, UH, SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO.
UM, THE COUNTY'S BEEN ASKED TO COMPLETE A TWO-PART, UH, SURVEY AND THE FIRST PART OF THE COUNTY WILL BE ABLE TO PRI PRIORITIZE ITS ELIGIBLE TRACKS.
AND THE SECOND THE COUNTY WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT WHY THOSE PRIORITY TRACKS WILL BE EFFECTIVE OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
AND THIS INFORMATION WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNOR'S DECISION MAKING.
THE SURVEY CLOSES ON JULY 24TH.
SO, UM, SO STAFF SUGGESTION IS THAT THE BOARD CONSIDER, UH, DESIGNATING THE CURRENT COUNTY, UM, OPPORTUNITY ZONES LOCATED THE NORTHERN END, UM, AND DEPICTED IN THIS MAP AS A COUNTY'S, UM, HIGHEST PRIORITY TRACKS FOR THE 2026 SELECTION PROCESS.
UM, WE CAN CERTAINLY ATTEMPT TO ADD SOME OTHER AREAS IF THE, IF IT'S A BOARD PLEASURE, BUT, UH, AGAIN, BASED ON ON THE CRITERIA AND THE FACT THAT THE NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO COME DOWN, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A HEAVY LIFT.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE, WE, UH, APPROVE THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING THE
SO MOVING PROPER SECOND, UH, WE HEAR THE MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UH, MADAM CHAIR.
SO, MR. MASON, WHEN WE SAY OPPORTUNITY ZONES, WOULD THAT, IS THAT THE SAME AS HUB ZONE? DOES HUB ZONE FALL WITHIN THAT SCOPE? I I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE, THEY'RE SYNONYMOUS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
I, HE, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ZONES
[01:35:01]
YEAHS OUT THERE.WE HAVE ENTERPRISE ZONES, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
I, I, I'M, I'D HAVE TO RESEARCH THAT.
I JUST WANT TO ADD FOR THE RECORD HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST, UH, SO, UH, SOME CONTRACT LEADERSHIP INTO THE REGION FOR, TO MEET WITH, UH, SOME COMPANIES THAT ARE IN THE ZONE.
AND AS SOON AS THEY HEARD THEY WERE IN THAT I, WE WE'RE GONNA GET SOME CONTRACTS RELATED TO THAT.
AND UM, SO WE NEED TO AT LEAST FIGHT FOR WHAT WE HAVE, IF NOT EXPAND.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE A.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
MICROSOFT CO-PILOT SAYS THEY ARE NOT THE SAME.
ONE, UH, THE COUNTY'S, AND YOU PROBABLY NOTICED WHEN WE HAD IT ON THE WALL WHEN YOU WALKED IN, THE COUNTY'S NEW WEBSITE IS UP.
UM, WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION, UM, COMING TO YOU SOON TO, TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE NEW BELLS AND WHISTLES MM-HMM
THAT THE, UH, THAT THAT WEBSITE PROVIDES.
IT CERTAINLY IS A CLEANER, FRESHER LOOK AND EASIER TO NAVIGATE.
AND I THINK, UM, IT ALSO HARNESSES SOME THE POWERS OF JUST AI AND YOU JUST TYPE IN WHAT YOU'RE, LOOK, NOT EVEN A A REAL KEYWORD SEARCH, YOU CAN JUST ASK A QUESTION AND TAKE IT.
BUT IN ANY CASE, YOU'LL GET THAT, UH, FULL RUNDOWN WHEN WE DO THE PRESENTATION.
UH, AND, AND THE SECOND THING, UM, ALSO IT LOOKS LIKE TWO THINGS TO DO WITH DHCD.
THE, UH, THE BOARD TOOK SOME ACTIONS LAST MONTH AND NOW US TO MOVE LAST MONTH TO ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN APPLICATION FOR HORN TOWN.
UH, WE WERE SORT OF AT THE LAST MINUTE ON GETTING SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS TOGETHER, BUT WE DID MAKE THAT APPLICATION DEADLINE AND THAT APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED BY JUNE 30TH, WHICH IS WHEN WE HAD TO DO IT.
