[00:00:02]
[Budget Workshop]
WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.THIS IS APRIL 13, SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BUDGET MEETING.
FIRST THING WE'LL DO IS ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ALLEGIANCE] OKAY, DO WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER FROM THE AUDIENCE TO GIVE US A SHORT INVOCATION HERE? THANK YOU. LET'S PRAY.
LORD, AS WE AS WE GO INTO THIS EASTER, WE JUST PRAISE YOUR NAME AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MANY BLESSINGS YOU'VE GIVEN US.
AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS, BECAUSE WE ARE UNWORTHY AND WE ARE A WEAK PART PEOPLE, WE PRAISE YOUR NAME.
WE ASK YOU FOR HEALING FOR DALLAS AND FOR ALL THOSE OTHERS WHO NEED HEALING.
AND WE ASK FOR BLESSINGS ON THIS BOARD AS THEY SEEK TO COME UP WITH AN EQUITABLE BUDGET FOR OUR COUNTY IN JESUS NAME I PRAY AMEN.
AMEN. THANK YOU, MR. BURKETT. OKAY.
FIRST THING IS, ROBERT WHITE IS VACATIONING IN BLAND COUNTY.
I DIDN'T KNOW ELECTRONICS REACHED ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE, BUT I REALLY TRY TO GET HIM ON THE SCREEN. HE WILL NOT BE JOINING VIDEO HE HAS AUDIO CONNECTION ON.
OKAY. WE NEED A MOTION TO OKAY THAT.
THE SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AYE. WE CAN PROCEED WITH THAT.
IS ROBERT IN TOUCH WITH US NOW? HE'S NOT ON YET.
OKAY, CITIZENS COMMENT PERIOD.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE STARTED NOVEMBER 23, 2013, WHERE YOU WE SET ASIDE AN HOUR THAT YOU CAN GET UP AND TALK ABOUT ANY CONSIDERATION, ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE COUNTY.
I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DO IT IN WASHINGTON.
YOU CAN'T DO IT IN RICHMOND, BUT YOU CAN DO IT HERE.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL OPEN THE CITIZENS COMMENT, PERIOD.
ALL WE ASKED IF YOU COME TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. MY NAME IS JOHN BURCH, I LIVE IN [INAUDIBLE].
WILLIAM HART IS MY REPRESENTATIVE.
JUST A QUICK COMMENT ON THE SCHOOLS.
WE ARE CONSTANTLY PUSHING FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THIS COUNTY, WHICH PERSONALLY I COULD CARE WHETHER WE EVER HAVE ANOTHER BUSINESS COME OR NOT.
BUT IF WE WANT A BUSINESS, IF WE WANT BUSINESS, WE HAVE TO HAVE EDUCATION.
AND WHAT I SAW IN MR. JOHNSON'S BUDGET WAS A VERY SMALL INCREASE FOR SCHOOLS.
AND FOR THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, 1.99% OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
I THINK WE SHOULD CERTAINLY INCREASE THE SCHOOL BUDGET BY THAT MUCH.
THAT IS A VERY MINUTE INCREASE.
I AM BILL WORSHAM AND I LIVE AT 12685 ALBERTSON ROAD [INAUDIBLE] VIRGINIA ZIP CODE 2366 DR.
EDWARDS, MR. GILLETTE, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, STAFF, PATRONS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BLACKWATER REGIONAL LIBRARY.
I AM THE BUDGET FINANCE CHAIRMAN FOR THAT SYSTEM, AND I THANK THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED YOU IS ONE THAT WE FEEL IS THE BEST WORKING BUDGET FOR OUR CITIZENS THAT WE REPRESENT. AS EVERYTHING ELSE, I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS CHASING A FEW DOLLARS.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIBRARY, WHAT IT DOES, IT'S THE ENTITY IT IS.
I THINK YOU WILL ALL AGREE THAT YOU GET A BIG BANG FOR YOUR BUCKS.
JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA, AND BEN'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT LATER ON AS DIRECTOR OF THE LIBRARY. BUT CURRENTLY WE HAVE 24 SEVEN WIFI OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY USE EACH MONTH. AND WE HAVE FREE COMPUTERS FOR EVERYONE TO USE IN THE LIBRARY TO DO SCHOOL,
[00:05:01]
WORK, APPLY FOR A JOB.SOME PEOPLE COME IN AND CHECK THEIR STOCK MARKET PORTFOLIOS.
WE WELCOME THAT AND WANT THEM TO DO IT.
THE NUMBERS AGAIN, BEN HAS THOSE.
AND I'M SURE WHEN HE WHEN HE SHARES THAT WITH YOU, I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT WE DO QUITE A BIT AT THAT LIBRARY.
WE HAVE OVER 60 GROUPS THAT USE OUR MEETING ROOMS FREE OF CHARGE EVERY YEAR.
THEY COME IN MOSTLY WHEN THE LIBRARY IS IN SESSION, OR SOMETIMES THEY WILL COME IN AT NIGHT. BUT VERY FEW OF THOSE, I THINK.
WE HAVE A SUMMER READING PROGRAM THAT REACHES HUNDREDS OF SOUTHAMPTON'S CHILDREN.
AND AGAIN, BEN HAS THOSE FIGURES TO HE'LL SHARE WITH YOU LATER ON.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEPING OUR CHILDREN READING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER TO KEEP ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT UP IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
THAT READING PROGRAM ALSO ENCOMPASSES THE READING PROGRAM.
IT'S IN THE SCHOOLS AND THEN THE.
THAT PARTICULAR READING PROGRAM.
THEY CAN USE THE BOOKS AND POINTS THEY GET FROM THAT WHEN THEY GO BACK TO SCHOOL IN THE FALL. SO I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE THIS A LONG SPEECH, BUT I AM GOING TO SAY TO YOU, AND I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW THIS MY WIFE SERVED THIS LIBRARY FOR BETTER, I THINK, 30 YEARS, AND SHE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
THEY WERE PART OF THE LIBRARY.
[INAUDIBLE] WAS A PART OF LIBRARY AND SHE WAS PART OF LIBRARY RIGHT UP UNTIL SHE GOT SICK WHERE SHE COULDN'T COULDN'T DEAL WITH IT.
AND I THINK SHE ALSO SERVED THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
WHEN I WAS APPROACHED ABOUT BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE BOARD, MY FIRST THOUGHT IS I'M NOT QUALIFIED FOR THAT.
AND OF COURSE, THEY WANTED BEVERLY TO DO IT.
AND SHE WAS JUST NOT AT THE POINT SHE COULD HANDLE THE JOB.
SHE HAD ALZHEIMER'S. AND YOU KNOW HOW THAT WORKS OUT.
ANYWAY, I DID IT AND I DID IT IN HONOR OF HER.
I UTILIZE THE LIBRARY MYSELF AND I FIND SO MANY THINGS THAT LIBRARIES TODAY ARE NOT THE LIBRARIES OF YESTERYEAR.
LIBRARIES TODAY ARE MORE TECHNOLOGICALLY, LET'S SAY, LITERATE THAN THEY WERE THEN, BECAUSE BACK THEN WE HAD PHONES AND MAYBE A FEW TVS IN THE LIBRARY.
WE COULD GO IN THERE AND WATCH A MOVIE ON TELEVISION.
BUT BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR LIBRARIES TODAY AS REACHING OUT TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN.
AND I THINK WE DO A GOOD JOB OF THAT.
IF YOU READ THE TIDEWATER NEWS TODAY, IF YOU LOOKED IN THE SECTION THAT TALKED ABOUT EVENTS, YOU'LL FIND IN HERE THAT THE LIBRARY RIGHT NOW IN SOUTHAMPTON AND THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE OTHER LOCALITIES THAT THAT WE REPRESENT.
FOR THE MOST PART, THERE ARE SEVEN ON HERE.
AND THE AGE GROUPS RANGE FROM A TODDLER RIGHT ON UP TO PEOPLE MY AGE, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY. BUT BUT BASICALLY, FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE JUST NUMEROUS THINGS FROM KNITTING, CROCHETING, MOVIE, FREE MOVIE NIGHT.
I THINK THERE'S TEEN ADVISORY GROUPS, TEEN MEETINGS, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE PEOPLE CAN DO. A CRAFT TIME AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, I THINK ARE THINGS THAT ARE INDICATIVE OF WHAT A GOOD LIBRARY SYSTEM OFFERS AND WHAT IT DOES.
AND SO MUCH IT'S OFFERED TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE GET SO MUCH BACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS PARTICIPATION IN THESE EVENTS, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
AT ANY RATE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK VERY CLOSELY AT THE BUDGET YOU WERE GIVEN FOR THE LIBRARY AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL FULLY FUND THAT BUDGET.
AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE IT. WE DIDN'T ASK FOR THAT MUCH, NO MORE THAN WHAT WE NEEDED TO RUN THE LIBRARY. THANK YOU, SIR.
ALL RIGHT, ANYBODY ELSE ? GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AMANDA HALL.
I LIVE AT 19034 LAKESIDE DRIVE IN CORTLAND, VIRGINIA.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M A HUGE ADVOCATE OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND AN EVEN LARGER ADVOCATE OF OUR TEACHERS.
AND I UNDERSTAND ALL THE BUDGET REQUESTS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THIS YEAR AND THE REASON FOR THE INCREASES.
HOWEVER, I CAN ALSO UNDERSTAND ANY HESITANCY THAT THE BOARD HAS IN GIVING SUCH A LARGE INCREASE WHEN THERE IS VERY LITTLE TRANSPARENCY IN THE BUDGET SYSTEM FOR THE COUNTY SCHOOLS. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS NO EXTERNAL AUDIT FOR THE OPERATIONAL FUNDS.
THEY HAVE REFUSED TO ANSWER MANY QUESTIONS.
THEY'VE REFUSED SOME FOR YOUR REQUEST FOR ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS OR PAPER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE BUDGET AND ANYTHING SURROUNDING THE BUDGET.
[00:10:03]
SO IT'S JUST IT'S REALLY EASY TO UNDERSTAND ANY HESITANCY THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE WHEN WE DON'T REALLY KNOW EXACTLY HOW OUR TAX MONEY IS BEING SPENT.I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE LINE ITEM BUDGET OF THE COUNTY THAT INCLUDES THE PAGES WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS OPERATING BUDGET.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, IT'S NOT ALWAYS CLEAR ENOUGH TO THE PUBLIC AND PROBABLY TO YOU, ALL THE SUPERVISORS, EXACTLY HOW THESE INCREASES COME ABOUT, AGAIN, WHEN THERE'S JUST REALLY NOT A LOT OF ANSWERS COMING FORTH.
SO, AGAIN, IT'S A BALANCING ACT, KNOWING THAT OUR TAX MONEY IS GOING TO FUND THESE SCHOOLS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
BUT AS TAXPAYERS, WE WANT TO KNOW HOW THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT IN THESE SCHOOLS.
IS IT BEING SPENT APPROPRIATELY? AND IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AS CITIZENS, PARENTS, TAXPAYERS TO HELP THE PROCESS? YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROCESS? AND IT'S JUST IT'S HARD FOR US TO CITIZENS TO HAVE ANY KIND OF FEEDBACK AT ALL.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING ALL SIDES OF THE REQUESTS.
AND AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR CONSIDERATIONS.
GOOD EVENING. CINDY EDWARDS 30421 SYCAMORE AVENUE, SUDLEY, VIRGINIA.
AND I DO WANT TO ADDRESS YOU ALL AGAIN ABOUT DOING AWAY WITH THE SOLID WASTE FEE AND DOING THE BUDGET PREPARATION.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DECREASING THE PERSONAL PROPERTY RATE.
SO IT'S A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY.
YOU ALL WERE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO DO AWAY WITH THE SOLID WASTE FEE.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY.
YOU HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE INCREASE THAT TOOK PLACE OF USED VEHICLES, BUT YOU DO HAVE A CONTROL OVER THE COUNTY BUDGET.
AND BACK IN MAY OF 2012, YOU ALL STATED THAT YOU WOULD DROP THE SOLID WASTE FEE TIP AND FEES WENT DOWN AND YOU WOULD DO AWAY WITH IT AFTER ONE YEAR.
YOU DID NOT DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO AND IT'S HIGH TIME YOU DO IT.
SO YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES, ACCORDING TO MR. GILLETTE AND MR. CORNWELL.
SO HERE'S THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
I HOPE EACH ONE OF YOU WILL PRAY HARD AND CONSIDER TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
YES, SIR. MR. BURKE, I'LL ASK MY QUESTION.
THE WHEN WE DO THE REAL ESTATE REASSESSMENT.
WHAT IS THAT? IT WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE IN 2024.
IT'LL BE DONE. IT TAKES ABOUT 18 MONTHS TO DO IT.
SO IT'S SPLIT OVER TWO FISCAL YEARS.
ISRAEL SAYS WE HAVE TO WAIT SIX YEARS.
NO, SIR. SAYS YOU HAVE TO DO IT AT A MINIMUM OF EVERY SIX YEARS.
DO IT EVERY YEAR IF YOU WANT TO.
I KNOW WE ALL KNEW ALONG WITH THE VEHICLE INCREASE IN VALUE.
THERE'S HOUSES ON RIVER ROAD, WHICH IS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE THAT ARE VALUED AT 216,000 BY THE COUNTY.
BUT I KNOW ONE IS SOLD FOR 325,000.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE IN 24, WE'LL PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT CUTTING THE TAX RATE BASED ON THE REASSESSMENT OF THE HOUSE.
AND IF WE CAN IF WE CAN GET SOME OF THAT MONEY BEFORE HAVING TO WAIT SIX YEARS, A LONG TIME, BECAUSE ESPECIALLY THE WAY THINGS ARE NOW WITH THINGS INCREASING IN PRICE.
SIX YEARS IS TOO LONG TO WAIT.
I THINK. IT'S JUST A THOUGHT, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, AN INCREASED NEED FOR FUNDS.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE PROPERTY THAT IS WORTH MONEY IS YOU HAVE TO PAY TAXES ON IT. AND I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE THAT THEY'D BE DOING IT EVERY THREE YEARS INSTEAD OF EVER SIX.
I THINK I HEARD MIKE SAVING COPS 200,000 TO DO IT.
NO, THAT'S. THAT'S THE COST FOR ONE FISCAL YEAR.
[00:15:04]
IT'LL COST CLOSE TO 400 TO DO THE TOTAL.WE SPLIT IT OVER TWO FISCAL YEARS.
SO YOU COULD SPLIT IT OVER THREE, RIGHT? NO. OKAY.
SO YOU SPEND 400,000 AND MAKE 3000 300,000.
A 25 30% INCREASE IN VALUE OF THE HOME IS GOING TO BRING IN MORE THAN 200,000.
IT'S JUST LIKE WHAT MIKE SAID ABOUT I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU GOT TO HIRE TWO PEOPLE TO COLLECT THE CIGARETTE TAX.
BUT, YOU KNOW THINGS IT IS WHAT IT IS.
BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING, IT SEEMS SIX YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO WAIT.
