[Call to Order ]
[00:00:59]
GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE FIRST REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
ALLOW CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
AND DIANE, WOULD YOU CALL THE WHOLE PLACE? YES.
FOR THE INVOCATION, WE HAVE OMARI RANDOLPH OF THE YORK COUNTY YOUTH COMMISSION, THE MIAMI, WHAT YOU JOIN US, PLEASE.
I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO GATHER HERE TODAY, FATHER, I ASK THAT AS WE PREPARE TO DISCUSS AND MAKE PLANS FOR THIS COUNTY, THAT YOU WOULD LEAD GUIDE AND DIRECT THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE, REMOVE OUR SELFISH AMBITION AND ALLOW THE DECISIONS IN DISCUSSION SHARED TODAY.
BE MADE FOR THE WELL-BEING AND BENEFIT OF ALL PEOPLE.
AS WE STILL FACE THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC, I ASKED FOR YOUR PROTECTION AND THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US GUIDANCE ON HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS SEASON.
GIVE US WISDOM TO MAKE THE CORRECT DECISIONS IN ALL THAT WE DO IN FACE.
THANK YOU FOR DIVERSITY AND UNIQUENESS FATHER.
I PRAY THAT THROUGH THE DIVERSITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, THERE WILL BE UNITY.
YOU SHOW US TO ONE ANOTHER ALWAYS IN JESUS NAME.
THANK YOU MR. MR. SHEPHERD TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE.
INDIVIDUAL, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL,
[PRESENTATIONS A York County Youth Commission. Receive quarterly report from the York County Youth Commission. ]
FOR A PRESENTATION TONIGHT, WE HAVE NATHANIEL VIRGIL FINELLIS FROM THE YOUTH COMMISSION.WE'RE GOING TO GET THE QUARTERLY REPORT.
CHAIRMAN KNOLL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. MORGAN AND CITIZENS OF YOUR COUNTY.
I AM NATHANIEL VIRGIL FELLOWS, AND I AM CHAIRMAN OF THE YORK COUNTY YOUTH COMMISSION.
I AM PROUD TO PRESENT TO YOU OUR 20 21, 20 22 REPORT.
OUR MOTTO THIS YEAR IS Y C Y C YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUTH COMMUNITY.
OUR GOALS ARE FIRST TO PARTICIPATE IN AND OFFER COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES TO HIGH SCHOOLERS.
OUR SECOND GOAL IS TO CONDUCT STUDENT SURVEYS AND OUR THIRD GOAL IS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL COMMON GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING AT THE FREIGHT SHED ON AUGUST 17TH FROM NINE TO 3:00 PM.
MR. RICHARDSON FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD AND MR. ROAN FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CAME TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
THEY DISCUSSED OUR ROLES AS THE YOUTH COMMISSION AND GAVE US A CHANCE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS WE HAD SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD MR. BRYAN FULLER ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES.
AND MR. NEIL MORGAN COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SPEAK TO US AT MONTHLY MEETINGS.
THEY BOTH ELABORATED ON COUNTY, GOVERNMENT AND POLICIES AND ANSWERED OUR QUESTIONS.
WE THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES AND SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH US.
WE ALSO DECIDED WHO WAS ON EACH COMMITTEE AND ESTABLISH OUR CALENDAR FOR THE QUARTER.
FINALLY, WE GOT TO TOUR YORKTOWN
[00:05:01]
ON A TROLLEY AND LEARN ABOUT OUR HISTORY.WE PARTNERED WITH MR. KEVIN RICHIE FROM THE YORK COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO CREATE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUTH IN YORK COUNTY.
WE HAD STUDENTS FROM GRAFTON AND YORK HIGH SCHOOL VOLUNTEER WITH US AT THE FALL FESTIVAL, WHERE WE HELD THE TABLE FOR CHILDREN TO DECORATE PUMPKINS.
THEN WE HANDED OUT CANDY AT THE PAWS AT THE RIVER MARKET WITH A FUN DISNEY THEME.
WE ALSO DID ARTS AND CRAFTS AT THE MARITIME FESTIVAL AND THE HARVEST FESTIVAL.
WE RECEIVED A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS YEAR, GRAFTON CELEBRATED ITS 25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
THEY HELD A TAILGATE AT YORK HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE THEIR HOMECOMING GAME.
THE, YOUR COUNTY YOUTH COMMISSION HAD A TABLE WHERE WE OFFERED PUMPKIN DECORATION.
THERE WERE OVER 300 ATTENDEES.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO MS. LAURA PARKER, WHO IS GRAFTON'S ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FOR INVITING US TO THIS EVENT DURING THE MAYFLOWER MARATHON FOOD DRIVE, WE HELP PROCESS INCOMING FOOD DONATIONS FOR THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA FOOD BANK FROM TWO TO 4:00 PM WITH THE HELP OF STUDENTS FROM GRAFTON HIGH SCHOOL AND TABB HIGH SCHOOL, WE WERE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAUSE.
WE WERE ALLOWED TO OPERATE THE LIFT ON THE FOOD TRUCK, WHICH MADE THE SERVICE EVEN MORE EVENTFUL AND FUN FOR US.
THIS HAS BECOME OUR FAVORITE EVENT THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO PARTICIPATE IN IT AGAIN.
NEXT YEAR FOR THE YOURTOWN CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING, WE WENT DOWN TO YORKTOWN BEACH FREIGHT SHED, AND WE HELPED ATTENDEES TO DECORATE CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR OUR ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN, AS WELL AS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
WE HAD ONE STUDENT FROM BRUTON HIGH SCHOOL AND ONE FROM GRAFTON HIGH SCHOOL ASSISTING US WITH THIS VOLUNTEER EVENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION OFFICE FOR INCLUDING US IN THIS ANNUAL TRADITION, LOOKING FOR NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE REACHED OUT AND ASKED THEM TO TASHA HOUSE.
IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT THEY NEEDED, THEY TOLD US THAT THEY NEEDED TOYS SO THAT THEIR CHILDREN COULD GO OUTSIDE AND TO PLAY.
WE DECIDED TO CREATE AN OUTDOOR TOY DRIVE IN ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.
WE WERE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THIS EVENT.
SOME OF OUR MEMBERS EVEN WENT OVER THE MORNING, ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THEIR SCHOOLS TO ADVERTISE OUR TOUR DRIVE.
WE RECEIVED MANY DONATIONS AND THE DRIVE TURNED OUT TO BE A GREAT SUCCESS.
WE MET WITH THE PRINCIPALS OF EVERY HIGH SCHOOL AND DISCUSSED OUR ROLE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND HOW WE COULD IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS.
BRUTON HIGH SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL ASKED US TO CREATE A SURVEY FOR BRUTON HIGH SCHOOL, ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.
I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO AMARI RANDALL, OUR VICE CHAIRMAN, WHO TOOK THE LEAD ON THIS PROJECT WITH THE LOGAN RICHARDSON.
AGAIN, A FOCUS OF THE YOUTH COMMISSION THIS YEAR IS MENTAL HEALTH.
WE STAND AS LIAISONS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FEELINGS AND DESIRES OF OUR PEERS AND FELLOW STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AS WE TRAVERSE TO THE UNCERTAINTIES OF THIS PANDEMIC, IT IS IMPORTANT.
WE ACCOMMODATE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEEDS OF OUR YOUTH, LOGAN RICHARDSON, MYSELF AND OUR PHENOMENAL PRINCIPAL, MRS. ALISHA DOCKERY CREATED AND CONDUCTED A SCHOOL-WIDE SURVEY.
THIS THAT ASSESSED THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THE STUDENTS AT BRUTON HIGH SCHOOL.
10 QUESTIONS WERE ASKED WITH THE MIXTURE OF FREE RESPONSE QUESTIONS, MULTIPLE SELECTION, QUESTIONS, AND RANKING QUESTIONS.
THE RESULTS OF SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE PRESENTED BEFORE YOU, BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY, WE HAVE LAUNCHED A PILOT PROGRAM CALLED RELAX WEDNESDAYS AT BRUTON TWO WEDNESDAYS OUT OF THE MONTH.
STUDENTS CAN MEET AFTER SCHOOL PARTAKE IN A RELAXING ACTIVITY AND LEARN ABOUT A SPECIFIC STUDENT SELECTED MENTAL HEALTH TOPIC.
WE HAVE HAD ONE WEDNESDAY SESSION THUS FAR, AND IT WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL.
WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF THIS PROGRAM WITHIN BRUTON HIGH SCHOOL AND ULTIMATELY WIDE.
WE HAVE OUR FIRST TWO QUESTIONS WERE FREE RESPONSE QUESTIONS THEY AREN'T PRESENTED BEFORE YOU.
SO WE'RE GOING TO START WITH QUESTION THREE, QUESTION THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE GAVE US INSIGHT INTO STUDENTS' INTERESTS IN THE RELAXED WEDNESDAY PROGRAM.
[00:10:01]
SAID IF WE HELD MONTHLY AFTERSCHOOL MEETINGS AND HOW TO FUND ACTIVITY ALONGSIDE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, WOULD YOU ATTEND THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS ANSWERED MAYBE TO THIS QUESTION, OUR FOURTH QUESTION ASKED WHAT TOPICS CONCERNING MENTAL HEALTH WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE COVERED? AND THESE RESULTS ARE PRESENTED BEFORE YOU DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY WERE THE TOP TWO CATEGORIES THAT STUDENTS WANT IT TO BE PRESENTED.THE FIFTH QUESTION ASKED, WHAT TYPES OF STUDENT, WHAT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES WOULD YOU PARTICIPATE IN DURING THESE SESSIONS? AND MOST STUDENTS REPLIED COOKING, WHICH I LOVE ALSO THE ABRUPT TRANSITION FROM IN-PERSON SCHOOL TO VIRTUAL SCHOOL IN 2020 WAS DIFFICULT.
AND AFTER A YEAR OF TRYING TO GET USED TO THAT NEW NORMAL WE'RE ABLE TO TRANSITION BACK TO OUR OLD NORMAL.
THE GOAL OF THIS QUESTION WAS TO SEE HOW COMFORTABLE STUDENTS WERE WITH THE TRANSITION BACK INTO IN-PERSON SCHOOL.
THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS WHO APPLIED KIND OF COMFORTABLE IN THE SECOND LARGEST PERCENT OF STUDENTS ENTERED COMFORTABLE, WHICH WAS AWESOME.
THE RESULTS OF THIS QUESTION SHOWED THAT MANY STUDENTS SUFFER FROM FEELINGS OF NERVOUSNESS, ANXIETY, AND THE FEELING OF BEING ON EDGE AT LEAST TWO TIMES A WEEK.
WITH SOME STUDENTS DEALING WITH THESE FEELINGS DAILY, HERE, MANY STUDENTS HAVE EXPRESSED THAT SINCE THE RETURN OF SCHOOL, THEIR MENTAL HEALTH HAS DECLINED OR STAYED STAGNANT.
SADLY, VERY FEW STUDENTS HAVE SEEN IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR MENTAL HEALTH SINCE REENTERING IN-PERSON SCHOOL.
THE RESULTS OF THE FINAL QUESTION ARE SIMILAR TO THE EIGHTH QUESTION AND SHOW THAT MANY STUDENTS ARE BOTHERED BY FEELINGS OF WORRY, ALMOST DAILY.
THE RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY HAVE AND WILL ALLOW US TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOAL, TO STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT BY PROVIDING ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE BOTH THEIR NEEDS.
AND ONCE IN REGARDS TO MENTAL HEALTH, WE HAVE POSTED OUR APPLICATIONS FOR THE TO 2022 OUTSTANDING YOUTH AWARDS.
THE AWARD WILL FEATURE A $1,000 SCHOLARSHIP.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR APPLICANTS WHO HAVE COURAGE, PASSION, DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND HAVE GREAT OVERALL ACHIEVEMENTS.
YOU CAN FIND THE APPLICATION ON OUR WEBSITE@WWWDOTYCYC.INFO.
NOMINATIONS ARE DUE TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION OFFICE BY 5:00 PM.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY THE 18TH, YOUR COUNTY YOUTH COMMISSION APPLICATIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN POSTED.
IT IS OPEN TO ALL YOUR COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN GRADES EIGHT THROUGH 11.
AGAIN, YOU CAN FIND THE APPLICATION ON OUR WEBSITE@WWWDOTYCYC.INFO APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FRIDAY, MARCH 25TH BY 5:00 PM.
IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WE PLAN ON ISSUING OUR YEARLY STUDENT SURVEYS FOR ALL YOUR COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS.
WE ALSO PLAN ON HOLDING OUR ANNUAL TOWN HALL MEETING, WHERE STUDENTS CAN COME AND ASK SOME OF OUR COUNTY OFFICIALS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COUNTY AND ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS.
LASTLY, WE PLAN ON HOLDING OUR ADOPT A HIGHWAY CLEANUP AS ANOTHER VOLUNTEER EVENT, OPEN TO ALL HIGH SCHOOLERS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE@WWWDOTYCYCDOTINFOOREMAILUSATYOURCOUNTYYOUTHCOMMISSIONATGMAIL.COM.
OR YOU CAN CALL THE PARKS AND RECREATION OFFICE AT 7 5 7 8 9 0 3 5 0 0.
THIS ONE CAN INCLUDE THE YORK COUNTY YOUTH COMMISSIONS 20 21, 20 22 REPORT.
THANK YOU, MS. AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPORT TO YOU TONIGHT.
AND THANK YOU, YOUR WONDERFUL EXAMPLES OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND I'VE GOT TO SAY, YOU REALLY HAVE HAD A VERY AMBITIOUS PROGRAM THIS YEAR, AND I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED IT.
[00:15:01]
ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY OF THE BOARD, ANY COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE? YES.UM, SO NATHANIEL LAMAR, GREAT JOB QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, SURVEYS YOU DID THE SURVEYS AT BRUTON HIGH SCHOOL.
ARE THERE PLANS TO EXTEND THAT INTO YOUR CONGRATS MAN AND MAN TO DO WITH THE INSIGHT FROM THOSE SURVEYS? UM, YES, WE DO PLAN TO EXPAND IT TO THE REST OF THE SCHOOLS, UM, AND WITH THE RELAX WEDNESDAY PROGRAM, THAT'S OUR, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO RELAX AND HAVE AN OUTLET WITHIN SCHOOL THAT LIKE WITH THE STRESS AND ANXIETIES THAT THEY GET, UM, THAT THEY HAVE DAILY.
UM, SO WE HOPE TO, WE HAVE OUR STUDENT SURVEY THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW AND HOPEFULLY AFTER THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUT OUT THE MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY TO THE REST OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY AND GET INFO FROM THEM.
THANK YOU, MR. , UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE, UM, THE HEALTH ISSUE, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, UH COVID-19 ASIDE, DID YOU GET, UH, YOU KNOW, TWO MAJOR ISSUES WERE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.
WHAT IS DRIVING THAT ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION? IF YOU CAN KIND OF SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, THE DEPTH OF THE PANDEMIC, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE BOTHERING HER ARE, UH, HIGH SCHOOL KIDS RELATIVE TO ANXIETY PRODUCING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION IN DEPTH AS THEY GO TO SCHOOL.
UM, SO WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE A FOLLOWUP QUESTION ON THE SURVEY, WHICH WAS A FREE RESPONSE AFTER THAT ASKING, LIKE WHY WOULD THAT BE? AND A LOT OF STUDENTS DID REPLY WITH THE PANDEMIC, THE STRESS OF BEING ISOLATED FROM THEIR PEERS FOR SO LONG.
UM, AND I, AND ANOTHER, UM, COMMON RESPONSE THAT WE GOT FROM STUDENTS WAS SOCIAL MEDIA, THE PRESSURES OF SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, AND ALSO TIME MANAGEMENT.
SO NOT ONLY DID WE IMPLEMENT THE RELAXED WEDNESDAYS AT BRUTON, BUT WE ALSO DID GIVE STUDENTS, UM, WE GAVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE AGENDAS OR MONTHLY CALENDARS, A WEEKLY CALENDAR SO THAT THEY CAN MANAGE THEIR TIME BETTER, THAT THAT MIGHT ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE STRESS THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING.
WELL, WHY DIDN'T WE GET QUESTIONS ONE AND TWO, I MISSED, I MISSED YOUR EXPLANATION.
UH, UM, THOSE TWO WERE FREE RESPONSE QUESTIONS.
SO THERE WAS A VARIETY OF RESPONSES FROM STUDENTS.
NATHANIEL, ON A RECENT TRIP TO YORK HIGH SCHOOL, UH, HAD AN OCCASION TO MEET WITH, UH, DR.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, SHE RELAYED TO ME WAS A PROBLEM WITH VAPING, VAPING IN THE BATHROOMS OF SMOKE SHOPS, SELLING THESE PRODUCTS TO HIGH SCHOOLERS.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I WANT YOU TO ASK OR ANSWER TONIGHT, BUT MAYBE TAKE IT BACK TO THE YOUTH COMMISSION AND, UH, SEE IF THE VAPING ISSUE IS A PROBLEM.
UH COUNTY-WIDE AND MAYBE WHAT TYPE OF THINGS THAT THE BOARD COULD DO TO STEM THIS PROBLEM.
UM, I'LL DEFINITELY, UH, TAKE, TAKE THAT, TO TAKE THAT TO THE REST OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION.
AND, UM, WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THAT, BUT AS FAR AS I CAN SAY FOR RIGHT NOW, WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING TALKED TO THEM, THERE IS A WIDE PROBLEM WITH VAPING.
IT'S NOT JUST YOUR HIGH SCHOOL.
IF YOU COULD GET BACK TO US ON THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
I WANT YOU TO BE A LITTLE CAREFUL WITH THE SURVEYS AND READING, HOW YOU READ THE SURVEYS.
UM, IN HIGH SCHOOL, I LOOK AT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, EVERYONE WAS DEPRESSED.
EVERYONE HAD ANXIETY, EVERYONE WAS SWEATING, WHETHER THEY GOT TO THE FRIENDS LIKE ME TO, UH, LIKE MY GOING TO PASS, THE NEXT TEST IS MY GIRLFRIEND OR BOYFRIEND OR WHATEVER.
AM I HAVING PROBLEMS WITH? ADD TO MY I WORKING, WHAT'S GOING ON, FAMILY, STUFF LIKE THAT.
THAT'S ALL PART OF GROWING UP.
UH, WHEN WE ASK THESE QUESTIONS, THE THINGS WERE, I, TO ME, THAT I'M LOOKING FOR ARE TRENDS THAT IMPLY SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE ABNORMAL AND, UH, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUR COUNSELORS OKAY.
THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT AND TAKE IT AND WORK OUT BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED TO DO THAT.
BUT, UH, LET'S NOT FORGET THAT GROWING UP.
IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE STRESSFUL.
COLLEGE, WHAT COLLEGE AM I GOING TO GO TO? OR AM I GOING TO BE ACCEPTED AT THE COLLEGE? AND, UH, SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST KIND OF KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU BUILD THESE QUESTIONS AND HOW YOU, HOW YOU INTERPRET THEM.
UM, I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON THE PRESENTATION IS VERY CLEAR, VERY SUCCINCT, UH, TO THE POINT.
AND, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATED IT.
[CITIZENS' COMMENT PERIOD ]
NEXT.WE HAVE A CITIZENS COMMENT PERIOD, AND I HAVE
[00:20:01]
ONE MAN WHO SIGNED UP.IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK? IF SO, PLEASE FILL OUT A FORM.
MADAM CHAIR, DISTINGUISHED, UH, ORDER SUPERVISORS.
MY NAME IS TED BANKWEST AND I AM RUNNING FOR US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND I LIVE IN A HUNDRED FORTY THREE, EIGHTY THREE EAGLE HARBOR LIGHT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GLOUCESTER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
AS YOU HAVE ON OTHER OCCASIONS, AND YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CORDIAL AND THE DISTINGUISHED GUESTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH A REDISTRICTING PROCESS AND OUR DISTRICT HAS CHANGED VERY MUCH.
YOUR COUNTY IS NOW PART OF THE FIRST DISTRICT IS NO LONGER IN THE SECOND DISTRICT.
AND I JUST WANT TO ASSURE EVERYBODY YOU ARE IN GREAT HANDS WITH CONGRESSMAN ROB WITTMAN.
HE IS A, A ACQUAINTANCE OF MINE AND I RESPECT HIM HIGHLY.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE NEW THIRD DISTRICT IS ACTUALLY HAMPTON, NEWPORT NEWS, NORFOLK, AND PORTSMOUTH, AND PARTS OF CHESAPEAKE.
SO I HAVE RESIGNED FROM THE SECOND DISTRICT AND I AM NOW RUNNING FOR US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE THIRD DISTRICT.
AND I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT MY RUN.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TONIGHT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE TIMES WHEN I SPOKE HERE BEFORE I REMEMBER THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE ON A VERY SENSITIVE ISSUE.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M SO PROUD THAT OUR GOVERNOR THIS PAST WEEKEND, UH, SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, BANNING ANY, UH, DIVISIVE EDUCATION IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. AND HE PROMOTED UNITY AND EQUITY.
AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM AND MOVE FORWARD ON TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT I'M RUNNING DOWN IN.
WE STAND, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY YESTERDAY TO BE WITH, UH, BISHOP W JACKSON DOWN IN CHESAPEAKE AT A MLK LEADERSHIP EVENT.
KING SPEECH WILL NEVER GROW OLD IN MY EARS BECAUSE HE HAD A DREAM THAT ONE DAY HE WOULD SEE HIS CHILDREN GROW UP AND NOT BE JUDGED ON THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, BUT THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER.
HE HAD A DREAM THAT WE WOULD ALL STAND TOGETHER IN UNITY ONE DAY, SINGING MY COUNTRY, TIS OF THEE SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY.
WELL, HE HAD A DREAM AND IN 2022, I HAVE A VISION THAT I WILL SEE THAT THIS WILL BE THE GENERATION, THAT THAT DREAM BECOMES A REALITY.
I THINK THAT THIS IS THE TIME IN AMERICA IS SET TO SEE THAT ACTUALLY COME TO FRUITION WHERE WE WILL BEGIN TO JUDGE PEOPLE ON THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER.
AND I'M GOING TO ENSURE THAT THAT HAPPENS WHEN I GET ELECTED TO THE THIRD DISTRICT.
GOD BLESS VIRGINIA, AND GOD BLESS EACH.
AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, IT'S NOT ABOUT ME JUST WINNING THE THIRD.
IT'S ABOUT ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO TAKE BACK VIRGINIA AND ENSURE WE HAVE A FREE NATION TO PASS TO OUR CHILDREN.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD CARE TO SPEAK BEFORE THE BOARD SAY NONE? I WILL CLOSE THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD, A COUNTY ATTORNEY
[COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORTS AND REQUESTS ]
REPORTS, BUT JIM, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING, UH, JUST BRIEFLY, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME ABOUT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BUT, UH, I THINK WE'VE SEEN THE BULK OF THE BILLS THAT ARE GOING TO BE, UM, UH, POSTED, POSTED, UM, ACTUALLY FEWER BILLS THAN NORMAL AS BY MY ACCOUNT.BUT NONETHELESS, IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE JUST AS MANY THAT LOOK AT LOCAL ISSUES.
SO, UM, BUT JUST TO, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW, UM, THERE, THERE IS A, UM, AND, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO GREAT DEPTH, BUT, BUT IT, IT JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THE COMMENTS, THERE ACTUALLY IS A BUILT HOUSE BILL 7, 8, 7, WHICH WOULD MAKE A DIVISIVE CONCEPTS, UM, UNLAWFUL ON THE SCHOOLS.
BUT FORTUNATELY IT DOES HAVE A, A DEFINITION OF DIVISIVE.
I WON'T READ IT ALL TO YOU, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A SAMPLE OF IT, THE TEACHING THAT ONE RACE OR SEX IS INHERENTLY SUPERIOR TO ANOTHER, ET CETERA.
SO AT LEAST HE'S KIND ENOUGH TO HAVE INCLUDED A DEFINITION, LOTS OF BILLS RELATING TO ELECTIONS.
THAT WON'T BOTHER YOU WITH ALL OF THE BILL NUMBERS, BY THE WAY, IF YOU EVER WANT TO SEE MY PRESENTLY 72 PAGE COMPENDIUM OF BILLS, JUST ASK FOR IT AND I'LL SEND IT TO YOU.
BUT, UM, BUT THERE ARE BILLS TO ELIMINATE.
NO EXCLUSE, UH, NO EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING, UM, UH, BILLS TO LIMIT IN-PERSON VOTING TO WITHIN 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ELECTION, UH, BILLS A BILL, AT LEAST ONE ELIMINATING ALL DROP-OFF BOXES FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
UM, SEVERAL BILLS ELIMINATING THE PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTER
[00:25:01]
LIST.THAT IS TO SAY SOMEONE WHO SAYS, SEND ME AN ABSENTEE BALLOT AREA ELECTION, UNTIL I SAY DIFFERENTLY.
UM, SEVERAL THAT SAY THAT ABSENTEE BALLOTS ARE TO BE SORTED AND RECORDED BY PRECINCT.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S STILL ALL REPORT REPORTED AT THE ABSENTEE PRECINCT WHERE THEY RECEIVED, WHICH IS THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE, EVEN REGARDLESS OF WHICH PRECINCT YOU LIVE IN.
AND THERE IS A, A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT WOULD ALLOW VOTER REGISTRATION UP TO THE DAY OF THE ELECTION.
UM, THERE IS A BILL, ALTHOUGH I THINK THE HOUSE, THE SENATE VERSION MAY NOT HAVE SUCCEEDED, BUT THERE IS A HA I COPIED DOWN THE HOUSE BILL, WHICH WOULD ALLOW LOCALITIES TO HAVE, UM, LOCAL ADVISORY REFERENDA RIGHT NOW THE STATUTES SAY, YOU CAN'T HAVE A REFERENDUM UNLESS THERE'S A STATUTE THAT SAYS YOU CAN HAVE IT FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THIS WOULD ALLOW YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANTED TO BEAR THE COST OF IT TO, TO ASK THE PUBLIC THROUGH A REFERENDUM, A FORMAL VOTE REFERENDUM, UM, TO SAMPLE THE PUBLIC'S OPINION.
ALTHOUGH THE SENATE, THE SENATE VERSION WAS DEFEATED IN COMMITTEE TODAY, WHICH WOULD FREEZE THE INCREASES IN THE MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE FOR HOURLY PEOPLE, FREEZE IT AT THE 11, $11 PER HOUR.
THERE ARE THREE HOUSE BILLS, ONE SENATE BILL WITH THE SENATE BILL SENATOR PEAKS BILL WAS KILLED IN COMMITTEE THIS MORNING.
I THINK IT WAS A COUPLE OF BILLS HAVE RAISED SOME REAL CONCERNS.
AND AT LEAST OUR EYEBROWS HOUSE BILL 1 54 WOULD REQUIRE ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO HAVE A CENTRAL DATABASE CENTRALIZED DATABASE FOR ALL PUBLIC RECORDS THAT EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THAT THE BILL DOESN'T MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THOSE THINGS, WHICH ARE PROTECTED FROM A DISCLOSURE ON THE FOYER AND THOSE WHICH ARE NOT.
UM, AND, UH, OF COURSE THE COST OF THAT COULD BE RATHER SUBSTANTIAL.
LOOK FOR THAT BILL TO COME UP AND BE HOTLY DEBATED, UM, A NUMBER OF BILLS RELATED.
I JUST GROUPED THEM UNDER THE HEADING OF PANDEMIC RESPONSE, UH, BILLS BANNING VACCINE MANDATES BY EMPLOYERS OR BY THE STATE, UM, PUTTING TIME LIMITS ON ANY EMERGENCY ORDER ISSUED BY THE GOVERNOR TYPICALLY TO 45 DAYS.
UM, ONE WHICH WOULD ALLOW AN EMPLOYER TO AN EMPLOYEE TO SUE AN EMPLOYER FOR ADVERSE REACTIONS TO A VACCINE, IF THE VACCINE WAS MANDATED, UM, AND, UH, PROHIBITION ON MASK MANDATES EITHER BY ANY STATE AGENCY OR BY THE GOVERNOR.
UM, AND THEN JUST LASTLY, IF I CAN MENTION THIS ONE, OR THIS IS ACTUALLY TWO DUELING BILLS, UH, THERE IS HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 60, WHICH WOULD CONFIRM QUALIFIED IMMUNITY FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PROVIDED THAT THEY ACTED WITHIN THE SCOPE OF LAW AS IT WAS THEN UNDERSTOOD, OR THEN HAD THEN BEEN ESTABLISHED ON THE OTHER HAND HOUSE BILL SIX OH NINE BY A DELEGATE.
BORN COMPLETELY ELIMINATES THAT RIGHT, AS WELL AS SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY AND ALLOWS ANYBODY WHO FEELS THAT THEY'VE BEEN WRONGED BY ANY ACTION OF ANY GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TO SUE THE GOOD, NOT ONLY THE GOVERNMENT, BUT THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE OR EMPLOYEE ISN'T COLLECT DAMAGES.
I MEAN, THAT COULD BE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE SOMEBODY WHO SAYS YOU TOOK TOO LONG TO APPROVE MY SUBDIVISION PLAN.
AND NOW MY ALONE RATES HAVE GONE UP.
IT'S GOING TO COST ME A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
NOW, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO NOW SUE YOU FOR THAT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN LOST PROFITS.
SO THAT ONE WILL ALSO BE HOTLY DEBATED.
I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON OTHERS, LOTS OF EDUCATION BILLS.
I KNOW THAT YOU MAY NOT TAKE A DIRECT INTEREST IN THOSE, BUT SOME OF THEM MAY ACTUALLY HAVE IMPACTS ON FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT THOSE AS THEY COME UP, BUT THEY'RE JUST GETTING STARTED WITH COMMITTEES, WITH COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND ON THE HOUSE OUT.
THEY HAVEN'T EVEN ASSIGNED, UM, COMMITTEES FOR ALL OF THE BILLS YET, BUT THAT'S SO THEY'RE JUST GETTING GOING.
BUT IF EVER YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT A BILL OR YOU HEAR ABOUT ONE, AND YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT IT, PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL AND I'LL FIND OUT WHAT I CAN.
ANY QUESTIONS I HAVE? ONE, IS THERE ANY BILLS, UH, REFERENCED THE STATE MANDATING ANYTHING LIKE REFERENDUMS FOR, UH, FOR LOCAL TAXES? UM, THERE, THERE IS.
THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME OF THAT ONE.
I DID GO OVER EVERYTHING ON MY LIST.
I'LL I'LL A COUPLE, LET ME NAME A COUPLE FOR TAXATION.
UH, DELEGATE FREIGHT IS SUBMITTED HOUSE BILL THREE 80, WHICH WOULD ELIMINATE THE PEEPHOLE TAX ENTIRELY.
UM, AND, UM, UH, DELEGATE DURAN HAS INTRODUCED HOUSE BILL 10, 10, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A REFERENDUM FOR ANY INCREASE IN A REAL REAL ESTATE PROPERTY TAXES, UH, UM, EQUALLY THAN 101% OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S TAX.
UM, THE RIGHT NOW, UH, WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL.
LOCALITIES CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ABILITY IF YOU WANT TO RAISE TAX RATES TO RE UH, GENERATE MORE THAN A HUNDRED, 1% REVENUE, UH, FROM REAL ESTATE, AS YOU DID THE PREVIOUS
[00:30:01]
YEAR, THERE'S AN ADVERTISEMENT THAT CAN BE RUN AND YOU'LL SEE THOSE ADS RUN EVERY YEAR WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ONLY HAS TO BE RUN IN THE YEAR OF A GENERAL REASSESSMENT.SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO CONFRONT EXCEPT EVERY OTHER YEAR.
OTHER LOCALITIES, HAMPTON ROADS AND NEWPORT NEWS, GENERALLY REASSESS EVERY YEAR, YOU'LL SEE THEIR ADS.
UM, AND, UH, THERE IS ONE HOW'RE.
THIS MIGHT BE SORT OF INTERESTING.
I WAS LOOKING AT IT TODAY, ALONG WITH THE BILL THAT CREATED WHAT IS SOMETIMES CALLED THE TAMI TAX.
THAT IS TO SAY THE EXTRA A 1% SALES TAX IN THE HISTORIC TRIANGLE.
AND WE ARE PROHIBITED FROM INCREASING CERTAIN TAXES, UM, OR, OR THAT SALES TAX WE GO AWAY.
BUT SENATE BILL 4 72 BY SENATOR MCCLELLAN WILL ALLOW LOCAL SALES AND USE TAXES, UH, UM, HAVE A RIGHT, NOT TO EXCEED 1% PROVIDED THAT THE REVENUES WERE USED SOLELY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE RENOVATION OR CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS.
IF THE, IF THAT EXTRA 1% IS APPROVED BY A VOTER REFERENDUM.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT ONE.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, THERE'S LOTS OF MARIJUANA LEGISLATION, BUT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ONES THAT MARIJUANA SALES HAVE TO BE REAPPROVED THIS YEAR, THERE IS A BILL THAT WOULD DO THAT.
UM, WE'LL HAVE TO WE'LL WE'LL GAUGE WHAT IT MEANS.
IF, IF, IF IT IS APPROVED, THEN LOCALITIES, UNLESS THIS BILL HAS CHANGED IT, BUT IT'S, UH, IT'S 198 PAGES.
UM, BUT, UH, UH, BUT THE WAY IT WAS LEFT LAST YEAR, THAT IF, IF SALES ARE APPROVED AND LOCALITIES CAN BY REFERENDUM ASK THEIR CITIZENS, WHETHER SALES WOULD BE ALLOWED IN THEIR LOCALITY, THAT REFERENDUM WOULD HAVE TO BE IN THE SECOND HALF OF THIS YEAR, I ENDED UP NOVEMBER.
SO WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON IT AND SEE IF THIS STUFF PASSES.
AND THEN WE MIGHT HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU LATER AND ASK YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, IF ANYTHING.
AND IF YOU COULD KEEP AN EYE ON SENATE BILL 4 38, AND THAT'S FROM TOMMY NORMAN TALKING ABOUT THE DEDICATION OF THE SALES TAX, REGIONAL SALES TAX AND HOW THAT GETS PUT OUT.
BUT IF YOU KEEP AN EYE ON THAT FOR US, IS THAT YEAH.
OF, OF THE, OF THAT 1% OF THE 1%, UH, THE DEDICATION OF FUNDS.
AND, UM, AND I'LL, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT FOR US.
I'LL KEEP I'LL, I'LL GET YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
THIS IS A LONG SESSION THIS YEAR.
THIS IS A LONG SESSION, TWO MONTHS.
WHEN IS IT GOING TO WRAP UP THEN CALL IT'S? UM, I FORGET THE EXACT DATE, BUT IT'S MID MARCH.
IT'S EIGHT WEEKS OF SESSION AND CROSSOVER DAY IS LIKE, I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT CROSSOVER DAY IS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH, SO IT'S, UH, IT'S ABOUT WEEK FIVE OR SO.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS, IF NOT COUNTY
[COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORTS AND REQUESTS ]
ADMINISTRATOR, JUST ONE THING AS WE APPROACH THE SECOND HALF OF JANUARY, THAT, OF COURSE THAT'S WHEN WE MOST OFTEN SEE A WINTER STORMS AND I DID WANT TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE THAT, UM, THE WEATHER SERVICE HAS INDICATED THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT CHANCE THAT SOMETIME BETWEEN THURSDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME, UM, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY, UH, SUBSTANTIAL, UH, SNOW OR SLEET.SO WE'LL KEEP EVERYONE INFORMED.
THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY QUESTIONS OF SECURITY ADMINISTRATOR? IF NOT, I
[MATTERS PRESENTED BY THE BOARD ]
THINK WE'LL MOVE ON A MATTERS PRESENTED BY THE BOARD.CHAD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO PLEASE? UH, YES, I WILL.
I GOT TO CALL ON HER FIRST, UH, FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
SO, UH, APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE PAYBACK, UH, AS, AS MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW, AND SOME OF YOU DON'T, UH, WE ALL SERVE ON DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS REGIONALLY.
ONE OF MINE IS THE WILLIAMSBURG TOURISM COUNCIL.
UH, AND THIS IS THE GROUP THAT IS FUNDED BY, UH, THE 1 CENT TAX.
WE HAD A MEETING TODAY TALKING ABOUT THE STATE OF TOURISM, UH, IN THE REGION AND, UH, THINGS ARE PICKING UP.
I JUST WANT TO HIT SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO TOO, TOO FAR INTO IT, BUT, UH, AND YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER THAT RIGHT NOW WITH THE TRAVELING.
THERE ARE CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF THE TRAVEL THAT ARE NOT THERE.
UH, STUDENT TRAVEL IS DOWN BECAUSE A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS ARE, ARE STILL CLOSED.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, UH, IS, IS NON-EXISTENT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, THE YEAR TO DATE OCCUPANCY THROUGH NOVEMBER IS 45% VERSUS 51% FROM 2019 BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR A REBOUND AND EVEN BETTER, UH, RESULTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
[00:35:01]
IS THE AVERAGE LODGING RATE IS 1 37 91 VERSUS 1 24 56 IN 2019.SO THE LODGING RATE IS UP $13.
UH, AND THE BIG THING IS, IS WE'RE GETTING READY TO LAUNCH A ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN OF $11 MILLION.
THAT'S $2 MILLION MORE THAN WE'VE EVER SPENT.
UH, AND WE'RE CRACKING MARKETS, UH, NEW YORK, BOSTON OF ALL THE BIG MARKETS UP NORTH TO REALLY DRIVE TOURISM IN THE AREA.
AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A GOOD RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT, AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE A VERY SUCCESSFUL TOURISM SEASON.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU, STEPHEN.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, THANKS SO THAT YOU'VE COMMISSIONED COMING TO SPEAK TO US TONIGHT, AND THAT'S A COMMISSION THAT I'M ON THAT SIR SERVE ON.
AND I WANT TO BRAG ON THEM A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY BUSY AND THEY GOT LOT MORE SCHEDULED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR BEFORE, UH, TH THEIR, THEIR TERMINAL WRAPS UP AND, YOU KNOW, THEY MEET MONTHLY, BUT THEY COLLABORATE ALL MONTH LONG.
AND, AND THESE ARE YOUTH THAT SOME OF THEM ARE INVOLVED IN HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS.
UH, SOME OF THEM INVOLVED IN OTHER ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE SCHOOL, NATHANIEL'S IN ROTC UNIT AT, AT HIS SCHOOL.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THE SURVEYS, INTO THE EFFORT AND, AND EVENTS AND THE PLANNING AND WORKING TOGETHER.
SO IT'S A FINE GROUP OF YOUNG LEADERS THAT ARE COMING UP THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THOSE RANKS.
AND I'M VERY IMPRESSED WHAT THEY'RE DOING FOR THEIR PEERS WITHIN THE HOSPITALS AND ACROSS THE YEAR ACROSS THE COUNTY FOR, FOR, FOR THEIR YOUTH.
UM, SO THEY'RE VERY IMPRESSED WITH THEM, ENJOY WORK WITH THEM AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT ELSE I COULD ACCOMPLISH, UH, FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
YEAH, THAT'S A COUPLE OF THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH A GOVERNOR SPEECH SATURDAY WHEN HE ACCEPTED THE NOMINATION AND RECOGNIZED THAT HE'S NOW THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA.
BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT HIS INAUGURATION SPEECH, I HAVEN'T HEARD, UH, A SPEECH AS ARTICULATE AS THAT LATELY, WHETHER THE SPEAKERS WERE UP IN WASHINGTON OR DOWN IN VIRGINIA, I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY IT.
AND I WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE OF TAKEAWAYS JUST IN CASE YOU HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO WATCH THE SAME THING THAT I DID ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
UH, SOME BROAD TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT PRESENTATION, HE INTENDS TO HAVE HIS TEACHER PAY RAISE, ALL RIGHT, ACROSS THE STATE.
HE ALSO VERY IMPORTANT WANTS TO RAISE THE STANDARDS OF EDUCATION THAT NOR K THROUGH 12, REMOVE POLITICS FROM THE CLASSROOM.
WE FOCUSED ON ESSENTIALS, MATH, SCIENCE, READING, TEACH HISTORY, THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WAY IT IS KEEP FIVE DAY SCHOOLS, FIVE DAYS A WEEK SCHOOLS.
HE WANTS TO SUSPEND THE INCREASED TAX ON GASOLINE.
WE KNOW WHAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING LATELY HERE WITH RESPECT TO THAT.
AND HE WANTS TO ELIMINATE THE GROCERY TAX.
I'M NOT SO SURE WHETHER THAT'S THE NORMAL 1 CENT TAX OR NOT, BUT HE WANTS TO ELIMINATE IT, UH, VERY IMPORTANT THAT HE, HE, THIS WAS A DIRECT QUOTE WHERE YOU WILL EMPOWER PARENTS IN THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN, WHICH IS, WE DON'T KNOW, HAS BEEN A BIG ISSUE THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH THE LAST YEAR OR TWO.
THEN HE SIGNED NINE EXECUTIVE ORDERS.
OKAY, JIM, YOU CAN EXPLAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STATUTE THAT SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR AND AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, BUT LET ME JUST GO THROUGH THE NINE REAL QUICKLY MASKS.
HE WANTS THE PARENTS TO HAVE THE CHOICE OF WHETHER OR NOT THEIR KIDS K THROUGH 12 WERE MASTERS AT SCHOOL.
AND THAT DIRECTED ORDER EXECUTIVE ORDER GOES INTO EFFECT THE 24TH OF THIS MONTH, WHICH IS, I THINK MONDAY IS BANNING THE TEACHING OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HE IS SHUT DOWN OR WILL IMMINENTLY SHUT DOWN THE VIRGINIA PAROLE BOARD.
I'M NOT REAL SURE WHAT'S BEHIND THAT.
UH, BUT, UH, THAT'S ONE OF HIS EXECUTIVE ORDERS HE WANTS TO END, OR HE WILL END COVID-19 VACCINE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES.
THAT MIGHT ALSO BE 24, UH, JANUARY.
HE WANTS TO INVESTIGATE THE, HE WILL INVESTIGATE THE ROOM DOING UP AND DOWN LOUDON COUNTY.
