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>> GOOD EVENING, FOLKS. IT'S 6:00.
[Call to Order]
WE'LL THEREFORE FALL THE APRIL 23 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING TO ORDER.BEFORE WE HAVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, JUST ONE CHANGE IN THE BUDGET.
WE'VE MOVED NUMBER 19, WHICH IS DISCUSSING OF THE REASSESSMENTS UP TO BETWEEN ITEM NUMBER NINE AND NUMBER 10.
THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER TO HEAR BEFORE THE BOARD DISCUSSES THE BUDGET.
LET'S ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> DO WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER FROM THE AUDIENCE TO LEAD US IN AN INVOCATION? THANK YOU.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TONIGHT WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS.
WE HAVE MANY THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR, ONE OF WHICH IS OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTY.
WE ASK YOU TO SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT TO BE WITH US THIS EVENING AND GOD AND DIRECT US OUR LEADERS AND CITIZENS THAT WE WILL MAKE WISE DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITIZENS.
THESE THINGS WE ASK IN JESUS NAME. AMEN.
>> THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, THE CITIZENS COMMENT THIS HISTORICALLY IT STARTED ON NOVEMBER 25, 2013.
[1. Citizens Comment Period]
ACTUALLY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION STARTED BEFORE THE BOARD DID.WE PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTED TO TALK TONIGHT.
COULD YOU JUST GET RIGHT TO YOUR POINT AND TRY TO HOLD THAT FIVE MINUTES OR LESS? ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS COME UP FRONT AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
FOR THE RECORD, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
>> I'M A HUNTER DARDEN, 19311 ROSE MONT ROUTE.
DOCTOR EDWARDS IS MY SUPERVISOR.
I THOUGHT LONG AND HARD ABOUT COMING UP HERE TONIGHT PERIOD BECAUSE YOU ALL SET THE COMMENT PERIOD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, AND I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO HAVE A NEGATIVE NOTE.
I'VE GOT A FEW THINGS I WANT TO BRING UP TO START WITH, AND ONE IS, I KNOW WE'RE IN THE BUDGET.
I USED TO BE ON THE PTA IN THE SCHOOL WHEN WE HAD KIDS IN SCHOOL.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE ALL SOME PICTURES OF HOW OUR SCHOOLS ARE LOOKING ON THE INSIDE, SINCE YOU ALL CAN GO LOOK AT IT.
THE GUY TOLD ME ONE TIME THAT WAS IN PRISON.
HE SAID, YOU CAN GET ANYTHING YOU WANT DONE IN PRISON.
YOU CAN GET MOST OF ANYTHING DONE YOU WANT.
I WANT TO LEAVE YOU ALL THESE PICTURES TO LOOK AT.
MR. FACING, YOU LOOK AT THEM TOO.
BECAUSE THIS IS SOME OF OUR NEW HIGH SCHOOL AND SOME OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
YOU ALL ARE THINKING ABOUT GIVING HIM SOME MORE MONEY.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE PICTURES AND SEE HOW THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF OUR SCHOOLS, YOU NEED TO DEMAND TO GO LOOK AT THEM AND MAKE AN INSPECTION OF THE SCHOOLS.
THIS IS ONE ITEM, SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU THESE.
I ONLY MADE ONE COPY BECAUSE I WANT TO.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO BRING UP IS THIS GOES TO MR. THROWER.
I DIDN'T APPRECIATE THE ARTICLE IN THE PAPER.
I DO READ THE TY WATER NEWS ONCE IN A WHILE.
I DIDN'T APPRECIATE THE ARTICLE IN THE PAPER, WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS A MISPRINT, BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DIRECTED YOU TO COME WITH A BUDGET TO ONLY LOWER TAX RATE $0.03.
MY OPTION TO YOU WOULD BE IF YOU WORKED FOR ME, WOULD BE, GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD OR I WOULD EXPECT YOU GIVE ME YOUR TWO WEEKS NOTICE BECAUSE WE CANNOT STAND IT AT 86 CENT FROM 89 WITH THE ASSESSMENT THAT WE HAVE.
THIS ASSESSMENT BECAUSE I'M ON THIS BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND I BEG ANYBODY TO COME.
WE CAN'T HELP YOU IF YOU DON'T SHOW UP.
BUT THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE TALKED TO THE SHEETS THAT I'VE SEEN THAT THEY HAVE,
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I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THIS IS THE WORST ASSESSMENT WE'VE EVER HAD.WE'RE JUST FALLING MIGHTY CLOSE TO BEING SECOND PLACE.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
I FOUND OUT WHEN I HAD THE MEETING AND GOT CERTIFIED THAT THE PEOPLE TO GO OUT IN THE FIELD AND DO THIS ARE JUST WHAT THEY CALL DATA COLLECTORS.
WELL, WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH APPRAISERS RIGHT THERE AND WHATEVER.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU, WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THE SITUATION, BUT I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE ARTICLE IN THE PAPER.
>> I'M LOU IS GOING TO TAKE CONTROL OF THIS AND KEEP DEPENDING UNDER CONTROL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ASH CUTCHON AT DARDEN POINT ROAD AND DOCTOR EDWARDS IS MY SUPERVISOR, AND THIS MIGHT BE THE SHORTEST TALK I'VE EVER GIVEN.
BUT I ECHO MR. DARDEN'S COMMENTS.
MY MODEST TWO BEDROOM HOUSE ON ONE ACRE WENT 383000-588000.
I'VE BEEN IN THE REAL ESTATE AND THE APPRAISAL BUSINESS FOR AT LEAST HALF MY LIFE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY WAY ANYBODY WOULD PAY THAT FOR MY HOUSE.
I'M A NOUN PRONOUN ADVERB KIND OF GUY.
BUT IF MY HOUSE VALUE WENT UP 67% IN ORDER TO REMAIN REVENUE NEUTRAL, IT SHOULDN'T MY TAX RATE DECREASE 67%. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO. HOW ARE YOU-ALL DOING TONIGHT? I'M JAMIE LEE.
I LIVE AT 29206 [INAUDIBLE] ROAD IN CORTLAND, AND DR. EVANS IS MY SUPERVISOR.
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING ON THE EQUALIZATION BOARD THE LAST TWO TIMES THAT WE'VE HAD A REASSESSMENT.
THIS TIME, DOCTOR EVANS ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE ON THE ASSESSOR BOARD INSTEAD OF THE EQUALIZATION BOARD, AND SO I DID.
I JUST HAVE SOME COMMENTS I'D LIKE TO MAKE ABOUT THAT.
I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CURRENT REASSESSMENT.
WHILE SERVING ON THE ASSESSOR BOARD, I WAS CONCERNED AT THE AMOUNT OF INCREASE THAT WE WERE SEEING.
THE AVERAGE FOR ALL PROPERTIES WAS AROUND 68%.
OUR BOARD WAS CONCERNED AT THE DRASTIC INCREASE THAT SOME PROPERTIES RECEIVED, IT APPEARED THAT THE SPIKE IN RECENT HOME SALES WAS THE ONLY FACTOR THAT WAS CONSIDERED WHEN COMING UP WITH THESE NEW VALUES.
WE SAW SEVERAL INSTANCES WHEN EVEN THE NEW COMPUTER MODEL FAILED TO RAISE REASSESSED VALUES TO THE LEVELS THAT THE ASSESSORS WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, SO DEPRECIATION WAS REMOVED AND CLASSES OF HOUSES WERE UPGRADED.
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHEN WE REINSTATED THE FORMER GRADE ON THE HOUSE IN QUESTION, THEY WERE RETURNED TO US AND PUT BACK TO A HIGHER GRADE.
WHEN QUESTIONED ON THIS, THE ASSESSOR SAID THAT WE COULD NOT CHANGE THE GRADE OF HOUSES.
HOWEVER, THEY WERE DOING THIS AS A MEANS TO RAISE THE VALUES.
SMALLER TRACTS OF LAND WERE ALSO HIT ESPECIALLY HARD, UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THEY WOULD BE ATTAINABLE BY MORE PEOPLE WITH NO REGARD TO THEIR CURRENT USE OR TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE NOT FOR SALE.
MY OWN HOME WAS RAISED MORE THAN $130,000.
I TOOK MULTIPLE PHOTOGRAPHS OF CRACKED FOUNDATIONS AND THE CRACKED BRICKS ON THE FRONT OF MY HOUSE WITH THE MORTAR COMING OUT OF THE CRACKS AS WELL, AND WINDOWS THAT HAD ROTTEN WOOD AROUND THEM THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
THESE PHOTOS, IN MY OPINION, SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE OF A INCREASE IN DEPRECIATION, NOT AN INCREASE IN VALUE.
THE ASSESSOR I MET WITH REFUSED TO LOWER THE NEW VALUE, NOT ONE CENT.
THE ONLY COMMENT WAS, IF YOU PUT IT ON THE MARKET, SOMEONE WOULD PAY WHAT WE'VE ASSESSED IT FOR.
I INFORMED THEM THAT THE VALUE THAT THE FARM THAT MY HOUSE IS ON HAS BEEN IN MY FAMILY FOR OVER 100 YEARS, AND IT WAS NOT FOR SALE, BUT THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN MY HOUSE.
I LATER ASKED THE SAME ASSESSOR ABOUT HOW OUR COUNTY ALIGNS WITH OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE SINCE THEY PERFORMED THESE REASSESSMENTS ALL OVER THE STATE.
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I WAS TOLD THAT WE WERE ONE OF THE HIGHEST TAX COUNTIES IN THE STATE AND THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE COULD STAND IT.THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY WERE GLAD THAT THEY DIDN'T LIVE HERE.
AS A FARMER AND LAND OWNER, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHARE SOME DATA WITH YOU ABOUT HOW WE COMPARE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, BOTH ISLE OF WIGHT AND GREENSVILLE COUNTIES, THE TWO COUNTIES BOTH TO THE EAST AND TO THE WEST OF US.
YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME SITUATION.
EVERYBODY'S SITUATION IS DIFFERENT.
I HAD TO PICK A NUMBER, SO I PICKED 1,000 ACRE FARMER, AND I PICKED A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF EQUIPMENT.
I REALIZED THAT BY TODAY'S STANDARDS, MOST FARMERS ARE BIGGER THAN 1,000 ACRES, AND A DOLLARS MILLION WORTH OF EQUIPMENT TODAY WILL BUY YOU ONE COTTON PICKER, OR IT WILL BUY YOU ONE COMBINE AND ONE PLANTER, SO IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO FARM WITH, BUT I JUST HAD TO USE A NUMBER, SO THAT'S WHAT I USED.
USING THE LAND USE VALUES THAT WE HAVE AND THE CURRENT TAX RATE, GREENSVILLE COUNTY, THAT FARMER WOULD HAVE PAID $4,891 IN TAXES.
THE ISLE OF WIGHT FARMER, SAME ACREAGE, SAME EQUIPMENT, WITH THEIR LAND USE RATES AND THEIR TAX RATES WOULD HAVE PAID $10,525.
THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY FARMER WITH THE SAME EQUIPMENT AND THE SAME LAND WOULD HAVE PAID $24,562.50.
EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY, I'VE GOTTEN LOST A LITTLE BIT.
WE ARE TAXED TWICE AS MUCH AS ISLE OF WIGHT AND OVER FOUR TIMES AS MUCH AS GREENSVILLE.
WHEN I GO TO SELL MY CROP TO SMITHFIELD GRAIN, MAHARN, PERDUE, SEVERN OR BIRDSONG, THEY DON'T PAY ME A CENT MORE FOR MY CROP BECAUSE I'M FROM SOUTHAMPTON.
ALSO, WHEN I BUY FUEL, FERTILIZER, SEED, CHEMICALS, OR EQUIPMENT, THEY DON'T REDUCE MY PRICE ANY BECAUSE I'M FROM SOUTHAMPTON.
THEREFORE, I'M ALREADY AT A 2:1 OR 4:1 DISADVANTAGE FROM THE START.
WE DON'T HAVE A REVENUE PROBLEM.
A LOT OF THAT IS A RESULT OF SPENDING DECISIONS MADE BY PREVIOUS BOARDS BEFORE YOU WERE ELECTED.
DECISIONS ON WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES THAT WERE TOO LARGE, GETTING IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK BUSINESS, AND PARTNERING WITH CONSULTANTS AND ENGAGING IN DESIGN BUILD PROJECTS WITH NEW SCHOOLS.
WE CANNOT CHANGE PAST DECISIONS, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM.
WITH ALL OF THE SMART PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE IN OUR COUNTY THAT WILL BE GLAD TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND ADVICE IN ORDER TO AID OUR COUNTY, WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO RELY ON A CONSULTANT OR ENGAGE IN ANY DESIGN BUILD PROJECTS AGAIN.
I HEAR RUMORS OF A NEW NINE MILLION DOLLAR RADIO SYSTEM.
I HOPE THAT THIS IS ONLY A RUMOR.
IF NOT, I URGE YOU TO PLEASE VOTE NO.
JUST LIKE THE SLOGAN THAT WAS SO POPULAR ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO, JUST SAY NO.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE OR THAT IT CAN'T BE DONE AT A LATER DATE.
WITH THE NEW COURTHOUSE FOR RENOVATIONS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN ON, NOW'S NOT THE TIME FOR ANOTHER MAJOR EXPENDITURE.
YOUR CITIZENS ARE BEING ASKED TO DO WITH LESS, SO I DON'T BELIEVE WE ARE OUT OF LINE ASKING OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO DO THE SAME.
GO BACK TO BUYING PATROL CARS INSTEAD OF A NEW FLEET OF TAHOES THAT WE HAVE.
THEY COST TWICE AS MUCH AND BURN TWICE AS MUCH GAS.
I ALSO HEAR TALK THAT YOUR SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT MAKES AROUND $230,000 A YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR A RUMOR.
IF IT IS TRUE, THEN THAT'S RIDICULOUS.
I HAVE FRIENDS THAT TELL ME THAT THEIR KIDS DON'T EVEN HAVE TEACHERS FOR SOME OF THEIR CLASSES.
THEY HAVE TO TEACH THEMSELVES VIA THEIR LAPTOP.
IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, ANYONE IN CHARGE OF THAT WOULD BE TERMINATED, NOT REWARDED WITH AN ABSURD SALARY.
OUR LARGEST EMPLOYER HAS FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY IN VIVA, AND ON THE FARM AND FORESTRY SECTORS, WE'RE NOT DOING WELL EITHER.
I HOPE THAT YOU ARE NOT SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING THE TAX RATE THAT MR. THROWER HAS PROPOSED.
I WANT TO REMIND YOU, AND I DON'T MEAN THIS TO SOUND CONDESCENDING IN ANY WAY, BUT THE NEW TAX REASSESSMENT BY LAW WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO GENERATE MORE THAN 1% MORE REVENUE THAN THE PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I BELIEVE THE RATE WILL HAVE TO COME DOWN SUBSTANTIALLY, PROBABLY IN THE '60S, CERTAINLY MUCH MORE THAN MR. THROWER'S THREE CENT DECREASE HE PROPOSED.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CLOSE WITH ANOTHER REMINDER.
THE GOVERNMENT IS NEVER SUPPOSED TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF OUR TAXES.
IT IS ONLY SUPPOSED TO TAKE IN ENOUGH MONEY TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY.
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WHILE WE MAY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NOVEMBER TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, LET'S START MAKING SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY GREAT AGAIN TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.>> WHO'S NEXT? GOOD EVENING, MR. CROSS.
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD, DR. EDWARDS, GARY CROSS FROM THE BLACK CREEK AREA.
I GOT TO COMMEND JAMIE FOR A SPEECH HE GAVE IN PRESENTING THEM FACTS AND FIGURES TO YOU, THERE'S NOTHING EXAGGERATED ABOUT THOSE FIGURES.
THEY'RE EXACT FIGURES. THE ONLY THING THAT'S NOT TRUE ABOUT THEM IS THE FACT THAT HE MENTIONED THAT NOT MANY A THOUSAND ACRE FARM IS LEFT, AND A MILLION DOLLARS WON'T BUY YOU MUCH IN FARM EQUIPMENT.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT AS THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT, AND WE'RE ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO ANY INCREASE IN FARM MACHINERY TAX, MR. THROWER.
IT IS NOT THE TIME FOR AN INCREASE IN TAXES.
IT'S PLAIN TO SEE THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CUT TAXES ANY BECAUSE I'VE STOOD BEFORE YOU-ALL TWICE BEFORE AND SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE TRASH DUMPS AND ALL THE OUT OF COUNTY TRASH THAT'S COMING IN.
SO IT'S CLEAR THAT NOBODY'S TRYING TO CUT EXPENSES ANY AND IT'S REALLY RUDE TO RAISE PEOPLE'S TAXES WHEN YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO DO YOUR FAIR SHARE AS WELL.
I'VE BEEN FARMING ABOUT ALL MY LIFE.
WE ARE OPERATING UNDER A FARM BILL FROM OUR US GOVERNMENT.
WE HOPE TO GET AN EXTENSION ON THAT.
IT'S THE FIRST YEAR IN MY YEARS OF FARMING THAT THERE WAS ZERO PAYMENTS FROM THE FSA OFFICE THIS PAST YEAR.
THE FARM BILL DID WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO.
IN TIMES OF HIGH PRICES, THE PAYMENTS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE LOWER, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS A LACKING BEHIND 12-18 MONTHS IN TIME.
THE UKRAINE WAR SENT PRICES THROUGH THE ROOF AND THAT SENT OUR BASE PAYMENTS FOR EACH OF OUR FARMS TO ZERO.
THIS PAST YEAR FROM CORTLAND OFFICE, YOUR SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY FARMERS RECEIVED ZERO AND NOW WE'RE BEING ASKED TO EVEN PAY MORE FOR FARM MACHINERY TAX.
AS JAMIE PROBABLY DIDN'T ALLUDE TO, BUT ISLE OF WIGHT AND GREENSVILLE AND NO NEIGHBORING COUNTIES EVEN HAVE FARM MACHINERY TAX.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING AND WE'RE BEING TAXED ON THE TOOLS WE'RE USING.
I THINK IT'S QUITE UNFAIR, BUT I STAND OPPOSED TO ANY INCREASE IN FARM MACHINERY TAX TONIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? APPRECIATE YOU-ALL FOR YOUR TIME.
>> HELLO THERE. I'M RICK FRANCIS, CIRCUIT COURT CLERK.
CARL FASIN IS MY REPRESENTATIVE.
I CAME HERE TONIGHT AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF RMA.
I'LL STAND UP HERE FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER ONCE I FINISHED.
LOOK AT THE COURTHOUSE, COURTHOUSE LOOKS VERY NICE.
I HAD ASKED FOR A UPGRADE TO THE DOOR GOING TO THE RECORD ROOM, WHICH HAS TO BE A FIREPROOF DOOR ANYWAY.
BUT I HAD ASKED FOR IT TO HAVE SOME BALLISTIC ADD-ON TO IT.
IT BROUGHT THE PRICE UP TO ABOUT $8,300 FOR THE DOOR.
I'M BRINGING YOU A CHECK FOR THAT FULL PRICE AND LEAVING YOU WITH THAT.
>> I ALSO, LET'S SEE, UP TO THIS POINT IN TIME, I HAVE GOTTEN FROM THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA $74,100 TO PAY FOR THE ROLLER SHELF UNITS.
THE COUNTY ALREADY SHOULD HAVE THAT MONEY FROM THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA.
I BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH, I WILL DELIVER TO THE COUNTY $51,000 TO PAY FOR THE UPGRADED HALON-TYPE FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM FOR THE RECORD ROOM.
I DID NOT WANT A WATER-BASED SYSTEM.
I WILL PAY FOR THAT OUT OF WHAT THEY CALL SRA FUNDS WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO MAKE RECORDS, PROTECT THE RECORDS, MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
I WILL DROP THAT OFF BY THE END OF THE MONTH, THIS 8,300 FOR THE RECORD ROOM DOOR.
I'VE PAID FOR 7,900 FOR SUPPLEMENTAL AIR CONDITIONING UNITS OVER THE HUNTERDALE AND I SHOULD BE
[00:20:03]
ABLE TO PAY FOR MY PORTION OF THE MOVE BACK TO COURTLAND, AGAIN, FROM THE SAME PROTECT THE RECORD MONIES THAT THE CLERKS CAN REACH INTO.I THINK I WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF ABOUT 130,000 THAT I WILL HAVE GOTTEN BACK FROM FUNDS THAT I'VE BEEN SAVING SINCE 2016, KNOWING THAT THIS MOVE WAS COMING.
ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO REPORT THAT TO YOU THAT IT'S NOT ALL TERRIBLE NEWS WITH THE COURTHOUSE, A LITTLE BIT OF REFUND MONEY COMING BACK TO YOU. ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
>> I MUST SAY, MR. FRANCIS, WHEN YOUR BUDGET, YOU ALWAYS BEEN VERY FRUGAL WITH YOUR BUDGET.
>> I WILL SPEND THE STATE'S MONEY BEFORE I'LL SPEND THE COUNTY MONEY.
>> I'M GOING TO ALSO LIGHTEN THE MOOD A LITTLE BIT.
HELLO. MY NAME IS JANE RIDDICK-FRIES.
MY ADDRESS IS 30319 CAMP PARKWAY, COURTLAND, VIRGINIA.
I'M HERE TONIGHT REPRESENTING THE RAWLS MUSEUM ARTS AS THE VICE PRESIDENT ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE VOLUNTEER INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THIS TIME.
FIRST, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT RMA, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR MUSEUM AND THE ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE MANY THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT RMA.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
WE HAVE A FULL YEAR'S CALENDAR OF ART EXHIBITS, A VARIETY OF SPECIAL EVENTS PLANNED, INCLUDING OUR 25TH CELEBRATION OF OUR BUILDING AND FUNDRAISER ON DECEMBER 7.
EVERYBODY'S INVITED AND A VARIETY OF KIDS SUMMER CAMPS FOR THIS SUMMER.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO PERSONALLY INVITE EACH OF YOU, EVERYBODY, TO THE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SHOW ON MAY 8, FEATURING ALL TYPES OF ART FROM OUR AREA STUDENTS AT FRANKLIN AND SOUTHAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL, SUSSEX, SURREY, AND WINDSOR HIGH SCHOOL, SOUTHAMPTON ACADEMY, AND TIDEWATER ACADEMY.
THAT EVENT STARTS AT 5:30 WITH AWARDS AT 6.
IT IS NOT EASY FOR KIDS OR ANYONE TO SHARE THEIR ART WITH THE PUBLIC, AND YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR CHILDREN IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SHARE A BRIEF HISTORY ABOUT THE MUSEUM.
THE WALTER CECIL RAWLS LIBRARY AND MUSEUM WAS FIRST ENVISIONED IN 1952 BY WALTER CECIL RAWLS, A ST. LOUIS BUSINESSMAN AND A NATIVE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
IN SEARCHING FOR A SUITABLE SITE, MR. RAWLS ENLISTED THE AID OF HIS BOYHOOD FRIEND, JUNIUS W. PULLEY, WHO SUGGESTED OUR COURTLAND LOCATION.
BOTH MR. RAWLS, AN INVENTOR AND AN AMATEUR ARTIST, AND MR. PULLEY DESIRED THAT THE LIBRARY WOULD INCLUDE A MUSEUM TO HOUSE ARTIFACTS OF THE COUNTY AND COLLECTIONS OF ART.
THE LIBRARY MUSEUM OPENED TO THE PUBLIC ON JUNE 15, 1958.
THE FIRST EXHIBIT IN THE GALLERY WAS ASSEMBLED BY THE REV.
C.W. GIBSON, MINISTER OF COURTLAND METHODIST CHURCH.
THE EXHIBIT FEATURED ARTWORK BY LOCAL ARTISTS AND A DISPLAY OF CIVIL WAR MEMORABILIA.
IN 1980, THE MUSEUM ART DIVISION BECAME A SEPARATE NONPROFIT ENTITY KNOWN TODAY AS RAWLS MUSEUM ARTS.
IN 1999, DUE TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR LIBRARY IN THE MUSEUM, RMA BUILT ITS OWN FACILITY AT ITS CURRENT LOCATION ON LONDON STREET.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, A PROJECT SUCH AS THIS TOOK TIME IN SOME CONVINCING.
DURING THOSE BEGINNING YEARS OF RESEARCH AND PREPARATION, MR. PULLEY CREATED AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WOULD HELP PROMOTE THE IDEA AND SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY THE NEED FOR A LIBRARY AND A MUSEUM.
THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM KATHERINE FUTRELL'S BOOK, THE FIRST 30 YEARS OF WALTER CECIL RAWLS LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, 1958 TO 1988.
AS SAID BY JUNIUS W. PULLEY, HE QUOTES, AND I QUOTE FROM HIM.
"SOME OF US HAVE LABORED HARD DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF SOUTHAMPTONIANS OF THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS THROUGH THIS INSTITUTION.
EDUCATION IS NOT LIMITED TO KNOWLEDGE RECEIVED FROM BOOKS OR SCHOOLS.
IT COMES FROM OUR EXPERIENCES, OBSERVATION, ASSOCIATION WITH OTHERS.
IN FACT, IT COMES FROM ALL FIVE SENSES OF MAN AND IS OBTAINED THROUGHOUT OUR LIFE.
WE MUST BECOME EDUCATED IF WE ARE TO SURVIVE AS A NATION, SINCE EDUCATION IS THE STRONGEST WEAPON OF A DEMOCRACY.
IT IS OUR ARSENAL OF POWER, AND WHEN IT IS FLAVORED WITH THE GENEROSITY AND TOLERANCE OF THE KIND AND GENEROUS NAZARENE, WE CANNOT FAIL." THROUGH THE LAST 65 YEARS, OUR AREA HAS BENEFITED GREATLY FROM ALL THAT THE LIBRARY AND THE MUSEUM HAVE OFFERED.
WE HAVE STAYED TRUE TO OUR MISSION TO PROMOTE, ENCOURAGE,
[00:25:03]
AND DEVELOP INTEREST IN, KNOWLEDGE OF, APPRECIATION FOR, AND PRACTICE OF THE ARTS, TO PROVIDE COLLECTIVE, CULTURAL ENRICHMENT FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF FRANKLIN, THE COUNTIES OF ISLE OF WIGHT, SOUTHAMPTON, SURREY, AND SUSSEX.OUR UPCOMING EVENTS INCLUDE OUR PARTICIPATION ON MAY 4 AT HERITAGE DAY, AT THE AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM, AT THE LUMBERJACK FESTIVAL IN FRANKLIN, WHERE WE WILL HAVE ART ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN ON MAY 18.
WE WILL HOST THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS ART MOBILE AND HAVE A SPRING FEST WITH CHALK ART, SCAVENGER HUNT, MUSIC, AND THE GALLERY, FOOD TRUCK, AND MORE, FREE TO THE PUBLIC.
BEGINNING JUNE 17, WE WILL HAVE SEVEN WEEKS OF SUMMER ART CAMPS FOR KIDS AGES 5-18.
OUR CURRENT EXHIBIT IS, DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE COLLABORATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW FEATURING 100 PIECES OF ART FROM 20 LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHERS IN OUR AREA, WHICH IS ON DISPLAY UNTIL MAY 3.
WE ARE OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 10:00-4:00, AND SATURDAY 10:00-2:00.
AS ALWAYS, WE ARE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS, THOUGHTS, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, AND I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH ANYONE TO SHARE IDEAS.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR WHAT ALL OF YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR YOUR SUPPORT, FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
I KNOW MR. RAWLS AND MR. PULLEY AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE PROUD OF WHAT THEY STARTED AND SEEING THEIR VISION FOR BOTH THE LIBRARY AND THE MUSEUM BENEFIT, SERVE, GROW, AND EDUCATE OUR KIDS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE HIGH SCHOOL SHOW ON MAY 8.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I HAVE FLYERS FOR EVERYBODY. GO AHEAD.
>> I KNOW EVERYBODY'S HAPPY NOW.
>> GOOD EVENING. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
MY NAME IS WENDELL WALLER, AND I AM A BOARD MEMBER OF THE WESTERN TIDEWATER FREE CLINIC.
ON BEHALF OF THE CLINIC'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE PATIENTS WE SERVE, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PAST SUPPORT AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF OUR 24-25 BUDGET REQUEST.
SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY HAS INVESTED IN THE CLINIC SINCE OUR INCEPTION IN 2007, AND WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF $27,000 FOR THE 24-25 FISCAL YEAR, WHICH WILL COVER THE CARE OF ALMOST 17 SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY RESIDENTS THROUGH ABOUT 170 VISITS.
YOUR SUPPORT WILL HELP US CONTINUE TO SERVE THE VERY HIGH-RISK PATIENTS WHO NEED US THE MOST, KEEPING THEM OUT OF EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS UNNECESSARILY.
EIGHT PERCENT OF OUR PATIENTS, THEY ARE FROM SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
IN FISCAL YEAR 22-23, WE SERVED 125 COUNTY RESIDENTS THROUGH 821 VISITS.
49 DENTAL PATIENTS THROUGH 147 VISITS, INCLUDING FOUR SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES.
SINCE OPENING OUTDOORS, THE WESTERN TIDEWATER FREE CLINIC HAS PROVIDED CARE FOR MORE THAN 7,400 UNDUPLICATED PATIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN TREATED THROUGH OVER 212,000 MEDICAL, DENTAL, MENTAL HEALTH, AND ELIGIBILITY VISITS AND PHARMACY CONSULTS.
THESE PATIENTS, THEY HAVE RECEIVED MORE THAN 306,000 FREE MEDICATIONS WITH A TOTAL RETAIL VALUE OF OVER $58.4 MILLION.
WE CONTINUE TO SEE A GROWING NEED IN OUR DENTAL AND OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS TO MEET THIS NEED.
WE ADDED TWO ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONERS IN 2023, AND WE EXPANDED OUR DENTAL CLINIC FROM TWO CHAIRS TO FOUR.
PROVIDING OUR CRITICAL CARE ILL PATIENTS WITH A HEALTH HOME AT WESTERN TIDEWATER FREE CLINIC ALLOWS THEM TO RECEIVE THE CARE THEY SO DESPERATELY NEED TO RECLAIM AND IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR LIVES.
THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR HELP.
[00:30:03]
PATIENTS LIKE CARRIE CHANGE TO PROTECT THE PATIENT'S PRIVACY MAY HAVE HAD VERY DIFFERENT OUTCOME WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT.CARRIE WAS EXPERIENCING SEVERE DENTAL PAIN AND STRUGGLING TO EAT DUE TO ISSUES WITH HER TEETH.
WHILE READING THE NEWSPAPER ONE DAY, SHE CAME ACROSS AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE DENTAL PROGRAM AT THE CLINIC AND FELT COMPELLED TO REACH OUT FOR HELP.
SHE DECIDED TO BECOME A DENTAL PATIENT AT THE CLINIC, AND SHE CONSIDERS HERSELF INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE DISCOVERED THIS RESOURCE.
DUE TO A LACK OF DENTAL CARE, SHE HAD TO UNDERGO EXTRACTIONS FOR MOST OF ALL OF HER TEETH.
HOWEVER, THANKS TO THE EXCEPTIONAL CARE PROVIDED BY THE CLINIC, SHE NOW HAS FULL SET OF DENTURES, AND SHE COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.
SHE PRAISES THE CLINIC FOR ADDRESSING HER DENTAL NEEDS EFFECTIVELY AND ENSURING THAT SHE EXPERIENCES NO FUTURE PROBLEMS WITH HER TEETH.
IN PARTICULAR, CARRIE EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TOWARDS CHRISTIE, THE DENTAL COORDINATOR AT THE CLINIC, WHO CONSISTENTLY TREATS HER WITH WARMTH AND KINDNESS.
WHEN SHE WAS ASKED ABOUT HER THOUGHTS ON THE CLINIC, CARRIE ENTHUSIASTICALLY DESCRIBED IT AS GREAT, JUST GREAT.
SHE EMPHASIZES THAT SHE CANNOT FIND ANY OTHER WORDS TO DESCRIBE HER EXPERIENCE BESIDES GREAT, WONDERFUL, AND A BLESSING.
CARRIE'S STORY HIGHLIGHTS THE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT THE DENTAL PROGRAM AT THE CLINIC HAS HAD ON HER LIFE, PROVIDING HER WITH MUCH-NEEDED DENTAL CARE AND RESTORING HER ABILITY TO EAT WITHOUT PAIN.
THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THIS BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THOSE WHO DESPERATELY NEED US IN OUR 2,200-SQUARE-MILE SERVICE AREA.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF OUR 24-25 FUNDING REQUEST OF $42,158, WHICH WILL COVER THE ANNUAL COST OF CARE FOR OVER 26 SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PATIENTS OVER 260 VISITS.
WE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE MISSION OF THE WESTERN TIDEWATER FREE CLINIC, AND WE INVITE YOU TO TOUR OUR FACILITY AND SEE THE COUNTY'S INVESTMENT AT WORK.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
>> MY NAME IS WARREN SIMMONS AND I LIVE AT 20 7511 SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAY IN CORTLAND.
I'D LIKE TO GET BACK TO THE TAX SUBJECT.
IN FACT, I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE PANDEMIC WHEN SUPPLIES WERE HARD TO GET AND CAR PARTS, PARTICULARLY AN AUTOMOTIVE PRICES WENT SKY HIGH.
WE KNEW THAT THE PRICES WERE GOING TO DRIVE OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES UP AND YOU ALL MET WITH COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT WOULD NOT RAISE THOSE TAXES VERY MUCH.
BUT YOU MISSED THE MUG, AND THE PRICES WAS NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY, SO THE TAXES REMAINED HIGH.
THEN IT WAS LIKE, WELL, NEXT YEAR, WE CAN CORRECT IT.
WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO IT NOW.
WELL, IF IT EVER GOT CORRECTED, I'VE NOT SEEN IT.
NOW I UNDERSTAND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER INCREASE ON PERSONAL PROPERTY.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD THAT INCREASE, A VERY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE, WE NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THAT ONE.
THEN IN 2022, YOU HIRED ASSESSMENT FIRM TO COME IN TO ASSESS THE PROPERTY, THE REAL ESTATE IN THE COUNTY IN 2023.
THOSE PEOPLE HADN'T BEEN IN THE COUNTY A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THE RUMORS STARTED FLYING ABOUT HOW HIGH THE REASSESSMENTS WERE GOING TO BE.
AS THE YEAR WENT ON, IT WENT FROM RUMOR TO FACT.
TWICE DURING LAST YEAR, I CAME UP HERE, AND I SAID,
[00:35:01]
YOU NEED TO BE WORKING ON THIS, YOU NEED TO BE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.IT'S COMING TO US WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO NEED TO BE CAUGHT BLINDSIDED LIKE WE DID ON PERSONAL PROPERTY.
ONE OF MY FRIENDS LOOKING ONLINE, SAID, WHY DO YOU GET UP THERE AND TALK? THEY'RE NOT LISTENING TO YOU ANYWAY.
I JUST SHOOK HIM OFF THINKING, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
HE DOESN'T COME TO THE MEETINGS.
THEN WE GET TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.
MR. THROW, YOU HAVE A RETREAT.
WE CAN GO TO THE RETREAT AND ENVISION THE PERFECT SOUTHAMPTON CANDY WITH ALL THE AMENITIES IT WILL HAVE AND ALL THE WONDERFUL IT WOULD BE.
BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN SPENDING YOUR TIME THINKING, HOW WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH NEW REVENUE SOURCES TO EVEN MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE, MUCH LESS THIS PERFECT CANDY IN THE FUTURE.
THIS INCREASE IF WE HAVE 86 CENT, NOBODY CAN AFFORD THAT.
THAT'LL PUT MY TAX INCREASE 67%.
IT JUST 75 CENT, IT WOULD BE 40 CENT.
IF ANYWHERE IN THIS STATE, COMMONWEALTH WOULD HAVE A FOUR OR 6% INCREASE, THEY'D BE CRYING THAT THEY'VE BEEN ROBBED, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 40 AND 60% INCREASES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD THOSE INCREASES.
SOME OF THEM EVEN HAVE 100% IN THE VALUE OF THE REVENUE OF THEIR REAL ESTATE.
BUT YET, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT.
IF WE HAVE THIS HIGH TAX RATE INCREASE, YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO RAISE OUR TAXES AGAIN BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE TAXED OUT.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE KILLED THE GOOSE THAT LAYS THE GOLDEN EGG.
THEN THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO TAX EXCEPT I HATE TO SAY THIS LAND USE.
BECAUSE YOU SEE, I CAN SEE A VISION TOO OF THE FUTURE.
I CAN SEE JET PLANES LANDING IN SEEBRI AND I CAN SEE A MOUNTAIN OF TRASH FROM NEW YORK CITY ALONG 460 AT IOWA.
I CAN CLIMB ON TOP OF THE NEW COURTHOUSE AND LOOK TOWARD NORTH CAROLINA AND AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, ALL I CAN SEE IS, [INAUDIBLE] PANELS.
WE DON'T WANT THAT FOR OUR FUTURE.
WE'VE GOT TO MANAGE THIS BUDGET BETTER.
YOU SEE, YOU PRIDED YOURSELVES IN BALANCED BUDGETS, STRAIGHT-LINE BUDGETS, LOWER A TAX RATE A HALF PERCENT.
NOW YOU'RE ON THE VERGE OF GIVING US ONE OF THE HIGHEST TAX RATE INCREASES IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
YOU DON'T WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR THAT.
BUT THERE IS ONE GOOD THING THAT COULD COME OUT OF THIS.
WHEN YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR REAL ESTATE TAX AND YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX, SURE CAN'T PAY THE SOLID WASTE FEE.
THAT'S THE WAY TO GET RID OF IT.
JUST CHARGES TO WE CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY IT.
NOBODY ELSE CAN'T EITHER, AND NEITHER CAN YOU.
SO YOU NEED TO SHARPEN YOUR PENCILS, GET YOURSELF, HAVE ANOTHER RETREAT, AND WORK ON THIS TAX RATE AGAIN. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M EMMA HOLLAND FROM SOUTHAMPTON.
I JUST HAVE ONE THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, AND I WANT TO APPRECIATE MR. WHITE AND MR. GILLETTE FOR STEPPING UP AND HELPING US WITH THE WATER SYSTEM AND LETTING US KNOW HOW THE WATER IS OUT THERE.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR YOUR EMERGENCY.
THANK YOU, MR. CORNWELL, FOR YOUR ADVICE AS WELL.
MY THING TODAY IS GOING TO BE, AGAIN, ABOUT THE PARK ROAD.
NOW, I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND THAT SOUTHAMPTON SCHOOL BUSES GO THROUGH THE MEADOWS, AND THE ROAD CONDITION, MR. GILLETTE AND MR. WHITE CAN TELL YOU HOW BAD THE ROADS ARE.
NOW, TO ME, WE AS CITIZENS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY,
[00:40:01]
AND PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS OF KIDS THAT RIDE IN THOSE BUSES UP AND DOWN THE PARK HAS A RIGHT TO ASK YOU ALL, IF YOU ALL WILL SEND A LETTER OR SOMETHING TO HELP, SEND ALONG HELP IN GETTING THAT PARK RIGHT, THE ROADS THAT IS, BECAUSE WITH CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN RIDING ON THOSE BUSES AND HITTING THOSE HOLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO OCCUR.ONE TENANT OUT THERE ALREADY HAD A FLAT TIRE FROM HITTING THE HOLES OUT THERE, AND SHE DOES NOTHING.
WE AT THE SOUTHAMPTON MEADOWS WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF WE CAN REACH YOU ALL HERE IN THE BOARD MEMBER TO HELP US.
SHE'S BEEN SAYING FOR OVER A YEAR NOW THAT SHE GOT TO BID IT OUT.
WHAT'S SHE LOOKING FOR, A ZERO BID? IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SHE WANT TO HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT PAVED.
WE WERE JUST INQUIRING ON YOU ALL TO HELP US TO GET THE WORD OUT TO HER OR TO HER MANAGER OR WHOEVER IT IS THAT CAN HELP US TO GET THE ROADS RIGHT BECAUSE IF THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BUSES RIDE UP AND DOWN THE ROADS, IT SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR COUNTY ABOUT THE ROAD CONDITIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO TRAVEL ON, AND WHY THEY GOT TO GO OFFSIDE THE ROAD JUST SO NOT TO HIT THE TOUGH AND DEEP HOLES IN THE ROADS.
I INQUIRE OF YOU ALL, IF YOU DON'T MIND, FIGURE OUT SOMETHING.
FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HELP US TO GET THIS CONDITION OF THE ROADS PAVED AND DONE RIGHT FOR THE TRAVEL, NOT ONLY FOR THE BUSES, BUT FOR THE CITIZEN AND WHOEVER ELSE COMING OUT THERE TO TRAVEL.
IT'S TERRIBLE, AND WE JUST FED UP WITH IT.
WE ENCOUNTER THAT YOU ALL WILL TAKE THIS ON AN ADVISEMENT THAT WE IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES GOING OUT THERE, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ROAD CONDITIONS.
WE JUST HOPE THAT YOU ALL HAVE SOME SOLUTION TO HELP US TO GET THAT DONE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T TAKE TWO YEARS TO GET A ROAD PAVED.
IT DOESN'T TAKE TWO YEARS TO GET A BID OR WHO GOING TO BE THE BEST PAVE OF THE ROAD.
TO ME, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALREADY DONE.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT TO HELPING US TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WHO'S NEXT? GOT SOME TIME LEFT.
>> GOOD EVENING. CINDY EDWARDS, 30421 SYCAMORE AVENUE, SEDLEY.
I'VE SPOKE ABOUT IT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST ABOUT THE SOLID WASTE FEE.
I HAVE GIVEN YOU ALL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CITIZENS WHO HAVE TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT, AND THE MINUTES FROM 2012 WHEN IT WAS INSTILLED IN THE COUNTY, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THE $200 FEE.
YOU SAID IT WAS GOING TO LAST FOR ONE YEAR.
YOU SAID IT WAS GOING TO GO DOWN AS THE TIPPING FEES WENT DOWN.
IT HAS NOT HAPPENED, AND YOU HAVE GONE UP ON PERSONAL PROPERTY.
YOU HAVE COLLECTED ENOUGH MONEY THAT YOU DIDN'T NEED THE SOLID WASTE FEE, AND HERE YOU ARE WITH THIS REAL ESTATE TALKING ABOUT ONLY COMING DOWN THREE CENT.
YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE SPITTING IN THE CITIZENS' FACE, TALKING ABOUT COMING DOWN ONLY THREE CENT.
THAT'S A JOKE. THE FOLKS IN THIS COUNTY ARE NOT MAKING THOSE SALARIES.
THIS COUNTY IS NOT FULL OF DOCTORS AND LAWYERS.
WE HAVE MIDDLE CLASS AND LOWER CLASS, AND EVERY DAY AS GETTING THIS BID THAT WE HAVE MORE LOWER CLASS CITIZENS IN THIS COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE COST OF LIVING HAVING GONE UP.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WHO THEIR REASSESSMENT WENT UP THREE TIMES WHAT IT WAS, AND ONE OF THESE IS A DOUBLE-WIDE.
WHO HAS EVER HEARD OF A DOUBLE-WIDE INCREASE IN VALUE? IT'S ONLY DECREASED.
IT'S INSANE THAT YOU ALL THINK THAT THESE REASSESSORS HAVE DONE AN ACCURATE AND FAIR JOB, AND IT WOULD PAY YOU TO CHECK WITH DINWIDDIE COUNTY AS TO WHAT THEY HAD TO DO.
THEY FIRED THEIR REASSESSORS AND GOT ANOTHER REASSESSMENT TEAM TO COME IN.
SOME OF THESE REASSESSORS ARE REASSESSING PROPERTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIA BEACH.
YOU CAN'T COMPARE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY TO THOSE LOCALITIES, BUT YOU NEED TO DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO DO.
YOU NEED TO REMOVE THAT SOLID WASTE FEE, AND EACH ONE OF YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
[00:45:02]
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE REPRESENTING YOUR CONSTITUENTS, NOT WHAT WILLIAM HART HAS ON HIS AGENDA, OR DR. EDWARDS HAS ON HIS AGENDA, OR MR. WHITE HAS ON HIS AGENDA.YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE REPRESENTING THE MAJORITY OF THE CITIZENS THAT YOU ARE REPRESENTING, AND IT'S TIME TO STAND UP AND DO THAT.
>> WHO'S NEXT? STILL GOT A LITTLE TIME.
[NOISE] THEN LAST CALL, ANYBODY WANTS TO COME UP? [BACKGROUND]
>> MY NAME IS LINDA SIMMONS, AND I DON'T WANT TO DISAPPOINT YOU FOR NOT GETTING UP HERE FOR ONE SECOND, BUT ONE THING STRUCK A NOTE WITH ME THAT LITTLE JIMMY LEE SAID.
DON'T TAKE THAT THE WRONG WAY.
THERE APPEARS THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF INTEGRITY.
I'VE HAD A REAL ESTATE LICENSE FOR 17 YEARS, BUT I DON'T ALWAYS CHASE REAL ESTATE BECAUSE I RETIRED FROM INTERNATIONAL PAPER.
I TOO WAS ASKED TO BE ON THE EQUALIZATION BOARD, AND QUITE FRANKLY, I TOSSED IT AROUND.
I WAS ENCOURAGED TO TAKE IT, TO NOT TAKE IT, AND I'M GLAD I DIDN'T.
IT'S GOING TO BE A HARD PLACE TO BE IN, BUT WHEN HE SPOKE, IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO ME, AND I SUSPECTED IT BECAUSE I DID NOT TAKE THE ACCEPTANCE TO THE EQUALIZATION BOARD.
I AM VERY THOROUGH IN CHECKING THINGS OUT, AND THINGS WERE NOT APPLIED EQUALLY THAT I SAW, AND I DISCUSSED THAT WITH PEOPLE IN AUTHORITY HIGHER THAN MYSELF IN REAL ESTATE.
I WOULD NOT TOUCH IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT APPLIED EQUALLY, AND JIMMY PRETTY MUCH CONFIRMED MY SUSPICIONS TONIGHT.
IN OTHER WORDS, I SAW THE INCORRECTNESS CORRECTLY.
I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT DUE TO THE CODE OF ETHICS THAT WE TAKE THAT WE WOULD EVEN MOVE FORWARD WHEN THINGS ARE APPLIED SO UNEQUALLY AMONG THE CITIZENS.
THERE'S NO DENYING THAT THEY'RE APPLIED UNEQUALLY BECAUSE CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE VERY LITTLE, THEIR BILLS ARE GOING TO TRIPLE, AND WE KNOW THAT'S WRONG.
THAT REALLY BOTHERS ME THAT I'M NOT IN A POSITION LIKE CINDY TO SAY WHAT SHE SAYS BECAUSE SHE WORKS WITH REAL NUMBERS, BUT I ALSO WORK WITH THE VAMANET AND THE REAL ESTATE PROGRAMS. I SEE THE VALUES AND I SEE WHAT THE REAL NUMBERS ARE, AND I CAN VERY QUICKLY PINPOINT WHEN THEY'RE OFF.
AS A BOARD THAT TAKES A CODE OF ETHICS, AS A REALTOR THAT TAKES A CODE OF ETHICS, I WOULD HAVE TO THINK, OR BEING ON EQUALIZATION BOARD OR THE ASSESSORS THAT PEOPLE MET WITH AND DISCUSSED THEIR PROPERTY VALUES, I WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME ASKING FOR MONEY THAT REALLY WAS NOT JUSTIFIED WITH THE VALUES, AND THE NEW ASSESSMENTS ARE FULL OF THOSE.
I JUST LEAVE YOU WITH THAT THOUGHT THAT THEY ARE THERE, THEY ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND SOME OF THEM ARE GROSSLY INCORRECT.
I HAD NOT PLANNED TO COME UP TONIGHT.
I KNOW I SPEAK FREQUENTLY, BUT IT REALLY BOTHERS ME AFTER HE BROUGHT IT TO THE LIGHT, AND HE IS TELLING THE TRUTH.
SOME OF THEM ARE REALLY VERY MUCH OFF IN NUMERICAL VALUE.
ONE MORE THING THAT I WANT TO BRING OUT, I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT THIS RATE IS GOING TO BE SO HIGH.
IF YOU VOTE TO PUT IT THERE, SUSSEX COUNTY HAS A RATE OF 48 CENTS PER 100. THANK YOU.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, I'M CAST KAMP, I'M FROM SOUTHAMPTON, VIRGINIA.
I WANT TO TOUCH THE ISSUE OF THE REASSESSMENT.
WHAT I LOOK AT, I LOOK AT A LOT OF LAND. I'M A SURVEYOR.
I DEAL WITH RELATORS AND I REPRESENT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN WE GO TO THE REASSESSMENT COMMITTEE ON PROPERTIES.
WHAT I LEARNED IS THAT IT SEEMED THAT THE PROCESS IS
[00:50:04]
FLAWED AND IT WASN'T A REALLY FAIR EVALUATION.MY PERSONAL REACTION WITH THE PERSON THAT I MET WITH WAS THAT THEY DIDN'T CARE WHAT THE VALUE WAS, IF IT WAS A MISTAKE.
I'M JUST GOING TO USE AN EXAMPLE OF SOME PROPERTY THAT WE HAD IN SHANDS SUBDIVISION.
WE HAD A LOT THAT WAS SOLD AND THEY LOOKED IT UP AND SAID IT WAS SOLD FOR $60,000.