I KNOW SOME OF THE CITIES DO IT MORE OFTEN.
I'M NOT SURE HOW OFTEN, BUT ANYWAY, JUST A THOUGHT.
SINCE GLEN WASN'T HERE, I THOUGHT I WOULD COME UP [INAUDIBLE] AND AT LEAST SAY SOMETHING ON HIS BEHALF. I'M SURE HE DOESN'T LIKE YOUR $0.02, SO MAYBE I WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING THIS PUBLIC SPEAKING TIME AS UPDIKE HAD BROUGHT IT UP AND ONE OF THE MEETINGS THAT PUBLIC DOESN'T GET A CHANCE TO TO SPEAK AFTER YOUR INITIAL DRAFT BUDGET, AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I JUST OPENED IT A MINUTE AGO AND LOOKED AT IT.
I HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT YET.
BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING THIS AND THE NEXT PUBLIC.
THIS IS A FIRST THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK AFTER THE DRAFT BUDGET HAS BEEN WHILE THE PROCESS AS WE WENT ON.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THAT THIS YEAR AND HOPE YOU WILL CONTINUE.
WELL, THANK YOU. YOU WANTED MORE.
YOU WANTED MORE TIME, AND YOU GOT IT.
ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. LAST CALL FOR CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER THREE, THE DEPARTMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL PRESENTATIONS, AND WE'LL JUST THROW THAT WIDE OPEN.
WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A [INAUDIBLE] SPACE BUDGET TO YOU ON BEHALF OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND OUR STUDENTS IN YEARS PAST.
AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER OUR REQUEST TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION.
GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE. THANK YOU.
AM I IN ANYBODY'S WAY? ALL RIGHT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH THE VISION AND MISSION OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE VISION OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION IS THAT ALL STUDENTS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, PRODUCTIVE, LIFELONG LEARNERS IN AN EVER CHANGING WORLD.
THE MISSION OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS THAT THROUGH THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF THE STAFF, STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY, WE WILL ENSURE A QUALITY EDUCATION IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL PREPARE STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL LEARNERS AND PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS IN AN EVER CHANGING SOCIETY.
SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION HAS ADOPTED SIX GOALS.
THE FIRST GOAL IS TO EXPAND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND INCREASE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
THE SECOND GOAL IS TO EXPAND OUR SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOL CULTURE AND CLIMATE.
THE THIRD GOAL IS TO EXPAND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND IMPROVE EMPLOYEE RETENTION.
THE FOURTH GOAL IS TO EXPAND COMMUNITY AND PARENTAL PARTNERSHIPS.
THE FIFTH GOAL IS TO EXPAND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS AND ACQUIRE MORE FISCAL RESOURCES. AND THE SIXTH GOAL IS TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SCHOOL MORE EQUITABLE FOR ALL STUDENTS.
[00:20:04]
THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION IS THAT WE HAVE 52% MALE STUDENTS, 48% FEMALE STUDENTS, 55% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE WHITE, 39% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE BLACK.3% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE TWO OR MORE RACES.
2% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE HISPANIC, AND 1% OF OUR STUDENTS IS ASIAN.
12% OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
AND RIGHT NOW, 100% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING FREE AND REDUCED OR FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH. AND WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 2686 STUDENTS.
CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? OF THAT 2000 STUDENTS.
HOW MANY OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE OUT OF DISTRICT? YEAH. WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION.
IN LOOKING AT OUR CLASSIFICATION AND CREDENTIALS OF OUR STAFF, OF OUR STAFF, 193 OF THEM ARE TEACHERS, COUNSELORS AND LIBRARIANS.
WE HAVE 22 ADMINISTRATORS, 224 SUPPORT STAFF MEMBERS.
37% OF OUR STAFF HAS ADVANCED DEGREES.
13 IS THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE, AND TWO OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED.
OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION CATEGORIES.
WE HAVE 115 STUDENTS WHO ARE CLASSIFIED WITH SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES.
EMOTIONAL DISORDER IS THREE, OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENTS 66, SPEECH LANGUAGE 22, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY 24.
AUTISM 49, HEARING IMPAIRED THREE.
WE HAVE NONE CURRENTLY THAT ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
DEVELOPMENTALLY DELAYED IS 26, MULTIPLE DISABILITIES, NINE.
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, TWO ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRMENT THREE, FOR A TOTAL OF 322 STUDENTS WITHIN ALL OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION CATEGORIES.
WE HAVE 54 OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES.
AND WHEN I SAY CURRENTLY, THAT'S FOR THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR, AND THAT IS AN INCREASE IN A YEAR FROM YEARS PAST WITH THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT NUMBER OF ADVANCED PLACEMENT STUDENTS. IN GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL FOR 2021-2022, WE HAVE 13 STUDENTS.
AND WE PAY APPROXIMATELY $90,000 IN TUITION TO OUR GOVERNOR'S SCHOOLS.
AND THIS TUITION IS PAID BY SOUTH HAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION.
WE HAVE TWO GOVERNOR SCHOOLS IN WHICH WE PARTNER.
ONE IS THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL IN PETERSBURG, WHICH IS TITLED THE APPOMATTOX REGIONAL GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL. AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL IN NORFOLK, WHICH IS THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS.
THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL IN NORFOLK IS A HALF DAY GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL, AND THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL IN PETERSBURG IS A FULL DAY GOVERNOR SCHOOL.
AND THE TUITION IS APPROXIMATELY 8500 PER STUDENT FOR THE PETERSBURG GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL AND APPROXIMATELY 4000 FOR THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL IN NORFOLK.
WE HAVE 141 STUDENTS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN DUAL ENROLLMENT, DUAL CREDIT FOR THE 2021 2022 SCHOOL YEAR.
THERE WAS A DROP LAST YEAR TO APPROXIMATELY 113 STUDENTS.
AND IN TALKING WITH OUR STUDENTS, THAT DROP APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS BEING REQUIRED TO TAKE CLASSES VIRTUALLY.
SOME CLASSES, SUCH AS SOME OF OUR MATH CLASSES OR LAB BASED SCIENCE CLASSES, THEY REALLY WEREN'T COMFORTABLE TAKING VIRTUALLY.
SO THEY'RE HAPPY TO BE BACK FACE TO FACE.
WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 24 STUDENTS WHO WILL BE AWARDED AN ASSOCIATE'S OF ARTS DEGREE IN MAY FROM CAMP COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
THE COST OF THOSE DEGREES AND THIS IS AN APPROXIMATE COST IS $177,829.20.
THE MAXIMUM COST PAID BY SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION IS $88,907.52, AND THE COST SAVINGS TO FAMILIES WOULD BE A MAXIMUM OF $141,885.12.
WHEN LOOKING MORE IN-DEPTH AT OUR DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM.
THE FIRST COLUMN, SECOND COLUMN, THE COLUMN WITH THE NUMBERS.
[00:25:01]
THOSE NUMBERS REPRESENT THE NUMBER OF CLASSES THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY STUDENTS.THERE COULD BE DUPLICATIONS THROUGHOUT THOSE ROWS BECAUSE A STUDENT CAN TAKE MORE THAN ONE DUAL ENROLLMENT DUAL CREDIT CLASS.
SO OF OUR 141 STUDENTS, THEY ARE TAKING 226 DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES.
THOSE CLASSES CONSIST OF CLASSES SUCH AS PRE CALCULUS ONE WITH 13 STUDENTS.
WELL PRE CALCULUS 1, 13, PRE CALCULUS 2.
13 CAL ONE, EIGHT CAL TWO, EIGHT ENGLISH 1229 US HISTORY 40 US GOVERNMENT 28 HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY 17 BIOLOGY 26 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
SEMESTER ONE AND TWO ONE AND THEN EARLY CHILD WITH 13 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TWO SEMESTER ONE IS NINE.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TWO, SEMESTER TWO IS NINE.
ELECTRICITY SEMESTER ONE AND TWO, FOUR.
AND THEN WELDING, SEMESTER ONE AND TWO NINE.
THE TOTAL COST OF THOSE CLASSES IS $240,258.77.
THE TOTAL COST PAID BY SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION IS $55,504.53.
THE TOTAL COST SAVINGS TO FAMILIES IS $184,754.33.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT SOME OF THESE COURSES ARE TAUGHT IN-HOUSE BY OUR STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN CREDENTIALED BY THE COLLEGE TO TEACH THESE CLASSES.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THAT ALSO REDUCES THE COST TO THE THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALSO HAVE SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION.
NOW A NUMBER OF STUDENTS RECEIVE SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THE SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION IS BECAUSE THE IEP COMMITTEE HAS DETERMINED THAT IT'S IN THE STUDENT'S BEST INTEREST TO NOT RIDE THE FULL SIZED SCHOOL BUS, BUT TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, OR IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENTS TO RECEIVE THEIR SERVICES AT ANOTHER SITE.
SO IN LOOKING AT SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION JUST FOR THE 2021, 2022 SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAVE 81 STUDENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION.
AND FOR THOSE 81 STUDENTS, THAT'S 41 VEHICLES.
NEXT, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
YOU ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH STATE CODE 22.1-92, WHICH STATE THAT IT SHOULD BE THE DUTY OF EACH DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT TO PREPARE WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SUBMIT TO THE GOVERNING BODY THE ESTIMATE OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY DEEMED TO BE NEEDED DURING THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR BUDGET PROCESS IS CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DO IN A SILO. NOR IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE DO WITHOUT INPUT FROM OUR STAFF OR THE PUBLIC.
SO STEP ONE IS THAT TEACHERS AND DEPARTMENTS, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT THEIR BUDGET REQUESTS TO THE PRINCIPALS, SUPERVISORS AND DISTRICT LEADERS.
THEN PRINCIPALS, SUPERVISORS AND DISTRICT LEADERS.
THEY SUBMIT BUDGET REQUESTS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND DIRECTOR OF FINANCE REVIEW THE BUDGET REQUEST WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET COMMITTEE.
THE SUPERINTENDENT AND DIRECTOR OF FINANCE DEVELOP AND PRESENT A BUDGET PROPOSAL TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET COMMITTEE HAS A LIAISON MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
THE SCHOOL BOARD COLLABORATES AND DISCUSSES THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
A PUBLIC HEARING IS HELD ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES THE BUDGET.
WHEN CONSIDERING OUR BUDGET, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF REQUIREMENTS.
SOME OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE STATE REQUIREMENTS TO INCLUDE SOQ FUNDED POSITIONS.
SO WE HAVE STAFFING STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, COUNCILORS, CLERICAL STAFF AND TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE INCENTIVE REQUIREMENTS TO INCLUDE AT RISK FUNDING.
VIRGINIA PRESCHOOL INITIATIVE AND TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE K-THREE CLASS SIZE REQUIREMENTS, ESL, READING INTERVENTION, ALGEBRA READINESS, TEXTBOOKS REQUIREMENTS AS WELL AS REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE BENEFITS TO OUR STAFF.
AND SOME OF THOSE BENEFITS WILL INCLUDE RETIREMENT BENEFITS, GROUP LIFE, HEALTH AND BENEFITS AND HEALTH INSURANCE CREDIT.
[00:30:02]
OUR THREE BUDGET PRIORITIES ARE, NUMBER ONE, TO HIRE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO, OF COURSE, MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.NUMBER TWO, TO EXPAND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
AND NUMBER THREE, TO MAINTAIN COMPETITIVENESS.
AND THIS IS SO THAT WE CAN RETAIN AND ATTRACT HIGHLY QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES.
THE JUSTIFICATION FOR, NUMBER ONE, ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.
THIS IS NEEDED TO REPLACE POSITIONS THAT WERE LOST DUE TO BUDGET CUTS AND TO MEET STUDENTS NEEDS.
A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS ARE TEACHING DURING THEIR PLANNING PERIODS.
THIS IMPACTS THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION DUE TO REDUCE PLANNING TIME, TEACHER FATIGUE AND REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET WITH STUDENTS ONE ON ONE.
SOME OF THE AREAS IN WHICH THIS IS OCCURRING IS ENGLISH, BIOLOGY, HISTORY AND ALGEBRA.
STUDENTS ALSO HAVE A SHORTAGE OF ELECTIVE OPTIONS.
SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE TAKING ELECTIVES THAT ARE NOT RELEVANT TO THEIR INTERESTS.
WE ALSO HAVE A NEED FOR A BUILDING TRADES TEACHER.
IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THERE WILL BE 167,000 OPENINGS IN CONSTRUCTION OR CONSTRUCTION RELATED JOBS BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 2020 AND 2030.
ALSO LOOKING AT OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.
ON A PREVIOUS SLIDE, I TALKED ABOUT OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION CATEGORIES.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT PRIOR YEARS, THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS THAT WE ARE SERVICING THIS YEAR HAVE INCREASED AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING A CONTINUOUS INCREASE.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE OF THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND THEIR SPECIALIZED NEEDS, WE DO HAVE A NEED FOR MORE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.
WE ALSO HAVE A NEED FOR A TEACHERS FOR TOMORROW TEACHER.
AND THIS POSITION WILL BE USED TO CREATE STUDENT INTEREST IN EDUCATION AND A GROW OUR OWN TEACHER PROGRAM.
WHAT WE REALIZE IS THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SOME OF THE VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE IN EDUCATION AND THIS IS NOT JUST HERE, BUT THIS IS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, MANY SCHOOL DIVISIONS ARE TRYING TO CREATE GROW YOUR OWN TEACHER PROGRAMS. AND SO WE, TOO, ARE EMBARKING UPON THAT EFFORT.
IN FISCAL YEAR 2013, SOUTHAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL HAD NINE CUSTODIANS, ONE OF WHICH WAS PART TIME. WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR FULL TIME CUSTODIANS AND ONE PART TIME POSITION BUDGETED, SO WE DEFINITELY NEED ADDITIONAL CUSTODIANS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
FOUR FOCUS AREA TO EXPANDING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND INCREASING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
WE WANT TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH AN EXPANDED CURRICULUM AND EXPERTISE TO OBTAIN CTE CREDENTIALS BECAUSE NOT ALL STUDENTS WILL ATTEND COLLEGE.
CTE CREDENTIALS CAN LEAD TO JOBS THAT PROVIDE STUDENTS A LIVABLE WAGE.
THIS MAY INCLUDE NURSING, CYBERSECURITY, AGRIBUSINESS, CULINARY ARTS, WELDING, ELECTRICITY, COSMETOLOGY AND PHARMACY TECH.
ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS WE OFFER AT OUR CTE CENTER.
WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. THIS WILL PROVIDE CREDENTIALS TO STUDENTS SO THAT THEY ARE MORE MARKETABLE.
IT WILL CREATE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MENTORING AND TRAINING, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO INVESTIGATE AUTO MECHANIC FIELD.
AND THE THIRD FOCUS AREA IS MAINTAINING COMPETITIVENESS.
