[ I. CALL TO ORDER ]
[00:00:04]
WE WELCOME EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE TONIGHT.
GO AHEAD, DR. EDWARDS. THIS IS A JOINT MEETING WITH THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY WE HAVE A QUORUM HERE.
WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE FROM THE BOARD HERE THAT I CAN SEE.
OK. FORMALITIES. EVERYTHING GOOD? EVERYONE STAND.
I'M GOING TO ASK IF YOU REMAIN STANDING AND MR. CHESSON WILL COME DOWN AND LEAD US IN THE SHORT INVOCATION.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO PRAY WITH ME, PLEASE DO.
[INVOCATION] YOU MAY BE SEATED. AGAIN. WELCOME.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS MICHAEL DRAKE, AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT GROUP OF PEOPLE I'VE EVER HAD A CHANCE TO CONDUCT A MEETING FOR.
I MEAN, WE HAVE SOME REALLY IMPORTANT DIGNITARIES FROM THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE A GUEST WITH US TONIGHT, MR. JACK RANDALL. HE JUST WALKED INTO THE ROOM.
AND ANYWAY, WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PRESENCE HERE TONIGHT FOR THIS JOINT MEETING.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS OF INTEREST AND SOME CONSTRUCTIVE MEASURES AS WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF LITTER IN THE COUNTY.
[II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER MEETING, AND WE CAN DO IT JOINTLY OR SEPARATELY.BUT I HOPE YOU HAD TIME TO REVIEW THE MINUTES.
WAS THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO BE MADE? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION. I HAVE A PROPER MOTION, A PROPER SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
OK. MOVING DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.
[III. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD]
I'LL OPEN UP OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO COME AND ADDRESS THIS BOARD WITH ANY ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF OR A PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE.AT THIS TIME, YOU MAY COME FORWARD AND EXPRESS THOSE CONCERNS.
SO NOW THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS OPEN.
ANYONE WANT TO COME FORWARD? THIS IS WONDERFUL. IT MEANS WE'RE ON AN EVEN KEEL COURSE.
YES, SIR. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, I'M A CLOSED PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
THANK YOU. SO NOW WE'LL GO DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON OUR AGENDA IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
[IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS]
AND I THINK WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST TONIGHT.AND I'M GOING TO ASK MS. LEWIS IF YOU WOULD INTRODUCE OUR GUEST FOR US, PLEASE.
SURE. THIS IS TED BARCLAY, THE SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER FROM CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, AND HE LEADS THE GROUP THAT IS, THAT WORKS ON LITTER CONTROL IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.
AND SUPERVISOR EDWARDS RECOMMENDED CHESTERFIELD COUNTY AS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
[00:05:04]
AND MR. BARCLAY WAS KIND ENOUGH TO COME DOWN AND SPEND THE EVENING WITH THIS.HE HAS POWERPOINT FOR US AND SOME COMMENTS.
FLOOR IS YOURS AND THANK YOU, SIR, FOR COMING TO BE A PART OF OUR MEETING TONIGHT.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR INVITING ME.
I'M HONORED. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS TED BARCLAY FROM CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, AND I'M HERE TO TALK TRASH.
[LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T RESIST IT.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START WITH A LITTLE HISTORY OF OUR PROGRAM.
THE TEAM THAT I SUPERVISE IS CALLED, WELL THEY WERE CALLED THE ANTI LITTER TEAM.
WE'VE RENAMED THEM TO THE KEEP CHESTERFIELD BEAUTIFUL TEAM OR KCB.
THEIR MISSION STATEMENT IS TO SERVE, SUPPORT AND INSPIRE A LITTER FREE AND ATTRACTIVE COMMUNITY.
I'LL JUST CALL THEM THE KCB TEAM.
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ANTI LITTER TEAM THAT'S NOW CALLED THE KEEP CHESTERFIELD BEAUTIFUL TEAM.
BUT THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH VOLUNTEERS AND THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE A THEME OF WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY TONIGHT IS VOLUNTEERS ARE ESSENTIAL TO ANY KIND OF LITTER CONTROL OR LITTER ABATEMENT PROGRAM YOU HAVE.
WE ALSO HAVE COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT INSPECTORS.
THOSE ARE WHAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY CALL ZONING INSPECTORS, BUILDING INSPECTORS, THOSE TYPES OF FOLKS.
THEY DO A GREAT DEAL OF WORK WITH US AS WELL.
AND JUST BEFORE THEY COME THROUGH AND CUT, THEY RUN A TEAM THROUGH CLEAN UP THE LITTER, THEN CUT.
SO THAT HELPS A GREAT DEAL BECAUSE THEY'RE SKILLED AND THEY'RE ABLE TO GET OUT THERE IN THE AREAS THAT SOME FOLKS ARE JUST NOT COMFORTABLE GOING TO, SOME OF THE MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS.
THERE ARE. AS I SAID, THE KCB TEAM CONSISTS OF FOUR PEOPLE.
THEY PICK UP LITTER AND DISCARDED MATERIAL.
AND THEY ALSO MANAGE THE PROGRAM.
SO NOT ONLY ARE THEY THE FOLKS THAT ARE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUNDTHAT ARE OUT THERE DOING IT, BUT THEY ALSO COME BACK TO THE OFFICE AND THEN MANAGE THESE OTHER THESE OTHER PROGRAMS. THE FIRST ONE IS ADOPT-A-SPOT.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS BOY SCOUTS, GIRL SCOUTS, CHURCH GROUPS, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WILL BE INTERESTED IN TAKING A LOCATION AND AND TAKING THAT AREA AND SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THIS AREA CLEAN AND THEY'LL GO OUT ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY AND PICK UP THE LITTER.
AND I'LL GET MORE, I'LL SPEAK TO YOU MORE ABOUT THAT A MINUTE.
SHERIFF'S WORKFORCE CREW AND THEN THE ASSIGN-A-HIGHWAY PROGRAM.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE'VE GOT A GROUP OF FOLKS HERE IN THIS PICTURE, AND THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE.
WE HAVE MANY, MANY GROUPS THAT DO THIS AND THE KEEP CHESTERFIELD BEAUTIFUL PROGRAM, PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT, LOOKS FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THE ADOPT-A-SPOT PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM ALLOWS ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS TO ADOPT AS I SAID, SMALLER, MORE SECURE AREAS INSTEAD OF BUSY ROADWAYS LIKE A PARK OR A SCHOOL GRAINS OR A VACANT PARKING LOT.
AND THEY CONTACT US, WHICH WE ARE AGAIN, MORE THAN THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE DOING IT, BECAUSE IT REALLY TAKES A LOT OF WORKLOAD OFF OF OUR STAFF AND WE JUST FRANKLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET IT TAKEN CARE OF WITHOUT THESE FOLKS.
THESE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE THAT ARE INCARCERATED.
THEY GO DOWN THE MEDIAN STRIPS.
WE FOR WHATEVER REASON AT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, AND I GUESS WE'LL JUST CALL IT A LACK OF PLANNING.
AND I CAN SAY THAT I WAS A PLANNER FOR 30 YEARS BEFORE I MOVED OVER TO COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT.
SO THE SHERIFF'S WORKFORCE IS INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THAT AREA CLEAN.
THEY BRING A CREW DOWN THROUGH, AND IT'S ROUTE 10.
[00:10:06]
IT IS A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY, 55 MILES AN HOUR, AND THEY HAVE A CREW THAT GOES DOWN THROUGH THE MEDIAN STRIPS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, PROBABLY MORE OFTEN THAN THAT.WITH THE SHERIFF'S WORKFORCE WE DON'T GET TO CONTROL HOW OFTEN THEY GO OUT AND WHEN THEY GO OUT.
IT'S THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE JUST GRATEFUL THAT THEY DO IT AND WE'RE THANKFUL.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, ONE OF THE FIVE CREWS, THEY HAVE FIVE CREWS, BUT ONE OF THE CREWS IS ASSIGNED TO US AND THEY CONCENTRATE ON ITS EFFORTS AND ROADS LEADING TO THE TWO COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS. THE LANDFILL THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THE SHOOSMITH SANITARY LANDFILL.
THAT'S THE MAIN SANITARY LANDFILL.
IT'S A SELF-PACED PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS COURT MANDATED INDIVIDUALS PERFORM COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS.
NOW, THESE ARE THE COMMUNITY SERVICE FOLKS.
CLEANUP STARTS WITH THE COURTS ASSIGNING COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS FOR MINOR INFRACTIONS.
THESE ARE NOT INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT JUST HAVE TO COMPLETE THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS.
YOU'VE GOT THE STRUCTURE HERE.
IT STARTS AT THE COURTHOUSE, COMES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT.
THEN UNDER THAT IS TO KEEP CHESTERFIELD BEAUTIFUL TEAM.
THE JUDGE ACTUALLY DOES THE SENTENCING.
THE LITTER OFFICER COMPLETES THE INTAKE WITH EACH CLIENT, COUNSELS THEM HOW TO DO IT, THE HAZARDS, HOW TO STAY SAFE OUT THERE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BECAUSE THESE ARE SELF DIRECTED INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OUT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY FROM OUR TEAM OR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE WITH THEM.
THEY GO OUT ON THEIR OWN, ON A SATURDAY.
SO IT COULD BE A SATURDAY EVENING.
WE DON'T KNOW. THEY GO OUT THERE AND THEY FILL UP THE BAGS AND THEN THEY CONTACT US.
AND THEY'RE ASSIGNED AN AREA AND THEN THEY GO OUT AND PICK UP THE LITTER.
THE LITTER CLEANUP TAKES PLACE.
THE CLIENTS CALL, THEY LEAVE A VOICEMAIL.
WE GIVE THEM THE MATERIAL THEY NEED.
THEY GET A LITTLE CLOTH THING TO PICK THE LITTER UP WITH, BAGS, THE VESTS THAT THEY WEAR .
THERE'S THE CODE OF VIRGINIA SECTION.
IT'S 8.01-226.8 THAT GIVES IMMUNITY TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND PRIVATE VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATING IN ROADWAY LITTER PICKUP PROGRAMS. THAT WAY, IF SOMEONE DOES GET HURT, THEY CAN'T COME BACK AND SUE THE COUNTY FOR $12 BILLION.
SO YOU HAVE THE ASSIGN A HIGHWAY RECORDS SHEET.
THAT'S THE SHEET THEY FILL OUT.
THESE ARE THE GUIDELINES AND THIS GIVES YOU ALL THE PROPER SAFETY PROTOCOLS, ALL OF THAT.
WE DON'T WANT FOLKS TO GET HIT BY CARS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, JULY OF 2022, WHICH WAS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WE PICKED UP 8100 POUNDS OF LITTER.
AND THAT, IT JUST KEEPS COMING, AND THAT GETS ME TO, THIS PART IS THE ADVOCACY.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM, THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS A NATURAL BENEFIT OF THAT IS THAT IF YOU'VE EVER HAD TO GO OUT AND PICK UP LITTER ON THE SIDE OF A ROAD, YOU TEND TO NOT WANT TO THROW LITTER OUT OF THE CAR ANYMORE BECAUSE IT REALLY DRIVES HOME THE MESSAGE THAT IT REALLY IS NOT A REALLY GREAT JOB BECAUSE IT'S NASTY, IT'S DISGUSTING.
[00:15:02]
AND THAT GETS TO MY NEXT PART.OH, THIS IS ONE THING I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF.
AND BEFORE I GET TO THE TO THE EDUCATIONAL ASPECT OF HOW TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT, NOT TO LITTER IN THE FIRST PLACE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE BEST WAY TO TAKE CARE OF LITTER IS NOT HAVE ANY TO BEGIN WITH.
THAT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL THING.
AND WE'VE BEEN DRIVING THAT POINT HOME SINCE.
I MEAN, THAT WAS BACK IN THE SEVENTIES OR EIGHTIES.
BUT IT STILL HAPPENS AND WE'LL KEEP DRIVING THAT MESSAGE AS HARD AS WE CAN.
BUT THIS IS A KEY THING HERE IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE THE PROGRAM WE DO IS WE GET FUNDING THROUGH AN ANNUAL NON COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM AND THIS IS THROUGH DEQ, THROUGH THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
THEY PROVIDE FUNDS FOR LITTER PREVENTION AND RECYCLING GRANTS.