AND IF YOU'VE WATCHED ANY TELEVISION AT ALL IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S ALL ABOUT? HE WANTS TO COMBAT THE EVER-INCREASING HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
THAT'S TAKEN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH AND THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY, HE WANTS, HE WILL COMBAT ANTI SEMITISM AND HE
[00:40:01]
IMMEDIATELY IS WITHDRAWING VIRGINIA FROM THE REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INITIATIVE.SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALSO SIGNED TWO EXECUTIVE DIRECTIVES, RIGHT? UH, THE ONE I WANT TO JUST MENTION TO YOU IS HE'S RESCINDING VACCINE MANDATE FOR ALL STATE EMPLOYEES EFFECTIVE THE 24TH.
UH, BUT THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER WITH RESPECT TO MASS IN K THROUGH 12, UH, FROM WHAT I'VE READ ALREADY, OR AT LEAST HEARD, UH, LAST DAY OR SO, THERE'S ALSO BEEN A COUPLE OF, OR A NUMBER OF, UH, COUNTIES, SCHOOL DIVISIONS WHO WERE OPPOSING THAT IN SOME FASHION OF OTHER JIM, CAN YOU SHED LIGHT ON ANY OF THAT? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? MY DAUGHTER IN LAW, I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON EVERYTHING, EVERY AREA IN WHICH THE GOVERNOR HAS AUTHORITY TO ISSUE EXECUTIVE ORDERS AT, AT THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL, YOU CAN SEE WHERE, UH, PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS JUST DETERMINED TO HAVE EXCEEDED HIS AUTHORITY TO ISSUE CERTAINLY EXECUTIVE ORDERS WITH RESPECT TO THE MANDATE FROM FOUR VACCINATIONS, FOR LARGE EMPLOYEES.
ON THE OTHER HAND, UM, UH, AND, AND AGENCY, I BELIEVE IT WAS A FEDERAL AGENCY WAS ALLOWED TO, TO KEEP THEIR, THEIR, UM, REQUIREMENT, UH, BASED ON, ON HEALTH AT CERTAIN HEALTH RATES.
UM, SO, UH, SO THE GOVERNOR HAS EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY TO THE, THAT EITHER THE VIRGINIA CONSTITUTION OF VIRGINIA STATUTES SAY THAT HE HAS IT, UM, AS IT, BUT, BUT IT OFTEN BECOMES A MATTER OF DEBATE.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT TO WHICH HE ACTUALLY HAS THE AUTHORITY WHO DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE ALL THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT HE SAYS WITH RESPECT TO MASS.
HE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE MASS, UH, EXECUTIVE ORDER WITH RESPECT TO SCHOOLS SIMPLY LIFTED A PREVIOUS ORDER THAT SAID THAT ALL SCHOOLS HAD TO REQUIRE MASKING IN THE CLASSROOM.
HE DID NOT SAY, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT HE HAS AUTHORITY TO SAY THAT LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS CANNOT THEMSELVES DETERMINED WHO REQUIRE MASKS.
SO THAT'LL BE PLAYED OUT ON THE LOCAL LEVEL.
YEAH, WELL, WHAT I HEARD AND WHAT I WATCHED, I ALREADY LISTENING TO THE GOVERNOR WITH RESPECT TO MASKS, HE WAS EMPHATIC WITH RESPECT TO SAYING THE 24TH OF THIS MONTH, THERE WILL BE NO MORE MANDATE PER SE, THAT WILL BE LEFT UP TO THE PARENTS OF STUDENTS AT OUR SCHOOLS, WHICH WE KNOW RIGHT AWAY.
JUST LIKE, UH, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT EMANATED OUT OF WASHINGTON, THERE'S GOING TO BE PUSHBACK.
AND THERE'LL BE DECISIONS MADE BY WITHIN THE COURT SYSTEM.
UH, WOULD YOU CARE TO HAVE ANY COMMENTS? YEAH, I JUST REAL QUICK, I WANT TO STICK TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, LEVEL OF ATTENTION.
UM, AND REASON I ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT TAXES AND THE THINGS THAT THE STATE DOES UP THERE.
SOMETIMES I WONDER IF, UM, IF PEOPLE THAT MAKE THESE, THESE PROMISES ABOUT TAXES, THIS TAXES THAT GOING TO CUT THIS, WE'RE GOING TO DUMMY THE SOUNDS ALL WONDERFUL.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY LESS TAXES.
AND IN THE END, YOU'RE THE ONES THAT GET HAMMERED FOR IT AND REASON YOU GET HAMMERED FOR IT.
AND I SAY, HAMMERED, I MEAN, YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE THROUGH THE PROBLEM.
AND THE PROBLEM IS IS THAT IF YOU KNOW THE RATE OF INFLATION, INFLATION'S AROUND 7%, IT'S PRETTY HIGH AND BEEN AT WAY IN A LONG TIME, IF YOU GO INTO GROCERY STORE, YOU CAN'T FIND THINGS ON THE SHELVES BECAUSE THE, UM, THEY TALK AT THE GREAT RESIGNATION THING, BECAUSE THE, A ONE, THE DELIVERY OF GOODS AND SERVICES CAN'T BE PROVIDED TO YOU, CAN'T GO TO A RESTAURANT BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING TO CLOSE DOWN A LOT OF THE RESTAURANTS AND THEY CAN'T WORK ALL THE TIME BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND EMPLOYEES.
THE POINT IS WITH OUR GOVERNMENT AND YOUR, THIS IS GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME UP BEFORE US AND TALK ABOUT THEIR NEEDS AND HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BUDGET.
OUR GOVERNMENT HAS A GROUP OF EMPLOYEES THAT WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD TO BE VERY EFFICIENT, VERY EFFICIENT, AND THE WAY WE DO THINK YOUR COUNTY HAS REPUTATION OF BEING VERY EFFICIENT AND MANAGING MONEY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, IF YOU LOOK A COMPARISON OF TAX RATES, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE JUST TAXES IN GENERAL, ACROSS THE, UH, ACROSS THE HAMPTON ROADS AREA, WHICH YOU GOT TO COMPARE THE 17 JURISDICTIONS WITHIN OUR HAMPTON ROADS.
YOU'LL FIND THAT, UH, ON, UH, ON ALMOST EVERY LEVEL WHERE THE, UH, MOST EFFICIENT, BECAUSE OF WE PROVIDE FOREMOST, WE PROVIDE FULL SERVICE.
GOVERNMENT HAS A TAX RATE AS LOW AS OURS.
AND THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE PRETTY AMAZING.
I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, UH, IT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS BALANCE OUT THINGS.
SO WHEN I HEAR COMMENTS ABOUT, WELL, WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA DO LIKE ALMOST A PROPOSITION, 13 KIND OF DEAL.
LIKE THEY HADN'T CALIFORNIA DESTROYED THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEM, OR WHERE THEY GOING TO SAY, YOU GOT TO HAVE TO GO TO THE GENERAL.
[00:45:01]
UH, YOU GOT TO GO TO REFERENDUM TO GET YOUR TAXES RAISED.THE PEOPLE UP HERE HAVE TO DEAL WITH DETERMINING WHERE, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND OUR MONEY ON.
WE HAVE TO GO TO THIS GUY DOWN HERE WHO WORKS WITH A LOT OF THE STAFF MEMBERS OUT HERE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR BUDGET IS GOING TO BE.
AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU FOLKS, YOU CUT MONEY TO THE POINT WHERE THE FOLKS OUT HERE DON'T HAVE A JOB, OR CAN'T MAKE A LIVING.
THEY GO TO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND AT SOMEWHERE ELSE CAN BE JAMES CITY COUNTY.
WE LOSE OUR POLICE ARE OUR DEPUTIES.
WE LOSE PEOPLE THAT DO THE COUNTING BUSINESS.
WE LOSE THE ENGINEERS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR US TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES IN OUR SOURCE SYSTEMS AND OTHER THINGS.
SO, UM, I'M REALLY WATCHED THAT BECAUSE IT JUST, I ALMOST, I, I CRINGE EVERY TIME I HEAR, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS OUT, NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
THE STATE RIGHT NOW, AS A WASH IN DOLLARS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT JUST DUMPED A TON OF MONEY ON THIS STATE.
THEY CAN SIT UP THERE RIGHT NOW AND GO, GREAT.
AND IF WE'LL GO TO LAST 20 YEARS SINCE WE'VE BEEN UP HERE MORE THAN THAT, WHILE THERE HARD TIMES SHOW UP, AND WHEN THE HARD TIME SHOWS UP, IT HITS PEOPLE RIGHT IN THE POCKET BOOKS.
SO WE'VE GOT TO BALANCE OUT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, WANTING SERVICES FROM THEIR GOVERNMENT, OKAY.
WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO USE IN TAXES.
SO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT'S BEING SAID, REFERENCE, UH, THE STATE, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY SOUND GREAT.
I'M NOT GOING TO RAISE TAXES, OR I'M GOING TO CUT THIS.
BUT IN THE END FOLKS, WE GOT TO KEEP OUR TEACHERS PAY.
WE'VE GOT TO KEEP OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP OUR POLICE.
AND IN ONE WAY, YOU COULD LOOK AT THIS.
WE HEAR ABOUT DEFUNDING THE POLICE.
THIS IS A WAY YOU CAN DO FUND THE POLICE.
YOU NEED TO FUND OUR FIREFIGHTERS, THE CRITICAL NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY BY PEOPLE PLAYING AROUND WITH THE TAX RATES.
AND SO I JUST, I JUST HATE SEEING WHEN PEOPLE GO UP TO THE STATE, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE BRAIN SEEMS TO POUR OUT OF THEIR EARS AND THEY FORGET WHAT WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH DOWN HERE, WHERE WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE TAX ISSUES AND THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE NOT SITTING HERE WITH A POCKET OF MONEY OR A TREE OUT BACK.
WE CAN GO PLUCK THE MONEY OFF OF, WE HAD TO GET IT FROM YOU, THE TAXPAYERS.
I WAS GETTING A LITTLE STEAMY ON THAT.
WELL, YES, IT'S A SOAP BOX BIDWELL USE THIS EVENING.
I JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE.
ONE OF THEM HAS TO BE ABOUT JANUARY 28TH, WHICH IS GOING TO WISH WAS GOING TO BE OUR ANNUAL BOARD RETREAT.
WE HAVE DECIDED THAT WE WILL MEET FOR A WHOLE DAY TO GO OVER WHAT IT'S BEEN LIKE IN THE PAST AND WHAT WE WANT TO PLAN FOR IN THE FUTURE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY COVID HAS STEPPED IN.
AND SO WE DECIDED THAT WE WILL POSTPONE THAT UNTIL PERHAPS INTO MARCH, BY THAT TIME, I THINK THINGS MAY HAVE SETTLED DOWN, BUT NEVERTHELESS, IT WILL BE A FULL DAY RETREAT WHEN WE DO IT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR THE COUNTY.
AND THEY, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE SCHOOLS AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MEETINGS AND SO FORTH.
I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN WILL BE MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN.
AND WE HOPE THAT MAYBE WE CAN DO THIS PERIODICALLY, AT LEAST THIS YEAR, MAYBE MOVE IT ON INTO THE FUTURE.
I THINK COMMUNICATION IS, IS SO IMPORTANT AND WE WANT TO KEEP THE CHANNELS OPEN ALL THE TIME.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING, THEY WOULD LIKE US TO DISCUSS WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD WHERE WE GET THAT TIME TOGETHER.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM US.
AND DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MOVE FORWARD? OR SHOULD WE TAKE OUR BREAK NOW? LET'S SEE, WHAT TIME IS IT?
[CONSENT CALENDAR ]
OKAY, WHY DON'T WE DO THE CONSENT CALENDAR THEN, AS YOU KNOW, THE CONSENT CALENDAR IS REALLY THE BUSINESS OF WHAT WE DO HERE.UH, THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
NUMBER SIX IS PATRICK CREEK WATER PROJECT.
AND THAT'S, UH, TWO ADOPTER PROPOSED RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT OF, FOR THE WORK TO BE DONE.
UH, NUMBER SEVEN IS A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THE YORK PROCOSA COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY.
WE HAD THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY RETIRED.
WE HAVE AN ACTING COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY, BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION TO MAKE THAT TO FINISH OUT THE TERM, UH, NUMBER EIGHT IS THE REQUEST FOR REFUND FROM REAL PROPERTY TAXES FOR VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COUNTRY COMPANY.
AND THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THAT AND WE OWE THEM SOME MONEY.
NUMBER NINE IS THE REQUEST ALSO FOR REFUND OF REAL PROPERTY TAXES FOR
[00:50:01]
VERIZON, SAME THING INVITE AT NUMBER 10 IS CONVEYANCE OF EASEMENT AND A DA TO DOMINION ENERGY.AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH WORK THAT THE COUNTY IS HAVING DONE.
AND WE HAVE TO GIVE THE EASEMENT, UH, AND THIS IS IN CONNECTION WITH, UH, TWO BUILDINGS THAT THE COUNTY HAS.
LET'S SEE HOUSING AND PLANNING, STAFF AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF.
UH, FINALLY WE GET TO NUMBER 11, THAT'S A COMMENDATION RETIRING EMPLOYEE, AND THAT'S ADAM FRESH, WHO HAS BEEN WITH US FOR A LONG TIME.
AND, UH, HE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT.
ANOTHER ONE IS A COMMENDATION FOR ANOTHER RETIRING EMPLOYEE, AND THAT IS FOR DEPUTY CHIEF RECTOR, CHRIS STADLER FOR THE FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY ON HIS TERMINATION OR HIS DEPARTURE FROM OUR NOT TERMINATION IS HIS RETIREMENT PROMOTES THING.
AND THEN NUMBER 13, I DO LOVE THAT NUMBER 13 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, LAYERS AND APPOINTMENTS FOR 2022, AS YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL SERVE ON NOT JUST UP HERE, BUT WE SERVE ON VARIOUS BOARDS WITHIN THE COUNTY AND WITHIN THE REGION.
AND THIS WILL S WILL APPOINT EVERYBODY TO THE BOARDS FOR THE COMING YEAR.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ONES THAT I'VE MENTIONED? YES.
WHICH ONE WOULD YOU LIKE TO PULL? STEVEN? WHICH ONE, EIGHT AND NINE, THE PROPERTY TAXES REIMBURSEMENTS.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THAT? WELL, SO UNDERSTAND IF IT MAKES SURE I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY.
SO WE OWE THESE, THESE TAX DOLLARS BACK BECAUSE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION ASSESSED THE PROPERTY, DECIDED TO ASSESS TO HIGH, MARK IT DOWN AND WAY, ARE THESE TAXES DOLLARS BACK AND WITH THAT COMES, UM, UM, INTEREST ON THOSE DOLLARS BACK AS WELL.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO RETURN THAT.
UM, BUT WHY DOES THE COUNTY PAY FOR THE, FOR THAT INTEREST OF STATE LAW, BUT IT WAS A STATE THAT MADE THE ASSESSMENT.
UM, JUST AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UM, WE, UH, CAN BOTH CHAR WE, WE SET INTEREST RATES THAT WE CAN BOTH CHARGE WHEN PEOPLE HAVE LESS MONEY AND IT'S LATE AND WHATEVER RATE WE SET.
UH, WE'RE ALSO OBLIGATED TO GIVE WHEN THE, SHE WAS ON THE OTHER FOOT.
BUT WHAT IS COMPLICATED ABOUT THESE IS WE DO NOT CONTROL THE ASSESSMENT.
WE, THE COUNTY IT'S DONE THROUGH THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION, IT'S A OPAQUE PROCESS.
AND SO BASICALLY THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE ADVISES, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND ME THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE END OF THE DAY, UH, THE NUMBER WAS OFF BY THIS AMOUNT AND WE OWE IT BACK.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE SITUATION.
IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF ALL OF THE MONEY THEY PAY.
UM, BUT EXACTLY HOW THEY COME UP WITH THAT NUMBER IS A MYSTERY, BUT THERE WAS NO MECHANISM TO GO BACK TO THE STATE FOR SOME ASSISTANCE IN THAT, IN THAT, IN THOSE, IN THOSE INTEREST DOLLARS.
SO WE GOT TO PAY BACK ME BACK OUT.
WE COLLECT THE MONEY BEFORE THOUGH, RIGHT? YEAH.
IT WAS JUST THE INTEREST, NOT THE, WELL I KNOW, BUT THE MONEY WE'D HELD ONTO THAT WE'VE USED THAT MONEY, BUT DID WE, DID WE GAIN THAT MONEY IN INTEREST? UH, UM, NO, NO.
UH, YOU MIGHT RECALL, DID LAST YEAR REDUCED OUR INTEREST RATE FROM 10 TO SIX, UH, BECAUSE OF THE 10% RATE SORT OF WENT BACK IN HISTORY WHEN COST OF LIVING WAS MUCH HIGHER AND INTEREST RATES WERE MUCH HIGHER.
SO, UH, THE GOOD NEWS IS THE INTEREST RATE IS LOWER, UH, THAN IT WAS BEFORE.
UH, AND, AND YOU KNOW, THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS IF WE LOWER THE INTEREST RATE TOO MUCH, THEN WE'RE GIVING PEOPLE INSTEAD INCENTIVE TO BE LATE PAYMENTS TO US.
SO IT KIND OF GOES BOTH WAYS, I GUESS I'M WORRIED ABOUT IT THEN WHEN THE DAY HITS AND THAT'S ASSESSMENT CHANGE IN THAT BILL IS $20,000 IN INTEREST OR $50,000 IN INTEREST.
AT WHAT POINT DO WE WANT THE STATE HAS TO HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME? UM, I JUST, I JUST BELIEVE THE WAY IT WORKS IS THERE'S REALLY EVEN, NO, THERE'S NO ONE TO ASK.
STEVEN WALKED, DID YOU HAVE ONE THAT YOU WISH TH THE SAME TWO QUESTIONS AND OVER EIGHT AND NINE, I LOOKED AT, LOOKED AND I LOOKED AND I LOOKED AND I LOOKED AND COULDN'T FIND ANY RATIONALE FOR THE RETURN.
I THINK THAT, UH, BECAUSE IT WAS THE STATE CORPORATE COMMISSION THAT DID THE ASSESSMENT BY FIAT, THEY TOLD US TO RETURN X NUMBER OF DOLLARS OF OVERPAID TAXES.
AND I THINK VERY SIMILAR TO STEVE'S QUESTION, UH, YOU KNOW, BEING ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AT LOCAL LEVEL, LITTLE CONFUSED AS TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO THEY GET OFF MAKING THAT KIND OF DETERMINATION WITHOUT EXPLAINING TO US WHY THE WORST CASE THAT YOU, IN THE WORST CASE SITUATION, THAT MONEY, SOMETHING LESS THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
[00:55:01]
COLLECTIVELY, UH, MAY HAVE BEEN PROGRAMMED FOR SOMETHING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THERE, THEY, THEY WOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF OBLIGATION TO TELL US WHY THE TAX ASSESSMENT WAS WRONG.
AND THEREFORE IT'S, I, I MAY BE ABLE TO GET SOME INFORMATION THROUGH THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE THAT EXPLAINS THE WHY.
UM, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY AS I SAY, THE WAY WE EXPERIENCED THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION ASSESSMENTS, IS IT, IT DOESN'T SYNC UP WITH OUR BUDGET.
UH, WE MAKE ASSUMPTIONS, WE SEND BILLS, WE GET PAID.
IT PROBABLY HAD TO DO WITH THE DEPRECIATION OF OLD GEAR.
UM, AND I CAN PROBABLY GET YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON IT.
UH, THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT? AND I'M PRETTY SURE THE ANSWER IS NO.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS, IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
THE MOTION MADE BY MR. SHEPHERD IS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS SUBMITTED MR. ZAREMBA.
MR. GREEN, MR. ROWAN, MR. SHEPHERD.
IT WILL GO INTO RECESS FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
[1 Proposed Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Development. Receive public comments on the development of the proposed FY2023 Budget. ]
THANK YOU.AND I'M GOING TO CALL ON THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO TALK ABOUT THE PUBLIC FORUM.
THAT'S COMING UP ON THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.
WELL, GOOD EVENING AGAIN, EVERY YEAR, IT'S THE BOARD'S TRADITION THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET PROCESS, UH, THAT WE HAVE WHAT IS CALLED A PUBLIC, UH, BUDGET FORUM.
AND THAT IS, UH, WHAT WE ARE DOING TONIGHT.
AND BASICALLY, UH, THERE'S VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET BECAUSE WE'RE JUST STARTING TO WORK ON IT.
SO THIS IS MAINLY ABOUT PROCESS AND IT'S TO GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MAKE THEIR CONCERNS OR IDEAS OF WHERE TO THE BOARD, UH, SO THAT WE CAN FACTOR THAT IN, UH, AS WE GET THROUGH THE PROCESS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
UH, SO AGAIN, UH, JUST KIND OF THE WAY IT WORKS, UH, ULTIMATELY, UM, THE BOARD MAKES SOME STRATEGIC JUDGEMENTS.
UH, WE PROCESS IN MY OFFICE, ALL THE REQUESTS AND ALL THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS FROM ALL THE AGENCIES.
UH, WE TRY TO RECONCILE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS ALL THE WHILE, WHILE KEEPING LOOKING OVER OUR BACK TO MAKE SURE THE STATE DOESN'T DO SOMETHING, UH, THAT DISRUPTS OUR ASSUMPTIONS.
UH, IN MARCH, I PRESENTED A RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
UH, THAT'S FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC HEARINGS, BOARD WORK SESSIONS, AND HOPEFULLY A VOTE ON THE FINAL BUDGET IN EARLY MAY.
SO JUST A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR.
OF COURSE, WE DID HAVE A REASSESSMENT, UH, WHICH DOES GENERATE, UH, SOME NEW REVENUE, UH, AN IMPORTANT THING FOR EVERYONE TO THINK ABOUT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN IT HAS BEEN IN RECENT YEARS IS, UH, THERE'S AN INFLATIONARY ELEMENT TO ALL OF OUR CONSIDERATIONS.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT CHANGES FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT, WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COMPENSATION AND COSTS AND MATERIALS, OR EVEN REVENUE, UM, WE JUST NEED TO REMEMBER NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOMINAL DOLLARS, NOT ACTUAL AFTER INFLATION DOLLARS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE MEALS TAX GOES UP A LITTLE BIT, DOES THAT MEAN MORE PEOPLE BOUGHT MORE MEALS AND WENT OUT TO EAT, OR DOES THAT MEAN THE PRICE OF THOSE MEALS WENT UPSIDE? PROBABLY THE LATTER TO SOME DEGREE THAT ALSO APPLIES TO OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE, UH, LIKE, UH, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX AND THE REAL ESTATE TAX, BUT ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, OF COURSE, UH, THIS BODY AND YOUR STAFF HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
AND, UH, EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THE LABOR MARKET.
MR. SHEPHERD MADE A FEW REFERENCES TO THAT.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, MORE VACANCIES AND MORE RAPID TURNOVER THAN WE HAVE DURING, UH, THE SEVEN YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
UH, AND OF COURSE, IT'S NOT JUST COUNTY GOVERNMENT, IT'S, IT'S NOT EVEN JUST LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
IT'S ABOUT EVERY KIND OF WORKFORCE, BUT WE DO HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT, UH, TO, TO HAVE THE, UH, 800 PERSON STAFF THAT, UM, THE COUNTY AND ITS CITIZENS COUNT ON TO DO THE WORK OF THE COUNTY.
SO WE WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT IN OUR COMPENSATION, RECOMMENDATION RELATED THINGS, IN TERMS OF SUPPLY AND OPERATIONAL COSTS AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
AND AS AGAIN, THAT IS NOT REALLY DIRECTLY IN THE OPERATING BUDGET, BUT AS BID PRICES FOR BIG CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, COME IN, IF THEY ARE HIGHER, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH
[01:00:01]
THAT EITHER THROUGH DEBT SERVICE OR CASH CAPITAL.SO WE CAN KEEP OUR CAPITAL BUDGET ON TRACK WITH, UH, THE BOARD'S DIRECTION.
SO IMPORTANT DATES, UM, KIND OF REFERENCING THE PROCESS I SPOKE TO BEFORE.
OF COURSE, APRIL 19TH IS THE FORMAL PUBLIC HEARING, AND WE WOULD HOPE THAT, UM, WE'LL BE READY TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET BY MAY, SOMETIME IN THERE ABOUT THE SAME TIME I'M PRESENTING MY BUDGET.
THIS THE STATE BUDGET WILL BE FINALIZED AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME LAST MINUTE SCRAMBLING AROUND IF WE HAVE TO RECONCILE ANY MAJOR DIFFERENCES THERE.
AND, UM, WHILE WE ARE SEEKING COMMENT TONIGHT, UH, ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UH, EARLY MAY, UH, THERE ARE WAYS TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE COUNTY HERE.
YOU SEE, UH, THE EMAIL THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD.
THERE'S ALSO A CALL IN LINE AND, UH, OF COURSE OUR FINANCE AND BUDGET STAFF ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR IDEAS.
SO, UH, WITH THAT MS. SNOW, THAT CONCLUDES MY INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? SEE, NONE I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO'VE SIGNED UP THIS EVENING.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS TOM CHAMBERLAIN, THREE MINUTES, PLEASE.
I'M TOM CHAMBERLAIN, TWO 70 BARLOW ROAD WILLIAMSBURG.
UM, I JUST WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BUDGET AND THE FACT THAT ASSESSMENTS WENT UP RELATIVELY SUBSTANTIALLY