[00:00:53]
[Call to Order]
AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE MARCH 1ST MEETING OF THE, YOUR COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT TONIGHT.
UH, THEN I USUAL, FIRST OF THE MONTH MEETINGS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SPECIAL HEARING FOR REDISTRICTING, AND WE'RE GOING TO START IMMEDIATELY AFTER ROLL CALL.
AFTER THE BOARD VOTES, WE WILL THEN TAKE A SHORT RECESS AND WE'LL MOVE DOWNSTAIRS TO HAVE OUR REGULAR EAST ROOM WORK SESSION.
A REMINDER FOR PEOPLE PLEASE, THAT ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT WILL BE DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND SHOULD BE RELEVANT TO THE REDISTRICTING.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A ROLL CALL PLEASE.
MR. ZAREMBA, MRS. NOLE HERE, MR. GREEN, MR. ROWAN, MR. SHEPHERD, MADAM CHAIRMAN.
BEFORE WE START THE MEETING, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE, FOR THE FAMILIES IN THE PEOPLE AND THE COUNTRY OF UKRAINE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE TV, I'VE BEEN BOUND TO IT AND IT'S JUST DEVASTATING.
AND IT IS, IT IS INDEED A REMINDER OF WHAT WORLD WAR TWO USED TO BE LIKE.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME FOR A SECOND OF SILENCE.
[1. Redistricting Plan. ]
PUBLIC HEARING IS REDISTRICTING PLAN, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER TWO, TWO DASH SIX, TO APPROVE A REDISTRICTING PLAN FOR THE ELECTIONS IN YOUR COUNTY AND TIM CROSS.I BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE US A PRESENTATION.
WELL, UH, YOU ALL WERE BRIEFED BACK IN DECEMBER ABOUT THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS AND WE PRESENTED, UH, FOUR DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
AND, UH, WE NARROWED THAT DOWN TO TWO AND, UH, YOU ALL HAD SOME DISCUSSION AT YOUR FEBRUARY WORK SESSION AND YOU ALL SELECTED ALTERNATIVE ONE AS THE ONE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FOR ADVERTISING AND WRITE UP THE ORDINANCE AND EVERYTHING.
AND SO THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE WENT FORWARD WITH.
UM, I KNOW PLANNING DIVISION HASN'T RECEIVED ANY COMMENTS SINCE THEN.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY COMMENTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, UH, ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY CITIZENS? I DON'T THINK SO.
UH, I MEAN THE ADVANTAGES OF, OF THE REDISTRICTING PLANS, IT MAKES PRETTY MINIMAL CHANGE.
IN FACT, JUST YOUR FIVE DOESN'T CHANGE AT ALL.
AND IT SHIFTS COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER PLANTS.
IT SHIFTS FEWER PEOPLE FROM ONE DISTRICT TO ANOTHER.
SO, UM, I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT.
OTHER THAN THAT, ANY QUESTIONS IF TIM? YES, MR. CROSS, MY DISTRICT IS DISTRICT THREE IS ONE OF THE DISTRICTS THAT CHANGES.
UH, I NOTICED THE SHIFTS WERE VERY, UH, AS YOU SAID, MINIMAL, UH, HOW WILL THE PEOPLE BE NOTIFIED? UH, I PICK UP SOME MORE IN YORKTOWN FROM MR. ZAREMBA, MISS KNOLL PICKS UP, UH, SOME, SOME OF MY, OR ACTUALLY MR. ROME PICKS UP SOME OF MY, UH, OVER THERE, UH, WILL LIKES AND, UH, MS. SNOW PICKS UP SOME OF MY DISTRICT OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 17TH.
SO HOW WILL THESE PEOPLE BE NOTIFIED? THE, THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE WE'LL BE NOTIFYING THEM BY MAIL.
AND WE HAD, I SAID, THERE'VE BEEN OUR COMMENTS.
WE DID ACTUALLY RECEIVE, UH, AT LEAST ONE PHONE CALL FOR SOMEBODY JUST, IT WASN'T CLEAR IF SHE WAS STAYING IN THE SAME DISTRICT OR MOVING AND, UH, FOUND OUT SHE WAS MOVING FROM, UH, DISTRICT FOUR TO DISTRICT TWO.
AND THAT WAS THAT IF I CAN MAKE A COMMENT, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE ADVISABLE TO HAVE AN ARTICLE IN THE NEWSPAPER POST, THE DAILY PRESS AND MAYBE THE GAZETTE AS WELL.
[00:05:01]
IN OTHER WORDS, UH, DESCRIBE IT A LOT OF PEOPLE, OF COURSE, LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTY, THE CITY, THE WHEREVER YOU LIVE AND JUST MAILINGS TO THE PEOPLE AFFECTED, YOU KNOW, IT'S REAL POSITIVE, BUT, UH, THE PAPERS DON'T PARTICULARLY LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR COUNTY, CAUSE WE'D NEVER SEEN AN ARTICLE IN THESE OF THE GAZETTE OR THE DAILY PRECEDENT.THIS IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT STRUCTURAL CHANGE.
AS FAR AS THE COUNTY'S CONCERNED, WUI DAILY HAS BEEN PRETTY GOOD LATELY ABOUT COVERING THE COUNTY.
AND WE HAVE, I MEAN, ONCE YOU ALL DECIDED ON ALTERNATIVE A, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE PUT ON THE WEBSITE.
UH, WE PUT THAT OUT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE HAVE THE CITIZEN NEWS, CITIZEN NEWS WEEKLY.
UM, AND I'M SURE, UH, I, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE, BUT, UH, I'M SURE THEY COULD PUT OUT A NEWS RELEASE AT THAT WAY.
YOU KNOW, UH, PUBLIC AFFAIRS IS NODDING YOUR HEAD, MAYBE IT'LL HAPPEN.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT THE, UH, PRIVATE MEDIA DOES, BUT WE CAN CONTROL WHAT WE COMMUNICATE THROUGH OUR OWN MEDIA.
AND I'M SURE, UH, ONCE WE'RE DONE WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING AND YOU'VE MADE YOUR FORMAL DECISION, WE CAN PUT OUT ANOTHER ROUND OF INFORMATION WITH A LITTLE MORE DETAIL, UH, TO SUPPLEMENT THE MAILING HIM.
WELL, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PAPERS ARE POSITIVE FOR YOUR COUNTY, YOU CAN ALWAYS BUY AN ARTICLE IF WE HAVE TO.
UH, YOU CAN GET YOURSELF ON YOUR BACK.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YOU MENTIONED THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE WILL BE NOTIFYING THE PEOPLE WHO CHANGED DISTRICTS.
THAT PROBABLY WANT TO GO ON AND REGISTER VOTERS THOUGH, RIGHT? NOT TO EVERYBODY.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF, I DON'T KNOW IF NOT REGISTERED, PROBABLY BE, JUST BE DE-REGISTERED.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THEY WOULD LIKE A DATABASE THAT WOULD HAVE NOT PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE.
DO YOU KNOW IF THEY'LL NEED TO RE-REGISTER TO VOTE IN THE NEW DISTRICT? NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
THANK YOU, MR. CROSS, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE? SEE NONE.
I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BOARD COMMENTS, IF ANY.
UM, I THINK WE'VE PRETTY WELL HASHED THIS OUT.
HAVE WE MARKED I'LL MOVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 22, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MR. SHEPHERD, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
THE MOTION MADE BY MR. SHEPHERD IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 22 DASH SIX, TO AMEND CHAPTER NINE ELECTIONS IN NEW YORK COUNTY CODE TO MODIFY CERTAIN BOND BOUNDARY LINES BETWEEN ELECTION DISTRICTS, MODIFY CERTAIN PRECINCT BOUNDARY LINES AND TO ESTABLISH CERTAIN POLLING PLACES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONSTITUTION OF VIRGINIA AND CODE OF VIRGINIA.
MR. ZAREMBA, MR. GREEN, MR. ROAN.
NOW WE WILL RECESS AND OPEN UP OUR WORK SESSION DOWN IN THE EAST ROOM.
[A. Virginia Department of Transportation.]
IT'S A REPORT ON THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND MR. ROSSY, CAROL, PLEASE JOIN US AT THE TABLE.'CAUSE EVEN HERE WE GIVE THE, UH, QUARTERLY UPDATE AND, UH, WE'VE HAD A PRETTY BUSY, UH, THREE MONTHS.
UM, THIS ONE HERE IS FROM DECEMBER 1ST TO FEBRUARY 28TH, BUT I THINK MY LAST BOARD MEETING WAS LIKE DECEMBER 21ST.
UM, SO I KIND OF WENT BACK INTO THE THREE MONTHS FOR OFFICIAL.
SO, UM, IN THAT TIME WE'VE HAD 202 MAINTENANCE WORK ORDERS COME IN.
MOST OF THEM, UH, DRAINAGE RELATED, UH, WE'VE COMPLETED 149 ARE CLOSED DOWN 149.
UM, IN THAT PERIOD, 53, OUTSTANDING.
SO ABOUT A 73 70 4% COMPLETION RATE.
UM, IN THE PAST QUARTER, WE HAVE BEEN AVERAGING SOMEWHERE AROUND THE 76, 77 FOR THE YEAR, UM, ACROSS THE BOARD AND THE RESIDENCY, A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS QUARTER, UH, POTHOLE PATCHING COUNTY-WIDE, UH, AFTER ALL THE SNOW EVENTS.
FIRST THING THAT POPS UP AS MODELS, UM, SNOW RESPONSES, UH, WE'VE HAD THREE SNOW RESPONSE, UM, ACTIVITIES HERE IN THE COUNTY, UH, DRAINAGE WORK IT, UH, 1100 FEET
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ON, UH, JEFF OR LANE DID SOME DRAINAGE WORK ON MAR REVERE, THEIR WORMLEY CREEK, UH, FACTOR TRUCK WORK ON CHARLES ROAD, WHISPER AND RURAL WAY.UH, DID SOME TREE TRIMMING AND BRUSH CLEARING ON A WATER VIEW IN HORNSBY BILL ROAD.
UH, SOME OF THE UPCOMING MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE PLANNED, UM, OR EITHER THEY'VE STARTED, THEY HAVEN'T COMPLETED.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO START OUR COUNTY WIDE ROADWAY SWEEPING, UM, THIS MARCH.
SO, UM, THIS MONTH WE'RE GOING TO START THE SWEEPING.
HOPEFULLY WE GET OUT OF NORMALLY TRY TO GET OUT OF ALL SNOW SEASON.
SO I DON'T WANT TO SWEEP IT, THEN THROW A BRACE OF THOSE SAND BACK ON THE ROAD.
BUT, UM, I USUALLY START THIS UP ONE OF OUR CYCLES.
SO, UH, THAT'S COMING, UH, CONTINUING DITCHING THERE ON HARWOOD DRIVE.
UH, WE HAVE PLANS TO DITCH KATIE DRIVE, UM, DITCHING THERE IN THE COLDEST SACK ON MIDDLE LANE, UH, DRAINAGE WORK IN, UH, OLD PORT COVE COMING UP.
AND WE GOT BACK TO HER WORK ON JERNIGAN LANE, NOBLES LANDING WHILE AS COURT RICH ROAD AND WITHIN THE RUNNING MAN, SILVER SUBDIVISION.
UH, I PUT THIS ON HERE AS A COMPLETED PROJECT WILL BE THE LAST TIME THAT, UH, I'LL DO IT, BUT THE I 64 WIDENING SEGMENT THREE IS COMPLETE.
UH, THE, UH, THE RIBBON CUTTING WAS, UH, HELD IN DECEMBER.
AND, UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING OUR PROJECT CLOSE OUT NOW.
SO, UH, IT SEEMS TO, SEEMS TO BE WORKING FINE.
UM, IT WAS FINISHED ON TIME AND EVERYTHING WENT WELL.
UM, ONCE THAT COMPLETED, WE STARTED THE, UM, I CALL IT THE STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT, UH, THERE, UH, KIND OF WHERE IT RUNS INTO THE HEAD THERE AT QUEEN'S LAKE.
SO THAT PROJECT HAS STARTED, UH, IF YOU GO DOWN THE COLUMN PARKWAY, YOU'LL SEE SOME WORK GOING ON, BUT, UM, THAT PROJECT IS, OR DID, UH, WITH THAT DREAM RESTORATION OR REHABILITATION.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE ROUTE 1 99, UH, THERE THE I 64, WE'RE PUTTING FIBER OPTIC IN THAT SECTION OF 1 99, ACTUALLY ALL AT 1 99, UM, IN DIFFERENT PHASES, UH, REALLY FOR CONNECTIVITY, UM, SIGNAL HEADS, INTERSECTIONS, YOU KNOW, TYING ALL THAT TOGETHER CAMERAS, UM, ALL THAT'LL BE OVER A FEE TO THAT, UH, THAT NEW FIBER INSTALLATION.
SO THAT PROCESS IS ONGOING NOW, OR CONTRACT IS ONGOING.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME UPCOMING BITA ADMINISTER PROJECTS.
UM, WE HAVE A HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ON, UH, ROUTE 1 34 FIRST STREET, INDIAN SUMMER DRIVE AND LONG GREEN BOULEVARD, UH, THAT IS SCHEDULED TO ADVERTISE THIS MONTH.
IT'S A MID-BLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING PROJECT, JUST SOUTH OF COUNTRY AND ON 60 BYPASS.
AND THAT, UM, THAT IS ANTICIPATED TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION THIS SPRING SUMMERTIME, UH, THAT IS BEING FUNDED THROUGH OUR RESEARCH COUNCIL.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE, UH, COUNTY SAFETY PROJECT FOR THE ROUTE 60 BYPASS CROSS-WALK PROJECT, WHICH IS AT WALLER MILL AND PALACE LANE UP TOWARDS WHERE, UH, I GUESS THAT'S GOLDEN CORRAL, UM, W WHAT'S CROSSWALKS AND THOSE KIND OF LIGHTS THAT STAGGER EACH OTHER RIGHT THERE AT PALACE AND WALNUT MILL WILL ACTUALLY BE PINK.
THERE'LL BE PAIN AND PET HEAD.
SO YOU'LL HIT THE BUTTON, YOU'LL GET A CYCLE IN THAT SIGNAL.
UM, THOSE TWO SIGNALS TALK TO OPENS UP.
SO THAT'LL BE A PHASE FOR PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS IN THOSE INTERSECTIONS.
WE HAVE PAVING FOR THE 2020 SUMMER SPRING, SUMMER 2022, UH, MERRIMACK TRAIL, UH, WHICH IS ROUTE 1 43 NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND FROM THE RAMP FROM MY 64 WESTBOUND TO THE JAMES CITY COUNTY LINES, APPROXIMATELY ABOUT TWO MILES, UH, VICTORY BOULEVARD FROM, UH, WHICH IS ROUTE 1 71 EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND FROM THE NEWPORT NEWS CITY LIMITS TO, UH, RIGHT BEFORE YOU GET TO 17.
THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE A SECTION BY SECTION.
SO I CAN EXPECT THAT TO BE TORN UP FOR AWHILE.
DON'T GO WITH NICK, UH, ROUTE 1 73 FROM 17 TO DANIEL LOOP.
AND THAT'S A FAIRLY LONG SECTION.
THAT'S ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MILES.
HAVE WE DECIDED ANYTHING WITH THE RUMBLE STRIPS ON THE MIDDLE? I'LL GET TO THAT.
[00:15:04]
ORIANA ROAD, ROUTE SIX 20 FROM THE NUBER NEWS, UH, CITY LIMITS 2.8 MILES WEST OR OUT 17.SO PRETTY MUCH THAT WHOLE SECTION OF YOUR COUNTY ORIANA.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS ALL PAVING? THIS IS WHAT WE PAID THIS, UH, THIS COMING.
SO, UH, WHILE, WHILE OUR MILL ROAD, UH, ROUTE SEVEN, 13 FROM 60 BYPASS TO THE DEAD END, JUST A LITTLE LESS THAN TWO MILES.
AND THEN CARRIE'S CHAPEL ROAD, UH, ROUTE 7 82 FROM, UH, BECAUSE SENSEI LIMITS TO VICTORY BOULEVARD.
WE ALSO HAVE A, WE ADVERTISED A FULL DEPTH RECLAMATION.
SO IN THE SUBDIVISIONS WE GO IN WHERE WE HAVE SUB BASED ISSUES.
WE GO IN AND PRETTY MUCH POLARIZE OR GRIND UP ABOUT EIGHT INCHES OF MATERIAL.
IT TAKES THE MATERIAL AWAY COMPACT.
IT GIVES US A NEW BASE, NEW, NEW RIDING SURFACE TYPE THING.
AND THEN WE PUT THREE OR FOUR INCHES OF PAVEMENT ON TOP OF IT.
IT DID NOT, UH, JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO AWARD IT, SO WE ARE GOING TO RE ADVERTISE IT.
UM, SO I CAN'T PROMISE THIS UNTIL I KNOW I HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE.
