* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:05] GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE JANUARY 4TH [Call to Order.] ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. UH, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE ELECTION OF THE NEW CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE SOME, UH, PRIOR [Additional Item] BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF. AND THAT'S THE APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION ONTO THIS TIME. I'D LIKE TO CALL ON MR. RON. YES, MR. GREEN. I LIKE TO NOMINATE MR. DOUGLAS LIBERMAN TO THE, UH, VACANT SPOT ON THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION. OKAY. THANK YOU. A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE MADAM MADAM CLERK. THE MOTION MADE BY MR. ROWAN IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION OUR 22 DASH NINE TO APPOINT A MEMBER TO THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION. MR. ZAREMBA. YES. MRS. NOLE. YES. MR. ROAN. YES. MR. SHEPHERD, MR. GREEN. YES. ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS TO ESTABLISH THE [1 Establish Rules of Procedure.] RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR 2022. SORRY, DISCUSSION ON THIS. SO, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSION MR. SHEPHERD, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN MOVE OUR 20 RESOLUTION, OUR 22 DASH ONE MADAM CLERK FOR RE MOTION. THE MOTION MADE BY MR. SHEPHERD IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION NUMBER R 22 DASH ONE TO ESTABLISH THE BOARD'S RULES OR PROCEDURE FOR 2022. MRS. NOLE. YES. MR. ROWAN. YES. MR. SHEPHERD. YES. MR. ZAREMBA, MR. GREEN. YES. ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE ELECTION [A Election of Chairman.] OF CHAIRMAN FOR 2022. AND AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO CALL ON MR. ZAREMBA. UH, MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR OFFERING ME THE PRIVILEGE TO NOMINATE MS. NOBLE AS YOUR COUNTY'S SHERIFF LADY FOR THE ENTIRETY OF 2022 BEFORE MAKE THAT NOMINATION THOUGH, I'D LIKE TO JUST SHARE A FEW THINGS, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT OUR CONSTITUENCY TO SINK THAT I'M A HYPOCRITE ON CERTAIN THINGS. YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS LAST CALENDAR YEAR, IT WAS A VERY SMALL TRIAL YEAR THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY RUNNING DOWN TO THE STATES, RIGHT? I GUESS MAYBE IF YOU HAD A PECK, PICK THEM IN AN ORDER, MAYBE DEPENDENT MAKE WAS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVENT, RIGHT. BUT THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME IN YORK COUNTY WHEN, UH, THERE WAS A GROWING NUMBER OF PARENTS WHO HAD CHILDREN IN YOUR COUNTY K THROUGH 12, AND THEY WERE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT THEY WEREN'T BEING INVOLVED WITH RESPECT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A COMMONWEALTH STATUTE. IT'S ONE DASH 2, 4 0 0.1 THAT BASICALLY LAYS OUT THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF PARENTS IN VIRGINIA TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, AS WELL AS THE WELFARE OF THE CHILD. SO, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE CHAIR TESTED ME TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT STAFFORD COUNTY HAD JUST DONE, UH, AT THE TIME, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UPPER STAFF ACADEMY PREPARED AND PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT ESSENTIALLY ADDRESSED A CONCEPT CALLED CRITICAL RACE THEORY. IT'S A, IT'S A, UH, COMMUNIST IDEOLOGY AND BASICALLY THE STAFFORD COUNTY, UH, RESOLUTION BOARD PRECLUDE ANYTHING TO DO WITH CRT AS CRITICAL RACE THEORY IS, IS CALL. OKAY. SO I DRAFTED A, UM, THE INITIAL DRAFT WAS BASED BASICALLY, UH, BASED ON SEPARATE COUNTY, BUT OVER TIME THAT EVOLVED INTO