[Call to Order]
[00:00:04]
6:00. WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER 26TH MEETING OF THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.WE DO HAVE A QUORUM AND THEREFORE WE CAN DO BUSINESS.
LIKE FOR EVERYBODY MEET OUR NEW COUNTY ATTORNEY, MR. ERIC GREGORY.
SO IT GETS A GOOD IMPRESSION OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL THEREFORE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ALL RIGHT. WHAT DO WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER FROM THE AUDIENCE FOR A CONVOCATION THERE.
LET US PRAY. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TONIGHT WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS.
WE HAVE MANY THINGS FOR WHICH TO BE THANKFUL.
ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS WE'RE THANKFUL FOR IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN THIS WONDERFUL COUNTY.
WE ASK THAT YOU SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT TONIGHT TO BE WITH US AS WE GATHER WITH THE SUPERVISORS AND THE CITIZENS TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OF THE COUNTY. THESE THINGS WE ASK IN JESUS NAME.
[1. Citizens Comment Period]
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT ANY ISSUES CONCERNING THE COUNTY, JUST COME TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.FOR THE RECORD, WE'LL OPEN THE CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ASH CUTCHIN AND I LIVE AT 29018 GARDEN POINT ROAD IN CORTLAND.
I SAW ON TV LAST NIGHT THAT THE CEO, I GUESS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE BALTIMORE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS PAID $445,000 A YEAR.
THEY SPEND ABOUT $20,000 PER CHILD PER YEAR.
AND ON A SINGLE CHILD IN THE SYSTEM CAN PASS THE STANDARD MATH TEST.
I ALSO SAW ON THE INTERNET ABOUT A SOCIAL MEDIA POST FROM A TEACHER WHO WROTE THIS.
THE TEACHER SAYS, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE STUDENTS WHO JUST CANNOT READ? ACCORDING TO THE BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION, WHICH IS AN EDUCATIONAL UNIT, THE UNITED STATES LITERACY RATE, DEPENDING ON YOUR DEFINITION OF LITERACY, RANGES FROM 79% TO 92%.
THEY ALSO SAY THAT 54% OF ADULTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 AND 74 LACK PROFICIENCY IN LITERACY, WHICH ESSENTIALLY MEANS THAT THEY READ BELOW THE EQUIVALENT OF A SIXTH GRADE LEVEL.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL LEARNING TO READ, THE NUMBERS ARE EQUALLY CONCERNING.
A 2013 STUDY FOUND THAT 35% OF THE FOURTH GRADERS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE READING AT OR BELOW GRADE LEVEL, AND READING SCORES HAVE DECREASED SINCE THAT STUDY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT IT'S A SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLET.
ONE PERSON WROTE THIS, I SUBSTITUTED TODAY FOR A SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE TEACHER.
I'M NOT EXAGGERATING WHEN I SAY AT LEAST 50% OF THE STUDENTS WERE AT A SECOND GRADE READING LEVEL.
I WAS ASKED ABOUT 20 TIMES TODAY WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS WORD? MOVIE EXCITED AND TRAIT T-R-A-I-T.
[00:05:01]
ANOTHER POST FROM ANOTHER TEACHER SAID, I TEACH THIRD GRADE AND I HAVE STUDENTS WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW ALL THEIR LETTER SOUNDS, WHICH IS A KINDERGARTEN OR PRESCHOOL SUBJECT.A THIRD TEACHER SAID THIS I TEACH NINTH GRADE AT A HIGH SCHOOL AND I HAVE KIDS THAT IF GIVEN THREE CHANCES TO WRITE THEIR NAMES, THEY MIGHT GET IT CORRECT ONCE.
HE JUST A MAN JUST POSTED A VIDEO ABOUT THIS.
IN THE VIDEO, MICAH, WHO WAS A SEVENTH GRADE ENGLISH TEACHER IN ONE OF THE MORE AFFLUENT SCHOOLS, SAYS THAT THEY FACED ISSUES LIKE THIS ABOUT READING IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, QUOTE, WHEN I TELL YOU THAT THESE BABIES CANNOT READ, CANNOT WRITE AND THEY CANNOT COMPREHEND, I'M NOT BEING FUNNY.
MICAH SAYS ALSO, I HAVE KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHO CONSTANTLY ASK ME, HOW DO I SPELL WINDOW? HOW DO I SPELL IMPORTANT? NOW, WITH THESE THINGS IN MIND, MY QUESTIONS TONIGHT TO YOU AND TO THE CITIZENS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY ARE THIS DO WE HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS? AND IF SO, HOW WOULD WE KNOW? ANOTHER QUESTION I'D LIKE TO ASK IS HAS ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE BECOME A PROBLEM HERE? AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IF WE DO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS, HOW ARE THEY BEING DEALT WITH? THANK YOU FOR LETTING THE PUBLIC SPEAK.
ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? TWO TIMES IN A ROW NOW.
I'M HUNTER DARDEN 19311 ROSEMONT ROAD.
UM, ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO JUST FIND OUT WHO IS SUPERVISING THESE CABLE PEOPLE THAT ARE PUTTING THIS INTERNET STUFF IN. BECAUSE WHERE I'VE BEEN EVEN SOME IN WAS ALL IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, SO I'M GOING TO SUSSEX.
AND I HAVE SEEN NOBODY MAKING ANY EFFORTS TO CLEAN THEM OUT WHEN THEY'RE RUNNING A BULLDOZER OR THE PLOW MACHINE ON THE DITCH BANK AND FOLDING IT IN, OR WHEN THEY'RE DIGGING THOSE TO PUT THE TOWELS BOX THINGS UP, THE DITCHES ARE FULL.
WELL, THEY GOT THE LITTLE BOBCAT EXCAVATORS, THE WHOLE DEAL, BUT.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO END UP HAVING TO PAY FOR HAVING THESE DITCHES CLEANED OUT.
I WANT TO KNOW WHO'S SUPERVISING THE JOB.
AND THE OTHER IS THROUGH RUMOR MILL ABOUT THE COUNTY NEEDING TO CHANGE OUR TAX THE WAY WE PAY OUR PROPERTY TAXES, REAL ESTATE.
I'M IN FAVOR OF THE COUNTY DOING SOMETHING TO BENEFIT THE LANDOWNERS.
THAT IF YOU NEED YOUR MONEY EARLY, THEY NEED TO MAKE SOME ARRANGEMENTS TO GIVE US SOME TAX CREDIT.
AND SOME OF US WOULD PAY OUR TAXES EARLY.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CITIZENS THAT CAN'T BECAUSE MOST OF THE FARMERS CAN'T PAY THE RENT.
BUT ONCE A YEAR AND THAT'S AT THE END.
SO YOU NEED TO LOOK LONG AND HARD BECAUSE SYDNEY WILL HAVE A LOT MORE PEOPLE NOT PAYING THEIR TAXES ON TIME IF YOU CHARGE IT EARLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY IT.
SO I'M JUST SPEAKING FROM MY STANDPOINT, I HATE TO SEE THE KIND OF CHANGE.
AND WHILE WE'RE TALKING ON THAT, I'VE ASKED A QUESTION.
AND NICE TO MEET YOU OVER THERE TOO, SIR.
WHY DID THEY HAVE TO KEEP DOING ALL OF THIS PAPERWORK? ONCE WE HAVE SIGNED UP FOR LAND USE.
WHY DO I NEED TO DO THE PAPERWORK ALL OVER AGAIN IF I'M GOING TO PUT IT RIGHT BACK IN LAND USE? WHY CAN'T IT STAY IN IT AND ONLY DEAL WITH THE FOLKS THAT TAKE IT OUT? TO ME, IT WOULD SAVE A WHOLE LOT OF OFFICE WORK, A LOT OF PAPERWORK AND TIME, BUT IT MAY BE SOMETHING LEGAL THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
[00:10:02]
ALL RIGHT, WHO'S NEXT? GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND BOARD AND.MR. THROWER AND OUR NEW ATTORNEY.
MY NAME IS GARY CROSS FROM THE BERLIN [INAUDIBLE] DISTRICT, AND I HOPE MR. GILLETTE IS ON THE MEND.
I HAVEN'T HAD A REPORT LATELY, BUT I SURE HOPE HE IS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING US BE HERE THIS EVENING.
THE OWNER SPOKE TO THE LAND USE REVALIDATION STUFF, AND I'M SURE THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE STATE STATUTES AND I PROBABLY HAVE READ IT A DOZEN TIMES, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE ALAWITE FOLLOWS IT.
AND ALAWITE DOESN'T HAVE THIS REVALIDATION TIME.
I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO CHECK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT ALAWITE THINKS IS APPROPRIATE.
THEY'VE BEEN IN A LOT LONGER THAN WE HAVE.
SO, YES, THE RUMOR MILL IS OUT ABOUT THE COLLECTING TAXES TWICE A YEAR.
MR. EDWARDS AND MR. FAISON, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND HEARD THIS SAME THING COME UP BEFORE WHEN MR. JOHNSON WAS AN ADMINISTRATOR HERE AND IT DIDN'T PASS THE LAST TIME WE KEPT IT LIKE IT WAS.
AS A FARMER, I DO GET PAID ONCE A YEAR.
IT STARTS SOMETIME NOW PICKING CORN AND IT LASTS TILL THE FALL.
AND I'LL HAVE MY MONEY TO PAY TAXES.
IF YOU REQUIRE MY LANDOWNERS TO COME IN MIDDLE OF THE YEAR TO PAY THEIR TAXES, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT ME TO PAY THEM PART OF THEIR RENT EARLY. NOW I'M.
BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT, FARMING LITTLE OVER 1000 ACRES.
I'M CONSIDERED A SMALL FARMER NOW, CHRIS.
I, I THINK THE AVERAGE IS PROBABLY 15 OR 16 IN THE COUNTY.
BUT YOU CAN YOU CAN TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.
THERE'S. I'M SURE THERE'S A FEW ELITE OUT THERE THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BORROW MONEY TO FARM ON.
BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE FARMERS IN THE COUNTY BORROW MONEY TO FARM ON.
AND I DON'T HAVE TO GIVE YOU ALL A MATH LESSON TONIGHT.
WITH INTEREST RATES CLOSE TO NINE AND 10% ON OPERATING LINES, HOW ADDING ANOTHER $50,000 TO MY BUDGET IS GOING TO COST ME MORE THAN JUST PAYING MY TAXES TWICE A YEAR.
AS IF IT'S A BURDEN, YOU KNOW.
WELL, WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT VACATIONS ARE TO PEOPLE.
THEY'LL SPEND EVERY DIME THEY HAVE TO CARRY THEIR FAMILY ON A VACATION, MAXED OUT EVERY CREDIT CARD.
SO NOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET IN THE WAY OF THAT GOING ON VACATION.
SO IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOMETHING.
I ONLY SEE THE NUMBER OF DELINQUENTS GOING UP.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT IS, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY.
I'VE SAID HERE ON MANY A YEAR AND WATCHED YOU ALL DO YOUR BUDGETS AND BUDGET TIME APRIL, MARCH, APRIL, MAY, AND WHEN IT'S FINALIZED. AND.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET AND YOU'RE GIVEN A NUMBER AND YOU GOT TO FIT YOUR BUDGET.
MR. FAISON INTO THAT, CORRECT.
BUT WHAT NUMBER ARE YOU GIVING? ARE YOU GIVEN THE NUMBER THAT'S SUPPOSED TO COME IN OR ARE YOU GIVEN THE NUMBER THAT DOES COME IN? OKAY. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE USING THE NUMBER THAT'S SUPPOSED TO COME IN, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BORROW MONEY IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR TO MAKE IT TILL TAX TIME.
SO HOW MANY TAXES? WHERE ARE YOU BASING YOUR BUDGET ON? YOUR BUDGET. YOUR BUDGET NEEDS TO REFLECT THOSE FOLKS THAT WANT TO PAY THEIR TAXES ON TIME.
TAX COLLECTED AND WE MIGHT NOT HAVE TO BORROW MONEY EVERY FALL TO MAKE IT TILL TAX TIME.
