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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
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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