[Call to Order]
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GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE APRIL 15TH MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
I THINK YOU'RE, IT'S A GOING TO BE A VERY BUSY MEETING, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE EVERYBODY PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT PEOPLE SAY QUIETLY.
I HAVE, DO WE HAVE PASTOR ANDREW OAKS HERE? GOOD EVENING.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, YOU HAVE A QUORUM.
OKAY, WELL, LET'S PRAY AND THEN, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, IT'S GREAT TO REPRESENT COASTAL CHURCH HERE.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CHURCH, UH, WE HAVE A FOOD PAN PANTRY THAT FEEDS OVER 800 PEOPLE MONTHLY WITH A WEEK'S WORTH OF GROCERIES.
UM, WE HAVE 120 STUDENTS IN A-E-S-O-L PROGRAM FROM 19 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT SPEAK SPANISH, ARABIC, FARSI, RUSSIAN, AND CHINESE.
THEY NAME A FEW OF THE LANGUAGES, A STUDENT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM WHERE OUR STUDENTS JUST RETURNED FROM HONDURAS.
UH, WE HAD 22 STUDENTS RETURN.
WE HAVE TRAUMA COUNSELING THAT, UH, WORKS MAINLY WITH VETERANS, UH, WITH ADDICTION AND PTSD RECOVERY.
AND, UM, THIS PAST YEAR WE'VE PROVIDED OVER 1300 BACKPACKS FOR THE PENINSULA AND 800 CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR CHILDREN THAT WERE IN NEED.
SO WE'RE, UH, BLESSED TO BE HERE IN, UH, YORK COUNTY.
ALMIGHTY GOD, WE ASK FOR YORK COUNTY AND THEIR LEADERS, WISDOM, HUMILITY, AND GRACE TO LEAD AND TO GIVE EACH MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRENGTH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ABUNDANT BLESSINGS TO YORK COUNTY, THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
LORD, WE ASK THAT THIS EVENING OUR SUPERVISORS WOULD BE KIND, TRUTHFUL, AND FAITHFUL TO FULFILL ALL THAT GOD HAS CALLED AND ORDAINED THEM TO DO.
WE PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENT, COUNTY WORKERS AND BUSINESSES OF YORK COUNTY.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND SUBMIT TO YOU LORD CHRIST, AND PRAY FOR CONTINUED MERCY AND BLESSINGS FOR YORK COUNTY.
BLESS THE MEMBERS AND FAMILIES AS MARK BELLAMY JR.
WAYNE DRURY, DOUGLAS GRAM, SHEILA NOLL, STEPHEN JR.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST, WHO DIED ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS AND BODILY ROSE FROM THE DEAD.
AND WE CELEBRATE THAT THIS EASTER.
AND IT IS IN HIS NAME THAT WE PRAY.
NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
MR. SHEPHERD, WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE? PLEASE STAND.
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[1* Presentation of Service Recognition Pin*. o Major Thomas West, York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office - 30 years]
THIS EVENING, UH, I AM GONNA CALL ON SHERIFF MONTGOMERY TO, TO PRESENT SERVICE RECOGNITION PIN TO MAJOR TOMMY WEST CERTIFICATE FOR THE CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITY.IT'S MY PLEASURE TONIGHT TO INTRODUCE TO YOU, WHICH I KNOW YOU ALL KNOW HIM, BUT IT TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
HE'S RECEIVING HIS CERTIFICATE AND HIS PEN FOR 30 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE YORK SIAN SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
MAJOR WEST JOINED THIS YORK SIAN SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN MARCH OF 1995.
HE CAME TO US FROM THE CITY OF NEW NEWPORT NEWS WHERE HE'D WORKED FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THERE FOR THREE YEARS PRIOR TO COMING WITH US.
HE STARTED AT THE RIPE OLD AGE OF 19 YEARS OLD, INITIALLY WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HERE IN YORK COUNTY.
HE WAS A CORRECTIONS DEPUTY WORKING IN THE JAIL.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE HERE PROBABLY DON'T REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS A JAIL RIGHT OUT HERE IN HIS PARKING LOT UP UNTIL THE MID NINETIES.
HE THEN TRANSITIONED TO THE UNIFORM PATROL DIVISION WHERE HE WAS A DEPUTY.
HE LATER BECAME THE TRAINING COORDINATOR FOR THE YORK PCOS AND SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
HE WAS THE SERGEANT OF THE ADMINISTRATION DIVISION.
HE WAS THE LIEUTENANT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION AND HE WAS THE CAPTAIN OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION.
CLEARLY, HE HAD FOUND HIS NICHE THERE IN AN ADMIN FOR A WHILE.
LATER HE WAS MOVED TO BECOME THE CAPTAIN OF THE MAJOR CRIMES OR THE INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.
AND ON JANUARY THE FIRST OF 2023, I APPOINTED HIM
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MAJOR AND CHIEF DEPUTY, WHICH IS IN CHARGE OF THE DAILY OPERATIONS OF THE YORK CUSSAN SHERIFF'S OFFICE.AND HE'S SERVED IN THAT POSITION SINCE THEN.
WHILE WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, HE'S BEEN A MEMBER OF VARIOUS SPECIALTY TEAMS WITHIN THE AGENCY.
HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE BIKE TEAM.
HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM, AND HE WAS THE ASSISTANT COMMANDER FOR THAT.
HE WAS ON THE DRONE TEAM, HE WAS THE AGENCY, ARMORER, AND TOOK CARE OF ALL OF OUR FIREARMS. HE'S BEEN A FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR, A DEFENSIVE TACTICS INSTRUCTOR, A DRIVING INSTRUCTOR, A GENERAL INSTRUCTOR, AND HE'S HOLD NUMEROUS HELDS, HOLDS NUMEROUS OTHER NON-STATE CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR DESIGNATIONS.
TOMMY IS A 1990 GRADUATE OF DENBY HIGH SCHOOL.
HE HAS AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE FROM ST.
LOUIS, LEO UNIVERSITY IN LIBERAL ARTS.
HE HAS A BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE FROM ST.
LOUIS LEO UNIVERSITY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
HE HOLDS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE FROM FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY.
HE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF WHAT THEY LIKE TO CALL THE PRESTIGIOUS FBI NATIONAL ACADEMY.
SOME OF HIS ORGANIZATIONS HE'S AFFILIATED WITH HERE LOCALLY.
HE'S A MEMBER OF SISTER CITIES HERE IN YORKTOWN, THE GRAFTON KIWANIS, THE YORK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE VIRGINIA CHAPTER OF THE FBI, NATIONAL ACADEMY ASSOCIATION, THE VIRGINIA SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION.
AND WITH HIM HERE TONIGHT IS A LOT OF HIS FAMILY IN THIS ONE ROW.
HIS MOTHER, LOUISE DAWES, HIS MOTHER AND FATHER-IN-LAW.
PAUL AND LINDA TITUS, HIS AUNT DOT.
AND TOMMY HAS TWO SONS, JARRETT AND JOSH.
SO IT'S MY PLEASURE AT THIS POINT TO BRING UP MAJOR TOMMY WEST AND RECOGNIZE HIM FOR 30 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE YORK SIAN SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
WELL, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY AFTER ALL THAT, OTHER THAN IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
UM, I'VE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF WORKING FOR YORK COUNTY.
I, IT'S, I CAN'T BELIEVE I STILL GET PAID TO DO THIS JOB.
IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE TO SERVE AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, A AN AMAZING AGENCY.
THE ONLY REASON I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT THIS FAR WAS THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF MY FAMILY.
SO I THANK THEM FOR BEING HERE.
EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODY TO GO HOME TO AND HELP THEM THROUGH WHAT YOU GO THROUGH WHEN YOU DO THIS JOB.
SO, UM, I'M HONORED TO BE HERE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING AS LONG AS I CAN.
MAYBE NOT 50 YEARS, BUT I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA WORK ON IT.
IT'S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO BE HERE FOR THIS AMOUNT OF TIME.
TOM, AGAIN, TOMMY, YOU, YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE HONORED TO BE HERE.
WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE YOU SERVE US.
ANYBODY IN THE BOARD LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS? UM, TURN YOUR, TURN IT ON.
TOMMY, IT'S, UM, YOU, YOU'RE ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, DEPUTIES I MET WHEN I CAME ON A BOARD 27 YEARS AGO.
AND I THINK WE DID A RIDE ALONG, IF I RECALL.
AND, UM, AND, UH, I'M SITTING HERE THINKING, THIS GUY'S CRAZY.
I MEAN, IS IT NIGHT? AND, AND WE'RE CHASING PEOPLE THROUGH THE WOODS AND ROUND TRAILERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND I'M GOING, YOU KNOW, THIS ONLY TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU DO.
AND ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE'RE SO PROUD OF EVERYBODY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT HERE AND, AND SO THANKFUL.
AND TOMMY, YOU'RE UH, I KNOW RIGHT NOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE RUNNING THE OPERATIONS, RIGHT? IF THAT, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT.
BUT DEPUTY, THE DEPUTY, UH, SHERIFF DOES THAT.
YOU KEEP US, YOU'RE REALLY KEEPING US ALL SAFE.
AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE IN THE SERVICE YOU'VE PROVIDED TO YOUR COUNTY.
MAJOR WEST, UH, CONGRATULATIONS.
AND YOU KNOW, IN THE FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE ON THE BOARD, YOU AND I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS, HELP, HELPING EXPLAIN WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT'S GOING ON, GIMME INSIGHT.
AND I JUST APPRECIATE THE COACHING AND, YOU KNOW, KEEPING ME UP TO SPEED.
UH, MAJOR WEST, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU.
AND, UH, I, I BUMP INTO YOU QUITE A FEW TIMES AND SO I CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO SERVICE HERE FOR OUR COUNTY.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A FATHER-IN-LAW OF A DEPUTY, THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME.
AND, UH, I KNOW YOU PUT A LOT OF HARD EFFORT AND TIME INTO WHAT YOU DO, AND I THINK YOU NEED A FEW MORE CERTIFICATIONS, UM, FEW MORE AWARDS.
SO MAYBE ANOTHER 20 YEARS IN, YOU'LL GET THOSE LAST LITTLE CERTIFICATIONS FOR US.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATED HEART AND SERVICE TO OUR
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COUNTY.WELL, FROM A LIGHTER STANDPOINT, UM, TOMMY LIVES IN QUEENS LAKE UP IN MY DISTRICT.
HE SAID, YOU'VE GOTTA GET YOUR SIGNS OVER TO ME.
EVERYBODY IN QUEENS LAKE WILL KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TO VOTE FOR HURO AND MONTGOMERY.
THOSE WERE THE ONLY TWO SIGNS I THINK THAT WERE IN THE PROPERTY.
WE, WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US AND WHAT YOU DO FOR THIS COUNTY.
UH, EXAMPLE THAT, THAT YOU SET FOR, UH, FOR ALL DEPUTIES, UH, WITHIN THE COUNTY.
THANK YOU AGAIN, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR EFFORT.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO 20 MORE YEARS.
IF WE OKAY, WE'LL TRY FOR THAT.
[2* Certified Crime Prevention Community Award Presentation. Department of Criminal Justice Services. ]
PRESENTATION IS CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION COMMONWEALTH AWARD PRESENTATION.AND WHO IS DOING THAT? PEOPLE HERE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES.
I AM TINA SUMTER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES, AND I'M HONORED THIS EVENING DUTY FOR YOU TO PRESENT THE YORK POCOS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH A CERTIFICATION.
BUT BEFORE I PRESENT THE CERTIFICATE, LET ME GIVE YOU A BRIEF HISTORY ON THE CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITY PROGRAM.
THE CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITY PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES AND APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION IN THE 1998 EXECUTIVE ORDER WHERE GOVERNOR GILMORE CHARGED THE COMMISSION WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ADVISING HIM ON NEW INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY SAFETY, PARTICULARLY YOUTH AND FAMILY SAFETY.
THE COMMISSION ASKED THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES TO RECOMMEND PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVES AT THE LOCAL LEVELS.
FROM THE 1990 CRIME COMMISSION STUDY, CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITIES PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED AND APPROVED OUT OF ALL THE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT VIRGINIA, INCLUDING THE COUNTY OF YORK, THERE'S A TOTAL OF 13 COMMUNITIES THAT ARE CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITY TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATION.
THE YORK POCOS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SUBMITTED APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION.
THEY HAD TO MEET 19 COMMUNITY SAFETY ELEMENTS.
THIS INCLUDES NINE 12 CORE ELEMENTS AND THEN SEVEN OPTIONAL SAFETY ELEMENTS.
THERE ISN'T, THIS IS AN EASY TASK AND IT TAKES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AND DEDICATION FROM YOUR YORK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BUT NOT ONLY FROM THEM, BUT FROM YOUR WHOLE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND YOUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF.
THROUGHOUT THE REVIEW, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE SUCCESS OF THE YORK COUNTY PREVENTION EFFORTS IS DUE TO FOUR FACTORS.
THESE FACTORS ARE COMMUNITY INTERACTION, THE DEDICATION OF THE YORK COUNTY PCO SHERIFF'S OFFICE PERSONNEL, NOT ONLY TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BUT TO YOUR COMMUNITY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND FINDING WAYS TO BRIDGE THE IDENTIFY GAPS WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY.
COUNTY OF YORK'S APPLICATION HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUE GROWTH AND INNOVATION.
A COUPLE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN THE APPLICATION IS THAT IN 2024, THE YORK POCOS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE CONDUCTED 13 VULNERABILITY RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR AT RISK NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES.
BETWEEN 2013 TO 2023, THERE WAS 15,500 ARRESTS MADE.
AND IN 2024, THERE WAS 1055 ARRESTS MADE WITH THE UTILIZATION OF THE CRIME ANALYSIS UNIT.
DURING THE 2020 3 24 SCHOOL YEAR, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS PARTICIPATED IN 98 FI FIRE DRILLS AND 76 LOCKDOWN DRILLS.
ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY OF PUBLIC SAFETY, TERRY COLE AND THE DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES, JACKSON MILLER, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT YORK PROPOSED COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH THEIR CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITY CERTIFICATE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU THE SUPERVISORS AND THE SHERIFF MONTGOMERY FOR THE DEDICATION TO THE YORK COUNTY.
AND SPECIAL THANKS TO LIEUTENANT CHARL FOR ALL HIS HARD WORK.
I JUST WANNA SAY SOMETHING REALLY QUICKLY, UH, TO EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT THIS, LIKE SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT, IS REALLY A COMMUNITY EFFORT HERE.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT THAT WE'RE PART OF THE COUNCIL, WHICH IS CALLED THAT, UM, PUT TOGETHER THIS, THIS AMAZING PROGRAM.
AND THEY'RE GONNA BE CONTINUING TO WORK ON AS THEY GO FORWARD.
SO YOU HAVE MEMBERS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WE HAD SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES, ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE HERE IN YORK COUNTY THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS.
AND AS SHE TOLD YOU, WE'RE THE 13TH LOCALITY
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IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA TO GET THAT.SO WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE THAT.
I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE REALLY QUICKLY TWO INDIVIDUALS.
SHE TALKED ABOUT LIEUTENANT JEFF CHARVILLE AND DEPUTY SHERIFF KEVIN TAYLOR.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE REALLY THE PEOPLE THAT PUT THIS TOGETHER.
THEY PUT TOGETHER 105 PAGE DOCUMENT THAT WAS THE APPLICATION FOR THIS.
AND WHEN WE WENT UP TO RICHMOND, THE DAY THAT WE WERE CERTIFIED WITH IT, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS TALKED ABOUT WHAT AN OUTSTANDING DOCUMENT THIS WAS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE LIEUTENANT JEFF CHARL AND DEPUTY SHERIFF KEVIN TAYLOR.
SHERIFF, IF YOU COULD, UH, JUST SHOW THE, UH, CAMERA YES, THE, UH, CERTIFICATE PLEASE.
FOR OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND OUR CITIZENS AT LARGE, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THESE YEARS? AND I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY, IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND THERE'S A LOT OF PAPERWORK.
SO TO, TO APPLY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND TO WIN IT.
THANK YOU AGAIN VERY, VERY MUCH.
THE NEXT THING I HAVE IS THE GEORGE, UH, YORK JAMESTOWN YORKTOWN FOUNDATION, ISN'T IT? NOPE.
[3* Sheriff’s Update. Receive presentation from Sheriff Ron Montgomery.]
COME BACK, SHERIFF.YOU'RE ON, YOU'RE ON DECK AGAIN.
MADAM SHERIFF, COINCIDENTALLY, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF CRIME IN YORK COUNTY AND WHAT WE'RE DOING ABOUT IT, UH, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU VERY MUCH WE'RE AGAINST IT
SO COMMUNITY POLICING IN YORK COUNTY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE JUST STARTED HERE RECENTLY.
I THINK ANYBODY THAT'S BEEN AROUND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME REALIZE THAT THIS IS A PART OF THE CULTURE OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND WE TAKE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YORK COUNTY AND ITS CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES.
UH, WE TAKE THAT RELATIONSHIP AND WE DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.
WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT AND WE WORK ON IT ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE A SAYING IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SMALL THINGS MATTER.
AND SOME OF THESE PICTURES UP HERE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW ARE KIND OF A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SMALL THINGS MATTER.
THEY'RE NOT, NOT NECESSARILY CRIME PICTURES OF WHEN WE'RE OUT HERE SOLVING CRIME, BUT THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO AS WE GO ACROSS, YOU SEE 'EM AT VARIOUS, UH, EVENTS.
WE, UH, HAVE A SPECIAL, UH, BAGPIPE GROUP THAT WE JUST STARTED HERE NOT LONG AGO.
THEY'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL EVENTS.
AND ONE OF THE BAG PIPERS WAS DOWN HERE IN YORKTOWN NOT LONG AGO AT EVENT AND PLAYED MOST OF THE DAY.
THE BOTTOM PICTURE IS YOU SEE A LOT OF, UH, PHOTO OR PICTURES OF PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WERE GIVEN TO US BY KIDS IN SCHOOL.
WE INTERACT WITH THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS.
ONE OF THE THINGS MY DEPUTIES ARE REALLY GOOD AT ON DAY SHIFT, WE DON'T HAVE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, IS WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO GO INTO THE SCHOOLS WHEN THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, INTERACT WITH THE KIDS, THEY CAN EAT LUNCH WITH THEM.
THE SUPERINTENDENT SET UP WITH ME A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND I CAN TELL YOU NOW, UH, IT WAS INTERESTING WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED GOING IN THERE, THE PARENTS IN THE COMMUNITY WEREN'T USED TO IT.
AND THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WHY ARE ALL THESE POLICE CARS AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? WELL, SOON AFTER WHEN THEY REALIZED WHAT WE WERE DOING THEN IT WAS, WHY HAVEN'T I SEEN 'EM IN A WHILE? WE, WE MISSED THEM THERE.
AND THE KIDS, UH, TREAT THE DEPUTIES LIKE THEY'RE SUPERSTARS IN THERE.
SO WHAT WAS INITIALLY THOUGHT OF IS TO BE SOMETHING THAT ENHANCED SECURITY, I SOON REALIZED HAD A WHOLE LOT MORE LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS MM-HMM
THAT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GROW WITH IN THE, IN THE FUTURE.
AND THE FINAL PICTURE ON THE FAR RIGHT THAT I THOUGHT I THROW IN IS THE NEWEST UNIT WE HAVE IS THE SNOWBALL FIGHT RESPONSE TEAM.
UH, IT FIRST APPEARED AT THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THIS PAST, UH, WINTER WHEN WE HAD SOME SNOW AND UH, IT LOOKED LIKE THEY NEED SOME WORK.
'CAUSE I THINK WE GOT THE WORST OF IT, PARTICULARLY IN THIS PARTICULAR DAY FROM THE SCHOOL KIDS OUT THERE.
BUT THEY HAD A GREAT TIME INTERACTING WITH THEM.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH SOME OF THE, UH, DIVISIONS IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE REALLY QUICK TO GIVE YOU A THUMBNAIL SKETCH.
WE'LL START WITH THE UNIFORM PATROL.
UNIFORM PATROL HAS FOUR PATROL SHIFTS.
SO THEY WORK 6:00 AM TO 6:00 PM AND 6:00 PM TO 6:00 AM THERE'S THREE PATROL DIVISIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THAT'S MADE UP SOME, SOME SPECIALTY UNITS.
THE TRAFFIC UNIT WAS STARTED JUST TWO YEARS AGO TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING ON ROUTE 17 AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WITH TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND TRAFFIC CONCERNS.
IT'S PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE REQUEST I GET RIGHT NOW THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IS MORE RADAR
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ENFORCEMENT.BUT TWO YEARS AGO, OR TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, VIRGINIA STATE POLICE CAME TO ME AND ASKED IF WE WOULD ASSUME THE ROLE OF INVESTIGATING THE ACCIDENTS IN YORK COUNTY AS WE WERE THE ONLY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY ON THE PENINSULA THAT WASN'T 100% WORKING OUR OWN ACCIDENTS.
AND THE REASON WAS, WE'RE THE, WE'RE THE ONLY LOCALITY THAT'S NOT A CITY.
SO VDOT STILL, AS YOU ALL KNOW, MAINTAINS OUR ROADS.
AND TYPICALLY THE STATE POLICE, UH, HANDLES THEM AS WELL, BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR MANPOWER SHORTAGES.
AND TO BE HONEST, I HAD A CONCERN THAT IF WE'RE STANDING AROUND WAITING 35 OR 40 MINUTES WITH A CITIZEN TO WAIT FOR A STATE TROOPER TO SHOW UP, WE COULD BE WORKING IT IN THE SAME TIME.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE HINT AT HOW WELL THEY'RE DOING IT IN THE TWO YEARS SINCE WE STARTED IT, THEY'VE WORKED 1,839 ACCIDENTS IN 2023 AND 2024.
THEY'VE WRITTEN 7,563 TRAFFIC SUMMONS AS IN THE, IN THE SAME TWO YEARS.
ALSO WITHIN THE, UH, THE PATROL DIVISION, WE HAVE THE CANINE UNIT.
AND TO DATE, WE'VE HAD FIVE DOGS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF, ALL OF THESE DOGS WERE PAID FOR WITH DRUG ASSET FORFEITURE MONEY.
SO THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE CATCHING A LOT OF TIMES ARE THE ONES PAYING FOR 'EM.
SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE TWO GERMAN SHEPHERDS.
OUR NEWEST EDITION WHO SHOULD BE HERE IN ABOUT TWO AND A HALF WEEKS IS A GERMAN SHEPHERD BELGIAN MALIS MIX.
AND FOR ALL OF YOU THAT ARE AWARE OF THE TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED WITH SABER LAST YEAR, WHO PASSED AWAY DUE TO AN ILLNESS, UM, GRIT WILL BE THE PER THE DOG THAT REPLACES HIM.
AND SERGEANT BRETT SCHULTZ IS DOWN IN NORTH CAROLINA RIGHT NOW DOING WHAT I SAY IS GETTING SMART AS A DOG.
HE'S ON THE DUMB END OF THE LEASE.
SO HOPEFULLY WHEN THEY COME BACK, THEY'RE GONNA BE MAKING A QUITE A SPLASH HERE IN YORK COUNTY AS WELL.
AND THEN WE HAVE ONE BLOODHOUND SARGE, WHO'S A TRACKING DOG 100% SINCE 2023.
THE DOGS HAVE BEEN ON 421 DEPLOYMENTS.
THEY'VE HAD 341 TOTAL FINES, WHICH IS AN 80% SUCCESS RATE.
AND THEY'VE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR 100 AND TOTAL 90 TOTAL ARRESTS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS CANINE TEAM HAS QUITE THE REPUTATION, NOT ONLY IN HAMPTON ROADS, BUT UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST.
THE NIGHT THAT THAT WE HAD THE MEMORIAL FOR SABRE AT THE CHURCH IN THE LOWER END OF THE COUNTY, WE HAD OVER 23 LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES COME THAT NIGHT TO PAY TRIBUTE TO SABRE IN THIS CANINE UNIT.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AS I TALKED ABOUT AS FAR AS COMMUNITY POLICING, A LOT OF THESE EVENTS THAT THE DOGS ARE WORKING IS WHERE WE JUST TAKE 'EM OUT IN THE PUBLIC AND, AND LET THE, THE, THE PUBLIC MEET THEM.
UH, IT'S INTERESTING TO WATCH.
MOST OF THE TIME THE ADULTS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE APPREHENSIVE.
'CAUSE THE MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOU SEE POLICE DOGS, IT'S USUALLY WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR MODE WHERE THEY'RE APPREHENDING SOMEONE WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BETTER WAY TO PUT IT.
BUT THEY'RE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER PET, THEY LOVE THE ATTENTION AS WELL.
UH, THEY'RE A GREAT ASSET TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHEN WE'RE DOING COMMUNITY EVENTS.
ANOTHER SPECIALTY TEAM THAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IN THE PATROL DIVISION AS A RESULT OF HAVING TO TAKE OVER SO MANY ACCIDENTS IS OUR ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION TEAM.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE CERTIFIED TO BE ABLE TO WORK TRAFFIC FATALITIES OR THE ACCIDENTS THAT WHERE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
SO THEY ARE CERTIFIED BY THE INSTITUTE OF POLICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT.
AND WE DO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL ON THIS TEAM, DEPUTY SHERIFF JAMES ROBINSON, WHO IS ONE OF 22 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, WHO IS RECOGNIZED AS A DRUG RECOGNITION EXPERT, WHICH GIVES HIM THE ABILITY TO COME AND INTERVIEW AND ANALYZE SOMEONE AT THE SCENE OF A TRAFFIC CRASH OR A TRAFFIC STOP THAT APPEARS TO BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS AS OPPOSED TO ALCOHOL AND BASED ON HIS ANALYSIS.
AND THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROSECUTION OF THAT.
SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF HIM AS WELL.
ALL OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, PATROL OFFICERS CARRY NARCAN AND THEY HAVE AEDS IN THEIR VEHICLES AS WELL.
AND 23 AND 24 WE DID THREE A ED DEPLOYMENTS AND 34 NARCAN DEPLOYMENTS WHERE WE, UH, WERE SUCCESSFUL IN BRINGING THE PEOPLE BACK WHEN THEY WERE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SOME TYPE OF OPIOID.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO BE AWARE OF IS WE COORDINATE THE AEDS, UH, AND THE TRAINING AND, UH, THE DEPLOYMENT OF THIS WITH A FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY.
WE USE THE EXACT SAME A ED THAT THEY DO NOW SO THAT IF WE GET THERE FIRST AND WE START AND THEIR MEDICS SHOW UP, THEN IT'S PRETTY MUCH SEAMLESS THAT WE CAN LET THEM TAKE OVER AND MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO CHANGE OUT EQUIPMENT.
THEY KNOW THE EQUIPMENT, WE KNOW WHAT THEY WANT US TO DO, SO THAT ENHANCES THE ABILITY TO SAVE PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE IN THOSE DIRE STRAITS.
[00:25:01]
THE INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.THE INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION IS ONE THAT WORKS ALL THE MAJOR CRIMES.
WHEN I SAY MAJOR CRIMES, I'M TALKING ABOUT MURDERS, RAPES, ROBBERIES, UH, BURGLARIES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
THEY ALSO HAVE A NARCOTICS INVESTIGATIONS GROUP.
WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN, UH, GROUP IAC IS WHAT IT'S CALLED, WHERE IF SOMEONE IS USING IMAGES OR PRODUCING IMAGES OF CHILDREN, AND WE CAN INVESTIGATE THAT.
WE HAVE A DIGITAL FORENSICS UNIT THAT HAS A LOT OF EXPERTISE IN THERE AS FAR AS EXTRACTING DATA FROM CELL PHONES AND LAPTOPS AND THAT TYPES OF THINGS THAT HELPS IN THOSE INVESTIGATIONS AND CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATIONS.
WE HAVE THREE GRADUATES OF THE VIRGINIA FORENSIC ACADEMY, WHICH MAKES THEM CERTIFIED AS CRIME SCENE TECHNICIANS IN THE COMMONWEALTH VIRGINIA.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A CERTIFIED LATENT PRINT EXAMINER.
THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE YORK PERCUSSION SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR AN AGENCY OUR SIZE.
ONE THING THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF WITH THE INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION IS THERE HAVE BEEN NO UNSOLVED HOMICIDES IN YORK COUNTY IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.
THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION, THIS IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST GROUPS WITHIN THE AGENCY, UNDERNEATH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES UNIT, IS DARE, WHICH IS TAUGHT TO ALL THE FOURTH GRADE AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS EVERY YEAR.
IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO A DARE GRADUATION WITH THE FOURTH GRADERS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, IT'LL, UH, IT'LL MOVE YOU AS EMOTIONAL AS IT CAN BE.
THESE KIDS TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND THE DARE PROGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO.
OUR CRIME PREVENTION UNIT, I DON'T KNOW OF A MORE ROBUST CRIME PREVENTION UNIT IN HAMPTON ROADS, TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU.
WE DO OVER 200 COMMUNITY EVENTS A YEAR.
WE DO VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS.
WE HAVE, WE'RE AT PUBLIC MEETINGS, WE DO EDUCATIONAL CLASSES.
KEVIN TAYLOR, WHO IS OUR CRIME PREVENTION SPECIALIST, HE HAS QUITE A LIST OF CERTIFICATIONS AS WELL.
HE IS CERTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES AS A CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION SPECIALIST.
HE HAS A NATIONAL CERTIFICATION IN THAT AS WELL.
HE'S A LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTITIONER.
HE HAS ADVANCED C-P-T-E-D, HE'S A GENERAL INSTRUCTOR.
HE TEACHES JOSO, WHICH IS A, A PROGRAM THAT WE DO AT THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT TEACHES KIDS ABOUT DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND THE EFFECTS OF THAT.
HE'S AN ADVANCED THREAT ASSESSMENT PERSON.
HE'S A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER AND HE'S A CIT OFFICER AS WELL, WHICH IS INVOLVED WITH MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL.
AND I, THERE'S SOMETIMES THAT I SEE WHEN I, HIS SCHEDULE, I DON'T KNOW THAT KEVIN EVER GOES HOME.
SO A COUPLE OF THIS HE JUST LEARNED TONIGHT THAT WE'VE BECOME THE 13TH CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION COMMUNITY IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
WE ARE ALSO A STATE ACCREDIT AGENCY FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES.
AND THE LAST TWO TIMES WE, YOU'RE CERTIFIED EVERY FOUR YEARS.
THE LAST TWO CERTIFICATIONS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH, WHICH IS VERY EXTENSIVE.
WE'VE HAD PERFECT SCORES IN YORK COUNTY AND THOSE ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY DOVE OUT EASILY.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION, THEY HAVE THE ROVER TEAM.
THE ROVER TEAM IS OUR DRONE TEAM.
ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT THE ROVER TEAM IS THE PARTNERSHIP WE HAD WITH FIRE AND LIFE SERVICES ABOUT 10, 12 YEARS AGO.
WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT STARTING THIS TEAM, I FOUND OUT THAT AN INDIVIDUAL, CHRIS SADLER, WHO WAS IN WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING ON THE FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY SIDE.
SO IT MADE SENSE FOR US TO JUST PULL RESOURCES AND WORK ON THIS TOGETHER, WHICH HAS BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S SO SUCCESSFUL THAT THE, OUR TEAM IS A FIRST RESPONDER FOR THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
ANYTHING EAST OF I 95, OUR TEAM, WHEN I SAY OUR TEAM, IT'S US AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPOND TO, AND WE'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF NATURAL AND MANMADE DISASTERS OVER THE YEARS WITH THIS TEAM HELPING THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
IF WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE NEED THE DRONES IN THE AIR AND I NEED THE PEOPLE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEN REMEMBER THIS RUNS THE DRONES FOR US.
AND VICE VERSA, IF THEY HAVE A FIRE, THEN WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THEM AS WELL.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT COLLABORATIVE EFFORT IN YOUR COUNTY.