BUT SAYING THAT RIGHT NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE TWO PROJECTS THAT ARE TRACKING TOWARDS COMING TO YOU FOR A POSSIBLE CDBG GRANT NEXT YEAR.
UH, HORN TOWN WILL BE UNDERWAY AT THAT POINT.
UM, THOSE TWO PROJECTS ARE, UH, UH, A SOME TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION GRANT THROUGH CDBG, UH, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FOOD BANK, UM, ADDITIONAL FACILITY THAT YOU'VE HEARD, UM, BEFORE.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PLANNING GRANT THAT WE ARE, THAT WAS ISSUED TO THE COUNTY THAT IS BENEFITING THE FOOD BANK OF THE EASTERN SHORE THAT WE'RE USING FOR THE DESIGN PHASE OF THAT.
BUT I EXPECT THEM TO GET THROUGH THAT AND, UH, REQUEST THE BOARD TO BE A CONDUIT FOR CONSTRUCTION FUNDS FOR THAT FACILITY.
I ALSO EXPECT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, THE MAYOR NAME MAYOR NINE SMITH CULTURAL ENRICHMENT CENTER TO COME FORWARD WITH A, UM, UH, REQUEST FOR THE BOARD ALSO TO, UH, SERVE AS A CONDUIT.
THERE, THERE ARE SOME LIMITS THAT DHCD IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME AVENUES FOR LIKE, UM, DEVIATIONS FROM THOSE.
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT COMES FORWARD.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO, TO JUST GIVE YOU A HEADS UP.
IT LOOKS LIKE THOSE TWO PROJECTS WILL BE MAKING THEIR WAY FOR YOUR APPROVAL NEXT CALENDAR YEAR.
ARE THEY? AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS.
DIRECTOR FLOURNOY, UH, I THINK HAD SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADJOURN.
I, WHEN TO, IF, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, I'M SORRY, MS. DIRECTOR FLOURNOY FROM 9 1 1 HAD SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, IF WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE, YOU CAN COME FORWARD.
90 SECONDS OR LESS, I PROMISE YOU'LL NOTICE I DIDN'T TELL HER THAT.
SO IN, IN MY HASTE JEFF LONO, DIRECTOR FOR THE NINE ONE CENTER, AGAIN, IN MY HASTE TO BE BRIEFED TO YOU ALL TONIGHT, THERE WAS A BACK PAGE TO MY NOTES THAT I WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO COVER.
UM, TO ME IT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT AND IT'S A COMPLIMENT ON YOUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
IT GOES BACK A FEW YEARS, HE MIGHT NOT EVEN RECALL.
AND IT RELATES TO OUR NEW REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM.
SO EVERY REQUEST, EVERY INITIATIVE, EVERY SOMEONE HAS TO HAVE AN ID OR A THOUGHT FOR ANYTHING FOR IT TO START SOMEWHERE.
UH, WHILE EFFORTS TOWARDS IN IMPLEMENTING OUR NEW RADIO SYSTEM TO SERVE OUR PUBLIC NA SAFETY NEEDS, IT STARTED WELL BEFORE 2020.
MR. MASON SUGGESTED SOMETHING THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO SECURING THAT $8.2 MILLION OF FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WENT TOWARDS A NEW RADIO SYSTEM IN LATE 2020, EARLY 2021.
AN OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED TO WORK WITH MEMBERS OF OUR CONGRESS
[01:40:01]
THEN TO REQUEST FEDERAL COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING FOR IDENTIFIED NEEDS AND LOCALITIES.MR. MASON CORRECTLY SUGGESTED THAT REQUESTING SUCH FEDERAL FUNDS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO HELP FUND THE NEW REGIONAL RADIO SYSTEM.
AND THAT 8.2 MILLION THAT WAS REQUESTED WAS LATER INCLUDED IN THE FY 22 FEDERAL BUDGET FOR OUR NEW RADIO SYSTEM HERE ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
THE POINT OF THIS SHORT STORY GOING BACK IN TIME A FEW YEARS, WHILE THERE WAS MUCH WORK DONE BY MANY INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING MR. MASON, LEADERSHIP FROM NORTHAMPTON COUNTY NINE ONE COMMISSION LEADERSHIP AS WELL, ULTIMATELY AN IDEA TO SECURE THAT FUNDING ORIGINATED FROM YOUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AND I THINK THAT'S WORTH TO BE NOTED.
