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[Call to Order]
AND WELCOME TO THE APRIL 20TH OR TO SUPERVISORS GENERAL MEETING.UH, IT'S NICE TO SEE EVERYBODY WE'RE BACK IN PERSON.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO CALL ON THE REVEREND ASHLEY ROTH ICE AND HAGEN TO COME LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION.
TO BE IN THIS PLACE, GATHERED TOGETHER IN THIS WAY.
WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THIS COUNTY, THIS HOME THAT WE LOVE SO DEARLY.
AND LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THE WORK THAT IS BEFORE US, GIVE US EYES TO SEE EARS, TO HEAR, AND THE WORDS THAT NEED TO BE SPOKEN IN THIS SPACE, TO BE SURE THAT THIS COUNTY BE ALL THAT YOU INTEND IT TO BE FOR ALL THIS.
WE ASK YOUR GUIDANCE AND YOUR GRACE THIS NIGHT AND YOUR SON'S NAME.
I'D LIKE TO CALL MR. ROME TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO STATES OF AMERICA, TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL RIGHT, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
MR. GREEN HERE, MR. ROWAN, MR. SHEPHERD CHAIRMAN, YOU HAVE A QUORUM.
[Child Abuse and Elder Abuse Prevention Months and Partnership within the County. Receive presentation from Margaret Mack-Yaroch.]
THIS TIME.WE'LL GO INTO OUR PRESENTATIONS AND WE'LL HAVE THE CHILD ABUSE AND ELDER ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH PARTNERSHIP, AND HERE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION.
CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, COUNTY, ADMINISTRATOR, AND COUNTY ATTORNEY.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TODAY.
I WANT TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW AND A PRESENTATION OVER APRIL.
AND MAY WE ARE, EXCUSE ME, ME ONE SECOND.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.
OKAY, WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET IT.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT APRIL AND MAY.
UH, APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.
IT'S RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE AS WELL AS MAY IS ALSO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ADULT ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH, ALSO KNOWN AND REFERRED TO AS ELDER ABUSE AND THIS MONTH CIAO OF SERVICES AND FISCAL YEAR 2020, OUR AGENCY RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 680 CPS REPORTS OUT OF THOSE 57 BECAME CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES INVESTIGATIONS, AND 235 BECAME FAMILY ASSESSMENTS.
OUR PREVENTION SERVICES PROGRAMS ARE A PROACTIVE MEASURE TO KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER THROUGH EARLY INTERVENTION AND FISCAL YEAR 2020, OUR AGENCY WORKED 210 PREVENTION CASES, 177 IN YORK COUNTY AND 33 IN PECOS.
AS I STATED EARLIER, APRIL IS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH, AND WE'VE SET OUT THE PINWHEELS IN THE FRONT OF OUR BUILDING AND OUR ENTRANCEWAY AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FIRE LIFE AND SAFETY, AS WELL AS NINE 11.
WE HAD A CEREMONY THERE THAT WAS RECOGNIZING ALL OF THE CHILDREN'S LIVES THAT WE HOPE TO PREVENT FROM ABUSE THIS YEAR AND 2021.
THE FOCUS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES NATIONWIDE, AS WELL AS LOCALLY AND STATEWIDE IS ON PREVENTION PREVENTION OF SERVICES.
WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT CHILDREN FROM GETTING TO THE POINT THAT THEY NEED TO ENTER INTO FOSTER CARE.
SO THERE'S MORE MONEY BEING DIRECTED TOWARDS CHILDREN'S SERVICES.
THERE'S MORE MONEY BEING DIRECTED TOWARDS PREVENTION OF SERVICES SO THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN MINIMIZE THE IMPACT AND KEEP MORE FAMILIES TOGETHER.
THIS IS ONE OF THE FLYERS THAT WE HAD OUT THIS MONTH, SO THAT YOU COULD SEE, AND WE TRY TO DO A GOOD JOB OF ADVERTISING IT BOTH LOCALLY WITHIN THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE HAD A PINWHEEL CEREMONY AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL, WHERE WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT WE HAD THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR JOIN US.
IT WAS TWO FOLD IN THAT WE WERE OBVIOUSLY BRINGING AWARENESS TO CHILD
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ABUSE PREVENTION, BUT ALSO IT WAS WITHIN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHO GRACIOUSLY HAS COLLABORATED WITH OUR DEPARTMENT.SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE FOUND THAT OUR SERVICES COMPLIMENT ONE ANOTHER WHILE WE HAVE DIFFERENT POINTS OF SERVICE THAT, UM, WE ARE TRYING IN THE END TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL.
ONE OF THOSE WAS WE HAD COME TOGETHER AND THEY REALLY DID ALL OF THE BUILDING WAS THEY CONSTRUCTED TWO LITTLE LIBRARIES.
I WOULD LIKE TO REFER TO THEM AS ONE BIG LIBRARY BECAUSE ONE OF THEM WAS FOR THE CHILDREN FOR WHEN THEY COME TO OUR BUILDING.
SOMETIMES THE RECEIVING BENEFITS, THEY MAY BE DROPPING OFF APPLICATIONS.
UM, BUT WITH COVID-19 WE KNOW THAT EVERYBODY'S MOVEMENT IS RESTRICTED.
SO NOW WE HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE LIBRARY SET UP THERE WHERE THERE CAN BE THE EXCHANGE OF READING MATERIAL BOOKS THAT THEY MAY COME.
SO WHEN THEY COME TO OUR OFFICE, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS TAKES AWAY SOME OF THE STIGMA FROM IT AS WELL.
WE ALSO ERECTED FOR MAY IN COLLABORATION WITH THAT A TALLER BOX, AND THAT IS FOR THE ADULT POPULATION.
SO MORE READING MATERIAL THAT'S GEARED TOWARDS THAT AGE GROUP, BECAUSE AGAIN, GETTING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE FREQUENTLY DOING.
AS MANY OF US, UNFORTUNATELY, HAVEN'T BEEN IN THIS PAST YEAR DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT.
UM, WE SAFE SAFELY SOCIAL DISTANCE, UM, BUT IT BROUGHT A LOT OF JOY AND REMEMBRANCE TO, ESPECIALLY OUR TEAMS AND OUR DEPARTMENTS.
AS WE CAME TOGETHER TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE IN THE WORK THAT WE DO, OUR GOAL IS OBVIOUSLY TO PROTECT AND PREVENT.
UM, SO WE SERVE MANY LINES ACROSS ONE ANOTHER, AND WE'RE WORKING VERY HEAVILY TOGETHER TO TRY TO FIND A WAY THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN EDUCATE ONE ANOTHER ON BEST PRACTICES.
ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS, IS THAT RECENTLY WE'VE CONDUCTED A SURVEY WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF THEIR EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL SERVICES EMPLOYEES.
AND IN THAT WE DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON WHAT WERE THE STRENGTHS AND THE WEAKNESSES, MORE LIKE A SWAT ANALYSIS, WHERE WERE WE LACKING IN INFORMATION FROM ONE ANOTHER? UM, SO IT WAS A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET TOGETHER AND TO REVIEW THE RESULTS.
WE WENT OVER EACH OTHER'S RESULTS.
WE DEVELOPED SOME INITIAL GOALS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO IMPLEMENT WITHIN THIS YEAR.
ONE OF THEM THAT WE BOTH CAME AWAY WITH, WHICH REALLY WAS DERIVED FROM BOTH HIS EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS MY EMPLOYEES WAS THAT WE FELT THAT THE ONBOARDING PROCESS TO HIRE FOR EMPLOYMENT WAS REALLY CRUCIAL THAT WE IDENTIFIED THAT WE TRAINED IN EACH OTHER'S DEPARTMENTS, WHAT OUR ROLE WAS, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE MAY FIND OURSELVES AT, IN THE SAME PLACE, BUT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
AND SO EACH OF US HAS TO COME OUT WITH A DIFFERENT OUTCOME, BUT AGAIN, OUR COMMON GOAL IS THE SAME IN THE END, WHICH IS TO PROTECT AND TO SERVE.
HERE'S SOME MORE PICTURES THAT YOU CAN SEE OF THE TEAMS THAT WERE UP THERE, UH, THE FAR PITCHER ON MY RIGHT.
SO I'M TRYING TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE SEEING.
I'M HOPING IT'S ON YOUR RIGHT.
YOU CAN SEE AS EMPLOYEES FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, NINE ONE, ONE FIRE LIFE AND SAFETY, AS WELL AS MYSELF, MR. MORGAN, UM, CANDACE MIDDLEBOROUGH, WHO'S THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SERVICES FOR SOCIAL SERVICES.
AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO SEE MR. BELLAMY COUNTY, UH, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR ON THE LEFT-HAND IS OUR SOCIAL WORKERS.
UM, THEY WERE VERY EAGER TO GET OUT AND ABOUT AND GET THIS MESSAGE ACROSS.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR WHERE WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO AS MANY EFFORTS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO NOT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD THE INITIATIVE.
IT'S JUST THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE AVAILABILITY.
MANY PLACES ARE CLOSED, MANY COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AREN'T HAPPENING.
NOW MORE THAN EVER, SOME OF THE FEAR CAN BE DURING THESE MONTHS, IS THAT THE FEAR IS, IS, ARE PEOPLE BEING SEEN, THEREFORE, ARE THEY BEING REPORTED? ARE PEOPLE TAKING NOTICE IF THERE'S CHILDREN OR ADULTS THAT MAY NOT BE GETTING THE SERVICES YOU SAID THEY NEED MOVING ON TO ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, OUR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, UNIT INVESTIGATES, REPORTS OF ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND EXPLOITATION OF OLDER AND INCAPACITATED ADULTS.
I WON'T GO INTO GREAT DETAIL ABOUT IT, BUT I DID LEAVE A LITTLE BAG OF A REMEMBRANCE FOR EACH OF YOU AT YOUR TABLE THAT GOES OVER SOME OF THAT MATERIAL.
WE TRY TO EDUCATE THE ELDER AND THE OLDER POPULATIONS WITH SO THAT THEY MAY HAVE.
AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE, BUT NOT REALLY FOR THE COLOR PURPLE OF YOUR BAGS IS VERY SYMBOLIC JUST AS THE BLUE IS REPRESENTATIVE A CHILDREN'S CHILDHOOD AND THE PINWHEELS FOR THE FREEDOM AND MOVEMENT THAT WE WANT THEM TO HAVE.
THE COLOR PURPLE REPRESENTS THE OLDER ELDER DEUCE.
AND SO THAT YOU'LL NOTICE DURING THE MONTH OF MAY, OUR RIBBONS WILL SWITCH FROM THE BLUE TO THE PURPLE RIBBONS, WHICH YOU'VE ALL BEEN SUPPLIED WITH TODAY IN FISCAL YEAR 2020, OUR AGENCY RESPONDED TO A TOTAL OF 300
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APS CALLS.AND OUT OF THOSE 193 BECAME APS INVESTIGATIONS FOR ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS AND MAY, 2021 COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES PLANNED ARE DRAWN TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF OUR ELDERLY POPULATION, ONGOING EFFORTS TO ASSIST ANY ELDERLY CLIENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE A VACCINE.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO RECEIVE A VACCINE, WHETHER IT BE AN EMPLOYEE OR A CITIZEN OF OUR COUNTY, THAT WE HAVE ALL COME TOGETHER TO GIVE OUR BEST EFFORTS FORWARD, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SOME OF THE GENTLEMEN IN THE BACK IN THE AFTERNOON HERE, MR. BRIAN FULLER, MR. TERRY HALL, JUST TO NAME A FEW, THERE'S BEEN MANY DEPARTMENTS, BUT THEN BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT.
AND I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY GONE TO INDIVIDUALS AND BEEN ABLE TO ASSIST THEM IN THAT PROCESS, THE LITTLE FREE LIBRARY.
SO, UM, YOU CAN SEE THE CUTE BOXES ON THE BOTTOM, BUT IF YOU EVER DO VENTURE OUT AND COME BY OUR AREA AND THE SERVICES DRIVE, IF YOU DO COME BY, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN DECORATED A LITTLE FURTHER.
PEOPLE GOT VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARY, AS WELL AS THE ADULTS.
THERE'S A LOT OF FAMOUS QUOTES AND WE HAVE A LOT OF NON-OFFICIAL ARTISTS COME AND DECORATE THE SIDES AND THE PANELS OF THEM.
SO IT'S REALLY A VERY WELCOMING PLACE FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO SEE THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY, UM, IS ON APRIL 26.
WE'D LIKE TO EXTEND AN INVITATION OF COURSE, TO YOU ALL AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND ANY CITIZENS THAT WOULD LIKE TO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OFFICIAL RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY TO CELEBRATE THOSE LIBRARIES AND THE PARTNERSHIP WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE OVERLAPPING AND COLLABORATION THAT OUR TWO DEPARTMENTS ARE CURRENTLY DOING DO YORK PECOS AND SHERIFF'S OFFICE VOLUNTEER TO BUILD AND INSTALL THOSE LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN.
THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE LIBRARIES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT.
UM, THEY WERE PLANNED, BUT THEY ARE ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTED AND BUILT TO AROUND THE GROUNDS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING ON GOODWIN, NECK ROAD, AND ONE WE HAVE IN POQUOSON CURRENTLY, THEY ARE DETERMINING WHERE THEY WOULD BEST LIKE TO HAVE THAT AD BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER ONES.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FIND A PLACE THAT CURRENTLY CHILDREN A VISIT, THAT THEY COULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE FREE BOOKS.
SO YORK PROCOSA AND SOCIAL SERVICES, OUR VALUES GUIDE OUR COMMITMENT TO DELIVER EXCELLENCE IN ALL WE DO TO BEST SERVE THE MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE, TEAMWORK, COMMUNICATION, ATTITUDE, AND DEPENDABILITY.
BUT OUR MISSION STATEMENT REMAINS THE SAME, WHICH TIES IN LINE WITH BOTH THE COUNTIES AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
AND THAT IS TO ASSIST, TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT OUR MISSION IS TO ASSIST IN THE BASIC NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS TO PROMOTE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND TO PROTECT VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND ADULTS, WHICH IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY, GIVING YOUR PRESENTATION OF CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS PREVENTION MONTH, AS WELL AS THE OLDER ADULT ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING, ANY QUESTIONS WE'LL START WITH MISS KNOLL, ANY QUESTIONS, NO QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND, AND VISIBILITY.
THAT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT TO US ALL.
I APPRECIATE THAT MR. RAMBO, NO QUESTIONS, BUT A GREAT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, MR. RYAN, THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, HOW DO THEY COMPARE HISTORICALLY IN COUNT? YES.
SO THEY'VE BEEN MOSTLY IN LINE WITH PREVIOUS YEARS.
I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE HAD AN UPTICK IN OUR APS CASES, UM, THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THIS YEAR.
HOWEVER, GIVEN THE PANDEMIC AND THE FACT THAT MOST INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT ABLE TO COME OUT OF THEIR HOME AND WE GO INTO THE HOME TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY, THOSE NUMBERS, WHILE THEY MAY SHOW AN INCREASE ARE NOT SURPRISING DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE SEEING THE INITIAL CASES AS THEY COME UP, BUT WOULD ACTUALLY BECOME FOUNDED OR ONGOING CASES IS ACTUALLY VERY SMALL AND STAYS IN LINE WITH PREVIOUS TRENDS.
IT'S THE INITIAL OPENING OF A CASE THAT WE'VE SEEN AN UPTICK IN.
AND HONESTLY, IT'S A LOT OF NEIGHBORS CHECKING ON NEIGHBORS.
THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR NEIGHBORS OKAY.
THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE STILL GOING TO THE DOCTOR.
THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEBODY IS BRINGING THEM SOME FOOD.
AND IF SOMEBODY IS NOT, CAN WE FIND SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO DELIVER IT TO THEM? SO IT DOESN'T INDICATE OVERALL THAT NECESSARILY THERE'S A DECLINE IN OR UP A RISE I SHOULD SAY.
AND THE ADULT ABUSE PREVENTION, I WOULD ACTUALLY SAY THAT IF ANYTHING, IT JUST SHOWS MORE CONCERN OF OURSELVES FOR ONE ANOTHER.
THE, THE CASES THAT TURN INTO INVESTIGATIONS, WHAT'S THE AVERAGE TIME FOR, TO CONCLUDE AN INVESTIGATION.
HOW LONG WOULD IT NORMALLY TAKE? THAT'S VERY HARD.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE CASE IS INITIALLY OPENED FOR.
I MEAN, THERE, ISN'T AN EXACT TURNAROUND, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO OPEN AND CLOSE A CASE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
[00:15:01]
TO BE FOUNDED OR UNFOUNDED, BUT IF THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, IS THERE A CONSERVATORSHIP? IS IT A FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION? IS IT OUT NOW TO ABUSE? IS IT MEDICAL NEGLECT? IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT THE INITIAL CALL HAS LED US TO OPEN THE INVESTIGATION.AND IN THOSE CASES, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, YOU DON'T WANT TO CLOSE THEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
YOU WANT TO CLOSE THEM AS EFFICIENTLY AS YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO DO SO, BUT YOU WON'T WANT TO DO IT BEFORE YOU HAVE REASONABLE JUSTIFICATION TO STATE THAT THERE'S NO REASONABLE SUSPICION.
ARE YOU TALKING DAYS OR WEEKS FOR, FOR A CASE TO GET RESOLVED? IF THERE'S NOTHING TO FIND IT'S TYPICALLY.
YES, MR. SHEPHERD, HOW MANY CASES EACH CASEWORKER HANDLED THAT VARIES FROM EACH CASEWORKER? SO, UM, JUST A LITTLE FYI OR A BACKGROUND ON, ON OUR SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF WORKERS.
WE HAVE SPECIALISTS, ONES, TWOS AND THREES, AND THAT WILL VARY ON SOMEBODY'S CASELOAD.
SOMEBODY AT A THREE-LEVEL IS GOING TO BE MORE OF A SUPERVISOR.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A MUCH HIGHER CASE LOAD THAN A ONE OR TWO.
A ONE IS TYPICALLY SOMEBODY THAT'S IN TRAINING THAT WE'RE MOVING ALONG.
AND THAT'S AGAIN ON THE SERVICES SIDE, OR IF IT'S ON THE BENEFITS SIDE.
SO THEY'RE BASICALLY DOING INTAKE AND PROCESSING.
NOW A LEVEL TWO IS SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING OUT THERE.
ACTUALLY, IF I WERE TO GIVE AN, UH, AN EXAMPLE, SIMILAR TO A CASE MANAGER THERE THEY'RE MONITORING THAT CASE.
THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO THAT CASE.
THEY'RE ENSURING THAT THEY'RE GETTING GATHERING ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED AND THAT THEY'RE FINDING OUT WHAT THE ROOT CAUSES.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE LEVEL THREE IS MORE OF A SUPERVISORY ASPECT.
AND THEN AT TIMES, YOU KNOW, SUPERVISORS DO HAVE TO PICK UP ON SOME OF THE CASE LOADS.
UM, ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE SPECIAL CASES THAT ARE INVOLVED.
IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR US TO ASK A SUPERVISOR, UM, TO OVERSEE A CASE BECAUSE WE WANT MORE EXPERIENCE, MORE OVERSIGHT.
UM, SO I REALLY COULDN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT CASELOAD AND I CAN ALSO TELL YOU THAT CASES VARY DEPENDING ON THE DEPARTMENT YOU'RE IN.
SO A CHILDREN'S SERVICES VERSUS A BENEFITS PROGRAM, CHILDREN'S SERVICES IS GOING TO HAVE A MUCH SMALLER CASELOAD, BUT THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND THE DETAILED WORK THAT GOES INTO SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS FAR GREATER THAN JUST PROCESSING APPLICATIONS OR BENEFITS OR NEEDS.
UM, SO I I'M AFRAID I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT ANSWER FOR YOU, SIR, BUT IF YOU'D EVER LIKED ME TO GIVE YOU DETAILED COPY OF THE BREAKDOWN, I CERTAINLY COULD.
IT'S JUST THAT IT VARIES BASED ON THOSE DIFFERENT POSITIONS, JUST A LITTLE, UH, SORRY, IN, UM, WHETHER YOUR STAFF PROPERLY COULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE WORKLOAD THAT YOU HAVE.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT YORK PROCOSA IN SOCIAL SERVICES IS ONE OF THE MOST HIGHEST REGARDED SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS IN THE STATE.
WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY GONE UNDER OUR ANNUAL REVIEW.
UM, AND IN THAT REVIEW, WE CONTINUE TO RAISE THE NUMBERS FOR THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, FOR EACH LOCALITY AS A WHOLE, WE OPERATE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF STANDARD AND OUR CASE LOADS ARE MUCH SMALLER.
IN COMPARISON, MIND YOU, I'D ALSO LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WHILE YORK PROCOSA IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE, SOME PEOPLE REFER TO IT AS A SMALL COUNTY.
WE ARE ACTUALLY A LEVEL TWO IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, OF OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE IN THERE.
SO WE ARE BY FAR NOT THE SMALLEST SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY AT ALL.
UM, AND WE DO PROCESS QUITE A FEW APPLICATIONS AS WELL AS CASES THAT WE REVIEW.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY ON THE LARGER END OF WHAT PEOPLE WOULD REFER TO AS A MEDIUM SIZE AGENCY.
