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GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN, [INAUDIBLE] ROLL CALL, MR.[CALL TO ORDER]
BROWN.HERE, AND MR. CARMICHAEL IS-- HE'S ABSENT.
HE TOLD ME HE WASN'T GOING TO MAKE IT TODAY, OK.
[WORK SESSION]
WE WILL START TONIGHT, WE HAVE A LITTLE LIST OF WORK SESSION ITEMS, SO MR. STOKE IF YOU WANT TO TAKE OVER AT THIS POINT, SIR.UP FIRST WILL BE THE EMPLOYEE PAY PLAN.
AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE JUST GOING TO RUN IT FROM YOUR CURRENT SEAT.
AND JUST TO LET THE BOARD KNOW YOU HAVE A CLIPPED PACKET THAT WAS AT YOUR SEATS AND IT HAS COPIES OF THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS THAT I WILL BE MAKING THIS EVENING.
IF MR. GREAVES HAS ONE AND OR MR. HALTOM, THOSE ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THAT PACKET.
THERE IS ALSO A HANDOUT THAT IS THE BUDGET CALENDAR.
AND AS WE GET TO EACH OF THOSE ITEMS, I WILL CALL ATTENTION TO IT.
AND I WILL BE MAKING THE PRESENTATIONS FROM MY SEAT SO THAT I CAN MAN ZOOM AND SWITCH BETWEEN POWERPOINTS, SO.
MUCH OF THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE REVIEW FROM WHAT WE COVERED IN PRIOR WORK SESSIONS, SO I WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REVIEW SLIDES FAIRLY QUICKLY AND FOCUS ON THE COST IMPACTS OF THOSE DECISION POINTS.
I'M JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD OR GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF PAY IMPROVEMENT OR PAY RAISE ACTIONS FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND WANTED TO RECAP THOSE FOR YOU.
IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AT FY 22 THE BUDGET YOU ADOPTED IN MAY OF 2020 THAT STARTED ON JULY ONE.
PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, WHICH INCLUDED POLICE OFFICERS, FIRE AND EMS, LINE STAFF AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WERE PLACED ON A STEP PLAN BASED ON YEARS OF SERVICE, AND YOU INVESTED NEARLY $700000 IN THOSE PAY IMPROVEMENTS WHEN WE CONSIDERED THE OVERTIME IMPACT AND WORKER'S COMP.
THE AVERAGE PAY RAISE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WAS ELEVEN POINT THREE PERCENT, SIXTY FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THE LARGEST INCREASE AN INDIVIDUAL RECEIVED WAS JUST OVER TWENTY ONE THOUSAND.
EIGHTY TWO PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES RECEIVED THAT STEP PLACEMENT AND 15 THAT WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR STEP PLACEMENT OR WHO WERE HIGHER THAN THE STEP THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED ON, RECEIVED A ONE TIME BONUS OF TWO PERCENT OF THEIR SALARY.
SOCIAL SERVICES EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SUPPORTED BY THE STATE RECEIVED A FIVE PERCENT PAY INCREASE.
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE EMPLOYEES, THEIR COMP BOARD FUNDED POSITIONS, RECEIVED A FIVE PERCENT INCREASE ON THEIR COMP BOARD SALARY, WHICH DID RESULT IN A HIGHER THAN A TWO PERCENT FOR THEM.
THAT WAS STATE SUPPORTED, AND WE WERE REQUIRED TO DO THAT TO RECEIVE THE INCREASED REVENUE FROM THE COMP BOARD.
ALL OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES RECEIVED A TWO PERCENT INCREASE.
SHERIFF EMPLOYEES ALSO RECEIVED A $2000 STATE FUNDED BONUS ON NOVEMBER 16.
SO TO RECAP, THE LAST FOUR YEARS IN FY 21, THERE WAS NOT A PAY RAISE PROVIDED TO EMPLOYEES BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL PANDEMIC IMPACTS TO THE FY 21 BUDGET.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AGAIN, THOSE COMP BOARD FUNDED POSITIONS DID RECEIVE A $500 STATE FUNDED BONUS AND FY 20 EMPLOYEES RECEIVED EITHER ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS, TWO PERCENT OR TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS, DEPENDING ON THEIR SALARY.
IF THERE ARE FIFTY THOUSAND OR LESS, THEY GOT $1000 IN BETWEEN FIFTY THOUSAND AND ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND THEY RECEIVED A TWO PERCENT, AND EVERYONE WHO WAS MAKING OVER 100000 RECEIVED A $2000 INCREASE.
FIRE AND EMS WAS PLACED ON A SEPARATE PAY PLAN SIMILAR TO THE PD PLACEMENT AND FY 19.
THE PAY GRADE WAS INCREASED BY TWO GRADES FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS, AND THE BOARD AUTHORIZED A TWENTY FIVE PERCENT OR ONE QUARTER IMPLEMENTATION TO BEGIN ADDRESSING COMPRESSION ACROSS THE PAY SCALES.
AND FY 19, PHASE ONE OF A SALARY STUDY WAS IMPLEMENTED FOR SWORN POLICE OFFICERS
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WHO RECEIVED EITHER TWO THOUSAND, FOUR THOUSAND, SIX THOUSAND OR EIGHT THOUSAND PAY INCREASE, DEPENDING ON THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE, AND OTHER EMPLOYEES AGAIN RECEIVE THAT ONE THOUSAND, TWO PERCENT OR TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS INCREASE.FOR FY 18 NO PAY RAISE WAS PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYEES.
HOWEVER, A ONE TIME BONUS OF ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS WAS GRANTED TO FULL TIME FOLKS IN SEPTEMBER OF TWENTY SEVENTEEN.
SO THAT'S JUST SOME HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT ACTIONS THAT YOU'VE TAKEN IN PRIOR BUDGETS.
IN AUGUST, WE DID DISCUSS WITH YOU SOME PAY INCREASE ITEMS. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MINIMUM WAGE IMPACT AND TO CONSIDER A POSSIBLE SCALE ADJUSTMENTS.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT A STEP PLAN PLACEMENT FOR NONPUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES USING A SIMILAR METHODOLOGY TO WHAT WAS USED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
WE ALSO TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MERIT PAY AND PERHAPS THE NEED TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS FOR OUR PART TIME TEMP EMPLOYEES.
WHAT WE RECOMMENDED IN AUGUST IS THAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO CONSIDER SCALE ADJUSTMENTS TO BEGIN ADDRESSING THE MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES AS PART OF DEVELOPING ANY PAY INCREASE FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
AND WE HAD MENTIONED THAT MINIMUM WAGE NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED FIRST, THEN STEP PLACEMENT AND THEN MERIT AS A THIRD, PERHAPS THIRD CONSIDERATION OR IN A FUTURE YEAR.
WE'VE, AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH MR. STOKE AND MS. HURT, WE THINK THE PRIORITY IS TO DO THOSE INITIAL STEP PLACEMENT FOR NONPUBLIC SAFETY AND THEN MINIMUM WAGE ADJUSTMENTS.
BUT IF WE ARE ABLE AT ALL FINANCIALLY TO CONSIDER BOTH.
SO MINIMUM WAGE, WE GAVE YOU SEVERAL SLIDES REGARDING MINIMUM WAGE A FEW MONTHS AGO, BUT THIS IS JUST WHERE WE ARE HEADED.
IN JANUARY OF TWENTY TWENTY THREE, WHICH WILL BE IN THE MIDDLE OF FY TWENTY THREE, THE MINIMUM WAGE WILL REACH $12 AN HOUR AND TWO YEARS LATER, IT WILL BE THIRTEEN FIFTY AND ONE YEAR AFTER THAT, IN JANUARY OF TWENTY TWENTY SIX, IT WILL BE FIFTEEN DOLLARS.
IT WILL OVER DOUBLE WHERE IT WAS IN MAY, PRIOR TO MAY 1ST OF TWENTY ONE.
THAT'S A PRETTY SIZABLE INCREASE.
HR DID, MS. HURT, DID PULL OTHER LOCALITIES, AND MOST OF THEM ARE FOCUSING ON INCREASES FOR THEIR LOWER PAID HOURLY EMPLOYEES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LOWEST PAY RANGES TO MEET THOSE MINIMUM WAGE REQUIREMENTS IN THE SHORT TERM.
WE HAD, YOU KNOW, OUR UPDATED RECOMMENDATION IS MAYBE IF WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO CONSIDER POSTPONING THAT UNTIL FY TWENTY FOUR.
HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN IN THE NEWS RECENTLY, MCDONALD'S IS STARTING OUT AT SEVENTEEN DOLLARS AN HOUR.
HOBBY LOBBY, I THINK, WAS IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK.
EIGHTEEN FIFTY AN HOUR STARTING JANUARY ONE.
SO AGAIN, THE PRIORITY IS CERTAINLY COMPRESSION.
BUT IF WE ARE UNABLE TO AFFORD A SCALE ADJUSTMENT AND PLACEMENT, BUT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, CONSIDER BOTH.
AND I KNOW THE PRICE TAGS AREN'T SMALL.
THIS IS WHERE OUR LOWEST PAID FOLKS LAND WHEN WE CONVERT OUR SALARY SCALE TO AN HOURLY RATE.
WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE ANY EMPLOYEES ON GRADE 305.
THE LOWEST OF OUR PAID FOLKS RIGHT NOW, HE STARTING SALARY IS A GRADE 306, WHICH STARTS OUT AT THIRTEEN FIFTY.
SO WE ARE TECHNICALLY OK UNTIL JANUARY ONE OF TWENTY TWENTY FIVE.
HOWEVER, WITH MARKET ANNOUNCEMENTS LIKE WE HAVE HEARD THIS WEEK, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT IF WE CAN.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO RETAIN OUR TALENT AND WE WANT TO ATTRACT GOOD TALENT.
YOU KNOW, IF A UTILITY WORKER CAN'T MAKE AS MUCH AS HE CAN AT MCDONALD'S, HE MIGHT MIGRATE TO SAY, WOULD YOU LIKE FRIES WITH THAT? SO THAT'S JUST A REAL CONSIDERATION.
SO STEP PLAN PLACEMENT FOR NON PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO, THAT IS WHAT STAFF IS INDICATING IS THE PRIORITY TO BEGIN ADDRESSING COMPRESSION, AND IT WILL CERTAINLY PROMOTE CONSISTENCY IN COMPENSATION ACROSS ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEE GROUPS AND AFFORD NON PUBLIC SAFETY THE SAME CONSIDERATION THAT PUBLIC SAFETY RECEIVED THIS YEAR.
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HUMAN RESOURCES DID REACH OUT TO ALL OF OUR NON PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT THEIR PRIOR SERVICE EXPERIENCE EVEN OUTSIDE THE COUNTY AND TO BE CONSISTENT WITH HOW PUBLIC SAFETY INCREASES WERE MADE.WE WILL PLACE THEM AT SIXTY FIVE PERCENT YEAR TO STEP, SO TO SPEAK, AND WE WILL COUNT EACH FULL TIME YEAR OF PRINCE GEORGE SERVICE AS ONE STEP OR ONE YEAR PART TIME SERVICE IN THE SAME POSITION THAT HALF A YEAR AND THEN OUTSIDE RELATED SERVICE AT 100 PERCENT A YEAR FOR YEAR.
AND THEN THEY WOULD FALL AT SIXTY FIVE PERCENT YEAR TO STEP.
FOR PLACING UNDER THREE SCENARIOS WITH NO SCALE ADJUSTMENT, WHICH WOULD NOT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD NOT ADDRESS THE STARTING SALARIES.
WE DID A THREE PERCENT SCALE INCREASE IN A FIVE PERCENT SCALE INCREASE.
AND THOSE INCREASES IN SCALE WOULD START TO ADDRESS STARTING SALARIES AND MINIMUM WAGE.
SO WITH NO SCALE ADJUSTMENTS, FIFTY EIGHT EMPLOYEES WOULD RECEIVE INCREASES ABOUT BEING PLACED ON A STEP, AND THAT PRICE TAG IS FOUR HUNDRED AND THREE THOUSAND TO FIFTY FIVE WITH BENEFITS.
THE AVERAGE INCREASE WOULD BE FIVE THOUSAND FIVE TWENTY SIX AND THE HIGHEST WOULD BE TWENTY THOUSAND SEVEN SIXTY ONE.
IF YOU RECALL FROM THE SECOND SLIDE, THAT'S VERY COMPARABLE TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
OUR NON PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES ARE JUST AS COMPRESSED AS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY WERE PRIOR TO THEIR STEP PLACEMENTS.
AND THE, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY ONLY 58 WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE INCREASE.
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT WOULD RECEIVE A ONE TIME BONUS AND WE'VE PUT IN ONE POINT TWO PERCENT BECAUSE THAT'S THE AVERAGE PERCENT INCREASE BETWEEN STEPS.
AND THAT BONUS WOULD COST ANOTHER SEVENTY FOUR THOUSAND.
THE TOTAL COST WOULD BE FOUR SEVENTY SEVEN, AND THE GENERAL FUND IMPACT IS THREE SEVENTY FOUR.
THAT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF OF THE $700000 INVESTMENT YOU MADE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY THIS YEAR FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
WITH A THREE PERCENT SCALE ADJUSTMENT, NATURALLY, THAT PRICE TAG DOES INCREASE, NINETY FOUR EMPLOYEES WOULD RECEIVE AN INCREASE BY STEP PLACEMENT AND IT'S NEARLY SIX HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE AVERAGE INCREASE IS FIFTY THREE HUNDRED NINE POINT TWENTY FOUR AND THE HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL INCREASE WOULD BE TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND.
EMPLOYEES RECEIVING NO STEP AGAIN, THAT ONE TIME BONUS.
THE PRICE TAG IS JUST UNDER FIFTY EIGHT THOUSAND FOR A TOTAL COST OF NEARLY SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SEVEN THOUSAND OF WHICH FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR OR HALF A MILLION IS GENERAL FUND.
FIVE PERCENT SCALE ADJUSTMENT, THAT NUMBER CREEPS UP WITH THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES THAT WOULD RECEIVE A STEP PLACEMENT INCREASE.
ONE HUNDRED AND SIX EMPLOYEES WOULD BE ELIGIBLE AT A PRICE TAG OF NEARLY SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE AVERAGE INCREASE AGAIN IS FIFTY EIGHT HUNDRED.
THE HIGHEST IS TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND SEVEN FORTY AND 64 FOLKS WOULD GET A ONE TIME BONUS, COSTING FORTY FIVE THOUSAND.
THE GENERAL FUND IMPACT IS JUST OVER SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND.
OK, SO THEN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT THEIR STEP PLACEMENT THIS YEAR TO MOVE THEM UP ONE STEP.
NINETY EIGHT PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES WOULD GO UP A STEP, WHICH IS ON AVERAGE ONE POINT NINE TWO PERCENT INCREASE.
THAT COST, INCLUDING BENEFITS, IS ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX THOUSAND.
EIGHT EMPLOYEES ARE STILL ABOVE THEIR STEP PLACEMENT UNDER THIS METHODOLOGY, SO AGAIN, THEY WOULD GET A ONE TIME BONUS, AND WE'VE LEFT IT AT THE ONE POINT TWO PERCENT FOR A PRICE OF FIFTY TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS.
THERE ARE ALSO 12 POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE MET THEIR CAREER DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS AND WOULD GO UP A GRADE AND UP A CLASSIFICATION ON THEIR SCALE.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER THIRTY EIGHT THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY FOUR DOLLARS.
SO WITH NO SCALE ADJUSTMENT, THAT'S ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY GRAND, AND IT'S ALL
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GENERAL FUND.TO TACK ON A THREE PERCENT SCALE ADJUSTMENT, WE'D HAVE TO ADD TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE THOUSAND.
FOR A FIVE PERCENT SCALE ADJUSTMENT IT WOULD BE NEARLY THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE THOUSAND.
FOR A TOTAL INCREASE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY OF 570 AND 418.
OUR RECOMMENDATION REMAINS TO DELAY MERIT INCREASE FOR A FUTURE BUDGET YEAR, PERHAPS.
YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY PLACEMENT WAS NOT PREDICATED ON ANY EVALUATION SCORE.
SO JUST TO BE CONSISTENT THAT, THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION.
OF COURSE, THE BOARD HAS HAS THE OPTION TO DO WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE.
WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE THAT PLACEMENT CONTINGENT UPON RECEIPT OF A SATISFACTORY EVALUATION.
SO JUST TO RECAP AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PART TIME.
IT'S BEEN A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE HOURLY RATES HAVE BEEN INCREASED FOR A PART TIME TEMPS.
AND IF STEP PLACEMENT IS CONSIDERED FOR NON PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO LOOK AT THE PART TIME TEMPS AS WELL USING THEIR PRINCE GEORGE SERVICE.
SO IF WE DID NOT DO A SCALE ADJUSTMENT, IT'S ABOUT SIXTY EIGHT THOUSAND, FIFTY EIGHT THOUSAND AND THE GENERAL FUND TO RAISE THOSE PART TIME TEMP HOURLY RATES AND SOME OF THEM WE WILL BE REQUIRED TO DO BECAUSE OF MINIMUM WAGE.
A THREE PERCENT SCALE ADJUSTMENT, THE PRICE TAG WOULD ELEVATE TO SEVENTY THOUSAND AND GENERAL FUND A LITTLE OVER 60 GRAND.
FIVE PERCENT, THAT PRICE TAG GOES UP TO SEVENTY TWO THOUSAND WITH A GENERAL FUND IMPACT AT SIXTY ONE THOUSAND FOUR TWENTY NINE.
OK, SO THIS IS A BUSY SLIDE, BUT THERE IS A HARD COPY OF THIS POWERPOINT AT YOUR PLACES IF YOU WANT TO SCRUTINIZE THIS, BUT I'VE JUST KIND OF RECAPPED IT FOR YOU ALL IN ONE SHEET.
SO, THIS ONE BREAKS IT DOWN BY NON PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE TOP AND IN THE PEACH COLORED SHADING THAT IS WITH NO SCALE ADJUSTMENT.
THE GREEN IS WITH A THREE PERCENT, THE BLUE IS WITH THE FIVE PERCENT IN EACH CATEGORY.
IT TELLS YOU THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WOULD RECEIVE THAT PLACEMENT, THE COST OF MAKING THAT PLACEMENT, THE NUMBER THAT WOULD RECEIVE A ONE TIME BONUS.
AND WHAT THAT BONUS COST IS AND THEN THE TOTAL COST AND THEN THE GENERAL FUND COST.
THEN, WE'VE GIVEN YOU THE AVERAGES RIGHT BELOW THAT.
THEN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, MOVING THEM UP A STEP AND ALLOWING POLICE OFFICERS TO PROGRESS ALONG CAREER DEVELOPMENT PATHS.
WITH NO SCALE ADJUSTMENT, A THREE PERCENT AND A FIVE PERCENT AND THEN THE PART TIME TEMP TOTAL IN GENERAL FUND AND THEN THE GRAND TOTAL IS AT THE BOTTOM.