THE COURT SECURITY UNIT, CIRCUIT COURT IN YORK COUNTY CURRENTLY SITS FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
AND IN 2024 THERE WERE 240 TOTAL COURT DATES.
THE GENERAL DISTRICT COURT CURRENTLY SITS THREE DAYS A WEEK.
IT WILL SOON MOVE TO FIVE AS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, HAS APPROVED A NEW JUDGE FOR THE NIGHT.
SO THERE WILL BE FIVE DAYS A WEEK OF, OF JUVENILE, OR EXCUSE ME, GENERAL DISTRICT COURT STARTING HERE SOMEWHERE AROUND JULY 1ST.
AND WE HAVE THE JUVENILE DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT THAT IS CURRENTLY FIVE DAYS A WEEK AS WELL.
AND JUDGE RIZZA, THE CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE HAS FINALLY GOTTEN HIS DRUG COURT THAT HE WANTS.
THAT'S GONNA START SOMETIME PROBABLY THE END OF THIS SUMMER.
WE ALREADY HAVE SOME TRAININGS SCHEDULED FOR THAT AS WELL.
THE CIVIL PROCESS SERVERS WHO WORK IN THE COURTHOUSE, THIS IS THE TOTAL
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NUMBER OF PAPERS THAT THEY HANDLED IN 2024.SO THE SUBPOENAS, AS YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS UP THERE, I'M NOT GONNA READ 'EM FOR YOU.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY'RE EXTREMELY BUSY AND THERE'S THREE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT ARE HANDLING THOSE TYPES OF PAPERS ON A YEARLY BASIS.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT CRIME IN YORK COUNTY.
FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, ROBBERIES SINCE 2022 AT THE END OF 24, ROBBERY WAS DOWN 64%.
LARCENY FROM VEHICLES IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOREVER HERE IN YORK COUNTY.
IT'S PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE PROPERTY CRIME ON THE PENINSULA, NOT JUST FOR YORK COUNTY, BUT EVERYWHERE.
BUT FOR US, ESPECIALLY IN THE LOWER END OF THE TAB SECTION, WE SEEM TO GET HIT PRETTY HARD.
WELL, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE COMMUNITY, AS I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
AND AS MUCH AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, PREACHED IT, PUT STUFF ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, THEY'RE RESPONDING.
PEOPLE ARE NOT LEAVING THEIR VEHICLES UNLOCKED AND THEY'RE NOT LEAVING PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THEIR CARS ANYMORE.
AND AS A RESULT, YOU CAN SEE LARCENY FROM MOTOR VEHICLES ARE DOWN 46.5% IN TWO YEARS.
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS DOWN 18 TOTAL INCIDENTS DOWN 10 OFFENSES, WHICH ARE THE CRIMES THEMSELVES ARE DOWN SEVEN.
ALL GROUP A OFFENSES, WHICH ARE THE MAJOR CRIMES I TALKED ABOUT, MURDER, RAPE, ROBBERY AND ALL.
AND OUR CRIMES PER 100,000, WHICH IS WHAT THE STATE USES TO EVALUATE YOUR RATIO ON SAFETY, ARE DOWN 10 AND A HALF PERCENT.
WHY IS IT GOING DOWN? TOTAL ARREST, WE HAVE LESS CRIME BECAUSE WE'RE OUT HERE AND WE'RE BEING MORE PROACTIVE, BUT WE'RE ARRESTING PEOPLE MORE EFFICIENTLY.
SO OUR TOTAL ARRESTS ARE UP 33%.
AS I TOLD YOU, OUR TRAFFIC UNIT'S BEEN VERY PROACTIVE.
TRAFFIC SUMMONS IS UP 108.5% AND OUR DRUG UNIT HAS BECOME MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW WELL THIS IS CONTINUING.
THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, JANUARY THE FIRST TO APRIL, THE FIRST LAR NEEDS FROM VEHICLES ARE DOWN IN ADDITIONAL 45%.
BURGLARIES ARE DOWN 50% OVER LAST YEAR'S FIRST QUARTER WEAPONS LAW VIOLATIONS ARE DOWN 54% OVER LAST YEAR'S FIRST QUARTER MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT DOWN 62 AND A HALF.
AND SHOPLIFTING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY DEAL WITH A LOT WITH OUR WALMARTS AND SOME OF OUR RETAILS ARE DOWN 39 POINT A HALF PERCENT.
AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
THE REASON IS IS OUR CRIME ANALYSIS, PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO GIVE US A BETTER IDEA OF DAYS OF THE WEEK AND TIMES OF THE DAY WHEN THESE THINGS ARE OCCURRING.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE ENCOURAGE THE DEPUTIES TO BE IN THOSE AREAS, PARTICULARLY WALMART AT THOSE TIMES, AND THEY DO WHAT'S CALLED A KEEP CHECK.
AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN A MINUTE.
AND THE THEORY BEHIND THIS IS, IT'S CALLED PRODUCT PREDICTIVE CRIME IS YOU MAY NOT CATCH ANYBODY, BUT YOUR PRESENCE ALONE AT THE RIGHT TIME OF THE DAY AND THE RIGHT HOURS OF THE DAY BASED ON CRIME ANALYSIS, DETERS CRIME, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY YOU SEE THE SHOPLIFTING IS DOWN ALMOST 40%, WHICH IS A HUGE JUMP FROM WHAT IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST.
OUR OVERALL CLEARANCE RATE IN 2022, IT WAS 41.6%.
THAT MEANS THAT WE CLEARED BY ARREST OR BY EXCEPTIONAL MEANS 41.6% OF THE MAJOR CRIMES THAT HAS JUMPED IN 2024 UP TO 50.3%.
THAT'S A HUGE JUMP IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT WORLD.
WE HAD 37,166 DISPATCH INITIATED CALLS.
NOW I BROKE THESE OUT FOR A REASON.
THESE ARE CALLS THAT COME IN BECAUSE THERE'S A BURGLARY, THERE'S A ROBBERY, THERE'S SOME TYPE OF CRIME THAT THE DEPUTY DOESN'T HAVE ANY CONTROL ON.
IT'S SIMPLY BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY'S CALLING AND THEY NEED HELP FOR SOMETHING, THEN IT'S NOT A TRAFFIC STOP, IT'S NOT SELF-INITIATED BY 2024, THOSE, THOSE CALLS HAVE GONE TO 40,552.
THAT'S A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THOSE TYPES OF CALLS IN JUST TWO YEARS AND 2022, DISPATCH AND DEPUTY INITIATED CALLS, THE ONES WHERE THEY'RE MAKING TRAFFIC STOPS AND DOING THE THINGS THAT THEY INITIATE THEIR ACTIONS ON WERE 51,625.
AND THOSE HAVE JUMPED PROPORTIONALLY, AS YOU SAW FROM 24 WITH THE OTHERS TO 56,146.
THAT'S A LOT OF CALLS FOR THIS AGENCY.
SO FINALLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT IS KEAP CHECKS.
LET ME DESCRIBE WHAT A KEEP CHECK IS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO CRIME PREVENTION.
KEAP CHECKS ARE WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
WALMART, WE WANT TO BE IN THERE BETWEEN ONE AND 4:00 PM IN THE AFTERNOONS ON MONDAY, TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THE CRIME ANALYSIS SAYS.
IT MEANS GETTING OUT OF THE CAR AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN YOUR DIVISION AND WALKING THROUGH AND MEETING THE PRINCIPALS AND BEING WITH THE KIDS AND BEING VISIBLE, PARKING YOUR CAR IN THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL AND WRITING REPORTS
[00:35:01]
SO THAT PEOPLE DRIVING BY, IF THEY HAD ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE GONNA DO SOMETHING ILLEGAL.THEY SEE THE DEPUTY, IT'S DRIVING THROUGH THE PARKING, LOTS OF THE SHOPPING CENTERS AT THE RIGHT TIMES OF THE DAY AND NIGHT, PARTICULARLY DURING CHRISTMAS TIME AND OTHER HOLIDAYS.
IT'S GOING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE IT'S WE'RE GETTING COMPLAINTS THAT THEY'RE SPEEDERS OR PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AT CERTAIN TIMES SO THAT WE ARE GOING TO THESE PLACES FOR A SPECIFIC REASON.
THE REASON THAT NUMBER DROPPED 10% BETWEEN 2022 AND 2024 IS RELATED TO THE, THE SLIDES THAT I SHOWED YOU BEFORE.
THE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT SOME OF THESE OTHER CRIMES HAS GROWN ENOUGH THAT IT'S STARTING TO PULL AWAY FROM OUR ABILITY TO DO THESE THINGS WHICH ACTUALLY INFLUENCE CRIME PREVENTION.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'VE PRESENTED THE BUDGET TO YOU THAT I HAVE, IS TO TRY TO GET THAT NUMBER BACK UP CLOSER TO THE 2022 NUMBERS AS FAR AS THE THE THINGS THAT THE DEPUTIES CAN DO THAT DIRECTLY INFLUENCE CRIME PREVENTION IN YORK COUNTY.
SO THE LAST THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS A IS A TOPIC THAT WAS A LITTLE CONTROVERSIAL FOR A WHILE, WAS THE SCHOOL SPEEDS ZONE ENFORCEMENTS.
JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY IN NOVEMBER OF 23, BASED ON COMPLAINTS I WAS RECEIVING SINCE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTED THAT YEAR IN SEPTEMBER, WAS WE DID A, A STUDY WITH FIVE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN YORK COUNTY FOR FIVE DAYS IN A ROW TO DETERMINE DID WE HAVE A SPEEDING PROBLEM IN THESE SCHOOL ZONES.
RESULT OF THAT IN 2023 SHOWED OVER 3,500 VIOLATIONS IN FIVE DAYS AT FIVE SCHOOLS.
THAT'S MORNING AND EVENING, THAT'S 700 A DAY.
SO I CAME BEFORE YOU AND CONVINCED YOU THAT THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED.
SO WE PASSED THE ENABLING ORDINANCE.
WE WENT FORWARD WITH SIX SCHOOLS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO TO TELL YOU TODAY, AND I TOLD THIS BEFORE, THAT WE HAVE REDUCED SPEEDING IN SCHOOL ZONES IN THAT SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME BY 94%.
I SEE THAT AS A ROUSING SUCCESS.
SO FINALLY, I, I WANNA TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF GRANTS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO HELP OFFSET THE COST OF A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE RECEIVED $375,000 IN GRANT FUNDS IN THOSE, IN THIS TIMEFRAME, $200,000 OF IT WAS ARPA AND WE USED THAT, A GOOD PORTION OF THAT MONEY TO BUY POLICE VEHICLES.
THOSE ARE VEHICLES THAT COUNTY TAXPAYERS DOLLARS DIDN'T PAY FOR AND SOME EQUIPMENT THAT WENT ON IT.
THE JUSTICE ASSISTANT GRANT AND THE OPERATION CEASEFIRE MONEY ESSENTIALLY WENT TO FUND THE ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION TEAM AND ALL THE SPECIALTY EQUIPMENT THAT THEY HAVE TO USE TO BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT THEIR JOB AT THE SCENE OF SOME OF THESE REALLY TERRIBLE ACCIDENTS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'M GONNA TELL THE PUBLIC TONIGHT AND INVITE THE BOARD IS NEXT WEEK WE HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT FORUM AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM AND WE'RE GONNA GO INTO THIS STUFF A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH.
I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A LENGTHY DOCKET TONIGHT, SO THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE UP A WHOLE LOT OF YOUR TIME.
SO IF YOU WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THIS OR GO INTO IT IN DEPTH, IT'S ON OUR, UH, FACEBOOK PAGE AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AS THE TIMES OF THAT NEXT WEEK.
SO FINALLY, SHERIFF, WHAT, WHAT DAY IS THAT? I BELIEVE IT'S NEXT WEDNESDAY FROM SIX.
THURSDAY FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM.
IF YOU'RE OUT HERE LOOKING FOR A COMMUNITY TO COMMIT A CRIME, MY ADVICE TO YOU IS NOT IN YOUR COUNTY.
I THINK ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE GIVEN OUR CITIZENS IS SO IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY DURING BUDGET SEASON AND WHEN THEY REALIZE HOW YOU USE THE MONEY THAT THEY GET FROM THEIR TAXES.
AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND SHARING IT WITH US.
ANYBODY ELSE WANNA MAKE ANY COMMENTS? I JUST WANNA SAY IT'S AN IMPRESSIVE READOUT.
UM, I KNOW ALL YOUR COUNTY RESIDENTS AND EVERYBODY APPRECIATES YOUR SUCCESS AND WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DELIVER THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE, AND THAT'S NOT, AND THAT'S RECOGNIZED BEYOND YOUR COUNTY AS WELL.
I KNOW THE, THE, THE CRIME COMMUNITY TOO ALSO RECOGNIZES YOUR SUCCESS AND ACTUALLY TRIES TO STAY AWAY FROM YOUR COUNTY, LIKE YOU SAID IN, SAY IN YOUR GRAPH GRAPHIC THERE.
I KNOW THAT I'VE HEARD THE STORIES OF HOW SOMETIMES THEY GET APPREHENDED, NOT REALIZING THEY CROSSED THE BORDER IN YORK COUNTY ARE DISMAYED TO KNOW THEY'RE GONNA GET ARRESTED AND THEY'RE GONNA GET PROSECUTED.
SO YOUR SUCCESS IS A DETERRENT TO CRIME IN, IN YOUR COUNTY.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY TOO, I'M AN ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTER OF YOUR CANINE PROGRAM.
THOSE DOGS ARE WELL TRAINED, THEY HAVE UNIQUE ABILITIES AND THEY'RE A FORCE MULTIPLIER.
[00:40:01]
THERE, THERE ARE CASES WHERE YOU MAY HAVE SOMEBODY, UH, A SUSPECT WHO ARE BOLD ENOUGH TO SQUARE OFF AGAINST A HALF DOZEN OFFICERS WHERE YOU BRING A DOG IN THE MIX AND SUDDENLY THAT GUY BACKS DOWN PRETTY QUICKLY.AND THE, AND THE WHOLE SITUATION IS DEESCALATED.
SO BIG SUPPORT OF THE CANINE UNITS.
UH, DOUG SHERIFF, I HAD QUICK QUESTION.
I, I GET THE NEXUS CRIME REPORT, UH, EACH MONTH FOR CRIMES WITHIN A GEOGRAPHIC DISTANCE OF MY HOME.
I SEE SIMPLE ASSAULT AND ROAD RAGE INCREASING.
DO YOU COMMENT ON THOSE TWO? WELL, WE HAVE SEEN, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE BLAME IT ON COVID.
I DON'T KNOW THAT, I THINK IT STARTED WHEN YOU SEE THE STATISTICS, PARTICULARLY ROAD RAGE MORE LIKE 2013 IS WHEN YOU STARTED TO SEE THE NUMBERS GO UP.
UH, CLEARLY WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE OF IT HERE AS WELL.
JUST IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, WE'VE HAD AT LEAST A COUPLE OF EVENTS WHERE FIREARMS WERE USED AND ONE HERE JUST RECENTLY.
SO YES, ROAD RAGE IS GOING UP DRAMATICALLY.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY YOU SEE THE NUMBERS THAT THE TRAFFIC UNIT IS FOCUSED ON RIGHT NOW, ON ROUTE 17 WHERE A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE OCCURRING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO INTERCEDE BEFORE THESE, UH, THINGS GET OUTTA HAND.
SO IF WE SEE CARS TAILGATING EACH OTHER OR OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME TYPE OF AGGRESSIVE ACTION BEING TAKEN, WE'RE ENFORCING THAT RIGHT AWAY.
I MEAN, THAT'S RECKLESS DRIVING AND WE'RE MAKING THOSE ARRESTS.
DID YOU WANNA SAY? YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATS ON THE, THE, THE GREAT AWARD AND AGAIN, OUR HATS OFF TO ALL OF ALL OF YOUR STAFF.
EVERYBODY OUT THERE THAT'S KEEPING YORK COUNTY SAFE.
[4 Jamestown Yorktown Foundation. Receive presentation from Christy Coleman. ]
NEXT PRESENTATION WE, WE HAVE IS, UH, CHRISTY COLEMAN IS GOING TO SHARE WITH US INFORMATION ABOUT THE JAMESTOWN YORKTOWN FOUNDATION.THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
UM, I AM, UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE JAMESTOWN YORKTOWN FOUNDATION, WHICH, UH, OPERATES THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION MUSEUM AT YORKTOWN.
AND FOR THE PAST DECADE SINCE WE REBUILT THIS INSTITUTION, UM, WE HAVE BEEN, UH, BENEFACTORS OF YORK COUNTY'S GENEROSITY, BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE WE'VE ALSO BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY PARTNER TO THE COUNTY AS WELL.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO GO OVER A FEW ITEMS WITH YOU IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES AND IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
FAR BE IT FROM ME TO INTERRUPT YOU FROM THAT
SO THE FIRST THING, FIRST THINGS FIRST, UM, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION MUSEUM IS THE DAUGHTER CHILD OF THE YORKTOWN VICTORY CENTER, WHICH I'M SURE MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT THE NEW FACILITY WAS OPENED IN 2016, HAD ITS GRAND OPENING IN 2017.
AND DURING ALL OF THAT CONSTRUCTION, WE STILL MANAGED TO SERVE OVER 150,000 GUESTS THROUGH SOME VERY CHALLENGING TIMES.
IN FACT, THE MUSEUM AT YORKTOWN HAS SERVED OVER 7 MILLION VISITORS SINCE 17 SEVEN, I'M, I'M SORRY, 1976.
UM, ALMOST 2.4 MILLION OF THOSE GUESTS ARE STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH, THE NATION, AND INTERNATIONALLY.
JUST THIS PAST YEAR, UH, SO FAR, 4,500 RESIDENTS HAVE VISITED THE MUSEUM, OF WHICH THEY HAVE FREE ADMISSION.
IF YOU ARE, UM, UH, A, A RESIDENT OF YORK COUNTY, YOU CAN VISIT OUR MUSEUMS FOR FREE.
UH, WE'VE HAD OVER 9,500 TOTAL VISITS, AND THAT INCLUDES ALL THE SPECIAL ACTIVITIES, 4TH OF JULY, ALL OF THE OTHER EVENTS THAT THE MUSEUM HOSTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE FULL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OUR OPERATIONS AT THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION MUSEUM, TOTAL IN FY 23, 31 $0.4 MILLION THAT ARE BROUGHT INTO THE HISTORIC AREA BECAUSE OF OUR OPERATIONS THIS YEAR, I'M SORRY, FY 24, WE STOOD AT 29.9 MILLION.
COMBINED WITH OUR INSTITUTION AT JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT, UH, COMBINED, WE SERVE AND BRING INTO THIS AREA $101.7 MILLION IN 23 AND $106.7 MILLION IN FY 24 OF ECONOMIC IMPACT.
NOW, ALL OF THAT IS WELL AND GOOD, BUT AS I SAID, WE STRIVE TO BE A COMMITTED COMMUNITY PARTNER.
AND JUST A, A FEW THINGS, THE COMMISSIONERS, I'M SORRY, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, YOU ALL HAVE THE LIST
[00:45:01]
THAT'S EVEN LONGER THAN WHAT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH HERE WITH YOU.BUT JUST FOR EXAMPLE, UM, SINCE 2020, THE YORK COUNTY FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY DAY ONBOARDING OF NEW RECRUITS AND EDUCATION CENTER, UH, TAKES PLACE AND THE GRADUATION CEREMONIES IN OUR MAIN THEATER WITH A RECEPTION IN OUR EDUCATION CENTER AT NO COST IN 2019 TO THE PRESENT, WE SUPPORT YORK COUNTY TOURISM BY PROVIDING REGULAR FAMILIARIZATION TOURS, UH, TO LOCAL HOTEL TIMESHARE AND TOUR OPERATORS.
UM, WE HOST THE YORK COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS AT THE MUSEUM, REGULAR MEETINGS BY A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT USE OUR FACILITIES, PARTICIPATED IN HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK WITH SPECIAL NATIVE PLANT AND GARDEN TOURS OF ARMY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SUPPORTING THIS COMMUNITY, WE'VE PARTNERED EVERY SPRING WITH YORK COUNTY MUSEUM AND THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AT THE FREIGHT SHED TO PROMOTE AREA WIDE SUMMER CAMP EXPO, EXPLORING OFFERINGS IN THE COUNTY.
WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO AFTER HOURS PARKING AT OUR FACILITIES TO SUPPORT YORK COUNTY'S THURSDAY NIGHT WATERFRONT CONCERT SERIES, VIRGINIA SYMPHONY, ET CETERA.
WE'VE WORKED WITH LOCAL PARTNERS ON THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF LAFAYETTE'S RETURN TO YORKTOWN BY PROVIDING LOGISTIC LOGISTICAL SUPPORT, ARTILLERY SALUTES AT THE, UH, WATERFRONT AND EVENING FIREWORKS AT ARMY.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY HAVE ATTENDED THAT, THAT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT.
IF YOU DIDN'T, WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US THIS 4TH OF JULY FOR A SERIES OF OTHER ACTIVITIES MOVING ON.
WE ALSO, OF COURSE SHARE RESOURCES.
I MENTIONED THE THE LAFAYETTE 200TH ANNIVERSARY.
WE ALSO WORKED WITH THE COMP DEGRA CHAPTER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, UM, TO SPONSOR OUR ANNUAL NATURALIZATION AND CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY IN THE MUSEUM.
AND IF YOU HAVE NOT GONE TO ONE OF THESE EVENTS, I STRONGLY, STRONGLY SUGGEST IT.
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING THE OATH TO OUR NATION ARE FULL OF LOVE AND PRIDE AND BRING EXTRAORDINARY, EXTRAORDINARY ATTRIBUTES TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE LACKEY FREE CLINIC TO HOST THEIR FALL FUNDRAISING GALA.
WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS PROMOTIONAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES WITH YORK COUNTY TOURISM AND VISIT WILLIAMSBURG, INCLUDING OUR MOST RECENT EFFORTS WITH SALTY, THE NORFOLK YORKTOWN ADMIRALS MASCOT.
WE DO THIS BECAUSE WE AREN'T JUST THE BIG THING DOWN THE STREET.
WE ARE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
AND JUST IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING, I GREW UP IN YORK COUNTY IN DISTRICT ONE ON HUBBARD LANE, MAGDA ELEMENTARY, QUEENS LAKE, AND BRUTON HIGH SCHOOL.
MOVING FORWARD, THE SUPPORT THAT WE ARE SEEKING NOW THAT WE HAVE ENDED THE 10 YEAR CYCLE, UM, OF THE ORIGINAL, UH, REQUEST MOVING FORWARD, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU A COUPLE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE DO HAVE ON SLATE.
COMING UP IN JUNE, WE'RE HOSTING, UH, AN EXTRAORDINARY ONE MAN SHOW AT THE MUSEUM BY, UH, PRODUCER AND ACTOR DOUGLAS TORRE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MILITARY SERVICE AND SACRIFICE, AND HIS ONE MAN SHOW, THE AMERICAN SOLDIER.
AND IT IS POWERFUL, POWERFUL PRESENTATION.
CURRENTLY, WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR HOMETOWN HEROES IN THE MUSEUM, NICK AND MARY MATTHEWS.
THIS EXHIBIT IS ON, ON, UH, SCHEDULE NOW AND WILL RUN THROUGH JULY 27TH.
AND IT CELEBRATES THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF NICK AND MARY MATTHEWS, OUR BELOVED RESTAURATEURS AND PHILANTHROPISTS.
AND IN FACT, THERE WOULD BE NO AMERICAN REVOLUTION MUSEUM AT YORKTOWN OR YORKTOWN VICTORY CENTER WITHOUT NICK SUE AND NICK AND MARY MATTHEWS, THEY DONATED THE LAND, THEY DONATE MONEY, AND THEY WORKED VERY, VERY CLOSELY, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NATION UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE AND THE POWER OF JAMESTOWN.
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THOSE FINE FOLKS, YOU CAN LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT THEM.
IN OUR EXHIBIT NOW ON SCHEDULE MOVING FORWARD, OPENING ON YORKTOWN DAY, UM, OR THE DAY BEFORE YORKTOWN DAY ON OCTOBER 18TH, WE WILL HAVE AN EXHIBITION CALLED FRESH VIEWS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
AND THIS IS A UNIQUE PIECE FOR US IN THAT WE HAVE A, AN EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION OF FOLK ART, UM, THAT WAS
[00:50:01]
DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED A SERIES OF PANELS FOR THE BICENTENNIAL IN 1776.WE'RE BRINGING THOSE ARTWORKS BACK OUT AND WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO REFLECT ON THE MEANING AND THE PURPOSE AND THE POWER OF THAT MOMENT.
IT WASN'T JUST A REVOLUTION THAT INVOLVED GUNS AND BULLETS, BUT IT WAS ABOUT PRINCIPLES.
AND AMERICANS NEED TO REFAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THAT.
AND WE'RE ASKING ARTISTS AND CHILDREN AND EVERYONE TO COME FORWARD TO PARTICIPATE, UM, AND TO CREATE WHAT THE 250TH LOOKS LIKE IN THE EXHIBITION.
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, WE DID, UM, SOMETHING A LITTLE UNUSUAL THIS YEAR IN THAT WE PARTNERED WITH THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND CULTURE AND VIRGINIA 250TH TO CURATE AND DEVELOP AN EXHIBITION CALLED GIVE ME LIBERTY, UM, THAT CELEBRATES VIRGINIA'S ROLE AND SUBSTANTIAL ROLE IN THE MAKING OF AMERICA.
AND THE, THE EXHIBITION OPENED IN RICHMOND AND IT WILL OPEN, UH, HERE IN YORKTOWN ON JULY 4TH, 2026.
AND IT IS AGAIN, THIS SIGNATURE EXHIBITION.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, AS A PART OF THIS EXHIBITION, A PANEL VERSION THAT WE ARE SHARING WITH SCHOOLS AROUND THE COUNTRY, WITH SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH, UM, UH, AS WELL AS A SERIES OF SPECIAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR ATTENTION AND EQUALLY YOUR SUPPORT.
AND AGAIN, TO OUR FELLOW RESIDENTS.
BY ALL MEANS, IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO THE MUSEUM IN A WHILE, THEN YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO THE MUSEUM, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME AND TAKE PART IN THIS JEWEL THAT IS IN YOUR BACKYARD, WHICH SOMETIMES WE TAKE FOR GRANTED THE STUFF THAT'S IN OUR BACKYARD.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AS YOU SAID, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE MUSEUM RECENTLY, PLEASE DO GO TO THE MUSEUM.
IT'S CONSIDERED ALMOST A WORLD CLASS MUSEUM AND ALL BECAUSE MARY MATTHEWS AND HUSBAND CARED SO VERY, VERY MUCH ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY.
THEY WERE IMMIGRANTS FROM GREECE AND THEY LOVED YORK COUNTY ESPECIALLY.
AND SO WE ARE REALLY BLESSED THAT THEY SETTLED HERE AND THEY MADE SUCH A HUGE CONTRIBUTION TO VIRGINIA AND TO YOUR COUNTY.
[CITIZENS' COMMENT PERIOD]
CITIZEN'S COMMENT, PERIOD.THIS IS JUST THE NORMAL CITIZENS' COMMENT PERIOD.
IF YOU'RE HERE TO MAKE COMMENTS REGARDING THE BUDGET, THAT WILL COME LATER.
BUT I HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
NAME, ADDRESS, IN THREE MINUTES.
I LIVE AT 1 0 3 KIMBERLY COURT.
UH, TO DATE, ELON MUSK HAS BEEN GIVEN A TOTAL OF $38 BILLION PAID BY THE TAXPAYERS FOR CONTRACTS, TAX BENEFITS, LOANS AND SUBSIDIES.
HE IS WORTH ABOUT $340 BILLION.
IF HE LIVES ANOTHER 40 YEARS, HE COULD SPEND $23 MILLION A DAY AND NEVER RUN OUT OF FUNDS.
THIS MAN IS GUTTING OUR GOVERNMENT AND OUR DEMOCRACY.
IT WILL COST YORK COUNTY CITIZENS DEARLY.
NO ONE EXCEPT THE EXTREMELY RICH WILL BE EXEMPT.
NOT SURPRISINGLY, NONE OF US CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN RESCINDED.
IN FACT, HE'S JUST BEEN AWARDED MORE CONTRACTS.
NEITHER HE NOR TRUMP GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS.
OUR SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, LAW FIRMS, BUSINESSES AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS ARE BEING EXTORTED BY TRUMP.
A NARCISSISTIC SOCIOPATH EITHER WORSHIP HIM, OBEY HIS CRUEL DIRECTIVES, OR SUFFER FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES, LAWSUITS BEING FIRED, ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT SERVICES OR LOSS OF FREEDOM.
TO QUOTE HIM ON THE ISSUES OF TARIFFS, THESE COUNTRIES ARE KISSING MY ASS TO MAKE A TRADE DEAL SO PRESIDENTIAL, ISN'T IT? HE IS WIPING OUT ANY MENTION OF HISTORY OF THE SUCCESSES OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES AND FIRING THEM WHEN THEY ARE EMPLOYED IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY.
HE IS TAKING PEOPLE WITH LEGAL AUTHORITY TO BE IN THE US AND ABDUCTING THEM TO A HELLHOLE PRISON.
IN EL SALVADOR, HE IGNORES COURT ORDERS.
WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY ONE THE PERSON'S RIGHTS, YOU ENDANGER ALL OF US.
UNTIL YESTERDAY, I THOUGHT TRUMP WOULD CREATE DETENTION CAMPS FOR US CITIZENS WHO DARED TO SPEAK THE TRUTH TO HIS LAWS.
BUT HIS PLANS NOW ARE TO SEND THEM TO EL SALVADOR BECAUSE HE CAN JUDGES, LAWYERS, LEGISLATORS, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, WRITERS, THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY, MINORITIES, WOMEN, NON-CHRISTIANS, LIBERALS,
[00:55:01]
DEMONSTRATORS, AND ANYONE ELSE WHO REFUSES TO STROKE.HIS EGO WILL BE ON THE ROUNDUP LIST AND WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AT THIS.
CREATE A FEARFUL AND IGNORANT SOCIETY AND A DICTATOR THRIVES.
TRUMP'S ACTIONS WILL DETERMINE HOW YOU VOTE YOUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, WHAT YOUR KIDS LEARN IN SCHOOL, WORKPLACE SAFETY, HEALTHCARE, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, HOW WEATHER EVENTS ARE DEALT WITH, CLEANLINESS OF AIR AND WATER, THE SAFETY OF FOOD AND DRUGS, THE COSTLY RESULTS OF HIS TARIFFS, GETTING YOUR MAIL NECESSARY AID TO CHILDREN IN THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD.
COST OF HOUSING, GETTING A LOAN, VETERANS BENEFITS IN A MYRIAD OF OTHER ISSUES.
NONE OF THIS IS GOING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION TO THOSE WHO VOTED FOR HIM AND THOUGHT HIS ACTIONS WOULD NOT AFFECT THEM.
HE IS NOW KNOCKING ON YOUR DOORS.
AS LEADERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THIS BOARD TO SPEAK UP AGAINST INJUSTICE AND CORRUPTION.
CONGRESSMAN ROB WHITMAN PREFERS SILENCE, BUT HAS MASTERED THE ART OF EMBRACING TRUMP'S MAGNIFICENT HEIN PARTS.
THE NEXT ONE TO SPEAK IS, UH, NEIL MORGAN.
NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE IN THREE MINUTES.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD COUNTY STAFF.
I LIVE AT 1 0 6 PELICAN PLACE.
MY TOPIC TONIGHT IS A LITTLE MORE LOCAL, UH, THAN THE LAST SPEAKER.