THAT BRINGS US TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR'S COMMENT, PERIOD.
I JUST WANT TO BRING UP SOMETHING.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, UM, IF YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ANYTHING, BUT IT WAS JUST, I GOT SOME PHONE CALLS, UM, WITH SOME CONCERNS, UM, WITH SOME OF THE CONDITIONS OR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, OVER AT THE JAILHOUSE.
UM, SOME FOLKS CALLED ME, I SAID I WOULD BRING IT UP TONIGHT.
UM, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CLIMATE, THE HEAT AND ALL.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE JAIL HAS AND WHAT IT DOESN'T HAVE.
UM, BUT IT WAS SAYING IT WAS SOME CONDITIONS IN THERE THAT, THAT IT DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS ME.
AND SO I JUST THOUGHT I'D BRING THAT UP.
IT WAS, UM, SOMETHING THAT CAME TO ME.
I GET ALL KINDS OF CALLS ON ALL KINDS OF STUFF,
UM, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING DIRECTLY TO DO WITH THE, THE JAIL SYSTEM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP.
MR. ONE COMMENT, MADAM CHAIR, AND THIS SAYS NOTHING TO DO WITH COUNTY BUSINESS AND MY WIFE'S NOT GONNA APPRECIATE THIS, BUT I WANNA WISH MY WIFE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
SHE'S GOING GET, I'M SURE SHE'S, SHE'S NOT.
NO, I GUARANTEE SHE'S NOT LEAVING.
BUT SOMEBODY WILL TELL HER VICE CHAIR YOU WANNA OFFER HOW SHE'S NO WAY THAT, THAT WOULD NOT BE GOOD.
I JUST WANT TO THANK MR. MASON AND MR. ROGER THE GEORGES AND MS. MYRA TAYLOR FOR ATTENDING THE HORN TOWN, UH, HALL MEETING AND WAS PRESENTED BY ECAC NORTH FAMILY PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY IT WAS A, A PRODUCTIVE MEETING.
OKAY, MR. TODD? WELL, A COUPLE THINGS.
THE, UH, THAT LETTER OF OPPOSITION FOR THE, UH, MINERAL, UM, DREDGING, PROBABLY THE OTHER COASTAL, UM, INCORPORATED TIMES, MIGHT WANT TO PUT SOMETHING INTO IT.
UH, THE MORE OPPOSITION WE GET, THE MORE THEY'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT ANYWAY.
YEAH, I THINK EVEN THE INLAND TOWNS.
UH, AND AND THE OTHER THING IS, UH, AND, AND JUST TO, MR. HART WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE HEARD THE FELLOW WOULD TALK ABOUT QUEEN SIGNING, UH, LET ME, UM, LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT TED DOESN'T RELY ON THE COUNTY FOR A LOT OF THINGS.
I DON'T GET INVOLVED WITH THEIR BUSINESS UNLESS THEY WANT ME TO.
UM, I GO TO A QUARTERLY MEETING AND GIVE 'EM AN UPDATE WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING.
IF THEY NEED SOMETHING, THEY'LL CALL IF THEY DON'T, AND I KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ON A WASTEWATER SYSTEM ON THAT TOWN, BUT IT'S NOT GETTING A LOT OF HIGH, YOU KNOW, PRAISE BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW THEY, THEY'VE GOTTA PAY FOR IT AND THEY'VE ALREADY GOT THEIR SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND THINGS IN THEIR YARDS AND THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WITH IT.
SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS GUY WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH QUEENS SITE THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD IT.
SO JUST LETTING THE BOARD KNOW HE WAS TALKING ABOUT A DISCHARGE GOING INTO YEAH, YEAH.
THEN I HAVEN'T HEARD NOTHING ABOUT THAT.
THE ONLY REASON I BROUGHT IT UP WAS BECAUSE THE TOWN LIMITS IS RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I MENTIONED IT.
I I I THINK I MIGHT NEED TO OFFER MORE ON THAT.
NO PLANS ARE MADE TO DISCHARGE ANYTHING.
I THINK SO WE ARE JUST IN GENERAL JUST LOOKING FOR AS WELL DISCHARGE COULD HAPPEN AND FRANKLY DISCHARGE IF WE HAD TO DISCHARGE INTO A BODY OF WATER, POTENTIALLY MOVE THOSE DISCHARGES.
I MEAN THERE'S A LOT OF IFS HERE THAT ARE GOING INTO MOSQUITO CREEK.
[01:45:01]
THERE'S A LOT OF AREAS THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN.THERE'S ALSO DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES FROM NOT DOING THAT TYPE OF DISCHARGE.
I ALMOST WANT TO TALK, I MEAN WE HAVE, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE ENGAGED PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE HELPING WITH SOME OF THIS, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN A, NO PROPERTY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED.
IT'S JUST ALL GENERAL WHAT IF SCENARIOS RIGHT NOW.
BUT HE'S THE ONE THAT MENTIONED QUEENSTOWN.
I, I KNOW AND, AND, AND FRANKLY THAT WAS MENTIONED ONE TIME I SAID, DON'T EVER MENTION QUEEN SAND
WHERE THERE HAPPENS TO BE A DREDGING OPERATION.
CURRENTLY
UM, BUT, BUT AGAIN, JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT A VIABLE OPTION POLITICALLY DOESN'T MEAN THAT, I MEAN THERE'S JUST A HOST OF DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AND OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE, BUT NO, NO PLANS HAVE BEEN MADE ON ANY PARTICULAR TYPE OF TREATMENT SYSTEM OR WHERE THAT TREATMENT SYSTEM WOULD GO.
ONE, AND, AND TO FOLLOW UP ON MR. TARS COMMENT ABOUT THE, THE MINERAL RIGHTS OFFSHORE, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO REACH OUT TO THE FEDS WHO PRESENTED THIS TO ASK IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO COME SHARE SOME INFORMATION DIRECTLY WITH THE IMPACTED REGION OR OUR COUNTY.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING TO THAT REGARD SO FAR.
UM, SO I, WHETHER DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR OR WHOEVER, BUT UM, AND, AND THE SECOND THING IS I THINK THE NEW WEBSITE LOOKS GREAT.
HATS OFF TO THE COUNTY AND I AM HOPING, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES AS, AS A BOARD AND AS THE COUNTY.
AND SO WE LACK THINGS FOR INSTANCE, LIKE THE, WHERE WE COULD BE MORE ROBUST, LIKE PUBLIC INFORMATION.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THE FOLKS WHO WERE HERE TONIGHT, IN MY OPINION, WE'RE SEEKING MORE INFORMATION OR WE'RE WORKING OFF SOME POOR INFORMATION CONCERNING OUR RECENT ACTIONS.
SO I'M HOPING THAT AT LEAST AT A MINIMUM WITH A NEW WEBSITE FOR THE LINK FOR THE BOARD THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TRANSCRIPTION USING AI DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ACCURATE OR LEGAL, BUT A GENERAL TRANSCRIPTION WITH A LEGAL DISCLAIMER, UH, MADAM ATTORNEY.
I KNOW THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED.
BUT JUST SO THERE'S SOMETHING UP THERE.
SO AT LEAST THE MEDIA, I SEE A FEW HERE AND OTHERS CAN GO THERE TO WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID OR WHAT WAS ACTUALLY PASSED VERSUS WHAT THEY HEARD ON FACEBOOK OR SOMETHING ELSE, OR BE A RUMOR.
AND, AND I'LL JUST CLOSE THAT COMMENT WITH, I AM ALWAYS IMPRESSED WITH, UH, MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AND I CAN BE ANNOYING.
UH, MY WIFE WILL TELL YOU THAT OR OTHERS ARE BRINGING STUFF UP.