UM, BUT THAT INCLUDES, UM, TAB MEADOWS, LOTS OF STATES.
SO I THINK IT'S LIKE HEAVEN'S WAY STELLAR.
UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE OTHER ONES, ORIENT, UH, RYAN, RYAN, AND, UH, POLARIS AND THANK TAURUS.
WHAT, SO WHAT DID YOU, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH US? I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GRIND THEM.
UM, PUT SOME ALMOST LIKE SEMEN TREATED.
HE PUTS MAD AT US IN THE SUB-BASE, RIGHT.
UH, YOU COMPACT IT AND NOW YOU DO TAKE SOME OF IT AWAY BECAUSE WHEN YOU GRIND, IT GETS A LITTLE, LITTLE BIGGER.
SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU COMPACT IT? YOU'RE ABOUT THREE TO FOUR INCHES BELOW THE ORIGINAL ELEVATION OF THE ROADWAY.
AND THEN WE COME BACK AND PAVE TWO LIFTS.
SO IT'D BE LIKE A 12.5 MIX, WHICH IS YOUR SORT OF YOUR INTERMEDIATE TYPE MIX.
AND THEN YOU'LL PUT A SURFACE MIX ON TOP OF THAT.
SO ESSENTIALLY FOR THE CITIZENS LIBERATES BUILDING THE PAVED ROAD, BASICALLY IT'S, IT'S BETTER THAN REPAY PRO IT'S ACTUALLY A SORT OF A PSEUDO CONSTRUCTED ROADS.
WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN? WHEN IS THIS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THIS SUMMER? ORIGINALLY THIS SUMMER ORIGINALLY? I KNOW I CAN ONLY SAY BECAUSE I HAVE TO GO PUT IT OUT TO RE ADVERTISEMENT, YOU KNOW, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET IT AWARDED AND GET IT DONE NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR, THE RAIN PLAYED A ROLE IN THE, UH, COMPACTING.
IN OTHER WORDS, WELL, WE ADD SOME, IT JUST DEPENDS.
WE ADD WATER, UM, DURING THE PROCESS OR DUSTIN AND STUFF OF THAT NATURE.
SO, UM, ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, IN ANY TIME WE'RE BUILDING SUBBASE, YOU ADD WATER FOR, TO SET UP, TO SET YOUR SUB BASE MATERIALS UP.
NOW, IF YOU GET A BIG GULLY WASHES, YOU KNOW, IT SORT OF TAKES A TOLL AND YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR IT TO DRY OUT.
SO YOU DON'T SEAL THE WATER WITHIN SOME DAYS, BUT WE GOT IT DOWN TO PRETTY MUCH SCIENCE, BUT YOU DO, UM, THE PENNIMAN ROAD, GOVERNMENT ROAD PROJECT, UM, Y'ALL KNOW ABOUT THE CHANGE IN THE WIND TO THE T AND THE PEDESTRIAN AND ALL THAT.
UM, WE ARE, IT ISN'T THE RIGHT OF WAY, UH, RELOCATION PHASE RIGHT NOW.
SO THEY'RE RELOCATING RIGHT AWAY, BUT WE HAVE RAN INTO A SNAG, UH, WITH THE, UM, RIGHT, THE RAILROAD, UH, EASEMENT WITH THE, UH, WITH THE NAVY, UM, WHICH HAS DELAYED THAT UTILITY REALLY RELOCATIONS JUST A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING THE RAILROAD IT'S BEEN ABANDONED FOR 50 YEARS, CRITICAL NATIONAL SECURITY MATTER FROM MID.
SO WE, WE WERE WORKING, UH, WORKING TO GET THAT SOLVED AND, UH, AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
UM, WE HAD THE WIDTH CREEK ROAD PROJECT, UM, THAT, UH, BID LETTING ON THAT WAS FEBRUARY THE 23RD.
I DO NOT HAVE A DATE ON AWARD OR, UM, NOTICE TO PROCEED FOR CONSTRUCTION AT THIS POINT, BUT, UH, IT IS MOVING ALONG.
UM, SO WHICH, WHICH PRIDING CREEK IT'S NOT IN YOUR COUNTY, IT'S THE , BUT IT'S SO CLOSE.
I ALWAYS ADD IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO USE VICTORY OR WITH GREEK TO GET OUT OF THERE.
UM, SMART, UH, SMART SCALE PROJECT.
WE HAD THE ROUTE 17 WIDENING BETWEEN SIX 30 AND 1 73.
UH, I'M GOING TO SKIP ALL THE PARTICULARS, BUT, UH, SCOPE AND PHASE CLOSED FOR THIS PROJECT DESIGN APPROVAL SET FOR THIS SUMMER.
[00:20:01]
FOR APRIL 28TH FOR THIS PROJECT.AND, UH, WE EXPECT TO GET OUR CE OR NEPA DOCUMENT WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO THAT'S MOVING ALONG AS PLANNED.
UH, WE HAVE A SMART SCALE 18, WHICH IS THE VICTORY BOULEVARD WIDENING BETWEEN 17 AND 1 34.
AND THAT'S ADDING A LANE GOING TOWARDS 1 34 AND, UH, THAT, UH, IT'S PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING IS UNDERWAY, UH, IS SCHEDULED FOR ADVERTISEMENT NOVEMBER OF 2024.
AND CONSTRUCTION IS PROJECTED TO START MARCH OF 2025 WITH COMPLETION FEBRUARY 20, 26.
SO AS WE GET CLOSER IN THE SCOPING PROCESS AND PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING PROCESS, I CAN KIND OF DIAL IN INSTEAD OF JUST GIVING YOU A YEAR, A LITTLE CLOSER ON A MONTH, AT LEAST WHEN WE WERE, UH, PLANNING THESE PROJECTS OUT IN THE SKY RIGHT NOW.
SO THE WILLINGNESS PERIOD IS CLOSED AND THE DESIGN APPROVAL PACKAGE HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
UH, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER SMART SCALE PROJECT, WHICH IS THE ROUTE, THE VICTORY BOULEVARD REV 1 71 COMPACITY AND HAMMOND ENHANCEMENTS, UM, BETWEEN ROUTE 1 34 AND 1740, UH, HAS INTERSECTION TURN LANE, SHOULDER IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE SHARED USE PATH, UH, BETWEEN, UH, 1 71, 1 71 BETWEEN 1 34.
AND HEAVEN'S WAY, UH, PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING IS SCHEDULED TO START THE END OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AND THAT PROJECT ME THAT'S AT HEAVEN'S WAY.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO DO THIS UP AT, UH, HOLLY MEET UP AT THAT THE PROJECT RUNS FROM 1 34 TO HAVING WAY IS WHAT I HAVE.
UM, SO IN THAT IS COMPLETION OF THAT PROJECT, LIKE I SAID, IT'S, WE HAVEN'T STARTED PO P YET, BUT 20, 28.
SO THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE FUNDED.
AND NOW YEARS OF SIX YEAR PLAN, UH, COUNTY SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL PROJECTS, WE TALKED ABOUT THE REALIGNMENT FOR THE THROUGH LANE FOR 600 ROUTE 600 BIG POWERFUL.
THAT'S STILL ON THE LIST FOR COUNTY SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL PROJECTS.
UM, I STILL OWE YOU A SORT OF A SCHEMATIC OF HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK.
UM, BUT, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOPEFULLY SUMMER TO FALL OF 2020 TO GET A RE STRIPING CREW IN THERE TO, UH, REMEDIATE THE CURRENT STRIPING AND RESTRIPE AND, UH, MAKE SURE THE LOOPS ARE SET UP CORRECTLY.
UH, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING STUDIES, UH, WE DID A GRAFTON BETHEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CROSS-WALK REVIEW, UM, REALLY TO PROVIDE TO THE COUNTY IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN SOME SORT OF LIKE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
UH, THE RUMBLE STRIP STUDY AT GOODWIN NECK ROAD, THAT'S COMING TO, YOU WANT TO GET INTO IT RIGHT THIS SECOND? UM, WE'VE COMPLETED THE, UH, NO PARKING SIGNING STUDY FOR FREEDOM BOULEVARD.
UH, IT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED, UM, PROVIDED THAT TO THE COUNTY ALREADY.
AND THEN WE DID A SPEED STUDY ON SPRINGFIELD, RIGHT? SO WHAT WE'VE DONE STUDIES COMPLETED OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS, UH, YOUR COUNTY LAND USE PLAN REVIEWS.
UH, WE'VE ISSUED 147 LAND USE PERMITS, AND WE'VE ONLY CLOSED 21 OF THOSE, UH, PERMITS THAT ARE OUTSTANDING.
AND WE HAVE 0.2 MILE 2.29 MILES OF ROADWAY HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO THE STATE'S SYSTEM.
THIS, THIS, THIS SECTION, UH, EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS.
WE HAD A SNOW EVENT JANUARY 19TH, THE 24TH, 27 THROUGH FEBRUARY 1ST AND FEBRUARY 13TH TO THE 14TH.
SO, UM, THAT CONCLUDES MY QUARTERLY UPDATE.
AND, UH, BE GLAD TO TAKE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
ANY QUESTIONS I'LL CALL YOU TOMORROW? YES, YOU'VE ALREADY TOUCHED ON THE RUMBLE STRIPS.
I CAN'T WAIT TO READ THAT REPORT THERE.
UH, SPRINGFIELD ROAD STAY ON TOP OF THAT.
UH, YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT, UH, THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, IT'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGING FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
UH, HORNSBY VILLE ROAD STILL NEEDS SOME WORK, UH, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO INCREASE THE SAFETY, THERE WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
UM, YOU ALREADY TALKED ABOUT ROADWAY SWEEPING, WHICH, UH, UH, AFFORDED YOU SOME, UH, SOME INTEREST ON THAT.
SO, UH, THANKS FOR GETTING ON TOP OF THAT.
UH, AND THE LAST THING WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, BUT I'VE HAD SOME INTEREST IN THIS WHEN WE PRE-TREAT THE ROADS FOR SNOW EVENTS.
WE USE, UH, BRINE SOLUTION ASSAULT
[00:25:01]
SOLUTION.WHEN THAT GOES INTO THE ENVIRONMENT, CAN IT CHANGE THE SALINITY OR PH UPON, OR, UH, IS IT DETRIMENTAL TO GRASS OR TO THE BAY? THEY HAVE STUDIED IT.
UM, AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE SOLIDITY, THE SALT SOLUTION IS ONLY ABOUT 22% OF THE WATER.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ONLY GET 20 TO 23% SALT IN WATER.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, SODIUM CHLORIDE DIRECTLY.
UM, THE I'VE LOOKED AT THE SAFETY DATA SHEET FOR, UM, BRIAN, WE HAVE ONE, IT'D BE DOT AND THERE'S NO NOTHING ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, PRECAUTIONS OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
UH, VERY MINIMAL, JUST, JUST LIKE YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU USE A SALT WATER FOR, LET'S SAY EYE DROPS AND STUFF OF THAT NATURE, SORTA SORTA THE SAME THING.
UH, SO NO WE'VE HAD STUDIES THAT WE'VE DONE AND BEEN A PART OF.
WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY, UM, ISSUES WITH KILLING GRASS, CHANGING PH LEVELS, YOU KNOW, STORM SEWER SYSTEMS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS RUN OFF ANY TYPE OF PASSENGERS, UM, ISSUES OR THINGS.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, NO, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHING COME UP.
IT IS A, UH, HAZARDOUS MATERIAL BECAUSE SODIUM CHLORIDE IS HOW DOES, SO IT REQUIRES A, A TANKER ENDORSEMENT AND QUALIFIED PEOPLE TO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT THAT PUTS IT DOWN AND CALIBRATIONS AND STUFF OF THAT NATURE.
UM, BUT, UM, AS, AS FOR HAVING ANY ISSUES, ENVIRONMENTALLY, NOT AWARE OF IT.
UM, I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT A LITTLE BIT.
FIRST OF ALL, WHAT ABOUT VEHICLES? THAT BROAD SOLUTION IS A PARTICULARLY CORROSIVE LIKE YOU SEE MAYBE UP NORTH OR NO, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S THE SAME.
WE DON'T USE AS MUCH BECAUSE THEY CONTEND, YOU KNOW, THEY CERTAINLY HAVE MORE SNOW.
UM, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, A GOOD WASH AND WASH IT OFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER, OTHER TYPES OF CHEMICALS THAT LIKE NEUTRALIZERS AND STUFF OF THAT NATURE, YOU CAN SPRAY ON YOUR VEHICLE THAT NEUTRALIZES SALT.
BUT, BUT, BUT YEAH, IT'S BASICALLY A GOOD WASH OR THE SNOW EVENT.
IF YOU WEIGH THE TWO THINGS BETWEEN THE SAFETY PIECE OF IT AND WHAT EFFECTS IT HAS ON A VEHICLE, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GO TO, UM, I'VE BEEN ASKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME TYPE COMING BACK TO PEDESTRIAN CROSSING, A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING, UH, FROM THE FOLKS OVER IN THE RAINBOW VILLA AREA, GRAFTON AREA, TO BE ABLE TO GET ACROSS 17 OVER TO WASHINGTON SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S ON ANYBODY'S RADAR RIGHT NOW.
THERE IS SOME ISSUES WITH 17 BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES OUT THERE NOW.
UM, AND THEY ARE REQUIRED FOR ACROSS WALL.
SO, UM, IS THAT THE SAME AS, UH, VICTORY BOULEVARD WHERE WE WERE LOOKING AT DOING THE MID-BLOCK HAS PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES, THERE'S SIDEWALKS OUT THERE.
SO YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOMETHING TO GO WALK TO, DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE FACILITIES TO AND FROM.
SO I WOULD JUST MAKE THE POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO HAVE A BOARD ENDORSED PROJECT IN THE WORKS TO EXTEND SIDEWALK FROM THE GRAFTON COMPLEX ALL THE WAY THERE.
AND YOU MIGHT SEE THAT AS A FIRST STEP IN GETTING THERE.
AND WE'D HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO SOMETHING ON THE SHOPPING CENTER SIDE AS WELL.
I MEAN, THE CONNECTION, LOOKING AT IT KIND OF GIVE WHAT, WHAT ALL THE PUZZLE PIECES ARE.
SO I'M GOING TO GET SOME FEEDBACK, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THESE DOMINOES NEEDS TO BE SET UP AND KNOCKED DOWN.
AND IN THE LAST THING, YOU AND I HAVE BEEN CORRESPONDING AND TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, THE TRAFFIC CONCERNS, THE SPEED CONCERNS OVER ON, UM, LEN VERNON, UM, DRIVE AND BILL AWAY.
AND I GOT YOUR EMAIL AND YOUR REPORT APPRECIATE LOOKING THAT UP FOR ME.
AND I KNOW THE SPEED STUDIES DON'T SUPPORT ANY TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES, SO, SO FORTH, BUT I WANT TO KIND OF PICK YOUR BRAIN.
IS THERE ANY, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO GIVE THE FOLKS ON THAT ROAD, SOME RELIEF FROM THE FOR THE CURRENT OF THE GUYS, WHOEVER THAT ACTUALLY DO SPEED UP DOWN THAT SHORT STRETCH OF ROAD, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO OR BEAT UP PERSPECTIVE TO KIND OF HELP THOSE FOLKS OUT? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE, WE DID THE STEALTH STUDY, BUT YOU KNOW, ENFORCEMENT IS PROBABLY THE BEST ITEM THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US.
UM, IT'S, IT'S POSTED NOW, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, AS PEOPLE SPEED THROUGH THERE, IF YOU GET THE WORD OUT THAT THERE'S BEEN ENFORCEMENT OF THE SPEED LIMITS AND STUFF OF THAT NATURE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, RIGHT.
I'VE BEEN TALKING TO TALKING TO THE DEPARTMENT TOO, SO IT WAS KIND OF TWO-PRONGED APPROACH.
AND IF I, AND IF I, AND IF I HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW,
[00:30:03]
IT DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR TRAFFIC CALMING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HIT THOSE CRITERIA THAT ARE THERE.UM, BUT YOU KNOW, FOR SAFETY SIDE OF IT, MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE CLEAR SIGHT DISTANCES AND TRIMS TREES ARE TRIMMED AND STUFF OF THAT NATURE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ROAD IS SAFE.
SO IF SOMEONE IS SPEEDING, IT GIVES YOU A LITTLE LONGER DISTANCE TO SEE, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, AS YOU'RE PULLING OUT OF YOUR DRIVEWAY OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, JUST, YOU KNOW, LET'S LOOK IN ON THE SAFETY SIDE.
UM, WOULD, UM, SIGNAGE THAT SAYS YOUR, YOUR SPEED, YOU KNOW, THE DIGITAL SCIENCE OF YOUR SPEED IS X, WOULD THAT BE CONSIDERED AS TRAFFIC COMMENT OR IS THAT AN OPTION IS THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU WITH THAT.
I WAS WANTING A MORE PERMANENT.