I'M BASICALLY HERE, UH, TO THANK THE BOARD AND THE STAFF FOR, UH, THE INVESTMENT YOU'VE MADE IN BAT CREEK PARK OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THAT THAT WAS ALWAYS A BEAUTIFUL SETTING, UH, BUT WITH THE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU HAVE MADE OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, YOU HAVE TURNED IT INTO ONE OF THE FINEST SMALL PARKS IN HAMPTON ROADS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, 'CAUSE AS SOME OF YOU ALL KNOW, I'M OUT THERE QUITE A BIT NOW,
YEAH, UH, YOU OUGHTA GO IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, UH, ON ANY GOOD WEATHER DAY.
AND IT'S AMAZING TO SEE, UH, MANY GENERATIONS PLAYING PICKLEBALL TOGETHER.
UH, MANY GOOD SOLID CITIZENS, PEOPLE OF ALL KINDS OF POLITICAL VIEWS, WHO, FRANKLY I DOUBT ANY OF 'EM ARE HERE TONIGHT.
AND THEY JUST KIND OF ENJOY LIVING IN YOUR COUNTY AND ASSUME FOLKS LIKE YOU ALL ARE GONNA DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL KNOW PROBABLY MANY FOLKS, UH, LISTING DO NOT THE WAY THAT FACILITY GOT DONE.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF YOUR CONSERVATIVE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, YOUR USE OF RAINY DAY FUNDS THAT YOU MADE THAT INVESTMENT WITHOUT INCURRING ANY DEBT OR ONGOING COST TO THE TAXPAYERS OF YOUR COUNTY.
SO EVEN THOUGH I SPEAK FOR MYSELF, I'M PRETTY SURE I'M SPEAKING FOR A LOT OF OTHER CITIZENS, UH, WHO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT INVESTMENT YOU'VE MADE THERE.
OF COURSE, IT'S IN MR. DREW'S DISTRICT THREE, BUT I CAN TESTIFY THAT SOME OF US IN OTHER DISTRICTS USE THAT QUITE A BIT.
AND, UH, MR. HORO, YOUR KWANS CLUB, I BELIEVE HAS ORGANIZED THE FIRST OFFICIAL BACK CREEK PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT, AND I WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT AND HOPE Y'ALL COME OUT AND CHECK THAT FACILITY OUT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT RECENTLY.
I, NO, NORMALLY WE WOULD HAVE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORTS, UH, ADMINISTRATIONS REPORTS AS WELL AS MATTERS PRESENTED BY THE BOARD.
BUT BECAUSE TONIGHT IS SUCH A, UH, AN IMPORTANT NIGHT AND WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR THE BUDGET CON UH, COMMENTS, WE'RE GONNA MOVE THOSE TO THE END.
AND AT THIS POINT, I'M GONNA TAKE A, A QUICK RECESS BEFORE WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET.
WE HAVE FOUR PUBLIC HEARINGS RELATED TO THE BUDGET TONIGHT.
THE FIRST TWO ARE TO RECEIVE COMMENTS ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET AND THE PROPOSED CALENDAR YEAR TAX RATES TO SUPPORT IT.
THE NEXT ONE WILL BE FOR CODE CHANGES RELATED TO THE SOLID WASTE GARBAGE AND WEEDS.
AND FINALLY, THE LAST BUDGET RELATED PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ON THE PROPOSED FEE CHANGES FOR BUILDING REGULATIONS, SUBDIVISION AND ZONING.
WE WILL NOT BE VOTING ON ANY BUDGET RELATED ORDINANCES OR RESOLUTIONS TONIGHT.
THE BOARD WILL VOTE ON THE BUDGET AT THE MAY 6TH, 2025 REGULAR MEETING
[5. Fiscal Year 2026 Budget. Receive public comment on proposed FY2026 Budget. a. Memorandum from the County Administrator b. Proposed Ordinance No. 25-2]
PRIOR TO OPENING THE BUDGET RELATED PUBLIC HEARINGS.I'M GOING TO ASK THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO PROVIDE A BRIEF PRESENTATION SO YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
[01:00:01]
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE IN PUBLIC THE FINANCE STAFF, UH, AMY, SAM, GREG, THERESA, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE ON THIS.AND ALSO TAKE A SECOND TO THANK EVERYBODY ELSE.
THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A BIG LIFT EVERY YEAR AND, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE YOU DON'T SEE BEHIND THE SCENES, EVEN THE IT AND VIDEO SERVICES FOLKS ARE HERE WITH THE EXTRA MEETINGS.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK THIS YEAR AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE AND I KNOW YOU DO AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS LAST OPPORTUNITY HERE PUBLICLY TO THANK THEM FOR ALL THEY'VE DONE.
THIS IS WHAT, UH, I'M GONNA COVER.
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON ALL THIS.
MOST OF THESE SLIDES WE'VE SEEN BEFORE, BUT AS YOU MENTIONED, WE'RE GONNA COVER THE 26 BUDGET.
THE TAX RATES AND ALL THOSE ARE A LOT OF WORDS ON BULLET THREE ABOUT SOLID WASTE, GARBAGE AND WEEDS.
UH, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS SOLID WASTE AND THE COST FOR RECYCLING AND TRASH CURBSIDE.
AND THEN IN THE LAST, UH, ITEM, WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND THOSE FEES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED TO THOSE ACTIVITIES.
SO, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, WHEN WE CONSIDER WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FORMING UP A NEW BUDGET, WE DO TRY TO MINIMIZE THE SPENDING.
UH, WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE INFLATION, THE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT THAT WE WORK IN, UH, DEBT SERVICE, WHAT WE NEED TO HELP THE SCHOOLS, AND THEN CERTAINLY INVESTMENT IN OUR OWN STAFF THIS YEAR.
UH, WHAT WE HEAR A LOT FROM THE TWO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS THAT WE'VE HAD, THE TOWN HALLS WE'VE HAD IS, WELL, WE DIDN'T REALLY SEE WHAT YOU CUT, SO WE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE DONE THIS.
SO WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THIS YEAR TALKING ABOUT WHAT WAS CUT AND THROUGH A PROCESS BETWEEN THE STAFF, UH, THE FINANCE STAFF, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, THROUGH, UH, WORKING WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND THE BOARD OUT OF THE OPERATING BUDGET, WE'VE ELIMINATED $15.2 MILLION.
THE TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET, ALL FUNDS LESS.
THE TRANSFERS IS $288 MILLION.
BEFORE I MOVE ON, I WANT YOU TO PARK THAT NUMBER, $288 MILLION 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA COME BACK AND REVISIT THAT IN A FEW SLIDES HERE.
THE PROPOSED GENERAL FUND IS $200 MILLION.
THIS IS WHERE MOST OF THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITY THAT AFFECTS OUR RESIDENTS OCCUR.
THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING THE BUDGET ARE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION BENEFITS AND INCREASE IN CONTRIBUTION OVER PRIOR YEARS TO THE SCHOOLS OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
PUBLIC SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS OF $2.4 MILLION.
OPERATIONAL COSTS 1.3 ARE EXTERNAL AGENCIES, UH, $800,000, AND THEN DEBT SERVICE, CASH CAPITAL, AND OTHER COMES UP TO $3 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF $11 MILLION.
IS OUR, IS OUR GAP THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FILL ON THE BUDGET.
A LITTLE CONVERSATION WE HAD A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT EMPLOYEE COMP COMPENSATION.
UH, WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW IS IT IS STILL AN EMPLOYEE'S MARKET AND WE ARE, UH, I THINK THE BOARD HAS GENERALLY ACKNOWLEDGED, I WON'T SPEAK FOR ALL OF YOU, BUT I THINK GENERALLY YOU HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE ARE BEHIND SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND IT DOES CREATE SOME ISSUES FOR US.
AND WE ARE LAGGING IN COMPETITIVENESS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DOING COMPENSATION STUDY, BUT FOR THIS, FOR THIS YEAR, WHAT WE'VE PROPOSED FOR OUR STAFF IS A GENERAL WAGE INCREASE OF 4% AND $500.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SCHOOLS.
THIS CHART ON THE RIGHT DEPICTS OUR CONTRIBUTIONS OVER THE YEARS.
SINCE 2022, UH, OUR CONTRIBUTION TO SCHOOLS HAS CLIMBED FROM $57 MILLION ROUGHLY TO $64 MILLION.
AND THEN THE CHART ON THE BOTTOM TALKS ABOUT, UH, OUR DEBT PAYMENTS THAT WE MAKE ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOLS FOR THE PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE DONE, SUCH AS SEAFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS ONE WE TALKED ABOUT RECENTLY QUITE A BIT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, OUR DEBT SERVICE IS SLIGHTLY OVER $9 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF $750,000 IN 26.
SO THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE IS WHY I ASKED YOU TO PARK THAT $287 MILLION ALL IN BUDGET, BECAUSE I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOU THAT, UM, THE SCHOOLS ARE MAKING A $3 MILLION CONTRIBUTION THROUGH IMPACT AID TO US, ONE OF THEIR
[01:05:01]
CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS, AND WE HAD NOT DEPICTED THAT IN PREVIOUS SLIDES.SO WE NEED TO ADD THAT TO THE FUND TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP IT ALL BALANCED.
AND SO THAT CHANGES THAT 287 MILLION NUMBER SLIGHTLY TO 2 91.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNEW ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF SOME OF THESE OTHER CHANGES, UM, THE GRANT FUNDS FOR $160,000 THAT COVERS, UH, THE PENINSULA EVICTION REDUCTION PILOT PROGRAM.
AND THAT GRANT ALLOWS HOUSING TO PROVIDE EVICTION PREVENTION TO QUALIFIED FAMILIES.
AND THEN THERE'S A REVENUE STABILIZATION FUND GRANT.
AS, EXCUSE ME, EARLY CHILDHOOD ACADEMY IS $115,000 AS PART OF THAT SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS WHERE MR. HOLROYD, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVING AN AFTERCARE PROGRAM AT OUR HEAD START PROGRAM MM-HMM
AND SO THAT'S INCLUDED THERE AS WELL.
SO MOVING ON TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM, ONCE AGAIN, WE WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WAS TAKEN OUT SO THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT WE'VE DONE SOME DUE DILIGENCE HERE.
THE COMMITTEE, WHICH INCLUDED THE SCHOOLS, UH, REMOVED $40 MILLION FROM THE CIP REQUEST, THEN MR. GILLETTE AND I SAT DOWN AND WENT THROUGH IT.
WE REMOVED ANOTHER $6.1 MILLION AND THROUGH THE BOARDS, UH, GUIDANCE, WE HAVE REMOVED ANOTHER $6.7 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF $53 MILLION.
ADD THAT TO WHAT WE REMOVED FROM THE OPERATING BUDGET.
AND IT'S JUST SHY OF $70 MILLION FOR REQUESTS AND ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE BUDGET.
THE CIP AS IT WAS PRESENTED HERE AT THE MOST RECENT MEETING IS $219 MILLION GENERAL FUND, THAT INCLUDES SCHOOLS AS WELL.
AND THEN OTHER FUNDS SUCH AS STORM WATER SOLID WASTE AND SEWER ARE $47 MILLION.
AND THAT'S THE SIX YEAR CIP FROM 26 TO 31.
THE NEXT SLIDE WILL SHOW 26 ONLY.
SO IF LOOKING AT THIS SLIDE NEXT YEAR, THE CIP WERE PROPOSED TO SPEND $40 MILLION, UH, ON COUNTY AND SCHOOLS PROJECTS, STORM WATER PROJECTS ARE ABOUT $3 MILLION.
THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT PROJECT IN OTHER FUNDS IS THE SEWER UTILITY PROJECT AT 5.9 MILLION.
I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TAX RATES.
YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE, UH, AT LEAST TWICE I BELIEVE.
SO THE CURRENT RATE IS 74 CENTS PER HUNDRED ON REAL ESTATE.
MY RECOMMENDATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS WAS TO TAKE IT TO 78.
UH, WE DID ADVERTISE 80 CENTS TO ALLOW THE BOARD SOME FLEXIBILITY SHOULD THEY CHOOSE TO, UH, MAKE A PRIORITY OF ANOTHER PROJECT OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT WOULD LEAVE THEM SOME FLEXIBILITY.
SO WE DID ADVERTISE 80 CENTS, BUT TONIGHT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 78 CENTS AT THE MOMENT.
THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE, MY RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GO FROM THREE 80 TO FOUR, DO $4.
UH, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THAT RATE HAD BEEN REDUCED BY 10 CENTS IN EACH YEAR.
UH, OTHER THAN THAT, THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE HAD BEEN $4 SINCE THE 1990S.
SO IT HAS BEEN RE MOSTLY UNCHANGED.
YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE AS WELL.
THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT SLIDE EARLY ON IN THE BUDGET WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE RATE CUTS.
SO IN 22, THE REAL ESTATE RATE WAS CUT BY A PENNY AND A HALF, FOLLOWED BY A PENNY CUT, FOLLOWED BY A THREE PENNY CUT IN 24.
THEN IF YOU ADD THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE, CUT OF 10 CENTS AND 23 FOLLOWED BY 10 CENT CUT THE NEXT YEAR, AND REMOVAL OF THE VEHICLE LICENSE FEE ALL IN, THAT'S A 22 MILLION, ALMOST $23 MILLION REDUCTION IN TAXES TO OUR RESIDENTS.
THE LOCAL REAL ESTATE TAXES, UH, THIS IS OUR PROPOSED NUMBER SET UP AGAINST THE TAX RATES OF OUR NEIGHBORS AS WE KNOW THEM TODAY, NOT WHAT THEY'VE PROPOSED IN THEIR BUDGET, BUT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN CHARGING MOST RECENTLY.
SO WE DO KNOW THAT A FEW OF THESE LOCALITIES ARE CHANGING THEIR RATES AND SOME OF 'EM ARE NOT CHANGING REAL ESTATE RATES.
THEY'RE CHANGING THINGS LIKE MEALS, TAX, ADMISSIONS, TAXES, ET CETERA.
SO WE'RE STILL IN REALLY GOOD POSITION AS TO WHERE WE RANK OUT OF THAT GROUP.
[01:10:03]
WE SHOWED YOU THIS SLIDE A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT HOME VALUES AND WHAT 78 CENTS WOULD DO, UH, TO THESE HOME VALUES.ON A $200,000 HOME, IT WORKS OUT TO ABOUT $7 A MONTH IS THE DIFFERENCE.
ON A $400,000 HOME IT'S ABOUT $14.
AND ON AN $800,000 HOME, IT'S ABOUT 27, 20 $8 A MONTH DIFFERENCE.
SO THAT'S THE IMPACT TO THE TAXPAYER.
WITH RESPECT TO REAL ESTATE, IF YOU WERE TO RAISE THE RATE AS I RECOMMENDED, WE PUT THIS SLIDE TOGETHER BECAUSE THERE WAS A COMMENT ABOUT, WELL, YEAH, YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU'VE GOT ONE OF THE LOWEST RATES, BUT THE REALITY IS OUR HOME VALUES ARE HIGHER, SO OUR RESIDENTS ARE PAYING MORE.
SO WE HAD TO COME TO SOME CONSENSUS ABOUT HOW TO NORMALIZE THAT.
SO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT DOING AND AND IS DEPICTED HERE IN THIS CHART IS CREATING AN INDEX BASICALLY.
SO THAT LAST COLUMN IS THE PERCENT BURDEN, UH, AS MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
SO ONCE YOU TAKE AND CALCULATE THE RATE, UH, FOR THE HOME AND WHAT THE TAX BURDEN WOULD BE, AND THEN COMPARE IT TO THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, YOU GET THE PERCENT.
SO EVEN WHEN YOU DO IT LIKE THAT TO UH, GET AWAY FROM THE ARGUMENT THAT MORE THAN JUST REAL ESTATE RATES SETS HOW MUCH WE PAY, WE'RE STILL IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE.
THIS IS, THIS IS A GOOD THING FOR US PROPERTY TAX.
THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE, AS I MENTIONED, $4, IT'S BEEN THAT FOR DECADES AND ONCE AGAIN WITH WILLIAMSBURG IS THE OUTLIER.
WE WE'RE ALWAYS THE LOWEST WE WENT THROUGH.
MR. GILLETTE WENT THROUGH AND DID THIS WORK.
HE CAME AND LOOKED AT SOME OF THE MOST COMMON CARS IN YORK COUNTY, WHICH ARE F-150 AND A HONDA CRV.
IF YOU COMPARE THOSE SAME VEHICLES TO WHAT THEY PAID IN 2023, UH, BECAUSE OF THE INFLATED VALUES FROM COVID.
AND NOW THAT THE VALUES HAVE MORE NORMALIZED, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND IS THAT EVEN THOUGH IT'S AN INCREASED TAX RATE ON PERSONAL PROPERTY, THEY'RE ACTUALLY GONNA PAY LESS THAN THEY PAID IN 2023.
SO WE HAD SOME WORK SESSIONS ON THIS TOO, AS I RECALL.
SO BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS A $2 INCREASE IN GARBAGE AND RECYCLING RATES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SENIOR RATE, WHICH IS A $7 INCREASE IN TERMS OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT FEE ADJUSTMENTS.
THE BOARD HAD GIVEN US GUIDANCE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US CHARGE FOR RESUBMISSIONS OF PLANS WHEN, UH, THEY REQUIRE MULTIPLE REVIEWS.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO IMPLEMENT THAT THE BOARD IS STILL FEELING THAT WOULD BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
ITEMS NUMBER TWO AND THREE, THE FEE FOR ARCHEOLOGICAL STUDIES THAT WAS PAID FOR BY THE STATE AND THE STATE, IT'S AN UNFUNDED MANDATE.
ESSENTIALLY, THE STATE NOTIFIED US ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER GONNA DO THOSE, UH, REVIEWS OF THE ARCHEOLOGICAL STUDIES THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HIRE OUR OWN REVIEWER.
AND SINCE THEN WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT AND ABSORBING THE COST, BUT WE REALLY FEEL LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS FOR THE DEVELOPERS TO, TO TAKE ON THAT COST.
WE'RE ALSO ADDING A TECHNOLOGY FEE, WHICH OUR NEIGHBORS DO.
IT'S NOMINAL AT $5 TO ALLOW FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY AS THEY COME AVAILABLE.
AND THEN A COUPLE FEE INCREASES FOR SPECIAL USE PERMITS TO HELP COVER THE ADVERTISING BECAUSE WE OFTEN DO NOT RECOVER, UH, THAT COST.
THE ADS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT THE DAILY PRESS AT THE TOWN HALL, UH, IN MANY CASES THEY'RE, THEY'RE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT WE'RE CHARGING.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.
UM, MRS. KNOLL, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE CAN MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ANY COMMENTS? QUICK, QUICK QUESTION.
CAN, CAN YOU TOUCH UPON REAL QUICK THE WHY THE SENIOR RATE IS A $7 INCREASE AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS $2? UH, WHILE I'M BABBLING ABOUT IT, MAYBE UH, THERESA WILL COME UP HERE AND TELL US, BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH A CLERICAL OVERSIGHT.
WHEN WE CHANGED THE, UM, RATE THE LAST TIME, WE DIDN'T CHANGE IT APPROPRIATELY AND AS
[01:15:01]
WE DID THE OTHERS.AND SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP ON IT NOW.
SO NOW IS, THIS IS A CATCH UP TO NORMALIZE IT ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE TWO YEARS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? SO, OKAY, WELL, I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS POINT, SO I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, AND I HAVE THEM NUMBERED.
SO I'LL CALL YOU IN ORDER AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS BEFORE YOU SPEAK, AND YOU'LL WATCH THE LIGHTS ON THAT NICE LITTLE MACHINE UP THERE.
UH, IT'S GREEN, THEN IT TURNS YELLOW, AND THEN WHEN IT'S RED, PLEASE FINISH YOUR SENTENCE AND SIT DOWN.
THE FIRST ONE I HAVE IS WILLIAM ROW JR.
EVENING BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UM, COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM.
I LIVE AT 1 0 1 HODGES COVE ROAD.
ACCORDING, I'VE LOOKED AT THIS OVER AND ACCORDING TO THE DISTRICT ONE SEARCH LETTER, Y'ALL HAVE ALREADY DECIDED YOU'RE GOING TO PASS THIS IN AS IT IS.
IN SUMMARY, THE PROPOSED RATE TAX RATE WILL INCREASE BY 4 CENTS TO 78 AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX WILL INCREASE BY 20 CENTS TO $4.
THAT'S OUTTA YOUR OWN NEWSLETTER.
THE ADDITIONAL TAX ON TOP OF THE EXPECTED RAISE IN OUR REAL ESTATE PROPERTY APPRAISALS WILL DEVASTATE A LOT OF US SENIORS ON A FIXED INCOME.
IF THIS TREND CONTINUES YEAR TO YEAR, WHICH IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS WITHOUT ANY ABATEMENT, IT COULD VERY DEFINITELY CAUSE US TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PAYING OUR TAXES, PAYING THE ELECTRIC BILL, HEATING BILL, AND EVEN BUYING GROCERIES.
BEING ON A FIXED INCOME IS NOT FUN, NOR IS IT EASY, BUT IN MY SITUATION, FOR ME, IT COULD BECOME THE SITUATION SURVIVAL AND MEAN A LOT WHETHER I ACTUALLY CAN STAY HERE IN THE COUNTY.
BUT I WILL SAY ONE THING, I AM ALSO RETIRED VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER THREE.
AND I FEEL THAT IF SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE, WE NEED TO CHANGE THE BUDGET OR TAKE SOMETHING ELSE OUT OF THE BUDGET TO GIVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THE MONEY THEY NEED FOR THEIR REQUESTS.
I FEEL LIKE THEIR REQUESTS ARE TOP PRIORITY FOR ANY OF US AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE FOR ME.
ALL THESE FOLKS HERE, I THOUGHT IT'D BE FURTHER DOWN ON THE LIST.
WE STILL LIVE AT 1 0 3 KIMBERLY COURT.
UM, YOU ANSWERED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, RECYCLING FOR SENIORS AND GARBAGE PICKUP.
MAYBE YOU COULD TAKE IT DOWN TO THREE 50
IT'S $84 A YEAR AS IT IS RIGHT NOW WITH YOUR PROPOSAL.
WHY NOT INCREASE TAXES ON TOBACCO AND VAPING PRODUCTS? THOSE ARE HEALTH HAZARDS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO DO IT, BUT I THINK YOU DO.
UM, ENCOURAGE THE OWNERS OF THE MARQUI TO INCLUDE RESTAURANTS IN A GROCERY STORE IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT AS THEY WILL GENERATE MORE FOOT TRAFFIC, THEREFORE INCREASING, UH, SALES TAX.
WE NEED TO ATTRACT LIGHT INDUSTRY.
WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD TRACK RECORD ON THAT.
BOTH KMART HAVE BEEN SITTING EMPTY FOR QUITE A WHILE AND WHAT IS BEING DONE THERE? TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES THAT WILL RESULT IN TAX MONEY COMING IN, UH, QUIT ALLOWING HOUSES OF WORSHIP TO BUILD AND SHOPPING CENTERS.
AND ON ROUTE 17, THESE POTS NEED TO BE TAX GENERATING BUSINESSES.
WHEN THE KILN CREEK PROPERTY NOW CALLED OAKWOOD WAS ALLOWED TO BE REZONED FOR COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL, WE GAVE AWAY VALUABLE COMMERCIAL LAND THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED, NOR SHOULD IT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THE CHURCH AT THE OLD KROGER SITE AND THE NEW SENIOR LIVING APARTMENTS ACROSS FROM KMART ARE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF POOR PLANNING.
THIS BOARD NEEDS TO MEET WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEGISLATORS NO LATER THAN JUNE.
WHEN THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME TO CRAFT LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS COUNTY NEEDS, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MUST RAISE THE NUMBER OF DEPUTIES AND FIREFIGHTERS THAT IT IS PAYING FOR THE CURRENT NUMBER, UH, ENDANGERED PUBLIC SAFETY AND CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR COST OF FUNDING BECAUSE WE ARE FORCED TO DO THE JOB THE COMMONWEALTH REFUSES TO DO.
AS I SAID THIS ONCE BEFORE, WHEN WE GIVE PERCENTAGE RAISES, WE CONTINUE TO WIDEN THE GAP FROM THE LOWEST SALARIES TO THE HIGHEST SALARIES AT 4%.
SOMEONE MAKING $217,000 GETS AN $8,680 RAISE WHILE SOMEONE MAKING 25,000 GETS A $1,000 RAISE.
WHAT WAS $192,000 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IS NOW WIDENED TO $199,680.
THIS HAS BECOME A DOMINO EFFECT WITH EVERY RAISE.
I WOULD PREFER TO SEE A DOLLAR AMOUNT INCREASE TO MAINTAIN EQUITY.
I DISAGREE WITH THOSE WHO SAID RENOVATING TAB HAVE HIGH SCHOOL IS NOT NECESSARY.
[01:20:01]
IT WILL ONLY COST A GREAT DEAL MORE TO REPAIR IT AS THE BUILDING DETERIORATES.WHEN BLACK MOLD BECOMES A PROBLEM DUE TO WATER LEAKS OR THE ROOF FAILS, THESE FOLKS WILL WISH YOU'D ACTED WHEN THE NEED WAS THERE.
A GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM MAY COST MORE TO INSTALL, BUT SAVINGS OVER TIME ARE SIGNIFICANT.
NOTHING IS GOING TO GET CHEAPER IF WE PUT IT OFF FOR TOMORROW.
WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE FORCED TO LEARN IN A SUBSTANDARD AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS FACILITY? I DO NOT LIKE TAX HIKES.
MY NET WORTH THANKS TO THIS TARIFF FIASCO HAS PLUMMETED.
I BLAME A LOT OF THIS ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S DESTRUCTION OF OUR GOVERNMENT AND SENDING HIS FIN THIS FINANCIAL CHAOS TO THE STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
HOW UNDER, HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY, PLEASE CONTINUE TO REVIEW WHERE COST SAVINGS COULD BE APPLIED.
SOMETIMES WE GET ADMINISTRATIVELY HEAVY WHEN THE MONEY IS BETTER SPENT ON THOSE WHO CARRY OUT THE ACTUAL WORK.
ASHLEY SMITH? HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
HI, MY NAME IS ASHLEY SMITH AND I RESIDE AT 1 0 5 PEYTON RANDOLPH DRIVE.
MY NAME IS ASHLEY SMITH AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE YORK COUNTY COUNCIL PTA.
FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR, WE HAVE 18 PTAS AND 18 OUT OF 19 SCHOOLS WITH 5,000 MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
TOGETHER, OUR PTAS HAVE INVESTED $1.1 MILLION INTO OUR SCHOOLS SINCE THE FALL OF 2022.
AND FOR OVER 40 YEARS, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERED IN UNFATHOMABLE AMOUNT OF HOURS TO BUILD COMMUNITY, ENGAGE FAMILIES, AND ADVOCATE FOR STUDENTS.
YORK COUNTY COUNCIL PTA REQUESTS THAT THE BOARD SUPPORT THE FULL FUNDING REQUEST OF THE YORK COUNTY SCHOOL DIVISION.
WE BELIEVE FIRMLY THAT THE SALARIES OF SCHOOL DIVISION STAFF SHOULD REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND ALIGNED WITH THE DIVISION AT US AS THE NUMBER THREE DIVISION IN THE STATE, PARAEDUCATORS BUS DRIVERS, SECRETARIES, AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL ALSO DESERVE FAIR COMPENSATION FOR THEIR VITAL WORK.
SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH SHORTAGES AND THIS DIRECTLY IMPACTS STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.
THERE HAS BEEN TALK OF TIGHTENING BELTS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
WE WOULD REMIND THE SUPERVISORS THAT OUR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN DOING SO FOR OVER A DECADE.
YCSD IS STILL TRYING TO RESTORE FROZEN STEPS FOR VETERAN TEACHERS.
THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO MORE WITH LESS FOR FAR TOO LONG.
THEY WORK SECOND AND THIRD JOBS OR DRIVE AN HOUR TO GET HERE.
THE SCHOOL DIVISION BUDGET ALSO ADDRESSES INSTRUCTION, SUPPORT SERVICES, AND MAINTENANCE NEEDS FOR THE STUDENTS OF YORK COUNTY.
WE DOUBT ANYONE WOULD SUGGEST THAT OUR STUDENTS DESERVE LESS THAN THE BEST WE CAN PROVIDE.
WE ARE ALREADY BLESSED TO HAVE THE MOST TALENTED AND DEDICATED EDUCATORS IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
OUR STUDENTS BENEFIT TREMENDOUSLY FROM HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND EXCELLENT INSTRUCTION, BUT THE FACT REMAINS THAT EDUCATING STUDENTS WITH DIVERSE NEEDS AND PROVIDING A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION FOR FUTURE CITIZENS REQUIRES A STRONG FINANCIAL INVESTMENT IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.
IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THOSE EXHORTING YOU TO FULLY FUND THE SCHOOL DIVISION HAVE SOMETHING TO PERSONALLY GAIN.
THIS VIEW DEMEANS THE PASSION OF OUR EDUCATORS FOR THEIR CRAFT AND UNDERMINES PARENT VOICE.
HOWEVER, WE DO INDEED STAND TO GAIN HIGHLY EDUCATED FUTURE READY GRADUATES.
WE WILL GAIN STRONGER SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
WE WILL GAIN FULLY STAFFED SCHOOLS.
WE WILL GAIN HEALTHY, SAFE, SUSTAINABLE FACILITIES THAT PROTECT OUR STUDENTS AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES.
WE SHOULD BE AS PROUD OF OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS AS WE ARE OF OUR HOMES AND OTHER PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
IF AS WAS SHARED AT A PREVIOUS MEETING OF THIS BODY, THE DIFFERENCE, UH, IN SALARY AT STEP ZERO BETWEEN THE NUMBER ONE DIVISION AND THE NUMBER TWO DIVISION IS $25, THEN ENVIRONMENT MATTERS.
WHEN PARENTS DESCRIBE THE CRUMBLING CONDITIONS OF OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, THEIR CONCERNS SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
THE STATE OF OUR AID SCHOOLS IS NOT A JOKE, AND WE ASK THAT OUR SUPERVISORS SHOW THE DECORUM AND GRAVITAS.
THIS SERIOUS SITUATION REQUIRES OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ARE LISTENING TO HOW THEY ARE VALUED BY NOT ONLY OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, BUT OUR ELECTED LEADERS.
KIM GOODWIN, 3 0 9 LUDLOW DRIVE.
MADAM CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS, MR. BELLAMY.
FIRST I WANNA EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE CHALLENGE THAT YOU FACE.
I UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT THEY AREN'T GOING TO PLEASE EVERYBODY.
HOWEVER, I FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR SCHOOLS, BOTH AS A CITIZEN OF YORK COUNTY AND ALSO AS A MEMBER OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF YORK COUNTY FOR 28 YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO WORK IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION AS WELL AS HAVE MY CHILD ATTEND OUR SCHOOLS.
[01:25:01]
AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, POLICE, EMS OR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE GONNA RESPOND QUICKLY.WHILE I CONSIDER MYSELF FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE AND FAVORING LOW TAXES AND SMALL GOVERNMENT, I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT EXCELLENCE COMES WITH PRICE.
A PRIMARY REASON MANY FAMILIES CHOOSE TO MOVE TO YORK COUNTY IS BECAUSE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
WE OFFER EXCELLENT INSTRUCTION, SMALL CLASS SIZES, AND WE, AND WE RECEIVE NUMEROUS AWARDS AND ACCOLADES SUCH AS THE BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS DISTINCTION.
WE ACHIEVE THIS ON A VERY TIGHT BUDGET, AND WE MAINTAIN THE LOWEST PER PUPIL EXPENSE WHILE RANKING NUMBER ONE IN THE REGION.
AND NUMBER THREE IN THE STATE, IF WE DO NOT FULLY FUND THE SCHOOL DIVISION, THEN THE BOARD WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER MAKING CUTS.