SO WE APPLY FOR A GRANT EACH YEAR AND WE GET SOME FUNDING FOR IT.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'VE CONTRIBUTED OVER $70 MILLION TO SUPPORT LOCAL GOVERNMENT LITTER CONTROL AND RECYCLING PROGRAMS. THERE'S THE WEBSITE TO GET TO THAT, TO THAT GRANT.
AND I DO RECOMMEND THAT YOU LOOK INTO THAT BECAUSE ANY TIME YOU CAN GET FUNDING FOR A PROGRAM THAT CERTAINLY, IT GOES A LONG WAY AND WE USE THAT MONEY TO PAY FOR THE PLASTIC BAGS, THE PICKUP STICKS, THE GRIPPERS.
I'M TRYING TO THINK SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF WE USE IT FOR.
ON OUR WEB PAGE, YOU WILL SEE THE CHANGES ROUTINELY THAT WE'LL POST MORE EXAMPLES OF VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE GONE OUT AND DONE IT, LIKE THAT PICTURE YOU SAW THERE.
I THINK THEY JUST WENT OUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO AND PICKED UP.
IT'S GOOD FOR THE KIDS BECAUSE THEY LIKE TO GET THEIR PICTURE OUT THERE.
WE TRY TO GET THOSE PICTURES OUT IN OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPERS SO THAT THEY SEE IT.
THEY GET IT, THEY GET THEIR FACE IN THE PAPER, AND IT'S ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE.
SO THEY'RE DOING A GOOD THING AND THEY FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THEY GET A LITTLE PUBLICITY.
IT'S GOOD. BUT WE TRY TO REPORT THE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW MUCH WORK WE DO, WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION WE GET OUT THERE, BUT WE ALSO TRY TO PROMOTE ANTI LITTER.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
THIS GENTLEMAN HERE WORKS FOR ME.
IT'S KIND OF A NEAT LITTLE THING.
YOU OPEN THE DOOR AND IT SAYS, GIVE A HOOT, DON'T POLLUTE.
AND IT HAS ABOUT FIVE, SIX DIFFERENT MESSAGES.
SO THE KIDS LOVE IT BECAUSE THEY OPEN THE DOOR AND IT TALKS TO YOU.
WE ALSO HAVE A TALKING TRASH CAN, TOO, WHICH IS REALLY NEAT.
YOU PUT TRASH IN IT AND IT SAYS, YUM.
GIVE ME MORE, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND HE'S STANDING RIGHT BEHIND THE TRAILER.
AND THIS WAS ALL, WE FUNDED THIS TRAILER THROUGH THAT GRANT PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE KEEP A LOT OF THE STUFF.
AND THAT'S ALSO THROUGH THE GRANT.
WE GET LITTLE GADGETS, LITTLE FLASHLIGHTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
LITTLE GOODIE BAGS THAT WE GIVE TO THE KIDS.
AGAIN IT DRIVES THE MESSAGE HOME TO NOT POLLUTE.
SO WE KEEP DRIVING THAT POINT HOME.
Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION. YES MA'AM.
ONE IS, DO YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH DUMPING OF LARGE ITEMS? ABSOLUTELY. TIRES, THAT KIND OF THING.
AT THE END OF CUL DE SACS AND ON RURAL ROADS THAT PEOPLE DON'T TRAVEL.
OFTEN PEOPLE WILL FIND A NICE LITTLE AREA AND THEY'LL DUMP.
NOW, IF IT'S IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, WE SOMETIMES ASK VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO HELP, BUT SOMETIMES MY STAFF, THE FOUR MEMBER CREW WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOME LARGE PICKUP TRUCKS THERE, 250S, 450S, THAT HAVE LIFT GATES.
[00:20:04]
SO THEY'RE FAIRLY, FAIRLY BIG PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.WE ALSO HAVE SCENARIOS WHERE WE DO CLEAN UPS ON PROPERTY, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE ABANDONED THE PROPERTY.
SO WE WILL GO OUT THERE AND CLEAN THAT UP.
AND THEN WE PUT THE BILL TO THE PROPERTY OWNER AT THE LAST KNOWN ADDRESS.
THERE ARE SOME TIMES THAT THE CLEANUP IS SO BIG THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO HIRE A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR.
SO WE ACTUALLY SPEND MONEY TO HAVE A CONTRACTOR HELP US CLEAN IT UP.
THEY BRING IN A CREW AND EQUIPMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
DO YOU, UNDER YOUR LITTLE PROGRAM, DO YOU HAVE HEAVY EQUIPMENT OR, I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED GRABBERS THAT'S IT. YOU DO HAVE PICKUP TRUCKS THAT ARE PART OF YOUR LITTER? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. YEAH, THAT'S PART OF.
THEY GO OUT AND PICK UP THE LITTER WAS THAT FUNDED THROUGH THE COUNTY OR WAS IT FUNDED BY THE DEQ GRANT? THE TRUCKS.
THOSE TRUCKS ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE COUNTY.
THAT'S PART OF THE COUNTY FUNDING.
ALL RIGHT. AND DO YOU HAVE A RECYCLING PROGRAM? WE DO.
WE DO HAVE A CURBSIDE RECYCLING PROGRAM IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.
HOWEVER, INTERESTING YOU BRING THAT UP, BECAUSE I JUST READ AND I DON'T, I REALLY PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE MENTIONING THIS BECAUSE I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS PART OF THE ASPECT OF IT, BECAUSE THAT'S HANDLED THROUGH OUR GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'RE DISCONTINUING THAT IN 2023, MUCH TO OUR DISMAY, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO GENERATE MORE, MORE DUMPING AND MORE ILLEGAL TRASH. BUT THE WAY IT WORKS IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY IS WE DON'T HAVE COUNTY FUNDED TRASH COLLECTION.
SO IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE IN THE RECYCLING PROGRAM, THE PRIVATE COMPANIES WILL DO THAT.
AND OF COURSE, THEY'RE GOING TO CHARGE YOU.
OKAY. AND ON HIGHWAY 10, YOU MENTIONED, I MEAN, YOU'RE HEAVILY, YOU HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESSES ALONG HIGHWAY 10 AND THAT CORRIDOR, DO YOU HAVE THE BUSINESS OWNERS DOING THE LITTER PICKUP OR DO YOU STILL HAVE GROUPS, VOLUNTEER GROUPS, DOING.
THE SHERIFF'S WORKFORCE THAT DOES ROUTE 10.
ALL RIGHT. NOW, I IMAGINE THAT BUSINESSES ALSO CLEAN UP THEIR PROPERTY AS WELL.
HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IT WITH THE BUSINESS OWNERS, BUT I'M SURE THAT IF THEY HAVE LITTER THAT'S ON THE FRONT OF THEIR PROPERTY, THEY HAVE THEIR EMPLOYEES OR THEY GO OUT THERE THEMSELVES AND CLEAN IT UP IN THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW.
LIKE YOU WOULD. I USED, BEFORE I WAS A PLANNER, I WAS A RESTAURANT MANAGER.
AND I KNOW THAT EVERY MORNING WE WOULD GO OUT AND WE'D HAVE, WE'D ASSIGNED SOMEONE TO GO POLICE THE PARKING LOT, GO SWEEP UP THE CIGARETTE BUTTS AND CLEAN UP ANY LITTER AND TAKE CARE OF THAT. AND WE ALSO HAD A CREW THAT CAME IN AND CUT THE GRASS AND THEY WOULD CLEAN UP ANY LITTER THAT WAS IN THE BUSHES AND STUFF.
THE REASON I ASKED WAS BECAUSE OF SAFETY, VERY MUCH LIKE THE CORRIDOR ON SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAY, WHERE WE HAVE FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS, GROCERY STORES, OTHER BUSINESSES.
BUT WE RECOMMEND AGAINST THAT.
IF A VOLUNTEER GROUP COMES TO US AND SAY THEY WANT TO REMOVE THE LITTER ALONG ONE OF OUR MAIN COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS OR EVEN ONE OF THE OTHER ROADS, WE HAVE HIGHWAYS THAT GO THROUGH THE COUNTY 288, 95.
1. THOSE THOSE ARE ROADS THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO ALLOW VOLUNTEERS TO GO TO.
THAT'S WHY WHEN I WAS MENTIONING THE VOLUNTEERS, WE WERE SAYING THEY WOULD FUNCTION AROUND NEIGHBORHOODS, PARKS, PLAYGRAINS, RIGHT AT THEIR INTERSECTION TO THE ENTRANCE TO THEIR SUBDIVISIONS, THOSE KIND OF PLACES.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO ASK THEM TO GO OUT ON ANY OF THESE BUSY, BUSY ROADS.
THAT'S NOT NOT THE PLACE FOR THEM.
I WAS THINKING AS OUR LITTER COUNCIL DOES THEIR PLANNING, THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY STRUCTURE AREAS THAT ARE NOT SAFE FOR VOLUNTEER GROUPS AND THEY MIGHT EVEN MAP OUT THOSE AREAS THAT ARE ADOPTABLE.
YES, SIR. OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS MORE THAN WILLING TO CITE THESE PEOPLE AND TAKE THEM TO COURT, BUT SOMETIMES THAT SEEMS TO BE WHERE IT ENDS NOW WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THAT? SAME EXPERIENCE.
[00:25:04]
YOU KNOW, THE POLICE AND OR SHERIFF WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO WITNESS THE ACTUAL LITTERING TAKE PLACE.NOW I DO, I WAS AN INSPECTOR DOING ZONING ENFORCEMENT.
AND WE DID HAVE A DUMP SITUATION WHERE THE GUY WHO DUMPED HIS LITTER THERE ACTUALLY HAD HIS MAIL IN THE TRASH BAGS THAT HAD HIS NAME ON THEM. SO WE WENT TO HIS HOUSE AND SAID, YOU DUMPED YOUR STUFF OVER HERE, YOU NEED TO GO GET IT OR ELSE YOU'RE GOING TO COURT.
SO HE IMMEDIATELY WENT AND PICKED IT UP WITH MUCH CHAGRIN.
HE WAS NOT HAPPY THAT HE GOT CAUGHT.
BUT IT WAS PRETTY STUPID TO LEAVE YOUR OWN NAME ON YOUR TRASH.
I GUESS HE DIDN'T THINK WE'D OPEN THE BAG AND LOOK INSIDE.
BUT IT WAS IT WAS PRETTY EASY TO SEE.
WHAT KIND OF KNUCKLEHEAD DOES THIS.
SO ANYWAY. BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE A KNUCKLEHEAD TO DUMP YOUR TRASH ANYWAY.
COULD I ASK A QUESTION? YES, SIR. I ASSUME THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WOULD HELP IF YOU PAY.
ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. THE FOUR MEMBERS OF THE TEAM ARE ACTUALLY EMPLOYEES.
BUT YEAH. HOW DO YOU PAY THEM? THROUGH THE COUNTY. IT'S COUNTY FUNDED.
NOW MIND YOU, WE DO GET GRANT MONEY AND WE DO USE SOME OF THAT TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE EXPENSES.
BUT IT'S NOT, IT DOESN'T COVER ALL OF IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE COST OF AN EMPLOYEE.
SOME STATES HAVE DEPOSITS ON CERTAIN ITEMS LIKE PLASTIC BOTTLES.
AND HAVE YOU LOOKED INTO INSTITUTING A DEPOSIT AT STORES.
FOR FREQUENTLY DISCARDED ITEMS LIKE BOTTLED WATER.
BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I WAS A CHILD MY COUSIN WALKED THE DITCHES IN THE GET THAT NICKEL. [LAUGHTER] ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, WE NEED TO LOOK AT IDEAS AND WE'VE HAD A LITTER COUNCIL IN THIS COUNTY BEFORE AND IT DIDN'T WORK . BUT IF YOU DO THAT YOU'VE GOT TO ASK THE ATTORNEY IF IT'S LEGAL TO INSTITUTE AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GET TO SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES LIKE FRANKLIN CAN GET IN WITH YOU TO TRY TO CONTROL THE PROBLEM.
YEAH. I MEAN, THAT'S ONE METHOD.
I'M NOT SURE HOW SUCCESSFUL IT WOULD BE, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE LITTER THAT WE FIND ARE NOT BOTTLES.
THEY'RE FAST FOOD RESTAURANT PACKAGING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S HARD TO, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE BOTTLES IF YOU WOULD MAYBE REDUCE IT IT CERTAINLY WOULD BE.
MR. BARCLAY I GOT A QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED AWARENESS EARLIER INYOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND MAYBE THE SCHOOLS OR WHAT.
WE DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL PROGRAM GOING INTO THE SCHOOLS WHERE WE DO IT ON A ROUTINE BASIS.
BUT WHEN THE SCHOOLS CALL AND CHECK OR WE CHECK WITH THEM, WE DO IT.
SO THEY CAME OUT AND WALKED THROUGH THE TRAILER.
AND IT WAS A PRETTY BIG ORDEAL, I GUESS.
I GUESS MY ANGLE WAS MY CHILDREN ARETHE ONES THAT GOT ME IN THE HABIT OF WEARING A SEATBELT.
AND THE CHILDREN HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE ON MOM AND DAD AND GRANDMA, GRANDDADDY.
ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT WOULD BE A HUGE.
BECAUSE WE SHOULDN'T. WE SHOULDN'T LITTER.
THERE'S PLACES TO PUT IT, TO DISPOSE OF IT.
WE JUST SHOULDN'T SO-CALLED THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW.
I MEAN, WE SHOULD WE SHOULD KNOW BETTER.
ABSOLUTELY. SET UP A MENTAL, WE CAN PREVENT IT.
LIKE YOU SAID EARLIER, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND PICK IT UP.
BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS, IS IT AN AVENUE? SOME PEOPLE, I'VE HEARD SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO GET INTO TO THE SCHOOL FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS .
YEAH, WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY GO IN THE SCHOOL.
THEY WILL CALL YOU OUT IF YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE [LAUGHTER].
IN OUR LITTER, I DON'T SERVE ON THE LITTER COUNCIL.
I KNOW YEARS AGO AT OUR LOCAL KIND OF FAIR, THERE WAS ALWAYS A NICE BOOTH.
[00:30:07]
THOUGHT A PRETTY NEAT PROGRAM FOR OUR COUNTY.OF COURSE I REALIZE COVID KIND OF DIMINISHED SOME OF THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING IN A PLACE OF THAT ATMOSPHERE WALKING BY VIEWING DIFFERENT VENDORS AND THINGS, AND TO SEE WHAT THAT GROUP WAS PRESENTING.
IT DID MAKE YOU MORE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T SEE IT.
BUT IF YOU DON'T LITTER, YOU DO SPOT, YOU DO SEE IT.
AND THAT LITTER DOESN'T GO AWAY QUICKLY.
PLASTIC. OH, THAT CAN STAY THERE FOR A HUNDRED YEARS PAPER WILL IT'LL EVENTUALLY DISINTEGRATE, BUT THE PLASTIC STAYS AROUND.
MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN I? MR. CHESSON. ON YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE IDEA, WHAT WERE THE CRITICAL STEPS THAT YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH TO GET A SITTING JUDGE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A LEGITIMATE PROGRAM AND? GETTING ONE SET UP IS A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM.
YOU HAVE TO CONVINCE YOUR JUDGES THAT THIS IS A GOOD LESSON OR A GOOD PUNISHMENT.
AND COMMUNITY SERVICE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN PICKING UP LITTER.
THERE'S OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE THINGS THEY CAN DO.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITY SERVICE THAT YOU CAN GET ASSIGNED TO.
IN CHESTERFIELD, WE GET A LARGE GROUP THAT WANT TO DO THE LITTER PICKUP.
THEY THEY WOULD PREFER THAT TO SOME OF THE OTHER OPTIONS.
YOU REFERENCED A LITTER OFFICER.
IS THAT A MEMBER OF THE KCB ALSO? YES, SIR. YEAH.
AND IT'S A FULL 40 HOUR A WEEK JOB THAT HE HAS TO COORDINATE WITH THESE FOLKS.
IT'S A LOT OF, IT'S HERDING CATS BASICALLY DESCRIBE IT WHEN YOU GOT YOU KNOW 150 DIFFERENT COMMUNITY SERVICE FOLKS OUT THERE THAT ARE DOING VARIOUS DIFFERENT STAGES OF THEIR SERVICE, YOU HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY'RE GOING, WHERE THEY PUT THE BAGS, THIS KIND OF THING.
SO WE WANT TO PICK THAT BAG UP AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN AFTER THEY FILL IT UP.
SO WE'VE GOT TO COORDINATE THAT AND KEEP TRACK OF IT AND GET ON AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
BUT YEAH, WE SAW THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF TRASH PER MONTH.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF TRASH.
NOW, I KNOW WE HAVE A COUNTY THAT'S GOT 360,000 PEOPLE IN IT.
IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN SOUTHAMPTON, BUT IT'S JUST THE MATH OF THE AMOUNT OF MILES OF ROADS TIMES THE AMOUNT OF DISTANCE YOU HAVE TO WALK TO COVER IT, IT'S JUST ASTRONOMICAL.
AND THERE'S NO WAY FOUR PEOPLE COULD DO THAT.
THAT'S WHY WE RELY ON THESE OTHER PROGRAMS, MUCH LIKE THE COMMUNITY SERVICE FOLKS, THE SHERIFF'S WORKFORCE, AND THE VOLUNTEERS OF COURSE.
I MIGHT ASK ANYBODY FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
USUALLY NOT JUST QUIET [LAUGHTER].
THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF OUR METING.
I HAVE A COMMENT BUT NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION LAST SPRING WE REALLY STARTED TALKING ABOUT LITTER CONTROL.
I REALLY HADN'T PAID A LOT OF ATTENTION TO IT BEFORE.
BUT THEN I NOTICED A LOT OF LITTER ON THAT ROAD.
BUT WHAT I DID, I BROUGHT ONE OF THOSE PICKUP STICKS SO WHEN I GO TO THE TRASH DUMP, IF I HAVE TIME I'LL PICK UP TRASH.
AND I DID THAT PARTICULARLY IN JULY.
I HAD A 39 POUND BAG AND I FILLED THAT BAG WITH TRASH IN ABOUT ONE MILE.
IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT WAS THAT MUCH WHEN I DROVE BY.
I'LL MAKE MYSELF RESPONSIBLE FOR
[00:35:02]
AND SO WHEN I GO TO THE TRASH DUMP, I PICK UP TRASH.BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THE EDUCATION.
WE NEED TO EDUCATE OUR PEOPLE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF PICKING UP TRASH AND KEEPING OUR COUNTY CLEAN.
WE CAN DO SOME OF THAT OURSELVES AND MAYBE WE CAN ABSOLUTELY. BUT I WENT OUT THERE.
I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. NOW, I WOULD ASK THIS.
IF WE WERE TO DO THAT, I GUESS WE SHOULD GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF . FOR CHESTERFIELD.
IF WE DO HAVE ANY VOLUNTEERS THAT WANT TO DO AN AREA, WE DO HAVE THEM GO THROUGH A LITTLE PROCESS WHERE WE EXPLAIN TO THEM HOW TO BE SAFE, HOW TO PROPERLY GO OUT, WHAT TIME TO GO OUT, THAT TYPE OF THING, WHERE TO GO, HOW NOT TO STEP IN THE STREET, GET HIT BY A CAR.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS SAY THAT IF IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO GET TO LEAVE IT THERE AND THEN EITHER STAFF VDOT OR US WILL DO IT. YOU KNOW, FOR VDOT, THEY'LL PUT SIGNS UP.
THEY'VE GOT THE BIG TRIANGLE SIGNS, LITTER CLEAN UP AREA AHEAD, AND THEN THEY HAVE CONES AND THINGS.
SO THEY PROTECT THEIR FOLKS WHEN THEY'RE OUT THERE DOING IT.
SO WE WILL TAKE AN AREA AND BLOCK OFF, IF WE HAVE TO, IF IT'S A REALLY DANGEROUS LOCATION THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE IF EITHER A BOARD MEMBER OR PLANNING COMMISSIONERS POINTED OUT TO US THAT WE'VE GOT AN AREA THAT'S REALLY LOOKING RATTY AND WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
IF WE CAN'T GET THE WORKFORCE CREW OUT THERE, THEN OUR STAFF WILL GO OUT.
AND WHEN OUR STAFF GOES OUT, WE WE TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION TO BE SAFE.
YOU TALKED ABOUT GOING INTO YOUR LANDFILL, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, TRASH GOING OUT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR COVERING? COVERING A LOAD? YES, SIR.
AND WE HAVE TWO CONVENIENCE CENTERS AS WELL.
WE CALL THEM CONVENIENT CENTERS.
AND WE HAVE THOSE SIGNS THERE AS WELL.
AND HE GOES OUT THERE AND GIVES THEM A LITTLE NOTE.
TELLS HE'S GOT AN UNCOVERED LOAD THAT VIOLATES THE LAW BECAUSE IT IS A STATE LAW.
YEAH MR. BRYAN, YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I SHOULD'VE ASKED YOU THIS BEFORE.
SAY YOU'VE GOT FOUR STAFF MEMBERS, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THE BULK OF YOU ALL'S BUDGET.
CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE BUDGET FOR THIS PROGRAM? AND ALSO JUST TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW, THE COUNTY GETS AROUND $13,000 PLUS A YEAR NOW, SOME OF THAT COST IS OFFSET BY THE GRANT, BUT NOT ALL OF IT.
IT BECOMES A FAIRLY EXPENSIVE VENTURE.
SO THE COUNTY IS FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP, AND LOOK THE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
YOU WANT YOUR COUNTY TO BE CLEAN.
IF THE COUNTY IS NOT CLEAN, NO ONE'S GOING TO WANT TO LIVE HERE.
[LAUGHTER] SO THAT'S WHY THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY HAS PUT AN EMPHASIS ON IT.
I'M NOT SURE FOUR EMPLOYEES IS AN EMPHASIS, BUT IT'S NOT NOTHING.
THE CORRIDORS ARE YOUR ENTRANCE WAYS TO THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE SEE WHEN THEY DRIVE THROUGH IT.
SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOUR CORRIDORS ARE NICE AND MAINTAINED AND CLEAN.
[00:40:02]
AND WE ALSO SOMEONE WOULD ASK IF THAT WAS THEIR ONLY JOB WAS TO TO PICK UP LITTER.WE ALSO CUT GRASS IN CERTAIN AREAS TO JUST MAINTAINING OUR PUBLIC SPACES.
SO WE DO HAVE LAWN MOWERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THEY CUT GRASS ON AS WELL.
SO ALONG SIDEWALKS WHERE VDOT DOESN'T GET TO REGULARLY BECAUSE IF YOU RELY ON VDOT AND I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THIS, THEY COME THROUGH ONCE, ONCE EVERY YEAR AND THEY YOU KNOW, THE GRASS IS THIS TALL BEFORE THEY COME THROUGH AND BUSH HOG IT DOWN.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S KEPT A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THAT.
SO WE TAKE CARE OF DOING SOME CERTAIN AREAS THAT WE JUST CAN'T RELY ON VDOT TO DO ON THEIR MASS CUT.
DO Y'ALL HANDLE THE ROUNDABOUTS? IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE? VDOT DOES THOSE.
BUT WE ARE BRANCHING INTO DOING SOME LANDSCAPING AND MAINTENANCE OF THAT LANDSCAPING.
I WENT TO COURT OUT THERE THE OTHER DAY AND I WAS, YOUR ROUNDABOUTS LOOK BEAUTIFUL.
WELL, THANK YOU. AND OURS DON'T.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF IT'S A RELATIONSHIP THING WITH YOUR LOCAL VDOT PERSON.
YOU'VE GOT IT GOING ON AND WE DON'T.
YEAH, BECAUSE OURS, I THINK, HAS ABOUT THREE FOOT OF WEEDS.
SO DO YOU ALL HAVE THE VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE BEAUTIFICATION? WE TRY VERY MUCH TO MASSAGE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH VDOT.
WE WANT THEM TO BE FRIENDS [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU KNOW, IN VIRGINIA, IT'S A [INAUDIBLE] STATE. SO THE STATE HAS THE CONTROL AND THEY'RE THE BIG DOG AND WE'RE THE LITTLE DOG.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE DOG AND WE'RE THE TAIL OR WHATEVER.
AND THERE WAS SOME FALL FLOWERS.
I MEAN, I THOUGHT IT LOOKED GOOD.
ON THE CORRIDOR TO YOUR COURTHOUSE, IT LOOKS VERY CLEAN.
THERE'S A LOT OF BEAUTIFICATION.
THERE'S A LOT OF LIKE FALL TYPE FLOWERS.
SO WHO PAYS FOR THAT? IS THAT DONATIONS JUST KIND OF GIVE US A FLAVOR.
IT'S A LOT. BECAUSE WE'RE KIND OF AT ZERO.
AND Y'ALL ARE FAIRLY ADVANCED.
VERY FAMILIAR. WE HAVE A BUSINESS ORGANIZATION THAT HAS VOLUNTEERED TO DO A SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE ROADS AND THE MEDIAN STRIPS, WHICH PAYS FOR NOT ONLY THE LANDSCAPING TO BE INSTALLED, BUT ALSO MAINTAINED.
SO THAT'S THROUGH A SPECIAL TAX ASSESSMENT.
WE DO HAVE GARDEN CLUBS THAT GO OUT AND DO WORK ON CERTAIN LOCATIONS.
HOW MANY OF THOSE DO YOU HAVE? JUST I WISH I HAD A NUMBER THAT I COULD JUST SPOUT OFF TO YOU OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
BUT IT'S SIGNIFICANT AND THAT REALLY HELPS.
SO GETTING THOSE ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED TO HELP BEAUTIFY YOUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN VDOT, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE CULTIVATE THAT RELATIONSHIP AS WELL.
WE TRY TO WORK DILIGENTLY WITH THEM TO KEEP KEEP THE CORRIDORS CLEAN.
BUT AGAIN, EVEN WITH THAT, THEY'RE STRETCHED THIN AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO DO SO MUCH AND THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO CUT SO MUCH.
SO WE TAKE ON A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WORK OURSELVES.
HE'S GOT A NICE MOWER AND HE WAS REAL THRILLED.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE VDOT HERE TONIGHT, DO WE NOT? WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON VDOT'S ROLE IN THIS, WHERE YOU STAND? WE'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT.
[LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW I'M CURIOUS AS TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WHAT WOULD THEY ALLOW US TO DO AND NOT.
WELL, WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT PEOPLE CAN ADOPT-A-SPOT.
A COUPLE OTHER TRUCK STOPS UP THEY ADOPTED THE WHOLE CORRIDOR AND THEY TAKE CARE OF IT.
PLUS THEY GET SIGNAGE OUT THERE FOR DOING IT.
WE NORMALLY MOW THE GRASS THREE TIMES A YEAR.
THAT'S OUR STANDARD. AND WHEN WE MOW IT WE DO PICK THE TRASH UP.
SO AND WE NORMALLY MOW THE PRIMARIES AND SOME OF THE HIGH TRAVEL SECONDARIES LIKE 671, 616, 650, SOME OF THOSE, AND WE PICK THE TRASH UP THREE TIMES A YEAR.
BUT EVERY TIME THEY PICK THE TRASH UP, IT'S LIKE $45,000.
JUST TO PICK IT UP ON THOSE FEW RIDES.
[00:45:01]
SO WHEN I CUT THE GRASS AND PICK THE TRASH UP, THAT'S $300,000 [COUGHING].AND WE CUT IT THREE TIMES A YEAR.
SO I'M SPENDING CLOSE TO $1,000,000 PICKING, CUTTING GRASS.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY PROGRAM.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTIVE.
WE DO FURNISH ALL OF THE BAGS.
WE FURNISH ALL OF THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT, THE SIGNS, THE VESTS FOR THE CREWS IF THEY WANT TO GO OUT.
MR. TURNER, I'VE GOT A QUESTION.
JUST TO ELABORATE, I THINK THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED IN SOME FORM, BUT THE LOCALITY CAN ASK FOR A LAND USE PERMIT FOR YOU TO MAINTAIN THE RIGHT OF WAY. FOR EXAMPLE WHEN I WAS IN EMPORIA RIGHT THERE AT THE INTERCHANGE OF 58 AND 95 WE GOT LAND USE PERMIT AND WE CUT THE GRASS IN THE LOCATION TO MAINTAIN IT BECAUSE WE FELT THAT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO THE LOCALITY TO MAINTAIN THE APPEARANCE OF OUR COMMERCIAL AREA RIGHT IN THAT SPOT.
SO IF THE LOCALITY CHOOSES, THEY CAN GO IN THERE, CUT THE GRASS, MAINTAIN IT WITH SHRUBBERY, BUSHES, THOSE KIND OF THINGS WOULD BE [INAUDIBLE] TO MAKE IT LOOK BETTER. BUT JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT, THAT IS AN OPTION THAT THE LOCALITY CAN.
COULD THAT BE DONE WITH THE ROUNDABOUTS? YES, IT COULD. BECAUSE I MEAN THE ROUNDABOUTS ARE KIND OF A FOCUS SINCE THEY'VE BEEN PUT IN AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN EYESORE.
YEAH. THAT'S KIND OF THE CENTER OF PORTLAND.
NOW, THE CITY OF FRANKLIN ACTUALLY HAS A PERMIT THAT THEY DO THE 671 INTERCHANGE, AS HE SAID.
THE CITY OF EMPORIA DOES THE INTERCHANGE RIGHT AT 58 AND 301.
THEY HAVE A PERMIT FROM US WHERE THEY MAINTAIN IT.
SO WE DON'T EVEN MAINTAIN THAT AT ALL.
THEY'D RATHER TAKE CARE OF IT. SO SOME OF THESE CONCESSIONS THAT YOU JUST GET THE PERMISSION.
YEAH, WE'LL GIVE YOU A PERMIT TO DO IT AND GIVE YOU THE GUIDELINES.
DO YOU HAVE PRISON WORKERS IN THE COUNTY WORKING WITH YOU? WE DO NOT NOW IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, BUT I DO HAVE THEM IN SUSSEX COUNTY.
WHY NOT SOUTHAMPTON? WE DON'T HAVE ANY AVAILABLE TO GET.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM. I THINK THEY'RE TIED UP DOING OTHER STUFF.
SO, WE USED TO GET THEM A LONG TIME AGO, BUT WE I USED TO SEE THEM WORKING ON THE ROAD ALL THE TIME. I DON'T SEE THEM ANYMORE.
YEAH, WE HADN'T GOT THEM IN A LONG TIME.
I DO HAVE TWO CREWS IN SUSSEX COUNTY AND I HAVE ONE IN GREENSVILLE CANDIDATE.
THEY'RE THE ONLY TWO COUNTIES I HAVE THAT WE HAVE INMATE LABOR.
SO. ONE QUICK QUESTION TO PIGGYBACK HIS COMMENT ABOUT A ROUNDABOUT.
IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY A ROADSIDE.
YEAH. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO FOR THE INTERCHANGES TOO [COUGHING].
WE'VE GOT THREE INTERCHANGES ON INTERSTATE 95 THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY BUSINESSES.
AND THEY ALL HAD A LANDSCAPE PLAN THAT THEY HAD APPROVED FROM US AND THEY MAINTAIN IT.
I'M CURIOUS, SOME OF THE ROADS, THE PRIMARY ROAD YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO DO A CLEAN UP BEFORE YOU DO THE CUTTING? HOW LONG IS THAT CLEAN UP? NOT VERY LONG. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PICK THE TRASH UP AND CUT THE GRASS WITHIN 48 HOURS.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY PICK THE TRASH UP.
AND WITHIN 48 HOURS, YOU'LL NOTICE WE HAVE RUN OVER TRASH AND HE'LL GO BACK AND PICK IT UP.
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY A SHAME THAT SOME OF THE MAIN CORRIDORS ARE LIKE THAT.
BUT I JUST HAD ONE THAT THEY CUT IN GREENSVILLE COUNTY LAST TIME AND THEY PICKED THE TRASH UP AND THEY CAME BACK TO CUT IT THE NEXT DAY AND IT WAS LIKE THEY HADN'T EVEN PICKED THE TRASH UP. AND THEY PICKED UP A TRAILER WITH LIKE 100 BAGS OF TRASH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO HOW DO WE GET THE POINT THROUGH AT RICHMOND.
THAT THE JUDGES WILL KIND OF GET ON BOARD ABOUT THIS TRASH.
SO. BUT I CAN CHECK INTO THAT.
DID YOU SERVE ON THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL? YES. I WAS ON IT LAST TIME.
YEAH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
[00:50:04]
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR MR. BARCLAY. GO AHEAD.YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE BUSINESSES CONTRIBUTED TO A FUND.
AND WAS THAT THE DEQ FUND THAT WAS $70 MILLION OR SOMETHING? NO, SIR. THE BUSINESS IS ON THE MIDLOTHIAN TURNPIKE.
CREATED A SPECIAL TAX ASSESSMENT DISTRICT.
CORRECT. IT'S A COUNTY TAX ASSESSMENT DISTRICT.
THEY PUT IN LANDSCAPING AND MAINTAIN IT.
AND THIS GENTLEMAN MENTIONED WE DO HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PERMIT PROCESS THROUGH VDOT ANY TIME WE DO ANYTHING IN THE MEETING STRIP OR ANY KIND OF RIGHT AWAY, WE HAVE TO GET A PERMIT FROM VDOT TO DO IT.
BUT THEY WORK WITH US. AGAIN, WE CULTIVATE THAT RELATIONSHIP.
THEY WORK WITH US AND WE WORK WITH THEM.
IS IT A TAX ON THE BUSINESSES THAT'S JUST ON THAT ROAD OR ALL THE BUSINESSES? IT'S JUST IN THAT AREA.
THAT'S A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT THAT WE CREATED AROUND THAT AREA.
AND THEY DID IT BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZED THAT THE ROAD WAS, IT WAS IT WAS NOT IN GREAT SHAPE.
IT LOOKED PRETTY RATTY AND IT NEEDED SOME WORK.
AND THE COUNTY SAID, WELL, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND THEN THEY SAID, WELL, WE'LL BE WILLING TO PITCH IN.
IT WAS IN THE MIDLOTHINA BUSINESS CORRIDOR COMMUNITY.
MIDLOTHIAN BUSINESS CORRIDOR ASSOCIATION IS WHAT IT WAS CALLED.
SO THE BUSINESSES WERE SO IT WAS A BUSINESS ASSOCIATION THAT DECIDED THEY WANTED TO DO THIS.
IT WASN'T, WE DIDN'T BRING IT TO THEM.
THEY KIND OF BROUGHT IT TO US AND SAID, WE'D LIKE TO DO THIS.
SO WE SAID WE COULD DO IT AND WE'LL MANAGE IT.
I WAS CURIOUS, THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, WHAT IS, IS THERE A LINE ITEM FOR TRASH PICKUP IN THE COUNTY? I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY.
THE COUNTY TO PICK UP TRASH AND DO WHATEVER.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE COUNTY PICKS UP TRASH.
MIC] AND I KNOW PUBLIC WORKS BUYS THE BAGS AND THE LITTER GETTERS AND THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY GROUPS TO USE. AND EACH OF THE INCORPORATED TOWNS GETS A SHARE TOO, BECAUSE IT'S ALL BASED ON POPULATION.
SO THE SIX TOWNS GET A PIECE OF THE COUNTY'S MONEY TOO TO DO WITH WHAT THEY WANT.
BUT I BELIEVE IT GOES TO PUBLIC WORKS TO BUY THINGS FOR CITIZENS GROUPS TO USE.
WE'LL CHECK INTO THAT. BUT I'M ASSUMING THE 13 PLUS OR MINUS THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT THE COUNTY GIVES TOTAL, THAT'S BASICALLY OUR BUDGET AND AS THIS GENTLEMAN FROM VDOT POINTED OUT $13,000 DOESN'T GO VERY FAR.
A MILLION DOLLARS TO CUT THE GRASS AND PICK THE LITTER UP FOR ONE YEAR.
YOU CAN IMAGINE $13,000 DOESN'T COVER MUCH, BUT YOU CAN USE IT FOR SOME EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND BUYING PLASTIC BAGS AND SPONSORING SOME VOLUNTEERS AND TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT, THAT KIND OF THING.
THE SAME THING WITH OUR WITH OUR GRANT.
SO IF WE CAN FIND SOMETHING, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO KEEP THE CORRIDORS CLEAN.
ANYTHING THAT WE CAN USE. LIKE I SAID, WE'RE USING THE SHERIFF'S WORKFORCE, WE'RE USING THE FOLKS THAT ARE THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM, VOLUNTEERS, STAFF, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN, INCLUDING MYSELF.
I'M OUT THERE PICKING LITTER UP AS WELL.
SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT? WELL, I GOT ONE.
THE WEBSITE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE GRANTS.
THAT'S A DEQ WEBSITE? IT IS. YES, SIR.