THAT DOES FALL ON THE TRAFFIC COLUMN.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS OUT THERE FOR TRAFFIC CALMING, BUT IT NEEDS TO MEET, I MEAN, WE CAN'T JUST ARBITRARILY THROW IT UP.
IT NEEDS TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA BEFORE, BEFORE WE LOOK AT WHAT THE BEST SOLUTION WOULD BE FOR THAT.
AND WHEN YOU'RE DOING THAT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A 85TH, THAT'S ABOUT 10 MILES PER HOUR OVER THE ALL RIGHT.
WELL, LIKE I SAID, IT JUST TAKES ONE PERSON APPLYING TO THAT ROAD AND WITH THOSE HOUSES, SO CLOSE TO, TO THE ROAD AND NO SIDEWALKS, IT DOESN'T LEAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF ROOM IF SOMEBODY DOES DROP A TIRE OFF AND YOU END UP IN YOUR, YOU NOT TALKED ABOUT PEDESTRIAN USE TO HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE ON THE ROADWAY, BECAUSE IT ISN'T RIGHT.
OR IN THE YARD CUTTING THE GRASS OR WHATEVER.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, ONE PERSON GETTING OUT OF CONTROL WOULD BE DEVASTATING.
I HAVE A COMMENT THAT MOST OF YOU KNOW, THAT SHEILA AND I HAVE BEEN AS POOR FOR SOMETHING AGAIN TO 27 PLUS.
SOME OF YOU WOULD SAY, AND THAT'S WAY TO WALK.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, JUST THIS AFTERNOON I WAS TALKING TO MR. CAROL AND THE POINT BEING IS THAT IT DEPENDS, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN ON ANY PARTICULAR BOARD OR PROJECT OR SUBJECT.
SO AGAIN, MOST OF YOU AROUND THE ROOM KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES IN THERE FOR COUNTY FOR AWHILE NOW, QUITE A WHILE HAS BEEN THE INTERSECTION OF MOORESTOWN ROAD, A VERY HEAVILY TRAFFICKED ROAD AND BOULEVARDS, WHICH COMES INTO A LARGE PROFESSIONAL PARK CALLED MICHAEL'S COMMONS.
AND THEN AS YOU DRIVE BACK IN THERE, IT'S IT'S ORDEAL.
SO A HUGE RESIDENTIAL PROJECT, UH, THE DEVELOPER IS THAT HE FELL BY THE NAME OF MR. HENDERSON.
UH, AND, UH, FOR FOUR, IT'S NOT YOURS FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNTY'S BACK, MR. CARROLL'S.
BACK WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO SEE TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT THAT INTERSECTION.
HE GOES RIGHT, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET ALMOST RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET IS SEDENTARY REGIONAL HOSPITAL.
SO ABOUT HOW, ABOUT HOW MANY MONTHS AGO IT WAS, IT WAS THE FIRST VERTICAL POSTED THREE MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS, PROBABLY FOUR MONTHS AGO.
WE BEGAN TO SAY, OH MY GOD, SOMEBODY HIGH UP HAS SPOKEN.
AND YOUR ENGINEERS ARE OUT THERE.
THE CONSTRUCTION GUYS ARE OUT THERE WORKING THEIR TAILS OFF.
AND THERE IS A LIGHT AT EACH OF THE CORNERS IN THIS INTERSECTION, EXCEPT ALL THESE LIGHTS THAT ARE UP THERE NOW, 60 FEET OR WHATEVER, OR COVERED WITH BLACK PLASTIC.
AND SO THE FIRST HALLELUJAH WAS A LITTLE BIT JIM, THE, BECAUSE WE REALIZED THAT WE LIVE UP THERE AND GO TO WORK UP THERE IS THAT TRAFFIC PLACE, NOT REALLY WORKABLE UNLESS STATE OR FREE OF STUFF LIKE BLACK.
SO MY QUESTION TO THE, THE ADMINISTRATOR, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES DID HE ANSWER? WHEN ARE THOSE LIGHTS GOING TO BE TURNED ON? WHEN ARE THEY GONNA BE TURNED ON? ONE OF WE GET TURNED DOWN.
AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE LAYMAN THAT I AM, THAT TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND ALL THE PLAYERS, WHO DO YOU THINK WOULD BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAFFIC LIGHTS? I WOULD THINK BE DONE.
WELL, THE OTHER DAY TALKING TO THE ADMINISTRATOR, I FOUND OUT THAT MAY BE PARTLY TRUE, BUT THE KELLY'S GOT A ROLE IN THIS THING.
I'M NOT REAL SURE WHAT, BUT HE SAID, IF I'M GOOD TO HIM, HE'LL TURN THE LIGHTS ON.
AT SOME POINT I'M NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.
WELL, I FOUND THAT TODAY INVOLVED AS WELL.
MR. HENDERSON, UP HERE, WHO'S BUILT BUILDING AFTER BUILDING, AFTER BUILDING.
IT WAS INVOLVED WITH, I GUESS RON BERG OKAY.
SO, SO MY POINT ON ALL OF THIS IS THAT HAVING BEEN ON THIS BOARD WAS MY DEAR FRIEND, SHEILA.
[00:35:01]
LEARNING NO MATTER HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SOMETHING, WHETHER IT'S LIFE'S JORDY YOURSELF OR SPECIFIC SPECIFIC PROJECTS.BUT AGAIN, I JUST DIDN'T REALIZE NOW I GOT THREE PEOPLE TO KILL.
WE STILL HAVE PLASTIC BLACK PLASTIC ON THESE LIGHTS.
IF YOU DIDN'T REMEMBER THE COMMENT I TOLD YOU, CORRECT.
WHICH WAS THIS? THIS HAS BEEN THE QUICKEST AND YEAH, THIS HAS BEEN THE QUICKEST THING.
WELL, WHY DID YOU FINALLY GET THE PLASTIC OFF? ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE BALLOONS AND CELEBRATION? IT IS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A BURDEN SESSION.
SO IT'S GOING TO, IT'S GOING TO SIT THERE AND BLINK FOR A WEEK.
NO, IT'S CLOSED WHEN IT STARTS PLAYING HERE.
WHEN I COME OUT OF WORK EVERY DAY.
TO GO TO MY HOUSE, WHICH IS DOWN NEAR QUEEN'S LAKE, I WOULD TURN LEFT OUT OF BOULEVARDS ONTO MOORESTOWN ROAD AND GO ON DOWN TO BYPASS ROAD AND DOWN TO QUEENS LAKE.
UH, EVER SINCE THOSE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN UP OKAY.
WITH THE PLASTIC ON THEM, I COME OUT OF, THAT WAS MY, NOW MY WIFE GOES TO WORK WITH ME.
WHEN YOU COME OUT OF THE PROFESSIONAL PARK, WE'RE ON BOTH BONDS.
I WANT TO TURN LEFT TO GO HOME, SHUT UP.
WE GO ALL WAY DOWN TO THE LIGHT AT THE EMERGENCY ENTRANCE TO THE HOSPITAL MAKING YOU TURN BACK.
BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC IS ACCORDING TO HER, REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S ON THAT MOOD IS TOO IT'S TOO HEAVY.
SO 60 DAYS, 60 DAYS, YOU SAID THAT TWO WEEKS AGO.
I MEAN, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU BRING US UP TO DATE NUTRITION.
I'M HERE TO SERVE AND DO WHATEVER.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL HERE FOR.
[B Preliminary Budget Expenditures.]
TOPIC WE HAVE IS ELIMINATED BUDGET EXPENDITURES, BUT THEN I'M GOING TO CHURCH, OUR COUNTY MINISTRY.AND TERESA'S, UH, JOINING US HERE.
SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, WE'RE PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET, WHICH I'LL BE PRESENTING TO THIS BODY AT THE NEXT MEETING ON MARCH 13TH.
AND SOME OF THE FINAL, UH, PRECISE NUMBERS WILL HAVE TO AWAIT THAT.
AND OF COURSE, AS THERESA'S GOING TO MENTION THAT A MINUTE, UH, WHAT GOES ON IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS A PRETTY MAJOR FACTOR IN ALL THIS, BECAUSE TO SOME DEGREE, WE'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING A RECOMMENDED BUDGET BASED ON SOME HEROIC ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OR OUR BEST JUDGMENT.
UH, BUT IT IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN WE LIKE TO START ENGAGING YOU IN A WORK SESSION WITH SORT OF THE, UH, SOME OF THE MAJOR DRIVERS IN THE BUDGET.
SO WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD DO TONIGHT IS FOCUS ON THE EXPENDITURE DRIVERS, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TO PUT SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES INTO, UH, YOU KNOW, AND NOT GO THROUGH THE LIST OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH.
SO THE WAY WE'D LIKE TO DO THIS AS, UH, THERESA'S GONNA START WITH KIND OF THE BIG PICTURE BUDGET EXPENDITURE DRIVERS.
IF THIS WAS A SPORTING EVENT, SHE'S GOING TO BE THE PLAY BY PLAY PERSON AND I'M GOING TO BE THE COLOR GUY.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WHEN WE'RE DONE AND WE RESPONDED TO YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS, THEN WE'RE GOING TO ASK, UH, MARK AND CAROL FROM HR TO COME UP AND CONTINUING THE THEME OF EXPENDITURE DRIVERS.
THEY'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON, UH, COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS AS WE TYPICALLY DO TALKS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE, WHAT THE LABOR MARKET SITUATION IS, WHAT WE THINK WE NEED TO DO IN RESPONSE TO THAT.
AND ALSO, UH, WHAT OUR, OUR HEALTHCARE SITUATION IS, WHICH OF COURSE IS AN EXPENDITURE THAT IS SHARED BY THE EMPLOYEES AND THE COUNTY AS AN EMPLOYER.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE BASIC PLAN OF ATTACK, UH, AT POINTS IN THIS PRESENTATION, I SUSPECT YOU WILL SAY, WELL, WHAT IS THE EXACT NUMBER THERE? UM, AND, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE TO ASK AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL TRY TO GIVE YOU MEANINGFUL INFORMATION WITHOUT BEING, UH, PINNED DOWN TO THE A HUNDRED PERCENT OUT JUST YET.
SO, UM, LIKE MR. MORGAN SAID, WE'RE JUST GOING TO GO OVER A FEW THINGS, BUT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME EXTERNAL CHANNEL CHALLENGES WE HAD, WE HAVE THIS YEAR ON BEFORE WE REALLY GET INTO THE BUDGET DRIVERS.
AND, UM, THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET DRIVERS.
THEN I WANTED TO REMIND YOU OF, UM, AND REMIND THE PUBLIC OF SOME KEY DATES COMING UP.
SO, UM, AT FIRST, OBVIOUSLY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, UM, ACTIONS AFFECT WITH ONE SCHOOL BUDGETS.
UM, AND THIS YEAR HAS BEEN NO EXCEPTION.
[00:40:01]
AND SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE BILLS OUT THERE THAT DO AFFECT OUR BUDGETS, BUT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON ONE THAT ACTUALLY SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTS THIS BUDGET, WHICH IS THE, UM, CUTTING OF THE GROCERY TAX, UM, HOUSE BILL 90 AND SENATE BILL 4 51.SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENCE IN EACH OF THEM, ONE OF THEM, UM, DISCONTINUES THAT LOCAL 1% GROCERY TAX THAT WE GET AND THE OTHER ONE KEEPS IT IN.
SO, UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD SOME ACTION YESTERDAY ON IT.
WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH WHAT ALL THAT MEANS, BUT, UM, IF THEY DO ELIMINATE IT, IT'S ABOUT A $3 MILLION HIT TO OUR BUDGET.
YOU SAY, IF I COULD INTERRUPT, YOU HAD ACTUALLY ASKED ME ABOUT THESE TWO BILLS.
IT LOOKS LIKE EACH ONE OF THEM HAS NOW FLIPPED AND BECOME THE OTHER.
UM, AND I WAS WORKING AT THAT ACTUALLY EARLIER.
SO SENATE BILL 4 51 WAS ADOPTED BY THE HOUSE THIS MORNING.
CAUSE IT'S AFTER, YOU KNOW, AND THEY ADMIT THEY HAVE A SUBSTITUTE, TOOK THE LOCAL OPTION OUT OF SENATE BILL 4 51 HOUSE BILL 90 CAME OUT OF SENATE FINANCE THIS MORNING AS A SUBSTITUTE, PUTTING IT BACK IN.
SO AS OF THIS MORNING, THOSE, THOSE ACTUALLY HAVE REVERSED SLIGHTLY.
SO THEY'VE PUT, IT'S STILL A SET UP FOR THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE CITY.
IT'S JUST THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSE BILL IS NOW BECOME THE SENATE BILL SENATE BILLS NOW BECOME HOUSE.
SO THE POINT HERE THAT THERESA AND I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS STUFF THAT GERALD SILLY'S IS DOING THAT AFFECTS US, BUT THIS IS 2% OF OUR WHOLE GENERAL FUND.
SO THIS IS ON A SCALE THAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN, THAN MANY OF THE THINGS.
YES, THEY BOTH COULD PASS THEM THERE AND THEY CONFLICT.
SO THEN THEY COULD APPOINT A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE TO TRY TO WORK OUT, YOU KNOW, EITHER A COMPROMISE OR ADOPT ONE OR THE OTHER, UM, OR IT COULD BE THAT THEY REFUSE TO DO THAT.
AND, UH, NEITHER BILL HAS PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS.
AND SO YOU END UP, YEAH, IT DIES.
AND THEN YOU END UP WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION WHERE THAT TAX WOULD REMAIN.
I CAN'T PREDICT HOW IT WILL GO FORWARD, BUT, BUT TYPICALLY WHEN YOU GET BILLS THAT DIFFERENT, USE IT ON DIFFERENT QUITE THIS SUBSTANTIALLY, BUT THEY HAVE EACH, EACH CHAMBER HAS TO AGREE TO THE APPOINTMENT OF A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.
SO, SO WHILE WE'RE ON THAT, DIDN'T WANT TO GET TOO BOGGED DOWN IN THE LEGISLATIVE STUFF.
BUT AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, OF COURSE FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, THE SENATE BILL WAS FAR PREFERABLE BECAUSE OUR RELIABLE, PREDICTABLE $3 MILLION IS PROTECTED, BUT IT WAS BUT NOT WELL, WHAT WAS THE SENATE BILL ? SO THE OTHER ONE, WHAT WAS THE HOUSE ONE PERHAPS NOW THE SENATE ONE, THERE IS LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THE STATE IS GOING TO MAKE THE LOCALITIES WHOLE, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO PULL MONEY FROM OTHER SOURCES.
AND SO THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE IN THE SHORT RUN THAT WE WILL NOT LOSE THE 3 MILLION EITHER WAY, BUT SOME OF YOU ALL WHO HAVE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS FOR A WHILE, KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE STATE, UH, THE FIRST TIME THEY RUN INTO A MONEY PROBLEM, THINGS THEY'VE PROMISED TO GIVE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT GET PULLED OUT.
AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY IN TERMS OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WE WILL HAVE THAT MONEY, BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING OUT TWO OR THREE YEARS, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY WAY TO COUNT ON THAT MONEY TWO OR THREE YEARS FROM NOW IS IF THEY LEAVE THE 1 CENT GROCERY TAX ON THE LOCAL PARK.
SO THE SECOND CHALLENGE THAT I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IS OUR RATE OF INFLATION.
SO WE'RE SEEING THE LARGEST RATE OF INFLATION SINCE 1981.
UM, SO WE, UM, PASS BUDGETS HAVE REALLY BEEN PREPARED WITH JUST A NOMINAL INFLATION RATE.
SO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS BEING PREPARED WITH A MUCH LARGER INFLATION RATE.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT DOLLAR AMOUNT IN THE BUDGET THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE, BUT A LOT OF IT IS JUST GOING TO BE INFLATIONARY.
SO THIS REALLY CAN BE ILLUSTRATED HERE WITH, UM, THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE THAT SOCIAL SECURITY HAS PUT OUT.
SO THIS IS THE LARGEST SINCE 1982, AT 5.9%.
SO THE EXPENDITURE DRIVERS, UM, SO THERE ARE BASICALLY FOUR MAIN DRIVERS IN THIS BUDGET, YOU KNOW, ALL, ALL THAT ALIGN WITH YOUR, YOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
SO THE FIRST ONE BEING THE CASH CAPITAL ONE CONTRIBUTIONS
[00:45:01]
IN DEBT, UM, THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE OPERATING BUDGET AND THE CAPITAL BUDGET.SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WHERE THERE'S CASH RESOURCES TO FUND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN WE WANT IT THAT FINANCE, UM, WHERE APPROPRIATE STRATEGICALLY SOUND.
SO, UM, THE CIP WAS PRESENTED IN DECEMBER.
AND SO THAT PLAN OF FINANCING THAT'S IN THE, THAT WAS PRESENTED IN DECEMBER IS GOING TO BE PART OF THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
THAT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO IN THAT, UM, CIP PLAN, THERE WAS, UM, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING AND THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING WAS GOING TO BE DEBT FINANCED AND 23, 23, EXCUSE ME.
AND SO NOW WE'RE LOOKING, UM, YOU KNOW, INTEREST RATES ARE GOING UP, WE'RE LOOKING, LOOKING AT THE COST OF FINANCING.
SO KEEPING THAT IN MIND ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT AS A RESOLUTION THAT, UM, DEBT FINANCES, ALL THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN PRE PREVIOUSLY, UM, APPROVED, AND THE CIP, THE LIBRARY, SOME FIRE APPARATUS EQUIPMENT, UM, AND THE SITE WORK FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING, BUT WE ALSO INCLUDED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING.
AND SO THAT IS ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, PRINT.
AND IF I COULD JUST ADD A COLOR COMMENT HERE, UM, IN PAST YEARS, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DIDN'T MATTER WHETHER WE DID THAT ONE MONTH SOONER OR ONE MONTH LATER, BUT I'VE BASICALLY BEEN SAYING THERESA, HURRY UP AND GET THIS SET UP WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BORROWING ENTITY BECAUSE, UM, EVEN A FEW WEEKS MIGHT MAKE UP HALF PERCENT OF 50 BASIS POINT DIFFERENCE IN OUR BORROWING.
SO IT'S A, TO OUR ADVANTAGE OF FOUR, WE'RE COMMITTED TO DO THESE PROJECTS, WHICH I BELIEVE WE ARE.
THEN WE JUST NEED TO GET THE MONEY WHILE THE INTEREST RATES ARE AS LOW AS WE CAN JUST FOLLOW THIS LINE.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO JUMP AHEAD AND ASK THE QUESTION, BUT IN, UM, OUR RO CONSENT CALENDAR HERE, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE COUNTY IS ADVANCED FUNDS FROM THE CAPITAL FUND TO FINANCE THE PROJECTS UNTIL THE BOND SALE IN MAY.
WHERE'S THE, HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE IN A CAPITAL FUND? SO, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EXACT NUMBER IS.
IT'S, UM, TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
SO THE WAY THAT WORKS IS THIS VERY COMMON PRACTICE.
FORTUNATELY, UM, UH, THE COUNTY, UNLIKE SOME LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UH, IS IN A CASH RICH POSITION, THE WAY OUR TAXES COME IN AND THE WAY WE, UH, HAVE RESERVES AND THE WAY WE COMMIT TO THINGS.
AND THEN THERE'S A LAG BETWEEN WHEN YOU SAY DO IT AND WHEN YOU ACTUALLY SPEND THE MONEY.
SO IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT SOME THINGS YOU VOTED ON IN THE PAST, LIKE PROJECTS, UH, YOU BASICALLY SAY, UM, UH, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA, WE AUTHORIZE YOU TO SPEND MONEY NOW, BUT WE WANT THIS TO COUNT TOWARD, YOU KNOW, THE DEBT WHEN YOU BORROW IT.
SO THEN ESSENTIALLY WE'RE TEMPORARILY DRAWING DOWN OUR CASH RESERVES TO KEEP THINGS ROLLING.
AND THEN THERESA GOES AND GETS THE MONEY BORROWED MONEY.
AND THEN WE REIMBURSE OURSELVES FOR WHAT WE SPENT.
I BE CAREFUL USING THE CASH RICH PHRASE, AND WE JUST, WE JUST WISELY USE OUR, OUR RESOURCES.
WELL, THE REASON I SAY THAT IS, UH, SOME LOCALITIES, MANY LOCALITIES ACTUALLY HAVE A PROBLEM.
CERTAIN TIMES OF YEAR, YOU KNOW, THEY KIND OF RUN SHORT OF MONEY AND HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE PAYROLL? AND BECAUSE WE, THIS BOARD AND THIS ADMINISTRATION HAVE ALWAYS HAD A POLICY OF HAVING STRONG RESERVES, WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT CASH FLOW PROBLEM.
SO WE CAN DO THINGS WHEN THE TIMING IS RIGHT.
UH, NOT WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE SOME MONEY.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE OTHER ITEM TONIGHT IS GOING AHEAD AND BUYING THE GENERATORS FOR THE SHERIFF'S BUILDING.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WON'T ACTUALLY BORROW THE MONEY FOR SOME, BUT WE'VE ALREADY LEARNED THROUGH EXPERIENCE THAT, WELL, WE BETTER GO OUT IN THE, WHERE THESE GENERATORS NOW, OR THEY WON'T BE HERE WHEN THE BUILDING'S DONE.
AND SO YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT CAUSE I WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS.
SO ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SORT OF TOM'S QUESTION.
UM, SO, SO WE HAVE THE LUXURY AND YOUR COUNTY BECAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PRUDENT FINANCIALLY OF IT.
WELL, IF IT MAKES SENSE TO GO AHEAD AND BUY THIS NOW, EVEN IF WE KNOW IN THE LONG RUN, WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT WITH BORROWED MONEY, UH, BECAUSE THIS, THIS GENERATOR IS GOING TO BE PART OF THIS BUILDING FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO GET THE BORROWED MONEY IN HAND TO MAKE THIS $600,000 PURCHASE.
UH, AND BY DOING IT THAT WAY, WE GET THAT IN THE QUEUE.
[00:50:01]
AND WE KNOW THAT THE GENERATORS WILL GET HERE IN TIME TO, FOR THE BUILDING.THE OTHER SCENARIO WOULD BE, WELL, WE WAIT AND WE JUST DO IT WHEN WE AWARD THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AND WE GOT THE WHOLE BUILDING FINISHED AND THERE'S NO EMERGENCY POWER AT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE DOING THAT THE WAY.
HOW DOES HE DO IT? NOT TO MENTION THE PRICE HE PRIESTS? WELL, THAT'S A FACTOR TOO.
WELL, IT ALSO THAT RELATES TO THE INTEREST RATES OF BORROWING.
AND NOW MY UNDERSTANDING FROM READING, IT WAS THAT WE'RE TALKING LIKE ALMOST OVER A YEAR, SO THE TIME YOU GET THIS TO BUY THIS THING, I ACTUALLY GET IT RIGHT.
SO YEAH, LOOKING, HEY, WE SHOULD HAVE THE BUILDING COMPLETED PRETTY CLOSE BY THE NIGHT.
RIGHT? WELL, I MEAN, IF ALL THIS SCHEDULE WORKS AT IS WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT MEANS WE'LL GET THE GENERATORS A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE BUILDING STOCK, WHICH IS WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT'S THE GENERATOR OR THE CIRCUITRY TO TITLE IN, OR IMAGINE UPS THAT YOU NEED TO INSTALL IN THE BUILDING, THE POWER DISTRIBUTION UNITS AND EVERYTHING ALL IS PARKED WRAPPED UP IN THAT.
AND, UM, UH, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO ASSIST SLUR, UM, HAS BECOME VERY EXPERT IN BUILDING GENERATORS.
AND, UM, SO, UH, HE'S KIND OF LEARNED THROUGH EXPERIENCE THE TIMING AND HOW TO TIE IT TOGETHER.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT RITA HAD POINTS OUT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE GONE WITH ONE GIGANTIC GENERATOR WITH ONE POWER SOURCE, BUT INSTEAD I THINK WISELY, WE'RE DOING TWO DIFFERENT ONES THAT ARE SMALLER THAT HAVE DIFFERENT POWER SOURCES.
SO WE DON'T, WE WON'T HAVE ALL OF OUR EMERGENCY POWER, UH, CHICKENS IN ONE BASKET OR EGGS IN ONE BASKET.
YOU MANUFACTURE THOUGH, RIGHT? SAME, I BELIEVE SO SEEM TO SEEM, SEEMED EXPENSIVE.
AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF BUILDING GENERATORS ARE ONLY PARTIAL POWER, BUT IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING, THIS, THIS IS BASICALLY GOING TO POWER.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S COMPUTER FRIGERATORS, YOU KNOW, HPAC, BASICALLY EVERYTHING IN A LARGE BILL, IF POWER WENT OUT, IT WAS A BACKUP GENERATOR BACKUP TO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IN RECENT YEARS IS WE HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR RESILIENCY BY INVESTING IN EMERGENCY GENERATORS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR CALL AND EMERGENCY GENERATOR NOW, AND FOR YEARS WE'VE COST OUR FINGERS.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE POWER GOES OUT THE NIGHT OF THE BOARD MEETING, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'D HAVE TO CANCEL THE MEETING.
WE HAD PUBLIC HEARINGS, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
AND, AND NOW THE POWER IN YOUR ACCOUNT'S SOMEWHAT UNRELIABLE.
SO FINANCE BUILDING COURTHOUSE, COUNTY ADMIN, AND YOUR CALL I'LL HAVE GENERATORS NOW.
AND JUST IN THE LAST YEAR, THERE'VE BEEN THREE OR FOUR TIMES WHEN, BECAUSE WE HAD A GENERATOR, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY, WELL, WE NEED TO SEND EVERYBODY HOME.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COULD USE THAT, WE'LL WORK THROUGH IT.
BUT IN THIS CASE, IT'S EVEN MORE, IN MY OPINION, YOU KNOW, MORE OBVIOUS THAT IT'S NEEDED BECAUSE THIS IS A CRITICAL PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING THAT ABSOLUTELY HAS TO HAVE BACKUP POWER.
AND YOU GUYS WOULD NOT, I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE EXPLAINING TO YOU AND YOU WOULD NOT WANT HIM TO BE ASKING ME WHY WE JUST BUILT THIS $20 MILLION NEW, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING.
AND THE IT'S A YEAR BEFORE THE EMERGENCY POWER WORKS.
ARE WE STILL ON TRACK TO APPROVE THE ART BUDGET FIRST WEEK OF MAY? AND HOW ABOUT THE STATE? WHAT'S THEIR TRACK? WELL, WE KNOW WHAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DOES BY THE MIDDLE OF MARCH, BUT, UH, SO PROBABLY MY BUDGET WILL HAVE GONE TO PRINT AND I MIGHT EVEN HAVE TO MAKE A FEW, YOU KNOW, OFF THE CUFF COMMENTS THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S IN THE GONE TO PRINT, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY DO.
AND THEN JIM, I GUESS IT'S ANOTHER 30, 45 DAYS.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT THE GOVERNOR DOES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT BIG THINGS WILL MOSTLY KNOW ABOUT THE TIME YOU RECEIVED MY RECOMMENDED BUDGET A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WELL, THE REASON I RAISED THE QUESTION IS YOU DON'T, YOU JUST TOLD US, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF OUR STEWARDSHIP, WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE WAS WHAT'S OUR RESERVE.
UH, EVERYTHING I READ ABOUT THE STATE IS THEY'RE FLUSH WITH RESERVE.
UM, ANYBODY EVER LOOKED AT THE IDEA OF MAYBE KNOW, BORROWING FROM THE STATE INSTEAD OF THE PUBLIC BANKS, WHICH SUPPORTS HAVE AN INTEREST RATE, UH, NO DOUBT HIGHER THAN WHAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE IN THE STATE.
SO WE USE ENTITIES THAT ARE SPONSORED BY THE STATE AND POOLED COUNTY BAWLING, BUT FROM THE COUNTY SIDE, AND THEN THE SCHOOL SIDE IT'S, YOU CAN'T REALLY TECHNICALLY BORROW DIRECTLY FROM THE STATE, BUT THEY SET UP THESE PUBLIC FINANCING BODIES FOR LOVING GUM.
REMEMBER THE YEAR WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING OUT TO THE PUBLIC MARKET
[00:55:01]
FOR THESE JUST THROUGH VRA.SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING OUT.
SO THE VIRGINIA RESOURCE AUTHORITY IS EFFECTIVELY THE STATE VEHICLE FOR DOING THIS.
IT'S NOT PER SE STATEMENT, DISCREET, BIG CASHEWS.
YOU WANT TO CONTINUE? I CAN'T.
SO THE NEXT ONE REALLY IS SCHOOL CONTRIBUTION.
SO THE SUPERINTENDENT PRESENTED HIS BUDGET A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND JUST LIKE US THEY'RE FACING THE SAME, YOU KNOW, INFLATIONARY ISSUES.
SO THE, THE ADMINISTRATOR AND THE SUPERINTENDENT USUALLY GET TOGETHER PRIOR TO THE, TO THE BUDGET KNICKERS AND TALK ABOUT WHAT IS A GOOD NUMBER TO, UM, A WORKING NUMBER.
AND SO THIS WORK, A NUMBER IS JUST A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN IT IS LAST YEAR, BUT PROPORTIONATELY FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT'S, IT'S LOWER.
SO WE THINK THAT OUR, MAYBE SHE SAID HIGHER BECAUSE OF THE COST OF LIVING THE BIG THEM UP ALSO.
SO THAT'S REASONABLE THAT, BUT AS A PROPORTION OF OUR BUDGET IS ACTUALLY GOING DOWN.
SO, SO THE NUMBER FOR THE SCHOOLS, THE YEAR WE WERE IN WAS AN INCREASE OF 1.5 MILLION, THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION, THE WORKING NUMBER THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT I HAD ARE RECOMMENDING FOR THE BUDGET YOU'LL RECEIVE IN TWO WEEKS IS 1.8 MILLION.
SO IT'S 300 IN NOMINAL DOLLARS.
IT'S $300,000 OF ABOVE THE YEAR WE'RE IN.
BUT AS A PROPORTION OF OUR NEW REVENUE, IT'S A SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER PART.
SO, BUT AT $300,000 IS AN OFFSET IN THE INFLATION THOUGH.
IT'S HELPING THEM WITH, THEY ARE HAVING, DESPITE ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS WRONG, THE STATE UNDER MOST PROJECTIONS, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A VERY GOOD YEAR FROM THE STATE AND THEY DID NOT FEEL LIKE THEY NEEDED TO PRESS US HARD ON THE LOCAL SIDE FOR THAT REASON.
SO, UM, SO THE BUDGET THAT'S GOING TO BECOME IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, UM, IS GOING TO HAVE SOME PUBLIC SAFETY POSITIONS WE'VE COMMUNICATED TO YOU, THE NEED FOR, YOU KNOW, FIREFIGHTERS AND, AND DEPUTIES, AND THEN THOSE, UM, OFFICES THAT ACTUALLY SUPPORT THOSE POSITIONS, THOSE OFFICES THAT YOUR COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY, THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE COURTS.
UM, SO THE BUDGET THAT, THAT NEIL'S GOING TO PRESENT A FEW WEEKS, OR IT'S GOING TO FOCUS ON THOSE MAIN AREAS WHEN IT COMES TO POSSESSIONS.
I KNOW WE'RE GETTING MORE FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFF FOR THE NEW STATION.
SO THAT'S SOME OF IT WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME NEW DEPUTIES TOO.
I THINK THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR, SO, UM, AGAIN, UM, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE ON THESE NUMBERS IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
SO, SO THE, THE NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS THAT I'LL BE RECOMMENDING IS 10 AND THE NUMBER OF SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES POSITIONS THAT I'LL BE RECOMMENDING AS FOR TWO OF THE FOUR SHERIFF'S POSITIONS WILL BE SRS.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FOUR HIGH SCHOOL SRS AND FOUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS SHARE TWO.
SO THIS WOULD ROUND THAT OUT SO THAT ALL OF THE UPPER SCHOOLS HAVE A DEDICATED SRO.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'M RECOMMENDING TO SUDDENLY TWO ADDITIONAL SHERIFF'S PATROL DEPUTIES.
AND THAT'S JUST BASED ON THEIR RATIO AND THE POPULATION AND ALL OF THAT ON THE FIREFIGHTER SIDE, THERE'S REALLY TWO DRIVERS.
UM, AND SOME WILL REMEMBER FOR, FOR MANY YEARS, WE'VE BEEN INCREMENTALLY TRYING TO INCREASE THE STAFFING ON OUR HEAVY EQUIPMENT.
UH, SO THAT ULTIMATELY ALL OF OUR HEAVY EQUIPMENT RUNS FOR THREE PEOPLE INSTEAD OF TWO.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT ALLOWS YOU TO DISPATCH A SINGLE UNIT INSTEAD OF TWO UNITS.
SO YOU GET BETTER RESPONSE TIMES AND BETTER COVERAGE.
UH, THERE'S NO WAY WE COULD SORT OF TAKE THAT ON ALL AT ONCE.
AND SO OF EIGHT OF THE 10 WOULD STAFF, A NEW PARAMEDIC UNIT FIRE STATION, 7 24, 7, AND THE OTHER TWO, WHAT SORT OF REPRESENT TO SORT OF OUR ONGOING INCREMENTAL GROWTH, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATION-WIDE AND YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE OTHER OFFICES HAVING ADDITIONAL HEAD COUNT, WHAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND WHICH SUPPORT THE, THE COURTS AND THE SHERIFFS AND THE ALL, AND THEN YOU COME OFF THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THEN THE COURTS ARE WE SUPPORT THOSE, ARE THEY CONSTITUTION BOOK? YES.
AND YES, PART OF THE, PART OF THE FUNDING FOR THOSE OFFICES
[01:00:01]
DOES COME FROM THE STATE, BUT A LARGE PART IS LOCALLY FUNDED.SO, AND THE RULES FOR EACH ONE OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES IS DIFFERENT.
BUT GENERALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS, YOU KNOW, THE STATE COMP BOARD SAYS, WE WILL REIMBURSE YOU FOR X NUMBER OF POSITIONS IN THIS OFFICE BASED ON YOUR POPULATION.
AND, UH, ALL OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS HAVE MORE POSITIONS THAN WHAT THE STATE, WHERE YOU IN VERSUS FOUR.
UH, AND FOR THE MOST PART, THEY ARE TREATED LIKE OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
NOW THERE IS AN UPSIDE REVENUE PART OF THAT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE COMP BOARD SAYS, THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE ALL THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER EMPLOYEES A 5% RAISE, THEN WE REALIZE THAT AS SIMPLY A STATE REVENUE LINE ITEM, AND A COUPLE MONTHS AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH THE BUDGET, WE MIGHT FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
BUT WHAT WE DO IS WE BUDGET IT AS OUR THING IN OUR BUDGET WITH LAST YEAR'S BASELINE OF STATE COMP AWARD REVENUE.
AND THEN THERE'S USUALLY A SMALL UPSIDE ONCE THE STATE BUDGET.
SO, AND IT'S BASED ON THE, UM, THAT LIKE THOSE RAISES ARE BASED ON THE COP SALARIES, WHICH A LOT OF TIMES ARE LESS THAN, OH, THEY GO UP 5% AND WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR OTHERS THAT ARE NOT BEING SUPPORTED BY THE STATE COMP BOY.
SO THOSE SALARIES HAVE TO GO UP ALSO, RIGHT? AND SO OBVIOUSLY THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE INCREASING THEIR SALARIES, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD WITH OUR OWN.
AND IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, YOU CAN'T SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT THIS EMPLOYEE GETS THIS PAID EMPLOYEE GETS A DIFFERENT PAY CAUSE ONE'S IN THE COMP BOARD AND ONE'S NOT.
SO WE, WE SMOOTH ALL THAT OUT AND ALWAYS DO THE SAME AND THEY ALWAYS GET WHATEVER WE'RE RECOMMENDING FOR OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN WHATEVER THE STATE GIVES THEM, WE JUST TAKE THAT REVENUE.
SO THIS EXTRA BUDGET FOR THESE OFFICES IS THAT, OR ADDITIONAL HEADCOUNT OR SO THEY'RE GOING TO HIRE MORE STAFF.
UM, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT THERE FOR HERE KIND ADDITIONS THERE'S, THERE'S TWO AND A HALF FOR ALL THREE OFFICES COMBINED.
SO BASICALLY WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN IS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE MILITARY ANALOGY IS, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU WANT TO THINK IN TERMS OF THE SHARP EDGE OF THE SPHERE, WHICH IS THE FIREFIGHTER OR THE DEPUTY, BUT ALL THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT STUFF HAS A WHOLE BACK OFFICE OPERATION WITH THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY AND BODY CAMS AND CLERK OF COURT SUPPORT AND, UH, DRUG COURT AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF RELATE TO IT.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL GIVE YOU ALL THE DETAILS ON THAT.
I MEAN, OUR, OUR, OUR MAIN POINT HERE IS THAT 90% OF ANY NEW POSITIONS IN THIS BUDGET ARE GOING TO BE RELATED TO YOU DON'T NEED TO GET IN THE WEEDS, BUT I'M CURIOUS WHAT THOSE POSITIONS ARE FOR.
SO WE'LL HAVE THAT DETAIL AND WE KNOW WHAT OUR CRIME RATE IS IN TERMS OF UP, DOWN SIDEWAYS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE KNOW IF HE STAYED IN THE FALL WITH THE NEWS, IT'S UP, ESPECIALLY BIG CITIES, RIGHT.
UM, WE USED TO KIND OF KEEP TRACK OF THAT.
I'M SURE THAT, UH, THE SHERIFF DOES PROBABLY YOU DO AS WELL.
SO DO YOU HAVE A GENERAL COMMENT? SO, UM, THE LAST TIME I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAJOR AND THE SHERIFF ABOUT IT IS, ARE AREAS OF CRIME OR STILL THE GROWTH AREAS ARE STILL PRIMARILY THINGS LIKE PROPERTY, CRIME, UM, THINGS LIKE, UM, UH, CAR VANDALIZING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, OR OUR VIOLENT CRIME RATE REMAINS VERY LOW RELATIVE TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
AS MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY MY VIEW ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE IS YOU DON'T WAIT AND REACT.
AND, UH, SO PART OF MY RECOMMENDATION IS BASED ON JUST NATIONAL STATISTICS ABOUT SAY THE RATIO OF LAW OFFICERS PER POPULATION, AND WE'RE IN A VERY GOOD PLACE AND THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO STAY.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? SO SHALL WE MOVE ON? JUST THE LAST THING I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS JUST, UM, GIVE YOU COMPENSATION.
SO WE DISCUSSED ABOUT THE INFLATION INFLATIONARY INCREASES.
SO A MAJORITY OF THE INFLATIONARY INCREASE IS GOING TO GO TOWARDS COMPENSATION, UM, TO MAKE UP, TO HELP THESE BOYS WITH, WITH THEIR IN PLACEMENT.
AND WHAT DID THAT TIME I'LL TELL YOU WHAT IT MEANS.
IT MEANS THAT WHEN YOU SEE MY BUDGET, I'M GOING TO HAVE,
[01:05:01]
I'M GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING A BIGGER RAISE THAN YOU ALL ARE USED TO SEEING.UH, WHAT HE ASKS YOU TO KEEP IN MIND IS YOU JUST SAW THAT THE SOCIAL SECURITY COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT WAS ALMOST 6% AND OUR ACTIVE WORKFORCE, WHERE YOU'VE GOT TO AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES JUST TO LET THEM KEEP UP.
AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY BE MY OPINION THAT WE SHOULD DO BETTER THAN THAT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE LABOR MARKET STORY.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE COMPETING WITH PRIVATE SECTOR AND, YOU KNOW, ON THE LOWER END OF THE PAY SCALE, YOU KNOW, EVERY, EVERY STORE IN RESTAURANT UP AND DOWN THE COUNTY IS GOT SIGNS UP SAYING WHAT THEY'LL PAY.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT TO DO RIGHT BY OUR WORKFORCE FOR A BUNCH OF REASONS.
AND SO OUR APPROACH IS THAT BASELINE, WE GOT AT LEAST TWO, AS WELL AS SOCIAL SECURITY CALL MILK NOW, LITTLE SIDE, LET'S MAKE SURE YOU THROW IN THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE AS WELL, AND YOU WILL HAVE THOSE.
AND AS I TYPICALLY DO, I'M GOING TO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THAT SKEWS THE RAYS SOMEWHAT TOWARD THE LOWER END OF THE PAY SCALE, BY HAVING A COMBINATION OF A PERCENTAGE AND AN ANNUAL LAST DOLLAR AMOUNT.
SO THAT HALF OF OUR EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, ON THE LOWER END OF THE PAY SCALE IN PERCENTAGE TERMS DO BETTER.
AND EVERY YEAR WE KIND OF LOOK AT THAT.
YOU CAN'T GO TOO FAR THAT WAY, BECAUSE THEN YOU GET INTO ALL THESE COMPRESSIONS.
SO I, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN A, WE'VE GOT A DECENT PLAN.
I MEAN, YOU ALL CAN OBVIOUSLY REACT TO THAT AND YOU CAN ADJUST IT DIFFERENT WAYS.
BUT THE MAIN POINT WE WANTED TO MAKE HERE IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL USED TO, I'M CERTAINLY USED TO, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOMINAL DOLLARS AND REAL DOLLARS IN RECENT YEARS, HASN'T BEEN SIGNIFICANT.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, AND THIS IS WHAT WE PROPOSE TO DO NEXT YEAR.
AND WE'RE SIMPLY SAYING, HEY, IN THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE HAD 7% INFLATION.
REMEMBER WHEN YOU SEE ALL THIS, THESE NUMBERS HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
THAT'S, THAT'S BASICALLY OUR MESSAGE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE NOTICED OVER, I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY THE LAST EIGHT OR NINE BUDGETS IS WE TALK ABOUT THIS COMPENSATION IN THE TERMS OF, UH, WE BASICALLY ARE, WE WERE DOING IT, I THINK DOING A SMART WAY.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU GOTTA PUT EMPHASIS ON WHERE'S 7% GONNA HURT.
IT'S GONNA HURT PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT GOOD DOWN IN THE LOWER END OF THE PAY SCALE.
BUT, UH, I LOOK AT, UH, UM, A LIST OF, OF, UH, THE SALARIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY AND ASSOCIATE THAT WITH THE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, THE POINT OF THE SPEAR, IF YOU WILL.
AND I'M KIND OF WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD, HAD TO GO BACK INTO THE SEVENTIES AND AVERAGE, REMEMBER A TIME WHEN ANY INFLATION JUST WENT CRAZY.
UM, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT, I WANT TO SAY DAVE 79 OR MAYBE EVEN 80, BUT IT WAS, IT WENT CRAZY.
I MEAN, HOUSE INTEREST RATES WERE LIKE, YEAH, 12, 13%.
I MEAN, AND SO HOW TO, YOU KNOW, HOW PEOPLE LIVE IN SITUATIONS LIKE THAT, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T, IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE.
AND SO, UM, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EVENTUALLY SOMEWHERE IN HERE, WE HAVE TO, WE NEED TO COME, YOU GUYS NEED TO COME TO THE BOARD AND, AND, AND THOSE CRITICAL AREAS THAT WE TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT WE NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO COMPETE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS OR HIRING OUR FIREFIGHTERS OFF OF US OR THE, OR THE DEPUTIES.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE SALARIES, YOU KNOW, I, I'M REAL CONCERNED THAT THEY'RE POOR, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO IN THAT PHASE WHERE THE INFLATION TAKES OFF AND THEIR SALARIES, EVEN THOUGH WE CAN THROW IN SOME OUTRAGEOUS NUMBERS IN TERMS OF COMPENSATION, UH, PERCENTAGE WISE, IT'S STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
SO I'M PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH A FIVE, OUR BASELINE FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR DEPUTIES.
WELL, AND OUR 9 1 1 9 1 1 OPERATORS.
AND SO, SO, UH, YOU GET NO ARGUMENT FROM ME OR THE HR STAFF ABOUT THAT OBSERVATION.
I WOULD ONLY SAY, UH, I WOULDN'T LIMIT OUR CONCERN TO THOSE CATEGORIES.
WE'VE GOT OTHER CATEGORIES, LIKE HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE PEOPLE.
AND IT, PEOPLE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE SAME DYNAMIC GOING ON AND WE CAN'T REALLY FUNCTION WELL WITHOUT GOOD PEOPLE IN ALL THOSE PLACES.
UM, SO I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECOMMEND.
UM, AND, UH, I WELCOME, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF REACTION IT AGAIN, YOU ALL KNOW EVERYTHING YOU GOT TO BALANCE AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
I MEAN, IN THE PAST YOU'VE HAD SOME, LIKE, I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT A MARKET STUDY WHERE WE KNEW
[01:10:01]
WHERE OUR, OUR PAYMENT WAS LIKE AGAINST OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE REGION SO THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE MAYBE NOT AT THE TOP, BUT HIGH MIDDLE OR WHEREVER WE ARE JUST TO GIVE US A FEELING OF WHAT'S GOING ON.AND, AND, YOU KNOW, HR CONSTANTLY IS DOING THOSE KINDS OF SURVEYS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF POSITIONS.
UM, I WOULD SAY IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT FOR THE MOST PART, THIS BOARD HAS SAID, WE WANT OUR COMPENSATION TO BE IN THE MIDDLE, UM, RELATIVE TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
I MEAN, I'D LOVE TO SAY WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE.
UH, BUT, UM, IT'S OF COURSE MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER FACTORS, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO WORK HERE BECAUSE OF THE CHARACTER OF THE PLACE, RIGHT.
UM, MAYBE WE CAN GET AWAY WITH PAYING A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN NEWPORT NEWS OR VIRGINIA BEACH, UM, BUT ONLY WITHIN CERTAIN LIMITS.
SO, SO I, I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY WE'RE KIND OF MIDDLE OF THE PACK AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO SLIP A LOT OF THAT WHEN WE MOVED TO, UH, UH, MARK AND CAROL TALKING ABOUT, UM, TOTAL COMPENSATION AND HEALTHCARE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO REMIND PEOPLE OF, AND IT'S HARD, PARTICULARLY YOUNG EMPLOYEES THAT ARE KIND OF JUST, YOU KNOW, THEIR QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE PAY IS, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE BENEFIT PACKAGE OF WORKING FOR THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, I THINK MORE TOGETHER, I THINK MARK'S GOT A SLIDE THAT ILLUSTRATES PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT A FAMILY, SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES OF, YOU KNOW, WORKING FOR THE COUNTIES.
BUT SO THE, I GUESS THE, THE TAKEAWAY IS, UH, OBVIOUSLY Y'ALL ARE GOING TO BE CONCERNED ON THE, YOU KNOW, ON THE REVENUE SIDE AND THE TAX SIDE, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO ALL THAT WHEN I PRESENTED, BUT WHAT'S DRIVING HER ON EXPENDITURE SIDE, ARE THESE THINGS THAT TERESA WAS TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT AND THAT'S GOING TO BE COMPENSATION, PROBABLY SAFETY POSITIONS, SCHOOL CONTRIBUTION AS ALWAYS, UH, AND, AND VERY SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, KEEPING OUR CIP REAL, WHICH I THINK WE ALL FEEL GOOD ABOUT.
AND THAT'S A COMBINATION OF, YOU KNOW, CASH AND, UH, DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS, WHICH THE OPERATING BUDGET HAS TO FEED AND WHAT I REALLY FEEL GOOD ABOUT.
AND YOU ALL SHOULD FEEL GOOD ABOUT IS THE PLAN WE'VE GOT.
IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, GETTING THROUGH AND KEEPING EVERYTHING GOING FOR 18 MONTHS FROM A CASHFLOW CIP PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S STEADY 50% OF THE COUNTY'S CIP CASH FUNDED, LOOKING OUT INTO THE FUTURE, WHICH IS A VERY GOOD PLACE TO BE.
IF YOU'RE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I THINK ONE MAJOR ELEMENT TYLER'S EQUATION THAT HE USES.
I KNOW YOU AND YOUR STAFF CONSIDER IT.
WE'VE ALL BEEN THROUGH THE LAST TWO YEARS WITH THIS THING CALLED THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT? WE'VE ALL BEEN VICTIMS OF THE CRAZY INCREASE IN THE COST OF LIVING.
UH, AND SO IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS JUST SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE LAST YEAR GAVE UP THIS HYPOTHETICAL 5% PAY RAISE, AND THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH THIS YEAR, BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF WHERE THE INFLATION IS, LET'S GO 7% OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING THE TAX PAYING CITIZEN WOULD JUST, BY THE WAY, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO RECEIVED OUR TAX ASSESSMENTS.
UH, AND I GET TO SAY, NOT ONE TAX ASSESSMENT WENT DOWN, I'M SURE THEY ALL WENT UP SOMEDAY.
AND ACTUALLY REALLY THAT'S, UH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THOSE, WHERE THOSE SUBDIVISIONS ARE.
THE WHOLE POINT IS THIS COMPLEX EQUATION, DOMINO, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF SAYING, WELL, GEEZ, THE GUYS DIDN'T CROSS TOWN MAKE MORE THAN WE DO.
THEREFORE, WE GOT RAISED OUR, OUR SALARY USED TO GO THROUGH HIS ARGUMENT WITH STEVE STAPLES ALL THE TIME, THE PAST SUPERINTENDENT SCHOOLS.
AND I WOULD ASK, I WOULD ASK MR. STATE PUBLISHES, WHERE WOULD YOUR TEACHERS RATHER TEACH YOUR COUNTY OR DOWN IN NEWPORT NEWS OR HAMPTON AND IT'S FLUSH.
THAT'S THE ONLY, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS.
SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU COME BEFORE US, UH, NEXT TIME WE ON THE BUDGET AND WE'LL BE VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN THE INCREASES IN PARTICULAR, UH, AND HOW
[01:15:01]
NOW W MIGHT, WILL BE THAT OUR REVENUES ARE GOING TO BE SO GREAT THAT, UM, WE WON'T BE TALKING ABOUT 8, 8, 8 INCREASE IN THE TEXT THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE FACED WITH.BUT THE POINT OF IT IS I WOULD HOPE WE HAVE A NICE LIVELY DISCUSSION ON THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WHOLE BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A SUPERB ADMINISTRATOR WHO'S GOT TO DEAL WITH WHAT'S OUR WORKFORCE, HOW MANY? 825, 800.