DO WE DO, EXCUSE ME? DO WE DENY RAISES TO OUR TEACHERS? HOW DO I EXPLAIN TO TEACHERS WHO STRUGGLE ON THEIR CURRENT SALARIES THAT DESPITE THEIR HARD WORK, THEY DON'T GET A RAISE OR MAYBE THEY GET 1% WHILE THEIR COMPETITORS GET 3%? DO WE ELIMINATE PROGRAMS THAT ENRICH OUR STUDENTS' EDUCATION? DO WE INCREASE CLASS SIZES? NONE OF THESE OPTIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT WE ALREADY OPERATE ON A VERY LEAN BUDGET.
IN THE END, WE ALL ENJOY LIVING IN YORK COUNTY AND WE APPRECIATE THE BENEFITS IT OFFERS.
HOWEVER, THESE BENEFITS COME AT A PRICE.
WE HAVE NOT HAD A TAX RATE INCREASE IN NINE YEARS, AND EVEN WITH THE RATE INCREASE, WE WOULD STILL HAVE THE SECOND OR THIRD LOWEST IN THE AREA.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE COST OF GOODS AND SERVICES HAVE RISEN, WHICH AFFECTS OUR BUDGET.
EVERYTHING HAS BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE.
I BELIEVE FULLY FUNDING OUR SCHOOLS IS THE RIGHT CHOICE TO ENSURE WE, WE REMAIN COMPETITIVE, CONTINUE BE SOUGHT AFTER TEACHING DIVISION AND DEMONSTRATE TO OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF THAT WE VALUE THEIR HARD WORK.
ULTIMATELY, I FEEL THIS IS A VERY SMALL PRICE TO PAY TO CONTINUE THE EXCELLENT WORK WE HAVE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED.
I URGE YOU TO PLEASE FULLY FUND THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
GOOD EVENING, TODD HOAGLAND, UH, 3 0 5 HARRIS GROVE.
BUDGETS AND FINANCES ARE ALWAYS SENSITIVE TOPICS.
EVERYONE'S, UH, FAMILY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DETERMINE HOW THEY HANDLE THEIR OWN PERSONAL BUDGET.
WE ALL HANDLE OUR BUDGETS DIFFERENTLY BASED ON OUR NEEDS, WANTS AND EXPECTATIONS.
HOWEVER, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE ASKED TO, UH, ADDRESS THE NEEDS ONCE AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION THEY SERVE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE AS INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT LIKE EVERY LINE ITEM OR HAVE VERY STRONG OPINIONS OF THINGS, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE.
IF WE ARE PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOMES OF OUR SCHOOLS, THEN WE SHOULD TRUST THOSE WITHIN THE SCHOOLS WHO WORK ON THE BUDGETS THAT THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
IF WE ARE ALSO HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOMES OF OUR COUNTY AS A WHOLE, WE NEED TO DO THE SAME WITH THOSE THAT WORK ON THAT BUDGET.
I WANT OUR SCHOOLS, OUR DEPUTIES, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TO ALL HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUIT TO SERVE OUR COUNTY.
WE NEED TO FULLY FUND THIS COUNTY'S BUDGET.
HOW DO WE DO THAT? IT'S THE SAME AS A FAMILY.
IF THE NUMBERS DON'T WORK, WE ADJUST.
WE SPEND LESS OR WE MAKE MORE.
TEACHERS ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
AS MANY TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS WORK, ADDITIONAL JOBS JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET LESS MONEY OUT OR MORE MONEY IN.
I TRUST THAT THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED ON THE COUNTY'S BUDGET AND THE SCHOOL DIVISION'S BUDGET HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO DECREASE THE SPENDING.
AS WE SAW IN THAT PRESENTATION, THE COUNTY IS NOW ASKING FOR A RAISE FROM THEIR EMPLOYERS, US THE TAXPAYERS.
I CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE OUR COUNTY TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO SAVE MONEY, TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL INCOME SOURCES, BUT UNTIL THAT IS POSSIBLE, WE ALL HAVE TO WORK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO CONTINUE TO KEEP YORK COUNTY THE SUCCESS THAT IT IS.
HELLO, MY NAME'S WILLIAM LUGO.
UH, I'M A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER HERE IN THE COUNTY.
UH, SO THE RAISES THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ASKING WILL NOT AFFECT MY SALARY.
THE STATE CA THE STATE TAKES CARE OF THAT NOW WITH WHATEVER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I GET, BUT WHATEVER THEY DECIDE TO GIVE ME.
[01:30:01]
NEED THAT 4% AND $500.THEY'VE ALREADY TAKEN A HIT YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
WE HAVE COME BACK AND GIVEN RAISES THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, BUT FOR EIGHT YEARS WHEN WE DIDN'T GET RAISES, NONE OF MY, NONE OF MY THINGS CHANGED IN THE COUNTY.
TRASH STILL GOT PICKED UP, THE TRUCK STILL WENT OUT.
WE STILL DID OUR JOB, BUT WE DIDN'T GET RAISES.
SO THOSE, THOSE GUYS, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE STILL REELING FROM EIGHT YEARS OF NO RAISES.
AND THEN TO TALK ABOUT DOING IT NOW AND CUT THE BUDGET AND NOT FUND OUR POLICE, OUR FIRE, OUR TEACHERS.
WE JUST NEED TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE ALWAYS SAID.
AND THE RIGHT THING IS GOING AHEAD AND APPROVING THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED.
UH, MY TAXES WILL GO UP, MY PENSION WON'T GO UP, BUT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE SPEAKING TODAY.
ESTHER DIANI? I THINK I DIDN'T GET THE NAME.
UM, I LIVE ON 1 0 8 NOREEN COURT.
UM, I'VE LIVED HERE IN YORK COUNTY FOR 10 YEARS AND WE BOUGHT A HOUSE, UM, WITH THE, THE REASON THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT UP THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, PERTAINING TO THE BUDGET THOUGH, I, I DO WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
THE SCHOOLS, UM, SO I HAVE TWO KIDS, EIGHT AND 12.
SO THEY'RE IN THE GRAFTON, YOU KNOW, COVENTRY ELEMENTARY AND GRAFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, I AM REALLY FEELING LIKE THE SCHOOLS NEED WHAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR.
LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID, UH, FOR INSTANCE, UM, A NUMBER OF THE SCHOOLS I KNOW HAVE BASICALLY TRAILERS THAT THEY OPERATE IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THE STUDENTS AND STUFF.
AND, AND MY DAUGHTER, SHE USED ONE OF THOSE TRAILERS IN FIFTH GRADE AND, UM, THERE WAS NO BATHROOM IN THERE.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW THAT, BUT THE TEACHER WHO TAUGHT THERE, LIKE SHE ENDED UP HAVING TO GET LIKE, SOME KIND OF EXTRA SURGERY FOR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, SHE HAD TO HOLD IT.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT, THAT KIND OF STORY JUST MAKES ME SADDER THAN SAD.
THEY DON'T, THAT'S NOT A GREAT WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM.
IT'S NOT A GREAT ENVIRONMENT FOR THE STUDENTS THAT DOESN'T HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, STUDY AND CONCENTRATE AND EVERYTHING.
AND, AND OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER THAN THAT.
SO, UM, ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE NOTICED, AGAIN, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 10 YEARS AND YOU KNOW, THE TAX RATE HASN'T REALLY INCREASED MUCH OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, ONE THING I WAS HOPING WHEN I BOUGHT A HOUSE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALKS, YOU KNOW, I LIKE MY KIDS TO BE SAFE, RIGHT? UM, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF SIDEWALKS IN YORK COUNTY.
UM, WE FOUND, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE ON A CUL-DE-SAC AND THAT WORKED FOR US.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING WORTH RECOGNIZING.
FAMILIES ARE LOOKING FOR THAT.
AND YOU NEED TO INVEST IN THE FUTURE.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP YORK COUNTY GOING THE WAY YOU KNOW IT HAS IN, IN THE GOOD WAY.
UM, AND THE OTHER POINT THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UM, WHICH IS CONNECTED TO, YOU KNOW, EDUCATION IS OUR LIBRARIES.
MM-HMM
UM, RETURNING SAY FOR EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED.
I'VE SEEN STUDIES THAT'S LIKE $5 IN RETURN.
UM, THE YORK COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY IS AN AWARD-WINNING LIBRARY.
THERE WAS A FLASH VOTE SURVEY DONE IN DECEMBER.
MORE THAN 70% OF RESPONDENTS SAID THEY USED THE LIBRARY AND MORE THAN 97% SAID THEY WERE HIGHLY SATISFIED.
MAYBE IT WOULD HELP IF I SAY THE NEXT PERSON IS DANELLE FRANCIS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME AND STAND BEHIND NICOLE.
[01:35:01]
MY NAME IS NICOLE LIVING.I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE IN YORK COUNTY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YEAH, I CAN.
I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN IN YORK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT I RISE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF FULLY FUNDING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
FOR THE RECORD, I ALSO FULLY SUPPORT FULLY FUNDING OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES.
IT SEEMS THAT YOU'RE USING THE SPECTER OF A FUNDING SHORTFALL TO PRESENT US WITH THIS SOLOMON'S CHOICE BETWEEN PROTECTING OUR FUTURE BY FUNDING OUR SCHOOLS OR PROTECTING OUR PRESENT BY FUNDING EMERGENCY SERVICES.
THIS IS A FALSE DICHOTOMY AND IT'S BEEN CREATED SEEMS MAYBE TO FURTHER THE, LIKE THIS BROADER PARTISAN GOAL, UH, TO DESTROY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
PERSONALLY, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO HIGHER TAXES IF IT MEANS THAT OUR VITAL COUNTY SERVICES AND OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAVE THE FUNDS THAT THEY REQUIRE.
THE SCHOOL FUNDING SHORTFALL THAT WAS PROJECTED EARLIER IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL BUDGET.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST.
I STUDIED POLITICAL SCIENCE IN COLLEGE AND GRADUATED WITH A SUMMA C*M LA DEGREE WITH A MINOR IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION.
SO I UNDERSTAND HOW THIS STUFF WORKS, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT A COUNTY CAN GENERATE REVENUE AND IT'S YOUR JOBS TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
UH, DANIELLE FRANCIS AND THE ONE BEHIND HER WILL BE, UH, CHRIS CHOLING.
UM, MY NAME IS DANIELLE FRANCIS.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO IN TAB LAKES AS A LIFELONG YORK COUNTY RESIDENT WITH FAMILY LIVING IN MULTIPLE DISTRICTS, WE WANT TO SEE THE BOARD EXPLORING CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING TO FULLY FUND OUR SCHOOLS AND REALLY ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKE YORK COUNTY A PLACE WORTH LIVING.
IT IS A DISSERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR OUR BOARD TO IMPLY THAT YOU CAN EITHER CONSIDER SENIORS AND ELDERLY ON FIXED INCOMES OR SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS OR PUBLIC SERVANTS.
IF THAT IS TRULY THE BELIEF OF ANYBODY SERVING ON OUR BOARD, THEN YOU MAY NOT BE FIT FOR THE JOB.
THAT TYPE OF THINKING IS DEFEATIST, IRRESPONSIBLE.
IT EXHIBITS POOR PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY AND IS FRANKLY UNKIND.
WE WANNA SEE A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH VISION AND PASSION, A DEDICATION TO SERVING ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND CITIZENS.
WE WANNA SEE CREATIVE PLANS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH.
WE WANNA HEAR ABOUT IT AND TECH BUSINESSES, THE CASH COWS, NOT JUST CHAIN RESTAURANTS AND CAR WASHES.
WE WANNA SEE DECISIONS WHERE TAX PAYING BUSINESSES ARE PUT INTO COMMERCIAL SPACES INSTEAD OF TAX EXEMPT CHURCHES.
WHERE'S THE REVENUE COMING FROM? WHEN WE MAKE THESE CHOICES, WE WANNA SEE THE BOARD VALUING OUR SCHOOLS AND SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOL BOARD.
THERE IS NO FUTURE IN YORK COUNTY WITHOUT INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS.
WITHOUT IT, WE ARE DIMINISHED TO A COMMUNITY OF ELDERS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY JUST DIE LITERALLY ON EVERY LEVEL.
ADDITIONALLY, WE DESERVE A BOARD THAT HEARS ALL OF OUR CONCERNS WITH SINCERITY, MAKING JUST ABOUT THE POOR PHYSICAL CONDITIONS.
I REPORTED AT TAB HIGH SCHOOL AT THE TOWN HALL WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE BOARD AND TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHILE VALID POINTS WERE MADE ABOUT THE DAILY PRESS ADS, WE DESERVE TRULY FISCALLY MINDED BOARD MEMBERS THAT DON'T MERELY POINT FINGERS AT COSTLY, OUTDATED POLICIES, BUT THAT ARE ACTIVELY TAKING ACTION AND RESEARCHING ROUTES TO HAVE THOSE LAWS CHANGED TO PREVENT FINANCIAL WASTE.
SO LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
TRUE CIVICALLY MINDED LEADERS TAKING ACTION.
WHILE MY HOUSEHOLD IS REALLY IN NO POSITION TO EASILY PAY MORE TAXES, I'VE SERVED MANY YEARS AT YORK POSA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND MY HUSBAND IS A YORK COUNTY TEACHER.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT REALLY IT COULD BE NEEDED AND IN FACT, IT IS NEEDED.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE KNOW THE VALUE OF INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS AND ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS AND THAT THAT IS WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR THE FUTURE.
REEXAMINE TAXES, DEVELOP ECONOMIC PLANS FOR A FUTURE FOR YORK COUNTY.
UH, THE NEXT ONE IS, IS CHRIS CHAMBLIN AND FOLLOWED BY LUCY.
I THINK IT MUST BE YOUR WIFE, CHAMBLIN.
UM, I RESIDE AT 1 2 7 DUFF DRIVE AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
AS A PARENT OF THREE YORK COUNTY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND AS A PROFESSIONAL WHO WORKS WITH MANY OTHER YCSD STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, I FULLY UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT OUR SCHOOLS ARE.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET
[01:40:01]
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.YORK COUNTY IS SO PROUD OF OUR STELLAR SCHOOLS, OUR AWARD-WINNING SCHOOLS.
WHAT MAKES THEM SO WONDERFUL AND WHY ARE WE SO SUCCESSFUL WHEN WE ACTUALLY SPEND LESS PER PUPIL THAN SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS? IT'S BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE.
OUR SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE, ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, PARA ADMINISTRATORS, BUS DRIVERS, JANITORIAL, AND FOOD STAFF ALL WORK SO HARD TO MAKE IT EXCEPTIONAL.
THEY WILLINGLY CHOOSE TO MAKE LESS MONEY SO THEY CAN BE A PART OF OUR WONDERFUL SYSTEM.
TEACHERS CONTINUE TO REMAIN FROZEN IN THEIR PROMISED STEPS, YET THEY ARE CONSTANTLY BUYING THEIR OWN MATERIALS.
I KNOW TEACHERS WHO DOORDASH, OR HAVE SECOND JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
THEY'RE CERTAINLY NOT LIVING HIGH ON ANY HUG, WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF BY SOME UNINFORMED OR PROMINENT VOICES IN OUR TOWN.
BUT WE CAN ONLY ASK SO MUCH OF THEM.
CURRENTLY AT TAB HIGH SCHOOL, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ARE DODGING WATER THAT IS LEAKING FROM THE CEILINGS AT YORK HIGH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS FORGET THE LUXURY OF HAVING HOT WATER.
GRAFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL IS CURRENTLY FIGHTING A RODENT INFESTATION.
YES, BUILDINGS NEED MAINTENANCE IN MAINTENANCE COSTS MONEY.
OUR CHILDREN SPEND ALMOST AS MUCH TIME WITHIN THOSE WALLS AS THEY DO IN THEIR HOMES.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE BUDGET IS CUT? WILL EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE HAS WORKED FOR SO HARD UNRAVEL WILL OUR STRUCTURES BREAK DOWN FURTHER? WE OWE OUR CHILDREN WHO ARE THE FUTURE OF YORK COUNTY.
MORE THAN THAT, WE ARE ALREADY FACING CUTS AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL.
WILL OUR LOCAL LEADERS WHO KNOW VERY WELL AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM TO THIS LOCAL COMMUNITY, TURN THEIR BACKS ON OUR CHILDREN TO, I COULD SPEAK MANY, MANY, MANY MORE MINUTES ABOUT HOW THIS COULD AFFECT KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, BUT DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS, I'LL SAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER TIME.
PLEASE, PLEASE FUND OUR SCHOOLS AND THANK YOU FOR OUR TIME.
NOW I THINK IT'S YOUR DAUGHTER THAT'S GONNA BE SPEAKING.
IS THAT CORRECT? LUCY, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I LIVE AT 1 2 7 DUFF DRIVE AND I'M A SIXTH GRADER AT SIXTH GRADE STUDENT AT GRAFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I'M LUCKY TO BE IN ADVANCED CLASSES AND I'M PART OF THE BAND.
I PLAYED TROMBONE AND I WAS ON THE FIELD TALKING TEAM EARLIER THIS YEAR.
I CAME TO SPEAK TODAY BECAUSE EVERYTHING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT I'VE LOOKED FORWARD TO SINCE I WAS LITTLE IS BEING THREATENED.
ELECTIVES AND SPORTS TEAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ME AND MY PEERS COULD HAVE THEIR BUDGET CUT, MAKING THEM HAVE LESS RESOURCES FOR US STUDENTS TO THRIVE WHERE WE ARE MEANT TO.
IF OUR SET SCHOOL BUDGET IS CUT OR CANCELED, IT'LL HAVE AN IMPACT ON EVERYONE WORKING OR LEARNING THERE.
STUDENTS WOULD NOT HAVE, HAVE ROOM TO GROW THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND TEACHERS WOULD NOT BE GIVEN THE RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN CONTROL IN THE CLASSROOM AND HELP US STUDENTS LEARN.
I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I SEE IN MY CLASSES EVERY DAY HOW ALL STUDENTS LEARN DIFFERENTLY AND TEACHERS NEED THE MATERIALS TO BE ABLE TO TEACH THEM.
IF WE DEFUND THE SCHOOLS, WE WILL TAKE AWAY THOSE KIDS OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN.
I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK NEXT YEAR AS A SEVENTH GRADER TO A SCHOOL WHERE ALL KIDS AND TEACHERS CAN DO THEIR BEST.
IS THAT RIGHT, SAM? WELL, IT'S SAM.
I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM IN YEARS AND FOLLOWED BY BRIAN MCGOVERN.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 4 3 0 2 PEN CROSSING YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA.
I'M AN EDUCATIONAL ADVOCATE AS PART OF THE VIRGINIA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.
AND A MEMBER OF THE N-A-A-C-P EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND, OF COURSE, THE FULL FUNDING OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET.
IF ANYTHING, SOMETHING PROBABLY SHOULD BE ADDED TO THAT TO CATCH UP WITH SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN SHORT ON.
I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE A FEW THINGS.
FIRST, EVERY STUDENT IN EVERY SCHOOL NEEDS TO FEEL SAFE, SEEN AND SUPPORTED.
LIKEWISE, THE EDUCATORS AND I USE EDUCATORS INSTEAD OF TEACHERS 'CAUSE EVERYBODY WHO'S IN THE BUILDINGS AN EDUCATOR SHOULD ALSO BE SAFE SEEN AND SUPPORTED BY SUPPORTED OF COURSE.
WHEN WE DRAW COMPARISONS AND SAY, OKAY, YORK COUNTY SITS SO WELL WITH TEACHERS WITH NO EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY AT YEAR FIVE WHERE WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF TEACHERS DROP OFF, YORK COUNTY DROPS DOWN TO 25TH IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA AND AT 10 YEARS WE DROP TO 26TH.
[01:45:01]
ONE OF THE TOP 10 OR SEVENTH OR THIRD, DEPENDING ON THE RATING YOU GIVE, WHY SHOULD THAT BE SUCH A GREAT GAP? NOW THAT'S JUST AT THE BACHELOR LEVEL.UM, IT'S AMAZING THAT NEWPORT NEWS IS BETTER THAN US AT FIVE YEARS AND 10 YEARS, AND ALSO AT 20 YEARS AND 30 YEARS, THEY'RE BETTER THAN US.
COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING, YOU'RE TRYING TO COMPETE WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.
YOU PROBABLY NEED TO STEP UP JUST A LITTLE BIT.
THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REGION TWO, WHICH WE ARE PART OF, WE DROP FROM FIFTH TO EIGHTH WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, THE FIVE YEARS.
AND WE RISE A LITTLE BIT TO SEVENTH.
AT 10 YEARS AT 15 AND 20 YEARS, WE'RE ABOUT FOURTH.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MASTER'S DEGREE, WE'RE SITTING AT ROUGHLY 30TH IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO, UM, COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING, AGAIN, LOOKING AT US BEING SEVENTH OR THIRD, WE SHOULD NOT BE 30TH WHEN IT COMES TO PAY AT THE MASTER'S LEVEL.
THAT'S JUST MY HAT FOR EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY.
ON MY OTHER HAT, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO NOT ONLY HAVE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS BE SAFE, SEEN AND SUPPORTED, BUT WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF OUR STUDENTS ARE DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE OF ANY CUTS IN THE FUTURE.
THE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL SHOULD BE THE SAME ACROSS THE BOARD.
WHETHER YOU ARE A SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT OR WHETHER YOU'RE A MINORITY STUDENT OR A STUDENT WITH ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGES, PLEASE KEEP THOSE THINGS IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE, UH, MAKING A DECISION ON THE BUDGET IN THE FUTURE.
UH, BRIAN MCGOVERN AND FOLLOWED BY LYNN SCHACK.
MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS BRIAN MCGOVERN AND I AM A NON-RESIDENT SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER AT TAB HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M IN MY 22ND YEAR IN EDUCATION AND MY SEVENTH YEAR AT TAB.
I HOPE THIS WON'T BE MY LAST YEAR AT TAB.
BE ASSURED THAT THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED AT YOUR LAST WORK SESSION HAVE DRAWN GREAT CONCERN AND CONSTERNATION BY ME AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES.
I KNOW MANY TEACHERS ARE NOT HERE.
MOST OF US PUT IN 60 HOURS A WEEK OR MORE, AND OUR WORK IS NEVER DONE.
UH, NOT ONLY ARE WE THE THIRD BEST DIVISION IN THIS COMMONWEALTH, BUT TAB HIGH SCHOOL ITSELF IS THE 25TH BEST HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, AND THAT'S COMPETING WITH GOVERNOR SCHOOLS WHO HAVE ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS.
TEACHERS SUPPORT STUDENTS TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE BEST SCHOOLS IN VIRGINIA AND BEYOND.
AND SOME OF OUR NATIONAL MILITARY ACADEMIES, I'M TOLD THE BEST CASE SCENARIO MIGHT MEAN A 1% INCREASE IN STAFFING CUTS OR PERHAPS NO INCREASE OR A SALARY CUT, POSSIBLY JUST AT A TIME WHEN THE NEW TARIFFS ARE PREDICTED TO REFUEL INFLATION.
THE IMPRESSION BY SOME MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD IS SEEMS THAT WE ALREADY MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY THAT OUR SCALE SHOULD ACTUALLY BE LOWERED TO MATCH WJCC.
NOW THIS BEGS SEVERAL QUESTIONS.
ARE YOU AWARE THAT SOME OF OUR CLASSES HAVE 28 STUDENTS IN ONE CLASSROOM THAT'S A BIG CLASS SIZE? ARE YOU AWARE THAT MOST OF US CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY A HOME IN YOUR COUNTY AND BE A PART OF THIS GREAT COMMUNITY? AND MOST OF US DUE TO YEARS OF UNDERFUNDING, ARE ALREADY SEVERAL STEPS BEHIND IN THE SALARY SCALE.
WHILE WE MAY BE A MEAGER $1,000 ABOVE WJCC, ARE THEY NUMBER THREE IN THE STATE? AND WHICH OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE IN THE TOP 25? BE ASSURED THAT THE UNDERFUNDING OF YORK COUNTY SCHOOL DIVISION WILL WITHOUT ANY DOUBT IN MY MIND, RESULT IN AN UNPRECEDENTED STAFFING CRISIS AT A TIME, AT A TIME WHEN LOCAL POSITIONS ARE NOT EASY TO FILL.
AND WHEN VIRGINIA HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING TEACHER SHORTAGES IN MOST DISCIPLINES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, I WORK WITH SOME OF THE BEST TEACHERS ANYWHERE AND MOST COULD MAKE FORTUNES DOING SOMETHING ELSE.
WE WANT TO KEEP TEACHING OUR STUDENTS IN YORK COUNTY, BUT OUR FAMILIES, OUR SURVIVAL WILL HAVE TO TAKE PRECEDENT.
WE WILL MOVE ON IF NECESSARY, BUT WILL YOUR COUNTY STILL BE AMONG THE BEST IN THE COMMONWEALTH IF YOU RENDER IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FOSTERED THESE HIGH RANKINGS TO REMAIN HERE? WILL FAMILIES STILL BE MOVING HERE FOR THE HIGH QUALITY OF EDUCATION? IN PONDERING THESE QUESTIONS, I THEREFORE ASK THAT YOU WILL THOUGHTFULLY
[01:50:01]
RECONSIDER THIS CURRENT TRAJECTORY AND PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INVESTMENT IN THE HIGH QUALITY OF EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THIS GREAT COMMUNITY.THANK YOU AND THANKS THE BOARD.
THANK FOR MY THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, THE NEXT ONE IS LYNN EMEK, FOLLOWED BY EDDIE JAMES.
I LIVE AT SEVEN 11 WATERVIEW ROAD.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT, A PROUD TAB ALUMNI TEACHER, AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THIS SCHOOL BUDGET TONIGHT.
NORMALLY I DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT TOO MANY THINGS BECAUSE I REALIZE HOW HARD IT IS TO PUT A BUDGET TOGETHER, BUT I WANNA TALK ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS FAIR FOR OUR YORK COUNTY RESIDENTS, STUDENTS, AND STAFF.
FIRST, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TAX HIKE OR PRICE HIKES.
IN 2024, MY REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENT WENT UP 22%.
MY WASTE AND SEWER BILL INCREASED BY 15% THIS PAST YEAR.
YOU APPROVED THESE PRICE HIKES BECAUSE OF RISING COSTS.
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT YORK COUNTY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STAFF DON'T DESERVE A DECENT RAISE AS WELL? I'VE SEEN THE SLOGAN MANAGE BETTER WHAT YOU HAVE IN A FEW YARDS AROUND TOWN.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, AT MY AGE AND ECONOMIC STATUS, I PAY FULL PRICE FOR EVERYTHING.
IF YOU WANNA SAVE MONEY, WHY DON'T WE CUT SAFETY TOWN OR THE RECREATIONAL SPORTS COMPLEXES? SHOULD WE ABOLISH REDUCE RATES FOR WASTE AND SEWER SERVICES FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON FIXED INCOMES AND TELL THEM MANAGE BETTER WHAT YOU HAVE.
ALSO, WHY DON'T WE TELL THOSE SAME PEOPLE, I'M SORRY, YOU NEED TO PAY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF YOUR REAL ESTATE TAX BECAUSE YOU'RE COSTING THE COUNTY MONEY.
I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD THE OLD SAYING, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
MANY OF YOU HAVE SUFFERED THROUGH THE LOW BIDDER WHO DOES A CRAPPY JOB AND IT COSTS MORE IN THE FUTURE TO FIX WHAT WAS MESSED UP.
THIS CONCEPT IS NO DIFFERENT WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN.
THE QUALITY OF OUR SCHOOLS BRINGS MONEY INTO YORK COUNTY.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE 2, 3 6 9 3 ZIP CODE IS ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST ONES IN THE AREA? IT'S BECAUSE DOCTORS, LAWYERS, AND BUSINESSMEN WANT THEIR STUDENTS TO BE AT THE BEST SCHOOLS.
OH, AND BY THE WAY, I'M ONE OF THOSE TEACHERS WHO STAYED WITH YORK COUNTY WHEN WE HAD A BUDGET FREEZE FOR FOUR TO FIVE YEARS.
SO ACTUALLY YOU OWE ME FOUR TO FIVE YEARS OF RAISES THAT I AM NOT GONNA GET.
UM, TEACHERS GIVE A LOT OF THEIR OWN FREE TIME TO RUN CLUBS, HELP WITH SCHOOL PLAYS, ATTEND SPORTING EVENTS, AND DO MORE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.
WE'RE THERE WHEN THE STUDENTS NEED TO CRY OR TALK OR GET EXTRA HELP WITH A CLASS.
AND AGAIN, MOSTLY IT'S ON OUR OWN FREE TIME.
THIS LEVEL OF COMMITMENT HELPS MAKE OUR STUDENTS CONFIDENT AND PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY, THEREBY REDUCING CRIME RATES.
IN YORK COUNTY, IF YOU DON'T DO WHAT'S FAIR AND RIGHT BY YORK COUNTY TEACHERS AND STAFF, YOU'LL HAVE TO MANAGE BETTER WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.
SOME TEACHERS WILL SIMPLY LEAVE, OTHERS WILL STOP SPONSORING CLUBS.
MANY WILL GO HOME RATHER THAN ATTEND SPORTING EVENTS IN PLAYS AND WON'T STAY AFTER.
TO HELP STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING, PLEASE DO WHAT'S FAIR AND RIGHT.
I'M HOPING YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DEFINITELY GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR AND YOUR DECISION COULD HAVE DETRIMENTAL CONSEQUENCES.
PLEASE DO THE RIGHT AND FAIR THING AND FUND OUR BUDGET.
UH, EDDIE JAMES, FOLLOWED BY CRAIG REYNOLDS.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO SAY I BELIEVE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WOULD LOVE TO MAKE OUR TEACHERS FIREFIGHTERS, EMS AND SHERIFFS DEPUTIES THE HIGHEST PAID IN THE SEVEN CITIES OR EVEN THE STATE.
THE REALITY IS THAT HERE IN YORK COUNTY, OUR RESOURCES ARE MORE LIMITED THAN OTHER LOCALITIES.
BUT THAT SAID, I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR A CUT IN THEIR PAY OR THEIR RAISES.
IN THE LAST MEETING, THERE WERE TEACHERS, A FIREFIGHTER AND DEPUTY'S WIFE WHO SPOKE ABOUT PAY AND OTHER LOCALITIES.
I BELIEVE THAT SAME REASON I WANTED, THE SAME REASON I WANTED MY FAMILY TO LIVE IN YORK COUNTY IS THE SAME EXACT REASON TEACHERS, FIREFIGHTERS, AND DEPUTIES CHOSE TO WORK IN YORK COUNTY BECAUSE IT IS SAFER AND OFFERS A BETTER QUALITY OF WORK AND LIFE.
I CHOSE TO WORK AT A TRAUMA CENTER BECAUSE IT PAYS BETTER.
I HAVE SACRIFICED FREE TIME AND TIME WITH MY FAMILY FOR BETTER PAY, WHICH IS EXACTLY THE REASON THE DEPUTY'S WIFE GAVE LAST WEEK FOR HER HUSBAND COMING TO WORK IN YORK COUNTY FROM A NEIGHBORING CITY.
IF THE ONLY MOTIVATION IS MONEY, THEY WOULD'VE ALREADY CHOSEN TO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I GREW UP IN HAMPTON AND KNEW THAT IF I WERE GOING TO HAVE A FAMILY, I'D WANNA RAISE MY KIDS IN A PLACE LIKE YORK COUNTY.
AFTER LOTS OF SACRIFICE AND HARD WORK, MY WIFE AND I WERE ABLE TO BUY OUR FIRST HOME IN YORK COUNTY.
IN 2012, 2019, MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT OUR DREAM HOME IN SEAFORD.
[01:55:01]
REAL ESTATE, MY REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENT HAS GONE UP $193,000.SOMEHOW TWO YEARS AGO, MY VEHICLE INCREASED IN VALUE, BOTH OF WHICH INCREASES MY BURDEN AND YOUR TAX REVENUE.
MY FLOOD INSURANCE HAS GONE FROM 1200 TO $2,400 PER YEAR.
MY HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE HAS GONE UP BY 20%.