WE WANT TO ADDRESS EQUITY IN SALARY OF ALL EMPLOYEES AS COMPARED TO SURROUNDING AREAS BY PROVIDING A 5% MINIMUM INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES AND AID WITH RECRUITING AND RETENTION EFFORTS AND TO OFFSET THE COST OF LIVING INCREASES.
SOME OF OUR EXISTING CTE PROGRAMS ARE FOUNDATIONS OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCES, HORTICULTURAL SCIENCES, LANDSCAPING, INTRO TO NATURAL RESOURCES AND ECOLOGY SYSTEMS. CYBERSECURITY.
DIGITAL APPLICATIONS, DESIGN MULTIMEDIA AND WEB TECHNOLOGY.
INTRODUCTION TO EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSES ONE AND TWO.
INDEPENDENT LIVING NURSE AID ONE.
NURSE AID TWO, COSMETOLOGY, ELECTRICITY, WELDING.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR PHARMACY TECH PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM.
THANK YOU, SHANNON. GOOD EVENING.
FORMER GOVERNOR NORTHAM PRESENTED HIS 2022-24 BIENNIAL BUDGET ON DECEMBER THE 16TH.
SO OUR CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET IS ACTUALLY BASED ON THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS PROVIDED IN NORTHAM'S INTRODUCED BUDGET.
THE HOUSE AND SENATE WILL CONSIDER NORTHAM'S BUDGET DURING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION AS THEY AS THEY PREPARE AND VOTE ON THEIR OWN BUDGETS.
[00:35:01]
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WAS SCHEDULED TO END ON MARCH THE 11TH, BUT THE HOUSE AND SENATE HAVE YET TO REACH AN AGREEMENT.A FINAL BUDGET APPROVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WILL EVENTUALLY BE SENT TO GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN, WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO AMEND OR VETO BUDGET ITEMS AND RETURN THE AMENDED BUDGET TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
SOME OF THE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS IN GOVERNOR NORTHAM'S PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDED UPDATING THE SALES TAX AND LOTTERY REVENUE ESTIMATES THAT ARE DEDICATED TO PUBLIC EDUCATION.
A STATE SHARE OF A 5% SALARY INCREASE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2022, AND ANOTHER 5% EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2023.
JUST AS A COMPARISON, THE SOCIAL SECURITY COST OF LIVING INCREASED BY 5.9% IN 2022.
ALSO TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL HOLD HARMLESS STATE FUNDING IN FY 23 AND FY 24 AS IT RELATES TO THE PANDEMIC IMPACTED DATA THAT WAS USED IN THE BIENNIAL BENCHMARKING PROCESS.
ALSO PROVIDING ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT STUDENTS THAT ARE EDUCATIONALLY AT RISK IN FY 23 AND FY 24, AND TO PROVIDE STATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION GRANTS IN FY 23.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE PERSONNEL NEEDS THAT DR.
ALL OF THE PERSONNEL NEEDS ARE AT SOUTHAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE A BIOLOGY TEACHER, A HISTORY TEACHER, ENGLISH TEACHER, ALGEBRA TEACHER, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, A BUILDING TRADES TEACHER, AND THE VIRGINIA TEACHERS FOR TOMORROW TEACHER AND OUR ONE CUSTODIAN.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THESE POSITIONS, INCLUDING FRINGES, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES HOSPITALIZATION, OF COURSE, IS $71,300 FOR THE TEACHERS AND THE CUSTODIAN, 35,980. THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A LITTLE HISTORY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TEACHING STAFF AT SOUTHAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL.
SO DURING THE RECESSION AND BACK IN 10-11 FISCAL YEAR BEFORE THAT, THEY HAD 68 TEACHING POSITIONS. THEY HAD 69 IN 1112.
AND BY THE TIME WE GOT TO 12-13, WE HAD SPENT ALL OF OUR STIMULUS MONEY AND SO FORTH.
AND SO WE HAD TO MAKE SOME CUTS IN PERSONNEL SO THAT HIGH SCHOOL TEACHING STAFF WAS CUT DOWN FROM 69 TO 46 POSITIONS BACK IN 12-13.
AND YOU'LL SEE AS YOU NOTICE, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO INCREASE THAT UNTIL WE GET DOWN TO FISCAL YEAR 17-18.
WE HAVE 47 POSITIONS AND THEN IN 2021 AND THE CURRENT YEAR, WE'RE UP TO 49 BUDGETED POSITIONS. YOU'LL ALSO SEE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE.
WE DID DROP A FEW STUDENTS FROM BACK 1011, BUT NOWHERE IN COMPARISON TO THE LOSS IN TEACHING STAFF.
THE MINIMUM WAGE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA INCREASED TO $11 PER HOUR ON JANUARY 1ST, 2022.
SO AS A RESULT OF THIS INCREASE, WE HAD TO INCREASE THE PAY FOR 68 OF OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES. 40 OF THESE EMPLOYEES ARE PAID FROM THE LOCAL OPERATING BUDGET AND THE REMAINING 28 ARE PAID FROM STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS. THE TOTAL COST FOR THE LOCAL OPERATING BUDGET IS ESTIMATED AT $72,683 PER YEAR, INCLUDING FRINGES. THIS CHART HERE SHOWS YOU THE EMPLOYEE CATEGORIES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THE MINIMUM WAGE IMPACT.
WE HAD EIGHT IN THE SECRETARY BOOKKEEPER AREA, 21 TEACHER ASSISTANTS, 19 CUSTODIANS.
FOUR SPECIAL NEEDS DRIVERS, 16 OF THE CAFETERIA STAFF, A TOTAL OF 68.
SO IN AN EFFORT TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE MINIMUM WAGE AND THE SALARIES OF OUR VETERAN CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES, THE CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED BUDGET INCLUDES AN 8% INCREASE FOR THOSE CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES NOT AFFECTED BY THE MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE.
THE COST FOR THIS INCREASE IS ESTIMATED AT $80,180, WHICH INCLUDES FRINGES.
THE EMPLOYEE CATEGORY IS AFFECTED BY THE 8% INCREASE.
WE HAVE 16 SECRETARIES AND BOOKKEEPERS, 24 TEACHER ASSISTANTS, THREE CUSTODIANS, 37 BUS DRIVERS, 39 SPECIAL NEEDS DRIVERS AND AIDES, TEN CAFETERIA STAFF, FIVE NURSES AND FOUR AT THE GARAGE AND MAINTENANCE FOR A TOTAL OF 138.
THE MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE ALSO AFFECTED OUR SUBSTITUTE TEACHER PAY.
CURRENTLY, ALL SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS, REGARDLESS OF DEGREES OR CERTIFICATIONS, ARE BEING PAID $11 PER HOUR OR A DAILY RATE OF $82.50 BASED ON THE 7.5 HOUR DAY.
THIS CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES THE COST TO INCREASE THE DEGREE SUBSTITUTE PAY TO $100 PER DAY.
THE ESTIMATED INCREASE FOR THIS ADJUSTMENT IS 60,000.
[00:40:02]
THIS CHART JUST SHOWS OUR CURRENT DAILY RATES FOR OUR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS.YOU'LL SEE THE 8250 PER DAY FOR ALL LEVELS OF CLASSIFICATION AND PROPOSED FOR FY 23 IS $100 PER DAY FOR THOSE SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
OUR HOSPITALIZATION BUDGET HAS ALSO INCREASED BY $224,140.
THE ANTHEM ADVANTAGE PLANS ARE INCREASING BY 23.8% ON JULY 1ST, 22, DUE TO AN INCREASE IN CLAIMS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 102 EMPLOYEES ON THE KEY ADVANTAGE PLANS.
WE ALSO OFFER THE OPTIMAL HMO PLAN AND THOSE RATES WILL REMAIN IN THE SAME.
AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE 182 EMPLOYEES ON THE OPTIMAL PLAN.
THIS CHART LISTS SOME OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS.
YOU'LL SEE THERE'S AN INCREASE OF 163,535 IN THE AREA OF TPT AND SPEECH SERVICES, AND THIS IS BASED ON THE CURRENT SERVICES THAT WE ARE RECEIVING.
WE'VE ALSO ADDED $20,000 TO SCHOOL ATHLETICS FOR SOUTHAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THIS WILL ENHANCE OUR SOUTHAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC PROGRAM THAT FEEDS INTO OUR HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC PROGRAM AND SUSTAIN THE AGGREGATION AND PARTICIPATION OF STUDENT ATHLETES POST CONDITIONS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
ALSO WE HAVE $20,000 THAT WE'VE INCLUDED FOR THE COLLEGE CREDIT REIMBURSEMENT.
THIS IS TO ASSIST IN DEFRAYING THE COST OF COLLEGE TUITION FOR TEACHERS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO ENHANCE THEIR SKILLS.
THIS WILL ALSO AID IN MORE TEACHERS BECOMING QUALIFIED TO TEACH DUAL ENROLLMENT AND DUAL CREDIT CLASSES ON OUR CAMPUS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.
THE LAST TIME HERE IS $20,000 FOR INTERNET SERVICES AND WE THAT IS DIVISION WIDE.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR INTERNET SERVICES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO THIS IS A NEEDED INCREASE ALSO.
UNDER OUR OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE SEVERAL INCREASES LISTED HERE.
THE INSURANCE ON BUSSES AND VEHICLES, AN INCREASE OF $8,000 DUE TO ADDITIONAL VEHICLES AND ANTICIPATED INSURANCE INCREASES FUEL COSTS.
WE PUT IN $230,000, WHICH IS A 40% PROJECTED INCREASE OVER THE CURRENT BUDGET.
AND WE ALL KNOW THE HIGH PRICE THAT WE ARE NOT PAYING AT THE PUMP.
SO THAT AFFECTS US ALSO $20,000 ON THE SERVICE CONTRACTS, ALLOWING FOR A 6.7% INCREASE FOR ADDITIONAL CONTRACTS SUCH AS HVAC, ROOFING AND GROUND'S 15,000 INCREASE IN ELECTRICITY SERVICES, ALLOWING FOR A 2% INCREASE IN SERVICE FEES, 8% INCREASE IN HEATING SERVICE, ALLOWING FOR A 3.7% INCREASE IN HEATING COSTS.
$5,000 FOR AN INCREASE IN SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE FEES.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS 25,000 FOOT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DEVICES AND BUSSES AND CARS FOR SAFETY REASONS.
ALSO A $16,750 INCREASE IN THE PROPERTY LIABILITY INSURANCE, WHICH IS BASED ON ANTICIPATED INSURANCE INCREASES FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WILL ALSO HAVE A $40,000 INCREASE IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
THIS IS AS AN AS WE CONTINUE TO USE SOURCE AND DUE TO MECHANICAL ISSUES THAT OUR STAFF CANNOT ADDRESS AND TO ALLOW FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS AND RENTALS.
THIS CHART JUST SHOWS SOME OF WHAT WE CONSIDERED TO BE OUR CRITICAL AND NECESSARY COST OUR PERSONNEL AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AT $499,100.
AND WE DISCUSSED THE NEED FOR THAT HOSPITALIZATION.
THE OT IN SPEECH SERVICES 163 535 HOUR INTERNET SERVICES AT 20,000, THE FUEL COSTS AT 230,000, AND THE OPERATIONS INCREASES AT 157,750 FOR A TOTAL OF 1 MILLION 294525.
NOW, FORMER GOVERNOR NORTHAM'S BUDGET ALSO INCLUDED $1,932,2 65 IN FY 23 FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION GRANT FUNDS TO BE USED FOR NON-RECURRING CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION TECHNOLOGY AND DEBT SERVICE COSTS.
IF THIS IS APPROVED, THERE IS NO LOCAL MATCH REQUIRED.
ANY UNSPENT GRANT FUNDS CAN BE CARRIED OVER TO FY 24 AND 25, AND THE USE OF THE FUNDS WILL BE RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDS FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
SO THIS SLIDE GIVES US A RECAP OF OUR TOTAL PROPOSED LOCAL OPERATING BUDGET.
OUR ESTIMATED STATE REVENUE IS 24,161,701.
OUR ESTIMATED TUITION AND ALSO ADULT EDUCATION IS 104,300.
[00:45:08]
WE WILL NEED 14,262,008.58 FROM LOCAL REVENUE IN ORDER TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET.OUR CURRENT LOCAL REVENUE IS 12,566,938.
SO THIS REQUIRES AN ESTIMATED LOCAL REVENUE INCREASE OF 1,695,920.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? FROM US? YES, SIR.
THE FIRST THING. AND I TRIED TO WRITE AS YOU WENT THROUGH IT, AND THAT WAS SOMEWHAT HARD TO DO.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH SLIDE IT WAS.
IT WAS NEAR THE BEGINNING WHERE YOU TALKED ABOUT EQUITABLE FOR ALL STUDENTS.
WOULD YOU TELL ME WHAT'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EQUITABLE AND EQUALITY? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S EQUITABLE FOR ALL STUDENTS.
EQUITABLE IS MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO ONE STUDENT MAY NEED SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, OR THEY MAY NEED SPEECH SERVICES, OR IT MAY REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE DIVISION TO HAVE SOME OF THEIR NEEDS MET, WHEREAS ANOTHER STUDENT MAY NOT HAVE ANY OF THOSE NEEDS THAT THE NEXT CHILD MAY BE ABLE TO FUNCTION OR TO BE ABLE TO FLOURISH IN JUST A REGULAR CLASSROOM AND NOT NEED ANY SPECIALIZED SERVICES.
BUT ALL WITHIN THAT CATEGORY WOULD HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES.
CERTAINLY. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR DEFINITION OF EQUITABLE.
EQUITABLE IS LIKE IF I MAKE 50,000 AND YOU MAKE 25 AND WE IMPLEMENT EQUITY, WE BOTH MEET IN THE MIDDLE, YOU GET LESS, I GET MORE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN? WHAT I MEAN IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO GIVE CHILDREN WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND THAT EVERY CHILD STARTS AT A DIFFERENT POINT.
AND WE ARE GOING TO TRY OUR BEST TO PROVIDE WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO BRING THEM UP TO PAR. YOU TOUCHED ON BIOTECH.
YOU ALSO TOUCHED ON A LOT OF TEACHING POSITIONS THAT.
IN YEARS PAST HAVE BEEN REDUCED.
HOW MANY OF THOSE WERE ATTRIBUTED TO VO TECH AND HOW MANY WOULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO OTHER? CURRICULA. ENGLISH.
HOW MANY OF THOSE THAT YOU LOST WERE ATTRIBUTED TO VOTE TECH? I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING ALL THE WAY BACK IN LIKE 2008-2009 AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RECESSION.
BUT I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
OKAY. WELL, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
MOST ALL FTE POSITIONS AND IN GOVERNMENT HAVE SOME ATTRITION RATES.
WHAT'S THE ATTRITION RATE FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM? WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, BUT WE'LL GET IT TO YOU.
I NOTICED THAT IN YOUR COMMENTS AND THE FACT PLANNING AND TEACHER FATIGUE.
WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WHAT PEOPLE WHAT FATIGUE MEANS, THEY GET WORN OUT, BURNED OUT, THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT, WHAT BRINGS ON THE TEACHER FATIGUE AND THE LACK OF PLANNING TIME.
[00:50:01]
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL IS THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS OR BECAUSE WE MIGHT HAVE HAD A POSITION THAT WAS DIFFICULT TO FILL, THEN A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER MAY TAKE ON AN ADDITIONAL CLASS DURING THEIR PLANNING PERIOD.NOW THEY ARE PAID TO TEACH THIS ADDITIONAL CLASS DURING THEIR PLANNING PERIOD.
HOWEVER, THEY MAY BE PLANNING FOR AND THEY ARE PLANNING FOR MULTIPLE SUBJECTS.
SO IF THEIR SCHEDULE IS THEY HAVE A FOUR BLOCK SCHEDULE, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO TEACH THREE 90 MINUTE BLOCKS AND THEN BE OFF ONE 90 MINUTE BLOCK FOR PLANNING.
BUT IF THEY'RE TEACHING FOUR 90 MINUTE BLOCKS, THEN THAT MEANS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TIME DURING THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY TO PLAN.
SO THEN THEY'RE HAVING TO USE THEIR PERSONAL TIME TO PLAN.
AND OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THIS CAN FATIGUE AND ALSO IT CAN REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO COME BACK TO THEM AND RECEIVE ONE ON ONE INSTRUCTION.
AND THAT DOES THAT OCCUR LIKE MIDYEAR OR? WELL NORMALLY IS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER.
SO WE LOOK AT IT AT THE BEGINNING OF A SEMESTER WE KNOW BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO FILL A TEACHING SLOT.
AND SO WE WILL MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS AND SEND THE INFORMATION TO THE BOARD. OF COURSE THEY'RE PAID AND THEN THEY'LL DO THAT AND THEY'LL COMMIT TO DOING IT ALL YEAR AND WILL ALL YEAR.
AND I SAY YEAR BECAUSE THE HIGH SCHOOL IS ON A BLOCK SCHEDULE FOUR BY FOUR.
BUT THEN WHEN JANUARY COMES, WE'LL LOOK AT IT AGAIN BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING READY TO START THE SECOND SEMESTER.
AND SO THAT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN FOR FOR SECOND SEMESTER.
NOW WHAT'S HAPPENING THE ENTIRE TIME IS WE ARE CONSTANTLY RECRUITING TEACHERS, WE'RE CONSTANTLY GOING TO OUR RECRUITMENT EVENTS, WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO GO TO DIFFERENT COLLEGES TO TALK TO UNIVERSITIES, TRYING TO HIRE TEACHERS, AS WELL AS WORKING WITHIN OUR RANKS TO TRY TO DEVELOP TEACHERS.
WE MAY HAVE SOME WHO ARE LONG TERM SUBS THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET TO TAKE THE TEST OR WHATEVER IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BECOME A TEACHER.
SO WE ARE TRYING THE ENTIRE TIME TO HIRE A HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER.
IT'S GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
YOU'RE DOWN 20 TEACHERS, ACCORDING TO YOUR FIGURES, 69 TO 49 IN HIGH SCHOOL.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? THAT'S WHAT WAS REFLECTED.
YES. OKAY. WHY ARE WE DOWN 20 TEACHERS? WHAT IS THE PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE DOWN 20.
ONE IS FINANCE, THE FACT THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO HIRE THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT WE NEED TO HIRE. THAT IS WHY IN OUR BUDGET REQUEST YOU SEE THAT WE ARE REQUESTING SO MANY TEACHERS. YEAR AFTER YEAR, WE COME HERE AND WE REQUEST ADDITIONAL TEACHERS.
BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME WE ARE LEVEL FUNDED.
WE'RE NOT RECEIVING THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN ORDER TO HIRE THE ADDITIONAL TEACHERS.
SO IF WE GET THE FUNDING, THEN THAT WILL DEFINITELY HELP US TO BE ABLE TO HIRE THE ADDITIONAL TEACHERS.
AND TONIGHT, WE'RE REQUESTING A BIOLOGY TEACHER, A HISTORY TEACHER, AN ENGLISH TEACHER, ALGEBRA TEACHER, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, A BUILDING TRADES TEACHER, AND A VIRGINIA TEACH FOR TOMORROW TEACHER, AS WELL AS A CUSTODIAN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
[INAUDIBLE] WELL DID YOU LOSE ANY OF THOSE TEACHERS DURING THE YEAR? AT THE END OF THE FIRST SEMESTER.
THINK. I WOULD HAVE TO RESEARCH THAT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU THE WRONG ANSWER.
SO I WOULD HAVE TO RESEARCH IT.
THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW BECAUSE THEY WERE BUDGETED.
IF THEY LEFT IN THE AT THE END OF THE FIRST SEMESTER, THAT WOULD MEAN THEY WERE ALREADY BUDGETED. YOU HAD BUDGETED FOR THAT YEAR, YOU DIDN'T BUDGET FOR ONE SEMESTER AND THEN COUNT ON THEM LEAVING.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS, JUST SO YOU KNOW, IF A TEACHER DOES LEAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE DID HAVE ONE TEACHER TO RESIGN.
BUT EVEN THOUGH THAT PERSON'S SPOT IS STILL THERE, THAT PERSON WAS TEACHING FOUR PERIODS.
SO THAT PERSON WAS STILL A TEACHER WHO WAS HAVING TO PICK UP AN ADDITIONAL CLASS PERIOD BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS.
SO WE STILL NEED THAT TEACHER WHO NOW WE HAVE YOU, WHICH YOU ALREADY HAD..
CORRECT, PLUS THE ADDITIONAL TEACHER THAT WE NEEDED INITIALLY A YEAR AGO OR A YEAR AGO OR A YEAR AGO, AND THAT WE STILL NEED THIS YEAR.
WHAT IS THE STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO? IT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE CLASS, BUT I WOULD SAY ON AVERAGE, IT'S ABOUT MAYBE 1 TO 24, 1 TO 25, BUT IT DEPENDS ON THE CLASS.
[00:55:02]
OKAY. AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CLASS SIZE REMAINS MANAGEABLE.NOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THEM TEACHING THE FOUR CLASSES? THAT REALLY IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ISSUES, IF WE CAN HAVE IT, SO THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO TEACH THREE PERIODS LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO AND THEN PLAN THE FOURTH BLOCK OR THE FOURTH PERIOD. THEN I THINK WE WOULD HAVE JUST A BETTER QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE SO TIRED AND THEY WOULD HAVE TIME TO REALLY PLAN THE WAY THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO PLAN. AS TEACHERS RIGHT NOW, THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THAT TIME TO PLAN THE WAY THAT THEY NEED TO PLAN DURING THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY.
SO THEY'RE HAVING TO TAKE ALL OF THAT HOME.
THAT INCLUDES GRADING PAPERS, WRITING OUT LESSON PLANS, CREATING THE ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE NEXT DAY OR WEEK OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE HAVING TO OCCUR OFFSITE IF THAT TEACHER IS TEACHING ALL PERIODS OF THE DAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO TIME TO DO IT.
BUT IF WE CAN GET THE FUNDING FOR THE ADDITIONAL TEACHER, THEN THAT WILL FREE THAT UP FROM THOSE TEACHERS.
AND THEN THOSE TEACHERS WILL BE BACK TO HAVING A REGULAR TEACHER DAY AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL TEACHER WILL PICK UP THEIR LOAD AND THEN EVERYTHING WOULD BE THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE. MY LAST QUESTION.
WHAT'S ACADEMIC AMNESTY? ACADEMIC AMNESTY.
THAT WASN'T IN OUR PRESENTATION.
NO, I KNOW IT WASN'T. OF COURSE IT WAS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AGENDA LAST MAY, I THINK.
WHAT IS ACADEMIC AMNESTY? I DON'T. WHAT WE WERE DOING WAS WE WERE TRYING TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO NOT BE PENALIZED FOR FOR THE PANDEMIC, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, DURING THE PANDEMIC, PEOPLE HAD DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AT THEIR HOME, ALTHOUGH WE HAD MY FI'S THAT WE PASSED OUT.
WE PROVIDED INSTRUCTION VIA SCHOOLOGY.
WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IS COME UP WITH A WAY TO NORMALIZE IT ALL FOR EVERYBODY SO THAT IT WOULD BE ONCE AGAIN EQUITABLE, BE THE SAME FOR EVERYONE.
AND SO WE DECIDED ON ACADEMIC AMNESTY.
AND WHAT WE DECIDED WAS THAT TEACHERS WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT STUDENTS GRADES, AND THEN WE HAD A GRADING SCALE WHERE AND I CAN'T SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE GRADING SCALE, BUT I CAN GET IT TO YOU. BUT WE HAD A GRADING SCALE WHERE STUDENTS WOULD RECEIVE PASS IN SOME CLASSES, FAIL IN SOME CLASSES, AS OPPOSED TO RECEIVING NUMERIC GRADES OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO WE WERE JUST TRYING TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR SITUATION, TO RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF FAIR GRADE AND NOT BE PENALIZED BECAUSE OF THEIR SITUATION DURING THE PANDEMIC.
BUT EVERYBODY HAD THE SAME SITUATION, GENERALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC, MAYBE NOT INDIVIDUALLY, BUT AS FAR AS THE SCHOOL WAS CONCERNED, EVERYBODY HAD THE SAME EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. WOULD THAT BE A FAIR ASSESSMENT? NO, SIR, THAT'S NOT A FAIR ASSESSMENT, BECAUSE SOME CHILDREN DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET. IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU KNOW, AND EVEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAD TO GIVE OUT T MOBILE ROUTERS TO SOME, VERIZON ROUTERS TO OTHERS, YOU KNOW, OUR TECH DEPARTMENT HAD TO DRIVE OUT TO TO WHERE PEOPLE LIVE.
THIS IS WHAT WAS TAKING SO LONG TO GET THE MY FI'S OUT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE AND WHETHER OR NOT THESE MI FI'S WOULD WORK IN YOUR AREA.
SO A VERIZON Y MY FI MIGHT NOT HAVE WORKED AS WELL IN ONE AREA AS A T MOBILE MISSILE.
SO WE WENT OUT AND DID THOSE TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS OR WHATEVER IN ORDER TO TRY TO GIVE THEM THE DEVICE THAT WOULD BEST MEET THEIR NEEDS.
FOR SOME CHILDREN, THOSE MY FI'S REALLY DIDN'T WORK.
SOME CHILDREN DIDN'T NEED MY FI'S.
THEIR PARENTS HAD INTERNET AT HOME.
SOME CHILDREN HAD PARENTS AT HOME WHO HELPED THEM WITH WORK.
OTHER CHILDREN HAD PARENTS WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN ESSENTIAL WORKERS, AND THEY HAD TO WORK DURING THE PANDEMIC. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE AT HOME.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S NOT A FAIR ASSESSMENT THAT EVERYONE BASICALLY HAD THE SAME IT WASN'T THE SAME FOR ALL KIDS.
SO WE DID THE BEST THAT WE COULD TO TRY TO MITIGATE THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES AND SITUATIONS AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, ENSURE THAT KIDS WERE NOT PENALIZED FOR THE PANDEMIC.
I HATE TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE, BUT I HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT I ASKED BEFORE.
[01:00:02]
HOW MANY OUT OF DISTRICT STUDENTS DO YOU HAVE AND THE MONEY YOU GET FROM THAT? WHERE IS THAT IN YOUR REVENUE? I DON'T SEE IT. SO I STATED PREVIOUSLY THAT I DO NOT KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD TONIGHT HOW MANY OUT OF DISTRICT STUDENTS THAT I'M IN DID YOU HAVE LAST YEAR? I DO NOT KNOW, BUT I WILL GET THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU.AND WHAT THAT TOTAL IS, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A PRETTY SIZABLE CHUNK OF MONEY BECAUSE YOU GET $1,500 TUITION, YOU GET $6,500 FROM THE STATE.
THAT MAKES A TOTAL OF 6500, I THINK, UNLESS I'M WRONG.
SO WHERE DOES THAT ENTER THE BUDGET? MR. EDWARDS, THE OUT OF STATE TUITION AS FAR AS THE MONEY FROM THE STATE, IT'S INCLUDED IN OUR ADM, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE STATE REVENUE SPREADSHEET.
SO THAT $6,000 IS ACTUALLY BUILT IN WITH THE STATE REVENUE.
NOW THE ADDITIONAL THAT WE COLLECT, THERE WAS A LOT ON CALLED TUITION AND ADULT EDUCATION. SO THAT $104,000 IS WHAT'S ALSO REPRESENTED THERE, ABOUT $60,000, BECAUSE WE CAN'T GUARANTEE, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
BUT THAT THE BIG PART OF THE MONEY IS IN OUR STATE REVENUE BUDGET.
AND THAT'S OF COURSE WAS GIVEN WITH THE BUDGET.
THAT'S INCLUDED WITH THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET? YES, SIR. RIGHT.
WHAT THEY DO IS THEY INCLUDE THOSE STUDENTS IN OUR ADM.
THOSE THOSE STUDENTS ARE COUNTED IN THERE.
SO IF WE WERE TO PULL THEM OUT, LET'S SAY WE HAVE 100, SO THAT THERE'S $600,000 RIGHT THERE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT OUT OF OUR BUDGET.
I'D STILL LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE.
OH, YEAH. SORRY, I'VE GOT IT WRITTEN DOWN.
ANYBODY ELSE? I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
WHAT IS IN THE CURRICULUM OF THE TEACHERS FOR TOMORROW CLASS? ALL THE TEACHERS FOR TOMORROW'S CURRICULUM.
IT IS A CURRICULUM THAT IS GOING TO HELP TEACH AND HELP STUDENTS TO BECOME TEACHERS.
WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT AT THE END OF THE TEACHERS FOR TOMORROW CLASS AND STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO SIT FOR THE PRACTICE TEST.
AND THEN ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES THAT WE HAVE IS THAT A NUMBER OF OUR STUDENTS ARE DUAL ENROLLED AND GOOD CREDIT STUDENTS.
SO THEY GRADUATE, THEY'LL HOPEFULLY GRADUATE WITH THE AA DEGREE.
SO WHEN THEY START COLLEGE AS A FRESHMAN, THEY'LL REALLY BE A JUNIOR.
AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THEY CAN START IN ONE OF THE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS. SO IT IS STRICTLY A TEACHER EDUCATION CURRICULUM.
THANK YOU. AND I GOT ONE MORE, GOT A PHONE CALL THIS MORNING ABOUT THE BONUS THAT BUS DRIVERS AND CAFETERIA WORKERS AND ALL ARE GETTING.
AND THE QUESTION I GOT WAS, IS THAT STATE OR COUNTY MONEY? AND IS IT TRUE THAT IF THEY GOT COVID AND HAD TO QUARANTINE FOR TEN DAYS, THEY'D GET ONLY HALF OF THAT BONUS.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE WROTE A GRANT FOR OUR BUS DRIVERS AND THE BUS DRIVERS WILL RECEIVE A RETENTION BONUS AND ONLY BUS DRIVERS OR DRIVERS WITH CDL'S WILL RECEIVE THAT RETENTION BONUS.