SO THERE ARE MY FEW POINTS I HAD TO MAKE THIS EVENING, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LISTENING TO ME.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ANY QUESTIONS? APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU ALL.
ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE GOT PLENTY OF TIME?
[00:15:01]
SORRY. I'M NOT GOING TO BURDEN YOU WITH.HELLO. FRANK URQUHART, CHAIRMAN ELECTORAL BOARD.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO PASS THIS PSA ON TO EVERYONE.
COUNTY MEMBERS THAT EARLY VOTING HAS STARTED AS OF LAST FRIDAY AND YOU WILL COME TO THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE RIGHT UP THE STREET HERE FROM 9 TO 5. HE'S CORRECT ABOUT THAT.
I VOTED LAST FRIDAY, TOOK ALL THREE MINUTES.
THEY'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB AGAIN.
ALL RIGHT, WHO'S NEXT? HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'LL MOVE ON. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 22ND, 2023 REGULAR
[2. Approval of Minutes]
MEETING. I MOVE THAT THE MINUTES BE APPROVED.SECOND TO THAT. SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL GO TO THE SEPTEMBER 5TH, WHICH WAS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THAT MOTION TO ACCEPT THOSE MINUTES? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OKAY. THOSE ARE APPROVED ALSO.
[3 . VDOT Matters]
ANYBODY HAVE ANY? I HAD JUST JOTTED DOWN SEVERAL THINGS.WE GOT A PETITION FROM BRYANT CHURCH ROAD.
BRYANT, YOU TURN THAT OVER TO VDOT.
THEY HAD SUBMITTED THAT TO VDOT AS WELL, BUT THAT'S CORRECT.
WHAT THE FOLKS THAT SIGNED THE PETITION SUBMITTED THAT TO VDOT.
I SENT THEM THAT SAME VDOT, THAT SAME PETITION JUST TO MAKE SURE.
OKAY. YES, MA'AM. AND THE GRASS CUTTING ON 58.
UM. HOW MANY TIMES ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO CUT IT? THEY ARE BY FOOD LION.
I'VE CONTACTED VDOT ABOUT THAT.
I CAN'T GET IT IN FRONT OF THEM.
WE REALLY NEED TO GET A REPORT FROM VDOT ON THAT BECAUSE IT LOOKS BAD MOST OF THE TIME.
WEEDS, TRASH, THAT'S OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR AND PEOPLE COME IN HERE AND SEE THAT.
THEY WERE PICKING UP TRASH TODAY BETWEEN FRANKLIN AND CORTLAND.
ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? INTERSECTION OF 650 AND 671 RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF HERCULES.
WELL, THE END OF THE BRIDGE IS.
AND I'VE HAD SEVERAL RESIDENTS CALL ME ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW. THEY DID CUT THAT, OKAY? BECAUSE I RODE BY THERE.
I WAS ABOUT 11:00 THIS MORNING.
IT WASN'T CUT. THEY WERE CUTTING IT WHEN I SAY THAT.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD. WELL, MAYBE THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF THEN.
YES, BRIAN, I MENTIONED YOU ABOUT DULUTH AVENUE AND EXTENDING INTO, WHAT IS IT, NUMBER EIGHT SCHOOLHOUSE ROAD. HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? I HAVEN'T. THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO RESEARCH THAT, BUT I DID SEND THAT TO VDOT.
OKAY. AND ALSO A PERSON THAT TALKED TO ME ABOUT FARMERS BRIDGE ROAD, THAT'S 6 OR 7IN CAPE AND IT'S A DIRT ROAD AND. HE WAS ONE OF THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT TO SEE IF THAT COULD BE ADDED TO OUR, I GUESS, OUR SIX YEAR PLAN.
AND WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT RED LIGHT CAMERAS AT FOOD LION.
SO WE DID TALK TO VDOT ABOUT THAT AND I BELIEVE THE COUNTIES TALKED TO VDOT ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S THAT'S A LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY, NOT A VDOT RESPONSIBILITY.
AND I THINK YOU ALL HAVE LOOKED AT THAT BEFORE AND WE CAN CERTAINLY REVISIT THAT ISSUE.
BUT I BELIEVE THE WHAT THE COUNTY HAD LOOKED AT BEFORE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING ADDITIONAL STAFF AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR THEM TO REVIEW THE FOOTAGE. AND I THINK YOU ALL, WHOEVER LOOKED AT IT BEFORE SAID IT WAS, IN EFFECT, GOING TO COST MORE MONEY THAN WHAT YOU WOULD GET IN REVENUE WISE.
[00:20:07]
BUT THAT CAN CERTAINLY BE LOOKED AT BUDGET TIME NEXT YEAR IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO.ANYBODY ELSE? TO BROTHER EVERETT CORNWELL.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE MONTHLY REPORTS.
[4. Monthly Reports]
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.YES. HONORABLE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
YOU DO HAVE, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH EVERYTHING.
JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE ON THE COURTHOUSE RENOVATION PROJECT.
YOU DO HAVE THE SOME INFORMATION THERE.
THE TOTAL CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, INCLUDING CHANGE ORDERS.
WE'VE PROCESSED THE FIRST 22 PAY APPLICATIONS AND PAID THEM 17,000,226 $266,122.77. SO WE'RE MOVING ALONG WITH THE COURTHOUSE, THE NEWSOME CDBG PROJECT. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MONTHLY MANAGEMENT TEAM MEETINGS.
WE DID HAVE ONE ON SEPTEMBER 13TH.
WORK IS COMPLETE AT 23 222 402 THOMASTON ROAD, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE REHAB ROUND ONE PHASE.
THOMASTON ROUND TWO WILL BE STARTING SOON AS THE NOTICES TO PROCEED HAVE BEEN ISSUED.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON GETTING THE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT, EASEMENTS BEING PREPARED, AND WE'RE HAVING A COMMUNITY CLEAN UP IN THAT AREA. OCTOBER 21ST THROUGH 29TH.
SO I THINK SOME INFORMATION HAS BEEN SENT OUT ON THAT.
UM, AND WE'RE AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURES, WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF DEMOING THE SCHOOL PROPERTY.
SO THAT'S WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS ON THAT.
AND I DID INCLUDE A COUPLE OF PHOTOS FROM SEPTEMBER 13TH OF THAT PROPERTY.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE UTILIZING OUR ARPA MONEY FOR THAT PROJECT TO REDUCE THE OR HOPEFULLY RESOLVE THE INFILTRATION AND INFLOW PROBLEMS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. WE DID CONTRACT WITH TRI STATE UTILITIES, EXECUTED THAT AGREEMENT ON JULY 18TH.
THE BOYKIN SEWER REPAIR PROJECT.
WE'VE AGAIN, WE'RE USING OUR ARPA MONEY FOR THAT PROJECT.
AND IN EFFECT, THAT PROJECT IS BASICALLY COMPLETED.
I THINK THEY WERE FINISHING UP A FEW PUNCH ITEMS, PUNCH LIST ITEMS, BUT THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN FOR THE MOST PART, COMPLETE, AND WE DID THAT VERY QUICKLY AND WE APPRECIATE KIMLEY-HORN AND JAMIE'S ASSISTANCE WITH THAT PROJECT TO GOOD TO GOOD PROJECTS WE'VE WORKED ON USING ARPA MONEY.
WE ANTICIPATE SIGNING A CONTRACT WITH THE SELECTED VENDOR IN MAY OF 24, AND IMPLEMENTATION IS ESTIMATED TO GO ON FOR TWO YEARS AFTER THAT. SO WE'VE GOT ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF OR SO YEARS LEFT ON THAT PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.
THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION ON OUR COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REVIEW.
UM, AND WE'RE WORKING ON FINANCIAL POLICY GUIDELINES.
SO DAVENPORT WILL BE BACK IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO TO PRESENT THOSE.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD ON THAT.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE ODU MOBILE CLINIC.
THEY'LL ACTUALLY BE HERE TOMORROW TO PROVIDE FREE HEALTH ASSISTANCE TO CITIZENS.
SO THAT'S A GOOD PARTNERSHIP WE'VE ESTABLISHED THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UM, TERMS OF PERSONNEL, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FILLING A COUPLE OF POSITIONS NOW, OUR UTILITY SYSTEM OPERATOR TRAINEE AND OUR UTILITY BILLING ACCOUNTANT. SO WE'VE BEEN BUSY WITH PERSONNEL RELATED ITEMS. AND THIS THURSDAY COMING UP, WE ACTUALLY HAVE FREE TRAINING FOR OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND SUPERVISORS OFFERED THROUGH VIRGINIA RISK SHARING ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS OUR
[00:25:05]
INSURANCE CARRIER.THEIR HR DIRECTOR, TINA STEVENS, WILL BE HERE THURSDAY MORNING TO PROVIDE SUPERVISORY TRAINING.
AND THE CHAIRMAN MENTIONED OUR NEW COUNTY ATTORNEY, ERIC IS ON BOARD.
WITH ERIC TO GET HIM UP TO SPEED ON SEVERAL COUNTY ISSUES.
UM, ANOTHER THING LEFT IS PERSONNEL REPORT.
AND ONE SEPARATION. AMANDA SMITH AND OUR UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE TREASURER'S REPORT.
EVERYBODY LISTENING, YOU GO HERE ABOUT THE DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS.
GOOD EVENING. I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A REPORT ON THE UPDATES FOR THE REAL ESTATE IN AUGUST.
THIS MONTH WE'RE AT 99.77% COLLECTED.
WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF $446,163.28.
LAST MONTH, THE PERSONAL PROPERTY WAS AT 96.57% COLLECTIONS.
THIS MONTH WE'RE AT 96.76% COLLECTED.
WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF $1,749,156.81.
LAST MONTH WE WERE AT 78.18% COLLECTED.
THIS MONTH WE'RE AT 78.62% COLLECTED.
WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF $815,386.96.
THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL MOVE ON. STOP ME IF YOU WANT TO JUMP IN HERE.
OKAY. WE'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER FIVE, THE APPOINTMENTS FOR THE BCA.
[5. Appointments]
YEAH. LOOKS LIKE MR. ELLIS. BE RIGHT.JUNIOR FROM GEORGEVILLE TERM ON THE ON THE BOARD OF THE BCA WILL EXPIRE ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023.
AND MR. WRIGHT HAS SO GRACIOUSLY INDICATED HE WISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR REAPPOINTMENT.
MOTION TO REAPPOINT MR. WRIGHT. I AGREE.
ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT REAPPOINTMENT SAY AYE.
HE'S REAPPOINTED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
JUST JUST TO CLARIFY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THAT'S JUST A NOMINATION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT.
YOU DON'T ACTUALLY APPOINT THEM, BUT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND THEIR NOMINATION TO THE CIRCUIT COURT.
BUT I BELIEVE YOU ALL ALREADY KNOW THAT.
[6. Financial Matters]
SEE BILL'S LIST.EVERYBODY HAS THE BILLS LIST AND DISTRIBUTED TO HIM A NUMBER OF DAYS AGO.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE ITEMS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANYBODY.
ALL RIGHT. WE NEED A MOTION TO PAY THE BILLS.
SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? I WAS JUST GOING TO CLARIFY.
YOU ALL CAN APPROVE THEM IF YOU WANT TO, BUT TECHNICALLY, THERE IS NO NEED TO APPROVE THE BILLS BECAUSE I KNOW, I KNOW WE DON'T NEED TO, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THE BOARD NEEDS TO PUT THEIR STAMP ON.
ALL IN FAVOR OF PAYING THE BILL? SAY AYE. AYE, AYE, AYE.
OKAY. MOVE ON TO NUMBER SEVEN.
[7. Comprehensive Financial Review and Debt Capacity Analysis]
THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REVIEW.AND THIS IS I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO MR. DAVID ROSE, WHO'S THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF DAVENPORT, TO LET US KNOW WHAT KIND OF SHAPE THE COUNTY IS IN FINANCIALLY.