AND IN SCHOOLS, OF COURSE THE SCHOOLS GOT TWICE THAT OR ABOUTS.
I THINK YOU GET THE LAST SLIDE, JUST, JUST THE DATES.
YOU KNOW, WE'LL TALK ABOUT WORK SESSIONS, UM, ANY WORK SESSIONS YOU ALL WANT TO HAVE, WE'LL PRESENT THE BUDGET AND YOU'LL PRESENT THAT BUDGET ON MARCH 15TH AND THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, ON THE 19TH AND ADOPTION SCHEDULED ADOPTION ON THE 3RD OF MAY.
SO LIKE TO MOVE TO THE MORE HR FOCUSED MORE TO JOIN US AT THE TABLE.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER, THIS ONE MORE, ONE MORE BUDGET.
SO LIKE TO LICK YOUR ASS MARKS, TO INTRODUCE THIS PART, AND THEN CAROL WORK WILL COVER THESE SORT OF HR FOCUSED PARTS OF THE BUDGET.
SO, AND START WITH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A SECOND TO INTRODUCE SOME OF THE HR STAFF.
WE FREQUENTLY TALK ABOUT BRINGING FRESH FACES TO THE, TO THE, TO THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE, YOU GET TO SEE NEIL AND MYSELF AND TERESA, YOU KNOW, TALK QUITE A BIT.
SO IT MIGHT BE NICE TO HEAR FROM SOMEBODY ELSE.
SO WE DO TRY TO BRING SOME FRESH FACES TO THE CRAFT.
SO OFF MY LEFT SHOULDER HERE IS COLEEN, PETRI AND COLEEN WAVE FOR US THERE.
UM, COLLEEN IS OUR SENIOR OF THE HR STAFF.
SHE'S BEEN AROUND A LITTLE MORE SICK OR A LITTLE MORE THAN SIX YEARS HERE WITH THE COUNTY, RIGHT AT SIX.
UH, BUT HAS CONSIDERABLE MORE HR EXPERIENCE, A TOPIC THAT YOU ALL JUST TALKED ABOUT? YOU HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT COMPENSATION, A TOPIC THAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT WAS HR STUDIES AND HOW TO DECIDE WHAT JOB'S WORTH, HOW MUCH COLLEEN IS.
OUR COMPENSATION PERSON IS AS A SENIOR HR ANALYST, SHE DOES COMPENSATION.
SO SHE DOES LOOK AT THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES SPECIFICALLY.
AND THEN HERE WITH US TONIGHT IS, UH, CAROL PORTER.
CAROL IS A RELATIVELY NEW TO OUR TEAM.
SHE IS JUST ABOUT TO GET TO HER YEAR AND WRAP UP, UH, WITH HER EXPERIENCE HERE WITH THE COUNTY.
BUT SHE HAS TONS OF EXPERIENCE.
WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO, UH, HIRE HER AWAY FROM NEW HORIZONS, WHERE SHE HAD MORE THAN 14 YEARS AND PAYROLL AND BENEFITS.
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT CAROL DOES WITH OUR TEAM IS WORKS ON THE BENEFITS.
SO WE'RE TO MAKE SURE YOU KNEW WHAT BOTH LADIES DO.
AND, UM, WE'LL GET STARTED WITH THAT.
SO ON OUR FIRST SLIDE, WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT NEIL MENTIONED, THE TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? BECAUSE FROM A, FROM A PERSPECTIVE JOB SEEKER, A $49,000 OFFERING, WE'RE GOING TO USE $49,000 AS OUR HYPOTHETICAL NUMBER FOR THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THAT'S THE MEDIAN MEDIAN SALARY FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES, $49,000.
AND SO WHY DO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT? THE PARTICIPANT PERSPECTIVE JOB SEEKER NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT THAT EQUATES TO.
AND SO WE BROUGHT TWO SLIDES FOR YOU TONIGHT.
THIS IS AN EMPLOYEE ONLY WHERE THEY TAKE MEDICAL INSURANCE AS EMPLOYEE, ONLY IF WE OFFERED THEM $49,000.
BY THE TIME YOU ADD MEDICAL AND DENTAL, THE VALUE OF THE RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE MAKE IN LIFE INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE MAKE THE TOTAL BENEFITS FOR THAT $49,000 JOB ARE $19,000.
SO IN REALITY, THE OUTFLOW FROM THE COUNTY FOR THAT ONE PARTICULAR JOB UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES IS $68,000.
EVEN THOUGH THE EMPLOYEE MIGHT THINK THEY'RE ONLY GETTING $49,000 WORTH OF PAYCHECK, THERE'S A LOT MORE TO IT.
AND WE REALLY WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT THEY TAKE HOME EVERY DAY.
IT'S ABOUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH THIS AND PATIENT PACKAGE COMPARED TO OTHER COMPENSATION PACKAGES AROUND US.
UH, WE'RE VERY MARKETABLE RIGHT NOW, AND WE DO PAY ATTENTION TO THE OTHER LOCALITIES AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IT'S VERY COMMON THAT YOU WOULD SEE COLLEEN,
[01:20:01]
UH, PULLING THE OTHER LOCALITIES TO SAY THAT THEY PAID FOR A PARTICULAR JOB.MACK ADDITION TO THAT WOULD BE WHEN IT COMES TO OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
UM, IF YOU WERE TO SEE A SLIDE LIKE THIS FROM OUR NEIGHBORS, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE SIMILAR.
UM, SO WHERE WE'RE PROBABLY STRONG ON THIS SIDE IS IN COMPARISON TO SOME OF THE PRIVATE EMPLOYERS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE SHIPYARD AS WELL, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT THEY TEND TO PAY THE HIGHER SALARY.
UM, BUT THAT, THIS IS NOT ALWAYS TRUE FOR THAT SOMEWHAT AS A GENERALIZATION, THAT'S HOW IT BREAKS OUT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT COMPETING AGAINST JUST THE OTHER CITIES WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF JOB, RIGHT.
STILL BY AND LARGE HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR COULD WORK FOR DEVELOPERS.
HAVE YOU BEEN AN OPERATOR FOR PEOPLE LIKE THAT AND WORK WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, 9 1, 1 LAW ENFORCEMENT FIREARM OR GET DONE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT'S 19,000, IS THAT COMPLETELY THE KIND OF HIS CONTRIBUTION? DOES THAT INCLUDE THE EMPLOYEE'S CONTRIBUTION AS WELL? THAT IS THE OUT TOTAL OUTLAY FOR THAT IT'S THE COUNTY'S GOT, YEAH.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT FROM A STANDPOINT OF A SMALL BUSINESS, SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY, THE SALARY FOR EMPLOYEES OFTEN ENDS THAT $49,000.
THERE ARE NO BENEFITS OTHER THAN WORKING THERE.
AND SO IT KIND OF, THAT'S WHY A LOT OF SOME TEACHERS TEACH SIMPLY JUST TO HAVE THE SALARY RELATED COSTS.
BUT ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALWAYS BOTHERS ME ABOUT THE SALARY RELATED COSTS IS THAT, YEAH, IT'S NICE ON PAPER, BUT IF I NEVER USED SOME OF THIS STUFF, YOU KNOW, I STILL, I'M STILL LOOKING AT THE, WHATEVER IT IS, 49,000.
AND, UM, IF YOU TAKE THAT 49,000 AND YOU TAKE SOCIAL SECURITY OUT OF IT, YOU TAKE THE, UH, THE INCOME TAX OUT OF IT THAT WE ALL HAVE IT PAY YOU.
AND THEN NOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT, WHAT AM I GOING TO BUY MY GROCERIES, PAY MY CAR, MY TAXES, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT WITH, AND, UM, AND THAT'S THE PART THAT I'M KIND OF FOCUSED ON, ON VERY SPECIFIC KIND OF JOBS, RIGHT? SO HERE'S THAT SAME $49,000 SALARY.
BUT THIS TIME THE INDIVIDUAL IS TAKEN A FAMILY MEDICAL INSURANCE PLAN AND FAMILY DENTAL.
SO NOW THAT $49,000 IN OUTLAY FOR THE COUNTY IS TURNED INTO $78,000.
SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR PROSPECTS UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNT.
THERE IS FAR MORE VALUE TO THEM THAN JUST THE $49,000 AND SOMETHING ELSE I THINK IS PRETTY OBVIOUS WITH THIS, UH, SLIDE HERE IS OBVIOUSLY A COUNTY.
THIS YOU, WHEN YOU DO THE COMPUTATIONS HERE, UM, ON FAMILY, W W W WHAT IS THE FAMILY? THAT'S A, THAT'S A HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN.
THAT INCLUDES WHAT ARE YOU PUTTING IN THE FAMILY? IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A WIFE, THE HUSBAND TO KID AS, OR WHAT, WHATEVER NUMBER OF KIDS IT IS.
IT'S ONE PREMIUM FOR A COUPLE AND THE CHILDREN, WHETHER THEY HAVE ONE CHILD OR FIVE CHILDREN.
SO IT'S THE SAME PREMIUM IF, UH, I'M A SINGLE PERSON AND I'M LIVING WITH SOMEONE AND WE'RE NOT MARRIED, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T SEEM TO BE DOING THAT DAY.
SO, UM, WHERE'S THE FAMILY BENEFIT.
WELL, IF THEY'RE, NECESSARILY TO SAY IT RIGHT, BUT THAT'S MY, THAT'S THE POINT I'M TRYING TO GET TO IS THAT YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL WITH THE SALARY RELATED COSTS FIGURES, BECAUSE IT CAN SOUND, I MEAN, THAT'S GREAT, $18,360, BUT IF I'M A PERSON WITH NO OTHER, NO RESPONSIBILITIES, LEGALLY, I GUESS, OTHER THAN YOU KNOW, THAT THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING.
WELL, I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE THE POINT HERE IS WE ARE CONSCIOUSLY A FAMILY-FRIENDLY EMPLOYER AND WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT BEING THAT KIND OF EMPLOYER.
AND THE TRUTH IS PROBABLY IF YOU REALLY GOT TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, HALF THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED FOR YOUR COUNTY HEALTH INSURANCE AS WHILE THEY'RE HERE.
SO THE OTHER PIECE TAKE THE FAMILY PLANS.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS IS IF YOU BACK UP ONE SIDE, THE OTHER SIDE TO THIS, IS THAT NOT ONLY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE CANDIDATE TO UNDERSTAND, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR THE HIRING MANAGER TO UNDERSTAND
[01:25:01]
THAT THAT IS A BIGGER NUMBER.AND OFTENTIMES WE SEE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO NEGOTIATE, UH, THAT, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE GETTING, THEY'RE GETTING MORE THAN $49,000.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THIS NOW, HOW COULD I DO THIS? IF IT, IF I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT A CERTAIN DOLLAR FIGURE WAS, WHATEVER, WHETHER I'M ABOVE OR BELOW THE MEDIAN SALARY, HOW WOULD I KNOW HOW THAT IMPACTS ME? SO THE HR STAFF HAS THIS ON A SPREADSHEET ON THEIR WEBSITE.
SO THE PERSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS OR THE HIRING MANAGER CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE AND PUT THEIR SALARY IN, AND IT WILL DO ALL THE CALCULATIONS AND TELL YOU WHAT THE VALUE OF THAT OFFER GENUINELY IS.
THAT THAT'S SOME REALLY GREAT WORK THAT THE HR STAFF HAS PULLED OFF THERE.
SO THE NEXT THING, THIS IS, THIS WAS ALL KIND OF A REVIEW FOR MOST OF YOU YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
SO THE NEXT THING THAT I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WAS TO REMIND YOU THAT THE WAY YOU'VE SEEN COMPENSATION IN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN A PERCENTAGE AND A DOLLAR AMOUNT.
YOU ALL JUST HAD THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE PEOPLE AT THE LOWER END OF THE SCALE, HAVING IMPACT THERE.
AND THAT IS WHAT YOU ALL HAVE APPROVED IN THE PAST THAT DOES HAVE THE BEST IMPACT FOR THE LOWER HALF OF THE SCALE.
SO THAT IS WHAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE.
MR. MORGAN WILL BRING TO YOU IN TWO WEEKS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND AS HE SAID EARLIER, THE, UM, COLA FOR SOCIAL SECURITY WAS 5.9%, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LOOK, THE INFLATION RATE IS SOMEWHERE ABOVE SEVEN AND A HALF TO 8%.
SO WE THINK THOSE ARE THE WORKING RANGES THAT YOU'LL SEE, BUT YOU WILL SEE THAT RAISE THAT HE RECOMMENDS MOST LIKELY AS A PERCENTAGE PLUS A DOLLAR AMOUNT.
AND THAT IS VERY BENEFICIAL TO, TO THE LOWER HALF OF THE SCALE.
SO A REALLY GOOD THING TO SEE THERE.
UH, YOU GUYS, AS I SAID EARLIER, YOU'LL HAVE A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT COMPENSATION IN GENERAL.
I HAD A COUPLE OTHER COMMENTS, BUT YOU'VE COVERED IT.
SO THERE'S NO REASON FOR ME TO, TO BEAT THAT DEAD HORSE.
SO I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO CAROL AND SHE COULD TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BENEFITS AND WHAT THAT FAMILY PLAN ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.
AND SOME OF THE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF, UH, HEALTH INSURANCE.
SO YOUR COUNTY IS SELF-FUNDED AND EVEN THOUGH CIGNA IS ON THE INSURANCE CIGNA'S NAME IS ON THE INSURANCE CARD, IT'S ACTUALLY THE COUNTY'S PLAN.
AND SO SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF BEING SELF-INSURED IS MORE FINANCIAL CONTROL, LOW COST, AND CONTROL, MORE CONTROL OVER THE PLAN DESIGN.
AND SO NOT ONLY IS YOUR COUNTY FUNDING, THE PLAN AND MANAGING THE PLAN, ALSO PAYING THE MEDICAL CLAIMS IN THE DENTAL CLAIMS. AND IF THE CLAIMS ARE HIGHER THAN BUDGETED AMOUNTS, BOTH THE COUNTIES AND THE EMPLOYEE WILL SHARE IT IN THE RATE INCREASES, OR A PLAN DESIGN MAY, MAY NEED TO CHANGE, OR, OR BOTH I'LL BE GETTING TO DELTA.
IF THE COUNTY IS FUNDING AND MANAGING THE PLAN, WHAT A SECOND DOING THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR, WE BASICALLY PAY THEM TO RUN INTERFACE WITH ALL THE HEALTH ALIGNERS.
SO WE S WE STILL ARE STAYING WITH CIGNA.
LIKE I JUST SAID, WITH THE TWO PLANS, THEY'RE OFFERING THE CIGNA CHOICE FUND, WHICH IS A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN THAT HAS IT, A HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT ATTACHED TO IT.
I'LL REFER TO IT AS THE HSA, THE CIGNA OPEN ACCESS PLUS ONE PLAN THAT I'LL REFER TO AS THE OAP ONE, THE HUMAN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN.
WE STILL OFFER FOR OUR POST 65 RETIREES.
AND THE HUMANA MANAGED THE I'M JUST TRY TO LEAVE FORCE.
UM, NO, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, UH, DIRECTLY THAT WE DON'T FIND THAT, BUT, BUT WE, WE MAKE A CONTRIBUTION.
UM, AND IT'S, UM, I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, WE WENT, WE USED TO HAVE THE OVER 65 AS A SUBSET OF OUR PROGRAM.
AND BY GOING THIS WAY, THEY GOT A BETTER, UH, MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT AT A LOWER COST, BOTH TO THEM.
AND TO US, THIS IS THE MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLANS.
SO TOTAL ENROLLMENT BETWEEN THE TWO PLANS IS A LITTLE OVER 1700 WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE ENROLLMENT BEING IN THE OAP ONE THAT THAT'S WORTH.
DOES THAT INCLUDE SCHOOL? NO, THAT'S WORTH, Y'ALL JUST TAKING A SECOND TO LOOK
[01:30:01]
AT, TO ABSORB.SO ABOUT 10% OF OUR EMPLOYEES DO THE HSA.
SO TOM, YOUR, YOUR CONCERN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE LIKE A SINGLE PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM, THE BEST OPTION WOULD BE THE HSA THAT KEEPS THEIR DOLLAR INCOME AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE, UM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO CARRY THE BURDEN OF A LOT OF HEALTH INSURANCE AND YOU SEE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS ON THE FAMILY SIDE THERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS OF CHILDREN AND SPOUSES, PARTICULARLY WITH THE BIG PLAN PLANS, I KNOW FROM A MILITARY, FROM THE MILITARY PERSPECTIVE, UH, AND RETIREES, UM, FOR A WHILE THERE, WE HAD THE SUPPLEMENTALS FOR MEDICAL PLANS AND, UH, WE'RE COVERED THE MILITARY IS COVERED ON A TRIKE HERE, WHICH IS THE BENEFIT OF BEING IN THE MILITARY OR RETIRING.