CAFETERIA WORKERS WILL NOT RECEIVE THAT RETENTION BONUS.
IS THAT STATE OR COUNTY? IT'S A GRANT FROM THE STATE.
YEAH, AND THEY MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN IT AS PASSED THROUGH FEDERAL MONEY.
SO IF THEY GOT COVID AND WERE OUT QUARANTINE FOR TEN DAYS.
THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ATTENDANCE.
THEY WOULDN'T GET HALF THE BONUS? THAT HAS NO, THE BONUS THAT THE RETENTION BONUS FOR BUS DRIVERS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ATTENDANCE. THAT'S NOT WHAT IS CIRCULATING.
THAT'S ALL. NOW, YOU ALL DO RECOGNIZE WITH FREE SPEECH, PEOPLE CAN SAY WHAT THEY WANT AND THEY CAN CERTAINLY CIRCULATE MISINFORMATION, AND THAT HAPPENS VERY FREQUENTLY.
ANYBODY ELSE? I HAVE JUST A FEW, IF I MAY, MR. CHAIRMAN. GOOD EVENING DR. SHANNON. HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT? GOOD EVENING. FINE.
IF WE COULD BRING THE PRESENTATION BACK UP WHILE I GET STARTED WITH JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO YOUR BUDGET PRESENTATION TONIGHT, SPECIFICALLY.
WITH THE STATE REVENUES AT $24,161,701 DOLLARS, HOW MUCH OF AN INCREASE DOES THAT REPRESENT IN STATE FUNDS? I'LL GIVE THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE THAT'S FINE. THAT'S FINE.
[LAUGHTER] I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU TO BE ABLE TO SPOT OFF THE EXACT NUMBER RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD. I JUST WAS LOOKING FOR THAT.
[01:05:01]
LOOKING FOR IT. I MEAN, THAT INCREASE ACTUALLY IS $3 MILLION ONE HUNDRED AND 80 DOLLARS I MEAN 180 THOUSAND SEVEN SIXTY ONE.BUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO REALIZE IS THAT 1,000,932 DOLLARS.
THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION. OKAY.
THANK YOU. SO THAT LEAVES US 1,248,496.
FOR GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSE.
OK. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT WAS ONE OF THEM.
HOW MUCH COVID MONEY DID THE SCHOOL SYSTEM RECEIVE AND HOW MUCH WAS SPENT AND ON WHAT? AND CAN THAT BE SEEN ANYWHERE IN A LINE ITEM BUDGET? YES. LET ME GET THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO COME FORWARD.
I'M SORRY. DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
WELL, THAT'S OKAY. NO, THE COVID FUNDS ARE NOT IN THE OPERATING BUDGET.
OK, AND THEY YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, THEY'RE NOT FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE EVERY YEAR OVER THE YEARS. SO THEY ARE NOT REPRESENTATIVE, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY GET YOU THE INFORMATION ON THE COVID FUNDS BECAUSE WE HAVE UNTIL I BELIEVE THE LATEST IS 2024 SOME OF THE FUNDS GO THROUGH. SO THOSE DEADLINES ARE OUT THROUGH 20 AND 24 TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT [INAUDIBLE] OF MONEY. OKAY.
YES SIR. OF THE 49 BUDGETED POSITIONS YOU SPOKE OF PREVIOUSLY, HOW MANY ADDITIONAL POSITIONS HAVE YOU HAD THIS YEAR THAT WERE FUNDED EITHER BY A GRANT OR BY THAT COVID MONEY IN YOUR TOTAL STAFF? ON TOP OF THE 49.
THE 49 WERE ALL BUDGETED WITH WHAT THE STATE WAS.
Y'ALL DIDN'T HAVE ANY THAT WERE FUNDED WITH COVID MONEY OR GRANT MONEY? NO, WE HAVE NOT.
CAN WE BRING UP THE SLIDE ON THE SPECIAL EDUCATION NUMBERS REAL QUICK? AND THIS MIGHT BE MY LAST QUESTION, I PROMISE.
IT'S OKAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH NUMBER IT WAS, BUT IT HAD THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SYSTEM.
ALL RIGHT, THIS. I WAS HOPING YOU COULD EXPLAIN TO ME IF WE'RE JUSTIFYING THE NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.
WELL, NOT JUST THAT, THE SPECIALIZED NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS AS WELL.
OKAY. SO IT'S NOT COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON THE BOTTOM NUMBER WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE THE DECREASE OF ACTUAL STUDENTS? NO. IT'S ACTUALLY NEED DEPENDENT, AND IT'S BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS WITHIN THOSE CLASSROOMS, AND TRUTH BE TOLD, WE HAD MULTIPLE SCHOOLS TO REQUEST AN ADDITIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, BUT WE DID BUDGET CUTS OURSELVES AT THE DIVISION LEVEL BEFORE WE EVER BROUGHT THEM TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD OR TO YOU ALL, AND SO I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY A REQUEST FOR MAYBE THREE ADDITIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN ADDITION TO THE ONE THAT WE JUST REQUESTED, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF JUST THE SPECIALIZED NEEDS OF THE KIDS, YOU KNOW? YEAH. GOTCHA.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANYBODY OUT THERE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. ONE OF THIS THING YOU HAVE, WILL EQUAL YOU DO [INAUDIBLE] THIS OR THAT? DOES THAT MEAN THAT A CHILD WHO CAN'T DO THE WORK BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET THE INSTRUCTION. DOES THAT MEAN THEY'LL PASS ANYWAY? BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE PENALIZED OR.
I KNOW. YEAH EVERYTHING THAT'S, BUT IT'S NOT BEHIND FOR THAT CHILD.
THAT CHILD NEVER GOT THAT EDUCATION.
HAVE WE TAKEN STEPS TO GET THEM CAUGHT UP? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW. YES, WE'RE WORKING ON THE LEARNING LOSS, AND IT'S NOT JUST FOR ONE CHILD. IT WAS EVERY CHILD.
WE WERE PASSING CHILDREN DIDN'T MATTER WHETHER [INAUDIBLE] WE PASSED THEM TO GET THEM OUT , AND I FORGOT WHAT PRESIDENT STARTED THIS, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE TO ME, WAS WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE PASS THEM WHETHER THEY KNOW WHAT.
[01:10:05]
DOES IT MAKE SENSE? IT DOES MAKE SENSE.HOWEVER, DURING THE PANDEMIC AND PEOPLE HAVE TO REMEMBER WHAT WAS HAPPENING DURING THE PANDEMIC. WHEN IT FIRST STARTED, TEACHERS WERE JUST CALLING KIDS ON THE PHONE, TRYING TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION FROM A CELL PHONE OR A TELEPHONE SO STUDENTS WERE NOT RECEIVING FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION FROM A TEACHER.
SO TO BE HONEST, IF WE'RE HONEST, IT WAS NOT QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
IT WAS THE BEST THAT THEY COULD GET FROM A TELEPHONE, FROM A TEACHER TO A STUDENT.
NOW EVENTUALLY WE MORPHED INTO TEACHERS BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION, BE A SCHOOLOGY OR WITH MIFI'S AND THE INTERNET.
SO THAT GOT BETTER, AND THEN IT GOT EVEN MORE BETTER FOR TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS BETTER.
IT WAS WHEN THEY THEN HAD THE OPTION TO COME IN PERSON OR STAY AT HOME, BUT WE WENT THROUGH MULTIPLE PHASES DURING THAT PANDEMIC WITH THE FIRST PHASE BEING WHERE TEACHERS, EVERYBODY WAS JUST PEOPLE WERE AFRAID.
EVERYTHING JUST STOPPED ON MARCH 13TH ABRUPTLY, AND EVENTUALLY IT WAS LIKE, OKAY, WE'VE GOT TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION. SO THEY STARTED CALLING THEM AND THEN WE START GOT TO A POINT WHERE WE WERE SENDING PACKETS OR SITTING PACKETS OUTSIDE IN FRONT OF A SCHOOL AND PEOPLE WERE COMING BY, PICKING THEM UP.
WE WERE DROPPING PACKETS OFF AT HOUSES AND TO BE HONEST, THE INITIAL FOCUS OF THE PANDEMIC WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE FED AND PEOPLE WERE SAFE.
IT WASN'T EVEN INSTRUCTION BECAUSE WE STARTED OFF WITH PROVIDING MEALS FIRST, BUT TO YOUR POINT, WHAT WE DID EVENTUALLY DO BECAUSE OF ALL THAT HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE THEN DECIDED WE WILL NOT PENALIZE OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE IT WAS NOT THEIR FAULT, IT WAS NOT THE TEACHER'S FAULT, AND EVERYONE AND I MEAN EVERYONE DID THE BEST THAT THEY COULD.
SO THEY HAD A GRADING SCALE, BUT THERE WAS A PORTION OF THAT WAS PASS FELL CONTINGENT UPON WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENTS COMPLETED THE ASSIGNMENTS.
NOW, THEY DID HAVE TO COMPLETE THE ASSIGNMENTS.
IT WAS NOT YOU DO NOTHING AND YOU PASS, BUT WE FIX IT SO THAT IT WASN'T THE GRADING SCALE WAS NOT AS STRENUOUS AS IT NORMALLY IS.
SO IT WAS PASS FAIL AND TEACHERS STILL MADE THE DETERMINATION.
WE DIDN'T MAKE IT. IT WAS UP TO THE TEACHER AND WE HONORED THE TEACHER'S PROFESSIONAL AUTONOMY TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A CHILD MET THOSE STANDARDS AND THOSE GOALS WITHIN THEIR CLASSES, AND SO ONCE THEY SAID THEY PASSED, WE DIDN'T QUESTION IT.
SO ARE YOU COMFORTABLE THAT EVERY CHILD HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP TO? NO, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, AND THE REASON I'M NOT IS BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC LASTED FOR TWO YEARS.
WE'VE ONLY BEEN BACK IN SCHOOL, NOT EVEN A FULL YEAR.
SO IF I HAVE A KID THAT IS IN THE THIRD GRADE WHEN THE PANDEMIC STARTED, THAT CHILD WAS IN THE FIRST GRADE.
SO THAT CHILD WAS LEARNING PROBABLY READ ON FIRST GRADE LEVEL.
WELL WHEN YOU GET TO THIRD GRADE YOU'RE READING CONTENT AND PULLING INFORMATION FROM THAT CONTENT IN ORDER TO ANSWER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
SO OUR TEACHERS HAVE HAD TO WORK EXTREMELY HARD THIS YEAR TO TRY TO MITIGATE FOR THOSE LEARNING LOSSES, AND THEY'VE NOT MADE UP FOR THOSE LOSSES, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE UP FOR TWO YEARS WORTH OF LEARNING LOSS IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING BEFORE SCHOOL INSTRUCTION, AFTER SCHOOL INSTRUCTION.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD SUMMER SCHOOL LAST YEAR.
WE'RE CONSIDERING SUMMER SCHOOL THIS YEAR.
IS THAT AN OPTION FOR THE STUDENT OR IS IT? IT'S OPTIONAL. IT'S NOT MANDATORY.
SEE THAT'S. SO WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO PARENTS WHO DON'T WANT THEM TO GO, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M SAYING THE WHOLE THING IS THESE CHILDREN NOW ARE BEHIND, BUT THEY MAY NEVER CATCH UP, AND I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE THE TEACHERS TO GET THEM CAUGHT UP.
SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK EXTREMELY HARD TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO GET THEM TO THE GRADE LEVEL. THAT'S ALL I CAN ASK YOU.
YES, SIR. YES, SIR, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? WELL, I GOT ONE LAST.
HAVING GONE THROUGH TWO YEARS OF THIS, AND I UNDERSTAND THE STRESS AND THE THINGS THAT WERE THROWN AT ALL DISTRICTS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
NEVERTHELESS, MY QUESTION IS, THERE'S A LOT OF DATA OUT THERE NOW FROM ALL THESE SYSTEMS THAT WENT THROUGH THOSE TWO YEARS, AND A LOT OF THEM
[01:15:02]
DID NOT GO THROUGH THE TWO YEARS THE SAME, AND THAT'S RESULTED IN A LOT OF DATA.IS OUR SYSTEM, LOOKING AT THE DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT BASICALLY YOU WOULD NEVER DO AGAIN OR WHAT YOU WOULD PROBABLY IMPLEMENT THAT WAS NEVER DONE BASED ON THE DATA COMING FROM SCHOOLS THAT DID NOT CLOSE THE CLASSROOMS? AND THERE WERE LOTS OF THEM OUT THERE THAT DID NOT DO THAT, AND NOW WE HAVE THE DATA BACK. AND I DON'T MEAN ACADEMIC DATA.
I MEAN DATA FROM CASES OF COVID, AND THE SCIENTIFIC DATA THAT WE CAN JUDGE OR SET A PATH TO MOVE FORWARD THAT MIGHT ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH.
ARE WE HEADING IN THAT DIRECTION AT ALL TO LOOK AT ALL SCHOOLS AND THE SITUATIONS THAT THEY WENT THROUGH? WE KNOW WHAT WE WENT THROUGH.
WE KNOW THE DEFICIENCIES AND THAT SORT OF THING THAT YOU'VE EXPLAINED TONIGHT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, MOVING INTO THE FUTURE, ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT THE DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE COMING OUT OF ALL OF THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS? AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE IN VIRGINIA BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED NATIONALLY IN YOUR PRESENTATION THINGS THAT ALL SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE GOING THROUGH.
SO I'M HOPING THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING TO GLEAN THE THINGS THAT WORK AND ELIMINATE THE THINGS THAT DON'T WORK.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY LAST COMMENT.
THANK YOU. SO IT WAS A COMMENT OR A QUESTION? WELL, IF YOU CARE TO ELABORATE, THAT WOULD BE FINE.
[LAUGHTER] I SHOULD HAVE RUN WHEN I HAD A CHANCE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T WANT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL TO SIT DOWN IF IT WAS A QUESTION.
DEFINITELY DO GOING FORWARD? WHAT I WILL SAY IS THE PANDEMIC WAS CERTAINLY IT WAS AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME FOR ALL OF US.
CERTAINLY, AND I THINK THAT WE DID THE BEST THAT WE COULD WITH THE INFORMATION, AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAD AT THAT TIME.
A PANDEMIC IS USUALLY A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT, AND SOME LIFETIMES THEY REALLY DON'T EVEN HAVE IT. SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING OR THAT PEOPLE EVEN PLANNED FOR. I THINK THAT'S WHAT MADE IT TO WHERE IT WAS A TOTAL AND ABRUPT SHUTDOWN OF THE ENTIRE WORLD IT'S JUST NOT MANY TIMES IN HISTORY THAT HAS HAPPENED.
SO WOULD YOU SHUT DOWN AGAIN? I WILL DO WHATEVER I THINK IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF MY STUDENTS AND MY STAFF AT THAT TIME BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE, AND SO YOU WOULD USE THE DATA TO MAKE THAT DECISION? CERTAINLY AND WE WOULD, BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE DIDN'T MAKE THE FIRST DECISION.
THE GOVERNOR MADE THE DECISION.
THEY TOLD US WE WERE GOING HOME ON MARCH 13TH, AND PEOPLE WE PACKED UP AND WENT HOME.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE IN THAT MATTER.
HAVE A GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS BEN NEAL I'M DIRECTOR OF BLACKWATER REGIONAL LIBRARY.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.
LIBRARY SERVICES IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER, WE'VE BEEN BACK WITH ACTIVE PROGRAMING, INCLUDING WEEKLY STORY TIMES, PROGRAMS FOR THE TEENS, CRAFTING PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS.
WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS AS COUNTY, SUCH AS SHERIFF'S OFFICE, ANIMAL SERVICES AND THE MUSEUM TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
[01:20:01]
YOU CAN SEE A PICTURE OF US WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THEY CAME OUT FOR A FIRE PREVENTION WITH STORY TIME.WE HAD A PETTING ZOO LAST SUMMER.
WE'RE ALSO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY A LOT STOPS AT IVOR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT ON A BI WEEKLY BASIS WITH OUR BOOKMOBILE TO SERVE FOLKS IN THE IVOR COMMUNITY.
BOTH GRACE'S LITTLE ANGELS LOCATIONS.
WE DO BI WEEKLY STOPS AT BOTH OF THOSE.
SINCE JULY THE FIRST, UNTIL MARCH 31ST, WE'VE HAD OVER 13,000 LIBRARY VISITS HERE IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
WE'VE ADDED OVER 1800 ITEMS FOR THE CITIZENS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
TECHNOLOGY IS A HUGE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY.
AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD OVER 2800 PEOPLE USE OUR IN-HOUSE COMPUTERS, OVER 2300 PEOPLE USE OUR 24/7 MIFI AND OVER 150 PEOPLE HAVE CHECKED OUT MIFI HOTSPOTS TO HELP THEM CONNECT WITH THE INTERNET.
WE'VE HAD 107 PROGRAMS THAT REACHED OVER 2500 PEOPLE, AND WE'VE HAD 51 POP UP LIBRARIES IN THE COMMUNITY REACH IN A LITTLE OVER 1000 PEOPLE.
JUST [INAUDIBLE] SOME OF OUR LIBRARY PROGRAMS. AS I WAS LEAVING TO COME OVER TODAY.
WE WERE HAVING OUR PECAN COFFEE SCRUB PROGRAM FOR ADULTS.
WE HAD ABOUT A DOZEN PEOPLE THERE MAKING DO IT YOURSELF PECAN COFFEE SCRUBS.
WE HAVE TEENIGHTS AT THE LIBRARY IN COURTLAND ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
WE HAVE A GOOD GROUP OF TEENS AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THEM ENGAGED AND DOING SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE THAN NOT ENGAGED AND DOING SOMETHING NOT AS PRODUCTIVE.
IN THIS SUMMER, JUST A SNEAK PREVIEW OF OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SIX WEEKS OF EXCITING PROGRAMS LIKE JB S RATTLES, PIRATE SHIP CRAFT, MAGIC SHOW, ANOTHER REPTILE SHOW, AND ANOTHER PIRATE SHOW AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ALL SUMMER AT THE COURTLAND LIBRARY, AND LAST WEEK WE HAVE A [INAUDIBLE] ICE EVENT, WHICH WILL BE GREAT, ESPECIALLY SINCE [INAUDIBLE] 4TH OF JULY WEEK.
WE'RE ALSO NOT JUST IN THE LIBRARY.
YOU WILL SEE US AT THE BOYKINS PUMPKIN FEST, SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, A DAY IN THE COUNTRY WE DID LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME WILL BE THERE AGAIN THIS YEAR.
VIRTUAL STORY TIME PROVIDED TO THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY OR THE SOUTHAMPTON CHILDREN'S CENTER AND THE GOOD TIMES AT GATHERINGS IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY FALL FESTIVAL WITH MY FRIEND LORRAINE AT SMART BEGINNINGS, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE AGAIN IN ABOUT A MONTH.
YES. WE JUST INTRODUCED SOMETHING CALLED A LIBRARY OF THINGS.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE LIBRARY, YOU THINK ABOUT GOING AND CHECKING OUT BOOKS, MAYBE A MOVIE, BUT NOW YOU CAN CHECK OUT EVERYTHING FROM A GUITAR TO A STUD FINDER TO A METAL DETECTOR TO THE CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS AND WE VIEW THIS AS A WAY TO, FRANKLY, PROVIDE VALUE TO PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY.
IF YOUR CHILD OR GRANDCHILD HAS A HANKERING FOR LEARNING THE GUITAR AND YOU'RE NOT SURE YOU'RE QUITE READY TO FORK OVER THE MONEY IF IT'S JUST A PASSING FAD OR NOT, THEY CAN TRY OUT FOR SIX WEEKS.
IF YOU NEED A STUD FINDER FOR THAT, DO IT YOURSELF PROJECT AT HOME INSTEAD OF GOING TO LOWE'S OR HOME DEPOT, YOU CAN GO CHECK ONE OUT FOR FREE FROM THE LIBRARY.
IF YOU NEED A SPECIAL MICKEY MOUSE CAKE PAN FOR YOUR KID'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, AND YOU'RE LIKE, I'M ONLY GOING TO USE THIS ONCE, COME TAKE IT OUT OF THE LIBRARY; DON'T GO TO WAL MART AND SPEND THE MONEY ON IT, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO OFFER ALL THOSE THINGS.
WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES.
IF YOU WALK IN COURTLAND LIBRARY, YOU WILL SEE THIS COURTESY CHARGING STATION.
IF YOU'RE COMING IN TO READ THE NEWSPAPER OR FILL OUT A JOB APPLICATION, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, YOU CAN CHARGE YOUR IPHONE OR IPAD OR WHATEVER DEVICE YOU HAVE.
WE RECENTLY UPGRADED ALL OF OUR WI-FI ACCESS POINTS WHERE IT HAS BETTER RANGE AND FASTER SERVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR PARKING LOT OR IN OUR LIBRARY.
WE'RE NOW UP TO 65 MIFI HOTSPOTS THAT WE ARE CIRCULATING.
WHEN WE STARTED THIS IN 2018, WE STARTED WITH 15 AND WE'VE SLOWLY BEEN MOVING THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A HUGE NEED FOR THAT AND WE HAVE NEWER, FASTER COMPUTERS IN ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS. FINALLY AND FORGIVE THE CRUDE, IT'S HARD TO GET THE ENTIRE COUNTY ON A MAP, BUT EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE SINGULAR LOCATION IN COURTLAND, EACH OF THOSE DOTS REPRESENTS AN ADDRESS THAT'S USED OUR LIBRARY IN THE LAST YEAR.
SO WHETHER YOU'RE IN NEWSOME'S, COURTLAND, [INAUDIBLE] MAYBE YOU'RE GOING TO [INAUDIBLE] STOP WE ARE CURRENTLY SERVING WHETHER AT OUR COURTLAND LOCATION, MAYBE SOME RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY [INAUDIBLE] USE THE FRANKLIN LIBRARY.
IF YOU'RE A LAW [INAUDIBLE], YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF IN WAKEFIELD OR WINDSOR, WHERE WE
[01:25:01]
[INAUDIBLE] HAVE LIBRARY LOCATIONS.THIS MAP IS JUST A WAY TO SIGNIFY THAT NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE AT IN THE COUNTY, ONE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS IS USING THE LIBRARY, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THAT IT WAS SORELY NEEDED.
THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY GREAT, THE DIFFERENT WAYS YOU'RE BRANCHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY BEYOND BOOKS THAT THE COMMUNITY MAY NOT EVEN BE AWARE OF, AND THAT'S WHAT MY QUESTION IS PERTAINING TO, IS HOW DO YOU ADVERTISE THOSE THINGS? THE MICKEY MOUSE PANS, THE STUD FINDERS, THE OBD READERS FOR THE CARS, AND JUST TO MAKE THE PUBLIC GENERALLY AWARE THAT YOU OFFER THOSE SERVICES AS A LIBRARY, BECAUSE TO BE QUITE HONEST, I WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT TO GO TO THE LIBRARY TO BORROW OR CHECK OUT A STUD FINDER.
YEAH, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SO WE JUST LAUNCHED THAT AND I THINK AROUND THANKSGIVING, SO THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE TIDEWATER NEWS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY CUSTOMERS OF OURS.
WE ARE GOING TO A LOT OF YOUR ROTARY CLUBS, YOUR [INAUDIBLE] AND WE WILL COME WITH A METAL DETECTOR AND SHOW EVERYONE THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE.
SO WE ARE STILL WORKING ON GETTING THE WORD OUT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE.
THE REASON WHY WE WANTED TO DO THIS, WE WANTED TO SORT OF CONFOUND PEOPLE'S EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE LIBRARY COULD BE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT BE INTERESTED IN CHECKING OUT THAT, BUT THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN SAVING A FEW BUCKS BY CHECKING OUT THAT METAL DETECTOR TO TAKE TO THE BEACH OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE IT.
ALL RIGHT, WHO'S NEXT? GOOD EVENING, I HOPE EVERYONE'S DOING WELL.
I'M CARL GARNER, CHIEF REVIVAL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE ASSOCIATION.
I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND RESCUE SQUADS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. 262, 2872, 9 MINUTES AND 28 SECONDS.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? 262 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS ANSWERED THE CALL FOR SERVICE 2872 TIMES WITH AN AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME, 9 MINUTES AND 28 SECONDS FOR THE YEAR 2021 IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
OF THOSE 262 VOLUNTEERS, 65% OF STATE CERTIFIED FIREFIGHTER LEVEL ONES [INAUDIBLE] WITH MANY BEING CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS.
31% OF STATE LICENSED EMTS [INAUDIBLE].
MOST OF OUR EMS VOLUNTEERS ARE ALS PROVIDERS, ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT.
THAT'S 262 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS THAT NOT ONLY RESPOND TO EMERGENCY CALLS, BUT ALSO MUST PERFORM OTHER TASKS LIKE MAINTENANCE OF BUILDINGS AND [INAUDIBLE], APPARATUS, EQUIPMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FUNDRAISING, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, THE RESCUE SQUADS ARE SUPPLEMENTED BY PAID EMS PERSONNEL THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH CITY OF FRANKLIN TO ENSURE EMS CALLS GET ANSWERED, BUT THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF EACH SQUAD ARE STILL HAVING TO PERFORM THE DUTIES TO ENSURE THE SQUADS STAY OPERATIONAL. OUT OF THE 2872 CALLS FOR SERVICE, 19% WERE FIRE RELATED INCIDENTS, ANYTHING FROM STRUCTURE FIRES TO [INAUDIBLE] CALLS TO JUST PUBLIC SERVICE.
81% WERE EMS RELATED INCIDENTS.
THIS NUMBER ALSO INCLUDES CALLS RUN BY FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE NOT EMS LICENSED.
THAT INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS AND MEDICAL ASSIST CALLS.
SO FAR IN 2022, WE HAVE ANSWERED 738 CALLS FOR SERVICE, AND WITH THIS TREND, WE'RE ON PACE TO SURPASS THE 2021 NUMBERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THESE CALL NUMBERS DO NOT REFLECT CODES THAT THE CITY OF FRANKLIN ANSWERS AS FIRST RUN IN THE SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE COUNTY.
9 MINUTES AND 28 SECONDS, THAT'S THE AVERAGE TIME WHEN THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES THE CALL TO WHEN THE FIRST APPARATUS ARRIVES ON SCENE.
RULE OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS IS 14 MINUTES.
WHY AM I SHARING THIS WITH YOU TONIGHT? BECAUSE I WANT EVERYONE TO REALIZE THE VALUABLE SERVICE OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE AND RESCUE
[01:30:02]
DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE TO THE CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTY, AS WELL AS TO THE OTHERS THAT VISIT, WORK AND TRAVEL THROUGH OUR COUNTY ON A DAILY BASIS.I WANT EVERYONE TO REALIZE THE SACRIFICES OUR VOLUNTEERS MAKE EVERY DAY BY LEAVING OUR JOBS, OUR FAMILIES, TO ANSWER THE CALL FOR HELP WHEN YOU'RE HAVING THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE, BY SPENDING TIME AWAY FROM MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO TRAIN AND KEEP UP OUR SKILL LEVEL SO WE CAN PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY SERVICE EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY DESERVES.
WITH THE LONG HOURS AND MENTAL EXHAUSTION ENDURED, RAISING FUNDS TO OPERATE AND TO TRY TO THINK OF NEW IDEAS AND WAYS TO RAISE FUNDS THAT ARE NOT SO DEMANDING ON MY VOLUNTEERS.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO PAY THE LIGHT AND THE PHONE BILL MAINTENANCE ON VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT AND BUILDINGS, VEHICLE AND LIABILITY INSURANCE, AND THE LIST GOES ON.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY TO SAY, WELL, I WON'T WORRY ABOUT FIXING THAT JAWS OF LIFE THIS MONTH OR WE CAN'T AFFORD TIRES FOR THE FIRST ROUND ENGINE THIS YEAR, SO WE JUST PARK IT UNTIL WE CAN.
NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR THAT, YET WE'RE EXPECTED TO ANSWER THE CALL WHEN SOMEONE IS IN DIRE NEED FOR HELP AND ANSWERED IT WITH RELIABLE EQUIPMENT, TOOLS AND TRAINED PERSONNEL.
FIRE DEPARTMENTS RECEIVED JUST UNDER $33,000 A YEAR, WHILE RESCUE SQUADS RECEIVED AROUND 36,500 FROM THE COUNTY TO HELP OFFSET EXPENSES THAT ARE VITAL FOR OPERATIONS.
ON AVERAGE, THAT'S ONLY 30% OR LESS OF THE TOTAL OPERATIONAL BUDGET FOR EACH FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND RESCUE SQUAD.
30%, THAT'S LESS THAN ONE FOURTH OF A CENT IN TOTAL REAL ESTATE TAXES COLLECTED.
LESS THAN $0.04 OUT $0.89 TOTAL EARMARKED FOR FIRE AND EMS OPERATIONAL COSTS.
THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE PAID EMS PROVIDERS.
THROUGH FUNDRAISING AND SOLICITING FOR DONATIONS, OUR DEPARTMENTS MUST MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE. DON'T GET ME WRONG, MOST DEPARTMENTS HAVE OUTSTANDING SUPPORT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES, BUT THE FUNDRAISING AND DONATION DOLLARS COME FROM THE SAME SMALL PERCENTAGE OF SUPPORTERS.
IF IT WASN'T FOR MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS LIKE FRANKLIN SOUTHAMPTON CHARITIES AND THE GROUP OF FAMILY FOUNDATIONS, SOME DEPARTMENTS WOULD JUST LITERALLY HAVE TO SHUT THE DOOR.
THE COST NEEDS TO BE SHARED BY ALL CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES, NOT JUST A HANDFUL OF DEDICATED SUPPORTERS.
