[Call to Order]
[00:00:07]
GOOD EVENING, LADIES, GENTLEMEN.
WELCOME TO THE APRIL 18TH, UH, 2023 BOARD OF SUPERVISOR MEETING.
MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU HAVE A QUORUM.
I HAVE A CALL ON, UH, TIM CROSS, THE, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT TO GIVE THE INVOCATION.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. MORGAN, I GUESS FOR THE LAST TIME, MR. BARNETT, UH, LET US PRAY.
THANK YOU, ALMIGHTY GOD, CREATOR OF ALL.
IN THE SEASON OF REBIRTH AND RENEWAL, WE ARE REMINDED OF THE BEAUTY OF YOUR CREATION FOR WHICH WE GIVE YOU THANKS.
TEACH US TO BE GOOD IN FAITHFUL STEWARDS OF THE NATURAL RURAL WORLD YOU'VE GIVEN US.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC SERVANTS GATHERED HERE TONIGHT TO CONDUCT THE IMPORTANT BUSINESS OF THE COUNTY.
WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THEM, WISDOM, STRENGTH, AND COMPASSION AS THEY SEEK TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF YOUR COUNTY AND ITS CITIZENS.
WE PRAY THESE THINGS IN YOUR HOLY NAME.
PLEASE RISE IN, UH, FACE FLAG BEFORE THE PLEDGE OF AGENTS I PLEDGE OF TO THE FLAG, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC NATION.
[1* York County Public Library Update. Receive an update from Kevin Smith, Director of Library Services and staff.]
OKAY, SO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.THIS WILL, UH, WHERE'S KEVIN? I, KEVIN'S HERE FROM, UH, HE'S A DIRECTOR OF OUR LIBRARY SERVICES.
SO YOU COULD GIVE US AN UPDATE ON OUR LIBRARIES.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AND YES, I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ON THE NEW YORKTOWN LIBRARY.
IT'S BEEN A COUPLE YEARS, BUT WE ARE ARMED AND OPERATIONAL.
SO JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, THIS IS WHAT THE LIBRARY WAS.
WE WERE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, BUT ON MARCH 20TH, WE OPENED THE LIBRARY.
HERE'S THE ENTRANCE TO THE NEW BUILDING, TO THE, UM, RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE THE OLD SECTION AND TO THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE THE NEW WING.
UH, WHAT WE DID WITH THE BUILDING, WE TOOK THE OLD BUILDING, WHICH WAS 11,000 SQUARE FEET.
WE DOUBLED IT IN SIZE TO 22,000 SQUARE FEET.
RE UM, GOT AT THE INTERIOR OF THE OLD SPACE AND REDID IT.
SO WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE A BRAND NEW LIBRARY ON THE SITE OF, UM, THE YORKTOWN LIBRARY SITE.
AND HERE'S WHAT YOU SEE FROM 17.
UM, THESE NUMBERS ARE, UM, AS OF LAST WEEK.
SO WHAT, WHAT WE DID IN THREE WEEKS, WE'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, UH, PROGRAMMING.
SO WE'VE HAD ALMOST, AGAIN, THESE NUMBERS WERE GOOD LAST THURSDAY, SO WE'VE HAD OVER 5,000 CHECKOUTS.
THAT'S ALMOST, YOU KNOW, IN, THAT'S PRE COVID CHECKOUTS IN, IN THREE WEEKS.
WE'VE DONE 33 PROGRAMS. 30 OF THOSE WERE YOUTH PROGRAMS, THREE ADULT PROGRAMS. THE ATTENDANCE, WE'VE HAD 631, UH, PEOPLE ATTENDING THE, THE CHILDREN AND ADULTS.
UH, WE'VE, UH, REGISTERED OVER 300 NEW PATRONS IN THE NEW BUILDING.
PEOPLE COMING THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR HAVE BEEN OVER 4,000.
IT'S PROBABLY UP TO 5,000 NOW THAT IT'S ABOUT MIDWEEK.
SO, AGAIN, WE'VE DONE A LOT IN, IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO THE, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE OPENING HIGHLIGHTS.
MRS. NOLAN AND I WERE THERE, UM, READY TO, TO WELCOME THE CUSTOMERS IN.
AND WHAT'S NEAT, WE'VE, THE ARCHITECT PRESERVED THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE OLD BUILDING.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE ARCHWAYS, AND IT'S A NICE SEGUE FROM WHEN YOU COME INTO THE NEW BUILDING.
YOU SEGUE THROUGH THOSE ARCHES INTO THE OLD SECTION AND KIND OF, UH, PRESERVING THE, THE HISTORY.
THE LADY ON THE LEFT IS ELIZABETH LAND, OUR BRANCH MANAGER, UM, ONE OF MY RIGHT HAND PEOPLE.
AND SHE'S THERE TO, IF YOU NEED ANY HELP OR NEED TO DO ANYTHING AT YORKTOWN, UH, GIVE ELIZABETH A CALL.
AND HERE'S THE YORKTOWN STAFF.
AND MANY OF THEM SPENT THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, EITHER AT THE GRAFTON ANNEX OR AT THE TAB LIBRARY.
SO THEY WERE ALL VERY EAGER AND HAPPY TO, TO GET BACK TO THE NEW BUILDING.
UH, HERE'S THE, WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH, WE'VE GOT OUR NEW LOBBY, AND THIS IS THE FRONT DESK, UH, WHAT I CALL THE ATRIUM.
THAT'S MORE OF YOUR TRADITIONAL LIBRARY SPACE.
AND IT ALSO KIND OF SERVES AS AN ART GALLERY.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU THAT IN A SECOND.
UM, THE LOCAL HISTORY AREA, I'M SO VERY PROUD OF THIS.
UM, YOU WALK IN, IT'S HIGHLIGHTED, WE HAVE PRESERVED THE
[00:05:01]
LOCAL, UH, THE HISTORY COLLECTION.I CONTINUE TO PERSONALLY ADD TO THAT COLLECTION.
WE'RE, WE'RE BUYING, UH, MORE AND MORE MATERIALS.
YOU CAN SEE HERE, A STUDENT USING OUR RESOURCES.
AND I GOTTA SAY MR. GREEN, IT HAS THE FRANK GREEN SEAL OF APPROVAL.
SO HE'S OUR LOCAL HISTORIAN, AND THAT'S HARD TO GET FOR YES, EXACTLY.
FOR HIM TO COMMEND IT AND LOVE IT SAYS A LOT.
SO I APPRECIATE THE STAFF AND, AND EVERYBODY THAT WENT INTO IT.
AND I GOTTA GIVE KUDOS TO, UM, PUBLIC WORKS TO DANIEL, WHO'S THE SIGN MAKER, WHO'S DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB IN, UM, DOING THE SIGN WORK IN THE NEW LIBRARY.
UH, WHAT THE OLD LIBRARY DIDN'T HAVE, IT DIDN'T HAVE A SPACE FOR TEAMS. IT DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE, IF YOU WILL.
YOUNG ADULT IS FROM 13 TO TO 18.
SO WE'VE GOT A TEEN SPACE IN THERE.
UH, WHAT YOU SEE, UM, THAT THING ON THE LEFT IS SELF-CHECKOUT UNIT.
WE DON'T MAKE PEOPLE USE IT, BUT IF YOU DON'T WANNA STAND IN LINE, SOME, SOME OF OUR CUSTOMERS JUST LIKE TO COME IN AND DO THEIR OWN THING.
UM, THE PREVIOUS LIBRARY NEVER HAD A CHILDREN'S WING.
IT HAD WHAT I CALLED A CHILDREN'S CORNER.
AND THE HALLMARK OF THIS NEW LIBRARY IS AN ENTIRE CHILDREN'S WING, UH, DEVOTED TO YOUTH SERVICES.
AND I GOTTA GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THE BARGAIN BOX.
UM, AND THEIR PARENT COMPANY IS THE YORK, UH, COUNTY, UM, VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION, DONATED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY, GAVE US A GRANT, AND WE USED THAT MONEY TO OUTFIT THE CHILDREN'S WINGS.
SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE BARGAIN BOX AND THEIR SUPPORT OF THE LIBRARY.
SO I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU SOME, UH, A LITTLE PICTORIAL TOUR OF, OF THE LIBRARY.
AND I, AND I LOVE THIS HOW THE, THE LITTLE READING NOOK IN THE CHILDREN'S WING THAT LOOKS OUT UNDER THE BACKYARD.
UH, WE STILL HAVE PUBLIC ACCESS COMPUTERS, LIKE THE OTHER LIBRARY HAD.
UM, MANY OF OUR PATRONS DON'T HAVE COMPUTER ACCESS, OR THEY HAVE RETIRED AND THEY'VE CHOSEN TO PULL THE PLUG, BUT THEY COME TO THE LIBRARY TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
UM, THE TREX, UH, RECEPTACLES, THEY'RE BACK.
NOW, THESE ARE LOCATED AT THE BACK OF THE LIBRARY.
THEY'RE NOT AT THE FRONT OF THE LIBRARY, BUT IF YOU WANNA BRING YOUR, UM, UH, PLASTIC TO RECYCLE, UH, BRING 'EM TO THE BACK OF THE LIBRARY.
AND WE ACTUALLY, EVERY SIX MONTHS, I, UM, REPORT, UH, EVERY MONTH I REPORT THE TREX, THE, THE PLASTIC WEIGHT.
AND EVERY SIX MONTHS WE GET A BENCH.
SO WE'VE GOT A NICE COLLECTION OF BENCHES THAT THEY, UM, THEY MAKE OUT OF THE PLASTIC BAGS THAT THEY RECYCLE.
UM, THE FRONT PARKING LOT OF THE NEW LIBRARY HAS EV CHARGING STATIONS, WHICH ARE VERY POPULAR.
UH, WE HAVE MULTIPLE MEETING ROOMS. SO THE LARGE MEETING ROOM AT THE YORKTOWN LIBRARY ALSO DOUBLES AS AN AUDITORIUM.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE, THERE'S A STAGE THAT UNFOLDS FROM THE WALL AND THE, UH, ROOM THERE CAN SEE UP TO A HUNDRED, UH, A HUNDRED PEOPLE.
SO OUR PLANS ARE TO HAVE THAT AS A, AS A, A FORUM FOR VARIOUS CULTURAL ARTS ACTIVITIES AND FOR, UM, COUNTY YOUTH AND SCHOOL BOARD YOUTH.
NOW, THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS ACTUALLY BEEN MEETING IN THAT ROOM ALREADY SINCE THAT FIRST WEEK WE WERE THERE.
SO, UM, AND THE, I'M DOING A LITTLE COMPARING AND CONTRASTING THE OLD LIBRARY ONLY HAD ONE MEETING ROOM.
THIS ONE HAS MULTIPLE ROOMS, UH, LOTS OF SPACE FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDY AND ALSO FOR GROUP STUDY.
IF YOU'RE DOING RESEARCH, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU ARE JUST, OR IF YOU'RE BUSINESS PEOPLE THAT NEED A PLACE TO MEET AND HAVE A CONFERENCE.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CITIZENS THAT ARE, UM, BUSINESS OWNERS THAT HAVE COME AND USED OUR FACILITIES.
AND WHAT'S NEAT WITH THESE CONFERENCE ROOMS, UM, THE TECHNOLOGY IN THAT IS CALLED IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY.
THERE'S A SOFTWARE CALLED SOLSTICE, AND IT'S DEVICE AGNOSTIC.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO FUMBLE WITH ANY WIRES.
IF YOU HAVE AN IPAD, IF YOU HAVE A TABLET, IF YOU HAVE A, UM, A PC, UM, YOU JUST DOWNLOAD AN APP.
UH, YOU FOLLOW THE SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE
AND WITHIN ABOUT 30 SECONDS, YOU CONNECT TO THE, UM, TO THE TECHNOLOGY IN THERE.
AND IF YOU'RE GIVING A PRESENTATION OR YOU'VE GOT A GROUP ACTIVITY, MULTIPLE PEOPLE CAN LOG INTO THAT.
SO I REALLY THINK THAT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE HELP OF, UH, TIM WYATT AND THE IT DEPARTMENT FOR HELPING US OUTFIT THIS LIBRARY.
AND THAT'S THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BUILDING.
AND ALL OF THESE ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR RENT, IF YOU WILL, JUST CALL THE LIBRARY OR GO ONLINE, AND YOU CAN GO TO ABOUT US AND CHOOSE, UM, UH, THE MEETING ROOM AND YOU CAN MAKE A RESERVATION FOR THE VARIOUS MEETING ROOMS. SO, UH, TWO WEEKS AGO WE STARTED OUR TRADITIONAL STORY TIME PROGRAMS. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE VERY POPULAR.
UM, WE DIDN'T LOSE ANY CUSTOMERS FROM TAB WHEN WE OPENED YORKTOWN, SO THAT WAS REALLY
[00:10:01]
NICE.SO BOTH, UM, ROSTERS OF STORY TIME ARE, ARE FILLED.
SO WE'VE GOT A, UM, A TAB SCHEDULE AND A, UM, YORK CLASSES.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE, IT'S VERY POPULAR.
THERE'S A NEW, UM, PROGRAM WE'VE STARTED CALLED OPEN PLAY, AND THAT'S WHERE WE USE THE CHILDREN'S STORY TIME ROOM WHEN IT'S NOT BEING USED FOR CLASSES, UM, ON MONDAY, WEDNESDAYS, AND FRIDAYS RIGHT NOW.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A RESERVATION, YOU DON'T HAVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULE YOUR CHILD.
YOU CAN JUST DROP IN AND YOU CAN PLAY.
IT'S KIND OF, IT'S NOT REALLY ROMPER ROOM, BUT WE'VE GOT VERY, YOU CAN SEE VARIOUS TOYS AND ACTIVITIES, UM, FOR KIDS AND PARENTS TO COME.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT COMMUNITY BUILDING SPACE.
UM, PARENTS ARE GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND CHILDREN ARE PLAYING.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE OBJECTS THAT ARE FOUND IN THERE.
UM, ANOTHER PROGRAM, UM, WE NOW HAVE ON WEDNESDAY EVENINGS TEEN GAMING.
SO SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T, LIKE, WHY ARE YOU HAVING VIDEO GAMES AT THE LIBRARY? WELL, THIS IS A DEMOGRAPHIC WE'VE ALWAYS HAD TROUBLE MM-HMM.
SO TEENS COME TO THE LIBRARY WHEN THEY HAVE RESEARCH PAPERS TO DO AND TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK.
BUT ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, UM, LIBRARY PROGRAMS, IT WAS HARD TO, TO REACH OUT TO THEM.
BUT THIS TEAM GAMING IS VERY, VERY POPULAR.
AND WE HAVE VARIOUS, UM, GAMING SYSTEMS AND WHAT I THINK IS ALSO NEAT AND, UM, WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF THE SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS, SPECIAL NEEDS.
TEENS ARE COMING TO THE GAMING PROGRAM, AND THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH THEIR, UM, WITH THE OTHER STUDENTS.
AND IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY NEAT TO, WE'VE, AGAIN, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO A DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE, WE'VE NEVER REACHED OUT TO, AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, OUR MAKER SPACE, UM, A LOT OF LIBRARIES HAVE THESE TECHNOLOGY CENTERS AND THEY HAVE VARIOUS GADGETS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THINGS, UH, FOR DOING, UM, VARIOUS TECHNOLOGY.
WE'VE GOT A, ON THE LEFT IS WHAT'S CALLED A LASER CUTTER.
UM, YOU, YOU CAN DESIGN THINGS AND IT'LL, IT'LL CUT METAL, IT'LL CUT PLASTIC.
UH, THIS WAS A PROGRAM WE HAD WHERE THE, UH, ADULT STUDENTS ARE ASSEMBLING THINGS THAT, UM, WE MADE WITH THE, UM, 3D PRINTER AND THE LASER CUTTER.
AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, I THINK THEY DID SOME, UM, ORNAMENTS OR OR SUN CATCHERS THERE.
AND, UM, IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, UH, ON OUR APRIL 30TH EVENT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE, SO YOU CAN SEE THE GADGETS AND THE MACHINERIES THAT ARE IN THERE.
AND WE'RE ALSO GONNA DO A CITIZEN SURVEY TO SEE WHAT THE CITIZENS, UH, REALLY WANT TO DO.
I'VE GOTTA GIVE A BIG THANKS TO THE ON THE HILL GALLERY FOR OUTFITTING THE LIBRARY.
AND, UM, THEY PROVIDED, UM, I GOT A, THE DIRECTOR OF THE GALLERY, KATHY WALL, UH, CAME WITH, UH, ARTWORK FROM VARIOUS ARTISTS AND DISPLAYED THAT WE HAVE SOME, UH, SCULPTURE WORK THAT ARE, THAT IS IN THE ATRIUM THERE.
AND OUR PLAN IS TO, UM, SWAP OUT THOSE ITEMS EVERY THREE MONTHS.
SO, AND ANYWAYS, AND I ALSO, AS THE TIME GOES BY, WE'LL LOOK AT, UM, ARTWORK FROM OTHER LOCAL GALLERIES AND ARTISTS.
UM, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, UM, THE COMP DEGRASS CHAPTER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, UM, GAVE US A NICE DONATION.
THEY GAVE US TWO, $250 DONATIONS TO BUY BOOKS, UH, RELATE TO SPECIFICALLY BY CHILDREN'S BOOKS, UM, RELATED TO THE, UH, REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND THE VICTORY HERE IN YORKTOWN.
AND, UM, THEY ALSO GAVE US THESE MUSEUM, UH, DISPLAYS.
I'VE GOT ONE AT YORKTOWN AND ONE AT TAB, UH, THAT COMMEMORATE THE, UH, YORKTOWN VICTORY.
AND 250 WAS KEY TO THEM FOR, UM, FOR THE, FOR THE UPCOMING, UH, 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REVOLUTION.
AND WE INVITE YOU AND THE ENTIRE PUB, ALL THE PUBLIC, UH, TO ON APRIL 30TH FOR OUR GRAND OPENING, UM, SPRING FLING, AS I'M CALLING IT, UH, FROM ONE TO FOUR.
AND WE'VE GOT VARIOUS ACTIVITIES.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BOOK SALE, UH, THE MAKER SPACE, OPEN HOUSE, UM, UH, THE TEENY TINY FARM.
LITTLE BARNYARD ANIMALS ARE COMING FOR THE CHILDREN.
AND THE, UM, OPEN PLAY AREA WILL BE OPEN.
SO, UH, WE'VE DONE A LOT IN THREE AND A HALF WEEKS, AND WE'VE, WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE ON THE ROSTER AND THINGS UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
SO LET ME GO SEE IF QUESTIONS.
I, I, YOUR, YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS INFECTIOUS
[00:15:01]
IT, WHAT YOU SEE, THERE'S SO MUCH THAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES, AND THE THOUGHT AND THE PROCESS JUST WENT ON AND ON, AND YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF THAT.AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR IT.
I THINK THE CITIZENS HAVE BENEFITED GREATLY WITH WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
UM, STEVE, UH, WALKED THROUGH IT THE OTHER DAY, REALLY LIKE WHAT I SAW.
I THOUGHT YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB THERE.
I WAS TEMPTED TO JUST HANG OUT THERE A LOT LONGER THAN I HAD TIME TO, UH, PULL MYSELF AWAY.
REAL INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT MAKER SPACE.
YOU GOT SOME EXCITE TECHNOLOGY THERE.
