6:00. GOOD EVENING, FOLKS. [Call to Order] [00:00:03] WE'VE GOT A CALL TO ORDER THE JULY 26, 2022 SESSION OF THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WELCOME, EVERYBODY. AND WE DO NEED A RECESS FOR A CLOSED SESSION. [CLOSED SESSION] [INAUDIBLE] OH, YES, WE DO HAVE A CLOSED SESSION MEETING. IT IS NECESSARY FOR THIS BOARD TO NOW CONDUCT A CLOSED MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS SET IN CODE OF VIRGINIA 1950, AS AMENDED FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES. ONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.2 37 1185 DISCUSSION WITH STAFF FROM FRANKLIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INC. CONCERNING CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL PROSPECTS, OR THE EXPANSION OF EXISTING COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL BUSINESSES. WHERE NO PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MADE OF THE PROSPECTS OR BUSINESSES INTEREST IN LOCATING OR EXPANDING ITS FACILITIES IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. AND TWO IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.2 3711A7&8, CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EMPLOYED AND RETAINED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REGARDING POSSIBLE REMEDIES ASSOCIATED WITH CHARGES IMPOSED AND PROJECT DELAYS CAUSED BY DOMINION ENERGY'S RELOCATION OF A PRIMARY ELECTRICAL CABLE AT THE SOUTHAMPTON COURTHOUSE. THANK YOU, SIR. MOTION TO DO SO TO GO TO THE CLOSED SESSION DOCKET. ALL THOSE ARE FAVORITES HERE. WE'RE IN CLOSED SESSION. IT'S 7:00, SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS BACK IN OPEN SESSION. SUPERVISOR. LET'S SEE, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? VERIFICATION. CERTIFICATION. VERIFICATION? YES, SIR. [2. Certification Resolution] SUPERVISOR GILLETTE, CAN YOU READ THAT CERTIFICATION FOR US, PLEASE? YES. WHEREAS THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONVENED A CLOSED MEETING ON THIS DATE PURSUANT TO AN AFFIRMATIVE RECORDED VOTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. AND. WHEREAS, SECTION 2.2-3712 D OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA REQUIRES A CERTIFICATION BY THE BOARD. THAT SUCH CLOSED MEETING WAS CONDUCTED IN CONFORMITY WITH VIRGINIA LAW. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE, ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM THE FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS BY VIRGINIA LAW WERE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING TO WHICH THE CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION APPLIES, AND ONLY SUCH PUBLIC MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION CONVENING THE CLOSED MEETING WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED AND CONSIDERED BY THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. MR. CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION IS READ THEIR SECOND SECOND. THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I SOLUTION TO CERTIFY IT. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE. OKAY, SUPERVISOR JONES TO JOIN US TELEPHONICALLY TONIGHT. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY, NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. ALL RIGHT. CAN WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER FROM THE AUDIENCE FOR A BRIEF INVOCATION . MOVE ON TO NUMBER THREE. THANKS MUCH. THERE WERE NO ACTIONS IN THE CLOSED MEETING. [4. Citizens Comment Period] WE WANT A NUMBER FOUR, THE CITIZENS COMMENT PERIOD. VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE NIGHT. THIS STARTED IN NOVEMBER 25, 2013. AND IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON ANY ISSUE CONCERNING THE COUNTY, COME UP TO THE PODIUM. [00:05:03] GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. SO WE'LL OPEN THE CITIZENS COMMENT, PERIOD. WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS ANYTHING BEFORE THIS GIVES ME. ARE WE GOING TO DISCUSS ANYTHING BEFORE THIS? I'LL GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT BEFORE THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES. OK JOHN BIRCH. I LIVE IN [INAUDIBLE]. WILLIAM HART'S MY REPRESENTATIVE. I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STAY FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO I WANT TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT ON THE ITEM NUMBER TEN ON THE SOLAR PANELS. OH, THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING NOW IN OUR COUNTRY, IN THE WORLD. IF WE DON'T TAKE ACTION TONIGHT OR SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE YOU CAN LOOK AT SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY COVERED IN SOLAR PANELS. YOU WON'T SEE THESE PRETTY GREEN FIELDS ANYMORE WITH CROPS. AND BECAUSE THE DEMAND FOR POWER FROM THE CITIES ON THE EAST COAST ARE GOING TO DEMAND THAT SOLAR PANELS BE PUT UP AND WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR COUNTY. AND IT'S IN YOUR HANDS SAYING WHAT I'VE SEEN OF THE PROPOSALS. I MEAN, I'M NO EXPERT, BUT IT LOOKS IT LOOKS GOOD TO ME. MAYBE WE MAY HAVE TO TWEAK IT MORE IN THE YEARS TO COME. BUT I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO. IT HAD THE REALIZATION THAT WE WERE GOING TO FACE PROBABLY OPPOSITION TO WHAT WE DO TONIGHT. WE MAY EVEN HAVE LAWSUITS THAT WE HAD TO FIGHT. BUT WE NEED TO FIGHT FOR OUR COUNTY TO PROTECT IT FROM WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. AND I'VE GOT ANOTHER MEETING, SO I APPRECIATE IT. LET ME JUMP HERE FOR A SECOND. THE SOLAR ORDINANCE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING LATER TONIGHT THAT WE CAN SPEAK ON. SO I JUST WANT TO CLEAR THAT UP. SO. YEAH, RIGHT. OKAY. YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO IT BOTH TIMES, IF YOU LIKE. SO I JUST WANT TO IF ANYBODY WANT TO RESERVE THAT UNTIL WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING MIGHT BE A BETTER THING. YOU CAN STAY WITH IT. I CAN'T STAY. OH, YOU CAN'T STAY. I GOT TO MEET. ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE IN GOOD SHAPE, THEN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. IT'S STILL ON. SPEAKING TO. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] AND I LIVE ON GARDEN POINT ROAD AND DR. EVANS IS MY SUPERVISOR AND I AGREE WITH JOHN'S COMMENTS. THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE. SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT LAST MONTH I SPOKE BRIEFLY ABOUT SEVERAL ISSUES, ONE OF WHICH WAS OUR DISAPPOINTING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND OUR TWO SENATORS, KAINE AND WARNER, THAT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED HOW THEY SEEMED TO PUT MUCH MORE EMPHASIS ON FOLLOWING THE DEMOCRAT PARTY LINE RATHER THAN SERVING THEIR VIRGINIA CONSTITUENTS. AT THAT TIME, I WAS MAINLY CONCERNED ABOUT GAS PRICES, INFLATION. AND, OF COURSE, AN INVASION AT OUR SOUTHERN BORDER. IN JUNE, THERE WERE 207,000 KNOWN ILLEGAL CROSSINGS AT OUR SOUTHERN BORDER. THAT'S DOWN FROM 239,000 IN MAY. THAT MAKES JUNE THE 16TH STRAIGHT MONTH OF MORE THAN 200,000, NO I'M SORRY, THE FOURTH STRAIGHT MONTH OF OVER 200,000 AND THE 16TH STRAIGHT MONTH OF OVER 150,000 CROSSING OUR BORDER. THIS IS A 32% INCREASE FROM 2021 AND A 900% INCREASE FROM 2020. AND IF NOT MORE THAN 2 MILLION INVADERS THIS FISCAL YEAR. I HEARD ON THE RADIO YESTERDAY THAT THE ESTIMATE AN ADDITIONAL 450,000 INVADERS, WHICH THEY CALL GOT AWAYS, MEANING THAT THEY WERE NOT CAUGHT. AND THIS NUMBER IS PROBABLY A LOW ESTIMATE. OUR U.S. BORDER PATROL AGENTS ARE SAYING THAT THEY'VE LOST ALL MORALE DUE TO THIS ADMINISTRATION'S LACK OF ENFORCEMENT POLICY. MORON MAYORKAS, SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY CONTINUES TO INSIST THAT OUR BORDERS ARE SAFE. THAT IS A JOKE. LAST MONTH, I URGE YOU TO CONTACT OUR TWO SENATORS, KAINE AND WARNER, ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. IT BEGGED HIM TO STRONGLY INSIST THAT THE WHITE HOUSE PUT A STOP TO THIS INVASION. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, AN INVASION. SENATOR KAINE, SENATOR WARNER SWORE AN OATH TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND TO MAKE SURE OUR LAWS ARE ENFORCED. THEY ARE NOT DOING THEIR JOB. WE SHOULD LET THEM KNOW THAT WE DO NOT APPROVE OF THEIR INADEQUATE RESPONSE TO THIS INVASION. THEY LOST CONTACT WITH THEIR PEOPLE AND THEY NEED TO HEAR IT FROM US. LET'S SEE THAT THERE'S AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT ABOUT IT. [00:10:03] AND FOR THAT, I THANK YOU. AND ALSO FOR LETTING THE PUBLIC SPEAK. AND IF I HAVE ANOTHER MINUTE, COULD I [INAUDIBLE] A STORY? I HAVE A COUSIN WHO LIVES IN WILLIAMSBURG AND ATTENDS BRUTON PARISH CHURCH, THE HISTORICALLY PARISH CHURCH, WHICH HAS BEEN THERE SINCE COLONIAL TIMES. AND ON THURSDAYS, THEY HAVE A SOUP KITCHEN. THEY FEED THE HOMELESS. AND A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, WE SAID THEY HAD TWO MID-THIRTIES MEN SHOW UP, DIDN'T SPEAK A WORD OF ENGLISH, AND ONE OF THE CHURCH MEMBERS HAD ONE OF THESE GOOGLE INTERPRET PROGRAMS OR MAPS OR WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, THAT HE COULD CHANGE ENGLISH TO SPANISH. AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO CONVERSE WITH THESE TWO MEN. THEY HAD CROSSED THE BORDER ILLEGALLY TO RIO GRANDE, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD FLOWN THEM TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AT OUR TAXPAYER EXPENSE, GAVE THEM AN ELECTRONIC BENEFITS CARD, WHICH USED TO BE CALLED FOOD STAMPS, GAVE THEM $50 CASH, PUT THEM ON AMTRAK AND TOLD THEM TO GET OFF IN WILLIAMSBURG AND FIND A HOMELESS SHELTER. AND WHERE THOSE TWO MEN ARE TODAY, I DON'T KNOW, BUT THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. WHO'S NEXT? MR. CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS. WELCOME CHIEF. MY NAME IS WALT BROWN, CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA. I JUST WANT TO GIVE A KUDO TO THE BOARD AS IT APPLIES TO LITTER CONTROL HERE IN THIS COUNTY. LITTER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A DEEP CONCERN OF MINE. EVEN THE EIGHT YEARS THAT I SERVED ON THIS BOARD AS PART OF THE LITTER CONTROL COMMITTEE, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS, TOURISTS COME IN HERE AND THEY SEE HOW DIRTY THIS COUNTY IS AND OUR ROADS AND THEY TURN AROUND AND TELL OTHER PEOPLE AND THEY DON'T COME. AS YOU KNOW, FOR ABOUT A YEAR, I APPROACHED THE BOARD IN REFERENCE TO THE LITTERING OFF OF THE CUL DE SAC ON [INAUDIBLE] TRAIL, WHICH IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE 263 ACRES OF LAND THAT WE HAVE ON THE TRIBE RIGHT. AND SO THE BOARD FINALLY GAVE US PERMISSION TO ACTUALLY PURCHASE THE LIGHT FROM DOMINION ENERGY, PAY DOMINION ENERGY TO PUT THE LIGHT UP AND THEN PAY THE MONTHLY BILL. BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT SINCE THAT TIME, THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY INCIDENTS OF ANY LITTERING WHATSOEVER IN THAT CUL DE SAC. NONE WHATSOEVER. I DON'T SEE ANY FECES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CUL DE SAC ANYMORE, LIKE I USED TO TRASH BAGS EVERYWHERE THAT I WENT DOWN THERE AT LEAST TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK BY [INAUDIBLE] UP THE TRASH BAGS AND TAKING TO THE DUMP. BUT EVER SINCE THAT LIGHT HAS BEEN UP THERE, THE LITTERING OF THAT CULTURE HAS CEASED. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR ALLOWING US TO DO THAT ON BEHALF OF THE TRIBE. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELCOME. I IMAGINE THAT UNDER NINE C TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE LITTER SITUATION IN DEPTH. COME ON. YES, MA'AM. YOU'RE WELCOME. HELLO. MY NAME IS CARLIN KINNEY. I LIVE AT SHANDS DRIVE HERE IN CORTLAND. I'M HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU A LETTER THAT. FIRST, LET ME TELL YOU, I WORKED SIX YEARS FOR SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY SCHOOLS. I RESIGNED THREE YEARS AGO, AND I JUST RESIGNED AGAIN IN JUNE. I WAS THEIR ENGLISH SECOND LANGUAGE SPECIALIST. AND FOR THE LAST FIVE. WELL. THE FIRST FIVE YEARS, I WAS PAID FOR MY GAS MILEAGE BECAUSE I WAS SERVING CHILDREN IN FOUR SCHOOLS IN THIS COUNTY, DRIVING MY OWN VEHICLE. THIS YEAR WE HAD AN INCREASE. OUR POPULATION LAST YEAR WAS 11 STUDENTS. THIS YEAR IT WAS 27. SO MY JOB, THOUGH IT WAS PART TIME, BECAME MORE BECAUSE IT NOW INVOLVED ALL SIX SCHOOLS. I ACTUALLY WANTED TO DRIVE A COUNTY CAR AND I ASKED FOR THAT. I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU A LETTER THAT I WROTE TO MY SUPERVISOR, MRS. GILLETTE, WHO HAS SUBMITTED MY MILEAGE REPORTS TO THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR AND NEVER GOT PAID. I EVEN SUBMITTED AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND I DID NOT GET IT PAID. I'VE NOT GOTTEN ANY RESPONSE FROM HER. I DID TALK TO MRS. HICKS, THE HR PERSON, AND SHE I EVERYTHING IN THIS LETTER I TOLD HER, AND THE ONLY RESPONSE I SAW WAS YOU USED ALL THE RIGHT WORDS. AND THE NEXT DAY I HAPPENED TO BE TAKING A FRIEND TO THE HOSPITAL FOR SURGERY. AND AT THE LIGHT OF HUNTERDALE ROAD AND COLLEGE DRIVE, I WAS GETTING READY TO TURN LEFT. THERE WAS A CONVOY OF CARS FROM THE COUNTY THAT TURNED RIGHT DOWN COLLEGE DRIVE, WHICH I COULD SPECULATE WAS TO GO GET SERVICED. SO I WANT TO READ THIS TO YOU BECAUSE THE PEOPLE HERE NEED TO HEAR IT, I THINK. [00:15:03] AND. SO THIS IS ADDRESSED TO DR. SHANNON, WHO HAS NEVER SPOKEN TO ME ABOUT THIS AND NEVER DID RESPOND TO ME. MRS. HICKS AND MISSES GILLETTE. DEAR LADIES, HAVING SUBMITTED MILEAGE REPORTS TO MRS. GILLETTE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR 2122 AND AGAIN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, SPEAKING WITH HER THREE TIMES CONCERNING THE MONEY TO ME, AS WELL AS TEXTING HER, INQUIRING WHEN TO EXPECT MUCH, BUT NO RESPONSE AND VOICING IN MY CASE TO MRS. HICKS, BUT NO RESOLVED, IT IS NOW NECESSARY TO INCLUDE DR. SHANNON. FOR FIVE YEARS MY GAS HAS BEEN REIMBURSED. THERE IS A MILEAGE FORM FOR THAT PURPOSE. AT LEAST ONE EMPLOYEE I KNOW OF THIS YEAR GOT REIMBURSEMENT. THIS YEAR BECAUSE ALL SIX SCHOOLS IN THE SYSTEM ACQUIRING MY SERVICES. I TOLD MRS. GILLETTE THAT I NEEDED A CAR. NOT WANTING TO PUT THESE ADDITIONAL MILES ON MY PERSONAL VEHICLE. SHE TOLD ME TO SEE MR. GRIFFIN. WHEN I WENT TO MR. GRIFFIN, HE GAVE ME KEYS TO A SMALL, OLDER CAR SAYING, I HOPE YOU DON'T GET PULLED. THINKING IT WAS A JOKE, I TOOK THE KEYS AND THE CAR. THERE WAS NO ACCELERATION TO SPEAK OF, SO I STAYED IN THE RIGHT LANE ON HIGHWAY 58. THEN IT WAS APPARENT AS I CHECKED MY SPEEDOMETER THAT THE NEEDLE FLOPPED BETWEEN ZERO AND 45 MILES PER HOUR, NEVER BEING STEADY TO INDICATE MY SPEED. WHEN I RETURNED THAT CAR THE SAME DAY, I TOLD MR. GRIFFIN I WOULD NOT DRIVE THAT CAR AGAIN. AND THEN I CITED THE STATE LAW IN THAT. MR. GRIFFIN TOLD ME HE DID NOT HAVE A CAR FOR ME BUT WOULD HAVE ONE IN A WEEK OR TWO. THE CAR WAS AT THE PREVIOUS DECEASED DRIVER'S ADDRESS OR HOME. HE ASKED IF I MINDED DRIVING THE CAR OF THE DECEASED DRIVER. I SAID NO. FOR THREE WEEKS. I CHECKED WITH MR. GRIFFIN TO SEE IF HE HAD A CAR. HE DID NOT. FINALLY, HE DID RETRIEVE THE CAR FROM THE DECEASED DRIVER'S HOME. MR. GRIFFIN ADVISED ME THE CAR HAD BEEN CLEANED AND I SHOULD TAKE IT HOME SO NO ONE ELSE GETS IT. IT WAS THE MAN IN THE GARAGE WHO TOLD ME THE PREVIOUS DRIVER DIED WITH COVID. THINKING A MINUTE, I HAD BEEN TOLD THE CAR HAD BEEN CLEANED AND IT HAD BEEN AT LEAST THREE WEEKS SINCE THE MAN HAD DRIVEN. SO I FIGURED THE VIRUS WAS [INAUDIBLE] THE CAR WAS NOT WHAT I WOULD CALL CLEAN SINCE AN EMPTY BEVERAGE CONTAINER WAS ON THE FLOOR. THE SEATS WERE SO NASTY, I PUT MY SHEET OVER THE SEAT TO FEEL CLEAN. WHEN I PUT THE SUN VISOR DOWN, THE DEAD MAN'S MASK FELL INTO MY LAP. THE CAR WAS 22 YEARS OLD. IN SPITE OF ALL THIS. I DROVE THE CAR FOR THREE WEEKS, NOVEMBER TO CHRISTMAS AT THE END OF EACH DAY. I FELT LIKE I HAD BEEN BEATEN AND FINALLY REALIZED IT WAS DUE TO THE LACK OF BACK SUPPORT ATTRIBUTED TO A 22 YEAR OLD SEAT. THERE IS A LETTER IN MY PERSONNEL FILE FROM A DOCTOR STATING THE CONDITION OF MY BACK AND THE NEED FOR PROPER SEATING. THAT'S ANOTHER [INAUDIBLE] VIOLATION. I RETURN THIS VEHICLE AND DROVE MY OWN FOR THE SAKE OF MY SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. WHEN I TURNED IN MILEAGE REPORTS TO MRS. GILLETTE, I WAS TOLD TO DRIVE A COUNTY CAR. AFTER RELAYING ALL THAT HAD TRANSPIRED, SHE SAID SHE WOULD CALL MR. GRIFFIN TO REQUEST A DECENT CAR FOR ME. SOMETIMES PASSED BEFORE CAR WAS AVAILABLE. I TOOK THIS CAR AND DROVE IT TO FOUR SCHOOLS. THE CONSTANT SOUND OF SOMETHING ABOUT TO FALL OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR OR BROKEN STRUTS MADE THIS CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON HIGHWAY 58 WITH TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCKS OR THE BACK ROADS WITH NO CELL PHONE RECEPTION. HAVING ENDANGER MYSELF TWICE AND HURT MYSELF REPEATEDLY. I RETURNED TO DRIVING MY CAR. MRS. GILLETTE WAS CALLING [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT A DIFFERENT CAR. I TEXTED HER FROM MY NEW PHONE NUMBER TO LET HER KNOW WHEN SHE HAD A DECENT [INAUDIBLE] TO TELL ME. I NEVER HEARD FROM HER. SHE LATER SAID SHE TEXTED MY OLD NUMBER. WELL HOW MANY TIMES AM I EXPECTED TO ENDANGER MYSELF AND JEOPARDIZE MY WELL BEING. ENCLOSED ARE COPIES OF MY MILEAGE REPORTS. MR. GRIFFIN ADVISED ME TO TAKE THE CARS HOME. THE MILEAGE FROM MY HOME WAS FOR MY HUSBAND TO FOLLOW ME TO BE RETURNED FROM HOME. NONE OF MY MILEAGE [INAUDIBLE]. IT IS DISHEARTENING THAT MY TIME, ANXIETY AND PAIN HAVE TO BE SPENT FIGHTING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR WHAT I AM DUE. [00:20:02] THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME. MY PLANNING PERIOD WAS TAKEN FROM ME AT SOUTHAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL WITHOUT ASKING OR OFFERING A STIPEND. MY LESSON PLANS WERE FOR K-12 SECOND LANGUAGE STUDENTS AND FOUR REMEDIAL SIXTH TO EIGHT GRADE READING CLASSES. IT TOOK UNTIL JANUARY OF THAT SCHOOL YEAR AND AGAIN INVOLVING DR. SHANNON TO RECEIVE WHAT WAS DUE ME. NEVER HAS THIS BEEN A PROBLEM IN THREE OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS I HAVE TAUGHT OVER 22 YEARS. OTHER TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAVE SIMILAR STORIES, SO I'M SPEAKING FOR THEM AS WELL. THEY NEED TO WORK, I DON'T. PROBABLY COULD USE THE MONEY, BUT I'M NOT WORKING. IF YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT TEACHER RETENTION, YOU NEED TO CONSIDER THE MESSAGE. CERTAINLY, I DO NOT FEEL APPRECIATED AND THE THREE VEHICLES I WAS GIVEN ONLY SAYS HOW DISPENSABLE I AM ON THE WORST LEVEL. HOW CAN YOU THINK THIS IS RIGHT. THE SUV, NEW TRUCKS AND MALIBU DID NOT ESCAPE MY NOTICE? I WILL EXPECT MY REIMBURSEMENT CHECK IN THE MAIL WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL NOT NEED TO GO ANY FURTHER. DISAPPOINTED CARLIN KENNEDY. AND WELL, I TURNED THAT IN ON JUNE 29TH AND I HAVEN'T HEARD A WORD. SO THE REST OF WHAT IS HERE NOW SUPPORTS THE INCREASE IN THE WORKLOAD OVER THE LAST YEAR AND ALSO THE JUST SOME LAWS THAT I [INAUDIBLE] THE STATE VEHICLES AND VIRGINIA AS WELL AS FEDERAL. SO I JUST NEED YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT TEACHERS ARE REALLY NOT TREATED FAIRLY HERE. AND ALSO I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR FOR YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT. THERE IS A AN EQUITY PROGRAM IN PLACE TO TRAIN TEACHERS AND EQUITY IS CODE FOR CRT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THAT. AND THE OTHER THING IS, GOING INTO THE SCHOOLS I'VE BEEN IN ALL OF THEM. I HAVE SEEN EVIDENCE THAT SKIN COLOR HAS BEEN TAUGHT IN AT LEAST ONE CLASS ROOM [INAUDIBLE] AND AS FAR AS POLITICAL, POLITICS AND THE CURRICULUM. I'VE SEEN THAT AS WELL. I'VE SEEN TEACHERS SHOW CNN NEWS. THEY DON'T SHOW THE FOX SIDE OF THINGS. I HELP A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WRITE LETTERS TO SENATORS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO EXPRESS. NOW, THIS KID BARELY SPEAKS ENGLISH, AND HE WAS HIS ASSIGNMENT WAS TO WRITE TO THE SENATORS ABOUT HIS CHOICE OF ENERGY. AND THIS WAS AFTER BEING TOLD ALL THE EVILS OF FOSSIL FUELS AND, OF COURSE, ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT WINDMILLS AND OUR SOLAR PANELS. SO I BROADEN HIS KNOWLEDGE A LITTLE BIT, LETTING HIM KNOW ABOUT WITH SOLAR PANELS, ABOUT POLLUTION THAT IT'S CREATED WITH ALL THESE OTHER GREEN ENERGIES AND LETTING THEM KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THE POSITIVES FOR THE FOSSIL FUELS. IT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY STUDENT THAT REQUESTED A FOSSIL FUEL AND HE CHOSE GAS, THINKING THAT WAS THE CLEANEST. SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW AND BE AWARE OF THE FACT IT'S NOT THAT THIS IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT THIS IS WELL, AND I KNOW I'M GOING TO FOLLOW IN YOUR BACK AND FORTH WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INPUT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. EVERY MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS A COPY OF YOUR LETTER. OKAY. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN, SUPERVISORS, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] WILLIAMS. CAME TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT [INAUDIBLE]. EVER SINCE DAY ONE I OPEN THE SHOOTING PRESERVE, IT'S NOTHING BUT THE [INAUDIBLE] COMING AFTER ME SINCE DAY ONE. Y'ALL HAVE ACTUALLY CHANGED THE ORDINANCE JUST TO SHUT ME DOWN AS WHAT'S GOING ON. DR. EDWARDS YOU SAID IN THE BEGINNING, MR. WILLIAMS, YOU DON'T NEED TO HIRE A LAWYER. IT'S IN OUR ORDINANCE. IT'S LEGAL. AND THEN ALL THAT JUST WENT DOWN THE ROAD. AND NOW THEY COME BACK AND SAY, OH, MR. WILLIAMS, YOU'RE COMMERCIAL NOW. OH, WELL, MR. WILLIAMS ALL OF SUDDEN YOU NEED A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR PEOPLE TO ENTER YOUR LAND BECAUSE THEY THINK BECAUSE I'VE GOT A 8 X 8 STRUCTURE THE PUBLIC DOES NOT HUNT IN A BUILDING THE PUBLIC COUNCIL LAND. I DON'T NEED A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR PEOPLE TO ENTER MY LAND TO HUNT. [00:25:03] NOW, Y'ALL HAVE CHANGED THE ORDINANCE ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE BOARD. [INAUDIBLE] EMAILS. I'M NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO HUNT ON MY OWN PRIVATE LAND THAT'S ZONED AGRICULTURAL. THAT IS IN THE EMAILS. I'LL BE GLAD TO READ IT TO YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHAT IS IT YOU WANT FROM ME? IS IT BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE HERE? BECAUSE I'M NOT IN THE LOCAL HUNT CLUB. I MEAN, I'VE OWNED THAT LAND FOR 19 YEARS IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT'S EVER BEEN ASKED ME FROM ABOVE. AND HERE I AM TRYING TO SHOOT BIRDS AND HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH GUYS SHOOTING BIRDS. AND Y'ALL HAVE JUST TURNED IT INTO WORLD WAR THREE. YOU TELLING ME I CAN'T HUNT ON MY OWN AGRICULTURAL LAND? THAT SHE SAYS, CALL THE BUILDING INSPECTOR? I CALL THE BUILDING INSPECTOR. HE SENDS ME A COMMERCIAL BUILDING APPLICATION FOR AN EIGHT BY EIGHT STORAGE BUILDING IN THE MIDDLE OF A CORNFIELD. NO WATER, NO POWER, NO INSULATION, NOTHING. YOU'RE LUCKY IF TWO PEOPLE CAN STAND UP INSIDE IT. WHAT IS IT THAT THE BOARD WANTS ME TO DO. PLEASE ADVISE. ANYBODY. I MEAN, MY NEXT STEP IS FILING A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE COUNTY AT THIS POINT. CERTAIN MEMBERS UP HERE HAVE BEEN PRETTY VENGEFUL TOWARDS ME. I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND TELL NAMES, BUT THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE. BECAUSE I'LL LET THE HUNT CLUB RUN ALL OVER MY LAND. THEY DO IT ANYWAY. IS THAT WHAT IT IS? IS IT BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORS ARE SHOOTING OVER MY FENCE LINE AND THROWING SKEET? AND WHEN THEY GOT CAUGHT, THEY GOT IN TROUBLE AND CAUSED A WHOLE LOT OF PROBLEM FOR ME. IS THAT WHAT IT IS? I MEAN, WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? WE'RE SHOOTING BIRDS. LAST YEAR, WE HAD 14 HOURS WORTH OF HUNTING. FROM SEPTEMBER TO MARCH, WE ACTUALLY HAD 9.3, 3 HOURS OF WALKING FROM STATION TO STATION AND 4.6 HOURS ACTUALLY PULLING THE TRIGGER. AND ONE CALENDAR YEAR, ALL OF THIS IS FOR 4 HOURS OF SHOOTING SHOTGUNS, BIRDSHOT. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. I MEAN, IS THAT WHAT I NEED TO DO? COUNTY DON'T WANT TO WORK ANYTHING OUT. DO WE NEED TO FILE A LAWSUIT WITH MY LAWYER? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT GETTING HELP FROM THE COUNTY. MOST COUNTIES TRY TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE COUNTY. NOT THIS COUNTY. I'VE BEEN WAITING 19 YEARS FOR Y'ALL TO PUT MY PROPERTY ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ALL I HEAR. ONE OF THE MEETINGS IS MR. WILLIAMS, YOUR PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE COMMERCIAL. WE FEEL LIKE THIS WILL IMPACT YOUR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. THERE IS GOING TO BE NO DEVELOPMENT. YOU KNOW WHAT? CHANGE YOU WANT IT TO STAY THE SAME. THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BAD. IT'S STILL THERE 19 YEARS LATER. HAVEN'T EVEN DOTTED A ORANGE ON A PIECE OF PAPER. BUT YOU ALL SAY, Y'ALL WANT DEVELOPMENT. YOU WANT CHANGE. NOT NO CHANGE. HERE IS THE BULLY SYSTEM BULLYING ME OUT WHY? BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE HERE BECAUSE I'M NOT IN THE HOME CLUB. I LET EVERYBODY RUN ALL OVER MY LAND. NOT BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO. BECAUSE THEY DO IT AND THEY GET AWAY WITH IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. ALL RIGHT, WHO'S NEXT? STILL GOT SOME TIME. LAST CALL. ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'LL MOVE AND CLOSE THE CITIZENS COMMENT PERIOD. WE'LL GO ON TO 4A, FOR DISCUSSION IN CHANGING THE TIME OF THE CLOSED MEETING SESSION. I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENT. I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW PEOPLE WOULD FEEL IF WE WENT STRAIGHT TO OPEN SESSION WHEN WE FINISHED UP CLOSED SESSION. INSTEAD OF WAITING UNTIL 7:00. RIGHT NOW, WE CLOSED SESSION THEORETICALLY FROM 6 TO 7. WE GO INTO CLOSED SECTION AT 6:00. THE REGULAR MEETING STARTS AT SEVEN. BUT I UNDERSTAND WE CANNOT COME OUT EARLY. AND GO IN TO THE REGULAR MEETING. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING, WHETHER THAT'S POSSIBLE OR HOW WE CHANGE IT. MR. THROWER. YEAH, I'LL JUST ADD YOU'RE EXACTLY CORRECT. I GUESS THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT YOU WOULD HOLD CLOSED SESSION FIRST, AS YOU CURRENTLY DO, BUT INSTEAD OF WAITING TILL 7:00 TO OFFICIALLY COME BACK INTO OPEN SESSION, THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU MAY HAVE ONE OR TWO ITEMS THAT TAKE 10 TO 15 MINUTES. SO INSTEAD OF WAITING 50, 45 MINUTES TILL 7:00, THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT YOU ALL, THAT THE BOARD IMMEDIATELY PROCEED [00:30:08] TO BACK TO OPEN SESSION UPON CLOSING OPEN SESSION, WHICH A LOT OF LOCALITIES ALREADY DO THAT CURRENTLY. SO THAT WILL BE A SUGGESTION GOING FORWARD FOR THE BOARD INSTEAD OF THE BOARD HAVING TO WAIT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY 30 MINUTES, 45 MINUTES TO A 7:00 WHERE YOU COULD IMMEDIATELY PROCEED INTO BACK INTO OPEN SESSION UPON COMING OUT OF CLOSED SESSION. WHAT DO YOU THINK, FOLKS? THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, SAVE SOME TIME? MR. REILLY, IS [INAUDIBLE] PROBLEMS THAT. NO PROBLEM, JUST IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS. YOU JUST NEED TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT YOU'RE CHANGING THAT PROCEDURE SO THERE'LL BE NO MISUNDERSTANDING AND A SOME TYPE OF NOTICE, PREFERABLY A NEWS ARTICLE. AND THE [INAUDIBLE] NEWS WOULD BE HELPFUL TOO. SO SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE SOMETHING TO FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE HERE UNTIL SEVEN. JUST FUNDAMENTAL FAIRNESS, COMMON SENSE. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. WE GO THAT WAY. I'LL MAKE A MOTION WE.. I'LL SECONDED. SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. SO MOVE. I WILL SAY FROM [INAUDIBLE] HERE HALF AN HOUR. ALL RIGHT. NUMBER FIVE, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. [5. Approval of Minutes] THIS IS THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE JUNE 28TH MEETING. ANYBODY HAVE ANY MODIFICATION CHANGES IN THOSE MINUTES? IF NOT, WE'RE ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES. SO MOVED. AND SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. NUMBER SIX, HIGHWAY MATTERS. [6. Highway Matters] FIRST OF ALL, 671 IS OPEN. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DETOUR SIGNS ARE STILL THERE, BUT. BUT THE ROAD IS OPEN. 671 THROUGH NEWSOME. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONCERNS? I HAVE A CONCERN AND A JOY TO. YESTERDAY I SAW FOUR VDOT PEOPLE PICKING UP TRASH ON SIX. I GUESS IT WAS VDOT ANYWAY, FOUR PEOPLE PICKING UP TRASH ON 671 ALL THE WAY DOWN, 671 AND LOTS OF BAGS OF TRASH. AND THAT'S MY JOY. AND MY CONCERN IS THAT THE BOROUGH OWNED BONDS CHURCH CIRCLE THAT'S BLOCKING A HOLE THAT WAS THAT I TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST MEETING IS STILL THERE AND THE HOLE IS STILL THERE. ALL RIGHT. SUPERVISOR WHITE. ONLY CONCERN I HAD WAS FOR THE GET THE DETOUR SIGNS TAKEN DOWN FOR THE BRIDGE. THAT'S. SO ANYWAY, I GUESS MAYBE THEY'LL. TAKE CARE OF THAT IN THE COMING NEXT WEEK. ALL RIGHT. I'D LIKE TO THANK VDOT FOR ADDRESSING AN ISSUE THAT CAME UP. THIS PAST WEEK CONCERNING THESE HOT DAYS AND THE TAR WORKING ITS WAY TO THE TOP OF THE SURFACE AND THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AND THEY TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY WITH A SPREADER TRUCK AND SOME SAND TO TRY TO PUT SOME TRACTION ON THE SIDE OF THAT HILL TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS. THAT HAD BEEN ACTUALLY WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE RESIDENTS ALONG THAT HAD BEEN FOUR ACCIDENTS IN THE LAST YEAR IN THAT SPOT. BUT VDOT WENT OUT THERE THE NEXT DAY AND TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM. AND ALSO THERE WAS ONE OTHER CALL ABOUT CHILDREN GETTING ON AND OFF SCHOOL BUSSES AND THE SPEED OF THE CARS AND TRUCKS ALONG THAT STRAIGHTAWAY WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF VDOT AND MAYBE THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING UP SOME A SIGN OR TWO ABOUT CHILDREN LOADING ONTO SCHOOL BUSSES. SO I'D LIKE TO JUST THANK VDOT FOR LOOKING INTO THESE CONCERNS AS QUICK AS THEY DID. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S HERE FROM VDOT TONIGHT, BUT ANYWAY, I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? I HAD ONE IN MY DISTRICT. SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE CONTACTED ME AND I'VE NOTICED TOO. TO DART AND SCOUT ROAD COMES OUT, PASS DART AND MILL ENTRANCE. THE DART MILL GOES UP A HILL, AND THEN THERE'S A RIGHT HAND TURN ON SYCAMORE TO GO INTO SEDLEY. [00:35:04] AND THAT'S REALLY A BLIND SPOT IF YOU'RE COMING OUT OF SYCAMORE ARE TURNING ON TO SYCAMORE. YOU CAN'T SEE OVER THAT HILL AND YOU'VE GOT TO COME OUT OF THERE FLYING LIKE MARIO ANDRETTI OR WHATEVER HIS NAME WAS ABOUT 60 MILES AN HOUR BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CLOSE CALLS THERE. SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE VDOT TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF THERE'S SOME WAY THEY COULD PROMOTE SOME SAFETY THERE. YOU CAN'T SEE OVER THAT HILL. YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING COMING. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO TO NUMBER SEVEN, THE MONTHLY REPORTS, FINANCIAL REPORT. [7. Monthly Reports] STOP ME AS I GO DOWN THE LIST LIKE TREASURER'S OFFICE. WE ALWAYS COUNT ON YOU. GOOD EVENING, I'D LIKE TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE COLLECTION RATE FROM JUNE TO JULY? AS FAR AS THE REAL ESTATE? IN JUNE WE WERE AT 99.75%. WE'RE UP TO 99.77%. AND WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF $437,065.02. PERSONAL PROPERTY GREW AT 97% IN JUNE, WITH UP TO 97.17% IN JULY. WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF $1,464,695.14. THE SOLID WASTE. IN JUNE, WE WERE AT 73.99%. WE'RE UP TO 74.47% WITH THE OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF $1,099,794. AND THEN I HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO GET SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU ALL AS A FOLLOW UP FROM A PREVIOUS MEETING, AND I'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOU. AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS IT WITH YOU LATER. THANK YOU. THANKS. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? WELL, WE'RE GOING DOWN HERE TO ANIMAL CONTROL. ANYBODY FROM THAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? COOPERATIVE EXTENSION. BLACKWATER REGIONAL LIBRARY. SOLID WASTE QUANTITIES. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, PERSONNEL. MR. THROWER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? JUST A FEW ITEMS, CHAIRMAN EDWARDS. WE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF EMPLOYEES HIRED RECENTLY, VINCENT STARKLY IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND KRISTI NEWSOM AND OUR OFFICE IN FINANCE. GLAD TO HAVE CHRISTIE ON BOARD WITH US. WE HAD A FEW EMPLOYEE RECLASSIFICATIONS, KOBE BIRD, GREG GRIFFITH AND SERENA WHITE ALL IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. WELL, THANK YOU, SIR. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER EIGHT. [8. Financial Matters] FINANCIAL MATTERS, 8A, YEAR IN JULY FOR JUNE 2022, APPROPRIATION RESOLUTION THAT AMOUNTS TO $3,400,726.93. AND YOU BREAK THAT DOWN, THE VARIOUS THINGS. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. THE AMOUNT OF NEW MONEY IN THAT SITUATION IS $126,211.70 CENTS. ANYBODY WANT TO GO IN THAT ANY FURTHER INTO THAT? UNLESS YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? WE NEED A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE THE APPROPRIATION RESOLUTION FOR THAT. SO MOVE. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. HAVE THE BILLS LIST. EVERYBODY HAS THE BILLS LIST. THESE HAVE BEEN PROPERLY AUDITED. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THESE ARE THE MONTHLY BILLS WE HAVE TO PAY. I MOVE WE PAY THE BILLS. IS THERE A SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO PAY THE BILLS. ALL RIGHT, MOVE ON [INAUDIBLE]. [9. Appointments] THE APPOINTMENTS, WE HAVE THREE APPOINTMENTS THERE. THE FIRST ONE IS THE HAMPTON ROADS, MILITARY AND FEDERAL FACILITIES ALLOWANCE SITUATION, I THINK. WHAT IS OUR WHAT'S THE MONEY INVOLVED THERE? IT'S $8,000 SOME ODD DOLLARS. [00:40:01] LET'S SEE HERE. ALMOST 9000. YEAH. ALMOST 9000. THEY CAME LAST JULY OF 2021 AND SPOKE WITH OUR BOARD AT THAT POINT. AND THE BOARD SEEMED TO BE IN FAVOR AND ASK THAT MR. JOHNSON AND I PUT IT ON THE BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET SEASON, FISCAL YEAR 23. IT WAS PUT IN THE BUDGET AND IT WAS APPROVED AT THAT TIME. WHAT DO WE GET FROM THAT 9000? SO, MR. THROWER, DO WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THEM TONIGHT OR NOT? NO, WE DON'T HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THEM TONIGHT, I BELIEVE THAT'S JUST THE ALLOCATION THAT THEY REQUESTED FROM THE BOARD. FROM THE BOARD. AND I SUPPOSE I DON'T HAVE THIS INFORMATION OFFHAND, IS MOST LIKELY BASED ON POPULATION OR SOME COMBINATION THEREOF. IT IS BASED ON POPULATION. AND IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR MINUTES FROM LAST JUNE 2021, I KNOW THE TWO GENTLEMEN THAT CAME THAT NIGHT WENT INTO. MUCH DETAIL AS TO WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND THE BENEFIT TOWARDS SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME AT THE MOMENT, I DON'T THINK. I'D LIKE TO HAVE A RUNDOWN ON THE BENEFITS I PERSONALLY HAD SEEN IN THE EYE BEFORE WE PAID $9,000 TAXPAYERS MONEY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING HERE. MAYBE I JUST MISSED THE BOAT. I DON'T KNOW. WELL, I REMEMBER THE, YOU KNOW, THEY CAME AND MADE THE PRESENTATION AND WE FELT AT THE TIME LIKE IT WAS SOMETHING WE NEEDED TO DO, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER THE PARTICULARS ON IT BECAUSE IT HADN'T BEEN BROUGHT UP SINCE THEN. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEY WANT A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. SO IT'S IN. IT WAS APPROVED IN THE BUDGET. IT'S WITHIN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DEPARTMENT SECTION. NORMALLY ONCE IT'S APPROVED. AND NOT JUST MEAN ANY ORGANIZATION THAT IS WITHIN THAT AREA THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTRIBUTIONS THAT ARE MADE. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS THE INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS REACH OUT TO US AND ASK FOR THEIR MONEY NORMALLY IN JULY OR SOON THEREAFTER, BECAUSE ONCE IT'S APPROVED WITHIN OUR BUDGET, THAT'S WHEN THEY MAKE THEIR FINAL DETAILS TO THEIR BUDGETS. AND I'M TALKING ANY ORGANIZATION AT THIS POINT. I HAVE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THEM PROBABLY A WEEK AND A HALF AGO. SO I KNOW IT IS IN PROCESS. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE CHECK HAS ACTUALLY BEEN CUT. I'M KIND OF THINKING NOT. IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS. IF I COULD, I WOULD AGREE WITH DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. I WASN'T HERE WHEN THE GROUP OBVIOUSLY CAME LAST JULY AND I WASN'T HERE WHEN YOUR BUDGET WAS APPROVED. BUT TYPICALLY, ONCE THE BOARD OR COUNCIL APPROVES THAT EXPENSE IN THEIR BUDGET IS AN APPROVED ITEM. WHAT WE CAN DO, WE CAN ASK THE DIRECTOR TO COME BACK AND PRESENT TO YOU AGAIN AND THE BENEFITS AND WHATNOT. AND YOU CAN ASK THAT INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS AT THAT TIME. BUT IT IS AT THIS TIME IT IS AN APPROVED ITEM IN YOUR APPROVED BUDGET. SO I GUESS WE'LL WAIT FOR YOUR CUE ON WHAT YOU WOULD IF THERE IS SOME HESITATION TO MOVE FORWARD THAT ON THIS ITEM THAT YOU PREVIOUSLY APPROVED AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT NOW SO WE DON'T SEND THE CONTRIBUTION TO THEM. WELL, I THINK SINCE WE MADE A COMMITMENT FOR THIS YEAR, WE NEED TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT. AND I THINK IT'S IN OUR AGENDA TO APPOINT A MEMBER TO SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE. AND IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, IF IT DOESN'T LOOK FEASIBLE, WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AT THAT POINT. BUT HAVING MADE A COMMITMENT BY THIS BOARD, I THINK WE SHOULD FOLLOW THROUGH WITH IT. AND I JUST WANT TO PUT CHRIS ON THE SPOT. AREN'T YOU ON THE HTAC COMMITTEE? AND THIS MEETING IS, I THINK, PRECEDES YOU. THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS. WOULD YOU HAVE A PROBLEM GOING AN HOUR AND A HALF EARLY TO ATTEND THIS BOARD MEETING? [00:45:04] YOU WANT A MONTH TO THINK ABOUT IT? NO. THAT'LL PUT ME ON SEVEN SUBCOMMITTEES. BUT YEAH, I'LL DO IT ONLY BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE DUE TO THE TIMING OF IT ALL. I'D STILL LIKE TO HEAR WHAT, WE GET FROM IT. WHAT'S YOUR IMPRESSION? AND ONLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE ALREADY PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED TO IT INTO BUDGETED MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED. WELL, WE WON'T KNOW TILL WE PARTICIPATE. TELL YOU THE TRUTH. I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION WHETHER WE CONTINUE THIS OR DELETE IT FROM OUR NEXT BUDGET. I CAN DO THAT. WE APPROVED THIS WORK A YEAR AGO. NO, NEXT SPRING. OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE CALENDAR HAS BEEN, HOW KIND OF BENEFITED DURING THAT TIME OR WHAT IT'S ABOUT? I CERTAINLY AGREE THAT WE NEED TO PAY IT BECAUSE I FEEL OBLIGATED, BUT I TOO WOULD LIKE TO HEAR SOMETHING FROM THEM. WELL, I THINK THAT'S FAIR, BUT THIS DOESN'T EVEN START UNTIL THIS FISCAL YEAR. AND I'M ASSUMING THEY MADE PLANS BASED ON THE COMMITMENTS THAT THEY RECEIVED. AND THOSE PLANS WILL BE FORTHCOMING WHEN WE SEND A DELEGATE DOWN THERE TO ATTEND THE MEETINGS. AND IF IT'S NOT FAVORABLE, THEN WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE. RIGHT. THAT'S GOOD, BUT WHILE WE'RE ON IT, ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM KNOW OF ANY BENEFITS WE GET FROM IT? I MEAN, THIS IS BROUGHT UP AND BROUGHT UP BEFORE. SO IN THE AGENDA IT SAYS THAT IT WAS THE CREATION OF AN ORGANIZATION TO PROMOTE THE COMMON GOOD OF THE REGION BY INFLUENCING FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND OTHER ACTIONS CONTROLLED OR FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE OUR NEIGHBORS THAT ARE IN IT. IT REPRESENTS 13 HAMPTON ROADS LOCALITIES, IT SAYS. CITIES OF CHESAPEAKE. FRANKLYN HAMPTON. NEWPORT NEWS. NORFOLK. TOWSON. PORTSMOUTH. SUFFOLK. VIRGINIA BEACH. WILLIAMSBURG. AND THE COUNTIES OF OLIVE WHITE AND JAMES CITY AND YORK. THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN IT, AND WE'RE THE LITTLEST FISH IN THAT GROUP. [INAUDIBLE] NOBODY'S ANSWER MY QUESTION. WHAT HAVE WE GOTTEN FROM THEM? NOBODY KNOWS THE ANSWER TO THAT. I THINK, CHRISTOPHER, I LIKE I LIKE TO SEE THAT BEFORE WE PUT OUT THAT $9,000, I GUESS WE'VE ALREADY COMMITTED. WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT. WE COMMITTED. BUT ALSO, I CAN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION EITHER UNTIL WE GET INVOLVED AND FIND OUT. BUT KNOWING THAT THE MILITARY IS HAVING PROBLEMS, PARTICULARLY WITH RECRUITMENT AND MAINTAINING OUR ARMED SERVICES, IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE NEWS THERE AS HIGH AS 40% DOWN IN RECRUITMENT, AND IF THIS COUNTY CAN IN ANY WAY HELP IMPROVE THE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR MILITARY