WE'RE FINDING THAT A LOT OF FOLKS MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM BIGGER CITIES DON'T REALIZE DEPARTMENTS RELY HEAVILY ON DONATIONS AND FUNDRAISERS.
THEY JUST ASSUME THESE SERVICES ARE BEING PAID BY THEIR TAX DOLLARS, JUST LIKE THEY WERE IN A BIG CITY.
WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH FUNDING.
WE NEED HELP TO FREE UP THE VALUABLE TIME OF OUR VOLUNTEERS SO THEY CAN CONCENTRATE ON TRAINING AND OTHER OPERATIONAL DUTIES TO ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE, AS WELL AS IMPROVE THE VALUABLE AND NECESSARY SERVICE THAT OUR CITIZENS DESERVE.
I ESTIMATE AND I'M BEING VERY CONSERVATIVE, VOLUNTEERS IN THIS COUNTY SAVE TAXPAYERS WELL OVER 2 TO $4 MILLION PER YEAR.
WITH THAT SAID, WE'RE ASKING FOR A 15% INCREASE IN GENERAL FUNDS.
THAT'S ONLY AN AVERAGE OF $5,000 PER DEPARTMENT.
WITH RISING OPERATIONAL COSTS AND THE STRAIN FROM FUNDRAISING PLACED ON OUR VOLUNTEERS, THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS WILL HELP MEET OUR NEED SO WE CAN CONTINUE SERVICES ON A 24/7 BASIS.
WE'RE ALSO ASKING YOU TO CONTINUE THE SECOND PHASE OF A FIVE YEAR CIP PLAN THAT WE PRESENTED LAST YEAR.
AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE, THE PLAN ONLY HELPS AND IN NO WAY COVERS THE COST OF APPARATUS REPLACEMENT. A FIRE ENGINE TODAY WILL COST ON AVERAGE 450 TO $550K.
ON A 20 YEAR LOAN PAYMENT IS ESTIMATED AROUND $43,000 A YEAR.
AN AMBULANCE TODAY IS BETWEEN 185 TO $200K.
ON A TEN YEAR LOAN, THE PAYMENT IS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND $27,000 A YEAR.
AS ALWAYS, THE FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENTS ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT YOU HAVE GIVEN US OVER THE YEARS AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE HELPING IN ANY WAY YOU CAN. WE NEED YOUR HELP MORE THAN EVER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OUTSTANDING AND PROFESSIONAL FINDING AND SERVICES THAT OUR CITIZENS WELL DESERVE.
THANK YOU. QUESTIONS? IT REMINDS ME, THIS IS NOT MY QUOTE, BUT WINSTON CHURCHILL SAID THERE HAS NEVER BEEN SO MUCH OWED BY SO MANY TO SO FEW.
I THINK THAT FITS YOU GUYS, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE HERE FOR YOU.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT, IT JUST GETS HARDER EVERY DAY.
THE VOLUNTEER NUMBERS ARE SHRINKING.
THE VOLUNTEERS THAT WE'RE HIRING ARE GETTING OLDER, INCLUDING MYSELF.
I'VE BEEN IN 45 YEARS, SO IT'S UP TO US TO KEEP IT GOING, AND ANY HELP THAT YOU CAN GIVE
[01:35:07]
US, I'D SURELY APPRECIATE IT.WHITEHEAD WITH SMART BEGINNINGS, WESTERN TIDEWATER.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AND DO I HAVE PERMISSION TO GIVE YOU ALL A LITTLE FLYER? CERTAINLY. THIS IS ONE OF THE--WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY TWO IT'S TWO SIDED.
SOME OF THE ADVERTISEMENTS AND INFORMATION THAT WE GAVE OUT TO OUR PARENTS AND PUT IN THE NEWSPAPER, ONE SIDE IS TO RECRUIT PRE-K STUDENTS, AND THE OTHER ONE IS TO LET THE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES KNOW HOW IMPORTANT EDUCATION IS, ESPECIALLY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION . FIRST OFF, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THE PAST, AND I KNOW THAT WHAT YOU ALL DO UP HERE IS NOT AN EASY TASK.
SO I DO APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU ALL DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
THAT SUPPORT THAT HAS ALLOWED SMART BEGINNINGS TO PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES OF CHILDREN FROM UNDER-RESOURCED NEIGHBORHOODS, PROVIDING GREATER POSSIBILITY OF SCHOOL SUCCESS AND A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
SMART BEGINNINGS PROVIDES WORKSHOPS FOR EARLY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS ON THE LATEST PROVEN RESEARCH BASED PRACTICES THAT INCLUDE THE STATE APPROVED CURRICULUM FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD, AS WELL AS PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS THAT [INAUDIBLE] KINDERGARTEN DATA HAS SHOWN TO BE AREAS OF WEAKNESS.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH PDGB5 AND YOU KNOW, THE STATE HAS ALL THESE NEW INITIALS AND THAT'S PRESCHOOL DEVELOPMENT GRANT BIRTH TO FIVE DATA INITIATIVE TO TRACK, AND LIKE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT DATA EARLIER TO TRACK HOW THE CHILDREN FROM EACH OF OUR EARLY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS ARE PERFORMING ONCE THEY GET INTO KINDERGARTEN.
THIS HELPS US TO TARGET SPECIFIC PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND GET THEM THE TRAINING AND RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION AND THE INTERACTIONS THAT THEY PROVIDE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
WE WORK WITH PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY TO GET BOOKS AND RESOURCES INTO HOMES AND ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO READ TO THEIR CHILDREN AND HOLD MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS THAT WILL HELP INCREASE LEARNING CAPACITY DURING THESE CRITICAL EARLY DEVELOPMENTAL YEARS, BUT OUR MOST POWERFUL WORK IS HOW WE CONNECT OUR FAMILIES TO AVAILABLE RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY WHAT'S CALLED SYSTEMS BUILDING NOW.
FOR ONE THING, WE WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE FOOD BANK INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE FOOD BANK GOING INTO THE MEADOWS AND OAK TRAIL NOW, AND WE ALSO GO OUT THERE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOODS SO THAT THE PARENTS OUT THERE AND THE PEOPLE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES TRUST US.
WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM TO PROVIDE A MOBILE HEALTH UNIT OUT TO THE MEADOWS AND ADDITIONAL UNDER-RESOURCED NEIGHBORHOODS IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. WE HAVE CHURCHES GOING INTO THESE AREAS AS WELL.
WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH ENVIVA.
THEY ARE NOW PROVIDING THANKSGIVING, FOR THREE YEARS IN A ROW NOW HAVE PROVIDED THANKSGIVING DINNERS TO OUR FAMILIES IN THE MEADOWS, AND I KNOW YOU KEEP HEARING ME TALK ABOUT SOUTHAMPTON MEADOWS, BUT THE MEADOWS IS PARTICULARLY CLOSE TO MY HEART.
THEY HAVE ABOUT 72 OF OUR CHILDREN OUT THERE FROM PRE-K ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, AND THERE'S 88% POVERTY OUT THERE, AND AS MR. LIBRARY BACK THERE WAS TALKING EARLIER GATHERINGS AT SOCO, YOU ALL HELPED US TO SPONSOR THAT. AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOU PROVIDED THE FOOD FOR THE ACTIVITY THAT WE DID IN THE FALL. WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER ONE MAY 14TH, AND WE HAVE ENOUGH OF THE FUNDING THAT YOU ALL GAVE US IN OCTOBER TO PROVIDE HOTDOGS AND CHIPS AND SODAS FOR THE FAMILIES OUT THERE IN THE MEADOWS FOR THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE LIKE THE LIBRARY.
THE LIBRARY GOES OUT THERE AND GIVES AWAY BOOKS TO OUR CHILDREN OUT THERE AND YOU WON'T BELIEVE THE LOOKS ON THOSE CHILDREN'S FACES WHEN THEY GET THOSE BOOKS.
IT'S LIKE THEY'RE HOLDING A TREASURE.
THE CHURCHES, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE THEM OUT THERE.
HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
SHERIFF WHITE HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD IN PROVIDING DEPUTIES OUT THERE FOR US, AND IT'S NOT JUST TO HAVE SECURITY.
WE WANT OUR CHILDREN OUT THERE IN THE MEADOWS TO SEE OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AS FRIENDS, AS ALLIES, AS PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN TRUST AND GO TO WHEN THERE'S A PROBLEM, AND ONE OF THE
[01:40:06]
BIG THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, AS YOU SEE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THIS, IS WE'RE VERY ACTIVE IN RECRUITING OUR FOUR YEAR-OLDS FOR THE SOUTHAMPTON PRE-K PROGRAM, AND RIGHT NOW WE'VE BEEN ACTIVE. WE PUT UP SIGNS, I'VE ALREADY PUT UP FOUR SIGNS OUT AT THE MEADOWS.I'VE PUT UP SIGNS IN ALL KINDS OF PLACES, BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE ALREADY HAVE ABOUT 70 CHILDREN SIGNED UP FOR OUR PRE-K PROGRAMS IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY FOR NEXT YEAR.
I AM VERY CLOSE WITH BARBARA AND MATT, WHO ARE THE MANAGEMENT OUT THERE, AND THEY WILL LET ME KNOW WHICH OF THE TRAILERS OUT THERE HAVE FOUR YEAR-OLDS, AND I WILL VISIT EACH OF THE TRAILERS OUT THERE WITH FOUR YEAR-OLDS AND GET THEM INTO OUR PROGRAM.
WE ALSO WORK WITH THE HEAD START PROGRAM.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR OUR PROGRAM AS WE WORK TOGETHER WITH PARENTS, EARLY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS, THE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY.
MY GOAL IS TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN OUT OF POVERTY AND INTO COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? WE THANK YOU AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
LORRAINE, COULD I ASK YOU A QUESTION? I KNOW. I THINK IT WAS YEAR BEFORE LAST, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE ENTRANCE, THE CHURCH HAD RELOCATED OUT THERE.
THEIR PRIMARY FOCUS, I KNOW, WAS TO WORK WITH THE CHILDREN IN THAT IN THAT SETTLEMENT.
SO ANY COMMENT ON HOW THAT'S GOING? I KNOW THEY HAD A REAL AGGRESSIVE, POSITIVE AGENDA TO DO THAT, AND I KNOW THAT THEY RECEIVED SOME COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THAT, AND IS THAT STILL ONGOING? YES, AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY DID THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE OCTOBER GATHERINGS AT SOCO EVENT THAT WE DID, AND THEY HAVE ALREADY MET WITH US.
THEY MET WITH SMART BEGINNINGS LAST WEEK WITH THE GROUP WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY PLANNING FOR THE NEXT EVENT. SO THEY ARE VERY INTERESTED IN INCREASING THE QUALITY OF THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN OVER IN MEADOWS.
WHO'S NEXT? IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE RUN OUT OF PEOPLE HERE.
WE'LL TRY IT AGAIN. HELLO, MISS LEWIS.
EXCUSE ME, I'LL SAY SOMETHING QUICKLY.
I'M BETH LEWIS, I'M THE PLANNING DIRECTOR HERE IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
WE ARE VERY GLAD TO BE BACK IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING US BACK UNDER YOUR WING, AND WE HOPE TO NEVER HAVE TO LEAVE AGAIN. [CHUCKLING] AFTER LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL BUDGET LAST WEEK AND I SAW THAT OUR DEPARTMENT'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE INCOME OF THE COUNTY WAS GREATLY REDUCED AND I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY OUR INSPECTORS ARE BUSY, AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ISSUING PERMITS LEFT AND RIGHT, AT LEAST AT THE PACE, AS HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.
SO MISS LOWE AND I WORKED AND WE FOUND THAT THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT WAS USED TO GENERATE THAT INCOME WAS PART OF THE TIME THAT WE WERE IN THE CITY OF FRANKLIN.
SO THAT INCOME DIDN'T SHOW UP.
SO WORKING WITH MISS LOWE, THAT INCOME NUMBER HAS BEEN AMENDED, AND I DON'T FEEL THAT WE'RE AS MUCH OF SLACKERS AS IT LOOKED LIKE IN THAT ORIGINAL BUDGET, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK TWO YEARS AGO, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT WERE ISSUED PERMITS; IT WAS IN THE MID FIFTIES.
LAST YEAR, IT WAS IN THE LOW SEVENTIES.
IF WE KEEP UP THE PACE AS WE ARE THIS YEAR, IT'LL BE 99 NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN ONE YEAR, AND WE HAVE ONE FULL TIME INSPECTOR.
WE HAVE ONE FULL TIME PLAN REVIEWER.
HE LOOKS AT EVERY PLAN FROM A SINGLE FAMILY HOME TO WAREHOUSE TO BATHROOM EDITION ON THE BACK OF YOUR HOME.
WE HAVE ONE EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL INSPECTOR WHO HAS 600 SQUARE MILES, AND EVERY
[01:45:05]
TIME IT RAINS AND EVERY TWO WEEKS, HE HAS TO LOOK AT ALL THAT INSTALLED SILT FENCE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND ALL OF OUR INSPECTORS AND THE PERMANENT TECHNICIAN.EVERYBODY IN OUR DEPARTMENT IS FULLY CERTIFIED NOW AND MEETS ALL THE STANDARDS, THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, AND WE ARE PROUD TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. LEWIS? THANKS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
YES, SIR? AS LONG AS IT'S NOT A REAL DIFFICULT ONE, OKAY.
I'VE HEARD PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, AND THE ONE THING I WANT TO SAY, IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE WORLD, ACROSS THE STATE AND EVERYTHING, WE STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO COME FORWARD AND EXPRESS OUR VIEWS AND MAKE OUR REQUESTS, AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
THE ONE QUESTION I HAD, I THINK LAST FALL--PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG--I THINK YOU ALL APPROVED OF A GRANT FOR BROADBAND, CORRECT? YES, SIR. WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME WORK DONE OUT IN THE [INAUDIBLE] BUT WE'VE NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM IT AND I WAS WONDERING WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT, AND WE DISCOVERED A NEED FOR THAT TYPE OF THING WHEN WE WERE DOING WHAT I CALL PANDEMIC EDUCATION. WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? SO THE LEAD AGENCY FOR THAT PROJECT IS FRANKLIN SOUTHAMPTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INC.
IF YOU GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, THEY'VE GOT A LINK ON THERE WITH ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT GRANT AND WHERE THEY ARE ON THAT.
YES, SIR. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY MORE INSTALLATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY? I CAN'T TELL YOU WHERE THEY ARE ON THE INSTALLATIONS.
THE WHOLE PROJECT IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED BY 2024, SO THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION IS ON THAT WEBSITE.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A CALL AND MAKE SURE I GET THEIR WEBSITE.
SURE. I THINK 95% IS THE GOAL, 95% OF HOUSEHOLDS . THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD: WE ALL TALKED TONIGHT ABOUT FUNDING; EVERY ONE OF US DID , AND I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT RESIDENTS.
NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WE HAVE THAT ARE PAYING SOME TYPE OF TAX.
WHERE ARE WE WITH BRINGING FURTHER INDUSTRY TO THE COUNTY? IN OTHER WORDS SO WE'VE GOT FRANKLIN SOUTHAMPTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THE MARKETING AGENCY FOR FRANKLIN AND SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
THEY'RE OUT THERE ACTIVELY MARKETING OUR COMMUNITIES EVERY DAY.
THE PRIME SOURCES OF PROSPECTS FOR NEW BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY COME FROM USUALLY TWO DIFFERENT SOURCES.
IT'D BE THE VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP OR THE HAMPTON ROADS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO WHEN THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND OR RELOCATE, THEY TYPICALLY WILL SEND IN THEIR SITE CRITERIA WHAT SIZE SITE THEY NEED THE PROXIMITY TO INTERSTATES, THE PROXIMITY TO AIRPORTS, WHETHER THEY NEED WATER, SEWER, NATURAL GAS, HIGH-SPEED INTERNET, WHATEVER THEIR PARTICULAR CRITERIA ARE, AND ALL THESE AGENCIES WILL RESPOND, AND ONCE THEY HAVE THAT INFORMATION, THEY'LL SET UP SITE VISITS TO THOSE COMMUNITIES AND THEN MAKE THEIR DECISIONS, AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S LOOKED AT WHEN WE BRING INDUSTRIES IN AND OF COURSE, I'VE BEEN AN EDUCATOR FOR A WHILE NOW.
I THINK [INAUDIBLE] I PROBABLY RANK RIGHT UP THERE AT THE TOP, BUT BASICALLY YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE QUALITY EDUCATION TO BRING IN THE WORKERS FAMILIES, AND I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THIS: THE MONIES THAT HAD BEEN IN THE PAST PROVIDED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD--I'M TALKING ABOUT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS--WE'VE TRIED TO GET THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK THAT YOU ALL'VE GIVEN US. I THINK YOU HEARD THAT TONIGHT FROM DR.
SHANNON DURING HER PRESENTATION, AND I WILL GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, THEN I'M GOING TO SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET.
AT THE LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, WE HAD A RECOGNITION.
[01:50:01]
CORNWELL, YOU WERE THERE. I WAS.WE HAD A RECOGNITION OF SOME STUDENTS.
WE HAD ONE PARTICULAR STUDENT THAT CAME UP THERE THAT WAS WORKING WITH THE EMS/EMT FIRE PEOPLE. COURTLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT.
YAH, AND HE RECEIVED SOME AWARDS FOR HAVING GONE OUT ON THE MOST CASES, AND HIS WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IN LIFE IS BECOME A PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER, AND I THINK WHAT WE CAN SAY, THIS IS THE TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL THAT WE'RE TURNING [INAUDIBLE] AND THE TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL I THINK YOU ALL WANT US TO TURN OUT, AND I THINK THE TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL, SOME OF THESE INDUSTRIES THAT MAY BE LOOKING TO THIS AREA OF [INAUDIBLE], AND THEY WANT TO BRING THEIR CHILDREN HERE AND GIVE THEM THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
SO, WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT THAT AT THAT BUDGET FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD OR FOR THE LIBRARIES OR FOR PEOPLE BACK HERE WITH EMS AND SO FORTH I KNOW, AND AS I SAID IN MY FIRST PRESENTATION, THERE ARE A LOT OF PROGRAMS CHASING TOO FEW DOLLARS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT. I REALLY DO, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROVIDE FOR THESE PEOPLE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WAS INTERESTING WAS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE SENT OFF TO COMPETITIONS, AND WE HAD A ROW OF STUDENTS WHO CAME-- I KNEW MOST OF THE PARENTS--CAME UP THERE WITH FROM THE FBLA I BELIEVE IT WAS WITH NUMEROUS, NUMEROUS AWARDS AND I'M TALKING ABOUT NOT STATE SOME OF THEM ARE GOING ON I BELIEVE THE NATIONAL, AND THIS IS THE TYPE OF THING WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO WHEN YOU ALL THINK ABOUT THE MONEY YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE TO US.
LOOK AT THESE STUDENTS WHO COME BACK TO US AND OFFER THESE THINGS AND DO THESE THINGS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE'RE TRYING TO PRODUCE THESE TYPES OF STUDENTS.
I THINK WE'RE DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB WITH IT.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS 44 YEARS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A PANDEMIC. YES, AND I THINK DR.
WE HAVE HAD SITUATIONS WHERE STUDENTS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WENT OUT IN THE FIRST GRADE AND CAME BACK TO US, THIRD GRADE.
WE'RE TRYING TO CATCH THOSE KIDS UP.
WE'RE JUST NOT PASSING THEM ALONG.
THAT'S NOT HAPPENING. I CAN TELL YOU IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
I SIT ON THE BOARD EVERY MONDAY NIGHT, AND LISTEN TO THESE REPORTS AND PLEASE KEEP THOSE THINGS IN CONSIDERATION.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN DO TO BRING THOSE KIDS BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC TO A NEW FOUND FUTURE FOR THEM.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP HERE AND DO THIS.
I DO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE WE CLOSE? OKAY, IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS THE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE BUDGET 454 COMMITTEE.
WE'VE BEEN AT 452 FOR SO LONG.
HOW ABOUT 454? THAT'S SUPERVISOR GILLETTE AND SUPERVISOR CORNWELL.
YEP. OKAY, WELL MR. JOHNSON, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CORRECT ME, BUT I BELIEVE THIS COMMITTEE STARTED IN 2012.
THE 452 GETS ITS NAME FROM A NUMBER THAT THE BOARD AT THAT TIME HAD TO COME UP WITH TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN TAXES OR A SHORTFALL IN REVENUE. I'M NOT SURE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THEY WERE LOOKING FOR $452,000.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE NUMBER 452 CAME FROM, AND THAT'S BEEN HANDED DOWN TO THIS BOARD, AND MR. CONWELL AND I SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
ONE, WE'RE A COMMONWEALTH, THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, AS WELL AS MASSACHUSETTS AND KENTUCKY AND PENNSYLVANIA, I BELIEVE, ARE THE OTHER STATES THAT ARE A COMMONWEALTH AND NOT CALLED A STATE, AND THAT AFFORDS THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTIES SOME LEEWAY.
WE THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE, THE OTHER STATES HAVE A SECRETARY OF STATE.
VIRGINIA DOES NOT HAVE A SECRETARY OF STATE, AND SO, FOR INSTANCE, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN RICHMOND, WHEN THEY CALL DOWN HERE AND ASKED FOR PLANS AND SO FORTH, THEY GIVE YOU SOME PRIVILEGES THAT MIGHT BE UNIQUE TO SET UP YOUR OWN CRITERIA AND GET THEM UP
[01:55:03]
THERE. IT KIND OF HELPS, IN MY ESTIMATION, PROVIDE A BUFFER BETWEEN YOUR NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION HAVING TO DICTATE TO YOU AS AN ENTITY, COUNTY ENTITY, HOW TO ACT AND HOW TO PROCEED AND THAT SORT OF THING.SO HAVING SAID THAT, WE MET AND WENT THROUGH THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT MR. JOHNSON HAD PUT TOGETHER THAT I BELIEVE IS ON THE WEBSITE AND WE LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE, WHICH WE HEARD A RESOUNDING CHARGE THAT WE HOLD THE LINE ON TAXES.
NOW, I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THE PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT THE CONDITION THAT WE'RE IN WITH INFLATION AND THE RISING COST OF EVERYTHING, AND THAT'S EVERYBODY ACROSS THE STATES BEING HIT WITH THAT AS WELL.
THAT BEING SAID, WE STILL LOOK, FIRST OF ALL, ESSENTIALS WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL, AND SO I'LL WALK IT THROUGH THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED LAST NIGHT AND WHERE WE ENDED UP.
THE REVENUE CHANGES, THE DECREASE IN THE TAX RATE, THE PROPOSED RATE WAS $0.91, AN INCREASE OF $0.02 ON THE REAL ESTATE TAX, AND WE WANTED TO HOLD THE LINE ON $0.89 CENT.
SO THAT WOULD BE A DECREASE OF $326,747.
NOW THE RATE ON PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX WAS $5 LAST YEAR.
THE NEW YEAR IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO BE $4.30.
SO THIS IS SHOWING AN INCREASE.
WE INCREASED THAT TO 460, AND THAT GAVE US $172,985 TO APPLY TO THE 326,747. THAT WAS AN INCREASE ESTIMATE FOR PERMITS OF $53,400. THERE WAS A DECREASE IN THE TRANSFER FROM THE RESERVE OF $41,755, GIVING US EFFECTIVELY CHANGES OF $142,117.
AM I CORRECT SO FAR, MR. JOHNSON? YES, SIR.
SO THE FIRST THING WE CUT WAS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STIPEND, AND TWO YEARS AGO WE CUT IT 10%. WE CUT IT, IT WAS PUT BACK IN.
THE 10% WAS PUT BACK IN IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, BUT WE TOOK IT OUT AGAIN.
SO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE STIPENDS THAT EACH ONE OF US COLLECT PER MONTH TO OFFSET GAS OR WHATEVER AND CAME TO $4,150.
SO OUR STIPEND WAS REDUCED BY THAT AMOUNT.
THERE WAS A DECREASE IN THE FIRST BUDGET ROLLOUT OF $1,000 FOR THE CHILDREN'S CENTER.
THERE WAS A REQUEST, I BELIEVE, IN THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL FOR THE COUNTY [INAUDIBLE] OF 21,000, AND WE DECREASED THAT BY 10,000.
WE ELIMINATED THE FUNDING AT THIS TIME FOR THE CHEROENHAKA INDIAN TRIBE.
ALSO, MAHOMES TAVERN, A DECREASE OF 1500, A DECREASE IN FUNDING FOR THE WESTERN TIDEWATER FREE CLINIC OF 2500 AND ELIMINATED THE FUNDING FOR THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,000.
THE DECREASE IN LOCAL FUNDING FOR THE SOUTHAMPTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS $102,967, BALANCING OUT THE $142,117.
[02:00:04]
THAT BRINGS US BACK IN LINE WITH $0.89 CENT FOR REAL ESTATE AND $4.60 FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY, WHICH IS A $0.40 CENT REDUCTION FROM WHERE IT CURRENTLY IS.SO THAT'S THE REPORT FROM THE 452 COMMITTEE, AND MR. CONWELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE AWARE, JUST FROM PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR SURROUNDING LOCALITIES, WITH THE REDUCTION IN THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE, WE STILL ANTICIPATE AN INCREASE IN REVENUE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE VALUES OF THE PERSONAL PROPERTY INCREASING.
SO THOUGH THIS LOOKS LIKE A DECREASE IN POTENTIAL FUNDS BY $0.40, IT'S ACTUALLY INCREASING OUR REVENUE [INAUDIBLE] IN THE END.
DID I EXPLAIN THAT CLEARLY ENOUGH? I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY THAT IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE NUMBER, IT LOOKS LIKE A $0.40 REDUCTION, BUT WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF THE PERSONAL PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE AND IT'S ACTUALLY AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE GENERATED FROM THAT.
I'D LIKE TO SAY I THINK THIS IS THE LEAST WE CAN DO.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON, THE AVERAGE FAMILY, MIDDLE CLASS FAMILY IN THIS COUNTY.
IT'S GOING TO BE SHORT 4800 TO $5200 THIS COMING YEAR BECAUSE OF INFLATION.
I THINK WE FELT THAT PASSING ANOTHER BURDEN ONTO THE PEOPLE HERE WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT WE COULDN'T DO.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT'S A REPORT FROM THE 452 COMMITTEE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT DO WE DO NEXT? DO WE VOTE ON IT TONIGHT? NO, I THINK NEXT WEDNESDAY NIGHT, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER BUDGET WORKSHOP FOR YOU ALL TO CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT IT AND ANY OTHER CHANGES THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER, AND THEN BY THE TIME WE GET TO YOUR REGULAR MEETING ON APRIL THE 26, WE'LL NEED YOU TO FINALIZE YOUR DRAFT BUDGET, AND AT THAT POINT, WE'LL CALL IT YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH WILL BE ADVERTISED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
OKAY, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT'S ON OUR MINDS? LOOKING AT THIS, I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, TOO, [INAUDIBLE] SCHOOLS NEED MORE MONEY, BUT SO DOES EVERYBODY LIVING IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, AND MOST PEOPLE AREN'T ABLE TO SAVE $4,800 OR $5200 A YEAR, MUCH LESS HAVE THAT ADDED EXPENSE.
SO, IT'S OUR DUTY TO LOOK OUT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY AND YET TRY TO STRETCH THE MONEY AS FAR AS WE CAN IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACES.
SO I WOULD SAY IN THIS NEXT BUDGET MEETING, IF ANYBODY OUT THERE HAS ANY IDEAS HOW WE CAN IMPROVE IT, LET US KNOW.
ANYBODY ELSE. WELL, I JUST WOULD ADD A COMMENT.
IT WAS A FAILING OF THE COMMITTEE THAT CHRIS AND I WORKED ON WHEN WE WERE EXPERIENCING THIS KIND OF INFLATION IS THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS RAISE TAXES.
SO THAT'S WHY WE PRESENTED THE REPORT WE DID TONIGHT.
WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING, ANOTHER BUDGET MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY AT 6:30.
SO IF ANYBODY'S GOT ANY IDEAS HOW WE CAN STRETCH THINGS ANY FURTHER AND IMPROVE ON IT AND COME AND LET US KNOW.
WE'RE WIDE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A MOTION, WE ADJOURN.
[INAUDIBLE] MIKE, I WAS ASKING YOU ABOUT THIS COMMISSION, AND YOU MENTIONED THE WESTERN TIDEWATER COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD, BUT I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE TIDEWATER YOUTH SERVICE COMMISSION. WE FUND THE TIDEWATER YOUTH SERVICES COMMISSION.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THEM.
[02:05:04]
OKAY, WELL, I KNOW THEY WERE EXPECTING FUNDING THIS YEAR LIKE THEY HAVE RECEIVED IN THE PAST BECAUSE THEY DO SERVE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.LYNETTE, DOES THAT RING A BELL WITH YOU? IS IT UNDER PROBATION? MAYBE IT IS. POSSIBLY? YEAH. SO I CAN TELL YOU WHERE THAT IS.
ANYTHING FURTHER? WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MR. FAISON, THE PROBATION BUDGET.
SO THAT MAY BE THE PURCHASE OF SERVICE AND CARE DETENTION LINE ITEM MAY GO TO THE--THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT THAT IS.
THAT'S 110,000, AND THAT REQUEST COMES FROM WHO, LYNETTE? WHO DO YOU RECEIVE? DO YOU REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? SOMEHOW [INAUDIBLE] FUNNELS THROUGH.
I BELIEVE IT'S THE CITY OF CHESAPEAKE.
BUT YES, WE WORK WITH THEM ON A YEARLY BASIS AND HAVE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. YEAH, THAT'S ON THE FLOOR.
WE'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.