AND I WAS THINKING, I WAS LOOKING AT THAT, CAN REMEMBER THE MALLET THAT WE RECEIVED DURING THE GRAND OPENING WITH THE STICKER ON IT, THINKING WE HAVE A LASER ENGRAVER NOW GOING FORWARD, WE CAN ENGRAVE THAT ON THERE AND NOT PUT A STICKER ON THERE.
SO MAYBE DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.
HEY, WELL, YEAH, UM, GOOD LUCK AS WE GO FORWARD,
UM, A COUPLE THINGS, COUPLE COMMENTS.
UM, FIRST, GREAT PRESENTATION.
THANKS, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR, UM, DOING THAT.
AND YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB AND, UH, KIND OF HONCHO ALL THE, THAT LIBRARY'S GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, I PERSONALLY WANT TO THANK SHEILA NOEL FOR KEEPING THE LIBRARY, THE NEW LIBRARY AND THE CONSCIOUS CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
UM, FOR YEARS, THAT WAS HER, HER BABY.
AND SHE KEPT PUSHING AND PUSHING AND WE, WE WENT THROUGH THIS LONG PROCESS OF, UM, GETTING IT DEVELOPED.
UH, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE CARPETING PICKING CARPET AND PAINT FAR AS I KNOW, BUT I MEAN, SHE WAS, SHE WAS IN THERE AND IT WAS GREAT.
THE CITIZENS OF, UH, YORK COUNTY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT LIBRARY.
UM, I DID ATTEND THE FIRST DAY, UH, AND IT WAS INTERESTING.
I, I'VE, UH, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE EXPERIENCED A WAITING LINE IN A CHECKOUT AT THE LIBRARY.
UH, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE, UH, THERE WAS SO MANY NEW THINGS TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, CENTURY, UH, OVERLOAD.
BUT, UM, UH, YEAH, THAT WAS, THAT'S, IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL LIBRARY, AND WE HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF, UH, FOR THOSE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE THINGS LIKE TEEN, TEEN GAMING AND YOU GO, OH GOSH, HERE WE ARE WASTING MONEY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU REALLY KNOW THIS.
I, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL JUST RECENTLY, BUT, UH, WILLIAM AND MARY HAS A DEGREE PROGRAM IN GAMING.
THE GAMING, UM, IN FACT, THE PROFESSOR THERE, UH, IS WAY I UNDERSTAND THIS, IS SHE WILL BE ONE, UH, THERE'S, IT'S EITHER BEEN ACCEPTED OR IS ABOUT GOING TO BE ACCEPTED.
THERE'S A GAMING PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT OLYMPICS.
AND SHE IS GOING TO BE IN, IN THAT, IN THE, THE PART THAT WHERE THEY DEVELOP, UH, HOW THAT'S GONNA BE PLAYED.
AND, UH, SHE MAY END UP BEING ONE OF THE JUDGES DOWN THERE, BUT I WAS ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDED ABOUT THE, THE PROGRAM IN THAT, THE GAMING DEALS WITH THE BUSINESS SIDE, THE SOCIAL SIDE, UH, HOW TO, YOU KNOW, HOW TO, HOW TO SET IT UP, HOW TO PROGRAM AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF.
AND, UH, FOR US THAT WERE, WE GREW UP IN OUR YOUTH BEFORE THERE WAS EVEN COMPUTERS THAT WE'D OVERSEE, EVEN A HANDHELD COMPUTER.
UH, YOU JUST BETTER, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA GET YOUR BRAIN RIGHT TO GET INTO THE, THE LOCAL, UM, AND THE, AND THE, THE UNIVERSE TODAY BECAUSE THE COMPUTERS AND GAMING HAVE REALLY REACHED A POINT MM-HMM.
AND JUST LET NOTE, LET FOLKS KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BIG PART OF WHAT THE LIBRARY WILL BE DOING IN THE FUTURE TOO.
I'VE GOT A FEW FOLKS THAT YOU'VE SET UP HERE FOR, UM, COMMENT, PERIOD.
LET ME, BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS, LET ME GET MY ACT TOGETHER AND FIND OF MY SHEET, MY CHEAT SHEET.
[CITIZENS' COMMENT PERIOD]
THAT AND WE'LL NOW GO INTO THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.NOW, SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE, I'VE LOOKED AT THIS, AND SOME OF YOU MAY BE TALKING SPECIFICALLY TO AN ACTION TO THE BOARD SUPERVISORS.
UH, IF YOU WANNA HOLD YOUR COMMENTS TILL THAT TIME WHEN, WHEN IT, UH, COMES UP, YOU CAN DO SO.
IF NOT, WE'LL, JUST AS THIS IS A GREAT TIME, YOU CAN YOU GET YOUR THREE MINUTES.
SO WHEN I CALL YOU NAME, IN THE ORDER IN WHICH WE RECEIVED THEM, YOU COME UP, GIVE US YOUR, UH, YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THE GREEN LIGHT WILL BE YOUR LIGHT TELLING YOU TO GO.
THE YELLOW LIGHT IS ABOUT A 32ND WARNING, AND THEN THE RED LIGHT MEANS YOUR TIME IS UP.
SO THE FIRST ONE WITH A COMMENT PERIOD HERE WILL BE JAMES CHAPMAN.
I LIVE AT ONE 30 YORKSHIRE DRIVE, AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS TO MAKE AS A RESULT
[00:20:01]
OF THE CLOSED SESSION THAT I LISTENED TO RECENTLY.DURING THAT DISCUSSION, THERE WAS RECOMMENDATION MADE TO DO AWAY WITH A $25 VEHICLE FEE FROM THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
THERE WAS DISCUSSION ON IT, AND A PART OF THAT DISCUSSION WAS THAT THERE WAS AN AREA OF THE BUDGET THAT WAS OFF LIMITS FOR CONSIDERATION, THAT IF THEY DID AWAY WITH THE $25 AS TO WHERE TO GET THE REVENUE TO MAKE UP FOR IT.
I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULD EVER BE AN ITEM THAT IS OFF LIMITS TO THIS BOARD IN APPROVING A BUDGET.
WELL, HOW CAN YOU PUT SOMETHING OFF LIMITS AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON IT WHEN THE BUDGET HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED YET? THAT'S WRONG.
ALSO, WAS A $25 FEE, WAS, UH, RECOMMENDED TO BE DONE AWAY WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AGREED TO IT, BUT RECOMMENDED THAT IT BE DONE NEXT YEAR.
WHY THIS IS THE YEAR THAT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WON'T PUT IT OFF.
WELL, THE DISCUSSION INCLUDED ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU DID AWAY WITH THE $25 YOU HAD LOSE ABOUT A 1.3 MILLION IN REVENUE.
WELL, WHERE TO TAKE THAT UP? THAT CAME THE COMMENT ABOUT CERTAIN AREAS BEYOND BEING OFF LIMITS.
WELL, EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, I MEAN, THE, UH, SALARY AREA CAME UP FOR CONS TALK, WELL, THE COUNTY RECEIVED.
I RECOMMEND IF THEY DO DO AWAY WITH THE $25, TAKE THE 1.3 MILLION THAT IS NEEDED FOR, TO REPLACE THAT.
TAKE IT FROM THE PROPOSED SALARY INCREASE THAT THEY'RE MAKING AT THREE POINT SOME ODD MILLION DOLLARS.
COUNTY HAD A PAY RAISE LAST YEAR.
DO WE NEED ANOTHER ONE THIS YEAR? ALSO, THE 10 CENT FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RE REDUCTION IS INSUFFICIENT.
IF YOU CHECK THE RECORDS OF ALL THE LOCAL AREAS AROUND HERE, THEY'RE ALL SAYING THAT THE VALUE OF USED VEHICLES IS STILL HIGH.
I'LL RECOMMEND THAT 10 CENTS BE MADE TO 20 CENTS.
UM, THE BUDGET PROCESS IS CONSTRAINED IN THIS LITTLE GR GREEN AND RED LIGHT UP HERE IS AN INDICATOR OF IT ITSELF.
THE BUDGET PROCESS IS CONSTRAINED.
NOW, PLEASE HEAR ME OUT ON THIS.
THERE'S A PERIOD WHERE THE BUDGET IS PROPOSED, THEN THERE'S A WORK SESSION, AND THEN THERE'S THIS NIGHT, THEN TWO OR THREE MAY COMES AROUND FOR APPROVAL OF THAT.
THERE IS NOT AN ENOUGH TIME IN THERE TO HAVE CITIZEN INPUT FOR RECOMMENDED CHANGES.
I'LL RECOMMEND THAT YOU START THE BUDGET PROCESS TWO WEEKS EARLIER AND ADD ONE MORE NIGHT LIKE TONIGHT IN THE PROCESS SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE CITIZEN INPUT.
THEN YOU CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AS TO HOW THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED WITHIN THE BOARD.
AND THEN HAVE ANOTHER ONE WHERE THAT YOU HEAR FROM THE BOARD WHAT IS HAPPENED TO IT.
IT GIVES THE CITIZENRY MORE TIME TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE THE BUDGET PROCESS AND HAVE FEEDBACK TO THE CITIZENS AND INPUT FROM THE CITIZENS TO THE BOARD THAT MAKES THESE.
YOUR, UH, THREE MINUTES ARE UP.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT, UH, YOU'RE DONE, SIR.
GAVE EVERYBODY A COPY OF THE MY YES, YOU DID STATEMENT.
AND ONE ITEM IS THAT I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT THE BOARD GIVE A RESPONSE TO THOSE IN THE NEXT MEETING.
MY NAME IS DEB WESLEY, AND MY ADDRESS IS 9 0 2 DARE ROAD.
AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE YORK EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT JUST TO EDUCATE AND SHARE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN VIRGINIA.
AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, VIRGINIA HOUSE BILL 5 82 TOOK EFFECT IN MAY OF 2021.
THE LEGISLATION EMPOWERS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT.
THIS LEGISLATION REVERSED A 1977 VIRGINIA SUPREME COURT RULING, BANNING LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES FROM ENTERING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES.
WHAT THIS LAW DOESN'T ALLOW IS STRIKING BY PUBLIC EMPLOYEES OR ANY KIND OF WORK STOPPAGE.
ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS IN ACHIEVING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND PROVIDING INFORMATION WE ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE NEGOTIATED.
[00:25:01]
WE KNOW THAT THE CODE OF VIRGINIA DICTATES NON-NEGOTIABLES FOR SCHOOLS, FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND FOR THE MANAGEMENT.BUT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS A PROCESS IN WHICH THE MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVES NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT FOR A GROUP OF EMPLOYEES.
IT SH IT CAN AND SHOULD BE A MUTUAL, PROFESSIONAL AND RESPECTFUL OBLIGATION TO BARGAINING GOOD FAITH.
SINCE A HOUSE BILL 5 82 PASSED AN EVER-GROWING NUMBER OF VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE ENACTED POLICIES ESTABLISHING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESSES WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYERS, AND LOCAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATIONS.
THESE INCLUDE FAIRFAX RICHMOND, LOUDOUN ARLINGTON, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, CHARLOTTESVILLE, AND FALLS CHURCH.
IN ADDITION, NEWPORT NEWS IN WILLIAMSBURG, JAMES CITY COUNTY, AND VIRGINIA BEACH ARE GETTING CLOSE TO ENACTING SIMILAR, UM, AGREEMENTS.
IN FACT, YOU MAY BE AWARE THAT THE RICHMOND EDUCATION ASSOCIATION RECENTLY ADOPTED A THREE YEAR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE RICHMOND SCHOOL BOARD.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS AND WILL BE A WIN-WIN SITUATION, NOT ONLY FOR EMPLOYEES, BUT FOR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING DOESN'T DELIVER A UTOPIA, BUT IT DOES GIVE EDUCATORS A VOICE THAT CAN HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON OUR PROFESSIONAL LIVES.
AS WE KNOW, RAPID TURNOVER HAS A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON ANY ORGANIZATION AND SCHOOL TONO TURNOVER IS DETRIMENTAL FOR BOTH STUDENTS AS WELL AS EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES, WE DO.
BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT HAPPY AND LOYAL EMPLOYEES TEND TO NOT ONLY STAY IN ONE PLACE, BUT GO ABOUT THEIR WORK WITH STRONG SKILLS, POSITIVE ENERGY AND JOY.
UM, ON A SIDE NOTE, PERSONAL NOTE, AS A READING SPECIALIST FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THE YORKTOWN LIBRARY.
UM, IT JUST LIKE I SAT BACK THERE AND JUST FULL OF JOY WITH THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID FOR THE, UM, YORKTOWN LIBRARY, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK IN PROVIDING WONDERFUL THINGS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
UH, STEVEN KENNEDY, 1 0 4 PENN DRIVE.
ALSO VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CONSERVE YORK COUNTY FOUNDATION.
CHECK US OUT@CONSERVEYORKCOUNTY.ORG.
WHERE WOULD YOU RATHER BE ON TAX DAY THAN RIGHT HERE? HISTORIC YORKTOWN.
TONIGHT'S TOPIC, COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC AND YOUR MINUTES THAT YOU PUBLISHED FROM THE FEBRUARY 21ST BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.
HAVING SAID ON MANY BOARDS, BOTH FOR-PROFIT AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT, I WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT AT A YOUNG AGE AS A WALL STREET INTERN, DON'T LET THEM, OR THE COMMITTEE OF THEY PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH OR DON'T LET THEM DELETE WORDS OR YOUR VIEWS.
BEFORE APPROVING THOSE MINUTES IN READING YOUR MINUTES, WHICH WERE PUBLISHED, THERE WERE TWO GLARING EXAMPLES THAT JU JUMPED OUT.
DANA DE JAGER, WHO'S SITTING BEHIND ME AND YOURS, TRULYS, AND BY THE WAY, MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA TO GO AND REREAD THE SPRINGFIELD ROAD CITIZENS COMMENTS AS WELL.
CHECK 'EM OUT FOR EDIFICATION.
FULL PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE HERE.
I HAD THEM TRANSCRIBED FOR YOU.
2023 WORDS MEAN THINGS FOR ALL THE LAWYERS IN THE ROOM.
DANA USED THE F WORD 14 TIMES.
AND THEN YOUR ATTEMPT TO SUMMARIZE, YOU DELETED THAT WORD.
IT DID NOT SHOW UP ANYWHERE IN THE WORDS THAT YOU USED.
YOU PUBLISHED MY COMMENTS WITH 60 WORDS.
THERE WERE 538 WORDS IN THAT LITTLE CHITCHAT.
I DO TALK AT 90 MILES AN HOUR WITH GUS UP TO ONE 20.
AGAIN, YOUR ATTEMPTS TO SUMMARIZE, LOOK MORE LIKE A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO SUPPRESS, DILUTE, OR ELIMINATE THE MESSAGE.
I HAVE SOME DEGREE OF EMPATHY, ALBEIT VERY LITTLE FOR THIS BUSINESS OF SUMMARIZING IN ALL THE DATA AND ALL THE SPEECHES THAT YOU RECEIVE.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE 70 YEAR OLD NEIGHBOR OF MINE WHO IS NOT WATCHING THIS VIDEO? AND AS MR. SMITH SAID, SET THE TABLE BEAUTIFULLY.
HOW MANY OF THE 70,000 RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE A COMPUTER AND ARE WATCHING THIS? THEY NEED A TRANSCRIPT.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EVERY MORNING I HAVE CLIENTS LIKE THIS.
O S CONTINUE TO ROAD PUBLISHED COMMENTS.
REMEMBER LAST TIME I STOOD HERE, I SAID, THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR.
REMEMBER ONE DAY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WILL NOT BE HERE.
[00:30:01]
MR. ZAREMBA.UH, CONGRATS EARLY ON YOUR 69TH DISTRICT DELEGATE SEAT EARLY ON.
SOME MAY JUST SUGGEST AS YOUR NEW EMPLOYERS THAT YOU GO HOME IN NOVEMBER.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BEFORE MY TIME RUNS OUT TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, I HAVE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, UH, 412 WORDS AND COUNTING.
IF YOU'D LIKE THE TRANSCRIPT OF MY SPEECH HERE THIS EVENING.
PLEASE STOP WHITEWASHING OUR WORDS.
PLEASE PUBLISH THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OR IN THE ENTIRE MINUTES OF ALL THE WORDS SPOKEN DURING PUBLIC COMMON SESSIONS.
OKAY, SO I'M GONNA SCREW THIS UP.
UM, IS IT HIER BROCK? HOPE I GET CLOSE.
I LIVE AT TWO 20, UH, BACON STREET.
I'M HERE TO URGE YOU THE ESTEEMED MEMBERS, OUR, OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, IN YORK COUNTY TO ADOPT WHAT SOME WOULD CALL A CODE OF ETHICS.
OTHERS CALL A CODE OF CONDUCT.
THE PURPOSE OF SUCH A CODE IS TO IDENTIFY THE BEST PRACTICES BY WHICH A GROUP DOES ITS WORK.
SADLY, WE LIVE IN A TIME WHEN THERE'S AN INCREASED DISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND OTHER PUBLIC SERVANTS AT ALL LEVELS.
FOR YOU TO ADOPT A CODE OF ETHICS, ARTICULATING YOUR OWN BEST PRACTICES, I BELIEVE WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARD MAINTAINING, UH, THE PUBLIC'S TRUST AND, AND, AND CONFIDENCE IN THE WORK YOU DO.
AND MAYBE IN INCREASING IT, ADOPTING A CODE OF ETHICS WOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT EACH SUPERVISOR INTENDS TO SERVE IN A MANNER THAT ALIGNS WITH THE GREATER GOOD OF THE, FOR THE COUNTY.
AND I, I THINK, AND I HOPE CERTAINLY, THAT THIS IS WHAT YOU ALL ALREADY INTEND, BUT BY ADOPTING A CO CODE OF ETHICS, YOU WOULD MAKE THOSE INTENTIONS VISIBLE TO ALL OF US.
IT WOULD BE AN OUTWARD AND VISIBLE SIGN OF YOUR CONCERN FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S, UH, ECONOMIC AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
IT WOULD REFLECT YOUR RESPECT FOR THE DIVERSE INTERESTS AND ABILITIES OF YORK COUNTY CITIZENS, FOR OUR VARIOUS SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS COMMITMENTS AND BELIEFS FOR OUR ETHNIC AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES, AND FOR OUR VARIED HOPES, UH, NEEDS AND CUSTOMS. IN THE PAST, I'VE HEARD AT LEAST ONE OF YOU SAY THAT YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU NEEDED THE CODE OF ETHICS BECAUSE YOU WERE ACCOUNTABLE TO YOUR VOTERS IN YOUR DISTRICT.
TO THAT, I SAY, I DON'T GET TO VOTE FOR ALL OF YOU, BUT ALL OF YOU IN SOME WAY AFFECT ME BECAUSE BY YOUR CONDUCT, YOU REFLECT ON ALL OF YOUR COUNTY.
UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE A PUBLIC FACE OF THE YORK COUNTY, THE YORK COUNTY SCHOOL DIVISION HAS A 75 PAGE STUDENT HANDBOOK AND CONDUCT CODE THAT, UM, GOES INTO A LOT OF DETAIL ABOUT CODE OF ETHICS OR CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ITS STUDENTS.