AND I KNOW THOSE NUMBERS ARE VERY BIG.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME DECISIONS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE MADE AND SOME PRIORITIES THAT WILL HAVE TO BE ESTABLISHED.
AND WE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THOSE WHEN WE ARE MORE CLEAR ON OUR OWN RESOURCES.
SO WHAT'S NEXT? IF THE BOARD AGREES AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT APPROACH TO THE FY TWENTY THREE BUDGET IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT IF YOU FOLLOW ALONG WITH A SIMILAR APPROACH TO HOW WE NAVIGATED THROUGH FY TWENTY TWO, WE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH OPTIONS FROM WHICH TO PRIORITIZE AND PICK.
ONCE WE KNOW OUR AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND REVENUES PRIOR TO PRESENTING THE INTRODUCED BUDGET.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? I KNOW IT'S A LOT.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. DREWRY? I'M GOING TO TAKE TIME TO ABSORB IT.
AND I GUESS WHEN I LOOK AT THIS AND YOU SEE THE THREE COLUMNS ON THAT SPREADSHEET.
SOMEWHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MEET THE REAL DAY AND DO SOMETHING THE RIGHT WAY.
RIGHT? I'M THINKING EVEN IF WE TOOK A I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, WHAT IF WE USE THAT FIRST COLUMN SOMEWHERE, IT'S GOING TO CATCH UP WITH US, IF NOT THIS BUDGET CYCLE, AT LEAST SOMEWHERE IN ANOTHER [INAUDIBLE] CYCLE.
SO I JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE THAT CHEAPER OPTION MAY NOT BE THE BEST WAY IN THE LONG
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RUN, BECAUSE SOMEWHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY IT.AND SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T MENTION OUT LOUD ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE.
I APOLOGIZED FOR GOING BACK, BUT YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT EVEN WANT TO HAVE STRONG CONSIDERATION FOR OUR EVERGREEN CONSULTANT TO COME IN AND DO A REFRESH OF OUR SCALES TO FIND OUT WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING TO ADDRESS MINIMUM WAGE AND HOW WE STACK UP TODAY.
AND IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF YOU HEARD FROM CHIEF BEAMON AND CHIEF EARLY ABOUT WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS ARE DOING FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS ALREADY.
SO THOSE STARTING PAY AMOUNTS ARE A BIG CONCERN.
AND IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT, THE VIEW WITH ALL THREE OPTIONS, AND I DON'T MEAN TO PUT YOU OR STAFF IN A POSITION, BUT I KNOW ALONG THE WAY YOU'VE HAD SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
WHAT WOULD STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS BE? PURELY FROM YOUR SIDE, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT ONE TWO OR THREE, OR WOULD YOU PREFER NOT TO SAY? TO TRY TO AT LEAST DO A THREE PERCENT SCALE ADJUSTMENT, WHICH WOULD BE NUMBER TWO? YES, SIR.
WOULD YOU AGREE CORRIE? TO AT LEAST TRY TO DO THAT THREE PERCENT TO START MOVING OUR STARTING SALARIES A LITTLE HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY ARE? MM HMM.
AND IT MAY BE A PROGRESSIVE THING.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE TO CONSIDER SCALE ADJUSTMENTS FOR A FEW YEARS AS THAT MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES THROUGH JANUARY OF TWENTY TWENTY SIX.
OK, I'M JUST ASKING NOT FOR US TO SOLVE IT TONIGHT.
NO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO THINGS HERE THEN.
BASICALLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEW HIRES AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RETENTION.
BOTH OF THESE WOULD BE AFFECTED BY DOING THIS.
AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET NEW HIRES IF WE DON'T RAISE THAT STARTING SALARY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO LOSE CURRENT IF WE DON'T RAISE.
WE JUST GOT TO KEEP UP WITH THE NEIGHBORS-- ESPECIALLY IF OTHER LOCALITIES AROUND US START-- POTENTIALLY THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE-- JUMPED SHIP AND GO WHERE-- ABSOLUTELY.
I'VE HAD TWO IN MY DEPARTMENT THIS PAST YEAR.
ALL RIGHT, MR. STOKE THE NEXT THING IS EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.
THAT'S A VERY BRIEF POWERPOINT, YOU'LL BE HAPPY.
NOT THAT IT'S AN EASY POWERPOINT, BUT IT'S A BRIEF ONE.
OK, I APOLOGIZE, THIS IS NOT VERY EASY TO SEE.
YOU ALSO HAVE A HARD COPY OF THIS AT YOUR PLACES.
THE FIRST ROW WE RECEIVED UNOFFICIAL RATES FOR MR. FAISON AT THE VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEM, THEY DRIVE OUR RETIREMENT RATE AND OUR GROUP TERM LIFE INSURANCE THAT WE PAY ON ALL FULL TIME EMPLOYEES.
OUR RETIREMENT RATE, UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE BIENNIUM, TWENTY THREE, TWENTY FOUR IS INCREASING.
IT'S GOING FROM AN EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION OF FOURTEEN POINT NINE THREE PERCENT TO SIXTEEN POINT FORTY FOUR.
I WISH I HAD GOOD NEWS, BUT I DON'T.
THAT IS A RATE CHANGE OF ONE POINT FIVE ONE, BUT IT IS ACTUALLY OVER A 10 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE RATE.
AND THAT PRICE TAG AT OUR CURRENT SALARIES WITH OUR CURRENT COMPLEMENT OF EMPLOYEES IS ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS AND TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO THOUSAND OF THAT IS GENERAL FUND.
SO BEFORE WE MAKE ANY PAY IMPROVEMENTS, THAT'S A MUST DO.
THAT'S GOING TO BE IN THAT COLUMN IF WE HANDLE THE BUDGET LIKE WE HANDLED IT FOR TWENTY TWO AS A MUST DO.
GROUP TERM LIFE WENT DOWN, BUT THAT RATE IS SO SMALL THAT'S KIND OF A DROP IN THE BUCKET IN COMPARISON.
IT'S GOING FROM ONE POINT THREE FOUR PERCENT TO ONE POINT ONE NINE, WHICH IS AN 11 PERCENT DECREASE.
BUT BECAUSE IT'S A SMALLER PERCENT, THE SAVINGS IS SMALLER.
OUR SAVINGS IS TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND FIVE EIGHTY EIGHT AND THE GENERAL FUND SAVING IS TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND OR TWENTY TWO THOUSAND.
OUR DISABILITY PLAN INSURANCE FOR OUR VRS HYBRID EMPLOYEES REMAINS THE SAME THAT RATE IS ACTUALLY GOOD THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY FOUR.
SO THERE IS NO CHANGE WITH THAT.
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SO OUR PRELIMINARY HEALTH INSURANCE RENEWAL INFORMATION REMAINING COMBINED WITH THE SCHOOL DIVISION, OUR HEALTH INSURANCE CONSULTANT INDICATED THAT WE WOULD NEED A TOTAL INCREASE OF NINE PERCENT TO MEET CLAIMS AND FY TWENTY THREE.IF WE ABSORB IT AS THE COUNTY ENTIRELY, THAT EQUATES TO A TEN POINT THREE PERCENT INCREASE IN OUR EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND THAT PRICE TAG AGAIN IS TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS, TWO HUNDRED AND NINETEEN THOUSAND OF THAT AS GENERAL FUND.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO BE A MUST DO TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND KEEP PREMIUMS WHERE WE THINK CLAIMS WILL BE.
THE DECISION ON WHETHER TO PASS ANY PART OF THAT INCREASE TO THE EMPLOYEES CAN CERTAINLY BE LAID OUT FOR THE BOARD TO LOOK AT AS A POTENTIAL SAVINGS TO THE COUNTY.
THE BOARD HAS GRACIOUSLY ABSORBED THAT INCREASE FOR PROBABLY EIGHT TO 10 YEARS RUNNING.
OUR EMPLOYEES ARE VERY FORTUNATE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD A DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING LAST THURSDAY WHERE A COUPLE OF FOLKS WHO'VE COME TO US FROM OTHER LOCALITIES, THEY ESSENTIALLY SAID WE GOT AN INCREASE IN OURS, PRETTY [INAUDIBLE].
SO, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE VERY FORTUNATE, AND RETIREES WHO PAY 100 PERCENT OF THEIR PREMIUMS WILL PAY NINE PERCENT MORE IF IN FACT NINE PERCENT IS WHAT WE END UP GOING WITH.
ALL OF THIS, OF COURSE, IS PREDICATED ON REMAINING COMBINED WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I EMAILED YOU ALL LAST WEEK ABOUT A DISCUSSION OR A PHONE CALL THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE SCHOOL FINANCE DIRECTOR.
AND SHE INDICATED THAT THEY ARE REQUESTING A QUOTE FROM THE LOCAL CHOICE IN OUR LAST QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT.
YOU SAW THAT THEIR CLAIMS WERE IN THE TANK.
THEY HAVE DRAINED A FAIRLY SIZABLE AMOUNT OF THEIR PART OF THE FUND BALANCE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
SO IF THEY WERE TO SEPARATE FROM US, I'M NOT SURE THEY'RE GOING TO GET THAT SILVER BULLET THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WITH THE QUOTE FROM LOCAL CHOICE, BECAUSE THAT IS BASED IN PART ON THEIR CLAIMS EXPERIENCE.
THEN WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT HAVING CLAIMS RUN OFF.
THEY WOULD HAVE CLAIMS HITTING THE CURRENT INSURANCE FOR 12 TO 18 MONTHS AFTER THEY PARTED WAYS.
WE STILL WILL BE ABSORBING SOME OF THEIR-- CORRECT AND THEIR NOT, AND THEY SPEAKERS], AND THEY WOULD NOT BE COLLECTING PREMIUMS OR PUTTING PREMIUMS IN THE FUND, IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUND.
SO WE DID HAVE A CALL WITH OUR INSURANCE CONSULTANT YESTERDAY, MARK III, MS. HURT, AND I DID, AND THEY SAID A GROUP OF OUR SIZE CERTAINLY CAN REMAIN SELF-INSURED.
WE'LL SEE AN INCREASE IN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES AND PROBABLY OUR STOP LOSS INSURANCE.
OUR STOP LOSS INSURANCE IS WHAT PROTECTS US FROM HUGE CLAIMS. RIGHT NOW, OUR LEVEL IS AT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND.
SO IF WE HAD A MILLION DOLLAR CLAIM, WE WOULD ONLY PAY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND OF THAT AND THEN OUR STOP LOSS INSURANCE WOULD KICK IN AND PAY THE REST OF THAT CLAIM.
THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL COST, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL COST THAT'S EMBEDDED INTO OUR RATES.
SO IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, THAT INSURANCE TO JUST THE COUNTY ALONE WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN IT IS FOR THE COMBINED GROUP BECAUSE THE RISK IS A LITTLE HIGHER ON A SMALLER GROUP.
IS THAT THE ONLY IMPACT WE'RE GOING TO SEE? ADMIN FEES AND STOP LOSS.
AND I THINK THE LAST TIME THAT MARK III QUOTED US, IT WAS ABOUT 80 TO $90000 DIFFERENCE IF WE WERE TO SEPARATE OR THE SCHOOLS WERE TO SEPARATE FROM US.
SO THEY'RE WORKING ON AN UPDATED COST AND CERTAINLY THAT IT'S CONTINGENT ON WHAT ANTHEM PROVIDES US AS THE COST.
THERE ARE OTHER INSURERS THAT COULD PROVIDE US WITH THE STOP LOSS.
SO THE MARK III WILL EXPLORE ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS FOR US.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IF WE STAY WITH THE SCHOOL, COMBINE? NINE PERCENT AND THAT PRICE TAG IS ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE EIGHT WITH TWO HUNDRED AND NINETEEN OF THAT BEING GENERAL FUND.
SO WE COULD PROBABLY ADD ANOTHER EIGHTY TO NINETY THOUSAND PLUS ON TOP OF THAT, IF SCHOOLS SEPARATED, THAT'S A NUMBER THAT THEY QUOTED US A YEAR OR TWO AGO, SO THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE HIGHER NOW.
AND I HAVE A QUESTION AT WHAT POINT DOES IT BECOME MORE BENEFICIAL TO US TO NOT
[00:30:05]
BE SELF-INSURED? BECAUSE I KNOW IT WOULD COST MORE.BUT AT THAT POINT, WE'RE NOT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT WHERE THE SHORTFALLS ARE WITHIN THE PLAN BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SELF INSURING.
AND I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW, WITH THE LOCALITIES AROUND US, HOW MANY ARE SELF-INSURE AND HOW MANY ARE NOT AND, YOU KNOW, SELF-INSURED WAS FINE FOR A WHILE, AND WE MAY BE GETTING TO A POINT TO WHERE THE RISK IN IT MAY START TO MAKE US HAVE TO LOOK, EVEN IF THE PREMIUMS WENT UP.
TRUE, SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES WOULD HAVE TO THEN BUY MORE INTO THOSE COSTS, BUT AT LEAST WE'RE MINIMIZING THE RISK ON THE COUNTY AT THAT POINT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE RIGHT ANSWER, BUT I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT THAT DIFFERENCE WOULD BE BECAUSE IT COULD BE A SAVINGS IN THE LONG RUN.
IF WE'RE NOT ALWAYS-- WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING OVER OUR SHOULDER HERE.
WORRIED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE MONSTER BEHIND US IS GOING TO CATCH UP? RIGHT? AND YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO BOTH DECISIONS BEING FULLY INSURED.
AND I THINK THE MAJORITY OF OUR NEIGHBORS THAT ARE OUR SIZE OR SMALLER ARE WITH THE LOCAL CHOICE.
I THINK CORRIE MIGHT HAVE DONE A POLL A FEW YEARS AGO.
THE-- AND SHE'S ACTUALLY DONE SOME OUTREACH.
LOCAL CHOICE MEANS THAT THEY'RE NOT SELF-INSURED.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT'S WHAT-- IT'S AN ANTHEM PRODUCT THAT WAS DESIGNED FOR LOCALITIES AND SCHOOL SYSTEMS. AND IT IS POOLED PRODUCT.
WE WOULD HAVE A LOT LESS FLEXIBILITY THAN WE HAVE TODAY IN PLAN DESIGN.
THE BENEFITS WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
AND ONCE THEY PROVIDE THAT RATE INCREASE TO US, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO GO WITH.
AND ONCE YOU'RE IN IT, YOU ARE LOCKED IN IT AND WOULD HAVE TO, PAY THEM ANY CLAIMS RUN OFF IF YOU WERE TO PART WAYS AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WE COULD HAVE OUR INSURANCE CONSULTANT COME TO A BUDGET WORK SESSION AND TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENCES.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET INFORMATION FROM THEM ABOUT BOTH OPTIONS VERY SOON.
WE CAN CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO THE LOCAL CHOICE AND REQUEST A QUOTE MORE TO WHAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION IS DOING, AND WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON WHEN AND IF WE KNOW MORE FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND I'M ONLY ASKING BECAUSE IN A CORPORATE ENVIRONMENT, WE SHOP AROUND, MY COMPANY, WE SHOP AROUND EVERY YEAR.
THIS YEAR WE COULD BE WITH CIGNA.
NEXT YEAR WE COULD BE WITH SOME OTHER INSURANCE PROVIDER.
BASED ON THE PLAN, THE OPTIONS, THE RATES AND ALL OF THAT.
AND I KNOW WE'RE NOT SELF-INSURED.
RIGHT? AND YES, EVERY TIME IT'S TIME FOR ME TO ENROLL, I COULD FACE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER PLAN I CHOOSE WOULD REALLY DETERMINE WHAT MY RATES WOULD BE.
RIGHT? SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR THAT REASON.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DIFFERENT BEING A GOVERNMENT LOCALITY VERSUS A CORPORATE ENTITY OR WHAT, BUT I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE MY FIRST QUESTION WOULD BE IS, IS LOCAL CHOICE THE ONLY OPTION? OR DO YOU HAVE OTHER-- [INAUDIBLE] NOT? YEAH.
SO THAT'S WHY-- ONE OF THE MORE AFFORDABLE OPTIONS, I BELIEVE THE LAST TIME WE SHOPPED IT BECAUSE I KNOW WE THINK WE LOOKED AT UNITEDHEALTHCARE.
THE COUNTY AND SCHOOL DIVISION ACTUALLY WENT TO CIGNA A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND THEN THEY WENT BACK TO ANTHEM.
I BELIEVE IN TWENTY FIFTEEN OR TWENTY FIFTEEN.
SO I KNOW THE EMPLOYEES HAVE ENJOYED STABILITY THAT SHOPPING AROUND SOMETIMES CAN BUY YOU SOME SAVINGS IN THE SHORT TERM.
BUT THEN, AS THE HONEYMOON PERIOD IS OVER, THEN YOUR RATES GO UP AND YOUR CLAIMS TEND TO DRIVE YOUR COSTS.
SO YOU KNOW ANY SAVINGS THAT WE REAP IF WE HAVE A BAD CLAIMS YEAR, OUR COSTS ARE GOING TO GO UP IN LARGE.
BUT IF OUR COSTS GO UP, EVERYBODY SHARES IN THAT EMPLOYEES AND ALL.
RIGHT NOW, THE WAY IT'S GOING IS WE AS-- BEEN ABSORBING IT.
YEAH, WE'VE BEEN ABSORBING THAT EVERY YEAR.
SO THE TOTAL IMPACT HAS FALLEN ON THE TAX DOLLARS COMING FROM OUR CITIZENS.
WE'RE HAVING TO TAKE MORE OF THAT AND PUT IT IN THAT BASKET.
AND CERTAINLY YOU HAVE THE OPTION TODAY OF PASSING ALONG SOME OF THAT INCREASE REGARDLESS OF WHAT PLAN YOU HAVE TO EMPLOYEES.
[00:35:03]
I KNOW THERE ARE TIMES, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE ENJOYED STABILITY, THAT DISRUPTION BY CHANGING BENEFITS EVERY YEAR OR EVERY TWO YEARS.IT PROVIDES SOME UNEASE TO THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT THEY COULD SEE SAVINGS.
ALSO, THERE ARE CERTAIN TIMES WHEN WE CHANGE INSURANCES, THEIR NETWORK COULD BE DIFFERENT AND THE DOCTORS, DOCTORS GROUPS THAT THEY SEE MIGHT NOT BE IN THAT NETWORK.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE SOME PROVIDER DISRUPTION AS WELL.
RIGHT? SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS TO CONSIDER IF YOU SHOP AROUND.
WE CAN CERTAINLY ASK MARK III TO PUT IT OUT FOR BID AND SEE WHERE WE END UP.
YEAH, I JUST DON'T THINK PUTTING.
I THINK PUTTING IT OUT FOR BID DOESN'T COMMIT US, BUT IT GIVES US INFORMATION TO LOOK AT TO MAKE A BETTER DECISION.
I REALLY DON'T WANT TO PLAY THE SHELL GAME WITH EMPLOYEES TO GIVE THEM A RAISE AND THEN SAY, OH, WELL, NOW YOU HAVE TO PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM YOUR INSURANCE BECAUSE THAT'S JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT UNDER WHICH SHELL IS THE BALL UNDER.
[INAUDIBLE] AND THAT'S THE COMPLAINT AT ANY LOCALITY OR ANY EMPLOYER WHERE THEY GET A RAISE AND THEY SEE AN INCREASE IN THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE.
NORMALLY THEY INCREASE TO THE HEALTH INSURANCE IS MUCH SMALLER THAN THE PAY RAISE.
TRUE, BUT STILL-- THE EFFECT OF THAT STILL GOING TO HAPPEN.
THE INFLATION RATE LAST NUMBER I SAW WAS AT SIX POINT EIGHT PERCENT AND THE FEDS MISSED THE MARK.
SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO SUBSIDE, REGARDLESS WHAT PAY RAISE YOU GET, YOU'RE ALREADY PAYING SIX POINT EIGHT PERCENT MORE ON MOST ALL COMMODITIES.
WE'RE PAYING MORE FOR EVERYTHING WE BUY IN THE GROCERY STORE.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN INCREASES STOP [INAUDIBLE] NO.
JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT.
AND THE WEATHER EVENTS IN KENTUCKY AND ACROSS THE FOUR STATES THAT WERE IMPACTED, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INCREASE ON THE PRICE OF CHICKEN AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO HAVE A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT ON THE ON THE REST OF THE NATION AND EVEN IMPACT THE ALREADY STRAINED DELIVERIES.
I GOT A QUESTION, [INAUDIBLE] AIR STATE CONTRACT, MS. DREWRY FOR FUEL [INAUDIBLE] AND STUFF COULD FUEL [INAUDIBLE] EXPECTED TO BE OVER 58 PERCENT INCREASE BEFORE THE MID WINTER.
ARE WE-- WE'RE LOCKED IN RIGHT WITH OUR STATE CONTRACT? WE ARE LOCKED IN TO A DIFFERENTIAL ON THE MARKET PRICE, SO WE PAY X PERCENT MARKUP ON THE OPUS AVERAGE.
THERE IS NO CAP? THERE'S NO CAP.
NO FUEL PROVIDER IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO LOCK IN ON A FIXED PRICE FOR FUEL.
THAT WILL BE A BUDGET CONSIDERATION AS WE-- GET A LOT OF VEHICLES RUNNING.
AS WE ENTER THE [INAUDIBLE] FUEL OIL AS WELL.
AND ANY PETROLEUM BASED PRODUCT, TRASH BAGS ARE PETROLEUM BASED.
I JUST THOUGHT I'D ASK I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE HAD A LOCK OR NOT.
WE JUST HAVE A LOCK ON THAT DIFFERENTIAL.
BUT NO FUEL PROVIDER WOULD GIVE US A FIXED PRICE ON FUEL NOT IN THE MARKET WE'RE IN NOW.
ANY QUESTIONS ON BENEFITS? ANY QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS? BUT WE'LL KEEP YOU INFORMED AS WE HEAR MORE FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND AS MARK III PROVIDES US MORE INFORMATION, WE CAN CERTAINLY ASK THEM TO DO A FORMAL SHOP OUT OF THE INSURANCE JUST TO SEE WHERE WE STAND.
MR. CHAIRMAN NEXT, I'D LIKE TO GIVE BETSY A HALFTIME.
OK? AND I THINK I'M GOING TO LET FRANK CATCH HIS BREATH AND LET'S MOVE TO LET'S DO ORDINANCE TO CREATING THE NEW TOWNHOUSE DISTRICT.
YEAH, I GUESS I'LL JUST BRIEFLY GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THIS.
THERE IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT SCHEDULED FOR PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING TOMORROW.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY A REQUEST OF A PROPERTY OWNER IN THE COUNTY WHO DINO LUNSFORD, HE OWNS THE PROPERTY ACROSS FROM SOME EXISTING APARTMENT BUILDINGS THAT LOOK LIKE TOWNHOUSES ON PRINCE GEORGE DRIVE AND HIS ORIGINAL VISION-- AND HE'S WORKING WITH D.R.
[00:40:05]
HORTON, WHICH IS THE BIGGEST NATIONAL HOMEBUILDER, SO IT'S A SERIOUS PROJECT THAT--.AND THEY'D LIKE TO PUT TOWNHOUSES ON THAT PROPERTY.
AND THEY SPECIFICALLY WANTED TOWNHOUSES ON THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL LOTS.
THE BUILDINGS ACROSS THE STREET ARE MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS OR APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
AND SO THE OWNER OF THE LAND ALSO OWNS THE BUILDINGS ON TOP OF THE LAND AND THEN RENTS OUT THE UNITS, WHEREAS THIS DEVELOPER WANTS TO BUILD THE STRUCTURES AND THEN SELL THE PORTIONS OF THE STRUCTURE ON IT, ON THEIR OWN LOTS TO INDIVIDUAL LOT OWNERS.
SO THE COUNTY ORDINANCES DON'T CURRENTLY ALLOW THAT.
THEY ALLOW MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS AND SINGLE FAMILY BUILDINGS AND TWO FAMILY DWELLING BUILDINGS, WHICH IS TWO UNITS IN ONE STRUCTURE.
IN ALL OF THOSE SITUATIONS, THE LOT OWNER IS THE SAME AS THE BUILDING OWNER.
SO YOU CAN HAVE CONDOS, SO YOU COULD HAVE A MULTIFAMILY BUILDING WITH CONDOS INSTEAD OF APARTMENTS, AND THOSE INDIVIDUAL UNITS INSIDE THE BUILDING CAN BE SOLD SEPARATELY.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE MODEL THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.
SO STAFF AT THE TIME THAT WE RECEIVED THAT WE MET WITH THEM AND WE LOOKED AT THEIR OPTIONS IF THEY WANTED TO PROCEED WITH THAT MODEL OF DEVELOPMENT.
WE THOUGHT ABOUT ALSO A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN ASK FOR, BUT THAT DOES REQUIRE TWENTY FIVE ACRES AND THEY HAVE A PROPERTY THAT'S 15 ACRES.
SO THEIR ONLY PATH FORWARD WAS TO ASK FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE TO ENABLE THAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO THEY MADE THAT REQUEST AND WORKED WITH STAFF.
THEIR INITIAL REQUEST WAS TO HAVE THAT BECOME A SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE.
SO IT WOULD BE A PUBLIC HEARING EACH TIME ANY DEVELOPER WANTED TO BUILD THOSE.
AND THAT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO RIGHT NOW, IF PEOPLE WANT TO BUILD A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT, MULTIFAMILY, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF BUILDINGS THAT ARE APARTMENT BUILDINGS, IF IT'S IN A ZONING DISTRICT R TWO, THAT REQUIRES A SPECIAL EXCEPTION IN A PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.
I THINK THAT THE MOST OF THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN THE COUNTY ALREADY WERE IN THE R THREE ZONING DISTRICT, WHERE THEY'RE PERMITTED BY RIGHT, SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO COME TO A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO ANYWAY, THEIR FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO HAVE THESE BUILDINGS ALLOWED BY SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
THEY WORKED WITH STAFF REVIEWED THAT AND WE WERE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THAT OPTION BECAUSE THE APPLICANT ALSO WANTED SMALLER SETBACKS.
SO IF YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH A TOWNHOUSE COMMUNITY, YOU WALK ON A SIDEWALK, TYPICALLY WHAT THE TYPE OF PRODUCT THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, 15-20 FEET OR LESS OF FRONT YARD BEFORE YOU GET TO THE BUILDING.
AND SO THAT'S THE TYPE OF PRODUCT THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO.
AND SO THEY REALLY WANTED THESE SHORTER SETBACKS.
AND SO THE CURRENT ZONING DISTRICTS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE ORDINANCE HAVE SETBACKS AT THIRTY FIVE FEET OR MORE.
SO THAT'S NOT, AGAIN, THAT WASN'T THE PRODUCT THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR, BUT STAFF WAS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING A SEPARATE SETBACK IN THAT ZONING DISTRICT SPECIFIC FOR TOWNHOUSES BECAUSE IT WOULD GIVE AN ADVANTAGE TO THAT TYPE OF HOUSING OVER THE OTHER TYPES OF HOUSING.
SO IT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR A PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING EARLIER BACK IN OCTOBER, AND THAT MEETING WAS CANCELED FROM THE WATER MAIN BREAK AND THAT ENDED UP GIVING MORE TIME FOR THE APPLICANT AND STAFF TO DISCUSS THE OPTIONS THERE.
AND THEY ENDED UP COMING TO AGREEMENT THAT A BETTER PATH FORWARD COULD BE A NEW ZONING DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY FOR TOWNHOUSES.
THAT IS WHAT YOU FIND IN MANY OTHER LOCALITIES THAT HAVE TOWNHOUSES ON INDIVIDUAL LOTS.
THEY'LL HAVE A SEPARATE ZONING DISTRICT FOR THAT.
THAT ALSO ENABLES YOU TO HAVE A REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT ANY TIME THAT TYPE OF PLAN COMES FORWARD, IT'S GOT TO COME TO A PUBLIC HEARING.
THAT ALSO ENABLES THE CASH PROFIT POLICY TO APPLY ANY TIME THESE HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENTS ARE COMING IN.
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLECT CASH PROFFERS OR OTHER PROFFERS.
THAT WOULD APPLY TO THAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT TO OFFSET THE IMPACTS FROM THAT NEW DENSITY, THE NEW PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS, NEW DEMANDS ON FIRE AND EMS AND POLICE.
SO THAT WAS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO THE APPLICANT THAT THEY ASKED AS LONG AS THEY WERE
[00:45:01]
OK WITH IT THAT WE WOULD WE WOULD BRING FORWARD A AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT THAT WOULD CREATE A NEW RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY FOR TOWNHOUSES.SO THAT'S THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT THAT'S SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW.
FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING, [INAUDIBLE] MR. WEBB.
SO HOW MANY UNITS IS IT AGAIN ON 15? THE PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT IS ABOUT FIFTY ONE UNITS.
SO WHAT ARE THEY GOING ON A QUARTER ACRE OR SOMETHING? SO THAT THE OWNER HAS 15 ACRES TO WORK WITH AND THEY'RE PROPOSING TO REZONE 10 ACRES AND STAFFS, DRAFT ORDINANCE AMENDMENT HAS A REQUIREMENT FOR A MINIMUM OF 30 PERCENT OF THE ACREAGE OF A DEVELOPMENT BEING COMMON AREA.
THE AVERAGE LOT SIZE, BE WHAT, SEVENTY FIVE BY ONE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE OR SOMETHING RELATIVE TO THAT? I'M FORGETTING THAT, NO, YOUR MINIMUM LOT ON AN INTERIOR, LOT WOULD BE 20 FEET.
THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE A 20 FOOT WIDE UNIT.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT PEOPLE WILL DO AND YOU'RE IN LOTS WOULD BE LONGER SO THAT YOU'D HAVE A CORNER LIKE YARD THERE.
BUT YEAH, IT WOULD END UP BEING, I THINK I FORGET THE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT I THINK IT'S LIKE SIXTEEN HUNDRED FIFTY SQUARE FEET IS MINIMUM INTERNAL LOT AND 2000 SOMETHING FOR THE END LOTS.
THAT LOTS DESIGNED FOR GOING UP NOT OUT.
THE TWO STORY, I'M [INAUDIBLE].
YEAH, REALISTICALLY, YOU'LL SEE TWO STORY IF SOMEBODY'S DONE A LOT THAT SMALL, BUT IT'S FLEXIBLE, SO THEY COULD DO A ONE LOT THERE COULD YOU COULD SEE DEVELOPMENTS NOT THIS ONE THAT THEY HAVE PLANNED FOR WITH A ONE STORY STRUCTURE ON A BIGGER LOT.
WHERE WE AT ON UTILITIES ON THAT? FOR WATER, AND SO? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE UTILITIES ARE AVAILABLE AND CAPACITY IS THERE FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
[INAUDIBLE] JUST ASKING? I MEAN, THAT'S A LOT OF UNITS PUTTING A SMALL AREA.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, IT'S JUST I'M JUST CURIOUS OF HOW IT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT.
JUST TO SO YOU WHERE THAT TOWNHOUSE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON VIRGINIA AMERICAN WATER'S SYSTEMS, SO THEY HAVE WATER CAPACITY BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE CONNECTING TO [INAUDIBLE] WATER.
THAT AREA WHERE THE SEWER IS, IS NOT THE SAME AREA THAT WE HAVE CAPACITY ISSUES WITH.
SO THEY DO HAVE CAPACITY NOW TO COME IN AND BE ABLE TO [INAUDIBLE].
ANY QUESTIONS MR. HUNTER? YEAH, SO THAT WOULD BE ONE SPECIAL EXCEPTION OR ONE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE WHOLE-- THE 10 ACRE LOT OR WHATEVER SIZE IT IS? YEAH-- [INAUDIBLE] EACH BUILDING.
IF IT HAD BEEN A SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE, THEN FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY, IT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED A REZONING AND A SPECIAL EXCEPTION BECAUSE THE WHOLE PROPERTY IS NOT ZONED WHAT THEY WOULD NEED IT TO BE.
BUT WITH THE DRAFT THAT STAFF HAS, IT WOULD JUST BE ONE CASE, A REZONING CASE.
SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE SMALL AREA.
SO EACH TIME YOU HAVE THIS REQUEST FOR A TOWNHOUSE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING EVERY TIME? CORRECT.
AND THEN TO ADDRESS YOUR POINT THERE.
THAT'S-- STAFF HAS RECOMMENDATIONS IN THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE AREN'T TOO DENSE OF DEVELOPMENTS.
AND THAT'S WHERE THAT COMMON AREA REQUIREMENT COMES IN, WHERE THEY HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST 30 PERCENT, ALMOST ONE THIRD OF THE AREA OF THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT AS COMMON AREA OF SOME KIND.
AND THAT CAN INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, TREES, YOU KNOW, OPEN FIELD, WALKING TRAILS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THERE ARE A STANDARD-- THERE ARE STANDARDS THAT REQUIRE THEM TO ACTUALLY INSTALL, LIKE ACTIVE RECREATION FACILITIES LIKE WALKING TRAILS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR ANY OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS.
I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE IS WHAT'S THE PROS AND CONS OF THIS? I MEAN, I'M NOT AGAINST IT, PER SAY.
I JUST-- I MEAN, SO IF WE START CREATING THESE ONE OFF TOWNHOUSE ORDINANCES, IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO COME IN AND BUILD A TOWNHOUSE COMMUNITY THAT ISN'T MEETING THE SAME CRITERIA, IS THAT ANOTHER ORDINANCE OR ANOTHER CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE? I'M JUST WONDERING, IS THERE A WAY TO MAKE THE ORDINANCE GENERIC ENOUGH OR CREATES RANGES SO THAT WHEN THE NEXT-- WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEXT ONE IS GOING TO ASK FOR.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAD IN MIND IN DRAFTING THIS ONE.
TO MAKE IT AS FLEXIBLE AS POSSIBLE FOR TOWNHOUSE STYLE DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER MY OTHER THOUGHT THERE.
SO ABOUT THE YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE THEY REQUESTING AN
[00:50:02]
ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, WILL SOMEBODY ELSE TRY TO REQUEST AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HOUSING? IS THAT? YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M GOING.IS THAT EITHER-- YEAH, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, THIS TOWNHOUSE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT IS PRETTY SPECIFIC TO THIS DEVELOPMENT.
SO IF THERE'S A DEVELOPMENT, NO TWO COMES ALONG TO WHERE THE THINGS IN THAT ORDINANCE DON'T QUITE FIT THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT.
IS THAT GOING TO REQUIRE EITHER AN UPDATE TO THE AMENDMENT OR AN UPDATE TO THAT ORDINANCE OR ANOTHER TOWN HOUSE ORDINANCE? I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE ORDINANCE WE'RE CREATING, HAS SOME FLEXIBILITY OR RANGES OR IT'S BROAD ENOUGH TO KIND OF COVER AN AREA.
AND I KNOW THAT'S HARD TO DO BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT REQUESTS CAN BE MADE.
YEAH, NO, WE DEFINITELY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, AND IT WOULD BE FLEXIBLE FOR A RANGE OF TYPES OF TOWNHOUSES THAT ARE ON THE MARKET.
LIKE I SAID, YOU COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE STORY STRUCTURE, TWO STORY STRUCTURE.
I THINK THERE ARE THREE STORY POSSIBLE, BUT THAT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN A MULTIFAMILY.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT STORIES, YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW, THEIR SETBACKS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE MINIMUM IS, THEY CAN HAVE A WIDE RANGE THAT COULD HAVE A LARGE FRONT YARD, LARGE BACKYARD.
THE WHOLE GOAL OF THIS AND THE ORIGINAL APPLICANTS REQUEST IS THIS SPECIFIC TYPE OF HOUSING THAT'S PRETTY POPULAR IN THE MARKET TODAY, AND IT JUST WASN'T POSSIBLE.
IT IS SUPPORTED BY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IT WAS ACTUALLY A TYPE OF HOUSING THAT WAS IN THE COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE IN 2007.
THERE WAS DIFFERENT ZONING ORDINANCE AT THAT TIME, AND IT WAS REPEALED FOR UNRELATED REASONS.
BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED IN THE COUNTY AT ONE POINT IN TIME, AND I THINK THIS IS JUST A MATTER OF PUTTING IT BACK IN THERE TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF HOUSING AVAILABLE.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT AGAINST IT.
IT'S JUST I'M TRYING TO ALSO MAKE SURE THERE'S FLEXIBILITY IN IT FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
IT GIVES YOU SOME LATITUDE WITHOUT HAVING TO MAKE IT SO RESTRICTIVE OR SO STRICT THAT ONE LITTLE CONDITION MEANS YOU'VE GOT TO COME THROUGH THIS PROCESS AGAIN.
I THINK THAT WE'VE [INAUDIBLE].
I GUESS ONE OF MY CONCERNS OR CAUTION WOULD BE.
WE WANT TO TEST DRIVE SOMETHING FIRST.
WE LEARNED A LOT WITH THE SOLAR PANELS, AND I DON'T THINK-- [INAUDIBLE] PUT THIS? HELL, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IT.
WE WANT TO HAVE NICE CLEAN DEVELOPMENTS.
WE WANT TO HAVE A NICE COMMUNITY AT THE END OF THE DAY.
AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE INCLUDING THINGS LIKE THE WALKING TRAILS AND-- WE DIDN'T MENTION THEM [INAUDIBLE] I MEAN, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF HEAT GIVEN WHEN WE EXTENDED THE MOBILE HOME PARK UP HERE, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE NICEST ONE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND ANYWHERE AROUND, EVEN IF YOU GO OVER IN THE CHESTERFIELD WITH WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN THAT PARK.
I KNOW WE GOT SOME THAT DON'T MEASURE UP QUITE AS MUCH.
FOR WHATEVER REASON, BUT THAT ONE, THEY SEEM TO HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE.
LAST QUESTION, AVERAGE SQUARE FOOTAGE ON THESE HOUSES? YOU GOT AN IDEA WHAT THE PRICE RANGE IS GOING TO BE AT? NO-- I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD YOU TO IT.
I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER IF I COULD FOR THE PARTICULAR THIS FIRST PROJECT AND I CAN'T REMEMBER.
SOUNDS LIKE THEY COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 1200 TO 1600 ON AN AVERAGE BASED ON WHAT WAY YOU JUST DESCRIBED A LOT LAYOUT.
YEAH, THAT'S-- SO THE LOT SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT I SAID DOES INCLUDE LIKE A FRONT YARD IN A BACKYARD.
SO THE ACTUAL SIZES ARE, YEAH, PRETTY MUCH.
THAT'S TOTALLY REASONABLE BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE A ONE, USUALLY A TWO STORY STRUCTURE.
[INAUDIBLE] HAVE GARAGES WITH THEM? YEP.
SO THE DRAFT ORDINANCE ALLOWS FOR GARAGES ON THE FRONT OR BACK OR NEITHER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO THE DEVELOPER, THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS COMING ALONG IF THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT IS APPROVED.
[INAUDIBLE] WHAT THEY'VE DONE ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
YOU GOT ROOM FOR TWO CARS, ONE THE GARAGE AND ONE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY.
YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PARK IN THE STREET, THOUGH.
JUST IN THAT PARTICULAR-- AND THEY CAN HAVE STREET PARKING IN ADDITION TO, YOU KNOW, DRIVEWAY PARKING, IT'S JUST KIND OF UP TO THE DEVELOPER AND THE DESIGN AND WHAT THE MARKET IS ASKING FOR.
SO THAT GOES BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION TOMORROW.
PUBLIC HEARING, RIGHT? [INAUDIBLE] SO THEN BASED ON LET'S JUST SAY, IF IT COMES OUT OF THERE, WHEN, PROBABLY, WOULD THAT BE COMING TO THE BOARD? [INAUDIBLE] SHOULD BE JANUARY.
SOMETIME IN JANUARY? YEAH, OK.
AND THEN CURRENTLY SCHEDULED WOULD BE JANUARY FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO HEAR
[00:55:07]
THE REZONING REQUEST.CAN BE-- IT COULD BE A FEBRUARY THING.
OK, BECAUSE THE ONE TOMORROW IS JUST ON THE ORDINANCE.
THEN IN JANUARY WOULD BE THE REZONING OF THAT PROPERTY TO A DIFFERENT ZONE TO TIE IN WITH THAT.
I JUST IN MY HEAD TRYING TO GET A TIMEFRAME, JANUARY, PROBABLY FEBRUARY.
YEAH, I THINK THE-- I FORGET THE EXACT TIMING, BUT THAT REZONING IS FOLLOWING AFTER THE ORDINANCE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBER? [INAUDIBLE] OFFERS INCLUDE SHRUBBERY AND THINGS TO MAKE IT LOOK MORE ATTRACTIVE? THE PROFFERS ARE FLEXIBLE, FLEXIBLE THING.
I KNOW THAT THE DEVELOPMENT DOES HAVE, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF SHRUBBERY AND LANDSCAPING.
THERE ARE STANDARD COUNTY REQUIREMENTS THAT DO REQUIRE THAT SORT OF THING, AND CONDITIONS OF ZONING CASES CAN ADD MORE, YOU KNOW, EXPECTATIONS FOR LANDSCAPING ON TOP OF THAT, TOO.
SO YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT AND WHAT THEY HAVE PLANNED WITH EACH REZONING CASE.
I THINK WE'RE GOOD, THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. CHAIRMAN WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK ON THE AGENDA, AND NEXT STEP WOULD BE UTILITY RATE ADJUSTMENTS WITH FRANK HALTOM, THE COUNTY ENGINEER.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, IF I CAN TAKE A QUICK ASIDE AND KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE FROM SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT'S BEEN GOING ON TODAY THAT I THINK-- I HOPE YOU'RE AWARE OF BY NOW, BUT WE DID HAVE SOME WATER DISRUPTION ACTIVITIES TODAY AT MAX RIVER WATER AUTHORITIES PERSONNEL WAS WORKING ON THEIR SIDE OF OUR METER.
[INAUDIBLE] UPGRADES TO THE ACTUAL METER AND INSTALLING SOME NEW VALVES.
THEY HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WENT WRONG ON THEIR SIDE AND EVENTUALLY-- APPARENTLY IT HAD CUT US OFF UNKNOWINGLY.
SO WE WERE WITHOUT WATER FOR QUITE SOME TIME THIS MORNING.
WE LEARNED ABOUT IT JUST BEFORE NOON.
WE INFORMED MAX RIVER WATER AUTHORITY THEY QUICKLY CAME BACK OUT, ADDRESSED THE ISSUE, GOT WATER RESTORED.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE WERE OUT, WE WERE DROPPED THE PRESSURE IN OUR SYSTEM SIGNIFICANTLY TO ALMOST NO WATER FOR QUITE A FEW OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO WE ARE REQUIRED TO ISSUE A BOIL WATER ADVISORY.
THERE'S A NOTICE ALSO POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE'VE DRAFTED A PRESS RELEASE.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S BEEN-- THE PRESS RELEASE HAS ALSO BEEN SENT.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE US ABOUT TWO TO THREE DAYS TO GET THAT BACK.
BEFORE WE CAN RESCIND THAT BOIL WATER ADVISORY, WE ARE REQUIRED TO FLUSH, DISINFECT IF NECESSARY AND TAKE SAMPLES ON TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
WE'LL BE TAKING SAMPLES OUR FIRST SAMPLE TODAY.
IF THEY PASS, WE'LL TAKE THE SECOND SAMPLE TOMORROW.
WE'LL GET THE RESULTS ON FRIDAY AND HOPEFULLY BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON, WE'LL BE ABLE TO RESCIND THAT, THAT NOTICE THE BOIL WATER ADVISORY AND LET EVERYBODY GO BACK TO THEIR NORMAL WATER SERVICE.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST AND I GUESS MORE CRITICAL ONE.
WE ALSO DID FIND OUT WE HAD A FORCE MAIN BREAK SOMEWHERE ALONG OLD STATE PARKWAY FOR THE FORCE THAT PRIMARILY SERVES NORTH ELEMENTARY, SO THEY HAVE SOME SEWER ISSUES TODAY AND SOME BACKUP AT THEIR PRIVATE PUMP STATION.
BUT OUR STAFF HAS BEEN OUT THERE ALONG WITH PROBABLY PARKINSON AT THIS POINT TO TRY TO RESTORE THAT AS WELL.
AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WENT OUT FOR THE BOIL WATER AND ALL THAT, I GET ALL THAT, BUT I KNOW THE PUBLIC IS NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY EITHER WAY AROUND.
IS THERE ANY EXPLANATION TO KIND OF SOMEWHAT EXPLAIN WITHOUT POINTING FINGERS OR WHY IT HAPPENED AND IT WASN'T ON US? IS OUT OF CONTROL, SO TO SPEAK.
IT IS IN THE PRESS RELEASE, WE DID BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC AS TO WHO WAS INVOLVED WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE BOIL WATER NOTICE AND THE ADVISORY ITSELF AND WHAT WE'VE SENT OUT ON, [INAUDIBLE] TRY TO STAY AS GENERIC AS POSSIBLE.
LET PEOPLE CALL AND ASK THE QUESTIONS AS NECESSARY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE GET VERY UPSET.
OF COURSE, THERE'S NEVER A GUARANTEE OF CONTINUOUS WATER SERVICE.
[01:00:02]
[INAUDIBLE].BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE HEAVILY IMPACTED THAN OTHERS, THAT'S FOR SURE.
I WAS JUST THINKING OF TRYING TO KEEP THE HEAT OFF OF YOU AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO MAY BE RECEIVING ALL THESE PHONE CALLS WITH UPSET PEOPLE THAT, HEY, THIS IS TRULY OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
SO ON A BOIL WATER NOTICE, IS THAT ONLY FOR, LIKE I SAY, DRINKING OR WHAT IS THE BOIL? AND THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE IF FOR SOME REASON WE DON'T GET TO RESCIND THAT BY FRIDAY, WE HAVE THE AFFAIR GOING ON THIS SATURDAY DOWN AT THE CWC FOR THE CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF? AND WE CAN TALK OFFLINE IF NEED BE.
BUT I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THAT, THAT IF IT'S NOT RESCINDED, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO US FOR THAT EVENT? SO ANY TIME WE ISSUE A BOIL WATER ADVISORY, THERE ARE MULTIPLE LEVELS OF ADVISORY.
THIS IS VERY LOW, MEANING THAT IT ONLY INVOLVES NOT BEING ABLE TO DRINK IT WITHOUT BOILING IT OR JUST USING BOIL WATER FOR YOUR FOOD.
ONCE YOU COOK, IF YOU COOK ANYTHING, YOU'RE FINE.
YEAH, EVERYTHING'S PREPARED FOR THIS.
YOU CAN WASH YOUR DISHES IF YOU'RE USING.
SOME PEOPLE OUR CONCERN IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY.
IF YOU'RE WASHING DISHES, YOU SHOULD BE USING A COMMERCIAL DISHWASHER TO MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE.
ANY TYPE OF FOOD WHO GOES ON IT, IS SAFE.
BUT YOUR TYPICAL HOUSEHOLD DISHWASHER WOULD ALSO BE FINE.
BUT ANY TIME YOU HANDWASHING, YOU DEFINITELY WOULD WANT TO USE BOIL WATER TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE SANITIZING PROPERLY.
I GOT YOU OK, I JUST WANTED TO ASK BECAUSE OF KNOWING ABOUT THAT EVENT, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND [INAUDIBLE] WATER DOWNSTAIRS TOO.
EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE PRE-- ALL THE DRINKS OR PRE-MADE PRIOR TO THAT.
SO WE'RE NOT USING ANY WATER TO MAKE DRINKS, TEA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
ALL THAT'S ALREADY GOING TO BE DONE BEFORE COMING DOWN.
WELL, THIS EVENING, THIS IS OUR, I GUESS, OUR FIRST CUT AT A PROPOSAL TO BRING TO YOU TO CONSIDER.
AND THESE ARE JUST TWO THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY RIGHT OUT OF THE TWENTY TWENTY RATE STUDY THAT GETTINGGREATRATES.COM BY CARL BROWN PREPARED.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SHOW THIS FIRST THAT OUR FIRST AND NUMBER ONE GOAL WAS TO MAKE SURE WE RECOVER ALL THE COSTS THAT WE HAVE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL FISCAL YEAR.
THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY FACTORS THAT GO INTO THAT.
I WILL COVER SOME OF THAT AS WE GO ALONG, BUT ALSO WE WANT TO COVER OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT COSTS AND SOMETIMES THAT'S IN DEBT SERVICE.
SOMETIMES THAT IS A STRAIGHT FUNDING, EITHER THROUGH OUR RESERVES OR WITH OUR BUDGET ITSELF.
WE HAVE THE REVENUES GENERATED TO PAY FOR THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
[INAUDIBLE] THE 2020 STUDY ANALYZED THAT CURRENT AND PLANNED EXPENSES FOR THE UTILITY TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE WATER AND SEWER RATES FOR YEARS TO COME, NOT JUST FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR, SO THEY LOOKED AT IT A LONG TERM.
LOOK AT OUR LONG TERM CAPITAL EXPENSES TO TRY TO CREATE A PLAN FOR US, NOT FOR JUST ONE YEAR, BUT FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
AND WITH CARL BROWN, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK TO HIM AND HE CAN PROVIDE US [INAUDIBLE] OF A FULL SCALE STUDY AGAIN, THAT WE CAN JUST DO SIMPLE UPDATES BASED ON THE ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE EACH INDIVIDUAL YEAR.
SO THAT'S A RELATIONSHIP THAT WE PLAN TO CONTINUE.
SO JUST A QUICK OVERALL BEFORE WE GET INTO IT, THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PROPOSING ON THE WATER SIDE IS GOING TO INCREASE OUR REVENUES BY TWENTY FOUR POINT SIX PERCENT AND THE SEWER REVENUES WOULD INCREASE BY ONE POINT EIGHT PERCENT.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT OUR WATER INCREASE, OUR WATER RATE PROPOSALS ARE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN THE SEWER RATE PROPOSALS.
THE REASON THAT IS IS, YOU KNOW, BACK IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN, RIGHT AS I WAS GETTING HERE AND THEY HAD ALREADY IMPLEMENTED THE MOST RECENT RATE CHANGE, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE SEWER OVER THE [INAUDIBLE] IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN AND TWENTY SEVENTEEN.
SO THOSE HAVE MAINTAINED PRETTY STEADY AND THERE'S NO NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MATCH INFLATION COST AS WE GO FORWARD.
HOWEVER, WATER HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED THAT WAY.
WE DO HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING THAT WE'VE GOT A PLAN FOR, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT WE NEED TO GET CLOSER-- HAVE A MORE INCREASE NOW AND HOPEFULLY AND THEN SMALLER STEPS AS WE GO EACH INDIVIDUAL YEAR.
AGAIN, IN FUTURE YEARS, WE ARE PROJECTING WATER RATES ARE GOING TO NEED TO INCREASE ANNUALLY.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO HAVE TO OCCUR [INAUDIBLE] HAVE A BIG JUMP
[01:05:03]
LIKE WE DID WITH SEWER BACK IN TWENTY SEVENTEEN TWENTY EIGHTEEN, WE HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT JUMP OVER THIRTY FIVE PERCENT.WE'D LIKE TO KEEP OUR INCREASES SMALLER IN LESS THAN FIVE PERCENT EACH YEAR AND SOMETIMES EVEN SMALLER JUST TO MATCH INFLATION OR ANY TYPE OF OTHER MARKET TRENDS.
AS THE STUDY NOTED, THERE ARE SOME VERY EXPENSIVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS THAT ARE IN OUR BUDGET IN FUTURE YEARS.
WE'VE GOT THE NEW PUMP STATION OF FORCE MAIN COMING UP AND WE ALSO GOT THE PROPOSED WATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
SO THAT STUDY, DOES TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME CHARTS HERE THAT SHOWS WHAT THAT CAN LOOK LIKE AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE YEARS, WHAT OUR REVENUES COULD LOOK LIKE AS WELL AS OUR RESERVES.
SO I WENT BACK A LITTLE BIT TO THE LAST STUDY WE DID BACK IN 2016, AND THIS WAS A QUOTE FROM FROM THE SAME CONSULTANT FROM CARL BROWN.
THE BIG DRIVER OF THE OVERALL LEVEL OF RATES THAT YOU'LL NEED IS DEBT SERVICE THAT WILL INCUR IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO MAKE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT STILL HOLDS TRUE TODAY FOR THIS UTILITY.
SO JUST TO SHOW YOU WHAT SOME OF THOSE ARE [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF AGED PUMPS AND FACILITIES THAT NEED UPDATING.
WE JUST FINISHED OR NEAR NEARLY COMPLETING PUMP STATION NUMBER FIVE.
I'VE SHOWED PICTURES OF THAT IN THE PAST WHERE YOU COULDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE WHAT'S IN THE PUMP STATION.
YOU CAN RECOGNIZE WHAT THE PIPES AND VALVES WERE BECAUSE THEY WERE SO MOLDED TOGETHER WITH RUST AND CORROSION THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE EVEN LOOKING AT.
THAT'S HOW OLD SOME OF OUR SYSTEM IS.
SO WE HAVE SOME UPDATING TO DO THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE OR WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT FAILURES AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THEM AS EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
SO WE'D LIKE TO GET AHEAD OF THOSE.
SAME THING WITH OUR WATER DISTRIBUTION AND SEWER CONVEYANCE PIPES.
WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE OVER 40 YEARS OLD.
EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THE ONE ON ROUTE 460 [INAUDIBLE] 12 INCH LINE.
EVERY TIME WE HAVE AN ISSUE OUT THERE, WE HAVE TO UNCOVER IT.
THAT PIPE PRETTY MUCH JUST FALLS APART AS SOON AS IT SEES OXYGEN.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS EVERY TIME WE OPEN UP THE ROADWAY TO ADDRESS A SEWER FAILURE OUT THERE.
WE ARE STILL LACKING IN TECHNOLOGY IN SEVERAL OF OUR PUMP STATIONS.
WE HAVE UPDATED OUR WATER STATIONS, BUT THERE'S STILL SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE CAN MAKE TO ENSURE THAT THE WATER QUALITY THAT WE'RE SENDING OUT TO EVERYBODY IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE TOP NOTCH.
THERE ARE MEASURES THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE, SUCH AS MONITORING THE CHLORINE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING INTO OUR SYSTEM THROUGH SCADA.
RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT CAPABILITY.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN MONITOR FROM, YOU KNOW, REMOTELY AND BE ABLE TO ADJUST AS WE GET A COMPLAINT EVEN OVER THE WEEKEND.
AND THE NEXT QUOTE ON THIS SLIDE, YOUR OUTSIDE WATER PROVIDER IN YOUR SEWER TREATMENT PROVIDERS ALSO HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT NEEDS, AND THAT'S PRIMARILY TALKING ABOUT THE HOPEWELL SEWER TREATMENT PLAN, AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL, AND WE ALSO PURCHASE WATER FOR G-AMERICA WATER.
SO WE'VE GOT THIRD PARTIES THAT WE DEAL WITH THAT'S GOING ON AND THEIR COSTS ARE GOING TO GO UP AND THAT'S GOING TO BE REFLECTED ON US AS WELL.
THIS IS A CHART FROM BACK IN 2016.
YOU CAN SEE HISTORICALLY THAT THOSE THOSE COSTS TO US FROM THOSE THIRD PARTIES CONTINUE TO CLIMB.
SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE OURSELVES AS WE MOVE ON AS PART OF INFLATION AND JUST THEIR ADDITIONAL COSTS AS THEY IMPROVE THEIR OWN FACILITIES.
SO HERE THIS IS THESE ARE TWO CHARTS ONE'S FOR WATER, ONE'S FOR SEWER, JUST SHOWING THE PROJECTION OF OUR RESERVES, THE RED LINES ON THESE CHARTS, AS IF WE ESSENTIALLY DO NOTHING BUT STILL HAVE PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS BASED ON OUR CIP.
AND THEN THE BLUE LINES, IF WE START MAKING SOME RATE ADJUSTMENTS EACH INDIVIDUAL YEAR TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUSTAIN OUR RESERVES, AS YOU CAN SEE OUT IN FUTURE YEARS, WE DO HAVE THOSE BIG CAPITAL PROJECTS, BOTH FOR WATER AND FOR SEWER.
IF WE DON'T START PLANNING FOR IT NOW AND HAVING THOSE FEES IN PLACE TO COVER THE DEBT SERVICE, OUR RESERVES ARE GOING TO DROP OFF SIGNIFICANTLY.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT RATE INCREASE TO BE ABLE TO COVER THOSE.
AND OBVIOUSLY OUR CUSTOMERS ARE MORE IMPACTED BY THOSE THAN THEY ARE ANYTHING ELSE, AND THEY WILL COME OUT HERE IN DROVES TO SOMETIMES PROTEST.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM IS ANOTHER QUOTE.
TIME IS MONEY OFTEN VERY BIG WHEN IT COMES TO RATE SETTING.
A RATE INCREASE DELAYS IS JUST A RATE INCREASE THAT MUST BE EVEN HIGHER TO REACH THE SAME RESERVE TARGETS.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A GLANCE OF WHO OUR CUSTOMERS ARE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT WE PREPARE FOR OUR ANNUAL REPORT.
[01:10:02]
SO IF THAT LOOKS FAMILIAR, THAT'S WHERE THIS CAME FROM.I WANTED TO SHOW THAT OVER 90 PERCENT OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE RESIDENTIAL.
HOWEVER, THEY ONLY CONSUME LESS THAN 60 PERCENT OF THE ACTUAL WATER USE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE NON RESIDENTIAL USE MAKES UP JUST OVER EIGHT PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL CUSTOMERS, BUT THEY USE OVER 40 PERCENT OF THE WATER THAT WE SERVE.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR WATER AND SEWER RATES.
WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT IMPACTS BOTH.
MOST PEOPLE SAY, YES, YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THE RESIDENTIAL, AND THAT IS VERY TRUE.
WE'RE GOING TO IMPACT THEM THE MOST.
HOWEVER, WE DO IMPACT COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES, TOO.
THERE ARE SOME SMALL FAMILY, MOM AND POP STORES THAT WE COULD HEAVILY IMPACT WITH THESE RATES, SO WE TRY TO DO THIS FAIRLY.
AND THAT'S WHY WE DO HIRE A CONSULTANT BECAUSE WE TRY TO TAKE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND IMPLEMENT THOSE BECAUSE THEY USUALLY HAVE A MUCH BETTER REASON FOR WHY THESE RATES MAKE SENSE AND WE CAN JUSTIFY IT TO THESE CUSTOMERS AS TO WHY WE MADE THESE CHANGES.
SO NOW WE GET INTO THE ACTUAL RECOMMENDED CHANGES VERSUS THE FIXED OF MINIMUM CHARGE, THIS MINIMUM CHARGE IS FOR ALL OF OUR SEWER ACCOUNTS.
EXCUSE ME, ALL OF OUR WATER AND SEWER ACCOUNTS, AND IT'S BASED ON THE METER SIZE ITSELF.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FOR THE RESIDENTIAL SIZE METERS, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY YOUR FIVE METERS ARE SOME RESIDENTIAL THAT DOES USE THREE QUARTER INCH.
BUT THAT'S VERY FEW AND FAR IN BETWEEN.
BUT YOU CAN SEE ON THE WATER SIDE, THEY HAVE JUST ABOUT A $4 INCREASE ON THE WATER AND ABOUT A $6 INCREASE, JUST OVER $6 INCREASE ON THE SEWER.
AND SO YOU COMBINE THOSE AND I'LL GET INTO SOME OF THESE TOTALS HERE IN A MINUTE.
BUT YOU CAN SEE JUST ON THE WATER SIDE, IT'S A TWENTY TWO POINT SIX PERCENT INCREASE ON THE WATER AND THIRTY FOUR POINT ONE PERCENT INCREASE ON THE SEWER ON JUST THESE MINIMUM CHARGES.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE LARGER METERS HAVE ACTUALLY REDUCED MINIMUM CHARGE.
SOME OF THEM QUITE SIGNIFICANT.
AND AGAIN THESE ARE, THIS IS RIGHT OUT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM GETTING RATES, GETTING GREAT RATES.
BUT I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS THAT I HAVE ALSO GOING TO MAKE SOME CHANGES AS WE GO ALONG.
I'LL POINT THESE OUT, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT THOSE ARE.
AND THESE ARE BEING MINIMUM CHARGES.
THAT'S REVENUE LOST, THAT'S GUARANTEED.
SINCE IT'S NOT BASED ON AMOUNT OF WATER OR SEWER CONVEYANCE USED, THAT'S REVENUES ABSOLUTELY LOST.
SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER SLIDES YOU'LL SEE.
I'VE MADE SOME CHANGES TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE GET SOME OF THOSE REVENUES BACK.
WHAT? EXCUSE ME, WHAT IS THE DRIVER BETWEEN FOR THAT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND MR. BROWN ADDRESSED THAT IN HIS REPORT.
ESSENTIALLY, THERE'S NOT A GREAT DEAL MORE COST INVOLVED TO PROVIDE WATER TO SOMEBODY WHO USES A LARGER METER.
SO THE COST FOR THE UTILITY TO PROVIDE WATER TO SOMEBODY FOR A ONE INCH METER IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM SOMEBODY WHO USES A THREE OR FOUR INCH METER.
SO THAT WAS HIS JUSTIFICATION, WHICH IS TRUE.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT YOU ARE CHANGING THE PIPE SIZES TO ACCOMMODATE THESE FOLKS.
SO WE ARE GOING TO RESERVE MORE CAPACITY.
IT DOES MEAN THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL STORAGE CAPACITY FOR US IN OUR SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FIRE SUPPLY.
SO THERE ARE SOME ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THESE.
WE CAN MAINTAIN THESE AS OR MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT CHARGES IF WE LIKE.
HOWEVER, THIS IS MORE DEFENSIBLE IN A SENSE.
IF SOMEBODY DID COME UP HERE NOW THAT WE'VE HAD THIS STUDY AND THEY BROUGHT IT TO LIGHT.
THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ARGUING FOR.
HOWEVER, WE CAN STILL DEFEND OUR CURRENT RATES AS WELL.
IT WAS THIS OFFSET BECAUSE OF THE PIPE SIZE, THE VOLUME INCREASE, IS THAT THE OFFSETTING THAT TO WHY THE PRICE IS LESS? WELL, THE JUSTIFICATION FOR WHY HE REDUCED THEM IS SIMPLY BECAUSE THE ACTUAL COST OF UTILITY TO PROVIDE THE WATER FOR A DIFFERENT METER SIZE IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT SO THAT WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT JUMPS IN OUR IN OUR CURRENT RATES, OUR CURRENT MINIMUM CHARGES.
HE'S SUGGESTING THAT WE TAKE SMALLER JUMPS AND EVENTUALLY THESE MAY EVEN LEVEL OUT EVEN MORE, EVEN GET SMALLER OVER TIME.
HOWEVER, I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING ANYTIME SOON.
OBVIOUSLY, WE DO NEED TO HAVE THESE MINIMUM REVENUES COMING INTO THE COUNTY.
IF I WAS A RESIDENT, IT WOULD BE A GOOD QUESTION.
HEY, EVERYTHING ELSE IS GOING UP FIVE SIX BUCKS AND THIS IS GOING DOWN ALMOST SEVEN BUCKS.
THERE'S NO DOUBT, BUT AS I'LL GET TO IN A MINUTE, WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO DEFINITELY LEVEL OUT THE PLAYING FIELD TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS MORE ON LEVEL GROUND AND THAT LARGER METER SIZE WOULD TYPICALLY POINT TO THAT BEING COMMERCIAL, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL OR SOME TYPE OF EITHER SCHOOL OR GOVERNMENT USE THAT HAS A LOT OF EITHER EMPLOYEES OR JUST INDIVIDUAL WORKERS ALTOGETHER.
AND I UNDERSTAND IN THE REPORT ABOUT THE SUPPLYING OF THE WATER, BUT TO ME, THE BIGGER IMPACT IS FROM THAT COMMERCIAL USE, WHEN YOU'RE STARTING TO BASICALLY RESERVE OR SET ASIDE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO NEED X AMOUNT.
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT SAME REQUIREMENT FROM A RESIDENTIAL.
[01:16:11]
AND TO ME THAT WHEN WE START THINKING ABOUT OTHER BUSINESS COMING IN AND WHAT SOMEONE HAS KIND OF RESERVED OR SET ASIDE FOR THEM, WHETHER THEY'RE USING IT OR NOT, THAT PLAYS A BIGGER IMPACT INTO THE OVERALL SYSTEM.IF WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE CAPACITY FOR OTHER BUSINESSES? SO TO ME, I THINK THE HIGHER RATE IS APPROPRIATE MORE OR MORE THAN WHAT THAT SHOWS IN THAT PROPOSED BI MONTHLY.
AND I KNOW YOU SAID YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT CHART, SO.
YEAH, AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS COMING IN.
WE USUALLY ADDRESSED THOSE CAPACITY ISSUES THROUGH THE CONNECTION FEES, NOT THROUGH MINIMUM CHARGES.
AND I'LL ADDRESS THOSE IN A MINUTE AS WELL.
SO HERE'S ONE OF THE ITEMS I WANTED TO ADDRESS, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO SHOW YOU ON THIS SLIDE WITHOUT HAVING ANOTHER LARGE SLIDE RIGHT BESIDE IT.
BUT FIRST OFF, I WANTED TO SHOW ESSENTIALLY THAT THE NEW PROPOSED RATES PER TIER, IF YOU WILL.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE COUNTY HAS THREE TIERS FOR AN AMOUNT OF BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF WATER YOU USE EACH MONTH OR BI MONTHLY.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE RATE INCREASES ARE JUMPING FROM ESSENTIALLY 30 PERCENT FOR EACH TIER.
EXCEPT FOR THAT, THAT TOP TIER IS ONLY JUMPING 19 PERCENT.
AND I'M GOING TO DISCUSS THAT IN A MINUTE, BUT THE CONSULTANT DID RECOMMEND INCREASING THAT 30 PERCENT AS WELL.
BUT ON THIS TABLE, YOU ALSO SEE WHAT'S CALLED THE RAPE BLOCK FOR THE FIVE H AND THREE QUARTER INCH METERS.
AND ANYTHING OVER 20 IS THAT THIRD BLOCK.
HOWEVER, FOR THE ONE INCH METER, IT USED TO BE FROM ZERO TO EIGHT.
AND THEN FROM EIGHT, EXCUSE ME, I THOUGHT I HAD THAT OVER HERE FOR ME.
GIVE ME ONE SECOND, I'LL TELL YOU.
AND WENT FROM ZERO TO EIGHT AND THEN FROM EIGHT TO TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND AND THEN TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND AND GREATER WAS THIS NEXT YEAR.
AND THERE ARE SOME EACH ONE OF THOSE HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, ESSENTIALLY REDUCING THOSE NUMBERS SO THAT YOU GET INTO THE NEXT TIER QUICKER.
SO WHAT THAT DID, I ACTUALLY RAN A SPREADSHEET, JUST LOOKED AT EACH EACH ONE OF THE METER SIZES BASED ON WHAT THE NEW MINIMUM CHARGES ARE, BASED ON WHAT THESE NEW RATES ARE AND HOW MUCH USAGE THEY'RE USING, AND FIGURED OUT THAT WE ACTUALLY GOING TO INCREASE THE REVENUE TO THE COUNTY BY REDUCING THESE RATE BLOCKS.
SO THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THOSE MINIMUM CHARGES COMING DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY BY REDUCING THESE RATE BLOCKS.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ASK WHEN I WAS ASKING ABOUT OFFSET BY VOLUME.
SO AND ME PERSONALLY, THE VOLUME OF WATER IS EVEN LESS SIGNIFICANT AND HOW WE PROVIDE WATER TO YOU.
WE'RE JUST ALLOWING YOU TO POOL WATER.
IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT METER SIZE IT IS, WE STILL CAN PROVIDE WATER TO YOU AND YOU'RE GETTING THAT WATER.
SO IT REALLY TO ME, I LIKE TO SEE THOSE RATE BLOCKS COME DOWN EVEN FURTHER IN FUTURE YEARS AS WE INSTEAD OF ADDRESS, ADDRESS AND PRIMARILY THE COST PER THOUSAND GALLONS, WE WOULD JUST ADDRESS THE RATE BLOCKS THEMSELVES TO TRY TO GET THOSE DOWN TO A SINGLE RATE BLOCK.
THE OTHER THING THAT THE REASON WHY I'VE REDUCED THAT TOP TIER FROM 30 PERCENT INCREASE TO JUST A 19 PERCENT INCREASE IS OVER TIME.
I LIKE TO SEE US REDUCED THE NUMBER OF TIERS WE HAVE.
THERE'S NO REASON TO HAVE THREE.
SOME PEOPLE JUST SAY, WELL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TIERS, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE AT LEAST THREE.
BUT THERE'S NOBODY SAYS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE.
NOBODY SAYS EVEN YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE TWO.
SO THE COST OF PROVIDING WATER IS THE COST OF PROVIDING WATER, NO MATTER HOW MUCH WATER YOU'RE PROVIDING.
SO THERE'S ARGUMENTS FOR THIS IN EVERY WAY.
[01:20:01]
NOW THERE ARE SOME FOLKS THAT WANT TO ENCOURAGE CONSERVATION OF WATER BY INCREASING THE COST BY AS YOU USE MORE WATER.BUT WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO IN THIS CASE IS YOU'LL SEE THAT THE LOWEST TIER INCREASE OF ABOUT NINETY TWO CENTS, EXCUSE ME, JUST UNDER JUST OVER 90 CENTS AND THE MIDDLE TIER INCREASED OVER A DOLLAR.
BUT YET THE TOP TIER ONLY INCREASED, I BELIEVE, 70 CENTS.
SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS ELIMINATE ONE OF THOSE TIERS EVENTUALLY AND BRING THAT SECOND TIER CLOSER TO THE THIRD TIER.
AND THAT WAY, WE'RE GETTING MORE REVENUE JUST BY, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S OUR CONSERVATION METHOD IS BY INCREASING THAT MIDDLE TIER.
SO THAT WILL STILL BE MEETING ANYBODY WHO'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ISSUE GRANTS ARE GOING TO LOOK AT, HOW ARE YOU? HOW ARE YOU CONSERVING WATER? THAT'S ONE OF OUR WAYS OF ADDRESSING THAT.
AND ALSO, IF YOU ONLY HAD ONE TIER, THOUGH, LET'S JUST TAKE IF THAT WAS TRUE FOR RESIDENTIAL.
CUSTOMER ONE WHO HAS SPRINKLER SYSTEM WOULD USE MORE WATER THAN CUSTOMER B, THAT DOESN'T.
BUT YET, IF THERE WAS ONLY ONE TIER, BOTH WOULD BE PAYING THE SAME RATE.
WELL, IT WOULDN'T BE BENEFICIAL SO YOU CAN PUT A SEPARATE METER.
THAT'D BE FOOLISH TO TURN AROUND AND TRY TO, IN MY MIND, YOU'D WANT A SEPARATE METER IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SPRINKLER SYSTEM.
MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM WOULD USE A SEPARATE IRRIGATION METER.
OH, THE FACT THAT WE DO USE THOSE.
ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO IRRIGATE, WE DO OFFER FOR RESIDENTIAL.
WE OFFER METERS FOR USE AND THEY CAN CALL IT IN WHAT THE WHAT THE WATER USAGE IS.
WE PREFER THAT THEY ACTUALLY INSTALL THEM IN THE GROUND.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME THAT THEY CAN HOOK UP TO THEIR HOSE BILL.
NOW FOR COMMERCIAL METERS, WE MAKE THEM PAY FOR IT.
WE MAKE THEM PAY A SEPARATE CONNECTION FEE FOR IT.
AND IN THAT WAY, IF THEY'RE USING A LARGE VOLUME OF IRRIGATION AND IT'S NOT GOING INTO SEWERS, THEY'RE NOT BEING CHARGED FOR THEIR SEWER COSTS.
I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT MEASUREMENT IS MORE FOR SEWER SAVINGS THAN IT IS FOR WATER SAVINGS, AND HAVING NO WATER SAVINGS IS ONLY ON THE SEWER.
SO THAT WAS, AGAIN, THE RATE BLOCK IS WHAT WE ADDRESS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE OFFSET THE LOSS OF REVENUES BASED ON THOSE MINIMUM CHARGES.
WHAT THIS DOES DO, THOUGH, IS MAKE IT A PUTS THE CONTROL BACK INTO THE USER, THE CUSTOMER, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY NOW TO REDUCE THEIR COST AND IF THEY WANT TO CONSERVE WATER BY USING LESS WATER THAN THEY CAN DO SO AND OR THEY WANT TO SAVE MORE MONEY BY USING LESS WATER.
THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SO BY JUST SIMPLY TURNING DOWN THE TAP.
CONNECTION CHARGES, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PRIMARY CHANGES IN RESIDENTIAL AS THEY BOTH INCREASED $1000 PER UTILITY, 1000 FOR WATER, 1000 FOR SEWER, FOR RESIDENTIAL AND THEN I WANTED YOU'LL SEE THE CONSULTANT TO THE LEFT CONSULTANT RECOMMENDED REDUCED CHARGES FOR THE WATER CUSTOMERS DID NOT RECOMMEND REDUCE.
THEY ACTUALLY INCREASED THE CHARGES FOR THE SEWER.
BUT YOU CAN SEE HERE IT DID RECOMMEND REDUCED CONNECTION CHARGES.
HOWEVER, I DO NOT THINK IT'S FAIR FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY CAME INTO OUR SYSTEM AND PAID CONNECTION CHARGES AT A HIGHER RATE THAT NEW CUSTOMERS COME IN AND ARE CHARGED A SMALLER RATE.
SO I AM KEEPING THOSE RATES THE SAME AND NOT REDUCING THOSE.
THE QUESTION ABOUT CONNECTION CHARGES, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE FOR NEW CUSTOMERS COMING IN.
A PORTION OF THESE COSTS PAYS DOWN OUR DEBT SERVICE.
WE TRY TO TIE THOSE INTO OUR NEW, NEW IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FACILITY AND CAPITAL EXPANSION.
WHAT IT'S WORTH, I AGREE WITH THE LOGIC.
SO THIS WAS, AGAIN, JUST PART OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY RIGHT OUT OF THE 2020 STUDY BY GETTING GREAT RACECARS.
AND THIS IS JUST AGAIN JUST A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE JUST LOOKED OVER.
BUT I WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THE TOTAL COMBINED WATER AND SEWER BILL FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS IS GOING TO INCREASE ON A BI MONTHLY BASIS BY $22 AND 16 CENTS BASED ON USING THE AVERAGE OF 10000 GALLONS PER TWO MONTHS.
SO THAT'S HOW WE TYPICALLY RATE THOSE.
THERE'S ACTUALLY IF YOU AND WE DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THIS, BUT WE WILL BE IN FUTURE YEARS.
BUT ONE OF OUR CONSULTANTS ACTUALLY GATHERS INFORMATION FROM ALL UTILITIES ACROSS THE STATE FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO CONTRIBUTE, AND THEY ALL ESSENTIALLY SEND IN THEIR INFORMATION ON WHAT THEIR BILLING RATES ARE AND WHAT THE COST IS TO A CUSTOMER
[01:25:02]
BASED ON THE SAME INFORMATION WE'RE SHARING UP THERE SO THAT WE CAN COMPARE OURSELVES TO EVERY UTILITY ACROSS THE STATE THAT DOES SUBMIT IT SO WE CAN SEE WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS ARE CHARGING FOR THE SAME TYPE OF SERVICES.AND I'LL BE HAPPY WE ACTUALLY THAT REPORT JUST CAME OUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD, IF YOU SO DESIRE TO SEE IT.
I'D LIKE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT.
I WOULD SAY, SEND IT TO THE ENTIRE BOARD, WOULD YOU SAY? YES, SIR.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO ADDRESS ON THIS SLIDE IS THE AFFORDABLE AFFORDABILITY INDEX.
THE AFFORDABILITY INDEX IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY UTILITY TRIES TO MEASURE UP AGAINST AS FAR AS THE MEDIAN.
THEY COMPARE IT TO MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
WHAT PERCENT ARE THEY PAYING TOWARDS THE UTILITY? AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, WE ARE CURRENTLY ONLY 0.6 EIGHT PERCENT ON OUR WATER RATES AND WE ARE AT ONE POINT FIVE EIGHT PERCENT ON OUR SEWER RATE.
SO FOR WE HAVE A COMBINED TWO POINT TWO SIX PERCENT AS OUR AFFORDABILITY INDEX FOR THE COUNTY, FOR COUNTY UTILITIES.
THE EPA STATES THAT THERE SHOULD BE WATER CHARGES IN EXCESS OF TWO POINT FIVE OR COMBINED A FOUR POINT FIVE FOR THE FOR BOTH WATER AND SEWER IS UNAFFORDABLE.
OR HALF OF THAT NUMBER RIGHT NOW, SO WE ARE WELL BELOW THE UNAFFORDABLE MARK.
HOWEVER, I ALSO WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT LAST BULLET POINT.
THERE ARE SOME GRANT PROGRAMS OUT THERE THAT HAVE SOME TYPE OF CRITERIA TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RATES ARE STABLE ENOUGH TO FUND OUR FUTURE, THAT WHEN THEY LOOK AT OUR RATES, THEY WANT TO SEE AFFORDABILITY INDEX OF A MINIMUM OF ONE BEFORE THEY'LL GRANT, GIVE US THE GRANT.
BUT EVEN THEN, AFTER THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE DONE, THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT TOO UNAFFORDABLE.
SO THEY ACTUALLY BASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT WE STAY UNDER THAT TWO PERCENT MARK.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN WE'RE GOING OUT TO THE TO AGENCIES TO REQUEST FOR FUNDS.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT.
I HAVE NOT LOOKED TO SEE WHERE THESE PROPOSED RATES WILL GET US.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S GOING TO GET US CLOSER TO THAT ONE PERCENT.
I'D STILL THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT SHY OF ONE PERCENT ON THE WATER AND SEWER IS NOT CHANGING VERY MUCH AT ALL.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE WE'RE NOT GOING TO APPROACH TWO PERCENT AT ALL ON THE SEWER SIDE.
JUST RECENTLY, I JUST MENTIONED THE HOW WE COMPARE WITH OTHER LOCALITIES BY FIGURING IN THAT EVERY CUSTOMER IS USING 10000 GALLONS EVERY TWO MONTHS.
AND I WANT TO JUST SHOW YOU WHAT OUR CURRENT RATES CHARGE AND WHAT OUR PROPOSED RATES ARE GOING TO BE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR BASE CHARGE OR US ARE WHAT'S OUR MINIMUM CHARGE INCREASES? ARE YOU SEE WHAT THE USAGE IS FOR THE FIRST SIX THOUSAND GALLONS AND THEN THE SHOW WHAT THAT ADDITIONAL 4000 GALLONS IS GOING TO BE.
WE'VE GOT TO SHOW THAT SECOND TIER COST AS WELL.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THOSE TOTALS ARE.
AND THEN FOR EACH TOTAL BILL, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AGAIN, I SAID TO MENTION ONLY A 22 DOLLAR AND 16 CENT INCREASE PER BILL.
AND THEN THE ACTUAL PER YEAR, YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND ABOUT $133 MORE EACH YEAR ON THE ON UTILITIES, AND THAT'S ASSUMING THAT YOU ACTUALLY USE 10000 GALLONS PER DAY.
MY UNDERSTANDING BASED ON WHAT OUR AVERAGES ARE, WE'RE IN THE RANGE OF JUST BELOW 9000 GALLONS PER DAY.
SO THOSE FOLKS ARE USING THAT AMOUNT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE BIT LESS EVERY DAY OR SORRY, I'M SORRY.
IS THERE A MINIMUM CHARGE? AGAIN, THOSE MINIMUM CHARGES ARE THE BASE CHARGE UP THERE.
SO EACH CUSTOMER IS CHARGED A MINIMUM CHARGE BASED ON THEIR METER SIZE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THAT FIRST COLUMN OR FIRST ROW IS 12 CORRECT.
AND YES, IN THE NINE THOUSAND IS PER TWO MONTHS.
BOARD KNOTT PER DAY, IF I DID SAY PER DAY, I JUST GET USED TO SAYING PER DAY TOO MUCH.
THAT'S THE AVERAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS.
THAT'S THE AVERAGE THAT PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY HAS RIGHT NOW.
WELL, AND THAT'S TYPICAL OF A THREE TO FOUR PERSON HOUSEHOLD, THAT FAMILY USING FAMILY OF THREE OR FOUR KNOW USING YOUR TYPICAL WATER USAGE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS SLIDE? I DO WANT TO MENTION THE VERY BOTTOM THERE.
WE DO HAVE A RATE FOR NON METERED SEWER CUSTOMERS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE CURRENT RATE IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE THAT.
THE STUDY DID LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE BIT AND BECAUSE OF I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME
[01:30:03]
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST.ARE WE BEING FAIR TO THOSE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE FLAT RATE PAYING ESSENTIALLY $180 EVERY TWO MONTHS FOR SEWER.
AND THIS IS WHAT THE WHAT THE STUDY CAME UP WITH, AND ESSENTIALLY WE HAVE 307 CUSTOMERS.
MANY OF THOSE IN DISPUTANTA AND SOME OF THEM IN FOUNTAIN RIDGE THAT ARE NOT METERED AT ALL.
THEY HAVE EITHER PRIVATE WELLS, ESSENTIALLY, ALL OF THEM HAVE PRIVATE WELLS.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE CONSIDERED UNMETERED BECAUSE WE DON'T METER THEIR WATER? CORRECT, YEAH WE DO NOT HAVE WATER SERVICE IN THAT AREA.
RIGHT, WE DON'T METER, WE DON'T METER ANY SEWERS, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE ARE SOME THAT WE DO FOR COMMERCIAL, BUT THERE ARE SOME COMMERCIAL SIZE, SEWER METERS, BUT NO RESIDENT THAT I HAD HEARD THAT BEFORE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR.
OH, IN HIS REPORT, HE MENTIONS GENERALLY THAT MOST UNMETERED CUSTOMERS GENERALLY USE MORE WATER THAN THOSE WHO ARE METERED.
I CAN TELL YOU WHEN I WAS UNMETERED, I USED A LOT OF WATER AND I TOOK THAT TREND TO MY HOUSE THAT WAS METERED AND I STARTED REALIZING I'M USING A LOT OF WATER, SO I STARTED CUTTING BACK ON MY WATER USAGE.
SO I KNOW THAT TO BE SOMEWHAT TRUE, GENERALLY TRUE.
SO WE ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT THIS.
AND AGAIN, THIS THIS EIGHT, THERE'S THAT AVERAGE EIGHTY FOUR FIFTY SIX GALLONS OF WHAT THE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY USING.
IT'S ACTUALLY PROBABLY A BIT MORE THAN THAT NOW, BUT THE AVERAGE BI MONTHLY USE FOR METERED ACCOUNTS IS 8400.
SO WHICH, IF YOU ASSUME IS 25 PERCENT MORE THAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO THAT TEN THOUSAND GALLON RANGE.
SO THAT BEING SAID, IF THEY ARE USING 10000 GALLONS, THEN WE COULD BE CHARGED THEM ANYWHERE BETWEEN $113 AND $121.
SO HE COMES BACK AND SAYS ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE ARE CHARGING THEM IS FAIR AND DID NOT RECOMMEND CHANGING THE CURRENT RATE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HIRED DAVENPORT TO DO A UTILITY PRO FORMA AND THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HIGHLIGHTED.
BUT AS FAR AS DOING A RATE PROPOSAL, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COME BACK TO THIS.
WE DO HAVE SOME STRONG RESERVES RIGHT NOW, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO DIP INTO THOSE AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO TRY TO LIMIT SOME OF THESE RATE INCREASES.
WE'VE HAD DONE THAT IN THE PAST AND AS NEEDED FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, FOR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT WE GET THE IMPROVEMENTS NECESSARY.
BUT WE DO WANT TO MAINTAIN THOSE.
WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC FINANCIAL POLICY ON RESERVES.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, POSSIBLY PUTTING IN PLACE WITH THE BOARD'S INPUT ON HOW WE SHOULD MAINTAIN A CERTAIN NUMBER FOR RESERVES OR CERTAIN PERCENTAGE AND HOW WE SHOULD SPEND THAT IF NECESSARY.
AND THEN, AS YOU CAN SEE, FROM FISCAL YEAR 17 TO 22 THE COMBINED OPERATING REVENUE WAS OUTPACING THE COMBINED OPERATING EXPENDITURE.
NOW I WAS HERE FOR A MAJORITY OF THAT TIME.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE MAJORITY OF THAT TIME, THE REASON WHY WE DIDN'T, THAT IS LESS THAT'S A GOOD THING.
HOWEVER, WE DIDN'T DO THE PROJECTS THAT WE NEEDED TO GET DONE AND WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING MORE PROJECTS.
AND IT TOOK ME SOME TIME TO REALIZE THAT IN MY FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS HERE.
BUT NOW WE KNOW THAT WHERE WE NEED TO GO, THAT'S GOING TO BE FLIPPED.
WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO START SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN WHAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE TO GET THIS INFRASTRUCTURE UP TO PAR.
AND FINALLY, WE KNOW WE GOT SOME BIG FUTURE CIP NEEDS AND TO KEEP UP WITH THAT, THEY WERE RECOMMENDING A TEN POINT TWO PERCENT PER YEAR IN THE WATER FUND AND THEN A FIVE PERCENT PER YEAR IN THE SEWER FUND.
THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT GETTING GREAT RATES RECOMMENDED, THEY SUGGESTED.
AFTER WE DO THIS INITIAL INCREASE ON THE WATER THAT WE DO A FIVE PERCENT INCREASE EACH YEAR, WHICH IF AGAIN, THEY JUST DID TEN POINT TWO ACROSS THE BOARD.
BUT IF WE DO A LARGER INCREASE FIRST, THAT MIGHT BRING THAT DOWN.
BUT AGAIN, SOME OF THESE FUNDS, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO GET NOT ONLY FROM RATES, BUT WE MAY NEED TO ALSO LOOK AT OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS OR GRANTS TO BE ABLE TO FUND THESE FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN CAPITAL NEEDS.
SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AS WELL.
WE ALSO ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE SOME INFRASTRUCTURE BILLS OUT THERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, AND WE'RE HEARING SOME GOOD THINGS AND WE'RE HEARING SOME THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF SCARY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S FUNDS OUT THERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO AFTER IT AS BEST AS WE CAN.
WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO UTILIZE SOME CONSULTANTS TO ASSIST US IN DOING SO.
BUT THE VALUE OF USING THEM IS GOING TO BE IT'S GOING TO PAY ITSELF OFF IN THE LONG
[01:35:01]
RUN.DOES HE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY...
GET SOME PROFITS ON TOWNHOUSES OR SOMETHING MAYBE.
ANY QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS FOR MR. HALTOM? I'M GOOD.
AND I WILL BE PREPARING MY BUDGET BASED ON THOSE NUMBERS THAT WERE SHOWN TODAY AS THE PROPOSAL.
AND SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD IN THAT DIRECTION.
MR. CHAIRMAN, AS WE CONTINUE ALONG IN THE WORK SESSION AGENDA, NEXT UP IS THE DRAFT FY 23 BUDGET CALENDAR AND TIMELINES MS. DREWRY.
AND IN YOUR PACKET AT YOUR PLACES AFTER THE POWERPOINT ON BENEFITS, THERE IS A DRAFT BUDGET CALENDAR FOR FY 22-23.
AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, WE SUSPENDED OUR NORMAL CIP COMMITTEE PROCESS SO THAT LIMITED THE ACTIVITY AUGUST THROUGH NOVEMBER.
WE DID TALK WITH YOU ABOUT PRIORITIES IN OCTOBER AND I'VE SENT A SPREADSHEET OUT TO YOU A COUPLE OF TIMES AND HAVEN'T GOTTEN A GREAT DEAL OF FEEDBACK ON CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT, THAT'S THE NEXT TOPIC OF DISCUSSION.
AND WE'LL TALK THROUGH WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO ESTABLISH WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN TWENTY THREE, IF ANYTHING.
I DID SEND OUT THE BUDGET TEMPLATES TO DEPARTMENT HEADS AND BUDGET MANAGERS ON DECEMBER THE 6TH.
OF COURSE, TONIGHT IS YOUR OPENING PRE-BUDGET WORK SESSION AND THE DEPARTMENT REQUESTS ARE DUE BACK TO MY OFFICE ON JANUARY THE 7TH.
WE ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH THOSE REQUESTS AND WE WILL SCHEDULE MEETINGS WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND BUDGET MANAGERS, AND WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND THAT TO PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE THAT HAS A BUDGET.
WE'RE GOING TO INVITE THEM TO A MEETING, WHICH WE WILL VIDEO RECORD IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DO, SO THAT YOU CAN REVIEW THOSE FIRSTHAND AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.
MY WORK SCHEDULE DOESN'T PERMIT ME TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BUDGET MANAGERS AND DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE BETTER PREPARED WHEN THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON VIDEO AND THERE PACKET IS A LITTLE MORE POLISHED WHEN THEY KNOW IT'S GOING TO GET EMAILED TO YOU ALL.
SO YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE WATCHING NOW, YOU KNOW? AND YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE HAVE SOME NEW LEADERSHIP, SO WE'LL BE COACHING THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND CERTAINLY, WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE AN INTIMIDATING PROCESS, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY NEED TO THINK THROUGH AND TAKE SERIOUSLY.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL GOING TO ENCOUNTER SURPRISES IN OUR OPERATIONS, BUT THE MORE WE CAN PLAN, THE BETTER OFF EVERYONE IS SO.
SO WE WILL HAVE THOSE MEETINGS WITH STAFF JANUARY 10TH, ESSENTIALLY THROUGH FEBRUARY 11TH, WILL WE'LL BE HAVING THOSE MEETINGS? WE DON'T HAVE RIGHT NOW ONE ON YOUR CALENDAR ANY PRE-BUDGET WORK SESSION SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY.
BASED ON YOUR FEEDBACK WITH HEALTH INSURANCE, WE MIGHT NEED TO SCHEDULE ONE MAYBE FOR LATER IN THE MONTH WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO GET SOME INFORMATION FROM MARK THREE.
BUT YEAH, THAT WOULD WORK WELL.
WE'LL TALK WITH YOU, MAYBE AT YOUR REGULAR ONE OF YOUR REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS IN JANUARY ABOUT SOME DATES.
IF WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO GET FEEDBACK, IT MAY TAKE THEM SOME TIME TO DO A FULL SHOP.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, PROBABLY IN JANUARY, SO WE'LL-- I THINK MS. HURT WENT BACK TO HER OFFICE AND EMAILED MARCHING ORDERS TO MARK THREE THAT WE WANT A FULL SHOP.
SO WE DO HAVE A PRE-BUDGET WORK SESSION SCHEDULED OR ON THE DRAFT CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY 17TH.
AND WE MET WITH MS. PRINCE, MR., STOKE AND I DID.
AND YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT NEEDS TO BE A MEETING WHERE WE'RE FOCUSED ON REVENUES, WHAT WE THINK ARE PERSONAL PROPERTY, WHAT WE THINK THE SALES TAX IS LOOKING LIKE, WHERE WE'RE TRENDING IN A NUMBER OF AREAS.
AND THE BIGGEST GENERAL FUND SOURCE, OF COURSE, IS OUR REAL PROPERTY TAX.
SO SHE THINKS REALISTICALLY, BASED ON THE WORK THAT MR. MYERS IS DOING IN HER OFFICE NOW WITH HER NEW SYSTEM, THAT SHE THINKS SHE CAN GET US A GOOD PROJECTION FOR REAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES BY THAT TIME.
[01:40:03]
WE'LL OBVIOUSLY NEED TO START TALKING WITH THE BOARD ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF AN INCREASE AND WHAT EQUALIZATION WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT THAT ASSESSED VALUE GROWTH IS NET OF NEW CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENTS, BECAUSE THAT'S A REAL CONVERSATION.I KNEW AND THE RECENTLY IN THE NEWS, YOU HAVE SOME LARGER LOCALITIES THAT HAVE ALREADY ANNOUNCED THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A REAL ESTATE TAX REDUCTION, AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT IT'S GOING HAND IN HAND WITH AN ASSESSED VALUE INCREASE.
RIGHT, RIGHT, SO WE DO HAVE WE'LL BE FINE TUNING REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, OBVIOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER PRE-BUDGET WORK SESSION ON THE DRAFT CALENDAR FOR THE 23RD ON MARCH ONE, WE HAVE ANOTHER PRE-BUDGET WORK SESSION AT THOSE MEETINGS.
IF YOU'D LIKE FOR THE PROCESS TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO HOW IT WAS FOR TWENTY TWO.
WE'LL HAVE SPREADSHEETS WITH THE REQUESTS FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO SCORE WHAT YOU THINK YOUR PRIORITIES ARE BASED ON OUR AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND TRY TO STAY WITHIN RESOURCES.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE TO PRESENT A BALANCED BUDGET.
WE DON'T WANT TO RELY ON FUND BALANCE AND WE MIGHT HAVE TO DO THAT PREDICATED ON MAYBE DROPPING THE TAX RATE IF THAT'S THE BOARD'S PLEASURE.
SO, MR. STOKE AND I, WE'LL PUT OUR THINKING CAPS ON AND TALK ABOUT HOW BEST TO PACKAGE THAT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AND WE PLAN ON MARCH 8TH WITH YOUR FEEDBACK ON THE FIRST TO PREPARE THE INTRODUCED BUDGET.
THAT'S A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE, AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF WORK SESSIONS IN BETWEEN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE NEED TO ADD SOME, WE CERTAINLY CAN SO THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO ESTABLISH YOUR PRIORITIES BASED ON THE REQUESTS.
THE FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCED BUDGET PRESENTATION THAT WE'VE PUT IN THERE FOR YOUR INFORMATION THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION IS SCHEDULED TO END ON MARCH THE 12TH.
YOU KNOW, THOSE SALARY INCREASE NUMBERS THAT I GAVE YOU DID NOT INCLUDE ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE DICTATED TO US BY THE COMP BOARD, BY SOCIAL SERVICES OR ANY OTHER STATE SUPPORTED EMPLOYEES.
I KNOW DENISE WAFF, OUR COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS DIRECTOR, MENTIONED THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD INDICATED THAT THERE WOULD BE.
HE WANTED AN INCREASE FOR PROBATION OFFICERS, STATE SUPPORTED PROBATION OFFICERS AND OF COURSE, HERS.
OUR GRANT FUNDED THROUGH THE D.J.S.
SO WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT SOME, SOME MANDATED INCREASES THAT WEREN'T IN THOSE PRICE TAGS TO ADD ON TO THE PRICE TAGS.
BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE GETTING MORE STATE MONEY TO SUPPORT THAT, AT LEAST IN PART.
SO WE'VE PUT ANOTHER BUDGET WORK SESSION ON THE 15TH FOR FOLLOW UP AFTER THE INTRODUCED BUDGET, IF IT'S NEEDED, IF WE HAVE ANY GENERAL ASSEMBLY FEEDBACK AT THAT TIME, WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT TO YOU AND WE WOULD BE LOOKING ON MARCH 22ND TO GRANT A AUTHORITY TO A GRANT TO ADVERTISE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE AND OR AN EFFECTIVE TAX RATE INCREASE BY ASSESSED VALUE SO THAT WOULD BE OUR REQUEST.
ANOTHER BUDGET WORK SESSION IS PUT ON THE DRAFT CALENDAR FOR THE TWENTY NINTH IF NEEDED, AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THE TAX RATE, PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPTION AND THE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SAME NIGHT IN APRIL ON APRIL TWENTY SIX.
AND THAT IS A REGULAR MEETING DAY FOR THE BOARD.
THAT WAY, WE'RE DEALING WITH THOSE BUDGET MATTERS IN ONE EVENING.
WE CANNOT ADOPT THE BUDGET ON THE SAME NIGHT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND WE DO HAVE ONE WORK SESSION ON MAY 3RD FOR FINE TUNING.
AS YOU KNOW, THE COMP BOARD DOESN'T RELEASE THEIR STATE BUDGET UNTIL MAY ONE, AND IT'S USUALLY 5:30 P.M.
ON MAY ONE BEFORE I GET THE EMAIL FROM THEM.
SO THAT DOESN'T GIVE ME A LOT OF TIME TO FINE TUNE THOSE STATE NUMBERS.
WE'RE HOPING THAT WE HAVE STATE NUMBERS FROM OTHER DISCIPLINES PRIOR TO THAT.
OTHER AREAS OF STATE GOVERNMENT PRIOR TO THAT.
AND THEN THE ADOPTION WE'VE PUT ON HERE FROM MAY 10TH, WE USUALLY ADOPT THE FIRST MEETING IN MAY SO THAT THE TEACHER CONTRACTS CAN GO OUT FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN SHORT ORDER AFTER THAT.
AND THAT IS A REGULAR MEETING NIGHT FOR YOU.
WE SENT THIS OUT TO YOU YESTERDAY IN CASE YOU WANTED TO REVIEW YOUR CALENDARS TO
[01:45:01]
SEE IF YOU HAD CONFLICTS.CERTAINLY, WE CAN ADJUST THESE AS NEEDED.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CALENDAR OR ANY CONFLICTS THAT ANYONE IS AWARE OF NOW? MR. WEBB, I WANT TO MAKE JUST ONE QUICK COMMENT.
I PURPOSELY HAVE NOT DONE ANY PRIORITIZATION ON A CAPITAL LIST.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THE REASON WHY WE'VE GOT AT LEAST FOUR, MAYBE FIVE PROJECTS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE OR A OR A GOOD ESTIMATED COST.
WE ALREADY KNOW WE GOT SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES THAT EVERYBODY'S BEING HIT WITH.
AND WE GOT THE SCHOOLS OUT HERE THAT ARE HAVING SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FINAL COST IMPACT ON THAT.
MY PERSONAL FEELING IS OTHER THAN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO NOW, UTILITIES, WE'VE GOT TO DO.
WE KNOW WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING THAT.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT CITIZENS THAT HAVE ASKED FOR A TRANSFER STATION.
OK, THAT MIGHT BE A SECOND TIER CONCERN.
IN ALL HONESTY, BEING UPFRONT AND FAIR BECAUSE WE CAN LIVE WITH WHAT WE HAVE NOW, WE HAVE TO.
IT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT, BUT WE COULD LIVE WITH IT.
I'D HATE TO SEE YOU ALL WASTE YOUR TIME.
I MEAN, I'M JUST SPEAKING FOR ME TO GO OUT AND SPEND A BUNCH OF TIME TRYING TO PUT THESE NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS OUT THERE WHEN WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED OR DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE ON WHAT WE'VE ALREADY SOMEWHAT OR HAVE COMMITTED TO.
BECAUSE MY WORLD, YOU GOT THESE OUT HERE, ONCE YOU START THEM, YOU GOT A TIMELINE, ONCE YOU GET THEM STARTED, THAT'S WHEN YOU START WORKING ON THE NEXT ROLL UP OF POTENTIAL PROJECTS BASED ON FUNDING AND WHEN IT MAY BECOME AVAILABLE, NOT JUST LAY THEM ON TOP OF SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED YET.
AND THAT'S MY CONCERN, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW YET.
RIGHT? AND I'LL BE HONEST, I'M ONE OF THOSE ON THAT LIST.
IT HASN'T RETURNED IT TO YOU FOR PRETTY MUCH THE SAME REASON.
THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE IT'S A MUST DO.
I THINK THOSE OUTRANK EVERYTHING SO MUCH THAT IT'S RIGHT NOW FOR ME, IT'S NOT EVEN POSSIBLE TO THINK ABOUT PLANNING OTHER STUFF BECAUSE THESE INFRASTRUCTURE THINGS ARE SO IMPORTANT AND WE COULD BE SPENDING A GOOD CHUNK OF FUND BALANCE IF NECESSARY TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN AND MINIMIZE OUR IMPACT TO BORROWING.
IF WE DO THAT, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE PLANNING OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS TO BORROW AGAINST, RIGHT, WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S MY MAIN REASON, TOO, FOR NOT HAVING SENT YOU ANYTHING BACK.
NO, AND I'M NOT OFFENDED THAT YOU HAVEN'T.
MR. STOKE AND I HAVE HAD VERY SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HURT OUR FEELING IF YOU SAY NOTHING OTHER THAN WHAT ABSOLUTELY, FINANCIAL POLICIES TO BEGIN WITH.
WHICH KIND OF PUTS HER BACK AGAINST THE WALL FOR FUTURE BORROWING, NOT KNOWING WHAT MIGHT POP UP THAT WE MAY HAVE TO GO DO WITHOUT PUTTING US IN A DEEPER BIND.
AND I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT CAP.
THE CIP POWERPOINT QUITE QUICKLY BECAUSE IT'S MOSTLY REVIEW.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS ON THERE, AS YOU SAID, THAT YOU'VE KIND OF COMMITTED TO AND THAT-- OR WE'VE GOT TO DO.
BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HURT OUR FEELINGS, BUT BY TAKING A BREATH, TAKING A STEP BACK, DOING WHAT IS JUST ESSENTIAL AND REGROUPING, PARTICULARLY WITH THE FOCUS ON UTILITY.
I JUST WANTED TO OWN UP WHY I HADN'T GIVEN IT TO YOU.
IT WASN'T BEING DISRESPECTFUL.
I JUST DIDN'T THINK I DON'T KNOW HOW TO RATE IT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S OVERWHELMING TO LOOK AT THAT LONG LIST.
SO IF THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS ON THE CALENDAR, THE PROCESS, IF THE BOARD LIKES WHAT THE PROCESS WAS FOR FY TWENTY TWO WITH THE VIDEOS, SEND THE SEND THE LINK TO YOU TO LOOK AT THOSE VIDEOS AS THEY'RE CONDUCTED ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND WE'LL, YOU KNOW, CAPTURE WHAT WE THINK RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE KEEPING THE TAX RATES THE SAME AND OR DROPPING THE TAX RATES ACCORDINGLY.
THEN WE'LL LAY OUT EXPENDITURES, THE REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE OR THE REASONABLE REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
WELL, IT WAS HELPFUL TO ME BECAUSE I COULD WATCH AND WATCH IT AT MY CONVENIENCE AT NIGHT AND I COULD FORMULATE MY QUESTIONS IF I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING OR I COULD GO BACK AND HAVE TIME TO TRY TO LOOK IT UP, RIGHT? AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE WILL PACKAGE THOSE REQUESTS AND ALLOW THE BOARD TO SCORE THEM ACCORDINGLY AND MAKE SURE WE'RE IN THE BLACK, SO TO SPEAK, WITH REVENUES TO EXPENDITURES.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS SCHEDULE.
I KNOW WE'VE SET DATES BEFORE BUDGET DATES GOING INTO THE NEW YEAR, BUT THEY WERE JUST THAT.
I DON'T THINK WE REALLY PLANNED OUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, SO THAT KIND OF HELPS YOU TO GET YOUR MINDSET RIGHT COMING INTO THE MEETING WHEN YOU ALREADY KIND OF HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT.
THE ONLY DATE THAT I SEE THAT I HAVE A CONFLICT WITH IS THE THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH VANTAGE POINT FEDERAL CREDIT UNION BOARD MEETS.
[01:50:04]
I'M THE SECRETARY OF THAT BOARD.IF WE COULD AVOID THAT AND DON'T SEE THAT ONE IN MARCH, OK, IF WE COULD, IF NOT, IF I MISS A MEETING, I CAN MISS A MEETING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT IMPERATIVE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT AGAIN.
BUT ON THAT THIRD WEEK, ARE YOU ABLE TO SHIFT TO THE DAY BEFORE, ON THE DAY AFTER? SO MAYBE IF WE STILL DO THAT THIRD WEEK, MAYBE WE SHIFT IT A DAY AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T CONFLICT FOR SOMETHING ELSE LIKE MR. WEBB, I KNOW YOU HAVE MPO AND MPO, SO I NEED TO LOOK AT MY PHONE.
IF I DON'T LOOK AT MY PHONE, I'M SCREW IT UP.
MPOS ARE USUALLY ON WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAYS FOR YOU.
SO IF WE MOVE THAT BACK, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR TUESDAY DATE, RIGHT? SO IF WE MOVE IT BY ONE DAY, IT WOULD MOVE TO THE WEDNESDAY.
EITHER WAY, AS LONG AS IT AIN'T ON A THURSDAY OR SO, AT LEAST IT'S STILL NO GOING INTO IT.
IF WE CAN STILL STAY IN THAT SAME WEEK AND MOVE IT NO FURTHER OUT THAN ONE DAY LEFT OR RIGHT? YEAH.
IN THAT THIRD WEEK OF THE MONTH, THE COMMISSION MEETS IN FEBRUARY, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE, RIGHT? Y'ALL PRETTY MUCH THE SAME NIGHT, I DO, DON'T YOU? I THINK YOU.
YOU ALL STARTED SIX, MINE STARTS AT 4:30.
NO, BUT I DO LIKE I DO LIKE THE SCHEDULE.
WHEN DO THE CEOS MEET FLOYD? SIR.
I KNOW THE CEOS MEET AT NIGHT TO WHICH ONE WOULD.
WELL, WE'RE NOW THE FINANCIAL AGENT FOR, FIDUCIARY AGENT FOR.
OH LATELY, WE'VE BEEN MEETING THROUGH AT FIVE O'CLOCK ON SOME DATES, SO I'LL HAVE, WE HAVEN'T SET THAT IN STONE YET.
SO WE WILL LOOK AT THIS MEETING ROOM CALENDAR, MAKE SURE OF PLANNING COMMISSION, AND WE'LL SUGGEST A DATE EITHER THE 14TH OR THE 16TH FOR THAT WEEK, DEPENDING ON WHEN THIS ROOM IS FREE AND I'LL SEND OUT A REVISED, SCHEDULE.
THAT'S WHY WE SEND IT OUT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO PLAN AHEAD.
AND THE NEXT TOPIC AND FINAL TOPIC, I BELIEVE, IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AND THIS IS A LOT OF A LOT OF INFORMATION AND MOST OF IT IS REVIEW.
SO OUR MOST RECENT FULL BLOWN CIP PROCESS WAS FY 21, AND WE'VE NOT YET COMPLETED THAT BORROWING.
AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, WE ARE WAITING FOR REAL BIDS FOR THE GARAGE EXPANSION.
WE GOT FINALIZED PLANS LATE LAST WEEK FROM THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRM AND MS. JACKSON, THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER, GOT THE IFB POSTED TODAY.
THOSE BIDS ARE DUE ON THE 13TH OF JANUARY.
WE WANTED IT TO BE OUT THERE AS CLOSE TO THIRTY DAYS TO GET REASONABLE BIDS AND A REASONABLE NUMBER OF BIDS, HOPEFULLY.
WE ARE HOPING THAT WE CAN AWARD THAT CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT ON THE TWENTY FIFTH OF JANUARY.
AT OUR SECOND JANUARY MEETING, YOUR FIRST MEETING IS ON THE 11TH.
SO WE HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO TED COLE WITH DAVENPORT TO GIVE HIM A HEADS UP THAT WE WANT TO GET THAT BORROWING DONE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS ON THE NON SCHOOL PROJECTS.
AND OF COURSE, THE REAL AMOUNT FOR THAT BORROWING IS GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON THE GARAGE BID.
THE REAL BIDS AS THE BOARD KNOWS, THE GUERNSEY TINGLE ESTIMATED BUDGET WAS NOT THE TWO POINT ONE MILLION THAT WE HAD PUT IN THE CIP, BUT IT'S CLOSER TO THREE POINT FIVE MILLION.
THAT IS ARCHITECTURAL, THAT'S SITE WORK.
THAT'S THE ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER THAT IS CONTINGENCY THAT IS EVERYTHING.
WHEN THEY COME BACK THIS TIME, THEY COME BACK THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MY EXPECTATION A REQUEST WOULD BE WE HAVE A START DATE AND AN ESTIMATED DATE OF COMPLETION, BARRING WEATHER OR...
I KNOW SUPPLY CHAIN STILL OUT THERE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT A FIXED TIMELINE.
THAT CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE, I BELIEVE, IS 270 DAYS AND...
HARD TO FINISH.. AND THE ARCHITECT'S PLANS AND IN THE IFB, THAT WAS LET JUST TODAY.
TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY DAYS NOW, THERE IS SOME WIGGLE ROOM WITH HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES US TO GET THE CONTRACT IN PLACE ONCE THAT AWARD IS MADE.
BUT SURE MR. WHITTEN AND MS. JACKSON WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO EXPEDITE THAT AND GET IT MOVING.
REALLY LIKE TO SEE US TRY TO IMPROVE ON THAT THIS YEAR.
WHEN WE COMMIT TO SOMETHING, LET'S GET IT DONE.
SO, THE AMOUNT OF BORROWING THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS REALLY GOING TO BE ABOUT SIX
[01:55:06]
MILLION PLUS ISSUANCE COSTS.IF THIS HOLDS TRUE, IF THE BIDS COME IN, SO THE TOTAL COST WILL BE SIX MILLION FOR THE BORROWING.
THAT'S THE BORROWING THAT WE WILL DO FOR EVERY PROJECT.
ALL OF THESE PROJECTS ON HERE AND ALL OF ALL OF THEM ARE REAL PRICES, EXCEPT THIS GARAGE ONE RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE ALL OF THESE THINGS AND MADE ALL OF THESE PURCHASES.
THIS WAS ACTUALLY PROJECTS THAT WERE COMPLETED LAST FISCAL YEAR.
THE GENERATOR FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE ZOLL MONITORS AND DEFIBRILLATORS THAT WE PURCHASED IN PART WITH GRANT MONEY, THE SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE, THE BUSSES, THE ROLLING STOCK CO.
VEHICLES AND THE SCBA THAT WE'RE USING THE ONE PENNY OF DEVOTED REAL PROPER.
REFRESH MY MEMORY, HOW MANY YEARS WAS THIS [INAUDIBLE] HOW MANY YEARS WAS THIS BORROWING BASED ON? MOST OF THE PROJECTS ARE 15.
OK, NOW THIS IS WHAT HAD BEEN LAID OUT IN THE FY 22 BUDGET JUST THE SCHOOL BUSSES AND VEHICLES, WHICH YOU ALREADY DID DO THE REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION FOUR FOR AN UPCOMING BORROWING AND COMPANY ONE RENAULT WAS IN THERE.
I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME, YOU KNOW, TRACTION TO PERHAPS MOVE THAT DOWN THE ROAD.
SO THE PRIORITY AND WHEN THAT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED IS CERTAINLY SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION.
I CAN I CAN TELL YOU NOW FROM MY STANDPOINT, THAT COULD MOVE BECAUSE I CAN'T RANK THAT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT WITH THE OTHER PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE IN FRONT OF US FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT SAYING THAT WE CAN'T COME BACK TO THAT.
BUT THAT'S WE'VE GOT TO GET SOME FINAL COSTS AND STUFF AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
THE UPDATES, I'VE ALREADY COVERED THAT SLIDE, SORRY.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WERE DISCUSSED THAT WERE NOT ON A TWENTY TWO LIST THAT THE BOARD IS PRETTY WELL COMMITTED TO AT THIS POINT.
ONE OF THOSE WAS THE CIRCUIT COURT ROOM RENOVATIONS, AND THE ESTIMATED PRICE TAG FROM MOSLEY IS ONE POINT SIX.
YOU DID AWARD THE FULL BLOWN DESIGN WORK ON THE 9TH OF NOVEMBER, AND I'M GUESSING MOSLEY'S WORKING ON THAT.
I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT TIMELINE AND I SEE MR. SIMMONS'S NOT HERE WITH US ANYMORE.
WE CAN CERTAINLY TRY TO GET AN UPDATED TIMELINE FROM MOSLEY ON THAT.
OF COURSE, YOU GOT A REPORT FROM MOSLEY ALSO ON THE WATER INFILTRATION ISSUES AT THE HERITAGE CENTER.
MR. SIMMONS HAS REQUESTED A PRICING PROPOSAL FROM MOSLEY TO JUST DO THE ROOF DESIGN DETAILED WORK AND HE'S WAITING THAT PRICING PROPOSAL.
SO WE WILL BE BRINGING THAT TO THE BOARD IF IT'S OVER 50.
AND EVEN IF IT'S NOT, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
[INAUDIBLE] YOU GOT TO PROTECT THE ASSETS, RIGHT, THE BILL AND GO.
AND OF COURSE, THEY HAD A NUMBER OF OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ABOVE.
AND APART FROM THE ROOF, I KNOW THE WINDOWS AND THE MORTAR AND A FEW OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED.
YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE JUST DOING THE ROOF, THE OTHER STUFF IS GOING TO BE THERE WAITING FOR US.
THE BOARD HAD ALSO DISCUSSED PAVING THE SCOTT PARK ENTRANCE ROAD AND TRAILS.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT IN AUGUST, AND THE QUOTE AT THE TIME WAS JUST OVER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX THOUSAND.
WE WOULD HAVE TO GET AN UPDATED QUOTE FROM FINLEY.
YOU TALKED ABOUT PERHAPS USING SOME TOURISM FUN FUND BALANCE.
WE DID END THE YEAR WITH THE AUDIT REPORT THAT WAS PRESENTED LAST NIGHT, JUNE 30TH.
OUR FUND BALANCE WAS THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING THAT TO YOU AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE, UNLESS THE BOARD THINKS THAT THIS IS A BIGGER PRIORITY TO USE THAT TOURISM FUND FUN BALANCE.
IF IT WAS ME, I'D SAY THE HERITAGE CENTER.
YEAH, KNOW THE HERITAGE WIND UP WITH DOLLARS WELL AND THE HERITAGE CENTER.
IF WE DON'T CATCH THAT BEFORE IT GETS EVEN WORSE, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE COSTLY KNOTT THAT WE DON'T NEED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF.
WE'RE GOING BACK, PERHAPS PARK, BUT I THINK THE HERITAGE FAIR HERITAGE CENTER IS VITAL THAT WE DO THAT JUST LIKE, OH, OK, WELL, WELL, I WILL ASK DEAN TO PUSH MOSELEY TO
[02:00:03]
GET THAT, THAT WORK STARTED AND GET THAT PRICING PROPOSAL TO US.I'M SURE THEY HAVE MUCH BIGGER PROJECTS THAN THAT, THAT THEY'RE FOCUSED ON, BUT WE NEED TO GET THAT DONE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT IS AN OLD BUILDING.
MR. STOKE MADE A COMMENT AND WHATEVER THEY TELL YOU, DOUBLE IT BECAUSE IT'S AN OLD BUILDING AND WHEN THEY OPEN IT UP, THERE'S...
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT MY JOB CALLS IT TOO, SCOPE CREEK.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GOT UNTIL YOU OPEN IT UP.
OK, SO SO WE'RE GOING TO PUT A PIN IN THE SCOTT PARK PAVING USING TOURISM FUND FUN BALANCE UNTIL WE CAN GET SOME TRACTION ON THAT.
THE ROOF, AT LEAST FOR THE HERITAGE CENTER.
SO WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT SOME THINGS, THE DARK FIBER I MENTIONED TO YOU DURING MY ARPA UPDATE LAST NIGHT.
THE CONSULTANT WAS ON SITE THIS WEEK.
THEY WRAPPED UP TODAY DOING A LITTLE BIT MORE TESTING, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A PRICING PROPOSAL IN A FEW WEEKS.
BUT WE TALKED ABOUT USING ARPA FUNDS, SO THAT'S REALLY NOT A STRAIN ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
COURTHOUSE ENTRANCE DESIGN, THIS IS JUST SOMETHING I THREW OUT THERE IN OUR LAST DISCUSSION, AS YOU KNOW, YOU INCREASED THE COURT SECURITY FEES AND WE PUT THAT INCREASE THE DOLLAR EQUIVALENT OF THAT INCREASE IN A SEPARATE LINE ITEM WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S OPERATING BUDGET.
AND WE'RE WE CARRIED THAT OVER.
THE DESIGN WORK ISN'T REALLY EVEN STARTED.
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE A NEWLY ELECTED SHERIFF WHO WILL TAKE OFFICE ON JANUARY ONE, AND MR. SIMMONS IS FAIRLY NEW IN HIS ROLE AS GENERAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.
SO SO THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A SCOPE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE A BORROWING BURDEN.
IF WE COULD USE WHAT'S ACCUMULATED IN THAT ACCOUNT YEAR OVER A YEAR, MAYBE WAIT.
WE ARE USING SOME OF THAT ACCOUNT TO OFFSET THE FEE FOR THAT DEPUTY THAT WE DIDN'T GET FUNDED FOR.
I THOUGHT WE USE SOME OF IT BEARING A HOLE, BLOWN IT OUT OF THERE.
NO, BUT I THOUGHT WE USE SOME OF THAT AND I COULD BE MISTAKEN COURT FEES WHEN WE JUST DID THE MONIES THAT THEY GOT FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
BUT IT DIDN'T COVER ALL OF THE FOLKS ON A GREAT DEAL, AND I THINK IT WAS OTHER ACCOUNTS THAT WE TRANSFERRED FROM.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS REMEMBERING, TOO.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A VETERANS MEMORIAL AT SCOTT PARK.
AGAIN, THAT MIGHT BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
THAT'S A NICE TO HAVE AT THIS TIME.
YOU KNOW, I IT'S NICE, BUT MAYBE NOT URGENT, RIGHT? I SUPPORTED IT, BUT I CAN'T JUSTIFY IT UNTIL WITH EVERYTHING RIGHT? UNTIL WE GET A HOLD ON THIS INFRASTRUCTURE STUFF, I WOULD SUPPORT IT, BUT IT'S NOT VERY MUCH SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
SO, JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REPURPOSED 2019 BORROWING THAT WAS DONE TO FUND A NEW JEFFERSON PARK STATION, THE EMERGENCY CREW BUILDING ELECTRICAL UPGRADES, THAT'S IN DESIGN.
WE'RE WAITING TO GET THE DESIGN FINALIZATION FOR THAT AND THE RENOVATION.
I TOUCHED BASE WITH CHIEF BEEMAN AND I BELIEVE THAT THE ARCHITECT IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE RENOVATION PLANS DONE BY THE 18TH OF DECEMBER.
THAT WAS THE DATE HE THREW OUT THERE.
I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH HIM TO MAKE SURE ON EARLY NEXT WEEK, ON MONDAY.
AND THE ELECTRICAL UPGRADES, I THINK DEAN IS PRODDING THE ENGINEER ALONG.
WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE OUR CONTRACTED ELECTRICAL SERVICE FIRM TO DO THAT WORK BECAUSE THE DOLLAR THRESHOLD SHOULD NOT BE HIGH ENOUGH TO SAY THAT WE HAVE SHOULD EXPEDITE THE PROCESS.
WORKING OVER THERE WASN'T THERE SOME TALK ABOUT NEEDING ADDITIONAL GAS STORAGE OVER THERE.
DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? I DON'T THINK THEY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE LP TANK.
LP TAG TEAM TO BE TAKING THE TRANSFORMER OR SOMETHING, SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TRANSFORMER TOO, I THINK.
YEAH, I BELIEVE IT DID GO BEYOND ELECTRICAL, BUT THAT WOULD BE IN THE SCOPE, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE CONTRACTORS ON DEMAND THAT WE COULD USE TO HAVE A MORE BROAD GENERAL CONTRACTING JUST ELECTRIC WAY DOWN THE ROAD ON THE ELECTRICAL STUFF.
AND THEY SAID, OH, BY THE WAY, YOU NEED THIS TOO.
WE'VE GOT TO PUT ANOTHER BIG OLD TANK DOWN THERE.
[02:05:02]
MM HMM.WELL, WE CAN SEE IF MR. SIMMONS AND CHIEF BEEMAN MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO AN UPDATE ON JANUARY 11TH.
WHEN, WHERE ON WHERE THESE ARE MAYBE MR. STOKE.
A WORK SESSION ITEM, IF I MIGHT BE OFF TRACK, BUT I SEEMED LIKE TO ME, SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, CHIEF BEAMAN IS INDICATING THAT REALLY THE NEXT STATION SHOULD BE THE WELLS STATION ROAD FIRE STATION THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CLEAR UP SOME ISSUES THAT WE HAVE AT THE SUBSTATION AND CARS AND RIGHT, YEAH, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS, SO I THINK THAT'S HIS MOST URGENT PRIORITY.
BUT CERTAINLY WHAT'S LEFT OVER IN THE BOND PROCEEDS IS NOT GOING TO BUILD A NEW STATION AFTER WE TAKE OUT WHAT'S NECESSARY FOR THOSE TWO THINGS.
IT COULD GO A WAYS, BUT WE NEED TO GET THOSE BIDS IN HAND, THOSE COSTS IN HAND BEFORE WE KNOW HOW MUCH WE HAVE LEFT TO DEVOTE TO THAT.
I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM SUPPORTING IT, BUT WHAT WOULD YOU JUST STATED WE NEED TO GET THE OTHER ONE WAS DONE AND I'M STILL CONCERNED WHERE THE SCHOOL IS GOING TO COME IN AT? THE NEW ONE UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW.
OK, SO ON JULY 21, OF COURSE, YOU PROVIDED US FEEDBACK TO PUT TOGETHER THE LIST, DON'T ENGAGE IN THE NEW LIST.
THOSE ARE THE DEFINITIONS OF A CAPITAL PROJECT.
WE GAVE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US TO ADD, REMOVE AND UPDATE PRICING FROM THE EXISTING LIST, THIS WAS OUR LIST, AND WE HAD SAID TO SAVE TO DO A NEW BEASLEY IN 2027, WHICH THAT COULD GET KICKED DOWN THE ROAD, OF COURSE.
NOTHING ELSE WOULD HAPPEN UNTIL TWENTY TWENTY SEVEN BEYOND TWENTY TWENTY TWO.
SO YOU KNOW THAT WAS PUTTING MONEY ASIDE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN ON THIS TIMELINE.
WE DID REMOVE SOME PROJECTS, I COVERED THAT WITH YOU WHEN WE UPDATED YOU IN, I BELIEVE IT WAS OCTOBER, RIGHT? TOOK SOME THINGS OFF THE LIST.
A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS WERE ADDED TO THE LIST, WHICH IS AN OVERWHELMING LIST.
WE ADDED THIRTY SIX POINT SEVEN AFTER ONLY LOPPING OFF TWO POINT SIX, SO.
OF COURSE, THE CIRCUIT COURT WAS NOT ON THE LIST AT ALL.
SCOTT PARK MASTER PLAN THAT WAS THE BIGGEST, BIGGEST ITEM ADDED.
AND THEN PHASE TWO, IF WE WANT TO DO AT THE WELLNESS CENTER, 10 MILLION, THAT'S A PIE IN THE SKY NUMBER, IT'S NOT A REAL NUMBER.
TEN POINT TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN SCHOOL PROJECTS WERE ALSO ADDED.
THEY ARE ACTUALLY TAKING CARE OF THIS ITEM WITH THEIR CARRY OVER THAT YOU APPROVED LAST NIGHT, THE ROOFING, THE RESTROOM, RESTROOM AND LOCKER ROOM.
IS CAR STACKING WHAT I THINK IT IS? A PARKING DECK? I THINK IT'S A PARKING LOT.
THERE'S ONE LEVEL YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT.
WHEN YOU SAY STACK, I THINK THEIR CAR SOUTH ELEMENTARY CAR STACKING IS COMING UP WITH A DIFFERENT CONFIGURATION FOR PICKING UP THE SCHOOL KIDS, OK, BECAUSE CARS ARE BACKING OUT.
CARS ARE BACKING UP BACK OUT TO THAT MAIN ROAD AND THEY'RE ALMOST BEING HIT BY TRACTOR TRAILERS AND OTHER THINGS COMING THROUGH FOR A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
YEAH, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY CREATING A DIFFERENT CONFIGURATION FOR THE PARENTS THAT EITHER DROP OFF OR PICK THEIR KIDS UP, AND THEY CALL IT CAR STACKING, BUT IT'S SOME SORT OF A LOOP TYPE.
YEAH, SOMETHING ABOUT ONE AND KEEP THEM OFF OF ONE FIFTY SIX.
WELL, THE TOP TWO PROJECTS THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF CHOICE IN THAT RIGHT BASED ON THE AGE OF THE SCHOOL.
THEY ARE CERTAINLY LEVERAGING THEIR ARPA MONEY TO THE EXTENT THEY CAN TO HANDLE WHAT THEY CAN.
I THINK THESE WERE THE PROJECTS THAT WERE LEFT OVER AFTER LEVERAGING THAT FEDERAL MONEY TO THE EXTENT THEY COULD.
AND THEY'RE GETTING A SECOND TRANCHE TOO, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
THEY, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, ACTUALLY PACKAGED A LOT OF THAT FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, ROOFING AND HVAC SPECIFICALLY.
SO WE ALSO HAD SOME COST CHANGES, HIGH SCHOOL RHINO NUMBER WENT UP, BEASLEY ELEMENTARY, THEY INDICATED, OF COURSE, A MORE REALISTIC NUMBER IS HIGHER.
THE WELLS STATION ROAD FIRE STATION CHIEF BEAMON UP THAT.
[02:10:02]
HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM WENT DOWN AND COMPANY ONE RENOVATIONS, CHIEF BEAMON DECREASED THAT BASED ON THE STUDY.NOW, BASED ON WHAT WAS PENDING, DIDN'T THINK THE EXTENSIVE EXTENT OF THAT RENOVATION WOULD BE AS EXPANSIVE AS WHAT WAS ON THE LIST.
WE DID LEAVE A FEW THINGS BLANK.
AND THE MASTER PLAN CERTAINLY NEEDS TO BE FINE TUNE, A&E WAS NOT INCLUDED.
SO WE WANTED YOUR INPUT AND WHAT I THINK MR. STOKE AND I ARE HEARING IS THAT BASICALLY LIMIT IT TO THE ESSENTIAL THINGS THAT YOU'RE ALREADY COMMITTED TO NOT ADDING ANYTHING NEW TO THE LIST.
WE MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
CONVENIENT SITE MIGHT BE ONE, BUT.
I THINK THAT'S THE WAY TO GO, RIGHT, RIGHT, WHERE WE'VE STILL GOT THE EMPLOYEES AND INSURANCE AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS ALONG WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE TO DO SO.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT FUNDING A LOT OF THINGS OUT OF THE TOURISM FUND AND TO THE TO THE POINT THAT THEY, THE TOURISM FUND, CAN'T FUND ALL THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT.
AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE BOARD, YOU GOT A REPORT ON THAT EXIT FORTY FIVE MASTER PLAN.
WE DID HAVE SOME DEBT THAT'S FALLING OFF FOR FY 23, BUT ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THERE COULD BE DEBT REPLACING THAT TO SUPPORT TOURISM INITIATIVES AS A RESULT OF THAT STUDY.
I THINK MR. STOKE IS STILL WAITING FOR THAT HARD COPY REPORT.
AND WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSION ON POTENTIAL OPTIONS OR POSSIBILITIES.
SO THESE WERE WHAT INITIALLY WE LAID OUT FOR FY TWENTY THREE.
BUT AGAIN, WHAT I WHAT I'M HEARING IS THIS ONE.
YEAH, WE HAD TO WE GOT TO DO THAT.
THE DETAILED DESIGN IS UNDERWAY.
THIS IS A MAYBE WE GOT TO SEE WHERE WE ARE WITH THE 2019 BOND PROCEEDS HERE.
THIS WAS A SMALL REQUEST FROM THE SCHOOLS.
THEY MAY BE ABLE TO COVER THAT WITH CARRY OVER NEXT YEAR.
THE HERITAGE ROOF WE'RE HEARING, YES, VETERANS MEMORIAL, PROBABLY PUT A PIN IN THAT.
PICNIC IN PAVILION, PROBABLY PUT A PIN IN THAT.
ANYTHING RELATED TO SCOTT PARK EXPANSION PUT A PIN IN THAT AND THEN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS TAKING CARE OF THAT RESTROOM AND LOCKER ROOM WITH THEIR CARRY OVER THAT YOU APPROVED LAST NIGHT.
SO AGAIN, IT WAS A HUGE LIST, AND IT DOESN'T INCLUDE WATER AND SEWER, WHICH IS A REAL, REAL NUMBER, ALMOST AS BIG AS THE COUNTY AND SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO A LOT OF THESE THINGS, BUT THEY'RE JUST NOT THEY'RE NOT PRIORITY.
YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW, THE VETERANS MEMORIAL.
I'M ALL ABOUT THAT, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO GET WATER THROUGH THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW? AND WHEN THE WATER ENDS UP BRINGING IN BUSINESS, WHICH ALSO HELPS TO TAKE THE TAX BURDEN OFF OF ROOFTOPS.
SO YOU HAVE THAT DOMINO EFFECT WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT.
SO I'VE GIVEN YOU HARD COPIES OF THE LISTS AGAIN, BUT WE'RE JUST GOING TO SCRAP IT.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THERE.
THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ALREADY ESSENTIALLY COMMITTED TO, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOME BETTER NUMBERS OF WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE WITH THESE SERIES 2019 BOND PROCEEDS.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT A NEW FIRE STATION ON WELL STATION ROAD OR YOU CAN HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TO REPURPOSE THOSE BONDS YET AGAIN.
YEAH, I THINK MY GENERAL APPROACH IS STICK WITH NOTHING UNTIL AT LEAST 2027.
AND THEN IF THERE'S THINGS THAT COME UP THAT WE WANT TO SAY IN TWENTY THREE OR TWENTY FOUR, WE WANT TO DO WE APPROACH IT THAT WAY.
BUT TO PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO DEVELOPING A CIP FOR THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS, I THINK IT WOULD CHANGE EVERY YEAR BASED ON WHAT WE GOT DONE THE PRIOR YEAR.
I AGREE 100 PERCENT WE CAN DO, BUT SO MUCH.
AND YOU GET TOO FAR OUT AHEAD OF THE CART WOULD BE DANGEROUS.
WELL, I THINK IT SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE BECAUSE IF YOU PUT IT OUT THERE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ASSUME, OH, THE BOARD IS COMMITTED TO DOING THIS FOR ME WHEN IT'S JUST A PLACEHOLDER FOR SURE.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. CHAIRMAN.
WELL, I THINK THE NEXT MEETING WE HAVE IS ON THE 3RD JANUARY 3RD AT 5:00 P.M.
[02:15:04]
THAT'S A REORGANIZATIONAL MEETING JANUARY 3RD.BOARD MEMBERS SEEMING THAT WE'VE COVERED EVERYTHING FOR TONIGHT, I WOULD, IF NOT LESS A BOARD MEMBER HAS ANYTHING THEY WANT TO BRING UP.
I ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT FOR THE BOARD TO BE BACK ON JANUARY THE 3RD OF 2022 AT 5:00 P.M.
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED BY MR. HUNTER AND IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY MRS. WAYMACK THAT THE BOARD WOULD ADJOURN UNTIL ITS NEXT REGULAR MEETING OR UNTIL ITS NEXT MEETING ON JANUARY THE 3RD OF 2022 FOR A REORGANIZATION MEETING AT 5:00 P.M.
MRS. DREWRY WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? YES, SIR.
MOTION CARRIED MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
YOU CAN.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.