A FINAL DRAFT IS STILL A DRAFT THAT REALLY PUTS THE EMPHASIS ON THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF YOUR COUNTY PARENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION. AND MY INTERPRETATION DOES THE CODE, IS THAT PROBABLY MORE SO ON THE SOCIAL SIDE, THE UPBRINGING OF THEIR CHILDREN, NOT SO MUCH WITH RESPECT TO ACADEMIA, UH, AND, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD. UH, THE DREAD WAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD AT ONE OF OUR BOARD READINGS BY, I THINK HER NAME WAS MS. SPELLMAN. OKAY. SHE'S THE LAST ONE TO HANDLE THE DRAFT. THAT WAS MY PRODUCT. RIGHT. UM, AND THAT WENT WHEREVER I WENT OFF ON VACATION FOR A FEW DAYS WITH MY WIFE. UH, THE CHAIR WAS GOING TO TRY TO COORDINATE WITH HIS COUNTERPART ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. UH, SO SEE IF WE COULDN'T COME TOGETHER, PUT TOGETHER A JOINT RESOLUTION, SUPPORTING THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF PARENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION, TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT EDUCATION. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT NEVER WENT, NEVER WENT ANYWHERE. OKAY. AND SO, UM, I CALLED MS. NOEL TODAY IS GOING TO BE APPOINTED HER TONIGHT OR NOMINATING HER TO BE OUR CHAIR. AND I SAID, SHEILA, YOU WERE NOT IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTIONS THAT, UH, I DID A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. UH, AND [00:05:01] WHAT'S YOUR FEELING TODAY, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD AND VARIOUS STUPIDLY, UM, MS. KNOWLES REMINDED ME THERE WAS AN ELECTION IN NOVEMBER AND THE GOVERNOR ELECT YUNCKEN TAKES HIS SEAT. DO YOU KNOW WHAT GRACIOUS IS? THE 15TH OF JANUARY AND A MAJOR PART OF HIS CAMPAIGN WAS THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF PARENTS IN VIRGINIA TO BE INVOLVED IN THE EDUCATION OF THEIR K THROUGH 12 CHILDREN. HE WAS PRETTY LUCKY, I THINK FROM A STANDPOINT OF, OH BOY, HOW CAN THE OPPONENT REALLY MAKE A MISTAKE? BUT MR. TURI HAS THE OPPONENT. WHEN I RECORD TO SAY THAT HE WAS OPPOSED TO PARENTS BEING INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION, I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY NOT A SMART THING TO SAY. OKAY. SO THE POINT IS I WANTED TO KNOW MS. KNOWLES FEELING, AND SHE SAID, LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE GOT THIS STATUTE ONE DASH, TWO 40.1 THAT MANDATES IT'S, IT'S THE LAW OF VIRGINIA THAT LAYS OUT THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF PARENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION. LET'S SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT UNDER THE NEW GOVERNORSHIP. AND I SAYS, THAT MAKES SENSE. SO, SO I SAID, BUT WHAT IF, IF DOWN THE ROAD IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE PAYING NOW THEN MS. NOBLE, WE CONSIDER WITH RESPECT TO WHAT WE EARLIER ATTEMPTED BY WAY OF A RESOLUTION THAT I HOPE JUST LIKE SHE, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE RESOLUTION ISSUE. AND AS A RESULT, I GLADLY NOMINATE MS. NOLTE TO BE OUR CHAIR LADY FOR THE ENTIRETY OF 2022. SO IN SUMMARY, YOU, YOU JUST NOMINATE, I DID NOMINEE HERE, BUT I'D LIKE TO ADD A FOOTNOTE TO THAT. OKAY. AND THAT FOOTNOTE IS SIMULTANEOUSLY OR RIGHT AFTER THE NOMINATION OF BIZ KNOLL, I WOULD LIKE TO TABLE THE RESOLUTION THAT THE COUNTY HAS AS A RESULT OF IT BEING PRESENTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO. OKAY. AND I KNOW I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO MISPRONOUNCE HER NAME, BUT MS. MELMAN MADE THE PRESENTATION PROCEDURALLY. I THINK YOU SHOULD MAKE THE MOTION TO TABLE IT RIGHT NOW FIRST, BEFORE THE NOMINATION. CORRECT. WELL, IF THAT'S THE PROCEDURE I'LL MAKE, I'LL MAKE THE, AND WE ARE STILL WORKING IN CONCERT WITH AIR COUNTERPARTS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND OTHER ISSUES. SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU, MR. , THERE'S BEEN A MOTION TO, UH, FOR MISS KNOLL TO BE CHAIR. ARE THERE ANY OTHER MOTIONS NOMINATIONS? ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS. MADAM CLERK. NICE TO MEET MR. GREEN IS TO CLOSE THE NOMINATION FOR THE OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN. MR. ROWAN, MR. SHEPHERD, MR. ZAREMBA, MRS. NOLE. MR. GREEN. YES. MOTION CARRIED. CONGRATULATIONS. THAT WAS THE CLOSER NOMINATIONS. NOW THE NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED. NOW WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL. MADAM CLERK. THE MOTION MADE BY MR. ZAREMBA IS TO ELECT MRS. DOLE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR 2022. MR. SHEPHERD. YES. MR. ZAREMBA. YES. MRS. NO. YES. MR. ROWAN. YES. MR. GREEN. YES. MOTION CARRIED. AND NOW WE MOVED TO, OH, YOUR BOWL. I'M GOING TO GET UP, GOING TO GET THE HAMMER, RIGHT. GENTLY, GENTLY AND WISELY. BEFORE WE MOVED TO THE ELECTION OF THE VICE CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS REGARDING THE OUTGOING CHAIRMAN, MR. GREEN. I THINK HE HAS PROBABLY HAD THE MOST UNUSUAL TWO YEARS AS CHAIRMAN THAT EITHER MR. ZAREMBA, NOR I COULD REMEMBER BECAUSE OF COVID AND ALL THE ACTIONS THAT TAKE PLACE BECAUSE OF IT AND THE FLEXIBILITY THAT WAS NEEDED BY STAFF AND BY HIM, UH, BECAUSE OF IT. AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT YOUR JOB, YOU ROLLED WITH THE PUNCHES, YOU WERE VERY CALM, COOL, AND COLLECTED, AND WE MOVED FORWARD. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TERM AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. SO I WANT TO CLAP ON THAT GUYS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW I WILL MOVE FOR THE NOMINATION OF THE OFFICE AS [B Election of Vice Chairman.] VICE PRESIDENT, VICE CHAIRMAN, NOT PRESIDENT YET. UH, FOR 2022. DO I HAVE A NUMBER? UH, MR. YES. YES. MS. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND MY PLEASURE TO NOMINATE MR. SHEPHERD TO THE ROLE OF VICE CHAIR FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR OF 2022 FOR YOUR COUNTY. THANK YOU. [00:10:02] ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS THERE BEING NONE. MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? THE MOTION MADE BY MR. ROWAN IS TO CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS FOR THE OFFICE OF VICE CHAIRMAN. MR. ZAREMBA, MR. ROAN, MR. SHEPHERD, MR. GREEN, MRS. NOLE. YES. MOTION CARRIED. UH, THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL MOVE. I HAVE CALLED THE ROLE FOR THE ELECTION OF THE VICE-CHAIRMAN. THE MOTION MADE BY MR. ROWAN IS TO ELECT MR. SHEPHERD AS VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR 2022. MR. ROAN, MR. SHEPHERD, MR. GREEN, MR. MRS. NOLE. YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS, TOM. NOW WE MOVE TO OPEN DISCUSSION. [OPEN DISCUSSION] I THINK MR. GREEN, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO GO FIRST SINCE YOU'VE ALWAYS CALLED ON ME TO GO FIRST. YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO WISH EVERYBODY A VERY HEALTHY, HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR. AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF AND ESPECIALLY MR. MORGAN, UH, AND ALL THE, UH, BRIAN FULLER, MARK BELLAMY, UH, ALL THE FOLKS WHO REALLY DUG DOWN AND REALLY WORKED HARD DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS. UH, NOT MANY PEOPLE CAN SAY THAT THEY WERE LEADING THE COUNTY DURING A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC, UH, BUT WE HAD THE RIGHT FOLKS IN PLACE. AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK MR. MORGAN, EXCELLENT JOB. AND OF COURSE THE, THE HIGH LEVEL SUPPORT GUYS, MR. BELL, AND MAY MR. FULLER, UH, EXCELLENT JOB. AND THERE'S ONE PERSON WHO, UH, HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY SUPPORTIVE. AND, UH, I CAN'T IMAGINE DOING THIS JOB WITHOUT HER. AND THAT'S, UH, OUR MADAM CLERK, MS. SHOT. SHE HAS DONE A SUPER JOB AND SHE IS JUST, UH, BEEN GREAT ON THE SPOT AND, UH, DONE EVERYTHING THAT'S REQUIRED AND ABOVE AND BEYOND. SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I WISH EVERYBODY A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR AND PROSPERS STAY SAFE OUT THERE. WALK, DO YOU HAVE ANY WELL, IT'S HARD TO BEAT THAT IN TERMS OF, IF YOU WANT TO BE REDUNDANT, WE CAN SPEND A WHOLE NIGHT HERE, BUT MY WISHES FOR THE COUNTY, THE 70,000 PLUS PEOPLE THAT COMPRISE THE COUNTY IS THAT WE ALL WIND UP GETTING THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC ISSUE AND ALL THE SUBSETS OF IT THAT WE HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF, UH, STAY HEALTHY AND DO WHAT YOU DO BEST. AND THAT IS RAISING YOUR FAMILY TO BE SOLID CITIZENS OF YOUR COUNTY, THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I WOULD, UH, JUST REMIND THE BOARD AS WELL AS OUR PEERS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT, AND THEY'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS AGAIN. ALL RIGHT. AND THAT IS, WE WORK FOR THE COUNTY AND WE FROM TIME TO TIME, NEED TO REMIND OURSELVES WHEN ISSUES COME BEFORE THE BOARD, JUST, YOU KNOW, WHO IS THE PERSON THAT WE REPRESENT OR PERSONS THAT WE REPRESENT. IT'S NOT THAT DEVELOPER, IT'S NOT THAT SPECIAL INTEREST ENTITY. IT IS THE 70,000 PLUS PEOPLE THAT COMPRISES COUNTY. AND IT'S ONE REASON I WAS REMINDED OF JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THAT YOUR COUNTY IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO RAISE A FAMILY. AND THAT, THAT IS EVER SO CORRECT. ONE OF THE REASONS I CAME HERE, WHEN I RETIRED IN 1992, UH, WANTING TO KNOW WHERE'S THE BEST PLACE IN VIRGINIA TO RAISE A FAMILY, BUILD A HOME. AND IT WAS YOUR COUNTY BASED ON WHAT THE EDUCATION SYSTEM. AND I THINK, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT A GREAT ORGANIZATION THAT EVALUATES EDUCATION SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTY, A COMPANY CALLED NICHE, AND I C H E WE'LL SUBSTANTIATE THAT. AND I WAS REMINDED THE OTHER DAY, OR MAYBE A WEEK OR TWO AGO BY OUR SUPERINTENDENT, HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL DIVISION WAS IN YOUR COUNTY. SO I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF HEALTH THIS COMING YEAR STAY HEALTHY, BE ACTIVE, UH, AND GOD BLESS. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU. YEAH. SO HAPPY NEW YEARS, EVERYBODY. UM, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO 2022. UM, WE, WE KIND OF REHASHED THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD IN 2021 AND 2020, AND I'M NOT SO NAIVE TO THINK THAT THERE WON'T BE CHALLENGES GOING FORWARD. I REALLY NEED TO START TO GET THE SENSE THAT WE, AS A COUNTY, AS A STATE, AS A NATION, WE'RE STARTING TO TURN THE CORNER. THAT BRIGHTER DAYS ARE AHEAD. I HAVE GREAT EXPECTATIONS FOR WHAT WILL COME. I THINK WE'RE GETTING BETTER CONTROL OVER THE, THE PANDEMIC SITUATION. I THINK WE'RE GETTING OUT INTO THE WORLD BETTER, AND I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT WE CAN DO COLLECTIVELY AS A, AS A COUNTY HERE. UH, I HAVE RECEIVED COMMENTS FROM A NUMBER OF CITIZENS OVER THE PAST YEAR ON GREAT FEEDBACK FROM COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND STAFF THAT HAS BEEN A HELP THEM OUT. AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT, AND I'M HAPPY TO GET THAT, AND THAT'S ENCOURAGING TO THOSE FOLKS TO HELP YOU CONTINUE TO SERVE THE COUNTY. SO AGAIN, LOOKING FORWARD TO 2022, [00:15:01] I THINK WE'VE GOT A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF US AND I'M HAPPY TO BE PART OF IT. SO THANK YOU, MR. SHEPHERD. THANK YOU. UM, I WANT TO ECHO, UM, MS. COLE'S COMMENTS