WE'RE NOT THE MEGA AGENCIES OF VIRGINIA BEACH OR NORFOLK.
OF COURSE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS, BUT IN COMPARISON TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR LOCALITIES, WE'RE TRIPLE IN SIZE.
IS THAT IT FOR ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION? SURE.
YOU SAID WE'RE A LEVEL TWO DEFINE LEVEL TWO.
TELL ME, UH, DOES IT GO FROM LEVEL ONE TO THREE OR DOES IT GO UP OR DOWN THE SCALE AND JUST TELL ME WHAT GREAT QUESTION.
SO IT IS LEVEL ONE, TWO OR THREE, UM, AND YOUR LEVEL IS BASED ON ACTUALLY THE SIZE AND THE AMOUNT OF SERVICES THAT YOU PROCESS AND RECEIVE FOR THE COUNTY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I GUESS I SHOULD FURTHER EXPLAIN TO YOU IS, IS THAT WE'RE LEVEL TWO, MEANING WE'RE NOT AS SMALL IN SIZE AS YOU THINK IN THAT WE COVER A LARGE LOCALITY.
YOUR COUNTY OBVIOUSLY IS WIDE STRETCHED AS WELL AS OBVIOUSLY
SO WE DO HAVE A LARGE AREA OF WHICH WE HAVE OVERSIGHT FOR.
SO THAT'S WHAT DETERMINES THAT IS ACTUAL SIZE FIT, PHYSICAL SIZE,
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NOT ACTUAL POPULATION SIZE POPULATION DOES POPULATION DOES PLAY INTO THE SIZE OF OUR AGENCY AS WELL.SO BOTH FOR VIRGINIA BEACH, WHICH YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, WHAT LEVEL WERE THEY? THEY'RE A LEVEL THREE.
AND THAT IS OBVIOUSLY SHEERLY IN NUMBERS.
[Legislative Update. Receive update from James E. Barnett, Jr., County Attorney.]
ALL RIGHT.IF THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO CALL ON OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, MR. BARNETT FOR OUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.
UM, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, FORTUNATELY, ACTUALLY, UH, FOR, FOR LOCALITIES, BOTH THE 2020 SPECIAL SESSION, WHICH WAS AT THE END OF LAST SUMMER AND ENDED UP ENDED, UH, GOING ON A LOT LONGER THAN HAD BEEN PLANNED.
AND THEN THE TECHNICALLY TWO SESSIONS.
AND IN 2021, YOU MAY RECALL THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED AN INITIAL CALENDAR FOR A SIX WEEK SESSION FOR ALL OF HIS BUSINESS, WHICH LOOKED IMPOSSIBLE.
IN FACT, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE, ESSENTIALLY THE END OF THAT SESSION BECAME CROSSOVER DAY.
AND MOST OF THE BILLS THAT MADE IT, UM, PAST, UH, TO THE, TO THE POINT OF ADOPTION WERE ACTUALLY CONSIDERED DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION, BUT NEITHER ONE OF THOSE SESSIONS FOCUS AS MUCH ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT ISSUES AS WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST.
UM, AND USUALLY THAT'S ACTUALLY GOOD NEWS FOR US.
AND I THINK IN, IN LARGE EXTENT IT WAS, BUT THERE WERE SOME BILLS, INCLUDING A COUPLE THAT WERE ADOPTED IN THE 20, 20 SPECIAL SESSION WITH DELAYED DATES THAT ARE THERE, THEY'RE COMING UP NOW FOR YOU.
UM, AND A FEW OTHERS THAT WERE ADOPTED IN 2021, SOME OF WHICH I'VE MENTIONED TO YOU, UH, THROUGH EMAILS PREVIOUSLY, BUT SOME OF WHICH, PERHAPS NOT BECAUSE WE WERE WAITING FOR THE END OF THAT SESSION BEFORE WE REALLY KNEW FINALLY WHAT HAPPENED.
SO I'LL GO OVER A FEW AND PARDON ME IF I READ FROM A LIST, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I KNOW THESE BILLS IS BY THE LIST THAT I KEEP.
UM, AND JUST TO HIT ON SOME OF THE HIGHER POINTS AT FIRST, IN, IN THE SUBJECT OF TRANSPORTATION, ONE OF THE BILLS, THIS IS SENATE BILL 1350, ALSO HOUSES BILL 2071.
THEY WERE COMPANION BILLS NOW REQUIRES THE COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD TO TAKE SOMETHING CALLED RESILIENCY INTO ACCOUNT WHENEVER, UM, WHENEVER WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER THEIR SIX YEAR PLAN, WHEN THE BILL WAS INITIALLY INTRODUCED, IT HAD A DEFINITION OF RESILIENCY AS IT CAME OUT AND IT WAS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR.
I'D ACTUALLY LOST TO THAT, BUT THE DEFINITION WAS PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU WOULD THINK IT WAS.
WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE, IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS GLOBALLY ARE, UH, PROJECTS THAT WILL BE SO DESIGNED AS TO BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND, UM, DRAMATIC IMPACT SUCH AS STORM EVENTS, UH, SEA LEVEL RISE, UM, AND EITHER SURVIVE THEM OR BE ABLE TO, UM, TRANSCEND THEM THROUGH REPAIRS QUICKLY.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR FACTOR GOING FORWARD WITH TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
AND I THINK EVEN WITHOUT THE DEFINITION BE INCLUDED IN THE BILL, I THINK THAT JUST A TEXTBOOK DEFINITION, DICTIONARY DEFINITIONS, A LITTLE SUFFICE TO TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT RESILIENCY MEANS, UM, BUDGET AMENDMENT FOUR, FOUR, SEVEN, 10, ONE.
THAT'S HOW THEY NUMBER THESE THINGS.
AS FAR AS I CAN TELL SURVIVED, IT WENT INTO THE GOVERNORS, UM, UH, TO THE GOVERNOR AND I DID NOT SEE ANY RECOMMENDATION TO CHANGE IT.
AND THAT ONE IS, UM, WITH RESPECT, PARTICULARLY OF INTEREST TO YOUR COUNTY, EXCUSE ME, OVER THERE, UM, WOULD BE SETTING ASIDE $93 MILLION FOR THE HAMPTON ROADS EXPRESS LANES.
AND I DID HAVE TO ASK OUR PLANNERS EXACTLY WHERE THOSE THINGS WERE.
AND I THINK SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW THIS ALREADY, BUT THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY GOING TO BE A CIRCULAR, UM, UH, UH, UH, LANES.
AND IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE DC BELTWAY HAS BEEN DESCRIBED THE SAME WAY TO ME, WHERE YOU CAN PAY A TOLL, I'M ASSUMING A TOLL ON THESE, UM, AND GET INTO A LOWER OCCUPANCY LANE TO MAKE YOUR, YOUR TRIP.
UH, THE DC BELTWAY HAS, HAS THOSE, AT LEAST IN VIRGINIA, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE IN MARYLAND OR NOT.
WHERE IF YOU'RE TRAVELING SAY FROM TYSON'S CORNER ALL THE WAY DOWN TO WHERE THOSE LANES AND FOR ABOUT SIX BUCKS ON YOUR VISIT, YOU CAN GET INTO A DOUBLE LANE, UH, UM, SYSTEM THAT IS SEPARATE AND APART FROM THE MAIN BELTWAY INNER AND OUTER LOOPS AND THE DIRECTIONS OF THOSE THINGS CHANGED.
SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT'S THE KIND OF THING WE'RE LOOKING FOR HERE, BUT THERE WAS MONEY SET
[00:25:01]
ASIDE OUT OF A TOTAL OF ABOUT 288 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR TRANSPORTATION RELATED PROJECTS STATEWIDE, UM, A COUPLE, UH, ONE THAT'S YEAH, I THINK IS GOING TO POTENTIALLY MAKE SOME CHANGES IN THE WAY THE COUNTY HAS TO HANDLE AS, AS WE WILL LATER THIS YEAR, A RE-DISTRICTING YOU MAY RECALL THAT THERE WAS AT ONE TIME, A SECTION SEVEN TO THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT, WHICH MEANT THAT ANY CHANGE IN A VOTING PRACTICE HAD TO BE PRE-CLEARED THROUGH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.THERE WERE A NUMBER OF STATES IN VIRGINIA WAS ONE WHO, BECAUSE OF THEIR HISTORY OF VOTER DISCRIMINATION IN THE PAST WERE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH THAT PRE-CLEARANCE PROJECT.
AND UNDER OLD SECTION FIVE, WE HAD TO GET PRE-CLEARANCE FOR CHANGES AS MINOR AS MOVING THE VOTING MACHINES AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, FROM THE CAFETERIA INTO THE GYMNASIUM.
AND IF THAT WAS A PERMANENT CHANGE, UM, THIS BILL IS I'M GOING TO CALL ALL IT'S SECTION FIVE REDUX IT'S IT'S COMING BACK WITH THAT SAME IDEA, BUT AT THE STATE LEVEL, HOWEVER, NOT AS INTRUSIVE FOR ANYTHING THAT IS CONSIDERED A COVERED PRACTICE.
AND THAT IS AN INCREASE IN THE SIZE OF THE ELECTED GOVERNING BODY.
UM, CERTAIN BOUNDARY CHANGES IF THERE WERE TO BE A CHANGE, FOR EXAMPLE, AS A RESULT OF AN ANNEXATION OR VOLUNTARY BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT CHANGE WITH THE LOCALITY, WHICH WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE IN THE PAST, UM, CHANGES OF BOUNDARIES OF ELECTION DISTRICTS, INCLUDING CHANGES AS A RESULT OF THE DECENNIAL CENSUS OR A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF POLLING PLACES.
UH, AND BEFORE INITIATING THOSE NEW PRACTICES, LOCALITIES ACROSS THE STATE WILL EITHER HAVE TO HOLD A SERIES OF HEARINGS.
ONE HEARING WITH AT LEAST 30 DAYS, NOTICE FOLLOWING A 30 DAY PERIOD AFTER WHICH CITY IS, CAN THEN ACTUALLY GO TO CIRCUIT COURT.
IF THEY FEEL THAT THE CHANGE, UM, ON UNLAWFULLY AFFECTS VOTING PRACTICES, OR SIMPLY MAKE COMMENTS TO THE LOCALITY AND THEN POSSIBLY ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE YOU THEN, UM, CAN FINALIZE YOUR CHANGE, UH, PUBLICIZE IT, AND THEN INSTITUTED, OR, AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE ROUTE.
MOST LOCALITIES WILL TAKE A PROCEDURE TO GO TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND SUBMIT THAT SAME CHANGE WITH A REQUEST FOR A CERTIFICATION.
AND EITHER THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WITHIN THAT TIME PERIOD CAN RESPOND AND SAY, YES, YOUR PRACTICE, UM, IS, IS LAWFUL AND CAN BE IMPLEMENTED.
OR IF THERE IS NO RESPONSE WITHIN 60 DAYS, THEN YOU ARE PRESUMED CERTIFIED.
SO, UM, THERE IS SOME QUESTION ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THE, UH, THE, UH, ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO SET UP TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT THAT WILL IMPACT, UH, CERTAINLY THE DECENNIAL REDISTRICTING, UH, WHEN WE GO THROUGH IT, UM, THERE WAS ALSO WITH RESPECT TO VOTING, THERE IS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT WHICH HAS GONE TO ITS FIRST REFERENCE.
AND BY THAT IT MEANS THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS ADOPTED IT FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
THEY HAVE TO ADOPT THEM IN TWO SEPARATE SESSIONS.
AND THEN IF IT PASSES BOTH TIMES, IS IT OPTED BOTH TIMES IT THEN GOES FOR A REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT WE JUST HAD A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ON OUR BALLOT WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN TAX BENEFITS FOR, FOR DISABLED VETERANS.
AND THIS IS ONE THAT WOULD RESTORE VOTING RIGHTS, POLITICAL RIGHTS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CONVICTED, EVEN A FELONS, ONCE THEY FINISHED THEIR PERIOD OF INCARCERATION.
NOW, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT COMES UP IS DOES THAT INCLUDE GUN RIGHTS? AND THAT'S THE COMMENTS, THE QUESTIONS THAT A LOT OF CITIZENS HAVE BEEN ASKING, I'VE SEEN IT IN THE NEWS.
I'VE SEEN IT ON FACEBOOK AS I READ IT.
IT DOES NOT REFERENCES SPECIFICALLY POLITICAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO VOTE, BUT THEY WILL HAVE TO GO TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AGAIN.
UM, AND THEN, UH, BE PLACED BEFORE THE PUBLIC ON A REFERENDUM BEFORE IT BECOMES LAW.
I WANT TO BE AWARE OF THAT AS IT WORKS THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I THINK I'D ADVISE YOU EARLIER THAT THE JUNE PRIMARY ELECTION HAS NOW BEEN MOVED FROM THE SECOND WEEK OF JUNE TO THE THIRD.
UM, THAT BILL HAS COME UP BEFORE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SEVERAL TIMES, AND NOW IT ACTUALLY PASSED, UM, THE, UH, WITH RESPECT TO GOING ON TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
ONE OF WHICH WE WILL BE BRINGING TO YOU AS A CHANGE IN YOUR RULES OR PROCEDURE.
YOU ALREADY HAVE A RULE OF PROCEDURE THAT SAYS, UH, THE CIRCUMSTANCES, WHICH, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY SEPARATE.
AND APART FROM YOUR ABILITY TO HOLD MEETINGS DURING A REMOTE REMOTELY, DURING AN EMERGENCY OR A DISASTER, THAT IF THERE IS A BOARD MEMBER WHO FOR HEALTH REASONS OR OTHERWISE CANNOT ATTEND, THERE'S A SIMPLE PROCEDURE TO GIVE NOTICE TO THE, TO THE BOARD, SHARE OF THE INABILITY TO ATTEND THE DESIRE TO ATTEND
[00:30:01]
REMOTELY.UM, THERE IS NOW ONE WHICH, WHICH ADDS A JUSTIFICATION FOR NON-ATTENDANCE PHYSICALLY AT A MEETING, AND THAT IS THE REQUIREMENT THAT YOU MUST, UM, REMAIN HOME OR, OR AWAY FROM THE MEETING DUE TO A FAMILY MEMBER ILLNESS.
UM, AND ALSO THE, THE, UH, THE, UH, ABILITY TO, TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY FOR A PERSONAL MATTER, UM, UH, WHICH CURRENTLY IS LIMITED TO TWICE A YEAR WILL BE EXPANDED TO TWICE A YEAR OR 25% OF THE MEETINGS HELD IN ANY, IN ANY CALENDAR YEAR.
SO WE ALREADY ADDRESSED THAT UNDER CURRENT LAW IN YOUR RULES OR PROCEDURES.
SO I'M, I'M ANTICIPATING THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING IT TO YOU AT SOME POINT A MODIFICATION TO THAT THAT'S NOT ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE THAT'S YOUR RESOLUTION.
SO IT WOULD BE AS SIMPLE AS THAT OR TO ADOPT, UM, A, UH, ANOTHER, THIS ONE ACTUALLY WON'T AFFECT YOU DIRECTLY, BUT YOU MAY WANT TO BE AWARE OF IT, THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN CRIMINAL RECORDS, WHICH NOW, UM, ARE OBLIGATED TO BE RELEASED UNDER FOYA ONLY, UH, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE SHERIFF.
SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO BECOME OBLIGATED TO BE RELEASED AND INCLUDING CRIMINAL INCIDENT INFORMATION.
I'M NOT SURE REALLY HOW BIG AN IMPACT THAT'S GOING TO HAVE ON THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW IT CAUSED CAUSE QUITE A STIR AMONG LOCALITIES WHEN THIS BILL WAS INTRODUCED.
AND WHEN IT WAS ADOPTED, THE SHERIFF DOES HAVE THE RIGHT TO WITHHOLD AND DISCLOSURE, IF IT WOULD INTERFERE WITH AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION.
SO IT, IT MAY NOT BE AS DANGEROUS AS IT SOUNDS AT FIRST, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW THE IMPLEMENTATION GOES.
UM, UH, LASTLY UNDER FOYA SENATE BILL 1271 ALLOWS A, UH, REMOTE MEETINGS AS THE KIND THAT YOU'VE BEEN HAVING, NOT ONLY WHEN THERE IS A GUBERNATORIAL DECLARATION OF AN EMERGENCY, BUT WHEN THERE'S A LOCAL DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY.
SO, UM, IT IS IT GRANTS, LOCALITIES, MORE FLEXIBILITY, UH, AND IT ALSO, BY THE WAY, UH, ADDRESSES SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY THE STATUTES HAVE BEEN PHRASED UP UNTIL NOW, IT CLARIFIES IN A WAY THAT CAUSED SOME CONCERN AMONG LOCAL GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS, THAT THE MEETINGS CAN BE HELD, NOT JUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADDRESSING CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT, WHICH WE ACTUALLY, I SAY WE, AS, AS A GROUP, LOCAL GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS MEANT WHATEVER LOCALITIES NEEDED TO DO THAT LOCALITIES DO EVERY DAY.
BUT THIS BILL ACTUALLY DOES CLARIFY THAT IT'S NOT JUST ADDRESSING THE EMERGENCY.
IT'S ALSO CONDUCTING THE NORMAL AFFAIRS, UM, OF THE, UH, OF THE GOVERNING BODY, UH, WITH RESPECT TO EMPLOYMENT.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF BILLS, UM, WITH RESPECT TO, TO A PRESUMPTION OF UNDER THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION ACT FOR, UM, FOR EMPLOYEES WHO, UH, CONTRACT COVID THE DISEASE.
UM, THE ONE, UH, UH, HOUSE BILL TWO, TWO OH SEVEN COMPANION BILL IS SENATE BILL 1375 ESTABLISHED AS A PRESUMPTION THAT COVID-19 CAUSING THE DEATH OR DISABILITY OF FIREFIGHTERS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, PERSONNEL, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, AND SOME OTHERS CORRECTIONAL OFFICIALS, FOR EXAMPLE, REGIONAL JAIL OFFICERS IS AN OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE COMPENSATED UNDER WORKERS' COMPENSATION.
AND THAT, THAT APPLIES TO ANY, UH, COVID, UM, INFECTIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED ON OR AFTER JULY ONE, 2020.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY GOT A RETROACTIVE EFFECT.
UM, UM, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY CLAIMS BEING MADE, UH, IN YOUR COUNTY.
AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT IT STATEWIDE THROUGH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS, BUT, UM, BUT IT, IT WILL BECOME LAW AS OF, I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT EFFECTIVE UNTIL JULY ONE, WHEN IT DOES, IT HAS THAT RETROACTIVE EFFECT.
UM, ONE THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 2020, BUT BECOMES EFFECTIVE MAY.
ONE THAT I HAD MENTIONED TO YOU EARLIER IS THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BILL, NO LOCALITY IN VIRGINIA IS REQUIRED TO ENGAGE IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS PERMITTED IF THE LOCALITY BY ORDINANCE AGREES TO DO SO.
UM, HOWEVER, IF A GROUP OF EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE CERTIFIED THEMSELVES AND THE BILL IS REALLY FUZZY ON EXACTLY HOW THAT KIND OF CERTIFICATION HAPPENS, WHETHER IT CAN BE CHALLENGED, BUT IF A GROUP COMES FORWARD CLAIMING THAT THEY AREN'T CERTIFIED AS A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT, THEN THE LOCAL GOVERNING BODY HAS 120 DAYS DAYS IN WHICH TO, TO VOTE ON AN ORDINANCE, WHETHER OR NOT TO ENGAGE IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT UNIT.
SO GIVEN THAT THIS DATE HASN'T APPROACHED YET, WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT AROUND
[00:35:01]
THE STATE, A NUMBER OF LOCALITIES WILL BE PRESENTED WITH PETITIONS OF THAT SORT, UH, THE LGA LOCAL GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS SEMINAR, WHICH TOOK PLACE RECENTLY BY ZOOM DID HAVE A, A SEMINAR TOPIC ON THIS AND LOCALITIES WHO DO ENGAGE IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE RECOMMENDED TO ACTUALLY SEEK OUTSIDE COUNSEL BECAUSE THAT'S A HIGHLY SPECIALIZED, UM, UH, SPECIALTY IN THE LAW.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE WORKED THROUGH CERTIFICATION, CONFIRMING CERTIFICATION, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, BUT FOR LOCALITIES WHO DO NOT WISH TO ENGAGE IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES, YOU SIMPLY AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS YOU'RE NOT GOING TO, OR IF YOU'RE NOT APPROACHED WITH A PETITION, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADOPT ANYTHING AT ALL.
UM, BUT IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN, UH, OUR OFFICE WILL DO OUR BEST TO WALK YOU THROUGH IT AND, AND SEEK WHATEVER RESOURCES YOU MIGHT NEED.
UM, PROCUREMENT WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ONE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO IMPACT US, BUT I'LL MENTION IT.
HOUSE BILL 2001 BUILDING STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
IF THERE IS A NEW BUILDING OF GREATER THAN 5,000 GROSS SQUARE FEET IN AREA, OR THE RENOVATION OF A BUILDING WHERE THE COST OF THE RENOVATION EXCEEDS 50% OF THE VALUE OF THE BUILDING, THEN AS PART OF THAT CONSTRUCTION, THERE WILL HAVE TO BE, UH, UH, ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS, UH, AND, UM, UH, INCLUDED AS PART OF THAT, THAT CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND THE, THE SUFFICIENCY OF STATIONS IS DEFINED AS BEING SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE NUMBER OF THE COUNTY'S OWN FLEET VEHICLES THAT WILL REGULARLY BE, UM, PARKED AT THAT SITE.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY NOT MEANT TO BE A SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC AS MUCH AS IT IS AS ANTICIPATING THE DAY WHEN LOCALITIES AND STATE AGENCIES MAY BE TRANSFERRING MORE AND MORE TO VEHICLES THAT REQUIRE ELECTRIC CHARGING.
UM, OH, UH, ANOTHER ONE WITH RESPECT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN INFORMED OF THIS A BIT, BUT HOUSE BILL FIVE OH FOUR, THREE IT'S COMPANION BILL WAS SEVEN SENATE BILL FIVE OH THREE EIGHT IS INITIATING SOMETHING CALLED A MARCUS, UH, SYSTEM IS NAMED AFTER AN INDIVIDUAL'S MENTAL DISTURBANCES WHO ON A LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, RESPONSE TO HIS HOME AS A RESULT OF A CITIZEN COMPLAINT, ENDED UP GETTING SHOT BECAUSE HE WAS, NON-RESPONSIVE ACTUALLY VERY AGITATED.
I DON'T KNOW ALL THE FACTS OF THE CASE.
I THINK IT MADE THE NEWS AT THE TIME.
SO NOW THE COMMONWEALTH HAS DETERMINED THROUGH THIS BILL THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WE'LL COORDINATE TOGETHER A PROGRAM.
IN ORDER TO HAVE A COORDINATED APPROACH TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, RESPONSES IN WHICH THERE SEEMS TO BE A MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT.
UM, THE PLAN IS NOT SPELLED OUT ONLY THAT THESE TWO AGENCIES ARE TO GET TOGETHER AND TO SPELL ONE OUT.
UM, AND SO YOU MAY SEE, UM, SEE OUR OWN RESPONSE TEAMS, OUR OWN LAW ENFORCEMENT BECOMING INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS AS, AS IT GOES FORWARD.
UH, ONE QUESTION EVERYBODY KEEPS ASKING AND YOU'VE ASKED IT BEFORE ACTUALLY IS THE MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION BILL.
AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN IT CAME OUT OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY REACTED TO HIS RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH THEY ACCEPTED, UM, HOUSE BILL TWO, THREE, ONE, TWO, THERE'S A COMPANION SENATE BILL.
UM, THERE WERE SOME CHANGES MADE.
I KNOW THAT THEY WERE WIDELY REPORTED, BUT I'LL MENTION THEM JUST THE SAME AS INITIALLY ADOPTED BY BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND VERY NARROWLY.
SO BY THE WAY, IN BOTH CHAMBERS, THIS BILL WOULD HAVE LEGALIZED MARIJUANA POSSESSION, AND ALSO THE GROWING ON YOUR OWN PROPERTY OF AT LEAST FOUR PLANTS, UH, EFFECTIVE IN 10 20, 23, THREE OR FOUR.
I NEVER FORGET NOW, BUT THE GOVERNOR WANTED IT EFFECTIVE THIS YEAR.
AND SO THAT IS THE WAY IT WAS ENACTED INTO LAW.
THERE ARE MANY ASPECTS TO THIS BILL.
THIS BILL RUNS WELL OVER 200 PAGES BECAUSE ONCE MARIJUANA BECOMES DECRIMINALIZED ALL SCATTERED THROUGH THE CODE, THROUGH THE CRIMINAL CODE, THROUGH, UM, MOTOR VEHICLES, LAWS ARE ALL CON UH, A NUMBER OF STATUTES, WHICH ADDRESS PENALTIES FOR HAVING BEEN, UM, ARRESTED FOR HAVING BEEN STOPPED FOR, UM, SUSPICIONS OF, OR CONVICTED OF, UH, USE OF MARIJUANA.
SO THOSE ARE BEING AMENDED IN WAYS IN WHICH THE BIBLE I WILL CONFESS.
I HAVE NOT TRIED TO WADE THROUGH.
UM, THERE WILL ALSO BE SALES PERMITTED, ALTHOUGH MUCH OF THIS, MUCH OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS BILL REGARDING AUTH, UM, AUTHORIZATION FOR SALES NEEDS TO BE READOPTED NEXT YEAR.
UM, BUT AT LEAST AS OF JULY ONE, THEN PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE
[00:40:01]
TO, UM, HAVE A POSSESSION OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA AND GROW PLANTS.ALTHOUGH THE RESTRICTION ON GROWING PLANTS ARE PRETTY STRICT.
YOU HAVE TO, THEY CAN'T BE VISIBLE FROM THE STREET.
UH, THEY HAVE TO BE KEPT UNDER, UM, SECURITY SO THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN COME IN AND STEAL YOUR POT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
UH, AND THERE ARE PENALTIES IF YOU DON'T.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A VERY ATTRACTIVE OPTION FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR LOCALITIES WHO, WHO, WHO DO NOT WISH OR CONSIDER THAT THEIR PUBLIC MAY NOT WISH TO HAVE SALES, RETAIL SALES ALLOWED.
THERE IS AN OPTION TO HAVE A REFERENDUM.
IT WILL BE A BINDING REFERENDUM.
UM, AND THE, THE PERIOD FOR HAVING THE REFERENCE, IT WAS ACTUALLY FAIRLY SHORT IT'S.
YOU WANT TO BE BETWEEN A JULY ONE OF 2022 AND DECEMBER 31ST OF 2022, UM, IN WHICH A REFERENDUM MUST BE HELD, UH, IN WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT RETAIL SALES CAN BE ALLOWED IN THE LOCALITY AND IT'S BINDING.
UM, AND SO IF, IF THE PUBLIC VOTES, YES, THEY DO, THEN THERE'LL BE ALLOWED.
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POSSESSION, NOTHING TO DO WITH GROWING THE PLANTS.
THERE WILL BE A STATE AGENCY SET UP TO COME UP WITH REGULATIONS REGARDING LICENSING APPLICATIONS FOR LICENSING, REVOCATIONS, ET CETERA, TO REGULATE THAT.
AND MOST OF THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE UNTIL AT LEAST 2023.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE TO GET THAT SET UP.
UM, ONE BILL OF A KIND THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN PART OF YOUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM IN THE PAST.
IT HASN'T BEEN FOR A FEW YEARS.
AND THIS DEALT WITH THE FACT THAT, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL TAXES ON HOTEL ROOMS WERE BASED NOT ON THE TOTAL PRICE THAT CONSUMER PAID, BUT THE PRICE THAT ACTUALLY WENT TO THE HOTEL OR MOTEL OPERATOR, THE DIFFERENCE BEING THE AMOUNT THAT WENT TO, UM, ALL THE COMPANIES THAT ADVERTISE ON TV, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, PROMISE BARGAINS ON HOTEL RENTALS AND WHAT THESE COMPANIES DO OFTEN IS APPROACH HOTELS THAT MIGHT HAVE AN AVERAGE VACANCY RATE OF A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND SAY, LISTEN, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US THOSE ROOMS? WE'LL TRY TO SELL THEM.
AT LEAST WE'LL TRY TO FILL THEM FOR YOU.
UM, THERE'LL BE AT A REDUCED RATE AND WE GET A CUT ANYWHERE.
IT'S A QUARTER TO A THIRD, A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT TYPICALLY.
AND THEN THE LOCALITY WAS ONLY ABLE TO ESTABLISH ITS, UM, IT'S LICENSED TAXES ON THE AMOUNT THAT ACTUALLY WENT TO THE HOTEL SENATE BILL 1398.
AND I THINK THIS WAS ONE OF THE CENTERED ENORMOUS BILLS ACTUALLY NOW SAYS THAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAID BY THE CONSUMER IS, IS WHAT THE LOCAL TAX WILL BE BASED ON.
UM, A COUPLE OF STUDIES THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN, UM, GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT, UH, COVID HAS DONE TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UM, SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION THREE OH EIGHT ESTABLISHED A STUDY BY JAY LARK, THE, UM, JOINT LEGISLATIVE AUDIT AND REVIEW COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE IMPACT OF COVID ON VIRGINIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, STUDENTS AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES.
THE STUDY IS TO BE COMPLETED BY NOVEMBER 30 OF 2022, AND THEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE NEXT 2023 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION.
AND THEN LASTLY, LET ME MENTION, UM, REGARDING PESTICIDES IN BEES, I KNOW THAT THERE'VE BEEN COMPLAINTS, UH, IN YOUR COUNTY ABOUT THE PESTICIDE, THE MOSQUITO, UM, INSECTICIDE THAT THAT IS SPRAYED AROUND HERE AND WHAT IT DOES TO POLLINATING INSECTS, THAT THERE IS A, A STUDY WHICH HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED HOUSE BILL 2030 DIRECTS THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES TO STUDY THE BEEKEEPER POLLINATOR PROTECTION PLAN, UM, AND TO, UM, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UM, ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HELP THE PRESERVATION OF POLLINATING INSECTS, UH, NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT STUDY GOES AND WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS COME OUT, COME OUT OF IT.
AND, AND WHAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MIGHT DO THAT IS, UH, AS A NEW WORD, THE NEO CAROTENOID.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE I PRONOUNCED THAT, RIGHT, BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF, UH, THAT'S THE, UH, INSECTICIDE, THE CLASSIFICATION THAT, THAT HAS CONCERNED PEOPLE.
UM, THOSE ARE THE HIGH POINTS I WILL GET YOU LATER, IF YOU WISH A LITTLE SOMETHING MORE COMPLETE.
I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT THE WHOLE LIST THAT I COMPILE WHENEVER THESE, UM, I FORMALLY DID THAT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S A LITTLE, A LOT TO WADE THROUGH BECAUSE IT INCLUDES OUR OFFICE BY THE WAY, OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, ALSO DEALS WITH SCHOOLS ALSO DEALS WITH SOCIAL SERVICES.
AND SO A LOT OF THOSE BILLS THAT DON'T INVOLVE YOU DIRECTLY NONETHELESS END UP ON THAT LIST.
BUT, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT OR OTHER BILLS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. BARNETT, MISS KNOLL, MR.
[00:45:01]
LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA COMES TO THE PLAY.LEGALIZATION OF POSSESSION COMES INTO PLAY JULY ONE.
THE OTHER, THERE ARE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE BILL, SOME OF WHICH NEED TO BE READOPTED BY NEXT YEAR'S GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO BECOME EFFECTIVE.
SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THOSE.
AND THOSE ARE MOSTLY, UH, EITHER THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS OF CREATING THE STATE AGENCIES THAT ARE GONNA GO INTO GOING TO HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER SALES OR IN SOME REGARD, UM, SOME OF THE CRIMINAL PENALTIES, UH, BUT, BUT, BUT POSSESSION AND PLANT GROWING AT LEAST UP TO FOUR, UM, IS EFFECTIVE THIS SUMMER, MR. RYAN.
SO TO, SO TO BE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE LEGALIZATION OR DECRIMINALIZATION OF THE MARIJUANA POSSESSION, IT'S ON JULY 1ST, FOUR INCHES OR LESS, AND, OR GROWING FOUR PLANTS OR LESS PERSONALLY, THAT IS LEGAL, WHAT WILL BE LEGAL? YEAH.
AND THERE ARE SOME RESTRICTIONS, UM, ON, ON THIS, ON THE GROWING OF YOUR PLANTS, AS I'VE SAID, THEY CAN'T BE VISIBLE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, THAT WOULD BE PROTECTED FROM THEFT.
BUT AS OF JULY 1ST, I WON'T BE ANY WAY FOR ANYBODY TO ILLEGALLY PURCHASE MARIJUANA UNTIL NOT RETAIL SALES.
I MEAN, I, I GUESS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY LEGAL WAY WOULD BE TO GROW YOUR OWN, I SUPPOSE.
SO, SO I ACTUALLY, I'M NOT SURE THERE'S ONE ASPECT I'M NOT SURE ABOUT IS WHETHER OR NOT A NON RETAIL SALE IS PERMITTED.
I COULD LOOK AT IT AND CHECK FOR IT, SPEAK WITH RIGHT.
I BELIEVE IT CAN BE GIFTED, BUT THEN HOW DID, HOW DID THAT PERSON ACQUIRE IT? SO I GUESS THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY IS THAT DE-COLONIZATION DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN HAVE POUNDS OF MARIJUANA IS THERE'S SOME SPECIFICS, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE AMSTERDAM.
SO, SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE DON'T TAKE TOO MUCH OF ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
THANK YOU, MR. BARNETT, YOU WEAR MANY HATS AND I DO SEE SOME OF THE TOBACCO RETAILERS HERE.
I SEE MR. WINFREY, MR. PATEL, AND, UH, WHENEVER YOU HAVE YOUR THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK, IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING, UH, THAT THE BOARD DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT THE SALES OR DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA HUB, YOU'RE FEEL FREE TO ADDRESS IT AND WE WON'T HOLD IT AGAINST YOUR TIME.
[CITIZENS' COMMENT PERIOD]
SAID THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD.AND FIRST UP WE HAVE THE LALA JOHNSON, MS. JOHNSON, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES FIRST AND BE OF THE LEELA JOHNSON, TWO 16 ASHTON DRIVE YORKTOWN.
FIRST ON BEHALF OF THE GEORGIA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, MR. NEIL MORGAN, DR.
SCHENDEL THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE STAFF, THE VOLUNTEERS, AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO WORKED DILIGENTLY ARRANGING AND SCHEDULING THE COVER VACCINES FOR ALL THE EDUCATORS SUBSTITUTE.
WE KNOW IT WAS A MONUMENTAL TASK AND I'M VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE HAD MY TWO DOSES TODAY.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE 2021, 2022 YCC BUDGET.
WE APPRECIATE THE YC AS D WAS ABLE TO FIND A WAY TO KEEP ALL STAFF EMPLOYEE, AND THEN NO ONE WAS FURLOUGHED DURING THE PANDEMIC.
BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FUTURE AND THE DESPERATE NEED TO RESTORE AT LEAST TWO STEPS FOR EDUCATORS WHO HAVE PAID A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRICE DUE TO THE PREVIOUSLY FROZEN STEPS FOR TOO LONG.
THIS IS NOT A PAID RACE FOR THOSE LISTENING AT HOME OR HERE THAT DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS.
I WANT TO OFFER AN EXAMPLE WHEN A QUALIFIED TEACHERS APPLY FOR A JOB IN YOUR COUNTY AND THE PRINCIPAL FORWARDS THE NAME TO HR DEPARTMENT FOR AN OFFER THAT KINDER THE CANDIDATE WILL OFFER THE FOLLOWING.
WE WANT YOU TO COME TO WORK FOR US, BUT YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP THREE STEPS IN YOUR SALARY.
YOU WILL NOT BE RECOGNIZED FOR THREE YEARS OF YOUR EXPERIENCE.
YOU HAVE 10 VERIFY QUALIFY YEARS AS A TEACHER, AND YOU WILL KEEP 10 YEARS CREDIT, BUT WHY CSD CAN ONLY PAY YOU AS A SEVEN YEAR TEACHER BECAUSE EVERY OTHER TEACHER IN THE DIVISION IS WORKING UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS, THREE STEPS BELOW THEIR QUALIFIED VERIFY AND ENTITLED EXPERIENCE.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE HEART, NOT JUST FOR YC AS THE, TO ATTRACT AND HIRE NEW QUALIFIED APPLICANTS.
BUT IT'S THE MORALIZING FOR TEACHERS.
AS WE SEE OTHER DIVISIONS RECEIVING THE FULL PERCENTAGE FIVE PERCENTAGE AND KEEPING UP WITH OUR STEPS.
WE UNDERSTAND THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COUNTY BOARD MUST BALANCED BUDGET AND CONSIDER ALL EXPENSES.
I JUST ALSO WANT TO REMIND THIS BOARD THAT TEACHERS ARE BEING ASKED TO STEP UP AND DO MORE, NOT JUST DURING COVID, BUT EVERY DAY WE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO LEARN CANVAS TEAMS, MASTERY CONNECT, AND EVERY OTHER THING IN BETWEEN SWITCH OVERNIGHT TO VIRTUAL TEACH HYBRID AND BOTH HAD THE SAME TIME GIVE UP OUR LUNCHES, WILL KIDS EAT IN OUR CLASSROOM, CALL STUDENTS HOME, VISIT THEIR HOMES.
[00:50:01]
WE ALWAYS FOUND A WAY OUR STUDENTS ARE AND WILL ALWAYS BE OUR FIRST PRIORITY.SO I ASKED THE BOARD TO ALSO FIND A WAY TO PROVIDE TEACHERS WITH OVERDO, RESTORE STEPS, AND IN DOING SO, BRINGING US CLOSER TO THE SPIRIT STEP, WE HAVE QUALIFIED AND WORK FOR THIS IS NOT JUST THE RIGHT AND MORAL THING TO DO, BUT IT WILL ALSO TELL OUR STUDENTS THAT THIS COUNTY VALUES THEM ENOUGH TO GIVE THEM THE VERY BEST.
THANK YOU, MS. JOHNSON, NEXT ON THE LIST IS DR.
VICK SHANDOR OR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, DR.
SHANDRA, IF YOU COULD STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, THANK YOU, MR. GREEN, UH, ADDRESS IS ONE 14 PUNKY TURN YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA, TWO THREE SIX NINE THREE.
AND AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, I'M THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
SO I CAME HERE THIS EVENING TO THANK MR. MORGAN AND HIS TEAM FOR RELENTLESSLY ADVOCATING TO GET BOTH COUNTY AND DIVISION EMPLOYEES, ACCESS TO VACCINES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, WHAT MOST PEOPLE WON'T KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY ARE MANY OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS WON'T KNOW THAT THIS ALL STARTED ON MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY.
UM, I WAS, UH, NOT IN THE OFFICE CAUSE WE WERE ON VACATION AND MR. MORGAN CALLED ME BRIGHT AND EARLY IN THE MORNING AND HE ASKED FOR ABOUT 200 NAMES AND I SAID, WELL, NEIL, I'M NOT SURE HOW I CAN GET AHOLD OF MY STAFF MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY'RE ON VACATION TODAY.
AND HE SAID WITH ALL DUE RESPECT WORLD VACATION TOO.
AND I'M WITHIN ABOUT 30 MINUTES, I HAD MY STAFF ON A CALL AND UM, QUITE HONESTLY, THE REST IS HISTORY FROM THERE THAT THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND COORDINATION, UH, TO SUPPORT MORE THAN 1700 Y CSD STAFF MEMBERS SUCCESSFULLY GETTING FULLY VACCINATE VACCINATED WAS JUST TREMENDOUS.
AND I'LL TELL YOU BEFORE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY, UH, ON THE PENINSULA, THERE REALLY WASN'T MUCH OF A COORDINATED PLAN.
MR. MORGAN IS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THAT PLAN GOING SO THAT THE FIVE OF YOU CERTAINLY NEED TO KNOW HE WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN GETTING THAT TAKEN CARE OF FOR ALL THE SCHOOL DIVISIONS IN COUNTIES AND CITIES ON THE PENINSULA.
SO OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL WEEKS, OUR STAFF MET WITH MULTIPLE COUNTY STAFF MEMBERS TO PLAN AND COORDINATE VACCINATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL STAFF AMONG THOSE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE, OUR CHIEF KAPUSCINSKI.
AND I DID SAY THAT RIGHT, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO THOUGHT I COULDN'T SAY HIS NAME, VIVIAN MCGUIGAN, MARK BELLAMY, AND SEAN SEGA BLOOM.
UM, THOSE FOLKS HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
I KNOW THAT CHIEF AND SEAN WERE OFTEN ON CALLS, MEETINGS AND EMAILS WITH OUR STAFF AFTER HOURS AND WEEKENDS, SOMETIMES COORDINATING CLINIC OPPORTUNITIES AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS WITH WITHIN A MOMENT'S NOTICE, THEY WORKED TO MAKE SURE ALL OUR QUESTIONS AND NEEDS WERE ADDRESSED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AT THE SCHOOL DIVISION LEVEL OF DR.
NO MATTER WHAT TIME THEY CAME IN.
FOR MANY OF THE STAFF, I JUST MENTIONED, THIS WAS FULL-TIME WORK ON TOP OF THEIR ONGOING DAILY DUTIES.
ALSO, I NEED TO RECOGNIZE CHIEF PAIN, UM, WHO ALL OF YOU KNOW, HE RECENTLY RETIRED.
HE STEPPED IN TO HELP COORDINATE ALL THE VOLUNTEER HOURS.
HE'S BEEN AMAZING, UM, BEFORE HIS RETIREMENT AND EVEN AFTER HIS RETIREMENT, WHEN OUR STAFF HAVE BEEN ABLE TO VOLUNTEER AT THE CLINICS, THEY'VE THEY HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THE OPERATIONS AND ENJOY THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES.
ADDITIONALLY, I WANT TO THANK MR. COUNTY STAFF AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR PROVIDING $2 MILLION OF CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE ONE-TO-ONE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.
AS YOU KNOW, THE DIVISION INITIATED THE PROGRAM IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE EMERGENCY MANDATED CLOSINGS TO SCHOOLS LAST SPRING, TYPICALLY SCHOOL DISTRICTS TAKE YEARS TO MOVE FROM NO INDIVIDUAL STUDENT DEVICES TO A FULL ONE-TO-ONE PROGRAM.