SO THAT FUNDING IS JUST STRICTLY COMING FROM THE LINE ITEM BUDGET FROM THE STATE, OR IS IT FINE ORDINATED? YEAH, IT'S A GRANT PROGRAM THAT THEY RUN AND I GUESS THEY GET A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM I GUESS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR MAYBE THROUGH THE STATE FUNDS THAT THEY PUT OUT THERE AS A GRANT AND YOU CAN APPLY FOR IT AND AND HOPEFULLY GET IT.
WELL I THINK YOU ALREADY DO. YOU ALREADY DO.
SO YOU'RE ALREADY USING IT. SO YEAH.
I PUT IT IN THERE BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WERE USING IT OR NOT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO SUGGEST IT BECAUSE IF YOU WEREN'T, CERTAINLY SHOULD TAP INTO IT.
DO YOU AGGRESSIVELY RECRUIT CHURCHES, ORGANIZATIONS TO ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY? I'M NOT SURE IF AGGRESSIVE IS THE WORD [LAUGHTER].
[00:55:02]
ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.YEAH WE, YOU KNOW ANYTIME AN ORGANIZATION CONNECTS WITH COUNTY IN ANY WAY.
WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT THEY.
A LOT OF CHURCHES HAVE OUTREACH AND ONE OF THE CHURCHES OUTREACH THINGS THAT IF THEY WANT TO DO OUTREACH, WE HAVE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY CAN THEY CAN WORK WITH TO GET THINGS DONE.
AND WE'RE ONE OF THEM, OBVIOUSLY, AND WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR OUTREACH AND TRY TO GET THEM OUT THERE TO HELP US, BECAUSE IT'S ALL FOR THE SAME GOAL.
WE ALL WANT OUR COUNTIES TO LOOK NICE.
SO IT'S A NICE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND ENJOY.
I'D WELCOME YOU TO STAY. I KNOW YOU HAVE A LONG WAY TO TRAVEL BACK.
YOU MAY STAY UP THE WHOLE [COUGH], BUT, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND SHARING.
ABSOLUTELY. AND IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU THINK OF AFTER AFTER THE MEETING IS OVER, MS. LEWIS HAS MY CONTACT INFORMATION.
YOU CAN SEND ME AN EMAIL, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO RESPOND.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE A COMMENT? I'D LIKE TO ADD, IS THE LITTER.
MS. TAYLOR, COME ON UP, PLEASE.
MS. TAYLOR YOU'RE ON THE LITTER CONTROL? YES. THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION, AND I'LL LET YOU PROCEED.
BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT, IN THE PAST, MAYBE BEFORE THE COVID CAME, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE MORE SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS ON LITTER CONTROL? AND WHAT ARE SOME THAT MAYBE WE COULD ENGAGE MORE IN TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED AND MAYBE GET A HANDLE ON THIS? APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I ALSO ASK, WHAT IS THE STATE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION? I'LL COVER ALL THAT, I HOPE, AND CERTAINLY THE QUESTIONS.
WELL, I WAS APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN 19, 2019, PRETTY MUCH.
SO THEY STARTED APPOINTING THOSE FOR WITHIN THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE MAYORS FOR THE TOWNS WOULD DO THE APPOINTEES.
SO THERE ARE TWO LEVELS OF PEOPLE BEING APPOINTED TO THE LATTER COUNCIL.
SO WHEN I CAME ABOARD IN 19, THE BYLAWS WERE OUTDATED.
SO WE JUST HAD TO WE COULDN'T HIT BOOTS ON GROUNDRUNNING.
WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE LITTER COUNCIL WAS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH HISTORY LEFT.
WE HAD TWO MEMBERS, TWO PREVIOUS MEMBERS TO COME FORWARD TO KIND OF HELP US UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE WE ALL KNEW COMING ON IN 19 WHAT WHAT THE LITTER COUNCIL HAD BEEN ABOUT.
CERTAINLY WE GOT THE BYLAWS WENT THROUGH THOSE WORK, THROUGH THOSE, SENT THEM BACK THROUGH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, HAD THEM APPROVED IN THE SUMMER OF 19. BUT OUR FOCUS COMING IN WAS JUST TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, TO SEE, TO LEARN ABOUT OUR AREA, WHAT WE HAD GOING ON AS FAR AS PROBLEMS, WHICH WE ALL CAME UNDERSTANDING.
THERE WERE CERTAINLY PROBLEMS IN THE COUNTY.
THAT'S THE BEST WE UNDERSTOOD COMING IN IN '19.
THEY WOULD GO TO THE COUNTY FAIR.
THEY HAD SOME INROADS TO GET INTO THE SCHOOLS TO DO SOME THINGS, BUT THERE WAS A LARGE INVENTORY ON THE COUNTY PROPERTY OVER BEHIND THE SCHOOL BOARD AREA WITH GRABBERS AND SAFETY VESTS AND A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS THAT THEY WERE TAKING TO THE SCHOOLS, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO AGAIN, AGAIN, LEARNING WHAT DO WE ALREADY HAVE ON HAND? LYNETTE LOWE WAS GREAT AND SO INSTRUMENTAL IN TRYING TO HELP US.
AND SHE DID WRITE THE GRANT AND THAT WAS CORRECT.
IT WAS $13,805 THAT WE RECEIVED IN '19.
NOW THE DEQ IS VERY SPECIFIC IN WHAT YOU CAN SPEND THAT MONEY ON.
THERE ARE ABOUT 6 TO 8 THINGS AND YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO USE IT IN AT LEAST TWO OF THOSE AREAS.
SO AGAIN, I THINK WE GOT STRONGER GRABBERS BECAUSE THE FLIMSY ONES THAT WERE THERE DIDN'T WORK AND THAT TYPE OF THING AND SOME MORE EDUCATIONAL, SOME BOOKS.
[01:00:08]
INTO THE MEETING. AND WE STARTED TO REALLY SEE REGULAR ATTENDANCE AND THAT WAS GOOD.THE OTHER PART BEING COLLABORATION WITH THE SCHOOLS.
WITH VDOT, WE DID HAVE THE COUNTY SOLID WASTE REPRESENTATIVE AT OUR MEETINGS, SO THAT, HART COUNCIL. SO HE WAS THERE AND THAT WAS ALWAYS HELPFUL.
AND WELL, I GUESS THE HIGH ,I WAS THINKING ABOUT ANOTHER PART OF THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
SO AGAIN, '19 WAS BUILDING EDUCATIONAL.
WE ACTUALLY EVEN WENT OUT TO THE LARGER DUMP SITE AND TOURED THAT FOR EVERYBODY HAD A SENSE OF IT, REALLY WHAT THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE FULL CIRCLE LOOKED LIKE.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE REACHED OUT EVEN TO THE RIVERKEEPER AND ANN PARKER WITH THE FRANKLIN CITY HAS THEIR BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE.
THEY DON'T HAVE A LITTER COUNCIL.
SO ANN SAID THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE CALLED.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, JEFF TURNER WITH THE RIVERKEEPER.
SO. AS FAR AS WE WERE BUILDING.
SO PRETTY MUCH THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING SHUT DOWN.
SO NOTHING HAS REALLY COME BACK UP AND MOVED FORWARD.
SO WE WERE REALLY I WAS REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT THE PLANNING GROUP HAS TAKEN THIS ON TO REALLY THAT COLLABORATION THAT'S NEEDED.
I THINK JUST BEING ON AT ONE YEAR AND TRYING TO PULL THE PIECES AND WORK WITH OTHER ENTITIES, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT COLLABORATION AND YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE EVERYBODY AT THE TABLE THIS.
BUT $13,000 ISN'T GOING TO DO A LOT OBVIOUSLY.
IT'S A LOT OF SQUARE MILES IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY TO EXPECT, YOU KNOW, THE PICKING UP.
BUT WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY STRONG [INAUDIBLE] TOWN AND BOYKINS TOWN.
HOLDING REGULAR PICKUP, THEN DEBATING WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE CHAIR PULLING THAT TOGETHER OUT OF BOYKINS. SO THAT PART DID WORK WELL, AND WE WERE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA BEING SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF A VOLUNTEER GROUP LIKE WE ARE.
AND WE AGAIN, WE NEEDED THAT INPUT, COLLABORATION, SOMETHING MORE BECAUSE WE WOULD BE TOLD, WELL, NO, THAT'S YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT.
BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING IS NOW.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE IT OUT THERE.
THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE RESPOND TO.
AND WE GOT FINALLY GOT SOME PRETTY GOOD PRESS IN THE TIDEWATER NEWS.
BUT SOCIAL MEDIA IS WHERE IT'S AT.
SO ANYTHING GOING FORWARD FOR WHATEVER THE LITTER COUNCIL EVOLVES TO BE? I THINK THAT THAT'S A HUGE PIECE RIGHT THERE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
NOW, ONE OTHER THING THAT WE LEARNED IN THE LITTER COUNCIL, TRYING TO GET OUT THERE AND REDO THE ADOPT-A-HIGHWAYS, BECAUSE THAT HAD BECOME KIND OF JUST THROWN TO THE SIDE.
YOU WOULD SEE THE SIGNS OUT THERE AND THEY'D BEEN OUT THERE FOREVER.
SO I THINK WE ACTUALLY WENT AND TOOK THEM DOWN AND THEN KIND OF IT WAS A BIGGER PUSH TO RESTART THAT AND KEEP VIRGINIA BEAUTIFUL, WHICH I GUESS IS ALSO PART OF IT. YEAH, BUT THEN THERE ARE ALL THESE NEW GUIDELINES.
ABOUT WHAT AGE THE KIDS CAN BE FOR SAFETY.
BUT WITH ME, I'M LIKE, OH, I TOOK MY CHURCH.
I USED TO, WE USED TO CLEAN UP ALL ALONG AND USE THEM.
[01:05:08]
AND THEY ARE.THEY ARE ON THE GREAT GROUPS TO UTILIZE IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
IT'S HARDER TO GET THE ADULT GROUPS AS ACTIVE AS SOME OF THE YOUTH GROUPS.
I'VE GOT SEVERAL OTHER MEMBERS HERE THAT MAY WANT TO SPEAK TO SOMETHING AS WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. TAYLOR? HAVE YOU APPROACHED ANY OF THE HUNT CLUBS, LOCAL HUNT CLUBS? WE HAVE A LOT IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT MAYBE GET HUNT CLUBS INVOLVED.
[INAUDIBLE] CLUBS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ADULT CLUBS [INAUDIBLE] AND GET THAT FOCUSED GOING.
TOTALLY AGREE. YOU KNOW, I'M HEARING ALL THE COMMENTS AND EVERYTHING IS VERY CONSTRUCTIVE.
BUT IT GOES BACK TO WHAT MR. [INAUDIBLE] SAID EARLIER. YOU KNOW, THE CREW GOES OUT AND CLEANS THE LITTER UP, BUT IT COMES RIGHT BACK.
BUT IT'S GOT TO BE A MECHANISM THAT WE COULD STOP IT FROM COMING BACK ONCE WE MAKE THE CLEANUP.
OR ELSE WE'LL JUST BE FIGHTING THIS RABBIT CONTINUOUSLY FROM NOW ON.
A COUPLE OF YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE RIVERKEEPER PROGRAM.
AND I KNEW MR. TURNER YEARS AGO AND I'M NOT IN HIS COMPANY ANYMORE, BUT.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IF HE'S A VOLUNTEER OR IF HE GETS GRANT MONEY OR WHATEVER.
BUT ALL I KNOW IS AND I DON'T HAVE A BOAT.
I'M NOT A A WATER PERSON, OKAY? I'M A LAND PERSON. BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU ONE THING.
IF I HAD A BOAT AND I WAS GOING UP AND DOWN THE RIVERS, I WOULD BE VERY CAUTIOUS TO DROP ANYTHING IN THE NOTTOWAY OR THE BLACKWATER RIVER JUST BECAUSE OF THAT LITTLE POSTING HE DOES IN THE LOCAL PAPER.
I ENJOY THE FISHING REPORT AND I ENJOY.
BUT HE'S ALWAYS PICKING UP THE LITTER AND HE'S TELLING ABOUT WHERE IT'S AT.
NEVER MENTIONS A NAME, BUT I KNOW SOME OF THE PEOPLE HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
AND I WANT TO THINK THAT HE'S DONE A GREAT DEED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE BEEN ANY KIND OF FORMULATION OR REPORT OR WHATEVER, BUT I THINK HE'S PROBABLY BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE HE GETS KIDS, I THINK ONCE A YEAR OR MAYBE TWICE A YEAR, GROUPS TO GO OUT AND WORK THE RIVERS.