FORCES, I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT. IS THAT WHAT THIS DOES? I DON'T KNOW. BUT WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT. THEY NEED TO TELL US HOW WE CAN DO THAT. I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON THAT. BUT WE'RE SITTING HERE NOT KNOWING WHAT WE CAN DO. YEAH, IT WOULD HELP, I THINK, IF MAYBE WE ALL GO BACK MAYBE OVER THE NEXT MONTH AND READ THE MINUTES FROM. THE JUNE 2021 BECAUSE THEY WENT IN DEPTH WITH US. ABOUT WHAT THEIR PLANS WERE. SO MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO REFRESH OUR MEMORIES. HAVE WE GOT A CONTACT NUMBER? WE DO. THAT YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TWO. I DON'T HAVE ONE I CAN GIVE YOU RIGHT THIS MOMENT. BUT WE DO HAVE TWO PEOPLE. THE TWO GENTLEMEN THAT CAME IN THAT YOU'VE GOT THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT. SUPERVISOR CORNWELL, DID YOU VOLUNTEER? WITH A LITTLE ARM TWISTING. I WOULDN'T PUT THAT IN THE MINUTES EXACTLY IF THAT WAS HIS MOTION TO APPOINT ME. THEN WE'LL ROLL WITH THAT. HOW ABOUT THAT? I'LL SECOND THAT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE GOING TO SINCE YOU DID APPROVE IT IN THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SEND OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THAT ORGANIZATION. AND MR. CORNWELL WILL NOT BE ATTENDING THE MEETINGS WITH HIM. WE'LL BRING BACK AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN FROM OUR FIRST MEETING. THAT'S GOOD. YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. [00:50:02] THE SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA ALCOHOL SAFETY ACTION PROGRAM. I CAN SEE IF SHERIFF WEISS WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THAT. SHERIFF HAS RECOMMENDED WE APPOINT DETECTIVE COLBY BIRD TO REPRESENT SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IN THAT BOARD. SHERIFF, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING CONCERNING THAT? SECOND TO THAT MOTION. I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT, THE APPOINTMENT STANDS. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE ON TO ALLUDED TO A LITTLE EARLIER TONIGHT IN THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PERIOD C, IS A LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL. MS. LEWIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT OR YOU LIKE ME TO TAKE OFF HERE OR WE HAVE CHAIRMAN DRAKE OVER THERE. NOTHING LIKE PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT, HUH? I WAS ALL READY FOR [INAUDIBLE]. COUPLE MONTHS AGO, THIS BODY CHARGED THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH SOLVING THE LITTER ISSUE IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THEIR MOST RECENT MEETING, SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME TALKING ABOUT LITTER, AND IT WAS REPRESENTATIVE FROM VDOT AND FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. ANYHOW, THERE WERE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE AND AND THAT SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL BOTH CURRENT OR JUST EXPIRING AND THEN SOME FROM YEARS AGO. AND EVERYONE AGREED THAT, YES, LITTER WAS A PROBLEM, BUT THERE WERE MEETINGS TO SOLVE THAT. ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS IS THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL. SO LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION THAT MR. THROWER HAD CAN SEE THAT ALL THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL MEMBERS TERMS HAVE EXPIRED. SO THAT MAY BE YOUR FIRST THING TO REFILL THAT LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL. BOTH THE ONES THAT ARE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE ONES THAT ARE APPOINTED BY THE TOWNS BECAUSE THE COUNTY GETS BETTER CONTROL MONEY FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, BUT A PORTION OF THAT GOES TO THE TOWNS. THEY GET A SHARE TO DO THEIR LITTER CONTROL ACTIVITIES. THEY MAY TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE COUNTY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S DONE WITH IT, BUT THAT TOWNS EACH GET A PORTION AND THEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD LIKE THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL TO MEET WITH THEM AT THEIR MEETINGS EVERY MONTH AND REPORT ON THEIR ACTIVITIES. BUT. PERHAPS FIRST, THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE REAPPOINTED AND RE-ENERGIZED. AND COALESCE AS A GROUP AND PERHAPS THE PLANNING COMMISSION NEEDS TO HAVE A MEMBER ON THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL TO GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, RATHER THAN SUMMONING THE PLAN AND THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL TO EVERY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. MAYBE THERE NEEDS TO BE A BRIDGE THERE, LIKE SUPERVISOR EDWARDS IS IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON HIS SPOT. SO IT WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT THE MEETING LAST MONTH, BUT IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THAT LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL BE RECONSTITUTED WITH PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT HONORARY TITLE. IT'S SOMEBODY WILLING TO GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY AND WORK HARD. THANK YOU. THEY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THE THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS HERE. ONE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE EACH TOWN WAS APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE AND THAT IS AT LARGE GROUP AND PLAN TO GET ALL THOSE GROUPS TOGETHER AND GET THINGS ORGANIZED AND NOT DROP THE BALL LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST. I MEAN, THIS IS A BAD PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTY. IT'S A DISGRACE. AND ONCE WE DO THAT, WE HAD THOUGHT ABOUT INVITING CHESTERFIELD WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE THIS COUNTY OF CHESTERFIELD SEEM TO HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL WAY OF DOING THIS AND INVITING THEM TO COME AND MEET WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE APPOINTEES TO THE COUNCILS, AND SIT DOWN AND SEE HOW THEY'VE DONE IT AND SEE IF WE CAN GO TO SCHOOL ON WHAT THEY DID AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DROP IT. IT'S BEEN DROPPING THE PAST. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ON UNTIL WE GET SOMETHING DONE INVOLVED. THE LOCAL CLUBS, THE SCHOOLS. GET CHIEF BROWN OUT THERE TO HELP US PICK UP STUFF. [00:55:05] WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO. I JUST THOUGHT WE'D LET EVERYBODY KNOW. AND TONIGHT, I GUESS WE NEED TO APPOINT THE BOARD FROM THE SUPERVISORS AND EVERYBODY HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THEIR DISTRICT. I'D LIKE TO REAPPOINT DONNA TAYLOR FROM NEWSOME'S. AND IF THERE'S AN AT LARGE SPOT, I'D LIKE TO PUT JACK SWALLOW. HOW ABOUT BOYKINS? I HAVEN'T TALK WITH MR. HU, AND I WILL CHECK WITH HIM. IF NOT, I'LL FIND SOMEBODY ELSE. AND I THOUGHT LINDA BEATTY USED TO BE ON IT, DIDN'T SHE? SHE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO BE ON IT PER HER TOWN COUNCIL. AND HOW ABOUT CAPRON? WELL, I CONTACTED THE CAPRON REPRESENTATIVE THAT WAS ON THAT COMMITTEE. SHE HAD SERVED 25 YEARS AND SHE WAS VERY HELPFUL IN OFFERING COMMENTS, BUT SHE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE SHE COULD SERVE ANYMORE. I DID FIND A GENTLEMAN THAT WAS WILLING TO I KIND OF REACHED OUT AND ROB SOMEBODY, I THINK OUT OF CARL'S DISTRICT THAT'S WILLING TO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE, COULD CHIEF CARTER AND HE TOLD ME TODAY HE WOULD BE MORE THAN GLAD TO SERVE HER. MS.. GUNN'S COMMENTS WERE VERY, I THINK, VERY HELPFUL THAT SHE WAS HIGHLY COMPLIMENTARY OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE WORK THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE, DONALD TAYLOR AND ANNETTE LO, MR. JENKINS, MR. GRIGGS AND OTHERS THAT PUT IN A LOT OF HOURS AND A LOT OF HARD WORK ON THAT PREVIOUS COMMITTEE. AND THEY TRIED A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THEY EVEN BOUGHT FROM WHAT SHE WAS TELLING ME TODAY, TRASH BARRELS WITH THE POLES TO KIND OF HOLD THEM, ANCHOR THEM, AND THEY ENDED UP GETTING STOLEN FOR THE MOST PART. AND THEY HAD THEY WERE TRYING TO GET SOME THINGS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND HAD TROUBLE DOING, GETTING SOME INFORMATIONAL PROGRAMS AND OUT TO THE YOUTH IN THE SCHOOLS. AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM WITH THAT. BUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM CAME FROM THE JUDGES THAT ONCE PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY CAUGHT LITTERING ALMOST EVERY TIME THE CASE WAS THROWN OUT OF COURT, AND THAT IT'S GOING TO BE AWFULLY HARD TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE LITTER CONTROL PROBLEM IF YOU CAN'T ENFORCE LITTERING. SO THAT. AND SHE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT BROUGHT THAT UP. I'VE TALKED TO AT LEAST A HALF A DOZEN PEOPLE, AND THAT IS A PRIMARY ISSUE THAT COMES UP THAT WHEN SOMEONE IS CARRIED IN AS THE PROSECUTION IS NONEXISTENT. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT PROBLEM IS. THE SHERIFF MIGHT HAVE A COMMENT OR TWO ABOUT IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS INFORMED ME ABOUT IN THE LAST WEEK OR SO LOOKING INTO THIS. IS THAT A PERCEPTION OR IS IT FACT? I DON'T KNOW. WELL, IT WAS IT WAS TOLD TO ME TODAY IS FACT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE SHERIFF HAS A COMMENT OR NOT. HE MIGHT NOT WON'T EVEN OPEN HIS MOUTH ABOUT IT. BUT THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS INFORMED ME OF TODAY, THAT THEY HAVE BEEN IN COURT AND OFTENTIMES IT GETS CAST ASIDE. WELL, THAT BRINGS UP VERY IMPORTANT POINT IS THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THESE SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS. LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN A VERY MINOR PART OF THAT PROGRAM. REALIZING THAT'S THE PROBLEM. SO THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE CLUBS AND THE PEOPLE AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, MAYBE 10% OF IT. THE OTHER 90% IS INVOLVEMENT OF THE CITIZENS. SO I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THAT PROBLEM, AND I'VE HEARD THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. ALL RIGHT. SO NOT EVERYBODY HAS SOMEBODY TONIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THEN MY NEXT MEETING, I HAVE ONE FOR MY HEATHER RANDALL WITH VOLUNTEER ALREADY FROM JERUSALEM. JERUSALEM. SO EVERYBODY PICKED SOMEBODY WHO IS INTERESTED AND WILLING TO WORK, WILLING TO GET OUT THERE AND PICK UP SOME TRASH THEMSELVES RATHER THAN. SUPERVISING. SO WE'LL TABLE THAT TO THE NEXT MEETING AND GET THAT. THAT COUNCIL STRAIGHT. AND CHAIRMAN EDWARDS, I'LL JUST POINT OUT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND REACH OUT TO THE TOWNS TO SEE IF THEY WANT TO SUBMIT SOMEBODY TO SERVE. AND ALSO, AS I PUT IN YOUR PACKET, I LIKE TO BE INVOLVED WITH THIS GROUP AND TRY TO HELP IT REORGANIZE ITSELF AND WORK WITH OUR MS. [01:00:01] LOUIS AND PLANNING COMMISSION TO TRY TO GET THAT GROUP RECONSTITUTED AND REORGANIZED. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THAT GROUP. ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET IT ALL DONE BY MY NEXT MEETING AND GET ROLLING. ONE OTHER THING I'D MENTIONED WAS SOMEPLACE YOU SHOULD GO. THEY SEE THESE LITTERING SIGNS. $2,000 FINE FOR LITTERING OR WHATEVER. VDOT DOESN'T DO THAT. THOSE ARE ALL UP TO THE LOCALITY. SO I JUST THOUGHT PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT VDOT COULD DO, AND VDOT HAS TOLD US THAT THEY DON'T PUT THOSE SIGNS UP. BUT THEY DO PICK UP TRASH. IS IT THREE TIMES A YEAR, VDOT? I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION OFFHAND. THEY TRY TO DO IT AS BEST THEY CAN BEFORE THEY CUT. MAYBE NOT EVERY TIME, BUT. I ALSO TALKED TO JEFF TURNER TODAY, THE RIVERKEEPER. AND HE WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED. SO MAKE SURE THAT PLEASE, MR. THROWER, THAT HE'S NOTIFIED. HE DOES. HE DOES A LOT FOR OUR TWO RIVERS. OKAY, ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON? ALL RIGHT. TEN A, WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS. [10. Public Hearings] THE FIRST ONE IS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON SOLAR ORDINANCE. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS. LEWIS TO LEAD US THROUGH THAT LONG, COMPLICATED, WINDING PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH. COUPLE YEARS. ABOUT THE RED LIGHTS ON. HERE SHOULD BE GREEN UNDER THE BOTTOM. YOU BROKE IT. OKAY. THIS EVENING IS THE REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE REPEAL OF THE CURRENT UTILITY SCALE SOLAR REGULATIONS AND ITS REPLACEMENT WITH THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE. AS YOU RECALL, ON SEPTEMBER 9TH OF LAST YEAR, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HELD A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING AT WHICH TIME A MORATORIUM WAS ADOPTED. PROHIBITING THE ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS FOR UTILITY SCALE SOLAR PROJECTS. THAT MORATORIUM WAS PUT IN PLACE SO AS TO GIVE THE COUNTY TIME TO CRAFT A NEW ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS WHAT WE'RE SEEING AS SHORTCOMINGS IN THE CURRENT ORDINANCE. THAT MORATORIUM IS SET TO EXPIRE IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR. THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS CHARGED WITH CREATING AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD MITIGATE THE LOSS OF VALUABLE FARM AND FOREST LAND. LOOK AT THE IMPACTS ON THE TAX BASE AND STUDY DECOMMISSIONING. HOW HAS SOLAR REGULATION DEVELOPED IN RECENT YEARS? A SOLAR COMPANY FIRST BEGAN SPEAKING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN THE SUMMER OF 2015. THEY SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR A 100 MEGAWATT PROJECT IN JUNE OF 2016, AND THAT WAS APPROVED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2016. IN JUNE OF 2016, A SECOND 100 MEGAWATT PROJECT WAS PROPOSED AT 31118 MEHERRIN ROAD SURROUNDING THE SUBSTATION, WHICH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY WITHDRAWN AFTER THE PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING. IN OCTOBER OF 2016 AN APPLICATION FOR A 90 MEGAWATT, 700 ACRE UTILITY SCALE SOLAR PROJECT WAS SUBMITTED TO BE LOCATED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF SMITH'S FERRY ROAD AND SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAY. THAT APPLICATION WAS WITHDRAWN IN MARCH OF 2017 PRIOR TO ANY PUBLIC HEARING. THE PROPERTY OWNER INVOLVED IN THAT APPLICATION MAY BE HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING. AT THE TIME OF THESE APPLICATIONS, SOLAR WAS RELATIVELY NEW IN VIRGINIA, AND WE HAD LITTLE IN THE WAY OF EXAMPLE TO GO BY AND REVIEW OF ANY OF THESE PROJECTS. THE APPROVED PROJECT, SOUTHAMPTON SOLAR, BEGAN CONSTRUCTION IN APRIL OF 2017 AND WAS COMPLETED TWO YEARS LATER. IN 2018, THE PROJECT WAS PROPOSED IN THE IVOR AREA. AT LEAST TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS WERE HELD ON BEHALF OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND CITIZENS SPOKE IN OPPOSITION TO THAT PROPOSED PROJECT AT A NUMBER OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS PRIOR TO THE SUBMITTAL OF ANY APPLICATION. NO APPLICATION WAS EVER SUBMITTED. THAT PROPERTY OWNER MAY BE HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING AS WELL. NEVERTHELESS, THE CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT'S IN EFFECT TODAY WAS ADOPTED IN DECEMBER OF 2018, AND AN APPLICATION THAT MET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THAT ORDINANCE WAS SUBMITTED IN OCTOBER OF 2019. IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DENIED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN JANUARY OF 2020. [01:05:02] THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WANTED SOMETHING ELSE. THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE SEEKS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED OVER THE YEARS. THE MINIMUM PROJECT SIZE PROPOSED IS 20 MEGAWATTS AND THE MAXIMUM IS 100 MEGAWATTS. THE MINIMUM IS SEEN BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS LIMITING THE SMALLER FACILITIES THAT THEY SEE THROUGHOUT NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, SOME OF WHICH ARE NOT WELL TAKEN CARE OF. THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE LIMITS THE LAND AREA OF THE COUNTY TO BE DEVOTED TO UTILITY SCALE SOLAR TO 1% OR 3855 ACRES. THE EXISTING SOUTHAMPTON SOLAR PROJECT USES 1418 OF THOSE ACRES, LEAVING 2437 ACRES AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER UTILITY SCALE SOLAR DEVELOPMENT. OF THAT ACREAGE, UNDER THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE, 69% OF THE PROPOSED AREA MUST BE FORESTED SO AS TO RETAIN THE MOST PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL LAND AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. AND OF COURSE, ANY PROPERTY IN THE VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURE ENFORCEABLE DISTRICT MUST BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE PROGRAM AFTER TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS PRIOR TO THE APPLICATION. WHILE THE RETENTION OF EXISTING BUFFERS IS ENCOURAGED AND THE NEW BUFFERS IN SCREENING MUST BE PLANTED IN THE FIRST GROWING SEASON AFTER ANY LAND DISTURBING PERMITS ARE ISSUED, THIS WILL PERMIT THE VEGETATION TO BEGIN TO GROW BEFORE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE AND THE CONTRACTORS LEAVE. NON NATIVE VEGETATION IS LIMITED AND NEW VEGETATION MUST BE CERTIFIED NURSERY STOCK. THIS WILL HOPEFULLY LIMIT THE INTRUSION OF INVASIVE PLANTS AND INSECTS, AS WERE THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF SOUTHAMPTON SOLAR. THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE ALSO REQUIRES A BOND OF 100% OF THE LANDSCAPE COSTS, WHILE THE PROJECT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THE RETENTION OF A $50,000 LANDSCAPE BOND FOR THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT SO THE COUNTY CAN REPAIR OR REPLACE LANDSCAPE BUFFERING OR CUT TALL GRASS IF THE OPERATOR DOES NOT. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS LIMIT SOLAR INSTALLATIONS TO AT LEAST ONE MILE FROM INCORPORATED PLACES AND FIVE MILES FROM ANOTHER SUCH PROJECT. THE ONE MILE BUFFER AROUND INCORPORATED PLACES SEEKS TO LIMIT THE INTRUSION OF SUCH PROJECTS ON THE POPULATION CENTERS OF THE COUNTY AND TO PERMIT SUBURBAN TYPE DEVELOPMENT TO CONTINUE IN THE AREAS AROUND THE TOWNS SO AS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S THERE AND THE AMENITIES AROUND THOSE TOWNS. THE FIVE MILE LIMIT IS TO KEEP AN AREA FROM BEING OVERWHELMED WITH SOLAR DEVELOPMENT. THERE ISN'T ANY UTILITY SCALE SOLAR DEVELOPMENT IN ANY OF THE ABUTTING LOCALITIES THAT WOULD BE WITHIN THAT FIVE MILE BUFFER TODAY. BUFFERS AND SETBACKS ARE INCREASED TO PREVENT, PROTECT ENVIRONMENTAL, COMMUNITY AND HISTORICAL ASSETS, AND THEY CAN BE EXPANDED OR CONTRACTED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE BUFFERED AREAS. NO TOPSOIL CAN BE REMOVED AND GRADING OF SLOPES GREATER THAN 15% IS RESTRICTED. THIS IS SEEN AS A WAY TO PERHAPS RETURN THE PROPERTY TO AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY USE WHEN THE PROJECT IS DECOMMISSIONED. ALTHOUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS AND THE AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY COMMUNITY THINK IT'S UNLIKELY MUCH OF THE LAND WILL EVER BE SUITABLE FOR SUCH REDEVELOPMENT, THE REQUIRE COMMUNITY MEETINGS MUST BE HELD NO MORE THAN SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO THE SUBMITTAL OF A COMPLETE APPLICATION SO AS TO PERMIT CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERS TO BE AWARE INSTEAD OF THOSE WHO MAY HAVE SOLD THE PROPERTY YEARS AGO. AND ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECORDED WITH THE CLERK OF THE COURT SO THEY CAN BE SEARCHABLE BY ANYONE. BUT THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THIS ORDINANCE REVIEW WAS THE DECOMMISSIONING PHASE. NO PROJECT OF THIS TYPE HAS BEEN DECOMMISSIONED IN THE UNITED STATES. THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD STRONG WISHES NOT TO INFLICT DECOMMISSIONING ON THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO REQUIRE SURETY OF 100% OF THE DECOMMISSIONING COSTS TO BE PROVIDED WITH NO CREDIT FOR SALVAGE VALUE. THIS HAS BEEN PART OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION SINCE THE EXISTING ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED BACK IN 2019. IF THE DECOMMISSIONED MATERIALS HAVE VALUE, THE DECOMMISSIONING ENTITY GETS THAT REWARD. IF THAT MATERIAL HAS LITTLE OR NO VALUE, THE TAXPAYERS OF THE COUNTY ARE NOT LEFT WITH THE BILL. THIS IS A MAP OF THE ONE MILE AND FIVE MILE BUFFERS. THE DARK MUSTARD COLOR IS ONE MILE AROUND, ALL INCORPORATED PLACES, INCLUDING THE SIX TOWNS, THE CITY OF FRANKLIN AND THE CITY OF SUFFOLK. THE LIGHTER COLOR IS THE FIVE MILE BUFFER AROUND THE EXISTING SOUTHAMPTON SOLAR PROJECT. THIS IS NOT TO BE ADOPTED AS PART OF THE ORDINANCE. THIS IS JUST A DISPLAY. THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD THE REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 9TH OF THIS YEAR AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE HEARING AT WHICH THREE INDIVIDUALS SPOKE FROM THE PUBLIC. THE EIGHT ATTENDING MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION MADE A UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO THIS BOARD. [01:10:04] I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS LEWIS? THANK YOU. NOW, IT WILL THEN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ISSUE. ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE. JUST COME GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I'M FROM CHESTERFIELD. MY NAME'S BLAKE CARR. SOME OF YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE ME FROM MY TIME WITH CONSERVATIVES FOR CLEAN ENERGY. I INTERACT WITH SEVERAL OF YOUR STAFF AND CONSTITUENTS DURING THAT TIME, AND ALTHOUGH I'M NOT WITH CC ANYMORE, I'M DEVELOPING A NOT FOR PROFIT MYSELF, FOCUSED ON SIMILAR ISSUES SOLELY LOCATED HERE IN VIRGINIA, MAKING SURE THERE'S A COMMON SENSE VOICE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WHEN WE HAVE THESE ENERGY DISCUSSIONS. SO MANY SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY LANDERS WANT TO USE THEIR LAND FOR SOLAR PROJECTS. THEY BELIEVE AS AMERICANS, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO SO AS LONG AS THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS ARE NOT VIOLATED. THEY WOULD USE THEIR OWN PROPERTY TO GENERATE INCOME FOR THEIR FAMILIES. INCOME THAT BENEFITS NOT ONLY THEMSELVES BUT THE BUSINESSES AND CITIZENS OF SOUTHAMPTON AS WELL. ASPECTS OF THE ORDINANCE, LIKE THE MEGAWATT ACREAGE RESTRICTION, WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO LANDOWNERS IN THE STATE OF SOLAR IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. NOT ONLY DOES LIMITING THE MEGAWATTAGE AND ACREAGE RESTRICT THE RIGHTS OF LANDERS, BUT ALSO TIES THE HANDS OF THIS BOARD AND THE SUPERVISORS WHO WILL FOLLOW YOU. CONSIDER YOU GET A GREAT PROJECT. THE PRIME LOCATION, STRONG SETBACKS AND BUFFERS, GOOD STUDIES ON WETLANDS AND THE IMPACTS ON LAND. BUT IT'S 18 MEGAWATTS OR 105 MEGAWATTS. PUTTING LANGUAGE LIKE THIS IN YOUR ORDINANCE DOESN'T ALLOW FOR MUCH FLEXIBILITY FOR THE BOARD. HAVING LANGUAGE LIKE THIS IN YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, YOUR GUIDING DOCUMENT WILL SIGNAL TO LANDOWNERS AND DEVELOPERS WHAT TYPES OF PROJECTS SOUTHAMPTON IS LOOKING FOR OR NOT BINDING YOURSELF TO THIS RESTRICTIVE LANGUAGE. RELYING ON THE CUP PROCESS INSTEAD OF RESTRICTIVE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE WILL ALLOW YOU TO TAILOR PROJECTS TO THE COUNTY'S DESIRE. SUCH RESTRICTIONS WOULD ALSO BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE COUNTY DUE TO THE PROFOUND COMMUNITY BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH SOLAR PROJECTS. THE COUNTY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN NEW TAX REVENUE FROM SOLAR THAT WILL BENEFIT EVERY RESIDENT OF THE COUNTY. THIS ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE CAUSES NEW STRAIN ON PUBLIC SERVICES. LIKE OTHER TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT DEMAND. THESE TAX DOLLARS CAN HELP THE COUNTY LOWER TAX ON CITIZENS OR GO TO REPAIRING ROADS, INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING. SCHOOLS ARE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. SO I WOULD URGE YOU TO NOT LIMIT THE ABILITY OF THE BOARD AND MOVE FORWARD IN THE CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF SOLAR DEVELOPMENTS HERE IN SOUTHAMPTON. SO LANDOWNERS MAY MOVE MAY MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE PROJECTS AND THE BENEFITS OF ENERGY DEVELOPMENT MAY BE FULLY REALIZED BY THE COUNTY. THANKS SO MUCH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.