SO IS IT THE SAME AS THE ONE WE HAVE? IT'S CHANGED A LITTLE BIT. JUST A LITTLE UPDATED.
[00:30:01]
ALMOST ESSENTIALLY THE SAME. YES.OKAY. SO SO THE ANSWER IS YES.
BUT WE'LL GIVE LYNNETTE SOME COPIES, IF YOU WOULD.
OKAY. AGAIN, DAVID ROSE AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO DO THIS TONIGHT.
DR. EDWARDS. I KNOW THERE'S SOME FOLKS BEHIND US.
SO THE THOUGHT WAS TO HAVE IT UP ON THE SCREEN.
AND IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE A HARD COPY, JUST GO THROUGH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT ANY CITIZEN CAN HAVE A HARD COPY OF THIS BY ALL MEANS, AT CERTAINLY AT NO COST.
I'M PARTNERS AT DAVENPORT NOW IN MY 27TH YEAR THERE.
BUT WE'VE SERVED THIS COUNTY FOR PROBABLY SOME 20 PLUS YEARS IN OUR ROLE AS FINANCIAL ADVISER.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO SELL YOU ANYTHING.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO COMPETE WITH BANKS OR BROKERAGES, BUT RATHER WE'RE HERE AS YOUR FIDUCIARY.
THAT MEANS WE ARE TRYING TO LOOK OUT FOR YOUR BEST INTERESTS AND TO MAKE SURE ANYTHING THAT YOU DO OR GET INVOLVED IN, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCIAL RAMIFICATIONS, BOTH GOOD AND BAD OVER THE YEARS.
SOME TWO DECADES AGO WHEN WE DID A SERIES OF PROJECTS THAT NEEDED SOME CAPITAL FUNDING.
SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, WE WERE ASKED TO DO A FORMAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REVIEW OF THE COUNTY.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT ASKING THIS BOARD TO TAKE ANY ACTIONS OR TO DO ANYTHING, BUT RATHER TO START A DIALOG ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS.
SO THE GOOD NEWS FINANCIALLY IS SEEN IN THAT FIRST BULLET POINT.
THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL OPERATIONS ARE WHAT WE CONSIDER STRUCTURALLY BALANCED.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE EVERYWHERE.
AND AS A RESULT, WHAT YOU'LL SEE THEN IS THE SECOND BULLET POINT, AND THAT IS ON THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, A NICE WAY OF SAYING OUR RAINY DAY FUND OR OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, SO MUCH SO THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CALL REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTES OR TAX ANTICIPATION NOTES.
ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING HAVING TO BORROW MONEY TO MAKE PAYROLL.
AND THAT'S THE TYPE OF THING YOU WANT TO SEE FROM A WELL-RUN GOVERNMENT.
THIRD POINT HERE IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP AND WE BELIEVE IS SOMETHING TO BE ASPIRATIONAL, AND THAT IS WE DON'T YET TECHNICALLY HAVE A MULTI YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, MEANING IT CAPITAL FUNDING, BE IT FOR UTILITIES, BE IT FOR SCHOOLS, BE IT FOR JAILS OR COURTHOUSES, WHAT HAVE YOU.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THINGS ALONG THE WAY AS NECESSARY, BUT WE'VE NEVER ROLLED THAT UP INTO A MULTI YEAR LOOK OVER FIVE OR 10 OR 15 YEARS AND WE'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT.
AND THAT'S ONE OF OUR OBSERVATIONS.
THE FOURTH THING, AS WAS ALLUDED TO BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, IS WE HAVE NO TECHNICAL FINANCIAL POLICY GUIDELINES. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE FOLLOW INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES.
AGAIN, IT'S THE TYPE OF THING THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO DO, BUT WE DO THINK IT WOULD PROVIDE SOME COMFORT TO THE CITIZENS THAT SOME FUTURE BOARD CAN'T JUST COME IN AND UNDO THE GOOD PRACTICES THAT STAFF AND THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR YEARS.
SO WE THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DONE.
AND AS I SAID, I THINK ASSUMING AS MR. THROWER SAID, I THINK I'LL BE ASKED IF POSSIBLE BACK IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS TO ACTUALLY PRESENT THE POLICIES FOR YOUR REVIEW.
[00:35:05]
THE FIFTH POINT HERE IS ONE THAT COMES EVERY SEVERAL YEARS, AND THAT IS THE REVALUATION PROCESS, REASSESSMENT, IF YOU WOULD.THAT IS EXPECTED TO BE FINALIZED THIS SPRING OF 2024, EFFECTIVE FOR THE 2025 BUDGET.
THAT IS GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT WATERSHED TIME BECAUSE AGAIN, WE ARE SEEING THE COUNTY OPERATE STRUCTURALLY BALANCED, BUT IT IS NO BY NO MEANS HAVING AN EXCESS REVENUES THAT ALLOWS IT TO DO A LOT OF THINGS.
IT'S JUST ALLOWS US TO KEEP OUR HEAD ABOVE WATER, TAKE CARE OF CERTAIN THINGS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE WANT TO BE PLANNING FOR THE NEXT HALF DOZEN, TWO DOZEN YEARS.
IS THAT AND I HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF THIS A FEW MOMENTS AGO.
THE COUNTY, OF COURSE, COLLECTS REAL ESTATE ONCE A YEAR.
HALF OF THEM ARE ON A ONE TIME BASIS.
WE KNOW THERE'S SOME COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
COUNTIES PARTICULARLY, AND THAT IS THAT YOUR WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM IS NOT SELF-SUPPORTING AND IT RELIES ON THE GENERAL FUND TO KEEP IT IN EFFECT IN THE BLACK.
SO WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT? MEANING THE REVENUES, THE USER FEES, IF YOU WOULD, DON'T COVER OPERATING EXPENSES AND DEBT SERVICE TIED TO THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S NOT ATYPICAL.
YOU GO ACROSS THE WAY EVEN A LARGER LOCAL GOVERNMENT LIKE ISLE OF WIGHT IS IN A SIMILAR POSITION.
BUT AGAIN, THEIR UTILITY SYSTEM STILL NEEDS MONIES FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SO I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO HIRE US FOR THAT, NOT AT ALL, BUT RATHER AN ENGINEERING FIRM, AN OUTSIDE ENGINEERING FIRM THAT WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT NUMBER EIGHT, YOUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT, PLANT YOUR OTHER FACILITIES AND SAY, WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF THESE? WHEN WILL THERE BE A NEED FOR MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES? WHAT COULD BE THE COSTS OF THOSE THINGS AND HOW COULD THAT IMPACT THE CASH FLOW OF THE COUNTY? THE MORE WE KNOW, THE BETTER PLANNING WE CAN DO.
BECAUSE AGAIN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS COUNTY, IT OPERATES SOLIDLY, BUT BY AND LARGE IT OPERATES ON REAL ESTATE, IT IS ON THE CITIZENS, ON THOSE THAT ARE THE FARMERS AND ETCETERA.
THEY ARE PAYING THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TAXES.
AND WE THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE BURDENS MIGHT LOOK LIKE OVER THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 TO 20 YEARS WITH REGARD TO THINGS THAT YOU MUST DO, NOT THINGS THAT ARE ELECTIVE.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATION, BUT I WANTED TO BE PART OF THE OBSERVATIONS.
THE LAST COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS HERE TIE IN WITH THE SCHOOLS.
AS ALL OF US KNOW, NOT TOO LONG AGO, UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S NEW PROGRAM THAT NEVER EXISTED BEFORE, THE SCHOOLS WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO TAKE UP TO 30% MONEY FOR A CAPITAL PROJECT OR PROJECTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
THE APPLICATION, AS I UNDERSTOOD IT, WAS ROUGHLY AROUND 18 AND ONE HALF MILLION.
THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT YOU COULD GET IS 30%.
NO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BIG, SMALL, RICH, POOR CAN GET MORE THAN 30%.
YOU ARE GIVEN THAT ALLOCATION, THEY DON'T ACTUALLY GIVE YOU THE MONEY, BUT ALLOCATION OF 30%.
SO ON ABOUT 18.5 MILLION, YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR ABOUT $5.5 MILLION.
AND WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING DONE EXCLUSIVELY BY THE SCHOOL BOARD, BUT THAT THEN BEGETS THE QUESTION.
FIVE, FIVE AND A HALF OR 30% IS COVERED BY GRANTS.
THAT MEANS 70% HAS TO BE COVERED BY YOU, THE COUNTY AND SCHOOL BOARD.
[00:40:03]
AND SO, AGAIN, THAT IS GOING TO ALSO MAYBE PERHAPS BE PART OF THAT CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT'S FUNDED, HOW THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED, IF THAT'S SO MUCH THE WILL OF THIS BOARD ALONG WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.SO A LOT THERE ON THOSE FIRST COUPLE OF PAGES.
I PROMISE NOT TO DO THAT WITH THE NEXT SERIES OF PAGES.
BUT WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I WANT YOU ALL TO TAKE THIS HOME TO REVIEW IT.
THINK ABOUT THIS, ASK ME THOSE QUESTIONS OR PUT THOSE QUESTIONS THROUGH TO THE TO THE ADMINISTRATOR AND THEN I CAN TRY TO ANSWER THEM AND COME BACK IF YOU WANT US. BUT IN DOING THIS COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW, YOU CAN SEE THERE, WE TRIED TO LOOK AT A VARIETY OF THINGS, INCLUDING FINANCIAL RESULTS, TAX COLLECTIONS, YOUR CREDIT RATINGS, YOUR.
DEBT LEVEL, PROFILE YOUR FUTURE ABILITIES.
AND WE DID ALL OF THAT BY COMPARING YOU TO YOUR NEIGHBORS.
NOW, WE'RE RECOMMENDING, AS I SAID EARLIER, FINANCIAL POLICY GUIDELINES.
I'VE LISTED ABOUT A HALF DOZEN REASONS WHY FINANCIAL POLICY GUIDELINES ARE IMPORTANT.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL OF THIS IS THAT, AGAIN, IT MAKES YOU ANSWER TO AN EXCELLENCE STANDARD AS OPPOSED TO JUST GOING OUT AND MAKING A DECISION BECAUSE IT MAY FEEL RIGHT OR LOOK RIGHT AT THE TIME OR COVER SOME OF THE POLITICAL ISSUES. SO AGAIN, THIS IS SOME OF THE WAYS TO GET AWAY FROM THAT AND MOVE TO SOME REAL METHODICAL WAY OF LOOKING AT YOUR OVERALL FINANCES. SO NOW LET'S GO TO THE PEER GROUPS.
THE WAY WE DID THIS IN VIRGINIA, THERE IS 13 DISTINCT REGIONS, IF YOU WOULD.
AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE REGIONS.
YOU'RE IN WHAT'S CALLED REGION ONE IN THAT CIRCULAR THERE.
DOESN'T HELP TO LOOK AT YOU VERSUS SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA OR NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
SO IT'S NOT A PERFECT COMPARISON BY ANY MEANS.
AND YOU COULD SEE WE'VE GOT ABOUT 13 OR SO.
IS IT A PERFECT COMPARISON? NO. SOME OF THEM ARE CONSIDERABLY LARGER, LIKE PRINCE EDWARD PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY.
BUT AGAIN, WHEN YOU PULL THEM ALL TOGETHER, THEY START TO TELL A STORY.
BUT IN FAIRNESS, THIS GROUP, YOU'RE RIGHT THERE IN THE THICK OF THE MEDIAN, YOU'RE ABOUT 18,000.
THEN WE STARTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT SPECIFICS, ASSESSED VALUE, MEANING THE TAXABLE BASE OF THIS COUNTY TURNS OUT BEFORE THE VALVE THAT'S GOING TO OCCUR. YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THE PEER GROUP MEDIAN.
OKAY, SO YOU'RE RIGHT IN THE THICK OF IT.
THEN WE LOOKED AT THAT ASSESSED VALUE ON A PER CAPITA BASIS.
AND WHAT WE FOUND IS YOU'RE SLIGHTLY UNDER, BUT WHEN YOU DO THAT RE VALVE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE OVER.