THESE ARE HUGE HITS TO MY FINANCES THAT DON'T INCLUDE THE OVERALL INSANE INFLATION.
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I'VE HAD TO DO SOME EXTREME TIGHTENING IN MY BUDGET, ALL BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT MISMANAGEMENT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S UNREASONABLE FOR ME TO EXPECT MY LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PRACTICE THE SAME LEVEL AMOUNT, THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIGHTENING WHEN THEIR BUDGET COMES FROM MY NOW MORE LIMITED INCOME.
MY STORY IS BY NO MEANS UNIQUE.
THIS IS THE SAME FOR MOST OF OUR CITIZENS.
THESE BURDENS ARE EVEN HARDER ON MY RETIRED NEIGHBORHOOD, NEIGHBORS WITH RETIRED WITH FIXED INCOMES.
NOW AFTER ALL THIS, YOU PROPOSE ANOTHER TAX INCREASE AND THE YEAR BEFORE OUR ASSESSMENTS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY GO UP AGAIN.
I AND MOST OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WOULD AGREE THAT PROPOSAL WAS WRONG.
PERHAPS OUR REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD DO A BETTER JOB OF MANAGING OUR MONEY.
OUR EEDA SEEMS TO MAKE ONE WASTEFUL MISTAKE AFTER ANOTHER.
WE PROP UP FAILING BUSINESSES ON THE RIVERFRONT.
THE PROPOSAL, WHICH I'VE HEARD NOW IS NOT TRUE OF PUTTING AN ADMIN BUILDING ON THE PROPERTY OVERLOOKING THE RIVER IS INSANE.
IF THAT'S NOT TRUE, THEN WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THAT PROPERTY AND WHY AREN'T WE USING IT FOR TAX REVENUE? THANK YOU.
CAN I JUST FINISH PLEASE? OKAY.
THEN THERE'S THE PROPOSED TAX.
4% RAISE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR YORK COUNTY.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT TEACHERS.
I'VE WORKED IN HEALTHCARE OVER 20 YEARS FOR TWO DIFFERENT HEALTH SYSTEMS AND THERE WAS NEVER A 4% RAISE.
EVEN IF THERE HAD BEEN, IT WOULD'VE BEEN BASED ON MERIT, NOT BECAUSE IT COMES FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY AND THEY CAN JUST BE MADE TO PAY MORE.
IF A RAISE IS JUST A GUARANTEE AND NOT BASED ON MERIT, THE COMP, COMPLACENCY AND LAZINESS ARE INCENTIVIZED.
I HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED THAT FROM ONE OF YORK COUNTY'S OFFICES.
IN THE LAST MEETING, THERE WAS TEACHERS, I'M SORRY.
FINALLY, I'M THE ONE WHO HANDLES MY FAMILY'S FINANCES.
I MAKE SURE OUR BILLS GET PAID, MAKE SURE OUR WE HAVE MONEY AND SAVINGS FOR A RAINY DAY, AND THAT OUR HOME IS IN GOOD REPAIR.
IF MY ROOF HAD HOLES IN IT, MY HEATER WAS BROKEN, AND I CHOSE TO PUT A $25,000 PUTTING GREEN IN MY BACKYARD.
INSTEAD OF FIXING THOSE THINGS, MY NEIGHBORS WOULD CALL SOMEONE IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND HAVE MY CHILDREN TAKEN AWAY.
BECAUSE I'M NOT INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WELFARE OF MY CHILDREN, YOU WOULD SAY I'M AN IDIOT AND SOMEONE ELSE SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF MY FAMILY'S FINANCES.
PERHAPS OUR SCHOOL BOARD HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT SAME LACK OF INTELLIGENCE AND NEEDS MORE OVERSIGHT WITH WHAT THEY DO WITH OUR MONEY.
UH, THE NEXT FIRST IS CRAIG REYNOLDS.
I CRAIG REYNOLDS, FOLLOWED BY KELLY MATTHEWS.
UH, CRAIG REYNOLDS, DISTRICT ONE UP IN QUEENS LAKE.
UM, THANK YOU BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
I APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK IN THE PREVIOUS MONTHS CONSIDERING THE BUDGET.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THIS IMPORTANT TASK AND MANAGING, UM, THIS WONDERFUL COUNTY.
UH, I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE AT MCGRUDER, UH, ELEMENTARY FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS IN THE BRUTON ZONE, THE BEST ZONE AROUND.
I WAS, UH, RECOGNIZED AS REGION TWO TEACHER OF THE YEAR TWO YEARS AGO.
UM, BUT LEMME SHARE YOU THE STORY, SHARE WITH YOU THE STORIES I GET TO SEE DAILY IN OUR BUILDING.
THIS IS JUST THINGS WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO SPRING BREAK.
UM, THESE ALL THINGS ARE BEYOND THE HOURS OF EIGHT 15 AND 3 45.
UH, MULTIPLE TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS PUT ON A WELLNESS NIGHT TO SHARE COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
EIGHT TEACHERS WENT TO, UH, GO CHEER ON A DOZEN STUDENTS IN THEIR BATTLE OF THE BOOKS TEAM.
THAT'S LED BY THREE OTHER TEACHERS.
UM, THAT GROUP MEETS BEFORE SCHOOL.
THE EACH CLASSROOM TEACHER REACHED OUT TO HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO COME IN THEIR CLASSES TO READ FOR READ ACROSS AMERICA MONTH AND PARTICIPATE IN A CAREER DAY.
MULTIPLE TEACHERS ATTENDED A SPECIAL EDUCATION RESOURCE FAIR DOWN THIS WAY.
MULTIPLE TEACHERS HELD A MATH MADNESS NIGHT TO SUPPORT MATH LEARNING BY PARENTS AND STUDENTS.
THIRD GRADE AND KINDERGARTEN PUT ON CONCERTS THAT INCORPORATED A PARENT UNIVERSITY.
UM, I LEFT AT SIX O'CLOCK TONIGHT AND THERE WAS A, UM, PRESCHOOL, UH, A RISING KINDERGARTEN EVENING.
UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UNPAID TIME.
MULTIPLE TEACHERS REPRESENTED MCGRUDER AT THE RELAY FOR LIFE MEETING.
LAST MONTH, TWO FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS FACILITATED A SATURDAY TRIP TO YORK RIVER STATE PARK TO SUPPORT A DOZEN STUDENTS WHO WERE IN THE ECOLOGY CLUB.
35 STUDENTS AND THREE TEACHERS PARTICIPATED IN A LOCAL 5K RACE AS PART OF THEIR AFTERSCHOOL RUNNING CLUB.
FINALLY, 60 STUDENTS, UM, IN OUR COURSE HELD THEIR WEEKLY MEETINGS.
AGAIN, THIS IS ALL MID MID MARCH
[02:00:01]
UNTIL, UM, THE END OF THE MONTH.SO WE DIDN'T BACK INTO THIS PROFESSION.
WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE SIGNING UP FOR, UM, THAT WE ARE AND WE ARE EXCITED, UM, AND HONORED TO DEVOTE COUNTLESS HOURS TO IMPROVE OUR PRACTICE.
NOT TO SEEK RECOGNITION, BUT TO BETTER STUDENT SUCCESS.
SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM, WE ARE HERE TO MOLD THE NEXT GENERATION OF THOSE PUBLIC SERVANTS LIKE THOSE IN THE ROOM, UM, THAT SHOULD GET THE INCREASED PAY AND RECOGNITION THAT THEY ALSO SO DESERVE.
UH, I MUST SAY THAT MANY EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE TAKEN ABACK BY RECENT COMMENTS AT A BUDGET WORK SESSION.
COMMENTS MADE BY MULTIPLE MEMBERS DID NOT SEEM TO INDICATE THIS PROFESSION IS A PRIORITY.
TO QUESTION OUR PAY RATE AND HOW IT SHOULD BE SIMILAR TO A NEIGHBORING SCHOOL DIVISION IS QUITE DISTURBING.
WHY NOT BE THE BEST PAID? WHY NOT AFFIRM THE ROLE OF TEACHERS WITH INCREASED FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLIC EDUCATION? DELTA'S PUBLIC EDUCATORS HELP WHO SHAPE THE FUTURE.
DOCTORS, POLICE OFFICERS, LAWYERS, PLUMBERS, OTHER ESSENTIAL OCCUPATION DESERVE, UM, CREDIBILITY.
ONE OF MY FORMER STUDENTS, AN AMAZING POLICE OFFICER, WAS JUST RECOGNIZED A MEDAL HONOR IN HIS RESPECTIVE CITY.
I TREATED ANOTHER, UM, WHO'S SERVING A NA, OUR NATION IN THE ARMY, UM, TO DINNER.
RECENTLY I CAME TO THIS DIVISION AND TOOK A PAY CUT.
I ACTUALLY LOST STEPS AND I WASN'T EVEN HERE IN THIS DISTRICT.
AND WITH THE UNREST FROM THE TOP, IT'S NOT HELPED SUPPORT A CULTURE, TOGETHERNESS.
ALL THESE JOBS THAT ARE MENTIONED TONIGHT OR ARE SUPER IMPORTANT, BUT THERE'S NOT ONE ABOVE THE OTHERS.
BALANCING BUDGET IS QUITE A HARD TASK, AND I APPLIED YOU ALL FOR THE FI FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT THE WORK OF EDUCATORS IN OUR SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY THOSE MOLDING OUR YOUNGEST MINDS.
HOW ARE YOU? UH, OUR DOORS ARE OPEN AND EDUCATORS WILL LOVE DIALOGUE.
WE, WE, WE ARE WELCOME TO VOLUNTEERS.
UM, IT TRULY TAKES A VILLAGE, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR MOST MARGINALIZED POPULATION.
UH, NEXT ONE IS KELLY MATTHEWS, FOLLOWED BY VICTOR DE SHANDOR.
MY NAME IS KELLY MATTHEWS, 3 0 7 DOROTHY DRIVE.
I'M A LITTLE BIT MORE NERVOUS TONIGHT,
UM, I SPEAK COMPASSIONATELY FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO PURCHASED THEIR HOME FIVE YEARS AGO AND ARE UNABLE TO MAKE THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS NOW BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED ASSESSMENTS AND THOSE PRICES ARE CONTINUING TO RISE.
UH, THE HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE HAS WENT UP.
YOU'RE COLLECTING MONEY ON GRAND CHURCH TAX VEHICLES, BUSINESSES.
AND NOT ONLY ARE YOU COLLECTING OUR MONEY FOR THE COUNTY, BUT WE'RE PAYING MONEY TO THE FEDERAL, THE STATE, AND THE COUNTY.
IT'S LIKE, IT'S LIKE A DEATH TAX.
IT'S LIKE TAXES, TAXES, TAXES.
I WORK VERY HARD FOR MY MONEY AS WELL AS OTHER EVERYBODY ELSE IN THIS ROOM.
AND I DO SUPPORT ALL THE TEACHERS, 9 1 1 DISPATCHERS, BUS DRIVERS, AND FIREFIGHTERS AND DEPUTIES, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DON'T DO THEIR JOB.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR JOB IS IMPORTANT, SO I SUPPORT THEM.
BUT WHAT I DON'T SUPPORT IS THE WASTE THAT WE'RE HEARING AND ALSO THE BUILDING OF THE, UH, THE NEW BUILDING THAT'S BEING BUILT TO OVERLOOK THE YORK COUNTY RIVER.
UH, THE NEXT ONE, AS I SAID, IS VICTOR SHANDOR.
HE'D BE FOLLOWED BY MARK CARTER.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY,
OTHER, OH, I DUNNO IF THIS THING, IS IT ON OR NO? OKAY.
I'M VICS, OR, UM, ONE 14 P**N.
UM, I ALSO WORK AT 3 0 2 DARE DRIVE, AND I'M THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
SO, GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE YORK COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE AND THE DIFFICULT WORK THAT YOU UNDERTAKE IN DEVELOPING THE Y THE FY 26 BUDGET.
I ALSO WANNA EXTEND MY APPRECIATION TO COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MR. MARK BELLAMY, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, SUSAN GOODWIN AND BRIAN FULLER, AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER THERESA OWENS, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY STAFF, ALL OF THE COUNTY STAFF WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS COMPLEX AND IMPORTANT PROCESS.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING A FOUR TO 6 CENT INCREASE TO THE REAL ESTATE TAX FOR FY 26.
AS YOU CONTINUE YOUR DELIBERATIONS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS FUNDING CHALLENGE IS NOT UNIQUE TO YORK COUNTY AS OUTLINED IN THE BUDGET RESOURCE BOOK.
YOU RECEIVED EARLIER THIS YEAR FROM US, UM, THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE AUDIT AND REVIEW COMMISSION, JARC ISSUED A REPORT IDENTIFYING PERSISTENT SHORTFALLS IN STATE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND THIS, UM, THIS REPORT WAS DONE IN 2023.
[02:05:01]
ONE KEY RECOMMENDATION WAS THE RE THE RESTORATION OF FUNDING FOR SUPPORT POSITIONS.WHILE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTED ON THIS INCLUDED $2.5 MILLION FOR YCSD.
THE GOVERNOR'S VETO SESSION REDUCED THAT AMOUNT TO APPROXIMATELY 950,000.
THAT'S A LOSS OF $1.55 MILLION, WHICH CLOSELY MIRRORS THE SHORTFALL THAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION IS NOW FACING.
I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU CONSIDER SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE REGARDING SALARIES IN THE REGION AND ON THE PENINSULA.
REMAINING COMPETITIVE DURING THE LARGEST NATIONAL TEACHER SHORTAGE IN HISTORY IS ESSENTIAL, NOT ONLY IN RECRUITING AND RETAINING TEACHERS AND STAFF.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, CONTINUING OUR LONG STANDING STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO REMEMBER THAT YCSD IS A HIGH PERFORMING AND STATE AND NATIONAL AWARD-WINNING SCHOOL DIVISION.
WE KNOW, AND THE REALTORS KNOW THE REASON MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS MOVE TO THIS COUNTY.
THEY MOVE HERE FOR THE SCHOOLS AND THEY MOVE TO LIVE IN A SAFE COMMUNITY.
OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE THE OUTSTANDING WORK FOR OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF, AND FAMILIES.
THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS IS STILL INCOMPLETE WITH THE GOVERNOR HAVING UNTIL MAY 2ND TO TAKE FINAL ACTION ON FY 25 AND FY 26 BUDGETS.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER THE STEPS NECESSARY THAT COULD BE TAKEN TO BRIDGE THIS GAP.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT APPROVING THE 78 CENT TAX INCREASE WITH APPROVING THE 78 CENT TAX INCREASE, YCSD WILL STILL HAVE A $1.6 MILLION, UH, BUDGET GAP.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME, FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION, AND FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY.
MARK CARTER, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M MARK CARTER 10 22 MORAL BANK DRIVE.
I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF 10 OF MY COLLEAGUES, FORMER RETIREE, FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY WHO SUBMITTED A LETTER DATED MARCH 31ST TO YOU.
IN SUPPORT OF MR. BELLAMY'S BUDGET PROPOSAL AND TAX RATE PROPOSAL, THE 10 OF US ARE PROUD RESIDENTS, PROPERTY OWNERS AND VOTERS IN THE COUNTY.
WE'RE FORMER SENIOR MANAGERS WITH HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH BOTH THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF YORK COUNTY GOVERNANCE.
FIRST, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE THE SACRIFICES THAT YOU MAKE TO SERVE AND THE DIFFICULT TASK OF EVALUATING THE COMPETING VOICES AND OPINIONS THAT YOU HEAR AS YOU MAKE IMPORTANT FINANCIAL DECISIONS ABOUT THE COUNTY'S FUTURE.
AS RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS, WE APPRECIATE EFFORTS TO KEEP TAXES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
WE BELIEVE MOST CITIZENS APPRECIATE AND ENJOY THE OUTSTANDING QUALITY OF LIFE THAT YOUR FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP SUPPORTS, WHICH INCLUDES A TAX BURDEN BELOW THAT OF MOST OF OUR NEIGHBORS.
HOWEVER, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY OVER THE LONG TERM CAN ONLY BE PRESERVED BY PROVIDING EXCELLENT VALUE.
COUNTY SERVICES THAT, IN TURN REQUIRE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AND PRUDENT FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
WE'VE ALL STUDIED THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS PROPOSED FY 26 BUDGET AND STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT ITS BALANCE OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES WILL SERVE THE COUNTY WELL, AT THIS POINT IN OUR HISTORY, IT'S TRULY A CONSERVATIVE FINANCIAL PLAN THAT WOULD ALLOW THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DIVISION TO CONTINUE TO REINVEST IN OUR AGING CAPITAL.
FACILITIES, SUPPORT EXCELLENT PUBLIC SAFETY, PROVIDE MODEST SALARY INCREASES FOR OUR EXCELLENT WORKFORCE, AND PROTECT RAINY DAY SAVINGS NEEDED TO LIMIT DEBT AND MAINTAIN THE COMMUNITY'S RESILIENCE DURING UNCERTAIN TIMES.
YOU'VE HEARD COMMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE AS YOU DELIBERATE ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND WORK TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE BALANCE AMONG DIFFERING VIEWPOINTS.
WE RESPECTFULLY AND WITH THE BENEFIT OF OUR COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCES ASK THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF APPROVING A BUDGET THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE TAX REVENUES NEEDED TO RUN THE COUNTY EFFECTIVELY AND RESPONSIBLY.
WE KNOW THAT YOU WANT THE COUNTY TO CONTINUE TO BE A SAFE, CLEAN, HEALTHY AND ATTRACTIVE PLACE WITH GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OTHER AMENITIES FOR CITIZENS TO ENJOY.
THEREFORE, WE URGE YOU TO APPROVE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET AND TAX RATES TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY REVENUE BASE TO MAINTAIN A FORWARD-LOOKING COMMUNITY AND PROTECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE ALL KNOW YORK COUNTY OFFERS.
I'D LIKE TO ASK THE SIX OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT TO STAND BRIEFLY TO BE RECOGNIZED.
YOU'LL SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES.
AND WE ALL THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING OUR COMMENTS AND WE WISH YOU WISDOM AND FORESIGHT AS YOU DELIBERATE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE FY 26 BUDGET.
I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW AND OPEN UP FOR BOARD COMMENTS.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS NOW? NOT THEIR COMMENTS OR COMMENTS? NO COMMENTS ON THE, ON THE BUDGET.
I, WELL, I HAVE ONE THAT I WOULD LIKE.
[02:10:01]
ADMINISTRATOR.UH, WE HAVE, UM, WE HAD ANOTHER MEETING, I BELIEVE WE GOT SCHEDULED OH YES.
THAT'S, UH, FOR PROBABLY MAYBE OUR LAST ONE BEFORE THE, WE COME UP, UH, TO VOTE ON THIS ISSUE.
UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO GET WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, UM, AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU TELL US THE, UM, THE PERCENTAGE WILL, WHATEVER THE, WHATEVER WE WANNA CALL IT, THE PERCENTAGE THAT SCHOOL, THE SCHOOLS ARE RECEIVING IN OUR AROUND US.
AND NOT JUST THE ROUND US, THE PENINSULA.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW IT'S IN THE WHOLE OF LINCOLN, YOUR, THAT, UH, THE WHOLE OF HAMPTON ROADS.
SO I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE IS.
UM, COULD YOU, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN, PLEASE? YOU CAN'T HEAR ME? NO.
SO, UM, LOOK, WHAT WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR HERE IS, IS, UH, FOR YOU TO GET WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND GIVE US A, AN INDICATION OF WHAT THE, UH, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AROUND US, UH, THE PERCENTAGE FROM THE SCHOOL, IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE PERCENTAGE OF PAY INCREASE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE TEACHING FORCE OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOLS.
SO, SO WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING TO GO TO GO BY.
UM, MY SENSE IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW, AS I'VE, I'VE HAD FELLOW SUPERVISORS ASK ME, WELL, TOM, WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR POSITION ON, ON THE, ON THE TAX? UH, 4 CENTS, WHATEVER.
AND AS I TOLD THE, IN THE FIRST MEETING, UH, MY SENSE WAS IT WAS ANYWHERE FROM THREE AND A HALF TO 6 CENTS.
SO MY POINT IS THAT IT'S BASED ON NEED RIGHT NOW.
I'M NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND CAMPAIGN ON A, ON A NUMBER.
I, I'VE HEARD, I HEAR THE COMMENTS FROM EVERYBODY IN HERE.
I'VE HEARD IT FROM PEOPLE THAT'S SENDING IN EMAILS.
AND, UH, AS I'VE DONE FOR OVER 20 YEARS, IS, MY THOUGHTS HAVE BEEN BASED ON WHAT DO WE THINK WE ACTUALLY NEED TO GET THE GOVERNMENT WORKING? THE GOVERNMENT'S, NOT JUST US.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SCHOOLS.
WHAT MAKES YOUR COUNTY GREAT? NOW, THERE ARE SOME OTHER PROPOSALS THAT WERE, THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, REINSTATING THE BOT TAX.
NOT EVERYBODY HAS BOATS, BUT WE CUT OFF THREE, OVER $300,000 OUT OF OUR BUDGET, UM, THAT WE COULD HAVE PUT IN THERE.
ALSO, UH, WE CAN COME BACK AND, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE, THE CAR TAX THAT WE WERE, WE TALKED ABOUT.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO JUST DUMP ONTO OUR, OUR REAL ESTATE TAX, OKAY? SO WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS.
AND I THINK IT WAS A VALID ARGUMENT.
WHAT, WHAT ELSE DO YOU, CAN YOU USE WITHOUT, UM, HITTING THE REAL ESTATE TAX? SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I OKAY, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR AT THIS POINT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS POINT? WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY THANKS,
JUST WANNA SAY THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR SHOWING UP THIS EVENING, SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE, THE BUDGET AND PAY AND SO FORTH, AS WELL AS THE EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS AND, AND THE SIDEBAR CONVERSATIONS, TALKING TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE IN OF THE DRIVEWAY AND SO FORTH AT THE TOWN HALL.
ALL THAT FEEDBACK IS VALUABLE.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO COME OUT AND, AND SPEAK WITH US.
REPRESENT YOUR ORGANIZATION, YOUR TEAM, WHOMEVER, GIVE US SOME MORE FEEDBACK.
UM, LIKE MR. SHEPHERD'S SAYING, YOU KNOW, CAN WE DO A BOAT TAX? CAN WE DO THIS? CAN WE DO THAT? WE'RE STILL EXPLORING OPTIONS, OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE CAN PULL A THREAD HERE, PULL A THREAD THERE THAT CAN MAYBE SAVE, SAVE SOME MONEY, FIND SOME DIFFERENT WAYS TO FUND, FUND THINGS.
UM, FRANKLY, WE'RE RUNNING OUTTA TIME.
UM, BUT WE ARE STILL EXPLORING WHATEVER OFFICERS WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ALSO, LIKE MR. SHERPA SAID, WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA FUND WHAT WE NEED TO FUND.
UM, YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE OVERALL SLICE OF THE PIE OF THE BUDGET.
WELL OVER 70% OF OUR BUDGET GOES TO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND SAFETY.
SO WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT SLICE OF THE PIE AND YOU GOT, AND WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT IT TAKES $1.3 MILLION IN SAVINGS JUST AS, JUST TO MOVE 1 CENT OFF OF THE, UH, REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.
IF YOU'RE GONNA TO MAKE AN, IF YOU'RE GONNA MOVE THE NEEDLE, ANY, THAT'S WHERE YOU NEED TO LOOK.
AND WE'VE LOOKED THERE AND IT'S, AND IT'S TIGHT.
I DON'T SEE WHERE WE CAN REALLY MAKE THAT MUCH MORE MOVEMENT.
THERE AGAIN, WE'RE STILL EXPLORING OPTIONS.
UM, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK PUT IN.
AS MR. BELLAMY SAID EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WE'VE REDUCED THE, UM, THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, $15 MILLION.
THE CIP OVER SIX YEARS, OVER $50 MILLION.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORT PUT INTO IT.
WE'RE STILL LOOKING, BUT MADE A LOT OF GOOD GRIND SO FAR.
MR. JURY, IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? YEAH, SO I SAID THIS AT THE TOWN HALL, AND I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN BECAUSE I THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING.
I SIT IN A VERY DIFFERENT SEAT UP HERE AMONGST OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
[02:15:01]
A DAUGHTER THAT'S A TEACHER AT BRUTON HIGH SCHOOL.I HAVE A SON-IN-LAW THAT'S A DEPUTY IN THIS COUNTY, AND I LOVE OUR DEPUTIES.
AND I WAS A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER AND SAT AS THE PAST PRESIDENT FOR MANY YEARS IN YORK COUNTY FOR 15 PLUS YEARS.
SO MY HEART IS ALWAYS WITH YORK COUNTY, AND THIS IS A DIFFICULT, DIFFICULT POSITION.
AND, UH, ONE THING THAT WE, WE DON'T WANNA DO IS FIGHT AGAINST THE SCHOOL BOARD.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO.
UH, I THINK OUR JOB, UH, AS THE BOARD IS TO LOOK AT EVERY PENNY THAT WE'RE SPENDING AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE BA BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK, AND WE'RE DOING IT AS EFFICIENTLY AS, AS WE CAN.
AND OUR HOPE IS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IS DOING THE SAME THING.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY SITTING ON THIS BOARD HERE WANTS TO SEE OUR TEACHERS SALARIES, GO DOWN OUR FIREFIGHTER SALARIES, GO DOWN OUR DEPUTY SALARIES OR THE EMPLOYEES OF YORK COUNTY.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE UP HERE TO DO.
BUT WE DO HAVE TO TOE THE LINE AND MAKE SURE WHAT WE'RE SPENDING IS WHERE WE'RE GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR DOING THIS, AND I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S A HUGE TENSION OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO AND WHAT YOU CAN DO.
THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, AS SOME OF YOU HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN TONIGHT, WE'VE HAD TO TIGHTEN OUR BUDGETS AT HOME JUST LIKE WE NEED TO TIGHTEN OUR BUDGETS AT YORK COUNTY, RIGHT? WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T JUST OUTSPEND OURSELF JUST BECAUSE WE'RE A GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND WE CAN DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE ABOUT.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE BUDGET, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO PROTECT THE SERVICES, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE FIREFIGHTERS, EMERGENCY RESCUE, UH, DEPUTIES, OUR EMPLOYEES, BECAUSE PEOPLE DO COME TO YORK COUNTY BECAUSE THEY FEEL SAFE.
THEY DO COME TO YORK COUNTY BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS ARE THE BEST AROUND.
AND SO WE HAVE TO PROTECT THAT.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU SITTING UP HERE, WHAT YOU GUYS DON'T SEE IS ALL THE LONG HARD WORK AND TIME, TIME AND HOURS THAT WE HAVE PUT INTO THIS.
WE'VE HAD, WE HAD 10, UH, EXTRA MEETINGS, WORK SESSIONS PUT ON THE SCHEDULE FOR US THIS YEAR.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE DONE EIGHT OF THOSE 10.
WE DID HAVE TO CANCEL TWO, UH, BECAUSE OF SOME PEOPLE BEING OUTTA TOWN.
BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE ARE PUTTING THE HOURS IN AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
AND AS I SAID, AGAIN, FROM THE TOWN HALL, UH, I COULD, I COULD TAKE A, A SHOW OF HANDS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WANT THE BUDGET TO STAY WHERE IT'S AT OR LOWER.
AND I COULD GET HANDS ON THOSE THAT SAY NO INCREASE IN MY TAXES BECAUSE I WANNA SUPPORT THINGS IN YORK COUNTY.
WHEN I DID THAT AT THE TOWN HALL, 50% STOOD UP AND SAID, HEY, I'LL RAISE THE HAND AND SAID, HEY, I, I DON'T MIND YOU RAISING MY TAXES.
AND THE OTHER 50% SAID, I DON'T WANT YOU TO RAISE MY TAXES.
SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, HALF OF YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE HAPPY.
THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT'S GONNA BE BECAUSE WE CAN'T SATISFY BOTH SIDES.
THERE'S NO, NO POSSIBLE WAY TO SATISFY GETTING EVERYTHING WE WANT IN YORK COUNTY AND CUTTING THE BUDGET OR RAISING THE BUDGET AND GETTING WHAT YOU WANT.
WE JUST CAN'T HAVE THAT AND EVERYBODY BE HAPPY.
SO JUST UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE SITTING IN A PRETTY PRECARIOUS POSITION THAT WE HAVE TO TRY TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION.
AND I WILL VOTE THE WAY I THINK IS CORRECT FOR YORK COUNTY.
WELL, AS, AS GOVERNOR PAR NEXT TO ME SAID, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL MEETINGS ON THE BUDGET ALREADY.
I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR THE COUNTLESS HOURS OF WORK THAT THEY'VE PUT IN, ANSWERING ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN RAISING THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET PERIOD.
AND THERE'S BEEN MANY, UH, AND I WANNA THANK MY FELLOW SUPERVISORS FOR LISTENING AND CONSIDERING THE POINTS OF VIEW AND, AND REALLY CHALLENGING WHAT CAN WE DO AND WHERE CAN WE REACH ALIGNMENT.
I'LL BEGIN WITH A QUESTION, AND THIS IS A TOM SHEPHERD APPROACH FOR, FOR MY AUDIENCE.
UH, HOW MUCH OF THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASE IS DOLLARS THAT WE DON'T CONTROL? THE ANSWER IS TWO AND A HALF CENTS.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU IT'S 1 CENT INCREASE IN DEBT LOAD THAT WE'RE PAYING.
IT'S ABOUT A 1 CENT INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR FOR THE DISABLED VETERANS WHO WERE REFUNDING, UH, PROPERTY TAX AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX FOR THAT'S STATE IMPOSED, BUT WE'RE UNFUNDED BY THE STATE.
YES, THAT'S A MESSAGE TO CHAD AND AC AND AMANDA AND DANNY.
THEY NEED, THEY NEED TO GET SOME FUNDING FOR US.
IT'S ABOUT A HALF A CENT IN REGIONAL SERVICES.
THE, UM, REGIONAL JAIL HAS GONE UP CONSIDERABLY DUE TO, UH, RECENT, UH, WAGE INCREASES.
UH, WE'RE SEEING A 70% RISE IN THE COST OF WATER, OUR BUS TRANSPORTATION.
UM, WE'RE PAYING TWO AND A HALF CENTS OUT OF OUR BUDGET BEFORE WE EVEN
[02:20:01]
START TO LOOK AT WHERE DO WE SPEND THE REST IN YORK COUNTY.THAT'S, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF UNCONTROLLED FUNDING THAT HAS COME IN THIS YEAR THAT WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY SEEN IN OTHER YEARS.
AND YOU MAY NOT AGREE, BUT WE HAVE LOOKED AT WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO BE BALANCED ON THE SHERIFF'S, UH, MANPOWER REQUEST.
HE'S MADE A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION HERE EARLIER TONIGHT ON WHY HE NEEDS TO BE FULLY MANNED ON HIS SHIFTS.
THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY A QUARTER CENT TO A HALF CENT OF BUDGET INCREASE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR EVERY 1% OF COMPENSATION.
AND THEN NOW I'M TALKING JUST THE SHERIFF, THE FIRST LINE, THE FIR UH, FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY AND THE COUNTY STAFF.
I BELIEVE IT'S CLOSE TO A MILLION IF I WERE TO COUNT YOUR COUNTY, UH, SCHOOL DIVISION INTO THAT NUMBER.
SO A MILLION DOLLARS FOR EVERY 1% INCREASE, THAT'S SIZABLE IN TERMS OF MEETING OUR TAX RATE.
THAT'S A ONE, ALMOST A 1 CENT PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR EVERY 1% WE'RE STRUGGLING.
IT'S A, IT'S A VERY, VERY TOUGH BUDGET TO BALANCE, BUT WE'RE PUTTING OUR EFFORT INTO IT.
UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THE LAST POINT, AND I HEAR THE MESSAGES TONIGHT AND I UNDERSTAND THEM.
I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL WE HEAR FROM GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR YOUNGIN.