THEY DON'T GET TO CHOOSE THAT CODE
BUT AMONG IT, AMONG THE THINGS THAT THEY, UH, THE, THE CODE ASKS STUDENTS TO DO IS TO DEMONSTRATE RESPECT, TRUSTWORTHINESS, RESPECTFULNESS, FAIRNESS, RESPONSIBILITY, AND CARING TO APPRECIATE DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND INSTITUTIONS, TO STRIVE TO UNDERSTAND THE PAST, PARTICIPATE IN THE PRESENT AND CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE, TO RECOGNIZE DIVERSITY AS A STRENGTH, AND TO ACT AS A STEWARD OF SELF, COMMUNITY, AND THE WORLD.
WHAT A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE IT WOULD BE FOR OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE YOU, OUR COUNTY LEADERS, TO ADOPT A SE SIMILAR KIND OF CODE OF ETHICS OR CODE OF CONDUCT.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE THAT'S SIGNED UP.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE THAT WOULD CARE TO SPEAK? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
GIVE US YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'M AT, UH, 1 0 8 HORSESHOE DRIVE IN, UH, WILLIAMSBURG, BUT YORK COUNTY.
I WANTED TO TALK TONIGHT ABOUT SIDEWALKS, AND I GOTTA SAY, I LOOKED AT THE AGENDA AND I'M ABSOLUTELY THRILLED THAT WEST QUEENS IS GOING TO GET A FEW MORE METERS OF SIDEWALK.
AND, UH, YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ME SPEAK, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN I SPOKE ABOUT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE GROWING UP WHEN I HAD TWO WORKING PARENTS, AND I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE FOOD AFTER SCHOOL BEFORE MY FOLKS GOT HOME.
AND THERE WERE SIDEWALKS IN MY COMMUNITY, AND I COULD WALK FROM MY HOME TO THE GROCERY STORE AND DO THE OTHER SHOPPING AND MAKE IT HOME.
AND IT IS THE EQUALIZER FOR EVERY COMMUNITY.
AND THEN PERSONALLY, MORE RECENTLY, I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN WHO HAVE GROWN UP IN YORK COUNTY, GONE TO YORK COUNTY SCHOOLS AND NOW ATTEND VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITIES.
AND SOME OF THEIR FRIENDS WERE ACTUALLY EXCLUDED FROM SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES BECAUSE THERE WERE SIDEWALKS MISSING ON HUBBARD AND WEST QUEENS.
SO THEY COULDN'T WALK FROM OUR COMMUNITY TO THE AFTER SCHOOL EVENTS ON, UH, AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND VICE VERSA.
SO I'M JUST THRILLED THAT THERE'S SOME PROGRESS.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU KNOW, THIS
[00:35:01]
COULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED EARLIER, RIGHT? IF YOU THINK ABOUT CREEKSIDE LANDING, THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS IN CREEKSIDE LANDING.AND THE MOST RECENT NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, JAMES ON THE MERRIMACK, UM, IT'S A, UM, APARTMENT COMPLEX ACROSS FROM FOOD LION.
ON 1 43, I WAS CHATTING WITH ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS THAT'S, UH, THAT LIVES THERE.
AND I SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU THRILLED ABOUT HAVING A GROCERY STORE ACROSS THE STREET? HE SAID, OH, NO, I DON'T GO BECAUSE I CAN'T CROSS THE ROAD BECAUSE THERE'S NO CROSSWALK, THERE'S NO LIGHT.
OKAY? AND SO I STOPPED ON THE WAY HOME AT HARRIS HEATER, WHICH BY THE WAY, IS IN JIM CITY COUNTY.
AND SO I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST BRING THAT UP.
BUT A LOT OF FOLKS THINK THAT SIDEWALKS ARE JUST FOR STROLLING ON, BUT IT REALLY IS THE GREAT, UH, EQUALIZER.
AND IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR YORK COUNTY.
IT'S GOOD FOR YORK COUNTY RESIDENTS.
IT'S GOOD FOR SHARED RESOURCES THAT YORK COUNTY INVESTS IN, AND IT'S GOOD FOR YORK COUNTY BUSINESSES.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT COMMUNITIES, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE EDGE DISTRICT, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS, THINK ABOUT SIDEWALKS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT DRAWS LOCAL RESIDENTS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES AND LOCAL RESOURCES.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? YES, MA'AM.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M BEVERLY COOK CRAMS, AND I OWN TWO HOMES AT 1 0 5 AND 1 0 7 CHURCH STREET.
OUTSIDE OF THIS BUILDING, MY TWO HOMES OVERLOOK THE YORKTOWN BEACH.
I HAVE 175 FEET OF FRONT YARD THAT IS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE PUB AND LARRY'S RESTAURANTS.
THIS LAND WAS FORMALLY OWNED BY MY FAMILY, YORK COUNTY'S MULTIMILLION DOLLAR RIVER WALK.
LANDING ANNEX PROPOSAL INCLUDES THIS PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTY.
THE PROPOSAL WILL GREATLY AFFECT MY PROPERTY AND MY QUALITY OF LIFE.
THE ARCHITECT HIRED FOR THIS MAJOR EXPANSION OF RIVER WALK LANDING WAS SENT TO VISIT ME BY YOU.
I GAVE HIM FULL ACCESS TO MY HOME AND MY PROPERTY.
ON TWO OCCASIONS, HE TOOK PHOTOS FROM MY BEDROOM FLOOR ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF MY BEDROOM WINDOWS, WHICH DIRECTLY OVERLOOKED THESE RESTAURANTS.
NONE OF OUR MEETINGS WERE DISCUSSED IN HIS PRESENTATION TO THIS BOARD EARLIER.
NONE OF YOU ASKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ANY ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS.
WE ALSO WALKED THE CHURCH STREET STAIRS, WHICH CONNECT THE VILLAGE HISTORIC CORE AND THE COMMERCIAL WATERFRONT.
WE DISCUSSED MY FAMILY'S ASSOCIATION IN THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS INTERESTING.
ALSO, AGAIN, NOTHING WAS MENTIONED BY HIM.
ONLY REMOVAL OF THIS, UH, STAIRWAY AND REPLACEMENT WHEN YORK COUNTY WAS TRYING TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE YORKTOWN WATERFRONT FROM THE TOWN TRUSTEES.
THEY CALLED AND ASKED ME FOR HELP.
I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK BEFORE THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO DISSOLVE THIS HUNDREDTH YEAR OLD GROUP THAT, UM, HELD YORKTOWN'S WATERFRONT IN TRUST FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF THIS VILLAGE.
NOT FOR THE COUNTY, BUT FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
MY FAMILY HAD BEEN ON THIS TRUSTEE BOARD.
MY FATHER HAD BEEN ON IT, BUT I SPOKE BEFORE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO DISSOLVE IT.
I WAS LATER ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WRITING OF OUR HISTORIC DIS DISTRICT ZONING LAWS.
YOU SAID THESE WERE NECESSARY TO PROTECT YORKTOWN'S SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY.
THEY WERE NECESSARY TO PRESERVE OUR SPECIAL CHARACTER.
THE PROPOSED MULTIMILLION DOLLAR REMAKE OF OUR HISTORIC VILLAGE IGNORES THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT ZONING LAWS.
IT HURTS PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS AND AFFECTS OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
I WOULD REQUEST THAT EACH OF YOU TAKE TIME TO VISIT ME AT MY PROPERTY AND DISCUSS THIS AREA, IN PARTICULAR, THE HISTORY AND THE IMPACT OF YOUR PROPOSAL.
THE SAME WITH ANY OTHER CONCERNED PROPERTY OWNER IN THIS VILLAGE.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS HISTORIC LAND FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
BOTH SIDES OF A STORY NEED TO BE HEARD AND CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.
THIS MULTIMILLION DOLLAR EXPENSE SHOULD BE TABLED THE MONEY PUT TO BETTER USE.
IT DOES NOTHING TO ENHANCE YORKTOWN'S SPECIAL HISTORY.
AND I WOULD REQUEST THAT POSSIBLY, UH, SUPERVISOR GREEN AND MAYBE YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, COULD HOLD MEETINGS WITH THE COUNTY, UH, PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE IN THE VILLAGE, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE VERY MANY IDEAS.
I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 84 YEARS, AND YOU MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING INTERESTING BEFORE THE VOTE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? WISH TO SPEAK? SEE YOU.
I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING OR NOT, EXCUSE ME, THE, UH, COMMENT PERIOD.
[COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORTS AND REQUESTS]
OKAY.NOW WE'LL HAVE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORTS SOME REQUESTS.
OH, MR. CHAIR, IF I CAN HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES.
THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING FOR ME.
UM, AS YOU ARE AWARE, AND, AND MANY PEOPLE, THE PUBLIC ARE AWARE, AND AS MR. CROSS ALLUDED TO, THIS IS MY LAST MEETING WITH YOU AS YORK COUNTY ATTORNEY.
I, UM, DECIDED TO RETIRE FROM THIS
[00:40:01]
POSITION.MY LAST DAY IN THE OFFICE WILL BE A WEEK FROM FRIDAY THE 28TH.
UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I I I LEAVE YOU, I, I THINK IN EXCELLENT HANDS, YOU'VE ALREADY POINTED MY SUCCESSOR, RICHARD HILL, WE'VE STOLE AWAY FROM THE CITY OF RICHMOND, AND WHO SOME YEARS PRIOR TO THAT WAS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE IN THE WILLIAMSBURG AREA.
SO HE'S VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND I KNOW HE IS THAT YOU'VE BECOME FAMILIAR WITH HIM AS, AS WELL.
HE'S ALREADY HIRED HIS ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, SHERRY CONSTANTINO, WHO IS SITTING NEXT TO HIM THERE ON THE BACK ROW.
UM, TOGETHER YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EXCELLENT TEAM TO WORK WITH.
AND OF COURSE, UM, THE OTHER DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY, MELANIE BERRY, ASSIGNED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD THESE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT SERVICE TO THE SCHOOLS.
I WANT TO THANK THE CITIZENS OF YORK COUNTY AND ALL THE STAFF I'VE WORKED WITH AND THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT WHEN I CAME HERE 32 AND A HALF YEARS AGO, THAT I WAS DESIGNED TO THE SCHOOLS SINCE DSS MYSELF.
SO I'D LIKE TO THANK THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND ALL OF THEIR STAFF OVER THE YEARS AS WELL AS YOU FOR THE EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY I'VE HAD TO SERVE A RATHER MARVELOUS COMMUNITY IN A MARVELOUS PUBLIC.
I CAME TO YORK COUNTY IN DECEMBER OF 1990 AS YOUR ASSISTANT, UH, COUNTY ATTORNEY WITH PRIOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY AND, AND, AND OTHER EXPERIENCE AS WELL, MOSTLY IN REAL ESTATE.
UM, AND, UH, UH, WHEN OF MY PREDECESSOR LEFT TO BECOME THE CITY ATTORNEY OF ROANOKE IN 1999, YOU ELEVATED ME.
THERE ARE TWO OF YOU ON THIS BOARD WHO ACTUALLY WERE ON THE BOARD THAT HIRED ME.
AND I, I WILL, UH, GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU AT THE PRESENT TIME FOR THAT.
THE REST OF YOU, OF COURSE, HAVE KEPT ME ON, AND THAT'S EQUALLY AS AS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN MY PLEASURE, AN EXTREME PLEASURE ALL THIS TIME TO, TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THERE'VE BEEN MANY CHANGES SINCE I FIRST ARRIVED HERE, AND I WON'T GO THROUGH THEM ALL, UH, TO THE BUILDING, TO THE STAFF.
I MEAN, IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT NOW, WHEN, WHEN I'M IN A LARGE GROUP OF STAFF, IT'S PRETTY DIFFICULT TO SPOT ANYBODY WHO WAS HERE WHEN I GOT HERE.
I THINK, UH, SHERIFF MONTGOMERY WAS OUR, WHO WAS ON THE SHERIFF'S STAFF AT THE TIME AS STEVE KAZINSKI.
AND AT THAT, AFTER THAT, I'M, I'VE RUN OUT, I'M NOT SURE WHO ELSE MIGHT HAVE BEEN HERE.
UM, UH, WE CAME HERE, I I SAY WITH ONE CHILD AND ANOTHER ON THE WAY.
ALL OF THEM, UH, WENT THROUGH, UH, THE YORK COUNTY SCHOOL DIVISION.
AND THERE'S NO GREATER BLESSING I THINK YOU CAN GIVE TO A CHILD THAN TO GRADUATE FROM THE YORK COUNTY SCHOOLS.
SO ANYWAY, I THINK I FINALLY GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S, IT'S MY TIME TO GET OFF THIS PARTICULAR TRAIN.
THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME, IF AGAIN, YOU DO, IT'S A GOOD CHANCE I'LL BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PODIUM EXPRESSING MY OWN THOUGHTS ABOUT SOMETHING, HOPEFULLY IN SUPPORT OF SOMETHING YOU'VE PROPOSED.
UH, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AND, UM, I'VE GOT ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF LEFT, SO COME BY IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
IF YOU HAVE ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER THEM THERE.
ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANNA SAY HOW WONDERFUL IT HAS BEEN TO WORK WITH YOU, JIM, ALL THESE YEARS.
UH, I LIKE IT WHEN A LAWYER KNOWS WHAT HE CAN HANDLE AND WHAT HE NEEDS TO GET EXPERT ADVICE ON.
AND YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT, AND YOU'VE KEPT IT US OUT OF TROUBLE ALL THESE YEARS.
SO I HAVE TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I'VE ENJOYED YOU AND I ENJOYED YOUR FRIENDSHIP, SO I'VE ENJOYED THAT WILL CONTINUE.
I'VE ENJOYED IT AS WELL, AND I HOPE IT DOES.
YEAH, JIM, IT'S, UH, IT'S KIND OF HARD PUTTING WORDS AFTER A PERSON THAT'S BEEN OVER 30 YEARS OF THEIR LIFE, UH, PROVIDING SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE VALUE THAT YOU BROUGHT TO, UH, UM, TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE, UH, SAGE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US FOR WAY TO GO.
I THINK, UM, I THINK OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD TO TAKE TO THE SUPREME COURT, UH, THE TIMES YOU'VE HAD TO GO UP TO RICHMOND AND, UM, SERVE AS A, UM, AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE, IF YOU WILL, ON ISSUES DEALING WITH THE HISTORY OF, UH, THE COUNTY AND THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY IS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SHIRES OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND, UH, IT'S, YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
YOU'VE HELPED US, HELPED, UH, HELPED THE STATE AND I, YOU'VE SEEN OVERSEEING SOME OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE WORKED WITH OTHER LAWYERS.
THE TEAM STOOD, YOU'VE RECOMMENDED THAT WE HIRE AND GET FOR THINGS LIKE THE REFINERY AND DOMINION AND WHATNOT, AND THE PURCHASES OF LAND AND SELLING OF LAND.
SO IT'S BEEN, YOU'VE HAD A, YOU'VE HAD A, A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, WE WILL, UH, UH, WE'LL WISH YOU THE BEST AND WE HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING LATER, UH, THAT WE'LL BE CELEBRATING.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORTS AND REQUESTS]
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I DO HAVE A FEW[00:45:01]
ITEMS. OKAY.UM, FIRST OF ALL, FOR, UH, THOSE OF YOU, UH, WATCHING ON TV, UH, RECENTLY, UH, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE REVISED FRANCHISE AGREEMENT.
UH, COX IS NOW BROADCASTING IN HD MM-HMM.
SO IF YOU'RE WATCHING ON THE OLD NINE HD CHANNEL ON COX, TURN TO 86 AND WILL ALL LOOK A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
UH, FIRE STATION NUMBER SEVEN OFF MOTOWN ROAD IS, UH, GONNA BEGIN OPERATIONS NEXT WEEK.
UH, WANTED TO MENTION THAT IT'LL BE A WHILE BEFORE THEY GET UP TO TEMPO, BUT OPERATIONS WILL START NEXT WEEK.
UM, THE BOARD IS AWARE AND THERE'S BEEN SOME NEWS ABOUT, UM, THE STATUS OF JAMES CITY COUNTY 9 1 1 PERSONNEL WHO HAVE BEEN OPERATING OUT OF THE YORK PACOS AND WILLIAMSBURG 9 1 1 CENTER AS PART OF OUR OPERATIONS COMPLEX SINCE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
AND THAT HAS TRIGGERED, UM, ANOTHER ROUND OF CONVERSATIONS WITH JAMES CITY COUNTY ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES OF, UH, COMBINING, UH, THEIR 9 1 1 CENTER IN HOURS.
UH, WE HAVE WORKED ON THIS ISSUE BEFORE, AND, UH, FROM THE YORK COUNTY PERSPECTIVE, WE'VE BEEN SORT OF CAUTIOUS AND BASICALLY SAID, JAMES CITY COUNTY, SHOW US THAT YOU'RE SERIOUS BEFORE WE PUT TOO MUCH EFFORT INTO IT.
AND, UM, I HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THIS TIME THEY ARE, AND THEY'RE, UH, POISED TO CONSIDER ACTION NEXT WEEK TO AUTHORIZE THEIR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH ME.
UM, OUR PRINCIPLES WOULD BE, UM, WE WOULD BE FAIR TO THE JAMES CITY COUNTY EMPLOYEES SHOULD THIS HAPPEN, AND THEY BECOME EMPLOYEES OF OURS.
UH, BUT WE WOULD ALSO INSIST THAT, UH, ANY ARRANGEMENT BE FAIR TO YORK COUNTY AND OUR CURRENT PARTNERS, BECAUSE YOU'RE A WILLIAMSBURG.
SO IF JAMES CITY COUNTY ACTS IN THE AFFIRMATIVE NEXT WEEK, UM, YOU CAN STAND BY FOR A COUPLE MONTHS OF, UH, ACTIVITY RELATED TO THAT AS WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT ALL THE DETAILS, WHICH YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, WOULD INVOLVE SOME, UM, DEGREE OF COMPLEXITY.
FINALLY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, JIM, FROM THE EIGHT YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR WELCOME, YOUR SUPPORT, UM, THE INTEGRITY YOU'VE ALWAYS SHOWN, AND, UM, CERTAINLY YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE GONNA MISS YOU, BUT RETIREMENT'S WELL DESERVED.
UH, QUESTIONS FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR? NONE.
UH, NEIL, I, YOU KNOW, I, UH, THOSE COMMENTS I'VE SIT HERE AND THE COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE PROVIDED, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST, OH GOSH, I WISH I COULD ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AND, BUT OUR PROCEDURES DO NOT ALLOW US TO ENGAGE, UM, THE PUBLIC AT THIS TIME.
AND SO, UM, UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST GONNA BE, NOT IN DEPTH, BUT JUST REAL QUICK, UH, UH, KIND OF A WAY WE CAN TIE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT HAVE CAME UP TONIGHT.
UM, UH, WE HAD A, YOU KNOW, THE GENTLEMAN TALKED ABOUT PART OF THE BUDGET BEING OFF LIMITS.
IS THERE ANY PART OF OUR BUDGETS? IT'S OFF LIMITS.
NO, IT'S LIKE YOU, I WANTED TO ENGAGE IN A CONVERSATION WITH MR. CHAPMAN WHEN HE SAID IT.
UH, AS THE BOARD PROBABLY RECALLS, THE STAFF PRESENTED THE IDEA OF DOING AWAY WITH A LICENSE FEE AS AN OPTION FOR YOU TO CONSIDER AT THE JANUARY RETREAT.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS AND WHAT THAT WOULD COST, WHICH WE ESTIMATE WAS ABOUT 1.6 MILLION.
AND THAT POSSIBLY WE COULD CONSIDER THAT IF WE COULD AFFORD SOME REDUCTIONS.
UH, BUT THE OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT BE ON THE TABLE WERE REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET I ENDED UP RECOMMENDED, UH, CAME DOWN ON THAT SIDE.
ON, ON A CERTAIN LEVEL, IT'S, UH, MONEY AND, AND YOU CAN MAKE, UH, YOUR CHOICES.
UM, BUT THE ARITHMETIC, UH, OF THAT PARTICULAR CONVERSATION WAS, UH, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION TO CUT $1.6 MILLION, WHICH IS THE LICENSE FEE, AND ADD ANOTHER $750,000 CUT, UH, BY DOUBLING THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION.
SO I THINK THAT'S 2.4 SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS.
UH, AND YOU COULD PICK WHERE THAT WOULD COME FROM, OF COURSE.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING ON, UM, THE GENTLEMAN'S SUGGESTION, UH, THAT WOULD BASICALLY REDUCE THE COMPENSATION INCREASE FROM 5% TO ABOUT, UH, 2% THE, UH, UH, WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALLY SEE, THE CITIZENS DON'T SEE, WHEN YOU ELECT YOU, YOU ELECT FOLKS.
THIS IS A, UH, REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.
WHEN YOU MAKE A, YOU, YOU, YOU ELECT US UP HERE, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE PROCESS.
[00:50:01]
TIMES TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC CONCERNING THINGS THAT, OF, OF INTEREST TO THEM.AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN APPLY THOSE.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS IS LIKE A, A BIG, UH, BIG BOAT GOING DOWN, UH, DOWN THE, UH, IN THE OCEAN.
AND YOU TRY TO TURN IT, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN AS WE GET FURTHER, CLOSER AND CLOSER, UH, TO, UH, THE TIME THAN WE BY LAW HAVE TO, TO APPROVE OUR BUDGET AND THE MANNER IN WHICH WE HAVE TO PROVE IT.
WE MAKE, WE, WE, WE, WE GET A LOT OF INPUT FROM THE STAFF.
WE GET A LOT OF INPUT FROM EACH OTHER.
WE GET SOME INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.
THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES IN HERE WHERE WE'VE SAT AND HAD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND NO ONE SHOWED UP.
ABSOLUTELY NO ONE WE'VE DONE, WE'VE SEEN THAT FOR YEARS.
SO, UM, SO ANYWAY, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO, TO, UM, TO, TO TRY TO GET, INCORPORATE SOME OF THE COMMENTS WHEN THEY'RE VERY SPECIFIC, UH, ESPECIALLY AS TO THE PLAN, AS TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO FUND OUR GOVERNMENT.
UM, I AGREE, UH, WITH THE GENTLEMAN THAT THE PROCESS, I DO NOT LIKE THE PROCESS.
AND SO THIS NEW BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE'RE GONNA GO INTO THE NEXT YEAR, CUZ WE, WE ARE ALREADY WENT BY OCTOBER, WE'RE ALREADY INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS IN, UH, IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
SO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, UM, UM, OR THE BUDGET COMES AFTER THIS ONE, WE WILL HAVE A PROCESS WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE A LITTLE, WE'LL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE CITIZEN COMMENT.
AND I UNDER, I FEEL YOUR FRUSTRATION HERE, UM, REFERENCE THE, UH, MINUTES.
GIVE US SOME COMMENT ON MINUTES.
SO, UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE PRACTICE HERE TO PROVIDE MINUTES THAT ARE A SUMMATION OF THE DISCUSSION.
UM, AND HONESTLY, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WHEN I GOT HERE IN 2015 WAS DIRECT THAT ALL THE VIDEOS OF ALL OF THE MEETINGS BE PERMANENTLY ARCHIVED.
SO IF ANYBODY EVER GOT INTO A SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIVE DISPUTE ABOUT WHAT SOMEBODY SAID, IT'S VERY SIMPLE.
ONE CLICK ON THE WEBSITE MM-HMM.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE MINUTES, UH, IS TO REFLECT, UH, THE GENERAL CONVERSATION, NOT A VERBATIM TRANSCRIPT, UM, NONSENSE.
IF YOU WANNA STAY IN ITS ROOM, NO COMMENTS.
WELL, THAT WAS, THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY MY POINT.
IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED IN HOW MANY TIMES SOMEBODY USED A CERTAIN WORD, RIGHT? THEY CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE AND WATCH THE VIDEO OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UM, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO DO.
I THINK THE FAIR QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WAS INACCURATELY REPRESENTED THAT'S FOR THE SUBSTANCE OF THE MEETING? AND THAT'S CERTAINLY OUR ATTEMPT.
AND, UH, SEVERAL PEOPLE PROOF THEM.
UM, AND, UH, CERTAINLY THE BOARD, IF YOU WANT A HIGHER LEVEL OF DETAIL THAN WE PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE DONE.
I KNOW OVER TIME, UM, IN, UH, MANY GOVERNMENT MEETINGS, UH, UH, WHERE WE ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP MINUTES, UH, WE DO SUMMATIONS AND I THINK, UH, MAYBE WALT, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN IT IN PRACTICE.
UM, THE IDEA IS TO CATCH THE GIST OF, UM, WHAT IS BEING SAID, NOT SPECIFICALLY EVERY WORD.
AND, UH, UM, I KNOW THAT THE TECHNOLOGY FOR THOSE THAT YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY, UH, TO GET DOWN HERE TO, I MEAN, TO COLLECT THE GET GET THE, THE PROGRAM TO SEE IT AT HOME OR TO BE ABLE TO GET DOWN HERE CAN BE A CHALLENGE.
BUT, UH, WE'VE HAD TO PICK OP, UH, WE'VE HAD TO PICK A WAY WE'RE GONNA RUN BUSINESS IN THIS IS THE WAY, THIS IS THE WAY IT IS, THE SUMMATION FORM IS WHAT WE'RE USING.
DO YOU, CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE, ON THE, THE BARGAINING ISSUE? UM, YEAH.
THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, UH, MADE IT LAWFUL.
UM, IT'S AT THE DISCRETION OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE SCHOOL BOARDS.
UM, FROM MY LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF LABOR MANAGEMENT RELATIONS, UM, SINCE THERE'S NO, UH, RIGHT TO STRIKE OR HAVE ANY KIND OF WORK SLOW DOWN, UH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR TO ME, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
UH, CERTAINLY MY PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO, UH, HAVE A GOOD FAITH DIALOGUE WITH, UH, OUR EMPLOYEE GROUPS THAT ARE PART OF UNIONS.
I TELL THEM WHAT MY CHALLENGES ARE.
I HEAR WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE.
I DON'T, I DON'T GUESS THAT'S TECHNICALLY, UM, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
[00:55:01]
THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE DO IT HERE.UH, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT, UM, THIS BOARD OR THE CITIZENS OF YORK COUNTY DESIRE US TO HAVE MORE PURE PUBLIC SECTOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
AND THE REFERENCE CODE OF CONDUCT, I INITIALLY, UM, I THOUGHT THAT BASICALLY THE, THE AMOUNT OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS WE HAVE GOVERNING OUR ACTIVITIES ON THE BOARD PRETTY, PRETTY MUCH COVER, UH, UH, OUR CODE, WHICH ALLOWS US TO, TO DO WHAT WE DO.
AND, AND THEY'RE VERY ST THEY'RE VERY STRICT IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE CAN, WE CAN GET IN SOME SERIOUS TROUBLE IF WE VIOLATED THE, VIOLATED THIS LAWS.
HOWEVER, AFTER REVIEWING THIS PARTICULAR, UM, SET OF, UH, ISSUES THAT ARE COMING FOR THE BOARD, UH, AT THIS MEETING, AND I WAS LOOKING BACK AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS, IT MAY NOT BE A BAD IDEA OKAY.
TO, UH, ACTUALLY HAVE A CODE, SOME SORT OF CODE TO SOME DEGREE.
BUT WE WOULD ALL HAVE TO COME TO AGREEMENT ON WHAT THAT WOULD BE.
AND, UM, BUT ANYWAYS, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR? OKAY.
[RECESS ]
THREE MINUTES BEFORE THE, UH, BEFORE WE GO INTO PUBLIC HEARINGS.AND WHAT I'M GOING TO DO RIGHT NOW IS I'M GONNA RECESS US FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND THEN WE WILL, THEN WE'LL START OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE SPOKE TODAY.
I RECONVENE THE, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.
[2 Application No. UP-1003-23, Jacob Winn. Consider adoption of proposed Resolution R23-57 to authorize firearms sales and gunsmithing as a home occupation with on-premises customer/ client contact on property located at 111 Rich Road.]
INTO THE PUBLIC, UH, HEARINGS.THE FIRST ONE WILL BE CONSIDERATION OF A PROPOSED CAN TALK RESOLUTION, R 23 DASH 57 APPLICATION BY JACOB WYNN AS AUTHORIZING A FIREARM SALE AND GUNSMITHING AT A HOME OCCU, UH, OCCUPATION AT ONE 11 RICH ROAD.
YOU ON? THANK YOU, MR. SHEPHERD.
UH, YES, YOU DESCRIBED THE APPLICATION WELL, ONE 11 RICH ROAD, UH, REQUEST FOR A HOME OCCUPATION, FIRE FOR FIREARM SALES AND GUNSMITHING.
UM, IT'S THIS, UH, PROPERTY HERE SHOWN IN THE GREEN.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THE SURROUNDING ZONING IS MOSTLY YELLOW, WHICH IS OUR 20 SINGLE FAMILY, MEDIUM, SINGLE FAMILY DENSITY.
UH, IT ALSO BACKS UP TO, UH, THE GENERAL BUSINESS, WHICH IS WALMART OR THE, UM, DETENTION POND THAT THEY HAVE BACK THERE.
UM, IT IS SURROUNDED ON THREE SIDES BY SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
UM, ALL HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN THE YELLOW.
UH, THIS IS THE APPLICANT'S HOUSE HERE.
AND I JUST WANNA NOTE A FEW THINGS.
THIS IS THE DETACHED GARAGE THAT'S DESCRIBED IN THE, UM, NARRATIVE AND ON THE SKETCH PLAN.
SO IT'S AT THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY, AND THAT'S WHERE THE WORKSHOP WILL BE.
AND THEN HERE IN THE HOME, THIS IS THE DOOR THAT, UH, CUSTOMERS WILL ACCESS WHEN THEY COME TO, UH, DROP OFF OR PICK UP ITEMS, UH, FROM THE APPLICANT.
AND THEN I'LL JUST NOTE HERE, THE, THE TWO CARS IN THE CARPORT AND THEN THE LITTLE GRAVEL AREA THERE, THAT'S THE YORK COUNTY VEHICLE.
I KIND OF PARKED IN THE MIDDLE, SO IT DOESN'T REALLY SHOW HOW YOU COULD FIT TWO, BUT THERE, YOU COULD FIT TWO THERE.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU ON THE SKETCH PLAN.
SO GUNSMITHING DEFINED BY THE COUNTY IS DESIGNING, MAKING, REPAIRING FIREARMS. UM, MOST OF THE MACHINERY AND TOOLS THAT ARE USED ARE ONES THAT YOU CAN FIND IN YOUR HOME GARAGE.
NOW, UH, THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE NO DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS ON THE PROPERTY, AND HE WILL HAVE, HE WILL SECURELY STORE ALL FIREARMS THAT ARE THERE IN A GUN SAFE.
SO, UH, THEY WILL BE SECURED IN THE HOME.
THIS IS THE APPLICANT'S SKETCH PLAN.
UM, HE HAS TWO PLACES HE'LL HAVE IT.
THE FIRST RED THERE THAT'S IN THE HOME.
IT'LL BE LIKE A HOME OFFICE, LIKE I SAID, WHERE CLIENTS WILL MEET AND THEN HE'LL HAVE A SPACE WITHIN THE WORKSHOP, A HUNDRED AND, UM, A 240 SQUARE FEET, A WORKSHOP SPACE THAT THEY'LL HAVE THERE.
THAT'S A TOTAL OF 394 SQUARE FEET.
AND THAT FITS WELL BELOW THE ZONING ORDINANCE, UH, LIMITS THAT ARE SET WITHIN THE ORDINANCE.
UH, ONE OTHER THING I'LL NOTE IS OUT HERE BY THE, UM, THE DETACHED GARAGE.
UH, THERE ARE NO TREES OR ANYTHING HERE.
SO WE ARE REQUESTING AS ONE OF THE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL TO PLANT EVERGREEN TREES HERE TO KIND OF PROVIDE SOME NOISE ABATEMENT FOR THE ADJACENT, THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER.
UH, THE ZONING ORDINANCE REQUIRES HOME OCCUPATIONS TO HAVE, UM, AT LEAST TWO PARKING SPACES AND RESIDENTS.
RESIDENCES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE TWO PARKING SPACES, SO FOUR TOTAL, UH, TWO UNDER THE CARPORT AND TWO IN THE, UH, GRAVEL AREA THAT'S ADJACENT TO IT.
UH, BECAUSE THE PARKING AREA IS SO CLOSE TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY, WE ARE REQUESTING, UM, WE HAVE PUT A CONDITION RECOMMENDED IN THERE FOR YOU TO, UM, REQUIRE THEM TO PUT IN EVERGREEN SCREENING
[01:00:01]
ON THAT SIDE, UH, AGAIN, TO JUST KIND OF PROVIDE A LITTLE BUFFER, UH, AGAINST THAT ADJACENT PROPERTY.SO THE APPLICANT WILL OPERATE MON, UM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, AND THAT'S WELL WITHIN WHAT THE ZONING ORDINANCE ALLOWS.
UM, HOURS OF OPERATION WILL BE NINE TO FIVE.
THE ZONING ORDINANCE SAYS 8:00 AM TO 9:00 PM OR 8:00 AM TO 8:00 PM UH, SO HE IS WITHIN THAT.
IT WILL BY BE UP BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, UH, SO THAT HE WILL KEEP A RECORD OF, UM, APPOINTMENTS, NOT BY NAME, BUT JUST BY APPOINTMENTS THAT HE HAD.
UM, THEY'LL ONLY BE ALLOWED ONE CUSTOMER AT A TIME, UH, WHICH IS STANDARD FOR MOST OF THESE OPERATIONS.
UH, WE DID ASK THE APPLICANT IF HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SIGNAGE BECAUSE HOME OCCUPATIONS ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE A THREE SQUARE FOOT SIGN.
UH, HE SAID NO INTENT TO HAVE ANY KIND OF SIGNAGE OR OUTDOOR CHANGES TO HIS PROPERTY THAT WOULD SIGNIFY THAT THIS IS GOING ON ON THE PROPERTY.
UH, THE COUNTY HAS HAD, UH, THESE USES, UH, SIX TIMES BEFORE THAT HAVE, UH, COME BEFORE YOU AND BEEN APPROVED.
UM, OUT OF THOSE SIX, FOUR ARE STILL OPERATING.
THE ONES IN GREEN ARE STILL OPERATING NOW.
UH, WE DID CONTACT OUR ZONING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE AND THEY'VE HAD NO COMPLAINTS AGAINST ANY OF THESE APPLICATIONS, EVEN THE ONES THAT ARE INACTIVE.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE CONTACTED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO SEE IF ANY, UH, COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN, UH, FILED AGAINST THE, THE BUSINESSES AND, UH, NONE HAD BEEN, UM, UH, BEEN, NO COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN FO UH, FILED.
THE PROPOSED HOME OCCUPATION IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ZONING ORDINANCE, UH, CON STANDARDS FOR HOME OCCUPATIONS WITH, WITH CUSTOMER CLIENT CONTACT.
UH, WE DO NOT FEEL THERE'LL BE ANY ADVERSE IMPACTS TO THE SURROUNDING AREA FOR THIS.
AS, AS I SAID, THERE REALLY ARE NO EXTERIOR CHANGES THAT ANYONE WOULD SEE THAT WOULD CUE THEM IN THAT THIS WOULD, A BUSINESS WAS RUNNING OUT OF HERE.
UM, THE RESOLUTION IN THIS CASE IS TIED TO THE APPLICANT.
THIS IS WHAT WE DID WITH OUR PREVIOUS CASE FOR MR. PISEY, UH, AS WE TIED IT TO THE APPLICANT SO THAT IF HE EVER LEFT, THEN THAT USE WOULD, UM, GO AWAY AND NOT BE MM-HMM.
UM, STAFF FEELS THAT THE CONDITIONS ARE, ARE, WOULD CONTROL THIS VERY WELL, KEEPING IT A VERY SMALL SCALE OPERATIONS.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL, UH, THROUGH THE RESOLUTION R 23 DASH 57.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID HEAR THIS CASE IN MARCH, AND THEY DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL SEVEN TO ZERO.
UH, YOU DID RECEIVE, UM, EMAILS FROM TWO, UH, JA, UH, ONE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER AND ONE PERSON WHO LIVES ON, UM, RICH ROAD OR REPRESENTING SOMEONE WHO LIVES ON RICH ROAD.
SO, UM, UH, AND I KNOW THE APPLICANT IS HERE, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY SECURITY, UH, TO THE BUILDING ITSELF, NOT JUST THE GUN SAFE, BUT I'LL LET THE APPLICANT ANSWER THAT SINCE I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE WHAT HE HAS, UH, IN PLACE FOR THAT, BUT I'M SURE HE CAN, HE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
AND HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN THE, IN THE HOUSE? HOW MANY PEOPLE? YEAH.
UM, I KNOW HE HAS A WIFE, UM, AND A COUPLE SONS CUZ THEY WERE THERE THE DAY I CAME TO TAKE PICTURES.
BUT AGAIN, I, I'LL LET HIM ANSWER THAT.
HE CAN TELL YOU SEE? YEAH, I, I GOT A, A MESSAGE, UM, THAT, THAT SAID THAT, UM, AS OF THE, RIGHT NOW, THAT EMAIL THAT NO ONE HAS LIVED THERE SINCE THE PROPERTY BEEN PURCHASED AND THE YARD HAD NOT BEEN MAINTAINED TO COUNTY CODES.
IS, IS, IS THAT THE CASE? I LOOKED IT UP.
UM, IT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN MAINTAINED AND OCCUPIED.
I'M, I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A, A MISTAKEN ADDRESS OR SOMETHING.
I, I, I, AS FAR AS I KNOW, SINCE HE HAS APPLIED AND THE TIMES I VISITED THE SITE TWICE, THE YARD WAS MAINTAINED AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE, SO NOBODY'S MOWING THE GRASS.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKED FINE TO ME.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY PROBLEMS. IT, IT'S VERY NICE.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAD BEEN RENOVATED RECENTLY, ACTUALLY, SO MAYBE IT WAS A PRIOR OWNER.
YOU, YOU SAY THERE ARE NO, OR ONE, UH, IT'S DONE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, UH, FOR THE CUSTOMERS, THERE'LL BE NO SIGNS OUT THERE? CORRECT.
HOW WILL PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING? SO, MR. UM, WYNN CAN DESCRIBE HOW HE PLANS TO OPERATE, BUT USUALLY THESE OPERATE WHERE SOMEONE WILL BUY A FIREARM ONLINE OR AT A, A GUN SALE SOMEWHERE.
IT'LL BE MAILED TO A PERSON WHO'S AN INTERMEDIARY.
AND THAT'S WHAT MOST OF THESE ARE IS THERE'S SOMEONE WHO THE GUN GETS SHIPPED TO THAT PERSON THEN CHECKS THEIR BACKGROUND, DOES THE BACKGROUND CHECK AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, AND THEN MAKES ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEM TO COME AND PICK UP THE FIREARM.
ONCE ALL OF THAT IS SIGNED OFF BY THE FEDERAL TOBACCO AND FIREARMS DEPARTMENT.
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE CORRECT THING.
MS. NOEL, THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME.
UH, I'LL WAIT FOR THE APPLICANT.
THE APPLICANT, UH, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
[01:05:02]
UH, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.I AM AN EIGHT YEAR ARMY VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY WITH THREE DEPLOYMENTS.
I'M MARRIED WITH THREE CHILDREN.
I'M CURRENTLY EMPLOYED FULL-TIME.
I WORK 40 TO 50 HOURS A WEEK WITH LOCKHEED MARTIN AS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC AT LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE, UH, CONCERNS EMAILED TO YOU GUYS, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS READ THE PROPOSAL.
SO, I'M SORRY, WHAT DID YOU SAY? I'M SAYING THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WROTE CONCERNS ABOUT MY BUSINESS DID NOT READ THE PROPOSAL BECAUSE THEY WERE SPEAKING ABOUT PARKING ON THE STREET.
SO THEY OBVIOUSLY DID NOT GET TO SEE THE SLIDESHOW THAT MR. ANDERSON KINDLY PUT TOGETHER FOR US TODAY.
SO, UH, I'M OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.
I MEAN, I'M NOT GONNA TRY TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOU GUYS' TIME TONIGHT, SO, OKAY.
QUESTIONS FOR THE, WELL, MAYBE YOU CAN ADDRESS THE QUESTION I HAD FOR MR. ANDERSON ABOUT, UM, THE HOME BEING MAINTAINED.
UM, HOW LONG HAVE YOU, HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED THERE? I HAVE LIVED THERE FOR THREE YEARS.
SO, SO YOU, IT IS BEEN MAINTAINED SINCE THEN, IT SOUNDS LIKE IF MS. ANDERSON SAID THIS.
I HAD SOME WORK DONE ON THE FRONT YARD TEARING UP, UH, OLD, UH, BRICK PATH AND REPLACING IT WITH CONCRETE RECENTLY.
LET ME, LET ME ASK YOU THIS FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION.
IS THIS A GUNSMITHING BUSINESS OR, OR GUN GUN SALES BUSINESS? WHAT, WHAT? PRIMARILY GUNSMITHING, WHICH IS WORKING, REPAIRING ON PEOPLE'S FIREARMS THAT THEY ALREADY OWN.
AND WHAT NEIGHBORS HAVE YOU TALKED TO? HOW MANY NEIGHBORS HAVE YOU TALKED TO, UH, ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU WERE GOING TO ASK FOR AN U P? I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK TO THREE.
THE ONE WHO WROTE IN TO YOU GUYS WAS NOT AT HOME DURING THE TIME I WENT AROUND KNOCKING ON PEOPLE'S DOORS.
THEY HAD A BUNCH OF PACKAGES OUT FRONT, SOME, I'M ASSUMING THEY WERE ON VACATION OR SOMETHING.
BECAUSE I'VE RECEIVED AN AWFUL LOT OF CALLS ABOUT THIS, AND I WAS SURPRISED YOU HADN'T TALKED TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS, BUT, OH, I TALKED TO A FEW AND NOBODY SAID ANYTHING TO ME.
WELL, NORMALLY WHEN SOMEONE WANTS TO HAVE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, HE GOES AROUND AND HE TALKS TO THE NEIGHBORS TO SEE THAT THEY'RE, THEY WOULD BE IN AGREEMENT THAT YOU GET THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
MAYBE I MADE THAT MISTAKE THEN BY NOT TALKING TO ENOUGH PEOPLE.
MR. GREEN, HOW WILL PEOPLE DISCOVER WHERE YOU ARE AND GIMME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS PLAN.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WILL YOU HAVE A SIGN OUT? HOW WILL PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU, UH, ARE BACK THERE IN BUSINESS? UH, OR DO YOU PLAN TO DO, TO ADVERTISE ON THE INTERNET? WHAT'S GONNA KEEP, UH, JUST RANDOM PEOPLE, UH, LIKE I SEE THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, UH, SITTING BEHIND YOU.
UH, WHAT'S TO KEEP HIM FROM DECIDING HE WANTS TO BUY A GUN AND SHOWING UP AT YOUR FRONT DOOR AND, UH, UH, KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AND SAYING, HEY, SHOW ME YOUR INVENTORY.
WELL, I DON'T, I'M NOT, UH, SELLING GUNS.
THAT IS PART OF, OF THE FFL FORM ONE LICENSE.
IT PROVIDES A, A DEALER NFA ITEMS, FIREARMS TRANSFERS, WHICH IS WHAT, UH, MR. ANDERSON TALKED ABOUT.
IF SOMEBODY PURCHASED A FIREARM ONLINE, THAT IT WOULD BE SENT TO MY HOUSE AND I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING THAT.
INDIVIDUAL'S BACKGROUND CHECK.
AND THEN THAT PART OF THAT FORM ONE IS, UH, GUNSMITHING AS WELL, BUT PRIMARILY GUNSMITHING, AND IT'D BE MOSTLY WORD OF MOUTH.
PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT I DO TO MY OWN FIREARMS. AND I'M A MEMBER OF LAFAYETTE GUN CLUB AND I'VE SPOKEN TO PEOPLE THERE WHILE VISITING THE RANGE THERE.
AND THEY'RE ALSO INTERESTED IN THINGS THAT I'VE DONE TO MY OWN FIREARMS. MM-HMM.
SO THIS IS PRIMARILY A GUNSMITHING SHOP? CORRECT.
BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FFL BECAUSE WHEN SOMEONE LEAVES THEIR FIREARM, YOU HAVE TO LOG IT IN.
AND IT BECOMES A, A TEMPORARY TRANSFER WHILE IT'S IN YOUR CUSTODY.
SO LET'S SAY IF SAID INDIVIDUAL WERE TO COM TO, SORRY, TO COMMIT A FELONY WHILE THE GUN WAS IN MY POSSESSION, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT FIREARM BACK TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.
DO YOU PLAN TO, UH, DO ANY MORE WITH, UH, GETTING A S O T OR, UH, ANYTHING LIKE THAT? UH, MANUFACTURING? NO.
UM, LET ME ASK YOU A COUPLE QUESTIONS FIRST THEN.
UM, SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I MEAN, I APPRECIATE YOU A COUPLE TOURS OVER THERE.
UM, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE, I HAVE, WE HAVE, IT'S VERY HARD FOR US TO SIT HERE AND TRY TO DECIDE, WELL, WHAT'S GOOD AND WHAT'S BAD.
WE TRY TO, I MEAN, A BUSINESS IN A COMMUNITY IS, UH, IS A DISTURBANCE.
OKAY? IT'S SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALLY
[01:10:01]
WANT, BUT THEY'LL TOLERATE TO CERTAIN DEGREES.AND SO, UM, ONE OF THE THRESHOLDS I HAVE FOR A BUSINESS FOR ME TO APPROVE A BUSINESS IS THAT THE NEIGHBORS DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT IT, ABOUT A PROPOSAL.
UM, ALL THE GUN, THE GUN SHOPS OR THE, THE FIREARMS DEALERS OR WHATEVER WE WANNA CALL 'EM THAT WE'VE HAD COME UP HERE, HAVE COME UP WITH SUPPORT FROM THE NEIGHBORS.
I MEAN, I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, WE GET, THEY'LL COME IN AND SAY, YEAH, WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT.
UM, I'M NOT SEEING, I, I, ALL I'M GETTING IS COMPLAINTS SO FAR, I'M GETTING NOT COMPLAINTS.
I'M GETTING LIKE, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS.
SO WHAT HAVE YOU GOT FOR SUPPORT? WELL, I SPOKE TO MY NEIGHBOR TO THE WEST OF ME, AND HE HAD NO PROBLEM, BUT HE WASN'T ABLE TO COME IN TONIGHT.
THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE WHO'S CATTY CORNER TO ME WHO HAD NO PROBLEM.
THE PEOPLE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME HAD NO ISSUE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE UP ANYBODY ELSE'S TIME.
THERE'S 49 HOMES ALONG RICH ROAD, AND I ONLY SAW TWO EMAILS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING.
WE, WE GET, UH, ONE, WE GETS TOURIST HOMES, YOU KNOW, AND WE GET A LOT OF INPUT FROM NEIGHBORS AROUND AND WHATNOT.
UH, BUT THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A, A PRIME EXAMPLE OF, OF OTHER IN HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION, NON HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS.
SOMEBODY WANTS TO PUT A BUSINESS IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
AND THEN WHAT WE DO IS WE WAIT TO RECEIVE THE KIND OF INFORMATION OF WHETHER PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT SUPPORTED OR NOT.
SO I'M JUST SAYING, I, UH, WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD BEEN BENEFICIAL FOR YOU IS TO HAVE A, HAVE THEM EITHER SEND US AN EMAIL, WRITE A LETTER OR SOMETHING TO SHOW IN SUPPORT FOR YOUR, THAT'S FINE FOR YOUR BUSINESS, BUT WE GOT, I'VE, I'VE RECEIVED NOTHING TO THAT, UH, EFFECT.
I KNOW A FEDERAL FARM LICENSE, SORRY, I KNOW THE FEDERAL FIREARM LICENSEE, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO LOG IN, UM, SAFELY SECURE ALL OF YOUR FIREARMS THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS.
CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOUR STORAGE, UM, PLANS ARE SAFE? HOW, HOW ARE YOU'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THE, THE FIREARMS ARE SECURE BOTH FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS AND AND FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS? CORRECT.
I HAVE A SAFE THAT'S ABOUT 900 POUNDS EMPTY.
CAN YOU TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT THE SAFE MAN MA MAKE MANUFACTURER? DO YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT OFFHAND? I DON'T KNOW THAT OFFHAND.
I'VE HAD IT FOR YEARS, BUT IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A THING GAUGE SAFE THAT YOU CAN EASILY GET INTO.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
WELL, UM, YOU SPENT EIGHT YEARS IN THE ARMY, CORRECT? SO HE, AS, AS TOM SETTLED HERE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
ALL YOUR EARLY, UH, BACKGROUND IS VERY SIMILAR TO MINE.
UH, WHEN I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN NEW JERSEY, I JOINED THE ARMY AND READ, MY MOTIVATION WAS WE HAD A DRAFT AT THE TIME, AND I FIGURED I'D GO AHEAD AND DO MY DUTY AND GET THE DRAFT BEHIND ME AND GET ALONG WITH LIFE.
I WOUND SPENDING 33 YEARS IN NEW YORK.
UM, MY QUESTION HERE IS AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF A COUPLE OF COMBAT TOURS, PERHAPS MIDDLE EAST.
WHAT WAS YOUR MOTIVATION TO GET OUT THE SERVICE, GIVEN WHAT THE SERVICE CAN PROVIDE TO MEMBERS LIKE YOURSELF? WELL, WITH CONSTANT DEPLOYMENTS, I WAS UNABLE TO HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A FAMILY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I'VE SEEN WAY TOO MANY, YOU KNOW, MARRIAGES FAIL WHILE I WAS IN THE MILITARY DUE TO THE ABSENTEE, YOU KNOW, THE ABSENCE OF THE SPOUSE.
AND WHAT KIND OF A, UM, CERTIFICATE DID YOU GET FOR RETIREMENT? I, I DID NOT AUDIBLE ROLL, CORRECT? YES.
HOW MANY GUNS AT ONE TIME WOULD YOU HAVE IN THAT, IN YOUR HOME? I BELIEVE I HAVE ROOM FOR ABOUT FOUR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
WELL, UH, I'LL, I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, BUT IS THERE ANYONE IN HERE WILLING TO SPEAK TO THIS? OKAY.
SEEING, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THANK GOD WE GOT SO MUCH STUFF ON THIS AGENDA TONIGHT.
SO I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON, UH, R 23.
I'LL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE HAVE A DISCUSSION, WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION AFTER THE MOTION.
PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 23 DASH 57.
THE MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND I'LL NOW OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION.
THAT DIDN'T MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO TALK.
IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE A HOBBY MORE THAN A BUSINESS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME COMPLAINTS, UH, ABOUT THIS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA TRULY BURDEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK IF IT WERE, YOU WOULD SEE MORE PEOPLE HERE AND IT PASSED
[01:15:01]
THE PLANNING COMMISSION.BUT I DO HAVE SOME, UH, RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE APPLICATION.
YOU KNOW, OFF TIMES AN APPLICATION, UH, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED TIMING, THE TIMING OF THE APPLICATIONS.
AND I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS NIGHT, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE TIMING RELATIVE TO THE NATION, THE TIMING RELATIVE TO THE STATE AND LOCALITIES AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE SUBJECT OF, OF COURSE, WEAPONS.
I THINK WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
AND I, AND I THINK THAT, UH, UH, THE TIMING, AT LEAST THE WAY I CONSIDERED TIMING IS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF MAKING THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION OR NOT.
AND I, I THINK I MIGHT NEED MR. ANDERSON, HELP ME WITH SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I GOT.
AND WHILE HE'S COMING UP, I'LL, I WILL ADDRESS ONE THING.
UM, I GOT TWO, THREE EMAILS ABOUT THIS.
AND, UH, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK I GOT WAS ABOUT BUSINESS IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY.
YOU KNOW, MY OBJECTIVE IN THAT IS THAT IT, THAT BUSINESS IS TRANSPARENT TO THE NEIGHBORS.
YOU DON'T SEE IT, YOU DON'T HEAR IT, YOU DON'T SMELL IT, YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW IT'S THERE UNLESS YOU'RE A CUSTOMER OF THAT.
AND I THINK THE COUNTY'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT BECAUSE ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF HER BUSINESS LICENSES IN NEW YORK COUNTY ARE HOME-BASED BUSINESSES.
SO CLEARLY I THINK WE'RE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OF HOME-BASED BUSINESSES BEING TRANSPARENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BEING ABLE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT DISTURBING THE NEIGHBORS.
SO, SO THAT, NOW I GOT QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU.
THE, THE OTHER FEEDBACK I GOT WAS TWO MAIN AREAS.
ONE WAS ABOUT, UM, GUN SALES, NOT HAVING GUN SALES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SECOND IS ABOUT TRAFFIC.
I, I READ THE NARRATIVE, I READ THE, UH, FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, I READ THE PROPOSAL AND SO FORTH.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I GOT MY FACTS STRAIGHT.
SO, AS I UNDERSTAND THE NARRATIVE AND THE STIPULATIONS IN THE PROPOSAL AS FAR AS GUN SALES, THERE IS NO GUN SALES ALLOWED.
ONPRIM IS IT, IS, IS THAT CORRECTLY STIPULATED IN THE PROPOSAL? THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
HE HAS NOT, DOES NOT HAVE AN INVENTORY OF GUNS FOR SALE.
SO THERE WILL BE NO GUN SALES ONPRIM, THERE WILL BE NOBODY'S STOPPING BY TO BROW INVENTORY.
THERE'S, THERE'S NONE OF THAT.
THERE WAS ALSO, ALSO BELIEVE IT WAS TO STIPULATE IT, THERE'S NO AMMO, STORAGE OR SALES ON PROPERTY AS WELL EITHER, RIGHT.
UH, OUTSIDE OF HIS OWN PURPOSE, OUTSIDE OF HIS OWN RIGHT.
I'M TALKING FOR THE BUSINESS, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
HE NOT, HE'S NOT ALLOWED, UH, THE CONDITIONS RESTRICT ANY KIND OF SALES OF AMMUNITION.
SO THIS IS REALLY STRICTLY FOCUSED ON GUN SMITH AND ON SITE.
AND AS WE HEARD FROM THE APPLICANT, IT'S ABOUT HIS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS SAYING, HEY, I WANT TO USE YOUR SERVICES.
AND HE'S TRYING TO MONETIZE THAT.
SO YEAH, WE GOT A NARROW STREET, YOU KNOW, NO, NO REAL SHOULDERS, NO, NO RUNOFF AREA.
SO, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S ADDRESSED IN THE PROPOSAL AS WELL, BECAUSE BUSINESS HOURS AT NINE TO FIVE, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, UH, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, UM, UM, ONE CUSTOMER AT A TIME.
SO THAT'S REALLY PROBABLY LIMITED YOU NO MORE THAN ONE CUSTOMER AN HOUR TO GET IN AND OUT AND SCHEDULING IT AND SO FORTH.
SO THAT'S REALLY GONNA LIMIT THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES ON, ON THE ROAD AND SO FORTH.
AND I ALSO HEARD HE'S WORKING A FULL-TIME JOB, UM, WHICH I THINK IS GONNA HAVE AN EFFECT OF ALSO LIMITING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN'T EVEN COME VISIT, CUZ HE'S, HE'S AT WORK.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ON THAT TOO, THAT IT'S STIPULATED THE LIMITATIONS IN HOURS AND NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS BASED ON APPOINTMENT AND ONE CUSTOMER AT A TIME, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO WE REALLY NARROWED THAT TRAFFIC DOWN TO PROBABLY AT MOST EIGHT AT, AT, AT, AT THE VERY MOST, EIGHT ADDITIONAL CARS A DAY.
WOULD THAT BE A FAIR ASSESSMENT IF, IF HIS BUSINESS WAS TO GO GANG BUSTERS AND HE HAD ONE PERSON AN HOUR, THEN YES.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EIGHT PEOPLE COMING AND GOING.
SO 16 TRIPS A DAY, ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC.
AND THAT'S IF IT, IF IT GETS TO BE THAT BIG, UM, I THINK MR. GREEN SAID IT WELL, THAT IT'S A VERY SMALL OPERATION.
SO MY FOCUS ON THE TWO THINGS.
I GOT FEEDBACK ON GUN SALES AND TRAFFIC, I BELIEVE HAS BEEN MITIGATED BY THE STIPULATIONS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE APPLICANT HAVE WORKED ON TO ELIMINATE THOSE, THOSE, THOSE ISSUES.
UH, YOU USED THE WORD AS A HOME-BASED BUSINESSES, BUT THIS IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
HOME BASE BUSINESSES DON'T NECESSARILY NEED A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
I'VE CHECKED ON THE ONES THAT WE HAVE APPROVED IN THE PAST, AND OF THE ONES THAT WE'VE HAD APPROVED, NONE OF THEM ARE ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS.
THIS ONE IS JUST RIGHT OFF OF ROUTE 17.
AND YES, NO GUN SALES, BUT GUNS WILL BE DELIVERED THERE.
SO THEY, THEY WILL HAVE GUNS IN THE HOUSE AND ON ALL THE OTHER
[01:20:01]
ONES THAT I'VE APPROVED IN THE PAST, CITIZENS HAVE COME UP, NEIGHBORS HAVE COME UP AND SUPPORTED THEM.I HAVE SEEN NOTHING FROM A NEIGHBOR THAT SUPPORTS THIS.
AND SO, UH, AND I THINK AS MR. ZAMA SAID, THESE ARE THE TIMES THAT YOU WORRY ABOUT, AND I AM NOT GOING TO BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, ONE OTHER QUESTION, SHERIFF, IF I CAN, OKAY.
UM, TELL ME THE, THE 24 HOUR DAY, UH, WHAT PORTION, WAIT, EXCUSE ME.
WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU, YOU'RE ASKING THE APPLICANT YOU WANT NEED THE APPLICANT TO COME BACK UP? YEAH, PLEASE.
UH, GIVEN THE 24 HOUR DAY, ALRIGHT, UH, YOU WORK FULL-TIME, CORRECT? YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE AT WHAT TIME? ROUGHLY? FIVE 30.
AND YOU ARRIVE BACK HOME? 4 45 OR THREE, SORRY, 3 45.
AND DURING THE TIME YOU'RE ABSENT, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THE HOUSE? UH, MY WIFE AND KIDS.
AND WHAT ARE THE AGES? UH, SEVEN, THREE, AND TWO.
SO AT LEAST ONE OF 'EM GO TO SCHOOL? I, I TAKE IT THEN? NO, WE HOMESCHOOL.
THAT TASK IS ON YOUR WIFE? YES.
UM, IS THERE EVER A TIME DURING THE DAY WHERE SHE, BECAUSE OF THE DEMANDS OF BEING A, A FAMILY, THAT HOUSE WAS UNOCCUPIED? NOT USUALLY, NO.
PERIODICALLY, PROBABLY PERIODICALLY, YOU KNOW, GOING TO, YOU KNOW, RANDOMIZED YOU GO SHOPPING AND YEAH.
UH, YOU STILL MAY ANSWER MY QUESTION ABOUT, UH, WHY'D YOU LOOK AT THE SERVICE AFTER EIGHT YEARS? I JUST WASN'T FOR ME.
NOT FOR YOU? YEAH, NOT FOR ME.
I MEAN, I'VE HAD SOME NEIGHBORS JUST GO, JUST GO NUTS OVER, OVER A BUSINESS.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, A PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS, IT DOES NOT NEED A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
AND, UH, AND THEN IF A GUY FINDS OUT THAT HE'S GOT A, UH, A BUSINESS THAT'S BEEN OPERATING FOR 10 YEARS NEXT TO HIM, AND, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE'S ALL OVER ME ABOUT ALLOWING THE BUSINESS TO OCCUR, WELL, IT'S IN OUR, OUR, OUR RULES AND REGULATIONS.
AND SO WE'VE PROVIDED, UM, WE'VE PROVIDED SOME STANDARDS FOR THE CODE.
AND, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE ONLY THING I EVER RUN INTO IS WHETHER THE NEIGHBORS ARE GONNA BE UP IN ARMS OVER.
IT COULD BE A, COULD BE A TOURIST HOME, COULD BE A DETACHED DEPARTMENT, OR WE USED TO CALL 'EM MOTHER-IN-LAW HOMES.
UH, COULD BE A FIREARMS, COULD BE, YOU NAME IT, A MASSAGE PARLOR, BARBERSHOP,
AND, UH, AND, AND GENERALLY IT'S, YOU KIND OF SIT THERE AND GO, OKAY, WELL, IT SOUNDS REASONABLE, BUT IF THE PEOPLE MOVE IN, ARE LIVING IN A COMMUNITY AND THEY EXPECT TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY, NOT A, NOT A A BUSINESS DISTRICT OR HAVE A BUSINESS AROUND THEM.
SO THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO GO WITH IS THE, WHETHER THE APPLICANT HAS SOME SUPPORT OR, OR ARE WE GETTING COMPLAINTS OR CONCERNS.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I'VE RECEIVED NOTHING BUT CONCERNS.
RIGHT? SO, UM, ANYWAY, I THINK THE DISCUSSION'S IN AT THIS POINT, AND WE'LL CALL FOR ROLL CALL.
THE MOTION MADE BY MRS. NOEL IS TO APPROVE PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 23 DASH 57 TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION AS SUBMITTED.
MR. ZAREMBA, AS I SAID, I THINK THE TIMING IS OFF AND WRONG.
MR. RON? YES, MR. SHEPHERD? NO.
[3 Fiscal Year 2024 Budget. Receive public comment on proposed FY2024 Budget.]
ADMINISTRATIVE.SO WE'LL NOW MOVE INTO, UH, THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.
IF Y'ALL WOULD JUST, UH, BEAR WITH US FOR JUST A SECOND.
THE SHOT'S GONNA PULL UP A FEW SLIDES.
SO TONIGHT, THERE ARE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE BUDGET.
UH, ONE, THE GENERAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW AND BY COUNTY POLICY.
WE REQUIRE ONE ON THE TAX RATES, AS I SAY, EVERY YEAR.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHY THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, BECAUSE YOU REALLY CAN'T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.
UH, SO I JUST CONSIDER IT TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS MORE OR LESS ON THE SAME TOPIC, THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 24.
AND THOSE ARE THE TWO SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO THE CHAIRMAN WILL HAVE TO, UM, UH, ORDER THIS
[01:25:01]
AS TWO SEPARATE EVENTS.AND CITIZENS WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS HAVE SEEN THIS.
THIS IS THE ALL FUNDS BUDGET IS RECOMMENDED AT 244 MILLION.
THE BUDGET PRIORITIES MOSTLY AS REFLECTED IN THE GENERAL FUND ARE EMPLOYEE CONTR COMPENSATION, SCHOOL CONTRIBUTION, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM, AND WE ARE ABLE TO, UH, HIT THOSE PRIORITIES, UH, AND AT THE SAME TIME RECOMMEND A SMALL REAL ESTATE RATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE REDUCTION.
UH, IN TERMS OF THE, UH, NEW MONEY IN THE BUDGET, IF YOU ANALYZE WHERE IT GOES, UM, THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION IS THE LARGEST CATEGORY, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THE WORK SESSION.
THIS IS NOT JUST THE 5% RAISE FOR NEXT YEAR.
IT ALSO HAS TO CARRY OVER THE SPECIAL ADJUSTMENTS WE MADE IN PUBLIC SAFETY IN REACTION TO JAMES CITY COUNTY LAST SEPTEMBER.
AND THE, UH, THE SMALL COMPENSATION INCREASE THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZED IN JANUARY OUT OF, UM, UH, ONE TIME FUNDS.
THE SCHOOL CONTRIBUTION IS THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION THAT REPRESENTS SOME NEW FUNDING.
WE'VE LOOKED AT SOME SLIDES THAT, WHILE I THINK WE SHOULD ALL FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS NUMBER ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION, IT'S NOT REALLY, UH, AN INCREASE THAT'S ANYTHING MUCH TO WRITE HOME ABOUT.
THE CASH CAPITAL CONTRIBUTION, UH, REMAINS STRONG.
AND THAT IS WHAT HAS ALLOWED, UH, THIS, UH, COMMUNITY TO TRIPLE, UH, THE PROGRESS BEING MADE ON CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOLS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF SIGNIFICANT REGIONAL EXPENDITURE INCREASES, THE REGIONAL JAIL AND THE WILLIAMSBURG REGIONAL LIBRARY.
SINCE THE WORK SESSION PRESENTATION, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS IDENTIFIED, UH, A FEW ADJUSTMENTS, UH, THAT WHEN YOU NET THEM ALL OUT, UH, REDUCE THE OVERALL EXPENDITURE AND, UH, REVENUE BUDGET BY $75,000 PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATES.
IT'S BE, YOU WILL CONSIDER IT AS A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST A CONTINUING PART OF THE STORY, UH, ON THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
UH, AGAIN, UM, THIS IS THE SUMMARY OF THE TAX RATES AND THE NEWS, OF COURSE IS, UH, LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO RECOMMEND A REAL ESTATE RATE REDUCTION OF ONE AND A HALF CENTS AND RECOMMENDING AN ADDITIONAL 1 CENT THIS YEAR.
AND THIS IS ACTUAL NET DECREASE IN PEOPLE'S TAXES BECAUSE THERE IS NO REAL ESTATE REASSESSMENT UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A SMALL PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE REDUCTION, WHICH IS ABOUT A TWO AND A HALF PERCENT, UH, REDUCTION OVER WHATEVER YOUR RATE, YOUR TAX OTHERWISE WOULD'VE BEEN.
AND WE DO HAVE GENERAL INFORMATION THAT SUGGESTS THAT, UM, USED CAR VALUES, THE WAY OUR COMMISSIONER REVENUE ASSESSES THEM ON AVERAGE, HAVE COME DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE ABERRATIONAL, UH, YEAR THAT WE'VE JUST COME THROUGH.
WE GOT ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX RATES AROUND AND, UM, GOES DOWN ANOTHER PENNY UNDER THIS RECOMMENDATION THAT ILLUSTRATES WHERE WE STAND ON PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX COMPARED TO MANY OF OUR PEERS.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS, UH, BEYOND THOSE SLIDES, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I WORKED ON MY FIRST LOCAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET IN THE CITY OF ROANOKE IN 1986.
UH, THIS IS THE 12TH LOCAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET FOR WHICH I HAVE BEEN PRINCIPALLY RESPONSIBLE OVER THE YEARS.
I HAVE RECOMMENDED TAX INCREASES, TAX DECREASES, NEW POSITIONS, LAYOFFS, NEW PROGRAMS, AND THE ELIMINATION OF PROGRAMS. IN FACT, I'VE DONE ALL THOSE THINGS IN MY EIGHT YEARS IN YOUR COUNTY.
ALTHOUGH REASONABLE PEOPLE CAN DISAGREE ON MANY SPECIFICS IN THIS OR ANY BUDGET, UH, WE SHOULD ALL STEP BACK AND JUST THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE HERE IN YORK COUNTY.
WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE LIVING HERE IN YORK COUNTY.
IT'S A PLACE WITH LOW TAXES, EXCELLENT SERVICES, STRONG SCHOOLS IN A TOP-NOTCH STAFF.
IN THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE RIGHT APPROACH TO MAINTAIN ALL OF THOSE STRONG ATTRIBUTES, WHICH MAKES YORK COUNTY A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
I APPRECIATE THE WORK AND SUPPORT OF SO MANY AS IT WAS DEVELOPED, AND IT WILL KEEP THE COUNTY ON SOUND FOOTING GOING FORWARD, AND I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND MOST OF OUR CITIZENS SUPPORT TAKING
[01:30:01]
A LONG-TERM RESPONSIBLE APPROACH TO BUDGETING RATHER THAN JUST MAKING IT TO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.SO JUST KIND OF MAKE SURE, SET THE STAGE HERE AGAIN.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THE FIRST PART IS GONNA BE THE, THE BUDGET.
AND THEN I'M GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA OPEN IT, CLOSE IT.
WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THAT DRILL.
AND THEN THE NEXT ONE WE'RE GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE ON TAX RATE, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN AND CLOSE THAT.
SO WHEN YOU COME UP TO TALK, IF YOU WANT THE FIRST ONE, IT'S GONNA BE ON THE BUDGET.
IF YOU WANT TO LIMIT YOUR CONVERSATION OR YOUR COMMENTS JUST TO THE BUDGET, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE TAXES, THAT'S FINE, BUT YOU'RE GOING HAVE BE REPEATING YOURSELF IN THE NEXT BUDGET.
SO, UM, SO THE FIRST ONE, YES, SIR.
HOW CAN YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION ON TAX RATES AND BUDGET SEPARATELY? THEY'RE MORE THAN THE SAME THING.
IT'S BY THE LAW REQUIRES US TO DO IT THIS WAY.
SO, UM, SO ANYWAY, YOU CAN HAVE 'EM ALL, YOU CAN SAY, I'M JUST GIVING YOU A CHOICE HERE.
CAUSE I'VE HAD PEOPLE COME UP AND TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING ON ONE SIDE OF THE BUDGET AND THEN, THEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, UH, ON THE SECOND PIECE, AND I THINK THEY WANTED TO.
SO WITH THAT ALL BEING SAID, I'M NOW OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, ON THE BUDGET.
AND I'VE GOT, I'M JUST GONNA GO BY THE, THE LIST I'VE GOT HERE, AND DOUG HOREY YOUR FIRST UP.
I'LL ROLL OVER TO THE NEXT SESSION.
NEXT ONE IS TOM CHAMBERLAIN, JUST A PUBLIC HEARING.
TOM CHAMBERLAIN, TWO 70 BARLOW ROAD, WILLIAMSBURG.
UM, JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT, UH, AND I'M ONLY GONNA SPEAK AT THIS ONE, NOT THE NEXT ONE.
LAST TIME I SPOKE AT ALL THREE AND IT, IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE IT BACK TO MY HERE.
UM, SO THREE MINUTES IS A VERY, VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT A $270 MILLION, UM, BUDGET WITH A LOT OF DETAILS, A LOT OF STUFF BEHIND THE SCENES, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU TALKING ABOUT LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO THAT.
I MANAGED A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR PLUS BUDGETS THROUGHOUT MY CAREER IN THE SHIPYARD.
UM, BUT I'M ALSO A SHIPYARD RETIREE WHO IS LIVING ON A PENSION WHO HAS, THAT HAS NO COST OF LIVING INCREASE, UM, FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
SO IF COSTS START GOING UP, WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.
SO YOU GOTTA LOOK AT, AND, AND IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT DONE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GAIN EFFICIENCY.
AND I DON'T HEAR ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT EFFICIENCY.
HOW COULD WE IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE COUNTY BY 1%? WHAT THINGS WOULD NEED TO GET DONE TO HELP PEOPLE, UM, DO THEIR JOB FASTER, EASIER, BETTER? HOW COULD WE REDUCE COSTS OF STUFF THAT WE'RE PURCHASING AND, AND, AND ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
AND THAT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT.
SO I, I WOULD JUST SAY IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT CHANGING THE PROCESS, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO VOLUNTEER TO BE HELPED PART OF THAT, THAT CHANGE IN THE PROCESS AND, AND GET INVOLVED IN IT MUCH, MUCH EARLIER WHERE WE'VE GOT TIME TO, TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE YOU CANNOT DO IT IN, IN THREE MINUTES STANDING BEFORE YOU.
UM, AND I'LL DEVIATE COMPLETELY FROM THAT, UM, FROM A DISCUSSION THAT WAS EARLIER, AND HOPEFULLY I DON'T GO TOO FAR OFF OFF TOPIC HERE, BUT YOU APPOINTED ME TO THE EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCE PANEL, AND I THINK I'M ON MY THIRD TERM.
AND SO THAT TELLS ME THAT WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD ORGANIZATION HERE, PRETTY GOOD MANAGEMENT TEAM AND, UH, PRETTY GOOD STAFF THROUGHOUT.
SO I'LL JUST ADD THAT TO THAT COMMENT.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA COME UP FOR THE NEXT ONE, RIGHT? NO.
I'LL PUT THAT OVER IN THIS PILE.
AND, UH, VICTOR SHANDOR, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
MY NAME IS VIC SHANDOR, UM, 3 0 2 DARE ROAD, YORKTOWN 23 692.
I'M AN ACTIVE CITIZEN IN THE COMMUNITY, AND MY THREE CHILDREN ATTEND OUR SCHOOLS AND HAVE PARTICIPATED IN MANY OF THE RECREATION, UH, PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER.
I CERTAINLY HAVE ENJOYED THE OPPORTUNITIES TO COACH, UM, AND WORK WITH KIDS IN THE COUNTY THROUGHOUT OUR RECREATION PROGRAMS. AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'VE SERVED AS SUPERINTENDENT, UH, HERE NOW FOR COMING UP ON NINE YEARS.
UM, I WANNA SAY JUST A FEW WORDS THIS EVENING ABOUT THE BUDGET, UH, AND ABOUT THE STAFF IN THE COUNTY, BUT I WANNA START OFF LIKE ANY GOOD SUPERINTENDENT WOULD WITH, WITH SHARING A FEW RECENT HONORS THAT OUR SCHOOLS HAVE RECEIVED.
UM, WE HAVE A NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL AT TAB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
TOM, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO THAT.
WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO THAT.
UM, Y C S D WAS NAMED THE BEST COMMUNITY OF MUSIC EDUCATION IN 20 22 16.
OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE RECOGNIZED AS PURPLE STAR SCHOOLS FOR THEIR SUPPORTIVE MILITARY FAMILIES.
NICHE RANKINGS HAS US NUMBER ONE AS THE BEST SCHOOL DIVISION AND THE BEST TEACHERS IN OUR REGION.
AND WE'RE THIR AND WE'RE RANKED AS THE THIRD BEST SCHOOL DIVISION IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
ALSO, WE, AS OF YESTERDAY, WE FOUND
[01:35:01]
OUT WE HAVE THE 2024 REGION TWO TEACHER OF THE YEAR, MR. CRAIG REYNOLDS FROM ARU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.UM, OUR FEMALE ATHLETES, UH, DID A WONDERFUL JOB THIS YEAR AS THEY HAVE FOUR STATE TITLES IN ATHLETICS.
WE HAVE ONE IN EACH ZONE THIS YEAR.
UH, WE'VE PUT SIGNS UP IN PARTS OF THE COUNTY RECOGNIZING THEM.
AND THEN RECENTLY WE HAVE TWO SCHOOLS, MOUNT VERNON ELEMENTARY, GRAFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT WON THE STATE, UM, ODYSSEY OF THE MIND TITLES, AND NOW THEY'RE ADVANCING TO WORLD.
SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING AROUND THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
SO FIRST, UH, TO THE SUPERVISORS, I APPRECIATE YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT AND THE RELATIONSHIPS WE'VE DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND SCHOOLS, IN MY OPINION, HAS ONLY GOTTEN CLOSER OVER THE YEARS, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT.
YOUR SUPPORT MEANS MORE, UH, A LOT MORE, UH, THAN YOU YOU'LL EVER KNOW.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TRUST IN ME AND MY TEAM TO LEAD THE SCHOOL DIVISION AS FAR AS THE BUDGET'S CONCERNED.
I APPRECIATE YOUR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT APPROACH, UM, TO THE LONG-TERM NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL AND COUNTY.
I APPRECIATE MR. MORGAN, UM, SHARING THOSE COMMENTS EARLIER RELATED TO THE LONG-TERM NEEDS OF THE COUNTY.
IT'S PROVEN EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, MR. MORGAN AND I, WE MEET TWICE A MONTH.
UM, WE KEEP EACH OTHER UP TO SPEED ON PROJECTS AND SITUATIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH, AND WE TALK ON THE PHONE QUITE A BIT, INCLUDING THIS MORNING.
UM, WE COLLABORATE AND PROBLEM SOLVE TOGETHER TO TRY AND CONTINUALLY IMPROVE OUR COUNTY AND OUR SCHOOLS.
WE SHARE INFORMATION RELATED TO THE C I P AND OPERATING BUDGET YEAR ROUND.
THERE ARE REALLY NO SURPRISES BECAUSE WE TALK ALL THE TIME ABOUT OUR FINANCIAL SITUATIONS.
SO I APPRECIATE THIS OPEN DIALOGUE.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, SOME OTHER SENIOR STAFF MEMBERS IN, IN THE ROOM WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE TERESA OWENS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE HER WORK WITH MR. BOWEN REGARDING FINANCES.
A A GREAT EXAMPLE OF COLLABORATION ALSO, MR. BELLAMY.
UM, HE, THE WORK THAT HE DOES WITH FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS AND HIS WORK SUPPORTING THE SCHOOLS, AND COLLABORATING WITH DR.
THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS, AND PLEASE KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU.
FOR EXAMPLE, MR. FULLER, UH, MR. BELLAMY AND MR. MORGAN WERE ABLE TO TOUR THE SEAFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UM, CONSTRUCTION PROJECT LAST WEEK.
WE HAD A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO WALK THEM THROUGH AND SEE THAT PROGRESS.
WE APPRECIATE THEM, UM, TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS.
ARE YOU COMING BACK UP WITH TAX? I WILL NOT BE COMING BACK.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANNA SPEAK TO THE BUDGET PORTION? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY BOARD COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET? SEEING NONE, WE'LL
[4 Calendar Year 2023 Tax Rates. Receive public comment on the proposed CY2023 Tax Rates as set forth in proposed Ordinance No. 23-7.]
NOW MOVE TO THE CALENDAR YEAR 2023 TAX RATE, AND I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.AND I HAVE DOUG HORO SIGNED UP.
DOUG HOLROYD, 1 0 3, MARINA POINT WILLIAMSBURG, MR. CHAIRMAN, SUPERVISORS, GREETINGS AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'LL REPEAT EACH OF THE THREE STATEMENTS ON THE BUDGET THAT I HAVE PROVIDED TO YOU IN PREVIOUS BOARD OF SUPERVISOR MEETINGS.
NUMBER ONE, FISCAL YEAR 2022 SURPLUS FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX WAS 5.13 MILLION OF WHICH 3.5 HAS BEEN APPLIED AS A CREDIT ON THE DECEMBER, 2022 BILLS.
MY RECOMMENDATION WAS TO PROVIDE A SECOND TAX CREDIT AND REBATE OF OR REBATE THE $1.5 MILLION TO BE APPLIED ON PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX INVOICES FROM JUNE OF THIS YEAR TO BASICALLY USE UP THE REMAINING 5.13 MILLION THAT WAS NOT CREDITED.
NUMBER TWO WAS REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUES ARE UP BY OVER 10% IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.
FISCAL YEAR 2022 SURPLUS FOR REAL ESTATE TAXES WAS $400,000.
MY RECOMMENDATION WAS TO LOWER THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE BY AN ADDITIONAL HALF CENT.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, 76 POINT A HALF CENTS PER HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
2024, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL HALF MILLION DOLLAR REDUCTION IN PROPERTY TAX AND EQUIVALENT TO THE REAL ESTATE TAX SURPLUS GENERATED IN FISCAL YEAR 2022.
AND THEN MY FAVORITE TOPIC, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
IT'S UP BY SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT OVER LAST YEAR.
AS WE LEARNED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, VEHICLE ASSESSMENT VALUES HAVE DECREASED FROM THEIR PEAK IN 2022 WHEN, WHEN THEY REACHED NEARLY 36%.
2020 ON AVERAGE VEHICLES, UH, UH, FOR THE JUNE, 2023 BILL ARE NOW 4% BELOW THE DECEMBER 21 ASSESSMENT VALUES AS REPORTED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING.
HOWEVER, CAR VALUES SHOULD HAVE DROPPED BY MUCH MORE DUE TO DEPRECIATION.
10 TO 12% PER YEAR IS THE EXPECTED DEPRECIATION ON A VEHICLE.
THEY DIDN'T BECAUSE COVID SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, THE ASSESSMENT VALUE FOR THE VEHICLES SHOULD BE 20 TO 22% BELOW THE DECEMBER 21, UH, ASSESSMENT VALUES IF CORRECTED FOR BY, FOR DEPRECIATION, NOT 4%.
SO SIMPLY PUT, CARS ARE STILL ASSESSED FOR
[01:40:01]
TAX PURPOSES, 18% ABOVE THEIR DEPRECIATED VALUE.THIS WILL GENERATE A BUDGET SURPLUS OF NEARLY 1 MILLION IN 2023.
I HAD RECOMMENDED IN JANUARY THE TAX RATE BE DROPPED TO $3 20 CENTS.
BUT BASED ON THE LIGHTEST ASSESSMENTS VALUES VALUE SUMMARY, THE TAX RATE SHOULD BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $3 AND 70 CENTS TO AVOID THAT $1 MILLION BUDGET SURPLUS THIS YEAR.
SO IN SUMMARY, ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR REBATE ON THE JUNE, 2023 PROPERTY, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX BILL, 76 AND A HALF CENTS PER HUNDRED ON THE REAL ESTATE TAX.
$3 70 CENTS PER HUNDRED ON THE VEHICLE ASSESSMENT VALUE.
IS, UH, HAVE NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP? UH, ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE 2023 TAX RATE? COME ON, SIR, PLEASE STEP UP AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
I LIVE AT ONE 30 YORKSHIRE DRIVE.
UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY A POINT OF EARLIER DISCUSSION AND THAT'S ON THE VEHICLE FEE.
WHAT I UNDERSTAND MR. MORGAN TO SAY ON, ON YOUR WORK SESSION WAS THAT THERE WERE, HAD BEEN PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS OF CERTAIN ITEMS OR AREAS, AND IF WE WERE LOOKING TO TAKE REVENUE FROM THOSE AREAS, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT CAUSE OF THE PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE.
NOW, IN MY MEMO THAT I GAVE Y'ALL, I USED THE WORDS OFF LIMITS.
THAT'S MY INTERPRETATION OF WHAT I UNDERSTOOD HIM TO SAY.
AND REALLY, IN REALITY, IF THERE WERE OBLIGATIONS MADE THROUGH PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I THINK THAT THE 10 CENTS THAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED THIS YEAR IS INSUFFICIENT.
AS THE GENTLEMAN SAYS, THE VALUE OF USED VEHICLES HAS NOT GONE DOWN FAR ENOUGH.
IF YOU HAVE READ THE ARTICLES IN THE PAPER ABOUT OTHER LOCALITIES AROUND THE AREA, THEY'RE STILL UP THERE.
THEY'RE MAKING LARGER ADJUSTMENTS.
I THINK THAT 10 CENTS IS TOO LOW.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE 20 CENTS.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE $25 VEHICLE FEE DONE AWAY WITH.
SEEING AS NO ONE ELSE, THEN, UM, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS BY THE BOARD.
ANY COMMENTS BY THE BOARD? WELL ALL COMMENTS? YEAH.
UM, THIS IS MY ONE COMMENT AND I, UH, WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING.
THE TAX RATE, RIGHT? NOT ON THE TAX RATE, NO.
ANYTHING, NOTHING I'VE EVER SAID BEFORE? ANYTHING? NO.
SO, UM, THIS ALWAYS A LITTLE CONFUSING FOR EVERYONE.
UM, OUR, THIS PUBLIC HEARING RIGHT NOW, YOUR TIME WAS TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH WAS BEEN PROPOSED.
UM, AND THEN WE GO TO A WORK SESSION.
OKAY? IN, UM, MAY, MAY THE SECOND.
THE WORK SESSION DOES NOT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO TALK TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OKAY.
TO PRESENT ANY COMMENT BECAUSE WHAT HAS HAPPENED, AND THAT IS A WORK SESSION.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL TALK, UH, AMONG OUR, OUR, AMONG OURSELVES.
IT'LL BE ALL YOU'RE RECORDED AND EVERYBODY CAN SEE IT, AND THEN WE'LL VOTE ON THE BUDGET.
IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD FOLKS, UH, THAT REALLY WERE UPSET BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH GOES TO MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS PROCESS NOT BEING IS THE BEST WAY TO DO BUSINESS.
SO, UH, BUT RIGHT NOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE CURRENT PROCESS.
AND ON MAY THE SECOND, WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE THE, UM, UH, THE, UH, UH, BUDGET.
AND THERE WILL BE NO COMMENTS AT THAT TIME PROVIDED FROM THE PUBLIC.
OKAY? SO I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT'S, UH, THAT'S EVERYBODY KIND.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.WE GOT, UH, ITEM FIVES APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
ITEM SIX IS GRANT APPLICATION FOR EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR PROGRAM.
ITEM SEVENS THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM, ANNUAL FUNDING RENEWAL.
UH, NUMBER EIGHT IS ENDORSEMENT OF THE FAIR HOUSING PRINCIPLES.
NUMBER NINES REQUEST FOR REFUND OF REAL PROPERTY TAXES, THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST.
ITEM 10 IS REQUEST FOR REFUND OF REAL PROPERTY TAXES FROM, UH, A DISABLED VETERAN OP, UH, ITEM ELEVENS PRO.
LET'S SEE, PROFESSIONAL AUDIT SERVICE CONTRACT.
ITEM 12 IS ACCOMMODATION OF A RETIRING EMPLOYEES.
[01:45:01]
BARDEN.AND HE'S THE CHIEF, I BELIEVE, RIGHT? BATTALION CHIEF.
ITEM THIRTEENS ELECTRIC POWER EASEMENT TO SUPPLY POWER TO THE COUNTY PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1 59 GOODWIN NECK ROAD IN ITEM 14.
THIS OUTSTANDING YOUTH AWARD SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
UM, FOR THOSE DON'T, UH, KNOW THAT, UH, WE, WE HAVE, WE PICK, UH, THERE'S A BOARD PICKS FOUR, UH, CANDIDATES THAT ARE SUBMITTED AND THEY GET A THOUSAND DOLLARS GRANT, UH, OR OUR SCHOLARSHIP.
SO ANY, ANY OF THESE ITEMS FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA? NO.
THEN I WILL HAVE TAKE, UH, I, I'LL MOVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR APPOINTMENT.
I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION ON, I UNDERSTAND THE YOUTH AWARDS, IF WE COULD DO A PRESENTATION YES.
JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT MISSING THAT, THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A KIND OF A, A DINNER DOWN THERE WITH HIM AND WE MEET FOR THE MEETING, AND THEN WE COME UP HERE AND WE GO THROUGH PRESENTATIONS.
UM, SO SHEILA, YOU ARE GONNA MAKE A MOTION? YEAH, I, I MOVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
AND WE GOT A MOTION AND ROLL CALL.
THE MOTION MADE BY MRS. NOEL IS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS SUBMITTED.
[15 Application No. UP-1007-23, Dish Wireless. Consider adoption of proposed Resolution R23-3 to authorize a minor enlargement of a conforming Dominion Energy Power pylon from 111 to 123 feet in height to allow the construction of a communications tower with antenna arrays.]
BUSINESS.ITEM 15 IS APPLICATION NUMBER UP 1007 DASH 23 DISH WIRELESS.
MR. UH, UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
THIS IS AN APPLICATION, UH, BASICALLY TO, UH, ERECT A, WHAT WE CALL A POWER TOWER TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY INSIDE AN EXISTING, UH, DOMINION ENERGY, POWER PYLON.
TECHNICALLY, IT'S A MINOR EXPANSION OF AN EXISTING, UH, POWER PYLON BECAUSE IT DOES INVOLVE AN INCREASE IN HEIGHT.
THE ADDRESS IS 200 Z CAROTTA AND RUN, WHICH IS, UH, IN THE RUNNING MAN SUBDIVISION.
THE, THE GREEN STRIPE THAT RUNS THE DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE, UH, MAP REPRESENTS THAT VIRGINIA POWER EASEMENT, UH, THAT RUNS THROUGH THAT AREA.
UH, THE BLUE STARS INDICATE, UH, EXISTING POWER TOWERS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE ALONG THAT CORRIDOR.
ONE IN, UH, RUNNING MAN, THE OTHER ONE IN SHERWOOD FOREST.
UH, THE ENTIRE SURROUNDING AREAS, RESIDENTIAL ZONED R 20, MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
AND, UH, HERE'S AN AERIAL PHOTO SHOWING THE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED, UH, TOWER, UH, WITH, UH, IN, IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREA, IT'S 3.3 ACRE PARCEL.
UH, THEY'RE INCREASING THE HEIGHT OF THE 110 FOOT POWER PYLON BY 105
UH, OUR POLICY IS, UH, WE TREAT THIS SIMILAR TO A, UH, WHEN WE HAVE A SPECIAL USE THAT INCREASES, IT'S PROPOSED TO INCREASE, UH, IF THE INCREASE IS EXPANSION IS GREATER THAN 5% AND LESS THAN 25%, IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD, BUT IT DOESN'T REQUIRE PUBLIC HEARING AND IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A, UH, ANY PLANNING COMMISSIONER REVIEW.
YOU MIGHT RECALL THE CHICK-FIL-A APPLICATION WE HAD A MONTH OR TWO AGO, SIMILAR SITUATION.
UH, AND SO WE TREAT THE HEIGHT INCREASE BASICALLY IN THE SAME WAY.
SO SINCE THE 11.8%, IT FALLS INTO THAT MINOR AMENDMENT CATEGORY.
THE, UH, TOWER WOULD HAVE A, UH, COMPOUND AT THE, UH, AT THE BASE WITH THE, FOR GROUND MOUNTED EQUIPMENT, 10 BY 15, SURROUNDED BY A WOODEN FENCE, UH, ALMOST EIGHT FEET IN HEIGHT.
AND THERE WOULD BE LANDSCAPING PLANTED AROUND THE, UH, AROUND THE COMPOUND.
UH, THE RED SQUARE HERE, UH, INDICATES THE LOCATION OF THE TOWER ITSELF, AND THEN THE GREEN SQUARE INDICATES THE LOCATION OF THE, UH, COMPOUND.
AND THERE IS A, UH, DIRT AND GRAVEL ROAD OUT THERE THAT'S USED BY DOMINION EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT WOULD BE USED TO PROVIDE ACCESS, UH, UH, TO, UH, MAINTAIN FOR TOWER MAINTENANCE, MAINTENANCE OF THE EQUIPMENT.
AND THEY WOULD BE INSTALLING A, A SMALL, UH, GRAVEL TURNAROUND AT THE END OF THAT.
AND YOU CAN, UH, SEE OVER HERE BY THE, UH, BY THE COMPOUND.
AND HERE'S AN ELEVATION, UH, OF THE EXISTING PYLON AND, UH, WHAT THE ANTENNA ARRAYS, UH, WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, AT THE SIZE AND BULK OF THE, THE PYLON, THE ANTENNAS ARE REALLY A PRETTY MINOR, UH, ADDITION TO THAT.
AND, UH, GOT A FEW, UH, PHOTO SIMULATIONS.
WE ALWAYS ASK FOR THESE, UH, PICTURES OF WHAT THE TOWER WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM, UH, AROUND THE LOCATION.
AND THEN, UH, UH, THIS IS WHAT'S PROPOSED.
AND THEN THIS IS, UH, I BELIEVE THE STREET TO THE SOUTH.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE TOWER BACK HERE, UH, IN THE DISTANCE.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE, UH, THAT'S
[01:50:01]
WHAT THE ANTENNA ARRAY WOULD LOOK LIKE.UH, AND HERE FROM THE OTHER VIEW FROM I BELIEVE THE NORTH, YOU CAN SEE THE TOWER THROUGH THE TREES, AND THEN THE ANTENNA ARRAY AT THE TOP OF THE TOWER.
WE HAVE, UH, LANGUAGE IN THERE.
THIS KIND OF SITUATION IS PREFERRED.
WE TALK ABOUT, UH, HOW WE PREFER NOT TO BUILD WHOLE NEW STRUCTURES.
WE PREFER TO HAVE THEM CO-LOCATE ON EXISTING TALL STRUCTURE.
UH, AS WE HAVE DONE IN THOSE TWO OTHER CASES THAT I MENTIONED IN THIS SAME AREA, AS YOU SAW IN THE PHOTO SIMS, THE, UH, ANTENNA ARRAYS TOWER WOULD NOT BE VISUALLY OBTRUSIVE FROM SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL AREA.
SO WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL, UH, SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS IN PC 23 DASH THREE.
UM, AND THEY'RE JUST THE BOILER PLATE CONDITIONS THAT WE, UH, WE ALWAYS USE FOR, UH, TOWERS CELL CELLULAR SHOWERS.
SO, TIM, HAVE YOU GOTTEN, HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY CONCERNS, COMPLAINTS, COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? NO.
THIS IS MY DISTRICT IN, UM, THE, THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH US FOR, FOR YEARS.
TIM CROSS SAID ASK FOR, SO, HMM.
I GOTTA GET THIS STRAIGHT HERE.
ASK FOR A MOTION THEN, OR COMMENTS.
PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 23 DASH THREE.
ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, MR. MR. SHEPHERD REAL QUICK? THIS IS, THIS IS NUMBERED R 23 DASH THREE.
I NOTICED THE NEXT ONE WAS R 23 DASH 64, FOLLOWED BY 65.
THAT WAS AN WHAT'S UP WITH THE NUMBERING? IT WAS A NUMBER THAT WAS ASSIGNED AS MY UNDERSTANDING EARLIER ON, AND IT WASN'T USED.
ACTUALLY, IT SHOULD SAY R 23 ON THE SLIDE.
IT SHOULD SAY R 23 DASH THREE, BUT YEAH, THERE WAS A NUMBER THAT WAS ASSIGNED, CORRECT.
AND THAT ITEM ENDED UP NOT GOING FORWARD, SO THEY JUST ASSIGNED THEM THIS NUMBER TO IT.
QUESTION, QUESTION ABOUT HEIGHT.
IS THERE COUNTY ORDINANCE ABOUT LIMITS ON HEIGHTS AND TOWERS? IS THERE A FEDERAL LIMIT? WHAT, WHEN IS TWO, WHEN IS HEIGHTS? WELL, THEY HAVE, UH, THERE ARE FEDERAL RULES.
THEY WILL HAVE TO, UH, SUBMIT TO THE FAA TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO INTERFERENCE, UH, WITH, UH, AIRCRAFT.
UH, WE CHECKED IT AGAINST OUR AIRPORT SAFETY MANAGEMENT OVERLAY DISTRICT.
AND THIS TOWER, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 13 FEET.
IT DOESN'T, IT DOES NOT COME CLOSE TO PENETRATING ANY OF THOSE PROTECTED SURFACES AROUND EITHER NEWPORT NEWS AIRPORT OR, UH, LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE.
AND, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT A FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD STILL ADDRESS.
IF THERE IS A ISSUE THAT HIGH UP, THEY CAN GET TO IT.
THIS IS NOT BEYOND THE, OH, YEAH, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT TALLER TERMS. OKAY.
SO WE'VE HAD, UH, MOTION MADE.
NO OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? GO AHEAD.
THE MOTION MADE BY MRS. NOEL IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 23 DASH THREE TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION AS SUBMITTED.
[16 Bruton Fire Station Fuel Point 3 Upgrade. Consider adoption of proposed Resolution R23-64 to execute a contract with JF Acquistion, LLC, for the underground fuel storage tanks for Bruton Fuel Station Number 3.]
ITEM 16 IS BRUIN FIRE FUEL 0.3.I SEE OUR FIREMEN ARE IN HERE.
UM, WHO'S GONNA HANDLE IT? THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
SO THE COUNTY HAS THREE FUELING FACILITIES.
UH, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, RENEWING ALL THREE.
THE, UM, THE HEADQUARTERS FACILITY, IF YOU WILL, AT THE OPERATION CENTER WAS THE FIRST ONE WHERE WE REPLACED THE TANKS AND IT'S FULLY OPERATIONAL.
UM, THE ONE NEXT TO TAB HIGH SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE REBUILT THIS SUMMER AS SOON AS THE SCHOOL YEAR'S OVER.
UM, THE ONE AT HUBBARD LANE, UH, BETWEEN, UH, MAGRUDER ELEMENTARY AND THE FIRE STATION IS THE THIRD AND FINAL ONE TO BE REPLACED.
UH, THE WAY WE ARE PROCEEDING IS, UH, PROCURING THE FIBERGLASS, UH, UNDERGROUND TANKS.