SO AGAIN, YOU'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.
YOU'RE VERY MUCH IN THE THICK OF IT.
IT'S A HEALTHY, ASSESSED VALUE PER CAPITA.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE TAKEAWAY.
SO THEN WE ADD, ALL RIGHT, LET'S ALSO LOOK AT REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.
AND THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE THE HIGHEST.
SO AGAIN, THE STRESS IS CONSIDERABLE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NOT LOST ON US AS YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR BECAUSE, AGAIN, YOU'RE AT $0.89. YOU'RE HEAVILY RELIANT ON REAL ESTATE TAXES TO TAKE CARE OF THE BUDGETS HERE.
AND WE KNOW AGAIN, THAT THE PEER GROUP IS SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER YOU.
SO WHEN IT COMES TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT TO DO TO RAISE NEW REVENUES, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T GO BEYOND THAT $0.89. SO LET'S TALK FINANCIAL RESULTS.
SO I SAID EARLIER, YOU RUN A STRUCTURALLY BALANCED BUDGET.
[00:45:03]
THIS PAGE 14 SHOWS THAT WHAT IT IS, IS BASICALLY YOUR RECURRING REVENUES ANNUALLY EXCEEDS YOUR EXPENDITURES BY CLOSE TO $5 MILLION.UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH, UNDER THAT THIRD BULLET OF THAT, ROUGHLY 4.7 MILLION, LITERALLY TWO THIRDS OF THAT GOES TO A TRANSFER FOR THE WATER AND SEWER.
WE CALL IT THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
AND AGAIN, A TRUE ENTERPRISE FUND WOULD NEED NONE OF THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE.
AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE IN MY LIFETIME AND YOURS.
SO WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT WITH ALL OF THAT EXCESS, WE ARE PUTTING, THANKS TO YOUR STAFF, ABOUT $1 MILLION ANNUALLY AWAY INTO SAVINGS, A GOOD NUMBER, BUT AGAIN, CERTAINLY NOT AN OVERLY LARGE NUMBER WHEN YOU CONSIDER ALL THE GROWTH, THE CAPITAL NEEDS AND STUFF THAT YOUR STAFF DOESN'T CONTROL, SUCH AS VRS, SUCH AS HEALTH CARE COSTS, THOSE ARE THINGS YOU HAVE TO INCUR.
AND ALL THEY ARE DOING IN EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING UP.
I WON'T BORE YOU, BUT I WILL SAY IF I COULD, IF YOU LOOK AT FUND BALANCE IN THE 26 LINE BEGINNING IN 2018, IT WAS ABOUT 6.1 MILLION.
THEN YOU LOOK AT THE FUND BALANCE IN THE END OF THE YEAR, IN 2022, IT WENT TO 11.4 MILLION.
THAT'S THE POINT WE HAVE BEEN ADDING TO YOUR BOTTOM LINE, AROUND $1 MILLION A YEAR OVER THOSE YEARS.
SO AGAIN, STRUCTURALLY BALANCED.
YOU PAY YOUR BILLS, YOU LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS.
IT'S THE BREAKOUT OF THE RESULTS.
AND THIS AGAIN SHOWS THAT UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AS IT GROWS, IT'S ABOUT 30% OF REVENUES.
SOMEBODY MIGHT SAY, WELL, THAT SEEMS HIGH.
THAT'S WHY WE DO COMPARATIVES.
SO THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE YOU'VE GOT ABOUT 11.4 MILLION IN THE BANK.
THAT MAY SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT THE PEER GROUP MEDIAN IS ALMOST 14 AND ONE HALF MILLION.
SO YOU'RE NOT BAD BY ANY MEANS, BUT YOU'RE NOT EVEN AT THE PEER GROUP MEDIAN.
THEY JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKS.
YOU'RE NOT SITTING ON DOLLARS OVER AND ABOVE UNNECESSARILY.
SO AGAIN, WANT TO POINT THAT OUT.
THOSE DOLLARS HELP YOU AVOID SHORT TERM BORROWING.
THEY KEEP YOUR CREDIT RATING UP, WHICH HELPS YOU BORROW COST EFFECTIVELY LIKE WE DID EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN I WAS IN FRONT OF YOU AND TOLD YOU ABOUT THE BIDS WE GOT THAT WERE VERY GOOD FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT YOU DID.
YOU OFTEN HAVE TO FRONT THOSE DOLLARS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU ALSO WANT TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR DAY'S CASH ON HAND, AS I SAID.
SO WHAT ARE WE RECOMMENDING? WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT OF THAT 30%, WE BREAK IT INTO TWO PARTS.
THE GOOD NEWS HERE, YOU ALREADY HAVE THOSE MONIES.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY MORE STRESS TO YOUR BUDGETS.
HOWEVER, IF YOU WERE TO MOVE TO A TWICE A YEAR COLLECTION, YOU COULD SIGNIFICANTLY ADD TO THAT UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE. STILL HAVE THE BUDGET STABILIZATION AND ACTUALLY ADD CASH FLOW BACK INTO THE COUNTY AND HAVE DOLLARS FOR EMERGENCIES. SO YOU WOULD BE STRENGTHENING THE OVERALL COUNTY.
ONE OF THE THINGS AJ AND I JUST DID WAS WORK WITH BOTH FRANKLIN COUNTY AS WELL AS CAMPBELL COUNTY, ALSO RURAL PLACES, AND THEY WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN IMPLEMENTING THE TWICE A YEAR COLLECTION.
[00:50:01]
THE INCREASED COSTS THAT WERE REQUIRED WERE NOT VERY HIGH.AS IT TURNED OUT, THEY DIDN'T EVEN NEED AN EXTRA PERSON.
THEY WERE ABLE TO BE STRATEGIC.
WE ASSUMED IF YOU DID NEED SOME EXTRA PEOPLE, IT STILL MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
IF THAT ULTIMATELY BECOMES SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH LOOKING IN, I WOULD SUGGEST TALKING TO THOSE FOLKS AND SEE HOW THEY'VE DONE IT TO MAKE IT SO COST EFFECTIVE FOR THOSE TWO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AND THOSE ARE JUST TWO THE LATEST.
SO AGAIN, UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
YOU'RE BELOW, BUT YOU'RE NOT IN BAD SHAPE.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT STRENGTHENED.
ALL RIGHT. I TALKED ABOUT REASSESSMENT, REAL ESTATE TAX COLLECTION.
UNDER VIRGINIA LAW, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS NO LESS THAN EVERY SIX YEARS.
NOW, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IN OUR POLICIES IS DO IT EVERY FOUR YEARS.
IF YOU WERE TO NEUTRALIZE ON A 25% INCREASE, THAT WOULD BE ABOUT A 71 PENNIES.
I KNOW I'M NOT ELECTED, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND IS THAT YOU CONSIDER LONG AND HARD NOT GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO EQUALIZING TO 71 OR WHATEVER THE ULTIMATE EQUALIZING RATE IS, BUT WE'D RECOMMEND TRYING TO GET SOME ELEMENT OF THAT SO THAT YOU CAN USE IT TOWARDS FUTURE CAPITAL NEEDS, OPERATIONAL COSTS, SINCE AGAIN, YOU'RE DOING IT EVERY RIGHT NOW, SIX YEARS.
IT MAY BE HOPEFULLY MAYBE IT'S CLOSER TO FOUR, BUT THAT WILL BE YOUR DECISION AS A BOARD.
SO IF YOU DID THAT, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
IF YOU WERE TO BE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN THAT, THEN YOU WOULD AGAIN BE APPROXIMATE TO A NUMBER OF THE OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE IN THE MID TO UPPER 70S OR LOW 80S.
THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
AGAIN, IT'S PREMATURE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU A SENSE OF ALL OF THAT.
AND AGAIN, HAVING DONE THIS WITH YOU FOR MANY YEARS, AS YOU KNOW AND YOUR PREDECESSORS KNOW, I'M NOT THE FIRST ONE HERE THAT'S JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU GOOD INFORMATION AND TELL YOU EVERYTHING IS GOOD.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME STRONG DELIBERATION, I SUSPECT.
SO JUST TO SEE YOUR NEIGHBORS OF THE 13, IT'S ROUGHLY SPLIT SEVEN TO ANNUAL, SIX TO BI ANNUAL.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE THAT DO THE BI ANNUAL ALSO VERY MUCH RURAL.
YOU'VE GOT CHARLOTTE, YOU'VE GOT DINWIDDIE, ESSEX, OLIVE WHITE, MIDDLESEX, PRINCE GEORGE.
THERE ARE ONES THAT ARE DOING IT BI ANNUALLY AND HAVE MOVED TO THAT.
THE NUMBERS WE HAVE DONE AND THESE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY I WOULD SAY ON THE LOW END, EVEN WITH FACTORING IN MAYBE TWO FULL TIME POSITIONS AT THE COUNTY, WE THINK THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BETWEEN 250 AND $350,000 PLUS NET OVER AND ABOVE THAT EVERY YEAR THAT WOULD GO TO THE COUNTY.
THAT'S SIGNIFICANT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
IF WE BROUGHT IN THREE $400,000 MORE, THAT'S LIKE THE EQUIVALENT OF BEING ABLE TO BORROW 6 OR 7 OR $8 MILLION.
THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS IN DEBT SERVICE.
SO IT'S A REAL NUMBER AND A SUSTAINABLE NUMBER.
IT ALSO POSITIONS YOU THAT IF YOU WANTED TO USE SOME OF THAT ONE TIME, YOU HAVE THAT WHEREWITHAL AND YOU'RE NOT BROACHING YOUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE POLICY. SO IT GIVES YOU STRONG FLEXIBILITY.
SO YOU'RE PUTTING YOURSELF IN A VERY STRONG POSITION RELATIVE TO INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES RELATIVE TO THE VIRGINIA PEERS THAT WE'VE GOT.
SO AGAIN, AND STILL NOT AT THE HIGHEST END, BUT IN VERY, VERY GOOD SHAPE.
SO LET'S GO TO CREDIT RATINGS.
I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF WORKING WITH MR. JOHNSON. 20 PLUS YEARS AGO TO GET YOUR ORIGINAL CREDIT RATING.
YOU WERE IN WHAT WAS CALLED THE THIRD CATEGORY WAS CALLED STRONG.
IT WAS AN A RATING BY STANDARD AND POOR'S.
[00:55:06]
ABOUT HERE.BY VIRTUE OF YOU, OVER TIME, YOU'VE RAISED TAXES, YOU'VE DONE WHAT YOU'VE NEEDED TO DO.
AND SO YOU'RE A HIGHER RATED TODAY, CONSIDERABLY HIGHER RATED TODAY THAN YOU WERE 20 PLUS YEARS AGO.
SO AGAIN, THE COUNTY ENJOYS STRONG CREDIT RATINGS.
WE THINK HAVING FORMALIZED POLICIES ADDING TO FUND BALANCE, DOING SOME OF THOSE THINGS CAN ONLY FURTHER HELP THESE CREDIT RATINGS, WHICH IN TURN MAKE THE COUNTY LOOK THAT MUCH MORE APPEALING WHEN IT COMES TO BORROW MONEY OR EVEN FROM ECONOMIC INVESTMENT.
AGAIN, JUST WHAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF A CREDIT RATING? I JUST SAID A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS.
YOU HAVE SOME CONTROL OR LITTLE CONTROL, I SHOULD SAY, ON THE ECONOMY.
IT'S A LONG TERM INVESTMENT, BUT YOU HAVE A LOT MORE CONTROL ON THOSE LAST THREE PARTS FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, MEANING WHAT YOU DECIDE YEAR TO YEAR, BUDGET WISE DEBT, WHAT YOU DECIDE, AND MANAGEMENT SUCH AS DOING POLICIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY MEAN BY MANAGEMENT.
AND THIS GROUP BEHIND ME IS A WHOLE LOT.
BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE ALL THOSE FACTORS THAT COME INTO A CREDIT RATING.
IT'S NOT PURELY IF WE HAVE LESS DEBT, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER CREDIT RATING.
THEY DON'T LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.
THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE INVESTING IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY TRIPLE A LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT HAVE NO DEBT OUTSTANDING.
THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT INVESTING IN SCHOOLS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THESE ARE YOUR CREDIT RATINGS, BY THE WAY.
I WOULD TELL THE FOLKS HERE THAT THOSE REPORTS ARE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
THEY DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH EACH OTHER IN THE FIRST.
THEY SAY YOU HAVE MODEST RESERVES COMPARED TO SIMILARLY RATED PEERS.
THEY'RE MODEST. THEY COULD BE BETTER.
ON THE FLIP SIDE, STANDARD AND POOR'S SAYS YOU HAVE IN THE MIDDLE VERY STRONG RESERVES.
SO WHO'S RIGHT? WELL, THE REALITY IS WE'D LIKE TO SET UP A COUNTY AND A SYSTEM WHERE BOTH WILL SAY THE SAME THING, THAT YOU'RE VERY STRONG.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE BOTH LOOK AT YOU AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
WE JUST WANT TO MEMORIALIZE THAT.
LYNETTE AND HER FOLKS ALREADY DO THESE THINGS THE RIGHT WAY.
AND THAT WAY WE FURTHER PUT IT IN A GOOD MODE FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
OKAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR DEBT.
I'M MOVING TOWARDS THE END HERE.
THE FAR RIGHT HAND SIDE IS YOUR TOTAL DEBT SERVICE.
THAT'S WHAT'S BAKED INTO THE COUNTY.
IT'S CONSISTS OF TWO MAJOR SEGMENTS A, B AND C IS THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS, D, E, AND F IS THE UTILITY.
IN AN IDEAL WORLD, THE UTILITY THAT D, E, AND F WOULD BE SELF-SUPPORTING.
THAT'S WHAT WE MEAN. BUT YOU SEE THERE UNDER LINE F, IT'S ABOUT 2.2 MILLION A YEAR OF DEBT SERVICE THAT IS SIMILAR TO THAT 2.8 MILLION THAT YOU DO.
THE TRANSFER THAT TRANSFER IS GOING TO HELP PAY FOR THE DEBT IN THE UTILITIES.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO BE IN A MODE TO KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE OF THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THAT'S WHY GETTING A CONSULTANT AND A RATE STUDY DONE CAN GIVE US HOW THAT MAY MOVE AND EVOLVE OVER THE NEXT 10 TO 20 YEARS SO WE CAN KNOW WHAT THE CHALLENGES ARE HERE IN THE COUNTY.
THERE'S YOUR DEBT ON A GRAPHIC BASIS, YOU COULD SEE IT STARTS TO DROP DOWN.
THAT'S A GOOD NEWS BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT ALLOWS US TO PERHAPS LAYER IN NEW DEBT IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IT IS TO LAYER IN NEW DEBT AND NOT FURTHER ADD TO THE OVERALL BURDEN OF THE COUNTY'S BUDGETS.
[01:00:07]
YOU'RE AT ABOUT 3%.AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE US GO PAST 4%.
WE'VE GOT DEBT SERVICE TO EXPENDITURES RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 8%.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT DROPS DOWN BELOW 8%, VERY STRONG.
SO AGAIN, WE'VE GOT SOME THINGS TO WORK WITH.
IF WE HAVE A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND WE SMARTLY THINK ABOUT THIS FOR THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 TO 20 YEARS, BECAUSE, AGAIN, OUR DEBT, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, REALLY GETS PAID DOWN QUICKLY.
THERE IT IS. IN 15 YEARS, WE HAVE EFFECTIVELY NO DEBT OUTSTANDING, EFFECTIVELY NO DEBT OUTSTANDING.
THAT'S A VERY, VERY GOOD SIGN AND A VERY GOOD SITUATION TO BE IN.
SO FUTURE DEBT CAPACITY, AFFORDABILITY, A LOT OF NUMBERS HERE.
THE FIRST COUPLE OF THINGS HERE ARE JUST THEORETICAL.
THEY'RE SAYING THAT IF WE COULD SOMEHOW HAVE CASH FLOW, WE COULD BORROW A LOT OF MONEY.
I LIKEN THIS TO WHEN A MORTGAGE BOAT BROKER SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU COULD AFFORD A $250,000 MORTGAGE WHEN YOUR MORTGAGE IS AT 100,000.
I DON'T PUT A LOT OF STOCK IN IT.
IT'S A CHECK, BUT I DON'T PUT A LOT OF STOCK IN IT.
SAME HERE WITH THE DEBT SERVICE TO EXPENDITURES.
AS I SAID, WE'RE A LITTLE OVER 8%.
AND THAT'S WHY THIS THIRD PAGE, PAGE 45 IS WHAT REALLY MATTERS.
AND THAT'S WHEN DEBT SERVICE FREES UP AND THE DEBT SERVICE THAT FREES UP, AS I SAID, IN 2029, OUR DEBT IS GOES TO ABOUT 3.7 MILLION, RIGHT NOW IT'S AT ABOUT 4.4.
THAT'S WHERE WE START TO REALLY SEE SOME BANG FOR OUR BUCK.
AND YOU CAN SEE IT CONTINUES TO FREE UP MORE AND MORE WITH EACH PASSING YEAR.
SO AGAIN, THERE'S THERE'S THERE'S DEFINITELY OPPORTUNITIES, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE CAUTIOUS.
SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS LAST FEW PAGES AND I'LL BE DONE AGAIN.
I MENTIONED THAT YOU'VE GOT SOLID RESERVES.
NUMBER THREE, YOU HAVE A SURPLUS OF $1 MILLION.
BUT AGAIN, YOU REALIZE YOU'RE HEAVILY RELIANT ON REAL ESTATE TAXES.
AND THEN YOU'RE HAVING TO RAISE TAXES AND NOBODY LIKES THAT FROM A POSITION OF WEAKNESS.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE ENJOY SOLID FUND BALANCES.
WE WANT TO SAFEGUARD THAT 30%.
IN ADDITION, AS I MENTIONED, THE SCHOOLS HAVE A 30% GRANT POSSIBILITY.
THAT MEANS THAT UNDER NUMBER NINE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
OH. LET'S GO TO NUMBER EIGHT FOR A SECOND.
THAT MEANS BASICALLY UNDER NUMBER EIGHT, YOU WOULD STILL NEED TO BORROW ABOUT $12 MILLION.
THAT $12 MILLION COULD POTENTIALLY BE DONE STRATEGICALLY IF AGAIN, IT'S DONE IN AN OVERALL PLAN. AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU THINK ABOUT HOW TO LOOK AT ALL THAT WITH OTHER CAPITAL NEEDS.
IT'S DONE AS PART OF EVERYTHING WE MENTIONED, NUMBER TEN, A RATE STUDY TO DO THAT.
THAT TYPICALLY TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT IT COULD BE VERY HELPFUL TOWARDS HAVING AND DEVELOPING NUMBER 11, WHICH IS THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AND THEN FINALLY, TO HELP ALL OF THIS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TWICE A YEAR COLLECTION.
AND WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND HOPEFULLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND APPRECIATE IT, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. SO GOOD JOB.
I THINK I'M BETTER THAN NO DOSE.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY JUST WENT TO BED.
YEAH. WE APPRECIATE YOU GOING OVER THIS.
[01:05:02]
EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW THAT WE WENT OVER THIS WITH DAVENPORT TWO AT A TIME.THAT'S THE ONLY LEGAL WE CAN DO.
AND THE LAST WEEK OR SO BEFORE THE MEETING.
SO THIS IS OUR SECOND LOOK AT IT.
AND ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? EXCUSE ME? DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? YEAH. DOES ANYBODY OUT THERE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. RHODES WHILE WE'RE HERE? WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT THAT YOU SAID WOULD BE GAINED OR THAT WE COULD WE COULD ACTUALLY PUT OUR HANDS ON TWO COLLECTIONS A YEAR.
IS THAT FROM DEBT FROM UNPAID INTEREST THAT YOU HAVE TO BORROW.
IS THAT INTEREST EARNED ON THE MONEY COLLECTED THEN? WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR 6 MILLION? OKAY, SO WHAT HAPPENS IS I THINK YOU WERE TALKING EARLIER.
I THINK I WAS HERE ON THE WAY IN WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, COLLECTIONS WORK IN VIRGINIA IS WHATEVER DOLLARS COME IN BY JUNE 30TH COUNTS TOWARDS THAT FISCAL YEAR.
OKAY. IF WE ARE ABLE TO, ON AN ACCOUNTING BASIS, ACCELERATE A HALF A YEAR OF THAT, WE CAN DO THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO END UP SEEING WHAT IS BASICALLY $12.5 MILLION.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET ONE TIME WINDFALL.
YOU'RE EFFECTIVELY GOING TO GET THE EQUIVALENT OF A SECOND PAYMENT.
THAT WOULD BE JUST IN THE FIRST YEAR.
THAT'S RIGHT. SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT? IT WOULD NOT BE ANY.
RIGHT? EXACTLY. IT'S ONE TIME.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU TODAY GO INTO THE STATE PROGRAM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOL AND YOU MAY HAVE SOME, THAT POOL RIGHT NOW IS EARNING FIVE POINT 5.5%.
YEAH, IT REALLY WOULD BE GREAT.
THEN IT COULD GO DOWN LIKE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO IT WAS EARNING ZERO POINT LIKE.
BUT THE POINT IS HISTORICALLY AND TREASURER KNOWS BETTER THAN I DO, BUT WE BOTH KNOW THIS HISTORICALLY, THAT RATE IS PROBABLY BEEN ABOUT 4 TO 5% WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LAST 20 YEARS ON AVERAGE.
SO WE'RE REALLY ACTUALLY NOW BACK TO ABOUT WHAT'S NORMAL.
SO IF WE ADD THAT $6 MILLION AND THAT WAS CHURNING OFF, LET'S SAY 5%, THAT'S $300,000 A YEAR, THAT WOULD BE GOING RIGHT TO THE GENERAL FUND OF THE COUNTY.
NOW, IF THAT MONEY GOT PUSHED, IF THAT MONEY GOT PUSHED IN THE DOOR, SURE.
BUT THAT'S BUT THE TREASURER KNOWS WHAT TO DO.
I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT PUTTING IN A MATTRESS.
WE GET THAT, YOU KNOW, COME ON UP FRONT IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION SO WE CAN ALL.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW HOW THESE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES IN THESE GROUPS THAT YOU CATEGORIZED US IN, HOW DO THEY GO ABOUT COLLECTING THIS COUPLE OF MILLION DOLLARS OUTSTANDING THAT WE SEEM TO HAVE REPORTED EVERY MONTH WITH OUR THREE TAXES, OUR SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES AND OUR REAL ESTATE TAXES, ALMOST EVERY MONTH THEY ADD UP TO CLOSE TO $2 MILLION.
AND DOES SURREY AND SUSSEX AND ALAWITE HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS? AND IF THEY DON'T, HOW DO THEY FIX IT? I'M NOT SURE I FOLLOW YOU.
YOU DO? WHEN HER REPORT TONIGHT, SHE LISTED OUR 97% 99% TAX COLLECTION RATES.
AND AT THE END SHE SAID OUTSTANDING UNPAID TAXES.
EVERY MONTH THEY ADD UP TO ABOUT $2 MILLION.
AND I JUST WONDERED, DO OTHER COUNTIES HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS? AND IF NOT, HOW DO THEY SOLVE THEM? TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT OUR COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REVIEW AND DEBT CAPACITY ANALYSIS.
WE'RE NOT GETTING INTO MEANS AND PRACTICES OF COLLECTION.
AND THERE'S THE STATE CODE THAT OUTLINES HOW TREASURERS COLLECT TAXES.
SO THAT'S NOT TO BE FAIR TO DAVENPORT, JUST THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE A SUGGESTION.
THANK YOU. OH, ONE OTHER THING.
I'M NOT A MATH MAJOR, BUT I THINK BIANNUAL MEANS EVERY TWO YEARS AND EVERY SIX MONTHS IS SEMIANNUAL.
[01:10:01]
YES, SIR.I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR CLARITY.
THE QUESTION I WOULD WANT TO ASK YOU, WHEN I WAS READING OVER YOUR DOCUMENT, EVERYTHING ALL OF YOUR PROJECTIONS WERE BASED ON A 25% ASSESSMENT INCREASE, CORRECT? YES, SIR. SO, AGAIN, IT COULD BE HIGHER.
IT COULD BE LOWER. AND ALL WE KNOW IS THAT IN TALKING WITH THE STAFF AND TALKING WITH OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING AND HAVE SEEN NUMBERS IN THAT KIND OF RANGE FROM FAR SOUTHWEST TO SCOTT COUNTY WAS UP 30% IN AN AREA THAT'S VERY RURAL.
SO WE JUST SIMPLY PUT A RANGE OF 20.
WE'RE JUST SAYING IF IT WERE AT 25%, THEN THE EQUALIZED RATE WOULD GO FROM 89 TO 71.
OBVIOUSLY, LET'S SAY IF IT WAS 30%, THAT WOULD BE LOWER THAN 71.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING IN THE HIGH 60S.
SO WE JUST WANT WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FIXATE ON.
WE JUST WANT THEM TO SEE THAT'S WHAT IN EFFECT THE IMPACT OF EQUALIZATION LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT AND WAS SEEING THAT THAT WAS JUST YOUR FAIR JUDGMENT ASSESSMENT.
AND IT REALLY WASN'T EVEN OUR JUDGMENT.
IT'S JUST IT'S AN INDICATOR WHAT WE WHAT WE SENSE, WE SENSE BECAUSE I'M NOT AN ASSESSOR, IS THAT AFTER SIX YEARS, EVEN IN A IN A RURAL AREA LIKE THIS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE A 5 OR 6% CHANGE.
YOU KNOW, WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH LARGER THAN THAT.
AND WE'VE GOTTEN GENERAL FEEDBACK TO BELIEVE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSER TO THAT KIND OF NUMBER.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I. I HAVE ONE.
YES, SIR. AND I'D LIKE TO YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS BEEN REWARDED, POTENTIALLY A $5.5 MILLION GRANT OR AN 18.5 PROJECT FOR A NEW SCHOOL FROM THAT PUTS OUR COST THE COUNTY AT 13 MILLION.
ALL RIGHT. REALISTICALLY, 4 OR 5 YEARS FROM NOW, IF WE GET AROUND TO DOING THAT, WHAT'S THAT 13 MILLION GOING TO BE? SO WE HAVE HISTORICALLY LOOKED AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND SAID, OKAY, WE LOOK TO THE ENGINEERS, THE CONSULTING ARCHITECTS AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT THE GROWTH SHOULD BE THE INFLATION FACTOR? THERE WAS A TIME WHEN A 5% INFLATION FACTOR WAS ENOUGH.
EDWARDS AND SAY THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF THAT WE WOULD NEED AS PART OF A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IS TO SAY, OKAY, IF INDEED THEY'RE THINKING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A SCHOOL THAT'S AT 18, MY QUESTION WOULD BE, DOES THAT INCORPORATE ALREADY INFLATION OR DOES THAT NOT INCORPORATE INFLATION? OR IF IT DOES, HOW MUCH INFLATION? SO ONCE WE WOULD GET THOSE KINDS OF NUMBERS, THEN WE COULD HELP EVALUATE WHAT THE REAL CASH FLOW IMPACT WOULD BE. I THINK YOU MADE ONE VERY GOOD POINT AND YOU KNOW THIS, BUT MAKE SURE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE'S BENEFIT.
WHEN THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS WAS TOLD THIS IS YOUR YOUR MONEY, IT WAS BASED UPON 30% OF THE PROJECT THAT THEY SUBMITTED. THE GOOD NEWS THERE IS THAT'S THE HIGHEST PERCENT THAT ANY LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN GET, 30%.
AND THAT'S BASED SOLELY UPON A WEIGHTING FORMULA THAT IS DONE BY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING ON A LOT OF THESE. THAT SAID, SHOULD THE SAY THE PROJECT GO TO FROM, LET'S SAY, 18.5 MILLION TO 25 MILLION, THEN THAT $5.5 MILLION WOULD THEN GO UP TO 30% OF 25.
AND THEN YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STILL THAT 70% DIFFERENTIAL.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE POINTED OUT IS THAT THE STATE'S LITERARY LOAN PROGRAM HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY IN THE YEARS SINCE THEY'VE HAD IT.
SO THE ADVANTAGE HERE IS THAT IF THAT DIFFERENTIAL STAYS UNDER $25 MILLION, THEN THE COUNTY IS ELIGIBLE FOR 2% FIXED RATE LITERARY LOAN MONIES OVER 30 YEARS.
THAT'S A VERY, VERY STRONG POSITIVE.
SO FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S WHY I THINK HAVING A CIP, HAVING THE TWO BOARDS REALLY TALK
[01:15:06]
ABOUT WHAT THE DOLLARS, WHAT THE EXPECTATION, WHAT THE TIMING IS, IS CRITICAL.AND THEN WE CAN COME IN AND LOOK AT WHAT THE REAL CASH FLOWS OF THAT MEAN TO BOTH PARTIES.
THAT'S THAT'S SORT OF WHAT WE DO.
SO. THE MAYBE I'VE READ THIS GRANT WRONG, BUT I THINK THE FIRST PARAGRAPH SAID THAT THAT 5.5 MILLION COULD BE USED FOR RENOVATION.
YOU DID READ IT, RIGHT? YES, SIR. SO THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION, IS IT NOT? IT IS. IN FACT, THAT'S I WILL SAY THIS 5.5 MILLION WOULD WOULD RENOVATE.
THAT AREA PRETTY, PRETTY WELL.
THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION TO COUNTY NEEDS TO LOOK AT.
SO AGAIN, IT ALLOWS FOR BOTH RENOVATION AS WELL AS AS NEW CONSTRUCTION.
YEAH, THERE'S SOME LIMITATIONS.
AND DON'T HOLD ME TO THIS SCHOOL.
FOLKS WILL KNOW. BUT I THINK, FOR EXAMPLE, IT DOESN'T I DON'T I MAY BE WRONG ABOUT THIS, BUT LET ME SAY IS I DON'T THINK IT INCLUDES, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT TO BUILD BLEACHERS IN A STADIUM, I DON'T THINK IT COVERS THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? THANKS. GOOD. IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
WE APPRECIATE A VERY GOOD PROGRAM, VERY WELL PRESENTED.
AND THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.
WE GOT TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE RIVERDALE VFD.
[8. Public Hearing - Riverdale VAFD - Application by Francis Widmeyer]
APPLICATION BY MR. FRANCIS WHITMIRE TO WITHDRAW SOME LAND FROM THE IS.AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTRY DISTRICT, MRS LOUIS.
GOOD EVENING. YES, THIS IS A REQUEST TO WITHDRAW 26.27 ACRES FROM THE RIVERDALE VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY DISTRICT. MR..
THE APPLICANT'S FULL PROPERTY IS 71.27 ACRES, AND THIS IS 26.27 ACRES.
THE WHOLE RIVERDALE VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT IS ALMOST 5000 ACRES AND THIS IS 26.27 ACRES.
THE APPLICANT PROVIDED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING THAT HE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY TO GO WITH HIS OTHER PROPERTY IN THE AREA AND HE FOUND THAT IT WAS NOT SUITABLE FOR GROWING ROW CROPS.
HE TRIED GRAZING CATTLE ON IT.
AND THAT'S WHY HE IS REQUESTING TO WITHDRAW IT FROM THE DISTRICT.
THERE IS A BORROW PIT ON THE PROPERTY JUST TO THE SOUTH OF IT AS WELL.
THIS IS SUCH A SMALL PORTION OF THE RIVERDALE DISTRICT IT ISN'T GOING TO HAVE ANY EFFECT.
THE PROPOSED NEW LAND USE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE PROPOSED LAND USE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PUBLIC INTEREST OF THE COUNTY AND THAT IT PROMOTES HEALTH, SAFETY OR GENERAL WELFARE OF THE COUNTY RATHER THAN ONLY THE PROPRIETARY INTEREST OF THE OWNER.
MR. WHITMIRE IS GOING TO MAKE THOSE MINERALS AVAILABLE TO LOCAL LANDOWNERS WHO NEED SAND OR WHATEVER FOR THEIR PROPERTY, AND THE PROPOSED USE WAS NOT ANTICIPATED BY THE OWNER AT THE TIME THE LAND WAS PLACED IN THE AG DISTRICT.
HE HADN'T DONE ENOUGH WITH IT TO KNOW THAT IT WASN'T SUITABLE FOR AGRICULTURAL USE.
SIX MEMBERS IN FAVOR, ONE MEMBER ABSTAINING FOR WITHDRAWING THIS FROM THE AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT.
[01:20:03]
THE THE COUNTY'S VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT WAS ADOPTED IN JUNE OF 2017 AND THERE ARE OVER 102,000 ACRES OF PROPERTY IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IN VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURE DISTRICTS.THIS 26.27 ACRES IS IMPORTANT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, BUT IT IS NOT AN OVERWHELMING PART OF THE COUNTY'S VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURE PROGRAM.
AND THE APPLICANT AND HIS REPRESENTATIVE ARE BOTH HERE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS LEWIS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.
I'M EDWARD REILLY. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MR. WHITMIRE. AS USUAL, MISS LEWIS IS A VERY HARD ACT TO FOLLOW.
SHE ALWAYS DOES A VERY COMPREHENSIVE JOB.
THE ISSUES THAT I SEE THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THIS APPLICATION ARE SET OUT BY HER.
THEY'RE THE FOUR REQUIREMENTS UNDER 2.6 15 THAT IT WILL NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACT ON AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY OPERATIONS WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
IT'S A IT'S AN AWFULLY INSIGNIFICANT PIECE SINCE, AS SHE SAID, RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE OF THE TRACKS, THE PROPOSED NEW LAND USE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WHICH IT IT CERTAINLY IS.
IT'S THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION IS SPOT ON.
IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE PUBLIC INTEREST OF THE COUNTY AND THAT IT PROMOTES THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND GENERAL WELFARE OF THE COUNTY RATHER THAN ONLY THE PROPRIETARY INTEREST OF THE OWNER. SAND IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY NECESSARY, OBVIOUSLY, FOR CONSTRUCTION OF MANY THINGS HOMES, BALL FIELDS, ETCETERA. BUT IT KIND OF FITS THE DISTRICT IT'S IN AS SAND IS A VERY USEFUL ELEMENT FOR AG AND FORESTRY OPERATIONS.
HE ELABORATED ON THAT HIMSELF AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
HE THOUGHT THAT HE MIGHT COULD GROW ROW CROPS ON IT OR EVEN GRAZE A FEW HEAD OF LIVESTOCK.
IT'S NOT SUITABLE FOR EITHER ONE.
UM, IT HAS ACCESS THROUGH SCHOOLHOUSE ROAD.
HE'LL ELABORATE ON THE ACCESS WHEN HE SUBMITS HIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION AT A LATER DATE, PROVIDED THAT THIS BOARD ALLOWS HIM TO WITHDRAW HIS 26.27 ACRES FROM THE AG AND FORESTRY DISTRICT.
I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THAT YOU ALL APPROVE HIS APPLICATION.
IT'S IT'S IT MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA.
THERE'S NOTHING OBNOXIOUS ABOUT IT.
SO I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT OTHERWISE I'D ASK ASKED THE BOARD TO APPROVE HIS REQUEST.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. REILLY? THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU.
I HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT MATTER, IF IT'S SUITABLE.
DO YOU HAVE ONE FOR MR. REILLY? YES. YES, SIR.
WHERE IS THE INTEREST RATE GOING TO BE FOR THE PROPERTY? IT'S ZONED AS SCHOOLHOUSE ROAD.
I LIVE RIGHT HERE ON SCHOOLHOUSE ROAD.
I CAN. I CAN SHOW YOU A MAP OF EXACTLY WHERE IT WILL BE.
IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH SCHOOLHOUSE ROAD.
RESIDENTS PROPERTY WOULD GO OUT.
OKAY. CAN YOU SHOW ME ON THIS DIAGRAM HERE? WHAT ARE YOU SEEING? WHO'S.
I'M SORRY. DO YOU GET YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED?
[01:25:01]
YES, SIR. OKAY.ANYBODY ELSE? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. REILLY. I JUST HAVE A COMMENT.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. COME ON UP.
LET ME GIVE YOU SOME EXERCISE TONIGHT.
RAISE YOUR STICK TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU. AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, I SPENT 23 YEARS AS A COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER, AND ONE OF THE PRECEPTS OR CONCEPTS OF REAL ESTATE VALUATION IS CALLED HIGHEST AND BEST USE.
ARE THEY ANY MORE ADJACENT LANDOWNERS HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE SUBJECT? ANYBODY ELSE.
LAST CALL BEFORE WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
GENTLEMEN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I MAKE A MOTION.
WE. WE ALLOW HIM TO PULL IT OUT.
GO WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.
ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? SECOND. ALL RIGHT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? OPPOSED? NO, IT'S UNANIMOUS.
AND THEN THAT WILL COME TO US FOR ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THERE'S TWO MORE PUBLIC HEARINGS HERE.
RIGHT. MRS LOUIS? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.
[9. Public Hearing - Conditional Use Permit - Application by Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless]
THAT'S THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING.THIS CONDITION YOU PERMIT APPLICATION FOR CELLCO PARTNERSHIP, VERIZON WIRELESS WIRELESS TO INSTALL A TOWER. MISS LEWIS.
YES. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A 199 FOOT COMMUNICATION TOWER ON THE NORTH SIDE OF MILLPOND ROAD AT IVOR ROAD IN 2013.
BUT CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS EXPIRE AFTER 12 MONTHS IF YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING PHYSICAL.
SO THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING PHYSICAL, SO THEY HAD TO START OVER.
THIS IS YOUR TYPICAL CELL TOWER.
IT IS. THEY'RE REQUESTING THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT AREA.
IT WILL BE ACCESSED FROM IVOR ROAD ON THE 20 FOOT OF THE EASEMENT THAT SERVES THE PROPERTY.
ON PAGE FIVE OF YOUR STAFF REPORT, THERE ARE 11 CONDITIONS LISTED, INCLUDING THE HEIGHT AND HOW WILL BE ACCESSED, WHERE IT WILL BE IN RELATION TO THE ABUTTING PROPERTIES THAT IT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE USERS, INCLUDING VERIZON WIRELESS.
IT WON'T BE MARKED OR ILLUMINATED OR HAVE ANY ADVERTISING ON IT.
IT WON'T HAVE ANY FULL TIME EMPLOYEES.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD A VERY EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION OF CELL TOWER TECHNOLOGY.
I WILL NOTE THAT THE VIRGINIA LAWS HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE LAST TIME A CELL TOWER APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED, AND THIS APPLICATION INCLUDED ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THE CURRENT ORDINANCE REQUIRES.
BUT THE NEW STATE LAW DOESN'T REQUIRE THIS MUCH INFORMATION, SO YOUR SUBSEQUENT REQUESTS OVER THE YEARS WILL MEET STATE LAW BUT WON'T HAVE THIS MUCH INFORMATION.
THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO SUBMIT IT.
AND IN THE PAST, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT PERMITTING THE COUNTY TO HAVE AN ANTENNA ON THE TOWER.
AND THAT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT ANYMORE.
THERE WERE NO CITIZENS WHO SPOKE IN OPPOSITION.
[01:30:01]
THEN, OF COURSE, EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY WANTS BETTER CELL SERVICE, AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION MADE A UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.WHO'S GOING TO BE ON THE TOWER? VERIZON IS THE ONE PUTTING IT UP AND THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE STATED SO FAR.
OUR OFFICE GETS APPLICATIONS EVERY MONTH FOR PUTTING ADDITIONAL ANTENNAS ON EXISTING TOWERS AT NEAR MR. WIDMYER'S PROPERTY ON SCHOOLHOUSE ROAD.
THERE ARE SOME TOWERS THAT HAVE BEEN UPDATED TWO AND THREE TIMES A YEAR WITH NEW OR ADDITIONAL ANTENNAS, SO THERE'S CERTAINLY A CALL FOR INCREASED CELL SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
BUT AT THIS POINT, IT'S ONLY VERIZON.
THEY DON'T NEED TO COME BACK TO THIS BOARD TO FILL UP THE OTHER FOUR SPACES.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS IT WILL SERVE AS A VERY DEFICIENT AREA.
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ISSUE.
HELLO. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN EDWARDS.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
AS MR. REILLY SAID, MISS LEWIS ALWAYS DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB.
I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS FOR YOU.
MY NAME FOR THE RECORD IS LISA MURPHY.
I'M A ZONING ATTORNEY HERE ON BEHALF OF CELLCO PARTNERSHIP, WHICH DOES BUSINESS AS VERIZON WIRELESS.
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE A TIME WHEN YOUR WIRELESS DEVICE WAS JUST A PHONE.
TODAY, THEY'RE NOT JUST A PHONE ANYMORE.
IT'S YOUR CALCULATOR MINI COMPUTER.
IT ALLOWS US TO SURF THE INTERNET STREAM VIDEOS, PAY OUR BILLS ONLINE.
NOW, AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, MANY OF US HAVE HAD DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS ONLINE.
YOU ORDER GOODS ONLINE, YOU STAY CLOSE TO YOUR FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES ONLINE.
THAT MEANS THEY GOT RID OF THE LANDLINE AND THEY JUST HAD A CELL PHONE.
BY JUNE OF LAST YEAR, THAT NUMBER WAS 71%.
SO 71% OF PEOPLE ADULT ONLY HOMES WERE WIRELESS.
ONLY IF THERE WERE CHILDREN IN THE HOME.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT NUMBER WAS 82%.
AND FOR MILLENNIALS, THE NUMBER IS 87%.
SO AS A RESULT, YOU'VE GOT A SITUATION ALL OVER THE COMMONWEALTH WHERE YOU'VE GOT A NEED FOR MORE ANTENNA SITES SO THERE CAN BE MORE ANTENNAS TO HELP PROVIDE THE SERVICE THAT EVERYBODY IS NOW VERY DEPENDENT ON AND VERY USED TO, AS THE STAFF REPORT INDICATES TEN YEARS AGO.
NOW IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE VERIZON WIRELESS MADE AND OBTAINED A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR 199 FOOT MONOPOLE VERY NEAR THIS SITE. WHEN THE ENGINEERS CAME BACK AND SAID WE STILL HAVE A NEED AND NOW WE'VE GOT THE FUNDING THAT WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
UNFORTUNATELY, TEN YEARS HAD PASSED AND DESPITE SOME OF THE EXTENSIONS THAT THAT WERE PASSED IN STATE LAW EXTENDING SOME OF THOSE USE PERMITS, WE DIDN'T FALL INTO ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
SO THIS USE PERMIT HAD EXPIRED.
AND SO THEY FOUND ANOTHER WILLING LANDLORD, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HERE AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION, SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LOCATION, AS INDICATED ON THE NETWORK MAP THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET.
YOU SEE THE THE THE ANTENNAS AND THE TOWER SITES SURROUNDING THIS.
[01:35:07]
THERE'S A TOWER IN ZUNI THAT'S ALMOST EIGHT MILES AWAY.SIMILAR SITUATION TO THE SOUTHEAST.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT NINE AND ONE HALF MILES TO THE CLOSEST ANTENNA SITE.
YOU'VE GOT JUST ABOUT SIX MILES AWAY TO THE CLOSEST SITE.
IF YOU LOOK TO THE WEST, IT'S A WORSE SITUATION.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHY THERE'S THIS DONUT HOLE.
THE CLOSEST ANTENNA SITES ARE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE THE COVERAGE INTO THE DONUT HOLE, SO TO SPEAK.
SO WE ARE HERE AGAIN TRYING TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION, REALLY TRYING TO IMPROVE COVERAGE IN THE AREA LIKE THE ALL THE OTHER WIRELESS CARRIERS.
SO THE RF ENGINEERS ONLY WANT A PLACE TO HANG THEIR ANTENNAS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO BUILD A TOWER.
IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE, MORE TIME CONSUMING, MUCH MORE MORE COSTLY TO HAVE TO BUILD YOUR OWN TOWER.
IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE THAT THEY COULD HANG THEIR ANTENNAS ON, THEY WOULD HAVE.
THERE IS NOTHING TO HANG THEIR ANTENNAS ON, WHICH IS.
WHY WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH THIS APPLICATION, WE DO TRY TO LOOK FOR SITES THAT ARE LARGE SITES WHERE YOU'VE GOT NATURAL BUFFERING TO TRY TO NOT SO MUCH HIDE, BUT REALLY DIMINISH THE IMPACT OF THE STRUCTURE.
IT WON'T REQUIRE LIGHTS, AS MS..
IT IS THE PROPERTY ITSELF THAT THE THE FACILITY WILL BE LOCATED ON IS 158 ACRES.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY BIGGER THAN THE PROPERTY THEY WERE LOOKING AT TEN YEARS AGO.
YOU'LL HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO IVER ROAD AND THE THE SITE ITSELF OR AROUND THE EXTERIOR OF THE COMPOUND, YOU'LL HAVE AN EIGHT FOOT FENCE AND LANDSCAPING THAT WILL GROW UP NICELY TO TO AGAIN OBSCURE THE EQUIPMENT AT GROUND LEVEL.
THE PROPOSED TOWER IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 1040FT FROM THE PROPERTY LINE TO THE NORTHEAST, APPROXIMATELY 1600 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY TO THE.
TO THE EAST AND THEN ABOUT 1700 FEET FROM THE CLOSEST PROPERTY TO THE SOUTH.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY 435FT FROM IVER ROAD.
THE PROPOSED TOWER WILL PROVIDE QUALITY WIRELESS SERVICES FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS IN THE AREA IN A MANNER, AS I SAID, THAT WILL HAVE MINIMAL VISUAL IMPACT AND ANY IMPACT AT ALL REALLY ON THE SURROUNDING USES.
IT WILL PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY, AS MISS LEWIS SAID, FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE USERS.
SO IT WILL PROVIDE CO-LOCATION.
IT WILL OPERATE CONTINUOUSLY, BUT IT WON'T REQUIRE ANY OCCUPANTS OR EMPLOYEES.
IT'S REALLY A VERY LOW IMPACT PASSIVE USE.
YOU MAYBE HAVE A TECHNICIAN THAT COMES TO THE SITE ONCE A QUARTER.
YOU KNOW, LESS OFTEN THAN THAT.
THERE WILL BE A GENERATOR AT THE SITE.
SO IF IF THERE IS A POWER OUTAGE, THE SITE AFTER THE BATTERY PACKS LOSE ALL OF THEIR JUICE, SO TO SPEAK, IT WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE.
EVERY ANTENNA SITE, EVERY TOWER SITE NEEDS TWO THINGS.
IT NEEDS POWER SOURCE, JUST LIKE YOUR CORDLESS PHONE.
AND IT NEEDS A LANDLINE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
AND IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE, MOST OF THOSE ARE FIBER LINES THAT ARE GOING TO THESE SITES.
SO IT WILL BE DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE, AS I SAID, FIVE USERS, AS YOUR CONSULTANT'S REPORT INDICATES, IT DOES COMPLY WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL REQUIREMENTS AND ALL OF YOUR ZONING REQUIREMENTS AND THE BEST PRACTICES FOR THE INDUSTRY.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANYBODY ELSE? ERBLANDE. UM, THIS TOWER THAT YOU'RE PUTTING UP, EVERYTHING, IS IT GOING TO BE IMPROVING YOUR 5G BROADBAND SERVICE?