REFERENCE, UH, UH, MR. GREEN'S, UH, CHALLENGES THAT HE'S FACED IN LEADERSHIP DURING THE, UH, THE LAST TWO YEARS. UM, A LOT OF FOLKS, YEAH, YOU SEE, UH, YOU SEE THE RESULTS. WE HAVE OUR BOARD MEETINGS, WE MAKE DECISIONS. UM, WHAT YOU DON'T SEE IS THE BEHIND THE SCENES WORK THAT'S NECESSARY THAT THE CHAIRMAN HAS TO DO REPRESENTING THE COUNTY TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT ONE WHERE THE COUNTY IS NOTED BY THE OTHER 14 JURISDICTIONS OF HAMPTON ROADS, BUT TWO, UH, THAT THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENS ARE ACTUALLY BROUGHT FORWARD. UM, AND THE CHALLENGE OF THE PANDEMIC IS THE CHAIR HERE IS THAT YOU HAD TO WORK THROUGH, WE HAD TO HAVE THE CHANGE OF LAWS THAT THEY ALLOWED US TO DO CERTAIN THINGS YOU HAD TO WORK WITH THE STAFF, AND WE HAD TO CARE AND MAKE SURE THE STAFF IS GOING TO BE, UH, UH, ROUND BECAUSE AS WE'RE SEEING WITH THE COVID, IT'S STILL HERE AND IT'S CAUSING PROBLEMS. AND THE CHAIRMAN'S DIDN'T HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH THE, UH, THE OTHER FELLOW SUPERVISORS TO GET THINGS DONE. AND THAT WAS NO EASY TASK THAT WAS LITERALLY NO EASY TASK. IT WAS A, IT WAS A CHALLENGE. WE HAD A LOT OF IDEAS THAT WERE COMING FORWARD. UH, MR. , UH, ALREADY TALKED ABOUT ONE AND, UH, AND IT PRESENTED, UH, UH, IT PRESENTED REALLY A UNIQUE CHALLENGE FOR ONE THE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PARTICIPATE FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR COUNTY ATTORNEY. UM, AND THEN FOR THE FELLOW SUPERVISORS, JUST THINK WE WERE HAVING HOW LONG WE HELD OUR MEETINGS VIRTUALLY. AND YEAH, IT WAS EASY. CAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO RUN DOWN HERE ALL THE TIME, BUT YOU ALIVE, YOU WERE HERE BY YOURSELF WITH THE STAFF AND RUNNING THE MEETINGS. AND, UH, THAT WAS NO EASY TASK. IT REALLY WAS CHALLENGED. AND I THOUGHT YOU DID IT, UH, WAS AFRAID THAT THE, THE FIRST YEAR YOU WERE CHAIR WAS GOING TO BE AN ABARITION. YOU WEREN'T GOING TO ACTUALLY GET THE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT IT WAS TO BE A CHAIR OUT IN PUBLIC, AND YOU GOT TO YOU, THEY GET TO DO THAT. AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO SEE BOTH ENDS OF ONE WHERE IT'S A, YEAH, WE'RE A PUFF OF SMOKE SOMEWHERE, TV FACES, WHATEVER. BUT, UH, YOU SAW THAT YOU HANDLED IT WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. A COUPLE OF THINGS OF THE IN 20, 22. YEAH, WE GOT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN 2022, MY GOSH, YOU KNOW, IT'S YEAR AFTER YEAR, WE COME BACK, WE'RE STILL HERE, STILL A COUNTY. UH, MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE STILL HERE DEALING WITH ISSUES THAT HAVE EVOLVED OVER THE, OVER THE DECADES. AND, UM, AND WE'VE GOT A VERY EXPERIENCED BOARD, GOT A LOT OF TALENT. I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THINGS THAT COME UP. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ANY CONSTITUENT Y'ALL HAVEN'T YET THE TAX ASSESSMENT, NOT EXCUSE ME, TEXAS, BUT THE REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE OUT. UM, AND SO YOU NEED TO READ THAT FORM BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS GOING TO WAKE UP. IF YOU HAVEN'T OPENED YOUR MAIL AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT, AND YOU EITHER YOUR PROPERTY HAS GONE DOWN OR GONE UP, AND IF IT'S GONE UP, YOU'RE GOING, HOLY MACKEREL, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT AM I, WHAT AM I PAYING IN TAXES? WELL, ALL OF THAT'S GOING TO BE ADDRESSED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. AND BY THE END OF MAY, OR EXCUSE ME, BY THE FIRST ROUND, THE 1ST OF MAY, WE WILL HAVE APPROVED OUR BUDGET. SO, UM, THE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU DON'T AGREE OR YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE TAX ASSESSMENT, YOU HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME THAT YOU HAVE TO GET TO THE TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND MAKE YOUR, UH, IT GO. YOU WANT TO DO IT THE EASY WAY IS GOING IN AND TALK TO THEM. IF YOU WANT TO DO IT THE HARD WAY, JUST WAIT AND TRY TO WORK IT THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM. AND THAT BECOMES EXPENSIVE. SO, UH, ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO LET IT BRING THAT THERE BUYS ATTENTION. SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE WERE A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. NOW, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK OF ANYTHING. OH, NO HAPPY NEW YEAR AT ALL. AND I'LL BE KEEPING YOU UP WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AS THAT STARTING TO HEAT UP. AND AS ALWAYS, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT OR ANYTHING, OUR OFFICE DOES, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL ME AT ANYTIME. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO, I WANT YOU TO REALLY FOCUS ON ANY MOVEMENT THAT TRIES TO, UH, MAKE THE TAX, UM, ISSUE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. SO REFERENDUM. OKAY. WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT TO END UP WITH A PROPOSITION 13 SITUATION HERE WHERE WE ENDED UP DESTROYING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE GOVERNMENT THAT'LL BE COMING UP COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, NEIL, THANK YOU. UH, HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY CONGRATULATIONS [00:20:01] TO OUR NEW OFFICERS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 22. AND I DO WANT TO ALSO ADD MY, THANKS TO MR. GREEN FOR HIS, UH, CHAIRMANSHIP DURING, UH, WHAT HAS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL PERIODS IN OUR HISTORY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE TONIGHT. UM, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT COVID AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT A R P TAX AID IS IN NEED OF MORE VOLUNTEERS. COVID REALLY HAS BEEN AN ISSUE. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE STRICT OBSERVATIONS FOR BOTH THE VOLUNTEER PREPARERS AND THE TAX CLIENTS. YOU WILL, THEY'LL BE TAKE PRECAUTIONS WILL BE TAKEN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. AND THE SERVICE WILL PROBABLY BE BEGIN IN FEBRUARY, BUT IT'S AT THIS POINT, I, WE SO MUCH SELF THAT WE NEED VOLUNTEERS THAT YOU'LL RECEIVE ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING IF NECESSARY. NOW, IF YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER, AND I HOPE SOMEONE OUT THERE MORE THAN ONE OUT THERE WILL LISTEN AND MAKE THIS TELEPHONE CALL. I WANT YOU TO CALL JAY HARPER, WHO IS THE TAX AID COORDINATOR FOR THE PENINSULA. AND HIS PHONE NUMBER IS (757) 870-1603. AND I'VE GOT TO REPEAT THAT AGAIN. THE NUMBER IS 7 5 7 8 7 0 1 6 0 3. IT'S A WONDERFUL SERVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO CANNOT DO THEIR OWN TAXES, ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY TIME AT ALL, PLEASE CONSIDER BEING A VOLUNTEER FOR ARP TAX AID. NOW, FINALLY, THIS IS THE PRAYER THAT I SAY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE FOR THE NEW YEAR. AND I THINK WE'LL END THE MEETING WITH THIS LORD IN THIS NEW YEAR, WHICH WE HAVE BEGUN. MAYBE WE HAVE ENOUGH HAPPINESS TO KEEP US AGREEABLE AND ENOUGH TRIAL TO KEEP US STRONG ENOUGH SORROW, TO KEEP US HUMAN IN A FREEDOM, TO MAKE US HAPPY ENOUGH FAILURE TO KEEP US HUMBLE ENOUGH SUCCESS TO KEEP US EAGER ENOUGH WEALTH, TO MEET OUR NEEDS ENOUGH FAITH TO BANISH DEPRESSION, ENOUGH HOPE TO LOOK FORWARD ENOUGH, LOVE TO GIVE US COMFORT AND ENOUGH DETERMINATION TO KEEP US GOING. SO WITH THAT, I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR, AND THERE'LL BE NO FURTHER BUSINESS. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.