I BELIEVE THE SCHOOL BUDGET HAS BEEN, I'LL SAY, HELD BACK AS A, AS A MEANS OF TRYING TO FUND HIS, UH, INITIATIVES ON THE BUDGET THAT WERE NOT CONSIDERED BY THE HOUSE, UH, THE RAINY DAY FUND THAT HE HAS TALKED ABOUT, AND THE TAX REBATE HE'S TRYING TO GIVE TO OUR CITIZENS LATER THIS YEAR.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S DISCUSSION GOING ON.
IT'S GOING ON AT A STATE LEVEL.
I, I FULLY BELIEVE THAT IT'LL TAKE RIGHT UP TO THE JUNE 2ND DATE BEFORE WE, EXCUSE ME, THE MAY 2ND DATE BEFORE WE FINALLY KNOW WHICH WAY THE STATE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION WILL GO.
THAT'S ALL PART OF HOW WE ROLL UP A BALANCED BUDGET.
UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE COME THIS EVENING AND PARTICIPATED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE CITIZENS WHO ARE WATCHING TONIGHT UNDERSTAND WHERE EACH OF YOU ARE COMING FROM.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT, UH, FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT THE SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY OFFERS OUR CITIZENS.
AND YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE LISTENED TO WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING FROM BUDGET TO BUDGET.
THERE IS NO MONEY THAT HAS BEEN PLANNED OR PROPOSED YET FOR THE FUTURE, FOR WHAT YOUR COUNTY HAS TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
BUT WHAT IS YORK COUNTY SUPPOSED TO BECOME? IS IT SUPPOSED TO STAGNATE? IS IT SUPPOSED TO GO BACKWARDS? OR IS IT SUPPOSED TO MOVE FORWARD SLOWLY BUT SURELY TOWARDS THE FUTURE WITH IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE COUNTY NEEDS TO KEEP IT SAFE, TO KEEP IT CURRENT? AND I GUESS I'M, I WON'T SAY ANYTHING MORE.
I THINK I'VE PROBABLY SAID ENOUGH, BUT I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE EVEN IN YOUR OWN LIVES, YOU THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE, YOU THINK OF WHAT YOU WANNA DO NEXT YEAR, YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO YOUR HOMES, YOU THINK ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
YOU, YOU ALWAYS ARE THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO, WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A GOVERNMENT BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE YOU AND TO SERVE YOUR NEEDS AND YOUR WANTS AS BEST THAT WE CAN.
[6. Proposed County Code Amendments – Solid Waste, Garbage and Weeds. Receive public comment on proposed changes to York County Code for Solid Waste, Garbage and Weeds. a. Memorandum from the County Administrator b. Proposed Ordinance No. 25-]
GOING TO MOVE FORWARD TO, UH, THE NEXT THING THAT I HAVE ON THE AGENDA.AND, UH, IT'S A PROPOSED COUNTY AMENDMENTS FOR SOLID WASTE, GARBAGE AND WEEDS.
AND THAT'S NOT GONNA BE VOTED ON UNTIL MAY 6TH, BUT I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING IF THERE'S ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THAT SUBJECT.
IF I DON'T SEE ANYBODY ON THAT SUBJECT, THEN I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
HAVE SHEILA, WHAT DO YOU HAVE? SOMEBODY? I'M SORRY, MS. MILLER.
UM, WE NEED TO COVER THE TAX RATE.
OH, I, THAT WAS NOT, THAT STUFF WAS THERESA'S COMING TO THE MIC RIGHT HERE.
SO THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING WAS ON THE BUDGET.
YOU OPENED AND CLOSED THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
THE NEXT ONE IS ACTUALLY ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATES THEMSELVES, NOT
[02:25:01]
MY LIST.AND THEN THE NEXT ONE'S THE SOLID WASTE AND THE NEXT ONE'S THE FEES FOR DEVELOPMENT.
I GOT, I HAVE LISTED THE SOLID WASTE AND THEN I HAVE THE BUILDING REGULATIONS.
AND I, I HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
MARK MARK'S ALREADY PRESENTED THE, THE PRESENTATION FOR THE PRO PROPOSED TAX RATES.
IT WAS PROPOSED AT 78, ADVERTISED AT 80.
SO THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THOSE TAX RATES.
SO DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR THE RATE? NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP FOR THE RATE.
THEN THE NEXT ONE THAT I HAVE WOULD BE THE POST.
I DIDN'T SEE THAT THERE WAS SEEING, OH, THIS IS ON THE NEXT ONE.
THIS IS, THIS IS FOR NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS THE, UH, PROPOSED FEE AMENDMENTS.
AND I HAVE, UH, TIM CROSS HAS GOT TO WHAT I, UM, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THIS PROCESS WORKS, IT'S ALWAYS CONFUSING TO THE PUBLIC.
IT IS HELL, IT'S CONFUSING TO THE SUPERVISOR SOMETIME.
SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST YOU DO ON THE TAX RATE PIECE, EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET PART OF IT, THE TAX RATE PIECE.
I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE, EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW THEY HAVEN'T SIGNED UP.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO COMMENT OKAY.
SO WE COVER THAT SPOT AND THEN WE GO THEN TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT IT CAN DO THAT.
I THINK MR. SHEPHERD HAS MADE A VERY GOOD SUGGESTION.
SO I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD CARE TO SPEAK ON THE TAX RATE EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
THIS KEEPS US FROM GETTING INTO A BAD SITUATION HERE.
UH, MY NAME IS RON STRUBLE, 2 0 5 SHADY BLUFF POINT.
UM, I SUPPORT THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED.
ANYBODY ELSE CARE TO SPEAK IN THAT SUBJECT? IF NOT, YOU ACTUALLY GOT ONE IN THE BACK HERE.
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT HERE.
UM, WHAT OTHER TAXES HAVE YOU ALL CONSIDERED BEYOND REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY INCREASES? UH, I, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT FEES.
THEY'RE NOT DEDUCTIBLE, BUT TAXES, LIKE I SAID ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CIGARETTE TAXES OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
HAS ANYTHING OCCURRED TO THIS BOARD ABOUT OTHER METHODS? YOU TALKED ABOUT BOAT TAX.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT ANY OF THAT? THAT'S ALL I'D LIKE TO KNOW.
SO IT WOULD, IT POSSIBLY COULD DECREASE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DON'T ANSWER YOU WITH, YOU HAVE CITIZEN, YOU HAVE, EXCUSE ME, COMMENTS BY THE BOARD, SO COMMENT AWAY, BUT JUST BECAUSE IT COULD LOWER THE REAL ESTATE RATE, BUT YET STILL GET THE MONEY YOU NEED.
SO THAT'S ALL I'M CURIOUS ABOUT.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO'D CARE TO SPEAK ON THIS SUBJECT? IF NOT, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE.
NOW WHERE ARE WE? ARE WE HERE THE FEE AMENDMENTS? I THINK SO.
[7. Proposed Fee Amendments within the Chapter 7.1, Building Regulations, Chapter 20.5, Subdivisions, and Chapter 24.1, Zoning. Receive public comment on proposed fee amendments to Building Regulations, Subdivisions, and Zoning. a. Memorandum from the County Administrator b. Guide to Planning and Development Services Plan Types c. Current and Proposed Fee Chart d. Proposed Ordinance No. 25-9]
SEVEN IS A PROPOSED FEE AMENDMENTS, UH, ON THE BUILDING REGULATIONS.AND IT WILL NOT BE VOTED ON UNTIL MAY, BUT I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING MAD AND HAVE SOMEONE WHO WAS HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS.
MADAM CHAIR, I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE NOT HAD THE PUBLIC HEARING ON NUMBER SIX YET.
THIS IS CORRECT? YES, SHE DID.
SHE JUST DID A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING THAT THEY WERE REQUESTING UNDER THE BUDGET.
THIS IS, THIS IS THE THIRD PUBLIC HEARING OF THE NIGHT, WHICH IS FOR THE SOLID WASTE, UM, FEES AMENDMENT TO THE SOLID WASTE CHAPTER.
AND THAT'S THE FEE ADJUSTMENTS, THE FEES ON.
NOW WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING OR CLOSE? I WOULD FOR YOU TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I, I OPEN IT AND CLOSE IT AND WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT ISSUE.
AND THAT IS THE, UM, PROPOSED FEE AMENDMENTS.
AND WE HAVE, UH, TIM CROSS WHO'S GONNA SPEAK TO THAT SUBJECT IF TIM IS STILL HERE.
TIM, YOU WHAT? I THOUGHT YOU RETIRED.
[02:30:04]
THIS IS YOU OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I RESIDE AT 1 0 9 HOLLOWAY DRIVE IN QUEENS LAKE.
AND, UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED FEE INCREASES FOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
UH, THE PROPOSED INCREASES ARE VERY REASONABLE, AND IF ANYTHING, THEY DO NOT GO FAR ENOUGH.
UH, MRS. NOEL AND MR. SHEPHERD, UH, MAY REMEMBER SEVERAL YEARS AGO AN ANALYSIS WAS DONE, UH, THAT SHOWED THAT, UM, OUR APP, UH, APPLICATION FEES FOR REZONINGS AND SPECIAL USE PERMITS WERE COVERING ONLY A FRACTION OF THE, UH, COST OF ADVERTISING THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO TO ADDRESS THIS, UH, SET OF PROPOSED FEE INCREASES WAS, UH, UP FOR CONSIDERATION.
ULTIMATELY, THEY WEREN'T APPROVED, UH, POSSIBLY BECAUSE THEY WERE BUNDLED WITH SOME OTHER, UH, TAX AMENDMENTS THAT GENERATED SOME PUBLIC OPPOSITION.
UH, I BELIEVE THE COST, UH, UH, OF ADVERTISING THESE APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE BORN NOT BY THE TAXPAYERS, BUT BY THE APPLICANTS.
AND ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SOME FEE INCREASES, UH, UH, IMPOSED A FEW YEARS AGO, I SUSPECT THAT WE'RE STILL NOT EVEN COMING CLOSE TO COVERING OUR ADVERTISING EXPENSES.
SO I URGE YOU TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO P SPEAK TO THIS SUBJECT? IF NOT, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PERIOD.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA VOTE ON IT THIS TIME.
[8. Application No. UP – 1045-25, Daniel & Bridget Carver. Consider adoption of proposed Resolution R25-60 to approve a Special Use Permit to authorize a reduced setback for a chicken coop at 201 Fairfield Drive. a. Memorandum from the County Administrator b. Planning Commission Minutes Excerpts 3-12-25 c. Zoning Map d. Narrative e. Sketch Plan f. Topography & RPA Buffer Map g. Soil Types Map h. Chicken Enclosure Photos i. Neighborhood Letters of Support j. Proposed Resolution R25-60 ]
IS APPLICATION NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS DANIEL AND BRIDGET CARVER.WHAT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS? AND JEAN, YOU'RE GONNA DO THE PRESENTATION? YES.
IS SHE DOING BUILDING REGULATION? GOOD EVENING.
SO THIS APPLICATION IS A REQUEST FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO AUTHORIZE A REDUCED SETBACK FOR A CHICKEN ENCLOSURE.
LOCATED AT 2 0 1 FAIRFIELD DRIVE, THE SEVEN TENTHS OF AN ACRE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS ZONED RR FOR RURAL RESIDENTIAL AND DESIGNATED LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO TO THE NORTH IS FAIRFIELD DRIVE AND THREE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES.
BEYOND TO THE EAST IS ONE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
TO THE SOUTH IS HUNTER'S CREEK AND TWO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES ON COVE CRESCENT.
AND TO THE WEST IS ONE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE ON LAKEVIEW DRIVE AND ONE NEXT DOOR ON FAIRFIELD DRIVE.
THE APPLICANT SEEK AUTHORIZATION FOR REDUCED SETBACKS FOR THEIR CHICKEN ENCLOSURE LOCATED IN THE BACKYARD OF 2 0 1 FAIRFIELD DRIVE.
IN PINEY POINT ESTATES SECTION 24.1 DASH 4 14 1 F OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE STATES THAT ALL PENS, COOPS, OR CAGES SHALL BE SITUATED AT LEAST 10 FEET FROM UH, ADJOINING PROPERTY LINES.
THE APPLICANTS ARE REQUESTING REDUCED SETBACKS RANGING FROM ZERO TO ONE FOOT FROM THE WESTERN PROPERTY LINE SECTION 24.1 DASH 4 4 1 K STIPULATES THAT PROPOSALS FOR CHICKEN ENCLOSURE, SETBACKS OF LESS THAN 10 FEET MAY BE APPROVED BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
THE APPLICANT'S CHICKEN ENCLOSURE HAS THREE COMPONENTS, A CHICKEN COOP, AN ATTACHED SHELTERED CHICKEN RUN, AND AN UNSHELTERED CHICKEN RUN ALONG THE FENCE THAT RUNS ALONG THE PROPERTY LINE.
THE APPLICANT'S INSTALLED A NEW PREFABRICATED SHED APPROXIMATELY ONE FOOT FROM THE WESTERN PROPERTY LINE THAT ABUTS 1 0 7 FAIRFIELD DRIVE TO SERVE AS THEIR CHICKEN COOP.
THE APPLICANT'S ALSO BUILT A SHELTERED CHICKEN RUN EXTENDING OFF THE SHED'S NORTH SIDE.
IT'S ALSO SET BACK APPROXIMATELY ONE FOOT FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.
FINALLY, THE APPLICANT'S ADDED AN UNSHELTERED CHICKEN RUN ALONG THE FENCE.
THIS RUN IS COMPOSED OF CHICKEN WIRE THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE FENCE AND IT CONNECTS TO THE SHELTERED CHICKEN RUN.
THE UNSHELTERED CHICKEN RUN ALONG THE FENCE IS NOT SET BACK FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.
THIS AERIAL PHOTO OF THE PROPERTY WAS TAKEN BEFORE THE NEW SHED AND ACCESSORY CHICKEN ENCLOSURES WERE ADDED, BUT THE PREFABRICATED SHED WAS PLACED IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE ONE IN THIS PHOTO.
I WANNA NOTE THAT DURING THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING QUESTIONS WERE RAISED REGARDING WHETHER THE NEW SHED WAS GRANDFATHERED BECAUSE IT WAS PLACED IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE OLD SHED.
THE PROPER LEGAL TERM FOR GRANDFATHERED IS LEGALLY NON-CONFORMING STRUCTURES CAN BE CONSIDERED, UH, LEGALLY NON-CONFORMING IF THEY CONFORM TO THE LAW WHEN THEY WERE BUILT AND THEN THE LAW CHANGED LATER.
THE IDEA IS THAT YOU WON'T HAVE TO TEAR DOWN YOUR BUILDING THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED LEGALLY BECAUSE THE LAW CHANGED.
BUT EVERYTHING BUILT AFTER THE LAW CHANGED MUST CONFORM TO THE NEW LAW.
SO FOR THIS REASON, IF YOU VOLUNTARILY TEAR DOWN A LEGALLY NON-CONFORMING STRUCTURE, THE NEW STRUCTURE IS NOT GRANTED LEGALLY.
NON-CONFORMING STATUS, THE CARVER STATED THAT THEY REMOVED THE DILAPIDATED SHED AND REPLACED IT WITH A NEW PREFABRICATED.
[02:35:01]
WHETHER THE OLD SHED WAS LEGALLY NON-CONFORMING IS IRRELEVANT BECAUSE IT WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE.SO I WANNA START WITH SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
SECTION 24.1 DASH FOUR 4.1 REQUIRES PROPERTY OWNERS TO FILE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CHICKEN KEEPING PERMITS SO STAFF CAN REVIEW AND VERIFY PROPOSALS, MEET THE STANDARDS OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE BEFORE THEY ESTABLISH A BACKYARD CHICKEN KEEPING OPERATION.
ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2024, THE COUNTY'S ZONING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE RECEIVED A COMPLAINT FROM A CITIZEN REGARDING THE APPLICANT'S CHICKEN KEEPING OPERATION.
STAFF VERIFIED THAT THE APPLICANTS DID NOT HAVE A CHICKEN KEEPING PERMIT FOR THEIR ACTIVE CHICKEN KEEPING OPERATION.
DURING A SITE VISIT ON OCTOBER 25TH, 2024, IT WAS VERIFIED THAT THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE DOES NOT ADHERE TO THE REQUIRED 10 FOOT SETBACK.
ON NOVEMBER 8TH, 2024, THE COUNTY ISSUED A NOTICE OF VIOLATION GIVING THE APPLICANT'S 15 DAYS TO OBTAIN AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHICKEN KEEPING PERMIT.
HOWEVER, THE PERMIT CANNOT BE ISSUED UNLESS THE CHICKEN KEEPING OPERATION COMPLIES WITH THE STANDARD SET FORTH IN THE CODE.
THEREFORE, THE APPLICANTS MUST EITHER RELOCATE THEIR CHICKEN ENCLOSURE TO BE 10 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY LINE AND RECEIVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHICKEN KEEPING PERMIT TO COMPLY WITH A CODE OR OBTAIN A SPECIAL USED PERMIT FOR REDUCED SETBACKS IN THEIR NARRATIVE.
THE APPLICANT'S OFFER SEVERAL REASONS WHY THEY CAN'T MOVE THEIR CHICKEN COOP AND RUNS, INCLUDING THE RESOURCE PROTECTION AREA OR RPA BUFFER, TOPOGRAPHY, SOIL TYPE AND RISK OF CONTAMINATION.
SO I'LL DISCUSS THE RPA BUFFER FIRST.
A PORTION OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS WITHIN THE 100 FOOT RPA BUFFER, WHICH LIMITS THEIR CHICKEN ENCLOSURE.
SO THE RPA BUFFER IS SHOWN HERE IN PINK.
TWO METHODS WERE USED TO VERIFY THAT THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE CAN BE MOVED TO A LOCATION THAT RESPECTS THE 10 FOOT SETBACK AND IS OUTSIDE.
UH, THE RPA BUFFER FIRST STAFF WILL OVERLAY THE RPA BUFFER INFORMATION ONTO AN AERIAL IMAGE OF THE PROPERTY.
THEN STAFF CONDUCTED A SITE VISIT AND VISUAL ASSESSMENT OF THE PROPERTY.
ACCORDING TO THESE ASSESSMENTS, THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE CAN BE MOVED TO SEVERAL LOCATIONS ON THE PROPERTY.
THESE NEW LOCATIONS WOULD NOT CONFLICT WITH THE RPA BUFFER TO ILLUSTRATE THAT FOR YOU.
I'VE OUTLINED THE OLD SHED SHOWN IN THIS AERIAL PHOTO AND ADDED SOME LENGTH TO REPRESENT THE SHELTERED CHICKEN RUN EDITION.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL LOCATIONS THAT THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE COULD BE MOVED TO MM-HMM
SO NEXT I'LL DISCUSS TOPOGRAPHY AND SOIL.
HEY, SO THE APPLICANT STAYED IN THEIR NARRATIVE THAT THEIR YARD IS CHARACTERIZED BY SLOPING UNEVEN TERRAIN.
ACCORDING TO COUNTY RECORDS, THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE PROPERTY IS MOSTLY FLAT WITH SLOPING AT THE WATER'S EDGE ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
THE PURPLE AND WHITE AREAS ON THIS IMAGE REPRESENT THE HIGH LAND WHILE THE BROWN, YELLOW AND GREENS INDICATE THE LOW AREAS.
THE APPLICANT STATED IN THEIR NARRATIVE THAT THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE SITS ON THE FLATTEST AREA OF THEIR PROPERTY AND THAT THE REST OF THE BACKYARD IS COMPOSED OF SOFT AND UNSTABLE SOIL, WHICH COULD LEAD THE ENCLOSURE TO SINK OR DROOP.
THE COUNTY KEEPS SOIL SURVEY RECORDS IN WHICH THE SOIL TYPES ARE DIVIDED INTO THREE CATEGORIES.
HIGHLY ERODIBLE LAND, POTENTIALLY HIGHLY ERODIBLE LAND, AND NOT HIGHLY ERODIBLE LAND.
ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY'S RECORDS, THE MAJORITY OF THE PROPERTY IS COMPRISED OF TWO TYPES OF SANDY LOAM, BOTH OF WHICH ARE CATEGORIZED AS HIGHLY, I'M SORRY, NOT HIGHLY ERODIBLE LAND.
ONLY THE SOUTHWEST EDGE OF THE PROPERTY AT THE WATER'S EDGE HAS HIGHLY ERODIBLE LAND.
THE AREA WHERE THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE IS, IS CURRENTLY SITUATED, HAS THE SAME SOIL STABILITY AS THE ALTERNATIVE LOCATION OPTIONS.
I'VE ALSO INCLUDED A PHOTO OF THE BACKYARD SO YOU CAN GET A BETTER FEEL FOR THE TOPOGRAPHY.
THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE HOUSE AND THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE TAKEN FROM THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY CLOSEST TO THE WATER.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PROPERTY IS RELATIVELY FLAT.
FINALLY, I'LL DISCUSS CONTAMINATION IN THEIR NARRATIVE.
THE APPLICANT STATE THAT RELOCATING THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE CLOSER TO THE INGROUND POOL WOULD INCREASE THE RISK OF CONTAMINATING THE POOL WATER.
SHOULD CHICKEN WASTE BE INTRODUCED INTO THE AREA WHICH WOULD POSE HEALTH RISKS TO SWIMMERS.
UH, MOVING THE, UH, THE ENCLOSURE CLOSER TO THE POOL WITH PROPER MITIGATION MEASURES SHOULD NOT INCREASE THE RISK OF CONTAMINATION, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE LAND IS HIGHEST AT THE POOL.
AND, AND JUST SLIGHTLY SLOPES TOWARD THE PROPERTY LINES.
HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT UNDER THE APPLICANT'S OWN REASONING, THE CURRENT LOCATION OF THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE SUGGESTS THAT CHICKEN WAYS COULD BE INTRODUCED INTO THE NEIGHBORING YARD AT THE PRESENT TIME.
FURTHERMORE, THE CHICKENS ARE ALLOWED TO FREE ROAM WITHIN THE BACKYARD.
SO THE APPLICANTS ARE NOT CONCERNED WITH THE CON CONTAMINATION FROM THEIR ROAMING.
SO REQUESTS FOR DEVIATIONS FROM THE SETBACKS REQUIRED IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE ARE USUALLY PROCESSED AS VARIANCES AND ADJUDICATED BY THE BOARD OF ZONING AND SUBDIVISION APPEALS.
[02:40:01]
HOWEVER, FOR BACKYARD CHICKEN KEEPING THE ZONING ORDINANCE REQUIRES REQUESTS FOR REDUCED SETBACKS FOR CHICKEN ENCLOSURES TO BE DETERMINED THROUGH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS.THE ORDINANCE RECOGNIZES THAT A CHICKEN COOP MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO OBSERVE THE 10 FOOT MINIMUM SETBACK IN SOME INSTANCES DUE TO THE UNIQUE PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS OF A PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, A DEVIATION FROM THE STANDARD MINIMUM SETBACK SHOULD NOT CREATE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON ADJACENT PROPERTIES.
ALLOWING A CHICKEN COOP TO OBSERVE A LESSER SETBACK THAN REQUIRED BY THE ZONING ORDINANCE SHOULD BE BASED ON THE UNIQUE PHYSICAL OR VI ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITATIONS ON A PROPERTY AND NOT MERELY DUE TO AN INCONVENIENT SITUATION FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THE 10 FOOT SETBACK FOR CHICKEN ENCLOSURES WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT ADJACENT PROPERTIES FROM THE SPILLOVER EFFECTS.
CHICKEN KEEPING OPERATIONS CAN PRODUCE OR ATTRACT LIKE NOISE ODORS, DRAINAGE ISSUES, RUNOFF, FECAL MATTER FLIES, RODENTS AND OTHER PESTS.
IN FACT, STAFF VISITED THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY AND FOUND EVIDENCE OF RUNOFF AND, UH, DRAINAGE ISSUES AFFECTING THE GROUNDS.
THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTED ZERO TO ONE FOOT CHICKEN ENCLOSURE SETBACK IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY.
FURTHERMORE, THE APPLICANT SUGGESTS THAT GIVEN THE TOPOGRAPHY SOIL TYPE AND THE RPA BUFFER, THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE'S CURRENT POSITION IS THE ONLY SUITABLE LOCATION IN THEIR YARD.
BASED ON COUNTY'S RECORDS AND VISUAL OBSERVATIONS, THERE ARE SEVERAL LOCATIONS ON THE PROPERTY WHERE THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE COULD BE RELOCATED THAT WOULD COMPLY WITH THE REQUIRED 10 FOOT SETBACK.
AND THESE ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS WOULD BE INCONVENIENT FOR THE APPLICANTS BECAUSE THE CHICKEN ENCLOSURE COULD BE LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AVAILABLE SPACE IN THEIR BACKYARD.
HOWEVER, INCONVENIENCES AND PREFERENCES FOR MORE LENIENT REGULATIONS ALONE ARE NOT LEGITIMATE REASONS FOR A CHICKEN ENCLOSURE TO OBSERVE A LESSER SETBACK.
THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL OF THIS APPLICATION.
SHOULD THE COMMISSION WISH TO RECOMMEND, I'M SORRY, SHOULD THE BOARD WISH TO, UH, TO APPROVE THIS APPLICATION, STAFF RECOMMENDS THE APPLICANTS BE SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS SET FORTH AND PROPOSE RESOLUTION NUMBER PC 25 DASH OH SIX.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDERED THIS APPLICATION DURING ITS FEBRUARY 12TH, 2025 MEETING AND VOTED ONE TO FIVE WITH MR. WASSER DISSENTING AND MR. TITUS ABSENT TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE APPLICATION.
SO BEFORE I CONCLUDE, I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED 17 LETTERS OF SUPPORT ORIGINATING FROM 11 HOMES IN THE COMMUNITY.
I OUTLINED THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IN RED AND THE HOMES THAT SUBMITTED LETTERS OF SUPPORT IN ORANGE.
THE NUMBERS SIGNIFY THE NUMBER OF LETTERS SUBMITTED FROM EACH HOME.
ALL THE OTHER ORANGE OUTLINED PROPERTIES SUBMITTED ONE LETTER.
SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE AND THE APPLICANTS ARE HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU AS WELL.
SEE ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR JEAN? REAL QUICK? CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS, JASON, AND, AND GIVE US THAT AGAIN? I'M SORRY, WHICH SECTION ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? THE LA THE LAST, UH, SLIDE YOU HAD WHERE THE LETTERS.
JEANIE, ANY, UH, LETTERS IN OPPOSITION? UM, WE, YES, WE RECEIVED ONE THIS AFTERNOON, I BELIEVE.
YEAH, YOU RECEIVED THE ONE THAT YOU RECEIVED THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, ALSO WE HAD, UM, THE, THE NEIGHBORS THAT THE CHICKEN COOP IS AGAINST SPEAK AT THE, UM, PLANNING, COMMISSION HEARING, BUT THEY DIDN'T SUBMIT A LETTER THAT I HAVE ANYWAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, TOM? OKAY.
IT'S, UM, THE SHED AND IT'S PROXIMITY RIGHT TO THE FENCE.
SO NORMALLY IF YOU WOULD HAVE, IF YOU JUST HAD A SHED THAT WASN'T USED AS A CHICKEN ENCLOSURE, THAT WOULD REQUIRE A 10 FOOT, I'M SORRY, FOOT.
I KNOW THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE, THE SPILLOVER EFFECTS THAT CHICKEN ENCLOSURES HAVE.
I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER THAT WE'D SET THE BOUNDARIES WHEN WE CAME UP WITH THE AGRICULTURAL CHANGES WE MADE PROBABLY 10 YEARS, 12 YEARS AGO.
UM, AND, UH, OKAY, SO NOW THIS IS GREAT.
YOU JUST ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
SO, SO GIVEN, GIVEN THAT IF THE SHED WAS NOT A CHICKEN COOP, IT WOULD NEED A FIVE FOOT SETBACK.
SO CONCEIVABLY THEY COULD, THEY COULD CHANGE THAT TO NOT BEING A CHICKEN COOP AND THEN PUT A SMALLER CHICKEN COOP 10 FEET AWAY WITH, WITH THE RUN, I GUESS, WHICH IS, IS ANOTHER OPTION.
ALL CHICKEN ENCLOSURES MUST BE 10 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.
AND SHEDS OR ACCESSORY STRUCTURE MUST BE FIVE.
THEY COULD HAVE A SMALLER, POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE A SMALLER CHICKEN COOP 10 FEET AWAY.
I'M JUST THINKING OF OPTIONS WHERE THEY COULD HELP THEM
[02:45:01]
LOCATE WITHIN THEIR PROPERTY.SO IT'S NOT AS IMPACTFUL TO WHAT, WHAT THEY HAVE, HAVE TO WORK WITH IS ALL.
SO, BUT I STILL NEED A FIVE FOOT SETBACK ON THE SHED ITSELF IF IT'S NOT A CHICKEN COOP.
ANYBODY ELSE? IF NOT, UM, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND I HAVE BRIDGET, UH, CARTER, THE OWNER I BELIEVE.
TWO ONE FAIRFIELD DRIVE THE TWO FOR ONE.
AT ITS CORE, THIS SITUATION HAS BECOME LESS ABOUT ACTUAL NON-COMPLIANCE AND MORE ABOUT THE COMPLAINANT USING THE ORDINANCE AS A TOOL FOR PERSONAL GRIEVANCES.
BUT IN REALITY, OUR CHICKEN ENCLOSURE CAUSES NO TANGIBLE EFFECT ON THEIR PROPERTY.
IT DOES NOT CROSS THE PROPERTY LINE.
THERE IS NO RUNOFF, THERE IS NO DRAINAGE, THERE IS NO NOISE OR ODOR, AND CERTAINLY DOESN'T AFFECT THEIR PROPERTY VALUE.
WHETHER WE MOVE THE STRUCTURE ONE INCH OR 10 FEET, NOTHING CHANGES FOR THEM, BUT THE IMPACT FOR US IS SUBSTANTIAL.
THEY WILL STILL SEE THE SAME EXACT COOP, SOMETHING THEY'VE SEEN FOR OVER A YEAR.
NOW, WITHOUT COMPLAINT FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, WE HAVE MAINTAINED AN OPEN, CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE WITH OUR ADJACENT NEIGHBOR, COMPLAINANT'S MOTHER, ENJOYING OUR, HER ONGOING VERBAL SUPPORT OF OUR SHIPPING KEEPING OPERATION.
THERE WERE NO CONCERNS, NO COMPLAINTS, AND NO INDICATION THAT A PERMIT WAS BEING OVERLOOKED.
IT WASN'T UNTIL HER DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW WHO TURNED OUT TO BE THE HOMEOWNERS, FILED AN ANONYMOUS COMPLAINT THAT THE SITUATION TOOK AN UNEXPECTED TURN.
CHICK KEEP KEEPING CHICKENS NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO IN THIS EXACT SAME LOCATION, THE CHICKENS WERE HOUSED IN A SMALLER COOP, BUT IN THE SAME SPOT.
AND WITH THE VERBAL SUPPORT THAT CONTINUES FROM THE COMPLAINANT'S MOTHER, THE ISSUE ONLY AROSE ONCE.
WE BUILT A MORE PERMANENT ENCLOSURE, WHICH BETTER SUITED BOTH OUR CHICKEN'S NEEDS AND OUR BACKYARD.
WE DID NOT HAVE A REASON TO BELIEVE OUR NEIGHBOR WE'D BEEN WORKING WITH WAS NOT THE HOMEOWNER.
SHE LIVES THERE FULL-TIME AND HAS ALWAYS ACTED AS THE POINT OF CONTACT.
WE OPERATED IN GOOD FAITH BASED ON OPEN COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION.
WE WERE NEVER TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT THE PROCESS.
WE SIMPLY DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ONE FOR TWO YEARS.
THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT AESTHETICS, NOT COMPLIANCE OR HARM.
THE STANDARD, THE STANDARDS OF CHICKEN KEEPING DOES NOT MENTION AESTHETICS.
IT DOESN'T SAY YOU HAVE TO LIKE WHAT YOU SEE ACROSS YOUR PROPERTY LINE.
AND IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T GIVE ONE HOMEOWNER, HOMEOWNER THE RIGHT TO DICTATE THE DESIGNER LAYOUT OF ANOTHER ONCE.
IF THEY DON'T LIKE THE LOOK OF A CHICKEN COOP, MOVING IT 10 FEET WON'T SOLVE THAT.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT HEALTH OR SAFETY OR ANY OTHER UNFOUNDED CONCERNS.
THIS IS ABOUT SOMEONE NOT NOT LIKING THE LOOK OF SOMETHING THAT'S, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THE CODE WAS DESIGNED FOR.
IT IS ESSENTIAL TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY REVIEWING AND UPDATING THE POULTRY KEEPING ORDINANCE.
THE FACT THAT TWO OUT OF THE FIVE ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA DIRECTLY ADDRESS POULTRY KEEPING DEMONSTRATES NOT ONLY THE COUNTY'S RECOGNITION OF THE GROWING POPULARITY OF BACKYARD POULTRY, BUT ALSO THE NEED TO MODERNIZE CURRENT STANDARDS.
YET AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE BEING ASKED TO COMPLY WITH THE SETBACK REQUIREMENT THAT DOES NOT REFLECT THE SPIRIT OF THESE RECENT CHANGES.
THE COUNTY'S ASSERTION IN THAT PRESENTATION THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE OTHER LOCATIONS FOR THE ENCLOSURE ON OUR PROPERTY, DOES NOT REFLECT REALITY.
OUR BACKYARD IS CERTAINLY NOT REDUCED TO A MOVING RED BOX THAT HAS YOU CONVINCED WE CAN MOVE IT SEVERAL OTHER LOCATIONS.
RELOCATING THE STRUCTURE WOULD SEVERELY REDUCE OUR USABLE SPACE AND UNDERMINE THE INVESTMENT WE'VE ALREADY MADE TO OUR PROPERTY.
NOT TO MENTION THE TIME, EFFORT, AND CARE WE'VE PUT INTO RAISING OUR CHICKENS.
THIS IS A MESSAGE THAT SAYS, YES, YOU CAN KEEP CHICKENS, BUT NOT IN A WAY THAT ACTUALLY WORKS FOR YOUR PROPERTY.
THE CONTRADICTION IS DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR ISN'T UNREASONABLE.
WE'VE EVEN PROPOSED, PROPOSED A FIVE FOOT SETBACK COMPROMISE, WHICH MORE THAN MEETS THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE WITHOUT IMPOSING UNNECESSARY HARDSHIP.
BUT SO FAR OUR ATTEMPTS TO REACH OUT AND PROPOSE SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN MET WITH SILENCE.
THE HOMEOWNERS HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO OUR OUTREACH, DESPITE OUR EFFORTS TO INITIATE A RESPECTFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE.
AND YET OUR COMMUNITY HAS SHOWN STRONG SUPPORT.
MULTIPLE NEIGHBORS HAVE SIGNED LETTERS IN ON OUR BEHALF.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE NEARBY
[02:50:01]
WHO SEE OUR YARD EVERY DAY AND WHO KNOW HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES.IT SHOWS WE'RE NOT CREATING A PROBLEM.
WE'RE BEING RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF OUR PROPERTY AND WE'RE MAINTAINING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER RAS.
THIS NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
THIS IS A LONG MEETING WITH IMPORTANT THINGS ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S ALSO WORTH MENTIONING THAT OUR PROPERTY ASSESSMENT INCREASED 47% MORE THAN ANYONE IN THIS ROOM JUST LAST YEAR.
AND YET WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT A LARGE PORTION OF OUR LAND IS NOW EFFECTIVELY OFF LIMITS.
FOR SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AND HARMLESS AS A BACKYARD CHICKEN COOP, THAT'S HARD TO RECONCILE AND IT'S SHAMEFUL.
RELOCATING OUR ENCLOSURE DOESN'T CHANGE WHAT OUR NEIGHBOR SEES.
IT DOESN'T IMPROVE NOISE, ODOR, OR RUNOFF.
IT DOESN'T SOLVE ANY SO-CALLED PROBLEM.
IT DOES PUNISH US FOR HAVING CREATED SOMETHING PEACEFUL AND PURPOSEFUL AND KEEPING WITH THE CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE ASKING FOR SIMPLY THE FLEXIBILITY TO KEEP DOING WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR TWO YEARS WITHOUT ISSUE.
IN CLOSING, WE ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THE SITUATION NOT JUST THROUGH THE LENS OF CODE, BUT WITH A REAL WORLD UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACTS.
THIS ISN'T A VIOLATION IN SPIRIT, IT'S A NEIGHBOR DISPUTE, CLOAKED IN ZONING LANGUAGE AND FORCING US TO UPROOT A FUNCTIONAL, WELL-MAINTAINED ENCLOSURE OVER A TECHNICALITY.
I HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS SUBJECT.
IS THAT CORRECT? WAIT A MINUTE.
I RESIDE AT 1 0 9 HOLLOWAY DRIVE IN QUEENS LAKE.
I DON'T LIVE ANYWHERE NEAR THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, SO I DO NOT HAVE A PERSONAL INTEREST IN THIS APPLICATION.
UH, AS AN A ICP CERTIFIED PLANNER, WITH 35 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL PLANNING EXPERIENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I DO HAVE AN INTEREST IN PROMOTING GOOD ZONING PRACTICE.
AND IN MY OPINION, TO APPROVE THIS APPLICATION WOULD NOT BE GOOD ZONING PRACTICE.
I REALIZE THIS IS AN APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, UH, AND NOT A VARIANCE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF A LITTLE QUIRK IN OUR ZONING ORDINANCE THAT I HOPE YOU ALL WILL FIX, UH, LATER ON TONIGHT.
BUT FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS A VARIANCE.
AND THE STANDARDS FOR A VARIANCE SHOULD APPLY.
UH, THE CODE OF VIRGINIA STATES THAT THE VARIANCE SHALL BE GRANTED IF STRICT APPLICATIONS OF THE ORDINANCE WOULD UNREASONABLY RESTRICT THE UTILIZATION OF THE PROPERTY OR THAT GRANTING A VARIANCE, WOULD IT ALLEVIATE A HARDSHIP THAT WAS NOT CREATED BY THE APPLICANT? THIS APPLICATION DOES NOT MEET EITHER OF THESE CRITERIA.
UH, THE STAFF HAS SHOWN THAT THE APPLICANTS HAVE OPTIONS FOR LOCATING THE CHICKEN COOP AWAY FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.
AND THAT'S AN INCONVENIENCE, BUT IT'S NOT A HARDSHIP.
AND EVEN IF IT DID CONSTITUTE A HARDSHIP, IT IS ONE THAT IS SELF-IMPOSED AND THEREFORE DOES NOT WARRANT, UH, A VARIANCE.
THE APPLICANTS HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES IN AN UNFORTUNATE POSITION.
UH, UH, IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THEY HAD GONE THROUGH THE PROPER STEPS, CONTACTED THE COUNTY BEFORE THEY EMBARKED ON THIS VENTURE, AND, AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE.
UH, I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DENY THIS APPLICATION.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A LONG EVENING, BUT I'M TANYA O'CONNELL.
I'M THE PROPERTY OWNER AT 1 0 7 FAIRFIELD LANE.
I ABUT THE ADJACENT PROPERLY APPLICANT.
UM, TONIGHT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE CODE OF ORDINANCE.
IT'S ESTABLISHED BY THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE THE GUIDANCE TO PROPERTY OWNERS AS WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT DO.
WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT IF THE QUESTION WAS ASKED WHETHER OR NOT THE LOCATION WAS PERMISSIBLE UNDER THE CODE.
YOU FIND YOURSELF TASKED WITH THE APPLICATION FOR FORGIVENESS BY THE APPLICANT VERSUS PERMISSION.
A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR BANING.
WE ARE AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION.
THE APPLICANT CLAIMS THERE'S NO EFFECT ON OUR PROPERTY.
UM, IN HER PRACTICE, SHE'S A REAL ESTATE AGENT.
MY HUSBAND'S A REAL ESTATE AGENT AS WELL.
IT DOES AFFECT THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, HER CONTACT AS FAR AS TRYING TO REACH OUT TO US, THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD THAT SHE'S TRIED TO, I KNOW THE COUNTY HAS REACHED OUT TO
[02:55:01]
US AND WE ANSWERED THE COUNTY, BUT HER DIRECTLY REACHING TO US HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE.UM, AND I APOLOGIZE THAT MY MEDICAL SITUATION DID NOT PROVIDE ME CLEARANCE, BUT I WAS BATTLING BREAST CANCER DURING YOUR OCCURRENCE.
AGAIN, WE ASSUME THE PROPERTY LINE, THE APPLICANT DID NOT GET A SURVEY, NOR DID WE.
WE KNOW WHERE THE PROPERTY LINE IS BECAUSE AS OUR PRACTICE IS, YOU WANNA UNDERSTAND WHERE THE PROPERTY LINE IS.
SO I ASKED YOU TONIGHT NOT TO OVERTURN THE DECISION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
IT WAS VOTED FIVE TO ONE, ONE BEING THE GRANDFATHERED.
AND AS IT WAS CLEAR TO EXPLAIN, THIS IS NOT A GRANDFATHER SITUATION.
THE ORIGINAL SHED WAS REMOVED FROM THE PROPERTY AND NOW THE SHED DOUBLES INSIDE.
SO THE GRANDFATHERING CLAUSE DOES NOT PROVIDE.
THE COUNTY STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB AS IT RELATES TO LOCATIONS, PLACED THE STRUCTURE WITHOUT THE NEEDED PERMIT.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE COUNTY STAFF OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS GOTTEN THIS WRONG.
THE APPLICANT JUST DOESN'T WANNA FOLLOW THE RULES THAT GOVERN PROPERTIES.
MY HUSBAND IS THE BUILDER AS WELL.
AND WE BELIEVE THE PITCH OF THE ROOF DOES PROVIDE US SOME DISADVANTAGE.
PLEASE UPHOLD THE CODE OF ORDINANCE OF YOUR COUNTY AND DO NOT ALLOW FOR THE STANDARD TO BE SET FOR OTHER RESIDENTS TO VIOLATE THE CODE.
AND FINALLY, I HAVE ROBERT O'CONNELL TO SPEAK.
I'LL MAKE THIS SHORT AS POSSIBLE.
AS WE SAID, THERE'S NO HARDSHIP HERE.
AND WE KNOW EVERYBODY HAS TO PULL THEIR PERMITS.
WE HAVE CODES FOR A REASON TO CONTROL THE PRODUCT IN THE CITY.
NOW, I WILL SAY THAT I'M A CERTIFIED LAND DISTURBER.
I'M A REAL ESTATE BROKER AND A CLASS A BUILDER.
NOW, I'LL GO BACK TO FIRST IS THE LAND DISTURBER.
THERE ARE CERTAIN PRACTICES AS A LAND DISTURBER, WE CANNOT ALLOW WATER TO RUN OFF OF OUR PROPERTY.
WHEN WE ARE BUILDING, WE ARE BUILDING A SHED, WE'RE BUILDING A HOUSE.
WE HAVE TO CONTROL THAT WATER ON A PROPERTY.
WE ARE GETTING RUN OFF INTO OUR PROPERTY.
ALSO, AS A BUILDER, I HAVE TO FOLLOW CERTAIN CODES.
I JUST CAN'T GO THROW UP A GARAGE.
IF I DID, EVERYBODY WOULD BE PULLING THE PERMITS AND DOING WHATEVER THEY WANT.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS I CAN'T JUST GO ON THE PROPERTY LINE AND BUILD A 25 FOOT TALL GARAGE.
IF I DID, I'D BE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT.
SO I HAD TO BUILD A GARAGE FOR A CLIENT RECENTLY.
AND ON THOSE DRAWINGS, IT WASN'T STAMPED A HUNDRED MILE AN HOUR ZONE.
I LITERALLY HAD TO JACK UP THAT ENTIRE BUILDING TO PUT HURRICANE STRAPS ON TO FOLLOW CODE.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I KNOW THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT THE 17 LETTERS.
I HAVE NEVER ONCE SPOKEN TO THESE PEOPLE.
I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE EASILY TO BE FOUND.
I CAN FIND OUT INFORMATION ABOUT ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
IF YOU GIMME THEIR NAME AS A REALTOR, SHE CAN LOOK UP MY NAME AND GET THE INFORMATION.
SO WE ALSO ARE AFFECTED BY THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
WHEN WE GO TO SELL THIS HOUSE, WE HAVE A SHED COOP, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, RIGHT ON THE PROPERTY LINE.
IF ANY OF Y'ALL WERE LOOKING AT A HOME TO PURCHASE IT, THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING YOU QUESTION.
NOW, THEY SAID, OKAY, WE CAN MOVE IT FIVE FEET IF IT'S A SHED.
AND THE REST IS A COOP, 10 FEET.
IT'S ALREADY BEEN SHOWN THAT IT'S A COOP.
IF YOU ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN, OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CITY WILL DO THIS.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I RECOMMEND DENIAL.
HOPEFULLY YOU'LL AGREE WITH THIS.
I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
IF THERE'S ANYBODY WHO WOULD CARE TO SPEAK.
KIMBERLY, I DON'T LIVE ANYWHERE NEAR THEM.
UM, JUST ONE THING THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT, UH, SENT YOU APPARENTLY LETTERS THAT SAID THEY HAD NO PROBLEM WITH IT.
I COULD HAVE SENT A LETTER TOO.
UH, PEOPLE OVER HERE APPARENTLY ARE AFFECTED BY IT.
AND THAT SHOULD BE YOUR MAIN CONSIDERATION.
IF THERE'S NOBODY ELSE, I'VE GOTTA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK FOR A MOTION FROM THE BOARD OR RESOLUTION.
MR. SHEPHERD HAS MOVED, UH, RESOLUTION R 25 DASH 60 DISCUSSION.
YEAH, WE GOT A, WE GOT A POINT HERE.
UH, I'M GOING BACK TO WHEN WE FIRST DID THE CHICKENS, THE CHICKEN ISSUES BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS, YOU KNOW, THE ORDINANCE, I DON'T CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER IF THE ORDINANCE OR WHATEVER, BUT THE, THE CONCERN WAS WHY 10 FEET?
[03:00:01]
WHY FIVE FEET? WHY, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.UM, AND THE, AND THIS IS KIND OF, I KNOW I'M LOOKING AT TIM CROSS OVER THERE.
HE PROBABLY COULD WAIT, SHAKE HIS HEAD 'CAUSE HE WAS HERE DURING THE, THE ANIMAL OF AGRICULTURAL ISSUE.
AND, UM, AND SO I WAS ASKED TO COME UP WITH SOME GIFTS, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON DISTANCE BECAUSE OF MY FARMING BACKGROUND.
AND SO WE ENDED UP WITH SO MANY FEET FOR HORSES PER ACRE.
I MEAN, WE HAD A BIG ISSUE ON YORKTOWN ROAD, HOW MANY HORSES YOU COULD HAVE ON THERE, AND HOW FAR HORSES HAD TO BE AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY.
UH, I MEAN, ANYTHING IN THE FARMING, THE AGRICULTURAL SIDE OF THE HOUSE, IT DID EVEN WENT TO, I THINK IT GOT DOWN TO SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, RAISING THE OYSTERS.
AND UH, AND, AND THEN CHICKENS KIND OF CAME IN A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THAT.
BUT THE POINT WAS THAT YOU HAD TO SIT BACK OFF THE PROPERTY, UH, TO A CERTAIN DISTANCE BECAUSE IF SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE TO THE, THE, TO A, TO THE, TO THE MM-HMM
THE ANIMALS, IF YOU WILL, UH, YOU HAD TO HAVE A ROOM TO BE ABLE TO DO, TO DO PUT UP BARRIERS OR, UH, SOME SORT OF PROTECTION OR YOU GOT, OR IF IT ENDED UP LIKE RUNOFF.
THAT RUNOFF HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIG ISSUE,
UM, AND EVEN WITH THE EPA AND ALL THAT STUFF WITH, YOU KNOW, LIKE TAKE WHEN YOU CUT DOWN TREES NEAR A STREAM.
SO WE SET THESE STANDARDS, OKAY.
AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE BIG THING, WAS BEING ABLE TO, IF YOU HAD TO DO SOMETHING WITH AN ANIMAL OR IF YOU'RE HAVING, YOU'RE RAISING ANIMAL, THIS IS JUST A HOBBY ANYWAY.
THIS IS NOT A 25,000 CHICKEN COOP, 20 UH, CHICKENS.
BUT SO THE PROBLEM WAS THAT WHAT DO WE, WHAT DO WE, WE HAD SET STANDARD, OKAY.
FIVE FEET WAS A LITTLE CONSIDERED, A LITTLE BIT TOO CLOSE.
YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO STUFF.
AND THE OTHER PART IS THE NEIGHBOR HAS TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THEIR PROPERTY.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO HAVE SOME DISTANCE TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON PROPERTIES WITHOUT BEING IMMEDIATELY, WE DON'T HAVE ROOFS OVERLAPPING, WE DON'T HAVE 'EM DROPPING STUFF ON TOP OF OTHER HOUSES, WHATEVER.
SO THIS IS KIND OF, THIS IS KIND OF THE RATIONALE BEHIND MM-HMM
NOW, SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS ON HERE, AND I'LL REMIND YOU THAT SEVERAL OTHER TIMES WE'VE, WE GO, WE'VE CREATED ORDINANCES AND PEOPLE COME IN AND ASK FOR WAIVERS AND WE GO, NOPE.
WE JUST CREATED THE, THIS ORDINANCE AND WE'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE IT.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENT? AND THERE WAS A FEELING, SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT THIS, BELIEVING THAT OUT THERE.
I, I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE OF HOW FAR DOES THE COOP MOVE? IT HAS TO MOVE BACK OFF THE PROPERTY LINE.
AT THAT POINT, IT'S NO LONGER A HARDSHIP.
YOU'VE ALREADY PAID TO MOVE IT MM-HMM
AND SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD ACCEPT ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE STANDARD, WHICH IS 10 FEET.
SO ANY MORE COMMENTS? YEAH, LET, LET, YEAH.
UM, I'VE SPOKEN TO THE, THE APPLICANT OF THE SPECIALTY PERMIT.
I'VE SPOKEN TO THE AFFECTED HOMEOWNERS TO THE, TO THE WEST, UM, IN MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, I'VE BEEN ON SITE, BEEN ON LOCATION.
SO I GET DO A, DO A PERSONAL ASSESSMENT OF, OF, UH, THE SITUATION.
UM, I THINK I'VE ESTABLISHED OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS THAT I'M A BIG PROPERTY RIGHTS ADVOCATE.
I BELIEVE YOU OWN A PIECE OF PROPERTY, YOU OUGHT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT ON, ON, ON IT.
IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING IF YOU CAN'T DO SOMETHING, HOWEVER, THAT WORKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PROPERTY LINE.
IF YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S IMPACTING NEGATIVELY, YOUR, YOUR NEIGHBOR, THEN NOW YOU'RE IMPACTING THEIR ABILITY TO ENJOY THEIR PROPERTY.
SO THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE TO REACH THAT COMPROMISE.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE ZONING ORDINANCES TO ADDRESS THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO NEIGHBORHOOD, NEIGHBORHOOD DISPUTES ARE ALWAYS UNPLEASANT.
UH, LARGELY THEY GET, THEY GET, UH, ADDRESSED LOCALLY 'CAUSE THE, THE, THE NEIGHBOR'S IN THE BEST POSITION TO, UH, TO MAKE THEIR OWN ASSESSMENT AND, AND COME TO SOME TERM OF AGREEMENT.
UM, AND BYLAWS IS WHAT THAT, WHAT HAPPENS MOST OF THE TIME.
HOWEVER, IN THIS CASE, UH, THAT WASN'T POSSIBLE AND HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE BOARD FOR FINAL RESOLUTION AS COMING TO THE BOARD.
WE HAVE TO LEAN UPON THE EXISTING COUNTY CODE AND EXISTING COUNTY ORDINANCES TO MAKE THE CALL.
UM, SO, AND IF WE DO NOT FOLLOW THE COUNTY CODE AND THE COUNTY ORDINANCES, UNLESS THERE'S SOME COMPELLING REASON WHY AN EXCEPTION NEEDS TO BE MADE, WE ARE DESTROYING THE STANDARD THAT WE ARE BUILT FOR EVERYBODY ELSE TO FOLLOW ACROSS, ACROSS THE COUNTY.
UM, AND THEN IN WHICH CASE, IT'S A FREE FOR ALL, PEOPLE WILL DO WHAT THEY WANT AND THEY WILL FALL BACK TO WHERE YOU DECIDED ON THIS, ON APRIL 15TH, 2025, THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE CODE SAID, GO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
SO AGAIN, ONCE IT REACHES US, WE HAVE TO FALL BACK ON COUNTY CODE AND COUNTY ORDINANCES, AND THAT'S GONNA BE A MAIN DRIVER IN, IN THE FOLLOW DECISION.
YOU HAVE, BUT WHO WAS IT? GO AHEAD.
SO I AGREE, STEVEN, WITH WHAT YOU SAID, AND TOM, UM, I GUESS WHAT I'M A LITTLE
[03:05:01]
CONFUSED ABOUT MR. CARVER, I GUESS YOUR WIFE'S A REALTOR, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.I MEAN, I WOULD, I MEAN, I WAS A BUILDER FOR 20 YEARS AND I, I, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF KNOW THE CODES AND ORDINANCES A AS A BUILDER, AND, AND I WOULD CERTAINLY THINK SHE'D BE FAMILIAR WITH THOSE AS A REALTOR.
BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY, UM, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH STEVEN AND THEM THAT, UM, THIS IS NOT ABOUT A DISPUTE.
SEE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE RUB, THE RUBBERS MEETING A ROAD, IT'S MORE OF ABOUT A DISPUTE THAN IT IS ABOUT WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT WE DO AND WHERE WE SIT HERE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT'S RIGHT AND NOT GET INVOLVED IN THE MINUTIA OF, HE SAID, SHE SAID TO ME, THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN SOME VIOLATIONS HERE.
THERE WAS NO PERMIT TO GET THE NEW SHED TO MAKE IT BIGGER.
THAT PERMIT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PULLED.
AND SO ONCE THAT HAPPENS, YOU, YOU'RE VIOLATING A CODE AT THAT POINT.
AND THEN IT'S OUR JOB TO ENFORCE THE CODE.
IF THERE'S BEEN A VIOLATION, THANK YOU.
EVEN THE SHED IS UNDER THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
IF YOU GO TO SPEAK, YOU HAVE TO COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
I MEAN YOU CAN, BUT, BUT I'M SAYING WHAT HAPPENED, YOU TORE THE SHED DOWN.
SO THE GRANDFATHER CLAUSE GOES AWAY.
ONCE IT'S TORN DOWN, ACCORDING TO OUR ORDINANCE AND CODES, IT GOES AWAY.
AND SO, HAD YOU NOT DONE THAT AND COME TO THE COUNTY, YOU MIGHT HAVE WORKED SOMETHING OUT, BUT BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T, NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT COULDA, WOULDA, SHOULDA.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND THE GRIEF, I UNDERSTAND THE, YOU KNOW, INCONVENIENCE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT AS STEVEN SAID, WE DO HAVE TO FOLLOW THE CODES BECAUSE A YEAR OR TWO DOWN THE ROAD, SOMEBODY ELSE IS GONNA COME BACK AND SAY, WELL, YOU, YOU MADE AN EXCEPTION FOR THE CARVERS.
AND WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
SO WE JUST CAN'T DO FOR ONE AND NOT THE OTHER.
IF THERE'S NO MORE COMMENTS, I THINK WE HAVE A ROLL CALL.
THE MOTION MADE BY MR. SHEPHERD IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 25 DASH SIX TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION AS SUBMITTED.
[9. Application No. ZT-204-25, Accessory Chicken/Duck keeping on residential properties. Consider adoption of proposed Ordinance No. 25-7 to approve the amendment of the performance standards within section 24.1-414.1, Standards for Domestic Chicken-Keeping as an accessory activity on residential property, York County Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 24.1, York County Code. a. Memorandum from the County Administrator b. Memorandum to the Board dated March 3, 2025 c. Proposed Ordinance No. 25-7]
NEXT ONE WE HAVE IS APPLICATION FOR THE CHICKEN DUCK KEEPING IN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.JEAN, YOU'RE GONNA DO THIS ONE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ORDINANCE 25 DASH SEVEN.
THIS APPLICATION IS TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS WITHIN SECTION 24.1 DASH FOUR 4.1 OF THE YORK COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE STANDARDS FOR DOMESTIC CHICKEN KEEPING AS AN ACCESSORY ACTIVITY ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
AT THE MARCH 18TH, 2025 MEETING, THE BOARD CONDUCTED A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THESE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
THE BOARD CONTINUED THE PUBLIC HEARING UNTIL TONIGHT TO ALLOW THE PREVIOUS APPLICATION UP 10 45 DASH 25 TO BE CONSIDERED FIRST.
SO I'M GONNA START THIS PRESENTATION WITH SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
THE YORK COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE HAS ALLOWED DOMESTIC CHICKEN KEEPING AS AN ACCESSORY ACTIVITY ON PROPERTIES WITH AN OCCUPIED DWELLING AND WITH LESS THAN TWO USABLE ACRES IN AREA IN THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION OR RC UH, AND RURAL RESIDENTIAL OR RR ZONING SINCE 2014.
THE SAME HAS BEEN TRUE ON PROPERTIES WITH AN OCCUPIED DWELLING IN THE LOW DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL R 33, MEDIUM DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL R 20 HIGH DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL R 13 AND WATER ORIENTED COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL WCI ZONING DISTRICTS.
OVER THAT TIME, 143 ADMINISTRATIVE PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR RESIDENTIAL CHICKEN KEEPING, AND STAFF HAS RECOGNIZED A VARIETY OF CHANGES REQUESTED BY CITIZENS, WHICH HAVE BEEN NOTED FOR CORRECTION.
NOW LET'S MOVE INTO STAFF'S CONSIDERATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS.
THESE PROPOSED TAX AMENDMENTS INCLUDE THREE MAJOR ALTERATIONS.
THE FIRST IS THE REMOVAL OF DUCKS FROM THE PROHIBITED SPECIES LIST.
THE SECOND WOULD ALLOW RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS IN THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OR PD ZONING DISTRICT TO KEEP CHICKENS AND DUCKS IN THEIR BACKYARDS.
AND THE LAST WOULD REMOVE THE OPTION TO APPLY FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO REDUCE THE SETBACKS FOR PENS, COOPS, AND CAGES.
ADDITIONALLY, MINOR CHANGES TO THIS ORDINANCE LANGUAGE ARE PROPOSED FOR CLARIFICATION AND MODERNIZATION PURPOSES.
I'M GONNA DISCUSS THE REMOVAL OF DUCKS FROM THE PROHIBITED SPECIES LIST FIRST, WHILE SECTION 24.1 DASH 4 1 4 0.1 ALLOWS CITIZENS TO KEEP DOMESTIC CHICKENS ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
THE CURRENT REGULATIONS PROHIBIT THE KEEPING OF GAME GAME BIRDS, DUCKS, GEESE, PHEASANTS, GUINEA FOUL, AND SIMILAR FOUL AND POULTRY.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD ALLOW CITIZENS TO KEEP DUCKS IN ADDITION TO CHICKENS BY STRIKING DUCKS FROM THE PROHIBITED SPECIES LIST.
SO DURING MY PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, UH, OF THIS PROPOSAL ON MARCH 18TH, MR. SHEPHERD
[03:10:01]
ASKED ME IF, UH, GEESE WERE ALLOWED AND WHY.I MEANT TO SAY NO BECAUSE GEESE ARE LOUD.
WHEN I WATCHED THE RECORDING OF THAT MEETING, IT SOUNDED VERY MUCH LIKE I SAID GEESE ARE ALLOWED.
TONIGHT, WE ARE PROPOSING TO REMOVE DUCKS FROM THE PROHIBITED SPECIES LIST, BUT GEESE WOULD STILL BE PROHIBITED.
SO JUST AS BACKYARD CHICKEN KEEPING HAS RISEN IN POPULARITY IN RECENT YEARS, SO HAS DUCK KEEPING.
MANY PEOPLE REPORT THAT CARING FOR DUCKS IS SIMILAR TO CARING FOR CHICKENS AND PEOPLE OFTEN KEEP BOTH SPECIES FOR EGG PRODUCTION.
DUCKS ARE ALSO SIMILAR, UH, ALSO PRODUCE SIMILAR NOISE AND ODOR LEVELS TO CHICKENS DEPENDING ON THE SEX AND SUBSPECIES OF THE, OF EACH FOUL.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS WOULD NOT CHANGE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF BIRDS PERMITTED.
RATHER, IT WOULD ALLOW ONE CHICKEN OR DUCK PER 2,500 SQUARE FEET OF LOT AREA NOT TO EXCEED A MAXIMUM OF 16 CHICKENS AND OR DUCKS COMBINED.
THE SECOND PROPOSED AMENDMENT ADDRESSES CHICKEN AND DUCK KEEPING IN THE PD ZONING DISTRICT.
THE CURRENT REGULATIONS ALLOW CITIZENS TO KEEP CHICKENS AS AN ACCESSORY USE ON OCCUPIED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IN THE R 33, R 20 R 13, AND WCI ZONING DISTRICTS AND ON OCCUPIED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT HAVE LESS THAN TWO USABLE ACRES IN AREA IN THE RC AND RR DISTRICTS.
CITIZENS LIVING IN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN THE PD ZONING DISTRICT HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT IN BEING BARRED FROM RESIDENTIAL CHICKEN KEEPING.
IN THE PAST, THE PROPOSED TAX AMENDMENTS WOULD ADD, UH, PD AS A PERMITTED DISTRICT FOR BACKYARD CHICKEN AND DUCK KEEPING, AND CLARIFY THAT BACKYARD CHICKENS AND DUCKS ARE ONLY ALLOWED ON PROPERTIES WITH OCCUPIED DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS BECAUSE THE PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENTS WOULD REQUIRE, UH, REQUIRE CITIZENS TO CONDUCT THEIR CHICKEN AND DUCK KEEPING ACTIVITIES ON PROPERTIES WITH AN OCCUPIED, DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING.
IN ALL ALLOWABLE DISTRICTS, THERE'S NO REASON TO EXCLUDE PD, UH, THE PD ZONING DISTRICT.
SO DURING THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING IN WHICH THIS APPLICATION WAS CONSIDERED, UH, CONCERNS WERE EXPRESSED ABOUT THE TENDENCY FOR LOT SIZES IN THE PD ZONING DISTRICT TO BE SMALLER AND THE IMPACT OF ALLOWING CHICKEN KEEPING IN THE HIGHER IN HIGHER DENSITY CITY COMMUNITIES.
CITIZENS MUST OBTAIN AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHICKEN KEEPING PERMIT BEFORE ESTABLISHING A CHICKEN KEEPING OPERATION.
IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHICKEN KEEPING PERMIT, THE APPLICANT MUST MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
ONE SUCH REQUIREMENT IS FOR ALL CHICKEN ENCLOSURES TO BE LOCATED AT LEAST 10 FEET FROM ADJOINING PROPERTY LINES MM-HMM
AND 25 FEET FROM ANY DWELLING LOCATED ON A PROPERTY NOT OWNED BY THE APPLICANT.
IF THE PROPERTY IS TOO SMALL OR LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO ANOTHER DWELLING TO MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS, THE PERMIT CANNOT BE ISSUED.
IN ADDITION, AND AS I MENTIONED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THE NUMBER OF CHICKENS ALLOWED IS DEPENDENT ON, ON THE SIZE OF THE LOT, ONE CHICKEN OR DUCK PER 2,500 SQUARE FEET FOR A MAXIMUM OF 16 CHICKENS OR DUCKS.