I SAID, WELL, THAT'S HARD BECAUSE, WE JUST SOLD THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY INTERNALLY WITH $22,000, AND IT WAS IN WETLANDS.
BUT I SAID, WELL, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT ALL THE LOTS THAT ARE IN THE SHANDS AREA ARE GOING TO BE ASSESSED AT 60,000.
THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S THE GOING VALUE.
I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF HOW THEY ASSESSED EVERYTHING AND WHAT THEY USED.
WHAT THEY USED WAS ONLY WHAT REAL ESTATE PEOPLE, SALES.
IF SOMEBODY MADE A MISTAKE, AND THEY BOUGHT A LOT FOR $60,000 THAT WAS IN WETLANDS, AND IT'S BEEN ON THE MARKET FOR 40 YEARS.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SELL IT BECAUSE IT'S A CONDITION.
SHE GOES, THE ONLY REPERCUSSION WAS SHE SAID, WELL, SOMEBODY WILL BUY IT AND SOMEBODY WILL BUILD HOUSE ON IT, AND THAT WAS HER ANSWER.
I COME TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS A MISTAKE IN THE DEED.
IT WAS ACTUALLY TWO LOTS THAT WAS SOLD, BUT THEY WERE WILLING TO PUT AN ASSESSMENT OF $60,000 ON EACH ONE OF THE LOTS FOR FOLK.
LOOKING AT IT, WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO IS THE PROCESS THAT THEY USED TO EVALUATE PROPERTY IS FLAWED.
IT SEEMED TO ME THAT AND I ASKED HER, SHE SAID THAT WE USE THE HIGHEST VALUE, AND IT HAS TO BE DONE THROUGH A REAL ESTATE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL INTERNAL SALES IN SHANDS ESTATE, AND SHE WOULDN'T USE THOSE.
IT HAD TO BE THIS ONE $60,000 SALES PRICE.
WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, IF SOMEBODY MAKES A MISTAKE, PAYS A HIGH PRICE, THE PROPERTY NEXT TO IT GETS ASSESSED AT THE SAME RATE AND THAT'S NOT FAIR.
THE PROCESS IS TO ME, IS FLAWED.
IT SHOULD USE A LOW NUMBER AND A HIGH NUMBER AND COME UP WITH AN AVERAGE FIGURE.
BUT THIS PARTICULAR COMPANY, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THE BOARD HIRED THEM.
THIS COMPANY IS SUPPOSED TO WORK FOR THE BOARD FOR THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, MR. TROD DID HE HIRE THEM? I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS, BUT DO ALL THE COMPANIES THAT DO THIS TYPE OF WORK, ARE THEY GOING TO GO BY THE SAME STANDARDS? I THINK THEY NEED TO BE VETTED IN THE FUTURE.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET A COMPANY TO DO THE REASSESSMENTS IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, WHICH I HAD MANY PEOPLE CALL ME TO ASK ABOUT VALUES, AND I GAVE THEM MY HONEST OPINION AND THE ASSESSMENTS THAT THEY WERE GETTING WERE JUST SUPER HIGH.
FOR WHAT REASON IS BECAUSE WHATEVER THE HIGHEST PRICE WAS OR THAT PROPERTY WAS SOLD FOR IS WHAT THEY USED AS A BENCHMARK.
I THINK THAT THE PRACTICE AND THE PROCEDURES THAT THEY USED WAS UNFAIR TO ALL THE PEOPLE IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
IT HURTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO PAY MORE RENT.
THEY HAVE TO PAY MORE RENT TO COVER THE ASSESSMENT.
IT HURTS THE OLD PEOPLE, THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
THE ASSESSMENTS GO UP, OR THEY GOT TO PAY EXTRA IF YOU'VE GOT A MORTGAGE.
THAT'S ADDED IN ON YOUR YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENT.
INSTEAD OF PAYING $1,200 A MONTH, NOW YOUR ASSESSMENT IS GOING UP AND NEXT THING I KNOW MY MORTGAGE RATE IS GOING UP, AND IT MAKES IT TOUGH ON OLD PEOPLE, YOUNG PEOPLE IN DISCOUNTING.
I ASKED THE BOARD AND THE MANAGER.
WHEN YOU GO TO ASK SOMEBODY OR HIRE A COMPANY TO DO THIS TYPE OF WORK, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO KNOW WHAT THEY USE IS HOW THEY ARRIVE AT THE ASSESSMENTS.
I THINK A FAIR WAY OF DOING IT IS IF THEY GOT A HIGH PRICE.
SOMEBODY MAKES A MISTAKE AND PUTS A HIGH PRICE ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY.
SEVERAL FARMS WERE SOLD AS ONE IN PARTICULAR,
[00:55:03]
AND I'M NOT GOING TO NAME NAMES, BUT IT WAS SOLD AT A HIGH PRICE.WELL, THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THE FARM NEXT DOOR IS, IT'S JACKED UP BECAUSE OF THAT ONE PRICE, BUT IT WAS A REASON IT WAS SOLD FOR A HIGH PRICE.
YOU DON'T USE THAT AS A BASIS TO SET THE ASSESSMENTS ON ADJOINING PROPERTY.
WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THE PROCESS, AND IT'S UP TO YOU, THE BOARD AND THE MANAGER TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROCESS IS FAIR.
IN THIS CASE AND THIS ASSESSMENT AND THIS COMPANY THAT DID IT WAS NOT A FAIR ASSESSMENT, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
THEY USED IMPROPER WAY OF DOING IT.
I SAT DOWN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE LADY THAT I TALKED TO WHO REPRESENTED THE COMPANY THAT THEY ONLY USED THE HIGHEST REAL ESTATE, HAD TO BE A REAL ESTATE SALE.
IT COULDN'T BE AN INTERNAL SALE, IT COULD BE A PRIVATE SALE.
SOME PEOPLE SELL PRIVATELY TO NOT HAVE TO PAY A REAL ESTATE FEE, BUT THEY DON'T USE THOSE SALES.
IT HAS TO BE A REAL ESTATE SALE.
TO ME, THE PROCESS AND THE COMPANY, AND I'M JUST ASKING THE BOARD, AND OUR MANAGER, DO YOU VET THESE PEOPLE? DO YOU KNOW HOW THEY DO THEIR PROCESS? DO YOU? DOES ANYBODY GO AND LOOK AT THEM AND ASK WHAT'S THE PROCESS THAT Y'ALL USE TO EVALUATE OUR PROPERTY? I THINK THE ANSWER IS NO.
THE COMPANY THAT WAS SETTLED ON HAD BEEN HERE MULTIPLE TIMES.
TO YOUR POINT, I WAS VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE BY THE WAY, EVERYBODY IN HERE KNOWS INFLATION IS A TAX.
I HOPE YOU KNOW IT AND WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S PART OF THIS PROBLEM, A BIG PART.
BUT IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, I ASKED THAT QUESTION, AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE A THREE YEAR AVERAGE.
I EVEN ASKED HIM, DID HE THINK THAT HOUSING ABOUT THE TIME THAT THIS HITS, WHICH IS TONIGHT, REAL ESTATE COULD POSSIBLY GO DOWN RATHER THAN RISE FOR THREE YEARS.
HE SAID, "WELL, THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
WE TAKE A THREE YEAR AVERAGE." I THINK MOST EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM UNDERSTANDS WHAT HAPPENED IN THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS LIKE IT DID BACK IN '08.
IT WENT THE OTHER WAY, AND HOUSES WERE SELLING IN LESS THAN A WEEK, SOMETIMES ONE IN TWO DAYS, AND PEOPLE HAD TO PAY ABOVE THE ASKING PRICE TO GET IT.
THAT'S THE RECORDS THAT WE WERE DEALT.
GOING BACK TO THE FIRM, THE COUNTY HAD HAD SUCCESS WITH THEM IN THE PAST, AND THERE WAS NO REAL REASON THAT I COULD SEE AT THE PRESENT TIME DURING THAT INTERVIEW PROCESS NOT TO SELECT THEM.
I DID TALK TO ONE OF THE APPRAISERS.
I ONLY HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO ONE OF THEM AND IT WAS OUT ON THE ROAD AS HE WAS DOING HIS WORK AND I CAUGHT UP WITH HIM TO TALK TO HIM FOR ABOUT 30 OR 40 MINUTES, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
HE MADE A STATEMENT THAT IS WORTHY OF THE PUBLIC KNOWING ABOUT.
HE SAID, "WHEN WE DO OUR WORK AND GO THROUGH OUR TRAINING, WE'RE NOT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHETHER OR NOT THE PROPERTY OWNER CAN PAY THE TAXES." THAT IN ITSELF IS PROBLEMATIC, BUT IT WAS ALSO CAST A PART OF THE EQUATION, I WOULD SAY, IN THIS END RESULT.
I WILL AGREE WITH YOU, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS SATISFIED.
BUT YET IT WAS WELL INTO THE TIMELINE OF GETTING THE JOB DONE BY THE TIME I FOUND OUT, AND I WENT DOWN THERE TO THE OFFICE TO SEE.
I DID GO TO A COUPLE OF MY ELDERLY FRIENDS.
[01:00:04]
ONE WAS 94-YEARS-OLD.I SAT THERE AND TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THEIR ASSESSMENT.
THIS ONE TURNED OUT TO BE A LITTLE BETTER.
I WENT TO EXPLAIN THE NEXT COMMITTEE.
THE NAME ESCAPES, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
THE COMMITTEE ON EQUALIZATION TO PREPARE HIM TO DO IT.
HE LOOKED UP HIS ASSESSMENT AND HE PAID A REAL TO A YEAR AGO.
SINCE HE WAS 94-YEARS-OLD, HIS TWO SONS DON'T LIVE HERE.
HE HAD A REAL ESTATE COME AND GIVE HIM AN APPRAISAL FOR HIS HOUSE AND PROPERTY.
IT WAS HIGHER THAN THE COUNTY ASSESSMENT CAME BACK.
HE SAID IT'S NOT GOING TO DO ME MUCH GOOD TO GO TALK TO THE RE-ASSESSOR.
WITH THAT, IT'S A HARD PROBLEM TO FIX, BUT YOUR POINTS ARE WELL TAKEN.
I'LL CLOSE MY COMMENTS, I GUESS, BECAUSE FOLKS, WE'RE IN A MESS, NOT JUST HERE.
IT HADN'T BEEN SAID, BUT TONIGHT, OUR JOB IS TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PUBLISHED, I THINK.
>> THAT MEANS THAT ONCE THAT'S PUBLISHED, I BELIEVE IT CAN'T BE CHANGED UPWARD. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> DOWN. I'M NOT ONE TO MAKE ANY PROMISES, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THIS BOARD WILL TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE RATES THAT INVOLVE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO, THE COURTHOUSE.
THE FIRE AND RESCUE HAVE A SYSTEM FROM WHAT WE'RE TOLD THAT'S WELL BEYOND ITS DATE.
THEN THERE'S A SMALL AMOUNT, IT'S NOT A SMALL NUMBER, BUT IN COMPARISON THAT NEEDS TO GO BACK INTO THE RESERVE FUND TO MAINTAIN OUR CREDIT RATING, KEEP THAT IN GOOD STANDING.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, BUT WE ARE GOING TO SCRUTINIZE IT FURTHER.
WHAT THE NUMBER COMES OUT TO BE, I CAN'T TELL YOU.
>> WELL, WILLIAM, BUT I HOPE THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT WE'RE GETTING SQUEEZED AS THE PEOPLE HERE.
WE ELECTED YOU ALL TO LOOK AFTER OUR BEST INTERESTS, AND WE EXPECT THAT OUT OF YOU ALL.
BUT WE HAVE TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT WITH THE WAY INFLATION IS.
WE EXPECT YOU ALL TO BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME THING, NOT JUST START SPENDING AGAIN AND SPENDING NOW.
I LOOK AT THE BUDGETS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AND IT'S LIKE WE'RE CONTINUING TO THROW MONEY AT THIS AND THROW MONEY AT THAT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE ONE TIME US JUST REDUCE THE BUDGET BY JUST 5%, LIKE WE DO, THE NORMAL PEOPLE.
IF I CAN'T AFFORD SOMETHING, I'M NOT GOING TO BUY IT.
YOU JUST HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU GOT.
I THINK THIS BOARD HAS TO THINK HARD ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AND WE NEED TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT A LITTLE BIT.
BUT MY MAIN CONCERN WAS THE PROCESS.
I CAN'T SAY WHICH YOU ALL WENT THROUGH AS FAR AS VETTING THE COMPANY.
I DON'T KNOW IF ALL THE COMPANIES ARE THE SAME WAY, BUT MY CONCERNS WAS THAT THEY ONLY USED REAL ESTATE SALES AND THEY ONLY USED THE HIGHEST SALE OF THAT PROPERTY, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY APPLIED TO THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE THERE.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN AVERAGE OF LOW, HIGH OF AVERAGE OF SOMETHING, THAN JUST TAKE THE HIGHEST NUMBER THAT THEY HAVE.
THAT'S WHAT UPSET ME THE MOST ABOUT THIS SESSION, THIS GOING ROUND WITH THIS GROUP, AND THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BACK OFF OF IT.
I JUST HOPE YOU'LL REALLY DO A GOOD JOB ON THE BUDGET.
THE PEOPLE THAT SPOKE BEFORE ME, THEY HAD A LOT OF GOOD POINTS, AND I HOPE YOU'LL LISTEN TO THEM.
[01:05:01]
[BACKGROUND]>> I HAD SPOKEN WITH MR. GREGORY ABOUT THIS REASSESSMENT THING AND WHETHER WE HAVE TO ACCEPT IT OR WHETHER WE COULD THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW.
I THINK I'D LIKE TO THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW.
>> HOLD ON JUST A SECOND. WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT?
>> WELL, THE ASSESSMENT IS DONE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE, AND THE COUNTY HIRES THE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR, THE ASSESSOR, TO DO THE ASSESSMENT.
IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO USE THIS ASSESSMENT, YOU HAVE TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE FOR THAT IF THAT'S YOUR DECISION, AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT ALL OVER AGAIN AND PUT IT OUT TO BID, AND SO FORTH.
THE COUNTY IS UNDER AN OBLIGATION TO ASSESS THE PROPERTY EVERY SIX YEARS, AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. BEAR THAT IN MIND.
>> MY NAME IS FRANK URQUHART, 38465, GENERAL MAHONE, BOULEVARD, IVOR, VIRGINIA, CHRIS CORNWELL, MY REPRESENTATIVE.
LISTENING TO ALL THE COMMENTS AND EVERYTHING TONIGHT, IT JUST BROUGHT TO MIND WHEN PEOPLE ARE SAYING THE SYSTEM IS FLAWED.
YES, IT'S FLAWED, AND BASICALLY, IT'S FLAWED.
ALL TAXATION IS FLAWED, BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON SPECULATIVE VALUE, NOT THE REAL-WORLD SITUATION.
BASICALLY, YOU'RE GETTING NUMBERS FROM A REAL ESTATE MARKET WHO IS PROFIT CENTER GENERATED, WHICH IS GOING TO ALWAYS GENERATE YOU HIGH VALUES.
IF YOU TAKE THAT SAME PIECE OF PROPERTY AND HAVE IT ASSESSED BY AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER, YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO GET A LOWER VALUE.
THE THING IT IS THAT MAKES THE WHOLE SYSTEM NOT WORK COMPLETELY, BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME AND EFFORT AND BOOTS ON THE GROUND TO COME IN AND DO LIKE AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER ON EACH INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY AND LOOK AT IT FOR WHAT IT'S ACTUALLY WORTH, WHAT CONDITION IS IN AT THAT TIME.
COSTLY, MARKET PRESSURES DRIVE YOUR THING WITH INFLATION, BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, YOU'RE DEALING WITH SPECULATIVE VALUE.
IF YOU WANTED A REAL-WORLD SITUATION BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REALIZE WE DO NOT LIVE IN A ECONOMIC BUBBLE.
YOU'RE HIT WITH MARKET PRESSURES ALL EVER.
THE BASIS OF COUNTY GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE IS BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAD TO MAKE LONG RANGE PLANS, AND THOSE LONG RANGE PLANS HAD TO BE BASED ON SOME SOLID NUMBER.
I'M LOSING MY THOUGHT, BUT WHAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE, BECAUSE A LOT OF GOOD SUGGESTIONS HAVE COME TO YOU ALL, AND IT'S NOT EVEN IN YOUR WHEEL HOUSE TO COME UP WITH SOME OF THE REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE FOR YOU.
THE THING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, IF WE AS A COLLECTIVE BODY OF CITIZENS HAVE ANY KIND OF CLUE OR IDEA OR WHAT THINGS [INAUDIBLE], WHY CAN'T WE JUST GET TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH SOME REAL-WORLD NUMBERS TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOME HELP, SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BRING BACK TO US SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LIVE WITH? THAT'S ALL I'LL JUST LIKE TO PUT OUT THERE.
[NOISE] WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE.
>> JONES SCOTT 33306 JORGE BRIDGE ROAD, DOCTOR ALLEN AND MR. WHITE.
ALL OF WHAT HAS BEEN SAID IS PROS AND CONS ON EACH SIDE OF THE FENCE.
BUT I MY [INAUDIBLE] IS THIS WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH RECRUITING TEACHERS ALREADY.
TEACHERS ARE NOT GOING TO COME IF THEY CAN'T PAY TAXES FOR A GOOD HOUSE.
SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT CRUNCHING THESE NUMBERS.
WE WANT TO BE THE BEST THING EVER TO INVITE PEOPLE HERE TO SOUTH HAMPTON COUNTY.
HIGH TAXES IS GOING TO CAUSE PEOPLE TO MOVE.
WE WILL END UP WITH NO CITIZRY.
STILL THE TAXES HAVE TO BE PAID SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT REALIZATION AND WORK
[01:10:04]
IT INTO THE PERCENTAGE OF ATTRACTING AND NOT DEVALUING SO PEOPLE WILL LEAVE. THANK YOU.>> I BELIEVE YOU HAVE ONE MORE IN THE BACK.
[LAUGHTER] INCASE SOMEBODY THROWS SOMETHING AT YOU OR SOMETHING.
>> I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK COMMENT.
RICHARD MASSENA IS MY NAME, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS.
I WON'T SAY WHAT IT IS, BUT MY HOMEOWNERS WENT UP LAST YEAR, ABOUT $800, AND I JUST GOT MY STATEMENT THIS WEEK.
IT WENT UP ANOTHER 13 TO $1,400 FOR THIS YEAR.
IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE SOMETHING'S GOT TO HAPPEN.
INSURANCE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE ASSESSMENTS AS WELL.
>> WE WILL CLOSE THE COMMENT PERIOD.
MY PERSONAL ASSESSMENT OF THIS REASSESSMENT OF IT WAS CRIMINAL.
FOR ALL OFFICE. IF I HAVE MY WAY, I'D FIRE THEM AND HAVE IT DONE AGAIN.
I THINK I'M PROBABLY SPEAKING FOR MOST OF THE BOARD ALSO. WE'LL MOVE ON.
WE'RE GOING TO TOUCH ON THIS AGAIN BETWEEN ITEMS 9 AND 10.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER PERIOD WHERE ANYBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET.
LET'S GO ON TO THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 26TH, 2024 MEETING.
[2. Approval of Minutes]
ANY CHANGES, CORRECTION, DELETIONS?>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
OPPOSED LIKEWISE. THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
[3. VDOT Matters]
>> I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT VD REEVALUATE THE GUARD RAIL NEAR HANDSOME ROAD ON 671.
>> I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS THERE.
>> COULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT THAT FOR ME?
>> THE GOD RAIL THAT'S ON 671 A HANSOM ROAD AT BOTH ENDS.
IT'S ABOUT THREE INCHES OFF THE ASPHALT.
VAIVER INSURANCE HAS SETTLED FIVE CLAIMS OF WRECKS THAT HAPPENED THERE.
UNDERSTAND THAT HAVE BEEN 10 TOTAL.
>> I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. GOOD AFTERNOON.
EVENING. DOCTOR EDWARDS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M THE ASSISTANT RESIDENT ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE FRANKLIN RESIDENCY FOR VD.
I COME BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON TO DISCUSS WITH YOU THE SECONDARY SIX YEAR PLAN, WHICH IS OUR ROYAL RUSTIC PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE.
>> IS THAT'S NUMBER 12 OVER THERE?
>> I DON'T WANT ME TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT THAT'S HAVE COME A LITTLE BIT LATER.
>> I'M HERE FOR YOUR COMMENTS THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS FOR ME IN REGARDS TO THE MAINTENANCE OF THE ROADS.
I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR RIGHT NOW.
>> SORRY TO GET AHEAD OF MYSELF.
>> ONE OTHER THING ON ON THE ROADS.
MR. ASHCUTCHINS WHO WATCHES OUR ROADS OVER OUR WAY, SAYS THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE BEAVER DAM ON BETHEL ROAD.
THEY KEEP BUILDING IT BACK. FLOODING THE ROAD.
>> BACK TO FLOOD ROAD, YET HEAVY RAIN WILL.
>> IT'S NOT WHERE I LIVE. IT'S ON BETHEL ROAD.
ABOUT A MIDWAY TO LINK TO BETHEL ROAD FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER.
>> WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO BEGIN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT REDUCING THE SPEED LIMIT ON OUR 58 BUSINESS CORRIDOR FROM 50-45 MILES AN HOUR AT FOOD LINE?
>> THE OFFICIAL PROCEDURE TO DO THAT IS FOR THE BOARD TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, AND YOU HAVE TO PRODUCE A RESOLUTION.
VDOT CANNOT JUST LOWER SPEED LIMIT IN ANY LOCALITY.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION FROM THE BOARD REQUESTING THAT AND IT'LL GO TO OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AND THEY WILL DO THE STUDY TO SEE IF THAT CONCURRENCE WOULD BE AGREEABLE TO REDUCE THE SPEED.
>> THANK YOU. I'D ASK BRIAN TO DO THAT.
[01:15:01]
>> IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ALL WANT TO ADD TO THE AGENDA OF NEXT MEETING?
>> I THINK THAT'D BE A THING TO DO.
WE'VE ASKED THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES.
>> I'LL WEIGH THAT AS AN ITEM TO THE AGENDA NEXT MONTH AND AKIN.
WE'VE GOT A RESOLUTION JUST LIKE ON THE AGENDA LATER FOR,.
>> MINE IS NUMBER 18 FOR JORGE BRIDGE ROAD, SO.
>> GREAT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS FROM THE BOARD? THAT WAS A [INAUDIBLE]
>> WHEN IT'S RAINING, IT'S AT NIGHT, IT'S EXTREMELY DARK.
>> I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. I DO WANT TO GIVE YOU A MAINTENANCE UPDATE.
IF THAT IS ALL WE HAVE FOR YOUR UPDATES.
WE ARE FINISHED WITH THE PIPE INSTALLATION AND THE DITCH WORK ON SIGNPOST ROAD, AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO MOVE OUR SPECIALTY CREW IN TO PAVE THAT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SEVERAL OTHER WHAT WE CALL COUNTY SAFETY INITIATIVES.
WE'RE DOING SOME DIFFERENT TREE TRIMMING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO TRY TO GET SOME OF THE GROWTH BACK AWAY FROM WHAT WE CALL THE EDGE LINE TO TRY TO INCREASE LINE OF SIGHT DISTANCE.
THAT'S ONGOING AND IT'LL BE GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND WE'LL SPEAK ABOUT THE THINGS LATER.
>> YOU'RE ON THE AGENDA A LITTLE BIT LATER FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THOSE SIX TIMES.
>> ANY MORE ROAD MATTERS? WE'LL MOVE ON TO MONTHLY REPORTS. MR. SCHROER.
[4. Monthly Reports]
>> YES, HONORABLE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
YOU DO HAVE MY MEMO IN YOUR PACKING, AND I'LL BE BRIEF.
COURTHOUSE RENOVATION PROJECTS CLICKING ALONG.
WE'RE IN THE CLOSING STAGES OF THAT, AS YOU CAN SEE.
WE'VE BEEN MOVING NEW FURNITURE INTO THE BUILDING THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING THE MOVING PHASE OF THE PROJECT RECENTLY.
WE'RE EXPECTING TO MOVE HOPEFULLY THE CIRCUIT COURTS, PROBABLY OFFICE BACK IN MAY, AND THE REST OF THE OFFICES IN MID JULY.
WE'RE HOPEFULLY FINISHING OUT THE CONSTRUCTION PORTION OF THAT PROJECT NOW.
THE TOTAL CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, INCLUDING CHANGE ORDERS NOW STANDS AT 24 MILLION, $23, 446,872.14.
YOU DO HAVE THE LATEST CERTIFIED PAY APPLICATION, AND WE PROCESS THE FIRST 29 PAY APPLICATIONS AND PAID THE CONTRACTOR 23 MILLION, $721,623.46.
YOU DO HAVE A FEW OLDER PICTURES OF THE COURTHOUSE.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE NEWSOME PROJECT, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF THE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PORTION.
AS I'VE STATED BEFORE, WE'VE HAD TROUBLE GETTING SOME OF THE EASEMENTS FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THAT PROJECT.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE RADIO PROJECT AND WE'LL BE SIGNING THE CONTRACT WITH JVC KENWOOD HERE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND THE MOU WITH THE CITY THAT YOU PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
WE'RE WRAPPING THAT UP NOW, CONTINUING TO WORK ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH FRANKLIN SOUTHAMPTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>> ANY QUESTIONS. I'LL GO DOWN THE LIST. FINANCIAL REPORT.
>> I'D JUST LIKE TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE COLLECTION PERCENTAGES.
FAR AS REAL ESTATE, IN MARCH, WE WENT 99.53%.
WE'RE CURRENTLY AT 99.62%, AND WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF $774,967.39.
ON PERSONAL PROPERTY, IN MARCH, WE WENT 94.90%.
WE ARE CURRENTLY AT 95.41% COLLECTED.
WE HAVE OUTSTANDING $2,676,011.35.
ON THE SOLID WASTE IN MARCH, WE WERE AT 81.83% AND AS YOU KNOW,
[01:20:04]
WE HAVE JUST PASSED A DUE DATE MARCH 31 FOR COLLECTION OF SOLID WASTE.AS YOU MIGHT SUSPECT, THAT HAS DROPPED TO 77.97% COLLECTED, AND WE HAVE AN AT OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF $1,116,048.42.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I THINK YOU HAVE ANSWERED IT ALL.
>> ANIMAL CONTROL, COOPERATIVE OF EXTENSION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BLACKWATER REGIONAL LIBRARY, SOLID WASTE QUANTITIES.
MOVING ON NUMBER 5, THE FINANCIAL MATTERS THE BILLS LIST.
[5. Financial Matters]
DOES ANYBODY ON THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BILLS?>> I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
WE PAN A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT FOR MOWING, AND WE HAVE VEHICLE REPAIRS UNDER LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT ALL EXPLAINS WHY WE NEED TO KEEP OUR BUDGET.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? HOW MUCH WAS THE MOWING?
>> WHAT ARE WE MOWING? [BACKGROUND]
>> IT MUST BE [INAUDIBLE] CAN YOU TELL US WHAT PAGE YOU'RE ON, MS. [INAUDIBLE]?
>> I DON'T HAVE THE PAGES ON THIS.
BUT I ADDED UP THE MOWING ON THE BUILDING AND GROUNDS.
IT WAS 600 FOR DAWSON FOR THE TEMPORARY COURTHOUSE AND THEN FOR JUSTIN, IT WAS 1,780.
>> GRASS GROWING SEASON HAS STARTED AGAIN, AND WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CUTTING THE GRASS AT HUNDREDALE ELEMENTARY WHERE OUR TEMPORARY COURTS ARE.
THAT'S THE ONE WE'RE USING IN DAWSON. [OVERLAPPING]
>> YES, MA'AM. THEN OTHER THAN THAT, JUSTIN'S LAWN SERVICE, THEY DO THE GRASS CUTTING FOR ALL OF THE OTHER GROUNDS AND FIMA PROPERTY THAT SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY OWNS.
IT'S JUST A NORMAL KEEPING THE GRASS UNDER CONTROL AT THE PROPER HEIGHTS.
>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT. NOW, WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPOINTMENTS.
[6. Appointments]
FIRST ONE IS BCA.>> HONORABLE BOARD, WE DO HAVE TWO APPOINTMENTS, BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS.
BARRY BURGESS HAS RESIGNED FROM THE BCA, AND YOU'LL NEED TO NOMINATE AN INDIVIDUAL TO FILL THE VACANCY FOR THE UNEXPIRED PORTION OF THAT TERM EXPIRING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 26, AND I BELIEVE MR. GILLETTE HAD SUBMITTED A NAME EARLIER.
>> AND I THINK YOU HAVE HIS CONTACT INFORMATION.
>> I WOULD SUBMIT DAVID EVERETT TO FILL THE VACATED POSITION OF BARRY BURGESS.
>> THERE'S A SECOND. IF WE WERE DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. OKAY.
>> JUST AS A REMINDER, THAT'S YOUR NOMINATION TO SUBMIT TO THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THEIR OFFICIAL APPOINTMENT.
>> MOVE ON TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
FIRST ONE IS BRAD TURNER, TERM EXPIRES ON APRIL 30TH, 2024.
I BELIEVE HE DOES WISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR REAPPOINTMENT, AND I HOPE SO.
>> I MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT HIM.
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVORS, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
THE OTHER ONE IS MR. DOUG CHESSEN'S TERM WILL EXPIRE ON APRIL 30TH, 2024, AND HE'S INDICATED HE DOES NOT WISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR REAPPOINTMENT,
[01:25:02]
AND I BELIEVE THIS IS IN YOUR DISTRICT.>> HE IS, YES, AND I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR A SUITABLE REPLACEMENT CANDIDATE FOR MR. CHESSEN SINCE FIRST LEARNING OF HIS DESIRE TO NOT SEEK REAPPOINTMENT, AND YET TO COME UP WITH A SAID APPOINTEE, WE'LL CONTINUE THAT SEARCH TO BRING BACK A NAME.
>> CAVEAT WHOEVER WE APPOINT, MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THEY NEED TO GET THEIR TRAINING IN WITH THE FIRST TWO YEARS.
>> WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT MEETING TO GET THAT SOMEBODY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
IS MR. CHESSEN HERE TONIGHT? HE'S NOT HERE. DOUG CHESSEN IS NOT HERE.
THEN WHEN WE MOVE ON TO NUMBER 8,
[8. Resolution of Appreciation- Beth Lewis, Community Development and Planning Director]
WE SAVED THE BEST TO LAST, MS. BETH LEWIS.I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU THIS RESOLUTION.
WE NEED A MOTION TO PRESENT THIS TO MS. LEWIS. THAT'S CORRECT.
>> ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
MS. LEWIS COME ON UP HERE TO THE FLAG.
SHE'S ALREADY GOTTEN ONE FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
>> GOOD EVENING. WHERE IS ELIZABETH LEWIS, WE KNOW HER AS BETH.
HAS SERVED AS A VALUABLE DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTHAMPTON PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING FROM JULY 1, 2009 THROUGH APRIL 30TH, 2024 AND WHEREAS MS. ELIZABETH LEWIS HAS UNSELFISHLY GIVEN UP HER TIME AND TALENTS TO EFFECTIVELY PROMOTE THE HEALTH SAFETY AND PROSPERITY AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, INCLUDING OVERSEEING THE ADMINISTRATION ENFORCEMENT OF STATE BUILDING CODES, REWIRING PLANS, ISSUING PERMITS AND ENFORCING THE COUNTY'S ZONING ORDINANCE FOR THE CITIZENS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, AND WHEREAS HER BROAD KNOWLEDGE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY AND CONCERN FOR ITS CITIZENS CONTRIBUTED IMMENSELY TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S EFFORT TO BALANCE THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
WHEREFORE, BE RESOLVED BY THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT MS. ELIZABETH LEWIS HAD RECOGNIZED AND COMMENDED FOR HER 14 YEARS AND NINE MONTHS OF DEVOTED SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY AS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE SPREAD UPON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 23RD DAY OF APRIL 2024, SERVING TO RECORD AND FOREVER PRESERVE ITS GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION.
WE THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT A FRAMED COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE PRESENTED TO MS. LEWIS AS A VISUAL TOKEN OF HIGH ESTEEM IN WHICH SHE IS HELD BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
THIS WAS APPROVED AND I ALSO MEANT IT'S SAME AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT MS. LEWIS IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO REPLACE.
SHE ALWAYS FURNISHED THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEEDED, WE ASKED FOR SOMETHING SHE GOT IT.
ALTHOUGH, I NOTICED AT TIMES HER PHILOSOPHY DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, SHE NEVER TRIED TO FORCE HER PHILOSOPHY ON THE DECISION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO REPLACE.
I GIVE THIS TO YOU. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
>> I'D LIKE TO ADD OR THANK YOU AS WAS POINTED OUT IN ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS COMING UP WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE WORK THAT MISS LEWIS DID SAVE A BIG CHUNK IN THE BUDGET AS OPPOSED TO HIRING CONSULTANTS.
SHE TOOK THAT UPON HERSELF, DID THE WORK, HELPED THE COMMITTEE ALONG, AND IT SAVED A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE COUNTY, AND I JUST WANTED EVERYBODY IN HERE TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
>> MISS LEWIS, HOW MANY PLANS HAVE YOU SUPERVISED?
>> THE THIRD. I'D LIKE TO SAY BEFORE THAT, WE WERE PAYING BIG CHUNKS OF MONEY FOR PEOPLE FROM OUT OF THE COUNTY COME IN HERE TO TELL US HOW WE SHOULD LIVE AND WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
[01:30:01]
WE STARTED DOING AN IN-HOUSE AND SPENDING VERY LITTLE MONEY.I REMEMBER THE LAST YEAR THAT WE HAD SOMEBODY COME IN, IT WAS LIKE 90,000 BUCKS.
PLEASE HELP US THAT IT SAVED US A LOT OF MONEY.
TO THE NEXT ONE, THE INTERIM ZONING ADMINISTRATOR AND
[9. Interim Zoning Administrator and Subdivision Agent - Request to Appoint]
SUBDIVISION AGENT REQUEST TO A POINT.>> YES, HONORABLE BOARD MEMBERS.
YOU DO HAVE IT HERE AS A GOOD SEGUE INTO THIS.
AS BETH'S LEAVING US, YOU'LL NEED TO APPOINT ME AS THE INTERIM ZONING ADMINISTRATOR AND SUBDIVISION AGENT, AS YOU'RE AWARE.
WE DO HAVE SOMEONE WITH THE BERKELEY GROUP COMING IN NEXT WEEK, BART KNUCKLES.
ACTUALLY, BETH AND I HAD LUNCH WITH HIM TODAY.
VERY GOOD GUY, VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE.
HE'LL BE SERVING AS THE INTER-ROOM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING DIRECTOR WHEN BETH RETIRES NEXT WEEK.
MR. KNUCKLES WILL BE IN EFFECT MY DESIGNER TO PERFORM ALL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANNING, ZONING SUBDIVISION AND RELATED DUTIES.
BUT HOWEVER, YOU WILL NEED TO OFFICIALLY APPOINT ME AS THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR AND SUBDIVISION AGENT IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD ON THAT.
>> ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
MAY I ASK WHAT IS THIS GENTLEMAN'S EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS?
>> I'LL RESEND YOU HIS RESUME.
HE WAS A DIRECTOR, I BELIEVE IN SOUTHERN PINES, NORTH CAROLINA, FOR MANY YEARS OVER 30 YEARS.
BUT I'LL RESEND YOU HIS INFORMATION.
>> BEFORE WE GET TO THE NUMBER 10,
[19. Reassessments- Request by Chairman Edwards]
THE PROPOSED BUDGET DISCUSSION, WE HAD MOVED NUMBER 19, WHICH WAS THE REASSESSMENTS DISCUSSION.IF ANYBODY HAS ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE RE-ASSESSION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME FORWARD.
BEFORE I MAKE MY COMMENTS ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT, I'D LIKE TO SAY I WORKED WITH BETH LEWIS AT LEAST SEVEN YEARS WHEN I WAS STILL AN ACTIVE APPRAISER.
I ALWAYS FOUND HER PLEASANT, PROFESSIONAL, AND KNOWLEDGEABLE.
I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'LL BE HARD TO REPLACE HER.
I'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
I'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF ASSESSORS.
FOR 23 YEARS, I WAS A CERTIFIED GENERAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER.
I PROBABLY PRAISED A COUPLE OF HUNDRED FARMS IN THE COUNTY.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT MR. CROSS SAID, THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE WORST ASSESSMENT, BUT IT'S A CLOSE SECOND.
I PERSONALLY THINK THE BLUE RIDGE ASSESSMENT IN 2005 WAS WORSE.
I REMEMBER ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN SAID, I DOESN'T CARE WHAT WE PUT ON YOUR OPEN LAND, YOU ALL GOT LAND USE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THESE WINGATE PEOPLE APPLIED THAT CONCEPT OR NOT.
I DIDN'T SPEAK WITH ANY OF THEM.
I WAS ASKED TO SERVE ON THIS ASSESSOR BOARD THIS YEAR.
BUT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN RETIRED FOR EIGHT YEARS, I HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH THE MARKET.
I FIGURED SOMEONE ELSE COULD DO A BETTER JOB.
BUT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE BLUE RIDGE ASSESSMENT IN SERVING ON THE BOARD IN 2006, AND I FOUND NUMEROUS GROSS ERRORS.
AFTER THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION WAS OVER, I SENT A 20-PAGE REPORT TO THE VIRGINIA APPRAISER BOARD IN RICHMOND, ACCUSING BLUE RIDGE OF UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, AND I CITED TO THEM 17 GROSS ERRORS THAT BLUE RIDGE HAD MADE, ONE OF WHICH WAS THEY LOOKED AT A PROPERTY THAT HAD A HOUSE ON IT AND SOLD FOR $197,000.
BUT WHEN THEY APPRAISED IT, THE DATE OF THE APPRAISAL, IT WAS A VACANT LOT, AND IT HAD SOLD FOR 20,000.
THEY USED A ACTUAL $20,000 SALE, BUT APPRAISED IT AS IF IT WERE $197,000 SALE.
THAT WAS JUST ONE OF 17 GROSS ERRORS THAT I DISCOVERED.
BUT THE REAL ESTATE BOARD TOOK NO ACTION BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME IN A LETTER THAT ASSESSMENTS ARE NOT REALLY APPRAISALS.
THESE PEOPLE PASS THEM OFF AS APPRAISERS.
BUT LIKE JAMIE SAID, SOME OF THEM ARE JUST DATA COLLECTORS, AND THEY RIDE AROUND AND THEY PARKED THAT CAR AT THE CORNER OF A FARM AND THEY CHECK A FEW BOXES.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE BACK END OF THE FARM.
THEY DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SWAMP OR NOT.
[01:35:02]
BUT THE VIRGINIA TAX DEPARTMENT AND THE VIRGINIA ASSESSMENT BOARD DOESN'T REALLY RULE THESE ASSESSMENT COMPANIES LIKE THEY SHOULD.THEY JUST TREAT THEM AS TAX COLLECTORS RATHER THAN AS PROFESSIONAL APPRAISERS.
I THOUGHT YOU NEEDED TO KNOW THAT. THANK YOU.
>> PRETTY OBVIOUS. WHILE WE'RE ON THIS SUBJECT.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DAVID EDWARDS SEDLEY VIRGINIA, MR. GILLETTE.
ABOUT THE ASSESSMENTS AND YOU'RE GETTING READY TO DO THE BUDGET.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN DO THE BUDGET WHEN I DO NOT KNOW THE ASSESSMENTS OF MY TRUE VALUE OF MY LAND YET WITH LAND USE AND ALL THAT.
YOU HAVE 31 MORE DAYS FOR YOU PROBABLY HAVE ANOTHER MEETING TO PASS THE BUDGET, BUT YET, I DON'T HAVE ANY CLUE WHAT MY TOTAL VALUE IS GOING TO BE.
I NEED YOU ALL TO NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO EFFECT WHEN YOU'RE DOING THESE TAX RATES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THAT'S A LITTLE CONCERN FOR ME. THANK YOU.
>> MR. EDWARDS, I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED YOUR ASSESSMENT?
>> I RECEIVED MY ASSESSMENT, BUT NOT MY LAND USE ASSESSMENT.
SEE, YOUR LAND USE ASSESSMENT COMES INTO PLAY WHEN YOU'RE DOING YOUR REAL ESTATE VALUES, $0.86.
WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IN?
>> [OVERLAPPING] I'D BE THE SAME RATE REAL ESTATE.
>> YEAH. THAT COMES INTO EFFECT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT MINE IS GOING TO BE. THE SAME.
>> WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT, ANYBODY ELSE? YOU GOT PLENTY OF TIME, SOMEBODY COME AND GIVE US THE ANSWER.
LAST FALL, I ATTENDED A MEETING WHEN DAVENPORT & COMPANY CAME HERE WITH A HUGE BOOKLET THAT WAS AN AUDIT, AND THEY WENT THROUGH PILES OF FIGURES AND FACTS.
THEY TOLD US IF THE NEW ASSESSMENT WERE TO INCREASE 30% THAT OUR TAX RATE SHOULD DROP TO 69%.
WHERE WAS THAT FLAWED AT? IS MR. THROWS $0.86 JUST A PRELIMINARY TO EQUAL THE BUDGET TYPE FIGURE? ARE WE STILL WORKING ON WHAT OUR FINAL TOTAL VALUE OF OUR PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE?
>> YOU'RE STILL WORKING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
>> [OVERLAPPING] WE'RE WORKING ON IT A LITTLE BIT.
>> BUT DIDN'T I HEAR DAVENPORT CORRECTLY WHEN THEY SAID THAT? IF OUR ASSESSMENTS WENT UP 30%, THAT OUR TAX RATE SHOULD DROP TO 69.
>> THEY WERE GIVING AN ESTIMATE BASED ON PROJECTIONS THAT THEY HAD SEEN HAPPENING IN OTHER LOCALITIES.
>> THAT WAS WHAT THEY WERE DOING AT THAT POINT.
>> THEN THEY WERE TELLING YOU WHAT THE EQUALIZED NUMBER WAS, I BELIEVE.
I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND WATCH EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT CONVERSATION.
>> [OVERLAPPING] YEAH, I DON'T HEAR THINGS STRAIGHT SOMETIMES MYSELF. BUT THAT'S WHAT I HEARD.
>> BUT THE EQUALIZED VALUE FOR THIS TIME IS $68.05 PER 100.
>> [OVERLAPPING] EQUALIZED RATE?
>> ANYBODY ELSE? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER 10,
[10. Board of Supervisor's FY25 Proposed Budget- Request to Advertise and Authorize Public Hearings]
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS YEAR 25 PROPOSED BUDGET.>> HONORABLE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS LAST WEDNESDAY, WE DID HAVE A MEETING TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND WHAT TO ADVERTISE FOR.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TONIGHT IS TO AUTHORIZE ADVERTISING YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET AND CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING TO BE HELD ON MAY 13 AT 6:00 PM.
[01:40:05]
ALSO RECOMMEND YOU AUTHORIZE ADVERTISING A PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX LEVY, INCREASE NOTICE, AND CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON SUCH ON MAY 22ND AT 6:00 PM IN YOUR BOOK THAT WE PASSED OUT TO YOU TONIGHT.THERE'S A PAGE OF THE CUT YOU PRELIMINARILY STRAW VOTED AGREED TO AT THE LAST MEETING.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE REVENUE CHANGES, AS WE DISCUSSED, FROM THAT MEETING, YOU HAD LOWERED YOUR RATE DOWN TO $0.79.
YOU CAN SEE ALL THE LIST OF CUTS THERE THAT YOU PRELIMINARILY HAD CUT OUT OF YOUR BUDGET.
AGAIN, THAT WAS ABOUT $1.5 MILLION FROM THAT MEETING.
I JUST WANTED TO DO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
YOU DID TALKED TO DAVENPORT A LITERALLY A LITTLE EARLIER TODAY THIS AFTERNOON, TALK ABOUT THE RADIO PROJECT.
IF YOU REMEMBER, WE NEED TO BORROW SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF 2-2.5 MILLION FOR THE ADDITIONAL PORTION OF THAT PROJECT.
THEY HAD RECOMMENDED YOU ADD ANOTHER PENNY OR TWO TO THE REAL ESTATE RATE TO COVER THAT IN THE FY 25 BUDGET.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO ADVERTISE A RATE TONIGHT, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU BUMP THAT UP TO AT LEAST 80 OR 81.
>> NOW, WHAT IS THE PROPOSED PERSONAL PROPERTY? THE FIVE?
>> THAT IS $5 PER A 100, YES, SIR.
>> HOW ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE? WHAT IS IT?
>> THIS BOOK IS PRODUCED TONIGHT.
THE BOOK THAT YOU RECEIVED TONIGHT IS $0.79 PER 100.
WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO REDONE THE LIST OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE CUT?
SOME OF US UP HERE MAY VOTE FOR SOME OF US NOT, BUT I DEAL WITH PEOPLE EVERY DAY AND MAKE DECISIONS WHETHER TO BUY THEIR MEDICINES OR BUY THEIR FOOD FOR THE MONTH.
I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE TO RAISE THE PERSONAL PROPERTY FROM 4.7 IT'S CRAZY.
THAT PUTS US UP AT NUMBER 6 IN THE STATE,95 COUNTIES IN THIS STATE, AND WE'RE TIED FOR NUMBER 6, HIGHEST PERSONAL PROPERTY.
RIDICULOUS. WE'VE GOT PEOPLE GOING TAKING THEIR VEHICLES OVER IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OWN PROPERTY OVER IN NORTH CAROLINA, TAKING THE VEHICLES OVER THERE AND TIGHT ON THEM.
I THINK IT'S SLAP IN THE FACE TO GO UP TO FIVE.
I DON'T LIKE 4.7, BUT AS FAR AS THE PERSONAL PROPERTY GOES, I THINK WE CAN CUT IT BACK TO 75, AND IF WE CAN'T DO IT, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP SLICE UNTIL WE DO.
AS FAR AS INCREASING THE FARM TAX, I THINK THAT'S RIDICULOUS.
THAT'S OUR NUMBER 1, INDUSTRY IN THIS COUNTY.
YOU JUST HEARD WHAT IT COST TO FARM IN THIS COUNTY.
IF YOU WANT TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAT, YOU WANT TO LOWER THAN THAT, THAT'S FINE BUT I'M NOT VOTING FOR ANYTHING WITH THAT.
>> THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX WAS REDUCED LAST YEAR, MEANING THE FISCAL YEAR 24 THAT WE'RE OPERATING IN NOW.
IT DID NOT GO BACK TO THE PRE COVID VALUES.
IN FISCAL YEAR 24, THE BOARD DECIDED NOT TO GO BACK UP TO THE FULL $5 PER 100.
WE MADE A TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE OF 1.2 MILLION TO COVER THE TAXPAYERS BECAUSE THEY HAD PAID IN MORE THE YEAR BEFORE, EVEN THOUGH WE LOWERED IT TO $4.60 PER 100, AND WE WANTED TO GIVE THE TAXPAYERS CREDIT FOR THAT SO WE DID.
BUT YOU CANNOT CONTINUE TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF YOUR RESERVE, YOUR SAVINGS, SO TO SPEAK, YOUR FUND BALANCE.
>> I'M NOT SURE IF PEOPLE OF THE BOARD WAS AWARE THAT WE'VE DONE THAT. I WASN'T.
>> YES WE CAN FIND OUT WHERE IT WAS, I WILL GLADLY GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE VIDEO, BUT THIS BOARD DID VOTE TO DO THAT TO SAVE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY ONE MORE YEAR BECAUSE THEY HAD OVERPAID.
>> MY OPINION, WE NEEDED TO DO IT AGAIN UNTIL WE GOT OUT THIS HOLE.
>> I HAVE TALKED WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE AND VEHICLE VALUES HAVE STABILIZED AND ARE DEPRECIATING NORMALLY AT THIS TIME WITHIN THE COUNTY.
[01:45:03]
>> AGAIN, JUST TO REITERATE, WE'RE ASKING THIS TO ADVERTISE A RATE, YOU CAN SET IT AT A RATE AND LOWER IT.
YOU JUST CAN'T INCREASE THE RATE AFTER YOU ADVERTISE RATES.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY HERE KNOWS WHAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THAT $0.86.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO READ DOWN THE LIST?
>> ABSOLUTELY I WOULD UNDERSTAND.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THE ITEMS THAT WERE TAKEN OUT OF THE INITIAL BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED AND IT WAS A DRAFT BUDGET, DRAFT MEANS TO MAKE CHANGES.
THE ITEMS THAT WERE TAKEN OUT OF THAT APRIL 10 BUDGET WERE, THERE WAS A DECREASE IN CONSULTING WATER AND SEWER RATE STUDY, $50,000.
CONSULTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SITE STUDY, $120,000.
CONSULTING FEES FOR FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, $100,000.
CONSULTING FEES FOR EVALUATION CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, $50,000.
FRANKLIN, SAID SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY FAIR PROJECTS AND GENERAL PROJECTS $2,000.
THERE WAS AN INCREASE GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER $10,000.
DECREASE CONSULTING FINANCIAL SERVICES $1,362.
WE TOOK OUT THE HR AND RISK MANAGEMENT SAFETY POSITION THAT WAS $157,798 FOR SALARY AND ALL BENEFITS.
HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS BONUS WAS TAKEN OUT AT $23,000.
EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION AND RECOGNITION, $25,000.
DECREASE IN BOARD OF ASSESSORS OFFICE SUPPLIES, 3,000.
DECREASE IN TREASURER'S POSTAL SERVICES, 5,000.
DECREASE IN SIGN ON BONUSES, $62,500.
DECREASE IN SHERIFF LAW ENFORCEMENT HOSPITAL PLAN, $14,169.
DECREASE IN SHERIFF DETENTION HOSPITAL PLAN, $5,812.
INSPECTIONS DECREASE IN HOSPITAL PLAN, 10,000.
DECREASE IN THE RADIO MAINTENANCE CONTRACT, $273,000.
DECREASE THREE OF THE NEW POSITIONS FUND FOR ONLY HALF OF THE YEAR SO THE DECREASE OF SALARIES AND BENEFITS WAS $169,806.
DECREASE OF THE REFUSE DISPOSAL CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, $56,188.
DECREASE IN COUNTY BUILDING REPAIR MONEY OF $50,000.
INCREASE IN THE STABILIZATION FUND, $90,000.
DECREASE IN SCHOOL FUNDING, $411,261 FOR A TOTAL OF $1,495,396.
>> NOW, WITH THAT, IT LEAVES US WITH 79 CENT RATE; AM I CORRECT?
>> WE SCHEDULE FOR ANOTHER WORK SESSION OR NOT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE SET A DATE.
>> WE'RE NOT, BUT YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO DO SO.
>> WELL, I THINK WE NEED ANOTHER WORK SESSION AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE GENTLEMAN'S SUGGESTION THAT HE MADE TONIGHT BECAUSE I'M OPEN TO ANY HELP WE CAN GET TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
I THINK THAT WORK SESSION WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO HAVE IT.
THAT'S MY OPINION, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
AT 79 CENT, HOW MUCH MORE MONEY DOES IT PUT IN THE KITTY?
>> THE TOTAL GOING INTO THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND AT THAT POINT WAS $304,500.
[01:50:07]
I BELIEVE I'M SAYING THE CORRECT.>> HOW MUCH MONEY DOES THE COUNTY HAVE TO SPEND AT 79 CENT?
>> YOU'RE ASKING MORE THAN LAST YEAR'S MONEY?
>> YEAH. FROM THE PREVIOUS FUND.
>> YEAH. I'M GOING TO NEED TO LOOK.
LET ME SEE. THAT INCLUDES THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TOO.
YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE PART, CORRECT?
>> IT'S 10 CENTS MORE THAN THE EQUALIZED RATE AND EACH PENNY IS $213,628, [OVERLAPPING] 10 TIMES.
>> AT 79 CENT, THAT'S 2,297,000 MORE.
>> WELL, AT 79 CENTS FOR EVERY $100,000 THAT YOUR HOUSE OR PROPERTY GOES UP, YOU'RE GOING TO PAY $790.
>> WOULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT THAT?
>> IF YOUR HOUSE WAS $200,000 AT 79 LET'S MAKE IT 80 FOR MATH'S SAKE, YOU'D PAY $8,000.
NOW, IT'S GOING UP YOUR HOUSE WENT 200,000-300,000.
IF YOU PAID 75, YOU'D BE PAYING MUCH MORE THAN YOU WERE AT THE HIGHER TAX RATE.
THE MATH DOES NOT EQUAL OUT TO ME.
I TALKED TO PEOPLE WHOSE HOUSES PROPERTY IS GOING UP $1,400, $1,600.
YET, ALL THIS IS GOING UP, YET WE'RE BEING TOLD WE CAN'T BALANCE THIS BUDGET.
NOW, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE MATH THERE.
MAYBE I'M JUST NOT SMART ENOUGH TO FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT TO ME, EVERYBODY'S PAYING MORE, BUT WE'RE SAYING, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY.
SO WHERE TO GO? THE AVERAGE PERSON WILL PROBABLY GO TO PAY $8,900.
WE GOT DOUBLE ONES THAT ARE GOING UP TO 250,000.
>> YOU'RE ASKING WHAT ITEMS INCREASED IN THE BUDGET? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING BECAUSE THE MONEY HASN'T GONE ANYWHERE YET, BECAUSE THIS IS JUST THE PLANNING OF THE BUDGET.
>> I THINK I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO MY COMMENT THAT I THINK WE NEED A WORKSHOP.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN THE AIR LIKE THE LAND USE REVENUE, ALONG WITH THE RADIO FIRE AND RESCUE CONTRACT.
THE COMMITTEE I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HERE IS ON THAT COMMITTEE.
I DON'T WANT TO BUT I DID I HAVE TALKED TO I BELIEVE GREG VICK IS IN CHARGE OF IT, HEADING IT UP.
THERE IS SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE TO REDUCE SOME COST.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE AS OF YET, BECAUSE THEY ARE RESEARCHING SOME OF THE COSTS SUCH AS GENERATORS.
I KNOW WHAT WAS BID, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FINAL NUMBER IS AND I DON'T THINK THAT COMMITTEE HAS SAID IT YET.
WE'RE TRYING TO COVER WHAT WOULD BE NECESSARY, BUT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO FINE TUNE THIS THING YET.
IF WE COULD HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP AND GET THOSE IN TO LET US KNOW WHAT THEY FIND OUT WHAT MIGHT BE SAVED ON THAT MAINTENANCE PLAN.
DID A LITTLE LEG WORK MYSELF, AND THEY HAVE GOT A MEETING AS OF TODAY SET UP.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT DAY IT IS AS SOON WITH THEM OVER THERE TO TALK ABOUT THE GENERATORS.
[01:55:05]
BUT THERE ARE OTHERS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP US WITH LOWERING THE COST AS WELL.I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT WORKSHOP BEFORE WE HAVE TO SET THIS DATE.
I THINK THERE WOULD BE SOME INFORMATION THE PUBLIC WOULD WANT TO KNOW ABOUT.
I CERTAINLY WOULD BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'VE GOT TO COVER THIS RESERVE FUND TO PROTECT OUR BOND RATING.
THEN THE OTHER PRIORITIES ARE THE COURTHOUSE, THE RADIO PROJECT, THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SET IN STONE YET.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE COMMENTS FROM THE REST OF THE BOARD WHETHER OR NOT TO HAVE THAT WORKSHOP.
>> I DON'T SEE ANYWAY AROUND IT.
I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
I THINK WE'D BE VERY REMISS AND IF WE DID NOT LOOK AT THIS SITUATION AND TRY TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.
>> DO YOU LIKE TO MAKE THAT AS A MOTION, SIR?
>> SURE I WOULD AS SOON AS I CAN GET A DATE OR TWO FROM THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN NUMBERS.
THAT WOULD BE MR. THROWER AND LYNETTE.
JUST TO LET Y'ALL KNOW, IF Y'ALL DO PUSH BACK ADVERTISING THE PUBLICATION DATES, THAT PUSHES EVERYTHING BACK ON THE SCHEDULE.
MAY 1ST WAS INITIALLY SCHEDULED FOR PUBLICATION OF THE DRAFT, YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING IN TAWADA NEWS.
>> I WOULD SUGGEST IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A BUDGET WORK SESSION, YOU HAVE IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
>> BECAUSE ALL WE'RE DOING NOW IS PUSHING THE TIMELINE BACK ON ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS.
>> HOW ABOUT MONDAY, THE 29TH?
>> YOU COULD OR NEXT WEDNESDAY.
>> EITHER MONDAY OR WEDNESDAY.
>> DO YOU-ALL HAVE A CONFLICT WITH MONDAY?
>> I DON'T THINK SO. MONDAY'S FINE.
>> YEAH. I'LL MAKE A MOTION WE MEET ON THE 29TH.
>> MONDAY, THE 29TH, SIX O'CLOCK RIGHT HERE, MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
SO BE IT, WE'LL HAVE THAT MEETING.
EVERYBODY OUT THERE HAS HEARD IT.
>> I KNOW WE'RE AT 79 RIGHT NOW, AND I KNOW NET ZERO IS 68.5 OR 69.
AT 79, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INCREASE OF ABOUT TWO MILLION DOLLARS OVER TO FOUR MILLION AT 86, BUT OUR EXPENSES, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES ON THIS BUDGET, JUST ONE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CUT US ABOUT 1.2 MILLION, SO WE GOT TO MAKE THAT UP SOMEHOW.
SO WE'RE AT 800,000 RIGHT THERE.
>> WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE IT UP IF WE DON'T SPEND IT.
>> THAT'S REAL MONEY THAT WE'VE LOST OUT OF A BUDGET.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT TO CUT AS LOW AS WE CAN CUT IT, BUT WE CAN'T NOT MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS EVERY YEAR.
I'M SITTING HERE TRYING TO STUDY THIS THING, FIGURE OUT A WAY WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.
OUR EXPENSES HAVE GONE UP TWO MILLION DOLLARS.
WE CUT OUR REVENUE BACK BY TWO MILLION FROM FOUR MILLION, SO WE'RE GOING TO MEET OUR EXPENSES AT 79, BUT I KNOW WE CAN TRY TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO GET IT DOWN, BUT WE GOT TO BE PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS WORK.
[02:00:07]
I KNOW IT'S HURTING, EVERYBODY IS HURTING.>> THE BOTTOM LINE IS MONDAY, SIX O'CLOCK HERE, THE 29TH.
IT WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TALK.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE YOUR INPUT ALSO.
>> IT WOULD BE PUBLIC COMMENT IF YOU WANTED PUBLIC COMMENT.
SAME THING. IT WON'T BE A PUBLIC HEARING.
>> I'D LIKE TO JUST MAKE ONE OBSERVATION WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES, AND THEY DON'T HELP US LIKE THEY SHOULD.
THIS WEEK THEY APPROVED TO GIVE UKRAINE, ISRAEL, AND TAIWAN $95 BILLION, JUST IN THE SNAP OF A FINGER.
I'M JUST MAKING A QUICK EXAMPLE, I KNOW THIS DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH OUR BUDGET, BUT IF YOU DIVIDE IT UP BY 50 STATES IN EACH STATE GOT THEIR SHARE, THAT'D BE $1.9 BILLION A STATE.
THE STATE OF VIRGINIA HAS GOT 95 COUNTIES AND I THINK, WAS IT, 38 MUNICIPALITIES?
>> MUNICIPAL CITIES AND 95 COUNTIES.
>> IF YOU DIVIDED UP $1.9 BILLION BETWEEN EVERY MUNICIPALITY, WE'D EACH GET $15 MILLION JUST IN THAT ONE VOTE THEY HAD.
JUST THINK WHAT THAT WOULD DO.
THIS COUNTRY HAS GOT TO GET UNDER CONTROL AND GET BACK TO TAKING CARE OF US AND NOT EVERYBODY ELSE.
>> YOU'RE MISSING. THEY DID GIVE A $100 TO SECURE OUR BORDER.
>> THAT'S WHAT'S KILLING OUR COUNTRY.
>> IT'S KILLING OUR COUNTRY. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
I DON'T CARE WHO YOU VOTED FOR, BUT YOU GOT TO LOOK AT THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION.
IF YOU'RE A DEMOCRAT, YOU'RE REPUBLICAN, YOU GOT TO FORGET WHO YOU ARE, AND LOOK AT THE REALITY, LOOK AT THE HOLE WE'RE IN, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE IN THE SAME HOLE.
>> YES, SIR. YOU WANT TO COME UP FRONT?
>> THE THING THAT'S MISUNDERSTOOD, WHEN THE CONGRESS GIVES OUT MONEY, LIKE YOU SAY, $95 BILLION IN FOREIGN AID, THAT MONEY ACTUALLY IS NOT, SAY, GOING INTO UKRAINE'S HANDS.
IT'S NOT GOING DIRECTLY INTO ISRAEL'S HANDS.
IT'S NOT DIRECTLY GOING INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S HANDS.
THAT MONEY IS BASICALLY GOING BACK INTO YOUR HANDS BECAUSE YOU'RE BUILDING THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY ARE GOING TO GO.
THEN IT COMES OUT OF YOUR PAYROLL, GET INTO TAXES, AND IT'S JUST AN ENDING CYCLE, BUT IT'S NOT THAT YOU'RE JUST PICKING UP A BIG CHUNK OF MONEY AND THEN GOES, WELL, I'M GIVING THIS TO YOU AND I WANT YOU TO SOLVE THIS WAR.
NO. YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE MONEY AND YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW OUR INDUSTRIAL MILITARY COMPLEX IN THIS COUNTRY.
YOU BENEFIT FROM THAT UKRAINE PACKAGE BECAUSE YOU HAVE THIS TOTAL AREA HERE IS HIGHLY MILITARIZED MANUFACTURING.
THAT'S HOW THE MONEY COMES BACK.
YOU GOT TO LEARN TO FOLLOW THE MONEY.
>> THAT'S ONLY PARTIALLY TRUE.
WE'RE PAYING FOR SCHOOLS IN UKRAINE.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MILITARY STUFF. WE ARE DOING THAT.
IT IS MADE IN THIS COUNTRY NO WONDER WE DON'T HAVE CHINA MAKING IT FOR US, BUT WE'RE PAYING MONEY DIRECTLY TO THEM FOR THEIR HOSPITALS, THEIR MEDICINES, THEIR SCHOOLS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT IT PARTIALLY BUT YOU'RE NOT ALL THE WAY RIGHT.
>> I JUST READ TONIGHT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SPENT $51 BILLION FOR NEW MARINE 1 HELICOPTERS TO TAKE THE PRESIDENT AROUND FROM PLACE TO PLACE, AND IT CAN'T USE THEM BECAUSE IT EXHAUSTS, SCORCHES THE WHITE HOUSE LOAN.
I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND YOU, I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE MONDAY NIGHT.
I'M GOING TO BE OUT OF TOWN, BUT IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A BUDGET WORKSHOP, KEEP IN MIND THAT MS. EDWARDS TOTAL FIGURES TONIGHT OF UNPAID TAXES, REAL ESTATE, PERSONAL PROPERTY, AND SOLID WASTE ARE $4,556,000 THAT THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY HAVE NOT PAID IN THEIR TAXES.
[02:05:04]
THAT WOULD HELP US. T.>> LET'S MOVE ON. NUMBER 11, SCHOOL BUS FINANCING.
[11. School Bus Financing- Request to Adopt Resolution]
MAYOR, WANT TO LEAD US THROUGH THAT?>> YES. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, STEVE MILROY DID NOT MAKE IT, BUT WE DO HAVE BOB LAUTERBERG WITH VML/VACO FINANCING TO BRIEF YOU ON THIS PROJECT.
LINEAGE'S PASSING OUT SOME INFORMATION TO YOU NOW, BUT TURN IT OVER TO BOB.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M BOB LAUTERBERG, MANAGING DIRECTOR WITH VML/VACO FINANCE.
WE HAVE A RESOLUTION BEFORE THE BOARD TONIGHT TO APPROVE SOME SCHOOL BUS FINANCING.
I WANTED TO SAY, SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE, LISTENING TO THE DISCUSSION, IT REMINDS ME OF THE REASON THAT VML/VACO FINANCE WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED, AND THAT IS TO TAKE SOME OF THESE MOST EXPENSIVE SERVICES THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PROCURE FINANCIAL SERVICES IN THE AREAS OF FINANCING, INVESTMENTS, AND ACCOUNTING, AND TO PULL RESOURCES AND PROVIDE THOSE TO MEMBERS OF VACO AND TO VML.
OUR APPROACHES HAS PROVEN TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THERE ARE ABOUT 300 LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND AUTHORITIES THAT ARE USING SERVICES FROM VML/VACO FINANCE.
THE EQUIPMENT LEASING THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IS PART OF FINANCING AND MUNICIPAL ADVISORY SERVICES.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE PROVIDE A LOT OF ASSISTANCE TO LOCALITIES.
THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR FINANCIAL ADVISORY TYPE SERVICES.
WE PROVIDE, FOR INSTANCE, A PLAN OF FINANCE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND OUR NONPROFIT BOARD ACTUALLY PROVIDES A $7,500 GRANT TO GO ALONG WITH THIS.
THE COST OF A PLAN OF FINANCE TO PREPARE FOR A FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL PLAN WITH DEBT SERVICE RATIOS, CASH FUND RATIOS, ALL OF THIS THOROUGH ANALYSIS COSTS ABOUT A NET $7,500 AFTER THE GRANT.
THIS IS THE TYPE OF THING THAT WE DO.
NOW, ON THE EQUIPMENT LEASE PURCHASE FINANCING, I WANTED TO GO OVER THE SPECIFICS IN THIS.
THIS IS ON PAGE 7 IN YOUR MATERIALS.
WHAT WE DID ON YOUR BEHALF WAS TO GO OUT TO BANKS AROUND THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING COMMUNITY BANKS, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL BANKS AND REQUEST QUOTES FOR THE SCHOOL BUSES THAT THE COUNTY IS PLANNING TO FINANCE.
EQUIPMENT LEASING IS JUST SIMPLY A WAY OF FINANCING.
IT'S CONSIDERED A LEASE BECAUSE THE EQUIPMENT SERVES AS COLLATERAL FOR THE LOAN AND THE LENDER HAS A SECURITY INTEREST IN THE EQUIPMENT, IN THIS CASE, SCHOOL BUSES, UNTIL THE LOAN IS FULLY REPAID.
WE WENT OUT FOR BID, AND THE LOW BID CAME FROM UNITED FINANCIAL, WHICH IS A DIVISION OF HOME TRUST BANK, A BANK THAT'S BASED IN NORTH CAROLINA.
THIS LOAN IS BOTH TAX EXEMPT AND BANK QUALIFIED.
THAT ALLOWS YOU TO ACCESS SOME OF THE LOWEST RATES FOR THIS TYPE OF FINANCING.
THE TERM IS FOR FIVE YEARS, AND IT MATURES ON JUNE 1ST, 2029.
WE RECEIVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS FROM THIS BANK FOR CONSIDERATION, BOTH FIVE-YEAR AND SIX-YEAR FINANCINGS WITH EITHER ACCELERATED PRINCIPAL REPAYMENTS OR LEVEL PREPAYMENTS.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT THE COUNTY HAS SELECTED.
IT HAS SIX ANNUAL PRINCIPAL PAYMENTS OF 171,000.
THEY BEGIN JUNE 1ST, 2024, SO WE CAN GET ONE OF THESE PAYMENTS IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, AND THEN ENDING JUNE 1ST, 2029.
>> WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT NUMBER? DID YOU SAY 127?
>> THE THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS PER YEAR, 107,000.
>> A HUNDRED AND SEVEN, NOT 27.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. THE INTEREST RATE WAS 4.76%.
[02:10:08]
THIS LOAN IS PREPAYABLE.IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS, THERE'S A WHAT'S CONSIDERED A PREPAYMENT PENALTY WHERE YOU PAY 101%, BASICALLY A 1% PENALTY FOR PREPAYMENT AFTER THE FIRST THREE SCHEDULED PAYMENTS, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS FROM NOW, YOU CAN PREPAY WITH NO PENALTY.
WE THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD ATTRACTIVE PROPOSAL.
THERE ARE NO BANK CLOSING FEES, NO LEGAL FEES THAT I'M AWARE OF AT OUR END.
THE ANTICIPATED CLOSING DATE WOULD BE APRIL 30TH.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT?
>> JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PURCHASE OF BUSES THAT WAS APPROVED IN OUR FISCAL YEAR '24 BUDGET.
WE ARE A LITTLE LATER DOING THE FINANCING.
IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR, THERE WAS A STEEL STRIKE AND BUS CHASSIS WERE NOT COMING OFF THE LINE LIKE THEY NORMALLY DO, AND SO WE'RE A LITTLE LATER THAN NORMAL.
>> ONLY ABOUT FIVE YEAR FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS.
I KNOW THERE WERE SOME YEARS WE DID NOT GET ANY OR GOT LESS, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID BECAUSE WE KNEW THE KIDS WEREN'T ON THE ROAD, BUT THIS YEAR IT'S FOUR BECAUSE BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE BOARD HAD DECIDED IT WOULD SPEND FOR DEBT FOR THE SCHOOLS FOR SCHOOL BUSES, EACH BUS COSTS $142,000.
THAT'S A 65 PASSENGER BUS, AND WE DID NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO BUY FIVE BUSES, SO WE BOUGHT FOUR.
>> ARE THESE GAS BUSES OR ELECTRIC?
>> SHOULDN'T WE BE LOOKING AT THIS MONDAY NIGHT?
>> SHOULD WE NOT BE LOOKING AT THIS MONDAY NIGHT?
>> THIS IS FISCAL YEAR '24 BUDGET, NOT '25.
THIS WAS IN THE BUDGET THAT YOU APPROVED LAST SPRING.
>> IT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. WE'RE JUST GETTING FINANCING LIKE WE WOULD DO FOR ANY VEHICLES THAT YOU APPROVED IN THE BUDGET.
>> SO IT'S LAST YEAR IT'S MONEY.
>> THE YEAR WE'RE WORKING AT RIGHT NOW, THE BUDGET THAT WAS PASSED IN MAY OF 2023.
>> WE DO RECOMMEND THAT YOU ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FINANCING OF THE NEW SCHOOL BUSES THAT YOU DID INCLUDE IN THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO DO SO, IS THERE A SECOND?
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
>> THE GENTLEMAN FROM BED THAT'S STILL HERE?
[12. Public Hearing- VDOT 6 Year Improvement Program]
[BACKGROUND] YOU'RE ON, SIR, AND YOU HAVE ALL THE TIME YOU NEED.>> YOU CAN'T BLAME A MAN FOR TRYING, RIGHT?
>> AGAIN, CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M GEORGE BOWMAN, ASSISTANT RESIDENT ADMINISTRATOR FOR [INAUDIBLE] AT THE FRANKLIN RESIDENCY, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT TO YOU THE PROPOSED SIX YEAR PLAN, WHICH IS OUR RURAL RUSTIC PROGRAM FOR PAVING THE UNPAVED ROADS IN YOUR COUNTY.
I JUST ADOPTED THIS PROGRAM THIS YEAR, SO BEAR WITH ME AS WE WALK THROUGH IT TOGETHER.
I DO WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING.
THESE FUNDS ARE GOING FROM FISCAL YEAR 2025 OUT TO FISCAL YEAR 2030.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THOSE AMOUNTS SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR THAT,
[02:15:01]
THEN I WILL DO THAT AT YOUR WISHES.>> ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN PUBLIC HEARING?
>> I DO WANT TO GO DOWN THROUGH THE SCHEDULE FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE IF THAT WOULD BE OKAY.
THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE THAT WE HAVE, WE'VE COMPLETED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND WE'VE MOVED SOME MONEY THAT WE SAVED ON THOSE PROJECTS FORWARD, AND WE ANTICIPATE DOING DARDEN AND SCALP THIS YEAR.
WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT UP, AND THIS RESOLUTION WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE THAT TRANSFER SO THAT WE CAN BUMP THAT UP.
WE WERE SCHEDULED TO DO THAT IN 2028.
BUT DUE TO THE SAVINGS THAT WE HAD, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THAT UP TO SCHEDULE NUMBER 1.
THE NUMBER 2 ROAD THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IS BOWERS ROAD.
AGAIN, ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE OUTER YEARS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE UP.
AFTER THAT, WE WERE LOOKING AT NUMBER 3 BEING WALLER ROAD.
FINALLY, NUMBER 4 WOULD BE FARMERS BRIDGE ROAD.
THOSE ARE OUR OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE AVAILABLE FUNDING.
THOSE AGAIN WILL BE FROM FISCAL YEAR 25 TO FISCAL YEAR 2030.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE GENTLEMAN BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
>> DARDEN SKYPE WOULD BE MOVED UP TO NUMBER 1?
>> OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. IT NEEDS IT.
>> WE'RE HOPING IF ALL OF THIS GOES THROUGH AND WE'RE ABLE TO GET THE RESOLUTION APPROVED AND START THE FUNDING PROCESS.
WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH THE ENS REQUIREMENTS AND BUILDING THE DESIGN.
I HAD LET MR. THROWER KNOW THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO START BUILDING THIS ROAD IN EARLY AUGUST.
>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ISSUE.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT DARDEN SCOUT ROAD.
ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO BUY ANY PROPERTY TO WIDEN THE RIGHT AWAY? YOU CAN DO IT WITHIN WHAT'S THERE ALREADY NOW?
>> OKAY. ARE YOU AWARE THAT SOMETIMES THE COVERS GET FILLED UP?
>> TO ELABORATE ON THAT IN APPROACHING A RURAL RUSTIC, WE HAVE TO SEND OUR MAINTENANCE CREWS OUT PRIOR TO DOING THAT BECAUSE THE MAINTENANCE HAS TO BE DONE.
IT CANNOT BE DONE WITH THE TELEPS AND THE THE FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE THROUGH THE DISTRICT GRANT.
WE'LL GO OUT PRIOR TO BUILDING THE ROAD AND ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THAT THE DITCHING AND THE CULVERT PIPES WE'LL CLEAN THEM OUT AND IF NEED TO BE, THEY'LL BE REPLACED PRIOR TO US BUILDING THE ROAD.
THE FUNDING DOES NOT ALLOW US TO DO THAT.
>> DOES THE TELEPHONE CABLE THAT'S UNDERGROUND IN THIS RIGHT AWAY, OR IT UP ON PRIVATE PROPERTY?
I WOULD HOPE THAT'S BEING BURIED.
BUT AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THERE'S A GREAT BIG PUSH FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGHOUT ALL LOCALITIES TO ACHIEVE EVERYONE HAVING THE ABILITY TO GET HIGH SPEED INTERNET.
THEY'RE COMING THROUGH AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, AND WE STILL ONLY HAVE ONE PERMIT TECH, AND WE ONLY HAVE A LAND USE ENGINEER, MR. FOWLER, AND HE HAS ONE PERSON THAT WORKS FOR HIM AND THE NUMBER OF PERMITS THAT THEY HAVE GOING IS JUST TREMENDOUS.
WE RECEIVED NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO GO OUT AND MONITOR THOSE THINGS.
WE'RE HAVING TO COME BEHIND WHERE THEY'RE NOT BURYING IT TO THE PROPER DEPTH.
WE'RE ACTUALLY DIGGING THEM UP WHEN WE'RE DOING DITCHING.
WE' HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM DAILY.
BUT YES, WE'LL MANAGE THE DRAINAGE ISSUES PRIOR TO BUILDING THE ROAD.
>> ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT?
>> WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE THIRD ROAD?
>> NUMBER 3 WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE WALLER ROAD.
>> IT'S ROUTE 664 FROM HALL ROAD TO VICKS MILL POND ROAD.
THAT'S UP FOR YOUR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE, THAT'S UP TO THE BOARD.
THOSE PRIORITIES ARE NOT SET BY BIDDER.
THOSE ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
IF YOU'VE SPOKEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND YOU SEE A GREATER NEED FOR ONE OF THESE TO BE MOVED UP, THEN THAT'S AT YOUR DISCRETION, NOT MINE.
>> [INAUDIBLE] ROADS GET COMING BEHIND [INAUDIBLE] ROAD [INAUDIBLE] I SEE THAT AS WE ARE SAVED.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WE HAVE.
WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL PAVING PROGRAM, WHICH I'M WHOLLY AND SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR IN MY NEW POSITION AND THOSE PROGRAMS ALLOW US TO GO IN AND LOOK AT THOSE ROADS,
[02:20:06]
AND IF WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE ELEVATION, WE HAVE A TYPICAL STANDARD, WHICH IS A 2% SLOPE TO MAINTAIN THE FALL AND GET THE DRAINAGE INTO THE DITCHES.IF WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE, WE CALL THEM FOR LACK OF BETTER TERM, WE CALL IT A TURTLE BACK.
ON THE ROADS OF TURTLE BACK BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY WERE BUILT PRIOR.
THE SPECS WOULD ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.
NOW WE ARE BOUND BY 2% SLOPE, 2% GRADES, SO WE TRY TO MAINTAIN THOSE ROADS.
IF I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A ROAD ON A NEW SCHEDULE, WE'LL LOOK AT BRINGING THAT TO THE CURRENT STANDARDS.
>> TWO PERCENT FROM THE CENTER [INAUDIBLE]
>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>> BOWERS ROAD SHOULD BE NUMBER 2, 738.
AGAIN, THAT'S UP TO THE BOARD'S DISCRETION.
THESE ARE THE LISTS THAT I WENT OFF WHEN MR. KEY WAS HERE PRIOR TO ME.
THESE WERE THE LISTS THAT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY GONE OVER WITH THE BOARD, AND I'M JUST CONTINUING ON WITH THOSE WISHES.
>> WELL, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PAVING ROADS FOR THE FIRST TIME NOW.
WE HAVE ROAD PAVED IN TARBAL SHAPE THAT NEED TO BE DOING LIKE [INAUDIBLE] THE SO MANY ROOTS COME UP.
THE VEHICLE GET OUT OF LINE AND GET OUT OF LINE QUICK DRIVING THAT ROAD.
>> TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY DOLLARS TO GET A NEW ALIGNMENT.
>> I ALSO KNOW THAT MR. WHITE IS GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU IN REFERENCE TO JOIN CHURCH ROAD, BUT THE DITCH REALLY NEED TO BE CLEANED OUT FROM TO DRIVEWAY ALL WAY BACK TO THE WETLAND AREA BETWEEN THE GARBAGE DISPOSE AND THE MOUTH OF THE SWAMP NEEDS TO ACTUALLY BE CLEANED OUT AROUND THAT PIPING AREA SO THAT THE WATER CAN FLOW.
WE ARE HAVING A TREMENDOUS EROSION OF OUR YARD OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE OF THAT, AND I KNOW WE REALLY NEED TO WORK WITH THAT MATTER OF FACT.
THERE IS A SIMILAR AREA ON HARRIS ROAD.
THERE'S A NICE BRIDGE RIGHT BESIDE THE HOUSE.
I THINK THE CUTCHINS LIVE ON THAT ROAD, RICHARD CUTTINS AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
WE NEED THAT SAME TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC ON THAT ROAD NOW.
IT ALSO NEED TO BE REPAVED BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY TRUCKS AND STUFF, IT'S JUST REALLY EATING ROAD.
MATTER OF FACT, WE NEED SOME SPEED BUMPS UPSIDE DOWN.
THAT'S REALLY GOING TO HELP BECAUSE REALLY CATS, DOGS, CHILDREN DON'T STAND A CHANCE.
>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY AND SAY THAT WE HAVE A GREAT SYSTEM.
I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF IT.
WE HAVE THE 18004 ROAD SYSTEM AND THOSE REQUESTS COME DIRECTLY ACROSS MY EMAIL LIST, AND I'M WORKING WITH THE RESIDENCY AND THE AREA HEADQUARTERS STAFF TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE RESPONDING TO THOSE IN A TIMELY FASHION.
I SAY ALL THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR ME TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT'S GOING ON OUT IN THE FIELD.
OTHER THAN YOU DEFINITELY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, AND THEY WILL GET IN TOUCH WITH MR. THROWER AND MAKE SURE.
BUT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO KEEP TRACK OF IT, IF YOU COULD RELY ON THAT 18004 ROAD NUMBER, THAT GIVES ME A LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
A LOT OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THOSE HOLISTICALLY WITH THE AREA HEADQUARTER.
>> PLEASE DO BECAUSE WHEN THEY SEND PEOPLE OUT THEY WOULD TAKE AND DRAG THE DISH, BUT DON'T PICK IT UP.
THEN WHEN IT RAIN IT GO RIGHT BACK.
LIKE I SAID, I THINK MR. WAYNE IS GOING TO TALK MORE OF THAT.
>> WELL, YEAH, I'VE REQUESTED THAT.
>> YOU HAD A QUESTION ON THE BACK?
>> I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CURRENT PAVING SCHEDULE.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW DOING WHAT'S CALLED OUR FISCAL YEAR 2025 PAVING SCHEDULE AND I'LL GET THAT BACK.
>> YEAH, I SEE YOU GOT IT ON THE LIST HERE.
>> ARE WE GOING FROM THE RIVER [INAUDIBLE] INTERVAL I'VE SEEN THIS EVERYWHERE.
>> WELL, ACTUALLY, THIS IS ABOUT THE TWO NEW BRIDGES THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE.
[02:25:08]
>> I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ENTIRE SECTION.
>> 671 FROM THE NEW BRIDGES TO NEWSOMS.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU WHEN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO CALL IN SYSTEM, BUT DO YOU HAVE A WEB PORTAL? [INAUDIBLE]
>> WHEN A PERSON SEES SOMETHING, THEY CAN ALSO SUBMIT A PICTURE TO YOU.
>> YOU HAVE TO GIVE ABOUT A DAY [INAUDIBLE]
>> THAT SYSTEM WHERE YOU CALL THE 1-800 NUMBER, THEY'LL ACTUALLY GIVE YOU A SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER AND YOU CAN ENTER THAT IN ONLINE, AND THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THAT SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER.
OUR INTERNAL SYSTEM IS CALLED HMMS WHICH IS A HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND NOW THAT'S ACTUALLY AN UPGRADE WE RECEIVED THIS YEAR.
YOU CAN PUT DOCUMENTS IN THERE AND THAT ACTUALLY HELPS US A WHOLE LOT.
WE'VE BEEN REQUESTING THAT FOR A WHILE.
>> WHAT'S YOUR 800 NUMBER AGAIN?
>> [OVERLAPPING] ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENT?
>> THE ROAD THAT I LIVE ON, THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC COMING TO THAT ROAD.
TRUCKS ARE STILL COMING TO THAT ROAD, BUT THIS IS BEING RIDICULOUS.
PEOPLE ARE PASSING ON A SOLID LINE AND PASSING IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND SOLID LINE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY WALK A LOT, SO CARS ARE SLOWING DOWN FOR THOSE PEOPLE.
IT'S DANGEROUS FOR THOSE PEOPLE [INAUDIBLE] AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THE SPEED IS A FACT IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREA.
ONCE THEY START ON 671, IF THEY SPEED UP, THEY GO BY MY HOUSE.
>> GOT YOU. WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
>> WHEN THEY WERE PAVING 258, I ENDED UP DOING REPAIR WORK FOR THE CONTRACTOR.
AFTER THE FACT, HE TOLD ME I HAVE THE COMMUNITY TO ASK NOT TO HAVE RUMBLE STRIPS IN CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE ROAD.
>> THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HONORED BY VDOT.
WHEN EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT [NOISE] WORTH MORE MONEY AND YOUR PROPERTY WORTH MORE MONEY AND TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE TRUCKS GOING DOWN THE ROAD, SOMEBODY COMES AND LOOKS AT YOUR HOUSE AND THEY HEAR THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, HONEY, LET'S GO, WE'RE NOT BUYING HERE.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO HAVE, IN A CURVE AT MY HOUSE, ALL THOSE ARROWS THAT INSTRUCTING PEOPLE TO STAY IN THE ROAD, PLUS RUMBLE STRIP.
>> IF I CAN, BOARD, I'LL CONTINUE TO SPEAK ON THIS.
THE RUMBLE STRIPS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKED AT BY OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, AND THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF HOUSING IS SUPPOSED TO BE A CONSIDERATION.
IT IS ALSO A CONSIDERATION OF SAFETY.
FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE, WE'RE REDUCING THE ONES THAT ARE ACTUALLY ON 58.
WE'VE RECEIVED MULTIPLE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT, AND WE HAD DONE THAT IN REGARDS TO A SAFETY ASPECT BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO SLOW THE TRAFFIC DOWN IN THAT CORRIDOR.
WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE THEM TO BE THAT AGGRESSIVE, SO I'VE ASKED THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S PROBABLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS OUT, BUT WE ARE GOING TO REDUCE THE ONES THAT ARE ON 58.
YOU DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD WHEN THESE THINGS ARE REQUESTED, AND WE WILL ENTERTAIN THOSE DEFINITELY.
>> WELL, IF YOU WOULD MARK THEN EVERY SCHOOL ROAD IN 258, THERE'S A CURVE RIGHT THERE.
IT SEEMS TO ME IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO INVEST IN A CABLE AND A FEW CAMERAS THAT DO THE SAME THING THEY'RE DOING IN SUFFOLK WHERE THEY'RE DOING THE ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
THEN MAYBE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE DRIVING 80 MILES AN HOUR AND WANT TO HIT SOMEBODY HEAD ON WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO PASS YOU, MAYBE THEY WILL GET THE MESSAGE WHEN THEY GOT THEIR [INAUDIBLE].
>> LET'S TRY TO STICK TO THE PUBLIC AREA WE HAVE AT HAND HERE.
>> CHAIRMAN, MAY I SAY ONE THING? MAY I ASK A QUESTION? ROBERT, BOWERS ROAD, IS THAT IN YOUR DISTRICT?
>> IS THAT THE ONE WHERE THE GENTLEMAN CAME AND TALKED SEVERAL TIMES? [OVERLAPPING]
[02:30:01]
>> THEY HAVE DONE IT? IT'S DONE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HE DIDN'T GET MOVED.
>> WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE BOARD? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> SO MOVE TO ACCEPT HIS PRIORITIES.
>> IS THERE SECOND? YOU SECOND TO THAT?
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
THE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM RESOLUTION HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
>> THANK YOU FOR SPENDING HALF THE NIGHT WITH US.
>> IF I MAY, MAYBE YOU NEED TO STAY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR THAT.
>> NUMBER 13, ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT.
[13. Public Hearing- Comprehensive Plan Amendment- SMART Properties, LLC]
WE'LL HAVE MS. LEWIS GOT US THROUGH THIS.>> REMEMBER, I ALREADY GOT THE PLAQUE, SO IF THE QUESTIONS GET TOO HARD, I'M OUT OF HERE.
[LAUGHTER] BUT THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT.
IT GOES WITH NUMBER 14, WHICH IS A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT.
BUT THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT FOR TAX PARCEL 67-45A, WHICH IS ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAY AND ADAMS GROVE ROAD.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, IT'S SHAPED LIKE A STARFISH OF SORTS.
THE APPLICANT IS SMART PROPERTIES ENTERPRISE LLC, AND THAT'S THE OWNER.
THE APPLICANT IS MARCELLUS MOBLEY, AND MR. MOBLEY IS HERE THIS EVENING.
HE'S SEEKING A ZONING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THE PLAN DESIGNATION FROM INDUSTRIAL TO LOW-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
IF YOU REMEMBER A COUPLE PLANS AGO, YOU ADOPTED A STRIP OF INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL ON BOTH SIDES OF SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAY, ALL THE WAY FROM GREENSVILLE COUNTY TO FRANKLIN TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT.
YOU ENCOURAGE THINGS LIKE BELMONT PEANUTS TO DEVELOP THERE.
THEY HAD THE APPROPRIATE PLAN DESIGNATION, SO THEY HAD AN EASIER TIME TO DEVELOP THERE.
WELL, THIS IS A FUNNY SHAPE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
IT IS SURROUNDED BY HOUSES ON THREE SIDES IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY ON THE FOUR SIDE.
IT IS NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS BEING USED AGRICULTURALLY TO SOME EXTENT NOW, BUT IT'S HARD TO FARM IT AS WELL BEING THAT IS SURROUNDED BY SEVEN HOMES.
THEY CUT INTO IT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT LOOKS LIKE THE PARENT TRACT AND ALL THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES WERE CUT OUT OF IT OVER THE YEARS.
THE APPLICANT, MR. MOBLEY, PLANS TO BUILD SIX SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN A NEIGHBORHOOD-TYPE DEVELOPMENT.
HE HAS WORKED WITH VDOT AND THEY HAVE APPROVED A CUL-DE-SAC THAT WILL COME OFF ADAMS GROVE ROAD AND SERVE THE SIX LOTS.
THERE ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, THERE'LL BE SIDEWALK, THERE'LL BE STREET LIGHTING, THERE'LL BE A SMALL PARK AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE SUBDIVISION.
THIS WILL BE A REAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, THERE AREN'T A LOT OF PLATTED LOTS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD-TYPE DEVELOPMENT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE ANY.
MR. MOBLEY IS HERE, HE CAN EXPLAIN HIS BACKGROUND.
HE'S A GRADUATE OF SOUTHAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL.
THEIR WEBSITE SAYS THAT THEY PURCHASE AND RENOVATE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES FOR RENTAL, INCLUDING ONE IN NEWSOM'S ON THOMASTON ROAD, AND THEY CONSTRUCT NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
THEY CONSTRUCTED ONE RIGHT NEXT TO THIS PROPERTY IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND ANOTHER ONE ON PINOPOLIS ROAD.
HE IS A CLASS A GENERAL CONTRACTOR, AND HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE HAD THIS COMPANY SINCE 2008.
THE PLAN AMENDMENT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS SIX OR SEVEN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IS REALLY NOT APPROPRIATE THERE.
[02:35:05]
IT IS NOTED IT'S ALMOST 97% PRIME FARMLAND, BUT BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION AND SIZE AND SHAPE, IT'S NOT REALLY VERY SUITED TO AGRICULTURAL USE.IT'LL BE SERVED BY PRIVATE WATER AND WASTEWATER FACILITIES AND EXISTING OVERHEAD POWER LINES ON ADAMS GROVE ROAD OR SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAY.
BUT WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT, THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT THE UTILITIES BE UNDERGROUND, SO THE POWER LINES WILL BE UNDERGROUND.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD THE REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING IN MARCH AND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE APPLICANT AND ONE ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNER.
THEY MADE A UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE PLAN AMENDMENT FROM INDUSTRIAL TO LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD.
MR. MOBLEY IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU SHOULD HAVE THEM.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. LEWIS? THANK YOU. WE WILL THEREFORE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.
>> FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY GOOD EVENING TO ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AND TO THE CITIZENS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
ACTUALLY, I'M THE OWNER OF SMART PROPERTIES ENTERPRISE.
I AM A NATIVE OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
AS MISS LEWIS JUST STATED, I GRADUATED FROM SOUTHAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF '90. I'M LOOKING AT MR. FACE.
AS MATTER OF FACT, I GRADUATED WITH HIS OLDEST SON.
SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IS MY ROOTS.
I PROBABLY GREW UP WITH SOME OF YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS AS WELL, OR I MAY KNOW THEM.
HOWEVER, I HAD TO LEAVE IN 1990 TO GO AND PURSUE EMPLOYMENT.
JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON MYSELF.
I DID JOIN THE MILITARY IN 2000 AND I'VE BEEN ON A COUPLE OF DEPLOYMENTS.
I JUST RECENTLY RETURNED FROM A DEPLOYMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO REALLY THANK MISS LEWIS FOR QUARTERBACKING.
I STARTED THIS PROCESS WHEN I WAS OVER IN KUWAIT.
I SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION, AND SHE PRETTY MUCH HELPED ME THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
BUT GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO JUST AS I SAID, SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IS WHOLE NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE IT ALL STARTED FOR ME.
ALTHOUGH I WAS BORN IN PERU, INDIANA, SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I RETURNED HERE TO SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
WHAT SMART PROPERTIES WOULD LIKE TO OFFER IF APPROVED, WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER AFFORDABLE, DETAILED DESIGN HOMES.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BUILD APPROXIMATELY SQUARE FOOTAGE 1800 TO 2,200 SQUARE FOOT SOMEWHERE WITHIN THAT RANGE.
WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KEEP THE COST TO ANYWHERE FROM 350,000 AND NOT TO EXCEED, OF COURSE, 400 AND THAT'S JUST TO COMPLEMENT THE SURROUNDING HOUSES.
I HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO RENOVATE A HOUSE, AS MISS LEWIS MENTIONED ON 22268 THOMASTON ROAD, AND ALSO BUILD A HOUSE ON PANOPUS ROAD, THAT WHICH IS IN BOYKINS AND ALSO MY AUNT'S HOME, BRENDA HARDY, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE NEXT TO THE PARCEL OF LAND THAT I'M SEEKING REZONING OF.
AS I SAID, MY COMPANY WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THE REZONING FROM AGRICULTURE TO RESIDENTIAL AS STATED.
THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD OFFER THE CITIZENS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY SOME AFFORDABLE HOMES BASED ON THE MARKET NOW BECAUSE I LIVE IN CHESTER, VIRGINIA, AND HOMES THERE ARE 600, 700 EASY.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET THAT PARCEL OF LAND FOR A VERY REASONABLE PRICE, SO IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY AS STATED, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THE RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE A HOME OF SOMEWHAT AFFORDABLE HOME.
[02:40:02]
THE COMPANY, WE TAKE PRIDE IN CONDUCTING OURSELVES AS PROFESSIONALS, AND WE JUST ENSURE THAT THE JOB IS DONE CORRECT AND IS OF HIGH QUALITY.THIS IS MORE OF A DEVELOPER ROLE, SO I WILL BE PARTNERING WITH A LOCAL BUILDER.
THAT'S STILL UNDERWAY AND ALSO REAL ESTATE AGENTS FROM SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
I THINK THAT WILL BRING MORE TAX REVENUE AS WELL AS EMPLOYMENT.
NOT PERMANENT BUT TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTY.
WITH THAT SAID, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FROM ME, I WILL BE WILLING TO TAKE TAKE THEM NOW.
>> ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. MOBLEY.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. ARE YOU GOING TO BUILD THE HOUSES AND THEN SELL THEM OR ARE YOU GOING TO SELL THE LOTS?
>> I WILL BE BUILDING THE HOUSES AND THEN SELL THEM, BUT SOME OF THEM.
SOME OF THEM, DEPENDING ON THE BUILDER, THEY MAY REQUEST THE PURCHASE OF THE LOT THEN FROM THERE.
BUT AS I SAID, BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF THE 350-400, I WOULD ENSURE THAT IT WILL NOT EXCEED THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SOME WILL BE SOLD TO THE BUILDER.
>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, SIR.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> ANYBODY OUT THERE HAVE ANY COMMENTS?
>> THAT'S CONCEPT OF HIGHEST AND BEST USE IN A SIX ACRE.
PARCEL TO DAY IT'S AGRICULTURAL.
IT'S HARD TO TURN A TRACTOR AND A DISC AROUND IN SIX ACRES, SO I WOULD SAY AGRICULTURE IS NOT THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE.
I'VE TALKED WITH A LOT OF PROSPECTIVE BUYERS OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES, AND THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT ANYTHING AS SMALL AS SIX ACRES, EITHER.
HIGHEST AND BEST USE IT SEEMS TO ME RESIDENTIAL IS FOR THIS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM WHAT MISS LEWIS SAID THERE'S ONLY TO BE ONE CUT INTO ADAMS GROVE ROAD RATHER THAN SIX OR SEVEN LITTLE DRIVEWAYS.
IT'S NOT GOING TO CREATE A TRAFFIC PROBLEM.
I WOULD JUST ASK MR. MOBLEY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE HE HIRES ARE US CITIZENS.
I RECOMMEND YOU APPROVE IT. THANK YOU.
>> WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT, ANYBODY ELSE?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MISS LEWIS, POSSIBLY, BECAUSE I RECALL THE PINES OF IVOR AND VDOT AND THE ROADS AND EVERYTHING.
DOES HE HAVE TO BUILD THEM AND THEN VDOT TAKE OVER THE ROAD?
>> IS VDOT GOING TO BUILD THE ROADS? THAT ALL COMES AT A COST TO HIM TO LAY THE ASPHALT, PUT THE ROADS IN.
>> THEN AT SOME JUNCTURE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT, VDOT IS GOING TO TAKE THAT OVER AS FAR AS NAMING AND MAINTENANCE OF THE ROAD?
>> YES. I WILL SAY OUR RECORD KEEPING IS SOMEWHAT BETTER THAN IT WAS WHEN PINES OF IVOR WAS BEGUN 20 SOME YEARS AGO.
YES. THE DEVELOPER WILL BUILD THE ROADS, VDOT WILL DO AN INSPECTION AND SAY THAT THEY MEET VDOT STANDARDS.
THEN THEY HAVE TO WAIT A YEAR.
THERE'S A YEAR WARRANTY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ROAD IS GOING TO HOLD UP, AND AT THE END OF THAT YEAR, THEN VDOT WILL TAKE THE ROAD TO THE PUBLIC SYSTEM.
>> FORGIVE ME FOR HAVING TO ASK.
WHAT IF IT DIDN'T? WHAT IF IT DIDN'T MEET VDOT'S STANDARD?
>> THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIX IT UNTIL IT DID.
THAT'S PART OF THE SUBDIVISION APPROVAL.
THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE IS QUITE SPECIFIC, AND THERE ARE STAFF WHO IS QUITE SPECIFIC AS WELL.
>> THIS FIRST PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
>> THIS IS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PART OF THE FIRST PART OF THE TWO PAT PROCESS.
>> FROM INDUSTRIAL TO LOAD INTO THE RESIDENTIAL. YES.
>> ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING? IF NOT, THEN WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS PART.
THIS PART IS REQUEST THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT, WHICH WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
IS THERE A MOTION TO GO ALONG WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION?
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S THE FIRST PART. THE SECOND PART IS THE REZONING.
[14. Public Hearing - Zoning Map Amendment (Rezoning) - SMART Properties, LLC]
>> THAT'S RIGHT. ZONING MAP AMENDMENT NOW THAT IT HAS PLAN DESIGNATION OF RESIDENTIAL,
[02:45:05]
THEY'RE SEEKING A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT TO CONDITIONAL R1.R1 REQUIRES 30,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS.
THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE REQUIRES THE UTILITIES TO BE UNDERGROUND.
AS I SAID, THESE BE ON WATER AND SEPTIC.
THE WATER IN DREWRYVILLE IS THE CLOSEST WATER SOURCE, AND IT'S OVER FIVE MILES AWAY, SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO EXTEND THE WATER LINE FOR SIX LOTS.
THIS DOES HAVE A SMALL PARK AT THE ENTRANCE.
SITE BUILT HOMES OR MODULAR HOMES ARE PERMITTED, BUT MANUFACTURED HOMES ARE NOT.
PROPERTY OWNER'S ASSOCIATION IS REQUIRED, STREET LIGHTING WILL BE INSTALLED, AND THE BILLS WILL BE PAID BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION.
THAT'S PART OF THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE THESE DAYS.
MR. MOBLEY PROFFERED THE TYPICAL $2,360 PER HOME TO BE PAID WHEN EACH BUILDING PERMIT IS SOUGHT, AND THAT GOES TO THE SCHOOLS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND A UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL WAS PROVIDED.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS LEWIS ON THIS PART.
>> THANK YOU. WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ZONING MAP REZONING.
ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT? MISS LEWIS, WHAT ARE WE REZONING THIS TO?
>> CONDITIONAL R1, CONDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL.
THE CONDITION IS THE PROPERTY.
>> THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS IS OPEN.
>> WHAT DID THE PLANNING COMMISSION SAY?
>> THEY MADE THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
>> ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS? I MIGHT SAY THIS.
I THINK THIS IS FIRST CLASS SITUATION.
I THINK THE PLANS LOOK VERY GOOD.
BE A GOOD PLUS FOR THE COUNTY.
>> ANY FURTHER COMMENTS DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING? IF NOT WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO, I THINK RECOMMENDED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THIS REZONING.
>> I MOVE WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION.
>> SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
>> THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU'VE PUT A LOT OF WORK ON THIS.
[15. Public Hearing- Zoning Map Amendment (Rezoning) - Cedar Lane, LLC]
WHICH IS THE ZONING MAP REZONING OF CEDAR LANE. MISS LEWIS.>> REMEMBER, NO HARD QUESTIONS.
THIS IS A ZONE MAP AMENDMENT FROM A2 AGRICULTURAL TO CM1 CONDITIONAL LIMITED INDUSTRIAL.
IT IS 100 ACRES OF 120 ACRE TRACT, AND IT IS TAX PARCEL NUMBERS 93-11, 93-12, 93-13 THEN AND 93-13 A IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF SMITH FERRY ROAD AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH HOWELLS CORNER ROAD.
THE APPLICANTS SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR AN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THIS HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND.
WHEN THEY CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN OCTOBER, THEY HAD A LIST OF APPROXIMATELY 50 OR 60 POSSIBLE USES THAT THEY WERE CONSIDERING ON THE PROPERTY.
THEY PERFORMED A TRAFFIC STUDY, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY VDA AND VDA SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATIONS JUST FOR TURN LANES IN AND OUT OF THE PROPERTY, NO OFF SITE IMPROVEMENTS.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION AFTER CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSION BOTH BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME OUT TO SPEAK.
THERE WERE SIX MEMBERS WHO WERE PRESENT THAT NIGHT AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
FIVE VOTED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL, AND ONE VOTED IN OPPOSITION TO THE MOTION, WHICH WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF MAKING A RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL.
[02:50:03]
A RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL OF THE APPLICATION WAS FORWARDED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.SINCE THAT TIME, THE APPLICANTS HAVE REWORKED THE APPLICATION SUBSTANTIALLY AND SHORTENED UP THEIR LIST OF POTENTIAL USES.
THEY SUBMITTED REVISED PROFFERS ON APRIL 3 OF THIS YEAR THAT LIMITED THE USES ON THE PROPERTY TO AGRICULTURE.
GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY AS PERMITTED IN THE A2 DISTRICT.
RETAIL AND SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS, AS FOLLOWS IN THE M1 DISTRICT ON 30 ACRES OR MORE, INCLUDING DATA PROCESSING CENTERS, OFFICE AND OFFICE BUILDINGS, STUDIOS, BUSINESSES, PROFESSIONAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE WAREHOUSES, WHOLESALE HOUSES, AND DISTRIBUTORS AND THE WHOLESALE MARKET.
THEY INCLUDED THE LANGUAGE IN D ON YOUR PAPER, IT SAYS, THE ADMINISTRATOR MAY PERMIT OTHER MANUFACTURING OR INDUSTRIAL USES SIMILAR TO THOSE LISTED ABOVE, WHICH DID NOT CREATE ANY MORE DANGER TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND SURROUNDING AREAS, WHICH DID NOT CREATE ANY MORE OFFENSIVE NOISE, VIBRATION, SMOKE, DUST, LINT, ODOR, HEAT, GLARE, OR ELECTRICAL IMPULSE THAN THAT, WHICH IS GENERALLY ASSOCIATED WITH LIGHT INDUSTRIES OF THE TYPES SPECIFICALLY PERMITTED.
I HAD A QUESTION TODAY ABOUT THAT LETTER D, AND THAT IS THE LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY FROM THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
IT'S IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE TODAY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE STRUCTURE OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE IN THE M1 ZONING DESIGNATION.
IT SAYS IN THE INDUSTRIAL M1 DISTRICT, ANY OF THESE USES CAN BE INSTALLED.
B SAYS SPECIFICALLY, THE FIRST HALF OF THIS PHRASE, THE ADMINISTRATOR MAY PERMIT OTHER MANUFACTURING USES, AND C SAYS SPECIFICALLY IN CASES OF DOUBT REGARDING THE NATURE OF THE PROCESSES THAT ARE USED.
THAT LANGUAGE IN THEIR PROFFERED LETTER D IS DIRECTLY FROM THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
THEY PROFFERED THAT THEY WOULD KEEP TO THE NUMBER OF TRIPS THAT WERE ANALYZED IN THEIR ORIGINAL TRAFFIC STUDY IN 2023 AND DO THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT REQUIRED FROM THAT TRAFFIC STUDY, AND SHOULD ANY PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT EXCEED THE WEEKDAY TRIP GENERATION ASSUMED IN THE TRAFFIC STUDY.
EITHER AM PEAK, PM PEAK OR AVERAGE DAILY TRIPS.
THEY WILL CREATE A NEW UPDATED TIA, AND THEY WILL DO THE IMPROVEMENTS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE TIA AT THE TIME THAT THEY'RE BUILDING THIS WHATEVER THEY'RE BUILDING, AND THAT WOULD BE CUMULATIVE.
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO BUILD THE WHOLE 100 ACRE PROCESS, 100 ACRE PROPERTY AT ONCE, IF THEY BUILT 25 ACRES NOW AND THEY DIDN'T GO OVER THE LIMIT AND THEY BUILT ANOTHER 50 ACRES LATER AND DIDN'T GO OVER THE LIMIT, BUT THEY WENT TO BUILD THE LAST 25 ACRES AND THEY WERE GOING TO GO OVER THE LIMIT.
THEN THEY WOULD DO A NEW TRAFFIC STUDY AND DO THOSE NEW IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S CUMULATIVE AND IT DOESN'T REQUIRE THAT THEY DO IT ALL AT ONCE.
THEY ELIMINATED ALL OF THE 65 PERMITTED USES EXCEPT THOSE FEW THAT I MENTIONED.
SINCE THIS WAS MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN IT WAS WHEN IT WENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
IT DID NOT GO BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR ANOTHER REVIEW.
IT JUST CAME STRAIGHT TO YOU BECAUSE THIS REQUEST IS LESS THAN THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
IF THEY HAD COME AND WANTED MORE, WANTED TO ADD MORE USES OR WANTED TO HAVE MORE TRIPS IN THE TIA, THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO GO BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
YOU CAN ALWAYS REQUEST LESS THAN THE PLANNING COMMISSION SAW AND NOT HAVE TO GO BACK TO THEM.
I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER EASY QUESTIONS, AND THEY ARE HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY HARDER QUESTIONS.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS LEWIS?
>> WHAT WERE THE THINGS THAT WERE ACCEPTABLE A, B, AND C?
>> THE THINGS THAT THEY LEFT IN THEIR PROFFER WERE AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY, RETAIL AND SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS, WHICH ARE PERMITTED IN THE M1 DISTRICT ON 30 ACRE PARCELS, INCLUDING A DATA PROCESSING CENTER, OFFICE AND OFFICE BUILDINGS, STUDIOS, AND WAREHOUSES AND WHOLESALING.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THEY LEFT IN RATHER THAN THE 50 OR 60, WHATEVER THAT ARE IN THE M1 DISTRICT.
SHOULD SOMEONE WANT TO DEVELOP AT SOME TIME AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T FIT INTO THOSE THREE OR FOUR THINGS LISTED,
[02:55:05]
THEN THEY WOULD NEED TO START OVER AND GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AGAIN, PERHAPS HAVE TO DO ANOTHER TIA AND THEN COME BACK TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.>> WHEN IT CAME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND IT WAS DENIED, ANY OF THE REQUESTS THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TONIGHT'S STILL IN ALTHOUGH THEY WERE DENIED, ARE THESE SOME NOBODY WHO ADDRESSED THE PLANNING COMMISSION THEN HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW?
>> THERE WASN'T ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT SPECIFIC USES.
IT WAS JUST THE DEVELOPMENT AS A WHOLE.
>> THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S PROBLEM WITH WERE THERE ARE 66 THINGS IN THIS DISTRICT YOU CAN REZONE TO.
WHEN YOU REZONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IF IT'S NOT A CONDITIONAL REZONING, THEN YOU HAVE TO REZONE IT.
THINK THE WORST THING IN YOUR MIND IS THAT 66, AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE PLANNING.
>> IT WAS JUST NOT TAILORED ENOUGH TO THIS SPECIFIC SITE FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO FEEL COMFORTABLE.
THEY DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE POSSIBILITY THAT ANY OF THESE 50-60 USES MIGHT BE HERE.
THEY DIDN'T PICK THROUGH THE LIST AND SAY, WELL, THAT ONE WOULD BE OKAY, BUT NOT THAT ONE.
>> I INCLUDED THINGS LIKE A TRUCK STOP.
THAT WAS THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S OBJECTION.
>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE ARE NO MUNICIPAL UTILITIES IN THIS AREA.
THERE'S NO WATER SEWER OR GAS.
>> FOR THE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN THE PLAN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
>> WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ISSUE.
>> GOOD EVENING, SCOTT FOSTER, GENTRY LOCKE.
I'M REPRESENTING CEDAR LANE, LLC, AND THE STORMS FAMILY.
TELL MISS LEWIS SIDNEY SUFFERING FROM SHORT TIMES DISEASE.
THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
AS NOTED IN THE STAFF REPORT, PARCELS SUBJECT TO THIS APPLICATION ARE DESIGNATED AS INDUSTRIAL ON THE COMP PLAN.
BY APPROVING THIS REZONING, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ALIGNING YOUR ZONING OR WITH THE COMP PLAN, WHICH IS ALWAYS YOUR GOAL.
AND THE USES THAT REMAIN HERE WILL ALLOW THIS PARCEL TO BE USED IN WAYS THAT REALLY BENEFIT THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND THE TAX BASE.
AS MISS LEWIS NOTED, THIS IS A CONDITIONAL REZONING, AND I'LL TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT THE CONDITIONS WE'VE APPLIED MOVING THE SUBJECT PARCELS FROM A 2 AGRICULTURAL TO CM 1 CONDITIONAL LIMITED INDUSTRIAL.
LET ME TAKE YOU THROUGH OUR THOUGHT PROCESS ON CONDITION 1.
AS DR. EDWARDS NOTED, WHEN THIS WAS PRESENTED TO PLANNING COMMISSION, THERE WAS A BUFFET OF USES INCLUDED.
AND THE CLEAR FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM PLANNING COMMISSION IS THEY WANTED ADDITIONAL CERTAINTY ABOUT HOW THESE PARCELS WOULD ULTIMATELY BE USED.
SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE USES WE HAD KEPT BEFORE PLANNING COMMISSION AND REALLY COLD THE USES THAT A, WE DIDN'T THINK WERE REASONABLE OR POSSIBLE.
THE HIGH WATER USERS AND THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO GENERATE SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC.
AND JUST ON THE POINT ON THESE RETAINED USES, WE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THE AG USE WAS KEPT SO THAT IN THE INNER PERIOD BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THIS PROPERTY IS ULTIMATELY DEVELOPED, THAT IT COULD BE CONTINUED TO BE FARMED.
AND THEN WE WERE KEEPING THE RETAIL SERVICE ESTABLISHED OVER 30 ACRES, DATA PROCESSING CENTER, OFFICE BUILDING, STUDIOS, ETC, WAREHOUSES, WHOLESALE HOUSES, DISTRIBUTORS, WHOLESALE MARKET, AND THAT SIMILAR USE CATEGORY, WHICH EVIDENTLY, SOMEBODY HAD A QUESTION ABOUT.
AND I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, TOO.
THAT CATEGORY PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY TO THE COUNTY AND THE APPLICANT TO SAY, THIS USE IS VERY MUCH KEEN A TO ONE OF THESE LISTED USES, THEREFORE, IT IS PERMITTED.
AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE, DATA PROCESSING CENTER IS A PERMITTED USE.
IF THERE'S SOME OTHER HIGH TECH USE THAT'S NOT A DATA PROCESSING CENTER THAT HAS THE SAME TYPE OF LAND USE IMPACT, SAME TRAFFIC GENERATION, SAME LEVEL OF POTENTIAL NOISE, THEN THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR COULD DETERMINE THAT WE'RE IN THAT DATA PROCESSING CENTER TYPE OF USE AND WOULD BE ABLE TO PROCEED.
AND TO BE CLEAR, IF WE ULTIMATELY FIND A USE FOR THIS PROPERTY THAT IS NOT IN THOSE CATEGORIES, WE GOT TO COME BACK AND GO THROUGH THIS EXACT PROCESS TO ADD THAT LIST TO THE LIST OF ACCEPTABLE USES.
SO, AS WITH ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT, TRAFFIC IS ALWAYS A CONCERN.
THAT'S WHY THAT TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS CAME IN, AND CONDITION TWO RELATES DIRECTLY TO THAT.
AS YOU ALL CAN SEE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO NEW TURN LANES WITH 200 FEET OF STORAGE AND 200 FEET OF TAPER AT TWO OF THE ENTRANCES TO THE PROPERTY.
[03:00:04]
THE FOLKS WITH TIMMONS TRAFFIC ARE HERE AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THAT.THE OTHER THING ABOUT THAT TRIPPING THRESHOLD FOR TRIP GENERATIONS.
IN THE EVENT, WE GET TO THAT NUMBER.
WE HAVE TO DO A NEW TIA, WHICH IS KEY BECAUSE IF THE POTENTIAL IN USE DOESN'T MATCH THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, YOU GUYS NEED TO DO THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDED NEEDS TO BE UPDATED.
AND AS MISS LEWIS' STAFF REPORT NOTED, IT'S CLEAR THAT THE TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE APPLICANT OR THE POTENTIAL END OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
THE OTHER BINDING PROVISIONS OF THIS REZONING RELATE TO THE CONCEPT PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
AS YOU'LL SEE, THERE'S SIX POTENTIAL BUILDING SITES 9-20 ACRES IN SIZE.
THIS CONCEPT PLAN IS CONCEPTUAL AT THIS TIME.
IT'S TO OUR BEST KNOWLEDGE, BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN THERE THAT CANNOT CHANGE.
LANDSCAPING WILL CONFORM TO WHAT'S IN THE PLAN OR WHAT IS IN THE ORDINANCE, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR SETBACKS.
SO WHAT IS IN THE CONCEPT PLAN OR WHATEVER IS GREATER.
YOU HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO SHOWED UP TO OPPOSE THE APPLICATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
KEITH STORMS WITH CEDAR LANE LLC HAS TALKED TO ALL THOSE FOLKS AND COMMUNICATED WITH HIM ABOUT THE GOALS AND INTENTIONS OF THIS DEVELOPMENT AND HAS PROPOSED FAIR AND FLEXIBLE TERMS FOR THOSE FOLKS WHEN THE PROPERTY IS ULTIMATELY DEVELOPED.
IN CLOSING AND REALLY ON MUCH OF THE THEME OF TONIGHT'S PUBLIC DISCUSSION, WE BELIEVE THIS PROPERTY OFFERED A REALLY UNIQUE POTENTIAL ASSET FOR SOUTHAMPTON BECAUSE OF IT'S EASY ACCESS TO 58.
IT'S GOT AN ELECTRICAL SUBSTATION ON SITE AND ACCESS TO A FIBEROPTIC TRUNK LINE.
THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL IS HIGH HERE, AND OUR HOPE IS IT'S A TAX GENERATING.
THE ULTIMATE USE IS A VERY TAX INTENSIVE USE.
THIS IS REALLY ONE OF THOSE RARE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET A SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE FOLKS IN SOUTHAMPTON AND SOUTHAMPTON TAX BASE.
WE'VE GOT THE TIMMONS FOLKS HERE FOR QUESTIONS, THE STORM FAMILY AS WELL, SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS GENTLEMAN?
>> WE'LL CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE?
I'M RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
I DO HOPE THAT THEY USE DISCRETION AS TO WHAT THEY SELECT THAT THE BUSINESSES WOULD BE APPROPRIATELY ALIGNED WITH EACH OTHER BECAUSE THIS MAY BE AN INAPPROPRIATE TERM, BUT IT COULD END UP IN A INDUSTRIAL PARK SCENARIO WHERE IT MIGHT GROW SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IS LOOKING FOR MORE INCOME.
IT MAKES A WHOLE LOT MORE SENSE TO HAVE A DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS ALBEIT'S JUST 100 ACRES IT'S TOO BAD IT WASN'T THE 480 ACRES THAT'S BEHIND THE SCHOOL AND ACROSS THE STREET FROM A CHURCH.
AND BIDDERS GOT TO GO DOWN THERE AND WHAT DO THE SAME THING THEY DID IN CORTLAND AND PUT ANOTHER OVERPASS THERE, SO TRUCKS CAN TURN LEFT.
WE'RE RIGHT NEXT TO THE BYPASS.
MIGHT AS WELL PUT IT WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.
I'M FOR IT, BUT I HOPE YOU ALL THINK IT THROUGH AS TO WHO YOU ACCEPT TO COME ONTO THE PROPERTY SO THAT IT'S SYMBIOTIC FOR WHO ELSE WOULD COME BEHIND THEM.
I'M INDUSTRIAL. I'M RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE. THANK YOU.
>> ANYBODY ELSE? IF NOT, THEN WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING DISCUSSION OF THE BOARD.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION TURNED THIS DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS WIDE OPEN TO 66 DIFFERENT THINGS IN THAT DISTRICT, AND THEY HAVE PROPOSED A, B, AND C.
WE NEED THIS THING IN THERE, BUT I'M A LITTLE BIT TROUBLED BY D.
D TO ME GOES RIGHT BACK TO THE 66 THINGS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS AGAINST.
[03:05:02]
IT'S ALL SUBJECTIVE WHAT DOESN'T CAUSE NOISE OR VIBRATION OR WHATEVER.A CLEAN TRUCK STOP MIGHT NOT CAUSE NOISE OR VIBRATION.
>> I HAVE COPIES OF THE M1 DISTRICT STRAIGHT FROM THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND IT'S A DISCUSSION OF STRUCTURE, THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS STRUCTURED.
IT'S IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE TODAY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE HIGHLIGHTED A AND THE SUBSEQUENT PAGES HIGHLIGHTED B AND C, YOU WILL SEE THAT WHETHER THERE WERE TWO USES LISTED THERE OR 400 USES LISTED THERE, A, B, AND C WOULD BE THE SAME.
>> YOU'RE SAYING D IS NOT A PART OF THIS APPLICATION?
>> ON THEIR LIST OF PROFFERS, [NOISE] THEY CALL IT D BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ZONING ORDINANCE, WHEN YOU LOOK ON THE BACK PAGE, THOSE TWO HIGHLIGHTED AREAS ON THAT PAGE, THAT'S D.
THEY TOOK WORD FOR WORD FROM THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
SINCE THE ZONING ORDINANCE IS STRUCTURED A, B, AND C, AND ALL THE PERMITTED USES ARE AN A AND B AND C, WHICH THEY HAVE COMBINED INTO THEIR D, THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE WHETHER IT'S LISTED IN THEIR PROFFERS OR NOT BECAUSE THAT'S AN IMPLEMENTATION TOOL.
THOSE AREN'T PERMITTED USES AND YOUR QUESTION ABOUT A TRUCK STOP.
A TRUCK STOP ISN'T SIMILAR TO A WAREHOUSE OR A DATA PROCESSING CENTER, SO THAT WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING.
THAT COULD BE PERMITTED WITHOUT HAVING TO START THIS PROCESS OVER AGAIN.
IF YOU LOOK, THIS ORDINANCE WAS ORIGINALLY ADOPTED IN 1980.
IF YOU THINK OF HOW MANY COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL USES HAVE BEEN CREATED SINCE 1990 IN THE PAST 40 YEARS, WE COULDN'T EVEN HAVE IMAGINED IN 1990 THE TYPES OF INDUSTRIAL USES NOW.
ZONING ORDINANCES INCLUDE A PHRASE LIKE THAT, SAYING, IF IT'S SIMILAR TO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ALREADY LISTED, THEN THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR COULD APPROVE IT OR ELSE YOU'D HAVE A LIST OF 700 THINGS THAT YOU'D HAVE TO CHANGE EVERY YEAR OR SO.
THIS JUST GIVES THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR WHO YOU HIRE AND YOU TRUST AND YOU APPOINT TO THAT POSITION TO LOOK AT THE LIST OF THINGS THAT THEY HAVE PROFFERED AND SEE IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S SIMILAR TO THEM.
I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT SOLAR, BUT THINK ABOUT THE CREATION OF SOLAR PANELS, THE PANELS THEMSELVES THAT GO ON PEOPLE'S HOMES.
IN 1990, NO ONE COULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT THEY NEED TO BE CREATED OR IN THE QUANTITY THAT THEY ARE.
YOU COULDN'T HAVE LISTED CREATING SOLAR PANELS AS A PERMITTED USE.
BUT TODAY, IF THEY HAD KEPT IN A MANUFACTURING USE AND THEY KEPT IN CREATING ELECTRONICS AND DOING WELDING AND DOING METAL WORK, A ZONING ADMINISTRATOR WOULD VERY LIKELY SAY THAT THE CREATION OF SOLAR PANELS, WHICH IS JUST ELECTRONICS IN THE METAL FRAME IS VERY SIMILAR TO CREATING ELECTRONICS OR WELDING AND METAL WORK AND MAY VERY WELL SAY THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS SIMILAR TO SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY ON THE LIST AND THAT'S HOW THIS LIST WOULD BE USED.
THEY LEFT IN AGRICULTURE, OFFICES, WAREHOUSING, DATA PROCESSING CENTER.
IF SOMEONE CAME IN WITH A USE 20 YEARS FROM NOW, 15 YEARS FROM NOW, NEXT WEEK THAT NOBODY HAD EVER THOUGHT OF BEFORE, BUT IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO ONE OF THOSE THINGS, THEN YOUR ZONING ADMINISTRATOR, WHO YOU HIRE AND YOU TRUST WOULD SAY, YES, THAT'S SIMILAR ENOUGH.
IF THEY HAD ANY QUESTIONS, THEN THEY WOULD GO BACK THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND COME TO THIS BOARD BUT IT'S TO PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH.
SUPERVISOR EDWARDS, YOU'RE PROBABLY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION JUNE 18TH OF 1990.
YOU ARE VERY FORWARD THINKING AND KNOWING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW JUNE 18TH OF 1990, WHAT MIGHT COME ALONG APRIL 23RD OF 2024 SO THAT'S WHAT THESE PHRASES PERMIT FORWARD THINKING.
[03:10:06]
>> IF I MAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M SORRY, MS. FOSTER.
IF I MAY, MS. LEWIS AND I DISCUSSED THIS EARLIER TODAY AND PRIOR TO TODAY'S MEETING OR TODAY'S DATE, AND I CONCUR WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH HER ANALYSIS AND HER RECOMMENDATION AND SUGGESTION THIS EVENING.
I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT IN ADDITION TO ALLOWING SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR, ITEM D ALSO INCLUDES AN IMPORTANT LIMITATION TO PROTECT THE COUNTY.
THAT IS, AS LONG AS THE SIMILAR USE DOES NOT CREATE ANY MORE DANGER TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS, WHICH DO NOT CREATE ANY MORE OFFENSIVE NOISE, VIBRATION, OR SMOKE, DUST LINT, ODOR HEAT, ETC.
THERE'S THAT IMPORTANT CAVEAT THERE.
SIMILAR USES, YES, BUT NOT MORE DAMAGING OR MORE NEGATIVELY IMPACTFUL.
>> THE PROPOSED USE WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE A VERY EXTENSIVE BUSINESS PLAN AND MANNER OF OPERATIONS AND EVERYTHING SO THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR COULD DETERMINE THAT NONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE IMPACTED MORE THAN THE USES THAT ARE STILL LISTED THERE.
IF SOMEONE BUILDS A WAREHOUSE OR A DATA PROCESSING CENTER, WHATEVER GOES ON INSIDE THERE, IF IT DOESN'T MAKE MORE NOISE OR SMOKE OR REALLY, WHO KNOWS? WELL, WHO KNOWS WHAT GOES ON THE SIDE THERE IF IT DOESN'T PRODUCE ANY MORE IMPACTS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD IN REASONABLENESS AND FORETHOUGHT FOR.
>> ALL THESE COMMENTS ARE FOCUSED ON THE POSITIVE.
IS THIS USE AKIN TO ONE OF THESE THREE LISTED USES? BUT IF YOU CAN LOOK AT IT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, IF YOU BRING A PROPOSED USE THAT IS CLOSER TO ONE OF THE USES WE HAVE DISCLAIMED, THEN IT'S CLEAR AND YOU APPLY THAT SAME ANALYSIS UNDER D TO A USE WE'RE BRINGING THAT IS CLOSER TO A TRUCK STOP, THEN IT'S CLEARLY OUT.
AS KEITH SAID, WE CAN LIVE WITHOUT THAT ONE, BUT I APPRECIATE BETH'S COMMENTS ALONG WITH THE MAYORS.
>> THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD HERE? ANYBODY ON THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANYBODY? THEN WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
>> YEAH, I THINK WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S WILLING TO COME HERE AND DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY AND GIVE US MORE INDUSTRIAL TAX BASE TO HELP OFFSET OUR TAX CONSEQUENCES IN THIS COUNTY.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION.
>> OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
OPPOSED LIKEWISE, IT'S UNANIMOUS.
HURRY UP SO WE CAN START TO GET SOME TAX MONEY FROM YOU.
[LAUGHTER] MS. LEWIS, NEXT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE.
[16. Public Hearing - Comprehensive Plan Update]
[BACKGROUND] WE'LL CLOSE THIS, SO IT'S YOUR LAST CHANCE.>> WELL, YOU'RE GOING OUT WITH A BANG.
>> THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE HARDEST ONE OF THE EVENING.
>> WELL, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORKED A LONG TIME TO GET THIS DONE.
THIS IS AN UPDATE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION STARTED THIS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. [OVERLAPPING]
>> STARTED THIS BEFORE I GOT ON THE BOARD, I THINK.
>> THE LOCALITIES ARE REQUIRED TO UPDATE OR LOOK AT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN EVERY FIVE YEARS TO SEE IF IT NEEDS UPDATING.
[NOISE] LAST ONE WAS ADOPTED IN 2016, SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN 2021.
THE BOARD LOOKED AT IT IN 2019 AND SAID, IT DOES NEED TO BE UPDATED, SO WE'LL START WORKING ON IT.
THEN THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED, SO PUBLIC MEETINGS WERE DIFFICULT.
IT WAS HARD TO TALK ON SCREENS AND OVER PHONES, AND DIDN'T WANT TO ENCOURAGE ANY MORE PEOPLE TO GATHER EVEN WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO MEET IN-PERSON,
[03:15:04]
DIDN'T WANT TO ENCOURAGE ANY MORE PEOPLE TO GATHER THAN WAS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO GET PUBLIC HEARINGS DONE FOR PEOPLE TO BUILD HOUSES OR WHATEVER.THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS, BUT YOU HAVE A COPY OF IT.
WHEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION SAW YOUR VISION PRIORITIES AND OPERATING MECHANISMS THAT YOU APPROVED IN MARCH, THEY NOTED THAT QUITE A FEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADDRESSED THE THINGS THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO YOU.
THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM THAT THEY HAD BEEN ABLE TO READ YOUR DESIRES OVER THE YEARS AND PUT IT IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IN ALL THE MAPPING, THEY ONLY RECOMMENDED ONE CHANGE, AND THEY DID THAT.
THE HELD A PUBLIC HEARING AND MADE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PROPERTY CIRCLED IN RED RIGHT HERE, RIGHT WHERE CAMP PARKWAY AND SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAY MERGED THE AREA THAT'S RECENTLY BEEN LOGGED, ABOUT 130 ACRES.
THE PLAN DESIGNATION TODAY IS COMMERCIAL.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION IS THAT BE AMENDED TO MIXED USE, AND MIXED USE IS COMMERCIAL BUT ALSO PERMITS RESIDENTIAL USES AS WELL.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT THERE IS A HOUSING MISMATCH IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
THERE ARE TWO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND MIXED USE, THE FIRST IS THE ADDITION OF THE RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT.
MIXED USE PERMITS RESIDENTIAL BETWEEN THREE AND EIGHT UNITS PER ACRE WHICH IS SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, EITHER DETACHED OR ATTACHED, AND PERHAPS SOME DUPLEXES OR TOWN HOMES, AND IT INCLUDES SENIOR-TARGETED HOUSING.
IT ONLY PERMITS THE DENSITY TO BE BASED ON DEVELOPABLE LAND, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER ZONING DESIGNATIONS IN THE COUNTY.
THAT DEVELOPABLE LAND MEANS YOU TAKE OUT THE RIGHTS OF WAY, YOU TAKE OUT THE BUFFERS, YOU TAKE OUT THE ENVIRONMENTALLY-SENSITIVE AREAS AND THE STORMWATER AREAS.
THAT'S THE ONLY AREA THAT YOU'RE LEFT TO FIGURE YOUR 3-8 UNITS AN ACRE.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROVIDES INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE COUNTY'S CHANGING POPULATION, PERHAPS MAKING THE DESIRE FOR SMALLER HOMES MORE WIDELY SPREAD.
SINCE THE YEAR 2000, THE MEDIAN AGE IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY HAS RISEN FROM 39-47 YEARS OLD IN 20 YEARS.
THE PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN AGED 14 AND UNDER HAS DROPPED ALMOST 20%, WHILE THE PERCENTAGE OF PERSON 65 AND OLDER HAS RISEN ALMOST 30%.
OF THE 6,700 HOUSEHOLDS IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, 25% OF THEM CONSIST OF ONLY ONE PERSON.
BUT ALMOST 20% OF THE HOUSES IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY HAVE MORE THAN FOUR BEDROOMS, SO YOU HAVE A MISMATCH.
YOU HAVE SINGLE PEOPLE AND TWO PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE.
YOU HAVE FEWER NUMBER OF CHILDREN, AND ALMOST 20% OF YOUR HOUSING STOCK HAS MORE THAN FOUR BEDROOMS, SO THE PIECES JUST DON'T MATCH.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD SOME HOUSES, PERHAPS, THAT ARE AT A LITTLE HIGHER DENSITY, A LITTLE SMALLER HOUSES, MAYBE TO MORE FIT WHAT SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY IS.
AS WE AGE, AS I AGE, AND MY HUSBAND'S OLDER THAN I AM, SPENDING THE WEEKEND, DRIVING A LAWN MOWER, MOWING FIVE OR 10 ACRES TWICE A WEEK ALL SUMMER, SOUNDS LIKE LESS AND LESS FUN EVERY TIME SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT.
IT SURE WOULD BE NICE SINCE I HAVE A GRANDSON WHO LIVES IN DENVER TO LOCK THE DOOR AND GO AWAY AND HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE TAKE CARE OF THE OUTSIDE, AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.
THIS MIGHT ENCOURAGE THAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT, BUT WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JUST COMMERCIAL AND MIXED USE IS MIXED USE REQUIRES A MASTER PLAN.
THIS PROPERTY HAS A PLAN DESIGNATION OF COMMERCIAL TODAY.
SOMEBODY COULD BUY A FIVE OR 10-ACRE PIECE, CHANGE THE ZONING TO COMMERCIAL, AND BUILD SOMETHING, AND HAVE DRIVEWAYS ONTO SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAY AND CAMP PARKWAY.
SOMEBODY COULD BUY ANOTHER FIVE OR 10 ACRES AND DO THE SAME THING.
YOU ALIGN SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAY AND CAMP PARKWAY
[03:20:01]
WITH A DRIVEWAY EVERY 100 FEET OR SO WHICH IS UNSAFE, AND IT'S NOT A GOOD WAY TO DEVELOP.WHAT THAT DOES IS LEAVE THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH NO ONE CAN GET TO ANYMORE, TO BE USED FOR MINI STORAGE OR WHATEVER YOU'D PUT BACK THERE THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO GET TO VERY OFTEN.
THIS ENCOURAGES PLAN DEVELOPMENT AHEAD OF TIME.
IT WOULD ENCOURAGE INTERIOR ROADS THAT PROVIDE CIRCULATION.
IT WOULD ENCOURAGE JUST HAVING A FEW ENTRANCES ONTO SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAY AND CAMP PARKWAY, AND THE OWNER IS AMENABLE TO THIS CHANGE FROM STRAIGHT COMMERCIAL TO MIXED USE.
HE DOESN'T PLAN TO DEVELOP IT ANYTIME SOON, THAT'S HIS HOME SITE, BUT HE UNDERSTANDS THAT HE HASN'T LOST ANYTHING BECAUSE ALL THE COMMERCIAL USES ARE STILL THERE, BUT HE HAS GAINED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME RESIDENTIAL USES AS WELL.
THAT'S THE ONLY MAPPING CHANGE IN THE WHOLE DOCUMENT, AND THE REST IS ALL IN THE CHAPTERS.
IT'S REORGANIZED FROM ITS PAST ITERATIONS, AND IT HAS SOME FORWARD-THINKING IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING AND MADE A UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL, AND I WOULD REQUEST YOU WOULD DO THE SAME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU MUCH. WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS EVERY FIVE YEARS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE IT, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
IT ESSENTIALLY SAID, WHERE WE WERE, WHERE WE ARE NOW, AND WHERE WE WANT TO BE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT BECAUSE IF YOU STICK TO YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IF YOU'RE CHALLENGED IN COURT, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, YOU'RE GOING TO WIN.
THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE IN LAND AND LAND USE PLANNING.
>> I DIDN'T COME HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE DISCUSSED, BUT IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND NOT MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
YOU ALMOST NEED A CRYSTAL BALL TO DO A GOOD JOB OF COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING.
AS WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT, THAT SIX ACRES OUT THERE ON ADAMS GROVE ROAD, WHICH PLANNED USE WAS VERY IMPROPER.
OVER THE YEARS, I'VE DRIVEN UP AND DOWN 460 FROM PETERSBURG TO SUFFOLK MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL PIECES OF PROPERTY ALONG 460 ON THE SOUTH SIDE BETWEEN 460 AND THE RAILROAD THAT THEY HAVE.
ALAWITE COUNTY, AT LEAST HAS THIS PLAN WHERE YOU'VE GOT TO PUT SOMETHING COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL.
THEY DON'T WANT ANY RESIDENTIAL THERE.
BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT HAVE BEEN FOR SALE ALONG THAT STRIP FOR 30 YEARS OR MORE.
A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CALLS FOR SOME USE THAT NOBODY IS GOING TO DO.
NOBODY'S GOING TO USE IT. YOU ALL GOT A TOUGH JOB.
MISS LEWIS HAS BEEN A GOOD GUIDE FOR US ALL THIS TIME.
BUT I HAVE A HARD TIME IMAGINING EIGHT HOMES ON, DID YOU SAY EIGHT HOMES ON AN ACRE?
>> WELL, THEY WOULDN'T BE SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED.
>> THEY WOULDN'T BE SINGLE FAMILIES.
BUT AS I GET OLDER, I ENJOY MOWING MY LAWN LESS AND LESS ABOUT ONE ACRE, BUT I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE ACRE TO MOW.
BUT ANYWAY, YOU ALL GOT A TOUGH JOB.
>> YOU WILL KNOW, THERE ARE TWO NEW CHAPTERS.
ONE IS ALL ABOUT ENERGY AND ONE IS ALL ABOUT AGRICULTURE.
THOSE WERE TWO STRONG FOCUSES.
>> ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO COMMENT ON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN?
>> HOW MANY ACRES WAS THAT LEFT FOR SOUTHAMPTON PARKWAYS?
>> WE'RE LEFT ON SOUTHAMPTON, [OVERLAPPING] 138.
>> ALEX SAID, YOU DON'T WANT ONE IN MAILBOX AND DRIVEWAY EVERY 130 FEET.
>> THE KEY, YOU KNOW WHERE WE WENT THROUGH THAT YEARS AGO.
>> RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING THEN.
[NOISE] DISCUSSION ON THE BOARD? I THINK IT'S A GOOD PLAN.
[03:25:03]
THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK PUT INTO THIS.A LOT OF WORK. REMEMBER, SOME OF THE ISSUES, WE SAT THERE AND ARGUED ABOUT THEM FOR TWO OR THREE HOURS.
>> YES. WE NEED A MOTION TO MAKE A MOTION?
>> OBJECTION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE UPDATED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
IT IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU, MISS LEWIS.
>> I HAD TO WAIT LONG ENOUGH TO GET A PICTURE OF THE COURTHOUSE, AGRICULTURE.
>> EVEN THE PICTURE YOU SEE ON THE FRONT OF THAT PLAN WAS DEBATED TO CHANGE TWO OR THREE TIMES.
>> ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHS WERE PART.
>> WELL, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE WESTERN TIDEWATER FREE CLINIC, I GUESS. JONES BRIDGE ROAD.
[18. Joyners Bridge Road- Request by Supervisor White]
>> YEAH, I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONSTITUENTS THAT LIVE ON JONES BRIDGE ROAD REQUEST THAT WE SLOWED TRAFFIC DYING AND I'VE BEEN THERE AND LOOKED AT IT AND OBSERVED IT AND WE DO.
I NEED TO SLOW IT DOWN. IT'S GOT A LOT OF TRUCK TRAFFIC ON IT, AND THERE'S NOT REALLY MANY ALTERNATES TO USE FOR THESE LOGGERS AND FARMERS TRYING TO GET THE PRODUCTS AT THAT PART OF THE COUNTY.
I'M HOPING WE CAN SLOW THE TRAFFIC DOWN GOING THROUGH THERE AND ALSO IMPROVE IT.
THAT COVERT PIPE AT MISS SUMLIN'S RESIDENCE BETWEEN THERE AND THE TRASH DUMP.
THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT REPLACING IT FOR WHAT FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
[LAUGHTER] THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE AND MARKED IT.
THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE AND CLEANED IT.
THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE AND BEAT ON IT.
[LAUGHTER] THEY GOT THE ENDS OF IT ALL BEAT UP, CHIPPED UP.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS, JONES BRIDGE ROAD HIGHWAY 611.
THIS CULVERT PIPE THERE BY THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY HAS GOT A TRASH RECEPTACLE PLACE RIGHT THERE, TRASH DUMP RIGHT THERE.
BUT THEY HAVE VDOT COMPLAINED ABOUT THAT CULVERT PIPE FOR A LONG TIME.
THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE AND MARKED IT AND PAINTED LINES ACROSS IT AND EVERYTHING LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, BUT THEY HAVEN'T.
BUT OUR MAIN REQUEST TONIGHT IS TO SLOW THE TRAFFIC TO 45 THROUGH THERE.
>> YOU GO DOWN TO THAT POINT OF THAT.
>> WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD.
I KNOW WE'VE ALL GOT TO DO? YOU GOT TO DO A STUDY THROUGH THERE?
>> I HATE TO GET INTERJECT. I APOLOGIZE.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE TRASH DUMPSTER THERE, PEOPLE ARE SLOWING DOWN TO TURN THE TRUCKS ARE RUNNING THEM OVER.
WE HAD A INCIDENT WHERE A PERSON WAS TURNING INTO THEIR DRIVEWAY AND SOMEBODY JAMMED THEM RIGHT INTO THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO FANS.
IT'S 55 AND 45 BUT THAT'S NOT BEING INCLUDED.
IT REALLY NEEDS TO COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT LOWER.
BUT EVEN AT THAT IF IT'S NOT MONITORED, PEOPLE ARE NOT STILL GOING TO ADHERE TO IT.
BUT THE THAT TRASH DUMPSTER IS THERE AND IT IS CENTRAL.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMING THROUGH THERE, THEY MAYBE BRINGING TRASH FROM OTHER AREAS AND MAKING IT AS A PIT STOP.
YOU KNOW, I GREW UP IN THAT AREA, AND NOW, TRAFFIC IS 24/7.
>> IT'S A CUT THROUGH ROAD FROM ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY.
>> YOU NEED SOMETHING THAT'S GOT TO SLOW PEOPLE DOWN.
>> ANYWAY, WE'RE REQUESTING TO REDUCE THE SPEED. WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO DO? YOU GOT TO DO A STUDY ON IT TO FIND OUT? IT'S 55 THROUGH THE WHOLE STRIP RIGHT NOW. CUT THE SPEED.
>> IT'S SOMETHING MAYBE WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON.
>> SIR, I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST GOING FORWARD BECAUSE VDOT NOW REQUIRES A RESOLUTION FROM A GOVERNING BODY.
I GUESS YOU NEED TO TELL ME WHAT YOU REQUEST THE SPEED LIMIT BE LOWER TO AND I CAN PREPARE A RESOLUTION BASED ON I GUESS YOUR REQUESTED REDUCED SPEED LIMIT, AND I'LL BRING IT BACK TO YOUR MEETING NEXT MONTH FOR YOU-ALL TO VOTE ON.
>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WE WANTED TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
>> I APOLOGIZE FOR THE COLBERT PIPE ISSUE.
[03:30:02]
I'LL TAKE AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THAT TOMORROW MORNING, BUT YES, IF THE BOARD CONCURS, YOU'LL HAVE TO SUBMIT A RESOLUTION FOR US TO DO THE SPEED STUDY, AND THEN WHATEVER THAT STUDY COMES OUT, THEN WE'LL SUBMIT THAT BACK TO THE BOARD AS A RECOMMENDATION.>> SPECIFIC REQUEST TO GO FROM, LIKE IN THIS CASE, FROM 55-45 OR BASED ON WHAT THE TRAFFIC?
>> DEPENDING ON WHAT THE BOARD IS REQUESTING SO THAT THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERS CAN HAVE A GUIDE TO WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING AND WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS STUDY.
>> WHAT IF THE STUDY DOESN'T RECOMMEND TO REDUCE SPEED LIMIT?
>> THAT'S A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD STUDIES COME BACK AND RECOMMEND TO INCREASE SPEEDS.
THAT'S A SITUATION THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHEN YOU MAKE THESE REQUESTS, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR EITHER TO NOT DO ANYTHING.
>> WE HAVE T ACT BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY THEN.
>> IN THAT STUDY, PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE FATALITIES THAT HAS OCCURRED LESS THAN FIVE YEARS.
>> ALL OF THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY.
>> THE TRAFFIC COUNTS, THE PREVIOUS CRASHES, THE FATALITIES, THEY LOOK AT THAT IN A HOLISTIC MANNER.
>> THE AREA BEING TALKED ABOUT IS MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL.
>> THAT WILL BE LOOKED AT IN THE STUDY AS WELL.
>> IT'S FARM LAND RESIDENTIAL.
>> THERE'S PASTURE ON THE NORTH SIDE AND THERE'S HOUSES ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
I'VE GOT TWO WAYS TO GO FROM MY HOUSE IN SALLY TO MY FARM OUT NEAR THE FRANKLIN AIRPORT.
I QUIT USING YOUR ROAD A LOT BECAUSE I MEET A LOT OF TRUCK ON THERE AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE DOING ABOUT 70.
SO I GO THROUGH DOWNTOWN FRANKLIN INSTEAD.
I DON'T USE JONAS ROAD BECAUSE IT'S UNSAFE.
>> THE REASON WHY I ASKED THAT IF IT WAS MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL, IT WILL PROBABLY BE EASIER FOR YOU TO GET THE SPEED LIMIT REDUCED DOWN AT LEAST TO 45.
THEN A QUICK FIX RIGHT THERE AT THE TRASH DUMP BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE YOU HAVE HIGH TRAFFIC MOVING IN AND OUT.
A GOOD QUICK FIX THING TO DO IS JUST PUT A LUMINOUS SIGN THERE THAT REFLECTS THE SPEED LIMIT THAT THE ONCOMING CAR IS GOING.
IF THEY'RE DOING 100 MILE HOUR, THEY'LL SAY THAT, BUT PEOPLE ARE MORE VISUALLY ORIENTED THAT THAT WILL MAKE THEM SLOW DOWN.
WE'RE JUST CHANGING THE SPEED LIMIT AND YOU GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK.
>> WELL, JUST FOR CLARITY PURPOSE, A SPEED STUDY ONLY LOOKS TO REDUCE THE SPEED.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS ARE MAKING ME AWARE OF ARE SAFETY ISSUES.
THERE'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STUDY THAT GOES INTO DOING SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS AND THAT, AGAIN, WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM THE BOARD.
I WOULD ASK THAT THE BOARD THINK ABOUT THAT.
>> THIS RESOLUTION WILL ONLY ALLOW US TO DO THE SPEED STUDY.
THE SAFETY ANALYSIS OR SAFETY AUDIT OF THAT ROAD IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT.
>> I'M GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE CLOSER.
>> I BROUGHT THE SAME ISSUE UP AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY BOARD MEETING, AND THEY TOLD ME HOW TO GET WITH VDOT.
WILL YOU BE WORKING WITH ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY AS WELL?
>> I NOTICED THAT IT COMES UP ON THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM.
IF YOU [INAUDIBLE] PARKWAY AND YOU PUT IN THAT, NAVIGATE THROUGH SMITHFIELD, IT'S GOING TO PUT YOU ON JONAS BRIDGE ROAD.
>> ALSO, THERE'S A NEW VDOT PLAN TO COME IN TO BRING IN A NEW INTERSTATE 97.
THAT'S GOING TO PUT A LOT OF SOUTH TRAFFIC, AND THAT SHOULD ELIMINATE A LOT OF IT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T LIKE TO GET FROM [INAUDIBLE] AND GET TO SMITHFIELD OR GOING ALL THE WAY THROUGH SUFFOLK.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW INTERSTATE 97, WHICH WOULD BE HIGHWAY 17 EFFECTIVE.
THAT'S A LOT OF THAT TRAFFIC, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO.
>> WE'RE GOING TO HURRY ALONG. AFTER NINE O'CLOCK, THE BOARD GETS DOUBLE TIME.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CONSENSUS TO BRING BACK A RESOLUTION REQUESTING VDOT DO A TRAFFIC STUDY TO LOWER THE SPEED FROM 55-45 AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
>> WELL, WE HAD ANOTHER TWO RESOLUTIONS.
[03:35:04]
DON'T FORGET. LET ME KNOW WHAT Y'ALL WANT ME TO BRING BACK.>> WE'LL WANT TO DO THE SAFETY STUDY ALSO. I THINK WE NEED TO.
>> I'M TALKING ABOUT JONAS BRIDGE ROAD.
>> THAT'S FINE. PUT DOWN IN THERE TOO. WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN THAT.
[20. Closed Session]
>> SO MOVED. OH, YOU GOT TO READ.
A MOTION IS REQUIRED INTO GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSE, A1 PERSONNEL MATTER INVOLVING THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND 2.2 3711A8, CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING A SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTER REFERRING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE PERTAINING TO THE COURTHOUSE PROJECT DOMINION ENERGY DELAYS AND PRTI PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT.
>> YOU NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION?
>> SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
WE'RE IN CLOSED SESSION. WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO GO BACK INTO OPEN SESSION.
>> WE'RE BACK IN OPEN SESSION.
YOUR MOTION IS REQUIRED TO ADOPT THE CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION BELOW, AND IT MUST BE VOTED ON INDIVIDUALLY BY EITHER BOARD MEMBER VIA ROLL CAL.
THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONVENED A CLOSED MEETING ON THIS DATE PURSUANT TO AFFIRMATIVE RECORDED VOTE AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISION OF THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, AND WHEREAS SECTION 2.2 3712B OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA REQUIRES OF CERTIFICATION BY THE BOARD THAT SUCH CLOSED MEETING WAS CONDUCTED IN CONFORMITY WITH VIRGINIA LAW AND MAY THEREFORE BE RESOLVED THAT THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE, ALL THESE PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS WERE LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM PUBLIC MEETING REQUIREMENTS.
BY VIRGINIA LAW WERE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING TO WHICH THE CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION APPLIES.
AND ONLY SUCH PUBLIC MATTERS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION CONVENING THE CLOSED MEETING WERE HEARD DISCUSSED AND CONSIDERED BY THE SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
>> SECOND. WE NEED A VOICE VOTE ON IT?
>> PROBABLY GOOD TOO.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.