AND WITH YOUR SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN MONTHS NOT YEARS.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND MY TEAM.
ANY MORE CITIZENS' COMMENTS? I HAVE NONE.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO COUNTY ATTORNEY ANY REPORTS, ALTHOUGH WHAT I JUST GAVE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
YEAH, WELL, WE'LL MOVE, WE'LL MOVE ON COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, I'LL SPEAK OF WHEN WE START THE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE LONG,
[MATTERS PRESENTED BY THE BOARD]
BUT LET'S GO INTO, UH, MATTERS PRESENTED BY THE BOARD AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A BRIEF RECESS BEFORE WE START OUR PUBLIC HEARING.SO AT THIS TIME, MISS KNOLL, AND SINCE WE'RE RUNNING LATE, I WILL NOT MAKE ANY COMMENTS TONIGHT.
OKAY, MR. ZAREMBA, ANY MATTERS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, THIS MORNING I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING FIRST OUT OF THE BOX WITH RESPECT TO OUR ANNUAL RETREAT WITH THE SCHOOL DIVISION, SPECIFICALLY THE YOUTH COUNCIL, UM, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, 10 QUESTIONS WE'LL GOT THE CITIZEN, THE
[00:55:01]
STUDENTS OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, PUT TOGETHER QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED BY BOTH, UH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR MEMBER AND THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.AND, UH, I THINK WE HAD A REALLY SPIRITED EXAMPLE THIS MORNING, UH, HARD QUESTIONS.
I HOPE NOBODY WAS OFFENDED BY THE HARD ANSWERS THAT MAY HAVE COME BACK AS WELL DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, NOW, YOU KNOW, IT OCCURRED TO ME AND THIS WAS FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
UH, NORMALLY WE HAVE AN ANNUAL RETREAT AND THE PURPOSE OF THE ANNUAL RETREAT IS WE GET TOGETHER.
AND WE BASICALLY, AT THE END OF THAT RETREAT, WE HAVE SET THE COURSE FOR THE COUNTY, BOTH IN TERMS OF GROWTH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, GREEN SPACE IN THE, LIKE WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
I'D LIKE ALL OF YOU TO CONSIDER THAT IS A MINIMUM.
WE HAVE AN UPDATE WITH RESPECT TO WHERE THE STEERING COMMITTEE IS WITH RESPECT TO THE COMP PLAN, AS WELL AS HAVING A REALLY GOOD UPDATE ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PATH.
THE COUNTY'S ON TO INCLUDE PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERPINNINGS AS TO WHAT DIRECTION WE'RE GOING IN.
THANK YOU, MR. ZAREMBA, MR. RYAN, I'LL DEFER TO THE NEXT MEETING MR. SHEPHERD.
UM, WE WOULD GET UP, I'D LIKE TO GET AN ECONOMICAL.
HOW ARE THE BUSINESS DOING? I HAVE NO CLUE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOWN HERE AND, AND, UH, WE MIGHT GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE MAY NEED TO CONSIDER, UH, FOR THE BOARD REAL QUICK.
UM, FROM THE HR TAC, UH, YOU KNOW, WE FINISHED STATE OF STAGE ONE, UM, OF THE, UH, UM, OR SEGMENT ONE OF 64 AND, UH, W WE ARE, UM, AND THAT WAS ABOUT $140 MILLION SOMEWHERE RIGHT IN THERE.
STAGE TWO, UM, BASICALLY IS, UM, ALMOST, WELL, LET ME SEE, IS THIS THING SAYS MULLIGAN STAGE TWO.
THIS ONE HERE, UH, IS BASICALLY $175 MILLION.
AND THEN STAGE THREE, AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH COMPLETE TWO AND THEN STAGE THREE, WHICH IS STILL BEING WORKED, UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S GOING TO BE $244 MILLION.
SO THESE NICE BIG NUMBERS LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE.
IT GOT EXTENDED IS SUPPOSED TO BE FINISHED IN SEPTEMBER NOW IT'S GONNA BE FINISHED IN DECEMBER.
AND, UM, AND THEN WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE ISSUE BETWEEN, UM, UH, YOUR COUNTY, BASICALLY AT THE END OF YOUR COUNTY AND WHERE IT GOES OVER TO, UM, UH, BOTTOM'S BRIDGE OVER BY RICHMOND.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT, THAT PART IN THERE FUNDED, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO GET FUNDING ON THAT TOO.
SO AS MUCH AS THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, IT IS A LOT OF MONEY.
UM, WHEN WE GET, UH, THE, UH, WHEN WE GET THE FORT EUSTIS INTERCHANGE ADDED IN THERE, THAT'S A HUNDRED, ANOTHER $197 MILLION.
SO IT'LL BE ABOUT A LITTLE OVER A BILLION DOLLARS WHEN THAT WHOLE SECTION IS DONE.
AND BY THAT TIME, WHEN THAT COMES OUT, THE TUNNEL WILL HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
AND, UH, A LOT OF THE OTHER PROJECTS WILL HAVE BEEN DONE, BUT IT JUST LETS YOU KNOW THAT, UH, YEAH, WE'VE GOT THE MONEY WE WE'RE, UH, WE'RE USING IT WISELY AND, UM, AND UH, THINGS ARE GETTING COMPLETED FINALLY.
UH, MR. ZAREMBA, ONE THING ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, I HAPPENS TO BE THE BOARD REPRESENTATIVE, BUT WE WILL BE COMING IN AND SPEAKING, MR. KING, WHO IS THE CHAIR AND MR. JOHNS, THE VICE CHAIR WILL BE COMING IN HERE SOON AS WE CAN COME UP AND GIVE A REPORT PROGRESS REPORT.
WE HAVE BEEN SLOW AND DELIBERATE ON THINGS BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET IT RIGHT.
AND, UH, WE DON'T SEE, UH, UH, NECESSARILY, UH, UH, TIME TO RUSH.
IT'S, UH, A DOCUMENT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET RIGHT.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO SPEND ON EACH SECTION AND GET THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF CITIZEN COMMENT.
AND, UH, SO FAR I THINK WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AND IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING WITH COVID, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK AND HAVE AN IN-PERSON MEETINGS WITH THE COMP PLAN.
AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN WILL BE IN HERE SHORTLY TO GIVE US AN UPDATE.
SO WITH THAT, GETTING RID OF THE COUNCIL ISSUE, KEEP IN MIND ALSO THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT NEIGHBOR, COOL, JAMES CITY COUNTY, THEY WERE DOING IT PER A LITTLE UPDATE ON THEIR COMPENSATION PLAN YEARS AGO.
WE AGREED THAT THERE'D BE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE TWO JURISDICTIONS BECAUSE OF THE BOUNDARIES.
UH, AND AS I JUST READ IN THE PAPER A WEEK OR SO AGO, THEY'VE ALREADY HAD THREE INTERSECTIONS WITH THE CITIZENS, JAMES CITY COUNTY, GETTING GUIDANCE, GETTING GUIDANCE, GETTING GUIDANCE.
GUESS WHAT THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS, OR THE CITIZENS WE CAN SPACE OR COMP PLAN WILL BE BETTER THAN JAMES CITY COUNTY.
BUT, UH, WITH THAT IT'S A SEVEN OH ONE.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS AND WE'LL BE BACK HERE AT SEVEN OH SIX
[01:00:02]
RECESS.AT THIS TIME, CALL THE MEETING ORDER APPLICATION
[1 Application No. UP-962-21, Andrew Piske. Consider adoption of Proposed Resolution R21- 54 to authorize firearms sales and gunsmithing as a home occupation with on-premises customer/ client contact on property located at 211 Henry Lee Lane. a. Memorandum from County Administrator. b. Planning Commission minutes excerpts, February 10, 2021. c. Zoning Map. d. Narrative. e. Sketch and Floor Plan. f. Support Petition. g. Proposed Resolution No. R21-54.]
UPP NINE SIX TWO DASH TWO ONE ALL ON MR. EARL ANDERSON FOR A PRESENTATION.SO THIS APPLICATION IS FOR UPC NINE SIX TWO DASH 21 FOR MR. ANDREW
IT IS A REQUEST TO AUTHORIZE FIREARMS, SALES AND GUNSMITHING AS A HOME OCCUPATION AT TWO ONE ONE HENRY LEE LANE.
UH, THAT'S THE PROPERTY OUTLINED HERE IN RED.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SURROUNDING ZONING IS ALL OUR 20, UH, MAINLY SINGLE FAMILY, UM, IN THIS AREA, UM, IN THE GAINS OF STATE SUBDIVISION, UH, THE PARCEL IS ABOUT A 0.4 ACRE PARCEL IN THE SUBDIVISION.
UH, THIS IS AN AERIAL SHOT, SO YOU CAN SEE THE SURROUNDING HOMES AND, AND AREA.
UH, THIS IS A PICTURE FROM THE PROPERTY OF THE, FROM THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, MR. PESCI, UM, WILL HAVE TWO PLACES IN HIS HOME WHERE YOU'LL HAVE, UM, THIS OPERATION GOING ON ONE WILL BE A SMALL SPACE IN HIS, UH, BACK DETACHED GARAGE AREA.
AND THEN HE HAS A SPACE IN HIS HOME.
UM, AND THEN THIS IS THE DRIVEWAY AREA.
YOU CAN SEE HE'S GOT TWO CARS IN THE ACTUAL DRIVEWAY AND HE, UH, ON HIS PLAN, HE'S SHOWN THE CREATION OF ANOTHER TWO PARKING SPACES HERE WHERE THIS TRUCK IS PARKED OUT.
SO IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, I'VE GONE, SMITHING IS DEFINED AS THE HOME OCCUPATION AS DESIGNING, MAKING A, REPAIRING A FIREARMS AND WOULD UTILIZE AN AREA IN THAT DETACHED GARAGE AND AN AREA FOR CUSTOMER CLIENT CONTACT IN THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
UH, THE APPLICANT STATED THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS OR SALES OF AMMUNITION ON THE PROPERTY.
AND A CONDITION HAS BEEN PROPOSED FOR BOTH OF THOSE, UH, WITHIN THE RESOLUTION.
IT'S ALSO NOTED THE MUCH OF THE WORK THAT HE DOES IS USES HAND TOOLS AND MACHINERY THAT ARE TYPICALLY FOUND AT HOME GARAGE.
AND NO COMPLAINTS FOR NOISE HAVE BEEN FILED WITH THE COUNTY ON THIS PROPERTY.
NOW, THIS IS THE APPLICANT'S, UH, FLOOR PLAN, UH, IN THE DETACHED GARAGE, HE WOULD HAVE ABOUT 168 SQUARE FEET OF AREA USED FOR THE GUNSMITHING THERE IN THE RED.
AND THEN IN THE HOME, HE WOULD HAVE ABOUT 128, UM, SQUARE FOOT SPACE, UH, WHERE HE WAS, HAVE A PLACE TO HOLD RECORDS AND MEET WITH CLIENTS.
UM, ACCESS WOULD BE THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR OF THE HOME, INTO, INTO THAT SPACE.
UH, THE ZONING ORDINANCE HAS DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE STANDARDS WHEN IT COMES TO THESE KINDS OF HOME OCCUPATIONS.
UH, ONE OF THE STANDARDS IS THAT THE HOME OCCUPATION IS NOT PERMITTED TO OCCUPY MORE THAN 25% OF THE PRINCIPAL FLOOR AREA OR 400 SQUARE FEET, WHICHEVER WHICHEVER LIMITED MEETS FIRST, UH, THIS HOME, ACCORDING TO OUR RECORDS IS 2,403 SQUARE FEET.
THE TWO, UM, SPACES ADDED TOGETHER AS 296 SQUARE FEET, WHICH IS ABOUT 12% OF THE TOTAL STRUCTURE.
SO IT'S WELL BELOW BOTH OF THE 400 AND THE 25%.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THE HOUSE IS REQUIRED TO HAVE TWO PARKING SPACES FOR THE RESIDENTS AND TWO PARKING SPACES FOR CUSTOMERS AND THE, HE HAS PLENTY OF ROOM IN HIS DRIVEWAY FOR, FOR THOSE SPACES.
THESE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS ALSO TALK ABOUT HOURS OF OPERATION, DAYS OF OPERATION.
THE ZONING ORDINANCE ALLOWS MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 8:00 AM TO 8:00 PM.
UH, MR. PESCI IS ONLY LOOKING TO OPERATE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 9:00 AM TO 4:00 PM.
IT WILL BE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, UH, WITH ONLY ONE CUSTOMER AT A TIME.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN PUT IN THE RESOLUTION ALSO SO THAT HE WOULD BE CONDITIONED FOR THAT SIGNAGE IS ALLOWED ACCORDING TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE FOR HOME OCCUPATIONS, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE A THREE SQUARE FOOT SIGN.
UM, THE APPLICANT HAS SAID HE HAS NO DESIRE FOR A SIGN.
UH, THIS CAME BECAME A CONCERN FOR SOME OF THE CITIZENS SPEAKING DURING THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID ADD A CONDITION THAT NO SIGNAGE WOULD IT BE ALLOWED.
AND THE APPLICANT WAS FINE AT THAT TIME.
THERE ARE, OR MANY OTHER FIREARM HOME OCCUPATIONS HERE IN THE COUNTY.
HERE'S A LIST OF THE FIVE THAT WE HAVE HAD PROVED.
UM, I DID CONTACT OUR ZONING AND FORCED CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE.
THEY HAVE HAD NO COMPLAINTS OR ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS ON ANY OF THESE, UM, PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, UM, HOME OCCUPATIONS.
I, IN ADDITION, I CONTACTED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THEY HAVE HAD NO, UM, THEY RECEIVED NO COMPLAINTS ON ANY OF THESE ADDRESSES OVER THE LAST YEAR, FIVE YEARS.
SO JUST RECENTLY APPROVED ONE ON MASTIN.
I DON'T SEE THAT THERE RIGHT HERE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE COASTAL CUSTOM GUNS.
THAT WAS JUST LAST, LAST SEPTEMBER.
UM, SO WE FEEL THAT THE PROPOSED OCCUPATION, UM, IF IT'S DONE IN THE MANNER THAT THE APPLICANT HAS STATED, UM, WILL HAVE NO, UH, IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER APPROVED
[01:05:01]
HOME OCCUPATIONS.WE'VE HAD NOT ONLY JUST FIREARM SALES, BUT OTHER ONES, UM, THAT WE'VE HAD, WE DON'T FEEL THERE WOULD BE ANY ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE SURROUNDING AREA FROM THIS.
UM, THERE IS NO EXTERIOR CHANGES TO IT.
UH, YOU WON'T KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T A HOUSE, UH, JUST BECAUSE THIS HAS THIS USE AND FEEL LIKE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A SMALL OPERATION.
UH, WE WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THAT.
UH, YOU HAVE RESOLUTION R 2154 THAT COULD DO THAT.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID REVIEW THIS AND THEY DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL SIX TO ZERO.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. MR. ZAREMBA.
UM, MR. ANDERSON, DOES I READ THROUGH THE READ AHEAD? UH, WHAT JUMPED OUT AND KIND OF GOT MY ATTENTION WAS THE SALE OF WEAPONS.
SO ELABORATE WHAT, TO WHAT EXTENT CAN THE, UH, INDIVIDUALS SELL FIREARMS IN THIS BUSINESS? SO THE WAY MR. PESCI HAS DESCRIBED HIS APPLICATION IN THE MATERIAL THAT HE SENT WAS THAT HE, UH, HE RECEIVES FIREARMS THAT PEOPLE HAVE PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED ONLINE.
UM, THEY ARE SENT TO HIM AND HE DOES THE BACKGROUND CHECKS, UM, AND THOSE KINDS OF PIECES.
AND THEN HE SETS IT UP APPOINTMENT WHERE THE CLIENT COMES AND FILLS OUT ANY NECESSARY PEPPY PAPERWORK, AND THEN RECEIVES THE FIREARM.
ONCE ALL THOSE THINGS ARE APPROVED, I WOULD, UH, DEFER TO HIM TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT BETTER DESCRIPTION OF WHAT EXACTLY THAT IS, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
HE WOULDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULDN'T WALK IN AND THERE WOULD BE FIVE OR SIX FIREARMS LAYING AROUND.
AND YOU'D SAY, I WANT THAT ONE KIND OF THING.
YOU'RE WELCOME, MR. RYAN, WHAT'S THE REMEDY FOR ANY ADVERSE IMPACTS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD? SO IF, UM, OUR PROCESS IS COMPLAINT DRIVEN.
SO IF THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, THEN, UH, THEY WOULD MAKE A COMPLAINT TO OUR ZONING, A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE, AND THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE AND PROVIDE ANY REMEDY, UH, WITH THE APPLICANT.
IF THE OUTCOMES WERE UNWILLING TO COMPLY, THEN WE WOULD GO TO COURT WITH THEM.
AND THEN THE JUDGE WOULD DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THAT WHAT THEY HAD TO DO, UH, REMEDY WISE.
UM, IF IT, IF IT, THEY DIDN'T REMEDY, THEN WE COULD REVOKE THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE APPLICANT, MR. PENSKE.
UM, SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, UH, ANDREW PESKY TWO 11 HENRY LEE LANE, YORKTOWN VIRGINIA AT TWO THREE SIX NINE TWO.
UM, SO FIRST OFF, UM, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, UH, AND EXPLAIN THE OPERATIONS THAT ARE ON PROPOSING TO UNDERTAKE AS WELL AS CLEAR UP SOME, SOME INNOCENT INFORMATION AND HOPEFULLY ANSWER ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE PROCESS AT HAND, THE PRIMARY OPERATION OF THE BUSINESS IS GOING TO BE GUNSMITHING.
SO THE REPAIR MODIFICATIONS OF FIREARMS AS OWNED BY THE CUSTOMER.
UM, THE SECOND ASPECT OF THE BUSINESS IS THE, UH, FFL.
SO THEY FEDERAL FIREARMS LICENSEE TO FACILITATE TRANSFERS OF FIREARMS. SO IF AN INDIVIDUAL PURCHASES A FIREARM, ANYWHERE A BACKGROUND CHECK HAS TO BE DONE, THAT'S FILED WITH THE ATF AS WELL AS FILED WITH THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE.
THAT MUST BE DONE IN PERSON BECAUSE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION MUST BE PRESENTED AS A RESULT.
IF YOU GO TO A GUN STORE THAT'S PERFORMED ON SITE SALES, GUN TAKES PLACE, INDIVIDUAL TAKES GUN HOME, SHOULD BACKGROUND CHECK, COME BACK CLEAN IF AN INDIVIDUAL PURCHASES, A FIREARM VIA ONLINE SALES, UH, OR FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, THE STATE OF VIRGINIA DICTATES THE SAME BACKGROUND CHECK MUST GO THROUGH.
AND THAT MUST BE FACILITATED BY AN FFL, WHICH IS WHAT I'M PROPOSING TO DO.
SO AGAIN, UM, AS MR. ANDERSON POINTED OUT, THEY PURCHASE THE GUN FROM AN ONLINE RETAILER THAT IS THEN SHIPPED TO ME AS THE LICENSEE.
IT CANNOT BE SHIPPED TO THE PURCHASER UNTIL THE BACKGROUND CHECK IS COMPLETE.
THEY SHOW UP IN PERSON, PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION.
THAT DOCUMENTATION IS THEN SENT INTO THE STATE POLICE AGAIN, SHOULD IT BE CLEARED AND APPROVED? THE FIREARM IS THEN RELEASED TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.
IF IT IS NOT CLEARED, IT IS SENT BACK TO THE DISTRIBUTOR OR THE ORIGINAL RETAILER.
UM, SO, UM, INFORMATION JUST FOR AWARENESS.
SO I AM A, A FAMILY, UH, MAN, I HAVE A FOUR YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.
SAFETY IS OF PARAMOUNT CONCERN FOR ME.
UM, I AM NOT LOOKING TO HAVE ANYBODY REALIZE THAT THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON AT MY HOME.
SO FOR THIS REASON, I AM NOT ADVERTISING OUT ON MAGAZINES OR FORM BOARDS, THE INTERNET SEEKING CUSTOMERS.
IT'S PURELY A WORD OF MOUTH BUSINESS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING FOR YEARS, JUST AS A HOBBY.
[01:10:01]
AND NOW I'M LOOKING TO TURN IT INTO A SMALL SIDE BUSINESS, IF YOU WILL, WHICH IS ONE OF THE POINTS OF MISINFORMATION.SOMEBODY STATED THAT I STATED MY INTENTION IS TO BUILD THIS TO A POINT TO SUSTAIN MY FAMILY.
I HAVE ZERO INTENTION OF QUITTING MY FULL-TIME JOB IN AN EFFORT TO TAKE THIS ON.
THIS IS PURELY A SIDE BUSINESS.
IF THIS WAS THAT LARGE OF AN OPERATION, I'D BE LOOKING AT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND GOING DOWN THAT AVENUE, THE REALITY IS THIS IS NOT, UM, THIS IS VERY CUSTOMIZED, VERY SPECIALIZED WORK.
THESE ARE HIGHER END BUILDS AND MODIFICATIONS.
IT'S A VERY NICHE MARKET THAT IS RESULTING IN VERY FEW CUSTOMER INTERACTIONS, UM, AGAIN ON THE SAFETY FRONT.
SO I DO HAVE CAMERAS THROUGHOUT MY HOUSE, UH, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR.