AND ANY OF YOU ALL LIVE BY THE NOTTOWAY, ARE Y'ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE RIVERKEEPER PROGRAM.
AND HE DOES GET RIGHT. AND APRIL IS THE KEEP THE BEAUTIFUL RIVER.
RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S ALWAYS A BIG FOCUS.
THEY DON'T GET OUT ON THE WATER.
BUT IT'S, THAT'S JUST ONCE A YEAR AND THAT'S IN APRIL.
RIGHT. AND I WOULD ASK MS. ALLSTON, DO YOU THINK THAT THAT PARTICULAR INITIATIVE IS SUCCESSFUL? ABSOLUTELY. AND IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS.
FROM A A PREVENTIVE MEASURE JUST BECAUSE OF THE PUBLICITY THAT HE GETS, SOCIAL MEDIA OR WHATEVER.
DO YOU THINK SOME OF THAT, ALL THAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO THAT INITIATIVE? CORRECT. RIGHT. BECAUSE WE'VE NOTICED THAT AROUND THE BOAT LANDINGS, THERE'S NOT AS MUCH LITTER NOW AS THERE WAS TEN YEARS AGO WHEN, OR LONGER THAN THAT, WHENEVER WE FIRST STARTED AND FOUND ALL THE UNBELIEVABLE THINGS.
BUT NOW WHAT YOU FIND ON THE RIVER IS MAINLY LINES THAT HAVE BEEN THROWN UP INTO TREES, YOU KNOW, THE ONES PEOPLE JUST LEAVE TO TRY TO CATCH FISH AND THEY GO BACK AND RETRIEVE IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO PREVENT, WE'VE GOT TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING.
WE CAN KEEP CORRECTING THE DAMAGE.
I MEAN, SOMETHING EVEN BETTER.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS.
GO AHEAD. THAT. SO ONCE THAT'S CREATED, WE'LL START PUTTING OUT INFORMATION, INCLUDING LITTER CONTROL STUFF SO WE CAN GET INFORMATION OUT THERE TO HELP WITH THE PREVENTION, OUR EFFORTS IN LITTER CONTROL, IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING ELSE IS GOING ON.
[01:10:05]
I MEAN, SERIOUS. I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S HOW MR. TURNER GETS HIS JOB DONE.AND THEN THEY POST IT AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE SEES IT AND IT'S A POSITIVE THING.
I THINK THE TWO WORK TOGETHER PRETTY GOOD, THE INSTAGRAM AND THE FACEBOOK.
WHAT I FOUND IN AND WE HAD PLANNED TO DO THAT, BUT I'M NOT SURE I, LYNETTE CHECKED INTO IT.
THEY ARE EXCLUDED FROM ANYTHING.
AND WE HAD TALKED ABOUT DOING THAT.
AND ACTUALLY WE'RE RAMPING UP TO DO ONE.
WHEN COVID CAME, WE WERE GOING TO DO IT OUT AT THE COURTLAND SHANDS PARKING LOT TO HAVE.
I MEAN, THAT WAS SOMETHING I LEARNED.
THAT WAS A HUGE NEED IN THE COUNTY.
WELL, WHO WOULD YOU PAY FOR DISBURSEMENT? THE MONEY FROM THE GRANT.
THAT APPARENTLY WOULD BE ALLOWED, AND SO THAT WAS A WAY TO MAKE SURE THEY DIDN'T END UP IN OUR DITCHES AND IN OUR WATER.
POSSIBLY HAVE A CONTAINER IN THE COLLECTION POINTS TO PUT THE TIRE.
STILL COULD USE THAT MONEY TO DISPOSE.
MY PROPERTY RIGHT BY ONE OF THE COLLECTION POINTS.
I GET AN ASSORTMENT OF TIRES, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN'T PUT IN THE REFRIGERATOR.
WHOEVER DOES THE APRIL CLEANUP, THE CLEAN RIVER MUST HAVE SOME SORT OF AGREEMENT WITH THE COLLECTION STATIONS OR ASK SOME SORT OF SPECIAL PERMISSION, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE TAKE THE TIRES AFTER WE COLLECT ALONG THE RIVER AND THEY'RE LEFT THERE AND THEN THEY TAKE THEM AWAY AT A LATER IN THE WEEK.
BUT IT WAS A SPECIAL PERMISSION TO LEAVE THE TIRES AT THE COLLECTION.
FOR THAT ONE WEEK OR MONTH OR WHATEVER THAT MONTH OF APRIL.
RIGHT. SO AND THE POINT WITH THAT PARTICULAR MONTH, AS MUCH AS IT IS FOR CLEAN UP, IT IS ALSO WE TIED INTO ENVIRONMENTAL DISCUSSION OF CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER, CLEAN EARTH.
AND SO LITTER CONTROL BECOMES PART OF A BIGGER VIEW OF YOUR WORLD KEEPING YOUR ENVIRONMENT CLEAN.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD MY COMMENTS ABOUT IT.
AND I SAID, WE NEED TO SET SOME SPECIFIC GOALS OF THE LITTER COUNCIL.
AND I HYPOTHETICALLY SAID, WELL, HOW ABOUT IF WE SET FOUR EVENTS PER YEAR AND WE FIX THE TWO ROUNDABOUTS? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE ROUNDABOUTS AND I'M NOT PICKING ON MR. KEY. I KNOW THAT THE LITTER COUNCIL, SOME OF THE LAST MEETINGS THEY WERE CONTACTING AND TRYING TO COORDINATE, FIXING THE ROUNDABOUTS, AT LEAST THAT WAS THE INFORMATION THAT THAT I RECEIVED AND IT KIND OF COVID KIND OF STOP THAT.
SO IS THAT A REALISTIC GOAL? AND MAYBE OF THE FOUR EVENTS, IT COULD BE COORDINATED WITH THE RIVERKEEPER IN APRIL BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF RIVER RUNNING THROUGH SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY AND THEN THAT COULD KIND OF BE STEP ONE TO GET IT GOING.
[01:15:08]
TO SET SOME VERY, I GUESS, REASONABLE AND ATTAINABLE GOALS TO GET PEOPLE PICKING UP SOME TRASH, GET PEOPLE INVOLVED.AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO KIND OF CHALLENGE OURSELVES TO GO TO THE FIRST ONE AND LET'S.
DR. EDWARDS, YOU CAN PICK UP TWO BAGS.
I CAN PICK UP TWO AND START SMALL.
WHO'S GOING TO ORGANIZE THIS? WELL, I WOULD HOPE THE LITTER COUNCIL.
IT BECOMES A SOCIAL EVENT AT LEAST.
I MEAN, YEAH, AND I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THE CULTURE FF THE COUNCIL IS BEHIND THE LITTER COUNCIL, OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, JUST ALL THE ENTITIES, WHEN ANY TIME YOU'RE TRYING TO SELL SOMETHING, THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK TO THE HIGHER UPS FOR THE CULTURE.
AND IF YOU'RE OUT THERE PICKING IT UP, THEN I THINK MORE PEOPLE ARE LIKELY TO PAY ATTENTION.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WOULD HAVE GOT SKIN ON IT WHERE WE CAN HELP OUT, TOO? SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
AND I THINK THE ROUNDABOUT IS A PERFECT POINT BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE GO AROUND IT AND SEE IT AND IT'S BEEN SO BAD SO LONG THAT PEOPLE WON'T GO, OH, MY GOSH, WHO DID THAT? WHO FIXED THAT? THAT LOOKS GREAT.
AND SO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF SIGNAGE OR SOMETHING OUT THERE AND CERTAINLY SOME PUBLICITY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S SOME GREAT IDEAS.
WHEN TOWNS DO CLEAN UPS, A CLUB DOES A CLEAN UP, WHOEVER TAKES IT ON.
WE DO ASK THEM TO REPORT HOW MANY BAGS OR PICKED UP.
SO LYNETTE ALWAYS KEPT A TRACK OF THAT.
SO AT THE END OF A GIVEN YEAR, SHE KNEW HOW MANY BAGS OF TRASH HAD BEEN PICKED UP.
SO THAT WAS ALWAYS REPORTED ON.
SO. AND SHE'S SENDING ME TEXTS BECAUSE SHE'S HOME RECOVERING FROM HER MOST RECENT COVID BOOSTER.
AND SHE SAYS THAT WE CANNOT DO ROUNDABOUTS WITH GRANT FUNDS.
AND THAT I WASN'T SURE IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO AS FAR AS DEQ.
BECAUSE THEY, LIKE I SAID, ARE VERY SPECIFIC ON WHAT YOU CAN USE IT FOR, FOR BEAUTIFICATION.
I MEAN CERTAINLY THE LITTER COUNCIL CAN BE THE MORE ORGANIZED IT'S MORE SWEAT EQUITY THAN MONEY.
REALLY. I MEAN, SO MULCH, SO FEW FLOWERS.
YOU KNOW, PUT OUT PANSIES NOW IN THE SPRING, TOO.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO COST A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY.
WELL, IT'S GOING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE THAT THE PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE OUT PICKING UP TRASH.
I THINK IF YOU DON'T START THERE, I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU REALLY EDUCATING? YEAH, I AGREE. YOU WOULD HAVE BE AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT? YEAH. MAKING SMALL STEPS FORWARD.
IF WE CAN EVER BRING THAT LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD TO WHERE YOU CAN GET THOSE PEOPLE TO DO IT.
AT THAT POINT WHEN HE SPOKE YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT CERTAINLY, THAT IS ALWAYS THE QUESTION I GET IN THE COUNTY, IS WHY CAN'T THE INMATES GET OUT HERE AND PICK UP THE TRASH? I MEAN, IT'S JUST THAT QUESTION COMES UP ALL THE TIME.
BUT I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT CERTAINLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO BECAUSE WE'RE NEVER GOING TO STAY ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THIS, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT MORE THAN ONE GROUP TO LOOK AT.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE LITTER COUNCIL IS PUT ON HERE AS A MATTER EVERY THREE MONTHS OR REPORT TO THE BOARD OR TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. WELL, WE GOT TO KEP KEEP THINGS GOING AND KEEP CONTACT BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN THE PROBLEM IN THE PAST.
[01:20:01]
EVERY TIME WE HAD A GREAT [INAUDIBLE].WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, BUT THEN IT ALL DIES DOWN.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME KEEP SOME CONTACT, WHETHER THEY WANT TO COME HERE EVERY THREE MONTHS, ALTERNATE WITH THE BOARD OR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION. BUT I THINK THEY OUGHT TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA.
THAT'S THE IMPORTANT THING. SO SO DID THE BOARD EVER ADDRESS? WHO WAS ON IT? YEAH, WELL, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S ON IT.
THERE'S A MEMBER FROM EACH DISTRICT.
THEN MR. THROWER CAN KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON THAT.
BUT WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH EACH TOWN IS SUPPOSED TO PRESENT A MEMBER.
IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING? LIKE MR. TURNER.
AND BRIAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT? HE'S GOT BYLAWS DOWN THERE.
WE'RE STILL WAITING ON SOME APPOINTMENTS.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF VACANT APPOINTMENTS THAT THE BOARD MAKES FOR DREWRYVILLE AND THOSE AREAS.
RETAIL COUNCIL ALSO REPORTS FOR WHICH TOWN WE'VE DONE FOUR TOWNS TO PUT THIS BACK, AND WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO USE THOSE AND THEN THOSE TWO GROUPS JOINTLY APPOINT OTHER MEMNBERS. SO ONCE EVERYBODY IS APPOINTED, FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE TOWN COUNCILS, THEN WE CAN HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING, START TALKING ABOUT THE BYLAWS AND SETTING SOME OF THESE GOALS UP.
WE NEED TO GET THE APPOINTMENTS TAKEN CARE OF.
AND WHEN WE JUMPED IN IN '19, WE DIDN'T ALL APPOINTEES WERE COMING.
BUT I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THING.
THAT'S TRUE. BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PREVENTING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE, THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE THE LEG OF THE STOOL THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION CAN HELP WITH, WITH ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT REQUIRE BUSINESSES TO HAVE OUTSIDE TRASH CANS.
AND THE 7-11S ARE CONVENIENCE STORES.
WELL, THEY NEED A TRASH CAN RIGHT BY THE DOOR, BUT THEY ALSO NEED ONE IF THE DOOR IS 100 FEET FROM THEIR CAR, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WALK BACK UP TO THE DOOR TO THROW THEIR TRASH AWAY.
SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION PIECE OF THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE THE PART THAT WOULD SUGGEST CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCES TO TRY AND STOP IT IN THE FIRST PLACE, REQUIRE THAT DUMPSTERS BE ENCLOSED WITH SELF-CLOSING GATES.
REQUIRE THAT THEY HAVE FUNCTIONING LIDS.
REQUIRE THAT THEY, EVEN ONES THAT DON'T HAVE DUMPSTERS, HAVE SOME SORT OF CONTAINERS, AND DON'T JUST PUT THEIR TRASH OUTSIDE AND WAIT TILL SOMEBODY GOES TO THE DUMP.
AND SOME OF THAT'S GOING TO TAKE COORDINATION WITH THE TOWNS, TOO, BECAUSE THE COMMERCIAL FACILITIES, MANY OF THE COMMERCIAL FACILITIES AND THE MULTIFAMILY FACILITIES THAT EXIST, THAT HAVE DUMPSTERS ARE IN THE INCORPORATED TOWNS.
SO, YOU KNOW, SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY CAN'T ADOPT ZONING CHANGES THAT WORK IN THE TOWNS, BUT TO TRY AND STOP IT BEFORE IT STARTS, IF IT'S CONVENIENT FOR PEOPLE TO THROW TRASH AWAY, THEY MOST LIKELY WILL.
BUT WHEN YOU GO THROUGH LINE AND PEOPLE GO IN AND THEY BUY A COUPLE OF BAGS OF ICE AND A COUPLE OF CASES OF BEER, AND THEY FILL UP THEIR COOLER IN THE BACK OF THEIR TRUCK AND THERE'S NO PLACE TO THROW IT AWAY.
SO. THE ONES THAT ARE CONSCIENTIOUS, PUT IT BY WHERE THEY ROLL THE CARTS TO, SO IT'S AT LEAST IN ONE PLACE, BUT A LOT OF THEM JUST LEAVE IT IN THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVE.
SO THAT'S THE LEG OF THIS LITTER CONTROL PART THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE THE PLANNING COMMISSION PART.
PLUS ACTUALLY GETTING OUT AND PICKING UP TRASH.
BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS A ROLE TO HELP START TO KEEP IT FROM BECOMING A PROBLEM IN THE FIRST PLACE.
DAVID EVERETT HERE. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN LISTENING THIS WHOLE TIME AND IT'S REALLY A CULTURE THING.
[01:25:02]
AND MS. LEWIS HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.AND MY WIFE IS FROM WASHINGTON STATE.
[INAUDIBLE] IT DON'T MATTER IF YOU GET STOPPED FOR INSPECTION, SPEEDING OR WHATEVER IT IS.
YOU GOT TO HAVE A TRASH RECEPTACLE IN YOUR CAR.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS CRAZY WHEN I WAS IN MY 20S, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT ANYMORE.
BUT IT REALLY IS, IT'S A CULTURAL ISSUE UNTIL PEOPLE.
AND IT TAKES A WHILE TO EFFECT THIS CULTURAL CHANGE.
THAT'S INTERESTING. MS. LEWIS IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
I WANT TO SHARE AT LEAST AN ENTICEMENT FOR HAVING A CLEAN UP DAY.
AND THE WAY WE HAVE GROWN OURS THROUGH THE YEARS IS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE A PARTY.
THEY WANT TO PREPARE THE FOOD.
AND IT HAS BECOME AN ENTICEMENT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE'S A PARTY, THERE'S A PICNIC AFTERWARDS.
SO THE SOCIAL ASPECT HELPS GROW THE PROJECT AND WE'VE SEEN OUR NUMBERS GROW UP THROUGH THE YEARS.
IT'S A LOT OF GOOD. EVERYBODY'S GOT GREAT IDEAS.
THEY REALLY DO. YOU'VE GOT TO GET YOU ON THE RIVER.
YOU'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT. GET YOU OUT TO THE FIELD A LITTLE BIT EVERY NOW AND THEN.
I HEAR YOU. THE THING WITH THE RIVER IS THIS.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ANY FISHERMAN THAT ARE GOING TO BE THROWING STUFF OUT.
SOMEBODY GOING DOWN THE ROAD HAS NOTHING TO LOSE BY THROWING IT OUT ON THE BACK ROAD.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO KEEP HIM FROM RUNNING HIS CAR DOWN THE ROAD.
I THINK THE IDEA OF SHOWING YOU'RE BRINGING YOUR BAGS BACK TOO, BECAUSE WE FILL UP TRUCKS WITH THE BAGS AND HAVE THEM PARKED, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR THING AND SOMEBODY ALWAYS TAKES THE BAGS TO THE THE THE COLLECTION SPACE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE THE NUMBER OF BAGS ON THE BACKS OF PICKUP TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF LIKE YOU FEEL YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB, YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
AND MOST OF THE TRASH DOES COME FROM THE ROAD NOW, NOT FROM THE RIVER.
EDWARDS. IT'S NOT THE WATER ANYMORE.
THE PICKUP IS EITHER, THE COUNTY DO THE PICKUP FROM WHEN TOWNS DO IT, SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GO OUT THERE AND GET IT ALL. IS IT VDOT.
IT'S VDOT. THEY PUT IT IN A CERTAIN LOCATION.
RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING.
SO THAT'S VERY WELL ORCHESTRATED ALREADY.
WE NEED TO HAVE THIS ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING.
CORRECT. GET ALL YOUR PEOPLE, MS. TAYLOR, IN PLACE.
AND THEN MR. KEY. AND, THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND THE VOTES WE NEED, WE NEED TO HAVE A.
ARE WE ALL GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS COLLABORATIVE TO GET IT INITIATED? CORRECT. SET AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT.
JACK, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
HOW BIG IS IT GOING TO BE? ONCE ALL THE APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE TO THE COUNCIL I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT WE ALL IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING? RIGHT. WE WANT TO BE A PART OF IT, BUT WE'VE GOT TO GET THE ORGANIZATIONAL PART IN A MEETING PLACE AND GET THAT RIGHT.
[01:30:02]
SO WE'VE GOT TO GET THE PEOPLE IN PLACE, NUMBER ONE.AND THEN I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA IF WE'RE VERY FOCUSED, AT LEAST QUARTERLY, RIGHT, LARGE ACROSS THE BOARD EVENT, AND THEN WITHIN EVERY QUARTER, THE DIFFERENT TOWNS CAN BE DOING SOMETHING.
AND THE LITTER COUNCIL, I MEAN THAT'S HOW THAT IS TO BE.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS REACH OUT TO THESE CLUBS, THESE COMPANIES.
I THINK HUBS IS A BIG PARTICIPANT IN THE APRIL EVENT.
THEY GET THEIR EMPLOYEES OFF AND LET THEM GO AND DO.
SO COMPANIES ARE A GREAT TEAM TO GET OUT THERE AND PICKING UP AS WELL AS TOWNS, RURITAN CLUBS.
HUNT CLUBS. GREAT IDEA THERE AS WELL.
AND SO HAVE ALL THAT GOING ON AND THEN AT LEAST FOUR BIG EVENTS.
AND IF WE'RE MAKING IT LIKE WE'RE HAVING FUN AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PARTY.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY MIGHT COME ON BOARD WITH US.
SO DO YOU SEE THE PLANNING COMMISSION? THE PLANNING COMMISSION HUMAN SITTING HERE BEING LIKE A GARDEN CLUB GROUP AND SO ON THE QUARTERLY EVENTS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD THESE PEOPLE OR WHOEVER THEY CAN RECRUIT GO OUT AND DO THE PICKUP? IS THAT WHAT YOU SEE THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOING, THAT WHAT Y'ALL SEE THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOING? LET'S LET THE LITTER COUNCIL SIT DOWN AND SEE WHAT KIND OF PROGRAM THEY WANT TO THROW IN.
WHY DON'T WE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA? ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA.
OR SHOULD WE JUST FOLLOW UP AND FOLLOW.
THAT'S WHAT I SUGGESTED, EVERY THREE MONTHS OR SOMETHING.
AUTOMATICALLY PUT THEM ON THERE.
LIKE WE GOT VZA MATTERS WE CAN PUT LITTER CONTROL MATTERS.
YEAH, A REPORT, LIKE QUARTERLY, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDE.A JUST TO GET AN UPDATE.
LIKE THAT ONE YEAR FELT SOMEWHAT ISOLATED BECAUSE WE COULDN'T ALWAYS GET THE PEOPLE BESIDES THE PEOPLE THAT WERE APPOINTED COULDN'T REALLY GET ALL THAT COLLABORATION GOING ON.
AND THAT POINT [INAUDIBLE] IS GREAT ABOUT THE TRASH GATES WHERE THE TRASH CANS ARE.
EVERY MEETING OR JUST LIKE EVERY THIRD MEETING? ONCE A QUARTER. YEAH, IT SOUNDS VERY REASONABLE.
DO YOU, WOULD THE, SINCE THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL APPOINTS THE EXTRA GROUP.
THERE'S THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE TOWNS AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
EDWARDS DOES AS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE LITTER CONTROL COUNCIL? WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE THAT? I THINK MR. [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE EXCELLENT TO DO THAT.
YES, BUT IT'S A NON COMPETITIVE GRANT, SO IT'S A TWO PAGE FORM YOU FILL OUT.
WELL, I GUESS THE POINT I WOULD MAKE IS THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THAT GRANT WRITING, KNOWING WHAT IT CAN BE USED FOR AND WHAT IT CANNOT BE USED FOR, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OR THE MINIMUM AMOUNT.
THAT PERSON I WOULD RECOMMEND SHOULD ALSO BE PART OF THAT LITTER COUNCIL.
SHE WROTE IT BECAUSE SHE'S THE FINANCIAL PERSON.
WHEN I WORKED IN THE CITY OF FRANKLIN, I WROTE IT.
THERE'S NO COMPETITION. AND YOU CAN'T GET LESS.
IF YOU FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK RIGHT AND TURN IN BY THE RIGHT DAY, YOU GET THE MONEY.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S THE ONLY GRANT AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES FOR LITTER CONTROL? NO, BUT. AND THE STATE HAS COMPETITIVE GRANTS.
THE STATE HAS COMPETITIVE GRANTS, TOO.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE GRANT FORMS AND GRANT FOLLOW UP AND ALL THAT, THAT'S MORE THAN A TWO PAGE FORM THAT YOU FILL OUT THE THERE HAS TO BE A PERSON THAT DOES THAT.
RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT.
BECAUSE WORK OUR DEPARTMENT IS WORKING WITH THE CDBG GRANT FOR NEWSOMS.
[01:35:01]
AND IF IF WE CAN EVER GET FIVE HOUSES REHABBED, IT'LL BE A MIRACLE.AND IT TAKES BESIDES THE ENGINEERING FIRM AND THE PLANNING FIRM.
IT'S 15 TO 20 HOURS A WEEK OF OUR DEPARTMENT JOB.
AND IN THE END, AFTER TWO OR THREE YEARS, MAYBE FIVE HOUSES WILL GET REHABBED.
SO THE GRANT PROCESS FOR COMPETITIVE GRANTS IS A JOB.
THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE A PERSON THAT THAT'S THEIR JOB.
ALL RIGHT. ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MS. TAYLOR? MS. TAYLOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING TONIGHT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ANYONE IN OUR AUDIENCE? ANY OTHER IDEAS? ANYBODY MAKE ANY REMARKS? SO THIS POINT WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW THE LITTER COUNCIL TO GET A LITTLE MORE ORGANIZED.
THOSE VACANT POSITIONS, I THINK THE BOARD'S GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
AND I'LL TALK TO MY MAYOR, MR. THROWER. I KNOW I MENTIONED TO HIM A WHILE BACK THAT HE WAS INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THIS BOARD.
SO WHAT TOWNS ARE NOT COMMITTED YET? THE TWO TOWNS THAT ARE VACANT CURRENTLY ARE THE TOWN OF [INAUDIBLE] AND THE TOWN OF NEWSOMS. THOSE ARE TOWN COUNCIL APPOINTED.
OKAY. ARE WE ALL SQUARED AWAY? IT'S BEEN VERY PRODUCTIVE.
AND I APPRECIATE, AGAIN, EVERYBODY COMING OUT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? EVERYBODY GOT ENOUGH ABOUT TRASH.
YOU TALKING ABOUT ADJOURNING THE MEETING OR ADJOURNING FROM THIS PART RIGHT HERE? WELL, THIS PART. WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MR. KEY. IT SEEMS LIKE HE ALWAYS CATCHES A LOT OF HEAT [LAUGHTER].
AND A THANKS TO MR. BARCLAY WHO CAME ALL THE WAY FROM CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, IF THAT BE IT.
WE WILL. AND IF ANYONE WANTS TO STAY, BUT I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH SUM UP THE MEETING.
BUT IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO LEAVE AT THIS POINT.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ONE ANOTHER TO RESOLVE OUR LITTER CRISIS.
WELL, GOING BACK TO OUR AGENDA.
NUMBER FIVE, THERE'S NO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
YOU GUYS WANT TO ADJOURN? MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS ADJOURNED.
[LAUGHTER] SO NO PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED AND NO, IS THEIR ANY NEW BUSINESS, NO SCHEDULED.
[VI. NEW BUSINESS]
NO VZA MATTERS.ANYTHING ELSE FROM FROM THIS BOARD BEFORE WE ADJOURN? I GOT ONE ITEM, SIR.
COME IN AND GET OUR INTERNET SERVICE AND ALL OF THAT UP TO SPEED.
IS THAT CORRECT? BROADBAND STARTED BACK THIS SUMMER.
OKAY. WELL, I KNOW. GRAINBREAKING IN JULY, I BELIEVE.
NOW IS THIS GOING TO BE ABOVE GROUNDLINES, UNDERGROUNDLINES, COMBINATION OR.
IT'S GOING TO BE I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE BELOW GRAIN.
THEY PUT A VERIZON LINE, HIGH SPEED INTERNET.
ONE 58 LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE, BECAUSE WE TIED INTO IT.
SO THAT WAS A HUGE HELP FOR ALL OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE IN THE COUNTY.
YOU SEE THE MAP OF WHERE THEY'RE GOING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THEY ARE MOVING THROUGHOUT SUFFOLK.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS JUST ONE ON 58 IS WHERE IT'S AT NOW.
[01:40:01]
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET.AND I'M GETTING TO A POINT OF THAT'S WHY I ASK ABOUT THE ABOVE GROUNDOR BELOW GROUNDLINES.
AND I KNOW IF THEY'RE TAGGING ON TO A UTILITY POLE, THEY'VE GOT TO BE SO MANY, I THINK IT'S 18 INCHES OR SOMETHING BELOW THE UTILITY COMPANIES LAND. THEY'RE RESTRICTED TO GETTING THEM UP, WHICH YOU GET A SLOPE ON IT.
AND WE'VE HAD WE HAVE SOME LINES IN BOYKINS THAT YOU GO UNDER WITH SOME EQUIPMENT AND YOU'VE GOT TO GET IN THE OTHER LANE TO KEEP FROM TAKING IT DOWN. AND WE HAD A CASE IN BOYKINS WHERE THE POLICE OFFICER CALLED ABOUT A CABLE LINE, AND I THINK IT WAS SPECTRUM'S AND IT LITERALLY, IT WAS ON THE GROUNDON CHURCH PROPERTY.
THERE WAS A CONE SET OUT THERE AND IT WENT OVER TO THE DOLLAR STORE.
TO THE POINT THAT I GOT AN ORDER NUMBER WE'D BE OUT IN 24 HOURS.
AND I GOT ZERO RESPONSE, ZERO RESPONSE.
AND SO WE'RE AND I WWANT INTERNET SERVICE TO COME INTO THE COUNTY.
BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, YOU'VE GOT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR LINES WHEN YOU CALL THEM AND THERE'S ONE IN THE HIGHWAY, THEY NEED TO RESPOND BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S VERIZON, SPECTRUM OR A CABLE COMPANY OR A UTILITY LINE, ANY LINE LAYING ON THE GRAIN, YOU'VE GOT TO TREAT IT LIKE A UTILITY LINE.
NOW, I HAVE DETERMINED AND I'VE MENTIONED THIS TO THE SHERIFF TONIGHT, WHEN YOU TAKE DOWN A LINE THAT'S FOUR INCHES IN DIAMETER AND 50 CUSTOMERS CALL THEY'RE THEIR IN AN HOUR. BUT IF YOU CALL TO PREVENT A PROBLEM THEY COULD CARE LESS.
AND I DID DISCUSS THIS WITH FIRE AND RESCUE IN A SITUATION THAT THEY MENTIONED THAT IT WOULD BE NICE IF THE LION SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER WERE COLOR CODED SO THAT YOU KNEW WHETHER IT WAS A UTILITY LINE OR CABLE NETWORK OR VERIZON OR SOMETHING.
BECAUSE I THINK WHEN PEOPLE SEE A LINE ON THE GRAIN, THEY CALL THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
AND I THINK JOE, OUR POLICE OFFICER IN BOYKINS RESPONDED TO ONE LAST NIGHT.
AND I KNOW IT'S A MINOR ISSUE, BUT WE ARE WE'RE AN AG COMMUNITY AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FORESTRY BUSINESS IN THIS COUNTY, WHICH TRANSLATES TO EQUIPMENT THAT KEEPS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER.
AND I WANTED TO ASK MR. KEY, I THINK THERE'S CERTAIN REGULATIONS THAT THESE LINES HAVE TO BE 18 FEET ABOVE THE HIGHWAY SURFACE.
I MEAN, I THINK 14 FEET IS A THEY'RE REALLY LOW ON 58 RIGHT THERE, STORAGE STATION.
BUT THE CABLE COMPANIES, WHEN YOU GET A TIME POLICE SERGEANT TO CALL AND THE LINE IS LAYING IN THE ROAD AND IS A [INAUDIBLE], I KNOW THAT LINE GOT CUT AND IT DID NOT GET CUT BY A SPECTRUM EMPLOYEE.
IT GOT CUT, FOLDED UP, ROLLED OVER, AND IT WAS ANOTHER COMPANY THAT DID IT.
THAT WAS A [INAUDIBLE] COMMUNICATION LINE.
BUT MY CONCERN IS FOR THE SAFETY OF THE COUNTY RESIDENTS.
A KID SEES A LINE COMING OFF A LIGHT POLE IS CURIOSITY.
AND I UNDERSTAND, TOO, THAT WITH THE ELECTRIC LINES, I UNDERSTAND IF THEY'RE ON THE GROUNDAND MIGHT MAKE IT CLEAR THIS THAT THEY SAY STAY AT LEAST ONE AND A HALF LIGHT POLE LENGTHS AWAY FROM IT BECAUSE THE ELECTRICITY CAN TRAVEL THROUGH THE GROUNDAT LEAST HALF THE DISTANCE FROM ONE POLE TO THE OTHER.
NOW, I THINK A CABLE LINE HAS A LITTLE WIRE IN IT A LITTLE BIT.
BUT, UH, THE LADY ASSURED ME IT WOULD NOT CONDUCT ELECTRICITY.
A TELEPHONE. A TELEPHONE LINE DOES HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUSHING FOR COMMUNICATION, BETTER COMMUNICATION.
[01:45:03]
WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS.AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE STATE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY CAN REQUIRE, BUT IT'S A LITTLE RIDICULOUS THAT THEY'VE GOT TO WAIT UNTIL A FOUR INCH LINE GETS TAKEN DOWN AND YOU FIND THAT THEY CAN BE THERE IN AN HOUR. AND I CALLED, I THINK IT WAS LABOR DAY.
THAT LINE AT THE DOLLAR STORE GOT CUT AND ROLLED OUT.
SO IT'S A LACK OF COMMUNITY CONCERN TO ME.
BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER THAT.
UM, WE'RE NOT YANKING LINES OFF PEOPLE'S HOUSES, AND THEN THEY'RE COMING OUT RAISING CAIN ON, UH, A DRIVER THAT'S GONE THROUGH TOWN AND YANKED OUT TEN LINES.
AND SO IT'S JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
IS THERE ANY COMMUNICATION WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH THESE COMPANIES THAT'S COMING IN.
THAT'S, THIS IS FSEDI WEBSITE.
THIS IS A MAP OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY AND IT TELLS WHAT GRANT IS PAYING FOR BROADBAND IN WHAT AREA YOU CAN PUT IN YOUR ADDRESS AND SEE UNDER WHICH GRANT YOU'RE GOING TO BE SERVED.
AND THERE'S A NAME AND PHONE NUMBER FOR ASHLEY COVINGTON.
NOW SHE'S ASHLEY COVINGTON AND HER PHONE NUMBER'S THERE.
BUT IT TELLS WHAT GRANT IS GOING TO SERVE YOUR AREA.
AND ACTUALLY, CAN THEY ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS AT FSEDI.
ALSO WHEN THEY GET MORE INFORMATION, THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING COMMUNITY MEETINGS OUT.
RIGHT. AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO MAPPING THAT KEEPS IT UP TO DATE AS IT COMES, THEY'LL SAY, THIS IS THE NEXT AREA AND THIS IS THE NEXT AREA AND THIS IS THE NEXT AREA.
OKAY. AND THEY SAY IN THREE YEARS IT WILL BE DONE.
[LAUGHTER] BECAUSE THE GRANT THEY ARE FUNDING HAS TO BE DONE BY THAT TIME.
SO 93% OF THE COUNTY SUPPOSEDLY.
YEAH. WOW. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAP THERE.
BUT SOME OF THE AREAS THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SERVE ARE ALREADY SERVED LIKE THE TOWN OF COURTLAND.
AROUND SEDLEY THEY ALREADY HAVE.
IN IVOR, I BELIEVE THEY ALREADY HAVE.
THEY SERVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ON A CONSISTENT BASIS, DON'T THEY? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. MANN. I THINK THAT'S A VERY VALID POINT.
BECAUSE A LOT OF THE UTILITY LINES HAD SAG IN THEM.
AND I KNEW THAT THE CABLE TELEVISION THAT GOES AT NEWSOMS YEARS AGO.
THEY WERE ACTUALLY PUTTING THEIR LINE BELOW ON THE BOTTOM OF THOSE POLES.
BUT IF YOU'VE GOT A DRIVEWAY, THEY HAVE A TALLER POLE.
THEY GOT TO STRETCH A LITTLE TIGHTER.
BUT SOME OF THOSE CABLES HAVE A LOT OF SAG TO THEM.
BUT EVIDENTLY WHEN THESE CABLE PEOPLE THEY CONTRACT TO USE TO RENT OR LEASE THE POLES, THEY TEND TO GO IN THE BOTTOM SIDE, WHICH I RECKON THEY CAN'T GO ABOVE IT.
AND MS. LOWE SAYS SOME ARE ABOVE AND SOME ARE UNDERGROUND, DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION.
YOU CAN ALWAYS DIG AROUND AND FIND AN 800 NUMBER TAG TO CALL IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER.
AND FIBER OPTIC IS PRETTY PREVALENT ON DOING THAT AND IT MIGHT CHANGE HANDS FIVE TIMES, BUT THAT 800 NUMBER IS GOING TO WORK AND I THINK FIBER OPTIC LINES IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAY.
YES, THEY ARE. THEY ARE VERY ATTENTIVE.
WHEN YOU TELL THEM A LOW LINE, THEY COME AND TAKE CARE OF IT.
IT'S JUST A CONCERN OF TAKING DOWN TWO OR THREE LINES.
BUT I GO BACK AND REPLACE THEM BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A FEDERAL OFFENSE.
[01:50:05]
I'M JUST BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SINCE SEPTEMBER.AND I WATCH THAT LINE SIT IN THAT ROAD AND NOBODY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT IT.
AND THEY'RE JUST SUPPLYING THE EQUIPMENT.
BUT AT LEAST THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.
RIGHT. BUT I'M, ALL THE PROJECTIONS ARE PROJECTIONS.
IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO RUN THOSE CABLE LINES AND A LOT OF MONEY.
AND I'M JUST HOPEFUL THAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE NEXT TEN YEARS.
THE GRANT RUNS OUT IN FOUR YEARS, DOESN'T IT? IT'S THREE OR FOUR YEARS HERE.
IT'S ENOUGH DRAIN TILE LINES IN THIS COUNTY.
IT'S LIKE WHEN I SAID, HEY, I'M GOING TO DO ALL MY FOOD PLOTS WITH THAT TILLER, YOU KNOW, AFTER, YOU KNOW, I WAS GOING TO GET IT DONE IN TWO WEEKS AND THEN SIX WEEKS LATER, I APPRECIATE FARMERS A LOT MORE.
ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS? IF NOT. MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SECOND. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.