ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, FOLKS. [00:00:01] IT'S 6:00. WE WILL THEREFORE CALL THIS MAY 15TH MEETING. PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED FY 24 BUDGET. IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE. WE HAVE A FULL BOARD. WE HAVE ALL THE SUPERVISORS HERE. AND WE WILL PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER FROM THE AUDIENCE FOR A SHORT INVOCATION. BEFORE WE GET TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, I THOUGHT WE'D ASK MR. THROWER JUST TO GIVE US A QUICK SYNOPSIS OF HOW WE GOT HERE TONIGHT. YES. HONORABLE BOARD MEMBERS. JUST TO LET EVERYBODY AND BRING EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED ON WHERE WE ARE IN THE BUDGET. WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, STARTING IN LATE DECEMBER WHEN THE WE ISSUED THE FORMS, BUDGET FORMS, REQUEST FORMS TO THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES. A LOT OF THIS WORK HAS BEEN GOING ON IN MARCH AND APRIL, MEETING WITH THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AND BOARD AS A WHOLE. YOU DO HAVE TONIGHT THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION TONIGHT. SO I'LL JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH A QUICK SYNOPSIS OF THE BUDGET AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS NOW. AFTER REVIEWING AND DISCUSSING THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET WITH THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AND BOARD AS A WHOLE OVER SEVERAL WORK SESSIONS, YOUR FY 24 PROPOSED BUDGET STANDS AT $89,090,551. THE EXPENDITURE TOTAL IS BROKEN OUT BY FUND ARE AS FOLLOWS. GENERAL FUND $22,610,089. ENTERPRISE FUND $6,673,290. BUILDING FUND. $17,368,269. PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FUND, WHICH IS SOCIAL SERVICES. $3,014,779. SCHOOL FUND. SCHOOL FOOD SERVICES FUND. $1,545,430 IN THE SCHOOL FUND AT $37,878,694. IN TERMS OF GENERAL FUND, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING REVENUE INCREASES. ALL OF THIS IS IN YOUR PACKET AND AS WE DISCUSSED BEFORE, THE PERSONAL PROPERTY GENERAL TAX INCREASE WILL GO FROM 4.60 TO 4.70 PER 100 VALUATION. AS YOU'RE AWARE, IN PREVIOUS YEARS THAT WAS SET AT $5 AND YOU LOWERED THAT DOWN LAST YEAR. PERSONAL PROPERTY FOR PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATIONS, AGAIN GOING FROM 4.60 TO 4.70 PER 100. THE PERSONAL PROPERTY FOR FARM MACHINERY SLASH SINGLE PRODUCT, $1.15 PER 100 TO $1.25 PER 100. AND WE DID ADD THIS WAS LEFT OVER FROM, IF YOU REMEMBER, BACK IN THE SUMMER AND FALL OF LAST YEAR, YOU DID HAVE SEVERAL UPDATES TO THE BUILDING AND ZONING PERMIT FEES. THIS WAS INADVERTENTLY LEFT OUT BY THE OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT FROM THAT TIME. SO WE JUST ADDED THAT TO YOUR PROPOSAL TONIGHT. THE BUILDING PERMIT REINSPECTION FEE FROM $50 TO $80. AGAIN, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN DONE. AND WHEN WE DID THESE AMENDED THE RATES IN THE FALL OF LAST YEAR. SO WE'VE INSTEAD OF HAVING TO PAY TO ADVERTISE TWICE FOR THEM, WE WE STUCK THAT IN HERE IN TERMS OF EXPENSES. GENERAL FUND AGAIN, THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT INCREASE FOR EMPLOYEES IS 7%. WE DIDN'T INCLUDE SOME MONEY FOR SUPERVISORY TRAINING AT $4,000. A SHARED EMERGENCY SERVICES COORDINATOR POSITION WITH THE CITY OF FRANKLIN AT 75,000 FULL TIME POSITION IN THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE OFFICE ESTIMATE FOR THE SALARY ONLY PORTION AT 35,000. PART TIME POSITION IN THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUES OFFICE FOR THE UPCOMING REASSESSMENT OF 15,000 FULL TIME POSITION IN BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS. [00:05:01] WE BUDGETED HALF A YEAR FOR THAT POSITION AND WE ESTIMATE $37,500 FOR A HALF A YEAR BUDGET. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF INCREASES 7% OVERALL DURING DUE TO NOT BEING INCLUDED IN THE PREVIOUS SALARY STUDY. THAT WAS AROUND 20 $20,000. WE DID HAVE A SMALL HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE OF ALMOST 3%. THE TIPPING FEE INCREASE DID GO UP $2 A TON. WE ESTIMATE THAT AT AROUND 20,000 AND JUST GENERAL OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES INCREASES DUE TO INFLATIONARY PRESSURES THAT WE'RE ALL EXPERIENCING. THE ENTERPRISE FUND FY 24, WHICH IS WATER AND SEWER BUDGET, AGAIN, WE'RE PROPOSING TO GO UP $2 PER CATEGORY FOR BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL. THE RESIDENTIAL, THE WATER MONTHLY RESIDENTIAL BASE RATE WILL GO TO 29 TO 31 MONTHLY COMMERCIAL BASE RATE FROM 29 TO 31 AND MONTHLY RATE PER 1000 FOR OVER 4000 GALLONS FROM 7 TO $9. REVENUES FOR SEWER MONTHLY RESIDENTIAL BASE RATE WILL GO FROM 37 TO $39. MONTHLY COMMERCIAL BASE RATE FROM 37, $39 AND THE MONTHLY RATE PER 1000 FOR ALL WATER USE OVER SEWER USE, OVER 4000 GALLONS FROM 9 TO 11. OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE WITHIN THAT BUDGET WERE CONTINUING. THE ARPA FUNDED PROJECTS IN THAT BUDGET OF THE INFILTRATION AND INFLOW PROJECT IN THE BOYKIN SEWER MAIN PROJECTS, WHICH IS ALMOST $2.4 MILLION. AGAIN, THE BUILDING FUND EXPENDITURE TOTALS $17,368,269. AND AGAIN, THAT FUND PRIMARILY INCLUDES EXPENSES FOR THE COURTHOUSE PROJECT, RADIO SYSTEM PROJECT. FIRE AND RESCUE CAPITAL PROJECT SLASH CARRYOVER FUNDS AND OTHER RELATED BUILDING AND VEHICLE EXPENSES. AGAIN, YOUR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FUNDS ASSISTANCE FUNDS, WHICH IS SOCIAL SERVICES, A LITTLE OVER 3 MILLION. THE MAJORITY OF THAT 85% ROUGHLY, IS FUNDING PROVIDED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. THE SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE FUND AGAIN TOTALS ONE POINT, A LITTLE OVER 1.5 MILLION, AND THIS IS LEVEL FUNDING PER THE FY 23 ADOPTED BUDGET AND SCHOOL FUND. THE PROPOSED SCHOOL FUND TOTALS AGAIN $37,878,694 OF THAT AMOUNT. THE LOCAL FUNDING PORTION IS $12,604,194 FOR SCHOOL OPERATIONS. AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DID REQUEST $15,885,665 IN LOCAL FUNDING. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. [1. Public Hearing - FY24 Proposed Budget, Tax Rates, and Fees] I MIGHT ADD, YOU'RE PROBABLY EVERYBODY'S BIGGEST TAX BURDEN. THE REAL ESTATE DID NOT GO UP. IT STAYED AT 89 AS IT WAS LAST YEAR. OKAY. WITH THAT DONE, BEFORE WE GET TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD. ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING WE WANT TO GO OVER BEFORE WE GET TO THE PUBLIC HEARING? WELL, I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN FOR THE SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY HAD TO ELIMINATE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE PLANNING. AND IF ANYTHING WOULD DO FOR THE SCHOOLS, THAT'S WHAT THAT WOULD BE MY INTEREST. WELL, I AGREE WITH WHAT HE WAS SAYING ABOUT THE SCHOOLS THAT YOU HATE TO SEE THE SCHOOLS GET CUT, BUT THEY CAME IN WITH A BUDGET OF 3.1 MILLION HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR. AND IT WOULD HAVE COST EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE MADE THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY GO UP. 23.5% IN ORDER TO MEET THEIR REQUESTED BUDGET. THE REAL ESTATE, HUH? REAL ESTATE. I MIGHT SAY THE WRONG REAL ESTATE, BUT YEAH. SO NOW I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT, AND I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF ANY INCREASED TAXES WHATSOEVER. AND I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM ARE. AND WHAT WAS IN THE TIDEWATER NEWS WAS THE WORD OPERATIONS. AND IT SHOULD BE ADMINISTRATION, SHOULDN'T IT? NO. IN THE NEWSPAPER, HE ASKED ABOUT THE OVERALL FUNDING FOR THE SCHOOL AND THE OPERATING FUND FUNDING. IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET WENT DOWN $100,000 FROM LAST YEAR. [00:10:02] WELL, THAT YES, THAT CATEGORICALLY WAS OUT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CATEGORY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE OPERATING. YEAH, WE WANT TO AND THERE WERE I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO HOLD MY COMMENTS BEFORE OR AFTER, BUT MAYBE BEFORE THERE WERE THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. AND I THINK IT NEEDS SOME EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT WE WERE THINKING, WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE HERE, BUT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS TROUBLING TO ME WHEN I WAS TRYING TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION, I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE VERY AWARE. OF THE DEI CURRICULUM THAT'S SWEEPING THIS NATION AS WELL AS THE STATE. AND I BROUGHT MY REFERENCE BOOKS HERE, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO DISCUSS IT AFTER THE MEETING. BUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AS WELL AS THE. A NATION THAT ARE VERY TROUBLING. AND ONE OF THEM IS THE DIE, WHICH THE I STANDS FOR, INCLUSION. IS ANYBODY IN HERE THAT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT INCLUSION MEANS? THE INCLUSION PART OF THE DIE IS WRECKING HAVOC. THE SUICIDE RATES AMONG THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE INCREASING TO THE RATE OF 30% IN THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE OF THE THE I EN DIE. THAT'S VERY TROUBLING. SO WHEN I ASK, WAS IT IN THE CURRICULUM FOR SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY? THE ANSWER I GOT WAS ACTUALLY, I DIDN'T GET A VOCAL ANSWER, BUT I GOT A LOT OF HEAD MOVING AND. I ASK THE QUESTION, AM I TO TAKE THAT AS A YES? AND FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE ANSWER WAS IT'S JUST AN IDEOLOGY. WELL, AN IDEOLOGY DOES A COUPLE OF DEFINITIONS THAT THAT POINT THAT OUT. AND THEY ARE. A MANNER OR CONTENT OF THINKING CHARACTERISTIC OF AN INDIVIDUAL GROUP OR CULTURE. AN IDEOLOGUE. AN IMPRACTICAL IDEALIST. AND OFTEN BLINDLY PARTIZAN ADVOCATE OR ADHERENT OF A PARTICULAR IDEOLOGY. AND WHERE OUR CHILDREN ARE CONCERNED. THAT'S VERY CONCERNING TO ME. I'M A GRANDPARENT. I DON'T HAVE A STUDENT IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM, BUT YET IT DOES CAUSE CONCERN. AND THERE WAS AN ADMISSION THAT, YES, IT'S IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. WITH THAT, I HAVE SEVERAL COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO US. IT'S HARD TO FIND SOMEBODY TODAY TO MEET IN PUBLIC AND AND ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT THINGS AND THE CONDITION OF THE SURROUNDING CULTURE OR WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR ENVIRONMENT. MOST PEOPLE WOULD READILY ADMIT THINGS ARE CHANGING GREATLY. AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT A FEW THINGS ABOUT DEI THAT ARE VERY TROUBLING. AND IF THEY ARE IN OUR SYSTEM, I THINK WE NEED TO PAY SOME STRONG ATTENTION TO IT. TO CHANGE A MAN INTO A WOMAN AND A WOMAN INTO A MAN IS TO CHANGE IDENTITY. THE AMERICAN METAMORPHOSIS THAT SPAN THE MID 20TH CENTURY TO THE EARLY 21ST CENTURY WAS SO RADICAL AND PROFOUND THAT AMERICA WOULD BE LARGELY UNRECOGNIZABLE TO THE FORMER. A NEW HISTORY. A NEW NATIONAL MEMORY WOULD BE ENCAPSULATED INTO THE MINDS OF THE AMERICAN CHILDREN IN CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND AS TIME WENT ON AND THE METAMORPHOSIS PROGRESSED, THE NATION WAS LESS AND LESS ABLE TO REMEMBER WHAT IT HAD ONCE BEEN, OR THAT IT HAD EVER BEEN ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT IT NOW WAS. A TRANSITION PAST WOULD PRODUCE A TRANSITION NATION AND A TRANSITION FUTURE. EACH WOULD NOW ACCEPT WHAT THEY HAD ONCE REJECTED AND REJECT WHAT THEY HAD ONCE ACCEPTED. WHAT IT ONCE SAW AS WRONG, IMMORAL OR EVIL WILL NOW SEE AS GOOD, AND WHAT IT ONCE SAW AS GOOD WILL NOW SEE AS WRONG, IMMORAL OR EVIL. WHAT IT ONCE FOUND ABHORRENT AND SHOCKING IS NOW VENERATED AS SACRED. AND WHAT IT ONCE VENERATED AS SACRED IS NOW FOUND ABHORRENT AND SHOCKING. AS A SPIRIT OF THINGS TRANSITION MALE TO FEMALE AND FEMALE TO MALE, IT WAS NOW TRANSITIONING BASICALLY A CHRISTIAN [00:15:02] CIVILIZATION BEING ALTERED STEP BY STEP INTO A PAGAN ONE AND NATION UNTO GOD, WHICH WE JUST STOOD UP AND PLEDGED BECOMES ONE NATION UNDER MANY. ALSO. I THINK THE AGE OF THIS GROUP IN HERE, IF I SAY BUD LIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S THE THAT'S THE INCLUSION OF THIS DOCTRINE INTO THE CORPORATE WORLD. AND IT'S NOT ONLY WITH CERTAIN CORPORATIONS, IT'S IT'S ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE CHILDREN, I.E. DISNEY WORLD. SO THEY GO HOME AND THEY SEE PACKAGES OF CEREAL AND AND MINI BITES THAT YOU PUT IN THEIR LUNCH BUCKET OR LUNCH BAG TO TAKE TO SCHOOL. THE CARTOONS ON THE TELEVISION, THE COMMERCIALS. AND I CAN GO ON AND ON. THE NATION'S CHILDREN WERE BEING PLACED IN THIS IDEOLOGY'S HANDS. THE CONVERSION. IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK INTO HISTORY, THE CONVERSION OF THE ROMAN EMPEROR CONSTANTINE WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS IN WORLD HISTORY. IT HAPPENED THROUGH A SIGN BEFORE HIS BATTLE AGAINST EMPEROR MAXENTIUS AT THE MILVIAN BRIDGE IN AD 312. SAW A VISION THAT WAS CONSTANTINE. ABOVE THE SUN WAS A CROSS OF LIGHT, AND THE GREEK WORDS WERE IN THIS CONQUER. THE SIGN WAS THUS CRUCIAL IN CONVERSION OF A PAGAN CIVILIZATION INTO A CHRISTIAN ONE WHICH WE NOW ENJOY. AND ANYBODY THAT HAS STUDIED HISTORY WILL SEE THE PROGRESSION OF IT ACROSS THE CONTINENT TO WHERE WE LIVE TODAY. YOU CAN ALSO LOOK BACK ACROSS THE OCEAN AND SEE THE CHANGES THAT ARE ABRUPTLY COMING AND THANK GOODNESS WE CAN LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL. THEY WOULD BE INDOCTRINATED INTO THEIR WAYS, INTO PAGAN VALUES. SO THAT THE WAYS OF GOD WOULD BECOME ALIEN TO THEM. SO. IN AN EARLIER DAY, THE VALUES UPHELD BY CHRISTIANS WOULD HAVE BEEN LAUDED AS VIRTUOUS. BUT NOW THEY WOULD BE DESPISED. THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME, ESPECIALLY EVEN IF IT'S DESCRIBED AS AN IDEOLOGY BEING TAUGHT IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THAT'S VERY TROUBLING FOR ME ON THIS BOARD. THERE'S A WHOLE 2 OR 3 PAGE ARTICLE RIGHT HERE. SOME OF YOU HAVE SEEN THINGS THAT HAPPENED AT NASHVILLE AT A SCHOOL IN COLORADO. THE SCIENCE AND MY GOSH, WE'VE ALL HEARD FOLLOW THE SCIENCE. DOES ANYBODY IN HERE HADN'T HEARD THAT PHRASE FOLLOW THE SCIENCE? WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF STATISTICS IN HERE. AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT POINTS OUT THAT THE SUICIDE RATE AMONG THESE YOUTH IS INCREASED UP TO 30%. THAT'S TROUBLING. AND TO THINK THAT I WOULD PARTICIPATE WITH A VOICE VOTE UP HERE OR ANY OTHER THAT WOULD EVEN MOVE THE DIAL TOWARD THAT DIRECTION WITH OUR CHILDREN HERE IN THIS COUNTY. I CAN'T SUPPORT IT. SO I DON'T KNOW. I KNOW ON MY PHONE I'VE GOT SEVEN DISTURBANCES. BUT BASED ON THE IDEOLOGY BEING IN OUR SCHOOLS, IT WAS VERY TROUBLING FOR ME AND IT WAS HARD FOR THIS BOARD TO BEGIN TO DEAL WITH THE FUNDS IN YOUR TAX DOLLARS GOING INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO WE SOUGHT TO HOLD THE LINE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE STAND. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE CERTAINLY CHANGING IN OUR COUNTRY. AND I CAN'T POINT OUT ONE THING THAT DOES IT. THERE ARE A COMBINATION OF THINGS THAT'S CHANGING SOCIETY. AND. I DON'T SEE HOW THIS BOARD CAN PICK OUT ONE THING AND SAY THAT THIS IS CAUSING IT. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE DON'T AGREE WITH, OKAY? BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE NATION AT THIS BOARD. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN. AND WE CAN'T EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN WITHOUT THE TEACHERS, WITHOUT THE COURSES, WITHOUT THE SUPPLIES AND ALL OF THOSE. AND NOW I'M A CHRISTIAN. AND ON MRS GILLETTE HAS PROFESSED THAT HE'S A CHRISTIAN. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH. BUT I RECOGNIZE THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR OWN OPINIONS. AND WHILE I'M A CHRISTIAN, I DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT ON EVERYBODY. PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS ABOUT ABOUT THEIR RELIGION AND ALL OF THAT. AND AS FAR AS WHAT'S BEING TAUGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS, I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING BEING TAUGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS NECESSARILY. BUT I DO BELIEVE IN TEACHING OUR CHILDREN AND TEACHING THEM TO BE OPEN MINDED. AND TEACHING THEM TO MAKE DECISIONS. [00:20:01] AND I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN PROTECT THEM FROM IDEOLOGIES THAT WE DON'T AGREE WITH. THESE THINGS ARE IN THE WORLD. WE HAVE TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM AND NOT LET THEM BECOME A PROBLEM IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL LIVES. I MIGHT JUMP IN HERE. SOLVING THE PROBLEM. THESE PROBLEMS HAS TO START AT THIS LEVEL, AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. GOING UP TO THE STATE. THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS RIGHT HERE, THE GRASS ROOTS WHERE THESE PROBLEMS NEED TO BE SOLVED. THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE BOARD, I THINK, WAS ESTABLISHED IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR AND WE UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT ANY DIVISIVE SITUATIONS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND THAT INCLUDE INCLUDED CRT. EVERYBODY SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT. SO THIS BOARD IS STANDING ON THAT. AT LEAST I AM. I THINK EVERYBODY UP HERE IS. SO I DON'T WANT TO LET YOU KNOW. HOLD ON A MINUTE. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE BOARD PASSED IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE DEFINITION OF CRT, I HAVE LOOKED AT THIS. I TELL YOU, IF YOU LIKE CRT, YOU'RE READING THE HEADLINES. YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FINE PRINT. CRT IS SIMPLY THE BEGINNING OF SEGREGATION. IT'S SEGREGATES OUR STUDENTS. IT SEGREGATES TEACHERS. IT SEGREGATES EVERYBODY. SO THAT'S THAT'S OUR PHILOSOPHY. I THINK THE BOARD HAS TAKEN THAT UP AND MADE IT VERY CLEAN IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR THAT IF WE GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. WELL, MR. FAISON, I AGREE WITH YOU TO A POINT AND I AGREE THAT FACTS NEED TO BE TAUGHT. WE STILL LIVE IN A COUNTRY THAT HAS A BILL OF RIGHTS, FREE SPEECH IS AVAILABLE. AND WHERE YOU HAVE AN IDEOLOGY WITHOUT FREE SPEECH, WHAT YOU HAVE IS PROPAGANDA. SO I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF PROPAGANDA BEING INSTITUTED IN THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT'S THAT SIMPLE AND AN IDEOLOGY NOT BEING ABLE TO BE DEBATED IN THE CURRICULUM. IS EXACTLY THAT. AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. BUT I AGREE WITH YOU. I THINK FACTS NEED TO BE WE NEED TO BE PRESENTED. AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE BOTH SIDES. SO WITH THAT, I CAN AGREE WITH YOUR STATEMENTS, BUT NOT WHEN IT'S ONE SIDED. I'M STILL HUNG UP ON ADMINISTRATION VERSUS OPERATION. GO AHEAD AND EXPOUND ON THAT, PLEASE. I THOUGHT IT WAS OUR INTENTION JUST TO CUT THAT ONE CATEGORY, NOT TO CUT ACROSS THE BOARD. AM I WRONG OR RIGHT? HE DIDN'T GET ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT WE DID CUT MANY AREAS. NO, I MEAN THE 100,000. OH, YOU TOLD ME THE SCHOOL. YEAH. HOWEVER, IT WASN'T THE PLACE THE ADMINISTRATION. UH. YEAH, I SUPPOSE THAT'S IT WAS MY MIND. I DON'T KNOW. IS THAT. SAY THAT AGAIN. I'M SORRY. IS THAT. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE WE CAN. UH, MAKE THAT CHANGE IF WE. IF WE NEED TO. ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S WHAT. I DON'T KNOW, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF WE NEED TO PUT IT TO A VOTE. I THOUGHT WE DID, BUT MAYBE IT WAS TALKED AFTER THE LAST EXCUSE ME, THE LAST BUDGET MEETING. IT WAS THE SPECIFICS OF IT WAS TALKED AFTER THE MEETING. WOULD THIS BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME? WELL, THEN. BUT YOU MAY WANT TO LISTEN TO WHAT EVERYONE SAYS AND THEN. AND THEN COME THROUGH. AND. AND. THEY ARE NOT. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S PERFECTLY CLEAR WHERE WE STAND ON THAT. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? WE JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT THE BUDGET THAT WAS ADVERTISED IN THE NEWSPAPER AND EVERYBODY WHO SAW THAT THE BUDGET THAT WE PUT THERE GAVE ALL THE TEACHERS, THE RAZORS THAT WERE PUT IN RECOMMENDED FOR THEM. RIGHT. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 7%. WELL, THIS THIS BOARD DECIDES ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO FORWARD TO THE SCHOOLS AND THEN THEY HAVE TO MAKE IT WORK WITHIN THEIR INDIVIDUAL LINE ITEMS AND CATEGORIES. [00:25:05] BUT I BELIEVE YOUR INTENT WAS THAT THE TEACHERS SHOULD GET THEIR RAISES. BUT THAT IS NOT UP TO US TO CHOOSE THE SCHOOL BOARD. SO IN OTHER WORDS, WE COULD FULLY FUND THE TEACHER RAISES. WE THINK WE ARE FULLY FUNDED THEM. BUT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN DO WHAT THEY WISH WITH THEIR OWN LINE ITEMS BECAUSE IT'S MADE UP OF THREE SETS OF MONEY FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL. AND THIS BOARD ONLY DECIDES THE LOCAL SHARE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED, THOUGH, THAT WE INCREASED THE FUNDING TO THE INSTRUCTIONAL LINE IN THE SCHOOL FUND. WE INCREASED THAT FUNDING. OKAY. BUT LET'S LET'S MAKE IT CLEAR NOW WE DON'T MAKE THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET. WE DON'T DO THAT. THE SCHOOL BOARD MAKES THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET. WE APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THEM AND THEY MAKE THEIR BUDGET CORRECT. OKAY. AND SO WE CAN'T SIT HERE AND TELL THEM WHERE TO PUT THE MONEY. AND I FEEL I WOULD FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TRYING TO DO THAT. BUT I'M NOT THE EDUCATOR THAT THAT THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY TOOK AND PRESENTED WITH TO US A BUDGET AND SAID THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THIS, THESE ITEMS. AND THEN WE GO THROUGH AND WE APPROVE ALMOST EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR ONE CATEGORY. AND NOW WE'RE HEARING THAT NOW $3 MILLION LESS THAN THEY REQUESTED. YEAH, BUT IT'S NOT IN THE SALARIES. NO, AGAIN, WE DON'T DECIDE THAT. NO, YOU'RE RIGHT. APPROPRIATE. WE APPROPRIATE THE MONEY TO THEM. THE SCHOOL BOARD MAKES THAT DECISION. MR. FAISON, THAT GIVES THEM CREDIT FOR TRYING TO DO THE BEST THEY CAN TO WORK WITH THE BUDGET THAT THEY HAVE. YEAH. YEAH. WHAT? THIS BODY MAY NOT BE USED TO. THE POLICY SAYS THAT THEY ARE TO PRESENT A CATEGORICAL BUDGET TO THIS BOARD. UNTIL THEY DO, WE HAVE NO BUDGET TO VOTE ON. WE ENACTED A CATEGORICAL BUDGET. THAT'S THE POLICY. THAT'S THE SCHOOL BOARD'S POLICY. AND THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS A PROCEDURE THAT WE FOLLOWED. AND IT'S ON THEIR WEBSITE, BY THE WAY, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK IT UP. AND THAT'S WHAT WE FOLLOWED. WE FOLLOWED THE CATEGORICAL BUDGET. ONE COMMENT CONCERNING THE BUDGET, AND I THINK MR. EVERETT HAS ALREADY TOUCHED ON THIS. THE BUDGET THEY PRESENTED WOULD HAVE INCREASED YOUR REAL ESTATE TAXES BY 24.5%. WHICH IS NOT REALISTIC. IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE A REALISTIC BUDGET, THEN MAKE IT REALISTIC SO IT DOESN'T FOR EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY. NOW, I LOOKED AT ONE OTHER ALTERNATIVE. EVERYBODY LIKES THE TRASH FEE. WE COULD HAVE RAISED THE TAX FEE TO $886, AND $0.16 WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SAME THING AS 24.5 ON YOUR REAL ESTATE. SO THEY HAVE A OBLIGATION TO PRESENT A REASONABLE BUDGET TO US. THAT BUDGET WAS NOT REASONABLE. WE COULDN'T TOLERATE THAT. SO THEN WE'RE CALLED ABOUT CUTS. WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T. WE CUT A LOT OF THAT STUFF OUT BECAUSE IT WAS JUST UNREASONABLE. PEOPLE CAN'T CAN'T TOLERATE THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT STRAIGHT BEFORE WE START. ANYBODY ELSE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO MENTION LOCAL LOCAL FUNDING. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITIZENS KNOW THIS, BUT THERE IS A MINIMUM LOCAL FUNDED REVENUE, A MINIMUM STANDARD THAT THE STATE SETS. SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IS 89% ABOVE THE LOCAL LEVEL REQUIRED TO BE FUNDED. THAT'S RIGHT HERE. 89% OR 9.090.08 ABOVE THE LOCAL REQUIRED PERCENT ABOVE THE LOCAL REQUIREMENT. THAT'S WHERE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY STANDS WITH 89% ABOVE IT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW THAT, BUT THAT'S THIS IS ALL THE COUNTIES ARE RANKED AND SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IS 89% ABOVE THE LOCAL FUNDED LEVEL. THIS COMES FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IT, I'LL BE GLAD TO MAKE THEM A COPY. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? YEAH. JUST ONE THING TO ADD TO THAT. IF WE DID, YOU KNOW, GO UP 24% ON THE REAL ESTATE TAX, THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER IN THE COUNTY WOULD PAY ABOUT 800 MORE DOLLARS A YEAR ON YOUR HOMEOWNER'S PROPERTY TAX. AND I CERTAINLY DON'T ADVOCATE I MEAN, IF EVERYBODY'S WILLING TO PAY ANOTHER $800 A YEAR. YEAH, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN GOING UP LIKE THAT. [00:30:02] MAYBE WE CAN DO IT. BUT I DO WANT TO SEE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM GET AS MUCH AS IT CAN BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY NEEDS IT. CERTAINLY, I AGREE THAT THAT'S UNREASONABLE TO GO UP THAT MUCH. THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, IN MY OPINION, THAT MONEY CAN'T FIX. WELL, I GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ALSO ON THIS ESSER THREE. THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE SCHOOL BUDGET AND THEY'VE GOT $3 MILLION LEFT OF THAT. SO THAT COULD LEVEL FUND THEM RIGHT THERE. ESSER THREE MONEY. SO THAT'S ONE QUESTION I'VE GOT. AND ALSO THEY HAVEN'T GONE AFTER A LOT OF GRANTS THAT THEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN LIKE THIS STEM TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION GRANT. THEY HAVEN'T APPLIED FOR THAT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. THAT'S A $15,000 PER TEACHER TO TRY TO HIRE TEACHERS. SO IF YOU HIRE A TEACHER. IF THEY WOULD APPLY FOR THIS GRANT, YOU COULD DANGLE THAT 15 GRAND OF BONUS HIRING BONUS OUT THERE AND THEY DIDN'T DO IT. THE LAST TWO YEARS. OVER THREE YEARS. YEAH. SO, I MEAN, IT ISN'T ALL THE TAXES. THIS SHOULDN'T ALL BE THROWN ON THE TAXPAYERS. THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEEDS TO GO AFTER THESE GRANTS AND GET THIS MONEY. THERE WAS $130,000 WORKFORCE GRANT THAT WAS LAPSED. BECAUSE IT WAS NOT APPLIED FOR. AND THOSE THOSE PEOPLE CONTACTED US TO FIND OUT WHY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HADN'T APPLIED FOR IT. 130,000 BUCKS. OKAY. BUT ANYWAY, YEAH, IT ADDS UP, ESPECIALLY THAT RETENTION STEM TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION GRANT. THAT'S. I SAY, I'VE HEARD IT'S VERY EASY TO APPLY FOR AND IT WAS PART OF THE STIMULUS MONEY FROM THE COVID. IT WAS PUT OUT THERE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HELP, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE TEACHERS WERE LEAVING IN DROVES FROM SCHOOLS. THEY WERE SCARED THEY WERE GOING TO GET SICK. SO. UH, THEY CREATED THIS GRANT AND HE JUST IT WAS VERY SIMPLE PROCESS OF APPLICATION PROCESS. AND EVERY TEACHER YOU HIRE, YOU COULD OFFER THAT $15,000 BONUS MONEY, AND IT WASN'T DONE IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW SHORT SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM IS ON TEACHERS. DOES ANYBODY KNOW RIGHT NOW? HOW MANY TEACHERS DO SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY HAVE? DOES ANYBODY KNOW THAT THE BUDGET NUMBER WAS 204.4? 