UM, BUT I'M ALWAYS IMPRESSED AND I REALLY GET IRRITATED WHEN THE SOCIAL MEDIA PEOPLE IMPLY THAT THEY KNOW SO MUCH MORE THAT WE DO AND WE DON'T DO THINGS.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, THOSE FOLKS NEED TO GET OUT AND MAYBE RUN FOR OFFICE THEMSELF OR SOMETHING AND SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH MADAM CHAIR.
NOT THAT, NOT THAT ADDITIONAL.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING? THANK YOU.
YEAH, WELL BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I DO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND THE DISCHARGE OF EFFLUENCE, MY BROTHER DR. PAUL AND TO GEORGE IS AN ENVIRONMENTALIST.
HE RAN THE AFRICAN EPA FOR AND UH, P THE BAHAMAS.
AND IN BERMUDA AND THE CARIBBEAN, HE CAN TELL YOU NIGHTMARES OF WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T DO IT RIGHT.
AND IT IS WIPING OUT SPECIES, WIPING OUT, UH, CORAL REEFS, WIPING OUT FISHERIES.
SO I MEAN, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT AND I MEAN, I'M NOT THE PERSON THAT CAN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, BUT I'VE HEARD THE, THE TALES AND WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.
AND I GUESS I'M THE LAST AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK OUR ACCOUNT ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, WE WENT TOGETHER TO THE REGIONAL MEETING, UH, EVERYBODY OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND BASICALLY IT WAS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, OTHER FOLK THERE AND CHAIR, OF COURSE OUR TREASURER, SECRETARY TREASURER WAS THERE AND HE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE US
BUT THAT DAY I THINK THERE WAS THE TRA THAT TRAFFIC WAS, WHOA.
WE RAN INTO SOME TERRIBLE TRAFFIC.
BUT HE SAID EVERY TIME HE SAID EVERY TIME, UH, WE WAS AT A STANDSTILL, KIND OF, I THINK I DOZED ON HIM, SO I'M SORRY
WE HAD ALLOWED TIME TO STOP FOR LUNCH.
[01:50:01]
STOP FOR LUNCH.AND I'M SO, I'M SO APPRECIATIVE THAT THEY HAD SOME KIND OF A TRAIL MIX.
'CAUSE I THINK WE DEMOLISHED THAT
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU LEARN A LOT GOING, UM, I'M LIKE, UH, DONALD GOING TO DIFFERENT, UH, EVENTS AND UM, SEE WHAT OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING AND I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD ACK COUNTY MAN.
UM, THERE WERE SOME COUNTIES I WON TELL YOU THAT WASN'T ABLE TO GIVE THE 2% BONUS TO THEIR, UH, COUNTY OR TO THEIR STAFF.
THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE IT IN THEIR BUDGET.
SO, UH, I APPLAUD MACK COUNTY WHEN WE CAN GO IN, DIG AND TRY TO FIND SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, AT THE LAST MINUTE, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR PULLS A 3.5, I'M LIKE, WHOA.
BUT I THOUGHT I HEARD IT AND I SAID SOMETHING ABOUT MIKE SAID, NO, NO, NO, NO.
BUT THE NEXT DAY HE QUICKLY FOUND OUT THAT WAS WHAT HE SAID, WHAT SHE SAID, I 3.5, YOU KNOW.
BUT, UM, I'M JUST GLAD WE FOUND THE MONEY AND THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO, UH, COMPENSATE OUR MOST COMPETENT COUNTY EMPLOYEES AS WAY AS WELL AS OUR STATE SUPPORTED STAFF AND STATE STAFF.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, THAT, UM, WE ARE DOWN TO THE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATION ITEMS. MOVE IT SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVING PROPER SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR LET TO BE KNOWN BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED HAVE THE SAME.
RIGHT? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED.
PAID BILLS SECOND, UH, AS IN JACKIE SAID, PAY THE BILLS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION HAS CARRIED, UH, I DON'T THINK WE'D HAVE A NEED NOW FOR THE CLOSED SESSION, DO WE? NO.
SO I THINK THE LAST THING ON OUR AGENDA IS 18.1.
SECOND, IT'S, IT DOES, THAT'S NON DEBATABLE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR LET IT BE DONE BY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, LET IT NICE MEETING NON AURN AND WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED.