Apr 17, 2024 Budget Workshop

ALL RIGHT.

[00:00:01]

WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE MEETING TONIGHT.

[1. Call to Order]

AND WE WILL RISE FOR OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE.

ALLEGIANCE].

OKAY. YOU HAVE THE AGENDA.

[Additional Items]

SO, WE'LL HONOR THOSE REQUESTS.

THE FIRST ONE IS OUR FRIEND, MR. DAVID EVERETT. THE HONORABLE BOARD.

DR. EDWARDS AND BOARD MEMBERS AND COUNTY OFFICIALS.

MY NAME IS DAVID EVERRETT, AS YOU KNOW, AND I LIVE AT TWO, 2427 DRURY ROAD IN VIRGINIA.

PROBABLY I HAVE 20 OR MORE YEARS OF BUDGET EXPERIENCE.

THE LAST THREE YEARS THAT I WORKED; I MANAGED $300 MILLION IN THE BUDGET.

AND BUT TODAY I'VE RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION.

AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSED ME TO COME AND SPEAK.

I RECEIVED INFORMATION, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TRUE OR NOT.

ONLY. ONLY Y'ALL WILL KNOW FOR SURE, BUT I'LL READ YOU WHAT? I WROTE I WAS INFORMED TODAY THAT A BUDGET REDUCTION FROM $0.89 TO $0.87 PER HUNDRED, AND AN INCREASE FROM 4.70 TO $5 PER 100, WAS GIVEN TO Y'ALL.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR NOT.

THE PERSON WHO TOLD ME THAT SHOULD KNOW.

AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, IT'S KIND OF STRONG LANGUAGE, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S A FORM.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE MY DAD USED TO TELL ME.

HE SAID, YOU NEED TO BE A DOCTOR SO YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THAT MONEY.

YOU CAN JUST TAKE MONEY IN AND STUFF.

AND SO, I REALLY FEEL LIKE IT'S A FORM OF STEALING STUFF IS LEGAL.

87%. I CAN IMAGINE.

SO, IT MAKES ME WONDER ABOUT THE WHOLE BUDGET PROCESS HERE.

SO, I HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT I LEARNED TO WORK WITH FOR THE LAST YEAR AND, AND 23.

WERE VERY FRUGAL PEOPLE THAT EVEN WERE WILLING TO TAKE PAY CUTS TO MAKE THE BUDGET.

SO, I RAN THE NUMBERS AROUND.

AND AS YOU KNOW, YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY HEARD THIS FROM THE FINANCIAL PEOPLE.

AROUND 67 TO $0.68 PUTS US IN THE BLACK.

THAT'S THE COUNTY BUDGET AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.

I RAN THE NUMBERS ON MINE, AND THEY SHOWED THAT AT THE NEW APPRAISED VALUE, WHICH I HEARD WHAT ROBERT SAID AND SOME OTHERS WERE TALKING, YOU KNOW, OUR APPRAISALS CAME IN VERY HIGH.

BUT IN ALL HONESTY, FOR YOU, I THINK THEY WERE FAIR BECAUSE MY HOUSE APPRAISED AT WHAT IT DID 15 YEARS AGO, BUT THE COUNTY WAS $100,000 BEHIND.

THEY JUST CAUGHT UP.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT THEY DID.

SO THE NEW APPRAISAL CAME IN AND IT WAS RIGHT ON TARGET, ACCORDING TO THE MORTGAGE COMPANY.

SO, I FELT GOOD ABOUT THAT.

SO, I RAN THE NUMBERS AND IT SAID THAT AT 89%.

IF YOU REDUCED IT BY $0.60 PER 100.

THERE IS STEEL WOULD PAY THE COUNTY AN EXTRA $110.

Y'ALL HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING? I'M SAYING HE REDUCED IT BY, EXCUSE ME IF YOU REDUCED IT FROM 89 CENTS ALL THE WAY TO 60.

THAT I STILL WOULD PAY $110 MORE THAN I.

NOW, LET'S ALL BE HONEST.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BOTHER ME IF I HAD TO PAY 300, 400, 500.

WELL, NO, Y'ALL, BUT IT'S GOING TO BOTHER A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY THAT ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE IN THE WORLD THEY'RE GOING TO EAT AT.

HOW ARE THEY GOING TO EAT? SO, 164 TO BE EXACT, $164 MORE. IT WOULD COST ME FOR MY NEW $95,000 ADDED TO MY ADDITIONAL APPRAISAL.

[00:05:05]

AT $0.87, IT WOULD BE 2044 50, WHICH IS ABOUT $800 MORE THAN IT IS RIGHT NOW, AND 89 CENTS, WHICH IS THE LEGAL.

THE CURRENT RATE IS 2091.

SO, I ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM AS YOU DO THIS BUDGET AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE PLAY GAMES WHEN IT COMES.

LOOK, IF WE WERE DOING A STAFFING DOCUMENT AND I HAD Y'ALL IN FRONT AND NONE OF Y'ALL HAD EVER DONE ONE, AND YOU WERE GOING TO STAFF A FACILITY AND I DID ONE, I COULD HIDE POSITIONS ALL OVER THE PLACE AND YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IT.

OKAY. THAT'S THE HONEST TRUTH.

I DID IT.

I DID THAT.

AND SO I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT GET DONE TO Y'ALL.

AND NOW I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT DONE.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TRASH FEED DONE AWAY WITH AND OUT OF THE INCREASE THAT WE USE.

WE, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW DO AWAY WITH THAT BECAUSE IT IS IT IS NO, NO ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IT.

IT DOESN'T EVEN BEAR TALKING ABOUT, BUT IT DOES.

IF WE I BELIEVE IF WE, WE CAN DO THAT AT 69%.

NOW, THE LAST THING I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO PUT SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BACK ON THE MAP.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE ON THE MAP NOW, BUT, I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT LOOKING AT SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IS TOO FRIENDLY AT AN 89-CENT TAX RATE.

87 IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN 89.

AND SO MOST COUNTIES AROUND US ARE 69 IN THE 50S THERE.

BUT THEY GOT MORE BUSINESSES, AND THEY GOT YOU KNOW I UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT.

SO, I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND LET'S SEE WHERE WE WIND UP AT.

Y'ALL HAD GOOD LUCK AND GOOD LUCK TO Y'ALL WITH DOING THE BUDGET, BECAUSE HELL, I KNOW IT IS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE WHO WANTED TO BRIEFLY ADDRESS US THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU. ACTUALLY, THERE ARE TWO OF US HERE, AND I'M GOING TO TALK FOR JUST A MINUTE BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE PERSONS WITH ME CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE.

WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR? MY NAME IS PAUL FRITZINGER.

I WAS JUST GETTING READY TO. I'M THE DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR THE CITY OF FRANKLIN.

AND SOUTHAMPTON AND ISLE OF WIGHT.

I'VE BEEN HERE DOING THIS FOR 20 YEARS IN WHAT IS NOW THE SMITHFIELD OFFICE.

BUT WHAT STARTED OUT AS THE FRANK FRANKLIN OFFICE, AND WE STILL REPRESENT THE SAME JURISDICTION THAT WE HAVE.

FOR THOSE 20 YEARS, I'VE BEEN DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR 16.

WE RECENTLY REQUESTED A $10,000 SUBSIDY FROM SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.

THIS IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT.

IT MAY BE A NEW CONCEPT TO SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, BUT THE BIGGER JURISDICTIONS HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR A WHILE.

AND RECENTLY, SUFFOLK GAVE QUITE A LARGE SUPPLEMENT TO THEIR PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

ISLE OF WIGHT IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF CONSIDERING PROVIDING A SUBSIDY FOR OUR OFFICE.

AND MANY OTHER SMALLER JURISDICTIONS ARE NOW RECEIVING SUBSIDIES.

I WANTED TO COME HERE TONIGHT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW.

I KNOW YOU MAY THINK YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO ESPECIALLY FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT MAYBE YOU DON'T.

FIRST OF ALL, YES, WE DO REPRESENT INDIGENT DEFENDANTS IN COURT.

EVERYTHING FROM RECKLESS DRIVING TO MURDER.

WE'RE JUST A HECK OF A LOT MORE, THOUGH, THAN REPRESENTING CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS IN COURT.

WE PROVIDE IMPORTANT SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY THAT I THINK THAT THIS BOARD MAY NOT KNOW THAT WE DO FIRST OF ALL, WITH REGARD TO DRUG ADDICTION, WE'RE OFTEN THE ONES THAT ARE THE ONES THAT IDENTIFY ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION FOR PEOPLE, KEEPING

[00:10:07]

WE ARE ACTIVE IN THE DRUG COURT PROGRAM BECAUSE OUR OFFICE MUST HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ATTEND DRUG COURT WHENEVER IT MEETS.

AND THAT LADY IS HERE WITH ME TONIGHT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I SAID. I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO HEAR FROM HER, BUT I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY.

WE ALSO IDENTIFY ALTERNATE, AS I SAID, DRUG PROGRAMS FOR CLIENTS WHO DON'T QUALIFY FOR OUR DRUG COURT PROGRAM AND HELP THE CLIENTS APPLY FOR AND GET ACCEPTED INTO THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS. THIS HELPS TO TREAT THE CAUSE OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.

SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET TO THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE AND NOT HAVE TO GO TO COURT AND REPRESENT PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY DONE CRIMES.

WE ALSO LOOK AT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

WE IDENTIFY CLIENTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS, EVALUATE THEIR FITNESS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS.

WE PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THOSE UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE DUE TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE HELPING TO PUSH FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MENTAL HEALTH COURT LIKE THAT WOULD TRACK RIGHT ALONG, JUST LIKE OUR DRUG COURT TO FURTHER IDENTIFY AND PROTECT PEOPLE WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

WE ALSO REPRESENT JUVENILE CLIENTS, HELPING THEM TO GET BACK ON THE RIGHT PATH, THAT IT'S A PROPHYLACTIC MEASURE TO TRY TO STEM ANY CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR BEFORE IT EVEN REALLY GETS STARTED.

GOOD. AND I KNOW, MR. FAISON, I'M KIND OF PREACHING TO THE CHOIR WITH YOU BECAUSE WE WORK TOGETHER FOR SOME TIME, SO YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE HAVE GROWN INTO IS MUCH BIGGER THAN WHAT WE DID.

EVEN WHEN YOU WERE WITH PROBATION AND PAROLE.

WE HAVE SIX ATTORNEYS AND FIVE STAFF MEMBERS, INCLUDING AN INVESTIGATOR AND A MITIGATION SPECIALIST THAT CURRENTLY WORK TO SERVE THE THREE JURISDICTIONS SOUTHAMPTON, ISLE OF WIGHT AND FRANKLIN.

OUR BIGGEST ISSUE, THOUGH, IS THAT WE CAN'T BE EFFECTIVE WHEN WE HAVE HIGH EMPLOYEE TURNOVER, IT IS EXTREMELY HARD. AND THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY WILL TELL YOU THIS BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

IT'S EXTREMELY HARD TO GET ATTORNEYS TO WANT TO COME TO WORK IN SOUTHAMPTON, FRANKLIN, ISLE OF WIGHT.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AND.

WITH HIGH EMPLOYEE TURNOVER AND A DIFFICULTY IN GETTING GOOD PEOPLE TO COME IN, WE CAN'T BE EFFECTIVE.

AND OUR BIGGEST ISSUE WITH THE DRAW IS COMPENSATION.

WE AS ATTORNEYS, WHEN WE GRADUATE NORMALLY, UNLESS WE'RE REALLY BLESSED, WE HAVE HIGH, HIGH, HIGH. RATE OF STUDENT LOAN DEBT.

AND. A LOT OF STUDENTS, A LOT OF NEW ATTORNEYS JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO COME AND WORK IN A PLACE LIKE THIS FOR WHAT THE STATE PAYS.

AND THAT'S WHY THESE OFFICES AND ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW, WITH THE COST OF EVERYTHING GOING UP THE WAY IT IS, THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR STUDENT DEBT LOAD AND EAT.

SO, WE CAN ONLY PROVIDE COMPETENT, EFFECTIVE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY IF WE CAN GET EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS TO STAY.

AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS TO OFFER THEM A BIGGER, A BETTER COMPENSATION PACKAGE.

AND WE'RE UNABLE TO DO THAT.

BUT RETENTION IS THE KEY.

AND REALLY, $10,000, WE'RE ASKING FOR A PITTANCE IN LIGHT OF THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE AND THE LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE. I SEE, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PICK ON ANYBODY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I SEE OUR FRIENDS OVER AT THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE GET A 12.33% INCREASE.

THAT'S OVER $100,000 TO THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

[00:15:03]

WE ASK FOR $10,000 AND WE GET TOLD NO.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THINKING, BUT I WOULD REALLY ASK IF YOU COULD PLEASE JUST FIND IT IN YOURSELVES TO RECONSIDER.

BECAUSE WE WOULD PROFOUNDLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.

AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU DO, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ZEALOUSLY REPRESENT THE UNDERSERVED IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY AND DO OUR BEST. BUT YOUR SUPPORT WOULD SURELY HELP.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION, AND IF YOU JUST GIVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO MISS KATIE BROWN, I'D APPRECIATE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE GENTLEMAN.

YES, I WOULD ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

WHAT DOES A NEW ATTORNEY START OUT AT WITH YOU? OUR NEW ATTORNEY FEES.

EXCUSE ME. OUR NEW ATTORNEYS HAVE JUST GONE UP TO, WHAT, JUST OVER $50,000 A YEAR.

62 FOR ONE OF POSITION ONE.

OKAY, SO FOR AN ATTORNEY, ONE, IT'S ABOUT 62.

WHEN I STARTED, IT WAS 38.

397. SO, IT HAS COME UP SOME BUT THAT IF YOU HAVE $100,000 IN STUDENT LOAN DEBT COMING OUT OF SCHOOL, THAT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY.

AND THAT THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT UNHEARD OF AT ALL.

THAT'S PROBABLY PRETTY AVERAGE FOR A FIRST-YEAR ATTORNEY COMING OUT OF LAW SCHOOL.

PROBABLY A LOT MORE THAN THAT.

WELL, I'D SAY YEAH, THAT'S AN AVERAGE IT CAN BE A LOT MORE.

IS, IS THIS RUN? LIKE REGULAR COURT PROCEEDING, OR IS IT A MORE NEGOTIATING? WITH AUTHORITIES.

THAT SOMETHING LESS THAN AN ATTORNEY THAT'S PASSED THE BAR, HE COULD BE WORKING OR GOING TO SCHOOL OR.

WELL TO ACHIEVE THAT.

BUT IS THIS PROGRAM THAT YOU REPRESENT, ONE THAT ACTUALLY TRIES CASES THAT END UP IN SENTENCING, OR IS IT MORE OF A PLACEMENT? SOMEBODY THAT'S A GOOD NEGOTIATOR.

THE OFFICE THAT I WORK FOR, THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, WHERE WE'RE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER.

I MEAN, WE'RE A OFFICE THAT'S CREATED BY STATE CODE AND WE REPRESENT INDIGENT DEFENDANTS THAT HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH CRIMES.

WE ARE TRIAL ATTORNEYS, OKAY? WE TRY CASES AGAINST THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY EVERY DAY.

AND IF THERE IS A PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE LOCATED IN A JURISDICTION, IT IS MANDATED BY VIRGINIA STATUTE THAT WE BE ASSIGNED ANY AND ALL CASES WHERE A PERSON CANNOT AFFORD AN ATTORNEY WHO MEETS THE INDIGENCY STANDARDS. WE HAVE TO GET THOSE CASES AND WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THEM.

SO THAT'S WHY I SAID WE REPRESENT CLIENTS IN ANYTHING FROM RECKLESS DRIVING TO MURDER.

AND I'VE BEEN IN THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT FOR 20 YEARS WORKING AGAINST ERIC COOKE ALL THOSE 20 YEARS, PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE, JUST LIKE YESTERDAY.

I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE LOOK AT THIS, THAT A LOT OF TIMES THEY ASK ME, HOW CAN YOU REPRESENT THOSE PEOPLE? WELL, THOSE PEOPLE ARE OFTEN UNJUSTLY ACCUSED.

AND WITHOUT OUR ASSISTANCE, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PROVE THAT OR BE ABLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES IN COURT, JUST LIKE THE PERSON I REPRESENTED YESTERDAY OVER IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY GENERAL DISTRICT COURT, WHO WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM.

BUT HAD I NOT BEEN THERE AND I'M NOT TOOTING MY OWN HORN, BUT HAD I NOT BEEN THERE TO LEND HIM ASSISTANCE AND TO FIGHT FOR HIS RIGHTS, HE COULD HAVE BEEN CONVICTED.

AND HAD HE BEEN, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN WRONG.

THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

HOW MANY ATTORNEYS ARE DO Y'ALL HAVE? WE HAVE SIX ATTORNEYS.

AND WE HAVE FIVE FULL TIME STAFF.

WELL, YOU CAN ASK MR. FAISON. WELL, I WAS GOING TO JUST ASK.

OKAY, NOW WE DO ASK FOR $10,000.

YES, SIR. OKAY.

ARE YOU COMING TODAY? ASKING FOR MORE? NO, SIR, YOU'RE JUST ASKING FOR THAT.

[00:20:02]

AND WHEN WE SAW THE.

EXCUSE ME, WHEN WE SAW THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, IT SAYS DEPARTMENT REQUESTS 10,000 FISCAL YEAR 2025 PROPOSED ZERO.

TELLS ME, RIGHT? OKAY, WELL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR OFFICE, AND I KNOW BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT I DID WITH YOU AND WHAT HAPPENED.

ANY TIME A DEFENDANT COMES INTO COURT, THE STATE GUARANTEES THAT HE HAS REPRESENTATION.

AND WHEN HE CAN'T AFFORD IT, THEN THAT'S WHEN.

THAT'S WHEN THEY COME IN. THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE CAN'T REFUSE ANY CASES.

SO, THE UGLIEST, THE WORST, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.

LIKE A PRIVATE ATTORNEY CAN TURN A CASE DOWN.

WE CANNOT.

YOU'RE REQUESTING EXACTLY HOW MUCH WE REQUESTED $10,000 IS WHERE THE WHOLE.

IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD ONE, ONE WILL BE PROVIDED.

EXACTLY. THAT'S US.

NOW, IF A PERSON IS CONVICTED, OKAY, THEN THAT FEE BECOMES HIS COURT COST.

YEAH, FOR A MISDEMEANOR $120.

I'M SAYING THAT ALWAYS GETS PAID.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT ALWAYS GETS PAID.

SURE. BUT IT'S THE DEFENDANT'S RESPONSIBILITY.

YEAH. AND ALL THOSE AMOUNTS ARE SET BY STATUTE.

HELP ME UNDERSTAND SOMETHING REAL QUICK.

YES, SIR. MY GENERAL KNOWLEDGE YOU MENTIONED SUFFOLK PAYS A LARGE, PAYS INTO A LARGE POT.

BUT I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE NOT PART OF YOUR OFFICE.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PUBLIC.

THEY'RE A DIFFERENT JURISDICTION.

YES. YEAH.

AS FAR AS PUBLIC DEFENDERS, THEY'RE ALL PART OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT, BUT THEY'RE A SEPARATE PUBLIC DEFENDER.

EXACTLY. EXACTLY RIGHT.

YOU FIGURED THAT OUT. BUT THAT'S OUR STATE LEGISLATURE.

THAT FIGURES.

WHO ELSE PARTICIPATES IN THEIR PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE? JUST THE CITY OF SUFFOLK.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN.

AND THAT'S. IT'S STRANGE BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AT ALL.

AND THEN THERE ARE SOME LIKE OURS, WHERE WE COVER A VERY LARGE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA ALL THE WAY FROM THE JAMES RIVER BRIDGE TO GREENSVILLE COUNTY LINE.

AND THEN YOU HAVE SOME, LIKE I SAY, LIKE SUFFOLK.

IT'S JUST THAT ONE CITY.

THAT'S IT. PETERSBURG.

JUST PETERSBURG.

THEY COULD TAKE ON COLONIAL HEIGHTS, BUT THEY DON'T.

I THINK THAT'S A VERY REASONABLE REQUEST TO CONSIDER ALL THE RIDICULOUS THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO LATER TONIGHT.

THAT'S A VERY REASONABLE REQUEST, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD DO THAT.

WELL, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER IT.

AND AS I SAID MISS BROWN CAME WITH ME TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT INTO WHAT SHE DOES WITH DRUG COURT AND WITH THE WITH THE JUVENILE COURT.

THAT'S WHAT SHE DOES.

IF YOU GIVE HER A MINUTE, I'M SURE SHE'D BE HAPPY TO.

TO LET YOU KNOW.

UNLESS THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS FOR ME.

BUT NOW YOU MIGHT CAN REFRESH MY MEMORY.

BUT I RECALL SEVERAL, MANY YEARS AGO, IF YOU WILL, THAT IT WAS THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT.

I THINK WE VOTED TO CHANNEL ALL OF THAT MONEY TOWARDS THE DRUG COURT.

YES, I KNOW THAT PAID OUT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

ARE WE STILL GIVING ANY OF THAT TOWARDS THAT? JUST THAT JUST STARTED BASICALLY LAST FISCAL YEAR AND IN THAT FIRST FISCAL YEAR, THE MONEY WE RECEIVED FROM THE SETTLEMENT WAS HANG ON, LET ME FIND THAT REAL QUICK.

SEE IT WAS $5,571.

AND THEN IN THIS FISCAL YEAR 24, WE HAVE FORWARDED $29,591.

AND I KNOW THAT JUST THIS WEEK, I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT WE ARE GETTING FIVE MORE PAYMENTS TOWARDS THE SETTLEMENT, WHICH WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS WE FORWARD IT TO WESTERN TIDEWATER COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD, AND THEN THEY ARE HOLDING THOSE FUNDS TO GIVE TO THE DRUG COURT THAT SERVICES OUR SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY RESIDENTS.

SO THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SO FAR.

BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT HELPS HIS OFFICE OR IF NOT DIRECTLY, I UNDERSTAND IT DOESN'T I JUST IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND AGAIN SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP THE DRUG COURT. YEAH.

AND WE HAD ONE YEARS AGO AND THEN IT WENT AWAY AND NOW WE HAVE RECONSTITUTED IT, IF YOU WILL.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU ALL TO GIVE ME ONE SECOND.

WE'RE NOW IN SMITHFIELD.

[00:25:03]

WE'VE ONLY BEEN IN SMITHFIELD FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF NOW.

BUT IF ANY OF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO COME DOWN TO OUR OFFICE, SEE WHAT WE DO, MEET THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH, WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS KATIE BROWN.

I'M AN ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDER IN THE SAME OFFICE.

I'VE BEEN WITH THE OFFICE FULL TIME SINCE 2017.

WAS IN A PART TIME CAPACITY BEFORE THAT SPREAD MY WINGS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE FOR A WHILE, AND THEN CAME HOME TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

AND I TRULY BELIEVE IT'S HOME.

I'M BORN AND RAISED IN THIS COUNTY.

I CAME BACK AFTER SCHOOL AND AM RAISING MY FOUR CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTY.

MENTIONED VERY BRIEFLY THAT SUFFOLK HAS BEEN PROVIDING A SUPPLEMENT TO THEIR ATTORNEYS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND I JUST KIND OF WANT TO PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE HOW LITTLE WE ARE TRULY ASKING FOR SUFFOLK SUPPLEMENTS, THEIR PUBLIC DEFENDERS, $16,000 PER ATTORNEY.

SO, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS REALLY JUST A VERY SMALL DROP IN THE BUCKET.

AND I MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE MR. FRITZINGER BROUGHT UP THE RETENTION AND OUR ABILITY TO RETAIN GOOD ATTORNEYS IN OUR OFFICE.

I HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY SUFFOLK'S PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE COUNTLESS, COUNTLESS TIMES TO COME WORK FOR THEM.

AND THAT WOULD MEAN 16,000 EXTRA DOLLARS IN MY POCKET EVERY YEAR.

I CHOOSE NOT TO, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THIS COUNTY.

I LOVE THIS COUNTY, I LIVE HERE, I'M RAISING MY CHILDREN HERE.

I BELIEVE IN THE WORK THAT I'M DOING FOR THIS COUNTY SPECIFICALLY IN THAT DRUG COURT.

I'M THRILLED TO HEAR THAT SO MUCH OF THAT MONEY IS GOING TO BE APPROPRIATED TO THE DRUG COURT.

NOW WE'RE CALLING IT RECOVERY COURT NOW THAT'S NOTHING THAT IS GOING TO FUND ANY OF THE PROFESSIONALS THAT WORK ON THE DRUG COURT, THE ATTORNEYS ON THE DRUG COURT ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

THAT MONEY GOES SPECIFICALLY TO THE TREATMENT OF THE OF THE PARTICIPANTS.

IT MAY GO TO ALSO THE SALARIES OF THE OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE AT WESTERN TIDEWATER COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD WHO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.

BUT WE I PARTICIPATE IN DRUG COURT EVERY WEEK.

SHOW UP EARLY.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I VOLUNTEER TO DO.

WE ARE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHETHER ANYBODY SEES IT OR NOT, AND PROVIDING A HUGE SERVICE IN, IN ADDRESSING THIS OPIOID CRISIS AND LARGER DRUG CRISIS, EVEN IF IT'S JUST ONE PERSON AT A TIME.

BUT WE ARE SERVING THAT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

AND WE ARE A VERY ACTIVE PART OF THAT.

AND AS MR. FRITZINGER INDICATED, THE PARTICIPANTS OF THAT RECOVERY COURT ARE ALMOST ALWAYS COME FROM OUR CLIENTS.

AND BECAUSE WE HAVE ASSISTED THEM TO THAT PATH INTO RECOVERY, BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS TO ADDRESS THOSE, ADDRESS THE ROOT ISSUE OF THE CRIME, AND IT IS DRUGS ALMOST ALL THE TIME.

SO, WE ARE SERVING THE COMMUNITY EVERY DAY IN THAT CAPACITY.

AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING US OUT.

I HAVE A FOR MY OWN CURIOSITY.

YOUR RECIDIVISM RATE IS, YOU DO YOU TRACK THAT? I DON'T KNOW.

I'M SURE IT IS DONE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT OUR OFFICE DOES, BUT I AM SURE THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LEARNED WHEN WE WERE ALL OF US.

I'D SAY US, IN REGARD TO THE DRUG COURT.

WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SPECIAL TRAINING ME, THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEYS THAT ARE INVOLVED ON IT, AS WELL AS THE JUDGES.

WE DO SPECIFIC TRAINING ON THAT.

AND YES, THERE IT IS.

THE DRUG COURT IMPACTS RECIDIVISM GREATLY.

I JUST DON'T KNOW THOSE NUMBERS, AND I APOLOGIZE.

WELL, THE WELL, JUST OFF THE CUFF, DO YOU SEE THE PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM BENEFITING, IS IT OR DO YOU SEE KIND OF A REVOLVING DOOR? SO, OUR PROGRAM IS RELATIVELY NEW.

IT'S TWO LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD.

WE'VE GRADUATED, AND IT TAKES PEOPLE ABOUT 18 MONTHS TO GET THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

SO, WE'VE ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE GRADUATE.

BUT JUST IN GENERAL MR. FRITZINGER AND I, EVEN THOUGH DRUG COURT HAS NOT BEEN A THING BUT FOR LESS THAN TWO YEARS, HE AND I AND THE OTHER ATTORNEYS IN OUR OFFICE HAVE BEEN WE OFFER THESE ALTERNATIVE PUNISHMENTS.

AND WHAT WE MEAN BY THAT IS WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN AND IS ABOUT TO BE SENTENCED FOR A CRIME, LET'S SAY A PROPER NONVIOLENT CRIME, A PROPERTY CRIME,

[00:30:01]

WHAT WE DO IS WE FIND WE FIND OTHER OPTIONS LIKE DRUG REHABILITATION PROGRAMS TO OFFER TO THE COURT TO SAY, HEY, COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY'S ASKING FOR A YEAR OF JAIL TIME.

BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO PUT HIM IN TREATMENT.

INSTEAD, IT USED, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT USED TO BE A PROGRAM.

DAVID WOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS.

IT USED TO BE A PROGRAM OVER AT SOUTHAMPTON.

I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT IT WAS FOR LIKE NINE MONTHS.

AND IF THEY COMPLETED IT, THEY WERE ABLE TO AVERT THE HARD TIME BY SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING IT.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING.

BECAUSE THEY DID AWAY WITH THAT AND MOVED EVERYBODY UP TO GREENVILLE OUTSIDE OF STAUNTON? AND IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING? NO, IT'S ACTUALLY WHAT I'M SPEAKING OF IS, IS MY OFFICE WILL JUST FIND, YOU KNOW, 30-DAY PROGRAMS OTHER PLACES OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

I DO THINK I KNOW; I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO MAYBE DETENTION AND DIVERSION IS WHAT IT USED TO BE CALLED.

IT'S NOW CALLED C CAP.

BUT THAT STILL EXISTS.

IT IS JUST WE DON'T FIND THAT TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AS OTHER.

OKAY. AS FAR AS THE RECOVERY COURT YOU HAVE CALLED A YOUTHFUL OFFENDER.

THAT'S A DIFFERENT NO, IT WAS AFTER THAT, DAVID, THAT IT WAS AT THE DIVERSION DETENTION.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT CHANGED TO.

BUT FOR SOME REASON THEY MOVED ALL OF THEM.

AND THOSE ARE THERE'S A SIMILAR PROGRAM TO THAT NOW IT'S CALLED C CAP.

AND YES, WE ROUTINELY HAVE PEOPLE SCREENED FOR THAT.

IT'S ALL ABOUT KNOWING OUR CLIENTS FROM THE MOMENT THEY COME IN OUR DOORS, BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE VERY SPECIFIC NEEDS BASED ON THEIR HISTORY AND THAT SORT OF THING.

OKAY. NOW, I KNOW THAT YOU DEAL WITH THE DEFENDANT WHEN HE ENTERS INTO THE IT JUST WASN'T OKAY, BECAUSE YOU ARE YOU'RE THE PERSON WHO IS GUARANTEED TO OFFER HIM REPRESENTATION.

SO, YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE CLIENT EVEN EXTENDS BEYOND THAT? IT IS WITHIN THE CAPACITY OF MY EMPLOYMENT.

BUT I WOULD SAY AND AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO TOOT MY OWN HORN, BUT WE HAVE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAN PRIVATE ATTORNEYS HAVE.

I OFTEN HEAR, YOU KNOW, I'VE PAID FOR AN ATTORNEY BEFORE, AND I'M, I'M GETTING BETTER REPRESENTATION WITH YOU.

AND AGAIN, I'M NOT TOOTING MY OWN HORN, BUT WE HAVE VERY GOOD RESOURCES.

WE HAVE INVESTIGATORS, WE HAVE A MITIGATION SPECIALIST.

WE KNOW WE HAVE THESE CONNECTIONS WITH MR. COOK'S OFFICE, AND WE HAVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PROBATION OFFICE THAT SOMETIMES THESE OTHER ATTORNEYS THAT REPRESENT CLIENTS DON'T ALWAYS HAVE. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I REALLY ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BUT YES, I WOULD SAY WE WE DO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS EXPECTED OF US BECAUSE THAT IS THE BEST OUTCOME FOR OUR AFTER THE PERSON GOES TO COURT IN THE SENTENCE AND ALL OF THAT, DOES YOUR WORK IN THERE, YOU WORK WITH THEM BEYOND THAT? NO, I'M NOT WELL, UNLESS THEY CALL AND THEY NEED SOMETHING.

AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE SOMEBODY WILL SAY, HEY, I NEED HELP.

AND YES, WE CAN HELP GUIDE THEM TO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN, BUT YES, WE CAN.

BUT YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS GUARANTEE THE PERSON WHEN HE GOES TO COURT, HE HAS PROPER REPRESENTATION.

RIGHT. AND THEN WITH THE DRUG COURT, I WOULD SAY THAT IS BEYOND MY REPRESENTATION, ACTUALLY.

YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THEY ARE SENTENCED TO DRUG COURT, AND THEN WE KIND OF WATCH THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

SO THAT IS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION.

THANK YOU. MISS BRIAN.

CAN YOU REMIND ME OF WHO THE JUDGE IS THAT NORMALLY SITS IN DRUG COURT IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY? IT'S ONE PARTICULAR ONE ISN'T IT? IT'S WAYNE FARMER MR..

OKAY. AND I KNOW THIS THROUGH SPEAKING WITH OUR COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT HE IS VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THE SUCCESS THAT THE DRUG COURT IS HAVING.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS COME IN EARLY ON DAYS WHEN THEY ARE HAVING DRUG COURT JUST TO HELP WITH THE PROCESS IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY AND EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WORK OVER THERE IS THAT IT IS A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM BECAUSE NOT ONLY YOU JUST WOULDN'T REALIZE HOW MANY CRIMES HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF DRUGS THAT JUST KIND OF SPIRAL OFF OF EACH OTHER.

AND SO EVEN IF YOU JUST HELP ONE PERSON OR TWO PEOPLE, YOU'VE DIMINISHED A LARGE NUMBER OF CRIMES AND MAKING MAJOR CHANGES

[00:35:02]

WE JUST HAD A PARTICIPANT THAT WAS SAYING HIS HIS BROTHER HAD COME OUT INTO OUT OF PRISON AND COME AND WAS LIVING WITH HIM.

AND HE HAD A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, WAS SCARED ABOUT IT.

AND THEN OUR LATEST UPDATE IS HE'S IN RECOVERY NOW TO, YOU KNOW, BASED ON WHAT HE'S SEEING HIS BROTHER DO.

SO IT IS IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

AND I WOULD SAY JUST A GUESS.

BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE, I WOULD SAY 80, 85% OF ALL CRIMES HAVE SOME SOMETHING TO DO WITH SUBSTANCE USE, WHETHER IT'S ALCOHOL OR OR ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES.

IT'S HUGE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON.

[2. FY25 Budget]

WE DID MISS ONE MEETING, THIS ONE ON THE SEVENTH, BECAUSE THE.

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, I BELIEVE, WITH THE STATE GIVING US THE ESTIMATES.

SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION.

SO I'LL JUST GIVE A BRIEF YOU'VE GOT AN AGENDA HERE.

WE'VE GOT SEVERAL ATTACHMENTS TO YOUR AGENDA HERE.

AND WHAT WE'VE DONE JUST TO REMIND YOU ALL THE APRIL 23RD MEETING COMING UP THAT'S TRADITIONALLY WHEN THE COUNTY FINALIZES ITS BUDGET AND AUTHORIZES THE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE MAY 13TH.

WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET MAY 22ND.

WE HAVE TO HAVE A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY.

TAX INCREASE DUE TO THE ASSESSMENTS PROCESS.

THIS YEAR, PRIMARILY MAY 28TH IS SCHEDULED FOR BUDGET ADOPTION.

AND ANY OF THESE AMENDMENTS REQUESTING A STRAW VOTE FROM THE BOARD ON ANY OF THIS.

SO JUST WE DID MEET IN PROMPTU WITH SEVERAL OF Y'ALL THE LAST DAY OR TWO TO DISCUSS SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET. AND IF YOU SEE HERE ATTACHED TO YOUR AGENDA BASED ON SOME OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS, SOME OF Y'ALL HAD THE IDEA TO POSSIBLY BRING THE PROPOSED RATE DOWN FROM $0.86, WHICH IS IN MY PROPOSED BUDGET NOW DOWN TO 79 CENT PER HUNDRED, AS SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE SUGGESTED, WHICH WOULD BASICALLY BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN REVENUE NEUTRAL AND THE CURRENT RATE AT $0.89.

SO WE WE PUT SOME IDEAS TOGETHER.

AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, I STILL DO RECOMMEND YOU ADOPT THE BUDGET I PRESENTED AND RECOMMENDED ON APRIL 10TH, BUT WE DID TRY TO PARE DOWN ABOUT $1.5 MILLION.

I'M NOT SUGGESTING THESE, BUT JUST TRYING TO PUT SOME IDEAS TOGETHER OF SOME THINGS YOU COULD CONSIDER TO CUT IF YOU WANTED TO PUSH THE TAX RATE DOWN LOWER.

YOU CAN SEE HERE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SITE STUDY $120,000.

AND A LOT OF THESE THINGS, JUST AS A REMINDER, WERE IN YOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT YOU ADOPTED AND SAID YOU WANTED TO AT LEAST CONSIDER AND POSSIBLY DO OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD.

SO THAT'S WHY THEY WERE PUT IN THE BUDGET INITIALLY.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SITE STUDY TO TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PUTTING NEW SITES IN THE PIPELINE.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST PART OF THAT.

BUT WE DID REMOVE THAT AT $120,000 WATER AND SEWER RATE STUDY.

AGAIN, THAT WAS IN YOUR PRIORITIES.

AND THAT'S TO LOOK AT WHAT WE NEED TO INCREASE WATER AND SEWER RATES OVER TIME TO TRY TO MAKE WATER AND SEWER, FUND A ENTERPRISE FUND OVER TIME, AND BE SELF-SUFFICIENT TO LESSEN THE RELIANCE ON THE GENERAL FUND AS IS CURRENTLY DONE.

Y'ALL TALKED A LOT OF IN YOUR PRIORITIES.

PROBABLY THE MOST THING Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT WAS CAREER TECH.

WE HAD PUT $50,000 IN THE BUDGET JUST AS SOME SEED MONEY.

SO WE DID REMOVE THAT AT $50,000.

HOLIDAY BONUS FOR $100 PER EMPLOYEE.

REMOVE THAT AT $23,000.

AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE HAVE NO LINE ITEM FOR EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION AND RECOGNITION.

CURRENTLY SO I HAD RECOMMENDED $25,000 AGAIN THIS YEAR, BUT.

AND TRY TO PARE THAT DOWN, WE DID REMOVE THAT FROM THE BUDGET.

SCHOOL FUNDING. AND I'M SORRY, THERE'S NO WAY TO GET $1.5 MILLION IN CUTS WITHOUT TAKING SOME CHUNKS HERE.

SCHOOL FUNDING.

IF YOU REMEMBER, WE RECOMMENDED A $511,000 INCREASE.

AND THIS THIS OPTION WOULD REDUCE THAT BY 411,261.

[00:40:07]

THE RADIO MAINTENANCE PROJECT WE HAVE PUT IN MONEY.

IN THE FUTURE, YOU'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO BE ENTERING INTO A CONTRACT FOR RADIO MAINTENANCE WITH THE NEW SYSTEM.

WE REDUCED THAT PORTION.

SO WE'VE REDUCED THAT LINE ITEM BY $273,000.

BUT THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR AT A LATER TIME.

HUMAN RESOURCES AND RISK MANAGEMENT SAFETY POSITION.

AGAIN, THAT WAS INCLUDED AS SOMETHING TO LOOK AT IN YOUR PRIORITIES.

I REMOVE THAT.

THAT'S 157.

THAT'S SALARY, BENEFITS, EVERYTHING.

HR DIRECTOR, OFFICE SUPPLIES 3000, HR DIRECTOR, EQUIPMENT 2500.

IF YOU REMEMBER, WE LOOKED AT HIRING BONUSES FOR SHERIFF'S OFFICE DEPUTIES AND DISPATCHERS.

A LOT OF THE AREA LOCALITIES ARE DOING THAT AND THEN TRY TO STAND COMPETITIVE AND UP TO DATE ON PRACTICES.

WE DID INCLUDE SOME MONEY ON THAT, BUT UNDER THIS PROPOSAL, TOOK THAT OUT $62,500.

WE REDUCED THE COUNTY BUILDINGS REPAIR LINE ITEM BY $50,000.

THREE OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE'RE HAVE PROPOSED ARE PROPOSING TO INCLUDE IN THE NEW BUDGET.

WE'VE PARED THAT DOWN TO FUND ONLY FOR HALF A YEAR.

AND THAT COMES TO 169,806, AND THAT'S FOR A NEW PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE, FACILITIES MANAGEMENT PERSON.

AND THE EMERGENCY SERVICES COORDINATOR WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A YEAR OR TWO NOW.

CONSULTING SERVICES, WE REDUCED THAT 1362 THE FAIR PROJECTS 2000 BOARD OF ASSESSORS OFFICE SUPPLIES, 3000 TREASURER POSTAL OFFICE.

WE REDUCED BY 5000.

LAW ENFORCEMENT, DETENTION AND INSPECTIONS.

HEALTH INSURANCE, HOSPITAL PLAN 14,001 69, 5008, 12 AND 10,000 RESPECTIVELY.

AND REFUSE DISPOSAL CONTRACTUAL SERVICE REDUCED.

THAT'S 56,001 88 FOR A TOTAL OF 1,495,003 96, RIGHT AT $1.5 MILLION.

AND. THAT GETS YOU TO A 79 CENT REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATES.

FIRST. WHO DETERMINES THAT RATE? EXCUSE ME. WHO DETERMINES THAT RATE? DO WE KNOW? WELL, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF ITEMS I WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT UNDER THE CATEGORY.

I THINK IT'S UNDER THE BOARDS CATEGORY.

WHAT PAGE IS THAT? PAGE 39.

YEAH. 35.

39. 39.

OKAY. AND.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT THE CONSULTING RATES.

IN LINE.

ITEM 31.

86, 31, 88.

3189. AND THE OTHER ONE WAS ON THE SHEET WE JUST LOOKED AT.

31, 91.

EXCUSE ME, 31, 91.

I THINK MY EYES ARE CROSSING, BUT I THINK THAT ONE WAS THE 50,000 THAT WAS ON THE SHEET.

MR. THROWER JUST READ FROM.

THEY ADD UP SIGNIFICANTLY.

AND I THINK THOSE STUDIES.

BRIAN, WERE TO ASSESS THE BUILDING USAGE ON THE FOOTPRINTS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN.

YES, SIR. FOR PARKING AND INCREASE OFFICE SPACE, SLASH STORAGE SPACE AND RENOVATION OF THIS BUILDING AND LOOKING AT BASICALLY A

[00:45:02]

WELL AND PARKING FOR THE COURT, RIGHT? MYSELF. I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE.

THREE, TO BE EXACT, IN THE COUNTY THAT DEAL WITH CONSTRUCTION.

FORMERLY COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION.

TO SEE IF A LOT OF.

I BELIEVE THIS WAS THESE NUMBERS ARE HERE TO SUPPORT A STUDY COMING FROM SOMEONE LIKE MOSELEY ARCHITECTS OR.

THAT'S CORRECT. AND I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT THE TALENT IN THIS COUNTY KNOWING THE FOOTPRINT THAT WE'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH A CONCEPT.

OF PARKING SLASH.

OFFICE SPACE, STORAGE SPACE, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS REMOVED FROM THE BUDGET IN ADDITIONAL TO THE LIST THAT COMPRISE THE 79 CENT RATE.

THIS. SO USUALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER LOCALITIES I'VE WORKED IN, YOU EITHER DO A FACILITIES MASTER PLAN OR A SPACE NEEDS ANALYSIS TO LOOK AT YOUR FUTURE GROWTH. AND YOU USUALLY HIRE AN ARCHITECT TO DO THAT.

SO I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU GO ABOUT PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE AND LOOK AT WHAT YOU NEED SPACE WISE AND RENOVATION WISE, WITHOUT HAVING AN ARCHITECT ON BOARD.

WELL, WE'VE GOT A FOOTPRINT TO USE.

IT'S A FINITE.

AREA FOR SURE.

BUT I THINK LOCALLY, WE CAN DO A LOT OF THE LEGWORK THAT MOSLEY WOULD DO IF WE DIRECT THEM TO GIVE US A PLAN FOR THAT SITE RIGHT OUTSIDE THIS DOOR, WHICH WAS A STAGING GROUND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.

TO BEST USE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THERE AND COME UP WITH A BUILDING.

MIGHT BE MULTI-LEVEL.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXPAND THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE.

AND ONCE THAT TAKES PLACE, THAT BUILDING IS IS AVAILABLE FOR ANOTHER OFFICE FOR SOMEBODY OR PROBABLY TWO.

DEPENDING ON THE JOB DESCRIPTION.

AND THEN THERE'S A FOOTPRINT OVER HERE.

AND I THINK WE'D BE WISE TO USE THAT SPACE AS ECONOMICALLY POSSIBLE.

AND WE'VE GOT THE EXPERTISE IN THIS COUNTY TO DRAW UP A CONCEPT FOR US, OR TO WORK WITH US TO SKETCH IT OUT WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT OF NEEDING AN ARCHITECT'S STAMP ON A BUILDING.

THEN THERE'S SOMEBODY LIKE MOSLEY.

BUT UNTIL WE GET TO THAT POINT.

I THINK WE CAN USE OUR OWN TALENT IN THE COUNTY, WHICH IN MY OPINION, WE HAVEN'T LEANED ON THAT ENOUGH.

AND THERE.

SURVEYORS, THEIR CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE.

THEY ARE HERE. THEY'VE OFFERED THEIR SERVICES.

WE'VE NEVER USED THEM.

TO ANY DEGREE, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.

AS A SAVINGS.

AND I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD SUPPORT IT.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR SOME DISCUSSION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO TAKE THOSE LINE ITEMS OUT, WHICH WOULD GIVE YOU ANOTHER PENNY OR MORE TO DEDUCT FROM THE 79 CENT.

JUST 800,000 JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S CLARIFICATION THAT THAT LINE ITEM IS 100,000.

SO THAT'S MORE THAN THAT'S IT'S MORE THAN ONE LINE ITEM.

THAT'S ONE LINE ITEM.

THE OTHERS ARE IN THE LIST THAT MR. THROWER READ FROM.

SO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SITE STUDY OF 120,000, THAT ONE'S ON THE THAT'S ON HIS LIST.

YES, SIR. THAT'S ALREADY SORRY.

SO BASICALLY I CUT OUT ALMOST EVERYTHING OUT OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT Y'ALL SAID Y'ALL WANTED TO LOOK AT PRIORITY WISE, EXCEPT THAT WAS ONE IN THE COMP AND CLASS STUDY. ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT ARE THOSE CONSULTING ITEMS THAT YOU THINK WE NEED TO TAKE OUT? WELL, THERE'S ONE MORE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE COMPENSATION STUDY, IF I COULD.

YEAH. I.

I'VE BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END OF STUDY AFTER STUDY AFTER COMP STUDY, AND IT NEVER CAME TO FRUITION.

AND AND I KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE.

TO TO GET YOUR HOPES UP AND TO SEE THE RESULTS OF WHAT IT IS.

[00:50:01]

I MEAN, I THINK WE ALL THINK THAT AND BELIEVE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE UNDERVALUED.

THEY'RE UNDER COMPENSATED AT THIS JUNCTURE.

I THINK WE KNOW THAT THE RESULTS OF THIS $75,000 COMPENSATION STUDY ARE GOING TO REVEAL THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE UNDERPAID.

I THINK WE ALL BELIEVE THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE RESULT.

AND THE REASON I WANT TO BRING IT UP AND DISCUSS IT NOW IS THAT I WOULD HATE TO SPEND $75,000 TO YIELD THAT RESULT AND THEN NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT. I DON'T WANT THEM TO TELL ME THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE UNDERPAID, AND THEN US NOT HAVE THE REVENUE STREAMS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.

UNTIL OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOLKS CAN BRING US THE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY AND REVENUE STREAMS TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT GOOD HAVING THEM TELL US WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW WOULD DO FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. SO I'M A GOOD POINTS ON THAT.

THAT'S MY YEAH, GOOD POINTS ON THAT.

AND I'VE DONE COMPENSATION STUDIES AND OTHER LOCALITIES.

AND AGAIN, THE BEST PRACTICE TO DO THEM EVERY 3 TO 5 YEARS.

AND NOT ONLY DO THEY LOOK AT COMPENSATION AND HOW YOU COMPARE TO SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS, THEY LOOK AT YOUR COMP, YOUR TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGES WITH INSURANCE BENEFITS, EVERYTHING THAT ELSE THAT GOES WITH THAT, THEY'LL UPDATE YOUR POSITION DESCRIPTIONS.

AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE DON'T HAVE AN HR DIRECTOR.

WE HAVE A WHOLE DEPARTMENT THAT'S NOT EVEN INCLUDED.

IN OUR POSITION CLASSIFICATION IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

THAT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE JOB DESCRIPTIONS.

THAT GOES SOMEWHAT BACK INTO THIS AND SOMEWHAT INTO THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE AN HR DIRECTOR.

SO THINGS COMPOUND AND COMPOUND AND COMPOUND UPON THEMSELVES OVER TIME.

BUT TO SPEAK TO YOUR QUESTION, I MEAN, THAT'S ALWAYS A QUESTION FOR THE GOVERNING BODY.

OF COURSE, THEY'LL COME BACK AND SAY THE THE COUNTY IS UNDERPAID TO SOME DEGREE, AND THEY'LL GIVE YOU RECOMMENDATIONS, 3 OR 4 OPTIONS ON DO IT ALL AT ONCE, PHASE IT IN, AND THEN IT'S UP TO THE TO THE LOCALITY AND GOVERNING BODY TO MAKE THE MONEY AVAILABLE TO PHASE IT IN MOST LIKELY OVER TIME.

BUT I MEAN, GOOD QUESTIONS, MISTER CORNWELL.

THAT'S I GET WHAT YOU'RE I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

SO THE PREVIOUS COMPENSATION STUDY THAT WE HAD DONE WAS IN 2016.

AND WHEN THAT STUDY WAS COMPLETED, THE COMPANY GAVE THE BOARD MEMBERS THREE OPTIONS OF HOW TO PHASE IT IN, AND THEY CHOSE THE OPTION OF PHASING IT IN OVER THREE YEARS.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT SOME DEPARTMENTS, MORE THAN OTHERS, ARE VERY MUCH OVER UNDERPAID MY CDL DRIVERS. I'VE GOT SOME THAT I NEED TO I HAVE A POSITION THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO EVENTUALLY BE FILLED, AND. OUR GUYS ARE COMING IN AT 35, 36, WHICH IS EXTREMELY UNDERPAID.

I'M SURE MR. WHITE COULD TELL YOU THAT BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE.

YEAH, MOST OF OUR CDL TRUCK DRIVERS START OUT MAKING 80,000.

YEAH, AND I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE TO GO THAT HIGH, BUT ARE THEY SAYING COMPLETE ALL THREE PHASES? DID THEY IMPLEMENT ALL THREE AT THAT TIME? YES. MR. CORNWELL'S POINT IS WHY DO WE SPEND THAT MONEY ON SOMETHING? WE ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO SEPARATE EACH JOB DESIGNATION APPROPRIATELY TO PUT THE RIGHT PRICE TAG ON IT.

IF WE HAD THE IF I FELT LIKE WE HAD THE REVENUE STREAMS ON THE BACK SIDE TO TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

PROVIDED BY THE TEAM PUTTING TOGETHER THE COMPENSATION STUDY, I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO BE IN FAVOR OF SAID STUDY.

I MEAN, I SEE THE BENEFITS OF THEM.

THAT'S THAT'S NOT WHERE I WOULD SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF IT, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE TOTALITY OF WHAT THEY COMPRISE AND PUT TOGETHER.

MY ONLY CONCERN BEING IS THAT WE DO ALL THAT AND THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, OH, MAN, WE'RE DOING A COMPENSATION STUDY.

THAT'S GREAT. I MEAN, THE LAST ONE YIELDED RESULTS.

YEAH. YOU KNOW, THEY GOT OVER THREE YEARS AND INCREASE IN COMPENSATION AND WE SPEND THE $75,000 NOW AND THEN NEXT YEAR AFTER A SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL TAX INCREASE THIS YEAR, WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO IF WE WERE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMPANY THAT CONDUCTS THE COMPENSATION STUDY, INCREASED TAXES AGAIN TO PAY FOR IT, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, RIGHT? I DON'T THINK I DON'T KNOW OF ANY COMPENSATION STUDY THAT'S EVER BEEN DONE IN THE COUNTY THAT WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED.

[00:55:01]

BUT I WILL SAY THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

AND YOU CANNOT FORGET ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYEES ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY CAN GO TO FRANKLIN, ISLE OF WIGHT, SUFFOLK.

THE DIFFERENCE IS SIGNIFICANT.

SO VERY SIGNIFICANT I COMPLETELY AGREE.

WELL, LET'S GIVE SOME DIRECTION HERE.

LET'S GO. WHICH ONE OF THESE THINGS DO WE STRONGLY FEEL WE NEED OR WHATEVER DO WE NEED TO GET? WE NEED TO CARVE OUT WHAT? YOU KNOW, THOSE CONSULTANTS ALREADY CARVED THEM ALL OUT.

EXCEPT FOR ONE.

Y'ALL SAW THAT, RIGHT? THE THE. I WOULD RECOMMEND THE.

I THINK MR. THROWER REFERRED TO THE 100,000.

YEAH. THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE I RECOMMEND TO PULL THAT OUT.

GOTCHA. SO JUST JUST TO RECAP, AS YOU SEE, BASICALLY WE'VE WE'VE PULLED ALMOST EVERYTHING WE CAN PULL OUT TO TRY TO SATISFY SOME OF THE REQUEST TO KIND OF PUT IT IN THE MIDDLE OF $0.79.

WE PURPOSELY LEFT COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY AND FACILITIES OUT BECAUSE, IN MY OPINION, AND I THINK LYNETTE COULD SAY THE SAME, AT LEAST ON THE COMPENSATION AND CLASS STUDY.

THOSE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT IN OUR EYES.

AND WE AND WE'VE SATISFIED WE'VE PULLED OUT $1.5 MILLION TO AFFECT APPEASE COMING DOWN ON THE TAX RATE TO SOME.

I MEAN, THE BOARD AND THE CITIZENS NEED TO REALIZE THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION.

WE HAVE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES TO WE'RE TRYING TO RUN THIS LIKE A QUOTE UNQUOTE BUSINESS, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT A BUSINESS, IT'S AN ORGANIZATION.

AND YOU CAN'T JUST STAY FLAT ON A TAX RATE YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR AND ABSORB INCREASES EVERY YEAR.

THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT WORKS.

THERE WAS A $50,000 DEMOLITION.

WHAT IS THAT? HELP ME FIND THAT.

WELL. THERE'S ZERO. WHAT DEPARTMENT DO YOU WANT TO PULL UP? OH. HOLD ON. I THOUGHT IT WAS 50,000.

MAYBE THE DEPARTMENT REQUESTED 50,000, AND THEN WE PUT ZERO.

I'M GOING TO GUESS THAT'S UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

THAT'S ZERO EIGHT. OH, I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF RUN TOGETHER AFTER YOU LOOK AT IT.

I GOT ONE MORE QUESTION.

IF I CAN GET IT IN.

HOW MANY TRUCK DRIVERS WE HAVE? THREE. WE WOULD LIKE TO HIRE ONE MORE.

SO THAT WOULD BE FOR ONE OF THEM IS 75 YEARS OLD, ISN'T IT? WHAT ELSE? SUPPOSE WE KNOW WHAT? SUPPOSE WE DID SOME SALARY READJUSTMENT OURSELVES.

TAKE THAT 100,000.

CUT IT IN HALF AND USE 50 OF IT FOR THE TRUCK DRIVERS.

I DON'T IT'S IT WOULD NOT BE PROPER FOR US TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHO GETS INCREASES AND WHO DOES NOT.

AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH GOVERNMENT.

WELL, I DON'T I AGREE WITH LYNETTE.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE BOARD'S ROLE IN START PICKING WHO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE INCREASES TO.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WAS DONE THAT LAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE STUDY I DID BEFORE.

UNLESS THEY MEET SOME KIND OF CRITERIA LIKE INCREASED DUTIES OR SOMETHING, I THINK THAT'S A BAD PRACTICE.

WE'VE HAD OTHER DEPARTMENTS REQUEST INCREASES ALSO, AND ALL OF THEM, WE TOLD THEM THAT WE WERE LOOKING TOWARDS ASKING FOR COMPENSATION STUDY TO MAKE EVERYTHING PROPER ACROSS THE BOARD, ACROSS THE LINES.

I, I AGREE IT'S NEEDED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF YOU'RE GOING TO COVER THE GAMUT OF EVERYBODY AND YOU PAY TO HAVE THIS STUDY DONE AND BY THE TIME YOU GET IT IMPLEMENTED.

THAT'S LIKE SPENDING TWICE THE MONEY FOR SOMETHING YOU NEED TO DO FOR A DOLLAR.

YOU SPEND $2.

WELL, I'LL JUST REMIND THE BOARD THIS.

WE TALK A LOT ABOUT MODELING OTHER LOCALITIES.

AND THIS IS THIS IS A BEST PRACTICE THAT MANY MOST LOCALITIES DO ON A FAIRLY ROUTINE BASIS TO STAY COMPETITIVE. SO, I MEAN, I CAN'T I DON'T THINK LYNETTE AND I CAN EXPLAIN IT.

THAT'S THAT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.

WE'RE TRYING TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE, ATTRACT AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES.

AND JUST LIKE THESE FOLKS TALKED ABOUT RETAINING, ATTRACTING AND RETAINING EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, AND JUST LIKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CAME AND TALKED ABOUT ATTRACTING AND RETAINING EMPLOYEES AND HAVING THE LOWEST STARTING SALARY RATE IN THE REGION.

SAME FOR THE COUNTY.

GOT A QUESTION ON THAT ONE.

THE TIDEWATER NEWS TODAY CAME OUT WITH THE COUNTY COST.

[01:00:04]

SUSSEX. FRANKLIN.

SOUTHAMPTON AND SUFFOLK.

AND SUFFOLK.

ISLE OF WIGHT.

FRANKLIN. WE WERE ABOVE EVERYBODY.

BUT LET ME THINK.

SUSSEX AND SURREY. WE WILL HIRE THAN EVERYBODY ELSE.

THE POWERPOINT DIDN'T REFLECT THAT, THAT WE WERE SHOWN THE OTHER NIGHT REGARDING IT SOMEHOW THAT MISSED THE BOAT ON TEACHER SALARIES.

IF THE PER STUDENT PER CAPITA.

WE'RE IN EXCELLENT SHAPE.

WHY ARE OUR TEACHERS SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH THE BUDGET SOMEWHERE THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE NOT BEING COMPENSATED IN CORRELATION WITH THE PER CAPITA PER STUDENT.

THE OUTLAY IF WE ARE THAT HIGH SUMS. SUMS AMISS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, BUT NUMBERS, YOU CAN MAKE THEM WORK ANY WAY YOU WANT TO.

AS FOR TRUCK DRIVERS THE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW.

MR.. THROWER EVALUATES THEM ON A YEARLY BASIS PER JOB DESCRIPTION.

IF WE USE. DO WE USE ANYTHING COMPARABLE TO THE STATE SYSTEM? THERE ARE THERE'S RATIONALE WITHIN THE EVALUATIONS AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO ADJUST SALARIES BASED ON COMPETENCIES THAT ARE MET. SO, I MEAN, I.

YEAH. PERSONALLY.

THEY ARE. THERE'S A ANOTHER STATE PROGRAM THAT'S RUNNING RIGHT NOW WITH.

THE SAME CATEGORY OF TRUCK DRIVER.

AND WHEN THERE WAS AN OPENING, THERE WAS A LINE OF PEOPLE WANTING TO GET THE JOB BECAUSE THEY'RE HOME ON WEEKENDS.

THEY ARE. THEY DON'T WORK BEYOND 430, 5:00.

AND IF THEY GET THEIR 40 HOURS IN, IN THREE DAYS, THEY GO HOME.

THEY DON'T MAKE THE HOURS.

SO AND RUN UP OVERTIME.

SO THEY ARE I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT FITS WITH THE PEOPLE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, LYNETTE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME WAYS TO. SO WITHIN YOUR BUDGET EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON IN EACH AND THEIR CORRESPONDING SALARY IS APPROVED BY THIS BOARD DURING BUDGET SEASON.

EACH YEAR, THERE IS NO POT OF MONEY OR A LINE ITEM FOR GIVING RAISES BASED ON PERFORMANCE.

WE DO NOT HAVE A PERFORMANCE BASED EVALUATION.

OKAY, LOOK, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION? ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THESE CONSULTING FEES.

WELL, I FEEL LIKE I AGREE WITH MR. CONNOR. YOU WANT TO TAKE A STRAW POLL? OKAY. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT USING.

EMPLOYERS AND ACCOUNTED FOR.

IN PLACE OF AN ARCHITECT.

KNOW I WAS TALKING ABOUT USING THE TALENT WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY TO LOOK AT THAT FOOTPRINT OUT THERE AND COME UP WITH PARKING SPACES, WHICH I THINK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE HERE. YOU SPENT MONEY ON THAT ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO.

PARKING SPACES AS WELL AS A COMBINATION WITH A BUILDING OUT THERE THAT YOU NEED TO FURNISH OFFICE SPACE AND STORAGE SPACES.

I UNDERSTOOD IN A WORKSHOP.

WE NEED WE NEED SPACE FOR BOTH OF THOSE.

AND I THINK WE'VE GOT TALENT IN THE COUNTY THAT CAN DRAW UP A CONCEPT.

IT WOULDN'T BE A STAMPED ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN THAT WOULD COME AFTER, BUT AT LEAST SOMETHING THIS BOARD COULD LOOK AT WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY AN ARCHITECT FIRM TO PRODUCE IT. OKAY, BUT BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EVENTUALLY HIRING AN ARCHITECTURE FIRM.

IF WHEN YOU GET TO THAT POINT, HAVE TO BUILD A BUILDING AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STAMP ON THE DESIGN TO GET THE PERMITS TO PUT UP THE BUILDING, THEN YES, YOU NEED AN ARCHITECT. ALL RIGHT.

I AGREE WITH THAT CONCEPT.

YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO CUT SOMETHING OUT HERE.

CUT THAT OUT. I WANT TO CUT THAT OUT.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY PROBLEMS GETTING RID OF THAT? I JUST DON'T WANT US TO DO SOMETHING AND THEN HIRE AN ARCHITECT AND FIND OUT WHAT WE DID.

[01:05:04]

OKAY. WE'RE DELETING THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN.

DO WE NEED TO GO? WELL, WE'RE JUST MAKING A LIST NOW.

AND YOU GUYS, I MEAN, AND I SAID THIS INDIVIDUALLY TO Y'ALL.

WHAT'S HELPFUL? MAYBE IF Y'ALL.

YOU KNOW, WE WERE SEDUCED WITH THIS LIST.

WE'VE REDUCED IT DOWN TO $0.79.

AT WHAT POINT IS Y'ALL'S COMFORT LEVEL ON WHAT THE TAX RATE SHOULD BE? I MEAN, IT'S WE'VE GIVEN YOU $1.5 MILLION.

YOU JUST ADDED ANOTHER 100,000.

1.6 MILLION.

WELL, WELL, I'M CONCERNED THE AVERAGE INCREASE IN REAL ESTATE ON THIS ASSESSMENT, I BELIEVE, WAS 45%.

THE MEDIUM HOME USING THAT ASSESSMENT IS GOING TO COME CLOSE TO WELL OVER $1,000 INCREASE IN REAL PROPERTY TAXES FOR 2000.

YEAH. OR JUST AS YOU JUST INDICATED, THAT YOU ALL AND OURS AS WELL.

CONCERN WAS THE BALANCE AND RETENTION OF OF EMPLOYEES.

OURS IS THE BALANCE AND RETENTION OF THE CITIZENS THAT WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY.

AND AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY REAL CONCERN FOR US AS WE LOOK AT THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE THAT WILL BE REALIZED IN THE MINIMAL REDUCTION OF THE RATE.

TO JUST $0.86.

I CAN'T SEE JUST $0.79.

EXCUSE ME. YEAH, WE.

IF WE REDUCE IT TO $0.79.

MOST PEOPLE ARE GOING TO STILL HAVE TO PAY OVER A THOUSAND MORE DOLLARS.

CLOSER. CLOSER TO TWO AT $0.79.

MY REAL ESTATE TAX WILL GO UP $2,000 THIS YEAR.

IT'S $0.79.

AND THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.

AND I'M NOT CONCERNED WITH ME, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE'S ASSESSMENTS HAVING GONE UP AN AVERAGE OF 45%.

AND HOW MUCH MONEY JUST THAT AT THIS REDUCED RATE AND HOW MUCH THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS GOING TO TAKE OUT OF THEIR POCKET, IS SMOKE AND MIRRORS.

IT LOOKS LIKE A REDUCTION.

HOWEVER, WE ALL DO SEE IT FOR WHAT IT IS, IS A TAX INCREASE AND HOW MUCH MORE MONEY THAT MEANS IS GOING TO COME OUT OF THEIR POCKET.

NOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE TAX INCREASES TO TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, AND WE'VE HELD THE LINE FOR MANY YEARS NOW.

I THINK WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB AT THAT AS A BOARD.

SO WE REALIZE THERE NEEDS TO BE TAX INCREASES TO HELP BALANCE THE BUDGET.

BUT IT CAN'T COME ALL AT ONCE.

AND WE'RE SITTING HERE WITH A DOUBLE WHAMMY.

INFLATION IS A TAX.

IT'S A TAX.

SO. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE REAL INFLATION RATE AND MOST PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING HERE TONIGHT HAVE DONE IT, IF THEY WENT TO BUY GROCERIES IN THE LAST WEEK OR GAS INFLATION IS A TAX.

AND AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT INHIBITS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MR. THROWER I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER.

BUT THE THE PRIORITIES ARE THE COURTHOUSE, THE RADIO SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND FIRE AND RESCUE.

THEY ARE A MUST, IN MY OPINION, AND WE'VE GOT TO COVER THE COST OF THAT.

BEYOND THAT, ANYTHING WE CAN PARE DOWN BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COST THE CITIZENS A LOT OF MONEY TO PUT THIS NEW RADIO SYSTEM IN. WE ALREADY KNOW THAT.

WE SAW IT UP HERE.

UNLESS UNLESS THE COMMITTEE CAN LOWER THAT MAINTENANCE COST.

JUST THE MAINTENANCE COST IS $400,000 A YEAR ON THE PRICES THAT CAME IN ON THE RFP.

YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR COURTHOUSE, AND THERE'S YOUR THAT'S WHY YOUR 10,000 GETS ELIMINATED. BUT THEY ARE THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE GOT TO SOLVE.

AND SO I'M TO ANSWER MR. THROWER. HOW MUCH MORE RENT DO YOU WANT TO PAY FOR YOUR APARTMENT? MAYBE WE CAN START WITH THAT AND FIGURE THIS BUDGET OUT.

NOW, I HEAR YOU. AND WHAT I'M TELLING Y'ALL IS I TRY TO INCLUDE AS MANY OF Y'ALL'S PRIORITIES THAT Y'ALL SAID Y'ALL WANT TO ACCOMPLISH OVER THREE YEARS IN THIS BUDGET.

THANK YOU. WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT IT.

IT'S GOOD TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, BUT I THINK WE'RE NEGLECTING THE PRESENT.

THE PRESENT REALITY IS PEOPLE ARE LIVING ON CREDIT CARDS.

THEY'RE TRYING TO PAY THEIR BILLS, THEIR GROCERIES, THEIR GAS.

THEY'RE USING THEIR RETIREMENT FUNDS.

I HAVE PATIENTS IN MY PRACTICE WHO ARE TWO OF THEM ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES.

SO THE FUTURE IS FINE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THINGS WILL BE BETTER NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER THAT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO CUT THIS THING BACK AS AS RIGHT TO THE BONE.

[01:10:07]

I GUESS THINGS HAVE TO GO UP A LITTLE BIT.

INFLATION IS 3.4% THIS YEAR.

BUT OKAY. BUT YOU ADD IT'S ALREADY BEEN 30.

SO WE'RE AT 35% MORE THAN THEY WERE THREE YEARS AGO.

THAT YOUR GROCERIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND I JUST I FEAR ADDING.

THAT MUCH TO THE TAX BURDEN.

MINE'S GOING TO GO UP $2,200 AT $0.79.

I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT I SEE, I SEE, I UNDERSTAND YOU CUT OUT 1.5 MILLION, BUT OUR ACTUAL REVENUE IS GOING TO GO UP.

WELL, IT'S YOUR PROPOSED RATE.

$5 MILLION, RIGHT? YEAH. SO IF WE CUT THAT BACK TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU STILL HAVE TWO MORE MILLION DOLLARS TO WORK WITH THIS YEAR, RIGHT? OKAY. NOW, LOOK, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE TOP LINE ON THIS SHEET RIGHT HERE.

YOU KNOW, YOU GOT LAST YEAR'S GENERAL PROPERTY TAX TOTAL WAS 26 MILLION.

THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE 31 MILLION AT $0.86.

THAT'S IF YOU HAD KEPT IT AT $0.86.

NOW THAT HAS ALL PROPERTY TAXES.

THAT'S REAL ESTATE AND EVERYTHING.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S ALL OF IT.

NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT.

YEAH, OKAY. REAL ESTATE.

ALL RIGHT. IS SEPARATED.

YEAH. BUT.

I JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A THAT'S FIVE MORE MILLION DOLLARS A 21% INCREASE.

YEAH. SO THAT'S, THAT'S PUTTING THE PERSON AT 86.

THAT'S PUTTING THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATES AT FIVE BACK TO THE PRE-COVID.

YEAH. THAT'S THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION.

YEAH I UNDERSTAND IN THE MINUTE.

YEAH. THAT'S THAT'S WITH YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET.

THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN.

YES SIR. YEAH.

YEAH. OKAY. NOW AT $0.79 YOU BRING IN 2.2 MILLION MORE IN REVENUE THAN WE DID LAST YEAR.

OKAY. IN THE REAL ESTATE.

NOW, REMEMBER THAT HOMEOWNERS, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE GOING TO PAY MORE.

YEAH. BECAUSE THE WAY.

IT IS COMPUTED.

YOU'VE GOT YOUR TOTAL REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENTS AND HOUSING.

DID GO UP AN AVERAGE OF 45%, BUT PROPERTY, LAND, TIMBER, ETC.

THAT ARE IN LAND USE ONLY WENT UP APPROXIMATELY 20%, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE TAXED AT THE SAME RATE. SO YOU'VE GOT TO YEAH, YOU GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT UP.

YEAH. YES.

SO I UNDERSTAND SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PAY MORE AND SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PAY LESS.

BUT BUT THE LAND USE IS ACTUALLY GOING UP 10% THIS YEAR APPROXIMATELY 2020.

I THOUGHT I THOUGHT THE AGREEMENT IN THE DISCUSSION ON THAT WAS 15%, NOT 20.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WELL, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE COMMITTEES HAVE TALKED ABOUT.

I'M NOT GOING TO SETTLE FOR 20.

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT 15 WAS IT WAS A FAIR RATE.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR THE BUDGET IF IT'S 20.

THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH.

NO. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LAND USE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

LAND USE PERCENTAGE.

THE DEAL, THE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD WAS GOING UP 15%.

OKAY, OKAY.

BUT IT WENT UP 20%.

THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON THE NUMBERS.

IT'S NOT OKAY. I KNOW IT'S NOT.

I KNOW IT'S COMPLICATED. I KNOW LONG STORY SHORT, THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS LAND USE PROGRAM THAT THE COUNTY HAS.

YOU CAN SEE THE FIGURE THERE.

I WAS GOING TO GET TO IT, BUT THAT'S ABOUT $4 MILLION.

YEAH. EVERYBODY ELSE IS SUBSIDIZING IN THIS COUNTY.

WELL, WE NEED TO GET THAT STRAIGHT BECAUSE THAT WASN'T THE AGREEMENT THAT I HEARD.

IT WAS 15%.

NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN I SEE HERE AND WE DON'T HAVE OUR OUR PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, I SEE US 20%.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY THAT WAS.

WHAT THE COMMITTEE THAT MET RECOMMENDED.

THAT WAS A REASONABLE THING TO DO.

THE LAND USE. TAXATION IS VERY IMPORTANT AND WE USE TAXATION.

WE UNDERSTAND FARMING. I'M EXPLAINING THE HOW IT IS CALCULATED AND HOW IT IS ALL PUT TOGETHER.

THAT'S THE ONLY PART I'M INVOLVED IN IS HOW HOW TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER.

WHY WOULD WE INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE THE SAME YEAR WE DID A REASSESSMENT?

[01:15:03]

THE SAME YEAR WE DID A REASSESSMENT OF THE LAND VALUE.

I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS STATEWIDE.

THE STATE HANDS THAT DOWN.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT.

YEAH, THIS IS A PROCESS.

THE STATE HAS A FORMULA FOR THAT.

YEAH. IT'S A FORMULA THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS WHOLE THING Y'ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT.

YEAH. THIS IS A PROGRAM.

WE ARE WE ARE WE REASSESS THE VALUE THIS YEAR.

YES, SIR. WE JUST HAPPENED TO DO THAT THE SAME YEAR.

THEY DECIDED TO INCREASE THE.

IT'S JUST HOW IT WORKS. EVERY PIECE OF PROPERTY, EVERY PARCEL OF PROPERTY IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY WENT THROUGH THE REASSESSMENT PROCESS.

YOU DON'T PICK ONE PIECE AND DO THE OTHER.

IT'S ALL OF IT. BUT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT INCREASING THE TAX RATE, RIGHT? FOR THE LAND USE.

I DIDN'T, I DID NOT, I SAID LAND USE PROPERTY AND.

HOMES AND THE LAND THAT YOUR HOMES ARE BUILT ON.

ANYTHING NOT IN LAND USE.

THEY HAVE TO BE TAXED AT THE SAME RATE, RIGHT? THEIR ASSESSED VALUES ARE DIFFERENT.

RIGHT. OKAY.

RIGHT.

I HAVE ANOTHER THING I THINK WE OUGHT TO TAKE OUT FOR THIS YEAR.

AND THAT'S 15,500 FOR TRAVEL CONVENTION.

IT'S ON PAGE 40, NUMBER 01210.

GOTTA GET MY MAGNIFYING GLASS 5500.

SO JUST TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.

AND I'LL ADDRESS IT AGAIN LIKE I HAVE BEFORE.

THAT'S OUR TRAVEL CONVENTION AND EDUCATION LINE ITEM THAT INCLUDES MYSELF, LYNETTE AND TINA AND OUR OFFICE.

AND PART OF THAT IS TO TRY TO GET TINA TRAINING TO AS YOU UNDERSTAND, CLERK DUTIES WHEN SHE'S ASSIGNED THAT FUNCTION, PART OF THAT IS LYNETTE GOING TO SOME SOME CLASSES, NOT COURSES THROUGH VIRGINIA FINANCE ADMINISTRATION THAT OTHER FINANCE AND DEPUTIES THAT HANDLE ROUTINELY GO TO.

AND THE BIGGEST PORTION OF THAT, YES, IS MY PORTION.

AND IF YOU ALL REMEMBER ALL THAT'S ALL, THIS IS INCLUDED IN MY EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE DISCUSS AND NEGOTIATED WHEN Y'ALL HIRE ME BEFORE.

AND THOSE ARE THE SAME CONFERENCES MOST OF THE CITY COUNTY TOWN MANAGERS GO TO EVERY YEAR.

ICMA VGMA VACO.

VASO, I HAVE MY ZONING CERTIFICATION.

SO THOSE THOSE ARE ALREADY INCLUDED IN MY EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.

I DON'T OBJECT TO THE TO THE VIRGINIA ONES, BUT I DON'T I DON'T THINK WE I DON'T THINK THE TAXPAYER BENEFITS FROM THE NATIONAL. YEAH, BUT THAT'S IN HIS CONTRACT.

I DON'T THINK WE CAN'T IT EFFECTIVE.

YOU CUT IT OUT, YOU WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF OUR EMPLOYMENT.

HE EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD THAT SAME QUESTION AND HE EXPLAINED IT TO US, BUT IT'S ALSO FOR TRAINING FOR OTHER PEOPLE TOO.

SO AND THAT'S TO MAINTAIN MY THERE'S A CREDENTIAL FOR CREDENTIAL MANAGER, ICMA.

OKAY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE GOING TO SETTLE ON 79 FOR RIGHT NOW.

IS THAT IT? WE HAVEN'T FINISHED.

OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON THEN.

NEXT ONE IS PERSONNEL.

WE DID. DID WE COME TO A DECISION ON THAT 100,000? I THINK WE DECIDED TO GO ALONG WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION.

WE HAVE TO DO A STRAW POLL, DON'T WE? WELL, THAT'S ON EVERYTHING.

I THINK YOU SAID TO PUT THAT ON THE LIST OF POTENTIAL TAKEOUTS.

OKAY. YEAH. OKAY.

OKAY. I'M NOT CLEAR ON THAT, STEVE.

WHAT WAS YOUR YOUR WHAT WAS YOUR VIEW ON THAT USUALLY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT EXPANDING BUILDINGS, ALSO, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE WE HAVE TENANTS IN THIS BUILDING, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICES.

SO THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT IN 1992 93.

FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD AND WHAT I CAN SEE ON DAY ONE, THIS BUILDING WAS PROBABLY TOO SMALL THE DAY THEY MOVED IN.

WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A CONFERENCE ROOM TO HAVE DEPARTMENT HEAD STAFF MEETINGS.

AND WE GOT TO GO TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICES LOCATED ACROSS THE WAY.

THE VOTER REGISTRAR'S OFFICE NEEDS MORE SPACE.

THIS BUILDING IS 30 PLUS YEARS OLD NOW.

WE NEED PARKING FOR THE COURTHOUSE.

SO NORMALLY, INSTEAD OF BECAUSE I GET IN THIS DEBATE WITH THE GOVERNING BODY ALL THE TIME, YOU JUST DON'T GO DRAW STUFF ON A PIECE OF PAPER

[01:20:03]

IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY, YOU NORMALLY DO.

A SPACE NEEDS ANALYSIS OR A FACILITIES MASTER PLAN AND HAVE AN ARCHITECT INVOLVED TO HELP YOU THINK THROUGH.

THERE'S THERE'S SOME METHODOLOGY THERE THAT THEY USE FOR SPACE NEEDS.

THEY INTERVIEW EMPLOYEES, THEY INTERVIEW THE OFFICES, CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS.

THIS IS NOT JUST TAKING A CONTRACTOR OUT AND SAY, HEY, LET'S DRAW SOMETHING ON A PIECE OF PAPER.

THIS IS USING A PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURE FIRM TO HELP YOU REALLY DO REAL PLANNING FOR EXPANSION OF YOUR NEEDS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I MEAN, IF THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO, THAT'S CERTAINLY YOUR RIGHT TO DO SO.

THE FELLA I TALKED TO HAD TO FIX AN ARCHITECT'S PROBLEM RIGHT OVER HERE.

AND FRANKLIN.

AFTER THE ARCHITECT HAD DESIGNED IT AND HE GOT HE GOT A WAIVER SO HE COULD DO IT WITHOUT DRIVING THE COST OF THE PROJECT UP.

AND HE FINISHED IT FOR HIM.

SO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST GOING OUT THERE ON A NAPKIN.

ALTHOUGH YOU CAN DO PROJECTS ON A NAPKIN.

BIG ONES.

I KNOW THAT. MY THINKING IS AS LEGWORK THAT THE TALENT IN THIS COUNTY CAN GIVE YOU.

THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS.

THEY ARE LICENSED.

AND THEY CAN DO IT AS GOOD AS ANYBODY.

AND THEY WERE COMMERCIAL BUILDERS.

JUST LIKE WOULD BE BROUGHT.

AN ARCHITECT WOULD BRING IN TO SUB OUT THE BUILDING.

ARCHITECTS ARE NOT GOING TO BUILD IT.

HE'LL DRAW IT UP AND PUT HIS STAMP ON IT, BUT HE'S NOT GOING TO BUILD IT.

I JUST THINK IN LIGHT OF THIS ECONOMY, WE OUGHT TO.

WE OUGHT TO.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. I'D LIKE TO SEE A STRAW POLL VOTE.

IF IT'S VOTED DOWN, I'M FINE WITH IT.

IF IT'S NOT, LET'S ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THAT AND AND MOVE ON THEN.

MOTION. I SO MOVE.

TO HAVE EXACTLY THAT.

WE GET A LOCAL NO ON THAT 100,000.

YOU WANT TO LEAVE IT IN OR TAKE IT OUT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

OPPOSED. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

IT'S ONE OPPOSE.

FIVE. FOUR. AND I VOTED THAT WAY ONLY BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE CAN AFFORD IT.

AT THIS JUNCTURE, I COMPLETELY SEE BRIAN'S VISION AND SUPPORT HIS VISION, AND WOULD LIKE FOR HIM TO BRING IT BACK TO THE TO THE TABLE SOME JUNCTURE.

I MEAN, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO IT NEXT YEAR AND CAN VALUE WHAT HE'S WHAT HE'S TRYING TO TO BRING TO THE COUNTY.

WITH THE AGE OF THIS BUILDING AND HIS SIZE AND TRYING TO TO TO FIX WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT, BRIAN, I REALLY DO.

I JUST WELL, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT.

THAT'S FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.

I JUST I'VE GOT TO SEE THE, THE THE DOLLARS.

IT'LL BE IN THE BUDGET WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR.

IT'LL BE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET NEXT YEAR.

YEAH. I MEAN MAYBE I CAN HOPEFULLY SOME OF THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE WILL COME TO FRUITION AND WE'LL HAVE SOME EXTRA MONEY, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY GO ALONG WITH THAT. BUT WHAT I DON'T WANT US TO DO IS GET INTO SOMETHING WHERE WE START DOING SOMETHING, THEN ARCHITECTURE FIRM, COME IN AND SAY WHAT THIS DOES NOT COMPATIBLE WITH WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

IF THIS IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, I'M NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING WITH THIS UNTIL I PROPOSE A NEXT YEAR.

YES, SIR. OKAY, BEFORE WE MOVE ON THANK YOU.

I LIKE THE NEW PERSONNEL THAT ARE LISTED.

NOW. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THAT? SO ONE IS FOR A PUBLIC WORKS WORKER TO CDL POSITION TO HELP WITH THE DUMP SITES AND DRIVING.

THAT'S MUCH NEEDED.

I THINK WE HAVE, WHAT, FOUR? NOW? WE HAVE THREE.

THREE? WE ASK HIM FOR ASKING FOR THE FOURTH ONE.

THEY THEY NEED THAT.

THE OTHER ONE IS THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT PERSON THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

Y'ALL HAD PREVIOUSLY BUDGETED A HALF A YEAR THIS YEAR.

IN LIGHT OF THERE'S NO WITH A WITH A COUNTY THIS SIZE, I'M SURPRISED THERE'S NO FACILITIES MANAGEMENT PERSON TO DO FACILITIES AND BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS THAT'S BASICALLY BEING HANDLED DE FACTO BY PUBLIC WORKS.

AND, LYNETTE WE REALLY NEED THAT POSITION.

AND THE OTHER POSITION IS A NEW CUSTODIAN POSITION TO HELP TAKE CARE OF THE NEW 25 PLUS MILLION DOLLAR BUILDING WE GOT ACROSS THE STREET.

THAT'S MUCH NEEDED.

ALL RIGHT, SO THOSE ARE THE TWO NEW THREE, AND I'M SORRY, THE EMERGENCY SERVICES COORDINATOR POSITION ALSO.

[01:25:07]

I DON'T I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT HR AND RISK MANAGEMENT SAFETY.

BUT EMERGENCY SERVICES IS A SEPARATE SEPARATE POSITION.

VERY SEPARATE. BUT I MEAN, WE WE'VE AGREED WE NEED THAT POSITION OKAY.

SO IT'S IN THE BUDGET. ALL RIGHT.

SO WHO WHO ARE WHAT NEW POSITIONS ARE WE FUNDING NOW.

THOSE. SO WHAT WE'VE WHAT'S IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS WAS ALL THE POSITIONS.

WHAT'S INCLUDED ON THIS MEMO THAT WE GAVE YOU WAS CUTTING OUT THE HR DIRECTOR POSITION, BUT INCLUDING THE OTHER THREE POSITIONS EMERGENCY SERVICES COORDINATOR, PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE WITH THE CDL AND THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT PERSON.

AND THEN WE EVEN CUT IT BACK TO HALF A YEAR TO SAVE A HALF A YEAR MONEY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO, IF YOU APPROVE THEM, HAVE TO PAY FOR NEXT YEAR AT THE FULL COST.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO WE'RE TRYING TO PULL EVERY RABBIT OUT OF THE HAT TO TRY TO APPEASE WHAT Y'ALL THINK THE TAX RATE SHOULD BE.

I THINK HOW DOES WORK HOW DOES FUNDING POSITION FOR HALF A YEAR WORK? WELL, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD PRACTICE, BUT TO TRY TO WHITTLE DOWN THE TAX RATE TO THE FIRST YEAR, IT ONLY WORKS FOR THE FIRST YEAR.

YOU HAVE TO FUND THE OTHER HALF NEXT YEAR AND EVERY YEAR GOING FORWARD.

SO WE WOULDN'T WE WOULDN'T HIRE ANYBODY.

JULY 1ST.

WE WILL START A RECRUITMENT PROCESS AND TRY TO GET THEM IN IN JANUARY.

OKAY. I MEAN DEFINITELY NEED THEM.

ALL RIGHT. SO NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

LET'S MOVE ON TO THE PERSONAL PROPERTY.

I UNDERSTAND YOU RECOMMENDED THAT'S GOING FROM 4.7 TO 5.

CORRECT. AND WHY IS THAT INCREASED? PRIOR TO COVID, WE WERE AT A $5 RATE AND HAD BEEN THERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

AND THEN WHEN THE VALUES OF PERSONAL PROPERTY WENT UP SO SIGNIFICANTLY DURING COVID, WE BROUGHT THE RATES DOWN TO GIVE THE TAXPAYERS A BREAK AND HOPEFULLY HELP THEM ONLY PAY WHAT THEY WERE PAYING BEFORE. VALUES HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY COME BACK DOWN.

SO WHAT? AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE LEFT IT AT 4.7? THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF YOUR FUND BALANCE AND YOU ARE GOING TO REDUCE YOUR FUNDS YOUR SAVINGS, I'LL CALL IT SIGNIFICANTLY BASED ON WHEREVER YOU PUT IT.

AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO REACH OUR GOALS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES.

YEAH, THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD WHEN WE HAD THE MEETINGS.

WE HAD TO TAKE 1.5 MILLION OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND TO, TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS FROM THE TAX REVENUE FROM THE PERSONAL PROPERTY.

SO I THINK THEY'RE RIGHT ON THAT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IS REALLY AHEAD OF WE'RE TIED FOR NUMBER SIX IN THE STATE.

YEAH. OKAY.

THAT CHASES THAT CHASES A LOT OF THINGS AWAY THAT CHASES PEOPLE WHO OWN PROPERTY IN NORTH CAROLINA.

GO OVER THERE AND REGISTER THEIR STUFF OVER THERE.

FARMERS DO THAT. I DON'T BLAME THEM.

DO THAT. IN THE PAST, WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE HAD A A COUPLE OF SIGNIFICANT BUSINESSES BRING THEIR PROPERTY BACK WITHIN THE COUNTY.

AND WHEN YOU COMPARE US TO OTHER SURROUNDING LOCALITIES OR WHEREVER YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER NOT JUST THE PROPERTY TAX RATE.

YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER WHAT INDUSTRY IS THERE, WHAT BUSINESSES THEY HAVE.

BECAUSE THERE ARE ITEMS THAT HAVE TO BE PAID.

AND SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE MORE MONEY OUT OF ITS RESERVE FUND BALANCE.

WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD OVER THE PAST PROBABLY TEN YEARS TO BUILD IT UP TO WHERE IT IS.

IT IS PART OF THE REASON WE HAVE THE BOND RATING THAT WE HAVE, AND IT IS PART OF THE REASON AND THAT BOND RATING IS PART OF THE REASON THAT WE GET THE BETTER INTEREST RATES WHEN WE BUY THINGS AND THE INTEREST RATES FROM LIKE US BUILDING THE COURTHOUSE NOW RADIO PROJECT.

AND IF YOU LET YOUR BOND RATING GO DOWN THEN YOU WILL BE PAYING MUCH DIFFERENTLY, BE PAYING HIGHER INTEREST RATES. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND JUST TO EXPOUND UPON THAT AND YOUR IN YOUR IN YOUR NOTES HERE ON YOUR AGENDA, THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND, YOU KNOW WE ONLY INCLUDED

[01:30:02]

AND YOU ADOPTED.

AND IF YOU SEE THIS PAPER HERE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, IF YOU'RE BEING SERIOUS ABOUT TRYING TO HIT THOSE GOALS, WE'RE TRYING TO GO IN THE 9 MILLION RANGE TO THE $11 MILLION RANGE. SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU START DOING THAT, YOU'RE GOING IN THE REALLY OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

I MEAN, WE'RE THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD UP THAT 25.

PERCENT UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, POLICY LEVEL, AS WELL AS THAT ADDITIONAL 5% BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND.

TRULY, THIS YEAR WE SHOULD BE PUTTING $0.03 WORTH IN THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND, AND WE'RE ONLY PUTTING $0.01 BASED ON THIS BUDGET.

OKAY. HOLD ON.

79 CENT.

EQUATES TO $0.01.

NO, I DIDN'T KNOW.

EACH PENNY IS 212,000.

ABOUT 212 PER PENNY.

YEAH. ONE PENNY IN REAL ESTATE IS ABOUT 213,000.

YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT GO BACK TO YOUR $0.03.

YOU SAID THIS BUDGET SUPPORTS I SAID THIS BUDGET THIS YEAR SHOULD BE PUTTING $0.03.

SO 600 AND ALMOST 700, 600,000, ALMOST 700,000 IN THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND.

BUT THIS CURRENT BUDGET THAT IS PRESENTED IS ONLY PUTTING $0.01 IN THERE, WHICH IS THE WE PUT 214,500 IS THE NUMBER THAT'S SITTING IN HERE RIGHT NOW.

BUT IF WE DON'T DO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO PAY THAT MORE, MUCH MORE IN INTEREST.

I Y'ALL KNOW THAT.

YEAH. WE'RE BETTER OFF.

LEAVE IT. YEAH.

DON'T TAKE IT OUT. THE $0.01 SHE'S TALKING ABOUT THAT.

WELL AND LEAVE THE AND LEAVE THE PERSONAL PROPERTY RATE AT FIVE.

ALL RIGHT. FOR THE NEXT BIG THING MAYBE WE NEED TO DISCUSS IS THE SCHOOL BUDGET.

IT'S ABOUT 50% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET.

A SIGNIFICANT ONE.

ONE COMMENT.

I DON'T THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM THEM ABOUT A TOUR.

HAVE WE? I WOULD KNOW SHE ACTUALLY SAID A CALL TO THEM AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.

I WANT WOULD LIKE TO SEE MR. THROWER SEND AN EMAIL TO DOCTOR SHANNON AND COPY THE FULL BOARD.

FULL SCHOOL BOARD IN THAT EMAIL.

ABOUT SETTING UP A VISIT.

YES. THE TOOL, SHE MADE THAT OFFER.

SO WE'LL SEE IF SHE'S TO PERSONALLY, I'D LIKE TO SEE THERE'S A $500,000 REQUEST IN THERE FOR MORE MEDIATION. AND YEAH, I WAS I'D LIKE TO JUST HAVE A A TOUR AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY'VE GOT LINED UP TO FIX THAT.

AND, AND I'VE GOT A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER IT'S ONE YEAR OR EVERY YEAR.

SO I THINK A TOUR IS IN ORDER.

AND I'D APPRECIATE IF YOU SEND THAT EMAIL AND COPY THE FULL BOARD.

THE I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS.

I DID SOME RESEARCH, AND I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT HALF $1 MILLION FOR MOLD, AND I TALKED TO FOUR DIFFERENT TEACHERS WHO SAID THERE WAS A MOLD PROBLEM IN THE LIBRARY IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER THAT WAS FIXED SEPTEMBER 23RD, AND THERE WAS SOME IN THE VOCATIONAL CENTER, WHICH WAS FIXED BY CHANGING THE AIR CONDITIONING. NOW, WITH THAT IN MIND, I, I THINK HALF $1 MILLION FOR MOLD, AND WE DON'T EVEN THINK THERE'S A PROBLEM.

I THINK THIS BOARD NEEDS TO GO LOOK OR GO AROUND WITH THEM AND SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND SEE WHO THEY'VE CONTRACTED WITH, WHAT KIND OF CONTRACTS, AND HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST.

IF THERE'S A PROBLEM TO FIX IT.

I'M NOT WILLING TO PAY A HALF $1 MILLION FOR SOMETHING I THAT SEEMS LIKE IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

AND IF THEY DO HAVE A PROBLEM, WE'LL FUND IT.

YEAH. AND I'LL TELL YOU THE CAVEAT THERE WOULD BE IF IT IS A PROBLEM AND IT COSTS MORE THAN 500,000, THIS BOARD WILL PROBABLY GO THE EXTRA MILE WITH THAT.

BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THAT OUT OF THE BUDGET UNTIL WE CAN GO SEE AND GO OVER THIS WITH THEM.

[01:35:06]

SO, YEAH. ROBERT, 400,000 BASICALLY UNDER THAT, WE DIDN'T TOOK IT OUT BASICALLY UNDER THIS MEMO.

I'VE GOT WE'VE GOT 411.

NOT THAT I WANTED TO BUT TO TRY TO WHITTLE DOWN PER SOME OF Y'ALL'S REQUESTS.

SURE. THAT'D BE THE FIRST PLACE THEY COULD CUT AT SO RIGHT NOW, ACCORDING TO THAT, YOU'VE GOT 100,000 INCREASE.

SO WE CUT OUT 411,000 OUT OF THE ORIGINAL 511,000 AND SOME CHANGE.

SO IF YOU APPROVE THAT, UNLESS THEY FIND MONEY SOMEWHERE IN THEIR BUDGET, THERE IS NO $500,000, SO THEY'RE GETTING $100,000 FROM OLD CONTROLS THAT. RIGHT.

WELL, IT WOULD CUT IT'D BE ACTUALLY 89,000.

IT WOULD CUT IT BACK TO 89,000.

BUT THIS CUT BECAUSE YOU'RE CUTTING 411,000 OUT OF IT IF Y'ALL APPROVE THIS, JUST GIVING THEM A $100,000 INCREASE BECAUSE Y'ALL STARTED DOING THIS BUDGETING JUST ABOUT.

OR YOU CAN ALLOCATE THAT 100,000 WHEREVER YOU WANT TO.

YEAH. I HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS I DIDN'T SEE THE OUT OF COUNTY TUITION.

IT'S A REVENUE THAT'S IN THE.

I ASKED ABOUT IT. IT'S IN THERE.

IT'S $60,000.

AND WHY IS THE DEBT SERVICE SO HIGH? IT INCREASED A CHUNK THIS YEAR IS BASED ON THE SCHEDULE.

SO AS AS THE COUNTY.

DOES ITS FINANCING.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DAVENPORT DOES IS IT STRUCTURES THE DEBT.

SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN THAT OUR WATER AND SEWER.

I'M JUST GIVING AN EXAMPLE HERE.

MAYBE OUR WATER AND SEWER DEBT WENT DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY AT THIS POINT.

AND SO WITHIN THE SCHEDULES MAYBE THE SCHOOL PART WENT UP.

BUT KEEPING THE DEBT OF THE COUNTY AS LEVEL AS WE CAN, IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE THAT THAT PORTION IS WITHIN THE SCHOOL PART AT THIS POINT.

ALSO. SO IN THE BUDGET OF FULL TIME WEBMASTER.

WHAT WERE OF. US IN THE SCHOOL BUDGET.

YEAH. YEAH, YEAH.

WAS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY REQUESTED ON THEIR SLIDES, YOU MEAN OR.

I THINK THAT WAS. YEAH I REMEMBER A SLIDE ABOUT THAT.

BUT AGAIN THAT'S IN THERE I DON'T HAVE DETAIL WHICH ALL I MEAN THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE GOT TO DECIDE WAS EITHER GIVING THEM A LUMP SUM OR BUDGETING BY CATEGORY.

YEAH. GIVE THEM A LUMP SUM AND THEY CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

YEAH. THEY SHOULD HAVE A LOT OF MONEY LEFT FROM TEACHERS POSITIONS THAT ARE NOT FILLED.

WHERE IS? CAN YOU SHOW US WHERE THE.

I'VE ALWAYS HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE OUT-OF-DISTRICT STUDENT MONEY.

THEY GET. IS THAT IN HERE? WHAT PAGE IS THAT ON? THAT'S ON THE CHEAT SHEET, AIN'T IT? IT IS ON THE CHEAT SHEET.

IT IS. BUT IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT WITHIN THE OTHER, I CAN FIND IT.

YEAH. 60,055 OTHER COUNTY SOURCES.

YEAH. THE LAST LINE.

60,000. THAT'S HOW MUCH THEY GET FOR THE OUT OF DISTRICT STUDENTS.

YEAH. IS THAT RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT'S TUITION FROM OUT OF DISTRICT, SO LET'S THAT THAT SOUNDS VERY LOW TO ME.

WELL, SOMETIMES THEY END UP WITH ABOUT 100,000.

IT'S USUALLY NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE.

YOU KNOW, THEY GET $6,500 FOR EACH ONE.

SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THEY GOT TEN STUDENTS OUT OF OUT OF HISTORY FROM THE STATE? THAT NUMBER IS NOT RIGHT. YOU'RE MIXING STATE MONEY WITH LOCAL MONEY, AND WE DON'T.

WHERE IS THE MONEY? WHERE IS THE $6,500 THAT THEY'RE GETTING FOR EACH STUDENTS? THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE WE'RE TRYING TO GET AHOLD OF EVERY YEAR.

WHAT THEY PAY. I GUESS THEY GOT TO REIMBURSE THE STATE FOR SOME STATE GIVES THEM 5000.

THE TUITION IS 1500.

OKAY. SO THEY GET 6500 PER STUDENT.

AND THE PAST, THEY'VE HAD AS MANY AS 130, 135 STUDENTS, WHICH IS 850 TO $900,000.

SO IN FISCAL YEAR 23, THEY RECEIVED $134,398 IN TUITION FROM OUT OF COUNTY STUDENTS.

WHAT PAGE ARE YOU ON? KIND OF GOT THAT THE STATE GOT THE REST OF IT.

THE STATE PAID THE REST? YES. THAT MAKES SENSE.

LOOK, UNDER THE SCHOOL FUNDS, I CAN FIND IT FOR YOU.

[01:40:01]

AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, IF I'M SPEAKING CORRECTLY, THE SCHOOL GETS THE TUITION FROM THE OUT OF COUNTY STUDENTS.

YOU. SEE THAT RIGHT THERE? TWO ISH. OKAY.

AND THERE IT IS. RIGHT THERE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

SO. SO WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE THERE? THEY HAVE ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED AT 60,000 THIS YEAR.

WELL, AS OF JANUARY 2024, THEY HAD RECEIVED $33,380 FROM OUT OF COUNTY STUDENTS, WHEREAS THE $5,000 PER STUDENT COMING.

THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING IN THE STATE.

MONEY, WHICH IS GOING TO BE I'LL JUST SHOW US WHERE IT IS.

THAT'S WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN.

SO. I GOT IT, I GOT IT.

THAT'S FINE, BUT IT'S T WHY Y'ALL THINK THAT? PROBABLY. SO WHEN THE STATE GIVES MONEY, THEY DO NOT GIVE MONEY BASED ON IS THIS PERSON OUT OF THE COUNTY OR IS THIS PERSON IN THE COUNTY? IT'S ABOUT HOW MANY STUDENTS YOU HAVE ENROLLED.

SO BASIC SCHOOL AID.

IT'S ALL MIXED WITHIN THIS NUMBER FOR EVERY STUDENT THAT SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY HAS.

SO WHAT? I HADN'T UNDERSTOOD, THOUGH, THAT THE OUT-OF-DISTRICT STUDENTS WERE $6,500 FROM THE 5000 FROM THE STATE, AND 1500 TUITION.

PRIVATE TUITION.

THAT'S. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT SEPARATED.

AT TIMES IT'S BEEN 850 $900,000 BECAUSE THEY HAD 150, 155 OUT OF DISTRICT STUDENTS.

WHAT I'M ASKING IS, WHERE IS THAT MONEY? I SEE ALL THAT, BUT I DON'T SEE THAT OUT OF I DON'T SEE THAT OUT OF DISTRICT MONEY ANYWHERE.

IT'S. THE ONLY PLACE THAT OUT OF DISTRICT IS SEPARATED IS IN THAT FUND, IN THAT LINE ITEM THAT SAYS TUITION FROM.

WELL, CAN YOU GET THAT FOR US? IT'S ON HERE.

IT IS.

RIGHT HERE.

FOR THAT. SO IN FISCAL YEAR 21, THEY HAD 131,000.

FISCAL YEAR 22 136.

YEAH. THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S ABOUT 70 $700,000 OFF.

WHERE'S THE OTHER $5,000 PER STUDENT? I'M SAYING THEY'RE GETTING $6,500 PER STUDENT FROM THE STATE.

THEY'RE GETTING 5000 FROM THE STATE AND $1,500 TUITION.

THAT'S $6,500.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE 1500 IS COMING FROM.

UNLESS THEY UP THEIR LOCAL RATE AND IT'S 1500.

MY UNDERSTANDING WAS IT'S A THOUSAND.

WHY DON'T YOU SEE IF YOU CAN FIND THAT OUT? BECAUSE THAT'S YOU KNOW, AND YEARS PAST THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO US.

I CAN REMEMBER IT VERY DEFINITELY.

I REMEMBER IN SOME YEARS IT WAS 850, $900,000.

AND THAT ALL THE ATM NUMBER.

YEAH, YEAH.

WHICH IS ALL LUMPED TOGETHER.

THAT'S ALL TOGETHER AND OUT OF COUNTY.

THIS IS ONLY.

YEAH LOCAL PEOPLE AND AND IF YOU GO BY THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE THERE ARE A LOT OF BUSSES OUT THERE.

THEY THAT COULD BE SOME POTENTIAL REVENUE THEN IF THEY'RE JUMPED.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, LIKE LYNETTE WAS SAYING ON THAT BASIC SCHOOL AID REVENUE AT 11 MILLION FOR.

SO I'M STARTING TO NEED GLASSES NOW.

BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL LUMPED TOGETHER.

THE STATE DOESN'T LOOK AT IT.

THEY DON'T CARE WHETHER THAT'S IN COUNTY OR OUT OF COUNTY.

THAT'S BASED ON THE STUDENT NUMBER, ADM NUMBERS, AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOUR QUESTION.

AND THEN THE OTHER WHAT WE CHARGE SEPARATELY FOR OUT OF LIKE IF YOU'RE COMING FROM EMPORIA, GREENSVILLE COUNTY, WHICH A LOT OF STUDENTS COME OVER HERE, IS THAT $1,500 AND THAT OTHER REVENUE LINE ITEM ON THE NEXT PAGE AT YEAH, TUITION UNDER SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY FUNDS AT 60,000.

SO COMBINE ALL THOSE TOGETHER.

AND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT YOU GET, LYNETTE, ON THAT SAME PAGE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

IF I WANTED TO KNOW THE PERCENT INCREASE OF STATE FUNDING TO SOUTH HAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AM I LOOKING AT THAT TOP BASIC SCHOOL AID LINE AT 11.98%, THE

[01:45:08]

OKAY, SO TELL ME WHAT IT IS YOU WANT TO KNOW.

THE TOTAL STATE AID CONTRIBUTION TO SOUTH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL.

SURE. YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO ADD ALL OF IT TOGETHER.

THE CATEGORICAL A PLUS THE OTHER STATE FUNDS 26.

THEY PAY ABOUT 60 26 AT THE BOTTOM THAT 26.18%.

THEN THE GRAND TOTAL AT THE BOTTOM.

YEP. 11 POINT TOTAL STATE REVENUE.

TOTAL STATE REVENUE IS $26,400,212.

AND THAT IS AN INCREASE OF 11.8%.

VERY GOOD. SO TO BROADLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT VML AND VACO HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

AGAIN, THE STATE TO STEP UP AND STOP FUNDING THE BUDGETS OF SCHOOLS OFF THE BACKS OF THE LOCALITIES.

THEY NEED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND PUT MORE OF THE STATE BUDGET INSTEAD OF RELYING ON THE LOCALITIES TO DO THIS.

THAT'S ALMOST 3 MILLION MORE DOLLARS THAN THEY HAD LAST YEAR.

YEAH, I MEAN, THEY'RE GETTING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.

YEAH, IT'S STILL TOO LOW.

THANK YOU. LYNETTE. YOU'RE WELCOME.

ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? WE MOVE ON. ONE, ONE ITEM THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WAS THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF US FEEL THAT WE NEED TO REINSTATE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

WHAT WAS THE 452 COMMITTEE? IS THAT THE COMMITTEE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? THAT'S THE 452.

DID WE ACTUALLY VOTE TO GET RID OF IT OR.

NO, I THINK IT WAS I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED THERE, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF A LIAISON BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE FINANCIAL END OF IT, AND I THINK IT'S VERY.

MAYBE IF WE HAD HAD THAT A LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS WERE DISCUSSING TONIGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BEFORE WE GOT HERE.

I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE DID WHEN WE MET THIS WEEK, I GUESS.

I MEAN. HE CAME UP WITH A PROPOSAL BASED ON WHAT WE WANTED.

WELL, OKAY. BUT IF WE'D HAD A FINANCE COMMITTEE, THEN THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED A LONG TIME AGO AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO MEET ON.

I THINK IT'D BE GOOD. I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE AND THE SCHOOL BOARD TO AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO HAVE MEETINGS, NOT NECESSARILY A FINANCIAL COMMITTEE, OKAY, BUT JUST A COMMITTEE TO SO THAT WE CAN SEE HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.

HOW ABOUT THE SCHOOL LIAISON COMMITTEE? YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT BACK? I'D RATHER HAVE THAT BACK THAN I FIND THAT I LIKE TO HAVE BOTH OF THEM.

SO PART OF PART Y'ALL DISCUSSED ALL THIS AT THE RETREAT PLANNING SESSION, WHATEVER WE CALL IT.

SO WHEN WE SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO COMMUNICATE BETTER WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM GOING FORWARD SO THAT THAT'S ONE TOPIC.

YOUR YOUR TOPIC ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE.

Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT THAT AT THE PLANNING SESSION.

MY PERSONAL OPINION ON ALL THAT IS, I REPORT TO EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD EQUALLY.

AND I THINK WITH ANY COMMITTEE SYSTEM AND I'VE NEVER LIKED COMMITTEES PERSONALLY, YOU'RE DELEGATING WAY TOO MUCH AUTHORITY TO TWO PEOPLE OR THREE PEOPLE ON A COMMITTEE.

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU MY PROPOSAL.

MY PROPOSED BUDGET, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU GOT A COMMITTEE, 2 OR 3 COMMITTEES.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WILL MEET WITH YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY, TWO BY TWO, LIKE WE DID THE OTHER DAY WITH WILLIAM HART AND ROBERT CARL CAME IN.

IF YOU SEND US EMAILS, WE'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.

BUT YOU'RE STILL GOING TO GET A PROPOSED BUDGET WHERE I THINK THE COUNTY NEEDS TO GO.

SO IF Y'ALL WANT TO FORM A COMMITTEE, THAT'S FINE.

IF Y'ALL DO DO THAT, JUST RECOGNIZE THAT IS A PUBLIC BODY THAT HAS TO GIVE NOTICE AND IT WILL BE A PUBLIC MEETING.

BUT YOU DO HAVE A YOU DO HAVE THAT HAVE TO BE A PUBLIC MEETING BECAUSE PER FOIA, YOU'RE DELEGATING A FUNCTION AND YOU'RE APPOINTING TO WHOEVER DISSOLVED IT IN THE PUBLIC MEETING.

I'M SAYING IT'S NEVER OFFICIALLY DISSOLVED AT A PUBLIC MEETING.

SO WHY DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING TO REDO IT? YEAH. WHEN THEY WHEN THE WHEN WHEN WHEN WHATEVER COMMITTEE.

I DON'T CARE IF IT'S THE PARKS AND REC COMMITTEE OR ONCE YOU ONCE YOU DELEGATE TWO PEOPLE TO PERFORM A FUNCTION FOR THE GOVERNING BODY.

IT'S A PUBLIC MEETING WHEN YOU HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING.

WELL, ISN'T IT JUST AN ADVISORY? THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S JUST LIKE IF YOU FORM ANY COMMITTEE, WHAT IF YOU HAVE A IF YOU HAVE A MEETING, IT'S GOT TO BE YOU GOT TO GIVE NOTICE AND YOU HAVE TO ALLOW PEOPLE NOT THAT

[01:50:03]

THE WAY WE DID IT THIS YEAR IS ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO PUT THOSE TWO COMMITTEES ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING, SO WE CAN VOTE THEM.

I REALLY FEEL THAT, CARL, I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO EXTEND ALL THE.

ALL THE OLIVE BRANCHES WE CAN TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.

AND I THINK AT TIMES THAT COMMITTEE WAS VERY VALUABLE.

BRIAN AND YOUR EXPERIENCE, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR THE TWO BODIES TO MEET.

I THINK Y'ALL ARE TALKING. YOU'RE CORRECT.

AND THAT SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE.

THAT'S THAT'S CORRECT BODY TO MEET.

AND WHEN WE HAVE A WORK SESSION TO TALK ABOUT YOUR PRIORITIES AND GENERAL THINGS THIS WAS GOING THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION OF HOW HOW HOW YOU WANT TO MEET WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE FREQUENCY, THE METHOD.

SO PUT THAT ASIDE ON THIS BUDGET.

WHAT Y'ALL NEED TO SET.

Y'ALL NEED TO TELL US ON TUESDAY.

WHAT YOU WANT YOUR FINAL BUDGET TO LOOK LIKE SO WE CAN ADVERTISE FOR IT.

SO TODAY'S WEDNESDAY? I'M NOT SURE. I'M NOT SURE.

WE'VE MET INDIVIDUALLY WITH MR., GILLETTE AND MR. WHITE THE OTHER DAY FOR ABOUT 3.5 HOURS.

KARL, THE OTHER DAY, FROM 30 MINUTES OR SO TO AN HOUR.

DOES ANYBODY WANT TO PUT THOSE TWO THINGS ON THE ON THE BOARD MEETING? WHY DON'T WE HAVE A WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER AND THEN MAYBE DO IT, YOU KNOW, NEXT, NEXT TIME WE GET TOGETHER FOR A WORK SESSION, KIND OF PLAN IT OUT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

WHY? WHY DO YOU WANT TO WAIT? WELL, I DON'T I MEAN, THAT'S JUST MY SUGGESTION.

WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WHAT'S THE HARM IN GOING AHEAD AND DO IT? I THINK, YOU KNOW, UNLESS UNLESS THE BOARD DOESN'T WANT TO DO IT, I THINK WHAT WHAT WHAT GOT ME IS THERE WAS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ADMINISTRATION AND BOARD WHEN THIS WHEN THIS BUDGET WAS MADE.

AND I THINK BEFORE IF WE HAD A, A BUDGET COMMITTEE, A FINANCIAL COMMITTEE, A LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS WE'RE DISCUSSING TONIGHT COULD HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING.

SO IN EVERY OTHER LOCALITY I'VE WORKED THE AND EVERY OTHER LOCALITY I KNOW, THE MANAGER PREPARES A PROPOSED BUDGET THAT GOES TO THE GOVERNING BODY. AND OFTENTIMES, YES, THEY WILL REDUCE THE BUDGET.

AND THAT'S THE PROCESS.

SO UNTIL WE HAVE A BUDGET I DON'T KNOW THE COMMUNICATION IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

YEAH. AND WE DIDN'T.

AND THE REASON WE HAD TO CANCEL THE FIRST WORK SESSION, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL NUMBERS FROM THE TO GIVE YOU A BUDGET BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW THE BUDGET.

SO I'M SORRY, THE REASSESSMENT PROCESS OR NOT, WHAT SOME OF Y'ALL LIKE AND I'M SORRY THE TAX RATE IS NOT SOME OF Y'ALL.

LIKE IT'S MY JOB TO GIVE YOU WHAT I THINK THE COUNTY ORGANIZATION NEEDS.

AND IF Y'ALL DISAGREE, THAT'S FINE.

LOWER IT. CUT IT OUT.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

SO RATHER THAN A COMMITTEE AT THIS JUNCTURE, IF WE WEREN'T SATISFIED WITH THE 79 CENT, THE DIRECTION WOULD BE BRIAN, COME BACK TO US WITH A 65 CENT RATE AND THEN YOU WOULD TAKE YOUR BUDGET AND WORK YOUR MAGIC.

THAT'S AN EXTREME EXAMPLE, BUT IT'S IT BEING YOUR BUDGET.

WHAT I TRIED TO DO WAS GIVE YOU ALL A 79 CENT RATE BUDGET HERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO CUT OUT OF THE BUDGET UNLESS YOU JUST CUT THESE POSITIONS OUT, WHICH SAVES YOU ANOTHER 169,000.

YOU'VE ALREADY CUT THE $100,000 FOR FACILITY I.

I'M AT A LOSS. THIS IS THIS IS BARE BONES BUDGET RIGHT HERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO CUT OUT UNLESS YOU START CUTTING EXISTING EMPLOYEES OUT.

ALL RIGHT. IS ANYBODY WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DO OR DO NOT PUT IT ON THE NEXT WHAT BUDGET COMMITTEE TO BRING THOSE TWO COMMITTEES BACK? LIAISON COMMITTEE.

EXCUSE ME. I'VE OFTEN RATHER I UNDERSTAND.

I'M NOT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAVING THIS WORK.

I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO IT YET, BUT THAT'S MY THE THE WORK SESSION IS WHEN WE WHEN Y'ALL ADOPTED YOUR PRIORITIES.

AND AT THE RETREAT, WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING ROUTINE WORK SESSIONS TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS YOUR PRIORITIES.

SO SOME OF THIS ELIMINATING THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, WHICH WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS YEAR, WAS THEN IN YOUR WORK SESSION, AGENDA AND PRIORITIES.

PART OF IT WAS COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHICH WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.

INSTEAD OF JUST RANDOMLY SAYING WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND THE FREQUENCY.

SO AT A WORK SESSION, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT Y'ALL WANT TO DO WITH THE BUDGET BETWEEN NOW AND TUESDAY SO WE CAN

[01:55:07]

YEAH. TO PUT QUOTE UNQUOTE A BUDGET COMMITTEE, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH.

SEVERAL OF Y'ALL COME BACK FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

I WELL, I HAD SOME QUESTIONS MOVING FORWARD TO TUESDAY.

IN THE IN THE LAYOUT, THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAD TO WORK WITH.

I THINK A THE NEWEST NUMBERS WERE THE END OF JANUARY REGARDING THIS YEAR'S EXPENSES AND, AND WHAT HAD BEEN DEDUCTED FROM THE BUDGET THAT WAS PROPOSED LAST YEAR.

I'M NOT SURE THE YEAR BEFORE THAT DATE WAS MARCH, THEN THE MARCH.

SO THREE FOURTHS OF THE YEAR.

YOU COULD PRETTY WELL EXTRAPOLATE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WAS LEFT TO GET YOU TO THE END OF THE YEAR.

THIS YEAR WAS YOU YOU WERE WORKING WITH SIX MONTHS.

WHICH IS A BIG GAP FOR ME.

AND SO.

I DON'T KNOW.

WE'RE GOING TO BEFORE WE COME OUT WITH A BUDGET THAT'S GOING TO BE PUT IN THE PAPER.

I'M SYMPATHETIC TO YOUR POSITION.

BRIAN, THAT YOU'RE IN.

COMING UP WITH A BUDGET THAT'S GOING TO HEAD US IN A DIRECTION WE NEED TO GO.

UNFORTUNATELY. THEY.

THE CLIMATE THAT WE'RE IN IS PUSHING US FAST AND FURIOUSLY ALL THE WAY, AND WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IT.

HISTORICALLY, BUSINESS LOOKS AT.

SCHOOLS AND TAX RATES FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES IF THEY'RE LOOKING TO COME HERE.

I THINK THE TAX RATE IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES THEY PUT ON IT.

SO WE ARE WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO PUSH THE WHEELBARROW WITH A WET NOODLE UP THE HILL HERE WITH THE. INFLATION RATE, THE TAX INCREASES THAT ARE COMING DOWN ON A FEDERAL LEVEL.

THE STATE IS, FROM WHAT I CAN UNDERSTAND, IS NOT GOING TO BE PURSUING A LOT OF TAX INCREASES.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, AGAIN, INFLATION IS A TAX INCREASE.

AND A LOT OF HOMES A LOT OF.

PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE STARTING OUT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE IT MYSELF.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT.

WITH THE. WITH MORTGAGE RATES.

I JUST HEARD A DAY OF GOING BACK TO, WHAT, 8%? THAT'S RIGHT. SO IT'S IT'S A TOUGH POSITION TO BE IN.

AND WE. IF WE CAN PARE THIS THING DOWN EVEN FURTHER, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

BUT THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME WITH SOME MIGHTY SPECIFIC PREDICTIONS ON HOW MUCH OF THE CURRENT BUDGET THAT PEOPLE ARE HOLDING.

THAT MIGHT BE EXTRA REVENUE AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT DOES NOT SHOW UP YET AS ROOM, FOR INSTANCE REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE AND A LOT OF THESE LINE ITEMS IN THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES ON ON VEHICLES, ON OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN IF THAT MONEY'S ALREADY BEEN SPENT AND IT'S GOING TO GET THEM THROUGH FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

THEY'RE THE KINDS OF THINGS WHERE YOU CAN SAVE A FEW PENNIES, BUT WE DON'T WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD I THINK IT WOULD HELP ME.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF YOU.

FOR THE DEPARTMENTS TO SET SOME TIME UP FOR EACH DEPARTMENT TO COME IN AND WALK US THROUGH WHAT THEY NEED AND LISTEN TO THEM, WHAT WHAT THEY NEED TO GET THE JOB DONE AND LET THEM TELL US WHERE THEY CAN GET US THROUGH THE YEAR, MAKE CUTS OR THINGS THEY ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE. AND THEY'VE HISTORICALLY BEEN VERY HONEST WITH US, AND THAT HELPS US SET THE BUDGET SO WE CAN WE OBVIOUSLY WILL DO WHATEVER THE BOARD DIRECTS US TO DO.

BUT TRADITIONALLY AND WITH LOCALITIES.

DEPARTMENT HEADS SUBMIT THEIR BUDGET.

THE MANAGER AND THE FINANCE PERSON.

OR DEPUTY IN THIS CASE, WHO'S ALSO THE FINANCE PERSON, PUTS THE BUDGET TOGETHER AND WE PRESENT IT TO THE GOVERNING BODY.

[02:00:03]

IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS HAPPEN TO BE THERE, SURE THEY CAN.

I'VE NEVER ASKED DEPARTMENTS TO COME GIVE PRESENTATIONS BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY GOT IT IN THE BUDGET.

NOW, WHATEVER IS NOT SPENT IN THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET, ALL IT IS IS A LITTLE CYCLE.

IT GOES BACK INTO FUND BALANCE TO TRY TO BUILD UP OUR FUND BALANCE BACK TO THAT 11 PLUS MILLION-DOLLAR MARK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HIT.

SO, IT DOESN'T JUST GO AWAY IF THEY DON'T SPEND MONEY AS A WHOLE.

I'M LOOKING AT THE BUDGET AS A WHOLE.

I'M TRYING TO MEET OR EXCEED AND PUT MONEY BACK INTO FUND BALANCE EACH YEAR ON.

BUT WHEN YOU ADDRESS DEPARTMENTS HEAD-TO-HEAD, SOMETIMES YOU FIND OUT THAT THEIR MONEY IS GOING TO BE LEFT OVER.

AND IF IT'S NOT ADDRESSED, THEY'RE SHARP COOKIES, TOO.

THEY CAN SPEND MONEY ON ITEMS THAT WOULD FIT A CATEGORICAL BUDGET, AND IT MIGHT NOT BE NECESSARY TO PURCHASE THOSE ITEMS. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT THING.

I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU'RE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

I'M TALKING ABOUT BRINGING IN THE DEPARTMENT'S BALANCE IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COST SAVINGS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR THAT WILL AFFECT WE CAN, NO, WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF HISTORY HERE FOR THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR TO MAKE THE DECISION.

BUT I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

SO, I HAVE WORKED FOR THE STATE, AND I HAVE WORKED FOR THE LOCALITY HERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH THE STATE.

AS YOU NEARED THE END OF THE YEAR? YES, WITHIN DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, EVERYBODY TRIED TO SPEND EVERY PIECE OF MONEY THEY HAD.

I'VE SEEN IT. BEEN THERE, SEEN IT WITH THE LOCALITY, WITH THIS LOCALITY, THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN.

AND WE STRUGGLE EVERY DAY TO MAKE WORK WHAT WE HAVE.

I DON'T SEE DEPARTMENTS HAVING MUCH EXTRA MONEY, BUT IF THEY DO, IT WILL ROLL RIGHT BACK IN THE GENERAL FUND TO BE UTILIZED AND.

RE BUDGETED THE NEXT YEAR THAT YOU GUYS HAVE A BUDGET PROCESS.

SO WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH EXCESS IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.

CAN I, CAN I JUST I HAVE WORKED PLACES THAT DID.

BUT THIS IS NOT THE ONE BLUNT.

I MEAN, THIS IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST BUDGET I'VE WORKED WITH IN MY CAREER IS I'VE BEEN MANAGER FOR COUNTY WITH 230 EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING SOCIAL SERVICES, PLUS OR MINUS.

YOU'VE GOT A VERY BARE BONES BUDGET.

YOU'VE GOT A BARE BONES ADMINISTRATION, YOU'VE GOT A BARE BONES STAFF.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE THAT THE COUNTY HAS NOT BEEN FUNDING AND NEEDS TO FUND.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PARE THIS DOWN ANY MORE THAN I HAVE AT $1.45 MILLION CUTTING THE SCHOOLS ANOTHER FOUR $411,000. YOU'VE BEEN LEVEL FUNDING THE SCHOOLS YEAR AFTER YEAR.

THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO CUT.

THERE'S VERY LITTLE BUSINESS HERE WHICH TIES INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IF YOU HAVE MORE BUSINESS HERE, YOU WOULD HAVE MORE MONEY TO WORK WITH AND LESS BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYERS.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE TO CUT.

I THINK YOU GOT IT. CUT TO THE BONE MYSELF.

I MEAN, FROM WHAT I'VE STUDIED HERE, I'VE TRIED TO FIGURE IT OUT, AND I CAN'T SEE WHERE YOU COULD DO ANY BETTER THAN WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

SO ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MEET TO DECIDE TO GO FORWARD WITH THE 79 CENT? I MEAN, I WAS I WAS HOPING Y'ALL WERE GOING TO COME TO SOME CONSENSUS TONIGHT ON HEY, YOU WOULD SAY, HEY BRIAN AND LYNETTE, WE THANK Y'ALL DID GOOD.

CUTTING OUT $1.5 MILLION.

WE THINK $0.79 IS A COMPROMISED RATE, THAT WOULD KIND OF MEET EVERYBODY IN THE MIDDLE.

YOU MAY CUT A FEW OTHER THINGS, LIKE THE FACILITIES, AND Y'ALL WOULD ROLL WITH THAT, AND WE WOULD ROLL TO TUESDAY, AND THAT WOULD BE SETTLED.

BUT. LET THAT REFRESH MY MIND.

I THOUGHT WE'D ALREADY DECIDED THAT.

BUT THERE'LL BE ONE MORE.

THERE'S ONE MORE MEETING TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET TUESDAY.

Y'ALL WILL BE ASKED TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET TO ADVERTISE AND PUBLISH IN THE NEWSPAPER.

THEN THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE WHEN CHANGES CAN BE MADE FROM THAT PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THAT RIGHT TO REDUCE BUT NOT TO INCREASE? YEAH. OKAY.

THE PUBLIC DEFENDER PRESENTED A PROPOSAL TONIGHT.

NOW, THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE $10,000 FOR THEM, DOES IT?

[02:05:01]

CAN WE GET IT FROM TAKING 90 OUT AND PUTTING TEN IN? OF COURSE. CAN IT BE MOVED FROM THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY'S PROJECTED LINE? I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING EXTRA IN THERE.

I MEAN, IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE $100,000 FROM THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, YOU COULD GIVE 10,000 TO THE.

YEAH, JUST JUST THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING TO ADD 90 BACK TO THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND, WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE.

THERE YOU GO. FUTURE YEARS ANYWAY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S CLEAR THEN.

RIGHT. OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO WHATEVER'S NECESSARY TO GIVE THEM THAT TO GIVE THEM 10,000.

YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE 90 OUT INSTEAD OF 100 AND TAKE EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THAT.

YEAH YEAH. TEN IN FOR PUBLIC DEFENDER.

HOW MANY CITIZENS UTILIZE THE CURBSIDE RECYCLING AT $100,000.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE HAD IT.

WELL, LYNETTE, IF WE TAKE THAT OUT, IS THAT.

IS THAT? WOULD THAT BE A SAVINGS OR WOULD THAT BE BECAUSE AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE DON'T HAVE ANY RECYCLING BECAUSE NOBODY'S BUYING THE PRODUCT.

YOU DON'T HAVE A MARKET FOR THE PRODUCT, IS WHAT I'M HEARING.

THEY MUST BE HAVING SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WOULD BE TAKING IT IF THEY DIDN'T.

THEY MUST. I MEAN, SO DO WE GET A CHECK BACK FOR IT? WE DO NOT GET A CHECK BACK.

NO. SO WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OF THE RECYCLING? IT KEEPS IT OUT OF YOUR LANDFILL.

YOU KNOW, LANDFILLS RUN ON AIRSPACE AND THE MORE STUFF YOU PUT IN IT, THE SOONER IT RUNS OUT.

AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TO FIND MORE PROPERTY AND DO EXPANSIONS, WHICH CIPS IS WORKING ON NOW.

BUT IT'S A LONG PROCESS.

SO WE'VE GOT TO GO ONE PLACE OR THE OTHER.

I UNDERSTAND. ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON? OTHER ITEMS. SO WE'RE GOING TO AGREE ON $0.79.

WE'LL MAKE A MOTION. WE'LL VOTE ON IT.

YEAH I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

NIGHT. ALL THOSE OPPOSED.

TAKE THE RIGHT HANDS. HAVE IT.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.

I HAVE TWO YOU HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.

OKAY. THEY'RE GOING TO LET US KNOW.

I, I THINK WE NEED WE NEED A VOTE ON THE PERSONAL PROPERTY.

$5. OKAY.

TONIGHT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE FINAL.

ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE PERSONAL PROPERTY? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND WITH RELUCTANCE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THERE IS 4 TO 2.

OKAY. SIP.

[3. Other Discussion Items]

AND THIS IS JUST A, AS YOU CAN SEE, A VERY SMALL LIST.

BUT THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.

I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THIS TO YOU.

THIS WAS THE INITIAL LIST WE GOT THIS YEAR.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ASKING FOR A VEHICLE AND A COUPLE OF YEARS UTILITIES WITH SOME UTILITY EXTENSIONS AT THE TURN OF TRACK.

AND THE PRT PROJECT, THE WELL CONSTRUCTION AT THE TURN OF TRACK YOU CAN SEE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS ASKED FOR.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE.

AND THE VOTER REGISTRAR AGAIN ON THE OFFICE EXPANSION, NEW OFFICE SPACE THAT THEY HAD ASKED FOR ABOUT.

HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON? LETTER FROM AMY CARR.

THIS IS JUST INFORMATION.

I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT THIS TO YOU, JUST SO YOU YOU HAD IT.

SHE SHE HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT WITH THE REASSESSMENTS THIS YEAR ABOUT THE ELDERLY TAX RELIEF PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE AND SOME EFFECTS THAT WERE PROBABLY YOU WOULD MAY SEE THERE.

AND ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THAT TO YOU.

I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANY LAND USE IMPACT THAT LAND USE TAXATION, IN OTHER WORDS.

THAT'S CORRECT. JUST AGAIN, HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO GET ARE THE INCREASE, THAT'S HOW MUCH YOU'RE GIVING UP.

AND EVERYBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE INCREASE, NOT THE TOTAL, BECAUSE IT USED TO BE ABOUT 2.8 TO 3 SOMETHING.

[02:10:07]

SO THAT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT $0.20 ON THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE THAT YOU'RE GIVING UP IN REVENUE.

SO WITH LAND USE TAXATION WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IN 4.1 MILLION MORE.

NO, NO THAT'S THE TOTAL.

NO. THAT'S HOW MUCH YOU'RE GIVING UP.

THAT'S HOW MUCH YOU'RE GIVING UP. YOU'RE LOSING.

RIGHT. IF WE DIDN'T HAVE IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE, WE LOSE THEM BY HAVING LAND USE TAX OKAY.

SO HOW MUCH ARE WE TAKING IN.

USED TO BE ABOUT 2.8.

THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING.

WE NEED TO KNOW THAT I DO NOT HAVE THAT NUMBER.

AMY WOULD HAVE TO GIVE US THAT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GET ASKED THAT.

SO LET'S LOOK AT THE NEXT MEETING TUESDAY TO HAVE THAT FIGURE.

I'VE ALREADY BEEN ASKED THAT ABOUT 3 OR 4 TIMES.

WHAT HOW MUCH WE TAKE IN FROM LAND USE TAXATION.

OKAY. HOW MUCH? DO WE LOSE? IT USED TO BE ABOUT 2.8.

IF WE DID NOT HAVE LAND USE TAXATION, WE WOULD MAKE $2.8 MILLION MORE.

WE WOULD THIS YEAR'S 4.1 MILLION.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WHAT YOU WOULD WE COULD REDUCE THE TAX RATE $0.20, 100 IF WE DIDN'T HAVE LAND USE TAXATION.

YEAH. THAT'S THE POINT HE MADE HERE.

I'M JUST I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW, HAVE LAND USE TAXATION.

WE COULD DROP THE RATE TO.

AND IT'S OFTEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION 59.

EVERYBODY BENEFITS FROM THAT ROBERTS.

CORRECT. YEAH.

IT'D BE 59 CENT.

INSTEAD WE HAVE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE.

YEAH. EMPHASIZE THAT LAND USE TAXATION DO GO UP JUST WHAT IT IS.

IT'S THE TRUTH. WE'RE GOING TO NEED A WHOLE NOTHER MEETING TO TALK.

THAT ONE. YEAH.

WELL WE WE NEED TO HAVE THAT EMPHASIZED THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WENT UP TOO.

IN MY OPINION. LAND USE TAXATION IS IS NEEDED TO KEEP FARMING LIKE IT IS MAKE FARMING PROFITABLE.

IT'S PROBABLY THE FAIREST TAX WE HAVE.

I MEAN, AN ACRE OF CORN DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY FIRE DEPARTMENT, DOESN'T REQUIRE SOCIAL SERVICES, DOESN'T REQUIRE YOU KNOW, MR. ANYTHING. MR. THROWER.

SO I THINK IT'S IT'S THE MOST FAIREST TAX THAT WE EVER HAD.

AND BY, I THINK 85% OF THE COUNTIES, SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THE STATE HAVE THAT TO SOME DEGREE.

IS THERE A RATE FOR THAT? IS THAT DONE? IS THAT THE SAME RATE, SAME AS THE REAL ESTATE EXCEPT THE LAND USE? THE THE ASSESSMENT GOES DOWN THE STATE HALF.

I UNDERSTAND THAT A CERTAIN YOUR ASSESSMENT IS 4000 AN ACRE.

OKAY. THE STATE SAYS OKAY YOU CAN BE TAXED ON 3000.

OH, THAT RATE IS STATE THAT IS SET BY THE STATE.

THAT'S THAT'S A STATE FUNCTION.

I UNDERSTAND AMY CARR GETS THAT EVERY YEAR FROM THE STATE, DEPENDING ON WHAT OUR LAND USE ASSESSMENTS ARE, WHAT ARE WHAT YOUR LAND IS ASSESSED AT. I MEAN, IF MAYBE WE CAN GET AMY CARR HERE IN THE NEXT MEETING TO JUST BRIEFLY GO THROUGH THAT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.

OKAY. ONE OTHER THING.

YOU KNOW AT OUR LAST MEETING.

MISS LEWIS BROUGHT UP THE NEED FOR A POSITION IN THAT DEPARTMENT.

I KNOW THAT WE'VE DECIDED ON THE BUDGET NOW, BUT SHE DID MENTION THAT IT'S SOMETHING WE LOOK AT FOR THE FUTURE OR SOMETHING, SO I CERTAINLY CAN I DON'T I DON'T I DON'T NEGATE THE, THE FACT THAT THEY THEY PROBABLY DO NEED THAT POSITION.

WE GOT A BALANCE HERE.

I'M TRYING TO I'M TRYING.

THAT'S WHAT I'VE SAID IN THE FUTURE.

IN THE FUTURE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK AT.

CORRECT. YES, SIR.

OKAY. THE.

OUR NEXT ONE IS UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.

THAT'S OUR EMERGENCY FUND, I GUESS.

AND WE I THINK WE DECIDED ON 25%, DID WE NOT? AND THEN THE 5%.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE WHILE AGO.

BUT NEXT FEW YEARS WE NEED TO BE BUILDING THAT UP.

AND JUST I THINK THE STATE MANDATES 15%, DON'T THEY? IT'S NOT THE STATE SPECIFICALLY, BUT IT IS BEST PRACTICES FOR GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL STANDARDS.

THAT, BUT THAT IS VERY LOW COMPARED TO WHAT IS ACTUALLY NEEDED.

AND REQUIRED FOR GOOD BOND RATINGS.

BEING AT 25% IS THE BOTTOM LEVEL FOR THE BOND RATING THAT WE HAVE.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THAT 5% STABILIZATION SO THAT WE'RE SOMEWHERE AROUND 30%. AND THE CATASTROPHE IS SUPPOSED TO KEEP EVERYTHING RUNNING FOR THREE MONTHS.

[02:15:04]

OKAY. AND YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED IN THAT.

IF WE HAVE A HURRICANE, TORNADOES EXTREME FLOODING OR WHATEVER WE MAY HAVE IT NORMALLY TAKES AT LEAST TWO YEARS TO GET YOUR MONEY BACK FROM FEMA OR VITA.

IT'S A LONG PROCESS, AND YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE IN THE MEANTIME.

ALL RIGHT. SOLID WASTE FEE.

I DON'T EVEN WANT TO BRING THAT UP.

YEAH. SO I THIS IS JUST INFORMATION.

JUST. I'M NOT TRYING TO.

I MEAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT IF YOU WANT TO, BUT I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE THIS KEEPS UP BEING BROUGHT UP BY PEOPLE, SO I JUST.

I WANTED TO SHOW YOU THE TREASURER, WE WE WE ACTUALLY HAD A WE HAD 2 OR 3 MEETINGS INTERNALLY WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS, THE TREASURER, COMMISSIONER, REVENUE COST THE SHERIFF AND WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLLECTION FEE AND A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THIS ON THIS ISSUE WITH THE REALLY THE SOLID WASTE FEE.

OBVIOUSLY YOU HEAR PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHY CAN'T YOU JUST ABSORB IT INTO THE REAL PROPERTY RATE? SO, I MEAN, THIS IS A BASIC ARITHMETIC, YOU KNOW, ARITHMETIC.

IF YOU SEE, WE BUDGETED 1.1 MILLION IN REVENUE, THE COUNTY DOES.

SO PERSONAL PROPERTY RATE EQUIVALENT.

YOU WOULD HAVE TO INCREASE THAT 63 PLUS CENTS.

THE REAL PROPERTY RATE ROUGHLY FIVE CENT INCREASE.

SO THAT'S JUST BASIC MATH.

SO UNTIL.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S I JUST WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THERE IS SOME DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON A LOT OF THESE THINGS.

I THINK THE CONSENSUS ON THIS WAS.

ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE AN AWKWARD COLLECTION METHOD, WHICH I THINK THAT IS TRUE, AND THERE ARE PROBABLY BETTER WAYS WE COULD LOOK AT DOING IT.

JUST THE OVERALL THING ABOUT THE A FEE VERSUS A REVENUE VERSUS A FEE VERSUS A TAX.

THAT'S THAT'S THE IMPACT.

DIDN'T WE TRY TO GET THAT DEFINED WITH.

WHAT THE ELECTRIC COMPANY OR SOMEBODY TO DO THAT.

I MEAN, PEOPLE I THINK WOULD, WOULD MIND IF THEY PAID A LITTLE BIT EVERY MONTH.

I THINK WE FIGURED OUT IT WAS $16.60, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

CORRECT. AND I KNOW BACK A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO MIKE JOHNSON, DALLAS JONES AND MAYBE RONNIE WEST, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH BOARD MEMBERS WENT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND SPOKE AND IT IT WOULD HAVE PASSED.

WE HAVE SEVERAL PROBABLY LIKE EIGHT ELECTRIC COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE ELECTRICITY WITHIN OUR COUNTY, WITH COMMUNITY ELECTRIC BEING THE LARGEST ALL OF THE ELECTRICITY PROVIDERS SAID THEY WOULD DO IT EXCEPT FOR THE LARGEST PROVIDER.

AND SO YOU CAN'T DO SOME AND NOT DO ALL.

SO IT LEFT US WITH HAVING TO BUILD ONCE A MONTH, AS OPPOSED TO INDIVIDUALS BEING ABLE TO BE BILLED ONCE A MONTH.

I MEAN, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT COULD BE A SOLUTION TO I MEAN, WE'RE ONLY COLLECTING 85% OF IT, RIGHT? YEAH. I MEAN, WE COULD JUST RAISE THE TAXES SOME MORE AND, AND TAKE THE TREASURE HALF TO MEET IN EVERY MONTH TO GET THROUGH THE UNCOLLECTED TAX RATES.

BUT YOU KNOW THAT IF A PERSON CAN TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES TO PAY THAT MONTHLY.

IF THEY WANT TO TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES TO DO IT.

I THINK THEY CAN ARRANGE THAT WITH THE TREASURER, RIGHT? THEY CAN. JUST LIKE THE TAX.

YEAH. CAN BE DONE MONTHLY IF THEY WANT TO.

YEAH. SHE'LL SET UP A PAYMENT PROGRAM.

YEAH. I MEAN SHE'LL COLLECT IT WHEREVER, WHERE, WHATEVER SHE CAN UNDERSTAND.

I GUESS WE NEED TO ADVERTISE THAT THAT THAT MESSAGE IS AVAILABLE.

I THINK THE GRIPE IS, IS HITTING $200 ALL AT ONE TIME CURRENT.

YEAH. WELL, THE CITY OF FRANKLIN, I'VE ASKED THEM IF YOU'VE GOTTEN TO BE CURRENT TO SET UP A PAYMENT.

YOU DON'T NEED A PAYMENT PLAN IF YOU'RE CURRENT.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BENEFIT OF THAT.

IF I'M CURRENT, I DON'T NEED A PAYMENT PROGRAM.

THE YOUNG LADY THAT CAME TO OUR PODIUM THE OTHER WEEK TRYING TO COME UP WITH A RESOLUTION TO THE TO THE BACKLOG TAXES, WANTED A PAYMENT PLAN, BUT WASN'T AFFORDED ONE BECAUSE SHE SHE WAS BEHIND ON HER TAXES.

THAT WAS THE PROBLEM, RIGHT? BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE YOU DON'T NEED A PAYMENT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE CURRENT, BUT THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO STAY CURRENT.

RIGHT. AND SO MAYBE THAT PERSON COULD BENEFIT FROM KNOWING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT.

HOW DO YOU HELP THOSE THAT ARE BEHIND TO TRY AND GET CAUGHT UP? THERE'S NO BENEFIT TO THEM.

WELL, IT WOULDN'T STOP THEM FROM BEING A THE PENALTY OR WHATEVER FOR BEING LATE, BUT IF THEY'RE PAYING SOMETHING, EVENTUALLY

[02:20:03]

IF THEY'RE PAYING MORE THAN THE PENALTIES, RIGHT.

MORE THAN THE PENALTY AND INTEREST.

YEAH, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

AND I GUESS WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.

BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMEBODY COMING IN.

ZERO TIMES ZERO IS ZERO.

SOMEBODY IS WAY BEHIND COMES IN.

ONCE A PAYMENT PLAN, I WOULD TAKE IT.

BECAUSE IF NOT, IT FALLS OFF THE TABLE AND YOU GET NOTHING.

AFTER WHAT, TWO YEARS, THREE, THREE YEARS, WHICH A LOT OF RESIDENTS ARE DOING THAT.

AND THEY ARE SITTING AROUND PLACES TALKING ABOUT IT AND LAUGHING ABOUT IT.

TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THOUGH, THE PENALTY COME OFF AFTER 2 OR 3 YEARS ALSO, OR JUST THE.

NO, YOU GOT TO PAY THE PENALTY, RIGHT? THAT'S A PART OF IT.

YEAH. OKAY.

COLLECTION WISE, THE EASIEST WAY TO COLLECT, IN MY OPINION, WOULD BE JUST PUT IT ON THE PERSONAL PROPERTY.

RIGHT. BUT YOU SEE WHAT THAT DOES? AND YOU CAN COLLECT TAXES EASIER BY FEES.

BUT THERE ARE PROS AND CONS.

THIS IS I'M NOT TRYING TO OVERCOMPLICATE THIS WHOLE ISSUE, BUT IT IS MORE COMPLICATED ONCE YOU START THINKING THROUGH THESE ISSUES ON THIS THE ANYWAY.

BUT YOU SEE THE EQUIVALENT, RIGHT? WELL, I MEAN WE DON'T HAVE PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER AND EVERYTHING, SO YOU CAN'T LUMP IT INTO A UTILITY.

THAT'S RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHY IT DOESN'T WORK IN A RURAL COUNTY.

RIGHT? WE'VE GOT TO DO IT THE WAY WE DO THE WATER BILL.

YEAH. THE BOOKKEEPING WOULD BE TWICE WHAT WE'D EVER GET OUT OF IT.

SO THE REASON WE CAN'T DO IT IS THE COOPERATIVE AT WINDSOR, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY HAS WATER AND SEWER OR SOME HAVE ONE.

BUT HE'S TALKING ABOUT ELECTRIC.

OH, YES.

I'VE SAID IT RIGHT. OKAY, WELL, I'M GLAD WE SOLVED THAT TONIGHT.

ANYWAY, I JUST I KNOW THAT ROUTINELY COMES UP.

AND WHY CAN'T YOU JUST. IT COMES UP EVERY YEAR.

BUT ANYWAY, EVERY MONTH.

SORRY TO BE THE FIRST.

TO ME IS THE FAIREST.

I WON'T CALL IT A TAX THAT WE'VE GOT.

EVERYBODY'S GOT TO PAY THE SAME.

IF YOU PAY, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF FRANKLIN OR WHOEVER, YOU'RE PAYING 20 OR $30 A MONTH ON YOUR WATER BILL FOR SANITATION.

THEY'RE PAYING THE SAME THING OR MORE.

IT'S THE SAME THING.

NEW MARKET ROAD. I JUST WANT TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION.

I MET WITH VDOT, PER ITS REQUEST, ON APRIL 11TH.

THIS IS A SMART SCALE PROJECT THAT THE COUNTY SUBMITTED BEFORE I GOT HERE, AND IT'S TO PUT IN A TURN LANE GOING INTO NEW MARKET ROAD GOING EAST.

AND A AN EXTENDING THE LEFT TURN LANE, TURNING ONTO NEW MARKET ROAD COMING FROM THE EAST, GOING WEST.

AND APPARENTLY WHENEVER THE COUNTY PUTS SOMETHING IN, THERE'S A FUNDING GAP NOW OF ABOUT 1.2 OR MORE MILLION DOLLARS.

I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THEY FOR ALL THESE PROJECTS ACROSS THE STATE VDOT HAS BEEN ASKED TO ASK THE LOCALITIES OF WHETHER THEY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING FOR THE SMART SCALE PROJECTS WHERE THERE IS A GAP.

I'M NOT RECOMMENDING YOU DO OR DON'T.

EITHER WAY, I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT THEY DID WANT TO HAVE SOME RESPONSE AND EMAIL FROM ME WHETHER THE LOCALITY WANTED TO YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING, YES OR NO.

AND I FIGURED THEY WANTED TO COME OUT HERE AND SPEND $5 MILLION PUTTING A J TURN IN, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO FUND THIS LITTLE PROJECT, SO IT DON'T MAKE SENSE. SO IF THEY DON'T, THEY HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD, AND THEY MAY OR MAY NOT FUND THE DIFFERENCE, BUT IF THEY DON'T, THEY COULD CANCEL THE PROJECT. SO I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE TO MAKE SENSE.

ROBERT I KNOW IT'S THE GOVERNMENT.

SO THE LAST THING I KNOW, THIS HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF ATTENTION HERE IN THE PAST YEAR.

THE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION GRANT, LITERARY LOAN APPLICATION.

I SENT YOU ALL AN EMAIL YESTERDAY.

LYNETTE AND I AND DAVID ROSE AND AJ WITH DAVENPORT AND COMPANY.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT WE DON'T HAVE NOT HAD THE ANSWERS TO BECAUSE WE HADN'T GOTTEN A LOT OF INFORMATION OURSELVES ABOUT HOW THIS THIS GRANT THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM APPLIED FOR FOR A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, WE LEARNED ABOUT IT AFTER THE FACT FROM DAVENPORT.

SO. SO NOW THEY WERE AWARDED THIS $5.5 MILLION THAT GOES TOWARDS 30% OF THE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION COST.

IF THE IF ANY LOCALITY THAT GOT THIS GRANT WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD ON IT.

SO WE HAD A CONVERSATION.

WE HAD A TEAMS MEETING WITH KENT DICKEY MONDAY AFTERNOON.

WHO'S THE BASICALLY THE SECOND PERSON IN CHARGE AT THE STATE DOE AS FAR AS THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

AND HE'S THE GURU THAT IS THE CREATOR AND KNOWS THIS PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AND HE GAVE US A LOT OF VALUABLE INFORMATION.

[02:25:06]

SO IF THE LOCALITY THE GOVERNING BODY WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD ON A LITERARY LOAN APPLICATION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE BOTH GOVERNING BOTH THE GOVERNING BODY, BOTH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD HAVE TO PASS RESOLUTIONS APPLYING FOR THE LITERARY LOAN BEFORE THAT DATE IN ORDER TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION THAT THAT MR. DICKEY DID NOT HAVE A THERE WAS NO CERTAINTY OF ANOTHER DATE COMING UP TO APPLY FOR LITERARY LOAN FUNDING.

THE OTHER PART OF THAT SO THIS IS ALL NEW INFORMATION.

WE JUST FOUND OUT MONDAY.

THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS THAT THEY WERE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OR ALL THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT WERE AWARDED THIS MONEY HAD A SIX MONTH OBLIGATION WINDOW TO HAVE THE MONEY OBLIGATED TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE PROJECT.

NOW, WE ARE AFTER SIX MONTHS AND THERE IS SOME WIGGLE ROOM TO MOVE FORWARD.

IF YOU IF YOU ALSO CHOOSE OR ANY GOVERNING BODY TO APPLY FOR THIS LITERARY LOAN APPLICATION THAT'S DUE MAY 23RD.

SO WHAT WE HAVE PRELIMINARILY, PRELIMINARILY DISCUSSED PENDING Y'ALL'S APPROVAL TO DO SO.

IF YOU ALL WANTED DAVENPORT AND COMPANY TO COME EITHER MAY 7TH OR MAY 8TH AND HAVE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM COME AND PRESENT THEIR PROPOSAL ON WHAT THEY THEIR JUSTIFICATION PROPOSAL FOR A NEW SCHOOL, GIVEN THE FACT THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY NEVER GET THIS $5.5 MILLION AGAIN, THAT'S FALLEN OUT OF THE SKY TO.

CONSTRUCT A NEW SCHOOL TO CONSIDER SETTING A SPECIAL MEETING.

MY THOUGHTS ON THAT? MAYBE I'M THE ONLY ONE HERE.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK THAT $13 MILLION IS GOING TO STAY $13 MILLION AND I'LL SELL YOU A THE BRIDGE THAT THEY BLEW UP, THAT BOAT KNOCKED DOWN.

OKAY, THE KEY BRIDGE.

IT'S GOT TO BE 18, 19, 20 BY THE TIME EVERYTHING GETS DONE AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.

SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE BORROWING $13 MILLION.

WE'RE GOING TO BE BORROWING PROBABLY 5 OR $6 MILLION.

MORE THAN THAT. I THINK WE ALL YOU AGREE TO THAT TOO.

SO WHAT WE'RE GETTING FROM DAVENPORT IS THE FIGURES ON 13 MILLION.

ALL RIGHT. AND SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE ONE OTHER THING THAT BOTHERS ME THERE, THERE'S BEEN A $2 MILLION ON REMODELING THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICES AND A WELLNESS CENTER.

NOW. $2 MILLION WOULD DO A LOT OF REMODELING AND CATERING SCHOOL.

WOULD IT NOT? NOW I'VE HEARD, OKAY, WE CAN'T USE THIS FOR CERTAIN THINGS.

OKAY? BUT IF YOU CAN USE IT TO REMODEL A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING, YOU SURE AS HELL CAN USE IT TO REMODEL A SCHOOL.

IS REMODELING CATERING.

THE BEST MOVE THOUGH THAT THAT SCHOOL IS IS OLD.

OKAY, YEAH.

THE PROBLEM IS OUR DEBT SERVICE IS NOT GOING TO GO DOWN TO 2030.

THAT'S WHEN IT STARTS GOING DOWN.

RIGHT EVERYBODY. WE SAW THE GRAPH ON THAT.

AND YOU KNOW LIKE I SAID IT'S NOT GOING TO BE 13 MILLION.

IT'S COULD BE 18 TO 20 MILLION BY THE TIME YOU GET EVERYTHING DONE.

SO YOU HAVE TO DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE COUNTY TAX ROLL AGAIN TO OKAY.

SO THAT THAT'S MY POINT IN THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO TAKE THAT MONEY AND PUT IT WHERE IT'S NEEDED.

NOT ON A WELLNESS CENTER AND NOT ON REMODELING THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES.

I MEAN, IF WE'RE SO GUNG HO ON EDUCATION, LET'S PUT THAT MONEY ON EDUCATION.

WELL, I'M ALL FOR.

I'LL START BY SAYING I'M ALL FOR MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, ONE OF THESE TWO MEETINGS THAT WE CAN HASH THIS THING OUT.

BUT I CAN'T JUST SAY THAT WITHOUT HAVING THE RECORD REFLECT THIS FIRST.

THEY WERE AWARDED THIS GRANT BACK IN JUNE OF 2023, AND GIVEN A SIX MONTH DEADLINE TO MEET THE PROVISIONS OF THEIR OBLIGATION TO THE GRANT, AND THEY FAILED TO DO SO.

THIS IS THE SECOND SUCH GRANT THAT WE'RE AWARE OF THAT THEY FALTERED ON NOT MEETING THE PROVISIONS OF IT.

THE OTHER ONE WAS THE WORKFORCE COUNCIL GRANT THAT WAS ULTIMATELY TAKEN FROM THEM.

I KNOW BECAUSE I SERVED ON THAT BOARD.

I WAS THERE WHEN WE VOTED TO DO SO.

THEY FAILED TO MEET THEIR OBLIGATIONS OF THAT GRANT.

THEY LOST IT. THIS IS THE SECOND ONE THAT WE KNOW OF THAT THEY HAVEN'T MET THEIR OBLIGATIONS.

[02:30:02]

THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEVER TOLD US ABOUT THEM HAVING APPLIED FOR AND BEING AND BEEN AWARDED OF, OF THIS GRANT POSSIBILITY AND OUR COMMITMENT TO FUND THE OTHER PART OF IT. THEY NEVER TOLD US ABOUT ANY OF IT.

WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT FROM OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, DAVENPORT, WHO ALSO, I THINK IS THEIRS.

CORRECT. WE READ IT IN, I READ IT IN THE PAPER.

WE READ IT IN THE PAPER.

THEY NEVER CAME TO US AND TOLD US ABOUT THEIR INTENT TO AND OR THEIR APPLICATION TO AND OR AWARD FOR THEIR PART OF THE FUNDING FOR THE GRANT.

THAT'S HOW WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT AS THE GOVERNING APPROPRIATING BODY.

BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU ALL.

NOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO.

ARE YOU GOING TO? DOES THAT MEAN YOU GOT TO GO OUT HERE AND BUY SOME LAND TO BUILD A SCHOOL.

AND WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO LOCATE IT.

HOW MUCH LAND DO THEY HAVE UP THERE IN CAPE? IS IT ENOUGH ROOM TO BUILD ANOTHER ONE? I DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH THEY HAVE, BUT I HAVE BEEN TOLD WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT THERE IS ROOM TO PUT ONE IMMEDIATELY BEHIND WHERE THE CURRENT CAPRON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS, THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO LAY.

I CAN'T THINK OF THE RIGHT WORD, BUT THEY COULD DO A LAYOUT OF ONE IN AN L SHAPE BACK BEHIND THE SCHOOL.

THAT WOULD. AND I'M JUST SAYING, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WOULD BE THE SIZE THAT COULD BE THE SIZE OF MEHERRIN OR NOTTOWAY, BUT A STRUCTURE OF THAT SIZE COULD FIT THERE.

NOT THAT IT WOULD BE THAT SIZE, I'M JUST SAYING.

I DON'T THINK DAVENPORT'S SHOWING US THE REAL EXPENSES HERE.

AND I'M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB.

I'M GOING TO SAY THIS, AND I DON'T CARE.

IT'S MORE BUSINESS FOR THEM OKAY TO DO THIS, ALL RIGHT? AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE $13 MILLION.

SO BEFORE YOU GET INTO THIS, IT'S WELL KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE 18, 19, MAYBE 20 BEFORE IT'S ALL OVER WITH.

SO DAVENPORT ONLY WORKS WITH THE NUMBERS THAT THEY ARE GIVEN THAT ARE PROJECTED FOR THE PROJECT.

THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO SELL ANYTHING.

THEY DON'T CARE EITHER WAY WHETHER WE DO IT OR NOT.

THEY ARE JUST HERE SUCH THAT IF WE DECIDE IF YOU DECIDE TO GO FORWARD, THEY ARE HERE TO GUIDE THAT PROCESS AND TO MAKE SURE ANY FINANCING IS DONE PROPERLY.

LYNETTE, WHEN THEY DID THIS, DID THE REPORT AND DID THE STUDY, THEY BASED IT ON $13 MILLION.

THERE WAS NO COST INCREASE THERE.

THERE WAS NO INFLATION, CONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS OR WHATEVER LIKE RUNNING THE PUMP.

SO I DON'T THINK IT WAS A REALISTIC STUDY OR REPORT.

DAVENPORT HASN'T DONE A STUDY FOR US.

I DON'T KNOW. SO THEY HAVE THEY ARE STRICTLY TAKING THE NUMBER.

THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE THEIR THEIR LIKE LYNETTE SAID, THEY'RE JUST WORKING OFF THE NUMBERS THAT THE SCHOOL PEOPLE PUT IN THE GRANT.

I MEAN, MOST LIKELY, YES, PROBABLY.

AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO ADJUST LATER.

BUT YEAH, WE NEED TO DEAL WITH REALITY.

NOT NOT WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE PUT INTO THE GRANT.

THAT'S THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.

SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAD A TEMPLATE FOR THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

GRANT PROCESS THAT THEY PUT OUT.

AND THAT TEMPLATE HAD THE COST PER SQUARE FOOT OF A SCHOOL SERVING X NUMBER OF STUDENTS, ETC..

SO THEY USE THOSE NUMBERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S TEMPLATE.

SO THE ONLY THE ONLY DOG IN THE FIGHT THAT LYNETTE AND I HAVE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT OUR PROJECT.

THIS IS NOT THE COUNTY'S PROJECT.

BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE YOU WOULD HAVE TO FUND THE OTHER 70%.

SO WE WERE JUST PRESENTED WITH THE INFORMATION WE CAN PROVIDE AND TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER INFORMATION SO Y'ALL CAN MAKE A RATIONAL, LOGICAL DECISION BASED ON THE FACT THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY NEVER GOING TO HAVE $5.5 MILLION THROWN OUT OF THE SKY TO YOU TO CONSTRUCT A SCHOOL.

AND KAPRON IS THE IS, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THE OLDEST REMAINING SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY.

WELL, YOU KNOW, NEAL, THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT WHEN IT SHOWED UP IN THE TIDEWATER NEWS.

AND THAT'S NO WAY TO I WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

[02:35:03]

OKAY. AND THERE ARE SOME YOU'RE NOT HAVE THAT SITUATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

FINE. OKAY.

BUT WHETHER THEY DID OR DIDN'T DO WE DID.

FINAL ANALYSIS IS SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY NEEDS ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND SO NOW WE LOOK AT THE PICTURE AND AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE GO FORWARD FROM HERE.

THE FACT THAT WE FOUND OUT LATER WHATEVER DOESN'T CRIPPLE US.

IF IT DOESN'T, THEN WE JUST NEED TO GO FORWARD AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

IF WE CAN'T BUILD A SCHOOL, WE CAN'T.

IF WE CAN, WE CAN.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.

THE PROBLEM IS HOW CAN HOW CAN WE PAY FOR IT? ON THE TAXPAYERS BACKS.

RIGHT. THAT'S THE GOING FORWARD.

THAT'S WHAT I SAY. AND THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT EVERYTHING, IF WE CAN'T PAY FOR IT, WE CAN'T GET IT.

WHAT IF IT COULD BE WORKED OUT SO THAT WE CAN PAY FOR IT? WE CAN GET IT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, WITHOUT GOING BACK AND LOOK.

BASED ON THAT $18.5 MILLION OR WHATEVER IT WAS COST TAG.

I MEAN, DAVENPORT DID ANTICIPATE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADD SOME SENSE TO THE TO THE REAL PROPERTY RATE IN FUTURE YEARS.

NOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO INCREASE THAT IN THE NEXT TWO OR 1 OR 2 YEARS, BUT AT SOME POINT YOU ARE.

AND YES, IT IS A COST TO IT, OBVIOUSLY, THAT THE COUNTY IS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR.

BUT I WOULD SUGGEST, I MEAN, IT'S Y'ALL'S CALL EITHER WAY, HAVE THEM COME PRESENT THEIR PROJECT TO HAVE DAVENPORT HERE ON THE SEVENTH OR EIGHTH.

AND AT THAT TIME, Y'ALL CAN DECIDE WHETHER Y'ALL WANT TO PASS A RESOLUTION AND MOVE FORWARD ON AN APPLICATION.

IF YOU DO, YOU DO. IF YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T.

SO THERE WAS ONE ITEM THAT WAS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT I BELIEVE THE GOVERNOR HAS VETOED AT THIS POINT, BUT IN ALL LIKELIHOOD IT WILL COME UP AGAIN IN FUTURE YEARS.

BUT THAT YOU COULD DO A 1% LOCAL SALES TAX THAT COULD, THAT WOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED TO BE USED TO PAY FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.

SO IF THAT CAME BACK AROUND NEXT YEAR, THOSE FUNDS COULD WOULD IF IT WAS APPROVED BY REFERENDUM, BECAUSE IT HAS TO GO ON A BALLOT BEFORE.

BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT OTHER LOCALITIES THAT HAVE PUT IT ON A REFERENDUM, NONE HAVE VOTED IT DOWN.

ALL CITIZENS LOCALITIES HAD APPROVED IT.

BUT THAT COULD BE A POSSIBILITY THAT WE JUST DON'T KNOW YET.

SO IT MAY BE A GOOD IDEA TO CONTINUE TO FACT FIND UNTIL.

WE FIND OUT HOW WE CAN MANAGE IT OR IF WE CAN'T MANAGE IT.

SO I CERTAINLY THINK THAT MEETING WITH THEM AND DISCUSSING IT IS CERTAINLY INAPPROPRIATE.

BUT TO REITERATE, IF Y'ALL WANTED TO APPLY DURING THIS FUNDING CYCLE, YOU WOULD.

YOU WOULD FOR THE LITERARY LOAN MONEY.

YOU WOULD HAVE TO YOU WOULD HAVE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION ON MAY 7TH OR EIGHTH.

HAS THE FEASIBILITY STUDY BEEN DONE ON THIS PROJECT? NOT THAT WE'RE AWARE OF.

I MEAN, THE I MEAN, THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.

I MEAN, HOW BIG IS THE SCHOOL GOING TO BE? I MEAN, YOU GOT TO DO A STUDY TO FIND OUT WHAT THE SCHOOL POPULATION IS DROPPING.

HOPEFULLY WHEN AND IF YOU HAVE THIS MEETING AND THEY COME, THEY COULD GIVE YOU ALL THE DETAILS BECAUSE THEY SHOULD KNOW THOSE NUMBERS AND WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING. AND.

WELL, THIS IS SOMETHING IT'S ALSO SAYING THAT WE WOULD APPLY.

WE'VE GOT A DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR THE LOAN.

IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY MEAN WE HAVE TO DO IT.

CORRECT. AND WE CAN APPLY AND SEE IF WE GET THE 2% CORRECT.

YOU DON'T HAVE HEARD ANYTHING.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMMIT TO IT.

CORRECT. THEN WE'VE GOT MORE TIME TO FACT FIND THAT IS CORRECT.

OKAY. THE EIGHTH IS NOT I'M NOT AVAILABLE MAY 8TH.

SO WHAT ABOUT THE SEVENTH? THE SEVENTH. SEVENTH. YES.

WHAT DAY IS THAT ALL? DO YOU KNOW? SEVENTH ON TWO.

I DIDN'T BRING. MY EIGHTH IS ON WEDNESDAY.

YEAH, I CAN BE HERE ON TUESDAY.

OH, IT'S 830. WE'RE ALL GETTING OVERTIME NOW.

SO THE SEVENTH AT 6:00.

OKAY, OKAY.

YEAH. THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE SAME TIME WEDNESDAY.

TUESDAY. EXCUSE ME.

ALL RIGHT. MAY 7TH AT 6:00.

OH, WE'VE GOT A MEETING WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

THE TUESDAY MEETING OKAY.

YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. MADE SEVEN.

FURTHER, BEFORE WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

[02:40:01]

SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE ADJOURNED.

THAT'S A JOINT MEETING.

RIGHT. MAY THE 7TH.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.