204. THAT WAS IN THE CATEGORICAL BUDGET. 204.4 TEACHERS IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL CATEGORY. HOW MUCH TURNOVER DO THEY HAVE A YEAR? I CAN ANSWER THAT. 20%, RIGHT. THIS CAME FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND OCTOBER OF 21 TO OCTOBER OF 22. SOUTHAMPTON COUNTIES. TEACHER. LOSS WAS 20%, WHICH MY FRIENDS IS NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE, NOT IN THE REGION. I MADE A MISTAKE. I SAID REGION. IT'S NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE. I'M CONCERNED, TOO, ABOUT THE BUS DRIVERS. THE GRANT FOR THE BUS DRIVERS. IT HASN'T BEEN SPENT. THEY GOT IT. DID THEY GET PAID? DID YOU GET PAID YET? BUS DRIVERS. I KNOW IT'S AT LEAST ONE YEAR. I SAW HIM. WELL, IF THAT'S RIGHT, IF IT'S 20% TURNOVER RATE OUT OF 200 TEACHERS, THAT'S 40 TEACHERS A YEAR WAS 40 TIMES 15,000. SIX ON. THAT'S $600,000. SO THE LAST TWO YEARS, THAT'S $1.2 MILLION YOU MISSED OUT ON. YEAH. AND THOSE ARE VERY EASILY BEEN GOT. SO YOU CAN'T SIT HERE AND BLAME THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO KEEP FROM RAISING EVERYBODY'S PROPERTY TAX BY 800 TO $1000 A HOUSE. CAN'T DO THAT. WE GET THESE PEOPLE GOT TO GO AFTER THIS MONEY. IT'S THERE TO GET. WELL, ALSO THOSE AND THEY'VE GOT THE $3 MILLION LEFT IN THE ESSER MONEY SO THEY CAN LEVEL FUND THE BUDGET. THEY CAN GIVE THE TEACHERS AND EVERYBODY THEIR BONUSES IF THEY USE THIS MONEY CORRECTLY. SO THE MONEY IS THERE. THEY'VE GOT IT. DON'T BLAME IT ON US. BUT WHAT SCHOOL SYSTEM DO IT ISN'T QUITE THAT SIMPLISTIC. I KNOW IT AIN'T THAT SIMPLE, BUT I'VE DUG INTO IT. THEY HAVE CATEGORIES THAT CERTAIN MONIES ARE SPECIFICALLY HAVE TO GO TO. THEY CAN'T JUST GIVE OUT MONEY TO ANY CATEGORY THEY WANT TO. I KNOW THAT. AND SO THIS IS A MORE COMPLICATED ISSUE THAN IT SEEMS TO BE COMING ACROSS TONIGHT. [00:35:06] WELL, LET'S LOOK AT THE 20 TEACHERS. THIS BOARD DID NOT PULL THE POSITIONS. IT DIDN'T PULL THE MONEY THAT FUNDED THEM. IT'S STILL THERE. IS STILL THERE. IT IS NOT 20 TEACHERS IS 40. IT'S 20%. IT'S 40 TEACHERS, ISN'T IT? THERE. SURE. YEAH. IF YOU GOT 200 TEACHERS DYING, 20%, THAT'S 40 TEACHERS. WELL, THAT THOSE POSITIONS AND THE DOLLARS WITH IT ARE STILL IN THE BUDGET. WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T TAKE THAT OUT. STILL THERE. I KNOW WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE ACTUAL HEARING. I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY. CAN WE PUT THIS HOLD IT TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER. I HAVE ONE OTHER COMMENT. AND AS I LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM, I SEE A FEW IN HERE THAT ARE MY AGE AND I SEE SOME OF Y'ALL OLDER THAN ME. AND GUILTY AS ANYBODY'S FEELINGS, HOW YOU TELL NOT Y'ALL THREE NECESSARILY. BUT I KNOW, I KNOW. I WORK WITH SOME OF Y'ALL AND Y'ALL. YEAH. SO ANYWAY, MY THING IS, THE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD UP HERE, WE AIN'T GOT NO PROBLEM PAYING THE DADGUM TAXES, OKAY? BUT WE DON'T REPRESENT MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY. MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY ARE AVERAGE PEOPLE. THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY INCREASES IN BUDGET. EVERY TIME YOU HAVE AN INCREASE IN BUDGET, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO AT HOME? YOU GOT TO TIGHTEN YOUR BELT. YOU CAN'T SAY, WELL, I NEED A 10% RAISE, I NEED 20% RAISE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO GET IT FROM IF THEY DON'T GIVE IT TO YOU AT WORK? IF YOU WORK, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT. BUT YET WE THINK JUST BECAUSE WE WANT TO RAISE THE BUDGET, WELL, WE GOT PUT IN A LITTLE MORE TAXES ON THE PEOPLE. THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF A WHOLE LOT OF PROBLEM WITH THAT. AND WE CANNOT KEEP ON DOING THAT. THE PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF BEING TAXED TO DEATH, ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY, WHICH I'M STARTING TO REPRESENT. SO MOST ELDERLY, THEY'RE LIVING ON ANYBODY TRYING TO LIVE ON SOCIAL SECURITY HAS GOT A PROBLEM. I DON'T HAVE TO LIVE ON SOCIAL SECURITY. I'M A RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEE. 40 YEARS. BUT YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WE DO THIS BUDGET. WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH MONEY. AND I TELL YOU WHAT, THE ECONOMY IS NOT GOOD AND IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE. YOU WAIT. YOU GO IN THE GROCERY STORE. DO YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS BUYING YOUR GROCERIES? IF YOU DON'T, THEN YOU'RE NOT LIKE ME. I MEAN, IT JUST IT JUST DON'T MAKE SENSE. SO I THINK WE JUST AT A POINT WHERE WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT, BUT IT'S A REAL PROBLEM FOR US TO RAISE TAXES. EVERY TIME YOU TURN AROUND, EVERY TIME THE SCHOOL TURNS AROUND. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND DO AN INCREASE. WE HAVE TO CAREFULLY DO THOSE THINGS. YES, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DO THAT FOR THE WELL-BEING OF EVERYONE. BUT THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER MOST OF THE TIME. AND THE RUMOR MILL SAYS THAT THE ASSESSMENTS ARE GOING UP. YEAH, I'VE HEARD THAT. A DOUBLE WHAMMY THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. YEAH, I'VE SEEN HIM IN MY AREA, SO. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? ANY OTHER THINGS BEFORE WE GET INTO PUBLIC HEARING? ALL RIGHT. THEN WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND THE RULES FOR THAT ARE SIMPLE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE ASPECTS OF SCHOOLS OR ANYTHING ELSE IN THE BUDGET, COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND SPEAK YOUR PIECE. SO WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. GOOD EVENING BOARD. MY NAME IS MICHAEL MAYNES. I LIVE AT 18205 BRYANT AVENUE IN BOYKINS 23827. I GUESS YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT. I'VE GOT A LOT OF KIND OF CONCERNING ME AND WOULD LIKE TO JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT WITH OFF MY MIND SO Y'ALL COULD CONSIDER IT WHEN DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET. FIRST OF ALL, REGARDING, I GUESS, THE DEI AND WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO. MR. GILLETTE UM, I'M A CHRISTIAN MYSELF. I DO LIVE IN BOYKINS. I DON'T GO TO VIRGINIA TECH, DIDN'T GO TO SOUTH, UM, DIDN'T GO TO SOUTHAMPTON. BUT, UM, REGARDING THE DEI AND CRT AND OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS THAT, I [00:40:10] BELIEVE THE LESS WE PREPARE OUR CHILDREN, THE MORE PROBLEM THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE IN THE FUTURE. WHEN THEY GET OUTSIDE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. BECAUSE IF WE DON'T TEACH THEM WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SEE TOMORROW, HOW WILL THEY KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH IT? UM, I'LL REFER TO MARK CHAPTER NINE, VERSE 42, WHERE IT STATES THAT IF ANYONE CAUSES ONE OF HIS LITTLE ONES WHO BELIEVE IN HIM TO STUMBLE, IT IS BETTER THAT THEY HAVE A MILLSTONE TIED AROUND THEIR NECK AND ARE THROWN INTO THE SEA. NOW, DO YOU ALL WANT TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH THE BUDGET AND MAKE IT SO THAT I GUESS THE SCHOOL BOARD OR WHOMEVER DECIDES HOW TO SPEND THAT MONEY DOESN'T HAVE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY NEED TO INCENTIVIZE THE TEACHERS OR EXCUSE ME, EVEN PUT A SINK. OKAY. GIVE ME A SINK OR A HAND SANITIZER. IN THE TEACHER'S ARMS OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE A BATHROOM ANYWHERE CLOSE WHERE YOU CAN GO WASH YOUR HANDS. OKAY. THAT'S A PROBLEM. THAT'S A PROBLEM. WE ALSO DON'T HAVE. I'M IN THE HONORS CLASSES. THEY CUT THOSE LAST YEAR. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WITHIN THIS PAST YEAR, SOMEBODY I MEAN, SORRY, LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T GO TO VIRGINIA TECH, BUT THEY DO LET ME LIVE IN. BOYKINS BUT, YOU KNOW, I FIGURED SOMEBODY WITH A BETTER MIND THAN I DID THEN. I HAVE EXCUSE ME, WOULD BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GENERATE THE FUNDING, ATTRACT THE TEACHERS. MAKE IT SO THAT THE SCHOOL WOULD BE PREPARED TO HAVE. THOSE HONORS AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES BY THIS YEAR. AND WHY DON'T THEY? OKAY, NOW Y'ALL ARE. WHAT'S THE GOLDEN RULE? THOSE WHO HOLD THE GOLD MAKES THE RULES. NOW, I KNOW Y'ALL ARE KIND OF LIMITED BECAUSE, AGAIN, THE SCHOOL BOARD DECIDES WHERE THE MONEY GOES. THEY GIVE YOU WHAT CATEGORICAL BUDGET IS THAT WHAT YOU CALLED IT? AND YOU ALL SAY, OKAY, WELL, THEY ASKED FOR 89 MILLION. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM 86 MILLION. OKAY. SO WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO SAY? WELL, I BET THE BOARD AIN'T GOING TO GIVE US THE WHOLE AMOUNT. SO WE JUST ASK FOR, LET'S SAY, 5 MILLION MORE THAN WE NEED. SO THEY'LL GET. AS MUCH AS THEY NEED, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE SO THEY CAN AFFORD TO TREAT THEIR TEACHERS, THEIR FOOD SERVICE OPERATORS, THEIR BUS DRIVERS. I MEAN, I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU THAT MARKETING, WHOEVER DECIDED ON THAT MARKETING TACTIC TO ATTRACT BUS DRIVERS TO SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, I'VE GOT TO GIVE THEM A. AN APPLE BECAUSE THEY NEED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND GIVE THEIR APPLE TO THEIR TEACHER BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T TAUGHT. RIGHT. I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT AN OLD BEAT DOWN BUS WITH A PRETTY SAD LOOKING SIGN UP THERE OUTSIDE OF RIVERDALE. WHO DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO ATTRACT? YOU KNOW? ANYBODY DRIVING DOWN CLAY STREET WANTS TO BECOME A BUS DRIVER? COME ON. NO, NO. YOU KNOW, AND PART OF MY PROBLEM AND EXCUSE ME IF IT SEEMS LIKE I'M TRYING TO TAKE THE FLOOR FROM ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE IN HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE A LOT SMARTER THAN I AM. BUT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE SCHOOL. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. Y'ALL ARE WONDERFUL. OKAY. I THINK I KNOW A LOT OF Y'ALL PERSONALLY. CARL, LINDA ALLEN, YOU KNOW, WILLIAM HART. AND, OF COURSE, CHRIS. I KNOW YOU GUYS. PERSONALLY, I THINK YOU'RE GREAT, BUT YOU'D BE A LOT GREATER IN MY BOOK IF AND IF THIS IS ALLOWED, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ALLOWED. BUT CAN'T THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COME TOGETHER WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD? AND MAKE GOOD DECISIONS FOR THE SAKE OF OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS. ARE OUR FUTURES. OKAY. YOU SAY YOU'RE GETTING OLD, SIR. YOU SAY YOU'RE ABOUT AT THE POINT WHERE YOU. [00:45:04] REPRESENT THE OLD PEOPLE. OKAY, WELL, I'M GETTING THERE, TOO. I GOT SOME WHITE GOING RIGHT HERE, YOU KNOW, AND. I WANT MY TOMORROW TO BE GOOD. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO LIVE MY LIFE OUT IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY HERE. IT AIN'T LOOKING TOO MUCH LIKE THAT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT NOW. OKAY, SO LET'S MAKE THAT DIFFERENT. LET'S MAKE THE CUTS WE CAN WHERE WE CAN SO THAT WE CAN INCENTIVIZE AND MAKE OUR SCHOOL THE WAY OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM SOMETHING THAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE TO THE COMMUNITY. OKAY. BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS A REFLECTION OF THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS A REFLECTION OF THE COMMUNITY. OKAY. SO CAN WE TRY THAT OUT? I MEAN, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME, LIKE, PROBABLY TENSE FEELINGS BETWEEN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. BUT AREN'T WE ADULTS ENOUGH TO WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS COUNTY AN EXAMPLE FOR THE STATE OF VIRGINIA TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FUTURE? IS THAT POSSIBLE? THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE COMMENT. HE MENTIONED THE HONORS CLASSES. THAT'S OKAY. HOW THINGS WENT DOWN. THE HONORS CLASSES WERE CANCELED BY THE ADMINISTRATION IN MAY. THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS ASKED TO VOTE ON IT IN SEPTEMBER. OKAY WHEN IT WAS TOO LATE TO DO ANYTHING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. WHO'S NEXT? CAN I COME WITH YOU? WE NEED. WE NEED TO. WE? SINCE THERE ARE GRANTS THAT CAN BE GIVEN TO THE SCHOOL FOR THEM TO USE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF. HAVE. I MEAN, DO WE HAVE A GRANT WRITER FOR THE SOUTHAMPTON? OKAY. CAN THAT GRANT WRITER BE TOLD OR WHOEVER TELLS THE GRANT WRITER TO WRITE THE GRANT? HE TOLD MRS KIND OF LIKE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR. OKAY. YOU GOT TO BE TALKING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. WE CANNOT TELL THEM HOW TO SPEND THEIR MONEY. RIGHT. I'M NOT SAYING TO TELL THEM HOW TO SPEND IT. BUT CAN'T YOU TELL THEM THE GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE? I THINK I THINK SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT ADDRESS THAT. OKAY. LET'S WAIT AND SEE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WHO'S NEXT? YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME. CINDY EDWARDS 30421 SYCAMORE AVENUE. SADLY, I'VE ADDRESSED YOU ALL EVERY YEAR ABOUT THE SOLID WASTE FEE. AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, MIKE JOHNSON HAD A BUDGET THAT HE WAS GOING TO SPEND MORE MONEY THAN HE HAD, SO HE HAD TO COME UP WITH AN IDEA TO HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND. AND DR. EDWARDS, BACK IN 2012, AT THE MAY 23RD MEETING, YOU STATED, AND I'LL QUOTE THIS FROM THOSE MINUTES AS OUR TIPPING FEES GO DOWN AND THEY MIGHT GO DOWN BY THE TIME WE GET OUT OF THIS CONTRACT IN 2018, THE FEE WILL COME DOWN. THIS FEE IS GOING TO BE REVIEWED ON A YEARLY BASIS AND A PUBLIC HEARING IN FRONT OF YOU FOLKS. IF OUR TIPPING FEES COME DOWN, THE $200 TRASH FEE IS GOING TO COME DOWN IN A LIKE PERCENTAGE. WELL, THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED. AND PEOPLE LOSE THEIR CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN THE BOARD. WHEN YOU SAY THINGS THAT YOU DON'T DO, YOU YOU BRING THIS UP IN EVERY MEETING, BUT YOU NEVER HAVE A SOLUTION. WELL, YOU NEVER HAVE A LEGITIMATE SOLUTION. AND I'M TIRED OF YOU BRINGING IT UP AND THROWING UP. IF YOU WANT TO BRING IT UP, THEN LET'S HAVE A SOLUTION WITH IT. OKAY? THE SOLUTION IS TO CUT THE BUDGET. MIKE JOHNSON HAD A BUDGET THAT HE COULDN'T AFFORD TO SPEND. WELL, PERSONALLY, ALL OF US AT HOME, WE HAVE A BUDGET IF WE WANT TO BUY SOMETHING AND WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, THEN WE DON'T GET IT. AND I KNOW YOU ALL DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT, BUT YOU NEED TO DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO DO. WE WANT TO HEAR THE SOLUTION. WE'VE NEVER HEARD THE SOLUTION. THE SOLUTION IS TO CUT THE BUDGET. WE DID. WELL, YOU MAY HAVE, BUT YOU DIDN'T CUT IT ENOUGH. I MEAN, I KNOW THINGS KEEP GOING UP, BUT AT HOME, WE CAN'T SPEND MONEY THAT WE DON'T HAVE. AND THE OTHER ITEMS AND I THINK YOU MAY HAVE DONE AWAY WITH THIS, BUT YOU WANTED TO TAKE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY TO GIVE THE EMPLOYEES A CHRISTMAS BONUS. I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY TAXPAYERS MONEY IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A CHRISTMAS BONUS. [00:50:05] I THINK THAT'S JUST WRONG. THE TAXPAYERS NEED A CHRISTMAS BONUS AFTER THE TAXES THEY'RE HAVING TO PAY TO THE COUNTY THAT'S ALREADY BEEN TAKEN. OKAY. AND THEN THE OTHER ITEM IS THE MONEY THAT YOU WANT TO LET PEOPLE GO TO THE Y WITH. YOU SPENT 36 DAYS, SEVERAL YEARS GIVEN TO THE COUNTRY CLUB. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE COUNTRY CLUB, PAY YOUR WAY. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE Y, PAY YOUR WAY. I DON'T THINK THE COUNTRY CLUB'S GOTTEN ANY MONEY FOR A LONG TIME. WELL, THEY HAVEN'T. BUT YOU STILL WASTED IT WHEN YOU GAVE IT TO THEM. THANK YOU. WE DON'T FIND WHY EITHER. DO IT. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY GOT ANYTHING ELSE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY, BUT IT GRIEVES ME GREATLY TO HEAR SOMEBODY SAY THAT, CHRISTIAN. AND THEY WANT TO OPEN THE WAYS OF THE WORLD UP TO INNOCENT CHILDREN THAT ARE NOT READY TO RECEIVE IT. AND WHILE I DON'T DISAGREE FULLY WITH WHAT MR. MAHANEY SAID ABOUT THE MILLSTONE AROUND THE NECK, BECAUSE CHILDREN NEED TO BE AWARE. I DIDN'T GET UP HERE TO PREACH BECAUSE I'M THE FURTHEST THING FROM A PREACHER. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS. THE BIBLE SAYS TO RAISE YOUR CHILDREN IN THE NURTURE AND ADMONITION OF THE LORD AND TO OPEN UP THOSE LITTLE MINDS WHEN THEY'VE GOT SO MUCH ELSE, THEY NEED TO GET ALONG IN THIS WORLD WITH EDUCATION AND BUSINESS AND MASTERING LIFE. JUST SATANIC EVIL VIEWS IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION. THEY'RE GOING TO LEARN IT ANYWAY. YOU LEARNED IT. YOU LEARNED IT. YOU LEARNED IT. YOU LEARNED IT. YOU LEARNED IT. YOU LEARNED IT. YOU LEARNED IT. YOU LEARNED IT. YOU LEARNED IT. AND YOU DIDN'T LEARN IT IN SCHOOL. AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO LEARN IT IN THERE WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO GRASP HOW TO GET ALONG IN THE WORLD. THEY NEED EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THAT SCHOOL CAN OFFER. AND JUST DOING AWAY WITH AN HONORS PROGRAM OR DOING AWAY WITH OR NOT APPLYING TO MAKE THE THE MONIES THAT ARE THERE THAT WERE NEVER APPLIED FOR TO MAKE THE OPTIMUM. WHY? WHY WEREN'T THEY APPLIED FOR? DID WE NOT HAVE TIME TO DO IT? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, BECAUSE THEY'RE OFF EVERY OTHER FRIDAY AND THEY'RE PLAYING WITH THE PHONES WHEN THEY'RE IN THERE. SO WHY WEREN'T. WHERE IS ALL THAT MONEY? WHERE DOES IT GO, LYNETTE? DOES IT SIT IN AND JUST GROW INTEREST OR DO WE LOSE IT? I DON'T KNOW. BUT WHY WASN'T IT APPLIED FOR? AND THEN TO SAY WE NEED MORE AND EVERYBODY IN THIS COUNTY IS STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE. WE HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER ANYONE. TALK ABOUT RAISING TAXES, RAISING REAL ESTATE TAXES. WHAT JUSTIFICATION DO WE HAVE TO DO ANYTHING? THE ONLY ONES WITH ANY MONEY ARE THE SCHOOLS, AND THEY'RE NOT SPENDING IT. THEY'RE NOT TAKING THE MAKING THEMSELVES THE MAXIMUM EDUCATION FACILITY. KIDS AND TEACHERS ARE LEAVING. PARENTS ARE TAKING THEM OUT. SO I ASK YOU TO THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT GIVING THEM ANOTHER NICKEL. AND I MEAN, UNLESS IT'S IF THEY WERE STELLAR IN THE PERFORMANCE. BUT THERE'S A PERFORMANCE PROBLEM. IF THERE'S MONEY IN THE BANK AND IT'S NOT BEING USED, IT'S NOT ANY GOOD TO THEM, WHY DO THEY NEED MORE? IT'S JUST MY THOUGHT PROCESS. I'M SORRY. OKAY, WHO'S NEXT? GOOD EVENING. I'M ANDREW HALL, 19034 LAKESIDE DRIVE, COURTLAND, VIRGINIA. I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS A FEW OF THE TOPICS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP TONIGHT REGARDING THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND THEIR GRANTS AND SO FORTH. I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY SECRET THAT I'VE SPENT HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS LOOKING AT THE BUDGET, LOOKING AT GRANTS, TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE GETTING BONUSES AND DIDN'T GET BONUSES FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. OKAY. THIS IS NOT A HOBBY THAT I JUST PICKED UP BECAUSE I WAS DISSATISFIED WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. OKAY. I'VE REALLY LOOKED INTO THIS. BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MANY, MANY TIMES WITH SPECIFIC PEOPLE CONFIRMING FOR FACTS THAT THEY DID NOT APPLY FOR CERTAIN GRANTS. AND I'M NOT TALKING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS, BUT I'M TALKING, OVER THE YEARS, SMALL ITERATIONS OF FUNDS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SPENT ON SOMETHING THAT THEY USED THEIR BUDGET MONEY FOR. [00:55:02] SO I'M HAPPY TO SHARE ANY KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE STEM TEACHER GRANT, THAT WAS DEFINITELY FOR TWO YEARS IN A ROW, I CONFIRMED IT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THAT THEY DID NOT APPLY. NEWLY HIRED STEM TEACHERS COULD HAVE RECEIVED $3,000 A YEAR FOR EXCUSE ME, $5,000 A YEAR FOR THREE YEARS. SO THAT'S $15,000 A YEAR THAT OUR NEWLY HIRED STEM TEACHERS FOR THOSE 2 OR 3 YEARS IN A ROW DIDN'T GET AND WASN'T ADVERTISED WHEN THEY WERE ADVERTISING FOR TEACHERS. SO IT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE. I'VE POSED MANY, MANY QUESTIONS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD VIA EMAIL AND THE SUPERINTENDENT ASKING ABOUT THESE GRANTS, ASKING ABOUT HOW THEY CAN BE USED, PROMPTING THEM TO APPLY FOR CERTAIN THINGS. IN SOME CASES IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY LISTENED BECAUSE THEY SUBSEQUENTLY APPLIED FOR A GRANT THAT THEY HADN'T BEFORE. SO THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE NOT DOING AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE NOT DOING IT. BUT THOSE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES. I THINK MOST PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM KNOW HOW PRO TEACHER, PRO STAFF, PRO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AM. I SHOW UP, I DO WHAT I CAN TO HELP. AND AS FAR AS THE ESSER MONEY, ESSER THREE, IN FACT HAS MORE THAN $3 MILLION IN A BALANCE. IT CAN BE USED FOR A MYRIAD OF THINGS. IT'S PRINTED ON THE DIVISION WEBSITE, JANITORIAL SUPPLIES, CLEANING SOFTWARE, TECHNOLOGY, INTERNET ACCESS, TEACHER BONUSES, TEACHER RETENTION BONUSES. THERE'S A MYRIAD OF THINGS THAT COULD BE USED FOR. YES, SIR. BATHROOM RENOVATION? YES. ON THEIR PROPOSED PLAN, THEY WERE GOING TO BUILD A BATHROOM FOR THE BASEBALL FIELDS THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO NOT HAVE TO GO INTO THE BUILDING TO USE THE BATHROOM DURING SPORTING EVENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. BUT IT WAS ALSO FOR THE RENOVATION WITHIN THAT QUESTION. THAT QUESTION CAME UP BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD. I ASKED THEM AND THEY SAID THEY PAINTED THE BATHROOMS. I WITNESSED THAT, YES. SO THAT IS MY INPUT AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN ALL THE WAY AROUND. CONCERNED ABOUT HIGHER TAXES, CONCERNED ABOUT OUR TEACHERS, CONCERNED ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS. AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE JUST A SMALL BIT OF THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I'VE GAINED WHILE I'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS FOR A LONG TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ANY QUESTIONS FOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WHO'S NEXT? CERTAINLY SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE WANT TO TALK. BEVERLY BROWN. TWO, THREE, TWO, TWO, THREE. HANGING TREE ROAD. COURTLAND, VIRGINIA. 23837. I DID NOT COME PREPARED TO TALK, BUT AS I'VE LISTENED TO THE BOARD, I APPRECIATE MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN AND MR. EDWARDS COMMENT. WE ARE NOT IN A RUSH. I HAVE BEEN TO MANY SCHOOLS, SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, AND I HAVE WITNESSED THE PUBLIC TRY TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD IN AN INFORMED MANNER. AND AT THE END OF THAT THREE MINUTES, NO MATTER WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, NO MATTER HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, NO MATTER HOW INFORMED THEY ARE, THEY'RE CUT OFF. SO I DO APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN. I, AS A CITIZEN TAXPAYER, AM 100% AGAINST ANY INCREASE IN THE BUDGET UNTIL THE SCHOOL SYSTEM USED AS THEIR. UM, MONEY'S IN AN APPROPRIATE AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER. UM, MANDY HAS DONE THE RESEARCH. I'M SURE HER RESEARCH IS IMPECCABLE. AND UNTIL THEY ARE WILLING TO HELP THEMSELVES, I DO NOT SEE ANY REASON FOR THE BOARD TO STRAP THE TAXPAYERS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? MY NAME IS KENNETH BOWERS, 37 165. GENERAL MAHONE BOULEVARD. I'VE, VIRGINIA. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT DEFINITION OF CRT AGAIN. EXCUSE ME. I LIKE TO HEAR YOUR DEFINITION OF CRT, CRITICAL RACE THEORY THAT YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT I SAID, I WANT TO HEAR YOUR DEFINITION, THAT YOUR DEFINITION OF THAT YOU JUST GAVE A LITTLE WHILE AGO ANTI-AMERICAN, ANTI-CHRISTIAN, BEGINNING [01:00:03] SEGREGATION. IT'S FROM A MEDICAL STANDPOINT, IT'S A POISON IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO BE CUT OUT. OKAY. SO. IF YOU TAKE THE TERM MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, WHEN WAS AMERICA GREAT FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS? RUN THAT BY ME AGAIN. WHEN WAS THIS COUNTRY GREAT FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS? I THINK, YOU KNOW, NOTHING IS PERFECT, BUT IT'S PROBABLY THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND MINORITIES. IT'S PROBABLY THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD. AND EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO WORK. AND CRT IS DIVERSIVE. IT'S IT'S SEGREGATION ALL OVER AGAIN. AND IT SETS US BACK HERE. AND WHEN YOU'RE WE GOT KIDS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL, CAN'T READ ON A FIFTH GRADE LEVEL WHAT'S CRT GOING TO GOING TO DO FOR THEM AND DIVERSITY. OKAY. AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM. WE NEED NOT WASTE TIME TEACHING A THEORY. LET'S TEACH THE FACTS TO THE KIDS AND THEY CAN MAKE UP THEIR OWN MIND. CRT WAS STARTED BY A BUNCH OF LIBERAL LAWYERS AT HARVARD IN 1974 AND HAS SLOWLY SPREAD THROUGH THIS COUNTRY, AND IT'S HURTING THIS COUNTRY. AND I'D BE GLAD TO GIVE YOU THE LITERATURE ON IT IF YOU WANT. IF YOU READ THE FINE PRINT, YOU REALIZE WHAT IT IS. IT SAYS AMERICA IS RACIST. OUR CONSTITUTION IS RACIST. EVERYTHING IN AMERICA IS RACIST. OKAY? IT'S ANTI-CHRISTIAN. OKAY. I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY CHRISTIAN. IT'S ANTI-CHRISTIAN AND IT DOES NOTHING TO HELP THESE KIDS. IT DOES NOTHING TO HELP US PULL TOGETHER. IT'S SUBVERSIVE. AND THAT'S WHAT IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, THIS BOARD'S PHILOSOPHY WAS PUT FORTH. WE'RE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THAT. WELL, WHAT WOULD HELP OUR KIDS IS TO TEACH THE TRUE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY. TRUE. THE REAL HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY. WE'RE NOT. WE'RE IN AGREEMENT. REAL HISTORY IS FINE. LET'S TEACH REAL HISTORY. THIS IS THEORY. OKAY? CRT T STANDS FOR THEORY. HOW ABOUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT CRITICAL RACE FACT. THAT'S NOT THE SAME DEFINITION YOU GAVE EARLIER. BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT. COULD I. COULD I ANSWER THE GENTLEMAN'S QUESTION? YES, SIR. WILL YOU ALLOW ME TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? SURE. OKAY. THIS MIGHT TAKE ME ABOUT 3 OR 4 MINUTES TO READ THIS. LET'S BRING IT ON. OKAY. 1776 UNITE. UNITE IS A MOVEMENT TO LIBERATE TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS BY HELPING THEM BECOME AGENTS OF THEIR OWN UPLIFT AND TRANSFORMATION BY EMBRACING THE TRUE FOUNDING VALUES OF OUR COUNTRY. 1776 UNITE REPRESENTS A NONPARTISAN AND INTELLECTUALLY DIVERSE ALLIANCE OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF WRITERS, THINKERS AND ACTIVISTS FOCUSED ON SOLUTIONS TO OUR COUNTRY'S GREATEST CHALLENGES IN EDUCATION, CULTURE AND UPWARD MOBILITY. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION EXIST AND WORK TOWARDS DIMINISHING IT. BUT WE BUT WE DISSENT FROM CONTEMPORARY GROUPTHINK AND RHETORIC ABOUT RACE, CLASS AND AMERICAN HISTORY THAT DEFAMES OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE, DIVIDES OUR PEOPLE AND INSTILLS HELPLESSNESS AMONG THOSE WHO ALREADY HOLD WITHIN THEMSELVES THE GRIT AND RESILIENCE TO BETTER THEIR LOT IN LIFE. 1776 UNITES MAINTAINS A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON VOICES IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY WHO CELEBRATE BLACK EXCELLENCE AND REJECT VICTIMHOOD CULTURE, AND SHOWCASES THE MILLIONS OF BLACK AMERICANS WHO HAVE PROSPERED BY EMBRACING THE FOUNDING IDEALS OF AMERICA. WE ARE INTELLECTUALS AND JOURNALISTS, ENTREPRENEURS AND GRASSROOTS ACTIVISTS CELEBRATING THE PROGRESS AMERICAN HAS MADE, THE RESILIENCE OF ITS PEOPLE AND OUR FUTURE TOGETHER. WE SEEK DECISIVE ACTION IN RESTORING OUR PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE AND ADVANCING THE CAUSE OF ACTUAL JUSTICE IN THE FACE OF HOSTILE MESSAGES THAT DEGRADE THE SPIRITUAL, MORAL AND POLITICAL FOUNDATIONS OF OUR NATION. 1776 UNITES AS A PROJECT OF THE WOODSON CENTER, A COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION AND EMPOWERMENT ORGANIZATION FOUNDED BY ROBERT L. WOODSON, SENIOR IN 1981. AND EVERY SINGLE AUTHOR IN HERE IS BLACK. THE WHOLE LIST. I COULD READ THEM OFF FROM YOU. SOME OF THEM. I DON'T EVEN AGREE WITH THEIR VOCATION. THEY'RE LIBERALS, BUT THEY HAVE WRITTEN SOME FANTASTIC ESSAYS IN THIS BOOK. EVERY ONE OF THEM ARE BLACK. THEY THEY WROTE THIS BOOK, AND IT'S ON THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY. IT'S PEOPLE LIKE JASON DE HILL, ROBERT L. [01:05:03] WOODSON, LUCAS E MARL, WILFORD RILEY, COREY BOOKS, ROBERT CHERRY, HAROLD A BLACK DEAN NELSON, CLARENCE PAGE, WHO'S A LIBERAL, BY THE WAY. IAN ROWE. CARL SWAIN, WHO GREW UP ON A DIRT FLOOR, WAS THE ONLY MEMBER OF A FAMILY TO EVER GO TO SCHOOL. SHE MISSED THREE MONTHS WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD. SHE KNEW SHE WAS EXCELLENT FROM THE BEGINNING, AND SHE FOLLOWED IT. AND SHE ENDED UP AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY FOR 30 YEARS. AND SHE'S A CONSERVATIVE, A WRITER. SHE'S IN THIS BOOK. JOHN BUTLER, COLEMAN HUGHES, JOSHUA SHELBY STEELE. MAYBE YOU EVER HEARD OF HIM? CHARLES LOGUE, CARL SWAIN, JOHN BUTLER, STEPHEN HARRIS, IAN ROWE AND MANY OTHERS. THEY'RE ALL BLACK. THEY'RE ALL PROFESSIONALS. THEY ALL HAVE LIFTED THIS COUNTRY UP, NOT ONLY THEMSELVES. THEY'VE LIFTED THE COUNTRY UP. AND YOU CAN READ ALL ABOUT IT IN THAT BOOK. IF YOU COME BY MY OFFICE TOMORROW, I WILL GIVE YOU A COPY OF THIS. YOU KNOW, I'M REAL PROUD OF THOSE PEOPLE. I'M REAL PROUD OF THOSE PEOPLE. I WILL GIVE YOU A COPY OF THIS IF YOU COME BY MY OFFICE. I'M REAL PROUD OF THOSE PEOPLE YOU CAN READ ABOUT IN THAT BOOK. THEY HAVE DONE SOME GREAT THINGS. OKAY. AND I'M SO PROUD OF THEM. BUT I THINK OUR THE WAY THAT MANY PEOPLE WANT HISTORY TO BE TAUGHT TODAY, THEY WANT TO ERASE THOSE PEOPLE UP. AND I DO. BUT DO YOU KNOW THAT THOUSANDS OF MORE PEOPLE, BLACK PEOPLE, DIED IN HART COTTON FIELDS OWNED BY SOMEBODY ELSE THAN YOU'LL EVER READ ABOUT IN THOSE BOOKS? AND WE CAN'T DISMISS ANY OF IT. ALL HISTORY IS IMPORTANT. SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO READ HISTORY. READ ALL HISTORY. DON'T ISOLATE. DON'T TRY TO IDENTIFY A CERTAIN SEGMENT OF HISTORY AND SAY THIS IS IMPORTANT. ALL HISTORY IS IMPORTANT. AND IT DOESN'T. HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? I READ SOME OF IT. THE COTTON FIELDS IN THE BOOK. I GAVE IT TO YOU ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO. BUT DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID? I SAID THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF MORE PEOPLE WHO DIED IN THE COTTON FIELDS THAN YOU'LL READ ABOUT IN THAT BOOK. THAT'S THE STATEMENT I SAID. WELL, OF COURSE. AND AND SO AND I'M SAYING ALL HISTORY IS IMPORTANT. READ IT OPEN MINDEDLY. OKAY. I THINK. AND TRY TO READ IT. NOT JUDGMENTALLY. NO, NO. AND I AGREE WITH YOU. AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE IMPLEMENTED FACTUAL IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT'S CALLED FACTUAL HISTORY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. WE DON'T NEED IDEOLOGIES. MR. FAISON, WHAT DO YOU READ THE FACTS WRONG? WHOA. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON. OKAY, LET'S GET BACK TO YOUR DEFINITION OF CRT. THE REAL DEFINITION OF CRT IS WHEN YOU DEAL WITH RACISM, NOT ON THE INDIVIDUAL NAME, BUT ON AN INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL. FOR US. IF YOU SAY THAT, THEN YOU'RE NOT EDUCATED. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S CONSERVATIVE. OH, EXCUSE ME. IF YOU. IF YOU COME BY MY OFFICE TOMORROW, I WILL GIVE YOU A COPY OF THAT BOOK. HOLD ON. HOLD ON. OH, DO YOU READ THE BOOK AND COME BACK? ALL DUE RESPECT, I HEARD YOUR PART. YES, I HEARD YOUR PART. OKAY. NOW, WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RACIST, CRT TELLS YOU ABOUT AN INSTITUTION THAT'S RACIST. THAT'S THE THEORY OF CRT, NOT ABOUT INDIVIDUALS. THAT'S RACIST. WE ALREADY KNOW THAT'S WRONG. BUT WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO AN INSTITUTION THAT'S RACIST, THAT PROMOTES JIM CROW, UNFAIR LENDING PRACTICES, UNFAIR EDUCATION, UNFAIR MEDICAL ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, THAT'S CRT. TAKE ME UP ON MY INVITATION. COME BY THE OFFICE TOMORROW. I'LL GIVE YOU THAT BOOK. OKAY. WHAT'S THAT BOOK GOT TO DO WITH THE REAL THING? THAT'S JUST THAT. THAT BOOK. THAT'S THAT ONE BOOK. HAVE YOU READ IT? NO, I HAVEN'T READ IT. OKAY. HAVE YOU READ THE BOOKS I GOT? OKAY, LET'S GET DOWN TO ANOTHER POINT. THEN WE SIT HERE AND WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES AND ALL OF US SUPPOSED TO BE EQUAL UNDER THE LAW. AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT TAXES. AND TAXATION FOR EVERYBODY. FOR THE PEOPLE. OF THE PEOPLE. BY THE PEOPLE. AND THEN WE TURN AROUND AND GOT A CONFEDERATE MONUMENT ON A PUBLIC PROPERTY THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS GOT TO DO MAINTENANCE ON IT. NOW, WHY DO WE HAVE A CONFEDERATE MONUMENT ON OUR PUBLIC COURTHOUSE GROUNDS? WHEN THE CONFEDERATES STOOD AGAINST. WE ARE NOT EQUAL. [01:10:03] NOW, WHY ARE WE HONORING THAT ON OUR PUBLIC GROUNDS THAT WE GOT TO PAY OUR TAX DOLLARS TO DO MAINTENANCE ON AND MAINTAIN? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE IT IS. I'VE NEVER SEEN COURTHOUSE PARKING LOT. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER. YOU GOT ALL YOUR BUDGET THAT YOU TALK ABOUT EACH EACH MONTH THAT WE'RE DOING IMPROVEMENT ON THE GROUNDS OF THE COURTHOUSE. YOU KNOW WHEN WE WE NEED CART THAT'S WHY WE NEED CART. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? I'VE IS MAINTAINED BY THE SCV. WHERE ARE YOU GOING? NO, NO, MA'AM. GO RIGHT AHEAD. I WAS NOT COMING HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK. I CAME HERE TONIGHT TO PRAY. THANK YOU, MA'AM. PRAY FOR UNITY IN CHRIST. WE NEED JESUS. WE NEED THE BIBLE, WHICH IS THE COMPLETE TRUTH. WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN OUR GOD AND OUR SAVIOR. ALL OF US. WE WILL CREATE IT AS ONE WITH HIM. BUT ONLY AFTER YOU CHOOSE HIM TO BE YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR. COME ON, MAN. I DID NOT COME UP HERE TO PREACH. BUT THAT'S WHAT'S COMING UP. BECAUSE HE IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT. NOT US. HIS WILL IS IMPORTANT. HE BRINGS PEACE INTO A COMMUNITY. WE NEED PEACE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE NEED TO LOVE EACH OTHER. YOU CANNOT DO IT APART FROM JESUS CHRIST. YOU CAN'T DO IT. YOU CAN'T DO IT WITH CRT OR DEI OR WHITE RACISM OR ANYTHING ELSE. IT HAS TO COME FROM GOD. HE'S A SPIRIT. HE'S OUR LORD AND OUR SAVIOR. HE LOVES EVERY ONE OF YOU IN HERE. BUT YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE HIM TO BE. HE WILL ADOPT YOU WHEN YOU CHOOSE HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR. AND HE'S THE ANSWER TO ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS. HE IS THE ANSWER. I WAS PUTTING A GUN IN MY MOUTH 40 YEARS AGO TRYING TO PULL THE TRIGGER, AND HE CAME INTO MY HEART AND SHOWED ME THAT, YES, I COULD DIE. I COULD DIE IN CHRIST AND HAVE A WHOLE NEW LIFE. I SUGGEST SOME OF YOU PEOPLE TRY TO CHOOSE JESUS AND GET A WHOLE NEW LIFE AND SEE WHAT IT'S ABOUT. BECAUSE HIS HEAVEN AND HIS HELL AND ALL OF THIS WILL NOT MATTER IF YOU'RE BURNING IN HELL. AND I TELL YOU, AND I SAY THAT IN LOVE BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANY OF YOU GO TO HELL. GOD CREATED HELL TO PUT PLACE PEOPLE IN THAT DO NOT RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR. BUT YOU RECEIVE JESUS. YOU WILL GET ALL THE BENEFITS GOD HAS IN THAT WHOLE BIBLE. THAT'S FOR YOU. THE 6000 PROMISES IN THERE. THAT'S FOR ANYBODY WHO CHOOSES JESUS. AND THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. AMEN. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME. ANYBODY ELSE? OH. I'M GOING, BABY. THERE FIRST. MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHY DO I GOT TO GET MY NAME ON WHY I LEAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I'M JUST GOING TO TALK. IT GOES, IF Y'ALL WANT TO KNOW WHO I AM, YOU CAN FIND OUT WHO I AM THROUGH PEOPLE. I'M GOING TO TALK. AND LOOK, EVERYBODY, I'M HERE TO PREACH. COME ON. ALL RIGHT. COME OVER HERE. AND THAT WHAT THAT LADY SAID WAS TRUE. OH, MONEY. LAYING PEOPLE. WE'LL GO BACK TO MONEY. WHEN YOU DEAL WITH MONEY, PEOPLE GET STUPID. PEOPLE GET CRAZY. MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL. WHAT SHE SAID WAS IF YOU GET CHRIST. DON'T NONE OF THIS STUFF MATTER? BECAUSE I WAS PUT IN A POSITION ONE TIME ON MY PREVIOUS JOB AND THEY SAID WE HAD TO BRING PAPERWORK WHENEVER WE GOT SICK AND THAT THE PAPERWORK DIDN'T REALLY MATTER BECAUSE THE PEOPLE COULD STILL SAY, YOU'RE NOT EXCUSED BECAUSE YOU WAS OUT. SO I WAS TALKING TO. SOME GUY. HE WAS HEAD OF NINE BUILDINGS WHERE I WAS AT. HE LOOKED AT MY NAME. THAT'S WHY I ASKED THAT QUESTION. WHAT DOES IT. WHY DOES IT MATTER? SO HE HAD MY PORTFOLIO IN FRONT OF HIM AND I LET HIM KNOW. I SAID, WELL. THESE THINGS IN LIFE I CAN'T CONTROL. I CAN'T CONTROL GETTING SICK. I CAN'T CONTROL DYING. AND THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE I SAID I CAN'T REMEMBER. BUT WHAT SHE SAID. AND EVERYBODY HERE SAY I'M A CHRISTIAN. COME UP HERE. I AIN'T GOING TO SAY THAT. I'M GOING TO SAY I'M CHRIST LIKE. [01:15:02] BECAUSE WHAT I LEARNED FROM CHRIST. HE TOLD TRUTH. TO MAKE PEOPLE UPSET. HE DIED BECAUSE HE TOLD THE TRUTH. NOW HE CAME TO THE WORLD. HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DIE. HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO TELL THE TRUTH. AND HE KNEW THAT PEOPLE WERE GOING TO KILL HIM FOR TELLING THE TRUTH. BUT THAT'S THE REASON HE CAME. AND WHEN HE WENT THROUGH WHAT HE WENT THROUGH, HE DID IT ALL OF US, JUST LIKE SHE SAID. COULD LIVE AND GET ALONG TOGETHER. NEAR. FROM WHAT I JUST CAME TO LISTEN. BUT WHAT I'M HEARING IS A BIG HOOPLA OVER WHO GETTING MONEY. EVERYBODY LOVE MONEY. EVERYBODY NEED MONEY. ME, MYSELF, I REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT IT. AS LONG AS I CAN BUY WHAT I WANT, GET WHAT I NEED. TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY. THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY IN THIS WORLD THAT'S IN THIS BUILDING. IT WAS WORKING FOR CARE HOME AND LOOK OUT FOR THEIR PEOPLE. MAYOR ALL. SHE SAID, WE NEED TO PRAY. I AGREE 100%. NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY I'M A CHRISTIAN. BUT THEY'RE NOT CHRIST LIKE. COME ON. THAT'S WHY SOME CHRIST LIKE. SO YOU CAN FOLLOW MY RECORD AND SEE WHAT I SAY. I SAY, I MEAN, I LIVE WHAT I SAY. EVERYBODY DON'T DO THAT. I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SAY I'M A CHRISTIAN, BUT THEY TREAT THE FRUIT ON THEIR TREE. DON'T MATCH UP WITH THE APPLE THAT THEY'RE APPLE. THEY'RE NOT SUING APPLES. THEY'RE SHOWING SOMETHING ELSE. NOW, IF YOU CHRIST LIKE. WHERE WILL YOU GO? PEOPLE ARE GOING TO EITHER LIKE YOU OR HATE YOU. I DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT ME BECAUSE I'M JUST GOING TO LIVE MY LIFE ACCORDING TO THE WAY JESUS LEFT ME TO FOLLOW HIM, BECAUSE EVERYBODY HERE IS GOING TO BE GOING TO DIE ONE DAY. AND AFTER DEATH, THE JUDGMENT IS GOING TO BE JUDGED ACCORDING THE WAY WE LIVE OUR LIFE. AMEN. NOW, I KNOW WHEN YOU CHRIST LIKE, I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO HOLD SOMETHING FROM YOU THAT IF I GOT SOMETHING I CAN BLESS YOU WITH, I'M GOING TO BLESS YOU. I'M GOING TO HELP YOU. NOW, IF I HOLD IT IN MY OWN POCKET AND TRY TO KEEP ADDING MORE TO IT, I'M NOT HAPPY. DUDE, THAT AIN'T. THAT AIN'T GOD. THAT AIN'T CHRIST LIKE. AND I SEE IT FROM THE PULPIT OR FROM HERE TO THE CHURCH. BUT I MEAN WHAT I SAY. AMEN. THEN WHEN YOU LIVE LIKE CHRIST, TELL US TO LIVE. LIFE WON'T BE GOOD. NOW. I DON'T GET EVERYTHING I WANT IN LIFE. AND I'VE BEEN DEALT SOME BAD DEALS. BUT THROUGH CHRIST. I MADE OVER TO HIM HELPING ME, HUH? NOW I CAN'T MAKE PEOPLE DO RIGHT. I CAN'T MAKE PEOPLE ACT RIGHT. BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW TO DO RIGHT AND HOW TO LIVE RIGHT THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD. NOW, IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, THAT'S ON YOU. IF I DON'T TELL YOU, THAT'S ON ME. AND I GOT TO PAY FOR THAT. BLOOD'S GOING TO BE ON MY HAND IF I DON'T TELL YOU THE TRUTH. AND I'M GOING TO TELL THE TRUTH. IF YOU KILL ME, I'M GOING TO TELL THE TRUTH. JESUS TOLD THE TRUTH AND. PEOPLE GOT TOGETHER THAT WERE THEY WERE CHURCH FOLK, THEY GOT TOGETHER. WE GOT TO GET RID OF THIS GUY. NOW, WHEN HE RAISED UP LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD THAT WERE THAT WOULD DESTROY THE CAMERA BACK BECAUSE THEM PHARISEES, Y'ALL KNOW THE STORY. WE HAD TO GET RID OF THIS MAN BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, HE WILL CHANGE THE WHOLE WORLD, WHICH HE DID THROUGH HIS LIFE AND THROUGH HIS DEATH. NOW, EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD ARE NOT GOING TO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU GOT TO DO SOMETHING. YEAH, I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY, WHAT'S THE SOLUTION? THE SOLUTION IS. WE GOT TO BE CHRIST LIKE AND PRAY AND FOLLOW WHAT THE WORD SAY. I AIN'T READ, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WRITE BOOKS. EVERYBODY DO GREAT. I'VE LEARNED THROUGH MY LIFE IF I DO THIS A CERTAIN WAY, THEN I'M A GOOD BOY. HE'S ONE OF THE GOOD ONES. I HEARD THAT AND TOLD HIM HE WOULDN'T. I SAID, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? AND SOMEBODY SAID, RACIST. AMERICA IS FULL OF RACISM AND YOU NEED TO TELL THAT LIKE IS NOT. IS THERE. EVERYBODY GOT A LITTLE PIECE OF A MINUTE. DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE. IF YOU'RE BLACK, YOU KNOW ABOUT IT. IF YOU'RE WHITE, YOU KNOW ABOUT IT. BUT TO GET THROUGH IT, YOU AIN'T GOING TO NEVER GET RID OF OR GET THROUGH IT UNLESS YOU GET CHRIST LIKE BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE BY THE WORD AND [01:20:03] YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHAT'S GOOD AND WHAT'S RIGHT. AND SEE NOW, OKAY, I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY SOMETHING ABOUT ANY CHILDREN KILLING, DYING, KILLING ALL THIS CRAZY STUFF. I'M A BUS DRIVER. I SEE A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF NOW. THESE LITTLE BITTY BABIES RIGHT HERE ON UP. I WATCH THEM. IT WAS A SPIRIT. COME ON, ESSER N SEEING IN THIS WORLD. AND AS LONG AS SEEING IS HERE, DEM CHILDREN D GROWN FOLKS WITH ARE BIG CHILDREN, THE WHOLE WORLD IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE CHAOTIC. BUT YOU GOT TO GET SEEING OUT. AND THE WAY TO DO THAT, YOU GOT TO ACCEPT CHRIST LIKE THAT LADY SEEING. I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE AT. YOU GOT TO ACCEPT IT. AND IF YOU DON'T, HEY, THE WORLD WILL KEEP ON GOING ON. BUT WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES FOR THE LAST TIME. IS, IS BLACK. IT AIN'T BLACK. IT'S BLACK AND WHITE. IT'S EITHER OR. PUT IT LIKE THAT. YOU EITHER GO, LOVE, HAVE JESUS IN YOUR LIFE OR YOU AIN'T. THE BIBLE SAYS HE'S GOING TO COME BACK AND GO CRACK THE SKY. NOW, THOSE THAT ARE DEAD, THAT DIE IN JESUS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE CAUGHT UP BECAUSE. SEE? OKAY. THE HOLY GHOST. SANCTIFICATION. SAVED. SANCTIFIED. FILLED. THE HOLY GHOST. THREE DIFFERENT WORKS OF GRACE. WHEN JESUS DIED, HE HAD. HE WAS FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST. THAT'S WHY HE GOT UP. HE SAID THE SAME SPIRIT BEING YOU WOULD BE IN ME. NOW WHEN YOU DIE. AND HE CRACKED THAT SKY. IF YOU WERE IN THE IN THE DIRT DEAD ON CORNWELL YOU WET, YOU COULD BE TOSSED IN THE SEA. THEY GOT TO GIVE IT UP. YOUR SPIRIT WILL COME AND MEET HIM IN. MAN. I TELL I TELL MY KIDS, WELL, NOT MY KIDS. I TELL I USED TO I USED TO DRIVE A TRUCK AND I SHOULD TELL PEOPLE THEY USED TO ROB ME. I SAID, LET ME TELL Y'ALL SOMETHING. I LOVE THE LORD. I'M SANCTIFIED, I'M HOLY GHOST FILLED. NOW, IF THE LORD CALLED ME WHILE I'M DRIVING HIS TRUCK OR IF HE COME BACK AND CRACK THAT SKY WHILE I'M DRIVING HIS TRUCK AND YOU DON'T KNOW HIM, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE GONE. THIS TRUCK GOING TO BE ON HIS OWN. AND I MEAN THAT LITERALLY. MY WIFE STAY ON MY CASE A LOT WHEN I TALK ABOUT GOD. SHE SAID, YOU'RE TOO LONG WINDED AND I'M GOING TO TRY MY BEST NOT TO BE LONG WINDED HERE BECAUSE I DID NOT COME HERE TO OPEN MY MOUTH. BUT I SAW AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I WANT TO WITNESS TO WHAT THAT LADY SAID. SHE TOLD THE TRUTH. SHE 60 TO PREACH, BUT I NEED IT BECAUSE I SEE ME. THAT'S ALL I KNOW. IF YOU KNEW ME BEFORE THE LORD CAME TO MY LIFE, YOU WOULD HAVE SAID, LORD, HELP THAT CHILD. BUT GOD SAVED ME AT A YOUNG AGE. AND I'M GOING TO SAY THIS AND I DON'T CARE WHO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BUT I GOT WITNESSES. WHY DO I TRUST GOD AND LOVE HIM SO MUCH LIKE I DO? I GREW UP AS A CHILD IN A BLACK HOME. AND I REMEMBER WHEN I HAD MY MOTHER WALKED LIKE THIS. SHE BROKE A LEG WHEN SHE WAS 19 ON A TRACTOR. SHE HAD TO HAVE SCAR ALL THE WAY UP. AND I SHOULD RUB IT AND I SMOKE. WHAT IS THAT? AND SHE SAID I FELL OFF A TRACTOR WHEN I WAS A CHILD. AND THEY PUT. THEY PUT A PIN IN IT. OKAY. YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, WHEN I WAS GOING TO SOUTHAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL, I WENT TO A PROVIDER AND THIS MAN HAD PREACHED REVIVAL. FOLKS FROM SOUTH AMERICA. AND HE SAID WHEN HE GOT TO AMERICA, HE SAW IN THE MONEY HIS MONEY CHANGE. HE SAID. UP THERE IN GOD WE TRUST. HE SAID, EVERYBODY OVER HERE LOVE JESUS. BUT AS HE STARTED GOING THROUGH THE DAY, HE REALIZED PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE LORD IS ON THEIR MONEY, BUT WHAT'S GOING ON? BUT THE MAN PREACHED AND HE SAID, THIS PARTICULAR NIGHT, SOME OF Y'ALL, THE LORD WANT TO HEAL. HE SAID, YOU GOT PEGGED. AND EVERYBODY BE LIKE, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? BECAUSE YOU WALK LIKE THIS. ONE OF THEM LINED UP. NEVER GOING TO SIT DOWN IN A MINUTE. MY MOTHER AND ABOUT FIVE MORE PEOPLE WENT UP TO THE FRONT OF THAT CHURCH AND EVERYBODY GOT AROUND TO PRAY. WHILE THIS MAN WAS PRAYING AND I WENT IN THE FRONT, I WAS BACK AWAY LIKE THIS, COULDN'T SEE. BUT I GOT A COUSIN THAT WAS ON THE FRONT ROW RIGHT THERE BY MY MOTHER. AND WHEN THE MAN GRABBED MY MOTHER'S LEG WAS LIKE THIS AND HE BEGAN TO PRAY. AND MY COUSIN. I LOOKED AT HER. MY EYES GOT LIKE THIS. YEAH. SEE THAT? THAT'S AMAZING, MAN. MY MOTHER DID THIS AND STOPPED WHEN IT GOT TO THE LENGTH OF THE ALBUM. [01:25:01] I DIDN'T SEE THAT. I SAW IT AFTER THE FACT. WHEN I GOT HOME. SHE DIDN'T WALK LIKE THIS NO MORE. SHE WALKED JUST LIKE THIS HERE BECAUSE SHE WOULD NOT NEED IT. BUT SHE DID NOT LIVE ANOTHER DAY. DAY SHE DIED. THEN LET ME KNOW. GOD STILL WORKS IN AMERICA. IN THE WORLD. AMEN. SO THE MONEY PROBLEM IS GOING ON AROUND HERE BECAUSE YOU CAN TAKE A CUT. I'M JUST SITTING BACK HERE LISTENING. YOU CUT IT LIKE THIS HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW TOUCHING IT IS. PRAY. PRAY. GET IN AT WORK. THE BIKE. EVERY PROBLEM THAT THIS WORLD HAS IS ANY. IF YOU READ IT AND IF YOU'RE SINCERE, YOU WILL FIND THE ANSWER. SOLUTIONS. THE ONE IS THE BLOOD. Y'ALL KNOW THE STORY. 12 YEARS SHE WAS BLEEDING. BUT SHE HEARD ABOUT JESUS. AND SHE HAPPENED TO BE WHERE HE WAS COMING. SO SHE SAID WITHIN HERSELF, IF I CAN JUST TOUCH THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT, I'LL BE MADE WHOLE. AND SHE TOUCHED HIM. AND I'M SITTING DOWN ON THIS FOR REAL. AND HE LOOKED AROUND BECAUSE VIRTUE WENT OUT OF HIM. AND I HAD BEEN READING THIS FOR A MONTH, AND I SAID, GOD, WHY? MAYBE THIS IS WHY. THE SOLUTION WAS OUT OF HER MOUTH. IF ASKED, I'LL BE MADE WHOLE. AFTER. IF I COULD JUST TOUCH HIS GARMENT, HIS CLOTHING, I'LL BE MADE WHOLE. NOW, IF YOU IN YOUR MOUTH, IF YOU WILL SAY, WE CAN FIGURE THIS MONEY OUT AND GIVE EVERYBODY WHAT THEY NEED. IF WE JUST PRAY AND SEEK GOD FIRST. DON'T DO IT ON YOUR OWN ACCOUNT BECAUSE I'M TELLING YOU, WORK. YOU DON'T WORK. BUT IF YOU IF YOU GO TO GOD AND BE HONEST, HE GOING TO DIRECT YOU WHERE TO GO. AND WHEN YOU PUT THE MONEY WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE OR WHOEVER HE SUPPOSED TO BE IN, IF THEY DON'T DO WITH IT WHAT THEY SUPPOSED TO DO WITH IT, IT'S GOING TO BE ON THEM. BUT I'M TELLING Y'ALL, BOY, PRAY. AND DO WHAT GOD TELLS YOU TO DO BECAUSE Y'ALL SAY Y'ALL CHRISTIANS. DID Y'ALL SEE THAT? BUT IF YOU DO THAT AND BE SINCERE, I'M TELLING YOU, HE WILL DIRECT YOU. AND IF THEY DON'T DO WHAT THEY SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THE MONEY, THEY GOT TO PAY FOR THAT. NOT YOU. YOU. YOU GOTTA BE LIKE PILOT. PILOT. TRYING TO FIGURE A WAY OUT. I'M JUST GONNA WASH MY HANDS OF IT. BUT HE STILL WAS INVOLVED. BUT HE COULD HAVE. HE COULD HAVE FREED JESUS, BUT HE DIDN'T. BUT IT WON'T MAKE THE BE SO BECAUSE CHRIST CAME TO DIE. I'M DONE. HEY. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CASSANDRA HOBBS. I LIVE AT 18282 BARROW ROAD CAPE IN VIRGINIA. 23829. UM, IT'S BEEN A VERY INTERESTING MEETING. THIS IS PROBABLY JUST MY THIRD MEETING ATTENDING. AND THE OTHERS WERE OKAY. BUT TONIGHT I SAW. DIVISIVENESS. I SAW LEADERS WHO WERE NOT WILLING TO HEAR FROM ONE ANOTHER. AND I KNOW ONE LADY SAID THAT YOU ALL GIVE YOUR ATTENTION TO THE AUDIENCE, BUT THERE WERE TIMES WHEN PEOPLE WERE SHUT DOWN BECAUSE IT DIDN'T AGREE WITH SOMEBODY ELSE'S THOUGHT. AND I WOULD SUGGEST TO THE BOARD THAT YOU, AS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHRISTIANS, COME, LET US REASON TOGETHER. IF. IF ONE PERSON BELIEVES THAT ONE BOOK IS GOING TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT HISTORY AND THEN ANOTHER GROUP THAT BELIEVES THAT IT WON'T. CAN'T THE BOARD COME TOGETHER AND READ AND FIND OUT WHICH ONE IS FACTUAL? CAN YOU ALL SPEND SOME TIME TOGETHER DOING YOUR RESEARCH AND FINDING OUT IF THE INFORMATION IS FACTUAL? THERE ARE WAYS TO FIND OUT. AND. WE? I'M AN AFRICAN AMERICAN. I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THAT. AND IN OUR HISTORY, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN TREATED FAIRLY. AND EVERYBODY WHO'S HONEST IS GOING TO SAY THAT'S TRUE. NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'VE NEVER BEEN TREATED NICELY. I HAVE A WHITE FRIEND AND SHE AND I ARE LIKE THIS. AND WE SPENT TIME TOGETHER. [01:30:01] WE PRAYED TOGETHER. BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE WITH US AS A PEOPLE. IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING, THEN WE'RE GOING TO TREAT ONE ANOTHER RIGHT AND LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER AND TAKE THE TIME TO FIND OUT WHAT'S TRUE. IF CRT IS FACTUAL, WE NEED TO TEACH. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TEACHING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THE TRUTH. FOR SO LONG, OUR HISTORY HAS BEEN ONE SIDED. WE JUST HAVE TO ADMIT IT. IT'S TRUE. IT'S BEEN ONE SIDED. NOW, I'M NOT TELLING YOU THAT I THINK YOU SHOULD INTRODUCE ANYTHING THAT'S NOT FACTUAL. BUT IF IT IS FACTUAL, THEN WE NEED TO SHARE IT. WE NEED TO SHARE IT IN LOVE, JUST LIKE THE PEOPLE HAVE SAID. WE DON'T NEED TO TRY TO BEAT PEOPLE UP WITH IT, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO EXCLUDE INFORMATION. THAT'S TRUE. I WAS LISTENING TO YOU ALL TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET. I'VE BEEN IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY NOW FOR 24 YEARS. AND I'VE NEVER APPLIED TO SOUTHAMPTON. SO I HEAR YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT THIS SUPERINTENDENT IN THE CABINET THAT SHE HAS. AND BUT FOR YEARS WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM. SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY HAS NOT PAID ENOUGH. I UNDERSTAND BUDGETS. BUT AS A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AS THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO TO TO INCREASE OUR REVENUE. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING SO THAT PEOPLE IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY CAN LIVE A DECENT LIFE. TEACHERS WORK HARD. I BELIEVE YOU. BUT BUS DRIVERS, WHEN YOU ALL GET OFF FROM WORK AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE CRITICAL. WHEN YOU ALL GET OFF FROM WORK, YOU'RE FINISHED. WHEN TEACHERS GET OFF FROM WORK, WE'RE STILL TEACHING. WE GO HOME, WE PREPARE A LESSON PLANS. WE CREATE ACTIVITIES. I'M NOT CRITICIZING WHAT YOU DO BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, MY HUSBAND DROVE THE BUS. AND I PRAY FOR HIM EVERY DAY. BECAUSE THAT BUS IS DANGEROUS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT BUS DRIVERS HAVE TO DO ON THAT BUS ARE DANGEROUS BECAUSE BUS DRIVERS HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD AND THEN TURN AROUND AND PAY ATTENTION TO CHILDREN. WELL, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? EVERY BUS SHOULD HAVE A MONITOR. YES. ESPECIALLY WITH THE WAY THAT CHILDREN BEHAVE THESE DAYS. SO I'M NOT I'M NOT BELITTLING. YOUR JOB IS CRITICAL. I HEARD THE NURSE TALK. ONE OF THE NURSES TALKED AT THE AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ABOUT THEIR PAY. BUT THIS IS SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY AND THIS IS US. THIS IS WHO WE ARE. AND IF WE DON'T COME TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER. THEN WE'RE NEVER GOING TO BE THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY THAT WE OUGHT TO BE. WE HAVE WE'VE HEARD TOO MANY PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE CHRISTIANS TONIGHT. WHAT IF WE ARE CHRISTIANS? WE BETTER ACT LIKE CHRISTIANS. WE BETTER DO WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO AND WE BETTER HELP EVERYBODY. THAT'S OUR. THAT'S OUR JOB. THAT'S OUR DUTY TO HELP MANKIND. OUR TEACHERS NEED US. THEY NEED, THEIR SALARIES INCREASED. BUT NOT JUST THAT. YOU TALKED. WE TALKED. SOMEBODY TALKED ABOUT THE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CABINET NOT LOOKING INTO THE THE GRANTS. SCHOLARSHIPS. WELL. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THEY'RE LIMITED WITH WHAT THEY CAN DO. I KNOW YOU ALL EXPECT A LOT FROM THEM, AND SO DO I. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE SOME SUPPORT. AND IF ANYBODY HEARD THE LADY SAYING THAT SHE DOES RESEARCH. WELL, HONEY, IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP WRITE THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS, THEN VOLUNTEER. I HAVE OFFERED. OKAY. WELL, LET'S LET'S KEEP IT PUSHING. YES, MA'AM. AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO CAN REACH OUT AND HELP? WE CAN KEEP CRITICIZING. WE CAN KEEP FUSSING. BUT IF WE WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. I BELIEVE IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. I LOVE THIS AREA. MY HUSBAND MOVED ME HERE FROM THE CITY. HE MOVED ME HERE, DRAGGING ME ONLY BECAUSE I LOVED HIM. HOWEVER, I'VE MET SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE HERE, AND IF WE WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN DO IT. THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN'T DO IF WE WORK TOGETHER. BUT WE KEEP ARGUING ABOUT THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER. WHEN ONE SIDE WANTS TO DO SOMETHING, THE OTHER SIDE WANTS TO SHUT IT DOWN. WE CAN'T MAKE IT LIKE THAT. WE HAVE TO ACT LIKE CHRISTIANS. AND PROFESSIONALS. SO WE WOULD WORK TOGETHER. AND WE WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO READ THOSE BOOKS TOGETHER. [01:35:04] AND FIND OUT IF IT'S TRUE. AND IF IT'S TRUE, THEN WE'VE GOT TO STAND ON THE TRUTH. IT MIGHT MAKE SOMEBODY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. WE'VE ALL HAD DISCOMFORT. WE'VE ALL HAD HARD TIMES. WE'VE ALL HAD THINGS WE DISAGREED WITH. BUT IF IT'S TRUTH, WE NEED TO RECEIVE IT. IT WILL ONLY DIVIDE US IF WE LET IT. IF WE TAKE THAT WHICH IS TRUE AND WE USE IT, IT CAN BRING US CLOSER TOGETHER IF WE MAKE THAT DECISION. IF WE DECIDE IT'S GOING TO DIVIDE US BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE DIVIDED BECAUSE WE'VE MADE UP OUR MINDS, THEN THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN. WE'LL BE DIVIDED. BUT WE FIND OUT THAT IT'S TRUE AND WE SUPPORT IT. ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER. THEN WE CAN DO THIS. SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY CAN BE WONDERFUL. I LOVE ONE DAY TO WORK IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. I LIVE AROUND THE CORNER. ALMOST. BUT WE CAN'T DO IT. PEOPLE CAN'T LIVE OFF THOSE SALARIES. AND SO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO AS A COUNTY TOGETHER, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. BUT WE'VE GOT TO WORK TOGETHER. WE CAN'T SHUT ONE ANOTHER DOWN WHEN IT WHEN IT DOESN'T FIT OUR BEALE. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO EVERY VOICE. SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. WE CAN DO THIS. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY IDEAS? HELLO. MY NAME IS EUREKA RAWLINGS. I WORK FOR SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. NAME AND ADDRESS MIDDLE. I CAN. I JUST DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE GIVING MY ADDRESS. IT'S LIVE. YOU DON'T? WHAT? I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE GIVING MY ADDRESS. THIS IS STREAMING LIVE. I CAN GIVE YOU SOMETHING ELSE. I WORK FOR SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL. IS THAT OKAY? I THINK THAT A LOT HAS BEEN SAID TONIGHT. I AM A PREACHER, BUT I DIDN'T GET UP HERE TO PREACH. I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF JUST SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN THE SCHOOL. I KNOW SOMETIMES THAT PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ON BOARDS SOMETIMES MAY NOT KNOW WHAT ACTUALLY GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE BUILDING. AND AND I'M NOT UP HERE TO SAY WHO'S RIGHT OR WRONG. BUT I CAN SPEAK WHAT I DO AND WHAT I SEE AS SOUTHAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL IS THAT I SEE A LOT OF TEACHERS WORK HARD. I SEE OUR ADMINISTRATORS WORK HARD. I WORK HARD. I LOVE THE CHILDREN THERE. WHITE, BLACK, HISPANIC. IT DOESN'T MATTER. I WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM. I FEEL THAT. IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO RELATE. AND I KNOW I CAN GO BACK TO WHEN THE PANDEMIC CAME AND, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED AS A SCHOOL, AS A COUNTY, AND WE HAD THE SCHOOL BOARD. AND I JUST FEEL LIKE THE PANDEMIC JUST BROUGHT EVERYBODY. LEVEL GROUND. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE OUT THERE GIVING OUT FOOD. THERE WAS PEOPLE FROM SCHOOL BOARD THAT WORK IN AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE. ALL OF US WERE WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THOSE KIDS, YOU KNOW, MEALS AND DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I BELIEVE THAT OPEN THE DOOR FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO WORKED AT CENTRAL OFFICE TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, IN THE SCHOOL BEING RELATABLE WITH EACH OTHER. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL DO OR WOULD DO IF IT'S JUST TO GO TO ONE OF THE SCHOOLS, JUST TO KIND OF SEE WHAT GOES ON, JUST TO HEAR THE ATMOSPHERE, BECAUSE WE CAN HEAR A LOT OF NEGATIVITY ABOUT WHAT TEACHERS ARE DOING AND WHAT THEY'RE NOT DOING. BUT I CAN SPEAK YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S NOT PERFECT, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS WHO WORK HARD. THEY BUST THEIR BEHIND TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED AS AS A SCHOOL. SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT IF. IF AT ALL. I KNOW YOU GUYS DIDN'T SAY THAT YOU WEREN'T GOING TO GIVE AN INCREASE, THAT, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS WOULD BE GETTING A RAISE OR WHAT HAVE YOU. BUT I WOULD JUST HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, DECISIONS WERE MADE BECAUSE OF WHAT'S BEST, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS THAT MUCH OF A TAX INCREASE FOR YOUR REAL ESTATE THAT IS EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY HIGH. AND I THINK YOU CAN'T GET TO THAT POINT, LIKE WHAT'S A COMMON GROUND TO WORK TOGETHER? I KNOW I NEVER I NEVER BEEN THIS IS MY FIRST TIME COMING TO ONE OF THESE MEETINGS. [01:40:03] I VIEWED THE LAST ONE ON APRIL THE 12TH, AND I WAS JUST I WAS JUST A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED, YOU KNOW, AS ADULTS SOMETIMES JUST SEEING. HOW WE ADDRESS EACH OTHER. AND I JUST FEEL LIKE WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO BETTER AT THAT. YOU CAN DISAGREE, BUT WE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE. BUT I CAN RESPECT YOUR POSITION EITHER WAY. YOU LOOK AT IT, YOU KNOW, SO SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON. YOU KNOW, I HOPE WE MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR THE COUNTY. IT HAS TO MAKE SENSE. LIKE YOU SAID, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO FOR TAXES TO GO UP FOR REAL ESTATE AND ALL THOSE THINGS. BUT BUT AT LEAST TO COME TO A COMMON GROUND AND THAT IT NOT BE ANY PERSONAL ISSUES OR QUALMS WITH THE DECISION. YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE DON'T AGREE. EVERYBODY DOESN'T AGREE ON RELIGION. THE YOU KNOW, THE GUY THAT YOU ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT. BUT I FEEL LIKE WE JUST NEED TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR WHAT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS. THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND THINK ABOUT STAFF. SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT'S GOING TO BE CUT WITH OUR SPECIAL ED, I WORK WITH THE SPECIAL ED FOR A PARTICULAR TIME. I'M NOW, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATION IN OFFICE. BUT BUT WE NEED THOSE SERVICES AND JUST YOU KNOW KEEP IN MIND, YOU ALL HAVE A BLESSED NIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? GOT TO BE SOMEBODY ELSE OUT THERE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. IT'S THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN SPEAK LOCALLY. YOU CAN'T DO IT IN RICHMOND. YOU CAN'T DO IT IN WASHINGTON, D.C., BUT YOU CAN DO IT HERE. YOU KNOW, DON'T MISS YOUR TIME IF YOU WANT TO. ALL RIGHT, THEN. LAST CALL BEFORE WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ALL RIGHT. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. CERTAINLY HAD SOME SPIRITED DISCUSSION TONIGHT. AND THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S GOOD. I'D RATHER HAVE PEOPLE COME HERE AND FUSS A LITTLE BIT AND AND THEN HAVE PEOPLE NOT COME HERE AND NOT DO ANYTHING. I THINK THAT'S GOOD. AND I WISH THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT, BUT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY? I DO, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF IF I COULD DEFER BACK TO OUR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, I'D LIKE TO GET BACK TO OUR THE REASON I'M HERE, AND THAT'S OUR PROPOSED BUDGET TAX RATES AND FEES FOR OUR FY 24 OPERATING BUDGET. I'VE GOT A. SO A FEW THINGS I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OUR FIRST SPEAKER, MR. BAINES, STATED THAT HE'D LIKE TO SEE US COME TOGETHER WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS. I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SOUL IN THIS ROOM WHO DON'T AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT. I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO THAT IN A FEW MINUTES. I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THAT THE ENTIRETY OF MY TIME ON THIS BOARD. WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FACILITATE IT. MR.. I APOLOGIZE. I CAN'T ADDRESS YOU BY YOUR NAME, BUT. MR.. I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE MY NAME TO ANYBODY AT THE PODIUM. I APOLOGIZE, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL THE TRUTH AND WHAT I'M GETTING READY TO SAY. SO BEAR WITH ME, BECAUSE EVERYTHING I'M GETTING READY TO SAY IS STEEPED. IN FACT, YOU CAN LOOK IT UP YOURSELF, SO BEAR WITH ME. BUT OUR LOCAL FUNDING OF THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM REMAINS AT 89.8%. WE SPOKE TO THAT EARLIER ABOVE THE LOCAL REQUIRED EFFORT TO FACT. YOU'VE HEARD FOR MONTHS, EVEN YEARS NOW, OF THE COUNTLESS DOZENS OF DESPERATE PARENTS, TEACHERS, CITIZENS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS AS THEY'VE SHARED THEIR PLIGHT OF ATTEMPTING TO COMMUNICATE WITH SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION TO NO AVAIL. YET ON FRIDAY, MAY 12TH, THEY HAD NO PROBLEM SPEWING THIS MISLEADING INFORMATION TO THE MASSES. HARD COPIES WERE SENT HOME WITH THE CHILDREN. MY CHILDREN GOT COPIES. EVERYBODY DID. EMAILS WERE SENT REMINDER MESSAGES, TEXT MESSAGES, FACEBOOK POSTS WERE MADE AND IT WAS ON THE DIVISION WEBSITE PROVING THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE WHEN THEY ACTUALLY CARE TO. BEFORE I GET INTO ALL THIS, I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO SAY REGARDING THE BUDGET. GLORIFIED HALL MONITORS TOUTED AS SECURITY OFFICERS IS A WASTE OF MONEY. I DON'T CARE WHAT WAY YOU LOOK AT IT, I'D RATHER ADD $250,000 THAT YOU PROPOSE WASTE INTO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET. [01:45:03] YOU ACTUALLY END UP WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT CAN PATROL THE STREETS AND PERFORM COURTHOUSE SECURITY. 12 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR, NOT JUST TEN ROAMING THE HALLWAYS OF THE SCHOOLS AND FORCING WARDROBE VIOLATIONS. THESE VESTIBULE VIGILANTES WILL MERELY BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY THREATS POSED TO OUR CHILDREN. THEY'LL STILL HAVE TO CALL SOMEONE TO RESPOND TO ACTUALLY MITIGATE THE THREAT ONCE IDENTIFIED. I ASK YOU, REALLY, WHAT GOOD DOES THAT DO? NOW BACK TO MY MAIN POINT. AS WE ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE AND WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD, OUR VERY FIRST BUDGET AS A PREDOMINANTLY NEW BOARD, BACK IN 2020, WE HAD A NEW BUDGET COMMITTEE. MYSELF AND MR. GILLETTE SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE, CONTINUE TO DO SO. WE LOOKED AT EVERY SINGLE LINE WITH A CRITICAL EYE FOR WAYS THAT WE COULD SAVE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY. WHAT BETTER WAY WE REALLY COULD GET INTO THE WEEDS THAN TO ASK EACH INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT, THE LEADERS WITHIN OUR COUNTY, THAT ARE INTIMATELY AWARE OF THE INTRICACIES WITHIN THEIR OWN DIVISIONS TO HELP US BY TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL OPERATING BUDGETS. WE VERY SIMPLY REQUESTED THREE BUDGETS FROM EACH DEPARTMENT IN 2021 WITH A DECREASE IN FUNDING, ONE WITH AN INCREASE IN FUNDING AND ONE WITH LEVEL FUNDING. SIMPLE ENOUGH, RIGHT? WE THOUGHT SO. WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? DID EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM DID JUST THAT. SOME OF THEM EVEN GOT AN INCREASE IN FUNDING AS A RESULT. PUBLIC SAFETY DID EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM BUT ONE, THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE ONLY DIVISION IN THE COUNTY THAT FAILED TO SUBMIT THE THREE BUDGETS. YOU KNOW WHY? THE CODE OF VIRGINIA ONLY REQUIRES THEM TO PROVIDE US WITH ONE, BY GOLLY. SO THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO PROVIDE US WITH ONE. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DID. ON NOVEMBER 6TH OF THE SAME YEAR. 2020 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REQUESTED A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE US WITH THE STATUS OF THE SCHOOL ROOF REPLACEMENT PROJECT AT OUR REGULAR MEETING IN NOVEMBER. MANY OF US HAD BEEN RECEIVING COUNTLESS REPORTS THAT THE ROOF AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND TECHNICAL CAREER CENTER WERE BOTH CONTINUING TO LEAK, DESPITE THE BRAND NEW REPLACEMENT ROOFS HAVING BEEN INSTALLED ALREADY, HAVING JUST INVESTED MORE THAN $5 MILLION IN THESE NEW ROOFS. WE, AS THE APPROPRIATING BODY, THE ONES ENTRUSTED WITH THE FISCAL STEWARDSHIP OF THE HARDWORKING TAXPAYERS THAT CALL SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY HOME, WERE MERELY SEEKING THE SCHOOL BOARD'S ASSURANCE THAT THE WORK WAS SATISFACTORY AND THE ROOFS WILL BE PROPERLY MAINTAINED OVER THEIR NORMAL LIFETIME. YOU SEE, ALL THIS WAS AN EFFORT TO PREVENT HISTORY FROM REPEATING ITSELF AND TO REPEAT ROOF REPLACEMENT PERFORMANCE FROM BEING PREMATURELY. NECESSARY AGAIN, HALFWAY THROUGH THE PROJECTED LIFESPAN OF OUR NEW $5 MILLION INVESTMENT. IN RESPONSE TO OUR REQUEST, WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING. FOUR DAYS LATER, ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER THE 10TH. FROM DEBORAH GOODWIN. REGARDING OUR REQUEST, AND I QUOTE, A REPRESENTATIVE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THE SCHOOL DIVISION'S ROOFING PROJECT AT THE NOVEMBER 24TH MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WE PAID FOR IT WITH THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS, BUT HAD TO FILE A FOIA TO GET A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT. WOW. AT OUR APRIL 12TH, 2023 BUDGET WORKSHOP, THE SCHOOL BOARD REQUESTED UPWARDS OF AN ADDITIONAL 3.1 MILLION LOCAL DOLLARS. SINCE LITTLE TO NO ANSWERS WERE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE PRESENTATION AND PER THE DIRECTION OF THEM AT THAT MEETING, PER THE DIRECTION OF THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF AT THIS WORKSHOP, WE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WERE TO SEND A LIST OF OUR QUESTIONS TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WE SOUGHT ANSWERS TO. WE DID SO THE VERY NEXT DAY ON APRIL THE 13TH. WOULD ANYBODY BE SURPRISED TO KNOW THAT TO DATE WE'VE YET TO RECEIVE A REPLY FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM REGARDING THESE QUESTIONS THAT THEY TOLD US TO ASK VIA EMAIL. THIS ISN'T AN INTERROGATION, FOLKS. IT'S. WE'RE MERELY DOING OUR JOB. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY TO DO. ASK QUESTIONS, SEEK ANSWERS, FOSTER FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP WITH EVERY PENNY OF TAXPAYER MONEY THAT WE'VE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO MANAGE. IT SHOULDN'T COME AS A SURPRISE TO ANYONE. THAT A FEW QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ANSWERED BEFORE WE AGREE TO BLINDLY HAND OVER MILLIONS MORE DOLLARS BASED SIMPLY ON BECAUSE YOU TELL US WE NEED TO. I'LL YIELD BACK. MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO COMMENT? WELL. I WANT TO THANK THE LADY THAT SPOKE. ERIKA. I THINK. ERIKA. EXCUSE ME. [01:50:03] UM, AND I PERSONALLY DID WHAT YOU ASKED US TO DO, BUT COULD NOT GET IN THE SCHOOL. I CALLED MR. FAISON, ASK HIM TO SEE IF HE COULD GET IN THE SCHOOL. HE COULDN'T GET IN. I CALLED MR. COSBY. BUT THIS COUNTY ON THE MAP. HE COULDN'T GET IN. ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS IN A WALK THROUGH. HAS. AND ACTUALLY I WAS GOING TO MEET MR. FAISON THERE TO DO A WALKTHROUGH. AND WE COULDN'T GET INTO SCHOOL NOW, I COULD HAVE GONE TO THE SHERIFF AND I COULD HAVE GOT IN AT SCHOOL BECAUSE I PAID TAXES. AND SO DOES EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM. AND THEIR WEBSITE INVITED PEOPLE TO COME AND SEE. I READ IT. AND I FOUND OUT THAT I COULDN'T GO AND SEE. SO. YES, WE CAN CERTAINLY IMPROVE AND TRY TO MEET. WE DID MEET. WE DID MEET WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. UH, THREE YEARS AGO ADOPTED THEIR PROCESS. THAT PROCESS DIDN'T WORK. WE THOUGHT WE WOULD TRY. SO HERE WE ARE. AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD. THIS IS MY SINCE 20TH JANUARY OF 2020. THAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD HANDLE THIS BUDGET BY ASKING FOR THE CATEGORICAL BUDGET. IT WAS NEW TO THEM. THEY WEREN'T USED TO DOING IT. I REALIZE THAT. BUT THAT'S THE POLICY AND THAT'S THE WAY THE STATE WORKS. AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET PROCESS WORKS. AND WHEN YOU DEVELOP A CATEGORICAL BUDGET AND YOU FIND OUT. THAT YOU'VE MISSED THE MARK ON A PARTICULAR CATEGORY. YOU DO HAVE REDRESS AND THE REDRESS IS TO COME BACK TO THE APPROPRIATING AGENCY. THIS IS THE WAY IT WORKS IN RICHMOND. THIS IS THE WAY IT WORKS LOCALLY. YOU DO HAVE REDRESS. YOU CAN COME BACK AND ADDRESS THE APPROPRIATING AGENCY AND ASK FOR PERMISSION TO APPROPRIATE DOLLARS IN ANOTHER CATEGORY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE UNUSED MONIES IN ONE AND YOU'D LIKE TO USE IT IN ANOTHER ONE. AND THAT OFTENTIMES HAPPENS A LOT OF TIMES WITH VACANCIES OF TEACHERS THAT LEAVE, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT MIGHT LEAVE MID-YEAR AND THE REST OF THE YEAR IS FINISHED OUT WITH A SUBSTITUTE, LET'S SAY, FOR A PER DIEM OF, I DON'T KNOW, $100 OR SOMETHING. $200, WHATEVER IT IS. IT'S A STRAIGHT HOURLY RATE. AND THE OTHER MONEY IS LEFT IN THE BUDGET FOR SALARY, FRINGES, RETIREMENT AND THAT SORT OF THING. SOMETIMES YOU CAN HAVE DOLLARS BUILD UP DEPENDING ON THAT SITUATION AT THAT POINT. IF IT IF YOU WANT TO USE IT IN ANOTHER CATEGORY, YOU COME BACK AND YOU ASK FOR AN APPROPRIATION TO DO IT. THAT'S WHAT APPROPRIATIONS DO. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE FOR AND THAT'S HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRY TO WORK LIKE THIS. WE'LL DO IT BY POLICY AND WE'LL TRY TO STICK TO THAT POLICY. NOW, AS FOR THE GRANTS, WE DON'T CONTROL THOSE GRANTS. THEY SEEK OUT AND ACQUIRE THE GRANTS AND GO BY THE. STIPULATIONS THAT GRANT WAS WAS DEVELOPED FOR, AND THAT'S THEIR PREROGATIVE. AND THEY CERTAINLY HAVE THAT PREROGATIVE TO USE THEM TO THE WHATEVER THEY SEE BEST. AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. I APPRECIATE THE OTHER COMMENTS AND I DO 100% AGREE. LET'S STICK TO THE FACTS. LIKE JOE FRIDAY SAID, JUST THE FACTS, MA'AM, AND WE'LL BE OKAY IF WE STICK TO THE FACTS. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING. ANYBODY ELSE? WELL, I LIKE TO SAY I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING TONIGHT. IT WAS NICE TO SEE ALL OF YOU HERE. AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF OUR CITIZENS PARTICIPATE. [01:55:05] SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A GOVERNMENT THAT REPRESENTS EVERYBODY. SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS TONIGHT. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO. THIS CONTINUING THAT PEOPLE HAVE INPUT. ALL PEOPLE HAVE INPUT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT ALL PEOPLE ARE SERVED IN THIS COUNTY. AND NOW WE HAVE A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE A LOT OF AGENCIES IN THE COUNTY THAT WE HAVE TO APPROPRIATE MONEY FOR. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM GETS THE MOST ATTENTION BECAUSE THAT'S THE LARGEST BODY THAT WE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE TO FUND. MOST OF THE MONEY FROM THE COUNTY GOES INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE LARGEST PORTION. AND SO AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONTENTION FOR THAT MONEY. BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMENT TODAY IS ESPECIALLY EMPHASIZE THOSE PEOPLE ABOUT GETTING ALONG. WE NEED TO GET ALONG. ONE BODY NEEDS TO WORK WITH THE OTHER BODY. AND I THINK THAT WE MAKE A MISTAKE SOMETIME AT LOOKING AT THE OTHER PERSON'S JOB AND SEEING IT AS MORE SIMPLISTIC THAN IT IS. WE DO HAVE TO REALLY APPRECIATE EACH OTHER AND THE WORK THAT EVERY PERSON PUTS INTO HIS POSITION, HIS PARTICULAR RESPONSIBILITIES. AGAIN, I THANK ALL OF YOU TONIGHT AND I WISH THAT WE HAD MONEY TO JUST GIVE WHAT YOU KNOW. WHAT PEOPLE FEEL THEY NEED. THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE. AND I'M NOT ONE WHO WOULD ADVOCATE HIGHER TAXES THAN NECESSARY. I COMMEND THE BOARD FOR ITS EFFORT TO NOT OVERTAX ANYBODY. BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SCHOOLS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR STUDENTS AND THE EDUCATION THAT THEY GET. AND I KNOW WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT PROPER FUNDING. WHAT IS PROPER FUNDING? OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE A LOT OF DISAGREEMENTS ON THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO PASS THE BUDGET TONIGHT AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS, BUT THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE TO DO TONIGHT. I MIGHT SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE TAXES. AND SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY THAT THE TAX BURDEN IS ON THE BACK OF THE HOMEOWNER, HOMEOWNER AND THE LAND OWNER. WE ALL REALIZE THAT WHEN A NEW INDUSTRY OR COMMERCE COMES INTO THIS AREA AND LOOKS IT OVER, THE SCHOOLS ARE THE FIRST THING THEY LOOK AT. AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN SO ADAMANT ABOUT THE SCHOOLS SPENDING THE MONEY. IN THE RIGHT WAY. THAT'S THE FIRST THING THEY LOOK AT. WE NEED THE INDUSTRY THAT'S COMPATIBLE WITH OUR FARMING, OUR RURAL NATURE. THE COMMERCE IN HERE AND PUT THE TAX BURDEN ON THEM. BUT I THINK FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THEY COME IN AND SEE THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS AREN'T AS GOOD AS THEY COULD BE. SO THIS BOARD REALIZES THAT THERE'S A SITUATION. AND I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT MONEY WILL NOT SOLVE. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AND LOOK AT THAT REALISTICALLY. THERE ARE PROBLEMS THAT MONEY WILL NOT SOLVE. WE HAVE OVER $6 MILLION THIS YEAR. IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS. THERE ARE POOR WORKING CONDITIONS. MOST OF THE TEACHERS THAT LEFT THAT WE INTERVIEWED LEFT BECAUSE OF POOR WORKING CONDITIONS. OKAY. AND THERE WAS A BIG GAP BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SALARIES UP HERE AND THE TEACHERS, A HUGE GAP. THE ADMINISTRATION IS IN THE 73RD PERCENTILE IN THE STATE. THE TEACHERS ARE IN THE 42ND SOMEWHERE. AND THAT GAP HAS CONTINUED TO GROW EVERY YEAR AND EVERY YEAR. AND THIS BOARD HAS BEEN PRO TEACHER, BELIEVE ME. SO I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT GAP AND IT SHOULDN'T BE THERE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IRKS US. THE TEACHERS THAT NEED TO BE PAID MORE, THEY NEED TO BE RESPECTED MORE. [02:00:01] AND IT'S NOT THEIR. SO YOU CAN TAKE THAT. TO THE TOP, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY. SO MAKE SURE THAT THESE TEACHERS ARE CARED FOR. AND THEY'RE. IT'S NOT BEING DONE. THAT'S WHY 20% LEFT AND 21 AND 22, 20% THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE. SO YOU HAVE TO PUT THE BLAME WHERE IT IS. WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? DO WE ACTUALLY VOTE ON IT TONIGHT? NO, WE PASS IT ON TO THE NEXT MEETING, DON'T WE? BOARD MEETING. THE NEXT BOARD MEETING? YOU ACTUALLY ADOPT THE BUDGET AT THE TUESDAY MEETING? WE ALL ADOPT. THE BUDGET WILL BE ADOPTED ON OUR MAY 23RD REGULAR BOARD MEETING. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT MOST OF YOU PEOPLE WOULD COME TO THAT MEETING ALSO. SOMETIMES IT'S KIND OF DISCOURAGING. WE HAVE PROBLEMS AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SHOWS UP UNTIL YOU KNOW WHAT HITS THE FAN. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING TONIGHT AND WE APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING AND HAD SOME GOOD JOSTLING BACK AND FORTH HERE. AND SO THAT'S GOOD. I WANT TO TELL YOU PEOPLE ONE THING. I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS BOARD BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T JUST WORK SO HARD ON THIS BUDGET TO KEEP THEM RAISING TAXES. THESE PEOPLE AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ON HERE BUT A FEW MONTHS, BUT THESE PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN A 10% CUT EVERY YEAR. AND THE MONEY THAT THEY PAY US. REALLY? TRULY. WE'RE VOLUNTEERING. IT AIN'T MUCH. AND I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT. HUH? $3 AN HOUR. $3 AN HOUR. OKAY. AND I WOULD DO IT FOR FREE BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT HELPING THE COUNTY, AND THAT'S WHY WE DO IT. AND BUT I'M VERY PROUD BECAUSE ALL OF THEM HAVE TAKEN THAT 10% CUT. AND IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE DONE IT. THEY'VE BEEN ON THIS SEVERAL YEARS. AND CALLS AND DR. EDWARDS HAS BEEN ON HERE FOR LONGER THAN ANYBODY ELSE. SO BUT THANK YOU ALL. I'M NOT THAT OLD, THOUGH. I KNOW HE'S NOT THAT OLD, EVEN THOUGH HE MIGHT. HE'S PRACTICED BY PUSHING 50 YEARS, BUT. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? THEN WE'LL SEE YOU ON MAY THE 23RD AT 6:00 IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME. MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.