NOW, UH, THERE'S SOME, UH, LEAD TIME PROCUREMENT ISSUES.
AND THEN THIS WAY, UH, OUR VENDOR WILL KEEP THEM IN STORAGE.
AND SO THEN WHEN WE HIRE A CONTRACTOR TO DO THE WORK, PROBABLY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE WILL ALREADY HAVE THE UNDERGROUND TANKS SECURED.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU ALL WOULD, UH, AUTHORIZE THE CONTRACTED BY THE TANKS.
ANY DISCUSSION? R REAL QUICK? WHAT'S THE LIFESPAN ON ON THOSE THINGS? ABOUT 25 YEARS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, WHY, WHY UNDERGROUND INSTEAD OF ABOVE GROUND? IT'S SAFER.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M REALLY QUALIFIED TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, THERE'S CERTAINLY AN EFFICIENCY OF SPACE BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE 'EM UNDERGROUND, THE PAVEMENT AREA WHERE THE VEHICLES COME TO FUEL AND TURN AROUND AND ALL.
SO MAYBE IF YOU HAD AN UNLIMITED PIECE OF REAL ESTATE, ABOVEGROUND MIGHT BE A REASONABLE CHOICE.
[01:55:01]
SAFETY FACTORS.I WAS TO SAY, WELL, THAT PROBABLY CUTS BOTH WAYS, UM, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE IT BECAUSE IT'S UNDERGROUND.
BUT THERE'S VARIOUS, YOU KNOW, THE STATE HAS A VERY DETAILED UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK PROPOSAL AND IT'S DOUBLE LINED.
I THINK THE PRACTICAL REASON IS, UM, THERE WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH ROOM FOR ALL THE VEHICLES TO COME AND GO IF YOU DIDN'T BURY THEM.
THE MOTION MADE BY MR. RON IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 23 DASH 64 TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE UNDERGROUND FUEL STORAGE TANKS OR BRUIN FUEL STATION NUMBER THREE.
[17 West Queens Drive Sidewalk Project. Consider adoption of proposed Resolution R23-65 to execute a contract with CTN Enterprises, Inc., for the West Queens Drive Sidewalk Project]
MOVING ON TO THE NUMBER SEVENTEENS THE WEST QUEEN DRIVE SIDEWALK PROJECT.ANYBODY WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS? OKAY.
SO I LOVE TALKING ABOUT THESE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE SPECIAL GRANT PROGRAMS. WE, WE, UM, GET A EXTRA PERCENTAGE OF FEDERAL AND STATE MONEY BECAUSE IT CONNECTS A NEIGHBORHOOD TO A SCHOOL.
YOU ALL KNOW, UH, HOW LONG THESE THINGS TAKE THE LINE UP.
THIS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ONE FOR LIKE FOUR YEARS.
UM, BUT IT'S GOOD TO GO AND IT'LL JUST CONNECT ONE SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD TO QUEENS LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, I NEED A MOTION ON R 2365.
THE MOTION MADE BY MR. ZAREMBA IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 23 DASH 65 TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE WEST QUEENS DRIVE SIDEWALK PROJECT.
[18 Revenue Sharing Authorization for the Eastern Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority Property. Consider adoption of proposed Resolution R23-63 to authorize the County Administrator to implement Revenue Sharing for the Eastern Virginia Regional Industrial Authority property pursuant to Section 15.2-6406.B of the Code of Virginia.]
LAST ITEM.ITEM 18, REVENUE SHARING AUTHORIZATION FOR THE EASTERN VIRGINIA REGIONAL INDUSTRIAL FACILITY AUTHORITY PROPERTY.
SO ANYBODY NEED TO DISCUSS ANYTHING ON THIS? ON THAT ONE? NO, WE DON'T.
UM, ATTACHED IN, UM, THE MEMO AND THE DRAFT RESOLUTION.
BASICALLY, THIS WILL AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, TO IMPLEMENT REVENUE SHARING WITH THE EV RFA PARTICIPANTS, UM, THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE KINGS CREEK COMMERCE CENTER PROJECT.
YOU MAY RECALL WE APPROVED SEVERAL YEARS AGO THE PARTICIPATING AGREEMENT.
SO THIS WAS ANTICIPATED ALL ALONG, BUT UNTIL WE GOT CLOSE TO DEVELOPMENT OR ANY REVENUES COMING IN, THERE WASN'T A NEED TO HAVE THE RESOLUTION, UM, IN PLACE.
BUT BASICALLY, UM, SINCE THE PROJECT IS IN YORK COUNTY, WE ARE THE HOST LOCALITY.
UM, THEREFORE THE STATE CODE REQUIRES US, UH, TO HAVE THIS PUT IN PLACE CODIFYING THE REVENUE SHARING AGREEMENT, UM, SO THAT THE COMMISSIONER OF THE REVENUE AND THE TREASURER'S OFFICE CAN ACTUALLY FACILITATE TRANSFER OF THE FUNDS, UM, FROM THE PROJECT TO THE PARTICIPATING LOCALITIES.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST A FORMALITY OF SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN THE AGREEMENT.
SO, UH, CHRISTIE UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, UNDER THE AGREEMENT, UH, AND THE SET OF THE, THE AUTHORITY THAT, UM, THAT THE HOST, THE HOST, COUNTY HOST GOVERNMENT WILL GET 5% OF THE, OF THAT RIGHT OFF THE TOP.
SO THE FIRST 5% GOES TO EV RFA, THE LARGER ORGANIZATION THAN 5% TO YOUR COUNTY.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A LARGER PERCENTAGE SHARE THAN THE OTHER LOCALITIES.
THAT'S THE 90% OF THE 90%, YES.
YEAH, I WAS WONDERING HOW THAT 90% WE'RE.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT CUT OUT OF, WE'RE 42% OF THAT AFTER THE 5%.
BUT IT'S BASED ON OUR, OUR CONTRIBUTION.
I MOVE IT
ANY QUE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
THE MOTION MADE BY MRS. NOEL IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 23 DASH 63 TO IMPLEMENT REVENUE SHARING FOR THE EB RFA PROPERTY PURSUANT TO THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.
[CLOSED MEETING]
WE HAVE NO CLOSED MEETING.[MATTERS PRESENTED BY THE BOARD]
BACK TO MATTERS PRESENTED BY THE BOARD.UM, UM, UM, MR. GREEN, I'LL GET MY BRAIN HERE.
IF YOU ARE A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AND LIVE IN DISTRICT NUMBER THREE, IT'S TIME TO GET INVOLVED AND PUT YOUR APPLICATION IN TO BECOME A YOUTH COMMISSION MEMBER.
WE ARE ACTIVELY RECRUITING APPLICANTS FOR THE YORK COUNTY YOUTH COMMISSION, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE BEST DISTRICT, ALTHOUGH MR. ZAREMBA WOULD, UH, WOULD, UH, MAYBE, UH, TAKE ISSUE.
[02:00:01]
BEST DISTRICT, DISTRICT THREE, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO, TO HIGH SCHOOL.UH, HERE YOU CAN GO TO BE HOMESCHOOLED.
YOU CAN GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOL, YOU CAN GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL, BUT YOU'VE GOTTA LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
SO IF YOU LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE, PLEASE PUT YOUR APPLICATION IN, UH, TO SERVE ON THE YORK COUNTY YOUTH COMMISSION.
OKAY, MS. NOELL, THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NOT ONLY DISTRICT THREE, HOW ABOUT DISTRICT ONE, DISTRICT TWO, DISTRICT FOUR, AND DISTRICT FIVE? ANY STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN THOSE DISTRICTS, PLEASE PUT IN YOUR APPLICATION.
THIS IS, THIS IS WONDERFUL TRAINING FOR FUTURE LEADERS, AND HOPEFULLY ONE OF YOU WILL SOMETIMES BE SITTING UP HERE.
SO, THAT WAS MY FIRST COMMENT.
MY SECOND COMMENT IS THIS IS, THIS IS SPRING AND A COUPLE YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED, UH, THE COMMUNITY GARDENS DOWN AT THE MAC.
WELL, THAT'S BEEN SO POPULAR THAT IT'S CHOCOLATE BLOCK FULL.
IN FACT, THEY'VE GOT 30 PEOPLE STILL ON THE WITTY LIST FOR A SPOT.
WE LOOKED TO SEE WHETHER WE COULD ADD DOWN THERE, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT, THAT THAT WAS NOT GOING TO BE THE LOCATION.
BUT ANOTHER LOCATION WAS CHOSEN, AND IT'S UP AT, AT CHARLES BROWN PARK IN LACKEY.
THAT GARDEN IS FINALLY UP AND RUNNING, AND IT HAS SEVERAL FAMILIES THAT HAVE ALREADY STARTED THE GUARDS, BUT THERE ARE NINE SPOTS LEFT.
IF YOU WANT A GARDEN, DON'T COMPLAIN THAT YOU, YOU CAN'T GET A SPOT IN THE LOWER PART OF THE COUNTY.
YOU CAN MOVE UP TO CHARLES BROWN, AND IF YOU WANNA GO OUT AND LOOK AT IT, YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY'RE VERY, VERY WELL PREPARED, AND YOU WOULD HAVE A MARVELOUS SPOT.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, HOMEGROWN FOOD AND VEGETABLES ARE SO MUCH BETTER.
SO DO THINK ABOUT IT, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, MR. ZAREMBA? YEAH, THANKS, CHAIR.
UH, I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT OF OUR SCHOOLS AND HIS DEPUTY, ONE OF A COUPLE, UH, LEFT WHEN THEY DID.
UH, BY THE TIME FOR ME TO MAKE A PUBLIC APOLOGY TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, TODAY WAS A SPECIAL DAY IN YORK COUNTY SCHOOLS.
UH, I WAS TAPPED TO PARTICIPATE AS I HAVE FOR THE LAST 28 YEARS WITH MY COUNTERPART ON THE SCHOOL DIVISION, WHEREBY THE SENIOR CLASS COMES INTO THE AUDITORIUM AND WHATEVER QUESTIONS THEY WANT TO ASK THESE TWO OFFICIALS, THEY FIRE AWAY WITH US.
AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A REAL JOY TO BE PART OF THAT.
AND, UM, THESE, I HATE TO SAY THIS SOMETIMES IN MY LIFE, STUFF HAPPENS AND STUFF HAPPENED STARTING YESTERDAY AFTERNOON TO, IT WAS THE EVENT WAS THIS MORNING AT NINE O'CLOCK, AND IT GOT IN MY WAY.
AND I THEREFORE MISSED THIS EXCITING EVENT.
I WANTED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TO HEAR THAT PERSONALLY.
HE'LL PROBABLY HEAR IT FROM SOMEBODY IN THIS ROOM.
BUT, UH, UM, THIS IS A PUBLIC POLICY AND I HATE LIKE HELL TO MAKE PUBLIC PUBLIC POLICY LIKE THAT UNLESS I'M GUILTY.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND UPON SOMETHING I SHARED ON MY MOST RECENT NEWSLETTER BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT AND THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT AUDIENCE HERE.
SO, MY LAST NEWSLETTER, I SHARED A NEW PROGRAM, A NEWER PROGRAM FROM THE, UM, SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT THEY'VE IMPLEMENTED.
UH, SHERIFF MONTGOMERY AND HIS STAFF HAVE INSTITUTED WHAT'S CALLED A, UH, AUTISM ACCEPTANCE, UH, PROGRAM.
AND THERE'S TWO MAIN PIECES OF THAT PROGRAM.
ONE IS SPECIALIZED TRAINING FOR THE DEPUTIES OUT THERE, SO THEY KNOW HOW TO BEST AND SAFELY INTERACT WITH ANYBODY WHO HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH, WITH AUTISM.
UH, I KNOW THEY'VE HAD CHALLENGES IN THE PAST WHEN WITHOUT THAT TRAINING, IT MAKES 'EM DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY WALK INTO A SITUATION AND YOU MAYBE HAVE AN UNRESPONSIVE, UH, PERSON, WHY, WHY THAT'S HAPPENING.
WELL, NOW THEY'RE NOW THEY'RE GONNA HAVE DIFFERENT TRAINING TO HELP THEM RESPOND BETTER.
AND ANOTHER PART OF IT TOO IS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS SUPPLYING ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO OPTION, UH, A STICKER THAT YOU CAN PUT ON YOUR VEHICLE, LEAVING IN YOUR HOME.
SO THAT IS A, AS A DEPUTY IS APPROACHING YOUR VEHICLE OR YOUR HOME, THEY'LL KNOW THAT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THERE MAY BE AN OCCUPANT WHO HAS, HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM AND WILL KNOW TO START CHANGING AND THINK ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GONNA INTERACT WITH THAT PERSON.
THEY CAN MAKE THAT WHOLE, UH, INTERACTION, UH, MORE PLEASANT AND SAFER.
SO IF THAT APPLIES TO YOU, I, I WOULD, I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
EITHER SHOOT 'EM AN EMAIL, CALL UP OR EVEN STOP BY AND MAYBE GET MORE INFORMATION, OR AT LEAST GET THAT STICKER THAT YOU CAN APPLY TO YOUR VEHICLE.
ALSO RELATED TO THAT IS THE, THE, THE HEAD UP PROGRAM HEADS UP PROGRAM WITH A 9 1 1 PROGRAM THAT WITHIN THE COUNTY, THAT IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY IN YOUR HOME THAT MAYBE IS LIMITED MOBILITY, UM, HAVE OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS, YOU CAN LET THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM KNOW THEY CAN RECORD THAT IN THEIR SYSTEM SO THAT IF YOU CALL AND SOMEBODY HAS TO
[02:05:01]
RESPOND TO YOUR PREMISES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE LIFE SAFETY, THEY KNOW THAT THEY MAY NEED TO ADDRESS THAT.THEY, THEY KNOW THERE MAY BE SOMEBODY WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
THEY NEED TO GO HELP SOMEBODY WITH SPECIAL MEDICAL CARE EQUIPMENT.
SO THAT CAN BE BETTER PREPARED WHEN THEY RESPOND.
SO IMPORTANT PROGRAMS THE COUNTY OFFERS, VALUE YOURSELF TO THEM.
IF THAT APPLIES TO YOU, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
UM, ON THE 14TH, WHICH WAS LAST FRIDAY, UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING, UH, PARTICIPATING IN THE, UM, THE WALMART, UH, UP IN GOD'S COUNTRY UP IN DISTRICT ONE.
UM, AND IT WAS, UH, THEY HAD THE, THEY HAD THE, THE BRUIN BAN WAS THERE, THE TAB MASCOT, AND THE, AND THE, UH, HONOR GUARD FROM TAB HIGH SCHOOL WERE THERE.
UH, THE SHERIFF, UH, AND I WERE THERE.
UM, AND IT WAS, UH, IT WAS QUITE A, QUITE A GATHERING AND, UH, TO SEE THE, THE ASSOCIATES, ALL THE ASSOCIATES THAT WORK AT THE, AT THE WALMART, UM, STEPHANIE KESTERS, THE MANAGER, AND, UH, AND, UH, SKYLAR, UH, UH, MAXWELL, UH, ASSISTANT MANAGER, WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR, OH, 20 YEARS OR MORE.
AND THEY, THEY, UH, THEY DID A, A TREMENDOUS JOB.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA POINT OUT ABOUT WALMART, UM, WE HAVE TWO BIG WALMARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THOSE BUSINESSES.
THEY GENERATE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
EACH ONE OF THOSE STORES GENERATE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN TAXES JUST TO US.
UM, I REMEMBER WHEN THEY FIRST OPENED THE ONE TAB, THE, UH, THEY WERE HOPING TO, UH, GET, UH, UP TO A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN SALES IN THE FIRST YEAR.
AND, UM, AND, AND IT'S GREAT FOR US, IT'S GREAT FOR US NOT ONLY FOR THE TAXES, BUT WHAT THEY ALSO DO IS THEY ISSUE GRANTS FOR THE EDUCATION TO THE CHURCHES, VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT, UH, THAT THEY'RE, THEY LIKE.
AND SO THEY'RE, THEY'VE BEEN A GOOD NEIGHBOR IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SOMETHING FOR US THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND.
WE ARE VERY SAFE COMPARED TO PLACES LIKE CHICAGO, SAN FRANCISCO, LA, AND PLACES LIKE TO SOME PORTLAND.
AND THE REASON I NAME THESE CITIES, BECAUSE, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IN SAN FRANCISCO, THEY HAVE LITERALLY CLOSED ALL THE WALMARTS BECAUSE OF THE THIEF.
THEY HAVE THIEFS, NOT THIEFS, BUT WHAT DO YOU CALL, SHRINKAGE CAUSED BY STEALING, UM, A GOOD PART OF PORTLAND.
CHICAGO, THEY'VE CLOSED HALF THE STORES AND MOVED THEM OUT OF, UH, THE AREAS.
THEY JUST CANNOT STAY IN BUSINESS WITH THAT KIND OF, UH, CITIZENRY OR THAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT.
AND, UM, AND IT'S A REFLECTION ON US THAT WE HAVE THESE STORES, ALTHOUGH THEY GET HIT OCCASIONALLY WITH, UH, SHOPLIFTING AND STUFF LIKE THAT, UM, BUT SO FAR WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT WHERE THEY'RE DRIVING CARS THROUGH THE WALLS AND THEN GOING IN AND GRABBING, DOING A RUSH ON THAT, THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OTHER PLACES.
SO IT'S TO US, IF WE LIKE OUR BUSINESSES, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WALMART, BUT IT HAS TO BE ANY STORE, KROGER, WHATEVER.
I MEAN, THAT'S ANOTHER BIG STORE.
BUT ANY OF OUR STORES, UH, HOME DEPOT, UM, IF WE LIKE OUR BUSINESSES, WE NEED TO HELP THEM PROTECT THEIR, THEIR, UH, THEIR BUSINESSES, AND WE NEED TO SHOP AND SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESSES BECAUSE IT'S A BENEFIT FOR US.
UM, AND ONE THING I NOTICED, UH, YOU'VE BEEN HEARING STUFF ABOUT STAR STARBUCKS, UH, IN THE UNIONS AND WHATNOT'S GOING ON THERE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS, IF YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO SEE THE EFFECT OF TAXES.
YOU GO TO STARBUCKS IN YORK COUNTY AND YOU PAY ABOUT, WHAT IS IT, 7% I THINK A SALES TAX ON THE FOOD I, TERESA, DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT RIGHT? SO WHAT NO, THAT'S RIGHT.
I THINK IT SAID, SAID ABOUT 7%.
I GO OVER TO, I GO OVER TO NEWPORT NEWS AND IT'S 13 AND A HALF PERCENT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
AND SO WHEN WE DO A LOT OF COMPARISON UP HERE, AND, AND NEILS DOES A GREAT JOB OF, UH, SHOWING US WHERE WE STAND, WHERE OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR TAXES, THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER LITTLE TAXES THAT YOU DON'T SEE.
THAT'S WHERE THESE, THESE CITIES ARE HAVING TO GO AND GET, UH, GET THEIR REVENUE.
AND BELIEVE ME, IT'S UH, IT'S PRETTY EYE WATERING TO SEE IT.
SO ANYWAY, WITH THAT, UH, THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD SUPERVISORS WILL BE HELD AT 6:00 PM TUESDAY, UH, MAY THE SECOND AT 2023 IN THE EAST ROOM OF YOUR CALL.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE WE'LL APPROVE THE BUDGET.
AND WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED.