[00:00:01]
WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE AT 6:00 WE'LL GO AHEAD AND WE HAVE A QUORUM.
[1. Call to Order]
WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER THE APRIL 16TH BUDGET MEETING.AND LET'S RISE FOR OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
POINT OF HISTORY YOU DIDN'T USED TO HAVE IN GOD.
THAT WAS ADDED BY DWIGHT D EISENHOWER IN 1954 BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID OF THE COMMUNISTS.
OKAY. WHAT'S THAT? GOOD ADDITION. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, WE GO TO NUMBER TWO, THE DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
[2. Discussion of Proposed FY26 Budget]
YES. HONORABLE. BOARD. WE DON'T HAVE AN EXTENSIVE AGENDA FOR YOU TONIGHT, BUT WE DID PRESENT THE PROPOSED BUDGET AT YOUR MEETING LAST WEDNESDAY. A BALANCED BUDGET? NO TAX INCREASES. SOME WATER AND SEWER RATE INCREASES.BUT NO TAX INCREASES. DOCTOR EDWARDS DID ASK US TO PUT TOGETHER SOME INFORMATION ON THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ATTENDED YOUR LAST WEDNESDAYS WORK SESSION. SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, VOTER REGISTRAR'S OFFICE, AND BOTH OPERATING AND CAPITAL.
AND BASICALLY, THIS IS JUST SOME INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU APPROVED FUNDING LAST YEAR FOR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, WHAT THEY REQUESTED THIS YEAR AND WHAT'S INCLUDED AS OF TODAY IN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THEM FOR THE MOST PART SUB-WESTERN TIDEWATER HAVE BEEN BUDGETED WHAT THEY REQUESTED. WE DID ASK FOR SOME INFORMATION FROM WESTERN TIDEWATER COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD AFTER THE APPRAISAL PRESENTATION LAST WEDNESDAY ON SOME OF SOME OF WHAT HE, THE BRANDON ROGERS, HAD TO PRESENT ON LOCAL MATCH, AND I HADN'T RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION SINCE THEN.
BUT HERE'S THE INFORMATION JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, IF YOU WANTED TO DISCUSS THAT OR HAD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT CIVIC GROUPS OR OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS, I'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT FSCDI.
THIS IS THEY GOT 100,000 LAST YEAR, AND FOR THIS COMING YEAR THEY REQUESTED 125,000.
IN ADDITION TO THAT RIGHT, THEY REQUESTED AN ADDITIONAL 25,000.
YEAH, THAT'S A TOTAL OF 125. BUT THEY DIDN'T GET IT.
THEY GOT. SO, WE JUST WE JUST LEVEL FUNDED THEM FROM LAST YEAR.
OKAY. AND IN DISCUSSING AND CORRESPONDING WITH THE CITY OF FRANKLIN, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THEY'VE INCLUDED LEVEL FUNDING IN THEIR BUDGET OF $100,000 ALSO. OKAY. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY YOUR DISCRETION ON HOW MUCH OR HOW LITTLE YOU WANT TO FUND THAT AGENCY AND THE REST OF THEM.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER NEXT AT YOUR REGULAR MEETING ON TUESDAY IS WHEN YOU'LL BE ASKED TO AUTHORIZE PUBLISHING THE BUDGET AND AUTHORIZING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AT YOUR MAY MEETING.
SO YOU REALLY NEED TO PRETTY MUCH SET THE SET THE BUDGET HERE IN THE NEXT WEEK AND ADVERTISE FOR IT.
YOU CAN SWITCH SOME LINE ITEMS AROUND. AND AS LONG AS YOU DON'T INCREASE THE TAX RATES, WE'RE FINE.
BUT WE DO NEED TO AT YOUR NEXT MEETING, SET THE BUDGET AND HAVE US AUTHORIZED TO PUBLISH THAT AND CONDUCT AUTHORIZE ADVERTISING FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AT YOUR.
MAIN MEETING. WHAT IS THE CHILDREN'S SERVICE ACT? I KNOW THAT'S A MISNOMER. YEAH, IT'S CHILDREN'S SERVICES ACT, AND IT'S FOR AT RISK CHILDREN.
AND THEN THE STATE FUNDS THE REST. WE INCREASED AMERICAN TAX MONEY OR WAS IT GRANT
[00:05:07]
MONEY OR SO? SO, 70% OF IT BASICALLY IS STATE MONEY, AND THEN THE OTHER 30% IS US.THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL CHILDREN BEING PLACED IN THE PROGRAM DUE TO AT RISK BEHAVIORS. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY DO, DUE TO THE COST OF THE TREATMENTS AND ALL. WE ONLY SERVE THE MANDATED CHILDREN.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY NON MANDATED CHILDREN IN OUR PROGRAM.
BUT IT HAS GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST 14 YEARS.
EVERY YEAR THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE. THAT'S RIGHT.
AND IN EVERY LOCALITY, THIS IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT COST.
AND YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES. IT'S NOT IT'S NOT DISCRETIONARY.
YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO. BUT LUCKILY THE MAJORITY OF THAT FUNDING IS STATE FUNDED MONEY.
SO LESS RELIANCE ON LOCAL. THAT'S THE ONLY GOOD NEWS.
AND BOYKINS, THE STREET IN BOYKINS. WASN'T THAT TO BE PAID WITH ARPA FUNDS.
SO THE BOYKINS PROJECT. SO IT'S NOT JUST A ROAD PAVING PROJECT OKAY.
SO WE HAVE AN AMOUNT OF ARPA FUNDS. IT'S LIKE 300 AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND THEN ALSO AT ONE OF YOUR BOARD MEETINGS I BELIEVE IT WAS $350,000.
YOU GUYS APPROPRIATED OF LOCAL MONEY. IF NEEDED, TO FINISH OUT THE PROJECT.
BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO GET PRICING FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT AND LOCK IN THE PRICES AT A LOWER RATE.
DID WE TOUCH ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSULTING 125,000.
YEAH, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT. FRANKLIN DEVELOPMENT TO DO THAT.
I MEAN, WHAT DO WE, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE 125,000? THAT'S WHAT WE PAY THEM. YEAH. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FUND SOMETHING.
SOMETHING THAT BIG. SO BASICALLY, THAT'S A COST THAT WE GOT FROM JUST AS AN ESTIMATE THAT AS PART OF YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT YOU ALL PUT TOGETHER, YOU IDENTIFIED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS A FOCUS AREA FOR THE COUNTY.
SO THE PROPOSAL, LIKE LAST YEAR, WAS TO CONSULT TO HIRE A CONSULTING FIRM SUCH AS TIMMINS THAT DOES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TYPE STUDIES TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL LAND THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE TO UTILIZE FOR INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES.
SO THAT'S THE COST ESTIMATE THAT THEY GAVE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A WASTE OF MONEY. I CAN'T SEE PULLING SOMEBODY IN HERE DOING THAT.
THAT'S SOMEBODY ELSE IS TELLING US WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
THEY GO INTO DEPTH ABOUT UTILITY ZONING WHAT CLIENTS ARE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF LAND PROSPECTS.
SO THAT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M SURE ANYBODY CAN GO LOOK AT SOME LAND AND FIGURE OUT IT'S GOT SO MANY, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH ACREAGE AND WHATNOT, BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A BEST PRACTICE OF ALL OF THE LOCALITIES TO HIRE A CONSULTING FIRM TO DO THAT.
I STILL HAVE MY DOUBTS ABOUT THAT. I THINK THAT'S A WASTE OF MONEY.
IT'S $125,000. THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD CHUNK OF CHANGE.
WELL, THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT ALL IT'S USED FOR.
I DON'T. GET IT? WHERE DO THEY PAY THE SALARIES OUT OF THAT? OUT OF THE HUNDRED THOUSAND EACH? YEAH. AND FROM THE CAMP FOUNDATION.
OH, YEAH. I THINK, YOU KNOW THE WATER STUDY WE DEFINITELY NEED TO DO THAT.
OF COURSE, THAT STUDY IS DISCRETIONARY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT. I CAN TELL YOU OTHER LOCALITIES WHEN WE'RE PART OF VIRGINIA'S GROWTH ALLIANCE DOING THAT AS PART OF THAT REGIONAL GROUP, WE, WE HIRE TIMMONS GROUP, AND THEY DID A SIMILAR STUDY FOR THE WHOLE REGION,
[00:10:03]
AND THEY REALLY NAILED DOWN SOME IMPORTANT DATA THAT YOU CAN USE TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC SITES.THAT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT. YEAH. THE WATER IS PRETTY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S A SEPARATE STUDY. I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST ONE OF THE BIGGEST HINDRANCES WE HAVE IS.
FINDING WATER FOR PROJECTS. THAT IS CORRECT. WATER IS A.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO LEAVE THAT IN THE WATER.
YEAH, I AGREE WITH THE WATER. YEAH. BUT I STILL DON'T LIKE $125,000 FOR SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY ELSE TELLING US WHAT WE NEED TO DO. YOU KNOW BETTER. WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND THAN THEY DO $125,000.
125,000. IN ADDITION. IN ADDITION OF 25,000. 125.
THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE LINE ITEMS. MR. FAISON.
THE 100,000 IS THE PORTION THAT WOULD GO TO FRANKLIN SOUTHAMPTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE STUDY WAS GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY WITH AN OUTSIDE FIRM.
NOTHING THAT THE BOARD HAS TO DO. BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PENDING SALE OF THE BEALE PROPERTY AND JUST WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF SITES IN THE COUNTY. SO, IF THE IF THE BOARD AND COUNTY WANTS TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL SITES THAT WE CAN WORK ON TRYING TO DEVELOP AND ACQUIRE POTENTIALLY, OR WORK WITH A PRIVATE DEVELOPER ON. WHO DO WE HAVE WORKING ON THE BUILD PROPERTY? TIMMONS. TIMMONS IS DOING THE THAT'S ANOTHER THING.
WE NEED TO DISCUSS THIS, FRANKLY, IN PUBLIC. THEY'RE THE HIGHEST PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
I MEAN, THEY'RE THE HIGHEST COST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, AND I STILL HAVE IT STUCK IN MY CRAW.
SO I THINK WE GET THESE FIRMS IN HERE. THIS THIS BOARD NEEDS TO GO OVER THIS.
AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WHO DO CONSTRUCTION AROUND HERE SAY AVOID TIMMONS.
ELEMENTS. SO, PER STATE CODE, THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT ACT FOR ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES, YOU HAVE TO ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. AND YOU DON'T LOOK AT COST AS THE PRIMARY FACTOR.
YOU LOOK AT QUALIFICATIONS AND THE LIST OF FACTORS THAT'S IN THE RFP.
THEN YOU NEGOTIATE WITH THE TWO, TWO BEST QUALIFIED FIRMS AND NEGOTIATE A PRICE.
I MEAN, THAT'S VIRGINIA CODE. SO, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE FROM THE COUNTY, BUT THIS IS A WELL RESPECTED ENGINEERING FIRM IN VIRGINIA, AND THEY DO GOOD WORK.
YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THERE ARE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS. AND I MEAN, TIMMONS IS A VERY LARGE COMPANY.
MIKE JOHNSON PUT TOGETHER A GROUP OF BUSINESSMEN FROM THE COUNTY AND THEY RANKED FIRMS AND ASK THAT WE NOT DEAL WITH TIMMINS. I KNOW ASH WAS ON THE COMMITTEE AND OH, SHOOT. DO YOU REMEMBER WHO ELSE? WHAT'S THAT? WHO WAS ON THE COMMITTEE? ASH. HUNTER DARDEN, JIMMY D, JIMMY LEE.
ASH. HUNTER DARDEN. LARRY WHITLEY. YEAH.
AND WE DECIDED VERY ADAMANTLY NO MORE TIMMINS.
OKAY. SO I STILL FEEL THAT THEY BUILT US OUT OF $400,000 THE FIRST YEAR I WAS ON THE BOARD.
ALL RIGHT. AND I'LL TELL YOU THE STORY OF THAT IF YOU WANT TO.
THEY WERE CONSULTED TO DO SOME WORK OF THE BOYKIN'S TREATMENT PLAN OVER THERE, AND THEY MADE A 330% MISTAKE AND THEN BUILD US FOR THE 330 MISTAKE THAT THEY MADE.
330%. OKAY. AND WE SAID, OKAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY IT.
AND THEY SAY, OKAY, WE'LL TAKE YOU TO COURT. SO WE ROLLED OVER AND PAID IT.
[00:15:03]
THERE WERE TWO OF US ON THE BOARD THAT SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY IT.LET'S GO TO COURT. SO THAT STICKS IN MY CRAW.
OKAY. SO I THINK IF WE GET ANYBODY MR., YOU NEED TO CONSULT WITH THE WITH THE REST OF THE BOARD BEFORE WE GET ANYBODY ELSE INVOLVED. BECAUSE YOU TALK AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE COUNTY'S PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE.
BUT IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW EVERY CONTRACT WE SIGN, WE CAN CERTAINLY START DOING THAT.
HAVE THEY ALREADY BEEN RETAINED? YEAH, THEY HAVE.
AND THEY WERE THE HIGHEST RANKING FIRM OF THE TWO PROPOSALS WE RECEIVED.
WHAT THEY WHAT THE HIGHEST RANKING OF THE TWO.
I MEAN, THEY THIS IS THEIR SPACE. THEY DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
VERSION. BUT IT'S BEING PAID FOR WITH A GRANT, CORRECT? NO, NOT WHAT'S IN THE IN THE BUDGET WOULD BE LOCAL FUNDS.
OKAY. TO DO A STUDY. BUT I THOUGHT TIMMONS WAS BEING PAID GRANT MONEY.
OH. THEY ARE. THAT'S A SEPARATE. THAT'S THE SO WHAT'S LISTED IN OUR BUDGET BOOK HERE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SITES STARTING $125,000 IN WATER SUPPLY PLAN FOR WESTERN TIDEWATER, $43,178 FOR TWO SEPARATE LINES.
THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY GO TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THERE'S TWO SEPARATE STUDIES AS I'M UNDERSTANDING, THAT DEAL WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
RIGHT. OKAY. NOW, IF WE WEREN'T GOING TO PAY FOR AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SITE STUDY TO DETERMINE SUITABLE SITES OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ALREADY THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, ET CETERA AND SO FORTH, WHO WOULD BE DOING THAT FOR US? ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SITES. THE ONES THAT WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED.
BUT BECAUSE NOT ACTIVELY GOING OUT IN THE COUNTY PER SE AND IDENTIFYING PROPERTIES THAT EXIST ALREADY AND IDENTIFYING THEM AS SUITABLE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
NO, IT'S THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE.
I AGREE, I CAN'T SEE PAST. WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED 3300 ACRES.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, I DON'T FEEL LIKE PAYING SOMEBODY ELSE.
THAT'S LIKE PAYING FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WE USED TO DO.
SOMEBODY FROM NEW JERSEY COMES IN THERE AND TELLS US HOW THINGS ARE IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY NOT TO PICK ON NEW JERSEY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT TAKEN OUT. I WANT TO SEE WHAT THE REST OF YOU THINK.
I MEAN, WE ARE PAYING A FULL TIME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION.
IS THERE SOME EXPERTISE THAT TIMMONS GROUP OFFER THAT COLIN AND HIS GROUP DOESN'T OFFER? KARL IN THAT GROUP CAN'T DO ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THIS LEVEL OF STUDY THAT A SITE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERING FIRM, THE TIMMONS GROUP. I KNOW SOME OF Y'ALL DON'T CARE FOR THEM, BUT TIMMONS GROUP IS KNOWN IN THE STATE FOR THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK WITH JOE HINES.
HE DOES. THEY'RE THE FOREFRONT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE STATE.
AND THEY CAN PROVIDE A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ON, ON SITES WITHIN THE COUNTY THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO TRY TO DEVELOP EITHER THE COUNTY ITSELF OR PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OR WHATNOT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GO BY. YOUR PRIORITIES.
OKAY. IT WAS CHAIRMAN'S GROUP AND THEN ANOTHER COMPANY THAT'S SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL.
THEY JUST GAVE A COST ESTIMATE. WE WILL STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS TO DO THAT STUDY.
[00:20:10]
TAX BASE. AND AS LIMITED SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE IS OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPER, CARL HECK, MAY HAVE IN THIS SPECIFIC REALM AS FAR AS SITE DEVELOPMENT GOES, THAT IT MAY BEHOOVE US TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE IT MAY MATTER, AND THAT MAY BE WITH THE EXPERTS THAT DO THIS TYPE OF WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY.MERELY MY OPINION. IT MIGHT BE MONEY WELL SPENT.
I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF MONEY. HOWEVER, IT MAY RETURN TO US EXPONENTIALLY.
AND TIM TIMMONS IN THAT SPACE DOES EXCELLENT WORK.
I CAN JUST TELL YOU MY EXPERIENCE IN MOST OF VIRGINIA LOCALITIES THAT HAVE USED THEM.
YEAH. WELL, YEAH, THEY DO EXCELLENT WORK. I'M SORRY.
THE COUNTY HAD NOT AS GOOD OF EXPERIENCE. HAVE WE EVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO EVERY YEAR.
EVERY. NO, YOU DON'T DO THIS EVERY YEAR. FIVE YEARS. WHATEVER. ONCE WE'VE IDENTIFIED THESE SITES, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND APPLY IT TO LONG TERM PLANNING.
WHO WOULD DO THAT? WELL EXCUSE ME. IT SEEMS TO ME IT WOULD SPEED UP OR IT WOULD SPEED UP DEVELOPMENT. WELL, ISN'T THAT I MEAN, THAT'S A STEP YOU'VE GOT TO YOU'VE GOT TO GET THAT DONE. YEAH. IF YOU DON'T MATCH UP YOUR.
YES, SIR. IF YOU DON'T HAVE SITES TO OFFER PRESENT, YOU'RE OUT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE PRODUCT YOU'RE OUT OF THE GAME. WHAT DO WE WHAT DO WE HAVE NOW? DO WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE NOW? WELL, THE COUNTY CONTROL THIS BILL FORM AND THE AND THE REMAINING TRACKS THAT VIVA TURNER TRACK AND OVER BEHIND FOOD LINE.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE A NIBBLE ON THE BEALE FARM, DO WE? WE DO. AND WE GO TO ALL THESE MEETINGS IN HAMPTON ROADS EVERY MONTH.
TWICE A MONTH, THREE TIMES A MONTH, ALL THE TIME.
AND IN MY VIEW, IN ATTENDING ALL THESE MEETINGS THAT WE'RE ALL A VERY BIG PART OF.
WE ARE THE MOST UNDERUTILIZED ASSET IN ALL OF HAMPTON ROADS.
IT'S THE MOST WESTERN, MOST LOCALITY IN THE HAMPTON ROADS LIST OF COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE ASSETS THAT NOBODY ELSE DOES THAT LAND.
AND WE'RE ONE OF THOSE RESOURCES THAT THEY WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO TAP INTO.
AND WE'RE THE MOST UNDERUTILIZED AND UNTAPPED RESOURCE OF ALL OF THEM.
WE HAVE 58 AND 460 THAT TRAVERSE OUR MOSTLY RURAL COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S AN UNTAPPED RESOURCE THAT THAT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO, TO UTILIZE TO ITS FULLEST POTENTIAL AS OF YET, AND I THINK. BY UTILIZING A RESOURCE, AN EXPERT IN THIS PARTICULAR ARENA MAY BEHOOVE US AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEST UTILIZE THIS POTENTIAL TO ITS FULLEST.
WHEN YOU GET INTO. SOMEBODY'S GOT TO DESIGNATE.
I MEAN, THAT 3300 ACRES IS THAT'S A LOT OF ACRES.
BUT IT HADN'T BEEN DEFINED YET. EXACTLY. WHAT'S GOING TO BE USED, WHAT'S SUITABLE TO BE USED.
SO, SO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAN, CAN TAKE THEM AND SHOW THEM THERE'S 33.
PROBLEM IS WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF THEM. I MEAN, SO WHERE DO YOU GO? ADD TO THAT THERE ON A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT CAN BE DONE.
YEAH. THE STUDY WILL HELP YOU DETERMINE WHAT APPROPRIATE PARCELS THAT YOU COULD ASSEMBLE.
HOWEVER PRIVATE OR PUBLIC AND THAT AND GOT TO BE PUT IN THAT.
JUST, JUST AND YOU'D HAVE THE INFORMATION TO MATCH IT UP.
[00:25:02]
NOBODY. I KNOW WHAT'S ON THERE. WHAT WOULD IDENTIFY WHICH ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE MAP WOULD BE MOST BENEFICIAL FOR THE COUNTY TO WORK TOWARDS GETTING SOME TYPE OF CONTROL OVER SO THAT IT COULD BE MARKETED TO OUTSIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENTITIES THAT WANT TO COME IN WITHOUT CONTROL.THAT LOOKS LIKE, OH, THAT'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO SELL IT.
YEAH. I MEAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF LAND IN THE COUNTY, BUT IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON THE GIS.
YEAH. WE GOT FUTURE GROWTH AREAS AND THE COMP PLAN.
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL THEORETICAL. THIS STUDY WILL HELP YOU IDENTIFY SPECIFIC SITES AND OWNERSHIP GROUPS TO FOCUS ON WHERE THEY'RE MOST APPROPRIATE TO BE DEVELOPED.
HAVING ACCESS TO UTILITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE, HIGHWAY, RAIL AND SOME OPTIONS FOR WHETHER THE COUNTY WANTED TO POSSIBLY GO FORWARD WITH PURCHASING THOSE PROPERTIES OR COMING UP WITH A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
THAT'S PRETTY VAGUE. BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT THERE'S DISCRETION.
THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION. WE'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK WE DISCUSSED REASONS TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO, DID I MAKE A MOTION TO DO THAT? YEAH. WELL, I THINK I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S NEEDED. I THINK WE NEED IT WHEN SOME FOR PEOPLE TO DRAW THEM IN HERE.
YOU GOT TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DRAW THEM IN HERE. I DIDN'T FINISH THAT MOTION. SO, I MOVE THAT WE PURSUED THIS AND PUT IT IN OUR BUDGET.
I SECOND YOUR MOTION, CARL. ALL RIGHT. WHAT IS THE 125? 25. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SAY AYE.
AYE. I VOTE NO. LEAVE THAT IN. ANOTHER THING I QUESTIONED WAS THE 94,000 FOR THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING STUDY.
WE GOT A COURTHOUSE TO PAY FOR AND PROBABLY A DIFFERENT SCHOOL DOWN.
YOU TALKING ABOUT THE SPACE NEEDS ANALYSIS? ONE THAT WAS 94,000.
THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. I THINK IT WAS A SECURITY STUDY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.
YEAH. SO, YEAH, HERE'S A I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THIS POINT EITHER, BUT AND WE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET LAST YEAR AND OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T APPROVED, BUT LAST YEAR I GOT SOME INFORMATION FROM MOSELEY ARCHITECTS AND AGAIN, THEY DO A LOT OF GOOD WORK IN THE IN THE IN THE VIRGINIA.
AND AGAIN, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS, WHICH IS JUST A COST ESTIMATE.
BUT PART OF THIS IS YOU CAN READ THROUGH THE SCOPE HERE.
LONG STORY SHORT, THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT IN 1992, 93.
I'VE BEEN TOLD BY SOME IT WAS TOO SMALL WHEN THEY FIRST MOVED IN HERE 33 YEARS AGO.
THIS BUILDING NEEDS SOME IMPROVEMENT. THE CONFERENCE ROOM BACK HERE.
WE CAN'T EVEN HAVE DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS BECAUSE IT'S TOO SMALL. WE DON'T HAVE OFFICES FOR SOME OF THE NEWER EMPLOYEES WE'VE JUST BROUGHT ON THAT HAVE HAD TO BE HOUSED AT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE. WE'VE GOT RECORDS, RECORDS, RETENTION ISSUES WITH STORM RECORDS IN VARIOUS PLACES AND NO COMPREHENSIVE PLACE TO STORE THEM. WE'VE GOT SOME RECORDS OVER HERE BEHIND THE VOTER REGISTRAR'S OFFICE.
WE GOT SOME RECORDS OVER HERE IN THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE COURTHOUSE.
WE GOT SOME RECORDS OVER HERE AT THE PUBLIC WORKS SHOP BEHIND THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE.
WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO LOOK AT FILE STORAGE.
AND IT'S MY OPINION THAT WE SHOULD CO-LOCATE THE PLANNING OFFICE WITH OUR OTHER TWO NEW EMPLOYEES OVER HERE IN THIS OFFICE AND DO AN EXPANSION. SO AS PART OF THAT THE FIRST STEP IN THE PROCESS IS YOU CAN READ THROUGH THE PROPOSAL HERE TO DO A SPACE NEEDS ANALYSIS.
AND THAT'S WHAT ANY ARCHITECT WOULD TELL YOU WHERE THEY TALK TO THE USERS OF THE BUILDING, TALK ABOUT THEIR CURRENT NEEDS AND FUTURE NEEDS AND GROWTH NEEDS OVER TIME, HOW MUCH SPACE THEY WOULD NEED.
[00:30:05]
THEY WOULD DO A PRELIMINARY CONCEPTUAL DESIGN BASED ON THAT TASK THREE WOULD INCLUDE PROGRAMMATIC COST ESTIMATE AND PROJECT SCHEDULE.AND EVEN GET INTO SOME PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING FOR DUE DILIGENCE AND PLANNING OF THE EXPANSION.
THE OTHER PART OF THAT. SO, IN EFFECT, THAT PUTS YOU ON A GOOD ROAD TO COMING UP WITH A PLAN OF HOW YOU EXPAND THIS BUILDING TO BRING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OVER HERE, IN ADDITION TO OUR OTHER TWO EMPLOYEES.
LOOK AT RECORDS, HOW WE HOW WE MANAGE RECORDS IN THE COUNTY AND HAVE A CENTRALIZED PLACE, HOPEFULLY, WHERE WE CAN KEEP RECORDS LOOK AT SOME PARKING OPTIONS ALONG WITH THAT HERE.
AND AS PART OF THAT IT WAS TALKED ABOUT AT OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION WITH STAFF.
THE SECURITY OF THIS BUILDING IS A CONCERN AS WELL.
SO WE'VE ADDED 9 OR $10,000 IN THE BUDGET IN THAT BUDGET FOR THIS TO DO A SECURITY ASSESSMENT FOR THIS BUILDING TO LOOK AT WHAT SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE. SO THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH THIS, 85 TO $95,000 COST TO DO THAT.
SO, IF THE BOARD'S EVEN WILLING TO CONSIDER AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, BRINGING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND OUR OTHER TWO EMPLOYEES OVER HERE.
SO, WE'RE CO-LOCATED IN THE SAME BUILDING, THAT WOULD IMPROVE A LOT OF THINGS.
THIS WOULD BE THE INITIAL FIRST STEP TO GO DOWN THAT, THAT PATH OF DOING SO.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S THE BOARD'S DISCRETION. AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY UP TO YOU AS THE BOARD.
BUT THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION. WELL, WE'VE GOT A $96 MILLION DEBT RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'RE PAYING FOR A COURTHOUSE. AND THE SCHOOL SHOULD BE OUR NEXT PRIORITY.
THAT STUDY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THIS BUILDING? HOW LONG WOULD THAT BE? GOOD. I WOULD THINK IF THEY TALKED.
I MEAN, THE MAIN THING IS TALKING TO THE THE USERS OF THE BUILDING.
SO I WOULD I WOULD THINK THE BASIC PREMISE OF THE STUDY WOULD BE GOOD FOR A FEW YEARS.
I THINK THIS YEAR, TO MY ESTIMATION, IS ONE OF OUR BETTER YEARS.
AND SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A YEAR TO TO HAVE THAT STUDY IF IT'S GOING TO LAST, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE, SIR. YEAH. IF WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH IT, WE ALREADY HAVE THE STUDY. WE DON'T HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCH.
YEAH, I THINK I THINK WE COULD, EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER AND DO CONSTRUCTION, AND I MEAN, THIS WOULD PALE IN COMPARISON TO THE TO THE COURTHOUSE COSTS AND THE DEBTS ALREADY.
YOU KNOW, BUILT INTO THE BUDGET. BUT ANYTHING WE DO IN THIS BUILDING SHOULD, SHOULD BE MUCH, MUCH LESS THAN COST THAN THE THAN THE COURTHOUSE PROJECT.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT. I MEAN, THAT THAT WOULD SERVE AS BARE BONES.
I MEAN, YOU WOULD HAVE A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, COST ESTIMATES THAT YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TO UPDATE YEARLY WITH, YOU KNOW, COST OF LIVING INCREASES. BUT WITH A NEW A NEW BOARD COMING ON EVERY FOUR YEARS OR SO YOU HAVE NEW IDEAS AND NEW WANTS. I THINK IT'S TOO EARLY TO DO IT.
IF NOT, WE'LL GO, WE'LL GO. WE'LL GO FORWARD NEXT YEAR.
WELL, I GUESS WE DON'T NEED TO SIT HERE THINKING ABOUT IT.
I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT THE NEXT MEETING. OKAY, BUT IT WOULD MEAN TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET NOW.
[00:35:03]
THAT'S UP TO THE BOARD. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK FOR? INPUT FROM THE AUDIENCE.YEAH. ANYBODY OUT THERE GIVE US SOME INPUT. I'LL BE FOR IT.
WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE FOR? NOBODY HAS ANYTHING TO SAY.
AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE'VE GOT ALL THIS STUFF'S GOT TO BE FIXED, REPAIRED, REMODELED, REDONE. WE CAN'T DO IT ALL AT ONE TIME. I THINK WE OUGHT TO HOLD OFF.
I DO, TOO. ME TOO. DO YOU HAVE IT? DO IT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE IT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO BUDGET TO DO IT, NOT DO IT IN THE BUDGET.
WELL, THE. THAT I DON'T I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT.
BUT THE. CHANGING A LOT OF MY THINKING THE CHEAPER TIME TO DO IT IS NOW, RIGHT? IT'S GOING TO BE A DEPRESSION. THAT MIGHT NOT BE TRUE.
THAT'S RIGHT. A LOT OF TARIFFS COMING IN. BUT IF WE IF WE GET IT, IF WE THIS IS JUST THE FIRST PART OF IT. YES, SIR.
BUT WE DO HAVE A CONCEPT. SO I THINK THIS MONEY WILL GET US THE CONCEPT, WHICH A LOT OF OTHER THINGS CAN BE PLANNED AROUND IT, EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T HAVE IT BUILT RIGHT. IT GIVES YOU THE LAYOUT AND IT GIVES YOU THE LAYOUT.
YEAH. AND THIS SPACING. MY CONCERN IS. THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING.
AND I WAS TALKING TO SOMEBODY ABOUT THIS EARLIER TONIGHT IN MY TRAVELS ACROSS THE STATE AS I LOOKED AT SCHOOLS AS AN EXAMPLE. A LOT OF MONEY WAS SPENT THAT DIDN'T NEED TO BE SPENT.
THE ROOF DESIGN IS ONE. YEAH. YOU'RE ASKING FOR TROUBLE THE WAY OUR SCHOOL IS BUILT.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU AT FANCY GAP, THEY GOT ONE WORSE THAN THAT.
AND I'VE BEEN. Y'ALL EVER BEEN TO FANCY GAP? THEY GOT A CUPOLA SITTING ON TOP OF THE SCHOOL.
WHAT THE HECK DO YOU NEED THAT FOR. BUT YET THEY SPENT THE MONEY TO DO IT.
AND THAT CONCERNS ME MORE THAN THE UPFRONT WORK THAT'S GOT TO BE DONE.
IT'S A FINAL PRODUCT PROJECT AND YOU ELIMINATE CORNERS, YOU ELIMINATE BREAKS IN YOUR ROOF AND THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES. YOU GET YOUR SQUARE FOOTAGE IN THERE AND YOU PLAN FOR EXPANSION.
EVEN AT THAT, ON BUILD A BUILDING THAT YOU CAN ADD ON TO IT, EITHER INTO THE BUILDING OR FRONT OR BACK WITH THAT IDEA, BASED ON THE FOOTPRINT YOU'VE GOT TO WORK WITH AND CUT YOUR CORNERS OUT, AND YOU KEEP YOUR ROOF SIMPLE AND BUILD A BUILDING THAT'S EASY TO MAINTAIN. SO A LOT OF THAT WASN'T DONE IN THESE COURTHOUSES.
THEY WERE RAPING THESE COUNTIES WITH COURTHOUSES.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW. AND THE PROBLEMS THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS NOT HERE.
IT'S THE WAY THEY SELECT JUDGES. SO MY CONCERN IS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT CHANGE THEIR MIND AS TO WHAT THEY WANT IN 4 OR 5 YEARS. WELL PRETTY MUCH STAFFING STAYS RELATIVELY STABLE. THE SAME. I CAN'T SEE ANY. I DON'T SEE ANY MUCH BIGGER GROWTH IN STAFF.
AND MORE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING IS BRINGING INDIVIDUALS IN THAT ARE PART OF US BUT ARE NOT WITHIN THE PROPER PROXIMITY OF US. YEAH. PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE IS SOMETIMES VERY RISKY.
WELL, JUST LIKE ONE THING. SO, WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT BEING ON ANOTHER ROAD AND ANOTHER AREA BACK WHEN IT WAS LOCATED HERE, ALL OF THE RECEIPTS WENT DIRECTLY THROUGH THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
NONE OF IT WAS HELD WITHIN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE. AND YOU CAN'T GIVE SOMEBODY A PERMIT JUST TO TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH.
[00:40:04]
CREATED A PROBLEM. SO, WE HAD TO HAVE A MACHINE SET UP OUT THERE SO THAT THEY COULD TAKE IN MONEY, AND THEN THEY BRING IT IN EACH DAY, AND CINDY'S OFFICE HAS TO GO THROUGH AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING MATCHES UP WITH THE REPORTS THAT WERE RUN.IT'S JUST NOT AS CLEAN AS IT COULD BE. OR MAYBE SHOULD BE, BUT THIS WOULD BE A, SIMPLY A CONCEPTUAL PROCESS. CONCEPTUAL? YES, SIR.
TO HAND OFF TO THE FUTURE. RIGHT. IF THEY CAN YOU SEPARATE THE TWO LINE ITEMS FOR SECURITY AND DON'T HOLD OFF ON THE SECURITY MEASURES? I DIDN'T HEAR, SO WHAT SHE SAID IS.
SO THE 94,010 OF IT IS FOR SECURITY STUDY. THE 84 WAS FOR THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN AND ALL SPACE NEEDS.
SHE WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU WERE NOT GOING TO DO ONE OR THE OTHER, COULD YOU SPLIT OUT THE 10,000 AND STILL DO? THE SECURITY STUDY IS WHAT SHE IS ASKING. AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS YES TO THAT.
OKAY. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE STUDY ON THIS EXISTING BUILDING.
AND IT WAS WHEN THEY AND YOU NOTICE IT'S CLOSED, AND IT HADN'T BEEN USED FOR YEARS.
IT COST, AND IT WAS THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING THAT MADE THIS SECURITY COST GO UP.
IT WAS IT WAS ENTIRELY FOR SECURITY, TOO MUCH PERSONNEL TO SECURE THE, I KNOW, THAT'S A PRISON, BUT THEY HAD THAT THING ALL DIFFERENT. THE WINGS AND ANGLES AND EVERYTHING ON THE INSIDE OF THAT STRUCTURE DROVE UP THE COST IT TOOK TO RUN THE PLACE. IT WAS BUILT LIKE A LIKE A CAMPUS.
YEAH. IT WAS NOT BUILT LIKE A PRISON. THAT'S RIGHT.
LET ME ASK A SHERIFF. ARE YOU GOING TO NEED A NEW JAIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE? TOMORROW WOULD BE SOON ENOUGH. OKAY. SEE WHAT I'M CALL.
YOU'RE RIGHT. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS BESIDES THIS BUILDING. ALL RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING AT LOOKING AT MAJOR. BUT IF YOU DO A SECURITY STUDY, MAN, WOULD THAT SECURITY STUDY COVER WHEN YOU DECIDE TO DO THE BUILDING? I MEAN, I THINK YOU DO WHAT YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO DO IT ALL AT ONCE BECAUSE THE SECURITY STUFF, IF YOU DO THE SECURITY, SECURITY STUFF TO BUILD A NAME, IT MAY NOT FIT YOUR BUILDING PEOPLE WELL THAT NEEDS.
THAT MAKES SENSE. THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE DESIGN.
WITH THAT IN MIND, THIS REVIEW Y'ALL. WANT TO GO AHEAD AND DO IT WITHOUT THE OTHER STUFF. THEN YOU WOULD GO AHEAD AND DO SECURITY NOW TO SUIT THE NEEDS.
NOW THIS THIS IS ONLY THE SECURITY STUDY. THIS IS NOT THE SECURITY IMPLEMENTATION.
SHE THIS. SHE DEALS WITH THIS EVERY DAY. THAT'S WHERE SHE'S SPEAKING FROM.
AND I'M SPEAKING FROM THE PEOPLE I SEE WHO TELL ME, WHY AM I LIVING IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY? WHAT DO I GET FOR IT? I HEARD THAT. I HEAR THAT EVERY DAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO GO ALL THIS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE VERY SMART ABOUT WHAT WE DO.
IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T LIVE HERE.
SO LAST YEAR WE DID HAVE OUR IT DEPARTMENT COORDINATED PUTTING IN CAMERAS.
I KNOW THAT THE, THE SO-CALLED PANIC BUTTONS, AS WE CALL THEM, WERE UPGRADED.
YOU KNOW, SO I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY OTHER THINGS CAN BE DONE, BUT IT SEEMS THAT POSSIBLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE THING WOULD BE TO POTENTIALLY HAVE A DEPUTY THAT WE PAY
[00:45:06]
FOR LOCALLY THAT IS STATIONED AT THE FRONT ROUNDABOUT AREA.CAMERAS ARE NOT MONITORED ALL THE TIME. WE DON'T HAVE A MONITORING SYSTEM FOR THAT.
THE PANIC BUTTONS DO GREAT BECAUSE WHEN THEY GO OFF, SOMEBODY HITS ONE ACCIDENTALLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A COPY OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN HERE TONIGHT.
WE CAN LOOK AT. SURE. IT SHOULD BE IN YOUR BOOK.
IT'S IN THE FRONT OF YOUR BOOK.
ANOTHER THING I QUESTIONED WAS THE 50,000 FOR DAVENPORT.
WELL, WE JUST WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THIS IS THIS WILL POTENTIALLY THIS IS A BEST PRACTICE THAT A LOT OF LOCALITIES DO, AND IT WILL POTENTIALLY MAKE US MONEY.
SO THAT THAT'S A THAT IN MY MIND THAT'S A NO BRAINER FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY TO SAY THAT.
WHAT DID YOU WANT ME TO LOOK AT ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS? HE'S RIGHT ABOUT THAT. WAS THERE SOMETHING PARTICULAR YOU WANTED ME TO LOOK AT, DOCTOR EDWARDS? NO, I WISH I COULD DO IT. I GOT IT. OKAY. I JUST WONDERED IF WE'RE GOING BY THAT.
FOR WHAT? I MEAN, ALL THE PLANS WE'RE MAKING.
ARE WE? EVERYTHING THAT'S ON HERE IS WITHIN THE BUDGET.
IF IT'S IN THE FY, ANYTHING IN THE FY 26 COLUMN IN THE CIP IS IN YOUR IN YOUR BUDGET THAT WILL BE APPROVED WITH YOUR FY 26 BUDGET, ANYTHING IN FY 27 TO 30 OR TO BE DETERMINED.
THAT'S JUST THAT COULD CHANGE AT ANY TIME. THAT'S YEAR TO YEAR.
THAT'S NONE OF THAT. ANYTHING FROM 27 ON IT'S NOT IN YOUR BUDGET BUT 26.
EVERYTHING IN 26 IS IN THE BUDGET. NOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR FISCAL YEAR 26, IT TELLS YOU WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM FOR EACH PROJECT CAMP FOUNDATION GRANT, CAMP. FOUNDATION GRANT, CURRENT REVENUES BOND.
SO EACH THING IS LISTED AS TO WHERE IT IS COMING FROM.
AND YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THIS MONEY FOR THESE PROJECTS ARE COMING FROM CURRENT REVENUES, EXISTING FINANCING, ARPA FUNDS. I MEAN THE COUNTY THIS BUDGET CYCLE IS IN A REALLY GOOD POSITION TO DO SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, IF THE BOARD'S INCLINED TO DO SO.
ALL RIGHT. WE GOT ANYTHING ELSE TO DISCUSS? THE WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE, TOO, OF THE CARR COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE DID AND I PUT A PUT THE LETTER SHE SENT US SENT ME AT YOUR PLACE LAST THE LAST BUDGET WORK SESSION LAST WEEK. AND SHE DID MEET WITH THE BUDGET COMMITTEE YESTERDAY TO FURTHER DISCUSS THIS ITEM.
I DID INCLUDE IN YOUR PACKET. SOME INFORMATION THAT THE INITIAL LETTER THAT AMY DID SEND US.
AMY HERE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. BUT THE PREMISE OF THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, BECAUSE OF INFLATION OVER THE YEARS, COST OF LIVING IS GOING UP. PEOPLE'S INCOMES ARE GOING UP.
AND IN ORDER FOR THE COUNTY TO STAY, STAY UP TO DATE WITH OUR TAX RELIEF ORDINANCE FOR ELDERLY AND DISABLED PEOPLE, WE NEED TO RAISE OUR INCOME LIMITS. SO PEOPLE DON'T FALL OFF AS WE GO AND PRICES RISE.
BUDGET COMMITTEE AND STAFF. AND AMY JUST KIND OF BRAINSTORM ON SOME FIGURES TO PUT TOGETHER.
RIGHT. RIGHT NOW, THE MINIMUM IS THOUSAND $399.
IF YOU'RE INCLINED. SO THAT WOULD GO TO 45,000 IS THE MINIMUM.
[00:50:03]
AND WE ALSO REDID THE RANGES HERE ON THE NEXT PAGE.INCREASE THE EXEMPTION FROM 1000 IN EACH OF THE CATEGORIES TO 1250.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST KIND OF KEEPING PACE WITH INFLATION AND PEOPLE'S INCOMES RISING TO TRY TO KEEP PACE SO PEOPLE DON'T FALL OFF BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. AND THAT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, AMY'S HERE. BUT WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO, IF YOU'RE INCLINED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, IS TO HAVE THIS ON YOUR TUESDAY AGENDA, ASKING FOR YOU TO AUTHORIZE A PUBLIC HEARING AT YOUR MAIN MEETING.
AND THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO DO IT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET.
BUT THE COUNTY'S GOT THIS IN PLACE. MOST LOCALITIES DO THIS.
AND GENERALLY, IF THE COUNTY SUPPORTS THE PROGRAM, WHICH IT HAS, BECAUSE IT'S GOT AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE ALREADY, THIS IS JUST KIND OF KEEPING PACE WITH THE TIMES.
EXCUSE ME. THAT'S SMALL ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE KNOW WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN THEM.
I AGREE. WELL, YOU DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON THAT, DO WE? FOR YOU TO MOVE, THIS WILL BE A SEPARATE ITEM.
BUT I JUST KIND OF SINCE THIS BUDGET RELATED.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT CALL.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD TOKEN AND JUST SOMETHING THE COUNTY NEEDS TO DO TO STAY UP TO DATE ON THINGS.
WE DID GET A REQUEST. THIS IS ANOTHER ITEM VERY SMALL.
THE FAIR BOARD. GLENN JOYNER CALLED IN AND THEY NEED A NEW LAWN MOWER TO CUT THE PROPERTY AT OUR FAIRGROUNDS THAT THE COUNTY OWNS. AND WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH, WITH THEM TO BASICALLY OPERATE THAT FACILITY ANYWHERE.
ANYWAY, SO THEY'RE REQUESTING THAT THEY NEED A NEW ZERO TURN LAWN MOWER, I BELIEVE.
AND GLENN AND DANIEL JOHNSON BOUGHT THIS BIKE TODAY.
AND THEY GOT A CALL FROM GREG'S LAWN AND TRACTOR OF ABOUT $13,600.
AND WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING, AND I THINK THE COUNTY HAS DONE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS IN THE PAST.
THEY WOULD LIKE THE COUNTY TO PURCHASE THE LAWN MOWER AND THAT THEY PAY US BACK MONTHLY.
THE COST OF THAT. SOMEWHERE OVER 3 OR 4 YEARS.
TO DO SO. SO, IF THEY DO THE MOWING, THEY WOULD DO THE MOWING.
THEY WILL DO THE MOWING. LIKE I SAID, IT'S THE COUNTY'S PROPERTY.
THEY ARE WE HAVE A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
TO OPERATE IT. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE IN THE PAST, AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE WOULD JUST INCLUDE THE COST FOR THIS IN THE BUDGET, AND THEY WOULD PAY US BACK.
AM I SAYING THAT RIGHT? YEAH. YEAH. SO, AT YOUR TUESDAY NIGHT MEETING, I CAN HAVE AN APPROPRIATION READY TO PUT IT IN THERE IF IT IS YOUR WISH. WELL, I MOVE, WE DO THAT. SECOND.
ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'S. THAT'S ALL WE HAD. Y'ALL DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE HAVE ANYTHING? OKAY. I EXPECTED MORE PEOPLE HERE THAN THIS.
TELL THE TRUTH. NOT THAT WE'RE NOT GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH THE I JUST THOUGHT THE ROOM WITH NO TAX INCREASE, I THINK. YEAH, NOBODY'S COMING FOR THAT. I DO HAVE ONE THING THOUGH, WITH THE WE'RE BOTH WITH THE ROBUST SHOWING BY OUR SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AT OUR APRIL 9TH WORK SESSION IN THE PRESENTATION THAT THEY HAD FOR US THEN, AND THE LENGTHY AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT TOOK AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THAT HAD POTENTIALLY TAKEN AWAY FROM THE OTHER SEVEN AGENDA PRESENTERS THAT WE
[00:55:05]
HAD. WE'VE BEEN SUBJECTED TO A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF SCRUTINY POST MEETING FOR THE FOR THE LACK OF QUESTIONS. WE HAD POST PRESENTATION FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM FOLLOWING THAT PRESENTATION IN REGARDS TO WHAT THEY HAD TO PRESENT TO US AND WHAT TYPES OF QUESTIONS WE MAY HAVE HAD IN RESULT TO THAT.AND QUITE FRANKLY, I HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS.
I'VE GOT A WHOLE SEPARATE BUDGET BINDER DEDICATED TO THIS ITEM.
FEELING AS THOUGH I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A VERY GOOD STEWARD TO THE REST OF THE PRESENTERS WE HAD ON OUR AGENDA THAT EVENING. AS IT DREW LONG, WE STILL HAD A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF THOSE PEOPLE STILL PRESENT WITH US THAT WE'RE STILL WAITING TO SHARE THEIR TIME WITH US.
A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE, A SUGGESTION FOR FUTURE BUDGET PRESENTATION YEARS ONE, WE GIVE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THEIR OWN NIGHT, POSSIBLY TO PRESENT TO US SO THAT WE CAN DEVOTE OUR TIME, ENERGY, EFFORT AND ATTENTION TO WHATEVER PRESENTATION THEY MAY HAVE FOR US SO THAT WE CAN ASK OUR QUESTIONS AT THAT TIME AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING A POOR STEWARD OF OTHER PRESENTERS THAT MAY COME FORTH BEFORE US.
TWO THAT DOESN'T HELP US ANY THIS YEAR. SO MY OTHER THOUGHT WOULD BE CAN WE ENTERTAIN POSSIBLY INVITING THEM BACK TO AN ADDITIONAL WORK SESSION SO THAT WE CAN GET OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC SO THAT THEY MAY ALSO HEAR THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS WHILE ALSO NOT BEING A POOR STEWARD TO THOSE THAT MAY LIKE TO COME JOIN US.
POSSIBLY A GOOD IDEA. I DIDN'T KNOW WE COULD ASK QUESTIONS.
JUST A FEW OF MY THOUGHTS. HEY. GOOD THOUGHTS.
I MEAN, IT'S UP TO THE BOARD. WE CAN. WE CAN SCHEDULE ANOTHER MEETING TO ASK THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BACK, AND YOU CAN ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS. AND YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS YEAR, ARE YOU? I WAS HOPING THAT THEY WOULD ENTERTAIN AN INVITATION TO JOIN US BACK AT ONE OF OUR WORK SESSIONS THIS YEAR.
IN FUTURE YEARS, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE DEVOTE POSSIBLY A SEPARATE EVENING FOR THEM TO PRESENT THEIR BUDGET TO US SO WE CAN ENTERTAIN THEIR QUESTIONS ON THEIR OWN DEVOTED NIGHT, SO THAT WE'RE NOT AGAIN BEING FORCED TOWARDS TO THE OTHER CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BUDGETARY NEEDS. THAT SOUNDS REASONABLE.
A SLICE OF THE PIE, RIGHT? YEAH. SO, LIKE I SAID ON TUESDAY, WE'LL BE ASKING YOU TO PUBLISH A BUDGET AND AUTHORIZE THE PUBLIC HEARING. BUT YOU CAN IT CAN BE CHANGED HOWEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE CHANGED, AS LONG AS TAXES AREN'T INCREASED. I BELIEVE THAT'S THE WAY THE STATE CODE READS.
SO, YOU COULD HAVE A, YOU COULD ASK THEM TO ATTEND ANOTHER, AND YOU CAN SET ANOTHER WORK SESSION, IF YOU'RE INCLINED, BEFORE OR AFTER THE 22ND.
YOU JUST HAVE TO GIVE THE PROPER MEETING NOTICE.
SO, THIS MEETING COULD TAKE PLACE AFTER IT'S ADVERTISED.
YOU COULD. I MEAN, THE GOOD THING ON THE COUNTY'S BUDGET, WE'RE MEETING OUR FINANCIAL POLICY GUIDELINES.
WE'VE GOT MORE THAN WHAT'S REQUIRED. FUND BALANCE AND BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND REQUIRED AND OUR FUND BALANCE POLICIES. WE GOT FUND BALANCE TO SOME DISCRETIONARY USE THERE.
WITHIN REASON. WE'RE WELL WITHIN OUR DEBT LIMITS.
IT'S I MEAN, IT'S REALLY, WE'RE IN A GOOD FINANCIAL POINT RIGHT NOW.
SO, THERE'S SOME WIGGLE ROOM YOU HAVE WITHIN REASON TO DO WHAT YOU FEEL NEEDS TO BE DONE.
BUT YES, WE CAN SET THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ADVERTISE A BUDGET, AND YOU CAN YOU HAVE SOME WIGGLE ROOM BETWEEN THE WITHIN THE NUMBERS AND TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WHAT'S Y'ALL'S PLEASURE? I'M JUST GOING TO HAVE A MEETING. IF I'M THE ONLY ONE WITH QUESTIONS, I'LL GET THEM ANSWERED VIA SOME OTHER MEANS. BUT IF YOU ALL HAD QUESTIONS THAT WOULD ALSO BE WORTHY OF A MEETING, THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE.
NO, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. AND I THINK IT'S FINE TO HAVE IT AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF THE BUDGET.
[01:00:06]
I MEAN, IT'S. IT'S UNANIMOUS, AND IT MOST LIKELY WOULD BE AFTER THE 22ND. WOULD YOU LIKE TINA TO POLL ALL Y'ALL? WHEN ROBERT GETS BACK AND COME UP WITH AN AVAILABLE TIME.WHAT TIME AVAILABLE. TIME THAT THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND FOLKS CAN COME.
THAT WOULD BE FINE. WOULD WE NOT DO IT ON A MEETING OR TO SCHEDULE AN EXTRA MEETING? NO, I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE SO. OKAY. YOU COULD JUST SCHEDULE AN ADDITIONAL BUDGET WORK SESSION WITH THE SCHOOLS ONLY.
YES, SIR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER OUTSTANDING IDEAS? WE COULD CHANNEL OUR QUESTIONS TO YOU, AND YOU COULD ASK THEM ALL SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHO CHRIS IS.
THE MODERATOR. BE FINE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU ALSO DESIRE TO DO.
I'D BE HAPPY TO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NOTHING ELSE. ANYBODY OUT THERE WANT TO BRING UP ANYTHING? WELL, WHY DON'T YOU COME ON UP FRONT HERE? I HAVE A FEW THINGS.
I COULD TELL YOU WANTED TO TALK MORE. OH, YEAH.
OH, ONE THING YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT PEOPLE NOT BEING HERE THIS YEAR.
THE ONLY PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED IS NOT UNTIL MAY.
PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY COULDN'T SPEAK TONIGHT. I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE REASON FOLKS ARE NOT HERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE USUALLY HAVE MORE MEETINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK.
WELL, WE ADDED TWO LAST YEAR INSTEAD OF ONE TWO.
WE ADDED AN EXTRA MEETING. AND I THINK THAT'S ON THE DOCKET FOR THIS YEAR AS WELL.
AND THAT ONE. YEAH. YOU STILL HAVE [INAUDIBLE].
WHAT IS THAT BONUS ABOUT? IT'S. CAN YOU HELP? CAN YOU HELP? IS ONE 100? [INAUDIBLE]. YEAH. WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT? OH. EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION AND RECOGNITION. OH, THAT'S AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
AND IT WAS PUT IN THE BUDGET IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
AND THAT'S JUST TO DO SOME TYPE OF EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION RECOGNITION PROGRAM SERVICE AWARDS BANQUET, A CHRISTMAS PARTY, SOMETHING TO THAT DEGREE, $5,000.
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR A CHRISTMAS BANQUET.
YEAH, I DON'T KNOW, I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY CUT THAT.
AND LAST YEAR WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT. WE DIDN'T HAVE IT ON THE YEAR BEFORE EITHER.
SO THAT'S AGAIN, A LOT OF LOCALITIES HAVE THEY RECOGNIZE THEIR EMPLOYEES EITHER THROUGH HAVING A COOKOUT OR SERVICE AWARDS BANQUET OR SOMETHING. THE COUNTY, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, DOESN'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S JUST A, I THINK JUST A BASIC, PRETTY LOW KEY THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES, BUT I THINK THEY ARE GETTING A 3% RAISE IN THIS BUDGET AND THEY GOT 5% LAST YEAR, GOT THREE LAST YEAR.
WAS IT THREE? YEAH, THREE. BUT I MEAN YOU TALK ABOUT SECURITY NEEDS.
SECURITY NEEDS SHOULD COME BEFORE ANY KIND OF RECOGNITION.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD APPRECIATE IT. YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE IF THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING A GOOD JOB THAT THEY'RE TOLD, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY.
[01:05:01]
REVENUE'S OFFICE AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WOULD ALL BE A PART OF THAT, BUT THAT'S UP TO THE BOARD.YEAH, WELL, I AGREE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, IT SHOULD BE DONE FOR EVERYBODY, NOT JUST ADMINISTRATION. YEAH, I AGREE WITH THAT. ALSO, ONE OTHER THING. YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO BRING IT UP TO SOLID WASTE.
AND THEN THE PEOPLE WERE TOLD THAT IF THE TIPPING RATES WENT DOWN, THAT THE FEE WOULD DROP.
AND WE STARTED GETTING COMPLAINTS. AND I ASKED PEOPLE TO COME TO THE MEETINGS AND, YOU KNOW, PRESENT THEIR FACTS. WELL, THEY SAY THEY'RE COMING, BUT THEN THEY DON'T SHOW UP.
AND THEN SOME SAY, YOU KNOW, WELL, THERE'S NO NEED TO GO BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO US. BUT I MEAN, THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE FOR ONE YEAR AND WE SHOULD BE GETTING RID OF THAT, ESPECIALLY AS MUCH AS WE I MEAN, I KNOW YOU DROPPED THE REAL ESTATE RATE LAST YEAR, BUT WE STILL HAD A WHOLE LOT MORE INCOME BECAUSE THE VALUE WENT UP.
THAT I THINK WERE A BIT OF WASTE DISPOSAL. SO ALL OF THAT TOGETHER.
BUT I SEEM TO BE THE ONLY ONE THAT THINKS WILL GO TO WASTE.
WELL, I'M NOT SURE YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT SPEAK UP IN HERE AND SAY IT, BUT I'VE HAD PEOPLE TELL ME THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT DONE AWAY WITH.
THAT'S ON THE BOARD. YEAH, I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME.
SO, ABOUT 2 MILLION A MONTH. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIZENS THAT WOULD, BUT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM OUT THERE THAT WOULD RATHER PAY THE $200 THAN INCREASES THE PROPERTY TAX TO OFFSET ANY SHORTAGE. WELL, IF YOU AND THEY, I THINK IF THE AVERAGE CITIZEN LOOKED AT HIS DRIVEWAY TO INCLUDE HIS BOAT AND MOTORCYCLE AND CAR AND TRUCK.
WELL, IF YOU DO IT THE WAY BASED ON PERSONAL PROPERTY, THEN THE PEOPLE, YOUR RECOMMENDATION, THE PEOPLE WHO YEAH, THE PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD A BOAT AND ALL THESE EXTRA THINGS.
WELL, THEN THEY CAN AFFORD A LITTLE BIT MORE TO PAY THE TAX ON IT.
WELL, THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT WORKS. I'VE HAD MORE PEOPLE TELL ME IT'S THE FAIREST TAX WE DO.
WELL, THEN THEN WON'T IT WANT TO DO AWAY WITH IT? THAT'S JUST FOR ME. BUT I'VE CERTAINLY HAD MORE PEOPLE APPROACH ME TO LEAVE IT BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT THE FAIREST TAX YOU GOT OUT THERE.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY COMING FROM SOME OF YOUR CITIZENS WHO HAVE OWN LAND, HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, HAVE MONEY THEY CAN BUY ALL THESE EXTRA THINGS WITH, YOU KNOW.
YOU AND I SEEM TO SEE THE SAME POPULATION. YEAH.
CAN WE TABLE IT UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING AND HAVE IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE COSTS LET'S JUST TALK IN WHOLE NUMBERS COST ABOUT PLUS OR -$2 MILLION.
THE REVENUE WE GET FROM THE $200 TRASH FEE IS WHAT, ABOUT 1,000,000 MILLION TWO? SO, EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE GENERAL FUND IS SUBSIDIZING TRASH PICKUP AS IT IS.
SO YOU'RE ALREADY PAYING IN YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE TAX RATES ALREADY IF YOU TRY TO MAKE THIS OPERATE LIKE AN ENTERPRISE FUND, THE REAL RATE SHOULD BE ABOUT $400. SO THEREIN LIES THE ISSUE.
THE GENERAL FUND IS THIS WHOLE SYSTEM IS ALREADY BEING SUBSIDIZED BY OTHER TAXES.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE TRY TO TREAT THIS AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND, WE HAD TRASH PICKUP LIKE IN THE CITY OR TOWN THAT PEOPLE WILL BE PAYING MONTHLY SANITATION FEE RATES TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE. IT'S JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T PROVIDE TRASH PICKUP, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY THE DRIVERS. YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY THE TIPPING FEES.
[01:10:03]
SO IN THE BIG SCHEME OF THINGS, YOU'RE ALREADY PAYING FOR IT IN YOUR TAXES.SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND. YEAH, PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT.
I CAN'T PUT A LIEN ON SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T EXIST, LIKE A TRASH FEE.
AS A FEE, I CAN PUT A LIEN ON WAGES ON THE VEHICLE.
I CAN PUT A LIEN ON BANK ACCOUNTS FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY.
YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT SOMETHING I CAN PUT THAT ON, AND IT'S A WHOLE LOT EASIER TO COLLECT.
AND NOT EVERYBODY, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES.
AND YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB THE LAST FEW YEARS COLLECTING, TOO.
THANK YOU. CINDY IS CORRECT. IT IS. IT IS BETTER TO HAVE IT AS A TAX BECAUSE THERE ARE BETTER.
SHE'S GOT MORE LEGAL RIGHTS TO COLLECT TAXES THAN SHE DOES A FEE.
AND IT'S AND TO SPEAK ON THE OTHER SIDE, IT IS EASIER ON ADMINISTRATION IF WE JUST INSTEAD OF HAVING TO COLLECT ALL THE ELECTRIC BILLS FROM THE 6 OR 7 ELECTRIC PROVIDERS AND DO THAT, THAT IS A CONVOLUTED PROCESS. HOWEVER, IF YOU INCREASE THE PERSONAL PROPERTY RATE BY THE EQUIVALENT THAT YOU WOULD DO AWAY WITH THE MILLION OR MILLION TWO AND SOLID WASTE FEES, THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO RAISE THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE.
YEAH. AND LIKE DAVID SAID, LOOKING AT SOME WAYS TO CUT SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS.
SO, WE STILL WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO UP THAT MUCH ON PERSONAL PROPERTY.
COMPETING PRIORITIES. BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE IF Y'ALL WOULD LOOK, YOU KNOW, HARDER AT AT DOING SOME CUTS AND, AND GOING UP A LITTLE BIT ON THE PERSONAL PROPERTY AND JUST DOING AWAY WITH THAT SOLID WASTE.
DID WE MAKE A DECISION ON THAT 5000. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON ANYTHING TONIGHT.
SO IT'S MORE ABOUT DISCUSSION. GET IT TO, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU COME BACK ON TUESDAY NIGHT AND THEN THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO PUT OUT THERE FOR PUBLIC HEARING, BUT YOU STILL HAVE THAT WHOLE MONTH TO MOVE THINGS AROUND TO CUT. WE'RE JUST GETTING INTO IT. THIS IS WEEK ONE, SO YOU'VE GOT PLENTY OF TIME TO LOOK THROUGH, TALK AND FIGURE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. YEAH. OUR PROBLEM WITH THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX IT'S NUMBER 6 TO 7 IN THE STATE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE A LITTLE PIECE OF PROPERTY, OR A RELATIVE WHO HAS SOME PROPERTY IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND THEY GO HAVE THEIR STUFF REGISTERED IN NORTH CAROLINA.
I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE GOING TO LIVE HERE, THEY OUGHT TO HAVE IT REGISTERED HERE.
I MEAN, THAT'S GOING TO BE A HARD ONE BECAUSE THEY'RE LEGAL.
THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE LAW. THAT'S A LOT OF WHEN YOU SEE IT PARKED IN THEIR DRIVEWAY EVERY NIGHT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STAYING. THEY'RE COMING AND GOING.
WELL, THEY FOLLOW THE LAW. SO THEY SPEND ENOUGH NIGHTS TO GET THAT DONE.
THERE'S GONNA BE WAYS AROUND MOST ANYTHING YOU SET UP.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT. CAN I SPEAK TO THAT? YES, SIR. YOU ONLY GOT 30 MINUTES. I AIN'T GOING TO TAKE 29 IN REFERENCE TO THAT APPRECIATION. I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING FOR YOUR STAFF.
I MEAN, YOU NEED TO PAT YOUR STAFF ON THE BACK YEAR AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
I MEAN, WE DO IT. IT'S DONE ALL ACROSS THE WHOLE STATE.
IF YOU DON'T APPRECIATE YOUR PEOPLE, YOUR PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO STAY AND WORK FOR YOU. I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH A PAT ON THE BACK TO SOMEONE.
I MEAN, SO I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF PUTTING THAT INTO THE BUDGET.
[01:15:03]
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE WE CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT? ANYBODY'S GOT ANYTHING LEFT OVER? WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY AT 6:00.ALL RIGHT. MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED. IS THAT GOING TO BE IN THE PAPER, OR IS THAT ALREADY IN THERE? THAT'S OUR REGULAR MEETING. REGULAR MEETING? IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PUBLIC. IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING.
I MEAN, PEOPLE CAN COME AND TALK, SO THEY ALWAYS HAVE THEIR TIME AT THE BEGINNING.
OKAY. AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR REGULAR PUBLIC HEARING IN THE CHAIRMAN CAN ALWAYS ASK IF
THERE'S ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING. OKAY. OKAY. SO, I GUESS THAT'S IT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.