UM, SO THESE, UH, W OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE TO HAVE SUPPLEMENTALS TO COVER THE GAP CASHED OFF AGAIN.
UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S DIFFERENT PARTS TO YOUR QUESTION.
I THINK, SO THESE ARE FOR, THIS IS BASICALLY ACTIVE EMPLOYEES AND WHAT WE WOULD CALL YOUNG RETIREES PRE-MEDICARE RETIREES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THEY GET NOW.
SOME OF THEM MIGHT HAVE SOME OTHER INSURANCE IF THEY'VE RETIRED AND HAVE ANOTHER JOB OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THEN THE HUMANA ONE, WHICH CAROL CAROL MENTIONED IS THE MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT.
UM, AND YOU'LL RECALL THE BOARD HAS A POLICY AND DAVE, YOU MIGHT HAVE DAVE RECALLING, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HELP US WITH THIS FOR LONG SERVING COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S 20 YEARS OF SERVICE, 20%.
UH, THEN THE COUNTY WOULD PAY HALF OF THE COST THAT WE WOULD PAY AS AN ACTIVE EMPLOYEE.
SO, UM, BUT, BUT NO, THERE, IT DOESN'T MIX AND MATCH LIKE TRI CARE.
UH, I THINK, WELL, I MEAN, THE QUESTION I'M ASKING YOU IS, WOULD OUR EMPLOYEES, IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, WOULD, I MEAN, AND THE CONCERN WOULD BE DEPENDING ON YOUR SITUATION AND HOW IT'S ADVERTISED AND ALL THAT, BUT WOULD THEY BE DRIVEN TO WANT TO GET A SUPPLEMENTAL? WELL, I DON'T THINK SO.
YOU KNOW, PART OF THE, WE, WE SPEAK FROM OUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE AND, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M OBVIOUSLY ON OUR PLAN, UH, AND, AND IN A MINUTE, YOUR CAROL'S GOING TO ACTUALLY SHOW YOU THE NUMBERS, WHAT THEY ARE THIS YEAR.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE THINK THERE'LL BE NEXT YEAR, BUT, BUT OF THE TOTAL COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE, THE COUNTY PAYS ABOUT 75% AND THE EMPLOYEES PAY ABOUT 25%.
AND EVERY TIME IT GOES UP, YOU KNOW, IT GOES UP ON BOTH SIDES, BUT BY AND LARGE, OUR HEALTH INSURANCE IS ANALOGOUS TO WHAT THE OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AROUND HERE DO.
AND IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BETTER THAN A LOT OF PRIVATE SECTOR HEALTH INSURANCE.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT ATTRACTS AND RETAINS EMPLOYEES IN MY OPINION.
I MEAN, AND I HATE TO ALMOST AT EIGHT, THEY'RE ALMOST ASKED THIS QUESTION, BUT I GOT TWO YEARS AGO WHEN, UH, THE GREAT RECESSION HIT OUR EMPLOYEES, TOOK IT IN THE SHORTS WHILE WE S W WHILE WE SUPPORTED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ENDED UP WITH A, UH, AN IMBALANCE OF THE SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HAVING ABOUT $2,300 A YEAR OF SALARY RELATED COSTS.
THEY'VE COVERED BY THE SCHOOLS THAT WE WERE NOT PROVIDING ON THIS END, WHICH WAS A BIT OF A SORE SPOT, OR HOW, HOW ARE WE DOING? SO YOU RECALL, WE MADE AN ATTEMPT TO MERGE OUR PLANS, AND WE GOT ABOUT HALFWAY THERE.
WE HAD SHARED ADMINISTRATION AND SHARED DENTAL.
AND LAST YEAR, UH, THE SCHOOLS OPTED TO MOVE AWAY FROM CIGNA, UH, TO A DIFFERENT PLAN WAS AN OPTIMA.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS KIND OF AGNOSTIC ABOUT WHETHER THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA OR NOT, BUT I WILL SAY IN FAIRNESS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY RAISED THE EMPLOYEE COST OF THEIR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, SO THAT I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU WITH THE EXACT NUMBERS.
AND OF COURSE WE'RE PROPOSING SOMETHING AND THEY'RE PROPOSING SOMETHING, BUT WE ARE OUR EMPLOYEES IN THEIR EMPLOYEES.
THE COST SHARE IS MUCH CLOSER TO THE SAME THAN IT WAS SIX YEARS AGO.
AND THAT GAP IS LARGELY BEEN CLOSED.
A REAL QUICK QUESTION ON THE 20 YARD ENTITLEMENT.
[01:35:01]
AN EMPLOYEE I'M HERE FOR 20, 25 YEARS, WHETHER HAVE YOU HAD TO RETIRE AND, UH, I DROPPED IT.WHAT ABOUT MY SPOUSE? UM, YOUR SPOUSE, YOUR SPOUSE REMAINS, SHE COVERED.
SHE'S COVERED ON, UM, OH, I'M SORRY.
SHE'S COVERED THROUGH, THROUGH COBRA FOR ONE YEAR.
SO WE ACTUALLY RECENTLY MADE A CHANGE, UH, AND WE WILL CALL YOU, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, SOME OF US.
UM, SO THE, THE, UH, THE DETAILS OF THE HEALTH PLAN, I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE POLICY ADJUSTMENTS.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAD BEEN A CONCERN WAS KIND OF RELATED TO YOUR QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENS IF AN ACTIVE DUTY EMPLOYEE DIES TOO? AND THEY HAVE A FAMILY PLAN.
AND, UH, PREVIOUSLY THE SITUATION WAS COBRA WAS THEIR OPTION, WHICH IS THEY PAY FULL COST FOR UP TO THREE YEARS.
AND THEN THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN.
WE, UM, EFFECTIVE IN JULY MADE A CHANGE.
SO IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE, IF AN ACTIVE DUTY EMPLOYEE DIES, THE FIRST YEAR OF COBRA IS PAID FOR BY THE COUNTY.
SO IT'S STILL SORT OF UNDER THE RUBRIC OF COBRA, UH, RIGHT.
SO THAT GIVES THAT, UH, THE SURVIVING SPOUSE A YEAR BUFFER, UH, WITH NO COST HEALTH INSURANCE TO KIND OF GIVE THEM A BREAK WHILE THEY FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT FOR ONE IS AT 20 PLUS A YEAR THAT'S FOR ANY ACTIVE EMPLOYEE.
SO MY WIFE ALSO WORKS FOR ANOTHER LOCALITY, BUT SHE'S GETTING READY TO RETIRE.
WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN ON THEIR INSURANCE, BOTH MY WIFE AND I, BUT NOW THAT SHE THANK YOU.
BUT NOW THAT SHE'S GETTING READY TO RETIRE, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
SHE'S GOING TO STAY ON THEIR RETIREE PLAN BY HERSELF, AND I'M GOING TO MOVE TO THE COUNTY'S PLAN.
IN THE EVENT, SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN TO ONE OF US.
WE BOTH WOULD BE ABLE TO RETAIN HEALTH INSURANCE FOR A YEAR OR THREE FOR A LONGER TERM, RIGHT? SO FOR OUR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN, THE PARTICIPATION IS 93 MEMBERS WITH OF WHICH 23% SPOUSES ARE USING THAT.
SO FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR, 2022, SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE TO THE HEALTHCARE, AND THIS IS WHERE THAT FIRST SLIDE, WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FLEXIBILITY AND PLAN DESIGN COMES INTO PLAY THE DEDUCTIBLE.
WE ADDED IT THAT DEDUCTIBLE OF $250 FOR INDIVIDUAL AND 500 FOR FAMILY.
AND THE COST GOES TOWARDS CERTAIN FACILITY CHARGES AND SERVICES WITH COHEN SHORTLY TALKING ABOUT HERE, I'M SORRY, THIS, THIS DEDUCTIBLE WAS ADDED TO THE OAP Y UM, OUR MAIN, OUR MAIN PLANTS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, JUST TO PERSONALIZE IT, I HAD A MEDICAL PROCEDURE IN JANUARY AND I, THE FIRST $250 I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET UNDER THE PREVIOUS ARRANGEMENT.
UH, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO DO THAT.
AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE'RE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING, YOU KNOW, HEALTHCARE COST INCREASES.
AND THAT WAS A WAY TO RECOUP SOME MONEY FOR THE HEALTH CARE RESERVE WITHOUT JUST RAISING PREMIUMS TOO MUCH.
IS THAT PER INCIDENT TOTAL FOR YOU? SO THAT'S ALL I'VE HAD TO THE DOCTOR IN OUR HEALTH INSURANCE HAS THAT MUCH LESS TO PAY, BUT IT COMES OUT THE SAME.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, SORRY, CAROL.
BUT I THINK WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU GIVE THEM A PERSONAL EXAMPLE, IT HELPS.
SO WE ALSO ADDED A SAVE ON SP PROGRAM.
THIS IS A CO-PAY ASSISTANT PROGRAM FOR SPECIALTY MEDICATIONS.
THESE PRESCRIPTIONS ARE FILLED THROUGH MAIL ORDER.
WE ALSO ADDED A HEALTH MATTERS CARE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THIS IS WHERE IN THIS INCIDENT THAT HE JUST GAVE US PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, MAYBE, UH, YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE ASSIGNED A NURSE ADVOCATE WHO WOULD THEN CHECK IN WITH YOU AFTER YOU'VE GONE HOME.
SEE IF YOU'RE RECOVERING, OKAY.
SEE IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, THEY'LL CONNECT YOU WITH THE MEDICAL AND RESOURCES AND MEDICAL STAFF THAT YOU NEED.
SO LOOKING AHEAD FOR THE YEAR 2023, WE'RE PROPOSING A INCREASE ACROSS ALL RATE TIERS FOR EMPLOYEES THAT'S FOR MEDICAL AND FOR DENTAL.
NOW THE HUMANA PLAN, THOSE RATES ARE NOT ANNOUNCED UNTIL SEPTEMBER, SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT YET.
SO THE CURRENT, BUT THE CURRENT RATE IS $237 PER MEMBER PER
[01:40:01]
MONTH.WOULD THAT INCREASE IN PLACE? THIS IS WHAT THESE RATES WOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO FOR THE EMPLOYEE, ONLY ON THE OAP ONE, THEY WOULD EXPERIENCE AN INCREASE OF $4.
THE EMPLOYEE AND FAMILY, THEY WOULD EXPERIENCE AN INCREASE OF $48.
AND SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ON A MONTHLY BASIS THAT INCREASE.
AND SO JUST AS A REMINDER, COUNTY EMPLOYEES GET PAID EVERY TWO WEEKS.
SO, SO BASICALLY HALF OF THAT INCREASE A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN HALF OF THAT INCREASE PER PAYCHECK.
THAT'S WHAT, AND AGAIN, TO BE, TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS WHAT WE WILL BE PROPOSING IN THE BUDGET.
YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE TO TAKE EFFECT THE RATE CHANGES TO TAKE EFFECT NEXT JANUARY.
IT CREATES A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE CAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, CAROLYN, COLLEEN ARE MAKING PROJECTIONS, YOU KNOW, MONTHS OUT IN ADVANCE, BUT THE REASON WE DO IT THAT WAY IS BECAUSE ALL OF THE, UH, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE TO CHANGE YOUR SIGN UP ENROLLMENTS, ALL, UH, LIKE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO, SO WE NEED TO LET EVERYBODY SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN JANUARY.
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, DELTA DENTAL IS THE PROVIDER FOR DENTAL SERVICES, WITH TWO PLANS, THE PREFERRED PROVIDER OPTION, OR THE PPL AND THE EXCLUSIVE PROVIDER OPTION THE EPO.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THE PPO IS MORE, IS A THERE'S MORE CHOICES.
IT'S A LARGE IT'S LARGER NETWORK, RIGHT? AND THE EPO IS MORE RESTRICTIVE PLAN.
THE EMPLOYEE CHECKS THE BOX AND THEY HAVE TO PAY MORE IF THEY GET THE CADILLAC.
SO TOTAL PARTICIPATION IN BOTH OF THOSE PLANS IS A LITTLE UNDER 2200 MEMBERS WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS BEING ENROLLED IN THE PPO PLAN, PROBABLY NOTEWORTHY HERE IS TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE MORE MEMBERS ON THE DENTAL PLAN THAN WE DO ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN, RIGHT? YEAH.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE.
AND ALSO I MENTIONED THAT THE DENTAL IS A STANDALONE PLAN.
SO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE ENROLLED IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE IN ORDER TO GET THE DENTAL.
AND AGAIN, WITH THE INCREASE IN PLACE, THIS IS WHAT THE EMPLOYEES WOULD EXPERIENCE FOR THE EMPLOYEE.
IT'S JUST A DOLLAR FOR THAT MONTH.
AND THE EMPLOYEE AND FAMILY AT B2 $2, THIS WOULD ALL BE EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 20, 23.
AND SO LAST, IT'S OUR WELLNESS PROGRAM THOUGH.
IT'S NOT NEW TO, TO THE COUNTY, BUT IT'S WORTH MENTIONING.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL WELLNESS PROGRAM.
THEY OFFER 30 TO 45 MINUTE WEBINARS TO PROMOTE HEALTHY, EATING, PROPER DIET EXERCISING, STRESS MANAGEMENT.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A WALK TO WELLNESS THAT'S HAPPENING AT, FROM MARCH TO MAY AND GARDEN.
NUITY, WE'LL BE PUTTING ON A WEBINAR CALLED A PEPPER GARDEN PARTY, AND THEY WILL MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE PARTICIPANTS HAVE ALL THE SUPPLIES.
THEY NEED POT, SOIL SEEDS TO START GROWING PEPPERS THIS WAY.
THIS IS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE FOR, FOR EMPLOYEES.
SO THESE ARE SOME LIKE SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT CIGNA PROVIDES AS PART OF THE BID THAT WE GOT THEM.
AND AGAIN, THAT THE COMMON THREAD AND ALL THIS, AS I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, BUT I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND HEALTH CARE COSTS CONTINUE TO GO UP FASTER EVEN THAN OTHER THINGS.
AND SO SOMETIMES WE JUST HAVE TO SIMPLY RAISE HOW MUCH WE PAY BOTH FOR EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYER, BUT WE ALSO TRY TO ATTACK THE PROBLEM.
IN OTHER WAYS, THIS IS A WAY TO ATTACK IT.
IF WE'RE HEALTHIER AS A WORKFORCE THAT HOLDS THE COST DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS CAROL WAS TALKING ABOUT WERE WAYS TO KIND OF LIKE INTERCEPT THE, A SMALL PROBLEM BEFORE IT BECOMES A BIG PROBLEM, OR, YOU KNOW, ASSIGN SOMEBODY TO FOLLOW UP ON SOMEONE, MAYBE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE MANAGING THEIR DIABETES OR THEIR POST SURGICAL STUFF SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE HOSPITAL.
AND IT'S NICE WHEN YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT PULLS THE COST DOWN AND IS GOOD FOR PEOPLE, MR. OREGON, REAL QUICK.
AND JUST TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON WHAT MR. SHEPHERD WAS TALKING ABOUT ONE, WHY PASSED THESE FEES AND INCREASES ONTO THE EMPLOYEES? WHY NOT TELL
[01:45:01]
THE, BECAUSE THAT BASICALLY COMES OFF THE BOTTOM LINE OF WHAT THEY'RE MAKING, WHY NOT SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO HOLD THE LINE ON THESE FEE INCREASES AND YOU'RE GOING TO END UP TAKING HOME MORE MONEY.I MEAN, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT, AND YOU, YOU JUST SAT HERE AND TOLD US WHO YOU'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT SOME MORE AND RETAIN MORE EMPLOYEES.
SO WHY NOT HOLD THE LINES ON THESE FEES SO THAT THE EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE MORE MONEY TO TAKE ON THEM? SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING QUESTION AND IMPORTANT QUESTION.
UM, MOST OF THE YEARS I HAVE BEEN HERE.
WE HAVE RECOMMENDED INCREASES THAT ARE SMALLER THAN WHAT OUR, OUR EXPERT CONSULTANT RECOMMENDS.
AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE MAINTAIN A HEALTHY HEALTH INSURANCE FUND BALANCE.
SO IF WE MISS THE MARK AND WE DON'T RAISE BOTH THE EMPLOYER AND THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION ENOUGH FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, WE CAN BUFFER IT, BUT WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL THAT WE DON'T OVERDO THAT.
I THINK THE BEST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS, UM, EMPLOYEES DO NEED TO, THEY, TO SOME DEGREE RESPOND RATIONALLY, UM, TO MARKET THINGS.
AND IF YOU JUST HAVE, IF YOU HAVE A FREE, GOOD OR SERVICE OR A SER SERVICE THAT THE COST DOES NOT GO UP IN ANY WAY, COMMISERATE WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS DOING, YOU'RE REALLY GIVING EVERYBODY A INCENTIVE TO CONSUME MORE OF IT.