SO THE LAST PROPOSED AMENDMENT REMOVES THE REQUIREMENT TO APPLY FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO REDUCE THE SETBACK FOR A CHICKEN OR DUCK ENCLOSURE.
THE CURRENT REGULATIONS UNDER SECTION 24.1 DASH 4 1 4 1 ALLOW CITIZENS TO APPLY FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT IF THEY WISH TO PLACE A CHICKEN ENCLOSURE CLOSER TO THEIR PROPERTY LINES THAN THE STANDARDS PERMIT.
NORMALLY, IF A CITIZEN WISHES TO BUILD A STRUCTURE OR ACCESSORY STRUCTURE CLOSER TO A LOT LINE THAN THE ZONING ORDINANCE PERMITS, THEY WOULD REQUEST A VARIANCE FROM THE BOARD OF ZONING AND SUBDIVISION APPEALS NOT A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
ACCORDINGLY, A REQUEST TO OBSERVE LESSER SETBACKS FOR CHICKEN AND OR DUCK ENCLOSURES SHOULD BE HANDLED THE SAME WAY, UH, SINCE THE REQUEST IS NOT FOR AN APPROVAL FOR A PARTICULAR LAND USE, BUT FOR AN EXCEPTION FROM THE STAND THE LOCATION STANDARD PRESCRIBED BY THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
THEREFORE, THE PROPOSAL REMOVES THE REQUIREMENT TO APPLY FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO OBSERVE SETBACKS OF A LESSER DIMENSION FROM THIS SECTION.
THIS SECTION WOULD STILL ALLOW A CITIZEN TO APPLY FOR A VARIANCE AND FOR THE REQUEST TO BE CONSIDERED AT A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO I'M GONNA CLOSE WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
THE PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENTS WOULD REMOVE DUCKS FROM THE LIST OF PROHIBITED FOUL, ALLOW CHICKEN AND OR DUCK KEEPING ON PROPERTIES WITH OCCUPIED, DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN THE PD ZONING DISTRICT, AND REMOVE THE OPTION TO APPLY FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO LOCATE A CHICKEN AND OR DUCK ENCLOSURE CLOSER TO THE PROPERTY LINE THAN THE CODE PERMITS.
THE ADDITION OF DUCKS AS A BACKYARD POULTRY KEEPING ACTIVITY WOULD NOT HAVE ANY MORE IMPACT ON THE COUNTY'S NEIGHBORHOODS THAN CHICKEN KEEPING ALONE BECAUSE ALL RESIDENTIAL POULTRY KEEPING OPERATIONS MUST OCCUR ON PROPERTIES WITH OCCUPIED SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED DWELLINGS.
NO NEGATIVE IMPACTS ARE ANTICIPATED BY ALLOWING THE KEEPING OF CHICKENS AND DUCKS IN THE PD ZONING DISTRICT.
FINALLY, THE REMOVAL OF THE OPTION TO APPLY FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO OBSERVE A CHICKEN AND OR DUCK ENCLOSURE SETBACK OF A LESSER DIMENSION REPRESENTS A SIMPLE PROCEDURAL CHANGE TO BRING THIS SE UH, SECTION INTO CONFORMANCE WITH HOW SUCH ZONING VARIANCE REQUESTS ARE CONSIDERED AND APPROVED.
THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL THROUGH THE ADOPTION OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 25 DASH SEVEN.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDERED THIS APPLICATION DURING THEIR FEBRUARY 12TH MEETING AND
[03:15:01]
VOTED SIX TO ZERO WITH MR. SMITH ABSENT TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OH, TOM, GO FOR IT.
UM, OKAY, SO LET'S GO BACK IN YOUR SLIDES TO THE ZONING AREAS.
I JUST GOT, I I'M SITTING HERE HAVING A DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN.
UM, SO IF A, IF A, SO IF I LOOK AT THIS RESOURCE CONSERVATION IS OUR LEAST DENSE ZONING.
IT'S BASICALLY ONE HOUSE PER FIVE ACRES, ROUGHLY, RIGHT? YES.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME AREAS, EVEN IN MY DISTRICT, UM, WHERE WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF ACREAGE OF SMITH FARM, FOR EXAMPLE, 70 SOME ACRES, 77 ACRES.
SO ARE WE, HOW IS THIS GOING TO IMPACT, IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO SAY MR. SMITH WANTED TO HAVE A CHICKEN OPERATION? WELL, WHICH WOULD BE AN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY, WHICH BY THE WAY, I'LL REMIND EVERYONE IS PROMOTED TO UNDER STATE CODE.
SO HOW IS THIS, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THIS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO END UP WITH BACK, HAVE US BACK AT THE SUPREME COURT TRYING TO, TRYING TO FEND OFF OF AN ISSUE HERE WITH AGRICULTURE.
SO, SO HOW, HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING A FARMING OPERATION? WELL, THIS DOESN'T ADDRESS FARMING OPERATIONS.
WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES THOUGH? I'M SORRY.
YEAH, WE, OUR ZONING HERE, WE, WE DEAL WITH OUR ZONING.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS A, A AGRICULTURAL OPERATION WHERE THEY WANT TO HAVE CHICKENS? OKAY.
SO AN AGRICULTURAL OPERATION IS GONNA BE HANDLED DIFFERENTLY THAN AN ACCESSORY CHICKEN KEEPING OPERATION ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
SO THESE DON'T APPLY TO THAT TO AN AGRICULTURAL OPERATION.
SO HOW DO YOU, HOW, OKAY, SO HOW DO YOU DIFFERENTIATE IF I, IF I, IF I'M ONLY ALLOWED TO HAVE 16 CHICKENS, BUT AN OPERATION COULD HAVE AS MANY AS 25,000 OR 50,000 CHICKENS ON A MUCH NOT, YOU KNOW, ON A, ON AN ACRE.
SO WE HAVE A SEPARATE CODE SECTION MM-HMM
OF THE ORDINANCE UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL, IT'S AN AGRICULTURAL SECTION.
IT'S COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE ZONING ORDINANCE THAT DEALS WITH THOSE LARGER OPERATIONS.
THIS BEFORE YOU, TONIGHT IS ONLY FOR BACKYARD CHICKEN KEEPING.
HOBBY IS FOR A RESIDENTIAL USED TO HAVE THIS HOBBY.
I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SAID IT WAS A, THESE ARE KIND OF THE HOBBY THINGS AND THAT'S WHY IT'S LIMITED AS MUCH AS IT IS TO LESS THAN NO MORE THAN 16.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO END UP WITH A CHICKEN, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE AN EGG OPERATION? OR, OR, OR, RIGHT.
THOSE LARGER FEED FEED CHICKEN, THOSE LARGER USES ARE CONTROLLED IN A COMPLETELY SEPARATE PART OF THE OR OF THE COUNTY CODE.
AND THIS WOULD NOT AFFECT THAT AT ALL.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
THE, THE, DO WE KNOW WHY PD WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL, UM, RULING QUESTION?
ANDERSON WAS ON THE, UH, I I FIGURED IT'D BE COMING BACK UP.
SINCE I, I WAS THE ACTUAL STAFF MEMBER WHO CREATED THIS ORDINANCE.
UM, THE COMMITTEE THAT, UH, WE WORKED WITH, THE CITIZEN COMMITTEE THAT WE WORKED WITH FOR THIS OPERATION AT THE TIME, PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS, THEY JUST FELT WERE JUST TOO SMALL TO HAVE THESE KINDS OF USES.
UH, BUT SINCE THE, THIS, THE ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE, A LOT OF PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS ARE VERY DIFFERENT.
UM, AND THEY, THEY, WE, THERE ARE PLACES WHERE THERE IS ZONED PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND YOU HAVE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME WHERE THE LOTS ARE BIG ENOUGH FOR THEM TO HANDLE A SMALLER AMOUNT OF CHICKEN.
SO MOST OF THE PLACES ONLY HAVE A COUPLE CHICKENS.
BUT GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF, OF A, OF A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT TODAY THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE IT IN THE COUNTY.
SO THE, UH, COVENTRY AREA, UM, IT'S ONE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS? YEAH, I THINK COVENTRY WOULD BE A GOOD EXAMPLE WHERE YOU HAVE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES OR ON LARGER LOTS.
MY SECOND QUESTION WAS, SO WE JUST HAD A BIG DISCUSSION IN THE PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM ABOUT SETBACKS AND SPACE.
AND CAN YOU PUT IT HERE? CAN YOU PUT IT THERE? I'M ASSUMING, TELL CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG OR NOT THAT IN, IN THE PD ZONE AREAS, IF THE LOT SIZE DOESN'T SUPPORT IT, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T GET IT.
IT'S ONLY GONNA BE IN, IN, IN PIECES OF PROPERTY IN THAT ZONE AREA, THEY CAN ACTUALLY ACCOMMODATE WITH THE SETBACKS NECESSARY, CORRECT? CORRECT.
HEY, JUST REAL QUICK, THE, SO THE SETBACK NOW, ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID, IS NOT GONNA BE BY A SUP, IT'S GONNA BE AN A VARIANCE IN THE FORM OF A, A VARIANCE.
IT WOULD BE HANDLED AS A VARIANCE.
AND THAT WOULD BE DONE INTERNALLY.
THAT WOULD BE DONE BY THE PZA? THE BZA.
[03:20:01]
BOARD OF ZONING AND SUBDIVISION APPEALS WOULD HEAR THEIR CASE IF THEY WANTED TO APPLY FOR A VARIANCE.SO IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO, IT WOULDN'T, LIKE SUSAN WOULDN'T GET IT TO MAKE A RULING.
SO SUSAN DOES NOT PROCESS, UH, VARIANCES.
UM, THE BOARD OF ZONING AND SUBDIVISION APPEALS DOES DO THAT.
I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE WENT, MADE IT GET SIMPLE, YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO THE STAFF FIRST.
IT GOES TO YOU FIRST AND THERE'S NO, AND THEN, BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE A VARIANCE ON YOUR OWN RULING, THEN IT GOES TO THE BZA.
THAT'S, I JUST NEED CLARIFICATION.
I THINK I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE, ANYBODY HERE WOULD CARE TO SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE? SEE NONE.
I HAD NOT PLANNED ON SPEAKING THIS TONIGHT.
MOUTH OF THE SOUTH BAMBOO SHOW.
UM, WE USED TO HAVE IT IN GROUND POOL AT OUR, ON MY PROPERTY.
UH, HURRICANE AND THREE TREES DESTROYED IT.
BUT WE HAD, I GUESS BECAUSE OF THE RESERVOIR WE'RE RIGHT CLOSE TO, UH, WE HAD WILD DUCKS THAT WOULD OCCASIONALLY COME IN AND SPEND SOME TIME IN TURN OUR POOL RELATIVELY A LOVELY COLOR.
JELLO GREEN, UM, THEY WERE LOUD.
I LIKE DUCKS, BUT THEY WERE NOT QUIET.
I JUST DON'T SEE WHY YOU'RE, I KNOW I GO PROBABLY VOTE FOR THE DUCKS, BUT I WISH YOU WOULDN'T
WHAT ABOUT THE CANADIAN? IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS? IF NOT, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I WILL ASK FOR MOTION.
CAN I JUST SAY, I FORGOT TO SAY ONE THING? UM, WITH CHICKENS TODAY, BECAUSE BIRD FLU IS A, A MAJOR ISSUE IN THIS COUNTRY, WHAT BOTHERS ME IS A LOT OF THESE BIRDS WILL BE FREE ROAMING IN SOMEBODY'S BACKYARD OR SOMEWHERE WHERE THERE'S NOT A COMPLETE ENCLOSURE ON TOP WHERE WILD BIRDS CANNOT, UM, INTERMINGLE WITH THE CHICKENS.
HAVEN'T WE HAD ENOUGH DISCUSSION? NICE.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE FROM TOM.
NO ONE TELLS THEM, YOU KNOW, GET THE STINKING CANADIANS OFF THE GOLF COURSE.
THE MOTION MADE BY MR. ROHN IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 25 DASH SEVEN TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT OF THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS WITHIN SECTION 24.1 DASH 4 1 4 0.1.
STANDARDS FOR DOMESTIC CHICKEN CAKE BEING AS AN ACCESSORY ACTIVITY ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY AS SUBMITTED.
MR. HORO, IF I QUACK, IS IT A YES, MRS. NOLL? YES.
NOW BEFORE WE GO TO THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO, UH, WHAT I, I PASSED OVER.
[COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORTS AND REQUESTS]
AND THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORTS.ARE THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER? I HAVE NOTHING THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
[COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORTS AND REQUESTS]
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I HAVE NOTHING.[MATTERS PRESENTED BY THE BOARD]
I'LL COME TO MATTERS PRESENTED BY THE BOARD OF MR. ROY.I'M GONNA CALL OUT SOME OF THE ANTICS OF MR. HOLLOWAY AND MR. WILLIAMS CO-EDITORS OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM, CCYC.
I TAKE PARTICULAR ISSUE WITH THE GENTLEMAN, UH, USING THAT PLATFORM TO DENIGRATE SOME OF OUR COUNTY STAFF.
I SPOKE WITH MR. WILLIAMS EARLIER TODAY AND HIS IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS TO CLAIM FOUL ON, UH, OUR, ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND CLAIM THAT I HAD NO RIGHT TO PREVENT HIM FROM SIMPLY DOING HIS JOB.
WHILE I DO HAVE A RIGHT, IF YOU HAVE COMPLAINTS WITH THE COUNTY OR SOME ASPECT OF LEADERSHIP, YOU HAVE MYSELF OR MY ELECTED PEERS TO UNLOAD ON, OR YOU HAVE OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THAT SELF-RIGHTEOUS EDITING IS SIMPLY POISONING THE WELL CAUSING HARM TO THOSE STAFF MEMBERS.
ATTEMPTING, ATTEMPTING TO DO GREAT THINGS ON YOUR BEHALF.
MS. OLSON AND DARREN WILLIAMS DESERVE BETTER.
THEY'RE TRYING TO CLEAN UP, UP A MESS CREATED LONG BEFORE THEY ARRIVED IN THEIR CURRENT POSITIONS.
WE AREN'T HAPPY WITH MARQUEES OR, OR BILES IN SOME ASPECTS OF RIVERWALK, BUT LET THESE TWO DO THEIR JOBS.
DO NOT SUPPORT OR DO NOT, I DO NOT SUPPORT THE POTSHOTS BEING TAKEN AT OUR STAFF.
[03:25:02]
THANK YOU.I, I THINK THAT STANDS FOR ALL OF US.
IT COULD NOT RUN AS SMOOTHLY AS IT DID WITHOUT THE COMPETENT STAFF THAT WE HAVE.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE AT THIS POINT? YEAH, I HAVE A COUPLE THINGS.
UH, RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING, UH, MR. MR. PAU REACHED OUT TO ME TO GIMME A HEADS UP ABOUT AN, AN ISSUE THEY WANNA SHARE WITH THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA FOOD BANK, UM, THEY ARE STRUGGLING A BIT NOW FINANCIALLY AND THEY COULD USE YOUR SUPPORT.
SO, UM, BEING MADE AWARE OF THAT, IF YOU'D LIKE TO, UM, GIVE THEM SOME HELP, SIMPLY GO TO HR FOOD BANK.ORG AND THEY WILL, WILL GLADLY TAKE YOUR, ANY CONTRIBUTION YOU CAN SHARE WITH THEM AND CONTINUE SERVING THE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT NEED, NEED THE ASSISTANCE THAT THEY PROVIDE.
UM, SECOND THING, SO, UM, THE HAMPTON ROAD PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION, UH, RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE EPA, UM, WE CALLED THE EPA RECYCLING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH GRANT.
UM, SO BASICALLY THE DRIVER BEHIND THAT IS TO HELP THE COMMUNITIES AND THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AND WHAT ISN'T RECYCLABLE.
SO IT'S, IT'S A MULTI-YEAR GRANT, UH, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO STU STUDY.
UH, THEY'RE GONNA GIVE, UH, I BELIEVE THE GRANT PERIOD ENDS ON MAY 27TH.
UM, AND THEY'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK ACROSS THE REGION, INCLUDING NEW YORK COUNTY TO SEE HOW WELL WE ARE HANDLING RECYCLING, BOTH AT RESIDENTIAL AND ALSO AT AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AS WELL.
IT COULD BE A SPOT CHECK PROGRAM.
UM, SO WHICH COULD MEAN THAT YOU COULD LOOK OUTSIDE YOUR HOUSE AND SEE SOMEBODY IN A, IN A SAFETY VEST WITH SOME NOTES NOTEPAD, CHECKING TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR, IN YOUR RECYCLE BIN, AND THEY MAY GIVE YOU SOME FEEDBACK DIRECTLY ON IT.
AND ALSO, WE, WE, WE ANTICIPATE GETTING A, UM, A, UM, THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY AS WELL SO THAT WE CAN BETTER TAILOR OUR RECYCLING EFFORTS AND ALSO HELP EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IS ALSO, SO JUST A HEADS UP, LET YOU KNOW THAT'S HAPPENING.
SO IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY IN THAT, IN THAT, UH, SAFETY VEST OUTSIDE LOOKING AT YOUR, UH, RECYCLING, THAT'S PROBABLY, PROBABLY THE CAUSE.
UM, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HOPE THAT, UH, NOT THE, THAT'S LOOKING FOR FOOD.
NOT, ESPECIALLY NOT IN THE RECYCLING.
UM, BUT, UH, IT DIDN'T RESULT.
WE HOPE WE CAN FIND WAYS TO BETTER TAILOR HOW THE RECYCLING PROGRAM WORKS, WHAT'S GETS RECYCLED, AND SAVE SOME MONEY IN THAT WHOLE PROGRAM.
SO, JUST A HEADS UP ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TONIGHT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YEAH, I WANNA THANK, UH, THE SHERIFF, REALLY THANK THE SHERIFF AND THE DEPUTIES FOR BEING HERE AND, AND THE SHERIFF FOR HIS PRESENTATION ON THE CRIME.
YOU THINK ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE CRIME RATE GOING DOWN, I MEAN, THAT PART ON THE LARCENY FROM VEHICLES, THAT'S, THAT'S SERIOUSLY, THAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST HEADACHE IN, UH, MY, IN MY PART OF THE COUNTY DOWN THERE.
UM, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY, IT'S GREAT.
AND I HAVEN'T HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT, I MEAN, UH, THIS YEAR.
UH, THE DARE PROGRAM HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD.
IT'S, IT'S JUST A TREMENDOUS PROGRAM.
AND I, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE THE, THERE WAS, THERE WAS SO MANY GREAT THINGS HE COVERED THAT THERE WERE JUST SOME PARTS I JUST THOUGHT WERE, THAT WERE JUST VERY IMPORTANT.
SO THE DARE PROGRAM IS, IS JUST, IT'S REALLY TREMENDOUS.
UM, I LIKE THE IDEA THAT WE NOW HAVE FOUR DRONES.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD NONE, AND THEN I REMEMBER THE FIRST DEMONSTRATION OF THE DRONE, UH, BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S JUST MAY, IT'S JUST USING THAT TECHNOLOGY THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE, THEY, THEY GET, UH, EITHER THROUGH GRANTS OR WHAT WE, WE GIVE THEM, UH, IT JUST HELPS, HELPS PROTECT OUR, OUR CITIZENS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT COPY DOWN WHEN THE SHERIFF'S HOLDING THAT, UH, THAT MEETING, THAT'S GONNA BE WEDNESDAY I THINK, OR THURSDAY.
THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE 20, ON THE 24TH, WHICH IS A THURSDAY.
SO NEXT THURSDAY FROM UM, SIX TO EIGHT.
SO THAT, I WOULD JUST, UH, RECOMMEND IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO GO TO THAT.
THERE'LL BE, THERE'LL BE VERY INFORMATIVE ON, ON THE CRIME AND, AND, UH, THE TECHNIQUES THEY'RE USING TO, TO, UH, KEEP THAT, UH, KEEP IT DOWN.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST, I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT.
AND I DO FOR THE MARK, YOU, YOU GOT THE NOTES THAT I ASKED ABOUT THE, THE, THE PAY FOR TEACHERS, BUT ALSO THE OPTIONS ON, UH, BOTAX AND THE, UM, CAR TAX.
YOU KNOW, LOOK AT, JUST TAKE, GIVE US SOMETHING THAT, SO WE CAN AT LEAST TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE, WHEN WE MEET AND, UM, AND, UH, I DON'T WANNA STRESS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, DR.
SHANDOR, WHEN HE WAS HERE, HE TALKED ABOUT, AND IT APPLIES NOT ONLY TO TEACHERS, BUT IT ALSO APPLIES TO ALL OUR STAFF.
THAT'S GONNA BE OUR BIGGEST ISSUE.
UH, WE JUST, AND, AND, AND I'M, I'M, I'M EMBARRASSED TO SAY THAT I'VE, UH, YOU'VE KIND OF WATCHED
[03:30:01]
THIS.STEPS WENT AWAY 15, 20 YEARS AGO, AND IT'S, UH, IT'S JUST BECOME AN ISSUE.
AND DURING THE, UH, UM, I THINK IT WAS THE GREAT RECESSION, THE, THE, THE PEOPLE WE HAVE HERE, OUR COUNTY STAFF REALLY GOT, REALLY TOOK IT.
HEART TOOK, I MEAN, WE WERE FUNDING THE SCHOOLS, BUT WE, WE, UH, REALLY JUST BEAT UP OUR STAFF.
AND I PROBABLY WENT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TOO, AND, UH, AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE I REMEMBER WE WERE LOOKING AT CUTTING 12 DEPUTIES OUT OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
AND ME AND EVERYBODY WAS HAVING A, ABOUT TO HAVE A MELTDOWN.
AND DANNY WOULD CALL AND UP, SAY, THOMAS, WERE TOM, WE'RE NERVOUS WRECK DOWN HERE, WHAT'S GOING ON? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FINALLY WE, WE, WE STEPPED UP.
BUT THE, THE STAFF I KNOW REALLY TOOK A HIT.
AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PAYS WAS WE, IT GOT TO BE UP TO, ON THE SALARY RELATED COST UP TO ABOUT 2300 BUCKS.
AND, UH, FINALLY WE, WE STARTED CATCHING UP.
I WOULD, I WOULD NEVER SUPPORT DOING THAT AGAIN.
BUT, UH, WE'VE GOTTA BE COMPETITIVE.
THAT IS, THAT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING WE, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL HEAR MORE FROM ME ON THIS, BUT WE'VE GOTTA, WE'VE GOTTA STAY COMPETITIVE IF WE GONNA KEEP OUR COUNTY.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA FORGET ME.
I ONLY HAVE 18 THINGS TO GO OVER.
UH, COUPLE OF THINGS, UH, COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, ONE THING I WANTED TO CLARIFY FROM THE TOWN HALL THAT WE HAD AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND RICHARD'S GONNA LAUGH BECAUSE I TOLD HIM I WAS GONNA CALL HIM OUT ON THIS, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT, I, IN MY CLOSING TALK, I TALKED ABOUT WE'VE MADE SOME, YOU KNOW, BAD DECISIONS FROM THE EDA PERSPECTIVE AND SOME CONTRACTUAL ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD.
AND I MENTIONED RICHARD HILL, OUR ATTORNEY IN THAT CONVERSATION.
AND I'M SURE THAT EVERYBODY LEFT AND WENT, OH, RICHARD'S THE PROBLEM.
WELL, RICHARD WASN'T HERE WHEN THOSE CONTRACTS WERE DONE, SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT TO SAY, UH, RICHARD, YOU'RE IN THE CLEAR, UH, FROM MY COMMENTS BACK AT THE TOWN HALL.
'CAUSE I, I COULDN'T LIVE WITH MYSELF LIKE THAT.
AND THE OTHER THING IS FOR EVERYBODY'S WATCHING, UH, IF I HAVEN'T RETURNED YOUR EMAILS, UM, IT'S BECAUSE I'M WAY, WAY BEHIND.
SO I'VE HAD A TON, PROBABLY 200 EMAILS, UH, FROM PEOPLE ABOUT THIS BUDGET.
SO I WILL GET BACK TO YOU, UH, AS SOON AS I CAN.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MADAM CHAIR.
AS I SAID BEFORE FOR TURNING OUT, I, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR LISTENING SESSIONS, BOTH IN THE UPPER PART OF THE COUNTY AND THE LOWER PART OF THE COUNTY, I HOPE THAT YOU'VE LISTENED TO WHAT OUR STAFF HAS HAD TO SAY AND THE PRESENTATIONS, UH, AND THE NEEDS THAT THE COUNTY STILL HAS, AND HOW MUCH HAS BEEN CUT OUT OF THE BUDGET TO, TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE THE ONE THAT'S OFFERED TO US IS, IS A 4 CENT RAISE.
I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS AND I, I, IT'S REALLY TROUBLING TO ME BECAUSE WE GO FROM BUDGET TO BUDGET.
WE DON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTY.
WE JUST WANNA KEEP OUR HEAD ABOVE WATER AND, AND COVER WHAT WE HAVE.
BUT WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND I KNOW I PROBABLY DO NOT HAVE NECESSARILY THE SUPPORT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, BUT I STILL HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I THINK WE SHOULD ADD ANOTHER PENNY TO THE BUDGET.
UH, THIS IS, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS COMING YEAR IS GOING TO BRING.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT LAST YEAR WAS GOING TO BRING BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES IN THE ECONOMY AND THE, AND ALL THE FLUCTUATIONS THAT ARE GOING ON.
AND YOU ALL KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE IN YOUR OWN HOME.
AND I DON'T WANT US TO BEHIND, TO BE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL ALL THE TIME.
I THINK WE NEED, WE, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN CONSERVATIVE, AND I AM ALWAYS BEEN CONSERVATIVE, BUT I, BUT I HAVE TO BE PRACTICAL AS WELL.
AND SO I AM LAYING THIS OUT FOR PEOPLE.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT, THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T KEEP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE STREET OR DOWN THE ROAD OR WHATEVER THAT THING IS.
YOU'VE GOT TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTY.
WE'VE BEEN VERY, VERY FORTUNATE IN MANY, MANY WAYS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE THE ISSUES AS THEY'VE ARISE.
BUT THERE COMES A TIME WHEN WE REALLY NEED TO BE MORE FUTURISTIC THAN WE HAVE BEEN.
AND SO THOSE ARE MY 2 CENTS FOR THIS EVENING.
NOW I THINK I HAVE SOMETHING ELSE WE HAVE TO DO, DON'T I? LET ME SEE.
[CONSENT CALENDAR ]
THE CONSENT CALENDAR.ALL RIGHT, SO I'M BACK TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
THE FIRST ONE, NUMBER 10 IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
NEXT ONE IS THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE FAIR HOUSING PRINCIPLES, FOLLOWED BY VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INDOOR REHABILITATION
[03:35:02]
PROJECT.I DON'T LIKE ACRONYMS. UH, NEXT ONE IS GRANT APPLICATION FOR EMERGING HOU HOME REPAIR PROGRAM.
AND THAT IS REALLY VERY IMPORTANT ALSO.
UM, NEXT ONE IS ACCEPTANCE AND APPROPRIATION OF HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM, URBAN AREA SECURITY INITIATIVE FUNDS AND TRANSFER FROM THE HAMPTON ROADS PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION.
AND LET'S SEE, I GOTTA TURN THE PAGE.
THE NEXT ONE IS HOUSING CHOICE VOTE VOUCHER PROGRAM, ANNUAL FUNDING RENEWAL, AND NUMBER 16.
AND THE FINAL ONE IS RETIREMENT RECOGNITION FOR LIEUTENANT MICHAEL CAMPBELL.
AND IS THERE ANYONE THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO PULL NUMBER 11, PLEASE.
UH, IT'S, THE CONSENT CALENDAR HAS BEEN MOVED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
NUMBER 11 IS THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE FAIR HOUSING PRINCIPLES.
I KNOW YOU'VE LOOKED AT THIS BEFORE.
SO HOW ABOUT, I HAD ASKED, UH, WHETHER OR NOT DEI PRINCIPLES COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON RIGHT NOW APPLY TO THIS, UH, UM, SET OF HOUSING PRINCIPLES AND WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE, UH, TO THE PROPOSAL.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS FAIR HOUSING PRINCIPLES, THAT'S THE, UH, UH, VIRGINIA FAIR HOUSING LAW, UH, WHICH WE, WE CAN'T CHANGE THAT.
I KNOW THAT THERE WAS, UH, DISCUSSION ABOUT CHANGING THE WORDING OF OUR PROCLAMATION FOR, UM, UH MM-HMM
SO THE, THE ENDORSEMENT OF FAIR HOUSING WAS, UH, REWORDED TO BE, UM, UM, WAS IT REWORDED, SLIGHTLY REWORDED TO, TO BE, UH, TO ACCEPT THE, THE PRINCIPLES OF FAIR HOUSING.
BUT WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY GO DOWN THROUGH THE FULL, UM, UH, LISTING OF ALL THE PROTECTED CLASSES.
I DIDN'T RECEIVE THAT, THAT, UH, MODIFICATION.
HAS IT BEEN CHANGED? UM, I, I, DO WE HAVE A COPY OF IT? I, I DO NOT ACTUALLY HAVE THAT IN MY BOARD PACKET MATERIAL HERE.
FROM WHAT I HAVE, I'VE SUBMITTED, I THOUGHT THAT WAS PULLED FROM THE AGENDA, QUITE FRANKLY.
UH, IT WAS PULLED FROM THE AGENDA BECAUSE WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THAT, UH, BACK, UM, FROM VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING.
SO MR. WOODALL GRACIOUSLY, UH, SAID HE WOULD WORK WITH STATE OFFICIALS AND WOULD BRING THAT TO YOU.
UM, SO NUMBER 11 HAS BEEN PULLED NUM NUMBER 11 IS THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, IPR FUNDING.
THAT'S THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE PRI FAIR HOUSING PRINCIPLES IS I HAVE AS NUMBER 11, I HAVE 11 AS THE ENDORSEMENT OF FAIR HOUSING PRINCIPLES NUMBER 11.
SO I'VE MOVED THE CONSENT CALENDAR ABSENT NUMBER 11.
WHO MAY, WHO MUTED THE MOTION? WHO'S GONNA MOVE IT? DOUG.
THE MOTION MADE BY MR. ROY IS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS SUBMITTED.
DIDN'T WE JUST PULL NUMBER 11? YEAH, WE MINUS NUMBER 11 IS WHAT YOU NEED TO SAY.
THE AGENDA THAT WAS PUBLISHED ONLINE ADMITTED A NUMBER 11.
SO YOU'RE SAYING ELEVEN'S THERE? NO, WE, WE HAVE 16 NOW WE HAVE 15, SO THAT'S CORRECT.
WE PULL, WE PULL THAT OFF OF THE AGENDA.
GIVEN THAT YOU TAKE CARE OF THE PAPERWORK AND WE'LL JUST DO THE VOTING GIVEN THAT I, I APPROVE.
UH, NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO CLOSED.
IS THERE ANY NEW BUSINESS? DIDN'T WE JUST DO THIS BUSINESS? NO, NO NEW BUSINESS.
IS THERE ANY THERE IS NO, THERE IS NO NEW BUSINESS.
[CLOSED MEETING]
GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION.PLEASE TAKE US INTO CLOSED SESSION, PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY OR EXPANSION OF EXISTING BUSINESSES OR, OR INDUSTRY IN ACCORDANCE WITH A SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 SECTION A SECTION FIVE OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONVENE IN CLOSED MEETING TO DISCUSS A PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY OR EXPANSION OF AN EXISTING BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY WHERE NO PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MADE.
[03:40:01]
MR. SHEPHERD.UH, THERE'S NO FUTURE BUSINESS.
SO THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED TO THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO BE HELD ON AT SIX O'CLOCK TUESDAY, APRIL 17TH IN THE EAST ROOM.
AND NOW THE BOARD WILL GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.