[01:40:08]
IS IT PART OF YOUR 5G AND 5G ULTRA? BUILD UP. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO COME UP THERE OR NOT.YEAH. SO ALL OF THE THE NEWER WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? CAN YOU CITE THE QUESTION? OH, HE WAS ASKING IF IT WOULD ACCOMMODATE 5G.
ALL OF THE NEWER TOWERS ARE DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE 5G ANTENNAS AND EQUIPMENT.
BUT CERTAINLY HAVING A NEWER SITE, IT WILL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THE REASON WHY I WAS ASKING WITH BETTER BROADBAND THAT YOU HAVE ON THERE THAT WOULD ENHANCE THE STUDENTS IN THE AREA THAT USE THAT WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY.
YES. AND I FORGOT, SUPERVISOR CORNWELL ASKED ME HOW SOON IT'LL BE BUILT.
IT I HAD SAID POSSIBLY NEXT YEAR IT COULD BE 20, 25.
SO WE'LL TRY TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
GARY CROSS, AGAIN, I ALWAYS LIKE TO THROW A LITTLE LEVITY INTO ANY MEETING AND GET PEOPLE SMILING.
BUT FOR EVERY TOWER THAT GOES UP, MY CELL PHONE SERVICE GETS WORSE.
OKAY. I LIVE LESS THAN FOUR MILES FROM, SADLY, THE WAY THE CROW FLIES.
AND I HAVE TO CLIMB A LADDER AND GET ON THE ROOF SOMETIMES TO MAKE A PHONE CALL.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD START BEING CHARGED FROM VERIZON FOR HOW GOOD A SERVICE WE GET.
SO I GET TO PAY FULL PRICE FOR BAD SERVICE.
YOU GOT ONE IN ON 616 NOW, SADLY, PUT UP A TOWER.
I'VE SEEN NO DIFFERENCE AT ALL.
AND I THINK AS A JOKE, I THINK IT'S A SCAM.
HOPEFULLY THEY'LL HAVE ONE ON EVERY CORNER, AND BEFORE LONG, WE'LL HAVE SERVICE IN BLACK CREEK.
IT'S A PITY TO SIT IN THE HOUSE AT NIGHT AND.
IT'S PITIFUL. BUT THEY'RE CHARGING ME THE SAME AMOUNT AS THEY'RE CHARGING THEM.
CITY SLICKERS. THEY'VE GOT GOOD SERVICE.
ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? PROBABLY GET GET THEM DEAD.
LAST CALL THAT WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.
I HAVE A QUESTION. DID MISS LEWIS WOULD PROBABLY BE BEST SUITED TO ANSWER? YES, SIR. THIS IS YOUR DISTRICT? I BELIEVE IT IS.
BUT THE THE SITE LOCATION IS IS INDICATED IN OUR PACKET.
IT APPEARS TO ME THAT IT'S ACTUALLY SOUTH OF MILLFIELD ROAD IN THE PICTURE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT IT WAS NOTED RIGHT ON WHAT WE WERE PRESENTED WITH.
I KNOW THE DOCUMENTATION, SAID NORTH.
I KNOW WHERE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING IT.
I KNOW THAT IT IS ON THE NORTH SIDE.
I JUST KNOW THAT WHAT WE WERE PRESENTED, IT APPEARS TO ME IN MY MIND TO BE ACTUALLY SOUTH OF MILLFIELD, IT LOOKS LIKE IN A ON THE SITE LOCATION THAT'S IN OUR PACKET LOOKS TO ME TO BE WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO HAVE BEEN ON THE ORIGINAL SUBMISSION IN 2013.
PERHAPS THAT IS IN, IN SOME OF THE DOCUMENTATION, BUT THIS IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF MILLPOND ROAD.
MILL. POND ROAD. AND HOW FAR DOWN ARBOR ROAD IS IT FROM MILLFIELD THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ACCESS BEING TO IT FROM THE CORNER? DO YOU IF YOU THINK OF IVER ROAD AND THERE IS A SMALL CHURCH THERE, IT'S ABOUT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CHURCH.
THANK YOU. WITHOUT RECOMMENDING ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
AND. EVEN IF THEY I AM PRETTY SURE THAT EVEN IF IT IS NOT FINISHED UNTIL 2025, THEY WILL DO SOMETHING PHYSICAL IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
SO THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WILL NOT EXPIRE.
BUT THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING PHYSICAL IN 12 MONTHS.
[01:45:02]
ALL CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS HAVE TO DO THAT.I MEAN, IT'S. IT IS A DONUT HOLE.
YOU CAN'T TALK TO ANYBODY THROUGH THAT.
I PULL OVER IN THAT CHURCH TO FINISH PHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH THESE GENTLEMEN MANY TIMES.
BECAUSE IF I GO ANY FURTHER, WE'RE GOING TO QUIT TALKING RIGHT QUICK.
FOR. AND WHAT'S THE MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE.
ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL RIGHT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. OPPOSED? LIKEWISE.
I'D LIKE TO SAY WE ASK AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IF IT CAN BE CAMOUFLAGED, AND EVIDENTLY THAT WAS TOO COSTLY, BUT MAYBE BE PREPARED IN THE FUTURE.
OKAY. DO YOU WANT ME TO ADDRESS IT? OKAY. NUMBER TEN.
FIRE ALARM CONTROL PANEL REQUEST TO PURCHASE.
[10. Fire Alarm Control Panel]
YES, HONORABLE BOARD MEMBERS.WE DO HAVE A IN THIS BUILDING WE'RE SITTING IN NOW, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT PARTS OF THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND OR VERY HARD TO FIND, PROBABLY MORE LIKELY NO LONGER AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND CITIZENS, AS WELL AS THE CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS.
WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REPLACING THIS ITEM.
SO WE'RE REQUESTING YOU APPROVE THIS EMERGENCY PURCHASE.
WE DO HAVE A QUOTE FROM THE VSC FIRE AND SECURITY THAT STAFF HAS GOTTEN.
SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE THAT SINCE FUNDS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET FOR THAT PURCHASE.
HOW MUCH IS THE QUOTE I FORGOT? ANY QUESTIONS? $30,000. WELL, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.
FROM MY OWN KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVE FIRE MARSHAL HERE.
I GUESS WE CAN GET A STATEMENT ON THAT.
AND EVERYTHING HAS TO BE REQUIRED.
I MEAN, IT HAS TO BE REPLACED BY BY CODE TO BE COMPLIANT, IF YOU WILL.
AND THE OTHER PART OF BRIAN'S STATEMENT, THAT IS A CAPITAL EXPENDITURE HAVING EXCEEDED $25,000 OR MORE, DID WE HAVE TO GET MULTIPLE BIDS? WE DO NOT REPLACE THIS. WE DIDN'T.
YEAH, IT DID NOT GO OVER THE AMOUNT TO HAVE TO PUT IT OUT FOR AN RFP.
GOTCHA. AND PLUS, IT'S AN EMERGENCY PURCHASE THAT WOULD WE HAVE SOME LATITUDE THERE ANYWAY, BUT IT DOESN'T GO OVER THE $30,000 THRESHOLD REGARDLESS IS WHO WE CURRENTLY. YES.
SEE, THEY DO OUR SPRINKLER SYSTEM AND THEY DO THE FIRE ALARM.
IT'S TWO SEPARATE SYSTEMS, BUT THEY DO.
THEY ARE YES, THEY ARE SERVICED BY THE SAME MAIN COMPANY.
RIGHT. I MOVE, WE APPROVE THIS PURCHASE.
SECOND. AND THERE'S A SECOND FOR DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE PURCHASE? SAY AYE. AYE.
ALL RIGHT. MR. CARL HECK HERE TONIGHT.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRESIDENT AND CEO.
[11. Economic Development Updates]
WELCOME. THANK CHAIRMAN EDWARDS.WELCOME. MR.. GREGORY SO THE ONE TIME WE TALKED ON THE PHONE, IT DROPPED AND ALL THE WAY IT WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT THE PRIZE AND FOLKS GOT AWAY BEFORE I COULD MENTION THAT. SO THAT'S I'M GLAD THEY'RE HERE.
SO A FEW THINGS WE'VE GOT FOR PUBLIC.
THE BROADBAND PROJECTS MOVING MORE QUICKLY THAN ANTICIPATED.
SPECTRUM GOT SOME CREWS FROM WISCONSIN THAT COULDN'T WORK IN THE COLD ANYMORE.
[01:50:04]
SO THEY'RE GOING TO COME THEY'RE COMING DOWN HERE AND THEY'RE WORKING.SO THEY ARE ANTICIPATING A LATE SUMMER 2024 COMPLETION NOW FOR THEIR PROJECTS.
SO THEY MOVED IT UP A FEW MONTHS.
AND FOR PEOPLE OUT IN THE PUBLIC IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, THAT WARD OFF AND NEVADA PROJECTS ARE ALL GOING TO BE DONE AT THE SAME TIME IN SUFFOLK AND ISLE OF WIGHT, THEY DID THEM SEPARATELY BECAUSE THAT WARD OFF FUNDING WAS AVAILABLE FIRST AND THEN NEVADA FUNDING.
BUT NOW THAT THEY'RE BOTH AVAILABLE, THEY'RE JUST GOING TO DO THEM ALL AT ONCE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT WHEN THEIR ACTUAL SERVICE ARRIVES.
WE ALSO HAD A NICE SITE VISIT WITH MAYBERRY, THE MAYBERRY OPERATION.
THEY BOUGHT THE FORMER VALLEY PROTEIN SITE AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING A TRUCK WASH AND SERVICE AS WELL AS A MULCHING OPERATION AND A TRUCK TIRE OPERATION.
SO BETWEEN ALL THE THINGS THEY'RE DOING THERE, THEY ANTICIPATE ABOUT 30 EMPLOYEES TO BE THERE.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOME DIESEL MECHANICS.
SO THEY DO PLAN A GRAND OPENING IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS OR SO.
BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYBODY HERE.
THAT OLD BUILDING IS DOWN, THE ONE THAT CAUGHT FIRE.
BUT THEY HAVE PRETTY AMBITIOUS PLANS AS WELL AS USING IT FOR TRUCKING.
SO IT WAS VERY PROMISING AND DEFINITELY MORE EMPLOYEES THAN WE THOUGHT.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I HAVE FOR THIS TIME.
WELL, THEY DEFINITELY THEY DEFINITELY ARE BUSY AS BEES UP THERE WORKING AND CLEANING UP.
AND I'M SO GLAD BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE STINKING PLACE AND IT'S NICE TO SEE SOMEBODY ELSE IN THERE.
YEAH, THAT'S GONE. ALL THE SMELL WAS GONE.
IT'S LIKE THEY'VE PAINTED EVERYTHING AND THEY SAID IT TOOK A WHILE TO WHITEWASH EVERYTHING.
GET THE GET THE MAKE IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN THE RENDERING AND THE PROTEIN.
YOU MIGHT AS WELL VISIT A GOOD WAGON IF YOU SMELL SOME ROTTEN ANIMAL.
THAT'S WHAT IT KIND OF SMELLS LIKE.
MM. FURTHER QUESTIONS. COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, MISS HECK. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. ANY LATE ARRIVING MATTERS.
NONE. ANYBODY HAVE ANY? ALL RIGHT. WE GOING TO NEED A CLOSE SESSION.
[12. Closed Session]
TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION, THE BOARD WILL NEED TO DO THE FOLLOWING.A FIVE DISCUSSION WITH STAFF FROM FRANKLIN SOUTHAMPTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INC.
CONCERNING A PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY OR THE EXPANSION OF AN EXISTING BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY WITH NO PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MADE OF THE BUSINESSES OR INDUSTRIES INTEREST IN LOCATING OR EXPANDING ITS FACILITIES IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
I THINK WE NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO BE IN CLOSED SESSION.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.