AND, AND SO IF WHAT THE EXPERTS WOULD TELL YOU IS OKAY, IN ANY ONE YEAR, YOU COULD DO THAT.
SO, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS, BUT W W WE WOULD BE ADDING IN THE COUNTY BUDGET, SOME HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR OUR 75% OF THE INCREASE.
AND AS PROPOSED, WE'RE ASKING THE EMPLOYEES TO PICK UP 25%, WE COULD REJIGGER THE BUDGET AND SAY, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE FREEZING THAT FOR EMPLOYEES.
AND THE COUNTY IS GOING TO PICK UP THE WHOLE AMOUNT, BUT IF YOU DO THAT YEAR AFTER YEAR, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE INCREASINGLY DISCONNECTING THE INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR AND INCENTIVES BECAUSE THERE'S LIKE NO COST TO THEM.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO JUST THE OPPOSITE, LIKE BY HAVING THAT DEDUCTIBLE.
MY DOCTOR SAID I NEEDED TO HAVE A, YOU KNOW, AN ENDOSCOPY AND PROVE I WAS GOING TO HAVE IT, WHETHER I HAD TO PAY $250 OR NOT, BUT SOMETIMES THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, JUDGMENTS INVOLVED IN, WELL, MAYBE I'LL GO IN AND HAVE THIS DONE OR THAT DONE.
AND SO I THINK THE CONCERN WOULD BE YOU GET INTO A, A VICIOUS CYCLE THAT'S REALLY HARD TO GET OUT OF.
UH, AND SO THE, THE EXPERTS ALWAYS TELL YOU TO TRY TO AT LEAST KEEP THE EMPLOYER, THE EMPLOYEE PART, SOMEWHAT RELATED TO THE REALITY OF THE COSTS SO THAT THEY HAVE INCENTIVES TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND NOT OVERUSE HEALTHCARE.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT A SIMPLE QUESTION.
THE TRUTH IS WE ALREADY DO SUBSIDIZE THE COST OF HEALTHCARE SUBSTANTIALLY.
I THINK OUR EXPERTS SAID, UH, THAT WE SHOULD REQ WE SHOULD HAVE AN INCREASE OF 10 TO 20%.
AND THE BUDGET WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE CAROL BRIEF IS THE LOW END OF THAT 10%.
AND IF WE MISS THE MARK, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE OKAY BECAUSE WE HAVE A, UH, A HEALTH INSURANCE RESERVE, BUT IN THE LAST, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE MAKING PROJECTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, OUT INTO THE FUTURE AND YOU DON'T KNOW HOW COVID EFFECTED USE OF HEALTH CARE AND ALL THAT.
BUT, BUT PROBABLY OUR HEALTH INSURANCE RESERVES WE'VE BURNED DOWN A MILLION AND A HALF IN THE LAST YEAR.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO KEEP DOING THAT.
UM, UM, I'M STARTING TO REPEAT MYSELF, BUT NO, BUT I, I, I JUST ALWAYS LIKE TO KEEP IN PERSPECTIVE THE SALARIES OF THE COPS AND THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE 9 1 1, IF YOU'RE SITTING AT $45,000 OR 44 TO $45,000 AS A, AS A DEPUTY, OKAY.
250 BUCKS IS ABOUT HALF PERCENT OF YOUR TOTAL YEARLY SALARY.
SO THAT'S GOING TO MEAN SOMETHING TO THEM.
I MEAN, YOU CAN GO, I DON'T KNOW, YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.
I MEAN, THAT COULD BE THREE RUNS FOR A FAMILY OF, UH, IF YOU'VE GOT FAMILY THROUGH YOUR FAMILY OF FOUR, I MEAN, YOU JUST CAN'T GO INTO THE STORE NOW AND GET, IMAGINE THAT'S PROBABLY LIKE ONE RUN .
SO I MEAN, THESE, THESE THINGS, THESE LITTLE BITTY BITS AND PIECES OF CASH GOING TO A FAMILY MATTER.
AND, AND THAT PARTICULARLY, THAT'S WHAT I'M KIND OF JUST LOCKED ONTO THIS.
[01:50:01]
I SAW THE SALARIES OF SOME OF OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR, UH, OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND IN OUR DEPUTIES AND THIS 44, 40 $5,000, I KNOW IT'S A STRUGGLE AND YOU DON'T EVEN LIVE IN YOUR COUNTY WHEN THEY DO THAT.I MEAN, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN TOM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE DEPUTIES AND THE FIREFIGHTERS.
WHAT ABOUT OUR OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE OWNED THE SAME CASE? YOU FOCUS ON THAT ONE? I JUST KNOW I'M STAYING IN ANOTHER, SO I DON'T THINK ANY, YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY ARGUMENT FROM US ABOUT THE ZERO BANK IS SMALLER THOUGH, BUT MY ARGUMENT WOULD BE, WE ARE, WE ARE COMPETITIVE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS ON HEALTH INSURANCE, AND, YOU KNOW, OUR STRUGGLE IS GOING TO BE TO MAKE YOUR POINT AND SAY, OH, PROSPECTIVE FIREFIGHTER.
YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH OUR SALARIES HERE AND THEIR SALARY IS THERE, LOOK AT OUR HEALTH INSURANCE, YOU'D BE SMARTER TO JUST KEEP ADDING TO THE HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS INCREMENTALLY SINCE WE'RE ALREADY COMPETITIVE THERE AND DO MORE ON THE SALARY SIDE, IF YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET SOMEONE'S ATTENTION.
AND I THINK PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, BUT WE DO SOME, I MEAN, WE, WE PAY THE COUNTY 75% OF THE COSTS OF A VERY GOOD HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM.
UM, AND THE DOLLAR INCREASES THAT, THAT CAROL SHOWED YOU THERE IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT I HOPE WILL BE THE, THE SALARY INCREASES THAT YOU ALL APPROVE WILL NOT BE SIGNIFICANT.
ARE WE AT THE END OF THIS? AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO FILL IT IN ALL THE, UH, THE GAPS ON THE, IN THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, LOOK FORWARD AN OVERSTATEMENT.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ANYBODY? OTHERWISE? I THINK WE DID GO TO THE, IT SAID CALENDAR.
UM, I DIDN'T REMEMBER TO SAY APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES I HAVE.
NUMBER THREE IS THE COUNTY CAPITOL PROJECT FINANCING, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALREADY.
FOUR IS THE PURCHASE OF GENERATOR FOR THE NEW LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT NUMBERS, SCREEN GENTLEMEN, NUMBER FOUR, A LITTLE BIT.
THAT WE HAD THE PUBLIC CHAT ON ABOUT IT AGAIN, AND ADMINISTRATOR, I LISTENED TO THE FIRST PART OF THE PRESENTATION, AND I JUST NEED TO GO BACK AND EXPLAIN THE DETAILS OF THE SKIN, UH, SOLDIER IT'S THROUGH MY THICK HEAD.
SO, UM, ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET, ON THE COUNTY SIDE, UH, IT'S ABOUT 50% CASH BONDED, AND IT'S ABOUT 50% DEBT FUNDED.
AND WHAT WE GENERALLY FUND WITH DEBT ARE THINGS THAT LAST A LONG TIME.
AND SO THIS SPECIFIC PROPOSAL TO BORROW MONEY, WHICH WE WORKED THROUGH, THE VIRGINIA RESOURCES, AUTHORITY, UM, WOULD FUND, UH, MOSTLY FOR THE NEW SHERIFF'S LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING AND SECONDARILY TO PAY OURSELVES BACK FOR THE LIBRARY.
WE'VE KIND OF USED OUR RESERVES TO KEEP IT MOVING AND A MUCH SMALLER AMOUNT FOR, UM, SOME FIRE APPARATUS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT RECENTLY.
SO, UH, SO WE BORROWED THIS MONEY.
THE FIRST THING WE DO IS WHEN WE GET THOSE BOND PROCEEDS IS WE PAY OURSELVES BACK FOR THINGS WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING ON THESE PROJECTS ON THE CASHFLOW.
AND THEN WE USE THAT MONEY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS TO PAY FOR THE PROJECTS AS THE CONTRACTORS, YOU KNOW, SUBMIT INVOICES.
AND THE WORK GOES ON TIMING WISE.
UM, THERE WAS ALWAYS A JUDGMENT INVOLVED.
THERE'S REALLY TWICE A YEAR, YOU CAN DO THIS AND THEN YOU CAN DECIDE, DO I MAKE AN INTEREST ONLY PAYMENT OR A PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENT, OR, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DISCRETION IN HOW YOU STAGGER IT.
AND AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, IT IS MY VIEW THAT IN THE CURRENT INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT, KNOWING WHAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE FEDERAL RESERVE AND WHAT'S GOING ON, WE ARE SMART TO BORROW THIS MONEY JUST AS SOON AS WE CAN, BECAUSE OVER 20 YEARS, EVEN 50 BASIS POINTS OF 20 YEARS OF, YOU KNOW, INTEREST PAYMENTS CAN BE, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
SO, UM, SO WE'RE NOT BORN, WE'LL GET FROM THE VR.
THEY ARE, THEY ARE JUST THE INSTRUMENT TO GO OUT TO THE BOND MARKET TO DO IT.
AND IT'S WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU CAN DO, YOU CAN DO THIS SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS.
UM, YOU CAN HAVE A REFERENDUM TO, TO,
[01:55:01]
TO TAKE ON DIRECTLY, WHICH THE COUNTY USED TO DO, BUT HADN'T DONE IN 20 YEARS, ALMOST ALL COUNTIES IN VIRGINIA USE THIS MECHANISM, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THE DRA POOLS, OUR REQUESTS.SO, YOU KNOW, UH, HENRICO NEEDS TO BORROW A HUNDRED MILLION AND YOUR COUNTY NEEDS TO BORROW 30 AND JAMES CITY COUNTY NEEDS TO BORROW 50 AND THEY PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND THEY MIX IT UP AND THEY SELL IT ON THE BOND MARKET.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF, SO THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVESTING IN THIS ARE BUYING A MARKET BASKET OF YOUR COUNTY IN HENRICO COUNTY, IN JAMES CITY COUNTY.
SO IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH, UM, THE COMPETITION PROCESS.
AND NO WORRIES, YOU PUT A BID OUT TO THE MARKET, HOPEFULLY YOU GOT X NUMBER OF, OF RESPONSES TO THE OFFER.
SO THERE IS COMPETITION ON THE BUYING END, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE SOME INVESTOR WOULD DO THEIR BROKER OR SOMETHING WOULD, YOU KNOW, MAKE AN OFFER TO BUY SOME OF THESE VRA BONDS.
THEN WE DON'T GET INVOLVED IN THAT.
WHEN I WENT THROUGH WHAT I WENT THROUGH THOUGH, WHICH KIND OF STARTLED ME A LITTLE BIT WAS THE COST SO MUCH OF THE, OF THE, THE MORE ENFORCEMENT BUILDING.
BUT THE GOAL IS TO THE LIBRARY, UH, $34,034 MILLION IS ALL THE NUMBERS.
THIS GUY IT'S ABOUT SIX AND A HALF NINE WHERE THE LIBRARY IS THAT WHAT'S IN EVERY DAY, 6 MILLION.
AND WHAT DID, AND FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, ALMOST 24 MILLION AND FOR THE GENERATOR? WELL, UH, THAT'S WITHIN, THAT'S WITHIN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING.
SO ARE THOSE TWO MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT? THAT'S THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT? COMPETITIVELY BID OR YEAH.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE KIND OF LIBRARY, OF COURSE, RICHARD TURBO WAS A LITTLE BETTER AND IT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
IN THE CASE OF THE SHERIFF'S BUILDING, THERE WAS A LOW BID FOR THE SITE WORK.
WAS THAT SUBURBAN GET TO THAT WAS, BUT IN ANY CASE, THAT'S IN THE WAY NOW, AND THEN THERE'LL BE ANOTHER BID FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING, WHICH WE'LL DO, ASSUMING Y'ALL AUTHORIZED THIS A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
IT'S THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING AND THE LIBRARY LONG-TERM BUILDINGS 30, 40 YEAR BUILDINGS WHILE WE BOUGHT A NIGHT OF THE FIRE PRO-RATA SO THAT WE WOULD GET FIVE, SIX YEARS OUT OF, UH, THESE, THESE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT LAST UP TO 20 YEARS.
WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THEY AGAIN LIKE THE BIG LADDER OR THE BIG LADDER TRUCKS? SO, OH, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE, NOT LIKE AN AMBULANCE, YOU DON'T DO AN AMBULANCE, LIKE, SO WE GET 20 YEARS OUT OF IT.
THE, UM, SO THE GENERATOR, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO, FOUR AND 50 KV A GENERATORS.
UM, HOW DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH POWER THE BUILDING WILL CONSUME IT AT THAT FULL SONG IS HOW MUCH EXTRA CAPACITY WE'RE BUYING WITH THAT 900 KVA.
SO, UH, I CAN GET YOU A REPORT ON THAT.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS OUR, OUR, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS JOSIAS LAURA IS AN EXPERT AT THIS AND, UH, HE'S, HE'S WORKED THIS AND SCOPED WHAT WE NEED.
I AM CONFIDENT THAT IT'S, UH, BASICALLY TO KEEP THAT BUILDING'S FULLY OCCUPIED, YOU KNOW, USABLE SYSTEM OPERATIONAL.
SO I'M SURE IT'S GOT SOME EXTRA CAPACITY BUILT IN, AND OF COURSE EVERYONE WOULD BE HAVING A COMPUTER.
AND I THINK IT'D BE ALL JUST NORMAL POWER AS IF YOU WERE IN A STORM SITUATION, SOME HAZARD EVENTS, THEN MAYBE IT IS GOING TO BE USED FOR SOME SHELTER AS WELL.
IT DOESN'T HAVE CAPACITY TO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE COMING AND YOU'RE GOING TO ANSWER IT.
NOW I'M UP TO KIND OF THAT, UH, W WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I'LL GET, UH, I'LL GET YOU TO WRITE A LITTLE MEMO AND SEND IT TO THE BOARD ON HIS THINKING THAT WENT INTO THIS.
BUT OF COURSE IT HAS BEEN COORDINATED WITH THE ARCHITECT AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT, BUT ON THE SHELTERING POINT, THE WAY THIS PLACE WOULD WORK IS WE WOULDN'T SHELTER CITIZENS, BUT IN A TRUE EMERGENCY, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE LIKE TWO SHIFTS OF SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES CALLED IN.
AND, AND WHEN, WHEN IT WAS SO BAD THAT THEY COULDN'T BE OUT ON THE ROAD, THEY'RE GOING TO STAY OR STAY THERE.
WE BACK BY THE GARAGE, MAYBE SET UP SOME TEMPORARY STUFF THERE.
UM, AND THE LAST THING, OR WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THOSE UNITS OURSELVES, OR PART OF THE COST.
CAUSE IT'D BE, WE WOULDN'T BUILDING OKAY WITH THAT, WHO WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THE
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
CONSENT CALENDAR.MR. GREEN IS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS SUBMITTED
[02:00:01]
MR. GREEN, MR. ROAD, MR. SHEPHERD, MR. .NOW IT'S OPEN DISCUSSION TIME, BUT
[OPEN DISCUSSION]
I THINK WE'VE REALLY DISCUSSED A LOT UNLESS ANYBODY HAS SOME PARTICULAR POINT THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE SPEAK.MR. SHEPHERD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE US INTO CLOSE SESSION, PLEASE? CAN I MAKE ONE BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT SHOW UP? UM, MS. NOLAN, MR. ASKED ME TO MENTION, SO I'VE JUST WANTED TO TELL THE BOARD THAT BASED ON THE CHANGES IN CDC GUIDANCE AND THE COVID TREND, I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT AS OF TODAY COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE, WE HAVE GONE TO MASK OPTIONAL AND WITH A MESSAGE THAT I SENT OUT THAT SAID, HOPEFULLY THIS IS THE NEW WAY OF THINGS, BUT LET'S STILL BE CAUTIOUS.
THE PLAN GOALS WE'LL DO THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
[CLOSED MEETING]
IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.2 DASH 37 11 A THREE, THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.AND I MOVE THAT THE BOARD SUPERVISORS CAN BE CLOSED MEETING REGARDING REAL PROPERTY USE FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE SPECIFICALLY PERTAINING TO THE DISPOSITION OF THE GRANT AND ANNEX AND COURTS WAS SECTION 2.2 DASH 37, 11 A SEVEN OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AND MOVE AT THE BOARD SUPERVISORS, CONVENE AND CLOSE MEETING TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL CONSULTANTS AND OR STAFF ON MATTER OF ACTUAL LITIGATION IN WHICH THE COUNTY IS INVOLVED.
ROLL CALL PLACE MR. ROAD, MR. SHEPHERD, MR. GREEN.
WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION AND WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING.
AFTER WE COME OUT OF CLOSED SESSION.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE BY THE WAY, WATCHED A SCENE UPSTAIRS IN THE BOARDROOM.