UM, THE WEAPONS ARE GOING TO BE SECURED IN A COMMERCIALLY APPROVED, SAFE AT ALL TIMES.
UH, AMMUNITION IS NOT KEPT ANYWHERE NEAR THE FIREARMS. AMMUNITION IS NOT TO BE SOLD.
THIS IS PURELY ON THE TRANSFER SIDE OF THINGS.
AND AS MR. ANDERSON SAID, THE CONCEPTION THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE A BASS PRO OF GUNS IN MY DINING ROOM FOR PEOPLE TO COME OBSERVE AND PURCHASE IS NOT AT ALL THE CASE.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY THAT PROVIDES SOME CLARITY THERE.
UM, AGAIN, JUST REITERATING ON THE CUSTOMER CONTACT FRONT.
SO I AM ANTICIPATING A HANDFUL OF CUSTOMERS A WEEK ON THE HIGH END.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY EXPECTATION.
UM, SO THE IMPACT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN LOCAL SHIPPING COMPANIES, SUCH AS AMAZON, WHO HAS 10 TRUCKS GOING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD EVERY DAY OR VIA THE OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHO HAVE LANDSCAPING TRUCKS OR COMMERCIAL TRUCKS COMING IN AND OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I EVEN DARE SAY, THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE MORE PIZZA DELIVERY DRIVERS COMING IN AND OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEN THERE ARE CUSTOMERS OF MINE.
AND THAT'S JUST BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS A SMALL OPERATION, HENCE WHY I NEEDED TO KEEP MY OVERHEAD DOWN, HENCE WHY I'M LOOKING TO RUN IT OUT OF MY HOME SHOP.
UM, SO AS KNOW, STRANDED US AND SAID, THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF THESE IN OPERATION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THERE'S NOT BEEN ANY INCIDENT.
THIS ISN'T SETTING ANY SORT OF PRECEDENTS.
UM, THIS IS MERELY CONTINUING ON WITH, WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED.
UM, THE, AGAIN, NO INVENTORY OF FIREARMS. SO THE RETAIL SALES PORTION OF THIS IS ONE THING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND THAT'S MERELY A MR. ANDERSON, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
THE REASON THAT VERBIAGE IS IN THERE IS THAT IS THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
SO IT'S JUST BEING CITED AS THE ORDINANCE.
AND THEN THEY'RE ADDING IN THE GUTS SMITHING, UM, PORTION OF IT AS THE OTHER HALF OF MY APPLICATION.
UM, SO THERE'S NOT TO BE, I HAVE NO INTENTION OF HAVING AN INVENTORY OF FIREARMS IN THE HOUSE ON DISPLAY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT JUST, I REALLY WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR THAT THAT'S NOT AT ALL THE INTENTION HERE.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER MITIGATIONS FOR THE TRAFFIC FRONT IS THE APPOINTMENTS.
SO AS STATED IN THE APPLICATION, UM, I HAVE CORE, I HAVE BUSINESS HOURS THAT I'M MANDATED TO THOSE SAME BUSINESS HOURS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO THE ATF.
SO I'M NOT TO OPERATE OUTSIDE OF THOSE HOURS.
SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A 1:00 AM TRANSFER DONE, OR CUSTOMER CONTACT ON THAT WILL VIOLATE NOT ONLY YOUR COUNTY, BUT AS WELL AS THE ETF'S, UH, LICENSING THAT I'M APPLYING FOR.
CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING I'M LOOKING TO JEOPARDIZE.
UM, I AM SUBJECTED TO ATF AUDITS.
SO AGAIN, PAPERWORK AND DOCUMENTATION IS PARAMOUNT FOR ME.
UH, EVERYTHING THAT COMES IN AND GOES OUT IS RECORDED SERIAL NUMBERS, TIMES DATES, CUSTOMER INFORMATION, UM, ALL OF THAT RECORD KEEPING AGAIN, MANDATED BY STATE AND FEDERAL LAW.
UH, THE APPOINTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE, UM, FOR ANY SORT OF CUSTOMER CONTACT.
SO IF A CUSTOMER IS COMING BY JUST TO DISCUSS THINGS, TO ASK QUESTIONS, IT'S GOING THROUGH AN APPOINTMENT, THAT'S GETTING LOGGED, UM, APPOINTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE BUFFERED.
SO EVEN IF IT'S THE ANTICIPATION OF A 10 MINUTE CONVERSATION, IT'S GOING TO BE BLOCKED OUT FOR AN HOUR TO ENSURE THE NEXT APPOINTMENT ISN'T GOING TO COME IN EARLY.
AND NOW I'VE GOT SOMEBODY WAITING IN MY DRIVEWAY WHILE I FINISH UP WITH THE FIRST CUSTOMER.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE IF I'VE GOT THE LUXURY OF DEFERRING CLIENTS, OF TURNING CLIENTS AWAY, UM, I HAVE THE LUXURY OF SAYING I'M BOOKED UP ON THIS DAY, CAUSE I'M ALREADY SEEING SOMEONE.
WHY DON'T YOU COME BY THE NEXT DAY AGAIN, JUST TO MITIGATE, UM, ANY SORT OF TRAFFIC ISSUES OR TRAFFIC CONCERNS, UM, YOUR COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, STIPULATED IN
[01:15:01]
THEIR COMMENTS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE ALL STREET PARKING.THAT'S SOMETHING I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT.
WE HAVE ENOUGH ISSUES WITH PEOPLE PARKING ON THE STREETS.
UM, SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY SORT OF TRAFFIC IMPACTS THERE BECAUSE EVERYONE WILL BE PARKING OFF STREET.
AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PARKING IN THE DRIVEWAY WHILE I'M PARKING ON THE STREET EVERYTHING'S IN, IN THE DRIVEWAY.
UM, THAT'S JUST HOW I OPERATE AS IT IS WITH RARE EXCEPTION.
UM, THE WORK AREA IN THE GARAGE IS UNDER AGAIN, SURVEILLANCE AS WELL AS KEYPAD.
SO EVERYTHING IS UNDER LOCK AND KEY, EVEN THE TOOLS AND MACHINERY.
UM, AGAIN, I HAVE A FOUR-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER THAT, TO ME, IT'S COMMON SENSE, BUT IT BEARS REITERATING THAT SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT CONCERN.
UM, TO THAT END, UH, THERE WAS ALSO CONCERN THAT THIS APPLICATION WOULD BE OPENING UP A CAN OF WORMS FOR THE SALE OF MY HOUSE.
SO I'VE HAD SEVERAL NEIGHBORS SAY, I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
MY CONCERN IS WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU SELL THE HOUSE? FIRST OFF MY INTENTION, THE WHOLE REASON I MOVED TO YOUR COUNTY IS TO KEEP MY DAUGHTER INTO THE SCHOOL OR GET MY DAUGHTER INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT I PLAN ON LIVING HERE.
FURTHERMORE, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MR. MORGAN'S, UM, COMMENTS NOW STIPULATE THAT THIS IS TIED TO MY NAME, NOT MY PROPERTY ADDRESS.
SO AGAIN, THAT CONCERN IS ALLEVIATED.
SO SHOULD I SELL THE HOUSE? SHOULD I MOVE OUT? THEN THIS PERMIT, MY UNDERSTANDING WILL BE NO LONGER VALID THE PERSON.
THE NEXT PERSON IS GOING TO HAVE TO REAPPLY JUST AS THEY WOULD ANY OTHER, NO PROPERTY.
UM, FROM THERE, UM, AGAIN, UH, BEARS REITERATING.
I HAVE NO INTENTION OF DOING COMMERCIAL RELOADING, SO I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE LARGE QUANTITIES OF AMMUNITION.
THERE WON'T BE ANY RELOADING EQUIPMENT.
THERE WON'T BE THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OF GUNPOWDER AGAIN IN LARGE QUANTITIES ON SITE.
UM, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT PART OF THE SERVICES THAT I OFFER, UM, WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP.
SEE WHAT QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER.
I CAN RELIEVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. PITTS REAL QUICK.
THE WEAPONS ARE COMING FROM WHOLESALE WHOLESALER.
UM, I MEAN, WELL, IF YOU COULD USE ME AS YOUR GUY.
I WANT TO BE CUSTOMER OF YOURS.
DO I HAVE A GUN I'VE ORDERED FROM SOMEBODY WHO GOES DOTE TO YOU? NOT TO MY HOUSE.
AND YOU DO WHAT'S NECESSARY TO GET ME FULLY LICENSED BACKGROUND CHECKS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO IF YOU GO TO GUNS.COM AND YOU PURCHASE A RIFLE, A HUNTING RIFLE, IT CAN NOT BE SHIPPED TO YOU BECAUSE IT'S A SERIALIZED WEAPON THAT IS REGULATED.
IT IS SHIPPED TO A FEDERALLY LICENSED INDIVIDUAL TO PERFORM THE BACKGROUND CHECK, AND THEN TRANSFER IT TO YOU.
GOT IT, MR. RON, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. PESCI? A COUPLE, COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
WHAT, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR BUSINESS DO YOU ANTICIPATE BEING GUNSMITH AND GUN REPAIR VERSUS TRANSFERS? I WOULD VENTURE A GUESS TO SAY 75 TO 80% IS GOING TO BE ON THE REPAIRS AND MODIFICATIONS, WHEREAS 20 TO 25% IS GOING TO BE ON THE TRANSFERS.
SO THE TREND AND SORRY, JUST AGAIN, TO REITERATE.
SO IF I DO A TRANSFER, I HAVE TO FILL OUT MYSELF AND THE APPLICANT, MULTIPLE PAGES OF PAPERWORK FOR THE ATF, AS WELL AS FOR THE STATE POLICE, THAT PAPERWORK I HAVE TO MAINTAIN FOR 20 YEARS.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF INCENTIVE FOR ME TO DO THAT, TO MAKE A COUPLE BUCKS.
I DON'T GET A PERCENTAGE OF THE FIREARM SALES, I, MY STRICTLY GETTING A DOCUMENTATION FEE AND THAT'S IT.
SO THAT'S REALLY NOT A BUSINESS MODEL.
IT'S JUST A CONVENIENCE ADD FOR CUSTOMERS, YOUR CUSTOMER STORAGE, SAFE.
WHAT'S THE PRACTICAL STORAGE CAPACITY THAT SAFE, NOT THE, NOT THE MANUFACTURER ADVERTISED UNDERSTOOD, UNDERSTOOD VERY DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
UM, I WOULD SAY THE REALISTIC STORAGE FOR A LONG GUNS ON THE CUSTOMER SIDE WOULD BE 10 TO 12 JUST BECAUSE I PUT HUGE BUFFER.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A LIMITATION OF THE, OF THE AMOUNT OF BUSINESS YOU CAN PROCESS BECAUSE YOU CAN ONLY, YOU CAN ONLY WORK ON WHAT YOU CAN STORE EXACTLY PER IF FOR THE ATF L CORRECT.
IF IT IS NOT ACTIVELY BEING WORKED ON IT IS LOCKED UP IN THE SAFE AND THAT'S NOT.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT SITTING OUT ON THE TABLE WITH A GUN TRIGGER LOCK ON IT.
IT IS SECURED IN A SAFE EVERY NIGHT.
WHEN YOU FINISH YOUR WORK, YOU GOT TO LOCK EVERYTHING BACK UP, CORRECT? CORRECT.
THANK YOU, MR. SHEPHERD, ARE YOU A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION? I AM NOT.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
THERE WAS ALSO A BIT OF MISINFORMATION CITING SOME HOA REGULATIONS THAT I AM NOT A PART OF.
[01:20:01]
OKAY.UM, SO YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT STORING ANY MUNITIONS THERE CURRENTLY, OTHER THAN MAYBE FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL USE, PERSONAL AMMUNITION IS STORED SEPARATELY AND AWAY FROM A FIREARMS. BE CUSTOMER FIREARMS. OKAY.
ANY, ANY CHEMICALS OR ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE USING THAT COULD BE A SIGNIFICANCE, NOT OF SIGNIFICANCE.
UH, SO TYPICAL CHEMICALS FOUND IN A I'D CALL IT A MACHINE SHOP, BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT 55 GALLON DRUMS OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
IT'S A SMALL SCALE, UH, A GALLON HERE GUY.
DID EITHER ONE UNDERSTAND ONE ASPECT OF YOUR BUSINESS? UM, IF, UH, SOMEONE LIVES IN SAY, UM, ARKANSAS AND WANTS TO COME OUT HERE, VISIT SOMEONE, UH, TYPICALLY THEY, THEY, UH, IF THEY, THEY COULD SHIP THEIR WEAPONS TO YOU, YOU COULD THEN, UH, HOLD THEM FOR, FOR THEM TO PICK THEM UP.
THEY THERE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO SHIP YOUR OWN FIREARMS AND YOU CAN TRAVEL WITH YOUR OWN FIREARM.
SO, UH, NOT SHIT BUT TRAVEL WITH.
SO IF THEY'RE FLYING ON A PLANE, THEY CAN CHECK IT AS THEIR BAGGAGE.
UM, I, I'M NOT GOING TO BE IN THE STORAGE AND RECIPIENT OF GUNS BUSINESS.
I MEAN, I'VE HEARD THAT PEOPLE DO THAT.
NOT NORMALLY COMING THIS WAY, NORMALLY DOING IT GOING, GOING WEST.
THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
YOU'RE HOW FAR ALONG IN THAT PROCESS? UH, PENDING THIS APPROVAL.
SO THEY, THEY HAVE APPROVED THE APPLICATION PENDING ZONE.
WILL YOU BE ASKING FOR A SPECIAL OCCUPANCY TAX? SO TAKE THAT IS TO BE DETERMINED.
SO NOT AT THIS TIME THERE, MY WORK DOESN'T JUSTIFY THE FEE, SO SOTS $500 A YEAR.
UM, AND THAT'S, UH, I'M NOT GOING INTO AGAIN, CAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE RETAIL SALES.
IT WOULD STRICTLY BE THE WORKING ON.
AND IN ALL FAIRNESS, I NEED CLARIFICATION FROM THE ATF BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF GRAY AREA AS FAR AS WHAT CAN BE WORKED ON.
IF IT IS AN ESTABLISHED NFA ITEM VERSUS ME MANUFACTURING AN NFA ITEM, THOSE ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE IT'S A BIT OF A GRAY AREA, BUT I, I DO NOT HAVE AN SOT APPLICATION PENDING.
SO YOU KNOW MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR. PESCI, WE WILL OPEN THE, I'LL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.
AND FIRST WE HAVE SANDRA CULVER, SANDRA PALLBEARER.
IF YOU COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES AT SANDRA CULVER, ONE 36 BRANDYWINE DRIVE YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA, TWO THREE SIX NINE TWO.
AND I AM ONE OF THE 65 SIGNATURES ON A PETITION THAT OPPOSES THIS APPLICATION, WHICH REPRESENTS, UH, 47 HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE, UH, FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
UM, THIS GOES AGAINST THE COVENANTS AGAINST THE STATES AND WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES NO NOXIOUS OR, OR OFFENSIVE TRADE OR ACTIVITY SHALL BE CARRIED ON UPON ANY LOTS, NOR SHALL ANYTHING BE DONE THERE IN WHICH MAY BE, OR BECOME AN ANNOYANCE OR NUISANCE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, NOR SHALL ANY PART OF THE LAND SHOWN ON THE FOURTH SET PLOT, ENTITLED GAINS.
THE STATES BE USED FOR A STORE FACTORY PLACE OF BUSINESS OR ANY COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.
THIS IS FILED WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE CIRCUIT COURT.
I MAY OF 1989, MR. PUSKIS PROPERTY IS IN GAINS A STATE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE HOUSEHOLDS ARE IN THE BRANDYWINE LAKE OWNERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS AN HOA.
AND THEY ALSO HAVE COVENANTS, WHICH STATE ALMOST VERBATIM THE SAME AS GAINS OF STATES.
NO NOXIOUS, THE WERE OFFENSIVE TRADE OR BUSINESS OR ACTIVITY WILL BE CARRIED UPON ANY LOT, NOR SHALL ANYTHING BE DONE THERE IN WHICH MAY BE, OR BECOME A NEW ANNOYANCE OR A NUISANCE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S ALSO FILED ON THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE CITY COURT IN JUNE OF 1977.
WE'RE OPPOSED TO HAVING THIS BUSINESS IN THERE BECAUSE ONE OF THE REASONS THE TRAFFIC, THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THIS ISN'T ABOUT WHETHER MR. PENSKE IS GOING TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR OR A GOOD STEWARD OR THE TYPE OF BUSINESS.
AND I'M SURE THERE'S GONNA BE SOME PEOPLE STANDING ABOUT THE SECOND AMENDMENT ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS A GUN BUSINESS.
I AM A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT OWNER.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE BUSINESS PER SE.
I AM OPPOSED TO THE CUSTOMER CONTACT.
IT IS A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THIS IS COMPLETELY DIVIDED OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THE RESIDENTS THAT WERE WILLING TO SPEAK HAVE BEEN INTIMIDATED, AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY USED THEIR WORDS THAT THEY'RE AFRAID OF RETALIATION AND HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO COME.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE BRANDYWINE LAKE OWNERS ASSOCIATION, PRESIDENT, WHO WAS
[01:25:01]
INTO MANY BY PHONE CALLS FROM A COUNTY EMPLOYEE, AND SHE IS FEARFUL FOR HER JOB.AND SO SHE HAS CHOSEN NOT TO COME I'M SECRETARY OF THE BRANDYWINE LAKE OWN ASSOCIATION, BY THE WAY.
AND IN CLOSING, I HOPE THE BOARD REALLY CONSIDERS THE FACT THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE HOUSEHOLDS DO NOT WANT THIS BUSINESS BECAUSE OF THE CUSTOMER CONTACT.
AND WE'D LIKE TO KEEP OUR SUBDIVISION OR RESIDENTIAL, NOT BUSINESS.
AND I HOPE THEY WERE CAREFULLY REVIEW THE PACKET THAT WAS, WAS, UH, PROVIDED TO THE BOARD ON MONDAY.
AND I HOPE YOU DENY THIS APPLICATION.
AND I WILL OUTLINE THE REASONS WHY, ESPECIALLY UNIT EFFECT, ALLOWING THE HANDLING OF THE FIVE HOURS OF JUST OUTLINED BY MR. PENSKE.
THIS DOES TWO THINGS FOR ME, IT DEVALUES MY PROPERTY INCREASES LIABILITY AND CUSTOMER CONTACT DIRECTLY ACROSS MY PROPERTY.
I CAN SEE THIS FROM MY YARD BY FIVE TO ONE MARGIN PEOPLE IN THE BRANDYWINE OBJECT TO THIS.
I THINK IT WAS JUST OUTLINED BY, BY SANDY CULVER THAT, UH, THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE STATED ALSO, THERE'S NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT THE SECURITY AND SAFETY THAT MR PENSKE STATED CAN BE EQUATE EQUIVALENT TO A RETAIL SALES MARKET.
ALSO SOMETHING THAT'S JUST CONTINUITY IS HE SAYS HE DOES.
HE'S LIMITING HIS ADVERTISEMENTS WORD OF MOUTH BY THE VERY NATURE OF A BUSINESS.
HE WANTS TO GROW IT BY WORD OF MOUTH OR OTHERWISE.
THERE WERE A LOT OF CLAIMS OF WHAT HE PROPOSES TO DO, BUT WITH LITTLE REGARD, WHAT HE'S ACTUALLY GOING TO DO, AND THAT JUST FLIES IN THE FACE OF LOGIC.
TO ME, HE HAS A RESIDENTIAL R 20, UH, I OBJECTIVES PERMIT BECAUSE IT INCREASES THE POTENTIAL FOR MY LIABILITY AND FOR CUSTOMER CONTACT.
ALSO, THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES FOR HIM TO DO THIS.
TRANSFER OFFSITE IS LAFAYETTE GUN CLUB, AND ACTUALLY THE YORK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BOTH ARE VIABLE ALTERNATIVES.
I'M UH, ON THE PERSONAL FREE ENTERPRISE AND I'M A PERSON, HEY, LISTEN, GUNS ARE A SECOND AMENDMENT, RIGHT? THIS IS A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE THAT WILL DEVALUE MY PROPERTY AND INCONVENIENCE ME WITH NO COMPENSATION.
AND AGAIN, BY FIVE TO ONE MARGIN, PEOPLE IN A BRAND NEW WINE AREA, OBJECT TO THIS WITH RECENT SURVEYS.
YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M GOING TO REPEAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAID.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BUSINESS IN PARTICULAR.
I KNOW THERE'S OTHER BUSINESSES IN BRANDYWINE, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE PERSON TO PERSON CONTACT WHAT HE WILL HAVE.
UM, THIS IS A CUL-DE-SAC THAT WE LIVE ON.
SO THERE WILL BE INCREASED TRAFFIC.
THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THAT MISS THE TWO, ONE, ONE NUMBER AND GO PAST IT, DRIVING THE INTERSECTION.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PET OWNERS THAT WALK THEIR DOG, YOU KNOW, CONCERNED ABOUT OUR NARROW STREETS AND JUST THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING IN AND OUT.
THE OTHER CONCERN OF COURSE, IS SAFETY BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF BUSINESS.
UM, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO, UM, AGAIN, REPEAT THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT AS BEING A PROPERTY OWNER, THAT THIS IS OUR INVESTMENT AND THAT THIS WILL NOT BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BRING THEIR FAMILIES IN, RAISE THEIR FAMILIES BY PURCHASE THE HOMES.
SO THE VALUING THE PROPERTY, AND, UM, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE HAVE TO, MAYBE MR. BARNETT CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
IF WE HAVE TO, AS A PROPERTY OWNER, GO AHEAD AND DISCLOSE THAT INFORMATION, THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT HAS GUN SALES AND THEN ALSO GUN REPAIR BEING DONE.
BUT I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE I WOULD NOT LOOK IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAD GUNS, YOU KNOW, GUNS BEING SOLD OR GUNS BEING REPAIRED, NOT RAISING MY FAMILY.
MY HOME IS MY PLACE WHERE I CAN RELAX WHEN I'M DONE WITH EITHER VOLUNTEER WORK OR MY WORK.
[01:30:01]
JOB.AND, UM, I WANT THAT TO BE MY HOME.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE CAME IN HERE THIS, BEFORE THIS MEETING, WE HAD THE REVEREND COME AND SAY HOME THAT WE LOVE.
AND TO ME, THAT'S NOT ONLY MY COMMUNITY.
AND IF MR. PESCI DOES HAVE THIS, IF YOU DO APPROVE THIS, I WOULD ASK THAT THE BOARD CONSIDER THAT HE HAS TO BE HOME FOR ANY DELIVERY OF WEAPONS, THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST LEFT AT THE DOOR.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ASK FOR CONSIDERATION IS THAT HE HAS A PROFESSIONAL SECURITY SERVICE, NOT JUST CAMERAS UP FROM COSTCO AND THAT'S THANK YOU ALL THAT.
CLEMEN HATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I LIVE AT TWO ONE SIX HENRY LANE, YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA, 23, SIX NINE TWO.
I'M HERE SPEAKING FOR MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND, PETER.
WE ARE THE OWNERS OF TWO, ONE SIX HENRY D. LANE, WHICH IT WOULD BE THE WARMNESS OR MY NEIGHBORS.
ACTUALLY, OUR HOME WAS THE FIRST HOME BUILT IN GAINS ESTATES.
OUR HOME WAS THE FIRST HOME BUILT IN GAIN TO STATES IN 1989.
I DON'T HAVE A COPY WITH ME, BUT THEY ARE ATTACHED TO MY DEED IN THE COURTHOUSE.
UM, I'M THE WHITE HOUSE AT THE CORNER OF HENRY LEE.
AND GAINSWAVE GAINSWAVE, AS YOU KNOW, WAS A DOUBLE CLOSE COOK CULVER STACK.
WE CAN SEE TWO 11 FROM OUR FRONT DOOR AND NINE WINDOWS IN MY HOUSE AND THE YARD WITH NO TROUBLE AT ALL.
THEREFORE OUR PROPERTY WILL BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THIS BUSINESS.
DURING THE PLANNING MEETING, YOU WERE SUGGESTED ALL SAFETY MEASURES FOR THIS BUSINESS ARE IN PLACE.
CHRIS TALKED ABOUT NOISE PARKING, ET CETERA.
PHONE CALLS CAME PRO AND CON IN THAT MEETING, NOT ONCE WAS THE QUESTION OF WHO EXACTLY MIGHT BE COMING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE.
WHEN I SAY NOT EVERYONE WITH INTERESTING GUNS ARE NICE PEOPLE.
I WILL ADD THAT I DO HAVE A CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT AND AM PRO SECOND AMENDMENT WITH THAT REGARD.
UM, AT THIS POINT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT I HAVE JUST WRITTEN QUICKLY.
UH, IF I'M, I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT MR. PENSKE SAID AT THE PLANNING MEETING, THAT HE DID INTEND TO TAKE THIS BUSINESS OUT TO A COMMERCIAL BUILDING AT SOME POINT WHEN HE MADE ENOUGH MONEY.
AND THAT'S JUST KINDA MY WORDS, BUT I DO BELIEVE HE SAID THAT MOST IMPORTANTLY, NO ONE SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPACT THIS WOULD HAVE ON OUR PROPERTY VALUE FOR RENTAL OR RESALE.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO SAY I LOVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE'S CHILDREN, LOTS OF PEOPLE WALKING AROUND WITH THEIR PETS.
KIDS ARE PLAYING SOME MORE FROM THEIR HOME, ET CETERA.
AND THEN FEELING THAT I HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO EXPLAIN THAT TWO 11 IS A BUSINESS, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A STORE VERSUS A SMALL HOME BUSINESS THAT COULD HAVE A TREMENDOUS DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON OUR PROPERTIES AND CLOSING.
I WISH MR. PENSKE AND HIS FAMILY THE BEST FOR HIS BUSINESS VENTURE AND HOPE HE'S SUCCESSFUL.
I BELIEVE EVERYONE SHOULD BE SUCCESSFUL.
HOWEVER, WE CONTEND, HOWEVER, PETER AND I CONTEND THAT HE CAN MAKE AND SHOULD MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS FOR ANY CUSTOMER CONTACT.
AND I REPEAT CUSTOMER CONTACT OUTSIDE HIS HOME AND AWAY FROM OURS.
I BELIEVE THERE IS ROOM FOR COMPROMISE IN THAT REGARD, HIS GUNSMITHING IS FINE.
IT'S THE CUSTOMER CONTACT THAT I THINK THAT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO NOT WANT THIS IN THERE WITH THAT SAID PETER AND I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE CUSTOMER CONTACT PERMISSION, BE DENIED AND ALL OTHER MATTERS BE CONSIDERED CONSIDERED UNAPPROVED.
THANK YOU, NANCY CROCKETT, ROCKET STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
MY HUSBAND AND I LIVED AT TWO 10 HENRY LEE LANE.
YOU COULD SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE PLEASE.
WE LIVE AT TWO 10 HENRY LEE LANE.
OUR HOME IS LOCATED RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ANDREW AND HIS FAMILY.
ANDREW CAME OVER TO OUR HOUSE TO SPEAK TO US WHEN WE REFUTE, RECEIVED THAT FIRST NOTICE TO CLARIFY SOME QUESTIONS WE HAD, THE COUNTY SEEMED A BIT CONFUSED ON HOW TO LABEL THIS PERMIT AS THE ANDREW, ONLY ONE OF THE PERMIT TO VERIFY THE SALES AND TO FILE THE GUN OWNERSHIP ON THE SOLD OUTSIDE OF RETAIL STORE SALES
[01:35:01]
AND TO INCLUDE THE REPAIR OF FIREARMS. AND FORTUNATELY, THE HEADING TITLE OF THE PERMIT CREATED A LOT OF GOSSIP WITHOUT FACTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.MY HUSBAND AND I ARE STRONG SUPPORTERS OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
I'M THANKFUL THAT ANDREW'S DAD TAUGHT HIM AT A VERY YOUNG AGE GUN SAFETY.
I'M ALSO THANKFUL I LIVE ACROSS THE LAKE FROM THE LAFAYETTE GUN CLUB.
THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE WAS WHEN THE ASSOCIATION WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE GUN CLUB.
UM, ANDREW'S NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING FIREARMS. HE WILL BE DEALING BY APPOINTMENT ONLY EIGHT BY REQUEST AND PARKING WILL BE DONE IN HIS DRIVEWAY.
THEREFORE, MY HUSBAND AND I LIVING RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ANDREW, WE AGREE ON GRANTING HIM THIS PERMIT FOR HIS PERSONAL BUSINESS LICENSE TO VERIFY SALE OWNERSHIP OF FIREARMS OR THE REPAIR OF THANK YOU.
BRADFORD POWELL, MR. POWELL, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES BRADFORD PAL TWO OH ONE GAINES WAY, YORKTOWN VIRGINIA, TWO, THREE, SIX 92.
UM, GET TO THE BOTTOM LINE UPFRONT.
I'M AN ADVOCATE OF THIS PETITION.
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT IT PASS FORWARD.
LOTS OF COMMENTS HAVE BEEN RAISED PERSONALLY.
I NEVER SAW THE SURVEY TOO BAD.
UM, BUT THAT BEING SAID, SO I DRIVE I'M IN THE VERY BACK CORNER OF GAINSWAVE.
SO THAT THAT ROAD ENTERS GOES PAST, UH, MR.
AND THEN IT SPLITS OFF TO THE RIGHT I'M ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
UH, MY NEIGHBORS OF COURSE, ARE IN THE COURTROOM HERE TODAY OR THE, THE, THE, THE MEETING ROOM.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD A LOT OF EX UH, A LOT OF ACCUSATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF CONCERNS.
I GET IT, BUT WE'VE KIND OF CROSSED THE RUBICON AND HOME BUSINESS ALREADY, FRANKLY.
SO I GET THE WHOLE THING ABOUT THE DEEDS AND TITLES AND KEVIN IT'S OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, SMALL BUSINESSES, THE BEDROCK OF BUSINESS IN AMERICA, STEVE JOBS, BILL GATES, WHERE'D, THEY START, THEY STARTED IN THEIR GARAGE.
WHY IT'S THE ONLY PLACE THEY COULD AFFORD TO START NO DIFFERENT WITH ANDREW.
SO HE WANTS TO START A SMALL BUSINESS AND THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET IT OFF TOP DEAD CENTER, FRANKLY, I GOTTA BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I THINK HIS BUSINESS IS GOING TO RUN.
IF YOU WILL, UNDER THE RADAR, NOBODY WILL KNOW HE'S THERE.
UM, UNLESS SOMEBODY MAKES A BIG DEAL OF IT AND YOU'RE NOT PUTTING UP A SIGN.
I THINK WE'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED THE THING ABOUT NATIONAL FIRE.
THE FIREARMS IN VIRGINIA, IT'S A MISDEMEANOR CLASS, ONE MISDEMEANOR PUNISHABLE BY $2,500 OR ONE YEAR JAIL AS MOST OF THE BARRISTERS IN COURT NOW, OR THIS, THIS AUDIENCE.
SO HE'S PROVIDING ALSO A SERVICE.
SO IF YOU ARE, I TRANSFERRED A FIREARM, UNLESS IT WAS 100% GRATIS.
WE'RE IN VIOLATION OF A CLASS, ONE MISDEMEANOR UNDER VIRGINIA CODE.
UM, I'VE MET HIM FACE TO FACE.
I DIDN'T JUST PASS HIM IN THE STREET.
I WANTED TO LOOK HIM IN THE EYEBALL AND HEY, THE PROMISES YOU'RE MAKING.
ARE YOU GOING TO FULFILL THEM AND TALKING WITH HIM? I DON'T SEE THAT.
HE'S NOT, HE'S GOT A GUN SAFE, HE'S GOT SECURITY IN PLACE.
HE DOESN'T NEED, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME HIGH PRICED SECURITY BUSINESS TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP THINGS SAFE.
UH, HE'S NO DIFFERENT THAN I AM WITH MY WEAPONS.
THIS IS WHY WE FOUGHT AND SERVED FOR OUR COUNTRY TO PROTECT THESE KINDS OF RIGHTS AND ALLOW AMERICANS TO GO DO FRUITFUL THINGS.
UH, AND THAT'S ABOUT IT AS FAR AS THE STREET ACCESS AS WELL.
UH, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IN THE STREET IN THE, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS PEOPLE PARKING THEIR CARS IN THE STREET AND USE IT AS THEIR PERSONAL PARKING LOT.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT CLEANED UP, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY ISSUE WITH THIS APPLICATION AND I'M STRUGGLING TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE IT.
THANK YOU, CHRISTIE CHAMBERLAIN, MS. CHAMBERLAIN, IF YOU COULD STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD YOU HAVE.
I'M KRISTY CHAMBERLAIN AND I LIVE AT ONE 27 DUFF DRIVE, AND YOU CAN ADJUST THE MICROPHONE UP SO YOU WON'T HAVE TO.
UM, SO I LIVE AT ONE 27 DUFF DRIVE IN YORKTOWN, AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT MANY OF THE YOUNG FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
BRANDYWINE IS AN ENCLOSED NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO WAYS IN AND OUT.
THERE ARE CONSTANTLY PEOPLE WALKING, RUNNING, BIKING, OR PLAYING IN OUR STREETS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN.
THE APPLICANT'S HOME IS IN THE BACK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FAR FROM EITHER ENTRANCE.
CUSTOMERS WILL HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH OUR SMALL RESIDENTIAL STREETS TO FIND THIS BUSINESS AND YOU KNOW, AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHEN THEY GET LOST
[01:40:01]
AS THE MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG GIRLS, WHO'VE JUST STARTED RIDING THEIR BIKES AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON THEIR OWN.I DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO HAVE A STEADY STREAM OF STRANGERS COMING IN AND OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
HOW WILL THAT DO ANYTHING BUT DECREASE THEIR SAFETY? I PERSONALLY OWNED A SMALL BUSINESS THAT DEPENDS ON CUSTOMER CONTACT, WHICH IS WHY I CONDUCTED ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
I'M NOT ASKING THE APPLICANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT I'M NOT ALREADY DOING MYSELF THIS WEEKEND IN RESPONSE TO MR. PUSKIS PETITION IN SUPPORT OF THE SUP A COUNTER PETITION WAS CIRCULATED THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND ONLY TWO DAYS OVER 50 HOUSEHOLDS SIGNED AS BRANDYWINE HAS 250 HOUSES.
THIS CONSTITUTES 20% OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHEN I SPOKE WITH MR. STEVEN RUNE ONLY A FEW HOURS AGO, HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE EXISTENCE OF THIS PETITION.
AND MY HOPE IS THAT NOW HE AND THE WHOLE BOARD HAS BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE PETITION AND THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOES NOT WANT THIS.
UM, I KNOW THAT IT'S MORE THAN 20% IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL.
UM, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHY THE MO THE MAJORITY OF HOSES, IT IT'S JUST MATTERS THAT THEY DO.
UM, I HOPE THAT YOU DON'T DISREGARD THE NEIGHBORHOODS WISHES, UM, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID IN THIS MEETING.
I DO THINK IT'S PROBABLY A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD, SO YOU COULD GO BACK AND LOOK, BUT MR. PESCI DID STATE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT HE WANTED TO EVENTUALLY GROW THE BUSINESS BIG ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO MOVE TO COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
UM, IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS OWNER, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU CANNOT GROW A BUSINESS WITHOUT INCREASING CLIENT VOLUME, AND THAT INVOLVES, UH, ADVERTISING.
UM, AND IF ONLY A FEW ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF HIS BUSINESS IS GOING TO BE CUSTOMER CONTACT.
I THINK THE FACT THAT IT WAS SHOWN ON THE SCREEN THAT HE'S ALTERING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF ITS HOME TO ACCOMMODATE CARS, THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE CUSTOMERS THAT IS BEING, THAT IS BEING PRESENTED TONIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MATTHEW CHAMBERLAIN.
I ALSO RESIDE AT ONE 27 DUFF DRIVE, UH, YORKTOWN TWO THREE SIX NINE TWO.
AND I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, ALLOWING CUSTOMER CONTACT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
MY REASONS ARE THE SAME AS MY WIFE JUST SPOKE, BUT I WANT TO SPEAK TO ANOTHER ISSUE THAT CONCERNS ME IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
YOU'VE BEEN TOLD THAT, AND HOPEFULLY YOU'VE SEEN THAT THERE'S A PETITION WITH 50 HOUSES HAVING SIGNED, UM, THAT WAS CIRCULATED IN, I THINK, A FEW DAYS.
UM, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HEAR FROM MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE TONIGHT, AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA HEAR FROM, OR SEE THE SIGNATURES OF SOME OTHER PEOPLE WHO DID NOT WANT TO SIGN BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO SCARED OF THE FEEDBACK THAT THEY WOULD GET THE BLOW BACK THAT THEY WOULD GET FROM THIS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO STICK THEIR NECK OUT.
I DON'T SEE THIS AS AN ACCUSATION AGAINST ANYONE, BUT AS A FACT, A GOOD PORTION OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS AFRAID OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO THEM FOR SPEAKING OUT.
THEN THAT FEAR OUTWEIGHS THEIR FEAR OF TRAFFIC AND CUSTOMERS COMING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
NOW, I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE ALREADY SCOFFING AT THIS AND SAYING, I'M LUMPING PEOPLE IN NOW, THESE ARE GOOD CITIZENS.
BUT EARLIER TODAY, I LEARNED THAT ONE OF THE SUPPORTERS OF THIS PROPOSAL IS CALLING AND MESSAGING AND TEXTING AROUND, TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO ORGANIZED THE PETITION DRIVE.
THIS HAS BEEN PUBLIC FOR MONTHS.
THERE WAS PLENTY OF TIME FOR NICE NEIGHBORLY DISCUSSIONS, BUT JUST NOW THEY'RE HUNTING FOR THE PERSON WHO'S ORGANIZING OPPOSITION.
THE ONLY REASON TO DO THAT WOULD BE TO FIGURE OUT WHO TO GET BACK AT.
THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR AND I HOPE WHATEVER YOU DO TONIGHT, YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING TO INCREASE THE FEAR.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN WAS A LITTLE LAST REGISTERED PERSON.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THIS GOOD IDEA? NO.
UH, ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS NOT SPOKEN TONIGHT TO THIS ISSUE? UH, NOW WE HAVE THE FIREARMS EXPERT, MR. BILL WINFREY OUT THERE.
SO, UH, ANYWAY, HAVING, HAVING SAID THAT, SOME THERE'S NO MORE COMMENTS I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? UH, UH, MR. ROME, WOULD YOU, YEAH, SO I HAVE A FEW, A FEW THINGS TO SHARE.
SO I HAVE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OVER RECENT PAST WEEKENDS TO SPEAK WITH, I WANT TO SAY ABOUT 150 OF MY NEIGHBORS IN BRANDYWINE.
AND THEN SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS I'VE SPOKE TO PEOPLE WHO HAD
[01:45:01]
THOUGHTS ON THIS, ON THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT.AND THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE IN FAVOR FOR IT, AND THERE WAS SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE OPPOSED TO IT.
AND WE HAVE A LIST OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED A PETITION WHO WERE IN FAVOR OF FORD, AS WELL AS, AS OPPOSED.
AND THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE ON RECORD DURING THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING THAT WERE BOTH A AND OPPOSED.
AND I ACTUALLY SPOKE TO SOME OF THE FOLKS HERE THIS EVENING, UH, ABOUT IT AS WELL.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK AND THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS, AND TO HELP US ALL KIND OF, YOU KNOW, COLOR OUR, OUR CONVERSATION AND UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING BETTER.
UM, IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD, THERE WERE TWO MAJOR TAKEAWAYS FOR ME DURING THAT TIME THAT PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT IT.
UH, ONE WE TALKED ABOUT ALREADY BRIEFLY, AND THAT WAS THE PERPETUATION OF THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT STEAM WITH THE PROPERTY SHOULD MR. PESCI AND HIS FAMILY MOVE SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.
AND THAT'S ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED.
I BELIEVE NUMBER THREE, IN THE, UH, IN THE, UM, IN THE RESOLUTION THAT WILL LIMIT THE, OR THE, WHETHER THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT WILL, WILL EXPIRE UPON MR. PESCI AND HIS FAMILY MOVING.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, UH, THIS PROPERTY BEING ADVERTISED AS A GUNSMITH AND OPPORTUNITY TO SOMEBODY ELSE, SOMEONE ELSE COME IN AND DO DIFFERENT TYPE OF BUSINESS, SO THAT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.
THE SECOND THING THAT I HEARD, AND THIS IS UP UNTIL THE PAST FEW DAYS REALLY WAS, WAS ABOUT TRAFFIC.
AND REMEMBER I LIVE IN BRANDYWINE, I WALKED THE SAME STREETS.
I HAVE SOME OF THE SAME CONCERNS.
I SEE VEHICLES THAT PROBABLY FREQUENT OUR RESIDENTS MORE SO THAN I LIKE TO SEE IT.
I SEE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE FASTER AND THEY WANT TO, UH, MY BOTH MY WIFE AND MY DAUGHTER HAVE DOGS THAT THEY WALKS.
I HAD THE SAME CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC.
I WANT TO KEEP IT CONTAINED AND WANT TO KEEP IT CONTROLLED.
UM, SO TO THAT END START TO THINK ABOUT, UH, HOW CAN WE ADDRESS THAT? AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME ALSO ADDRESS THE GROWTH CONCERNS OF MR
SO, UM, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON FOR MY QUESTION ABOUT THE SAFE CAPACITY.
I WAS LOOKING FOR SOME BEYOND JUST BUSINESS PLANS AND, AND JUST PERSONAL PLANS OF HOW TO GROW THE BUSINESS.
WHAT ARE THE, SOME OF THE PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS THAT WILL PREVENT TRAFFIC AND THE BUSINESS WORLD, BUT SO, SO LARGE.
SO GUN SAFE CAPACITY IS ONE AND HIS, UH, FOR PLAN, YOU'D HAVE SO MUCH ROOM TO PUT MORE GUN SAFE, SO THAT'S GOING TO LIMIT IT AS WELL.
BUT ALSO TALK TO MR. PESCI ABOUT, UM, WHAT ABOUT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES? AND ONE OF THE THINGS I PROPOSED TO HIM, THEN HE WAS AGREED TO, AND I'LL ADD THIS AS AN AMENDMENT TO THIS PROPOSAL IS LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS THAT HE CAN SEE PER MONTH.
AND WE SETTLED ON A NUMBER OF 25 CUSTOMERS PER MONTH.
AND IF YOU AVERAGE THAT OUT, BASED UPON HIS IS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY BUSINESS DAYS, THAT'S LESS THAN ONE CUSTOMER A DAY.
AND I FEEL PRETTY COMPETENT AT OUR COMMUNITY.
HE CAN HANDLE AN ADDITIONAL ON AVERAGE ONE VEHICLE PER DAY, DRIVING INTO AND OUT OF THE OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I THINK THAT REALLY SHOULD ADDRESS TRAFFIC CONCERNS.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY ADDRESS THE GROWTH CONCERNS.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS WE WANT TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO USE THEIR PROPERTY AS THEY SEE FIT.
AND WE ALSO WANT THE NEIGHBORS TO ENJOY THEIR PROPERTY AS THEY HAVE INVESTED IN IT.
SO TRANSPARENCY OF HOME-BASED BUSINESSES IS PARAMOUNT IN THESE RESTRICTIONS.
PLUS WHAT'S ALREADY IN THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, I THINK GOES A LONG WAY TO TALK WITH THAT.
NO SIGNAGE, NO PARKING ON THE STREET HOURS OF OPERATION LIMIT ONE CUSTOMER PER HOUR OR ONE CUSTOMER AT A TIME, AND HOW MANY AND, AND, UM, AND, UM, UM, THE, UH, AND, AND, AND BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
SO A LOT OF THINGS HAVE ALREADY CONSTRAINED.
AND I SEEM TO REMEMBER DURING THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, SOMEBODY MADE A COMMENT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST RESTRICTED SPECIAL USE PERMITS THAT, THAT, THAT THEY'VE HAD THAT THEY WORKED WITH HERE RECENTLY.
SO I THINK A LOT OF THOUGHT HAS BEEN PUT INTO HOW TO MANAGE THAT TRANSPARENCY AND THE TRANQUILITY OF BRANDYWINE, AND STILL LET MR. PESCI RUN IT, RUN A BUSINESS.
NOW, THE RECENT PETITION FOR THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE OF 53 HOMES REPRESENTED, UM, IT STATES HERE WE'D ON THE SIGN OF BRANDYWINE GAINS WASTE SUBDIVISION RESIDENTS REQUESTS THAT DENY THE MR. PESCI APPLICATION FOR ON SITE CUSTOMER, CLIENT CONTACT TO SOME OF THE RECENT COMMENTS I'VE HAD TODAY.
AND YESTERDAY WAS I'M OKAY WITH THE BUSINESS LONG.
HE DOESN'T HAVE CUSTOMER CONTACT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT DUE TO THE STIPULATIONS OF HIS FEDERAL FIREARMS LICENSEE THROUGH ATF, THERE IS BUSINESS THAT HE HAS TO CONDUCT ON SITE.
HE CAN'T TAKE IT TO LAFAYETTE GUN CLUB.
HE CAN'T MEET PEOPLE IN THE, IN THE SERVICE PARKING LOT TO, TO DO THE, DO THE HANDOFF.
IT HAS TO BE DONE AT THE PLACE OF RECORD THAT ATF HAS IN THEIR BOOKS.
SO THE NINE, HIS ABILITY TO HONESTLY CONTACT IS NINE.
HIS ABILITY TO HAVE, HAVE A BUSINESS.
AND I HAVE, I'VE REALLY STRUGGLED WITH THAT BECAUSE THAT GOES INTO CONFLICT OF PEOPLE BEING WITH ALL THEIR PROPERTY LIKE THEY TO, AND THERE'S ALSO A QUESTION HERE TONIGHT BROUGHT UP, AND THIS IS A GOOD QUESTION.
I HADN'T GOTTEN ANY, I HADN'T GOTTEN ANY FEEDBACK ON THAT THAT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT PROPERTY DEVALUATION, BUT FORTUNATELY WE HAVE SOME EXAMPLES OF THIS EXACT TYPE OF BUSINESS ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTY.
AND I WONDER IF MR. ANDERSON COULD SPEAK
[01:50:01]
BRIEFLY OR HAS ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE BUSINESSES AFFECTED NEGATIVELY THE PROPERTY VALUE OF THEIR NEIGHBORS AROUND THEM SINCE THEY'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS AND IN SOME CASES OF YOURS, IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT THAT IS CAUSING ANY PROPERTY DEVALUATION? SO YOUR QUESTION, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.YOU'RE WONDERING IF ANY HOME OCCUPATION WE'VE EVER HAD.
SPECIFICALLY THE, THE, UH, THE LIST OF, UH, GUNSMITH AND, UM, SPECIAL USE PERMITS OR HOME-BASED BUSINESS YOU'VE HAD HAVE THE EXISTENCE OF THOSE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY EVIDENCE OF THOSE COSTS AND PROPERTY DEVALUATION? OTHER OF THIS RYAN, THE NEIGHBORS? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T CONTACTED THE REAL ESTATE AGENT REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENT TO SEE IF ANYTHING THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY FIGURE INTO THEIR ASSESSMENTS AND NO ONE'S COMPLAINED ABOUT IT.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE BIG TAKEAWAY.
I WOULD THINK THAT IF PEOPLE WERE EXPERIENCING A PROPERTY DEVALUATION, YOUR DEPARTMENT WILL HEAR ABOUT IT AND GO, WHY DID YOU LEAVE THIS THING TO HAPPEN? MY PROPERTY IS NOT WORTH 10% LESS THAN IT USED TO BE BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO, SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED THAT AND YOU HAVEN'T HAD ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT.
SO WHEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME HISTORY THERE AS WELL.
UM, THE, UM, SO GROWTH OF HOME-BASED BUSINESSES, AND THAT WAS SPOKEN TO BRIEFLY TOO, BY ONE OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS HERE.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF YOUR KIND OF GOING FORWARD IS ALREADY A BIG PART OF YOUR KIND OF GOING FORWARD.
THERE IS TECHNOLOGY THAT EXISTS TODAY THAT DIDN'T EXIST PREVIOUSLY, THAT REALLY SUPPORTS HOME-BASED BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY IN, IN WAYS THAT CAN BE DONE TRANSPARENTLY.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY PART OF YOUR COUNTY'S FUTURE AND OUR NEIGHBOR'S FUTURES AS WELL.
JAMES CITY COUNTY HAMPTON, NEWPORT NEWS.
UH, WE HAVE TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN THAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT.
IF WE WANT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS IN OUR COUNTY TO COME AND INVEST IN OUR COUNTY FOR THE LONGTERM, IF WE TURN THAT, THAT TYPE OF BUSINESS AWAY, THAT TYPE OF OPPORTUNITY IS A WAY I THINK WE'RE GOING TO LOSE OUT ON PEOPLE WHO WANT TO INVEST IN, IN THE COUNTY.
SO WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND THE COMMENT ABOUT THE GATEWAY COVENANTS.
I'M, I'M, I'M NOT PART OF THAT THEN ENVIRONMENT.
I DON'T HAVE THOSE COVENANTS, BUT I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY BEYOND THE PURVIEW OF THIS BOARD.
I THINK THIS BOARD NEEDS TO SIMPLY ADDRESS WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THIS BUSINESS PER THE SPECIAL USE PERMITS WITH THESE AMENDMENTS ARE GOOD FOR THE COUNTY MAKES SENSE FOR THE COUNTY.
AND I THINK MR. PESCI MAY HAVE TO DO SOME FOLLOW ON HIS OWN IS WHETHER OR NOT HE'S, HE'S A VIOLATION OF ANY COVENANT BASED UPON WHERE HE LIVES AND WITH WHOEVER IS ADMINISTRATING THOSE COVENANTS NOW.
SO THAT'S A, I DON'T THINK WE CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NEW MATTER THAT YOU MAY NEED TO ADDRESS.
AND YOU MAY FIND THAT YOU'RE RESTRICTED THERE BEYOND ANY DECISION THAT THIS BOARD MAKES.
SO, UM, SO I DON'T, SO HOW DO WE ADD THE, THE AMENDMENTS? I LIKE TO GET THAT AMENDMENT AT, AT END TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS TO NO MORE THAN 25 PER MONTH.
JUST ADD A LOT TO IT, BUT IT DOES WANT TO MAKE THAT ON RECORD THAT I WANT THAT AT MINIMUM, ADD IT IN AS PART OF THE, OKAY.
MR. PESCI, ARE YOU, WE SPOKE ABOUT THAT PREVIOUSLY.
HE WAS OKAY WITH THAT NUMBER, SO, ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, MR. SHERMAN, MR. REMANENT.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION FIRST OF ALL, FOR COUNTY ATTORNEY JIM, JUST TO KIND OF FILL IN THE BOX.
WHAT RECOURSE DO THE RESIDENTS HAVE IF PER CHANCE THIS INITIATIVE, THIS REQUEST WAS APPROVED IN THE WORDS, DOES IT HAVE A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION OR NOT? AND REGARDLESS WHAT'S RECOURSE BEYOND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
SO THE QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A COVENANT, I MEAN, HE SAID TO HIM, YES, ASSUMING THERE IS ONE, IF THERE IS A COVENANT, THEN SOMEONE IN MOST SITUATIONS, OF COURSE, WITH A SUBDIVISION, THERE'S A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
ALTHOUGH THAT IS ACTUALLY NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.
SOME OF THE OLDER SUBDIVISIONS HAVE COVENANTS, BUT NO HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, IN WHICH CASE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS COVERED BY THE COVENANTS CAN CHALLENGE ANYONE WHO VIOLATES THEM.
IN FACT, THAT'S EVEN TRUE, TYPICALLY IN AN HOA, IT'S JUST NOT LEFT UP TO THE HOA SOLELY IT, USUALLY OTHER OWNERS ALSO HAVE THOSE RIGHTS.
UM, UH, OTHERWISE IF THEY THINK THE COUNTY ACTED WRONGLY, IF THEY ARE, IF THEY FALL WITHIN THE CLASS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AGGRIEVED AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, UH, A, UM, UM, UH, CHARACTERIZATION THAT THERE HAVE BEEN COURT CASES ON.
BUT IF YOU'RE IN THE VICINITY AND LIVE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE PROPERTY THAT YOU QUALIFY, SOMEONE WHO IS AGGRIEVED BY THE BOARD'S DECISION, THERE ACTUALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO CIRCUIT COURT.
UM, ANY, ANY ZONING, ANY ACTION BY THE BOARD CAN BE CHALLENGED IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, BEYOND STATUTORY AUTHORITY, BEYOND THE ORDINANCES, WHATEVER.
BUT I CAN'T OBVIOUSLY OFFER ADVICE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO DO THAT, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW THE STATUS OF HIS PROPERTY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A COVENANT.
I ACTUALLY SPENT SOME TIME HERE LOOKING TO SEE IF MR. ALEC L GAINES, WHO PUT THE SUBDIVISION PLAT TO RECORD RECORDED ANY COVENANTS.
[01:55:01]
I DIDN'T S I DIDN'T SEE UNDER HIS NAME ANYWAY.SHE'LL GO AHEAD AND HAVE SOMEBODY MOVING.
MS. NORA, NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU ATTORNEYS.
AND, UH, I'D TAKE ANY APPLICATION OF MOVING A BUSINESS INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA VERY SERIOUSLY.
UH, MR. ANDERSON SHOWED A LIST OF THESE BUSINESSES, VERY SIMILAR TO MR. HUSKIES.
THERE'VE BEEN NO COMPLAINTS, NO, NO ISSUES WITH THOSE RECENTLY IN SEPTEMBER, RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM ME IN THE SEAFORD SUBDIVISION AT THE END OF A CUL-DE-SAC, UH, WE APPROVED A COASTAL FIREARMS ON MASTIN ROAD.
I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GO AROUND AND TALK TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS DOWN ON MASTIN.
UH, NOBODY'S HAD ANY ISSUES, UH, HE'S QUIETLY WORKING AWAY IN A BUSINESS, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT MR. PESCI, UH, PROPOSES DOING HERE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE AN ISSUE, UH, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, I WOULD, I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE MORE THING.
I WANTED TO MENTION EARLIER, THE COMMENTS I'VE HEARD TONIGHT ABOUT PEOPLE RECEIVING INTIMIDATING MESSAGES AND POSSIBLE RETALIATION.
I PRINTED HER THAT JUST NIGHT.
I'VE HEARD OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS, TOO.
AND I WILL OFFER UP MYSELF AS A GO-BETWEEN WITH ANYBODY WHO HAS ANY CONFERENCE, ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
I WILL OFFER MYSELF UP IF, IF THE WHOEVER'S UPSET AND WANTS TO TALK TO ME TO TALK TO SOMEBODY, I WILL BE THAT LIAISON.
I DON'T WANT TO TOLERATE THAT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I WILL SEE THAT AS PROSECUTED TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, IF THAT CONTINUES.
SO ANYBODY WHO'S WATCHING TODAY, JUST STOP IT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BUSINESS DISCUSSION PERIOD, AND THIS IS GONNA BE DECIDED AS A BUSINESS DISCUSSION.
SO TH THAT, THAT IS OVER, WRAP IT UP, PUT IT AWAY, STOP THE COMMENTS, STOP THE INTIMIDATION, STOP THE WITCH HUNT IT'S OVER.
BUT AGAIN, IF ANYBODY NEEDS FURTHER DISCUSSION, I WILL OFFER MYSELF UP AS THAT PERSON TO WORK WITH.
AND WE CAN, WE CAN PUT THIS WITH THAT TO BED.
THAT'S ONE OF ADD THAT IN MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MOVE OUR 21 DASH 54.
OUR MADAM CLERK MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY MS. SMALL, THE MOTION MADE BY MRS. NOLE IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION NUMBER R 21 DASH 54 R TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION AS AMENDED.
MR. ZARIMBA, I ALMOST VOTED AGAINST IT.
THE ARGUMENT WITH RESPECT TO COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IS THE INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF EMPTY BUILDINGS OUT.
THERE ARE SOMEWHAT PERSUASIVE IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS IN YOUR HOUSE FOR WHEN OLDEST COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IS GOING AT ABOUT A THIRD OF WHAT THE STANDARD COST IS TO RENT A PIECE OF PROPERTY.
WHAT I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN THOUGH IS RECENTLY WE HAD A MAJOR ISSUE IN THE UPPER COUNTY.
NOW THAT ISSUE RAGED ON FOR MONTHS, THE STAFF PLANNING COMMISSION, ULTIMATELY TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, BY THE TIME IT CAME TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AS A MATTER OF FACT, BY THE TIME IT CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION VIRTUALLY MAYBE NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT VIRTUALLY 100% OF THE HOUSES IN THE UPPER COUNTY, THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THOSE BUILDINGS WERE INVOLVED IN THE OPPOSITION AND THE HERE'S SOMEBODY TO SAY TONIGHT THAT THEY WERE SCARED TO COME OUT BECAUSE OF THE STRESS.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT THREATS WEREN'T MADE, BUT THE ROLL OVER IN YOUR COUNTY FOR THREATS OF SUBJECT PERTAINING TO A BOARD OF SUPERVISOR, ITEM IS INCREDIBLE.
WE'RE THE AMERICANS AND THE LACK OF PEOPLE TO SHOW OFF TONIGHT, THE LACK OF PEOPLE UP 250 RESIDENTS IN BRANDYWINE, AND ONLY GET 20% OF THEM TO SIGN THIS PETITION BECAUSE YOU WAITED UNTIL THE 11TH HOUR, TWO DAYS AGO, BASED ON WHAT I READ APPALLS ME AND THE WAY TO MY ARGUMENT IS THAT I'LL SUPPORT THEM INITIATIVE.
WELL, THAT'S A YES, YES, YES, YES.
[2 Fiscal Year 2022 Budget. Receive public comment on proposed FY2022 Budget. a. Memorandum from County Administrator.]
OUR 2022 BUDGET AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.I'LL CALL ON YOU FOR A BRIEF PRESENTATION.
I DO HAVE A FEW SLIDES I WANT TO PRESENT.
SO, UM, TONIGHT WE HAVE, UH, FOUR PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT IN MY MIND ARE ALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUDGET, BUT VARIOUS COUNTY POLICIES AND STATE
[02:00:01]
LAW REQUIRES TO BREAK IT UP INTO FOUR DIFFERENT PUBLIC HEARINGS.MY REMARKS ARE MAINLY GOING TO BE ABOUT THE OVERALL BUDGET, UH, BUT OF COURSE IT RELATES TO, UH, ALL THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THAT, WHICH ARE, UH, ALL FOUR OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO, UM, THESE ARE THE BREAKDOWN, THE, UM, AGAIN, THE OVERALL BUDGET, UM, THE TAX RATES, UH, THE CIGARETTE TAX AND, UM, A CODE AMENDMENT RELATED TO, UH, FEE AND RATE CHANGES.
SO WE HAD A DETAILED WORK SESSION, UH, AND A FEW THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE, UH, THE BUDGET WENT TO PRINT, UH, APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AGO.
UM, AND IN DIVING INTO THOSE DETAILS WITH THE BOARD AND WITH THE CITIZENS LISTENING, UH, PERHAPS I DIDN'T SAY SOMETHING PRETTY IMPORTANT, WHICH IS, UM, THE COUNTY IS IN A STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION, WE'RE IN A HEALTHY FINANCIAL POSITION.
AND, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION THAT I MADE, UH, WAS, UH, WITH THE INTENTION OF KEEPING IT THAT WAY.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY MORE THAN JUST, UM, THE ARITHMETIC OF THIS COMING JULY.
IT'S THINKING ABOUT THE LONG-TERM AND I KNOW, UM, AND SOME OF OUR WORK SESSIONS, WE STUDIED, UH, HOW SOME OTHER COMMUNITIES, UH, WENT SOUTH BY NOT KEEPING THAT ATTENTION ON THE LONGTERM.
UM, SO I'M, I'M REALLY, UH, I KNOW THE BOARD SUPPORTS THIS AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE DONE TO KEEP OUR FOCUS ON THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT TWO OR THREE YEARS FROM NOW OUR FINANCIAL POSITION REMAINS STRONG.
UH, SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT, AND, AND WE KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS THAN, THAN, UH, WHEN THE BUDGET WENT TO PRINT, IS THIS ADDITIONAL FEDERAL AID, WHICH WILL BE SIGNIFICANT.
WE BELIEVE IT'LL BE RECEIVED OVER A COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES WILL BE.
UM, BUT WE BELIEVE THERE'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE IT FOR ONE TIME THINGS.
AND WHAT WE WANT TO AVOID IS, UH, BECOMING DEPENDENT ON IT IN TERMS OF THE OPERATING BUDGET.
UH, WE DO KNOW THAT, UH, PROBABLY PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO SALARIES AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS, THERE PROBABLY BE, UH, SOME INFLATION AND PROBABLY SOME RESPONSE AND INTEREST RATES AS IT AFFECTS OUR DEBT.
UH, WE HAVE FUTURE FUNDING COMMITMENTS, CERTAINLY, UM, UH, THE SAFER GRANTS, THE MOST OBVIOUS ONE AS WE, UM, UH, CONTINUE TO GROW OUR FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY DEPARTMENT.
UM, IT'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IN REAL ESTATE, UH, MARKETS AND IN PARTICULAR, UM, UH, MR. RUMBA MENTIONED, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF VACANCY AND RETAIL'S NOT A LOT OF DEMAND FOR OFFICE.
IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW THAT PART OF OUR ECONOMIC BASE WILL FARE, UM, GOING INTO THE FUTURE AND OF COURSE, UH, TOURISM, UH, WHICH WAS SORT OF THE POSTER CHILD OF WHAT WAS HIT WITH A PANDEMIC AND THE BUDGET THAT I'VE RECOMMENDED PLACES, UM, SIGNIFICANT HOPE IN THAT REBOUNDING SUBSTANTIALLY.
SO AGAIN, UH, ON THE, UH, EXPENDITURE SIDE, THESE ARE THE PRIORITIES THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET.
UM, YOUR INVESTMENT IN SCHOOLS, UM, YOUR INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS, UH, GETTING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BACK ON TRACK AFTER ESSENTIALLY A ONE-YEAR PAUSE, UM, AND, UH, EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, UH, SUPPORTING THE TOURISM FUND AT LEAST TEMPORARILY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE IMPORTANT THINGS THIS COUNTY FUNDS THROUGH THE TOURISM FUND WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO HOPEFULLY ONLY IN A TRANSITIONAL WAY AND, UM, INCREASE THAT SERVICE, UH, WHICH IS PART AND PARCEL WITH GETTING BACK ON TRACK WITH OUR CAPITAL BUDGET, BOTH ON THE COUNTY SIDE, AND, UH, VERY IMPORTANTLY ON THE SCHOOL SIDE.
SO AT OUR WORK SESSION, UH, WE REPORT IT TO YOU AND, AND WE, AND WE TALKED THROUGH THIS QUITE A BIT, THERE WAS A NET POSITIVE CHANGE OF ABOUT $377,000, SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUES FROM THE STATE.
AND WE ALSO IDENTIFIED A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, UM, WE THOUGHT WE COULD TAKE OUT OF THE BUDGET, PARTICULARLY IN ANTICIPATION OF THE FEDERAL FUNDS IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN, UM, WE ADDED SOME FUNDING FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AND THE YORKTOWN HISTORICAL COMMITTEE.
SO IF YOU TAKE ALL OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, COMPARED TO THE BUDGET THAT WENT TO PRINT, UH, WE HAVE ABOUT $377,000, $377,000 TO THE GOOD SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $225 MILLION BUDGET.
SO MUCH OF OUR CONVERSATION FOCUSED ON, UH, THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE.
AND WE DID ADVERTISE, UH, AND I ORIGINALLY RECOMMENDED THE FOUR 25 RATE AND WE WENT OVER WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN FOR AN INDIVIDUAL IT'S LARGELY THE CAR TAX.
AND, UM, I BELIEVE IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE,
[02:05:01]
THE, ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT'VE BEEN SUBJECT TO INTERPRETATION, THE GENERAL GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD AT THE WORK SESSION, UM, WAS TO TAKE THAT NET IMPROVEMENT THAT WE IDENTIFIED IN THE OVERALL BUDGET AND KNOCK DOWN ANY CONSIDERATION OF A HIGHER RATE.SO THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, UH, WE PUT THE NUMBER OF FOUR 15, AND AS OPPOSED TO FOUR, FOUR 25.
SO THAT WOULD BASICALLY APPLY THAT NET 377,000, UM, TO, TO NOT INCREASE THE, THE RATE TO THAT DEGREE.
UM, THE BOARD ALSO EXPRESSED INTEREST IN SEEING IF WE COULD GET THE RATE BACK TO WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY.
AND, UM, WHILE IN A BUDGET OF OUR SIZE, THERE ARE AN INFINITE NUMBER OF POSSIBILITIES.
UM, IF THAT IS WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO, UH, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE REDUCE OUR CASH CAPITAL FUNDING BY THE, BY THE AMOUNT IT WOULD REQUIRE TO GET THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE DOWN TO FOUR.
THE REASON I WOULD SINGLE THAT OUT IS BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE CARES ACT.
UH, WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT THAT SOME OF THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT WE WILL GET IN THE FUTURE WILL BE ABLE TO BE RECYCLED TO OUR BOTTOM LINE.
SO ESSENTIALLY I THINK WE CAN PLUG THAT CASH CAPITAL GAP.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT APPEALS TO ME ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR OPTION IS, UM, WE DON'T GET INTO THE, UM, UH, SORT OF SUPPORTING ONGOING OPERATING COSTS WITH ANY FEDERAL MONEY.
SO IT WOULD KIND OF STICK TO THAT PRINCIPLE OF, UH, ONE TIME.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATION IF AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE BUDGET, THE BOARD DESIRES TO, UH, GO TO THE $4 RATE.
SO, UM, THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH THE CHAIRMAN WILL CALL THE ORDER MOMENTARILY OF COURSES ON THE OVERALL BUDGET.
IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO THINK OF THAT AS SEPARATE FROM ALL THE OTHER PIECES.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, THE TAX RATE, UH, BY OUR POLICY, UM, WOULD BE A SEPARATE ONE, UM, FEES AND SEWER RATES WOULD BE AT ANOTHER ONE.
UM, AND WE DISCUSSED THIS, UH, BOTH IN THE WRITTEN MATERIAL AND THE WORK SESSION, ESSENTIALLY THESE ARE INFLATION RELATED FEE ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, YOU PROBABLY HARD TO SEE, BUT MANY OF THE THINGS RELATED TO BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, OUR INSPECTION FEES, UH, HAVE NOT BEEN INCREASED SINCE 2008.
AND THIS IS ESSENTIALLY MAKES UP FOR CHANGES IN THE COST.
AND IN THE CASE OF THE SEWER FEE, IT'S, UH, PROPOSED A $1 PER MONTH OR $2 PER BILL, WHICH COMES EVERY TWO MONTHS.
AND TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, THAT GENERATES ABOUT $330,000 FOR THE SEWER FUND, UH, ON AN ONGOING OPERATING BUDGET SCALE OF APPROXIMATELY 11 MILLION.
SO THE CIGARETTE TAX, I AM AWARE THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME FOLKS HERE THAT HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
UH, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UM, UM, THIS BOARD AND MANY COUNTIES AROUND VIRGINIA HAVE ASKED FOR THE AUTHORITY TO TAX CIGARETTES, I'VE CITIES HAVE LONG BEEN ALLOWED TO DO.
I THINK IT'S, UM, A REASONABLE OPTION.
IT WOULD GENERATE ABOUT $600,000 A YEAR IN THE FIRST YEAR TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY THE COST OF THE 10 SAFER GRANT FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU COULD ASSIGN THE COST OF MANY THINGS, BUT THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF SCALE.
UM, AND AT THE STATE IMPOSED LIMIT OF 40 CENTS PER PACK OR 2 CENTS PER CIGARETTE, I'LL JUST POINT OUT THAT COMPARED TO OUR TWO LARGEST NEIGHBORS WITH A 15 MILE COMMON BORDER NEWPORT NEWS AND HAMPTON, UM, THEY HAVE THE RATE OF 85 CENTS PER PACK OR FOUR AND A HALF CENTS PER CIGARETTE.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S, UH, ONEROUS, ALTHOUGH I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHY NO ONE WANTS TO TAX ON SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE CONSUMING OR SELLING.
AND SO WITH THAT, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS, AND I WOULD SUGGEST YOU COULD INITIATE THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS, UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT THE BUDGET.
SEEING NONE, I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON, AND THIS IS JUST ON THE BUDGET.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE, UH, SPEAKING ON THE CIGARETTE TAX, WHICH IS THE, UH, NUMBER FIVE, BUT THIS IS JUST ON THE BUDGET IN GENERAL.
SO GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC, HEARING ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK TO THE BUDGET IN GENERAL, GOING ONCE GOING TWICE, GONE CLOSING THE HEARING ON THE GENERAL BUDGET.
[3 Calendar Year 2021 Tax Rates. Receive public comment on the proposed CY2021 Tax Rates as set forth in proposed Ordinance No. 21-5. a. Proposed Ordinance No. 21-5.]
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE TAX RATE.[02:10:01]
WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE TAX RATE.I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE, ANYBODY CALL SPEAK UP ON THEIR TAX RATE, GOING ONCE GOING TWICE, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE, THE COUNTY CODES
[4 Proposed County Code Amendment. Consider adoption of proposed Ordinance No. 21-4 to amend Chapter 1, Chapter 7.1 Article II, Chapter 18.1, Chapter 18.2 Article II, Chapter 20.5 Article I, Chapter 21 Article II and Chapter 24.1 Article 1, of the York County Code to change the fees for assessment of civil and criminal convictions, reinspection fees of FOG program, sewer system rates, building permits, fees and inspections, subdivision fees, application for real estate devoted to agriculture and horticultural uses fee and zoning fees. a. Proposed Ordinance No. 21-4.]
AMENDMENT, LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT.ANDY WOULDN'T WISH TO SPEAK ON THE COUNTY CODES, AMENDMENTS GOING ONCE GOING TWICE IN THE CLOSE, THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT.
[5 Proposed $.02 per Cigarette Tax. Consider adoption of proposed Ordinance No. 21-6 to enact a $.02 per cigarette tax pursuant to authority granted in sections 58.1-3830 and 58.1- 3832 of the Code of Virginia (1950) as amended to be effective November 1, 2021. a. Proposed Ordinance No. 21-6.]
2 CENTS PER CIGARETTE TAX GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.AND AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO CALL MR. WILLIAM B WINFREY THE FOURTH AKA BILL WINFREY.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
WILLIAM WINFREY, THE FOURTH ONE OH TWO WINFREY LANE, YORKTOWN VIRGINIA, TWO THREE SIX NINE TWO.
I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE TAX AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
MOST OF OUR BUSINESS COMES FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTY.
WE'VE GOT PEOPLE TO COME FROM NORFOLK, HAMPTON, NEWPORT NEWS, EVEN POQUOSON, WHICH WILL NOW HAVE A LOWER TAX THAN US.
IF YOU RAISE THIS, WE ARE A LARGE VOLUME, LOW PROFIT BUSINESS, AND THAT WE HAVE TO SELL A LARGE AMOUNT OF CIGARETTES TO MAKE VERY MUCH MONEY.
THE MARKUP IS VERY LOW BECAUSE IT'S VERY COMPETITIVE.
IT'S NOT LIKE MY OTHER BUSINESS.
IF YOU TAKE AND GIVE THE, IF, GIVE US THE $4 TAX, IT WILL HURT OUR BUSINESS AND ALL OTHER TOBACCO BUSINESSES IN THE AREA, OKAY.
WE PAY A LOT OF SALES TAX OR WE DON'T PAY IT, BUT WE PASS IT ON TO YOU.
AND IF YOU ALL STUDY THAT, I THINK YOU'LL FIND THERE'S A LOT THERE.
AND THAT HOW IT WORKS WITH COUNTY, THIS IS NOT A, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND FORTH.
APPARENTLY UP, Y'ALL GET 2.7%.
IS THAT ADDED ONE Y'ALL DID, I DON'T KNOW, YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS AGO FOR THEM, FOR THE JAMESTOWN YORKTOWN THE HISTORIC TRIANGLE.
WHICH I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHERE IT GOES, BUT ANYWAY, ALL THAT STUFF ADDS UP.
AND AS THE GAS PRICES, I CAN TELL YOU WHEN, WHEN WE HAD A $4, A GALLON OF GAS, LAST TIME WE LOST CUSTOMERS BECAUSE IT WEREN'T GOING TO DRIVE THAT FAR TO GET THE CIGARETTES.
UM, IT'S JUST GOING TO HURT US A LOT.
AND, AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO A LARGE VOLUME OF SALES TO MAKE LITTLE AMOUNT OF MONEY, ANY DROP IN THAT WILL HURT YOU.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO TELL YOU.
UM, I JUST STRONGLY BELIEVE IT'S A MISTAKE.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED WITH CIGARETTES IN OUR BUSINESS SINCE THE EIGHTIES, EARLY EIGHTIES.
AND THERE WERE TIMES WHEN IT WAS GREAT.
WELL, THERE'S MORE AND MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE SELLING CIGARETTES.
YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS AND STUFF, OR, OR WILD WISE AND RURAL FARMS TO TAKE A LOT OF OUR BUSINESS, BUT WE ARE CONSIDERED A OUTLET.
THAT MEANS PEOPLE BUY MORE THAN ONE CARD AND AT THE TIME, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT BUSINESS.
AND AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT VACANT BUILDINGS, WE DON'T WANT ANY MORE OF THOSE EITHER.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO NOT PASS THIS.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
YOU COULD SPEAK UP INTO THE MICROPHONE.
I LIVE ON TWO, ONE, SIX, SOME OF AWAY, SEAFOOD, VIRGINIA.
I HAVE BEEN RESIDENTS OF YOUR COUNTY AND A BUSINESS OWNER IN YOUR COUNTY FOR LAST 20 PLUS YEARS.
UM, MAJORITY OF OUR BUSINESS COME BY SELLING TOBACCO.
MAJORITY OF THE BUSINESSES, CIGARETTES SALES, OUR CUSTOMER BASE IS COMING OUT OF SURROUNDING AREAS, WHICH MAY DRIVE 10, 20 MILES.
IF WE INCREASE THIS TAX, THEY CAN GO EASILY GO TO OTHER LOCALITIES WHERE THERE ARE NO TAXES.
I UNDERSTAND HAMPTON NEWPORT NEWS HAS A VERY HIGH TAX, BUT THEN
[02:15:01]
I LOVE WHITE COUNTY OR JAMES CITY COUNTY, SURRY COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE THIS.SO THESE PEOPLE COULD GO THERE AND TAKE THEIR BUSINESS THERE.
AND THE CALCULATION, WHICH WE ARE COUNTING THAT WE COULD EARN THIS MUCH MONEY UP OVER THE YEARS MIGHT CHANGE THAT A SALES TAX COULD, WE COULD LOSE A SALES TAX.
ALSO THAT COMES FROM THIS AND OTHER SALES THAT THEY DRIVE FROM THAT LAST YEAR, WE HAD STATE TAX INCREASE, STATE, DOUBLE THE TAXES ON TOBACCO.
SO WE LOST A LOT OF SALES, NOT ON A CIGARETTE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT ORDER A CIGARETTES ONLINE, BUT THEY CAN ORDER A LOT OF OTHER STUFF ONLINE, LIKE CIGARS OR ROLLING TOBACCO, OR GIVEN THOSE STATES, WE LOST A LOT OF SALES BECAUSE OF THE STATE TAX INCREASE THAT CAME IN EFFECT.
UH, SO THIS TAX WILL HURT US EVEN MORE BY LOSING THESE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE COMING TO US TO BUY CIGARETTES FROM THE BIRDING AREA.
UM, IT HAS TAKEN QUITE A FEW YEARS AND HARD WORK TO BUILD THIS BUSINESS.
UH, WE COULD LOSE THIS BUSINESS VERY EASILY IN SHORT TIME PERIOD, UH, BECAUSE THESE CUSTOMERS WILL GO AWAY TO OTHER LOCALITIES.
UH, THIS COULD TURN INTO JOB LOSS OR STORE CLOSURE ALSO.
ANY QUESTIONS? DOES, DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK TO A TAX INCREASE ON CIGARETTES, PLEASE STATE YOUR BRADFORD PAL TWO OH ONE GAINS WAY.
AND MY INITIAL REACTION WAS, YEAH, SYNTAX SOUNDS GREAT.
BUT VIRGINIA WAS BUILT ON TOBACCO INDIAN WEED.
THEY USED TO CALL IT THE EARLY 16 HUNDREDS AND 1605.
I THINK THE IMPORTATION WAS THE EXPORTATION, MY BAD THAT JAMES, THE VIRGINIA COMPANY THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO CREATE A LOT OF BUSINESS HERE.
ONCE WE FOUND ANY AND WEED VIRGINIANS EXPORTED IT ALL OVER EUROPE, CHARLES AT FIRST DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO SMOKE.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, FIVE YEARS LATER, WE'RE EXPORTING OVER 20, EXCUSE ME, 2 MILLION POUNDS OF TOBACCO, 50,000 POUNDS IN THE FIRST YEAR, 20,000 IN THE SECOND YEAR, OVER 2 MILLION POUNDS, FIVE YEARS LATER, VIRGINIA IS BUILT ON TOBACCO.
AND I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING HERE IS THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THESE GUYS OUT OF BUSINESS.
AND IF YOU INCREASE THE TAX CONCEIVABLY, YOU COULD LOSE THE WHOLE ENCHILADA BECAUSE IF THEY GO DOWN, YOU GET NOTHING.
YOU COULD RAISE THE TAX AND HAVE A SHORT-TERM GAIN, BUT YOUR LONG-TERM GAINS COULD BE VAPORIZED AND THERE'LL BE OUT OF BUSINESS JUST SAYING ORIGINALLY IT WAS, YEAH, LET'S DO IT.
I'M NOT THINKING THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK THE CIGARETTE TAX? SO YOU NOT, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO COMMENT OR, WELL, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING.
UM, AS I WAS READING THROUGH THE MEMORANDUM, I STARTED TO HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS WHEN UP HERE AND HERE TONIGHT.
WE LOOK FOR THE POTENTIAL OVER GAINING 600 K IN THE SALES TAXES, BUT AS YOU RAISE PRICES, MAYBE YOU DRIVE MARKET ELSEWHERE.
AND THEN IF WE LOSE SALES, WE DON'T SEE THE $600,000 AND WE LOSE SALES AND WE LOSE REVENUE IN SALES TAXES, OTHER TAXES AS WELL.
THAT'S BEEN ECHOED HERE TONIGHT ABOUTS.
IF, IF WE DO THIS, DO WE END UP SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT? AND WE, AND WE END UP BRINGING IN LESS REVENUE THAN WHAT WE HAD WHEN WE WERE DOING BEFORE WE, UH, IN, IN POST, IN POST ATTACKS.
AND I DON'T, I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE MEMORANDUM.
I DIDN'T REALLY SEE ANY INFORMATION KIND OF DRIVING TO ANY STUDIES ABOUT THAT.
I HAVE, I DON'T LOOKING AT THIS JUST FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE.
I DON'T WANT TO END UP IN A WORSE POSITION THAN WE WERE BEFORE, BEFORE THIS EVENT.
SO THANK YOU, MR. SHEPHERD WAS, NO, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR.
I THINK PEOPLE FORGET PEOPLE FORGET THAT CITIES AND COUNTIES ARE NOT TREATED THE SAME WITH REGARD TO TAXES.
[02:20:01]
THIS BOARD ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO, STARTED ASKING FOR EQUITY WITH TAXATION.WE STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS AT LEAST GIVEN US PERMISSION FOR THE CIGARETTE TAX.
WE DON'T HAVE PERMISSION FOR AMUSEMENT TAX OR IF THERE WAS OTHER TAXES THAT WE WERE NOT THE SAME AS, AS THE CITIES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE THE SAME EXPENSES AND THE NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS, THAT THE CITY STAFF.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, AND I'M NOT REALLY A TAX PERSON, BUT I THINK THE FACT THAT WE, IT TOOK US SO LONG TO BE RECOGNIZED THAT THE COUNTIES THAT EQUITY IN TAXATION IS IMPORTANT.
AND ON THAT PRINCIPLE, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT.
I JUST LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY AND APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS TONIGHT.
WE WILL TAKE YOUR COMMENTS UNDER ADVISEMENT.
WE WILL NOT BE VOTING ON THIS UNTIL OUR MAY 4TH MEETING.
SO, UH, I'LL BE STUDYING THE ISSUE.
I'LL BE ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER LOCALITIES ARE DOING WITH THEIR TAX RATE.
UH, I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO CREATE, NONE OF US WANT TO CREATE A SCENARIO WHERE A YORK IS OUT OF LINE ON TAXES AND PRICING THE CIGARETTES, UH, OUT OF THE OUTER REACH AND MAKING IT, UH, WITH THE TAX, UH, A HIGHER RATE HERE IN YORK THAN IT WOULD BE IN SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITY.
SO, UH, I'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT ALSO, UH,
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
HAVING SAID THAT IT'S TIME TO MOVE INTO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.YOU HAVE TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES, ITEM SIX, OUTSTANDING YOUTH AWARD AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, FUEL 0.1 EXPANSION, PROJECT, YORKTOWN LIBRARY, EXPANSION AND RENOVATION, PROJECT, WHOLE PAD, AND ELECTRONIC POLL BOOKS.
AND IS THERE ANY ONE OF THESE ITEMS THAT ANY OF THE SUPERVISORS WISH FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, OR I DON'T NEED ANY MORE INFORMATION, BUT I LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE'RE FINALLY AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR THE RENOVATION AND EXPANSION OF THE YORK LIBRARY.
CAUSE I CAN REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAD A STUDY THAT WAS BACK IN 96, WE ENDED UP BUILDING THE TAB LIBRARY, BUT IT ALSO SAID THAT WE NEEDED TO EXPAND THE, THE LIBRARY IN YORKTOWN AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT.
AND IT'S BEEN COMING UP AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND THERE WAS NO MONEY TO DO IT AND IT'S PUT ON THE BACK BURNER, BUT NOW IT'S ON THE FRONT BURNER.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOUR TAX MONEY GOES.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LIBRARY IS THE ONE SERVICE THAT WE OFFER THAT EVERYBODY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
IT'S VITAL TO THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN.
IT'S VITAL TO THE ELDERLY WHO FIND COMFORT IN READING AND LISTENING TO TAPES.
IT'S IT PROVIDES COMFORT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR JOBS AND THEY CAN GO TO THE LIBRARY AND WRITE, GET HELP WITH THE RESUMES.
THERE IS JUST SO MUCH THAT OUR LIBRARY OFFERS.
SO I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT OUR LIBRARY SERVICE AND HOW IT HAS BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND IN SPITE OF THE MONETARY LIMITATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
SO I THINK THIS IS OUR TAX DOLLARS BEING USED FOR EVERYBODY.
AND I CAN'T BE MORE THANKFUL THAN THAT.
MR. RON, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? JUST THE, GOING BACK TO THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, UH, FUEL POINT EXPANSION PROJECT.
WHAT WAS THE MAIN DRIVER BEHIND THAT? I WAS READING IN THE, THE MEMORANDUM.
YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE, THE TANK'S REGION IS 25 YEAR IN LIFE CYCLE.
YOU'RE NOT, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS YOU WANT TO DO AT THE SAME TIME.
THE MAIN DRIVER IS A, THE TANKS ARE FIVE YEARS BEYOND THEIR, THEIR, THEIR USEFUL LIFE, BEST PRACTICES.
WE'VE BEEN NEEDING TO REPLACE THEM.
WE PUT IT OFF FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
AND THEN WHILE WE DO THAT, WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE DISRUPTION TO DO THESE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DESCRIBING AND TALKING ABOUT.
SO WE'RE ALREADY PAST THE 25 YEAR LIMIT BY FIVE YEARS OF SAND LAKE.
SO YOU'VE SEEN THEM MORE MISNOMER.
WOULD YOU LOSE THE CONSENT CALENDAR CLERK, BUT COULDN'T SET.
CALENDAR HAS BEEN MOVED BY MS. SNOW.
THE MOTION MADE BY MRS. NOLE IS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS SUBMITTED MRS. NOLE.
[02:25:01]
NO CLOSE MEETING.I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT OUR NEXT MEETING IS TUESDAY, MAY 4TH HERE IN THE BOARDROOM.
IN-PERSON WHERE WE'LL VOTE ON THE BUDGET AND SEEN NO OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE US.